Please Standby (Again)

Faced with competing demands on my time, I'm going to have to step away from the blog for the remainder of the month. See you when I get back!

(Still doing email and checking other people's blogs, so I'm not dropping out completely)

WilderWords: d30 Version

After a slight delay, I now present the d30 version of WilderWords. This handy little PocketMod adds and additional 120 words for your fantasy or post-apocalyptic hex crawling needs. The new version of WilderWords also features a Tony Dowler-inspired wilderness area that I previewed a few days ago, inspired by rolls on the expanded tables.

WilderWordsD30

As before, here are the folding instructions:

The non-PocketMod version that I use on my iPhone and iPad can be found here: WilderWordsD30Mobile.pdf.

Iridescent Egg

I've been a bit busy with family stuff, but here's a preview of the D30 version of WilderWords. It's all done but for the formatting. Inside, you'll find another 120 evocative words for sword & sorcery wilderness areas (with a touch of post-apocalyptic gonzo).

Words: Egg, Gully, Iridescent, Howling, Flooded, Wards, Wall, Sludge, Smoldering, Watchtower.

So, PDQ?

With a rekindled interest in swashbuckling 18th-century gaming, my attention has once again returned to  Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies and PDQ#. I've mentioned it before, but I have a great fondness for that system. PDQ seems to be a spiritual cousin of Risus and with characters that are defined by cliché-like qualities (or fortes), many of the techniques that are described here and in the Risus Companion can be applied to PDQ as well. In fact, characters convert almost seamlessly between systems.
 
And that makes this Risus guy very happy. Risus is not for everybody and I know that I have at least two players in my regular groups that are not fond of the system for various reasons. One of the sticking points is the so-called "death spiral" and perceived predictability of combat. PDQ goes a long way towards addressing this and the dueling rules of PDQ#  add additional depth to the combat system that I think might go over well with these players. The style dice mechanic in PDQ#  also brings to mind the Awsome Points of Old School Hack, which my groups is quite fond of.
 
So yeah, I'm thinking of PDQ  for my next campaign and will probably roll it out the next time we can manage a pickup game.
 
So, is anybody else doing anything with PDQ these days? I know there's been a lot of Risus activity lately and there is a lot attention paid to FATE and its variants. If you are currently playing, have recently played, or are thinking about playing PDQ. I'd love to hear about it.

Tuning Up The Engine of Thwaak

Over at the Engine of Thwaak, Brent Wolke has added fancy new graphics to his beloved (formerly) 8-page Risus settings.If you haven't had the chance to check out these little micro-campaigns then now is your chance. Each is an elegant take on a very specific genre nugget - steampunk after a failed martian invasion, fantasy dwarven special ops, post-human robots seeking enlightment, and post-apocalyptic shapeshifters. Each is exactly as long as it needs to be and each one makes the most of the standard Risus rules, adding a few subtle modifications to emphasize key setting elements. The recent facelift reinforces their status as the gold standard of Risus settings.

• Brave the Impossible
• Axe, Hammer, & Rune
• Future Imperfect
• Call of the Wild

Patriot Games

I'm just coming off an extraordinarily busy weekend of birthday parties for six-year old boys. One of those parties was for my son and his special pre-party birthday activity was to visit Mount Vernon, George Washington's beautiful estate on the banks of the Potomac River. Yes, my son is a history nerd, which warms my own nerdy heart.

Anyway, on a beautiful sunny day with the grounds swarming with reenactors, I was totally inspired by our visit to the 18th century. Predictably, my thoughts turned (one again) to the colonial era game that I've been wanting to run for years. For me, the appeal of the colonial era is that I can still imagine a more-or-less traditional D&D campaign, albeit one where characters have less distance historical distance. It the appeal of modern ideas with pre-modern trapping. Guns are slow, swords still matter, and yet you have the very beginning of weird science (hello Frankenstein!). On top of that, I dig 18th-century coats and tricorn hats. I think of Sleepy Hollow, Brotherhood of the Wolf, and Pirates of the Caribbean as the cinematic touchtones, mostly for their look and their style of action (leaning on Sleepy Hollow more heavily for its tone).

