A New Campaign Launch: Budget Numenera with Fusion 5E

So I just started my next campaign. I am using the homebrewed Fusion5e I created from blending DnD 5e with elements of Level Up 5e character creation rules and some Blackflag game mechanics.

The players had asked for something with a little more sci-fi aspect and browsed through a few campaign worlds before settling on Numenera. The others I think are really cool like Esper Genesis and Amethyst/Ultramodern felt a little TOO sci-fi-y. The world of Numenera is SO sci-fi its gone back to medieval as all the sci-fi stuff is now in ruins and ancient so its there -literally- under the surface but most people are walking around on foot and hand making tools and simple weapons.

But What About the Low-Cost Aspect?

So what about the low cost aspect that has been an ongoing theme of mine?

First, I had originally picked up several of the Numenera books through a HumbleBundle or BundleofHolding offer in the last couple of years. (Oh and see below for what's on now)

I know I have said in the past that those type of offers don't count as officially 'low cost' because they are not permanently at that price. However let's dig a little deeper:

I decided to start with the Glimmering Valley adventure because it was written as an introduction to the Numenera world. It is both a good collection of sand-boxy adventure scenarios AND a mini campaign setting with a complete starting village and a nearby small city that captures the flavour of the 'Ninth World.' Its not a rigid linear campaign book, it can be used piecemeal and intercut with other adventures set in first a rural area and then a urban setting. For example the PWYW Rel series from Michael Boisson would work very well.

This adventure is written for their own Cypher game system so it does need some adaptation for the mechanics and the NPCs but this is pretty straightforward. Looking through the book, I am guessing the characters will advance from level 1 to level maybe 10-12? That is -again roughly estimating- twenty gaming sessions without any side treks meaning for that much adventuring Glimmering Valley is a very good deal, well within my $2 per adventure goal.

You Don't Need the Rest (But Here's What's Out There)

Now you COULD also use the 5e books from Monte Cook such as the Arcana of the Ancients, Beasts of Steel and Flesh or the more broadly useful Beneath the Monolith campaign book but none of these are absolutely needed. I would recommend you at least pick up the beefy previews of each product to get an example of the juicy bits offered. (As an aside, I can also recommend you check out the previews for both Ptolus and Planebreaker as well.)

But really, it is a simple matter of using or reskinning your existing collection of 5e monsters/NPCs. Specifically, you can just look for Aberrations, Constructs, possibly even Fey and Elemental creatures. Or of course you can go the Sly Flourish 'Forge of Foes' type route by using his excellent Lazy GM's 5e Monster Builder

Building Out the Ninth World

I added in some additional elements to the world such as some specific scavenger-type artisans which I called bonejobbers, crystaljacks, oremongers and synthwrights who build useful and potentially powerful items from scavenged monster parts, glass and crystal, scrap metal and plastic respectively. (I based these trades on a blended jumbled memory of the scrappers from the Railsea novel, almost everyone in The Fallout TV series, Mad Max and later Walking Dead seasons, heh)

I decided that any low level zombie undead types are animated with technology so they will have wiring and some sort of scrapwork motherboard to explain why they are walking around smacking the players mindlessly. Otherwise I think its just vampires. Maybe ghouls but reskinned not as undead but infected humanoids who have turned to eating flesh and gone full 'cannibal.' I will decide about them later… maybe 28 days later…

I also layered in a haphazard mythology of ancestral and local spirits, unseen singularity AI networks ala William Gibson, lingering alien consciousness, and maybe even some Old Gods of Appalachia cult vibe -to explain the future werewolf rivals/villains I love using. These will crystallize as the players need and discover things.

Stay tuned…

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$2DM Value Notices

On Bundle of Holding.com right now you should check out:

• Dyson
• Brancalonia
• Dungeononmicon

And over at Humble Bundle

• Roll Big or Go Home 2
• Free League RPG Collection
• Dungeon Crawl Classics Essentials

And if you see any good deals anywhere, time sensitive or now please feel free to post them in our Discord channel #free-resources over here.

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Roll high, spend low.

— The Two Dollar DM