tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89125836551867718822024-03-19T03:21:50.882-07:00Don't Split the PartyA blog for Rick Stump, gamer since 1977. Rants from my fevered brain about Old School Gaming, the state of the industry, my ongoing campaign (43 years old this year!), and the supplements created by Harbinger GamesRick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.comBlogger501125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-82934737544870219182023-11-06T10:03:00.004-08:002023-11-06T10:03:37.039-08:00Play Report: Skull Mountain<p> At the end of the <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2023/10/personal-update-and-play-report.html">last Skull Mountain session</a> the PCs had retreated to safety at Owen's redoubt, met with visiting elves, and recovered from injuries for some time. A lot happened away from table with them and with many other PCs slowing their return. But yesterday they returned, the same players and so on</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p> The party re-negotiated passage beyond the Space Slug and trudged down the miles of tunnels between there and the Monster Maze. After a long trip they sent animal scouts through the maze and learned that Rupert was deep inside, eating a meal, so they pressed on the more miles to the Midden.</p><p> The Midden is where to different massive sections of the Eastern Tunnels both drain into, all of the moisture, sludge, etc of the two miles-log segment oozing its way ito the same area. A brownie familiar that scouted the area over a game-year ago reported seeing an eyestalk so the PCs assume a neo-otyugh lives in the massive cavern full of sewage and runoff.</p><p> Once at the entrance they used <i>Summoned</i> goblins to scout ahead but none returned. The party got into fighting marching order and turned the corner - to see a lush garden room full of green sward surrounded by rosebushes and on a far throne a beautiful princess in a golden crown.</p><p> Seeker fired off <i>Detect Illusion</i> and it was all an illusion, all right. The knee-deep filth was everywhere and the "princess" was an otyugh <b><i>that was casting a spell!</i></b></p><p> The main fighters, Ingrid, Seeker, Starfalcon, and Clint, all used various means to fly over the sludge and to get to the otyugh for battle. The otyugh got off the spell but Clint saved so the <i>Phantasmal Killer</i> had no effect on him.</p><p> As the main fighters closed in on the 'princess' another otyugh rose out of the slime to attack the front wall of henchmen warriors with the main party as a slithering tracker paralyzed the Doit (a henchman) at the back!</p><p> Cue five rounds of fierce fighting versus two extremely large and tough otyughs and an eventual total of 5 slithering trackers. Many were hurt, many were paralyzed, but the party prevailed. As the henchmen and more <i>Summoned</i> creatures began to sweep the vast cavern for hidden loot Seeker used hs broom to fly up to the odd light at the center of the cavern roof to be promptly attacked by the two Will-o-Wisps trapped inside a cage there! Cue another battle, mainly of the many, many <i>Magic Missile</i> spells this particular party can cast.</p><p> Seeker examined the cage that had held the Will-o-Wisps and removed it but decided to check the area for secret doors and found one. A few spells later and the <i>Symbol of Death</i> us untriggered and removed and they found one of the Hidden Treasure Rooms of the Golem Master.</p><p> The party very carefully went through the small space and got the magic and money secured and went ANOTHER mile or two down the Eastern Caverns before coming to the Misty Caverns. Realizing that the caverns were under the Misdirection and Mist effects of a <i>Guards and Wards</i> they turned back to safety, once more going to Owen's place.</p><p> The entire party had to spend over a week using magic to get rid of the multiple diseases and parasites <u>every single party member had</u> and divided the loot.</p><p> The recap is short but the session was long!</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-37076745437741338962023-10-02T08:58:00.002-07:002023-10-02T08:58:16.411-07:00Personal Update and Play Report<p> I prefer not to talk about my current personal life because this blog is about gaming, pop culture, etc., not a journal. But I have been light on blogging for the last three years because of multiple personal medical emergencies ranging from emergency abdominal surgery to save my life to a pulmonary embolism that should have been lethal (I do not recommend them). Very many of the last 18 months have been bedrest, recuperation, physical therapy, and so on. I am facing at least one additional surgery over the next few months so I will not be back to full strength and productivity for about another 2-3 <i>years</i>. </p><p> This has slowed down a number of projects I was working on ranging from my own fantasy table top RPG to my mass combat rules to a magazine. I apologize for these delays, but all are still moving forwards. I am deeply grateful for the prayers and support I have gotten from the larger community of gaming fans and especially the guys and gals on my Discord. Thanks you.</p><p><br /></p><p> This last weekend saw a major foray into Skull Mountain by 5 players. Skull Mountain is the megadungeon in my 44+ year old AD&D campaign called Seaward.</p><p> The players and their characters:</p><p>Jennifer played Ingrid 8th level Human fighter<br />Jack played Seeker 9th/10th Elven Mage/Thief<br />Alex played Starfalcon 7th level Half-Elf Ranger<br />Sam played Clint 9th level Paladin<br />Nick played Owen 10th level Human Mage</p><p> There were 15 henchmen along, notably the 7th level half-ogre fighter Octavius with his sword Horsekiller and the 7th level human fighter Baldric. This is glossing over a group of henchmen of great skill and power with multiple 5th-7th level clerics/religious brothers.</p><p>The goal was to return to the Eastern Tunnels and both follow what they call the Extension Cord and deal with the overly-large Greater Sewage Beast in the Middens.</p><p> The party met at Seeker's home, which is the level he added to the megadungeon. After getting equipment and confirming load outs, encumbrance, etc. they used the Hidden Ways to get to the Cavern of Herds. There they ran into the (NPC) Beginner of the Third Way, a powerful but mysterious monk that lives in the Briars. he often travels to Skull Mountain to fight powerful creatures in his quest to master the martial arts. Together with the Beginner, who they all know, they went to the Snard Village at the edge of the Cavern of Hers where they found the entrepreneurial snards (think 'subterranean humanoids the size of brownies that tend toward Good) are now making and selling cheese. </p><p> The party checked in with the mayor of the snards and learned that things had been quiet, although the cave bison had been avoiding the southern edge of the vast cavern. Investigating the ranger Starfalcon noticed new 'game trails' coming from the caverns where the Trog Tribes had formerly lived. Scouting they realized the sprawling Trog Tunnels were infested with ulsios (eight-legged rats the size of terriers)! But Seeker had a bad feeling, so he turned stealthy (<i>Ring of Inaudibility and Invisibility</i> and a <i>Sachet of Sentlessness</i>) and used his broom to inspect the ceiling...<br /> ....and almost bumped into a Stalactite Terror (18' tall 'living stalactite' with multiple very long tentacles)! The horrible creature attacks, its barbed tentacles easily reaching the 50' to attack the main party on the ground. Seeker, already airborne, was joined by with a <i>Fly</i> spell from a henchman and in just 4 rounds the creature was destroyed. Mage henchmen led by used <i>Fireballs</i> to wipe out the ulsios.</p><p> Pivoting back to the main mission, they paused to ask the snard mayor to keep them updated and then went down the Eastern Tunnel. Going a bit over a mile they approached the Three Caves of the Space Bugs. The Asteroid Snail was, luckily, at the far end of the central cave and they were able to approach it and parley. The monks and druids were able to convince it that the party meant it no harm and were not food. Attempts to parley with the Galaxy Snail failed, as usual, but they realized that it only fired its plasma spheres at things approaching it or the large pool at the end of its cave. They party fell back and Seeker cast <i>Clairvoyance</i> to look into the pool.</p><p> He learned that the 'algae' on top is really death slime that would dissolve anyone attempting to jump into the pool. Against the far wall about 20' underwater in a recess is a bronze door covered in warning runes as well as a glyph particularly attuned to ward away Baba Yaga (!!). Seeker made notes, told the party, and they continued down the Eastern Tunnel.</p><p> Carefully skirting the edge of the Cave of Falling Stalactites and dealing with horror beetles roaming for food the party passed the five entrances to the Monster Maze but detoured just before the tunnel to the Middens to scout the Star Tombs again. Getting closer they decided to send in only Seeker, who is of the same sub-race of elf as the space elves were. The two Swordmaiden Guardian Statues at the entrance allowed him to pass, as did the Type III Golem, but the second set of Swordmaiden Guardian Statues flanking the far door barred his advance.</p><p> Suddenly Clint had an epiphany: when meeting the King of Tirgalen 2 years previously he had noted that an unusual old-elvish word was used to greet the king's guards. He had written it down as very odd and decided to try it as a password to avoid the 5 guardians of the Star Tomb.<br /> It worked</p><p></p><blockquote>DM Note: The player, Sam, had indeed made a note when the same PC was in the Court of the King of Tirgalen about the odd word used as a greeting to the king's guards in an adventure in, I believe, 2021. It is, yes, a memory of the old protocols for this base. Good notes!</blockquote><p></p><p> Beyond they found a junction that led to 4 other caverns. As they entered five Fiery Tentacle Beasts erupted from above each tunnel and began to attack! Several party members were burned, bashed, cut, and stabbed, but after about 8 rounds the vicious creatures were slain and the injured patched up. Seeker's new short sword, Deathknell, proved its worth that battle.</p><p> One tunnel off the junction held an elven village of about 15 home as if they had been snatched from a sylvan forest somewhere. Long deserted. The next tunnel led to a massive circular cavern where a broad, flat ledge ringed a huge, deep pool of pure water. the ceiling was an iris door over 600 yards across. The third led far around the cavern with a pool and was a highly advanced Control Station, far superior to anything seen so far! They found the far end of the Extension Cord here and disconnected it. They then accidentally contacted Admiral Finnan Laclaer, commander of the Silver Fleet's Fifth Squadron on the Starbase. </p><p> What followed was a great deal of good news for the essentially stranded and incommunicado Fifth Squadron. With an exchange of information the Admiral agreed to send a ship to the drydock atop Skull Mountain so that some of his people could take over Level Zero. Clint hopes to negotiate a trade agreement between Starbase and his own, new, domain. </p><p> They also learned that the sometimes-visitors to that part of Skull Mountain were not the Space Elves but rather the Githyar from Planet Iau. They were honor-bound to maintain the guardians of the Tomb. What tomb? The tomb Seeker had seen earlier! It is called the Tomb of the Vampire Sorceress Natasha, Baba Yaga's Favorite Daughter.</p><p> The party agreed to scout the last tunnel before turning back to prepare to meet the space elves in 5 more days. Along that tunnel they entered a large cavern, dimly lit, that held a manufacturing area. A female elf was wandering around the middle of the cavern repeatedly inventorying the materials on the benches. Very wary, the party slipped closer and observed that every 2-3 minutes she would 'flicker' and distort. About every 3rd flicker she would pause and stare at her own hands mumbling.