the boomtown planet

8/18/2019 The Boomtown Planet

1/216


2/216

The Boomtown Planet

by Rich Parkinson

Copyright 2007

Timeless Games/Bettermousetrap Games


3/216

Foreword – In 2005, I released TheBoomtown Planet , a pulpy RPG that

focused directly on the newspaper trade.

Why? Well, because game design is some-

thing I do in my spare time. The rest of the

time I am involved in the newspaper trade.

In The Boomtown Planet the PCs were

reporters, photographers, editors, and a few

other things as well. The primary goal of

the PCs was to get the scoop. The setting

was the city of Boomtown (and its immedi-

ate environs), a place that was loaded with

colorful characters and plot-hooks.

In hindsight I realize that the first edi-

tion of The Boomtown Planet (BTP) was a

rushed job. It was a late breaking edition,

hot off the press. In my desperation to “get

the scoop” I made a cardinal mistake – and

may all editors forgive me for doing so. I

failed to get the full story out there. I leftmy readers wanting more.

Thank God, this is a business that can

forgive those early mistakes, so long as they

are corrected in a second (or revised) edi-

tion. Gamers are compassionate that way.

The newspaper industry on the other hand is

unforgiving. You are rarely given a second

chance.

I want to thank Dan Davenport and those

other RPG enthusiasts who freely offeredconstructive criticism. I have applied

the lessons they taught me, especially Danthrough his well-written review at RPGnet,

and hopefully it shines through in this new-

est release, The Boomtown Planet – Satur-

day Edition.

Is it perfect? No. Nothing is. But itʼs get-

ting there.

Copyright Notice - You have the right

to read, play, and critique this game. You do

not, however, have the right to sell and/or

distribute it as you wish. With any PDF

file, piracy is a concern. The electronic file

is yours and yours alone. You can print out

as many hard copies from this file for your

gaming group as you need but you may not

sell them. If you have the book version of

this game, then treat it like other copyright

protected material.

A Notice to Parents - This game is in-

nocent enough, but it certainly isnʼt designed

with youngsters in mind. The complexity of the

mechanics aside, mature themes are found within

this text. Read it over and judge for yourself

whether you want your child involved or not. If

you decide to let your child play this game, then

I suggest you sit down and play it with him. Bet-

ter yet, take the lead role, as the Game Master.

Help your child through the difficult bits so he

can enjoy the best part of any game, playing.

The Boomtown Planet - Saturday Edition

2


4/216

Credits

Written by - Rich Parkinson

Layout by Rich Parkinson and Shelley

Beaudoin

Art by - Shelley Beaudoin and Rich

Parkinson

Cover Art by – Rich Parkinson and Shel-

ley Beaudoin

Cover Design by - Rich Parkinson and

Shelley Beaudoin

Thanks to - Clash Bowley, Dan Daven-

port, and the guys in my playing group.

Playtesters - Jay Cottrell, Bill Fenton,

Rick Lamoges, Dean Valentino, Shelley

Beaudoin, Chris Kent, Paige Lee, Scott

Stevenson, Bill Noade, Tony Lapain, and

members of the Gladden Gaming Group.

The Boomtown Planet – Saturday Edi-

tion

by Timeless Games (a humble imprint of

Better Mousetrap Games)

Copyright 2007


5/216

Intro -

What is role-playing; setting introduction, etc. Pages 6 - 8

Intro to the rules– Dice rolling; intent; degrees of success; modifiers; degrees of dif-

ficulty; relative to scale; types of dice rolls. Pages 9 – 15

Chargen –

Character generation; PC templates; Skills; Special Skills; Health.Pages 16 – 50

Mechanics –

Mechanical details; combat. Pages 51 – 68

Setting –

Era overview; Boomtown overview; newspapers in the 30s; the

competition; particulars about Boomtown; NPCs. Pages 69 – 175

Generic NPCs –

Usual and unusual NPCs. Pages 175– 177

Table of Contents


6/216

Slang in Boomtown –The slang of the day. Pages 178– 179

Hail River –

The Hail River Report newspaper; staff; the town. Pages 180– 202

Rules tips – Pages 203–204

A few final pointers regarding the rules.

Guns and vehicles – Pages 205–206Sample firearms and vehicles of the 1930s.

Character Sheet – Pages 207–208

Index - Pages 209–212

Boomtown city map – Page 91

Hail River town map - Page 185


7/216

Editorʼs note: the following piece is

written as though Maggie Talent, the

fictional Managing Editor of the Boom-town Planet penned it. As a result, you

may have to use your imagination a bit

as some of the terms used may seem un-

usual. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy it.

by Maggie Talent

What is role-playing? This question or

a similar question is found in the first few

pages of the majority of traditional, pen

and paper, role-playing game (RPG) source

books regardless of whether they were

published on the east coast, the west coast,

or beyond.

For those familiar with the “hobby”,

the question answers itself. The definitive

answer, however, often eludes these “hob-

byists” as they try to provide it. The defini-

tions found in the source books, and there

are many, have slight variations but thecore theme remains the same. But, for the

layman, even the core theme (the essence of

the answer) is confusing.

Is role-playing make-believe? Is it act-

ing? Is it storytelling? Or is it something

else – the core of a secret society, perhaps?

The answer to all four questions is yes.

The Slow-Flow database, Wikipedia,

says that a role-playing game is one in

which “the participants assume the roles of

fictional characters and collaboratively cre-

ate or follow stories. Participants determine

the actions of their characters based on their

characterization, and the actions succeed or

fail according to a formal system of rules

and guidelines. Within the rules, players can

improvise freely; their choices shape the

direction and outcome of the games.”

The entry goes on to say there are no

winners or losers in an RPG. The games,

it says, are played in weekly (or more

frequent) sessions that can span months, or

even years. If you wish to explore the Slow-Flow entry more completely, you can find

it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-

playing_game

Another source of information is John

Kimʼs Slow-Flow database, found here:

http://www.darkshire.net/~jhkim/rpg/wha-

tis/ Kim is a chronicler of RPG information.

Both sexes and all age groups play role-

playing games. Men tend to be attracted to

the “hobby” more than women, as less thantwenty percent of all players are female.

The pre-dominant age of gamers, as these

“hobbyists” call themselves, is 25 to 35,

with 19 to 24 year olds coming in second

and 12 – 15 year olds a close third.

All of the information officially provided

seems innocent enough. However…

...continued on next page

What is Role-playing?

6


8/216

World wide there are millions of gam-

ers. This is interesting because, despite this,

little is known of the “hobby” itself. More

to the point, self avowed role-players often

give cryptic answers to the question, what is

role-playing? It is not that they donʼt know

the answer, it is that they choose to be very

selective to whom the clear answer is given.

This leads one to believe that it is a secret

society of sorts.

Like the members of all secret societies,

role-players meet in small groups, their ac-

tivities concealed behind the walls of homes

or the walls of the public facilities they

use. Sometimes these small groups gathertogether at convention halls where they

hold very public, and seemingly, innocent

meetings. They also meet in Slow-Flow

rooms to discuss, in-depth, the vagaries of

their “hobby.” Here are several Slow-Flow

rooms you can visit yourself: http://www.

rpg.net/, http://www.therpgsite.com/, and

http://www.therpglounge.com/forums/

So, when it comes to answering the

question, what is role-playing, there is little

more than anyone can do than offer the lines

given by the “hobbyists” themselves. In es-

sence, the must parrot the party line.

The easiest way to learn what it is all

about is by joining or forming a playing

group of your own and indulging in the

“hobby.” It is very easy to join the “hobby”

but it is very difficult to leave it. This re-porter is a case in point.

You have been warned.

Whatʼs this role-playing

game all about?

The intent of the Boomtown Planet-Sat-

urday Edition is to be first and foremost

an enjoyable game. Beyond that, I hope to

emulate some of the “romance”, mythology,

and high adventure attributed to old-time

reporters and journalism in general.

A bit Film Noir, a bit Pulp, a bit Little

Caesar, a bit Dick Tracy, and a whole lot of

weird – these are some of the elements that

I have attempted to infuse in the Boomtown

Planet – Saturday Edition. Itʼs up to you to

decide whether or not I succeeded.

I salute the lengthy roll of legendary

reporters - which includes the likes of Mike

Berger, Arthur Gelb, Homer Bigart, Kath-

erine Graham, Margaret Bourke-White,

etc. - who went to great lengths to keep the

public informed. I tip my hat to wits likeSamuel Clemens who titillated (and some-

times shocked) their audiences.

