Help fund the development and production of TWO new rulebooks for the THEY CAME FROM... tabletop roleplaying game line.
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Hello Agents & Adventurers!
The curtains open, the lights dim, seats squeak and creak as everyone settles in for our double feature! All the tickets are now collected, and we can now fire up the projector...
BECAUSE WE FUNDED!
Thanks to everyone who's come together to make this happen! And double the excitement, because Onyx Path isn't just adding one new book to the They Came From... game line, but two!
They Came from the Cyclops’s Cave! is the latest in the They Came From… line of tabletop roleplaying games. Cyclops’s Cave! sees characters ranging from heroic swordsmen and cunning sorceresses to charming minstrels and agile scoundrels, embarking on quests designed to evoke the majesty of fantasy movies and television shows from the 1940s onward. Whether you’re looking to channel an epic like The Thief of Bagdad or grim fantasy such as The Sword and the Sorcerer, Cyclops’s Cave! has everything you need for swashbuckling, noble heroism, and monster slaying.
They Came from [CLASSIFIED]! is the latest in the They Came From… line of tabletop roleplaying games. [CLASSIFIED]! sees characters ranging from talented adventurers and agency quartermasters, to dashing spies and sexy provocateurs, embracing all the excitement, gadgets, and mayhem of the spy movies and detective TV shows prevalent from the 1960s onward. Whether you’re a Moore-era Bond fan, an aficionado of John Steed and Emma Peel’s adventures, or an Austin Powers-esque swinging cat, [CLASSIFIED]! has everything you need for a groovy, espionage-filled story.
While I start up our first feature, let's discuss maybe adding some snacks! Yeah, what if we made some sort of movie combo? Of course, I'm talking about Stretch Goals...
As we increase the overall funding and support for the project, we’re able to add additional resources to the project, expand the rewards listed, and add in new offers and opportunities. Each Stretch Goal will have a target that, once reached, will add a project to the reward list for backers of the relevant Stretch Goal path.
During the course of the campaign, I'll be adding Stretch Goals that may create new Add On opportunities, introduce new or expanded content, or just celebrate milestones along our journey and allow us to marshall our resources so we can achieve even more epic rewards!
For many of these milestone markers and campaign celebration goals, we'll have a version for each of our features, though any added rewards will apply to backers who've pledged to either book. You'll see that in theory right before we introduce something that works with either book - a small supplement to expand your They Came From... game a bit regardless of what base you apply it to!
Let the adventure begin!
Let's start with an Onyx Path classic goals...
At $32,000 in Funding – CYCLOPS’S CAVE REDBUBBLE T-SHIRT– As magical and mysterious as the golden fleece, Onyx Path will unveil a They Came from the Cyclops’s Cave!-themed Kickstarter Backer T-shirt hosted on their Redbubble store for a limited time. Only backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available for purchase.
At $34,000 in Funding – [CLASSIFIED] REDBUBBLE T-SHIRT– Perfect for undercover work, Onyx Path will unveil a They Came from [CLASSIFIED]!-themed Kickstarter Backer T-shirt hosted on their Redbubble store for a limited time. Only backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available for purchase.
At $35,000 in Funding – NEW ARCHETYPES SUPPLEMENT – Expand your options with new Archetypes! Onyx Path will create a new supplement with Archetypes, Origins, and Covers designed to work with both They Came from the Cyclops’s Cave! and They Came from [CLASSIFIED]! Inspiration will come from an iconic action superstar who managed to play in both genres with Conan the Barbarian and True Lies, plus so much more… This reward will be added to the rewards list for any backer receiving the PDF rulebook of either game.
OK, let's begin our quests and prepare for further missions!
Hello Solitary Eyes & Super Spies,
I know we've been focused pretty heavily on They Came from the Cyclops's Cave! to start this Double Feature campaign, but I'd like to take a bit today to preview some of our section feature, They Came from [CLASSIFIED]!
Like Cyclops's Cave!, all backers for this project will be able to read the entire draft manuscript of They Came from [CLASSIFIED]! before any pledges are processed or payments collected. Today, I'd like to spotlight a few bits from the Archetypes chapter for that book, allowing us a glimpse of the game and also opening up some comparisons about how the two games handle their characters and genre tropes.
The Agency’s most lethal weapon behind enemy lines is also its most snazzy. Cool, collected, and just the right amount of cocky, Operatives are unmatched at playing the parts of infiltrator, double-agent, and combatant — often all at once. They are as masterful with the Quip as with the Walther PPK tucked inside a hollowed out copy of War and Peace, though few around the office recognize why the Agency puts so much stock into their work. In truth, it’s because the Operative places their mission above all else, using a valiant mixture of suave and lethality to decrypt clues and languages, obtain access to restricted areas, and ferret out the secrets and plans of over-the-top villains, all while winning a few backgammon pots along the way.
