"One Hour Game" for Crimson Dragon Slayer

I was inspired by the posts of +Erik Tenkar on his Tenkar's Tavern blog.  Here is the first post where his idea really takes off.  And that post was inspired by Free RPG Day and how it struggles to bring new people into the hobby.

Sometimes, it seems like we're re-inventing the wheel a thousand times over.  Yet, I believe there's value in what Erik is doing with his Swords & Wizardry: Light.

That's why I've been taking a little time off from Universal Exploits to create an even shorter, streamlined version of Crimson Dragon Slayer.  It will be a free PDF with professional layout and cartography by +MonkeyBlood Design (Glynn Seal).  This should be available by July 11th, which just so happens to be Crimson Dragon Slayer Day!

At this time, I'm not sure what the exact page number will be.  It's definitely going to be longer than 4 pages because the manuscript will also include a short scenario and artwork by +Craig Brasco.

Hopefully, this "One Hour Game" version of Crimson Dragon Slayer will attract new blood since demonstrations can be as short as 60 minutes.  A lighter than light version (CDS is already pretty damned "rules lite," just like S&W) usable by super noobs who don't know the first thing about fantasy roleplaying, except maybe they've heard of Dungeons & Dragons.  Perhaps, it could be popular at conventions...

In any case, I'd like to thank Erik and the RPG community he's built for inspiring me to re-invent the wheel one thousand and one times.  ;)

Thanks for reading,

Venger As'Nas Satanis
High Priest of Kort'thalis Publishing

Knights of the Dinner Table

If you haven't already seen this, it's the live action Knights of the Dinner Table, episode 1.

I thought it was cool.  Been a fan of the comic book for many years.

To me, this is what a paper & pencil roleplaying game looks like from the inside, what it feels like to actually be part of a game.  I've seen videos of what it's supposed to look like from the outside and it never really measures up to playing in person.  Sometimes, artificiality can make things seem more authentic.

Great job, guys!

VS

7/11 is international Crimson Dragon Slayer day

Yeah, I'm making it official.  I'll be running Crimson Dragon Slayer at my local library via Meetup (a great way to find players, by the way) on Saturday, July 11th.

You guys should run or ask your GM to run Crimson Dragon Slayer on that day, too.  Try your FLGS, assuming there's one nearby that'll let you run games.

Alright, share this and let's get as many people into a Crimson Dragon Slayer game on 7/11 as we possibly can!


VS

p.s.  Thanks for suggestion, +Tim Virnig.

Nemo's Lounge reviews Crimson Dragon Slayer

I was very pleased to read this review of Crimson Dragon Slayer!!! 

Thanks, +Joel Bethell.

Anyone who has an active gaming blog and wants to write a full-on playtest review of CDS, let me know and I'll hook you up with a complimentary PDF or half-price softcover.

VS

p.s.  Character sheet coming soon (multiple versions, I hope)!

Formula Fail

There are a lot of recent blog posts about innovation, especially when it comes to the OSR.  Well, I didn't set out to write about innovation.  What really motivated me this morning was my annoyance with the new TV show iZombie.  However, my little tirade seems to dovetail with my thoughts on innovation, so here goes nothing...

I had high hopes, but it disappoints.  It's a great premise: girl becomes zombie and gets job at the morgue in order to eat brains... and helps homicide detective solve crimes.  In this case, being a zombie doesn't reduce you to a shambling, drooling idiot - it just makes you really pale with white hair, less enthused about everyday life, and crave brains.

Despite all the fresh trappings of zombidom, there's 2 episodes left and the first season is awfully predictable.  Which means kind of boring.  At every turn, the show's creator and episode writers had a chance to do the unexpected, but instead they chose the path well traveled, the easy road that wouldn't throw the writers for a loop.

It's a shame, is all.  Anyway, let's get to my other point... the innovation stuff.

You can have new places: cities, dungeons, towers, forests, realms, and even worlds.  You can have new characters: a duke, head of security, affable peasant, irritating computer, etc.  You can have a really interesting story, hook, or cultural facet - like everyone wears some kind of mask.

However, if your adventure or campaign follows every logical plot-point without deviation or derailment, even an innovative setting will feel stale.  Thankfully, roleplaying isn't just about the Game Master's carefully crafted story.  The PCs are there to do their own thing, make their own choices, etc.  Unfortunately, a lot of players will try to adhere to either the story and how it "should" play out or the GM's not-quite-invisible wishes.

GMs, you run the show.  That means even when you're giving the PCs free reign, the game will occasionally go in whatever direction you planned (not talking about the minor details, but the big picture).  Be careful you don't course-correct events like in those stories about time travel.  It can happen without your realizing it.  You actually want the train to get derailed!

Well, now I've veered off again and instead of iZombie and OSR innovation, I'm doling out more Game Mastering advice.  Well, what are you going to do?  How to Game Master like a Fucking Boss is still on my mind.  Devoting yourself to a subject for a long period of time will do that to a person.

