It is by far my favorite genre for role-playing, one that I only rarely get tired of, and even then it's not long before I want to get back in the saddle. This is not to say that I don't love other genres, I do. Horror can be awesome, and I can even get into some super-hero stuff every now and then. Sci-fi is also great, and of course historical is my go to. But even then, my historical games tend to be history plus elements of fantasy. I just simply adore games with magic and monsters. I really don’t care if they are set on Athas or Middle-Earth, modern Chicago or Ancient Rome, give me some spell casters and some nasties, plus as many of the other trappings as you can fit in, and I am a happy gamer.
Its not just the trappings of the fantasy genre I love, it’s the themes, the supernatural, multiple intelligent species, a strong inspiration from mythology and folklore, and heroes defeating villains. There is a lot of overlap with other genres, and that is one of the things I love the most. Star Wars is fantasy, just set long, long ago with robots, spaceships, and aliens. It is the journey of the hero, complete with magic, evil that is outright evil, and not the run of the mill realistic evil either, and even swords! Fantasy is a very flexible genre, and includes hundreds if not thousands of sub-genres. Dresden Files is as much fantasy as Forgotten Realms, after all.
I really don’t care that much about what system gets used, I have tried so many fantasy systems that do the job nicely, especially with regards to a specific subgenre. Pendragon is a fine fantasy system for historical games set in the Arthurian mythos. I wouldn't want to use it for dungeon crawling classic fantasy, however. Not that it couldn't be adapted, it can and I have, but there are other systems that do it better. World of Darkness both new and old are not expressly fantasy games, though they certainly have many of the trappings and themes. Both of these systems can be readily adapted to a range of fantasy subgenres, some more than others (I am looking at you Werewolf and Mage). True, all the World of Darkness material can be used for other genres, most notably horror, but they also contain many fantasy elements, and its how you run the game that defines the genre, at least in this case, and not so much how the game is written.
My favorite systems for fantasy are the classics, Dungeons and Dragons and its successors. They all do the traditional fantasy well, though they vary in their performance regarding subgenres (D&D 4e more so than the earlier editions is the most laser focused on one subgenre). However, I also enjoy the freedom of generic systems to write by own subgenre, especially with GURPS and BRP. This is not to discount some of the rogue systems out there that do fantasy, and do it well. Barbarians of Lemuria is my go to for swords and sorcery style fantasy. Ars magica isn’t so much a system as a historical fantasy setting, and a good one at that. I wouldn't mind giving Legends of Anglerre a shot again, only do it differently this time and stick to a more structured setting and plot.
I recently picked up Savage Worlds Fantasy Companion and would love to run a fantasy campaign using that, but alas my gaming groups have solid campaigns going that my players and I enjoy, so there is no new campaign in sight. Well, honestly, its just a matter of time before I kill them all or one PC makes a glaring mistake that takes them all down.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
NS-1 Vengeance of the Long Serpent Design Notes
When I set out to write this adventure I wanted something that dealt with themes from the Nordic Sagas and other works of the medieval Germanic peoples. However, I did not want to just do Pathfinder Beowulf or some such, but instead take these themes, mix them with history and the great tradition of fantasy role-playing, and see what happened. What developed was a blend of the Greenland sagas, the history of Norse exploration of the North America (which we will see more of in later parts of the Northlands Saga), and a heavy dose of inspiration from Lovecraft and Howard.
What we see in Vengeance is the PCs becoming involved in what should be a voyage of exploration aimed at garnering some wealth. In some ways they are caught up in this, as their new friend and patron, Halbjorn, may likely be more enthusiastic about the whole endeavor than they are. Once they reach the Far North, they discover that things are not as they thought they would be, and (hopefully) take part in the uprising against the Children of Althunak.
Two items in the adventure of which I am inordinately proud of are the Far North itself and Halbjorn's long monologue. In designing the Far North I wanted to provide not just a setting for the adventure, but a place that the characters can return to again and again in search of wealth, fame and glory. There are mammoths to hunt, areas to explore, and wealth to be garnered in that frigid land. Hallbjorn's monologue includes a large number of kennings; turns of phrase that are used to poetically describe an event, person, or place. I simply love kennings and writing so many of them into the dialogue was a great joy.
There is more that I can say about Vengeance, but that would probably give away too much of the adventure. I encourage anyone who plays fantasy or historical RPGs, and especially those who play Pathfinder or Swords and Wizardry to pick up a copy, in print or pdf (why not both) from Frog God Games. Next up in the series is NS-2 Beyond the Wailing Mountains, which continues the story started in Vengeance. I am currently working on NS-3 The Death Curse of Sven Oakenfist that promises to be a humdinger of an adventure involving the laws of hospitality, two dungeon crawls, and plenty of curses. Finally, if you enjoy the Northlands Saga, a short system-less campaign document, the Northlands Saga Campaign Setting is in production and will be available as a pdf in the near future.
What we see in Vengeance is the PCs becoming involved in what should be a voyage of exploration aimed at garnering some wealth. In some ways they are caught up in this, as their new friend and patron, Halbjorn, may likely be more enthusiastic about the whole endeavor than they are. Once they reach the Far North, they discover that things are not as they thought they would be, and (hopefully) take part in the uprising against the Children of Althunak.
Two items in the adventure of which I am inordinately proud of are the Far North itself and Halbjorn's long monologue. In designing the Far North I wanted to provide not just a setting for the adventure, but a place that the characters can return to again and again in search of wealth, fame and glory. There are mammoths to hunt, areas to explore, and wealth to be garnered in that frigid land. Hallbjorn's monologue includes a large number of kennings; turns of phrase that are used to poetically describe an event, person, or place. I simply love kennings and writing so many of them into the dialogue was a great joy.
There is more that I can say about Vengeance, but that would probably give away too much of the adventure. I encourage anyone who plays fantasy or historical RPGs, and especially those who play Pathfinder or Swords and Wizardry to pick up a copy, in print or pdf (why not both) from Frog God Games. Next up in the series is NS-2 Beyond the Wailing Mountains, which continues the story started in Vengeance. I am currently working on NS-3 The Death Curse of Sven Oakenfist that promises to be a humdinger of an adventure involving the laws of hospitality, two dungeon crawls, and plenty of curses. Finally, if you enjoy the Northlands Saga, a short system-less campaign document, the Northlands Saga Campaign Setting is in production and will be available as a pdf in the near future.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Session Notes 2
This game was ran over two sessions using Savage Worlds wiht a group of six players. Mostly it was run as written, though a few flourishes were added here and there. The Hound of Shub-Niggurath was intended to be bullet proof, which worked nicely. Unfortunately for it, the Hound was not half-ton stone block proof. The actual mission was scrubbed a the last minute, sending our CASS team off to North Africa on an emergency. The session ended with the team in a crippled B-17 plunging towards southern France, a Me-109 chasing after them.
