True20 Barsoom

[Silverback]

Equipment of Barsoom

Equilibrimotor (also known as a Flying Harness) Warlord of Mars #2

Obedience Collar Warlord of Mars #3

I shall add to this list as and when Barsoomian equipment comes to my attention. Once I have the True20 book the stats will be added too.

EDIT: Also check out The Fantastic Inventions and Prophesies Gleaned from the Barsoomian Novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs for other Barsoomian technologies.

[Yellow Sign]

Here is a list of creatures that I have been working on. I still have several more to do but this should be a nice starting list.

Barsoom Bestiary

Apt
Type: 5th-level Monstrous Humanoid
Size: Large
Speed: 40 ft.
Abilities: Str +5, Dex +2, Con +4, Int –4, Wis +3, Cha –2
Skills: Notice 8 (+11)
Feats: Improved Grab, Rage
Traits: Darkvision (60 feet)
Combat: Attack +5 (+2 Dex, -1 Size), Damage +7 (Gore), Defense
+5 (+2 Dex, -1 Size), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +6, Fortitude +8, Reflex +3, Will +4

An Arctic monster. A huge, white-furred creature some six to eight feet tall at the shoulder with six limbs, four of which, short and heavy, carry it over the snow and ice; the other two, which grow forward from its shoulders on either side of its long, powerful neck, terminate in white, hairless hands with which it seizes and holds its prey. Its head and mouth are similar in appearance to those of a hippopotamus, except that from the sides of the lower jawbone two mighty horns curve slightly downward toward the front. Its two huge eyes extend in two vast oval patches from the center of the top of the cranium down either side of the head to below the roots of the horns, so that these weapons really grow out from the lower part of the eyes, which are composed of several thousand ocelli each. Each ocellus is furnished with its own lid, and the apt can, at will, close as many of the facets of his huge eyes as he chooses.


Banth
Type: 8th-level Animal
Size: Large
Speed: 40 ft.
Abilities: Str +8, Dex +1, Con +4, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha –2
Skills: Notice 11 (+12), Stealth 11 (+8)
Feats: Double Strike, Improved Grab, Night Vision
Traits: Frightful Presence (DC 12), Pounce, Rake, Scent
Combat: Attack +6 (+1 Dex, –1 size), Damage +10 (Claws) or +11 (Bite), Defense
+6 (+1 Dex, –1 size), Initiative +1
Saving Throws: Toughness +8, Fortitude +10, Reflex +7, Will +3

This ten-legged beast is the most ferocious carnivore that roams the low hills surrounding the dead seas of Mars. It is almost hairless, having only a great, bristly mane about its thick neck. It's long lithe body is powerfully muscled, its enormous jaws are equipped with several rows of long needle-like fangs, and its mouth reaches to a point far back of its tiny ears. It has enormous protruding eyes of green.

Although they are large and heavy, their broad feet and many legs distribute their weight over a large area, allowing them to walk on soft sand without sinking or gravel without making much noise.

The banth’s roar (Frightful Presence) is so startling that once per encounter it can attempt to frighten it’s intended prey with it.



Calot
Type: 3rd-level animal
Size: Medium
Speed: 50 ft.
Abilities: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +5, Int –4, Wis +2, Cha –2
Skills: Notice 6 (+8), Survival 0 (+2)
Feats: Endurance, Night Vision, Run
Traits: Scent
Combat: Attack +4 (+2 Dex), Damage +5 (Bite), Defense
+4 (+2 Dex), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +6, Fortitude +7, Reflex +5, Will +3

Skills: A Calot has a +8 Bonus on Survival checks when tracking by Scent.

A calot? Think of a beast with a body about the size of a Shetland pony with ten legs, a gaping maw filled with three rows of very sharp teeth, a short bristle of mane and an ugly disposition. Large eyes, a fearsome countenance, and a physical constitution just short of marvelous. The calot is the most successful predator of Barsoom and can travel a hundred or more miles in a day. Calots have been domesticated by some Barsoomian cultures and generally serve their masters much as dogs serve humans on Earth.


