The Good Gaming Blog

An Apology and Explanation for Absence

2012-07-22T02:40:00.002-04:00

An apology for my absence, an explanation, and a discussion of where this blog goes in the near future.

I would like to first say that I thank each and every one of you who has contacted me through the last few months, and especially in the last few weeks, asking about new content on the Good Gaming Blog. I also thank those who, after hearing what has been going on, have sent well wishes for my hopeful continuance of work on this project.

Around four months ago I suffered an injury falling down and hitting my head. Though the injury seemed to be minor it has since gone further, causing troubles with motor function, word choice, and general ability to be useful to the community at large. I was able to go through with sporadic posts and the assistance of someone typing up my notes until shortly after my post discussing my new blog covering obscure and odd Omegle Questions. In the last weeks my condition has deteriorated making walking and typing difficult, though I have been able to recover a large amount of my faculty for speech. I am currently going through a period of unemployment, and hope to get everything resolved in the near future. I am 'simulcasting' this post to several locations to allow for users who have been looking for me to know what is going on, and allowing the person who has helped me to generate this statement to distribute it to anyone who may need anything.

Rest assured that I have been gathering notes, through the help of a friend who has proven invaluable in the last few months since my initial injury, and will be looking forward to posting more new Folklore Fridays, work on Modern, Science Fiction, and Fantasy settings, and even some new articles on the Economy of D&D. In fact, the person who is assisting me has probably become tiresome over the fact that my difficulty with typing (and new lack of a functioning speech-to-text system), has made their life a living Hell.

Again, I thank you for your patience during this trying time, and hope to get back to being a meaningful contributor to our discussions on this blog and forums around the Net. If you wish to speak to me in regards to anything you may contact me directly at my email, which is my name on the forum/blog @ gmail.com.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

New Blog: Obscure Omegle Questions

2012-06-24T08:49:00.004-04:00

Where I shamelessly shill my newest project: A series of weird questions and Omegler responses.

Hey gentlemen and ladies out there in my blogosphere. Just opened up a new blog over at Obscure Omegle Questions. Since Omegle got its question function I have been debating what to do with it... And I feel I have found my niche. Check it out, spread the word, and treat yourselves.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Folklore Friday: Feet of Clay: The Golem

2012-06-22T15:57:00.000-04:00

Feet, hands, and heads of clay, Folklore Friday looks into the tales of the Golem and similar creatures in tales from around the world.

The Golem. While many, if not most, of my readers play Dungeons and Dragons, those who I speak to seem to encounter very few actual dragons. Even with this lack of draconic love, I cannot recall a single game where some form of the Golem has not appeared. Heck, the Golem is so popular that an entire monster type (Construct) appeared in the 3.x edition of Dungeons and Dragons with specialized rules for all of the creatures produced under the imaginative umbrella of this simple man of clay.

The Golem has had a history with players of roleplaying games since the beginning of the hobby… but did you know that the concept of the Golem as presented in fantasy roleplaying is one of the newest additions to the classical monsters found in Dungeons and Dragons and its spinoffs? Indeed, the Golem both predates and postdates the creation of dragons, wyverns, and other beasts that creep and crawl. Indeed, the Golem serves an interesting place in modern history that is not seen in the narratives of any of the creatures discussed in Folklore Friday so far.

The Golem, from the Hebrew גולם, is defined as an animated anthropomorphic entity, formed from clay. The term Golem comes from גלמי, which appears in Psalms 139:16, meaning ‘my (unshaped/shapeless form’). Adam, First Man of the Judeo-Christian tradition, was created from mud and given the breath of life, seemingly the ‘first’ appearance of the Golem per the tradition. It is interesting to note that the traditional Golem is strictly made from mud fired into clay, and that in some legends and folklore representations a ‘flawed’ Golem containing metal piece can be driven into rage akin to the Berserk features of a Clay Golem in the game.

Two major tales in the post-Middle Ages outline our traditional view of the Golem. These stories, discussing the Golems of Chelm and Prague, provide for the entirety of the Clay Golem’s unique traits. Indeed, the Clay Golem is probably one of the purest folklore-to-stats interpretations of a creature in fantasy roleplaying.

The only step that is not included in most interpretations of the Golem is the animating word. In the stories of Chelm (also known as the City of Fools) or Prague the Golem bears the phrase אמת (emet, "truth") upon its brow as part of its awakening. When the golem's creator must destroy his creation this word may be changed to אמת, (met, "dead"). In some tales of the Golem of Chelm this symbol is actually writ upon the Golem's tongue, in the form of a secret name of G-d.

My own poor prose cannot possibly cover the great oral and written traditions of the Jewish faith and its telling. My favorite interpretation of the Golem of Chelm is retold here in this video, a telling by Ben Russell of Childrenatthewell.org. This steps away from the traditional 'man of clay', but can definitely provide for an interesting tale to tell.

If you want an interesting city in your own setting you can do worse than Chelm. A place of fools who are wiser than their counterparts, Chelm is a great source of Jewish humor and worth looking into.

Again I sincerely apologize about the delay from last week. I do hope to get everything back on track this coming week.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

The Economy of D&D: The Manor Generator

2012-06-19T09:58:00.000-04:00

So you liked The Lord and His Manor? Now look at the numbers without having to do the maths.

So apparently the readers of the Blog have enjoyed the writeup on the Lord and his Manor... It has risen up the charts as one of the most popular articles on the site. I know you like the idea of knowing how the math of the Manor works...

But what about being able to NOT do the math alone? Well, that is where the Manor Generator comes in. After a few weeks of working with the Generator's basic math I've come up with a simple version that covers the upkeep of a Manor and the actual available cash. Due to its scaling nature the Manor Generator can actually be used for an entire kingdom... Or just the small little household of your local lord. Wanna know if it makes sense for the Baron to have some well-outfitted men at arms (or golems to replace them)? Now you can.

The Manor Generator is for personal use only, and may be distributed for non-commercial personal use. If you have any questions regarding the Generator feel free to shoot me an email at gmail.com or a reply right here.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Economy of D&D: Childhood Mortality: The Stunning Facts

2012-06-18T23:58:00.002-04:00

A look into a very basic interpretation of the rules of Childhood Mortality as compiled through analysis.

Apologies for the delay in getting back to you... How have you been? Hope you enjoyed your Father's Day weekend, had a nice grill out. For those of you who like me don't have your father in your lives I extend my hopes that you did not allow the lack of a patriarch to ruin what was, at least in my area, quite a wonderful weekend.

All of the discussions about Father's Day and children, along with a thread over at ENWorld, and a Christian Children's Fund ad got me thinking about the actual rate of infant mortality in a world following the lines of Dungeons and Dragons. So I sought out a good source for the old child stat blocks, cracked a Diet Coke, and began to crunch numbers like I have with our previous discussions.

Question: What is the observable Human Child Mortality rate from Age 0 to Adulthood in the Disease Model provided by the 3rd Edition (revised) version of Dungeons and Dragons?

Methodology: Use a self-randomizing macro spreadsheet to report back results for 1000-child cohorts each with randomly generated Constitution scores (1d6 for the period from Infant to Child, +1d6 to Young Adult). A common, everyday illness (example: Filth Fever [DC 12, Incubation 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Con/1d3 Dex]) was chosen, and an infection rate of 2% per year was proposed after examination. This series was injury/illness. Each infection event would provide for the initial damage (if contracted and a randomized save vs. Fort of 0 (+ random Con modifier), and 3 separate attempts to 'cure' the disease. This would represent four days of illness, followed by the application of Heal or another method to cure the illness.

Reasoning: Filth Fever actually serves a dual purpose for our research. Due to the nature of the illness's vector (unclean surroundings) it mimics most childhood pathologies. Filth Fever is the only SRD disease that does not cause permanent drain, has a surmountable DC (<15), and can kill on its own through its Con reduction payload without causing permanent Constitution drain. The 2%/year figure is a benchmark for viability; it makes the assumption that, over the course of a given childhood, the individual will be put at a risk of contracting an illness at a standard, low-risk rate.

The use of 4 separate rolls to determine passage/failure allows for further randomization, and survival of one week would represent a 4 day window for most common childhood illnesses to pass. A further examination with longer window, including a seven day window, is forthcoming for comparison.

Results: The macro was used to produce 6080 separate cohorts. Over the complete set of 6 080 000 children 512,544 succumb to illness before reaching Young Adulthood. This produces an 8.43% mortality rate, or 84.3/1000. On average 78.7/1000 of these deaths (478,496) occurred in the first 8 years of the study. This would place the rough average of 9.8375/1000/yr. If this is extrapolated to examine under-5 mortality trends (a common indicator for the World Health Organization for childhood health), the rate (49.1875/1000) brings our testing group between the mortality rates present in Oceania
and the Central Asian region.

As conflicting results exist across the board for under-5 mortality in the Medieval period so further analysis is needed to confirm comparable rates of mortality.

Improvements in Analysis: These numbers have not taken into account the possibilities of disease removal during the four day period. A random determination of the availability of healing magic within a cohort (with the notation of this availability) would allow for further (possibly noted) reductions in mortality. Currently the macro is being evaluated for possible ways to mirror this through random generation of population center data for each cohort and associated available individuals who meet the minimum expected requirements to Heal the disease.

___

Right now the generator is under a pretty good amount of evaluation so that I can see the best possible way to go about confirmation. The numbers were actually quite surprising on this side, especially when comparing them to mortality rates around the world. The loss of a child is a very sad moment in the life of a family, and it is amazing that in our modern world the numbers are still so high.

If you are in the United States and wish to assist those who are experiencing the travails of losing a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or other childhood diseases/disorders, please donate to Share. Their mission is to assist in providing support to those who have lost a child and they are well-rated with the BBB.

Alright, I do apologize about that little bit of soapboxing, and hope that the information has provided a bit of an insight into the intricacies of the world of Dungeons and Dragons as represented through math.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Folklore Friday Finished?

2012-06-15T12:20:00.005-04:00

No, but this week just got hit with a wonderful wipe. So I will instead discuss something new on the horizon.

Apparently Blogger has decided to eat about a week's worth of posts... Which I did not back up. I was young, trusting, and did not notice until I saw the pageviews from yesterday and looked into my posts.

Sadly I am somewhat busy this week so retyping up the Folklore Friday post on Golems will take until next Friday, and I will have the next installment of Secrets of the Green up for you this weekend. Until then, please check out three interesting geek loving posts that I have been running in my mind for the last twenty four hours:

As we discussed model-building, let us observe a man who has been playing the god of an alternate reality for 40+ years strictly using his own fantastic map.

Meet Jerry. He is a god among homebrew designers... Or should be. His blog is a tale of mapmaking, recreation, and the intense insane focus of a man who loves his self-created world and all of its peoples.

(Thanks to Greyhawk Grognard for the peek into the mind of a mapmaking divinity).

Gnome Stew has one of the more interesting takes on DM'ing I've seen in awhile, interpreting Pixar's 22 Story Basics (Pt. 1 & 2). I love the guys over at GS for the interesting tidbits like this... And really, really wish I had contributors so I could keep up with this multipost daily schedule.

See? 3 Articles for the price of 1! Again: Lesson learned, don' trust Blogger for backups, and we will have the adventure parts posted soon.

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Postback: The Silencing of Maya

2012-06-13T18:22:00.001-04:00

An important thing to read for those interested in patent law and those who suffer from its implementation.

Not normally one to post this sort of thing, but this blog post passed through my social networking today, and I figured I would hip the geek community to it. Here's just the first paragraph:

Eleven weeks ago I wrote about a lawsuit that posed a threat to my daughter’s voice. Maya, who is four years old and unable to speak, uses an app called Speak for Yourself (SfY) to communicate, and the creators of SfY were being sued for patent infringement by Prentke Romich Company (PRC) and Semantic Compaction Systems (SCS), two much larger companies that make designated communication devices (not iPad apps). You can read the original post here, and see the numerous news articles that were spurred by this case here. Maya was poised to become a very real, very human, and very adorable casualty of patent law.

As a former social worker I cringe at the idea of a nonverbal human being who is denied a way to speak freely. The costs of communications devices can be prohibitive to those who lack the coverage or ability to import the device from their chosen locales. Sadly, the App Store has removed Speak for Yourself due to this infringement suit, which is currently being worked through by the involved parties. I know we all have had a lot of fun with The Oatmeal's Operation Bear Love Good Cancer Bad, but in a world where a child can lose their voice and possibly never regain it due to a lack of funds? It is truly a bad day for the world.

So please, speak out, maybe leave a comment to Maya's mother. In a world where so many just turn a blind eye, I hope that maybe our community can have a dialogue on the disadvantaged, and maybe a little bit of the Geek can rub off on this sweet young lady.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

D&D Next: Rule Complexity Arguments are Bunk, Or the Currency of Rules/Ideas

2012-06-13T16:37:00.000-04:00

I do not seek Less is More or More is Better... All I seek is Clarity of Rules and Definition. See why.

After receiving a G+ message and viewing the resultant post over on Tenkar's Tavern I must say I have become tired of rules complexity arguments. It seems that we live in a world where the complexity of rules is a bad thing... And I agree with that. However, I also believe that a completely bare-bones system can affect the ability for a game to be playable and transferable.