</p><p> "Am I real? I'm not real! But I have to be real! What is happening?!"</p><p> Or something similar. Then she would go back to her job. When the party was about 60' away they called out to her. She began to slicker and pixelate more. The sights of this forced teh party save vs magic (fear). About half the part failed and they were paralyzed in terror. Then she talked her voice getting louder and and louder,</p><p> "Yes! The evacuation order! I had to evacuate! But the teleporter... the teleporter! The teleporter was damaged! I had to try! THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY! I HAD TO USE THE TELEPORTER!"</p><p> And she screamed. The scream sounded like a terrified woman and a dial up modem combined and it was so loud it knocked items over 90' away.</p><p> The party was more than 30' away from the Digital Banshee, but less than 90' so the save vs death was normal. SIXTEEN OF THE TWENTY PARTY MEMBERS FAILED THE SAVE! At that range everyone who failed lost 50% of their maximum hit points.</p><p> Then the Digital Banshee charged.</p><p> Luckily there were enough people to meet her charge and one of the not-paralyzed henchmen clerics had the spell <i>Remove Fear</i> to free Clint. Clint closed with his holy sword, the Purifier, and the Digital Banshee was disrupted. Once the party was free of paralysis effects (just 2 more rounds until it wore off) a scroll of <i>Dispel Evil</i> was used so the tormented creature would never reform.</p><p> At this point the party carefully retreated the way they had come back toward safety, only needing to fight two more horror beetles on the way. They went to the Salon and Spa on the Deep to recuperate in the healing waters there.</p><p><br /></p><p>Player quotes:<br />Sam: 'So just a half-mile from the Eldritch Horror from Beyond Space that had a save or die attack there was a Tormented Soul Trapped Between Life and Death that had <b>different</b> save or die attack? I'm really not looking forward to whatever is down the Eastern Tunnels beyond here."<br /></p><p>Jennifer: "So both times we face these creatures Ingrid dies or almost-dies? She's not coming back down her! Nothing but overland adventures for a while!"</p><p>Jack: "One the one hand, why do so many people use Skull Mountain to hide things? On the other, I live in Skull Mountain to hide from things."</p><p>Nick: "Remember, every 500 yards down these tunnels I tack up another advertisement for my Salon and Spa in the Deep. I left extra in the control room."</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-72527553830741929992022-11-02T07:41:00.002-07:002022-11-02T07:41:15.313-07:00Cauldron of Creativity, or the Early Days of RPGs: The Movies and Television<p> The crew on my Discord have been asking me to talk about the culture of the early days of the RPG hobby. While I started relatively late (only began playing in '77 and didn't start DMing until '79) I am very much part of that First Wave and, as a Gen Xer, was definitely in the culture.</p><p> This is going to be bounding around a little bit between TV, movies, movies on TV, the dawn of the VCR age, etc. but I <i style="font-weight: bold;">will</i> try to focus on '75 - '84.</p><p> TV was rather different then and I find it hard to explain to my own children who grew up with cable and on-demand and are now in the age of streaming services. In general unless you had access to an independent station you got what everyone else got - <i>I Love Lucy</i>, <i>Brady Bunch</i>, <i>Gilligan's Island</i>, Saturday morning cartoons, and so on. I was lucky enough to live within range of Channel 4 out of Indianapolis and had access to their indie shows like Science Fiction Theater, Horror Theater, and (of course) <a href="https://sammyterry.com/">Sammy Terry</a>! So before I got to RPGs I had seen all the classic Universal horror films, all the Godzilla movies of the day, and a ton of Hammer horror, to boot. This background stuff is more important than you think. For example, the description of a vampire's abilities obviously draws on Hammer horror films at least a little.</p><p> The theater movies that were current or coming to TV at the time were certainly something that influenced the games I was part of or knew about. A memory that came to me as I was writing this was how I visualized the very first dungeon I went into as being like the ship in <i>The Poseidon Adventure</i> after it capsized; strange, threatening, and full of things that could kill you. <i>The Omen</i> and <i>The Exorcist</i> were certainly influential and I remember one of the first cleric PCs I saw, run by an adult, was named Father Karras.</p><p> But the big names in the room of movies in that era were the blockbusters and the cult films. 1975 was the year <i>Jaws</i> came out, and that film is a horror film that taught a lot of young dungeon masters that less was more - keep that monster in the shadows, behind the trees, around that next corner, and let the players' own imaginations terrify them. 1975 was also <i>The Rocky Horror Picture Show</i> a cult film that starts as horror but turns out to be science fiction, shredding genre limits (and being goofy fun).1976 had <i>King Kong</i>, a big monster film and inspiration for at least one module, of course. But it also had <i>In Search of Noah's Ark</i>. </p><p> Yes, <i>In Search of Noah's Ark</i>. Never heard of it? It is based on a book theorizing about where Noah's Ark came to rest (no, really!) and, brace yourselves - It out earned <i>The Missouri Breaks</i>, <i>Midway</i>. <i>Marathon Man</i>, and <i>Carrie</i>. But stuff like that, <i>Chariots of the Gods</i>, films about Nostradamus, documentaries on Bigfoot, UFOs - they were all very popular so secret histories, conspiracy theories, alien invaders, and so on were certainly part of general culture and the bleed over into gaming was massive. </p><p> 1977 was a big year with <i>Star Wars</i> and <i>Close Encounters of the Third Kind</i> both being incredibly popular all over the world. But you <b>also</b> had <i>Planet of the Dinosaurs, Damnation Alley, Island of Dr Moreau, The People that Time Forgot</i>, and <i>Wizards</i>, all that same year! A ton of science fiction, and that really impacted gaming, especially since Traveller came out that year, too, perfectly timed to be <u>the</u> science fiction RPG of the old school. That was also the year of <i>Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger</i>, a great D&D movie if there ever was one.</p><p> So you can see, just as the Monster Manual was hitting shelves and ushering in AD&D 1e the overall culture was neck-deep in science fiction, fantasy, and gonzo films and TV. As AD&D was released slowly from 1977 through 1986 [yes - really] the initial RPG explosion that gave us everything from Traveller to Rolemaster to WEG Star Wars and so on we also had the VCR explosion that was essentially ubiquitous by 1982.</p><p> Then the golden age of VCR films really began. <i>Flash Gordon, Hawk the Slayer, the Archer, Dragon Slayer, Excalibur, Time Bandits, Ator the Fighting Eagle, Beastmaster, Conan the Barbarian, the Dark Crystal, </i>and <i>the Sword and the Sorceror</i>, all top-shelf cheesy fantasy films, all part and parcel of the RPG mentality, were all released within 32 months of 1980 and 1982! The incredible volume of fantasy, science fiction, post-apocalyptic, and "what the Hell did I just watch?!" movies from 1977-1985 is probably beyond the ability of Man to count. and with VCRs all over and the glorious mom & pop video stores willing to put Italian Giallo movies on the shelf if soldiers, college kids, and band nerds were willing to rent them they were <b>everywhere</b>.</p><p> The two movies I want to single out today will probably surprise you. Everyone who knows me know I am <u>constantly</u> promoting <i>Hawk the Slayer</i>, <i>Beastmaster</i>, and <i>Deathstalker II</i> as not just wonderfully entertaining but D&D adjacent, but! I think the best movies to illustrate the <u style="font-weight: bold;">Old School RPG Attitude</u> are - </p><p> <i>The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension</i> and <i>Big Trouble in Little China</i>. Both of them use genre as a descriptor, not a confinement. Both have a ton of details and throw information at the vuewer left and right.</p><p> Look at the opening of <i>Buckaroo Banzai</i>: the movie cuts back and forth between a military test range and an operating room letting us know Buckaroo has been called in to assist as a neurosurgeon then (after recruiting a new member of his team) arrives to drive a rocket car. At about 8:30 into the movie it is casually mentioned that his jet car has broken the sound barrier and that's not the most interesting thing he does in the jet car before 10:30. </p><p> In <i>BTiLC</i> the motivations for the villain is casually mentioned in a bunch of fast-paced patter and the existence and powers of the Three Storms are just - there. Why are there rival martial arts gangs like a Shaw Brothers film <b><u>and</u></b> dueling wizards in contemporary San Francisco? The real question is "why not?" because they certainly never spell it out slowly for the viewer</p><p> And let's pause to discuss the big fight in <i>BTiLC</i>: The leader (Wang Chi) and his pal Jack Burton get a wizard and a bunch of martial artists together then sneak through monster-haunted dungeons to break into the fortress of an evil wizard to save the prince-, uh, fiancé and reporter. <i>BTiLC</i> is part western, part Wuxia, part heist film, and <b>ALL</b> <b>Dungeons & Dragons</b>. To old school RPGers the massive martial arts fight/wizard duel in a neon-lit room with an escalator was pure gold.</p><p> As mentioned, both use genre as a reason to expand, not contract, and both let us know they have a solid, consistent internal logic that is <i>shown</i> on the screen not <i>explained</i> to the audience. They involve groups of people with various talents teaming up to defeat evil with a broad ensemble of skills and abilities.</p><p> But most importantly <b>both assume that the audience is intelligent</b>. Each film is packed with references to the reality that exists within the cinematic universe of the particular film that <u>imply</u> a huge, sprawling world where you just know is full of other stories just as entertaining, fun, and excisting as the one you are watching.</p><p> This attitude, where your AD&D 1e campaign could have a villain with a <a href="https://youtu.be/vDvuBY97cD4">three-bladed rocket-propelled sword</a>, you might run into a <a href="https://youtu.be/mxD-5z_xHBU">very odd mechanical monster</a> deep under Mount Thunder, and everyone knew what a <a href="https://youtu.be/ttq_4FwvLJo">certain chant</a> meant (bad news) was common in an explosively creative time for RPGs and unique, personal campaigns flourished. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't 'every campaign used everything from everywhere'! I firmly disallowed three-bladed swords, but did not have a problem with steam-powered 'muskets', for example. But the 'pop culture is a buffet for RPGs' was just an assumption for the majority of us. But, again, the most important element was that <b>the RPGs also assumed that the gamemasters and players were intelligent - and creative</b>. There was 'space' inside the best games for you to make it what you want, add and subtract what worked for your table.</p><p> For as many times Gygax wrote 'there is ONE WAY to play AD&D!' in the DMG there are three things listed as 'optional, like six-guns, power armor, and dynamite. The artifacts and relics in the DMG include the computer from Altair IV, the steam organ of the Gods, and a giant mecha. This multi-genre, make it awesome but stay internally consistent ethos was the core of actual old school attitudes toward play.