tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51621636115092556052024-03-21T18:39:59.542-07:00Gather 'Round the TableAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-666045275930196862016-03-04T05:02:00.000-08:002016-03-04T05:02:15.545-08:00Happy International GM's Day 2016Happy International GM's Day! If you are a fellow gamemaster, I thank you.<br />
<br />
Last year, I shared <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/2015/03/happy-international-gms-day.html" target="_blank">a collection of GMing advic</a>e harvested from some truly stellar GMs. I even followed it up a few weeks later with <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/2015/03/more-gming-advice-from-clever-people.html" target="_blank">another batch of excellent advice from some more great GMs</a>. This was all great general advice, both for planning and running a game, and I am still learning from these ideas today.<br />
<br />
But this year, I want to follow up on that general advice with some more practical tips. Rather than address the big picture of how to be a good GM, I want to share some ideas on how to actually do the work of a GM and be successful.<br />
<br />
As was the case last year, I'll be relying heavily on the wisdom of some powerhouse GMs and game designers. I've gathered a handful of excellent articles and extracted something helpful from each. What I present might not entirely match the content of the article, but it's something helpful that I got out of the article. I'll link each article as well, so you can draw your own wisdom from them.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The 5 x 5 Method</h3>
<b><i>Dave Chalker</i></b><br />
<br />
Create 5 big goals. Break each goal into (at least) 5 possible steps. Then shuffle those 25 steps around and distribute them semi-randomly around your campaign setting. Make sure that the players have some idea of, if not the entire string of steps for each goal, at least the first few.<br />
<br />
The idea is to A) make the world seem more alive by keeping things less linear, B) give your players a chance to explore the setting and become familiar with certain areas, and C) give your players the option to make strategic decisions about which goals to deal with first. If Goal X's step 1 (X1) is in the mountains, and Goal Y's step 1 (Y1) is in the forest, then the player's have a pretty binary choice. But, if Y2 is in the mountains, then the players feel that they can make a tactical decision to deal with Y1 first, then address both X1 and Y2 in the mountains.<br />
<br />
You can read the full article at <a href="http://www.critical-hits.com/blog/2009/06/02/the-5x5-method/">http://www.critical-hits.com/blog/2009/06/02/the-5x5-method/</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The 3-Game Plot</h3>
<div>
<i><b>Grant Howitt</b></i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One of the most disappointing things for a GM is a campaign that fizzles out. We put so much time and effort into campaigns, and it's very disheartening to see so much of that work wasted. I suspect that anyone reading this article can think of a game that they GMed or played in that simply ended—not with a bang—but with a whimper.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There's no guaranteed way to prevent this, but if you keep your adventures focused, you can at least mitigate the disappointment of lost work. And we can guess that briefer, less meandering story arcs are more likely to keep the players' attention. Yes, a long-term payoff is amazing, but it's pointless if it never happens. If you focus your arcs to three sessions long, you can string together related stories that interest everyone, and if you're clever, you can even link those arcs together with people, places, or things and still find the satisfaction of a that long-term payoff.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You can read the full article at <a href="http://lookrobot.co.uk/2014/01/06/three-game-plot-make-actual-game-happen/">http://lookrobot.co.uk/2014/01/06/three-game-plot-make-actual-game-happen/</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Violence and Creativity</h3>
<b><i>The RPGGamerDad</i></b><br />
<br />
Ok, this might be a little more general than the others here, but it's so integral to the usual role of a GM that I had to include it.<br />
<br />
More learned folks than I have discussed violence in RPGs (and in media in general), and this isn't really the place for that discussion anyway. But since most RPG systems build the expectation of violence into their mechanics, it's not a subject that a GM can ignore. But consider how you and your players describe violence when you play. There's a big difference between <i>"I slice off the goblin's head and the blood spurts in a fountain from the stump of its neck."</i> and <i>"The elven steel of my blade glints with a hint of magic as I swing my sword at the goblin."</i><br />
<br />
The choice about what to describe applies to basically all aspects of RPG, but since violence is such a big part of many games, the way it's described is very important. The way you describe the swing of a sword makes a serious difference in the tone of a game. Look at the examples above and think about what kind of setting each fits into. If you have a high fantasy setting, but all of your descriptions are grim and gory, does that fit? It might, but don't assume that it does without considering the setting first.<br />
<br />
You can read the full article at <a href="http://www.madadventurers.com/rpggamerdad-kids-and-combat/">http://www.madadventurers.com/rpggamerdad-kids-and-combat/</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
5-Room Dungeon</h3>
<b><i>Johnn Four</i></b><br />
<br />
I'd be surprised if you haven't already heard of this, but if you haven't, then here's my interpretation.<br />
<br />
To begin, break your adventure site into 5 distinct areas. Each area should be focused, though that doesn't necessarily mean it should be a single room. In general, this method works best for linear sites, but with some creative arranging it could fit into a more open layout as well.<br />
<br />
Area 1 is the entrance, complete with guardian. Without a guardian, what keeps NPCs from coming here? The guardian can be a monster, a magical ward, a dangerous trap, or anything else that presents a challenge to pass this area. The point is to present the initial challenge and to set the tone for the whole site.<br />
<br />
Area 2 contains a puzzle or social challenge. Especially if the first area involved combat, this gives the players a break and changes the pace just enough to stay interesting. This area could be overcome with mechanics interaction (i.e., rolling dice) or it might require the players to solve a puzzle or to negotiate with an NPC without referring to their character sheet at all.<br />
<br />
Area 3 is tricky and can force the players to take a step back. After two successes, this area is designed to keep the players on their toes. Remind them that they are not invincible or all-knowing. It could be as simple as a trick that sends them back to the beginning or as complex as a false path that leads the players to believe that they have defeated the area—when, in fact, the actual goal still awaits.<br />
<br />
Area 4 is the climax, and this challenge should build upon the themes established by the first three areas. If magic and illusion have played a large part in the area's defenses thus far, then perhaps a great mage waits here to battle the players. If traps, tricks, and guerrilla tactics have pestered the players from the beginning, then maybe this area is the final set of fortifications for the enemy. Whatever the case, this is the biggest fight of the adventure site.<br />
<br />
Area 5 is the denouement, where the players receive their reward. Or, perhaps this is where the plot takes a turn. The treasure they seek is not only not there, but a map and note sit in its place, leading to another adventure. Or perhaps the theme of magic throughout the site comes to a head and is explained by the fountain of pure arcane energy that bubbles here. Either way, this area is the most important of the site.<br />
<br />
The goal of the 5-room dungeon isn't to make your adventure sites small or predictable, but to keep them focused and manageable. Even for a massive megadungeon, it's easier for players to recall the whole thing if it's broken down into thematic, easily digestible sections of, say, about five rooms each.<br />
<br />
You can read the full article at <a href="http://strolen.com/viewing/4276">http://strolen.com/viewing/4276</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
