Adventures on Mars

[thorswulf]

To be clear, this is NOT Burroughs Mars. That would violate way too many copyright issues, and it is covered elsewhere. This thread is about a Mars based on the Mars of Space 1889, or that of Parroom Station. Green Martians and White Apes are optional! These Martians use guns as well as swords. While Sorcery and Religion are not really covered by either of the versions, they are keystones of OD&D and must be part of the game in my opinion.

To start with all attributes are generated the same way. There is only one race, and that is Martian. However there are different cultures and these should be mentioned.

CANAL MARTIANS, or CITY DWELLERS are Martians who live in the great spired cities that dot Mars at the junction of the mighty canals. They are similar to humans who dwell in Later Medieval cities such as London, Antwerp, Rome, and Paris. Very cosmopolitan, well spoken, and not above turning to a little petty larceny as needed!

NOMADS or WASTELANDERS are Martians who dwell in the arid steppes of Mars, or in the rugged highlands away from the cities. Noted for their strength and endurance, and a good common sense, Nomads do not suffer fools lightly! They are similar to the Mongols and Scottish Highlanders of Earth's Middle Ages.

HIGH MARTIANS are those Martians who still retain their lift glands and can glide and fly the windy, arid skies of Mars. They dwell in thier mountain fortresses, and jealously gaurd their small preserves of Luftwood. They are a crude and savage people who delight in the enslavement of others. Players should not play these Martians, unless all agree to do so.

CLOUDSHIPMEN AND BARGEMEN are not different people so much as distinct subcultures. Cloudshipmen ply the skies of Mars in ships made of Luftwood, like the pirates and privateers of Earth's Spanish Main. Bargemen ply the canals of Mars in watercraft of all sizes. What seperates these folk from others is their nomadic way, yet they depend on the cities for their incomes. Fierce, and independent, these people belong to no one place. rather Mars is theirs for the plucking!

I'm using the term Luftwood for obvious reasons! So much for this part. I'll do classes and equipment next.

[crimhthanthegreat]

Tell us more, this is sounding quite interesting!

[thorswulf]

PART TWO: Classes and Equipment notes

FIGHTERS are the most dominant class on Mars. All Martians go armed with a hand weapon habitually, be it the slender stilletto of a princess, or the massive Chopplott of the Bargemen. The rules for Fighting men and women stay the same as per the normal rules. When Fighters reach name level and decide to build a stronghold, they are essentially building a fortress vill on the outskirts of a canal city, or a fortress in the wastes.

CLERICS on Mars come in three varieties. Venerated Ones are of a Lawful or Neutral nature and worship Dhyzhan, who is represented by a stylized eye. These priests act as consultants to all the great lords, princes, and leaders of communities all over Mars. The horrible Cult of the Worm are led by clerics of a chaotic and evil nature who lead their worshippers in grisly ritual sacrifices of other Martians. Finally there are the Sverdfolk, fanatics that wear no armor, and wield only swords as their weapons. They are led by Sverlinkers, their priests and teachers of the Sverding way. Sverdfolk may be either Laful or Chaotic in nature as thier fanatacism appeals to many Martians. Clerics have access to all normal spells and turning powers. Venerated ones recieve their powers like regular D&D clerics, Priests of the Worm like evil clerics, and Sverdlinkers gain theirs through meditation, fasting, and endless practice to find harmony within themselves and their weapon.

MAGIC USERS are rare on Mars. They are called Weirdlinkers for they harness rare and dangerous energies, then expell them through sorcery. This process tends to make them feared and mistrusted by the common Martians. Nobody is ever quite sure what kind of powers a Weirdlinker possesses, and only good, sharp steel is any kind ofproof against them. Even this, it is rumored, may not stop some Weirdlinkers.... Magic users are played exactly as in regular OD&D

THIEVES are common in Canal Cities, particularly in the older quarters, and canalfronts of the cities. They possess the usual skills and restrictions as per Greyhawk.

STARTING MONEY & EQUIPMENT NOTES

All Martian characters start with the standard 3d6x10 gp roll. Gold, Silver, and copper are fairly common on Mars, as are small gemstones of about 10-50 gp in value.

