|
|
Post by simonw on Apr 11, 2016 0:23:34 GMT -6
I'm currently writing an OSR title - "Black Books - The Outer Darkness". It's a mash up of old school CoC with D&D/S&W (using the variant I use for Sabres & Witchery/Blood & Bullets). There are six broad classes: Charmer, Fighter, Outdoorsman, Sneak, Scholar & Spiritualist.
I'm also cracking on with a couple of adventures for Crimson Blades 2.
|
|
|
|
Post by stevemitchell on Apr 11, 2016 3:56:13 GMT -6
Hi Simon. Will Black Books use a pulp-era setting? Or something else?
|
|
|
|
Post by simonw on Apr 11, 2016 9:35:40 GMT -6
It will be 1920's but easily adapted to earlier or later periods
|
|
|
|
Post by stevemitchell on Apr 11, 2016 11:46:48 GMT -6
Thanks, Simon.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mike on Apr 11, 2016 23:19:22 GMT -6
|
|
|
|
Post by simonw on Apr 12, 2016 0:08:37 GMT -6
Black Books is a brilliant show and Dylan Moran is a superb stand up (seen him live several times). I'm sure him and Bill Bailey have read the Necronomicon (A.K.A "The Little Book of Calm") a few times. There's a tenuous link too - Graham Linehan (the co writer) has played D&D. The session is on YouTube. |
|
|
|
Post by Malcadon on Apr 12, 2016 6:18:10 GMT -6
Nice, a CoC game using a familiar rule-set. Which means playing my favorite horror scenario:  "Well gang, once we capture this one last monster and unmask him,
we can enjoy a much awaited vacation somewhere sunny and nice." |
|
|
|
Post by simonw on Apr 23, 2016 6:50:50 GMT -6
I'm making progress and I've amended to classes to just 5: Charmer, Enforcer, Sneak, Scholar and Spiritualist
There are 10 backgrounds that give a small bonus to one attribute, a Credit Rating modifier and give a choice from a small selection of special abilities (that become essentially class abilities). The backgrounds are:
Academic, Criminal, Military, Entertainer, Law Enforcement, Military, Professional, Religious, Rural, Socialite and Tradesman. Here's an example of the tradesman background:
10) TRADESMAN
Your character was born into a family of shopkeepers, labourers, craftsmen, artisans or other “blue-collar” workers.
• Credit Rating: +0
• DEX or INT +1
• Craft (DEX or WIS): Your character has a professional trade, craft or skill. Examples would be carpentry, blacksmithing, jeweler, cooking, brewing, mechanical repair, electrical repair, book-binding, etc.
Choose one of:
• Antiquarian (INT): You have an antique shop or auction house with a range of antiques for sale. You can recognize and date antique items and value them accurately. You have come across mythos items in the past and possibly have one in your shop (Roll 20 on D20).
• Good Business (WIS or CHA): For some reason your business is doing very well and makes you an income far above expectations for your background and it just keeps getting better. Credit Rating therefore becomes a class ability.
• Practical Mind (WIS): Your character takes a pragmatic view of the world and tries to fit any supernatural events and sightings into what he or she knows as reality. This gives a +2 to any Will saves made to prevent SAN loss when observing and experiencing supernatural events and cosmic horrors.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mike on Apr 27, 2016 22:37:43 GMT -6
I really like the way this is heading Simon. Well done sir!
|
|
|
|
Post by simonw on May 4, 2016 12:16:27 GMT -6
Here's an example of one of the classes:
Charmer (CHA)
The charmer is an enterprising person who uses his or her persuasiveness and personality to gather information and get things done. The character could be an expert gambler, a street hustler, a spy, a politician, a dilettante, a gentleman or simply a scoundrel with the gift of the gab.
Charmer class features
Hit Dice: D6
Weapons: Charmers can use any non-military weapons
Primary Save: Will (+2 at first level)
Normal saves: Ref, Fort (+1 at 1st level)
To Hit Rolls: Secondary Class Ability (+1 at 1st level)
Defence Rating: Secondary Class Ability (+1 at 1st level)
Charmer main class abilities
Affability: (CHA): The Charmer has the gift of the gab – they are very persuasive and can use their charm and influence to get what they want, sometimes by deceit, bluff or seduction. They can use this skill to get out of tricky situations or to trick the gullible into doing something they wouldn’t normally do.
Contacts (CHA): The charmer has met a range of people from all walks of life in his or her travels. In any major city there is a chance that the Charmer knows someone who can be called upon to help when needed.
Information Gathering (CHA): Your character is sociable and able to make friends in bars and other establishments to get a general idea of a locality’s major news items, assuming there are no obvious reasons why the information would be withheld. The higher your roll; the better the information gained.
Read Person (INT): This allows the Charmer to weigh up someone they have been talking to for a few minutes to determine their class (if they have one) or profession, whether they are lying or hiding something.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mike on May 5, 2016 1:53:22 GMT -6
More great stuff. When can we expect to see this on RPGNOW?
|
|
|
|
Post by simonw on May 11, 2016 11:57:18 GMT -6
Backgrounds have changed a bit and are now:
Academia, Big Business, Big City, Entertainment, High Society, Law Enforcement, Military, Organized Crime, Religious and Small Town. Here's the Small Town entry:
Your character grew up in a small rural town. Your education was pretty basic and the styles of the big city are foreign to you. But you’re tough and you know your way around in the great outdoors.
• Credit Rating: -4
• STR, CON or WIS +1
• Animal Handling (WIS): You are used to dealing with animals and livestock from your outdoor upbringing. You can ride horses, train dogs and know how to deal with wild animals to pacify them or scare them away.
Choose one of:
• Roughneck (STR): You are a bit of a rowdy and can handle yourself in unarmed combat. You gain +2 to hit in brawls and your fists cause D4 damage instead of the usual D3. You also have an intimidating manner and can sometimes get people to talk when your “softer” friends fail.
• Survival (CON or WIS): In the wilderness, the character can obtain enough food and sufficient safe shelter by hunting and foraging to keep alive himself plus a number of additional people equal to his or her level. If there are more people in the group than this, a roll is required. You can also follow a trail across almost any ground, can recognize the prints and number of critters that made the tracks and never lose your sense of direction in the outdoors (cities are another matter).
• Tough Cookie (CON): Your life in the outdoors has toughened you up and you are rarely sick. Even when you are, you are never in your sickbed for too long. You receive +2 to any CON saves made and in addition, you recover HP at twice the rate of others.
|
|
|
|
Post by simonw on May 12, 2016 9:43:04 GMT -6
More great stuff. When can we expect to see this on RPGNOW? Hmm, good question. I hope before the end of the month or possibly into June. Here's another background: Big Business You come from the world of big business and big deals and you’re on your way up the corporate ladder.Taking this background means your character comes from a family of professional people – maybe company bosses, bureaucrats, lawyers, accountants or bankers. • Credit Rating: +4 • INT or CHA +1 • Paperwork (INT): You are used to dealing with legal papers, accounts ledgers and other official documents and you can find discrepancies or connections if given time for study. Even a quick scan might reveal some useful pieces of information. You might even be able to draw up some documents to requisition an item or to gain access to an establishment that would fool someone on a cursory examination. Choose one of: • Criminal Contact (CHA): You have defended someone in court or do the accounts for a disreputable individual and can generally rely on them for help with anything slightly shady when needed. • Legalese (CHA): you are an expert in lawyer-speak and can quote chapter and verse of the law without pause. This can be used as a distraction or to get you and your friends out of jail or to talk court officials or the police into giving you access to legal papers, arrest records or to prisoners. • Practical Mind (WIS): You take a pragmatic view of the world and try to fit any supernatural events and sightings into what you know as mundane reality. This gives a +2 to any saves made to avoid losing SAN when observing and experiencing supernatural events and cosmic horrors. |
|
|
|
Post by Mike on May 13, 2016 2:09:56 GMT -6
Looking good. Keenly await more!
|
|
|
|
Post by simonw on May 14, 2016 3:41:42 GMT -6
OK, another investigator class;
Spiritualist (WIS)
The spiritualist is a person who is concerned with or insists on the spiritual side of things. The character is sensitive to influences or forces of a supernatural nature and uses the powers of his or her faith and conviction to battle the enemies of humankind. The character could be a priest or holy man of any denomination but equally could be a medium, witch or psychic.
Spiritualist class features
Hit Dice: D6
Weapons: Spiritualists are often pacifists and rarely use weapons. However, if pushed they can use any non-military weapons.
Primary Save: Will (+2 at 1st level)
Normal saves: Ref, Will (+1 at 1st level)
To Hit Rolls: Tertiary Class Ability (+0 at 1st level)
Defence Rating: Secondary Class Ability (+1 at 1st level)
Spiritualist main class abilities
• Awareness (WIS): You have an extraordinary sense for the unnatural and can sense the presence of evil lurking nearby. Any dark presence normally comes to you as a prickling or tingling feeling rather than anything specific. You may need to remind the Keeper that you have this ability from time to time because sometime she will want to make the roll for you (to keep you in the dark if the roll fails).
• Calming influence (WIS): The spiritualist is has a serene manner and can help heal troubled minds. This can be used to help characters that have lost SAN spending D4 hours with them and making a successful roll. This ability will restore D3 lost SAN to the character. This only works once per episode of sanity loss.
• Non-Combatant (CHA): In combat spiritualists are not taken as a threat and, as long as they are not fighting, any (human) enemy will tend to ignore them and go for the more competent looking types. If necessary, the spiritualist can make a save to avoid being attacked.
• Occult Lore (INT): The spiritualist has knowledge involving or relating to mystical, supernatural or magical powers, practices, or phenomena. The spiritualist can understand and utilize books of occult and mythos lore. This means they can learn and cast spells from any books they find.