And that's it for this year. Lots of practical advice to get you gaming and to help you be an efficient and successful GM.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-13493868987704116482015-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:002015-11-23T09:00:07.995-08:00Secret OrganizationsSo, your PCs have wandered into town and are nosing around, eh? What better way to reward their nosiness than to let them discover a secret organization?<br />
<br />
These hidden operatives work from the shadows to accomplish their purpose, hiding from not only the PCs, but also the other people in the town. Their mysterious goals may not be clear yet, but their existence cannot be denied.<br />
<br />
But wait, what is this organization called and how do they recognize one another?<br />
<br />
<h3>
Secret Organization Name</h3>
1. The Circle of the Deathly Rose<br />
2. The Order of Moonlight<br />
3. Children of the Gathering Storm<br />
4. Sisters of Adamant<br />
5. The Silent Sinners<br />
6. The Thrice Blessed<br />
7. Bearers of the Cleansing Shadows<br />
8. Weepers in the Unending Night<br />
<br />
<h3>
Badge of Membership</h3>
1. A silver crescent pin<br />
2. A white hat<br />
3. A copper necklace with a yellow stone<br />
4. A spur on (only) the left boot<br />
5. A false beauty mark below the right eye<br />
6. Hair dyed a very specific, dark shade of redAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-81016020136716033182015-11-19T09:42:00.002-08:002015-11-19T09:45:40.188-08:00Down with the Wonderful QueenAs you know, I'm participating in <a href="http://nagademon.com/" target="_blank">National Game Design Month</a> this year, and I'm writing a one-page RPG every day of November. I'll publish the whole collection before the end of the year, but until then I'd like to share a few of them here on my blog.<br />
<br />
I'm uploading this one a little late, but only because I am busy working on the other games and hadn't found the time to format it before now.<br />
<br />
So, without further ado: <b><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/yty7hrut0w99yrg/Down%20with%20the%20Wonderful%20Queen_v0.5.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><i>Down with the Wonderful Queen</i></a></b>.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8J1aeRx97P-v1GQSONMhWKL2IcC6ubkgJHJTUEGnUxi-RcKDxSagMqNiQ3V7Pqhgh0Jau6B_lXyVZhuNSEbMsPFa2PvjLQX3RxjYgX848ryL_-TZKNqnm7VWgLUuHig46Z9L3szJXxBoN/s1600/DownwiththeWonderfulQueen.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Down with the Wonderful Queen title" border="0" height="94" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8J1aeRx97P-v1GQSONMhWKL2IcC6ubkgJHJTUEGnUxi-RcKDxSagMqNiQ3V7Pqhgh0Jau6B_lXyVZhuNSEbMsPFa2PvjLQX3RxjYgX848ryL_-TZKNqnm7VWgLUuHig46Z9L3szJXxBoN/s400/DownwiththeWonderfulQueen.tiff" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This is another sort of light-hearted game, not unlike <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7pe3nx010hqx0sy/Tentacular-Spectacular_v0.5.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><i>Tentacular Spectacular</i></a>. While the mechanic is very straightforward, it also isn't the most important part of the game. You'll notice, too, that there aren't instructions for who your characters are or what this setting might be like. My hope was that players and GMs would fill out the world a bit as they played the game. The most important part, to me was the dynamic surrounding how the players talk about the royal family.<br />
<br />
I hope you enjoy this game, and if you do (or even if you don't) let me know.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-3890332119306481472015-11-07T12:28:00.001-08:002015-11-07T12:28:11.473-08:00Tentacular SpectacularSo as I've said, I am participating in National Game Design Month this year, and I am designing a one-page RPG every day during the whole month. I am going to post a few of them here on the blog during the month, and then by the end of the year, I'll make the whole collection available.<br />
<br />
Today's one-page RPG is called <i><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7pe3nx010hqx0sy/Tentacular-Spectacular_v0.5.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><b>Tentacular Spectacular</b></a>.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWllpH-XnXySO3AqiLOAz5fSawCT7wl1WNkClyOoJzaW257s0bN_ciJ6l8AgJw0RkCCQJJT6jeK2z-bZkiXloDWmiEc63s4ckDJyw8KpouTiR0zzz-WFnyZ4skCYX8hs1v85p9IHWNDUzG/s1600/TentacularSpectacular.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWllpH-XnXySO3AqiLOAz5fSawCT7wl1WNkClyOoJzaW257s0bN_ciJ6l8AgJw0RkCCQJJT6jeK2z-bZkiXloDWmiEc63s4ckDJyw8KpouTiR0zzz-WFnyZ4skCYX8hs1v85p9IHWNDUzG/s400/TentacularSpectacular.tiff" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
This was a lot of fun to make, both for the theme and mechanics. The theme was fun for obvious reasons: the players get to indulge in wonton destruction and mayhem. The mechanics are fun (I hope) because you get high customization of which dice you roll. And, of course, the most interesting bit of mechanics (in my mind) are the trait rules about adding to your character portrait and the Tome.<br />
<br />
So go download if for free right <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7pe3nx010hqx0sy/Tentacular-Spectacular_v0.5.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>. If you like it, let me know. If you play it, definitely let me know!<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-31088019851802956472015-11-02T08:30:00.000-08:002015-11-19T09:45:00.635-08:00NaGaDeMon 2015It's NaGaDeMon time already! (That's Nation Game Design Month if you don't know.)<br />
<br />
This will be my first time participating in NaGaDeMon, but I'm going to go all out. My plan is to design a one-page RPG every day this month and release them all as a compilation before the end of the year. I'll post a few of them here on my blog, and I'll be sure to post updates as I come across interesting theme and mechanics ideas, too.<br />
<br />
Just so you know, I am taking significant inspiration from <a href="http://lookrobot.co.uk/games/" target="_blank">Grant Howitt's work</a> (especially <i><a href="http://lookrobot.co.uk/2014/01/28/guild-orpheus-tabletop-gamejam/" target="_blank">The Guild of Orpheus</a></i>) and from John Harper's <i><a href="http://www.onesevendesign.com/laserfeelings/" target="_blank">Lasers & Feelings</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.dangerpatrol.com/" target="_blank">Danger Patrol</a>.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I'm not going to post a new one-page RPG today, but I will whet your appetite by reminding you of my extremely rules-light RPG, <i>The Challenge System</i>, which you can <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BweRAqdQx55GUU1DcjV0VDNDUTQ/view" target="_blank">download here for free</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
One-page RPGs released so far</h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li><i><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/7pe3nx010hqx0sy/Tentacular-Spectacular_v0.5.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">Tentacular Spectacular</a></i></li>
<li><i><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/yty7hrut0w99yrg/Down%20with%20the%20Wonderful%20Queen_v0.5.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">Down with the Wonderful Queen</a></i></li>
</ul>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-46593952643793902572015-10-09T08:58:00.003-07:002015-10-09T09:00:48.064-07:00In the Vaunted Halls of HeavenA couple of weeks ago, I went to Twitter and asked folks to send me very specific fiction genres.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Gz0ndCBhOecCaKtNlEFAUsZrqzlg818bNY-_fpJ39dg4SoJIc-RPXKbMFb1F_hTAhyphenhypheni3XWdlJGYDgd6tPZ6izHK9sB5N2ToLuughFLeCRnDlxKrNgzL9BHEyyEMJNwzhb-Fe2qUxIa71/s1600/Genres.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Gz0ndCBhOecCaKtNlEFAUsZrqzlg818bNY-_fpJ39dg4SoJIc-RPXKbMFb1F_hTAhyphenhypheni3XWdlJGYDgd6tPZ6izHK9sB5N2ToLuughFLeCRnDlxKrNgzL9BHEyyEMJNwzhb-Fe2qUxIa71/s320/Genres.tiff" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Call me Slamdrew. Dr. Dunkenstein was my father."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I don't know what I expected, but these are two of the responses I got:<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
• <a href="https://twitter.com/MFGCast/status/647439755727138816" target="_blank">Space monkey exploration horror</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
• <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRustyQuill/status/647413299290710016" target="_blank">Anthropomorphic rodent-led high fantasy</a></div>
<br />
I guess I asked for that, right? To be fair, it's the kind of response I would have given if someone else had asked. I asked a question, and those were legitimate answers. Unfortunately, the reason I was looking for fiction genres in the first place was so that I could do another <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/search/label/genre%20mash-up" target="_blank">genre mash-up</a>.<br />