<br /><br /> </p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-31267411045217766672022-10-02T18:41:00.003-07:002022-10-02T19:00:50.832-07:00Massive Session Report: from West to East<p> Hello, folks, it is time for a massive update! There were two sessions recently, both played on a weekend. In the first one we had</p><p> Hans Shrek, World's Strongest Halfling and his henchmen</p><p> Ingrid, Fighter and her henchmen</p><p> Thorin, Fighter/Thief and his henchmen</p><p> Starkiller, Cleric/Fighter/Magic-user, and his henchmen</p><p> Graystar, Magic-user, and his henchman</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p> The party was returning from the Four Counties area and wanted to follow up on rumors from the Barony of Copperhill. They arrived early in the morning. Having sent word ahead they were met by the brand new First Baron of Copperhill, Archibald. Elevated to the nobility by Count Orion that very week as ruler of Copperhill the party met his wife and three children. A half-orc (as is his wife) Archibald is a 3rd generation citizen of the Copperhill area, his grandparents having converted 70 or so years ago.</p><p> The party was intrigued by Copperhill, a town that is 90% humanoids that have converted to the Church and are loyal to the King. We had a lot of fun cracking jokes about what kind of food carts they have.</p><p></p><blockquote>"RAT ON A STICK! GET YER RAT ON A STICK HERE!"<br />"Old Man Johnson's rat on a stick is better than One Tooth Gorgo's - Gorgo doesn't use fresh rat."</blockquote><p></p><p> The discussion with the Baron was a bit grim. The prison mine, now called Goblintown, is where the prisoners who do NOT convert to the Church (about 90% of captured humanoids) are held. The prison, with double walls, looms over the town of Copperhill. The outer walls protect against outside attack (the Stone Hills are just a few miles away) while the inner walls prevent a prisoner revolt from getting out. Archibald explained how all mining tools are left in the mines and the humanoids are cycled in and out in small groups with overseers to prevent armed rebellion. Food is also tightly controlled to prevent prisoners from escaping.</p><p> The mine was designed to have a minimum of 400 guards and 1 overseers per 10 humanoids. But the massive influx of goblins and kobolds from the Scouring of the Briars as well as the recently mass capture of an entire Orc tribe army had massively increased the prisoner count so that they were down to 1 supervisor per 35 miners and they had cone from under 600 prisoners to more than 2,000 in just 3 years! 90% of the profits from the mine went to buy food for the prisoners!</p><p> Realizing that the entire growth was from PC activities they realized they had put a massive strain on the economy of the entire West as well as dropped a potential bomb in the mountains. They proposed resettling 50% of the prisoners to an abandoned garnet mine deep in the forests south of Eagle Valley to split them up and generate more income. Archibald was very open to the idea and promised to draft a letter to the Count to seek permission. Then the party decided to continue with their main mission - investigate the odd happenings in the mine.</p><p> The first interviewed all the overseers. Three acted oddly or triggered a Detect spell. so they were pulled aside to interrogate. The first one almost killed Graystar with a hidden poisoned dagger! They subdued him and sent him to the gaol for the guards to question. The second Detected as Evil so he was sent away. The third swore that the other two were paying him 10 GP a week to 'look the other way' and ignore a section of the mine. While ESP was telling Graystar this was true they heard a report - the second overseer had killed his guards and was fleeing! </p><p> Hans leapt atop his steam-powered mechanical warmoose and took off at full speed for the gaol, correctly deducing the second man was trying to free the first. He arrived in time to see them both leaping out of a window and began fighting them both. He was soon joined by the gaol guards, but the two fought hard with swords and poisoned daggers before they went down.</p><p> The party had just linked back up with the gong from the Goblintown Mine was sounded - prisoner revolt! Ingrid activated her ebony fly and headed for the walls, the rest following on horse/mooseback. Ingrid arrived to find the Male Orc section charging the walls with scaling ladders (the various races and sexes are all kept separate within the prison complex). All had swords, slings, and shortswords and outnumbered the guards atop the wall 6 to 1. </p><p> The guards dumped a vat of pitch onto the western ends of the wall and lit it, killing many orcs. Ingrid observed a massive orc covered in tattoos directing the rest. Ingrid dismounted and helped hold the wall as she ordered her ebony fly to knock down all the ladders it could. With Ingrid's help the first few that had gotten atop were killed and the ladders were down - except for one magically held in place! The tattooed orc and his 6 tattooed companions stormed up and began fighting Ingrid, very skillfully. The battle atop the walls was hampered by the ongoing sling attacks of the orcs below, but that ceased around Ingrid because of the orc leaders.</p><p> The remainder of the party had charged in and taken the lead from the 80 guards heading to the interior of the male orc holding area and outstripped them, easily arriving first. Hans and Starkiller split off to check the mine entrance and the rest were let into the male orc area by the guards.</p><p> Thorin and Graystar arrived behind the rioting orcs and Graystar immediately cast <i>Fear</i> driving most of the orcs into a fear-fueled frenzy, all hiding in the corners or behind their small huts. They had abandoned the ladders and long boarding planks in their gibbering terror leaving only the magically-stabilized ladder in place. Thorin scrambled up the ladder and killed orcs on the way, eventually dropping behind the survivors of the 7 orcs fighting Ingrid.</p><p> Ingrid was doing well, especially with help from her magic-user henchman and illusionist henchman from below. Between <i>Chromatic Orb</i>, <i>Magic Missiles</i>, and Ingrid's broadsword Thorin only had 1 assistant and the leader left to fight. In short order they both dropped. </p><p> Below 12 of the orcs had surrendered and Graystar ordered them into the huts as the guards arrived. The prison has a 'no mercy' rule for riots and the guards began cutting down the magically frightened orcs, ignoring the ones in the huts as Graystar asked. </p><p> Meanwhile! Hans and Starkiller arrived at the mine entrance as a black cloud of smoke knocked out the guards. Emerging from the mine were 12 orc shamans leading a total of 60 zombies and an orc master shaman with a ghoul on a leash. Hans immediately charged on his warmoose, slamming through the ranks of zombies and killing the ghoul. Starkiller got bust cutting down zombies as their henchmen (three of whom were clerics who could turn!) assisted with undead slaying. It was a little dicey for a few rounds for Hans, surrounded by zombies and shamans, but the round after round of turning undead and the combat power of Starkiller cut through to him as Hans slew the shamans. A very tough fight, and close to being a loss, but they pulled it out.</p><p> Back in the male orc compound the orc leader <i style="font-weight: bold;">got up</i> and began climbing down the wall on a rope! Ingrid remounted her fly and flew down, cutting the rope and dropping the orc leader 30' to the ground. She landed and, while he was stunned, cut his throat. She began to return to the wall when he <b style="font-style: italic;">got up again</b> and almost tore her eyes out! She cut him down for the third time and decapitated him. She stripped his body (finding an invisible ring) and had his head burned in one fire, his body in another.</p><p> The party went into the mines to check out the section ESP had revealed was being hidden from the guard. They found hidden quarters for the shamans, piles of preserved corpses for future zombies, and...<br /> ...a teleporter. With great care they were able to find out that the teleporter connected with the summit of Skull Mountain a hidden room under a hut in the make orc area. THAT hidden room had another teleporter! It connected to a bare rock in the Demon's Tears islands and the Teleporter Junction in Skull Mountain. They found evidence that the 9 assassins (the orc leader and his assistants plus the two overseers) were working on a paid mission so they - contacted the Grandfather of Assassins and asked (for a nominal fee). Since his employer hadn't paid to keep the information secret <i>if someone asked and paid to know</i> he willingly told them that yes, he was paid to set up a riot in the prison leading to the orcs controlling the fortress.</p><p> The party realized that their investigation had forced them to 'go early'. In another 12-18 months the prion would have been able to field over 1,000 orcs and goblins in armor, shields, sword, slings, and more along with 240 zombies. The tunnel they found would have been used to travel to and from the Stone Hills. Combined with the Duke of Bandits (who was expected to control the entire Eagle Valley by that time) and the capture of Wyvern Keep whoever was paying the Grandfather would have had his allies control the entire Western third of the Kingdom of Seaward, forcing the Duke of Timberlake and King yo march west.</p><p> The party wrote their theories into a message for the leadership of the Company and for the King and headed East.</p><p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p> The players were pumped! We had started early and had plenty of time so they told me they wanted a short adventure for the afternoon. They realized they'd been worried about strange things in Eastford for over a game year, so they decided to take the adventurers in Seaward and have them ride North to check out the city-state of Eastford, perpetual rival of Seaward.</p><p> They took:</p><p> Clint the paladin and his many henchmen<br /> Brigid the barbarian and her henchmen<br /> Athanasius the cleric and his henchmen<br /> Talner the cleric and his henchmen<br /> Starfalcon the ranger and his henchmen</p><p> A pretty tough team, but they expected this to be diplomacy and investigation.</p><p> When they got close to Eastford they saw that all the villages of that realm had put in anti-cavalry stakes and their militia were out! Coming to a fortified farm they asked the yeoman what was afoot.</p><p></p><blockquote>"The Lord Mayor is insane! He's hired a thousand mercenaries, called out his nobles, and the entire army is marching on Tirgalen! The Lord Mayor rides in some strange iron chariot that moves by itself and shoots fire! Its evil, I says!"</blockquote><p></p><p>Stunned, the party changed direction and rode hard to where the army should be if that was true. In just a day and a half they found iut it was no exaggeration. The 400 soldiers of the nobles of Eastford led 1,000 mercenaries and they were already burning the watchtowers of the outer ring of Tirgalen's forces. The PCs rode hard toward the rear guard and saw a conroi ride out to face them. It was six knights, their heraldry showing six of them to be the mightiest knights and highest-ranking nobles of Eastford and they were led by the near-mythical Green Knight - said to be undefeatable in battle! Far beyond, a mile away, came a force of 60 light cavalry and, behind them, a massive iron wagon, moving on strange belts of iron rolling overer wheels, with a crystal dome on top. Within sat a man.</p><p>As the conroi approached Athanasius cast <i>Dispel Magic</i> and the six mighty knights all drew up on confusions. They were shouting to each other,</p><p> "Where are we?!"<br /> "How did we come to this place?!"<br /> "I-I saw the Lord Mayor kill the Lord Mayor and then I remember nothing!"