LotR in the irradiated wastelands

Here's a little brainstorming for a Lord of the Rings type of campaign (take the magical object back to it's maker in hopes of freeing the oppressed) for a Gamma World or Mutant Future setting. Here's the analogs:

Macguffin: No ring here, just a super-sciencey/sorcery object (okay, a ring! Or make it a tiara for all I care....) that imbues it's owner with invisibility, while mutating them over time into bullywugs. Oh, and it's psionically controlled by an evil techno wizard who's the ultimate mutant (a giant fiery eyeball!) in a high techno tower.

The mission is thought by the adventurers to be one of subterfuge to take the device back to the mutant wizard's tower to use against him. Unfortunately, he's got other plans...

You: Diminutive hominid of your choice, but can't be more than 50% mutant, I'd go with some form of hare or coney. I believe they call them "hoops" in G.W.

Elves: Grens - slender, greenfolk who are excellent archers that like to shoot first, berate later.

Dwarves: Stocky-figured, Gamma World Badders (badger people). 'Nuff said.

Humans: Valids (pure strains) who are suspicious and yet crave redemption

Orcs: Cyborna (cyborg jerkwads)

Trolls: Golthans - sad, childlike, and under the Eye's control

Mordor: Tall, ebony, techno tower of spire built amongst the ruins of a once great city

Minas Tirith: Gleaming city of platinum, built into a mountain side and barely touched by the cataclysm

Helms Deep: Underground keep of the centauroids

Moria: Badder mines that have been invaded and appropriated by Cyborna

Shire: Burrow holes in a grassy, reclaimed prairie

Smaug: Monster of your choice, but has to be big and intelligent. Why not make it easy and just go with an cyborg T-rex with artificial intelligence? Actually, Smaug needs to be more of a force of nature so perhaps something like an a bio-armored serpent the size of an aircraft carrier.

Sauron (aka "The Eye") is a human who's delving into alien overlord tech mutated him beyond recognition--body, mind, and soul.

Gandalf: Techno wizard who left the order to join the rebellion, loves tech from the ancients but also knows enough to fear it

Saruman: Another wizard, but he's in the apprenticeship of The Eye

Gollum: former hare of the burrow (hobbit of the shire) now a full-on bullywug creep who longs to get the device back in hopes of turning himself normal or disappearing forever....

I can see a long slog through irradiated junkyards, swamps, and foothills. Maybe even use the old Gamma World module found in the GM screen --it's already got a spaceport tower in a mesa-filled wasteland!

Sneak peek of IDW's new Mars Attacks! comic #1

OH YES, I WILL BE ADDING IT TO MY PULL LIST.

Story & Letters by John Layman
Art by John McCrea
Colors by Andrew Elder

...with a cover by sci-fi legend Wally Wood!

Images: Comic Book Resources, visit their site for more pics!

Mutants: Anatomids

Some of the simplest mutations aren't cross-breeds between species or orders of life, but merely deformed from the main line and passed down through generations. These mutants usually manifest as anatomical anomalies, making them Anatomids.

Anatomids  come in many forms and may not carry the same exact mutations from one generation to the next, but generally there are strains. Below are some tables should you not have a specific design in mind and want to randomly roll up a tribe or individual:

Mutation Expression (1d6)

1. Oversized (by factor of xd6)
2. Undersized (by factor of xd6)
3. Multiples (by factor of xd10)
4. Displaced (creator's choice)
5. Combination (creator's choice)
6. Single anatomy (Thing from Addams family)

Governing anatomical feature (1d12)

1. Head
2. Face only
3. Eye(s) only
4. Ear(s) only
5. Nose only
6. Tongue only
7. Neck
8. Hand(s)
9. Foot/feet
10. Combination of 2
11. Conjoined at hip
12. Conjoined at neck

Additional appendages/mutations (1d12)

1. Antlers
2. Elongated claws
3. Exposed bone or shell
4. Horns
5. Limbs
6. Pouch
7. Tail(s)
8. Tendrils
9. Tentacles
10. Tusks or oversized teeth
11. Unidentified 
12. Wings

These are only ideas of course, a player may be free to design their own PC's form or GM to design a tribe per the parameters of a given setting.

Note: Gamma World Orlens fall into this category.

Armin Zola is an example of an Anatomid techno wizard that's mastered the secrets of the ancients!

Underground lairs, forests, and secluded hideways are typical habitats for Anatomids, but they can be found anywhere.

This guy is definitely a chieftain...

What kind of culture would a society of Things be like? Artists, technicians, or healers with no eyesight or hearing....

Anatomids are allowed for PC and NPC use.

1990s Planet of the Apes meets Alien Nation comes sooooo close...

...but no cigar. Still, it's at least worth noting this article up on io9 about a forgotten, 1990s Alien Nation / Planet of the Apes crossover comic called Ape Nation. At first glance, appears to have "Gamma World War!" written all over it. Here's the rundown:

Long story short, a Tenctonese vessel from Alien Nation time travels to Earth's apish future. Unlike the movie, these Newcomers have conquest on the mind.

Promising, right? Just to be sure, let's check it against the GWW litmus:

• Mutants? CHECK. Ape-men are def. mutants.
• Aliens? CHECK. L.A. County is chock full of space invaders.
• Humans? CHECK. Doesn't look like they're featured, but still technically part of the PoTA universe.
• Global post-apocalypse setting? CHECK. Just regular, old PoTA world though.

According to the article the story seems to focus more on power struggles (snore!) and getting aliens drunk on sour milk.

My heart pines for a true successor to the GWW title--something that really expands on the aliens coming to clean the clocks of humanity and mutant-kind leftovers. If only....

The Silent City: Post-apocalyptic web series!

The Silent City web series is a Kickstarter project wrapping up tonight, and though they've already recieved funding to do the project, they're still accepting backers for the next 8 hours. If there's one thing this world needs it's more homebrew post-apocalyptic video.

Synopsis

When an unexplained event decimates the human race, the survivors fight for their lives in the ruins of a once mighty civilization.

A decade later, the dangers of the new world have taken their toll. Hopelessness and isolation have felled many of the original survivors, and now one man walks alone, determined to endure against all odds.

The fun part of this one in particular is that Backers will have the chance to influence the story. New Yorkers will even have a shot at being extras in a zombie horde scene!


There's only a few hours left and lots of cool rewards including artwork, DVDs, and more!

Kickstarter page