Linguistic Archaeology: Korean Rivers

Major Korean Rivers
1. Bukhan
2. Chaeryong
3. Changja
4. Changjin
5. Chongchon
6. Hochon
7. Imjin
8. Kumya
9. Orang
10. Piryu
11. Pothong
12. Ryesong
13. Songchon
14. Taedong
15. Taeryong
16. Tumen
17. Yalu
18. Hantan
19. Soyang
20. Hongcheon
21. Han
22. Namhan
23. Geum
24. Mangyeong
25. Dongjin
26. Yeongsan
27. Seomjin
28. Nakdong
29. Geumho
30. Hwang
31. Nam

Popularity of Use
A          %          E         %         I         %           O          %         U         %
17       54%      11       35%      5        16%      16       51%        7         22%

B         %          C         %         D         %      F          %         G         %
1          3%        7         22%     3        9%     0          0%       19       61%

H         %          J         %         K         %      L          %         M         %
14        45%     5         16%     3         9%    1          3%       8           25%

N         %          P         %        Q          %      R          %         S         %
26       83%      2         6%      0          0%     5         16%     5         16%

T         %          V         %         W         %      X         %         Y         %
5         16%      0          0%      1           3%     0        0%       9         29%

Z          %
0           0%


Rivers by Popularity of use
83% N:
61% G, N:
54% A, G, N: Naga (Indo: Dragon, Ko: Get out), Gang (Korean: River)
51% O, A, G, N:
45% H, O, A, G, N: Han,
35% E, H, O, A, G, N:
29% Y, E, H, O, A, G, N:
25% M, Y, E, H, O, A, G, N: Nam, Mangyeong, Namhan,
22% C, U, M, Y, E, H, O, A, G, N: Geumho, Geum, Hongcheon,
         Hochon, Chongcheon,
16% T, J, I, R, S, C, U, M, Y, E, H, O, A, G, N: Seomjin, Yeongsan,
         Soyang, Hantan, Tumen, Taeryong, Songchon, Ryesong,
         Orang, Imjin, Changjin, Changja, Chaeryong,
9% K, D, T, J, I, R, S, C, U, M, Y, E, H, O, A, G, N: Nakdong, Dongjin,
       Taedong, Kumya,
6% P, K, D, T, J, I, R, S, C, U, M, Y, E, H, O, A, G, N: Pothong, Piryu,
3% B, L, W, P, K, D, T, J, I, R, S, C, U, M, Y, E, H, O, A, G, N: Hwang,
       Yalu, Bukhan
0% Z, V, X, F, Q

Conclusion
At 54% Gang should be the first named river considering it means 'River'.
The Han River is the first river named at 45%, And for a considerable time Han is the only named river.
Then at 25% an upriver section is named Namhan. Along with the Mangyeong River further down the coast, and up the Mangyeong and over the mountains to the inland river of Nam.

White Space: Rebellion-breaker Class Vessel

Vessel Class: Rebellion-breaker
Fuel Cap.: 1MLY jump limit, 78 hours orbital operations fuel.
Crew: 89
Description: The Rebellion-breaker was designed to provide orbital bombardment employing kinetic weapons known as 'rods of god' launched from one of three railguns as well as a drop-ships, space shuttle transports, breaching pods, and Aerospace Drones across its eight bays. Its fuel capacity means its a significant long range military asset. In event of jump fuel containment failure the damage to Space-time will be a maximum of twenty-five light year radius (0.000025LY/LY Fuel).
History of Use: The first such vessel was designed for Colony Suppression after the Proxima Centauri War of Independance in 2089. Before it was completed Proxima had voted out the rebel government and reinstated Federal Government Authority. The Rebellion-breaker would be used in the Sol System in 2134 to put down the Earth Civil War after various nationalist factions decided to re-establish their individual nations. The orbital bombardment lasted three minutes triggering The Great Quake and excavating the Washington Crater.

