So as I was saying in my previous post, one of the games I have ready for Games on Demand at Big Bad Con this weekend is Jared Sorensen’s octaNe: the psychotronic game of post-apocalyptic trash-culture america (Memento Mori Theatricks). Because this is supposed to run in a 2-hour block, I created handouts that include the character sheet and rules summaries for the players.
octaNe is inspired by movies like Six-String Samurai, Repo Man and The Road Warrior. In a nutshell:
Gas up your smartcar, tune up your six-string and don’t forget to feed your monkey. octaNe is a roller-coaster ride through irradiated wastelands and strip-mall paradise from the alien rockstar splendor of Shangri-L.A. to the decadent neon strip of Lost Vegas. Masked wrestlers rule the lands of New Texaco and sentient monkeys study the Tao in the flooded ruins of San Francisco.
Global warming? The world got a whole lot cooler.
There’s a premise I’ve wanted to use for a while with this setting. Back in 2009, a funny guy named Bart(!) posted a spoof site called “Eternal Earth-Bound Pets, USA“, satirising one of the many end-or-the-world scares we seem to get every six months or so. Its offer:
You’ve committed your life to Jesus. You know you’re saved. But when the Rapture comes what’s to become of your loving pets who are left behind?
Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind.
We are a group of dedicated animal lovers, and atheists. Each Eternal Earth-Bound Pet representative is a confirmed atheist, and as such will still be here on Earth after you’ve received your reward. Our network of animal activists are committed to step in when you step up to Jesus.
I love it so much. Yes, it’s the Rapture did happen, and yes, you were wrong about disbelieving it, but by gum, you’re an ethical atheist and you have a contract! You have to save those pets! So I also also created a EEBP_brochure that uses the Website’s text. It’s absolutely perfect to suggest endless complications when you roll poorly…
The Reef 