Plant Man
Type: 6th-level Plant
Size: Large
Speed: 40 ft.
Abilities: Str +6, Dex +2, Con +3, Int –3, Wis +1, Cha –2
Skills: Notice 9 (+10), Jump 9 (+19)
Feats: Move-by Action, Improved Initiative
Traits: Immunity to mind-influencing effects, Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, and stunning. Not subject to critical hits.
Combat: Attack +5 (+2 Dex, –1 size), Damage +7 (Tail), Defense
+5 (+2 Dex, –1 size), Initiative +6
Saving Throws: Toughness +6, Fortitude +8, Reflex +4, Will +3

Skills: Plant Men have a +4 racial bonus to Jump.

A race inhabiting the Valley Dor. They are ten or twelve feet in height when standing erect; their arms are very short and fashioned after the manner of an elephant's trunk, being sinuous; the body is hairless and ghoulish blue except for a broad band of white which encircles the protruding, single eye, the pupil, iris and ball of which are dead white. The nose is a ragged, inflamed, circular hole in the centre of the blank face, resembling a fresh bullet wound which has not yet commenced to bleed. There is no mouth in the head. With the exception of the face, the head is covered by a tangled mass of jet-black hair some eight or ten inches in length. Each hair is about the thickness of a large angleworm. The body, legs and feet are of human shape but of monstrous proportions, the feet being fully three feet long and very flat and broad. The method of feeding consists in running their odd hands over the surface of the turf, cropping off the tender vegetation with razor-like talons and sucking it up from two mouths, which lie one in the palm of each hand. They also can use these mouths to suck the blood from animal prey. They are equipped with a massive tail about six feet long, quite round where it joins the body, but tapering to a flat, thin blade toward the end, which trails at right angles to the ground. Their normal method of attack was as remarkable as it was effective. The plant man charged to within a dozen feet of it’s prey and then, with a bound, jump as though to pass directly above their opponent. The powerful tail is raised high to one side, and as he passed close above them he brings it down in one terrific sweep to crush the prey’s skull as though it was an eggshell.


Thoat, Greater
Type: 6th-level Animal
Size: Large
Speed: 50 ft.
Abilities: Str +4, Dex +1, Con +3, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha –2
Skills: Notice 9 (+10)
Feats: Endurance, Run, Tough
Traits: Nightvision, Trample
Combat: Attack +4 (+1 Dex, –1 size), Damage +5 (Unarmed), Defense
+4 (+1 Dex, –1 size), Initiative +1
Saving Throws: Toughness +7, Fortitude +8, Reflex +6, Will +3


Thoat, Lesser
Type: 4th-level Animal
Size: Large
Speed: 50 ft.
Abilities: Str +3, Dex +1, Con +2, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha –2
Skills: Notice 7 (+8)
Feats: Endurance, Run
Traits: Nightvision, Trample
Combat: Attack +2 (+1 Dex, –1 size), Damage +4 (Unarmed), Defense
+2 (+1 Dex, –1 size), Initiative +1
Saving Throws: Toughness +5, Fortitude +5, Reflex +4, Will +2

The Martian horse, which comes in two sizes. The Greater Thoat which is ridden by Green Martians is about ten feet high at the shoulder with four legs to either side; a broad flat tail, larger at the tip than the root which is held straight out behind while running; a mouth splitting the head from snout to long massive neck. It is entirely devoid of hair and is of a dark slate color and exceedingly smooth and glossy. It has a white belly and the legs are shaded from slate at the shoulders and hips to a vivid yellow at the feet. The feet are heavily padded and nailless. The Red Martian rides a similar beast, though smaller. The animal is a food source as well.


Ulsio
Type: 1st-level Animal
Size: Small
Speed: 20 ft, burrow 10 ft
Abilities: Str +0, Dex +3, Con +1, Int –4, Wis +2, Cha –2
Skills: Climb 0 (+4) Stealth 4 (+15)
Feats: Dodge Focus
Traits: Darkvision
Combat: Attack +4 (+3 Dex, +1 size), Damage +1 (Bite), Defense
+5 (+3 Dex, +1 Dodge, +1 size), Initiative +3
Saving Throws: Toughness -1, Fortitude +3, Reflex +5, Will +2

Skills: Ulsio have a +4 racial bonus to Climb checks.

