I picked up the PDFs at DriveThruRPG. Both are interesting games, but I never got the chance to play them. It's a pity, really. I love the idea of Rifts, and maybe, in an alternate universe, it would have been the game I played obsessively. I mean, I can really see it; everything is already there for me to enjoy.
I would have left this game as an interesting curiosity I would have spent years picking at and maybe doing nothing with, but then Jonathan Becker over at B/X Blackrazor started talking about Heroes Unlimited, and that brought my attention back to it.
So I guess. This is his fault.
This is less of a review of the game (it is nearly 40 years old) and more of an overview of how I am playing it/using it. That might not be very helpful to you if you are coming here looking to see if this is the game for you. But there are a lot of reviews for it online.
Beyond the Supernatural 1st Edition
by Randy McCall and Kevin Siembieda
1988 Palladium Books, 256 pages.
I have been reading over this, and I had forgotten how crunchy this game is. Actually, I am having a lot of fun with it. Right away, I am happy with the vibe of this game; it was written largely in 1987 and published in 1988, so for my game set in 1987/88, it feels perfect.
If you are looking for a quick way to put it, Beyond the Supernatural is "Palladium does contemporary occult horror." But that doesn’t quite do it justice.
In truth, this is a game set in our world, or something akin to it (see: Rifts), where you have your ghosts and monsters and ley lines and psychic phenomena and strange cults and things from elsewhere lurking at the periphery. It is a free and easy mix of folklore, parapsychology, 1980s notions of the unexplained, and monster movies. You will find Stonehenge and the Bermuda Triangle in the same breath as vampires and the supernatural. The book makes no bones about putting all these elements in one pot to see what kind of horror results.
I mean. Those are all my favorite things for a game, really.
Not to mention I like that approach. There is an unmistakably late 1980s air to it, not only by virtue of its date but in reflecting the popular culture of the day: the Satanic panic, UFO weirdness, haunted houses, mysterious energy, and possession were all part of the zeitgeist. Beyond the Supernatural has no need to keep them apart. It asks, in effect, "What if it was all connected?" Which is fine by me for the type of games I run.
OR better yet, "What if all these were real and I made no effort to figure out why they are real at the same time?"
Yeah. Now we're talking!
The rules are Palladium through and through. You have your eight attributes, percentile skills, S.D.C., Hit Points, alignments, saving throws, and combat bonuses, along with enough modifiers to occupy your pencil. It is crunchy. Very. Yet I am more taken with the crunch here than I thought I would be; it suits the game. A character is not merely an "Occult Investigator +4." They have an education, they speak languages, they have picked up odd bits of knowledge, technical and academic skills, and perhaps some combat training. For an investigation game, I prefer my characters to have a good deal of actual know-how.
You can engage with the supernatural in any number of ways as an Arcanist or a psychic, or you can be a normal human who has been drawn into the fray. The latter is key. You don’t have to be anything special to play. One of the included adventures is made for the ordinary "Victim" type, the sort of person who is hopelessly outmatched and whose best course of action is to leg it. That says a lot for the game’s range.
Then there is the magic system, which I find the most useful. All the different traditions, be it witchcraft, druidism, voodoo, or thaumaturgy, may have their own philosophies and rituals, but they are tapping into the same Potential Psychic Energy. I might not want to make a habit of using that cosmology in my own games, but the premise is sound. People put together their own traditions and, being human, insist theirs is the right way to do it. Since it is Palladium, I can pull things from other books. As people often did for the 2nd edition of Beyond the Supernatural.
What I really like is the notion that genuine magical knowledge is hard to come by. The world is awash in occult tomes, but most are either wrong, incomplete or confused with superstition. An Arcanist doesn’t just level up and get new spells; she has to research and reconstruct them, or learn from another magician or an old diary. Now that is how I want my occult magic to feel. Old, often contradictory, and a little dangerous.
There is also a sensible divide between spells and rituals. A spell is quicker and easier, but a ritual demands time, concentration and maybe a few other people, and it is much harder to put down. I can work with that. Granted, that is pretty common place today in RPGs, but in 1987 that was brand new.
You can have your psychic investigators with their telekinesis, or your occult scholars with their tomes, or you can put ordinary folk in front of the wrong door. I like a game that can accommodate all three. Not all magic is a matter of casting it across the room in the heat of combat.
