The Dune universe is anachronistic in its weapons thanks to the Holtzman generator — which much like shields in other sci-fi settings are the “magic” that keep you from getting your ship (or self) blown to smithereens. According the the Dune wiki: “Shields were produced by a Holtzman generator, the field deriving from Phase One of the suspensor-nullification effect. Shields can be calibrated to permit the passage of matter below given speeds. This is vital in personal defense shields, as one would suffocate within a shield that did not admit atmospheric gasses. Depending on the shield’s setting, the object’s speed while passing through the shield would range from six to nine centimeters per second. A shield could also be set to cover either the left or right side of a person if the specific need for it arose.”
Cool. So could your assassin rig/reprogram a personal shield so that it just suffocated the user?
Okay, not the point… This meant that lasguns — which if used against a shielded target cause a sub-atomic fusion reaction (an atomic blast) that could randomly occur at the shield generator, the laser emitter, or both — while powerful are more likely to end up in a fiery death for everyone in a multi-kilometer radius. (And I wonder — if there are more shielded folks in the area, would an nuclear reaction cause these shields to chain, causing multiple, rapid nuclear blasts in the same area…) Firearms will just see the bullets stop cold or ricochet (which is what I’ve had them doing in our Dune game.) Another point from on-screen (rather than the book) we saw was that hammering a shield hard enough, long enough, does seem to eventually overwhelm it. This was especially true with explosive ordinance against the Atreides ships during the Harkonnen raid. Perhaps enough whacks on a shielded area in rapid succession might do the trick. That would suggest that an auto-fire weapon, if it kept the rounds close enough to point of impact, might eventually overwhelm a shield. Or a succession of explosions close enough to the shielded person; at the very least, it might cause them to be tossed about.
So…blades, and blades that are cutting slow.
Which would seem to imply that fighting styles are going to have to be a lot less hack and slash, and much more a grapple and slow thrust affair. That means the weapons used are going to be very specialized. Gone are the big claymores, bidenhander, jian. They might be useful due to their length in stopping an attacker from getting to you in a fight, but their main use is crushing/slashing/hacking…the personal shield is going to stop that much energy. Other slashing-style weapons, like the katana and broadsword, are similarly going to be at a disadvantage.
Rapiers, panzerstechers, tucks are all thrusting weapons, and stabbing — it would seem — is more likely to be able to get through a shield; but the thrust and retreat tactic still relies on speed. Speed is energy. The shields should stop this handily — and with a thin blade like the rapier, could potentially damage the blade just as if you’d stabbed a wall with force.
Shortswords and long knives, like the kindjal that the Ginaz swordmasters use (see above), would still afford some stand-off capability, blocking or turning attacks, but they would require you to get in tight with the target. However, the curve of the blade in some kindjali would make a slow thrust a bit more tricky. You would probably try and use your weight to control the opponent and get a good, slow push in through the shield. (It looks like, once through — at least in the movies — you can then thrust as hard as you like…) Weapons with a straight blade and good point, like the tuck, Italian stiletto, Sykes-Fairbairn, a navaja, or dirk would seem more useful here than the traditional blades of heavier of say a bowie or “combat-style” like the M-9 bayonet or Gerber Mark II with their angled point. However, a smaller point/blade means moreenergy in that point of impact…so the shield should more likely stop it, like a bullet. By that logic, the angled point coupled with a slow cut, expanding the area of energy, should be more effective in slicing through the shield, then move to a stab.
I was pretty pleased, on rereading Dune for the first time in forty years, that this last argument was one in the books, itself: Duncan Idaho favored the blade over the point for the reasons I suggested above.
The problem of the personal shield has led my wife and daughter, for whom I’m running a Dune campaign, to develop interesting techniques in a fight. Anytime they think there’s the chance of a lasgun with the opposition, the daughter made a point of smacking their shield with their sword or hand to make it shimmer and warn the opposing force, so not everyone in the area gets nuked. She was the one that posited that you would want to grapple (although, again, shields might make this difficult) or use your weight to try and limit the target’s movement before you strike with a slow push, not a fast thrust. (Keep in mind, she’s 13 and hasn’t read the books…this is just the martial artist in her working it out.)
It’s an interesting thought exercise that those with more blade time than me might have a good opinion on. Comments would be welcome.
Suggested Era: Any, but Strange New Worlds, is best.
Spotlight Characters: Science officers
Directives: Confirm health and welfare of survey mission, collect any new data.
SYNOPSIS
The ship receives a mission to survey a possible Class M moon of a gas giant around star SSC-1092, a dull F-class star. There are records that a civilian research mission was sent out forty years earlier, but they never returned. Investigate, look for new life, and catalogue.
