Books Galore!

Woots! Kevin has been running a bunch of auctions on eBay for a while and recently there have been a few AtB items on the list. As a matter of fact, last week I won a copy of the 2nd Edition Book and all of the 1st Edition Books. All signed!!!


Now he's got an After the Bomb proofreader copy up for bid that I'm hoping to get too.


As if that weren't enough, before the auctions went up, I had ordered an After the Bomb® Supplement Bundle from Palladium's online store. So I now have three copies of all the AtB books, 1st and 2nd Edition. Now I just need to get more people around where I live interested in playing this setting...

Addendum:
I was outbid on the proofreader. It was one of those last minute outbids, which tells me that I should have been watching the auction in the last hour before it's end. Nuts. :(

TD:ATB Adventure Redux

You may remember that a few months back I was working on a two part adventure that combined AtB and Transdimensional TMNT - Project Daleth and Sky High. Well, I'm going to go back, fix them up, and re-post them.

I had always know that there was something missing in the first part and didn't much care for the way I had designed the layout of the project facility. Then there was the title, Daleth (Etymology: Hebrew dāleth, from deleth - door), which I'll probably change to Project Gateway.

As for the second part, I felt that it felt too rushed and was missing an interesting way of helping the characters track down the team of scientists that escaped through the trasdimensional gateway. To fix this I will be adding some hardware (gizmos) in the first part of the adventure.

More later...

That's One Big Croc!

The Last Darkness wrote:

So im creating a character/possible NPC mildly inspired by the greatly feared and dreaded "Gustave" Crocodile.
I rolled up Mutant Crocodile, Guerilla Fighter.
Now I sold attributes for bio e ending with a speed of 8.
At character finesh I was size lvl 20 which has me have to reduce speed by -10.

Im not sure how to interpret this, would spd go into the negative, remain at least one or is 3 the minimum you can go?
Im hoping to improve this with proper skills like running but im stuck on this issue as ill either be at -2 Spd, 1 Spd, or 3 Spd before I take skills.
Any advice would be helpful or better yet a Cannon Ruleing

I'd say that the character has become too big and is now "physically disabled". So unless you can get your speed (Spd) to 1 or better through skills, I'd say you need to reevaluate how you build your character unless you want him to move around in a Mac truck sized wheelchair.

However, if Darkness spends his BIO-E wisely he can still create a powerhouse of a character with a Speed that's greater than zero. Let's take a look:

Crocodiles start with 30 BIO-E and a Size Level of 15, and Darkness wants a Guerrilla Fighter that's a size level of 20, still able to walk around on it's own power, and probably trick it out a bit to be one mean mother [Shut yo' mouth!]...

First we will increase it's Size Level by 5 to 20. (-10 Spd) which costs a total of 25 BIO-E (Totals: Spd Bonus -10 / Remaining BIO-E = 5)

Next we take "Really Big & Slow" for some bonus BIO-E but at a cost of -6 Spd. (Totals: Spd Bonus -16 / Remaining BIO-E = 15)

Luckily the Guerrilla Fighter background comes with +2 Spd and +10 BIO-E. (Totals: Spd Bonus -14 / Remaining BIO-E = 25)

We are still hampered with a sizable Speed deficiency, but if you spend 10 BIO-E for Extra Speed you can pick up a whopping 17 to 27 [+(2D6+15)] Spd to counteract our handicapped speed. (Totals: Spd Bonus 3 to 13 / Remaining BIO-E = 15)

Now we can boost that a bit more if we spend 5 more BIO-E to pick up Alligator Quick Run which not only gives you a +4 to Speed but allows you to DOUBLE your normal speed for "quick dashes" up to 200 feet! (Totals: Spd Bonus 7 to 17 / Remaining BIO-E = 10)

So this, at best, would leave you with a Spd modifier of +7 to 17 and 10 BIO-E to spend on Natural Weapons, Animal Powers, or Psionics before you even start taking vestigial traits.

