Sector Nine on itch

 

Gosh, way way back in 2017 I made this zine. This was the year I retired from the Army and in August I took a new job, essentially the COO for a medical device startup. - serious money (like twice my Army salary) but also 10x the stress, global travel, managing the US operations for the company). Life suddenly became hectic and this project like so many others fell to the wayside. In digging around and looking at Star Wars options I came across this and though I should probably drop it on itch.io so others could see it. I really had a great time writing this one and putting it together with art, planets, maps, and NPCs. I even managed to run a few sessions in this setting before the world caught up with me.

I simply love the space pulpy feel of dashing heroes saving damsels (and worlds!) from vile evildoer scientists bent on world domination. 

You can check it out here.

White Box.....Star Wars???

Ok, I admit I am a Star Wars fan, always liked it far better than Star Trek's bizarre utopian dream that always seemed far less possible than space knights with laser swords. Call me silly. Anywhos, I have been running around the last few weeks reading this RPG, that one with the sexy cover, one over there, these two here....trying to something simple I could use for my solo gaming, but also something robust and loose enough that it could encompass the world of Star Wars. 

And just to be clear here, Star Wars to me is in reference to the original three films, plus Rogue One and to a degree, Solo. The rest of that nonsense does not exist. In my SW world, Leia was perfect and beautiful, loved Han with all her heart, Han was a scoundrel with a heart and would die for his friends, Luke was an incorruptible brave warrior who knew that he could not just sit around while the Empire tormented all the people.

So I have been in a quandary the last few weeks what to do. No system I looked at: Black Star, WEG d6, ICRPG, Fate Accelerated, Tiny Frontiers, etc etc etc seemed to fit my needs. So, I gave up.

Then today while out on my deck listening to the rain I suddenly had a thought. Why not just use White Box? James Spahn made White Star, which has many bits that are SW with the serial numbers rubbed off, even then I do not think I even need that much. This got me to thinking why I like White Box for my solo games, what draws me to WB? It is a simple, straightforward chassis to run games. I also feel it is easily malleable into whatever genre you might want. What is Han Solo, but a rogue with a particular set of skills. Luke, a cleric maybe? In any case, for me the first thing is visualization. So what to do? 

So I made White Box Star Wars character midicards! 

I am going to let these sit a while, do some test prints and any needed adjustments, then I am hoping I can get a solo WBSW game going!

White Box FMAG Character Cards

I have posted these before but I wanted to make sure these were not lost among my blog twenty years from now so I posted my character cards over on Itch to make sure they are and will always be available. These will print on either a 4x6 card or letter sized printer paper...sorry UK folks with your weird paper sizes!  ;-)

https://mattjackson.itch.io/white-box-fmag-character-cards

Willowford map available!

I have finished the Willowford map and uploaded to Itch.io for download, the file is available in jpg and pdf, is free (or toss me a buck if you insist). I hope you like it, and yes, my little band of dogooders will be venturing here soon!

https://mattjackson.itch.io/willowford-map-white-box

Willowford redux

 

I have been working on a rework/update of the Willowford map that was used in Jamee Spahn's White Box Omnibus book that included the Willow Valley Gazetteer. I thought I would post an in-the-works image so you could see where I was at. I ended up rotating the map slightly so that I could add a little bit more of the forest tree is south east and add a small lake. You can see the original map behind the original as a template so I can make sure I get all of the locations correct.

Real Dungeons..

This blows my mind. I have been spelunking with just a flashlight, scraping on my belly, climbing over cliffs, tromping through pools of cave water, but this, this gives you an idea of the horror our adventurers would experience.

Some photos from the video:

Imagine doing this with only torches and things hunting you for dinner. 

Mind. 

Blowing.

White Box Monster Cards!

 

Played around a little today to make more White Box Monster Cards. I had them in season 1 and people comments how they liked them. I like the visual connection (e.g. something tangible maybe?) on the table in front of me. 

These have all original artwork made in Mid-Journey. I am really enjoying MJ in practice, just wish I could somehow teach it that hobbits/halflings wear no shoes and have large feet. Come on!

Mydwandr - character sheet

 

My pal James and his wife Robyn (what a lucky fella to have a wife into the hobby!) released a new RPG called Mydwandr (drivethru link) the other day and I wanted to give it a try. I wanted a pure black & white character sheet so I could print out a bunch, so I threw a couple together. Click the image to download the PDF for home printing.

White Box Heroes: Wilona

 The newest band member! Wilona the cleric!

Burrowmoor: in the works!

I have been hard at work, creating a PDF zine for the village of Burrowmoor from the Willow Valley Gazetter. This includes a new map, locations and personality write ups. I am fleshing it out to a point but leaving lots of room for DMs to add their own touch. This will not be a full 'setting' book but something you could drop in any campaign and make it your own. As I will be using this in my solo game, odds are I will add to it as we play along. I am already hoping the PCs investigate that #6 up at the top of the map!

And yes, because it will come up, the art is all created in Mid-Journey. I am sure this will cause some folks to twitch and shit, but as this will be a FREE release I am not taking any work away from hard working artists.