Instead of our usual "add your scores together to beat this total," or the conventional "X number of successes before Y failures," I tried something different with this week's skill challenge. I gave my players a rather open-ended prompt and challenged them to create a cohesive narrative. If they work together to tell a story, they'll get a reward (a magical item). Otherwise, participation still earns them our home-rule "DM credit" (gives you +2 to any roll or allows you to re-roll any damage die). Here's the story so far...
DM: "What's in the box?"
While searching the corpses of the kobolds you have just slain, you find a sealed box. It is made of wood, stained dark red, and the outside is covered in strange carved images and symbols. It looks somewhat battered, but the construction is sturdy and sound. Initial* attempts to pry it open are unsuccessful. There doesn't seem to be any kind obvious* locking mechanism. It does not have a strongly apparent* magical aura.
*Please note the deliberate use of qualifiers. I'm not trying to say Strength, Thievery, or Arcana won't help. You just know opening the box won't be easy.
Showing posts with label DM/GM: Me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DM/GM: Me. Show all posts
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Saturday, March 1, 2014
D&D Puzzle/Trap Room
Arcana Check
Easy: There is an almost overwhelming amount of magical energy filling the entire room.
Moderate: The energy seems to be emanating from the idol itself.
Additionally, to any PC with experience in the Underdark this energy seems a bit familiar. To any gnome PC, the energy is familiar and even welcoming.
If the PCs send someone in first (with some people staying outside), there is a kind of spacial warping effect - they move normally but can't cover the distance between the door and the statue. There are no apparent exits from this room. If the characters decide to give up and leave, you could have them turn around and go back the way they came... only to have the same room appear before them in the other direction. This should suffice to should the PCs that they all must enter the room. As soon as the last one steps inside...
The second you step inside, you feel a slight bump at your back. When you turn around, you see nothing but a smooth wall. A moment later, you blink and find yourselves standing in a semicircle around the illuminated idol.
Religion Check
Easy: This appears to be a gnome deity.
Moderate (or Easy for a gnome PC): This is Calladuran Smoothhands, god of the svirfneblin.
Difficult (or Moderate for a gnome PC): Calladuran Smoothhands is a neutral deity, the god of the darkness beneath the earth, magic, protection, and... trickery. (Mwahahahaha!)
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Email Skill Challenge II: Responses (Part 2)
Character: Valna, half-elf barbarian
Player: Maggie
She knew her companions were also struggling to find sleep; Stumbleduck {aka Elyjobel} (Valna just couldn't get used to this new fancy name she wanted everyone to call her by) and Bigglesby were muttering to themselves, Travok was moving rocks around, and the others moved about restlessly in their bedrolls. The cave had caused a chill to creep into Valna's bones and she shivered. No matter. Valna had slept in worse places.
Primary Check - Endurance: 26
Since sleep was clearly not comimg easily, Valna replayed the day's battles in her mind. Especially the part where she rode Glitterstich to victory and plucked Travok from the dark water. That part was especially awesome. "Hey guys," she softly called to her companions. "I just want to say how impressed I am with the strength and power you all showed in the recent battle. It is clear that no foe can stand before us."
Secondary Check - Diplomacy: 33
Character: Elyjobel, gnome illusionist
Player: Mac
{Here's the second half of Mac's submission. As you will see, he ties right into the previous response AND tugs at the DMs heart-strings. Well played, sir, well played.}
Ely turned awkwardly in her bedroll, shifting until she faced the wall, trying to hide the effect that Valna's words had on her. She'd always looked up to the powerful woman, and in the light of Kismet's betrayal, when Ely realized she had to become tougher, stronger than the flighty illusionist she'd been all her childhood, there was an obvious choice for role model. Earlier that very day, while Valna and Bigglesby had been off exploring an offshoot, the rest of the party had fought swarms of spiders. Not only had Ely fought off the poison coursing through her system during that combat, but she slew many of the creepies herself. Slowly, she felt, she was starting to live up to the example Valna set. One day, she might even be strong enough to save her best friend from the darkness his uncle had forced into his life. For Kismet's sake, she tried to feel sympathy for his family. For her own sake, seeing the darkness Prismeus had willingly given himself over to infect her oldest companion... if she could, she'd let Prismeus's soul burn forever.
Thinking of her friend gave her an idea. One of the first illusions she learned was a spell named Ghost Sound, a little cantrip which allowed her to call sounds out of thin air. The spell itself was designed to be cast quickly in combat, and make a few simple, quick sounds, but perhaps she'd grown skillful enough to adapt it to current circumstances...
Worried that she might call up bad memories of the bard's betrayal, Ely nevertheless wove the patterns of energy, delving deep into her mind for an old, old memory... Excellence, Kismet's mother, had taken to bed with a fever. It truthfully was nothing more than a simple illness that anyone would shake off after a day's rest, but her son was only seven and, dutiful son he was, worried so for her health. He'd only recently started training in music, but he sat up with her all night as she twitched in fitful sleep, plucking at his harp a simple, soothing lullaby. As the hours passed, Excellence's fever finally broke, and she settled into deep, restful sleep her body needed.
Ely recalled that song now, the ingenuous strident plucking of a young boy holding a harp for the first time, and called the quiet notes into the air. She could not grant the true peace that a trained Bard's Song of Rest could gift, but perhaps this melody would remind her party of the many restful nights granted to them by their friend and Bard; maybe it would soften their hearts, let them see, as Ely did, that the tiefling did not truly betray them, he was a dear friend, a companion who had earned their implicit trust many times over, currently victim to terrible darkness. And maybe, just maybe, she could help settle fiery blood and stormy minds, and let everyone catch the restful sleep they so urgently needed to defeat the foul orcs.
Primary Check - Arcana: 32
Ely turned awkwardly in her bedroll, shifting until she faced the wall, trying to hide the effect that Valna's words had on her. She'd always looked up to the powerful woman, and in the light of Kismet's betrayal, when Ely realized she had to become tougher, stronger than the flighty illusionist she'd been all her childhood, there was an obvious choice for role model. Earlier that very day, while Valna and Bigglesby had been off exploring an offshoot, the rest of the party had fought swarms of spiders. Not only had Ely fought off the poison coursing through her system during that combat, but she slew many of the creepies herself. Slowly, she felt, she was starting to live up to the example Valna set. One day, she might even be strong enough to save her best friend from the darkness his uncle had forced into his life. For Kismet's sake, she tried to feel sympathy for his family. For her own sake, seeing the darkness Prismeus had willingly given himself over to infect her oldest companion... if she could, she'd let Prismeus's soul burn forever.
Thinking of her friend gave her an idea. One of the first illusions she learned was a spell named Ghost Sound, a little cantrip which allowed her to call sounds out of thin air. The spell itself was designed to be cast quickly in combat, and make a few simple, quick sounds, but perhaps she'd grown skillful enough to adapt it to current circumstances...
Worried that she might call up bad memories of the bard's betrayal, Ely nevertheless wove the patterns of energy, delving deep into her mind for an old, old memory... Excellence, Kismet's mother, had taken to bed with a fever. It truthfully was nothing more than a simple illness that anyone would shake off after a day's rest, but her son was only seven and, dutiful son he was, worried so for her health. He'd only recently started training in music, but he sat up with her all night as she twitched in fitful sleep, plucking at his harp a simple, soothing lullaby. As the hours passed, Excellence's fever finally broke, and she settled into deep, restful sleep her body needed.
