Coyote & Crow 3.85 - Touring The Five Great Nations of Makasing.

OK, time to take a break from promoting NUNA, and so let's have a sojourn through the lands of the OG Indigenous RPG, Coyote & Crow!

Psst, you can pick up the NUNA Quickstart HERE!

I generally prefer roleplaying games made from an established IP (Intellectual Property or known books or movies) for two reasons. First, everyone at the table knows exactly what to expect from a game set in the world of Star Wars, Stormbringer, or Alien, and this makes roleplaying and running a game much easier and more enjoyable. Second, since the early days of the hobby and even now an innumerable amount of homebrew, largely derivative gameworlds have vied for our increasingly limited attention. Aside from some innovative creations such as that of Paranoia, Deadlands, or Dark Sun, the vast majority is pap and good only for bedside reading.


I am happy to say that Coyote & Crow’s gameworld is an engaging and complex civilization, and one that certainly deserves a few novels much more than most of the TSR books from back in the day. If Coyote & Crow ever put out a call for novelists, I would be happy to throw my hat in the ring.

The Fluid Canon of Makasing

First, off the bat I like that Coyote & Crow writers have denied the slavish obedience to canon that hobbles franchises like Start Wars, with its need to jam in ALL creations of the last half century and know the name of every little conflict or character. Instead, C&C writers have baked ambiguity into the setting. They begin the gazeteer thus:


“This information was collected and collated by envoys from Cahokia who have traveled abroad and have returned with various observations. As such, keep in mind that these are their individual observations and may be laden with biases, faulty information, rumor, and conjecture.” (74)


This caveat allows GMs a free hand in bringing Makasing to life, and ensures that every table will have its own, dynamic version of the setting. For my adventure Initiation Day, I set the game in the future when farflung nations such as Hawaii, the Ezcan Empire, and the Inuit kingdoms have reconnected and Makasing faces the challenges of welcoming their disparate values and practices into the Suyata (ie super deputies).

Region 1 - Haudenosaunee (The East Coast)

The northeast coast of Makasing is the home of the Haudenosaunee, a confederation of 5 nations directly south of the glaciers. The Haudenosaunee were the hardest hit by Awis and the flood of refugees it spawned.


(NB What is ‘sogami’? Could be the expanding ice from the north re context of refugees. First truly unknown word, so kudos to their editing. Must have been a massive job)


Haudenosaunee is New England, basically. It is a melting pot of refugees, conquered tribes, and former allies. The five nation Grand Council needs consensus on decisions, and Laws are made by the Council of Sagamores, with an upper female house and lower male house. Considering gender representations still lags in our reality, this is a nice touch.


The region boasts the biggest cities, much like NYC, which are linked by Algonquin traders. Haudenosaunee leads in Daso technology (77), ie the internet, although this term is not explained till over 30 pages later (117). Dunno if this is a mistake or appetite whetting.


Like NYC, Haudenosee is a meritocracy for anyone willing to assimilate, exclusion for those who don’t. The Chahi trade language that allows social advancement can be an impediment if the first language is something else.


The Social Ranks of Haudenosaunee also give it depth:

Yavi - top of social pyramid, ancestors of founding members

Unlad - bottom, Cree and Anishinabee workers who don’t integrate

Gatli - Non assimilated members in northern towns, ceremonial representatives resolving deadlocks by symbolic power. Gatli are mostly explorers and researchers of special Adnadi, monster hunters of the north. LOTS of adventure seeds here!


As do its Factions:


Keepers of the Fire - Masters of ceremony, regulate the Adanadi

Mingo - Western border rangers, half law half bandit or paid guide

Kari Kehro - City builders, grip labour market & huge fortune. Sometimes hire extra legal help.

Northmen - Gatli who are valued for Adanadi but otherwise seen as expendable


Adventure Seed - Dirty Deeds & The Thunder Chief. Kari Kehro city builders hire PCs to get something in a lawless Mingo area.


Tadodahan - This capitol city is (p 24) on what we call the Saint Lawrence Seaway, in other words possibly analogous to Montreal. I like that this implies that river travel is the main route for trade, and that the absence of colonialism means that the trans-Pacific trade routes were never developed. This means that Cahokian urban placement can have very little to do with our world’s geography and instead reflect indigenous patterns of habitation.


