I've thoroughly enjoyed my Mythic Bastionland and Eco Mofos games. I was part of a short campaign using Mythic Bastionland that ended a few weeks ago, ran by Goobernuts (go check his site and itch page). I've also ran a few games of Eco Mofos one-shot games with friends and acquaintances.
I did not notice this at first, but Eco Mofos' Hermits and Mythic's Seers have a lot in common - elder visionaries, having glimpsed the past and future, helping the PCs in one way or another. The wise old eccentric mentor is a well-documented trope, but it's interesting to see them as an upfront supporting role in both games.
So, it got me thinking: what if Hermits and Seers are the same? What if Mythic Knights are just Punks given legitimacy by Seers? What if Eco Punks are just Knights who gained power without Seers, but are just as powerful and dangerous?
It would be cool to see Magitech Punks and Infallible Knights fighting side-by-side, like a buddy cop movie. So, let's make that happen. Let's put the Punks into the Realm of Knights, and the Knights in the Dying MOFO World.
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| mash up cover for Punks in Mythical Bastionland |
A PUNK LOST IN TIME
(Playing and Running Punks in Mythic Bastionland)
CHARACTER CREATION
0. Remember to keep track the rolled 1s. Every 1 you roll, roll an extra item on the Eco Mofos d666 table (p64)
1. Roll 1d6 for HP and 1d6 for Adaptation as normal from Eco Mofos. HP = Guard. Get all the abilities and starting gear from Adaptation.
2. Roll 1d6 for Age. This is followed regardless of the Start and Scope chosen for the Knights.
* [1-2] = Young
* [3-5] = Mature
* [6] = Old
3. Roll for Virtues. Determine the dice to roll according to your age.
Young = 2d6+3
Mature or Old = 1d6+1d3+6
4. Roll 1d6+6 for Luck and 1d6 for Burden as normal from Eco Mofos.
SETTING and LORE ADJUSTMENTS to MYTHIC BASTIONLAND
* Punks are halfway between Vagabonds and Knights. They roam the realm, working for and protecting for themselves, but gifted - or cursed - with knowledge and power. In general, Vassals and Vagabonds fear them, and Knights are wary of them. But there will be some that are charmed by their non-conformity and unorthodox ways, especially by Seers.
* The Myths are rampant, weird, and not of this time. Think anachronistic tech and untamed magic as the cause and effect of the Myths, and they have terrorized most of the Realm. The tone and vibe should be less grounded, more weird hope, but still fueled with mystery and grandeur. Less Arthurian knights fighting Cthulhu, more Alice with lasers in Wonderland. Make proper adjustments in creating Realm (see Adding Details below).
* Seers see Punks and Knights of their worthiness. Seers may not have granted Punks their skills and power, but they can feel the essence from them. Are they simply unruly Knights? Are their fates bound to the Myths? Are they unripe Seers? Regardless, they see them for their potential, together with Knights, in their ability to shape the Realm and its future.
RULES to UPDATE and CHANGE
(It is still a Mythic Bastionland game with the following additions and changes to play rules)
* Punks are not Knights, and so they would not have the same access and permissions to knighthood-related stuff.
- Punks cannot use Feats, as they have no knightly training. You can still use Gambits as normal in Mythic Bastionland.
- Punks do not have a starting steed. But they can always trade, tame, or steal one during play.
- Punks are under no oath to the Realm. People will not offer you service for free as they would another Knight. Trade and haggle as a vagabond.
- Punks are lucky. If it is not clear who are affected to uncertain circumstances, it is not Punks. Unless they are the only viable targets.
- Punks do not gain Rank like Knights, but it does not diminish their worthiness. They can gain Glory from Myths or other means, as Knights would do. Taking what is worthy to them will always be an uphill battle in terms of social and political aspects.
* [OPTIONAL] During chargen, GM can choose to give random Eco Mofos items to Knights to give them a taste of the weirdhope goods. It could be loot from previous excursions, or items given by the Seat of Power. Determine the extra items by checking the total value of Guard + Virtues rolled by Knights at start.
- Total of 15 or lower = roll 3 items on the Eco Mofos d666 table (p64).
- Total of 16 to 24 = roll 2 items
- Total of 25 to 33 = roll 1 item
* Effects from Eco Mofos sources (Punk abilities, spells, etc) that give Deprived status, instead gives Exposed status of Mythic Bastionland.
* LUCK stat (p50) is used by Punks, mainly to use to modify Save rolls and testing Luck in Punk abilities and spells. Knights have no need for Luck.
