Possible Setting #2: Victorian Horror and Suspense

The year is 1890 and a group of exceptional men and women have converged on the city of London. Men and women with powers, abilities and knowledge that could be harnessed to bring an everlasting golden age to the British Empire, or bring the world into everlasting ruin.

Who are these heroes and villains, paragons and monsters?

What is drawing them to this city at this time?

Is it fate? Or something far darker?

Save the Queen, save the world.

Possible Setting #1 Superspies: The USHER Dossiers

4a. SuperSpies

Join the forces of the Unites States Headquarters for Emergency Response (USHER). What's a day like in USHER? You might be fighting animals from South America given human intelligence by escaped Nazi scientists decades ago, now following their own agenda.

Or attempting to stop the dreaded super-intelligent computer hackers of Medusa from stealing millions through electronic transactions.

Or tracking down rogue Shturmovik agents. Once the Soviet Union's elite guard of power-suit soldiers, these proud men and women have been reduced to mercenary status, selling their hydraulic powered expertise to the bidder.

Or maybe you'll track down a rogue cyberneticist selling bionic "enhancements" to athletes or criminals.

No matter what you do, you'll do more in one day working for USHER than most do in a lifetime! So sign up today!

Modern20 Settings

So, I've talked some about Fantasci here, and it's getting a bit of a new direction, which coincides to a new group of books on the way for Modern20, post Martial Arts20 (I'm on L now! the long dark night of K has finally ended! yay!).

We're going to do a series of settings for Modern20. Our goal is to package these with the core rules for a nice size print book, but that's only a DESIRE, not a definite, so don't send my boss emails asking "when" and get me in trouble capiche?

But I digress. The plan is for 4 settings, each showcasing the rules in a different way.

Three have been decided, with one left to go, subject of the poll to your.... right! Right there! Fire the flame gun damnit!

Ahem.

Anyway, settings 1-3 are:

1. Fantasci

Science fantasy, melding modern technology, magic and monsters in a world inspired by Japanese RPGs such as Phantasy Star, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. This will include rules for magic as well as some high technologies.

2. Hunters

An expansion of the setting currently premiering in the pages of the Modern Dispatch. The "expanded" part will bring the setting timeline forward from the Cold War to the present day. See how a world with psychic men and women has progressed from the Cold War to the War and Terror and find out what new challenges await.

3. Dark Future

In the future, humanity has begun to change. What it's changing to, into something that will save humanity or destroy it, has divided the United States. After an attempted coup by those with superhuman abilities, the Mutant Internment Act has forced mutants into isolated Containment Zones.

You live in the Atlanta Containment Zone (ACZ). The "Axe" to those who call it home. You might be a desperate prisoner seeking to escape and rejoin your normal family on the outside, a mutant gangbanger enforcing your will on those with less powerful mutations, a struggling shopkeeper who attempts to make a living while being squeezed by criminals (mutants and humans alike), or you might be a freedom fighter, working in the underground railroad, staging non-violent protests against the treatment of your kind and fighting the terrorists of the Mutant Army of Nationalism (MAN).

Those are the definites. The next possibles are all up to you. More on these in future posts.

From Aikido to Zen (J)

Jujutsu

Martial Arts Style

Jujutsu, which means “gentle art,” is anything but in practice. Originally, this style was the preferred unarmed style of the Samurai (one of the three major combat schools of the Samurai, in conjunction with Kenjitsu and Sojitsu), complimenting the swordsmanship learned through Kenjitsu (known today as Kendo) and concentrating on simple, brutal, yet effective kicks and bone-breaking locks. Classical Jujutsu is the parent style of modern Aikido, Judo, and Karate. In modern times, the philosophy of this art has changed from its violent beginnings, and it now concentrates on a measured response to an attack, applying enough force to discourage an attacker. Obviously, however, this philosophy still includes the possibility of killing a determined opponent. Jujutsu practitioners call their most accomplished warriors “Shihan.” A student who has mastered all the moves of the style, to the point that he is considered fit to teach Jujutsu to other students, is called “Kaiden.”

Prerequisite: Combat Martial Arts or Defensive Martial Arts

Style Maneuvers

Unarmed 4 ranks: Pressure Point attack: when making called shots with the Precision Strike perk, you inflict +4 points of damage on a successful hit.

Unarmed 8 ranks: Improved Trip: DC of the trip check for the free trip granted by this feat is Unarmed or Acrobatics +5

Unarmed 12 ranks: Brutal Strike: you suffer no penalties for making a called shot with the Precision Strike perk against a prone opponent.

