tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88519515227593721922023-11-16T05:03:27.454-07:00Musings from the DungeonThoughts on all things rpg (and some things not rpg)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-47581177419669503652012-11-04T10:30:00.001-07:002012-11-04T10:30:32.866-07:00D&D Coloring BookIn 1979 an official Dungeons and Dragons coloring book was released. The illustration was done by Greg Irons. In addition to some wonderfully evocative illustrations there were also descriptions of various creatures and a write-up of a quick adventure that you could play. Over at <a href="http://monsterbrains.blogspot.com/2011/10/greg-irons-advanced-dungeons-and.html" target="_blank">Monster Brains</a> Aeron Alfrey uploaded scans of the book. I've gone and downloaded the scans and made a single PDF file out of them using the free software <a href="http://download.cnet.com/Image-to-PDF-Converter-Free/3000-10743_4-10900970.html" target="_blank">Image to PDF Converter</a>. Counting the cover and the back page the pdf file is 32 pages long. I'd love to see people scanning in their coloring and giving them to me so I can upload and share with others. <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/3ryrgiy96ye42ll/D&D_Coloring_book.pdf" target="_blank">Here's </a>a link the pdf.<br />
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Here are some sample pages.<br />
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<b>Cover</b></div>
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<b>The Inn</b></div>
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<b>The Great Serpent</b></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-26730408242027546012012-10-14T19:44:00.000-06:002012-10-14T19:56:20.659-06:00Twenty Scenes for an Urban Dungeon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For a long time I was of the mindset that dungeon crawls were boring. "Who wants go open up another prison door and face some more skeletons?", I'd ask. Some time ago I had an epiphany of sorts and realized that regarding all dungeons as simple underground prisons was being very short sighted of me. These days I look at just about any underground structure as a "dungeon", whether it's a vast cave complex, a sewer system, a train station, or anything else really. Part of what I like doing in this blog is presenting different aspects of dungeons, and as you all know I'm of the opinion that the best fantasy is reality. </div>
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As such I present 20 (well really 21, but who's counting) scenes that you could use in your next urban dungeon crawl. </div>
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<b>Entrances</b></div>
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Which one do you take?</div>
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You <i>know </i>this excursion isn't off to a good start. </div>
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Abandoned bunker? Arms depot? Secret experimental lab?</div>
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Space station or space ship entrance?</div>
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<b>Stairs</b></div>
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Down or up?</div>
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You didn't think it was going to be as easy as stairs did you? Only way up or down is climbing the pole. </div>
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I'm sure these stairs are completely stable and reliable. </div>
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Hello claustrophobia. </div>
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This has a very sci-fi feel to me. </div>
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No stairs? No ladder? Guess you'll have to make do with an abandoned elevator shaft</div>
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Partially destroyed landing. Poisonous mold on the walls--don't touch if you value your life. </div>
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<b>Tunnels</b></div>
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Clearly some sort of secret installation housing horrible things. </div>
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Brief glimpses of light make this one spooky. </div>
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Industrial tunnel with blood spattered walls. </div>
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You do <b>not</b> want to know what's in the water.</div>
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Sci-fi/cyberpunk environment.</div>
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<b>Rooms</b></div>
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Lots of places for bad things to hide</div>
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What did this machinery control?</div>
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Sci-fi control room or observation room. </div>
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This room is not safe. Too many corridors and tunnels converge on it. </div>
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Store room? Bunk beds? Shelves?</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-80915989604348098292012-10-07T14:01:00.001-06:002012-10-07T14:04:52.460-06:00Alice in Wonderland as a classic dungeon adventureI was watching <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> the other day and I realized partway through it that it's really a classic dungeon delve with some cool and interesting twists. Wikipedia calls it a prime example of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_nonsense" target="_blank">"literary nonsense"</a> genre. The only connecting thread between all the various chapters is simply Alice, who is exploring Wonderland. That's not unlike many adventures and campaigns that try to have a unifying theme but end up being disjointed.<br />
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Consider:</div>
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--down the rabbit hole is just a euphemism for entering the dungeon via whatever dungeon entrance there might be (or in some cases going to a different reality, e.g. "Follow the white rabbit" from <i>Matrix</i>)</div>
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Does this not look like an entrance to an underground lair?</div>
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--the movie version has a prophecy of Alice being the savior of Wonderland. Rather a cliche for fantasy rpgs, but it happens often enough. </div>
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--ambushes from weird and ferocious creatures happen almost immediately. </div>
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<b>Jubjub Bird</b> by <a href="http://www.davidelliot.org/gallery_detail.php?id=25&crumb1=Sketchbook&cat=6&" target="_blank">David Elliot</a> (from Carrol's <i>Hunting of the Snark</i>)</div>
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<b>Bandersnatch </b></div>
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<a href="http://www.theispot.com/images/source/bandersnatch_seiler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://www.theispot.com/images/source/bandersnatch_seiler.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Either of those could be interesting monsters to fight. </div>
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--there are magical potions aplenty, though in one case it's actually disguised as a cake.</div>
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--there are magical items (fans, swords, potions, hats, timepieces)</div>
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--weird magic (time stopping still during the Mad Tea Party for example)</div>
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--magical swords (The Vorpal Blade)</div>
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--nasty monsters to defeat at the end of the campaign (the Jabberwocky)</div>
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<b>Jabberwocky vs The Vorpal Blade</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvdvnAtXw9LWrHJ6ov1W9KxqCevtD40hts5_D7rqQN4Pota-Z0K4fDWHVxg6Vpz-xzSgVcjEmvvbZarvEvNI3I6vOtzqQ9XXTfU5AFeGYCzSCNuck4xuqp202__F1CxFtD5E1QSd_Y-ex/s1600/TheJabberwocky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvdvnAtXw9LWrHJ6ov1W9KxqCevtD40hts5_D7rqQN4Pota-Z0K4fDWHVxg6Vpz-xzSgVcjEmvvbZarvEvNI3I6vOtzqQ9XXTfU5AFeGYCzSCNuck4xuqp202__F1CxFtD5E1QSd_Y-ex/s320/TheJabberwocky.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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I'm a big fan of the end fight sequence in the movie.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/rFJwDPNr0kE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I think it's an interesting thought experiment to re-invent or re-tell stories in a new genre or look at them in a new way. I especially think it's interesting to change the story almost completely based on changing viewpoints, or mood. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-1266358041314307922012-09-21T18:45:00.004-06:002012-09-21T18:45:48.848-06:00Underground CitiesIf you've read this blog at all you know I'm a big fan of using real life settings and events as inspiration for gaming. I've often linked to cool "real life megadungeons", most of which were actually tunnels or mines and such. When I've linked to an underground city it's been underground because of extreme age. Today I have some underground cities that were purposely built to be underground.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derinkuyu_Underground_City" target="_blank">Derinkuyu, Turkey</a></h4>
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Derinkyu was built in the 8th-7th centuries B.C. and could accommodate 20,000 to 30,000 people. It consisted of 13 levels, more than enough to keep you busy exploring. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0yhVo-TfeQg/TTtx0tkDoKI/AAAAAAAAE6o/R6aonySDkuw/s640/derinkuyu4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0yhVo-TfeQg/TTtx0tkDoKI/AAAAAAAAE6o/R6aonySDkuw/s320/derinkuyu4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Side view </div>
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<a href="http://www.ermaktravel.com/Asia/Turkey/Derinkuyu/3030553980_1f101a6160%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.ermaktravel.com/Asia/Turkey/Derinkuyu/3030553980_1f101a6160%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tunnels</div>
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<a href="http://www.maadi-gazette.com/wp-content/gallery/derinkuyu/derinkuyu_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.maadi-gazette.com/wp-content/gallery/derinkuyu/derinkuyu_002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The city above</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.goreme.com/kaymakli-underground-city.php" target="_blank">Kaymakli, Turkey</a></b></h4>
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Kaymakli is another underground city similar to Derinkuyu. It's probably older and is more spread out than Derinkuyu, which is built deeper. People in the area still use some of the rooms as stables, cellars, etc.</div>
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<a href="http://www.kaymakli.net/YeraltMap3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://www.kaymakli.net/YeraltMap3.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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Map</div>
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Entrances dotting the hillside. </div>
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<a href="http://andresalvador.smugmug.com/Travel-Turkey/GOREME-OPEN-AIR-MUSEUM-GOREME/i-HMmCDkp/0/L/DSC7469-Goreme-web-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://andresalvador.smugmug.com/Travel-Turkey/GOREME-OPEN-AIR-MUSEUM-GOREME/i-HMmCDkp/0/L/DSC7469-Goreme-web-L.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra" target="_blank">Petra</a></b></h4>
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I couldn't put this post together without mentioning Petra. Established by the Nabataens around 300 B.C., the city grew rich on the spice trade by charging each caravan for safe conduct through their lands. </div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Al_Khazneh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Al_Khazneh.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Entrance to the city.</div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Karta_Petra.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Karta_Petra.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Map</div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Gravkammare_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Gravkammare_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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View from a distance</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-16280662859155769132012-09-20T11:33:00.000-06:002012-09-20T11:33:17.404-06:00Ten Features for Your DungeonFor your enjoyment ten things to spice up your dungeon. <div>
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<a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9spouVbLh1qjvkaao1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9spouVbLh1qjvkaao1_500.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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Just imagine if the mouth started speaking just as your party walked by.</div>
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No dungeon is complete without a statue</div>
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<a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9c9fdW0H81qjhksvo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9c9fdW0H81qjhksvo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Or some cool architecture.</div>
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<a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9mva8q9Xn1rpxlano1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9mva8q9Xn1rpxlano1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You also need some cool landscapes</div>
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<a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9sprxTKSb1rn4gr8o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9sprxTKSb1rn4gr8o1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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How about a shrine to unknown gods?</div>
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<a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8d69loUkC1qjvkaao1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8d69loUkC1qjvkaao1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You definitely need some flying things to swoop down and get tangled in hair.</div>
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<a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8d6vupipt1qjvkaao1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8d6vupipt1qjvkaao1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I love the idea of sloshing through a flooded cavern and having to deal with debris in the way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtdrJn7cUErDI6OuqGQ0gRMCPImktK74vfuHaGmtPjJwsJA8FKlXG2llmoR-DTSLzs7nSyyaSmpdPYP2tNsP_RajGmzXFPNQWnWkfF_-ul1C3ZfT4WEo0Si6DBfrmO1bQXhMmUDr-Tcn2/s640/pendulite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtdrJn7cUErDI6OuqGQ0gRMCPImktK74vfuHaGmtPjJwsJA8FKlXG2llmoR-DTSLzs7nSyyaSmpdPYP2tNsP_RajGmzXFPNQWnWkfF_-ul1C3ZfT4WEo0Si6DBfrmO1bQXhMmUDr-Tcn2/s320/pendulite.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Is it rock? Is there something inside waiting to be hatched? Whatever it is don't knock it down or break it open or you'll surely regret it. </div>
