“Barsoomian Adventures: the Tenth Ray of Mars” Session 8 — Fighting to get home

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for Session 8, Jason E.R.‘s last planetary romance game (for now), which Brian W. hosted in Newton, Mass., on Monday, 20 May 2013:

Player Character roster for Jason E.R.’s “Barsoomian Adventures: the Tenth Ray of Mars” (Tē-sis ē Bâr-süm) pulp miniseries, using “Savage Worlds,” as of spring 2013:

“Sgt. Joe ‘Knack’ Kanaki” [Gene D.]-male Nisei Jasoomian (Japanese-American Terran human) tail gunner; two-fisted patriot who’s smarter than he looks
“Beauregard ‘Bo’ Jennings” [Beruk A.]-male African-American Jasoomian, USO trumpet player, expatriate (NYC), former professional boxer and member of the French Foreign Legion
“Kar Dalan (Kâr Dé-lan)” [Brian W.]-male aysismad (red Martian), an independent panthan (sellsword/scout) currently serving the nation of Raxar (Rax-âr)
“Olera Gala” [Sara F.]-female Barsoomian masena (Thurian/Martian), one-eyed feline hunter and scout
“Capt. Billy ‘Rip’ Rohrer” [Bruce K.]-male American Jasoomian pilot of the “Lucy Goosey,” a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber
“Betsy ‘Blaze’ Harper” [Rich C.G.]-female American Jasoomian, fiery redhead, former Olympic hopeful, and aspiring actress on USO tour for exposure and patriotic duty, along with Carla Rizena and Lucy McIntyre

“From the correspondence of Joseph Kanaki, 18 March 1943:” Dear Mother, things had gone from bad to worse for the crew and passengers of the “Lucy Goosey.” Not only were we stranded on Barsoom, which author Edgar Rice Burroughs had identified as the planet Mars, but we had also gone back 1 million years in our hunt for mad scientist Zylor Bar [Zī-lōr Bâr], also known as Thuran Gan.

Zylor Bar had kidnapped U.S.O. entertainer Lucy McIntyre and Kal Kirad [Kal Kē-Rad], a Lotharian jedwar [ĵed-dwr, or admiral]. We took harnesses from insectoid magongi [ma-gân-gē] at the Tasor (Té-zōr, “sun tower” or lighthouse) in the city-state of Horz [Ōr-is] and used them to teleport to the Morbus Island.

Unfortunately, we got a hostile reception from Zylor Bar’s guards, and only Jasoomians [Ĵâ-süm; Earth folk] Capt. William “Rip” Rohrer, Betsy “Blaze” Harper, and I remained free. We had gotten off the tower at the island’s summit, thanks to a pterodactyl-like Gwar [gwr], but our landing in the jungle wasn’t very gentle.

Whelan's Barsoom — Michael Wheelan’s Barsoom

Meanwhile — as we later learned — our friends were being held in a dungeon. Onetime boxer Beauregard “Bo” Jennings struggled get one arm free of his manacles, while scout Kar Dalan sized up the opposition.

Feline masenas [mâ-sēn-â] Olera Gala and “Blinky” were rendered unconscious by Le Um Lo [Lē Üm Lō], the aged “embalmer” also kidnapped from Horz. Our Barsoomian allies, Van-tija [Van-tē -ĵâ] and Kal Kirad, were also captives.

After some debate, Rip, Blaze, and I decided to teleport back to the Tasor in Horz for reinforcements. We had two spare harnesses with small crystals taken from darseen, chameleon-like animals similar to the masena. The captain and the Amazonian athlete hoped to get soldiers, but we didn’t know whom we could trust.

Instead, we ran to the academy of biologist Ro Tan Bim [Rō Tan Bim]. I was uncomfortable with his eugenics experiments, which included creating a race of “First Born” from Bo’s blood sample, but the orovar [ōr-ō-vâr, or scientist] tried to be helpful.

Ro Tan Bim took us to mentalist Lum Tar O [Lüm Târ Ō], who could help us locate our friends. This geezer claimed he could summon an army whenever we needed it, but we just thought he was crazy. He wanted to examine red man Kar Dalan’s “ordered mind” in return for his aid.

We used the harnesses to return to the tower on Morbus Island, but our foes appeared to be bugging out. We encountered few guards, and as we descended the ramp, we found that our companions had broken free.

Bo had grabbed and smashed a guard, and Rip had attacked the sentry watching Le Um Lo. The old man was happy to be reunited with colleagues Ro Tan Bim and Lum Tar O.

We were distressed to learn that “Blinky” had been beheaded. Olera admitted that the seenar [sēn-âr], the rare stone that powered Zylor Bar’s teleportation and time-travel devices, came from masenas. No wonder the darseen organs powered his guards’ harnesses!