Ely recalled that song now, the ingenuous strident plucking of a young boy holding a harp for the first time, and called the quiet notes into the air. She could not grant the true peace that a trained Bard's Song of Rest could gift, but perhaps this melody would remind her party of the many restful nights granted to them by their friend and Bard; maybe it would soften their hearts, let them see, as Ely did, that the tiefling did not truly betray them, he was a dear friend, a companion who had earned their implicit trust many times over, currently victim to terrible darkness. And maybe, just maybe, she could help settle fiery blood and stormy minds, and let everyone catch the restful sleep they so urgently needed to defeat the foul orcs.
Primary Check - Arcana: 32
Monday, February 24, 2014
Email Skill Challenge II: Responses (Part 1)
My players did a great job role-playing with this latest skill challenge! Here are some highlights {with my notes in fancy brackets}:
Character: Ely, gnome illusionist
Player: Mac
Though the Maiden of the Moon was an Archfey, not a proper deity, there were nevertheless many sects throughout the lands that worshipped the Fey as Gods. Elyjobel saw Bigglesby tossing restlessly, and gently called out his name. "Tell me of the Hunt; tell me of the thrill of the chase, noble woodsman. Tell me of the nights spent in trees, enduring now for the sake of glory later..." If she recalled her practical theology well, her phrasing should strike a chord in the halfling and remind him of the precepts he still lived by, even far from the Maiden's camp; if she spoke poorly, she risked reminding him of better times and worsening his depression...
Secondary Check - Religion: 34 [Nat 20, yo!]
{Mac asked specifically if he could hold off his Primary Roll, so that he'd get a bonus from someone else right off the bat}
Character: Bigglesby, halfling ranger
Player: Tristan
Bigglesby's couldn't get comfortable on the damp stone. He much preferred a dry bed of leaves under soaring canopies, or even the soft, arid dust of the Feymoon. Underground was no environment for a halfling, especially in the cavernous high caves of the Underdark. How could anyone feel cozy here? Softly, he heard Elyjobel reach out to him and recite the Call to Share. He didn't think Elyjobel actually wanted his stories - there was no proper campfire and this night they needed rest. But he appreciated the effort. He began to softly recite one of his favorite stories, just as a murmur, and it helped strengthen his resolve.
Primary Check - Endurance: 27
{I'm not all that familiar with D&D lore, mostly by choice. I've seen it used too often by pedantic nerds to prove their "superiority" over more casual players. But this? LOVED IT. I guess the difference is that it dovetails perfectly with what we know of the characters. And it moves us closer to the goal, of course.}
Thinking of the Call to Share made Bigglesby miss the roaring fires of the forest. He knew that a big fire would be dangerous in this space, but perhaps, before he drifted off, he could make something that would warm one of his compatriots. A few mushrooms in a corner of the cave looked dry enough to use as tinder. Tearing them up and spreading them out, Bigglesby quickly set to work creating a small flame.
Secondary Check - Nature: 29
Charachter: Travok, dwarf fighter
Player: Reuven
Despite all of the pent-up rage Travok has simmering internally, he's surprisingly calm in light of all of the recent excitement. Still, it does take some doing to get all of the residual jelly from his beard. It would seem this rather simple routine (beard-cleaning, not the jelly part) has a mollifying effect. Contentment in rote. Travok also takes some comfort in the confines of the environment. Even with all of the dangers that seem to be lurking, the feeling underground is so much more... insular. With ears still attuned to the echoes of caves, safety seems easier to ensure. There is no sky for the sounds of approaching beings to get lost in. Everything reverberates off the walls. Including the crackling of Bibbglesby's fire. And the shadows from it.
Primary Check - Perception: 33
Those shadows are too big. The light and warmth are sure to be welcome to the others, but Travok bristles a bit with that bright of a source in these confines. This isn't the outdoors! Carefully masking the flame behind a rock barrier, he protects his companions from the bright-light beacon effect while still letting them find solace in the fire.
Secondary Check - Dungeoneering: 24
There. That's better. Travok moves back to the dark side of the fire barrier and curls comfortably onto the rock floor.
{Sometimes communicating via email can remove the spontaneity of an interaction - think of every message you've received on a dating website EVER - but in this case my players do a great job of spring-boarding off each other's ideas.}
Character: Ely, gnome illusionist
Player: Mac
Though the Maiden of the Moon was an Archfey, not a proper deity, there were nevertheless many sects throughout the lands that worshipped the Fey as Gods. Elyjobel saw Bigglesby tossing restlessly, and gently called out his name. "Tell me of the Hunt; tell me of the thrill of the chase, noble woodsman. Tell me of the nights spent in trees, enduring now for the sake of glory later..." If she recalled her practical theology well, her phrasing should strike a chord in the halfling and remind him of the precepts he still lived by, even far from the Maiden's camp; if she spoke poorly, she risked reminding him of better times and worsening his depression...
Secondary Check - Religion: 34 [Nat 20, yo!]
{Mac asked specifically if he could hold off his Primary Roll, so that he'd get a bonus from someone else right off the bat}
Character: Bigglesby, halfling ranger
Player: Tristan
Bigglesby's couldn't get comfortable on the damp stone. He much preferred a dry bed of leaves under soaring canopies, or even the soft, arid dust of the Feymoon. Underground was no environment for a halfling, especially in the cavernous high caves of the Underdark. How could anyone feel cozy here? Softly, he heard Elyjobel reach out to him and recite the Call to Share. He didn't think Elyjobel actually wanted his stories - there was no proper campfire and this night they needed rest. But he appreciated the effort. He began to softly recite one of his favorite stories, just as a murmur, and it helped strengthen his resolve.
Primary Check - Endurance: 27
{I'm not all that familiar with D&D lore, mostly by choice. I've seen it used too often by pedantic nerds to prove their "superiority" over more casual players. But this? LOVED IT. I guess the difference is that it dovetails perfectly with what we know of the characters. And it moves us closer to the goal, of course.}
Thinking of the Call to Share made Bigglesby miss the roaring fires of the forest. He knew that a big fire would be dangerous in this space, but perhaps, before he drifted off, he could make something that would warm one of his compatriots. A few mushrooms in a corner of the cave looked dry enough to use as tinder. Tearing them up and spreading them out, Bigglesby quickly set to work creating a small flame.
Secondary Check - Nature: 29
Charachter: Travok, dwarf fighter
Player: Reuven
Despite all of the pent-up rage Travok has simmering internally, he's surprisingly calm in light of all of the recent excitement. Still, it does take some doing to get all of the residual jelly from his beard. It would seem this rather simple routine (beard-cleaning, not the jelly part) has a mollifying effect. Contentment in rote. Travok also takes some comfort in the confines of the environment. Even with all of the dangers that seem to be lurking, the feeling underground is so much more... insular. With ears still attuned to the echoes of caves, safety seems easier to ensure. There is no sky for the sounds of approaching beings to get lost in. Everything reverberates off the walls. Including the crackling of Bibbglesby's fire. And the shadows from it.
Primary Check - Perception: 33
Those shadows are too big. The light and warmth are sure to be welcome to the others, but Travok bristles a bit with that bright of a source in these confines. This isn't the outdoors! Carefully masking the flame behind a rock barrier, he protects his companions from the bright-light beacon effect while still letting them find solace in the fire.
Secondary Check - Dungeoneering: 24
There. That's better. Travok moves back to the dark side of the fire barrier and curls comfortably onto the rock floor.
{Sometimes communicating via email can remove the spontaneity of an interaction - think of every message you've received on a dating website EVER - but in this case my players do a great job of spring-boarding off each other's ideas.}
Friday, February 21, 2014
Email Skill Challenge II: A Night In The Caves
Your battle-weary party has chosen to take an extended rest in the caverns surrounding Blingdenstone. Luckily you possess the Exodus Knife, which allows you to cut a doorway into your own little pocket dimension (no need for guard shifts). However, the hazards that lay behind and before you leave your party somewhat agitated. When this happened in the past you had Kismet's Song of Rest to lull you to sleep - but now the only sounds you can hear are the dripping of water off stalactites and the skittering of various cave-dwelling creatures. You feel as if the cold, damp air of the caverns has seeped into your bones, and whenever you are not actively using a light source your eyes struggle to adjust to the otherworldly darkness. This may turn out to be a restless night for you all...
