Tacoma Wright Park

A beautiful sunny day here in Tacoma's Wright Park.

Tacoma is such an amazing hot mess of cultural diversity, with gentrified areas adjoining the projects andtwo blocks later it flips again, and century-old buildings next to ones built yesterday.

The park is far from full, but I see pretty much every ethnic group, and a half-dozen cultures I can identify, so who knows how many I can't.

There's even an Amish-looking dude open-carrying his sidearm and two extra clips.

Like I said: wondrous diversity.

VnV - Weird Dreams Potato Oblivion

Another one of those things from 1999, originally posted on the WebRPG VnV forum.  I'm not sure I even want to give this an introduction, other than that. :-)

This is for VnV 2.1.

Speaking of weird dreams. I had one recently. The setting was something like the Shadowrun universe without the cyberpunk (magic + corporate dystopian state). Apparently, some squatters had managed to eck out some turf and were trying to live peaceably. Then some gangers came and tried to evict them forcefully (mostly, the gang was just showing off their power). Somewhere in there, our reluctant hero became protective and was trying to keep everyone safe by telling them where to go, how to hide, how to resist where the could, etc., etc.

Then our hero made a wrong turn and came to face with the gang leader. (The leader and his cronies had been striding arrogantly through the chaos spreading FUD). Faced leader to leader, the gang leader conjured his most devastating spell (see below) to demonstrate how truly futile resistance was (and because he wanted to show off). This is when our hero discovered his own powers. Everyone (including our hero) was startled when the animated spell object simply returned to normal and fell limply from the sky. Naturally, the gang leader (having to save face) tried again. This time, our hero had a bit more understanding and a few seconds later the animated object turned upon its summoner and his cronies obliterating them completely and demoralizing the villains who then fled the scene in a panic.

Magical Spells / Psionics / Mutant Power: By spending one action per turn, the character can automatically duplicate and take control of any magical or psionic energy released into the environment within (I+C)/5 inches of himself. The character gains the ability to use the power in the future, just as if he was the original user (using his own Level, Attributes, etc.). The character does not understand the power, however, and can never really improve or modify it beyond very tight restrictions (certain powers are more flexible than others). Note, the character does not gain the full power of the original user, merely the power demonstrated. For example, if someone broadcast thoughts to the character, the character could duplicate thought casting (and in this case block the thought caster by shutting down the power) but would not be able to read thoughts until someone tried to read his mind. Note also that the energy must be “released into the environment”, which typically does not occur in contact-based powers (where the energy moves directly from attacker to victim) nor does it relate to abilities inherent to an object (he could not affect a magical sword for example).


Potato Oblivion: This terrible spell is nearly impossible to master and anyone who does is therefore granted significant respect. Through fell magicks, the caster can take an ordinary bag (typically empty potato chip bag after which the spell is named) and animate it. The animated bag expands as it flies around until it is the size of a small car. Anyone passing through the opening of the bag (typically as it swoops into him, engulfing him), is never seen again. It does not have great range, but it is hard to dodge.

VnV - Gamma World Death Machine

The Gamma World Death Machine is an iconic bit of RPG lore, and classic sci-fi horror.  Again, this was something I had originally mocked up for WebRPG, back around 1999.  These things are deliberately overkill, in any game system.  By today's standards, these would be the boss monster that your Level 60 Guild joins with other Guilds to try to take down.

Death Machine

Roving engines of destruction, Death Machines were employed by all sides in the great wars before the Apocalypse. Their exact size, shape and weaponry vary, but they are all super-heavily armored, mount scores of weapons, and have the most powerful artificially intelligent systems available at the time. Some have been trapped for uncounted years and gone slightly insane. Some continue to follow their original directives, and yet others have gone rogue, following their own initiative and wants.

A typical Death Machine is 20m x 30m x 10m in size, bristles with ports, barrels, nozzles and drums, is painted flat black in color and speaks in a booming malevolent voice. It weighs in at 60 tons and the combat systems can coordinate any number of targets simultaneously. They are at least 4th level and gain experience normally.