Getting back to innovation, altering outward appearances isn't enough to make something innovative.  It also takes something else:  breaking the formula.  Years ago, I talked about how the OSR, to me, equates to non-standardization.  Which is tricky, because a certain amount of standardization is inherent in RPGs, let alone the OSR.  Creators need to find a balance and create with a mind towards breaking whatever mold, whatever preconceived notion is guiding their hand.

Don't be like iZombie and take an exciting new direction and then plot it out in the most formulaic way possible.  I'd rather see a dwarven stronghold in the northern mountains that goes off-script and off the rails, than a strange world full of new creatures that live in a giant bubble yet behave exactly like you'd expect.

VS

Game of Thrones - why so popular?

Well, there are many reasons for its popularity... but Game of Thrones is doing something specific to hook us in and keep us dangling without our realizing it.  Yes, we're now trained to watch and wait; trained like a dog.  Here's how they do it (woof woof)...

GoT is rewarding us intermittently (that means continuously but at infrequent and random intervals).  Every once in awhile, we get something we've been craving - a reward - tossed into our bowl.  Because we have no idea when (or even if) it's coming, getting such a treat makes it that much more exciting, special, and addictive!

That's why every blue moon, seemingly anyway, (could be every 2 or 3 episodes or once per season) we get the following...

• A gloriously gory battle scene with steel and blood and some poor bastard dying horribly up close and personal.
• Sex!  Yeah, that naked stuff we're not used to seeing in a TV show.  But let's be honest, every time we see boobs it's like the first time.  Am I right?
• Fantasy:  dragons flying overhead, a spell being cast, or some kind of supernatural event taking place.
• A major character dies.  What if that one night you decided not to watch, Sansa or Margaery died?!?
• Victory and defeat - you can't have one without the other, so usually one side gets victory and the other gets the shaft.
• Tyrion's wit, eviscerating some deserving fuck with just a few words.
• Revenge/justice bestowed upon the worst of the worst in Westeros.
• Receiving more than a clue about what's really going on - who's doing what to whom and why!

The rest is just a big tease.  It's medieval Machiavellian foreplay!  Sure, we get to look at beautiful countryside, amazing sets, dirty old men, heroes, maidens, etc, but a lot of the time we're also subjected to banking problems, traveling delays, the schemes of petty bureaucrats, cleaning bodies, traipsing through the forest, highborns being dicks, etc.  

Yes, GoT is all about the waiting.  And once we get our particular fix from the above list, we're all that much eager for more.  Unfortunately, that requires more waiting.  But we can't stop watching!  Oh no, what if we miss that thing we've been yearning for?  They just showed it two episodes ago... that means we could get the good stuff tonight!  Or, if not tonight, then next week.  Come on, man.  Just one more... just one more fix!

Yeah, the life of an addict.  Face it, folks.  We're not going anywhere. You see, GoT knows the secret - that an intermittent reward is stronger (hence, more addictive) than a regular and reliable reward.  Don't blame them, blame the human condition.  

Since this is a RPG blog, I'd be remiss for not suggesting this strategy in your own tabletop fantasy campaign.  Incidentally, I talk about this technique and a hundred more subtle secrets of Game Mastery in my book: How to Game Master like a Fucking Boss.  Also available on Amazon.com and CreateSpace.

What's your favorite thing about Game of Thrones?  Is there something special that you wait for each episode or season?  Some aspect of GoT you love, that they don't do enough of?  Comment below with what that is...

See you at the Westeros methadone clinic,

VS

Softcover like a Fucking Boss

How to Game Master like a Fucking Boss is now a softcover on Amazon (still waiting on the physical proof from DriveThruRPG)!  

If you buy it from CreateSpace and email me evidence (like your emailed receipt or something - not bloodstains or fingerprints... though, that would be awesome), I'll send you the PDF for free ASAP.  

I get a couple more dollars from a CS sale than Amazon is why, but currently they are the exact same price.

Thanks!

VS

A Dragon, Purple Worm, and Demon Lord

Last Saturday was quite the game.  Eleven players and that's only because I had to turn one of them away.  My highest attendance had been ten players.  Actually, one more wasn't that much more difficult.  It helped that half the session was combat oriented.  Here are the basics...

• Inside the complex, the party heard a human voice coming from beyond a metal door.  Once opened, the voice became clearer, though not necessarily more intelligible.  "Kavanaugh, O'Grady, Smith, do you copy?  This is space station Alpha Blue.  Your cryo-chamber beacon is active.  We are in planetary orbit at coordinates 9817-vector-75.  Kavanaugh, O'Grady, Smith, do you copy?  This is space station..."
• The Ice People went home but not without a parting gift.  They gave the PCs who protected their advanced civilization asses a palm-sized pyramid of death that shoots lasers.  One use only, but as soon as they got it, the players knew who would get the business end of their new toy: the abyssal dragon.
• I realized that Lilah was wearing both a necklace and amulet.  I informed Alison of the risk of having two magic items in close proximity.  So, she turned her amethyst necklace into a belt, being the slender half-elf she is.  Problem solved.
• The dwarf cleric kept putting himself in harm's way, but thankfully he didn't get killed.
• Spidery abominations.  I bought a bunch of 4th edition adventures because they were 50% off and came with maps (yes, my addiction knows no bounds!).  The adventures came with two books, one for the adventure itself and the other contained some really cool full-color pictures.  It's always good to have some visual aid - especially when PCs face something really hard to describe like a giant head on spider legs vomiting baby spiders.  Gross!
• After the spiders, the party decided to rest.  1 in 6 chance of a random encounter during the night.  Guess what!  Yes, a demon lord approacheth.  It took awhile to put him down, and then they finally decided to search for treasure and whatnot, since their spells and HP were refreshed.  They found a vorpal two-handed sword +3, bag of holding, ring of invisibility, wand of polymorph, and jade idol of a tiger.  Socialism must not be a thing in the underdark because there was no equitable distribution.  Whoever got their paws on it first, kept it.
  
