BladeSharp

Lazy Post of Artistic Stuff that is D&D for me

2012-05-18T15:35:00.002+01:00

Consider the rule-book, how it blossoms in its time

2012-04-30T18:29:00.000+01:00

Be not ashamed of mistakes, and thus make them crimes - Confucius

So, long time, no post about Kitsune & Kensei, the updating/revision of 1E Oriental Adventures for Labyrinth Lord and its Advanced Edition Companion. I posted a brief thought about it all on G+, to whit that I was tempted to just run OA "as is" either in PbP or real-life. Just to see how it would run. That got me thinking about some aspects that I hadn't really considered before.

e.g. We all know about 1gp = 1xp and about how this becomes the primary motivator for the adventurer aka thieving scumbags, and how monsters become the roadblocks to be avoided or circumvented to achieve this. Where does this leave the humble shukenja and indeed most of the character classes, who (if played true to the mileu) would disdain to loot tombs and rob the dead?

(Mike D in Ruins & Ronin brilliantly avoids this problem by stating outright that his game emulates the historical/fantastic cinema of Japan, and thus the characters are every bit as ahistorical as their western paladin, magic-user equivalents.)

Also, with the whole new monetary system of OA, do we still keep the 1gp = 1xp standard, converting across each time, or do we need to rejig it to reflect the different distribution of money? That is, if we accept that the PCs are looters or that the DM will reward them with treasure/goods from their lord/monastery. It's the sort of thing that I should do a close analysis of, much as Chris K has done with the AD&D Name Level warbands and wandering "monsters" of berserkers, bandits etc.

My time is rather curtailed with a baby and performing with the local amateur dramatic society (and DMing 4E again), but I hope to have a bit more to say about this soon.

People of the Pines - a coniferous creature for Labyrinth Lord

2012-04-28T18:34:00.001+01:00

The People of the Pines lurk in dark woodlands, a curious perversion of the animal and plant kingdoms. Their origin remains mysterious at this time; perhaps they are the product of some twisted druidic cult, or a demonic infestation, or something wholly unknown to this particular facet of the multiverse...

These mysterious beings partake both of undead and plant natures, being the remains of humans (generally warriors) whose bodies have been drained of blood, with pine resin filling their veins in its place. The soul of such an unfortunate has departed but the individual's anima remains, investing the foul creature with the memories of its former self. Its new personality is curiously cold and distant, but encouraging of others to join them in the unfeeling serenity of their new state.

Labyrinth Lord stats

No Enc: 1d10 (10d10)

Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
AC: 5
HD: 3
Attacks: 1 (weapon)
Damage: Sword 1d8 or Crossbow 1d6
SQ: Immune to non-magic weapons and cold, half damage from lightning, double damage from fire. Affected by plant-based spells.
Save: Fighter 3

For every 20 People encountered one will be a leader of 4HD, who will also have the powers and spellcasting ability of a 4th Level Druid. For every 60 encountered one will be a leader of 6HD with commensurate Druid abilities. People of the Pines are turned as shadows.

In battle, these creatures can emit a piercing scream which will cause enemy hirelings, retainers etc to check morale or flee for 1d8 rounds.

Adapted from Julian Lawrence's Brotherhood of the Pines in The Best of White Dwarf Scenarios III, themselves derived from Michael Moorcock's Corum series.

Zoat - Guardians of the Woods

2012-04-14T16:53:00.000+01:00

Image from Here Lives Goblins

The elves speak of a race that was old when they themselves were but new arrivals to the forests of creation. These wise reptilians resembled centauroid lizards, but had a charisma that far outweighed their deceptively lumbering form. Known as zoats or so-uts, the ancient ones may also have been the founders of the druidical faith, as they held a reverance and respect for the natural world and displayed great supernatural affinity with it.

It is said that some of the zoat race still linger in the primeval forests, slow to wrath but fearsome in battle.

Labyrinth Lord stats

No. Enc.: 1 (1d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 7
Attacks: 1 (weapon or trample)
Damage: by weapon or 2d8)
Save: Druid 7
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: VIII
XP: 1,400

Zoats cast spells as a Druid of 7th Level. Ones with greater spell-casting ability undoubtedly exist. A zoat's great size (bigger than a rhino) allows it to wield two-handed weapons in one hand. Zoats deal double damage after a charge.

Brain Collectors - Predacious Scholar, Scholastic Predator

2012-04-10T18:11:00.000+01:00

Abaldo staggered away in horror as the immense bulk of the abomination became clear, skittering towards him slowly on crab-like legs. Its unblinking eyes regarded him as one might regard an insect on a pin as tentacles around its face writhed and strange mounds on its body pulsated. To the swordsman's amazement, he heard a voice, or more precisely a chorus of differently pitched voices speaking as one, "Cease thy confusion, small one, this body seeks knowledge. Before thou dost become one with us, utter thy emotional state. 'Tis for the purposes of research."