Most of their activity seemed to be down by the harbor village, but Lum Tar O sensed that Zylor Bar himself was teleporting between the astronomical observatory and the “Dusar” [Dü-zâr, or “northern fish”], a ship with anachronistic Barsoomian technology.

Since we had a limited number of harnesses, Kar and Blaze made for a rookery to seize another Gwar. Capt. Rohrer and I took point to guard the scientists. Olera turned invisible, and Bo and Van-tija followed as we made hops to the observatory. I didn’t realize it at the time, but Kal Kirad wandered off.

Blaze and Kar Dalan defeated two Thermad [ŧür-mad] sentries and decided to share a flying steed. The white Martians were the ancestors of the Therns [ŧür-en], who in our time were a hidden minority in comparison with the four-armed, green Tharks or strangely attractive red Barsoomians.

My squad arrived at the observatory, where the main telescope was trained on Thuria, Olera’s home moon. Van-tija explained that travel between Barsoom and Thuria involved “dimensional compression” and that even if the Dusar could fly, it could not get there without compensating for mass.

Parts of the rotating telescope were missing, and we saw no sign of Zylor Bar. We decided to head down to the harbor, no doubt confusing Blaze and Kar, who watched us from the sky. I called in our marker with the orovar. Ro Tan Bim began meditating, and Lum Tar O created an army of 50 shadowy archers through astral projection to give us some cover.

Kar Dalan directed his and Blaze’s Gwar into the Dusar‘s mainsail, as the rest of us raced to the ship. Rip dodged a blow and killed one of Thuran Gan’s goons. I was not so lucky, and I got stunned.

Bo bobbed and weaved his way across the docks, even as Lum Tar O warned us that Zylor Bar was still jaunting between the ships and the observatory. Ro Tan Bim successfully summoned a silian [sil-ē-an], a huge sea monster that destroyed the Therns’ smaller vessels.

Olera recognized Hor Kai Lan [Ōr Kī Lan], the jedwar or warlord who had betrayed Horz by worshipping the false goddess Issus (our own Lucy, as set up by Zylor Bar). His brother Kam Han Tor [Kam An Tōr], the prince who designed the Dusar, was also on the island.

Bo grabbed me and pulled me onto the Dusar, even as the silian approached. The behemoth was distracted by the Gwars, including the one ridden by Kar and Blaze. Rip and Olera found the Dusar‘s staterooms empty, and the ship began splitting in half!

Zylor Bar had Lucy and was piloting a large modern Barsoomian flyer or teezar [tē-zâr] from the hold, even as the silian crashed into the Dusar. Bo hit my harness so that I could join Van-tija ashore. The brave boxer then climbed onto the teezar, toward a hatch, as Rip landed on its cockpit.

The silian clipped the flyer, and Zylor Bar took a seenar and Lucy and teleported out. Rip took a gamble and let go, falling away from the teezar and then teleporting into the pilot’s seat. Go, Cap’n!

Olera, Van-tija, Kal Kirad, and I ran toward a large hangar, where we heard another vehicle firing up. Kar and Blaze managed to get back to the ground, while Bo and Rip also evaded the silian and came about toward the hangar.

We found another flyer, apparently designed to travel to Thuria. One-eyed Olera raced ahead, still furious about “Blinky’s” demise. Kal Kirad and I drew swords and followed. Olera pounced on Zylor Bar, and they both teleported away.

Kal made sure that Lucy was OK, and I grabbed the seenar. We followed Olera and Zylor back to the observatory, where the masena had pinned the Thern with her claws. I ordered Zylor to surrender, but Kal skewered the mad scientist.

While I would have preferred to get Zylor Bar’s help to get back to Earth in our own time, I can’t say I was broken up by his slaying. Kal Kirad sealed his reputation as the greatest swordsman of his time, and we had stopped the menace from Morbus.

Kar Dalan observed that Van-tija and the three orovar had disappeared, and we guessed that they went to Thuria to begin the populating of that moon, as well as the creation of some of Barsoom’s later races.

Lucy announced her intention to stay with Kal Kirad, with whom she had fallen in love. Rip asked her to leave us the clues in the mines near Raxar to help restore the timeline. We could use the seenar to travel through time or space, but since we didn’t know how to get to Earth, getting back to the 20th century would have to do.

Bo, Kar, Olera, Rip, Blaze, and I activated the seenar. We voyaged back to Raxar in our own time. Only three months had passed, and the red wastes of Mars were as we had left them. The “Lucy Goosey” had even been fixed! However, the gem was burned out, and we still have to find a way home.

We returned to the mines, where this time, we found a projection of Lucy and Kal Kirad. She said they had found a way to duplicate technology to tap into the Tenth Ray of Mars. They and Carla Rizena had found the secret of longevity and a way to get to Africa [see “She: A History of Adventure“]. Lucy said she hoped to see us again.