Operatives convince their way into the dens of lions without breaking a sweat, as if they belonged there. This confidence is all too often met with pride, laughter, and the slippery tongues of overtalkative baddies perfectly content to have a generous audience. Half casual bachelor and half brawler, Operatives must choose and alter their methodology as quickly as their targets alter theirs; they often resort to violence as soon as the alarms go off, converting their bow-tie into a garrote only when the time is right.
Most Operatives find it difficult to work with other agents in the field, especially pesky Quartermasters and — you guessed it — other Operatives! They hate getting their toes stepped on, an event that always happens at the absolute worst time, but all Operatives consciously understand their position is a supporting role in many regards, using the other Archetypes’ equipment, investigative expertise, and connections with the criminal underworld to advance through any mission. Of course, that won’t stop them from taking all the credit at the end of it.
Appearance
The Operative is jacketed in an aura of ultimate confidence, a personality as charismatic as it is ruthless in distress, tailored, packaged, and bow-tied. They’re not always so formal, though ne’er a hair out of style, even when relaxing on the beach or enjoying their signature drink in a Hawaiian shirt on the cabana. Don’t be distracted by the flare, however. You’re sure to find a shoulder holster underneath that rose boutonniere, and they’ve already noted the entrances and exits of the megalomaniac’s yacht immediately after boarding. Underneath the Operative’s impeccable dress is fiery ignition —potential energy ready to explode from underneath a perfected appearance.
Lifestyle
Operatives have little time for hobbies outside their designated assignments in the field, but there’s something of a child inside each of them, and you just can’t ever wholly extract it. In an Operative’s mind, they’re always clocked out, often failing to take their work as seriously as the Agency desires until they’re knee-deep in a shark tank. Outside hidden bomb factories and Soviet bases, Operatives are avid gamers, excelling at golf, tennis, skeet shooting, SCUBA, skydiving, casino table games, and many more activities — especially those pastimes easily guised as a casual meeting with the nemesis.
Skills
The Agency trains its Operatives in both suave and brutal sides of espionage. Recommended Operative Skills include Athletics, Aim, Enigmas, and Pilot, but there as many varieties of Operatives as there are hotspots on the Agency’s deployment list. Feel free to change your Operative’s Athletics Skill to Culture if they’ve spent the last three years spying on a Peruvian company’s science experiment operating from inside an Inca ruin.
Trademarks
Operative Trademarks are commonly linked to their educational studies at West Point, Oxford, or in the Ivy League, but can also be reflections of “that one mission” — costly in life, ideology, and emotional epiphany — yet perfectly educational where needed.
Do You Prefer the 9mm? Or the 9 Iron?
If You’re Not Cheating, Are You Really Trying?
I Studied Foreign Languages at Oxford
If You Can’t Find a Door, Make One
I Prefer Embracing the Deployment Zone
Tropes
All spies start with three Tropes. With the exception of the “Briefed by the Q” Trope, the Operative’s Player chooses two from the Operative list, and one from any of the other Archetype lists:
Devil Behind the Wheel: No one has ever been safer than your passengers, though they surely don’t see it that way. Once per story when in a vehicle chase, take full creative liberty over how your pursuers (or those you’re chasing) crash, roll, or careen their vehicles into an explosive ball of flame. In addition, obtain one relevant clue from the wreckage.
Die Another Time: The chaos of the job leaves frenzied frays in your wake. Once per story, bring any willing character under your protection. You can take any damage dealt to them yourself, so long as they are next to you. One word of advice — give them a weapon...
The Gun: Walther PPK, is it? Beretta? Either way, you’ve a signature weapon, and you know how to use it (or not use it). You may smuggle it into otherwise forbidding space shuttles, guarded parties, or volcanic lairs with ease. Once per story, you may declare the weapon is a phony version that will jam, spew a comical spray of confetti, or otherwise fail when fired. Sometimes, it’s better to allow the villain’s thugs to disarm you.
Licensed to Garner Licenses: The Agency assured you’d be a James of all trades, and now you always seem to have what it takes to get out of a jam. Once per story, you can swap your current Trademark with any other Operative Trademark.
Origin Story: Your classical introduction is more than a fashionable sequence of names and surnames (never in the correct order) —it’s a guise. Some go so far as to speculate whether your name is an Agency-given callsign at all, and few know the truth. Gain a +1 Enhancement for introductory social situations, and once per story, roll an additional die when channeling your Origin Path — narratively tie one character to your past for each odd number rolled (minimum 1).