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Dread Night Vale Secret Identities
Everyone in Night Vale has secrets. So I thought it was only fair to give my Dread players secrets of their own to match the setting. Just like any one character question, they could use these to try to avoid pulls. I also encouraged them to use these to obtain equipment in the early stage of the game. For example, it made sense for the member of the NRA wanted a rifle, s/he would have easy access to one (a single pull) rather than another character who might have to get around pesky things like a background check and a three-day waiting period (two pulls). Characters might even choose to reveal their secrets to their teammates, if doing so might advance the plot.
Background: Your secret identity is just something you don’t necessarily talk to about with strangers or casual acquaintances, for whatever reason. This is not something that you must keep secret - in fact, you will likely want to reveal your secret at one point or another, in order to gain a bonus in gameplay. If you wish, one or more of your team members can be aware of your “secret.”
Ex-CIA agent. You received a letter from a Night Vale resident, a former colleague who was burned for his theories about a “World Government.” Your colleague urged you to come here to help with his/her investigation of “the black helicopters.”
Member of the NRA. You attended the local chapter meeting the other day and were handed a bumper sticker that says, “Guns don’t kill people. It’s impossible to be killed by a gun. We are all invincible to bullets and it’s a miracle.”
Scout. You are a proud son/daughter of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, on your mother’s side. Your grandfather taught you everything he knew about being a scout. There is apparently some white guy in Night Vale who calls himself “The Apache Tracker,” but who knows what that’s about.
Eagle Scout. You wanted to get involved with the local chapter of the Boy Scouts. They do things differently here in Night Vale… for one, signup is automatic and random; families receive a scarlet envelope informing them their sons have been selected.
Connected. When you left your mobster family to become a scientist, you never dreamed that you would run into your Uncle Rico again. He owns the only local pizza shop that hasn’t been burned down in an unsolved arson case…
Related. You are the third cousin twice removed of John Peters - you know, the farmer. He has no children, and is hoping you’ll move to Night Vale and take over the farm someday.
Background: Your secret identity is just something you don’t necessarily talk to about with strangers or casual acquaintances, for whatever reason. This is not something that you must keep secret - in fact, you will likely want to reveal your secret at one point or another, in order to gain a bonus in gameplay. If you wish, one or more of your team members can be aware of your “secret.”
Ex-CIA agent. You received a letter from a Night Vale resident, a former colleague who was burned for his theories about a “World Government.” Your colleague urged you to come here to help with his/her investigation of “the black helicopters.”
Member of the NRA. You attended the local chapter meeting the other day and were handed a bumper sticker that says, “Guns don’t kill people. It’s impossible to be killed by a gun. We are all invincible to bullets and it’s a miracle.”
Scout. You are a proud son/daughter of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, on your mother’s side. Your grandfather taught you everything he knew about being a scout. There is apparently some white guy in Night Vale who calls himself “The Apache Tracker,” but who knows what that’s about.
Eagle Scout. You wanted to get involved with the local chapter of the Boy Scouts. They do things differently here in Night Vale… for one, signup is automatic and random; families receive a scarlet envelope informing them their sons have been selected.
Connected. When you left your mobster family to become a scientist, you never dreamed that you would run into your Uncle Rico again. He owns the only local pizza shop that hasn’t been burned down in an unsolved arson case…
Related. You are the third cousin twice removed of John Peters - you know, the farmer. He has no children, and is hoping you’ll move to Night Vale and take over the farm someday.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Ready-to-steal Dread characters (Night Vale)
My second Night Vale Dread game got cancelled - no one showed up just because a catastrophic snow storm was descending upon us. Freaking casuals. However! That's no reason not to share my revised character questionnaires with my adoring public.
In Dread, the host (GM) creates a unique character questionnaire for each character. The answers players provide help dictate their role-playing choices and can sometimes be used to help them avoid pulls. For example, say you come across a locked door. A character might be asked to pull to try to pick the lock. But if you put in your backstory that you spent time in prison for B&E, you might not have to pull to get through. Creating questionnaires is more art than science... and I am still trying to perfect my form. For the purpose of the one-shot pickup games I run at my FLGS, I usually limit my questionnaires to 6-7 questions, whereas a typical Dread questionnaire is about a dozen questions long. I also added a twist with "Secret Identities," which tied the characters to the Night Vale community in some way. I'll include those in a separate post.
In Dread, the host (GM) creates a unique character questionnaire for each character. The answers players provide help dictate their role-playing choices and can sometimes be used to help them avoid pulls. For example, say you come across a locked door. A character might be asked to pull to try to pick the lock. But if you put in your backstory that you spent time in prison for B&E, you might not have to pull to get through. Creating questionnaires is more art than science... and I am still trying to perfect my form. For the purpose of the one-shot pickup games I run at my FLGS, I usually limit my questionnaires to 6-7 questions, whereas a typical Dread questionnaire is about a dozen questions long. I also added a twist with "Secret Identities," which tied the characters to the Night Vale community in some way. I'll include those in a separate post.
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| Oooh, mysterious! |
Background: You are members of a research team that has come to figure out just what is going on in Night Vale, the most scientifically interesting community in the United States. For example… seismic monitors indicate that catastrophic earthquakes are happening, but no one feels anything. An elderly woman named Josie claims that Angels visit her on a regular basis, and help out with household chores. The sun doesn’t set at the correct time, and indeed it seems that none of the clocks from Night Vale actually work. A few weeks ago, a strange glowing cloud appeared above the city, dropping dead animals of increasing size. Then it disappeared without a trace, and any digital recordings of it were also wiped clean. Then there’s Hiram McDaniels, a five-headed dragon, approximately 18 feet tall, with mostly green eyes, and weighing about 3600 pounds… he’s wanted by the Sheriff’s office, under suspicion of insurance fraud. And just the other day, all books stopped working - when you tried to read them, they started emitting sparks and, somehow, biting. These are just some of the mysteries you have come to Night Vale to investigate. But you all have your own secrets as well…
By the way, I modeled each of these after a famous scientist character. See if you can guess which one is which!
Monday, February 10, 2014
Dread: Welcome to Night Vale
The System: Dread is a role-playing game that uses Jenga® instead of dice. Pull from the tower and you succeed. Refuse to pull and you fail. The choice is yours. But if the tower falls, your character will be eliminated from the game!
The Setting: "Welcome to Night Vale is a twice-monthly podcast in the style of community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events. Turn on your radio and hide."
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
School Daze: BtVS (Characters)
You may think that we GMs pour over rule books to get a complete understanding of game mechanics, then turn to our computer screens and effortlessly produce a compelling interactive story line. What actually happens, at least for me, is that I discover a gaming system that sounds intriguing, check out the rules and some of the sample flavor text, then hit the internet to see if someone has done the hard work for me. It's usually only when I've seen a game in action that I commit the necessary resources to creating a game "from scratch."
That being said, this post is for all my fellow lazy GMs who want to run the BtVS School Daze game I posted previously, and just need the characters. I will say, though, that character creation in School Daze is incredibly easy - you just pick each student's Favorite Subject (+2 to related rolls) and three Ranks (+/-1 to related rolls). Then you add Relationships to NPCs - which is super easy when you're working off an established cannon like BtVS - and a Motivation. I actually left the Motivations blank, so my players could tell me what was on the forefront of their character's mind that week. These characters are set in the early seasons of BtVS, when they were actually in high school, but you can easily adapt them for later seasons as desired.