The Barbarossa
Rostock
1. Downtime, 4 weeks
2. Mission Briefing
a. Secretary, case officer
b. This is an overt mission
i. This is the Barbarossa, Hitler's latest toy
1. It is a flying aircraft carrier
2. Capable of carrying 15 fighters and 8 bombers
3. Heavily armed and armored
4. Carries its own bomb payload
ii. You will be part of the operation that is going to destroy it before it is completed
iii. It is being constructed in Rostock on the Baltic Sea
iv. You are being sent to England for jump training
v. On March 1 you will embark from England on Carrier Task Force 19
vi. You and a company of US Rangers will be parachuted in at 3am on the night of March 10 on to the airfields near the shipyards
vii. Your primary objective is to secure the airfields and hold them against enemy counterattack
1. Once the airfields are secure you will send a coded message via radio "Excelsior"
2. This will signal bombers to unload on the shipyards
3. You and the Rangers will then board any aircraft that is usable and fly north to rendezvous with Carrier Task Force 19.
viii. Disposition of enemy forces
1. Rostock is not heavily garrisoned
2. Expect the Nazis to be largely third rate troops, old men and boys
3. Five companies of Wermacht regulars
4. 1 company of Panzers
5. The biggest threat is the possible presence of Dr. von Blud and his Ubermensch
6. Dossiers
7. The airfield is garrisoned by a company of the 134. Grenadiers, a reserve regiment.
ix. The Airfield
1. Your primary objective will be to destroy the planes located in the hangars out British friends have amusingly labeled the mount farm
2. After that, destroy the control tower, the fuels dump, and cause as many casualties amongst the pilots as you can. Taking them prisoner is also an option, but we will not be transporting prisoners out.
3. The technical site should be destroyed as well, and any research materials there should be recovered.
3. Interlude: Jump Training at Camp Barnam outside of London
a. Combat training with the rangers (5 xp bonus, must be spent on combat skills or edges, not powers)
i. Obstacle course, running, field craft training, etc…
b. Agility rolls for three training jumps, failure equals 2d12 damage and see below
4. Interlude: A traitor
a. Svetlana receives a mysterious message "meet me in Hyde Park on the 21st at 10pm by the rose garden."
b. Mysterious stranger standing under a lamp post, smoking a cigarette (Galushes)
i. Tan trench coat, black felt hat, hands and face wrapped in bandages
ii. Hands Svetlana an envelope
iii. Fades into the fog
5. Interlude: Hospital Number 9
a. Several of the Rangers injured when two planes collide during landing (after a training jump)
b. Those sent to hospital Number 9 fare well at first, but then go down hill
c. Mystery (PCs there may also be swept up) why do so many soldiers die at Hospital Number 9?
i. The Doctors and nurses are members of a secret vile cult that sacrifices blood and organs to Shub-Niggurath, the Goat with a Thousand Young
1. Altar in the woods near the hospital, pre-Celtic ruins
2. 15 cultists in total
3. Ritual sacrifices, scarification and orgies
4. Cult originated in France, came to England after the Fall of France
ii. Doctors:
1. Dr. Timothy Ville, British surgeon, young and affable
2. Dr. Henry Vouchard, French Surgeon, bitter and cantankerous
3. Dr. Llwylln Jones, Welsh surgeon, leader of the cult, distant and cruel
iii. Important Nurses:
1. Betty Greeves, Brisith head nurse, bitter and sarcastic
2. Suzzy Greenwood, American nurse young, pretty, and not entirely under the cult's influence
3. Emma Walthers, British nurse, young, pretty, and vindictive
iv. The Ritual
1. Timing, begin clock at 6:30 pm, ritual occurs at 8pm
2. A circle of nine celebrants are nude save for ornate goat's heads headdresses.
3. They surround the body of a young girl from the village, Maggie, who they have kidnapped.
4. Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young!
5. As the ritual completes, the chanting reaches a crescendo and Maggie unzips from neck to pubis, black light spills forth, strange vapors, and a tentacle emrges, the Dark Hound of Shub-Niggurath is born to rampage across the area.
6. Dark Hound of Shub-Niggurath
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d12, Vigor d12
Skills: Fighting d10, Howl d8, Notice d8, Stealth d10,
Pace: 9 Parry: 7 Toughness: 12
Special Abilities:
• Cause Madness: The sight of the Hound causes all to make a Spirit roll or suffer temporary insanity.
• Size +2
• Discordant Howl: The howl is a flame template area of effect that causes those hit to roll Spirit vs. the Hound's Howl or be shaken, wounded on a raise
• Low Light Vision
• Fast Regeneration
• Fearless
• Armor (Hide)
6. The Mission
a. Agility to pick landing place, Success= off 1d6 random, Raise= dead on, Failure= off 2d6 random, Crit= drift into trees
b. Agility to land, Success= shaken, Raise= fine, Failure= wound, Crit= 2 wounds
c. Initial resistance is minimal
d. Counter attack before dawn by 2 panzers, 1 company of grenadiers, and the Ubermensch
e. Bombers late, but arrive
f. Safe flight back
The Barbarossa
Rostock
1. Downtime, 4 weeks
2. Mission Briefing
a. Secretary, case officer
b. This is an overt mission
i. This is the Barbarossa, Hitler's latest toy
1. It is a flying aircraft carrier
2. Capable of carrying 15 fighters and 8 bombers
3. Heavily armed and armored
4. Carries its own bomb payload
ii. You will be part of the operation that is going to destroy it before it is completed
iii. It is being constructed in Rostock on the Baltic Sea
iv. You are being sent to England for jump training
v. On March 1 you will embark from England on Carrier Task Force 19
vi. You and a company of US Rangers will be parachuted in at 3am on the night of March 10 on to the airfields near the shipyards
vii. Your primary objective is to secure the airfields and hold them against enemy counterattack
1. Once the airfields are secure you will send a coded message via radio "Excelsior"
2. This will signal bombers to unload on the shipyards
3. You and the Rangers will then board any aircraft that is usable and fly north to rendezvous with Carrier Task Force 19.
viii. Disposition of enemy forces
1. Rostock is not heavily garrisoned
2. Expect the Nazis to be largely third rate troops, old men and boys
3. Five companies of Wermacht regulars
4. 1 company of Panzers
5. The biggest threat is the possible presence of Dr. von Blud and his Ubermensch
6. Dossiers
7. The airfield is garrisoned by a company of the 134. Grenadiers, a reserve regiment.
ix. The Airfield
1. Your primary objective will be to destroy the planes located in the hangars out British friends have amusingly labeled the mount farm
2. After that, destroy the control tower, the fuels dump, and cause as many casualties amongst the pilots as you can. Taking them prisoner is also an option, but we will not be transporting prisoners out.
3. The technical site should be destroyed as well, and any research materials there should be recovered.
3. Interlude: Jump Training at Camp Barnam outside of London
a. Combat training with the rangers (5 xp bonus, must be spent on combat skills or edges, not powers)
i. Obstacle course, running, field craft training, etc…
b. Agility rolls for three training jumps, failure equals 2d12 damage and see below
4. Interlude: A traitor
a. Svetlana receives a mysterious message "meet me in Hyde Park on the 21st at 10pm by the rose garden."
b. Mysterious stranger standing under a lamp post, smoking a cigarette (Galushes)
i. Tan trench coat, black felt hat, hands and face wrapped in bandages
ii. Hands Svetlana an envelope
iii. Fades into the fog
5. Interlude: Hospital Number 9
a. Several of the Rangers injured when two planes collide during landing (after a training jump)
b. Those sent to hospital Number 9 fare well at first, but then go down hill
c. Mystery (PCs there may also be swept up) why do so many soldiers die at Hospital Number 9?
i. The Doctors and nurses are members of a secret vile cult that sacrifices blood and organs to Shub-Niggurath, the Goat with a Thousand Young
1. Altar in the woods near the hospital, pre-Celtic ruins
2. 15 cultists in total
3. Ritual sacrifices, scarification and orgies
4. Cult originated in France, came to England after the Fall of France
ii. Doctors:
1. Dr. Timothy Ville, British surgeon, young and affable
2. Dr. Henry Vouchard, French Surgeon, bitter and cantankerous
3. Dr. Llwylln Jones, Welsh surgeon, leader of the cult, distant and cruel
iii. Important Nurses:
1. Betty Greeves, Brisith head nurse, bitter and sarcastic
2. Suzzy Greenwood, American nurse young, pretty, and not entirely under the cult's influence
3. Emma Walthers, British nurse, young, pretty, and vindictive
iv. The Ritual
1. Timing, begin clock at 6:30 pm, ritual occurs at 8pm
2. A circle of nine celebrants are nude save for ornate goat's heads headdresses.
3. They surround the body of a young girl from the village, Maggie, who they have kidnapped.
4. Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young!