I am not American and so might have missed the references to other cities, such as Chalakatha, an Unlad city possibly in West Virginia due to its 6 hills. Kahonto could be Toronto with its Gatlie Northmen population, while Saginaw on the east coast might not be the same place as Saginaw in Michigan. I am clueless to the whereabouts of Ganadag, the ceremonial center in the west.


On one hand, I would have liked a regional map. On the other, decolonizing the mental map of indigenous city = which colonial outpost is a great feature of the descriptions.

TLDR - NYC ruled by city builders.

Region 2 - Ti’Swaq Alliance (Pacific Northwest)

According to the map, this is the Pacific Northwest. Spared much devastation, now wealthy and a cultural power that influences art and design across Makasing. So, non colonial Hollywood. The Alliance is ruled by a hereditary line of female unifiers who hold potlatches to maintain relations and counsel other nations. Some antimonarch sentiment, but elected autocrats and ability to move away keeps peace internally and with neighbors.


Ti’Swaq lag behind other regions in The Gift, but concentrated in portable technology to make up. There are lots of other flourishes that I hope show up in the rules later: Big machines, sun power, airships, weapons, portable microtech, small batteries, gat printers and supplies, dasu (daso?) code.


So, others have big clunky tech with Adanadi, Ti’swaq has gone small on both.


They have a big navy but don’t venture north, and maintain the status quo. Economically conservative, don’t compete, leave much land undeveloped. Longhouses and public spaces, multigenerational apartment blocks.


Ti’Swaq use geothermal and river power, but have no roads, instead use yutsu hovering above dense forests.


Social rank is fixed:


Nobles -Diplomacy, laws, and advising the council

Merchants - Supply needs and aristocratic wants

Stick People - Laborers on farms and fishing


Descriptions sound VERY west coast:

“Walking through the emerald and glass superstructures on the coast, a visitor can almost always find someone with a couple of tools to fix your Second Eyes, a dance or trick to use at a party, or an entertainer who is going to hit their big break any day now.” (81)


Bacially, Ti’Swq is Steampunk Vancouver. Funny that I am living here and can see its echoes in the murals and land acknowledgments for the Coast Salish people.


Ti’Swaq is thus the developed West versus the underdeveloped East of the Haudenosaunee. Politicians and cities are on the coast, with shrewd farmers in the east who resent the power & politics. In both places, there is an underclass of workers with growing resentment against those controlling a narrative that does not match their lives.


Adventure Seed: Exploration of the islands revealed by glacial retreat has caused the development of Archaeology. Who knows what they will find?


Major Cities

Si’ahl:Major city on the sound with a rich dramatic tradition. Sounds like Hollywood, possibly LA or San Francisco..


Sholeetsa:The capital at the foot of Ti’Swaq. Could be Seattle, or Vancouver if the ice weren’t there.

TLDR - Hollywood & Silicon Valley in the trees.

Region 3 - DINÉ REPUBLIC (The Southwest)

Strong and cohesive due to external threat of Ezcan Empire, at the vanguard of the coalition that repelled them. Large exporter of crops due to western farmland, even trade with the Empire now. Spiritual thought center, discoverer of the mystic D12 math theories.


Is Coyote City Santa Fe? My US geography is not up to scratch.


Decentralized local governments to accommodate linguistic and cultural diversity of its peoples. Clan or bands govern their large areas, and coordinate with national government for support. No secondary level of government, instead band leaders meet to coordinate in Kivas holy cities. No head of state, just bands governing the military and economy together.

Surprisingly, it is the center of scientific advance and Adnadi studies. This hints at the connection of science and mysticism in Makasing.

“The economy of Diné is one of the most powerful in the known world, built off a backbone of scientific advancement. Coyote City in particular is a critical research hub for the biotechnology, agriculture, climate restoration, and studies of The Adanadi.” (83)

Dine play a large role in military and exploration.

One major religion, Hozho or The Way, with regular activities celebrating Diné escape from the underworld and reverence towards albinos.

Strong economically and militarily, but plagued with discrimination against Uto-Ezcan people after the wars. Reminds me of Japanese Americans in WWII.

Compared to other nations, the cities are very evocative and full of adventure possibilities. I will refrain from embarrassing myself further by not guessing where they are in our world:


Yaanga: Major city nestled in the valleys of the Western province

Pimu: Military and exploration frontier city on an island

Coyote City: Major research hub and capital of The Republic

Tseyi: Major spiritual site and agricultural center

NiAlnigi:Ceremonial hub of the nation without permanent dwellings

GreenMountain: City built into the side of cliffs which played a pivotal role in the All Tribes War

Oraibi: This small town is famous for one reason: it is the oldest continually inhabited town in the known world and its establishment predates the Awis. Does this mean other cities are all post Awis?


