Game Over

Well, they didn't make it out of the dungeon, so it's out with the old campaign and in with the new. The guys have asked me to run a zombie-based one-off for them, and since none of my players are particularly interested in having to read any rulebooks, I'll be adapting Greg Christopher's Cascade Failure rules [link]. This has the advantage of using a rule-set similar to one they already know, and lets me try out a new system I've been wanting to play-test for a while.

One of the things that first struck me about this system when I first reviewed it [link] just over a month ago was how flexible it could be. So I don't imagine converting the rules to a modern setting should be too much trouble.

So in just over a weeks time (come the end of my night shift) or possibly longer depending on how much background I have to do (and the fact I need to read the rulebook again) we'll be enjoying some good old fashioned zombie mayhem on a Caribbean cruise.

In other news I met my painted miniatures quota for the month (pics to follow) though my goal of painting up the colonial marine platoon I've been collecting for tomorrows war was subverted by the need to paint more miniatures for fantasy gaming. I only managed four marines, but I take consolation in the thought that my army of evil gribblins has been expanded with the addition of four kobolds, six hobgoblins and ten skeletons. Add in the random collection of misc. figures and I painted 31 altogether in the month of may.

Pictures will follow just as soon as my dearly beloved gets her camera out for the lads.

Thoughts on the Requirement for a Mega-Dungeon

On reading up a little on The Black City Project from Dreams in the Liche House [link] I've just noticed a glaring omission from the last few incarnations of my Zama campaign setting:

No mega-dungeon.

Allright, I admit, the last campaign I ran in Zama were plot-based, rather than sand-box based, campaigns. It was, in fact, a modified version (heavily modified) of EN's wonderful War of the Burning Sky campaign. At other times in the development of the campaign world, there have been dungeons that have (barely) qualified for mega-dungeon status, but usually too far away from the central geographic location of the campaign setting (the city of Zama, for which the setting is named) to be regularly visited by beginning characters.

The closest thing to an accessible dungeon the players had were the tunnels that run under the city, through the rock of the promonatory upon which the city sits. Being as they are a fairly advanced classical society, these tunnels include sewer systems, fresh water aqauducts and cisterns (all maintained by the "Grey Men" of the undercity. Something of a mystery cult dedicated to preserving the life's blood of the city. That is, it's water supply and who regard the city itself as a living being).

Beyond these (or rather, deeper down the rock face) were older caverns, seige stores and tunnels leading down to the military harbour carved from the base of the cliff by the hand of a sea-titan in return for the hand of a Zaman princess. Although most of these areas were patrolled, there were a few disused areas inhabited by runaway slaves and their descendants, plus the odd slime, ooze and a few powerful tribes of were-rats and smugglers. All in all, a nice enough adventure location within the city, but not really a fully fleshed mega-dungeon as such. Mostly because there was too much "official" traffic to really justify populating the place with as many monsters as I would like.

Now though, while I'm in the process of re-imagining the campaign setting (yet again), I really should be thinking about opportunities to place a mega-dungeon setting closer to home. So far I've come up with three alternatives:

• Taking the Caverns of Thyatis and fleshing them out into a proper, full-sized megadungeon and city ruin, while keeping much of the backstory. In this particular case, the city would either be located in the interior desert close to Numidian territory (in which case it would be an ancient Kushan city and the Death God referred to would be the Serpent God of Kush) or else make it the ruins of a city once peopled by the original inhabitants of the Balaerian Isles. Admittedly, thats two sepeate alternatives in one bullet point, but there we go. It's not like I'm writing a powerpoint presentation here is it?
• The usual stalwart of an ancient dwarf or elf (Shee or Unshee) city recently re-discovered somewhere in the mountains north of the Citadel of Gates. If I chose this thoroughly unimaginative option I'd probably use the thoroughly well-imagined Stonehell dungeon as a starting point, though that would hardly count as adding my "own" megadungeon to the setting, now would it?

For the most part, I think I'll re-design the unexplored tunnels and locations beneath Zama to provide a small number of "un-linked" dungeon areas closer to home where the party can whet their teeth. Old stalwarts such as a secret temple or two, smugglers caves and perhaps the resurrected were-rat faction. I'll probably through in a few meeting spots for citizens actively engaged in plots against the throne and the status quo and call the job a good un. I've never been that great a fan of extensive "mega-dungeons' beneath inhabited cities anyway.

That should buy me plenty of time to think about expanding old Thayatis into a proper mega-dungeon, properly adapted for play in the Zama setting.

The Cosmology of Zama

Zama's cosmology is focused on the Mortal Realms, the material plane at the centre of the universe in which the world of Edarnia is located. Yet in Zama, unlike other settings, all the planes are geographically linked: it is possible to cross from one plane to another without magic, simply by undertaking a journey of sufficient length. Portals and spells are a far more efficient means of planar travel to be sure, but given enough time a man can walk (or sail, or swim) from the City of Zama, underground,through the Veil of Shadows and finally, into the Underworld (Hell) itself.

The Five Planes of Being:
Collectively the Summerlands and the Veil of Dreams are known as the Higher Planes. The Veil of Shadow and the Underworld are collectively known as the Lower Planes.

The Summerlands:
The realm of the Gods and the dwelling place of faithful mortal souls awaiting rebirth in new forms. The Summerlands exist above the material plane itself, and the stars in the sky are said to be the flames of souls awaiting rebirth. From the Mortal Realms, the Summerlands appear to be nothing more than the sky itself, but those who dwell in the Summerlands perceive it as another world similar to the mortal realm yet existing in eternal summer.
To living beings visiting in the Summerlands from the Mortal Realms only the dwellings and indeed the forms of the Planes permanent residents (Gods, Divine Servants, the dead and so on) actually appear completely solid. Everything else has a somewhat translucent, ethereal, unearthly feel to it.
The largest and most impressive structures in this Plane include the Sun Palace (dwelling place of Arbhaal and the Pheonixian Gods, literally the actual sun itself), Stormhold (dwelling place of the Gods of Air and Storm) and the Summer Palace 

The Veil of Dreams:
Also known as the Dream Lands, physically located in the upper atmosphere of the world and reachable from the peaks of the tallest mountains, the Dreamlands is where mortal souls come to dream while their bodies sleep. Reality here is mutable. It is the domain of those ethereal creatures that are neither entirely evil nor undead. Like the Summerlands, it appears an unreal, "thin" place to those from the Mortal Realms who visit the Dreamland in their physical, rather than dreaming, states.
The Veil of Dreams is also home to the Fey creatures known as the Shee, though the most priviledged of these serve the EverQueen herself in the leafy domain of the Summer Palace deep within the Summerlands.