• A well was discovered.  On the side, in the demonic language of Infernal, was written "Well of Souls".  More stars, space, planets, asteroids, etc. could be seen down there.  Just like earlier in the campaign.  However, the PCs couldn't leave well enough alone.  Arik had to investigate.  A couple others went with him.  Turns out it led a few miles south of castle Steel Keep.  It could have been some alien world or alternate reality but then the party would be divided for the rest of the session (probably) and I wasn't going to fall into that trap again.
• Then they confronted the dragon - after discovering that Orcus was raising an undead army to conquer the underdark and then the surface.  Among the dragon's horde of gold and magic items was an indigo crystal that would crush the ambitions of Orcus.  Well, that's what a dark elf named Alzahn told them, anyway.  He also gave the party an onyx amulet of resurrection (one use only) which Arik clasped around his neck.
• First, the laser pyramid from the Ice People.  Second, a fireball from Lilah.  Third (with the helpful suggestion of the German girl - I'm terrible with names), a cave-in.  Down a third of its hit points, the dragon black as the void rushed in to attack.  
• Anti-climatically, Lilah used her new found wand of polymorph to turn the dragon into an earthworm.  Quickly scanning the rules, we saw that was possible.  Sadly, the abyssal dragon failed its saving throw.  The new party wizard stomped on him.  The end.  But then a couple players read the PHB more closely.  Turns out, if the polymorphed creature is killed, it reverts back to its original form - alive!  By this time, I had already unleashed a purple worm on the party to make up for the lack of an opponent and 30 minutes left before it was time to go home.  Now, they were fighting a dragon and a purple worm at the same time.  No fatalities for the adventurers.  They eventually dispatched both to the lower planes of Hell with only a few gaping wounds for their trouble.  
  
• Here's what was in the dragon's horde:  the aforementioned indigo crystal that destroys undead, a helm of intellect, the vicious short sword of Xan, a crimson cloak belonging to one of the Seekers of Doom, a chalice of water purification, three potions of extra healing, a potion of water breathing, a magic staff with ruby skull headpiece, and two hundred and fifty thousand gold pieces!

Last session of the campaign is this Saturday.  Then a three week break while I'll be preparing for a family vacation, vacationing, and then recovering from vacation.  In the interim, West has volunteered to Dungeon Master a few sessions.  I also encourage one of the many players to run a game or two.  It's challenging but very rewarding.

VS

p.s.  Think 11 players is difficult to manage?  Does the thought of rolling initiative make you break out in a cold sweat?  Check out my latest Kickstarter.  Piece of cake.  ;)

They stumble upon an abyssal dragon

This play report is coming super late.  On the heels of today's adventure, actually.  So it's going to be even more brief than usual.  At least, that's what I told myself.  ;)

The party picked up two new PCs:  Sam and Arick.  Sam is a human wizard raised by gnome tinkerers.  Arick is a rogue... but I can't remember what race he chose.  Yeah, that's why you don't wait 7 days to post about your session of D&D, folks.

West was playing the tiefling warlock Akmenos.  He couldn't make it.  So, I told the party that some time ago, he wandered into the dungeon area below castle Steel Keep, where lies a pool or well of liquid flame.  Indeed, sorcery!  So went Akmenos' flame tongue sword which is the most powerful magic item the party has.  As DM, I provided a way for the PCs to retrieve the sword... a large, red, demonic claw rose up out of the fire, clutching Penelope (the sword's activation word / name).  In exchange for passage into their world, the demon would give them the fiery blade.  Even though there were 8 players, no takers.  Ah well.

Afterwards, Kildrak the dwarf had a vivid dream of a treasure horde to be found somewhere below the tree of life.  Drained of loot by castle upkeep, taxes, servants, extravagant parties, and general repairs, the PCs went after this visionary treasure.

Also, Lilah met with a messenger from her father (or possibly her mother) - note to self: nail down the backstory specifics at character creation, not weeks later - who gave her an amethyst necklace with magical powers.  I totally flubbed the messenger's introduction.  Who knows, perhaps the messenger was really, really nervous and socially awkward?

I came up with a cavern area loosely based on something I found in some book somewhere (Ah, specificity!) and set about coming up with interesting encounters.  As the title of this blog post would show, the adventurers came across a dragon - black.  However, not like a black dragon.  This dragon was as a moonless midnight, soaking up any illumination near it.  A dragon of the abyss!

