GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 22: Gates

11 Pages·2021·4.747 MB·English

by  Peter V Dell'Orto

TM
Written by PETER V. DELL’ORTO
Edited by SEAN PUNCH
Illustrated by GRANDE DUC
GURPS System Design z STEVE JACKSON Chief Executive Officer z PHILIP REED
GURPS Line Editor z SEAN PUNCH Chief Creative Officer z SAM MITSCHKE
GURPS Project Manager z STEVEN MARSH Chief Operating Officer z SUSAN BUENO
Production Artist z NIKOLA VRTIS Director of Sales z ROSS JEPSON
GURPS FAQ Maintainer z Page Design z PHIL REED and JUSTIN DE WITT
VICKY “MOLOKH” KOLENKO Art Direction and Prepress Checker z NIKOLA VRTIS
Reviewers: Steven Marsh and Phil Masters
Special Thanks: Raggi’s Roughnecks (Andy Dokachev, Jack Dokachev, Mike Dokachev, Mike Hornbostel,
andi jones, Marshall LaPira, Owen LaPira, Vic LaPira, Jon Lay, John Milkewicz, Sean Nealy, and Tom Pluck)
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by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are trademarks or registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license.
The fictional Felltower setting and all associated people, places, and events are the property of Peter V. Dell’Orto, and used here with permission.
GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 22: Gates is copyright © 2021 by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Some images used under license from Shutterstock.com.
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STEVE JACKSON GAMES
Stock #37-0373 Version 1.0 – September 2021
®
C
ontents
IntroductIon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Publication History .............................. 2 Why Go in? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Gate and Traits .................................. 6
1 . Gates and the campaIGn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 . Gate rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What are Gates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Gate “Physics” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
About GURPS .................................. 3 Gate Traffic Flows ............................... 7
Gate Types ..................................... 4 Use and Abuse of Gates ........................... 8
Teleportation Portals .......................... 4 Anti-Magic Gates.............................. 8
Interdimensional Portals ....................... 4 Damaging Gates............................... 8
Time Portals ................................. 4 Password Gates ............................... 8
arranGinG Gates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Unreliable Gates................................. 8
Hub-and-Spoke ................................. 5
City of Gates ................................. 5 3 . sample destInatIons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Megadungeon ................................ 5 Gates and maGic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Nexus of Worlds .............................. 5 Olympus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Gate Hopping................................... 5 Islands in the Clouds............................. 9
The Hybrid Game................................ 5 Jester Gates.................................... 10
Portal Item................................... 5 Ape World..................................... 10
Mobile Base.................................. 5
I
ntroduCtIon
One promise of GURPS – implied if not directly stated – is discussions of gates in GURPS Magic and GURPS Dungeon
the possibility of cross-world gaming. You could have worlds Fantasy 21: Megadungeons.
with magic, worlds with other powers, worlds full of ani-
mal-men, worlds full of . . . anything. The a
bout
Basic Set offers Infinite Worlds, a cam-
paign of travel to such realms. It matters not how a
tHe utHor
This idea isn’t new to GURPS, nor to fan-
strait the gate.
tasy gaming. Gates to other worlds, strange Peter V. Dell’Orto was raised
portals dropping delvers into steaming jun- – William Ernst Henley in New Jersey. He started role-
gles straight out of monster movies, devices playing in 1981, with Dungeons
taking adventures to settings lifted from & Dragons, and has played
classic fiction, and so on abound in the early history of fantasy GURPS since Man to Man. He has been active as a GURPS
roleplaying games. The idea that there are other dimensions, playtester, editor, and author since 1996. Peter is the author
other realities for your sword-and-sorcery-wielding treasure of numerous GURPS articles for Pyramid magazine; author
hunters to go to is central to the cosmology of most fantasy. of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 12: Ninja, GURPS Dungeon
Video games show this a lot of love, too – nothing beats a Fantasy Denizens: Barbarians, GURPS Dungeon Fantasy
doorway to another universe to let you mash up genres or Monsters 3: Born of Myth & Magic, GURPS Dungeon
locations without a lot of philosobabble and handwaving. Fantasy Treasures 3: Artifacts of Felltower, and GURPS
It is high time for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy to tackle Dungeon Fantasy 21: Megadungeons; and co-author of
this directly! Gates got a short mention in GURPS Dungeon GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 15: Henchmen, GURPS Dungeon
Fantasy 21: Megadungeons, but there’s so much more that Fantasy Monsters 1, GURPS Low-Tech, GURPS Low-Tech
can go into gates and gate-centric campaigns. Let’s cast Companion 2: Weapons and Warriors, GURPS Martial Arts,
Scry Gate and see what stepping through might bring to and GURPS Martial Arts: Gladiators. He also writes the
your games. blog Dungeon Fantastic at dungeonfantastic.blogspot.com,
where summaries of his 150+ sessions of play can be found.
P H Outside of gaming, his hobbies include martial arts (he has
ublICatIon Istory
fought amateur MMA in the SHOOTO organization in Japan
This is the first edition of GURPS Dungeon Fantasy and submission grappling in the U.S., and holds a shodan rank
22: Gates. All materials are new to this work but build on in kendo), fitness, and studying Japanese.
C I 2
ontents and ntroduCtIon
C o
HaPter ne
G
ates and
C
tHe amPaIGn
Gates can have a tremendous impact on a campaign. They connections between disparate places without all the trouble
can be a useful way to connect a “mundane” fantasy world of traveling between them. But what are they, how do you use
to odder or more specifically fantastical realms. They allow them, and what rules affect them?
W a G ?
Hat re ates
A gate is a supernatural connection between multiple loca- spells bring in more of their own kind. They might be literal
tions, allowing those who pass through it to move from one wormholes left behind by Elder Things burrowing through
place to another without traveling across whatever lies in reality – the hole between where they came from and where
between. These destinations can be remote physically, in time, they went stays, allowing other travelers to use it!
or in reality from one another. They might be other dimen- Too many such holes may warp the fabric of reality around
sions, or just other spots in the same or similar worlds. the gates: High mana! Massively elevated odds of wandering
Gates are also known as “portals,” “doorways,” or “worm- monsters! An area Weirdness Magnet! Too many gates in one
holes” (at least when in space or a void of some kind). This place could even threaten the world itself, making closing
work uses “gate” and “portal” interchangeably. gates a priority . . . after you’ve used them to kill monsters and
Gates can have many possible origins. They might be cre- take their loot. Shutting down a given portal could require
ated by wizards casting Create Gate. They could be opened Control Gate, Remove Enchantment, a unique ritual, killing
when beings called by Planar Summons or Summon Demon its creator, etc., as the GM likes.
a GURPS
bout
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[email protected]. Our address is SJ Games, P.O. Box Dungeon Fantasy 22: Gates can be found at gurps.
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twitter.com/sjgames. Share your brief campaign teasers
G C 3
ates and tHe amPaIGn
G t explore a different genre or space by throwing down a conve-
ate yPes
nient shimmering hole in reality. The basic reality of the desti-
There are three main kinds of gates: teleportation portals, nation can be wildly different: less magic, more magic, strange
interdimensional portals, and time portals. physics, etc. It could even be a dream world or afterlife, visited
in all-too-physical form via the gate!