<br />
So, here I am with two genres, much more specific than I had anticipated, and a self-set goal of combining them. Now, I did get some other suggestions, and I could have used those. But to me, that would have been taking the easy way. No, I would take on this challenge, and I would beat it.<br />
<br />
In case you haven't figured out where this is going yet, spoiler alert: I did it. After several false starts, I managed to reconcile these two genres into a single, brilliant (if I do say so myself) idea. You're welcome.<br />
<br />
<h4>
In the Vaunted Halls of Heaven</h4>
In 1966, at the height of the space race, the USSR sent up a dozen <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capuchin_monkey" target="_blank">capuchin monkeys</a> in secret in the <i>Voskhod 3</i> as part of a long-term viability test. Unfortunately, they lost contact with the spacecraft and assumed that the life-support systems had failed alongside the communications array. The government erased all records of the launch of the spacecraft and cancelled the Voskhod program.<br />
<br />
Over the next 100 years of space travel and exploration, the little USSR pod went unremarked. The Russian government had projected when and where it would return to Earth, but either the calculations were lost or there was no one around to keep an eye on them, because when the <i>Voskhod 3 </i>did not descend from orbit, no one noticed.<br />
<br />
Aboard the <i>Voskhod 3</i>, the monkeys not only survived, but thrived. The experimental atomic reactor kept the station going, but the small, steady aura of radiation induced strange mutations among the capuchin population. Their lifecycle shortened, and mutations quickly led to a much more advanced creature than was sent up. In only 30 years, they were already developing noticeable intelligence and advanced society.<br />
<br />
By 2066, the capuchins aboard <i>Voskhod 3</i> had evolved human-level intelligence and had begun collecting orbital debris to expand their own craft. When they observed a series of bright flashes, followed by a cessation of all electronic signals, they understood what had happened to the humans below: global thermonuclear war.<br />
<br />
They were shocked, then, when in 2076, they received a new signal from the surface. The capuchins had long ago developed their own language, but they still spoke several major languages of the humans. But, although the signal came in a human language, the message was not human. In their rush to save themselves, the humans had developed very advanced nanoscopic technology. Unfortunately for them, they were still in the testing phases when disaster struck.<br />
<br />
The beings on the other end of the signal were lab rats and mice that had been successfully augmented by the nanotechnology and had survived the destruction of human civilization. However, though these rodents were intelligent, they lacked the century of experience and cool reasoning that the capuchins had developed. The rodents believed that their nanotechnology was magical, and that they were now in contact with divine beings.<br />
<br />
After much debate among themselves, the capuchins decided not to clarify the rodents' mistake, and assumed the mantle of deities. They had amassed a significant quantity of surveillance equipment, so they could look down on many parts of the world below, and even see through the layer of dust that coated the atmosphere.<br />
<br />
Another 20 years passed in this way, with the nanotech-enhanced rodents spreading across the mostly barren surface of the Earth under the guidance of their heavenly guardians. But the capuchins were busy with their own projects, and while they did observe and influence the rodents, that was not their greatest focus.<br />
<br />
Perhaps they had learned too much from humanity, or perhaps all civilizations are simply doomed to fall to their own hubris eventually. The last divine message was sent simultaneously to all magicians around the world: "Heaven is under attack. Ascend through the skies and come to the aid of your gods." Along with the message, the gods delivered blueprints and a location.<br />
<br />
It has been months since the last mouse prophet or rat wizard was able to make contact with their gods, though their magic still works. Now, a team of brave warriors, clever tinkerers, stealthy (hopefully reformed) thieves, powerful mages, and wise priests are ascending to heaven in the divine craft to find out what has dared to attack their gods.<br />
<br />
Can they survive the dark, echoing halls of the strange space station built by the capuchins? Are any of them still alive? And what bizarre experiment caused the station to deliver its final message, an automatic SOS?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-84562468171582560382015-10-08T07:30:00.000-07:002015-10-08T07:30:01.366-07:00Drow (Dark Elves) TreasureEveryone loves to hate the drow. These dark elves are superior to humans (and all other surface dwellers) and they know it, which makes it all the more fulfilling to foil their plans and beat the tar out of them.<br />
<br />
But once the drow are beaten, what do they leave behind? You could take the <i>Baldur's Gate</i> route and have their equipment dissolve in direct sunlight, but that seems like a rip-off of the highest caliber. And drow can't just be carrying <i>+1 scimitars </i>and <i>potions of cure serious wounds</i> right?<br />
<br />
In that light, I present to you a pair of tables to randomly generate some drow treasure.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Drow gear</h3>
1. Dridersilk armor<br />
2. 2d10 shadowcold arrows<br />
3. Bladed staff with obsidian blades<br />
4. Necklace of giant teeth<br />
5. Onyx ring with the crest of a powerful family<br />
6. Barbed nets with venom<br />
7. 1d4 fungal poison gas pods<br />
8. Underground transport disguised as a bullette<br />
9. Lantern that illuminates only living creatures<br />
10. Sealed spellbook<br />
<br />
<h3>
Drow spells</h3>
1. Deepfire<br />
2. Strangulation<br />
3. Phantom stalker<br />
4. Shadow pit<br />
5. Burst of spiders<br />
6. Touch of blight<br />
7. Undo healing<br />
8. Aura of subversion<br />
9. Corrupt blood<br />
10. Cloak of whispers<br />
11. Crown of hate<br />
12. Assassin's bellAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-5737891968867402532015-10-01T07:30:00.000-07:002015-10-01T07:30:07.395-07:00Low-Level Loot: Part DeuxMonths ago, back in May, I posted a set of <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/search/label/one-line%20rewards" target="_blank">one-line rewards</a> called <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/2015/05/one-line-rewards-low-level-loot.html" target="_blank">Low-Level Loot</a>. The idea of these rewards was to provide GMs with some interesting, non-mundane treasure to hand out to players. After all, mundane treasure is, well, mundane, and standard magical items are astoundingly expensive.<br />
<br />
Of course, the d20 system has a (mostly) careful balance of expected gold rewards, magic item costs, and magic item power. So, by handing out nonmundane rewards, you are messing with that balance. But I find—especially at low levels—balance can be easily shifted, even in the middle of a session, to make up for PCs having an unexpected advantage.<br />
<br />
The other way to avoid that unbalancing aspect is to take existing mundane rewards and reskin them into something fantastical. I've talked about this before, and I still think it is a great way to give your PCs cool stuff without getting into many issues with balance.<br />
<br />
So, here are a handful of interesting treasures for low-level d20 characters, a mix of modified and reskinned items.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Low-Level Loot</h3>
1. <u>Healer's Rod:</u> A slim birch rod, approximately 2 ft. long, with a glass orb at one end that is attached to the rod by copper wire. The wielder gains a +2 bonus to Heal checks. The wielder can also expend a charge to attempt a heal check as a full-round action, if she meets or exceeds DC 15, the target is healed 1d4 hp. The rod only has 10 charges, and when it is out it no longer provides the +2 Heal bonus.<br />
2. <u>Wardstone:</u> A heavy glass orb with traces of silver within. While holding the Wardstone in one hand, the wielder gains a +1 shield bonus to AC, but also suffers a -1 penalty to Balance, Climb, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, and Tumble due to its weight and uncanny ability to glow or hum at just the wrong time.<br />