The Mortal Realms:
The Mortal Realms encompass the entirety of the World of Edarnia, and potentially other worlds as well. The Mortal Realm is a world as we humans know it -physical, slowly changing, possessing seasons, days, years, months and so on. Yet there are also significant changes: the length and intensity of the seasons, patterns or weather, natural disasters -all these are determined by the will of the Gods. Or specifically, the wills of the Gods who are worshipped there. Thus, the lands in which the Pheonixian Pantheon hold sway are pleasantly hot, sunny places with long growing seasons and mild winters. The lands under the sway of the Storm Gods are cold, windy and rain often, with harsh winters meant to test the will and faith of the people. The lands of the Arcane Imperium, where no Gods are worshipped at all, is merely a barren wasteland of blasted, dead soil.

The Veil of Shadows:
This is the Realm of the Undead and of Nightmares. The Veil of Shadows exists beneath the earth, and many man or dwarf made tunnels touch upon it's outer boundaries. It is the mutable Realm of nightmare and fear. Like the Veil of Dreams, this land is home to Fey, yet of a bent and wicked nature, the servants of the Unshee court. Yet the Veil of Shadows, unlike the Veil of Dreams, can also bleed into the Mortal Realms, in places of great fear and anguish. Such places include battlefields, mortuaries and graveyards -or the locus of a particularly horrible murder or death. The Undead of reZama haunt these places -and the Veil itself- trapped in a strange limbo between life and unlife. Yet it is the power of the Veil itself that sustains them, and no undead being -even those with physical form- can leave the Veil. This "exile" into the lands of nightmare is, in itself, part of the curse of undeath.

The Underworld:
Also known as the Darklands, the Underworld encompasses all the dark depths of the Earth -whether beneath land or in the abyssal depths of the Sea. The Underworld is quite literally Hell. The dwelling place of Demons, Devils and tormented souls (just as the Summerlands are effectively heaven). Hot, blasting heat or crushing pressure permeates the very air. Mortals struggle to breath with every gasp of foul, heat-thick air. Here, the souls of the wicked are punished for their sins until once again unleashed upon the face of the Mortal Realms. Here, the souls of those who have offended the Gods writhe and burn in infernal flames. Here, the faithful servants of evil Gods are re-born as Demons and Devils, even as the most faithful souls of other Gods are reborn again as angels to serve the Gods of the Summerlands.
The Underworld is also home to the Winter Palace, the seat of the Unshee, home of the Winter Queen herself. The coldest place in hell. A realm of ice so soul-quenchingly cold, it makes travellers from the Mortal Realms yearn for the heat and fire of the other domains of Hell.

Peoples of Zama: Kushans

 The tribes of the interior desert and savannas, have occupied their lands since before the beginning of recorded history.

What is known of their culture begins in the Age of Gods, when the animistic interior tribes of a nation known as Great Kush waged a mighty war with the upstart Khemet nation to the south. Although a far older civilisation than that of the Khemites, antiquity had bred apathy and corruption in the Kushan bureaucracy.

Thus, the mighty armies of Kush fell to the Khemites. With their sophisticated chariot’s, their skilled bowmen and their scientific approach to warfare, the Khemite’s won their wars remarkably speedily. The peoples of Kush were taken back to Khemet into slavery, where their descendants would eventually mix with their conquerors to produce the Khemet race of today.

The Kushan's ancient and nameless Serpent God, described as a creature of great and ultimate evil by the Khemites, was cast down by the Khemite Pharoahs and imprisoned by Khemite Gods. While even they could not utterly destroy one so ancient and powerful as the Serpent God, it is believed that the Great Devourer, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Wakened, sleeps to this day, imprisoned beneath the statue of the mighty Sphinx.

The surviving Kushites formed small bands who lived as desert nomads and raiders. While deep in the interior, in the regions of grassy savannas, the tribesmen of the two main nations, Numidia and Nubia, have developed cities of their own the rest of the world continues to believe them a savage and unsophisticated people. Few ever seek to question how a supposedly nomadic people can simply stumble across so many valuable gems and other precious minerals for trade. Most simply assume that other, more settled people’s, exist beyond the lands of the nomads.

The light horseman of these tribes are in fact merely the hereditary outriders and border guards of these new cities. The Princes of these tribes are, in reality, subject rulers of the Kings of the Cities charged with the defence of their homes. They sacrifice themselves to a life of desert wandering and mercenary service in foreign armies in order to protect the secrets of their civilisation. The desert is not nearly so wide as many believe, the interior tribesmen claim far more explorers than the searing desert sands ever do.

Within the cities themselves, the King rules supreme, advised by his cluster of Priests of the Nameless one, all seeking to one day bring about the return of their God. Thus the population remains small, as the Priests have determined that the swiftest way to bring about their masters return is through massive torture and human sacrifice. Thus these small, blood-soaked kingdoms are places of despair and misery. There is a deep, dark secret in the desert. In these cities, every man and every woman is a slave to the King.

Meanwhile, these noble warriors conduct their duties honourably, unaware of the travesties they die to protect.

The honour bound and oft hospitable nomads of the desert live in ignorance of these ugly truths for the most part, the great secret of their task being known to only a few powerful families and the Princes of the desert tribes. They and their people are forbidden from entering the savannah lands in which these cities lie hidden, on pain of incomparible suffering and, ultimately, a slow death. Thus, many of these tribesmen have taken to worshipping the gods of their neighbours, especially in tribes where the ruling family has at some point become extinct (taking knowledge of the tribes secret prupose with it). Thus, it is common to find foreign deities such as the Arbaalic Pantheon worshipped by the Numidian tribes around Zama or the Khemite pantheon worshipped by Nubian tribes close to Khemet.

The men of the interior tribes tend to be tall and thin due to their active lifestyles and diet. The skin of the Numidians tends to be a mahogany brown while the Nubians are much darker, almost blue-black in their colouration. In their desert homeland, few bother with clothing at all, save for protections in rain storms, instead wearing loincloths due to the great heat. Women tend to go topless, also for reasons of comfort. All however, wear robes to keep out the sand when travelling the desert rather than sheltering in their oasis tent-settlements. When they must deal with others, the Princes of these tribes deck themselves in fine, thin robes that leave much of the flesh uncovered and able to breath, while catering to the sensitivities of other cultures. Traditionally, princes wear robes of green trimmed with gold, as do their families.

The hospitality of the desert dwellers is legendary and well earned. While under their tents one is safe. However, should one express an interest in travelling further into the interior, these same hosts will have no compunction in hunting down and killing the would-be-trespasser after he has left the safety of their tents.