The state of play in any given campaign is affected by numerous unforeseen circumstances. House Rules, kludges from other systems, rewards systems, treasure levels, and a thousand other variations can alter your favorite character into an unrecognizable beast at your local FLGS, or at a convention where you may want to tag into a new game.

So what would be my 'perfect rules'? I want a rules system that clears up as many possible rules issues requiring interpretation as possible, and that gives us a clear terminology to work with when dealing with rules. And I believe that most 'bare-bones' rules that attempt to cover the fantasy genre can fall flat on this idea.

A Dungeon Master serves as a referee, but what if the rules aren't clear for the referee? Well, the NBA deals with this sort of issue in a form you may find familiar. Here's a link to the NBA standard rules (revised). Check it out... I'll wait.

Lots of rules for a game consisting of running down a court and throwing a ball in a hoop, right? Well, basketball is a competitive game made by multiple players in a field attempting to produce a result against opposition. Oh, and here's the NBA Case Book. Again, go check it out... I'll wait.

Notice anything familiar? Yep, the NBA has its own Sage Advice for answers on specific rules that seem, on first blush, quite clear... And these are the defined policies of the National Basketball Association. When the rules aren't followed things get hectic.. And in some cases those referees fail. And there is quite a hubbub about it.

A DM serves as a single point of interpretation for rules, and that can cause an issue as one DM's interpretations will be completely different from another. Just check out any DM thread on rpg.net or ENWorld and you will see 10 interpretations on 9 posts.

So I want a stronger interpretative base, and a clearly defined series of terminology that we can use to discuss the game. Monte Cook discusses the need for such a language, but when dealing with the average gamer I found a sort of survivalist air to their dealings with their Game of Choice. Every DM is judge, jury, and executioner of any rules they receive... And there's nothing wrong with this. But when you warp the rules in such a way that they become difficult to revert back to the Rules as Written in a specific game? Well, we have issues.

I love the seeking for a common thread in the DND Next playtest material. While some complain that it is not 100% one version or another of the DND they love, I really just want a passing grade across a majority of editions. If I can get the feel that the game is 70% of the way to B/X, 3.X, and 4e? Well, you have learned to square the circle gentlemen. Bravo.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Iron Reforged Pt. 5: The Aftermath, and the Ball of Bravos

2012-06-12T11:00:00.000-04:00

This section covers the basics of what occurs after the Spectacle, and the Ball of Bravos mechanics.

If the Toads are defeated or the living spell dispelled before they can defeat more than half of the involved humans the party gains 5 Favor. If the party contains any outbreaks of flames treat the Favor gains 1 favor per 20*20 space saved (burning takes 10 rds/10’ square, same rules as tents in random encounter #6 in section 4. The Ladies in their wisdom decide to keep the Tourney going but decide to investigate further. If the players decide to go after the cause of these events they will the mages involved in a stupor, viewing a small dancing figurine.

The figurine, made of the same material as the leather-and-bark doll from the forest adventure. This figurine, shaped in the form of a small grandmotherly crone, has clothes that are threaded with silver and rubies. A knowledge Arcana check (DC: 24) shows it is a sympathetic object, more than likely used as the anchor for the ensuing spell misfire. It is under a cloud of suspicion two days after the event that the Ball of Bravos occurs.

The day of the Ball players who have earned invitations to Lady Hawken’s chambers are served a fine meal and given a chance to discuss any of the events they have seen and wounds they have suffered. If the party has an overall Favor above 20 the Lady offers the services of her staff to the party in the bathing, clothing, and preparations for the event. The Lady’s gift provides a +2 bonus to all checks made during the Ball for interactions to gain Favor.

The Ball is held under tight scrutiny, and the Widows Hawken are careful to prevent weapons, wands, or other possible offensive items from entering into the soiree. A meeting place for those to participate in the Tourney, the Ball is a great location to introduce new and interesting adventure hooks, as fifty men hoping to be drawn for the Tourney have gathered to swap tales of scars, scrapes, and superstitions from a dozen lands.

Rules of the Ball:

Each noted Guest has a specific DC attached to their interactions. Impressive tales or actions can be brought forward by what the DM deems an appropriate check. Each success yields 1 Favor. If the DC is beaten in any one skill, the next use of that ability (on any target) boosts the DC by +2.

The Smiling Karisan: An old man in a beautiful suit of gaudy patchwork, the Karisan (a term for duelist in a land where clan disputes are solved through trial by combat), the Karisan wears his suit as a sign of the clansmen he has defeated during his time serving the warlord known as the Rain Emperor. There are a few Karisan among the people of Fiddler’s Crown, as the late Lebre Green-Cup spent a few years among the clans of the far-off land. (Rise of the Seventh Thane). The Karisan has come to beg aid for his people against a coming prophecy.

The Karisans live in a society that finds the hunt and single combat to hold primacy. Tales of valor against a foe in single combat charm the Karisan (DC: 22).

Lord Arlin of Greysky Keep: The favorite after Sir Filo’s imprisonment, the black-suited young noble speaks in a dour tone. His knowledge of spirits and their ilk are well known, as he rules the lands of Greysky Keep, known as the Village of Spirits. If viewed with anything that detects spirits Lord Arlin is surrounded by two men dressed in the same manner wearing the noose they hung by around their necks. Lord Arlin’s estates are in disarray, but he will invite the players to come to his keep if ever they need assistance, for a night to never be forgotten (The Tale of the Veiled Lady).

If a party member has earned the Widow Ruiva’s daughter’s hand to attend the party Arlin will grant them respect and explain that his condition prevents marriage to someone as beautiful as the young Lady Hawken. Lord Arlin enjoys tales of spirits, demons, and individuals with knowledge of the worlds after, but he is very well-versed in the worlds beyond. (DC: 24).

The Wanderer: A priest of the gods of travel and adventure, the Wanderer comes in his simple homespun robes and drinks and carouses as hard as any. Up for a philosophical conversation, the Wanderer knows of a treasure hidden in the sounds off of an island in the seas off Rockston (A Case of Crabs and Daggers). The Wanderer enjoys tales well told of the road and secret places along it (DC: 22).

Master of Mirth: Normally behind the scenes, the Master is decked out in all of his finery, a crisp robe with the symbol of his service (a sash decorated with the three lady hawks of House Hawken) across his chest. The Master, once a warmage, enjoys tales of war and trickery told with style and skill (DC: 24).

Lord Malmsey: Will be delighted (passed requirements for the Frogs/Living Spell incident) or disappointed. His cask has been draped in finery, and he is willing to discuss boring topics with the party. He specifically enjoys discussions of magic theory, exploration, and architecture due to his past-times before his ‘condition’ prevented further study (DC: 25). Lord Malmsey, if a member secures three successes, offers to assist in the creation of a magic item for the party member (10% off costs).

Lady Loira: The lady has her beautiful hawk upon her shoulder and feeds the bird meat given to her by her handmaiden. Still glorious in her middle age, flattery, tales of sport and hunting, and discussions of the politics of the Kingdom intrigue her (DC: 20). If a party member succeeds on five consecutive checks with Lady Loira they find an invitation to her chambers provided by her handmaiden presented during the night.

The ball is meant to be a social function, and the players may earn favor through their interactions. If the party seeks out trouble they will find it; the Bravos are not all kind, and will be happy to be challenged. If the players start a battle they will find one forthcoming, but face a loss of 10 favor for bringing such a skirmish to the House.

Several hours into the Ball Lady Ruiva is notified of the attempted escape of Sir Filo. She leaves the festivities, which may be noticed by the party (DC: 19). If the party follows use the next presented section (The Jailbreak). If they fail to notice, use the section (Sir Filo’s Escape).

Iron Reforged pt. 4: Before the Ball, Baldin Islewright and the Mage's Spectacle

2012-06-11T19:15:00.000-04:00

Before the Ball of Bravos: Baldin Islewright and the Mage’s Spectacle.

The Lady’s visit ends and the players are escorted from the premises. If you desire the players may run across any of the Widows along their way out, the Master of Mirth, or friends, allies, or enemies who may have come to the event to seek glory and gold. Events to try skill and standard carnival games in the setting abound, and anyone seeking thrills will be happy to find most anything the members would seek.

Old Mage from Sinto-Risky on Deviantart

Many of the children of Fiddler’s Crown and some of the ladies walk around with animated balloons, made by Baldin Islewright, the old Master of the Green-Cup and the old man speaking with Lady Ruiva about the coin needed for the festival. The effect on the balloons is a simple series of color changes and rough animations. The children’s balloons are shaped in the form of the Hawken hawks that fly without tethers, bears that walk along the ground, and fish that swim through the air around the kids.

Baldin is seen wandering around the festivities, speaking to guards, vendors, and adventurers with a confusion that leans towards senility. If spoken to Islewright cryptically speaks of things he must do after rattling off a broken version of the rhyme contained in Brasslegged Eric’s missive, in Sylvan, mumbling more as he continues to scrawl on his slate tablet. The tablet’s symbols appear to be the writings of a child, with sailboats, dancing maidens in a circle, and drawings of the four animals listed in the rhyme.

Heal, Knowledge (Arcana/Religion), or Spellcraft:

DC 20: Baldin seems to be suffering from a magical exposure. The spell residue of his extensive work may have finally gotten to him, leading to his illness.

DC 32: Baldin’s absentmindedness shows the signs of an extremely intricate but equally subtle enchantment gone awry. Suggestions this deeply hidden can cause senility or general insanity if they are not acted upon.

If the higher DC check is passed the subtle signatures of the spell may be seen via Detect Magic or similar if Baldin is stripped of all of his magical items. The spell itself has been linked to his cloak and trinkets. If observed off of Baldin’s body a small sympathetic item can be found. Bringing back Baldin’s memories and making him lucid changes Sir Filo’s Escape later in the module.

If Islewright is not engaged by the players he will continue on his way, leading to the triggered event Fighting the Darkness.

The party suffers one of the following Random Encounters during their trips through the bizarre streets of Fiddler’s Crown (roll d6):

1: A Bard singing the Tale of the Disappearance of the Four Lads of Green-Cup. His unearthly singing is accompanied by a skeleton that plays a rousing stringed instrument overlay under the tale.

2: Marcus Foulweather, a merchant of Rockston, is chasing after a group of thieves. A man who looks a cross between a scarecrow and a sallow fish, Foulweather offers the party a map to an island of legends for the retrieval of the item stolen. The item, an axe that has seen better days, makes an appearance in A Case of Crabs and Daggers.

3: A bareknuckle brawling contest is occurring off the street, and the current leader screams for the blood of the player with the most obvious physical prowess. If they win, the brawler, a thick-set man known as Millstone, can provide information on thieves, pirates, and the underworld about the Seas. The warrior is judged by the guards in the audience, who report back their skills (+1 Favor).

4: Two skinny children fight over a dropped purse of coppers. A commoner comes to them, claiming the purse and begins to beat them with his staff. If the players intervene the guards take notice, providing +2 favor.

5: Ruiva’s daughter is among the crowd, and approaches the Party or single member who has a Favor of 10 or above. She can be wooed and dined, but if the members become too forward they are reported to the Widow (-2 Favor for getting her drunk, -5 for sexual imposition).

6 – Fire in a tent begins to spread. A rogue sorcerer attempting to show off has called up a couple of Common Salamanders, who have begun spreading their flames. The guard’s one mage attempts in vain to protect the tents from flame and damage, but the party’s assistance causes a hubbub (4 tents involved. If prevented from burning down (10 rds/tent, 20 cold damage or water-based spells and Caster Check (DC: 14)) the party gains favor and a gift of 1d4 random potions from the chagrined apprentice.

Gather Information:

DC 12: The taverns of Fiddler’s Crown are providing one free drink per head per day by bounty of the Three Widows.

DC 16: The Mages of Fiddler’s Crown are sponsoring a show of illusions and merriment on the Widow’s Walk Cliffs tonight.

DC 22: Old Baldin Islewright is wandering around again; the voices in his head are legion, but he makes such pretty toys for the peasant and noble children alike.

Encounter: The Mage’s Spectacle and Rogue Spellcraft

The Mage’s Spectacle is a grand affair, and the party will be sad if they miss it. The following shows two encounters: One for if the majority of the party has attended the Spectacle and other if the party has stayed away.

Attending the Spectacle:

The Mage’s Spectacle is held within an area that is manipulated by the magic of the Green-Cup to appear as a beautifully-appointed greenscape on a scrabbly area of the Widow’s Walk. Hundreds of men, women, and children gather around to treat themselves and watch the show. The tale told, the Crone and the Archmage, is a classic Punch and Judy style drama with magic used instead of mallets. The Crone is always getting the upper hand through her quick wits and the Archmage’s underestimation.

Around 10 minutes into the Spectacle something goes wrong. The spells, previously shaping into a battle between a little old witch and a master mage, tangle together and begin falling to the ground (Read Below):

Angry Mob from Bloke and Coke

The crowd retreats as the strands of energy fall and begin to gather just in front of the cliff. After several moments the energy disperses, leaving behind the old crone and the mage, still locked in battle, but those who approach begin to disappear, being replaced by frogs or burned from the flames of the Mage.

