Okay, so I finished reading through volume 1 (yes, there are two more amazing volumes on the way). There is a lot of cool, creative stuff in here. Some of it is the sort of thing I'll read, enjoy, and let my brain digest for ideas. Some of it I will rip out immediately and put to use.
In that latter category is "OSR Starting Jobs and Equipment" by Florian. I was intrigued by this little Santicore present right away because it draws on the Traveler job career tables but turns them into OSR D&D. I've always wanted to see a D&D/fantasy game done Traveler style so I was liking it right there. Also, I like that you can use it to quickly build background for a PC or NPC with just a few quick rolls. As I've mentioned before I want ways for my players to add fun and interesting background to their characters without having to write a novel.
In Traveler you get to roll for skills or possibly items gained each 4-year tour. Here you get to roll on tables but there are more entries and most are some sort of item. Most of the table entries are a colorful item, like "pet chicken" or "set of signal flags", but some are an extra bit of background, such as "favor of a dryad". The table items are great and you could use them apart from the job tables as well.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Your Money's No Good Here
Okay, so usually in fantasy RPGs the currency is generic gold, silver, and copper coins. Occasionally you'll find games wherein the local authorities will insist that "foreign" coins be exchanged for locally minted ones. This is usually presented as a straight up racket to force foreigners to pay a percentage on coinage brought into the area (and a racket by the DM to keep the PCs from getting too rich). There could be various other reasons, such as foreign coins being different sizes and thus having different values or coins from a certain region known for being debased with other metals. But recently I came across this interesting bit on Wikipedia from the story of Jesus driving the money-changers from the temple:
"Gentile money could not be used at the Temple because of the graven images on it."
Hmm, that's a much more interesting idea. Imagine our heroes score a hoard of coins from the evil cult temple dungeon. Hooray! But when they get back to civilization the locals refuse to take any of it because it has the symbol of an evil deity on it, which our heroes failed to notice in their excitement. Maybe they are forced to melt it all down to destroy the images, perhaps into plain bars, costing them some cash. Maybe priestly types from the temples of good deities insist that it undergo cleansing rituals to make sure it's not cursed or otherwise tainted. Weird coinage can be turned into interesting role play situations.
"Gentile money could not be used at the Temple because of the graven images on it."
Hmm, that's a much more interesting idea. Imagine our heroes score a hoard of coins from the evil cult temple dungeon. Hooray! But when they get back to civilization the locals refuse to take any of it because it has the symbol of an evil deity on it, which our heroes failed to notice in their excitement. Maybe they are forced to melt it all down to destroy the images, perhaps into plain bars, costing them some cash. Maybe priestly types from the temples of good deities insist that it undergo cleansing rituals to make sure it's not cursed or otherwise tainted. Weird coinage can be turned into interesting role play situations.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
SECRET SANTICORE!! IT'S HERE!!
YES!!! Finally, it's out--well, volume one. Thanks Joey!! Go get yours now over at Metal vs. Skin!
http://metalvsskin.blogspot.com/2014/01/secret-santicore-2013-pdf-volume-1.html
(Yes, that's me in the "Hellves and Paindeer" section.)
http://metalvsskin.blogspot.com/2014/01/secret-santicore-2013-pdf-volume-1.html
(Yes, that's me in the "Hellves and Paindeer" section.)
Monday, January 27, 2014
Happy 40th, D&D!!
This weekend I finally got back to the blogosphere and was pleasantly surprised to find that the 40th anniversary of D&D was being celebrated by all and sundry. (And I think you sundry people know exactly who you are.) Then I found myself looking on with a sense of wry amusement. As I've mentioned on previous occasions, when I first came across the original D&D I thought it an amateurish bit of rubbish. It compared very poorly to the more professionally produced board wargames I was used to playing and "Gygax" was obviously not even a real name. Luckily for me, a lot of other people liked the game anyway and so now we have this amazingly fun and creative hobby to enjoy.
