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Text and NUELOW game, Copyright Steven Miller, 1994. All rights reserved.
"FAIRIES!"
The Role-playing Game of Magical Woodland Creatures
With Dubious Gender and Questionable Sexuality
"I want two women and three elven hunks and I want 'em for all night," says the divorced mother of two when her character from a grim, gritty, cyber-punk fantasy future reaches Joe's Cash and Merry.
"Give me the ones with the dirty illuminations," says the priest playing a swashbuckling scholar in mythical medieval Europe.
It seems that regardless of the type of role-playing game that is being played, the characters will, eventually, engage in lecherous behavior. In most game systems, GMs have to rely on their own limited experience with lechery to give the characters what they want. That is, after all, the only way to please the character's player, and isn't' that what the game is ultimately all about?
Another problem is that most game systems don't give overworked GMs any material to work with when the player... oops, characters let their baser instincts come to the surface. ("What would an elf consider safe sex, any way, and how much would he charge for an hour?" The GM, who spent the last three evenings working out the intricate political jockeying for position of the Guild of Bellmakers and the Guild of Seamstresses, hasn't given brothels in the Town of Chestrile a thought. Disgusted, he folds his GMs screen. "Get out! Get OUT!")
If this happens time and again with a gaming group, or if the GM wants to run a campaign centered on the conquest of hearts rather than nations, the NUELOW GENERAL GAME SYSTEM is what you've been waiting for. "Fairies!" is only the first in a series ofinterlocking games that focus a little more on love (both in the ideal and carnal sense) than those that have proceeded it.
DISCLAIMER
It is not our intention to encourage promiscuity and
debauchery among gamers. This product line is simply a response to
the many gamers who like to "play house" with imaginary people
while sitting around a table with a room full others. NUELOW is a
way to ensure that everyone's playing the same game, so to speak.
We provide the framework, you, if you must, provide the dirty mind.
The NUELOW team is very much aware that many gamers are impressionable children, and, as parents and/or uncles ourselves, know the importance of providing young children with entertainment that displays sound values. For this reason, there is nothing in any of the NUELOW series that couldn't make it onto prime-time television, or hasn't been approved by SMOSM (Steve Miller's Overly Sensitive Mother).
While NUELOW is a playable game, it is more satire of certain attitudes and mindsets held by many hobby gamers than anything else. If you don't like it, too bad. We've already spent your money.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY
You've already got all the rules right here in this book. Now,
you need at least one six-sided die, some friends, a pencil or two,
and some paper to write your character up on. Oh, and munchies.
Don't forget the munchies.
We apologize for not requiring you acquire all manner of "funny dice" (i.e., 4-sided dice, 8-sided dice, 36-sided dice...). Our initial intention was to market 600-sided dice with the NUELOW line, but we found that it takes close to an hour for one of them to stop spinning once thrown. So we went through "Fairies!" and deleted a bunch of zeroes. (Oh well, into every business a little Edsel must fall...)
PERSONAL PRONOUNS IN NUELOW PRODUCTS
Since the designers and editors of this series find "he" and
"she" equally offensive, oppressive, exclusionary, whatever, all
characters in NUELOW will be referred to as "it." (Exept in those
cases where the character's gender is clear.)
Attribute Rating Cost Per Point Level 1-3 1 Attribute Impaired 4-7 3 Average 8-10 10 Exceptional 11-12 30 Legendary 13-15 60 Divine
Attributes are a measure of a character's natural talents in certain areas. Characters who attempt a difficult or dangerous action (frolic with a porcupine, seduce acrusader, whatever) roll two six-sided dice, or one six-sided die twice, adding the results and checking them against the appropriate Attribute Rating. If the number is equal to or less than the Attribute Rating, the character is successful. If the attempt fails, the GM is at liberty to decide the result. Each character can perform one action per round, unless the GM, or rules say otherwise. An Attribute Rating of zero is not recommended. (Other players will make fun of zero-ratings.)
Strength: A measure of the character's ability to inflict damage upon another character while exchanging blow, or how much he or she can lift and/or carry. The maximum load a character can handle is equal to the Strength Rating times 10 pounds. Equipment weights are given in pounds. For every 5 pounds the character is over its encumbrance limit, its movement rate is cut by one-third.
When punching characters, or attacking with blunt or edged hand-held weapons, the character has the following modifiers to damage inflicted (Results less than zero do no damage):
Strength Rating Damage Modifier
0-3 -2
4-7 0
8-10 +1
11-12 +2
13-15 +4
Agility: This reflects how naturally coordinated the character is. Anything from tightrope walking to eating a bowl of Jello-brand gelatin-cubes ("Jigglers!") with a fork would be checked against Agility. The Agility-rating also allows the characters to dodge hand-to-hand (or kick) attacks, if half the rating is rolled on two six-sided dice.
Looks: This is the character's physical attractiveness to any species or sex that could possibly be affected by it. The Looks Rating modifies the Personality Rating so:
Looks Rating Personality Rating Modifier
0-3 -3
4-7 0
8-10 +1
11-12 +3
13-15 +6
The modifiers represent the first-impression reactions character's with bad looks get from the surrounding world. This penalty may be negated (DMs option) once characters get to know each other.
Intelligence: This reflects the character's ability to understand abstract ideas, adapt to unexpected situations, and find their way out of a paper bag should the need arise. Further, the Intelligence Rating allows the character to see through subterfuge. (On a successful check, of course.) The Intelligence Rating also modifies the Personality Rating.
Intelligence Rating Personality Rating Modifier
0-3 -2
4-7 0
8-10 0
11-12 +1
13-15 -3
GMs and players will note that at either extreme on the scale,
the character has a negative modifier. Once again, this reflects
first impressions. Let's face it, the general public is not likely
to react kindly to someone who constantly drools, or a character
whose first words are "I am the Lord, thy God. Bring my
commandments unto the people." On the other hand, the positive
modifier reflects the fact that mid-level geniuses each have their
own special brand of charm.Personality: This is how commanding a presence the character has, as well as how well it relates to other characters. Beyond "first-impressions," this is the Attribute most attempts at socializing would be checked against. (A character looking for a one-night stand would check against Looks, but a character looking for marriage would check against Personality.)