While the Numidian tribes ride and fight on horses exclusively the Nubians mix infantry -especially their renowned archers- with horse cavalry and camels. Closer to the savannas, the warriors encountered are the guards of the Priest Kings. Such men travel on foot over great distances and routinely perform feats of endurance which would be regarded almost as legendary elsewhere. Few strangers will survive an encounter with such a group however.n

Regions: While Numidians and Nubians fight in the armies of Zama and Khemet respectively, their only true homeland lies in the interior desert itself. Thus, they can be found anywhere along the Northern coast east of the Arcane Imperium, but are rarely found elsewhere in the world except as slaves or the descendants of slaves.

Religion: Numidian nomads favour the Arbaalic pantheon, while worshipping the spirits of the desert winds as well. Nubian nomads worship the Khemet Gods. The city-dwellers worship the Serpent God, whom they also refer to as the Sleeping God, but some may have taken to preying to kinder gods for deliverance in secret. Their knowledge of such distant gods is distorted however, and one might be surprised to hear Morogoth

Design Notes: The Kushan's are based on the Numidian and Nubian peoples of North Africa during the classical period, but have been blended into the historical Empire of Kush, Egypts southern rival in what is now Sudan. With a healthy dose of Aztec evil thrown in for good measure
I'm aware that Numidians were ethnically Berbers rather than Africans, but I've become gradually more and more sick of RPG settings that effectively exclude some players (unintentionally, I believe) from playing characters of their own ethnicity should they wish too. Thus, I strove to include as many ethnic groups in the world of Zama and the Middle Sea as possible. Hence, the Berbers of the Numidian tribes and the Africans of the Nubian tribes are both descended from the survivors of the same ancient empire. Stick around, read more of these articles, and you'll see what I mean.

If never been happy with using the historical names for the Numidians and Nubian's however. If someone can come up with a good alternative that still evokes the right kind of sentiment and feeling, I'll probably adopt it in a heart-beat.

OSRIC Monster: Vampire Ferret

In honour of our little darling Lyla and my wife's interpretation of her (and with tongue firmly in-cheek) I present to you: the Vampire Ferret, a new monster for OSRIC.

OSRIC stat-block:

Frequency: Unique, Number Encountered: 1 or 1 + Were-Ferret Size: tiny, Move: 40ft, Armour Class: 3, Hit Dice: 3+1, Attacks: 3, Damage: 1D3+ 1D4 Con drain (bite) 1d2 X2 (claws)  Special Attacks: Sneak Attack: +1d6, climb 100%, hide in shadows 85%, move silently 85%, squeeze into the tiniest places 100% , Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter (see below) Special Defences: Immune to non-magical weapons and shouts of dismay. Too cute to kill (opponents must save vs spell or else suffer a -5 to all attack rolls) Magic Resistance: standard, Lair Probability: 50%, Intelligence: Semi, Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, Level/XP: 3/105+3/hp.

Treasure (Lair Only): 1d8 x 1000cp (50%), 1d6 x 1000 sp (25%), 1d3 x 1000 gp (25%), 1d8 gems (30%), 1d4 jewellery (20%), 1 sword, armour or misc weapon (20%).

Tactics: The devilish and innocent-seeming vampire ferret is guaranteed to strike always when least expected, normally from hiding: under rugs, blankets, cushions or underneath sofa's are the preferred hiding spots. When a suitable target is spotted, the vampire ferret leaps from hiding, preferably onto the head of the unsuspecting prey and bites down deep. If it scores a wound, it proceeds to suck 1D4 Con points of blood from the victim each round. After the first successful bite attack, the character so affected must save vs spell or else be affected as per Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter, as the cunning vampire ferret tickles it's helpless play mercilessly with it's raspy tongue.

Special Weaknesses: The Vampire Ferret can normally be rendered docile simply by refilling it's food bowl or placing fresh, cold water in it's drinking bottle. Dangling a tasty looking treat or a soft toy from a piece of string tied to a stick is also said to alleviate it's bestial fury.

Zama: Campaign Design Notes

I've decided to go back over all my published Zama articles and add design notes for each entry. I thought other gamers might like to know where I got my inspiration from in each case and why I decided to include the various races, cultures and themes in the manner that I did. I know I appreciate reading about these things on other peoples blogs and in the development notes for the games that I buy.

I always felt these articles were lacking in something as a result. it wasn't until I found myself posting about "design theory" and how my game world has evolved in the various comments' sections that I finally hit upon what was missing.

For those of you who are interested, please feel free to click on the Zama tab just below my banner to read the additional notes on previously posted articles.

Peoples of Zama: Balaerians

The people of the Balaerian Isles have retained their independence and cultural identity for centuries.

Largely because no one else wants what little they have.

In the distant past , these islands were invaded numerous times by a succession of different peoples. This period of invasion changed the face of the Balaerian Isles forever. When the conqueror’s attempted to interbreed with the small, lithe native woman they found that many died in childbirth or could not carry such large babies to term. Very quickly the conquerors found themselves with a population crisis and began to hire out as mercenaries, taking their payment in young nubile slave girls of all races.

To this day, the talented slingers of the volcanic Balaerian Isles undergo their rite of manhood by hiring themselves out as mercenaries to “earn” their first wife and become a man. Over the years, the men of the Baelric Isles have mated with woman of so many races that they themselves have no distinctive racial appearance of their own.

Any given Islander might appear to be a Pheonixian, a Khemite or an Mycenian. Some will even have the racial features of more than one ethnic group –making them ideal as spies and assassins and earning the entire culture a sinister reputation. Their men are famous for proving their bravery through “stealing” the virtue of other men’s wives – climbing through bedroom windows in the middle of the night to seduce them or carry them away to their rocky fastness.

Regions: Although many Balaerian Islanders serve in the fleets of the Pirate Isles or as mercenaries in the employ of the Zaman Protectorate, no man who does not call the Balaerian Isles his birthplace may consider  himself a man of the Isles (although it is difficult to imagine why anyone else would want to).

Religions: Given the eclectic nature of the Balerian ethnic make-up, the Islander’s worship just about every God or demon known to the peoples of the Middle Sea, regardless of pantheon. It is not unfair to say that the lack of technological or cultural progress on the islands is due to the fact that the Islanders seem to celebrate a religious festival every other day. They therefore achieve very little in comparison to men of similar talent from other lands.

Notes: As you can probably tell from the sparseness of this post, the Balaerians haven't featured much in previous editions of Edarnia and have probably undergone the least changes over the years of any human cultural group. Generally speaking, they turn up only as bands of mercenaries, brigands or opponents in tavern brawls. Given their distinctly unpleasant cultural idiosyncrasies, I don't think it's surprising that I've never actually seen a Balaerian PC. 

