NUELOW Heroes & Villains: Punk Rock Girl

Here's another ROLF! super-character. Creator Carter-Ethan Rankin states: "She's Hallie Hiromatsu! She's a punk! She's got skin of stone! She considers herself the 4th member of Shonen Knife! She's: PUNK ROCK GIRL!"

Punk Rock Girl (aka Hallie Hiromatsu)

Enjoy!

ROLF! Game Stats
Punk Rock Girl (Female)
aka Hallie Hiromatsu
Brawn 20 (23 when transformed), Body 15, Brains 7
   Traits: Martial Artist, Unstoppable, Super Power (Item-based: Whenever she listens to a song by Shonen Knife, she can gains Super Strength, and cause her skin to turn to stone for up to one hour (all damage suffered is reduced by 3 points). Limitation: When she transforms, her skin turns gray and pitted--like a rock--her hair becomes a short purple mohawk and her left eye becomes a jagged pit. If she hears a Shonen Knife song and does not wish to transform, she must roll a successful Brains ATT check to resist.)
   Combat Maneuvers: Backflip, Dance Move, Double Strike, Disarm, Kung Fu Face, Murderous Mitts
   Important Items Worn/Wielded: Nunchuks (Medium Melee Weapon. Deals 3 points of damage). iPod loaded with all official Shonen Knife albums, as well as several dozen bootleg recordings),

Origin Story
Teenager Hallie Hiromatsu is the youngest daughter of Hiro Hiromatsu, an American of Japanese descent who has returned with his Caucasian wife to Japan to run a language school. In truth, Hiro is the top operative of P.R.I.G. (Pacific Rim Intelligence Group) and his school serves as a front for the secretive, U.N.-sponsored spy ring.
   From literally the day she sat foot in Japan, Hallie has been a huge fan of the all-girl alternative rock band Shonen Knife. Although grounded on the night they were performing near her home, she stuck out to attend the concert with a girl friend. Before going to the concert, the two girls styled Hallie's hair in a purple mohawk, because she wanted to show her father that he may be some sort of super-spy, but he couldn't stop her from doing whatever she wanted to do.
   However, Hallie's movements had been tracked from the moment she snuck out of her house, not by her father but by the sinister North Korean super-agent Spirit of the People and her mad scientist sidekick Dr. Kim Chee ("Kim. It's just Dr. Kim!"). They in turn were being followed by Captain Freedom and his wild-child sidekick Jungle Girl. When Spirit of the People and Dr. Kim struck at the concert with the intent of kidnapping Hallie and her friend, the two heroes were ready to stop them. The Shonen Knife performance continued uninterrupted, as the band and crowd just thought it was an extra special, extra energetic night of moshing and thrashing.
   During the fight, Dr. Kim's latest death-ray gun malfunctioned  and exploded, almost killing him and overloading Shonen Knife's amplifiers and speakers. Hallie, bathed in both the weird radiation of the gun and the sonic waves of a distorted Shonen Knife tune,
underwent a strange transformation--her skin turned rock hard and she gained superpowers. While Captain Freedom evacuated Shonen Knife and the crowd from the collapsing concert venue, Hallie and Jungle Girl chased and defeated Spirit of the People.
   When Hallie reverted to her natural body soon afterwards, it became apparent that she had also been severely injured in the explosion and she almost died. Although Hallie made a full recovery, her left eye could not be saved. After recovering, her father saw that she was put through a crash-course martial arts training program, so she could defend herself and put her superpowers to use in the name of freedom and justice
 whenever she listens to a song by Japanese alternative rock band Shonen Knife.

Superpowers
Dr. Kim Chee's malfunctioning weapon activated dormant mutant traits in Hallie that now is triggered when she hears a song by Shonen Knife. When transformed, her Brawn ATT increases by +3 and all damage received). Hallie's transformation lasts for one hour, and she must get at least 6 hours of sleep between transformations to do them successfully. She can chose to not transform by making a successful Brains ATT check.
   Hallie's left eye is a highly advanced cybernetic prosthetic that allows her to record what she sees and transmit it to P.R.I.G. central command at will. It is non-functioning when she becomes Punk Rock Girl.

Enemies and Allies
Hallie is an Agent of P.R.I.G. and can call upon their resources. She will stop agents of P.O.T.S. whenever she can... and anyone who says a bad word about Shonen Knife had better ready for a beating.

FYI
Punk Rock Girl created by Carter-Ethan Rankin. Bikini Blur, Reiko Nakamura, and the displayed image have all been released into the public domain. Everything else (except for the names Captain Freedom, Dr. Kim Chee, Jungle Girl, and Spirit of the People, which are Product Identity) in this post is presented under the Open Gaming License, and may be reproduced accordingly, and is Copyright Steve Miller 2013. Shonen Knife is also not Open Gaming Content, and is a trademark used without permission. No challenges to ownership intended.

Shonen Knife is actually a real-world Japanese rock band, who were a favorite of Kurt Cobain. Here's are a couple of samples of their music:

NUELOW Heroes & Villains: Bikini Blur

Bikini Blur (aka Reiko Nakamura)

ROLF! Game Stats
This (and all write-ups for this series) relies on the basic ROLF! game, but may also use rules found in ROLF!: Something About Superheroes, ROLF!: POTS vs. PANS, and ROLF!: Mad Scientists Gone Wild. (Note: Sharp-eyed gamers may note some minor irregularities in the way the Super Power trait functions in these write-ups. Those are due to anticipated revisions coming with the ROLF!-powered superhero game that is in the works.)

Bikini Blur (aka Reiko Nakamura)
Brawn 14, Body 15, Brains 6
   Traits: Irrepressible Optimist, Nimble, Super Power (Derived from Alien Bikini. Only gained when Item is Worn: Super Speed, Furious Fists combat maneuver, Armor that absorbs up to 5 points of damage from all sources, even those that usually ignore armor. Limitation: The Alien Bikini only operates when it is the only thing Reiko is wearing.).
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Dodge, Run Away!, Walking Disaster Area.
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Glittering Alien Bikini of Mysterious Origin (Clothes, barely covers nakedness). Taser (Small Melee Weapon, deals 2 points of damage that ignore armor; a gift from her dad).