Newspaper reporters brought people the

news before the golden age of both televi-

sion and radio.

The old-time reporters lived and breathed

the reporterʼs life. They bled black ink and

were blessed with newspaper hides. Man or

woman, it didnʼt matter, all were referred to

as newspapermen, and they were proud...

7


9/216

...of it.

Now itʼs your turn, your chance to pick up

where they left off; your chance to stick a

press card in the brim of your hat, gather up

pencil and notepad, and wade into the thickof it. Your readership is waiting. People of

all ages and walks of life will eagerly pick

up the Boomtown Planet expecting to be

informed. Donʼt disappoint them.

You are a knight of democracy, a custo-

dian of the public record, and a seneschal

of the written word . . . or something like

that. The uncensored press (free of influence

– political or otherwise) is the pillar of your

ideals. So, get out there and get the scoop!

Make it your own

Iʼm glad I got the opportunity to write the

Boomtown Planet – Saturday Edition. But I

donʼt consider this to be my game. I put my

vision down on paper and I expect you to

take that vision and run with it. A role-play-er is creative and critical; he likes things

just so, and he has the drive and ability to

make things just so. I encourage you to do

this with this game.

An RPG is always a work-in-progress.

The rules, ideas and concepts found in this

book are guidelines only. You know what

you like. You know what you want. Make

this game your own.

If you donʼt want to play members of the

Boomtown Planetʼs staff, then donʼt. Maybe

you want to play gangsters, police officers,

or thrill seeking adventurers. Why not? That

option is open to you. Go ahead. This isyour sand box now.

The setting

Boomtown Planet – Saturday Edition is

set in the Dirty 30s. It isnʼt necessary to be a

student of history to enjoy this game. Itʼs all

in fun. Itʼs fiction.

In this book, I give you a basic outline ofthe world as it was in the 30s. I touch on

some of the main events and key historical

figures but the game is very focused.

The core, physical setting of the game is

the city of Boomtown. Boomtown, as it is

presented in this game, doesnʼt exist in the

real world; itʼs fiction; itʼs all make-believe.

The details of some of the outlying commu-

nities are also provided. I donʼt, however,

provide details on the world-at-large. If youchoose to take your game outside the city

limits, youʼre on your own.

Yes, there are strange things in Boom-

town. And many of the strange things are

“bad guys.” Having said that, the strange

things are often the least of the characters

worries.

8


10/216

Iʼll talk more about the setting later. For

now, letʼs touch on the rules (the dice roll-

ing) of this game.In this game all the players work together

to create a tale or series of tales; or, if you

prefer, adventure or series of adventures.

The GM is a kind of free-form narrator who

describes the setting of the tale/adventure

and plays the part of the numerous co-stars

and extras that are found in it. He also

implements the rules of the game and is

sometimes referred to as a referee because

of this.The Players assume the roles of the main

characters in the tale/adventure and work

within the framework established by the

GM. Often the Players will attempt to have

their characters carry out many challeng-

ing and complex actions in the course of

playing a game and the rules are there to

determine whether or not the characters suc-

ceed in those actions.

In a way the rules are the laws that gov-ern the imaginary game universe.

If you have the wherewithal and you donʼt

stress over particulars, then all you need

to know about the rules is encapsulated in

the next few pages. As we get older, time

is of the essence. If you want to get a quick

game going, give this section a thorough

read through and pick up the rest as time

warrants. Remember, itʼs just a game and

the only rules that count, are the ones you

choose to apply.

The Rules – an overview

The right stuff

Youʼve got the rules – youʼre reading them

right now. Along with these rules youʼll need

a few other items as well.

They include:- Four ten-sided dice (preferably more).

- Pens, pencils, or other writing tools.

- Copies of the character sheets found at the

back of the book, but loose paper will do in

a pinch.

- Two to six friends (the recommended num-

ber is three or four).

- Some creativity, imagination and enthusi-

asm.

9


11/216

Dice Rolling

The Boomtown Planet - Saturday Edi-

tion uses a mechanic called Go 4 10. The

mechanic is neither new nor novel. Itʼs a

tool. It works.

Dice rolling plays a part in most role-

playing games and this is one of those

games. Usually you roll four ten-sided dice

in this game to determine the outcome of

your characterʼs actions. The goal of any

dice roll is to aim for 10 or better.

While rolling a 10 on a single ten-sideddie is the ideal, the chances of it happen-

ing are low. To improve your odds you can

add two dice together to achieve the magic

number. The more tens you can amass in a

single roll, the better.

In order to succeed on a dice roll, one die

or two dice together must add up to 10 or

more. Anything less than 10 results in fail-

ure, and rolling all 1s results in disastrous

failure. If you roll a natural 10, it is treated as a

success and the die explodes. This means

you get to roll the die again. The results of

the second roll are added to any remaining

dice that you havenʼt used. If you have no

remaining dice left, the result stands on its

own. If you get another 10, roll again, and

so on.

Here are several examples of dice rolls as

they apply to the Go 4 10 rules set:

1, 1, 1, 1 = a disastrous failure

1,2,2,3 = a failure, but not a disastrous one.

4,4,9,2 = a marginal success; 9 can be added

to either a 4 or a 2 to get 10 or better.

5,5,4,4 = another marginal success; 5 and 5

equal 10.

9, 5, 9, 3 = a success; you can get 10 or bet-

ter twice here.

9, 10, 1, 2 = at least a success; you are guar-

anteed two totals of 10 or better. In addition,

you have a natural 10, so the die explodes

and you roll again. If you hold back the 2,

you need to roll at least an 8 to get 10 or

better again.

10, 10, 4, 8 = a total success; you are guar-anteed three totals of 10 or better. In addi-

tion you re-roll both your 10s. There are no

dice remaining. You can, however, add the

results of the two re-rolled dice together to

get 10 again – in which case youʼll achieved

the ultimate, a stunning success.

10


12/216

State your intent

So now you know the basic rules that gov-

ern dice rolling. Letʼs put those rules to use.

The intent of a characterʼs action is very

important in this game. In fact, intent is the

bedrock upon which the mechanic is built.

Whenever your character carries out an

action, you (the Player) must state the full

intent of the action. The intent of an action

explains why someone is carrying out the

action in the first place.

For example, if you say that your char-

acter is trying to clear a hedge give us the

intent so we know why he is jumping the

hedge. “My character jumps the hedge

in order to pursue the two-bit snitch Tom

Bragg.”

Why is intent so important? Iʼll explain.

There are varying degrees of success in this

game. Just how successful you are in an ac-

tion, determines whether or not you get theintended results you want.

While your character, in the example

above, might safely clear the hedge, he

might fail in his intent to immediately pur-

sue Tom when he lands on the other side.

Other examples of what you intend to do

and what actually happens are:

You go to punch a thug in the mouth

with the intent to knock him on the ground.

Maybe you do punch him in the mouth, but

you fail in your intent and your punch only

splits his lip and makes him angry.

You bully a youth on the street corner

with the intent to get information from him

regarding his purse- snatching friends. You

succeed in bullying him but he is totally

cowed. He does nothing but snivel and say

heʼs, “Sorry.”

You quickly scan through the lengthy

letter with the intent to find some clue as towhere the missing heiress has disappeared.

You notice several references to a hunting

lodge located in the woods outside of town

but you arenʼt convinced that is where the

heiress has fled.

You start playing a raucous version of an

old favourite on the piano with the intent

to impress the red headed girl in the corner.

You manage a reasonable rendition of the

song with a few finger fumbles but the girl

isnʼt sold on you or your talents.

So, you see, the road to misadventures can

be filled with good intentions.

Remember: always state your intent.

11


13/216


14/216

Keep the action rolling – when someone suc-

ceeds in his action but fails in his intent, donʼt

just leave it as a failure. Make it a new oppor-

tunity for the character to succeed. Keep the

action rolling.

Say the character does clear the hedge while

pursuing Bragg, but loses his step when he lands

on the other side. He should still get the chance

to maintain the pursuit, heʼll just have to take

risks and pick up the pace a bit.

Sharpening and Dulling Rolls

– In other words Modifiers

Usually, you roll four dice to determinethe outcome of a characterʼs action. Char-

acter strengths and weaknesses as well as

circumstances can affect your characterʼs

ability to succeed. This is reflected in the

dice rolls.

When a roll is sharpened, you get to roll

extra dice. A sharpened roll is illustrated in

the text like this, +1 or +2, etc. The number

tells you how many extra dice are rolled.

When a roll is dulled, you roll less dice. A

dulled roll is illustrated in the text like this,

-1 or -2, etc. The number tells you how

many dice are subtracted from your rolled.