I also find it interesting that this anniversary also coincides with launch of Next/5th Edition, and thus also the final death knell of 4th Edition. I only got to play a couple short sessions of 4E and was intrigued by many of the design elements. I was really hoping that for the follow-on edition they would "fix" 4E. It's kind of a shame because it's looking like I'll never get a chance to really try it out. Oh well.
Will I play Next/5E? Well, I'll probably buy it because I like reading new games for ideas. I'm also interested in seeing what the art in it will be like. My group will probably play a game or two to try it out and who knows, we might really like it--even if the author isn't using a fake name.
I also find it interesting that this anniversary also coincides with launch of Next/5th Edition, and thus also the final death knell of 4th Edition. I only got to play a couple short sessions of 4E and was intrigued by many of the design elements. I was really hoping that for the follow-on edition they would "fix" 4E. It's kind of a shame because it's looking like I'll never get a chance to really try it out. Oh well.
Will I play Next/5E? Well, I'll probably buy it because I like reading new games for ideas. I'm also interested in seeing what the art in it will be like. My group will probably play a game or two to try it out and who knows, we might really like it--even if the author isn't using a fake name.
Review: Ultimate Campaign for Pathfinder RPG
Okay, so I bought this book quite some time ago and only just recently finished giving it a thorough reading. Far and away the best parts of this book are the sections on character backgrounds, both by race and by class. Most of the people I've played with aren't into building deep character background. For the majority their character's background is of little interest. Some GMs insist that their players come up with good background material but to me that sounds too much like homework rather than a game. I see no point in forcing players to do up background info if they don't want to--there's no fun in that.
But with the character background charts at the front of Ultimate Campaign anyone can roll up some useful background in about two minutes. It's handy for GMs as well for quick NPC generation. Since this is Pathfinder, the various backgrounds also tie into associated traits (which are sort of half of a D&D 3.x feat).
My other favorite bit is how to roll up the outcomes of activities during downtime, such as earning some cash or training. They require a little math but not too much (I've seen much worse). The first set of rules I ever used, Chivalry & Sorcery, had a simple formula for earning XP during downtime but this is vastly better.
Next there are rules for building a kingdom (well, starting with a settlement and expanding out). These are based on the rules in their Kingmaker adventure path and a bit abstract. But that's probably a good thing because it keeps this from becoming an entire game within a game. Some people would be cool with more detail (Chivalry & Sorcery had extremely detailed rules and charts) but most RPG players don't come to the table to play a board game. This section also ties in with the downtime rules.
Finally there are mass combat rules. Frankly I didn't look this bit over too closely. If I ever do warfare or mass combat in one of my games I'll likely use Hordes of the Things (HOTT) with a lot of DMing poured over the top.
Verdict: buy it.
But with the character background charts at the front of Ultimate Campaign anyone can roll up some useful background in about two minutes. It's handy for GMs as well for quick NPC generation. Since this is Pathfinder, the various backgrounds also tie into associated traits (which are sort of half of a D&D 3.x feat).
My other favorite bit is how to roll up the outcomes of activities during downtime, such as earning some cash or training. They require a little math but not too much (I've seen much worse). The first set of rules I ever used, Chivalry & Sorcery, had a simple formula for earning XP during downtime but this is vastly better.
Next there are rules for building a kingdom (well, starting with a settlement and expanding out). These are based on the rules in their Kingmaker adventure path and a bit abstract. But that's probably a good thing because it keeps this from becoming an entire game within a game. Some people would be cool with more detail (Chivalry & Sorcery had extremely detailed rules and charts) but most RPG players don't come to the table to play a board game. This section also ties in with the downtime rules.
Finally there are mass combat rules. Frankly I didn't look this bit over too closely. If I ever do warfare or mass combat in one of my games I'll likely use Hordes of the Things (HOTT) with a lot of DMing poured over the top.
Verdict: buy it.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
White Dragonkin, the "Patient Faithful"
The White Dragonkin, or Metal Dragonkin, are native to the western reaches of the world, the lands around the elemental pole of Metal. Many also live in the Metal Desert in the southwest. The White Dragonkin are a people in exile, both physically and spiritually.
