V is for Vampire

V is for Vampire.

Not many people know this, but it was vampires and not witches that were my first love in horror.  Maybe it was my steady diet of Hammer Horror, Dark Shadows and the Night Stalker in the 70's that would later influence how I approached my games and later horror games.

My first character was a Cleric (an odd choice for an atheist gamer I know) but he described as a hunter of the undead.  I thought clerical turning was about the coolest thing ever back then.  I had written a number of "house rules" on vampire based on the books I would get from my local library and all the old Dracula movies I'd watch.  It also helped to have a mother and father that liked that sort of stuff too.

I recall one summer during high school, I had bought myself a VCR and hooked it up to my parents VCR and I did nothing but rent vampire movies and make copies.  Bad, I know. But in my defense...well I have no defense really I was just a kid.  But I copied everything I could and watched and rewatched them all.  I still have them oddly enough, 13 VHS tapes in black plastic cases with no names on them.  I would watch whatever I popped in.  I have versions of Dracula that have never made it to DVD as far as I know and some that maybe shouldn't have.  The tapes are nearly worn out now and my faves I have on DVD.  But that was not the end of my obsessions.

Read tons of books, most of questionable literary quality, and pretty much played nothing but Ravenloft all through college.  Yes I did wear a lot of black, had a black trench coat and liked to hang out at the only thing that passed for a goth bar in town.

And then one day I got tired of it all.  I kept the books, the clothes and the game stuff, but I was not as obessesed with it anymore.  In fact by the time that Vampire the Masquerade came around it barely got a notice from me.

Every so often I get that old itch.  I watched nothing but vampire movies for the first few weeks of October back in my Horror Movie Challenge.  I still post a lot of vampire related material here including the stats of the girls from Vampyres and Dracula, nothing like the stuff I was doing in the 80's.  Most of that is not even suitable to be re-read by me, let alone re-post for the public at large to see.  But maybe if I find something good.

U is for Unisystem

U is for Unisystem, the game system that powers all of Eden Studios' games.

The system itself is rather simple.  Attribute + Skill +/- some Mod + 1d10 and compare that to a list of Success Levels.  Typically you want higher than a 9.  Simple right?  Well that is the point, Unisystem is designed to be simple and get out of the way.

Unisystem is divided into two basic types, Classic (which is used in WitchCraft, Armageddon, All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Terra Primate and Conspiracy X) and Cinematic (which is used in Buffy, Angel, Army of Darkness and Ghosts of Albion).  Though all are 90% compatible system wise.

What I like most about it is that the system does get out of the way rather easily and allows you to focus on the story at hand.  Character creation is a snap and most people new to the game can get up and running in seconds.

One thing I think it has over d20 is that skills can be combined with any attribute and not just linked to certain ones.  Take "Art" for example.  To paint might be Dexterity + Art, to identify a particular painting might Perception + Art and to know something about that painting or painter might be Intelligence + Art.   All the other skills work the same way.

Skills, Qualities, and Drawbacks are bought much, in the same way, has GURPS and other point-buy systems.  But that is not what I think makes Unisystem so special.  It's the magic.

WitchCraft (which I'll get into later) has one of the best magic systems I have ever played.  I love how it works, how each "type" of magic is dealt with.  Conspiracy X uses a similar system but bent more towards the mythos of the game.   Buffy uses a simplified system for magic, but if I may be so bold, the magic system really shines in Ghosts of Albion.  I spent a lot of time thinking about what I like, what I don't like and how I want it to all work.   In GoA you have your spells, but you also have magical philosophies that say how you learn your magic and even restricts you from what you can or can't learn.  Magical defenses give you exactly that, a defense roll against certain magical effects. And what I might be most proud of the magical duel system.  Now your wizards and witches can stand 20 paces apart and duel like the Arch Magi they are.

The biggest flaw though in Unisystem is I own everything there is and the new material comes out at a snail's pace.  I can't fault Eden for this, they are doing all they can, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

I do know there is a new Zombie (AFMBE) book coming out for Free RPG day.  Hack/Slash is on the horizon and Beyond Human is all but done.

Maybe we will see more from Eden Studios and Unisystem this year.  Here's hoping!!!

T is for TROGDOR!!

T is for TROGDOR!!

If you don't know who Trogdor is (and to that I say "what?") then check out all his majesty here.
http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail58.html
and for more background, here, http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/trogdor/trogdor.htm.