Edit:
Additional Development Notes (added after comment 3): The original premise behind the Balearians was that I needed them to fill an empty gaming niche in the campaign. In the earliest days, Zama was a human-only game world. There were no orcs, goblins or the like. So I created the Balaerians: a thoroughly evil and unpleasant human culture the PC's would have no qualms about killing on sight. Making them mercenaries meant I could place them anywhere in the game world. Making their home an archipelago meant that I didn't have to alter the world too much to fit them into it.

Peoples of Zama: Pheonixians

 Pheonixians:

The Pheonixians of today are the remnants of a once great society, an Empire that stretched across the eastern expanse of the Known World from the shores of the Middle Sea to the Inner Sea and beyond.

Around 1500 years ago, during the Age of Myth, successive invasions by horse nomads from the east destroyed what was then a great civilisation ruled by ancient and mighty Priest-Kings.

Unprepared and desperate, the Pheonixian peoples turned to the magic of the their Kings for salvation. But the magic of Kings and Princes could not stand against the oncoming horde.

Over a period of 300 years, the Cities of the Pheonixian Empire fell one. The surviving Prince’s scattered to the four corners of the earth, taking their magical writings and followers with them. Safe behind the Cicitrice, the Great Canyon that separated the survivors and their settlements from the deprivations of the nomad horde, a few scattered colonies survived to become cities and nations of their own.

The survivors soon fell into dispute with one another, fighting futile wars for many years. Not until 600 years ago did most of the surviving Pheonixian cities unite under the then Queen of Zama, Harenthys. That same year, another Pheonixian settlement, through treachery and murder, won control of the ancient lands of Khemet, perhaps forcing the remaining cities into the arms of Queen Harenthys.

Sages still debate which of these two events mark the first day of the new Zaman calendar, but the Pheonixians themselves rarely seem to concern themselves with such a trivial details. The reasons for their ancient empties run deep enough already.

Thanks to several cultural taboos regarding “deformity” (in Zama) and “dilution of the bloodline” (in Zarama), the Pheonixians of today much resemble their ancient ancestors. Indeed, the few Pheonixian peoples who did allow themselves to intermarry with other cultures are no longer even considered Pheonixian by their more traditional cousins. This may be one of the major sources of contention between the men of the Imperium and the Protectorate of Zama.

Pheonixians are of average height for civilised peoples, with men growing no higher than 5`10 and usually no shorter than 5`4. 5`6 or 5`8 being most the common heights among men. Women are only slightly smaller.

All but the most debauched of womenfolk retain a lithe build brought on by hard work, good diet and plenty of exercise. Obesity is viewed as a sign of spiritual corruption in Pheonixian society and so only thosewishing to present a certain image allow themselves to run to fat.

For the others, there is their enjoyment of the athletics field and martial pursuits to keep them trim and athletic. Every man in the Zaman Protectorate aged between 14 and 45 must attend militia training for two days out of every eight, further explaining their fine physical condition as well as their history of great military successes.

Alas, this is not the case in Zarama. Most Zaramans of “pure” Pheonixian blood lives sedentary lives of privilege and debauchery. In Zamara, corpulence has become a sign of affluence and power in men. It remains a reviled trait in women. Any athletic Pheonixian male found in Zarama is likely to serve as an officer of the Zaraman or Khemet armies. A position which is held in surprisingly little honour or regard by the Zaraman nobility.

In both countries, the locals tend towards dark brown or even blonde hair, often bleached a lighter shade by the sun. Most sport tanned complexions given the exposure to their sun of their relatively pale natural skin tones. Brown or black skin is rare and are usually an indication of Nubian or Numidian blood somewhere in the family tree. Eyes tend to be green, dark brown, violet or almost black.

Members of both sexes pluck their body hair, considering it’s appearance course even if the hair itself is not. Men in Zama go about short-haired and clean-shaven in deference to their military service. In Zarama, men allow their hair to grow long, often oiling it and covering it beneath an Khemet head scarf or Parnthian turban. Zaraman men also tend to cultivate curved or pointed beards on their chins.

Both sexes are fond of various kinds of jewellery, particularly torques, cloak pins, broaches and heavy necklaces formed of many separate sheets of precious metals..

Regions: Pheonixian’s can be found in almost any corner of the known world, indulging in their passion for trade. However, in only two regions are they truly numerous: The Protectorate of Zama and Khemet. Pheonixian’s also have a well earned but exaggerated reputation for dabbling in piracy. Many can be found on the Pirate Isles as well, often as ships captains or officers.

Religion: Both the remaining Pheonixian cultures continue to worship the old Gods of the Pheonixian Pantheon, led by Arbaal. Moragoth, the God of Death, has taken upon himself the portfolio of trade in recent times. In the absence of a proper maritime deity among the Pantheon, many Pheonixian sailors make offerings to Tanith, Goddess of the Moon, instead.

Edit: 
Development Notes: Because the original inspiration for the city-state of Zama was Carthage during the second Punic War (with healthy pinches of Sparta, Amazonia and a few other cultures -real and mythical- thrown in) for about twenty years the Pheonixians were simply called "Punics". I always hated that name however, and have periodically tried out other names that either sounded worse or bored the hell out of me. So far, "Pheonixian" is the only alternative name I've been happy enough with to go through all my existing Zama documents  (several thousand pages) and  replace every reference to "Punic".
Perhaps it's the fact the name evokes the Phoenix, a beast so closely tied to sun-worship and re-birth, much as the Pheonxians worship the sun-god and live in a culture that has been "resurrected" from a near-fatal catastrophe.

An Open Letter to the Lands of the Middle Sea.

As per a request by by C'nor(Outside_Toe)

Here follows a short piece of narrative used as the introduction to my home-brew world of Zama in previous incarnations of the game (I believe this particular one was used for a 3rd game). At different times, Zama has been magic heavy, magic light, humano-centric and racially diverse in accordance to the needs and wishes of different groups of players. As I've mentioned in previous posts about this game world, Zama is not a static setting. It is constantly undergoing revision as new concepts inspire me. Races, Cities, even whole nations and major characters have undergone several name changes over the years. But this is the introduction to the default version of the setting: a world in which man dominates, demi-humans are few and far between. Most of the monster races in the various beasteries/monster manuals represent unique individuals in this world - mortal men and women cursed by the gods, trapped in an immortal, twisted shell, every-hungering, ever-thirsty, until slain.

It is a world where the word "Hero" has a different meaning than in our own. In the world of Zama, in the lands of the Middle Sea, arrogantly known to civilised men as the "Known World", Hero's may serve good or evil. Or perhaps even only themselves. In Zama, the term "Hero" is simply another word for "adventurer."

Players Introduction to Zama and the Middle Sea.