One more note... because of my OCD desire for a balanced party, I made sure there were not repeats in Ranks. This is obviously not necessary and may actually not be completely true to the original characters. If verisimilitude is your thing, modify these as needed. Or let your players customize their characters by swapping out a Rank or two, if they can explain to you why a different Rank would be a better fit for their character. And no, "this would be more useful" is not a good explanation.
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| Ready-to-steal School Daze characters after the jump! |
Monday, February 3, 2014
School Daze: BtVS
Hey, friends - here's my latest contribution to Wednesday Night RPGs at my FLGS. It's a game of School Daze set in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe. Some of this was borrowed from the BtVS RPG. Check out the bottom of the post for my Playtest Notes.
The System: School Daze is a role-playing game in a high school setting. High school is an exciting time. Everything in your life is in flux, and no matter what, nothing will be the same again. What better place to set a story? Each player takes on the role of a high school student, with all of their hopes, dreams, problems, and challenges. The Administrator facilitates the game using Group Projects as frameworks for the game sessions. School Daze is collaborative and functions best when the Students and the Administrator work together, developing the story and the world together.
The Setting: Buffy the Vampire Slayer follows Buffy Summers, the latest in a line of young women known as Vampire Slayers. Slayers are chosen by fate to battle against vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. Like previous Slayers, Buffy is aided by a Watcher, who guides, teaches, and trains her. Unlike her predecessors, Buffy surrounds herself with a circle of loyal friends who become known as the "Scooby Gang".
The System: School Daze is a role-playing game in a high school setting. High school is an exciting time. Everything in your life is in flux, and no matter what, nothing will be the same again. What better place to set a story? Each player takes on the role of a high school student, with all of their hopes, dreams, problems, and challenges. The Administrator facilitates the game using Group Projects as frameworks for the game sessions. School Daze is collaborative and functions best when the Students and the Administrator work together, developing the story and the world together.
The Setting: Buffy the Vampire Slayer follows Buffy Summers, the latest in a line of young women known as Vampire Slayers. Slayers are chosen by fate to battle against vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness. Like previous Slayers, Buffy is aided by a Watcher, who guides, teaches, and trains her. Unlike her predecessors, Buffy surrounds herself with a circle of loyal friends who become known as the "Scooby Gang".
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Existential Dread
Anyone who loves story-driven games and experiences mounting terror while playing Jenga will love Dread, my new favorite gaming system. I have written a couple of games for Dread at this point, and I thought some of them might be good enough to share with y'all.
Attempt Number One: Marvelous Marvin's Circulating Circus. This plot was a bit too railroaded - the actual game play didn't go anything like I planned. The character questionnaires were modified (*cough*stolen*cough) from ones posted online, so I can't really take any credit for them.
Attempt Number One: Marvelous Marvin's Circulating Circus. This plot was a bit too railroaded - the actual game play didn't go anything like I planned. The character questionnaires were modified (*cough*stolen*cough) from ones posted online, so I can't really take any credit for them.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Happy New Blog Post
Holy mother of pearl it's been a long time! But never fear, fair reader (all one of you) - I have resolved this New Year to continue sharing my genius with the world. Behold! A post!
As I may have mentioned before, I share GMing responsibilities for one my home campaigns with my best frenemy, Mac. The problem is, he raises the bar on story-telling to ridiculous levels. He even started up a new form of skill challenge via email, compatible with 4E but without the pesky disincentive to participate that is the success/failure system. Check out previous posts for details. Here is my first attempt at doing something similar!
As I may have mentioned before, I share GMing responsibilities for one my home campaigns with my best frenemy, Mac. The problem is, he raises the bar on story-telling to ridiculous levels. He even started up a new form of skill challenge via email, compatible with 4E but without the pesky disincentive to participate that is the success/failure system. Check out previous posts for details. Here is my first attempt at doing something similar!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Gaming Digest
Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.
Regina Fierce and the Alligator's Eye: For my birthday week, my friend Kevin ran a game of Pulp-Era Savage Worlds for us at our favorite local watering hole. I didn't love the pre-gen hero, so I revamped him into a strong black woman named Regina Fierce. Why? BECAUSE IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY, DAMMIT. It's an interesting system - no d20s and combat-light, kind of like the Serenity RPG, and the mechanic of "exploding the dice" had pretty hilarious results. Kevin did a good job of balancing genre tropes (apparently the hallmark of the Savage Worlds system) and meaningful character choices. 9/10, would play again.
Once Upon A Crime: Also for my birthday week, Mac wrote a fairy-tale themed murder mystery party. I played the Evil Queen/detective - I wore an old's bridesmaid's dress with a Party City crown and striped wrist-warmers. In other words, HAWT. My goal was to solve the poisoning of my brother, the Dark Wizard (played by Mac). The characters were hilarious, both in writing and execution, and everyone got really into their costumes. We learned our lessons from earlier murder mysteries, and had little games/activities for people to do while I was detecting (cookie decorating, card games, and "stay dry" apple bobbing). I also realized that I REALLY like playing an evil character, especially when I get to play to lead role at the same time. Should I be worried...?
Regular games (Serenity, D&D: Silver Company, and D&D: Family Ties) after the jump!
Regina Fierce and the Alligator's Eye: For my birthday week, my friend Kevin ran a game of Pulp-Era Savage Worlds for us at our favorite local watering hole. I didn't love the pre-gen hero, so I revamped him into a strong black woman named Regina Fierce. Why? BECAUSE IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY, DAMMIT. It's an interesting system - no d20s and combat-light, kind of like the Serenity RPG, and the mechanic of "exploding the dice" had pretty hilarious results. Kevin did a good job of balancing genre tropes (apparently the hallmark of the Savage Worlds system) and meaningful character choices. 9/10, would play again.
Once Upon A Crime: Also for my birthday week, Mac wrote a fairy-tale themed murder mystery party. I played the Evil Queen/detective - I wore an old's bridesmaid's dress with a Party City crown and striped wrist-warmers. In other words, HAWT. My goal was to solve the poisoning of my brother, the Dark Wizard (played by Mac). The characters were hilarious, both in writing and execution, and everyone got really into their costumes. We learned our lessons from earlier murder mysteries, and had little games/activities for people to do while I was detecting (cookie decorating, card games, and "stay dry" apple bobbing). I also realized that I REALLY like playing an evil character, especially when I get to play to lead role at the same time. Should I be worried...?
Regular games (Serenity, D&D: Silver Company, and D&D: Family Ties) after the jump!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Epic D&D Day
Today I had two D&D games - one for my own group, one for the group Mac runs. I'm currently running a pre-gen module called The Last Breaths of Ashenport. My PCs, as members of the Silver Company, have been dispatched to Ashenport to investigate the rumors that every year around this time, travelers to Ashenport mysteriously disappear. The flavor of the module is distinctly Lovecraftian, and I thought it would be excellent for this time of year. To add to the atmosphere, I played the Spooky Symphonies Pandora station on my laptop. It was horror, and it was terrific! It was HORRIFIC! Wait...
In the first session of this adventure, our PCs made their way to Ashenport in the driving rain and immediately sought shelter at the well-appointed Smooth Sailing Tavern and Inn. They find that the inn is all but full with various treasure seekers and merchants, along with their bodyguards. Everyone settles in for the night without incident. But then! In the middle of the night a strange call is heard emerging from the ocean. Many cannot resist it's song, and are compelled to walk towards the ocean (no doubt, to drown). I didn't feel like printing all the maps for this adventure, but luckily I had a large-scale town map for the PCs to use. In order to snap their friends and the other traveler at the inn out of their trance, every adventurer who was aware had to attack their allies and the NPCs. Heh, that was fun.