There was also a really cool trick / trap / weird thing I created for one area of the cavern - a floating skull with ruby red eyes illuminating a large portion of the cave... but not the shadows just beyond!  Dead bodies were piled before the skull.  The PCs really wanted to investigate but put that cave on the back burner until they could explore the rest.

Since this was a "dungeon" I came up with, there was some good old fashioned science-fantasy.  Three "ice people" were talked about by some telepathic violet fungi.  These were cryogenic sleepers (three of them) housed in transparent cylinders.  Waking them was easy, but they had been asleep for thousands of years.  Now what to do with them?  So far, the PCs are having them tag along.

Finally, the dragon again.  There was talk amongst the players of just charging right in and attacking.  Staying impartial but still wanting to give them a clue as to the terrible danger, I told them that if they attacked it, I wash my hands of responsibility, i.e. PC death.  Wisely, they kept exploring instead of charging the abyssal dragon.

I'll leave you where I left them, exploring the outer edge of a cavern covered in spiderwebs.

VS

p.s.  However, I am stoked about the plethora of grid maps I purchased at my FLGS.  $150 worth of flat, plastic terrain.  Doesn't sound too exciting but it laying it out on the kitchen countertop... it looked awesome.  Using it in today's game with miniatures should really put the session over the top.  Especially since last week (the one I wrote about here above), there wasn't a lot of combat and I think a few of the players felt there should be a wee bit more.  Today, there will be more!

Do you DMG 5e?

I think I already know the answer to this one.  I'm pretty sure.  However, I've been wrong before.  Lots of times.  At least a few d20s worth.

So here's my question for those who don't already own it or have it on order from amazon or some other retailer:  If one is to believe the countless glowing reviews for 5e's Dungeon Master's Guide (consensus states this DMG is the best out of all three 5e core books, as well as, being fantastic in its own right), are you more likely to buy it now or in the near future (did you just purchase it a day or two ago because of favorable reviews)?

And for those who currently own it or have it coming do you think you're more likely to use it in your current and/or future campaigns?

VS

+1 for Swagger

In last week's game, a couple situations arose where I thought a bonus was warranted.  Something besides good roleplaying or detailed description of an attack.  I'm talking unorthodox, baby!

Situations crop up during our roleplaying adventures that seem to demand some kind of nudge from the gods.  After all, a plus or minus 1 on a d20 roll isn't much, just a little 5% tap (just tap it in - tap, tap, taparoo).

 I also came up with a few instances where a penalty could be levied.  The following can be offered on a session-by-session and case-by-case basis as the table deems fit.  Just don't overdo it...


+1  Swagger bonus (also known as the Han Solo bonus - when a player handles his character with the kind of comfortable-in-his-own-shoes confidence that borders on cocky)

+1  GM Forgot Something Crucial bonus (like a player's character sheet or important rule)

+1  GM Ineptitude bonus (also known as the Brain-Fart bonus)

+1  Petitioning the Gods with Prayer bonus (this requires a heartfelt, extemporaneous speech on why the character should receive assistance now)

-1  Player Trying to Weasel out of the GM's Ruling penalty (arguing that would put a lawyer to shame - is that even possible?)

-1 Excessive Whining penalty

+1  Trying Something Outlandish bonus (when a character attempts an action he has no business attempting, yet for some reason it's almost a terrific idea, ingenious not impossible - like using a chicken as catapult ammo)

+1  You've Figured out the GM's Big Secret but Don't Know it Yet bonus (sometimes a carefully concealed plan is obvious for all the wrong reasons or maybe the player took a wild stab in the dark)

-1  Fiddling with Your Phone penalty (or tablet, computer, gadget, whatever... if a player is beyond distracted for more than a couple minutes, then it's penalty time)

________

Have you ever awarded a not-in-the-rules bonus or penalty because of a player's action?  Did you outright state it, fudge the roll behind your screen, or something else?  I want to know.

Also, I'm sure you guys can come up with more of these.  If you suggest something cool/funny/appropriate to this list, I might include it (credit will go in the p.s. area below).

Thanks for reading,

VS

p.s.  Thanks to +Brett Slocum  for the GM's Big Secret bonus!

Character Class Options in D&D 5e

Here's the full list of classes.  Wow, that's a lot to work with.  Not only because players have a whopping 12 character classes, but now each class has a variety of kits or sub-classes, emphasizing a specific aspect of that class.  Let's take a closer look at each package...


Barbarian: A barbarian picks a primal path that reflects the nature of the character's rage. The two options in the Player's Handbook are the Path of the Berserker and the Path of the Totem Warrior. The berserker fights with an implacable fury, while the totem warrior channels the magic of beasts to augment his or her rage.

That's cool.  I kind of wish there had been three sub-classes instead of just two, but hey... two is better than one.  How about something reflecting Thundarr or Conan - if I come up with something awesome, I'll do a separate write-up.

Bard: Each bard is inspired by a college—a loose affiliation of like-minded bards who share lore, stories, and performances. The Player's Handbook presents the College of Lore, which focuses on knowledge and performance, and the College of Valor, which focuses on inspiring bravery on the battlefield.

