System Neutral: Numenera with Kyle Decker

For episode 300 (!) we’re releasing a new project we’ve been working on, called System Neutral. For this project we’ve talked to GMs and players of other APs about our favorite game systems to talk about what we like, love, and could do without. 

We’re joined on this episode by Kyle from Quest Friends!, a Numenera Actual Play Podcast with friendship, family, and world-ending spiders. 

Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Numenera: Microfugue State

A team is hired for an unusual excursion to cure a strange infection.

GM: Megan
Players: Aser, Landan, and Shaunna
System: Numenera Discovery

If you want to hear more Numenera on The Amber Clave, check us out on Twitter @amberclave or go to our website.

Special thanks to our Agent+ patrons: Ben, Bernie, Chris, Denise, Eric, Fandible, John D, John M, Jonn, Nyssa, Patrick, Slacker Initiative, Strnad, Stuart, Terryann, TheBookThief, and Tom.

Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Decisions.” (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License 

Want to hear more from us? Check out our other shows!
The Amber Clave– a Numenera Actual Play Podcast
Gold Wings, Black Skies– a streamed Tachyon Squadron show
Firefly Podcast – a Firefly AP podcast
Deniable Operations – a community content feed

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Numenera: Ashes of the Sea

While exploring an old ruin, a group of adventurers find themselves trapped in a new and unknown area.

GM: Megan
Players: Aser, Landan, and Shaunna
System: Numenera Discovery

If you want to hear more Numenera on The Amber Clave, check us out on Twitter @amberclave or go to our website.

Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Decisions” (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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The Amber Clave Episode 1

A newly formed knot of the Amber Clave are sent on a mission under the sea. But first they must find a way to get there.

GM: Megan
Players: Aser, Landan, and Shaunna

If you want to hear the latest news about the show and keep up with what’s going on in the world of Numenera, check us out on Twitter @amberclave or go to our website.

Outro Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Ossuary 2 – Turn.” (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Mysteries of the Ninth World 25: New Worlds

 

Father Dagon rises over a boat, a huge manacing form with large teethIn this final installment of our campaign, the adventurers find their way to the center of hell, where they must confront Dagon long enough to spring their trap in the Hall of Worlds.

GM: Megan
Players: Aser, Chuck, Landan, Michael, and Shaunna.
System: Numenera

Numenera 2 Kickstarter is live!

Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Decisions.” (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Direct Download!

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Mysteries of the Ninth World 24: Mungrun Revisited

a globe floats in the center of a room as a person looks in at it from a hex square in the wall

As they descend into Hell. the adventurers encounter enemies and challenges from scenarios past.

GM: Megan
Players: Aser, Landan, and Shaunna.
System: Numenera

Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Decisions.” (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Direct Download!

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Mysteries of the Ninth World 23: Back to Hell

Green slime with bones and arrows filling it opens it's maw toward the viewer

Heading into the last arc of this campaign, the party begins to make their way to Hell, hoping to finally stop Dagon and the threat he’s brought to the Ninth World

Note: Some of the imagery in the episode might be upsetting for those with PTSD.

GM: Megan
Players: Aser, Chuck, Landan, Michael, and Shaunna.
System: Numenera

Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Decisions.” (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Direct Download!

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Homebrew Monsters: Octopus Dragon and Mantis Dragon

A dragon-like sea creature with blue rings, and spikes and 4 legs ending in claw, four ending in tentacles

While the bestiaries for Numenera, The Strange, and Cypher System have plenty of wonderful creatures for your players to encounter, sometimes you see something you know your players need to encounter during their adventures.

A dragon-like sea creature with blue rings, and spikes and 4 legs ending in claw, four ending in tentacles

Octopus Dragon (Level 7)

While it bears little relation to the intelligent octopodes that reside in the deep, the Octopus Dragon was named for it’s resemblance to them. A cunning predator, the Octopus Dragon camouflages itself to match it’s surroundings and ambushes it’s prey. An Octopus Dragon can breath air, but prefers the ocean, where it’s a more effective hunter. Octopodes despise any association with these relatively mindless predators and will pay handsomely to anyone who brings evidence of a successful kill.