The Signature Drink: You know what you like so you can easily catch when others give you something you don’t. Once per story, you may decide a drink or bite of food is poisoned with a nonlethal sedative, then consume it willingly. You wake up in an appropriate prison to overhear the guards carelessly spill critical information related to the mission.
Example Character
Agent Triple Three is the Agency’s golden child. The epitome of social charisma, he stands tall in the face of his target, no matter their power, stature, or wealth. You’d think this would make villainous monoliths such as the illustrious and conniving Fantasma nervous, but on the contrary, it’s a knife-shoe in the door. Stock (John Stock) has spent the past week in the Phantom River Casino under the guise of a market analyst and consultant, gaming and gaining the trust of this alleged purser for VyleCorp. If Fantasma truly is the chief financier for the chemical manufacturer, Stock could use the names, codes, and volatile formulas in her mind. Maybe then the Agency can prove they’re behind the accelerated, almost supernatural death of the Congo.
However, she’s loose-lipped only for those who best her at the casino table. The only way to secure her defection is via tonight’s high-stakes baccarat game, and Threes has more than a card up his sleeve. Hopefully, the recent death of his partner “Twos” won’t distract him from the mission, but he fears she knows something about that, and will use it to leverage his emotions against himself.
There's a bit more to The Operative that we'll see when the full preview comes out, a few more Tropes and the usual Connections suggestions and Perspectives run down, but I think we're able to see some solid references in there and start thinking of how this character will work within the espionage thriller genre.
Let's dig even further into this Top Secret material and preview a couple of Cinematics that'll be further detailed when we release the [CLASSIFIED]! Systems section of draft manuscript previews.
Cost: 2 Rewrites
As impossible as it seems, many movie spies repeatedly compromise their cover identity without suffering any consequences. It’s as if the sheer audacity and debonaire atmosphere they bring with them befuddles any onlookers, making it impossible for people to believe that the spy is actually a spy. Even those with the wherewithal to know an intelligence operative when they see one are too dumbfounded by the agent’s chutzpah to take action against them.
A Player can use this Cinematic to save an agent from being caught. All Director-controlled characters in a scene with a Resolve of 2 or lower buy into the lie completely and believe that nothing is amiss. Characters with a Resolve of 3 or more understand that something doesn’t add up but are taken aback by the bravado and cannot take hostile actions during this scene.
Alternate Use
Instead of using sheer daring to recover from a blown cover, a Player may declare that they have a second (or third) cover identity that their character is switching to in order to preserve their true identity. If they do so, Director-controlled characters use Cunning instead of Resolve to determine if they see through the ruse or not.
Cost: 3 Rewrites
Flashbacks that recontextualize prior actions and scenes are a staple of spy films. With a short flashback, a briefcase containing the nuclear codes or priceless artwork turns out to have nothing but a burrito from Neall’s Kitchen, which the hero eats as they explain what really happened.
A Player can use this Cinematic to take 30 seconds to recount an event or sequence of events that happened in the past, rewriting up to three key facts by explaining what happened instead. Flashbacks can reveal that anyone that the Player’s character did not directly interact with was actually the character in disguise, that containers had false bottoms, that an entire office building was actually a front for the agency (or was temporarily taken over by it), and countless other clever schemes.
For example, Jason uses the Cinematic to declare that the airport security guard X-raying the package was his character, Cuttlefish, and that they’d replaced the briefcase with a copy while it was out of the villains’ sight. He could use his third altered fact to slip a tamper seal on the copy, making the bad guys unwilling to open it, thus preserving the ruse.
If the Player creates any contradictions with the flashback, the Director may ask them how they’d reconcile the differences. If the Player doesn’t have a solution, the Director can choose one of their own.
While a lot of this preview could seem to lean in a particular Bond-ian fashion, there is a lot more in the DNA of this game than just Ian Fleming's agent, in flavors novel and cinematic. Drawing inspiration from Patrick McGoohan in Danger Man or Patrick Macnee in The Avengers right up through Mission: Impossible (Jim Phelps or Ethan Hunt versions) and related pieces like The Six Million Dollar Man, MacGyver, to Jason, Jack, or Johnny (Bourne, Ryan, English), there's a lot of potential targets to investigate in this arena.
Additional Archetypes include...
Not everyone in the Agency’s employ is briefed about the thermonuclear device planted in the Earth’s upper mantle before they’re on the job disarming it, and Adventurers thrive in that exact environment of surprise. These are the talented amateurs, whose variety of improvisational expertise lands them inadvertent jobs as sidekicks to the Agency’s spies, whose endless desire for adrenaline is an untrainable and infinitely desirable asset. They might not always possess the title or authority to kill or arrest in the way Operatives and Detectives do, but they’ll swoop in to save the day, especially when it’s at the most inopportune time. They often stumble into the fray accidentally, but after myriad showings of courage and success, they turn out too useful to eliminate, or too dangerous to release.
