The Wasteland of the Western Sands for Barbarians of the Ruined Earth

In my Barbarians of the Ruined Earth campaign (will be published soon).  The group has been fighting the Witch Grenzel and her Cabal of Shadows, which has been harassing the village of Route 66 and will soon be headed to either the Ruins of Santa Mo (Ancient Earth Santa Monica) or to Nukatomi Plaza.

 

This area will be in the final book (the map shown here is by the awesome Hex Kit by Cecil Howe, but I will have a fully illustrated map for the final product).

I wanted to keep the descriptions quick and easy and give just enough for the GM to use and build off of and go from there.

The Western Sands

Map Key

For Encounters roll a 1d6.  On a 1-2 there is something of interest.  Roll 1d6.  If the result is even, it is an encounter (see page XX).  If the result is odd, the group has found an interesting location (see page XX).

Fortress Ruins of Glanora of the Sands

• Dilapidated, crumbling, and terrifying.
• Screams and cackling echoes through halls.
• Fortress holds Stupendous Science device in the lowest basement.

 

Imperceptible Bluffs of the Winged Mutant People

• Extremely high bluffs with colorful vegetation (some alien in origin).
• Winged mutants circle the air like vultures, acting as sentries.
• Large stone statue of Haputra, a Cosmic Being worshipped by the Winged Mutant People, rests atop highest bluff.

 

Nukatomi Plaza, The Last Human Kingdom and the Ruins of Los Angel (Ancient Earth City Los Angeles)

• See page XX.

 

Ravaging Dunes of Time

• Soft silky sand, various colors from golden to black.
• Sand always blows in opposite direction than the wind.
• The cult Guardians of Time have a temple hidden beneath the dunes.

 

The Ruins of Santa Mo (Ancient Earth City Santa Monica)

• Crumbled, smoldering, fetid.
• Small pockets of scavengers, mutants, raiders, and monsters dot the landscape.
• Secret lair for Gongfrath, the Sorcerer here. Up-and-coming Sorcerer about to make his epic debut.

 

Sand Drifter Village

• Single-story brown huts constructed of coarse matieral.
• Isolated villagers, mistrusting of outsiders.
• Pig Raiders (pg XX) have been attacking those who venture too far from the village.

 

Shifting and Dancing Oasis

• Pristine waters, clean, inviting.
• Water Weird (pg XX) is home here, guarding the waters.
• The tomb of Sophis the Proud is hidden beneath the sand dunes here.

 

Shopping Mall Fortress of the Witch Grenzel

• Dilapidated, smells of rot, and magic. Ancient Earth devices found inside.
• Grenzel and her cult, The Cabal of Shadows, schemes for more power. Cause trouble for Route 66.
• Alien spaceship crashed into large department store. Aliens are battling Grenzel and her forces.

 

Snakemen Village

• Mounds with holes leading to extensive underground network of tunnels.
• Spears, arrows, bones, and shed reptilian skin dot the sand around the village.
• Human slaves toil tirelessly in the Violet Cactus fields.

 

Technodabbler’s Circuitry Fortress

• Large circuit boards are the structures. All connected via circuity built into the streets.
• Bio-engineered humanoids wander the streets. Humans (deemed inferior) are slaves, servants, and fodder.  Outsiders beware.
• Technodabbler, emaciated, cadaver-like, and cruel, rests on his throne in the Processor Tower.

 

Technothusists’ Energy Farm

• Patchwork of Ancient Earth technology and stolen Stupendous Science devices cause things to run.
• Water wheels and wind turbines run constantly to generate energy. Energy sold to Route 66 and Nukatomi Plaza.
• Technothusists are fringe humans with fascination for Ancient Earth technology, to the extreme.

 

The Village of Route 66

• Houses made of metal storage crates, village walls made of crushed, stacked cars.
• Humans work hard in fields. Trade with scavengers from Santa Mo and caravans from Nukatomi Plaza.
• Troubles with Grenzel the Witch. Powerful Ancient Earth device in a dilapidated hanger not far from town.

 

The Wreckage of the Sorcerer Aluminum Ivan’s Devastation Machine

• Metal covered in barnacles, rust, and seaweed.
• Crashing of waves ding and clang against the metal.
• Many of the internal areas are powered and full of wondrous treasures and deadly monstrosities.

The Black Hack: Cyber-Hacked! On Drivethru RPG

My bad for not doing a post about this launching on Drivethru/RPGnow!

Art by Alex Mayo

Recently I released The Black Hack: Cyber-Hacked! on Drivethru.  I used the awesome light-weight Black Hack rules by David Black to create a gritty cyberpunk setting.  I thought it would be great to use to run low level Blade Runner/Cyberpunk 202o style games or even low level Shadowrun.  Too often I feel that cyberpunk games get lost in the minutia of the tech and it ends up becoming cumbersome and crunchy.  I created a die drop chart for hacking to make it more of a quick mini-game/exciting thing rather than just a few rolls.  People seem to be really digging it, with which I’m thrilled!

Vircades Project did a cool review of TBH:CH and what’s inside.

Also here are some reviews from Drivethru RPG:

Cyberhacked! is an awesome reskinning of the Black Hack. Mike Evans has really done a good job here, devising a simple mini-system for hacking that works quickly and feels exciting. He also gives you all the tables for cyber enhancements, weapons, vehicles, living expenses, and just the kind of stuff that always holds me back from just diving into a new homebrew game (now I have to create another list???). He’s done it for you. I definitely recommend this. (And the Black Hack if you haven’t checked it out.)

and

If you like cyberpunk at all, then you will love Cyber-Hacked! Mike Evans outdoes himself yet again! There should be grants given to individuals with such creativity. At $2, it is the deal of the century!

Feel free to check it out!  I do plan on writing up a full Cyberpunk setting in the near future, but gotta get Hubris and Land of the Spirits out the door first!

Aside: I got the final proofs back for POD of The Starrunner Kit– so once the last changes have been accepted at the printer, that’ll go live as well!