Zatannurday: Even More Cosplay

Is the best thing about cons are the cosplay? Well, maybe not, but these Zatanna hopefuls certainly are giving it their all.

Heartbreaker your time has come, can't take your evil way

I have talked before about the Fantasy Heartbreaker.
Fantasy games that attempt to "improve on" D&D but in the end break your heart.

Here is the Ron Edwards/The Forge standard definition. (circa 2002-3)

characterized by (1) the basic, imaginative content is "fantasy" using gaming, specifically D&D, as the inspirational text; (2) independently published as a labor of love, essentially competing directly with D&D in the marketplace; (3) the rules are similar to the majority of pre-1990s RPGs.

And some links:
Fantasy Heartbreakers
More Fantasy Heartbreakers

I reviewed a couple in the past and made a number of posts about one of my favorite ones, Quests of the Ancients.

I was going through my stacks of books (and PDFs) to figure what I had and what I should look to buy at the most recent Gen Con and came on a bunch of what could be called Fantasy Heartbreakers.

I have no idea why these games fascinate me so much.
I *could* claim it is an academic interest that the design of these game reflects either the personal psychic of the designer or the inherent zeitgeist of the times.  But in truth, I don't care enough about the first and the later can be better observed in better more popular games. (Thesis topic: Is the change from oWoD to nWod a direct reflection of the post 9/11 world or merely an attempt to make more money? Another post perhaps.)

I *could* claim that each one is a fascinating game evolutionary cul-de-sac, but that is often giving them too much credit.

I think I like them because each one is insight to someone else's process of writing a game.  A flawed process from a flawed premise.  The flawed premise is "I can make a better D&D than D&D" rather than "I can make a better FPRG than D&D".  I say it is flawed because D&D is the best D&D there is.  There are great FRPGs that are not D&D and they do a wonderful job.But the FHB does not try to be a fantasy game, it tries to be D&D.

There is one thing I always find interesting in FHB's, their "Appendix N" or list of books to read.
Sometimes, rare times, there are good tidbits here.  Most of the time it is a bunch of pretentious posturing of "ooo look what I have read! You read it now to or you are stupid!"
I get putting in Lovecraft (if you have actually read his stuff and not just the bits with Cthulhu), Howard and Poe.  But "Walden", really???  How is transcendental thought going to help me in my game of mass murder and theft (killing things and taking their stuff).  I am going to put list John Dewey (a major figure in my academic life) in one of my books one day JUST so someone will call me on my shit.
Seriously.  The one-up-manship in these is crazy sometimes. In others I am convinced they never actually read the books they mention since the bulk of their game so antithetical to the writings of the author they listed.

But I digress...

Before I go on too much more let's get to today's post.

What are your favorite (or least favorite) Fantasy Heartbreakers?

and

What is the state or role of the FHB in this post OGL, retro-cloned world?

Dinosauria Character Illustrations

My last game at Gen Con was Dinosauria!
This was a new one I had started on a while back designed to be an intro adventure for Ghosts of Albion.

I have mentioned here a few times and even posted the characters.  One of my players that night decided to do illustrations (with anime style "chibis") of the new characters.  I was floored!  I loved them.  I asked her permission to post them here and she agreed.  So without further ado, here are the stars of Ghosts of Albion: Dinosauria!

Lady Valerie Beaumont

Chief Constable Walter Edwards

Lady Fionna

and Xian “Jane”

and our cowboy, John Mulgrew

I thought these were awesome and I very happy to have them in my Dinosauria! collection.
Click to make bigger.  Sorry about the quality of the scans, was playing around to see if I could make her light pencil sketches show up a little better.

And thank you Audrey for being in my game and doing these great character portraits!

Here there Be Dragons: Turquoise Dragon

Here is one of the first dragons that Liam came up with.

I am releasing the following text as Open under the Open Gaming License.
Turquoise Dragon is copyright 2011, Liam Brannan

Turquoise Dragon
Armor Class: 0 [19]
Hit Dice: 10d8+5** (50 hp)
No. of Attacks: Claw (x2), Bite
Damage: 1d6 / 1d6 / 5d6
Special: Breath weapons, special
Movement: 90' (30') / Fly 180' (60').
No. Appearing: 1 or mated pair (2)
Saves As: Fighter 10
Morale: 9
Treasure: As a Blue Dragon
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 3,500

Turquoise dragons are a very old breed of dragon and many are no longer seen these days. Due to their coloration they are often confused at a distance with blue dragons. Though the turquoise dragon is not evil and sometimes found in the company of a gold dragon, whom they consider friends.

Turquoise dragons coloration begins as a pale green as a wrymling, deepening in blues till it's ancient adulthood. They have long serpent like bodies with great fan like wings. Their tails are spiked and they have overly large incisors. The female turquoise dragon fangs can produce poison when she protecting her young. The poison causes weakness and sleep (failed save). Unless magical means are used the victim suffers a burning fever that last a number of days equal to 20 minus their CON score. The females have smaller teeth.

