Conversion Experience: Sheriff Tubbs' Beatin' Stick

Southern Bastards #2; Image Comics; May 2014; $3.50

Earl Tubbs' daddy used to be the sheriff in Craw County, Alabama. According to Earl, he loved the county more than his own family. In his day Sheriff Tubbs was tough as nails.

     His signature weapon was a club that was always by his side. Some say that the stick was signed by Bear Bryant, legendary University of Alabama football coach. By all accounts, the sheriff swung a mean club and many law-breakers felt its wrath.

     Fast forward many years and now Sheriff Tubbs lays in a grave in his front yard. A massive, gnarly old tree grows out of it. The tree is every bit as unyielding and tough as the sheriff.

     On the night his aging son Earl plans to leave Craw County for good a bolt of lightning shatters the tree. Within the tree is none other than his daddy's club. How could that be? It's impossible! Whatever the cause, it's a sure sign that Earl is meant to stay in town in order to take care of the evil that has festered during his father's absence.

Sheriff Tubbs' Beatin' Stick
Consider the weapon an Extra. When used in combat it provides the wield one extra shift in combat, two if the wielder is a descendant of Sheriff Tubbs.

Conversion Experience: Dusty Tutwiler

Southern Bastards #1; Image Comics; April 2014; $3.50

A lifetime ago I was accepted to graduate school at the University of North Carolina and the University of South Carolina. Sometimes I regret not attending either school (I chose San Diego State), but things have worked out okay. Still, my interest in the South remains, so how could I pass up a title like Southern Bastards?

     In this first issue we learn of Coach Boss, a local kingpin who happens to be the high school football coach. In the South, football has a an almost religious aspect to it. The vehicle of this knowledge is Dusty Tutwiler, a terrified man with bloodshot eyes and a penchant for thievery. The fear evident in Dusty is an excellent story-telling device. The nastier the villain, the greater the terror he inspires in his victims.

     In Fate Accelerated, you can use Dusty as generic street-level rabble who has made a powerful enemy. He's desperate and scared, yet still retains a bizarre sense of honor.

Dusty Tutlwiler
Stoned and stupid; In a heap o' trouble

Good (+2) at: Stealing, football trivia
Bat (-2) at: Fightng, common sense

Stress: [_]

Notes: Dusty has a wad of stolen cash on his person.

Conversion Experience: Panda-Bot Mk V

Empty Zone #1; Image Comics; June 2015; $3.50

Today's read is a William Gibson/Cyberpunk/grim future kind of thing. It was a rather decent issue and I look forward to seeing where this series goes. In this installment of Conversion Experience, I want to share an awesome looking robot that appeared briefly. No name was listed for the machine, so apologies for my rather lame moniker.

PANDA-BOT MK V
Robotic Killing Machine

Skilled (+2) at: Breaking things and killing people
Bad (-2) at: Diplomacy, creative thinking

Stunt
Because the Panda-Bot Mk. V Makes Sudden, Violent Entrances, once per session the robot can appear unexpectedly in a scene and immediately attack a foe. In the comic, the immediate attack came in the form of broken shards of a door it had kicked impaling/bludgeoning people.

Stress: [_][_]

Notes: Its attacks can be either physical (punching, kicking) or via a beam weapon that emanates from the palm of its right hand. Per the comic, the robot is capable of being reprogrammed to make it a docile servant.

Conversion Experience: Second String Bubba

Esaw, the big 'neck in the foreground, will be detailed at a later date.

SECOND STRING BUBBA

Not Starting Material, Rebel Pride!

Good (+2) at: Football, Stomping People's Asses
Bad (-2) at: Independent Thought
Stress: [_][_]

Extras: A baseball bat provides a free shift when used in combat; A football helmet provides a free shift when the thug is resisting an attack.

     When Coach Boss needs someone to be put down, he sends out his linebackers coach, Esaw, along with a few second stringers. (He can't risk having any of his starters hurt.) The young men are big, but dumb, and do not act without Esaw's direction.

Conversion Experience: Val Velocity

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #4
Dark Horse; September 2013; $3.99

This mini-series is coming to an end. I am a little sad, as I think there are some great story lines that could run for quite a while. I guess that's how it goes, though. For this installment I would like to present Val Velocity.

     Val Velocity is the misguided, out of control leader of the New Killjoys. He's convinced that bravado, booze and guns are all that's needed to destroy BLI and claim Battery City as his own. No doubt, he and the poor fools he has recruited will all die screaming.