In the vault, we also found a burned-out cluster of darseen crystals in place of a seenar. My friends and I have now fought battles across worlds and eons and lived, so I guess we can wait a little longer to get back to the war in Europe….

Jason, I enjoyed your miniseries, and I look forward to whatever you might run later this year! Our face-to-face groups are about to begin a series of one-shots alternating with my “Vanished Lands: Vistel’s Circus” fantasy campaign on Monday nights through the summer. Be seeing you….

“Vanished Lands: Vistel’s Circus” Update 39.13 — Embassy visit and alley ambush

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for “Vanished Lands” Session 39.13, which Rich C.G. hosted in Waltham, Mass., on Saturday, 18 May 2013:

In one ancient world, there was a region where strange majicks and demihuman races thrived. The “Vanished Lands” were blessed by the gods and cursed by prophecy. Travelers became adventurers, and adventurers strove to be heroes in the face of many perils and wonders.

Various groups of mercenaries and diplomats have fought humanoids in the northwestern borderlands, encountered pirates on the Sea of Nagendwa, and wandered the hostile Halmed Desert and the wide Plains of Sathendo….

“Vistel’s Circus,” Player Character Party 39 in Gene D.’s “Vanished Lands” heroic fantasy campaign, using the Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game, as of spring 2013:

“Giacomo ‘the Mysterious’ Du Vane” [Beruk A.]-male Hifalendorin human Mage (Gypsy Wizard) and stage magician, embittered by experiences in Hesolin’s Magisterium; NGc, Lvl. 3

“Corwin Windsong” [Bruce K.]-male Half-Elf Bard, runaway aristocrat, ladies’ man, and ringmaster with a mandolin; CNg, Lvl. 3

“Elsa Fairbottom” [Rich C.G.]-female Hill Dwarf Druid outcast, cook/brewer, and animal handler with owlbear cub “Oswald”; NGc, Lvl. 3

Guests:

“Melchior Merryman” [Byron V.O.]-male Hifalendorin/Saganim human Cleric of Ulandt, lady of rest/Defender of the Night, former member of “Mystical Harmony/the Seekers of Lore” (Party 33); NGl

“Uldor” [Thomas]-male Hifalendorin human priest of Otih (Cleric of sun deity Pelor) and healer; NGl, Lvl. 3 (from D&D5e/“Next” playtest, Party 38)

“Gug Trushin” [Kai-Yin H.]-male Hill Dwarf Fighter (Soldier, Slayer), taciturn mercenary; CNg, Lvl. 3 (from D&D5e/“Next” playtest, Party 38)

Absent:

“Hamfast Hammerfist” [Brian W.]-male Zeda human Fighter, mountaineer, “barbarian” strongman, and laborer; TNg, Lvl. 3

“Scully Strongbow” [Sara F.]-female albino Gnoll (Flind) Ranger, archer, knife thrower, and scout, with owl “Owlicious”; NGl, Lvl. 3

“Tempestade” [Josh C.]-male Barbari human Monk (Battledancer/capoeirista from outside the “Vanished Lands”), roustabout; CGl, Lvl. 2

“Radius” [Jason E.R.]-male Modron Paladin of Primus, lord of Nirvana; exiled to the Prime Material plane; LGn, Lvl. 1

“6 to 7 March 1228 B.C.E.:” The traveling performers continued their investigation of corruption in Thadenis, capital of the (proto-Celtic) human kingdom of Saganim. Corwin Windsong had revealed himself as the long-lost Prince Berek during the ceremony to name his half-brother, Prince Daven, heir apparent.

After thwarting a Doppleganger’s attack on King Edmund II, Corwin, Giacomo du Vane, and Elsa Fairbottom had found the remains of a varun, a cat native to the Underdark. They left the Gilded Keep on the Isle of Valor and returned to the “Happy Brownie” inn.

There, they meet Melchior Merryman. Queen Margaret had sent the priest of Ulandt, goddess of the night, to discreetly help Prince Berek clear his name. Before he joined Vistel’s Circus, Corwin had been falsely accused of murdering his tutor Katarina, the wife of Lord Dalek, a Tiefling (demon-touched) Mage and advisor to the king.

Since Hamfast and Scully are busy protecting the circus with Prince Garamond’s Reptile Folk pirates, Melchior recruits people to help Corwin. He finds Uldor, a human Cleric of sun deity Otih, and Gug Trushin, a Dwarf mercenary recently returned from exploring caves near a border keep.

Melchior asks about evidence tying a serial killer defeated near the village of Tensar with House Sable, which is friendly with the royal family. The Defender of the Night is wary of Undead and hopes to find whoever was behind the attack on the king.

The wanderers go to the circus wagons and tents in the southeastern corner of the Agora (market square). Uldor and Gug are impressed at seeing a fire eater, acrobats, and unusual creatures. Some of the female carnival folk avoid Corwin. Elsa offers fellow Dwarf Gug a draught of her Gnomish brew, and he readily accepts.