Alas, with two long-running games that aren't going away anytime soon, I need to dampen my enthusiasm a bit. My best hope is perhaps a mini-campaign that may land in our pick-up slot (currently occupied by Old School Hack - which is not incompatible with colonial settings). Or perhaps (if by some miracle my schedule clears) I can run a game on Google+. If had scheduled my DC Gameday events differently, I might have joined Kennon Bauman's Sons of Liberty Mutants & Masterminds game.

But it never hurts to plan for the future. I know my current Gurps game was sitting on the back burner for years before we had the opportunity to launch it. No harm is doing a little brainstorming now. It'll give me an excuse to gather inspirational images; collect genre-appropriate Dungeon Words and Weird Phrases; brush up on my PDQ# and FATE (likely system choices); and perhaps do a little mapping. The idea of mapping raises an interesting question that I would need to solve first: stick closely to actual history (and add weird stuff), or veer into a pseudo-historical fantasy world. The later is appealing if I have enough time, which it appears that I do. With enough time, I'd love to do something like Trey's Weird Adventures but in an earlier era.

DC Gameday Event Signup

This is just a reminder that registration for DC Gameday IX begins tonight at 7:00 PM EST. In addition to Moon Soldiers Must Die - The Moon Mistress is a Harsh Master on Saturday morning' I'm also facilitating a game of Microscope on Sunday morning.

If you plan on attending, please let me know. I'd love to meet and game with some readers!

New And Improved Risus Arcodomai

Dan Suptic is back with a new and improved version of Risus Arcadomai. This is of special interest to me because the Risus Monkey has been hosting the original version of this setting since back before I returned to blogging. Dan's a stand up member of the Risus community with some great ideas that can be applied in a variety of situations.
 
Arcodomai is a high magic fantasy setting. The appeal for me, as a Risus guy, lies in the expanded (and detailed) magic rules. Some really good stuff there for fantasy Risus games!
 
There is also a couple of new (to this version) supplements called "Warrior Creeds" "Skill Guide", which contain bunches of gear, cliche crunchiness, and example target number rolls for specific adventuring situations. I can see that this would be especially useful to novice GMs or for Risus translations of the world's most popular fantasy RPG.

Queen Genevieve in the City of Brass

Last Saturday night's session of Gurps Knights of the Astral Sea was a real zinger. It was just one of those games where the pacing seemed almost perfect, at least from my vantage point behind the GM screen. We led off with a great action sequence against a Dune Kraken (or Land Leviathan) and led into some fantastic dramatic/comedic roleplaying in the traveling court of Oberon and Titania in the City of Brass. Jim DiBenedetto was present once again and provides the play report:

30 April, 1939 ??? 

Capt. Alastair Hawkesworth
HMAS Richard Lemon Lander 

My Dearest Alastair, 

My companions and I are preparing to depart the City of Brass, currently home to the monarchs of the Summer Court of Faerie, and I have some brief time to write to you before I complete my negotiations with King Oberon and we continue on our mission to reclaim my throne. 

As you will recall from my last letter, I had not been feeling quite myself, but I am, thankfully, feeling better now. I awoke to this improved state almost as from a dream, to find myself and my compatriots in a temple populated by several (destroyed) mechanical polar bears, and two prisoners, a witch, and a gnome, whom we had defeated. 

No sooner had I returned to my senses, then the temple began to shake violently; it seemed
that we were experiencing an earthquake. We rushed to escape the temple for the relative
safety of the surrounding desert, but falling debris trapped myself and Jude, with our newest companion, Miria, a gnome, just beyond. Our gnomish prisoner, unfortunately, was less lucky, as he was crushed by the debris and killed. 

I asked Jude if he had any magical means to free us; but he did not, and so I settled on what appeared to me to the only course of action, using my weapon to blast the debris away and clear our path. Jude began performing a ritual to, he said, help stabilize the ceiling so that it would not collapse when I used my weapon. I shouted out to Miria to take cover, and fired, blowing open a gap in the debris through which we could climb. Miria was there to meet us when we emerged, and the three of us made it to the surface, where we were greeted by the sight of giant tentacles thrashing about and attacking our fellows. 