The breath weapon of the turquoise dragon is a bright spark they “cough” up. The spark flies forward towards their target and on contact explodes. The damage of blast is similar to that of a fireball at 10d6 points of damage, save vs Breath Weapon for half. The spark may travel up to 90' in a straight line.

They find their homes on great plains and other area where plant life and plant eating herd animals are plenty. They will sometimes swoop down on cattle and carry one off to eat. Turquoise are not malicious, merely hungry. If they know certain cattle belong to humans or demi-humans then they will leave that cattle alone.

Despite this farmers enjoy having a turquoise dragon around since the scare away other predators and the action of their wings flapping is rumored to cause storms.

Turquoise Dragons may cast the following levels of Wizard (Magic-user) spells, 5 (1st level), 4 (2nd level) and 4 (3rd level).

Witch Guardian for Cinematic Unisystem

Witch Guardian

Witch-Knight by ~greyorm on deviantART

The Witch Guardian is a concept I have had for a number of years. When I worked on my d20 book of witches I contacted Greyorm (who did the art above) to see if I could use his Witch Knight in my book which was a similar concept. His is more knight and mine is more armed and armored protector, but the ideas mesh well.

I later updated it from 3.0 to 3.5/Pathfinder and 4e.

Here it is for Cinematic Unisystem using the Ghosts of Albion rules (though Buffy would work too).


Witch Guardian
7-Point Quality
Prerequisite: 1 level of Magic/Sorcerery, must belong to a coven or magical group

Witch Guardians are those witches that protect the faithful not just through magic, but also by the sword.  All witch guardians must train for their new role within the coven.  In traditional coven this also means the witch guardian stands outside the circle.  She is still a member, but can no longer take the roles of the Maiden or High Priestess.
For her devotion and training the witch guardian gets the following boons.

• Contacts (Supernatural) +1 - the witch guardian gains an additional level of supernatural contacts as she is now a person of interest in the supernatural world.
• Fast Reaction Time - the combat reflexes are heightened
• Hard to Kill (4) - witch guardians are protected by their training and magic
• Natural Toughness - the witch guardian learns how to cloak herself in mystical armor
• Nerves of Steel - witch guardians are expected to go up against the things that the coven can't handle on their own.

She also gains the following disadvantages.

• Adversary (1) - the enemies of the coven are the personal enemies of the witch guardian.
• Honorable +1 - the personal honor of the witch guardian increases by one level.
• Obligation (Total) - most witch guardians have at least 1 level of obligation to their coven or faith, the dedication to their cause makes this obligation absolute.
• Tradition Bound - the witch guardian is bound to the traditions of the coven more so than other witches.  So many eschew modern convinces in favor of magical ones.

In addition the witch guardian may choose a supernatural quality (reserved for demons, vampires, faeries or ghosts) when she has the points to do so and with permission from the Director.

Witch guardians typically take on a new name when they join the guard.

Special Note: A witch guardian can not also already have the Guardian of the Watchtowers quality.  A character can be a Witch Guardian and then choose to be a Guardian of the Watchtower later. But they can't be a Guardian of the Watchtower then become a witch guardian.

Using Witch Guardians in Your Game
A witch guardian makes a perfect adversary, ally or foil for many game groups.
As an adversary the witch guardian is protecting a coven of witches that the cast need to get too.  While they may be expecting spells and magical attacks, a sword wielding AND spell using threat is some thing different all together.
As an ally the witch guardian brings the same magical and melee combat expertise, but she is also learned in the occult and connected to the supernatural world in a way other witches are not.

I have used witch guardians in my games over the years and they are some of my favorite characters.  Angelik was an immortal witch guardian protecting the hand of Yoln in The Dragon and the Phoenix.  Brigh and Cerwedden were witch guardians charged with protecting Tara and Willow in Season of the Witch.
I have also used Scáthach in my Ghosts of Albion games.

GM Merit Badges

Strange Magic has a very interesting post about GM styles and icons (he calls them Merit Badges) you can use to ID your GM style.

So here are mine.

 My games can sometimes have disturbing elements.

 I focus on drama and character development

 Characters in my games are destined for greatness, not random death.  Characters not destined for greatness are in someone else's game.

 I am in charge. Rule 0 is always in effect.

 You will need to investigate and solve mysteries.

My games are scary.

 My games will tell a story.  

Cool stuff.

Where are you at?
Here are some of the people I read.

• Quickly, Quietly, Carfully
• Planet Agol
• Dreams in the Lich House

Quintessential D&D (Half-baked ideas), Part 2

So building off of my "Half-Baked Adventure" and my sorta-update here is a plan.

Here is what I have at the moment.

Basic:  B1 In Search of the Unknown
AD&D 1^st Ed: C2 Ghost Tower of Inverness
AD&D 2^nd Ed: RM4 House of Strahd. Total cheat I know, but I'd run it as if it were in Ravenloft.
D&D 3^rd Ed: Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk
D&D 4^th Ed: The updated Tomb of Horrors

So some remakes and updates.  But all with classic roots.
Now to buy a copy of Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk.