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| John Blanche |
OUTLAW MERCHANT is my attempt to use the framework of Electric Bastionland and Into the Odd to tell stories of grimdark heresy in the universe of Warhammer 40k. These stories are more subtle, where the focus is shifted back to more of a relatable, human perspective.
Characters are usually navigating their way through a maze of covert operations, sinister alien threats, and murderous intrigue, thankful for the rusted autopistol that is their only protection.
Your investigations and missions will change you.
UPDATE: Grab it in pdf form here.
Use the Free Edition of ELECTRIC BASTIONLAND as the base with the following changes, additions, and considerations.
THE REMEMBRANCER
- One Player acts as REMEMBRANCER in place of having their own character.
- Their job is to describe the world, adjudicate on rulings, and keep things moving forward.
THE INQUISITOR
- As a group, you are a newly activated band of acolytes to an INQUISITOR.
- The youngest player rolls to determine the INQUISITOR that you serve. This should color the nature of your missions and assignments.
- The INQUISITOR expects results and loyalty during execution of your duties.
HERE ARE SOME INQUISITORS (D6):
- QUIXOS, FORMERLY ORDO MALLEUS. Obsessed with witchcraft, forbidden arts, and the the Warp. You probably don't know he's gone rogue.
- LORD SHARPE, ORODO HERETICUS. Noted radical. Ruthlessly suppresses the very same intel and data they collect for their own ambiguous use.
- VILS ANDARION, ORDO XENOS. Currently pursing a fringe theory regarding strange Warp interactions with older xenos sites in the sub-sector.
- KHARKIV, ORDO HERETICUS. Paranoid militant who sees enemies and traitors everywhere mankind lives and breathes.
- BRAND, ORDO MALLEUS. Zealous fanatic. Believes daemons are lies given form. Currently untangling a massive conspiracy that spans the sector.
- SARROW GORN, ORDO XENOS. Cold bastard. Expert hunter and scholar of xeno-biology. Interested in live capture and bio-samples.
Or make up your own.
THE RIVAL (Optional)
- The REMEMBRANCER rolls up a character that is somehow pursuing or foiling the same objective as the Players.
- These might be rival agents of another INQUISITOR or some other disruptive third party.
- The Rival gets an extra d6hp after receiving their starting equipment. They may have Lackeys and Servants.
- If you delay, your Rival might compromise your mission.
LACKEYS (Optional)
Small groups may create one or more Lackeys for each player. Roll 2d6 for each Ability Score, give the 1hp and roll 1d6 for their weapon. Lackeys may be acolyte hopefuls, servitors, bodyguards, hired muscle, or some other type of indentured and destitute servant.
LACKEY EQUIPMENT (D6):
- Rusted autopistol (d6).
- Antique powder-rifle (d6, Bulky).
- Battered rod (d6).
- Rusted staff (d6, Bulky).
- Old blade (d6).
- Metal flail (d6, Bulky).
CHARACTER GROWTH
As characters become more grizzled and SCARRED, they become harder and the darkness of the galaxy starts to rub off on them.
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| John Blanche |
MAKING A CHARACTER
Roll 3d6 for each ABILITY SCORE.
- STRENGTH (STR) — Power and Toughness.
- DEXTERITY (DEX) — Quickness and Precision.
- WILLPOWER (WIL) — Discipline and Presence.
Characters start with d6 HIT PROTECTION (HP). They gain more HP as they become more grizzled and SCARRED.
As a group, the characters also have:
- Vox-beads, with an encrypted channel.
- Vat-grown foodstuff.
- Glow-globes and stab lights.
Choose a NAME and three DESCRIPTORS. Pick or make up some of your own.
- Pale, Cursed, Regal, Sickly, Frail, Educated, Sardonic, Laconic, Sensitive
- Gilded, Baroque, Prescient, Hardy, Cunning, Melancholy, Stolid, Brooding
- Troubled, Ebullient, Acerbic, Pragmatic, Honorable, Stern. Tired
Record any other personal details you wish (pronouns, homeworld, etc.).
