Alien Space Yetis (Wookies) for X-plorers

I've had some thoughts rattling around for a while on adapting aliens and creatures from established franchises in pop culture for X-plorers. I wouldn't do them as by-the-book, opting instead to tweak the established templates. Here's the first in a series of posts....

WOOKIES (Space Yetis)
So we can all agree that Wookies are generally space yetis, yes? I've always favored a more alien approach myself. Take the Galaxy Laser Team's version:

These are the same character I bestowed to Jon Scalzi a while back. Anyway, this alien has always kinda reminded me of Ralph McQuarrie's early Chewbacca concept art:

Anyway, I'd make a few adjustments. Wookies are supposed to be the grease monkeys (ha!) of the Star Wars universe--and yet, Han's always chewing out his co-pilot for perceived incompetence. Maybe it's his growling that makes him so misunderstood. Well, no more!

Telepath: Space yetis antennae give them the ability to send and receive telepathic brain waves. They're not born with them though--a potion is given to infants that allow them to grow one stalk to receive messages from parents, teachers, and those of higher rank. When a yeti brave becomes a full-fledged warrior, he receives a second stalk which allows him to send messages to her/his peers and those being lead in battle.

Mutations:
Claws: 1 in 6 space yeti have retractable claws (like Wolverine) that do 2d4 slashing damage.

Extra arms: 1 in 10 space yeti have an additional pair of arms (a la, white apes of Barsoom), allowing them an added attack per round. Since they're obviously good climbers (move full speed when climbing) the 6-limbed variety get an additional 2 moves per round when climbing. Also, more arms equates to more opportunities to rip off your arms.

1d20 will have both mutations.

Darksight: Big eyes = catlike vision at night. They can be blinded easily so many opt to wear goggles for everyday use.

Other: Space yeti keep the same characteristics of typical wookie stock, including thick coat to give them a resistance to cold (no penalties in subzero temps down to -30), ferocious roar to intimidate enemies (+2 to roll in combat situations), super strength (+3 PHY if you're making a PC) and are generally about 2.5 meters tall.

Skills:
Blastin' stuff: In my cosmos, they love carbines and old beam tech. The older/crappier, the better and get +1d4 proficiency up to 200 meters from target.

Tinkering: Space yetis are fascinated with technological junk. If you're playing one as a PC, you should build a robot or six. If you're constantly scavenging parts and putting them in your satchel, I'd give you an extra skill for every bot you make at no cost. Spaceship repair comes naturally, consider it a built-in skill. I'll give you a +1 to-hit bonus for tinkering with your primary hand weapon of choice.

Welding: Every space yeti can weld. They all got As in metal shop. If you're making a weapon or welding some sort of A-Team war wagon. Your conveyance will get an armor bonus (+2 protection) cause you're so awesome.

Personality traits (1d12, for inspiration):

1. Cranky
2. Kleptomaniac
3. Stubborn
4. Loveable (+1 in human encounters while negotiating)
5. Short-tempered
6. Methodical
7. Inquisitive
8. Brooding
9. Belligerent (-1 in human encounters while negotiating)
10. Gentle
11. Secretive
12. Haughty

If you're not using them as PCs, they should be generally unfriendly. I once thought (after Star Wars, but before the holiday special) that wookies were naturally mean and it was just Han's relationship with Chewie that made him sociable. If you're not already a space yeti, then yer most likely looking fer trouble, dig?

Society: Space yeti's hail from the planet Himalannia where they build Frank Lloyd Wright-style homes in the mountains and jungles. They're mainly tribal and omnivorous.

There's no freakin' Lifeday, so don't go there. They have a natural musk that not everyone finds enchanting.

Customs: Because they love tech so much, it can sometimes become an obsession. Many a yeti has been cut down by a rival over a gadget or gizmo. Should you be a space yeti PC and run into another of your kind, expect the following:

1. Chest thumping and mispronunciation of your name, a comment about your closest friend or family member, or lewd implication regarding what's about to happen to you.
2. Rite of Challenge for what's in your satchel.
3. Winner reduces rival to 1/2 hit points (or more) in order to claim victory. 
4. Loser must take victor's last name as shame for one year.
5. If you win, you have the right to boss that dude around for one session.

Yeti can also challenge other races if they like, but only if they really, really want some piece of highly-prized tech. GM's discretion advised (said piece should technically be important to the adventure's plot).

P.S. Wanna pick up some of those Galaxy Laser Team space yetis? They're in production again!

New Picture: White Apes of Barsoom!

