[NUELOW Index]
A NUELOW GENERAL ROLE-PLAYING GAME PRODUCT:
NUELOW: NL02 "Lust And Dust!"
Role-Playing Adventures with Dancehall Girls and Fast-Shooting
Cowboys
Lyric of the Month:
"I breathe in the possibilities/I breathe out romance..."
-Rob Jungklass "Ton of Bricks," from Work Songs for a New Moon, RCA, 1989
Published by MillerArt, 616 E. 700 S., Salt Lake City, UT 84102.
(E-mail to <nuelow@earthlink.net>)
Text and NUELOW game, Copyright Steven Miller, 1994. All rights reserved.
Game Design: Steven 'The One To Blame' Miller <nuelow@earthlink.net> and E.M.
Editing: Thomas Biskup and Vincent J. Guinto
Original Game Design and Coordinating Editor: Steven Miller
Converted to HTML and edited some more by: Mark 'Kamikaze' Hughes <http://kuoi.asui.uidaho.edu/~kamikaze/>
Table Of Contents
- Introduction
- What You Need To Play
- Using "Lust And Dust!" With Other NUELOW Products
- Personal pronouns in nuelow products
- Character generation
- Attributes
- Strength
- Agility
- Looks
- Intelligence
- Personality
- Health
- Pain Threshold
- Player Character Races, Genders and Occupations
- A Man's Work
- Cowboy
- Entertainer
- Piano Player
- Farmer/Rancher
- Gambler
- Gunslingers
- Bounty-Hunter
- Lawman
- Outlaw
- Miner
- Railroad Worker
- A Woman's Place
- Entertainer
- Dancing Girl
- Saloon Girl
- Homemaker
- School Teacher
- Character Points
- Advantages
- Ambidextrous
- Attractive Appearance
- Boyish Looks
- Busty (women only)
- Eye-Hand Coordination
- High Pain Threshold
- Keen Senses
- Musical Talent
- Poker Face
- Robust Health
- Well-Hung (men only)
- Disadvantages
- Alcoholism (Intelligence-based, +2)
- Chafing
- Cowardly (Intelligence-based, +1)
- Delicate Stomach (Health-based, +2)
- Heart of Gold (Intelligence-based, +3, women only)
- Klutzy
- Sense of Honor
- Sexual preference, animal (Intelligence-based, +1)
- Sickly
- Vengeful
- Skills
- Cross-Dressing (Intelligence-based)
- Cheating (Personality-based)
- Cooking (Intelligence-based)
- Dancing (Agility-based)
- Dodging (Agility-based)
- Engineering (Intelligence-based)
- Gambling (Intelligence-based)
- Healing (Intelligence-based)
- Math (Intelligence-based)
- Play Musical Instrument (Personality-based)
- Quick-Draw (Agility-based)
- Reading/Writing (Intelligence-based)
- Riding, Horse (Agility-based)
- Rope Use (Agility-based)
- Seduction (Looks-based)
- Set Traps (Intelligence-based)
- Sexual Prowess (Agility-based)
- Sneaking (Agility-based)
- Tracking (Intelligence-based)
- Weapons Use (Variable)
- Wrestling (Agility-based)
- Expanded Seduction Rules
- Combat
- Basics
- Attacking
- Expanded Ranged Weapons Rules
- Movement
- Expanded Movement Rules
- Equipment
- Weapons
- Other Stuff
- Services and Other Expenses
- Silver Spur County: A "Lust and Dust!" Campaign Setting
- Creatures of Silver Spur County
- Cattle
- Cowboy
- Coyote
- Damsel in Distress
- Gunslinger
- Horse, Riding
- Indian
- Miner, Crazed
- Mountain Lions
- Mule
- Outlaw
- Rattlesnake
- Settler/Farmer
- Sheep
- Townsfolk
- Wolves
- Adventures For "Lust And Dust!"
- Afterword
The NUELOW design team recognizes that regardless of the
role-playing game system being used, player characters will
invariably engage in lecherous behavior and the odd romantic
pursuit. In most game systems, GMs ("Game Master") have to rely on
their own limited experience with lechery to give the characters
what they want. That is, after all, the only way to please the
character's player, and isn't that what the game is ultimately
about?
But NUELOW doesn't abandon the GM. Instead, this game merely
provides a framework within which gamers can "play house" with
imaginary people, a way to ensure that everyone's playing the same
game. We provide ideas for how to handle love (in both the carnal
and ideal sense) within the context of a role-playing game.
It is not our intention to encourage promiscuity and
debauchery among gamers. This product line is a response to the way
many players already approach role-playing games. We are aware that
many gamers are impressionable children, and as parents ourselves,
know the importance of providing young children with entertainment
that displays sound values. For this reason, there is nothing in
the NUELOW series that couldn't make it onto prime-time television,
or that hasn't been approved by SMOSM (Steve Miller's Overly
Sensitive Mother.)
Readers might also want to consider the educational value
present in this entry of the NUELOW series. In preparation for
"Lust and Dust!," the design team watched several Clint Eastwood
and Terrence Hill & Bud Spencer spaghetti westerns; a "Wild, Wild
West" marathon on cable; and every episode of "The Adventures of
Brisco County, Jr." "Lust and Dust!" is a perfect example of what
happens when no real research goes into the development of a
historical game.
You already have all the rules right here in this book. Now,
you need at least one six-sided die, some friends, a pencil or two,
and some paper to write your character up on (or perhaps copies of
the handy character sheets provided with this booklet). Oh, and
munchies. Don't forget the munchies.
"Lust and Dust!" details but one world in the NUELOW universe.
Owners of "Fairies!" may wish to have their magical woodland
creatures of questionable gender cross into the Old West and frolic
on the range. While "Lust and Dust!" characters are generated in a
slightly different fashion, there are no contradictory rules or
game mechanics. Unlike certain other "universal" role-playing
systems, mixing worlds presents no problems since each new entry in
the NUELOW line is designed to complement that which has gone
before. This is, after all, a fantasy role-playing game, and we're
trying to create a game that will accommodate whatever the GMs and
players can dream up.
Since the designers and editors of this series find "he" and
"she" equally offensive, oppressive, exclusionary, or whatever, all
characters in NUELOW will be referred to as "it." (except in those
cases where the character's gender is clear from the context).
In "Lust and Dust!" players assume the roles of archetypal
characters in the American West of 1880. Unlike "Fairies!" (NL01),
all characters created with the rules in this product are human.
Players may choose to create characters from four different
cultural and racial backgrounds, thirteen different occupations and
two genders. Race and gender do play a factor in what the character
does in life, as the Wild West of the 1880s was a less enlightened
time. This doesn't mean that players shouldn't create characters
that break the stereotypes, just that this game doesn't make much
of an effort to sanitize the world on which it is based. A blanket
apology to all those with delicate, politically correct skin is
hereby issued. (We also hope that the "its" dull the pain a bit.)
Please don't hurt us.
Regardless of race and gender, all characters have seven
attributes: Strength, Agility, Looks, Intelligence, Personality,
Health, and Pain Threshold. Attributes are rated on a scale of
1-15. and players must spend character points (explained below) to
gain attribute ratings:
| Attribute Rating | Cost Per Point | Level
|
|---|
| 1- 3 | 1 | Attribute Impaired
|
| 4- 7 | 3 | Average
|
| 8-10 | 10 | Exceptional
|
| 11-12 | 30 | Legendary
|
| 13-15 | 60 | Divine
|
Attributes are a measure of a character's natural talents in
certain areas. An Attribute Rating of zero, while possible, is not
recommended, as other players will make fun of zero-ratings.
