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| Welcome to the Golden Age of adventure |
I've just finished reading through Golden Age, the pulp era expansion for Broken Compass. This is presented as an attractive 206-page hardcover which looks like journal with a picture of a 1930s male hero walking towards a passage in Egypt between two temples, framed by large statues of gods. Ahead, a pyramid can be seem, with a stylised sun containing an eye of Horus. It's titled 'Season 1 - Golden Age', in a very pulp typeface. The artwork throughout is some of the best that I've seen.
The book is aimed at tailoring Broken Compass to the Golden Age of pulp, in this case the 1930s. This is the period popularised by the Indiana Jones films and others like The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. The foreword addresses some of the insensitivities of the tropes originally found the genre, especially around the role of women and 'foreigners', and the authors have taken a stance to take a more modern perspective as an assumption, while trying not to lose the tone of the originals which excited everyone. There's some scene setting material, followed by some suggested motivations for Adventurers to be, well, adventuring. A short section discusses the potential of still unexplored locations, followed by famous women adventurers and the impact of the Great War.
There are six new tags with associated expertises. They are:
- The Arcanist (with Occult Expertise)
- The Detective (with Investigation Expertises)
- The Gentleman/Lady (with Etiquette)
- The Native (with Tradition)
- The Official (with Command)
- The Smuggler (with Contraband)
The Native entry is interesting as it is intended to represent someone with a strong tie to a local culture, and mentions that it would be appropriate for a Texan cowboy as much as an Inuit in Alaska.
Of course, you can still use the original eighteen tags, although some expertises may no-longer be appropriate (eg IT or helicopters).
The style of the era is discussed; using surnames and formal titles, along being aware of different cultural expectations as this isn't an era of globalisation where everyone has the same norms. The impact of the Great Depression and social inequalities is also mentioned. However, this is very top level and superficially done; it's about giving the top level notes to riff on rather than anything substantial.
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| The Paradox of Tolerance - it's okay to punch Nazis. |
The second section discusses the world, not shying away from addressing the rising of darker regimes, and the game doesn't shy away from saying it's okay to punch Nazis (along with forces of repression and darkness). Prohibition is mentioned, before a more detailed discussion of technology along with examples of more unique weapons. Wealth is adjusted; the overall group is poorer but the riches are richer. Fast travel by air is expensive. Luxury vehicles are an option, but so is horse or carriage.
Some examples of potential treasures to search for are given; El Dorado, The Book of Thoth, Aladdin's Lamp, King Solomon's Mines, The Holy Grail, and Shambhala all get two-page spreads of background as hooks for the Fortune Master to riff on.
There's a new list of extras (fifteen in all) who can support or even thwart the characters. It's suggested that the 1999 versions could also be useful if reskinned. There's also mention of a secret society which could be a major opponent.
The third section covers the supernatural and how its introduction can move the goal posts (for example, your rival awakens something that threatens the world). Supernatural Rivals have Servants, not Cronies. The Servants cannot be fully defeated until the Rival is, as they are protected by the powers of their patron. Rivals are defined by Legends; the game gives an example but suggests that the players and Fortune Master could collaborate in preparing a Legend.
Supernatural Powers will tend to escalate through a series, and don't need complicated mechanics to handle. They're just Dangers which could inflict Bad Feelings on characters. There are several new Bad Feelings shared; you can be Confused, Poisoned, Cursed or Terrified. Mind Powers are discussed; by default these will be successful, unless a player spends a Luck Coin. However, these only normally work one time, which makes their impact on player agency limited.
Defeating a Supernatural Rival will be hard; they are often immune to bullets and are usually worth at least 3 Critical Enemies mid-Season, and an Extreme Enemy at the Finale. It's suggested that the season of games furnish the players with Clues on how to both find the Treasure and how to defeat the Supernatural Rival. The Treasure should be a key part of this.
Supernatural enemies will usually call for a Cool task to avoid becoming Terrified when you first meet them. You may also have to find a way to stop such creatures rising again if you take them out. There are a number of two-page spreads discussion Mummies, Nagas, Specters, Warlocks, Vampires and Yetis. Like the Treasures, these are written in a very player-facing way, and it will up to the Fortune Master to decide how they work in player.
There are two suggested extra tags that the Fortune Master can give to a player; the Chosen One and the Medium. The Chosen One has some kind of connection to a sacred weapon and the Supernatural Rival and must be the one to finally defeat them. The Medium has a connection to the Supernatural which means that the Rival doesn't want them to be harmed and will actually intervene to take them away from Certain Death. The exact powers will be defined by the Legend and Fortune Master.
The final section provides pre-generated characters and 6 episodes for an On-Demand Season called 'The Awakening'. The episodes are written in a generic manner, allowing the Fortune Master to tailor them to their own preference. This means that the Location, Treasure, Rival and Supernatural Rival can all be swapped out. However, this is then fleshed out with 'The Serpent Throne', an example campaign season set in India. 'The Serpent Throne' is 'The Awakening' implemented with Indian legends and stories. The campaign takes up most of the second half of the book, and feels like it will be good fun. It's written quite loosely, but that works well with game engine.
Overall, I like this book. It's not essential, but it's very useful as a reference, and the campaign would be great to slot in.
7 July 2024
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