Health: This is a rating of how much physical punishment a character can take, and how well it can resist and/or recover from illnesses. When the Health Rating goes to zero from non-lethal attacks (fists, certain toxins, over-exertion, etc.,) the character goes unconscious. When the Health Rating goes to zero from lethal attacks (swords, shotguns, being thrown from a great height, etc.,) the character is dead. Recovery of non-lethal damage is at the rate of 1 point per hour, or 2 points per hour of total rest. Recovery of lethal damage is at the rate of 1 point per day if properly cared for (by someone with the Healing Skill,) 1 point per week if left unattended. Dead characters do not recover damage--they just decompose.
Pain Threshold: This measures how well a character endures physical punishment. Whenever a character suffers 3 points or more damage in one round, it must make a check against the Pain Threshold Rating. A failed check means the character has fainted from unbearable agony. Honorable or merciful opponents, such as fairies, will refrain from attacking (or whatever) the character. Opponents like Crusaders and wild animals, however, will take advantage of the character's weakness. Fairies have notoriously low Pain Thresholds, as they are lovers, not fighters.
As mentioned previously, in "Fairies!" players to assume the roles of fairies, crusaders, or half-fairies. While that may seem a bit limited, please remember that further volumes are being prepared for NUELOW. Each of those will introduce two or more new player character species. (Some of which will have Attribute Ratings on scales from 1-20, just for you power-gamers.) And unlike certain other "universal" role-playing games systems, all NUELOW products will be 100 percent compatible with what has gone before. As future products are released, cowboys, space pirates, and even drunken frat boys might make their way to the Magic Forest. (And the peoples of "Fairies!" may invade those other realms.) In the meantime, GMs and players who feel constrained by three races can always design their own. It's not brain surgery or anything...
Fairies range in height from 3" to 7', appear any age, of any build, any gender, and any humanoid species and race the GM wishes to put in the campaign world. Generally speaking, a fairy appears like a slender, androgynous figure, almost child-like in appearance and build. They have little use for clothes and rarely wear more than a loincloth, if that. They keep the company of forest creatures and spend their time in playful frolics, cavorting, playing musical instruments, and sleeping in the sun (both literally and euphemistically). Characteristics that vary from fairy to fairy are outlined under Advantages and Disadvantages. Fairies as a group have no particular ill will toward those who would harm them. Rather, they pity the violent crusaders and half-fairies, and take every opportunity to encourage them to have fun and engage in fairy-like pleasures.
Change Appearance at Will: This power takes one round, and allows the fairy to assume any humanoid form within the parameters set forth above. This power also allows fairy to assume gender (male or female) if the fairy is in its preferred androgynous state. If it is in a form that is clearly male or female, then it takes two rounds to change to an opposite gender. (The fairy must assume its androgynous state first.) The Fairy's Looks Rating remains the same regardless of what shape the character assumes.
Finally, a newly created fairy character receives one six-sided die worth of Attribute Rating free in Agility, Looks, and Personality. (Each Attribute is rolled separately.)
Tone Deafness: Crusaders believe they have the highest developed sense of music in the world. The truth is that they can't carry a tune to save their lives, or even appreciate music when they hear it. Any music, besides the monotone chants performed during crusader religious services, seems like little more than unstructured noise to a crusader, and this enrages said crusader. If a crusader attacks a character that is singing or playing a musical instrument, the crusader has a +1 bonus to damage rolls.
Finally, a newly created crusader character receives one six-sided die worth of Attribute Rating free in Strength, Health, and Pain Threshold. (Each Attribute is rolled separately.)
Half-fairies are notorious for being bad tempered, sadistic and violent toward those who are not of their kind. This mean-streak is evident even from a half-fairy's earliest years, so half-fairies are often driven out of the communities their human parents dwell in. Eventually, half-fairies stumble upon one of several hidden half-fairy communities in or near the Magic Forest. (Anyone but half-fairies finding such a village is tortured and generally not unfortunate to survive the experience.)
Half-fairies unfortunate enough to be born to a crusader are left to die of exposure in the countryside. Often, roving bands of half-fairies (3-18 in numbers) find such abandoned children and bring them to one or their secret enclaves. Half-fairy are viewed with sorrow by the fairies, who wish their physical off-springs had their sense of fun; and as abominations to be destroyed by crusaders.
Die Roll Genetic Advantage
1 Change Appearance at Will
2 Dour Looks
3 Tone Deafness
4-6 Nothing Special
Finally, a newly created half-fairy character receives one six-sided die worth of Attribute Rating free in Agility, and 1-3 free levels of Weapons Use: Dagger (see Skills.) Not a true genetic advantage, this is more a reflection of half-fairies love of cutting things (ideally living things) into little pieces.
As the character adventures (or frolics, scowls, bumps off fairies, whatever) the GM awards additional skill points. If the GM likes you, he or she will give your character lots of points. These points are applied toward improving Attributes or Skills, buying new Skills and Advantages, and "buying-off" disadvantages. Future NUELOW products will introduce additional advantages, disadvantages, and skills.
Meanwhile, GMs and players (with GM approval) are encouraged to make up their own if they feel constrained. (Again, this isn't brain surgery...)
Magical Ability (fairies and half-fairies only): This advantage can only be selected during character creation. Characters with this advantage have a natural talent for channeling mysterious energies that are the very fabric of the NUELOW reality. The intention to cast a spell and its target must be declared at the beginning of the round (see "Combat,) and the character must make an Agility-check, followed by a Pain Threshold-check to get the spell off. (Channeling the magical energies is painful.) If the character fails the Agility-check, the spell effects a character or creature other than the intended target. If the Pain Threshold-check is unsuccessful, the spellcaster falls unconcious and suffers a number of non-lethal damage points as rolled on one six-sided die.