Is it me, or does the Bard seem to be less a watered down Fighter/Wizard and more its own thing now?  I think that's a good thing.  For too long the Bard was just a cool sounding name with wasted potential.  The whole College thing adds roleplaying and setting/campaign possibilities.

Cleric: Cleric domains reflect the nature of the gods and shape the magic a character wields. The domains in the Player's Handbook are Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, and War.

My first thought - why is Tempest italicized?  My second, are Life, Light, Nature, and Trickery really the best lowest common denominator domains for Clerics?  War is a no-brainer but Life and Light just seem like two generic sides of the same coin, and Nature makes me think he'll encroach onto the Druid's territory (perhaps literally).

Druid: A druid joins a circle—one of a number of loose alliances of like-minded druids who share similar outlooks on nature, balance, and the way of druidic magic. The Circle of the Land allows a druid to select a type of terrain from which he or she draws magic. The Circle of the Moon augments a druid's ability to transform into various beasts.

I love the "type of terrain".  Having desert druids and swamp druids and mountain druids makes sense and enriches the setting / campaign world.  Kudos for the outside-the-box Circle of the Moon... a were-druid?  Awesome!

Fighter: All fighters select a martial archetype that reflects a specific approach to combat. The Champion is a mighty warrior who scores deadly critical hits in combat. The Battle Master is a flexible, cunning tactician. The Eldritch Knight masters magic that allows him or her to protect allies and devastate foes.

Sweet!  Low maintenance old school types can have their closer-to-1st-edition Fighter in the Champion.  WotC D&D fans can have their special move heavy Battle Master along with Figher/Wizard hybrid that I'm sure will have its own exotic flavor. 

Monk: A monk commits to a monastic tradition, defined by a specific form of martial arts that helps channel and shape the use of ki energy. The Way of the Open Hand augments a monk's unarmed strikes and allows mastery of the deadly quivering palm technique. The Way of Shadow turns a monk into a stealthy warrior who manipulates darkness to confuse and confound enemies. The Way of the Four Elements allows a monk to channel ki into spells and blasts of elemental energy.

Sometimes, fantasy RPGs give the Monk everything but the kitchen sink.  Other times, he gets just the essentials or is simply left out altogether.  Its hard to know what Monks deserve since one extreme or the other is usually too far in either direction.  After all, what is he?  Martial artist?  Wanderer?  Mystic?  Unarmed Cleric?  The sub-classes of Open Hand, Shadow, and Four Elements sharpens the focus, getting the grab back proportional.  I think 5e is doing great things with the Monk and Bard.

Paladin: All paladins take an oath—a pledge to a code of conduct that guides their lives and shapes their abilities. The Oath of Devotion binds a paladin to the ideal of justice, virtue, and order. The Oath of the Ancients pledges a paladin to protect the natural world and preserve hope across the land. The Oath of Vengeance turns a paladin into a deadly avenger who seeks out and punishes wrongdoers.

Again, I like marrying the sub-classes to background elements like ideals, bonds, flaws, etc.  And this explains why Paladins don't have to be lawful good.  Regardless of alignment, it saves players from constantly having to define and reiterate that their character isn't the standard paladin but a paladin that seeks out the immoral or a paladin who's part of something like King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table, etc.

Ranger: A ranger selects an archetype that reflects his or her ideals and relationship to nature. The Hunter stands guard in the wilderness, stopping threats before they can menace civilization. The Beast Master cultivates a powerful bond to creatures, fighting alongside them to bring down enemies.

Makes sense.  I like the class tying in with ideals.  And I'm really glad that if they aren't going to use "he" or "his" that they include both genders.  I never understood why so many RPG books starting using "she" and "her" exclusively.  Is there overlap between the Barbarian's Totem Warrior and the Ranger's Beast Master?  Probably, but I'm sure the execution will differentiate them enough - hopefully not just in a "power A vs. power B" way.  I want to see story/character/setting reasons for why things are the way they are.

Rogue: A rogue selects a roguish archetype that reflects his or her approach to crime and chicanery. The Thief is an evasive, sneaky trickster. The Assassin is a focused and quiet killer. The Arcane Trickster uses enchantment and illusion magic to enact his or her schemes.

That's awesome!  Now the old school has its Thief back... and their Assassin!  Also, 3rd edition fans can have a Rogue/Wizard type without the hassle of multiclassing.  Makes sense because there are so many different kinds of Rogues out there.  I could see WotC or a 3rd party creating a Scoundrel type sub-class.  Who doesn't want to see Han Solo in the local tavern wearing leather armor and holding a hand crossbow below the table?  Of course, you could do that with either the Thief or Assassin.  It'll be interesting to see how diverse these sub-classes get.  Will there eventually be dozens for each class, all with tiny details to differentiate themselves?

Sorcerer: A sorcerer's magic arises from a sorcerous origin—the event, ancestry, or quirk of fate that gifted the character with power. The Draconic Bloodline reflects a sorcerer's distant dragon ancestry, and grants powers that reflect a dragon's nature. Wild Magic imbues a sorcerer with the energy of raw chaos, producing unpredictable results from his or her magic.

I like it.  'Nuff said.