Weapons are pretty much the same on Mars with the following modififcations.

Remove Crossbows, and normal short and long bows.
Add: Musket 100 gp
Carbine 150 gp
Pistol 300 gp
Rifle 500 gp
Powder horn/ flask 5 gp
Shot 5 gp per 20
Powder 20 gp per 20 shots worth

Remove: Horses, and mules/donkey and add:
Gashant, riding price as a riding horse
Gashant, war price as a light warhorse
Rumet Brehr 500 gp

Next time some more background material.

[Finarvyn]

I like the notion that fighters and thieves would be the most common characters in your Mars campaign. I also like the idea that you are taking elements from many different versions of Mars (Barsoom, Space 1889, and so on), since each one has unique bits to add to a campaign.

One of the problems with Burroughs' Mars is that Earthlings are (1) very rare and (2) very powerful. If a player wants to reprise a role similar to John Carter, he tends to dominate the campaign. In Space 1889, however, Earthlings are more commonplace and less physically special, so that lends itself to extra options.

Nice write-up so far....

[crimhthanthegreat]

I am with Fin on this, I think this is a great mix that you are putting together. I am not familiar with Space 1889, I will have to take a look at that. I am partial to any campaign that keep magic-users and cleric few.

[thorswulf]

Thanks for the compliments! I'll post some more stuf tomorrow, as I'm pretty exhausted tonight. By the way, how do you feel about keeping some of the OD&D monsters and omitting some that don't quite work. In particular, I'd like to keep the undead as products of super science, and get rid of lycanthropes as they don't quite fit in. Of course there a whole plethora of nasty critters native to Mars.... Mwa, ha, ha!

[thorswulf]

MORE ON MARTIANS

Martians are neither the little green men of hollywood, nor the red men of Burrroughs. Rather Martians tend stand around six feet or more with elongated bodies, and slightly larger chest cavities due to the thinner atmosphere of Mars. They posess a vastigial thumb on their feet, that is no longer used for gripping like those of High Martians. Skin coloration is varied among the Martians as well. Red skinned and yellow/tan/ ochre skintones predominate, but there are numerous martians with pure black skin as well. Hair tends to be black, or very dark brown among the red and yellowish Martians. The black skinned Martians possess pure white hair.

Common clothing for Canal or City Dwellers is a simple kilt, or tunic and kilt, crossed by a weapon harness, or a decorative pectoral. The wealthier Martians wear clothes of finer material such as sandworm silk, or linen made form rare marsh grasses. All who ttravel the wastes tend to wear long burnooses, or cloaks to keep the heat of the day from bothering them. Footwear is universally a lighter sandal, or cross-gartered boot.

Wastelanders and nomads wear a great deal more than the City Dwellers. Leather leggings, and a shirt covered by a stout vest form the basics of both genders clothing. Weapon harnesses are also very common as are leather bracers, and stout boots.

The bargefolk and cloudsailors tend to wear the briefest of clothes. Usually just a kilt and a weapon harness.

LANGUAGES

The "Common Tongue" of Mars is Koline, a trade speach. It is nigh Universal to all Martians. Umbran, Syrtan, Parhooni, Tossian, and Thothique are the major languages of Mars. Wormtongue is a secret language used by priests of the Worm Cult. Nomads speak either Imbrum, or Nepsath depending on where they are from. The bestial tongue of the High Martians is Kraagi, and sounds awful to most Martians! Ther are several "Classical" versions of common languages as well: Classic Tossian, and Parhooni are the most studied. There is one "dead" language, and this is that of "The Makers". or Makerstongue.

[Finarvyn]

thorswulf said:

By the way, how do you feel about keeping some of the OD&D monsters and omitting some that don't quite work. In particular, I'd like to keep the undead as products of super science, and get rid of lycanthropes as they don't quite fit in.

I think that those are both appropriate choices.

My son and I went to see the most recent Resident Evil movie the other night and again I was thinking about running some sort of RE game using OD&D. I mention this only because RE uses the notion that a T-virus is the cause of the Zombie-ism that occurs in their world, and that is similar to your comment on zombies and super science. I think that having mad scientists who somehow create zombies would fit into your Mars concept very well.