Short Fiction: Prelude to Whitespace

"Its the fuel itself that warps the fabric of space-time which you will see as I activate the drone momentarily." Oskar Westral activated the drone jump sequence and the miniature ion drive sitting in a vaccuum chamber glowed momentarily before the drone vanished. "As you can see the drone has successfully made the jump to whitespace."
"And where exactly is this White Space?" Senator Farenz noticed a monitor screen displaying what appeared to be the President of the United States of America sitting at a heavy wooden desk in what looked like the oval office, the viewing perspective drawing the President's attention before the screen went blank. "What just happened there?"
"That was just the drone taking out the President of the United States of America." Westral pointed at the Vaccuum chamber where the drone again appeared. "And as you can see, mission complete."
"What do you mean mission complete?" Senator Farenz stared at the drone beyond the observation window, its ion engine now cooling. "What just happened?"
"You asked for a demonstration of the drone," Westral checked the drone systems. Satisfied he turned his attention to the Senator. "so I demonstrated the drone."
"Would you care for a second demonstration Senator?" Westral Keyed in jump coordinates for the next jump point. "Coordinates set."
"That was the American President?" Senator Farenz sat down, the possibility was taken out was ludicrous. "In the oval office."

"I wouldn't concern yourself Senator." Westral activated the Drone and it jumped away. "Anyway, the drone isn't realy meant as a weapon system. Its a means of faster than light travel."

"In the next few years we will be able to launch unmanned space probes into nearby star systems allowing unprecedented scientific observation of other worlds." Westral bought up a powerpoint of fuel estimates and Probe costs. "As you can see initial fuel development was resource hungry."
"If you see here..." Westral pointed to a cost drop-off. "We were finally able to synthesize the fuel."
"Given its volatile nature of large volumes of the fuel I actually recommend deploying the fuel plant outside our galaxy."
"What?" Senator Farenz was alarmed given the astronomical distances Westral was implying. "How would we do that?"

"This small plant will produce the fuel necessary to move a much larger fuel production facility to the edge of Galactic spiral over a period of seventeen years." Westral offered a bottle of chilled drinking water to the Senator. "The Fuel production plant I have in mind will produce fuel volumes sufficient to maintain a fleet of a hundred starships with monthly refueling."
"Smaller refueling craft would then jump in via Whitespace bringing small volumes of fuel back into the solar system to supply the fleet continuously." Westral looked at the screen as the image of a red star loomed large on the screen. "We would establish an interstellar and eventually a galactic government by maintaining control of the fuel supply."

"What Star is that?" Senator Farenz was sure the Star was red. "Is that Proxima Centauri?"
"Yes Senator," Oskar Westral smiled at the prospect of traveling through Whitespace and planting a flag on a distant world. "That is Proxima Centauri."
"That Star coming into the left of the Screen is our Star." The image continued to drift until a planet shifted into view. "And that planet is Proxima Centauri b."
"As you can see the signal is being transmitted back through Whitespace so it still takes some time to get here." Westral sent the recall signal. "At this range its slightly more than it took the signal of Astronauts landing on the Moon getting back to Earth."

"We are still a considerable way off from crewed missions to Proxima Centauri." Westral produced an image of a dead rodent. "This guy perished in a previous jump to Proxima Centauri."
"Its not the jump through Whitespace that kills them." Westral put the image of the Dead Rodent back on the desk. "Fairly sure his exposure to the Electromagnetic radiation Proxima Centauri gives off was lethal."

"We will need to send probes capable of a full analysis of the target system." Westral handed a budget to the Senator. "It will cost signifivantly more than the existing drone testbed and sattelite program"

"But..." The drone didnt even have a weapon system so the idea it could take out the President was insane. "How could you possibly take out the President with a weaponless drone?"
"Jump Point." Westral picked up the briefing notes and showed them to the Senator. "As I said before the fuel formed a distortion in the fabric of space-time killing everyone."
"What do you Mean 'killing everyone'?"
Senator Farenz's breathing became laboured. "You just attacked the Whitehouse."

"Actually Mister President," Westral saluted the Future President of the United States of America. "You eliminated the previous head of state."

"There is no way they would ever believe that." James Farenz was experiencing a last moment of doubt in the absolute authority of the President who would lead humanity out of the caves... a Responsibility that would begin here. President Farenz would be the only surviving member of  an elected government. "I will punish you for this."

"Absolutely, Mister President." Oscar Westral smilled politely. "Absolutely."

Notice from Author - I declare this short story and the Whitespace Scifi setting Public Domain.

Damn It: Abandoning a Blog Post idea...