The Martian Rat or Ulsio is about the size of an Airedale terrier. Many legged; smooth and hairless, the skin resembles that of a new born mouse. The upper and lower jaws are equipped with five spade-like teeth each, with the skin not covering the bony structure, there are no lips to the mouth. Eyes are small and deep set in fleshy mounds.

White Ape
Type: 7th-level Monstrous Humanoid
Size: Large
Speed: 30 ft.
Abilities: Str +7, Dex +2, Con +6, Int –2, Wis +2, Cha –2
Skills: Climb 10 (+17)
Feats: Awesome Blow, Improved Grab, Rage
Traits: Nightvision,
Combat: Attack +8 (+2 Dex, –1 size), Damage +7 (Unarmed) or +8 (Club), Defense
+8 (+2 Dex, –1 size), Initiative +2
Saving Throws: Toughness +8, Fortitude +11, Reflex +7, Will +4

The white apes of Barsoom are very much similar in appearance and build as the Green Martians, having six limbs and about ten or fifteen feet tall. Their eyes were close together and non-protruding; their ears were high set, but more laterally located than those of the Martians, while their snouts and teeth were strikingly like those of our African gorilla. They have a shock of thick, stiff-bristled hair runs from the back of the skull and neck to the upper shoulders. The white apes are found everywhere on Barsoom, but frequent the dead cities which provide them with shelter and hunting.

[Silverback]

Fantastic work so far Yellow Sign!

I've just managed to purchase the entire Mars, Venus and Moon series on eBay (plus some Pellucidar novels) which, once my True20 book has arrived, should allow me to make some 'meaningful' contributions to this thread.

[Silverback]

Have also ordered a copy of The Burroughs Bestiary: Encyclopaedia of Monsters and Imaginary Beings Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs published in 1978 which (fingers crossed) will provide some details of the 'missing' creatures from Barsoom.

[Silverback]

Barsoomian Bestiary Checklist
Here are all the 'beasts' listed from The Burroughs Bestiary that exist on Barsoom.

Apes of Barsoom (Great White Apes)
Apt
Banth (Lion of Barsoom)
Birds of Ladan
Calot (Dogs of Barsoom)
Calot Tree
Cat Men of Ladan (Masenas) Sentient race?
Cats of Barsoom (Sorak)
Corphals
Darseen
Dogs of Barsoom (Calot)
Ghastans (Spidermen of Ghasta) Sentient race?
Goolians Sentient race?
Hormads (Synthetic Men) Sentient race?
Horses of Barsoom (Thoats)
Hovan Du (The Great Ape of Ptarth) Sentient NPC
Kaldanes Sentient race
Komal (A huge Barsoomian Banth)
Lion of Barsoom (Banth)
Lizards of the Tjanathian Pits (White Lizards)
Malagar
Man-Flower
Orluk
Plant Men of Barsoom Sentient race
Rats of Barsoom (Ulsios)
Rykors Sentient race when conjoined with Kaldanes
Silian
Sith
Sorak (Cats of Barsoom)
Spidermen of Ghasta (Ghastans) Sentient race?
Spiders of Ghasta
Thoat (Horses of Barsoom)
Ulsio (Rats of Barsoom)
White Lizards (Lizards of the Tjanathian Pits)
Worm, Sixteen-Legged
Zitidars

Hope that list proves useful!

[Silverback]

I'll be (finally) picking up my copy of True20 this firday and, with the recent purchase of John Flint Roys A Guide To Barsoom and the digital map set from www.erbatlas.com it shouldn't take too long (fingers crossed) to start submitting some True20 conversions of this material!

[Silverback]

A little later (well, a lot) later than promised. Here's the first of my attempts at translating some of the Barsoomian races to True20.

Lotharians

Attribute Mod: Str -1, Con -1, , Int +1, Wis +2
Bonus Feats: None.
Bonus Skills: None.
Favored Feats: None.
Abilities/Powers: Illusion, Mind Reading, Mind Touch.