Modifiers can stack up to greatly increase

or decrease your chance of success.

Degrees of Difficulty

Just as there are degrees of success so too

are their degrees of difficulty. The more dif-

ficult an action is the more difficult it is tosucceed in that action. Simple.

Here are the degrees of difficulty and how

they affect dice rolls:

ROUTINE: a dice roll is unnecessary.

The character automatically succeeds.

Examples include, purchasing a pack of

gum at a corner store, taking candy from a

baby, and a walk in the park.

VERY EASY: the roll is sharpened +2.

The character has a very good chance to

succeed.

Examples include, tossing a brick through a

plate glass window, placing a bet with your

regular bookie and riding a bicycle on a

path in the woods.

EASY: a roll is sharpened +1. The charac-terʼs chance to succeed is favourable.

Examples include, sifting through a newspa-

per to find a particular article, conning a

child out of an ice-cream cone, and running

up a single flight of stairs.

13


15/216

Degrees of Difficulty contʼd...

AVERAGE: the dice roll is unmodified.

The character has a 50/50 chance of pulling

off his intended action.Examples include, researching a common

subject, staring down an indignant lackey,

sprinting 200 metres.

DIFFICULT: the roll is dulled –1. The

characterʼs chance to succeed is so-so.

Examples include, finding a rather obscure

book in a private library, gaining access to

a high-ranking public official and hitting ahome run.

VERY DIFFICULT: the roll is dulled –2.

The character will have a hard time suc-

ceeding in his intended action.

Examples include, deciphering arcane sym-

bols on a cave wall, turning a loyal hench-

man of your enemy against him, pitching a

no-hitter.

IMPOSSIBLE: a dice roll is unnecessary.

The character cannot succeed in his action.

Relative to Scale

A small child has a much better chance

to knock over another small child than he

does to knock over a brawny adult. An adult

faces the same difficulty when tangling with

something that is much larger than him.

As a “rule” when you are dealing with

something that is two times your size (or

more), you only get to roll two dice against

it instead of four. This is relative to scale.While the small child could knock over a

brawny adult, his chances are slim.

This rule is applied to monumental tasks

as well – where the Player Character has a

very slim chance to succeed. The task is al-

most too big for the character. Very Difficult

tasks are monumental tasks.

So whatʼs a simple way to put the Relative to

Scale rule to good use?

If an opponent has +3 (or better) than you onan Attribute, then the Relative to Scale rule ap-

plies when you are battling against that Attribute.

Certain supernatural creatures and mechanical

monstrosities have supernatural Attribute scores.

Conversely, if an opponent has –3 (or less) on an

Attribute then the Relative to Scale rule applies

in your favour.

The Relative to Scale rule can be used

when a character is attempting to pull off a

nearly impossible act, something that wouldnormally require a heroic effort. For exam-

ple, while a PC couldnʼt force open a bank

vault with his brute strength, it is within the

realm of possibility that he could force open

a metal hatch. This is when youʼd use the

Relative to Scale rule.

Use this rule to increase the excitement levelof the game, but avoid it if it just frustrates the

efforts of the Players.

14


16/216


17/216

The most important thing in any role-

playing game is the Player Character,specifically your Player Character. The

Player Characters are the stars of the show,

the heroes and anti-heroes of the tale you

are about to tell. They are the focal point of

the drama.

In this chapter weʼll generate your Player

Character.

Itʼs best if your playing group makes its

characters together. You can bounce ideasoff one another and figure out ways that the

characters know one another. If you donʼt

have the time to do that, however, donʼt

worry. You can form those associations as

you play.

To make things simple the character generation

process is broken down into numbered steps.

Step 1. Picking a name.

The first thing you need to do is give your

character a name. Names can be common,

like Jane Smith, for example, or they can

tell us something about your character.

Names that help define oneʼs character are

common in detective novels; Dirk Steel,

Susie Sunshine, Chip Granite are a few

examples.

Step 2. What are you known for? (Also

known as: the Golden Talent, the Defin-ing Characteristic).

Coming up with a single phrase that sums

up your characterʼs claim to fame in a suc-

cinct manner is a handy way for you, the

player, to get into character. In Boomtown

Planet – Saturday Edition itʼs also a way to

enhance play. Once per game session you

get to re-roll an unsatisfactory roll when

your character is doing the thing that heʼs

known for.

So, how do you sum up your characterʼs

golden talent? Well, itʼs easy.

Weʼll use Robin Hood as an example

to show you how easy it is. Robin Hood

is known for “Taking From the Rich and

Giving to the Poor.” It was something he

excelled at it.

Creating your character There are many opinions about how a game

book should be laid out, where this and that

section should go; unfortunately, the opinions

vary. Some of you (particular you veterans)

arenʼt interested in burying yourself in the

character generation process at the moment.

In fact, you want to explore some other sec-

tion of the book. By all means, do so.

For the rest of you, let s̓ begin!

16


18/216

In Boomtown, the Bombersʼ Jacques Strap

is known for “Hitting Home Runs”, the

Planetʼs Dane Ringwald is known in Boom-

town for “Getting the Scoop”, and mobster,

Bobby Bustetone, who does occasional leg-work for the Planet, is known for “Busting

People in the Chops.”

Here are some sample sayings that you

can use to sum up what your character is

known for if you donʼt want to make your

own. Is known for . . . Being Cool Under

Fire; Rushing Head Long Into Trouble; In-

tegrity and Honesty; Getting Things Done,

Just Under the Wire; Being a Man About

Town; His Sense of Honour What you are known for can be very

specific, “Busting People In the Chops”, for

example, or very broad, “Integrity and Hon-

esty.” Itʼs really up to you to decide how

specific you want your characters claim to

fame to be. Confer with your GM and dis-

cuss the options with your fellow players.

This is a defining element of your character.

Optional: your character could be known for

some exceptional item that he has in his posses-

sion, an item that he is in some way tied to. The

Mask is an example. The Rocketeer, is another.

Even Frodo, is known as the Ring Bearer. But,

Frodo is also known for a lot more than this. And

this is where things get tricky.

Tying your character to a specific item can be

interesting. But you stand to lose a lot if the item

is lost or destroyed. Game sessions, however, can

revolve around getting the item back and thatʼs

exciting.

If you choose to make your character known

for an item in his possession, youʼll have to make

the item up. Youʼll also have to work out what

powers it has, if any, with the Game Master (and

your fellow players). If your group decides they

donʼt want any mystical items in the game, then

go with the majority.

The item can also be a prop only. It has no real

power, but your character thinks it does. Pootie

Tangʼs belt was just a belt, but it takes him the

majority of the movie to find this out. The real

power lay inside of Pootie all along. If your item

is a prop, right down what “powers” your charac-

ter thinks it gives him because that is what he is

really known for.

Itʼs a Double-edged Sword: You get bo-

nuses for doing what youʼre known for, but

itʼs a double-edged sword. Doing the things

that youʼre known for can get you into seri-

ous trouble. For example, if your character

is known for his “Integrity and Honesty”,

heʼll stick to the truth, even when he maybe

shouldnʼt.

Thatʼs okay! Getting into trouble is funin an RPG. Thatʼs when the action heats up

and things get exciting.

When you stick to your guns and continue

to do the thing youʼre known for and it gets

you into trouble, you get bonuses too. Not

only do the dice roll bonuses apply, but you

gain a Spirit Point as well.

Letʼs talk about Spirit now.

17


19/216

Step 3. Spirit.

Spirit is good stuff. You start the game

with 1d10 Spirit Points, and you earn more

through game play.

You can bank your Spirit and use it toimprove your character, or you can spend it

to improve your chances in dicey situations

during play. You can also use Spirit Points

to negate damage that your character has

suffered. Itʼs up to you.

The GM awards Spirit Points to the Player

Characters for achieving personal and group

goals.

When you have banked a certain amount

of Spirit Points, you can spend them toimprove your character. For 30 SP you can

sharpen an Attribute, +1 (to a total of +2).

Or, if you have some available Skill slots,

you can acquire a Skill for 20 SP or a Spe-

cial Skill for 25 SP.

You can spend Spirit Points to improve

the results of dice rolls. Spend 2 Spirit

Points for an automatic success or spend

one Spirit Point for a re-roll. You can alsospend Spirit Points to “heal” your character.

Spend 1 Spirit Point to improve your Health

by one point. You canʼt heal your character

if your character is Unconscious or Dead.

Yes, this is a fake, but fictional heroes

frequently enjoy heroic recoveries. If you

donʼt like this rule donʼt use it.