VAL VELOCITY
deranged leader of the New Killjoys who is going to get himself and everyone around him killed

ASPECTS 
High Concept: Deranged leader of the New Killjoys
.
Trouble: BLI wants to kill me and everyone I know.
.
Other Aspects: Killing is the new cool.

APPROACHES 
Careful: +0, Clever: +1 (average), Flashy: +3 (good), Forceful: +2 (fair), Quick: +2 (fair), Sneaky: +1 (average)

STUNTS 
I'm Young and Full of Juice
     Because I'm Young and Full of Juice, I get a +2 when I Flashily attempt to create advantages.

Just Blast Away Until You Hit
     Because "Just Blast Away Until You Hit" is my philosophy, I get a +2 when I Forcefully attack with my gun in combat.

     May take one more stunt without reducing refresh. 

STRESS: [_][_][_]

CONSEQUENCES 
Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

REFRESH: 2

Current Fate Points: 3

Conversion Experience: Victoria

Sheltered #2
Image; August 2013; $2.99

The youth of Haven have executed Lucas' fiendish plan. All of their parents are dead, slain by the guns that were supposed to protect them from outside forces. Instead, an evil was festering within the doomsday camp.

     Victoria, a relative newcomer to Haven, is terrified when her father is murdered since she had no knowledge of the plot's existence. She and a friend try to escape, but there is no way out of the isolated camp in the middle of winter. Lucas, the leader of the children, tries to explain his motive, but Victoria refuses to hear it and throws a rock at his head.

     Victoria faces a grim future and I look forward to see if she can somehow rise above her dire predicament.

VICTORIA
isolated teenager in a terrifying situation

ASPECTS 
High Concept: Renegade survivor of a doomsday cult
.
Trouble: Lucas and his cronies killed my father.
.
Other Aspects: We have to get the hell out of here.

APPROACHES 
Careful: +2
Clever: +3
Flashy: +0
Forceful: +1
Quick: +2
Sneaky: +1

STUNTS 
I'm Sure As Fuck Not Letting Them Get Us 
     Because I'm Sure As Fuck Not Letting Them Get Us, I get a +2 when I Forcefully attack Lucas or his flunkies.

(Take two more stunts without reducing stress.)

STRESS: 3 boxes

CONSEQUENCES 
Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

REFRESH: 3

Current FATE Points: 3

Conversion Experience: Six-Gun Gorilla #2

Six-Gun Gorilla #2
Boom! Studios; July 2013; $2.99

In this second installment of Six-Gun Gorilla, death-seeking Blue struggles to survive on the bizarre, blasted wasteland that is the Blister. After escaping from squid-like tumbleweeds, Blue and the genetically altered gorilla who has befriended him arrive in a small town.

     He soon meets Dora, a woman trying to survive in a brutal landscape. She explains to Blue that she and the other settlers are caught between the Earth military and the rebel forces. The war is pointless, but as we have seen in the first two issues, it makes for intriguing - and profitable - reality television.

     Much to his surprise, Blue learns that Dora is a prostitute. When she feels that she is being judged, Dora explains it in very simple terms. If she does not sell her body, then what she has will be taken by force. In this way, she at least has a bit of control over the process. It's terribly sad, so I wonder if Blue - a hopeless romantic - and Dora will fall in love.

Dora
Resourceful survivor of the Blister

Skilled (+2) at: Survival, Commerce
Bad (-2) at: Culture
Stress: [_][_]

Conversion Experience: Chin Music #1

Chin Music #1
Image Comics; July 2013; $2.99

Chin Music is an interesting mix of noir and supernatural. While the story is a bit disjointed at times, by the end it starts to come together. The gist? Famed detective Elliot Ness is possessed by a spirit from Egypt who uses Ness' body to help others. In the final panel we see Al Capone's head explode as he is shot from a magic bullet fired by Ness.

     For today's Fate Accelerated (FAE) conversion, I'd like to present a stunt that may emulate Ness' magic bullet trick.

Magic Bullet
     Because I can create a Magic Bullet, I can Carefully fire a gun at a target anywhere in the city once per day. Because the target will not know the bullet is coming, he or she does not get to roll dice for defense.