Unarmed 16 ranks: Weapon Finesse (unarmed): your Dexterity modifier is considered +2 higher for purposes of this feat.

Unarmed 20 ranks: Agility Training +2 Dexterity

37 martial arts styles to go...

Sweet Jesus help me.

Movies that don't get talked about enough

Traffic: awesome, long and serious. Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta Jones, Don Cheadle, Julia Styles, Topher Grace, well, you get the idea.

This movie is definitely not for kids, but if you're in mood for a good story populated by all the fantastic actors noted above and more, this is a movie you should see.


Dead Again: If you want to see five of the greatest actors in the world (Derek Jacoby, Kenneth Branaugh, Emma Thompson Andy Garcia and Robin Williams) in a noir murder mystery with long black and white flashback scenes, then this is the movie for you.

Any Given Sunday: Yeah that's right, Any Given fucking Sunday. This movie is as fun and over the top and violent, with all the male full frontal nudity you want from a football movie by Oliver Stone.

Like all Oliver Stone, it's something of a mixed bag, and something you either love or hate. Stone's finest moment since Natural Born Killers.

And then there was K...

K is like, long.

From Aikido to Zen (H)

Hsing-I Kung Fu

Martial Arts Style

Along with T’ai-chi and Pa-kua, Hsing-i is one the three main forms of internal Kung Fu. While T’ai-chi concentrates on subtle yielding and slow movement to resist attack, Hsing-i, as its name suggests, emphasizes that the thought and action are one, and is characterized by lightning quick attacks. This does not mean the style is offensive in nature, however. As one master put it “your attack begins after your opponent’s, but arrives first”.

Hsing-i originated some time between 1637 and 1661. During this time, a Shanghai resident, Chi Lung-feng claims he was taught this “profound boxing” by a mysterious stranger.

Prerequisite: Defensive Martial Arts

Style Maneuvers

Unarmed 4 ranks: +2 Defense when using the Reactive Stance perk

Unarmed 8 ranks: Defensive Attack: +1.5 Defense per –1 attack penalty, rounded down (+1 Defense for –1 attack, +3 Defense for –2 attack and so forth).

Unarmed 12 ranks: If an opponent attacks and misses you while you are using the Reactive Stance perk, you may make a free unarmed melee attack against that attacker

Unarmed 16 ranks: Poise: Your Wisdom modifier is considered +2 higher for purposes of this feat.

Unarmed 20 ranks: Self-Help: +2 Wisdom

Blood and Fists vs. Martial Arts 20

I love Blood and Fists. It's the book I've straight up adapted more than any other.

I've done similar martial arts rules for True 20, d20 Fantasy, even OSRIC. Yes, OSRIC mother fu- but I digress.

One reason there's been more adaptation than sequel was not wanting to mess with the basic formula, which I thought was great.

I've finally found something I think is better.

From Aikido to Zen (G)

Gun Fu

Weapon Style

Gun Fu is a martial arts application to gun combat. This style is seen in many popular movies and comic books, and has even become the adopted name of a popular paintball strategy guide. On a strictly historical note, since firearms were introduced to Japan the Bushi have had an art for firearms known as Hojutsu. Perhaps Gun Fu isn’t entirely silly after all… That said, campaigns striving for realism including all gritty campaigns and many cinematic ones may not wish to allow this martial art. Check with your game master before selecting it.

Prerequisite: Attack Focus (pistol)

Style Maneuvers

Firearms 4 ranks: You may use the Two-Weapon Fighting Perk with pistols, gaining an extra attack at –10 when wielding a pistol in each hand. Your Firearms skill works to negate this penalty.

Firearms 8 ranks: Attack Focus (pistol): +2 to attack rolls

Firearms 12 ranks: Bullet Time: once per encounter you can make an extra attack roll with a firearm at no penalty to your attack roll.

You may use this ability additional times in an encounter by spending an Action Point.

Firearms 16 ranks: Attack Specialization (pistol): +3 to damage rolls

Firearms 20 ranks: Agility Training: +2 Dexterity

Fantasci developments

We're currently going through a development of the Star Player class into something real, discussing races, magic and all sorts of other cool stuff in Fantasci private group.

Also, friend of the blog Walt has come on board, lending his considerable artistic talents to the project (cause lord knows I don't have any).

