Holy crap this was a close one! After a hard-fought cyber battle, a winner has emerged from the war zone of our latest Patreon poll. Meet Street Samurai, the newest resident of Handbook-World. (Better luck next time, Space Marine!)

Before we get into today’s discussion, let’s hop in the Wayback Machine. Do you guys remember that time my goblin cabin boy sapped Henry the VIII over the back of the head and then rode off on Dog Wonder while dressed like Batman? Let me tell you about the man that made it all possible.

It was a pirate game, and it was an Earth both like and unlike our own. History had run its usual course. The Tudors sat upon the English throne. Spanish galleons sailed. Gold flowed across the Atlantic, the Jolly Roger flew, and pirates prowled the waters of the Caribbean. But ya know. There was also magic and shit.

Into this world came a man out of time. A man from the strange and unknown country of “Yooessae.” A man with a chainsaw for a hand. He was also a man with a three-letter name that began with the letter ‘A.’

Abe was everything you’d want in a blatant Evil Dead rip-off. He was full of one-liners and pop culture references. He taught us about the scientific method, technological innovation, and rock and roll. One of my favorite gamer moments remains the time my goblin and several dozen of his cousins closed in on a hapless merchant ship, sails billowing in the wind, while singing Rock of Ages like some demented version of Muppet Treasure Island.

Did Abe belong in that world? Hell no. Did he make it more interesting? Hell yes. And that’s what I’m getting at with today’s wildly out-of-place transhuman cyber warrior. Adding the occasional anachronism to your game can create some wild and crazy moments. Witness my Bat-Goblin shenanigans. Witness Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. Or the multi-genre craziness of Rifts. Or even something as universally beloved as Firefly. Mixing unconventional setting elements makes for new and different experiences. And if you’re a long-time gamer, the unexpected is a rare and wonderful thing.

That leads me to my question of the day. Have you ever been in smash-up style game? What kind of noir detectives showed up in your fantasy world? How did those super heroes contend with Cthulhu? Did they add to the game or ruin its tone? Let’s hear it in the comments!

ARE YOU THE KIND OF DRAGON THAT HOARDS ART? Then you’ll want to check out the “Epic Hero” reward level on our Handbook of Heroes Patreon. Like the proper fire-breathing tyrant you are, you’ll get to demand a monthly offerings suited to your tastes! Submit a request, and you’ll have a personalized original art card to add to your hoard. Trust us. This is the sort of one-of-a-kind treasure suitable to a wyrm of your magnificence.