As far as lycanthropes go, perhaps there could still be shape shifters but not into traditional wolf form. (Or bear or tiger or other D&D variations.) Perhaps there would be Martian Lycanthropes that shift into the form of some of your Martian monsters?

Just me thinkin'....

[thorswulf]

Well some type of lycanthrope might work, but I wouldn't want to run in to it! Seriously though, I see things like zombies either as a degenerative disease, or reanimation via chemical/electrical vats or something. The kind of thing an evil Weirdlinker might cook up in an abandoned canal city.... I'll have some more stuff up in a few days.

[thorswulf]

SOME MARTIAN FAUNA

Baralanth: This fierce predator hunts all the wilderlands of Mars. It is a fierce six legged creature, each leg ending in paws with vicious claws designed for rending prey. It's massive mouth is filled with razor sharp teeth. The Baralanth is man eater, with the disposition of a shark, and the cunning of a tiger.

AC: 4 HD:6 Move:12", sprints 18" Damage: normal 1d6 x2, bites for 2d6

Martian Sand Worm: These creatures roam the deserts and wastes of Mars. Reaching up to 60' in length they can devour victims whole like a Purple Worm. The Sand Worm hunts by sensing vibration through the earth. When a potential food source is located the worms burrow beneath the victim and quickly burst through from below to engulf their victim in it's horrible maw.

Statistics as for a Purple Worm, without the stinger!

The Great Koromoko: Long thought extinct, tales from the nomads and High Martians lead many to believe otherwise. These great creatures resemble terrestrial dragons, and wyverns in appearance, and rocs in size. Such massive creatures could only dwell in mountaintop nests or deep in hidden valleys.

AC:2 HD:8-12 Move: 12", 16" in flight Damage: 2d6 bite, 1d6x2 claws, wing buffet 1d6, tail lash 1d6 and dex check to remain standidng

The Magoko: 8'-12' tall, multi armed, white apes that haunt the ruined cities and lost vales of Mars.

AC: 4 HD: 4 Move: 12" Damage: 1d6+2x4

*Note that my damage format also includes the number of attacks a creature may make*

[coffee]

I really like what you're doing here. This is good stuff.

Are you going to collect it all someday, say into a PDF or something? Just curious.

[thorswulf]

Oh, 'eck! Bundle this stuff together? I suppose so. I'v'e never played around with creating PDF's, just dowloading them. It will probably be a Word document of some kind. My 1889 books are being borrowed, so until I get them back for reference material such things are on hold.

[coffee]

I don't use Word, so I don't know what options it has. I use Open Office, which is a free download and has (I believe) all the functionality of Microsoft's line.

But one of the options is to print the file as a PDF. So it's really pretty easy from there.

[Finarvyn]

I'm decent enough with making PDF files, so maybe I'll put something together once we get more posted. It should be easy enough to play with the formatting and make a PDF out of it.

[thorswulf]

O.K. with me. I just need to find some time to type it up. I think I may do it by section, like Blackmoor, etc., did. That way it keeps it's flavor!

[thorswulf]

Sorry I have not gotten back to this for some time. This time of year gets a little busy, and my time gets filled with family. On a different note, I have considered running a play by post game on the forum. It would not be until February at the earliest, and I will definately need to write up a players guide that is little more detailed. One of the biggest changes will be the price list, as I feel it needs some reworking. Most of what I posted will be the same, just elaborated on a bit. I think the spell section needs a little more polish, as to how magic is worked and what is needed as far as the weird science end of it is concerned.

[Finarvyn]

I know the feeling. Family always gets demanding in December.

Hope you have time to add to this soon. I love the mix of magic and technology, along with flying ships. I'm always torn as to how much to Burroughs-ize a campaign and how much to strike off in an independent direction, so it's been interesting to see what you're doing and which direction you're developing your world.

As far as your own personal campaign goes, since I assume you don't plan on publishing, there are so many nice Barsoom pictures out there on the web to use for inspiration. In addition, there are many Space 1889 pictures to allow that Victorian element to creep into the game. The advantage of starting with someone else's ideas and developing from there is that you can swipe professional artwork to spice up the atmosphere of the campaign.

Anyway, nice material so far.