Entertainment Weekly has a fresh interview with director Andrew Stanton and the latest photos from the John Carter of Mars flick. Then theres this little tidbit from the article [SPOILERS, if you've not read the books], in which Stanton explains that the Tharks chain down Carter to keep him from low-grav jumping his way to freedom in a gladitorial arena. Stanton explains Carter's dilemma, but he leaks a little info about the beast itself (emphasis mine):

AS: There’s a subtle sense of anticipation for what these things might be like. Then Michael Kutsche — who did a lot of the designs on [the Johnny Depp movie] Alice in Wonderland – came up with this design on his own, for just their scale. He made them nocturnal, almost like moles — they stopped using their eyes, and just had a heightened sense of smell. We just love that. We needed a scene where Carter was going have to get out of his execution sentence in order to move the story forward, and we thought what better than having to go up against this formidable creature?

...and later...

EW: I’m sure John Carter is thinking right now, “This is a really interesting problem.”
AS: [Chuckles.] Right. And you’ve got these apes that can’t see, but they can smell really well. So it gives you a slight chance to not be killed immediately.

It's been a while since I read the books, but I don't recall the apes being blind.

Am I wrong? What do you think about the way this is playing out?

HERCULOIDS COMING TO DVD JUNE 14!!!

So this is really happening! HERCULOIDS ON DVD PEOPLE! Laser dragons! Rock Apes! Rhinoceratopses! Slingshot wielding barbarians! Shape-shifting shmooes! Because the world needs more science fantasy cartoons filled with Alex Toth designed characters.

Pre-order the complete series or order on Tuesday, June 14!! Relevant promotional copy from Warner Bros.:

Somewhere out in deep space – and out of the creative imagination of the animation aces of Hanna-Barbera Studios – live the Herculoids. Humanoid Zandor, along with his wife Tara and son Dorno, lead a group of unique creatures: Zok the flying dragon, powerful simian Igoo (who possesses rock-like skin), rhinoceros hybrid Tundro and two protoplasmic wonders appropriately named Gloop and Gleep. Together, they use their diverse super strengths to defend their utopian planet against attack from such sinister invaders as the Pod Creatures, the Reptons and the Mutoids. For all-family entertainment, this 18-Episode, 2-Disc Collection of The Herculoid: The Complete Original Animated Series is out of this world, literally.

It's a "manufacture-on-demand" set from WB, which, kinda stinks because the price is set firmly at $29 without extras. The upside though is clean prints of the entire series. Frankly, this is the only way you're gonna get an official set. So don't go out for lunch this pay period and you can stop watching crappy Boomerang uploads on YouTube or (ahem) those other DVDs you came across...



Relevant Herculoids awesomeness:

• AD&D Herculoids write-ups
• Herculoids for the uninitiated (seriously, how could you not know?)
• Pick up Thundarr too, if you don't already have it!

/so awesome, it's getting re-posted on Gamma World War and Spellcard.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars Art Print!

So the Criterion Collection has released Robinson Crusoe on Mars on Blu-Ray and DVD. If you're not familiar with Criterion Collection, they put out classic and rare films on DVD using the highest quality original prints available. I have several CC releases and each one is superb.

Anyway, every once in a while they do something special for releases, and they're offering a signed giclee print of the DVD cover by artist Bill Sienkiewicz. It ain't cheap, but if you use promo code "MONA50" they'll knock $50.00 off. Not bad!

I haven't seen the film itself yet. I've got it next on my Netflix queue. I'm hoping it will provide some inspiration for working on my X-plorers setting.

Oh, and it stars Adam West! BATMAN....IN...SPAAAAAACE!


Via Super Punch

I've got ape fever!

Yes, it's true. I'm going ape. Ape for sci-fi apes that is. You know I was never into Planet of the Apes too much. I think when I watched the movies on TV as a kid I just thought they were ridiculous. I'd already been exposed to Chewbacca, and really, how can you be cooler than Chewy? (The dude flew on spaceship and had a big freakin' laser crossbow. No contest.).

Anywho, I saw these on ebay recently:

I think the double impatiens will look splendid over there.

...and had to have them. Unfortunately, I missed out and they went to someone else who has no idea how freakin' lucky he is. Because (and this is a pipe dream people, if there ever was one) I wanted to turn them into an army of these:

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?"

That's right--MOSS APES! That dude is Moss Man from Masters of the Universe. Yeah, he's definitely not a "man". He's a plant ape. PLANT APE. Do you understand the importance of Plant Ape? It's just sitting there--ripe fodder for becoming an alien civilization. Barbarian plant apes, my friends. With laser rifles. Because everything is better with LASER RIFLES.

Better watch your ass Charlton Heston.

Bonus: consolation prize (you're welcome!)

P.S. I'm positive this is something Brutorz Bill has likely already thought of (and done better a thousand times over) but if I don't post it my gamer ADD won't let me move on. So there.

Alien Races: Kthodah, Super-intelligent Neanderthals

The Kthodah are a new alien race for X-plorers RPG

Origin
No one is exactly sure where the kthodah hail from, but they make their home on worlds with advanced civilizations. They are a race of super-intelligent humanoids that are descended from Earth-like Neanderthals. Kthodah brandish weapons similar to their primitive ancestors (clubs, maces, and the like) but they are more sophisticated, energy-enhanced, and far more dangerous (see below).

