Koalas and Magpies.

I had been thinking about an Austalian animal themed TTRPG for awhile. I have never played Honey Heist, but as I read the rules I thought I could give it a quick hack and see what happens.

Have not had the chance to run it yet and will update as I go. But definitely interested in a constantly changing setting board, and the two animal types brings some interesting story telling options.

  (Formatted badly. Will do better in the future)

It’s summer and you need water. Or fresh leaves. The kangaroos know where to find it, you are pretty sure that the bin chickens do as well. You have been deemed the “water board” and you need to find a source.  

You need a strategy, some snacks and some funny banter or this trip is going to suck.  

Play as a Magpie, a Koala or a mix of the two. (like two Magpies and one Koala, not like a Koala with wings. Although… that could be a different game) 

Roll 2D8 and 1D6 to determine how your mate Phil would describe you, what skill you have, what you badge says you do.  

Phil’s Description: 

Role: 

1 Beefcake 2 planner 3 fixer 

4 talker 5 transport

6 best friend 

Starting stats –   Roll D6 + 

Magpie +1 Punch 

+2 Travel  +3 YYN  

Koala  +3 Punch +1 Yravel  

+2 YYN  

Both characters have their thirst level (2D6 + Punch)

Every time you travel, fight, get injured or do a “water board action” Minus one thirst level.  

Regain thirst levels by drinking water or eating fresh gum leaves.  

If your YYN level ever hits 0 your character needs to tell a story about that one time one of your parents taught you a great lesson that has stayed with you today.

Skills: 

Each character has three stats  

Punchability. Travel. 

And “Ye ye Nah mate”. (YYN) 

Punchability is how many “punches you can take” before you die. If it is 2 and you take two punches… or fall off a tree twice. You die. You’re an animal. Its not like you can take a lot of punches.  

Travel is how fast and good you can travel. You get a +1if Magpies are flying and Koalas are walking. (you can take off a travel number if you fall instead of punchability if you want.  

YYN – is your stat for silly business. If you want to do silly business you can either minus one of the stat or roll under the stat.  

Make sure your Magpie or Koala has a very Australian name like Ramesh or Deano. You can all talk, just with an accent. Birds sound like birds. Koalas sound like they are always high. Do the voices. Makes it fun.  

Helpful Tables to set the scene.  

Water is being hoarded by:

1 Worried    1 Dingoes or snakes 

2 Typical   2 Bin chickens 

3 Greedy     3 Tassie devils 

4 Arrogant   4 Emus 

5 Happy 5 Wombats 

6 Unhopeful  6 Quokkas 

7 Conniving  7 Echidnas and Platpus 

8 Beyonce-loving   8 Bilbies 

They are  hoarding it in:

1 Cozy     1 Den 

2 pointy   2 Treehouse 

3 sticky   3 cave 

4 rocky    4 bush nest 

5 fortified  5 billabong 

6 Well manicured  6 city park 

7  lush     7 tall shrub 

8 sandy   8 beach 

Aside from 10D6 “supply of water” 

Characters can also find (3D6):

 3 steak 4 really pretty flowers

5 a good stick 6 a good hat

7 x-ray goggles for seeing through bike helmets 8 a nice pillow

9 the vaccine for chlamydia 10 three energy drinks

11 a Brisbane Lyons jersey 12  Honey

13 gum leaves (the good kind)

14 A new best friend (kookaburra / cockatoo or king parrot)

15 a newspaper 16 shiny things 17 a paddle pop stick

18 a bag of chips with chicken salt.  

Possible issues and obstacles / Gang leader. (D6 roll twice)

1: Ninjas     1: Likes its own voice 

2: Pit trap 2: Likes chips too much 

3: guard sentries 3: terrified of fire 

4: poison gas or flowers 4: sleepy 

5: Deadly crow guard   5: exploitable 

6: trip wire alarms       6: Home schooled 

Little do the players know: 

1 The water is poisoned and is a dummy security measure for the real location 

2 They would give them all the water they need in exchange for a slice of sandwich ham.  

3 Some kangaroos are also after the same water 

4 If they don’t complete it before sunset, a monster comes out to play 

5 The day is really hot – 2 extra thirst.  

6 There are humans nearby. If they see you they will attack (magpies) play with (koalas) 

Appendix 1 

Mini Bestiary. (All get 1 point of yeah yeah nah mate) 

Punchability – Travel  

Giant Boomer P +4 T +4 

Giant red back or swarm P+1 T+2 

Baby eating dingo P+1 T +4 

The worst snake P+3 T+2 

Mozzie swarm P-1 T+3 

Indigenous character 

Drop bear P+4 T+1 

Frill necked lizard P+2 T+2 

Poisonous plant beast P+1 T+3 

Ibis (bin chicken) P+1 T+3 

Appendix 2 

Draw diagonal lines on an a5 page in either direction. Then roll a d4 then a d6 to choose environment and tile.  

Ideas for populating a map if needed.  

Large scale  – Forest, urban, desert, Lake/seaside 

Forest

Urban 

Backyard alley 

Sports field green belt 

Underpass / road shop 

Desert 

Trees creek 

Dune rock 

bushes sand

Lake / seaside 

Trees river 

Wharf lakeside 

Mud bushes