3. <u>Glove of Force:</u> A white leather glove that magically changes to fit the hand of any Small, Medium, or Large humanoid creature. While wearing the glove, the wearer can make unarmed attacks up to 15 ft. away (this provokes an attack of opportunity). The wearer can also attempt to trip or disarm targets up to 15. ft away; the wearer gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls to disarm a target. If the wearer fails at a trip or disarm attempt, she can allow the glove to fall at her feet to avoid being tripped or disarmed by the opponent.<br />
4. <u>Circlet of Assault:</u> A brass and leather headband inscribed with old runes and set with a single, off-center pearl. The wearer of the circlet can use a standard action to send a bolt of blunt energy at a single target up to 50 ft. away. To do so, she must place a finger on the pearl in the circlet and concentrate. The wearer makes an attack roll, and if the attack hits, deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-42322374376905671272015-09-23T09:00:00.000-07:002015-09-23T09:00:06.244-07:00Random Encounters: Mythical MountainTime for another set of <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/search/label/encounter" target="_blank">random encounter</a> tables! This is the last of the "new" genres, so now I will go back through some genres I've already addressed and create tables for new locations.<br />
<br />
As always, the goal of these tables is to allow you to create an interesting encounter in a genre (mythical, in this case) at a specific location (here, a mountain). Hopefully, these tables are reminiscent of classical mythologies, and they inspire you to create a memorable, mythical encounter.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Mythical Mountain</h4>
<b>Creature</b><br />
1. A mountain goat with a snake’s head<br />
2. A tribe of tiny mouse people<br />
3. An eagle with two heads: one head spits fire, the other exhales sleeping gas<br />
4. A gigantic earthworm that can eat granite<br />
5. A winged tortoise who speaks only in rhymes<br />
6. A humanoid creature made half of tree and half of rock<br />
<br />
<b>Environment feature</b><br />
1. A dark cave is lit only by a glowing stalactite.<br />
2. A narrow cliffside path crumbles away at the edges.<br />
3. A long canyon is prone to rockslides.<br />
4. An abandoned shrine has an aura of death.<br />
5. A bank of black, impenetrable fog is rolling down the mountain from above.<br />
6. A small spring burbles nearby, and the sound it entrancing.<br />
<br />
<b>Surprise</b><br />
1. Half-vulture, half-wolf creatures swoop down out of nowhere and attack everyone.<br />
2. A bolt of lightning strikes the creature.<br />
3. The ground shakes, and a deep voice bellows from nearby, "Who disturbs my slumber?!"<br />
4. The creature transforms into a tall humanoid with antlers and ram's hooves.<br />
5. A warrior leaps out, seemingly from nowhere, and tries to slay the creature.<br />
6. The creature begins fading, and hurriedly marks a strange symbol in the dirt.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-83454898388262314312015-09-18T07:00:00.000-07:002015-09-18T07:00:01.320-07:00Troll in the Dungeon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In case you aren't familiar with Harry Potter, there is a part in the first book (and movie) where a teacher runs into the crowded great hall and shouts that there is a troll in the dungeon. The school erupts in panic and hijinks ensue for the heroes.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFiCfRKj_OVyECCIvYMwXNkT0SY9bHDglZOTL3xqyWNj9_jXQ5dRy5WeuNtZO2ulO4Za-cV-bJw1-8u6FkAsk6QXOz__S6tVlNuX16hkYY64fqYlIh7Qr9DdFleJTYl48qq6D7oYVcQjv/s1600/TrollintheDungeon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFiCfRKj_OVyECCIvYMwXNkT0SY9bHDglZOTL3xqyWNj9_jXQ5dRy5WeuNtZO2ulO4Za-cV-bJw1-8u6FkAsk6QXOz__S6tVlNuX16hkYY64fqYlIh7Qr9DdFleJTYl48qq6D7oYVcQjv/s320/TrollintheDungeon.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This is far from the most interesting or creative way to introduce a problem to your characters, but if you use it sparingly, it is effective. What better way to galvanize your PCs into action than by having an NPC burst in on them and scream that danger is nearby. Bonus points if that NPC immediately faints so that he or she cannot provide any other useful information.<br />
<br />
This is a very silly exercise, but here are some more urban fantasy threats that could appear in unlikely locations.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Troll in the Dungeon</h3>
1. Zombies in the kitchen!<br />
2. Imps in the chimney!<br />
3. Nixies in the vents!<br />
4. Goblins in the bathroom!<br />
5. Minotaur in the hallway!<br />
6. Efreeti in the back seat!<br />
7. Dragon in the atrium!<br />
8. Vampires in the elevator!<br />
9. Witches on the veranda!<br />
10. Gorgon in aisle 5!<br />
11. Dark elves in the storage shed!<br />
12. Sirens on the sound stage!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-54182883198475536502015-09-11T04:17:00.001-07:002015-09-11T04:17:12.849-07:00Stolen Movie Plots, Ready for Use<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So, on one of my favorite RPG blogs (<a href="http://dmingwithcharisma.com/" target="_blank">DMing with Charisma</a>), there is an article about <a href="http://dmingwithcharisma.com/2013/12/60-minute-session-design/" target="_blank">designing a game session in 60 minutes</a>. As part of the article's advice for planning a session in an hour, it contains a segment for determining the plot arc for the evening.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Go to your bookshelf, DVD case, video game collection, whatever place you have that stores creative media. Look over what you have and grab a few items with which you’re familiar.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">[...]</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Given what you’ve grabbed, consider each and boil it down to its most basic conflict. This is the plot you’ll use for your session [...] For these purposes the heroes and most of the setting are irrelevant. We only want a conflict and perhaps an antagonist, so ignore everything else.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">[...]<br /> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When we look at [<i>The Avengers</i> film] very, very broadly, looking at the villain and conflict gives us “a magician appears to herald and lead invaders”. That’s the sort of thing you want because it gives you a lot of wiggle room.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This is my favorite part of the article, and I come back and read the article in its entirety every few months (or so it seems to me).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In fact, I like the idea so much, that I have spent some time going through a number of the movies on my own shelf and breaking them down in the same way. These villainous plots are suitable for adaptation into an array of settings, and I encourage you to go read the article yourself and then take a look over your own favorite pieces of fiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">What can you see beneath the surface? What great plot awaits adaptation? I've provided a list of my own (which contains some psuedo-spoilers), but I'd love to hear from you about how you were able to break down your favorites.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Villainous Plots</span></h3>
<div>
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Invincible warriors search for a magical item. (<i>The Fellowship of the Ring</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A traitor unleashes an army. (<i>The Two Towers</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A hermit tries to steal a magical item. (<i>The Return of the King</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An assassin appears in an unfamiliar land to kill an important woman. (<i>Terminator</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A warrior seeks a power source hidden in a person. (<i>Thor: The Dark World</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A councilor plots to kill everyone who might ever oppose him. (<i>Captain America: The Winter Soldier</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A war priest seeks information about a powerful weapon. (<i>Star Wars IV: A New Hope</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A merchant army invades a peaceful community. (<i>Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A corrupt politician fabricates a massive war. (<i>Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A prodigious warrior betrays his order. (<i>Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A prince plans to wed an unwilling woman. (<i>The Princess Bride</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A skilled assassin seeks fugitives at any cost. (<i>Serenity</i>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A politician gains the unthinking obedience of the military and seizes absolute power</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. (</span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Divergent</i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A ruthless politician tries to unlock an ancient secret. (</span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Insurgent</i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Militant cultists follow a globe-trotting trail to an ancient artifact. (</span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark</i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and </span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade</i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">)</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-51948800328496928332015-09-03T13:00:00.000-07:002015-09-03T13:00:06.103-07:00Wandering TravelerPCs tend to do a lot of traveling, especially in fantasy games. This could be part of the legacy of epic quest stories like <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> and the quest for the Holy Grail by King Arthur and his knights. It could also be because we want our games to have a large scope, covering many different lands and cultures.<br />