Brain-collectors is what they have been dubbed by the adventurous souls who have encountered them and lived, and by the more down-to-earth scholars. In their own language (utterly untranslateable) they are neh-thalggu.

Research and experience has shown that the personality (if it can be called that) of a collector seems to vary with each telling. Some survivors describe them as ravenous beasts, desperate for cranial sustenance, whereas some texts speak of them in terms that depict them more as explorers and investigators, a perverse mirror perhaps for the human adventurers they encounter.

It has been theorised that the more bestial specimens are juveniles, whereas the more erudite are elder individuals. The truth is unknown.

Into the Odd stats

STR 20 , DEX 16, WIL 19, hp 5d6+10, Armour 1

Attacks for 2d6 damage.

Brain-collectors have a terrifying power; they are able to use the brains they hold as Arcana. Each brain grants the neh-thalggu a random Arcana power of no greater level than the number of brains plus 10.

Jeff's 20 Campaign Questions

2012-04-09T19:47:00.003+01:00

What is the deal with my cleric's religion? - The gods are in the PHB, but the details can be worked out between us.
Where can we go to buy standard equipment? Fallcrest is the biggest town, but a guy in Winterhaven has some good stuff.
Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended? Thunderspire Labyrinth
Who is the mightiest wizard in the land? Currently Stefalin of Fallcrest.
Who is the greatest warrior in the land? Close tie between Donaar, Paladin of Bahamut and his close friend Fargrim.
Who is the richest person in the land? Lord Markelhay of Fallcrest.
Where can we go to get some magical healing? The Temple of Avandra in Winterhaven or any of the temples in Fallcrest.
Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath? You're going to have to hope that the temples have the right scrolls or rituals, or that your party ritual caster does.
Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells? Yep, sure is, Stefalin of Fallcrest has recently become its head and the guild has... 2 members.
Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC? Valthrun the Prescient of Winterhaven is the foremost sage in the Vale.
Where can I hire mercenaries? Fallcrest.
Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law? Nah.
Which way to the nearest tavern? Fallcrest, Winterhaven.
What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous? How long have you got? The green dragon currently harassing the barony to the south is a good one.
Are there any wars brewing I could go fight? Wars? No. Skirmishes? Yes.
How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes? Not in the Vale. Maybe in the Free City far to the south.
Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight? Orcus worshippers?
What is there to eat around here? Iron rations.
Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for? The Jade Chalice is reputed to lie in a ruined fort in the mountains.
Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure? See above for the dragon.

Alabast - Unwilling Exiles

2012-04-09T19:00:00.001+01:00

They were like men but with hair and skin of purest white, and their eyes were pale,shimmering orbs of hate. Their leader addressed us, his tone one of curt disgust, "You are not wanted here, beasts. Leave or die"

The alabast appear to be kin to the elves and eladrin of other worlds but these mysterious beings take the isolationist tendancies of the fey to an extreme. On their shadowy homeworld, they dwelt in great ziggurat cities, the only sentient species on the planet; now, one of those cities lies on a strange and hostile world filled with bizarre, unwholesome species like and unlike the alabast.

It is unknown even if "alabast" is their name for themselves or one coined by the natives of their new world (i.e. the PC races). The alabast view all other sentient life-forms with at least distaste, and in some cases, hatred. Like the more familiar elves, alabast have a strong cultural tradition of blending swordplay and spellcasting, but this reaches its pinnacle in the warrior-mage caste of each alabast city state.

Labyrinth Lord stats

No Enc: 1d4+1 (1d10+10)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
AC: 5
HD 1
Attacks: 1 (weapon)
Damage: Sword 1d8 or Crossbow 1d6
SQ: Alabast are only surprised on a roll of 1 on 1d6
Save: Elf

These stats are for a typical NPC alabast warrior. For every 10 alabast encountered, one will be of higher HD of the iladan, teladan or koradan castes. Iladan ("Mage-warriors) are able to reflect magic back on the caster using their sword blades by making an attack roll as if attacking the caster in melee. Teladan ("Dancing-warriors") are able to make a riposte attack if their opponent misses them in melee. Koradan ("Shell-warriors") are more heavily armed and armoured than the other alabast one will encounter, usually wielding sword and shield or a two-handed weapon and wearing plate armour (but with no reduction in speed).

Alabast originally appeared in The Diamond Throne (Malhavoc Publishing)and the cultural terms used are from that work. My only original contribution is the LL stats and the abilities for the various types encountered.