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Lost tomes of knowledge.</div>
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A warrior's fate. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-427100094120023442012-08-05T23:16:00.000-06:002012-08-05T23:24:40.201-06:00The Necromantic InvestigatorThis is an idea that I've had kicking around in my head for awhile. Most of the time in fantasy when we see necromancy at work it's out-and-out evil. If it's not blatantly evil, it's at least implied to be dabbling in evil. Does it have to be that way though?<br />
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Here are some thoughts of mine on various things that a Necromantic Investigator would have at her disposal to be able to do her job. I actually talked about it a bit in<a href="http://musingsfromthedungeon.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-class-necromantic-investigator.html" target="_blank"> this post</a>, which mostly a collection of thoughts about the job. I want to lay out some skills and spells that an Investigator would need.<br />
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<a href="http://i.imgur.com/0wNsT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://i.imgur.com/0wNsT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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--communicate with the dead<br />
level 1 - ghosts (or other active undead)<br />
level 2 - freshly killed<br />
level 3 - dead for 30 days to a year<br />
level 4 - dead for more than a year<br />
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For ghosts and other spirits, no physical object is needed. To speak to a person who has been killed but is not a ghost, the necromancer must be touching or holding a piece of the body (skin, hair, teeth, bones, etc.) The length of time which a Necromancer can speak with the dead is based on skill level and is measured in tens of seconds.<br />
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--sense violence<br />
level 1--sense if murder was committed recently<br />
level 2--sense if murder was committed within the last 30 days<br />
level 3--sense if murder was committed in a location within the last year<br />
level 4--sense if murder was committed in a location longer than a year (very rare ability)<br />
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Investigator must be in the physical location where the violence took place. The distance at which the investigator can sense the violence is based on skill.<br />
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--read the past<br />
This skill allows the Necromancer to see an object's past history. Not necessarily a solely necromantic skill, but one developed by them to be used in solving crimes. The necromancer must be touching the object in order to use this skill.<br />
level 1--up to 24 hours in the past<br />
level 2--24 hours to 30 days<br />
level 3--30 days to one year<br />
level 4--more than one year<br />
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--lay down to rest<br />
Unquiet dead (ghosts, spirits, poltergeists, whatever) can be laid to rest. The Necromancer can do this in several ways. <br />
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level 1--lay to rest at the gravesite<br />
level 2--lay to rest by touching a part of the deceased's body<br />
level 3--lay to rest by touching something that was precious to the deceased<br />
level 4--lay to rest by touching someone that was close to the deceased<br />
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--see through your eyes<br />
Somewhat similar to "See The Past". This allows the Necromancer to see the last moments of the deceased. Same levels as the other categories. Needs to be touching part of the dead person's body or holding it (skin, hair, teeth, bone, etc.)<br />
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level 1--up to 24 hours in the past<br />
level 2--24 hours to 30 days<br />
level 3--30 days to one year<br />
level 4--more than one year<br />
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--compel to speak<br />
Like communicate with the dead, only more powerful. When communicating with the dead, the magic user is not able to force the dead to speak and instead must cajole, intimidate, threaten, bribe or do whatever else is necessary to get them to speak. With compel to speak the necromancer can force the dead to speak. Must have both a piece of the body and something that belonged to the deceased that they cared about to offer as a bribe/sacrifice.<br />
level 1--up to 24 hours in the past<br />
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level 2--24 hours to 30 days<br />
level 3--30 days to one year<br />
level 4--more than one year<br />
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--command the undead<br />
Like compel to speak, only the Necromancer can compel the dead to perform a task. Only very high level Necromancers have this power. A Necromancer can have the skill to command the undead, but not be able to raise the undead--that is reserved for the very highest level of Necromancy. The length and complexity of the task is determined by the Necromancer's skill (i.e. dice roll).<br />
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level 1--up to 24 hours in the past<br />
level 2--24 hours to 30 days<br />
level 3--30 days to one year<br />
level 4--more than one year<br />
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--raise the dead. Only the most powerful of Necromancers can raise the dead. There is an artifact controlled by the Order that can raise the dead briefly, but it also requires great skill to use and is very unreliable. The length of time that the dead stay raised is based on the skill level of the Necromancer and can vary (based on dice results).<br />
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level 1--up to 24 hours in the past<br />
level 2--24 hours to 30 days<br />
level 3--30 days to one year<br />
level 4--more than one year<br />
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I haven't quite figured out the mechanics for this class yet, but I'm thinking that setup where the player can either gain an extra level, or gain an extra dice would be ideal.<br />
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The most basic Necromancer skill is communicating with the dead. A beginning necromancer can speak with spirits without any problem. The player gains a "level" (using this as shorthand for now), and can choose to either gain an extra die (to increase the amount of time she can communicate), or can move up a level. Player can gain any skill they want, but they must do it in order (they can't jump from communicate with the dead to raise the dead, they have to go through the steps).<br />
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Not sure how much I like the mechanics, but it's a start.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-11682117182591858482012-08-02T21:34:00.000-06:002012-08-02T21:34:52.313-06:00Ten Real Life Sea Creatures for your RPG GameIn honor of the G+ Hangout that was hosted by Richard Guy earlier today I've put together this list of twenty weird, odd, or downright scary monsters for your game.<br />
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blobfish" target="_blank">The Blobfish</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://i.imgur.com/DZC1i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="http://i.imgur.com/DZC1i.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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While not exactly terrifying, the sheer lack of features of this creature give it a kind of chilling nature all it's own. Think of it as the equivalent of the gelatinous cube, only in the ocean. </div>
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotl" target="_blank">Axolotl</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://i.imgur.com/m9jTe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://i.imgur.com/m9jTe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This creature looks like an underwater iguana and not at all terrifying, until you realize that it can regenerate limbs. That gives the potential for some rather creepy combat situations--let's say a dozen monstrous Axolotl's jump onto the ship and your party keeps trying to kill them only they won't die.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.seasky.org/deep-sea/viperfish.html" target="_blank">Viper Fish</a></b></div>
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<a href="http://i.imgur.com/VbtGV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://i.imgur.com/VbtGV.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This looks like something out of a horror movie's set design, but it's a real fish. The teeth are so large that they don't fit in it's mouth. Instead they go over the top towards the eyes. Plus it has a blinking light on it's dorsal fin to attract prey. </div>
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_spider_crab" target="_blank">Japanese Spider Crab</a></b></div>
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<a href="http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/184/cache/giant-spider-crab-doubilet_18480_600x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/184/cache/giant-spider-crab-doubilet_18480_600x450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If that isn't one of the most terrifying things you've ever seen, then you're a braver person than I am. It's the younger sibling of Shelob, only living in the ocean.<br />
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goblin_shark" target="_blank">Goblin Shark</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.greengoblin.com/internal/corner/shark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://www.greengoblin.com/internal/corner/shark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's looks like a cross between a goblin, an orc, and a unicorn. Mean, nasty and a full of sharp teeth this little guy lives so far down in the ocean that the light can't reach him. Oh, and it's jaws can retract.<br />
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-ringed_octopus" target="_blank">Blue Ringed Octopus</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://www-tc.pbs.org/wnet/nature/files/2008/09/610_ag_blue-ringed-octopus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://www-tc.pbs.org/wnet/nature/files/2008/09/610_ag_blue-ringed-octopus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This creature looks like someone went crazy with the day-glo paint. It's actually really, really small, but incredibly venomous. You get poisoned by one of these guys and your muscles stop working and you die from asphyxiation.<br />
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemiopsis" target="_blank">Warty Comb Jelly</a></b>
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<a href="http://i.imgur.com/pCTO1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i.imgur.com/pCTO1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This creature is just plain cool. Glow in the dark, and they come in all sorts of different colors. They're also unusual in that their bodies are 97% water, plus they're also hermaphrodites, being able to reproduce with themselves. </div>
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<b>Giant Jellyfish</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.pinktentacle.com/images/echizen_kurage_caramel_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://www.pinktentacle.com/images/echizen_kurage_caramel_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The picture gives some idea of the scale of this thing. </div>
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_freshwater_stingray" target="_blank">Giant Stingray</a></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.soulofamerica.com/soagalleries/cayman/CI_giant_stingray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://www.soulofamerica.com/soagalleries/cayman/CI_giant_stingray.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm cheating here because the stingray is actually a freshwater fish, but still, it's a giant stingray! How could I <b>not</b> include it?<br />
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<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marrus_orthocanna" target="_blank">Marrus Orthocanna</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://siphonophores.org/images/2729_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://siphonophores.org/images/2729_600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Not</b> a trail of fire. Just a creature that <i>looks</i> like it's on fire. I'm sure you can think of many cool uses for this little guy.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-19219258318349861652012-05-22T22:36:00.001-06:002012-05-22T22:36:07.842-06:00Which Side Are You On? Loving the D12Well that was certainly a long break. Two months since the last blog post, though in all fairness I did move and while I was waiting for the new place to be made available I was living in a hotel with the family. Not exactly a conducive environment for writing.<br />
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I've long been of the opinion that the d12 is the unloved step child of the gamer''s world. It languishes in the dark and dusty corners of the dice bag (don't tell me that bags don't have corners), and is rarely used. Some time ago I was mentioning this to A. Miles Davis over on G+ during a conversation and said that someone should go ahead and write a game based around the d12.<br />
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After writing the truly kick-ass <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/97811/Homicidal-Transients" target="_blank">Homicidal Transients</a>, he took me up on the challenge and wrote a game that only uses a d12. To make things even more interesting the game is set in a post-apocalyptic setting, where the player characters are drones. That's right, you play the drone that takes care of the facility that the humans find refuge in. The name of the game is Dodachedrone and there's a <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1351155470/dodecahedrone-an-rpg-of-post-apocalyptic-robots-an" target="_blank">Kickstarter </a>project going on right now to get it funded, so go toss some money in the hat because it only needs $500 in the next two weeks to get funded.<br />
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Then the other night there was some discussion in two different conversation threads about the d12 vs the d20, and then someone asked the following question "d20 vs d12: which sides are you on?", which is a rather clever bit of punnery that happened to get the creative juices flowing leading to the following bit of inspired awfulness.<br />
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The bulk of this was written late last night, but I did edit it somewhat and add an extra verse.<br />
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Full apologies to Pete Seeger<br />
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<b>Which Side Are You On?</b><br />Come on all you good gamers,<br />Good news to you I'll tell<br />Of how Dodecahedrone<br />Rescued the d12<br /><br /><i>Which side are you on?<br />Which side are you on?<br />Do you want the number 20?<br />Or do you support the twelve?</i><br /><br />My buddies all are gamers<br />And I'm a gamer too<br />They all loved the 20 sider<br />But I wanted something more<br /><br /><i>Which side are you on?<br />Which side are you on?<br />Do you want the number 20?<br />Or do you support the twelve?</i> <i><br /></i><br />They say in gamer shops<br />There are no neutrals there;<br />You're a dodecahedron fan<br />Or a shill for three point five.<br /><br /><i>Which side are you on?<br />Which side are you on?<br />Do you want the number 20?<br />Or do you support the twelve?</i> <i><br /></i><br />Oh gamers can you stand it?<br />Oh tell me how you can.<br />Will you be a lousy elf<br />Or will you be a man?<br /><br /><i>Which side are you on?<br />Which side are you on?<br />Do you want the number 20?<br />Or do you support the twelve?</i> <i><br /></i><br />Don't roll that d20<br />It's promises are lies.<br />It promises you fame and glory<br />But will make you cry<br /><br /><i>Which side are you on?<br />Which side are you on?<br />Do you want the number 20?<br />Or do you support the twelve?</i> <i><br /></i><br />