The Crone and the Archmage: Creature: Living Spell (Baleful Polymorph/Fireball) [See: Eberron Campaign Setting pp. 293-5. You may also use the rules for the Living Ice Storm here, replacing Ice Storm with the two spells listed and increasing the HD by 2.

The spell will roll down the cliff if undefeated, going into the streets of the Crown.

Fail to Attend:

The living spell has been quashed, but the streets are filled with its leavings. The creatures left behind by the spell are angry and powerful, and the sound of a thousand humming whispers reaches out to the party even as they attempt to sleep. In the streets the people are stampeding, attempting to get away from the swarms of these malformed beasts.

If viewed:

The street is filled from corner to corner with frogs in a multitude of hues. The frog’s bodies are topped with the twisted faces of men, women, and children and the streets are filled with people trying to escape the onslaught.

Scourge of Creepy Toads: Treat as 1d2 Hellwasp Swarms, replacing their Inhabit ability with a poison (DC: 18) which deals 1d6 Con/Frog.

During the battle each round roll d100. If 40 or lower a Mob of men rush through the scene, possibly trampling, damaging or dragging the party along with them in their rush to leave behind the scourge.

A DM Looks Back pt. 2: Space Pens, Artisanal Pencil Sharpening, and Using the Tools We Have

2012-06-11T11:20:00.001-04:00

Who knows when to start/stop building? I look into the concept of Campaign Investment in Players and DMs.

We all love the worlds we build. We make them with loving care, we spend days, months, even years before the first PC ever picks up pen and paper and rolls those dice that will determine their life and death in our creations...

But what is the net gain for your players? There are 66 'notable' published settings in the Fantasy Campaign section of the List of Campaign Settings alone. We're not counting all of the Horror, Science Fiction, and Historical settings we see on a daily basis. A player who loves Forgotten Realms, Eberron, or Uresia has invested a long period of time (and possibly a goodly sum of money) into their chosen poison, and they aren't willing to let up.

I was once of the opinion that a setting is the end game and that creating something immersive required a hundred-page treatise. As we discussed in our previous article this can be a dangerous proposition. So what can we do to make this a bit easier?

Well, it is all about the Investment the players will make.

The whole concept of player Investment can easily be summed up by this apocryphal discussion of the US/USSR Space Race and the creation of the Space Pen (quoted here from a hoax email on the topic cited here:

When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 million developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300C.

When confronted with the same problem, the Russians used a pencil.

I do not wish to bring up old wounds... I know that some of my readers are former Wolverines, and I thank you for your service against the Red Menace.

But the reasoning is sound. In this urban legend the US Space agency (NASA) spends a significant amount of resources on something that has the same basic function as one of the oldest tools in the business.

But what if we spend those resources on additional points, to flesh out the rest of the world?
As I was readying this article I was going to refer to Underwater Basket Weaving. That old chestnut of the 'useless tasks', and a canard that just doesn't fit in with the rest of my narrative.

And then, from the wonderful world of Cyberspace came my savior, on the wings of a burred sharpener and tongue-in-cheek discussions of 'artisanal' crafts and the overblown wonders of the slow world model.

Shameless Plug for APS Inserted

I speak, of course, of Artisanal Pencil Sharpening. The brilliant little conceptual piece generated by David Rees of Get Your War On fame. As a guy who uses stock art to his advantage I understand the wonders of GYWO and other works, but I feel that Rees has topped himself for providing me the perfect metaphor for my piece. The tipping point of APS Worldbuilding is where the setting (homebrew or commercial) begins to expend more time, money, and sanity to make it useful than the system is necessarily worth.

And this, my friends, is a completely sliding scale. While I personally love a deep, immersive setting creation process I know that 80% of players will not read my manifesto on my cause d'jour if it isn't presented in a nice easy-to-read glossy format, with pictures and wonderment. It is not the fault of the players nor the builder but the fault that new settings are incredibly boring.

That doesn't mean the setting is boring to you, or even all of your player base. I love delving in to a new setting, where I get to poke around and feel the flavorful writing. But that comes from me being a DM first and a player second (by force, not choice). I would not, for example, spend the time to read every Forgotten Realms setting book to gain knowledge of the intricacies of Faerun if I am not personally invested.

And there's the rub. Sharpen your pencils all you want; the players just want to use their leads to draw out a whole new world. They may even miss some of your own subtleties, the attention you have put into the detailing of X,Y or Z on first encounter. But those things may need to be there in case the players go down that route. Or you can create a whole new, interesting take when it comes to that time and you're seeking out that new tidbit.

Seriously. Check out Obsidian Portal for your
next game.

The use of campaign Wikis for online and real-life games is a great system. A hyperlink encyclopedia, allowing the player to get to 'the meat' of their needs, invest as little or as much time and effort into learning things as possible... And allowing you to fill in to your heart's content. I would have loved to have such tools while working on campaign settings of the past because the y provide the player with a searchable database of every nook and cranny. You want to create something that is above and beyond the available? Then use the system... Or, of course, you can file the serial numbers off of the vast array of available settings, sweeten and salt to taste, and build a masterpiece of text manipulation that the players will feel right at home in.

So, in the long haul, what are we to learn from this ramble? Well, we must learn that investment of the player in the setting is based on the net gain in enjoyment of the player. Spending a thousand hours of your time to create your masterpiece may be futile if the players just want to roll with a simple backdrop that they may use to create their own stories without the weight of a setting on their shoulders. And, while a campaign setting may be created, there is always a strange point that will arise where the investment of your personal time as a player or DM becomes moot, and actually adversely affects the enjoyment of the game.

I hope you learned something, and if you're not scratching your head too much feel free to comment or email me at gmail.com.

As Always

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Rough Sketch: The Assistant Hireling

2012-06-10T15:37:00.000-04:00

A rough sketch of rules involving Assistants, Specialized Hirelings for the Party to manage their affairs.

To the Order of the Blessed Weasel, Wherever This May Find You:

Above: Working Hard So You Don't Have To.

Your Guild Memberships have been paid through for the year, as per your requests. We have sent several of your servants to recruit men to take over the Keep you have earned from rescuing Lord Sila’s daughter from the Dragon. Due to the incident with the Demons at Hightower we are currently running in the red for wages… Please prevent mass destruction of property in the future. In personal news I have invested in a decanter of endless hippocras to help the ulcers the cleric of the Healing Hands has diagnosed me with due to my work for your Order. If you wish to see expenses please reply via a missive to our offices in Watercress for full accounting.

Your Loyal and Humble Servant,

Alosius Martel.

Sometimes players do not want to have to deal with the stresses of managing all of their stuff. From handling the sale of the golden doors found in a hidden temple complex to paying all of the necessary costs to adventuring guilds, kingdom taxes, and other requirements, the life of a celebrated adventurer can become hectic and stressed at the best of times.

But in a world where sorcerers and sellswords gather to battle and test their mettle there are men willing to fight with pen rather than sword and spell. This article discusses the few, the proud, and underpaid; the Assistant Hireling.

The Assistant Hireling is part manager, part handler, and all stress. Men and women who can provide the players with information, assistance, and wealth management, the hireling provides a DMPC to use for players who do not want to take over the charge of a party’s assets, personnel management, and general needs. The oil on the waters and hand that rules the coin, an Assistant provides an asset to the party.

So How Does It Work?

Bow before Darlene: Goddess of Adventure Management

The Assistant Hireling is paid just like any other Hireling, but gains additional skills through gold expenditure. In a world of commerce and investments the players can hire an Assistant and gain benefits over time through the investments they have earned. An Assistant’s Upkeep is based on an Adventurer of their Assistant Level (30 GP/mo/level + optional Upkeep), and they earn XP based on GP invested into the Assistant.

At 1^st Level the Assistant has 8 skills available to him. The Party may choose the skills that the Assistant has access to, but Use Magic Device and Spellcraft are not normally available to an Assistant. They gain skill points just like any other character, but every 3 levels the Assistant gains a special form of Skill Focus that provides a +3 bonus to one skill. This form of Focus may stack. The Assistant may also be used to manage investments for the party; an Assistant may reliably manage investments that’s total value is 2x the Average Wealth of a PC of their level, providing a profit that can be reinvested to the leveling of the Assistant or given over to the PCs.

An Assistant gains Feats just like any character of his level, but these feats are spent strictly in feats to benefit his work. From Skill Focus to Favored of House/Special Dispensation, Extra Contacts, and similar effects, the Assistant can apply these effects to the Party through their presence within 10 miles of the party’s current location per Assistant level.

Why Do I Need an Assistant?

A party needs information on a wilderness location. The Bard in the group wishes to play for nobles to gain favor. A fighter is seeking out a Smith to create a new set of bitching plate mail, or the Wizard is looking for someone to get ahold of questionable material components with no questions asked. In effect, the Assistant does the stuff the Party does not want to have to waste their time doing, and is an invaluable service provider to a party who spends any time in a city or within the Assistants Sphere of Influence. An Assistant takes one week to establish his Sphere of Influence in a new location, and charges the Party for lodgings in a new location one step above his normal Upkeep while away from ‘home’.

The Assistant may be called upon a number of times a month equal to his Level to make a check within his Sphere of Influence.

Example: The Assistant has reached 6^th level and the Party wishes to look into gaining favor in the City of Greymeadow. The Assistant, a skilled sage who was once the party’s patron, is currently located 300 miles away. The Party pays for the Assistant to travel to Greymeadow, and is charged for the travel and a temporary abode in a nice little office in the Clerk’s District (45 GP/mo).

The Assistant has Knowledge (Nobility/Royalty) and Gather Information, and due to their lack of a social character the Assistant spent his specialized Focuses in GI. Once he has settled into his new office the Assistant is a useful servant, providing information.

In theory the Assistant serves as a way to provide useful little tidbits to the players for information and let the players sneak out of the bookkeeping of a complex economic campaign while reaping some rewards. These are some basic notes on the concept; I hope to work on this, playtest it a bit, and present a nice writeup once that has been completed over the next month. Stay tuned and watch this space.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

D&D Next: Test the Math, Not Your Feelings

2012-06-09T16:10:00.002-04:00

There has been a lot of discussion of D&D Next and its various nuances ever since the playtest materials have arrived in our hot greedy hands. And the reactions have been heartfelt.

Which is exactly what we do not need for a new game system. We try to second-guess a system that has no currently established maths because of the need to provide proof.

When I generate a wild-ass guess on a new system I like having a nice baseline for what I'm creating. And my favorite way to generate this baseline is randomizing thousands of repeatable results. It's my own backwater statistics program, and I would suggest anyone who is running Next to just test the system without prejudice and let the math run...

I ran my mouth off on some numbers for a new way to determine Hide and Spot checks in a thread over on ENWorld...

My basement is much nicer than most... Bookkeeper by tracyjb on deviantart

And generated a Full Spreadsheet for the system. Now I have actual evidence of how the system works, with a full interpretation of the ruleset to be presented. And you can do the same for any form of any encounter, ability, or system you wish to test!

Please guys... If you want to learn about a system that requires randomization, use randomization. A simple Excel sheet and a few hundred iterations of randomization will show exactly where the 'sweet spot' of the numbers lie... As long as you are willing to look for it.

As Always.

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Mindless Entertainment: The Wire! The Musical!

2012-06-08T20:22:00.000-04:00

As many of you know I love me some of The Wire. If you have yet to see it, observe the Musical sendup of Simon's masterpiece.

As you may have seen on Funny or Die, the cast of The Wire has created a musical sendup of the show as a silly little one-off skit. If you enjoy the combination of classic musical theater and the crushing despair of the Drug Trade of Baltimore you too will find this to be amazing.

Omar coming. And he is bringing Jazz Hands.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

The Wire: The Musical with Michael Kenneth Williams from Michael Kenneth Williams

Iron Reforged pt. 3: The Lady Ruiva's Chambers (Social Interaction)

2012-06-08T16:38:00.000-04:00

Wherein I outline the Favor Mechanic used in the Module and the red-haired Widow's Chat.

This specific section of the adventure is a little experimental, but I wanted to sort of reenact one of my favorite scenes in video roleplaying: the Feast scene in Final Fantasy III/VI. This scene had multiple small interchanges that determined the outcome of the events ahead in a small way, so I wanted to create similar mechanics for small social interactions within the game.

A simple Favor mechanic is being used, somewhat akin to Affiliation Scores but which I am thinking will be able to rise to somewhere between 50-100 during the Adventure’s story. This is actually a way to determine the overall ‘rewards’ of the adventure, which will allow each player to receive some benefit from their social roleplaying experiences, feats of daring do, and overall success in challenges during the days leading up to the main events. I like the idea of building a little bit of roleplaying benefits leading up to a scaled reward. I hope you like the basic mechanics behind it and if you have any questions feel free to shoot me a comment or email me at gmail.com.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

The Arrival to Fiddler’s Crown and Inside the Lady’s Chambers.

Upon arrival, by sea or land, the party has a chance to meet the Lady Ruiva either to help deliver Eric’s message or give testimony on the events of their travels.