• Religious Specialty (INT): You have knowledge and understanding of one field learning due to your religious studies. Choose from (but not limited to) the following: Astronomy, Astrology, Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Cultures, History, Linguistics, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Zoology.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mike on May 19, 2016 23:25:39 GMT -6
Great stuff. When can we play?
|
|
|
|
Post by simonw on May 20, 2016 15:46:38 GMT -6
Great stuff. When can we play? I can send you what I've got if you want? PM me your email. |
|
|
|
Post by simonw on May 28, 2016 3:53:27 GMT -6
Black Books (Tomes of the Outer Dark) is coming along and should be published on RPGNow within the next week or so. It is my OSR nod to Call of Cthulhu; as such, it is class-based (Enforcer, Sneak, Scholar, Spiritualist & Charmer) with HP (limited to 4th level) and levels and all those familiar those trappings...being based broadly on Swords & Wizardry although probably almost unrecognizable now from that base. Here's a class:
Enforcer (STR)
Black Books isn’t a game where you fight your way through the scenario. However, there is always room for a character who can handle a bunch of fanatical cultists braying for blood. An Enforcer is a tough guy, whose primary way of dealing with dangerous situations is through physical action, particularly combat. The character is trained to use weapons and is likely to be ex-military or ex-law enforcement, though this doesn’t have to be the case and mobsters or bodyguards are also enforcers.
Enforcer class features
Hit Dice: D10
Weapons: Enforcers can use any weapons
Primary Save: Fort (+2 at 1st level)
Normal saves: Ref, Will (+1 at 1st level)
To Hit Rolls: Main Class Ability (+2 at 1st level)
Defence Rating: Main Class Ability (+2 at 1st level)
Enforcer main class abilities
• Assess Opponent (INT): This allows the Enforcer to weigh up the opposition at the start of a gunfight and make a saving throw to see if they can determine the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition (i.e. their level and/or HD).
• Hardboiled (CON): The Enforcer is a tough guy and has a highly cynical attitude due to witnessing violence and the results of crime on a daily basis. This allows the Enforcer to use his Fort save to save against SAN loss from violent scenes and cosmic horrors rather than Will.
• Combat Training: You are trained to be ready for action at any moment giving you a level bonus to your initiative rolls.
• Weapon Specialist: This gives a +1 bonus to hit and damage using one type of firearm, chosen at outset (see the equipment section).
|
|
|
|
Post by Finarvyn on May 31, 2016 4:58:06 GMT -6
This is sounding really good. I like the concept of CoC better than the rules set, so blending CoC style with OD&D type rules is a great step for me. Keep the updates coming.  |
|
|
|
Post by simonw on Jun 4, 2016 9:04:08 GMT -6
This is sounding really good. I like the concept of CoC better than the rules set, so blending CoC style with OD&D type rules is a great step for me. Keep the updates coming. OK, I will Black Books |
|
|
|
Post by Mike on Jun 4, 2016 10:07:52 GMT -6
Print on demand any time soon? I get a thank you! |
|
|
|
Post by simonw on Jun 4, 2016 11:31:58 GMT -6
Print on demand any time soon? I get a thank you! Available on LULU in a week or two |
|
|
|
Post by stevemitchell on Jun 4, 2016 21:45:39 GMT -6
Just found this available for download at RPGNow!
|
|
|
|
Post by Mike on Jun 5, 2016 10:09:04 GMT -6
Just found this available for download at RPGNow! And isn't it a cracker? |
|
|
|
Post by simonw on Jun 10, 2016 5:53:13 GMT -6
Just found this available for download at RPGNow! And isn't it a cracker? Now in print from LULU |
|
|
|
Post by stevemitchell on Jul 12, 2016 14:24:56 GMT -6
Hi Simon. I've been going through my print copy of Black Books and noted something. You have spells to Summon and Bind Star Vampires, but no entry for Star Vampires in the Monsters section. Also, there's no entry for Zombies, although there is a Create Zombie spell. I wonder if maybe a page got dropped out after the entry for Shoggoths?
|
|
|
|
Post by simonw on Jul 12, 2016 15:41:06 GMT -6
Hi Simon. I've been going through my print copy of Black Books and noted something. You have spells to Summon and Bind Star Vampires, but no entry for Star Vampires in the Monsters section. Also, there's no entry for Zombies, although there is a Create Zombie spell. I wonder if maybe a page got dropped out after the entry for Shoggoths? Sorry about that. No a page hasn't dropped out - I have  . Have you got a pdf copy? If not, I'll update it and send you a freebie. |
|
|
|
Post by stevemitchell on Jul 12, 2016 19:33:53 GMT -6
I've got a pdf copy, but it also lacked the Star Vampire entry. If the pdf has been updated since the initial release, I'll grab that from my account at RPGNow. Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Post by stevemitchell on Jul 12, 2016 19:40:53 GMT -6
Okay, I have the new pdf, now with extra Star Vampire and Zombie goodness. Thanks again.
|
|
|
|
Post by simonw on Jul 18, 2016 11:57:47 GMT -6
|
|
. Have you got a pdf copy? If not, I'll update it and send you a freebie.