* Poor James Maliszewski of Grognardia fame. He has become so central within the, um, whatever one calls the resurgence of old D&D-type games ;) -community that when he posts a 'think aloud' article, folks far and wide descend upon his blog to engage in all manner of speculation, wandering from the topic, and outright personal attacks (both against other posters as well as James, himself). Whew! 'Can't win for losing' is the term that comes to mind -- yet, I hope it doesn't get to him, because Grognardia (even on the very few times I out-right disagree with him) is very much on a wavelength that resonates with me (plus, he has great artistic taste).
Keep up the good writing, James! :D
* I am recovering from a few days of illness, and feeling the weight of my self-appointed deadline more strongly due to my diminished output.
I think I may be able to finish the 16 pro-adventure locations with their leaders before too late this week, but I really doubt that the Ancient tech, and a gaggle of creatures will be complete before the 1st, but we'll see what happens. Hopefully I can complete the initial Aberrations/Mutations tables and write-ups before Deadline. After that, I've given myself another 30 days to whip-up the Beta .pdf.
* I'll see about posting something useful to you folks later today.
Best,
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Post-game, and Talk of a Beta .pdf-
Today's session had a later start than I would have liked, but it worked out well, given that the star and another player were making use of my absence to create a 3E character for the latter's Sat or Sunday game. Okay, no problem. We transitioned fairly quickly to my game with a recap of the previous few Prime character sessions to remind them.
The entire session consisted of having the events the 2ndaries witnessed at last session's close of play transpire from the Primaries' point of view.
In the process other commonalities were made plainer and a few of my players seemed to connect the dots well enough to understand that I run events that are independent of their actions, and that their having two sets of characters more than doubles the players' discovery of Urutsk as a result of the web of information formed.
As an aside, I was really gratified to read from one of you here at the Tapestry that the Vrun alphabetic language system was both 'very elegant' and possessed a 'marvellous consistency and depth'. When my mother, a trained Linguist, heard that, her smile said it all.
Regarding the playtest campaign, short of either having them create 'kit' characters just to 'test' them, I'm not certain if we are actually testing any longer at this stage, or if my alterations of the D&Dish kernel proved so minimal in uptake (Point-Design, restructured/renamed Saves, Defence/Armour, etc.) that when nothing catastrophic arose from them, we just went on with the game-playing (the end-user desired result, but often the downfall of a non-objectively 'tested' rules set).
While the term 'Beta Playtest' still brings up a taste of bile with my seemingly wasted months trying to playtest Pathfinder during the early beta stages (why play 3.x in an Old School manner that I never really abandoned when it is such a bad fit and confuses rules-junkies, and there are people still playing the stuff you grew up on, K?!) -comma- I do hope that you folks will kick it around and take the system for a spin around the block. Moreover, I most sincerely ask that you provide feedback when the beta-.pdf is released. Please.
Thanks,
The entire session consisted of having the events the 2ndaries witnessed at last session's close of play transpire from the Primaries' point of view.
In the process other commonalities were made plainer and a few of my players seemed to connect the dots well enough to understand that I run events that are independent of their actions, and that their having two sets of characters more than doubles the players' discovery of Urutsk as a result of the web of information formed.
As an aside, I was really gratified to read from one of you here at the Tapestry that the Vrun alphabetic language system was both 'very elegant' and possessed a 'marvellous consistency and depth'. When my mother, a trained Linguist, heard that, her smile said it all.
Regarding the playtest campaign, short of either having them create 'kit' characters just to 'test' them, I'm not certain if we are actually testing any longer at this stage, or if my alterations of the D&Dish kernel proved so minimal in uptake (Point-Design, restructured/renamed Saves, Defence/Armour, etc.) that when nothing catastrophic arose from them, we just went on with the game-playing (the end-user desired result, but often the downfall of a non-objectively 'tested' rules set).
While the term 'Beta Playtest' still brings up a taste of bile with my seemingly wasted months trying to playtest Pathfinder during the early beta stages (why play 3.x in an Old School manner that I never really abandoned when it is such a bad fit and confuses rules-junkies, and there are people still playing the stuff you grew up on, K?!) -comma- I do hope that you folks will kick it around and take the system for a spin around the block. Moreover, I most sincerely ask that you provide feedback when the beta-.pdf is released. Please.
Thanks,
Friday, May 22, 2009
A Personal Appeal-
Michael Moorcock's health has been on the decline for years now, and just recently it came to light that an infection in one of his feet has turned nasty, and may require full amputation.
He, Linda, and I have grown somewhat close over the two years I have corresponded with them, and had the honour and pleasure to met them at 2008 Nebula's for Mike's receiving of the Grandmaster Award. I have adopted them as my second family, and I truly do care about every bit of unpleasantness that has afflicted them recently, and am helpless to do anything about it.
