Had our first Northlands game group on Saturday. It was fun. We are playing Pathfinder and have a good group. I am looking forward to more. The world we are in is one the GM has made, so there are some familiar names mixed in with some that are not, so I am looking forward to seeing how this all works out.
Speaking of Pathfinder. I went to one of the closing Borders books here in the Chicago area and picked up a new Pathfinder core book for my kids to have. It was 30% off.
Mike Mearls has a new column up on WotC's D&D page called "Legends and Lore" which is designed to talk about D&D and it's past, present and future.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ll/20110208
Of course, as expected the OSR glitterati have weighed in, most with predictable comments.
http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2011/02/legends-and-lore.html
http://platinumwarlock.blogspot.com/2011/02/in-which-warlock-has-bone-to-pick.html
http://akraticwizardry.blogspot.com/2011/02/mike-mearls-plea-for-unity.html
http://moldyvale.blogspot.com/2011/02/mike-mearls-whines-for-solidarity.html
http://wondrousimaginings.blogspot.com/2011/02/oh-yeah-mearles-then-put-your-money.html
http://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2011/02/wizards-needs-to-take-leadership.html
I am one of those people that sees more similarities in the games than I do differences, so Mearls' post, while written toward me is not actually directed at me if you know what I mean. Nor is it really directed at the OSR (which is frankly too small to be a concern). While most of the reaction is the same knee-jerk stuff I'd expect, there is a point that nearly everyone makes that I think is worth WotC's time to look in to. Bringing back older edition in PDF form. Yes the cynic in me says why should they bother to sell rules to people who already own them, the deeper cynic in me knows that people will buy them anyway (I have) and make money for WotC.
I think a perfect world in WotC's eyes would be that people play what they want, but still buy a DDi subscription.
Gonna be a busy week. Posting might be light.
Showing posts with label Legacy DnD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Legacy DnD. Show all posts
Monday, February 21, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Playing D&D with Kids, Part 3 New Old or Old New?
But I wanted to catch the opinion/pulse of all of you.
What "D&D" should I play?
I kinda want to run old Moldvay/Cook Basic/Expert to be honest. I'd make the characters, and do a old timey dungeon crawl. But truthfully other than my want there is no reason why is has to be B/X.
Should I run it as a newer Retro-Clone (something the kids can go buy)? As D&D 4 (something they could buy and I know is fun for kids)? Or keep it as B/X?
Basic Fantasy is my current favorite retro-clone, but Labyrinth Lord runs a very close second.
Spellcraft and Swordplay is also a huge fave of mine for Original D&D feel, but I think for this I want to go with something in the Basic realm (which is why I am also not opting for OSRIC).
Thoughts?
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Playing D&D with Kids Follow-up and Question
This is directed specifically to the parents of D&D playing kids.
What do you all think of a classic-style Dungeon Crawl that features a lot of undead, wolves and a big bad vampire to kill at the very end?
What would this be age-appropriate for?
My boys (ages 11 and 7) know all about zombies, vampires and werewolves and they know that if they defeat them then they will get their characters instead.
They are cool with it. Have you ever run these horror tropes with young kids?
What do you all think of a classic-style Dungeon Crawl that features a lot of undead, wolves and a big bad vampire to kill at the very end?
What would this be age-appropriate for?
My boys (ages 11 and 7) know all about zombies, vampires and werewolves and they know that if they defeat them then they will get their characters instead.
They are cool with it. Have you ever run these horror tropes with young kids?
Playing D&D with Kids
There have been a lot of posts in the blogs and on the net about playing D&D with younger kids.
From WotC: http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4tut/kids2#73004
and this classic article, http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4news/april2010
Of course there is my kids' group, The DragonSlayers.
Well I am thinking about running some games at Gen Con for kids this year.
I am also thinking of using the Moldvay/Cook versions of Basic and Expert for it as well. Nothing is set in stone yet, I am going to chat about it over the weekend with my regular group. But this might be a chance a debut my long delayed "Return to the Cavern of the Vampire Queen" old school dungeon crawl.
At the moment to make it really old school I need to include more treasure. There is not really enough of that.
From WotC: http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4tut/kids2#73004
and this classic article, http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4news/april2010
Of course there is my kids' group, The DragonSlayers.
Well I am thinking about running some games at Gen Con for kids this year.
I am also thinking of using the Moldvay/Cook versions of Basic and Expert for it as well. Nothing is set in stone yet, I am going to chat about it over the weekend with my regular group. But this might be a chance a debut my long delayed "Return to the Cavern of the Vampire Queen" old school dungeon crawl.
At the moment to make it really old school I need to include more treasure. There is not really enough of that.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Druthers for Basic era FRPGs
Trying out some more Basic monsters. These are conversions of some d20 ones I have done in the past. Depending on which Basic game/retro-clone you use I have listed Armor Class as both descending (start at 9 and go down) and ascending (start at 10 and go up).
Here is one of my faves, the Druther.
You can also find this guy in my book, The Witch.
Druther
AC: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 9d8* (40 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 Limbs (fists or constructed weapons)
Damage: 2d6 / 2d6
Special: Immune to piercing, water and cold-based attacks. Double damage from fire based attacks.
Movement:: 20 ft.
No. Appearing: 1 (1-3 in lair)
Saves: Fighter 9
Morale: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment:: Neutral
XP: 1,200
A Druther is a type of wood golem that can only be created by a witch. The name comes from an old piece of doggerel often muttered by witches,
“If I really had my druthers,
I’d have my wooden druthers too.”
A “Wooden Druther” is a corrupt form of “wouldn’t I’d rathers”, or something the witch doesn’t want. So the Wooden Druther performs tasks that the witch would rather not do herself.
The druther can understand simple command phrases of about 15 words each. Typically druthers are used for menial labor or to perform a task that the witch can not do or won’t do herself, like killing or scaring an enemy. Often a witch will have a few druthers protecting her home while disguised as trees (Wisdom check at -2 to notice).
A druther cannot communicate at all. Some witches have used woody reeds in the construction of their druthers. When the wind blows across the druther it sounds like a deep bassoon.
Druthers can appear in any form. Usually they are biped and always made of wood. The wood can be carved or a collection of sticks tied together. The appendages need to be attached separately if the druther is to move at all. They can be precisely carved to appear as anything the witch wants, but they typically look like walking bunches of sticks. Legend has it that there was a witch that had such beautifully carved druthers that they were often mistaken for wood nymphs.
Treants, dryads, and wood nymphs view a druther in the same manner a human views the undead or a flesh golem. Most will attempt to destroy them when they can. Some witches and wizards value the wood from an inanimate druther to use to make magical fires.
A druther is mindless in combat. It strikes with its wood fists with almost no regard to what else is going on.
As a construct a Druther is immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.
Arrows or other piercing items, such as spears or thrust daggers, only do 1 point of damage per hit. Water based attacks have no effect on the druther whatsoever. Fire based attacks always do double damage. Cold based attacks do no damage.
Section 15 Copyright Notice
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Liber Mysterium: The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks is Copyright© 2003, Timothy S. Brannan and the Netbook of Witches Team.
Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game Copyright © 2006-2008. Chris Gonnerman.
Labyrinth LordTM. Copyright © 2007, Daniel Proctor. Author Daniel Proctor.
"Druthers for Basic era FRPGs" Copyright ©2011, Timothy S. Brannan
Art is Copyright ©2001 Daniel Brannan and used here by permission. Art is not open content.
Here is one of my faves, the Druther.
You can also find this guy in my book, The Witch.
Druther
Hit Dice: 9d8* (40 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 Limbs (fists or constructed weapons)
Damage: 2d6 / 2d6
Special: Immune to piercing, water and cold-based attacks. Double damage from fire based attacks.
Movement:: 20 ft.