Listen to me now<br />
As I tell you true<br />
The dodecahedron<br />
Will roll forever true.<br />
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<i>Which side are you on?<br />Which side are you on?<br />Do you want the number 20?<br />Or do you support the twelve?</i>
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And for fun here's <i>The Dropkick Murphys</i> singing <i>Which Side Are You On?</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-77208499457505639892012-03-15T18:21:00.001-06:002012-03-15T18:27:27.051-06:00Some gaming definitions (and why they matter)Cobbling some thoughts together in a hopefully understandable post about gaming and how we define ourselves as role players. I know this isn't going to matter much, but I'm still going to say this right up front <b>I <i>know</i> that people fit in more than one category and that you can't define everything. Don't tell me "But <i>I'm </i>different!"</b><br />
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</div><div><b>Why worry about defining something at all? Why not just go out and have fun and leave the arguing to those idiots over there?</b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div>--If you know what something <b>is</b> or <b>isn't</b> it helps you to find the things you like more of. It's like genre in music, books, movies, etc. Yeah very little actually stays all the way in one genre, but if you know you don't like romantic comedies it will keep you from going to see <i>The War</i>. Likewise if you dislike war movies you won't be going to go see <i>Act of Valor</i> because you know that it will be a waste of time and money.</div><div><br />
</div><div>--of course if you get enough recommendations saying "This movie isn't your typical ________" you might go and see it and find yourself liking it. </div><div><br />
</div><div>--labels are handy to use as shorthand. Instead of saying "there's a group of gamers out there who like early editions of D&D, but also like innovation and DIY stuff" you can simply say "OSR". Instead of "there's a group of gamers who like to decide what the story might be <i>before</i> play, rather than let it emerge <i>during</i> play", you can say Story Gamer. </div><div><br />
</div><div>--knowing that we're talking about the same things before we start helps limit misunderstandings and helps us come to a clearer understanding of a different position than ours. When I say truck, and you think something like a small Toyota, and I'm picturing a four-door Chevy with dualies, we're not going to be able to talk about things because of our differing definitions.</div><div><br />
</div><div>--talking about games <i>is</i> fun for many of us. Playing them is also fun. I'd rather play them than talk about them, but since I can't always play them, talking about them keeps me engaged.</div><div><br />
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</div><div><b>So what are some common terms and definitions</b>?</div><div><i>OSR</i>--Old School Renaissance is how I generally hear it defined. That subset of gamers who have a DIY ethic and are actively looking at the old games (mostly early D&D and it's clones) and re-imagining them with new gaming techniques.</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>Story Games</i>--games where the rules of the game allow the <b>players</b> (not the characters) to determine the way the world reacts in some significant way</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>Story Now</i>--Story that gets developed during play. </div><div><br />
</div><div><i>Story Before--</i>Story that's determined before the play starts. </div><div><br />
</div><div><i>Sandbox</i>--A style of play where the players simply go out and explore the world around them. There may be rumors and plot hooks to interest them, but there's no over-all plot. In my view this can be both a physical sandbox, or a relationship driven sandbox, or an emotional one. </div><div><br />
</div><div><i>Character driven</i>--this is a game that focuses on developing the characters via achieving goals or whatever.</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>story driven--</i>this is game play style focused more on the stuff happening out there in the world. Of course that's not to say that you don't have character development in story driven games, nor does it mean that character driven games don't have plenty of loot. </div><div><br />
</div><div>In movie terms this might be something like <i>Red Dawn</i> vs <i>Dead Poets Society</i>. Was there character development in <i>Red Dawn</i>? Sure. Was it the focus? No, killing Russians and Cubans was. </div><div><br />
</div><div><i>gamist</i>--you're into it for the challenge. For overcoming obstacles and challenges. for you combat is a chance to win.</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>simulationist</i>--it's important to have a realistic game within the confines of the genre/setting. If you're playing a fantasy rpg you don't want your character to be able to take 20 foot steps without magical powers. For you the important thing about combat is that it model real life. </div><div><br />
</div><div><i>narrativist--</i>for you it's about exploring character motivation and action. combat is important because of what you might learn about your character's motivations and reactions to the stress of war.</div><div><br />
</div><div>--<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNS_Theory" target="_blank">GNS theory</a> often depicts these as mutually exclusive. I disagree, but that's something for another day.</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>rules light</i>--Generally describes games which have only a handful of rules. "</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>crunch</i>--refers to the amount of rules in a system. generally speaking it's almost always used to describe a rules heavy system. </div><div><br />
</div><div><i>fluff--</i>This is all the stuff that gets put into a game to make the setting come to life. There can be lots of fluff in a rules light system, or none at all. Likewise with a crunchy system. </div><div><br />
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</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>Different axes</b></div><div>I don't think that Gamist is mutually exclusive of Narrative or Simulationist. It seems to me that Gamist is a way of describing *why* you resolve conflict (whatever that might be), not a way of describing *how* you get there. In my view the best way to describe a Gamer axis might be like this:</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/ZSM6Q.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://i.imgur.com/ZSM6Q.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>You can be a Simulationist who doesn't like very many rules, or a Narrativist, who likes lots of rules. I also think that sandbox vs story game is a completely different type of axis. I do think you can have sandboxy Story Games.</div><div><b><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-19036267669937872902012-03-10T19:10:00.000-07:002012-10-21T16:58:59.304-06:00Toypocalypse Review/Actual Play reportLast night I played a game of _Toypocalypse_ over G+ Hangouts. This is a review and a bit of an actual play report. <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=94301" target="_blank">Toypocalypse </a>was written by Trevor Christenssen for the <a href="http://www.24hourrpg.com/" target="_blank">24 hour rpg</a> contest.<br />
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<a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/images/3825/94301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/images/3825/94301.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here are the basics:<br />
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<b>Setting:</b><br />
Toypocalypse is set in a world that's been abandoned by humans. Nuclear bomb, global warming, fireballs from hell, it doesn't really matter. There are no humans around at all and haven't been for decades at least (maybe hundreds of years). All over the world oppressive regimes have sprung up, run by sentient toys. Toy warlords have sprung up to hoard necessary supplies such as batteries and thread. You play a sentient toy in this society who is trying to find something better.<br />
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<b>Mechanics</b><br />
Toypocalypse uses a step system for conflict resolution, that I think is kind of innovative. The basic die roll is a d12. Incredibly difficult is a target number of 11, hard is 7, easy is 4. Your weakest attribute is a d12 with no modifiers. This allows for a chance of fumbles, as well as a greater swing in results. Each step that your attribute increases by you decrease your die type but you get extra modifiers. For example if you had a trait at a level of "Good" it would be a d10+2. Great would be d8+4, while Superior would be d6+6. This increases the chances of a successful roll, while decreasing the amount of variation in the results.<br />
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<b>Character Creation</b><br />
Character creation involves a handful of choices about your character. What's your characters condition? (Tattered, Pieces Missing, Batteries Not Included, etc.). How does your character move? (Hop, Roll, Tracks, etc.). What's your role on the team? (Leader, Schemer, Protector, etc.?). What power does your character have?<br />
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It's a simple process, and it only took us as long as it did because it was the first time for all of us. The conflict resolution was really quick to learn--our group had someone who had never done a game via Hangout before and who was only playing her 3rd rpg and she managed it pretty easily. I liked the character creation process, and the setting is pretty damn cool.<br />
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<b>Layout</b><br />
I really liked the layout. It was clean and uncluttered. The font type used was easy to read. Best of all the fiction that was used was kept short and was pertinent to each section.<br />
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Overall I was very impressed with the game, especially for being created in 24 hours. The one real criticism I have is of the way initiative works. I suspect that might be more a result of my unfamiliarity with the concept of declaring actions, then rolling for initiative, and a few more sessions might improve my understanding and familiarity with the system.<br />
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Rating would be an easy 4 out of 5 stars.<br />
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<u><b>Actual Play</b></u><br />
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There were three players at this session. Myself, Jenna Parnell, and Adam Minnie. My character was a disease-ridden stress ball. Character's name is Bubo, short for Bubonic (as in the plague). Special power is an energy blast which takes the form of an acid spray.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/products/zoom/e8f1_disease_stress_balls.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/products/zoom/e8f1_disease_stress_balls.gif" width="229" /></a></div>
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Jenn's character was a harmless bunny that had been transformed by her owner's older sister into a killer bunny from hell, with real teeth. Character name is Bunneh. Special power is super speed.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/products/frontsquare/monty_python_rabbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/products/frontsquare/monty_python_rabbit.jpg" /></a></div>
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Adam's character was a Popple by the name of Putter. Special power is elasticity, which allows him to use his pocket like a sling shot or a whip or any number of things (at one point he used it like a bolo to trip some opponents).<br />
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<a href="http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh151/david5_2008/MyPutterPopple2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh151/david5_2008/MyPutterPopple2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The Job:</b><br />
Find a missing dinosaur named Bic, a triceratops with a broken horn. Biceratops eventually got shortened to plain Bic. Employed at the Cotton Depository, a bank where stuffed toys can store extra cotton. His friend hired the party to find him, because he'd been missing for some time now.<br />
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After searching Bic's house the party found a note. Following the clues they talked to a pirate captain named Scarbelly, who wasn't able to tell them much, other than that Bic was a passenger for a bit and spouted "crazy talk" the whole time.<br />
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Frustrated the party headed back to the Depository to interview Bic's co-workers. Most of them were too busy to talk, and those that did were not able to say anything useful. Eventually the manager came down. He didn't have much more to say either, though he did say that Bic was re-hired after the first absence, against his desires. That was definitely odd.<br />
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The party decided to head back to Bic's house to see if there was anything they had missed. Along the way they were ambushed. After fighting them off, they managed to capture HeMan. Bubo proposed a plan "You go to the person who hired you, acting like you succeeded in your mission. We'll follow you so we can know who did it. You can keep 25% of the pay and we'l let you live". HeMan had some guts and came back with a 50/50 split, they settled on a 60/40 split (40 to HeMan).<br />
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At the house the party saw HeMan go in, then come flying out as the owner tackled him. A fight ensued in the street, with Bubo joining in. Putter and Bunneh entered the house while the owner was destracted. Eventually the owner was subdued and HeMan ripped out the batteries as his payment.<br />
<br />
In the house the party found a door, that led to a tunnel. Climbing into the tunnel (Bubo was in Putter's elastic pocket), they traveled down the passage until they heard some chanting (never a good sign). There they saw the bank manager and his two minions. Poor Bic was tied down to an altar and it appeared as if he was about to be sacrificed. The party didn't hesitate but charged the cultists and a ferocious fight broke out.<br />
<br />
Cool stuff happened. Putter shot Bubo out of his pouch like a slingshot. Sadly Bubo's dice failed him on damage. Bunneh used her super speed to launch two attacks, hitting one minion with her feet and bouncing off him to hit the other. By the end of the fight Bubo was almost dead (down to 1 Pneuma--0 Pneuma means dead), but on his final attack he managed to connect with the manager and use his acid blast to melt him into a puddle of plastic.<br />
<br />