Roll 1d8 to determine your BACKGROUND. Each background comes with some trappings.
[1] ADEPT
"Knowledge is power. Do not waste it on the masses."
- Stub gun (d6).
- Imperial robes.
- Auto-quill.
- A collection of rare records.
[2] ARBITRATOR
"No shield may stay the blade of justice."
- Shotgun (d6, BLAST, BULKY).
- Metal truncheon (d6).
- Enforcer carapace (Armour 1, Bulky).
- Manacles.
[3] ASSASSIN
“The Emperor wills all things, even death. Some deaths He wills swifter than others…”
- Scoped rifle (d6, PERK - long-range, Bulky).
- Sword (d6).
- Armoured body glove (Armour 1 against attacks causing d6 or lower).
- Throwing knives (d6).
[4] CLERIC
"One who is without faith is without a soul. Suffer not the soulless in thy ministry, for they make doors for dangerous forces."
- Warhammer (d8, BULKY).
- Stub revolver (d6).
- Aquila necklace.
- Ministry robes.
[5] GUARDSMAN
"Life is war. And I'm gonna win!
- Lasgun (d6, BONUS DAMAGE, BULKY).
- Knife (d6).
- Flak armour (Armour 1 against explosions only).
- The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer.
[6] PSYKER
"I have stood within the palace of the Throne of Holy Terra itself. There my soul was shattered and re-formed, a living weapon forged on the Emperor's will."
- Staff (d6, BULKY).
- A sanctioning brand somewhere on your body.
- Psykana mercy blade (d4).
SPECIAL:
- You possess Witch-Sight and can sense the currents and eddies of the Warp in real-space.
- You belong to a PSYCHIC DISCIPLINE and have mastered a simple PSYCHIC POWER (d5):
- Biomancy: "Bio-lightning".
- Divination: "Warp Perception".
- Pyromancy: "Manipulate Flames".
- Telekinesis: "Telekinetic Control".
- Telepathy: "Telepathic Link".
[7] SCUM
“Yeah, crime pays. Why else do you think I do it?”
- Autogun (d6, BONUS DAMAGE, BULKY).
- Brass knuckles (d6 each).
- Colorful streetwear.
- Ganger regalia.
[8] TECH-PRIEST
"I am a child of the Omnissiah, cultist of the Machine God. The rites of manifold applications, the liturgies and the songs of Engine-seeing are mine own to know. I speak to the spirits of ancient tech machines, from the warrior heart of a battle tank to the secret wisdom of a cogitator."
- Laspistol (d6).
- Metal staff (d6, BULKY).
- Red robes and cult vestments.
- Vials of sacred Machine Oil.
SPECIAL:
- You have begun extensively replacing your weak flesh. You have Mechanicus Implants (You always have at least Armour 1).
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| John Blanche |
PSYCHIC POWERS
The player says what they want the power to do based on the character's Disciplines and the specific Power's wording. They then make a ruling if that is possible and how much power it would take, and comes to an agreement with the player.
PSYCHIC DISCIPLINES
- PSYCHIC POWERS are categorized into DISCIPLINES.
- Most Psykers specialize in one DISCIPLINE.
- Mentors, cults, and strange artefacts may grant access to more POWERS or even new DISCIPLINES.
PSYCHIC POWERS
- Psykers may harness the Warp to bend reality with PSYCHIC POWERS.
- PSYCHIC POWERS are written as a few evocative words.
- It is usable on a per situation agreement between the REMEMBRANCER and player, based on the power wording and the psyker's DISCIPLINES.
- Each power use deals d4, d6, d8, d10, or d12 damage.
- A lower cost may be negotiated by introducing drawbacks or complications.
- Very powerful or reckless powers require a WIL save to avoid a perilous Warp catastrophe of the REMEMBRANCER's choosing.
Some powers may be expensive because they alter reality a lot, have long durations, large areas of effect, targets get no save, instant casting time, or similar. Some powers are cheap because the location is right, they have short effects, small scope, allow the target to save, take a long time, or similar.