Brendan's 20 questions

2012-04-09T08:35:00.000+01:00

Ability scores generation method? - Point buy. Considering 4d6, arrange as desired, with 1 16 and 1 18 handed out automatically, as per Gamma World 4E if I run 4E D&D again.
How are death and dying handled?0 and below is Unconscious, roll 1d20 each round, if you get 1-9 you have failed a death save. Three strikes and you're out. get to half you HP expressed as a negative number and you're dead straight away. RAW 4E.
What about raising the dead? Heroic Tier PC - 500gp, Paragon - 5000gp, Epic -
How are replacement PCs handled? Create a new character, usually with some tangental connection to the group; we've had cousin, work buddy, half-brother etc
Initiative: individual, group, or something else? Individual
Are there critical hits and fumbles? How do they work? 20 - crit if it would hit the target. If it wouldn't ordinarily hit the target, normal damage.
Do I get any benefits for wearing a helmet?Only if it's magical
Can I hurt my friends if I fire into melee or do something similarly silly?Not with firing into melee, but with area effect attacks, yes
Will we need to run from some encounters, or will we be able to kill everything? You would be advised to choose your battles carefully in some locations
Level-draining monsters: yes or no? No
Are there going to be cases where a failed save results in PC death? - yes (see death saves above)
How strictly are encumbrance & resources tracked? - not very strict most of the time
What's required when my PC gains a level? Training? Do I get new spells automatically? Can it happen in the middle of an adventure, or do I have to wait for down time?Level up after Extended Rest. Training nor required. New powers acquired automatically. It can occur in the middle of an adventure (only if you rest).
What do I get experience for? - Succeeding in quests, defeating foes,passing skill challenges
How are traps located? Description, dice rolling, or some combination? - either/or
Are retainers encouraged and how does morale work? The PCs have shown no inclination to gain outside aid, and their is no morale system. I might add in the one from LL.
How do I identify magic items?In most cases, you discover the item's powers after a short rest.
Can I buy magic items? Oh, come on: how about just potions? Sometimes.
Can I create magic items? When and how? Yes, using the appropriate ritual.
What about splitting the party? - go for it.

By the Power of Greyskull!

2012-03-09T21:02:00.003Z

Ah, He-Man, archetypal '80s cartoon hero, with a terrible hair-cut, a plethora of one-liners, and social education along the lines of picking up one's litter.

I HAVE THE POWER!!!

For a run-down of the Eternian muscleman's various incarnations, take a look at the WIKI which details the different media that he appeared in. In brief, the familiar cartoon series was actually He-Man's second version (or continuity, if you like), his first being in the mini comic books that came with the action figures. The first incarnation was a barbarian who lived in the jungle with his tribe in the post-apocalyptic world of Eternia after the Great Wars had left mysterious technology and sorcery behind. That sounds way cooler than the Saturday morning version already. Right?

A Module for 4-6 5th Level Characters?

And, yes, it's totally a rip-off of Thundarr in that respect. Blond barbarian with special sword fights sorcerer-technologists. Hmm, spot the resemblance? If I was going to launch into a game to emulate the mini-comics, then I'd go for Savage Worlds or True20 as both provide tool-kits to mix magic and science. Or Barbarians of Lemuria, which is more swords & sorcery.

It occurs to me though that is a good time to promote Into the Odd again, which would fit well with the mysterious arcane and technological artifacts aspect as well as preventing the PCs from being the ones who use magic, that being reserved for powers beyond their ken, or indeed their barbie.

So, here's a little something inspired by the He-Man mini-comics:

Etarna is a world wherein mankind is beginning to rise back from the barbarism it was thrown into in the aftermath of the Great Wars, in which technological weapons of great power ravaged the world, leaving mutants and strange energies in their wake.

Great artifacts are being rediscovered in secret locations, and maybe your advernturesome characters will come into possession of them, and use them to prevent the evil mutant warriors of the skull-faced sorcerer Skalador from gaining dominion.

The most powerful of these are the Swords of Power...

Etarnan Swords of Power

This strangely crafted sword seems to be entirely made of silvery metal, and is lighter than its size would indicate.

Although wielded in one hand, these swords act as Great Weapons (Power Attacks for +2 damage and enemy save) and each is an Arcanum. Typically, a Sword of Power has the following spells: Spell Turning, and Heat Ray. Some may have other or additional abilities.

Living in Electric Dreams

2012-03-07T17:45:00.002Z

There's a vogue right now (or over the last 5 years) for revisiting the '80s, and for those of us who grew up then, we can once again enjoy The Transformers, Thundercats, He-Man etc in new, revamped forms. On G+, there's also been a "Transformers elements in D&D" meme going round as well. The font of '80s cartoons is one that can be drunk of deeply to provide GMs and players with some science-fantasy inspiration.

I'll be looking at the original series, spin-off comics, re-boots and fan imaginings to showcase these childhood wonders. Lined up, I have the following in mind:

He-Man (yes, and She-Ra)
Transformers
Thundercats
Ulysses 31
Mysterious Cities of Gold
Bravestarr

Anything else you'd like to see?