<br />
Or it could be that we just want an excuse to use the Ice Troll Berserker and the Sand Dragon in the same adventure.<br />
<br />
At any rate, until PCs get to be quite powerful, travel generally entails walking or riding across the lands. And on those travels, the PCs are likely to meet other travelers. After all, the world is a big place, and unless there is a very good reason, travel would not be uncommon. And when travelers meet, the least they can do is exchange rumors as they pass, right?<br />
<br />
<h3>
Wandering Traveler</h3>
1. A merchant caravan hauling exotic spices and oils from a faraway land<br />
2. A minstrel with a broken lute<br />
3. A vagrant beggar wearing a tattered red cloak<br />
4. A priest/priestess willing to bestow blessings upon those in need<br />
5. A con artist trying to sell worthless trinkets as magical charms<br />
6. A patrol of royal knights who are in a hurry<br />
7. An adventuring party with <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EvilCounterpart" target="_blank">darkly mirrored members</a><br />
8. A dragon with injured wings<br />
<br />
<h3>
Rumors</h3>
1. The monarch of the neighboring kingdom has fallen ill.<br />
2. Dark elves are preparing to wage war.<br />
3. An unnaturally powerful storm is on its way from the coast.<br />
4. A cyclops has been seen in a forest a day's travel from here.<br />
5. Gnome explorers have uncovered the City of Stone Mothers.<br />
6. Wood elves are falling into comas with no explanation.<br />
7. The mayor of the nearest town is offering a bounty for locks of dwarven beards.<br />
8. Local halflings are holding an eating contest to choose their new leader.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-14412883367366230542015-08-28T07:30:00.000-07:002015-08-28T07:30:01.957-07:00Six-Word Sparks XII: MiscellanyIt's been a while since I posted any <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/search/label/six-word%20sparks" target="_blank">six-word sparks</a>, so I thought it must be time once again.<br />
<br />
Six-word sparks are phrases that get straight to the core idea of an adventure, setting up its most important aspects. Using only six words prevents the spark from becoming a full story before the players get involved. That limitation serves as a strength, allowing the story to develop alongside the PCs' actions, rather than in spite of their actions.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Six-Word Sparks</h3>
1. Townsfolk fall asleep; sorcerer demands payment.<br />
2. Swordmaker forges "unbeatable" sword, holds competition.<br />
3. Living tornado ravages countryside, approaches city.<br />
4. Merchant seeks mercenaries: Ghost Canyon shortcut.<br />
5. Dogfolk mistaken for werewolves and persecuted.<br />
6. Desert spirits drift northward, bringing sandstorms.<br />
7. Dogs start disappearing from local homesteads.<br />
8. Corpse-covered barge floats into wharf.<br />
9. Stray cats gather in alleys, planning.<br />
10. Beneath the lake, diamond knives glitter.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-12072032707982619942015-08-26T07:00:00.000-07:002015-08-26T07:00:07.954-07:00Random Encounters: Superpowered Sewer Tunnels<div class="p1">
As with <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/search/label/encounter" target="_blank">previous random encounter tables</a>, this is designed to be able to generate an interesting random encounter in a specific genre at a specific location. Hopefully, this will be more relevant to you than simply handing out a d100 table of completely random encounters that leave you with wildly disparate (or even impossible) encounter elements.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
In this case, the tables below should generate a dynamic encounter in a superheroes setting in the sewer system below a largish city.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Creature</h3>
<div class="p1">
1. Nuclear-powered android</div>
<div class="p1">
2. Four-armed alien princess</div>
<div class="p1">
3. Squad of blaster-wielding goons</div>
<div class="p1">
4. Anthropomorphic crocodile</div>
<div class="p1">
5. Rat-themed supercriminal</div>
<div class="p1">
6. Rogue vigilante</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Environment feature</h3>
<div class="p1">
1. The stench is debilitating to anyone with a nose.</div>
<div class="p1">
2. The area is a maze of branching tunnels and hidden alcoves.</div>
<div class="p1">
3. The water is much deeper than it looks.</div>
<div class="p1">
4. The tunnels open into a cylindrical room, where the wastewater flows in a series of waterfalls.</div>
<div class="p1">
5. Detritus of every kind litters the walkways of the tunnels.</div>
<div class="p1">
6. The walkways on either side of the tunnel are far apart and linked only by long wooden boards laid across the water.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Surprise</h3>
<div class="p1">
1. A rush of filthy water comes crashing through the tunnels.</div>
<div class="p1">
2. A blast of super-cooled air rolls down the tunnels, freezing the rushing wastewater as it goes.</div>
<div class="p1">
3. One of the nearby grates spews a gush of wastewater tainted with mutagenic chemicals.</div>
<div class="p1">
4. The walls, floors, ceiling, and rushing water all flicker and disappear, revealing the interior of a large alien vehicle.</div>
<div class="p1">
5. Black-clad ninjas armed with electrified blades ambush the PCs and the creature.</div>
<div class="p1">
6. The cries of a child echo from somewhere, but the tunnels can carry sound a long way…</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-4511980992586310132015-08-21T10:30:00.000-07:002015-08-21T10:30:00.207-07:00Random Encounters: Pulp JungleIt's been more than a month since I made a <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/search/label/encounter" target="_blank">Random Encounters</a> post, so I thought it was high time to put up some more. As usual, the idea is to roll once on each table and use the results to generate a random encounter for your session.<br />
<br />
Today's is a jungle encounter in a pulp setting (think <i>Doc Savage</i> or <i>Indiana Jones</i>). Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Creature</h3>
1. Squadron of jack-booted thugs<br />
2. Action archaeologist<br />
3. Ruthless treasure hunter<br />
4. Pair of hunting panthers<br />
5. Swarm of killer bees<br />
6. Native guide<br />
<br />
<h3>
Environment feature</h3>
1. A raging river cuts through the jungle.<br />
2. The canopy above is so think that this area is as dark as night.<br />
3. A narrow rope bridge spans a deep, rocky chasm.<br />
4. A large stone head radiates an aura of dread.<br />
5. Thorny vines hang down through the area, and their thorns are thoroughly venomous.<br />
6. A circle of quicksand takes up most of a clearing.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Surprise</h3>
1. A second creature arrives with contrary goals and/or motivation of the first (roll again, even if the result is the same).<br />
2. A group of violent baboons swings down from the trees, angry and territorial.<br />
3. A strange horn sounds loudly nearby.<br />
4. A low-flying hot-air balloon drops a rope ladder into the area and someone calls out to the PCs to climb.<br />
5. Wind blows the scent of burning vegetation from nearby.<br />
