Free League Publishing Announce Alien: The Roleplaying Game

[Local Trouble]

I thought USCM was the canon acronym and USCMC was only fanon. 

[The Old One]

It also interacts with Fungus I guess, but I tried to shorten the post where possible as it's already very long.

I omitted the fact it rather vaguely: interacts with microbial aspects in the air.

[Immortan Jonesy]

New Neomorph information:
It is genetically programmed to kill all life.

The Neomorphic "Pod" is created by the Pathogen interacting with the pollen in a planet's atmosphere.

The Neomorphic "Mote(s)" is a synchronized swarm of highly infectious Tachinidae tabellarium. Sometimes visible when clustering together to increase their locomotive capabilities. Possessing a primal hive intelligence, it targets the nearest potential host.

The Neomorphic "Bloodburster" is created by the Motes mutating white blood cells as the blood circulates until it forms a cancerous growth that then becomes lodged in a vein. The tumor can take root in any bodily area of sufficient mass. Forming an amniotic sack, the tumor then begins rapidly converting the host's mutated cells into a larval Bloodburster. If lodged in a region of the body with dense muscle or bone and no easy egress, the gestating creature develops dorsal spines to aid in it's escape.

The Adult Neomorph:
As it leaves the Neophyte juvenile stage and reaches adulthood the Neomorph's smooth, eyeless head becomes more enlongated and pointed. The lifecycle and  metabolism of Neomorphs is so fast that they quickly burn themselves out. An adult Neomorph typically dies of natural causes within 24 hours. Fungus interacting with the decaying corpse will be transformed into new spore sacs, continuing the cycle.

Seems legit.

I think the mote pods would've been better interacting with fungus rather than pollen.

Really? what a shame! 

[Still Collating...]

Really liking all the lore Free League are doing. Love the bit about the Neomorph living 24h, dying and having its body turned into more pods, a beautiful nod to the original concept for the Alien's lifecycle and a clear reason as to why the Neomorph needed to be improved.

[Mr. Clemens]

Oof... $44.53 in customs fees. That's a whole 'nother book right there.

Taking a quick skim through the pdf, I see they've recycled some lore from the old Leading Edge rpg; I don't remember much from that book, but I do remember that there was a creature called a 'Harvester', which makes a reappearance here. Neat.

[The Old One]

It's a real pity I absolutely LOVE the majority of the book, the world building and the section on the Neomorph in particular is magnificent, perfect understanding of the creature as it is in the film. And the section on the Engineers I could go on about, but I'm disheartened because the parts actually concerning the Alien itself?
Not as palatable.

Spoiler

My one major issue is the nature of the Alien itself funnily enough, I don't see the need for all the "unique" versions, a great deal of them unhinging the realism the book so perfectly set up beforehand. The Weaver for example is entirely unnecessary, not great for something named "The Perfect Organism" - I do like the addition of the Stalker though, although it's existence I think required a clearer description.

For instance, I think in the Egg section it should have detailed three types of Eggs.
The regular one, producing the regular (Soldier) Alien, the Praetomorph Egg producing the Stalker Alien and the Praetorian Egg producing the Praetorian Facehugger- and perhaps go for the more believable terminology the Neomorph section used.

Why have three unique names for essentially the one thing changed slightly?

Why not just for the Soldier have "Soldier" and then "Armoured Soldier" for instance?

And for the Scout, "Scout" and "Armoured Scout" then?

And for the Charger, isn't it essentially identical to the Praetorian but just quadrupedal instead of bipedal? Why not merge them into the one creature?
In a story for instance just a Praetorian or two that were intended to be Queens just have to stay as is because a Queen is already present?

While I understand the "Royal Jelly" nonsense, might be useful for gameplay and all the castes, I don't think the believability/tonal/plausibility trade is worth it.

[close]

Not sure how I feel about companies actually obtaining the Alien, nor the additions to Acheron LV-426;

Spoiler

The idea the Derelict survived, ambiguously. Instead of directly connecting it to The Cold Forge, or declaring it destroyed completely.

[close]

Fiorina 161;

Spoiler

Three Eggs in the bowels of the facility, Andrews, Boggs and Rains ovomorphed.

[close]

Or particularly LV-223- The inclusion of the awful Fire and Stone series continuity in particular is immensely disappointing, as is the referencing of the Pathogen as an "Accelerant" something retconned by Covenant. It's honestly totally took the wind out of my sails in regards to the book...

Spoiler

Empress, okay but also Queen Mother? Also Alien King? Really?  Seriously?

[close]

[Local Trouble]

That all sounds awful.