Conversion Experience: The Mysterious Strangers #2

The Mysterious Strangers #2
Oni Press; August 2013; $3.99

The Mysterious Strangers encounter something even more bizarre than themselves on a small, Caribbean island! Referred to as symbiotes by the alien intelligence of a crashed spaceship, the green-skinned entities are explorers and scientists. They act as they hands and eyes of the alien mind that lives in the flying saucer-like vessel.

     Interestingly, the alien intelligence that resides in the spacecraft is able to exude energy that can turn humans into symbiotes. The alien mind does so not out of malice, but in a desperate attempt to find power to recharge the spacecraft's batteries so that it can once again travel to worlds beyond worlds and complex geometries.

Symbiote

Explorer of worlds beyond worlds and complex geometries

Skilled (+2) at: Science, grappling
Bad (-2) at: Diplomacy
Stress: [_][_]

Conversion Experience: The Mysterious Strangers #1

The Mysterious Strangers #1
Oni Press; June 2013; $3.99

Illustrated by the masterful Scott Kowalchuk and written by Chris Roberson, The Mysterious Strangers is a fun, kitschy comic.

     The first issue briefly features the deadly Miss Styx and her four Beauty Queen Cultists. Few details are provided, but it's pretty clear that Miss Styx has a thing for inciting mass terror, hurting innocents and big, flashy displays of violence. On his blog, Mr. Kowalchuk mentioned that we will be seeing more of Miss Styx, so I am quite pleased.

     Below is a treatment of Miss Styx and her Beauty Queen cultists in my system du jour, Fate Accelerated.

MISS STYX
fiendish criminal

ASPECTS
High Concept: Criminal leader of the Beauty Queen Cultists
-
Trouble: I am wanted everywhere for everything.
-
Other Aspects: The Beauty Queen Cultists Do My Bidding

APPROACHES
Careful: +1 Clever: +2 Flashy: +3 Forceful: +2 Quick: +2 Sneaky: +0

STUNTS
Fear Is A Weapon
     Because Fear Is a Weapon, I get a +2 when I attempt to Flashily create advantages when trying to intimidate someone.

Shoot First, Ask Questions Later. (No, Forget That. Just Shoot Again.)
     Because I Shoot First, Ask Questions Later, I get a +2 when I Forcefully attack opponents with a gun.

STRESS: [_][_][_]

CONSEQUENCES
Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

REFRESH: 3

Current FATE Points: 3


THE BEAUTY QUEEN CULTISTS (4)
Glitter makeup and AKs

Skilled (+2) at: Beauty pageants, suppressing fire
Bad (-2) at: Current events, geography, relationships
Stress: [_][_]

Conversion Experience: David Reid

Day Men #1
Boom! Studios; July 2013; $3.99

For thousands of years, the world has been controlled by the “50 Families” - a secret network of vampire covens engaged in a timeless struggle for power. But when the sun rises, the vampires are forced to employ the services of a human who acts as their daytime fixer and protector. Trained for centuries to be the mortal soldiers of their vampire employers, the Day Men go forth at sunrise, alone into the world, to do the bidding of their sleeping benefactors.

     In this first issue we meet David Reid, the new Day Man of the Virgo family. We don't learn much about David beyond his profession and combat capabilities, but with that basic information a Fate Accelerated conversion is possible.

DAVID REID
a young day man caught up in a war that will last centuries

ASPECTS 
High Concept: Day Man of the Virgo family
-
Trouble: I will spend the rest of my life bathed in blood
-
Other Aspects: I was trained by Blackwill, Casey Kennedy is my breakfast buddy

APPROACHES 
Careful: +1
Clever: +1
Flashy: +2
Forceful: +2
Quick: +3
Sneaky: +0

STUNTS 
Ancestral Weapon of the Virgos
     Because I wield the Ancestral Weapon of the Virgos, I get a +2 when I Quickly attack opponents in combat.

Anticipation
     Because I know that fighting vampires is all about Anticipation, I get an extra shift when I am successful with an attack. This stunt can be invoked for free once per scene.

     One more stunt can be taken without reducing stress. 

STRESS: [_][_][_]

CONSEQUENCES
Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

REFRESH: 3

Current FATE Points: 3

Conversion Experience: Blue

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #2

Dark Horse; July 2013; 3.99

Blue is a pleasure android who resides in Battery City, which is a totalitarian state controlled by BL/ind (Better Living Industries). Blue lives with Red, another pleasure android. Red, who has red hair and lips, is hopelessly addicted to a kind of battery pack that provides energy while destroying the ability to recharge normally. Red cannot work as a result, so Blue has to do all that she can to help.

