Garbage & Glory Text to the Editor!
27 days ago
– Mon, Nov 25, 2024 at 10:29:35 AM
Hello Garbage Gatherers!
A big update today – the Garbage & Glory book has gone to editing!
I sat down three weeks ago with a list of five things I knew I needed to double-check or tweak. Since then, I have corrected or improved 44 elements of the game. Sometimes the wrong Calling name was used, there were too many different example characters, some of Threats didn’t have damages listed for their natural weapons, and on and on. All of that has been cleared up now. Currently, the text is being checked for my silly typos, for rules clarity, and word agreement. Plus, we are discussing which terms will be presented in capitals and which will not. All of this is always part of bringing a game manuscript written by four different people together into one final document.
When we sent out the original emails in summer 2022, inviting the writing team onto the project, we were imagining a 24,000 word manuscript and a short and sweet project. Since funding the game in summer 2023 we have found so many opportunities to expand the world just a little bit more. More options for character creation (originally, they didn’t have a choice of special abilities), places to explore (how could I have forgotten the suburbs?), lengthier spell descriptions (what does a magical blast of power look like?), more Threats (Wyrms and Terror Tires). None of which were part of the original concept. The game didn’t seem complete without this extra material. Even now, we haven’t covered everything! The text of the game is now over 42,000 words! This makes Garbage & Glory basically tied for our third biggest book ever (with Never Going Home). I am very happy with what we’ve developed and am so excited for you all to see it!
To that end, here’s a bit of new text for you – the Mess Magus Calling.
The Magus was not in the quickstart we did for Free RPG Day 2024. We had to complete that quickstart text in December and January, almost a year ago, to get it produced in time for Free RPG Day in June. It represents a simplification of the game rules at that time. We didn’t include any spells in the quickstart both because of space limitations, and because they weren’t finished then. I hope you enjoy these clips of game text which will let you create a Mess Magus with a couple spells.
You’ll get the next big update when the manuscript goes to layout, which should be in December.
If you will be at Pax Unplugged in Philadelphia on December 7-9, come see us at Booth 3744.
Thank you for your support and patience.
Matt
To create a treasure-seeking Raccoon, first think of the type of adventurer you’d like to play. Select a name and declare your first title. Then choose your Calling. Your Calling sets your basic ways of interacting with the world, fills in six of your attribute ranks, gives you a choice of both a unique ability and a unique skill, plus two general skills. To complete character creation, assign four more ranks to your attributes. Then select two more skills and assign four more points of training across your five skills. Lastly, select your starting equipment and draw your starting hand of three Garbage and two Glory.
Mess Magus
I have studied the writings back to Trash-Co. Now, I can see your future in the shiny foil. A scrap of tin can is all that’s needed to slice through the biggest Ogre. The egg carton and a spell are all I need to create armor to stop a Jaw-Jaw. Soft feathers from the Goose Dragon and I can put an entire village to sleep. I have learned the secrets and pursued the true power of Garbage! Well, that’s the theory, at least.
Brawn (X) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Smarts (X) (X) (X) ( ) ( )
Guts (X) (X) ( ) ( ) ( )
Lore (X) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Snoop (X) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Special Abilities
Reduce
You have learned to animate that which was thrown away. Discard a Garbage card as an action to create a small animated creature called a “rubbish”. This creature has 1 in Brawn, Smarts, and Guts automatically. For each additional Garbage card you discard, you may raise a single attribute one rank or give the rubbish a single skill training point. A rubbish can carry a message or perform a simple task before it reverts to trash.
Recycle
By studying the true nature of Garbage, you can peer a moment forward in time, and predict the trashy future. Before another character draws 1 or more cards from the Garbage deck, you may look at the top card only to see what’s in store, then decide to keep it on the top or move it to the bottom of the deck.
Special Skills
Trash Magic [Smarts]
(X) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
Long study of the hidden nature of trash lets you employ uncommon solutions to modern problems. Select spells from the Trash Magic Spells or General Spells list. One spell per point you put into this skill.
Reuse [Guts]
(X) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
You can channel your power to other creatures. With a successful Reuse roll you add any of the listed effects to another’s weapon, or to your own. The TN for each effect is listed below. Most effects last until the next attack the creature makes. For each point in Reuse, a Mess Magus may affect an additional creature at the same time. The effects are mostly similar to weapons augments. But the attacker does not need to send successes on them because the magic effect has already been applied.
TN 2 - +1 Damage, Stun, Add elemental flavor to attack (fire, ice, lightening, etc.)
TN 3 - +2 Damage, Spray, Wreck
TN 4 - +3 Damage, Flurry, Fragmentation (Ranged attacked only)
TN 5 - +4 Damage, Next attack ignores Armor
Trash Magic Spells
Blur
This spell blurs the edges of the target’s appearance into a series of ragged after-images as they accelerate through the world. The caster selects a creature they can see and rolls their spellcasting skill: TN 3 to allow the target to take a second turn at the end of the current combat round. Outside of combat, Blur simply allows the target to move more quickly.
Augments: +1 target (2), effect lasts one extra round (2)
Trap
On a successful spellcasting skill roll: TN 2 lines of glowing force assemble local materials into a trap at a target location within melee range of the caster. Trap does no damage by default, but can hold a creature with 4 or less Brawn in place for one minute once the trap activates. Creatures with 5 or more Brawn are still delayed one action by the Trap. A TN 4 roll is required for others to evade or disarm the magical Trap. If Trap is not activated, it fades at the next dawn.
Augments: deal 1 damage when activated (2), +1 TN to evade Trap (1)