The tentacles belonged to a truly massive sand Kraken (perhaps that is not the true name of the beast, but it is an appropriate one nonetheless). Marcus leapt into battle against it, and, remarkably, managed to leap onto a tentacle and run up it, straight to one of the creature’s eyes, which he stabbed. The eye (which was at least fifteen feet across) exploded in a shower of putrescent fluids and bodily tissues, and Marcus was thrown to the ground. General Pickton, for his part, flew into the air to distract the creature’s tentacles, which he very bravely did until one of them hit him and smashed him to the ground. 

While Miria and also Elspeth took the opportunity to try and gain some distance from the creature using flying carpets we had found in the now ruined temple, and Jude endeavored to cast a ritual that would put the creature to sleep, and Lord Tybalt tried, unsuccessfully, to control the mind of the creature, I took careful aim with my weapon, and, with much fear, turned it to the highest setting (roughly translated, “Kill and Destroy Everything Completely”) and fired. 

Somewhat to my surprise, the weapon worked perfectly, and caused a great, grievous, burning injury to the creature. Jude used his magic to augment the fire that continued to consume the beast, and it soon died. 

Meanwhile, Elspeth had encountered some difficulty getting her carpet to fly correctly, and Miria had quite the opposite problem; we later learned that she used her magic to “supercharge” the carpet, and it shot straight up into the sky at a dizzying rate of speed, such that she had great difficulty controlling it. 

It was only the fact that the carpet had a limited range – 25 miles – that kept her from flying indefinitely; but she did manage to gain control and eventually rejoined us. I was able to get another carpet working with no difficulty.

All reunited, though somewhat the worse for wear (I performed first aid on General Pickton; thankfully, his injuries were superficial and the principles of human first aid sufficed to aid him), we set off towards our destination, the City of Brass. It was two miserable days, filled with oppressive heat, thirst and general wretchedness. I must admit, Alastair, that I shall never understand the fascination that you British have for the deserts and other desolate places of the world! 

Nevertheless, we finally, despite much difficulty and unpleasantness, arrived at the City of Brass. We were all of us in an unhappy state, and our worst personal traits seemed to come to the fore. Despite this, we gained entrance by the simple expedient of paying the “toll” demanded of us at the gates with a large chest of gold that we had taken from the temple. 

We made our way to the palace, and Lord Tybalt, using his special talents, coerced our way in to see the King and Queen, Oberon and Titania. Our entire group, save for Miria, who had wandered off in search of, as she told us later, something “real”, was greeted by the royal court
of Summer. 

I spoke directly with the King, and after some moments of tension, went off in private with him to negotiate (taking only General Pickton, as a precaution against any advances the King might make upon me!). Elspeth was entranced by a handsome Duke of the summer court and was led away by him; Marcus and Lord Tybalt followed, and that matter ended with the Duke, a gentleman named Everwind, nearly being killed by Marcus. Thankfully, as he did survive, a diplomatic incident was avoided. 

Jude was taken off alone by Queen Titania, and although he was able to spurn her advances, he did exchange with her a memory, which she removed from him (taking more than he had agreed) in return for a magical weapon, a copper-steel sword. 

Miria, we later learned, did find her “real” activity – a workshop, in which various weapons were being readied for use against the attacks of Chairman Miaow, who has been conducting raids against the other courts. 

Meanwhile, I negotiated with King Oberon. He knew what I wanted (aid against Miaow), and repeatedly asked what I could offer him in return. I repeatedly replied that removing Miaow, and ending his harmful effect on Faerie (his use of firearms and other technology giving him an advantage that the Faerie courts cannot defend against), would be payment enough. 

He tried to convince me to marry one of his vassals, as a way of inserting himself into the succession of the Autumn throne, but I would have none of it; as you know well, my affections are spoken for, and no Faerie glamour will turn them aside. 