Characters with the "Spellcraft" skill may create any effect allowed by the GM, while characters simply possessing Magical Ability cause random effects as rolled on two six-sided dice and checked against the following list (Unless otherwise is stated, each spell effect is either instantanious or lasts for 1 round:
3. Pain: The creature affected falls to the ground, writhing and screaming in pain. The creature suffers 2 points of non-lethal damage and must make a successful Pain Threshold-check or go unconcious. This is the perferred spell-effect of half-fairy magic-users.
4. Destroy Metal: All metal objects carried by the target crumble to flecks of rust after two rounds.
5. Energy Bolt: A glowing bolt strikes the target for 1 point of lethal damage. The target must make a successful Health-Attribute check (against the full Attribute Rating) or the Health Attribute point is gone forever.
6. Create Object: The caster may create any inanimate object that can easily be carried. The object must be specified before the spell is cast. (If the caster was not seeking this effect, nothing happens.)
7. Black Hole: A void opens around the target, sucking the character through to another world in the NUELOW multiverse.
8-10. Pretty Lights: The air around the caster is filled with dancing, swirling lights. While mostly harmless, characters with an Intelligence Rating of 2-3 must make a successful Attribute Check or stop what they are doing and stare at the lights in awe. The lights remain in the air for a number of rounds rolled on a six-sided die.
11-12. GM's choice or no effect.
Musical Talent: Allows character to play instruments not selected under the Skill "Play Musical Instrument" with only +3 to the Attribute Check. Further, the character receives a -2 bonus to any attempts at Seducing another through music. This advantage costs 4 points.
Ohmy Companion (half-faires only): The character has a telepathic link with a giant slug that can identify fairies despite the form they are in. The GM rolls an Intelligence Attribute Check with a -1 modifyer for the character. If the check is successful and there is a fairy within 10 feet of the half-fairy and the ohmy, the half-fairy recognizes it for what it is. (See "Monsters of the Magic Forest.") This advantage costs 12 points.
Peasant Slave (crusaders only): The character has a permanent retainer with him, a companion from childhood who was born to peasants who somehow became the property of the character's family. (See "Creatures of the Magic Forest" for details.) This advantage costs 10 points.
Robust Health: The player may roll a six-sided die and add the result to the character's Health Attribute Rating. This advantage costs 4 points, regardless of what the player rolls.
Shapechange, animal form (fairies only): This advantage can only be selected during character creation. The character may assume the form of a specific animal of the player's choosing. The animal form chosen can't be any smaller than a mouse or larger than a Clydesdale horse. The character may only become an avian if it has one of the Wings advantages. The change takes one round to complete. At the GMs option, this advantage may be treated as a Skill (see below), with each level representing a different animal. The character must buy each level with character points at the cost given for Skills. The character must revert to humanoid form between two different animal forms. The initial Shapechange advantage costs 2 points.
Wings, permanent (fairies and half-fairies only): This advantage can only be selected during character creation. The character has a large pair of wings growing from his shoulders. The wings enable it to carry itself, plus half its maximum weight allowance aloft, and fly at its full unencumbered movement rate. (Movement rates are discussed in the "Combat" section.) If more weight is carried, flight is impossible. Wings are considered separate from the character's Health Attribute for purposes of calculating damage. Each wing has points equal to half the character's starting Health Attribute Rating, and are only damaged by "called shots." (Which are also discussed in the "Combat" section.) Once all points are gone on one wing, flight is no longer possible. Wings heal damage as indicated above. Character who crash to the ground take 3 points of lethal damage and one six-sided die of non-lethal damage for every 12 feet fallen. Half-fairies with this advantage must have armor custom-made at twice the normal price, and no character may not wear anything heavier than 2 points while in flight. The wings are visible regardless of what form a fairy chooses to take. Characters with the Wing advantage should take the Flying skill to use them to maximum advantage. This advantage costs 5 points.
Wings, transmutable (fairies only): This advantage can only be selected during creation. The character can make wings with the same effectiveness as the ones above appear on its back at will. It takes one round for the wings to materialize, but the character can choose their appearance (feathered, leathery, etc.). In all other respects, the same rules that apply to permanent wings apply to these. Transmutable wings are fully healed each time they materialize, however. This advantage costs 12 points.
Characters may spend points to negate disadvantages as they earn points. When a character has "repaid" the points it earned from taking the disadvantage, it is "cured" of whatever its weakness was.
Chafing (crusaders and half-fairies only): The character has sensitive skin and can't wear armor heavier than 1 point. This disadvantage is worth 5 points.
Klutzy: The character's Agility can't exceed 6 until the disadvantage has been "repaid." This disadvantage is worth 10 points.
Sense of Honor (crusaders and half-fairies only): The character never attacks a foe who is down, unarmed, or otherwise ill-equipped to defend itself. You always "call out" opponents, and you never cheat at games. This disadvantage is worth 3 points.
Sexual preference, animal (Intelligence-based, +1): We think that says it all. The character's player may choose the animal. Fairies may not take this disadvantage in conjunction with the advantage Shapechange, animal form. This disadvantage is worth 10 points.
Sexual preference, male or female (Intelligence-based, +2): For the free-lovin' fairies this is a major social stigma: you're supposed to experience the joy of sex with every living thing that can have pleasurable sexual relations with you. For crusaders and half-fairies this is only a disadvantage if it's a same-sex preference, or a thing for young children. This disadvantage is worth 5 points.
Sickly: The character's Health can't exceed 4 until the disadvantage has been "repaid." This disadvantage is worth 10 points.
Vengeful (crusaders and half-fairies only, Intelligence-based, +5): The character wants to kill something... anything. When the character takes damage, it must pursue the attacker, intent on killing it, until the pursuit is obviously hopeless. (GM's call, or another Intelligence check at +3.) This disadvantage is worth 3 points.