Once again, Dine has intriguing Factions like in other regions.


Keepers of the Ancient Ones - Academic priests who master old petroglyps and apply them to The Gift

Corn Pollen Keepers - Stewards of genetics and crop science

The Twelve - Twelve hermaphrodite clan ambassadors valued for their diplomatic abilities

Coyote Crime Lords - Seven clans that profit off synthetic corn-based materials

The Ancients - Followers of older religions, shunned for faith but also protected legally. Vocal in independence discourses, mostly peaceful with some extremism.

TLDR - Technomagic Texas. Yee haw!

Region 4 - KEETOOWAGI FEDERATION (Southeast)

This is a former slaver society still smarting after 200 years. They have had conflicts with Haudenosee, and fortifications are still left over from that time. They boast the most complex government, interconnected provinces, and outward facing federal government. As the creators note,

“This creates a labyrinthine legal system requiring intense academic knowledge of its innerworkings. Despite that, other nations often model their legal documents, court systems, and treaty processes after the Keetoowagi, who have become known as master diplomats and legal scholars. “(86)

They also trade with the Ezcan by creative interpretation of the treaty laws, frustrating other nations of Makasing. Multimodal fighting force is a rare standing army that can fight in air, on land, and at sea. Currently fighting piracy in the gulf.

Wealth comes from trade to Cahokia and Bayang, so playing both sides. Spared the worst of Awis by gulf current warmth. Advanced biomedical research and long lifespans due to care. Keetowagi engages in open trade, with some wealthy CEOs pushing for industrial espionage ie stealing secrets from other nations. Etisus or quartermasters enrich selves by controlling production, demand tribal loyalty from workers, and claim their achievements as basis for Keetoowagi success. They are Uber capitalists.

I have to say, I love that Coyote & Crow creators have replicated some of the evils of our social system in their gameworld. This grounds the game in reality and prevents any Mary Sue/Utopian accusations from sticking. Some more detail on social class would have been welcome, but one can imagine the pyramid starting with Etisus (capitalists) at top, down through to lawyers and corporate management, to workers below that.

There are four pharmaceutical companies like cities, large security forces and rumours of espionage networks. Meanwhile, advanced fishing feeds the nation.

The nation is built from dozens of cultures, so cosmopolitan and modern. Sharing is a cultural value, private property a new thing so Etisus seen with suspicion. Internal grievances between tribes drag on in court.

Mound building is prevalent, without Cahokian style tunnels due to terrain, cites are spread out low & flat. Transport is mostly by water or air, so trails are disappearing. Pensacola Bay and Ocute are huge ports. Capital seems to be Savannah or Charleston.

TLDR - Florida as a lawyered up Corp State

Region 5 - THE FREE LANDS (The midwest and center)

The Free Lands, composed of central plains led by Cahokia, get their name from their undefined borders. As stated,

“Instead, the city-state of Cahokia leads other smaller governments in the idea that no one, and no government, can claim such large swaths of territory for themselves. The autonomy of the Free Cities and their resistance to consolidation are a point of pride for Cahokia and the smaller groups within the Free Lands. In reality, they all likely survive due to the international influence of Cahokia.” (89)

FACTIONS

The Paha - Coastal traders, hagglers & bureaucrats, lost lands due to flooding and on the wane. Known for rare algae cloth.

The Anikora - Architects & engineers, live in beautiful underground cities. Humourless, orderly, polite, and effective. Known for strict education and superior buildings and materials.

The Nahoonak - Far north dwellers, broke off from Anikora. Live in crystal green houses, most vegetarian, loyal to their way of life, arrogant, short-tempered but quick to cool down. Religious prohibition against eating non Adnandi fruit and veg outside of their own creations. (THIS IS AWESOME!)

The Makokamit - Cowboys, herding buffalo, turkey, and antelope. Expert animal husbands, rotate between city and rural life. Live and let live democrats. Considered coarse or loud, but also flashy and into music, dance and dress.

Tomoha - Eastern forest dwellers, live in tree houses powered by Cahokian solar. Invented flight, use peha solar powered 2 man flyers. Very stable government with both religious inherited leader, elected leader, and regular votes. Value harmony, blend in so well are called The Invisible or Tree People.