Another small community of white men is located in a single city in the southern hemisphere near the Gulf of Torquas (a dead sea bottom). This curious population is roughly 1,000 in strength and there are no women in that number. The Lotharians have the ability to command powerful hypnotic suggestions and are able to populate their city with realistic human projections directly from their imaginations. Tario, Jeddak of Lothar, was so successful with his visualizations that one of his most frequent simulations, Kar Komak, changed from insubstantial imagining to physical reality. In all other descriptions of the white races of Mars the people were either blond or wore blond wigs. Kar Komak has auburn hair, a term once archaically used to describe a whitish or flaxen color, but now (and at the time Burroughs wrote the Martian books) refers to reddish-brown. These white-skinned Lotharians are a beardless race.

Source: A Barsoom Glossary

TBC . . .

[Silverback]

Expanding upon the Red Men of Barsoom by Yellow Sign I'll be posting suggested alterations to the racial backgrounds to identify the different societies of Red Men.

Amhorians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: Animal Empathy.
Bonus Skills: Handle Animal or Ride at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Duhorians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: TBC.
Bonus Skills: TBC at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Dusarians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: Challenge: One Hand on the Wheel.
Bonus Skills: Pilot at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Gatholians - The richest of the Red Men

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: Wealthy.
Bonus Skills: Knowledge (Business or Earth Sciences) at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Hastorians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: Vehicular Combat.
Bonus Skills: Craft: Airships or Knowledge (Physical Sciences) at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Heliumites - The 'major race' of Red Men

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: One General Feat of player’s choice.
Bonus Skills: One of player’s choice at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Jaharians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: TBC.
Bonus Skills: TBC at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Kaolians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: TBC.
Bonus Skills: TBC at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Manatorians - AKA Chessmen of Mars

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: Taunt.
Bonus Skills: Gaming (Wis) at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Panarians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: TBC.
Bonus Skills: TBC at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Phundalians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: Dedicated, Iron Will.
Bonus Skills: Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy: Tur) at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction. -5 Penalty to all Knowledge Skills outside of Phundahl.


Ptarthians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: TBC.
Bonus Skills: TBC at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Raxarians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: TBC.
Bonus Skills: TBC at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Tjanathians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: TBC.
Bonus Skills: TBC at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Toonolians - AKA Masterminds of Mars

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: Skill Focus (any non-combat).
Bonus Skills: Knowledge (Life or Physical Sciences) at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.

Zodangans

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: TBC.
Bonus Skills: TBC at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.


Zorians

Attribute Mod: None.
Bonus Feats: TBC.
Bonus Skills: TBC at 3+Level in Ranks.
Favored Feats: Choose any two feats as the character’s favored feats.
These feats are available to the hero regardless of role. If allowed by the GM, a character can acquire one supernatural power in exchange for two feats at first level. This is instead of gaining any favored feats.
Abilities/Powers: +1 Conviction.

[Silverback]

If you're wanting to run a Barsoom adventure but have found yourself stuck for ideas you could always try and get your hands on some of the old Dark Sun modules by TSR through RPG Now. They seem to have a fairly similar feel, apart from some of the races and magic, and should be fairly easy to adapt to a Barsoom game.

[Silverback]

I've figured out a basic system for creating 'common' martian names based on EBR's books. At the moment this is primarily aimed at male names.

Naming guidelines
Most names are constructed of a Vowel (a,e,i,o,u) followed by a dash (-) and completed with a three letter 'word'. Examples:

U-Dor
A-Kor
U-Van

The second part of the name is usually constructed by using a Consonant-Vowel-Consonant configuration.

Sometimes you will encounter names using two or three letters at the beginning such as:

Fo-Nar
Em-Tar
Dur-Dan
Hal Vas

When using a three letter beginning to the name the dash can be replaced by a single space or even removed entirely to create a six letter name (this can also be used for five letter names such as Fonar or Emtar). Both parts of the name are constructed using the Consonant-Vowel-Consonant configuration.

For female names try replacing the dash or space with an L or an N.

[Silverback]

Another useful reference book to get your hands on is A Guide To Barsoom, The Mars Of Edgar Rice Burroughs by John Flint Roy. ISBN 0-345-24722-1-175. It was published by Ballantine Books in 1976.