6. A masked woman on horseback gallops into the area wielding a pistol and a curved sword.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-70034251632974740362015-08-10T09:30:00.000-07:002015-08-10T09:30:00.865-07:00Elves vs. OrcsI've already talked in depth about <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/2015/02/orcs.html" target="_blank">orcs</a> before, but this time I want to address a broader concept: elves and orcs. In standard fantasy clichés, elves and orcs are mortal enemies, and have been so for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. I'm <b>not </b>here to say that this particular cliché is wrong to use in your game—only you and your players know what's right for your game—I'm just here to expound upon this idea a bit.<br />
<br />
So, if your setting has a bitter rivalry or an ancient war between elves and orcs, these tables can help you flesh it out and make it relevant to your players.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Racial Traits</h3>
If a player has an elf or orc PC (or if you have an important elf or orc NPC), roll on this table to give that character a direct tie-in to the elf-orc opposition.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>My parents were soldiers who died fighting [elf/orc] warriors.</li>
<li>I spent years in an [elf/orc] prison camp, performing hard labor and watching others die.</li>
<li>I witnessed bloodthirsty [elf/orc] warriors slaughter an [orc/elf] village full of noncombatants.</li>
<li>My best friend is an [elf/orc] pacifist.</li>
<li>I am a spy for the other race.</li>
<li>I believe [elves/orcs] are inhuman monsters, unworthy of breathing the same air as my people.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
The Feud</h3>
This rivalry between orcs and elves has been going on for at least a little while, but what started it? Which side cast the first stone, and why? Roll on this table to find out.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Elves desecrated a sacred place where orcs used to commune with their ancestor spirits.</li>
<li>Bloody Urulla, queen of the orcs, slew Eshra Ling, the elf king, in a duel.</li>
<li>The Lost Princess of Orcs (her name is no longer remembered) left Star-upon-Earth (an elf princess) at the altar.</li>
<li>Gurug Two-Hand (orc) accused Aelenn of Silveroak (elf) of cheating after losing a game of cards.</li>
<li>Elven prophets spoke of the coming of eternal darkness unless the orcs are all killed.</li>
<li>Orc politicians convinced their people to strike the elves before the elves—who they claimed were preparing a magical superweapon—could destroy them.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Status Quo</h3>
You know how it all started, but what is going on now? What are the elves and orcs doing about it? Roll on this table to find out.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Orc envoys are holding peace talks with elf negotiators on neutral ground.</li>
<li>Elf battalions are engaged with orc warbands in many places, but neither side has an advantage.</li>
<li>A massive orc army has penetrated deep into elf territory, and elf guerrillas are trying, and failing, to slow its progress.</li>
<li>Elf priests and magicians are unleashing the full might of their magic upon the orcs, which is destroying the lands around them.</li>
<li>Elf diplomats are trying to secure alliances with other nearby powers, and orcs are on the march toward elven lands.</li>
<li>Orcs are fortifying their defenses, and elves are embroiled in a border war with another nation.</li>
</ol>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-71214427442203413152015-08-03T06:30:00.000-07:002015-08-03T09:52:46.592-07:00BeginningsThere are many ways to begin your RPG campaign. Many of these methods draw from other forms of fiction: older and more established forms. There are many tropes that come from movies and books. Sometimes, those work well for RPGs, but not always.<br />
<br />
RPGs are their own medium, and borrowing tropes and ideas from other media doesn't always work. The interactive, collaborative nature of RPGs clashes with many of these traditional tropes. You cannot dictate your players' actions (or their characters' actions) once the game has begun, not without their approval and buy-in, anyway. So, any narration or opening action has to take place before the game actually begins. The idea here is that if you want the game to begin with a prison riot, don't start it three days before the riot and expect the players to sit on their hands; start the game as the riot begins.<br />
<br />
More than just setting the game up before it begins, you cannot narrate the PCs actions beyond one or two simple ideas. Saying "you arrive in Sunshine City and decide to join the Adventurer's Guild; your guildmaster orders you to join the first mission that comes up" sets out several actions that you decided for someone else's character. That might not be what they feel their character would have done after entering Sunshine City, or even after joining the Adventurer's Guild.<br />
<br />
Instead, use ideas like "You're on your first mission for the Adventurer's Guild of Sunshine City." The end result is the same, but now the players have more agency to decide what led to this opening. It lets them explain how they came to be there, rather than you telling them. Not only that, but you can jump immediately into the action (or at least into the player-driven narrative) with less GM exposition up front.<br />
<br />
Here are some ideas that take the above concept to an extreme. They will help you, your players, and their characters jump straight into the action of a new adventure.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Beginnings (in media res)</h3>
<br />
<ol>
<li>At the entrance to the Tomb of Princess Titania, the spirit guardian bids you enter and wishes you good fortune. The map should be reliable, at least the half of it that you have.</li>
<li>As the port disappears over the horizon behind you, you find yourself wondering whether the legends of spectral pirates and ravenous sea serpents are true.</li>
<li>The masked woman leads you through the destroyed prison wall, back out into the city, which is burning in many places. She says, "The creatures came at sundown, as was foretold."</li>
<li>The escape pod hits the ground with a jarring impact amidst the bluish vegetation, and the last emergency distress signal from the orbiting cruiser cuts off with a burst of static.</li>
<li>The words of the Queen of the Vernal Court still echo in your mind, "The medusae hunt you; your only refuge is in the Dreamworld."</li>
<li>The subway screeches to a halt. "End of the line," tumbles from the crackling speakers. This is by far the worst part of town, but the email definitely said 1:00 am. It also said some other things, things that you'd pay dearly to keep secret.</li>
</ol>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-75677003807546014882015-07-29T04:28:00.001-07:002015-10-08T07:03:47.902-07:00Gen Con 2015That special time of year is upon us. That time when our hearts turn to Indianapolis, and many of us come in droves to share our passion in person. But not everyone can go to Gen Con; I am lucky enough to live within an hour of Indy, and even I can't always make it.<br />
<br />
If you are going, I can only hope that you'll get a chance to play some great games; and if you aren't going, play some great games anyway! In that vein, I'm sharing some one-shot ideas along with a set of dead-simple mechanics. Go wild and have fun!<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Mechanics</h3>
Characters have just three attributes with scores of 1-10: grit, knack, and luck. Every action comes under the purview of one of these three attributes. The players begin with 20 points and distribute them among the attributes however they wish, with a minimum of 1 point in each attribute.<br />
<br />
When a player takes a difficult action, they roll a d12, and if the result is lower than the most applicable score, they succeed. If the result is equal to or higher than the score, they fail. But they can change a failure into a success by subtracting one point from that score temporarily. Points lost this way are restored either between each scene or once per session, depending on the intensity of the adventure. Note: Success and failure have no mechanical effects, only narrative effects.<br />
<br />
In a direct conflict, both participants roll a d12 and subtract their score from the result. The lowest result wins. If the participants tie, the conflict immediately ends in a draw; they must find another way to resolve the situation.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Ideas</h3>
<b>Fanciful Façade:</b> The beasts of the Zhisu Forest love tea and games. They often challenge one another to elaborate contests with strange enchanted artifacts for prizes. Beneath the whimsy, however, all of the animals live in terror of the cruel Emperor of All Spirits.<br />
<br />