If any of you out there are the prayerful sort, or even entertain 'Good Thoughts', I ask that you kindly take some time to petition on their behalf, or simply send out your 'positive energy' toward them.
I appreciate your involvement,
He, Linda, and I have grown somewhat close over the two years I have corresponded with them, and had the honour and pleasure to met them at 2008 Nebula's for Mike's receiving of the Grandmaster Award. I have adopted them as my second family, and I truly do care about every bit of unpleasantness that has afflicted them recently, and am helpless to do anything about it.
If any of you out there are the prayerful sort, or even entertain 'Good Thoughts', I ask that you kindly take some time to petition on their behalf, or simply send out your 'positive energy' toward them.
I appreciate your involvement,
Friday Pre-Game Monologue (parte the secund)-
I have been so busy writing the first draft that I've not thought about the game session today/-night. I've provisionally planned to return home and continue writing if the dynamic is poor again this week.
My star player has had a few personal considerations in the weeks prior and we lost two sessions to his absence, and the game lost its momentum. By switching to the 2ndary characters, I was able to use the time, and last session just managed to have the two parties 'meet' each other as the port and shipping centre of far eastern Vrun was engulfed in a fireball from the ship they had ... well, long story short (they'd been on that mega-ship and then phase-doored/t-ported FAR away, taking a portion of the hull with them)... anyway, so the two parties just met and I decided to break after only a few hours of 'actual' gaming.
I've asked another player whether the two parties should be joined, or continue to adventure separately, and she voted for separate (which I agree with).
We'll see...
My star player has had a few personal considerations in the weeks prior and we lost two sessions to his absence, and the game lost its momentum. By switching to the 2ndary characters, I was able to use the time, and last session just managed to have the two parties 'meet' each other as the port and shipping centre of far eastern Vrun was engulfed in a fireball from the ship they had ... well, long story short (they'd been on that mega-ship and then phase-doored/t-ported FAR away, taking a portion of the hull with them)... anyway, so the two parties just met and I decided to break after only a few hours of 'actual' gaming.
I've asked another player whether the two parties should be joined, or continue to adventure separately, and she voted for separate (which I agree with).
We'll see...
Monday, May 18, 2009
[RPG] Critter (Limited OGC)-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis
Limited OGC Creature-
Text between ]OGC[ symbols is designated Open Gaming Content under the Open Gaming License version 1.0a.
Hish Marik (< -Flying Bounder- >,'Vial Bite')-
]OGC[
Fight Dice: 3+3**
Resolve: +6
Defence/Armour: +8 (immune: Flank|Rear|Sneak)/1d6
AB: +4
# Attacks: Clutch/Rake/Bite/Clutch-Rake-Bite
Damage: Str 14 Grapple/1d8+1d4/1d6 + Toxin (1d6 + Health Test or 1d6 ea. for 3 Turns)
Move: Walk 40' Run 100' Fly 280'
Organisation: Solitary 80%, with 3d4 young 15%, mating #1d8 5%
CT: +3/+5 v. Reflex, etc.
Loot: Type II-I; 50% Type III; 25% 2Sd6 Commons
XP: 320
]OGC[
Rust to Ochre-coloured creatures with black vertical stripes overall, and rosettes of black dots over their paler hindquarters and long black-tipped tail. Their overall shape is tiger-like except the immediately obvious fact that it is spider-eyed and without a neck, hexapedal (six limbed) with long and slender legs, and has feathered wings. The front two limbs are without manipulators and are used for locomotion and Clutching, where they attempt to pin the victim. The second pair of legs terminate in bird-foot-like toes with an opposing digit with which they run, climb, and manipulate objects. The hind pair are powerful flanks that allow them to climb very steep surfaces with the minimum of holds, or leap 3x their Walking or Running speed in height, or 5x that speed if a long jump.
These hunters are aloof from the goings-on in their environment until either prey or a threat present themselves. It is at this point that the Hish Marik pounce upon their victim and viciously clutch, rake, and bite until their victim has ceased to struggle, or the hunter must abandon the fight. They are of average human intelligence in all ways, and exceptionally clever ambush killers and tool users. Accordingly, they will only remain in a losing fight if it is for their life, but may attempt to surrender or ransom themselves. They understand the gist of human speech, and have displayed the capacity to communicate in clicks and gestures.
Limited OGC Creature-
Text between ]OGC[ symbols is designated Open Gaming Content under the Open Gaming License version 1.0a.