Now if you want to buy the best Teeth, Natural Armor, and Strength it will cost you another 55 BIO-E, in which case you would need to pass on the Quick Run power (which still leaves you with a positive Spd modifier) and take all the Vestigial Traits (15 + 40 = 55 BIO-E).

Hope that helps anyone else who might be interested in building big characters.

[IN THE NEWS] Scientists Create ‘Mighty Mouse'

Not satisfied with a "Super Mouse", a team of University of Tokyo researchers genetically engineered a mouse that does not fear cats, simply by controlling its sense of smell.

National Institutes of Health
Knocking out a gene in the brain’s fear hub creates mice unperturbed by situations that would normally trigger instinctive or learned fear responses, researchers funded in part by the National Institutes of Health have discovered. The findings may lead to improved treatments for anxiety disorders (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/healthinformation/anxietymenu.cfm), they suggest.

Fear memories are so essential for survival that they are easily formed and rarely lost.

Scientists now think that what they learn from these mice could be used to develop new anti-anxiety agents.

Story Links:
http://www.nih.gov/news/radio/dec2005/12162005mice.htm
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/nov2005/nimh-22.htm

Mutants Of The Rising Sun

Unknown_Nobody on the AtB/TMNT Forum started a thread when his players showed interest in visiting Japan in the After the Bomb setting, but was perplexed since there was little to no information on the location.

While most have suggested that he make it a neo-feudal or cyber-punk setting, while I suggested that he, "create your own Japan setting to fit the tastes of yourself and your group. If history is any indicator, I would imagine finding some pretty weird... stuff. Do some real world research and go from there, or just base it on some anime or manga."

Then the topic of human/mutant hostility came up. I figured that since in most of the other areas where the human vs. mutant struggle is key, the humans are the bullies, maybe you could do something different with Japan:

Maybe you could do a 180 and have the humans in Japan subjugated by the mutant animals. Where the mutant animals have taken the Japanese fear of Tengui, Obake, Bakemono, or other creatures from Japanese folklore. It could be that after the bomb, the mutant animals were able to convince the human survivors that they were indeed the incarnation of these spirits and had come to punish them. Some may do it due to their hatred or mistrust of humans, others because they are trying to protect [the humans] from themselves.

This would be more in keeping with the feel of the region, IMHO, and players could play the heroic mutant or human trying to bring justice back to the lands.

After that I decided to come up with a name and graphic for such a setting...

MAN TGA 6x6

I found this vehicle to be something I would love to get my hands on in an AtB environment! Take a few moments to visit the vehicles photo page and tech page. I found it awesome that it hides a 4-wheel ATV in the back.

[IN THE NEWS] Spider Community Creates Huge Web

A friend told me about this story a week ago about this huge spider web that was found down in Texas. Said it was liek something out of Kingdom of the Spiders.

Well, I finally stumbled across this news report showing how awesome the scene actually was. Looks like a mini Mirkwood (the Hobbit)... Imagine huge mutant arachnid communities like this in AtB, only larger!

Mutants Down Under: Revised Backgrounds

One of the members of the AtB Forum at Palladium, Panzerfaust, asked for updated backgrounds from the older After the Bomb® supplements. Here are my updated versions of the backgrounds that appear in Mutants Down Under™.

IMHO, it would be better to redo the Backgrounds and Create some Apprenticeships for the setting, but that will take some time...

ABORIGINE HUNTER
Character has been brought up in the traditional culture of the Australian Aborigine, otherwise known as Dreamtime. This gives the character the ability to easily live off the land, gathering food, weapons, and tools from nature. Because the Aboriginal culture has no need to commerce or technology, the character starts out with no money and no equipment other than aboriginal weapons and tools, like the boomerang, knife, and walking staff or spear.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Dreamtime Lore, Australian Nature Lore, Find & Prepare Bush Tucker, Climbing (+15%), Prowl (+15%), Swimming (+15%)
Secondary Skills: Athletics, Running, Hand-to-Hand: Basic, and any two (2) Aboriginal W.P. or Ancient W.P., plus the character can select any four (4) additional skills from among Aborigine Skills, Secondary Skills, Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicles, or Pilot Mutant Insect (No skill bonuses).
Special Bonuses: +15 BIO-E, +20 SDC, +2 PE, +2 PS, +1 PP, +5 Spd, +1 Initiative. This is the only character that can become Mabarn – Sorcerers of the Aborigine [Mutants Down Under, Pg. 12]
Money: None
Equipment: Two Aborigine weapons, gunny-sack, knife, and other hand tools.
Relatives & Connections: Dozens of friends and relatives in the outback where the character grew up will always recognize the character and give aid or protection if needed.


