Random World Variations: Different systems, different styles

Ah, the Random World: originally a short experiment for fun which ended up as a pseudo-setting I'm quite fond of. The reason it is branded a 'pseudo setting' is that, really, there's never going to be a 'true' or 'canonical' version.

A two-headed troll eating, Art by Albert Urmanov.

The notes, right now, primarily rely on Basic Fantasy (or Labyrinth Lord) and the choice of races and classes are very much influenced by it. By default, the presentation of the Random World is just generic enough that I can decide to use it by running Basic Fantasy or Labyrinth Lord right off the box with little to no homebrew. In its default form the setting may have some odd idiosyncrasies but its generally written to work with all the most basic and simple assumptions of a D&D game. However if I want to, this is a setting which can be modded or altered to work off different games and different D&D editions or OSR games. The setting can vary in presentation and style to be a bit more grim and gritty and morally gray or I could make it much more clear cut high fantasy with good and evil. I could also run it with D&D3e/Pathfinder and add more unusual magic forms such as Psionics or Akashic among others. For what its worth, I consider the modularity and re imagination potential to be a feature, not a bug. After all the entire point of the setting was a deliberate loose canon, core D&D elements and some gonzo whatever-the-hell-goes. It is a setting that is fleshed out enough to be gameable but its not a serious write up in the sense it harken back to those kind of mish mashed settings made from whatever I found cool when running D&D in high school.

Variations Upon A Theme

So what could possibly change depending on the game and/or mixture of supplements for said game or edition? Here is a non exhaustive list:

• Scarlet Heroes or Exemplars & Eidolon: Nothing is changed setting-wise, but the characters are more powerful and noteworthy individuals rather than starting as impoverished yet brave nobodies. Likely the most obvious pick after Basic Fantasy or Labyrinth Lord.
• Dungeon Crawl Classics: The opposite happen and the characters are even more pathetic and vulnerable than by default. The world is presented as more grim, chaotic and brutal.
• +Hubris: One of my favorite DCC settings. The setting remain as the above but even more bleak and horrifying. Classes taken from Hubris add new layer and setting elements, such as Mutants (briefly mentioned as possibly existing here and here) and Half-Demons add a bit more of a dark and/or weird fantasy vibe.
• Pathfinder: There is a crapload more of options and rules, maybe too much! The general power level of classes is vastly increased especially for spellcasters. It might be wiser to use E6 for sanity's sake. Overall, the fantasy level is vastly increased.
• +Psionics: By default I have not written in Psionics into the setting but that doesn't mean they can't exist and fit in. Adding psionics greatly add to the weird fantasy elements. One way to make psionic distinct would be to very much tie it to 'mortals' as the power of their mind rather than the primordial powers of the cosmos that arcane and divine magic both channel. Another option, which could be interesting, is to make it a relatively new and poorly understand phenomena which has slowly crept up over the past centuries, with mages and clerics fearing it might eclipse magic.
• +Akashic: It was called Incarnum in 3e, while the 3rd party Pathfinder remake is called Akashic. Being based off Vedic mythological concepts is great and it would add quite a bit of exotic and mystical elements too. Unlike Psionics this would definitely be an ancient and well-established power (but not necessarily a common one).
• Dungeons & Dragons 5e: Much like Pathfinder, it too is essentially boiled down to 'alot of options' and greatly increase the overall amount of fantastical elements. Unless...
• +Low Fantasy Classes: I've got no clue who wrote this PDF I found (it likely isn't a paid product as it lack any indication of a person or company having published it) but its certainly right up my alley when it come to playing the 'Random World' with D&D 5e as, since it was written with baseline OSR in mind the classes aren't as filled with weirdo powers as they are in 3e, 4e or 5e. In particular, it has an order of Knights (their low fantasy not!Paladins) tied to fey and elves which fits in perfectly with what has been established with Waywood's knights and druids.
• Black Hack: Not much change except the system is different, I guess?

Mecha Hack: The Gundam Plot-O-Matic

What's that, want to run a Gundam (or Gundam-esque) mecha game but don't feel like reading and watching through metric tons of contradictory and over bloated canon? Want to create your own Gundam timeline? I've got you covered.

