I prepared my SO for not hearing much from me as I begin the task of expanding the Referee's Manual with more bits of usefulness and stuff to roll dice for.
Case in point: 100 Archetypal locations with 10 sub-headings each, all to be utilised on the spot, or Empyrean-forbid, used in prep-work by the Ref'.
--The entries form a skeleton upon which to hang necessary scraps of meat as the questions are asked, or the events necessitate their delineation.
---Even with 100 locations, it would be easy to tire of the repetition. That's where the ten sub-headings come in. Each can be quickly adjusted, thus expanding the full kettle to a base of 1k discrete locales.
Each gives a gloss on: 1). environment, 2). resources, 3). security of locale, 4). culture, 5). artefacts, 6). relation to other locales, 7). beliefs, 8). peace/prosperity or lack thereof, 9). population's feelings regarding the government, and 10). the degree of power the government holds over the population.
--All of the above is generic and independent of Terrain rolls, and has no intrinsic effect upon Encounters.
---I write my usual encouragement/empowerment bit hoping to free folks from literalistic enslavement to RaW and die rolls, while still providing enough meat to sate a beast.
I'll be busy with this for a bit.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
[Gaming] An Unused Play By Web Character-
This was for a supposed 'Pirate' game that turned out to be an excuse for someone's sexual fantasies, prompting me to drop it like a stone.
--What a waste.
Character (c) Copyright 2007 Kyrinn S. Eis
Dame Raquel Malfoy-
The Dame stands 5'6" and still retains her dancer's figure. She is wont to wear a reinforced bodice regardless of her other elements of dress. While she is entirely comfortable in proper society, amongst lessers she scandalously wears trousers of buckskin leather, and the high, soft boots en vogue with musketeers.
Upon her hips are crossed belts, one which hangs with the trusty rapier she often makes final negotiations, and the other with its sister main gauche parrying blade/sword breaker.
Her descent is perhaps Alsatian, as it clearly favours more Germanic features than Gaulic. However, her French is flawless and harkens to Provence. Her Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, and Scots Gaelic are also all flavoured with native accents. The few who have ever heard her speak German may have realised a more Boehm-inflection before their death.
When the Dame speaks English, it is with a noticeable French accent. Her Latin is Classical.
The Dame's ship is named, Nephthys, and is a shallow-draught, mixed-rigging vessel with a more than reasonable cargo hold to its small crew size. It bristles with Culverin mounts and Demi-Culverin emplacements. The Dame prefers grapeshot, so as to minimise the damage to vessels she boards.
In no way does Dame Malfoy disguise her casual disregard for human life.
Her sorcery is based upon many long decades of research from such diverse sources as tribal witchdoctors of Africa, to Oriental Alchemy and Black Magic, to more commonplace Kabbalistic and Sumerian/Babylonian mysticism and theurgy.
Raquel is a false name, which is a private joke, referencing the term, Rake-hell; one who stokes the flames of hell through their wanton lifestyle. In truth, the woman has long ago abandoned carnal excess for the power she has gained through her studies and the few pacts to which she has bound herself. When she feels she needs to act the tart, or the sly woman of the world, she does so with practised skill.
Of late, after the discovery that her last child had taken to the life of a pirate, and been hanged for the offence, the Dame has begun to soften. At present, she toys with the idea of founding a nation free from all social constraints, where all humans, even the black and red primitives and yellow heathen can live without fear of the Church. She has Florida in mind for this notion, and has made inroads to deal with the pirates which frequent the so-called Keys, and the Ten Thousand Islands of the south-west of the peninsula.
--What a waste.
Character (c) Copyright 2007 Kyrinn S. Eis
Dame Raquel Malfoy-
The Dame stands 5'6" and still retains her dancer's figure. She is wont to wear a reinforced bodice regardless of her other elements of dress. While she is entirely comfortable in proper society, amongst lessers she scandalously wears trousers of buckskin leather, and the high, soft boots en vogue with musketeers.
Upon her hips are crossed belts, one which hangs with the trusty rapier she often makes final negotiations, and the other with its sister main gauche parrying blade/sword breaker.
Her descent is perhaps Alsatian, as it clearly favours more Germanic features than Gaulic. However, her French is flawless and harkens to Provence. Her Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, and Scots Gaelic are also all flavoured with native accents. The few who have ever heard her speak German may have realised a more Boehm-inflection before their death.