</p><p> Undaunted and unpausing the Green Knight Couched his lance and bore down on Clint, who responded in kind. The clash of lances unhorsed the Green Knight, but he arose completely unharmed. The PC and henchmen warriors surrounded him, striking many mighty blows, but he merely laughed, unharmed, and his fierce return cuts wounded many. Henchmen mages cast damaging spells that cannot miss and they melted away. he was, truly, unstoppable and incapable of being harmed. The metal wagon and the light cavalry grew closer but they feared many would die at the hands of the Green Knight before they arrived.</p><p> Then Talner struck with his mighty <i>Flail of Disruption</i> - it struck the armor and flashed with the Holt Power of the Angels and - the bright green armor of the knight <i style="font-weight: bold;">screamed in agony</i>, transformed into a demonic creature, and vanished back into the foul Abyss from whence it came leaving the Green Knight unarmored, wearing only his armor's padding. To his credit he did not flee but fought but kept fighting hard, but now that his supernatural defenses were stripped from him he fell before the Company of the Dark Moon's mightiest warriors.</p><p> By now the cavalry was encircling the Company at a distance, obviously intent on preventing them from fleeing from the iron wagon. Inside the dome the drive shed the illusion that made him appear as the Lord Mayor of Eastford but revealed his true self - Baron Samedhi, half-demon son of the Handsome One, Scourge of Nine Nations.</p><p> The Company had a mere moment to prepare, but prepare they did! Talner read a long-hoarded <i>Scroll of Protection from Demons</i>, Graystar prepared a <i>Dispel Magic</i>, and Brigid drank a <i>Potion of Heroism</i> so that she might berserk again so soon. The henchmen cast <i>Bless</i>, <i>Prayer</i>, <i>Protection from Evil 10' radius</i>, and one began to <i>Chant</i> in case the battle went so long. Those wounded grievously by the Green Knight received at leasy some healing. The mages noted that the iron wagon was surrounded with a shimmering aura - it was protected by a <i>Minor Globe of Invulnerability</i>.</p><p> Closer and closer came the iron wagon and then the long pole in front of it billowed smoke and launched a great cone of demonic fire - which Graystar <i>Dispelled</i>! At that moment Clint used his magical boots to leap onto the top of the wagon as Talner flew up above the crystal dome, merely 20' above its top. Brigid, and Starfalcon and the others sprinted forward, eager to clamber up on the wagon's top to fight. Drawing his mighty holy sword <u>Purifier</u> Clint smote the crystal dome and shattered it, destroying both it and the <i>Minor Globe</i>. Samedhi responded by drawing his gigantic sword, two-handed to anyone less than his 8' height, one-handed for him, and sorely wounded Clint. The rear of the mighty wagon opened and 20 heavy footmen began to pour out. And the fight began in earnest.</p><p> It hung in the balance - <u>Purifier</u> was forged to fight creatures from the Abyss but Samedhi was a swordmaster and wielded a might blade with demonic strength. Brigid's henchman Byron threw down a <i>Staff of the Python</i> but Samedhi cut it in twain instantly. Minutes of intense fighting meant that one more blow from Samedhi could kill any one of them when Talner dropped his own <i>Staff of the Python</i> - and it struck, entangling Samedhi! Samedhi tried to fly away, but the sphere of the <i>Scroll of Demon Protection</i> pinned him long enough for the party to cut him down!</p><p> His death broke the <i>Charms</i> on the various leaders and the army stopped, its leaders confused and frightened. The Company stripped Samedhi as his body dissolved into ichor. Well prepared for the Three Curses all Cambion Princes cause when they die the Company spent three hours casting <i>Exorcism</i> three times where he fell, avoiding great evil. The demonic wagon, no longer controlled by its fell master, fell into rust. The Company told the various leaders they had been controlled by demonic forces and headed back to Eastford. </p><p> The next day Byron tried to <i>Raise</i> the slain archbishop of Eastford, but he was already welcomed into the Gates of Heaven. Athanasius <i>Raised</i> the Lord Mayor and explained what had happened. In gratitude he knighted them all in the Order of Eastford and gave them a large jewel each.</p><p> After resting, casting various protective and curative spells the Company rode hard to Tirgalen to let the King of the Elves of Tirgalen know that the war was ended and hat had caused it. Met with great cheer the Company was let into the King's own throne room. There they spoke and the King promised great rewards. But then Athanasius asked what connection they had to the Tombs under Skull Mountain.</p><p> The king's wrath was great. His soldiers drew swords and bows and the King ordered them out of Tirgalen, never to return on pain of death, swearing that they only lived because he owed them a boon. The mightiest warriors of Tirgalen escorted them beyond the borders of that elvish realm and swore terrible oaths of vengeance lest they ever return.</p><p> The Company rode hard for the capitol of Seaward, arriving just one day after Clarence's return from distant Yashima. Clarence used his messenger genie and sent out letters calling for the first meeting of every member of the Company since its founding, years ago. The next day they attended a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Golden Cathedral in celebration of the death of the half-demon.<br /><br />Postscript:<br />From the player of Athanasius</p><p>"So, actually, my hot take from the day that this happened,
which I'm likely to expand into a blog post later: Because of it
being a player-driven campaign, categorizing Baron Samedhi as "big
bad evil guy" is inaccurate. The Baron and the Company were
both independent actors with multifaceted goals, which they pursued
in various, intelligent ways. The Baron was the most frequently
occurring antagonistic force we faced, but that's only because of
the scope of his power and goals. The encounter resulting in his
death was a stroke of luck, but it was also an inevitability. Both
sides had played to a point were direct confrontation in the near
future was unavoidable, but both sides were also trying to continue
an indirect approach for as long as possible in order to weaken the
other. It just happens that when we did finally meet, we outplayed
him. It could've just as easily gone the other way.</p><p>The feeling of the party now that he's out of the picture
isn't a sense of completion, but a sense of relief. We've been given
much more space to pursue the other goals that were on our minds-
primarily exploration of heretofore untouched facets of the Graywall
Hazard Sphere, and the beginnings of a potential diplomatic
resolution to the Orc problem- without having to worry about the
Baron proactively messing with us on his own time.</p><p>And there's still a lot more to do in order to keep the
results of his previous activity off our backs.The real "big bad" of the Seaward campaign is
the Unknown, which possesses both an allure for the adventurous, and
an inherent hostility to civilized life."</p><p><br /></p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-65731209604971209262022-09-05T07:30:00.001-07:002022-09-05T07:30:12.034-07:00Session Report: War in the Stone Hills!<p> The most recent sessions took place in the Stone Hills west of Seaward.</p><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/AVvXsEh1tpFOf_vEPynlhtAGavYgVdpb7wFrghK-v98K1yNPMu0dYkJHq7t9sz_19MVSnOGmzTGLnGHiDWPyi-LJRDUNCi6wikgf7qYGIt--hbUkwQYlSjnJtvNW6ZrrIV394QCkH2uuVlQDk3LWz986mx_h9r3zCGQdfPgUqK0vE0TDEQk8fKJ9zr-56Lbx/s1804/Stone%20Hills%20on%20Map.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1804" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tpFOf_vEPynlhtAGavYgVdpb7wFrghK-v98K1yNPMu0dYkJHq7t9sz_19MVSnOGmzTGLnGHiDWPyi-LJRDUNCi6wikgf7qYGIt--hbUkwQYlSjnJtvNW6ZrrIV394QCkH2uuVlQDk3LWz986mx_h9r3zCGQdfPgUqK0vE0TDEQk8fKJ9zr-56Lbx/w640-h296/Stone%20Hills%20on%20Map.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The heroes were:<br /><br />Carlton - 6th level paladin. The Hero of the Battle of Eagle Valley. Famed as a master of the lance.<br /><br />Fiona - 4th/4th Fighter/Magic-user. Elf. Known as a tactician and for her keen senses.<br /><br />The Sparrow - 8th level Thief. Through magic and cunning fights with a two-handed sword. One handed. Senior thief in the Company.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Akira - 7th level monk. The Man with the Eldritch Fists. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Conrad - 6th/5th Fighter/Cleric. Dwarf. Champion of the Innocent, Defender of the Downtrodden, hammer of Foes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Henchmen brought the party to a total of 11 members with levels. The Hills are rugged and empty so they brought a dozen mules loaded with provisions and gear, 2 drovers, a cook, and a camp guard to hep the henchmen.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Since the destruction of the Regalia of the Orcish Overking and the purification of the Temple of Gramaash the shamans of the local Orcs had lost their powers as the Duke of Hell they all worship punished them. There were rumors that the various Orcish City-States of the western plains had been at war, but that is almost always true.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> But rumors were thick that Orcs were again in the Stone Hills so some of the senior members of the Company of the Dark Moon (the heroes) got together for a scouting mission. After fully supplying themselves at Wyvern Keep they set out on the Hill Road, the only path through the stone hills capable of carrying even a pony cart.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The weather was good for the heat of Summer and the road relatively clear for the first few days, but on the 4th a thunderstorm drove them to shelter. While out of the rain Akira noted a hillman (barbarians from the Stone Hills descended from the followers of a would-be lord who was killed before his fortress was complete). The hillman, Gregg son of Gregg, told them of 'clouds of dust' north of the Hill Road to the west near the Massif (a large cliff along the road) and that there were Orcish lookouts on the Massif. he also told of an Orc strong point guarding the road about a day west. The party thanked him and when the storm lifted kept on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The next day the Sparrow and Akira scouted ahead, spotted the Orcish strong point, ambushed the guards, and quickly killed everyone but the leader, a sergeant named Ortok. Ortok was more than willing to speak once oaths were made and he was baptized(!). Ortok explained that the Orcs of the City-States were overwhelmingly loyal to the Cult of Gramaash and the Kings, but a few, especially among those that were literate, knew of the Faith and yearned to leave the Cult. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Ortok sketched out a map and explained that the King Grak'Tar or Hranath'Kor was furious that the Company of the Dark Moon stopped him from becoming the Overking by mere hours. He had staged raids into the Plains of the Horse Keshi and had even destroyed the Orc city-state of Lamat'Kor to gain enough sacrifices to allow his shamans to regain their powers. He had outmaneuvered his foe, the king of Gramak'Kor, and was sending his best Princeps (subchief) and top officers with the troops from Lamat'Kor to build and man a strong hill fort in the Stone Hills. His goal was to put more pressure on Gramak'Kor and prevent humans from Seaward from interfering with his second plan, which Ortok didn't know. The party also learned that the main troop column, coming with food, supplies, siege engineers, and a horde of slaves, was to reach the site for the hill fort in a few days and then the only way to stop them was to besiege them!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Ortok was released to go to Goblintown with a tunic of the Cross, a spear and dagger, and a letter for the garrison at Wyvern Keep letting them know what they had learned and asking for Ortok to be taken to Goblintown.