OPENING LOG ENTRY
Science officer’s log: We have been dispatched to SSC-1092 to investigate long-range scans suggesting a Class M moon around the third planet. My research into the records show that this system has rolled up before as a prospective interest for Starfleet forthy years ago, but no action had been taken. Twenty years ago, a civilian research mission set out to investigate this world, but was never heard from again. We don’t even know if the vessel — S.S. Starview — even reached their destination.
MAJOR BEATS
1) Do the Science Thing
On arriving at SSC-1092, the captain can turn their operations over to the science officer with a “Let’s do the science thing”. Control+Command, Diff 1 to organize the different science departments to look for and collate data. Control+Conn, Diff 2 for the helm or tactical officer to start launching probes to the various major worlds — four gas giants and a solitary captured terrestrial on a highly eccentric orbit at 480from the ecliptic and on a sharp, long period hyperbolic orbit. There’s a wealth of data to collect, even though the system has ben remotely surveyed for decades.
Their primary target is SSC-1092c/4, the fourth moon of the third planet. Insight+Science, Diff 0 to glean that SSC-1092c, the gas giant their target orbits, is slightly larger than Jupiter and has a powerful magnetic and gravitational field that keeps it’s inner five moons warm. Momentum generated by extra successes can tell them that c/4 is barely Class M, but there’s a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere with 11.2 bars of pressure at the surface, .8g surface gravity, and a hydrosphere of 54%. The moon has it’s own strong magnetic field that is fed by massive, power flux tubes coming from the planet’s N/S poles — strong enough transporters aren’t a safe option. There’s heavy cloud cover, so surface visuals aren’t happening, however, there are indications of plant life from the spectroscopic surveys of the air, which is breathable. Temperatures are cool, but within safe for most humanoids (comfortable for Andorians).
With a Insight+Security or Conn, DIff 3, hampered by the strong magnetic field, they will pick up power and heat sources on the ground! the signature doesn’t look like a major area of habitation — perhaps a ship? A momentum spend will reveal that it looks like a structure made of tritanium, with a subterranean portion underneath.
The crew can beam down but the magnetic field makes it difficult: Control or Daring+Conn, Diff 3 to get down safely. They could fly down in a shuttlecraft with a Control or Daring, Diff 2, the weather’s not bad, but interference on their sensors and communications with leave them a disadvantage.
2) A Strange New World
The interference from the magnetic field of the moon is the main danger. If they go down in a shuttle, a failed test will require another Daring+Conn, Diff 3 to avoid a static discharge into the hull that will hit with a Intensity 2. Once on the ground, Reason+Science or Conn, Diff 1 to remember to discharge any static the hull has picked up before exiting the craft, or the first person to make contact with the surface and the ship will create a circuit to ground and hit them with an Intensity 3 shock.
They are now on the surface of the wind-ridden, rocky world. There’s a lot of plant life around, mostly rhizomatic plants that grow low and wide, as well as fungi. There are strange jellyfish-like polyps with gossamer wings sprouting from the heads moving in the air currents. The clouds are thick and they can smell the sulphur of volcanic activity. The signal came from an old Y-Type freighter. It looks to have landed properly and all the cargo pods are intact..
Insight+ Science, Diff 2: The plant life is mildly reactive to their movement and touch. A scan of them shows their replication is not DNA, but a polysaccharide chains with amyloid fibril-catalyst to cause replication. There are analogues to grass and squat, mushroom-like trees — they’re using massive mycelial networks to absorb nutrients. Momentum spend to learn they should avoid touching them with bare hands; they secrete an acid to break down polymers into monomers. Insight+Science or Security, Diff 2: to notice that the plastic of their boot soles is being dissolved, but very slowly. They’re in no danger soon, but they should clean up afterward.
3) Starview
The team finds the ship is poor repair. There are vines and mushrooms growing all over the landing legs, sprouting here and there on the hull. ONly one of their two long-range shuttlecraft Starview launched is here. The access ramp to the airlock is down and the outer door open. A scan will show the life support and main power are still online, although the warp drive is shut down.
The inner hatch isn’t locked; they can get in without issue. Almost immediately, they will meet a slim, stoner type — Morrison — who will welcome them. They didn’t call for Starfleet; this is an independent colony. What are they doing here? He will insist, but in a friendly, calm manner that they don’t need any help…still they should talk to the boss.