Trogdor is dragon (or was he a dragon man? or maybe just a dragon) created by Strong Bad over at Homestar Runner (it's the "Dot Com!") while showing how to draw a dragon.   Since that time Trogdor has invaded video games such as Guitar Hero,  Super Smash Brothers and Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People.

Trogdor has even made his way back into D&D with this custom made Trogdor Mini.

The natural thing to do then, given Trogdor's ode to 80's metal and 8-bit gaming, would be some OSR-inspired stats for him.
The trouble though, how would you do it?  Trogdor is fire breathing, wing-a-ling dragon, with a huge beefy arm coming out of the back of his neck, but how powerful should he be?

Any stats would be viewed as too weak to the fans and too strong to anyone not familiar with the character.

So here is my suggestion.  Take a wyvern, give it a breath attack similar to a red dragon and then put an ogre's arm on his back.  While we have only seen Trogdor "burninate" I suppose he could punch things too.  Also Trogdor can use his breath weapon as much as he wants.  So maybe make the damage a bit less than a Red Dragon.  Plus you need to be running a certain kind of game to allow Trogdor in.  I could see a serious game mash-up of LL and Mutant Future where Trogdor would work now that I think about it.

Ah what the hell.

Trogdor
No. Enc.: 1
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 90' (30')
Fly: 210' (70')
Armor Class: 1
Hit Dice: 10*
Attacks: 3 (bite, burninate, big beefy arm)
Damage: 2d8, 5d6, 2d6
Save: F10
Morale: 10
Treasure: None, Trogdor burninates everything.

Now send him after the peasants.

Zatannurday: Sdrawkcab t'nsi ysae!

One of the complaints I hear about Zee as that she can do anything she wants, all she needs to do is say it backwards.

That's a lot harder than is sounds as this page from Zatanna #12 out this past week shows.

Yup, even Earth's Sorceress Supreme has to use flash cards to practice her magic.

S is for Strahd

As a follow-up to yesterday's post on Ravenloft, I think I want to share some different takes on Ravenloft's most famous vampire, Count Strahd von Zarovich. Master of Baroivia.

Strahd is an interesting character for D&D, or at least D&D back in those days.  This is pre-Drizzt, pre-Lestat (well, Pre-Lestat popularity) and pre-Vampire the Masquerade.  Strahd was one of the first fully realized monsters as a character.  We were given his stats, his backgrounds, his motivations.  We knew more about him that the characters going through the adventure!

Strahd has been considered one of the greatest D&D villains by more than one source (Topless Robot, Dragon mag in it's final print edition).  I think it is because his story, forbidden love turned to dark obsession, is one that resonates with people.  People always want something they can't or shouldn't have.  Most never go to great lengths to get it, and hopefully none go to the lengths that Strahd did, but you can pick up the paper any day and read about someone that came close.

Motives aside, in D&D before you can kill the monster you need to stat him up.  Thankfully you don't have to be a complete obsessive compulsive type to collect everything ever made for Ravenloft (but it helps) to use Strahd in your games, you can go to Wizard's site where they keep Strahd hidden away for just such occasions.

You can see his original 1st Ed stats here, http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/alumni/20061027a
His 3.5 stats are here, http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20061006a&page=2
and in 4e he is found in Open Grave and is a Level 20 solo skirmisher.

Even looking at these you can see some power creep.  Each edition of the rules he had to be more powerful.  He wasn't just a powerful vampire, he had to be the most powerful vampire in the game.  I think that is a disservice to the character really.  Strahd was about power, but that was not everything he was.

I also stated him up for Ghosts of Albion, where I pictured him being played by Timothy Dalton.

Strahd von Zarovich

Motivation: To escape Ravenloft; to be reunited with his love, Tatyana.
Creature Type: Vampire
Quote: "I am The Ancient. I am The Land"

Attributes: Strength 9, Dexterity 6, Constitution 7, Intelligence 7, Perception 6, Willpower 6
Life Points: 98
Drama Points: 10

Qualities
Acute Senses
Age 5
Attractiveness +3
Hard to Kill 8
Hypnosis 3
Nerves of Steel 2
Magic 7
Magical Philosophy: Necromancy
Mesmerize
Protector of Barovia
Scale Walls
Soldier, Officer (Retired)
Supernatural Form (Bat, Wolf, Mist)
Vampire