When the Dame speaks English, it is with a noticeable French accent. Her Latin is Classical.
The Dame's ship is named, Nephthys, and is a shallow-draught, mixed-rigging vessel with a more than reasonable cargo hold to its small crew size. It bristles with Culverin mounts and Demi-Culverin emplacements. The Dame prefers grapeshot, so as to minimise the damage to vessels she boards.
In no way does Dame Malfoy disguise her casual disregard for human life.
Her sorcery is based upon many long decades of research from such diverse sources as tribal witchdoctors of Africa, to Oriental Alchemy and Black Magic, to more commonplace Kabbalistic and Sumerian/Babylonian mysticism and theurgy.
Raquel is a false name, which is a private joke, referencing the term, Rake-hell; one who stokes the flames of hell through their wanton lifestyle. In truth, the woman has long ago abandoned carnal excess for the power she has gained through her studies and the few pacts to which she has bound herself. When she feels she needs to act the tart, or the sly woman of the world, she does so with practised skill.
Of late, after the discovery that her last child had taken to the life of a pirate, and been hanged for the offence, the Dame has begun to soften. At present, she toys with the idea of founding a nation free from all social constraints, where all humans, even the black and red primitives and yellow heathen can live without fear of the Church. She has Florida in mind for this notion, and has made inroads to deal with the pirates which frequent the so-called Keys, and the Ten Thousand Islands of the south-west of the peninsula.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Vicarious GenCon Loot-
What the LGS owner picked up for me:
* a set of teal opaque Gamescience dice (getting a black Crayola treatment)
* Fiegel & Grayson's HELLAS: Warriors of Sun and Stone (Omni System) [VERY nice]
* a silly Troll Lord Games Dungeon Mapping Sheets quadrille pad (with Key at the bottom of each page)
* a set of teal opaque Gamescience dice (getting a black Crayola treatment)
* Fiegel & Grayson's HELLAS: Warriors of Sun and Stone (Omni System) [VERY nice]
* a silly Troll Lord Games Dungeon Mapping Sheets quadrille pad (with Key at the bottom of each page)
Monday, August 17, 2009
[Playtest Campaign] Off to new adventures [RPG] Art & Layout-
After several sessions, the Playtest Group has finished the dungeoneering section of the Qerzyk adventure (first came the wilderness, then the urban, then the dungeon), and completed that location's immediate gaming.
I will spare you the lengthy details.
--High Tech items found; Abbekqorru captain and two human crew encountered; ship prevented from detonating; infected Hierophantic Church faction encountered; extra-dimensional gateway being studied by the Kherstic League; characters to be rewarded with a higher position in the organisation.
The LGS owner, and one of his room mates, have expressed an interest in joining the game, so, if that happens, the game looks like it may survive the loss of the Ray-man. We'll see how it survives others' school schedules.
--I hope the other set of players I ran for will not be a one shot
Peter Mullen has recently sent me six or seven black and white pieces for the interior, out of the 35 I have envisaged, and they look mighty fine.
--Their placement will ultimately determine the layout of the Manuals.
I will spare you the lengthy details.
--High Tech items found; Abbekqorru captain and two human crew encountered; ship prevented from detonating; infected Hierophantic Church faction encountered; extra-dimensional gateway being studied by the Kherstic League; characters to be rewarded with a higher position in the organisation.
The LGS owner, and one of his room mates, have expressed an interest in joining the game, so, if that happens, the game looks like it may survive the loss of the Ray-man. We'll see how it survives others' school schedules.
--I hope the other set of players I ran for will not be a one shot
Peter Mullen has recently sent me six or seven black and white pieces for the interior, out of the 35 I have envisaged, and they look mighty fine.
--Their placement will ultimately determine the layout of the Manuals.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
[RPG] "Who Let Slip the Dogs of War?" -or- "The Hunters, Hunted"-
I was granted the opportunity to run a game with two of the players in the C&C game I participate in, and a gaming friend of theirs.
--They decided to use the Point-Design system (7k points -- making them 3rd Level), and so we had the full bells-and-whistles experience. Derek decided to play a mutant Durn divine spellcaster, and spent a long time tweaking that aspect, although the other two had been finished for a good 20-25 minutes.