TASSIELAND AIRSHIP CAPTAIN/PILOT
Merchant airship captains of Tasmania keep their ships in the family and pass down the captaincy to family members through the generations. This character has $22,000 to construct their family airship (do not use the money for any other purpose).
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicles (+15%), Basic Mechanics
Secondary Skills: Astronomy, Basic Math, Rope Works, Navigation, Carpentry, Radio: Basic Communications, Vehicle Weapon Systems, any seven (7) secondary skills. Character also receives a low level version of Australian Nature Lore Base Skill: 34%/+4% per level of experience.
Special Bonuses: +5 SDC, +1 PP, and +2 PE
Money: 100 to 600 Bickies (1D6 times 100)
Equipment: One airship (see above), plus $1200 of personal equipment and supplies, including weapons and ammunition.
Relatives & Connections: The character has inherited several contacts in the 2D4 port towns. The characters family name will gain them some help as long as the character lives up it. The character is also familiar with a dozen-or-so other airship families.


ABORIGINE AIRSHIP CAPTAIN/PILOT
Unlike the Tassieland pilot, this is a character was not able to purchase or inherit an airship, so the character stole one from the Jakartans. It must be a Six-Man Transport or a Twenty-Man Frigate (player's choice), and $4,000 is available to the character to customize the airship. Like the aboriginal character, the character starts with no money and no possessions (other than the ship).
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Australian Nature Lore, Find & Prepare Bush Tucker, Songlines, Aerial Navigation, and Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicles.
Secondary Skills: Any two (2) Aborigine or Ancient W.P., and any three (3) Aborigine or Secondary skills
Special Bonuses: +10 SDC, +2 PE, +2 PS, +1 PP
Money: None
Equipment: One customized Jakartan Airship (see above).
Relatives & Connections: Several friends and relatives in the outback where the character grew up will always recognize the character and give aid or protection if needed.


JACKAROO/JILLEROO
These "cowpokes" herd giant insects for a living and choose to ride mutant insects like the giant grasshoppers. Character can select any one personal mount from the list of mutant riding insects. Note that the Communicate with Mutant Insects psionic ability is particularly valuable to the Jackaroos.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Pilot Mutant Insects (+20%), Australian Nature Lore, and one modern W.P.
Secondary Skills: Prowl, Tracking, Select any six (6) Domestic skills and any three (4) Physical Skills.
Special Bonuses: +5 BIO-E, +10 SDC, +2 PS, +2 PE
Money: $20 in Bickies
Equipment: One riding insect (see above), two personal weapons: a Tassie .38 Revolver, and either a Tassie 7.62mm rifle or a Tassie 12 Gauge shotgun, along with 50 rounds of ammunition for each. Also has up to $800 (1D8 times $100) worth of equipment.
Relatives & Connections: The character will have several relatives and friends in their hometown or at the station (ranch) that they worked. The character also has a 5% chance of running into an old buddy working at another station or town.


ABORIGINAL INSECT HERDER
Some Aboriginal groups have added herding mutant insects to their traditional customs. They prefer to ride giant grasshoppers and other mutant riding insects.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Pilot Mutant Insects (+20%), Dreamtime Lore, Australian Nature Lore, Find & Prepare Bush Tucker
Secondary Skills: Hand-to-Hand: Basic, two (2) Physical Skills, any two (2) Aboriginal or Ancient W.P., and any two (2) Aboriginal or Secondary skills.
Special Bonuses: +10 SDC, +2 PE, +2 PS, +1 PP, +5 Spd, +1 Initiative, automatically receives Communicate with Mutant Insect regardless of the character's ME.
Money: None
Equipment: Riding Gear (made from natural vines & gut), two (2) aboriginal weapons, and tools.
Relatives & Connections: Several friends and relatives in the outback where the character grew up will always recognize the character and give aid or protection if needed.