Hamlet, Zombie Killer of Denmark

2012-03-04T19:32:00.000Z

Shakespeare + Zombies = my next theatre directing gig. The harsh life of an artist... :D

[Barbarians of Lemuria] Vandis the Huntsman

2012-02-07T10:36:00.000Z

Do you want an rpg that just sweats swords and sorcery from its very pores?

Do you want an rpg wherein you actually feel like the main character in one of those tales?

Barbarians of Lemuria, baby. Every time.

What riches shall we uncover? First Attributes, four of 'em. I get 4 points to distribute between them. I'll go for the barbaric warrior methinks but with a dash of quickness and smarts a la REH Conan. He comes from the northern climes of Valgard and is a warrior who is best at the offensive rather defensive tactics. As a Valgardian he gets to pick from a list of traits.

Vandis the Huntsman

Origin: Valgard

Attributes: Strength 2; Agility 1; Mind 1; Appeal 0

Combat: Brawl 1; Melee 2; Ranged 1; Defense 0

Careers: Barbarian 2; Blacksmith 0; Hunter 1; Thief 1

Lifeblood 12; Hero Points 3; Armour 2

Traits: Valgardian Blade, Snow Tracker

Flaws: Illiterate

Equipment: Valgardian Long sword (Damage D6+2, use an extra die), Dagger (Damage D3), Hand Axe
(Damage D6), Boots (1 Armour), Greaves (1 Armour)

Languages – Spoken: Lemurian and Valgardish

Languages – Written: N/A (Illiterate)

Cittarovina - the City of Ruins

2012-02-02T15:42:00.001Z

Background
Cittarovina, the City of Ruins draws artists, intellectuals, and fortune-seekers like gulls to trash. The relatively recent return of the Pontifex to the ancient seat of the Church of the Unconquered Sun has further spurred the opportunistic to flock to this most vibrant of cities.

The various noble families are involved in political and personal intrigues (although the lines get blurred), and their various underlings are often the game pieces. More and more, these powerful men and women are becoming interested in the treasures that can be unearthed from the ruins of the ancient pagan empire. Previously, such artifacts were regarded as wonderful art to be displayed or studied for its aesthetic value, but in recent years, this study has turned to the unexpected (and inexplicable) power that can be unleashed from these items, or "Arcana" as some scholars have dubbed them.

So, now, the race is on to uncover the lost treasures of the gods...

The Rules

We'll be using Into the Odd (from the blog http://soogagames.blogspot.com/)

Everything is as the rules, and if you start with an Arcanum I will generate it.

Although the game is FLAILSNAILS, all characters will be native to begin with. Cittarovina uses Italianate naming conventions, so please bear this in mind.

If you'd like to play, drop me a line.

Creating a new world of odd

2012-02-01T19:07:00.000Z

I posted on G+ recently about being in a world-building funk. I was casting around for a rules-set that would inspire me, and I found it in Into the Odd (from the blog http://soogagames.blogspot.com/). It's based on OD&D but is thematically and mechanically streamlined. There are no spellcasters; all magic that PCs can use comes from Arcana (mysterious items left by the equally mysterious Astrals).

I've also been playing a couple of video games from 2 well known series recently and they were added to the stew of elements I'd want in a game I ran or world I made.

Two possible ideas came to mind strongly: the Young Kingdoms of Moorcock's Elric stories, or a city-state modelled after those of Renaissance Italy. For the truly unique experience I decided to go with the latter, firstly because it means actually creating something, and secondly FLAILSNAILS, man.

Now, it's not going to be historically accurate or a love-letter to the Medicis. It's probably going to be as historically precise and as serious as Warhammer FRP 1E's version of Europe. So, now to create our city-state: I want something that combines the artistic culture of Florence (Firenze) with the ruins of Rome. (Yes I've been playing Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, can you tell?)

Time to hunt for a map to steal... er... be inspired by,

Miniature Painting - What I Do

2012-02-01T11:08:00.000Z

Before launching into this, I'll just make clear that this is what I do, and not necessarily what everyone does or would recommend.

Tools and Materials

A good modelling knife ( I use an X-Acto). Modelling files - available in packs. Fast-acting Superglue (preferably with a way to apply it in small amounts (I use Zap-a-gap). Polystyrene cement (preferably with a brush applicator) if you are putting together plastic minis. PVA Glue - for applying basing. Flock/sand/rubble - your taste as to how you want the base to look.

Brushes

Don't buy GW's brushes - you can get similar brushes from an art shop. Look for sable brushes; you could use synthetic, but I find sable gives more "feedback" to my hands and eye than synthetic brushes do, allowing me to control the brush better. If you want to be fancy, you can look at Windsor & Newton Series 7 brushes, but you don't need them to start off with. They are excellent though.