     In this issue we see Blue battling the robotic bureaucracy of the robot social services. Despite her heroic efforts, in the end Blue is told that Red cannot qualify for a new battery pack. Because she is an outdated model, Red will be converted into a communications satellite and launched into orbit.

     Today's conversion features Fate Accelerated.

BLUE
Battery City pleasure android

ASPECTS 
High Concept: Pleasure android who is loyal to a fault
-
Trouble: I've got to take care of Red
-
Other Aspects: Why, yes, I am fully functional.

APPROACHES 
Careful: +3
Clever: +2
Flashy: +2
Forceful: +0
Quick: +1
Sneaky: +1

STUNTS 
I'm a Pro
     Because I'm a Pro, I get a +2 when I Flashily create advantages when I am conversing with someone.

Second Class Citizen
     Because I'm a Second Class Citizen, I get a +2 when I Carefully defend against a mental attack.

     May take one more stunt without losing a stress box. 

STRESS: [_][_][_]

CONSEQUENCES 
Mild (2):
Moderate (4):
Severe (6):

REFRESH: 3

Current FATE Points: 3

Conversion Experience: Satellite Sam #1

Satellite Sam #1 

Image; July 2013; $3.50 

It's 1951 in New York and network television is in its infancy. Then - as it is now - the entertainment industry is a lot like hot dogs. It looks good in the end, but if you saw how it was made and what goes into it, you would be sick.

     In this first issue the actor who plays Satellite Sam, a beloved children's show character, is missing from the set. When Carlyle White, a producer on the show, is sent to locate him she makes a grizzly discovery. A la Bob Crane, Satellite Sam was into some pretty kinky stuff and his dead, naked body is found on a bed surrounded by cameras, lingerie and sex toys.

     Carlyle White reacts with shock and horror, reminding me of a failed Sanity check. Since I have been looking at Fate Accelerated (FAE), I got to thinking as to how to handle this kind of thing in play.

Horror Checks/Sanity Checks in FAE Where a Grizzly Discovery Is Made
     The scene (bodies hanging from hooks, entrails thrown against the walls, pile of corpses in the kitchen) gets four dice with which to "attack" a character's sanity and composure.

     The PC can defend with one of his approaches, provided the chosen approach makes sense within the context of the scene.

     Any successes in the scene's favor are counted against the PC's stress track and managed how that PC deems fit. This could result in a mild consequence like, "Badly Shaken" or a moderate consequence such as, "...god DAMN IT... AAIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!"

     Example, Carlyle White walks into the apartment where she sees Satellite Sam's corpse. The GM rolls for dice and scores three successes. He then hands Carlyle's player a Fate chip because he is going to tag one of her aspects, "Satellite Sam's Lackey." This results in a net five successes.

     Carlyle rolls four dice to defend and modifies it with her Careful approach (+3). She rolls poorly and ends up a with a -3 result. Offset that with her +3 Careful rating for a net of 0. This results in 5 points of stress being applied to her stress track.

     Carlyle's player checks off 1 box from the stress track and takes a moderate consequence, "...god DAMN IT... AAIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!" This will stay with her until the end of the next session.

Conversion Experience: Sheltered #1

In an attempt to tie comics and games together, I am beginning a series called "Conversion Experience" that will translate material from the funny books I read into game content. 

Sheltered #1
Image; July 2013; $3.99

Sheletered, a pre-apocalyptic tale, presents a group of murderous teens and tweens, who have taken over their parents' doomsday compound. Wait? Doomsday prepping has the potential to go wrong when you combine marginalized people, lots of guns and a bit of paranoia? Oh yeah.

     For today's Conversion Experience, I'd like to create a quick set of details using Fate Accelerated for the doomsday complex in the comic, which is called Safe Haven.

SAFE HAVEN
a locale for Fate Accelerated

You have to die so that we can live.
     Adults are expendable so that there are more resources available for the youth. 

No one gets in. No one gets out. 
     Safe Haven is a stronghold, but also a kind of prison.

Guns and paranoia everywhere you look.
     Never a good mix.

     The above aspects can be tagged by characters and NPCs in Safe Haven.


     Alternatively, I approached Safe Haven from the perspective of sketching the area out as three zones, with an aspect for each. I'm not sure which is the better or more proper approach according to the rules.