Adventurers love car chases, cockpit battles for the pilot’s stick, and anything else that gets the heart rate up, but there’s nothing quite like the thrill of being taken prisoner. Why? Because it always ends up in their favor, and in many cases their capture is a godsend to a team who now has a helpful friend on the inside (especially one skilled in untying knots and smuggling lockpicks underneath their tongues).
You know how airplane crashes almost always happen at the very end of the flight? The same is said about the plans of maniacal villains. In those final moments, when their unlikely efforts turn to prideful successes, and their silent glares become bombastic, rambling monologues revealing the true apocalyptic meaning behind the world’s rooster shortage, that’s when the Detective makes their move. Unrivalled in collecting forensic evidence, uncovering secret chambers or messages, and collecting the breadcrumbs left in the enemy’s wake, they share an impeccable ability to piece these clues together into a final reveal.
Detectives are often more eccentric than the other Archetypes (some Quartermasters notwithstanding), but their conventional, by-the-book style of investigation is a must for an Agency often deprived of a cool head. Whether making security guards uncomfortable enough to offer a spy free rein over otherwise secured areas, or summoning armed backup at a moment’s notice, they’re unequalled at making the mission easier on all spies with little effort.
Be sure to stand outside the blast radius of exploding test dummies, avoid touching the spring-loaded briefcases loaded with steel spikes, and absolutely remember above all else, don’t touch that! No Operative would admit it, but the real magic of the mission happens behind six-inch thick plexiglass in the most discreet basement of the Agency’s HQ. There, the Quartermaster — the human link between any spy and the Agency’s logistical network — produces state-of-the-art future-gear for the team.
Far from a mere supplier, Quartermasters excel at using their own inventions in the field, becoming super-spies themselves, decked out in night vision goggles, robotic ski boots, and sniper rifle poles. While most prefer to work alone, appearing on the scene either before the mission begins or exactly when the right tools are needed, Quartermasters are also exceptional field agents, sometimes dropped into an area weeks or months before the action starts. They can then strategically plant their inventions so other agents and themselves can find the appropriate gear at the perfect time.
The plan, for now, is to share the second section from They Came from the Cyclops's Cave! tomorrow, covering the system section of the book (which includes Cinematic Powers), and then the third section on Thursday the 17th and finishing on the following Monday with the fourth section.
A proposal, however, occurs after this preview - as a group, would we instead be interested in some back and forth between the books? Perhaps two sections at a time to allow us to sink our teeth into the material a bit?
Let me know in the comments which you'd prefer to have available for download on Thursday, March 17:
And we can follow along with the pattern we've set. Again, all sections for both books will be out and available to backers before the end of the campaign, allowing you to peruse all of these Eyes Only files before your designated extraction time. So no need to risk Life and Limb for Queen and Country this time, it's as risk-free as you can be in this line of work.
Please continue to spread the word! Share this Double Feature campaign on your social media and in your social circles! Let's see if we can add and then expand the They Came From... game line into these new and exciting directions. Until then, this message will self-destruct in 4...3...2...
Hello Spies & Scoundrels,
As we progress towards our funding target (we're getting closer!!), I want to take a bit to review the Archetypes presented in our first feature, They Came from the Cyclops's Cave! Developer Michele Masala has shared some of the inspiration behind these Archetypes on his twitter, so I'm gonna make my job even easier by just cribbing the stuff he noted.
Looking through these Archetypes - and you can see much more that I've posted here in the first manuscript preview, available to all backers - can you see where the inspirations made their impact? Can you think of other examples of these Archetypes in your favorite pop culture fantasy films and tv shows?
The embodiment of excellence and almost superhuman strength of spirit, Champions rise to the task when circumstances demand a hero to take the threads of fate itself within their hands.
Champions know there’s more to the world beyond their pasts, seeking out chances to fight the good fight, expand their perceptions of reality, and meet new and exciting individuals. However far their journeys take them, a Champion looks forward to the day when the malignant horror that plagues the land is vanquished or the hard-won trophy is in hand, and they can return home victorious.
Looking at some of the inspiration behind The Champion, you can see the seeds of some of the Tropes presented with this Archetype.
Battle Forged: In a past life, your prowess in battle seeped into your soul. Even in this life, you find a certain balance in the middle of a heated fray. When in combat against humanoid opponents, you recognize their fighting style, which grants +1 Enhancement on Aim and Close Combat rolls and the Deadly tag to your attacks. Once per story, you can apply this Enhancement to an encounter with a monstrous foe.