If they ask about their mission, Morrison will tell them Starview landed 21 years ago and started their survey of the moon. They quickly realized the potential of this place. Those that didn’t want to stay left in the long-range shuttles a few years later. They should have been able to get back to Earth or Vulcan without issue. He will note that its unfortunate they didn’t get home, but he doesn’t seem emotional about it. Insight+Medical or Command, Diff 2: Morrison seems perfectly normal, but he’s definitely not showing signs of empathy.
There’s more of the crew here in the science module, four more of them. In addition to Morrison, who is the pilot for the ship, there’s Hailey, their biochemist; there’s Fitch, botanist; Welborn, another from the flight crew, Chu, the quartermaster; and Denton, the engineer. All of them seem pretty content, if a bit inebriated.
They’ve been doing their work for decades, and to fund themselves and keep supplies they can make here coming in, they’ve been trading with the Orions. They produce a bunch of medicinal materials from the local life, but what they were really known for was “the soup” — a hallucinogen that they produced for the Orions and other markets. It’s a calming psychotropic that has excellent results in treating anxiety, traumatic stress, and other mental diseases. Tweak the mix and it’s a beautiful ride. The security officer, if present, can test Reason+Security, Diff 2 to know “the soup” is a popular drug with some species out there, but can have serious side effects and can be deadly.
They will dispute that the soup is dangerous. The side effects that some worry about are fungal infections, but that’s part of why it works. The trick with everything here is to neutralize the amyloid; if you don’t they can wreak havoc on your nervous system. Some of the folks out there tinker with the soup and try to replicate or modify it; that’s what causes issues. They certainly don’t want to hurt anyone. Insight+Command or Medicine, Diff 3 — success tells them they aren’t completely truthful.
Chu will mention that the soup really puts you in touch with the universal mycelial network. It’s not really mushrooms, of course; it’s allegory for the energy patterns that connect the universe. There were a couple of guys that came through here a few years back — she’s not sure of when — but they had this idea about using these networks to create a drive system that you could use to run along these energy potentials faster than warp drive. What was the guy’s name… Stametz? The problem was the sheer number of possibilities made navigation nearly impossible beyond a few AUs.
While they don’t seem dangerous, they’re wrong somehow. If they try to take a tricorder reading, they react by asking them not to. If the crew insists, the crew of Starview may get hostile. The issue is simple: none of these people are people, anymore. Their DNA has been rewritten by the amyloid fibrils and they are…local fungi pretending to be people.
If the characters can chart their way, diplomatically, they will find out from these replicas of the Starview’s crew that over time, the soup and other material the colonists ate infected them with bits of the life forms here. Many died, a few fled in the shuttle. Once the planetary network realized that the crew were sentient, and that the local flora had killed them, they attempted to reconstitute them. they were only successful with the ones that hadn’t died. It also gave the life of this moon access to some of their memories, knowledge, and personalities.
If the crew pose a danger to the collective of life on the moon, they will respond with a subtle release of spores to try and control the characters. They must test against a Control+Command, vs. an opposed test with the creatures or be open to suggestion. These replicas will suggest that they report the planet’s flora hostile to colonization, that the original survey team had died, and that they should move on. If a character fails, they suffer an Injury at Intensity 3. They will have to make a second test at the end of the scene, if they have not received medical treatment, or have the fungi start to slowly replace their body until they are eventually, a perfect replica. Only the sharply different physiology of the Andorians (or Bolians) will be immune the effects.
Any violence will make the Starview replicas believe they have no choice but to act in their defense. The whole of the ecosphere is connected, and fed by the heady magnetic field of the planet. If need be, they can reach out and… tweak the moon’s magnetosphere. They would not wish to, but they could destroy the characters’ ship with a thought.
If it comes to this, they will attack with a Control 10+Security 4, Diff 2, and the effect of Plasma Discharges is like Plasma Torpedoes: Short (only if they are in orbit), Damage 7, Persistent. After the first hit, the ship can attempt to do evasive maneuvers, but if it doesn’t leave orbit, they will continue to be attacked until the characters can convince the aliens to stop.
CONCLUSION
If the crew can find a diplomatic solution, they should be able to get their people back from the surface. If not, they may have to stage a desperate rescue attempt with a disadvantage for the Moon’s Magnetic Field and Sentient Biosphere.
The copyright for 2d20 system is Modiphius, 2019. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios inc. Image copyright of Adobe Stock. All Rights Reserved and no infringement is intended.
This design’s been floating around since at least the early aughties. If took a bit of digging to find the page for the guy, Atolm, on DeviantArt . He had a habit of taking strange shapes and crafting unique designs. This one, the Chariot-class, broke the mold by flipping the traditional long horizontally-oriented secondary hull and flipping it vertical. The result — to my eye — is magical.