<b>The Characters</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><i>Captain Scarbelly's Guards</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41lMYKvbdEL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41lMYKvbdEL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<b><i>Captain Scarbelly's First Mate</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.legionsofgotham.org/ActionFigures/Comic/DCUC/DCUCgrodd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.legionsofgotham.org/ActionFigures/Comic/DCUC/DCUCgrodd.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<b><i>Captain Scarbelly</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://d1jqecz1iy566e.cloudfront.net/med2/pap044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://d1jqecz1iy566e.cloudfront.net/med2/pap044.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<b><i>The Depository Manager</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://cdn2.sulitstatic.com/images/2012/0224/211515519_211433437f0162546f8926ab0e0e08473517bb3e60a20e533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://cdn2.sulitstatic.com/images/2012/0224/211515519_211433437f0162546f8926ab0e0e08473517bb3e60a20e533.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<b><i>The Ambushers</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.thinkmaven.com/wysiwyg/80s%20toys/Reader10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://www.thinkmaven.com/wysiwyg/80s%20toys/Reader10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<b><i>The minions (two of them)</i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQEiKMjZGRxBYPQgmqKkLDfe6as8MZuSw3Izp96-rxgogzoM-ROaU88c7hmhH9r9q0abdKi2HyFVErMmrDwxzCfotOW8jRZRS4p21nHNJiQ_Yi00sCjrsEQ0LBV7OEAEmEIxTj4zimjDE/s400/sidious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQEiKMjZGRxBYPQgmqKkLDfe6as8MZuSw3Izp96-rxgogzoM-ROaU88c7hmhH9r9q0abdKi2HyFVErMmrDwxzCfotOW8jRZRS4p21nHNJiQ_Yi00sCjrsEQ0LBV7OEAEmEIxTj4zimjDE/s320/sidious.jpg" width="284" /></a></div>
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<b><i><br />
</i></b><br />
<b><i>The bank manager reveals his true self</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://cdn.sulitstatic.com/images/2012/0224/211516323_21150954625f321acbf027bf9ddad268e75b7dc9ea578b043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://cdn.sulitstatic.com/images/2012/0224/211516323_21150954625f321acbf027bf9ddad268e75b7dc9ea578b043.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-32427029332681895402012-03-07T12:13:00.001-07:002012-03-07T12:15:02.237-07:00Where the Streets Have No Name: Using Song Lyrics as Gaming InspirationI'm a big believer in that inspiration for your game can come from anywhere and anything. Some time ago Boing Boing posted a link to <a href="http://boingboing.net/2012/02/29/map-of-a-notional-city-whose-s.html" target="_blank">this map</a>, where all the streets were the names of famous (and not so famous) place name songs. Examples include 56th Street Bride Song, Highway 61 Revisited, Highway to Hell, etc. As I was looking at the map, inspiration struck. What if you based plot and adventure hooks for an urban based campaign from the lyrics of the songs? Alternatively, what if you came up with fairy tale names for the streets and then based plots on those, but without telling the players the names of the streets?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://craphound.com/images/Dorothy_0030b-Song-Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://craphound.com/images/Dorothy_0030b-Song-Map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
This is a map of part of London. <i>Highway 61 Revisited </i>is actually Hackney Road and <i>'A' Bomb on Wardour Street </i>Old Street.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Highway 61 Revisited</i></b><br />
Oh, God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"<br />
Abe says, "Man you must be puttin' me on"<br />
God says, "No", Abe say "What?"<br />
God say "You can do what you want Abe but<br />
The next time you see me comin' you better run"<br />
<br />
Well Abe said, "Where do you want this killin' done?"<br />
God say, "Out on Highway 61"<br />
<br />
Well Georgia Sam he had a bloody nose<br />
Welfare department they wouldn't give him no clothes<br />
He asked poor Howard, "Where can I go?"<br />
Howard said, "There's only one place I know"<br />
Sam said, "Tell me quick man and I got to run"<br />
<br />
Old howard just pointed with his gun<br />
And said, "That way down Highway 61"<br />
<br />
Well Mack the finger said to Louie the King<br />
"I got forty red white and blue shoe strings<br />
And a thousand telephones that don't ring<br />
Do you know where I can get rid of these things?"<br />
And Louie the King said, "Let me think for a minute son"<br />
<br />
And he said, "Yes I think it can be easily done<br />
Just take everything down to Highway 61"<br />
<br />
Now the fifth daughter on the twelfth night<br />
Told the first father that things weren't right<br />
My complexion she says is much too white<br />
He said, "Come here and step into the light"<br />
He says, "Hmm you're right<br />
Let me tell the second mother this has been done"<br />
<br />
But the second mother was with the seventh son<br />
And they were both out on Highway 61<br />
<br />
Now the Rovin' gambler he was very bored<br />
He was tryin' to create a next world war<br />
He found a promoter who nearly fell off the floor<br />
He said, "I never engaged in this kind of thing before<br />
But yes I think it can be very easily done"<br />
<br />
We'll just put some bleachers out in the sun<br />
And have it on Highway 61<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>There are some great NPC possibilities there. The Rovin' Gambler who has a game set up on a different corner every day, or the shopkeeper with a thousand telephones who is able to communicate with anyone, anywhere. </div><div><br />
</div><div>What about plots? The PCs are approached by a man who is part of a secret organization. The head of this organization wants the man to give over his son to be raised up in the organization/trained/sent on a suicide mission/etc. The man doesn't want to sacrifice his son, so asks the PCs to step in and stop the thing from happening. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Let's do another one for fun.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><i>'A' Bomb in Wardour Street</i></b></div>Where the streets are paved with blood,<br />
with cataclysmic overtones,<br />
Fear and hate linger in the air,<br />
A strictly no-go deadly zone.<br />
I don't know what I'm doing here<br />
'cause it's not my scene at all<br />
There's an 'A' bomb in Wardour Street<br />
They've called in the Army, they've called in the police to.<br />
<br />
I'm stranded on the vortex floor,<br />
My head's been kicked in and blood's started to pour<br />
Through the haze I can see my girl<br />
15 geezers got her pinned to the door<br />
I try to reach her but fall back to the floor<br />
'A' bomb in Wardour Street<br />
It's blown up the West End, now it's spreading throughout the City,<br />
<br />
'A' bomb in Wardour Street, it's blown up the City<br />
Now it's spreading through the country.<br />
<br />
Law and order take a turn for the worst,<br />
In the shape of a size 10 boot.<br />
Rape and murder throughout the land,<br />
and they tell you that you're still a free man.<br />
If this is freedom I don't understand<br />
'cause it seems like madness to me.<br />
'A' bomb in Wardour Street, Hate Bomb,<br />
Hate Bomb, Hate Bomb, Hate Bomb.<br />
<br />
A Phillistine nation, of degredation,<br />
And hate and war. There must be more<br />
It's Doctor Martin's A,P,O,C,A,L,Y,P,S,E,<br />
Apocalypse!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>All sorts of plot options here. Maybe the PCs learn about something that's going to blow up and cause mass destruction and mayhem. They have to beat the clock to get the "bomb" defused. (I put quotation marks around the word bomb because this could really be anything at all.) Maybe a bomb was found, and someone the PCs know is blamed for it, but the person in jail is innocent and the PCs need to prove that before the real bomb goes off. </div><div><br />
</div><div>If you want to listen to the songs the staff at Boing Boing has put together a <a href="http://spoti.fi/wzBFnp" target="_blank">Spotify play list </a>for your listening pleasure. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-41844691476357351022012-02-25T06:37:00.000-07:002012-02-25T06:37:36.241-07:00Book Review: The Keep by F. Paul WilsonI have to admit that I'm a lover of books. I read voraciously--normally three or four fiction books a week as well as one (maybe two) non-fiction books a week. I invariably have stacks of books in my "To Read" pile (even if that stack is mostly electronic these days), and even more in my Wish List at Amazon. Earlier this week I decided that I would pick a book from my To Read pile at random, by rolling a d20.The idea was that maybe it would bring up something that's been there for awhile and get me something to read that's a bit different than what I would normally choose on my own. I <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/110212244745736717557/posts/81V6WPahEmu" target="_blank">rolled a d20</a> and the result was _<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keep-F-Paul-Wilson/dp/0765357054" target="_blank">The Keep</a>_, a novel by F. Paul Wilson.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/111110000/111112081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/111110000/111112081.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The blurb from Amazon is fantastic:<br />
<br />
<i>""Something is murdering my men."<br />
<br />
Thus reads the message received from a Nazi commander stationed in a small castle high in the remote Transylvanian Alps. And when an elite SS extermination squad is dispatched to solve the problem, the men find a something that's both powerful and terrifying. Invisible and silent, the enemy selects one victim per night, leaving the bloodless and mutilated corpses behind to terrify its future victims. Panicked, the Nazis bring in a local expert on folklore--who just happens to be Jewish--to shed some light on the mysterious happenings. And unbeknownst to anyone, there is another visitor on his way--a man who awoke from a nightmare and immediately set out to meet his destiny.<br />
<br />
The battle has begun: On one side, the ultimate evil created by man, and on the other...the unthinkable, unstoppable, unknowing terror that man has inevitably awakened."</i><div><i><br />
</i></div><div>The first thing I wanted to point out from the blurb is the word "Something" in the letter the commander sends back. This is what catches the attention of the Nazi leadership to send someone to handle this situation. The second thing to point out is that the German army officer leading the detachment is <b>not</b> a Nazi, which is why he's there in the first place.</div><div><br />
</div>Captain Klaus Woermann is a decorated Army officer. During WWI he won the Iron Cross for gallantry for single handedly holding off a British platoon from overrunning his position. However his refusal to join the Nazi part means he's been condemned to guard duty, rather than leading troops in the front line. He is sent with a small detachment of men to a remote pass in Romania to set up a guard post in an ancient keep. <div><br />
</div><div>When the captain arrives at the castle he notices a few things immediately. The first is that it's in impeccable condition. No debris or dust, no ruined buildings, nothing. The second is that the walls of the castle are completely covered in what appear to be crosses. These crosses cover every surface of the walls of the castle and appear to be made of gold and silver. The third unusual thing is that there are no birds in the castle. </div><div><br />
</div><div>He finds out that the castle has been maintained and cleaned by a man and his two sons. The man's father watched over the castle and his grandfather and great-grandfather, all the way back. The money for the upkeep is delivered to the local inn keeper who pays them in gold coins. The man is adamant that the men not stay the night in the keep, and when he sees a soldier trying to pry one of the crosses off the wall he warns the Captain not to allow that to happen or dire things will happen. This soldier's name is Lutz, and he is assigned guard duty for a week as punishment. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The Captain excuses the man and dismisses him, but has an uneasy feeling about the situation.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Later that night, while on guard duty, Lutz notices that there is a discrepancy in the thickness of the walls. He <b>knows </b>that there must be a treasure or secret tunnel and is convinced that it's papal treasure. Why else all the crosses? He pries at the cross, eventually managing to pop it loose and when he does so he's able to shift the block out of the way, exposing the entrance to a tunnel. Getting the other soldier on sentry to come help him, he then heads into the dark looking for treasure.</div><div><br />
</div><div>He's the first to die. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Eventually German command sends an SS commander to clean things up. He's just been assigned to the task of setting up a death camp in Romania and knows that if he doesn't get this resolved quickly his chance to command the camp will be put in jeopardy. There's an added bonus--he knows the Captain from WWI. He ran when the British platoon advanced, while the Captain stayed to fight. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I won't go through the rest of the plot, but I did want to point out some things I liked and some things I didn't like about the book.</div><div><br />
</div><div>--the keep is fantastic.</div><div>--the idea of a family who have maintained for generations is great</div><div>--who doesn't like secret passages and rooms?</div><div>--the characters are done very well. Distinct voices for all the main ones, and even the minor ones. </div><div>--I loved the conflict between the Captain and the SS commander</div><div>--the Jewish professor and his daughter were a great element</div><div>--F. Paul Wilson's plot was great. There were some fairly predictable things, but a few things that caught me by surprise.</div><div>--I loved how he treated the vampire myth.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Things I didn't like:</div><div>--the final conflict. It was very anti-climatic</div><div>--the ending in general. He'd set up this fantastically creepy scenario and then it felt like he didn't know what to do with it.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Despite my disappointment with the ending (which I felt was weak), I'd still give this a 4 star rating. </div><div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-53927422714580513282012-02-20T13:14:00.000-07:002012-02-20T13:14:23.832-07:00Twenty Dungeon EntrancesFor your enjoyment here are twenty images to use as inspiration for your dungeon's entrance. Many of them come from _Subterranean Design_, a tumblr blog that I can't recommend too highly.<br />
<br />
<br />
1.) A small hole in the side of a hill<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ly8gkacYg91qjvkaao1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ly8gkacYg91qjvkaao1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
2.) A sea cave<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx62opVq7T1r7jq3lo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx62opVq7T1r7jq3lo1_500.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br />
<br />
3.) What's behind the doors?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxtyb8jbuR1qjq5e7o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxtyb8jbuR1qjq5e7o1_500.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<br />