Welcome to the Known World. A world of Myth and Legends, a world where man has just begun to pull himself out of the swamps and caves of the Dawn Times, into this new age. An age of mystery, of mighty city-states and great empires. Of great trials and where the march of armies can still shake the world beneath sandaled feet. An Age of Legends.

And yet the Known World is not unlike our world as it was some 2,500 years ago, before the fall or Carthage or the Rise of Rome. It is a world in which armies fight in phalanx, in which Chariots and Elephants roam the battlefield as Kings and Queens and in which the heroics of a single man can decide the fate of millions and where the Gods will watch his every move. It is a time, of Mighty Heroes and Great Champions.

It is your land to shape, to rule, to change and evolve. Your land, where your heroes might challenge the very Gods themselves and bend history to their wills, and seize the right of mortals to determine their own destiny. A land, where you may crush your enemies beneath the tread of your sandalled feet.

The Letter

What can be said of this land of ours, this continent that learned men call the Known World. It is a place of darkness and mystery. Of life and of death. My old eyes tell me that this age, which many hail as the pinnacle of human achievement, is little more than the dawn of civilisation. Aye, for some lands remain barren and dangerous still. And I speak not only of those lands held by those some call the “barbarians”, after the primitive noise of their speech, but of our own, so called "civilised" lands.

For there are many things in the dark wilds beyond the walls of our cities that the inhabitants of smaller towns and villages rightly know to fear. Fears that are treated with Scorn and laughter by those safe in their cities. Aye, even by those who should know better. There is nothing so dangerous in all the world as a man who owns but a little knowledge to call his own, and yet believes he may lay claim to it all.

I was such a man once, until I learned the truth of what haunts the dark places of the world. Despite what the tales say, we have not eradicated the last of the monsters from our lands. Nor do deem that truth such a bad thing. For who are we, mere mortals that we are, to dispute the wisdom of the Gods? Who are we to decide what creatures may live and which should be destroyed, simply because we fear the differences between us? But try telling that to the heroic fools who wonder these lands searching for adventure.

Aye, fools. That is what I call you openly. Whether you be heroes in the service of good, or evil. Of the Gods or merely yourselves. For you know not what forces you deal with. Who is to say if the beast which slays a man in his fields does so from evil or spite, or if the said beast merely does so to defend what is rightfully theirs. Land or food or pride that we have taken from it?

But, I fear, it is now too late. Man has made it’s enemies. It has driven the other races to the brink of extinction or to exile in the wildest parts of the barbarian lands. There these brute nations sharpen their skills against the arms of men not so different from ourselves. And yet still, others remain to be found even in the deepest lands of civilisation, beneath ancient cities or in mouldering ruins where those cursed by the Gods wail at their fate and the veil between the Underworld and ours is dangerously thin.

Aye, civilised we might call ourselves, but civilised we are not. We hide from or refute the things that we do not understand. We “civilised” men, in many ways are as ignorant as our forebears. More so even. Barbarians do not exile or a burn a man born with the gift of sorcery. Survival in the wild-lands is beyond tenuous and sorcery too useful a gift to allow such a useful talent to be wasted without forethought. And yet here, in the city of Zama which I have called home for many years, children born disfigured are still sacrificed to uncaring Gods. Those born with sorcery in their veins are driven out and killed when they should be studied and taught. Think then, of what one taught and tutored in wizardry is capable of. Imagine then how much greater, how much more capable a sorcerer born and trained to his art would be? Capable of great destruction yes, I do not disavow. But capable also, if properly raised, of great and mighty boons. And that, I fear, shall be the epitome of this age and this new race of man. For so long as humanity fears to reach for new heights, to strive to climb new reaches for fear of the mountain. For fear of the fall, then man shall never ascend to the pinnacle of enlightenment, and shall instead languish in mediocrity in the depths of his own inhibitions.

Thus I pronounce my judgement.

Servocles the Slave

Royal Tutor to the Queens of Zama

A Curious Phenomenon

Having just checked my stats I noticed something rather strange. Zama: The Cauldron Born, is an article about goblinoids in my twenty-year old home-brew fantasy game world (built to work with any system, by the way, but specifically with D&D and RuneQuest in mind). This article has had more hits that any other article this year. In fact, despite having been up for just a few weeks, it's nearly as popular as my Houri and Barbarian character class rules for OSRIC.
What's strange about this you wonder? All those views and not one comment. Not one.
Not one.
Ever.

Does anyone else ever come across this situation with their most popular posts?

Humiliation and Rejection in Castellan Keep

I've only just now realised that I never actually posted session 6 of my OSRIC campaign (from way back in March) here on the blog. So I'm adding it here now. Should you wish to read the blog in chronological order, please visit the Campaign Page here or else clink of the "Currently Dming" link to the right.

26th Thaumont – 3rd Flaurmont
With most of the party remnants reunited in the outer bailey of Castellan Keep the first order of business lay in finding the dwarves some new clothing and armaments. With Hans now the de facto custodian of the party treasury, any hopes the dwarves had of blowing the remaining party funds to equip them in a matter befitting that they were accustomed too were dashed. Leading the two half-naked (and deeply shamed) dwarves back through the tap room of the Orc’s Head past the leering mercenaries proved to be a humbling experience for the two proud warriors. All the more so when the inn-keeper, when begged for spare clothing, had to turn them away.

In the end, the dwarves were forced to accept charity from the Keep’s chaplain, who provided the pair with soiled rags left behind by fallen members of the castle garrison. It was in this bedraggled state that, after purchasing some leather armour, shields and a spear each from the party funds, that Hans once more led his two bedraggled companions back to the waiting Klara and Elra in their rooms at the Inn.
Counting out their remaining coins and calculating the inn fee’s for the week it would take Elra to recover (once again) from her near-mortal wounds, Hans frugally allowed the group a little stew and some small beer. This Klara took to Elra in her room. It was while the three male Shorn were sat in the taproom discussing the dire straits in which they found themselves that the gnome money-lender and a much younger, more attractive female gnome in good quality armour and priestly vestments entered the room. The gnomish pair made a beeline for the seated group of mercenaries, whereupon the money-lender began to negotiate a contract for the mercenary band to escort his daughter to her new diocese in Kelvin.

Ever the optimist and never one to miss an opportunity Boindil leapt to his feat, butting into the negotiations and offered the services of his group as a cheaper alternative – much to the ire of the mercenaries and money-lender and the contempt-ridden bemusement of the priestess. Looking the bedraggled, beggarly dwarf up and down she scathingly asked, “Why on earth should I lower myself to travel with the likes of you? I should rather have proper fighting men to escort me, should I not?”

