This is a glider. It's been reverse-engineered from shadow elf Wing Dancer cloaks. It hasn't seen much use in combat yet, but it's a good way to keep an eye on the countryside, and it allows the Floral Brigade to not depend on hiring harpies.

This is an airship. Since Ethngar has no roads, it's the best way to get Floral Brigade troops to a crash site quickly -- it's as fast as any but the best horses and does not have to follow terrain. Unfortunately, the design was recovered from the ramblings of a mad goblin tinkerer, so improving on it will be difficult.

This is a typical Floral Brigade trooper - they generally have to make do with light armor due to weight constraints. The unit is an offshoot of the Izwald militia and was set up for scouting and propaganda purposes before quickly having to be repurposed to Unwanted Falling Object interception.

So what do you want exactly? And what's the point? I can understand only basic idea. Like... Aberrations/demons from outer space/planes invade prime material world and some kind of global organization is forged by races and nations to fight back the invasion... But I don't know shit about Mystara and I have no idea how to covert x-com stuff to fantasy... So please be more specific.

This is the roster so far.

http://emlia.org/ROTUL/floral%20brgade%20bios.txt
http://emlia.org/ROTUL/floral%20brgade%20missions.txt
http://emlia.org/ROTUL/floral%20brgade%20resources.txt

Since one of the PCs is a harpy, a few alterations to the uniform were necessary.

>>18476015

Mystara is the old 2nd ed D&D setting. I chose Ethngar as the starting point because one carryover PC from the older campaign was from there, it is reasonably uncivilized and home to various races, and has no functioning roads necessitating movement on horseback (or by airship).

As for who the bad guys are... So far, oddly coloured kobolds with hydroquinone sprayers (the chemical that bombardier beetles secrete). Whether they are from outer space, a different plane, or just the top of the World Mountain (which I have respecced to be about as hgh as the edge of space) is unknown yet.

I'd like to know what pitfalls to avoid and ask for ideas for who the bad guys actually ARE, since clearly malnourished kobolds with sprayers are just a vanguard!

>>18476015

Right now the whole "rocks fall, everyone clobber the kobolds before they start wrecking farms and ranches" seems to be a local phenomenon. Since Ethngar is a very loose coalition of nomadc tribes and a few city-states, I wanted the players to have to get funding and manpower by making alliances, dealing with raiders, conducting their own raids and so on.

The other thing I can do, which happened recently, is having another person play the Alien side, at least strategically. Would this be a good or bad idea?

Pictured: The little sister of one of the PCs. She had a bit of an accident with a demon earlier on in the campaign, but wants to get back to active duty as soon as possible.

Is this a bad idea, should I abort? If there is no feedback, perhaps it is a bad idea.

Sounds like a really fucking fantastic idea. I love the idea of doing an XCOM campaign in a fantasy context. So far you seem to be doing everything right. Perhaps encourage an element of research and mystery? A big thing i liked doing in XCOM was autopsies and researching even the "useless" techs for the flavour. Kobolds are a good first-encounter minion, but they arent generally that threatening/mysterious, and don't have alot of tech handy. Hydroquinine sprayers are a good start, but its worth thinking ahead.

For example, maybe after they've started to get a handle on these kobold incursions, they see a Gigantic wyvern carrying the balloon-rocks the kobolds fall in? Then when they track the wyvern to a local hill, they start to encounter some stronger, weirder shit, like Intellect Devourers or Ghasts or something. The base could have all sorts of weird magitek stuff.

Plus encouraging them to seek allies etc could provide valuable intelligence about the Enemy's movement, or even recovered fallen tech or new resources like, for example, a pool of willing NPC recruits for your organisation- perhaps the UFOs have been hurting a local tribe of Lizardfolk, so they offer the brute strength of their warriors. Or maybe an Elven wizard offers his scrying/magical research services.

Its an excellent premise with lots of potential for development.

Personally, I think the idea is pretty darn cool, and I like the amount of thought you've put into it so far.
I'm fuzzy on Mystara, been awhile. I'll be hitting the webs and refreshing myself on it before I can offer much concrete advice, other than that it sounds like you are on the right path already.