SWAGMAN
These vagabonds wander the land and are seen as shiftless drifters. They tend to be tougher than other mutant animals, and tend to pick up skills along the way, working as jack-of-all-trades, whenever work presents itself.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Select any three (3) skills from Military, Physical, Pilot, Rouge, or Technical categories, and has a low level version of Find & Prepare Bush Tucker (Food) with Base Skill: 24% +4% per level of experience (with a 2% chance of selecting poisoned Bush Tucker). Also can take one of either Pilot Mutant Insect, Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicle, or Songlines. Note: If Pilot Mutant Insect is selected, the character is allowed a personal mount (choose either grasshopper or ant).
Secondary Skills: Select any 10 Secondary skills
Special Bonuses: +20 SDC, +4 PE, +1 PS, +1 PP
Money: $10 to $60 Bickies (1D6 times 10)
Equipment: $300 in equipment and supplies. Also has a Tassie .38 Revolver or a Tassie 7.62 Rifle, with 40 rounds of ammunition.
Relatives & Connections: This character has a 10% chance of bumping into someone they know or that knows them (for better or worse) wherever they go.


TASSIELAND TECHNICIAN
Raised in Tassieland, the character is one of the few who has received an education in science and technology. They are also trained in recognizing and analyzing Pre-Prang artifacts. As a high-tech urban dweller, tends to see most other mutant animals as ignorant hicks (especially the Aborigines).
Apprenticeship: Any, though they tend towards scientific fields.
Primary Skills: Select any five (5) Scientific & Scholastic skills, five (5) Technical Skills, and another eight (8) skills from Domestic, Medical, Military, Pilot, or Weapon Proficiencies.
Secondary Skills: Select any six.
Special Bonuses: +2 IQ, +1 PP
Money: $100 to $600 (1D6 times 100) in Bickies
Equipment: $400 to $2400 (4D6 times 100) in equipment and supplies.
Relatives & Connections: Has plenty of family and friends in the character's hometown. Has a 5% chance of running into an acquaintance/classmate while visiting other Tassieland mutant animal communities.


TASSIELAND MILITIA
Trained and equipped by Tassieland, these characters have been assigned to help defend against the Jakartan menace. The character was raised in a technologically sophisticated agricultural community defending it against Aboriginal mutants.
Apprenticeship: Armorer, Mechanic, or Weaponsmith
Primary Skills: Hand-to-Hand Expert, three (3) Weapon Proficiencies, four (4) Physical Skills, five (5) Military Skills, and may choose to take two (2) Pilot Skills, Pilot Lighter-Than-Air Vehicle, or Pilot Mutant Insect. Note: If Pilot Mutant Insect is selected, the character is allowed a personal mount (choose either grasshopper or ant).
Secondary Skills: Select any five.
Special Bonuses: +10 SDC, +1 ME, +1 PP, +4 Spd and +2 to disarm and pull punch.
Money: $40 to $240 (4D6 times 10) in Bickies
Equipment: One military-quality weapon (assault rifle, sub-machine gun, or sniper rifle), 60 rounds of ammunition, and $300 to $1800 (3D6 times 100) in other equipment and supplies.
Relatives & Connections: In addition to coming from a close knit community, this character is also part of a militia charged with the protection of the land it it's people from the Jakartan menace and can call on any other members for aid, and is obligated to respond to any calls for aid from other militia members.