---That said, the spellcaster had enormous flexibility and utility with a fire-based theme.
The scenario took place on The Fortifications of Wlor, just off the northern cost of the Durn continent, and involved the human Western Isles treasure-/big-game hunter and his mutant Yaesh fellow hunter searching for large flightless birds. They had travelled from Vrun Berror aboard a tramp freighter and had encountered ethnic and political antipathy from the miscreant crew. Their dinghy ride to shore was in the company of a Dokirin woman who had sequestered herself in her stateroom to avoid worse treatment.
--The fishing pier to the southeast of the main port was operated by the Guild Council fishermen, and quickly the group fell afoul of local roughs at a drinking and seafood shack at 1AM. A somewhat comical smakdown was lain upon the goons, and the band of four decided to investigate the portion of the island in the direction the non-Durn gangers had come. A second fight changed the tune as two Critical Hits dropped party members (although they were healed by Derek's character and the Dokirin NPC), and the surviving enemy fled as best possible while pursued.
---Further reconnaissance marked out the gang's complex near the island dictator's fortress (which should have been a clue), which the party avoided, and they instead found lodging in a very run-down place overlooking the quaint squalor of the main city. Their morning to afternoon rest found the party refreshed and ready for more troublefinding.
Purchasing three bottles of the best local hootch and eight commemorative shot glasses, the party took off once again, to a location advertised on a handbill stuffed under all the doors of the lodging. The indicated route took visitors past the gang's complex, and the party were justifiably wary. Returning to the foot of the hill at which the previous fight had taken place, looking for bound gangers, the group instead witnessed the gang members being rescued by a large group of well-armed government forces, whom the party avoided as they pressed on to examine the site marked on the map.
--Unbeknownst to them, the party was being observed from a higher altitude upon the sloping terrain. They then chanced upon a clearing filled with 60+ troops, in the process of torture and rape against foreigners who vaguely resembled the N/PCs. Trying to stealthily creep out of the clearing before being noticed, the party members were ambushed by their pursuers, one armed with a reciprocating heavy coilstock, the other with a 'hand-choppa' light coilstock. The fight was one marked by wounds on both sides; a successful death-from-above strike by the Western Isles hunter that flung the reciprocator-gunner down the slope and broke his neck; a desperate battle for the reciprocator as the Yaesh hunter was wounded with two bolts in his leg, hobbling downhill and the Durn battle-priest following after him in the hopes of escaping the fighting and healing his wounded companion. Those two made it to concealment, and the wounds were healed.
---The Dokirin woman had demonstrated that she possessed a cloak of Improved Invisibility in the first fight back at the shack, and had disappeared before this battle. The Great White Hunter desperately battled for control of the reciprocator and was discovered by troops from the encampment whereupon a second running battle and escape and evasion was played out against a large portion of the troops, while the other two PCs were E&Eing it further northeast, constantly being discovered by their pursuers.
Heading back toward the populated side of the island, WI hunter always managed to escape death, although wounded and hounded by 30+ paramilitary troops. He spotted smoke from the gang's complex, and as he continued to hug the curvature of the hillside, began to see emaciated Vrun fleeing from that direction. Most (women and children alike) were mowed down by the paramilitary that chanced upon them, but a few escaped when an explosion took out all but two of the tightly clustered search party (the survivors had arms blown off and quickly died).
--Meanwhile, at the other end of the island, the two PCs were constantly beset upon by their hunters, but managed to enter the thick palm forest and hide; the government forces unwilling to enter the terrain.
---The WI hunter was reunited with the Dokirin woman, Dasuel (who had initially claimed to 'document wildlife for the Federated Cities Council' of Marnharnnna) who was responsible for liberating the captives at the complex. Together with the fortunate survivors, they fled upon a fishing sail boat out to a larger vessel awaiting them. It turned out to be a Vrun Continental Authority naval ship and when the rest of the party's plight was explained, a rescue mission was initiated after dark. Villagers helped the two stranded PCs in exchange for blessings, and the VCA commandos rendered medical aid before departing with them.
Official VCA thanks, 500 count (each), and 1300 XP (each) was the reward.
--There is talk of playing again, soon.