>>18476131
Dude you're giving up way too fast. This is a good idea and has alot of potential, especially if you have some players interested. Be patient, even an active board like /tg/ has ebb and flow. The people best able to help you might not be on right now.

If your players arent that interested, you can always put this concept on the backburner and either do it later when they are more interested or perhaps even take it online and recruit people who would love this stuff. I guarantee that this idea, if done right and with the right people, would produce some solid gold rp.

The sketches are a good place to start, but the most important part of this scenario is engaging the characters. They have a clear unifying goal- Stop the UFO enemies. Everything else stems from this clear final goal- Who are they? Where do they come from? Why are they attacking? Who will help us? All of these questions help them towards this goal.

Even when sidetracking them, everything can help them towards their goal- even if its just Bandits who are making opportunistic raids, stopping them will convince others to help you, or provide loot.

>>18476123
The campaign name for now is Enemy Unsure. Really it is because I am not sure whether the Enemy is from actual outer space, the top of the World Mountain, a different plane, or just a different land and has high-altitude airlift capabilities.

Reptilian creatures (kobolds, even dragons...) are not doing well as a race in the setting from an ecology standpoint: this continent is too cold to support many. I was hoping to keep the Enemy mostly reptilian in nature.

Ethengar is a somewhat high magic area in a generally low magic setting; while magical flight has many advantages, nonmagical flight is cheaper (good for expendable troops) and cannot be disjoined/nullified, which is how magical air battles are often decided.

Alliances will definitely be a factor; the initial "government" grant from Izwald has been used to set up a base, and past that the Floral Brigade is supposed to be mostly self-supporting as quite a few medieval armies were. The players have already worked out that they can sell loot and work out protection arrangements with farmsteads and villages, although they have not done so yet.

Autopsies did not happen yet other than in the most cursory.

I wanted to give the Enemy some magic, and some tech that is comprehensible (and duplicable) to a 1400s mind while remaining alien in understanding -- since all the PCs are mammals, I was thinking, what would a reptilian mind invent for fighting.

Attached is a different concept for the Enemy, more zerg-like.

>>18476180
What system are you using? I know you said the setting is mystarra, but are you still using 2nd ed?

>>18476197
Sorry, I was banned (Banned URL, not sure why). I suppose this means the discussion must end? :(

Anyway, we're using 3.5 because it was easy to do so. Pandius has ported most Mystara content to 3.5 so it is easy to find references.

>>18476152

The players already are very interested -- we played through the intro, keeping it very light on rules.

What concerns me is the economic model I have devised, which is linked in >>18476022 under Resources. Is it sufficient? For comparison, a flying carpet costs 20Kgp as per the SRD... The idea is that nonmagical flight is cheaper, less reliable, slower but makes more sense if you want to airlift an army unit rather than a few heroes.

Nothing in the picture here couldn't have done in Leonardo's time, if it had been thought, for example - no advanced materials or even advanced math necessary.

>>18476241
4chan autobanner at it's finest I see...

Well, if you are using 3.5 might I suggest you take a look at the following;
http://www.4shared.com/office/-Oc3ZdX5/dd_35_swords_and_sorcery_chaos.html

You may be able to find something interesting things to use in it. It's full of gribly things that are not standard d&d fair.


>This unique sourcebook from 3rd Edition codesigner Monte Cook introduces chaos-powered items that resemble both technology and magic, but are truly neither. Within these pages, discover the secrets of devices like the cohesion blaster, the darkness imbiber, and chaosomatons.

>Chaositech also contains rules for chaos magic, including dozens of new spells, plus lots of original feats and prestige classes. Topping it off are chaos cults, mutation rules, plus the Galchutt, the fused aberration, and other all-new chaotic monsters.

>>18476302
Oh, then it's OK to continue, thank you!

That looks neat. The other player plays a sorcerer who is earnestly convinced that she is practicing engineering rather than magic -- that will definitely come in handy. (Attempts to build an Orgone powered airship engine have so far failed, although much fun was had by all the engine components).

I think I have a sketch of a story lined up, my main worry at this point are the mechanics - I want the "organization management" aspect to exist, but not detract from the roleplay, and am worried that the resource system I came up with is too complicated.