To make a long story short (too late) the party quickly realizes that no townspeople seem to be affected by this call. They intimidate a frightened villager into revealing that a ritual is being performed that will protect the town and preserve its prosperity. The site of the ritual is the Gleaming Dawn church - before the PCs could act of this information, another call sounded. They rushed back to the inn to help save their fellow travelers (securing promised rewards for their efforts). On their way to the church, they were ambushed by abhorrent fish-men, foul creations spat up by whatever evil lurks beneath the waters of Ashenport.
In today's session, the PCs finally made it to the church - well, to the base of the hill the church sits upon. I decided to throw in a modified version of this puzzle challenge (source: The Player's DM, Puzzle of the Week), just to make the trip up more interesting than a simple Athletics check. My players did well, though not everyone could understand the puzzle. I feel like puzzles and riddles can be hit or miss, but are generally well-received by my group.
Once inside the church, the party fought two tough battles and made their way through a trapped corridor. They ended up taking a lot of damage and were running out of healing surges, so tension was high (yay). They decided to take an extended rest in an easily-defensible area of the dungeon - a small study off the trapped corridor. The module implies that the ritual is happening that night, but I can't imagine them going on without a rest. I will probably just hand-wave that the ritual is still ongoing when they emerge from their rest. Or will I? Dun dun DUNNNNNNN.
Next post: Mac's game!
 |
| Visit scenic Ashenport at least once (immediately) before you die! |
In the first session of this adventure, our PCs made their way to Ashenport in the driving rain and immediately sought shelter at the well-appointed Smooth Sailing Tavern and Inn. They find that the inn is all but full with various treasure seekers and merchants, along with their bodyguards. Everyone settles in for the night without incident. But then! In the middle of the night a strange call is heard emerging from the ocean. Many cannot resist it's song, and are compelled to walk towards the ocean (no doubt, to drown). I didn't feel like printing all the maps for this adventure, but luckily I had a large-scale town map for the PCs to use. In order to snap their friends and the other traveler at the inn out of their trance, every adventurer who was aware had to attack their allies and the NPCs. Heh, that was fun.
To make a long story short (too late) the party quickly realizes that no townspeople seem to be affected by this call. They intimidate a frightened villager into revealing that a ritual is being performed that will protect the town and preserve its prosperity. The site of the ritual is the Gleaming Dawn church - before the PCs could act of this information, another call sounded. They rushed back to the inn to help save their fellow travelers (securing promised rewards for their efforts). On their way to the church, they were ambushed by abhorrent fish-men, foul creations spat up by whatever evil lurks beneath the waters of Ashenport.
 |
| GROSS. |
In today's session, the PCs finally made it to the church - well, to the base of the hill the church sits upon. I decided to throw in a modified version of this puzzle challenge (source: The Player's DM, Puzzle of the Week), just to make the trip up more interesting than a simple Athletics check. My players did well, though not everyone could understand the puzzle. I feel like puzzles and riddles can be hit or miss, but are generally well-received by my group.
Once inside the church, the party fought two tough battles and made their way through a trapped corridor. They ended up taking a lot of damage and were running out of healing surges, so tension was high (yay). They decided to take an extended rest in an easily-defensible area of the dungeon - a small study off the trapped corridor. The module implies that the ritual is happening that night, but I can't imagine them going on without a rest. I will probably just hand-wave that the ritual is still ongoing when they emerge from their rest. Or will I? Dun dun DUNNNNNNN.
Next post: Mac's game!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Silver Company: Dunsmere Ruins II
Here is the recap for the home campaign session I ran yesterday, with DM color commentary (DMCC) in italics. If you are one of my PCs and have had enough of my comments for one week, you can skip those bits. Cool?
--
When last we left our adventurers, they were investigating a disturbance at Dunsemere Ruins. They found and dispatched a pack of gnolls and their pet hyenas. Lo and behold, the gnolls had captured a pair of half-orc siblings - Bree and Ugarth (played by our friends Dori and David, who were just joining the group this session). The convinced these newcomers to join their group, if not the Silver Company (the oath of loyalty seemed to be a sticking point). The final tower of Dunsmere Ruins opened to reveal a Barlgura demon performing a dark ritual.
DMCC: Not to pick favorites, but our eladrin wizard Aranelle (played by my friend Rachel) was a total superstar this session! In game, Aranelle used her powers wisely and controlled the board like a BOSS. Out of game, Rachel planned her turns beautifully. I use a timer to try to keep things on track - Rachel's turns typically took 15 seconds OR LESS. This is especially remarkable for the controller role, which tends to be more complicated.
DMCC: I was also impressed by our new players jumping into the game. David had played D&D in a previous edition, and Dori had observed a game with us a while back - so they knew some basics. I created Essentials characters for them, which are much simpler but just as effective. I also had them come over an hour early so we could cover some game mechanics, do a couple practice rounds, etc.
After defeating the Barlgura and the remaining gnolls, the PCs investigate the site of the dark ritual. They find a level 11 magic item, which they use several skill checks to purify. They also discover that this portal was not meant to bring something here from the Abyss, but rather to send things away. In searching the bodies from the previous battle, they find that they do not bear the primal magic totems that have been cropping up on monsters all over Corbais. Curiouser and curiouser...
DMCC: I find it easier to allow the party to decide who gets the magic item, and then let that PC pick an item of the appropriate level. This allows items to be distributed more evenly - the question becomes, "who needs an item?" rather than, "who can use this particular item?" I think the party decided to give the item to our dryad ranger Iriena (played by Katja).
On the way back to the Eastern Outpost, the party runs into a humble cabbage merchant. His entire shipment of prize-winning produce has been stolen, and he will pay handsomely to have it retrieved. The merchant strikes a deal with the Silver Company commander, Ingrid, and after replenishing some of their stores the party strikes out once again into the forest. There is an obvious trail where the cabbages have been dragged away, which leads to a graveyard. Of course it does.
The merchant's description of the bandits - gray-skinned with strange tattoos - suddenly makes sense when the party comes upon a group of shadar-kai. The PCs take quite a beating at the hands of the shadar-kai, their spectral panther, and some rot scarab swarms disturbed by the battle. In the end, of course, they arise triumphant. They don't have much time to rest - without a doubt, more trouble is lurking deeper within the graveyard.
DMCC: I decided gave the PCs an option - if they forgo the healing portion of the rest (they'd still get their encounter powers back), they can get a surprise round in the next encounter. I know this kind of improvisation can backfire, but I just like trying new things. The party opted for the surprise round, so things are about to get a mite interesting. *eyebrow waggle*
--
When last we left our adventurers, they were investigating a disturbance at Dunsemere Ruins. They found and dispatched a pack of gnolls and their pet hyenas. Lo and behold, the gnolls had captured a pair of half-orc siblings - Bree and Ugarth (played by our friends Dori and David, who were just joining the group this session). The convinced these newcomers to join their group, if not the Silver Company (the oath of loyalty seemed to be a sticking point). The final tower of Dunsmere Ruins opened to reveal a Barlgura demon performing a dark ritual.
 |
| Are these guys smart enough to performed a ritual? Probably not, but whatevs. |
DMCC: Not to pick favorites, but our eladrin wizard Aranelle (played by my friend Rachel) was a total superstar this session! In game, Aranelle used her powers wisely and controlled the board like a BOSS. Out of game, Rachel planned her turns beautifully. I use a timer to try to keep things on track - Rachel's turns typically took 15 seconds OR LESS. This is especially remarkable for the controller role, which tends to be more complicated.
 |
| Spell-casting with the QUICKNESS. |
DMCC: I was also impressed by our new players jumping into the game. David had played D&D in a previous edition, and Dori had observed a game with us a while back - so they knew some basics. I created Essentials characters for them, which are much simpler but just as effective. I also had them come over an hour early so we could cover some game mechanics, do a couple practice rounds, etc.