--They decided to use the Point-Design system (7k points -- making them 3rd Level), and so we had the full bells-and-whistles experience. Derek decided to play a mutant Durn divine spellcaster, and spent a long time tweaking that aspect, although the other two had been finished for a good 20-25 minutes.
---That said, the spellcaster had enormous flexibility and utility with a fire-based theme.
The scenario took place on The Fortifications of Wlor, just off the northern cost of the Durn continent, and involved the human Western Isles treasure-/big-game hunter and his mutant Yaesh fellow hunter searching for large flightless birds. They had travelled from Vrun Berror aboard a tramp freighter and had encountered ethnic and political antipathy from the miscreant crew. Their dinghy ride to shore was in the company of a Dokirin woman who had sequestered herself in her stateroom to avoid worse treatment.
--The fishing pier to the southeast of the main port was operated by the Guild Council fishermen, and quickly the group fell afoul of local roughs at a drinking and seafood shack at 1AM. A somewhat comical smakdown was lain upon the goons, and the band of four decided to investigate the portion of the island in the direction the non-Durn gangers had come. A second fight changed the tune as two Critical Hits dropped party members (although they were healed by Derek's character and the Dokirin NPC), and the surviving enemy fled as best possible while pursued.
---Further reconnaissance marked out the gang's complex near the island dictator's fortress (which should have been a clue), which the party avoided, and they instead found lodging in a very run-down place overlooking the quaint squalor of the main city. Their morning to afternoon rest found the party refreshed and ready for more troublefinding.
Purchasing three bottles of the best local hootch and eight commemorative shot glasses, the party took off once again, to a location advertised on a handbill stuffed under all the doors of the lodging. The indicated route took visitors past the gang's complex, and the party were justifiably wary. Returning to the foot of the hill at which the previous fight had taken place, looking for bound gangers, the group instead witnessed the gang members being rescued by a large group of well-armed government forces, whom the party avoided as they pressed on to examine the site marked on the map.
--Unbeknownst to them, the party was being observed from a higher altitude upon the sloping terrain. They then chanced upon a clearing filled with 60+ troops, in the process of torture and rape against foreigners who vaguely resembled the N/PCs. Trying to stealthily creep out of the clearing before being noticed, the party members were ambushed by their pursuers, one armed with a reciprocating heavy coilstock, the other with a 'hand-choppa' light coilstock. The fight was one marked by wounds on both sides; a successful death-from-above strike by the Western Isles hunter that flung the reciprocator-gunner down the slope and broke his neck; a desperate battle for the reciprocator as the Yaesh hunter was wounded with two bolts in his leg, hobbling downhill and the Durn battle-priest following after him in the hopes of escaping the fighting and healing his wounded companion. Those two made it to concealment, and the wounds were healed.
---The Dokirin woman had demonstrated that she possessed a cloak of Improved Invisibility in the first fight back at the shack, and had disappeared before this battle. The Great White Hunter desperately battled for control of the reciprocator and was discovered by troops from the encampment whereupon a second running battle and escape and evasion was played out against a large portion of the troops, while the other two PCs were E&Eing it further northeast, constantly being discovered by their pursuers.
Heading back toward the populated side of the island, WI hunter always managed to escape death, although wounded and hounded by 30+ paramilitary troops. He spotted smoke from the gang's complex, and as he continued to hug the curvature of the hillside, began to see emaciated Vrun fleeing from that direction. Most (women and children alike) were mowed down by the paramilitary that chanced upon them, but a few escaped when an explosion took out all but two of the tightly clustered search party (the survivors had arms blown off and quickly died).
--Meanwhile, at the other end of the island, the two PCs were constantly beset upon by their hunters, but managed to enter the thick palm forest and hide; the government forces unwilling to enter the terrain.
---The WI hunter was reunited with the Dokirin woman, Dasuel (who had initially claimed to 'document wildlife for the Federated Cities Council' of Marnharnnna) who was responsible for liberating the captives at the complex. Together with the fortunate survivors, they fled upon a fishing sail boat out to a larger vessel awaiting them. It turned out to be a Vrun Continental Authority naval ship and when the rest of the party's plight was explained, a rescue mission was initiated after dark. Villagers helped the two stranded PCs in exchange for blessings, and the VCA commandos rendered medical aid before departing with them.
