Random Generation of 1970s Boogie Vans

Tags

1960s, 1970s, 20th Century, American Fantasy, American folklore, American Legend, Americana, Bikers, crime, Fantasy Road Trip, Fictional Road, Groovy Era, Groovy Seventies, Highway Horror, Hippies, Hitchhikers, open world, Prairie Horror, Road Crawl, Roadcrawl, Roadtrip, Romance of the Road, Seventies, Sixties, Swinging Sixties, The Ready Rules of the Road, Uncanny Highway, United States

The fully-customized Boogie Van is perhaps the most iconic image of 1970s car culture. Such vans could be any color imaginable, often sporting airbrushed images of wizards and fantasy creatures. Inside, the carpeted or upholstered interiors might feature everything from waterbeds to quadraphonic sounds systems. They were vehicles made for partying – and loving – on the road!

Gamemasters using The Uncanny Highway setting can use these tables to randomly determine (or select) the characteristics of any Boogie Vans encountered by the PCs. Players, of course, can use these table to design the most bitchin’ Boogie Van for their PCs.

Boogie Van Body Style

d4	The body is a…
1	flat-faced cabover design…
3 – 5	short-hooded design…
6	full-hooded design…

d20	…with…
1	swing-out front cab doors, a hatchback rear,…
2	swing-out front cab doors, two swing-out rear doors,…
3	swing-out front cab doors, one swing-out side door, two swing-out rear doors,…
4	swing-out front cab doors, one swing-out side door, a hatchback rear,…
5	swing-out front cab doors, one gull-wing side door, two swing-out rear doors,…
6	swing-out front cab doors, one gull-wing side door, a hatchback rear,…
7	swing-out front cab doors, swing-out doors on either side, two swing-out rear doors,…
8	swing-out front cab doors, swing-out doors on either side, a hatchback rear,…
9	swing-out front cab doors, two swing-out doors on one side, two swing-out rear doors,…
10	swing-out front cab doors, two swing-out doors on one side, a hatchback rear,…
11	swing-out front cab doors, gull-wing doors doors on either side, swing-out rear doors,…
12	swing-out front cab doors, gull-wing doors doors on either side, a hatchback rear,…
13	swing-out front cab doors, one sliding side door, swing-out rear doors,…
14	swing-out front cab doors, one sliding side door, a hatchback rear,…
15	swing-out front cab doors, sliding doors on either side, swing-out rear doors,…
16	swing-out front cab doors, sliding doors on either side, a hatchback rear,…
17	swing-out front cab doors, two swing-out doors on one side, two swing-out rear doors,…
18	swing-out front cab doors, two swing-out doors on one side, a hatchback rear,…
19	swing-out front cab doors, two swing-out doors on either side, two swing-out rear doors,…
20	swing-out front cab doors, two swing-out doors on either side, a hatchback rear,…

d12	…and a…
1 – 7	normal suspension.
8 – 9	high suspension.
10 – 11	lowered suspension.
12	lowered front, with larger wheels in the rear.

 

Boogie Van Paintjob

d20	The overall color of the van is…
1 – 2	white,…
3	black,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
4	silver,…
5	gold,…
6	brown,…
7	cherry red,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
8	flame red,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
9	deep red,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
10	deep blue,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
11	sky blue,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
12	green,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
13	lime green,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
14	orange,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
15	flame orange,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
16	teal,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
17	purple,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
18	violet,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
19	yellow,… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.
20	red, white, & blue;… 25% chance of sparkling glitter paint.

d20	…with…
1	no other decoration. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
2	a differently colored bottom. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
3	a differently colored roof. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
4	a gradient to another color. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
5	pinstriping. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
6	racing stripes. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
7	blue flames. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
8	red flames. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
9	yellow flames. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
10	a geometric design in a contrasting color. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
11	Native American-inspired decorations. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
12	a checkered design. Roll again on previous table to determine color of squares. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
13	an overall paisley pattern. Skip “Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van”.
14	an airbrushed design on one side. Roll on next table.
15	an airbrushed design on both sides. Roll twice on next table.
16	a differently colored bottom, and an airbrushed design on one side. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Roll on next table.
17	a differently colored bottom, and an airbrushed design on both sides. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Roll twice on next table.
18	a differently colored roof, and an airbrushed design on one side. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Roll on next table.
19	a differently colored roof, and an airbrushed design on both sides. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Roll twice on next table.
20	a differently colored bottom and roof, as well as an airbrushed design on both sides. Roll again on previous table to determine color. Roll twice on next table

 

Airbrushed Design(s) on a Boogie Van

d100	Airbrushed on this side of the van is/are…
1 – 4	an American flag
5 – 6	a bald eagle.
7 – 8	a cowboy.
9 – 10	a sexy cowgirl.
11 – 12	a wizard.
13 – 14	a dragon.
15 – 16	a wizard & a dragon.
17 – 18	a phoenix.
19 – 20	a beach scene.
21 – 22	a mountain scene.
23 – 24	an Aztec warrior.
25 – 26	an Aztec woman. 25% chance the woman is topless.
27 – 28	a Native American man in a warbonnet.
29 – 30	pyramids.
31 – 32	Egyptian gods.
33 – 34	a Kung Fu fighter, with apparent Chinese writing. 75% chance the characters are meaningless (or laughable) to anyone who actually reads Chinese.
35 – 36	an African warrior.
37 – 38	a bikini babe.
39 – 40	a fantasy warrior woman. 25% chance the woman is topless.
41 – 42	a fantasy barbarian.
43 – 44	a scene of Alice in Wonderland.
45 – 46	a mushroom forest.
47 – 48	a griffin.
49 – 50	a demon.
51 – 52	a cosmic scene.
53 – 54	a space warrior.
55 – 56	a female space warrior. 25% chance the woman is topless.
57 – 58	a sexy witch. 25% chance the witch is nude.
59 – 60	a futuristic city.
61 – 62	a Flying Saucer.
63 – 64	Bigfoot.
65 – 66	a robot.
67 – 68	a sexy female robot.
69 – 70	a desert sunset.
71 – 72	a unicorn.
73 – 74	a parrot.
75 – 76	a Peace sign, and the words “Make Love Not War”.
77 – 78	Jesus.
79 – 80	Jesus waving an American flag.
81 – 82	stylized flowers.
83 – 84	“Keep on Trucking”.
85 – 86	“Smoking!”.
87 – 88	“Jesus Saves”.
89 – 90	“American Dreamer”.
91 – 92	“California Dreamer”.
93 – 94	“The Joker”.
95 – 96	“Transcontinental Toker”.
99 – 98	“Boogie Mobile!”.
99 – 100	“Crime-Solvers Inc.”.