The Chariot-class was an attempt to get back to an exploration-focused fleet. With an unconventional hull design more centrally-placed warp nacelles, and better positioned center of mass, these ships were designed to be maneuverable, with a wide placement of sensor pallets to allow for better, high-resolution scans. Dual-environment cabins and locations, coupled with extensive redundant systems were aimed at more representation of member races aboard ship, and to improve survivability of the spacecraft; the addition of an emergency medical hologram likewise the survivability of the crew. Modular laboratories allowed the ships to pivot their focus as needed.
Designed as a multi-role explorer, Starfleet did not ignore the increasing severity of the threat landscape. The Chariot carries the latest phaser arrays the 360 degree coverage on all axes, plus photon torpedo systems upgraded to fire either photon or quantum torpedoes.
Auxiliary craft include 6 Type 6A or Type 11 Shuttlecraft, 6 Type 9 shuttlecraft, and 10 workbees.
The copyright for 2d20 system is Modiphius, 2019. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios inc. Image copyright of Chris Reyes aka AtolmAzel — check out his stuff on DeviantArt. All Rights Reserved and no infringement is intended.
Every hero household needs an enemy…here’s the enemy house of the Cailean. Known for the control of Ladinum, the southern continent of Alba II, the family manages the region for the Fujimori. Recently, they scored a major win in the competition with the Cailean for favor with the daimyo; Lady Haina married Lord Milo of the Mazzola, making inroads against the famously loyal and effective Cailean.
The Mazzola govern by the notion of Faufreluches — a place for every man, and every man in his place. Social mobility is limited, save for those that prove themselves useful. There are several major families in Ladinum, especially the rich Gorvonello Valley, who have great sway — the makers of weapons, vehicles, and spacecraft components. The house, and the region, tend to be religious — following a purer Orange Catholicism of the empire, rather than the Shinto-tinged version of their masters, the Fujimori.
Advisor: Sao Mazzola — Milo’s younger brother and highly ambitious. In secret affair with Lady Haina.
Councilor: Miko Tamura — Count Fujimori’s “spy”
Marshal: Frey Hondo — corrupt, but he has a code: no kids, no women, no innocents.
Swordmaster: Miko Zano — Swordmaster of Ginaz
Treasurer: Horl Murino — tied to the Cavom crime syndicate.
Warmaster:Bator Jin Golor
Notes on the Mazzola
Like the Cailean, the Mazzola have a militia that can be called upon by the Fujimori when required. The parade and daily uniforms are resplendent — blue jackets chased with gold piping over red pants, and a shako-style headdress and white belt for equipment. In the field or combat, this is discarded for a more practical dark blue blouse and red pants, with combat armor in a camouflage pattern. they typically carry shorter 65cm gladius-style one-handed sword and lasgun rifles. Only one unit is shielded infantry — their elite Corpo Falcone (Eagle Unit).
They follow the typical Imperial ranking structure:
Supreme Bashar — a field marshal in command of an army.
Caid — a flag rank officer in charge of a planet
Oberbashar — a senior general or admiral
Bashar — also called general or admiral
Subashar — also called a colonel or fleet captain
Bator — a colonel, usually commands a regiment or division; also a senior captain in a space fleet.
Commander — usually a space fleet rank
Subator — usually commands a battalion-sized element.
Levenbrech — commander of ground forces; usually commands a company-size element.; sometimes called a captain.
Immenbrech — a platoon leader, also called a lieutenant..
Subedar — or sergeant, leads a platoon or squad
Havildar — or corporal, leads a squad
Standard conscripts and soldiers are called troopers.
Original material — Alba II and locations, House Cailean, Fujimori, and Mazzola — copyright of Black Campbell Entertainment, but go ahead and use it. That’s what it’s here for. Just give us credit.
A follow on post to the yesterday’s post on Alba II, here’s the minor houses of that world. Cailean is the family that my players have been running for their game; the Mazzola were their main rival for the first “book”.
HOUSE CAILEAN
House Minor, vassals to House Fujimori.
Traits: Loyal, Meritocratic
House Crest: A boar’s head on tartan (blue and green primary, white and yellow striping).
HOUSE CAILEAN was the first house to settle Alba II several thousand years ago. Much of the early history is half-legend, and even the Imperial Records have little on the first few millennia of Alban history. From the start, a rivalry with House Mazzola was established. Much of this has to do with early claims to the world, but as time has gone on, it is deeply tied to different views on the nature of government and its relationship to the people it governs.