Contains the following chapters:

I. History (pre-Carter)
II. Geography (including maps!)
III. Biographies of major characters
IV. Flora and Fauna
V. Measurements of distance, time and money
VI. Language, Religion and Customs
VII. Glossary of terms
VIII. Quotations and Proverbs
IX. Science and Invention
X. Where is Barsoom?
XI. Who is ERB?

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Amazon CA

[Silverback]

Adventure Ideas Generators
by Keith Vaughn and Dariel Quiogue

I asked for a few ideas and you helped refer me to some sources and some of you gave me a few ideas. In return here is the list as it is.
(There is always a possiblilty of future refinements.)

Adventure Ideas (Roll 1d100 twice)

The following one hundred ideas should give your imagination a start for planning an adventure.

1. Kidnapping
2. Robbery
3. Plot against King
4. Plot against Royal Family
5. Cult Infiltration into Area/Village/City
6. War
7. Invasion by Peoples
8. Invasion by Dangerous Beasts
9. Infiltration by Foreign Agents
10. Ruins Exploration
11. Living Metal spotted
12. Finding of Lost Expedition
13. Exploration of Unknown Areas
14. Investigation of Phenomena
15. Destroying Enemy Outpost
16. Sabotage
17. Trading Expedition
18. Resource Exploration
19. Start New Colony
20. Hunting down Raiders
21. Search and Destroy Bandits/Pirates
22. Locate and Destroy Cult
23. Locate and Destroy Defilers of Kerogo
24. Steal Artifact from Rival Power
25. Rescue of person (ages) from enemy hands
26. New Weapon/Ship to Destroy or Steal
27. Investigate Disappearances in City/Area
28. Investigate new Beasts/Men/Mutants in Remote Areas
29. Voyage
30. Hunting
31. Determine where a mysterious skyship in going to
32. Assassination of Bad Rulers.
33. Locate Mines of Artifacts/Gems
34. Search out rumors of newly discovered Ruins
35. Determine endpoint of mysterious ships seen only at Kerogo Night or True Night
36. Go to athletic competition between cities
37. Investigate why an outpost hasn't been heard from in six weeks
38. Guard a caravan
39. Abduct someone
40. Steal an object or artifact
41. Infiltrate a cult
42. Infiltrate a foreign city
43. Infiltrate an enemy stronghold
44. Head off a war
45. Begin a war
46. Infiltration by Living Metal
47. Locating Saboteurs
48. Exploration of New Ruins
49. Contact Mysterious People
50. Pirates
51. Sky Raiders
52. Floating City spotted
53. Destroy an alien colony
54. Raid enemy shipping
55. Keep rival power from stealing artifact
56. Assassination of traitor
57. Naturalist Expedition
58. Scientific Voyage
59. Pleasure Voyage
60. Privateer mission
61. Patrol Voyage
62. War Voyage
63. Hunting men
64. Hunting beasts
65. Capturing wives
66. Determine where mysterious ships are coming from or going to
67. Protection of personage from assassination or kid-napping
68. Reoccupy an outpost which was mysteriously de-serted
69. Use a caravan for cover
70. Locating and trading goods
71. Locating source of artifacts/gems/drugs
72. Patrolling area
73. Scout new lands
74. Eliminate dangers from new lands
75. Clear an innocent person of a crime
76. Get a message out from a besieged outpost
77. Warn families or settlers of an invading force
78. Neighboring state exploits a natural disaster to in-vade
79. Race to capture or secure a scientist or artificer
80. Find a cure for an exotic plague
81. Standing in for a missing, sick or wounded person-age
82. Hidden base accidentally discovered by characters or innocents.
83. Replace an object, artifact or device with a dummy
84. Secure a location
85. Vehicle incapacity
86. Find perpetrators of crime
87. Escort of persons or goods
88. Hold a position until help arrives
89. Delay or kill an enemy
90. Rearguard
91. Race for an object, site, crashed vehicle, etc.
92. Determine the identity of a mysterious fleet of ships.
93. Finding a map
94. Finding an artifact
95. Finding a wrecked skyship
96. Finding an amnesiatic/unconscious person
97. Deciphering writing
98. Confronting Living Metal
99. Floating Wreck
100. Observe troop, vehicle, ship movements for ruler.