[Immortan Jonesy]

Maybe you can change from RPG to TBS (turn-based strategy game) if you include the Deacon mountain 

Physical form:
The Engineers, while a number of fossilized discoveries place them at 4.5 meters tall, most agree that they averaged around 2.7 meters tall. Theories suggest unique castes of Engineer exist with physical alternatives developed into them, thereby distinguishing civilian and military factions. Others postulated that not all the crumbling edifices unearthed belong to the Engineers but other species seeded by or predating them. If that is the case, the civilisations responsible also, no longer exist. And pointing to the enormous remains of the so-called "Space Jockey" specimen reported witnessed by three parties. A number of xenoanthropologists suggest the Engineers based their biomechanical technology on creatures greater than themselves- strange beings of immense size replete with pachydermic probosci.
However since the specimen in question was unfortunately destroyed, all of this is merely conjecture.

You must be thrilled.

Good info indeed. The possibilities are pretty much endless with that one  ^

[[cancerblack]]

It's a real pity I absolutely LOVE the majority of the book, the world building and the section on the Neomorph in particular is magnificent, perfect understanding of the creature as it is in the film. And the section on the Engineers I could go on about, but I'm disheartened because the parts actually concerning the Alien itself?
Not as palatable.

Spoiler

My one major issue is the nature of the Alien itself funnily enough, I don't see the need for all the "unique" versions, a great deal of them unhinging the realism the book so perfectly set up beforehand. The Weaver for example is entirely unnecessary, not great for something named "The Perfect Organism" - I do like the addition of the Stalker though, although it's existence I think required a clearer description.

For instance, I think in the Egg section it should have detailed three types of Eggs.
The regular one, producing the regular (Soldier) Alien, the Praetomorph Egg producing the Stalker Alien and the Praetorian Egg producing the Praetorian Facehugger- and perhaps go for the more believable terminology the Neomorph section used.

Why have three unique names for essentially the one thing changed slightly?

Why not just for the Soldier have "Soldier" and then "Armoured Soldier" for instance?

And for the Scout, "Scout" and "Armoured Scout" then?

And for the Charger, isn't it essentially identical to the Praetorian but just quadrupedal instead of bipedal? Why not merge them into the one creature?
In a story for instance just a Praetorian or two that were intended to be Queens just have to stay as is because a Queen is already present?

While I understand the "Royal Jelly" nonsense, might be useful for gameplay and all the castes, I don't think the believability/tonal/plausibility trade is worth it.

[close]

That's because a lot of the people who play DnD style RPGs demand endless variety and adding in that kinda stuff will help the game stay alive/in print, and doing it in a codified way rather than just hints and suggestions prevents arguments.

Having said that, in any games I run I'll be ignoring most of it, and any OC donut steel specialist creatures I do use will be described as different but not given gimmicky names (unless the players themselves nickname something).

Not sure how I feel about companies actually obtaining the Alien, nor the additions to Acheron LV-426;

Spoiler

The idea the Derelict survived, ambiguously. Instead of directly connecting it to The Cold Forge, or declaring it destroyed completely.

[close]

Fiorina 161;

Spoiler

Three Eggs in the bowels of the facility, Andrews, Boggs and Rains ovomorphed.

[close]

Or particularly LV-223- The inclusion of the awful Fire and Stone series continuity in particular is immensely disappointing, as is the referencing of the Pathogen as an "Accelerant" something retconned by Covenant. It's honestly totally took the wind out of my sails in regards to the book...

I'll have to read that part to judge.

Spoiler

Empress, okay but also Queen Mother? Also Alien King? Really?  Seriously?

[close]

Indefensible, but thankfully easily ignored.

[The Old One]

Yeah, I guess you're right about the variety of Alien but I wish I dunno, that the classifications of Alien were listed on one fold-out page and the more outlandish stuff was perhaps on the last fold so it's hidden by default to satisfy my obsession about various minutiae. lol

I just wish the "rumor control" part of LV-223 wasn't included at all.

On the bright side since the Acheron LV-426 Derelict's fate is decided by the story director and is left deliberately ambiguous I suppose you can say it's destroyed, and if you also don't want to return to Fiorina 161 you can reason I suppose that the three surviving Eggs died as no one returned to discover them. 

[Mr. Clemens]

Got my stuff! Very high quality materials, and well-packed...

[The Old One]

Any particular thoughts?

[Kailem]

Terminology:
Hieroglyphic tablets unearthed on Tanaka 5 call them Ossians. The decoded Derelict beacon on LV-426 made reference to the Mala'kak. Whatever they call themselves, to modern humanity Praetomorph they are known simply as the Engineers.

Tanaka 5, home of the Kenner Scorpion Aliens. I'm going to take this as a nod that all the Kenner variants are canon in this!

Snake Alien, Mantis Alien, Killer Crab Alien, let's go!

[The Old One]

lol please No.
But the Tanakan Scorpionids do get a full page.

[Local Trouble]

Now I'm fully expecting an AvP expansion to this thing.