Occasionally you want to put in an hour and a half with a circle, six candles, and three people who know their way around a ritual, all while hoping for no interruptions. To me that is good occult magic.
Then there are the psychics.
The game treats the psychic side of things with as much importance as it should. These aren’t just powers with a different label; they have their own I.S.P. pools and a distinct way of dealing with the supernatural. It makes for a nice distinction between Larina and Morgan.
Larina will tell you she has come face-to-face with a demon or a ghost. Morgan is more likely to say they were a persistent psychic imprint and that there is no evidence whatsoever of a demon. The beauty of Beyond the Supernatural is that it gives them both enough ground to stand on for the argument. I find that useful. I don’t always want my games to offer one authoritative take on the universe’s oddities; conflicting explanations can be far more compelling.
I don't want to write them that way, and I don't want to play them that way.
As for horror, there are your standard rules for fear, possession, and insanity, but the Horror Factor is a mechanic I have taken to. A creature will have a Horror Factor, and when you see one, you roll a d20. If you fail, you are left momentarily stunned by what is in front of you. You forfeit initiative and an action, leaving you open for a moment until you can compose yourself.
Again, not uncommon today, but this predates the Fear and Horror checks of AD&D 2nd edition Ravenloft. So yeah, it is fun to see it here. Plus it is simple and effective, and it doesn’t mean your character is out of the game for twenty minutes because he saw something awful. The monster has its turn, then you make your move. Fear should be a factor at the table, not an impediment to playing.
What do I get out of this? A good deal.
Take the way it handles occult knowledge. Magic ought to be shrouded in bad information. An old journal might have half a ritual in it, or a 1974 paperback will cite a source you can’t find anywhere else. A folklore professor will put down something that proves to be of great import, but you need to find his original manuscript. For an investigative horror game, that is gold.
I also appreciate the divide between the psychic and the magical. I have no need for every character to be in agreement over what they are witnessing, nor for it all to spring from the same well.
This works extremely well for me. Magic and Psychic phenomena should feel and "be" different.
And the emphasis on research, education, and the like is something this game did well. Your sheet says something about the person before the monster appeared tonight. Larina has an eye for archaeology because she studies it. Morgan is well-versed in psychology and mathematics because he cares about them. When the supernatural intrudes on their academic lives, I have more to go on than a flat "Occult +8."
There is a lesson in here for my own settings too. The world doesn’t require some vast hidden order to make sense of it. A haunted house is often just that. Or perhaps there is something living under the floorboards of an abandoned building. The one with the most insight into the situation could be a professor, a psychic, or the odd dude at the bookstore.
You do the investigating because no one else will.
Beyond the Supernatural provides rules for the supernatural without making it safe. There are psychics who can feel what is out there, but feeling and understanding are worlds apart. Authentic knowledge of magic is hard to come by.
That suits Jackson. That suits my nascent "Chicago 92" setting (whatever that is going to be). It suits the kind of contemporary horror I am after. The world seems normal, and for the most part it is. But then you happen upon the wrong book or venture into an old tunnel, and you see how much of it was right in front of you all along.
My Jackson Kids: Larina Nichols and Roderick Morgan
Morgan: "There are some things man was not meant to know, Nichols."
Larina: "Oh, that's ok. I'm a girl."
For this game, I set it during Larina's Freshman year at the University of Chicago. Stephanie and Faye are both down at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, but she gets an unwelcome surprise when she discovers that one of her fellow freshmen is Roderick Morgan.
Plus all month I have been watching some college-related horror movies, so this feels right.
Already, this tells you that this game has a different tone. High School Hijinks are one thing, but Larina and Morgan are at one of the most academically prestigious universities in the country. If nothing else, the stress is higher. This is also the pivot point of my campaign.
This works great for me since it gives me a chance to try out a "magical" character and a "psychic" character.
I am not 100% sure what sorts of adventures they will have at the U of C. I know one thing, though: they dislike each other too much to become anything other than casual friends. Not enemies, but they would never call each other friends. They do tend to end up in the same places a lot.