Origin Story
The mystery woman known as Bikini Blur was just another high school girl from Osaka, fretting about her college exams when a chance encounter with a strange being from an alien planet altered her life forever.
   Reiko Nakamura was coming home from the library late one evening when she was blinded by a flash of light and knocked over by a powerful gust of wind. When her vision cleared, a green-skinned woman stood over her. Orange blood oozed from many deep wounds.
   "I have run as far as I could," the woman said--her voice reverberating in Reiko's very bones, "and I must pass the treasures of my kingdom onto you. Please guard them. Do not let them fall into the hands of the Dark Empress. The future of my race rests with you now."
   With that, light seemed to consume the woman's body, leaving behind only the glistening two-piece bathing suit she had worn. Wondering if she had cracked under the strain of too much studying, Reiko picked up the bikini, slipped it in her book-bag and continued on her way home and to bed.
   When Reiko woke up the next morning, she still thought of last night's events as proof her mind had snapped; but when she looked in her book-bag, the glistening, shimmering bikini was there. Whatever she had witnessed last night, it had really happened!
   Reiko decided to put the bikini on and found that it fit perfectly. As Reiko admired herself and the odd swimwear in the mirror, several hulking, armored men with green skin burst through the wall. "Surrender the treasure, alien female!" one of them bellowed, reaching for Reiko with his massive gauntled hand... but she wasn't there anymore. In fact, she was on a rooftop across the street, looking back at her shattered home in astonishment--she had merely wanted to back away from the horrible figure bearing down on on her, but in doing so somehow managed to leap clear across the street. The strange alien suit didn't exactly give her the ability to fly or teleport, but it let her move so fast that she might as well be able to--she had leapt out of the second floor of her house, run across the street and literally up the wall of the house there until, on the roof, where he thoughts finally caught up with her actions and she realized what was happening.
   Moments later, another group of aliens appeared in the street below. They shouted in a language she could not understand, some pointing at her, some pointing at her, some pointing at the armored beings peering through the hole in the wall to her bedroom. And then, the two groups starting fighting each other.
   Reiko thought it best if she fled the scene... and she's been running ever since. Later reuniting with her father, Chika, who narrowly escaped death as their house was destroyed, the pair now travel Japan and the East, seeking to unlock the secrets of Reiko's bikini, fending off their alien pursuers when they catch up to them and fighting crime and injustice when they encounter it.
   Meanwhile, journalist Taharo Akako is also on their tail. He's the one who named Reiko "Bikini Blur." Reiko wold love to meet him, but her father forbids it; he doesn't want a reporter broadcasting their location to the aliens (and he doesn't want a handsome man making time with his teenage daughter!)

Superpowers
Reiko has no powers of her own. Her abilities all derive from the alien bikini, which remains almost as mysterious to her as when she first put it on. It allows her to move extremely fast, hit opponents harder, and to cause a blurry aura around her that protects her--but since she only recently discovered that function, she and Chika both believe the suit is capable of much more.
   Much to both their chagrin--Chika in particular--the bikini's powers only operate if it is the only thing Reiko is wearing.

Enemies and Allies
Bikini Blur is hunted by the minions of the Dark Empress, and by a faction of uncertain loyalties that is led by the handsome alien Prince Hiromasa. She has also angered the powerful Yakuza boss Raiden, who has placed a bounty on her.
   Bikini Blur has crossed paths with Punk Rock, another young Japanese superheroine, a couple of times. They have become friends and subscribe to each other's Twitter feeds. Her father remains her protector and firmest ally.

FYI
Bikini Blur created by Carter-Ethan Rankin. Bikini Blur, Reiko Nakamura, and the displayed image have all been released into the public domain. Everything else in this post is presented under the Open Gaming License, and may be reproduced accordingly, and is Copyright Steve Miller 2013.

Available Now: "Film Fun Comics Vol. 1"!

Click here to see previews or to get a copy of Film Fun Comics Vol. 1: Stuntman!

We've enjoyed some success with our ROLF!-based superhero releases, and we were happy with the sales on our first excursion into comics with "ROLF!: Turkey Shoot." Plus, we here at NUELOW Games like both comic books and classic superhero adventures, so we're upping the ante with a new series of books -- Film Fun Comics!

Each entry in this new series (which is projected to run at least 4 pdf-format e-books) will collect some great Golden Age comics set against the backdrop of the Golden Age of Hollywood... with actors and actresses putting on fighting togs to take on the criminal underworld!

Here's the cover image for Film Fun Comics, Vol. 1: Stuntman. It will contain four of Stuntman's greatest cases and a ROLF! battle scenario, along with several pre-generated characters. The Stuntman comics were all written and drawn by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, and they were selected from the pages of vintage issues of All-New Comics, Black Cat, The Green Hornet Fights Crime, and Thrills of Tomorrow.

By way of further preview, here are the ROLF! game stats for Stuntman and his supporting cast. Other characters and an all-new Trait will also be featured in the book.

DON DARING (Male)

Brawn 15; Body 18; Brains 4
Traits: Irrepressible Optimist, So Very British
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Seduce, Strike Pose, Withering Insult
Important Stuff Wielded/Worn: Notebook (Melee OR One-shot Ranged Weapon. Deals 1 point of damage). Expensive Suit, Deer-stalker Hat.

SANDRA SYLVAN (Female)
Brawn: 14; Body 19; Brains 6
   Traits: Busty, Improv Master, Nimble
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Dodge, Seduce, Strike Pose, The Look
   Important Stuff Wielded/Worn: Fashionable Clothes.

STUNTMAN (aka Fred Drake, Male)
Brawn 28 (includes +1 Hat bonus), Body 18, Brains 8
   Traits: Honorable, Nimble
   Combat Maneuver: Backflip, Basic Attack, Dodge, Human Cannonball, Knock Out, Murderous Mitts, Signature Move
   Important Stuff Wielded/Worn: Superhero Outfit (Armor, absorbs up to 2 points of damage), Stuntman Mask (Hat, +1 to Brawn when worn).

To save the future, they must fight in the past....

NUELOW Games celebrates the 40th anniversary of Peter Fonda's landmark sci-fi film about time-traveling without wearing pants, Idaho Transfer, with the release of our own pants-less time-travel epic for ROLF! -- Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2: Whacking Weiner.

ROLF!: Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2 is a stand-alone sequel to our cyberpunk spoof that pitted rebels in a dark future against teh corrupt forces of the plutocratic One World Government. Now, the brave members of the Trouser Snakes must travel into the past to stop the Time Killer from assassinating US politician and creepy sexter Anthony Weiner and altering the course of history. Like the great Idaho Transfer, it's got intrepid young people with no pants traveling through time to secure a better tomorrow! We're sure Fonda would approve... if he knew we existed.

Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2; Whacking Weiner presents five pregenerated characters--including Anthony Weiner ala ROLF!--several Traits and Combat Maneuvers not found in the core rulebook, and two linked battle scenaros. Click here to see previews at RPGNow and to download your own copy.