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| John Blanche |
EQUIPMENT
WEAPON CLASSES
- CLASS D WEAPONS: d4 Damage. Anything crude, improvised, or unarmed.
- CLASS C WEAPONS: d6 Damage. Laspistols, lasguns, stub guns, swords, bayonets, etc.
- CLASS B WEAPONS: d8 Damage. Boltguns, power swords, chainswords, heavy stubbers, etc.
- CLASS A WEAPONS: d10 Damage. Powerfists, melta guns, assault cannons, thunder hammers, etc.
- CLASS S WEAPONS: d12 Damage. Earthshaker cannons, mega-bolters, being stepped on by a titan, etc.
WEAPON KEYWORDS
- Weapons start at d6, one-handed as a base.
- Add [KEYWORDS] to customize weapons.
- Every positive [KEYWORD] requires a negative [KEYWORD].
Multiples of the same [KEYWORD] stack.
+ BLAST: Affect all targets in an appropriate area.
+ DIE INCREASE: Step up the damage die.
+ BONUS DAMAGE: Deals an extra die of damage, taking the highest.
+ PERK: Has some beneficial quality.
- BULKY: Needs two hands to wield.
- DIE DECREASE: Step down the damage die.
- RARITY INCREASE: Starts at COMMON → RARE → EXOTIC → LEGENDARY → UNIQUE.
- QUIRK: Has some negative quality or tradeoff.
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HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:
- LASPISTOL d6.
- LASGUN d6, BONUS DAMAGE, BULKY.
- BOLT PISTOL d8 RARE.
- BOLTGUN d8, BULKY, BONUS DAMAGE, RARE.
- STORM BOLTER d8, BULKY, 2x BONUS DAMAGE, EXOTIC.
- FLAMER d6, BULKY, BLAST, RARE.
- SWORD d6.
- CHAINSWORD d6, BONUS DAMAGE, RARE.
- SHODDY CHAINSWORD d6, BONUS DAMAGE, QUIRK - On a 1, impaired until you take a round to loudly fire it up.
ARMOUR CLASSES
- CLASS D ARMOUR: Purely cosmetic. Grants no Armour.
- CLASS C ARMOUR: Conditionally grants Armour 1.
- CLASS B ARMOUR: Grants Armour 1.
- CLASS A ARMOUR: Grants Armour 2.
- CLASS S ARMOUR: Grants Armour 3.
ARMOUR KEYWORDS
- All armour starts at CLASS C as a base.
- Add [KEYWORDS] to customize armour.
- Every positive [KEYWORD] requires a negative [KEYWORD].
Multiples of the same [KEYWORD] stack.
+ ARMOUR INCREASE: Increase CLASS.
+ PERK: Has some beneficial quality.
- ARMOUR DECREASE: Decrease CLASS.
- BULKY: Notably heavy or burdensome.
- RARITY INCREASE: Starts at COMMON → RARE → EXOTIC → LEGENDARY → UNIQUE.
- QUIRK: Has some tradeoff or negative quality.
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HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:
- FLAK ARMOUR Armour 1 against explosions.
- ARMOURED BODY GLOVE Armour 1 against attacks causing d6 or lower.
- CARAPACE ARMOUR Armour 1, BULKY.
- MESH ARMOUR Armour 1, RARE.
- MAKESHIFT INDUSTRIAL ARMOUR Armour 2, BULKY, QURIK: Can't move and act.
- LIGHT POWER ARMOUR Armour 1, PERK: Enhanced strength, EXOTIC.
- POWER ARMOUR Armour 2, PERK: Enhanced strength, LEGENDARY.
- TERMINATOR ARMOUR Armour 3, PERK: Enhanced strength, UNIQUE.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- Chris McDowall for the wonderous INTO THE ODD and ELECTRIC BASTIONLAND.
- Descriptors from DANCERS IN THE DREAMING CITY by Micah Anderson.
- Inspiration for the background packages from Jim Parkin.
- Exhausting Magic from Phineas.
- Freeform magic from WHITEHACK 2e by Christian Mehrstam.
- The inspiring art of John Blanche.