Encourage players who are at the table

more often to spend their Spirit Points on

re-rolls. This allows them to succeed more

often and reap the consequent whirlwind,

while it allows all the Player Characters to

advance together at a similar pace.We wonʼt talk about how Spirit Points are

awarded, just yet. Weʼll reserve that for the nextChapter.

Step 4. Goal.

Most people have goals in life. So, too,

does your character. There is one goal,

however, that is more important than the

others and your character will work hard to

achieve that goal. This Goal helps you focus

your characterʼs energies. Itʼs the primary

thing that motivates your character.For a character like Ebenezer Scrooge his

Goal was first to, get money and horde it,

and then later to spread good cheer.

For many Planet staffers their Goal is

simple; itʼs to put the truth in print. They

see themselves as the guardians of an untar-

nished public record.

For others, like Dane Ringwald, their

Goal is more specific. In Daneʼs case, it is

to expose corruption.

Your Goal can change as your character

develops through game play. You have to

have a solid reason to change your charac-

terʼs Goal, and get the approval of the GM

to do so.

Scrooge is the perfect example of a characterthat changed his Goal - from getting money

and hording it, to spreading good cheer. Author

Charles Dickens had a good reason to change

Scroogeʼs Goal; so should you.

18


20/216


21/216

Versatility - measures overall agility,

hand-to-eye coordination, etc. You use

Versatility when you try to palm an object,

leap a fence, etc.

Balderdash - measures personality and

charm. When you try to strike a deal or win

someone over, you rely on Balderdash.

Leadership – measures presence and

charisma. You use leadership to lead or

influence others.

An Attribute can be sharpened, to il-

lustrate that your character is strong inthat particular Attribute. Equally, it can

be dulled, to illustrate some weakness or

character flaw.

An Attribute may only be sharpened to

+2. Anything beyond that is superhuman.

Certain animals, monsters, and machines

may have Attributes that are sharpened by

+4 or more.

A construction worker, for example, mighthave Brawn, +1. A weight lifter might have

Brawn, +2. An athlete may have Brawn,

+1, and Versatility, +1. A university profes-

sor may have Brains, +1. And a professional

entertainer may have Balderdash, +2.

When you sharpen an Attribute, you gain

a bonus to any die roll governed by that

Attribute. When you dull an Attribute, the

reverse is true.

At the start of the game you have two

points to play with that you use to sharpen

your Attributes. You can, however, gain

additional points by dulling Attributes, but

you can only dull two Attributes by -1.

Step 6. Archetypes.

An Archetype is nothing more than a tem-

plate. It is a framework on which you can

hang some Skills, Special Skills, and some

character.

Ten Archetypes are provided that suit the

setting. Remember, they are templates only,

so feel free to modify them as you wish.

Equally you can create your own Arche-types. If you decide to create your own

Archetype, remember, new characters start

the game with 5 Skills and 1 Special Skill.

Along with templates, we provide you

with some sample pre-generated characters.

The pre-generated characters are members

of the Boomtown Planet staff. If you choose

to play one, thatʼs great. He or she is ready

to go. The GM is encouraged to use thesestaffers as regular Non-Player Characters.

Reporter – the Reporter strives to get the

facts, to carefully lay them out, and present them

to the public. It has been said that an effective

Reporter loves his job; he loves the news busi-

ness.

Reporters keep odd hours. When the news

breaks they are expected to be on the scene,

at ground zero, getting the scoop. The news is

relentless; it stops for no man.

20


22/216

Part gumshoe, part diplomat, part walking en-

cyclopedia, the reporter is an amalgam of many

things. He is an odd jobs man, an article writing,

jack-of-all-trades.

In the 1930s, reporting was primarily a manʼs

profession. That is not to say that

it was exclusively so. There

were women reporters. Women,

however, had to work hard to

prove themselves in a predomi-

nantly male profession, and they

were paid less for the same work.

Thatʼs just the way things were.

As New York Times Editor,

Arthur Gelb, so neatly put it. “The

biased mindset was that, sincewomen did not have families to

support as men did, they should

not expect to earn as much as men.”

The Boomtown Planet has a number

of women on staff and they are

every bit as effective as their male

counterparts.

The newspaper world was also segregated in

the United States in the 1930s. In 1945, the New

York Times (the bastion of “white” newspapers

in America) had just one African-Americanreporter. The staff at the Boomtown Planet boasts

progressive thinkers, tolerant individuals that

run contrary the bigotry of the age. The PCs are

encouraged to play reporters of whatever race,

culture, or creed they fancy.

Many reporters are published authors of some

sort; having either published biographies on

subjects known to them or other works of non-

fiction. Few venture into the realm of fiction,

having so long established themselves as profes-

sionals who deal with facts. In their spare time,

the reporters on the Boomtown Planet pursue

many of these literary side-projects.

A note on reporters and higher education:

Although it s̓ hard to believe in this age of col-

lege diplomas and university degrees, many

successful reporters during the “golden age of

reporting” were disdainful of higher education.

For them, the newspaper business was a busi-

ness, not a profession. Report-

ers, they argued, learned their

craft in the field, not on college

campuses.

If this is the type of Reporter

character youʼd like to play, then

he is well read and self-educated. His Education skill is one he built up over

the years through personal study.

Reporter

Goal: to put the truth in print, regard-

less of the cost.

+1 Balderdash, +1 Leadership

Skills: Curiosity, Education, Fast

Talk, Short Hand, and Status.

Special Skills: Photographic Mem-

ory.

21


23/216

Sample Reporter - Bob Kennedy…is known for his panache in tackling high

profile crime stories

Goal: to thoroughly cover the Crime Beat in Boomtown.

+1 Brawn, +1 Balderdash

Skills: Connected, Curiosity, Fast Talk, Short Hand, and Status.

Special Skills: Respect.

His story – Bob Kennedy is a veteran reporter. He is a short, powerfully built

man with a large head and red face. His build has more to do with genetics than

lifestyle.

Now, in his late fifties, he has a tough beat, one that most reporters prefer to

graduate from early in their careers. Kennedy is the Boomtown Planetʼs go-to

Crime Reporter. He could have dished the job off to a junior reporter years ago.Heʼs certainly earned the right.

He does his job well; some would argue too well where his personal safety is

concerned. Kennedy, however, loves being a newspaperman. In particular, he

loves exposed the cityʼs seedy underbelly.

Kennedy never settled down or got married and the closet thing he has to a

relationship is a sporadic affair with one of the local nightclub girls, now ap-

proaching retirement herself.

Kennedy spends his days and free nights at the club,

drinking whiskey, smoking cigars, and talking to

“connected” men. He is also a gambler (or so he

likes people to believe) and can be found at theracetrack on any given Sunday. Few are aware

of the fact that he only places small bets. At the

track he sits as close as possible to high-ranking Syn-

dicate men and eavesdrops on their conversations.

Game Hooks: Kennedy is “connected.” As

a result, a member of the Syndicate (the mob)

could ask him for a favour. Equally, a member

of the Syndicate or a common criminal could

seek revenge against Kennedy for some past

indiscretion he put in print.


24/216

Sample Reporter - Tess Trimble…is known for her keen sense of style.

Goal: to keep Boomtownʼs fashionable elite well informed on the latest styles

and trends.

+2 Brains

Skills: Curiosity, Eavesdropping, Scrutiny, Shorthand, and Status.

Special Skills: Photographic Memory

Her Story - In her mid-fifties, Trimble has been a member of the Planetʼs

staff for nearly as long as Kennedy. The two have formed a solid alliance, if not

friendship, over the years.

Trimble is the Fashion and Lifestyles reporter. As a result, she is a public figure,

courted by celebrities and Boomtownʼs elite. No one from high society would

dare to snub her. Her poisonous pen and acerbic wit are legendary.What Kennedy lacks in presentation, Trimble makes up for. She wears her hair in

the latest style and sports the latest fashions. When she smokes she uses a long,

ebony holder. The mink stole is her trademark. When her stole gets worn she

knows itʼs time to find a new husband.

She likes tall martinis and taller men. Sheʼs been

through several husbands and the joke is that

the list of men sheʼs divorced is longer than the

list of men sheʼs married.

Game Hooks: Trimble is always on the look-

out for an eligible man. Trimble has made anumber of enemies amongst Boomtownʼs

elite and anyone of them could be out to

get her.


25/216

Sample Reporter - Dane Ringwald…is known for getting the scoop.

Goal: to win a Pulitzer.