>>18476302

Chaos powered as in Chaos vs. Law? I wonder if using Chaos power would increase or decrease the influence of the meta-enemy of all the campaigns I am running (Acererak, pretending to be a vestige, and interested in becoming the embodiment of entropy then being sure he is the last being left when the universe suffers heat death, thus becoming the god of his own solipsistic existence).

>>18476370
I've had a look at, http://emlia.org/ROTUL/floral%20brgade%20resources.txt, and it doesn't seem that bad. What parts of it were you worried about?

>>18476340
>Chaos powered as in Chaos vs. Law?
Indeed.
>Acererak, pretending to be a vestige, and interested in becoming the embodiment of entropy then being sure he is the last being left when the universe suffers heat death, thus becoming the god of his own solipsistic existence
I like that. It's good to see vestiges/binders being used in a campaign setting as well.

I would strongly suggest you to use aberrations as main antagonists. Aboleths, mind flayers, beholders... You know chtonian Cthulhuesque aliens. You may keep thir origins secret until the very end. It doesn't really matter where do they come from. The may be invaders from space and from another plane at once! Check out Lords of Madness and Monster Manual 5. A lot of neat stuff on aberrations there. Aberrations really fit the alien concept... Or... They may be reptilian invaders. Like evil Tiamat-spawned draconians enslaving and using draconic and reptilian races as shock troops.

About technology... Make it strange bionic/psionic devices. The suggestion of using chaositech is great.

>>18476144
Ah, Mystara.
Now I remember some of my favorite parts of that world.
The parts of the setting set apart from the rest.

OP, I believe you shall find inspiration for the answers you seek within Hollow Earth and Blackmoor.

>>18476408
We've got your source for creatures and cultures that are long gone.

>>18476405
Seconding abberations and the lords of madness book. Loads of good stuff in there, though I would tend away from ilithids and aboleths as they are rather well known.

>>18476437
>Blackmoor evolved from a feudal kingdom into a highly advanced civilization, using more and more powerful—and destructive—technology. It ended itself in an apocalyptic explosion so devastating that it changed the climate and geography of the planet as a whole.

>>18476452

Well, depends on how well players are versed in such things.

>>18476405
Makes lots of sense, especially since I am not using those much (if at all) in the surface world. They already do look very alien without having to go around and dig things out. One worry though - won't the players just look the critters up online and find their weaknesses.

>>18476398

I was fretting about it being too complicated.

>>18476437
I see where you're going. Maybe they're hollow-world beings that have defeated the culture-stasis epic spell... and only with a few creatures at a time, which is why the invasion is ramping up X-Com style rather than coming all at once Independence Day style.
Thank you! Sorry for spamming! Pending permission from my existing players, should I upload the logs?

I'd forgotten how good the chapter names in chaositech were.

>Chapter Three: BETRAYAL OF THE FLESH

Another good thing about the chaos items is that they are harder to use if you have misconceptions about how they work.

>>18476468

More than me, in all likelihood!

The general too-many-eyes-too-many-tentacles theme works very well, for sure. Although the sorceress' player may want to engage in some reverse tentacle rape.

>>18476456

What I did with Blackmoor was spec them as a 1940s looking society -- largely elven-dominated -- running on pneumatic power, pulled in from the Elemental Plane of Air. Eventually the elementals got angry and, rather than shutting down the valves, they opened them at maximum.
Shadow elves (who look more like Fremen than Drow) are still wandering the ruins under the Broken Lands and scavenging.

>>18476490

The problem of players lurking the web to find more info is inevitable, but it shouldn't bother you much. Following this logic your players will search info online for every monster or terrain they encounter. Discourage them doing that. Hint that they can get enough info if they roleplay and do some in-game research. And give them scraps of info, which doesn't have to be necessarily true. *wink-wink* And you should invent some new names and think on different description, so even if players have the desire to look something up they won't be able to recognize the foe. E.g. you may represent aboleths as sentinent slugs or serpents and so on... You don't have to reinvent the basic concept and stats if you don't want to, but the change of facade itself will help to make extra-sure that your players won't choke on spoilers.

>>18476569
That's the benefit of using creatures they don't recognize or that are from obscure 3rd party things.
If the players fail their knowledge rolls, it doesn't really matter if they search online, they won't know what it is.