After defeating the Barlgura and the remaining gnolls, the PCs investigate the site of the dark ritual. They find a level 11 magic item, which they use several skill checks to purify. They also discover that this portal was not meant to bring something here from the Abyss, but rather to send things away. In searching the bodies from the previous battle, they find that they do not bear the primal magic totems that have been cropping up on monsters all over Corbais. Curiouser and curiouser...
DMCC: I find it easier to allow the party to decide who gets the magic item, and then let that PC pick an item of the appropriate level. This allows items to be distributed more evenly - the question becomes, "who needs an item?" rather than, "who can use this particular item?" I think the party decided to give the item to our dryad ranger Iriena (played by Katja).
On the way back to the Eastern Outpost, the party runs into a humble cabbage merchant. His entire shipment of prize-winning produce has been stolen, and he will pay handsomely to have it retrieved. The merchant strikes a deal with the Silver Company commander, Ingrid, and after replenishing some of their stores the party strikes out once again into the forest. There is an obvious trail where the cabbages have been dragged away, which leads to a graveyard. Of course it does.
The merchant's description of the bandits - gray-skinned with strange tattoos - suddenly makes sense when the party comes upon a group of shadar-kai. The PCs take quite a beating at the hands of the shadar-kai, their spectral panther, and some rot scarab swarms disturbed by the battle. In the end, of course, they arise triumphant. They don't have much time to rest - without a doubt, more trouble is lurking deeper within the graveyard.
DMCC: I decided gave the PCs an option - if they forgo the healing portion of the rest (they'd still get their encounter powers back), they can get a surprise round in the next encounter. I know this kind of improvisation can backfire, but I just like trying new things. The party opted for the surprise round, so things are about to get a mite interesting. *eyebrow waggle*
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Touch of Madness: The Thrilling Conclusion!
After a day and a half of Otakon, a late-night party, an early brunch, and a fringe festival play - all in quick succession - I think it's safe to say I was exhausted when it came time to DM my final "Touch of Madness" session. So I want to start this post with an apology to my players: I'm sorry I was short with you all. It wasn't anything you did, and I wasn't mad. I was just. So. Tired.
And so you don't think I'm a terrible DM, note that I had just hand-waved them all up to level 11 - Paragon Tier. Dun dun dun! At this point, PCs have (theoretically) slugged their way through ten levels of combats and challenges. They've explored their world, defeating evil and protecting innocence, and have made a name for themselves. Now they're ready to graduate from small-time adventuring and tackle even bigger Big Bads. Part of that transition includes selecting a Paragon Path, which will shape how their character develops from now on.
This choice was easy for Mac and me - we have been discussing our paragon paths for yonks. I didn't realize I'd be throwing some of my other players into something of a conundrum. Here was a character that they'd only played a handful of times, and now they had to make this huge decision. In the end, I'm sure everyone (including me) picked the path with the biggest mechanical benefit. As much as I enjoy the RP in RPGs, I came to win.
I'm glad I did have them level up, however, because the final boss battle was HARD. Two out of the four adventurers died (I let them come back in with secondary characters) and I ended up having one of the monsters just lose interest and leave. They probably could have made it without these concessions and probably without TPK, but again - it was late, I was tired. In retrospect, it feel like the Touch of Madness campaign ended for us not with a bang, but with a whimper. Luckily, I can guarantee the DM is going to be more energetic for next session... because Mac will be taking over!
 |
| When I haven't gotten enough sleep, I can be a real bitch. Just kidding - Maggie was dog-sitting that weekend. Meet Max the Dungeon Mutt! |
And so you don't think I'm a terrible DM, note that I had just hand-waved them all up to level 11 - Paragon Tier. Dun dun dun! At this point, PCs have (theoretically) slugged their way through ten levels of combats and challenges. They've explored their world, defeating evil and protecting innocence, and have made a name for themselves. Now they're ready to graduate from small-time adventuring and tackle even bigger Big Bads. Part of that transition includes selecting a Paragon Path, which will shape how their character develops from now on.
This choice was easy for Mac and me - we have been discussing our paragon paths for yonks. I didn't realize I'd be throwing some of my other players into something of a conundrum. Here was a character that they'd only played a handful of times, and now they had to make this huge decision. In the end, I'm sure everyone (including me) picked the path with the biggest mechanical benefit. As much as I enjoy the RP in RPGs, I came to win.
I'm glad I did have them level up, however, because the final boss battle was HARD. Two out of the four adventurers died (I let them come back in with secondary characters) and I ended up having one of the monsters just lose interest and leave. They probably could have made it without these concessions and probably without TPK, but again - it was late, I was tired. In retrospect, it feel like the Touch of Madness campaign ended for us not with a bang, but with a whimper. Luckily, I can guarantee the DM is going to be more energetic for next session... because Mac will be taking over!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Silver Company: Dunsmere Ruins
With a group that only meets once a month, I find it helpful to give a
quick summary of the story so far. However, I often struggle with recaps because I don't want to give too much away - if I only tell them
what's crucial to the plot, how will I fool them with red herrings in
the future? I usually compromise by telling them everything they need to
know for right now, with a sprinkling of useless/useful facts.
Back story: There is trouble in the county of Corbais – monsters are making unusually aggressive attacks on towns and villages. In defending Corbais, you have met many interesting characters: a gnome innkeeper named Findle Wimrocket, a capricious pixie known as Mistlethrush, a mysterious swamp witch and a retired half-orc adventurer, Reis Uleka. In order to combat the monsters, Reis has put together a fighting force called the Silver Company, of which you are all members. Two of you are Lance Corporals stationed out of the Eastern Outpost, under the guidance of a half-elf named Ingrid. The rest of you are Privates who have just been dispatched to the outpost. From there, you will all proceed to investigate rumors of a disturbance in Dunsmere ruins. Located just outside of the tiny village of Vervaine, the ruins were once the summer castle of some long-dead noble who had too much money and not enough sense. Now the villagers, a superstitious and solitary bunch, have reported some kind of disturbance in the ruins.
We had a strong showing to this session - a total of six 8th-level PCs and two observers. Here's the party line-up:
Silver Company PFCs
Aranelle (Rachel) the eladrin wizard
Elora (Carly) the halfling rouge
Marianna (Maggie) the human cleric
Shun Wei (Kelly) the dragonborn paladin
Silver Company LCs
Aukan (Alex*) the goliath barbarian
Iriena (Katja) the dryad ranger
The party sneaked into the courtyard of the ruins and found a sleeping guard dog... well, Cacklefiend Hyena. To-may-to, to-mah-to. When they attacked the hyena, it yelped awake and alerted the Gnolls within the ruins to attack. I did a big dramatic entrance for the HBIC - a Gnoll Demon Scourge. I was standing up out of my seat, swinging an imaginary flail over my head, and making (a very ominous, I assure you) "whum... whum... whum..." sound. I rolled my big light-up d20 - critical hit! I felt like the Universe was rewarding me for good flavor text.
The PCs progressed into the upper level of the ruins, only to be trapped in a corridor by a Harpy and her minions. But the rolls were not in my favor in this encounter, and soon the Gnolls' numbers were so reduced that they could no longer use their pack attack feature to do extra damage. No one fell unconscious, though I think I brought most of them down to bloodied at one point or another. A couple of my PCs dropped Daily Powers - which is completely appropriate, since at this level you shouldn't be able to save everything for the boss fight. Speaking of which...
Next time, on Silver Company: Dunsmere Ruins Boss Fight!