Paints

Acrylics all the way. They are just much easier than oils and enamels. They dry faster (not always a good thing but see later), are water soluble when wet, and are (in the main) non-toxic. A large variety of manufacturers produce paint these days, and it's one of the few areas in which I go for GW/Citadel. Their Wash range and range are suberb. In fact, you could get away with just buying those two box sets.

Prep

ALWAYS prep - I can't emphasise this enough. The difference it makes to the finished model is aesthetically huge. For plastic minis use your knife to gently scrape away the mould lines. Plastic minis these days have come on leaps and bounds from even 5 years ago, so you still need to take care not to get rid of detail. For metal minis, you can use your knife and a file. I can't speak for the new-fangled plastic-resin or whatever that Mantic and GW are using, but I should imagine that the old techniques still work but you may need to fill in the moulding bubbles with green stuff.

Undercoat

There is so much variation in how people go about doing this stage. It really depends on what effect you are after, how much time you want to take, and how many models you're painting (see below). There are three main colours for undercoating (well there are lots but to begin with we'll say 3): black, white, grey. I have used all 3 and like the effects they all give.

Black - Pro - gives strong definition of areas of the mini and adds depth of shading (no need to blackline). Con - you need to carefully layer colours on top thinly in order to get strong colours. Suitable for any mini but works well for dark colourschemes or 'sinister' minis.

White - Pro - good strong colours. Con - areas you miss are really obvious! Suitable for any mini but most suitable for colourful ones or 'goodies'.

Grey - Pro - Provides a good base for either type of scheme, especially in combination with a dark wash (black/brown) either before or after applying base colours to areas. Con - I haven't really found any.

Applying the Undercoat

A matter of time/preference. You can either apply by brush or spray. If you're spraying, you need to be seen by a vet. OK, seriously, on the matter of spray - don't buy GW/Citadel's (notice a theme?), get car-body spray. I get all of mine that way and they are cheaper, contain more and give better coverage. Spray outside in low humidity when possible.

Single/Multiple models

Are you wanting to paint an individual model as best you can or are you looking to paint batches of models at the same time to acceptable standard? The same disciplines apply but they require different mindsets. More in another post, perhaps.

Basing

A base completes the model. If you leave the base blank, to me it looks unfinished and ruins the overall effect. Even if it's a coating of flock, at least it's something.

Varnish

Like undercoating, varnish can either be brushed or sprayed. It comes in gloss or matt and most people recommend a first coat of gloss (protects well) followed by a coat of matt (makes it less shiny). You can then either leave the metallic parts and gems shiny or redo them with gloss if you've hit them with matt. Or just leave them matt if you like that effect.

This is a really basic overview, but if people want more information on something, I can post further on specific topics...

Playtest - By This Axe I Rule

2012-01-20T22:30:00.003Z

By This Axe I Rule!

Playtest 15/01/11

Forces:

Donaar's Alliance
Wood Elves 1
Wood Elves 2
Elrose the Axe, Wood Elf SuperHero
Halfling Riflemen
Dwarves
Friar Duquesne, Priest-Hero
Donaar K'baab, Dragonman Champion

Forces of Orcus
Madskyllz, Troll
Ho-pe-teh, Giant Toad
Dark Elves 1
Dark Elves 2
Daphid Powy, Dark Elf Champion
Ghouls
Dark Karolina, Vampire Hero

Table set-up: 3ft by 3ft table. Chris placed the terrain, and Jonathan chose which table edge to set-up on. Chris set-up on opposite side. Decided that forces could set up in an area 6” from each table edge on their side. Rolled dice to see who would set up first, and then alternated placing units. If a character was separate to a unit, they counted as a unit for placement.

Time of day: As the dark elves had the darkvision quality, we used a day/night determination method from the game Fantasy Warriors. This came up with the first segment of daytime, so no night-fighting advantage for the drow.

Backstory: In an alternate future of our D&D campaign, only one member of the Heroes of Winterhaven survives, Donaar K’baab, dragonborn paladin of Bahamut. His companions have fallen or in the case of Karolina the bard, been subverted to the cause of the Heroes’ enemy, Orcus, Demon Lord of Undeath. With a ragtag band of followers, and some cross-planar aid from some halflings armed with curious flame rods, Donaar goes to battle Karolina and her warband.

Turn 1
No missile fire (out of range). Moving forward in most cases. Wood Elves stayed in woods but changed facing. Turn phases were met with approval, especially the simultaneous nature of missile fire.

Turn 2
Dark Elves and Wood Elves fire upon one another. Dark Elves eliminate the Dwarves, but Donaar is unscathed (too bad I only had 3 dwarf minis...). Ghouls take casualties. to missile fire. Hobbits move to cut off the Toad and Troll, who are hidden behind the tower. Friar Duquesne hangs at the back, forgetting to use his save power. (Doh)

Turn 3
Hobbits gun down Madskylz, as he emerges from behind the ruined tower. Ho-pe-teh also emerges. Wood Elf Unit 1 loses 3 members and their morale holds. Wood Elf Unit 2 loses 3 members, and fails morale test. Starts to flee. Elrose engages the ghoul unit and destroys them with his mighty axe, before he too is killed.