Characters who attempt a difficult or dangerous action roll
two six-sided dice, or one six-sided die twice, adding the results
and checking them against the appropriate Attribute Rating. If the
number is equal to or less than the Attribute Rating, the character
is successful. If the attempt fails, the GM is at liberty to decide
what the result is. Each character can perform one action per
round, unless the GM, or rules say otherwise. GMs are also allowed
to apply modifiers to any checks. (Attribute Rating checks are
discussed further under "Skills.")
- Strength
- This is a measure of the character's ability to inflict
damage upon another character while exchanging blows, or how much it can
lift and/or carry. A character's base punching damage is listed on the
chart below, in the "Damage Modifier" column. The maximum load a character
can handle is equal to the Strength Rating times 10 pounds. Equipment
weights are given in pounds. For every 15 pounds the character is over its
weight limit, its movement rate is cut by one-third. When punching
characters, or attacking with blunt or edged hand-held weapons, the
character has the following modifiers to damage inflicted due to its
Strength Attribute (results less than one do no damage):
| Strength Rating | Damage Modifier
|
|---|
| 0- 3 | -2
|
| 4- 7 | 0
|
| 8-10 | +1
|
| 11-12 | +2
|
| 13-15 | +4
|
- Agility
- This reflects how naturally coordinated the character is.
Anything from tightrope walking to eating a bowl of Jello-brand
gelatin-cubes ("Jigglers!") with a fork would be checked against Agility.
The Agility rating also allows the characters to dodge hand-to-hand (or
kick) attacks, if half the rating or less is rolled on two six-sided dice.
- Looks
- This is the character's physical attractiveness to any
species or sex that could possibly be affected by it. The Looks Rating
modifies the character's Personality Rating so:
| Looks Rating | Personality Rating Modifier
|
|---|
| 0- 3 | -3
|
| 4- 7 | 0
|
| 8-10 | +1
|
| 11-12 | +3
|
| 13-15 | +6
|
The negative modifiers represent the first-impression
reactions character's with bad looks get from the surrounding world. This
penalty may be negated (GM's option) once characters get to know each
other.
- Intelligence
- This reflects the character's ability to understand
abstract ideas, adapt to unexpected situations, and find its way out of a
wet paper bag should the need arise. Further, the Intelligence Rating
allows the character to see through subterfuge (on a successful check, of
course). The Intelligence Rating also modifies the Personality Rating.
| Intelligence Rating | Personality Rating Modifier
|
|---|
| 0- 3 | -2
|
| 4-10 | 0
|
| 11-12 | +1
|
| 13-15 | -3
|
Readers will note that at either extreme on the scale, the
character has a negative modifier. Again, this reflects first impressions.
Let's face it, the general public is not likely to react kindly to someone
who constantly drools, or a character whose first words are: "I am the
Lord, thy God. Bring my commandments unto the people." On the other hand,
the positive modifier reflects the fact that mid-level geniuses each have
their own special brand of charm.
- Personality
- This is how commanding a presence the character has, as
well as how well it relates to other characters. This is the Attribute
against which most attempts at socializing are checked. (A character
looking for a one-night stand would check against Looks, but a character
looking for marriage would check against Personality.)
- Health
- This is a rating of how much physical punishment a
character can take, and how well it can resist and/or recover from
illnesses. When the Health Rating goes to zero from non-lethal attacks
(fists, certain toxins, over-exertion, etc.,) the character goes
unconscious. When the Health Rating goes to zero from lethal attacks
(swords, shotguns, being thrown from a great height, etc.,) the character
is dead. Non-lethal damage is recovered at the rate of 1 point per hour,
or 2 points per hour of total rest. Lethal damage is recovered at the rate
of 1 point per day if properly cared for (by someone with the Healing
Skill), 1 point per week if left unattended. Dead characters do not
recover damage--they just decompose.
- Pain Threshold
- This measures how well a character endures physical
punishment. Whenever a character suffers 3 points or more points of damage
in one round, it must make a check against the Pain Threshold Rating. A
failed check means the character has fainted from unbearable agony.
Honorable or merciful opponents will refrain from attacking (or whatever)
the character.
Players familiar with "Fairies!" will find that the method for
generating "Lust and Dust!" characters deviates from NL01 at this point.
First, rather than create characters of different species, the players will
create human characters that are either male or female, of a certain race, and
who make a living in a specific line of work.
There are two reasons for this change, which essentially
represents an alternative character generation method. First, any character
native to a Wild West setting could hardly be any species but human (unless we
introduced a Talking Horse species). Second, this method ties in with
mechanics that simulate the racism and sexism inherent to the time period in
which this product is set.
After generating the Attributes, the player needs to choose a
gender (male or female) and a race for the character. "Lust and Dust!"
characters are either White, Mexican, Black, or Chinese. Once race and gender
have been chosen, the player should choose an occupation for the character.
Several sample occupations are described below, grouped under
genders. Each description includes the character's main activities, which
races are generally accepted in that capacity--those in parentheses are
uncommon in those jobs but not unheard of--and Skill(s) that character gains
at Level 1 free of charge. Countless other occupations are possible, and GMs
and players are encouraged to come up with lines of work fitting their
characters.
A character that bucks society's standards receives automatic
penalties to social Attribute Checks (mostly Looks and Personality-based
skills) if NPCs are aware of their "weirdness." Females who have male jobs
have a +3 penalty to Personality Attribute Checks, while males in female
occupations have a +4 penalty. Characters of unusual racial stock are +2 to
all Looks and Personality Attribute Checks. These penalties are cumulative,
which means that a female Chinese Gambler in 1880 is definitely not on the
path of least resistance.
- Cowboy
- Mexican, White (Black); receives Rope Use and Riding.
Rounds-up and herds livestock, either on epic "cattle drives" or within
the boundaries of a ranch. Lives exclusively on booze and baked beans.
Cowboys make $30/month.
- Entertainer
- A category including several occupations.
- Piano Player
- White (Mexican); receives Play Instrument (Piano). Plays
an upright piano in brothels and saloons, typically shouting, "Don't
shoot! I'm just the piano player!" Piano players make $12/month, plus
tips.
- Farmer/Rancher
- Black, Mexican, White (Chinese); receives Rope Use. Tills
the soil or runs cattle or sheep. Farmers and ranchers are often at odds
over the use of land. Farmers clear $9/month. Ranchers clear $10-60/month.
- Gambler
- Mexican, White (Black); receives Gaming and Seduction.
Fleeces other characters in high-stakes card games, and generally tries to
get by on as little real work as possible. A dangerous line, because
drunken cowboys are sore losers. Gamblers make $70, plus or minus
$10-60/month (1-3 on six-sided means plus.)
- Gunslingers
- A category including several occupations. Characters
with at least one weapons skill devoted to a ranged weapon can be
considered part of this group and may hire out for $5/day when someone
needs armed muscle.
- Bounty-Hunter
- Black, White, Mexican (Chinese); receives Weapons Use and
Tracking. Hunts outlaws for $100-$600 per bad guy brought to justice.
- Lawman
- White (Mexican); receives Weapons Use. Often the only
defense that innocent, cowardly townsfolk have from brutal outlaws. The
words "High Noon" send chills down a lawman's spine. Lawmen make
$60/month, plus $1 per convicted criminal.
- Outlaw
- Black, Mexican, White (Chinese); receives Weapons Use and
Riding. Outlaws make whatever they can rob from innocents.
- Miner
- Black, Mexican, White (Chinese): receives Engineering. A
claim has been staked and now the character's trying to strike that
elusive motherload. Generally a loner. If the claim actually contains
silver (1-2 on a six-sided die,) the miner makes $100-600/month.