Nakotoo - Nomads, defectors from other people, seen as a nuisance. Believe in balance, help the unfortunate or rob the over fortunate. Robin Hoods but also robbing hoods.

TLDR - Rough and tumble midwest with rugged individualists

Region 6 - OUTSIDE (Central & South America)

Ezcan Empire - Tech based on nationalist zeal, aka North Korea? Expansionist, grew most until the All Tribes’ War. Benevolent dictator with strict class system supporting him, liberates conquered from lesser governments. High standard of living and peace for citizens.


Raramori - Secretive hillmen holding out north of Ezcan. Toughest warriors on the planet, secretive of numbers and location.


Note - Is Abazang Central America, with Abayang South America? A map or clearer descriptions would definitely go a long way here. I'm also going to say it - a glossary of all words from yutzu to deso would have been very welcome. Not a deal breaker, but a second edition should have these.


Abayang - I’m going to skip over all this as Makasing is the focus of my gaming. Good to know there are options, though, and as well defined and diverse as those in Makasing.

TLDR - Lots of amazing places to expand a game to, from indigenous North Korea to the mountain peoples.

Conclusion

Makasing holds an amazingly inviting array of peoples and places with which to game. Many of the RPG gazeteers I have read back in the day were dull because they built a world but left no place for the player characters. Coyote & Crow gives regional descriptions that will colour the roleplaying of any character from there, which is what a world should do. Reading this section inspired my adventure Initiation Day, where fledgling Suyata from Makasing and beyond had to put aside their differences to solve a mystery. If a gameworld is inspiring adventures right off the bat, you know it is good.

Elric at the End of Time

 So I’m rereading this banger that I haven’t looked at in about 20 years

There’s so much good stuff in here for a Moorcock afficianado.

First, Elric reveals that Chaos means a place where the laws of nature do not apply. Snow doesn’t melt, but merely sits in deserts. A land can extend to the horizon then loop up overhead and back to itself. This again is what I have talked about regarding Moorcocken gaming, and validates my use of weird or psychedelic elements in my roleplaying adventures, as opposed to the endless series of combat encounters that seems to dominate modern gaming. I find that the weird encounters I create are always well received, and the Nuna playtest responses do mention positively the delicious creepiness of such touches in my own game.

In terms of the old Stormbringer game, Elric is sent to the End of Time after a huge wizard battle on Sorcerer's Isle. There’s mention of a tribe of Subhumans, the Kretti, who seem to be the inspiration for the monsters the Kay in the old scenario Crystal of Daerdaerdarth.

I still have a response to The Skraeling Tree to write (TLDR not as bad as the general reaction would have it, and lots of useful Moorcock stuff in there), and will also review Elric at the End of Time when I kill off the beast of Eval Ooayshuns and begin the timeless Limbo known as Summer Vacation.

Coyote & Crow Review # 3 - An Indigenous World To Explore

THE ALTERNATE TIMELINE

At the end of chapter 4, the authors give us a very interesting Timeline - vague enough to be useful, but with some intriguing events. First, the primacy of math and STEM skills comes as a surprise initially, probably due to modern media associations of the indigenous with mysticism, which is often contrasted against western empiricism. Yet in our world, indigenous tribes such as the Tsimane in Bolivia can do calculations on base five at much greater sums than their western counterparts, so a uniquely indigenous scientific enlightenment from non-western ways of knowing is quite intriguing. Additionally, there is a mention of 3D printers called ‘gats’ without any details, and such a world changing invention on par with Gutenberg’s printing press needs more explanation, in my opinion. 

I appreciate how the Adanadi (ie superpowers) are made into a cultural ceremonial practice, received at the highest the levels of potency and only at the peak of adolescence. This really makes a striking comparison with western supermen and their individualistic origins and appearance.

Other highlights include the positive religious reaction to exploration, and the All Tribes War for resources during the ice age, which was followed by the current peace. Having this peace threatened by growing tribalism is compelling politics, and once again shows the authors’ intent to present indigenous people as human and not magical noble savages.

The C&C creators are going the hard route in terms of setting, trying to make an internally consistent world that feels very different from our own. I really admire their efforts.

But if the Timeline is an appealing taster that whets one’s appetite for roleplaying in Makasing, the next chapter is a flood of information that some may find awe inspiring, but others may feel a little adrift in.

RETURN TO MAKASING

Because Makasing is comprised of the Americas, it is enormous, and so the authors limit the initial setting to the capital city of Cahokia. Although I am impressed by the scope and ambition of all I have read so far, there are two criticisms I have heard about the book, and they become evident in Chapter 5 as the authors introduce their world via Cahokia at length.