Teleportation Portals
Time Portals
These allow travel to and/or from other spots in the same
world. Such a gate is a simple connection point between two These are rare in typical dungeon fantasy: They connect
places. These locations can be far apart – the frozen regions a point in a fantasy world with the same or another point in
near the poles might be connected to a ruined temple to Elder that world but during another era. They’re uncommon because
Things in a steamy topical jungle – or close, such as another most treatments of time travel feel too “scientific” – but also
building, dungeon, or room mere yards away. because Dungeon Fantasy normally assumes “TL Olden
Times,” so going forward or backward in time generally only
Interdimensional Portals changes the people and places encountered. Travel to high-
tech, post-apocalyptic, or other science-fictional worlds is
These connect worlds or dimensions, letting delvers visit
possible as well, but cross-TL looting (“Let’s bring X-ray laser
a place such as a parallel “mundane” world, the modern-day
pistols home!”) and technological skills (p. B168) can give the
world, the realm of the Olympian gods (p. 9), or – always a
GM headaches. Alternatively, treat all high-tech items as alien
classic – Hell itself, or some equally hellish world or nether-
artifacts (p. B478).
world. Visit a fictional locale, drop into a book or movie, or
G C 4
ates and tHe amPaIGn
a G
rranGInG ates
A campaign can feature gates just put down without a standing doorways, or whatever) each of which contains a
plan, as needed for a specific adventure, or opening and clos- gate, or similar. Your basic maze-of-gates, seven-eyed wizard
ing at random. But if gates are to be a central campaign ele- sitting at the heart of it all, gathering knowledge, is optional.
ment, a systematic treatment generally works better. Three Such places need a supernatural explanation (such as that
approaches cover most of the possible ground. wizard!) to explain why they aren’t inhabited, guarded, and/or
treated as a resource by a wealthy and dangerous “benefactor.”
G H
ate oPPInG
A “world of the
A gate-hopping campaign is possible without a single town
week” game can let or city – or even a central game world. Delvers simply travel
from world to world, using the gates located in one to reach
the next, or to return to a previous one.
the GM play with
Depending on the players, the delvers might need a reason
to travel. Some players will want to put down roots, or to fully
ideas that might not exploit a location before moving on. Others may wish to jump
around frequently. Worlds strung together by one-way gates
be ideal long-term. can encourage “finishing” a world, as the heroes can’t come
back. Two-way gates encourage travel back and forth, but can
lead to one place becoming a de facto hub (see above).
The downside to such a campaign is that the GM needs a
constant supply of new destinations or reasons to revisit old
H - -s ones. The upside is that new locations are inherently inter-
ub and Poke
esting. A “world of the week” game can also let the GM play
A hub is a central location that the delvers travel from – and with ideas that might not be ideal long-term, such as a world
back to – using gates. Adventurers might spend most of their overrun by demons or peopled by only one race.
time there and use the gates as additional delving locations, or
just treat the hub like town and mostly delve beyond the gates. t H G
He ybrId ame
Either way, the hub provides a place to put the gates.
There are many options for a hub. Below are a few com- Some campaigns feature elements of a hub-and-spoke
mon approaches. structure and gate hopping.
City of Gates Portal Item
An earthly city in a weird world of travelers from many A magic item can act as a hub. Examples are a deck of
planes. Such places make excellent hubs, but if they’re more cards, each depicting a new place, perhaps with only a ran-
interesting than the gate destinations, delvers might decide to dom draw pulling a card that works as a gate; a brush that
stay there instead of leaving on adventures! If the city is heavy can paint a gate on a surface; or a door with a new destination
on law and order but freely accepts loot plundered from other behind it each time it’s opened.
worlds, it’s a good “town” and the gate destinations serve as Such a game is much like a hub-and-spoke campaign,
“dungeons.” except that the delvers can essentially choose the hub’s loca-
tion. Unless the item works only in a specific world, or is tied
Megadungeon to a very limited selection of gates, it can result in a floating
gate-hopping game where the PCs use the gate to avoid obsta-
A huge, sprawling dungeon encompassing a large area and
cles they feel are too challenging.
often a great depth. One level, multiple levels, or all levels may
boast gates to elsewhere in the dungeon or other worlds. The
Mobile Base
dungeon itself provides plenty of adventure, but the gates help
to explain the “monster hotel” mixture of creatures found Another hybrid is the gate-hopping campaign where the
there, allow for widely varying challenge levels, and make the PCs control a base that acts something like a hub; e.g., a fly-
place a magnet for both delvers and crazy evil wizards (are ing (or regular waterborne) magical ship that can sail between
there any other kind?). A nearby town – perhaps GURPS worlds. If the heroes own the boat, their adventures will center
Dungeon Fantasy Setting: Caverntown – can provide all the on it. If not, the vessel needs to be reasonably available so that
shopping and training the PCs need between delves. the adventurers don’t risk being stranded forever in a world.