Giacomo the Mysterious leads the way to a tinker’s cart that he has redecorated. It once contained the tools of the Necromancer who had killed farmers at the Fenor homestead and taken their skins for disguises and a flesh golem.

Uldor casts Detect Magic, and Giacomo opens various drawers. One of them contains a leather marionette wearing a mask. The strange puppet makes Giacomo’s companions uncomfortable. The stage magician also shows Melchior an enchanted needle and thread, and Uldor later confirms with the Paladins of Otih that a set of cursed shears was destroyed.

A signet ring bears the symbol of House Sable, which holds territory in the northwestern Plains of Sathendo, not far from Tensar and lands of Prince Daven. Lord Stefan Sable is an advisor to the king, and his son Sean is friends with Daven.

Based on Hamfast’s earlier recommendation, Corwin and company go to the embassy of Zuromm to ask about the varun. Melchior and Uldor wait across the street, since they’re unlikely to be welcomed by worshippers of Lolth and Gruumsh at the brownstone.

A Saganim human butler ushers the visitors into a round waiting room after Corwin introduces himself as Prince Berek. Giacomo looks up at the demonic tapestries and ornate rafters, and Gug and Elsa notice that the stones of the floor have been laid in a spider web pattern.

Lady Dolista [not to be confused appears with Faelonia’s nemeses Balesta and Dalesta] and offers formal greetings. The attractive envoy apologizes for her lacy sleeping clothes, since the Drow (western Dark Elves) are nocturnal. Elsa and Gug face off with two Duergar (Gray Dwarf) guards.

Meanwhile, Melchior takes Uldor to a cart that he uses as a mobile changing room. They disguise themselves as “Seamus McMurdoch,” a potion seller, and his helper “Vinstel.” Melchior asks the Halfling driver to drop them off at a back door to the Zuromm embassy.

The butler greets “Seamus” and “Vinstel” and, after some negotiations, gives a bag of 60 gold coins in return for a paralytic venom, poison in paste form, and an “animal pacifier.” Melchior and Uldor overhear Corwin and Dolista nearby and stall for time and diversion.

Lady Dolista says that she has partied with Berek’s sister, Princess Karenna. Corwin claims that Prince Daven’s investiture threatens his and Garamond’s plans to replace King Edmund with a regime that would be more friendly to Zuromm. Dolista says that Daven has also come to her for advice but is seemingly unaware of new tunnels beneath the city.

Prince Berek asks if he can get any help for his upcoming trial and challenge of Daven. Giacomo has been researching evidence for the murder of Katarina and alternatives to trial by combat. Lady Dolista says that she may provide poisoned weapons.

Back on the streets of Thadenis, Corwin/Berek, Giacomo, Elsa, and Gug head back to the inn to regroup. Melchior and Uldor are changing clothes in their wagon when it is forced to stop because of another wagon with a broken axle ahead of them. They realize they’ve been ambushed when a cart of burning hay bales comes up behind them!

Melchior utters Abyssal to cast a Curtain of Darkness as the crone ahead straightens up and pulls out a hand crossbow. Uldor holds as the Halfling and driver of the haycart run to safety. Their companions see smoke and rush over to help.

Cleric Melchior invokes Ulandt and casts Shadow Bridge to retreat to a nearby rooftop. Uldor summons the power of Otih and casts Radiant Lance at the would-be assassin. The priests spot movement on the roof, where they find two grotesque statues.

Druid Elsa casts Aura vs. Flame to put out the burning hay. Bard Corwin and Fighter Gug move to the area of magical darkness, and Mage Giacomo casts Levitate. The gargoyles on the roof attack, clawing Melchior and biting Uldor.

Melchior blasts the wings off one with a Sound Lance spell, and Uldor yells to the others and misses with anotherRadiant Lance. Elsa calls upon Gaia to grant Melchior Snake’s Swiftness. Giacomo hurls Magic Missiles, and Gug swings his great axe.

Corwin casts Sleep on the old woman in the alley, but he notices that she falls too slowly. Melchior takes his silver-tipped Staff of Sizing and smashes the head of one gargoyle. The remaining monster attacks Gug and Uldor, who fails to reason with it.

Elsa casts Sand Blast at the woman, blasting away her disguise and reveling her as a Drow. She looks for an amulet that she apparently dropped. Giacomo casts Color Spray, and Corwin draws his bow. Uldor slides down the Shadow Bridge, casting another Radiant Lance, while Elsa readies her sling.

Mighty Gug drops the last gargoyle, as Melchior runs down the wall, thanks to his Arachnid Cloak. Arrows and sling stones slay the Drow, and the group departs before members of the city watch arrive.

The Clerics attend to the wounded, and wise Elsa notes that it’s good her Owlbear is safe from Lady Dolista at the Grove of Arbos. Bold Corwin agrees to try talking to Prince Daven directly at his theater in Thadenis.