4.) A hole in the ground<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz55ykzcWY1r8k5v9o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz55ykzcWY1r8k5v9o1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5.) Old mine shaft?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz5rmxRr1n1r2s3h9o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz5rmxRr1n1r2s3h9o1_500.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6.) Underneath the tower is the entrance to the dungeon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx0c88eFrv1qfb46yo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx0c88eFrv1qfb46yo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><br />
7.) At least three ways into the dungeon--or are there three separate dungeons?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz3fha3Akr1qi4ao1o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz3fha3Akr1qi4ao1o1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
8.) Even mega dungeons have separate entrances for servants.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrjzfvXmuW1qzt15co1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrjzfvXmuW1qzt15co1_500.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br />
<br />
9.) Another sea cave.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyy2m4E3z01qkhn7so1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyy2m4E3z01qkhn7so1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">10.) The guardian of the entrance</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6KPi5ZaWz9LeskDiiAe5wT0HZiNejfc9xqReBP9IOP6Jz7CAHsq_T8eLuoKLQdT0XA6pZK_sfryST-uRo4Pg0N2QIfDfuFHt-iMpRQbTETy41Y51edmmXKClXLSc0W3gh-4JeRKBF9A/s1600/Maitreya_carving_in_Feilai_Feng_Caves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6KPi5ZaWz9LeskDiiAe5wT0HZiNejfc9xqReBP9IOP6Jz7CAHsq_T8eLuoKLQdT0XA6pZK_sfryST-uRo4Pg0N2QIfDfuFHt-iMpRQbTETy41Y51edmmXKClXLSc0W3gh-4JeRKBF9A/s320/Maitreya_carving_in_Feilai_Feng_Caves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><br />
11.) Hopefully you can pick the lock--I don't think this door can be broken down.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVg7Jp5txEcIrjfGlkTDWhzzTvYJBk6in_pKwctvHSO4mXuNDr22aicybeH21lZcwycUqaUvvukc7fqMLNQA6p_8VdP9IGX4IxM1hoRUL0cdXFULWWrCKRuVAEDSWEsvFo3mJJh-aZog4/s1600/prison_door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVg7Jp5txEcIrjfGlkTDWhzzTvYJBk6in_pKwctvHSO4mXuNDr22aicybeH21lZcwycUqaUvvukc7fqMLNQA6p_8VdP9IGX4IxM1hoRUL0cdXFULWWrCKRuVAEDSWEsvFo3mJJh-aZog4/s320/prison_door.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><br />
<br />
12.) Creepy entrance<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.bali.50megs.com/2001/image/Ubud-elephantcave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.bali.50megs.com/2001/image/Ubud-elephantcave.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">13.) A jungle entrance</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYwaCKaZYLBiaGei0CUIYA2ZWwHQ-4aTagqwaz3sG2HcoJVcyNAVkzXM5lpGDo5h6v2N33CphuvqZpH11YHf6tHPKCES610E3Tcf2zEFB0wkyATBDHGdc8vgNzVyYXOK3JymAj30DqyU/s1600/cave_entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYwaCKaZYLBiaGei0CUIYA2ZWwHQ-4aTagqwaz3sG2HcoJVcyNAVkzXM5lpGDo5h6v2N33CphuvqZpH11YHf6tHPKCES610E3Tcf2zEFB0wkyATBDHGdc8vgNzVyYXOK3JymAj30DqyU/s320/cave_entrance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">14.) Hobbiton?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBeBktAo160TcsjAj_JrH1BLbEHogc-4WijOWWZGgzCS_I8aaHfb3Z5IcWxgYKM73KsQii6auBT61kASM55jfip_4K7zyx3yuDz8g0PbBr-RqhvkB52rN3zqNKUHVx__S1D07fGKlpIg/s1600/Helme-caves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBeBktAo160TcsjAj_JrH1BLbEHogc-4WijOWWZGgzCS_I8aaHfb3Z5IcWxgYKM73KsQii6auBT61kASM55jfip_4K7zyx3yuDz8g0PbBr-RqhvkB52rN3zqNKUHVx__S1D07fGKlpIg/s320/Helme-caves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">15.) This looks like something that Bran Mak Morn would take on. Not me though.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3141/3083779110_b3bf921fcb_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3141/3083779110_b3bf921fcb_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">16.) This doesn't look safe.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFBAtZYuW6F7HtIeqdTI9crbRgx0oy78ovzPnJwqbhza4MoR4wUcFPjTJpgjvhFpnAyINKViAeqXuNdDSQ7EQnOJDhgPcM5SduJixKV7hMlN7rBqlZGl1-9R7iDVJCdHRTNeTmEyC8Jg/s640/Mine+Entrance" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFBAtZYuW6F7HtIeqdTI9crbRgx0oy78ovzPnJwqbhza4MoR4wUcFPjTJpgjvhFpnAyINKViAeqXuNdDSQ7EQnOJDhgPcM5SduJixKV7hMlN7rBqlZGl1-9R7iDVJCdHRTNeTmEyC8Jg/s320/Mine+Entrance" width="230" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">17.) The way is shut. It was made by those who were dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://images.wikia.com/lotr/images/e/eb/Pathsdead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://images.wikia.com/lotr/images/e/eb/Pathsdead.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>18.) Sometimes even the wizard is helpless.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.councilofelrond.com/albums/album13/13a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://www.councilofelrond.com/albums/album13/13a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
19.) Ice cave<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxur1qVOix1r7lbz7o1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1329855009&Signature=FIZGM3%2BrRA5DNlBjRvWFjIDqgkI%3D" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxur1qVOix1r7lbz7o1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1329855009&Signature=FIZGM3%2BrRA5DNlBjRvWFjIDqgkI%3D" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">20.) Secret fortress for the super villain? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltu0iy0Exz1qekaf5o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltu0iy0Exz1qekaf5o1_500.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<br />
And a bonus. I hope there aren't any alligators down there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvlj4aw1gz1qjvkaao1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvlj4aw1gz1qjvkaao1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-56634269513098099722012-02-18T00:27:00.002-07:002012-02-18T00:38:42.089-07:00Five Minute Maps: Doctor Teslo's Amazing Circus & CarnivalMatt Jackson over at<a href="http://www.msjx.org/" target="_blank"> lapus calumni</a> has done a great thing. Just recently he's started drawing a map every day in a new moleskine that he purchased. He's then come up with an idea to get everybody involved in doing maps and he's called it Five Minute Map Friday. The idea behind it is as simple as the title. You have five minutes to draw a map of whatever you want. At five minutes you're done with it. If you want to share it on G+ use the hashtag <a class="ot-hashtag" href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/s/%23fridayfiveminutemap" style="background-color: white; color: #3366cc; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">#fridayfiveminutemap</a><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">.</span></span> If you don't want to share it, no big deal.<br />
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I suck at drawing maps. While they do all manage to convey the information needed (where things are at and how far apart things are from each other) they look awful. Despite this (or maybe because of it) I absolutely love looking at maps. I love maps that are of historical value, I love maps that have interesting information and maps that don't. In fact, one of my favorite D&D characters that I ever played was a ranger who was basically sent out to explore and map new lands.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>My goal is to do a map every day. Since I actually want to learn how to make them pretty I'll probably spend longer than five minutes on them, but every Friday I'll do a five minute map. Some of them I'll show here, some of them I won't. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Today's map is of the traveling circus of one Doctor Teslo. Nobody knows what he actually looks like--he keeps hidden in his big tent all the time. Most of the performers have never seen him because the ringmaster Darakshan Anayis does all the hiring and firing. She's not to be crossed. Foul tempered, quick with her curved daggers, and some say she has magic that she stole from a djinn. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The circus keeps to it's own schedule. It never posts times when it'll be in town and it disappears at a whim. Sometimes it stays in a place for weeks, sometimes barely 24 hours. Townsfolk will see an empty field one day and then the next a fully set up circus and they'll have no idea how it happened.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Even with the sudden arrivals and departures the circus is always packed. Those who go there are drawn like moths to a flame. Work, family, pleasure are all unimportant--what they know is that something that they <i>must</i> see is in one of those tents. </div><div><br />
</div><div>They're correct. Every tent has something unusual and unique. The trained horses do impossible tricks. The food stalls sell food that seems to enhance the senses. The freak shows are truly freakish. As special as these attractions are, there are a few tents that are even more amazing and that only a few manage to find.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b>The tent of Arjeta the Toothless</b></div><div>Arjeta is an old crone with no teeth. For the right price she'll cast her bones and tell your fortune (it's rumored that she yanked out her own teeth to use as her bones for casting) or answer one question. Her answers are always correct, even if the listener can't understand them. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>The tent of Esaro the fat</b></div><div>Esaro is an enormously fat man, but don't let that bulk fool you. He's surprisingly quick and nimble and has prodigious strength. In his tent you can find your heart's desire. If you don't know what your heart's desire is, he'll gladly show it to you. Be careful about bargaining with him, because his price is always the thing that means the most to you. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>The tent of Blanat the Ageless</b></div><div>If you manage to find Blanat's tent then you are a special individual indeed. Those who find her tent have a wandering spark inside them that drives them on. These are they who are not happy with the mundane and ordinary and who want to achieve great things or see wondrous lands. Blanat has the power to send travelers to worlds beyond mortal knowing. She holds to a higher oath and seeks those who will labor for a cause in a strange land. Time works differently in other worlds, so if you accept the call to go and fight if you return you may find that no time at all has passed or that decades have passed. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Every traveler who has completed a mission she has set them to will find themselves immortalized by the bards and poets of that world.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1KTbHnWm2OxTmVBFEDsbcHDEmwmC_K7_a3xGKO4lKP9ahq-62mmUnwkS3C7QQJ2h9x6JTBQL14V7MikTh3XBeq67L419OMDMJiA5prBZNmk6atGR4TdasyCkaLSrU6C6FFRUDk87sU0/w592-h463-k/2-17-2012--five+minute+map--dr+teslos+circus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij1KTbHnWm2OxTmVBFEDsbcHDEmwmC_K7_a3xGKO4lKP9ahq-62mmUnwkS3C7QQJ2h9x6JTBQL14V7MikTh3XBeq67L419OMDMJiA5prBZNmk6atGR4TdasyCkaLSrU6C6FFRUDk87sU0/w592-h463-k/2-17-2012--five+minute+map--dr+teslos+circus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-86157133533865289122012-02-17T20:27:00.001-07:002012-02-17T20:31:07.227-07:00Real Life Megadungeons: Chavin de Huantar, Peru<div class="tr_bq">At first blush Chaven de Huantar isn't much to look at. There aren't any really grand buildings or huge underground tunnels. The site was first established sometime around 1200 B.C. and abandoned around 500 B.C. It was occupied by a number of different cultures but the last one to occupy it were the Chavin culture, one of the many pre-Inca cultures in Peru. </div><br />
What makes the place unique in my opinion is how it was designed. The builders specifically included acoustical properties in the complex so that the priests can manipulate sound so that worshipers can hear it at a stele located in a central place.<br />
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From an article on the subject from <a href="http://popular-archaeology.com/issue/december-2011/article/magic-sounds-of-peru-s-ancient-chavin-de-huantar" target="_blank">Popular Archaelogy:</a><br />
<blockquote><br />
Says Miriam Kolar, Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellow, PhD Candidate at Stanford University and leader of the study: "At Chavín, we have discovered acoustic evidence for selective sound transmission between the site's Lanzon monolith and the Circular Plaza: an architectural acoustic filter system that favors sound frequencies of the Chavín pututus [conch-shell trumpets] and human voice."<br />
<br />
The Lanzon is a sacred statue or stela depicting the central deity of the ancient <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav%C3%ADn_culture">Chavín culture</a>. It is housed in the central chamber of a series of underground passages within the Old Temple of the ceremonial and religious center of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav%C3%ADn_de_Huantar">Chavín de Huántar</a>. A central duct was built to connect the area of the monolith with that of the Circular Plaza, a place of ceremonial activity and significance. The duct was specifically designed to filter to a certain sound range -- namely, the range emitted by the Chavín pututu instrument.</blockquote><br />
Some images:<br />
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The outside.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloxOf_iIxa6P8J76Jc0W33ux71eJg8RXphZCmDnRsEXlD6chIxmD74b4EbSqmLcCZR0vtV4YRRoDxENwSrynY3plBFaEIPCXvuyJjJLcnZSdYw48eLhmmnmp4v0qDv3GZl0Z0OncpKAA/w450-h309-k/chavin_huantar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloxOf_iIxa6P8J76Jc0W33ux71eJg8RXphZCmDnRsEXlD6chIxmD74b4EbSqmLcCZR0vtV4YRRoDxENwSrynY3plBFaEIPCXvuyJjJLcnZSdYw48eLhmmnmp4v0qDv3GZl0Z0OncpKAA/w450-h309-k/chavin_huantar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some tunnels:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBqRunsh6c9cmuvG2Yb1rdD1o-q4y_RoFtAY4XoV6BMKxmUhDjrcj8xm27uvtE3LRdVkaDUP8b3rIv5pv3Fa7efpp0IPzDp9lC9Gwv_d8is9PYXmt1zyJh1QPAuAYiEJmBN9fMXh6azc/w344-h258-k/2208015267_754200106f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBqRunsh6c9cmuvG2Yb1rdD1o-q4y_RoFtAY4XoV6BMKxmUhDjrcj8xm27uvtE3LRdVkaDUP8b3rIv5pv3Fa7efpp0IPzDp9lC9Gwv_d8is9PYXmt1zyJh1QPAuAYiEJmBN9fMXh6azc/w344-h258-k/2208015267_754200106f.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYfIEKZO6_ID_MoJDXq0aAW0k3wMVjyoqbygI6iBVIQU4yFTzbdo6fAllMjopmj_ULpDNdmO68nhK-OihrvMfjfO4eWwTI77V679YdMaKVMISmjTjXUuT-OO_PKOnr91xxsBxSMBbNpw/w408-h306-k/mak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUYfIEKZO6_ID_MoJDXq0aAW0k3wMVjyoqbygI6iBVIQU4yFTzbdo6fAllMjopmj_ULpDNdmO68nhK-OihrvMfjfO4eWwTI77V679YdMaKVMISmjTjXUuT-OO_PKOnr91xxsBxSMBbNpw/w408-h306-k/mak.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseWfp017emRTFlEzqUb5Dh9Fuf5TNJrUl-bCNGUwSsSwbZR0rrvw8Jv8957uA3Tc_hB2dfMAiCmc0bbqTlJwkpgEygKyVmUfHmfXwS6C9liDRlvKb0LWoN2xLVR26ne9f6jaXrmQNtEc/w314-h237-k/Chavin_de_Huantar_Pyramid_Tunnels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiseWfp017emRTFlEzqUb5Dh9Fuf5TNJrUl-bCNGUwSsSwbZR0rrvw8Jv8957uA3Tc_hB2dfMAiCmc0bbqTlJwkpgEygKyVmUfHmfXwS6C9liDRlvKb0LWoN2xLVR26ne9f6jaXrmQNtEc/w314-h237-k/Chavin_de_Huantar_Pyramid_Tunnels.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A denizen? A goddess? A demon?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscb_ULGM-T5eU-mpx4gZFxB3syIzmpUzO_BOpaY5QZoq9z4YMcaYMsw2a-VbLgfWNYNQz3w8DfM5ivbSna72mbTWAGPc0onk0zgGE7XACWUeVumV5Q09HX3WqlkHOyxc4aXBhMZi_1jg/w463-h618-k/1.1228225020.6_museo-chavin-de-huantar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgscb_ULGM-T5eU-mpx4gZFxB3syIzmpUzO_BOpaY5QZoq9z4YMcaYMsw2a-VbLgfWNYNQz3w8DfM5ivbSna72mbTWAGPc0onk0zgGE7XACWUeVumV5Q09HX3WqlkHOyxc4aXBhMZi_1jg/w463-h618-k/1.1228225020.6_museo-chavin-de-huantar.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div> This guy is too cheerful to be a head mounted to a wall. I wouldn't trust anything he says.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_7bBqgAUb-O8jRr41ixLR1gYKQBBbi3odVXxGLEK_-2lOzniAMM3vf_QBObN78bI7mU6aJk21zFiBvUSX2slabWbqx8OpgCt7bGBvVcw5XHXegvcNKXcOBKCG738qvAEow5cIz9tC8U/w344-h258-k/Chavin_de_Huantar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_7bBqgAUb-O8jRr41ixLR1gYKQBBbi3odVXxGLEK_-2lOzniAMM3vf_QBObN78bI7mU6aJk21zFiBvUSX2slabWbqx8OpgCt7bGBvVcw5XHXegvcNKXcOBKCG738qvAEow5cIz9tC8U/w344-h258-k/Chavin_de_Huantar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