In ancient times the Great Divine Guardian Dragon of Metal spawned her immortal dragons into the world and they possessed all the lands of the west. In time they birthed mortal dragons and the dragonkin. All loved the Great White Mother and did her homage. But during the War of Angels and Demons the mortal dragons and dragonkin were inevitably drawn into the conflict. The immortal dragons saw how the Angels and Demons became as gods and goddesses against all tradition. They were powerful and the immortal dragons became envious. The Divine Dragon warned them to remain true. But one by one they arrogated to themselves similar powers of worldly divinity and demanded worship from the mortal dragons and dragonkin. The Great Mother raged and wept but could not bring herself to harm her first-born. Instead she punished them with a curse, binding them in incorporeal form to their various abodes. In fear the remaining mortals below fled into the wilderness.
Today the White Dragonkin live only in the wild places, such as the Metal Desert. All the old inhabited places are taboo, because most are the binding-places of ancient immortal dragons. So they wander as nomads on an endless pilgrimage. They make prayer and sacrifice outside the binding-places for their lost deities and curse the Great Mother for her cruelty. Thus they have no priests or paladins amongst them. Instead they rely on the wisdom and arts of many oracles in their tribes. They see themselves as true believers who know the way, patiently maintaining their faith until the day their gods are freed once more.
Despite being taboo, many of the old cities, temples, monasteries, and other places have inhabitants. There are covens of witches bound to the immortal dragons who secretly make sacrifices and magicks seeking break the curse of their particular patron. These witches are the closest thing to priests the immortals have, because they lack the mana to empower mortals as the clerics of other deities. The witches and their coven-broods scour the land for victims to sacrifice and magical things and knowledge which will further their work. Also living in the taboo places are small cults of demon worshipers. While the Great Mother has her face turned away from her children and the immortals are powerless, demons are free to seek followers and wreak havoc. Finally there are bands of heretics, usually followers of undragonly foreign gods. They reject the old ways of worship in favor of these strange gods and goddesses from far away who are nothing like a proper dragon. These heretics form small villages and towns amidst the old ruins, trading or raiding as suits them.
The nomadic faithful are not only strong in their faith but well knowledgeable in the lores and sciences of their land. They have among them many alchemists and makers of weapons which shoot fire and thunder using an arcane dark powder. They trade in the metals, gems, acids, and other natural products of their lands, as well as items and materials made with them.
Although the Great Mother turns her face from her ungrateful children, yet does she love them. When she senses among them one whose heart is open she sends an avatar to call them to her. Those who answer become her priests, priestesses, and holy paladins. These she cultivates, and sends out to battle the covens, cults, and heretics. But more importantly she guides them in the dangerous work of returning to her wayward children and preaching her worship. The nomad exile tribes hate these so-called holy followers of the Cruel Mother and eagerly execute them as sacrifices to their bound gods.
In ancient times the Great Divine Guardian Dragon of Metal spawned her immortal dragons into the world and they possessed all the lands of the west. In time they birthed mortal dragons and the dragonkin. All loved the Great White Mother and did her homage. But during the War of Angels and Demons the mortal dragons and dragonkin were inevitably drawn into the conflict. The immortal dragons saw how the Angels and Demons became as gods and goddesses against all tradition. They were powerful and the immortal dragons became envious. The Divine Dragon warned them to remain true. But one by one they arrogated to themselves similar powers of worldly divinity and demanded worship from the mortal dragons and dragonkin. The Great Mother raged and wept but could not bring herself to harm her first-born. Instead she punished them with a curse, binding them in incorporeal form to their various abodes. In fear the remaining mortals below fled into the wilderness.