If you'd like to get in on the ground floor and help shape the next big thing I'm going to be working (after I slog through "K" and beyond), become a contributor!

What is fantasci?

Hunters, now available!

You can now pick up the Hunters mini-campaign model at RPGObjects.com and other fine e-book retailers.

From Aikido to Zen (F)

Fencing- Italian

Weapon Style

Unlike the French school, Italian fencing relied more on power than grace. Two-weapon combat was favored with a classic coupe-de-grace of this style consisting of a grapple (often with the cloak or by dropping the primary weapon and using the right arm to grapple) to allow a vicious stab to the ribs with a secondary weapon.

Prerequisite: Attack Focus (sword)

Style Maneuvers

Weapons 4 ranks: When using the Two-Weapon Fighting perk, your attack penalty is reduced by 2.

Weapons 8 ranks: Attack Focus (sword): +2 on attack rolls

Weapons 12 ranks: +2 damage bonus when using the Aggressive Stance perk.

Weapons 16 ranks: Attack Specialization (sword): +3 on damage rolls

Weapons 20 ranks: Strength Training: +2 Strength

Accidental Survivors Year in review megashow

Just wanted to point everyone to the latest podcast by the Accidental Survivors, accidentally surviving for 13 months is hard, give them a listen and show your support.

I have to say, for an episode that I was not on, there was a lot of me in this episode, which is clearly for the better.

There's also an email by friend of the blog Rich, asking for more Modern20 coverage, that the survivors read on air.

All awesome stuff.

And then, there was J...

I got to the end of the martial arts that begin with H and what do I find waiting for me?

J.

HOOAH!

From Aikido to Zen (E)

Eastern Wrestling

Martial Arts Style

Every culture in the world has its own styles and traditions of wrestling. In game terms almost all external non-aesthetic wrestling forms are covered by the Greco-Roman Wrestling feat, while internal, aesthetic wrestling forms, such as Ch’in-na (China) and Vajra-musti (India) are covered by this style.

Prerequisite: Defensive Martial Arts or Improved Grab

Style Maneuvers

Unarmed 4 ranks: +2 Defense when using the Reactive Stance perk

Unarmed 8 ranks: Improved Grab: DC of the grapple check for the free grapple granted by this feat is Unarmed or Acrobatics +5

Unarmed 12 ranks: Vital lore: when making called shots with the Precision Strike perk, your penalty to hit is reduced by 2.

Unarmed 16 ranks: Poise: Your Wisdom modifier is considered +2 higher for purposes of this feat.

Unarmed 20 ranks: Self-Help: +2 Wisdom

4e: This whole backstory changing thing...

So one of the comments I hear a lot about 4e is how this edition will be "different" from previous edition changes.

How? They're changing the backstory!

Monsters that have been Devils for decades are suddenly Demons, just like that! (Or is it vice versa?)

The Great Wheel is going away.

Mechanics changes are fine I'm told, so long as the underlying backstory doesn't change.

I've been trying to put my finger on why this puzzles me for a bit now, and I finally have it:

The mechanics changes of previous editions changed the backstory of everyone's game WAY more profoundly than anything going on here.

In second edition, the whole makeup of the Cleric spell list changed overnight.

Many gods no longer granted healing or protection spells to their clerics.

Let me tell you, that had a bigger impact on MY homebrew than what extradimensional team some of the players belonged to.

And Bards. They became something completely different between 1 and 2e.

I had a PC Bard, who had clawed tooth and nail to get there, and there was no WAY he was becoming some wimpy druid/illusionist with a d6 HD.

So he became, in effect, the last of his kind. Other Bards whispered about the abilities he possessed as he walked down the street. Abilities they could no longer attain.

Between 2nd and 3rd?

Two words: Human. Multiclassing.

Again, talk about backstory changes!

Either all humans encountered in the past never chose to multi-class for some mysterious reason, while the younger set LOVED to multi-class, or, they suddenly cropped up with new abilities.

And those demi-human level limits? Turns out they were really more of a guideline than a rule and the elves could advance to high levels all along.

Sure, the elf queen stayed at 7th level fighter for 1,000 YEARS, but now, she could put on her muck boots and explore dungeons to get more powerful with the young whippersnappers.

Who knew?

I could come up with some more, but in short: change happens. And every change, even the mechanical ones, change the look, feel and smell of a world profoundly.

I think some of the mechanical changed of previous editions affected the backstory of worlds much more than the Succubus switching teams, and her home being an island in and astral sea as opposed to spinning in the spoked of a Newtonian wheel.

And those worlds survived just fine.

More thanks!

A big thanks to Steve!

And everyone who contributed, if you haven't gotten your invite to the discussion group yet, drop me a line and let me know.

I need your brainsssssssssssss... ideas! I totally meant ideas!

From Aikido to Zen (D)

Deer

Animal Style

You imitate the grace and alertness of the deer, avoiding conflict when possible but lashing out with vicious attacks if cornered.

Prerequisite: Combat Martial Arts or Defensive Martial Arts

Style Maneuvers

Unarmed 4 ranks: +2 Defense when moving 30 or more feet in a round.

Unarmed 8 ranks: Defensive Attack: +1.5 Defense per –1 attack penalty, rounded down (+1 Defense for –1 attack, +3 Defense for –2 attack and so forth).

Unarmed 12 ranks: Head Butt: once per encounter you may render an opponent flat-footed by striking him with your head when he least expects it. This ability renders targets with the Uncanny Dodge feat flat-footed as well.

You may use this ability additional times in an encounter by spending an Action Point.

Unarmed 16 ranks: Move-By Attack: you gain a +2 Defense bonus in a round where you use this feat.

Unarmed 20 ranks: Agility Training: +2 Dexterity

And then there was G...

Ugh. I'm up to "G" on Martial Arts20.

Sometimes my job is actually, like, work.

Thanks to...

Chris, Fraser and Dustin for joining the Fantasci effort!

Fantasci discussions status

We're having some really great discussions in the Fantasci group, about the nature of FX, where there seems to be a lot of agreement on using skills and feats based FX for that Japanese fantasy feel, and classes where there seems to be some nice debate on the merits of classes as archetypes and classes as roles.

Having designed games both ways, and being a Libra, I'm waffling like nobody's business, but leaning toward archetypes.

Writing Martial Arts20

I have to say, the more of these styles I write up, the more fun it is. The framework for unarmed combat is so much more expansive in Modern20.

Go figure huh?

Clash of Arms: Infantry review

Very nice, very positive review of Clash of Arms: Infantry by my man Peter Ingham, RPGNow staff reviewer.

While you can read the full review here (and really, you should, because it's an awesome review about an awesome book), here's the summation:

Overall I liked this pdf. It's got a good balance between historical perspective and the new class, builds a strong and versatile class with good foundations, and illustrates the effectiveness of the class using historical examples. Here and there the mechanics is a bit weak, but for the most part this is a good pdf that hangs together nicely with itself and others in the series. I'm looking forward to seeing more products in the series!

From Aikido to Zen

Chi Kung

Martial Arts Style

Chi Kung is both a martial art of self-defense and a fundamental tool of Chinese Medicine. As a martial discipline it stresses use of the whole body and a powerful Ki to overcome attacks and heal the self. As tool of healing, the practitioner learns the anatomy and how to focus his Ki to aid in healing. Acupuncturists have both learned Chi Kung (as a means of better knowing what nerve centers to penetrate to promote healing and the development of their Ki) and prescribed Chi Kung (since the stimulation of internal organs can trigger the body’s natural healing process and the overall health value of the art is tremendous) for centuries.

Prerequisite: Defensive Martial Arts

Style Maneuvers

Unarmed 4 ranks: Pressure Point attack: when making called shots with the Precision Strike perk, you inflict +4 points of damage on a successful hit.

Unarmed 8 ranks: Defensive Attack: +1.5 Defense per –1 attack penalty, rounded down (+1 Defense for –1 attack, +3 Defense for –2 attack and so forth).

Unarmed 12 ranks: Vital lore: when making called shots with the Precision Strike perk, your penalty to hit is reduced by 2.

Unarmed 16 ranks: Healer: +3 hit points healed per feat

Unarmed 20 ranks: Poise: your Wisdom modifier is +2 higher for purposes of this feat.

Fantasci- Important Announcement

Hi guys, for various reasons, I decided not to use Fundable for Fantasci, going with regular old PayPal.

This means anyone who donated needs to donate again.

This sucks, and its all on me, sorry for any inconvenience.

Chuck

Hunters is done!

So, the Hunters is done, and should be out in about a week or so.

It's a Modern20 psionics conspiracy campaign model, set during the height of the Cold War, 1961. The Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy and the Hill Abduction all factor heavily into the setting and the PCs might just have a chance to influence those events.