This approach runs the risk of the delvers “adventuring small”
Nexus of Worlds and worrying more about returning to the base than exploring
the world, leading to a “Never get out of the boat!” attitude
A tunnel system with exits to other worlds, a labyrinth of
instead of opening up whole worlds.
odd passages that end in gates, a valley full of caves (or tombs,
G C 5
ates and tHe amPaIGn
P
laCement
Where are the gates, and why are they there? A best prac- for higher-powered delvers, or to save for later in the cam-
tice for gates is to place the important ones early, with suf- paign, without having to insert them retroactively. It’s also
ficient thought to how they’ll impact the campaign and the a way to keep gates to easily exploited areas from, logically,
world around them. That said, they can be dropped in later. having been exploited by NPCs in the past. Good places for
A nice feature of supernatural interdimensional portals is that portals that will see less-than-routine use include the depths of
no one balks at them just appearing – that actually brings up dungeons, remote wilderness areas, and privately controlled
fewer questions and issues than one that’s been around and areas such as wizards’ towers (or wizards’ guildhalls).
open for millennia! Gates placed in easy locations will see more routine use,
Exact placement depends on how much traffic the GM especially if two-way (see Gate Traffic Flows, p. 7) and always
wants the gates to have. Difficult-to-reach or well-guarded open. Such gates may require GMs to curb abuse – see Use
locations are useful for portals the GM would like to preserve and Abuse of Gates (p. 8).
W G I ?
Hy o n
Gates can be risky – they can be one-way, with destinations But cautious players might never be willing to risk their pre-
wholly unlike where you came from. Realistically, there’s no cious delvers if gates come with unseen risks.
assurance that the gate goes somewhere survivable (but see Thus, the GM must make sure there’s cause to enter a
Scry Gate, p. 8) . . . or that the inhabitants haven’t trapped the gate in the first place. Here are three reasons to give to PCs
daylights out of the destination just out of sight of Scry Gate. (and their players!), to encourage them to take the leap into
the unknown:
Extra loot. The loot in places beyond gates can be
G t humdrum gold, silver, gems, and stock magic items
ate and raIts
(“Hey, 200 copper coins and another Puissance +1
Gate travel can affect certain advantages and disadvan- broadsword. Sell that, we all have one already.”). But
tages, listed below. In a hub-and-spoke campaign, changes gates offer an excuse to drop in unusual treasures of
often aren’t necessary; as a general rule, if the heroes spend special value: Coins of jade, obsidian, or strangely col-
more than half of their time in one world, use these traits as ored gold. Magical artifacts of extraordinary design or
written, basing costs and usage on that world. In gate-hop- construction – especially unique ones not found on
ping game, however, modifications to how they work may be other worlds. Gems unknown in the main game world
needed to make them fair to the players and the GM alike. . . . perhaps similar to Jack Vance’s ioun stones, capa-
ble of being better power items. If the goodies beyond
Absolute Direction (p. B34). Works as written on any world
gates don’t provide much (or anything) more than booty
that has a “north.” But knowing where you arrived on a world
found elsewhere, delvers may travel to safer venues in
doesn’t help you find a gate back or discover how to return
search of riches.
through a one-way or password-guarded gate!