Today the White Dragonkin live only in the wild places, such as the Metal Desert. All the old inhabited places are taboo, because most are the binding-places of ancient immortal dragons. So they wander as nomads on an endless pilgrimage. They make prayer and sacrifice outside the binding-places for their lost deities and curse the Great Mother for her cruelty. Thus they have no priests or paladins amongst them. Instead they rely on the wisdom and arts of many oracles in their tribes. They see themselves as true believers who know the way, patiently maintaining their faith until the day their gods are freed once more.
Despite being taboo, many of the old cities, temples, monasteries, and other places have inhabitants. There are covens of witches bound to the immortal dragons who secretly make sacrifices and magicks seeking break the curse of their particular patron. These witches are the closest thing to priests the immortals have, because they lack the mana to empower mortals as the clerics of other deities. The witches and their coven-broods scour the land for victims to sacrifice and magical things and knowledge which will further their work. Also living in the taboo places are small cults of demon worshipers. While the Great Mother has her face turned away from her children and the immortals are powerless, demons are free to seek followers and wreak havoc. Finally there are bands of heretics, usually followers of undragonly foreign gods. They reject the old ways of worship in favor of these strange gods and goddesses from far away who are nothing like a proper dragon. These heretics form small villages and towns amidst the old ruins, trading or raiding as suits them.
The nomadic faithful are not only strong in their faith but well knowledgeable in the lores and sciences of their land. They have among them many alchemists and makers of weapons which shoot fire and thunder using an arcane dark powder. They trade in the metals, gems, acids, and other natural products of their lands, as well as items and materials made with them.
Although the Great Mother turns her face from her ungrateful children, yet does she love them. When she senses among them one whose heart is open she sends an avatar to call them to her. Those who answer become her priests, priestesses, and holy paladins. These she cultivates, and sends out to battle the covens, cults, and heretics. But more importantly she guides them in the dangerous work of returning to her wayward children and preaching her worship. The nomad exile tribes hate these so-called holy followers of the Cruel Mother and eagerly execute them as sacrifices to their bound gods.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Another Letter from Tug
Kirk has written another letter home by his character Tug in is my friend Steve's
Pathfinder-based game
Dear Papa,
It is the 17th of Mart, and I just finished talking to the mayor of this town! He gave us cloaks and broaches of the town guard! You always wanted me to be on it. We had a big feast, with strange food and different types of juices. They gave me many gold coins for the map I made. But it was not complete until the spirits of the dead were removed, and we just did that. Let me write about it.
We met a new stranger, half man and half beast. He buys all of the giant slayers and me a drink of juice. The more juice we drank, the more fun we all have, and just like me, Pierce welcomes him to join and help us to remove the spirits of the dead from the tower. This does prove to be a tough bargain for the half beast Tageam, as he does not understand the dangers involved, at first.
I was given the task to learn as much as possible about these spirits of the dead. I saw them, too, but I will describe them later. The giant slayers let me stay in a room entirely by myself all day. Can you believe that? This room could fit two wagons. I meditated in prayer, like you taught me, and I focused on what I remembered of these spirits. After five minutes, I just absorbed the vastness of the room, all to myself and for the rest of the day. Then at the end of the day it happened. I had the vision. I saw a dark shape, more essence than form and it was bound, trying to get free. The vision changed to a different place and I saw a very beautiful maiden, dressed in holy robes, holding a silver pot in a strange way. She held small decorative chains which hung down and held the pot. This pot had smoke but no flame rising from it. She moved it about slowly, to spread the odor of the smoke around. It reached my nose and so sweet was the smell. Then the vision ended. I told the others we had to find this beautiful woman.
Pierce did all the talking to Tyla, the holy woman, so that she would help. I was still fixated by how she appeared in my vision, that I cannot remember much about her now. We found her at a house of healing. Naturally, I wanted to absorb the surroundings, so I volunteered to help the many sick people there, and I applied my skills the best way possible. They let me stay the night.