If you missed the original Rise of the Trouser Snakes, click here to check it out. You might also be interested in Anthony Weiner's first ROLF! appearance, which saw him in pitched battle with a former president of the United States in Bill Clinton and the Secret City of Women.

Features the debut of the Trouser Snakes

Features Anthony Weiner's ROLF! debut.

Help NUELOW Games donate to Oklahoma disaster relief

NUELOW Games's editor L.L. Hundal was greatly saddened by the devastation visited upon Oklahoma this week when the unstoppable forces of Nature tore through communities there. She prompted me to design a ROLF! scenario expressly intended to raise some funds to donate to the relief efforts.

The result was ROLF!: The Tornado vs. Steve Costigan. It is available for sale now, and I urge everyone who plays ROLF! to get a copy. All of NUELOW Games's proceeds from sales on this booklet through the end of September 2013 will be donated to Feed the Children's tornado relief fund. Click here to see previews and to get a copy of your own.

The Tornado vs. Steve Costigan is also one 11 items that are included in a bundle of products we've collected and discounted as part of this fund-raising effort.

If you've never checked out ROLF!, or if you've never bothered to see why I hold Robert E. Howard's humor stories in higher regard than his famous Conan and Solomon Kane tales, now is your chance to discover both at a 45% discount on the total price of the individual items. All proceeds of sales on this bundle will be donated to Feed the Children's Oklahoma tornado relief, and it will be available through at least June 1. If it proves to be a successful fund-raising tool, I'll extend its shelf-life.

When Howard Met ROLF! includes the following products:

Fists of Foolishness -- The first ten stories about sea-faring boxing champ Steve Costigan--a man with fists of steel, a heart of gold, and a head of wood. This book also includes the complete ROLF!-powered roleplaying game The Violent Worlds of Robert E. Howard. Fiction by Robert E. Howard (with one story featuring revisions by Steve Miller), game design by Steve Miller and L/L. Hundal.

Shanghaied Mitts -- Eleven more tales of the boxing exploits and misadventures of Steve Costigan. Includes a game adventure that can be played solo or used with The Violent Worlds of Robert E. Howard or ROLF!. Fiction by Howard (with one story featuring revisions by Miller), game design by Miller.

The Sheik: A Literary (?) Spoof and Battle Scenario: An Arab prince bites off more than he can chew in this spoof of cheesy bodice rippers. Features one of Howard's earliest publications. Fiction by Howard, game design by Hundal.

Bathtime at Bear Creek: Breckenridge Elkins takes a bath once a year whether he needs it or not... but this year's bathtime is interrupted by the nefarious Black Phantom Gang. Includes the very first story featuring Howard's dimwitted cowboy hero, and an additiional little story plus game scenario where he crosses paths with Frank Bolle's Black Phantom. Fiction by Howard and Miller, game design by Miller.

Hammerin' Tongs: Steve Costigan teams crosses paths with Steve Harrison, Howard's hardboiled detective with a habit of catching horrific cases. Game design by Miller.

Cap'n Jack on the Isle of Pirate's Doom: Three Cap'n Jacks join forces with Howard's Caribbean Pirate Queen Helen Taverel in a fight for survival against ninjas and the mysterious Mustache. Game design by Miller

Conan vs. Conan: A joke-slinging late-night talk show host meets a sword-swinging barbarian--will the mouth prove mightier than the sword? Game design by Miller & Hundal.

Pirates vs. Fairies: Howard's legendary pirate Black Vulmea meets the NUELOW Fairies. Game design by Miller & Hundal.

R.L. McSterlingthong and Nikola Tesla vs. the Daughter of Skull-Face: Partly inspired by Howard's "Yellow Meance" character. Fiction by Miller, game design by Miller and Lisa Harding

The Tornado vs. Steve Costigan: The sea-faring boxing champ makes landfall to save a friend's farm by winning a prize fight against Tornado Thommerson... but things don't go quite as planned. Fiction and game design by Miller.

In addition to all of that, we're also donating proceeds on sales on a bundle of our best-selling Oriental Stories anthologies to Feed the Children's tornado relief effort through June 1. Click here for details on the four books featured, and to contribute to a good cause.

Alfred's Scepters--for three different game systems

I am finishing up the latest for NUELOW Games... a little product which will be our first straight-up fantasty-themed d20 System release. (Well, sort of... the artifacts in question were inspired by the real-world 9th century King of Wessex, Alfred the Great.)

By way of a preview, here's Alfred's Scepters... with stats for OGL d20, OpenD6, and ROLF! (Everything here is released under the Open Gaming License, except the paragraph starting "ROLF! System Rules" although if someone is really interested in ROLF! OGL, I will make an SRD and work up a license. :) )

Alfred, King of Wessex

Alfred's Scepters
Two feet in length Afred's Scepters are a matched set of gilded wooded rods crowned with highly stylized, floriated gold Celtic crosses covered in a delicate web-like pattern of silver. The head-pieces can be removed from the wooden rods by simply twisting them off; this does not disrupt the magic inherent in these artifacts, as it resides in the gold crosses.
   When subjected to spells that reveal enchantments, the scepters radiate mild divination magic.

D6 System Rules
When separated, one of Alfred's Scepters grants the character holding it a +1 enchantment bonus to Strength checks to avoid damage. However, the real power of this two-part artifact are revealed when the same character is wielding both of them--one in each hand. To gain the full benefit of Alfred's Scepters, the character cannot be wielding any other weapons.
   When both scepters are used at the same time, the character still gains the +1 enchantment bonus to Strength checks, but gains limited precognative abilities that means he or she gains automatic initiative in any round that he or she is attacked. Essentially, when wielding Alfred's Scepters, the character cannot be taken by surprise. Additionally, he or she gains a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy skill checks and Sense Motive skill checks.
   When out-of-doors, characters wielding both of Alfred's Scepters may, as a full round action, commune with trees and other plant-life to discover what Intelligent beings hostile to the user or his or her subjects, allies, and loved ones, have most recently (within the past month) passed nearby. The level of success and detail of the information gained depends on a Perception roll against the follow target numbers:

Target Number    Result
1-4                      Whether someone has passed.
5-8                      Roughly how many creatures have passed
9-12                    Exactly how many have passed, what race/nationality
13-17                  Same as above, the exact day they passed, name of leader
18+                     Same as above, where they were traveling to.