Warlock: A warlock's patron shapes this class's power. The Archfey grants beguiling magic useful for trickery and quick escapes. The Fiend imparts the power of destructive fire and diabolic resistance. The mysterious Great Old One grants telepathic abilities and chilling glimpses into the nature of the multiverse.

Ok, before getting into my favorite part (and filling my pants with a Lovecraftian load), I love the Fiend sub-class.  As divorced as 2e D&D tried to be from demons, the occult, and Satanism, this goes back to the sword & sorcery literature of Robert E. Howard.  Nice!  

The Great Old Ones!!!  From the days of yore... Deities & Demigods to 5th edition.  Every RPG from here to Albuquerque has dipped their big toe into the fetid subterranean lake that is H.P. Lovecraft.  Finally, the Cthulhu Mythos has come home!  Please let their be a large and monstrous illustration of the Dreaded One on that page.  Ia Ia Cthulhu Fhtagn! The only possible downside?  How can I be expected to play anything but a Warlock now?  Unless, the cleric can tap into the Great Old Ones as well...  Ok, I feel another write-up approaching.

Wizard: A wizard selects an arcane tradition—the specific approach to the study of magic that shapes his or her outlook and talents. Though many traditions exist, the Player's Handbook focuses on the established schools of D&D magic—Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation.

The third and final dedicated spellcaster class looks pretty standard.  This must be a world filled with magic!  Not only do you have Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard but Arcane Trickster and Eldritch Knight along with the Cleric, Druid, and possibly Bard.


So, there you have it.  Got something to say?  Leave a comment.

VS

Story Bible Creation

There's a nifty little D&D article in the Legends & Lore column by Mike Mearls.  Within, he talks about a "story bible".  Basically, this is a written guide where the essentials are spelled out.  The story bible can be handed out to writers, developers, or whomever so when they write an episode, chapter, adventure, campaign, or significant part of the story it doesn't break the overall continuity.  For example, if we were talking about the Thundarr the Barbarian story bible, it would probably say that magic works alongside advanced technology, Moks hate water, the moon broken in half when a runaway comet went by, etc.

If you want to make your own story bible for an upcoming campaign, consider what sort of things should be included.  Here's a guide to guide you in creating your guide...

1. Setting - Where does this story take place?  In the desert under seven suns?  Within the ice caves     beyond Thrakis?  Beneath the emerald waves where the Frog-Men rule?  
2. Locations - Where are the adventures taking place specifically?  The dark temple, inside a giant purple worm, the city-state of Koombash?
3. Races - What's different about the races of your world?  Are the Elves jealous of humanity for some reason?  Do all the Dwarves have tattoos and vibrantly dyed mohawks?  Will Lizardmen play a large role?
4. Magic - Anything particularly noteworthy about spell-casting?  You might want to create a different mechanical system for how magic works in your story.
5. History - What happened ages ago?  What happened last week?  Were all the aristocracy beheaded?  Did the Scarlet Magi cripple the assassin's guild until it worked exclusively for them?
6. Culture - Do the inhabitants of Carcosa wear yellow masks?  Why do the Hill Giants cover themselves in squid ink?  Who prays to the Spider-God?
7. Theme / Tone - What is this story about?  Big picture.  Is this going to be a campaign about knights in shining armor righting wrongs and saving damsels in distress or will this be a gritty, grimy campaign about the realm slowly sliding under a vampire's thrall?   
8. Concept art - Come up with a dozen images or so... artwork that speaks volumes about the story, who lives in it, what the mountains look like, is fire blue, and what your particular Halfling barbarians look like.  Either find some images online, create some yourself, cut them out of magazines, scan them from books, or commission them from artists you know.  The concept art can be seen by only you or the rest of your players (when the time is right).

Know these things from the start and they will help you stay consistent, inspired, and motivated to build upon your unique campaign.

VS

What's Next for the OSR?

Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition is coming...

As most of us know (or have been told) this iteration of the world's first, most popular, and possibly greatest fantasy roleplaying game is supposed to cater towards grognards, noobs, and everyone in between who favors streamlined, innovative, and nostalgic D&D as opposed to the math-heavy, rule-bloated, video game aspects of 3rd and 4th editions.  This will undoubtedly be a new beginning for paper & pencil tabletop roleplaying in general, but what about the nostalgia niche?

If the rumors and playtest packets are true, D&D will be more like the 70's and 80's but with a few key enhancements from the last three decades.  I wonder what this means for the old school renaissance.  Will is bolster RPGs like Swords & Wizardry, Labyrinth Lord, and Dungeon Crawl Classics?  Could it replace or bypass them to some degree?  How about OSR modules, maps, gaming aids, and campaign books?  Boon or bust?

Show of hands, how many OSR devotees are willing to jump ship if 5e turns out to be all we hope?  If 5e gobbles up the majority of old school market share, then what's to become of it?  Will those who obstinately continue to play original Red Box D&D, AD&D, or 2nd edition be viewed again as throwbacks who refuse to evolve?  Will the OSRIC or Castles & Crusades (shudder) holdouts become even more ghettoized, misanthropes who simply refuse to join the party because D&D is awesome and popular again?