Hish Marik (< -Flying Bounder- >
]OGC[
Fight Dice: 3+3**
Resolve: +6
Defence/Armour: +8 (immune: Flank|Rear|Sneak)/1d6
AB: +4
# Attacks: Clutch/Rake/Bite/Clutch-Rake-Bite
Damage: Str 14 Grapple/1d8+1d4/1d6 + Toxin (1d6 + Health Test or 1d6 ea. for 3 Turns)
Move: Walk 40' Run 100' Fly 280'
Organisation: Solitary 80%, with 3d4 young 15%, mating #1d8 5%
CT: +3/+5 v. Reflex, etc.
Loot: Type II-I; 50% Type III; 25% 2Sd6 Commons
XP: 320
]OGC[
Rust to Ochre-coloured creatures with black vertical stripes overall, and rosettes of black dots over their paler hindquarters and long black-tipped tail. Their overall shape is tiger-like except the immediately obvious fact that it is spider-eyed and without a neck, hexapedal (six limbed) with long and slender legs, and has feathered wings. The front two limbs are without manipulators and are used for locomotion and Clutching, where they attempt to pin the victim. The second pair of legs terminate in bird-foot-like toes with an opposing digit with which they run, climb, and manipulate objects. The hind pair are powerful flanks that allow them to climb very steep surfaces with the minimum of holds, or leap 3x their Walking or Running speed in height, or 5x that speed if a long jump.
These hunters are aloof from the goings-on in their environment until either prey or a threat present themselves. It is at this point that the Hish Marik pounce upon their victim and viciously clutch, rake, and bite until their victim has ceased to struggle, or the hunter must abandon the fight. They are of average human intelligence in all ways, and exceptionally clever ambush killers and tool users. Accordingly, they will only remain in a losing fight if it is for their life, but may attempt to surrender or ransom themselves. They understand the gist of human speech, and have displayed the capacity to communicate in clicks and gestures.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Look Inside-
(c) Copyright 2009 Kyrinn S. Eis All Rights Reserved
Writing this version of the Urutsk material for the Old School gaming community has served to unlock information; ask questions; and generally expand the detail of this earlier historical period of the world.
While I have covered this period in significant detail, it has been from Urutsk system sibling Aqmlk (the 4th planet)'s perspective. The Imperial Diaspora, the largely unseen Dragon War, and the slow integration of Imperial advanced culture and technology with the martial bloc mega-state, bronze-age society of the 'native' Aqmlkean cousins.
It was only in my previous playtest campaign, using my nTellIGo game engine, that their Dryvv characters travelled to Urutsk, and to the mountain halls of thrice-ancient Bereme Oykh. Their time there in the cyclopean depths and massive architecture of the Ancients brought them in contact with their inky brethren; the dark blood rekindled by horrors that had befallen the People; and they wrought prophecies in the presence of their distant and fractional kin.
One such task was the ringing of the Grand Bell. When I described the cast-metal bell's size as roughly that of the Rotunda on the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., my players finally looked on with the degree of understanding how large a scale I was describing.
The history of post-Departure Urutsk (roughly 600 years after Vol. I's era) had been played out in earlier decades, but I am uncertain of how much will survive the assaying flame; keeping the fun and mystery, minus the occasionally gonzo territory I was far more prone to travel in days of yore.
In any case, I have lunch to eat, and my 2x monthly C&C game set in Freeport to attend.
Have fun,
Writing this version of the Urutsk material for the Old School gaming community has served to unlock information; ask questions; and generally expand the detail of this earlier historical period of the world.
While I have covered this period in significant detail, it has been from Urutsk system sibling Aqmlk (the 4th planet)'s perspective. The Imperial Diaspora, the largely unseen Dragon War, and the slow integration of Imperial advanced culture and technology with the martial bloc mega-state, bronze-age society of the 'native' Aqmlkean cousins.
It was only in my previous playtest campaign, using my nTellIGo game engine, that their Dryvv characters travelled to Urutsk, and to the mountain halls of thrice-ancient Bereme Oykh. Their time there in the cyclopean depths and massive architecture of the Ancients brought them in contact with their inky brethren; the dark blood rekindled by horrors that had befallen the People; and they wrought prophecies in the presence of their distant and fractional kin.
One such task was the ringing of the Grand Bell. When I described the cast-metal bell's size as roughly that of the Rotunda on the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., my players finally looked on with the degree of understanding how large a scale I was describing.
The history of post-Departure Urutsk (roughly 600 years after Vol. I's era) had been played out in earlier decades, but I am uncertain of how much will survive the assaying flame; keeping the fun and mystery, minus the occasionally gonzo territory I was far more prone to travel in days of yore.
In any case, I have lunch to eat, and my 2x monthly C&C game set in Freeport to attend.
Have fun,
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