D20 System Rules
When separated, one of Alfred Scepter's grants the character holding it a +2 enchantment bonus to Armor Class or Defense Rating. However, the real power of this two-part artifact are revealed when the same character is wielding both of them--one in each hand. To gain the full benefit of Alfred's Scepters, the character cannot be wielding any other weapons.
   When both scepters are used at the same time, the character still gains the +2 enchantment bonus to AC/DR, but also cannot be surprised by an attacker and never suffers any penalties from being flat-footed or flanked. Additionally, he or she gains a +4 bonus to all Diplomacy skill checks and Sense Motive skill checks.
   When out of doors, characters wielding both of Alfred's Scepters may, as a full round action, commune with trees and other plant-life to discover what Intelligent beings hostile to the user or his or her subjects, allies, and loved ones, have most recently (within the past month) passed nearby. The level of success and detail of the information gained depends on a Wisdom check against the following DCs:

Wis Check DC    Result
1-7                        Whether someone has passed.
8-10                      Roughly how many creatures have passed
11-15                    Exactly how many have passed, what race/nationality
16-20                    Same as above, the exact day they passed, name of leader
21+                       Same as above, where they were traveling to.


ROLF! System Rules
Alfred's Scepters are small items. They are melee weapons that deal 2 points of damage each, although the character can only strike with one each action. While wielding them--carrying one in each hand--all damage suffered is reduced by 2 after Armor has been subtracted (to a minimum of 0). If the character loses one, through a successful Disarm from an enemy, the reduction is lowered to 1 point

This Just In: Kate Moss Poses Nude!

A recent headline that came across my news-feed read "Kate Moss Poses Nude!" (The article was a blurb about an article about a photo-spread for a suntan product she uses and models for, which you can read here.)

My first thought was "That's note-worthy? Is it the first time this year or something?"--because it seems that Moss has a habit of posing in less rather than more clothing... and her posing nude isn't exactly something she has done before, many times.

My second thought was "Kate Moss Poses Nude" would be great title for another ROLF! match-up of Bill Clinton and Anthony Weiner."

Ultimately, we decided that we didn't have quite strong enough a hook for a product... but there may be a sequel to "ROLF!: Supermodel Slapfest" percolating. In the meantime, here are stats for Kate Moss if you want to cook up a Battle Scenario of some sort featuring her. (And if you do, please send it to us. :) )

Kate Moss (Female)
Brawn 13, Body 15, Brain 7
  Traits: Improv Master, Nimble, So Very British
  Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Dodge, Double Strike, Seduce, Strike Pose, The Walk, Withering Insult
  Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Nothing of note, as birthday suits don't have pockets.

A new mini RPG -- You vs. Me!

The latest release from NUELOW Games is You vs. Me. In this stand-alone game designed for two players, you and a friend make characters based on each other, swap them, and then do battle.

It's a quirky game that shares its core system with NUELOW Games's flagship ROLF! game, and it's a great way to pass the time with a close friend between convention games or during a regular game session where you're left at the table while the GM is away with another player for a Serious and Secret Roleplaying Encounter. Characters can be made in five or minutes... and fights usually don't take much longer.

L.L. Hundal posted slightly expanded design notes for the game as part of the "A to Z April Blogging Challenge" last month, filling the requirement for the letter Y. This final version was designed by Steve Miller & L.L. Hundal, co-creators of ROLF! and the lunatics behind NUELOW Games. Miller is a long-time veteran of the game industry whose credits include work for Wizards of the Coast, White Wolf, West End Games, TSR, and others. Hundal has always been smart enough to hold down a real job and just do games for fun and otherwise leads life as a Woman of International Mystery.

You vs. Me is a self-contained mini RPG that includes everything you need to play except for a couple of pencils, four six-sided dice, and a friend. It is available for download from RPGNow for a mere $1.50.

Sinbad and the Seven Golden Skeletons: A ROLF! Battle Scenario

I was saddened to hear about Ray Harryhausen's passing today. Many of the movies he produced and/or did stop-action animation for are ranked among my favorite films ever. It's not much a tribute to his great work, but here is a little ROLF! Battle Scenario that 'borrows" the famous Harryhausen skeletons (which I so loved in "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" and "Jason and the Argonauts"), Sinbad and Margiana from "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad" (portrayed by John Philip Law and Caroline Munro, who probably jump-puberty for a number of people reading this, or that of their parents).

You will need a copy of ROLF!: Old Skool or ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game to play this scenario (as well as a friend). A copy of the free Something About Hats might also be useful, as would The Mummy's Tune supplement.

SINBAD AND THE SEVEN GOLDEN SKELETONS

A ROLF! Battle Scenario for 2 - 3 Players

By Steve Miller

Getting Ready to Play

If two gamers are playig this battle scenario, then one controls Sinbad and Margianna and the other the skeletons. If three gamers are playing, then one gamer each controls Sidbad, Margianna, and the skeletons.

   Another option for a two-player game could be to remove Margianna from play and reduce the number of skeletons to four.

Background

On a beautiful Wednesday afternoon, sometime early in the 8th century A.D., the pirate captain Sinbad and his lovely sidekick Margianna make landfall on a lush island. They are here to check out a cave containing a legendary treasure hoard, and to then have a nice a picnic lunch.

They easily locate the cave... and the treasure within seems likewise easy to access, as it's just scattered about the cave floor or overflowing open chests. The partially decayed, dismembered corpses scattered about are sure evidence that this treasure is indeed not as easily accessible as it seems.

The adventurers move warily forward, but as they do, seven gold-coated skeletons that seemed to be no more than macabre wall decorations, come to life. The gold coating flakes from their bones as they move jerkily toward Sinbad and Margiana.

The Battle

There are a total of seven skeletons--hence the title of the scenario. In the first round, two skeletons attack Sinbad and one attacks Margianna. When the first skeleton on each of the heroes is defeated, two more rush forward to take its place. The fight continues until all the skeletons or Sinbad and Margianna are defeated.

Pre-Generated Characters

Here are the characters featured in "Sinbad and the Seven Golden Skeletons."

Skeletons (Undead)

Brawn 12, Body 3, Brains 3

Traits: Dead

Combat Maneuvers: Bitch Slap, Disarm, Double Strike

Important Stuff Word/Wielded: Sword (Medium Melee Weapon. Deals 3 points of damage).