New and exciting places. While gates can lead almost
Claim to Hospitality (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 11:
anywhere – such as a nearby town, another dungeon,
Power-Ups, p. 16). Worth its full value in a hub-and-spoke
or a wilderness location – at least some of them should
campaign, or in a gate-hopping game where the group upon
go to very interesting places. You don’t really need gates
which a claim is held exists in multiple destinations (and the
to have lots of dungeons, or adventures in different cli-
delver can access said group!). In a gate-hopping game with-
mates. Leverage the ability to connect anywhere with
out multi-destination groups, it’s worthless.
any type of location to really suck in delvers. While the
Cultural Adaptability (p. B46). A strict reading of this trait
heroes might not be keen on being dropped into a world
is that it applies “in your world” – but that limits it too much
of sky-castles or Greek gods, their players might be, and
in a game where you’re expected to hop to other worlds. Con-
may jump right into gates to find such destinations.
sider expanding it to “all cultures of your race” regardless of
Varied risk and varied challenges make for great gates!
world. Xeno-Adaptability would work on any race, in any
You can’t stay here. In a gate-hopping campaign, the
world. Bards can take Xeno-Adaptability as a power-up in a
adventurers can have a reason to keep moving plus a
gate-travel-heavy campaign.
reason they can’t stay. Perhaps their transport won’t
Hero (Power-Ups, p. 16). Only worth anything in a
stick around for long, so they can delve only until it’s
gate-hopping game if the residents of most or all worlds rec-
ready to go. They might lose FP or HP – or suffer debili-
ognize the delver as a hero!
tating effects – if they linger in some places. Less draco-
Wealth (p. B25). In a gate-hopping game, this includes
nian solutions include destinations that quickly go from
the ability to quickly make contacts for loot sales (GURPS
lucrative and interesting to tapped-out and boring if you
Dungeon Fantasy 2: Dungeons, pp. 14-15) without a roll.
hang around (once you burn out the quests, there’s no
reason to stay).
G C 6
ates and tHe amPaIGn
C t
HaPter Wo
G r
ate ules
How do gates work under GURPS rules? However the experience. Most important is to keep gates from becoming
GM wants – but here are some guidelines based on hard-won too easily abused (p. 8).
G “P ”
ate HysICs
Gates violate known real-world physics. But they do follow Dungeon Fantasy 11: Power-Ups, p. 37). Items (or limbs!)
some internal logic, even if it’s spurious, magic-fueled logic. stuck through must continue on or be cut off at the source to
free the rest of the object or person. One-way gates may still
G t f be bidirectional – you can return through the same gate, but
ate raffIC loWs
you have to complete transit before doing so. Others are truly
Gates can be two-way or one-way. Per GURPS Magic, one-way: To get back – or go somewhere else – you’ll need
p. 80, if an object or willing being moves into a gate, they’re another gate.
transported. Unwilling subjects may get partway in, and Some gates instead instantly transport anything that
require 1d seconds, 1 FP per second, and a Will roll to back touches them to a new location. This bypasses the shenani-
out of the gate without finishing transit. That assumes a “stan- gans of delvers trying to probe the other side, tying ropes to
dard” two-way gate. people or things so they can be pulled through, playing weird
One-way gates can be transited in only a single direc- planar games by inserting only half of an object, etc. Of course,
tion. Anything stuck into them cannot be withdrawn by the GM may want such experimentation!
any means short of the Secret Teleportation Spell (GURPS
G r 7
ate ules
u G
nrelIable ates
u a G
se and buse of ates Gates needn’t reliably be present or open, or always
go to the same place. They might change destinations
Players tend to exploit gates to the maximum, hopping into
on a schedule, or randomly. They may be open only
and out of danger, conducting arbitrage deals that turn Dungeon
some of the time, typically using the appearance rates
Fantasy into GURPS Traveller: Far Trader, using them as
for Allies (p. B36): From 6 or less for rarely open gates
unassailable safe bases while exploring dangerous locales, and
all the way up to 15 or less for almost always open
worse. The GM may want controls to make this more difficult,
gates; 9 or less establishes a gate as fairly unreliable.
and to explain why NPCs haven’t done the same. A gate between
Serendipity can ensure that such a gate happens to
two distant locations with great trade possibilities isn’t likely to
be open – or is going to a specific destination, for a
be left sitting idle, even if it’s in a dangerous place.
multi-destination gate.