With the humiliating laughter of the mercenaries in his ears, Boindil returned to his table and the flabbergasted, vaguely annoyed Hans. Hans wasted little time in expressing his annoyance that his companion had so quickly ruined any chance of travelling in the company of so experienced a group. Even more by the dwarf’s bumbling attempts to steal a contract from another group in their very presence. Especially in light of his presently somewhat pathetic appearance. Demoralised, hungry and in a foul mood, the three Shorn retired for the night.

They were awoken the next day by the blaring of horns. Rushing to garb themselves in case some threat approached the Keep, the four battle-worthy Shorn rushed outside. There the found the Keep in a commotion, but not the kind associated with panic or alarm, but rather celebration. They did not have long to wait before learning why. With the trump of marching feet echoing through the hills like the roar of a dragon, the three expeditionary companies of the Keep’s garrison marched homewards into the keep. As they drew in through the gates, the Shorn noticed that the vast majority of the soldiers bore wounds of some sort, though most were minor, and that the helms that had seemed so shiny at a distance were in fact battered and scored. The wagons in the rear carried not just plunder or trophies in the forms of giant heads, but also a large number of groaning wounded. (The party cleric missed a chance to ingratiate himself with the garrison here by offering his services, but such is life).

With the column formed into ranks along three sides of the courtyard, the Keep’s Guard Captain and the returning Castellan performed a brief handover ceremony. There-after the Keep’s woman folks broke from their places at the edge of the bailley to search franticaly amoung the returning men for their loved ones. Not a few wails and keening screams rent the crisp morning air. The Shorn were left with the faint impression that this was not as triumphant a return for the garrison as it might be.

Feeling strangely subdued, the Shorn returned to their rooms until shortly after mid-afternoon when a knock at their door led to a summons to speak before the Castellan in his war-room. Escorted by a pair of spear-men from the garrison, The Shorn entered the Inner Bailey of the Keep for the first time. There, they were left by their guards in the presence of the Castellan, a tall, worn-looking man whose fine clothing and armour still bore the stains of the road. After introducing himself as Captain Pytro Trannic, he insists that the party explain the strange goings-on over the last few weeks. The Castellan concedes that the Keep’s Chaplain had expressed some concerns over the strange behaviour of the false-priests residing at the castle and promises to hunt down the surviving brigands as soon as resources become available. Captain Trannic commiserates with the party over the loss, conceding that not everyone is cut out for a life of adventure and dropping hints that the Keep always has an opening for brave Karameikans who can handle a blade. The Shorn adeptly deflect the Captain away from this line of conversation and take their leave. Not before learning, however, that the Duke’s youngest son, Valen Karameikos, has gone missing from the Palace in Specularum. The Captain warns them to keep an eye out for the lad in their travels, and to report anything suspicious to the nearest garrison or noble of the realm.

Finally, later that night, with money and funds running low, The Shorn are perhaps forced to reconsider their options. Lamenting their decision to abandon their obligations to Caldwell, there is some talk of packing in the adventuring life altogether. Salvation comes in the form of their erstwhile travelling companion, Stefan. After knocking on their door he announces he has completed his business with the Castellan and will be travelling to Kelvin shortly. He offers to hire them on as an escort on the return journey (as he is now somewhat laden with gold and a fresh order of horses for the garrison). Afterwords, he adds, if the party has still not found a new avenue for adventure, he offers them a place as farm-hands at his family ranch in the Dymrak Forest. He allows that he will rest for a few days before leaving, giving Elra time to recover from her wounds.
Gratefully, somewhat cheered by the offer and the timely reminder that they have at least one friend in this world, the party accepts. They gather by the main-gate on the morning of the third, ready to resume the journey into adventure.

Thoughts:

I made a particular (and cruel) effort to make the players (and characters) feel like miserable failures this session. I wanted to hammer home the loss of confidence and bravado that stems from such a humbling experience as seeing two companions fall and another two in need of ransom. Then, when I felt I couldn’t push them any more, I decided to give them a glimmer of hope by having Stefan turn up and offer them an opportunity to resume their adventuring careers at a time when it seemed they would have to pack the whole thing in altogether. All in all it worked well I think, and the session ended on a real note of optimism for the future – both for the players, and the campaign.

Cascade Failure Sandbox: The Mozi of Xianyou

As before, astrographic data is from StarGen. Game Information, setting and background are all me.

XIANYAO (QAO-2)

{Insert Image}

Terrestrial. Earth Like. (N₂, O₂ - breathable)

Mass: 1.0 Earth Masses

Surface Gravity: 0.92 Earth G's

Surface Pressure: 0.934 Earth atmospheres

Surface temperature 14.26° Celcius (-0.6° C Earth temperature)
Normal Equatorial temperature range

Night		Day
9.8° C 49.78° F	-	19.1° C 66.3° F
Min		Max
-11.8° C 10.8° F	-	39.5° C 103.0° F

Equatorial radius: 6378.3 Km (1 Earth radii)

Density: 5.50 grams/cc (1 Earth densities)

Eccentricity of orbit: 0.001

Escape Velocity 11.2 Km/sec

Molecular weight retained 6.3 and above: N, O, CH₄, NH₃, H₂O, Ne, N₂, CO...

Axial tilt 19°

Planetary albedo 0.30

Exospheric Temperature: 1299.79° K (+26..79° C Earth temperature)

Length of year: 398.57 Earth days/ 618.67 Local days

Length of day: 15.46 hours

Boiling point of water: 98.3° Celcius/209.0° Fahrenheit

Hydrosphere percentage: 66.3%

Cloud cover percentage: 48.6%

Ice cover percentage: 1.8%

GAME TERMS:

Atmosphere: Breathable mix. High oxygen content proves dangerous to long-term health during prolonged exposure. Although unlikely, Pulmonary and ocular toxicity may result from exposure to the elevated oxygen levels found on Xianyao (they normally occur only when atmospheric oxygen concentration is greater than 50% at normal earth pressures). Symptoms may include disorientation, breathing problems, and vision changes such as myopia. Prolonged or very high oxygen concentrations can cause oxidative damage to cell membranes, the collapse of the alveoli in the lungs, retinal detachment, and seizures.

While the combination of increased oxygen concentrations in the planetary atmosphere and slightly reduced atmospheric pressure from earth norms should not prove hazardous to most visitors, those from worlds with an atmospheric pressure higher than earth norm (or departing ships where a higher pressure level is the norm) should endeavour to wear properly calibrated oxygen filters at all time. Long residents and Xianyao natives are not at risk from these atmospheric conditions.