Triggered Event: Lady Ruiva’s Audience and Sir Malmsey’s Poultice

Portrait of Lady Ruiva in her younger days.

By Sea: If Eric survives Beggar’s Bridge with less than 50% of his HP or dies, the party finds, on examination, the wounds are unable to be healed by normal means. Upon seeing the corpse or the wounded Eric the guards at Root Gate will sound the alarm and ask the party what has happened. The Guard Captain, armed with House relic Sentenza, a scabbard that allows for Zone of Truth. If the party attempts to lie and fails, they will be barred access. If they explain the whole situation the Captain will escort them to the Western Tower.

If the players travel by sea roll d100. There is a 60% chance that a group of adventurers were killed in a skirmish with the Guards, leading the Lady Ruiva to hang the Guards involved and imprison Sir Filo. The party sees the guards hanging before the walls of the Towers, with a crier shouting their crimes and the imprisonment of Sir Filo.

By Land: If the archers accidentally feather the party Sir Filo deeply apologizes, but must report the archers for their impropriety. Due to this sequence of events Sir Filo requests the party’s presence to prove there was no malicious thought and to protect his own men from prosecution and attack on an invited guest of the Ladies, leading to a quick trial and quicker hanging. If the players travel by land roll d100. On a chance of 60%, Brasslegged Eric and a group of travelers is waylaid, the secrets of his missive lost.

Lady’s Ruiva’s Chamber: The following description is to be read upon introduction to the Lady Ruiva’s chambers:

The chambers of Lady Ruiva are dominated by three portraits. To the left is a dour-looking middle-aged man in seaman’s dress. On the right sits a picture of a younger man, in the garb of a nobleman in red and blue, with set of gauntlets with golden stars on their knuckles. The center picture looks to be a man that could be the twin of Lady Ruiva; a redhaired knight holding a helm shaped like a bear’s head beneath his arm, an ax upon his hip, and a smile that beams at the viewer.

Lady Prata is either just finishing her punishment of Sir Filo (who pleads for his heart and love of the redhaired widow), or looking over papers while chatting with an elderly man asking for additional coin for the festivities of the Ball of Bravos. Upon presentation of Sir Filo or Eric Lady Prata acts the following way:

Base Favor in Fiddler’s Crown: Charisma Score - 10.

Eric is Dead (No Body): -4
Eric is Dead (Body Presented): -2
If Eric is Injured: 0
Eric Arrives above 50%: +2.

The Lady asks if the party attempted to assist her bondsmen:

Lies about assistance (Bluff vs. Sense Motive DC: 17): -4
Heal check Attempted: +1
Cure Wounds spell Attempted: +3
(Lesser) Restoration Attempted: +5

Eric asks for water. The Lady Prata asks them to make themselves comfortable. The party is asked about what caused the incident. She asks questions about the battle, if any struck the killing blow, and any further information she can glean:

Member sits without permission granted: -2
Member asks to be seated: +1
Member gets Eric water: +2
Party IDs Invisible Stalker: +3

The lady makes small talk as her handmaiden treats Eric/serves Sir Filo a meal as he is famished. After either man is as comfortable as possible the Lady asks each member of the Party wants to earn from the Tournament:

Gold: -2
Glory/Favor +2
Test Skill/Mettle: +4

If the members seek Glory or Favor the Lady chides them softly for their brashness, but still seems to enjoy a person who knows what they want. After a few moments the Lady asks the party to forgive her manners and offers refreshment:

Refusal: -2
Spirits: -2
Water: 0
Wine: +1
Ale: +2

If the majority chooses Ale the Lady comments on her first love Baixista’s adoration of ale. Majority chooses wine she tells a story of the Lord-Commander bringing her a hundred bottles on their wedding day and the bottle being just around the end of the vintage. If spirits are the majority the Lady comments about her late husband Alric’s love of spirits, and chides the party for spirits weakening the mind.

It is around this time that Lord Malmsey finds his way into the chamber. If Eric is in the chamber he goes to his side, while if Sir Filo is within he just makes a courtesy announcement and rolls to the side. The party must make a Will Save (DC: 14) to prevent the shock of Lord Malmsey’s condition from showing on their face.

Individual Fail: -2
Pass: 0
All Fail: -5
All Pass: +2

If anyone fails Lord Malmsey apologizes about his condition, explaining his illness simply, and the Lady smiles derisively. If the whole party fails Ruiva comments on the lack of civility in this age for those who are weakened by circumstance, and no further Favor may be gained in this interaction.

Lord Malmsey begins to work on Eric or remains waiting for Sir Filo. If a Toast is raised Lady Ruiva asked to what they toast

To the Lost: +3, and the Lady Ruiva lets a single tear drop to a kerchief.
To Glory: +1, and the Lady smirks.
(Religious): -2, and the Lady makes a snide comment about gods and fate.
(Flattery): 0, and no further favor may be gained.
(Random Toast): Judge at the Table. Ruiva likes a hearty boast or modesty, but a ribald, pious, or outright obscene toast will broke disfavor.
Show worry for Eric: +2

Lord Malmsey will ask questions about the creature, and specifics regarding the party’s understanding of the condition. The Lady listens intently to any discussion, but only interferes if asked a question. Once Malmsey packs Eric off the Lady thanks the group for their time and offers them an invitation (base on highest Favor of party).

-6 or Below: Lady provides no Invitation without prompting.
-5 to +5: Lady provides Invitation to Ball of Bravos, thanks for service.
+6 to +10: Lady provides Invitation to Ball of Bravos and Dinner before.
+11 - +14: Lady provides both invitations and escorts to the Ball
15+: As above, best score attends with Lady Ruiva’s daughter (18+: Supplies outfits for the party).

By Land:

Huntsman Injured: -1/-2
Huntsman Killed: -4
Peace brokered/No Encounter: 0
Adventurer Wounded: +2/+5
Adventurer Killed: +10
Henchman Killed: +5
Mount Injured/Killed: +2.

The party is introduced by Sir Filo, and their tale of the journey is told. If a battle occurs the party is asked to deliver a recounting of the events leading up to the attack from the huntsmen. After the accounting Sir Filo attempts to argue for his men, and the Lady offers the floor to her “new companions”.

Diplomacy Check (DC: 15) For or Against

Pass: +2
Fail: -1
Roll a 1: -5.

The party is able to save the men if they succeed, but Sir Filo is given a month’s stay in a cell in the barracks. The party is asked about drinks, and Lord Malmsey enters the room as the players toast.

Sir Filo leaves with an escort, and the Lady begins to chat with Malmsey. The fact that Eric has yet to show up is addressed, and the Lord and Lady discuss the Ball of Bravos. Malmsey makes a lame joke about his finest barrel, and the Lady chuckles. The Lady asks the players of their strange adventures and wants to hear about an entertaining story about their adventures.

Diplomacy, Performance, Knowledge check (DC: 20).

Check Fails: -2
Amusing Tale: 0/+2 (bonus if female, male with Cha/Str Mod +3 or higher.
Tale of Valor: +2
Tale of Glory: +3
Tale of Prowess: +4
Bardic Performance: +2 bonus to the check.

The Lady enjoys the tales but has other business. She extends an invitation to the Ball of Bravos (see previous Chart).

Folklore Friday: Know your Legends: The Leanan Sidhe

2012-06-08T10:22:00.000-04:00

A series detailing mythological creatures. First: A Fairy renowned for granting wishes of artists.

"The best thing about my faerie godmother is that the creepy just keeps on coming."

- Harry Dresden, Ghost Story.

Leanansidhe (Irish: leannán sí, Scotch Gaelic: leannan sith, Manx: lhiannan shee) is a member of the Aes Sidhe renowned for her startling beauty, red hair, and association with artists. The origin of the name is somewhat in question: The term can mean 'Barrow-Lover' or 'Fairy Lover".

In traditional Celtic tales the Leanan sidhe was renowned as the beautiful fey Muse. Like her Greek counterparts she supplied inspiration to artists, assisting those who took up her love in creations of great complexity and beauty. The sidhe were not always the tiny folk of our legends, and in fact the creation of mostly human-sized Fey is one of the mythological concepts that DND has gotten right and should stick with. A beautiful, inspiring lover who grants you artistic talent? An anti-Yoko? What's the problem?

Apparently William Butler Yeats. Yeats (pictured right with the traditional look of a man who doesn't believe in fun, care-free inspirational fey boot-knocking) wanted to focus on the negative aspects of the Fey folk. Yeats, the first Fantasy Fanboy, wrote extensively on fantasy topics including a period of focus on Edmund Spenser and his native Irish folklore.

Alright, he won a Nobel Prize. And wrote some amazingly inspirational poetry that make him more productive than 99% of current fanboys. Of course, he probably would have loved to see that his specific views of the fairy help to inform the consciousness of the World's Best Roleplaying Game.

You see, Yeats focused on a bit about the Leanan sidhe being somewhat of a parasite. It seems that most of her lovers die young, the spark of inspiration burning out of them. Of course a life of trying to keep up with a hectic schedule, constant ministrations by a frisky immortal redhead, and a swelling well of infinite artistry may be the reason for the deaths.

My gods... Billy Joel was right..

In short the Leanan sidhe is a 'malignant phantom' who makes sure 'Gaelic poets die young, for she is restless, and will not let them remain long on earth'. Of course Yeats survived to the youthful age of 74, so we may have to take his view with a small grain of salt.

Depictions of the Leanan sidhe:

Leanansidhe, Dresden Files

Closeness to the Legends: Not so much. Lea has never really been pictured for any length of time as her namesake, though the concept of her inspirational powers has been brought up several times. She seems to be treated mostly as a Handmaiden of Mab and Dresden's Fairy Godmother.

The depiction of Lea is very close to the Leanansidhe legend, with specific focuses on the Dresden mythos. She is depicted as possessing otherworldly beauty, scarlet hair, and fine features as should be seen in the elder Sidhe.

Grade: C. Lea is an interesting interpretation of the myth, and serves as a counterpart for multiple sidhe in the Dresdenverse while maintain some of the window-dressing of her roots.

Onaya, Deep Space Nine

Closeness to Legends: A bit. Onaya seems to be inspired by the mythos, has an otherworldly look (though 'beauty' in her true form may be a bit of a stretch) and drains the artist of power through psionic manipulation. Onaya's 'true form' appears to be an invisible ball of psionic energy that, when detected, 'looks' like a fairy light.

Grade: B. While she may not be the pretty form we would expect from our awesome depiction above, this version of the Leanan sidhe seems to cover the gamut of traits in one tight package. The depiction of her true form as a fey light also gives a few points, providing for a twist in the 'gods and monsters are aliens' mythos.

In total I hope you have learned a bit about the history of a new creature and I look forward to hearing from you. What are some other examples of the Leanansidhe that you have seen in popular culture?

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Iron Reforged: Secrets of the Green Pt 2: An Arrival by Sea

2012-06-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

A second installment of Iron Reforged, Containing travel by sea, a port of call, and new adventure seeds.

Links to Pt. 1
For this second installment I have included the path if the PCs decide to take the seaside route. Hope you enjoy it... As always leave comments or email me. Without further ado...

An Arrival By Sea:

The way by sea to Fiddler’s Crown suffers from the strange phenomena surrounding the coast near Widow’s Walk Cliff. This year’s tourney has proven to have even worse weather than before to greet the parties seeking the tourney. If the players have their own ship they are in for a high amount of danger; the coastline and seas in a 40 mile cone centered on Rockston/Seafinger are affected by supernatural weather. This phenomenon, known as Mischievous Winds of Rockston, is a danger to merchants, sailors and raftsmen who ply the boat trade. Coming into Rockston from the sea, the party’s ship has a 25% chance per day of encountering the Mischievious Winds. Treat them as Rogue Zephyrs from Donjon’s great Fantasy Weather Generator:

Courtesy Donjon

Rogue Zephyr: Rogue zephyrs are gentle but magical breezes which undo simple (those of DC 20 or less) knots, locks, bolts, manacles, shackles, and similar impediments.

A rogue zephyr has a 50% chance of extinguishing candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames.

Due to the danger of knots being undone, the party must make an additional Profession (Sailor) check of DC 18 (+2 per days spent under the Mischievous Wind) or find their ship becalmed as sails are unraveled from their lines and blow into the wind.

Captains who regularly travel the route to Rockston and Seafinger know of the Mischievous Wind, and carry dogs aboard. The Winds fear dogs, and must make a Morale Check (roll above 11) if two dogs are aboard, as their howls and barking scare away the wind’s animating spirits.

When the Wind comes, it brings bad tidings and danger. The sails of the ship blow away into the wind… Only to stop mid-blow and to come back towards the party, the laughter of high-pitched children accompanying the winds, and laughter when the sail turns into a manta ray. The party also hears rumblings under the decks, as their unattended clothing and other items turn rogue, seeking to make merry and cause trouble.