The Cailean view their position as more of a steward of the people, rather than as a ruler. They have traditionally supported the education of their people and allowed for a certain amount of social mobility based on merit that the rigid framework of Faufruchles does not. The Mazzola, highly religious and socially static, view the Cailean attidues as “libertine” and dangerous. As a result, there is les incursion by official religious programming in Cailean lands than many places — one of the reasons for the 75th Padishah Emperor’s move to place the Fujimori over the Cailean and Mazzola on the planet.
They are famed for the Alban beef and stonefish — delicacies throughout the empire, as well as their excellent liquors: whiskies, gin, and ciders. Another point of fame comes from their liberal attitude toward education and expression: Alban, and specifically Cailean, poets, playwrights, and musicians are regular members of House Jongleur.
The peoples of Hyperborea view family as the center of life, and view those not part of the “clan” as something to be watched, if not outright distrusted. For this reason, most senior positions in the Cailean government and military are family, or closely trusted confidants. When a Cailean takes you as a friend or family, it is an unbreakable bond. They view the interfamilial court intrigue of the empire as distasteful and destructive. Cailean is a house with three main clans related to the noble house: the clans of Cailean, Calder, McCailean, and Mohr. There are other people and families related — the Moray and Stewarts — but these are the ones that are nobles. The House is lead by Laird Colm Cailean, or the Donchard and Laird of Ben Cailean & Glenmoran. His heir is Laird Halan Cailean. The Calder are lead by Laird Halan Calder, the Laird of Stanehome. He is a cousin to the main line. Laird Lorne, brother and advisor to Laird Colm, heads the recently created House McCailean, and is now Laird Lorne McCailean of Stainhome.
Their dialect is one of the purest forms of Galach in the Imperium — possibly going all the way back to Earth, itself. While most educated people also speak Nihon, the language of the Fujimori, once out of the cities, Galach is the dominant tongue in the north.
As a result, the Cailean Militia follows this rank structure:
Bashar — leader or the militia (Laird Colm)
Subashar — leads a division of militia
Bator — leads the air group
Commander — leads an air wing
Major — leads a regiment
Captain — leads a company
Lieutenant — leads a platoon
Sergeant — leads a squad
Corporal — leads a team
Trooper
The Cailean Militia are generally unshielded and wear light armor. Their uniforms are composed of a green, high-necked jacket over kilt in the Cailean tartan. Knee-high boots have a scabbard for the ceremonial dirk. This is topped off with a Glengarry cap and a fly plaid pinned with a Cailean badge in the house colors that is used as a blanket or cloak in the field. Standard equipment is a broadsword and lasgun rifle.
A new unit under Lady Siobhan, the Black Guard, wears the same uniform in black. They use shields and a Fujimori-style tanto.
To police the Cailean lands, the Cailean Constabularyis a separate force that can be used in ground defense situations. Their uniforms are blue, instead of green, and their carry the ceremonial dirk and a slug-thrower sidearm, as most of their encounters are unlikely to involve shielded opponents. The constabulary’s rank structure follows:
Marshal — military equivalent: bator; leads the Constabulary
Deputy Marshal — military equivalent: major; runs a city or province
Chief Inspector — military equiv. captain; leads investigation team
Detective Inspector — military equiv. lieutenant; leads investigations
Detective Constable — military equiv. sergeant; conducts investigations
Original material — Alba II and locations, House Cailean, Fujimori, and Mazzola — copyright of Black Campbell Entertainment, but go ahead and use it. That’s what it’s here for. Just give us credit.
After having watched the second Dune movie when it came out, my young teenage daughter, and the wife were quite taken with the setting. I knew there was a 2d20 game, Dune: Adventures in the Imperium out by Modiphius. Since we were between campaigns, I decided to buy the book and GM screen, and set to work creating something for the ladies. What I came up with was a world split between three cultures — a sort of 18th Century Scotland and Italy, and a Meiji-period Japan that was placed in stewardship over them.
Here is Alba II and it’s ruling family, the House Fujimori.
ALBA
Home Star:
Taiyo (historically Alba) / HD223913, a G0V type star with a M1V companion, CPD-66 3810 B.
ALBA II
World Type: Habitable Forested/Ocean World.
House Affiliation: House Fujimori (major), Minor Houses Cailean and Mazzola
Military Power: Ground defense forces, a small space fleet, limited planetary defenses
Population: 500,000 million.
Industries: Primarily farming, fishing, and heavy machinery. Cailean known for their arts, especially poetry and song, as well as their superb liquors; Mazzola for their architecture, wine, and culinary skills.
