Savage Worlds Thought of the Day 2024-08-16

I am pleased to report that despite my earlier concerns, I was able to pre-order the SWADE Science Fiction Companion, which means I have the PDF now, and the hardcover copy will be shipped to me as soon as it is released. It required sending an e-mail to Pinnacle Entertainment Group, but the deed is done! Eventually, I'll add the Horror Companion, and the savagery will be complete.

Savage News: Broken Earth Breaking Soon

Broken Earth, a postapocalyptic setting for Savage Worlds, will begin crowdfunding via Kickstarter in the near (hopefully not apocalyptic) future. You can sign up to be notified when it launches here. I'm interested in this one.

Worst Character Names of Mongo 4

I probably should have started the "Worst Character Names of Mongo" series of articles with the following offenders, but little did I know at the time that these were but harbingers of far worse nomenclatures to come (and in greater numbers). And so I bring you—from a single day in 1944—the following blinding burst of inspiration in the post-Alex Raymond Sunday strips of Flash Gordon:

• Lura
• Ardo

"The rescued girl quickly regains consciousness. 'You saved my life, handsome stranger. Lura will reward you!'" (3 September 1944)

"'Set a course 120° polar, to the palace in which my brother Ardo and I rule this land,' Lura says. Then, with unexpected speed, 'I'll borrow these guns... No tricks!'" (3 September 1944)

Worst Character Names of Mongo 3

The Flash Gordon Sunday strips of 1948 bring us these examples of not-so-creative character-naming:

• King Justo
• Princess Glitra
• Vilan

"'I told you the metalarm was right—It detected the metal of their weapons.' King Justo laughs. 'Doctor, will they survive the sleep-fog?'" (21 March 1948)

"Justo's weakness is his daughter. He can't refuse the sensation-hungry girl's demand to see the newcomers—so Flash's first sight is of Princess Glitra!" (28 March 1948)

"But Glitra thinks fast, too. 'Why, Dale, how nice—cousin Vilan wanted to meet you. Show her around, Vilan.' Flash and Dale can hardly object..." (4 April 1948)

Flash Gordon/Savage Worlds Thought of the Day 2024-05-22

Once I acquire the new SWADE editions of the Horror Companion and the Science Fiction Companion, I think my Savage Worlds collection will be complete (except for any future releases for The Savage World of Flash Gordon—I'll buy any books they release in that line). I missed my chance to back the Science Fiction Companion crowdfunding project, which is a pity since it was the companion volume I wanted more than any other, but I'll buy it as soon as it is available. I think I'll feel more comfortable writing my own The Savage World of Flash Gordon material after I've read the Science Fiction Companion.

Table: City Encounters (Build Your Own Space Opera Table)

In a space opera, there are least 12 possible persons (sample names included) the protagonists may encounter as they explore the cities of another planet. This is the twentieth table of the Build Your Own Space Opera Table.

City Encounters

Roll 1d12

1. An assassin (named Killo).
2. A common criminal (named Thefto).
3. A doctor (named Medo).
4. A guard (named Protec).
5. A laborer (named Kog).
6. A robot (named M.E.C.H.A.N.O.).
7. A scientist (named Invento).
8. An undercover rebel leader (named Sparto).
9. An undercover rebel scientist (named Eino).
10. An undercover secret police officer (named Susso).
11. A visiting dignitary (named Xeno).
12. A royal outing consisting of two armed guards, a high-ranking victim of unrequited love, and a haughty royal personage.

Table: Radium Mine Encounters (Build Your Own Space Opera Table)

In a space opera, there are least 12 possible things the protagonists may encounter as they explore the radium mines of another planet. This is the nineteenth table of the Build Your Own Space Opera Table.

Radium Mine Encounters

Roll 1d12

1. A crew of radium miners.
2. A radium miner on lunch break.
3. A radium miner slacking off.
4. A radium miner foreman looking for slackers.
5. A fugitive rebel scientist in disguise.
6. A radiumegaladon on the prowl.
7. A radiumillipede minding its own business.
8. An out-of-control mining robot.
9. A group of devil-moles.
10. An electro-hydra.
11. A squad of guards searching for someone.
12. An inspection squad consisting of six guards, a high-ranking victim of unrequited love, and a haughty royal personage.

Table: Aerial Encounters (Build Your Own Space Opera Table)

In a space opera, there are least 12 possible things the protagonists may encounter as they explore the skies of another planet. This is the eighteenth table of the Build Your Own Space Opera Table.

Aerial Encounters

Roll 1d12

1. A band of bandits using jetpacks.
2. A cloud city with or without cloud.
3. An enormormous sky-leviathan.
4. A flock of inferno-pigeons.
5. A fugitive rebel scientist in freefall.
6. A gliding gigantohawk.
7. A high-floating cluster of hydrogen sky-jellies.
8. An out-of-control rocketship.
9. A rocketship on patrol.
10. A squadron of rocketships.
11. A ravenous aeroshark.
12. A royal sky barge transporting six warriors, a high-ranking victim of unrequited love, and a haughty royal personage.

Table: Mountain Encounters (Build Your Own Space Opera Table)

In a space opera, there are least 12 possible things the protagonists may encounter as they explore the mountain ranges of another planet. This is the seventeenth table of the Build Your Own Space Opera Table.

Mountain Encounters

Roll 1d12

1. A crew of worker insect-people at work.
2. A drill-toothed tygor.
3. A fugitive rebel scientist stuck on a cliff ledge.
4. A nesting gigantohawk.
5. A herd of mini-rams.
6. A not-so-helpful throttle-vine.
7. A pack of horned woofins.
8. A sussquatch hermit.
9. A troop of warrior insect-people at war.
10. A voracious tyranodragon.
11. An ursowl mildly confused by its surroundings.
12. A royal hunting party consisting of six warriors, a high-ranking victim of unrequited love, and a haughty royal personage.

Table: Desert Encounters (Build Your Own Space Opera Table)

In a space opera, there are least 12 possible things the protagonists may encounter as they explore the deserts of another planet. This is the sixteenth table of the Build Your Own Space Opera Table.

Desert Encounters

Roll 1d12

1. A band of bandits on rocket-gliders.
2. A crashed flying saucer.
3. An erratic defense robot.
4. A fugitive rebel scientist buried to the neck in sand.
5. A giant fire-lobster.
6. A giant sand-squid.
7. A herd of solar camels.
8. A low-floating hydrogen sky-jelly.
9. A pack of octojackels.
10. A rampaging consumosaurus.
11. A ray-eating dimetrodon.
12. A royal hunting party consisting of six warriors, a high-ranking victim of unrequited love, and a haughty royal personage.