No. Appearing: 1 (1-3 in lair)
Saves: Fighter 9
Morale: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment:: Neutral
XP: 1,200
A Druther is a type of wood golem that can only be created by a witch. The name comes from an old piece of doggerel often muttered by witches,
“If I really had my druthers,
I’d have my wooden druthers too.”
A “Wooden Druther” is a corrupt form of “wouldn’t I’d rathers”, or something the witch doesn’t want. So the Wooden Druther performs tasks that the witch would rather not do herself.
The druther can understand simple command phrases of about 15 words each. Typically druthers are used for menial labor or to perform a task that the witch can not do or won’t do herself, like killing or scaring an enemy. Often a witch will have a few druthers protecting her home while disguised as trees (Wisdom check at -2 to notice).
A druther cannot communicate at all. Some witches have used woody reeds in the construction of their druthers. When the wind blows across the druther it sounds like a deep bassoon.
Druthers can appear in any form. Usually they are biped and always made of wood. The wood can be carved or a collection of sticks tied together. The appendages need to be attached separately if the druther is to move at all. They can be precisely carved to appear as anything the witch wants, but they typically look like walking bunches of sticks. Legend has it that there was a witch that had such beautifully carved druthers that they were often mistaken for wood nymphs.
Treants, dryads, and wood nymphs view a druther in the same manner a human views the undead or a flesh golem. Most will attempt to destroy them when they can. Some witches and wizards value the wood from an inanimate druther to use to make magical fires.
A druther is mindless in combat. It strikes with its wood fists with almost no regard to what else is going on.
As a construct a Druther is immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.
Arrows or other piercing items, such as spears or thrust daggers, only do 1 point of damage per hit. Water based attacks have no effect on the druther whatsoever. Fire based attacks always do double damage. Cold based attacks do no damage.
Section 15 Copyright Notice
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Liber Mysterium: The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks is Copyright© 2003, Timothy S. Brannan and the Netbook of Witches Team.
Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game Copyright © 2006-2008. Chris Gonnerman.
Labyrinth LordTM. Copyright © 2007, Daniel Proctor. Author Daniel Proctor.
"Druthers for Basic era FRPGs" Copyright ©2011, Timothy S. Brannan
Art is Copyright ©2001 Daniel Brannan and used here by permission. Art is not open content.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Is 2nd Ed the next wave of OSR?
I posted a couple days back on the growing 2nd Ed AD&D love I have been seeing on the net and in the blogs. Not a lot of it mind you, more like a few vocal people in a crowd still going on about how the LBBs are the "best thang evar!" (Ok for the record NO one has ever actually said that, that way.)
But the OSR movement has slowed down to stead pace now and we are not getting Yet Another OD&D Clone this month and I think people are giving 2nd Ed another look.
I have mentioned in that past that 2nd Ed is the game I ran the most but hardly ever played. I was very much a DM only with that game. In fact I was one of the early adopters of the game, buying it on the day it came out and not even taking any of my 1st Ed books with me back to college. But sometime in the late 90's that (and I) changed. When 2nd Ed came out I was a single college kid, living in the dorms and surviving on the the money I made tutoring others in math and physics. When 3rd Ed came out I was married, living in a house with a brand new baby and just laid off my teaching job because the grant funding at the university dried up. I was two completely different people. In the middle I nearly gave up on D&D all together and even sold off 80% of my collection in favor of games like "WitchCraft RPG" and "Vampire" and other horror games. All that I have left now for 2nd ed is the three cores, the Celts guide and some Ravenloft stuff. Though the PHB and DMG are my originals and I got them the day they were rel
Why is any of that important? It's important because it has permanently colored how I view AD&D 2nd Ed. for years. I did remember the joy of the getting the latest Monstrous Compendium supplement, I only recalled the dreck of the Skills and Powers books.
But as time goes on and I wax on about earlier systems it is only natural that eventually my rose colored glasses gaze on 2nd Ed. Others seem to be doing the same.
2nd Ed as a retro-clone though has some issues it must deal with first.
- First, 2nd Ed is mechanically not all that different from 1st Ed. One could in theory play a "2nd Ed Game" with nothing more than OSRIC. One of the big selling points behind 2nd Ed was it re-organized the material from earlier editions. It is in a sense the first Retro-clone.
- What made 2nd Ed special to many were the campaign worlds, and those don't fall under the OGL at all. Plus most of the OSR folks seem to prefer sandbox worlds so anything created by them would naturally fit into any other world.
- The Proficiency system of 2nd Ed is needlessly complicated. Note I am not saying it is complicated itself, it's not, but it is more complicated than it needs to be for a game. 3rd Ed's Skill system is superior in nearly every respect, and 4th Ed's is better still. Reverse engineering it would not be difficult (premise, not every skill is worth the same amount) but I'd have to ask why?
The monster's in 2nd Ed were a nice improvement over 1st ed. I like the one monster per page format, something that 3rd ed dropped but 4th ed picked back up.
Personally I think it is only a matter of time before someone does a full on 2nd Ed clone. I know there are some in development now. I know of and have looked at the beta of Adventures Dark and Deep, a sort of "what-if game", as in what if Gygax had developed AD&D 2nd ED the way he had planned.
But the OSR movement has slowed down to stead pace now and we are not getting Yet Another OD&D Clone this month and I think people are giving 2nd Ed another look.
Why is any of that important? It's important because it has permanently colored how I view AD&D 2nd Ed. for years. I did remember the joy of the getting the latest Monstrous Compendium supplement, I only recalled the dreck of the Skills and Powers books.
But as time goes on and I wax on about earlier systems it is only natural that eventually my rose colored glasses gaze on 2nd Ed. Others seem to be doing the same.
2nd Ed as a retro-clone though has some issues it must deal with first.
- First, 2nd Ed is mechanically not all that different from 1st Ed. One could in theory play a "2nd Ed Game" with nothing more than OSRIC. One of the big selling points behind 2nd Ed was it re-organized the material from earlier editions. It is in a sense the first Retro-clone.
- What made 2nd Ed special to many were the campaign worlds, and those don't fall under the OGL at all. Plus most of the OSR folks seem to prefer sandbox worlds so anything created by them would naturally fit into any other world.
- The Proficiency system of 2nd Ed is needlessly complicated. Note I am not saying it is complicated itself, it's not, but it is more complicated than it needs to be for a game. 3rd Ed's Skill system is superior in nearly every respect, and 4th Ed's is better still. Reverse engineering it would not be difficult (premise, not every skill is worth the same amount) but I'd have to ask why?
The monster's in 2nd Ed were a nice improvement over 1st ed. I like the one monster per page format, something that 3rd ed dropped but 4th ed picked back up.
Personally I think it is only a matter of time before someone does a full on 2nd Ed clone. I know there are some in development now. I know of and have looked at the beta of Adventures Dark and Deep, a sort of "what-if game", as in what if Gygax had developed AD&D 2nd ED the way he had planned.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Gypsy Elves for Basic Era Games
Another in my series of posts for Basic era (late 70's to early 80's) games.
This one expands on my sub-race of elves known as Gypsy Elves.
The Gypsy Elf
"Thousands of years ago the elves were a unified race. The elven people stood strong and diverse.
Then the War came and the Elves were Sundered. The elves were divided by the war.
But some chose not to fight, some took in their brothers and sisters from all sides.
These elves were cursed by the Great God of the Elves to wander the lands till the day when all elves stood as one people again. The other elves took pity on them, calling them, in their own tongues The Wanderers. But not the Wanderers themselves. They knew a powerful secret.
They knew they were Free."
- From the Songs of the Ranagwithe
The Gypsy Elf, or as the call themselves "The Free Elves" (Ranagwithe in their own language) , wander the world, in and out of the land of faerie, searching for their lost home. They will find it only on the day when all the elves are reunited as a race. Until then they wander.