Here are a few reasons why a gate might be unused. Indi-
Gates may even be temporary! You can use them
viduals with Weirdness Magnet may find these effects on all
to visit new places, slay interesting people, and take
gates – even those that are fine for other people!
their loot . . . and then they’re gone forever. Adven-
turers can’t decide to come back later, or raid the
Anti-Magic Gates gate’s destination and return for more – it’s now or
To prevent exploration by spell – Wizard Eye, Create Ser- never. This might not matter for impulsive delvers,
vant, Rider Within, Possession, etc. – gates can negate spells but for cautious types, it can be a lesson that oppor-
on anything that passes through. This can be automatic. Alter- tunity doesn’t always knock and wait until you’re
natively, roll a Quick Contest between the offending spell and ready to answer.
the gate’s Power (typically 20, but as high as the GM wishes),
remembering that the Rule of 16 (p. B349) doesn’t apply! G
An anti-magic gate high in the air, in perpetual flame, or in ates
other dangerous circumstance can be effectively lethal if it can-
cels visitors’ magical means of avoiding damage. Coupled with
m
an inability to scout through it with magic, this can be fatal and and aGIC
feel unfair. In certain circumstances – a gate to Hell, or the easy
way back out – “unfair” is appropriate.
Certain Gate spells (Magic, pp. 80-87) merit addi-
Damaging Gates tional discussion:
Some gates inflict damage on anything that passes through, Control Gate: Gives the players control over
either by design or due to a rough ride. The type of damage whether a gate is usable, rather than limiting that to
inflicted determines what’s affected: the GM. Decide whether this is what you want. If not,
ban the spell outright or restrict it to NPCs.
Burning: Can ignite unusually flammable objects, and – with
Create Gate: Not usually part of a Dungeon Fantasy
sufficient damage – clothing or hair. If this is electrical, metal
campaign (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy 1: Adventurers,
armor offers only DR 1, and those who take damage passing
p. 20). In a gate-hopping campaign (p. 5), though, it
through the gate risk being stunned.
can make a great deal of sense to allow it. The upside
Corrosion: Can potentially blind travelers and will eventually
is that delvers can really get around, moving from des-
wear out equipment subject to repeated passage.
tination to destination by making their own gates. The
Toxic: Mostly affects living things and magically created
downside is that the PCs won’t need to seek out new
beings. May also harm the undead, if akin to Deathtouch. Usu-
gates to travel, but merely the energy to create their
ally ignores DR.
own. Creating permanent gates – like creating any
Harmful gates might deal 1 point of damage. Lethal gates can magic item – should remain an NPC-only capability.
inflict 1d or more. More than 1d of damage will dissuade most Scry Gate: Having smells pass through a gate can
everyone from going through and, if the damage affects objects, produce odd results – especially if monsters with
might effectively strip delvers of a lot of fragile gear: potions and smell-based attacks (like foul bats, GURPS Dungeon
similar concoctions, scrolls, arrows and other ammunition, etc. Fantasy 2: Dungeons, p. 23) lurk beyond. Reducing
While this can curb abuse of the gate, it’s also likely to curb use. the effects to “images and sounds” removes this issue.
That said, images and sounds can be harmful if the
Password Gates PCs peer through a portal to the madness-inducing
Dimension of Elder Things, or the Medusa Kingdom,
Not all gates open for just anyone! Some allow passage
but the effects can feel less odd.
only to those who know a password. Passwords can be simple
Seek Gate: In a gate-hopping campaign, this is
phrases, complex chants, or even magical activation (casting a
critical for getting around! In a hub-and-spoke game,
specific spell in the area); the more frequently legitimate users
especially if gates are concentrated in one area (a
are likely to need the gate, the less likely its password is com-
megadungeon, “gate city,” or other central location),
plex. A password usually opens a gate for a set time – 10 sec-
it can be abused to find and identify all gates far too
onds, a minute, an hour, etc. – after which the gate closes again.
quickly. Fix this by allowing it to seek only a specific,
known gate.