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The party knew that after the Ogre Magi Raid on Wyvern keep less than a month previous the garrison was too undermanned to send assistance so they pressed on, cutting overland <i>very slowly</i> to get north of the Old Road but out of sight of the Orc lookouts on the Massif. The weather continued to cooperate and, almost miraculously, they didn't get lost in the trackless hills. Careful scouting revealed;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> 1) A massive hilltop was being prepared as a fort that would eventually contain the entire 950+ acres of the flat hilltop. Orc overseers were supervising the construction of a ditch around the hill.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> 2) Another group of orc overseers were forcing 100 slaves to build a dirt road from the fort to the Hill Road</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> 3) The massive Orcish column was 4 miles away (about 4 hours!) and had over 300 warriors types in it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The road would never be done in time and the party realized that it would take days for the slaves with the column to haul the goods and such from the Hill Road to the track being built. This also meant that Orcish forces would be heavily bottlenecked on the narrow, unworked trail between the Hill Road and the fort road, leaving them at most 9 - 10 wide. They got into position and prepared and, as the colum was arriving at the trail to the hill road, they sprang their attack.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Carlton, Conrad, and Akira attacked from the direction of the fort (over a ridge from where the slaves were working) and rode down or drove off the Orcish overseers.The rest of the party warriors followed behind freeing slaves while the party spell casters took position near the favored chokepoint on the trail. The second wave of warrior types from the party helped organize the slaves and found that one of them, Keith son of Keith, was a hillman and put him in charge of getting them to a spot off the trail but defensible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The front three warriors closed through a storm of heavy crossbow fire and the party cavalry hit with a lance charge as the monk used his abilities to vault over the front element of heavy infantry with bardiches and hand axes and engaged the second element with footman's flails and clubs. The front ranks were in total disarray and were totally unprepared for the second wave to hit them. In short order the party had punched through the first two units of orcs and were pressing on. The Princeps himself, on his enchanted palanquin and with his 24 personal bodyguards, was closing fast as the Orcish forces in the rear tried to struggle forward through the baggage train and slaves to get to the main fight.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The front cavalry engaged the bodyguards and were bogged down in one Hell of a fight since they were immediately almost surrounded. Theses PCs did a fighting retreat to draw the bodyguards off a bit and just barely avoided being enveloped completely. The second line was mopping up the heavy infantry and Akira, doing what monks do, bounded to the palanquin and began fighting the Princeps one on one!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> About this time Fiona's wu-jen henchwoman warned here there was a 'large flying creature with a rider' passing over them invisibly! The spell casters got to work and in short order were able to get the thing visible,(revealing it to be one of the King of Hrantah'Kor's personal retinue, called a Champion, on a dragonnel) and force it to land with magic. Carlton immediately disengaged with the bodyguards to fight the Champion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Akira killed the Princeps but the presence of the Champion gave the orcs the will to keep fighting. The remaining first and second wave of PC warriors were now together wiping out the last of the Princep's bodyguards and Carlton dismounted to face the Champion in honorable combat. After three more rounds of combat the Champion fell at about the same time as the last bodyguard. The party now effectively had control of the baggage train with the food and water and the leadership of the column had been devastated. The survivors of the Orchish column, over 200, promptly surrendered (about 40-50 fled). At the same time the familiars/etc. watching the distant hill fort to be reported the shaman leader flew away to the West and the Orcish garrison fled into the hills, abandoning the slaves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The party gathered the approximately 375 total prisoners and rescued slaves together, secured all the Orcish weapons, took command of the massive Orcish supply wagons, and started for Wyvern Keep, sending ahead riders. It took weeks to get there, but the Orcs had come prepared to stock a fort, so there was ample food and enough water. One Orcish sergeant noted that fewer orcs died in the prisoner column in 20 days than died on the 20 days they'd marched as warriors! By the time the group reached Wyvern Keep about 50 Orcs had requested joining the Faith and had taken to cross tunic. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> About a week into the march a war band of hillmen encountered the column and volunteered to help escort - the 60 barbarian warriors made it a lot easier. One of the hillmen went off and in week two another 40 of them joined to help, as well. Losses to disease, encounters, and those fleeing into the hills were minimal and the Commander of Wyvern Keep sent about 140 Orcs to the mines and another 50 to Goblintown. Over 200 slaves (overwhelmingly humans, mainly Horse Keshi, with a large group of dwarves and a lone gnome) were freed and helped to their homes or set up to settle in Seaward.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The loot was impressive and the magic items nothing to sneer at. Several party members leveled up and went into training.</div>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-61521798046613562232022-08-23T07:25:00.003-07:002022-08-23T07:26:50.940-07:00Time After Time<p> I am currently running about 12 players in my AD&D 1e campaign in roughly 3 three groups.. This means that I must keep STRICT TIME RECORDS as gary mentions.</p><p> But why?</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p> Let's look at the very, very good example Gary gives us in the AD&D 1e Dungeon Master's Guide starting on page 27.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFIeTpmRZ8i5mcePDV87pqy3hB0MPDI28aBOCU8uVAAL_--MuctE5D2pxBhtrjLIAxBgvofaAWI0uK8Y-hLuUGAp7vDjpwRzVLnaWjH8OERlQHdO2UqXS8DHx6tacZINuP8I19VGIoETrSstZhR-mEvLgOfqUJKgIbczT12z1kLrhFKWhgObgb1ZN/s800/Time%20Example%20A.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="800" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFIeTpmRZ8i5mcePDV87pqy3hB0MPDI28aBOCU8uVAAL_--MuctE5D2pxBhtrjLIAxBgvofaAWI0uK8Y-hLuUGAp7vDjpwRzVLnaWjH8OERlQHdO2UqXS8DHx6tacZINuP8I19VGIoETrSstZhR-mEvLgOfqUJKgIbczT12z1kLrhFKWhgObgb1ZN/w400-h280/Time%20Example%20A.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p> This is solid and clear - two groups of players are mentioned and this is no overlap at this time. In session #1 Group 1 adventures to Game Day 50. In session #2 Group 2 starts on Game Day 51 and end on Game Day 54. In session #3 Group 3 starts on Game Day 55 because they were part of Group 1 and some time elapsed because their characters were not 'actively adventuring (i.e., in the middle of something in-game).</p><p> More from the example:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUttxkwKBCVrjqLd2mYCl8IgY_nb80QkSkJP3gOkfSJjCNt4dVK_2sOtYe1g7VYaO66JQ5Fd_KFcp_kOrDX2dKiuQdhR4owl4Y1l1jMKBkmMTcufCk03T7Bmtea6AyCQC3B4l3VI2Gro8uZjMB1fopZ-HuLLFq6Z2tq2gJTExXAqUasffRjjgzwWA9/s795/time%20example%20b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="795" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUttxkwKBCVrjqLd2mYCl8IgY_nb80QkSkJP3gOkfSJjCNt4dVK_2sOtYe1g7VYaO66JQ5Fd_KFcp_kOrDX2dKiuQdhR4owl4Y1l1jMKBkmMTcufCk03T7Bmtea6AyCQC3B4l3VI2Gro8uZjMB1fopZ-HuLLFq6Z2tq2gJTExXAqUasffRjjgzwWA9/w400-h150/time%20example%20b.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1lw4hGmUXI0V0ewT-pP0jQG6SOLzuSaQHaYSviGZU2_MUWqZGN-solqhglE924SOF1F1W54N1aSX8NWHTXWs3dcXiq4xCEKatme2mUnrczdxFjSgVfMninYE_g0W0nV2LdGRHyEW3-8HGct3sMvcQG7M3YIxnVbxnxb6aoN7Z1Ea-ajnI_0XusBQ/s789/time%20example%20c.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="789" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1lw4hGmUXI0V0ewT-pP0jQG6SOLzuSaQHaYSviGZU2_MUWqZGN-solqhglE924SOF1F1W54N1aSX8NWHTXWs3dcXiq4xCEKatme2mUnrczdxFjSgVfMninYE_g0W0nV2LdGRHyEW3-8HGct3sMvcQG7M3YIxnVbxnxb6aoN7Z1Ea-ajnI_0XusBQ/w400-h249/time%20example%20c.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p> In session #4 we finally get back to the last part of Group 1and he is now finishing his adventure which was 'frozen' at day 50 because his character was in the middle of an active adventure. Not in town, not training, etc., but 'on the road' where things like random encounters happen. While Real World days in between sessions added to Game Day count for the other groups they weren't 'actively adventuring' during those off days. At the end of session #4 Group 1 is on Game Day 75.</p><p> But Group 2 are on Game day 54 and Group 3 on Game Day 58 - they can't even talk to each other, really! </p><p> THAT is why you need to keep strict time records! So as they prepare for session #5 the players have an issue - the characters are separated by time. What to do?</p><p> Again, it is already right there. The adventurers in the 'back' (Game Day 54) could simply say,</p><p> "We wait in town until we meet Group 3"</p><p> i.e., 'skip forward' in Game Days so both groups are on Game Day 58. Indeed, both groups could decide to 'skip forward' in Game Days until all the characters are on Game Day 75 and any character can interact with any other.</p><p> This is also why all my players end up with multiple characters. Training, long journeys, etc. can isolate some characters in time. The massive Anniversary Game of 2022 was about a huge adventure for 10 characters that were 22 months "in the past" in Game Time! If every player has 2-4 characters the odds of them being 'time locked' so they cannot play decrease. It does mean the DM has to track more individual characters, though!</p><p>Just in these brief snippets of the example from the DMG you can see that time is not a bludgeon, but a tool. Gary shows us how to freeze time, speed time up, etc. so that it makes your world <i style="font-weight: bold;">internally consistent</i> without making time more important than players.</p><p> Gary mentioned the entire 'if no actual play is happened 1 Real World day = 1 Game Day' which is generally a good rule just like 'how long would it take me to empty a backpack? = 'let's empty a back pack in real time and see!'. It adds more verisimilitude to the game, forcefully reminds players that downtime activities are real, and helps keep the calendar of the game world running. But notice that while Gary's example of campaign time covers five game sessions (the 4 complete ones and the 5th about to start at the end) he mentions Real World time only once! Its obvious that he viewed this as just as subject to reason, playability, and things like real world illness and disasters.</p><span><!--more--></span>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-11838269601781715362022-07-21T09:19:00.001-07:002022-07-21T09:19:06.177-07:00Common Elements of Epic Adventures: Familiar Faces<p> For those that don't know I had a serious health crisis early in the year. I didn't cheat Death, but I did win on the long odds. Three times. So blogging was light.</p><p> Returning to my discussion of <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2022/04/common-elements-of-epic-adventures.html">Epic Adventures</a> let me address the first element I think they have in common: the characters are neither low nor very high level. </p><p> This doesn't mean 'start the PCs at 5th level so they can be <i style="font-weight: bold;">epic</i>!!'