1st-Level Arcanist
Occupation: Student (University of Chicago)
Alignment: Scrupulous (Good)
Age 17 (September 1987)
Attributes
I.Q. 21
M.E. 19
M.A. 14
P.S. 9
P.P. 12
P.E. 13
P.B. 15
Spd. 19
Hit Points: 23
S.D.C.: 12
P.P.E.: 30
I.S.P.: None
Education: One-Year College
+10% to Scholastic Skills
Two Skill Programs
Eight Secondary Skills
Arcanist Abilities
Understanding the Principles of Magic: 82%
Read Magic: 89%
Practiced Use of Magic: Automatic
Sense Magic: Automatic, 120-foot range, but she cannot pinpoint the source
Recognize Magic Enchantment: 65%
Scholastic Skills
Automatic
English: 98%
Mathematics: Basic: 98%
Lore and Research
Lore: Demons & Monsters: 87%
Lore: Ghosts & Faeries: 87%
Lore: Geomancy & Lines of Power: 82%
Lore: Religion: 82%
Research: 98%
Science
Anthropology: 77%
Archaeology: 82%
Psychology: 82%
Technical
History: 87%
Writing: 73%
Languages
Latin: 97%
Ancient Greek: 97%
French: 97%
German: 97%
Irish Gaelic: 97%
Hebrew: 97%
Sanskrit: 97%
Skill Programs
Language Program: three additional languages.
Physical Program: Prowl, Swimming, Climbing, Running.
Prowl: 97%
Swimming: 98%
Climbing: 98%
Running: no percentile roll
Secondary Skills
First Aid: 77%
Automobile: 98%
Cook: 80%
Dance: 70%
Sing: 67%
Photography: 77%
Mathematics: Advanced: 88%
Astronomy: 77%
Basic Mechanics: 64%
W.P. Knife
Hand-to-Hand: Martial Arts (Judo) (gained at 3rd level)
Combat
Attacks per Melee: 2
Automatic Parry: Yes
Pull/Roll with Punch, Fall or Impact: +2
Strike: +0 normally
Parry: +0 normally
Dodge: +0 normally
Damage Bonus: None
Saving Throws
Psychic Attack: +3 total (12+)
Insanity: +2 (10+)
Possession: +4
Horror Factor: +4
Magic: +4
Spell cast by levels 1-3: 8+
Spell cast by levels 4-7: 9+
Spell cast by levels 8-11: 10+
Spell cast by levels 12+: 11+
Ritual/Ceremonial Magic: 12+
Lethal Poison: 14+
Non-lethal Poison: 16+
Harmful Drugs: 15+
Acids: No saving throw, dodge the attack.
Known Magic
Level One: See Aura*, Sense Magic*
Level Two: Detect Concealment, Extinguish Fire, Levitation, Mystic Alarm*, Turn Dead*
Level Three: Breathe Without Air, Impression*, Invisibility: Simple, Telekinesis
Level Four: Astral Projection, Energy Field*, Seal*
Level Five: Eyes of Thoth, Heal Wounds*
Level Six: Enhanced Memory, Tongues*, Words of Truth
Level Seven: Second Sight
Level Eight: Commune with Spirits*, Exorcism (ritual)
Level Nine: Familiar Link (ritual), Metamorphosis: Insect, Protection Circle: Simple*
* means Larina knows both the spell and ritual versions.
In this version of Larina, I have decided that the poor girl is tired of being knocked on her ass all the time. So, in her Freshman year, she joins the Judo club. She likes judo; it allows her to get out of her mind for a bit, but she isn't very good at it. Nor is see likely to be good, but at least it gives her something.
4th-Level Psychic Sensitive
Occupation: Student (University of Chicago)
Alignment: Principled (Good)
Age 18 (September 1987)
I.Q. 24
M.E. 20
M.A. 19
P.S. 14
P.P. 14
P.E. 10
P.B. 16
Spd. 12
Hit Points: 23
S.D.C.: 19
P.P.E.: 13
I.S.P.: 88 (recovery: 2 points per hour of complete relaxation or sleep.)