+1 Balderdash, +1 Brawn

Skills: Break & Enter, Curiosity, Fast Talk, Investigation, and Short Hand.

Special Skills: Reckless Abandon

His Story - Dane is the classic beat reporter. He eagerly rolls up his sleeves to

get elbow deep in the muck.

In his early thirties, with movie star good looks, Ringwald has been dubbed one

of Boomtownʼs most eligible bachelors. Ringwald, however, has little interest in

chasing women.

He is much more intent on chasing down stories for the newspaper. He is so

incredibly focused on his job that heʼs failed to notice Planet photographer, PaigeMercyʼs, obvious interest in him. This has been a cause for amusement around

the office. Elliot frowns on this type of gossip and

staffers are careful to look over their shoulders

before indulging in it.

Ringwald is an exceptional investigative

reporter. He has many contacts at the docks

and in the factories. Unfortunately, his pro-

labour stance has earned him a poor reputa-

tion with the bosses and owners.

Game Hooks: In his quest for the news, Danefails to see the dangers of covering certain

stories. The industrial elite would love to

see Ringwald disappear. Dane is particular

when it comes to his words. He doesnʼt

like anyone, including editors, tampering

with them.


26/216

Cub Reporter – the cub reporter is fresh in

the field. He or she worked their way up from

copy boy to the real deal by showing spark and

initiative. As a rule, the Cub Reporter gets as-

signments that are of little or no interest to the

seasoned veterans – things like obituaries and

small items on the church page. The Cub has

to work hard to gain the respect of the reader-

ship, the community-in-general and the senior

members on staff. The big thing for the Cub

Reporter is to graduate from runny-nosed rookie

to full-fledged news hound.

In his wet-behind-the-ears naiveté the Cub Re-

porter can expect to stumble a few times before

he gets his stride. Used to writing for high school

and college newspapers, and experiencing hard-nosed reporters from the wings as a copy boy, the

Cub can be either too timid or too anxious.

Photographer – the Photographer augments

the work of the Reporter, going to great lengths

to capture the perfect photo with his bulky

camera. Make no mistake, however, the Reporter

overshadowed the Photographer in the 1930s. It

was still an age of words, not images.

Nonetheless, the Photographers job is animportant one – and in the case of a great front-

page photo, it is a crucial one. The Photographer

also shares the same risks and sense of urgency

as the Reporter. Often the Photographer and the

Reporter work together to provide full coverage

for a story.

Cub Reporter

Goal: to get the scoop and get no-

ticed by doing it.

+1 Brains, +1 Balderdash

Skills: Athletically Inclined, Cam-

era Work, Curiosity, Education, and

Short Hand.

Special Skills: Reckless Abandon

Photographer

Goal: to capture a shot that says it

all.

+1 Brains, +1 Versatility

Skills: Artistic Talent, Camera Work,

Curiosity, Fast Talk, and Schmooz-

ing.

Special Skills: Reckless Abandon.

25


27/216

Sample Cub Reporter - Skip Donahue …is known for his eager to please at-

titude.

Goal: to become a full-fledged Reporter.

+1 Brawn, +1 Versatility

Skills: Athletically Inclined, Curiosity, Education, Short Hand and Swim.

Special Skills: Lightning Draw

His Story - Skip is the poster boy for the wholesome, young American male.

Tall, good looking, with golden locks and grey eyes he epitomizes the Hollywood

ideal.

Skip is a recent college graduate and something of an idealist. The 22 year old

is a baseball enthusiast and he played for his university team. He could have gone

pro but instead went the academic route. He rolled through writing courses andbecame ob- sessed with the reporter legend. He knew what he wanted to do.

Skip is a solid churchgoer and somewhat naive. Kennedy

would call him “wet behind the ears” and all of the veteran

staff at the Planet would agree. Skip has only been a part

of the Planet for two and a half months, supplementing his

income with a part-time job at a bakery, baking bread in

the evenings and on the weekends.

Currently, Skip writes obituaries, getting the names of

the deceased and their particulars. Skip is anxious to get

into the field.

Game Hooks: Something odd is going on at the bakery

that Skip works at. The owner works late into the night

and often meets behind the bakery with rough looking

customers. Skip plans to investigate his bossʼs affairs.

This could be the big scoop he has been waiting for.


28/216


29/216

Sample Photographer - Paige Mercy …is known for her calculated ambition.

Goal: to finally break free from her past.

+1 Balderdash, +1 Versatility

Skills: Acting, Camera Work, Curiosity, Education, and Short Hand.


Her Story - Paige was hired three years ago, having come from an internship

post with the New York Herald Tribune.

Little is known of her past, because Paige prefers to talk about the present.

She was first hired at the Planet as a reporter but her exceptional photography

skills landed her in her present job. She replaced veteran photographer, Bull

Burningham, after Bull went missing and his body turned up two weeks later in

Ghost Town. His camera was also found but not any film. Paige is pretty. She is stylish and flirtatious, a snappy dresser, who likes to play

coy when it suits her. She has recently turned 25 and seems

determined to move up the ladder. Her crush on reporter Dane

Ringwald is apparent.

One person who really dislikes Paige is the Planetʼs other

resident photographer, Pearl Hunter. The feeling is mutual.

The two photographers have very different (but strong)

personalities and, in this instance, opposites do not attract.

Hunter is rough, forthright and tomboyish. Mercy is feminine

and determined.

Game Hooks: Paige is running from her past. Born Violet Fer-

guson, she is a member of a well-to-do New York family.

Her mother, an overbearing, over-achieving woman, ran

Violet s̓ life. When Violet graduated from college, she

ran away from home and assumed a new identity.

Hired detectives, however, were closing in on

Violet Ferguson (a.k.a. Paige Mercy). Rather

than full under the influence of her mother

again, Paige fled the east coast and ended up

in Boomtown.


30/216


31/216

Consider this quote from Arthur Gelb, who

wore several hats before retiring as the Manag-

ing Editor of the New York Times:

“As a reporter I had written one or two stories

a day. Now [as deputy metropolitan editor at the

Times] I was dealing daily with twenty or more,

assigning and editing, arranging for space, help-

ing reporters develop angels, and anticipating

that big news break…I saw stories everywhere.

At dinner parties, I would leave with two or three

story ideas. Every phone conversation, every

movie or play, every walk down the street or trip

on the subway brimmed with possibilities.”

Gelb wrote down every idea that came to him

and as a result wandered around with his jacket

pockets stuffed with scraps of paper.The editors at the Planet are just as zealous as

Mr. Gelb.

Legman – A good legman is indispensable to a

reputable newspaper. Like a reporter the legman

gathers facts. He is not, however, expected to

write a story. Rather he calls in the information

that he gathers and someone else, often a rewrite

man, assembles it.

The legman is street-smart. He has contacts

that are willing to spill the beans when a storybreaks.

Rough and unpolished, the legman often

guides junior reporters through their fitful early

days on assignment. Legmen also work in con-

junction with seasoned reporters on all manner

of stories. Sometimes a reporter starts out as a

legman.

Editor

Goal: to put out the best edition pos-

sible, day after day.

+1 Brains, +1 Leadership

Skills: Bargain, Curiosity, Education,

Status, and Worldly.

Special Skills: Respect.

Legman

Goal: to gather the facts and keep the

reporters informed.

+1 Balderdash, +1 Brawn

Skills: Connected, Curiosity, Fast

Talk, Interrogation, and Schmoozing.


30


32/216

Sample Columnist - Pete Plasky…is known as an exemplary male chauvinist, a

real manʼs man.

Goal: to be universally admired for his “ruggedness.”


Skills: Athletically Inclined, Gambling, Gun Fu, Hunting/Tracking, and Sur-

vival

Special Skills: Everyman

His Story - Pete Plasky loves to wear outdoorsmen attire. The 55-year-old

owner of Peteʼs Perfect Hunting & Sporting Goods Store is a rabid sportsman

who loves to hunt and fish. Heʼs an all round manʼs man.

More than a few people on staff think that Plasky is an overbearing loudmouth

who likes to toot his own horn. “The most remarkable thing about Plasky is hisplaid shirt,” noted gossip columnist, Irvine Marcott.

Nevertheless, Editor Seth Elliot knows that the Plasky has a solid readership.

His columns on local sports and the sporting life are favourites among male

readers of the Boomtown Planet. In particular, Plasky loves to write about

horse racing and the Boomtown Bombers, the cityʼs

national league baseball team.

Plasky offers race advice in one of columns, advice

that includes his “pick of the week.”