5. As the ritual completes, the chanting reaches a crescendo and Maggie unzips from neck to pubis, black light spills forth, strange vapors, and a tentacle emrges, the Dark Hound of Shub-Niggurath is born to rampage across the area.
6. Dark Hound of Shub-Niggurath
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d8 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d12, Vigor d12
Skills: Fighting d10, Howl d8, Notice d8, Stealth d10,
Pace: 9 Parry: 7 Toughness: 12
Special Abilities:
• Cause Madness: The sight of the Hound causes all to make a Spirit roll or suffer temporary insanity.
• Size +2
• Discordant Howl: The howl is a flame template area of effect that causes those hit to roll Spirit vs. the Hound's Howl or be shaken, wounded on a raise
• Low Light Vision
• Fast Regeneration
• Fearless
• Armor (Hide)
6. The Mission
a. Agility to pick landing place, Success= off 1d6 random, Raise= dead on, Failure= off 2d6 random, Crit= drift into trees
b. Agility to land, Success= shaken, Raise= fine, Failure= wound, Crit= 2 wounds
c. Initial resistance is minimal
d. Counter attack before dawn by 2 panzers, 1 company of grenadiers, and the Ubermensch
e. Bombers late, but arrive
f. Safe flight back
Friday, March 4, 2011
Session Notes 1
I have been asked to share my RPG session notes and outlines, this is the first of many. The campaign this one was written for is a low-powerd super heroes game set during WWII. Savage Worlds, a great system, is the one used.
The Beast Men of the Boundary Waters
1. Assemble the PCs in Washington
a. CASS: the Combined Allied Strategic Services
i. Exists to pool and share gifted personnel resources
ii. Used for overt and covert actions
iii. Deployed to counter Axis gifted resources
b. The American branch (Office of Strategic Services)
i. Offices in the Munitions Building on the Mall in Washington
1. Main Offices in the third floor, overlooking the reflecting pool rooms 314-329
2. R&D is in the basement, room 005
ii. Room 326
1. Mrs. Harriett Hall, secretary
a. Attractive lady in her late twenties, very formal and standoffish
2. PCs case manager: Captain Everett Block
a. One eyed ex-marine officer, served in the Great War and in Panama
b. Gritty, down to earth
c. Happy New Year to all, I pray this one will be better than the last.
iii. Housed in a Brownstone
1. Rooms for all
2. Detached garage
3. Basement
4. Staff
a. Housekeeper: Mrs. Burton
i. Older widow, mother hen
b. Maid: Missy
i. Black woman, young and pretty
c. Cook: Sally
i. Middle aged black woman, Missy's mother and married to Henry
d. Driver, gardener, handyman: Henry
i. Middle aged black man
iv. Have access to regular and special resources
c. Meet with Everett Block
2. The Mission
a. Primary Objective: secure Dr. Gruber and his research
i. Dr. Gruber is a noted biologist and chemist
1. Hand out dossier.
ii. His current research has been funded by the defense department and is meant to create a serum that will enhance the combat abilities of the average soldier.
iii. Dr. Gruber is a native born American, but has strong ties to the American Bund.
iv. His research assistant, Eliza Drew, has expressed her concerns about the doctor's political activities to the FBI.
1. Hand out dossier.
v. Dr. Gruber works at his private laboratory in the Boundary Waters region of Minnesota.
vi. You will travel to Chicago, Illinois and contact Deputy Director Melvin Purvis of the FBI.
b. Secondary Objective: prevent the Nazis from obtaining Dr. Gruber's research
i. Miss Drew has obtained information that suggests that Dr. Gruber is scheduled to meet with German Major Heinrich Strasser in St. Paul, Minnesota on the 5th of this month.
1. Hand Out Dossier
ii. Major Strasser was spotted in Montreal on December 23rd by Canadian operatives. They pursued, and three were killed.
iii. It is believed that Major Strasser has at least four SS agents with him, if not more.
c. Tertiary Objective: Maintain covert operation
i. The nature of Dr. Gruber's research must be kept top secret.
ii. Do not display your abilities or identities to civilians.
iii. Limit exposure of your abilities and identities to military personnel.
iv. The FBI is well briefed on your identities, abilities, and operations, consider them full partners and entirely read in to the OSS and CASS.
d. Resources
i. Due to the time critical nature of this operation, you are being provided with first class air tickets to Chicago, and from Chicago to St. Paul.
ii. The FBI can make additional resources, such as cars and other forms of transportation, available to you as needed.
iii. Hotel reservations have been made in the names of your cover identities.
iv. Each of you will be issued a sidearm, as needed.
v. Additionally, we have available for this mission the following weapons:
1. 2x Thompson Submachine guns
2. A BAR
3. 3x 12-guage pump action shotguns
4. 4x MK1 Hand Grenades
5. 6x bullet proof vests
6. An experimental restraint system (tangler shotgun shells)
vi. Good hunting!
3. The Journey
a. Interlude Table
b. Draw a card; hold onto it until the segment of the adventure called for is reached. If you play it, you get a bennie.
Card Result
2 (Boundary Waters or St. Paul) Trouble: Ambush by Nazi Agents
3-4 (Before Chicago) Obstacle: The plane loses a propeller, forcing it to make an emergency landing. At least a day, if not more, is lost.
5-6 (In Chicago) Injury: Caught in a bank robbery.
7-8 Trial: The cold and wet of the Boundary Waters gets to you, suffer a fatigue level on the day before getting to Dr. Gruber's laboratory.
9-10 (Boundary Waters) Wonder: Along the way you see the beautiful Bear Lake.
Jack (Anytime) Anecdote: Something amusing happens to your character.
Queen (Anytime) Memento: Something reminds you of a short story about your character's past.
King (Chicago) Clue: A mysterious lady in a blue dress gives you a clue to solving the mystery.
Ace (Boundary Waters) Treasure: While making camp, you come across a buried suitcase wrapped in oiled canvas. The suitcase contains $3000 and has the letters JD monogrammed on it.
Joker (Anytime) Luck of the Heroes: You get an extra bennie, describe why you are lucky this mission.
4. In Chicago
a. The PCs met with Deputy Director Purvis
i. The FBI does not have a clue as to where Strasser is.
ii. They know where Dr. Gruber's lab is in the Boundary Waters, and have Miss Drew in protective custody; the PCs can go talk to her.
iii. Arrangements have been made with the St. Paul office to supply canoes and other equipment.
b. At the safe house (a run down tenement on the south side)
i. The agents in stationed in a car out front are dead, a close range bullet wound in their head.
ii. In the single room apartment, there are three dead agents, a dead man of unknown origin, bullet holes, casings (.45 and 9mm), and no Miss Drew. The smell of cordite hangs in the air. From the alley below a car door slams and tires squeal.
iii. Three cars
iv. The lead has Strasser, two Nazi thugs, and Miss Drew.
v. #2 has four Nazi thugs
vi. #3 has three Nazi thugs and a Wolfen SS trooper.
c. The chase will lead from the Southside through the slums and out into the country. Police help is possible, but inadequate.