Like their human counterparts, Gypsy Elves travel all over the known world. However, unlike the Human Gypsies, Gypsy Elves are much more gregarious and less xenophobic. The origins of the Gypsy Elves date back to what has become to be known as the Sundering of the Elves. When the Dark elves broke free from the light elves they split into several races.
There were elves that remained outside of the conflict. One group was a band of light elves that protected both the dark and light elves from each other. When the gods split the elves apart, the gypsy elves were left without a home to call their own. Since they never harmed another elf before they were not forced into the dark underground. Ever since then the Gypsy Elves have wandered from place to place looking for a home. While Gypsy elves tend to be neutral to all other races, they are always treated as “good” to other elves. There are several universal elven customs that apply only to Gypsy Elves.
As long as the other elves do not fight amongst themselves or the other Gypsy Elves they may remain with the tribe as long as they like. Also any Gypsy Elf is invited to remain in any Elf community, but few rarely do.
Gypsy Elves are on friendly terms with humans. They find Human Gypsies to be too xenophobic for their tastes, but they will travel with them for mutual benefit.
Gypsy Elves, like their Elf cousins, produce fine art, in particular music and dance. Many have excelled in woodcarving and sell these pieces of art in communities they pass through. What these elves cannot make, they buy. In this respect they are very good terms with humans.
Gypsy Elves are careful never to take more from the land or their hosts then they absolutely need. It has been said that there will be no evidence of a gypsy elf camp 24 hours after they leave.
Gypsy Elf (Ranagwithe)
Armor Class: 6
Hit dice: 1*
Move: 120' (40')
- Caravan: 90' (30')
Attacks: 1 Weapon
Damage: By Weapon
No. Appearing: 2-8 (2d4) / 5-40 (5d8)
Save As: Elf 1
Morale: 12 or see below
Treasure: Same as Elf
Intelligence: 12
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 5
Monster Type: Demihuman (race)
Gypsy Elves are typically found traveling in caravans across the world. Any given caravan will have 5 to 40 members with an a advance scouting troop of 2 to 8 members. Each caravan has a "Caravan Master" who will be a 5th level or greater elf and a "leader", typically an Elf Seeress (known as a "Kuruni") of 6th level or higher. Most gypsy elves will be armed with a short sword (75%) or a cross-bow (25%). All will have daggers as well.
There will also be a variety of random faerie creature travelling with the gypsy elves. These creatures do not fight if the caravan is attacked, but will flee.
Each Gypsy Elf will know a 1st level elf spell, the Kuruni will know spells as a 6th level elf. The Caravan Master and the Kuruni will typically have magic items appropriate for a fighter and a wizard respectively of their level.
Moral will be 12 unless their Caravan Master or Kuruni is dead, then it will be 9. If both are killed it will drop to 6.
Like elves, gypsy elves are immune to the touch of a ghoul.
Section 15 Copyright Notice
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Liber Mysterium: The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks is Copyright© 2003, Timothy S. Brannan and the Netbook of Witches Team.
Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game Copyright © 2006-2008. Chris Gonnerman.
Labyrinth LordTM. Copyright © 2007, Daniel Proctor. Author Daniel Proctor.
"Gypsy Elve for Basic era FRPGs" Copyright ©2010, Timothy S. Brannan
This one expands on my sub-race of elves known as Gypsy Elves.
The Gypsy Elf
"Thousands of years ago the elves were a unified race. The elven people stood strong and diverse.
Then the War came and the Elves were Sundered. The elves were divided by the war.
But some chose not to fight, some took in their brothers and sisters from all sides.
These elves were cursed by the Great God of the Elves to wander the lands till the day when all elves stood as one people again. The other elves took pity on them, calling them, in their own tongues The Wanderers. But not the Wanderers themselves. They knew a powerful secret.
They knew they were Free."
- From the Songs of the Ranagwithe
 |
| by Nichole Grubb |
Like their human counterparts, Gypsy Elves travel all over the known world. However, unlike the Human Gypsies, Gypsy Elves are much more gregarious and less xenophobic. The origins of the Gypsy Elves date back to what has become to be known as the Sundering of the Elves. When the Dark elves broke free from the light elves they split into several races.
There were elves that remained outside of the conflict. One group was a band of light elves that protected both the dark and light elves from each other. When the gods split the elves apart, the gypsy elves were left without a home to call their own. Since they never harmed another elf before they were not forced into the dark underground. Ever since then the Gypsy Elves have wandered from place to place looking for a home. While Gypsy elves tend to be neutral to all other races, they are always treated as “good” to other elves. There are several universal elven customs that apply only to Gypsy Elves.
- No Gypsy Elf may harm another Elf. Even Dark and Light elves.
- No other elf, Dark or Light, may harm a Gypsy Elf.
- No Elven community may refuse lodging to a band of Gypsy Elves. The Gypsy then must agree to be on their way soon after.
As long as the other elves do not fight amongst themselves or the other Gypsy Elves they may remain with the tribe as long as they like. Also any Gypsy Elf is invited to remain in any Elf community, but few rarely do.
Gypsy Elves are on friendly terms with humans. They find Human Gypsies to be too xenophobic for their tastes, but they will travel with them for mutual benefit.
Gypsy Elves, like their Elf cousins, produce fine art, in particular music and dance. Many have excelled in woodcarving and sell these pieces of art in communities they pass through. What these elves cannot make, they buy. In this respect they are very good terms with humans.
Gypsy Elves are careful never to take more from the land or their hosts then they absolutely need. It has been said that there will be no evidence of a gypsy elf camp 24 hours after they leave.
Gypsy Elf (Ranagwithe)
Armor Class: 6
Hit dice: 1*
Move: 120' (40')
- Caravan: 90' (30')
Attacks: 1 Weapon
Damage: By Weapon
No. Appearing: 2-8 (2d4) / 5-40 (5d8)
Save As: Elf 1
Morale: 12 or see below
Treasure: Same as Elf
Intelligence: 12
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 5
Monster Type: Demihuman (race)
Gypsy Elves are typically found traveling in caravans across the world. Any given caravan will have 5 to 40 members with an a advance scouting troop of 2 to 8 members. Each caravan has a "Caravan Master" who will be a 5th level or greater elf and a "leader", typically an Elf Seeress (known as a "Kuruni") of 6th level or higher. Most gypsy elves will be armed with a short sword (75%) or a cross-bow (25%). All will have daggers as well.
There will also be a variety of random faerie creature travelling with the gypsy elves. These creatures do not fight if the caravan is attacked, but will flee.
Each Gypsy Elf will know a 1st level elf spell, the Kuruni will know spells as a 6th level elf. The Caravan Master and the Kuruni will typically have magic items appropriate for a fighter and a wizard respectively of their level.
Moral will be 12 unless their Caravan Master or Kuruni is dead, then it will be 9. If both are killed it will drop to 6.
Like elves, gypsy elves are immune to the touch of a ghoul.
Section 15 Copyright Notice
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Liber Mysterium: The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks is Copyright© 2003, Timothy S. Brannan and the Netbook of Witches Team.
Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game Copyright © 2006-2008. Chris Gonnerman.
Labyrinth LordTM. Copyright © 2007, Daniel Proctor. Author Daniel Proctor.
"Gypsy Elve for Basic era FRPGs" Copyright ©2010, Timothy S. Brannan
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Jim Ward is ill
To many of us old enough to remember the old guard one name always stood out to me; Drawmij. Drawmij was a one of the many characters of Gary's home game that became immortalized in the pages of Greyhawk.
The real Drawmij, Jim Ward is not doing as well.
According to this post, and many others in the blog realms, he is ill and the hospital bills (as they do) are rising.
