[GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

30 posts ยท Mar 4 2000 to Mar 11 2000

From: Jon Davis <davisje@n...>

Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 23:42:24 -0500

Subject: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

Being responsible for giving Stuart Murray a ride to and from Lancaster did
provide a certain perk this year. I was responsible for the four Predator
figures in the game. I would like to describe for you the cultural background
I generated for these characters and the motivations for the completion of
their objectives.

My source content is based entirely on the Predator and Predator II films. I
have not read any novels and have had only minimal exposure to the comic
series.

Predators have a total of Seven Descriptions of Life

1. Yiiiii -> Infinite

The Deity. His name cannot be fully spoken because it is infinite in length.
We give the Deity glory by being able to speak only a part of his name. We are
his Cha and we honor him by bringing Yi'Cha and Cha into his hunting grounds.

2. We, the Hunters and Predators

We are the Cha of our Deity.

3. Yi'Cha

"Great honored prey" Greater prey are described as Yiiiiii'Cha having the
prefix of our Deity's name, as much as can be spoken. The greatest of the prey
is depicted by adding more of the Deity's name to the Cha suffix.

They bring great honor to us and our clan when we claim them and present them
to the Deity. Yi'cha may only be taken with blade or spear, else we bring
dishonor.

4. Cha

"Honored prey" They must be capable of sending us to the Deity.

5. Na'Cha

"Innocent potential prey"   They may be prey, but have no means to
sending us to the Deity.

6. Na

"Nothing" Not worth considering

7. Naaaaaaaaa

"Dishonored prey" If any life defiles the trophy before presented as Cha or
Yi'Cha to Yiiiiiiiiiii..., they are Naaaaaaa and must be destroyed.

For example, if a Cha is about to be claimed, and through its own action
becomes Na'Cha, it may not become Cha in our presence. This is a great
dishonor and the Cha will become Naaaaaaa for this great insult.

Predator: Arl'Than
Motivation:     Present a Yiiiii'Cha of an Alpha male T-Rex
Weapons: Plasma, Spear, Disks, Wrist blades Plan: Make an alpha male carnivore
dinosaur calls to lure the Yiiiii'Cha to investigate and attack. Make calls in
trees and cloaked. Attack on ground and draw first blood with the spear. Discs
to immobilize. Killing blow with claws and blades. At start: Make alpha male
call and wait and watch. He will furiously attack anyone who kills his
Yiiiii'Cha.

Predator: Va'Dis Motivation: Present many Cha and himself to Paradise Weapons:
Plasma, Nets, Disks, Wrist blades, "Heart wired" nuke Plan: Watch and wait for
a large group of Cha. Attack from rear with weapons. He also seeks a
'threefer', a disc attack that kills three
or more Cha.  Enter into hand-to-hand with intent of personal death
to trigger nuke. At start: In trees cloaked and watching for many prey.

Predator: Jo'Arl Motivation: Large Xeno Cha or Yiii'Cha Weapons: Plasma, Nets,
spear, Wrist blades Plan: Watch and wait for a large group of Xeno Cha. He
will make juvenile xeno distress calls to attract a Cha. We will avoid humans
or other aliens.

Predator: Rho'Vin Motivation: Claim any Cha Weapons: Plasma, Nets, spear,
Wrist blades Plan: Watch and wait for a group of Cha. He will make human
distress calls for luring if needed.

From: Laserlight <laserlight@q...>

Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2000 18:20:08 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> 4. Cha

4.5 Oops'Cha "We didn't expect them to be able to send us to the Deity, but it
appears in retrospect that our estimates were slightly
mistaken...."

From: Jon Davis <davisje@n...>

Date: Sat, 04 Mar 2000 19:55:18 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Laserlight wrote:

Oh the shame..... :-(

From: Laserlight <laserlight@q...>

Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2000 20:29:46 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> >4. Cha

Jon Davis, not knowing what he was in for, lamented:
> Oh the shame..... :-(

and thereby, through no fault of his own, inspired:

4.7 Got'Cha "Hey! That's the Deity! How did that happen?!?"

(with respects to Wi'Sel the Never-Seen)

From: Ground Zero Games <jon@g...>

Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 09:18:05 +0000

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> >4. Cha

4.8: Cup'a'Cha Innocent Prey that provides us with hot beverages before being
killed......