- Railroad Worker
- Chinese (Black, Mexican, White); receives 1-6 Strength
Attribute points free. (Roll six-sided die to determine how many). Despite
being the breaking backbone of the railroad and industrialization of the
West, these characters are looked down on by all others, often including
their fellow workers. A Railroad Worker makes $10/month.
- Entertainer
- A category including several occupations, detailed below.
- Dancing Girl
- Black, Chinese, Mexican, White; receives Dancing and
Seduction. Entertains in saloons and brothels. The nature of the
establishment dictates the type of dances and how much of a costume is
worn. Dancing girls make $20/month.
- Saloon Girl
- Black, Chinese, Mexican, White; receives Seduction or
Sexual Prowess, depending on the nature of the establishment in which she
works. All saloon girls also receive a -2 modifier to rolls against
Seduction attempts. Straight saloon girls are expected to make the
customers feel liked and welcome, while those employed in brothels (where
"saloon girl" is a euphemism for a different kind of professional) are
expected to perform duties beyond that for money. This fee ranges anywhere
from $2 to $20, depending on the nature of the establishment. Straight
saloon girls make $13/month, plus tips and free room and board.
- Homemaker
- Black, Chinese, Mexican, White; receives Cooking and Rope
Use. The true strength of the West, the unrecognized women who made sure
children didn't die and often worked harder on farms than the loud-mouthed
men did. Lucky homemakers don't get beaten by their husbands, and work for
room and board.
- School Teacher
- White (Black, Mexican); receives Reading/Writing and
Math. One of the few literate people in smaller communities, this
often-unwed woman teaches both children and adults the three Rs and
socially acceptable behavior. Teachers make $18/month.
Finally, the player must decide if the character is left- or
right-handed. This is particularly important for Gunslingers. (See "Combat.")
All characters start with 40 character points. As mentioned
above, these are used to buy attributes. They are also used, however, to buy
skills and advantages, and may be split between these three categories as the
player sees fit. The beginning total may also be increased by taking
disadvantages, which may only be selected at character creation. (Unlike
Skills, which can be bought and improved whenever the character has enough
points to do so.)
As the character adventures, the GM awards additional
character points. Players who are close friends of the GM get lots of points.
Everyone else gets shafted. These points are applied, just like the first 40
were, toward improving Attributes or Skills, buying new Skills and Advantages,
and "buying off" disadvantages.
- Ambidextrous
- This allows the character to fire small ranged weapons
with either hand without suffering off-hand penalties. (See Two-Handed
Shooting under "Combat.") This advantage costs 5 points.
- Attractive Appearance
- The player rolls a six-sided die and adds the result to
the character's Looks Attribute Rating. This advantage costs 3 points,
regardless of what the player rolls.
- Boyish Looks
- This advantage can only be taken at character creation.
The character is lightly built with fine facial features. A character who
has this advantage receives a -1 modifier on Attribute Rating checks when
Cross-Dressing, but the slightly androgynous appearance results in a +1
penalty on Seduction attempts. This advantage costs 1 point.
- Busty (women only)
- The character's chest bears a strong resemblance to Dolly
Parton's. This advantage provides a -1 modifier on Seduction attempts, and
a +2 penalty to Cross-Dressing and Dodging attempts. Cannot be paired with
Boyish Looks. This advantage costs 2 points.
- Eye-Hand Coordination
- Negates "called-shot" penalties while the character is
using ranged weapons. This advantage costs 7 points.
- High Pain Threshold
- The player rolls a six-sided die and adds the result to
the character's Pain Threshold Attribute Rating. This advantage costs 3
points, regardless of what the player rolls.
- Keen Senses
- Upon making a successful Intelligence Attribute check,
the character can pick out strange sounds or smells, thus lowering its
chance of being ambushed. This advantage costs 2 points.
- Musical Talent
- The character may play instruments not selected under the
Skill "Play Musical Instrument" with only +3 to the Attribute Check.
Further, the character receives a -2 bonus to any attempts at Seducing
another through music. This advantage costs 4 points.
- Poker Face
- The character excels at concealing its emotions. As the
title implies, this advantage aids the character in card games, to the
tune of -2 on Gambling Attribute checks. In certain tricky role-playing
situations, such as when a character is negotiating with an enemy or
conversing the morning after, ("Of course I still respect you"), the
player may fall back on a die roll against its Personality Attribute
rating. This advantage costs 3 points.
- Robust Health
- The player rolls a six-sided die and adds the result to
the character's Health Attribute Rating. This advantage costs 4 points,
regardless of what the player rolls.
- Well-Hung (men only)
- This character can look impressive in jeans without using
a sock, and receives -1 to Seduction attempt rolls. This advantage costs 2
points.
As mentioned above, taking disadvantages can provide extra
character points. GMs should try to place characters in situations where their
disadvantages might come into play. (Don't overdo it, though.) Certain
disadvantages have Attribute bases and modifiers listed. The modifiers are
added to the character's roll when it checks to avoid letting weakness get the
best of it. There might be some disadvantages characters don't want to resist,
of course. GMs shouldn't force players to roll if they want their characters
to engage in certain generally unacceptable behaviors.
Characters may spend points to negate disadvantages as they
earn points. When a character has "repaid" the points it earned from taking
the disadvantage, he is "cured" of whatever his weakness was.
- Alcoholism (Intelligence-based, +2)
- Whenever the character is presented with alcohol or finds
itself in a stressful situation, it needs to make a check to see if it
turns to the bottle. If the Attribute check is failed, the character
drinks until it passes out or is prevented from drinking by other
characters. The alcoholic character, however, doesn't want to be stopped.
For every 30 minutes of drinking, a Health Attribute check must be made.
For each failed check, the alcohol affects the character as such:
- First Failed Health Attribute Check
- +1 to Personality; -1 to Agility and Intelligence. The Hand-Eye
Coordination is negated, and a character without that advantage has
its off-hand and Two-Handed Shooting penalties raised to +2/+4.
- Second Failed Health Attribute Check
- +1 to Strength and Pain Threshold; -2 to Agility, Intelligence and
Personality. The intoxicated character automatically fails any
Seduction attempts on sober characters, but receive -2 on the
Attribute Check against characters who are also intoxicated.
- Third Failed Health Attribute Check
- +1 to Strength, +2 to Pain Threshold; -3 to Agility, Intelligence
and Personality. A Character with Sexual Prowess automatically fails
the Attribute Check. Hitting targets (stationary or otherwise) using
Two-handed shooting is impossible.
- Fourth Failed Heath Attribute Check
- The character falls unconscious for an amount of hours dictated by
the roll of one six-sided die. When the character wakes up, it feels
ill and sluggish (3 non-lethal points of Health damage), has a
throbbing headache (-2 to Intelligence and -1 to Agility) and
generally feels hung-over.
This disadvantage is worth 4 points.
- Chafing
- The character has sensitive skin and can't ride for more
than 4 hours per day or sleep comfortably in wool blankets. This
disadvantage is worth 5 points.
- Cowardly (Intelligence-based, +1)
- When faced with danger, the character must make an
Attribute Check or flee. A character with this disadvantage automatically
gains initiative during gunfights, but receives a +2 penalty on to-hit
roles since the character is shooting in near-panic. This disadvantage is
worth 3 points.
- Delicate Stomach (Health-based, +2)
- Most foods give the character heartburn and/or gas, which
can lead to embarrassing social situations. Flatulence results in a +3
penalty to all social skills and the automatic failure of Seduction
attempts. This disadvantage is worth 3 points.
- Heart of Gold (Intelligence-based, +3, women only)
- The character has an over-developed mother-instinct, but
lacks common sense to counteract it. She is always giving the men in her
life money/shelter/favors/food on demand, while feeding stray dogs and
adopting orphaned children. At GM's option, the Heart of Gold Attribute
modifier may be applied to attempts at resisting Seduction. This
disadvantage is worth 4 points.