Temperature Range: Close to Earth Normal

Biosphere: The garden-world of Xiangyao possessed a pre-existing, advanced eco-system similar to that found on earth, including higher (non-sentient) plant and animals forms. However, local biology's and Terran biology's are incompatible. While a life-from from the local biosphere will not poison a Terran bio-form which consumes it, neither will the Terran bio-form derive any sustenance or nutritional value from the meal (or vice versa).

The local and imported biospheres therefore offer one another only very limited competition and may be found co-existing in certain areas abandoned after the war. However, due to local cultural values, any interference with the worlds natural development is frowned upon and most Terran bio-forms (food animals, plants and the like) are cultivated or farmed under highly controlled conditions. Likewise, while local bio-forms can be consumed for the culinary taste, the local culture also frowns on this practice as an unnecessary and immoral waste of life. Consequently, even the consumption of local plant forms is a serious criminal offence.

Population and Tech Level:

One of the first earth-like “Garden Worlds' identified in the Verge, Xianyao was discovered, colonised and developed by Chinese adherents of a minority philosophical group known as the Mozi. Though a popular philosophy in China during the “Thousand Schools” epoch of the Early Warring States Period, it fell into disfavour during the Han dynasty, although much of the school's philosophical writings survived. In the years leading up to the Great Calamity, when for over a century the likelihood of a potentially catastrophic inter-stellar war became more apparent, a Mozi philosopher named Gee Li began gathering adherents to take the philosophy to the stars. Gee Li hoped that, by setting the foundations for a strong society modelled on the Mozi ideals of universal love and beliefs in the virtues of self-defense, the world of Xianyao might become a force for rebirth in post-collapse human space.

To this end, Gee-Li and his followers bought the rights to this newly discovered, albeit distant, paradise from the Chinese Government and began settlement in the year 83 pre-Calamity (pC). Even before the first colonist set foot on-world, Gee-Li, in keeping with the philosophical tenants he embraced, began making preparations for the worlds defence. The first colony transports were, in fact, decommissioned, re-purposed Chinese war-ships bought from the flagging Chinese state. As well as habitats, pre-fabbed food cultivation units and gene-labs for creation of a terran-friendly enclosed bio-sphere, the first colony fleet carried orbital defence platforms and auto-mine layers in it's holds. As well as scientists, ecologists and agricultural teams, the first batch of colonists included Mozi-trained military theorists, retired military personnel and even weapons-systems developers.

Although the Great Calamity occurred some seven years after Gee Li's death, the by then twelve million colonists on Xianyao were protected by the most in depth orbital and ground defence systems in existence anywhere in the Verge systems. Ironically, this very defensive preparedness made the world a prime target for combative forces from the very beginning of the war, yet the planetary government and it's Mozi schooled generals had anticipated this outcome. Xianyao

Today, the Mozi's have rebuilt their defences and buried their dead. Though the war cost more lives and material than even their grand strategists had anticipated, the people of Xianyao are already stretching out peace-loving hands to the other worlds of the Verge. Mozi scholars, known to the people of Xianyao as Zhizhe (wise councillors) but to the people of other worlds whom they serve simply as “The Mozi's”leave their world in small groups, bringing their philosophy, vital food and medical supplies and, most especially, their theories of defensive warfare, to small settlements throughout the Verge. Each desperately in need of the food, medicines and fighting techniques the Mozi bring. All across the Verge, dozens of small settlements, even whole moons, owe their lives and freedom from the tyrannical depredations of pirates, raiders and slavers, to the teachings of a small band of warrior-scholars from the distant garden-world of Xianyao.

Culture:

The vast majority of the population are of Chinese descent, but regardless of arbitrary ethnic definitions, the entire world (with almost unique exceptions) embraces the Mozi way of life: universal love and developing the skills needed to defend it from a hostile world.

(click this link for more detailed information on Mozi culture and philosophy)

The world is governed by the Shengxian, a council of masters well-versed in both philosophy and the theory and practice of defensive warfare. Election (or rather, elevation) to the Shengxian is for life and each new master is chosen by the existing council. There is no theoretical limit on the number who may serve on the council at any one time. A person is either wise enough to be counted among the Shengxian or they are not. The Mozi see no need to impose artificial restrictions of the development of their brightest stars.

The population is dispersed throughout a number of major towns and cities all over the planetary surface, rather than concentrated in a small area as with most colony worlds in the Verge. Each settlement, from greatest city to the smallest farm, is protected by a network of anti-orbital, anti-atmospheric, anti-armour and ant-personnel emplacements. Only human habitations are found above ground, and these are both expansive and often very nearly open air, with painted rice-paper walls (steel plates fall into place should a dangerous predator or potential threat be detected by the homes auto-sensors).Verandas, picturesque gardens, art, balconies and orchards of cherry-trees. Architecture is universally inspired by ancient Chinese construction and design methods. Agricultural cultivations, work areas, and even manufacturing centres are all located underground in discrete but well protected locations accessed from the home. To an off-worlder, a busy farm might, from the surface, appear to be nothing more than an unusually well-defended and affluent summer home. The people of Xianyao prefer to perform their work and any potentially dirty, messy or odoriferous tasks underground and out of sight. The surface world is reserved for beauty and light.

The Sky from Kut:

Two small moons (little more than captured asteroids bristling with anti-ship weapons) orbit the world in geostationary orbits above each pole. At least one is always visible from the surface regardless of where one stands, an ever-present reminder of the need for vigilance and preparedness which, regardless of such ominous overtones, the people of Xianyao find strangely reassuring.

Outside Relations:
The People of Xianyao are the avowed enemies of any outside aggressor who would seek to impose his will on others -regardless of whether or not the said aggressor has any designs on Xianyao itself. Likewise, any world in need of aid who can contact Xianyao or one of it's wandering bands of Zhizhe is guaranteed to receive as mush aid as they need – but not necessarily as much as they would like. The Shengxian are not yet aware of CalCol's operations on Apanthi, but if they were they would be sure to take action. They would not, in keeping with their teachings, launch an attack on the slave-mining world, but they would almost certainly send a band of Zhizhe to organise and lead a revolt.

Imports: Nothing. Xianyao is perhaps the only entirely self-sufficient world in the Verge.

Exports:  Zhizhe, the Mozi philoophy, relief aid (food, medical supplies, emergency personnel, instructors etc)

Travel Advisory:

See the notes on Atmospheric pressure above. Also note that bad-manners are considered highly offensive and may result in expulsion from the world or temporary imprisonment. The locals are quite well aware of what swearing sounds like, in any language, and will not tolerate such crass and rude behaviour in their presence. Given that each and every citizens is trained in martial arts (including the use of modern weaponry) behaving badly can be very ill-advised indeed.