From: Alan and Carmel Brain <aebrain@w...>

Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2000 21:12:56 +1000

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Ground Zero Games wrote:

> >4.7 Got'Cha
killed......

4.9 Cha'Cha Cha Prey that dances around our weapons

4.10 Cha'Kol Prey that is best when well cooked

From: Sutherland <charles@n...>

Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 20:26:11 +0900

Subject: RE: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> > >>> >4. Cha
4.11 Cha'Broiled Prey that must be killed by a flame weapon to see the Deity

From: Alan and Carmel Brain <aebrain@w...>

Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2000 22:58:58 +1000

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> The Sutherlands wrote:

4.12 Cha'Tan'Uga Prey that must be well chewed

From: Laserlight <laserlight@q...>

Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 08:35:03 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Alan Brain, getting ENTIRELY too carried away, wrote:

(for those of you who are wondering, that's "Chattanooga" as in "Chattanooga
Choo Choo").

Narn platoon en route.

From: kwasTAKETHISOUT@o... (Kr'rt)

Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2000 14:32:22 GMT

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

Is this when "The Major" comes in and ends the skit for being "Too Silly"?
heheheh

Not that I mind.... Kinda makes me regret not being in that game...

-=Kr'rt

Quoth Alan E and Carmel J Brain <aebrain@dynamite.com.au>...
> The Sutherlands wrote:

From: Jon Davis <davisje@n...>

Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2000 13:45:57 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Kr'rt wrote:

Yes. I think it's about that time. I have one of my own to add, but I will
restrain myself.

Stuart runs some excellent games and takes advantage of private briefings for
each player. The lizard player should have been informed of the Predators, but
wasn't due to a GM snafu. The lizards had nothing to fear from them. All the
rest of the players were in the dark. That is the reason I had the Press and
the Predators.

Therefore, no other player had any inkling of the Predators or the writeup I
had done to prepare for running them in the game. This is the reason I
published it to the List.

> From the stories coming for 'Grey Day', I regret not participating

From: -MWS- <Hauptman@c...>

Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2000 13:23:03 -0800

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> At 08:35 AM 3/5/00 -0500, Laserlight wrote:

Platoon my arse - THAT one deserves a full battalion!

From: Alan and Carmel Brain <aebrain@w...>

Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 18:32:49 +1000

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Jon Davis wrote:

> Yes. I think it's about that time. I have one of my own to add,

From: Tom McCarthy <tmcarth@f...>

Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 09:16:30 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> 4.5 Oops'Cha

Like the predators who rolled a D10 plus a D12 (yes, summed) against my
infantry's quality die of D8 and got killed. The only wonder is no one bagged
him earlier (since he never rolled higher than a sum of 3).

From: Oerjan Ohlson <oerjan.ohlson@t...>

Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 17:52:34 +0100

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Tom.McCarthy wrote:

> Oh the shame..... :-(

Let me guess... Indy's model, no? ;-)

From: Tom McCarthy <tmcarth@f...>

Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 13:13:50 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Like the predators who rolled a D10 plus a D12 (yes, summed) against

Mr.Barclay, actually.

From: Jon Davis <davisje@n...>

Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 19:09:08 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Alan E and Carmel J Brain wrote:

Alright. Last one.

4.13 Spi'C Na'Chas

Innocent prey sprinkled with melted cheese and jalepenos peppers.

From: Laserlight <laserlight@q...>

Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 19:24:32 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Alan E and Carmel J Brain wrote:

Next time, restrain yourself. Alan, you get a Bat Squad for encouraging this
sort of thing when you ought to have known better.

From: Jon Davis <davisje@n...>

Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 08:06:21 -0500

Subject: RE: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> >Alan E and Carmel J Brain wrote:

I did warn you. My wife and kids howled at all the funny jokes and
bastardizations that we made of Predator theology.

Do Predators hold long grudges? I hope we have a very cool summer.

