Kordon Kommander [Space Patrol]

The notorious pirate fleet known as Kordon’s Kommandos is led by Kordon Commander. While little is known about who is beneath the helmet, whoever wears the mask is highly intelligent, an expert in space craft combat maneuvers, and a master of the art of piracy. The fact Kordon has a deep hatred of Captain Jax and the crew of the Argo3 is well-known and likely due to a recently foiled heist of the Cardonian Diamond, a 5,000 carat diamond.

Their latest action was an extremely profitable heist of valuables from Science Station Tanuga IV, estimated to be of ¢33k (UPF  credits). Kordon Commander is number three on the UFP Space Patrol Most Wanted List.

Kordon's crew is typically human, though rumors of other alien species joining is not unheard of. They are always equipped with armor and energy weapons of various types.

The Sathar [Space Patrol]

The Sathar are an antagonistic bipedal worm-like race from an unknown solar system. At this time a great deal is unknown about the Sathar. From initial contact with humanity they have been aggressive and all further attempts to have conducive discussions have been met with violence and destruction. Because of this, the UPF has a standard operating  guidance of “defensive posture always, offensive posture when possible” to all  in their operating area of operations. 

Scientists at Space Patrol are keen to get their hands on a Sathar specimen for study. As of yet, not a single body has been recovered from encounters. Though some claim to have seen a self-destruct mechanism that obliterates a dead Sathar before the body can be recovered. This has not been verified by the UPF Science Division. So much is unknown about this violent predator, even the smallest tidbits of information about these worms are invaluable to the protection of the UPF. 

The universal recommendation is stay clear of the Sathar. - UPF command

Ssss, yessss humanssssss, diessss.  -Sathar

Cadet Happy [Space Patrol]

 

Cadet Flint Robbleson is an orphan left behind on a hulking spacecraft by uncaring parents when he was seven years old. Until he was twelve he spent the years stowing away on various commercial freighters traveling the cosmos, dodging capture, scraping together the clothes, food, and tools he needed to survive. 

During one such excursion, the craft he was catching a ride on was attacked by pirates. In the battle the craft was left derelict and floating among an asteroid field. Struggling to survive and the last person on the craft, Flint thought this might be his last trip until the Argo3 appeared just as oxygen was running out. Rescued by Cpt Jax and Lt Addy, Flint immediately took to the pair as adopted parents and when they attempted to drop him off at the nearest Space Patrol station, he simply did what he knew best and stowed away on the Argo3.

This happened five times. 

On the fifth attempt to leave Flint behind, Cpt Jax and Lt Addy found themselves in a tight spot and were saved by the ingenuity of the young, plucky boy. Realizing Flint’s  potential and the connection all three had made, Cpt Jax officially made Flint - who he nicknamed ‘Happy’ due to Flint’s eternal optimism - one of the crew. One year later, Cadet Happy is now the official technical wizard and mechanic of the Argo3 and an invaluable member of the crew.

Sure thing, Cap! One quasiponic thingamajig coming up! -Happy

Lt. Deering [Space Patrol]

Adeline Deering is the sole daughter of  Senator Asimov Deering, one of the senior politicians on Mars and for most of her life she lived filled the role of a wealthy politician’s dutiful daughter, attending glitzy events, smiling for the camera, and generally not doing or saying anything that could offend and ruin her father’s illustriously long career. That was until the day the criminal gang called The Outfit struck an event her father was attending to steal jewelry off the wealthy attendees, Adeline watched as an elderly woman was accosted by a ruffian. Infuriated, she swiped his pistol and a scuffle ensued. During the chaos the trigger was pulled and the criminal was later incarcerated. Adeline was hailed as a hero, but inside her something had changed. Rather than sit and talk about change like her father, she wanted to exact that change and be the reason things changed for good. Two weeks later, and against her father’s wishes, she joined the Space Patrol.

