So What Are "Pulp Adventures"?

 Howdy do and how are you?

I'm fine, thanks for asking!

So let's see...in our last exciting chapter we started a new serial, Wrath of the Volcano God, and I thought I ought to give a little background of how that came about.  I know some people really like when writers talk about that stuff, so here goes.

This is actually an offshoot of the Dungeon Adventures concept, but I'll reiterate here so you don't have to find the other post.

As I've stated before on this blog, I am also associated with Fantanomicon Press, which makes downloadable paper miniatures for various genres of role playing games.  I've got figures which could be used for fantasy games, jungle pulp games, some space opera guys, and others.  

One day I had this idea that I should write some stories about this guys.  Sort of like they did in Third Edition Dungeons and Dragons, they had these "icon characters" that they used in the rulebooks, on the covers of adventure modules, and eventually made a serials of short adventure novels featuring these same characters.

And I thought:  Why don't I do that?  So I selected a handful of characters from the Basic Dungeoneers set and came up with an adventure for them to undertake.

My first thought was to try and write something funny, including things in the fantasy story that were a direct result of game mechanics, or the  game mentality.  Things like ridiculously complex mechanical traps that inexplicably pop out of cavern walls.  Having a character die and the player replacing him with a same-but-different character.  

Was I successful in this endeavor?  I guess that's up to you to decide.  As I worked on the story, other adventures came to mind.  I can have a changing roster of heroes, who forge and resume their relationships as they encounter one another on various adventures.  And I kind of liked the ideas I was cooking up.  Then I thought, too bad I can't do this with characters in the other genres.

Then I thought:  Why couldn't I?

So I set out to write a story featuring characters from the Rugged Adventurers set. Now, I've never played a pulp style RPG like Thrilling Tales or Hollow Earth Expedition, but I have read a few pulp magazines and seen a LOT of cliffhanger serials.  There won't be as many game-related concepts (although I do have a type of "Adventurer's Guild"), but so many pulps and serials have enough fun-but silly-elements that I don't think they're really necessary.  However, I am constructing their fictional version of Earth the same way I would design it for a game--I'm incorporating various fictional countries and devices that have been featured in cliffhanger serials (probably for my own amusement, though there are people out there who might recognize the references). 

And, of course, I've got other heroes for other genres who can have quick little adventures of their own.  All in all, I've got some nifty ideas in store and I'm excited to see how they come together!  Aren't you?  Of COURSE you are!  So Tune-in And See all the Thrills And Surprises coming our way!

Until then, I wish you all...

Good Adventuring!
Timothy A. Sayell