Last Supper With the Anthropophagi of Xambaala

Aaannnddd we're done! (For now) 

*spoilers*

Our "heroes" managed to defeat Mrs. Satrap and save Ra'gan's bacon. The city... well... maybe that's not the urban renewal they had in mind.

Beaten up, and with many more stout enemies than hit points, most of the gang decided to depart for greener pastures (or at least hopefully less cursed). 

Ra'gan had his own plans.

Kyle (Maran) tucked a PC epilogue into the Discord, so why not - I need to do some creative writing...

Ursun Casts Off

Ursun watched the populace, and his colleagues, embarking in a desperate rabble at the docks. He would join them soon, as well, trusting in the bulk of his gold. But a moment first. 

Stepping into a quiet alley, he drew a circle, lit his censer, pulled down his mask with its death's-head moth sigil. This particular journey was ending, but small good deeds could still be done.

Moments later, a sulfurous effluence from the circle, and one of those skinless dogs stood. It sneered and groused about, as if drawn from another important task. “Servant, heed me. In the desert is a ruined palace. Within are orange-robed ones, accursed in the name of Kthulhu. Hunt.” The demon quivered with insolent rage, spat a gout of acidic phlegm at Ursun, and disappeared over the city wall into the desert. 

Probably won't do much, but any distraction will be welcome for that maniac Ra'gan. 

Speaking of which... Ursun walked to the now-vacant caravanserai. A death's-head moth fluttered around Ursun, not heeding the cold, as he watched Ra'gan and a few wet-brains he'd coerced load up casks of that infernal liquid. “Yes, Goddess, I'll aid as I can. But I tire of this city. Back to the Plains where the air is thin and clear. Not this stink. Maybe your next devoted will have the faith to restore the temple.”

“Ra'gan. Might I give you a blessing or two before you depart on your task?” 

Ra'gan looked at the cart and dimming skies. “Not coming along? It will be glory and cleansing fire.”

“Perhaps next time.” More incense and incantations. A smoky shape hovered above Ra'gan. “That will give you one extra chance. Strike well after it stuns your foe. Oh, and I'm not sure what is dead or alive out there, but at least the dead won't see you for a bit. Good hunting Ra'gan.”

“Thanks. Smooth sailing.”

“As Lunaqqua wishes.”

Ursun turned and trotted towards the docks.

***

Few were disembarking at the docks. But one figure stepped off a leaky cog, pushing through the morass of people struggling to take his place. A well-placed glare, and one of the more belligerent refugees fell back in terror, causing others to give the passenger space.

“Ho there, stevedore! Perhaps you've heard tale of my cousin Bersi. Brilliant mage, a bit rough around the edges? He sent word that this city was ripe for glory and its environs full of plunder!” He paused and looked around the teeming refugees, shivered doors, and darkened windows. He muttered. “Hmm. Just like my cousin. Exaggerating...” 

(Yes, Bersi's cousin, Dagvidr, was a spare PC in the quiver - a mage of some flavor. Perhaps not as book-learned as his cousin, but at least having better people skills.)

So with that, the gang (players, that is) depart Scenic Hyperborea for a few sessions of Shadowdark with Bill Harvat as we explore his latest Righteous Vow adventure zine, "The Mirrored City."

Hyperborea will likely draw us back with its many charms, though...

I first experienced the nuts and bolts of Hyperborea via Bandit's Keep's campaign playthrough of many of the classic adventure settings. Kept me entertained on many work drives and long walks... Like our campaign, only one original PC made it to the last.

And now, I've had a chance to play the system, and via a few different characters. All casters, for a change. Anyhow...

So, the system. Built off the chassis of AD&D, with similar power curves, experience leveling, base abilities. Add the hand of pulp fiction archetypes and you have a good selection of character classes with enough individuality and flavor to keep one's interest. Human-centric, consistent with the source literature. 

Others have said it's likely the best AD&D hack out there. Again, although the four standard classes are fairly stock (with a few refinements), the subclasses really help to pull the flavor of the game and setting to the fore. However, in our Discord ramblings, it was opined that the four base classes had enough flavor and skills (and fewer XP requirements) to outcompete the more specialized subclasses in the long run.

Jeff Talanian really leaned into the Hyperborea and adjacent mythos/pulp fantasy literature to create an integrated rule system and setting. His succinct introduction gives an overview of what sword-and-sorcery and weird fantasy means to him, and the themes and play style of an RPG built on those tropes. 

Character classes, whether standard or specialist, are written up with sufficient flavor text (and interior art) to inform the play approach. Character cultural/racial background and appearance may all be generated randomly. The stock character sheet is clean, reminding me of the old goldenrod AD&D character sheet. Four pages in total, with the first two pages stats, combat, gear, and abilities, and the last two pages reserved for spell inventories (tables of spells per day, prepared spells, and known spell inventory). 

Having only messed around in the Anthropophagi of Xambaala setting on the front side of the screen, it appears that the 'adventures' are built more  for sandbox play, with factions, a few setpieces, and an environ, versus a singular goal. Or, that was how we played it at least. 

By the way, A of X is marketed as a 1st-3rd level setting. Dan, being a solid gamerunner, created a ticking clock situation, with the world moving outside of/because of/in spite of the PCs. So a few foes/factions were evolved and informed by that clock. I don't have the adventure, but flesh golems raiding the city may not be in the source material. The PCs pushed. The world pushed back.

Clearly, we had a lot of latitude to play our PCs and their agendas, either group or individual. Again, more excellent gamerunning. I think that the source material provides enough seeds for an experienced gamerunner to run with it. That said, the system/scenario combination may be better suited for a gamerunner with the chops to be flexible and creative in response to the PCs' actions and motivations.

OK, can Hyperborea be run without the setting? Of course. Most settings built around an AD&D or equivalent mechanic will probably work. I'd hate to have an inseparable rule/setting pair. It may take some flexibility and prep, but the general mechanics are there - modest hp, Vancian magic, finite skillsets. Of course, the closer to the pulp inspiration that any scenario is, the better. So if you're running a more grim, resource-limited game with swords and sorcery and questionable heroes, Hyperborea provides that.