Clever Giacomo goes to the Harandrim Academy to ask Maggie on a date. Righteous Uldor lectures Melchior on the use of darkness spells, since their patron deities’ portfolios (sun vs. the night) are somewhat opposed. Melchior changes to more flamboyant clothes and gets his wife Morgaine.

Sometime later, the investigators go to Daven’s Theatre. Giacomo and Maggie enjoy the vaudeville acts, while Melchior and Morgaine watch the audience. Uldor keeps Corwin in his sights as he approaches the royal box. Elsa enjoys sharing drinks with Gug, who starts drunkenly heckling the performers.

Berek confronts his half-brother and finds no love lost between them. Melchior casts Phantasmal Thief to pick Daven’s pocket while they’re talking. The team regroups at “Ghanki’s Gin Pub” by the docks to compare notes.

Morgaine identifies the contents of Prince Daven’s pocket as coins from Zuromm and Turkish delight wrappers, possibly from the Garku Nasit to the southwest. Melchior is grimly pleased to find evidence linking the young noble with Saganim’s foes.

Giacomo observes that it could be used in testimony in a trial to help clear Corwin’s name and challenge Daven’s right of succession….

Brian and Sara, we missed you this past weekend! I’m glad that we had a good turnout for Star Trek: Into Darkness, dinner with guest Byron V.O., and this game. I didn’t run a “Vortex: Terra’s Pride” telecom space opera last night, but I look forward to Jason E.R.’s last session (for now) for “Barsoomian Adventures: the Tenth Ray of Mars” tonight.

We probably won’t be meeting around Memorial Day, and we’ll have to sort out the June calendar for upcoming “Vanished Lands” and other games. Be seeing you, -Gene

Star Trek: Into Darkness review

On Saturday, 18 May 2013, Janice and I went with houseguest Byron V.O. to the Apple Cinema/Entertainment Cinemas Fresh Pond in Cambridge, Mass., There, we met Beruk A., Bruce K., Rich C.G., Rich’s friend Darryl, and Thomas K.Y. & Kai-Yin H. for Star Trek: Into Darkness. We all enjoyed the sequel to the reboot of the long-running space opera franchise.

Into Darkness wallpaper — J.J. Abrams’ latest space opera prequel/sequel

Story: The movie opens with the starship Enterprise saving the inhabitants of the planet Nibiru from a volcano that’s about to erupt. This violates Starfleet’s Prime Directive, which requires noninterference with societies that have yet to develop Warp (faster-than-light) capability.

Adm. Christopher Pike tells Capt. James T. Kirk that he’s relieved of duty, but terrorist attacks on Earth call the intrepid crew of the Enterprise back into action (the trailers have mostly focused on these, in an echo of 9/11 and even the recent Boston Marathon bombings). Kirk, his first officer Mr. Spock, Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, and friends must overcome physical and personal challenges to save the United Federation of Planets from an internal threat.

Director J.J. Abrams and company created a parallel universe in 2009’s Star Trek to be more accessible to a generation of moviegoers not familiar with the 1960s television show and its numerous spinoffs. However, viewers who are “Trekkies” or “Trekkers” and know the rich history of Gene Roddenberry’s fictional universe will recognize many elements of Into Darkness, including Klingons, Tribbles, and references to characters such as Harry Mudd and Christine Chapel.

I had worried, based on early reviews, that Abrams and Paramount had “gone back to the well” once too often by rehashing familiar plot points, but the acting, pacing, and twists mostly made up for this, and the ending of the movie — don’t worry, I’ll avoid “spoilers” here, but be aware that the links in this review lead to some — leaves the fictional future wide open for more adventures.

Acting: I have fond memories of watching reruns of the original Star Trek TV series back in college, and the actors who first took on those roles have become pop culture icons. Still, I think that the returning cast of the new version has been well-chosen, from Chris Pine as the cocky but good-natured Kirk, Zach Quinto as the (mostly) logical Vulcan Spock, and Karl Urban as the irascible Dr. McCoy. They continue to be worthy successors to William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and the late De Forrest Kelley, respectively.

Just as in the original series and the first half-dozen Trek films, the supporting cast is smart and fun. Zoe Saldana is back as strong-willed communications officer (and Spock’s girlfriend) Lt. Nyota Uhura, comedian Simon Pegg is a hoot as engineer Lt.Cmdr. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, and Anton Yelchin is Russian wunderkind Ensign Pavel Chekov.

Helmsman Lt. Hikaru Sulu, as played by John Cho, doesn’t quite ooze charisma the way George Takei does, but he does get a key scene in the captain’s chair. Bruce Greenwood is back as Adm. Pike, lending gravitas and fatherly guidance to impetuous Kirk and repressed Spock.