Motive: Hungers for flesh
Environment: Anywhere in the Ocean, Solitary
Health: 35
Damage Inflicted: 8 points
Modifications: Stealth as Level 9, Speed Defense as Level 6 due to size
Movement: Short
Combat: The Octopus Dragon can make two attacks in a round, a bite attack, a claw attack, and/or grabbing with it’s tentacles. The bite attack is venomous and requires a Might Defense roll if the attack succeeds. On a failed roll, the victim becomes respiratory muscles begin to seize up, and breathing becomes difficult. They take an additional 2 points of Intellect Damage (then Might, then Speed) each round as oxygen struggles to make it to their brain. To stop the progress of the venom, someone must pass a level 6 heal check, assisting with false respiration.
The tentacle attack prevents the Octopus Dragon from moving, but allows it to grab onto a target, increasing the difficulty of avoiding it’s bite or claws by two levels. To avoid being grabbed, the adventurer must succeed on a Might Defense roll, level 7.
Interaction: The Octopus Dragon is not intelligent like the Octopodes it resembles. It cannot be reasoned with. Patient predators, they use their superior camouflage abilities to blend in the with terrain and attack when prey draws near.
Use: When a party is investigating something on the sea floor or in a coral reef, the Octopus Dragon might be laying in wait. They are drawn to numenera, or semi-precious jewels, and will kill to add them to their hoard.
Loot: Like most dragons, the Octopus Dragon keeps a hoard, usually in a nearby cave. While typically composed of pearls and shells, adventurers may also find several oddities, 2d20 abadis, 2-3 cyphers or even an artifact in the hoard. If time is taken, a careful explorer might be able to extract enough venom for three uses from the mouth of the Octopus Dragon.
GM Intrusion: The PC fails to realize that the Octopus Dragon has another limb that has been camouflaged, and it now uses it to attack the PC.

A dragon like creature with front arms like a preying mantis, and dragonfly like wings

Mantis Dragon (Level 6)

With a silhouette that shocks with its very wrongness, the Mantis Dragon is an enormous hybrid that is as deadly as it is frighteningly alluring . With their ability to enthrall prey, Mantis Dragons typically wait until their targets are too close to even contemplate escape before capturing them with their hypnotic hum and fluttering of wings. Many an unlucky explorer has been ripped apart by a Mantis Dragon’s powerful forelegs, dumbly smiling all the while.

Motive: Hungers for flesh
Environment: Grasslands, temperate and tropical climates, Solitary
Health: 28
Damage Inflicted: 6
Modifications: Stealth as Level 7, Perception as Level 7
Movement: Short, Long when flying
Combat: The Mantis Dragon has powerful forelegs that it uses to clasp and cut apart it’s prey. Once grasped in the strong forelegs, it’s a difficulty 8 Might Defense roll to escape. The Mantis Dragon does an additional 2 points of damage each round once it has a creature in it’s clutches.
The Mantis Dragon frequently mesmerizes it’s prays with it’s wings. As an action, the Mantis Dragon may spread it’s wings and move towards it’s prey in a slow rhythmic motion, emitting a low hum. Each creature in line of sight must make a Level 6 Intellect Defense roll or become mesmerized by the patterns in it’s wings and the sound it makes. On a failure, the targets are stunned and unable to take actions until the Mantis Dragon ceases it’s dance, or they suffer harm from an attack.
The Mantis Dragon can also bite it’s prey, though it’s preferred attack is to crush a victim in it’s forelegs.
Interaction: Mantis Dragons are predators, and cannot be reasoned with.
Use: The Mantis Dragon, blends into the surrounding environment, rather then tracking it’s prey. The party might venture into its territory and it sees a chance for a meal, or hunters in the region have reported the Mantis Dragon as a threat on their ability to hunt for food for their families.
Loot: Mantis Dragons hide their hoards well, and it will take some time to discover it’s location. The hoard typically consists of 2d20 shins, several oddities, and 2-3 cyphers, taken from previous meals.
GM Intrusion: While an adventurer is in its clasp, the Mantis Dragon takes to the air, and drops them. The adventurer has moments to try to stop their fall.


Images from Gomalemo on Tumblr

Mysteries of the Ninth World 22: Ummm…I’m Debilitated

Map of Innsmouth showing the port, the streets, and all of the important locations from Lovecraft's story

Escaping from Innsmouth is a little more complicated then expected.

GM: Megan
Players: Aser, Chuck, Landan, Michael.
System: Numenera

Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Decisions.” (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Mysteries of the Ninth World 21: The Esoteric Order of Dagon

A building that looks like mausoleum in black and white. The sign reads "THe esoteric order of Dagon"

The party travels to a new reality to retrieve a book. Should be easy, right?

GM: Megan
Players: Aser, Chuck, Michael, Shaunna.
System: Numenera

Music by Kevin MacLeod, “Decisions.” (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Direct Download!
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