G r 8
ate ules
C t
HaPter Hree
s
amPle
d
estInatIons
Gates can lead anywhere. Here are three destinations few “dungeons,” such as the maze of the minotaur, an under-
from the author’s Felltower campaign (see GURPS Dungeon world full of ghosts and shades of the dead, and Hephaestus’s
Fantasy Treasures 3: Artifacts of Felltower). volcanic forge.
I C
The black Nothing of magic, slands In tHe louds
A sky-blue gate shimmers between two pillars
the world of dreams and
of the finest white marble, which crackle with
electricity and glint with sunlight. Through it is
phantoms of the past,
a world set on and in the clouds. The portal’s des-
tination is the top of a cottony cloud, substantial
has its own, different, laws
enough to support visitors but too soft to sustain
construction or long-term habitation.
– Alexey Pehov, Travel between clouds requires a means of
flight. Spells like Flight, Walk on Air, Air Vortex,
“Shadow Chaser” and Body of Air are good choices; flying mounts
are even better. Clouds range from wispy (unable
to support any weight) to thick, cotton-like masses
capable of bearing incredible weight. All are com-
o prised of magical water, so indiscriminately using effects that
lymPus
eliminate magic or water – e.g., too-large Dispel Magic or
This gate is at the end of a giant hallway lined with ancient Destroy Water spells – risks destroying the clouds. Naturally,
Corinthian columns of white stone. The portal itself is a whit- the floors of cloud castles are magically protected for this rea-
ish-silver color. Through it is a circular room surrounded by son! The clouds drift along with the winds, or are impelled by
identical columns. This stands on a grassy hill overlooking magic to move freely about the skies.
grasslands, rolling hills, and pastures with sheep. In the dis- The larger clouds are topped with castles and manors.
tance beyond are mountains, including a cloud-shrouded one: Dwelling in these and on the clouds around them are giants,
Olympus, home of the gods. dragons, pegasi, and giant flying birds of all kinds. Some enor-
The destination can be a specific period in mythic ancient mous cloud banks have “caves” in which dragons dwell. The
Greece, or a Hollywood-style mashup featuring Harryhausen occasional wizard from another world has come to reside
skeletons; cerberoi, colchis bulls, and hydras (see Pyramid here, as have small tribes of bird-men and winged elves. The
#3/108: Dungeon Fantasy, pp. 11-15); harpies and medusas lairs of all of these beings are full of terrestrial treasures taken
(see GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 3: Born of Myth from the ground below or from other worlds, as well as fan-
& Magic); and cyclopes. Players might expect a golden age tastical items made of moonbeams, congealed sunlight, the
where ancient demigods and heroes such as Hercules, Perseus, wispy clouds themselves, or the dreams of sleeping princesses
Odysseus, and Achilles can be encountered as potential locked in cloud castles.
friends or foes. But if the adventurers arrive before the fall of The ground below is largely uninhabited wilder-
the Titans, or during the great war, they might find themselves ness – untouched forests, prairies, rolling hills, and the
on the side of the gods . . . or fighting against them! While the occasional low mountain range. Unintelligent animals and
characters might not be familiar with the myths and tropes, some monsters dwell here, providing food and sport to the
their players probably will be. The GM can play on this play- dwellers above. This land is also a place of exiled giants,
er-facing knowledge by granting it to the PCs through some dragons with damaged wings, and hermits who reject soci-
mystical sage – or play with it by subverting and changing it. ety. There are rumors of a band of merry, forest-dwelling
A chance to consult the Oracle at Delphi or meet Zeus men and elves who raid the clouds, using magic to fly up and
might be tempting to delvers who need knowledge and experi- strike before disappearing into the trees below, but they’re
ences more than loot. Ancient Greek legend even comes with a likely just that – rumors.
