Games I’d like to run

Every once in a while, there’s a wave of “games I’d like to run” posts across the blogs. It does seem like a neat idea to get down what I’d like to run, but haven’t, so here goes. I’ll leave out the “wuxia game set in the Celestial Imperium of Suhfang in western Oerik” because, well, I’ve done that recently for playtesting purposes. Please feel free to describe your own ideas in the comments.

1. Temple of Elemental Evil, expanded.

This is a theme I’ve been exploring here on this blog for years. In a nutshell, I’d like to run a version of the ToEE where the PCs have to take a while spiraling in on the Temple itself before even realizing it was the central menace. There would be several bandit groups, and outworks of the Temple other than the Moat House, and villages riddled with agents of various Temple factions, spies from the surrounding kingdoms, and so forth. And the lower level of the published Temple would be scrapped and replaced with one that has a real incursion by the Elder Elemental God. (and a way for the PCs to free it, naturally).

2. Iron League.

Again, something that long-time readers will probably recognize. Set against the backdrop of the Great Kingdom’s invasion of the Iron League in CY 577-8, this would feature a lot of political intrigue, maybe with the PCs as agents of one or more powers, trying to obtain and transmit sensitive information, all while trying to stay undercover. And some naval action into the bargain.

3. Metamorphosis Gamma

A mix of Gamma World, Metamorphosis Alpha, Gammarauders, and Gamma Knights. Take your typical Gamma World setting with all those wonderful cryptic alliances, throw in either a returning starship or hitherto-forgotten space station or moon base all of a sudden sending agents to Earth with hitherto-unknown mutations, and giant mutant dinosaurs with cybernetic weapons implants. I think this one sort of writes itself.

4. Classic Star Trek

Just a simple, straightforward you-are-the-crew-of-a-starship game, probably using the FASA rules. We did this a couple of times in high school, and it was a lot of fun. An underpowered, overworked destroyer or cruiser, out on some border territory, exploring strange new worlds before the Klingons get there first. Could be loads of fun.

5. Known Space

Using the Ringworld/BRP rules (basically the same game engine as Call of Cthulhu), a game set in Larry Niven’s “Known Space” universe. We did this once, long ago and it was an absolute blast. Puppeteers, Pak Protectors, Kzinti, and dolphins. Nary a ringworld to be seen, but just knocking around in a battered General Products hull getting into trouble at planets like We Made It. Man, that would be cool.