Personally, I won't make up my mind about 5e until I read it and either run or play it (at least twice).  However, if it's what I think it'll be, then many of my core books and boxes will go to the back of the gaming closet.  Even though I naturally eschew that which is fashionable, I'd rather join the party than lurk in the shadows - especially when those shadows are a pale reflection of what they used to be.

Have an opinion or something to say?  I want to hear about it!  So, post... get it off your chest.

VS

Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea review

Here is my rpg.net review of AS&SH.

Some old school renaissance fantasy RPGs (at least the core rules) don't include a rich, evocative setting in which to place these fantastic adventures.  AS&SH succeeds on that front.

In fact, I had the opportunity to run a one-shot over the weekend.  I used Swords & Wizardry as the base for character creation and rules, Dungeon Crawl Classics for the mercurial magic (the artwork is also impressive), and Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea as the wintery, alien backdrop.  It worked very well.

I'll be writing/posting more OSR reviews in the near future as I believe they get less attention than deserved, living, as they do, in the shadow of Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, etc.

VS

LotDS on Amazon!

Liberation of the Demon Slayer is now available on Amazon.com!  Sweet.  That's pretty much all this blog post is about.  Just wanted to announce the Amazon release.  :)

I hope some of you are getting ready to read, play, run, blog about, or even review my old school, Lovecraftian, science-fantasy adventure and campaign guide because I would love to know your experiences... Just the thought of warriors, sorcerers, clerics, Elves, and thieves crawling through the dungeons I created (and Dyson Logos rendered) is a tantalizing thrill.

LotDS was spawned (according to the hellish and depraved sacraments of the K'tulu priesthood) so that like-minded gamers could have an incredibly dark and wild ride, reminiscent of the classic modules we all remember.  Yes, it's meant for D&Desque RPGs of zero - 3rd level PCs, but I think LotDS is adaptable to a wide variety of systems and levels.


By His loathsome tentacles,

VS

LotDS on DriveThru & Amazon

A gonzo, Lovecraftian, science fantasy quest through the devil-haunted Nether Realms!  Or you could just go back to farming your stinking land...

This has been a long time coming.  My old school fantasy RPG adventure and campaign guide is up on DriveThruRPG as a PDF for a special introductory price of $7:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/119240/Liberation-of-the-Demon-Slayer

The print version should be available in a week.  At that time, the PDF alone will go back up to its regular price of $9... but will be $7 for the PDF + print version of $19.

The print (and I believe a PDF) version will also be available on Amazon in about a week as well.

I'll make another announcement when those go live.


VS

Self-imposed Limitations

This blog post is a little more Devil's advocate than my usual stuff.  After all, I'm a dyed in the wool anti-authoritarian who loves creative license.

Just before falling asleep last night, a vague notion hit me.  Something about Facebook and MySpace... why the former was more successful than the latter.  If I told you that a MySpace page was totally open-ended, you could do virtually anything with it - colors, designs, fonts, images, have all kinds of wild, modular powers of manipulation and choice, and then told you that Facebook was artificially limited, that it imposed lots of regulations and restrictions... you might "like" MySpace over that other social networking site.

Why, then, is Facebook more highly regarded and well respected than MySpace?  Why does Facebook get more traffic and have more gravitas?  How come no one made a movie about the CEO of MySpace?

This is just a theory, but it goes back to man's unconscious need for structure; the world should be regulated.  Human beings say they want loads and loads of freedom, they might say it until their blue in the face, but that doesn't necessarily make it so.  Consciously, man yearns for wide-open spaces.  However, he secretly craves the ground under his feet and familiar scenery at which to gaze.  After all, the void is a scary place.

How does this relate to roleplaying games?  I believe the vast majority of gamers dislike RPGs or campaigns with little to no structure.  Sure, they want choice, they want their decisions to matter, but at the end of the day, players want to know there are rules.  I'm not saying sandbox campaigns suck.  On the contrary, a well thought-out sandbox is usually preferable to a strictly linear scenario - as long as GMs are careful to occasionally leave a trail of breadcrumbs and clearly mark clues, plot points, NPCs with useful exposition, etc.

A GM has to lead just as much as he describes.  Not along tracks like a railroad, but in a realm of boundaries and barriers.  Don't characters enjoy the occasional feel of an invisible hand upon their back, gently pushing them in the right direction?  If you asked them, some might deny it.  Nine times out of ten, they're kidding themselves.  Suggest to them an RPG where the setting is anything they want, their character concept can be whatever they choose, and there is no pre-determined objective - it's all open-ended.  Lameness, game session for two.

Does this mean the silliest offenses to conventional storytelling should be thrown out without a care?  Must players give up on playing a Half-Orc, Half-Drow ninja/bard/sorcerer with a magic ring on every finger, a spell-storing bastard sword in each hand who can transform into a Were-Spider when it suits him?  Sure, it sounds cool.  So does a fantasy world of unlimited possibilities where the rules are whatever sound good at the time.  Trust me, the novelty will soon wear off, and then the only people enthused about that game will be the same teens using MySpace.