A conch shell used in ceremonies. Maybe to summon the goddess or wake the stone heads?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXejnpG7fyI5eyCEIFzdVo5DR6BR9AdDBoSB-ajiIvZnOIP6gTbw5s4tM8kRAgumV5vZTc8aaLttlPZplfoHeUgLu56I1MpcGWmurqSNeQCrW5T6Kall5DJf0du8-1GdJDr9JkXKAiYA/w341-h237-k/Conch+instrument+found+at+Chavin+de+Hu%25C3%25A1ntar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXejnpG7fyI5eyCEIFzdVo5DR6BR9AdDBoSB-ajiIvZnOIP6gTbw5s4tM8kRAgumV5vZTc8aaLttlPZplfoHeUgLu56I1MpcGWmurqSNeQCrW5T6Kall5DJf0du8-1GdJDr9JkXKAiYA/w341-h237-k/Conch+instrument+found+at+Chavin+de+Hu%25C3%25A1ntar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Something that I find particularly interest is this glyph of some sort of winged creature. Maybe another denizon of the dungeon or a god watching over it? However I also had a thought--what if you used this as a framework for a city? It could make an excellent map for a city center I think.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvAczkTRhePwn4hnygEh6owrhKMEgcNuHjFJthVJEU4H2GsZtVZ3J_HgXIP0lGtzqDPsBFIFbK8r62SL4fSzpWsvcxSCQVoMF1cplcvgV_8qnVCca-MDoTXjoa02Un_PT7oYxvMaKh6E/w462-h309-k/chavin_relief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvAczkTRhePwn4hnygEh6owrhKMEgcNuHjFJthVJEU4H2GsZtVZ3J_HgXIP0lGtzqDPsBFIFbK8r62SL4fSzpWsvcxSCQVoMF1cplcvgV_8qnVCca-MDoTXjoa02Un_PT7oYxvMaKh6E/w462-h309-k/chavin_relief.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Same image cleaned up a bit<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VrJxckdR6lClRXsjSkKzTW7JWH2shd1QIvVCDs0SLvCv_1JrmICUh5eB4AJGZGauJr5Egc-iPG-kQoFk4aDA5cwZAdus-EZuab4FxUY8MRA4P8gAT7kN_gGJKR8xdXv8uf78fXAznls/w284-h308-k/chavin_feline_bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VrJxckdR6lClRXsjSkKzTW7JWH2shd1QIvVCDs0SLvCv_1JrmICUh5eB4AJGZGauJr5Egc-iPG-kQoFk4aDA5cwZAdus-EZuab4FxUY8MRA4P8gAT7kN_gGJKR8xdXv8uf78fXAznls/w284-h308-k/chavin_feline_bird.jpg" /></a></div><br />
And now made very recognizable:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB30gWzYQE1ySZN-IzbrVDOxxGvrPSRKtrE0iJLNdjxjcPZWeIq14u1rPmyFckMoGb0ob7QDeews8H6ftRW_2E5Gt93o87SXV-9DnTxMXMCVt-46U6ggYswL47AKzgSbcbT90S2ngGcHY/w318-h237-k/Chavin_fig16ab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB30gWzYQE1ySZN-IzbrVDOxxGvrPSRKtrE0iJLNdjxjcPZWeIq14u1rPmyFckMoGb0ob7QDeews8H6ftRW_2E5Gt93o87SXV-9DnTxMXMCVt-46U6ggYswL47AKzgSbcbT90S2ngGcHY/w318-h237-k/Chavin_fig16ab.jpg" /></a></div><br />
And now a map of the complex:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOLZ34znGQyHkTqaUjDqzb4T9TzhOjIB-7UQccSZBtSlIioopso_Hf-4MrVOiwFGVitxIb65q4Idy4inTvCgI8EOKlngczkW8HWRais-2X2_Vz8miTxw43Ou-q3Sqkpz5D429m-Aq6B4/w498-h306-k/map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOLZ34znGQyHkTqaUjDqzb4T9TzhOjIB-7UQccSZBtSlIioopso_Hf-4MrVOiwFGVitxIb65q4Idy4inTvCgI8EOKlngczkW8HWRais-2X2_Vz8miTxw43Ou-q3Sqkpz5D429m-Aq6B4/w498-h306-k/map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq2PgTU_mMI2tofX6WzG0oBFyZYuKiI98cYcCB1WjwHvLCD1LjQ61bb0Up8AeFw0WfpogPTf0c-lON9tBs-rxQVXsw8yOEwA_YAdFd-bvRh2O4kGcLuDUF3dnZYB5yNDEUEIBCDum3HQ/s400/CHAVIN.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq2PgTU_mMI2tofX6WzG0oBFyZYuKiI98cYcCB1WjwHvLCD1LjQ61bb0Up8AeFw0WfpogPTf0c-lON9tBs-rxQVXsw8yOEwA_YAdFd-bvRh2O4kGcLuDUF3dnZYB5yNDEUEIBCDum3HQ/s320/CHAVIN.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-91692084854356624782012-02-13T12:49:00.000-07:002012-02-13T12:49:35.386-07:00Real Life Megadungeons: Ayutthaya, ThailandIn case you haven't figured it out by now, I love to use real life as inspiration for my gaming. Yesterday this image popped up in my RSS reader courtesy of the tumblr blog <a href="http://subterraneandesign.tumblr.com/" target="_blank"><i>Subterranean Design</i> </a>(a blog that everybody needs to be following):<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogs.voanews.com/photos/files/2011/11/reuters_thailand_ayutthaya_floods_06Nov11-878x585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://blogs.voanews.com/photos/files/2011/11/reuters_thailand_ayutthaya_floods_06Nov11-878x585.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The head is normally above water<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/Zwzns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://i.imgur.com/Zwzns.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The image immediately resonated with me, so 45 minutes later and the magic of Google I learned the following. The image is from the city of Ayutthaya in Thailand, which was founded in 1350. The dynasty ruled until 1765 when an invading Burmese force of some 40,000 soldiers sacked the city. Just a few years later the Burmese army was forced to withdraw because of the threat of an invasion of Burma by Chinese armies, leaving the city of Ayutthaya in ruins.<br />
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The founders of the city chose well in picking the site. It's at a junction of three rivers, as well as being placed on a main trade route. Part of the city (the "old city" as it's called) is actually located on an island.<br />
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Some examples of the city's architecture:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3010/2706248852_43c1698b69_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3010/2706248852_43c1698b69_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoenixation/2706248852/sizes/z/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Justin Gaurav Murg</a>ai)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/YTYbl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://i.imgur.com/YTYbl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuxMwrZDm9cMHWZVF_a0hWmpUkeIC_oli37qsB7sceG-vh3MAgjqFGvrkGWpmQlcSrrk0iF8DRcf2CvhOeQhqNCGzicvaGJzOAV08rui3LpKtqYLjMoW1U0OL_VSFIhUiw0qmryF3Vgs/s1600/mini-DSCN3178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuxMwrZDm9cMHWZVF_a0hWmpUkeIC_oli37qsB7sceG-vh3MAgjqFGvrkGWpmQlcSrrk0iF8DRcf2CvhOeQhqNCGzicvaGJzOAV08rui3LpKtqYLjMoW1U0OL_VSFIhUiw0qmryF3Vgs/s320/mini-DSCN3178.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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A possible dungeon entrance?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/wTtz8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.imgur.com/wTtz8.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Another oracle?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/f3BJm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://i.imgur.com/f3BJm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Painting of the city that was ordered to be done by the Dutch East India Tea Company:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/p0TZc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://i.imgur.com/p0TZc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And another one<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/E0xYH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i.imgur.com/E0xYH.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Where's the dungeon you ask? Simple--just imagine that all the pagodas and towers are linked with underground tunnels and passageways. Or better yet don't even imagine that there's a dungeon--there's enough ruined structures and buildings to keep a party busy for awhile.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-9315452566408841502012-02-08T09:00:00.000-07:002012-02-08T09:00:03.277-07:00Elephant ManSo there's this German guy by the name of Talhoffer. He wrote a really famous book on medieval fighting techniques that's simply called the <i>Fechtbucher,</i> or as it's translated "Fightbook". He actually wrote several of them, but the one I'm going to talk about was written in 1459. In it he illustrates different fighting techniques for just about every kind of personal combat you can imagine. He also illustrates a few different siege machines for good measure.<br />
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However, what caught my ey most of all was this particular illustration:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/1qWB8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.imgur.com/1qWB8.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br />
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At first glance it appears to be some sort of weird hybrid between an elephant and a human, i.e. "Elephant Man". Perfect for a weird and unsightly creature for your players to run into in their journeys and adventurings.<br />
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It's actually a design for a diving suit. The long nose is actually a tube that would run above the sufarce of the water and then attach to another tube, which would then be attached to a set of bellows. The bellows would be pumped furiously to allow the diver to breathe while underwater.<br />
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Not too long ago the National Geographic channel ran a special on Talhoffer and the <i>Fightbook</i>, and one of the things they did was to test the dive suit out. Surprisingly enough, it worked perfectly, though I don't know if they used modern materials or period accurate materials in it's construction.<br />
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If you want to look at the <i>Fightbook</i>, you can as the whole thing is online in all it's lavish detail.<br />
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<a href="http://www.kb.dk/da/nb/materialer/haandskrifter/HA/e-mss/thalhofer/thott-2_290.html">http://www.kb.dk/da/nb/materialer/haandskrifter/HA/e-mss/thalhofer/thott-2_290.html</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-71785265851751909822012-02-06T22:06:00.000-07:002012-02-06T22:06:18.805-07:00Modeling a fight in 7th Sea: Inigo fights Count RugenIf you're looking to gain a deeper understanding of your game system (whatever it might be) a useful tool is to find a fight scene from a movie that's appropriate to the genre and then model it using the game you play.<br />
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7th Sea was written by the good people at AEG (makers of Legends of the 5 Rings), and uses d10s and the roll & keep system. I love the genre, and I love the mechanics of the game, so I decided some time back to model a fight sequence out of The Princess Bride. The fight sequence I chose was the final showdown between Count Rugen and Inigo. This is after Inigo has beaten off hordes of mooks, has chased Rugen into the dining hall, and then been struck by a well thrown dagger from Count Rugen. <div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/zkWJfNO--QM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br />
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Inigo has 1 Dramatic wound due to the knife in his gut from Count Rugen's earlier throw. My 7th Sea house rule states that players lose one die for every Dramatic Wound up until they hit the number of Dramatic Wounds equal to their Resolve, at which point the normal rules of 7th Sea come in to play. Since Inigo has one Dramatic Wound he now loses one die on each of his rolls (so an attack that would normally be r7k4 is now r6k4). He has 3 Drama Dice available to him (2 from his lowest Trait of Brawn and 1 from earlier actions in the sequence).<br />
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<i>Inigo leans against the wall, his hand shoved into his stomach to keep his blood from spilling all over the floor. Through the pain he can see Count Rugen just out of reach. "To come so far, only to fail now?" What must his father think of his quest now?<br />
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"I've got to get up!" he tells himself, and he forces himself to his feet.<br />
Count Rugen looks at him "Are you still trying to win?", he asks scornfully, as Inigo falls back against the wall again.</i><div><i><br />
"You've got an overdeveloped sense of vengeance," spits Rugen, as he draws his sword. "It's going to get you into trouble someday."</i><br />
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Combat begins with the two rolling iniative. Rugen does not have any of his Brutes around, so he must rely on his Henchman skills to defeat the Hero Inigo.<br />
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Rugen rolls 5 dice for action (Panache 2, Attack (Fencing) 3). Inigo rolls 6 dice for combat (3 Panache, 4 Attack (Fencing). The -1 penalty is due to his Dramatic Wound.<br />
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Rugen gets a 5, 6, 6, 6, 9 on his roll. Inigo gets 1, 4, 4, 6, 9, 9,<br />
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<b>Phase 1:</b> Inigo would normally get to go first, but he decides to hold his action.<br />
<b>Phase 2: </b>Neither player has an action die in this phases, and Inigo continues to hold his<br />
<b>Phase 3: </b>The GM decides he'd better spend a drama dice to allow Count Rugen to act (The GM has 3 DD available to him. 2 for Inigo's lowest Trait, plus 1 for the sole member of the party). Rugen makes an attack on Inigo, who is using his passive defense. Rugen rolls exceptionally well, getting a 10, 10, 6, 5, 3. He can only keep two of those, so he keeps the 10s and rerolls them. The results are an 8 and 8, for a total of 36. Inigo takes his held action from phase 1 and spends an action die from phase 4 (since he's lying against the wall it takes 2 action die to mount an active defense instead of 1) to mount an Active Defense. This allows him to roll 6k3 (3 Wits + 3 Parry). The results are a 10, 8, 7, 6, 6, 2, 1. Re-rolling the 10 gives him another 6, for a total of 35, which is not quite enough to beat Rugen's attack.<br />
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<i>Inigo lays against the wall to support his shaky legs. Pain clouds his vision, making it difficult for him to concentrate. He sees Rugen draw his sword and lunge, but he has no hope of blocking that attack, merely thrusting it away from his heart. </i></div><div><br />
</div><div>The tip of the sword pierces his shoulder, doing 2k2 damage (12 flesh wounds). Inigo has to roll to see if that Flesh Wound becomes a Dramatic Wound. His Resolve is a 3, allowing him to roll 3k3. He rolls poorly: 2, 2, 4, for 8 total. He decides to spend one of his Drama dice to add 5 to that result. He now has 12 points of Flesh Wound to deal with, but no additional Dramatic Wounds.<br />
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<b>Phase 4:</b> Inigo has one action die this phase, but again decides to hold it.<br />
<b>Phase 5:</b> Rugen again attacks Inigo. Rugen does not roll as well this time around as he did his previous attack. This result is 9, 7, 7, 4, 1. He keeps the 9 and 7, which is still enough to beat Inigo's passive defense of 5. Inigo decides to spend one of his action die from phase 4 and one from phase 9, to mount an active defense, with a result of 6, 4, 4, 2, 3, 1, which is not enough to beat the attack. He holds on to his remaining 2 Drama Dice figuring he'll probably need them to soak damage. Again Rugen rolls 2k2 for damage for a total of 6. Now Inigo must beat a target number of 18 Flesh Wounds to prevent another Dramatic wound. He rolls his Resolve and gets a 10, 4, 2. He re-rolls the 10, getting a 7, for a total result of 23, more than enough to soak that final wound.<br />