FERAL
This character grew up alone in the wilderness, and has a hard time trying to fit in with the general mutant animal society. These characters will also be uncomfortable around humans.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Character has a very low level version of Find & Prepare Bush Tucker and Australian Nature Lore, both with Base Skill: 15% +5% per level of experience, and a steady 3% chance of selecting poisoned Bush Tucker, Prowl, Wilderness Survival, Climbing, Swimming, Tracking, Hunting, Hand-to-Hand Basic, and two (2) Weapon Proficiencies.
Secondary Skills: Select any three.
Special Bonuses: +15 BIO-E, +20 SDC, +4 PE, +2 PS, +1 PP, +1 Initiative
Money: None
Equipment: $10 to $60 (1D6 times 10) worth of equipment.
Relatives & Connections: The character is most comfortable in the wilderness, and has a 10% chance of running into an acquaintance while wandering/exploring the wilderness. No known family.


CAR NUT/MECHANIC
This character grew up in a family that made it's living restoring Pre-Prang machines for the community. This isn’t easy due to the lack or remaining parts and shortage of metal. Keeping these machines running takes a little creative "magic" and a lot of skill.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Select six (6) Pilot Skills, four (4) Physical Skills, Basic Electronics, Basic Mechanics, and Basic Math.
Secondary Skills: Select any six.
Special Bonuses: +5 SDC, +2 PP
Money: $20 to $120 (2D6 times 10) in Bickies.
Equipment: One vehicle ($12,000 is available for the character to construct the vehicle - not for any other purpose), and basic mechanics tools.
Relatives & Connections: Several friends and relatives in the area where the character grew up will always recognize the character, and most likely have something for them to repair. There is also a good chance that there will be some need of their service wherever the character goes.


NINJA/MARTIAL ARTIST
The character was adopted into a ninja or martial arts school, or by a wandering master.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Hand-to-Hand Martial Arts or Assassin, Select three (3) Military Skills, three (3) Rouge & Thief Skills, three (3) Physical Skills, and three (4) Ancient Weapon Proficiencies.
Secondary Skills: Select any six Secondary Skills.
Special Bonuses: +15 SDC, +3 PE, +2 PS, +4 PP, +5 Spd.
Money: None
Equipment: $250 worth of weapons, equipment and supplies.
Relatives & Connections: The character is part of a secret brotherhood of ninja or martial artist that operate from the shadows. The character is expected to maintain that secrecy. There is a 15% chance of the character recognizing another member of their brotherhood, and a 7% chance of recognizing a member of another/rival order.


FREE SLAVES
Born a Jakartan slave (or other human dominated territory), this character eventually escaped. They will have a burning hatred of Jakarta and general distrust for all humans.
Apprenticeship: None
Primary Skills: Select two (2) Military Skills, four (4) Physical Skills, and one Technical Skill.
Secondary Skills: Wilderness Survival, plus six (6) other Secondary Skills.
Special Bonuses: +5 BIO-E, +10 SDC, +2 PE, +2 PS, +1 ME
Money: $10 Bickies in cash.
Equipment: $40 to $240 (4D6 times 10) worth of equipment and supplies.
Relatives & Connections: The character will be familiar with a half-dozen slave camps, mines and factories in Jakarta or other human dominated territory, and will know dozens of other slaves at each location.

[IN THE NEWS] Supermouse

Steve Connor, Science Editor for The Independent wrote:

Scientists have been astounded by the creation of a genetically modified "supermouse" with extraordinary physical abilities – comparable to the performance of the very best athletes – raising the prospect that the discovery may one day be used to transform people's capacities.

When I read this I thought that these would be a great addition to AtB. Kind of a combination of Mutant Mouse and Supersoldier experiment. The article states that they have a "breeding colony" of 500 and that they can breed well into old age (at three times the normal maximum age), so there's little doubt that these buggers would have no problem surviving in the AtB setting.

However, along with every supermouse comes a curse...

"On the downside, they eat twice as much as control mice, but they are half the weight, and are very aggressive. Why this is the case, we are not really sure."
- Richard Hanson, professor of biochemistry at Case Western Reserve University.

In addition, there's been talk of using these findings in humans, since the genetic change made to these mice would be similar to what would be needed to get the same result in humans, but this has been baulked as being unethical and it would be improbable that it could be introduced in humans the same way.

Still maybe this would explain how Emperor Christian has lived so long...

Full Article: http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article3121157.ece