In the morning, we all gathered back at the tower, with the holy woman. The bargain was simple, she gets rid of the spirits, and we protect her. We move to the top where we saw the spirits of the dead last time. They attacked us through the walls, before we got there. I saw one, although there were more that others saw who were behind me. It was dark vapor in the shape of a hovering body with a head and arms, but no legs. Its eyes were just black holes. My initial reaction was to think of my happy place, to shield myself from these vapors of malice. After a moment, I cannot contain the shield anymore and it releases a force in all directions. This joyous force hurt the creatures, and they became angry with me and focused their attacks on me, which is good, because they will not hurt Holy Tyla. All they did was reach out to touch me, and they pulled my strength from me. Many times they did this, and I would not yield. I again shielded myself and the shield erupted out to them. They also attacked others this same way, too. I could not heal their weakness, however, I know, somehow, I will be able to in the future. But, we did our job well, for the holy woman purified and sanctified the area. This freed the spirits of the dead bound to the tower.
I must finish this letter now. The giant slayers are calling me back to the party. I know this all sounds fantastic, especially the part about being on the town guard. I finally did it. Not as a fighter, but as a healer. You can be proud of me.
Your son, Tug.
Dear Papa,
It is the 17th of Mart, and I just finished talking to the mayor of this town! He gave us cloaks and broaches of the town guard! You always wanted me to be on it. We had a big feast, with strange food and different types of juices. They gave me many gold coins for the map I made. But it was not complete until the spirits of the dead were removed, and we just did that. Let me write about it.
We met a new stranger, half man and half beast. He buys all of the giant slayers and me a drink of juice. The more juice we drank, the more fun we all have, and just like me, Pierce welcomes him to join and help us to remove the spirits of the dead from the tower. This does prove to be a tough bargain for the half beast Tageam, as he does not understand the dangers involved, at first.
I was given the task to learn as much as possible about these spirits of the dead. I saw them, too, but I will describe them later. The giant slayers let me stay in a room entirely by myself all day. Can you believe that? This room could fit two wagons. I meditated in prayer, like you taught me, and I focused on what I remembered of these spirits. After five minutes, I just absorbed the vastness of the room, all to myself and for the rest of the day. Then at the end of the day it happened. I had the vision. I saw a dark shape, more essence than form and it was bound, trying to get free. The vision changed to a different place and I saw a very beautiful maiden, dressed in holy robes, holding a silver pot in a strange way. She held small decorative chains which hung down and held the pot. This pot had smoke but no flame rising from it. She moved it about slowly, to spread the odor of the smoke around. It reached my nose and so sweet was the smell. Then the vision ended. I told the others we had to find this beautiful woman.
Pierce did all the talking to Tyla, the holy woman, so that she would help. I was still fixated by how she appeared in my vision, that I cannot remember much about her now. We found her at a house of healing. Naturally, I wanted to absorb the surroundings, so I volunteered to help the many sick people there, and I applied my skills the best way possible. They let me stay the night.
In the morning, we all gathered back at the tower, with the holy woman. The bargain was simple, she gets rid of the spirits, and we protect her. We move to the top where we saw the spirits of the dead last time. They attacked us through the walls, before we got there. I saw one, although there were more that others saw who were behind me. It was dark vapor in the shape of a hovering body with a head and arms, but no legs. Its eyes were just black holes. My initial reaction was to think of my happy place, to shield myself from these vapors of malice. After a moment, I cannot contain the shield anymore and it releases a force in all directions. This joyous force hurt the creatures, and they became angry with me and focused their attacks on me, which is good, because they will not hurt Holy Tyla. All they did was reach out to touch me, and they pulled my strength from me. Many times they did this, and I would not yield. I again shielded myself and the shield erupted out to them. They also attacked others this same way, too. I could not heal their weakness, however, I know, somehow, I will be able to in the future. But, we did our job well, for the holy woman purified and sanctified the area. This freed the spirits of the dead bound to the tower.
I must finish this letter now. The giant slayers are calling me back to the party. I know this all sounds fantastic, especially the part about being on the town guard. I finally did it. Not as a fighter, but as a healer. You can be proud of me.
Your son, Tug.
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