Let me know if you heard this before
The story begins with a twilight race, grown fat, and the price was their mother. Arrogant beyond belief they spoiled their perfect lodge, wasted the world machine.
Who knows what final straw broke the big back? But one day the landlord decides enough is enough and the mountains come down and the magma comes up and the air goes away and they are evicted.
The rent comes due and all they have is no deposit, no return. The churning spitting Earth comes to a boil, and billions die and darkness is upon the face.
The few survivors go deep, deep down into the bowels, into street tombs, sweat out their fear and wait, wait for the end.
But even though we had lost faith with the Earth, the Earth, she had not lost faith in us.
Sending ancient earth angels to forge secret pacts and complete solemn deals with the last men Done? Done. A new contract with the landlord.
Then wait through timeless cycles more 'til the tombs are opened and we re-emerge to daylight and the mystery and the paradox the new covenant.
A swarming world where none should be, The reborn creatures of a thousand ages the tribe another link in the chain as it should be Fang and claw and muscle and motor time in overdrive and the machinery of life
so here we are today
Gonna roll now Gonna pace my ancient machine with the ancient creatures touch the earth and feel the sun be consumed by this land and spit out the other side.
My rider and me gonna roll, gonna ride. Maybe you'll be there, too.
'Liturgy' by Chris Christensen & Mark Schultz (Taken from 'Songs of the Xenozoic Age' CD)
Contents: |
Introduction | Characters | Technology |
Characters from the Comic: |
Jack 'Cadillac' Tenrec |
| Hannah Dundee | Hobb the Grith | Renfro Rynchus | Mustapha Cairo | Wilhelmina Scharnhorst |
One hundred years ago the tribe emerged from the underground tombs that have been their homes for centuries. It is a strange new world, virginal and unspoiled by the touch of Man. And populated with the strangest of creatures: reptiles of all sizes not seen on the planet since geological ages past - dinosaurs !
No longer is man the dominant species upon the surface of the planet. Prey rather than Predator. He had to survive and make his way in the new world. He could draw upon the technologies of the past that had been entombed with them.
They found the ruins that became The City in the Sea. It was a haven from the dangers across the water. Yet they had to return to the land seeking land to farm and the land to prospect. And there were many curious about the nature of the land they found. Scientists went out searching for questions and answers. As the farmers, miners and scientists spread out across this world, there was a voice of caution. A voice calling for them to take care and to heed them of the dangers that brought about the cataclysm.
Though few remain, the 'old blood mechanics' adhere to the code of Machinatio Vitae, and see themselves as the guardians of the tribe. It is they who keep the technology and equipment of the tribe working, yet at the same time they also work to check the use of the more advanced technologies to be laid in the vaults.
'Xenozoic Tales', written and drawn by Mark Schultz, is a series of comics depicting a future where humanity has survived a cataclysm and must work to survive a world gone awry. Technology is limited to TL6, though the city's vaults contain examples and records of a wide range of TL7 and TL8 technologies.
In themes and styles, the setting is one of high adventure tempered with the everyday practicalities of survival as well as a healthy dose of environmental mysticism. There is an ongoing struggle between those that want progress and those, that fearing the dangers it might bring, wish to curb it.
Comics: |
'Xenozoic Tales' #1-12 by Mark Schultz & 'Death Rattle' #8.
The basic comics. These have since been reprinted. |
Reprints: |
NB: These books are the source material for this conversion. |
Other: |
Note: Although I own a copy of 'Cadillacs & Dinosaurs: The Roleplaying Game', this is not a conversion of that game. I have used it as a resource and this is the reason that I would recommend anyone to buy it. Rather, this is a conversion of the actual comics. |
| To use this conversion the following GURPS books were used: |
|
| The following books are also recommended: |
|
Disclaimers: |
GURPS is copyright © 1994 Steve Jackson Games Inc. and is used
without their permission.
'Xenozoic Tales' is copyright © Mark Schultz 1986 & 1994, and is used without his permission. 'Cadillacs & Dinosaurs (TM)' is a registered trademark of the General Motor Corp. and is used without their permission. 'Cadillacs & Dinosaurs - The Roleplaying Game' is copyright © GDW Games, Inc. 1990 and used without their permission. No infringement of their rights is intended. The information contained herein is intended for informational purposes only and is not for sale or profit. It is copyright © 1997 Pookie. Permission is granted for the free distribution of the information contained herein as long as all copyright notices remain. |
| And Finally: | Thanks to . . . Pandora
for the usual typing and comment; for taking me to see Star Wars - The
Special Edition and Mars Attacks (eck-echk !) and for her support. . .
.
Martin Krauel and Onno Meyer for their suggestions. |
| Back to the top of this page |