The latest additions to this iteration of Star Trek are just as good. The comely Alice Eve plays science officer Carol Wallace, and RoboCop and Buckaroo Banzai‘s Peter Weller is Adm. Alexander Marcus, who tasks the Enterprise with taking on mysterious torpedoes. There’s also a cameo that actually helps the story along.

As expected, Benedict Cumberbatch (the lead of the BBC/PBS Sherlock and Smaug and the Necromancer in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit adaptations) is formidable as John Harrison, the terrorist scientist of this movie. He’s both strong and clever as a foil to both Kirk and Spock and is a better villain than Romulan miner Nero in its predecessor flick.

Script: The dialogue is fast, witty, and filled with catchphrases from the ’60s series. I suspect that casual viewers or those who aren’t science fiction fans won’t find the banter as entertaining as we did, but this is a sequel that doesn’t talk down to its viewers. There is some dodgy physics, such as a “cold fusion” bomb, odd rates of acceleration and descent, and sound in space, but Trek is part of a long tradition of science in service to character-based stories rather than a lesson in realism.

While I’d prefer that a Star Trek film occasionally focus on exploration and diplomacy rather than military space opera, at least the script mentioned those concerns.

Direction: Abrams keeps up a brisk pace and gets emotive performances from the cast of Star Trek: Into Darkness. I might disagree with his addiction to lens flares and the choreography of a few fight scenes, but Abrams has injected vitality into the franchise, and I hope that Disney’s recently acquired Star Wars universe is in good hands.

Visual effects: Other than the science quibbles above, Into Darkness is spectacular, as its crew faces off against hovering aircraft, hostile Klingon vessels, and a monstrous Dreadnaught-class starship. I liked seeing more of Earth in the 23rd century, and the sleek interior of the Enterprise seems larger than any of the other renditions of the famous starship, including the NCC 1701-E of First Contact onward.

Soundtrack: The classical score, while still not as memorable as that of earlier movies, continues the themes from the ’09 Trek. My favorite part is closing credits of Into Darkness, with its peppy recap of the music from the 1960s show, despite the movie’s grim title and premise.

Ratings: At an early dinner at Bertucci’s, the consensus was about an 8 out of 10, with Rich being the most critical at a 7 and Bruce being most generous with a 10. I’d give Star Trek: Into Darkness, which is rated PG-13 for violence and unnecessary language, 8.5, a B+/A-, or four out of five stars.

As usual, there are mixed to negative reviews out there, but I’d recommend that potential fans keep their expectations in check and go in with an open mind. We were pleasantly surprised to find that Into Darkness, for all its modernizations and minor inconsistencies, still felt like classic Trek. I’d like to see Star Trek return to television, where it can focus more on idealistic social commentary rather than villain-driven fisticuffs.

Of the trailers we saw, I’m still most interested in Neil Blomkamp’s dystopian Elysium and least interested in Jerry Bruckheimer’s campy Lone Ranger. Man of Steel is the next big summer movie I’m looking forward to. In the meantime, live long and prosper!

“Barsoomian Adventures: the Tenth Ray of Mars” Session 7 — Taking the fight to the enemy

Fellow role-players, here are Jason’s and my notes for Session 7 of his pulp science fiction game, which Brian W. hosted in Newton, Mass., on Monday, 6 May 2013:

>>Player Character roster for Jason E.R.’s “Barsoomian Adventures: the Tenth Ray of Mars” (Tē-sis ē Bâr-süm) planetary romance miniseries, using “Savage Worlds,” as of spring 2013:

“Sgt. Joe ‘Knack’ Kanaki” [Gene D.]-male Nisei Jasoomian (Japanese-American Terran human) tail gunner; two-fisted patriot who’s smarter than he looks
“Beauregard ‘Bo’ Jennings” [Beruk A.]-male African-American Jasoomian, USO trumpet player, expatriate (NYC), former professional boxer and member of the French Foreign Legion
“Kar Dalan (Kâr Dé-lan)” [Brian W.]-male aysismad (red Martian), an independent panthan (sellsword/scout) currently serving the nation of Raxar (Rax-âr)
“Olera Gala” [Sara F.]-female Barsoomian masena (Thurian/Martian), one-eyed feline hunter and scout
“Capt. Billy ‘Rip’ Rohrer” [Bruce K.]-male American Jasoomian pilot of the “Lucy Goosey,” a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber
“Betsy ‘Blaze’ Harper” [Rich C.G.]-female American Jasoomian, fiery redhead, former Olympic hopeful, and aspiring actress on USO tour for exposure and patriotic duty, along with Carla Rizena and Lucy McIntyre

Barsoomian beasts — Creatures of Barsoom

>>”From the correspondence of Joseph Kanaki, 16 January 1943:” Dear Mother, I’m not sure if being at our wits’ end or being overwhelmed and split up is worse. Let me take a deep breath and step back for a moment.