Encounter: A Rogue Wind and Bastard’s Cloth:

Huge Animated Object (Combined Sails in the form of a flying manta ray-like creature), speed: 10 + 5 for every smaller sail, Constricting. Any creature constricted is released on the next round with a Small Animated Object spawned out of the sail in the form of a child-sized cutout, attempting to grapple and blind the character.
Tatterderanimals (2 per crew member).
Common Raggamoffyn (1 per 3 crew members)
(For Tatterderanimals and Raggamoffyn see MM2 p. 107-11)

The creatures swarm the crew and party, looking to control the crewmembers into dancing and playing with them. When defeated, the winds will cry about the fairness of play, and a single sheet-child will fly away.

The sail can be patched with 1d4 hours and a Profession (Sailor) check of DC: 22, as the entire crew gets together to spend time sewing patches, running lines, and making a tattered sail (-2 to Profession (Sailor) checks for sailing the ship). A second check if failed will finish the patch, and the spirits will leave the party alone.

The Hulk of Maiden Fair, and Captain Gulfeather.

The party is six hours from Seafinger when they pass by a ship whose sails have been struck and decks are smoldering from a recent fire. A Perception/Listen/Spot check (DC: 15) will draw attention to a lump of a man tied to the mizzenmast, hoarsely shouting for help. As the party comes closer, the man will scream loud enough to be heard:

Hey! Hey! Where in the Hells are you going! Man mutinied! Help me you damned dogs! I’ll pay your damn weight in silver for a hand and a compass to find the whoresons who struck my ship!

Gulfeather and Young Smith

This embattled fool is Captain Julian Gulfeather, former Piscean and current captain of the Maiden Fair. The Mischievous Winds caught his ship, and his men were offered passage on another vessel heading out of port if they brought his load of pearls and Goldsteel shells aboard. He offers a bounty for the head of Steely Jon Hardtack, the pirate who took advantage of the magic winds in his vessel Devil’s Darlin’.

A Knowledge (Local) check will expose the following:

DC 15: Steely Jon Hardtack is a famous pirate of the seas around the Seafinger, and his crew is known as the Bellringers for the small silver bells Hardtack hands out for each kill of a merchant guard.
DC 20: Steely Jon Hardtack seems to be at the right place at the right time, his bewitched ship leading him to places of plunder and promise.
DC 25: Hardtack started his life as Sir Jon Hawksegg, a forgotten whelp of the old Lord Hawken. Sent to the Queen’s service as a naval officer, he is said to have been a messenger who used enchanted birds to scout for his Commanders through their eyes.

The hunt for Jon Hardtack is going to be a whole ‘nother module, but it may be good to seed the ideas of chasing after him here if you decide to continue on to A Case of Crabs and Daggers. A skilled weatherworker druid trained by a hermit living in Widow’s Walk Cliffs, Jon Hardtack will make a great villain for the players once they learn what he has taken…

Once Gulfeather is let down a small lad comes out of hiding in a barrel. Young Smith, the cabin boy of Maiden Fair, hid himself during the mutiny, and apologizes to the adventurers that the Captain does not have much, but he did steal away something from the sailors before they went. He presents the player’s with Calm Eye, a masterwork dagger whose hilt is shaped into a two-tone whistle. If examined the hilt itself seems to radiate magic, while the blade is just simple steel.

Calm Eye's Hilt

Calm Eye has three possible pitches, each usable once a day. When blown with both holes covered the tone calms winds, allowing for a crosswind to not beleaguer a ship’s progress. When blown with the top hole covered the whistle calls up a quick burst of gale, producing favorable wind for one hour. The last use, the bottom whistle, makes the item a boon for smugglers, allowing the user to use disguise ship. The item is situational but very useful, and could fetch a fine price or be held onto for further seafaring.

An Arrival at Rockston and a Meeting of Limbless Men.

The port of Rockston is small, but the marina is filled with adventurers. Due to this marina’s small size and the laws of supply and demand, the Keeper of Lines charges the party 100 GP to drop anchor and come onto the docks. A Successful Intimidate or Diplomacy Check (DC: 20) will stir the collector’s heart, and he will charge only 10 GP for the favor of docking. The villages of Rockston and Seafinger have plenty of rooms, but the current influx has tripled all prices for food, services, and lodging.

If the adventurers seek out good accommodations they can do no better than the Puffin and Boar. A favorite haunt for captains who need a few days of R&R, the inn is known for the puffins who tweet whenever anyone enters the house and the house mistress. Pia of the Sandstones is a portly but extremely abusive owner, cursing and lewdly discussing her clientele with a smile and a slap for any man who tries to woo her. Her husband, the Whale of Sandstones, is a captain of an enormous merchant ship. If he is currently at dock the players will see a man seven feet tall sitting in an enormous plush chair, using the Boar that gives the inn its name as a footrest and holding court.

Knowledge Local (Pia or The Whale)

DC 15: Before you stands (Pia or the Whale) of Sandstones. A village destroyed by a hurricane brought them along with their spouse to Rockston, where they make a living selling goods across the sea, hosting travelers, and as the sponsors of the pearl-divers of Seafinger.

Knowledge (Arcana)/Nobility:

DC 20: The Whale’s flagship, Seacow, was built by the Queen’s artisans themselves. It is said that it is the fastest merchant ship on the coast due to a unique binding of elementals of wind into the very sails.

Gather Information:

DC 18: Pia/The Whale have placed a bounty on the heads of three sailors who stole a crate of value from their stronghouse near the Docks. The crate must be worth quite a pretty penny, as The Whale himself has promised the secrets of his sails and a hundred pounds of gold to the men who bring him news of the traitor’s location.

DC 23: The Whale is rumored to need the crate back because it contains a very important shipment.

Knowledge (Religion):

DC 15: The symbol above the bar of the Puffin and Boar is an ancient form of the holy symbol of the God of Travel.

If the players seek information on any gossip they have heard regarding Seafinger, Rockston, or Fiddler’s Crown Pia would be happy to talk for the price of a few gold pieces. She has an 80% chance of speaking truthfully on any rumor, but 10% of the time she is completely stumped and the other 10% of the time her gossip is diametrically opposed to the truth of the rumor.
The tavern’s far corner is populated by a group of men who seem to have more steel and wood than flesh. The life of a sailor is difficult, but these men seem to surpass the simplicity of hooks and artifice. Brasslegged Eric sits among these folk, drinking and dicing while coming to collect those who are to make the trip up to the Crown.

Eric knows the party as adventurers from their appearance as they come in and invites them over for drinks and food when they are not occupied. He has information on the Crown and its inhabitants, the tale of the Four Knights of Green-Cup, and legends of a spirit who wanders the forests around the Crown tricking travelers and drawing them astray. He offers to take them along with him on his way up the Root Bridge to Fiddler’s Crown.

The Trek and Eric’s Poor Luck Strike Again

The climb up from Rockston upon the Root Bridge is slow and arduous. The route up is formed of root and stone and moxie, and the overall climb up takes eight hours. Brasslegs escorts the players with his usual charm and black humor. Areas of the Root require climbing (DC: 10-15), and a small campsite sits about halfway across the eight hour trek up the difficult terrain.

It is in the last hour that the route gets more difficult. The bridge over the dip known as Beggar’s Bridge is a 10*100 bridge that is rickety at its best, and a winter of icy rot has caused the spring bridge to be more treacherous than before. Using Balance, Jump, or ropes to get across is recommended, but if a magical form of flight or transportation is attempted the trap is sprung for poor Eric. Stretching, his brass legs squealing, he asks the players if they would help him to carry his pack as his legs are running out of juice and he needs every bit of energy to get home.

Eric has learned a juicy secret in his time in Rockston, and he is seeking to give that information to Lady Ruivo. Someone doesn’t want this information to get out, and the monitor on Eric is triggered by magic being used around him. The creature which has been waiting on him takes this time to use its talent, looking to dispatch Eric and tie up loose ends with the adventurers.

Encounter: The Curious Incident on Beggar’s Bridge.

Opponents (1): Enchanted Invisible Stalker.
Save: Brasslegged Eric (HP: 45)

The creature targets Eric alone, hoping to bull rush him off the Bridge. The creature has been enchanted with Protection from Arrows and Energy (Fire/Lightning) absorbing the first 96 damage on both energy types. If knocked over the Beggar’s Bridge Eric may be saved by Feather Fall, though the creature will go down and attempt to kill Eric.

If saved, Eric rushes on to Fiddler’s Crown with his satchel to give his message. If he is near death and able to speak, he asks the adventurers to abandon his body and get his satchel to Lady Ruivo.

The message is simple rhyme:

Bird, Bear, Hare, and Fish
Give My Heart Its Fondest Wish.

Reforged Iron: Secrets of the Green: The Full Adventure, Pt 1: Plot, Locations, and Prologue.

2012-06-06T17:53:00.001-04:00

The Introduction of Reforged Iron Where I Take the Results of Iron DM and Flesh Out The Adventure Setup.

Sadly, I lost Iron DM in the first round due to the need to detail. Hrmm... But that doesn't mean that I'm going to ditch the awesome possibilities of this Adventure. So today, I am going to start the writeup for the full adventure Secrets of the Green, for Stalwart Adventurers. We'll start with a list of plot-important characters, and the trip to Fiddler's Crown by Land.

A quick link to other parts of the module: 2

Plot Summary

The Tourney at Fiddler’s Crown calls adventurers from miles around. A heavy purse for the winner and the favor of the Three Widows of Hawken are up for grabs for any adventurer willing to take the chance and seek out the Widow’s Green Cup. A twenty year tradition, this year’s Tourney will turn out to be one for the record books, and bring the future of the Hawken household and its past secrets into the light.

Locations:

Fiddler’s Crown: The enormous castle built into the Great Eastern Tree, the Crown is the world’s largest treehouse. Towering above the lands below, the Crown may be accessed through paths cut into the canopy in the form of an elaborate hedge maze.
Protected from the wicked weather off the Cliffs by the embrace of the canopy, the mazes of the Crown serves the dockside villages of Rockston and Seasfinger via a large bridge made of an exposed root of the Great Tree.

The Great Eastern Tree: The treetop on which Fiddler’s Crown sits is just the tip of the iceberg, as the Great Tree descends for thousands of feet below the surface, its network of roots and branches leads deep into Widow’s Walk Cliff and is an entire series of unique ecologies. Pools of water collect in shallow bowls in the enormous branches, and the webbing of branches, fallen leaves, and fungal/mossy growths provides animals below the treetop a whole new world to explore.

The Great Tree descends into the earth for thousands of feet, and a walk down to the base of the tree can take days due to overgrowth and the need to climb down. At the base of the Undertree lies the thorp of Thistledown, ancestral home of the Green-Cup knights and their bannermen. Abandoned for two decades, Thistledown was granted to the Green-Cup household as a snub to the House, but the well-built city that used the roots of the Great Tree for roofs was the western entrance to the Crown through the now overgrown Greenbriar Path.

Eberhardt: The Village of Opals, Eberhardt was built to serve as an opal miner’s camp hundreds of years ago. After the claim ran dry a youngest son of the Malmsey line was sent to be the Lord of the manor and its various smallholds. A skilled magician, Ejun Malmsey made the city into a safe location for the study of the Arts and the village lives through its production of potions, poultices, and wands for those with coin and need. This is the seat of the Gold Star Malmseys, the symbol chosen by the young Ejun for its association with astronomy (a personal love) and magic lore. Currently ruled by Lord Emon Malmsey,

Rockston/Seafinger: Two communities that host small docks for those looking to enter Fiddler’s Crown, the two cities are well-known around the kingdom for their goods. The Silver Weavers of Rockston are a group of female smiths skilled in making the ornately decorated armor favored by knights of the East. In Seafinger the skindivers of the Order of the Blessed Pisces sell pearls, fine conch, and the hard yet strangely pliable shells of large Goldsteel crabs that are only found off the depths.

The rivalry of Rockston versus Seafinger for seaside trade is well-known in the Crown, and nothing shows the rivalry more than Sir Filo and the Captain of the Guards Sir Geritt. The two men make a large bet each year on the Tourney, and the victor receives a set of gauntlets known as the Lady’s Favor to wear until the next year’s tourney.

Dramatis Personae:

House Hawken

Three Widows Hawken: The widows of the Fiddler’s Crown, Prata, Loira, and Ruiva Hawken created the Tourney to celebrate the loss of their betrothed, the Lost Sons of Thistledown Manor, the Knights of the Green-Cup in a strange disappearance in the forests around the estate. They once had a sister, the youthful Bianca, who committed suicide by leaping off Widow’s Walk Cliff upon hearing of her lost lover.

Descriptions:

Prata Silverhair – Silver-haired and boastful, the Lady Prata lives in the Eastern Tower of Fiddler’s Crown. An avid aquaculturalist, Prata created a glass enclosure holding hundreds of fish when she came to widowhood, and swims within the tank to enjoy the salty waters of the Sea without hazarding the breakers off Widow’s Walk Cliff. Lady Prata loves the hunt, and can sometimes be found in the Silent Woods riding with retainers hunting hare and doves. Sadly, Prata has been struck by an unforeseen illness, and is under the care of a skilled healer in Jenny, woods woman of Eberhardt.

She is accompanied (when physically able) out of tower by Jenny and her handmaid, a young bastard girl and daughter of Sir Filo.