As the co-pilot of the Argo3, Addy has distinguished herself as an exceptional Space Ranger. Her inquisitive mind has a deep lust for knowledge and understanding. Her brilliance and scientific knowledge has led to many mission’s success. A secret passion for the heart of Cpt Jax has caused more than a few awkward moments between them. Her motherly instincts have given her a strong feeling of protectiveness for Cadet Happy, causing many disagreements with Cpt Jax who she feels puts Happy in far too many dangerous situations.

The positronic deflections are off the spectrum! Reversing the polarity on the anti-matter integrator should reduce quantum fluctuations. - Addy

CPT Jax Bolton [Space Patrol]

Captain Jax Bolton is an infamous pilot in the Space Patrol, a division of space cops that police the space lanes. They are tasked with the protection of civilians, merchants, and the arrest of criminals and pirates that constantly plague the trade and travel routes between the civilized planets of the United Planetary Federation (UPF).

Cpt Jax is a charismatic pilot with a roguish smile and ace with his pistol. He is faithful to his friends, loyal to the Space Patrol, quick with his wit, a strict adherence to the law, a brilliant detective, makes the ladies weak in the knees, often a bur in authorities' boot, and endlessly optimistic. When innocents are in danger and everything is on the line, Cpt Jax is the man the UPF sends in to save the day. They may not agree with his tactics, or condone his actions, but they will usually swallow their pride because he is able to stop bad things from happening.

Due to the numerous times in which he has foiled a major theft, freed a hostage, captured a person on the top 10 most wanted list, recovered stolen goods, and tossed bad guys in the slammer, he has made quite a long list of enemies. They are out there and they want revenge.

The future is worth the fight. - Cpt Jax

Here I am.. What are your other two wishes? - Cpt Jax

At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; without law and justice he is but a savage. - Cpt Jax

The Argo3 [Space Patrol]

The Argonaut 3, or more commonly Argo3, is Captain Jax's patrol craft. The ship is designated with "3" because the previous two were destroyed in previous missions. United Planetary Federation (UPF) command determined these were NOT Cpt Jax's fault and allowed him to keep his commission. His sometimes on, sometimes off again 'secret' relationship with one particular Admiral Deenala is rumored to have had something to do with this. Both parties have adamantly denied these baseless allegations.

While the Argo3 is a relatively new ship, it has already seen numerous missions, including the recent rescue mission of Senator Sharrador when he was abducted by the notorious criminal Baron Balthazar. Luckily, the Argo3's crew was able to rescue the senator without sustaining too much damage to the craft. This damage allowed Cadet Happy, the whizkid sidekick of Cpt Jax, to make a few alterations to the Space Patrol standard specifications for the XB-17, hence the addition of the 'd' to the model.

Cadet Happy's modifications include; a 23.7% propulsion efficiency, an aft-mounted Radcon mini-space mine launcher, more than doubled the strength of the magnetic coupling, adding a pleasant sensory disperser to the ScrubbertronO2 3000, adding a touchscreen to the the craft's Bentelycraft ElectroReader, and adding AtomiCorp's new RadOven to the galley so the crew can enjoy a warm meal on long flights. In his spare time, he also swapped out the crew seats to a more plush design and repainted the Argo3 to Cpt Jax's preferred shade of orange.

Space Patrol!

High adventure in the wild, vast reaches of space! Daring missions in the name of justice and protecting the innocent civilians of the United Planetary Federation from interplanetary villains with diabolical schemes!

I am playing around something more for Risus, a science fiction 'setting' and characters in the vein of an old tyme radio or tv show from the 1950s or so. When heroes were heroes, villains were always evil scum with larger than life ambitions, the hero always got the beautiful maiden, and a plucky little sidekick played the comedic foil to the always serious hero that saves the day. You know, the stuff that led to the original Star Wars films. Also, shit that would not fly in today's media. 

Who knows, maybe I will write something with this setting and characters. 

Scabbies [Risus]

 

When a rift between worlds is created, these toddler-sized buggers will come charging through the divide creating havoc. They form small mobs and swarm their victims, bringing them down with sheer numbers, biting and clawing. They will eat their victims if given the chance. Their fear of the sun is well documented by the few that have survived an encounter. The sun causes them to turn to stone and moments later, shatter into dust.