Physical Characteristics
They resemble Neanderthals in nearly every way, exhibiting the same sloping forehead, prominent cranial ridge, and pronounced jaw. Males are usually of bulky build, especially around the shoulders and upper torso/arms. Females are not as big as their counterparts but bulkier than a typical human female.Kthodah leaders may opt to remove a portion of their skull to help enhance their psionic abilities (see below). They often replace the missing part with a transparent metal skull-plate that aids in psionic training and can translate to a +1 ability bonus should they elect the procedure. Through artificial enhancement they live to around 300 years old, with middle age beginning around 235.

Limitations

In certain circles, kthodah males may participate in a ritual de-toeing meant to exhibit their stamina and tolerance for pain (a feat that takes enormous mental fortitude and will power as well as resistance to fatigue). In traditional fashion, center-most toes are removed using a ceremonial clamp (not unlike a typical surgical utensil) and twisted off the foot. The outside remaining toes are left to provide the men some stability when walking.* Kthodah "Fathers" (communal leaders) typically only have 2 toes per foot.


*Note: kthodah typically have shorter legs in proportion to their body and are not great runners anyway.

Special Abilities
Females have a unique musical/sonic talent, wherein their "singing" can calm their male counterparts with great effectiveness. This ability is known to work on humans, but to a slightly lesser degree (-1). Kthodah males can be lulled to sleep with the song of a female, if her "song is true" (pleasing to the ear and the male is receptive). Males have enhanced strength and endurance beyond normal human ability as well as a keen senses of smell and hearing. Males can also leap remarkable distances, adding up to 1d10 to their movement.

A larger-than-human brain provides both sexes a few select psionic abilities to call upon, including telepathy, empathy, and psionic blast abilities. With intense training they may also develop telekinesis. Physical and mental abilities develop early, around age 7 or 8.

Society
Kthodah live in small cliques of 12-15 adults with a patriarch usually mating with several females. Dominance is determined through championship duels combining brute strength and psionic powers, the winner of which gets his pick of the females. These groups are constantly traveling in spacecraft of their own design and build, often colorful and highly polished--even to the point of garishness.

Vocational Aptitude
These hominids are extremely bright and have mastered advanced technology in terraforming, agriculture, medicine, communications, and space travel; and excel in other disciplines as well. Their language is so sophisticated that most linguists are unable to successfully translate their native tongue. Fortunately kthodah are able to communicate using telepathy and can interface with most intelligent/sentient lifeforms.

Belief System
Kthodah do not seem to exhibit any type of religious or philosophical indoctrination. While they respect the views of other races, they do not worship any particular deity.

Persona
The kthodah are a passionate people and well cultured, despite outward appearances. Older males are very gruff, while younger bachelors are fairly care free. Home life for both sexes can be combative (to say the least), hence, they tend to have a short fuse in moments of duress.Kthodah are master strategists in life and battle and take planning important ventures very seriously. The lack of humor in these situations can often be off-putting to outsiders.While not inherently nasty, they can run the gamut of friendly or downright evil, especially into middle age.

Dress/Equipment
Males and females often wear colorful and striking tunics and brightly colored headbands. As males have a great deal of body and facial hair, they may opt to wear shorter sleeves to accentuate this aspect to females in close proximity. Females are sometimes seen in chainmail on the occasion they enter a battle. Both genders wear a synthetic type of armor (resembling leather) that allows for greater protection against mental as well as physical attacks (+1 to both) and may don jewelry if it pleases them or a mate.

Common Weapons/Accessories
Energy-amplified Club/Mace/Axe - treat as regular weapon with +1d6/+1d10/+1d12 accordingly.
Energy-amplified staff - +2d4 and often also used for support in walking (typical weapon for older males)
Sonic submissive grenade - roll vs. stun, causes 1d4+1 rounds of deafness
Energy or ray weapons - kthodah are known to use a variety of advanced energy projection devices including energy rods, wands, scepters, lasers, ray guns, etc.
Psionic circlets - kthodah have some inherent psionic abilities, but they are known to devise psionic weapons to enhance these talents with an additional 1d6 effectiveness

Stats Template

Move: 12", or hindered by 1d4 if high ranking male

AC: 9, can be augmented depending on armor

Special Abilities: Females: lullaby - treat as sleep spell with +1 bonus per level of PC; Males: scent, hearing, and +1 on encounters where brute strength or stamina is involved , leap adds 1d10 to their movement range.

X-plorers Bonuses/Penalties:
PHY +1
INT +2 (bonuses to psionic abilities as listed)
PRE +1
AGL -1

D&D Bonuses/Penalties
INT +2 (bonuses to psionic abilities as listed, and linguistics)
STR +1
WIS +1
CON +1
DEX -1

Note: As I'm bad with stats, which likely explains the hodge-podge approach. Feedback is appreciated. :)