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<i>Rugen looks down on Inigo "At last I can finish this insolent fool off", he mutters as he lunges at Inigo again. The blade sinks into Inigo, but instead of into the heart as Rugen expected, Inigo has somehow managed to move the point of his sword into his shoulder. Another flesh wound, but not a killing blow. Rugen is now starting to get worried. Will this damn fool not realize that he's finished?</i><br />
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<b>Phase 6:</b> Rugen has 3 action die this phase, and Inigo has one. Since they both have action die, the total remaining die are added up to see who goes first. Inigo has his action die from phase and from phase 9 for a total of 15. Rugen has 6, 6, and 6, having spent his action die from phase 9 to move earlier for a total of 18. Rugen gets to go first. The GM decides to use another Drama Die to add to Rugen's roll, allowing him to r6k3. The results are 10, 9, 8, 4, 3, 1. Rugen re-rolls the 10 for an additional 6, bringing his attack to a total of 25, which beats Inigo's passive defense by five Raises. Inigo uses the action die from this phase and the last one from phase 9 to make an active defense. He also spends a drama die to add to his roll and he rolls 7k3. 10,3,3,4,2,1,4. The result of the re-roll of the 10 is a 6, for a total result of 24. Not enough to escape the wound entirely, but at least it doesn't give Rugen a Raise.<br />
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<i>Again Rugen lunges at Inigo, this time with a sense of panic. What is keeping this man going? Surely he can't have any more strength to fight back, so why is he? Count Rugen makes sure this lunge is correct, but again is thwarted by the blade of Montoya, who somehow manages to divert the point of his sword from a killing thrust to the flesh of his arm.</i><br />
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Rugen rolls a 15 for damage, making for a total of 33 Flesh Wounds that Inigo now has to soak to avoid another Dramatic Wound. Inigo spends his last Drama die to add one to his Resolve roll, giving him a total of r4k3. Results are 10, 8, 3, 7. Rerolling the 10 gives an 8, for a total of 33, barely enough to take the damage. Inigo can not afford any more flesh wounds.<br />
<b>Phase 6:</b> Panicked, Rugen now spends his last Drama Die for a chance at another attack on Inigo. 6, 5, 5, 2, 2 are the results. An 11 is not nearly enough to take on Inigo, and he's able to easily block Rugen's thrust. He then launches an attack of his own on count Rugen with a result 14, not enough to beat Rugen's passive defense.<br />
<b>Phase 7: </b>Inigo activates his Arcana of "Focused", to temporarily shift one point from his Brawn to his Panache to give him another die on his attack. He then launches one more attack.<br />
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In a blind panic Rugen thrusts with his sword at the bleeding Inigo Montoya. Montoya easily parries this blow, and stumbles to his feet.<br />
</div><div><i>"Hello," he says. "My name is Inigo Montoya, prepare to die."</i><br />
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<b><i>This line draws appreciative chuckles and applause from the group and the GM awards Inigo a Drama die, bringing his remaining total to 2.</i></b><br />
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<b>Round 2</b><br />
<i>Rugen:</i> 1, 1, 1, 5, 7<br />
<i>Inigo: </i>1, 2, 2, 7, 7, 7, 9 Inigo can now roll 7k3, instead of 6k3 since he activated his Arcana.<br />
<b>Phase 1: </b>Inigo holds his action. Rugen attacks and the two highest dice only total 12, not nearly enough. Inigo easily parries. Rugen attacks again, scoring a total of 18, enough to beat Inigo's passive defense (restored to 15 now that he's standing up). Inigo spends his held action die to mount an active defense, totaling 21, easily enough to parry the attack.<br />
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<i>"Prepare to die". The statement chilled Count Rugen to the bone. He thought that he had Montoya at his mercy, and here he was standing up and getting ready to attack. He knew he could still beat him, as he was healthy and Inigo had a gaping wound in his stomach and three other wounds<br />
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"How does he manage to stay up?" he screamed to himself. "It's not natural!" He launched a series of attacks on Inigo, which were easily parried as his sword was driven into the massive dining table.</i><br />
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<b>Phase 2:</b> Rugen panics and spends his last two action die of this round to attack. The first attack results in a score of 20. Inigo spends his first die from this phase to mount an active defense and easily beats that. The second attack from Rugen results in 14, which is not enough.<br />
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<i>Inigo stands up, advancing on Count Rugen. "Hello", he says with a sneer on his lips "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Rugen lunged wildly at Inigo, but his sword was easily beaten aside. Inigo felt his father's presence with him, guiding his sword. It seemed to have a life of its own, as he advanced on the craven Count Rugen.</i><br />
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<b>Phase 2:</b> Inigo attacks Rugen. He gets to r3k7, and scores 10, 7, 7, 5, 4, 2, 1 and a re-roll of 9, for a total of 26. Rugen's passive defense is 15, so Inigo beats him by 2 raises. He rolls poorly on the damage, for only 2 points of damage.<br />
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<i>It's now Inigo's turn to attack. After the brief flurry of blows from Rugen, he launches himself at Rugen, easily brushing aside Rugen's defenses and slamming Rugen into the table. "Hello," he says again with a smile. "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."</i><br />
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<b>Phase 3 thru 6:</b> Inigo continues to advance on Rugen through the cluttered dining room. "Hello", he says with growing conviction. "You killed my father. Prepare to die."<br />
<b>Phase 7: </b>Inigo has 3 attacks this round and plans on using them all. He rolls 20 on the first one and jabs Rugen in the right shoulder for 16 Flesh Wounds. Rugen does not make the soak and takes one Dramatic Wound. He rolls 18 on the next and jabs Rugen in the left shoulder for 13 Flesh Wounds. Rugen rolls a 12 and does not soak these, taking another Dramatic Wound. Rugen's dice now do not explode since he has taken a number of Dramatic wounds equal to his Resolve.<br />
<b>Phase 8:</b> Inigo backs Rugen up to the last table.<br />
<b>Phase 9:</b> Inigo is going to make an all out attack. He calls for 2 Raises because he wants to make a dramatic disarming of the count. He spends his 2 Drama dice to add to the kept dice on his roll, meaning he can now roll 9 and keep 3. Count Rugen doesn't stand a chance. Inigo's roll is a 10, 10, 9, 8, 6, 4, 5, 7, 1. The re-rolls are a 10 and a 9. The final re-roll is a 9, for a grand total of 57. Inigo's success is legendary, beating Rugen's passive defense by 42 points!<br />
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<i>Inigo's last attack is all out. He attacks Rugen, his blade singing with his father's spirit. A complicated wrist maneuver and Rugen is now disarmed, and at his mercy.<br />
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A quick slash and Rugen now has a scar on his right cheek to match Inigo's. <br />
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Another slash and there's a scar on the left. Rugen begins begging for his life, offering Inigo anything he wants.<br />
</i>"Money?" asks Inigo<br />
"Yes!" cries Rugen<br />
"Land? Wealth? Power?"<br />
"Yes, yes. Anything you want!" cries Rugen, oblivious to the cold glare of Inigo.<br />
<br />
"I want my father back, you son-of-a-bitch" says Inigo as he thrusts the blade of his sword into Rugen's heart.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-21576857849575692672012-02-02T00:19:00.001-07:002012-02-03T17:18:14.718-07:00Sedlec OssuaryI mentioned Sedlec in Monday's blog post. I figured it would be good to give a bit more information about this rather famous (and creepy) place.<br />
<br />
In Prague there is a chapel that contains the bones of up to 70,000 people. These bones are laid out in geometric shapes. Some of them have been crafted into various objects such as chandeliers or coats of arms.<br />
<br />
The story goes that in 1278 the abbot of the monastery was sent to the Holy Land by King Otakar II of Bohemia. When he returned he brought back some dirt and sprinkled it in the abbey. <br />
<br />
This association with the Holy Land led to many people, especially aristocracy, seeking it out for their burials. During the 100 Years War. The 14th century saw the Black Death kill many thousands of people, and the 15th century saw the Hussite wars do the same. Eventually the cemetery ran out of room, and in 1511 (according to legend) the task of exhuming the bodies was given to a half blind monk. <br />
<br />
In 1870 František Rint was hired to bring some semblance of an order to the tens of thousands of bones. <br />
<br />
I don't know why it is that so many early (for relative values of early) Christian churches and monasteries have this bone fetish. Sedlec may be unique in the sheer number of bones that are collected there, but it's certainly not unique in collecting and displaying bones or other remains. <br />
<br />
How to apply this to your game?<br />
<br />
<br />
--that many bones is just plain creepy, no matter how jaded your explorers are<br />
<br />
--maybe the geometric shapes formed by the bones are actually Shapes of Power designed to do nasty things?<br />
<br />
--why make the objects out of bones? Maybe they have some magical properties?<br />
<br />
--what if a necromancer commanded all of those bones to rise at once? I don't think there's a group alive that wouldn't run in terror. <div><br />
<br />
Such an a normal looking church for the weirdness that lies within.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/czech-republic/images/sedlec-ossuary/resized/ext-cc-currybet.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/czech-republic/images/sedlec-ossuary/resized/ext-cc-currybet.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlcmSHJ4ZmgTA5pDib0z4kc-rQK5QtTlY1peMWy057cDDvxaQI5wZ5WjgyDWOlFbI7lwZI_ta0tAS11ULaKX850H44TnRIcxSvIA7I9YzMWOc4rLM0rFyvvAN-32IwZDx6-OtVa_oID7R/s640/sedlec+ossuary+8.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlcmSHJ4ZmgTA5pDib0z4kc-rQK5QtTlY1peMWy057cDDvxaQI5wZ5WjgyDWOlFbI7lwZI_ta0tAS11ULaKX850H44TnRIcxSvIA7I9YzMWOc4rLM0rFyvvAN-32IwZDx6-OtVa_oID7R/s320/sedlec+ossuary+8.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlcmSHJ4ZmgTA5pDib0z4kc-rQK5QtTlY1peMWy057cDDvxaQI5wZ5WjgyDWOlFbI7lwZI_ta0tAS11ULaKX850H44TnRIcxSvIA7I9YzMWOc4rLM0rFyvvAN-32IwZDx6-OtVa_oID7R/s640/sedlec+ossuary+8.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZlcmSHJ4ZmgTA5pDib0z4kc-rQK5QtTlY1peMWy057cDDvxaQI5wZ5WjgyDWOlFbI7lwZI_ta0tAS11ULaKX850H44TnRIcxSvIA7I9YzMWOc4rLM0rFyvvAN-32IwZDx6-OtVa_oID7R/s320/sedlec+ossuary+8.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisVTFhDjn3slnGmrw5OxXAgmcO4USspCWAXjstlSb0Q5WXCIK-ZcFqmx26NCXMgeAlqa5exUHasxSRO3AtlBrARtCvqy5CCe5MGjP_Ze3BWcKKCtrNBYCq40olQ9UUpLaP6Y4FS475CtJ/s640/sedlec+ossuary+13.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhisVTFhDjn3slnGmrw5OxXAgmcO4USspCWAXjstlSb0Q5WXCIK-ZcFqmx26NCXMgeAlqa5exUHasxSRO3AtlBrARtCvqy5CCe5MGjP_Ze3BWcKKCtrNBYCq40olQ9UUpLaP6Y4FS475CtJ/s320/sedlec+ossuary+13.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.weirdomatic.com/wp-content/pictures/2007/02/sedlec_ossuary_221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.weirdomatic.com/wp-content/pictures/2007/02/sedlec_ossuary_221.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-65575528885116304482012-02-01T09:00:00.000-07:002012-02-01T09:00:00.289-07:00Things in the dungeonAnother random list for your enjoyment (roll a d20)<br />
<br />
*Creatures in the Dungeon*<br />
<br />
1.) Rodents of Unusual Size<br />
2.) Lizards<br />
3.) Snakes<br />
4.) Large spider<br />
5.) Hundreds of thousands of small spiders<br />
6.) Trolls<br />
7.) Gnomes<br />
8.) Homeless people<br />
9.) Other adventurers<br />
10.) Cockroaches<br />
11.) wild dogs<br />
12.) eels in the water<br />
13.) you're not sure but it had really large teeth<br />
14.) salamanders<br />
15.) Nothing at all. It was a fruitless trip<br />
16.) lots of random bones<br />
17.) mummies<br />
18.) These guys<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luql4k3iqm1qj9erjo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luql4k3iqm1qj9erjo1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">19.) a smith with his forge</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">20.) bats</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-10615077731456375622012-01-31T09:00:00.000-07:002012-01-31T09:00:00.562-07:00D&D 5e: I finally speakI've been mostly silent about the topic of D&D 5th edition, rarely chiming in even on G+. I've not talked about it at all in this blog. Like many (most?) people in our hobby I started out with D&D. For me it was AD&D when I was about 12 and I had absolutely no idea what the heck was going on. I didn't game again until my sister's boyfriend invited me over to play WEG <i>Indiana Jones</i> and I was hooked. My next experience with D&D was 3.0/3.5. I then burned out on fantasy rpgs for awhile.<br />
<br />
You might liken it to a break-up with your significant other. First there's the bitterness and hatred "D&D sucks and is a horrible rpg. Especially 3.5!". Then there's apathy "Eh, I don't particularly care about D&D at all. They can do their thing I'll do mine". Finally there was rapproachment "I'm kind of digging this OSR thing. I think I can handle some old school D&D and I think I even like it."<br />
<br />
Thus I've been following the news of 5e with some interest, because it could do a great deal to unite the various factions of D&D players. I was intrigued when they said that one of the goals was to allow players of any edition to take their character and play with 5e. That seemed like a tall goal to me, but I'm encouraged by this report from the D&D Experience by bspauls at <a href="http://dndfifthcolumn.com/" target="_blank">dndfifthcolumn</a>. Quoting <a href="http://dndfifthcolumn.com/2012/01/30/my-first-look-at-dd-next/" target="_blank">his report</a> of the event:<br />
<br />
"First, the prototype of D&D Next absolutely captures the feel of classic D&D. Since I started with the Moldvay Basic Set in 1980, to me the game felt very much like Basic D&D–but there were elements which I knew would resonate with someone for whom 1e was the baseline. Talking with one of my traveling companions, who had played mostly 3.x, I found that he had gravitated to parts of the new system that evoked the feel of 3rd edition."<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>This is interesting to me. What it tells me that is that ether A.) the player's own preconceptions will fuel the game (something always true), or B.) the style of play will be determined by the DM/group. There were some things I like a lot about 4th edition, but I didn't care for the way it felt like so much of a tactical game to me. I like the earlier editions because of that feeling of not ever knowing what's going to come around the corner or if it's going to be too big for you to handle. I like 3.x because of the ability to customize your character. </div><div><br />