Sergeant Jim Malone [Risus]

 

Sergeant Jim Malone is a staunch law-abiding citizen, he is a firm believer in the law and takes a hard line with those who break the rules. Malone has been a beat cop for over a decade, but just recently moved to the beat that includes the St. Bartholomew church. Since moving, he has begun to question things he has always thought were set in stone, having seen things his rational mind can simply not explain.

Father Buchanan [Risus]

Father Buchanan is a recent arrival to St Bartholomew's, the largest Catholic church in the city. He is intelligent, inquisitive, and curious about his new city and congregation. He is a tireless student of history and has taken an interest in Dirk's work in the occult after the two became fast friends after the Catalogus de Mysteriis Serpentis incident.

Timmy 'Two-Step" Tulaine [Risus]

 

Sometimes Dirk needs a little help, and that is where little Timmy comes in. He is a tenacious little fella, able to sneak into areas that would otherwise be impossible for Dirk to gather intel or evidence to bring a criminal to justice. While Jenny constantly worries about putting Timmy in danger, the fact is Timmy refuses to not be included and often sneaks into missions without Dirk's knowledge, and frankly the little guy is exceptionally skilled at what he does. 

Jenny Valentine [Risus]

 

Jenny has worked close with her father, one of the founding members of the Black Chamber, the pre-eminent crypto-occult studies agency of the US government tasked with defending the country (and the world) from the mysterious other-world invaders. Due to her experience with her father, Jenny has experience in dealing with the occult, paranormal, and other-worldly entities. She uses her civilian cover as a press reporter to get into areas typically difficult to gain entrance to, plus let's face it, she is simply gorgeous and men melt in her hands.

I give you Jenny's Risus character card, those of you with Risus experience may notice the dice convention here instead of the usual straight number. This is because I have adopted Norbert's fantastic Risus hack (laid out here[link]). As I have decided this is simply brilliant and immediately 'ups' the use and power of Risus, I have decided to move to using this exclusively here on the blog.

Doctor Demento [Risus]

Dirk Douglas, heroic savoir of the city has had run-ins with various criminal elements, but his most formidable foe to date was the terrifying lord of the underworld: Doctor Demento!

Dirk Douglas [Risus]

Dirk Douglas, a hard-boiled occult detective. Once a gentleman criminal, he changed his path in life after he witnessed a black magic occult ceremony (he was told it was a burlesque performance) that involved the sacrifice of the innocent. Since that fateful night, he has been on a course to right the wrongs and bring justice to those who would use dark arts and burgeoning scientific discoveries to bring the people under their evil heels!

Risus for.....Writing?

My bud Norbert posted this fantastic table on his blog:

(reposted from Norbert's blog here)

Now, this is a standard inspiration table, nothing too amazing (though quite nice and did exactly what it was supposed to do...INSPIRE), but this along with Norbert's recent posts about Risus, popped an idea in my head. 

// -------- Wait, let me backtrack a little.

I love to read, I have spent my life reading and always wanted to be a writer. Life happened and now that I am old I sort of regret never following through on that dream. I specifically wanted to write pulp men's adventure tales. I just love the fairly straight forward and short stories and find them wonderful to read. Men were men, damsels need rescuing, evil scientists want to take over the world!
His posts inspired a nutty idea. He made it for gaming...but what if we took that and used it for writing? So I quickly wrote up a random table to pulp novel themes such as Gaslight Detective, 1930's crime, sword and sorcery, etc. I ended up rolling Victorian Gaslight (think the Alienist novel or Sherlock Holmes) and created a character in Risus, I give you Doctor Horace Norbert Walker:

Dr. Horace Norbert Walker
Meddlesome Surgeon of great reputation [4]
Amateur Detective [3]
Genteel Scholar of History [2]
Reluctant heir to a Noble Fortune [1]

Then I rolled on Norbert's table and got the result: Hidden, Messages, Maps which seems oddly perfect. I pulled up my favorite online writing site https://writer.bighugelabs.com/ and started writing. I quickly wrote up about 2k words, but something else happened. I got to really thinking about writing and how easy it would be to describe everything in terms of Risus cliches as a means of providing quick and easily-remembered details of places, people, and situations. 