Loira Brighteye – Cropped Golden-haired with silver streaks, Lady Loira lives in the Hightower North of the Crown. Loira embraced her widowhood, refusing suitors and spending her timing at the family pastime of falconry. Loira loves the sea, and spends time on her father’s pleasure yacht Grey Drake and has had a hand in the breeding of the great Stud of the Crown, a pure black warhorse known as Sable.

Ruiva Thrice-Widow: Wearing a broad braid of coppery red hair turning grey, the Lady Ruiva’s voracious love of the Sir Filo of Rockston is the open secret of the Manor. Widowed by the elder Knight Green-Cup, Ruiva was married by her father to a Lord-Captain of the Queen’s Navy, lost at sea in battle after giving her a son. Her third marriage, to Sir Alric, younger brother of Lord Emon Malmsey, was cut short after their daughter’s tenth birthday, when Alric, in his cups, plummeted off the skywalks of the Crown to his death.

Escondo, Master of Mirth: A forty-year old court magician who came to Fiddler’s Crown, the Master is hired for the maintenance of the mazes leading to Fiddler’s Crown, and the keeper of the magics of the Household. His title comes from his institution of the Tourney at Fiddler’s Crown, wherein he calls forth a group of the most talented tricksters of Eberhardt, Rockston, Seafinger, and surrounding communities to make the tournament’s grand landscapes.

House Malmsey:

Lord Emon Malmsey of Eberhardt, the Jugged Mage: A man of fifty, Lord Malmsey’s appearance is obscured by the large barrel he lives in for his health. A skilled transmuter and scholar of instable magic, Malmsey took to Fiddler’s Crown a year ago to study the weather patterns off Widow’s Walk Cliff, and to send apprentices off to procure samples of flora and fauna found within the unique ecology of the Great Tree.

Malmsey’s condition is due to a cursed illness received during his scouting for unique flora and fauna. A polymorphic instability, Malmsey found his body constantly unwittingly reshaping itself. Though he treats the condition through tincture of mercury and a magic fixative, he must remain within his pressurized barrel or else die due to transmutative metastasis.

The Knights Green-Cup: Four young men born to Bountiful Barrow Green-Cup, Lord of Thistledown, the Knights disappeared on the eve of the wedding while hunting in the Quiet Woods. Lord Barrow was unwed, but had four natural sons, who received his name and title to share upon his death.

Descriptions:

Baixista: A sturdy and stout warrior, Baixista was the eldest son of Lord Barrow and an unknown tinkerer’s daughter. Brown hair, brown-eyed and jovial.

Bassaro: Blond-haired and blue-eyed, Passaro was the son of Barrow and a lady dishonored during a tourney in the Westerlands. Handsome and beloved as a scout of the Undertree and beyond.

Lebre: Known to be just as free with his love as his father, Lebre was a quick-to-anger cad but excellent archer.

Beixe: Silver hair and grey eyes, this youngest son was rumored to be the progeny of spirits, though his mother was probably one of the Silver Weavers of Rockston.

Noted Guards of Fiddler’s Crown:

Example of Sir Farland's Work: False Arm of Lightning Bolt

Brasslegged Eric: A guard and former drinking companion of Lord Malmsey, Eric Toren was paralyzed from the waist down by a poisonous bite while on Undertree Safari with Emon.

Lord Emon, employing the combined skills of Eberhardt, created a halo to fit around the guard’s limbs, allowing the limbs to move through electrical current provided through a unique mystic device. The original tinker who built the device, Sir Proud Jon Farland, was knighted for his service to the Malmseys and granted a stipend to continue his work on artificial limbs at the Vineyard, the great Malmsey estate and castle.

On The Road to Fiddler’s Crown

By Land, and the Huntsmen: The Road to Fiddler’s Crown goes through the forests, going to the south of the Crown. The Red Oak Path is the most common road, but there are many creatures who live in the great forest. To reach the Crown takes around two days on horseback or three days on foot. The slight slowness of horseback in comparison is due to the path’s rough nature and occasional worn trails that require a horse to move through difficult terrain.

Credit: Her Ghost in the Fog by Lady Darkraven

The Girl in the Woods: During travel adventurers have a 50% chance every 12 hours to see a beautiful girl with a trailing scarf around her neck wandering in the woods. If the adventurers move off of the path to try to find the girl they will find themselves twisted and lost. Following the backtrail will fail to allow the party out of the woods, and the path seems to be lost completely after only a few hundred feet of travel back along it. The party may attempt to use knowledge of survival to make their way out of the woods (DC: 20). If successful, roll D6 on the following table to find out where they end up:

Forest Maze Effects:

1: The Party ends up on the outskirts of the Forest where they had started on the path.
2-3: The party ends up exactly where they started on the path.
4: The party ends up in a clearing in the middle of the Forest. This clearing has seven patches of white wood roses on the roots of seven small darkly-barked oaks.
5: The same scene as above, but the party’s highest Charisma member sees seven maids laying on the ground, and the scarves hanging in the trees cut and the pieces around their neck.
6: The girl appears ahead of the party, and leads them to the huntsmen’s camp. The huntsmen, if startled, make a Reflex Save (roll 6d20). Every roll below 10 triggers a +10 Ranged attack (2d8 damage) as the surprised hunters release arrows from surprise.

Bardic Knowledge (DC: 20) reveals the rumors of the Seven Maids of the Fair Wood. Some legends say the founders of the place that was to become Fiddler’s Crown sacrificed seven maids to a vengeful spirit of the woods to ensure the building of their castle would go unhindered.

If rolled 4,5,6 follow the Option: Protector of Secrets after the Huntsmen’s Camp.

Huntsmen: Around ten miles outside of the Crown’s entrance on the Path is a small hunter’s camp. This camp, used by the Widows when they decide to go hawking or enjoy the woods, is currently populated by a group of men with strands of rabbits and coneys butchered and being packed for transport. The huntsmen are willing to offer food to the travelers and a night’s stay, but if the adventurers want rabbit they are denied. The leader of the hunt is Sir Filo, sent out for the Lady Prata’s craving for rabbit and coney. The huntsmen and a couple of other travelers are willing to chat with the adventurers, discussing the stories of the Tourney and great winners past. The leader of the hunt, Sir Filo, was the victor of the past five tournaments, but fakes humility as he discusses the last few. The last Tourney ended with Sir Filo receiving a great scar across his chest from the last beast, said to have been a giant bear commissioned by the Lady Prata herself to protect the Green-Cup.

Option: Protector of Secrets.

The spirit of the wood wishes to keep its secrets secret, and sends its minions after the party in the form of two spirits of the wood. These creature, hiding in the branches and loam of the forest floor, attacks the party, causing the trees and bushes to attack while the spirit itself tries to drive the characters mad through its spellcraft and affecting the targets with amnesia.

Encounter (Protector of Secrets):

Pixie (CR 5, 3HD, replace Irresistible Dance with Confusion.
Animated Objects (2 Huge Animated Objects, Constrict/Trample (CR: 5).

If defeated the Protector turns into a wooden figurine dressed in leather-and-bark ‘armor’. A Knowledge (Arcana) or (Religion) (DC: 24) shows that this item is a sympathetic magic item, and is a common type of enchantment used to bind spirits by those who practice druidic or natural magics.

A DM Looks Back: Part 1: The Model Builder versus the Gardener.

2012-06-06T04:24:00.000-04:00

Looking back and looking forward: How to Reconcile my First Setting with my Current Ideas on Gaming.

As my Legendfall game takes place in the aftermath of a four-year long campaign in a setting that I have worked on and off with for the past twelve years I wanted to take a bit of a look back at how I handled some of the work on that older campaign. I have sadly lost hundreds of pages of work, but the mind's eye, memories, and discussions with former players has really made me wonder what I was working towards. I hope to point out some of my mistakes in earlier designs and the pitfalls I fell into over the creation.

Imagine above but fatter, beardier.

G'esh was my baby. I loved the setting like my own little nerd child, feeding it all of my fantasies of what made for a great setting. I wrote for months, creating documentation that would make Tolkien proud. Languages, cultures, a thousand little tidbits about a society that began to populate my dreams. I would eat, sleep, and feel the setting in a way that you do a first love or a new addiction.

And by writing the world I killed its true progress for years.

Why? Well, there are a few ways... Prime Mover. That heady feeling of just creating a setting, populating it with all of the pieces of a living breathing entity, making the whole world all to my own and giving it a loving glance. And with this frenetic worldbuilding I came to a completely attractive, perfectly formed, still and unmoving world.

I created a great model, a 'perfect' world in miniature, but I hadn't made a true campaign. The campaigns we create must breathe, survive the endless machinations of those wicked agents of change known as players, and grow. While I was thinking in the form of a nice little model world, what I have thought of my world as is a garden.

Look at this nice scene to the left. A very pretty scene, but it is frozen in time. When this picture begins to move flowers will bloom, trees will grow, and fruits will be picked or rot on the vine. The garden is an apt metaphor to a campaign in my own personal experience as DM and gardener extraordinaire. You plant seeds and saplings, set down fertile ground, pull weeds... And then watch the magic happen.

Well, not exactly. You prune, shear, shape, stake, and generally work harder during the growth than you ever do during the planting.
And the same can be said for any campaign... But you have a whole set of hired hands to help you. When I began as a DM young and dumb I treated players as rabbits in my garden, looking to pluck fruit and eat the fruits of my labor. And now I know I have a nice group of free labor to keep the whole thing in line.

My Rules Lawyer hoes the rows, keeping everything in check. My artsy players make beautiful arrangements of our produce in words and drawings and silly little buttons and t-shirts. My fellow gardeners bring fruits from their own games, trading little patches between us, and making each of the plots stronger. And all I need to do is give up some of that control, that micromanagement of my game to create an even stronger place to play.

This is one of the big things I drill into any new DMs head. Learn from my two decades of 'experience'... Yeah, its a fancy word for mistake in any language, but you may just prevent yourself from chasing those rat PCs out and help to grow some strong bonds and even better games.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Allen Hughes, Winter's Favored Son and The Lost Battalion

2012-06-05T20:20:00.001-04:00

The Lost Battalion, an interesting group of 'soldiers' to add to your Modern Fantasy game and beyond.

I was inspired by this video I saw on Youtube and the world sort of just opened up for me.

The Commander looked down upon his troops as they came out of the Great Wall. A dozen men dead today, but they drove the Conquerors back. Thousands of them, all dressed in their black armor, indescribably evil beasts who tear his men limb from limb. The small fires in No Man's Land were extinguished, preventing the Great Leader from being disturbed. Noble men all, and as he took off his boots he remembered the conflict.

Their compound eyes glowed in the lights of their new weapons. Great brass booms, the flames, the sounds of battle joined as his men screamed for their Great Leader. As he cleaned in the basin atop Green Mountain Pass, he heard the echoing of the Great Leader.

Behold! The man who brought them their greatest knowledge through the Glowing Tome! He who bought their armor and weapons from the Reaper Himself! The Lord of the Glowing Box, who taught them their ways of battle through his people's channels of History! Once they were disorganized rabble warring within the Great Wall, and suffered the great Clouds of Death before the Great Leader learned of their presence.

He bent down, corpulent and dressed in his fine hooded half-robe, bearing the legend of his people. Indeed, it proclaimed his name valiantly, Sir Allan of the Safe Ways, Lord of the Green Mountain's Dew.

"How's the ant problem going?"

"We have fought the black menace back to the edge of the Wall!"

"Excellent. Shots around the house! I also worked on that forge we were discussing... I think I can make some pretty wicked things besides those cannons I bought for you online."

"Any weapons, my lord, would be much obliged."

"Anything for the Battalion. At ease Commander Vladmir of the Wall."

Allen cracked a beer and poured the shot bottle of Kahlua into the glass. The world got weird for him when he read that book, but he had to say that the Battalion served their purpose.

Maybe I'll spend some money on a couple dollhouses, put the guys up in style. And if we could only train some of those Gerbils over at the PetSmart...

---

Allen Hughes of Philadelphia Pennsylvania lives in the lap of luxury. His day job working at the local grocery store as a cashier, but at night he rules a kingdom that only he knows about. Not a lot of guys who get the chance to be Gods among the Little Folk, but Allen was lucky.

His ex girlfriend Alma Reed was the starting point. She knew he dug old books and, as a geek would be interested in fantasy of all types. When she found the copy of an old book that contained the Táin Bó Cúailnge, he Irish epic of the wars of Ulster. But the book continued, telling of the tales of Mebd, and the bonds of Ailill and his embattled wife. The tales of Mebd after her death, and her reunion, and her seeking of a suitor.

And then, after he finished, she came. The beautiful Mae, a girl of fire-red hair, eyes the color of juniper, and a mean temper. They flirted in the carrels as he studied for his Masters in literature, and began to secretly meet. Slowly he lost Alma, his scholarship, and his parent's trust, but Mae stood by him, every day smiling.

Mae kept his house clean, his larders stocked, and his apartment in West Philly free of roaches and silverfish. She seemed to love him, and even if she worked the night shift they still saw each other quite enough.