There are a lot of things that you can do to help, the Dragon'sfoot page details some of them, but another would be to buy something from his DriveThruRPG store.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=2191&affiliate_id=10748
You can read more here:
http://poleandrope.blogspot.com/2010/11/please-help-jim-ward.html
http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.com/2010/11/jim-ward-needs-our-help.html
http://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2010/11/warden-is-declearing-medical-emergency.html
and some more recent updates:
http://poleandrope.blogspot.com/2010/11/update-regarding-jim-ward.html
http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.com/2010/11/james-ward-on-way-to-recovery.html
Jim gave us Metamorphosis Alpha, which in turn gave us Gamma World and even recently spoke to WotC about it all.
Here is hoping that Jim gets better soon.
The real Drawmij, Jim Ward is not doing as well.
According to this post, and many others in the blog realms, he is ill and the hospital bills (as they do) are rising.
There are a lot of things that you can do to help, the Dragon'sfoot page details some of them, but another would be to buy something from his DriveThruRPG store.
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=2191&affiliate_id=10748
You can read more here:
http://poleandrope.blogspot.com/2010/11/please-help-jim-ward.html
http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.com/2010/11/jim-ward-needs-our-help.html
http://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2010/11/warden-is-declearing-medical-emergency.html
and some more recent updates:
http://poleandrope.blogspot.com/2010/11/update-regarding-jim-ward.html
http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.com/2010/11/james-ward-on-way-to-recovery.html
Jim gave us Metamorphosis Alpha, which in turn gave us Gamma World and even recently spoke to WotC about it all.
Here is hoping that Jim gets better soon.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Games Plus Auction Haul, part 2: Back to Basics
So I went back for a another round at Games Plus last night and I am SOOO glad I did.
Here is my second, but smaller haul.
So FINALLY a Mentzer boxed Basic set, complete with both books (in mint shape) and dice, still in the bag with a crayon. Second Ed Vampire the Masquerade (that I got for 1 buck), and the "new" D&D Basic game; which if it came out today would send people into paroxysms of bitching about how it was too much like a board game (it comes with paper figures and poster map dungeon). I got it for 2 bucks.
Now I think my Basics Sets are complete.
All are in pretty good shape too.
Of course I have to do this:
My D&D "Core" collection all together. Yeah I have 2 Holmes set, one is in sorta sad condition though. And yes D&D4 is on the next shelf over.
I have a lot of gaming to do!
Here is my second, but smaller haul.
So FINALLY a Mentzer boxed Basic set, complete with both books (in mint shape) and dice, still in the bag with a crayon. Second Ed Vampire the Masquerade (that I got for 1 buck), and the "new" D&D Basic game; which if it came out today would send people into paroxysms of bitching about how it was too much like a board game (it comes with paper figures and poster map dungeon). I got it for 2 bucks.
Now I think my Basics Sets are complete.
All are in pretty good shape too.
Of course I have to do this:
Here is part of my collection now.
My D&D "Core" collection all together. Yeah I have 2 Holmes set, one is in sorta sad condition though. And yes D&D4 is on the next shelf over.
I have a lot of gaming to do!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Imagining D&D meme
So on Friday Grognadia had as the Open Friday this bit:
This is the version I adventured in the most, back in the day:
But this is one I played first and the cover is more evocative of "D&D" to me. Wizard and fighter battling a red dragon sitting on a treasure hoard.
But this is the version that gets my geek fondness into overdrive.
when you think about Dungeons & Dragons, the cover of what product comes first to mind?For me it was a toss-up.
This is the version I adventured in the most, back in the day:
But this is one I played first and the cover is more evocative of "D&D" to me. Wizard and fighter battling a red dragon sitting on a treasure hoard.
But this is the version that gets my geek fondness into overdrive.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
I Stand on the Shoulders of Giants
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."
- Isaac Newton (1642-1727) in: Letter to Robert Hooke, February 5, 1676
The giant in this case was Descartes. Later the same quote would be used to describe Newton himself by Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking. Each generation builds on the work of the last.
Giants are not revered for their size, but because of their ability to see further.
I take a lot of praise for my work and because I am human I enjoy it. Because of who I am I also take it with a bit of surprise. Afterall I like to write stuff that I like, it amazes me that others might enjoy it too. But I understand that nothing I, or anyone else does, exists in a vacuum.
Ghosts of Albion would not exist at all had it not been obviously for the creative talents of Christopher Golden and Amber Benson. It is their world, they define it, shape it and tell us how the characters live in it. The rules for the game exist because of C.J. Carella. Not only did he write the Cinematic Unisystem game that Ghosts uses, it was his Classic Unisystem game WitchCraft that inspired me to want write for Eden in the first place. Will Ghosts sell better than WitchCraft? I have no idea. Will people like it more? I know some do, others feel WitchCraft is still the superior game and I will not fault them for that.
Even taking all that into consideration I had help of editors, playtesters and general advice.
My various Witch books are the same way. As are my academic and professional lives.
Standing on the shoulder of giants is not about reverence of people, but rather acknowledgement of their work, of their contributions and why that work has helped make our lives a bit better.
We stand on the shoulders of giants so that one day others may stand on ours.
- Isaac Newton (1642-1727) in: Letter to Robert Hooke, February 5, 1676
The giant in this case was Descartes. Later the same quote would be used to describe Newton himself by Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking. Each generation builds on the work of the last.
Giants are not revered for their size, but because of their ability to see further.
I take a lot of praise for my work and because I am human I enjoy it. Because of who I am I also take it with a bit of surprise. Afterall I like to write stuff that I like, it amazes me that others might enjoy it too. But I understand that nothing I, or anyone else does, exists in a vacuum.
Ghosts of Albion would not exist at all had it not been obviously for the creative talents of Christopher Golden and Amber Benson. It is their world, they define it, shape it and tell us how the characters live in it. The rules for the game exist because of C.J. Carella. Not only did he write the Cinematic Unisystem game that Ghosts uses, it was his Classic Unisystem game WitchCraft that inspired me to want write for Eden in the first place. Will Ghosts sell better than WitchCraft? I have no idea. Will people like it more? I know some do, others feel WitchCraft is still the superior game and I will not fault them for that.
Even taking all that into consideration I had help of editors, playtesters and general advice.
My various Witch books are the same way. As are my academic and professional lives.
Standing on the shoulder of giants is not about reverence of people, but rather acknowledgement of their work, of their contributions and why that work has helped make our lives a bit better.
We stand on the shoulders of giants so that one day others may stand on ours.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Return to the Palace of Silver Princess
Like a lot of gamers my age I am familiar with the module B3: Palace of the Silver Princess, and like most of those gamers my experience is with the "Green" cover version. Well I had heard about the infamous "Orange" cover version of course, but never hoped I would see it. Well Wizards of the Coast had changed that when they released the banned Orange version a few years back along with the story of why it was banned/deemed inappropriate. An interesting bit of game history, but really I think nearly everyone feels that the edited Green version is the better module.
I think I'll take a suggestion from Wizards and run this as "Return to the Palace of the Silver Princess". The events of the "green" cover happened many years ago, but something went wrong that lead to the events of "orange" cover. The Eye of Arik wasn't destroyed properly and soon the entire area became cursed. Ellis the Strong (The Silver Warrior) became the the cause in the minds of the locals. While the evil energies pouring out of the fragmented eye caused mutations in all living things in the castle. Plants became vampire roses and archer bushes, the staff became Ubues (gotta explain them somehow), Aliegha, Catharandamus and the dwarves Boron and Xyzom were adventurers that came here previously and are now coming under the affects of the Eye. Catharandamus is going insane, thinking he can summon Arik, Aliegh is turning into a wolf (or bear or a bear-wolf crossbred-thingy) and the dwarves are slowly becoming orcs. I do plan on using Candella and Duchess, as randomish NPCs, but they had just gotten there and have not started to mutate yet. I just liked that picture of the two of them being caught by surprise.