On the other hand, a character has a penalty for attempting to perform an action he isn't skilled in. GMs should use their judgment in determining the results of a failed check, and even if the character can do what is required without the skill. (Tracking, for example, is not something a character without the skill could even attempt... unless it's tracking someone through fresh mud.)
Skill Level Point Cost Bonus to Checks
0 0 +4
1 2 0
2 4 -1
3 8 -2
4 16 -4
Characters may attempt to use more than one skill per round. A fairy may try to seduce a crusader while frolicking, for example. Both checks must be successful for the desired effect to come about, and often all Attribute Bonuses should be added to one or both checks. Common sense (as interpreted by the GM) should be applied.
Flying (Agility-based): Highly recommended for characters with wings of either type. This ability ensures that a flying character can land without hurting itself. Characters who possess the Flying skill may use Frolic while airborne. Also, for each Skill Level purchased, the character may choose one of the following special flight maneuvers:
2: Drag-and-drop allows the flyer to grab one previously stated target on the ground on a successful Wrestling Skill check, and drag that target the full movement rate for one round, doing 2 points of non-lethal damage. The seized character may attack during that round, with a +1 penalty to the Weapons Use skill check. The flyer's movement rate is halved for the round immediately following.
3: Strafing Runs is similar to the swoop attack, except the character may attack an unlimited amount of characters on the ground. The flyer swoops down and flies parallel to the ground, attacking up to three targets per round on a straight line. (However, if multiple targets are attacked each round, the character suffers the penalties mentioned under "Combat.")
4: Flying Ace allows the character to engage in hand-to-hand (and kick) combat with other airborne characters without suffering the movement penalty. Combat is resolved as if happening on the ground. (Lesser-skilled opponents are still subject to movement penalties, of course.)
Healing (Intelligence-based): The character knows a little bit about anatomy ("No, I'm pretty certain both feet are supposed to point in the same direction...") as well as a passing familiarity with home remedies and bandaging wounds. A successful check will cure 2 points of non-lethal damage or 1 point of lethal damage. This may only be attempted once on each group of wounds. (One sword wound, one fall from a great height, etc.) The character with healing skill may only use it to cure non-lethal damage on itself.
Play Musical Instrument (Personality-based): This skill enables character to play a musical instrument without embarrassing itself, unless the Attribute Check is failed. (Then, the results can be quite embarrassing... GMs choice.) For each instrument the character wishes to play, it must buy a different Play Musical Instrument skill. A fairy may add its Looks Attribute bonus when pairing Play Musical Instrument with Seduce. (You know, rock 'n' corrupts, and music tames the savage beast...)
Seducing (Looks-based): The character may attempt to use a variety of techniques, mental and physical, to sway one or more other characters who might harbor even the faintest physical attraction to the seducer to do... uh, services and favors for it. The nature of these services are up to the seducer. A seduced creature can take no actions (other than perhaps kiss or fondle the seducer) for the first round of seduction. On subsequent rounds, the character always acts last, and then only if the seducer approves it. However, a target may roll against its Intelligence score if they wish to attempt to resist the seduction attempt. The following modifiers apply to the character's check to resist being seduced:
Intelligence Modifier Mitigating Circumstance
-3 Giving in will be dangerous
-2 Seducer is personal enemy
-1 Seducer attacked target earlier
+1 Eye-contact with seducer
+2 Physical contact with seducer
+3 No negatives from succumbing
+4 Expects pleasure beyond dreams
Modifiers are cumulative where one or more applies. There are as many other circumstances that might result in modifiers. Again, GMs should use their best judgment in the individual situations. The seduction effect remains in full force for as along as the seducer and the seduced are within line-of-sight of each other, and for a number of rounds rolled on two six-sided, minus the seducer's Intelligence Attribute bonus. Since fairies are such sensual, carnal creatures, all targets attempted to resist advances from one of their kind must apply an immediate +2 against the Intelligence Attribute check. Additionally, once a character has been seduced, it will always be susceptible to the wiles of that particular seducer to the tune +1 to the Intelligence roll, +3 if the seduction resulted in carnal delights.
Set Traps (Intelligence-based): The character may set small traps to catch game. The details of the trap is up to the character. If the character wants to build a trap to capture an intelligent creature, it must make an Attribute check at +2 to construct an effective, well-concealed trap. (The GM should make this roll, since the character will be convinced the job was well done.)
Sexual Prowess (Agility-based): Self-explanitory, yes? This is one of those rare skills where two or more characters who possess it need to interact for maximum effectiveness. If only one of the characters has the skill, that character will probably feel cheated when all is said and done. It perhaps goes without saying, but there are few skills more embarrassing to fail an Attribute check for than Sexual Prowess. Strength modifiers may be applied to the check at the GM's option. Possibly, a Health and/or Pain Threshold Attribute Check might be necessary for particular strenuous, extended or unusual bouts of whoopy. (At any rate, Strength Ratings are used to decide who's on top if there's a dispute...) At GMs option, characters with Sexual Prowess may subtract their Agility Attribute bonus from attempts to resist seduction.
Spellcraft (Non-applicable): This skill is usuable only by fairies and half-fairies who have the Magical Ability Advantage. This skill enables the character to choose the effect created by the unleashed magical energies. Attribute checks mentioned under Magical Ability still apply.
Sneaking (Agility-based): Popular among half-fairies, this allows the character to move about almost invisible in areas with foliage, tall grass or heavy shadows. Successful use of this skill even grants the character one free attack, as if invisible. It also places a +3 penalty on any Tracking roll on the character's trail. A character wearing armor has a lessened chance of successfully Sneaking: for every point of armor worn, there is a +2 penalty on the Sneaking check.
Tracking (Intelligence-based): The character may interpret minute clues a broken branch, a bent piece of grass to follow a creature's trail. A character can't track over hard surfaces or through a running stream... unless the creature was dropping bread crumbs or channel markers as it went.