There was a plan to do a Blog Post on Cults, Factions, and Other Planar Influences for BX Dungeons & Dragons RPG but I already did a wobbly eye gif with the cyclops and figured doing it a second time would be lazy of me. Anyway, I palmed the gif off on another D&D blogger so he might use it at some point. Yes, I'm sure your cult would love a sentient triangle from the outer planes.

Anime Memes: take reality with a grain of salt

Dungeon Mastery: Human Freaks and Mutants

"Mommy," The child tugged at it's parent's clothing to draw her attention to Hrothgar's presence. "Why does that man only have one eye?"
"He probably lost it fighting gobli..." Lydanna Wick-yellow stared at the monster before her. "Cyclops!"

Mutations are quite rare. For humans there are ony three that fall within the N in 100 range and could be considered Common Mutations.

Table 1: Common Mutation
1d100         Mutation                  
 01-86          None
 87-96          Left Handed
 97-98          Green Eyes
    99             One of Twins
   100            Uncommon Mut.  
Roll Once on Table 1.

Mutations that occur in the range of N in 10000 can be considered Uncommon Mutations. Roll for an Uncommon Mutation on Table 2.

Table 2: Uncommon Mutation
1d100         Mutation                          
 01-11          None*
 12-70          Different Eye Colours
 71-90          Extra Fingers/Toes
 91-92          Small Head
 93-98          Extra Leg/Hand
    99            One of Triplets
  100            Rare Mutations                
Roll Once on Table 2.

A mutation in the N in 1000000 range can be considered a Rare Mutation. Roll once for a Rare Mutation on Table 3.

Table 3: Rare Mutation
1d100         Mutation                           
 01-13          None*
 14-71          Albino
 72-77          Genderless
 78-87          Claw Hand
 88-98          One Eye (Cyclops)
    99            One of Quadruplets
  100            Very Rare Mutations      
Roll Once on Table 3.

A mutation in the N in 100000000 range can be considered a Very Rare Mutation. Roll once for a Very Rare Mutation on Table 4.

Table 4: Very Rare Mutation
1d100         Mutation                    
 01-55          None*
 56-98          Bark-like Skin
    99            One of Quintuplets
  100            Unique Mutations   
Roll Once on Table 4.

Mutations in the N in 10000000000 range are pretty much unique Mutations. Roll Once on Table 5 for a Unique Mutation.

Table 5: Unique Mutation
1d100         Mutation                    
 01-87          None*
 88-97          Fur
    98            One of Sextuplets
    99            One of Septuplets
  100            One of Octuplets     
Roll Once on Table 5.

*There is an eighty-three percent chance of having white patches of skin colour at the uncommon mutation level so lets assume any value of No Mutation on Tables 2-5 results in Patches of White skin colour and roll again for a second Mutation on whatever table you have reached with Albino replacing white patches of Skin colour if rolled as a second mutation.

How freakish are your PCs?

Short Fiction: Excelsior

Title: Star Trek - Excelsior
 
"A timely rescue." Hikaru Sulu greeted the Betelgeusian Ambasador as the Avian stepped from the transporter pad. "You have my gratitude Captain Sulu." 
"You're welcome Ambassador Thuuk." Sulu led the envoy from the Transporter room out into the hallway. "I was surprised you would cut your departure from your homeworld so close with the Supernova imminent."
"Tradition." Thuuk Racour seemed to have an air of loss about him. "I am the last."
"Yes..." Hikaru Sulu nodded in understanding. "My science officer explained."
"You have a Betelgeusian Science Officer?" Ambassador Thuuk's head moved owl-like to look at Captain Sulu. "On this ship?"
"Commander..." Sulu indicated the Science Officer standing in front of them. "...Zervra Shaak."

The Betelgeusian Science officer stared at the Betelgeusian Diplomat now blocking his path.
"So this is where your stinking clan is hiding." Thuuk Racour closed the distance in a heartbeat and struck the Excelsior's Science Officer in the neck slashing open an artery spraying blood around the hallway. "Die Zervra Shaak!"
"STOP!" Hikaru Sulu leapt into the violent melee targeting the Betelgeusian Diplomat who had just unleashed bloody murder on his Science Officer with his boot heel. "Commander Zervra?"
"Shit." Hikaru knocked the Diplomat aside with a blow to the head and fell on his injured Science Officer attempting to halt the blood-flow. It was too late. "Shit."
"Stick that bastard in a holding cell and get a medical team down here now." Hikaru Sulu looked up at the Excelsior security officer who had followed from the transporter room. "Now!"

Captain Sulu remained with Commander Zervra's body as Security and Medical arrived to pick up the pieces of this diplomatic incident.
Sulu swatted a pestering medic away. "I'm fine." Sulu got to his feet and was instantly plunged into darkness by a ship wide power outage revealing the Blood of Commander Zervra glowing in the dark Illuminating the walls, floors, ceiling, and Sulu. "I'll be on the Bridge."

Power flickered on stabilizing long enough to allow Sulu to ride the Turbolift to the Command deck.

"Anyone care to explain to me..." Hikaru Sulu sat down in the Captain's chair. "...why the power went out?"
"We just took a severe radiation pulse from the star." Lieutenant Commander M'kraj pulled herself away from the science consoles, her nose irritated by an unfamiliar scent. "Its collapsed the warp field."
The ship again plunged into darkness revealng Sulu to be a significant light source.
"Captain?" Lieutenant Commander M'kraj looked at her glowing captain. "You appear to be contaminated."
"Yes." Sulu nodded. "Commander Zervra was just attacked and killed by the Betelgeusian Ambassador."
"Mew?" M'kraj was overcome with the realization she had just been promoted to Commander as the news of the Commander's death drew the attention of the entire crew on the deck. "A blood-feud?"
"Who the hell knows." Sulu exhaled in distress watching M'kraj wipe a paw against her irritated nostrils. "Do we have impulse Commander M'kraj?"
"On occasion..." Power returned and M'kraj considered her options before issuing an order to the helmsman. "Get us over the Pole."

"Captain, The scent of Commander Zervra's blood is irritating me severely." M'kraj placed a paw on Sulu. "Go take a shower Hiraku."
Sulu collapsed to the deck.

 "Captain," M'kraj's growling roused Hikaru. "You are needed."
"What?" Sulu struggled to sit up. "What's the status?"
"Engineering reports ship should be fully operational," Sulu stared at M'kraj's flickering eyes. "Yet all systems continue to prove unresponsive."
"Light..." There was a definate glow coming from Beyond Sulu's field of vision. "...source?"
"Candle." M'kraj waved it into his field of view causing Sulu to flinch at the brightness. "Side-effect of exposure to Zervra's blood."
"And our guest down in holding?" Sulu placed the palm of his hand over his face and coughed. "How is the Ambassador doing?"
"Dead." M'kraj touched her fur paw to Sulu as the guilt of two deaths washed over him. "Decapitated by a filament incase you are feeling particularly guilty."
"Then..." Sulu Shook the cotton candy from his mind and focused on M'kraj. "Show me." 

"Would someone care to tell me..." Sulu looked at the decapitated corpse in the holding cell. "...why the Ambassador doesnt have a head?"

                              +

[Insert epic murder investigation here]

                              +

"You have..." Hikaru stared at the historically accurate Judiciary on the hover-throne. "Interfered in a criminal investigation."
"You have..." Q played with a metal dice cube in the palm of his hand as the human mumbled about meddling in Federation affairs. He had heard it from Picard. "Endangered lives." 
"Hikaru..." Sulu stared at the Alien Judiciary that had spent these last hours amusing itself with a simple murder investigation as it shouted his name across the courtroom. "Sulu."
"Perhaps you would like to poke me with your little sword." Hikaru found himself shirtless and holding the Katana lost several years earlier during an away mission. The Judiciary continued speaking down to him. "Hmmm...No?"
"I like you," Q tumbled the small metal cube off the end of his fingers before causing it to relocate from his hand to a position some distance from the Excelsior allowing it to expand to its full size. "But lets see how you do against the Borg."

"<We are the Borg.>klingon" Sulu, shirtless, and armed with his Katana found himself standing on the command deck of the Excelsior face to face with the new menace of a Klingon, deformed by strange technological enhancements speaking. "<Your biological and technological resources will be assimilated.>Romulan".
"Transwarp..." The Judge had just turned a Dragon loose to entertain the crowd. "Now!"