. This means that the PCs have to grow into their own as well as into the campaign. Among the concepts of my gaming philosophy [<a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2022/04/psychotronic-gaming-status-quo-is-enemy.html">Psychotronic Gaming</a>] is the ideas that PCs drive action and that status quo is the enemy. Combined with the rest this means that as PCs start, level up, grow, and develop they inevitably change the campaign and grow to be a part of it. Verisimilitude and <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2020/04/if-your-torches-burn-for-only-one-hour.html">resource management</a> effectively forces the PCs to have their own individual, unique relationships with multiple NPCs ranging from hirelings and henchmen to mayors and sages. In the end after 2-4 Real World years of gaming the PCs are integrally part of the campaign such that what their actions and fates matter to the campaign as a whole.</p><p> There are no shortcuts to this. This is something that is organic to the "process" of RPG campaigns. Like true inside jokes. in-group jargon, etc. it can only healthily develop and 'set' over time and with familiarity. Just making a mid-level character and slapping them into a contrived huge battle to save the world is going to have the elements of an epic adventure but won't be one.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tlzJpWrUqDk" width="320" youtube-src-id="tlzJpWrUqDk"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> Many bad movies have the elements of a good movie: established, well-known actors; famous writers; famous directors; etc.; yet miss the mark and are, well - junk. Do people watch it? Sure. Might it be a cult film? Yes. But that is NOT because it is epic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l1SZ4ccagFQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="l1SZ4ccagFQ"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div> Just like a lot of creative endeavors/art quality and expertise <a href="https://anchor.fm/rick-stump/episodes/Episode-12-Patience-and-Practice-e1ku5rr">takes lots of time</a> and practice and that includes with individual characters within an RPG campaign. Relationships between PCs and between PCs and NPCs alone take a lot of time! <div><br /></div><div> This means the build up to a truly epic adventure is going to take years of Real World time. The good news is, those years will be full of great fun with friends.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next time: why you can never plan an Epic Adventure.</div>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-86258702437376416722022-05-04T07:40:00.003-07:002022-05-04T07:40:55.125-07:00Back in the Day: Playing The Never Used Rules<p> As most everyone who finds this obscure blog knows I started playing OD&D in 1977 and switched to AD&D 1e in 1979 and have been playing 1e ever since. In August of 2022 my 1e campaign, still running, turns 43 years old.<br /><br /> Online I see a lot of statements that are variations of, 'I am certain that no one ever used [AD&D rule X]', usually met with choruses of approval. So let me tell you the rules I used then and now!</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Grappling, Pummeling, and Overbearing:</u> Always used them. As a matter of fact, overbearing was a critical element of the fight in <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2021/07/dm-report-expedition-to-eagle-valley.html">Eagle Valley</a>. The base numbers are super-simple to pre-calculate and if you understand the rules it is as fast as any other combat.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Encumbrance, Rations, Light Source Duration:</u> Not only have I always used these rules, they are <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2020/04/if-your-torches-burn-for-only-one-hour.html">critical to the game</a>!</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Maximum Level of Spell Knowable, Maximum Spells Knowable per Level, Spell Components, Chance to Learn, etc.:</u> These rules are very important to make magic-users work right and I have always used them.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Armor Type Adjustments, Weapon Speed, Area Needed by Weapon:</u> Always used them as one of my players <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2017/09/guest-post-beauty-of-weapon-selection.html">pointed out</a>. If used it means more weapons than you think are great weapons.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Maintenance Costs, Training Costs, Training Time, and Modifying Training Time:</u> I have always used them, although I did adjust maintenance and training costs for some classes, like monk.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Psionics:</u> Always used them, although the tiny handful of PCs with psionics <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2014/11/monsters-from-id.html">sometimes wish</a> they didn't have them.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Reaction, Morale, and Loyalty Checks:</u> Like Grappling, etc., the modifiers are easily pre-calculated and with practice the use of <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2016/05/misunderstood-and-improperly-played.html">these rules</a> is very fast and smooth.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Race and Sex based limits to Attributes, Classes, and Levels:</u> Again, always used them, still use them with some modifications. For example, very recently a half-elven ranger in Seaward went to 7th level because the character had earned 5 times the normal amount of experience to go from 6th to 7th.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Initiative, Combat Sequence, and Segments:</u> By 1982 I began experimenting with initiative rules and went through at least 5 major variations of initiative by 1988 until I settled on one that is very close to the rules in the book with a few exceptions. So I have played by the book, otherwise, and am now virtually by the book. I have always preferred segments and my players will tell you I 'count segments' as a way to manage and speed up combat.</p><p>I probably missed a few, so let me know what other rules you have questions about.</p><p>And I was never alone! I have many friends from then and now that used/use these rules!</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-59995121492532218742022-04-26T07:35:00.004-07:002022-04-26T07:35:25.889-07:00Psychotronic Gaming: Status Quo is the Enemy<p> A key element of <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2019/06/atlantaverse-psychotronic-world-building.html">Psychotronic Gaming</a> is that <b>change must occur</b>. </p><p> There is a tendency for campaign settings to remain static, especially mass-produced settings - the same king is King of Kingdom X; the same Cleric is Theocrat of Y; the same dragon menaces trade along the coast of Z; etc.</p><p> This seems very close to how comic book continuity morphed from a tool to allow better storytelling into a straight-jacket that suffocates innovation. In Marvel Comics the Fantastic Four always got their powers about 17 years ago and in DC Superman made his debut as Superman about 10 years ago - <i>forever.</i></p><p> If you want your TTRPG campaign to last you <b>CANNOT</b> do this! Change is as critical as keeping <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2021/06/oneof-things-gary-emphasized-most.html">strict time records</a>!</p><p> Here is an example from Seaward.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p> Every one to three years I review all my encounter charts and such for, well, essentially everything. In 2017 I slightly modified the Briars encounter charts to reflect the fact that no players had been there in so long. Many of the powerful monsters and NPCs in the region had grown even more powerful and even the minor monsters were flourishing. The main chart (I use cascading encoutner charts) looked like this:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2meI8H5ZFmvNazUcaGwoCiZ9YjBm0CTD9zexRa_eQX87Rw9_EhsM1TYalpWI80_rijVWgTMYdpAR8dpGh_R6HkMfUp_aDGuU-EiqswPohUTNYDMjILK7pfvkxdYS1GJGtAjnjcw1CNUWikbOLT7E73WLObL99tPNpfUABg2yPYTffk5UxB5woC51Z/s1066/encounter%20A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="1066" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2meI8H5ZFmvNazUcaGwoCiZ9YjBm0CTD9zexRa_eQX87Rw9_EhsM1TYalpWI80_rijVWgTMYdpAR8dpGh_R6HkMfUp_aDGuU-EiqswPohUTNYDMjILK7pfvkxdYS1GJGtAjnjcw1CNUWikbOLT7E73WLObL99tPNpfUABg2yPYTffk5UxB5woC51Z/w375-h181/encounter%20A.JPG" width="375" /></a></div><br /><p> Not a fun chart to be on the receiving end of, but it reflected how the Briars were at the time.</p><p> In the period of 2017 - 2020 the players went through 4 years of game time, including a massive 16 month of game time mapping expedition on the Briars that drastically changed the entire area. The PCs wiped out a massive goblin tribe, two tribes of kobolds, and all three nests of trolls, not to mention the named monsters Ol' Knobby and Ol' One Fang! Shortly after that they killed the thrid, and last, named monster of the Briars, the Red Maiden. So in 2020 I had to re-write the enounter charts to reflect these radical changes. For the last two years the main chart for the Low Briars has looked like this:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kvMJmfMh1xQsQx0ZcXCwznyR4jKDkSgAU6RZd6CNJK9wTD5TKroW2mRfIYzLyCJJObBRm8XpxM0Bq3N8n1jFAEKNUKEGtl0ue7HdjnND27zEOPKYTLH_Re6Vh2UEKTBuXDoAv5TdGNgFFfsAnEtJxZWSBMgwyG0cHLyHwGg4ecWemVQod2QFKEc-/s576/Encounter%20B.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="576" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kvMJmfMh1xQsQx0ZcXCwznyR4jKDkSgAU6RZd6CNJK9wTD5TKroW2mRfIYzLyCJJObBRm8XpxM0Bq3N8n1jFAEKNUKEGtl0ue7HdjnND27zEOPKYTLH_Re6Vh2UEKTBuXDoAv5TdGNgFFfsAnEtJxZWSBMgwyG0cHLyHwGg4ecWemVQod2QFKEc-/s320/Encounter%20B.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Because of these changes the Briars are dangerous in a very different way. Now that the kobolds aren't around to steal their webs and burn out their nests the giant spiders are flourishing. Trolls no longer raid the nests of giant ants for their eggs, so giant ant hills are spreading. And so on. </p><p> Then some players decided to really throw in a wrench and brought NPC druids not just into the Briars (they had been there) but into Skull Mountain! This is also changing the dynamic and erasing the status quo. Why am I sharing these encounter charts where my players can see them?</p><p> Because this weekend they change again to reflect the new realities of the campaign world.</p><p>Is change a lot more work than maintaining the status quo? Of course! But the results are a rich, engaging campain that lasts longer.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-20269628331465861042022-04-21T06:40:00.002-07:002022-04-21T06:40:31.075-07:00Common Elements of Epic Adventures<p> Returning to more frequent blogging after a critical illness, I hope that you remember that I was just starting a series on <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2021/12/new-blogging-arc-epic-adventures.html">Epic</a> <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2021/12/epic-adventures-few-examples.html">Adventures</a> before I was taken ill. This is what is often called a 'setup post' - I am discussing what I will be discussing in future articles.</p><p> In reviewing the common elements in the various epic adventures I have played in or run I have identified a few common elements they seem to share. To wit:</p><p>1) The player characters are neither new nor high-level. What I mean is it appears that the 'sweet spot' of the most epic adventures involves PCs of 4th to 8th level. Competent but nor overwhelming.</p><p>2) Treasure is not a primary motivation. While there is almost always a lot of sweet loot involved <i>after</i> the adventure is over, the motivation for the adventure is never primarily treasure.