Unarmed Combat (Agility-based): The character is familiar with one or more martial arts styles. Fairies with this skill generally practice a form of judo: on a successful Attribute Check the fairy chooses either to place the opponent in a hold or throw him. A hold, at the performing character's choosing, can either do 1 point of non-lethal damage or no damage. A throw does 1 point of lethal damage. Fairies often pair this skill with Frolicking and Wrestling, as part of a lead-in to love making. Crusaders and half-fairies always do damage with their Unarmed Combat roll, punching for 1 point non-lethal damage with a bare fist, or two points lethal damage with a spiked gauntlet.
Weapons Use (Variable): Each weapons skill must be bought separately. See "Equipment" for available weapons, and the Attribute checked for their usage's. Each additional level purchased in a Weapons Use category, give the character -1 on to-hit checks. Generally, fairies do not have more than one Weapons Use Skill.
Wrestling (Agility-based): The character is familiar with techniques that will hold a struck target in place. The wrestler can choose to pin a target in place or tear a small object(jewelry, a piece of clothing) from the target's body. The target may not attack while held, but may try to squirm free on a successful Agility check at +2. The target may, of course, attack at will if the wrestler chose not to hold it. Fairies often use this Skill in combination with Frolicking or Seduce, or Unarmed Combat.
Each player must declare what action the character will perform that round, using the characters' Agility Attribute Ratings to determine who acts first, highest scores act first. A player may choose to hold a character's action until later in the round, but must call it as soon as actions have been declared for the character he or she was trying to shaft... uh, support. Each character can perform at least one action per round, although GMs can rule that the character can do more or less, too. (It's a rare thing, though, when a character can't just lay still on the ground, unconscious, or just overcome with exhaustion.) If there is one or more characters with the same Agility Rating, the order is as follows:
Attribute Ratings are also used to determine who controls the situation during close encounters of the carnal kind. Characters with the Sexual Prowess skill always act first in the round, and any other disputes need to be moderated by the GM. The characters should ideally be engaged only in consensual acts of this nature, but if player egos get in the way, the GM can look at the specific situation and determine which Attribute Rating should be applied. Generally, the Agility or Personality Ratings will apply, but if the words "whips" and "chains" have come up (together or separately) Strength is most likely the Attribute to go off. Characters that have been seduced into the situation will always act after the seducer, unless instructed to do otherwise. See "Attacking" for addtional information.
GMs who like their games complicated are invited to come up with arcane movement modifier charts for various types of terrain. We may or may not include expanded ground movement rules in "Lust and Dust!," a role-playing game of the Wild West, and the second entry in the NUELOW series. We're torn between the guiding philosophy behind NUELOW ("Keep it simple, and if that's not possible, keep it stupid...") and our recognition of the fact that many role-players want rules for everything. We'll probably be debating whether to include such rules up to the moment of release.
The flying rules, however, will definitely be elaborated upon in "Stars and Garters!," the NUELOW science fiction role-playing game. See the inside of this product's front cover for release date and/or current availability. (We feel a bit weasily about splitting the flying rules this way, but the expanded rules deal primarily with airiel combat and firing Big Guns while airborne... and there are no Big Guns in "Fairies!" Well, not yet at least. Get your copy of "Stars and Garters!" as soon as you can.)
A character may attack up to three targets in one round, if those targets are in melee combat. For each target attacked, a +1 penalty is added to the Weapons Use skill Attribute check. (+1 for the first target, +2 for the second, and +3 for the third.) Only one ranged attack is possible.
Characters may choose to take "called shots." There is a +3 to-hit penalty on "called shots," but extra damage is inflicted on successful hits, with vital areas subject to the greatest damage bonuses. (The damage still needs to exceed the Armor Rating.)
Ranged attacks are resolved as so: if it looks like the character can hit the target, the character can hit the target. (GM rulings are final.)
Called-shot Location Extra Damage
Head roll six-sided, apply
result
Torso 4 points
Arms 2 points, +1 penalty on
to-hit rolls
Legs 1 point, +2 penalty on
relevant Agility
checks,lower movement rate
1/3 for each 3 points of
"called shot" damage.
Wings on fairies and half-fairies can only be hit with "called shots." The damage inflicted is as per a normal attack, but the to-hit penalties apply.
Certain sexual situations might require to-hit rolls (Agility or Strength Attribute Checks.) These include characters who are moving, characters who are in a boat on a storm-tossed sea, or character's trying to engage in sexual acts with an unwilling target. We discourage such behavior, and find individuals who force others to have sex against their will (equals rape) not worthy of the space they occupy on this planet. There are, nonetheless, characters in role-playing games that will behave as scum. GMs should see to it that any non-player character who is being raped fights back to the best of its ability, even if it means the loss of the rapist's gonads ("called shot," automatic 5 points of damage, as well as a permament 3-point loss to Personality Rating and a +3 penalty to all future Sexual Prowess checks).
Beginning player characters in "Fairies!" roll one six-sided die. The result equals the peices of equipment the character starts with. It is possible that one character will have one item while another will have six. That's tough, but that's life. It's a multiverse of haves and have-nots, and if the player with one item bitches, the GM should remind him or her of the time-honored tradition for gaining more stuff in role-playing games: the looting of dead bodies.
The Equipment list is divided into three sections, "Armor," "Weapons" and "Other Stuff." Characters may have items from these lists (except those that are not allowed to their species) at creation, to a maximum of the number they rolled. Players make the selections. If the equipment available seems a bit meager, remember that future NUELOW products will expand this list greatly. Again, feel free to create your own items. (Pop Jeopardy answer: "Brain surgery." You pose the question for $1,000.)
How do the player characters barter for additional equipment? Well, they find a non-player character that has something one or more of them wants, then they find something the non-player character wants, and they trade. How do they get what the non-player character wants? Perhaps that's what the adventure is about. At any rate, getting what you need and want is not hard for a resourceful character in the Magic Forest.
Fairies have a limited selection of weapons. This reflects their non-violent nature.
Key to codes: AT=Attribute-base for Weapons Use skill checks. R=ranged; H=hand-to-hand; B=blunt; E=edged; l=lethal; nl=non-lethal; c=crusader; h=half-fairy; f=fairy; Str=Strength Attribute Rating; Agility=Agility Attribute Rating.
Weapon Type Damage Weight Size Race AT Bow R, E 2 l 2 pounds Medium All Str. Club H, B 1 nl 2 pounds Medium All Str. Club, spiked H, B/E 1 nl/l l 3 pounds Medium h Str. Crossbow, lgt. R, E 2 l 3 pounds Medium h Agil Crossbow, hvy. R, E 4 l 6 pounds Large c, h Agil Dagger H, E 1 l .2 pounds Small All Agil. Gauntlet H, B/E 1 nl/1 l 1 pound Small c Str. Lance, footman H, E 3 l 8 pounds Medium c Str. Lance, mounted H, E 6 l 15 pounds Large c Str. Mace, medium H, B 2 l 6 pounds Medium c, h Str. Mace, large H, B 4 l 11 pounds Medium c Str. Mace, spiked H, B/E 5 l 8 pounds Medium c, h Str. Sling R, B 1 nl .1 pounds Small f Agil. Staff H, B 1 nl 1 pound Medium f Str. Staff, spiked H, B/E 1 nl/2 l 2 pounds Medium h Str. Sword, small H, E 2 l 3 pounds Small All Agil. Sword, large H, E 4 l 6 pounds Medium c, h Agil. Sword, massive H, E 6 l 10 pounds Large c Str. Whips & chains H, B 1 nl 2 pounds Small h Agil.
Fairies tend to shy away from armor. Although they may wear full chain, they only do so when crusaders are invading the forest in full force. Fairies prefer to move about in as little clothing as possible, so they may feel the sweet breeze and warm sun on their naked skin, or change form when the urge strikes them (and do whatever else when the urge strikes them.) It is not uncommon for fairies to wear individual pieces of armor, particularly helmets with wild ornementations on them. Fairies who have permanent wings never wear torso armor of any type, and those with transmutable wings must remove the armor before they can use the wings.
Type Armor Rating Weight Race
Chain, full suit 2 20 pounds all
Chain, head 2 4 pounds h
Chain, torso 4 8 pounds all
Chain, arms 2 4 pounds c, h
Leather, torso 2 4 pounds f, h
Leather, arms 1 2 pound f, h
Leather, legs 1 2 pound f, h
Plate, full suit 4 40 pounds c
Plate, head 3 6 pounds c, f, h
Plate, torso 9 20 pounds c, h
Plate, arms 3 6 pounds all
Plate, legs 3 6 pounds all
For attacks that aren't "called shots," a character's Armor Rating equals the armor type's full suit or torso rating, whichever is less.
The restrictions given under race are primarily intended for the initial selection of equipment. (There's no reason why a fairy shouldn't pick up a lantern, half-fairy adult toys or a shotgun [found in "Lust and Dust!"] during its adventures.)
Although fairies are permitted many items on the list, a typical fairy will rarely be found with more than a belt, a pouch and an instrument or two. (No, we didn't forget to mention the clothes.)
Item Description/Notes Weight Race
Adult toys Guess! varies h
Backpack Holds stuff (20 pounds worth) .2 pounds (empty) c, h
Belt Holds stuff up .06 pounds all
Books with
dirty
illuminations Crusader porn 1-20 pounds c
Boots, plain Goes on feet 1 pound c, h
Boots,
steel-toed Goes on feet, inflicts 2 pts.
on successful Agil. check 3 pounds c
Cloak Warm and woolly 1 pound all
Clothes shirt, pants, etc. varies c, h
Pan flute what every fairy has .09 f
Tin flute makes tinny music .008 h, f
Harp,
hand-held makes heavenly music 5 pounds f
Horse, War See "Creatures" a lot! c
Lantern Lights up the night 4 pounds c, h
Moccasins Light footwear .007 f
Oil What lanterns need .1 pound (1 flask) c, h
Peasant slave See "Creatures" varies c
Pouch, belt Holds stuff (5 pounds worth) .01 pounds all
Sack Holds stuff (10 pounds worth) .01 pounds all
Tinder box Used to light fires .05 pounds all
Torch Lights up the night .02 pounds all
Unicorn See "Creatures" a lot! f
Fairies live in the Magic Forest, cavorting with all manner of wild beasts. There are a few well-hidden half-fairy communities in the most overgrown parts of the forest, but most other species dwell on the outskirts of the forest.
Crusaders, being a paranoid bunch who are convinced the fairies are everywhere, constantly trying to corrupt them (and with some justification) dwell in massive fortifications. Crusader fortresses only fall to treachery from within. Half-fairies have besieged more than one of them, only to break the siege off after three or four years. Besides crusaders and their small families, the fortresses are filled with foodstores, livestock, and the levels where the crusader's intelligent mounts war horses live when their not carrying the crusaders into battle against the fairies. These horse-like creatures have their reasons for hating fairies, but no one has been able to get them to reveal them. (YOUR CAMPAIGN HERE!)
Near every crusader fortress is a small village, populated by peasants. They till the soil, tend the crusader war horses, act as servants, and generally do whatever the heavily armed people from the massive stone building tell them to do. Mostly, the peasants serve out of tradition and gratitude.
Peasents fear the fairies who rob them of self-control, and the violent half-fairies, who rob them of life, seeing the crusaders as the only thing standing between the status quo and utter chaos. There are some peasants that have become slaves of the crusaders, however. These unfortunately souls have committed severe violation of the moral code (had sex with a fairy and got caught, whistled a tune on a holy day, etc.) or are descended from someone who did, and thus their whole family for ten generations is condemned to servitude. Peasant villages are protected by an extension of the crusader fortress' outer curtain wall. A few peasants also dwell by the Saw Sea where they fish for a living. (These peasants, if they were anything but creatures in a role-playing game, might be referred to as fishermen and fisherwomen.) Peasant villages contain little of note, other than peasants, which fairies enjoy seducing.