Mysuggestion is to roll twice on the list and fit the two resulting plot seeds together. Hopefully this exersize will help you kickstart your imagination when up against plotting out a roleplaying session.

Again Thanks,
Keith

KICKERS, SECRETS AND SPICE

Here's a random adventure generator for the pulp SF subgenre of "planet adventure stories." Roll 1d12 on each of the three tables below for the ingredients to your adventure, give it a good stir and shake, and serve hot.

The Kicker is what starts the adventure, preferably with a bang or a menace the PCs must respond to. The Secret is the plot seed that lies behind the Kicker and forms the main problem/objective of the adventure. Starting adventures with a bang or shocking/disturbing mystery is a staple of the pulp style!

The Spice table is a list of possible complications and subplots that you can stir into your mix to further "spice up" your story and give your players an unexpected twist. They've also been selected for their pulp-style feel.

KICKERS

1. A crime is committed (kidnap, murder, theft, arson, framing, etc.)
2. A sinister plot is discovered, or a spy is caught/detected
3. A suspicious or mysterious event occurs in the city
4. A mysterious death occurs
5. An expected message/person fails to arrive
6. A ship/skyship crashes or disappears
7. A call for help arrives from a distant place
8. A person in need of urgent aid appears
9. A secret summons to the royal palace is received
10. An attempt is made on a PC's life, or against his friends/family
11. A surprise attack is made on the PC's location or nearby
12. The PCs are stranded in a remote location

SECRETS

1. A plot against king or country
2. A plot against a private person or family
3. A war is about to start
4. A secret army is being assembled
5. A mad scientist has unveiled/used a new and powerful invention
6. A super-weapon is about to be unleashed
7. An invasion/migration of aliens
8. A trusted officer or noble has turned traitor
9. A new plague, perhaps artificial, is loose
10. A treasure of some sort has been located
11. Hidden dangers in the environment
12. A lost city/race/civilization awaits to be discovered

SPICE

1. A forbidden romance or a love triangle
2. A difficult courtship (a staple of ERB-dom!)
3. Innocents caught in the mess
4. Time is running out!
5. A supposed ally/patron is a traitor
6. A mutinous crew or military unit
7. The villain has a close tie to one or more PCs
8. A conflict of goals or interests among the PCs
9. The whole planet is in danger!
10. The villain has mysterious powers the PCs have never seen before
11. A victim doesn't want to be rescued or has taken the villain's side
12. The villain has framed a patron or authority figure

Dariel Quiogue

Also check out Plotting the Barsoomian Adventure by Fredrik Ekman.

[Silverback]

For 'urban' settings the article Deserted Cities of Mars by Jim Ward may prove a useful resource. Originally appearing in The Strategic Review #3 the article was republished in Best of The Dragon Volume I.

[Silverback]

Measurements on Barsoom

Linear
The measurement of distance on Barsoom is based on the circumference of the planet at its equator. Conveniently enough (from an Earthly perspecive), the ancients saw fit to divide the circumference into 360 equal units called karads. All other subunits are derived from this measurement.

10 sofs = 1 sofad
10 sofads = 1 ad
200 ads = 1 haad
100 haads = 1 karad
360 karads = 1 circumference of Barsoom

1 sof = 1.17 inches
1 sofad = 11.694 inches (the Barsoomian foot)
1 ad = 116.94 inches (9.75 feet)
1 haad = 23388 inches (1949 feet)
2.71 haads = 1 mile

Time
The Barsoomian day is 24 hours, 37 minutes long, and is divided into 10 equal measures called zodes. The first zode starts at about the equivalent of our 6:00 AM. The zodes are divided into 50 units called xats, which are further divided into subunits called tals. Converted to Earthly equivalents, the units are thus:

50 tals = 1 tak
4 taks = 1 xat
50 xats = 1 zode
10 zodes = 1 padan (day - one revolution of Barsoom upon its axis)
67 padans = 1 teean (month)
10 teeans = 1 ord (year)

1 tal = 0.885 seconds
1 tak = 44.25 seconds
1 xat = 2.95 minutes
1 zode = 2 hours 28 minutes

Monetary
According to John Carter, every nation on Barsoom uses the same coinage system (though presumably, not the same mints and dies). The coins are dull and metallic, oval in shape, and minted of bronze, silver and gold. The basic monetary unit is the pi.