Planet Notes:
Alba II has one satellite, Bano (formerly Elatha). The companion star to Taiyo is CPD-66 3810 B, a M1V red dwarf, called Sanakai — but to the majority of the planet it is “the Wee Yin” or it’s older name “Solino”. Solino/Sanakai is as bright as Bano in the night sky when it is in opposition to Taiyo, and is visible faintly when Taiyo is in the sky. At sunset and sunrise at certain times of the year, both stars are readily visible, with Sanakai having an apparent brightness of about a quarter of the main star. Also quite visible at night and even to the unaided eye during the day is Purana, or Gamma Tucanae, 11 light years away.
There are several continents on Alba, but the big three are Ladinum in the south — the lands of the Mazzola, Hyperborea in the north — settled by the Cailean, and Nanomi — which has steadily become the province of the Fujimori, along with the large Haino Island chain, where the world capital and spaceport, Ninga, lies. the Fujimori also directly control the mining and construction facilities on Bano.
There are several places of note: Ninga sports Shoja Castle, the seat of the Fujimori rule. Ben Cailean is the mountain fortress of the Cailean, perched over the largest city in their lands, Glenmoran. The Mazzola are based in Casseli Trento, in the beautiful city of Trento (which gives the region, Trentino, its name). Much of the heavy industry is owned by Mazzola and Fujimori-tied families throughout the Gorvanello Valley in Ladinum. Both the minor houses keep a smaller militia and are charged with law enforcement and tax collection in their regions.
Cultural Notes:
Alba II was settled by the Houses Cailean and Mazzola at roughly the same time. Most imperial histories on this world are a bit vague as to the start of colonization, but most evidence suggests the Cailean arrived between a half century and a full century earlier than the Mazzola. As a result many of the naming conventions in the north use Galach, while in Mazzola lands, the tongue of Nuladin reigns. The Imperial Society of Linguistics has noted that Alban Galach is the most unchanged of the Imperial tongue, going back to the original Anglo-Gallic roots.
A millennium ago, during the rule of the 75th Padishah Emperor, the Fujimori family was gifted with Alba to rule over. Initial resistance was quickly put down, with the Cailean quickly siding with their new masters. Attempts to introduce Nihon, as the language of Alba have been semi-successful. Most Albans can get by in Nihon, but once away from Nanomi and Haino, Ladinum and Galach are the chief languages spoken.
Alban beef, stonefish, barley, and whiskies are frequently found in the houses of the Great Houses, even when many don’t even know where or what Alba is. Trentino wines are similarly well thought of.
The Fujimori have been attempting to gain notice and support from the larger major houses for some time, and a recent marriage to a lady of the Richese family elevated them to a known name. With the misfortunes of their war with the Vernier, and their loss of Arrakis to the Harkonnen, the advantages of this marriage have no been realized. The official title of the ruler of Alba is Count Ariano Fujimori, Daimyo of Alba and Bano. His title of daimyo, is used on Alba.
HOUSE FUJIMORI
House Major, rules Alba II and its moon, Bano.
Domains: Primary, Industrial (Machinery); Secondary, Military (workers) and Farming (Produce)
Traits: Cautious and Honorable
Rivals:
House Maros — House Major: reason, competition (Agricultural products); level — rival.
Consort/Wife: Countess Saia (nee Richese), sister of Count Iblan.
Consort: Michiko Nanuri — older than Saia, she was the first consort of the Count.
Heir: Lord Hanzo — 21 year old and eager to prove himself.
Other Children,Nanuri: Shoja — 30 year old son; playboy and lay-about.Haina Mazzola — the eldest child, 40 years old, and married to Lord Milo Mazzola.Ari — 24 yo daughter.
Other Children, Saia:Goro — a year younger than the heir, he is interested in affairs of state.Merce — 18 and desperate to become a swordmaster.Noemi — 15 yo daughter waiting for marriage.
Advisor: Kan Veli (mentat)
Councilor: Lord Colm Cailean
Marshal:Rikusa (colonel) Masa Nigura — secret supporter of Lady Haina.
Swordmaster:Rikusa Ao Morime — trained by the Swordmasters of Haino Island.
Treasurer: Ola Aramaki — a genius gifted to them by the Richese.
Original material — Alba II and locations, House Cailean, Fujimori, and Mazzola — copyright of Black Campbell Entertainment, but go ahead and use it. That’s what it’s here for. Just give us credit.
Easily the best thing about Star Trek: Discovery has been their willingness to throw caution to the wind on designing starship. Even more than the (at the time) eye-popping redesign for Enterprise-D in The Next Generation, Discovery has not been shy about pissing off fans and swinging for the aesthetic fences. One of the cooler vessels of the 3rd Season of Discovery is the Angelou-class starship. Described by Ensign Tilly as “a flying rainforest”.