[Finarvyn]

By the way, since your campaign isn't about traditional OD&D rules I thought it probably doesn't fit in The Underworld and Wilderness Adventures, so I'm going to move it.

NOTE: I was torn between "Workshop" and "Warriors of Mars" and finally decided to move it to the WoM section simply because the theme is similar to the resources found in that section. If you don't agree, thorswulf, let me know and I can move it again to a more appropriate place.

[thorswulf]

No problem with the move. I like Space 1889, even wothout the steampunk. Mars as a small power akin to an 18th Century collection of German states, with the S&S background just sounds like fun to me.

[doc]

www.lulu.com/content/781589

Take a look at THIS!

Doc

[carjack]

I have this book, and it is pretty cool. It got held up for a year or so by the Burroughs estate but eventually got released without having to change anything. The Grey Men and the Empire of the White Apes are my favorite bits.
I saw something a few weeks ago about an actual Burroughs Mars RPG coming out, but I need to sift my gmail to find the reference. Lemme see.... yeah, here's the press release:

Announcing the upcoming electronic (PDF) release of "Edgar Rice
Burroughs' Mars: Shadows of a Dying World" from Skirmisher Publishing
LLC, written by Jim Clunie and the Skirmisher Development Group.

Drawn from the Mars series of Edgar Rice Burroughs, this is the red
planet not as it exists, but as astronomers and writers at the turn of
the 20th century thought it might be. On this Mars, elegant
city-states rise along the banks of world-spanning canals, luxurious
airships ply the thin atmosphere, feisty princesses and feckless
nobles are menaced by killers of the drear dried-up sea-beds, and
skilled swordsmen defend the age-old edicts of dynasties that have
ruled for aeons.

Despite both wondrous technology and mysterious mental abilities
developed beyond the comprehension of Earthlings, however, the most
farsighted of the Martians know that the history of their world is
drawing toward its end, and that its life-giving atmosphere and
waterways are already sustained only by vast efforts of engineering.

Shadows of a Dying World presents the unique wonders and dangers posed
by the weirdly sentient denizens of Burroughs' Mars. Creatures covered
in Shadows of a Dying World include the Apt, Banth, Calot, Corphal,
Great White Ape, Green Martian, Kaldane, Rykor, Plant Man, Silian,
Sith, Thoat, Ulsio, and Zitidar. Other features of this book include
guidelines for using Burroughs' creatures in both Mars and non-Mars
campaign settings, Martian random encounter tables, new Feats, and the
Class Defense Bonus combat option.

This rules in this book are based on the d20 system as it is presented
in the revised 3rd edition of the fantasy SRD. This is a preview of a
complete roleplaying game based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars setting
that will provide core rules based on the latest edition of the d20
system that are adapted to this unique milieu, including classes,
skills, feats, technological devices, psionic powers, and campaign
setting information.

ERB's Mars product forum: skirmisher.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0

[Deleted]

crimhthanthegreat said:

doc said:

www.lulu.com/content/781589

Take a look at THIS!

Doc

I would love to take a look at this, but more than I care to spend on it.

It's all about priorities. If this book has just a couple of good ideas, it's probably worth a few bucks. I have run MARS games since the early 1970's and am always looking for more I can bring into my campaign.

[crimhthanthegreat]

keltset said:

crimhthanthegreat said:

I would love to take a look at this, but more than I care to spend on it.

It's all about priorities. If this book has just a couple of good ideas, it's probably worth a few bucks. I have run MARS games since the early 1970's and am always looking for more I can bring into my campaign.

If you have lots of money to spend, then I suppose it may be about your priorities, but for most of us $44.95 is a bit steep. Even if I could hold it in my hands and look at it before I bought is that is really more than I can justify spending on a product 99% of the time. And for something that I can't look at before I buy it is really too much. The majority of the purchases I make are $15.00 or less, and I have to have a lot of confidence in a product to spend more than that. While we are not hurting money wise here in retirement, I can't be spending willy nilly either.

[casey777]

crimhthanthegreat said:

If you have lots of money to spend, then I suppose it may be about your priorities, but for most of us $44.95 is a bit steep.

FWIW free pdf preview, pdf is $25, softcover is $35

There's also an intro adventure out now it seems, Slayers of Mars.