First, people have told me that the book’s organization has issues. I can see this in chapter 5, which introduces the world soup to nuts, from geography to culture to snippets of life to technology and economy, etc etc, leaping from one concept to the next with little warning. In a way, it is a worldwind tour that proves more useful as an inspiration to improvisational Story Guides, rather than as a guide to by-the-book GMs. For those used to gameworld atlases with searchable indexes, this chapter may come as a shock.

(The headings I use below are all my own, and I hope that if there is a Coyote & Crow 2nd edition, a few subheadings or other signposts will be used.)

Second, people have expressed vague disappointment that the technology is just a reskinning of our own, and that our realworld innovations are historic and culturally specific, and so Makasing’s progress should be different. Although I haven’t finished reading the chapter yet (old man, I needed to break it up into two sittings), I am surprised at the vagueness of technological descriptions at this point.

To be blunt, I am totally onboard with a high tech indigenous society. However, I would love to insert existing indigenous technologies, such as the Incan & pre-Columbian stonework that was based on corn kernel distribution. This non-standardized brickwork has resisted time and movement for centuries, and the buildings at Machu Picchu were examined by Japanese scientists after the Kobe earthquake due to their stability and durability. Similarly, Tenochitatlan boasted an intricate yet robust water system, while the Incan civilization used a knot-based writing style that was destroyed during Colonization. Reviving indigenous technologies destroyed or disappeared during Colonialism would have been a nice touch here.

As we shall see, the authors touch on many indigenous technologies, but I feel more could have been done to connect these to lost realworld examples.

DESTINATION CAHOKIA

I was initially a  little surprised at the urban focus, probably due again to western media depictions of indigenous people as nomadic, and the impression that indigenous cities were more of a south American phenomenon. But I decided to give it a chance, and the more I read the more I agree with the authors’ instincts.

Cahokia is detailed as having 2 million inhabitants, making it equal to Houston TX. Defining Cahokia as a sovereign city-state is interesting, and seems pre-industrial in a way, like many fantasy RPG settings. The authors further state, “Cahokia is a sprawling, energetic city, but not a hurried or crowded one.” This differentiates Cahokia from modern cities and their urban sprawl and social decay, and aligns with many utopian fantasy locales.

Again, I consider this depiction of Cahokia as deeply Decolonial. The authors write, “Without the poverty and inequality present in our real world cities, there is not as much petty crime. But that doesn't mean that Cahokia is a safe place or that there aren't dangers. Clashing belief systems, political and spiritual, are always simmering below the surface. There are secrets around every corner and new threats lurking in every shadow.” To me, Cohokia seems like Tokyo from a James Bond movie, safe on the surface but with dangerous depths, and that is precisely how I would run it.

The city map and descriptions are beautiful, both works of art. Once again, there is mention of 3D printers called ‘gats’ but they haven’t been properly introduced so are perplexing. On the other hand, the etymology of Cahokia is interesting, and reflects the loss of original place names under colonialism.

I am glad to see references to comedy clubs and restaurants, but it is a bit perplexing. If there is no colonialism (and capitalism), why is there up and down scale? I guess humans are the same everywhere.

I do appreciate the inclusion of comedy as part of healing, and later food. This helps step outside of the western medical tradition, and reflects the more holistic indigenous view of health and well-being. In our world, several restaurants in the U.S. focus on indigenous cuisine and healing practices, with the most prominent being Owamni by The Sioux Chef in Minneapolis. This restaurant is part of the North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS), a group that emphasizes the revitalization of Native American culture and health via food.

In the description of shops I felt there is a  bit too much focus on what each district offers for sale. For a decolonized indigenous setting, I would add free gardens, pick it yourself fields, etc. This was part of my upbringing in Labrador, filling pails of blueberries and cloudberries in summer, and I would have loved to see guerilla gardening as a staple of Cahokia.

SUYATA (MARSHALS) & SUNDRY

The chapter shifts to a brief mention of Cahokia’s market socialist government and gifting economy, although there is an Economics section later on. The authors detail how there is no owning of land, just individual stewardship based on shared rights and responsibilities, which suits the game perfectly. Next they shift into a brief introduction to governing councils, notably how Council members caught between social good and benefit to their lineage, once again underlining the humanity of this world’s inhabitants.