Sinbad the Sailor (Male)

Brawn 27 (includes +1 Hat Bonus), Body 17, Brains 7

Traits: Honorable, Nimble, Too Sexy for My Shirt

Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Dodge, Disembowel, Double Strike, Murderous Mitts, Strike Pose

Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Turban (Hat. +1 to Brawn while worn). Sword (Medium Melee Weapon,deals 3 points of damage,

Margiana (Female)

Brawn 22, Body 18, Brains 6

Traits: Improv Master, Nimble

Comb:at Maneuvers Basic Attack, Dance Move, Dodge, Seduce, Strike Pose, The Look

Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Kris Dagger (Small Melee Weapon, deals 2 points of damage).

Z is for Zenobia

And we finish A to Z April BARELY under the wire, with moments to spare, here on the West Coast of the United States! We ran behind for the second half of the month, but we made it! It's not much of a triumph, but one must take victories where one can find them.

Here at the end, we present a character for use in ROLF! games, either set in ancient times or using John Kendirck Bangs' Houseboat on the River Styx setting.It's the ROLF! version of Zenobia, one of L.L. Hundal's favorite historical figures. She's been bugging me to put her in an Battle Scenario, to which I've always responded, "do it yourself."

Now that Zenobia has stats, maybe Ms. Hundal will be inspired. Perhaps she could even bring back another of her favorite historical figures, Amelia Earhart, had have them team up to do battle against evil.

Zenobia (Female)
Brawn 28 (includes +1 Hat bonus), Body 16, Brains 8
   Traits: Busty, Nimble
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Castrate, Disarm, Debate Philosophy, Disembowel, Dodge, Seduce, Strike Pose
   Important Items Worn/Wielded: Egyptian-style Bikini Armor (barely covers nakedness, absorbs 2 points of damage). Imperial Crown (Hat, gives +1 Brawn bonus when worn). Sword (Medium Melee Weapon, deals 3 points of damage).

Or if one of you out there has a great idea for a Battle Scenario featuring Zenobia, feel free to share it with us. We may put it in a product and you will be able to say that you're a published game designer!

Y is for You vs. Me: The Rollplaying Game

As the second-to-last post in the A to Z Blogging Challenge, we represent a ROLF! variant by L.L. Hundal.

YOU vs. ME: A ROLLPLAYING GAME POWERED BY ROLF!

Designed by L.L. Hundal * Edited by Steve Miller

Copyright Steve Miller 2013. All Rights Reserved.

About This Game

You vs. Me is a quick-playing game for two players. They each make a character based on the other player, trade them with each other, and then have the characters beat each other up until one is dead. If you have a friend you don't mind losing, try playing this game with them when you have nothing better to do.

What You Need to Play

You need a friend, four six-sided dice, two sheets of paper, and something to write with. At the very least, you  will also need a copy of ROLF!: Old Skool (which can be downloaded free of charge by clicking here). 

How to Play

First you create characters, then you trade the characters with each other, and then you fight the characters. Just like I mentioned above. 

Create Characters

Consider the friend sitting across the table from you. Then consider what he or she would be like as a ROLF! character. Then start creating.

   Each character has three Attributes, like any other ROLF! character--Brawn, Body, and Brains. The basic function of these Attributes are described in the ROLF! rules, but they are generated differently in the You vs. Me variant.

   1. Assign Attribute  Ratings: Rate your friend's Brawn score between 6 and 30; the Body score between 4 and 20, and the Brains between 2 and 10. You do not need to maximize the Attribute. Unspent points are not used for anything but instead go the way of a European or African country's national debt--they just vanish.

   2. Pick Traits: Characters have a number of Traits equal to half their Brains Attribute score. Traits are listed in the ROLF! rule books and supplements; you may use any Trait that has been introduced into the game or you can create new ones. If you create new Traits, make sure you send it to us, so we have something to post on the blog. Remember that you are picking Traits that you think your friend possesses.

   3. Pick Battle Maneuvers. Battle Maneuvers  are listed in the ROLF! rule books and supplements; you may use any Battle Maneuver that has been introduced into the game. You can also make up new ones if you don't think any that exist accurately capture the talents of your friend if he or she were to become a violent brute, but keep in mind that the existing Battle Maneuvers were created by professional game designers and carefully play-tested and balanced against the rest of the ROLF! game. If you're not careful, you may unbalance the intricate--oh, who am I kidding? Just make up Battle Maneuvers that you think are fun, funny, or capture the essence of your friend--that's what I do. And, sure, I play-test.... most of the time.. Designing for ROLF! isn't rocket-science... but you do have to be mindful of the dice mechanics and how modifiers work in the system.

   4. Create Equipment: Each character has two items that can be used as weapons, You should pick things you associate with your friend. One item deals 2 points of damage and the other deals 4 points of damage.Both are melee weapons. There are no ranged weapons in You vs. Me.

Trade Characters

Pass the character you've created to your friend and let him or her absorb the impression you have of them while you do the same with the character your friend created based on their perception of you. Consult the ROLF! rules if there are Traits and Battle Maneuvers you are not familiar with.. or make your friend explain them to you.

Fight

By "fight" I mean the characters fight. If you or your friend are offended by the character that was created, one or both of you need to get over yourselves and realize that this is all for fun... or maybe consider making some changes in your lives. That might mean getting other friends, although more likely it means doing a little soul-searching and self-evaluating to understand why your friend views your the way he or she does.

   The fights in You vs. Me continue until one character is defeated. Combat and damage work just like they do in the standard ROLF! game. Each player has their own pair of six-sided dice to roll Attribute Checks and Combat Maneuvers with.

Afterword

The idea for You vs. Me has its genesis in Steve Miller and I making each other as ROLF! characters for Apocalypse Not (The Final Final Battle), together with a bizarre little Battle Scenario. We both agreed that we captured one another quite well, and there were no hurt feelings. Then again, we are both comfortable with the fact that we are dorky jerks.

   The rules here were play-tested with my long-suffering girlfriend. We are still living together.

   I hope you have fun with this ROLF! variant. Please send us any new Traits or Battle Maneuvers you may come up with. We need content for the blog.

M is for Mary Jane

 Today's entry in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge celebrates the the legalization of pot in Washington State. While no one here at NUELOW Games actually smokes the Whacky Weed (although apparently L.L is apparently one of the slang terms for marijuana), we don't mind those who do. So long as they treat their habits like drunks treat theirs and stay the hell away from their cars while high/stoned/bombed/whatever.

So here's a pre-generated character for use in a ROLF! battle scenario--Mary Jane, the Mistress of Mellow.  (A perfect foe for her would be the Tee-totaler featured in ROLF!: St. Patty vs. The Snake.)