Finally, the Mozi are extremely stern where their continued security is concerned. Before entering the system or approaching within range of it's defences it is wise to perform maintenance on ones communications. When it comes to defending their home world against potential threats, the Xianyao Defence Forces take no chances.
Finally, the Xianyao day is 15 hours long. Customarily, Xianyao sleep for four hours during the night cycle and remain awake for the other 11. The Work Cycle is one local day of work followed by one local day of rest.  Four concurrent local rest days end every week of 14 local days.

QAO
5 Planets (size proportional to Sqrt(Radius)) See Key
Stellar characteristics
Stellar mass	0.92 solar masses
Stellar luminosity	0.45
Age	2.925 billion years (17.383 billion left on main sequence)
Habitable ecosphere radius	0.675 AU (0.549 - 0.974 AU)

Planetary Overview
#	Type			Dist.	Mass	Radius
1		Rock		0.382 AU	0.216 EM	0.605 ER
2		Terrestrial		0.671 AU	0.792 EM	0.927 ER
3		Rock		1.049 AU	0.050 EM	0.372 ER
4		Sub-Jovian		1.699 AU	18.835 EM	4.224 ER
5		Jovian		2.976 AU	21.451 EM	4.597 ER

QAO-1
Planet type	Rock Tidally Locked 1 Face Low-G, Hot, Airless, 1-Face
Distance from primary star	5.7E+07 KM	0.382 AU
Mass	1.3E+24Kg	0.216 Earth masses
Surface gravity	579.7 cm/sec2	0.59 Earth gees
Surface pressure	0 millibars	0.000 Earth atmospheres
Surface temperature	83.6° Celcius 182.4° Fahrenheit	+69.6° C Earth temperature +125.2° F Earth temperature
Normal temperature range	Min Max -221.5° C -366.8° F - 264.6° C 508.3° F
Equatorial radius	3857.4 Km	0.6 Earth radii
Density	5.38 grams/cc	0.97 Earth densities
Eccentricity of orbit	0.078
Escape Velocity	6.7 Km/sec
Molecular weight retained	54.4 and above	SO2, SO3, Kr, Xe
Axial tilt	12°
Planetary albedo	0.07
Exospheric Temperature	3972.36° K	+2699.36° C Earth temperature
Length of year	89.66 Earth days	1.00 Local days
Length of day	2151.87 hours
Boiling point of water	-273.1° Celcius -459.7° Fahrenheit
Hydrosphere percentage	0.0
Cloud cover percentage	0.0
Ice cover percentage	0.0

XIANYAO (QAO-2)
Planet type	Terrestrial Earth-like (N2, O2 - breathable)
Distance from primary star	1E+08 KM	0.671 AU
Mass	4.7E+24Kg	0.792 Earth masses
Surface gravity	903.9 cm/sec2	0.92 Earth gees
Surface pressure	1225.73 millibars	1.21 Earth atmospheres
Surface temperature	9.8° Celcius	-0.6° C Earth temperature
Normal temperature range	Night Day 9.8° C 49.78° F - 19.1° C 66.3° F Min Max -11.8° C -10.8° F - 39.5° C 103.0° F
Equatorial radius	6378.3 Km	1 Earth radii
Density	5.50 grams/cc	1 Earth densities
Eccentricity of orbit	0.001
Escape Velocity	11.2 Km/sec
Molecular weight retained	6.3 and above	N, O, CH4, NH3, H2O, Ne, N2, CO... Nitrogen  47.6%    Oxygen  50.9%  Argon  0.5%
Axial tilt	19°
Planetary albedo	0.30
Exospheric Temperature	1299.79° K	+26.79° C Earth temperature
Length of year	398.57 Earth days	618.67 Local days
Length of day	15.46 hours
Boiling point of water	98.3° Celcius	209.0° Fahrenheit
Hydrosphere percentage	66.3
Cloud cover percentage	48.6
Ice cover percentage	1.8

QAO-3
Planet type	Rock Low-G, Cold, Airless
Distance from primary star	1.6E+08 KM	1.049 AU
Mass	3E+23Kg	0.050 Earth masses
Surface gravity	354.0 cm/sec2	0.36 Earth gees
Surface pressure	0 millibars	0.000 Earth atmospheres
Surface temperature	-57.9° Celcius -72.3° Fahrenheit	-71.9° C Earth temperature -129.5° F Earth temperature
Normal temperature range	Night Day -89.4° C -128.9° F - -26.6° C -15.9° F Min Max -114.5° C -174.2° F - -1.7° C 29.0° F
Equatorial radius	2374.4 Km	0.37 Earth radii
Density	5.33 grams/cc	0.97 Earth densities
Eccentricity of orbit	0.017
Escape Velocity	4.1 Km/sec
Molecular weight retained	19.2 and above	Ne, N2, CO, NO, O2, H2S, Ar, CO2...
Axial tilt	26°
Planetary albedo	0.07
Exospheric Temperature	526.17° K	-746.83° C Earth temperature
Length of year	408.36 Earth days	286.50 Local days 1.12 Earth years
Length of day	34.21 hours
Boiling point of water	-273.1° Celcius -459.7° Fahrenheit
Hydrosphere percentage	0.0
Cloud cover percentage	0.0
Ice cover percentage	0.0

QAO-4
Planet type	Sub-Jovian
Distance from primary star	2.5E+08 KM	1.699 AU
Mass	1.1E+26Kg	18.835 Earth masses 9.325 Earth masses dust 9.510 Earth masses gas
Equatorial radius	26937.7 Km	4.2 Earth radii
Density	1.37 grams/cc	0.25 Earth densities
Eccentricity of orbit	0.213
Escape Velocity	23.6 Km/sec
Molecular weight retained	0.2 and above	H, H2, He, N, O, CH4, NH3, H2O...
Axial tilt	26°
Planetary albedo	0.46
Exospheric Temperature	200.72° K	-1072.28° C Earth temperature
Length of year	841.28 Earth days	1589.26 Local days 2.30 Earth years
Length of day	12.70 hours

QAO-5
Planet type	Jovian
Distance from primary star	4.5E+08 KM	2.976 AU
Mass	1.3E+26Kg	21.451 Earth masses 7.676 Earth masses dust 13.775 Earth masses gas
Equatorial radius	29317.6 Km	4.6 Earth radii
Density	1.21 grams/cc	0.22 Earth densities
Eccentricity of orbit	0.094
Escape Velocity	24.2 Km/sec
Molecular weight retained	0.1 and above	H, H2, He, N, O, CH4, NH3, H2O...
Axial tilt	21°
Planetary albedo	0.51
Exospheric Temperature	65.41° K	-1207.59° C Earth temperature
Length of year	1950.44 Earth days	3613.22 Local days 5.34 Earth years
Length of day	12.96 hours