It all looks interesting, but I'm busy with other games currently.

[makofan]

For interest sake, I have a 3-player game of SPI's John Carter Warlord of Mars scheduled for tomorrow - be the first time I;ve played it in 25 years. I'll post any fun tidbits that happen

[Finarvyn]

SPI's John Carter game is a real classic. I love the way you can run quests almost like a RPG.

[dwayanu]

This really stokes my interest. As an SF fan, I've been from the start a bit "retro": turned on by Wells and quickly becoming an ERB enthusiast (especially of Barsoom). The "Moon Maid" sequence rocked in my boyhood estimation on a par with Stapledon's Last and First Men.

Natch, the references in the D&D handouts led me to try that adaptation. I even started on a "GURPS Barsoom" project (abandoned due in part to realizing what serious work for SJG would entail).

Having by that time gotten into a compatible military-historical groove, I had a lot of fun with GDW's Space:1889 (one of my all-time favorite RPGS). My original rulesbooks perished, and I missed a chance to snap up replacements, but I grabbed one of the b&w softbound reprints (from Heliograph, IIRC). Sky Galleons of Mars and the Soldier's Companion had held their ground through the intervening years.

I met Forgotten Futures first in hardcopy at a general games shop (which was by then startling), later finding the texts online.

Victorian SF along the lines of Wells or Kipling or Haggard (and "space opera" akin to early Doc Smith and Jack Williamson with Mauve Era evocations) seems well covered. "Sword & planet" a la Burroughs, and the ilk of the weird adventures penned by A. Merrit -- tales of Earthmen forced to rely on saber and super-science whilst stranded far from any hope of rescue by the Thin Red Line -- seems a neglected field in RPGs.

I wish I still had that SPI game! In my gang, it tossed a similar offering from FGU (or was that Yaquinto?).

[makofan]

As promised, a snippet of our game on Saturday night

5-6 times a year, some of us get together to play games - usually History of the World or Railroad Tycoon. This time we only had 3 people, so I dragged over John Carter to teach to my friends Tom and Jeff. I had won the game on eBay last year, and was just looking for a chance to break it out.

Teaching the rules and setting up took about half an hour, then we started. Jeff took John Carter, Tom took Tars Tarkas (optional quest from the errata) and I took Carthoris. Things looked auspicious for Tom, as Tars starts in Thark and Jeff (his villain) rolled Valley Dor as his startup, just 1200 haads away, usually makeable in 1 turn by thoat-back. Unfortunately, Tom ran into two White Apes, and through some killer dice rolling by Jeff, he was eaten on the very first turn (Martian beasts don't take prisoners). Oh well, he could still play my villain...

John Carter had to head to the north pole and Kadabra, which meant he would have to walk a fair bit of the way. Carthoris headed to Dusar on the other side of the world, and we had all the fun things like fliers being shot down, storms, wild beasts, Green martians ravaging red martian women, et cetera. The princess waved to me from a window in Dusar, so Jeff fled to the forest of the invisible men, while John Carter still slogged towards Kadabra (i would pull an 8000 haad card, then John Carter would pull a 00!). Off to Invak I went, where again a random card exposed the princess and Jeff fled to his final destination - Morbus, city of the (weak) hormads.

John Carter finally passed through the Carrion Caves, and was accosted by 7 Yellow Martians. As he started to do battle, he was "Tripped by a Foul Blow" and set upon. Woolla, the courageous calot, showed up to help his master, but he "Slipped and Fell in a Pool of Blood" (I had KILLER cards). Exit Woolla and John Carter

So I was the only hero left. With Kars Komak's legendary illusory bowmen, I swept aside the princess' guards, then killed the foul villains attempting to besmirch her honour. Later, in the privacy of my Lesser Helium quarters, Thuvia showed her appreciation of my manly talents as I finished off a crushing victory.

The players were bemused by the Unspeakable Acts table, and loved the duelling game, the acquisition cards, all the random tables, and the color. We are thinking of replacing the awful tactical maps with a hex grid, and speeding up combat encounters and making them less fiddly.

All in all it was a good evening, but we may need to tweak the rules before we try it again.