<b>Academy of High Arts:</b> Adolescent, hormone-filled royals from around the world are gathered at the Academy of High Arts to be trained in combat, etiquette, & magic. What could go possibly wrong?<br />
<br />
<b>Enemy of My Enemy:</b> The alien overlords rule Earth, and the average earthling lives as a slave. But in the shadows, mutant werewolves, hacker vampires, and drug-addled warlocks follow their own rules, fighting back against the extraterrestrial oppressors.<br />
<br />
<b>Divine Intelligence Agency:</b> Mortals wield magic relics stolen from the divine realms. They use the relics to perform covert ops among the gods in order to thwart armageddon.<br />
<br />
<b>The Drakkenlords of Ruàn:</b> Ruthless barbarian sorcerers are the last survivors of Ruàn, a ruined kingdom. They seek bloody vengeance against the monstrous warlords that destroyed Ruàn—the 12 Drakkenlords.<br />
<br />
<b>Crouching Cipher, Hidden Data:</b> Disciplined Denshi warriors practice the art of Algorithmics against a coalition of black hats known as The Night. The Night secretly runs the world from behind their screens, but in the online Ethereality, the Denshi fight back.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-90015487587561507302015-07-20T07:30:00.000-07:002015-07-20T07:30:00.879-07:00DogsDogs: one of the most devoted companions of mankind for around the last 30 millennia. I have two dogs. There's a fairly decent chance that you have a dog. And it's almost a guarantee that one of your close friends or family members owns a dog. So, why don't we see more of humanity's best friend in our RPGs?<br />
<br />
My best guess is that people don't like to see violence against cats, dogs, horses, and other common, domesticated animals. This extends to books, movies, video games, and (I would bet) tabletop games, too. And because violence is the central focus of many RPGs, real-life animals are less likely to be involved so that we don't have to deal with violence against them. It's much easier to fight hell hounds and night mares than Great Danes or Clydesdales.<br />
<br />
But say that you want to include dogs (or other animals) more frequently in your game. After all, lots of people own dogs in the modern world and throughout history. If dogs exist in your setting, why shouldn't they be as common? To that end, here are some ideas for introducing dogs in your campaign.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Dog Names</h3>
If you've got dogs, you've gotta have names, right? And if you don't want to use Fido, Rover, Rex, or Spot, here's a quick table of ideas.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Runda</li>
<li>Argos</li>
<li>Valla</li>
<li>Zunn</li>
<li>Stoic</li>
<li>Laika</li>
<li>Hruntling</li>
<li>Brutus</li>
<li>Chevron</li>
<li>Stella</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h3>
Dog Duties</h3>
So, now your PC or NPC has a dog. What exactly does that dog do?<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Supports someone with a disability</li>
<li>Keeps watch</li>
<li>Herds other animals</li>
<li>Hunts game</li>
<li>Tracks humanoid prey</li>
<li>Performs</li>
<li>Fights</li>
<li>Delivers aid and/or messages</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h3>
Dogs in Combat</h3>
This is less of a random rolling table and more of a list of ideas and suggestions. But you could just roll and go with whatever comes up, if time is pressing.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><u>Fight (solo):</u> The dog has its own combat statistics and is controlled by the player or the GM. It can be the target of enemy attacks and spells.</li>
<li><u>Fight (coop):</u> The dog attacks alongside its owner, granting a bonus. It cannot be targeted by enemy attacks or spells.</li>
<li><u>Hide:</u> The dog knows to find safe shelter during combat, placing it safely out of the reach of enemy attacks and spells. It returns to its master after combat.</li>
<li><u>Handwave:</u> During combat, everyone pretends that the dog does not exist. It does not attack and cannot be the subject of attacks or spells, even ones with an area of effect.</li>
</ol>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-37342710307646545412015-07-17T07:30:00.000-07:002015-07-17T07:30:01.999-07:00Adventure Sites: The TavernIt's been a while since I posted any adventure sites. <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/2015/04/even-more-adventure-sites.html" target="_blank">Last time</a>, I had a theme, and I created a few locations for that theme in different genres. I thought it worked well, so I'm trying it again.<br />
<br />
These adventure sites are designed to fit into the cracks of a campaign. Each site is a single location that has a few sections, a few encounters, some rewards, and a hook. Drop these in at the nearest part of your world that matches the location, dangle the hook in front of your players, and let it go from there.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The Golden Loin* (fantasy)</h3>
<u>Location:</u> In the bad part of town, near an important contact's meeting place<br />
<u>Areas:</u> The bar, the kitchen, the cellar<br />
<u>NPCs:</u> Niana Barule (shady barkeep), Kolie (musical prodigy), Saffron (brute bouncer), Jeb (unlucky patron)<br />
<u>Obstacles:</u> Saffron doesn't allow anyone to enter with weapons or magical implements, Kolie's music is mesmerizing, Niana slips sleeping potion into the drinks of anyone who asks too many questions, a hungry troll is chained in the magically soundproofed cellar trying to eat Jeb<br />
<u>Rewards:</u> The chains that bind the troll are magical, Kolie would make a potent ally if charmed away from Niana's wickedness, a keg of powerful sleeping potion can be found under the bar, Jeb will thank his rescuers with gold<br />
<u>Hook:</u> A muffled scream can be heard from the bar, but it is empty when the PCs enter.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* This is not a typo on my part, though it may be an in-world mistake that stuck.</span><br />
<br />
<h3>
Twenty-One Gun Saloon (old west)</h3>
<u>Location:</u> In the center of town, across from the church<br />
<u>Areas:</u> The bar, the kitchen, the upper floor rooms<br />
<u>NPCs:</u> Rodrigo [friendly barkeep], Madame Sufani [deadly dancer], Lola "Quicksilver" Turner [notorious outlaw]<br />
<u>Obstacles:</u> Quicksilver's outlaw gang is spread out among the tables and chairs, Madame Sufani is an expert swordswoman and friend of Quicksilver, Quicksilver is the fastest shooter for 100 miles<br />
<u>Rewards:</u> The reward for Quicksilver is very generous, Quicksilver's infamous silver pistols are custom-made and worth a small fortune, Rodrigo will be grateful to have Quicksilver's gang dispersed<br />
<u>Hook:</u> The PCs see Quicksilver enter the saloon, and immediately see a wanted poster for her.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Event Horizon (science fiction)</h3>
<u>Location:</u> On the recreation deck, near a well-used entrance<br />
<u>Areas:</u> The dance floor, the bar, the storeroom, the back room<br />
<u>NPCs:</u> Niffra Zinar [scared teenager], M'kot [professional gambler], SM AL-One [android bartender]<br />
<u>Obstacles:</u> The entrances for Event Horizon are one-way energy walls that can't be used from the inside, Event Horizon's auto-security drones fire stunblasters at anyone committing violence, M'kot wants to play a high-stakes game to give the PCs a chance to win back Niffra's card<br />
<u>Rewards:</u> Anything else the PCs can take from M'kot's winnings is theirs, SM AL-One offers a round of free drinks for ridding Event Horizon of the unwanted gambler, Niffra's parents are influential people<br />
<u>Hook:</u> As the PCs walk by, a hidden door opens and Niffra calls quietly for help getting her parents' credcard back from M'Kot.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-3502686428757542762015-07-14T09:00:00.000-07:002015-07-14T12:17:54.281-07:00Random Encounters: Steampunk MarketplaceAnother in my series of <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/search/label/encounter" target="_blank">Random Encounter</a> posts. In these posts, I include three tables: one for the creature, one for an environment feature, and one for a surprise to be delivered during the encounter whenever you see fit. I hope that these three elements can actually generate useful random encounters for your game.<br />
<br />
In order to be particularly useful, though, the tables have to be fairly specific. So, each post is geared towards a single genre and a single location type. Today, you can generate a random encounter in a marketplace in a steampunk setting.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Creature</h3>
1. A cloaked figure wielding a pair of long, crackling knives<br />
2. Urchins playing football or rugby<br />
3. A boisterous snake-oil seller<br />