Game Hooks: While Plaskyʼs “pick of the

week” column is printed for “amusement only”that didnʼt save Plasky from the wrath of a local

Syndicate heavy who followed the columnistʼs

advice. It is rumoured the mobster lost a

considerable sum and is forcing Plasky

to compensate him for the money

that he lost, with interest.


33/216

Sample Editor - Seth Elliot …is known for being immensely cool under pres-

sure.

Goal: to always put the truth in print, no matter how outlandish the truth is.


Skills: Bargain, Education, Curiosity, Education, Investigation, and Status.

Special Skills: Respect

His Story - Seth is of average height, with broad shoulders and a thin, respect-

able frame. He has thick brown hair, blue eyes, and rugged good looks. He

dresses in the attire of a Boomtown businessman with a touch of non-chalance

about him (often his suit coat is tossed over a chair and his sleeves are rolled up).

Elliot is 37 years old, which is young for an Editor of a daily.

He isnʼt a Boomtown native. He grew up in Drurytown, West Virginia, a smalltown (pop. 8,000) with agricultural roots. In Drurytown, Elliot was the big fish

in a small pond – a gifted student, an exceptional athlete – and he showed great

promise.

He avoided parties and being a part of high school hierarchy. His popularity

spared him any ribbing, however. Elliot was the quintessential “nice guy”. His

main passion was writing and with a small group of friends formed a writerʼs

circle. They had grandiose dreams of creating a magazine similar to the New

Yorker but the dreams gave way to reality when the members of the group gradu-

ated from high school.

Elliot went to College, got a degree in English Literature, and despite a desire

to become a “real writer” he got a job in the newspaper business. He workedat the Timber Rapids Gazette, a bi-weekly in the Planet Publisherʼs stable. He

worked at the Gazette for 11 years and went from copyboy to reporter, and

reporter to Assistant Editor. When the Editorʼs position at Planet became avail-

able, he applied on a whim with no real hope of landing the job. He was more

surprised than anyone when he was selected.

At 35 he packed his belongings into his old Model A and drove the twenty-five

miles or so from Timber Rapids to his new home, Boomtown.

Heʼs been Editor of The Boomtown Planet for two years but has yet to meet his

employer, the Publisher, a mysterious benefactor who keeps the money rolling in

and has got Elliot out of a few scrapes.


34/216

Detective – The Boomtown Planet, like other

larger newspapers, can afford outside resources

– people who are not strictly members of the

staff, but work on contract and the paper infor-

mation.

The Planet has a few detectives on retainer.

The detectives are called in to gather infor-

mation, just like the legmen. The detectives,

however, work in an entirely different manner.

Not officially associated with the Planet, the de-

tectives can investigate stories without gathering

untoward attention.

We are all familiar with the detectives of old

– fedora and trench coat wearing guys who

smoke incessantly and talk out the side of their

mouths. The detectives who work for the Planetpretty much fall into this mould.

Informant –Most Informants “tip off” the

newspaper out of a sense of morale obligation.

The Informant is sometimes paid a small fee

for insider-information but itʼs a practice that is

discouraged. How morale can an insider/infor-

mant/whistle-blower be if he will only provide

you with some disturbing insider-informationafter he receives an envelope of money?

Certain informants, however, have proved

they are reliable. Furthermore, they are buried in

organizations that are not easily accessible to the

media. The mob stands as a perfect example.

The Planet goes to great lengths to protect the

identities of the few reliable informants it has.

In good faith it offers these informants small sti-

pends for information, but usually the informant

declines any payment.

Detective

Goal: to dig up the dirt and crack the

case.


Skills: Connected, Curiosity, Gun

Fu, Interrogation, and Schmoozing.

Special Skills: Photographic Mem-

ory.

Informant

Goal: to right a wrong and set the

record straight.


Skills: Bargain, Connected, Educa-

tion, Schmoozing, and Status.

Special Skills: Every Man.

33


35/216

Sample Detective - Merv Wiley…is known for his attention to detail. He leaves

no stone unturned.

Goal: to finally break free from her past.


Skills: Acting, Camera Work, Curiosity, Education, and Short Hand.


His Story - Wiley is in his mid-30s, a hardened gumshoe in every sense of the

word. Like most Boomtown detectives he wears a trench coat and fedora. He is

naturally a good-looking man but typically sports a few days of growth on his

chin and is entirely disinterested in his appearance.

Heʼs been doing investigative work for the Planet for a number of years. In fact,

the work that he does for the paper pays his bills. His other work (infrequent andoften shady) pays for his whiskey, cigarettes, and repairs on his old car.

Wiley is a good detective and he loves his work. He also loves his pulp fiction.

He also likes his neighbourhood bar, The Crooked Roost, his

whiskey, his cigs, and his dame - Samantha Cowley, a down-

town office gal who works a switchboard.

Wiley s̓ done some shadowy business in the past. What it is

he isnʼt tellingʼ. Heʼs also worked for some shady characters.

Who they are, again, he isnʼt tellinʼ.

Wiley s̓ frequently used by Elliot and the reporters

to scrounge up information that they would have

difficulty getting their hands on. The dic seemsto have a little black book full of contacts, from

high hats to ragamuffins, from cops to palookas.

He even knows a few heeby jeebies from Ghost

Town.

If it werenʼt for Dan Davenport, many detectives

would have lucrative careers. As it is, the P.I.s of

Boomtown have to make due, renting out cramped

offices on the edge of Slaggy Bottom and Crum-

bly Court and living in apartments off Wire Road

or some other second rate main road.


36/216

Sample Informant - Bobby Bustetoni…is known for busting people in the

chops.

Goal: to somehow, some way, make the city a better place.


Skills: Break & Enter, Connected, Driving, Hand-to-hand, and Gun Fu.

Special Skills: Block/Dodge

His Story - Roberto “Bobby” Bustetoni works for the Boomtown mob.

Heʼs not a main player but his face has been seen around and itʼs an ugly mug,

too.

Bobby is short but he s̓ stocky with a thick neck, barrel chest and beefy arms.

Despite his dim appearance, “Bobby” (as he is known), isnʼt anybodyʼs fool.

The 28-year-old mobster was born into the racket and he s̓ grown tired of it.The street smart, wise guy, has been tipping off the Planet and acting as an inside

source for three years now. He acts thick and stupid around his mob superiors and

no one suspects him of being the Planetʼs informant . . . at least, he hopes.

Game Hooks: Bobby is running a dangerous game.

He is afraid that his mother and sisters might be

harmed if someone on the inside discovers that he

is an informant. Because of this, he has moved

his family to Timber Rapids. Bobby suspects

that someone is onto him, but he doesnʼt know

whom.


37/216

Socialite – The well to do hunger for notoriety.

One way to ensure notoriety is to have oneʼs

name frequently printed in the local press.

The upper strata of society are often denied to

the lowly reporter and this is where the Socialite

comes into play. The Socialite leaks gossip to

the newspaper, sometimes at the behest of the

subject of the gossip.

Perceived as a vehicle for yellow journalism,

the Planet has very few socialites on which it

can count. The few socialites that are affiliated

with the Planet, however, are very loyal to the

newspaper.

Wizard – Strange things happen in Boomtown

– unexplainable things to the uninitiated.

All other newspapers refuse to believe that the

supernatural is involved in certain events, ex-

plaining it away with science and logic stretched

to the breaking point. The people of Boomtown

know whatʼs going on and they except it, laugh-

ing as they read the bizarre scientific explana-

tions put forth by the so-called “reputable”newspapers in the city. When the readership

wants to know the real truth, they turn to the

Boomtown Planet.

Unlike the other newspapers in town, the

Boomtown Planet covers the real story, including

the supernatural story. The Publisher quickly re-

alized that regular run-of-the-mills reporters, no

matter how good, were simply out of their league

when it came to the subject of the supernatural.

As a result he hired on several students of the

metaphysical world. Wizards!

The Wizard, as a subject, will be explained fur-

ther in the book. For now, it is safe to say that the

Wizard can harness the power of the supernatural

world. As for wizards on the Planetʼs staff, they

carry out similar duties to the rest of the front-

line staffers.

Socialite

Goal: to rise up the social ladder.


Skills: Bargain, Curiosity, Eaves-

dropping, Status, and Worldly.

Special Skills: Naturally Lucky.

Wizard

Goal: to master the arcane arts.


Skills: Bargain, Connected, Educa-

tion, Occult Knowledge, and World-

ly.

Special Skills: Arcane Inclination.


38/216

Step 7. Skills.

We all have some select Skills that help

define who we are, or at least define what

we are capable of. Characters are no differ-

ent.