And he could write again. Tales of valor, of knights and lords and dragons. They were happy, and when Mae became pregnant Allen was the happiest man on earth.

Until She came.

How does a man feel when his love is taken away? Old pacts, the stranger said, and he knew her then. Had he not read her tales and learned her life? And knew the price of his love.

He read the fairy tales.

And so the Winter Queen came for her servant, and Allen Hughes has not aged a day for the last forty years.

The Queen of Air and Darkness sent her handmaiden to give him the gift of his writing, and when she left his inspiration went with her. He spent years trying to find her, that sweet red-haired girl who he had grown to love. But when he sought to go across the sea he found himself unable, incapable of stepping foot on the plane.

And so Allen Hughes became Winter's Favored Son. He works at odd jobs bagging groceries and painting houses, and helps those changelings and wandering sprites he finds. He never gained back the talents of his writing, but he has learned a love for other things.

And every few years he moves to a different neighborhood. Perhaps someone notices him talking to his grey tom cat... And then sees the cat talk back. Or the time when a man from the Old Country came seeking a leprechaun living under his care to steal a pot of gold and found only a knife in the lung and an unceremonious dump into Fairmount Park.

Allen teaches the faeries new lessons, and none have learned faster than his newest charges. The Lost Battalion, a group of house sprites who left a witch's house upon her death, were almost destroyed by an errant fumigation of their current hiding place. Allen took them under his protection, teaching them of modern warfare, the use of cannonade, and now they carry small brass cannon and firearms dipped in arsenic or Carbaryl to kill their enemies in the walls.

And every day Allen keeps his eyes and ears peeled, seeking a son who he never met, and a love he has lost to the cold hands of Winter.

---

Hope you enjoyed this little fluff piece. If you have any questions please reply, or email me on gmail. I am also available on Google+ if you can find me.

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Iron DM Adventure: Secrets of the Green: A Fantasy Tale for 4 Stalwart Adventurers

2012-06-05T02:38:00.000-04:00

The Post containing the full wonders of art and direction for my (winning?) Iron DM Entry at ENWorld.

Players:

Generated via Fantasy Shields

Widows Hawken: Three ladies (Prata – Silvery-blond, bichromatic eyes, terse, has a cat in tow, eats roast hare, lives in the Seaside Tower, Loira – Golden hair (short), brown eyes, firm, lives for the hunt, carries a falcon on shoulder, and Ruivo – Red long hair, green eyes, reserved, drinks heavily, eldest) of Fiddler’s Crown. One sister, Bianca, died of sorrow leaping from Widow’s Walk Peak.

Lords Greencup : Four lads (Baixista - Eldest, stout and strong, brown hair, jovial, Passaro – Blond hair, blue eyes, quick-witted, Lebre – Black hair, green eyes, legitimized bastard, Peixe – Silver-haired, grey eyed, child) disappeared before the Wedding.

Lord Emon Malmsey of Eberhardt – Skilled arcane scholar of esoteric knowledge, currently in a state of disrepair.

Master of Mirth – Middle-aged, potbellied, salt/pepper brown eyes, happy, quick-witted, and master of the Greencup Tourney.

Sir Filo – Love-besotted knight-retainer and hopeful for Prata’s widowed hand.

The Greencup – An item of power capable of creating the wielder’s imagined terrain through blood and magic.

The Saboteur – A wicked creature who holds the secrets of Thistledown and Fiddler’s Crown.

Background

Fiddler’s Crown and the Widows of Hawken are known throughout the land. Beautiful women who lost their betrothed on the eve of their weddings, the Ladies hold a tournament in honor of their beloved each year. Buttressed between Widow’s Walk Peak and the Quiet Forest, Fiddler’s Crown is the castle that guards the Tree of the Worlds, built high within its branches and overlooking sea and land. The Crown is applauded for its beautiful architecture, and the beautiful aquaculture contained within the room known as the Seaside Solarium. The Greencup Tourney is a place for the Masters of Mirth, a group of skilled court magicians, to show their skills. And when a knight of notable bearing comes to court, the players are caught up in a tale of a jugged mage, twisted love, and a mother’s betrayal.

Introduced By:

Party spellcasters are invited by a fellow of some note to attend and compete for a grand prize in the Tourney of Creation at Fiddler’s Crown.

Warriors far and wide tell of a prize worth its weight in jewels given by three widows of unsurpassed beauty.

A herald of the Hawken Widows rides through town, spreading word of the Greencup tourney and challenging all of skill and courage to battle the Tourney’s powerful challenges.

Act 1: The Widows of Hawken and the Greencup:

The Tourney at Fiddler’s Crown begins anew. Mages of note travel to create traps and monsters for the Grand Hunt. The tourney is a day-long search for the Emerald Chalice, an given the Widows upon the elimination of the Greencup Bloodline. This year’s site is a mystic island environment built from the designs of the Master of Mirth and populated by the creations of the mage’s contest. The Master has created a grand multilayered desert island dungeon, populated by various beautiful natives, spiraling up with views of the interior provided by the Mages through elaborate illusions for spectactors. Twelve men are allowed into the Dungeon, from the bottom to the top, and as soon as one man reaches the next layer the lowest layer descends into the sea, slowly drowning any below. Any individuals who are ‘drowned’ In such a manner immediately trigger a water-breathing effect and are brought to safety by spotters.

When the Greencup is taken everything shifts; structures weaken and the terrain buckles. It is an escape scenario to get away before being sucked down without flight or teleportation.

Act 2: Accusations, The Jugged Mage, and a Trip Beneath the Canopy.

The instability of the Greencup is unexpected, and Mirth is furious. The players see the Master speaking into a large cone attached to a barrel. The barrel contains Lord Emon Malmsey, the Jugged Mage. A scholar of architectural spellcraft and transmutative illness, Malmsey’s poultice recipes are legendary. Living inside a hyperbaric cask to pressurize his body, afflicted with a expansive polymorphic curse. Malmsey examines the item and if asked discusses regarding polymorphic instability/psychosis, and other magic illnesses.

A strange new fault within the Greencup is spotted by the Malmsey and Mirth The mage’s discussion, leads to the Greencup family and the disappearance of the young knights. The ladies tell the tale; how they were promised to the Greencups, keepers of the Worldtree’s trunk. Thistledown, home of Greencup, lie below these fifteen years, along with answers.

The party is beset by invisible creatures in the night, winds that attempt to throw them off the criss-crossing walkways to death below. They find a scrap of fabric with the symbol of Eberhardt upon it. Malmsey, if still trusted, suggests a trip below.

The Worldtree’s deep trunk descends, protected by the Earth. Travel is made on a rickety spiral ramp (The Great Thread), with small buildings for rest. Sounds of wildlife chatter, and some buildings may contain beasts enthralled by the saboteur. Long branches as thick as a waist radiate away, allowing access to the Canopy. Several spots along the path have been broken by brute force, a broken Hawken ax visible. Creatures seem to stalk the players, and eyes can be seen shining from the canopy on the hours-long descent.

By Bilopsis

Act 3: Thistledown, Lady of the Ruins, and A Sister’s Shame.

Thistledown has been reclaimed by nature, but the land is still viable. Greencup banners hang above the gates of the estate. More spartan than Fiddler’s Crown, Thistledown’s walls are bare, and various beasts nest within.

In the throne room sits a bear wearing a crown made of gold, covered in thistle flowers, with a beautiful girl with alabaster skin sitting in its lap. The girl, when she opens her eyes, has clearly seen better days, as her eyes have been torn from her face and replaced with two silver coins. She seems to sense the party, coming out of the bear’s lap and straightening her skirts.

The bear ponders the newcomers, and then speaks in a deep bass voice. He asks how the PCs have come to his manor, and why he and his love are disturbed. If asked, the bear claims to be Lord Shardin Baixista, Lord of Thistledown and Protector of the Land Below. If angered the bear becomes enraged, charging the characters to “tear from root and branch”

When bloodied the bear cries off, and explains. His soul, along with the souls of his brothers, has been trapped within the forms of animals by foul magic just after he found Bianca’s body. Though it was claimed she jumped over the Widow’s Walk for love of a stablehand, the truth is that she was cast down to die in the Land Below by Prata when she was caught in bed with Baixista. He claims Fiddler’s Crown cursed them to live as the animals of their nature. Baixista, hearty and stout, was changed to a bear. Passaro, the handsome ranger, became an eagle and flew afield. Lebre, lusty and quick, turned to a hare. None know the faith of Peixe, Bianca’s betrothed.

Bianca wishes to return to the Land Above, and reclaim her birthright. The curse placed upon the brothers seems to be immutable, and Bianca has tried all of the skills she learned in her tutelage with Lord Malmsey before his disease. Skilled in shapechanging, Bianca can take the form of any natural creature.

Interlude: The Lady’s Favored and the Battle of Thistledown.

Outside Thistledown on the Thread a dozen large warriors bearing Hawken colors attack. Some of the men are recognizable from the house, with Sir Filo wearing The Lady’s Favor. Sir Filo has been promised the hand of the Silver Lady Hawken if he can murder the group. The rest are under an enthrallment. When Filo is killed the enchantment is broken, and the guards will rally behind Lady Bianca.

Act 4: The Family Secret, Closing

The players leave Thistledown and learn Passaro has stayed beside his Lady as a hawk since his transformation. Prata is exposed as the Hawken Family Secret. When House Hawken built Fiddler’s Crown they sacrificed seven peasant maids to protect their household. From this corruptive influence a creature rose to stalk the Hawken line, slowly corrupting the world outside of its demense and reveling in destruction… Until the Greencup. Now she hopes to use the Greencup to buy her freedom, creating a new bond between herself and the Cup so she may pass freely through the world.

The creature chooses the youngest Hawken maid, and traps her soul in its dying shell. It failed its last swap when Bianca was deflowered and threw the girl down the Tree in rage. This rage turned Bianca Revenant. To marshal her power for ritual the Lady changed the lads before Prata could be married.

The Lady is a corrupted form of dryad witch, and her Favor was the curse’s focus. Challenged, she enthralls, curses, and obfuscates. First she ruptures Lord Malmsey’s tank, causing a Medium-sized pudding to erupt from his cursed body once/round, which combine together 2:1 per size category. Once defeated and the gauntlets are broken the curse will be lifted, and Bianca dies avenged.

Lord Malmsey’s condition is not reverted. However, a book that can be found in ‘Prata’s’ diary contains an entry about a witch who came through Fiddler’s Crown disguised as a cook, and who dwells in the Quiet Forest.

Loose Ends:

There are small plot pieces that may be found within the overall setting of the adventure. If the PCs look into them through Gathering of Information, the fate of the maiden sacrifices, a cure for Lord Malmsey, the summoner of the air elementals, and the corrupter of the Greencup may be found.

Side Quest: A Trip to Eberhardt.

The Village of Tinkers, Eberhardt is Lord Malmsey’s home. If the players wish to investigate the attack on the walkways the Village is filled with magicians who make magic trinkets and potions. Their runoff, Opal Pond, causes strange effects when imbibed or placed on the skin. The Lady’s accomplice, Malmsey’s apprentice Leopold, will stalk the party back. He will attempt to foolishly ambush the party via flight. If dispelled over the Pond he turns into a swarm of micro-Leopolds that fight to the death. The old Master of Fiddler’s Crown, Donton, lives in Eberhardt and has tales of strange happenings with the youngest daughters.

Side Quest: In the Canopy.

The bodies of the maidens still hang in the canopy in a place where few but the most adventurous go. Some of the wildmen who live within the canopy, if asked and bartered with, will lead the party there. The spirits of the maidens are kept in constant torment by the Lady’s dogs, spiritual hounds that bray and tear at their flesh only to leave them to heal again. If freed the maidens will assist in battle against the Lady’s minions, and destroy Fiddler’s Crown piece by piece.

Side Quest: Lord Malmsey’s Condition.

If the book is found in Prata’s room the Witch may be tracked down. She lives hidden by many enchantments, but the sounds of travelers will call her protectors to life. Powerful elementals, the stones that contain their animating spirit can be used to hone in on the witch’s location and a cure for the curse.

Side Quest: The Saboteur.

A bastard of the Greencup line was the one to sabotage the Lady’s Cup. This bastard, a half-brother to the Widows, was promised Fiddler’s Crown for his corruption of the Cup. The bastard is the Master of Mirth himself, and will battle tooth and nail. He will tell her secrets if put to the sword, but not before visiting Thistledown.

Ingredients:

Awakened Bear – Shardin Baixista, Lord of Thistledown.
Sinking Island – The Greencup Tourney’s venue
Esoteric Scholar - The Casked Mage, a hyperb(ear/ar)ic chambered sorcerer, infected by Beorn's Curse, a mutagenic disease caused by exposure to heavy transmutation
Family Reunion - Baixista and Peixe, though not under the best of terms.
Treehouse - Fiddler's Crown, the castle of the Greencup Widows.
Gauntlets of Ogre Power – The Lady’s Favor, the crux of the curse.