Reading the Orange version with knowledge of the Green is an interesting experience and one that almost always leaves the Orange one coming up a bit short. Not that the Green version, with edits by Basic Game guru Tom Moldvay, is a stellar module, it does have it's moments.
B3 holds a special place for me since it is the first module I ever bought specifically to run and not play in. There was a lot for a neophyte DM like myself in 1981 to like. The programmed adventure in the beginning was a nice touch to kid just learning how to also program the computers in Jr. High. Arik of the Hundred Eyes was an awesome sounding bad guy and one I had hoped would make another appearance one day. And it was easy for me to place this all in Glantri from the Expert Set, it seemed to fit well with other things I had going on at the time.
Reading over the Wizard's site this past weekend got me thinking. I have wanted to use B3 in my kids' game for a while now. Thanks to the maps (linked below) from the Vaults of Pandius and the update to D&D 3.0 version of the monsters and encounters I could run this is as-is for them now. Of course I'll want to bump the encounters up a bit to make them more challenging. Course the maps are for the Green version and 3.0 update is for the Orange version.
I think I'll take a suggestion from Wizards and run this as "Return to the Palace of the Silver Princess". The events of the "green" cover happened many years ago, but something went wrong that lead to the events of "orange" cover. The Eye of Arik wasn't destroyed properly and soon the entire area became cursed. Ellis the Strong (The Silver Warrior) became the the cause in the minds of the locals. While the evil energies pouring out of the fragmented eye caused mutations in all living things in the castle. Plants became vampire roses and archer bushes, the staff became Ubues (gotta explain them somehow), Aliegha, Catharandamus and the dwarves Boron and Xyzom were adventurers that came here previously and are now coming under the affects of the Eye. Catharandamus is going insane, thinking he can summon Arik, Aliegh is turning into a wolf (or bear or a bear-wolf crossbred-thingy) and the dwarves are slowly becoming orcs. I do plan on using Candella and Duchess, as randomish NPCs, but they had just gotten there and have not started to mutate yet. I just liked that picture of the two of them being caught by surprise. I doubt I will drop any hints here to the upcoming 4e adventures or even the on going Dragonslayer's plot. So Arik is not really another name for Tharizdun, and I doubt I'll make the Eye of Arik a part of the summoning ritual they need for Tiamat. Just a little side adventure to amuse me and them while I build them up to the big finale. Though the Knights of the White Drakes from the Green version allays interested me. Maybe once the adventure is over I'll have the Knights send them their thanks and offer them a great gift, a Drake (a riding dragon) for them to use in their battle against Tiamat. My son would LOVE that. Of course that only works if the the guy on the dragon that everyone thinks is evil is actually good and the characters help clear his name. I do like that idea.
Links
- Wizard's page for the Orange version, http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/dx20020121x7
- Grognardia reflects on B3, http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2008/11/retrospective-palace-of-silver-princess.html
- As does Emerald Lich, http://www.emeraldlich.com/post.php?post_id=1162
- Acaeum overview, http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/modpages/b3.html
- Cool maps from the Mystara uber-site, Vaults of Pandius, http://pandius.com/maps.html
- d20/3.0 conversion at ENWorld, http://www.enworld.org/cc/downloads/files/palace_of_the_silver_princess.rtf
Monday, July 5, 2010
Expedition to the Barrier Peaks
Just so you all know.
The module, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks is today's featured article on Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
I worked a bit on this article back when the deletionists were trying to get all D&D related content removed from Wikipedia. Some of them seemed to be on a crusade of one sort or another.
This is a great honor for any page. Wikipedia has over 3 million articles and only 365 of them can be a featured page in a year. There is even a Facebook page to celebrate.
So celebrate this classic module. How? Oh I don't know. Mix some sci-fi in with your old school games. I might need to run this one for my kids one day. It is a lot of fun.
I remember buying this module in Springfield, IL at White Oaks Mall. I sat on the floor of my parents van (yes kids on the floor with NO seat belts) reading this as we drove to some diner or something. I can't recall where we were going, just that I had this module and I ate it up. Great memories of this one.
The module, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks is today's featured article on Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
I worked a bit on this article back when the deletionists were trying to get all D&D related content removed from Wikipedia. Some of them seemed to be on a crusade of one sort or another.
This is a great honor for any page. Wikipedia has over 3 million articles and only 365 of them can be a featured page in a year. There is even a Facebook page to celebrate.
So celebrate this classic module. How? Oh I don't know. Mix some sci-fi in with your old school games. I might need to run this one for my kids one day. It is a lot of fun.
I remember buying this module in Springfield, IL at White Oaks Mall. I sat on the floor of my parents van (yes kids on the floor with NO seat belts) reading this as we drove to some diner or something. I can't recall where we were going, just that I had this module and I ate it up. Great memories of this one.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Old School day!
I spent the weekend with the people I used to game Basic and AD&D 1st ed with, the week opened up to some cool old school news for me.
First I got my copy of Palace of the Vampire Queen!
I plan on running this with Spellcraft & Swordplay as soon as I can.
And in other cool news. ChicagoWiz's blog is back! I was never 100% sure why he had left in the first place to be honest. But I am glad to see his blog back with us.
First I got my copy of Palace of the Vampire Queen!
I plan on running this with Spellcraft & Swordplay as soon as I can.
And in other cool news. ChicagoWiz's blog is back! I was never 100% sure why he had left in the first place to be honest. But I am glad to see his blog back with us.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
What if Gygax had done 2nd Ed?
Quick one for now. I am on my way to campus.
I have been following the OSR scene now for a while and have seen the attempts to do retellings of the most famous RPG in history. Associated with that is the wave of nostalgia for all things from the hands of the Old Masters (Gygax, Holmes, Arneson) and this had gotten me thinking.
What would 2nd Ed AD&D have looked like if Gygax had still been at TSR?
I suppose we should look at the variables. What was TSR doing at the time (late 80s), what was Gygax doing (Mythus, Dangerous Journeys, and later Lejendary Adventures) and how would that have all blended into what could have been the 2nd Ed AD&D as written by Gary.
This is all speculation; I am not a Gygaxian scholar by any stretch of the imagination. But I am curious to know what you all think.
Would we have seen more classes? (I think so) More skills? (certainly) and I also think given the direction that TSR was headed and what Gygax did in DJ/Mythus that we would have seen more "world" books for different genres of play. So instead of Spelljamer (D&D in space) we would have gotten a Space Opera game that used the AD&D 2ed rules. Or not.
Thoughts?
EDITED TO ADD: Thanks to Herb and Jason Vey. They uncovered this link for me.
http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.com/2009/02/ad-second-edition.html
I will have to read that in detail when I can.
I have been following the OSR scene now for a while and have seen the attempts to do retellings of the most famous RPG in history. Associated with that is the wave of nostalgia for all things from the hands of the Old Masters (Gygax, Holmes, Arneson) and this had gotten me thinking.
What would 2nd Ed AD&D have looked like if Gygax had still been at TSR?
I suppose we should look at the variables. What was TSR doing at the time (late 80s), what was Gygax doing (Mythus, Dangerous Journeys, and later Lejendary Adventures) and how would that have all blended into what could have been the 2nd Ed AD&D as written by Gary.
This is all speculation; I am not a Gygaxian scholar by any stretch of the imagination. But I am curious to know what you all think.
Would we have seen more classes? (I think so) More skills? (certainly) and I also think given the direction that TSR was headed and what Gygax did in DJ/Mythus that we would have seen more "world" books for different genres of play. So instead of Spelljamer (D&D in space) we would have gotten a Space Opera game that used the AD&D 2ed rules. Or not.
Thoughts?
EDITED TO ADD: Thanks to Herb and Jason Vey. They uncovered this link for me.
http://greyhawkgrognard.blogspot.com/2009/02/ad-second-edition.html
I will have to read that in detail when I can.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
John Eric Holmes 1930 - 2010
By now many of you have heard about the death of Dr. John Eric Holmes, known better to us in game circles as Eric Holmes. Holmes was the editor of the first "Basic" set of D&D, often called "the Blue Book Basic" where I grew up. The cover of that book pretty much tells you everything you need to know about D&D.
Holmes gave us a new edition of D&D and opened the doors to many people to play the game. You didn't the "Little Brown Books" anymore. Holmes D&D was set up to run in parallel to Gygax's own AD&D released at the same time.
Myself, like many in the OSR and RPG community, have fond memories of this book.
Dr. Holmes will certainly be missed. March it seems is turning into a terrible month for gamers.
You can read more about the man and his work in these links. They say everything I would have said.
Holmes gave us a new edition of D&D and opened the doors to many people to play the game. You didn't the "Little Brown Books" anymore. Holmes D&D was set up to run in parallel to Gygax's own AD&D released at the same time.
Myself, like many in the OSR and RPG community, have fond memories of this book.
Dr. Holmes will certainly be missed. March it seems is turning into a terrible month for gamers.
You can read more about the man and his work in these links. They say everything I would have said.
- http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2010/05/rip-j-eric-holmes-1930-2010.html
- http://underdarkgazette.blogspot.com/2010/05/osr-news-from-underdark-gazette_08.html
- http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.com/2010/05/rip-john-eric-holms-1930-2010.html
- http://eiglophian.blogspot.com/2010/05/rip-john-eric-holmes-1930-2010.html
- http://cyclopeatron.blogspot.com/2010/05/j-eric-holmes-1930-2010.html
- http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.com/2010/05/holms-obituary.html
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
As a GM I don't like to kill characters, but...
But I have.
Details in a bit, but first more on character death and the great battle, the Shadow War.
Many notable and non-notable personages made the ultimate sacrifice in the war against the demons. Skie Iskatarian, who claimed to be the great-great-granddaughter of Kas the Destroyer, died on the field of battle. She was given a heroes funeral by the Queen she would have rather seen dead, not visa versa. She was found next to a man that by all accounts she hated more than anyone, Kiev Scorpious. They were found back to back, fighting off the hordes that stormed the walls of the city.
Kurt, the affable monk that everyone seemed to like, had also been found. The great warrior Jar Tearn. Not felled by any weapon, his great age was his doom and he died on the field when his heart failed him. His wife Victoria, rushed to his side, but never quite made it. Kara Foke, King of the neighboring country offered his son to aid Glantri, and lost that son. Leaving his second oldest betrothed to the Queen. She was 9 he was 8.
Some speak of the great dark warrior Absom Sark how he was never seen again after the war. Others speak of Arachnia, the drow female warrior that roamed the lands prior to the war, but never after. They have statues as well, even if their bodies were not found. (they ran off together after the war. sometimes love is more important than honor).
But the greatest loss some say was the King's son, Johan III. Lost, and he had disgraced his family and the faith by bedding not just a common girl, but a supernatural one (she was a psychic...and something else), he had returned from the Nightmare Lands (Ravenloft) in his country's darkest hour. But the girl that was his undoing in life was his undoing in death....
--
The cool thing about being a tech-head was this great little program that my then DM and I had written for the Tandy Color Computer. It was a combat simulator. We could load ten characters and ten monsters in it at once and they would go after each other till all of one side was dead. I used that and in some cases, I also rolled up the combats on my own. Something to pass the time to be sure.
So, lots of people died so that the new generations, Quenn Celene and her future Husband Kara Werper could take center stage. And they will, or rather would have, had it not been for that troublesome girl.
Morgan.
Morgan began in my game with only her nick-name, Raven, though she did have other names. Raven Ebonflame, Raven the Hunter of the Dead, Raven the Daughter of Death (her father was nicknamed "Death Blade").
She was psychic, which was a strict taboo in my game world. Sure magic is fine, because the mage schools and guilds control that. Random psychic power? Bad juju.
So what does this girl do? She gets herself hired in the mercenaries guild and eventually hooks up with John the 3rd, future king of the land, and gets pregnant. When I was coming up with ideas to start my war, I decided that she ran off to have the kid rather than cause her lover any more grief. Trouble was Johan loved her too. Had he married her things might have been fine, but he ran off after her only to get pulled into Ravenloft. She thought he didn't care and gave birth to their daughter.
There is one other thing about Morgan. Something I decided on her first outing as a character back 1985 or so. Morgan was a killer of Vampires. She killed one at 1st level. And then proceeded to go after more.
Morgan, Raven Ebonflame, was the very first Slayer.
And then I killed her.
She was in the war and played a minor part. I remember being out on my bike one day thinking about what she might have done. Then it came to me. Morgan fought Yoln Shadowreaper, the general of the Armies of Hell. She fought him and killed him. By herself, single-handed, the girl that everyone in the game hated, changed the course of the War. She gave them victory. But it cost her her life.
Her lover, Johan went crazy and was soon killed in battle, not before taking out several dozen demons. The priest said he could not raise her, her soul was gone. A pact was made by the three most powerful remaining characters, the guild master (her father), the advisor (her teacher) and the King (father of her lover). Her father went to Hell to find her soul. In the 3rd Edition years, I worked that into the great Reckoning of Hell.
Her death was the most powerful scene I played up to that point. But years later I so regretted killing her. I thought it was a waste (and I had more personal reasons too).
Then I began The Dragon and the Phoenix.
This was a Willow and Tara centric season for the Buffy game. In the fifth episode, Heaven Bleeds, Willow, Tara, and Buffy travel back in time to this battle. There they meet Willow and Tara's past lives, and all three witness Morgan's battle with Yoln. I did retcon her into a Slayer, but it was not much of a change.
Now I redid the scene of her death as before, this time using the Cinematic Unisystem rules. And this time Buffy was there to help. I had players that played Tara, Willow, and Buffy, but I still played Morgan out. She still defeated Yoln, this time with her sister Slayer's help. But she still died. Somethings can't be changed I guess no matter how much you try.
As Morgan dies, she touches Tara and asks her to remember her. Morgan's soul does not go to Hell as everyone thought, but instead, it is in Tara. When the season ends she lets go of Morgan's soul to her final rest. I have a scene in later games, Season of the Witch, to be exact, where Morgan's father meets up with Tara and is given peace.
As a DM I don't like to kill characters. People invest way too much of themselves into their personas.
Kurt, Skie. Kiev, Jar, Victoria, Sebastian, Fjalar, Johan II and Johan III. They all had memorable deaths and that had meaning.
But Morgan, Raven Ebonflame, the Daughter of Death, Hunter of the Dead, had the most important death of all. Her's changed two worlds. Set things into motion that I am still using in my games. And changed how I think about characters and how I write this stuff I do.
And hers was the hardest to do and deal with and the one I have always and will always regret the most.
To pull out my comics metaphors, she is though more of my Barry Allen than Tora Olfsdotter or even Tara herself. She died and saved the world and to bring her back now would give the character less meaning. She died well and now deserves her well earned rest. Tora and Tara died too (and came back) but their deaths were meaningless and meant to shock people and ultimately empty. Mark Waid, who wrote the issues in which Tora died has since admitted it was a huge mistake as a typical and clichéd Women in Refrigerators moment. Too bad Whedon has not had the same insight and maturity as Waid. But I took care of that on my own.
So GMs/DMs/Directors/Story Tellers?
Do you kill characters? Do you try to save them even if the dice fall on the side of the Reaper?