 

Exterior Accessories

d100	On the exterior you see
1 – 4	no major modifications,…
5 – 8	a long CB radio antenna,…
9 – 12	rear louver windows,…
13 – 16	zoomie pipes.,…
17 – 20	side pipes.,…
21 – 24	a roof rack.,…
23 – 28	a roof rack and side ladder.,…
29 – 32	a hightop roof,…
31 – 36	a roof rack and side ladder,…
37 – 40	a bicycle rack,… 75% chance of 1d4 bicycles being on the rack.
41 – 44	a motorcycle rack,… 75% chance of a motorcycle being on the rack.
45 – 48	a bubble sunroof over the cab,…
49 – 52	a rear spoiler,…
53 – 56	a long CB radio antenna, and rear louver windows;…
57 – 60	a long CB radio antenna, rear louver windows, and zoomie pipes;…
61 – 64	a long CB radio antenna, rear louver windows, and side pipes;…
65 – 68	a long CB radio antenna, and a roof rack with a side ladder;…
69 – 72	a long CB radio antenna, and a rear spoiler;…
73 – 76	a long CB radio antenna, and a hightop roof;…
77 – 80	a long CB radio antenna, and a bicycle rack;… 75% chance of 1d4 bicycles being on the rack.
81 – 84	a long CB radio antenna, and a motorcycle rack;… 75% chance of a motorcycle being on the rack.
85 – 88	a long CB radio antenna, a hightop roof, and a bicycle rack;… 75% chance of 1d4 bicycles being on the rack.
89 – 92	a long CB radio antenna, a hightop roof, and a motorcycle rack;… 75% chance of a motorcycle being on the rack.
93 – 96	a long CB radio antenna, and a bubble sunroof over the cab;…
97 – 100	a long CB radio antenna, a bubble sunroof over the cab, and a rear spoiler;,…

d20	…and towards the rear there are…
1	surprisingly, no bubble windows.
2	round bubble windows .
3	square bubble windows.
4	diamond-shaped bubble windows.
5	heart-shaped bubble windows.
6	bubble windows in the shape of a cross patee.
7	oval bubble windows.
8	rectangular bubble windows.
9	rhomboid bubble windows.
10	triangular bubble windows.
11	bubble windows in the shape of playing card spades.
12	teardrop-shaped bubble windows.
13	five-pointed star bubble windows.
14	four-pointed star bubble windows.
15	pentagonal bubble windows.
16	octagonal bubble windows.
17	bubble windows shaped like cannabis leaves.
18	bubble windows shaped like rabbit heads
19	bubble windows shaped like symbol for Mars.
20	crescent moon-shaped bubble windows.

 

Tires and Hubcaps of a Boogie Van

d6.	The tires are…
1	solid black,…
2	whitewall,…
3	white striped,…
4	red striped,…
5	gold striped,…
6	emblazoned with a white manufacturer’s logo,…

d6.	…and the hubcaps are…
1 – 2	dog-dish.
3	spinners.
4	magwheels.
5 – 6	unexceptional.

 

Boogie Van Hood Ornament

Skip this table if the Body design is “cabover”

d100	The hood ornament is
1 – 30	standard for the make and model.
31 – 32	a unicorn.
33 – 34	a unicorn’s head.
35 – 36	a Pegasus.
37 – 38	a dragon.
39 – 40	a dragon’s head.
41 – 42	eagle.
43 – 44	an eagle’s head.
45 – 46	a lion.
47 – 48	a lion’s head.
49 – 50	a tiger.
51 – 52	a tiger’s head.
53 – 54	a stag.
55 – 56	a stag’s head.
57 – 58	a jumping dolphin.
59 – 60	a wizard.
61 – 62	a wizard’s head.
63 – 64	a wizard’s head with a marijuana joint in his mouth.
65 – 66	a Native American man in a warbonnet.
67 –68	the head of a Native American man in a warbonnet.
69 – 70	a knight in armor.
71 – 72	a muscular barbarian warrior with an axe.
73 – 74	a fat and jolly Buddha.
75 – 76	a meditating Buddha.
77 – 78	a wing.
79 – 80	a flying saucer.
81 – 82	a raygun.
83 – 84	a bikini-clad woman.
85 – 86	a nude woman.
87 – 88	the symbol for Mars.
89 – 90	the symbol for Venus.
91 – 92	a smiling sun.
93 – 94	a smiling crescent moon.
95 – 96	a rocket ship.
97 – 98	a cannabis leaf.
99 – 100	a hand holding a marijuana joint.

 

Inside the Cab of a Boogie Van

d20	Hanging from the rear-view mirror is…
1	apparently nothing,…
2	a pair of fuzzy dice,…
3	a tree-shape air freshener,…
4	a cannabis leaf-shaped air freshener,…
5	a flower-shaped air freshener,…
6	an air freshener in the cutout shape of a State,… Texas, New Jersey, etc.
7	a set of dog tags,…
8	a small piece of wood with the owner’s name burned into it,…
9	a cross,…
10	a small angel figurine,…
11	a skull & crossbones,…
12	a Star of David,…
13	a rosary,…
14	a Catholic scapular,…
15	a chaplet of Buddhist prayer beads,…
16	a pair of woman’s panties,…
17	a small American flag,…
18	a small set of windchimes,…
19	a small American flag,…
20	a Christmas ball ornament,…

d20	…on the dashboard there is…
1	nothing of note,…
2 – 3	a CB radio receiver,…
4	a radar detector,… Roll again if before 1969.
5	a rubber duck,…
6	a small cactus in a pot,…
7	a figurine of Jesus,…
8	a figurine of the Virgin Mary,…
9	a figurine of a Catholic saint,…
10	a jolly Buddha figurine,…
11	a meditating Buddha figurine,…
12	a figurine of dancing Shiva,…
13	a figurine of Venus,…
14	a figurine of a nude woman,…
15	a figurine of a bikini-clad woman,…
16	a figurine of a Hula-dancing woman,…
17	a small plastic dinosaur,…
18	a Bible,…
19	a small copy of the “Bhavagad Gita”,…
20	a copy of “White Line Enlightenment” by Guru Sri Jimmy Bob of the Asphalt Ashram,…

d20	…and the steering wheel is….
1 – 12	normal.
13	a chain.
14	a heart.
15	an octagon.
16	an orobouros.
17	a ship’s wheel.
18	spoked like a bicycle wheel.
19	velvet-covered.
20	fur-covered.