From there the text introduces Suyata, 10, 000 marshals who go around righting wrongs, which has a very Dogs in the Vineyard feel to it. Citizens have to give two years of social duty (peace corps army style). One interesting tidbit dropped in this section is that the success rate of Adanadi (super powering process) is only 20%, which has produced 400 K supers in total. This means under a quarter of the population of Cahokia has powers, but that only 1 in 200 is on patrol at any given moment.

Basically, Suyata is the indigenous version of One Riot One Ranger, with the Adanadi taking on the mantle of outnumbered agents for the Council.

HOUSING & TRANSPORTATION

Although the previous section introduced Cahokia’s multigenerational homes owned by diverse bands, a detail very in keeping with the indigenous setting, the text next focuses on the architecture of Cahokia. The description of Cahokia as a largely underground city, with its half buried mound homes, is very interesting, and similar to Inuit winter lodges. Ditto the decolonial description of the lack of power grid, which is replaced by self-generating green homes.

This clear picture of Cahokian home life contrasts with the nonchalant reference to flying ‘yutsu’ barges and mini trains. Like the previously mentioned ‘gat’ printers, an explanation of the word and its social significance first would have been nice. Maybe they’re trying to ramp up expectation, but it is just frustrating to hear these key terms and have no idea what they are. Another nice touch is the description of tribal decoration as part of technology. 

More details reinforce both the green tech and socialist nature of Cahokia. Beetles and fish are used to filter waste water, there is no homelessness, and visitors to Cahokia stay with extended family over hotels. In addition, there is a Keynesian freedom from work, and high taxes to support all the communal infrastructure. In other words, SOCIALISM! This is a brave choice for US based authors, where socialism is often used as a slur or bugbear by demagogues trying to protect their exploitative free market system.

At this point, there is a sudden switch to a 3rd person narrative of a woman welcoming visitors for a meal. This would have been less jarring set apart as fiction, but it does its job of emulating the feel of Cahokia life & social interactions well.

AGRICULTURE

Realworld indigenous tech such as The Three Sisters (ie growing corn, beans, and rice together) are finally introduced as cuisine, then agriculture. I really dig the idea of seed exchanges, greenhouses, and trade for ungrowable things as part of the Cahokian food economy. This leads into another big decolonial notion, the lack of lifestyle diseases due to healthy diet. The authors stress the freedom from struggle for sustenance, but also the connection to food and land via social life (ie berry picking). Chefs are also finally introduced as healers.

VERDICT

Overall, I feel this chapter is brimming with innovative, decolonial ideas, but organizing by theme would help the reader be ready for roleplaying better, which is the point after all. Personally, I would rewrite the chapter as a lesson taught by older Suyata to young initiates from all corners of Makasing, who would be brimming with questions as they walk through the city for the first time, kind of a Socratic dialogue that brings readers along for the ride.

Coyote & Crow Review #2

MAKING ALTERNATE TIMELINES

Worldbuilding is tough for anyone, and doubly so when trying to imagine an indigenous world that never was.

The C&C team has done a great job of it.

First, the C&C team set up their world as a divergent history, where a mysterious meteor struck 700 years ago. This came to be known as the Night of the Awis, and marks the start of an alternate timeline to ours. No Europeans ever make it to Makasing, their cognate for North America, and the Awis causes a brief ice age which forces the peoples of the land to band together, but leaves powerful gifts that enhance human abilities. Makasing is thus a wholly indigenous land without capitalist or western cultural influences, and the authors list some of the important differences:

Some other things that don't exist in this world: Alcoholic drinks (alcohol exists, but not as a part of the culture in any relevant format), fossil fuels, culturally embedded shame over nudity and sexuality, wheat and wheat products, industrial meat farming. The list is long. 

The gameworld itself thus acts as a mental exercise in decolonialism, urging the players to imagine a world where none of the destructive ‘innovations’ (ie alcohol, body shaming, and gasoline) exist. I find this very liberating, especially more than the corporate RPG sphere where orcs and other ‘pest’ races have shamans, coding them as primitives fighting against the civilized races of (western) men 

The retreat of the mini ice age’s existential threat poses the twin problems of internal dissent and fear of external unknowns. Facing these twin challenges is where our enhanced heroes come in. In C&C’s world, Colonialism never was, but indigenous peace and prosperity are just as complicated.