And that one is grossly outdated, too!

War: What is it good for?*

The first thing any Gundam timeline need is war. As much as the show love to rag on and on about the horror and futility of war there is no denying that war with giant robots is cool. If it wasn't the show wouldn't be such of a media juggernaut. Thus, armed conflicts (via Mobile Suits) plays a very central role in Gundam as a whole.

*Model Kit sales, obviously.

Here's a few scenarios which have been repeated here and there in the franchise. They generally form a good starting point for any game, especially if one take time to play around with enough elements present in the main inspiration to make it distinct.

D12	Plot Type
1-5	Earth vs Space
6-7	Remnants vs Regime
8	Invaders From Beyond
9	The War For Outer Space
10	After War
11	War For Earth
12	The New Era

Earth Versus Space

This is the most iconic Gundam scenario and is the one found in the original Mobile Suit Gundam, Gundam Wing and to a certain extent somewhat in Zeta, ZZ and even maybe Turn A. In this one, the driving force are the tensions between the Earth and the Earth sphere: namely the space colonies floating around it and possibly the moon. The point is that the people living up in space are fed up with the Earth's government. What happen next depend on which side one intend to make more gray: if it's the Earth that is of a lighter grey, then it might be corrupt but it's people are ultimately good and plucky heroes who find themselves thrown into the prototype's cockpit. If the Earth is the one chosen as antagonist, then they are invariably ruled by truly corrupt and despicable individuals and the space colonies find themselves with no other choice but to take their freedom by force.

• Key Elements: Corrupt Governments, Colony Drops, Mobile Suit emerging to change the war, Kid Heroes, Space Nazi-Communist-whatever with fancy uniforms.
• Major Setting Decisions: Which side is evil?
• Examples: Mobile Suit Gundam (the original), Gundam Wing, Gundam SEED and parts of Zeta and ZZ.

Remnants vs Regime

This one is usually more found in settings which saw the first scenario: in this one, the big war which change the world already happened in the past. How far in the past and how big the war is one decision which will decide the overall tone. The later elements of the Universal Century are good example of this, with Zeon Remnants and Neo-Zeon popping up from under every rock to resume their war. One key element of this setup is that one side generally has the major advantage of more established infrastructure. Another decision is to choose if Mobile Suit existed in the previous war of if the emergence of Mobile Suits is what the Remnants intend to use to turn the tide. If the Remnants are the 'good guys' then it is likely the current regime is corrupt.

• Key Elements: Grudges, Past Tragedies, Familial Ties and War Veterans.
• Major Setting Decisions: How far past the war? Did Mobile Suit exist before?
• Examples: Anything Universal Century from Zeta to Unicorn.

Invaders From Beyond

In this scenario, the Earth Sphere is being invaded by outsiders: not proper aliens, but rather people which are more clearly isolated from those around the Earth. They likely are descendant of colonist from Mars, Jupiter or Venus. The key element here being is that they are, at least by the scale Gundam usually operate, outsiders. While space travel to and from Earth and Space Colonies is generally a rather casual thing, going to Mars or Jupiter take more time. These are more isolated societies. As Earth's power wane, the sentiment of 'manifest destiny' of these outsiders  grow. This setting option allows for some more interesting locale as it see the other planets opening up for action.

• Key Elements: More developed space travel, Exotic Locales, The Splintering of Humanity
• Major Setting Decision: Where do these invaders come from?
• Examples: Gundam F91 and it's spinoff as well as Victory Gundam. Gundam AGE. Martian Successor Nadesico (not a Gundam show but still relevant).

The War For Outer Space

This is one I thought of which hasn't really been touched up much on Gundam beyond Late Universal Century and some bits and pieces of Iron-Blooded Orphans. In this scenario, the outer planets are the new frontier, the new Wild West. Humans being human they begin fighting over the richest locales and the best settlements. Greed and the difficulties of cooperation are part of human nature, they say. One possible origin for Mobile Suits, if they are new, is that they are an outgrowth of exploration and construction technology.