Where does the story take place? 

1880s Chicago
Gloomy, cold, and wet [4]
Crime Ridden streets [3]

Need an antagonistic foil for the doctor?

Lt. Samuel Cogburn 
Smarmy police detective [5]
Sticky handed venal hack [4]
High-level political connection [3]

What about the doc's sidekcick?
Witherford 'Withers" Malone
Cheerful scientific genius [4]
Always ready with the right tool at the right time [3]

I can quickly and easily create memorable place and people. It almost feels like a shorthand system to describe everything. Anyway, this discovery sounded quite interesting when I stumbled upon Risus for Writing last night while sitting at work. Let's see what will come of it!

Bugbear - Risus

A recent post by my pals over at Pits Perilous (link) got me thinking about a Risus version of the OD&D monster, the bugbear. I am a visual person so naturally I wanted to have a bugbear image in this latest style I am playing around with, so I headed over to MidJourney to play around. What follows is my journey (no pun intended) to get a solid image to use. At the end I will have a Risus bugbear!

Nice, a little weird (though given Gary's description of merely a "great hairy goblin-giants" it somewhat does the trick)

I love the face here, somewhat pumpkinish and very monstrous, but the rest is too civilized for my tastes.

Too weird...and wth is with that grip on the sword??

Oh now here we go. Giant and hairy monstrous thing, with a "large, round flat oval" head

Let's give it one more go, see if we can get something a little nicer.

There we go, I like that one. Gives me a "Where the wild things are" vibe. A wild and feral beast, with the smidgeon of intelligence like a Neanderthal. Plus, as a bonus, he is carrying a pumpkin.
Perhaps bugbears have an uncontrollable love of pumpkins? I would imagine they can speak in a deep, guttural voice, able to formulate very simple sentences such as "Me hungry. Eat you." kind of thing.

Here we go, a Risus monster card.

Cwene of Bamburgh - Risus

Cwene is a young woman on the run. Originally from York, she slayed a man when he trapped her in an alleyway one late night. Barely escaping with her life, she stowed away on a boat heading north, ending up in Bamburgh. One cold winter night, Finan rescued Cwene and provided food and shelter. As days turned to weeks, she learned of God's grace and discovered a new purpose in life. Now, she travels with Finan as he spreads the word and does the churches work around Northumbria. She is a capable young women, with some skill as an herbalist but she has also proved to be skilled in the use of a spear and fending off bandits on the road.

Happy 4th of July

I salute all those who have served and especially those who have given their lives so that this great country shall not perish from the Earth. This land of the free, home of the brave, may she ever endure for all time.

Aidan of Mellitus - Risus

Finan's companion on the roads, a man I can connect with fairly well: a grumbly old veteran.  ;-) 

Aidan has retired but his ex-wfe (now run off with another, younger man) has racked up considerable debt in his name. Now he looks to earn coin by serving as Finan's armed escort and guardsman as he wanders about preaching and spreading the good word. Additionally, constantly being on the move means Turag has a harder time locating him and forcing him to pay his debts. While he is a believer in the "nailed god", he is not truly a man of faith and only regularly speaks to Saint Cuthbert in the traditions of his people.

Finan of Lindasfarne - Risus

 

Playing around with Risus and listening to a most excellent history podcast on the history of Saxon England resulted in this.

Risus Character Cards

Well, now I am really in a Risus sort of mood. I went looking for a character sheet (silly, I know, but hey) and could not find one I liked so I made one. I just uploaded to Itch.io where all my other stuff is. Made a couple of variations so people could use the one they like. Should fit nicely on a US letter sized page, then cut into fours to provide a handful of sheets for each page printed. Hope you like them!

You can find them here: 
https://mattjackson.itch.io/risus-character-cards