 

Back Interior of a Boogie Van

d20	The back interior walls and ceiling are…
1 – 3	natural (or beige) colored,…
4 – 6	brown,…
6	cherry red,…
7	deep red,…
8	blue,…
9	powder blue,…
10	green,…
11	olive green,…
12	yellow,…
13	mustard yellow,…
14	purple,…
15	violet,…
16	magenta,…
17	pink,…
18	white,…
19	tiger stripe,…
20	leopard print,…

d10	…and are apparently…
1	wood paneling,…
2	faux wood plastic,…
3	molded fiberglass,…
4	shag carpeting,…
5	padded vinyl,…
6	crushed velvet,…
7	padded, crushed velvet upholstery,…
8	faux fur,…
9	leather,…
10	padded leather upholstery,…

d20	…while the interior floor is…
1 – 3	natural (or beige) colored,…
4 –7	brown,… stained if wood.
8	cherry red,…
9	deep red,…
10	blue,…
11	powder blue,…
12	green,…
13	olive green,…
14	yellow,…
15	mustard yellow,…
16	purple,…
17	violet,…
18	magenta,…
19	pink,…
20	white,…

d12	…and apparently…
1 – 2	wood.
3	wood, with a Persian rug.
4	wood, with an Indian rag rug.
5	wood, with a sheepskin rug.
6	linoleum.
7	short-pile carpet.
8	deep-pile carpet.
9	shag carpeting.
10	padded upholstery.
11	padded, crushed velvet upholstery.
12	padded leather upholstery.

d100, 1d6 times.	The back interior accouterments include:
1 – 3	a twin-sized bed*. 50% chance of a waterbed. Roll again if there is already a bed.
4 – 5	a full-sized bed*. 50% chance of a waterbed. Roll again if there is already a bed.
6 – 10	a crushed velvet sofa*.
11 – 20	a leather sofa*.
21 – 22	a ceiling mirror.
23 – 24	a dog bed and bowl. 75% chance dog is present.
25 – 26	a bong table.
27 – 28	a built-in waterpipe.
29 – 30	a cafe table.
31 – 32	bench seats with storage underneath.
33 – 34	a small bar.
35 – 36	a mini-refrigerator.
37 – 38	a lava lamp.
39 – 40	a rotating cylindrical lamp that says “The Bar is Open”.
41 – 42	a chandelier.
43 – 44	black velvet posters.
45 – 46	a black light lamp.
47 – 48	divider curtains.
49 – 50	window curtains.
51 – 52	a beaded curtain.
53 – 54	wooden spindle pillars.
55 – 56	mirrors.
57 – 58	a portable TV set.
59 – 60	a sunroof.
61 – 62	an incense burner.
63 – 64	a record player.
65 – 66	an eight-track player.
67 – 68	quadraphonic speakers.
69 – 70	a shortwave radio transceiver.
71 – 72	a Ham radio transceiver.
73 – 74	a small tabletop pinball machine.
75 – 76	artificial potted plants.
77 – 78	a magnetic checkers/chess set.
79 – 80	a gun rack with 1d4 rifles.
81 – 82	a small shelf with 1d4 books on Eastern philosophy. 10% chance of finding a book that, if read completely, will raise a PC’s Psychic Ability by 1 point. This is one time only increase.
83 – 84	a small shelf with 1d6 counter-cultural books and magazines. 10% chance of finding a book that, if read completely, will increase a PC’s Style and Grooviness by 1 point. This is one time only increase.
85 – 86	a small shelf with 1d4 self-help books. 10% chance of finding a book that, if read completely, will increase a PC’s Willpower by 1 point. This is one time only increase.
87 – 88	a small shelf of 1d4 mystery and crime books. 10% chance of finding a book that, if read completely, will increase a PC’s Finding & Noticing by 1 point. This is one time only increase.
89 – 90	A small shelf of 1d4 occult books. 25% chance of finding a book that contains a random Magical Ritual.
91 – 92	a guitar amplifier.
93 – 94	a guitar (acoustic if there is no amplifier)
95 – 96	a hanging mirrorball.
99 – 98	a Buddha statue.
99 – 100	a hanging American flag.

* If a bed or sofa is not present, the rear interior has 1d4 standard car seats.

 

The Secret Stash

d20	Stashed….
1 – 4	in the glove compartment…
5 – 6	under the dashboard…
7 – 8	under the driver-side seat in the cab…
9	under the passenger-side seat in the cab…
10	within a secret compartment in cab ceiling…
11	within a secret compartment in the back interior wall…
12	within a secret compartment in the back interior roof…
13	within a secret compartment under the back interior floor…
14 – 15	within one of accouterments in the back interior…
16	under the chassis…
17	in the front driver’s side wheel well…
18	in the front passenger’s side wheel well…
19	in the back driver’s side wheel well…
20	in the back passenger’s side wheel well…