* BURDEN rules (p54) will be used, including 3 Burdens providing Exposed status and how to remove Burdens.
- Knights are not normally susceptible to Burdens, as they have knightly training. If a Knight would gain a Burden and they are not Exposed nor Fatigued, they instead gain Fatigue. Otherwise, they would gain the Burden.
- You can extend the exception to people to have similar training or have inhuman constitutions.
* Shooting rules of Eco Mofos (p55) will be used for Eco Mofos guns and projectiles.
* There is no inventory slots system. Load and encumbrance can be hand-waived, as long as it makes sense in fiction, as normal in Mythic Bastionland.
* Eco Mofos items and weapons that are Bulky or have 2+ slots can have the Long or Slow tags, whichever is appropriate. Adjucate Hefty tag to 1-slot items that is rightly so. Would recommend doing this when items hit the table and not having to rule in every single Eco Mofos item in the book.
* Any Eco Mofos resources and ammo will be tracked manually. No abstractions. If first acquiring such kind of item, you must roll 2d6 (or 1d6 if rarer). That's the number of resources or ammo you gain.
* SPELLS and SPELLCASTING. Follow the rules as is from Eco Mofos, with the following considerations:
- Use SPI instead of WIL for saves and damages related to Spellcasting.
- If a spell would affect Ability Scores, it instead affects Virtue of the parallel stat (STR -> VIG, DEX -> CLA, WIL -> SPI)
- Knights that try to cast spells (via orbs, shards, etc) are subjected to the same effect as someone manipulating essence (p75). Knights are never Freaks.
* Absorbing Key Items to gain Adaptations is a physical and mental toll, even for Knights. Follow the process of Key Item Absorption in Adapting to the World of Eco Mofos (p48), with the following considerations:
- Burdens gained from this process is unavoidable, even for Knights.
- Gain the parallel stat of Eco Mofos to MB if the process said so (HP->, STR -> VIG, DEX -> CLA, WIL -> SPI)
- Knights do not gain Luck. If they would gain Luck from this process, they instead gain another point in Guard.
* ADDING DETAILS. When describing details of the Myth and Myth-affected parts of the Realm, be it Landmarks or Omens, put in the element of Eco Mofos Essence and Tech. You can use the Portent Sparks table from Eco Mofos (p162). Not all of the Myths need this change, and they don't have to be a complete makeover. Here are some samples:
- The Eye is a Sentient Fisheye Camera. Their acolytes are magitechnicians, maintaining the Eye.
- The Spire is a crumbling brutalist building covered in fungal growth. The serfs are construction workers, gathering resources to build more floors. They definitely have no architectural guidance.
- The Citadel is a giant baroque structure acting like a city hall. The Watcher is a bureaucratic judge that issues summons to all Seers that interferes with the Destined Future. The Destined Future is fully documented project that takes 1d6 weeks to read, and another 1d6 weeks to comprehend.
* TREASURES are not detailed in the Mythic Bastionland. Should the GM provide them, consider getting their details from the Eco Mofos item table (p64), providing an appropriate one. It can be from exploring a Site near or in Myth hexes, getting a gift or curse from Omens and Myths, or simple loot from myth-exposed Realm folks. These goods can be simple ingredients for concoctions or Key Items that can give power to the explorers.
COMMENTARY
* I made Punks distinct with Knights by not giving them the combat abilities (feats) and social privileges. They should still feel Punk - no need authority to do their thing and won't need to always take fights head-on.
* I needed to give Punks tools to survive and thrive in this Mythical land. So, I had to port in Luck, Burden, and Spells from Eco Mofos, along with their own items and thingamajigs. The loot won't be as bountiful as exploring in a mid-future post-apocalypse, so they also need to make the most of the weapons and spells they get. It helps that they are lucky too.
* And with the above-mentioned rules ported in, it would be fun to see Knights try to use orbs and shared and USB sticks in the games. They can also loot like Punks do. But not tempting enough to derail them from their sworn oaths and duty.
* I originally wanted the progression/advancement for Punks to be different from Knights. More looting like in Eco Mofos, less Knightly Glory. But it felt like a big divorce already to the Mythic Bastionland gameplay, which is exploring the realm and quelling the Myths. So, Punks still earn Glory, it will just be an opposed endeavor to prove and show their worthiness, especially to the Seat of Power.
* There will definitely be gaps in the new rules I've made and changed, especially regarding specific items and spells stuff. Make it to whatever make sense at your table, just remember the Primacy of Action rule.
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And that's it for using Punks in Mythic Bastionland.
Next blog will be about putting Knights in a ruin-delving survival game of Eco Mofos!
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