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amPle estInatIons
Although this destination is fanciful, it’s set up to be played Early Imperial Rome. The Caesar of the apes is the smart-
straight. Those who prefer to make it a Jester Gate (below) est, strongest, and most politically cunning individual.
destination may add golden geese, put the gate at the top of a Surrounding the civilized lands are “barbarian” cultures and
giant beanstalk, and populate it with giants who fe-fi-fo-fum totally uncivilized masses of flesh-eating apes and the greatly
it up. feared giant apes.
Gorillas are typically soldiers and generals; chim-
panzees, merchants and wizards; orangutans,
priests and sages; bonobos, artificers, alchemists,
J G
ester ates and designers of all kinds. Lesser apes fill the roles
of servants and enslaved workers; monkeys serve as
Not all locations have to be serious. A gate to a silly loca-
pets to the more-intelligent apes. Adventure can be
tion is an easy way to dip a toe into goofiness even if your
found as useful, disposable, unaligned mercenaries
default campaign is gritty.
in Simia’s ruthless politics, fighting in the colosseum
In the author’s Felltower campaign, “Jester Gates” refers to
against gladiator apes (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy
gates to decidedly silly destinations. Players seeking a humor-
Monsters 1, p. 17), or raiding the less-civilized apes
ous experience – but also a tough challenge and impressive
of the periphery.
rewards – can use them, while gamers who dislike joke-y
Variations on Ape World often play on this theme;
gaming can avoid them. Making them especially attractive
e.g., an “Animal Kingdom” of anthropomorphic ani-
can also tempt the characters to try them.
mals (see GURPS Furries or GURPS Bunnies &
In Felltower, this is managed by giving Jester Gates three
Burrows for inspiration). Making Ape World a vision
properties:
of the far future of the current game world has prec-
Clearly marked. Such gates are physically marked with the edents, too. The latter works well if your campaign
symbol of a fool’s coxcomb. crosses from the pure “TL Olden Times” of Dungeon
High risk. Target destinations are silly but lethal – they’re Fantasy into a post-apocalyptic, formerly high-TL
not just jokes, but also serious threats to the PCs’ life and limb. world dominated by apes.
High reward. Rewards are disproportionally high for the
risk. Everyone might end up dead, but any PCs who survive
are going to get a lot of loot!
Jester Gates can lead to many different types of places. Fell-
tower has its rumored “tavern level,” Diablo II had its Secret
Cow Level, and Gary Gygax’s Castle Greyhawk included an
homage to Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland. Other ideas are lethal
versions of children’s TV classics the group grew up with,
video-game tributes, and nightmarishly humorous clown-
themed levels (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Encounters 3: The
Carnival of Madness, anyone?) – whatever the group would
most enjoy.
Humor is tough, because what’s funny to one group isn’t
necessarily funny to another (e.g., none of the example des-
tinations on pp. 9-10 are intended to be humorous, but any
of them could be, to someone). Use Jester Gates with caution
. . . but they are a great way to give silly gaming a try without
committing your whole campaign to it. If everyone hates the
destination and the results, it was “all just a dream”; everyone
earns a few character points and returns home without the
consequences of a Jester Gate gone wrong.
a W
Pe orld
The gate to Ape World (a.k.a. Simia) looks like any
other. Its destination is a clearing in a subtropical jun-
gle. Nearby is a very human-looking city, but scaled
up for its larger-sized inhabitants: intelligent, militant,
and civilized apes of all kinds. The entire world is dom-
inated by apes, and completely lacks humans, elves,
orcs, and other “standard” races.
Simia has a martial, multi-simian culture of goril-
las, chimpanzees, orangutans, and so on. Their arms,
armor, and names are reminiscent of an ape-themed
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amPle estInatIons