We had pursued U.S.O. entertainer Lucy McIntyre and her kidnapper, mad scientist Zylor Bar (Zī-l&# 333;r Bâr, also known as Thuran Gan), into Barsoom of about 1 million years ago, when Mars wasn’t the dying world the crew and passengers of the “Lucy Goosey” had first found ourselves on. Instead, we found a lush planet with yet more intrigue.

We had followed pilgrims worshipping the false goddess Issus — Zylor Bar’s plan for Lucy — to the city-state of Horz, which was populated by white Martians or Thermad [ŧür-mad].

Shortly after the wedding of jeddak (king) No Var Kim [Nō Vōr Kim] to Lotharian princess Sohna, we had circulated a rumor about a seenar, a rare gem used to power Zylor Bar’s time machine and our only way back home to Earth.

Unfortunately, that resulted in the capture of Kal Kirad [Kal Kē-Rad], a red-haired Lotharian jedwar [ĵed-dwr, or admiral] and friend of Kam Han Tor [Kam An Tōr], a prince whom we knew was a secret follower of Issus. Our masena scout Olera Gala determined that predatory magongi [ma-gân-gē], likely trained by Zylor Bar, had taken him.

That meant he was somewhere nearby. Capt. William “Rip” Rohrer and scout Kar Dalan went to the academy of mentalist Lum Tar O [Lüm Târ Ō]. They later reported seeing strange things such as acolytes staring at bowls of fruit and creating replicas that lasted only a short time before vanishing.

The senior orovar [ōr-ō-vâr], or scholars of Horz, reassured Rip and Kar that he was not in league with the superstitious followers of Issus or Zylor Bar. Lim Tar O also said that he could not detect any trace of Kal Kirad’s mind in the city.

Beauregard “Bo” Jennings and I visited the academy of biologist Ro Tan Bim [Rō Tan Bim] to learn more about the magongi. We followed a ramp down to a secret laboratory, where we saw skinless humanoids being grown in vats!

Ro Tan Bim was surprised to see us, and we managed to conceal our disgust. We’ve heard that the Nazis are also pursuing eugenics, and Bo and I would have no place in such plans.

The scientist — I’m beginning to think they’re all mad — happily told us of his plans for artificial life, or the “First Born,” which we realized were the later Barsoomian race and derived from his samples of Bo’s blood.

We had to pick our battles, so Bo asked Ro Tan Bim about the magongi. He said they were arboreal, insect-like creatures organized into clans — similar to the Kaldane who bred the skeletal Rykors. Apparently, these beasts liked to hunt humans and darseen, small chameleon-like animals like the masena.

Ro Tan Bim noted that the nocturnal magongi were indigenous to Morbus Island, about two weeks’ sail across the Kalksus [Kal-ix-is] and Throxus [Ŧür-âx-is] oceans. I knew that the Dusar [Dü-zâr, or “northern fish”], an advanced ship whose design Zylor Bar had influenced so that he could later steal it, would somehow be involved.

The naturalists used to send students to the islands’ five settlements for one-year stints, but shipping had recently been disrupted. We made a hasty retreat and regrouped with our companions.

None of us wanted to visit “the Embalmer,” Le Um Lo [Lē Üm Lō] yet, so we’d have to do more detective work closer to Horz. At my recommendation, one-eyed Olera tracked the magongi. Their scent led us to the Tasor (Té-zōr, “sun tower” or lighthouse).

We quietly climbed the long ramp. Betsy “Blaze” Harper and Bo readied their guns as Rip and I crept among 14 sleeping magongi. Olera went invisible, and red-skinned Kar drew his blade.

It was only a matter of time before some woke up, and we noticed that the magongi were wearing “modern” Barsoomian harnesses with small crystals similar to the seenar. With his Jasoomian (Earthling) strength, Bo snapped the neck of one foe, as I pinned another with a sword.

Amazonian Blaze shot another magongi, shaking it, and Kar swiftly skewered another. The creatures attacked Rip and me, and two teleported away using their harnesses. Fortunately, Rip was able to hold off the oncoming horde.

Olera experimented with the buttons on the harness of a fallen magongi as I tried to get my head back in the game. Blaze dropped another, and Bo smashed one of the goon’s heads into a wall. Olera used her claws, and Kar maneuvered.

Blaze showed off her marksmanship, picking off two of our opponents, and Rip and I dropped two more. Before the survivors could regroup, we grabbed the harnesses from some of the corpses and pushed buttons in unison.

We found ourselves at the bottom of the ramp, but Van-tija [Van-tē -ĵâ], a dark-skinned “First Born,” and mutated masena “Blinky” were gone from where we had left them to keep watch. We tried pressing more buttons and teleported to a tower atop a mountain in the middle of some ocean!