d100	…is/are…
1 – 15	d12 ounces of unrolled marijuana.
16 – 36	d20 rolled marijuana joints.
37 – 38	d6 ounces of purple Space Weed, grown by Extraterrestrial stoners and brought to Earth to expand planetary consciousness. 50% chance the van is currently being pursued by Secret Agents and/or Men in Black.
39 – 40	d6 ounces of super-potent marijuana, grown as part of a secret Government experiment.
41 – 44	a photograph of a dead loved one.
45 – 49	a touching letter from a lost love.
50 – 47	a personal journal.
48 – 49	a set of lockpicks.
50 – 54	d20 pornographic instant photographs.
55 – 56	d6 photographs of Strange Creatures. Use the appropriate tables in The Uncanny Highway.
57 – 58	d6 photographs of U.F.O.s. Use the appropriate tables in The Uncanny Highway.
59	d6 photographs of a person, with a figure of d100 x d100 dollars written on the photographs(s). Driver is either a Gangster, or a Demon Hunter.
60 – 64	d10 pornographic magazines.
65 – 69	d20 tabs of LSD
70 – 73	d6 ounces of cocaine
74	d100 x d100 dollars in unmarked, non-sequential bills.
75	d20 uncut diamonds in a velvet bag
76 – 77	2d4 fake identification cards and driver’s licenses.
78 – 80	nunchucks.
80 – 84	a loaded revolver.
85 – 89	a loaded, sawed-off shotgun.
90 – 91	a loaded submachine gun.
94	an athame. Driver is either a Witch/Warlock, or studying to become one.
95	a magic wand. Driver is either a Magician, or studying to become one.
96	a secret code book. Driver is actually a Secret Agent. d12: 1–3=KGB, 4=CIA, 5=MI6, 6=The Mossad, 7=Cuban DI, 8=Chinese MSS, 9=French DGSE, 10=NSA, 11=Office of Naval Intelligence, 12=Defense Intelligence Agency.
97	an Extraterrestrial ray-gun. 50% chance Driver is actually an Extraterrestrial in disguise. Otherwise, gun was taken from a U.F.O crash site.
98	a roll of duct tape, a large knife, a length of rope, a stretch-out woman’s stocking, and a pair of handcuffs.
100	a bag filled with human teeth.

Join us on Randomworlds Discord Chat This Sunday Afternoon at 1PM Central Time

Tags

1960s, 1970s, 20th Century, American Fantasy, American folklore, American Legend, Americana, Bikers, crime, Fantasy Road Trip, Fictional Road, Groovy Era, Groovy Seventies, Highway Horror, Hippies, Hitchhikers, open world, Prairie Horror, Road Crawl, Roadcrawl, roadside attraction, Roadtrip, Romance of the Road, Sandbox Setting, sci fi, Science Fiction, Seventies, Sixties, Southern Gothic, Swinging Sixties, The Ready Rules of the Road, Truckers, Uncanny Highway, United States

Just wanted to let everyone know that Wendy Rosalsky and I will be on the Randomworlds Discord Chatroom this Sunday the 7^th, at 1 PM Central Time. (That’s 2 PM Eastern Time, 12 Noon Mountain Time, and 11 AM Pacific Time.)

We’ll be talking and answering questions about our new Groovy-Era road-crawl setting The Uncanny Highway, and The Ready Rules of the Road RPG system. If open-world road tripping across the strange United States in the Swinging Sixties and Groovy Seventies sounds like your bag, you’ll want to check it out!

If you don’t already have a Randomworlds chat account, sign up here: https://discord.com/invite/mCntYas

The Ready Rules of the Road Player’s Version – PDF now Available on DriveThruRPG

Tags

1960s, 1970s, 20th Century, American Fantasy, American folklore, American Legend, Americana, Bikers, crime, Fantasy Road Trip, Fictional Road, Groovy Era, Groovy Seventies, Highway Horror, Hippies, Hitchhikers, open world, Prairie Horror, Road Crawl, Roadcrawl, roadside attraction, Roadtrip, Romance of the Road, Sandbox Setting, sci fi, Science Fiction, Seventies, Sixties, Southern Gothic, Swinging Sixties, The Ready Rules of the Road, Truckers, Uncanny Highway, United States

Breaker One-Nine! If you’re going to ride on The Uncanny Highway, The Ready Rules of the Road Player’s Version is your bag! It’s your ticket across the strange United States of the Swinging Sixties and Groovy Seventies, on a highway where even the weirdest American legends are true. If you are just running a Player Character on the Uncanny Highway (and not GMing or playing Solo), you only need this PDF to get started on your trip down legendary U.S. Route 28.

The Ready Rules of the Road – Player’s Version includes:

• An introduction to the Uncanny Highway setting.
• Easy, step by-step rules for character generation.
• Character concept tables to quickly determine your character’s name, astrological sign, occupation, and motivation.
• Character templates to create Truckers, Psychics, Parapsychologists, and everybody in-between!
• Groovy-Era Equipment lists.
• A light, but versatile rules system that can handle everything from car chases, to picking up a one-night-stand.
• Complete rules for creating (and avoiding) Paranormal Effects.
• Character advancement rules.
• An example of game play.
• A sidebar of Groovy-Era slang.
• The Uncanny Highway Playlist.
• The Ready Rules of the Road Character Sheet.

Plus, the entire text is released under the ORC license, so you can create your own extensions and modifications.

If you already have the free Play-Test Version of the Ready Rules of the Road, this is the full-release Player’s Version. There are some differences in terminology between the two versions, and procedures have been streamlined and improved.

Note: The Ready Rules of the Road concern the same themes as the exploitation, horror, science-fiction, action-adventure, and psychedelic movies that played in drive-in theaters and urban grindhouses during the 1960s and 1970s. This game is not meant for anyone too young to watch one of those movies!

If you are going to Gamemaster or play Solo on the Uncanny Highway, get The Uncanny Highway – Blue Plate Special Edition PDF (which also includes the complete Ready Rules of the Road).

The Uncanny Highway – Blue Plate Special Edition PDF Now Available!

Tags

1960s, 1970s, 20th Century, Amercian Folklore, American Fantasy, American Legend, Americana, Bikers, crime, Fantasy Road Trip, Fictional Road, Groovy Era, Groovy Seventies, Highway Horror, Hippies, Hitchhikers, open world, Prairie Horror, Road Crawl, Roadcrawl, roadside attraction, Roadtrip, Romance of the Road, Sandbox Setting, sci fi, Science Fiction, Seventies, Sixties, Southern Gothic, Swinging Sixties, The Ready Rules of the Road, Truckers, Uncanny Highway, United States

 

The Uncanny Highway is a complete tool kit for a psychotronic road trip across America, in the Groovy Era of bell-bottoms, boogie vans, and 8-track cassettes!