For simplicityʼs sake, each Skill is gov-

erned by a single Attribute. You roll on the

Attribute when you use the Skill, to see if

you successfully use the Skill or not. Your

Skills improve as their governing Attributesimprove.

Why Skills are so important: If your

character is attempting to do something

that normally requires a Skill, and you lack

said Skill, then your chances to succeed are

seriously reduced. In fact, success might be

impossible. As a “rule,” if your character

is attempting to carry out an action that

requires a Skill you lack, you roll two diceinstead of four to see if you succeed.

A Character starts the game with 5 Skills.

You can use the Skills provided with the

above template Characters, or just pick 5

Skills that you want.

Your Character is limited to the number

of Skills he can have at any given time. The

maximum number of Skills he can have is

7. This is reflected on the Character Sheet

(found at the back of the book). When you

look at it, youʼll see that there are only 7

Skill slots.

You can drop a Skill to free up a Skill slot

whenever you want, but once you drop the

Skill, itʼs gone. If you want it back, you

have to purchase it, just like any other new

Skill you acquire.

Making Your Own Template

You are encouraged to create your

own PC templates. Simply give yourtemplate a name, a brief description,

suggested Attribute bonuses, five

suggested Skills, a suggested Special

Skill and a suggested Goal.

Let s̓ create a quick template for a

“Cop.”

Description: A Cop upholds the

law. He serves and protects the inno-cent civilians in his community and

he brings lawbreakers to justice.

Goal: to keep the community safe.

Attribute Bonuses: +1 Brawn, +1

Versatility

Skills: Connected, Curiosity,

Hand-to-hand, Interrogation, and

Gun Fu.

Special Skill: Lightning Draw

37


39/216

For the GM – to make things easy, when

you draft up secondary NPCs give them

only two or three Skills that are pertinent to

the tale.

Here is a list of some sample Skills. This

list is not complete, so, by all means, add

your own Skills when the need arises.

The governing Attribute is contained in

brackets next to the name of the Skill. Re-

member, the Attribute is what you roll on to

see if you succeed when using the Skill.

Acting (Balderdash) – You have a flair

for acting. You can use this Skill to passyourself off as someone else and success-

fully pull off a disguise. You can also fake

emotions to play on peopleʼs sensibilities.

Artistic Talent (Balderdash) – You have

an inherent or developed Artistic Talent of

some sort – music or the fine arts. You can

use this Skill to impress an audience. A

person who is musically inclined could find

employment at a nightclub or tavern where

gossip and possible news leads abound. A

person, who has a penchant for drawing,

could sketch a building or a person from

memory.

Athletically Inclined (Versatility) – You

are naturally “sporty.” You pick up the rules

of any game easily. You are knowledge-

able when it comes to sports facts. You are

also highly competitive. In addition, when

it comes to physical actions (that rely on

Brawn or Versatility), you gain a bonus

on top of whatever bonuses the applicable

Attribute gives you. You get to sharpen aroll, +1.

Beast (Leadership) – You know how to

work with and tend a specific kind of ani-

mal, horses or dogs, for example. You have

a natural affinity with the type of animal

you work with, and when dealing with an

unruly or unfamiliar beast of this type you

sharpen a die, +2.

Bargain (Leadership) – You use Bargain

whenever you attempt to negotiate. Nego-

tiations can be simple – determining who is

going to pay for the dinner bill, for example

– or complex.

A PC that has Bargain as a Skill is a com-

petent negotiator – he sharpens a roll, +1.

Break & Enter (Brawn) – You have a tal-

ent for overcoming obstacles that bar your

entrance. You donʼt use finesse to gain en-

trance; you use precision and brute strength.

Camera Work (Brains) – You are familiar

with cameras and the intricacies of operat-

ing them. You stand a much better chance

of taking a decent photo than someone does

who lacks this Skill.

38


40/216

Climbing (Versatility) – You are an ex-

perienced climber – having either actively

climbed cliff faces or tree trunks in the past.

You are familiar with climbing gear and

know how to use it.

Connected (Leadership) – You have con-

nections in a particular organization (the

mob, town hall, the police department, etc.).

You can use your connections to gain “in-

side information” and ask for (and receive)

“favours.”

Curiosity (Brains) – You have a natural

Curiosity. Your curiosity plays in yourfavour when youʼre attempting to ferret in-

formation from someone. You have a knack

for asking the right when questions.

Demolitions (Brains) - You can create and

disarm explosive devices. You can handle

and use explosives “safely” and with de-

sired effect.

Driving (Versatility) – You are a skilled

driver. You stand a good chance of keep-

ing your vehicle on the road when you are

traveling at high rates of speed or pulling

tricky maneuvers.

Eavesdropping (Brains) – You have honed

the act of listening in to a fire art. Even at

crowded social functions you can eavesdrop

on the conversations of others. Of course,

it s̓ easier to eavesdrop in certain situations

than it is to eavesdrop in others.

Education (Brains) – You have either a

diploma, a degree, or you are self-taught.Regardless, you are particularly knowledge-

able in one subject area. You can take this

Skill again, to acquire knowledge in another

subject area.

Electrical Repair (Brains) – You know

how electrical systems work. You can make

electrical repairs. Equally, you can sabotage

electrical systems.

Exotic Weapon (Versatility) – Any weapon

that is not a small arms firearm or a knife is

considered an exotic weapon. If you have

Exotic Weapon as a Skill, then you are

proficient in the use of one type of exotic

weapon. That doesnʼt mean, however, that

you can brandish the weapon in public with-

out drawing attention to yourself.

Fast Talk (Balderdash) – This is the art of

bullshitting. You use Fast Talk to trick oth-

ers or throw them off their game. This Skill

is especially useful in acquiring informa-

tion.

39


41/216

Fix-It (Brains) – You can make simple

repairs to just about anything. The “repairs”

are short-lived and often result in cata-

strophic failure when they give way. None-

theless, your repairs will carry you throughfor a moment of two longer.

For each “10” that you acquire on your

roll, the repair holds out for 10 minutes of

game time.

First Aid (Brains) – With first-aid you can

stop bleeding, bandage wounds, set splints

and patch up people.

A successful roll on First-Aid moves the

patient one rung up the Health Ladder (ex-plained at the end of this chapter).

Forgery (Brains) – Given time and the

correct materials, you can forge most docu-

ments. In a pinch, you can supply forgeries

that will pass a cursory inspection.

Note: a person with the Skill Scrutiny will

immediately detect a quick forgery.

Gambling (Balderdash) – You are skilled

in games of chance and tend to win more

than you lose at the table. On a successful

Gambling roll the character will win 1 to

10 times his initial stakes. Of course, the

reverse is true if the roll is failed.

Note: People don t̓ like to lose at games of

chance, especially when the stakes are high.

Gun Fu (Versatility) – You are familiar

with most small arms. You know to handle

firearms safely can fire them with accuracy.

Hand-to-hand (Versatility) – You are aproficient street fighter, trained in some sort

of martial arts or self-defense technique.

Hunting/Tracking (Versatility) – You are

a skilled hunter. You know to track your

quarry – including people – in many envi-

ronments, including the urban environment.

Interrogation (Brawn) – You can make

people spill their guts through intimida-tion and, if necessary, physical persuasion.

Given the time and right tools you can crack

the most difficult nut. On the fly, you a bet-

ter chance than most people do at making

someone talk.

Investigation (Brains) – You are good at

gathering clues through examination or re-

search. You know how to use clue-gatheringequipment, like databases, finger printing

kits, etc.

Lingo (Brains) – You are fluent in a

language other than your mother tongue.

It could be a well-known language (like

French, Spanish, or German) or something

more obscure, including ancient languages. Note: In order to be fluent in an additional

language you must purchase this Skill again.

40


42/216

Medicine (Brains) – You have a medical

background – either as a General Practitio-

ner or a veterinarian. You can stop bleeding,

close wounds, set broken limbs, diagnose

and treat illnesses, etc. On a successful roll on Medicine a

patientʼs health goes up two rungs on the

Health Ladder (explained at the end of the

Chargen chapter).

You can also accelerate a patientʼs recov-

ery by giving him constant care. The patient

will heal twice as quickly as normal with

you at his side.

Mechanically Inclined (Brains) – Youunderstand how machines work. With the

right tools and the time you can repair dam-

aged mechanical systems. Equally, you can

sabotage mechanical systems.

Occult Knowledge (Brains) – You are a

student of the occult and the supernatural.

When faced with either you have some un-

derstanding of what is occurring. You know

the strengths and weaknesses of supernatu-

ral creatures.