Yes...yes I can already here the Call of Cthulhu Keepers out there. I know your point and I know there are worse things than death.
Details in a bit, but first more on character death and the great battle, the Shadow War.
Many notable and non-notable personages made the ultimate sacrifice in the war against the demons. Skie Iskatarian, who claimed to be the great-great-granddaughter of Kas the Destroyer, died on the field of battle. She was given a heroes funeral by the Queen she would have rather seen dead, not visa versa. She was found next to a man that by all accounts she hated more than anyone, Kiev Scorpious. They were found back to back, fighting off the hordes that stormed the walls of the city.
Kurt, the affable monk that everyone seemed to like, had also been found. The great warrior Jar Tearn. Not felled by any weapon, his great age was his doom and he died on the field when his heart failed him. His wife Victoria, rushed to his side, but never quite made it. Kara Foke, King of the neighboring country offered his son to aid Glantri, and lost that son. Leaving his second oldest betrothed to the Queen. She was 9 he was 8.
Some speak of the great dark warrior Absom Sark how he was never seen again after the war. Others speak of Arachnia, the drow female warrior that roamed the lands prior to the war, but never after. They have statues as well, even if their bodies were not found. (they ran off together after the war. sometimes love is more important than honor).
But the greatest loss some say was the King's son, Johan III. Lost, and he had disgraced his family and the faith by bedding not just a common girl, but a supernatural one (she was a psychic...and something else), he had returned from the Nightmare Lands (Ravenloft) in his country's darkest hour. But the girl that was his undoing in life was his undoing in death....
--
The cool thing about being a tech-head was this great little program that my then DM and I had written for the Tandy Color Computer. It was a combat simulator. We could load ten characters and ten monsters in it at once and they would go after each other till all of one side was dead. I used that and in some cases, I also rolled up the combats on my own. Something to pass the time to be sure.
So, lots of people died so that the new generations, Quenn Celene and her future Husband Kara Werper could take center stage. And they will, or rather would have, had it not been for that troublesome girl.
Morgan.
Morgan began in my game with only her nick-name, Raven, though she did have other names. Raven Ebonflame, Raven the Hunter of the Dead, Raven the Daughter of Death (her father was nicknamed "Death Blade").
She was psychic, which was a strict taboo in my game world. Sure magic is fine, because the mage schools and guilds control that. Random psychic power? Bad juju.
So what does this girl do? She gets herself hired in the mercenaries guild and eventually hooks up with John the 3rd, future king of the land, and gets pregnant. When I was coming up with ideas to start my war, I decided that she ran off to have the kid rather than cause her lover any more grief. Trouble was Johan loved her too. Had he married her things might have been fine, but he ran off after her only to get pulled into Ravenloft. She thought he didn't care and gave birth to their daughter.
There is one other thing about Morgan. Something I decided on her first outing as a character back 1985 or so. Morgan was a killer of Vampires. She killed one at 1st level. And then proceeded to go after more.
Morgan, Raven Ebonflame, was the very first Slayer.
And then I killed her.
She was in the war and played a minor part. I remember being out on my bike one day thinking about what she might have done. Then it came to me. Morgan fought Yoln Shadowreaper, the general of the Armies of Hell. She fought him and killed him. By herself, single-handed, the girl that everyone in the game hated, changed the course of the War. She gave them victory. But it cost her her life.
Her lover, Johan went crazy and was soon killed in battle, not before taking out several dozen demons. The priest said he could not raise her, her soul was gone. A pact was made by the three most powerful remaining characters, the guild master (her father), the advisor (her teacher) and the King (father of her lover). Her father went to Hell to find her soul. In the 3rd Edition years, I worked that into the great Reckoning of Hell.
Her death was the most powerful scene I played up to that point. But years later I so regretted killing her. I thought it was a waste (and I had more personal reasons too).
Then I began The Dragon and the Phoenix.
This was a Willow and Tara centric season for the Buffy game. In the fifth episode, Heaven Bleeds, Willow, Tara, and Buffy travel back in time to this battle. There they meet Willow and Tara's past lives, and all three witness Morgan's battle with Yoln. I did retcon her into a Slayer, but it was not much of a change.
Now I redid the scene of her death as before, this time using the Cinematic Unisystem rules. And this time Buffy was there to help. I had players that played Tara, Willow, and Buffy, but I still played Morgan out. She still defeated Yoln, this time with her sister Slayer's help. But she still died. Somethings can't be changed I guess no matter how much you try.
As Morgan dies, she touches Tara and asks her to remember her. Morgan's soul does not go to Hell as everyone thought, but instead, it is in Tara. When the season ends she lets go of Morgan's soul to her final rest. I have a scene in later games, Season of the Witch, to be exact, where Morgan's father meets up with Tara and is given peace.
As a DM I don't like to kill characters. People invest way too much of themselves into their personas.
Kurt, Skie. Kiev, Jar, Victoria, Sebastian, Fjalar, Johan II and Johan III. They all had memorable deaths and that had meaning.
But Morgan, Raven Ebonflame, the Daughter of Death, Hunter of the Dead, had the most important death of all. Her's changed two worlds. Set things into motion that I am still using in my games. And changed how I think about characters and how I write this stuff I do.
And hers was the hardest to do and deal with and the one I have always and will always regret the most.
To pull out my comics metaphors, she is though more of my Barry Allen than Tora Olfsdotter or even Tara herself. She died and saved the world and to bring her back now would give the character less meaning. She died well and now deserves her well earned rest. Tora and Tara died too (and came back) but their deaths were meaningless and meant to shock people and ultimately empty. Mark Waid, who wrote the issues in which Tora died has since admitted it was a huge mistake as a typical and clichéd Women in Refrigerators moment. Too bad Whedon has not had the same insight and maturity as Waid. But I took care of that on my own.
So GMs/DMs/Directors/Story Tellers?
Do you kill characters? Do you try to save them even if the dice fall on the side of the Reaper?
Yes...yes I can already here the Call of Cthulhu Keepers out there. I know your point and I know there are worse things than death.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
It was…a good death.
I started a new campaign this last weekend. It has all the potential of one of those long-running campaigns that will feature heroics that the players will be talking about years to come. But of late it is endings that I have been thinking of the most. The end of my long-running “Willow and Tara” Unisystem game a few years back, the end of my epic AD&D 1st edition game that spanned my high school years.
The end of that game ended in the deaths in many characters, but they were all good and heroic deaths. Well except for one, but I’ll talk about her later.
The deaths were honorable, heroic and did what they were supposed to do. Clear the slate for me fo when I went to college (and unknown to me at the time, pick up 2nd Edition AD&D).
That final battle was part of a war that had been building for a long time and finally exploded across the globe. It destroyed my DM’s own countries (he had some areas outside of the former Suel Empire) and tore mine to near shreds, I was HQed in Glantri on the other side of the world. Everywhere knew war. We called it the Shadow War. On my side of the world, the armies of Hell were marching in in an attempt to take the magical artifacts we were protecting. The war was long and it claimed the life of the King, his oldest son and their chief advisor. The head of the mercenaries’ guild vowed to stay uninvolved till his wife was killed and he disappeared. His son pledged his loyalty to the new 9-year-old Queen. It was a dark time.
The game took a little over two years in real time from say about May/June 1986 to mid-1989. Once I learned there was 2nd Edition coming (hard to believe we lived in a time where we didn’t know everything about a game line) I extended it. I took the individual battle scenes and played them all out. The return of the King’s son from Ravenloft (he wasn’t dead), the advisor, the guild master with an army of his own. Also, all my “lesser” characters that I may have rolled up and used once or twice in games got a chance to take center stage.
Here is one. More to come.
Fjalar Snowcrest, was a dwarf thief. Kicked out of his homeland and disgraced and dishonored. He was in the city when the armies of hell overran the settled areas inside the walls. He was running, looking for a fight or to get away when he heard screaming. A few bearded devils (hamatula) had broken into a school, killed the teacher and were making their way to kids. Fjalar, never a brave dwarf, still hated bullies. When the war was over, Fjalar was dead. But all the children were alive. They told a tale of this dwarf with an axe of fire and muscles of stone who protected them from the monsters. Even when he was wounded and losing blood he continued to chop at the devils. Fjalar’s broken body was discovered, on top of 20 (though the children would later say 50 if not 100) Hamatula. At the end of the War of Shadows statues were raised to all the lost heroes. Fjalar’s was set in a public square where the dwarf stood majestically with several children behind him and his axe in front of him. The Queen herself invited his father and mother to come to see, they finally came 10 years later. She told them the story and said she knew of his dishonor, which is why his hands had been placed covering his family crest on the axe. The family said nothing till dozens of young adults and their collected scores of children came to the square. They had been the children saved that day and with them were their own children. Many children who bore names similar to Fjalar and Snowcrest. The Snowcrest parents were moved. They said that they could not undo the dishonor their son had done and his name was still cursed, but that they were proud of their brave and honorable son.
The end of that game ended in the deaths in many characters, but they were all good and heroic deaths. Well except for one, but I’ll talk about her later.
The deaths were honorable, heroic and did what they were supposed to do. Clear the slate for me fo when I went to college (and unknown to me at the time, pick up 2nd Edition AD&D).
That final battle was part of a war that had been building for a long time and finally exploded across the globe. It destroyed my DM’s own countries (he had some areas outside of the former Suel Empire) and tore mine to near shreds, I was HQed in Glantri on the other side of the world. Everywhere knew war. We called it the Shadow War. On my side of the world, the armies of Hell were marching in in an attempt to take the magical artifacts we were protecting. The war was long and it claimed the life of the King, his oldest son and their chief advisor. The head of the mercenaries’ guild vowed to stay uninvolved till his wife was killed and he disappeared. His son pledged his loyalty to the new 9-year-old Queen. It was a dark time.
The game took a little over two years in real time from say about May/June 1986 to mid-1989. Once I learned there was 2nd Edition coming (hard to believe we lived in a time where we didn’t know everything about a game line) I extended it. I took the individual battle scenes and played them all out. The return of the King’s son from Ravenloft (he wasn’t dead), the advisor, the guild master with an army of his own. Also, all my “lesser” characters that I may have rolled up and used once or twice in games got a chance to take center stage.
Here is one. More to come.
Fjalar Snowcrest, was a dwarf thief. Kicked out of his homeland and disgraced and dishonored. He was in the city when the armies of hell overran the settled areas inside the walls. He was running, looking for a fight or to get away when he heard screaming. A few bearded devils (hamatula) had broken into a school, killed the teacher and were making their way to kids. Fjalar, never a brave dwarf, still hated bullies. When the war was over, Fjalar was dead. But all the children were alive. They told a tale of this dwarf with an axe of fire and muscles of stone who protected them from the monsters. Even when he was wounded and losing blood he continued to chop at the devils. Fjalar’s broken body was discovered, on top of 20 (though the children would later say 50 if not 100) Hamatula. At the end of the War of Shadows statues were raised to all the lost heroes. Fjalar’s was set in a public square where the dwarf stood majestically with several children behind him and his axe in front of him. The Queen herself invited his father and mother to come to see, they finally came 10 years later. She told them the story and said she knew of his dishonor, which is why his hands had been placed covering his family crest on the axe. The family said nothing till dozens of young adults and their collected scores of children came to the square. They had been the children saved that day and with them were their own children. Many children who bore names similar to Fjalar and Snowcrest. The Snowcrest parents were moved. They said that they could not undo the dishonor their son had done and his name was still cursed, but that they were proud of their brave and honorable son.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Pathfinder, Game 2: The Big Kids
We started what will hopefully be a long running Pathfinder game with the "big kids". This is my normal play-test group of the last few years, plus some guys that my DM Greg knows. So far it has been a lot of fun. Some of our players are missing the over the top acrobatics and "cinematic fantasy combat" of 4e and we are still making references to 4e in the game, I think it will go over well.
Our DM Greg is posting the play reports over on his blog, Rhonin's Ramblings, so some of my discussion about the game might end up over there as well. http://rhoninsramblings.blogspot.com/2010/04/pathfinder-campaign-chapter-11.html
We call it the "Big Kids" game since it is not the Pathfinder game I am currently playing with our kids; Greg's three boys and my two. In both games I am playing very different characters. A witch in the "little kids" game and a paladin in the "big kids" one. It is working out well I think. I have made "mirror" versions of them in 4e and it will be interesting to see how they evolve together, but separate. Or rather I made the 4e versions first and am now playing the Pathfinder versions. One day I'll come up with a crossover adventure that involves all four characters in one world.
I still have my D&D 3.x (3.0, 3.5, BESM d20 and other d20 stuff mixed in) that I play with my two sons and we are supposed to get a 4.0/1st Ed cross-over game going sometime too.
That's a lot of D&D.
The cool thing is it gives me a chance to really get a feel for all the versions of D&D. When my 3.x games ends I have to decide where to take it next. The choices are continue with the hybrid 3.x game (throwing a bit of Pathfinder in), move up to 4e or even try something "new" like Labyrinth Lord or the D&D RC.
Our Big Kids game is once a month (or so) and the Little Kids game is about the same. Advancement will be slow, but I am looking forward to it all.
Our DM Greg is posting the play reports over on his blog, Rhonin's Ramblings, so some of my discussion about the game might end up over there as well. http://rhoninsramblings.blogspot.com/2010/04/pathfinder-campaign-chapter-11.html
We call it the "Big Kids" game since it is not the Pathfinder game I am currently playing with our kids; Greg's three boys and my two. In both games I am playing very different characters. A witch in the "little kids" game and a paladin in the "big kids" one. It is working out well I think. I have made "mirror" versions of them in 4e and it will be interesting to see how they evolve together, but separate. Or rather I made the 4e versions first and am now playing the Pathfinder versions. One day I'll come up with a crossover adventure that involves all four characters in one world.
I still have my D&D 3.x (3.0, 3.5, BESM d20 and other d20 stuff mixed in) that I play with my two sons and we are supposed to get a 4.0/1st Ed cross-over game going sometime too.
That's a lot of D&D.
The cool thing is it gives me a chance to really get a feel for all the versions of D&D. When my 3.x games ends I have to decide where to take it next. The choices are continue with the hybrid 3.x game (throwing a bit of Pathfinder in), move up to 4e or even try something "new" like Labyrinth Lord or the D&D RC.
Our Big Kids game is once a month (or so) and the Little Kids game is about the same. Advancement will be slow, but I am looking forward to it all.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Dave Arneson
I was not going to mark this day anymore than I marked Gary's. But I did want to say a couple of things since I have been so engrossed in Blackmoor of late.
Days of death strike a more resonate chord in humans. People always talk about where they were the day Kennedy or Lennon died. I for one always remember where I was the day I had heard Marvin Gaye had been killed or Curt Cobain had died. It is natural to want to mark them.
Me. I will always remember 8/16/2008 as my Dave Arneson day. That was the day I met him and got a chance to thank him for all he had done.
So again. Thank you Dave.
Days of death strike a more resonate chord in humans. People always talk about where they were the day Kennedy or Lennon died. I for one always remember where I was the day I had heard Marvin Gaye had been killed or Curt Cobain had died. It is natural to want to mark them.
Me. I will always remember 8/16/2008 as my Dave Arneson day. That was the day I met him and got a chance to thank him for all he had done.
So again. Thank you Dave.
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