Turn 4

The hobbits shoot at Ho-pe-teh, but the toad survives, slowly plodding towards the small riflemen. Donaar K’baab, Daphid Powy, Karolina, and Friar Duquesne enter into melee. Daphid and Donaar trade blow for blow (we both kept guessing one another’s moves very accurately), but finally Donaar is felled. Friar Duquesne smashes Karolina round the head and she too is slain. The fleeing Wood Elves are unable to be rallied, as Friar Duquesne is too far away, and thus flee off the table. A victory for the forces of Orcus.

GM Questionnaire - Answers for Zak

2012-01-19T09:07:00.000Z

GM Questionnaire

1. If you had to pick a single invention in a game you were most proud of what would it be?

Turning Keep on the Shadowfell into a generational soap opera

2. When was the last time you GMed?

August 2011

3. When was the last time you played?

Yesterday

4. Give us a one-sentence pitch for an adventure you haven't run but would like to.

The adventurers engage in an ornithopter battle as Atlantis crumbles

5. What do you do while you wait for players to do things?

Look stony faced, or hum merrily in an innocent fashion

6. What, if anything, do you eat while you play?

Pizza, crisps, sausages, sweets, chocolate

7. Do you find GMing physically exhausting?

Sometimes.

8. What was the last interesting (to you, anyway) thing you remember a PC you were running doing?

Romancin' the Queen of the Shadow Fey

9. Do your players take your serious setting and make it unserious? Vice versa? Neither?

I gave up on running 100% serious a while ago...

10. What do you do with goblins?

Cockernies, luv a duck.

11. What was the last non-RPG thing you saw that you converted into game material (background, setting, trap, etc.)?

The most common thing is people's voices for NPCs

12. What's the funniest table moment you can remember right now?

The intrepid macho adventurers charging into a broom-cupboard

13. What was the last game book you looked at--aside from things you referenced in a game--why were you looking at it?

d20 Fading Suns. It's great setting and I might try it in True20

14. Who's your idea of the perfect RPG illustrator?

Brom.

15. Does your game ever make your players genuinely afraid?

Not scared, but concerned for their characters - all the time.

16. What was the best time you ever had running an adventure you didn't write? (If ever)

The Freeport Trilogy

17. What would be the ideal physical set up to run a game in?

A large farm house with easy kitchen access

18. If you had to think of the two most disparate games or game products that you like what would they be?

Elric! and Dogs in the Vineyard (sorry Zak)

19. If you had to think of the most disparate influences overall on your game, what would they be?

Final Fantasy VII and the Carry On films

20. As a GM, what kind of player do you want at your table?

Intelligent, willing to engage

21. What's a real life experience you've translated into game terms?

Living in Devon

22. Is there an RPG product that you wish existed but doesn't?

A Legend/MRQ2/RQ6 version of Griffin Mountain

23. Is there anyone you know who you talk about RPGs with who doesn't play? How do those conversations go?

My wife - she hasn't played for a while. My brother - the same. They're still interested though.

[Labyrinth Lord] Orgulus the Persuasive

2012-01-14T13:12:00.001Z

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Labyrinth Lord rocks. You know the procedure: 3d6 in order (although I hadn't noticed that both LL and AEC say that the GM can ask you to roll the scores in any order you like). So, going to Invisible Castle yielded a series of 8s and 9s - that's not very interesting for the purposes of this, so I rolled again and got a much more characterful set of stats. Low Wisdom (again) - are the dice lords telling me something? Highest score Charisma? Oo, let's make him a real sleazebag, but upper crust with it... Not bad Int - let's go Magic-User!

Spells? Again, I hadn't seen before that in LL, M-Us choose 2 1st Level spells, and 1 2nd Level spell for their books. It's always weird to find little snippets like these. Allure is right up this cat's alley - an additional 2d4 Charisma? Whizzo! Sleep - it has to be. Invisibility - er, cos, really.

Money... er... can't find it in LL, as to how much I start off with, but it's in AEC weirdly. 3d8x10gp... 90gp - hmph. Not brilliant, but then again, what do M-Us need to buy? OK, let's see. He's gotta dress fancy, as an ex-girlfriend of mine would say. I'll keep some dosh to bribe people with and hire test subjects, er... retainers.