5. The Meeting in St. Paul
a. Gruber and Strasser are scheduled to meet at noon in the Blue Moon Café, downtown.
b. If Strasser gets away with the Miss Drew, then no one shows up.
c. If Strasser is stopped, only Gruber shows up.
i. Strasser is hoping to snatch Grubber at the meet, and dispose of the heroes
ii. He will have whatever troops he had before, plus eight Bund thugs armed with improvised melee weapons and pistols
iii. Gruber brings along two disguised beastmen goons
6. The Boundary Waters
a. Gruber's lab is thirty miles into the Boundary Waters on a small island in the middle of Seagull Lake
b. It is winter, the water is frozen solid and the travel will be difficult (Vigor check or 1 level of fatigue)
c. Bear attack
7. Dr. Gruber's Laboratory
a. The island is small, only three hundred by two hundred yards and heavily wooded with conifers and scattered deciduous trees.
b. The island is guarded by four beastmen armed with double barreled shotguns
c. If Strasser is available, he will be here with any troops he has left.
d. Strasser and Gruber are in the lab, Strasser's men are packing to leave.
e. The lab is a small wooden cabin (see map)
f. Strasser will send his men to fight, hoping to escape with Gruber, or at least Gruber's notes, on his armored aerosan.
The Beast Men of the Boundary Waters
1. Assemble the PCs in Washington
a. CASS: the Combined Allied Strategic Services
i. Exists to pool and share gifted personnel resources
ii. Used for overt and covert actions
iii. Deployed to counter Axis gifted resources
b. The American branch (Office of Strategic Services)
i. Offices in the Munitions Building on the Mall in Washington
1. Main Offices in the third floor, overlooking the reflecting pool rooms 314-329
2. R&D is in the basement, room 005
ii. Room 326
1. Mrs. Harriett Hall, secretary
a. Attractive lady in her late twenties, very formal and standoffish
2. PCs case manager: Captain Everett Block
a. One eyed ex-marine officer, served in the Great War and in Panama
b. Gritty, down to earth
c. Happy New Year to all, I pray this one will be better than the last.
iii. Housed in a Brownstone
1. Rooms for all
2. Detached garage
3. Basement
4. Staff
a. Housekeeper: Mrs. Burton
i. Older widow, mother hen
b. Maid: Missy
i. Black woman, young and pretty
c. Cook: Sally
i. Middle aged black woman, Missy's mother and married to Henry
d. Driver, gardener, handyman: Henry
i. Middle aged black man
iv. Have access to regular and special resources
c. Meet with Everett Block
2. The Mission
a. Primary Objective: secure Dr. Gruber and his research
i. Dr. Gruber is a noted biologist and chemist
1. Hand out dossier.
ii. His current research has been funded by the defense department and is meant to create a serum that will enhance the combat abilities of the average soldier.
iii. Dr. Gruber is a native born American, but has strong ties to the American Bund.
iv. His research assistant, Eliza Drew, has expressed her concerns about the doctor's political activities to the FBI.
1. Hand out dossier.
v. Dr. Gruber works at his private laboratory in the Boundary Waters region of Minnesota.
vi. You will travel to Chicago, Illinois and contact Deputy Director Melvin Purvis of the FBI.
b. Secondary Objective: prevent the Nazis from obtaining Dr. Gruber's research
i. Miss Drew has obtained information that suggests that Dr. Gruber is scheduled to meet with German Major Heinrich Strasser in St. Paul, Minnesota on the 5th of this month.
1. Hand Out Dossier
ii. Major Strasser was spotted in Montreal on December 23rd by Canadian operatives. They pursued, and three were killed.
iii. It is believed that Major Strasser has at least four SS agents with him, if not more.
c. Tertiary Objective: Maintain covert operation
i. The nature of Dr. Gruber's research must be kept top secret.
ii. Do not display your abilities or identities to civilians.
iii. Limit exposure of your abilities and identities to military personnel.
iv. The FBI is well briefed on your identities, abilities, and operations, consider them full partners and entirely read in to the OSS and CASS.
d. Resources
i. Due to the time critical nature of this operation, you are being provided with first class air tickets to Chicago, and from Chicago to St. Paul.
ii. The FBI can make additional resources, such as cars and other forms of transportation, available to you as needed.
iii. Hotel reservations have been made in the names of your cover identities.
iv. Each of you will be issued a sidearm, as needed.
v. Additionally, we have available for this mission the following weapons:
1. 2x Thompson Submachine guns
2. A BAR
3. 3x 12-guage pump action shotguns
4. 4x MK1 Hand Grenades
5. 6x bullet proof vests
6. An experimental restraint system (tangler shotgun shells)
vi. Good hunting!
3. The Journey
a. Interlude Table
b. Draw a card; hold onto it until the segment of the adventure called for is reached. If you play it, you get a bennie.
Card Result
2 (Boundary Waters or St. Paul) Trouble: Ambush by Nazi Agents
3-4 (Before Chicago) Obstacle: The plane loses a propeller, forcing it to make an emergency landing. At least a day, if not more, is lost.
5-6 (In Chicago) Injury: Caught in a bank robbery.
7-8 Trial: The cold and wet of the Boundary Waters gets to you, suffer a fatigue level on the day before getting to Dr. Gruber's laboratory.
9-10 (Boundary Waters) Wonder: Along the way you see the beautiful Bear Lake.
Jack (Anytime) Anecdote: Something amusing happens to your character.
Queen (Anytime) Memento: Something reminds you of a short story about your character's past.
King (Chicago) Clue: A mysterious lady in a blue dress gives you a clue to solving the mystery.
Ace (Boundary Waters) Treasure: While making camp, you come across a buried suitcase wrapped in oiled canvas. The suitcase contains $3000 and has the letters JD monogrammed on it.
Joker (Anytime) Luck of the Heroes: You get an extra bennie, describe why you are lucky this mission.
4. In Chicago
a. The PCs met with Deputy Director Purvis
i. The FBI does not have a clue as to where Strasser is.
ii. They know where Dr. Gruber's lab is in the Boundary Waters, and have Miss Drew in protective custody; the PCs can go talk to her.
iii. Arrangements have been made with the St. Paul office to supply canoes and other equipment.
b. At the safe house (a run down tenement on the south side)
i. The agents in stationed in a car out front are dead, a close range bullet wound in their head.
ii. In the single room apartment, there are three dead agents, a dead man of unknown origin, bullet holes, casings (.45 and 9mm), and no Miss Drew. The smell of cordite hangs in the air. From the alley below a car door slams and tires squeal.
iii. Three cars
iv. The lead has Strasser, two Nazi thugs, and Miss Drew.
v. #2 has four Nazi thugs
vi. #3 has three Nazi thugs and a Wolfen SS trooper.
c. The chase will lead from the Southside through the slums and out into the country. Police help is possible, but inadequate.