Game Masters and Solo Gamers get everything they need to create a sandbox-style road-crawl through the gonzo United States of the Swinging Sixties and Groovy Seventies. Dig it!

• Includes The Ready Rules of the Road, a compact but complete roleplaying system suitable for both one shots and multi-session play – alone, or with a group.
• Or, use the Uncanny Highway with with any RPG that can handle games set in the 1960s and 1970s.
• You get clear, step-by-step procedures for both group adventures and solo play.
• Over 340 logically arranged Generator Tables allow for a completely Player-directed trip through Weird Americana.
• Roll randomly on the Generator Tables, or use them as selection lists to inspire your own creativity. Supports a minimal-prep play-style that lets the GM spontaneously detail the Uncanny Highway in the course of game play.
• Over 12,000 miles of road, in 140 Sections of Highway stretching across the weird and wonderful U.S.A.
• Geographical information is provided for each Section of Highway, along with overviews for eight distinct regions of the continental United States.
• Historical sidebars help you bring the Groovy Age to the modern world.
• Infinitely reusable and replayable.
• A complete system of fill-out Road Maps and Location Record Sheets creates a living, persistent, and consistent world.
• Completely cross-referenced and hyperlinked, with a text-centered layout designed for fast reference of necessary information.

Players on the Uncanny Highway experience life as the truckers, bikers, runaways, journalists, musicians, parapsychologists, hippies, vigilantes, psychics, fugitives, and assorted lost souls stranded together on a road where every American legend appears to be true. Far-out!

• Investigate truck stops filled with shocking secrets, have one-night-stands at haunted motels, and wonder where that isolated gas station gets the meat for its “famous” barbecue.
• Visit small towns and trailer parks filled with eccentric characters and potential adventures.
• Puzzle over wacky billboards, investigate mysterious abandoned cars, visit heartbreaking roadside memorials, and stop at strange mystery spots where cars roll uphill.
• Have CB radio conversations with passing truckers, and find out why you should always look under your mattress!
• Go to the drive-in and see “Machine-Gun P.T.A Versus Dracula”, read in-game newspapers, watch strange pirate TV stations, or listen to firebrand preachers on the radio.
• Visit amusement parks staffed by androids, and see roadside museums filled with oddities.
• Have a meal at a roadside diner shaped like a giant hamburger. Its probably not just a front for the K.G.B.!
• Encounter hook-handed killers, strange cryptids, bizarre extraterrestrials, and the famous creatures of American legend.
• Run screaming from roadside houses inhabited by murderous cults, and escape old churches turned into secret government laboratories.
• Learn what the farms on the highway are really growing!
• Pick up prophesy-spouting vanishing hitchhikers – or thumb your way along the road yourself.
• Shop at roadside souvenir shops where you can definitely buy more than you bargained for.
• Wonder why it sometimes rains fish and foreign coins.
• Feel the romance of the open road.

This Blue Plate Special Edition of The Uncanny Highway has minimal artwork derived from Public Domain sources, and is offered at a special price to give you the full Uncanny Highway experience – without costing all your bread! And it’s released under the ORC license, so you can build your own extensions and modifications. Bitchin’!

The Uncanny Highway concerns the same themes as the exploitation, horror, science-fiction, action-adventure, and psychedelic movies that played in drive-in theaters and urban grindhouses during the 1960s and 1970s. It is not meant for anyone too young to watch one of those movies!

Available now on DriveThruRGP!

https://drivethrurpg.com/product/472509/The-Uncanny-Highway–Blue-Plate-Special-Edition

 

The Genre(s) of the Uncanny Highway

Tags

1960s, 1970s, 20th Century, American Fantasy, American folklore, American Horror, Americana Gothic, Groovy Era, GROOVY Ghastly Affair, Groovy Horror, Highway Horror, Middle America, Midwest Horror, Modern Folklore, Modern Horror, Modern Legend, Prairie Horror, Seventies, Sixties, Southern Gothic, Uncanny Highway, Weird America, Weird Americana

Long time readers of this blog might remember that I originally conceived of the “Uncanny Highway” as a setting for GROOVY Ghastly Affair (a planned expansion to my Gothic RPG “Ghastly Affair”). As the setting evolved, however, I wanted it to reflect Groovy Era America in all its crazy glory, and not be confined to just places and situations that could be pigeonholed as “Gothic”. To the extent that it reflects any single genre, the Uncanny Highway is therefore best described as “Psychotronic”.

The critical term Psychotronic was coined by writer Michael Weldon, inspired by the movie “The Psychotronic Man”. It designates the type of movies that played in the urban grindhouses and suburban drive-ins of America, especially in the 1960s and 1970s (and into the 1980s). Some “Psychotronic” movies fall more or less comfortably within the Horror genre – other might be best classifiable as Sci Fi, Crime, or Fantasy. Other genres falling under the broad umbrella of the Psychotronic include Road Trip movies, Biker movies, the Nudist and Roughie films of the 1960s, Action films (especially those centered around cars), the Vigilante and Revenge movies that were especially popular in the 70s, and Psychedelic movies. Often, these movies mixed genres in unexpected ways – as in the Satanic Horror Biker movie “Werewolves on Wheels”. What all Psychotronic movies have in common is that they exist outside of “respectable” cinema. The typical Psychotronic film was made independently, with little in the way of budget. Although dismissed as “exploitation” by established critics, these so-called “trashy” films could often deal with themes every bit as important or challenging as the major studio films playing in regular theaters.