Weapon of Old: No one remembers when the weapon appeared in the stone, but rumors claim that whoever pulled it free would lead the oppressed to victory. Centuries passed, and no other has managed to budge it from its place of rest — except for you. The weapon grants you a +1 Enhancement to either Aim or Close Combat rolls, depending on its shape. When you hold your weapon aloft, you feel the power of the gods coursing through you when you call its name. Once per story, raise your weapon and call its name to gain +2 Enhancement to Might or Dexterity rolls until the scene ends.
Dreamers are capable of much more than words, and woe to the person that underestimates them. Raised on tales of dashing heroes and vile villains, Dreamers step forward into the world to make a difference, standing their ground when corrupt nobles mock their ideals. Dreamers often become the face of social movements or rise to power as righteous rulers. When the quest challenges a Dreamer’s convictions, they remember that there are no rainbows without rain.
Again, you can see the seeds of the Dreamer Tropes in these inspirational characters.
Inspiring Courage: Your words have a profound impact on those around you. Once per story, speak words of encouragement to rouse the courage of your party in combat. Roll Command + Presence to inspire your fellow adventurers with a +1 Enhancement on all rolls until you gain Focus again in the next round. For each success, the duration of the Enhancement bonus to your party’s combat rolls increases by 1 round.
Power of Friendship: There are few more powerful magics than love and friendship. Nothing is more painful to witness than the death of one of your closest friends or loved ones. Once per story, when your tears fall onto the body of a character whose life slipped away, your heartfelt anguish revives them, heals their Injuries up to Last Ditch Effort, and removes any Condition they might’ve had before their death.
While people from non-human societies may belong to all Archetypes just like anyone else, Inhuman heroes demonstrate their biological perks and the quirks of their cultural upbringing with pronounced clarity, both proud and happy to put their gifts into practice.
Inhumans meet peak performance in environments similar to their homelands, but relish the challenge of surviving against the odds in unfamiliar territory. Dreamers lean on their charisma and Champions their training, while an Inhuman contributes impressive physicality, unique abilities, and raw natural power to their party. Highly adaptable and at times cocky, they are usually the one saying, “Yeah, there’s six of them and one of me. Too bad for them.”
Some of my favorite characters! You are the Brute Squad, indeed! Again, the Tropes spring from this fertile field...
Let’s Fight Like Civilized Beings: You recognize that your natural gifts put regular humans at a disadvantage. You know you can trounce most, but you want to give people the false hope that maybe they can take you in hand-to-hand combat.Once per story, you trick a character into fighting you, mano y mano, no matter how ridiculously one-sided that fight will be for them. You gain a +1 Enhancement on all rolls during this fight.
Jog the Man’s Memory: You get frustrated by the intricacies of human subtlety and idiom, butyour firm will and imposing presence are excellent for threatening them.Once per story, when questioning an enemy who’s hiding vital information, you may roll Command or Persuasion + Presence (Difficulty 3). If successful, they surrender all information and join your cause without further need to intimidate them. If failed, this ability may be used once more on a different character.
An adventuring party’s dark horse is the enigmatic and energetic Puppet. Puppets are beings from mythical realms, mischievous fairies, mechanical constructs gifted from the gods, shapeshifting animals, beings born of wild magic, children of elementals, or chaotic spirits. Sometimes, they join a party because of a lost contest, magical contract, or some other promise that takes them from home. Construct Puppets are discovered, presented, or passed down through a family line. In contrast, magically birthed Puppets are either newborns in the world brimming with curiosity or ancient entities seeking to discover how the mortal realm has changed since their last sojourn. Puppets are brilliant and strange by human standards; their penchant for maintaining a level of entertainment oft comes at the expense of those around them. When committed to a quest, Puppets use a mixture of cunning, trickery, and obscure knowledge to solve the most abstract puzzles.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that my friends and I reference Bubo from Clash of the Titans at least once a week. Lots of great Tropes that help express the joy of this Archetype.
Mechanical Support: You were built or created to fulfill a specific function before you gained sentience. You’ve expanded your skills beyond your intended purpose, but occasionally, your companions need you to revisit it. During character creation, discuss with the Director the original purpose of your construction to gain an appropriate Enhancement for your character. This purpose can include being the key to the dread king’s treasure vault, seeing through illusions, or even transforming into a flying device.