Mary Jane, the Mistress of Mellow (By L.L. Hundal)
The mysterious dark-tressed Mary Jane has been a tireless crusader for the right to get high and mellow whenever and whereever ever since she first appeared in a cloud of sweet-smelling smoke and her green-and-yellow superhero outfit in Seattle's Pioneer Square. Her greatest foes are Buzzkill, Frigid Fanny, and the Tee-totaler.

Mary Jane (Female)
(aka Mary Jo Verde)
Brawn 21, Body 15, Brains 7
Traits: Busty, Martial Arts Master, Nimble
Combat Maneuvers:  Basic Attack, Furious Fists, Disarm, Dodge, Strike Pose, Spelling (After Me, Mellow Haze).
Important Items Worn/Wielded: Superhero Outfit (Armor. Absorbs up to 2 points of damage).

New Spelling
Mellow Haze: The Speller causes a pale green gas to form over the battle area. All characters must roll Brawn ATT checks or lose the will to fight. Unless attacked, they will leave the battle area in search of something to snack on. Characters so effected are removed from the battle scenario and considered defeated.

(This post is  Copyright 2013 NUELOW Games and Steve Miller, but permission is granted for duplication for personal use,)

I is for Icing Death and Twinkler

Another day, another entry in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge from NUELOW Games! Today, we offer a couple of magical items with stats for OGL d20 System games, OpenD6 Games, and ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game. Everything under the headers OGL d20 System Stats and OpenD6 System Stats is Open Game content, and is published under this license.

Icing Death and Twinkler (By Steve Miller)

Worldstrider and dealer of curiosities Tanner P. Valentine became fascinated with a certain Drow adventurer from a distant world. Discovering the drow was quite famous, Valentine decided to market miniature replicas of his famous matched magical swords in the form of cake knives. He named his products Icing Death and Twinkler and he marketed them through the Planestrider chain of interdimensional rest-stops. They were only on the market for a brief time before Drow, admirers, friends and enemies of the famous adventurer alike, decended on stores carrying them and destroyed the items and the stores itself. The Drow's friends felt they were an insult to him, and the Drow's enemies felt they were an insult to them--that such powerful weapons and their owner would be trivilized in such a way filled everyone who knew the Drow with indignation or fury. (And then there were the lawyers who filed suit on behalf of the Drow and his trademarkable image....)
  As for Tanner P. Valentine, he still has to give both Worldstrider reststops and Drow enclaves a wide berth. He still has a few cake knife sets he is willing to quietly sell to interested parties he meets.

D20 System Stats
Icing Death and Twinkler are matched cake knives with curved blades and ornate black handles. If used as weapons, they function as +1 daggers. They were mass-produced in elven magic item sweatshops and they are therefor not safe to use to actually cut cake. If they are used to cut cake (or any other food substance), there is a 33% chance that the magical energies leaking from the knives will poison the food. In such a case, any who eat it must roll a DC 15 Fort save or be sickened for 1d6 hours, suffering a -2 penalty to all attack rolls and skill checks.

OpenD6 System Stats
Icing Death and Twinkler are matched cake knives with curved blades and ornate black handles. They are mildly enchanted and deal STR+2 when used as weapons. They were mass-produced in elven magic item sweatshops and they are therefore not safe to use to actually cut cake. If they are used to cut cake (or any other food substance), there is a 33% chance that the magical energies leaking from the knives will poison the food. In such a case, any who eat it must roll a Strength check against a target number of 12 or suffer a -1D penalty to all rolls for 1D6 hours.

ROLF! System Stats
Icing Death and Twinkler are small melee weapons that carry a dangerous enchantment. They inflict 1 point of damage that ignore armor and 1 point of regular damage.

H is for the Higgs-Bozo Particle Generator

Today's offering in the A to Z April Blogging Challenge is by Dave Mendez and Steve Miller. It features stats for OGL d20 System games and  NUELOW Games's ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game. (The paragraph labeled "OGL d20 System Stats" is Open Gaming Content and may be republished under the terms of the Open Gaming License.)

 Higgs-Bozo Particle Generator (By Steve Miller and Dave Mendez)
This device is a 3x3x3 smooth black cube that weighs 100 pounds. A large red button is located at the direct center on one of its sides. When pressed, the cube hums briefly and the smell of cotton candy and sawdust and stale sweat wafts momentarily through the air.
    The Higgs-Bozo Particle Generator emits an energy field that weakens Hell Harlequins and Killer Klowns within a 60-ft radius. Once the button is pushed, the generator remains active for 24 hours, unless damaged. It requires 10 hours to recharge between each use.

OGL d20 System Stats
Hell Harlequins and Killer Klowns suffer a -2 penalty to all attack rolls and saving throws while within range of an active Higgs-Bozo Particle Generator.
    The particle generator has 50 hit points and a damage reduction of 5/+1. It stops working after suffering 25 hit points of damage, but can still be repaired. It is damaged beyond repair after suffering 40 hit points of damage.

 ROLF! System Stats
Hell Harlequins and Killer Klowns suffer one point of damage that ignores armor for each round they are near an active Higgs-Bozo Particle Generator.
    The particle generator has 20 Brawn points and it can only be damaged by weapons or combat maneuvers that ignore armor. It stops working after it has taken 10 Brawn points.

Remember the time the world didn't end?

For all of 2012, we here at NUELOW Games hedged our bets that it was not pure idiocy to claim that the end of the ancient Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world/time/universe/whatever. Each month, we released what might have been final game product ever.

As it turned out, it was pure idiocy to believe the end of the Mayan calendar was the end of the world. The end of the Mayan calendar no more predicted the end of the world than the end of the 2012 Maxfield Parrish calendar in Steve Miller's office predicted the end of the world by coming to an end.

The end result is that history carries on... and we're offering you a chance to remember the year the world didn't end by getting all 12 Final Battles in one easy download and at a reduced price. From The Grim Reaper vs. the Fertility Goddess to Apocalypse Not, these supplements cover with width and breadth of what you and your friends can do with ROLF!: The Rollplaying of Big Dumb Fighters. New Combat Maneuvers and Traits, new Spellings, and rules for taking ROLF! in entirely new directions, such as into the superhero genre and giving gamers an opportunity to create and play angels, demons, and gods.

Click here to read details about each of the 12 Final Battles, or to download them all for just $4.

(Re)Introducting 'Hawkshaw the Detective'

Every great artist, writer, or circus clown starts their career somewhere. In the case of Robert E. Howard, creator of the iconic fantasy character Conan and other great adventure fiction characters like Steve Costigan, Breckinridge Elkins, and El Borak (all of which are featured in e-books published by NUELOW Games), the start came with fan fiction.