It features a full psionics system for Modern20, a new background, a new occupation, three new character disadvantages, 5 NPCs and a timeline of the Hunters setting through 1961.

The book is 13 pages or so, but as you can see, it's a packed 13 pages.

Have you seen this man?

This subject is suspected of killing four FBI agents and is currently on the 10 Most Wanted List. He is to be treated with extreme caution and is to be considered armed and dangerous at all times.

If you think you have spotted this man, please contact the FBI or the Secret Service.

Advanced Splinter Radical Agent Combat Ops (Powerhouse 10): HD 10d10+20; HP 79; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Defense 18, touch 18, flatfooted 17 (+1 Dex, +7 Class); BAB +10; Atk +13 melee (1d6+3, Machete), or +13 ranged (2d6+2, Telekinetic Fist); SQ Melee Master; AL Splinter Radicals; SV Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +8, Rec +7; Rep +5; Str 17, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.

Background: Radical (Firearms, Perception, Stealth)

Occupation: Psychic Agent (Crime, Influence, Perception) Perks: Precision Strike, Telekinesis

Hobby: Vehicles

Skills: Athletics 13 (+16), Firearms 13 (+14), Perception 4 (+6), Psionics 13 (+15), Stealth 4 (+5), Streetwise 4 (+6), Vehicles 4 (+5), Weapons 13 (+16)

Feats: Antithesis (PRDA), Armed Defense (26 Defense against melee attacks), Attack Focus (Telekinetic Fist), Attack Specialization (Telekinetic Fist), Enemy (PRDA), Greater Attack Focus (Telekinetic Fist), Iron Will, Power Lifter (lift 325 lbs. telekinetically), Rain of Objects, Strength Training, Telekinetic Hand, Telekinetic Fist, Wild Talent

Access/Contacts/Followers: Confidential Access

Wealth: 14

Possessions: Machete

12 and counting

The Hunters mini-campaign model is up to 12 pages.

MMmmmm... psychic 60's radicals. /Homer

Fantasci at 20%

We're still holding steady at 20% on my drive to get a Japanese-style RPG made.

If you'd like to know what the deal is, check here.

And if you'd like even MORE information, click the fantasci tag at the bottom of that post which will take you to all the fantasci posts.

And if you'd like to get involved, make a donation and you'll get to join the discussion group where folks are determining the direction of the game!

Some thoughts about Fantasci magic, treasure

About magic...

The game will be high magic, but not overburdened with spells. What
I mean by this is, there will be relatively basic spells of attack,
defense and healing.

We might need to beef that up a little to keep each role interesting.
In a video game, you're running the party, not the individual
characters, but I still think simple yet robust magic could be fun.

About treasure...

Treasure will consist of items, but not money.

What will you do for money? Bounties!

With two major classes that rely on captured monsters (the Bonder and
the Monster Trainer), and combat arenas in towns, along with other
stuff monsters could be used for (like uh, meat), you'll capture
monsters rather than kill them, then return them to town and collect a
bounty!

Sleep? Bah!

This relates to a comment on the psionic feats for Hunters by that other Charles, asking if I sleep.

When I settled in to work last night, this puppy was at 6 pages, now it's at 11. I currently have the psionic feats done, and the timeline done.

So now all I need is some new backgrounds, occupations and disadvantages, and we'll be good to go.

This should be one nice little mini-setting, and playing with my new toy, Modern20, is still way, way fun. It's actually working better than I hoped (he said humbly).

Who needs sleep?!?!

As long as the pagecount is climbing, sleep can wait.

Hunters preview 3: Psionic feats

Something that has really gotten me jazzed over the past couple of days, while working out the mechanics for Psionic abilities in the Hunters, is the way that character roles still count in the way psychic feats work.

Here's an example of three Telekinesis feats to demonstrate.

Telekinetic Hand

Powerhouse

You can wield objects with your mind as effectively as you could with your hands, perhaps better.

Prerequisite: Wild Talent, Psionics 4 ranks, Telekinesis perk

Effect: You can wield a melee weapon with your mind, using your ranks in the Psionics skill in place of your Strength. This power has an effective “range increment” of 10 ft. meaning that at 10 ft. or less you may wield a melee weapon with no penalty to hit. At 11 to 20 ft. you suffer a –2 penalty to hit and so forth.

If you attack with a Telekinetic Hand in addition to your normal attacks, you suffer the usual penalties for attacking with two weapons (all attacks this round suffer a –10 penalty in addition to any penalties normally incurred from multi-attack).