Paper money is not printed except by individuals in the form of a check or promissory note. Such notes must be redeemed twice a year, and if an individual is not able to repay his debts, the government (usually) pays his debts and he may be put to work on government-run farms to make good his indebtedness (PoM, 20).

1 bronze pi (one U.S. cent)
10 pi = 1 silver teepi (one U.S. dime)
10 teepi = 1 gold tanpi (one U.S. dollar)

[Silverback]

Jetan
Jetan, also known as Martian Chess, is a strategy game for two players invented by Edgar Rice Burroughs as a game played on Barsoom, his fictional version of Mars. The game was introduced in The Chessmen of Mars, the fifth book in the Barsoom series. Its rules are provided in chapter 2 of the book and an appendix at the end of the book.

The game is said to represent an ancient war between the Yellow and Black races of Barsoom, and thus the game is played on a black and orange checkerboard of 10 rows by 10 columns, with orange pieces on the "north" side and black pieces on the "south." The board is traditionally oriented to these directions because Barsoom's Yellow and Black races inhabit its north and south polar regions, respectively.

Each player has the following playing pieces: one Chief, one Princess, two Fliers; two Dwars (Captains); two Padwars (Lieutenants); two Warriors; two Thoats (Mounted Warriors); and eight Panthans (Mercenaries). The Chief, Princess, Fliers, Dwars, Padwars and Warriors are positioned along the row closest to the player, with the Princess at left center, the Chief at right center, and the Fliers, Dwars, Padwars and Warriors arranged to flank each, with the Fliers innermost and the Warriors outermost. The Thoats and Panthans are positioned along the next row out from the player, with the Thoats flanking the Panthans.

Pieces can change their direction of movement during the course of a move, so long as the change is in a direction permitted for that piece. Each piece must move the full number of spaces specified for that piece. No piece can cross the same space twice during the course of a move.

The pieces move as follows:

* Chief: three spaces vertically, horizontally, diagonally, or in any combination of these directions; cannot jump over other pieces.
* Princess: three spaces vertically, horizontally, diagonally, or in any combination of these directions; may jump over other pieces but cannot take other pieces. May make one "escape" move during the game to any unoccupied space on the board.
* Dwar: three spaces vertically, horizontally, or in any combination of these directions; cannot jump over other pieces.
* Flier: three spaces diagonally, either in straight line or in a combination of diagonal directions; may jump over other pieces. Per Burroughs, in an older version of Jetan these pieces were called Odwars rather than Fliers.
* Padwar: two spaces diagonally, either in a straight line or in a combination of diagonal directions; cannot jump over other pieces.
* Warrior: two spaces vertically, horizontally, or in any combination of these directions; cannot jump over other pieces.
* Thoat: two spaces, of which one is vertical or horizontal and the other one diagonal, in any direction; may jump over other pieces.
* Panthan: one space vertically, horizontally, diagonally, or in any combination of these directions, so long as it is not backward (Burroughs' text does not clearly prohibit backward play, but test play indicates that permitting it makes the piece the most powerful in the game, in contrast to his intent that it be the weakest.)

Per Burroughs, the game is won by either taking the opponent's Chief with one's own Chief, or the opponent's Princess with any piece. The game is drawn if each player is reduced to three or fewer pieces of equal value and it is not won within the next ten moves, or if a Chief is taken by any piece other than a Chief. It having been demonstrated that these rules result in too many draws, a number of variants have been proposed to solve this flaw, the simplest being that the taking of a Chief by a piece other than a Chief merely retires the Chief, without ending the game.

Source: Wikipedia

Also see The Jetan Tower, Board Game Geek, The Scarlet Tower