Where Did You Go?: Combat always gets confusing, but your diminutive size compared to the rest of the party makes it even more so. You can confuse your enemies by slipping behind them and may even cling to their backs. You gain +1 Enhancements related to befuddling or distracting your opponents. Once per story, an attack aimed at you fails to hurt you no matter what. Take heed: If enemies get their hands on you — they’ll throw you.
Be they agents of the gods, ethereal spirits made flesh, long lived tomb raiders, or street performers with a gimmick, a Sage’s true origins are shrouded in mystery. Many Sages prefer it that way. Sages are scholars, explorers, inventors, and magicians that pursue worldly and forbidden knowledge, explore abandoned temples, and conduct alchemical and arcane experiments.
More than the other Archetypes, Sages understand human nature; they know just how much information they need to reveal to convince would-be adventurers to leave the safety of their hometowns to join them on a perilous quest. The Sage’s mysterious motivations, and the questionable nature their body of work, lead townsfolk to associate the fortuitous appearance of a helpful Sage as harbinger of disaster.
I'm sure the inspirations for this Archetype are numerous, and I love the starting points for the development of this Archetype. I can see these and more in the Tropes for this Archetype.
Dreams Aren’t Like They Used to Be: Sometimes, even the best memory can mix up details of several centuries worth of prophecies. Your unusual thought processes grant you a +1 Enhancement on Enigma rolls. Additionally, once per story, assume Directorial Control to alter an element of an ongoing prophecy, such as the gender, species, or object involved to something more advantageous to the party.
Experimental Devices: Sages have the luxury of time to dabble in different mystical and mechanical theories. There is no better time to experiment than on a quest: You can invent alchemical formulas or useful magical objects — such as eyeglasses to see in the dark or ever-burning torches — to use throughout the story. Once per session, you can spend 1 Rewrite to roll Mysticism or Technology + Cunning or Intelligence in order to craft or enchant an item that allows you to lower a Complication’s severity by 1 for each success rolled, like a bright orb to light the darkness or a cape which protects you from noxious fumes. Failures still reduce those Complications by 1, but also result in an unexpected residual effect of the Director’s choosing, such as a flame retardant oil that turns the equipment invisible when applied or spectacles allowing the wearer to see in the dark while also giving rude commentary.
Be wary of your valuables and your heart. Just because the roguish Scoundrel has joined your merry band of adventurers doesn’t mean that you can trust them. Suave, agile, and fearless, a Scoundrel isn’t afraid of breaking a few dozen laws to get what they want. A Scoundrel’s tongue can be as sharp as their blades; their fanciful blade work and charming bravado distract enemies and allies alike. They’ll just as easily sneak into a well-guarded fortress and empty its treasure vaults before dawn as challenge the Inhuman to a drinking contest.
More than just individualistic thugs, Scoundrels are masters of adapting to their environment and improvising when plans go awry. Their flair for the mysterious and challenging spills over into the intriguing, if unethical (and illegal), equipment and poisons they bring. Give Scoundrels enough of a reason to believe that they’ll profit, and you’ll have a devoted friend until the moment of inevitable betrayal. Scoundrels are the best bad company to have, even if their egos get them in over their heads at times.
Not only inspiring the game's development, but likely inspiring many of my rpg characters over the years. Madmartigan was a template that saw a lot of use at my gaming table, certainly. And how many times have you said, “There's something I ought to tell you. I'm not left-handed either.”?
But I Do it With Style: While others fight crudely, you do it with style, often incorporating elements from your environment to enhance your chances of victory. Gain a +1 Enhancement on Athletics rolls. Once per session, locate a nearby piece of scenery to add more finesse to your combat action, be it a dangling rope or a nearby box. By successfully rolling Athletics + Dexterity (Difficulty 3), you gain a +2 Enhancement to all combat rolls for the remainder of the scene, as your agility and panache both amaze and trouble your opponents. A failure means the item being used breaks or isn’t want it seems — for example, jumping off a rock troll instead of a boulder.
Sticky Fingers: Once a rogue, always a rogue. Your criminal upbringing has left you with quite the talent for sleight of hand and pickpocketing. Gain a +1 Enhancement on all rolls made to pickpocket or steal. Once per story, you may “accidentally” bump into a nearby character, hug them, or otherwise enter their personal space and steal something from their body, such as a ring of keys, purse, their weapon, or another critical object.
When you start to think of your favorite fantasy movies and TV shows (and other media as well), it's amazing how you can start to break the characters into these Archetypes. Also, looking at this section, you start to think of characters that you've played in the past that drew inspiration from the same sources. I've played more than a few Madmartigans from Willow and The Mouse from Ladyhawke, and every cyclops I've ever had in a game lament's their ability to see their own demise in the future.