Education: One-Year College
+10% to Scholastic Skills
Two Skill Programs
Eight Secondary Skills
Savings: $10,000
Trustfund: $100,000
Psychic Powers
Sense Supernatural Evil
Opening to the Supernatural
Recognize Possession: 65%
Recognize Magic Enchantment: 50%
Scholastic Skills
Automatic
English: 98%
Mathematics: Basic: 98%
Computer Program
Computer Operation: 98%
Computer Programming: 80%
Journalist/Investigation Program
Computer Operation: 98% (same as above, might give him an outside-the-rules bonus)
Intelligence: 78%
Photography: 90%
Research: 90%
Writing, Journalistic Style: 70%
Secondary Skills
Basic Electronics: 70%
Pick Locks: 65%
Wilderness Survival: 70%
Climbing: 92%
Rappelling: 60%
Automobile: 98%
Art: 66%
Mathematics: Advanced: 90%
History: 75%
W.P. Knife
W.P. Sword (Sword Cane)
Combat
Attacks/Actions per Melee: 2
Automatic Parry: No
Strike: +0 normally
Parry: +0 normally
Dodge: +0 normally
Damage Bonus: None
Saving Throws
Psychic Attack, Closed: +3 from M.E.; needs 7+
Psychic Attack, Open/Using Powers: 15+, no bonuses
Insanity: +3, needs 9+
Possession: +3
Horror Factor: +3
Magic: +1
Spell cast by levels 1-3: 11+
Spell cast by levels 4-7: 12+
Spell cast by levels 8-11: 13+
Spell cast by levels 12+: 14+
Ritual/Ceremonial Magic: 15+
Mind-Altering Drugs: +3
Lethal Poison: 14+
Non-lethal Poison: 16+
Harmful Drugs: 15+ normally
Acids: No saving throw, dodge the attack.
Psychic Powers
Sense Supernatural Evil
Automatic class ability
I.S.P.: None
Range: 300 feet
Clairvoyance
I.S.P.: 4
Base Skill: 66%
Friend or Loved One: 71%
Duration: 6d6 melees
Maximum Attempts: Twice per day
Divination (arithmancy)
I.S.P.: 3
Base Skill: 48%
Divining His Own Future: 38%
Duration: 2d4 minutes
Morgan feels that what he does is just calculating probabilities.
Mind Block
I.S.P.: 4
Duration: 40 minutes
Bonus: +1 vs. psychic and mental attacks
See Aura
I.S.P.: 6
Range: 60 feet
Duration: 30 seconds
Sixth Sense
I.S.P.: 2
Range: 90 feet
Trigger: Unexpected imminent life-threatening danger
For the initial melee when triggered: +6 Initiative, +2 Parry, +3 Dodge. Cannot be surprised by a sneak attack from behind
Speed Reading
I.S.P.: 2
Duration: 12 minutes
Reading Speed: 30 pages per minute
Highly Technical Material: 15 pages per minute
--
Wow, that was a lot. That took me a couple of days to get right to be honest. I remembered why I picked up this game, got all fascinated with it, and then put it back down.
And I have barely scratched the surface of what this game can do to be honest.
While I have talked about it in other posts for this Urban Fantasy Friday, some ideas began here.
This is where I got the idea that Larina should pick up Judo so at least she can last a little longer in a fight where she can't use magic.
Both here and in NightLife Larina has a "pistol" rating. Again, the idea is she picked it up for a little self-defense. I can't recall if Illinois required a FOID card back then like they do now, but I figure she, along with Fiona and Morgan, joined a shooting club. I am going to say it was Morgan's idea, saying something like, "You can't rely on magic all the time, Nichols," and Larina saying under her breath, "the fuck I can't." But while I have never considered her a "gun person" at all, she can appreciate the skill and sportsmanship of shooting as a hobby or sport. In my mind, it is Fiona who takes to it and is surprisingly good at it.
Both Beyond the Supernatural and later on NightLife are wonderfully crunchy. They grab that time when AD&D 1st ed was in it's last days, but before AD&D 2nd ed or Vampire hit the shelves and tables. It seemed, to me at least, that any game had a chance to be the top RPG of the time. I felt the same way about ShadowRun when it first came out.
I am not likely to run either game to be honest. Again, NIGHT SHIFT does everything I want. But they do have a quality that is hard to replicate because it has to do with the time they were developed and written. It is part and parcel with the crunch.
One thing I do know is that if (and that is a big if) I ever get my Chicago game going, these will be some of the books I look to for inspiration.
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