This is a converse approach to NUNA, where a mysterious event in our future cuts the region off and forces the Inuit back to the land, where they thrive and lead other peoples in survival. In NUNA, Colonialism happened, but it was just another drop in the river of time and the world is moving on in mysterious ways, with remnants of our time scattered about. Survival is a key theme, as is conflict between the Inuit, Vikings, and Whalers, all of which are futuristic echoes of the region’s history. There is also an alien technology used by the awakened Scientists, as well as supernatural threats from Inuit folklore, and Lovecraftean Ice Leviathans, to keep adventurers on their toes. In NUNA, culture is a superpower, whether it be Inuit knowledge of the land, Whaler knowledge of technology, or Scientist access to weird science.

IT’S A KIND OF MAGIC

Every fantasy gameworld needs its own form of magic, and Coyote & Crow provide a unique origin for theirs.

C&C presents the Gifts of the Adanadi, supernatural powers stemming from the Night of the Awis, which are cultivated and bred, treated as sacred, and linked to animal totems, but rest beyond the knowledge of mundane biology. I appreciate that the authors don’t fall into the trap of trying to scientifically explain their magic and mystery, an all too common tendency that has hobbled other franchises (mitochlorians, anyone?). As the authors put it,

This is also a world where legend meets science. In our world, this is often seen as a battle between right and wrong or good and evil. It is the idea that one has to be fundamentally correct and by necessity, the other wrong. This viewpoint comes primarily from a western European way of thinking. In Coyote & Crow, an advanced piece of science can still have spiritual value. A supernatural experience doesn't have to be dismissed because science doesn't easily explain it. For most folks, the mystical and the logical exist side by side on a daily basis.

I don’t think this will be as hard to accept as the previous decolonial landscape. Modern people are inherently superstitious, they buy lotto tickets despite being broke, blow on dice for luck, and in Japan they purchase lucky charm amulets to pass an exam then board the bullet train to go to the test venue.

By contrast, NUNA has three types of technology that seem magical. First, there is the near future technology that survived the cataclysm and is used by Southern Inuit, Whalers, and Vikings. Second, there is the traditional Inuit knowledge and skills that almost died out in our world after the Moravian missionaries stopped the traditional migratory Inuit lifestyle, then the sedentary lifestyle that prevailed after Labrador joined Canada in 1949. Because of these two events, many Inuit lost touch with traditional practices, and fell prey to lifestyle diseases, but in NUNA they have refound their traditional path. Finally, Scientists access a form of super science that seems like magic or science fiction, and defies traditional logic, and is inspired by retro futurism. These competing ‘magics’ reflect the setting of Labrador as both home of Inuit myths, Cold War DEW line early warning and US Air Force bases, and setting of post apocalyptic fiction like Joh Wyndham’s The Chrysalids.

SUPERPOWERS

Connected to the general magic of a gameworld, heroic characters also need superhuman powers in most RPGs.

C&C introduces the Adanadi as superpowers for its player characters. The pink mark on living organisms left by the Night of the Awis has been incorporated into the indigenous way of knowing, and is used to create heroes. As the authors write, 

Introducing more of the Adanadi into the body at just the right point in adolescence transforms the person permanently, improving them physiologically and sometimes granting them abilities beyond normal human parameters. The choice to take a specific form of the Adanadi, concentrated from a specific animal, became known as choosing your Path. While different nations and tribes have an array of ceremonies and customs surrounding this ritual, they all have many common aspects. 

This is an inversion of the Steve Rogers supersoldier serum of Captain America, where one test subject is transformed from zero to hero so he can go fight in colonial wars. He is the American dream made flesh, a technocratic silver bullet that can fulfill the promise of By contrast, Adnani powers are rooted in indigenous community, tied to nature and traditions.

The closest analogy in NUNA would be the Scientists, whose knowledge comes to them one day and lets them gain access to godlike technomagic powers, at the cost of fealty to unknown forces. For the Inuit of NUNA, their greatest superpower is the deep culturally ingrained knowledge of their land, both its physical and mystical properties. The Vikings cling to pre-cataclysm technology for survival, as do the Whalers, who also add the mystical powers gained from their hunt against the monstrous deep sea Ice Leviathans. This means that NUNA is a grittier land than Masaking, but with flashes of alien magic.

CALL TO ADVENTURE

Finally, players need a good call to adventure in any game, and Makasing has its challenges. As the authors put it,

Now though, with the climate evening out and with nations possessing rapidly advancing technology and the will to use it, the race is on to explore this great new world; to discover new resources and power, to make discoveries for scientific progress, and to meet new people for crafting strategic alliances.