Have you encountered too much freedom in a roleplaying game, as either a player or GM?  Does the old school renaissance resonate more towards the limitation or unlimited end of the spectrum?  What about modern RPGs?  Does this also apply to horror RPGs?  Because there are few things more frightening than knowing the walls aren't really there.  Perhaps that's for another blog post...

VS

Unexpected Encounters #5

Next to reading someone's journal, one of the most effective ways to convey information in-game is for the player characters to eavesdrop upon a private conversation.  And that they did.

On the outskirts of a large Drow settlement, they spied a dimly lit mausoleum tenanted by long-dead Dark Elves of prominence.. and two very much alive, conversation in progress - Thesselor of House DuVont, dressed in violet robes accented with silver glyphs and Hanzred of House Morcane, clothed in the black spidery brocade of Drow nobility.

Hanzred:  Do you believe Lloth is coming back?

Thesselor:  Of course!  Lloth's attention is focused upon her hatred of our enemies and their assured destruction.

Hanzred:  Its been three weeks - no manifestation, no sign... nothing.  This is Lloth's longest absence from Maerimydra.  I don't like it, Thesselor.

Thesselor:  Are you afraid?

Hanzred:  I merely anticipate... trouble.

Thesselor:  You believe the natives are getting restless?

Hanzred:  I fear House Morcane being overthrown.

Thesselor:  Why is that?  You have soldiers, wizards, assassins, and clerics just as the other noble houses.

Hanzred:  Do you forget what is in our house's possession, Thesselor?

Thesselor:  Ah yes, of course.  The Ruby Spider of Thokrahn.  You believe there will be attempts to steal it?

Hanzred:  I believe the artifact is so powerful that some will try to bring down House Morcane in its entirety.

Thesselor:  Surely, it's well guarded.

Hanzred:  Indeed, it is.  By a crawling emissary of Yogsoggoth, no less.  We obtained it from Lackless the Black.

Thesselor:  The diabolic assassin?  I thought he was dead.  Just thinking about his one white eye gazing forever within the abyss at which he nightly prostrates himself... well, it makes my blood run cold.

Hanzred:  One and the same.  And what it cost, evil Lloth!  A truly blasphemous amount.

Thesselor:  For Lackless the Black or the crawling emissary?

Hanzred:  Both.

Thesselor:  Your House must be doing quite well.

Hanzred:  I cannot deny it.

Thesselor:  What's your secret?

Hanzred:  The Ruby Spider of Thokrahn.  It's ability to warp the nebulae of magic is... scarcely believable.

Thesselor:  It was wise of you to steal it from those unworthy fools.

Hanzred:  Yes.  Yes, it was.  Hahahaha.  Come, I feel we've paid our respects enough for one evening.  Let us dine at Szith Morcane before the envious thieves of Maerimydra grow bolder.

Thesselor:  Lead the way, Hanzred.
___

A few bits and pieces were borrowed from City of the Spider Queen.  As for the PCs at my table, they made quite a meal of my overheard dialog.  It was the adventure's hook, forging the story to end a campaign. Word of advice:  just speak both parts back and forth without regard for exactly who is saying what.  The players will get the gist.

Use this device sparingly, but use it.  As always, feel free to alter any of the above to suit your own particular campaign.


VS

p.s.  Description and stats of the Crawling Emissary of Yogsoggoth can be found on this blog, published in March.

Unexpected Encounters #4

It's been awhile since I've done one of these... an unexpected encounter, I mean.  DMs can't have too many strange interludes.

The visual came to me first and then I turned it over and over in my mind for a few weeks until I was up against the wall with little to nothing prepared an hour before the game.  Putting fingers to keyboard, I just started typing what I saw in my mind, filtered by campaign appropriateness.

The adventurers enter a room containing the giant stone head of a demon.  It looks as if it was attached to a statue at one point.  Judging from scale, the statue would have stood about 50' tall.  The demon's eyes are unbelievably large, exquisite gemstones worth about 30,000 gold pieces each.  The right a clear blue sapphire, the left a blood sapphire containing a crimson nebula.

Prying out the humongous jewels showed eye-socket holes large enough for a Halfling to fit through.  Within, curious adventurers see a scroll nestled around several thorny black vines.

It's not clear how the statue head got there, where it came from, or any other detail - other than what the DM desires.  The scroll contains the spell Ensoul which allows a magic-user to put the life force or soul of a sentient being into a gemstone.  The vines are monstrous and protect the scroll as if it were their child.  There's a 33% chance per demon eye that a soul has been magically placed inside.

When the scroll is touched by an adventurer, seven Skeleton Warriors are instantly summoned.  They attack the PCs on sight.  For an added element of danger, if any party member is prone or unconscious during combat, the Skeletons pounce upon that victim, tearing the flesh from his bones in a mindless frenzy.  This is an automatic hit for 15 points of damage.

Yeah, this little encounter got a PC killed when a vine (thorns and all) wrapped itself around his face, Hellraiser style, causing him to fall to the floor just before the undead appeared.

Hope you enjoy.  Be sure to add your own little details here and there for that personal touch.  If you use this in your game, please let me know the results.  Thanks!


VS