Two pterodactyls, which Kar called malagor [mal-â-gōr] but were known at this time as “Gwar” [gwr], stood in front of us. Each had an armed Thern, or White Martian, rider, and more armored soldiers approached. Bo tried jumping over the bird-like monster, but it grabbed him in its massive beak.

The other rider spurred his mount to take off, and Kar used his harness to teleport in front of the guards. He wasn’t too happy when they hit him with numbing staffs. Blaze followed Rip’s lead and yelled that we should try to get control of a Gar.

I leaped into the saddle of the one holding Bo and exchanged punches with its rider. Olera also jumped in to help, and the beast released Bo. Blaze shot one Thern, but another grabbed Olera, paralyzing her.

Things went from bad to worse, as two mooks stunned Bo, and Rip got hit after killing just one of an approaching army. Kar finished off another guard with his sword and slayed one of the Gwar riders or Gwarthans [gwr-ŧan].

Blaze joined me in the saddle and finished off the rider. I told her to take control of the reins as we tried to rescue Rip, who was now surrounded by Thern troops. We swung around, and I saw that Bo, Olera, Kar, Van-tija, and Blinky were being taken away.

We were over a forested island; I could make out an observatory and the Dusar in port, so we were somehow at Morbus Island. It was tantalizing and frustrating to be so close to Zylor Bar’s stronghold and so far from defeating him and returning home.

The extra weight forced Blaze to drop me and Rip in the trees. We three Jasoomians were still free, but most of our company had been captured. We weren’t sure whether we should try to sneak into the enemy camp to rescue our friends or teleport back to Horz for reinforcements first….

Watch City Festival 2013 and food outings

On Saturday, 11 May 2013, Janice and I met Beruk A. and Ken G. for the annual Watch City Festival in Waltham, Mass. We also ran into other acquaintances at the steampunk fair.

Beruk chatted with various exhibitors and fellow attendees, and Ken took pictures of people in neo-Victorian garb. Unlike past years, Janice and I tried to attend more panels and performances. It was interesting to see an academic track at the “Author’s Den.”

We sat in on “Ay-leen the Peacemaker’s” (Diana M. Pho’s) panel on “Steam Around the World: Steampunk Beyond Victoriana.” Her discussion of the multicultural aspects of the burgeoning subculture was interesting, and I was glad that Avatar: Legend of Korra was among the many works she cited. Exploration of social issues is part of the “punk” in steampunk.

We enjoyed a little of Shin Daiko’s drumming as we went to Margarita’s for lunch. We then browsed a bit among the vendors on the Waltham Common before attending artist James Gurney’s excellent discussion of “Dinotopia: Art, Science, and Imagination.” Gurney’s talk was a master class in how to combine elements for fictional world-building.

Ken left for another event, and we then went to “Seeing What the Old Masters Sought: Thoughts on 19th Century Design,” by Steve Ebinger. It was a good analysis of how real-world architects, painters, and inventors reacted to the politics, trade, materials, and expectations of their time and how they’ve influenced the do-it-yourself ethos of those developing the alternative styles of steampunk.

Overall, the turnout for the International Steampunk City was good, but the cool, damp weather may have turned some people away on Saturday. Janice and I had dinner at City Streets Restaurant, one of our regular haunts.

The next day, we returned to downtown Waltham after Janice’s usual stint volunteering at the animal shelter, and the sun shone on a crowd that included families celebrating Mother’s Day. It was much easier to be in costume.

Steampunk fair May 2013 — At the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation

We went to Brandon Herman’s panel on “Clockwork Beyond Thunderdome: Steampunk in the Movies.” While I think that Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome shares only a few aesthetic elements with steampunk and dieselpunk, the genres are inclusive. Granted, there have been more bad movies and TV shows — such as Wild, Wild West — than good ones — see The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

I do think the literature (including some tabletop role-playing games) is ahead of other media in terms of quality. I have fond memories of Tim M.B.’s GURPS 3e “Arth” and my “Gaslight Grimoire” scenarios. Speaking of RPGs, Janice and I then had an early dinner at the Skellig before heading home for the latest “Vortex: Terra’s Pride” telecom space opera.

In the past week or two, I’ve also eaten lunch with co-workers at the Newton St. Deli, Coconut Thai Café, and Taqueria el Amigo. Although I didn’t run the “Vanished Lands: Vistel’s Circus” fantasy campaign for my regular Monday night group this week, we did go out for dinner at Angelo’s House of Pizza and Seafood, watch the amusing animated Despicable Me, and discuss upcoming games.

The “Escapists” book club of former co-workers had dinner at Habaneros, one of Janice’s and my favorite Mexican-American restaurants in the area. At Lizzy’s, we had dessert and discussed Robert A. Heinlein’s The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, which I liked more than everyone else.

This coming weekend, I look forward to hosting Byron V.O., an alumnus of the Boston-area social/gaming groups who now lives in St. Louis. But first, I’ve got to survive the workweek!