5. The Meeting in St. Paul
a. Gruber and Strasser are scheduled to meet at noon in the Blue Moon Café, downtown.
b. If Strasser gets away with the Miss Drew, then no one shows up.
c. If Strasser is stopped, only Gruber shows up.
i. Strasser is hoping to snatch Grubber at the meet, and dispose of the heroes
ii. He will have whatever troops he had before, plus eight Bund thugs armed with improvised melee weapons and pistols
iii. Gruber brings along two disguised beastmen goons
6. The Boundary Waters
a. Gruber's lab is thirty miles into the Boundary Waters on a small island in the middle of Seagull Lake
b. It is winter, the water is frozen solid and the travel will be difficult (Vigor check or 1 level of fatigue)
c. Bear attack
7. Dr. Gruber's Laboratory
a. The island is small, only three hundred by two hundred yards and heavily wooded with conifers and scattered deciduous trees.
b. The island is guarded by four beastmen armed with double barreled shotguns
c. If Strasser is available, he will be here with any troops he has left.
d. Strasser and Gruber are in the lab, Strasser's men are packing to leave.
e. The lab is a small wooden cabin (see map)
f. Strasser will send his men to fight, hoping to escape with Gruber, or at least Gruber's notes, on his armored aerosan.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
GenCon Indy 2010 After Action Report, Part One
GenCon Indy 2010 After-Action Report, Part One
Its Wednesday, I'm back in the office, and still excited over the best four days in gaming. I met a lot of old friends, made many new friends, talked to some of my favorite authors, and managed to play in three games. The seminars were very helpful, especially Breaking into RPG Writing and The Rules of Writing. The exhibit hall was a blast, and between shaking hands and passing out business cards I picked up a book or two (actually, ninety-six books and magazines). In the coming weeks I will post reviews of these, both new titles out this year and older ones (Snarfquest being the oldest).
Of the three games I played, Terrorwerks was the best, but all three were a great time. For those of you who don't know, Terrorwerks is a LARP with the emphasis on action. You play part of a space marine or corporate team sent to rescue a hostage and stop a space ship from crashing into a colony world. Armed with an airsoft gun and sheer courage, you face off against pirates, aliens, and zombies in a wild new definition of first person shooter. As the Unitek representative, I did my best to channel Paul Riser and perform by role as corporate scum. To summarize forty-minutes of high action gameplay, I managed to achieve all of my secondary objectives, but failed my primary goal of survival. I will definitely play this again, and again, every Con I go to that they are at.
Along similar lines, I played in a The Rising Zombie LARP, as a zombie. Another good game, though not on the same level as Terrorwerks. This one used soft darts and foam weapons, and featured (at least for the survivors) a series of puzzles and room based encounters. As a zombie, I got to shamble from encounter to encounter and try and eat survivors. Getting killed, respawning, and going back in was a hoot, and gave me a great idea for a PCs as Zombies game.
In an entirely different vein, I managed to get in a game of the Tower of Gygax. Not only did the proceeds go to the Gygax Memorial Fund, the old school dungeon crawl was great fun. It brought back a lot of memories (and also how to use THACO) as I and my party of misfits tried to solve the puzzles in room after room. I died, but then, most people do. Sadly, my elf mage figured out the death trap too late, tried to cast sleep on himself (so he wouldn't feel it), and made his resist sleep and charm roll, c'est la vie.
GenCon is really the gathering of the tribe, and I had the opportunity to see some old friends. I had a lovely dinner with Lori Tankersley and Kristina Bayer (along with, Ted Snider, Lori's boyfriend and my wife). I hadn't seen either of them in over a decade. While walking through the halls, I ran into: Art McGeee, Jeremy Mullis, Brandon Robinson (who I last saw at high school graduation), Brave Tim (sorry Tim, I didn't need you to lead me to the food court this time), Mindy Grayson, Tod Puletz (what does it say when old gaming buddies spend more time showing pictures of their kids than talking gaming), Good Kip, Jay Cline and his fiancé Jamie Overdeer (the Legends of Vincennes game shop folks), Chris Fitzpatrick (Crocodile Games is doing some wonderful stuff, just don't tell the wife I was looking at minis again), Brian Roe (wish we could have talked more), Jeff Gilbert, Kelly (soon to be Gilbert) Lethgo, Ty Brewer, Bill Yocum, my sister (I will not apologize for the Jail 'n' Bail, and await your wrath), her new husband (married August 6th), and his son.
In part two I'll talk about the industry folks I met, as well as the seminars and workshops I attended.
Its Wednesday, I'm back in the office, and still excited over the best four days in gaming. I met a lot of old friends, made many new friends, talked to some of my favorite authors, and managed to play in three games. The seminars were very helpful, especially Breaking into RPG Writing and The Rules of Writing. The exhibit hall was a blast, and between shaking hands and passing out business cards I picked up a book or two (actually, ninety-six books and magazines). In the coming weeks I will post reviews of these, both new titles out this year and older ones (Snarfquest being the oldest).
Of the three games I played, Terrorwerks was the best, but all three were a great time. For those of you who don't know, Terrorwerks is a LARP with the emphasis on action. You play part of a space marine or corporate team sent to rescue a hostage and stop a space ship from crashing into a colony world. Armed with an airsoft gun and sheer courage, you face off against pirates, aliens, and zombies in a wild new definition of first person shooter. As the Unitek representative, I did my best to channel Paul Riser and perform by role as corporate scum. To summarize forty-minutes of high action gameplay, I managed to achieve all of my secondary objectives, but failed my primary goal of survival. I will definitely play this again, and again, every Con I go to that they are at.
Along similar lines, I played in a The Rising Zombie LARP, as a zombie. Another good game, though not on the same level as Terrorwerks. This one used soft darts and foam weapons, and featured (at least for the survivors) a series of puzzles and room based encounters. As a zombie, I got to shamble from encounter to encounter and try and eat survivors. Getting killed, respawning, and going back in was a hoot, and gave me a great idea for a PCs as Zombies game.
In an entirely different vein, I managed to get in a game of the Tower of Gygax. Not only did the proceeds go to the Gygax Memorial Fund, the old school dungeon crawl was great fun. It brought back a lot of memories (and also how to use THACO) as I and my party of misfits tried to solve the puzzles in room after room. I died, but then, most people do. Sadly, my elf mage figured out the death trap too late, tried to cast sleep on himself (so he wouldn't feel it), and made his resist sleep and charm roll, c'est la vie.
GenCon is really the gathering of the tribe, and I had the opportunity to see some old friends. I had a lovely dinner with Lori Tankersley and Kristina Bayer (along with, Ted Snider, Lori's boyfriend and my wife). I hadn't seen either of them in over a decade. While walking through the halls, I ran into: Art McGeee, Jeremy Mullis, Brandon Robinson (who I last saw at high school graduation), Brave Tim (sorry Tim, I didn't need you to lead me to the food court this time), Mindy Grayson, Tod Puletz (what does it say when old gaming buddies spend more time showing pictures of their kids than talking gaming), Good Kip, Jay Cline and his fiancé Jamie Overdeer (the Legends of Vincennes game shop folks), Chris Fitzpatrick (Crocodile Games is doing some wonderful stuff, just don't tell the wife I was looking at minis again), Brian Roe (wish we could have talked more), Jeff Gilbert, Kelly (soon to be Gilbert) Lethgo, Ty Brewer, Bill Yocum, my sister (I will not apologize for the Jail 'n' Bail, and await your wrath), her new husband (married August 6th), and his son.
In part two I'll talk about the industry folks I met, as well as the seminars and workshops I attended.
Far Kadish
For the new players in my Wednesday night D&D game:
Far Kadish
Kadish was the heartland of a vast empire that spread across the Sea of Wyrms. In ages past, the Empire was a great center of learning and mystical power, and that is what led to its destruction. Millennia ago five brothers vied for the crown, calling on every possible advantage they could gain over their foes. As the civil war drug on, first one brother, and then the others, called on powers from beyond the world, unleashing horrible monstrosities on the Empire.
Kadish itself was devastated; its citizens fled the grand cities into the jungle, and monsters of all types were loosed upon the land. Across the Sea of Wyrms, the Empire's colonies struggled to survive the death of the motherland, but soon they fell to barbarian invaders. In the following centuries, these invaders rebuilt the cities in their own styles, and now rule seven city-states that stand between the sea and the wild hinterlands beyond.