Orgulus (left) and an unfortunate hireling

Orgulus the Persuasive
Human Magic-User (Level 1)

Str 10 0
Dex 13 -1 AC, +1 Missile Attack
Con 14 +1HP/HD
Int 13 +1 language
Wis 07 -1 saves vs magic
Cha 15 -1 reac adj, 5 retainers, retainer moral 8

HD: 1d4+1
HP: 2

1st Level spells

Allure
Sleep

2nd Level spells

Invisibility

Equipment

65gp 3sp

Dagger
Quarterstaff
Spellbook
Silk robe
Fur cloak
Hat
Backpack
Scroll case
Quill pen
Ink vial

[Stars Without Number] Jose De Santo, Space Marine

2012-01-11T21:48:00.003Z

Stars Without Number is a sci-fi rpg that packs a tremendous amount into a relatively small package. It might well be one of the finest sci-fi rpgs ever made. Its production values and the creativity on display are breath-taking and beautiful. Just get it.

Anyway, creating a character. It's old school; we're talking 3d6 in order .So, I get:

Str 15
Int 06
Wis 12
Dex 13
Con 16
Cha 12

Of the 3 classes in SWN (Warrior, Expert, Psychic) looks like our chap is a perfect Warrior. Being derived from OD&D, stats aren't as important as they are in other versions of the World's First Roleplaying Game. You can readjust scores above 13 and below 8 by taking away from high scores and adding that amount to low scores. I'll do that now, and take 2 points from Con to add to Int.

So, our Warrior, Jose DeSanto, is pretty average bar his high Strength and Constitution. Not a bad set of scores! Warriors have the ability to automatically evade one successful hit per combat, which seems like a really neat way of encapsulating their battlefield prowess. Next we select a Background Package, which gives you a selection of skills. We'll make Jose a Soldier (shades of Starship Troopers). Next it's a Training Package, and these are particular to each class. We'll make him a Space Marine, an elite special forces trooper.

Each Package grants a selection of skills, all of which start at 0. If your background and training have the same skill listed, it starts at 1. Again, very elegant. We also have to select a Homeworld, and we'll play it safe and say Earth. Jose is very pro-Earth and tends to be quite defensive about it being the original human world.

We have 400 + 1d6x100 credits with which to buy equipment. 600 credits ain't gonna go far. I'm going to assume that Jose is no longer in the military for the purposes of this (if he was our friendly GM would probably allow him an exosuit and a void carbine. So, a dishonourable discharge for our somewhat chauvinistic chum.

Jose DeSanto
Level 1 Warrior (Soldier, Space Marine)

Str 15 +1
Int 08
Wis 12
Dex 13
Con 14 +1
Cha 12

HD: 1d8+1
HP: 8
AC: 5

Skills: Combat/Energy Weapon 0, Combat/Primitive 0, Combat/Projectile 0, Combat/Unarmed 0, Culture/Earth 0, Exosuit 0, Tactics 1, Tech/Astronautics 0

Languages: English

Special Ability: Veteran’s Luck
Once during each combat the warrior can completely
negate a successful attack roll against him or her. The
warrior may choose to wait until after damage is rolled
to use this ability. This ability does not function against
environmental hazards or other non-combat dangers,
and it does not apply to hits against a vehicle the warrior
is piloting or riding.

Equipment: Woven body armour, knife, Rifle, semi-auto pistol

45 credits

[Blood and Treasure] Astra, Elf Duelist

2012-01-08T21:31:00.000Z

Coincidentally, after posting that I would be trying to create a PC/NPC for every game system I own, Matt of LAND OF NOD (one of the most inspirational gaming resources I've ever read) is playtesting a new system (based on the SRD).

Blood and Treasure combine elements of the 3.5 SRD with old school sensibilities and Matt's previous work Pars Fortuna (breathtaking imagination at work in that game), and I'm lucky enough to be in the player group on G+.

The Duelist sounded like a fun class, and it would be interesting to see if it could hold its own against the other 'warrior' classes. Matt sent us out randomly generated stats that we could assign as we wished. I chose Elf to get a stat boost to Dex, and just because no-one else seemed to be going for that race. All my swashbuckling characters tend to have low Wisdom (or the equivalent stat) so it seems only right that she does as well. I've gone for the standard elfy pick of longsword, but when I saw that pistols and shot were available to purchase, I knew Astra had to have one.

ASTRA, Female Elf Duelist (Level 1)

HP: 6
HD: 1d8+1
Init: +3
AC: 16
Alignment: Neutral
Height: 5’4”
Weight: 125lbs
Age: 124

Languages: Elven, Common

Str 14 +1
Dex 16 +2
Con 13 +1
Int 15 +1
Wis 7 -1
Cha 10 0

Elves: +1 to starting Dex, -1 to starting Con (max 18, min 3),
base speed 30 ft., see twice as far as human in low light
conditions, knack for finding secret doors, immune to magic
sleep, +2 save vs. charms and compulsions. Speak elven, might
also learn common, gnoll, gnome, goblin, orc, the language of
fey creatures such as nymphs, pixies or satyrs and the language
of dragons. Elves can multi-class as fighter/magic-user,
cleric/magic-user and magic-user/thief.