In 1923, the young Robert E. Howard published two fan fictions inspired by Gus Mager's Hawkshaw the Detective comic strip in his high school newspaper. Mager, working under the penname Watso, had initiated the character as a Sherlock Holmes spoof named Sherlocko. The name-change to Hawkshaw came when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle threatened to sue Mager and his syndicate for copyright infringement. ("Hawkshaw" was a once-widespread American slang-term for "private detective" that fell out of vogue during the 1930s.)

"Hawkshaw the Detective" was published on and off from 1913 through 1947 when it met its final demise and faded into comic strip history. Modern readers will relate to Howard's Hawkshaw stories as spoofs of Sherlock Holmes rather than the fan fiction inspired by a Sherlock Holmes spoof that they are.

In another display of our deep love for writings of Robert E. Howard--Steve Miller for everything but a number of his Conan stories, L.L. Hundal for his humor stories--NUELOW Games offers one of those early fan stories, along with ROLF! game stats for the Great Hawkshaw and his sidekick Colonel Watso.

ROLF!: HAWKSHAW THE DETECTIVE

By L.L. Hundal

Hawkshaw the Detective (Male)

Brawn 14, Body 13, Brains 6

Traits: Nimble

Combat Maneuvers:  Basic Attack, Debate Philosophy, Disarm, Dodge, Run Away, Walk and Chew Gum

Important Items Worn/Wielded: Tweed Coat and Matching Deerstalker Hat (Clothes), Magnifying Glass (grants -1 modifier to Brain checks while searching for clews). Revolver (Small Ranged Weapon. Four Shots. Deals 3 points of damage that ignore armor).

Colonel Watso (Male)

Brawn 12, Body 10, Brains 4

Traits:  Honorable

Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Dodge, Strike Pose

Important Items Worn/Wielded: Howitzer (Large Ranged Weapon. One Shot. Deals 5 points of damage that ignore armor).

* - *

THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE

By Robert Ervin Howard

First published in The Tattler, the Brownwood High School paper, March 1, 1923.

Inspired by Gus Mager's Hawkshaw the Detective.

Hawkshaw, the great detective, was smoking a stogy reflectively when the Colonel burst into the room.

"Have you heard—" he began excitedly, but Hawkshaw raised his hand depreciatingly.

  "My dear Colonel," he said. "You excite yourself unduly: you were about to tell me that the Queen's necklace, valued at fifteen million shillings, was stolen from her boudoir and that so far Scotland Yard has found no trace of the thief although they have ransacked London."

  "You are a wonder, Hawkshaw," exclaimed the Colonel admirlingly. "How did you know that?"

  "Deduction, my dear Colonel," replied Hawkshaw, surreptitiously concealing the newspaper in which was a full account of the robbery.

  "Have you been to the palace?" he asked.

  "I have," was the reply. "And I brought the only clew to be found. This cigar stub was found just beneath the palace window.

  Hawkshaw seized the stub and examined it carefully. He stated, "The man who stole the necklace was a very tall, lank, gangling person, with very large feet and cross-eyed. He wears a number 5 hat."

  "Wonderful!" exclaimed the Colonel, "and how may I ask do you deduce that? How do you even know that a person who smoked that cigar stole the necklace?"

  "The stub is flattened on one side. That proves that its smoker had a large foot. He stepped on it and it would take a great deal of weight to even dent a cigar like that. I know that its smoker is the thief because it is a long stub and anyone who could stand one whiff of that cigar would smoke it entirely up. He would be that kind of man. He evidently dropped it in his haste to make his getaway."

  "But that hat? And his tallness and cross-eyes?"

  "Any man that would smoke a cigar like that would wear about a number 5 hat. As for the tallness and cross-eyes I will explain later."

  Just then there came a tap at the door. The Colonel opened it and an old man entered. He wore large green glasses, was a great deal stooped and had white hair and a long white beard.

  "You are the famous detective?" he addressed Hawkshaw. "I believe I have a clew to this theft. I passed along the opposite side of the street about the time the robbery was supposed to have taken place. A man jumped out of the palace window and walked rapidly up the street."

  "Umhum," remarked Hawkshaw, "what kind of man was this?"

  "He was about five feet tall and weighed perhaps three hundred lbs.," was the reply.

  "Umhum," commented Hawkshaw, "would you mind listening to my theory?"

  "I would be delighted," answered the old man as he seated himself in the best chair.

  "Well, then!" began Hawkshaw, rising and walking to the middle of the room so that he could gesture without knocking the table over. "At the time of robbery was committed a man was returning home from a fishing trip on the Thames. He carried a fishing pole on his shoulder and as he walked along he looked into the windows of houses he had passed while seemingly gazing straight ahead for he was very cross-eyed."

  Here the visitor started, but Hawkshaw went on, apparently oblivous. "The gentleman at last arrived in Windsor and passing the palace saw the necklace lying on the mahogany table. The window was open and though it was high off the ground he saw a way to get it. He was (and is) a very tall man and he had a long rod and line. Standing on tiptoes he made a cast through the window as if casting for trout. He hooked the necklace at the first throw and fled, dropping his cigar in his flight. He also stepped on the cigar. He eluded the police easily and thought to elude me by coming to me in disguise and seeking to divert suspicion in another direction."

  And with that Hawkshaw leaped upon the old man and gripped him by the beard and gave a terrific jerk. The old man gave a yell as he was jerked erect and yanked across the floor. Hawkshaw turned pale. He had made a mistake in identity? He placed a foot against the old gentleman's face and grasping the beard firmly in both hands gave another jerk. Something gave way and Hawkshaw and his victim sprawled on the floor, Hawkshaw holding in his hands the false beard and wig. While the impostor was trying to rise, encumbered by his long coat the detective sprang nimbly up and with great dexterity kicked the huge green glasses from his face.

  The "old man" was revealed as a tall, gangling man with huge feet and cross-eyes!

  “You're under arrest,” Hawkshaw said, advancing toward him with a pair of handcuffs.

  The man sprang to his feet and drew a glittering butter knife from his pocket. "I am a desperate man! Beware!"

  At that moment the Colonel recovered from his amazement enough to push the muzzle of a howitzer against the villain and he was soon handcuffed.

  "Call the police, Colonel," directed Hawkshaw, taking the necklace out of the fellow's pocket.

  "Curses!" hissed the villain, "tricked, foiled, baffled! Curses!"

"But, Hawkshaw," asked the Colonel a few hours later, after they had collected the enormous reward that had been offered for the recovery of the necklace. "But Hawkshaw, how did you know that was the man?"