1. Robotic Body, 
1. Heightened Strength, 
2. Body Power (self-repair lets it “heal” at the normal healing rate up to original hit points)
3. Doesn’t look anything like a human
2. Invulnerability: +60
3. Force Field
4. Body Power (Fast Recovery)
5. Adaptation: PR = 0
6. Heightened Attack
7. Heightened Expertise: all attacks
8. Lightning Control
9. Body Power (Boosted Initiative)
10. Flight
11. Heightened Endurance B
12. Heightened Intelligence B
13. Heightened Senses: IR, UV, low-light, thermograph, ultrasonic, infrasonic, +12 against range mods., chemical and radiation sensors. All sensors have a range of at least 1 mile. Radar with a range of 250 miles.
14. Mutant Power (can use all powers once per phase at PR = 0 and no “to hit” penalties. If uses any single power or weapon system more than once per phase, apply normal multiple attack rules against that one power or weapon system.)
15. Weapon Systems. It can use any and all of the following weapons:
• Death Rays (4 units): Death Touch at 2 mile range. Attacks as Paralysis Ray. If the victim makes both saves, he still takes 1d20 damage. 
• Lasers (18 units): Attacks as Light Control attack with base “to hit” of 12, 2d12 damage, 100 mile range.
• Blasters (10 units): Power Blast attack to a range of 25 miles for 2d20 damage.
• Mini-missile Launchers (4 units): fire missiles which mount HE warheads. Range of 6000", speed of 1500" per turn. Target takes collision damage from the 150 lb. missile, plus 4d10 explosion in 8" radius. Missiles are intelligent, have normal sight, IR sight, and radar. They can dodge incoming attacks, or pursue targets that evade. They attack HTH + 5 as 4th level characters. Each launcher has 100 missiles.
• Nuclear Missiles: 10 intercontinental missiles with small nuclear warheads, 4 intercontinental missiles with large nuclear warheads.

VnV - Roaches with Bazookas

Way back in 1999, we had WebRPG as our social media platform for VnV, and I wrote a few things.  I have no memory of what started this, other than it was some kind of Gamma World conversion, and probably a joke comment someone made off hand.

Roaches with Bazookas

Even before the Apocalypse, a number of scientific enclaves were studying and experimenting roaches and other insects to determine what made them so hardy in hopes of breeding some of these traits into the human genome. One of these enclaves had several “successes” of sorts, and when the Apocalypse arrived, they were well prepared. Years later, the members of the enclave emerged from their hidden shelter and began to scavenge the country-side. They became nomadic pillagers, and little could stand before their physical and intellectual talents. While over time, their secret knowledge began to wane, they are still incredibly tough.

The Roaches have bodies about 6' long. The have three pairs of limbs. The top two pairs are well adapted for object handling, including three fingers and opposable thumb. The hind limbs are designed for bipedal movement. The Roaches can move on all six limbs, and do so very quickly. Their natural chiton is very thick, and small spaces can be hollowed out for storage. Because of the contaminants of the environment, their physiology is highly variable.

Insect Powers

• Heightened Strength A
• Heightened Endurance A
• Armor A
• Special (extra limbs. Bipedal w/4 arms allows one extra attack per phase at PR=0. Quadrupedal movement grants +30" ground move, Hexapedal movement grants +60")
• Heightened Senses: Compound eyes grant +5% to sight detection rolls, no facing penalty to side, rear facing penalty reduced by half, ultraviolet vision

Adaptation: PR = 0 (hey, ancient mutant radioactive roaches are tough!)
Body Power (Universal Digestion): They can and do eat anything.
Heightened Expertise: they are combat monsters and gain +4 “to hit” with all attacks





Apparently, my Google-Fu is not up to snuff, as I couldn't find a picture of a cockroach holding a bazooka. About the best I found was Ant Bazooka.