It's not just classic fantasy films, either. I mean, Star Wars can be described as Space Fantasy more than hard Science Fiction, and I can slot the characters from the Original Trilogy into these Archetypes pretty quickly. In fact, this may be one of the most perfect games to use to run a Star Wars campaign...
That's one of my favorite things about the They Came From... games. They don't just set up to emulate a genre's trappings - they're for playing those genre stories which makes them even more enticing to me.
Can you think of other examples of characters that are exemplars of these Archetypes? Or perhaps some mix and match? And other films and shows that you can break down into these roles?
And for those who are interested in what's said here and want to know more, you will be able to read the entire manuscript for They Came from the Cyclops's Cave! when you back this campaign - before any pledges are processed and any funds collected! No mysteries here, just straight up magic! So join in if you haven't! We're close to funding and adding these projects officially to the Onyx Path development schedule, and beyond that even more rewards await...
What strange winds prevailed, none could say. But it was not the first time Sinbad’s ship had been thusly coerced.
They found themselves in the shadow of a mysterious isle, whose peaks soared into crisp blue sky. Naturally, they dropped anchor, and Sinbad took a landing party ashore.
As crewmen dragged the landing boat onto the beach, their captain surveyed the dense forest.
“Farooq, we must venture in and find fresh water.”
“It’s always the water,” groaned the first mate, “Maybe a goat or two for fresh meat so we can be devoured by something.”
Sinbad laughed. He always laughed. “What choice have we, my friend? For I am Sinbad, and this is a strange isle. Food for my hungry mind. It is decreed by Allah, this fate. We cannot deny it. The trick is to act within that fate.”
“These discussions give me a headache, Captain.”
Sinbad laughed again. “Fate and free will are not easy subjects. Come, let us venture.”
The robust captain led them up what seemed a winding path through towering trees. “Some have come this way before,” observed Sinbad.
“Of course, they have. Why couldn’t I stay with the ship?”
“You’d never forgive me,” chirped Sinbad.
“I’d find a way,” murmured the first mate.
As the ground rose, a gentle babbling wafted their way. The trees opened, and before them lay an inviting stream, fed from high rocks. The thirsty crewmen rushed ahead and lined the bank, faces dipping into mountain coolness.
Before Sinbad and Farooq could join them, a low moan turned them towards a nearby crevice. There lay a man, his robe soiled and torn, a bruise upon his head. As the captain and first mate crouched by him, he sat up. “I fell. How long have I lain here? Have you—have you water?”
“A whole stream,” gestured Captain Sinbad.
“No!” exclaimed the stranger, reaching out a hand.
Before anyone could react, one by one, Sinbad’s men lifted their heads, weeping unconsolably.
“What magic is this?” snapped the alarmed Sinbad.
“It is the Stream of Tears,” uttered the distraught man. “The spirit of a maiden, forsaken in love, died atop this peak, cursing the water that flows.”
Farooq went from man to man, shaking them, trying to talk sense. Alas, there was no reasoning, and their wailing echoed off the rock walls.
“I saw this happen before. I am Ashnaykan, apothecary of the kingdom of Sault, shipwrecked on this accursed place. Our crew drank and the weeping turned to madness, until eventually they slaughtered each other. Before they could be cured.”
“Then there is a cure?”
Ashnaykan nodded. “Yes, Sinbad, for I know who you are and of your exploits. I also have travelled the world and gained much arcane knowledge. Since, mercifully, you did not partake, you can guide them to the cure. In the peaks lives the monstrous one-eyed owl, Parudla. Only one of its great feathers, ground in a potion, can stay the tears of your pitiable crew.”
“Enough talk,” cried Farooq, “I can take no more of this misery.”
And so, Sinbad and Ashnaykan herded the sobbing wretches up one of the island’s colossal peaks.
Suddenly, from an even higher summit, an enormous form rose up and came soaring towards them. The owl, Parudla, had great horns and a single massive eye. Its wings beat winds towards them as it circled above, huge claws open to snatch its prey.
And it did, swooping and grabbing a sailor before he even knew it. Parudla lifted claw to mouth, and the poor soul wept no more.
As Farooq tried to get the weepers to safe cover, Sinbad brandished his scimitar. The monstrous owl dove again, and the hero of legend hacked repeatedly. Annoyed by the blade, Parudla snatched up two more sailors in its savage hooked beak. As it did, Sinbad jumped up, clutching the monster’s side, chopping ferociously.
The owl had had enough, batting huge wings, it lifted Sinbad and the others into the sky. But the hero dropped, clutching one of the prized feathers.
Ashnaykan uttered words they had not heard, words almost drowned out by the incessant weeping, as he ground part of the feather into a rock-shaped bowl filled with water from a different stream.