The Pirate Coast
Forty-five years ago, explorers seeking the lost treasures of Kadish were blown off course to the southeast. After sailing for weeks without any sight of land, they spotted a long archipelago sitting in the Southern Ocean. After making landfall, they found a tropical paradise free of dangerous creatures, and inhabited by tribes friendly gnomes. The islands were rich in gold, pearls, jade, emeralds, and exotic animals, but their greatest treasure were the spices that the gnomes used to cook and preserve food. Ginger, nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon, hot peppers, and allspice were wondrous new flavors to the Lystrakan explorers. Soon the ships were repaired and a route home calculated, and the brave explorers returned to the city of Javik, and to a heroes' welcome. In the ensuing years, merchants continued to make the long journey to the Spice Islands and back, reaping great rewards.
Soon, brave entrepreneurs established resupply ports along the jungle-covered coasts that the spice ships sailed off of. Many of these outposts were destroyed or poorly situated, but two have become small cities in their own rights. Saó Toma and Ríslu are the most prominent, but Sailor's Rest, Havret's Post, Point Breaker, and Perdido are well established. Soon after the spice trade began, pirates descended on the merchant ships, prompting many to form convoys for their own protection. The merchant houses of Lystraka began arming their ships, and even hiring privateers to combat the growing pirate scourge. Their private navies and marines are a common sight in the ports, and the merchant houses hold the real power. Only one port, Saó Toma , remains outside of the control of the merchant houses, and is the only place an independent ship can safely put into harbor and resupply.
In response, the individual pirate captains have formed an alliance, the Brotherhood of the Black Flag. They operate out of hidden ports and out of the way islands, swooping out to attack a convoy and pick off any stragglers. Their many successes and dashing ways have made them famous amongst the populations of the Lystrakan city-states, much to the merchant houses' disgust.
Plantations have been established on the Crab, Black, and Dragon Rivers, and a brisk trade in tobacco, sugar, and indigo has added to the wealth extracted from the Pirate Coast and the jungles of Far Kadish. These plantations are heavily fortified affairs and most are owned by one of the great merchant houses. Labor was once provided by natives of the jungle, however they proved both too intractable and too few in number to meet demands, and so indentured labor from the Lystrakan city-states have been imported. Most of the indentured laborers are not volunteers, but people transported to the new colonies as punishment for crimes. The prisoners are sold to a merchant house, or more rarely an independent operator, who then sends them to the plantations for a ten-year term of service. As the city-states are constantly vying for dominance, the fate of captured soldiers is often transportation, and a lingering death in the jungles of Far Kadish.
The Lost Ruins of Kadish
Shortly over a decade ago, ruins were found near the port of Saó Toma, ruins that date to the Empire of Kadish. This prompted a rush of explorers and tomb raiders who have flooded the ports of the Pirate Coast looking for lost treasures and magical artifacts. The treasure trade now rivals the spice trade for its ability to generate wealth, as expeditions return from the jungles laden with priceless artifacts. Not every expedition returns, as the jungles are still home to monstrosities created during the war or called forth from the Far Realms.
To date, only a handful of ruins that were once towns have been found, and no major city has been located and looted. Most of the expeditions follow the rivers up from the coasts, but a growing number strike overland, hacking their way through the jungle. Progress is slow, but the chance of finding one of the lost cities of Far Kadish drive men and women on, all too often to their deaths.
The Seven City-States of Lystraka
The city-states of Lystraka trace their founding to the colonies flung by the Empire of Kadish across the Sea of Wyrms. Conquered by hordes of barbarians from the west during the fall of the Empire, the cities today bear little resemblance to their past glories. Each city-state sits on the coast, and controls the surrounding farmland and secondary towns, often not much more than fifty or so miles inland. Beyond that lays savage wilderness populated by fierce beasts and wild barbarians.
Evarnton, the Broad Beamed
Rivaling Iros for oddity, Evarnton is a tree city that sprawls for miles inland from the coast. It does not have a very active port, and is one of the least nautically minded of the city-states. What it does have is natural beauty and an abundance of lumber, coal, and iron ore brought from the Karst Mountains to the west. The people of Evarnton are often accused of being as stout and thick as the lumber they cut, an accusation often taken by Evarntonites as a complement.
Ruler: Lord Mayor Yarlvest
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Alignment: Good
Races: Human, Dwarf, Eladrin, Shifter
Economy: Lumber, Mining, Manufacturing
Iros, the Spired City
Built atop the remains of five grand towers built during the days of the Empire, Iros presents an unusual view to the visitor. The spires soar high above the ground (save for Sea Spire, which rises out of Blue Wheat Bay) and contain the city's entire population. Bridges of stone, wood, and rope span the distances between the main spires and the secondary spires that rise from their sides. Iros has been described by some as resembling five intricate shells upon which a spider has built its home.
Ruler: King Hassin IV
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Alignment: Unaligned
Races: Human, Dwarf, Half-Orc
Economy: Agriculture, Trade, and Manufacturing
Javik, City of Ports
Javik is actually seven small towns that have grown together over the centuries to form a large sprawling metropolis. Its position in the center of the Lystrakan Coast has earned it a place as the greatest of trading ports. Two of the Great Merchant Houses, House Iolis and House Kelphis have their home offices here. The city controls a small amount of surrounding land, and its farms cannot support its growing population. Besides trade, Javik is also known as a center of banking and the arts.
Ruler: The Council of Houses
Government: Oligarchy
Alignment: Unaligned
Races: Human, Minotaur, Halfling
Economy: Trade, Banking
Makeen, City of Temples
Famed as the home of the grandest and most influential temples in all of Lystraka, Makeen is also a city known for its learning and arts. Of the six principle deities of the Lystrakan pantheon, only Gortosh, He Who Shall Not be Called, lacks a religious complex. The others dominate the city, both physically and politically. Each temple vies with the others for importance, and naturally advertising their wealth and splendor in the name of the gods, is the best means of demonstrating the power of a cult. The temples are thus great patrons of architects, sculptures, painters, gold smiths, and tailors.
Ruler: Hierophant Augusti XX
Government: Theocracy
Alignment: Good
Races: Human, Dwarf, Eladrin
Economy: Manufacturing, Tourism
Monrovia the Beautiful
Monrovia's gleaming white walls rise out of the Bay of Angels and encompass the entirety of the Island of Dreams upon which the city sits. Elegant arches and towers crown the sky, and the city's many museums, universities, and libraries are the envy of all others. Monrovia is a city dedicated to the arts and learning, and as such boasts the greatest and most creative minds in all of Lystraka.
Ruler: High Chancellor Linquist
Government: Meritocracy
Alignment: Unaligned
Races: Human, Eladrin
Economy: Education, Tourism
Peshtar, the Greedy
Long known as the most ambitious and aggressive of the city-states, Peshtar seeks to rebuild the lost Empire of Kadish, with its ruler, Emperor Ratherton, at its head. The city is home to one of the three Great Merchant Houses, the Imperial Trading Company, of which the Emperor is the majority shareholder. His armies and navies prowl the world, looking for wealth to steal and foes to vanquish. Imperial agents can be found throughout Lystraka, the Pirate Coast, and the Spice Islands, sniffing out intrigue abroad and treason at home.