Official VCA thanks, 500 count (each), and 1300 XP (each) was the reward.
--There is talk of playing again, soon.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
[RPG] James Hargrove's UWoM (p)review-
The following is an unsolicited (p)review of Urutsk: World of Mystery (Autumn Garden Vol. I), as blogged by James Hargrove, author of the Simple 20, and the ZIP! game systems (among others).
I chanced upon the post and was rather cheered by it.
Thoughts?
Friday, July 24, 2009
Urutsk: Petal Thrones For The New Millenium?
I stumbled across this the other day and committed to blog about it when I had some free time, so here I am. The brainchild of Kyrinn S. Eis, Urutsk is a strange, alien, fantasy world that isn't easily compared to simple medieval analogues such as Greyhawk or The Forgotten Realms. Characters play mutated humans (the product of eugenics) in a strange world populated by giant bugs and other beasties more befitting a Science Fiction novel than Medieval Europe.
While Urutsk isn't yet finished, the naming conventions of the setting, the mechanics, and the flavor text all combine to create an offering unlike anything else to have risen from the Old School Renaissance. Urutsk isn't just another clone. It manages to be fresh, exciting, and new — while also harkening back to the strange, alien, wonder of TSR's second oldest role playing game. If you get a chance, you simply must give Urutsk a look.
I chanced upon the post and was rather cheered by it.
Thoughts?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
[Gaming] SO's 3.5 and Rackham's AT-43-
Goodbye-boy was in his last session of my SO's 3.5 game, and I must say, she put us through our paces. This was her fourth session of her first real GMing run, and it was pretty cool.
* 3.5: Wolf-shifter Elf and my this-that-and-everything character scout up to the outskirts of 'Gaehile' > sp? < (Wilderlands of High Fantasy), and my PC remains somewhat hidden while he goes back to fetch the rest of the party. Hobgobs detect me, and a fight erupts, a horn is sounded, reinforcements arrive as the party enters this alleyway. Classic error on our part. We slog through the first wave (my remarkable hits were met with crummy damage) and soon we are really taking hits left and right. Two party members each break to either side and flush out the Hobgob archers pincussioning us as their better armoured buddies stop the rest of us in our tracks. We eventually waste the first wave and move a bit just as the reinforcements begin to perforate my PC to within 3 of unconsciousness. The fight really engaged us, and she felt pretty good afterwards. --We said our fare-thee-well's to 'Ray', and headed for the other LGS.
* AT-43: Bought about $100 of 3 for 2 deals, and now have four of the (5?) faction Army Books. I purchased the Twins and Urod for my Red Bloc faction after using them in our intro-game a couple of weeks ago; picked up the MedTec set (2 busty nurses, and a doctor, plus a few cargo boxes as dressing); and purchased my SO a King Buggy flying vehicle for her Karman Gorilla faction.
--We played, and I had the twins piloting Urod alongside my much liked UNA Wing Troopers (Jump Packs) in a joint anti-Ape mission. Since this was our first unsupervised game, we had to dig around and find rules, making it a 3+ hour experience, but some of that was purchasing stuff, etc.
---I won this one (Urod with the Twins is a really tough cookie) with only two UNA troopers lost, to her entire force killed and the Buggy 'esplowded'.
* Thoughts on the two combats: While this is an 'Apples-to-Oranges' comparison, I'd say that the flexibility of the RPG, especially one in which the non-combatants Wizard was forced to crossbow a lot, and my 'not-a-meleer' only affected one Hobgob with Colour Spray, and thereafter missed with Acid Splash, and hit for 1 HP with Ray of Frost, reinforced the fun chaos of largely uncoordinated fights (arising from the on-the-fly stop-gapping and 'flanking'), while demonstrating how crazy it is for goobers like PCs to be doing the business of grunts and grogs.
--AT-43, for the variety of gear/attacks/movement capabilities the units possess, illustrated how deadly tight clusters of troops can be when 'bad stuff goes down' in their area. Fortunately, SO's last-stand AoE attack against my troopers wouldn't have been able to wipe them out due to the 6cm Command Radius and the standard wargamey rule that the Commander is the last figure to die, even with a drift, but still, it could have been messier. Likewise, Eligibility for Cover saved my UNAs (minus one) while my propitious Overwatch took out two of her damned dirty stinking apes pretty early on.