It’s obviously gigantic. A toroidal shape, it looks like the ventral side is the “ship” — the portions with crew areas, life support and gravitational creation, and the like. There is a forward (?) area on the left side of the image above. Is that the command areas? Crew quarters? Deflector dish or is this the back section with an engine? There is a “bridge” over the biodome that takes up much of the ship’s interior space. Judging from the vessel, it’s a good ten decks or more. Essentially, the Angelou-class is part spaceship/part space station. The central area around the donut hole would be massive — 50ish decks top to bottom. Include the biodome itself, you’re probably talking living space that would rival or exceed that of Spacedock One.
That puts it well above the starship framewrok, I think, so I wrote it up as a starbase and tweaked here and there.
ANGELOU-CLASS
Launch Year: Sometime in the 30-31st Century
Overview: With the Federation at the height of its power, stretching across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants and even poking it’s head into the Gamma and Delta Quadrants, as well as exploring outside the edges of the galaxy, there seemed a need for a dedicated, long-ranger vessel that could travel for century or more. Additionally, the size of the Federation meant that colonial enterprises were more and more risky and the supply chain grew. The Angelou-class was the answer to these needs: a vessel that could park well outside of Federation space, set up colonies, over generations, if needed; or which could make the trip to the nearby Magellanic Clouds…or further.
Capabilities: These massive generational agro-ships were not the fastest thing ever fielded by Starfleet, but the large agricultural dome allowed for any biosphere to be recreated and transported to a new planet for terraforming efforts, or to provide food, recreation, and life support material for previously unimaginably long excursions into the unknown. More a mobile starbase than a starship, the Angelou represented the Federation at its most imaginative, more hopeful, and most arrogant.
Refits & Variants: The Angelou-class was designed to massive replicator facilities that would allow the crew to modify and improve upon the craft while in service.
Naming Conventions: While only a few of these craft were produced, and only one of these vessels is known to have survived the Burn, it is possible that others may still be out there, beyond the rim of the galaxy…
Quantum Torpedoes: Torpedo, Damage 6, Calibration, High Yield
Tractor Beams: Tractor/Grappler 8
Talents:
Advanced Emergency Holographic Crew: The ship hasseveral holographic supporting characters equal to half the ship’sComputers score (round up); their appearance and personality aredetermined when the ship is created, though the supporting charactershave a species trait of Hologram. These can be activated or deactivated asa minor action, and they do not require any Crew Support to appear. They cannot operate outside of the ship, and they do not improve when introduced in subsequent adventures. However, if any character advances are used to improve these supporting characters, all thesupporting characters granted by this talent receive the advance.
Advanced Medical Ward/Sickbay: he ship gains theAdvanced Medical Ward or Advanced Sickbay trait, which applies to alltasks relat- ed to medicine and biology performed within the ward orsickbay, and stacks with the normal benefits of being in sickbay. This traitis lost if the ship’s Computers system is disabled. In addition, the shipreceives one additional Crew Support, which may only be used tointroduce supporting characters from the Medical department.
Advanced Research Facilities: The vessel is equipped withadditional laboratories and long-term research facilities. Whenever acharacter aboard the ship succeeds at a task to perform research, andthey are assisted by the ship’s Computers + Science, they may ask twoadditional questions, as if they had spent Momentum to ObtainInformation.
Dedicated Personnel, Science: The ship gains two additionalCrew Support, which may only be used to establish SupportingCharacters who are part of the Science department.
Dual Environment: The vessel has several dedicated areas for differing atmospheric and other life support requirements.
Special Rules:
Larger Crew: The ship’s Crew Support is increased by 1.
The copyright for 2d20 system is Modiphius, 2019. STAR TREK and related marks and logos, and images are trademarks of CBS Studios inc. All Rights Reserved and no infringement is intended.
After the demise of Eaglemoss, the likelihood of new Star Trek starship models looked slim. FanHome, which took over the license and (I’m assuming the dies and related materials), has just announced today that they will be relaunching the Star Trekstarship collection starting with ships from Picard.
These include the gorgeous Enterprise-G and Enterprise-F (not so gorgeous…but that’s just me), Stargazer and Titan, as well as Eleos, and Shrike from season 3. Subscribers also garner exclusive gifts — a dedication plaque, a USS Eaves starship, and the like. For me, being a Strange New Worlds fan, the big announcement is Farragut, NCC-1647 from that show. Right now, it looks like the focus will be on the current or most recently broadcast shows, rather than the older series.