Many now believe that while the change in weather has allowed people to venture out, it might also be opening the door to let things in. And the dangers in this world aren't just external. With a surge in population and an explosion in new technology, old treaties created when the climate was suffering are no longer enough to keep some nations and leaders from looking to expand their advantages over their neighbors. 

This is a refreshing change from the ‘kill them and take their stuff’ ethic of older roleplaying games, and once again is deeply decolonial. Additionally, the inclusion of internal strife and political maneuvering avoids the noble savage trope, and paints the people of Makasing as human and inherently flawed. I see the same complex characterization in the hit anime Frieren, where humans have learned magic to fight against the predatory Demons, but after defeating the Demon King, they now have to deal with infighting and political maneuvering. The only issue with this nuanced setting could be that it presents a high bar for Gamemasters, who are used to the low bar of colonial roleplaying tropes (kill + loot). But I think it is worth the effort.

NUNA presents the twin themes of survival and exploration, with the second often serving the needs of the first. Characters may need to search for a Tunit cave or wrecked Iceship Macguffin to save or heal a community. Thus adventuring in NUNA is a much grittier, pressing affair.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I am thoroughly impressed by the ambition of Coyote & Crow. First, they propose an entire continent of adventure, while in NUNA I limit myself to one large territory. Second, they envision a non-colonial setting and gameplay, something that is a challenge for many of us born and bred in a world where exploration & exploitation are considered heroic traits. Still, I am greatly inspired by their work, and confident I can make NUNA an equally compelling game, even if it is not of the same grandiose size.

Ironsworn RPG Session 0 Report

 So anyway, I am in a Facebook group called I'm Begging You To Play Another RPG. Basically, it is for people with 5E or general D&D fatigue, spurred on by the difficulty of finding groups to play indie or other games, as well as the despair of seeing 5E versions of IPs not really suited for it. If you feel the same at times, give it a look.

One of the other Beggars offered to get an online group of Ironsworn up and running. Ironsworn is a Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) game inspired by Norse myths, where the PCs are either wardens or other travelers adventuring in the Ironlands, trying to fulfill various oaths they have sworn. There is a defined progression and endgame, and how well characters fulfill their promises determines how they live out their days, in honor or ignominy.

The pre-session our GM ran on ZOOM and Roll20 involved world building by choosing the different of the setting, then starting character generation. 

I have never had more fun in my life in a pre-game session.

We decided the following about our version of the Ironlands:

1) THE TRUTH - Strange metal pillars litter the land

2) BEASTS - Monsters stalk the wastelands

3) COMMUNITIES - The Havens is a central hub, connected by caravan trails to smaller settlements

4) DEFENSE - Wardens range the countryside slaying beasts and saving folk

5) CREATURES - The ancient firstborn races live in isolation, protecting their lands fiercely

6) HORRORS - Undead stalk the night

7) LEADERS - The chiefs of the Havens squabble incessantly, factions vying for control

8) LEGACIES - Antediluvian ruins pepper the land

9) MYSTICISM - Rare and dangerous, magic is wielded by a gifted few at great cost

10) RELIGION - Prayers to gods old and new comfort the folk

11) OLD WORLD - A sickness drove us from there

As someone who HATES canon and dreads the droning info dump of most pre-sessions, the convivial atmosphere of cooperation, where we all discussed and decided on the outlines of the imaginary world we would share, was a great relief and loads of fun. Each choice also came with story hooks which we could hang our PCs' hats on.

We only dipped out toes in character generation before calling it a day, but so far we have the following characters sketched out:

A skald (bard) searching for a lost city!

His companion, a merchant always looking for trinkets!

A monster hunter searching for his disappeared mentor!

A warden haunted by dreams of apocalypse, looking to find the truth behind her nightmares!

In short, the mechanics lead to evocative characters, while the choice of Assets (basically gear or talents) is both rich and devilishly difficult.

I can't wait to see what we all bring to the table next session.

Also, as Beggars with a shared desire to try new game systems, everyone was very open and supportive of each other. The GM was patient, knowledgeable, and flexible, all of which bodes well for the campaign.

The only downside is that I have a new rule set to read just as the new semester and funding application season starts.

Sigh. I guess change is as good as a rest and I'll sleep when I'm dead.

The game is available as a free download HERE. There is also a dungeon-exploration variant called DELVE. If you're looking for an alternative to D&D with emergent world building and character generation, give it some love.