In the end, though, we came to an agreement. I (and my companions; I expect Miria especially will be of assistance in this) will assist Oberon’s forces in countering Miaow’s technological attacks. All territory taken by Miaow from the Summer court will be returned. And there will be an exchange of hostages; Colonel Rasmussen, who has been severely affected by the heat and atmosphere of the Summer court, will remain in the City of Brass, and a hostage who is of equal value to Oberon as the Colonel is to us, shall go with us as we continue on our mission. 

It only remains to finalize our agreement, and we shall be on our way. Perhaps when I next write you, Alastair, I shall be once again upon my rightful throne. 

Until then, I remain your most devoted and grateful friend,

Genevieve Chantal Therese de Lisieux Lamballe

DC Gameday: Moon Soldiers Must Die II

Do YOU Have What It Takes to BATTLE The MOON SOLDIER MENACE? Again?

ACT NOW!

At 7:00 EST on September 9th, register for this game of Scientific Adventure Violence and show Bug-Eyed Johnny that the Men of Earth* are prepared for their planetary perfidy.

* (and literate women, mechanical manservants, and subdued savages)

***

Inspired by Dr. Grordbort's Infallible Aether Oscillators, Moon Soldiers Must Die - The Moon Mistress is a Harsh Master is the sequel to the ray gun ruckus that I ran at the January NC Gameday. The event is planned for 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 8 at the AFT Building in Washington, DC.

What Would You Play?

I'm thinking of possible games to run at DC Gameday. Which of the following sounds the most appealing?

• The Waste is a Terrible Thing to Mind: Post-apocalyptic mutant mania by way of Old School Hack or Risus. 
• Warriors of the Purple Planet: Planetary romance, most likely with Risus but a hacked up version of Old School Hack is a possibility.
• Rubies are for Tomorrow: Swinging sixties super spies, now with more Risus!
• Moon Soldiers Must Die II - The Moon Mistress is a Harsh Master: Sequel to the Risus raygun romp that I ran at last January's NC Gameday.
• Microscope: Facilitating a game of Microscope, the game of building histories.

Thoughts from the peanut gallery would be welcome!

Thinking About Apocalypse World Again

I'm preparing for tomorrow's Gurps game and my thoughts are strangely turning toward Apocalypse World. I've used Apocalypse World in the past to help me prepare for sessions and looking for ways to spice up this session, I my tap that keg of awesome one more time.

The game currently has absolutely nothing to do with the apocalypse. It is, in fact, going to take place entirely within a fairy tale land with strong Arabian Nights overtones. But that doesn't reduce the usefulness of Apocalypse World. Beyond the "barfing forth" evocative descriptive elements for the setting (dunes, flying carpets, guarded harems, scimitar wielding ifrit, etc), I am especially interested in the move mechanic.

In Apocalypse World, everything comes down to moves. You roll two dice and add a relevant modifier. If you roll 10+, it's a smashing success. On a 7-9 you get a partial success. 6 or less means you're in for a world of hurt.

Nothing particular unique about this. In Gurps (what we'll be playing tomorrow), you can get much the same effect but instead of rolling high on two dice, you roll low on three.

What excites me about the Apocalypse World mechanic is the clear results for a very small number of moves. Usually, there is a list of three or four positive outcomes for a successful roll. You typically get three on a smashing success and only get to pick one for a partial success. The implication being that in most cases, you're character's life is still complicated by not getting everything that you wanted. And looking at the list of results means that you get none of them if you fail and usually other bad shit as well.

I guess it's all about nuance, but I'm looking at ways to add complications to the lives of my player characters. These players characters are in the 260+ point range and are almost uniformly hyper-competent. They make basic skill rolls all the time. But they still are not so super that they consistently make their rolls by three or more.

Sure, I can engineer more difficult situations and apply modifiers and all the standard Gurps jazz (and I do). But I’d like to have an additional level between success and failure (not counting crits). And I hate cracking a book during the game to find genuine modifiers. I'm also just trying to rejigger my mindset to focus on the fact that if a roll is worth making then even successful rolls are a chance to introduce interesting complications. And by setting a bar for outstanding success (succeeding by three or more?) then my hyper competent characters have something to shoot for now.