• Key Elements: Deep Space Colonization, Exploration and the waning of the Earth's relevance.
• Major Setting Decisions: How many factions? Is Earth even important in this story?
• Examples: Not really any canonical stories. For a non-Gundam example, parts of Exo-Squad.

After War

Named after the timeline of Gundam X, this one is fairly obvious: in this scenario 'the War' was a long time ago. It could be roughly a generation to whole decades and could be combined with 'The War for Outer Space' if parts of humanity moved on away from their war-torn home world and now-broke cradle. Mobile Suit technology was definitely already developed long before the game started and it is quite likely that for the first half of the game the players and others have to constantly salvage pieces from leftovers of the war.

• Key Element: Post apocalyptic landscape, ruins, a renewed sense of hope for the new generation. Abandoned Mobile Suits and lost technologies.
• Major Setting Decisions: How post apocalyptic is it? Has it gone full Mad Max or did it just wipe out a massive % of the population but society survived?
• Examples: After War Gundam X, Turn A Gundam and MS Saga.

War For Earth

In this scenario, the focus is somewhat more removed from the space colonies and brought back to Earth. Perhaps their role is less important or perhaps this is combined with another scenario to explain that, as sovereign nations, the Space colonies have little to no desire to get involved in a war between Earthmen. This is an example which, again, somewhat diverge from most official Gundam works unless combined with another.

• Key Element: A recognizable world. Possibly recognizable countries. If combined with another scenario, combine both Key Elements.
• Major Setting Decisions: Why is the war centered on Earth: is it because Space Colonies are less important to the setting, because they refused to get involved or because this is simple the Earth theater of a larger war?
• Examples: Gundam 00. Gundam the 08th MS Team (for an example of Earth-focused action in the scope of a larger war).

The New Era

Maybe all the previous scenarios already happened but that was centuries ago. In this setup, mankind has long suffered space wars, left for the outer planets or even left the solar system. The current year is that of a new calendar back on Earth and the still-floating colonies. History has become myth. This is less of a plot and more of a setup so, perhaps, one should reroll the table and combine.

• Key Element: A long history most likely poorly remembered.
• Major Setting Decisions: How different is society? Does Earth retain contact with the deep space colonist? Have Mobile Suit been forgotten? Is this an era of peace that some fools intend to destroy for petty reasons?
• Examples: Gundam Reconguista in G and Gaia Gear. Gundam G Savior.

Spicing And Shaking It Up

Now you have your general idea for a setting, so it is time to both add and remove some key and/or expected elements of the setting to make it somewhat more unique.

D8	Removed Or Added Element
1	Transhumanism: Tackled on mainly with SEED and 00 but it’s always been here and there, just never truly expanded to anything satisfactory. Transhumanism and its ramifications may be the very catalyst for the war or it could be about how science can be abused for war.
2	Artificial Intelligence: It’s always been hinted at here and there with plot-convenient super computers and the Mobile Dolls of Gundam Wing but drone warfare is increasingly a reality in our world: what would it do to the mecha formula?
3	Religious War: A really, really subject (a fact which I am all too aware!) but what if these ideas about ‘Newtypes’ and other posthuman ideas were taken to a religious direction? How does the Earth sphere deal with a rise of far-out beliefs? What if the not!Zeon revel more in the religious imagery than being faux space nazis?
4	Third Faction: Most Gundam shows have only two major factions, so why not make the war a Threesome with potentially constantly-shifting allegiances?
5	Super Prototypes: What if every mobile suit, at least initially is an ISO Standard model fresh off the factory? What if the special prototype isn’t blatantly more powerful and simply has a slight edge which the enemy faction can close in time?
6	Newtypes and Others: What if there are only regular humans and no superhuman with odd powers which also make them excellent pilots? What if being an ace pilot really come down to pure skill?
7	Beam Weapons for Mobile Suits: Here there is no miniaturisation of beam technology. The big, devastating lasers are limited to suitably large spaceship and Mobile Suit have to make do with solid projectiles and purely physical weapons.
8	Char Clone: There is no Char Clone. Be original with your enemy aces, you lazy fuck!