Encounters on the Uncanny Highway might be alternately horrifying, mind-bending, funny, and heartbreaking. There is no single story to be told, or even “right” way to run the setting. One group might decide to be a group of outlaw bikers raising hell from town to town. Another group might be a collection of lost and lonely souls wandering the road in search of real human connection. The first group may want to experience every bit of Seventies-tastic sleaze that the GM can throw at them. The second group, on the other, hand may be more interested in interacting with quirky NPCs, and prefer to avoid scenes of violence and degradation. The setting can be run either way (and many other ways as well). Rolling randomly on the Generator Tables can create a wild ride of Extraterrestrial cashiers, Vanishing Hitchhikers, and cannibalistic farmers – but by using the tables as selection lists, one can just as easily use the Uncanny Highway for pure role-playing in an Altman-style world of ordinary people dealing with extraordinary circumstances.

Here’s two lists of movies to help you better understand the genre(s) of the Uncanny Highway, and the possible range of encounters that PCs might experience there. The first list consist only of movies made in the Groovy Era itself, before 1980. The second list consists of post-1980 movies that deal with the same themes. The flicks here range from grisly horror films to offbeat comedies. Many (especially those made after 1980) are even major studio ventures.

Pre-1980 Movies

200 Motels
Angels’ Wild Women
Billy Jack
Cannonball
The Car
Carnival of Souls
Convoy
Crash! (1976)
Desperate Living
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry
Duel
Easy Rider
Eaten Alive
Every Which Way But Loose
Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Hell’s Bloody Devils
Hideout in the Sun
Moving Violation (1976)
Night of the Living Dead
Phantasm
Pink Flamingos
Psycho
The Psychotronic Man
Race with the Devil
Satan’s Sadists
She-Devils on Wheels
Smokey and the Bandit
Something Weird
The Stepford Wives (1975)
The Getaway (1972)
The Great Texas Dynamite Chase
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Trip (1967)
The Wild Angels
Tourist Trap
Truck Stop Women
Up in Smoke
Vanishing Point
Walking Tall
Werewolves on Wheels
White Line Fever

Post-1980 Movies

Bad Times at the El Royale
The Blues Brothers
Breakdown (1997)
The Cannonball Run
Children of the Corn
Crash (1996)
Death Proof
The Devil’s Rejects
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Freeway (1996)
The Funhouse
Gas, Food, Lodging
Halloween III
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
The Hitcher
House of 1,000 Corpses
Kalifornia
Knightriders
Lost Highway
Maximum Overdrive
Monster
The Mothman Prophesies
My Own Private Idaho
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Natural Born Killers
Near Dark
Nope
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
Phantasm II
Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea
Strange Invaders
Southbound
Thelma & Louise
Things are Tough All Over
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar
U Turn (1997)
Wild at Heart
X

A Sneak Peak at the Uncanny Highway Road Maps

Tags

1960s, 1970s, 20th Century, American Fantasy, American folklore, American Horror, Americana Gothic, Groovy Era, GROOVY Ghastly Affair, Groovy Horror, Highway Horror, Middle America, Midwest Horror, Modern Folklore, Modern Horror, Modern Legend, Prairie Horror, Seventies, Sixties, Southern Gothic, Uncanny Highway, Weird America, Weird Americana

Fundamental to the “road-crawl” system to be presented in “The Uncanny Highway” book are a series of four directional “Road Map” forms. (Scroll down to see examples of each form.) There is a “North – South” map, a “Northeast – Southwest” map, an “East – West” map, and a “Northwest – Southeast” map. Each Road Map sheet is divided into 10-mile Stretches.  Spaces are provided on the forms to record the special Road Feature of each Stretch, and any Roadside Attractions present. Road Features can be anything from a train trestle passing overhead, to an entire Small Town. Roadside Attractions can range from Truck Stops to haunted Houses.

These Road Map forms allow Game Masters to keep track of the characteristics of each Section, and facilitate a spontaneous, improvisational and immersive style where the players can decide to visit or ignore anything they want. A central design goal of “The Uncanny Highway” is providing a structured system by which a group can sit down and play with little to no preparation – defining the setting, encounters, and plots as they go. Just use the appropriate Generator Tables (selecting or rolling randomly), write down the results in the spaces provided, and an easily referenceable schematic is created. Maximum groovy choices for Players, minimum headaches for GMs!

I’ve given you a “filled-out” example of each directional Road Map form. Notice how the “North –South” map form used for Section NJ 1 has its last four Stretches scribbled out. That’s because the Section is only 60 miles long, rather than 100 miles (like most Sections of the Uncanny Highway). See the little “highway shields” on the form? The one at the southern end of Section NJ 1 indicates that the road connects to Section NJ 2, which uses the “Northeast – Southwest” Road Map.

Notice the space for “Notes” on the form for Section NJ 2. It indicates that the Section ends in a bridge crossing the Delaware River, and that travelers will have probably have an encounter with the Jersey Devil. “The Uncanny Highway” contains a complete breakdown of each Section’s length, orientation, Predominant Terrain, and peculiar characteristics – including which legendary creatures are endemic to which Section.

The example below of the “East – West” Road Map defines Section KS 1, in western Kansas. Notice how there are fewer entries in the boxes for each Stretch, than is the case for Sections NJ 1 and NJ 2? That’s because Kansas is in the “Western Prairie and Rocky Mountains” region of the United States, and less densely populated than New Jersey (in the “Northeast” region). “The Uncanny Highway” book will show you the suggested number of possible Roadside Attractions, based on geographical region.

Last, there’s the filled-out “Northwest – Southeast” Road Map form for Section NV 4, in southeastern Nevada. Notice that, like Section NJ 2, this Section has particularly frequent creature encounters – in this case with Extraterrestrials.

These Road Maps work in conjunction with the custom Record Sheets for the various Roadside Attractions, Small Towns, Encounters and media outlets of the Uncanny Highway. But that’s a post for another time!

“The Uncanny Highway” is scheduled for release in print and PDF later this year.

Hot Rods of the Uncanny Highway

Tags

1960s, 1970s, Americana, Americana Gothic, Fantasy Road Trip, Groovy Era, GROOVY Ghastly Affair, Groovy Horror, Highway Horror, Midwest Horror, Prairie Horror, Road Crawl, Roadcrawl, Roadtrip, Romance of the Road, Seventies, Sixties, Southern Gothic, The Ready Rules of the Road, U.S. Route 28, Uncanny Highway, Weird America

The following Generator Tables let you quickly define the appearance and performance of Groovy Age Hot Rods – whether owned by Player Characters, or driven by NPCs. Roll randomly, or use the tables as selection lists.