Special: This use of the Psionics skill is a free action that can be performed once per round. It has a duration of 10 rounds (one minute). The normal saving throw to resist psychic damage is made once, at the end of this duration.

Telekinetic Leap

Speedfreak

You use your mind to enable you to make superhuman leaps.

Prerequisite: Wild Talent, Psionics 4 ranks, Telekinesis perk

Effect: You add +5 ft. to your running leap, or +2.5 ft. to your standing leap for each four ranks you have in the Psionics skill, rounded down.

Special: This use of the Psionics skill is a free action that can be performed once per round. A saving throw to resist psychic damage must be made each time this ability is used.

Telekinetic Shield

Tank

You create a minor telekinetic barrier.

Prerequisite: Wild Talent, Psionics 4 ranks, Telekinesis perk

Effect: Each attack that hits you is reduced by two points of damage. Use of this feat is a free action but you cannot use this feat in a round where you would be denied your Dexterity bonus for any reason.

Special: This use of the Psionics skill is a free action that can be performed once per round. It has a duration of 10 rounds (one minute). The normal saving throw to resist psychic damage is made once, at the end of this duration.

So the Powerhouse is attacking, the Speedfreak is moving and the Tank is sucking up damage.

In this case, they're just doing it telekinetically.

Late Night. Cold Coffee.

It's getting to THAT stage of the evening (can I call 4:35 am evening? apparently I just did). My mind is getting spacey, the coffee is gross and cold (though still coffee and thus it must be consumed).

Still, I'm up to 6 pages on the Hunters. It's turning into a nice campaign model and will be bigger than the average dispatch issue (actually, it already is, the dispatch usually runs 5 pages).

Fantasci discussion group launched

I've started a private discussion group for Fantasci contributors. This will be a place for folks to talk about the direction of the game with me, while we figure out where we're going.

Once I actually begin the game, I'm going to upload it to the group every few days so contributors can monitor the game and comment on its progress.

This is something totally new for me, and I think it has the possibility to be cool as hell.

I think I sent an invite out to everyone who contributed so far. If you didn't get your invite, drop me a line and let me know.

If you want to know what the hell I'm talking about, check here.

Hunters preview 3

The year is 1962. Agents of a secret faction called the Splinter Radicals, who possess psychic abilities have been thwarted in their attempt to assassinate President Eisenhower. After this failed attempt, the United States government recruits its own psychics under a secret department of the Secret Service: the Psychic Research Defense Agency. Even more troubling, visitations by psychic Grey Aliens are on the rise, with new psychics being reported in their wake. J. Edgar Hoover, ever seeking more power, is attempting to recruit his own psychics to monitor suspected radicals outside the scope of the law. And now the PRDA’s precogs have a vision of a terrible day when the Splinter Radicals will kill newly elected President John F. Kennedy and blame the assassination on the Soviets.

Welcome to the next stage in human evolution. Be the hunter, or be hunted.

The funniest game reviewer in the world? NO! This is a tribute.

Fantasci: philosophical blatherings

Someone recently asked me why I was planning on releasing Fantasci for free when it was done. He basically wanted to know what folks who contributed and helped make the book happen "got" that folks who just downloaded the free PDF didn't "get".

First, let me say that it never occurred to me not to release it.

But after being asked, I thought about whether or not it made sense, beyond just my impulse that it's the "right thing to do".

First, I think being the right thing is a great reason.

But I also happen to think, if you're someone who wants to see this game made and see it flourish, that it's the smart thing.

First, if you wanted to run a game, you're going to end up sending copies of the rules to folks anyway. So having it up for free on RPGNow means you can use their bandwidth rather than your own.

Not a "make or break" reason but it is more convenient.

But most importantly, I think having the game out there makes it much more likely to flourish. Someone you've never met might download the game and run a play-by-post that you could then play in.

Supplements and adventures for the game also become much more viable as well, since I could release an adventure and then say "want to see the rules this was written for? they're here and they're free!"

So I guess I can see the appeal of having something that only you have, like that unknown van Gogh in a vault somewhere, but I think it's better, all around, for things like this (that depend on social networks if I can go all Ryan Dancey on you) have a better chance to take root and thrive, the more exposure they get.

End philosophical blathering

Fantasci update

Thanks to a very nice contribution from Charles (the other Charles perhaps?), we're currently 18% of the way there after about 24 hours.

Awesome guys, thanks.