:: Which do I prefer?
--Lemonade. No, seriously. I like running in a more martially-informed RPG crew who are also quick-enough to adapt to new circumstances and be able to operate as meaningful detachments for as long as necessary, or conducive, before shoring up again and pressing on.
The Troll combat from last Friday, in which I got to illustrate the grogs' more tactical understanding (holding the chokepoint with a heavy flamer, while coilstock archers were harrassing the caster and his guard, made the PCs' defending those elements with melee support a really nicely oiled death machine ('skill + chance' as another blog has mentioned the wisdom of Ken St. Andre).
--I am hoping that as the SO GMs more, and plays AT-43, more, her playing tactically in my game will be a natural outgrowth.
I love the challenge. :)
* 3.5: Wolf-shifter Elf and my this-that-and-everything character scout up to the outskirts of 'Gaehile' > sp? < (Wilderlands of High Fantasy), and my PC remains somewhat hidden while he goes back to fetch the rest of the party. Hobgobs detect me, and a fight erupts, a horn is sounded, reinforcements arrive as the party enters this alleyway. Classic error on our part. We slog through the first wave (my remarkable hits were met with crummy damage) and soon we are really taking hits left and right. Two party members each break to either side and flush out the Hobgob archers pincussioning us as their better armoured buddies stop the rest of us in our tracks. We eventually waste the first wave and move a bit just as the reinforcements begin to perforate my PC to within 3 of unconsciousness. The fight really engaged us, and she felt pretty good afterwards. --We said our fare-thee-well's to 'Ray', and headed for the other LGS.
* AT-43: Bought about $100 of 3 for 2 deals, and now have four of the (5?) faction Army Books. I purchased the Twins and Urod for my Red Bloc faction after using them in our intro-game a couple of weeks ago; picked up the MedTec set (2 busty nurses, and a doctor, plus a few cargo boxes as dressing); and purchased my SO a King Buggy flying vehicle for her Karman Gorilla faction.
--We played, and I had the twins piloting Urod alongside my much liked UNA Wing Troopers (Jump Packs) in a joint anti-Ape mission. Since this was our first unsupervised game, we had to dig around and find rules, making it a 3+ hour experience, but some of that was purchasing stuff, etc.
---I won this one (Urod with the Twins is a really tough cookie) with only two UNA troopers lost, to her entire force killed and the Buggy 'esplowded'.
* Thoughts on the two combats: While this is an 'Apples-to-Oranges' comparison, I'd say that the flexibility of the RPG, especially one in which the non-combatants Wizard was forced to crossbow a lot, and my 'not-a-meleer' only affected one Hobgob with Colour Spray, and thereafter missed with Acid Splash, and hit for 1 HP with Ray of Frost, reinforced the fun chaos of largely uncoordinated fights (arising from the on-the-fly stop-gapping and 'flanking'), while demonstrating how crazy it is for goobers like PCs to be doing the business of grunts and grogs.
--AT-43, for the variety of gear/attacks/movement capabilities the units possess, illustrated how deadly tight clusters of troops can be when 'bad stuff goes down' in their area. Fortunately, SO's last-stand AoE attack against my troopers wouldn't have been able to wipe them out due to the 6cm Command Radius and the standard wargamey rule that the Commander is the last figure to die, even with a drift, but still, it could have been messier. Likewise, Eligibility for Cover saved my UNAs (minus one) while my propitious Overwatch took out two of her damned dirty stinking apes pretty early on.
:: Which do I prefer?
--Lemonade. No, seriously. I like running in a more martially-informed RPG crew who are also quick-enough to adapt to new circumstances and be able to operate as meaningful detachments for as long as necessary, or conducive, before shoring up again and pressing on.
The Troll combat from last Friday, in which I got to illustrate the grogs' more tactical understanding (holding the chokepoint with a heavy flamer, while coilstock archers were harrassing the caster and his guard, made the PCs' defending those elements with melee support a really nicely oiled death machine ('skill + chance' as another blog has mentioned the wisdom of Ken St. Andre).
--I am hoping that as the SO GMs more, and plays AT-43, more, her playing tactically in my game will be a natural outgrowth.
I love the challenge. :)
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