Duelist: Requirements: Dex and Int 13+
Hit Dice: d8
Armor: Leather armor.
Shield: Buckler.

Weapons: Any.

Skills: Balancing and jumping.

Special: Specialized weapon (double damage, must be a sword
or monk weapon), add Int bonus to AC, +4 bonus to AC when
fights defensively, +2 initiative, riposte (6th; after missed in
combat, triple damage with specialized weapon, double with
others), establish stronghold or school (9th), save to avoid
lethal blows (12th).

17 gp 9sp 8cp to spend

Leather - 10
Longsword - 15
Buckler - 10
Pistol - 40
Shot - 1
Backpack - 2
Sunrod - 2
2 days trail rations
Waterskin
Whetstone

A Character for Every Game

2012-01-08T16:18:00.003Z

Inspired by the prolific gaming god that is Dyson Logos, I'm going to have a go at creating a character for every game I own. It's one way to get some use out of them...

Elric!

2011-12-20T21:00:00.001Z

Apologies for the lack of updates, it's been a busy time here with Christmas prep, Accountancy exam, temp job and volunteering at the theatre.

RPG-wise, I'm putting together a G+ game of Chaosium's "Elric!"

Blood and souls and all that.

Progress Report

2011-12-08T19:22:00.001Z

Gosh, that's a boring title. Anyway, I'm in the middle of creating experience tables for the Kitsune & Kensei classes - they're going to be scaled down somewhat from the ludicrously high amounts needed in the OA book. I need to flesh out the ninja and barbarian class descriptions with... descriptions.

Oh yeah, and write up the cat-people and tortoise-people. Screw all this humans-only rubbish going around the blogosphere. Dangerous Brian has done awesome stuff on the Spirit Folk and Korobokuru and I may have to steal some of it, if he doesn't mind.

I'm writing up lists of monsters from the following sources:

Oriental Adventures 1E
Kara Tur Monstrous Compendium (2E)
Oriental Adventures 3E
Asian Bestiary vol 1 and 2 (HERO system)
RuneQuest Land of Ninja
RuneQuest Land of the Samurai

Quite a lot to be getting on with!

Barbarian - Kitsune & Kensei

2011-12-03T19:17:00.000Z

The barbarian has always been such a weirdo. Unearthed Arcana was his debut, followed by a reinterpretation in OA. 3rd Ed gave him the power to freak out and rage. 4E has him as berserker who channels primal spirits. All very cool, but I wanted to tone the OA barbarian down a bit, hence he loses his "I can smell magic and illusions" powers.

Barbarian

Requirements: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15
Prime Requisite: None
Hit Dice: 1d10

Barbarians are warriors from outside what is generally regarded as “civilisation”, living in environments others consider inhospitable. The barbarian is hardened by his life in the wilds, and has the instincts of a predator. Each is a dangerous combatant, especially so in his native terrain.

Each barbarian must choose a terrain, from which he (and his clan) originate:

Steppes
Weapons: Club, Dagger, Hand Axe, Lance, Shortbow, Sling, Spear, Sword, short, Sword, long
Armour: Up to Chain

Jungle
Weapons: Blowgun, Club, Dagger, Dart, Hand Axe, Shortbow, Spear, Sword, short
Armour: Up to Studded Leather

Northern Forest
Weapons: Dagger, Club, Hand Axe, Javelin, Spear, Shortbow, Sling, Sword, short
Armour: Up to Chain

Barbarians are surprised only on 1 on 1d6; they may surprise others on 1-3 on 1d6.

Barbarians are able to track creatures in wilderness and underground environments. The base chance is 90% when in the wilderness, with +2% for every creature more than one in a party to be tracked. There is a cumulative penalty of -25% for every hour of rain, or -10% for every day that has passed since tracks were made. In underground environments, barbarians must watch a creature to be tracked for 3 turns prior to tracking it, to observe its manner. The base chance in this case is 65% when underground, modified in the following manner:

-40% if the creature enters a secret door
-20% if the creature enters a concealed door or passage
-10% if the creature enters a normal door or otherwise takes a deviation from a path
No adjustment if the creature continues on a path without much deviation

Climb in Natural surroundings – chance reduced outside native terrain

Hear Noise: Barbarians can attempt to listen for noises, in a cave or hallway, and at a door or other locations but the barbarian must be quiet and in a quiet environment. Unlike the other thief abilities, this ability is rolled using 1d6.

Hide in Natural surroundings - chance reduced outside native terrain

Back Protection - detect attacks from behind

Leadership - improved Charisma with his own people

Call Horde - Get all Genghis Khan on yo' ass

Restrictions:

Cannot have demihuman, wu jen or magic-user henchmen;
Hirelings level restriction - can't have hirelings before a certain level - 4th perhaps

A Slight Delay

2011-12-02T20:56:00.001Z

Real life intrudes.