EMO FAQ

This is a work in progress I might end up listing lots of the non tagged blog posts here...

What is Elfmaids & Octopi?
My homebrew DnD rules based on BX dnd Cyclopedia, late 1st Ed AD&D and a bit of 3rd ed. I never read anything 3rd ed but played Temple of Elemental evil PC game (on gog.com) every year and it and players wanting to score dnd nerd cred since nerds became cool about 6 years ago. I wrote rules from memory without reference while sick for months. Was stunningly accurate.

The main features of EMO rules are:

• Class as Race and basics as BX or sometimes I use LOTFP
• Proficiency system like Dungeoneers Survival Guide and Oriental Adventures
• Aesthetics guided by pre warhammer UK gaming, Fighting Fantasy type books and actual horrible history and weird fantastic fiction

Whats with old games?
I don't like anything because it is new or made in a certain place or by a company
I used up my memory slots for systems in 1983
If it aint broke dont fix it
I find older games simpler
CoC7 DnD5 sorry but more complex by far than OSR versions
Loads of Free and cheap content
OSR community creativity (even some of the jerks)

My Main Games Featured in this Blog
BRP, RQ3, Call of Cthulhu 2nd ed but im trying to learn 7th, lots of
Exile Island is my main DnD setting, gritty and nasty retro vibe
Planet Psychon post apocalyptic DnD science fantasy
Xor a world of meat where adventurers live on it's body surviving like fleas
Gamma Aeon is 2nd ed Gamma World one of best RPG products ever
Long Stairs DnD modern Australian special forces vs gygaxian dungeon dimension
Mesopotamian Adventures BRP/RQ/Cthulhu 2300 or 1800 BC Iraq
-ran 5 year plus games of this
Murder Highway BRP car combat in a apocalyptic retro future
-ran as con one off or several year campaign
Space Stuff mostly using BRP but also DnD/Buck Rogers kinda
TSR Advanced Marvel Superheroes - ran a game for 20 years

Other Campaigns And One Offs
Cthulhu Metropolis Decopunk SF BRP based on silent SF film and book
Magic Octopus Princess Adventure DnD
Strange Forces - Cthulhu vs Superworld, Zenith vs Laundry Files
Goat Quest - play a goat investigating awful human cults, dont let ppl know you talk
Darklands based on microprose pc game mashed with Cthulhu, 1490 Germany
Vikings BRP/Cthulhu/RQ ran several times for several years
Quatermass BRP/Cthulhu, martian dna is awakening in the human race world wide
Rome BRP/Cthulhu/RQ 60AD reign of Nero
Oh What a Lovely War - weird war one Cthulhu/BRP
Elder Aeons - earlier version of my dnd setting, wizards vs barbarians

Minis?

1/72 scale mostly my choice
Caesar and Redbox Stuff is good
Mostly 14 bux for 42  minis
Easier to carry
Finding monsters harder but possible
More fantasy lines coming out
I've considered running Warhammer with them
Minis for most of my games
Want to work on model making now

Can I use EMO stuff in my work?
If it is for own use fine obviously
I'm happy to let ppl use a single table or something in a zine or free product
-Just ask and if I can get a PDF at least
-acknowledge me and put a link to my blog
-open to discuss using more
Im happy to collab on bigger things and make d100 tables or maps for ppl
-price and terms dependent on product distribution and total print numbers
-open to negotiation

Ambitious Game Stuff
Actually I naively hoped a publisher might pick me up....sniff
Planet Psychon Kickstarter for 2019 then Xor
Id like to publish a fantasy and space version of EMO too
Go to Gencon and more cons

Do I actually understand English?
Many comment on my terrible grammar and spelling (she was a nice old lady)
I am dyslexic and terrible at editing my work
Id like to KS one day to make some stuff propperfied with heaps gooder spelling
I don't feel I cant sell anything till this happens
Australians often mix American and UK spelling and have our own spelling
-Australian spell checkers are mostly shit and are American really which sucks
Right now my computer has a broken e key
My new one disliked my modem
One plus is I devour older versions of English easily as a reader
Occasionally even friends make comments on my problems that just makes me stop writing
I have had some good fan edits but check with me how to help
Marked up PDFs best for me

Other Setbacks
Trauma, health and poverty get in the way sometimes
2019 should be better

My Weird Jobs/Qualifications
Teen model
Prison tour guide for historic soc for 4 years
Small business computer centre guy
Roadhouse Cook and Governors house waiter
Horror Theatre Restaurant comedy costume waiter/doorman 7 years
Scenic theatre and banner painter
Office bearer of various clubs including gaming, wine making, art exhibit, wine making
Face Painter and children's entertainer
DJ for about ten years
-loungecore, international breakbeats, gogo, film events
-did soul funk club one night a week and a goth industrial 80's pop club another
Comic Studio Slave - colourist, inker, writer, 20 years on off with Michal Dutkiewicz
-Lost in Space was best gig, Hustler Comics and Pin ups for men's mags
Fetish Club Doorman/MC/Photographer (mostly i like clothes, nice hair and consent)
Freelance Artist mostly photography, print, performance,
Street artist with stickers, past, aerosol, vandalism and galleries
Film Maker mostly set dresser, continuity and prop maker, some acting
Opera singer, Cabernet and comedy performer
Art teacher mostly digital media, tooning, papercraft, streetart, photography
-including with youth in detention, sex workers, disabled, homeless and indigenous persons
Event manager for music, arts, festivals
Graffiti Tour Guide (rated best in city by Sydney time out)
Curator for city council galleries  and a Graffitti Gallery and a artist space
Mostly herd children and teach art and even play DnD with them
BA Philosophy, Museum Studies (art and archaeology) + some classics and film making
BA (With Hons) Applied Fine Art
Sub editor, the Art Director then Managing Editor Entropy Magazine
-having 6 staff and 100 volunteers made editing better (im better at editing others)
Designer for University marketing dept of two magazines

Games I Run

BX Style DnD
I run original and several retro clones. I have my own EMO Elmaids and Octopi house rule clone ive used since 2012. It is basically like BX or cyclopedia plus some late ADnD (post OA and DSG) plus a few things from later eds I like. Im currently writing it up for use with a few other changes in hopefully a basick book and a fully sick book. Will be metric too sorry.

GAMMAWORLD
2nd Ed - one of the prettiest games and best designed box sets ever. I dont get to play enough but have developed several settings Beaver Island and Broken Hill Gamma OZ. Dont get to do this enough.

RUNEQUEST/BRP/CTHULHU
Have not seen new ed yet. Mostly played RQ2 and RQ3. Loved it for historic settings and often mashed with BRP and CoC for historic Babylon, Vikings and Rome. Also ran as SF game for years. Have my Murder highway car combat cyberpunk apocalypse game influenced by Kim Newman, Mad Max and Autoduel. I mostly play Call of Cthulhu 2nd edition but have 7th and will give it a go. New RQ looks pretty but im kinda not really into new editions of anything. Have a Dark Forces setting with elements of Cthulhu, Superworld and Espionage inspired by Zenith and Laundy files.

TSR Marvel Superheroes 
I van a game for over twenty years that started as champions then went to superworld then Marvel. So mostly did not use marvel universe.

Con GamesMarvel Universe Battle Royale up to 12 players
Magic Octopus Princess Quest to the Surface World

More Questions?
Ask me stuff