One by one they drank, and one by one the weeping reduced to a single miserable wretch. Then, quiet.
“How can we repay you, Ashnaykan?” asked a grateful Sinbad.
Before he could answer, a new noise rose from the men, something strange and different. Sinbad gaped as, before him, each man took on the facial characteristics of an owl.
“What magic is this?!” barked Sinbad.
“What I was about to tell you was, this was the only way to stop the weeping, but there is an unfortunate consequence. However, there is a ready cure. Each man must touch the face of Gryops.”
As the priest explained, Gryops was a monstrous giant face that dwelled in a cave at the foot of a mountain.
And so, Sinbad led his frustrated and owlish crew down the rocky slopes until finally they stood in the mouth of a great cave.
“How do we… call forth this monster?” asked Sinbad.
“Don’t worry—” began Ashnaykan as a giant, hideous face slid from the darkness with a rumble, opened its huge maw, chomped down on a hapless owl-sailor and slid back into the dark.
“Perhaps we should move back,” suggested Sinbad to men who were already moving back.
“You must be quick,” advised Ashnaykan.
“One at a time, no shoving,” barked Farooq.
The ugly face of Gryops, eight or nine feet high, almost filling the span of the cave, lunged out again and again, jaws snapping. Each owlman, in turn, timidly touch the monster and jumped back, save two who were not fast enough.
Within minutes, all owl features receded, as did Sinbad and crew from that dreadful cave.
“At last we can—” Sinbad was interrupted by one sneeze, then another, and soon every former owlman who was a former weeper was sneezing uncontrollably.
Sinbad looked at Ashnaykan. “Can we ever break this chain of misery?”
“It is an effect of Gryops’ skin, alas. But come. The cure is simple.”
“I knew he was going to say that,” remarked Farooq dryly.
—
“The Valley of the Stickmen,” announced Ashnaykan as they gazed down at a rocky place.
“Stickmen?” sighed Sinbad.
“In the midst of this place grows a purple flower.”
“Pray, write this down, Farooq.”
“There is no need,” stated Ashnaykan.
“I jest,” replied the captain.
Ashnaykan went on. “You have but to sniff that flower and sneezes will be but a thing of the past.
“But the Stickmen won’t like us coming down there,” surmised Sinbad.
The apothecary gave them a look that was the equivalent of a slight shrug.
And so, swords drawn, the band of adventurers made their way down to the flat ground littered with large rocks. There, as promised, in the midst of such harsh terrain, an incongruous cluster of lovely purple flowers.
No sooner had they begun creeping towards them when what seemed like human stick insects the size of men, brandishing swords, poured out from behind every boulder, swarming Sinbad’s men. Their motion was somewhat herky-jerky, otherworldly, but their blades quick.
Sinbad and Farooq fought like furies, as did the crew despite sneezes. The strange cacophony of clang and sneeze, combined with the clicking of the Stickmen, bounced off the walls of the valley. Some of Sinbad’s number fell beneath Stickman blade, but many stick-pieces littered the ground. Finally, the remnants of the attackers fled up the side of the canyon, leaving Sinbad and survivors to catch their breath.
Deeming it safe, they rallied to the flower patch and each sneezer inhaled deeply of its powerful fragrance. Like magic, the sneezing stopped, much to the relief of Sinbad and Farooq who were pretty sick of it.
Sinbad looked expectantly from man to man. “Well, what’s next, Ashnaykan? Heads turn to cabbages? Butterfly wings? High-pitched singing?”
“No, Sinbad,” assured the apothecary. “The only thing left is me.”
And with that, Ashnaykan began to transform before their very eyes, growing taller, sprouting fur, his face becoming something ancient and demonic. His mighty laugh echoed.
“I used you as pawns, simply for my amusement. The great Sinbad and crew. That was your fate as soon as you set foot on this isle, Captain.” Again, that laugh, like thunder.
Before the stunned group, Ashnaykan snatched up two sailors, lifting them with the intent of biting off their heads.
In a flash, Sinbad removed a waterskin from his shirt and dashed its liquid contents on the monster. The surprised Ashnaykan looked down at them, amused. The demon started to grin, but instead he began to weep. Uncontrollably.
It was a strange sight when it dropped to its knees, wailing miserably. Thus, did Sinbad and his men leave Ashnaykan to his fate.
“And that…” said the adventurer with a glance back, “was the will of Sinbad.”
Star in your own stories, with They Came from the Cyclops's Cave!
We'll be sharing more fantasy fiction and adventurous artwork next week! For now, our quest continues! Please remember to invite other potential heroes into our band, for the more that join us on our quest, the more likely we are to return with great treasures!