As far gas mileage goes, assume a typical Hot Rod of the 1960s and 1970s can travel 100 miles (or 160 kilometers) on a full tank of gas, and has a fuel efficiency of 6 miles (or 9.5 kilometers) to the gallon.

Coming soon: Generator Tables for Chopper Motorcycles and customized Boogie Vans.

Chassis / Body

d20.	The chassis is a customized…
1	1932 Ford.
2	AMC Javelin.
3	Cadillac Eldorado.
4	Chevrolet Camaro.
5	Chevrolet Corvette.
6	Chevrolet El Camino.
7	Chevrolet Impala.
8	Dodge Challenger.
9	Ford Model A.
10	Ford Model T.
11	Ford Mustang.
12	Four-door sedan.
13	Hearse.
14	Jeep.
15	Pickup truck.
16	Plymouth Barracuda.
17	Pontiac Firebird.
18	Pontiac GTO.
19	Two-door sedan.
20	Volkswagon Beetle.

Body Color

d20.	The overall paintjob is…
1 – 3	black,…
4 – 5	cherry red,…
6 – 7	flame red,…
8 – 9	deep red,…
10	deep blue,…
11	sky blue,…
12	green,…
13	lime green,…
14	orange,…
15	flame orange,…
16	teal,…
17	purple,…
18	violet,…
19	yellow,…
20	red, white, & blue,…

d20.	…with…
1 – 2	flames.
3 – 4	pin-striping.
5 – 6	wide stripes.
7 – 8	a racing stripe up the middle.
9 -10	a number on the sides. Roll d100 to determine number.
11	scalloped stripes.
12	stars.
13	thunderbolts.
14	pinup girls on the sides.
15	skulls on the sides.
16	eagles on the sides.
17	snakes on the sides.
18	writing on the sides. Use “Writing” table below.
19	American flags.
20	pictures of Jesus on the sides.

Writing (if any)

d100	Written on the side is…
1 – 4	“Jesus Saves”.
5 – 8	“I Sold my Soul to Rock n’ Roll”
9 – 12	“Pure Horsepower”
13 – 16	“American Dream”
17 – 20	“Eat My Dust”
21 – 24	“Church of the V8”
25 – 28	“Highway Star”
29 – 32	“Live to Win”
33 – 36	“Peace”
37 – 40	“Make Love Not War”
41 – 44	“Sex-mobile”
45 – 48	“Freedom Wagon”
49 – 52	“100% American”
53 – 56	“Rollin’ Thunder”
57 – 60	“Bad to the Bone”
61 – 64	“Devil Child”
65 – 68	“Wonder Wheels”
69 – 73	“Speed Demon”
74 – 78	“Highway Lightning”
79 – 82	“Steel Stallion”
83 – 86	“Iron Chariot”
87 – 90	“Fire Eyes”
91 – 94	“Motor Voodoo”
95 – 98	“Lost Horizon”
99 – 100	The owner’s CB Handle.

Body Work

d20. Roll 1d4 times.	The car noticeably has…
1	a rear spoiler.
2	a front spoiler.
3	cutout exhaust pipes in the front end
4	cutout exhaust with “zoomie pipes” that project out at an angle.
5	cutout exhaust with “weedburner pipes” that project out perpendicularly.
6	cutout exhaust with long “lake pipes” that run along the exterior body of the car.
7	a T-top.
8	no top.
9	a convertible top.
10	a “chopped top”, with a lowered cab roof
11	a “sectioned” body that has been reduced in overall height.
12	a “channeled” body that has been lowered to the ground.
13	so called “suicide doors” that are hinged at the rear.
14	scissor doors that rotate upwards.
15	“shaved doors” without visible handles.
16	wheelie bars projecting from the rear
17	sunken headlights
18	been “nosed”, with all hood projections removed.
19	an extended front end.
20	no fenders.

Re-roll results that contradict previously established features.

Hood

d20.	The hood has…
1 – 5	a supercharger blower projecting from the top
6	a pronounced, forward-facing scoop.
7	a pronounced, rear-facing scoop.
8	been removed to expose the engine.
9	been removed to expose the engine, which has a supercharger blower.
10	an airbrushed design of an eagle.
11	an airbrushed design of an Aztec (or Native American) Warrior.
12	an airbrushed design of black panther.
13	an airbrushed design of a cobra.
14	an airbrushed design of a pinup girl.
15	an airbrushed design of a wizard.
16	an airbrushed design of the Devil.
17	an airbrushed skull.
18	an airbrushed picture of Jesus.
19 – 20	no obvious modifications.

Wheels & Suspension

d6.	The suspension is…
1	raised in the back, with rear wheels larger than the front wheels.
2	lowered in the front, but all the wheels are the same size.
3	raised in the front, but all the wheels are the same size.
4	lowered overall.
5	lifted higher than normal.
6	unchanged.

Tires

d6.	The tires are…
1	solid black,…
2	whitewall,…
3	white striped,…
4	red striped,…
5	gold striped,…
6	emblazoned with a white manufacturer’s logo,…

d8.	…and are…
1 – 3	standard width.
4	extra wide.
5	extra wide on the rear wheels.
6	extra wide on the rear wheels, but narrow on the front.
7	narrow.
8	narrow on the front wheels.

Hubcaps

d6.	The hubcaps are…
1	dog-dish.
2	spoked motorcycle wheels.
3	spinners.
4	magwheels.
5 – 6	unexceptional.

Speed

d8.	This vehicle’s top speed is…
1	140 mph. (225 kph)
2 – 3	150 mph. (241 kph)
4 – 5	160 mph. (257 kph)
6	170 mph. (274 kph)
7	180 mph. (290 kph)
8	190 mph. (306 kph)

Handling

d6.	With its its customization, the vehicle’s handling is…
1	Average.
2	Average, but the car is prone to breakdowns.
3	Bad. -2 (or 10%) Penalty to avoid road obstacles or make tight turns.
4	Bad, and the car is prone to breakdowns. -2 (or 10%) Penalty to avoid road obstacles or make tight turns.
5	Good. +2 (or 10%) Bonus to avoid road obstacles or make tight turns.
6	Good, but the car is prone to breakdowns. +2 (or 10%) Bonus to avoid road obstacles or make tight turns.