Piloting (Versatility) – You can fly a plane.

Public Speaking (Leadership) – You are

an effective public speaker. You can deliver

moving speeches. You can sway crowds

with your words, even written words.

Sailing (Versatility) – You know how to

sail a small craft. You can also be an effec-

tive member of a large crew and can give

directions to others to help you sail a large

vessel.

Scrutiny (Brains) – You are a natural

skeptic. You are better at detecting lies,

forgeries, and fakes than most people. You

are nobodyʼs fool.

Schmoozing (Balderdash) – You are an

exceptional lickspittle. Ingratiating yourself

to others has taken you far.

Shorthand (Brains) – This is a handy Skill

for any Reporter. Armed with a note pad

and pencil you can quickly jot down the

news as it happens.

Slow-Flow (Brains) – You are a proficient

Slow-Flow operator and can navigate the

Slow-Flow Architecture.

Launched in mid-1920s, Slow-Flow is

a form of Internet, peculiar to the paral-

lel world of the Boomtown Planet. It is a

testament to the approaching technologi-

cal/communication age. Slow-flow units are

bulky and expensive. They look like a cross

between a typewriter and a television with

lots of apparent wires, tubes, and transistors.

41


43/216

With the Skill Slow-flow, you can hack

databases and acquire information found on

the Architecture. The heart of the Slow-

Flow Architecture lies in the land of its

creators, Germany.

Spelunking (Versatility) – You are an ex-

pert cave explorer. You know how to navi-

gate through natural cave networks. You

are familiar with the equipment required to

survive a spelunking expedition.

Status (Leadership) – You have acquired

Status, either through your actions, deeds,

or reputation, or through your pedigree.Doors that are closed to others are opened

for you. You can use your Status to influ-

ence others.

Survival (Brains) – You know how to

survive in the wilderness. You can navigate

without the aid of a compass. You can find

natural sources of fresh water, shelter, and

food.

Swim (Versatility) – You are an experi-

enced swimmer and are comfortable in the

water.

Worldly (Brains) – You are well read and

have a solid general knowledge base. While

specifics sometimes stump you, you can

join in a general conversation on nearly any

topic and hold your own.

Step 8. Special Skills.

Special Skills lack a governing Attribute.

Thatʼs one way that they are special. Some

of the Special Skills are more applicable to

fiction than they are reality. Special Skillsmake you stand out; they give you an extra.

Some of the NPCs the characters meet will

have Special Skills of their own.

Your Character starts the game with 1

Special Skill. You can use the Special Skills

provided with the above template Charac-

ters, or just pick the Special Skill that you

want.

Just like Skills, your Character is limitedto the number of Special Skills he can have

at any given time. The maximum number of

Special Skills he can have is 3.

Unlike Skills, however, you canʼt drop

a Special Skill to free up a slot. Once you

have filled up all 3 Special Skill slots, thatʼs

it. So choose your Special Skills wisely.

For the GM – important NPCs can have

Special Skills.

Here is a list of some sample Special

Skills.

Ambidextrous – most people have a “dom-

inate hand.” Itʼs the hand they write with. A

few, however, are blessed with the ability to

use both hands equally. This can be of great

advantage to a Character.

42


44/216

An example of this Special Skill in play

– The columnist, Irvine Marcott, is bound

to a piling that supports a boathouse. His

dull-witted captors didn t̓ intend to harm

Marcott, they just wanted to make a cleangetaway. Unfortunately, they forgot about

the incoming tide. The tide is coming in fast

and if Marcott doesnʼt quickly free himself,

he will drown.

The GM informs the Player that Marcott s̓

left hand is free. Marcott happens to be

Ambidextrous and this improves his chance

to escape dramatically. After a few attempts,

Marcott wriggles free of his bonds and

swims safely to shore.

This would not be the case with a Charac-

ter who is not ambidextrous if his off-hand

was the free hand. A Character that is not

ambidextrous suffers a penalty when he is

using his off-hand and the roll is dulled,

-1. The ambidextrous Character suffers no

penalty.

Arcane Inclination – You were born with

the “gift”; some would call it a curse. You

are aware of the metaphysical world and

you are able to tap into it to influence the

real world.

Bear with me; this Special Skill is the rock

upon which the magic in this game is built.

As a result, Arcane Inclination gets more

than its share of real estate in the book. If

you aren t̓ playing a wizard, or don t̓ intend

to have wizards in your game, you can skim

through this part to see if any of it interests

you.

Excerpt from “A Guide to the Arcane

World for the Layman” by Excalibur Jones,

wizard and occasional contributor to the

Boomtown Planet.

Non-wizards have as much control over the

metaphysical world as a farmer has over a

barn cat. That is to say, the non-wizard may

be aware of some “presence” (although

probably not), but he has no control over it.Wizards, on the other hand, are very much

aware of the metaphysical world. In fact, we

can influence it and bend it to our will. Itʼs

a tricky business, however, as messing with

the metaphysical world can be lethal.

The metaphysical world is a world of bal-

ance. It is also a world of absolutes, of dark

and light, black and white. The shades of

grey evident in our own world are absent

in the metaphysical world. A wizard taps

into the energy of the metaphysical world

and harnesses it to influence the physical

plane. He does so by either tapping into the

negative energy or the positive energy of

the beyond. This energy is powerful and itʼs

volatile. It takes a wise practitioner to know

when he is exceeding his limits.

43


45/216

Contrary to popular belief, a wizard is free

to tap into whatever form of energy he likes

– both black and white magic. Generally,

however, his talents push him one way or

another. Black magic is not inherently evil, just as white magic is not inherently good.

Both types of magic are merely tools. Itʼs

how you use these tools that matters.

Through the use of metaphysical energy

wizards are able to influence the seven

known elements – earth, wind, water, fire,

wood, mineral (or metal) and living tissue,

or flesh. Black magic is used to destroy or

damage elements, white magic is used to

strengthen or repair elements.

I am telling you all this to give you an

understanding of the metaphysical world

and the role that wizards play in it. Most

wizards are decent folk, but there are excep-

tions. There are some truly nasty wizards

out there, so consumed that they are scarce-

ly human. It is a delicate game the wizard

plays. Those who choose to embrace their

gift and pursue it can do great good. They

can also do that exact opposite. And thatʼs

when the Arcane Society comes into play.

Several thousand years ago, the Arcane

Society was a matriarchal one. Women held

the highest offices in the Society. The So-

ciety, however, was divided into many dif-

ferent Orders. Each Order struggled to gain

absolute control over the Society. Some-

times alliances were formed, but they were

short-lived. It was fractious state of affairs

and valuable arcane information was lost or

destroyed through the ongoing conflict.

Shortly after the rise of Christianity, the

Orders began to assemble themselves inaccordance to the “magic” they practiced.

Wizards were classified. A clear line was

drawn and the Arcane Society was divided

not quite down the middle between those

who practiced the “black arts” and those

who practiced “white magic.” The Order

of White Magicians had powerful allies in

the Church and it used these allies to make

war on the Order of the Black Arts. Through

purging, inquisitions and general prosecu-tion the Dark Order was nearly destroyed.

Many practitioners of the black arts went

into hiding. Innocent civilians were purged

along with bona fide wizards. Any who

were suspected of harbouring the “dark

gift” were consumed in the purifying fires

of the Inquisitions. And, to think, many of

the Inquisitors were wizards themselves!

The modern age, with its origins in the

Age of Reason, ended the conflict between

White and Black wizards. But still, the

Black wizards harboured a deep resentment,

and who could really blame them. This

resentment still runs deep today.

Today, there is no distinction between

White or Black wizards. We are all con-

sidered members of the same Society. For

obvious reasons we tend to keep our gifts to

ourselves.

44


46/216

Although I think this is a mistake. The

general population would do well to know

that things that sometimes mean them harm

influence them. Nonetheless, archaic law

must be heeded. The Cardinal Law of theArcane Society is that “magic” shall not be

used to take mortal life. Why? Not for any

hard moral reason, although most of us are

as moral as the next man, but because the

taking of mortal life upsets the balance of

the metaphysical world.

The highest members of the Arcane Society

sentence a wizard who breaks the Cardinal

Law to immediate death. This strikes me

as the definition of irony, “Though shallnot kill or you will be killed.” Nonetheless,

thatʼs the law that wizards live by. Well,

most of us do. Inevitably, when the Law is

broken, the wizard who broke the Law can-

not be found. He (or she) is almost always a

nasty sort and the type to s

the boomtown planet

Documents