- Klutzy
- The character's Agility can't exceed 5 until the
disadvantage has been "repaid." This disadvantage is worth 10 points.
- Sense of Honor
- The character never attacks a foe who is down, unarmed,
or otherwise ill-equipped to defend itself. The character always "calls
out" opponents, and never cheats at games. This disadvantage is worth 3
points.
- Sexual preference, animal (Intelligence-based, +1)
- Self-explanatory. The character's player may choose the
animal. This disadvantage is worth 10 points.
- Sickly
- The character's Health can't exceed 4 until the
disadvantage has been "repaid." This disadvantage is worth 10 points.
- Vengeful (Intelligence-based, +5)
- The character wants to kill something... anything. When
the character takes damage, it must pursue the attacker, intent on killing
it, until the pursuit is obviously hopeless (the GM's call, or another
Intelligence check at +3). This disadvantage is worth 3 points.
To successfully use a skill, a character must make a check (on
two six-sided dice) against the appropriate attribute. Character points can be
used to improve skills.
There are four skill levels, and it costs 2 character points
to buy a skill at first level. The price goes up from there, but at higher
levels, the character receives a bonus to Attribute Checks, (a negative
modifier on the die roll). On the other hand, a character has a penalty for
attempting to perform an action it isn't skilled in. GMs should use their
judgement in determining the results of a failed skill check, and even if the
character can do what is required without the skill. (Tracking, for example,
is not something a character without the skill could even attempt... unless
it's tracking someone through fresh mud.)
| Skill Level | Point Cost | Bonus to Checks
|
|---|
| 0 | 0 | +4
|
| 1 | 2 | 0
|
| 2 | 4 | -2
|
| 3 | 8 | -4
|
| 4 | 16 | -6
|
Characters may attempt to use more than one skill per round.
All checks must be successful for the desired effects to come about, and often
all Attribute Bonuses should be added to both checks. Common sense (as
interpreted by the GM) should be applied.
- Cheating (Personality-based)
- Through strength of personality, a character may try to
hoodwink others while playing games of chance. If the player has the
appropriate Gambling skill, the modifiers from both skills are applied to
Attribute Checks. If the character doesn't know the game, a roll with a +3
modifier against the character's Personality Attribute may be made to
check victory. Other characters (if they possess the Gambling skill)
receive an Intelligence check to see if they catch on to the cheating.
- Cooking (Intelligence-based)
- The character can prepare certain types of meals, as
chosen by the player. (A cowboy, for example, might cook a mean pot of
baked beans, while a saloon girl might turn out a great rare T-bone
steak.) A separate skill must be purchased for each type of cuisine. A
failed Attribute Check means the meal is ill-prepared, ranging from too
spicy or bland to inedible. The GM decides how bad the meal is (based
perhaps on how much the check was failed by) and what effects it has on
the diners. (Food poisoning is a major turn-off. If the cooking character
was trying to test the adage that the way to a man's heart is through his
stomach, any Seduction attempt is made with a +3 penalty to the dice
roll.)
- Cross-Dressing (Intelligence-based)
- A crucial skill for the woman who wants to make it in a
man's world. This skill enables a character to dress like and mimic gender
traits of the opposite sex, such as body movements, etc.
- Dancing (Agility-based)
- The character knows a variety of dance styles, ranging
from clogging to formal dance. (GMs may rule that characters are familiar
with dance types particular to only one cultural group per skill slot
devoted to dancing.) Characters with this skill may apply any Skill Bonus
to Seduction attempts, if the two skills are being used in conjunction.
- Dodging (Agility-based)
- This skill increases the effective Agility Attribute
Rating for purposes of dodging hand-to-hand and ranged attacks by half
(round up). Unless paired with a successful Unarmed Combat Skill check,
however, the dodging character's chance to strike targets while dodging is
also reduced by half.
- Engineering (Intelligence-based)
- The character can design and oversee the construction of
simple structures, mines, bridges and tunnels. Further, the character can
use dynamite to demolish structures or as a thrown weapon without risk of
blowing itself up in the process.
- Gambling (Intelligence-based)
- For each skill-slot devoted Gambling, the character is
familiar with all common games of a specific type. Card games, board
games, and dice games, each require seperate skill slots. A game of chance
or skill can be simulated quickly by rolling dice (with results modified
by bonuses from Gambling and possibly Cheating skills), with the high roll
winning the game.
- Healing (Intelligence-based)
- The character knows human anatomy ("No, I'm pretty
certain both feet are supposed to point in the same direction..."), and
has a passing familiarity with home remedies and bandaging wounds. A
successful check will cure 2 points of non-lethal damage or 1 point of
lethal damage. This may only be attempt once on each group of wounds (one
gunshot wound, one fall from a great height, etc.). The character with
healing skill may only use it on itself to cure non-lethal damage (it's
hard to treat a wound with blood spraying in one's eyes).
- Math (Intelligence-based)
- The character can do calculations that exceed the number
of fingers and toes it possesses, as well as simple multiplication and
division.
- Play Musical Instrument (Personality-based)
- This skill enables the character to play a musical
instrument without embarrassing itself, unless the Attribute Check is
failed. (Then, the results can be quite embarrassing... GM's choice.) For
each instrument the character wishes to play, it must buy a different Play
Musical Instrument skill.
- Quick-Draw (Agility-based)
- During gunfights, the character receives +2 to its
Agility for purposes of determining who acts first (draws a weapon) in the
round. (See "Combat" for details on determining actions in a round.) If a
second successful Agility Check (on the characters actual Agility score,
unmodified by the Quick-Draw skill) is made, the character may
apply Skill Bonuses to to-hit results. The Quick-Draw skill only applies
to one weapon, as chosen by the player. A separate skill is required for
each weapon.
- Reading/Writing (Intelligence-based)
- The character can read and write a language specified by
the player. A separate skill is required for each language the character
can read/write. (GMs may choose to apply this skill toward spoken language
as well, but it is recommended that all characters get at least one spoken
language free. This is, after all, not NUELOW "Hominids!")
- Riding, Horse (Agility-based)
- All characters in "Lust and Dust!" can ride horses as
long as they are at a slow trot. Without this skill, however, a character
needs to make an Agility Attribute Check every round the horse is
galloping, can't coax the horse into performing jumps or other tricks, and
gets really sore in the backside after riding for more than two hours.
The character with Riding skill can ride indefinitely without soreness,
ride a gallop without Agility Attribute Checks, and perform cool-looking
stunts, such as leaping from second-story windows and straight into the
saddle.
- Rope Use (Agility-based)
- The character knows how to make a variety of knots--from
bows, to slip-knots, to knots that hold tightly. Additionally, the
character may lasso cattle, horses, people, etc. on a successful Attribute
Check.
- Seduction (Looks-based)
- The character may attempt to use a variety of techniques,
mental and physical, to sway one or more other characters who have even
the faintest physical attraction to the seducer to perform... uh, services
and favors for it. The nature of these services is up to the seducer. A
seduced creature can perform no actions (other than perhaps kiss or fondle
the seducer) for the first round of seduction. On subsequent rounds, the
seduced character always acts last. However, a target may roll against its
Intelligence score if it wish to attempt to resist the seduction attempt.
The following modifiers apply to the character's check to resist being
seduced:
| Intelligence | Mitigating
|
|---|
| Modifier | Circumstance
|
|---|
| -3 | Giving in will be dangerous
|
| -2 | Seducer is personal enemy
|
| -1 | Seducer attacked target earlier
|
| +1 | Eye-contact with seducer
|
| +2 | Physical contact with seducer
|
| +3 | No negatives from succumbing
|
| +4 | Expects pleasure beyond dreams
|
Modifiers are cumulative where one or more applies. There
are many other circumstances that might result in modifiers, and GMs
should use their best judgment in the individual situations.
The seduction effect remains in full force for as along as
the seducer and the seduced are within line-of-sight of each other, and
for a number of rounds rolled on two six-sided dice, minus the seduced
character's Intelligence Attribute bonus, afterward. Once a character has
been seduced, it will always be susceptible to the wiles of that
particular seducer--to the tune of +1 on its Intelligence roll, +3 if the
seduction resulted in carnal delights. (See the Expanded Seduction Rules
at the end of this section for additional details.)
- Set Traps (Intelligence-based)
- The character may set small traps to catch game. If the
character wants to build a trap to capture an intelligent creature, it
must make an Attribute check at +2 to construct an effective,
well-concealed trap.
- Sexual Prowess (Agility-based)
- Self-explanatory, yes? This is one of those rare skills
where two or more characters who possess it need to interact for maximum
effectiveness. If only one of the characters has the skill, that character
will probably feel cheated when all is said and done. It perhaps goes
without saying, but there are few skill checks more embarrassing to fail
than one for Sexual Prowess. Strength modifiers may be applied to the
check at the GM's option. Possibly, a Health and/or Pain Threshold
Attribute Check might be necessary for strenuous, extended, or unusual
bouts of whoopy. (At any rate, Strength Ratings are used to decide who's
on top if there's a dispute...) At GMs option, characters with Sexual
Prowess may subtract their Agility Attribute bonus from a target's
attempts to resist seduction.
- Sneaking (Agility-based)
- This allows the character to move about almost invisible
in areas with foliage, tall grass, or heavy shadows. Successful use of
this skill grants the character one free attack, as if invisible. It also
places a +3 penalty on a Tracking roll on the character's trail.
- Tracking (Intelligence-based)
- The character may interpret minute clues--a broken
branch, a bent piece of grass--to follow a creature's trail. A character
can't track over hard surfaces or through a running stream.
- Weapons Use (Variable)
- The character may use a particular weapon effectively.
Each weapon skill must be bought separately. See "Equipment" for available
weapons, and the Attribute checked for their usage. Each additional level
purchased in a Weapons Use category, gives the character the appropriate
Attribute Check modifiers on to-hit rolls.
- Wrestling (Agility-based)
- The character is familiar with techniques that will hold
in place a target that is successfully hit. The wrestler can choose to pin
a target or tear a small object (jewelry, a piece of clothing) from the
target's body. (Thus, this skill might be applicable to sexual
situations.) The target may not attack while held, but may try to squirm
free (and succeeds on a successful Agility check at +2). The target may,
of course, attack at will if the wrestler chose not to hold it.
While there are some whose resolve melts under the gaze of a
smooth-talker with bedroom eyes, others are more worldly than that. As
mentioned before, saloon girls are resistant to seduction attempts, but other
characters may also have differing reactions to seductive maneuvers.
The following optional rules elaborate upon the results of a
successful or unsuccessful seduction attempt, providing some degrees to both.
They require more role-playing on the part of both the player and GM, as
"Okay, you made your check. Slick Sam and Busty Molly have a night of heat and
passion. The morning sun awakens you in each others arms" isn't enough. Once
the player determines if his or her character has succeeded or failed to
seduce a target, the actual reaction of the target by rolling a six-sided die
against the appropriate table:
- Successful Check
- Will do anything, here and now.
- Will do anything, but sex acts must be in private.
- Saving self for marriage, but a second successful Seduction attempt
becomes a "here and now."
- Is maniac who imprisons sex partner after a night of intense
passion.
- Result as per #2, but the target is married. If a 6 is rolled on a
six-sided die, the spouse arrives while the characters are making love.
- As #2, but the target is actually of a gender opposite than the
apparent. (Skill Level 4 in Cross-Dressing.)
- Failed Check
- Roll on success chart; add 2 to the roll.
- Agrees to sex out of fear and/or pity.
- Slaps/hits seducer, leaves the area.
- Gravely offended. Friends of the target try to kill the seducer.
- As #1 on success chart, except the target has a terrible veneral
disease which the character catches. (Health rating drops to 4.)
- Attacks the character to sever appendages.
Additionally, if a seduction attempt against a saloon girl or
other "professional" is successful, the seducer will only be charged half
normal rates if a 1 is rolled on a six-sided die. Likewise, the seducer will
be charged twice normal if 1-3 is rolled following a failed attempt (as
opposed to the nasty results on the chart, which must be diced for on a roll
of 4-6).
Several results on the above tables may be lead-ins to
adventures outside of bed, as well as in. Inventive GMs should find that these
optional tables can add spice to their "Lust and Dust!" game, not to mention
NUELOW campaigns in general.
While combat generally means hacking, slashing, and spreading
as much carnage in as short time as possible, there are some NUELOW combat
rules that apply to more intimate pursuits...
The basis for all time-keeping in NUELOW games is the "round."
There are six seconds in one round, ten rounds in one minute, sixty
minutes in one hour, 24 hours in one day (which, we all know is
simply not enough) and so on and so forth. Consult the calendar on
your wall for additional details.
Each player must declare what action the character will take
that round, and the characters then take these actions from the
highest to lowest Agility Attribute Ratings. A player may choose to
hold a character's action until later in the round, but must call
it as soon as actions have been declared for the character he or
she was trying to shaft... uh, support.
Each character can perform at least one action per round,
although GMs can rule that the character can do more or less, too.
(It's a rare thing, though, when a character can't just lay still
on the ground, unconscious, or just overcome by exhaustion...)
Characters take actions in order of Agility Rating; those with the
highest numbers acting first. If there is one or more characters
with the same Agility Rating, the order is as follows:
- In hand-to-hand (or kick) combat, the character with the highest
Personality score acts first.
- Characters who are using a ranged, non-weapon attack. (Seduction
attempts, etc.).
- Characters who are riding, but not in combat.
- Characters moving on foot, but not in combat.
- Characters wielding light/medium ranged weapons.
- Characters wielding heavy/large ranged weapons.
- Characters who are riding and engaged in combat.
- Characters using small melee weapons.
- Characters who are riding, but attacking a target on foot.
- Characters using large melee weapons.
Remember, seduced characters cannot act in the round in which
they are seduced, and always act last in subsequent rounds until
the effect wears off.
Attribute Ratings are also used to decide who controls the
situation during close encounters of the carnal kind. Characters
with the Sexual Prowess skill always act first in the round, and
any other disputes need to be moderated by the GM. Generally, the
Agility or Personality Ratings will apply, but if the words "whips"
and "chains" have come up (together or separately), Strength is
most likely the Attribute to go off. Characters that have been
seduced into the situation will always act after the seducer,
unless instructed to do otherwise. See "Attacking" for additional
information.
Attacks are resolved whenever a character acts in a turn. In
order to hit, a character must roll a check against the appropriate
Unarmed Combat Skill (such as Wrestling) or Attribute Score for the
weapon it is using. (The attributes for each weapon are listed
under "Equipment.) the Attribute Check is modified by the bonus or
penalty for the character's Weapons Use skill level for the weapon.
If the character hits the target, subtract the damage
appropriate to the weapon being used (also found under
"Equipment"), modified by any Strength Attribute bonuses/penalties,
from the target's Health Attribute.
A character may attack up to three targets in one round, if
those targets are in melee combat, or if the character is firing a
ranged weapon with up to three shots. For each target attacked, a
+1 penalty is added to the Attribute check. (+1 for the first
target, +2 for the second, and +3 for the third.)
In games using firearms (such as "Lust and Dust!"), it is
possible for characters to fire more than one ranged weapon per
round. See "Expanded Ranged Weapons Rules" for details.
Characters may choose to perform "called shots." There is a +3
to-hit penalty on called shots, but extra damage is inflicted on
successful hits, with vital areas subject to the greatest damage
bonuses.
| Called-shot | Extra
|
|---|
| Location | Damage
|
|---|
| Head | roll six-sided, apply result
|
| Torso | 4 points
|
| Arms | 2 points, +1 penalty on to-hit rolls
|
| Legs | 1 point, +2 penalty on relevant Agility checks,
lower movement rate 1/3 for each 5 points of "called
shot" damage.
|
The Eye-Hand Coordination Advantage negates the +3 to-hit
penalty for called shots.
Certain sexual situations might require to-hit rolls (Agility
or Strength Attribute Checks). These include characters who are moving (on
foot, in the air), characters who are in a boat on a storm-tossed sea, or
characters trying to engage in sexual acts with an unwilling target.
In "Fairies!," players followed the "line-of-sight" rule: if a
character can see it, the character can hit it with ranged weapons. Since
ranged weapons are central to "Lust and Dust!," (what's the gunfight at the
Okie-Dokie Coral without guns?), we're presenting the following optional rules
for ranged weapons. Characters must still be able to see what they're
shooting at, but the to-hit rolls may be modified by factors such as weapon
size, distance to target, lighting conditions, and aiming time. Further, the
modifiers mentioned under "Movement" may be applied as well. A ranged weapon
is a device that hurls a projectile, such as a bow or a gun. A Bowie knife, a
rock, a bottle of beer, or any number of objects could conceivably be ranged
weapons in a pinch. To keep combat simple, we recommend that any makeshift or
unusual weapons automatically miss at anything but close range.
The following chart lists the modifiers that apply to to-hit
rolls for ranged weapons. The sizes of the weapons featured in the
game can be found under "EQUIPMENT."
| Size of Weapon | Close Range | Medium Range | Long Range
|
|---|
| Small | -2 | 0 | +3
|
| Medium | 0 | -3 | -1
|
| Large | +2 | +1 | -3
|
Close Range is considered to be 30 yards and less; Medium is
up to 100 yards; and Long Range is to the maximum range of
Line-of-Sight. GM's ruling and common sense also applies.
Since this is a western game, the characters might hear the
word "DRAW!" fairly often. In instances such as this, a character
will want to get its gun out and fire as quickly as possible.
Agility Ratings decide who gets a shot off first, but characters
who perform such "quick-draws" suffer a +2 penalty per range
category on their to-hit rolls. The weapon range modifiers apply as
well. The Quick-Draw Skill applies to these situations.
It is possible for a character to fire two small ranged
weapons at the same time, one in each hand. This is called
"Two-handed Shooting." While the character can double its ranged
attacks, an additional +1 modifier must be added to the character's
to-hit roll with its "good" hand, while +2 is added to the to-hit
roll from the "off-hand." The Ambidextrous Advantage negates these
penalties.
Optionally, the GM might wish to consider weather and lighting
conditions while gunfire is being exchanged. Heavy rain, darkness,
and dust in the air add +1 to all to-hit rolls at Medium Range, and
+3 to all Long Range attempts. These modifiers are cumulative.
Another option is for the GM to take careful aiming into
consideration. A character who spends a full round aiming its
ranged weapon may apply a -2 modifier to the to-hit roll.
A character's full movement rate equals its combined Strength,
Agility and Health Attribute bonuses in feet per round. The minimum
full movement is always three, regardless of negative Attribute
bonuses. Characters on the ground may choose to move less than
their full movement rates, or not move at all. It is possible for
characters to move and attack at the same time, if they are within
range (or reach) of each other. For each character that has
declared movement during a turn, there is a +1 cumulative to-hit
penalty. In other words, two moving characters trying to hit each
other with clubs would each add +2 to their Agility Attribute
checks.
In "Fairies!," we invited GMs to come up with their own arcane
movement modifier rules. Our hope was that someone would have taken
us up on that offer and shared their results so we could steal
them. Instead, we got letters asking us to offer more details about
movement. Fine. If you insist that we actually put some work into
this...
Characters on mounts can travel a maximum of 30 miles in an
8-hour period without wearing out the horse (and requiring that it
rest a full 24 hours before continuing). The following weather
conditions and terrain types affect how fast a character or mount
can safely travel. Modifiers are cumulative, so if a character is
traveling at night through light forest, the maximum movement rate
is reduced by 3/4. These modifiers reflect safe travel speed.
Characters who exceed the safe limits have a chance of injuring
themselves or their mounts by falling into holes, running into
trees or walls, etc. The likelihood and severity of any accidents
are left up to GM discretion.
| Weather Conditions/Terrain | Reduce Max. Movement By
|
|---|
| Darkness, Full | 1/2
|
| Darkness, Twilight | 1/4
|
| Forest, Heavy | 1/2
|
| Forest, Light | 1/4
|
| Heavy Fog | 1/2
|
| Heavy Rain | 1/4
|
| Rough Terrain, Desert | 1/4
|
| Rough Terrain, Flat | 1/2
|
| Rough Terrain, Mountainous | 3/4
|
| Rough Terrain, Snow-covered |
|
| (negated by sleds or snow-shoes) | 1/2
|
| Rough Terrain, Swamp | 1/2
|
Each beginning player character in "Lust and Dust!" receives a
number of items and half the dollars equal to a roll of three six-sided dice.
Thus, it is possible that one character will have three pieces of equipment
and $1.50 while another will have 18 pieces of equipment and $9. That's tough,
but that's life. It's a multiverse of haves and have-nots, and if the player
with three items bitches, the GM should point out the time-honored tradition
for gaining more stuff in role-playing games: the looting of dead bodies.
The Equipment list is divided into three sections, "Weapons,"
"Other Stuff," and "Services and Other Expenses." At creation, characters
should be allowed to pick any items they want from the first two lists, as
well as any items the GM allows from the "Fairies!" equipment list, to a
maximum of the number rolled. If a character wishes to buy items from the
"Fairies!" list, the GM will have to assign prices to them. (More equipment
will be added in future NUELOW game books, and the GM will have to decide what
he or she will allow in a "Lust and Dust!" game, and how much it costs.)
Each weapon in "Lust and Dust!" has five statistics: type,
damage, weight, size and cost. Remember, a character's Strength Damage
Modifier is added to hand-to-hand and melee weapon attacks, as is "called
shot" damage modifiers. Blunt weapons do non-lethal damage, and edged do
lethal damage unless otherwise noted. The damage listed for ranged weapons is
actually for the projectile they fire. Any large weapon is treated as if
weighing 10 pounds for encumbrance purposes. All weapons come with holsters or
sheathes.
