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10/12/2015 10:38 pm  #1


Heswor Vignettes

While driving back from Pittsburgh today I was listening to Apocryphon by The Sword. It sparked an idea to use their songs as inspiration for ASSH adventure sketches and such.

The one that immediately popped into my head was a riff on Warp Riders. This will mostly be me plopping down ideas to finish up as I have time.

Warp Riders - Race
Distant Precursors (Descendants?) of the Hyperboreans. They ride Warp Bikes, typically wield Blades of the Aether. Occasionally they have something similar to a radium blaster. Some Riders are bards and carry the Axe of the Void. Riders are just vagabonds wandering about with unknown purpose. It is not uncommon for them to assist other travelers. They typically don't attack unless provoked.

Warp Bikes - I'm stealing an idea for the ghost ship from Ghost Ship of the Desrt Dunes. They have a primary means of locomation like the Ghost Ship, but if properly charged can warp through space and time. Treat it like a steed for purposes of charging and such. Due to special properties is very difficult to unseat someone riding a Warp Bike.

Blades of the Aether - Most are just finely crafted star metal that gives a +2 bonus to damage and allows the person to hit any creature that requires a magical weapon to hit. Rare versions are powered (same source as the Ghost Ship and Warp Bikes). Powered versions can be set to release a aetheric charge on the next hit (within 3 rounds of the charge be used then it will be dissipated. Also, 2 charges can be used to fire a blast much like a radium pistol. Warp Riders wield their blades with at least Mastery and often Grand Mastery.

Axe of the Void - Your typical six string electric guitar that the Warp Rider Bard can really shred with. If powered up (once again, like the ghost ship/warp bike) it can do funky things.

Warp Rider attire - Their clothing protects them from the ravages of the Void and Warp. It conforms to fit the wearer regardless of size (well, not quite up to giant sized, say 9' tall?). It also protects the wearer from environmental effects . It is equivalent to studded for AC, gives no more encumbrance than clothing (which it is), provides DR 1, and reduces bladed/thrusting weapon damage to half.

I had some other ideas stewing around but too tired to try and recall and really need to read the lyrics to flesh them out.

Oh, Heswor? For some reason I also felt like stealing from Zardoz as well. (T)HeSwor(d) :-)

[edited a typo on 2018-03-22]
[edited another typo on 2018-07-18]

Last edited by gizmomathboy (7/18/2018 2:46 pm)


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10/13/2015 9:09 am  #2


Re: Heswor Vignettes

I often listen to SWORD when working on stuff. Or even just doing the mundane stuff, like packing boxes. Great stuff. The vocals sometimes grate on my nerves, but overall I love the band.


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10/13/2015 9:41 am  #3


Re: Heswor Vignettes

I know that the tuning grates on Francisca's nerves, at least the earlier albums before they had a guitar tech or something fix that for them :-)

Their music usually sets a specific mood for me that seems to fit in with ASSH.

That weird blend of 1970s metal with 1990s rock they have.

Now off to find some Red Fang to listen to.


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10/20/2015 11:45 am  #4


Re: Heswor Vignettes

Ghul wrote:

The vocals sometimes grate on my nerves, but overall I love the band.

TRUTH.

gizmomathboy wrote:

I know that the tuning grates on Francisca's nerves, at least the earlier albums before they had a guitar tech or something fix that for them :-)

Yeah, who woulda thunk tuning down a whole step would require twesaking the intonation so yer axe doesn't sound like buttocks above the 9th fret.

<Sigh>

But yes good stuf gizmo.  Night City off of Warp Riders always makes me think of a sort of high-tech Lankhmar.

Last edited by francisca (10/20/2015 11:46 am)

 

10/21/2015 1:47 pm  #5


Re: Heswor Vignettes

Isn't that the band they used for the credits in I Hit It with My Axe?

 

10/22/2015 11:30 am  #6


Re: Heswor Vignettes

Tres Brujas might be an interesting sketch. Has the feel of running into Baba Yaga at the side of the road or even Ningauble or Sheelba.