"My dear Colonel," answered Hawkshaw as with a smile he lighted a stogy, "I smelt the fish on his hands."

The End

ROLF!: Jesus vs. Muhammad

Jesus and Muhammad square off in the forthcoming ROLF!: Christmas Chaos product. But the battle detailed there wasn't the first time they exchanged blows. That story is told below, in a free combat scenario that's part of our year-long Final Battle series during which we've been counting down to the end of the world. This may be the last rollplaying scenario you'll ever play, so we hope you have fun with it!

    I alone take responsibility for its content. My partner in ROLFing, L.L. Hundal, wishes to disavow hersel from anything involving the names "Muhammad" and "Jesus." She just had her hair done, and she doesn't want it messed up by illiterate idolators and fanatics who might take offense.

Jesus vs. Muhammad: Waiting for the End of the World

The Final Battle (#11.5 of 12) for Two Gamers

Background

It's Thursday, December 20, 2012. The Bolthole, Guardian City's largest survialist store, has been doing booming business as the citizens stock up on guns, food, and camo-toiletpaper in preperation for the terrible and vague doomsday that's been predicted to occur on December 21, 2012. It's been so busy that the store's shelves are almost empty.
    Jesus and Muhammad, both deciding at the last minute that they need to take steps to protect their family in case doomsday actually happens, have come to the store to get supplies. They may both be procrastinators, but when they swing into action, it's with the intent of getting the best for their loved ones. And in this case, it means buying the very expensive Chuck Norris and Cindy Crawford endorsed Complete Delux Doomsday Survival and Fitness Package (featuring soothing ointments and bathsalts made from Chuck Norris sweat).
    Both men reach the sheft at the same time--only to discover that there's only one kit left. Neither of them will back down, because the well-being of their family is at stake. Both men are also to proud and too stingy to try blackmail the other. So, there's only one option left: Violence.

The Battle
This scenario is intended for two players. It starts at Ranged distance and it continues until either Jesus or Muhammad have been defeated.

Pre-Generated Characters
Here are the family men of the hour.

 Jesus Mendez (Male)

Brawn 11, Body 14, Brains 5

Traits: Improv Master, Short-tempered

Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Dodge, Double Strike, The Look

Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Pistol (Small Ranged Weapon, deals 2 points of damage. 3 shots).

Muhammad Washington (Male)

Brawn 12, Body 12, Brains 5

Traits: Dour, Improv Master

Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Disembowel, Dodge, Withering Insult

Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Switchblade (Small Melee Weapon, deals 2 points of damage).

12-12-12: Time for 'The Date of Doom'

Check out the Final Battle (#11 of 12) for ROLF! -- "The Date of Doom." It features the return of Millie the Guardian Angel of Supermodels and Myron the Patron Demon of Excess. They're on their first date... and it's interrupted by the hateful actions of Dr. Demon.

Click here to see previews of this great love story... or to get your own copy for just $0.60.

Will Millie and Myron replace Bella and Edward as the world's favorite odd couple? I'm hoping, because my cats need food! (Please... buy a copy! :) )

Make Christmas Merry! Write for ROLF!

You! Yes, you!

Do you want to be a published game designer whose name is recognized by dozens? If so, do we have an opportunity for you!

We are looking for Combat Scenarios for ROLF!: Christmas Chaos (or possibly for the blog). You can just provide a scenario using any characters who have appeared in previous ROLF! supplements, or you can create a set of pre-generated characters to go with it, as well as new Combat Maneuvers and Traits. The only requirement is that the Battle Scenario be somehow Christmas-y.

Contributors who are selected for publication will receive a a design credit, a free copy of ROLF!: Christmas Chaos, and an additional free NUELOW Games product of their choice. (All products are PDF only.)

Send your submissions to stevemillermail [at] gmail.com in the body of an email. Mention "ROLF! Christmas" in the header. All original parts of your submission remain your property, but you grant NUELOW Games the right to include your work in ROLF!: Christmas Chaos should it be selected for publication.

The deadline for submissions is December 12, so get started down the path to obscurity as a NUELOW Games designer and start writing today!

Click here to see what sort of brilliant items L.L Hundal & Steve Miller have previously come up with; We're sure you'll find that you will be able to do much, much better. And if you want a free copy of the rules to work from, you can download that here.

The Complete Adventures of Pepsiman & Lemon-Pepsiwoman!

Over at Cracked.com, they posted an article spotlighting superheroes created to promote products and companies. While most of them are pretty lame, how can one not love Pepsiman and Lemon-Pepsiwoman? In fact, I think they'd be perfect for ROLF! games. Pepsi should pay us to make a series of Pepsiman ROLF! products.

Think I'm wrong? Check out this compilation of all the Pepsiman commercials. That's a whole lot of ROLF! inspiration that is!



Since the likelihood of Pepsi paying us to do Pepsiman products is pretty close to Zero, here are ROLF! stats for Pepsiman and Lemon-Pepsiwoman for your enjoyment anyway. (Which means they may sue us instead....)

New Combat Maneuver
Dispense Pepsi/Dispense Lemon Diet Pepsi: When using this maneuver successfully, the character makes cans or bottles of Pepsi appear in the hands of all characters involved in a fight. All other characters must stop whatever they're doing to drink the tasty Pepsi product in their hands, losing any remaining actions the round the maneuver was used, as well as any during the full ABBA cycle the following round. Characters drinking Pepsi feel refreshed and regain 5 lost Brawn points (up to their starting maximum). In order to have this Combat Maneuver, a character must have the Robot Trait, and he must have the word "Pepsi" in his name. ATT Body.


Pepsiman (Male?)
Brawn 30, Body 18, Brains 5
Traits: Hard to Kill, Robot
Combat Maneuvers: Dispense Pepsi, Furious Fists, Run Away!, Seduce, Strike Pose.
Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Super-Armor (Armor. Absorbs up to 5 points of damage, even from sources that usually ignore armor).


Lemon-Pepsiwoman (Female?)
Brawn 30, Body 20 (includes +1 Hat Bonus), Brains 4
Traits: Busty, Hard to Kill, Robot
Combat Maneuvers: Bitch Slap, Dispense Lemon Diet Pepsi, Run Away!, Seduce, Strike Pose
Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Super-Armor (Armor. Absorbs up to 5 points of damage, even from sources that usually ignore armor). Yellow Ski Mask (Hat. +1 to Body ATT when worn).

(For more ROLF! superhero goodness, check out "Bullets to the Head" and "Bat Meets Cat.")