Cradle of Wyrms

I have decided - Fantasy BloodGames 4 is now to be called BloodGames 4 - Cradle of Wyrms setting. The Cradle of Wyrms is a continent sized bowl of lands surrounded by gigantic peaks and glaciers. Many rivers run down to a central salt sea. It rains and snows mostly around the edges on the high ground. It will require BloodGames 4 and BloodGames 4 Renaissance + Toolbox. All BloodGames books have a concentration - the main book has Vampires, the Toolbox has Fairies, the Outremer setting has Djinn - this one's concentration will be on dragons.

Fantasy BloodGames 4

 Hi all!

Klax and I have decided to go ahead with another BloodGames 4 supplement. This one is temporarily called the Fantasy BloodGames 4 Setting, a la the Outremer Setting. Like Outremer, it will use the Renaissance+ Toolbox and the main BloodGames 4 book to create a true fantasy - not urban fantasy - game, my first since the short lived Book of Jalan way back in 2002. Looking forward to it!

Guardians

 I am working with Michael Scott again - we last teamed up for In Harm's Way: Wild Blue. This time we are working on In Harm's Way: Guardians which is the first adaptation of StarCluster 4 for the In Harm's Way series. Guardians is set in the 2030s and follows members of the US Space Force as they protect the US - and the world - from enemies in space. The game is in Alpha test currently, but this will in the future lead to a new version of In Harm's Way: StarCluster as well as other In Harm's Way adaptations.

StarCluster 4 Magazine 4

The StarCluster 4 Magazines are the best kept secret in Tabletop RPGs. They are even more unknown than StarCluster 4 itself! We've just released the fourth Magazine - StarCluster 4 Magazine 4: The Devil In the Details. This one's articles delve deep into how things work in the game's space ships. 

Stacked Drum Construction 

This article discusses a method of starship construction that is practical, less expensive, and widely used. Stacked drum construction orients the angle of thrust perpendicular to the ship's decks by stacking shallow drums into a coffee-can-like structure. Ugly and aerodynamic as a brick, but very practical in space.

Starcluster Docking Mechanisms and Airlocks 

This article discusses how airlocks and docks work in space - how they are constructed, where the are situated, and what is in them. 

Inside a Jump Drive 

This article goes through all the subsystems of a Jump Drive and what they do, as well as giving what happens if that component fails. 

Jumping 

This article looks at what happens with navigators during Jump, and how - even though no subjective time is spent in Jump, SOMETHING is happening.

A Look at Scan 

This article discusses what Scan is and how it works, where sensors are located, and how they are used by Scan on a ship. It discusses what a Scan operator sees at a Scan station, and how the operator can  change what they see and what they can determine.

Stealth in Space 

This article discusses what is stealth in space and how it can be accomplished in various ways, to various levels.
 

Shields and Protective Systems 

This article discusses Reflective Plasma Shields, Anti-missile lasers, and other protective systems on a ship, and how they are used by the Shields Operator to protect ship and crew from harm.

The Court of Worlds Project is Launched

 The Court of Worlds project is go for a real start. Research and planning is done, and I am getting down to work! I am releasing it as a toolbox, Tool Box 7, as it can be added to most any setting. Perhaps the Out of the Ruins setting would not work so well, as it is about the very beginnings of a multi-system setting. The Court of Worlds provides various services for member worlds:

Litigation 

The Court provides judges of various species and backgrounds to arbitrate litigation. It maintains a list of attorneys available for hire, as well as courtroom employees to assist in the hearings, such as translators, file clerks, bailiffs, and others.

Mediation

The Court provides trained mediators to assist in negotiations between worlds over claims. Mediators are generally preferred, as litigation can be chancy.

Disputed World Referees

The Court provides referees to oversee limited combat over disputed worlds. The court prides itself on the rigorous oversight of disputes, and has a good record.

Disputed World Mecenaries

The Court maintains a list of mercenary companies employed  by disputant worlds, who are trained in various types of limited combat. Comments from former employers are associated with these companies.

Illegal Settlement Resolutions

The Court maintains a corps of police trained in eradicating illegal settlements, and resettling the miscreants elsewhere. Trained cleaners then come in and dismantle the settlement’s infrastructure, raze and destroy any crops, and replant the site with native flora.

Exploration and Survey Services

The Court maintains a recommended list of private exploration companies, either to perfom the entire survey or to shepherd a party of scientists through the experience.

Restricted World Rangers

The Court maintains a corps of experienced and versatile rangers for service on Restricted worlds, able to cope with both native dangers and rapacious resource exploiters from off-world.

Slowboat Tugs and Rescue

The Court maintains contact with new slowboats as they come in, and provides Slowboat tugs to guide slowboats into worlds reserved for them. If an emergency occurs, rescue crews can be dispatched to deal with any impending disaster.

Colony Advisors

The Court provides nascent colonies - including new slowboats - with advisors to guide the colonists with integrating their new colonies into the cluster-wide economy, maintaining ecological biomes, and adapting to new technological advances.

All of these will have associated template trees and association-building suggestions.

StarCluster 4 - Volant now available at Lulu and Drive Through

 StarCluster 4 - Volant is now available at Drive Through RPG in pdf

and at Lulu in print:

OK! Star Cluster 4 - Volant is finished!

 Well I finished it! 5 months alter! What I initially assumed would be a quick update turned into a complete rewrite. Also one blog post in 5 months is pretty poor! Anyway, it will be up soon at Drive Through RPG and Lulu! I have been running a campaign for the last couple of years on Wednesdays over Discord, but what I could easily wing and extemporize in a game turned out to be far more difficult to codify in print!