</div><div>If 5e can provide the feel of all those editions at once it'll be a miraculous accomplishment.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Another juicy quote:</div><div><br />
</div>"And that, right there, is why I feel the current manifestation of D&D Next nails the feel of classic D&D. My friends and I were on the edge of our seats during the whole adventure. At no point did we feel like “we’ve got this in the bag,” but we didn’t feel like we were in over our heads, either–right up until the point where it all went pear-shaped. And when things did go south, no one felt that it was because the cards were stacked against us (that’s a figure of speech–I am unable to confirm or deny whether actual cards played any role in the playtest.) We could look back and see very clearly where we had gone wrong–and it was us, the players and our characters, not the rules or the DM.<br />
<br />
Coming out of the B/X and 1e eras, this is really the essence of D&D for me. A skillful Dungeon Master offers the players a challenging scenario, with the potential for both serious consequences and significant reward. It is up to the players to decide when, where and how they tackle the challenge. If they succeed, it’s on to bigger and better things. If they fail, then they learn from their mistakes and perhaps take another crack at it on a different day. Either way, the fun of the game lies primarily in the story the players and the DM build together–not in whether the players prevail in any given situation."<br />
<div><br />
Read the whole thing--it's well worth your time</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-55927446365576835412012-01-30T22:03:00.000-07:002012-01-30T22:03:58.793-07:00Real Life megadungeon: Odessa catacombsThe catacombs of Rome are world-famous, and justly so. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary" target="_blank">Sedlec Ossuary</a> is also very famous for it's thousands upon thousands of skeletons and bones. A lesser-known (and much neglected) series of catacombs can be found under the city of Odessa.<br />
<br />
According to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odessa_Catacombs" target="_blank">font of all knowledge</a>, the catacombs under Odessa total some 4,000 km stretching under the city and surrounding area of Odessa. The area has never been fully mapped (really it's barely been mapped at all). Apparently the first tunnels were built as a result of mining the soft limestone, then as tunnels were expanded they hooked into each other in a vast network that has housed everything from smugglers to Nazis (and apparently even housed a wine cellar at one point).<br />
<br />
The tunnels are starting to become flooded, which adds an extra element of danger for your dungeoneering party. Not only do they have to navigate 4,000 km of territory (with whatever might lurk beneath), they now have to avoid flooded areas and sudden washouts.<br />
<br />
Some pictures for inspiration:<br />
<br />
The entrance<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/yT2Vv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i.imgur.com/yT2Vv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some early rewards for the party:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/IvBK5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://i.imgur.com/IvBK5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Some interior glamour shots:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/cduhm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.imgur.com/cduhm.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/mBWtS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://i.imgur.com/mBWtS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/Dyvmy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://i.imgur.com/Dyvmy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I wonder where the train goes . . .<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/HDuxG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i.imgur.com/HDuxG.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
And some bits of what's been mapped.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/Celte.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://i.imgur.com/Celte.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/X1tzc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i.imgur.com/X1tzc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.imgur.com/X1tzc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://i.imgur.com/X1tzc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a place as old as this there's no telling what you're going to find.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-71079371788894388852012-01-24T09:15:00.000-07:002012-01-24T09:15:31.394-07:00Random List: Magic MissileSo the magic missile is boring? Here are ten ways to describe the effects of the spell for your players so that don't roll their eyes when you say "you get hit with magic missile for 3 points of damage".<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>1.) smoky tendrils come from the hands and head fo ryou</div><div>2.) the wizard stands there and shoots black bars at you</div><div>3.) he opens his mouth and a stream of bees comes flying out </div><div>4.) hundreds of spiders drop from the ceiling and come up from the cracks to bite</div><div>5.) he makes a gesture and the nearby _______ (fill in the blank with whatever material is handy) splinters, attacking with devastating force</div><div>6.) flame comes from his finger tips</div><div>7.) fluorescent green slime balls</div><div>8.) bursts of acid</div><div>9.) birds appear from nowhere and viciously peck</div><div>10.) streams of venom</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>The point is not to extol the virtues of magic missile but to get the brain thinking about different ways of describing things. An effective technique for a GM is to get the players to describe what they do in a way that's not boring. Instead of them saying "I throw a fireball", ask them to describe what they're doing, or do it for them. It can really help with the immersion.<br />
<br />
As a GM, you'll want to keep your spells consistent with each wizard, or have your players up in arms. For example if they meet one wizard who casts magic missile and it comes in the shape of a stream of bees and then the next time it's 100s of tiny daggers, they'll think it's a different spell, and rightly so. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-47083971819490346542012-01-23T22:36:00.000-07:002012-01-23T22:36:10.234-07:00Magic Users and Spell LevelsOne of the things I disliked about D&D 3.x was the fact that you had to level up to get the next coolest thing, especially if you were a magic user. I find that boring and tedious. If I'm a magic user I should have access to all the spells/powers available to me and not be restricted by some invisible barrier.<br />
<br />
A consequence of this leveling up process is that a magic user at 10th level is really no different than a magic user at 1st level. The spells aren't harder to cast, they don't require more from the magic user, they simply do more damage. Accepting this as a basic premise, why not make all spells available at the start and then adjust how they work?<br />
<br />
With that in mind here are some thoughts that I had about how to let magic users have access to everything at first level, but not make them overpowered, or boring because there's no challenge.<br />
<br />
--change the damage done by a spell. As a magic user increases in power and knowledge his spells also increase. So he might start out as a d4, then move to a d6, then d8, d10, etc.<br />
<br />
--change how many spells per day the magic user can do. Maybe at the beginning he can only do two spells per day and he's worn out and drained. Later on he can do four.<br />
<br />
--increase the chance of failure at lower levels. If the casting of a spell had a difficulty of 15 normally, maybe a 1st level user could only cast it by hitting 18.<br />
<br />
I also like the idea of a lower level magic user still being able to cast a higher level spell, just making it more difficult to do and more draining once it's been done. Similar to someone drawing on those last reserves of strength and will to accomplish things and get them done.<br />
<br />
On G+ Ken Austin had a great solution for Pathfinder, where the magic user could take a feat of something like "Over Achieving Spellcaster". The magic user could cast a spell at any level, but would have to make a Fortitude save of 15 plus the spell level, plus the damage done by the spell or remain unconscious for the number of rounds equal to the damage done. This would allow a player to sacrifice himself for the good of the party in a grand heroic gesture.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8851951522759372192.post-88289826949836372342012-01-21T21:12:00.001-07:002012-01-21T21:55:06.391-07:00GM QuestionnaireZak S of <a href="http://dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/">Playing D&D With Pornstars</a> (one of the best role playing blogs on the internet--if you're not reading it you should be)<a href="http://dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/2012/01/gm-questionnaire.html?zx=9d2cc0288d3994dd"> asked some questions</a> for GMs. Here are my responses. <br />
<br />
1. If you had to pick a single invention in a game you were most proud of what would it be?<br />
Either a were-centaur, or the <i>Sword of Vegetation.</i><br />
<br />
2. When was the last time you GMed?<br />
A month and a half ago? Within the last two months anyway. <br />
<br />
3. When was the last time you played?<br />
Sometime in the last three months. <br />
<br />
4. Give us a one-sentence pitch for an adventure you haven't run but would like to.<br />
Shared city/country a la Thieves World with different GMs running the same characters in different campaigns. Either that or <i>Toypocalypse</i> meets <i>Hollowpoint </i>at the North Pole.<br />
<br />
5. What do you do while you wait for players to do things?<br />
Review any notes I have or figure out what's going to happen next. <br />
<br />
6. What, if anything, do you eat while you play?<br />
Nothing really. I drink copious amounts of Mt. Dew though.<br />
<div><br />
7. Do you find GMing physically exhausting?</div><div>Yes.<br />
<br />
8. What was the last interesting (to you, anyway) thing you remember a PC you were running doing?<br />
Trying to use "Cast Light" as an offensive weapon by focusing it on someone's eyes.<br />
<br />
9. Do your players take your serious setting and make it unserious? Vice versa? Neither?<br />
Neither. Mostly they play it the way I intended.<br />
10. What do you do with goblins?<br />
They're nasty and brutish with a low level cunning.<br />
<br />
11. What was the last non-RPG thing you saw that you converted into game material (background, setting, trap, etc.)?<br />
<a href="http://musingsfromthedungeon.blogspot.com/2012/01/magic-item-mask-of-manza-shaet.html">The Mask of Manza Sha'et</a> Based on a picture of a <a href="http://www.woodlandsonline.com/npps/story.cfm?nppage=45825">jade mask</a> discovered at The Pyramid of the Sun temple in Mexico City.<br />
<br />
12. What's the funniest table moment you can remember right now?I was running a game of <i>Hollowpoint</i>. My players did the completely unexpected and neatly side stepped my deadly trap. It was so awesome it was funny. Before that the funniest were several moments during David Hill's <i>Kicking Historical Asses</i> (designed to give you the feel of playing in the world of <i>Army of Darkness</i>) that were genuinely laugh out loud funny, including one during character creation when we realized that the two members of the party were a tall, skinny black guy who likes to go to SCA events on the weekend is paired up with the auto work he just laid off who is a biker guy with a shaved head, tribal tattoos, a love of karaoke, and the words "Peace" and "Love" tattooed on the knuckles of his hands.<br />
<br />
13. What was the last game book you looked at--aside from things you referenced in a game--why were you looking at it?<br />
<i>7th Sea </i>GM guide. I was looking up the rules for Mass Combat to make sure I remembered them right when explaining them to someone else.<br />
<br />
14. Who's your idea of the perfect RPG illustrator?<br />
I don't have one. It really depends on the game, because some illustrators are great for some subjects and not for others.<br />
<br />
15. Does your game ever make your players genuinely afraid?<br />
I never tried to make them afraid.<br />
<br />
16. What was the best time you ever had running an adventure you didn't write? (If ever)<br />
I've never run an adventure I didn't come up with on my own. <br />
<br />
17. What would be the ideal physical set up to run a game in?<br />
Large table, lots of room for books, pens, dice, etc. Decent light, but not too bright. The most memorable game I've ever played was D&D 3.5 around a campfire. <br />
<br />
18. If you had to think of the two most disparate games or game products that you like what would they be?<br />
7th Sea and the various OSR clones. In 7th Sea you play swashbuckling heroes who can take on dozens of bad guys and not get touched. In the various OSR clones your character could easily die in the first session if things go wrong. On the other hand they are more alike than they would first seem, because they're both about going out and adventuring. <br />
<br />
My other answer would be Vornheim and Argyle and Crew, because how much more disparate can you get than a somewhat gonzo, very weird, fantasy city and an rpg about sock puppets? Then I realized that one of the reasons I like both of them is that they're both part of the indie movement in rpg publishing and both do a great job of it. <br />
<br />
19. If you had to think of the most disparate influences overall on your game, what would they be?<br />
Fantasy novels and historical events. I love to read just about anything and I have a deep and abiding passion for history. One of my favorite things to do is take ideas from a book I've read and implement them in a game (my first GM session ever was based on a Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser short story). I also like taking historical things and asking "what if". <br />
<br />
20. As a GM, what kind of player do you want at your table?<br />
Someone willing to put themselves into the game. I don't want to be out there trying to coax the player along (and I'm not talking about helping a new player get adjusted). I also want players who are willing to think outside the box when coming up with solutions to problems. <br />
<br />
21. What's a real life experience you've translated into game terms?<br />
I don't think I've ever had a real life experience that I've consequently used in a game. The closest I've come is when I mis-heard something on a podcast and then created a magic item around it. Someone said something about "all sorts of vegetation" and I misheard that as "A sword of vegetation". <br />
<br />
22. Is there an RPG product that you wish existed but doesn't?<br />
An equivalent to <i>Vornheim </i>but for wilderness adventures.<br />
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23. Is there anyone you know who you talk about RPGs with who doesn't play? How do those conversations go?<br />
My wife. At first she just gave me that look that said "I have no idea what you're saying but I'll listen." Lately she's actually participated more and even lurked at some G+ Hangouts where we did some gaming. She's expressed some interest in actually playing. I'm amused that the first rpg book she ever looked at was Vornheim. </div><div><br />
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