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10/22/2015 11:49 am  #7


Re: Heswor Vignettes

In my on-again-off-again work on my homebrew world, there is a small region named "Three Witches", for the triumverate of rulers of the region.  One of them is Baba Yaga, the other two are Glinda and Samantha.  ;-)

Last edited by francisca (10/22/2015 11:49 am)

 

10/22/2015 12:29 pm  #8


Re: Heswor Vignettes

Warp Riders are renown for never going home with any ugly, no matter how much liquor they consume.  If one were to ask a Warp Rider, the Rider would boast of not only great taste in people/creatures, but also attribute this to pure Charisma and "Like, Sex Appeal on a GALACTIC scale....can you dig it?", or some other such boast......

However, the learned scholars who have survived a night of imbibing with Warp Riders put it down to their goggles, which seem to be enchanted with a form of the spell True Seeing (q.v.), which are required for navigating while riding their Warp Bikes.

Warp Goggles: the lenses of these goggles allow the user to see things as if under the influence of the True Seeing spell.  They are useful to the Riders when they ride the Warp Bikes, as it allows them to see past the time/space distortion the bikes create, so they know when they've reached their favorite watering hole.

Last edited by francisca (10/22/2015 12:30 pm)

 

10/22/2015 12:34 pm  #9


Re: Heswor Vignettes

I'm realling digging through these lyrics. Warp Riders has a lot to work with.

Hell, some stuff has already been laid down already by Francisca with his Old Man of the Mountain stuff. Specifically, The Frost-Giant's Daughter from Gods of Earth.

Just skimming Barael's Blade has like 2 cool things in it (Age of Winters). Heck, that album name has part of the Hyperborean cycle all over it.


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10/23/2015 11:50 am  #10


Re: Heswor Vignettes

So, I walk into Francisca's office and he has playing something from Orange Goblin.

"Hey, I think The Sword cribbed from these guys," says the axe man.

Listening to them, Wo Fat, and a couple more bands I would agree. Especially since Wo Fat is from Dallas and The Sword is out of Austin.

So, last night while I was masking some of the panels to be painted for my new Wreckus Maximus I ginned up this idea.

There are various factions among the Warp Riders, most notably the Orange Goblins, Wo Fat Collective, and All Them Witches (a notably all female faction). Their attire automatically attunes to their faction. For example, when an Orange Goblin puts on the leisure/track suit it's trimmed/accented with orange, on the back it displays the crest of the faction. On the chest their name and rank is displayed along with any honorifics and flair that has been earned. When the hood is pulled up it transforms into the semblance of the skull of an orange skinned goblin.

That's right, time-travelling, space warping biker gangs. 


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1/27/2016 10:23 am  #11


Re: Heswor Vignettes

Talking with Francisca about some Moebius Maximus playtesting and he mentioned these things:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hounds_of_Tindalos

I think I just found the natural enemies of the Warp Riders (besides hunting down the heretics and abominations that are chronomancers).


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8/16/2016 12:51 pm  #12


Re: Heswor Vignettes

Barael's Blade

At first glance this bastard sword appears to be fashioned out of bone. On closer inspection it appears as if steel was fused into/absorbed by the bone.

The Blade is only a +1 vorpal sword in the hands of non-warlocks (this includes firelords, deathsoldiers, icelords, and the like). However, if picked up by a warlock it is +2 vorpal sword with the following powers:

0) The warlock is granted Weapon Mastery as a fighter of the same level while wielding the Blade.
1) +3 vs mi-go, great race and any otherworldy creatures, see Ranger for complete listing using their Otherworldly Enemies ability.
2)+4 vs Tlakk-Nakka and her followers
3) +1 CA for purposes of a spells effect, range, etc.
4) When casting spells against Daemons, +5 to CA for purposes of Magic Resistance saves.
5) It is rumored to be capable of storing spells or draining the knowledge from a victim.