>>18476437
>>18476456
>>18476490
Could combine these with a dash of flavor from the Darkmatter setting.
Would also futher explain the 'different colored kobolds', particularly with the lack of autopsy so far.
The Kinori, with a enclave deep within the World Mountain bewteen the inner and outer worlds, drawing on a cache of Blackmoor technology, their hermetic magic, and allies/creatures from Hollow Earth.

>>18476585
Indeed. I for one absolutely adore third party sources for 3/3,5.

>>18476606

That looks awesome! Totally using that picture if that's OK.

>>18476585

Good point. I tried using crunch from existing monsters, and change the description and looks... it doesn't always work because I am dealing with clever people :)

>>18476569

Fairly sure at least one of the players is monitoring this thread. Not much one can do, right?

(By the way, all the sketches were done by one of the players, who got inspired. I just do the silly fake screenshots.)

>>18476638
Indeed, some of them are really quite good.
Another favorite of mine is poisoncraft:the dark art.

>>18476669

3.5 has a number of problems, but the amount of material out there causes it to win over many things... Same problem with Windows I suppose.

I guess having the Enemy be an alliance itself opens doors for causing rifts in it, and nicely mirrors the Xcom aliens?

>>18476606
>>18476653
Its from d20 Menace Manual depiction of the Kinori, so go ahead with it. I might even suggest running closer to the Menace Manual version or mix it up between classic Darkmatter and that for the Enemy Unsure version.
Keep the players unsure.

The idea seems fucking good OP

>>18476751

It's very difficult to keep players in mystery when they know more splatbooks than I do...


>>18476452

If you are around, we play on fantasygrounds. Odd times though (midnight-1AM on pacific time, due to work times)


captcha: recently, shbodur

I dub the alien masters the Shbodur.

>>18476798
I appreciate the offer, but as a brit fag that would put it at just the right time to interfere with my morning lectures. I would be interested to hear how it turns out though.

>>18476456
>>18476437
I would like to get scans of those two.

>>18476840
> I would be interested to hear how it turns out though.

Me too!

>>18476853

I as well.

>>18476840

Aw, too bad :( Thank you much for the help, though!!!


What is a good way to deal with the fact that players have a better grasp of crunch than I do? They appreciate the stories, but think my fights are too easy. I also recently had to tell someone to please not play in my game because, when she mentions that this or that detail in the setting I use contradicts this or that detail in a splatbook, she intimidates me. Am I being a bad GM?

>>18476880
While it's not really bad GMing, you should've probably confronted her on the issue instead of kicking her out outright.

>>18476898

The game with her in it never started - I asked some time to read up on things, instead. I do make an attempt.

Thanks for the help! I was mostly worried whether this was a silly idea, and whether the resource system was too complicated. It seems that I should press on with this, then. Should I post logs, if the players allow?

>>18476880
No problem. I have never come across fantasygrounds before, it looks rather good.

Actually, what the hell, what day are you running on and how long do you normally play for?

>I also recently had to tell someone to please not play in my game because, when she mentions that this or that detail in the setting I use contradicts this or that detail in a splatbook, she intimidates me. Am I being a bad GM?

No. First, you were honest and sincere. Second, she acted in a stupid way... When I (being a fan of Forgotten Realms) played in a campaign where DM made slight alterations or even invented shit up the fly (island where elves keep orcs as slaves and male drow outcasts plan to invade from the underground grottoes), I never said a thing, because I want to play an interesting game, not a completely accurate simulation of a setting (in my case it was FR, but it doesn't really matter).

So if she is not a complete douche try talking to her and explain that your goal is not to run a completely accurate Mystara-thingy, but to do something on your own.

Really a matter of getting a hold of people. I was hoping this to be able to be a pickup game, in the sense that if someone wants to treat it as a one-shot and play a squad leader etc. it would be possible. Please do email me if you're interested!

>>18476977

She is a very reasonable person; only, she feels that the published work has authority over my musings.

>>18477030
I don't have the time to commit to a campaign, however as a pick up game I would potentially be interested. I'll throw you an email a bit later.

>>18476010

>Arrow in the knee joke
>2012

>>18477289

... Oh, I get it. Ugh.

OP, tired memes aside, this looks like it could be interesting.