Back story: There is trouble in the county of Corbais – monsters are making unusually aggressive attacks on towns and villages. In defending Corbais, you have met many interesting characters: a gnome innkeeper named Findle Wimrocket, a capricious pixie known as Mistlethrush, a mysterious swamp witch and a retired half-orc adventurer, Reis Uleka. In order to combat the monsters, Reis has put together a fighting force called the Silver Company, of which you are all members. Two of you are Lance Corporals stationed out of the Eastern Outpost, under the guidance of a half-elf named Ingrid. The rest of you are Privates who have just been dispatched to the outpost. From there, you will all proceed to investigate rumors of a disturbance in Dunsmere ruins. Located just outside of the tiny village of Vervaine, the ruins were once the summer castle of some long-dead noble who had too much money and not enough sense. Now the villagers, a superstitious and solitary bunch, have reported some kind of disturbance in the ruins.
We had a strong showing to this session - a total of six 8th-level PCs and two observers. Here's the party line-up:
 |
| *Token Male. |
Silver Company PFCs
Aranelle (Rachel) the eladrin wizard
Elora (Carly) the halfling rouge
Marianna (Maggie) the human cleric
Shun Wei (Kelly) the dragonborn paladin
Silver Company LCs
Aukan (Alex*) the goliath barbarian
Iriena (Katja) the dryad ranger
The party sneaked into the courtyard of the ruins and found a sleeping guard dog... well, Cacklefiend Hyena. To-may-to, to-mah-to. When they attacked the hyena, it yelped awake and alerted the Gnolls within the ruins to attack. I did a big dramatic entrance for the HBIC - a Gnoll Demon Scourge. I was standing up out of my seat, swinging an imaginary flail over my head, and making (a very ominous, I assure you) "whum... whum... whum..." sound. I rolled my big light-up d20 - critical hit! I felt like the Universe was rewarding me for good flavor text.
The PCs progressed into the upper level of the ruins, only to be trapped in a corridor by a Harpy and her minions. But the rolls were not in my favor in this encounter, and soon the Gnolls' numbers were so reduced that they could no longer use their pack attack feature to do extra damage. No one fell unconscious, though I think I brought most of them down to bloodied at one point or another. A couple of my PCs dropped Daily Powers - which is completely appropriate, since at this level you shouldn't be able to save everything for the boss fight. Speaking of which...
Next time, on Silver Company: Dunsmere Ruins Boss Fight!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Touch of Madness Campaign, Con'td
On Sunday I met with a couple of my players for the next installment of Touch of Madness. We had some last-minute cancellations, but because of our dual-character system we were able to forge ahead with just two PCs. Spoilers ahoy!
An interesting facet of this particular module is that several of the "bad guys" - the Stormcrows - are actually victims of the "touch of madness" themselves, and therefore can be saved. So far, we have rescued three out of the four Stormcrows (if the PCs remember to go back and collect them on their way out, that is). As an aside, IMHO the two female NPCs seemed more salvageable than the male NPCs. Is this an indication of the "damsel in distress" mentality on my part? Or on the part of the writers of the story? Anyway, something to think about.
In this session, the PCs advanced into the second level of the Forlorn Tower. They met two more of the Stormcrow mercenaries, and they confirmed that the Tear of Ioun is no longer there. However, since their primary goal is to protect the town of Wellspring from this tower's monsters, it makes sense to continue. I think we've got about one more session left, but I'm getting a bit nervous. With our spotty attendance, I'm not sure that all of my PCs are going to be at a high enough level to deal with the final battle. Will this be my first TPK???
An interesting facet of this particular module is that several of the "bad guys" - the Stormcrows - are actually victims of the "touch of madness" themselves, and therefore can be saved. So far, we have rescued three out of the four Stormcrows (if the PCs remember to go back and collect them on their way out, that is). As an aside, IMHO the two female NPCs seemed more salvageable than the male NPCs. Is this an indication of the "damsel in distress" mentality on my part? Or on the part of the writers of the story? Anyway, something to think about.
Either way, it is now incumbent upon me to write a story with
all female monsters and a dude in distress.
In this session, the PCs advanced into the second level of the Forlorn Tower. They met two more of the Stormcrow mercenaries, and they confirmed that the Tear of Ioun is no longer there. However, since their primary goal is to protect the town of Wellspring from this tower's monsters, it makes sense to continue. I think we've got about one more session left, but I'm getting a bit nervous. With our spotty attendance, I'm not sure that all of my PCs are going to be at a high enough level to deal with the final battle. Will this be my first TPK???
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Touch of Madness Campaign
For the second of my D&D groups, I am a lazy lazy DM that primarily runs modules. Currently I am running the Touch of Madness module, the first installment of the so-called Madness Trilogy (along with Depths of Madness and Brink of Madness). As you might suspect, it primarily involves monsters from the Far Realm, who specialize in being batshit insane and inspiring batshit insanity in others. SPOILERS BELOW.
Our group changes all the time (people join, people leave, schedules conflict, etc), so right now I am allowing more than one character per person. This allows us to play with as few as two players and one DM, but is not recommended for inexperienced players. But guests are always welcome, because I believe in recruiting people to my twisted lifestyle.
The last time we met, Kevin brought along his friend Andrew - he had played before, and just needed a refresher on a few things and the nuances of 4E. I created a character for Andrew in character builder - I decided to go the Essentials route, to save myself some time. Approximately five decisions later, I had a fully-functional 10th-level Dwarf Cleric, with only one easily-correctable error (they gave him expertise in a weapon he didn't have). Kevin is playing a Dragonborn Paladin, and Reuven dual-wielded his Dwarf Fighter and his brand-new Shifter Monk.
So far in the plot, our adventurers are seeking to protect the people of Wellspring from an uncertain threat - the story began when grells descended upon the town. They have been lead to the Forlorn Tower - formerly a temple to Ioun (D&D goddess of knowledge) and home of the Tear of Ioun, one of many sacred relics. In this session, the party was supposed to speak to a woman who had been sent after the Tear of Ioun and who knows more about it's whereabouts. However, when they came upon her party they immediately attacked - which, to my mind, was a valid decision. You're a grimlock hanging out in an evil tower, and the group just fought a whole bunch of you two sessions ago. Of course Han is going to shoot first!
This left me in something of a quandary - I needed to let them get their hits in without sacrificing exposition. Also, we were down one PC, and this was a high-level encounter. If I had let them fight it out, the heroes may not have survived. I know that's OK with some DMs, but I think TPKs are boring and pointless. The story advances when the heroes advance - why would I want to stop that?
I compromised by giving hints that the grimlock's leader, who announces herself as Denva of the Stormcrows, was not quite right in the head (which was true). Our Paladin was the only one who was close enough to interact with her, which was probably not ideal - even though every player was involved in the battle in some way or another, only one got to do any Skill stuff. The small exception was that our Fighter got to use his Athletics to smash through a wall - and eventually made it!
When they had subdued most of the grimlocks and successfully navigated Denva's warped mind, they find out quite a bit.
Oh, and tentacles. Mustn't forget the tentacles.
Our group changes all the time (people join, people leave, schedules conflict, etc), so right now I am allowing more than one character per person. This allows us to play with as few as two players and one DM, but is not recommended for inexperienced players. But guests are always welcome, because I believe in recruiting people to my twisted lifestyle.
The last time we met, Kevin brought along his friend Andrew - he had played before, and just needed a refresher on a few things and the nuances of 4E. I created a character for Andrew in character builder - I decided to go the Essentials route, to save myself some time. Approximately five decisions later, I had a fully-functional 10th-level Dwarf Cleric, with only one easily-correctable error (they gave him expertise in a weapon he didn't have). Kevin is playing a Dragonborn Paladin, and Reuven dual-wielded his Dwarf Fighter and his brand-new Shifter Monk.