Key to codes:
- R
- ranged
- H
- hand-to-hand
- B
- blunt
- E
- edged
- L
- lethal
- NL
- non-lethal
- AT
- Attribute-base for Weapons Use skill checks
- Str
- Strength Attribute Rating
- Agl
- Agility Attribute Rating
- Int
- Intelligence Attribute Rating
- X
- Explosive
- /# tgs
- number of targets hit per shot
- (#)
- The number of shots a gun holds
Note: Most ranged weapons can double as clubs. Small and
medium weapons do 2 NL, while large do 2 NL and 1 L. (Strength Attribute
bonuses apply, of course.)
| | Weapon | Type | Damage | Weight | Size | AT | Cost
|
|---|
| | Dynamite (1 stick) | X | 12 L | 0.1 lbs | Small | Int | $1/stick
|
| | Derringer (1) | R | 2 L | 0.2 lbs | Small | Agl | $4
|
| | Buffalo Rifle (1) | R | 10 L | 14 lbs | Large | Agl | $25
|
| | Carbine, repeat (7) | R | 6 L | 10 lbs | Large | Agl | $22
|
| | Gatling Gun (lots!) | R | 15 L | lots! | Large | Agl | GM call
|
| | Hunting Knife | H, E | 2 L | 0.1 lbs | Small | Str | $1
|
| | Revolver, Colt (6) | R | 4 L | 2 lbs | Medium | Agl | $35
|
| * | Shotgun, single | R | 7 L | 9 lbs | Large | Agl | $17
|
| * | Shotgun, double(2) | R | 7 L | 10 lbs | Large | Agl | $28
|
| * | Shotgun, repeat (6) | R | 7 L | 10 lbs | Large | Agl | $76
|
| ** | Scatter-gun (2) | R | 6 L/2 tgs | 8 lbs | Medium | Agl | $37
|
| | Winchester Rifle(12) | R | 6 L | 9 lbs | Large | Agl | $45
|
- *
- Although Large, this weapon has ranges similar to a Medium Weapon.
- **
- Although Medium, this weapon has ranges similar to a Small weapon.
This section provides a smattering of mundane equipment the
characters of "Lust and Dust!" might have with them when
encountered. This list is not all-inclusive. GMs and players
wishing to expand the list should think of items that might be
available to the people in the American West. Most of the items
detailed in "Fairies!" are appropriate to this setting, too, and
more will be added in future NUELOW volumes. (GMs are free to set
whatever prices they think are reasonable for the individual
campaign settings when transferring equipment from one NUELOW
product to another.)
| Item | Description/Notes | Weight | Cost
|
|---|
| Ammunition | What you put in guns | varies | $5/100 rounds
|
| Bacon | Salted pork | varies | $0.20/lb
|
| Beer | Used to get pissed slowly | varies | $0.05/glass
|
| Beans | Cowboy staple food | varies | $0.08/lb
|
| Blanket, woolen | Used to stay warm | 0.1 lbs | $0.50
|
| Boots | Worn on feet | 1 lbs | $9
|
| Canteen | Holds water, etc. | 2 lbs/full | $0.90
|
| Cart | Mule-drawn, hauls stuff | a lot! | $15
|
| Cattle | Herded and eaten | a lot! | $10/head
|
| Chaps | Worn over pants | 2 lbs | $4
|
| Coffee | Used to stay awake | varies | $0.30/lb
|
| Flour | Used to cook | varies | $0.05/lb
|
| Hat | Worn on head | 0.1 lbs | $1.75
|
| Horse, riding | Used to travel on | a lot! | $30
|
| Pants | Worn on lower body | 0.2 lbs | $1.75
|
| Saddle | Put on horse | 15 lbs | $10
|
| Shirt | Worn on upper body | 0.08 lbs | $1
|
| Spurs | Worn on boots; | 0.07 lbs each | $6
|
| | makes cool noises | |
|
| Tobacco | Smoked or chewed | varies | $0.10/plug
|
| Wagon | Horse-drawn, hauls | a lot! | $50
|
| | people & stuff | |
|
| Whiskey | Used to get pissed | varies | $2/bottle
|
| Item | Description/Notes | Cost
|
|---|
| Bath | How to stop smelling | $1
|
| Doctor Visit | How to cure injuries; a Doctor heals a
character at twice the rate given under the
Healing skill. | $4
|
| Hotel, Average | Where to sleep | $0.80/night
|
| Meal, Cheap | How to fill the stomach | $0.20
|
| Rooming House | Where to sleep and eat | $1/day
|
| Shave and a Haircut | How to look sharp | $0.25 (two bits)
|
| Stabling | Where the horses go | $0.25/day
|
| Undertaking | What happens after a character's dead | $18/burial
|
Silver Spur County gained its name from the Silver Spur Ranch,
a large stretch of cattle range belonging to "Dead-Eye" McClusky. A one-time
silver miner, he managed to save enough money to start a ranch once his
property was mined out. Silver Town is at the heart of the territory, a town
that grew up to serve the needs of the many miners in the area, as well as the
ongoing railroad construction. "Dead-Eye" is the town's mayor and rules an
empire of cattle from his massive ranch directly west of town.
To the west and south of Silver Town lies an inhospitable
desert, part of which is included in a nearby Indian reservation. To the
distant west are the Sierra Nevada Mountains (where the Donner Party ate each
other) and beyond those mountains, California (which will become the land of
fruits and nuts).
To the east and north are mountains dotted with silver mines
and outlaw hideouts. There are also caves that serve as interdimensional
conduits, links between the various realities that make up the NUELOW
multiverse. (This is, of course, a highly cheesy device that links all our
products for those who are interested in really bizarre adventures.) There are
also several farms (sheep and otherwise) in the foothills. To the far east are
dudes galore.
(It should be obvious to all readers that there is far less
campaign information for "Lust and Dust!" than there was for "Fairies!" That's
because the NUELOW design team realized that GMs and players, many of whom
were weaned on westerns of all sorts, will be able to come up with stuff far
more interesting than anything we'd manage... especially if they start
bringing characters from "Fairies!" into the Wild West via the
interdimensional gates.)
Map Key:
1. Silver Town.
2. Dead-Eye's Ranch
3. The Desert
4. North-East Corner of the Indian Reservation.
5. Farms.
6. Silver Mines
7. Suspected Bandit Hideouts or possible Gates of Nuelow.
The Attribute Ratings given for the various human and animal
categories below are averages, to be used as examples for GMs to design
creatures and NPCs of their own. GMs should outfit intelligent NPC creatures
with the appropriate equipment. (Note: A creature is anything that isn't a
player character--our little nostalgic nod to the good old D&D game...
please don't sue us.)
GMs should be aware that some of the categories represent a
wide range of creatures. The statistics given are average, so there are some
of the category that will be tougher while others will be weaker.
Additionally, there are some creatures first presented in "Fairies!" that can
be found in Silver Spur County as well. These are: Bear; Birds; Child,
Average; Game; and Vermin.
- Cattle
- A western cash cow (lame pun intended). Small wars
periodically erupt around Silver Town when sheep farmers erect fences and
the cattlemen, led by Dead-Eye set about to reopen the range. Player
character cowboys can be hired for epic cattle-drives to Kansas City.
Cattle trample for 3 L/2 NL per animal.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 9
|
- Cowboy
- These rugged professionals spend their lives making sure
cattle gets safely to where their boss wants them to go. The NPC
equivalent of the player character in this occupation, they may become
employees of rich player characters for $30/month.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 7 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7
|
- Coyote
- Part hunter, part scavenger, this is an animal that
farmers and ranchers see as much worse than it actually is. When player
characters encounter a coyote, it will likely be some innocent beast, but
there is a very slight chance that it is the Indian deity, Coyote.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 5 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6
|
The god has Attribute Ratings of 14 in all seven categories. A coyote
attacks with a bite for 2 L.
- Damsel in Distress
- Can be from any of the accepted female occupations, but
is holding out for a hero. This type of NPC is particularly common in
"Lust and Dust!" games that mimic paperback books bought in grocery store
check-out lines. Always on the verge of falling out of her dress.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 3 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3
|
- Gunslinger
- An NPC in any of the player character occupations under
this heading above. Out to build or reinforce his reputation, this NPC
rarely says anything but "DRAW!" when within earshot (and gunshot) of
player characters. At GM's discretion, player characters may hire this NPC
for $5/day, plus expenses. Always carries at least one fast-draw revolver,
and has a Skill Rating of 2 or better in at least one type of small or
medium ranged weapon.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 6 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7
|
- Horse, Riding
- What the characters travel on primarily.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 10 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 11
|
Draft horses have Str: 12 and Agl: 8.