From: Mark Sykes <tardis@b...>

Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 13:02:13 +1000

Subject: RE: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> At 8:06 AM -0500 7/3/00, Davis, Jonathan E (CRD) wrote:

4.n , (where "n" is a finite, variable)   Kul'Cha

A way for prey to learn the finer points of existence

MS

All the way from Gallifrey...

From: Brian Bilderback <bbilderback@h...>

Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2000 19:11:17 PST

Subject: RE: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

Cha'P'Suey - Prey which seems filling at the time, but leaves one hungry
for more prey within a short time.

----Original Message Follows----
From: Mark Sykes <tardis@rocknet.net.au>

> > >4.13 Spi'C Na'Chas

4.n , (where "n" is a finite, variable)   Kul'Cha

A way for prey to learn the finer points of existence

MS

From: Laserlight <laserlight@q...>

Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2000 22:38:09 -0500

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Cha'P'Suey - Prey which seems filling at the time, but leaves

Okay, if that's the way you want it to be:

Prey dispatched in an especially satisfying manner: Cha'Ching

Prey emitting a strong scent: Cha'Nel'Fi'Yiv

Prey moving the feet and body rhythmicly: Cha'Cha

Prey which attacks only after one of its fellows has been dispatched:
A'Ven'Cha

Comically clumsy prey: Cha'Lee'Cha'Plin

(ahem)

Isn't this getting entirely too silly?

From: Brian Bilderback <bbilderback@h...>

Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2000 20:35:34 PST

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

Yeah, so?

----Original Message Follows----
From: "Laserlight" <laserlight@quixnet.net>

From: Thomas Anderson <thomas.anderson@u...>

Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 09:23:00 +0000 (GMT)

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> On Thu, 9 Mar 2000, Laserlight wrote:

> >Cha'P'Suey - Prey which seems filling at the time, but leaves one

But'Cha - (vb) to send prey to the deity

Lun'Cha'Or - the short period around midday when hunters can stop
sending prey to the deity and eat the ritual food, San'U'Ich.

Thu Tai'Ms Theh Aah A Cha'Njan - favourite war ballad of the hunters

Foo'Cha - the legendary time when enough prey has been sent to the deity

Cha'Plin - hunter-priest who performs the rites associated with the
sending of the prey to the deity

anyway. i suspect similar godawful puns will litter any game using these
rules, so i don't think we need to go any further.

tom

From: Andrew Apter <andya@s...>

Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 07:07:26 -0500

Subject: RE: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

Tor'Cha -- Punning your pray to death

[quoted original message omitted]

From: David Raynes <rayners@g...>

Date: 10 Mar 00 10:58:27 EST

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> "Andrew Apter" <apter@prodigy.net> wrote:

> From a co-worker of mine:

Cha'Lupa: Mexican prey causing severe flatulence problems.

Dave

From: Jeff Miller <shadocat@p...>

Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 11:17:36 -0800

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> David Raynes wrote:

> "Andrew Apter" <apter@prodigy.net> wrote:

Made with female wolf meat, of course....

How about:

Cha': Shreded prey that some southern KV hold between their gum and cheek.

From: Brian Bilderback <bbilderback@h...>

Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 15:59:18 PST

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

Cha'dah: a creamy soup made with milk, potatoes, and chunks of worthy prey,
preferred by northeasern KV.

----Original Message Follows----
From: Jeff Miller <shadocat@primenet.com>

Cha': Shreded prey that some southern KV hold between their gum and cheek.

From: Alan and Carmel Brain <aebrain@w...>

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 10:06:20 +1000

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> Brian Bilderback wrote:

Tee'Cha - Prey the hunting of which is a true education.
Lec'Cha - Prey that causes one to sleep
Pree'Cha - Prey that sees the Deity on a daily basis

From: Thomas.Granvold@E... (Tom Granvold)

Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000 16:42:23 -0800 (PST)

Subject: Re: [GZG ECC] "The Umpire Strikes Back" - The Predators

> > Cha'P'Suey - Prey which seems filling at the time, but leaves one

Ahh... Enough Pun'Ish'Ment Narn Bat Squad save me!

Actually, this is just what I need at work today to lighten things up a bit.

Tai'Cha - The martial art of prey capture.

Enjoy,