Supplement Four
SOC-14 5K
Remember the old Horseclans series? Now long out of print, they are some excellent fantasy tales. If you're not familiar with them, I'm referring to a series of 20 short novels written by Robert Adams (the last two are anthologies written by various authors).
The Horseclans took us to a very dark, very gritty fantasy world. It's earth, in the far, far future, after a holocaust. The tales are set so far in the future that the past (the time we're living in now) is long forgotten. Men wear armor, ride horses, protect themselves in keeps, and dice each other up with sword and axe.
There are a few, though, who remember that long time in the past. These men are immortal (Highlander-style before Highlander ever existed). In Milo Morai's memory, he carries thoughts of fighting in World War II.
There are other clues as well. From time to time, some post apocalyptic scene will be described: an ancient building still standing; some forgotten cache of tech found, but nobody knows what to do with it, so a cylinder from a revolver, for instance, might be found on a chain swinging around somebody's neck. I remember reading a Horseclans book back when I was in high school, coming to the realization that the army on horseback I was reading was crossing the remains of a local freeway here in Texas called State Highway 288, thinking, "Cool! I know where that is!"
This is a high fantasy, almost no magic world, with immortals and sentient-psionic sabre-toothed cats that mate for life. It's a very dark, gritty, adult set of tales, too. They're not for the squeamish. I also remember following a main character as he tracked a blood trail to a tree, finding the white corpse of a dead young boy up in the branches, having bled out from his anus after escaping the whims of a pedophile warlord. It horrified me, and I've never forgotten that passage to this day.
The magic that exists is really technology used by witches who barely understand the ancient devices. Think: The human army in Battle for the Planet of the Apes.
For the most part, though, these are just sword and sorcery tales without the sorcery. There are no mages or elves or vast underground cities. What there is, is a combination of high fantasy stamped with realism, told in a style that would garner an R rating from the MPA, if not an NC-17.
Most tales don't mention much about technology at all, or anything about the ancient earth. Most are sword & board tales, following a nomadic clan as it slices and dices its way across what used to be the USA.
In my mind's eye, I picture a traditional fantasy atmosphere with an occasional touch of Mad Max or Waterworld thrown in. Maybe even a little bit of The Postman sometimes.
But, mostly, it's men on horses, wearing armor, some using psionics to communicate with the cats, fighting other men on horses, also wearing armor and bearing swords.
The descriptions are fantastic. Very gritty. Bloody. High fantasy.
And, it probably helped the writing that Adams was a medieval armor and weaponsmith enthusiast in real life.
So...what, you're thinking, has this to do with Classic Traveller?
Well, I'll tell ya.
Glad you asked.
It hit me today that Classic Traveller (actually, Wanderer, the fan-made fantasy version of the rules) would be a perfect set of mechanics to use in this intriguing and exciting universe, if one were to game there.
Traveller can deliver the gritty feel of the Horseclans universe. Fights can be bloody and realistic.
If some ancient technology is introduced in the game (say, a pistol is found with some ammunition), nothing need be done to the rules. Use them as-is (and I'd certainly apply the weapon unfamiliarity penalty).
Psionics with the cats? No problem. Traveller's psionic rules would work as if they were designed for that specific reason.
Traveller/Wanderer and The Horseclans are a perfect fit.
It may be worth noting that there was a GURPS edition of The Horseclans published. One could mine it for ideas if one were so inclined to play this game using Classic Traveller rules.
And, here's a link with additional information, if this interests you...
Horseclans wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseclans
Classic Traveller!
ROCK ON!!
The Horseclans took us to a very dark, very gritty fantasy world. It's earth, in the far, far future, after a holocaust. The tales are set so far in the future that the past (the time we're living in now) is long forgotten. Men wear armor, ride horses, protect themselves in keeps, and dice each other up with sword and axe.
There are a few, though, who remember that long time in the past. These men are immortal (Highlander-style before Highlander ever existed). In Milo Morai's memory, he carries thoughts of fighting in World War II.
There are other clues as well. From time to time, some post apocalyptic scene will be described: an ancient building still standing; some forgotten cache of tech found, but nobody knows what to do with it, so a cylinder from a revolver, for instance, might be found on a chain swinging around somebody's neck. I remember reading a Horseclans book back when I was in high school, coming to the realization that the army on horseback I was reading was crossing the remains of a local freeway here in Texas called State Highway 288, thinking, "Cool! I know where that is!"
This is a high fantasy, almost no magic world, with immortals and sentient-psionic sabre-toothed cats that mate for life. It's a very dark, gritty, adult set of tales, too. They're not for the squeamish. I also remember following a main character as he tracked a blood trail to a tree, finding the white corpse of a dead young boy up in the branches, having bled out from his anus after escaping the whims of a pedophile warlord. It horrified me, and I've never forgotten that passage to this day.
The magic that exists is really technology used by witches who barely understand the ancient devices. Think: The human army in Battle for the Planet of the Apes.
For the most part, though, these are just sword and sorcery tales without the sorcery. There are no mages or elves or vast underground cities. What there is, is a combination of high fantasy stamped with realism, told in a style that would garner an R rating from the MPA, if not an NC-17.
Most tales don't mention much about technology at all, or anything about the ancient earth. Most are sword & board tales, following a nomadic clan as it slices and dices its way across what used to be the USA.
In my mind's eye, I picture a traditional fantasy atmosphere with an occasional touch of Mad Max or Waterworld thrown in. Maybe even a little bit of The Postman sometimes.
But, mostly, it's men on horses, wearing armor, some using psionics to communicate with the cats, fighting other men on horses, also wearing armor and bearing swords.
The descriptions are fantastic. Very gritty. Bloody. High fantasy.
And, it probably helped the writing that Adams was a medieval armor and weaponsmith enthusiast in real life.
So...what, you're thinking, has this to do with Classic Traveller?
Well, I'll tell ya.
Glad you asked.
It hit me today that Classic Traveller (actually, Wanderer, the fan-made fantasy version of the rules) would be a perfect set of mechanics to use in this intriguing and exciting universe, if one were to game there.
Traveller can deliver the gritty feel of the Horseclans universe. Fights can be bloody and realistic.
If some ancient technology is introduced in the game (say, a pistol is found with some ammunition), nothing need be done to the rules. Use them as-is (and I'd certainly apply the weapon unfamiliarity penalty).
Psionics with the cats? No problem. Traveller's psionic rules would work as if they were designed for that specific reason.
Traveller/Wanderer and The Horseclans are a perfect fit.
It may be worth noting that there was a GURPS edition of The Horseclans published. One could mine it for ideas if one were so inclined to play this game using Classic Traveller rules.
And, here's a link with additional information, if this interests you...
Horseclans wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseclans
Classic Traveller!
ROCK ON!!
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