</p><p>3) They involve large numbers of characters and/or NPCs, usually enough combatants to make mass combat a necessary element of play. </p><p>4) The stakes are high. 'Failure = guaranteed TPK' is usually the <b>minimum</b> threshold for an adventure to be epic.</p><p>5) The outcome is unpredictable. Even if the PCs do everything they can to stack the deck in their favor no one, including the DM, is sure who will win.</p><p>6) They involve NPCs familiar to the players. Not as universal as the others, this seems to make it easier for an adventure to be epic.</p><p> Over the next few weeks I will be blogging nd podcasting about these individual elements.</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-58042414393230949022022-03-17T10:53:00.005-07:002022-03-17T10:53:43.068-07:00Slowly Turns the Tide<p> Back when I started this blog almost nine years ago (hard to believe!) I had never really combined the internet and RPGs. I hadn't ever gone to an RPG forum (and now post about once a year on HERO Games forums). I hadn't ever done much, if anything, on Facebook RPG groups. Heck, I had no idea what Dragonsfoot was until a month before I started this blog! I had made a Google+ account and found out that there were a ton of RPGers there, started this blog, and perused some of the internet's RPG resources.</p><p> There were plenty of blogs and many of the good ones are still around, and have been joined by new good ones. G+ had a ton of good discussions. But I was disconnected from a ton of gaming at the time. I was clueless that the Forge was ever a thing and didn't know how weird people could be, although I learned fast - it is long deleted, but when I did a review of the free 5e PDF and concluded that the free PDF didn't include all the rules I received death threats in my comments. Not tongue in cheek, either.</p><p> But 95% of my online RPG experience has been terrific, with 4% meh and 1% totally messed up. Nice ratio.</p><p> But there is one odd thing to me. When I started writing here a lot of what I was writing about was seen as radical, weird, and impossible. Back in 21013 when I wrote about how I essentially require all players to have and use multiple characters each the G+ crowd concluded I was loopy. Same results from the same year when I discussed strict encumbrance as needed. And my discussion of the centrality of disease rules, parasite rules, strict time records, henchmen, hirelings, sages, and so on. Likewise, when I rejected RPGs being about storytelling and discussed 'emerging narratives' versus pre-planned there has always been a ton of push-back. My instance that alignment, encounter checks, and on and on and on all had a lot of dissent and few supporters. </p><p> This varies a bit. Why? Over time as I keep mentioning these things and explaining why they are important with examples more and more people have come to agree with me. And many of them spread these ideas on their own, convincing others. </p><p> Slowly, but seemingly constantly, the ideas and concepts I learned in the '70's and early '80's are spreading again. Convinging people to try the old ways again. It took 7 years but I finally convinced someone to play AD&D 1e ("it is unplayable!" they repeated told be for more than half a decade) and now they call AD&D 1e "how to really learn to play D&D".</p><p> I see the future as less Restoration and more just Original.</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-47908706441475743472022-01-02T12:35:00.002-08:002022-01-02T15:10:20.540-08:00The WASP War, an Atlantaverse Update<p> Strap in, folks, this is the summary of 8 years of roleplaying. Back in 2013 I started a new Champions campaign with my oldest sons and many of their friends. They players have changed and everyone followed my 'every players has multiple characters' rule, <u style="font-weight: bold;">and</u> we ended up with multiple games with multiple GMs in a shared universe, so there have been a LOT of PC heroes! The 8 years of real time have equaled about 8 years of game time, for various fun reasons involving session timing. Because of a statement made by a player in 2014 we started calling this sprawling shared shared campaign the Atlantaverse.</p><p> When I started the campaign I made a new, unique setting of an Earth like ours that had minor history divergences in 1801 and 1908 and a major one in 1938. By the time the first game started in-universe in 2013 the Atlantaverse had superheroes, supervillains, mages, aliens, and trans-dimensional visitors. The United States in-universe is a parliamentary system with 3 major and 7 minor political parties. And so on. All told with the contributions of players and other GMs the Atlantaverse grew so big, so complex, and so interconnected that my licensed setting book will be released in 2022.</p><p> But one of the antagonists in the Atlantaverse, the first villains they ever faced, is WASP. WASP is a mysterious international organization that combines organized crime, terrorism, radical ideology, and cybercrime. Their uniformed agents are about on par with the soldiers of standing armies but armed with bleeding-edge weapons, allowing them to go toe-to-toe with any conventional forces and win. Their elite troops are bionically and genetically enhanced and have even better armor and weapons, making them equal to low-level supervillains. Divided into cells that make it virtually impossible to attack the organization as a while WASP has been a thorn in the side of the heroes from literally Day One of the campaign. Their secret origin is available to my patrons on my Patreon page (see the sidebar).<br /><br /> So the players all agreed that their long-erm goal was to take down all of WASP. This weekend, they succeeded. This is a summary of what the in-universe press calls the WASP War.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>It all started in the Spring of 2013 when the superheroes Alien Hunter, Crusader, Gale, Kaleidoscope, Bone, and Nighthawk rescued the alien (and later superhero member of the party) Nova from WASP while they were attacking a local WASP cell. Beginning to grasp the size and power of WASP and the threat it represented they party, naming themselves the Champions of Atlanta, swore to take down all of WASP.</p><p>In the eight years since the only superhero currently a member of the Champions who ever worked with an original member is Flaming Hammer, but he faked his own death, redid his powers, got a new name, and can't tell anyone this! But the constant war on WASP continued, and spread to super teams in The San Fran Bay area, Hudson City, the Gulf of Mexico, and more. Cell after cell was hit, plot after heist after blackmail attempt thwarted.</p><p>WASP had agents *everywhere* and they weren't jokes. But the Champions kept hitting them hard and then they seemed to anger the Fourth Reich, which is a Bad Idea. Then, in a surprise move, WASP got their team of supervillains back. Insectus was a group of supervillains that worked with WASP in the 1980's to great effect, but they all left as a team to join a new leader, Black Scorpion, and work for themselves. In 2015 Black Scorpion died. The remaining members killed his wife, Black Widow, and returned to WASP. WASP promptly had several of their agents become new villains with gear. The new Insectus (Tarantula, Iron Wasp, Steel Beetle, Killer Bee, and Firefly) made things a lot more complicated for the heroes.</p><p>But then something unusual happened. During a side mission Crusader met a South American philanthropist and the two of them became friends. The philanthropist began relaying data about WASP to Crusader. fter a while (about a year) Crusader realized that the philanthropist was Oberst Sturm. Realizing WASP was a common enemy Crusader continued to relay the information helping to cripple WASP.</p><p>Various PCs all over the campaign world suddenly found themselves trying to solve two puzzles:<br />1) How to penetrate the WASP computer nodes, a sophisticated computer network no one had ever been able to access, and<br />2) how was the Fourth Reich so powerful and ubiquitous when no training, manufacturing, research, or residential base had ever been found?<br />Then a break came; a superhero team recovered some of the Fourth Reich's super-strong reichsmetall. NPCs were able to break it down and discovered that the two main materials involved were elements never before seen and that once separated the alloy could not be made. One of the players deduced that the Fourth Reich is no based primarily in an alternate dimension with slightly different physical laws.</p><p>What followed was a veritable explosion of side-missions, one-shots, solos, and more involving everything from vampires to propeller-driven bullet trains deep beneath the Earth, to time travel to meeting Sturm's daughter at a disco. All the while the various PCs kept hitting WASP and wiping out bases. Then very recently two major discoveries were made.</p><p>The one that has the biggest future implications is the Hollow Earth. The players now know that there are no less than 4 subterranean portals where you can travel to an alternate dimension ['Gamma Prime'] that is a perfect imitation of a hollow earth where North America is a vast sea but the Atlantic is a land mass. A long-range expedition found a variety of civilizations there including (which they learned of but did not visit) Neue Germania, home to the 4-7 million citizens of the Fourth Reich.<br /></p><p>The one that was the most critical short-term was discovering that the WASP node network was reverse-engineered alien tech. Animus, the living mainframe, and several others (including TechnoShaman, the teen hero) were able to gain access and learned the secrets of WASP [see my Patreon page for a separate document about that]. Suddenly aware of every single WASP base in the world, including their headquarters, the players worked with NPCs to attack WASP HQ as every nest n the world was hit by police and military units.</p><p>But that was going to happen 'off-screen'. Yes, off-screen, in the background.</p><p></p><blockquote>Little side tale. One of the original characters in the Champions of Atlanta was Flaming Hammer. His backstory grew organically but he was originally an agent for families that wanted a return of the Polish King working within the Polish Republic in 1936. The Republic sent him deep cover into the Soviet Union in 1938 where, while undercover, he was selected for the Soviet Super Soldier program and survived, going on to be trained in hand-to-hand fighting by Sturm himself. As a member of the Super Soldiers he passed on a lot of intelligence to the Allies. He also participated in the Fall of Berlin and killed the Ubermensch Eisinshark outside of Hitler's Bunker.<br /> When the war ended Stalin promptly had every super soldier but The People's Warrior put into suspended animation. Flaming Hammer was found and woken up in 2013 and sent to the Temporal Displacement Counseling Center in Atlanta. In 2015 he worked with ICICLE to fake his own death and returned with new power armor and a new identity as Silver Eagle.<br /> During the build up to the WASP HQ assault Silver Eagle met with two high-level ICICLE agents and realized they were Geist and Alptraum, members of Sturm's StormWolves! The two ubermesch scanned his mind and discovered al of the secrets of his past, including that he had opposed the Soviets.<br /> They explained to him that he could help. Sturm himself maintained contact with the surface world for three reasons: first, to protect Earth from alien threats like the Chak'Gur or extinction-level events; second, to oppose Communism; third, to find a way to return his wife, Valkyrie, to his side. But they also explained that a powerful faction inside the FR, the Technocrats, were still fiercely dedicated to conquering the surface world.<br />Unfortunately, the leader of the technocrats is Dr Wunder, the only surviving original Ubermensch other than Sturm, and with a very loyal following, including Donner. Further, the Technocrats would need a leader and that had to be someone they respected.