So far in the plot, our adventurers are seeking to protect the people of Wellspring from an uncertain threat - the story began when grells descended upon the town. They have been lead to the Forlorn Tower - formerly a temple to Ioun (D&D goddess of knowledge) and home of the Tear of Ioun, one of many sacred relics. In this session, the party was supposed to speak to a woman who had been sent after the Tear of Ioun and who knows more about it's whereabouts. However, when they came upon her party they immediately attacked - which, to my mind, was a valid decision. You're a grimlock hanging out in an evil tower, and the group just fought a whole bunch of you two sessions ago. Of course Han is going to shoot first!
On the left, a grell. On the right, a grimlock.
Seriously, what the hell.
This left me in something of a quandary - I needed to let them get their hits in without sacrificing exposition. Also, we were down one PC, and this was a high-level encounter. If I had let them fight it out, the heroes may not have survived. I know that's OK with some DMs, but I think TPKs are boring and pointless. The story advances when the heroes advance - why would I want to stop that?
I compromised by giving hints that the grimlock's leader, who announces herself as Denva of the Stormcrows, was not quite right in the head (which was true). Our Paladin was the only one who was close enough to interact with her, which was probably not ideal - even though every player was involved in the battle in some way or another, only one got to do any Skill stuff. The small exception was that our Fighter got to use his Athletics to smash through a wall - and eventually made it!
When they had subdued most of the grimlocks and successfully navigated Denva's warped mind, they find out quite a bit.
[Denva] reveals that a human named Cylus hired her and her companions to search for the Tear of Ioun. The relic transformed the Stormcrows (a group of merry mercenaries), but then mysterious shadow creatures stole it. Elomir, the Stormcrow leader, sent the grells to Wellspring. He won’t stop searching until the stone is recovered.In other words, "Sorry - your relic is in another castle." Denva tells the adventurers where to find Elomir (at the top of the tower, duh!) and begs them to take her to Wellspring for treatment. They came up with the clever idea to enlist the help of the Half-orc natives of the nearby forest, the Harrowfolk, to help Denva reach the town. After a short rest, they plan to forge ahead - up the stairs!
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Guess Who's Coming to the Session?
If anyone has been reading this blog, s/he may be thinking... "Hey, aren't you supposed to be a DM? When are you actually going to run a game?" Not to fret, imaginary reader. Today's post is about my D&D home campaign - written and run by yours truly.
The adventure is set in the county of Corbais, where the usual monsters of the wilderness have been making uncharacteristic attacks on towns and villages. Our heroes have defended the innocent townsfolk valiantly, and have found several strange primal magic totems attached to various monsters. They confronted the local swamp witch about this, but she fought them off and escaped. Meanwhile, an old adventurer named Reis Uleka has decided to come out of retirement to organize a fighting force, the Silver Company. In light of their dedicated service to the community, Uleka has just agreed to allow our heroes to join Silver Company. They have been assigned their first mission, to investigate some strange dealings in the village of Vervaine.
For this session, we were at least than full strength - only two out of my regular five players could attend. The only two left were our cleric, played by Maggie, and our rouge, played by our friend Carly. However, Maggie also plays a barbarian that makes guests appearances in this adventure. So I decided that, before the party set off for Vervaine, that the barbarian and the rouge would participate in a local competition between strikers called The Blood Thirst Tournament. Teams of two would go head-to-head in illusory arenas... where the hazards are all too real.
A few days before we were due to play, Carly asked if her friends Katia and Alex could come and watch our game. She mentioned that they might be interested in joining us in the future. Since I'm always on the look-out for fresh meat I said, "Great, the more the merrier!" I planned to field some basic questions about how the D&D works and maybe get them interested enough to roll up a character. What I actually got were two experienced 4e players who expected that I would have characters for them to play.
Which, I did not. Neither did I have an adventure for four PCs prepared. What's a DM to do? I could have tried to throw something together on the fly, but that would have taken a big chunk out of our limited playing time. I could have asked them to simply spectate, but I couldn't imagine that would be fun for people who expected to play. So, I tried a compromise - I asked our guests to play each of the opposing teams in the tournament.
There were definite pros and cons to playing the bad guys in this scenario. The major pro is that you get to play around with a whole new set of powers each match-up. The major con is that the game is heavily weighted towards the other team. I tried to find role-playing reasons to even the playing field, but that got me accused of playing favorites. But that's part of DMing - trying to make everyone happy, and often failing.
In the end the heroes prevailed (of course) and we all had a pretty good time. Katia and Alex are planning to join us for a few sessions, which means we didn't scare them off entirely. Next time we have visitors, though, I'm going to email them myself to find out if they (a) want to actually play and (b) can bring their own characters. As Simon said to Jayne, "'Cause I don't see this working any other way."
--
Quote of the Week: "Also, I can kill you with my brain." - River Tam
The adventure is set in the county of Corbais, where the usual monsters of the wilderness have been making uncharacteristic attacks on towns and villages. Our heroes have defended the innocent townsfolk valiantly, and have found several strange primal magic totems attached to various monsters. They confronted the local swamp witch about this, but she fought them off and escaped. Meanwhile, an old adventurer named Reis Uleka has decided to come out of retirement to organize a fighting force, the Silver Company. In light of their dedicated service to the community, Uleka has just agreed to allow our heroes to join Silver Company. They have been assigned their first mission, to investigate some strange dealings in the village of Vervaine.
3.5 players may recognize Uleka as an
"iconic character" from the Crivis setting...
Or not, because honestly I stumbled upon him
while trolling this D&D wiki.
"iconic character" from the Crivis setting...
Or not, because honestly I stumbled upon him
while trolling this D&D wiki.
For this session, we were at least than full strength - only two out of my regular five players could attend. The only two left were our cleric, played by Maggie, and our rouge, played by our friend Carly. However, Maggie also plays a barbarian that makes guests appearances in this adventure. So I decided that, before the party set off for Vervaine, that the barbarian and the rouge would participate in a local competition between strikers called The Blood Thirst Tournament. Teams of two would go head-to-head in illusory arenas... where the hazards are all too real.
A few days before we were due to play, Carly asked if her friends Katia and Alex could come and watch our game. She mentioned that they might be interested in joining us in the future. Since I'm always on the look-out for fresh meat I said, "Great, the more the merrier!" I planned to field some basic questions about how the D&D works and maybe get them interested enough to roll up a character. What I actually got were two experienced 4e players who expected that I would have characters for them to play.
Which, I did not. Neither did I have an adventure for four PCs prepared. What's a DM to do? I could have tried to throw something together on the fly, but that would have taken a big chunk out of our limited playing time. I could have asked them to simply spectate, but I couldn't imagine that would be fun for people who expected to play. So, I tried a compromise - I asked our guests to play each of the opposing teams in the tournament.
There were definite pros and cons to playing the bad guys in this scenario. The major pro is that you get to play around with a whole new set of powers each match-up. The major con is that the game is heavily weighted towards the other team. I tried to find role-playing reasons to even the playing field, but that got me accused of playing favorites. But that's part of DMing - trying to make everyone happy, and often failing.
"But you let that bad guy walk through this square!"
"He's a creature made of shadows,
and he was insubstantial at the time."
and he was insubstantial at the time."
"So?"
In the end the heroes prevailed (of course) and we all had a pretty good time. Katia and Alex are planning to join us for a few sessions, which means we didn't scare them off entirely. Next time we have visitors, though, I'm going to email them myself to find out if they (a) want to actually play and (b) can bring their own characters. As Simon said to Jayne, "'Cause I don't see this working any other way."
--
Quote of the Week: "Also, I can kill you with my brain." - River Tam
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