Ruler: Emperor Ratherton
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Alignment: Evil
Races: Human, Dragonborn
Economy: Trade, Manufacturing, and Warfare
Thessalorika, the Clever
Whereas Monrovia is known for its high thought, Thessalorika is famous for its craftsmanship and engineering. The city is a stinking, smog and soot covered labyrinth of foundries, workshops, tenements, and dockyards. The most beautiful sword may come from Monrovia, the most delicate holy symbol from Makeen, or the most exotic wooden furniture from Evarnton, but the best-made and utilitarian objects are made in Thessalorika.
Ruler: Queen Ruth V
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Alignment: Unaligned
Races: Human, Dwarf, Tiefling, Dragonborn
Economy: Trade, Manufacturing
Far Kadish
Kadish was the heartland of a vast empire that spread across the Sea of Wyrms. In ages past, the Empire was a great center of learning and mystical power, and that is what led to its destruction. Millennia ago five brothers vied for the crown, calling on every possible advantage they could gain over their foes. As the civil war drug on, first one brother, and then the others, called on powers from beyond the world, unleashing horrible monstrosities on the Empire.
Kadish itself was devastated; its citizens fled the grand cities into the jungle, and monsters of all types were loosed upon the land. Across the Sea of Wyrms, the Empire's colonies struggled to survive the death of the motherland, but soon they fell to barbarian invaders. In the following centuries, these invaders rebuilt the cities in their own styles, and now rule seven city-states that stand between the sea and the wild hinterlands beyond.
The Pirate Coast
Forty-five years ago, explorers seeking the lost treasures of Kadish were blown off course to the southeast. After sailing for weeks without any sight of land, they spotted a long archipelago sitting in the Southern Ocean. After making landfall, they found a tropical paradise free of dangerous creatures, and inhabited by tribes friendly gnomes. The islands were rich in gold, pearls, jade, emeralds, and exotic animals, but their greatest treasure were the spices that the gnomes used to cook and preserve food. Ginger, nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon, hot peppers, and allspice were wondrous new flavors to the Lystrakan explorers. Soon the ships were repaired and a route home calculated, and the brave explorers returned to the city of Javik, and to a heroes' welcome. In the ensuing years, merchants continued to make the long journey to the Spice Islands and back, reaping great rewards.
Soon, brave entrepreneurs established resupply ports along the jungle-covered coasts that the spice ships sailed off of. Many of these outposts were destroyed or poorly situated, but two have become small cities in their own rights. Saó Toma and Ríslu are the most prominent, but Sailor's Rest, Havret's Post, Point Breaker, and Perdido are well established. Soon after the spice trade began, pirates descended on the merchant ships, prompting many to form convoys for their own protection. The merchant houses of Lystraka began arming their ships, and even hiring privateers to combat the growing pirate scourge. Their private navies and marines are a common sight in the ports, and the merchant houses hold the real power. Only one port, Saó Toma , remains outside of the control of the merchant houses, and is the only place an independent ship can safely put into harbor and resupply.
In response, the individual pirate captains have formed an alliance, the Brotherhood of the Black Flag. They operate out of hidden ports and out of the way islands, swooping out to attack a convoy and pick off any stragglers. Their many successes and dashing ways have made them famous amongst the populations of the Lystrakan city-states, much to the merchant houses' disgust.
Plantations have been established on the Crab, Black, and Dragon Rivers, and a brisk trade in tobacco, sugar, and indigo has added to the wealth extracted from the Pirate Coast and the jungles of Far Kadish. These plantations are heavily fortified affairs and most are owned by one of the great merchant houses. Labor was once provided by natives of the jungle, however they proved both too intractable and too few in number to meet demands, and so indentured labor from the Lystrakan city-states have been imported. Most of the indentured laborers are not volunteers, but people transported to the new colonies as punishment for crimes. The prisoners are sold to a merchant house, or more rarely an independent operator, who then sends them to the plantations for a ten-year term of service. As the city-states are constantly vying for dominance, the fate of captured soldiers is often transportation, and a lingering death in the jungles of Far Kadish.
The Lost Ruins of Kadish
Shortly over a decade ago, ruins were found near the port of Saó Toma, ruins that date to the Empire of Kadish. This prompted a rush of explorers and tomb raiders who have flooded the ports of the Pirate Coast looking for lost treasures and magical artifacts. The treasure trade now rivals the spice trade for its ability to generate wealth, as expeditions return from the jungles laden with priceless artifacts. Not every expedition returns, as the jungles are still home to monstrosities created during the war or called forth from the Far Realms.
To date, only a handful of ruins that were once towns have been found, and no major city has been located and looted. Most of the expeditions follow the rivers up from the coasts, but a growing number strike overland, hacking their way through the jungle. Progress is slow, but the chance of finding one of the lost cities of Far Kadish drive men and women on, all too often to their deaths.
The Seven City-States of Lystraka
The city-states of Lystraka trace their founding to the colonies flung by the Empire of Kadish across the Sea of Wyrms. Conquered by hordes of barbarians from the west during the fall of the Empire, the cities today bear little resemblance to their past glories. Each city-state sits on the coast, and controls the surrounding farmland and secondary towns, often not much more than fifty or so miles inland. Beyond that lays savage wilderness populated by fierce beasts and wild barbarians.
Evarnton, the Broad Beamed
Rivaling Iros for oddity, Evarnton is a tree city that sprawls for miles inland from the coast. It does not have a very active port, and is one of the least nautically minded of the city-states. What it does have is natural beauty and an abundance of lumber, coal, and iron ore brought from the Karst Mountains to the west. The people of Evarnton are often accused of being as stout and thick as the lumber they cut, an accusation often taken by Evarntonites as a complement.
Ruler: Lord Mayor Yarlvest
Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Alignment: Good
Races: Human, Dwarf, Eladrin, Shifter
Economy: Lumber, Mining, Manufacturing
Iros, the Spired City
Built atop the remains of five grand towers built during the days of the Empire, Iros presents an unusual view to the visitor. The spires soar high above the ground (save for Sea Spire, which rises out of Blue Wheat Bay) and contain the city's entire population. Bridges of stone, wood, and rope span the distances between the main spires and the secondary spires that rise from their sides. Iros has been described by some as resembling five intricate shells upon which a spider has built its home.
Ruler: King Hassin IV
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Alignment: Unaligned
Races: Human, Dwarf, Half-Orc
Economy: Agriculture, Trade, and Manufacturing
Javik, City of Ports
Javik is actually seven small towns that have grown together over the centuries to form a large sprawling metropolis. Its position in the center of the Lystrakan Coast has earned it a place as the greatest of trading ports. Two of the Great Merchant Houses, House Iolis and House Kelphis have their home offices here. The city controls a small amount of surrounding land, and its farms cannot support its growing population. Besides trade, Javik is also known as a center of banking and the arts.
Ruler: The Council of Houses
Government: Oligarchy
Alignment: Unaligned
Races: Human, Minotaur, Halfling
Economy: Trade, Banking
Makeen, City of Temples
Famed as the home of the grandest and most influential temples in all of Lystraka, Makeen is also a city known for its learning and arts. Of the six principle deities of the Lystrakan pantheon, only Gortosh, He Who Shall Not be Called, lacks a religious complex. The others dominate the city, both physically and politically. Each temple vies with the others for importance, and naturally advertising their wealth and splendor in the name of the gods, is the best means of demonstrating the power of a cult. The temples are thus great patrons of architects, sculptures, painters, gold smiths, and tailors.
