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+--- Thread: Steve Lortz' Quactica and Blackmoor (/showthread.php?tid=1515)
Steve Lortz' Quactica and Blackmoor - Havard - 05-26-2013
![[Image: Quactica+Display+Cover.jpg]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_92b_V22vj30/SSzn7144MdI/AAAAAAAAAE8/-6vOVgpN0YI/s200/Quactica+Display+Cover.jpg)
I just picked up "Quactica: Battle for the Soul of Middle Aesopia" from Skirmisher Games. This is a miniature battles system by Steve Lortz. Lortz is one of the members of Dave Arneson's gaming group, and he is also a miniatures sculptor so he makes minis for the game as well. The book also contains a unique fantasy world, Aesopia, where duck-like humanoids battle pigfaced Orc-like creatures known as Porks.
The game is written in a very funny way with lots of puns and in-jokes and other sillyness. The style it is written in reminds me a bit of the humor found in Fred's World or to a lesser degree Dave Arneson's First Fantasy Campaign.
I'm not really too much into miniature gaming and the main reason why I bought it was because I was curious to see if I could find any connection to Blackmoor. Antropomorphic humanoids existed in the Blackmoor campaign too of course. furthermore, I noticed a region in Aespoia called "The Northern Marches".
Does anyone else have this 2008 game?
-Havard
Re: Steve Lortz' Quactica and Blackmoor - Rafael - 05-28-2013
I think it's not the first time I see this; was there a previous edition of this game, probably from the 1970s?
Back in 2005, I had a duck paladin star in my homegame, BECAUSE I HAD READ SOMEWHERE that duck people were included in the FFC.
Does that help?
Re: Steve Lortz' Quactica and Blackmoor - Havard - 05-28-2013
Le Noir Faineant Wrote:I think it's not the first time I see this; was there a previous edition of this game, probably from the 1970s?
Back in 2005, I had a duck paladin star in my homegame, BECAUSE I HAD READ SOMEWHERE that duck people were included in the FFC.
Does that help?
Ducks is one of the trademark races of the Glorantha setting. In fact Quactica has some references to Glorantha as well. Perhaps you are thinking about Paul Jaquai's JG adventure "Legendary Duck Tower and Other Adventures"? It was written for Runequest (and Glorantha) back in those days.
Quactica certainly has a nod to RuneQuest Ducks, but the world of Aesopia also includes many other atropomorphic races. In many ways perhaps a jokey game, but it still has a fair skirmish/miniatures system.
AFAIK there were never Duck characters in Arneson's campaign, but one of the alien races occupying space near the planet of Blackmoor, were the Avians. I suppose you could make them ducks if you wanted to.
-Havard
Re: Steve Lortz' Quactica and Blackmoor - Rafael - 05-28-2013
Of course, I know about Duck Tower, it in itself being a ripoff of one of my beloved Midkemia modules, I think.
But that wasn't what we were talking about then; what it was, I don't recall.
As to Aesopia, well, yeah, it breathes Glorantha. Not a bad thing, by any means, but probably not much Blackmoor.
Ever got the chance to interview Lortz?
I wonder if BM ever had a Moria-like dungeon under Mt Uberstar that we never explored...
Re: Steve Lortz' Quactica and Blackmoor - Havard - 05-28-2013
Le Noir Faineant Wrote:Of course, I know about Duck Tower, it in itself being a ripoff of one of my beloved Midkemia modules, I think.
Midkemia? Or do you mean Judges Guild's Dark Tower (also by Jaquays)? Ripoff seems a bit inaccurate.
Quote:But that wasn't what we were talking about then; what it was, I don't recall.
As to Aesopia, well, yeah, it breathes Glorantha.
Nah, there are only a few Glorantha references. Ducks exist in Glorantha, but they are a minor race there, not really a big part of the setting except as a fan favorite/pet hate.
Quote: Not a bad thing, by any means, but probably not much Blackmoor.
True, there is very little specifically connecting this setting to Blackmoor. What is more interesting is the similarity in humorous elements. Blackmoor is obviously a much more serious setting, but humour exists there too, most noticably in the FFC.
Quote:Ever got the chance to interview Lortz?
Not yet
Quote: I wonder if BM ever had a Moria-like dungeon under Mt Uberstar that we never explored...
"Regent of the Mines" most certainly referred to a Dungeon
-Havard
Re: Steve Lortz' Quactica and Blackmoor - Rafael - 05-28-2013
Havard Wrote:Midkemia? Or do you mean Judges Guild's Dark Tower (also by Jaquays)? Ripoff seems a bit inaccurate.
I never got really got into the respective modules, because they are not that great to run, really,
but apparently the story is that Black Tower begat Dark Tower, which then begat Duck Tower.
Quote:Nah, there are only a few Glorantha references. Ducks exist in Glorantha, but they are a minor race there, not really a big part of the setting except as a fan favorite/pet hate.
Wasn't this the parody game on Runequest, then? If you're truly interested in the matter, check this out.
I think I read Lortz being involved in something in that respect many years back. Probably on K&K, but I don't remember.
Also, apparently some maps match, or can be connected. I remember that because I pondered buying some Glorantha stuff at that time,
but then rather invested in some JG (which was the worse purchase).
Quote:True, there is very little specifically connecting this setting to Blackmoor. What is more interesting is the similarity in humorous elements. Blackmoor is obviously a much more serious setting, but humour exists there too, most noticably in the FFC.
Also, the connection to other than the usual Appendix N literature! Blackmoor and the related settings are very close,
I think, to a man called Fred Saberhagen, and also closer to Moorcock than people like to recognize today.
Re: Steve Lortz' Quactica and Blackmoor - Havard - 05-30-2013
Le Noir Faineant Wrote:Wasn't this the parody game on Runequest, then? If you're truly interested in the matter, check this out.
I think I read Lortz being involved in something in that respect many years back. Probably on K&K, but I don't remember.
Also, apparently some maps match, or can be connected. I remember that because I pondered buying some Glorantha stuff at that time, but then rather invested in some JG (which was the worse purchase).
I see little reason to describe Quactica as a parody of RuneQuest. There is one reference to RQ/Glorantha on the map, the Loonar Empire, which is clearly a nod to Glorantha's Lunar Empire and the of course its the duck race. However, the book and map also have references to Middle Earth, the Forgotten Realms, Blackmoor ("The Northern Marches") and various other fantasy settings.
-Havard
Re: Steve Lortz' Quactica and Blackmoor - Rafael - 05-30-2013
Ah, okay, then it was that. Really, I am not too much into miniatures, so I usually don't filter stuff like that.
Great find, though! I am less of a collector than you are, but this one, I am envious about!