- Indian
- An NPC race that has been trod upon and abused by most of
the PC races, and then shunted onto some of the worst land in the campaign
settings. The Indians of "Lust and Dust!" have mostly had their spirits
broken, but may occasionally be riled up to take revenge for the abuses
that have been heaped upon them. When this occurs, they are encountered in
numbers between 3-18. Occasionally, the characters may encounter (or even
be) someone of a player character race that was raised by Indians, and
thus has sympathy for their plight. (A skeletal outline for a NUELOW game
focusing on Native Americans exists. If interest warrants, we might
develop a full-fledged game from that material.) Indians always possess
at least one Weapons Use skill and Wrestling.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 6 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7
|
- Miner, Crazed
- This NPC thinks everyone's out to steal the silver in his
mine (whether or not there is any silver in it). Has all the abilities
mentioned under the description of the player character occupation, plus a
Weapons Use skill devoted to shotgun, two-barrels.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 13
|
- Mountain Lions
- Common in the mountains near Silver Town, these
magnificent animals lair in small caves and keep mostly to themselves.
They will occasionally attack and eat a sheep. Attacks with claws for
3 L/2 NL of damage.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 10 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 12
|
- Mule
- Used by miners and poorer farmers as draft and pack
animals, these stubborn beasts can be found at farms and mines throughout
Silver Spur County. If a player character is using a mule, the GM should
roll one six-sided die every hour of game time. If the result is 6, the
mule refuses to budge another step. A mule kicks for 1 L/2 NL.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10
|
- Outlaw
- Ranging from violent cut-throats to Indians fed up with
the humiliation of the reservation, this NPC type is encountered in groups
numbering an amount rolled on three six-sided dice. One member of such a
group has an Agility Rating of 10 and a Personality Rating of 8. This
character has a reward on its head worth an amount rolled on one six-sided
die times 100. Average outlaws have the following statistics:
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 6 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7
|
- Rattlesnake
- The creature without which no western setting would be
complete. If a character is bit by a rattlesnake (bite occurs if the snake
makes a successful to-hit roll using its Agility as the basis for the
check) it must make a Health Attribute check or automatically lose an
amount of Health equal to the amount rolled on a six-sided die.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 2 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4
|
- Settler/Farmer
- This hearty NPC lives with a spouse and 1-3 children in a
log-cabin (think "Little House on the Prairie," except Pa Ingalls drinks
too much and the kids sometimes go hungry and have a good chance of dying
from pneumonia each winter) with a cow, a mule and a handful of sheep,
chickens, and pigs. Abilities for important settler/farmer characters are
generated like those of player characters. The same stats may be used for
ranchers.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 6 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7
|
- Sheep
- The one creature that most NUELOW players wanted to see
in the game. And we agree--what is "Sexual Preference, Animal" without
sheep?
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8
|
- Townsfolk
- These are the men, women and children that live in the
towns to which cowboys drive their cattle, and Gamblers ply their "trade."
This group includes everyone from barbers to undertakers. They are rugged
people who believe in individualism, as long as it's within what they
consider proper decency. Other types of individuals risk being guests of
honor at a neck-tie party.
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4
|
- Wolves
- The subject of countless PBS and "National Geographic"
television specials, this predator is hated and feared by the settlers and
cowboys in the west. Generally shy, these creatures will usually leave the
player characters alone, unless harassed first. The government will pay
$1-6 per wolf pelt. Attacks for 2 L (bite) or 1 L (claws).
| Str | Agi | Lks | Int | Per | Hth | PTh
|
|---|
| 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8
|
As with "Fairies!," the following situations are presented
here to aid GMs in developing their own "Lust and Dust!" scenarios.
We've tried to come up with examples that illustrate the range of
what can be done with a western setting in particular and the
NUELOW game settings in general.
- Years prior, the bank in Silver City was robbed by a daring gang. Most of
the bandits were shot dead as a posse pursued them into the mountains.
Three of them nonetheless managed to evade the pursuers and escape with
the loot. As the characters are heading toward Silver Town, they come
across an overturned wagon and a dead body. They hear screams beyond the
brush, and when they rush to investigate they find a couple of outlaws
brutalizing a Damsel in Distress. After the players have rescued her, she
explains that she is the daughter of one of the robbers (who now lies dead
on the road), and that they had returned to reclaim the hidden treasure.
She asks the characters to help her recover the money for one-quarter of
it. As the characters and the damsel make their way toward the treasure's
location, they are dogged every step of the way by villains (the other two
robbers who never knew where the loot was hidden and are now hoping to
finally get their share and more), and whatever other mishaps the GM
wishes to put in the characters' way. Simulataneously, the damsel comes on
to the characters with the shortest tempers, Seducing (Skill Level 3) each
of them. She has no intention of sharing the treasure, and will arrange to
have one lover catch her with the other and then cry "Rape!" once the
money has been recovered. She then plans to finish off the rest of the
characters before they make it back to town.
- A new family of settlers has erected fences around the land they own,
cutting off the direct path from Dead-Eye's best pastures to the
rail-station in Silver Town. Dead-Eye is recruiting gunslingers to drive
these upstarts back to where they came from. The characters will have the
options of going for the money or protecting the little guy against an
onslaught of hired heavies. (This senario might be particularly troubling
if one of the settler's freckle-faced, wide-eyed children worships the
ground a gun-slinging, charismatic player character walks on.)
- The player characters must herd a few hundred heads of cattle to the
Kansas railhead where they will turn their $10/head into $30/head. If
these animals are their own, they can either be very rich or lose their
shirts (if too many heads are lost along the way); and if they belong to
Dead-Eye, the characters might get a fat bonus or have a bunch of hired
guns after them to take the losses suffered by the cattle baron out of
their hides.
- After all else fails, the characters must actually work (Gasp!) for a
living. Penniless screw-ups, they must work alongside the townsfolk until
the next wave of bandits sweep through Silver Spur County. Alternately,
the GM can use these mundane occupations to lead into the character's next
adventures. (Why is it that the House of Ill Repute in Silver City has
eight of the most beautiful and skilled "dancing girls" in all the west,
but only four sleeping quarters? One possible answer is that the eight
women are actually four fairies from the Magic Forest.)
Alternatively, the GM can attempt to run a historically
accurate western roleplaying game. Of course, the research that we were all
too lazy to do would have to be done, but your campaign is a labor of love,
right? You live for poorly thought-out game supplements that raise more
questions than they answer about the campaign setting and how monsters and
game mechanics fit in, don't you?
So, was it good for you, too?
We hope "Lust and Dust!" met the standards set forth in our
first excursion into tackiness. Let us have your thoughts by e-mail at
<nuelow@earthlink.net>. We are dying to
know what you would like to see more or less of in these games. Or even if you
would rather not see anything at all. Was your intelligence and/or sense of
decency insulted, or did you just find the whole thing numbingly stupid? Are
you actually going to try to get your gaming group to play this game, or is
just reading it jollies enough? Did you laugh? Did you cry? Let us know,
because, after all, we're the game designers who care. (Mostly about our jobs,
our kids and how long that tuna sandwhich sat in the lunch-room vending
machine before we ate it, but NUELOW is in the back of our minds somewhere...)
Well, it's time to start getting serious about being gross and
stupid. We're setting course for the Epsilon Quadrant for sci-fi adventures
with NUELOW 3: "Stars and Garters!" We hope to see you there, as the efforts
to create a simple multigenre roleplaying game system in which all parts can
be used together if the players choose.
The NUELOW Design Team
[NUELOW Index]