They are supposedly starting shipping in November this year with USS Titan, and will be following the Eaglemoss ship a month plan, with every four ships being an XL style (at ten bucks more than the regular). So, if you’re a fan of the new shows and want to see new ships — jump on it.
If the quality is the same as Eaglemoss, the standard sized ships are typically on the small side. I found them overpriced and I’m sure this will hold. Much of this is, I suspect, licensing fees. The XL models, on the other hand, were pretty darned good. The Discovery and the Battlestar Galactica XL ships were detailed, and the bigger size really made them pop. They’re more expensive, but there I thought they were more worth the price.
I still hold that the Broken Compass RPG and the Kickstarter that spawned it was one of the best bang-for-your-buck games I’ve ever bought. The Kickstarter (and now Backerkit) campaigns that 2 Little Mice ran were well orchestrated — with constant updates, quick turn-arounds that had the PDFs on time, and delivered their products on time or only slightly late for physical materials, in the case of Outgunned. Now, they are releasing Outgunned Adventure — the successor to Broken Compass. Their system now has a name: Director’s Cut, but it’s the same basic mechanics we’ve seen since BC, just with some tweaking here and there to improve the product. The PDF landed in my inbox a few weeks ago, and the physical product is in the offing. So how is it?
Excellent. There are a few differences in character creation: there is one less Attribute than in BC, and each attribute has four — rather than three — skills associated with it. You start with one pip in skills, two in attributes, and these get added to as you choose your role (Hunter, or Professor, for example) and your Trope (Like Action Archeologist). That’s the die pool you roll for a task, plus or minus a die per advantage or disadvantage gear or scene traits, etc. provide. You look for matches onthe die face, so you can use their fancy dice or normal d6s, just like in Broken Compass.
Only the players roll — you either take an action or a reaction to things happening. Tasks, challenges, fights — all the same mechanic. It’s dead simple and easy to learn and play. It’s Broken Compass, but with improvements.
What improvements? Gear, for one. It pulls the gear “feats” from Outgunned, and which I have suggested should be applied to Vehicles here. Strangely, the one set of rules they left out were the Chase rules, replaced by the Run rules in Chapter 5. The real additions to BC/Outgunned are made here: chapters five and six.
Chapter 5 gives us Temples & Traps, and makes suggestions for how ancient temples should be deployed in your adventures. Does it have to be a temple? No — it could just as easily be a library, ancient building, whatever. Traps gives suggestions for what kind of taps are cinematically appropriate and gives plenty of examples. After this are the Run rules — the trap is sprung, the bad guys are on your tail — You set up the number of turns they must run to escape the danger, what kind of reactions are appropriate, and what happens win or lose. It’s very Indiana Jones-flavored, but what about a car chase or the like. You could absolutely use this; it’s simpler in some ways than the “Need for Speed” car chase rules in Outgunned, but I think I would probably use those, instead. Chapter 6 delves into the Supernatural. It is a location, a creature, a treasure…and rules for what traits and dangers these opponents would pose. It also gives examples, once again. There’s a chapter after that on how to run the genre and a complementary adventure at the end.
At 250 pages, it’s the same general length as the other core books for Broken Compassand Outgunned. It will most likely be the same size for the books (9.5×6”) wth a hard cover and bookmark ribbon. the art is much improved from the more spare stuff in Broken Compass, and there’s more color art from Daniela Giubellini, and the few pieces that aren’t are — as with Outgunned — simple black & white (well, sepia-tone) line art. The writing and the translation from Italian to English is good; the tone is still more conversational than American audiences might be used to, but less so that Broken Compass (something one of my gaming group had remarked on while reading Outgunned was that it was a bit more polished.)
Paul Harrell was a YouTuber who did excellent videos on guns, ammunition, and other subjects connected to the shooting community. A former Marine and soldier, he brought a no-nonsense approach to the sport that advocated safety, provided reviews of products, compared different types of ammunition for their efficacy, while always bringing a wry humor to his presentation. So it was completely in character to pre-film a video entitled “I’m Dead”, in which he apologizes to all his 1.2 million viewers that he had passed. Harrell was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that was much more aggressive than originally thought.
“My sincere apologies…I had hoped that I would continue in this format for the next 10 or even 15 years. And even once I was diagnosed I had hoped we would be here two or three more years, and it’s turned out to only be a few more months. And my apologies for that. It really makes me feel like I’ve let everybody down.”
The video channel Harrell created will continue to be available on YouTube and his brother will supposedly be creating new content.
The Black Campbell 