Drawbacks
Adversary (all other Darklords, monster hunters, rival vampires, some gypsies) 8
Cruel 3
Haunted
Home Soil
Honorable 3
Love, Tragic
Natural Barrier (Cant leave Barovia)
Obsession (Tatyana) 6
Obsession (leaving Ravenloft) 6
Secret 2 (many, including a tome of his history; locals think he is human)

Skills
Acrobatics 7
Art 2
Computer NA
Crime 7
Doctor 2
Driving 2 (Coaches)
Getting Medieval 7 (Bastard Sword 9)
Gun Fu NA
Influence 6
Knowledge 9 (he has done nothing for the last few centuries but read)
Kung Fu 6
Languages 6, though all are "Ravenloft" languages.
Mr. Fix-It 2, limited to dark ages technology.
Notice 10
Occultism 9
Science 4
Sports 5

Combat Maneuvers

Name Score Damage Notes
Punch 12 18 Bash
Break neck 16 36 Special
Sword 13 36 Slash/stab
Sword, bastard 15 40 Slash/stab
Bite (vampire) 14 22 Must Grapple first; no defense action

Bat 20 -- +8 to Crime when hiding
Bite (bat) 14 8 Slash/stab

Wolf 20 -- Double movement; +3 to Crime at night
Bite (wolf) 14 15 Slash/stab
Claws (wolf) 14 15 Slash/stab

Dodge 13 -- Defense action
Grapple 15 -- Resisted by Dodge

Magic 22/24 Varies By spell

Using the Ghosts of Albion rules, Strahd becomes a Protector of Barovia, with the Drawbcak that he can never leave his lands. I upped his occultism and knowledge, but he is not really an occult scholar, just a very well practiced amateur.

Quest of the Ancients Follow-up

I totally caved.

I bought the 2nd Edition copy of Quests of the Ancients.

I plan on reviewing it, coming up with characters and then maybe, just maybe, come up with a bunch of adventures for it based on Stevie Nicks songs.

Maybe I have been doing too many curriculum edits this week.

Watch this space.

R is for Ravenloft

Ravenloft. 

This might very well be the best module I have ever played, run or mined for ideas. I remember buying this at my then-FLGS (Waldenbooks remember) and then giving it to my then DM and saying in no uncertain terms "run me in this".   I went through it, nearly died, lost a lot of levels and got my ass handed to me many times by Strahd, but in the end I got out, Sunsword in hand.

Since then I have run it many times.  I will go as far as to say it is one of the few modules I have completely memorized.

Ravenloft was TSR's great experiment.  Take the central monster and make him a fully realized character.  Seems odd to ask to do this now, but back then, that was crazy talk.  Gothic Horror in Heroic Fantasy?  Crazy! But it worked.   Sure, Strahd can be thought of as a poor man's Dracula, but he has since become his own monster.

When I got to college and switched over to 2nd ed Ravenlof became my campaign world.  I had everything. All the boxed sets, all the modules.  Everything.  I never got to run it as much as I wanted too, but it more or less became my defacto world.  I even bought most, if not all, the Ravenloft novels.  Looking back it is amusing to see names like P.N. Elrod, Christie Golden, Tanya Huff and Laurell K.Hamilton among the authors.

For 3rd Edition I did get the Ravenloft books from Sword & Sorcery Studios/White Wolf and expected them to do, well, more with it.  I still enjoyed the books, but I didn't get all obsessive about it like I did before.
I also picked up "Expedition to Castle Ravenloft" too, but was fairly disappointed.

With 4th ed, we now have Ravenloft all over the place.  The Ravenloft board-game (which is awesome), Ravenloft as part of the Shadowfell (which is really cool) and now the Heroes of Shadow book which is full of Ravenloft inspired ideas.

Regardless of the system. Regardless of the world around it though Ravenloft is about adding a bit of darkness to your game.  To take that love of Hammer horror and mix it in with the likes of Conan, Elric, the Grey Mouser and Merlin.

I also played Ravenloft using other systems such as Black Rose, a Ravenloft/True20 mix and even tried doing it under Unisystem a couple of times (WitchCraft works REALLY nice for it, but I also like using Ghosts of Albion).

I'd love to run it for my kids someday.  I am not sure how well it would work under 4e, since it is more of a "mood" module than a combat one.  Maybe a one-shot special using OSRIC or True 20 or even Unisystem would work out.