Half-fairy settlements are surrounded by low stone walls and all manner of pit traps. There is only one safe way to reach one. Nothing in known about how half-fairies live in their villages (YOUR CAMPAIGN HERE!) as even fairies have been unable to infiltrate them. Half-fairies keep ohmys, strange beings that resemble large (5' in length) slugs that have the uncanny ability to identify a fairy regardless of what shape it takes. Since ohmys are not found wild in any known territories, it is speculated that they are fetched by half-fairies from parcels of unexplored territories in the Magic Forest. These territories are generally called "Where the wild things are." They are too remote for the fairies to care about, and most crusaders and half-fairies don't want to bother with them as long has they have each other and fairies to kill off. These regions might be home to all manner of strange beasts. (YOUR CAMPAIGN SETTING HERE!)
West of the Magic Forest is a sandy beach and the Saw Sea, a vast ocean dotted with thousands of islands, large and small. It's here so that you may create seaborne adventures, and so we can use it for "Sea of Sinners!," the NUELOW pirate supplement. (We had to get the seamen jokes in somewhere.) To the north, is the Land of Hans, the place where the crusaders originally came from. (This is where we'll be placing our game of role-playing adventures in the worlds of Hans Christian Andersen, "Ugly Ducklings and Ice Queens!") To the east and south, we've got nothing. You can design your own regions (or make the Magic Forest part of your favorite game world).
Oh, and we've left any kind of scale of the map. That way you can make the Magic Forest as big or small as you want.
The Attribute Ratings given for the various species and animal categories below are averages, to be used as examples for GMs to design creatures and NPCs of their own. GMs should outfit intelligent creatures with the appropriate equipment.
Bear: Big furry creature that eats all manner of things, people included, if threatened. Found throughout the Magic Forest area. Bears are the friends of fairies, and enjoy having them scratch their stomachs. Attacks with claws for 3 l/4 nl damage.
Str: 12, Agil: 5, Lks: 5, Itl: 3, Per: 2, Hth:14, Pth: 12.
Birds: Anything from a humming bird to a condor. Found through out the Magic Forest area.
Str: 2, Agil: 11, Lks: 7, Itl: 1, Per: 1, Hth: 4, Pth: 4.
Child, average: This is a sexually immature crusader, peasant, or half-fairies, roughly 7-10 years old. Generally found in or near settlements, a child is often found alone in the Magic Forest, lost. They are similar in appearance to the humanoid shapes the fairies are most fond of assuming. Children have genetic advantages as appropriate to their species, so the GM needs to modify these base average Attribute Ratings as appropriate. They may also have one skill and one or two advantages or disadvantages.
Str: 3, Agil: 6, Lks: 8, Itl: 4, Per: 6, Hth: 4, Pth: 5.
Crusader, average: An NPC version of the Player Character species. Found throughout the campaign area. (See Player Character Species for additional information.)
Str: 10 , Agil: 7, Lks: 6, Itl: 6, Per: 5, Hth: 7, Pth: 9.
Crusader, leader: This seasoned veteran leads crusader NPCs, and possibly PCs, into battle against the fairies. Found throughout the region in the company of 1-11 other crusaders. When in the crusader fortresses, they often lead religious services. (See Player Character Species for additional information.)
Str: 11, Agil: 8, Lks: 8, Itl: 9, Per: 10, Hth: 12, Pth: 11.
Fairy, average: An NPC version of the Player Character species. They are found primarily in the Magic Forest. (See Player Character Species for additional information.)
Str: 4, Agil: 10, Lks: 10, Itl: 4, Per: 8, Hth: 5, Pth: 4.
Fairy, leader: This is a truly exception fairy, well-versed in all forms of physical pleasure (has all sexually related skills) and a creature that strikes fear in the hearts of crusaders everywhere. It may be mentor of player character fairies. (See Player Character Species for additional information.)
Str: 5, Agil: 13, Lks: 13, Itl: 7, Per: 14, Hth: 10, Pth: 6.
Game: Rabbits, pheasants, deer, any manner of creatures that characters might hunt for food. As with birds, these creatures encompass a wide range. GMs might want to modify these average Attribute Ratings scores.
Str: 3, Agil: 9, Lks: 4, Itl: 1, Per: 1, Hth: 3, Pth: 5,
Half-fairy, average: An NPC version of the Player Character species. Found throughout the campaign area. (See Player Character Species for additional information.)
Str: 5, Agil: 8, Lks: 9, Itl: 5, Per: 6, Hth: 6, Pth: 6.
Half-fairy, leader: This exceptional NPC version of the Player Character species is rarely found outside half-fairy villages. When it is, it is in the company of heavily armed, heavily armored half-fairies with at least two levels of Weapons Use skill in two different areas. Half-fairy leaders know all sexual skills, and have Skill Level 4 in knives. (See Player Character SpeciesJfor additional information.)
Str: 10, Agil: 12, Lks: 10, Itl: 8, Per: 11, Hth: 9, Pth: 9.
Lion: This magnificent predator can be found roaming freely in the Magic Forest and the surrounding territories. Friends of the fairies, crusaders hunt them for their pelts and often prove their bravery by facing a lion armed only with a dagger. Attacks with claws for 3 l/3nl of damage.
Str: 11, Agil: 10, Lks: 8, Itl: 4, Per: 3, Hth: 10, Pth: 12.
Horse, War: These intelligent, horse-like creatures are staunch allies of the crusaders in their quest to exterminate the fairies. They permit crusaders to use them as mounts, and fight independently, attacking with hooves for 2l/3nl points of damage. In the Magic Forest they are found exclusively with the crusaders.
Str: 12, Agil: 9, Lks: 7, Itl: 8, Per: 7, Hth: 14, Pth: 13.