Bael's Blade can not be given up by a warlock once it is used in combat. This includes casting spells while it is in the warlock's possession. Only the death of a warlock will free the warlock of this burden. It is attuned to them and no other warlock my access its powers until the burden is lifted. The Blade can be forcibly removed from the warlock's posession.  Other classes may pass it amongst themselves at will, the Blade is not concerned with their place in Hyperborea.

Of course, this now leads to the question, who is(was?) Barael?

Last edited by gizmomathboy (9/20/2016 11:57 am)


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9/20/2016 12:21 pm  #13


Re: Heswor Vignettes

Further Warp Rider thoughts

Riders are almost exclusively fighters. Those wielding Axes of the Void are bards. Each faction is made up individual groups or “gang”. The ranks within each gang are (roughly): 

Lord – head of an individual group
Vizier – second in command. Closest advisor to the Lord.
Sage – keeper of knowledge of the group
Usurer – keeper of the money for the group
Berzerker – usually the most fearsome warrior of the group. One of the few, non-pure fighter in a group. Treat as a berzerker. However, a Sergeant at Arms will never attack anyone in his gang during a Rage, except for Squires.
Navigator – logistician and lead rider for the group. Can be a ranger or scout class. Knows their way about the ‘verse.
Knights – Members of the group without rank.
Emeritus – Riders that aren’t actively participating in activities. Retired from The Chase
Nomads – Riders not in a group. Typically on a mission or just so badass they can rider the Void alone, see also One Not To f*** With.
Squires – Rarely seen. These are Warp Riders that aren’t fully in a group yet.

Last edited by gizmomathboy (9/20/2016 12:22 pm)


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9/21/2016 7:56 pm  #14


Re: Heswor Vignettes

Joe---

I'm picturing your Warp Riders as Simon Bisley meets Russ Nicholson across a Rodney Matthews landscape.  Liking it :D

Allan.

Last edited by grodog (9/21/2016 7:57 pm)

 

9/21/2016 8:09 pm  #15


Re: Heswor Vignettes

Yeah, good stuff!


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9/21/2016 9:15 pm  #16


Re: Heswor Vignettes

I think when the football season is over, gizmo and I need to go kill a bottle of Four Roses and have a day long writing session.

 

9/22/2016 1:47 pm  #17


Re: Heswor Vignettes

grodog wrote:

Joe---

I'm picturing your Warp Riders as Simon Bisley meets Russ Nicholson across a Rodney Matthews landscape.  Liking it :D

Allan.

doing a quick image search of those folks...I think that would work :-)

I was also thinking of sort of the style of the Melnibonean mythos is Dieties and Demigods, specificallly Moonglum. I think that was Darlene.

But, yeah, those guys are pretty close.
 


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9/22/2016 10:26 pm  #18


Re: Heswor Vignettes

No, most (if not all) of the Melnibonean mythos was Jeff Dee's work.

 

9/23/2016 8:00 am  #19


Re: Heswor Vignettes

I was wondering. I couldn't remember how either signed their stuff and I didn't bother to look it up.


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12/02/2016 8:55 am  #20


Re: Heswor Vignettes

More random thoughts.

The Warp Riders nation/culture/whatever is a gynarchy even though almost all riders are male.

Along those lines the Gynarchy are steeped in magic that warps space-time but not to explicitly do it for time travel or time manipulation. That is chronomancy and that is an Abomination and Heresy. They do observe there are natural time warps and weird nexus location like Hyperborea. Time slips there are common. If a Warp Rider finds themselves in a time slip they can do a warp to correctly return to their "normal" time.

Chronomancers are almost exclusively male (because wtf not). They are hunted down and summarily executed by any Warp Rider.

As noted previously the natural enemy of Warp Riders are the Hounds of Tindalos. In a complementary fashion the natural enemies of chronomancers are time wraiths (stealing this directly from The Flash tv series unashamedly :-)


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