Ruler: Hierophant Augusti XX
Government: Theocracy
Alignment: Good
Races: Human, Dwarf, Eladrin
Economy: Manufacturing, Tourism
Monrovia the Beautiful
Monrovia's gleaming white walls rise out of the Bay of Angels and encompass the entirety of the Island of Dreams upon which the city sits. Elegant arches and towers crown the sky, and the city's many museums, universities, and libraries are the envy of all others. Monrovia is a city dedicated to the arts and learning, and as such boasts the greatest and most creative minds in all of Lystraka.
Ruler: High Chancellor Linquist
Government: Meritocracy
Alignment: Unaligned
Races: Human, Eladrin
Economy: Education, Tourism
Peshtar, the Greedy
Long known as the most ambitious and aggressive of the city-states, Peshtar seeks to rebuild the lost Empire of Kadish, with its ruler, Emperor Ratherton, at its head. The city is home to one of the three Great Merchant Houses, the Imperial Trading Company, of which the Emperor is the majority shareholder. His armies and navies prowl the world, looking for wealth to steal and foes to vanquish. Imperial agents can be found throughout Lystraka, the Pirate Coast, and the Spice Islands, sniffing out intrigue abroad and treason at home.
Ruler: Emperor Ratherton
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Alignment: Evil
Races: Human, Dragonborn
Economy: Trade, Manufacturing, and Warfare
Thessalorika, the Clever
Whereas Monrovia is known for its high thought, Thessalorika is famous for its craftsmanship and engineering. The city is a stinking, smog and soot covered labyrinth of foundries, workshops, tenements, and dockyards. The most beautiful sword may come from Monrovia, the most delicate holy symbol from Makeen, or the most exotic wooden furniture from Evarnton, but the best-made and utilitarian objects are made in Thessalorika.
Ruler: Queen Ruth V
Government: Absolute Monarchy
Alignment: Unaligned
Races: Human, Dwarf, Tiefling, Dragonborn
Economy: Trade, Manufacturing
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The End of Role-playing?
In response to all the doom and gloom predictions I have been hearing about role-playing for the past twenty-five years:
There can be more than one Golden Age, and I think we are entering a third. Some companies and stores are struggling, but the industry remains strong. Here's why:
In my home town, if I am looking for a game, I have six brick and mortar options, two dedicated game stores, a comic shop, Half-Priced Books, Borders, and Barnes and Noble. Add in internet vendors, and you have tons of options to buy whatever you are looking for at the price you want.
In the tiny town I live in, there isn't even a bookstore, but there is a game store, albeit a small and irregularly operated one.
I started gaming in 1984, and the only place that I used to shop that doesn't carry games anymore is Toys R' Us. Sure some dedicated game stores have closed, but that's the way of small businesses.
There are still big companies out there putting out product, but there are a lot more small press publishers, and the bar for publication and distribution is lower than it ever has been. I applaud the guy with a laptop who writes games on the side. He adds vibrancy to a hobby that should not ever be solely in the hands of corporations.
As a freelancer with one year in the industry, I am making enough to quit my part-time job tutoring in a publicly funded after school program. I couldn't support my family on what I make as a writer, yet, but I hope to be making as much as I would as a full time teacher in the next five years.
The internet has enabled a tremendous growth in game companies, though many are small affairs. As a freelancer, i have worked for companies in the US and Europe, something that would have been very difficult back in '84. Imagine how things will be once the industry manages to penetrate emerging markets in India and China? Whoever writes an rpg that has broad appeal in India will be very rich, assuming that gamers could potentially make up one half of one percent of the population (that's what, 5 million customers).
New gamers are being born, not just recruited. I know several gamers who have kids, and whose kids are growing up in the gaming culture. If we think our hobby is good, than it will be passed on to the next generation in ways that other hobbies, model trains or woodworking, just don't. The bar for entrance into role playing is low, if you can read, write, do some basic math, and have an imagination, you're in.
Roleplaying is a natural human activity, one that everyone engages in, what we do is add structure to it. Children who grow up in an environment where rpgs are a natural part of life are more likely to take them up when they are of an age to play them. Sure, there's the rebellion against the parent's thing, but that may very well take the form of not playing daddy's games.
Finally, the basic concepts and underlying premises of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror are now mainstream. How much easier is it going to be to attract new gamers when the genres our games are based on are so much more accessible? The very concept of playing a game based around the actions of a few heroes, where you take the role of one of the heroes is part and parcel of video games today. Once someone sees that they can transfer this from a system where they have limited (broader than they used to be, but still limited) choices to a system where they have nearly unlimited choices as to their character and actions (not to mention that settings are limited purely by ones imagination), the draw to tabletop role-playing should be obvious.
In summation, rpgs are here to stay and will continue to grow. They will evolve and change, as will the industry, but I foresee sitting around the table in forty years, breaking out D&D 15.65 and complaining with my friends about how they've changed it so much and 14.0 was such a better product. Then we'll actually play it , and stop whining long enough to have fun.
There can be more than one Golden Age, and I think we are entering a third. Some companies and stores are struggling, but the industry remains strong. Here's why:
In my home town, if I am looking for a game, I have six brick and mortar options, two dedicated game stores, a comic shop, Half-Priced Books, Borders, and Barnes and Noble. Add in internet vendors, and you have tons of options to buy whatever you are looking for at the price you want.
In the tiny town I live in, there isn't even a bookstore, but there is a game store, albeit a small and irregularly operated one.
I started gaming in 1984, and the only place that I used to shop that doesn't carry games anymore is Toys R' Us. Sure some dedicated game stores have closed, but that's the way of small businesses.
There are still big companies out there putting out product, but there are a lot more small press publishers, and the bar for publication and distribution is lower than it ever has been. I applaud the guy with a laptop who writes games on the side. He adds vibrancy to a hobby that should not ever be solely in the hands of corporations.
As a freelancer with one year in the industry, I am making enough to quit my part-time job tutoring in a publicly funded after school program. I couldn't support my family on what I make as a writer, yet, but I hope to be making as much as I would as a full time teacher in the next five years.
The internet has enabled a tremendous growth in game companies, though many are small affairs. As a freelancer, i have worked for companies in the US and Europe, something that would have been very difficult back in '84. Imagine how things will be once the industry manages to penetrate emerging markets in India and China? Whoever writes an rpg that has broad appeal in India will be very rich, assuming that gamers could potentially make up one half of one percent of the population (that's what, 5 million customers).
New gamers are being born, not just recruited. I know several gamers who have kids, and whose kids are growing up in the gaming culture. If we think our hobby is good, than it will be passed on to the next generation in ways that other hobbies, model trains or woodworking, just don't. The bar for entrance into role playing is low, if you can read, write, do some basic math, and have an imagination, you're in.
Roleplaying is a natural human activity, one that everyone engages in, what we do is add structure to it. Children who grow up in an environment where rpgs are a natural part of life are more likely to take them up when they are of an age to play them. Sure, there's the rebellion against the parent's thing, but that may very well take the form of not playing daddy's games.
Finally, the basic concepts and underlying premises of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror are now mainstream. How much easier is it going to be to attract new gamers when the genres our games are based on are so much more accessible? The very concept of playing a game based around the actions of a few heroes, where you take the role of one of the heroes is part and parcel of video games today. Once someone sees that they can transfer this from a system where they have limited (broader than they used to be, but still limited) choices to a system where they have nearly unlimited choices as to their character and actions (not to mention that settings are limited purely by ones imagination), the draw to tabletop role-playing should be obvious.
In summation, rpgs are here to stay and will continue to grow. They will evolve and change, as will the industry, but I foresee sitting around the table in forty years, breaking out D&D 15.65 and complaining with my friends about how they've changed it so much and 14.0 was such a better product. Then we'll actually play it , and stop whining long enough to have fun.
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