Ohmy: Slug-like creatures that are kept by half-fairies because of their ability to identify fairies regardless of the form they take. When an ohmy's master dies, the telepathic link they share kills the ohmy as well. (See Advantages: Ohmy CompanionJfor additional information.)
Str: 4, Agil: 2, Lks: 1, Itl: 3, Per: 2, Hth: 6, Pth: 15.
Peasant, average: Wretched, half-starved humans who exist under the yoke of the crusaders. One in four peasants has a Weapons Use Skill devoted to club.
Str: 6, Agil: 4, Lks: 4, Itl: 5, Per: 5, Hth: 5, Pth: 4.
Peasant Slave: Depending on their master, peasant slaves may be better or worse off than their "free" counterparts... at least the crusaders have laws against allowing a peasant slave to starve to death. A peasant slave generally has a Weapons Use Skill devoted to Sword, Small (1-3) or Club (4-6).
Str: 6, Agil: 6, Lks: 5, Itl: 6, Per: 5, Hth: 6, Pth: 5.
Tiger: These fearsome creatures are worshipped by half-fairies who see the tiger's stripes as a reflection of their own mixed heritage. Woe to the crusader caught attacking a tiger, or the fairy caught frolicking with one.
Str: 10, Agil: 11, Lks: 9, Itl: 4, Per: 4, Hth: 11, Pth: 12.
Unicorn: A rare and intelligent forest creature that resembles a horse with a goat horn in the middle of its forehead. Friendly with fairies, they are often used as mounts by Fairy Leaders.
Str: 12. Agil: 9. Lks: 8, Itl: 7, Per: 7, Hth: 12, Pth: 12.
Vermin: Another wide category, this covers small animals that one or the other of the Magic Forest's intelligent species would consider a nuisance. The range goes from rats to dogs.
Str: 1, Agil: 8, Lks: 2, Itl: 2, Per: 1, Hth: 2, Pth: 6.
Would-be players should not read past this point. You'll only be ruining your fun.
Okay, fine. Ignore us then. We did our part. Now, when you blow it, and the GM senses you've read the scenario and kills your character out of spite, don't come boobing to us.
Aside from giving the old mother a chance to say good-bye to her beloved son, letting the children say good-bye to their father, and giving the wife the best night in bed she has ever experienced, the characters might uncover a bit of intrigue: the peasant isn't really dead. A woman crusader leader has taken him captive after he scorned her advances. She spots one of the characters, and, assuming the peasant somehow escaped, she captures that character and whichever NPCs it was with. It is now up the rest to save everybody from the crusader's clutches.
2. Word of an exceptional challenge reaches the ears of the player characters: there is a crusty old crusader leader, who has never chosen a human mate, that no fairy has even gotten a second glance from. Add to this that he is one of the most dedicated butchers of fairies, he is a target that no fairy can refuse. The characters must infiltrate the ranks of the crusaders, assuming both male and female forms, to unlock the sexual desires of the crusader. If they can unlock his heart, so much the better. The problem is two-fold. First, the crusader leader has an Intelligence Rating of 12--he's very hard to seduce; second, he's really screwed up sexually. He's got the Sexual Preference disadvantage, and he like males--little boys, to be exact. He has, however, never given into temptation. And he never will: he has devoted his life the gods, and is the High Commander of a crusader fortress. Will the characters break him?
Such a witch-hunt could have several results, depending on the GMs designs and disposition. (If the GM wishes to expand into other NUELOW products, one result might be that over-zealous characters take their investigation too far and find themselves banished from the realm, forced to depart by land, ship or Nuelow Gate. The characters might also emerge as heroes.)
2. While on a routine seek-and-destroy mission in the Magic Forest, the characters are set upon by a force of half-fairies and ohmys. After a pitched battle, the characters and if not them, their war horse mounts realize they are hopelessly outnumbered. (There are nine fully armored, heavily armed half-fairies for each player character.) The war horses take the characters to the most easily defensible position, and moments later several fairies become visible, two for each player character.
The half-fairies had boxed the fairies in and were moving in for the kill when the characters stumbled into the middle of the situation. The fairy leader tries to convince the character with the highest Personality Attribute Rating that the only way their going to survive is to cooperate. The characters' war horses see the reality of this situation. Will the player characters?
In order for both the characters and fairies to survive, it is crucial the crusaders target and destroy the five Ohmys, so the fairies can use their invisibility powers in combat. Once the battle is over, the fairies might just slip away invisibly, or attempt to seduce the player characters.
2. The leader of the player character's home village has seemingly gone insane. He has been having sex with half-fairies of all ages, at all hours of the day, and has been issuing the strangest orders. ("No patrols today! Today, we feast!") Quite by accident, the characters witness the leader assume a different form, and they know that he isn't able to shape change thus they know there is a fairy in their midst, but one who is undetectable by the ohmys!
The characters will probably try to convince their fellow half-fairies their leader has been replaced with a foul fairy. No one will believe them. If they can find a way to confront the masquerading fairy in private, because doing so in public will only get them declared outcasts--the fairy will reveal that it knows of an herb that protects his kind from ohmy detection. Not believing the characters resourceful enough to find and destroy the only source of this plant, he gives them its general location: the heart of Where the Wild Things Are. This leads the characters on a traditional wilderness exploration and a possible dungeon crawl through the Caves of the Ohmy.
If you'll play along, we intend to create a universal game system in which all the pieces and rules fit together smoothly. We hope to produce something not unlike an exploding clown mobile. But, now you have to decide if you want to rise above what we have to offer. You've read the book, now play the game. (At least send us an e-mail canceling your order for future volumes or tell us what you thought.)
At NUELOW, we have designers who care. Not about the game, mind you, but they still care. Comments, rants, raves, and random thoughts about life, the universe, and the NUELOW we've all discovered, can be sent to smiller@media.utah.edu (e-mail) or to MillerArt, 616 E. 700 S., Salt Lake City, UT 84102 (regular papermail that gets delivered through rain, sleet, and snow--but not through dogs.)
Take care, until next time.
Steven Miller
The One To Blame