Prataferro: Primeira Escuridao, the First Darkness/Lady of Misery

2012-06-02T18:26:00.003-04:00

Meet Primeira Escuridao, the First Darkness, The Balance, the shapeshifting right hand of Collector on Prataferro

Thanks to Starlit Dragon for the great art

"Her beauty belies his pain, his soul is her charity twisted to Its will, Its form is immutable as their handling"
- Limping Silver, Mage of the Great Order

The First is the mutable leader of the Quicksilver Lords. The claims behind the First's appearance seem to vary with every viewer; some claim a beautiful woman carved from ebony draped in the dress of the hinterland tribes of the Unseen, while others claim a spritely man who smiles with the sharpened teeth of a bravo of the Iron City.

A hundred appearances could be credited to the Darkness, but no one claims to peg down its true form save for Loucura Evra'Moura, who in his Annals of the First claims the Darkness as:

(A) formless void, a hundred smiling faces reaching out from an abyssal mass of black tendrils and the hate of a million doomed tribals who first made our Choice.

The legends surrounding the First range across the continent of Prataferro. Some claim the First was the child chosen to accept the Choice among all of the Elders, while others claim the First to be the Courtier of the Collector, and the actual creature to present the Choice to the Elders. Still others claim the First came before or after the Change, and its nature makes it inscrutable to seers of the Unseen Tribes or the Crystalline Horde alike. For the purposes of discussion we will focus on the appearance of Primeira Escuridao in her shape as the Lady of Misery.

As the Lady of Misery Primeira serves the Collector as a destructive force. She dresses in simple robes of noil fabric, and walks through the heat of Terraquente or the blizzard winds of the mountains surrounding the nine fortresses of the Sangui Carvao. She speaks through her interpreter, the large beast known as Cão preto, the Black Dog. Another shapeshifter, the Dog walks alongside its mistress and seems to hold a place of primacy among her minions, which include most of those who have learned the ways of shapechanging outside of the Unseen Tribes.

Her enemies consist of the Unseen Tribe known as Cair Estrela, the powerful skinwalkers who wander the mists of the Unseen to protect the Tribes from Miseravel and Order mage alike. The Cair Estrela have waged war against the Lady since before the Raising of the Veils, and it is said that when the Elders of the Falling Stars come to the Land of Iron and Silver again the Lady will be cast down from her throne and the Debt will be broken until the end of days.

Primeira Escuridao, along with Sombra, are the only known Lords who have Chosen new Lords and Ladies. Sombra, the castle-sized Lord of Shades, sends many of his pawns against the Darkness, though whether they are in open conflict or simply testing each other to keep their powers sharp is unknown. They each have their own warriors, shunning the Miseravel as 'thralls to the Mother', and choosing to elect others to their service. The Darkness's warriors, known as the Ocohomen, wander the world in unknown service, their bodies borne up by a strange encircling mist that is said to be fascinating or devastating to those touched by it.

Hope you enjoy this latest entry into the Quicksilver Lords. If you have any questions feel free to comment or reply to me via email at gmail.com by using my name here.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Making Bards More Musical

2012-06-02T14:46:00.001-04:00

In which we discuss the world of the Bard, musicians, and how to make bards more musical than magic...

I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me-like food or water.

-Ray Charles.

Good Gaming Blog: Making bards 32% less spoony.

When I think of bards I think of this quote. Music should represent the world of the Bard, and the Bard represent his world in music. Their powers are derived through their souls expressed in performance, and to be honest I'm just not feeling the world being too excited by the Bard who makes his spells writ in the same form as every other caster.

So for the last few days I have been thinking on what Bards could do with what they are given. I want to see how songs can be made into spellcraft that is unique, and differentiated from the Bard list.

So what about music? The bard's bread and butter is made through performance, and we should see that reflected in their spellcasting. I see the Bard as a musical Sorcerer; but music does not easily account for the invoking of the Art in short, violent bursts.

Unless you're a Punk. Or rocking Power Chords.

In my ideal world the Bard's music builds, building to an effect that is greater and develops its true focus over time. It invokes elements, allows passing/increasing of powers between multiple bards, and changing in dynamics that allows for the bard to actually alter the effects of his songs on the fly. The master Bard would be indispensable to his party through his spellcasting, but by placing his heart and soul into the music makes himself a conduit for the forces around him, and can deconstruct both meter, pitch, and form... Along with his enemies.

Below are the basics of a single song, made for a single combat, and tuned to the needs of a combat bard.

Figured I would go with a great song from the Fantasy genre, and there just aren't many better than The Rains of Castamere. Both a boast and a demoralizer, Rains can be the basis of any Boast song, and altered to the uses of the Bard.

Title: Rains of Castamere (Boast/Demoralize), [Lvl 1 Song]
Royal Key
Focus: Vocal, (Option: Strings/Drum).
Length: Maximum 20 rounds, Crescendo: 5 rounds.
Performance: 11 + 1/rd.
Dischord: Break Song, Reverse Effect on 1.

Benefit: The Song tells of the defeat and destruction of the House Reyne by the young general Tywin Lannister. It provides the following effects:

Rise: Each round the song is played the Bard inspires a single target in his party. Each round it is played a single member of the party gains a +1 morale bonus to saves versus charm and fear effects and attack rolls. This effect lasts until the end of the Song.

Crescendo: When the Crescendo is reached by the Bard all targets within radius of hearing are effected by Prayer for a number of rounds equal to the number of rounds played.

Fall: The Fall of the song demoralizes your opposition, granting a -1 morale penalty to saves versus charm or fear effects and attack rolls.

Option: If the Bard Accompanies himself on String or Drum the bonuses and penalties are doubled.

Now, let us go through the listing:

Title: Does what it says on the Tin. It lists the initial Level of the Song which determines the Performance Check (DC: 10 + song lvl base, additional penalties as listed). It is also a good place for the basics of what the ability does.

Key: These are a form of 'school' for the spell. Specific Bards would have access to a certain amount of Keys, and could specialize in a Key for granted effects.

Focus: What is needed to channel the song. As this is mostly a boast the performance uses Voice. Optional Accompaniments (available for the song when you gain the appropriate Accompaniment class ability). Accompaniments

Length: This pegs the longest the song may be played for benefit, and the earliest point at which you can 'cast' the Crescendo ability.

Performance: The song associated DC. To perform the Rains of Castamere you need to be able to reliably make a DC 11 Perform (Vocal) check. This should not be an issue for most Bards, but it is when they start to get to the point of Crescendo (DC: 16) that a 1st level Bard may have trouble... but allows for higher level Bards to gain not only the Crescendo abilities but also powers of the Fall.

Dischord: When you screw up, you get the Dischord effect. This one is pretty minor, unless you Fumble the roll in which case your penalties become bonuses and vice versa.

The Bard would also gain abilities known as fills that allow for further enhancement round-to-round. These accompany the Performance check, but increase Performance to prevent their overuse and the breaking of a specific song. Fills may be played during the Rise of the song, only after the Crescendo minimum has been reached. Fills take a standard action to play.

A few sample fills:

Piker's Fill
Keys: Warrior, Common, Dirge.
Effect: This simple earthy fill provides encouragement, providing DR 2/magic for the round to a number of up to 3 target.
Difficulty: +3.

Sir Elmore's Fill
Key: Warrior, Noble, Common.
Effect: This militant fill raises the blood of those around, providing +2 to melee damage to up to 3 targets.
Difficulty: +3.

Monger's Fill
Key: Common.
Effect: A bawdy fill inspired by the The Costermonger and Lady Wilhelm the song inspires feats of daring. A single target gains a +4 morale bonus to Bluff checks for the round.
Difficulty: +4.

Blessed Fill, Minor
Key: Holy.
Effect: This floating series of notes surrounds the bard in a nimbus of blessing. Living targets within a 5' radius gain 1d6 HP, while undead targets in the area are dealt 2d6 positive energy damage.
Difficulty: +5.

St. Lionel's Fill, Major
Key: Holy, Noble.
Effect: The Lionhearted Saint's fill draws forth the fortitude of the target. The fill allows for any affected by it to re-roll any save they have failed to ignore a status effect during the song's duration.
Difficulty: +7.

The powers of Fills are offset by their use and their availability to certain specific Keys. However, there would be a Feat available to allow for 'key changes' during play at a penalty... As of right now I am not sure of the specific 'penalty' that would be required.

In theory lower level 'songs' have longer times to build to their release in Crescendo while higher level songs have higher penalties but quicker Crescendos. Thus a Bard may decide to play a specific higher-level song to Crescendo, let it fall into another song, then keep it up using fills.

So what do you think? What powers/balancing would you like to see with the Bardic workup as presented?
As always feel free to comment or chat with me via Gmail at my name.

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Why do we still use Dice again?

2012-06-01T15:41:00.002-04:00

Seeking to understand the process of random generation, and how to speed up your personal gaming.....

While discussing the concept of Black Box GMing I was reminded of a game I ran for some kiddos when we didn't have any dice to roll. I kludged together a basic system of wounds, and generated a large column of sweet pregenerated rolls through a basic randomized Excel sheet.

I learned through the game (and subsequent games in the same vein) that most Roleplayers waste a LOT of time rolling dice. If a group of children (none of whom had reached double digits) can play a fantasy roleplaying game with dozens of encounters, great interactions, and skills with full sheets monitored by the DM and clear a five-hour session with more actual 'play' than an eight hour session...

We do not need dice.

I love dice. The noble d20, the slender d4, the drunk-uncle d12... The menagerie of random generation available to us roleplayers is astounding. They are an elegant weapon... but are they from a more civilized age? The random generation aspect of roleplaying is necessary in so many of our games... But why oh why must we still use the old ways?

I can generate almost 1000 d20 rolls in the blink of an eye, to fit on a single sheet of paper. Think about your average session... How many times do you have to resolve a cocked die, a 'fallen soldier' off your table, or just plain old bumping dice? Johnathan Tweet reference a lot of sacred cows... But what about the most sacred and cowish of all?

Especially when seasoned with the blood of your enemies...

The game can move at a nice brisk pace... And as all dice are inherently random there is truly no difference between rolling bones and clicking a mouse.

Oh, except for the speed of it.

We play video games, we love using our computers for every aspect of generating adventures that used to be handled through handwritten notes or the arduous process of typing a couple of sheets. I love the feel of dice... But I will personally trade every one of my several pounds of dice for the ability to play twice as much with the friends I get to see so rarely.

What do you think? Would you be willing to completely generate your entire game through a faster source of random generation?

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

Folklore Friday: Know Your Legends: Fossegrim

2012-06-01T07:57:00.000-04:00

Today we discuss the fossegrim, a Scandinavian spirit of water, and its interpretation in DND 3.x.

Pictured: Kurt Cobain reincarnated as a water sprite.

The fossegrim, a river/falls spirit of Scandinavian origin, is depicted in DND. But how close is the Legend to the Game version? When looking into the background of this creature I found such an array of sources and lore that it would be difficult to run through in a single article... But we can go over the most common parts of the legend and make a comparison.

First, the Lore. The names associated with the fossegrim include näck, näkki, nøkk, nøkken, and strömkarl. The originating creature is a water spirit which played fiddle or other localized string instruments to lure beautiful maidens and children to their home near a stream.

While some of the stories of the fossegrim and its derivatives are evil in their carriage (killing those who come) most of these fiddling water spirits are seemingly nice fey who enjoy company and playing. Some of the stories I was able to track down seem to place the nøkken as someone who will teach the fiddle with proper sacrifices, or challenge passing fiddlers to gain passage or prizes from the spirit.

Even Charlie Daniels screws up his Knowledge Checks.

The fossegrim and their ilk enjoy lamb's meat and a bit of a lark. With a fat lamb given on a Thursday during a period of tumult the fossegrim could be talked into imparting all of his knowledge of fiddling...

Oh, and apparently seeing them stripped completely bare and dancing would make the viewer suffer an untold (but very bad) fate. As most of the paintings and 'portraits' of fossegrim show them in a state of dress as seen in the picture to the side, it seems that the actual effect of seeing them nude would not cause the damage.

Combined with his love of unwed women I think that the fossegrim may have mastered a dance.

A very seductive dance. Possibly inspiring a helicopter's rotation.

Indeed, the fossegrim seems to just be the College Musician of the spirit folk. He likes to eat well, drink well, and bed as many unwed maidens as he can... And he plays a sweet song to bring all the ladies to the waterfall.

So how does the streaking fiddler fairy become the fossegrim of our roleplaying games?

I blame the nudity. Or a translation error. In fact the fossegrim legend seems to have been mixed up with multiple other legends of male water spirits from around Europe, thrown in a blender, and retooled to become a Water Dryad. While the concept is understandable, we do have all of the features of a fossegrim about.

In two different fey creatures. So if you decide to make yourself a fossegrim just take the Blinding Beauty of the Nymph and a Grig's fiddle, mix with the Fiend Folio version of the fossegrim, and voila! You have yourself a fossegrim fit to grace a book of folklore AND the Fiend Folio.

I really hope you have been enjoying these little dips into the world of folklore and DND. If you wish to have a specific creature 'looked into' feel free to give me the scoop in the comments. If you have any other questions you may comment or shoot me an email at my name at gmail.com.

As Always,

Good Gaming.

Slainte,

-Loonook.