4. A corrupt law officer looking for trouble<br />
5. A charistmatic speaker rallying an increasingly angry crowd<br />
6. A desperate fabric vendor trying to make ends meet<br />
<br />
<h3>
Environment feature</h3>
1. Loose cobblestones can trip up the unwary.<br />
2. A large glass and steel box houses a mechanical fortune teller.<br />
3. A deteriorating stone fountain sprays water into a fine mist.<br />
4. The various stalls are filled with valuables and improvised projectiles.<br />
5. A nearby factory churns out heavy smoke that darkens the whole area.<br />
6. Large steel gears (exposed for maintenance), turn and grind.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Surprise</h3>
<div>
1. A horseless carriage barrels through the area, heedless of pedestrians.</div>
<div>
2. A gyrocopter crashes to the ground, its pilot injured but alive.</div>
<div>
3. A squad of heavily armed officers burst into the area, looking for a child.</div>
<div>
4. One of the vendors announces a huge sale, and the crowds stampede that way.</div>
<div>
5. A mechanical bird swoops down and begins pecking feverishly at the creature.</div>
<div>
6. The creature stops moving and begins making a mechanical grinding sound.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-36223127130384109382015-07-09T09:00:00.000-07:002015-07-09T09:00:06.404-07:00More Genre Mash-UpsAs I have <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/2015/05/genre-mash-ups.html" target="_blank">said before</a>, I love crossovers and mash-ups. Whether you're talking about two IPs being merged together or simply a story that calls on multiple genres. There are all kinds of great reasons to use genre mash-ups: to compare the societies of two distinct time periods (like <i>noir</i> and <i>American West</i>), to take current political ideologies to their extremes (<i>dystopia</i> and <i>political thriller</i>), or just because you want to see a cyborg hacker wielding a laser sword fighting a giant robotic monster (<i>transhumanist</i>, <i>cyberpunk</i>, s<i>pace opera</i>, and <i>kaiju</i>).<br />
<br />
Some genre mash-ups are so common that they are already existing genres themselves (like <i>epic fantasy</i> or <i>science fantasy</i> or <i>post-apocalyptic survival horror)</i>. But that doesn't mean that there isn't room to explore within those genres. If you can extricate the separate aspects of the base genres, you can recombine them in new and/or exciting ways.<br />
<br />
With that, I present to you another collection of genre mash-ups.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Genre Mash-Ups</h4>
<b>Vikings in Hell:</b> Maniacal Vikings set sail for the afterlife to rescue the chief’s daughter from the Devil himself. (epic / fantasy)<br />
<br />
<b>Regime of Steam:</b> Queen’s Elite were spies, until National Tinker’s Party came to power; now they’re steampunk dystopia fugitives. (political thriller / steampunk)<br />
<br />
<b>Web of Dreams:</b> Outcast demigods eat lotus blossoms to enter the Dreamworld and undermine the Pantheon and its corrupt gods. (mythic / cyberpunk)<br />
<br />
<b>Bodies and Minds:</b> Doppelgänger invasion is preceded by radiation burst that triggers psychic abilities in 0.01% of the population. (sci-fi / paranormal)<br />
<br />
<b>Achilles’ Eleven:</b> Reborn mythic heroes must steal ancient relics from a globe-spanning criminal organization. (heist / mythic)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>War of the Worlds – 65M BC:</b> The asteroid was an attack! A ragtag team of sentient dinosaur survivors fights Venusian invaders. (alien / prehistoric)</div>
<br />
<b>Horror Among Thieves:</b> The Thieves’ Guild steals relics from around the world to fight a secret war against the Old Ones. (heist / fantasy / survival horror)<br />
<br />
<b>Spaceships, Spies, and Spells:</b> Near-future spies wield tech and magic against the alien invasion going on in the shadows. (spy-fi / fantasy / sci-fi)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-87021713737343417922015-07-08T07:30:00.000-07:002015-07-08T07:30:00.578-07:00Six-Word Sparks XI: Royal EscapadesSaving peasants and fighting underlings is suitable for common adventurers with no grace or social standing. But in the aristocratic courts, the affairs of the nobility and the royalty are the purview of adventurous princesses and meddlesome princelings. For them, only the proceedings of their equals are worth drawing a blade, nocking an arrow, or whispering ancient spells.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Six-Word Sparks</h3>
<br />
<ol>
<li>Bounty hunters seek rebel lizardfolk princess.</li>
<li>Gnome illusionist makes royal palace vanish.</li>
<li>Sorcerer-prince blamed for failing crops.</li>
<li>Children summon ancient emperor's fiery spirit.</li>
<li>Innocent(?) dwarf noble flees elven justice.</li>
<li>Noblewoman challenges king to royal duel.</li>
<li>Orc tribes make peace with baron.</li>
<li>Psychic stone giant becomes Dwarven king.</li>
<li>Apemen hide while the Prince schemes.</li>
<li>Disowned prince sells secrets to enemies.</li>
</ol>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-66071294897067417692015-07-02T07:30:00.000-07:002015-07-02T07:30:00.770-07:00Planet and System NamesIf you saw yesterday's post on <a href="http://gatherroundrpg.blogspot.com/2015/07/alien-race-names.html" target="_blank">Alien Race Names</a>, you may have thought, "What? Only alien names? Isn't he missing one of the biggest naming categories in science fiction?" Right on the nose, of course. Just as important as alien race names (if not moreso) are the names of the various planets and star systems in which sci-fi games take place.<br />
<br />
If you are using licensed IP, such as <i>Star Wars</i> or <i>Star Trek</i>, I recommend just digging up the wiki for those settings or looking at your local library for a relevant encyclopedia. It's likely to be easier than making up names, and it will help your game feel like it's really set in those universes. And, of course, if your game is only set in the Sol system, I'd suggest looking up the names of the moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, since there are enough orbiting bodies in this system for plenty of adventures. Finally, you might simply take the <i>Stargate SG-1</i> route, and give everything an alphanumeric designation, such as PJ2-445 or P3W-451.<br />
<br />
But, if you're looking to create unique(ish), original(ish) names for your planets and stars, here are some tables to get you started.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Planet and System Names</h4>
<h3>
First half</h3>
1. Ivo-<br />
2. Maka-<br />
3. Dörre-<br />
4. Musta-<br />
5. Bète-<br />
6. Guisi-<br />
7. Sulu-<br />
8. Uftúra-<br />
9. Homma-<br />
10. Nsâto-<br />
<br />
<h3>
Second half</h3>
1. -rana<br />
2. -far<br />
3. -molo<br />
4. -táza<br />
5. -legas<br />
6. -wîle<br />
7. -ban<br />
8. -thàn<br />
9. -kat<br />
10. -läch<br />
<br />
<h3>
Prefix</h3>
1. Blue<br />
2. Bright<br />
3. Neo<br />
4. New<br />
5. Far<br />
6. Alpha<br />
<br />
<h3>
Suffix</h3>
1. Cluster<br />
2. Beta<br />
3. Minor<br />
4. Major<br />
5. Tau<br />
6. I, II, III, IV, V, VI, etc.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Basic names</h3>
1. Heinlein<br />
2. Adams<br />
3. Butler<br />
4. Asimov<br />
5. Clarke<br />
6. Verne<br />
7. Le Guin<br />
8. Vonnegut<br />
9. Bradbury<br />
10. LemAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5162163611509255605.post-52873270339789919042015-07-01T07:30:00.000-07:002015-07-02T04:04:34.748-07:00Alien Race NamesIn science fiction RPGs, I find that one of the hardest aspects in the creation stage is coming up with good names, especially names for alien races. The name has to sound just right, and not only that, it also has to fit the characteristics of the alien race. Unless you're running a humor game, having a race of spike-covered warmongering alien soldiers called the Loofies is going to be problematic.<br />
<br />
So, I present to you some tables for creating a name for your alien race.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Alien Race Names</h3>
There are a few different ideas presented here. I present some full names, some first halves, and some second halves in each table. Use one wholecloth if that works for you, or mix and match until you find something that sounds even better.<br />
<br />
<b>Warrior Race</b><br />
1. Raxites<br />
2. Drongians<br />
3. Kor-<br />
4. Vreth-<br />
5. -ozites<br />
6. -tans<br />
<br />
<b>Technological Race</b><br />
1. Zenzar<br />
2. Xellorans<br />
3. Grat-<br />
4. Ath-<br />
5. -ulie<br />
6. -ips<br />
<br />
<b>Scholarly Race</b><br />
1. Mellians<br />
2. Siskeels<br />
3. For-<br />
4. Nab-<br />
5. -ophans<br />
<div>
6. -i</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16680475526288206865noreply@blogger.com0