Just thinking out loud. I'm not sure of any of this will make it into the session tomorrow. If I get a chance, I'm going to create some Gurps-ified Apocalypse World-style moves.

The Last Stage

And so I come to the last chapter of the great reread of The Hobbit. When it first began, I expected that I'd contribute a few write-ups alongside other good folks in the blogging community. But I discovered that I quite liked providing my own insight to the chapters and decided to do the whole book instead. I had a good pace going there for a while but reading the book to my kids took longer than I hoped and finding time to do the chapter write-ups proved to be even more of a challenge in these final months.

But here I am. The whole enterprise confirmed my love for the story. I suspect that until I reread The Lord of the Rings again, The Hobbit will stand atop my list of favorite works. I loved the distinct feel of The Hobbit, its coziness, and humor, its whimsy, and its applicability to RPGs. The Hobbit feels like D&D, or at least some idealized version that I don't think I've ever really played. When I next return to straight-up fantasy, I know that I'm likely to either return to the Wilderlands of The Hobbit (perhaps with The One Ring) or at least draw heavily on it for inspiration.

The Last Stage
In this final chapter, Bilbo and Gandalf enjoy a brief bit of R&R in Rivendell before making the final leg of the journey back to Hobbiton. That's it, really. But there are some lovely details buried in that final journey and this chapter is very much necessary to convey the sense that Bilbo is leaving the world of elves, dwarves, and dragons behind to return to ordinary life. But Bilbo's adventure has changed him so that he is no longer quite fit for polite society and he no longer really cares.

And proving that the reread could surprise me even in the last pages, I have to say that I didn't remember that Bilbo came home to the Sackville-Bagginses selling off his stuff! Previously, Hobbiton seemed strangely empty. Now, as Bilbo returns home, it is to a wonderfully messy life that he must now untangle (aided by considerable loot from his travels).

This speaks to the whole theme of The Hobbit, of leaving an ordinary life, having a fantastic adventure, and returning to the mundane world a changed person. I would love to do a similar kind of thing in a RPG campaign and that includes the critical step of returning the heroes to their point of origin to measure how far they've come. The campaign could either end after a short epilogue, or the adventurers could realize that they are no longer suitable for civilized life and resume their adventures (with future returns still possible). You could also pull a generational thing and come back years later with a descendant of the heroes stepping into their legacy (much like Frodo in LotR).

The Necromancer
While Bilbo was supposedly sleeping, he overhears Gandalf and Elrond discussing a gathering of a "great council of white wizards" and that they had at last driven the Necromancer out of Mirkwood. Odd that it should come up here at the very end of the book. Clearly, Tolkien was already thinking ahead towards The Lord of the Rings.

But in a Hobbit-only game, this bit of detail can work much differently. The nature of the Necromancer is never specified and he could be a very different sort of villain than Sauron. And who were these other wizards that met to drive him out? The Hobbit only mentions Gandalf and Radagast. Certainly, there would be others available as mysterious NPCs.

Other Notes

• Once again I am struck by all the singing in Rivendell. I'm having a hard time imagining how this will be presented in the movie. It's all well and good to describe the elves as frolicking merrily in the wood. But presenting this as anything other than goofy will be tough. And while carefree mirthfulness seems to fit the spirit of the elves of Rivendell in The Hobbit, it does make them seem a bit fluffy. Much fluffier, in fact, than their rustic cousins in Mirkwood. This portrayal of an ancient and noble race works in The Hobbit but does seem a bit at odds with the proud but sad people who are forced to leave Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings. And I do not remember any elves bursting into song in the somber Children of Hurin.

• It is convenient that the Troll hoard was still there. It meant that Bilbo still got phat loot and he didn't have to haul it over the mountains. It might do me well to remember that as a consolation prize for PCs in some future adventure when a massive hoard cannot be claimed due to logistics.

• The Master of Laketown succumbed to dragon-sickness. There, it is stated openly that treasure that was once sat on by a fire-breathing lizard could be dangerous to your soul.