Where We Are on the Uncanny Highway

Tags

1960s, 1970s, 20th Century, American Fantasy, American folklore, American Horror, Americana Gothic, Groovy Era, GROOVY Ghastly Affair, Groovy Horror, Highway Horror, Middle America, Midwest Horror, Modern Folklore, Modern Horror, Modern Legend, Prairie Horror, Seventies, Sixties, Southern Gothic, Uncanny Highway, Weird America, Weird Americana

It’s been a while since I updated this blog, and the reason is simple: I’ve been working on the Uncanny Highway book. I’ve been reorganizing, rewriting, and expanding the text for even greater usability. Right now, my editor/collaborator Wendy is editing the text, and we should be able to finalize it soon. Among other things…

• There’s now an increased emphasis on the “The Ready Rules of the Road” as the system specifically designed for the The Uncanny Highway, while keeping the “meat” of the book usable with any RPG rules.
• Some changes have been made to “The Ready Rules of the Road” themselves, which will be reflected in the upcoming release of Play-test Version B. Specifically, characters now have a Capability called “Mojo”. Instead of a “Saving Throw”, one can make a “Mojo roll” to resist Paranormal effects, avoid hazards, survive car crashes, and to avoid getting sick from eating at questionable roadside establishments.
• I’ve further clarified the step-by-step procedures for preparing (or spontaneously creating) Sections of Highway, and for running game sessions set on the road.
• I’ve added full support for Solo play on the Uncanny Highway.
• The 140 named Sections of U.S. Route 28 are now fully laid out in easy-to reference tables, which include the length of each Section, and the predominant terrain the Section passes through.
• I’ve added a full-color, two-page map of U.S. Route 28, which now also shows where the Uncanny Highway adjoins certain Uncanny State Roads – such as Pennsylvania’s “Hexerie Road”, and the “Megiddo Highway” that runs through eastern Washington state.
• I’ve added information about regional American food, for an added level of verisimilitude.
• More historical sidebars have been added.
• A list of inspirational media has been added.

The basic design of the book will be intended to replicate the look and feel of a 1970s road atlas, with an emphasis on maximum readability and utility at the game table. This is not going to be an “art book” that you are afraid to get a coffee-cup stain on, but rather something that will look better and more authentic with wear – and with some “Make Love Not War’” stickers! I want you to write in the margins, doodle on the pages, and fully own the book. When it comes to physical game books, I am of the opinion that “used is beautiful”. So, we plan on bucking the recent OSR trend of collectible books with fancy bindings. For one thing, we’re planning a spiral-bound version of “The Uncanny Highway” – a binding that some may snobbishly dismiss as decreasing bookshelf-appeal, but which actually allows a book to be opened flat at the table, or folded in half on a page. As much as possible, we want to keep the eventual cost of the physical book as low as feasible. Game books are tools, and tools are meant to be used.

So, that’s where were headed. Or, at least, where we think we’re headed. Because, sometimes, the road decides your destination for you!

 

Ghastly Affair, The Ready Rules of the Road, and The Open Gaming License

Tags

B/X, Free RPG, Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Gothic RPG, OGL, Open Gaming, role playing, role-playing game, roleplaying game, The Ready Rules of the Road, TTRPG, Uncanny Highway

There has been much talk in the past week regarding the possible “de-authorization” of the Open Game License Version 1.0a. This is the current license agreement under which I have been producing my gaming materials. While there has yet to be any official news about this matter, the possibility that such a change is even being officially considered demonstrates that the License is no longer a viable option for small independent designers like myself.

I have decided that the Second Edition of “Ghastly Affair” will not be an OGL game, no matter how the current situation is resolved. I am convinced that, even if the worst-case scenario does not come to pass, the OGL can no longer be relied upon. Likewise, Play-Test Version B of “The Ready Rules of the Road” is being rewritten to remove legacy terms and material. Apart from including “The Ready Rules of the Road”, the system-neutral text of “The Uncanny Highway” never required the OGL at all.

“Ghastly Affair” never functioned mechanically like the game described in the System Resource Document, using a fundamentally different resolution procedure. I merely used legacy terminology and concepts to make the game easier to learn for people familiar with Old School-style rules systems. The loss of the OGL as a viable license is an opportunity to make Ghastly Affair a more unique gaming experience. The changes I have already explored will make it a better fit for Gothic Romance and possibly even easier to play. Likewise, removing the legacy material from “The Ready Rules” makes them even better for the kind of casual, pick-up games they are intended for.

In the future, my gaming material will probably remain Open Source in some manner; but I have not yet decided what form that might take. However, I am thinking of some kind of license whereby others can freely release scenarios, supplemental materials, and rules hacks, without being able to just copy my stuff word-for-word and sell it as their own. It is perilous, however, to craft any kind of legal agreement without a team of lawyers. Just going with Creative Commons is an option, of course.

Look for “The Ready Rules of the Road – Play-Test Version B”, sans OGL, to be presented here in the very near future. Further updates about the future of “Ghastly Affair” will be forthcoming, once there is more clarity about the ultimate fate of the OGL.

Ready Rules of the Road Vehicle Record Cards – Free Download

Tags

1960s, 1970s, 20th Century, American folklore, Cold War, Gothic America, Groovy Era, Highway Horror, Historical Gaming, Me Generation, Midwest Horror, modern rpg, OGL, Prairie Horror, Road Crawl, Road Trip, Roadtrip, role playing, role-playing game, sci fi, science-fiction, Seventies, Sixties, Southern Gothic, Uncanny Highway, Urban Fantasy, Urban Legend, Weird Americana

Don’t head out onto the Uncanny Highway without these convenient wallet sized-cards to record all the important information about your character’s vehicle – including the wicked paintjob and sweet custom features on their cherry Boogie Van!

 

 

 

 

Ready Rules of the Road Vehicle Record – Version A

Click to access ready_rules_of_the_road_vehicle_record_versiona.pdf