</blockquote><p></p><p>The cover story was that a platoon of Task Force Able (the American super-soldier unit) and some Champions were going to South America to strike at WASP. In reality they were heading to Antarctica to make sure the Fourth Reich didn't take advantage of the massive concentration of ICICLE and Superhero assets. Paladin, Squire, Botanist, and Silver Eagle accompanied them is a separate dropship.</p><p> Tsk Force Able was ambushed by the Fourth Reich almost immeditely but were using non-lethal weapons and disabling attacks. Paladin, Squire, Silver Eagle, and Botanist faced Sr Wunder, Donner, and 4 bodyguards alone - until Amazing Man arrowed in at high sped and began dueling Donner! What followed as a few turns of intense super-fighting. Wunder's disintegrator blaster barely missed Paladin, but atomized a tank. Silver Eagle engaged the (effectively minor supervilains) bodyguards as Botanist and Squire helped back up Paladin. The bodyguards were very good at tying up Silver Eagle even if doing no serious damage. Wunder's superweapons were completely unusual and the PCs struggled to deal with things and ongoing intelligence drains, and Wunder was cackling with glee. Nearby the intense fighting between Amazing Man and Donner was causing sonic booms, earth tremors, and vast clouds of debris.</p><p>The Squire noted that Wunder's goggles were <i>doing things</i> and started using her technopathy on them. Wunder stopped laughing and got <b>mean</b> but Squire kept turning off his AI assistants and tracking gear, meaning his ability to fight was going down and down. </p><p>Then she turned off the remote combat assistance he was giving Donner.</p><p>Wunder's emergency personal forcefield kicked in and it looked like he would escape when Oberst Sturm emerged from his hiding place and destroyed the shell, handing Wunder to the heroes. At about the same time Amazing Man arrived with Donner as his prisoner. Both of the brinks were in bad shape and each would need a month in the hospital to recover from the brawl.</p><p>Sturm congratulated them all, gave tokens of appreciation to the Champions, spoke quietly with Amazing Man, then left with his troops.</p><p></p><blockquote><p>Player Quote: </p><p style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 137%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span> </span><span> </span> </span><span> </span>Y'know,
I think that what's so brilliant about Oberst Sturm as a character is
that <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>he is, very simply, a supervillain: he's also the most
successful supervillain simply <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>because he knows how and when not to
be evil</span></span></p>
<ol>
<p style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 137%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;">‘<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cause
like, honestly, making the heroes his enemies would inevitably end
in his downfall. Maybe it still should, honestly</span></span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 137%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But
he keeps maneuvering us into these spots where we think "nah
its easier and better for literally everyone to just let him walk"</span></span></p>
<p style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 137%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And
the end result is that he keeps getting us into spots where we HELP
him.</span></span></p></ol></blockquote><p>Elsewhere the War on WASP was wrapping up. the results included, among other things, Four dead superheroes. Blue Blazes and Shadowman died in Indonesia, American Eagle and Crusader died in Switzerland. As American Eagle were members of the official United States Superhero team [the Sentinels] and died in the attack on the WASP HQ they were given a state funeral.</p><p><br /></p><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><u><b></b></u></span></span></p><blockquote><p align="center" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><u><b>Super
News Network<br />
</b></u>Broadcast
from December 31<sup>st</sup>,
2021</span></span></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[The
SNN logo appears, but instead of gold on blue, it is black on white.
The music is much more somber than usual]<br />
[The scene cuts to a
live feed of a cemetery packed with people. Two open graves, each
with a casket suspended over them, are visible. There is a large
steel box at the head of each casket]<br />
[The caption reads: “Fallen
Heroes Laid to Rest”]<br />
[The voices of the anchors can be heard.
Both are hushed and subdued]<br />
Annie Smith: “Permission for
cameras was just given, so we are joining the funeral of American
Eagle and Crusader live.”<br />
Eric Davies: “The Head of the UN
has finished his remarks, following a quiet but moving speech from
the American President.”<br />
Annie: “This is the first time two
members of the same superteam have died at the same time since the
Chak’Gur invasion and the first time two Sentinels have died since
WWII. Some have said that the defeat of WASP is an event as momentous
as the repulse of the Chak’Gur and an event only made possible by
the great sacrifices made.”<br />
Eric: “We showed you footage of
the funerals of the soldiers killed in the same battles earlier in
the week and today, also laid to rest as heroes. But today’s
funeral at the Chak’Gur Defense Memorial is also the first time
since the funeral of Amazing Man that two heroes have been laid to
rest here.”<br />
Annie: “Both superheores are being added to the
Field of the Fallen, making them only the 9<sup>th</sup>
and 10<sup>th</sup>
burials here.”<br />
Bob: “The chaplain of the UN is now giving
the brief eulogy for both men.”</span></span></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[a
20 minute eulogy
follows]<br />
Annie:
“After
those words you see the Heads of State of 9 nations join the Head of
the UN speaking to and comforting the family of American Eagle. As
Crusader has no known family instead the world leaders are speaking
with the surviving Sentinels and the members of the Champions,
Crusader’s first team, that could make it.”<br />
Bob: “Thuderclap
is here from San Francisco, and so is Mandible. Gale, who last week
re-released her iconic dress but in black, did not attend.”<br />
Annie:
“Many of the Champions are still recovering from injuries they
sustained as they fought alongside Amazing Man in Antarctica. Amazing
Man himself was not released to attend by his doctors due to the
extent of his injuries.”<br />
Bob: “Now you see the Sentinels
Lady Liberty and Amazing Woman bringing large bags of mail to the
grave sides. As has been tradition since the funeral of Amazing Man
in 1986 the many letters sent to the fallen heroes are buried,
unread, in special cases that will be buried beneath the heroes
caskets.”</span></span></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Annie:
“All electronic messages are, likewise unread, added in flash
storage and placed with the letters.”<br />
Bob: “Now those in
attendance can add their letters to the two boxes.”</span></span></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[15
minutes of attendees adding letters]<br />
Annie:
“As usual, the caskets will be lowered into concrete-encased
infragilis casements, then sealed with an infragilis cap, then more
concrete will top the casement to prevent desecration of the
bodies.”<br />
[20 minutes of the caskets being lowered as jets fly
overhead and cannons are discharged. A military band plays “Amazing
Grace” with bagpipes.]</span></span></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Bob:
Now as the attendees we can see just how respected these heroes were
and remain. 6 members of the Amazing Family, a representative from
virtually every superteam and nation on earth, and many billionaires
and industrialists.”<br />
Annie: “Among well-wishers and
attendees were three surprises. First, Hashimori Namanato, the second
superhuman named Kamikaze and who fought the fist American Eagle in
1944 and 1945, attended and placed a bouquet of flowers on both
caskets as symbols from the Japanese Emperor. Hashimori is 106 years
old, and the oldest person here.”</span></span></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[scenes
of an extremely old man in a wheelchair. He has oxygen hoses into his
nostrils]<br />
Bob:
“The second surprise was Zephyr, the last surviving member of the
Fab Five.”</span></span></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[scene
of a woman in her late 70’s in costume and using a cane]<br />
Annie:
“And last was the attendance of Ben Talbot. The billionaire
industrialist and inventor has not been seen in public since March of
2009 and the funeral of his business partner Aaron Aames.”</span></span></p><p>
</p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">[Scene
of a handsome man of around 60 in an expensive suit]<br />
Bob:
“coming up nest, we interview people that worked with or were saved
by American Eagle and Crusader. Then our analysts will discuss the
changes facing the Sentinels as America’s National Team.”</span></span></p></blockquote><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">But someone knew a secret.<br /></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Silver Eagle, the man that has spent almost 100 years living under false identities, received a letter the day of the funeral. A letter from Crusader. After corresponding with Sturm for so long, getting to know the details of the Reich, he had cut a deal.</p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><u>Crusader</u> was the one that arranged for the Champions to ambush and capture Wunder and Donner. <u>Crusader</u> had tipped off Amazing man that Donner would be there. <u>Crusader</u> was the one that ensure Silver Eagle was known to the Reich as never being a soviet. </p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">Crusader had cut a deal with Sturm. Crusader faked his own death and <i><b>joined Sturm in the Hollow Earth</b>. </i>He is taking over as head of technology under the promise that Neue Germania will only go to the surface world to fight aliens or prevent mass extinction. He is also joining the StormWolves to replace Wunder. And he is getting his superhero contacts to try to get Valkyrie back from the Realms of Legends. The price of peace is the death of Crusader and the birth of Der Sturmritter, and he paid it.<br /><br /></p><p align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">GM's note: When Cruader's player told the others what his character had done there were multiple audible gasps at the table!</p><ol><p style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 137%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p>
</ol>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-22850580365337929592021-12-09T05:06:00.004-08:002022-04-21T06:29:42.031-07:00Epic Adventures: A Few Examples<p> I spoke with a number of players, both those currently active and those from the past(!) about adventures they felt were epic, the sorts of adventures yu still talk about years later. They all pretty much agreed on a list of the most epic adventures, which follows.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vcvdrIqDpcE/YbH_oCvKrTI/AAAAAAAAOrE/76S4GhsbrDAAc7RXvr_pFmxaoWYuINj9wCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1403" data-original-width="2048" height="219" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vcvdrIqDpcE/YbH_oCvKrTI/AAAAAAAAOrE/76S4GhsbrDAAc7RXvr_pFmxaoWYuINj9wCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /><br />Most recent epic adventure - the Battle of Eagle Valley. After over 7 years of real-world build up the party and allied armies faced the army of the Bandit Duke. Play report <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2021/07/dm-report-expedition-to-eagle-valley.html">here</a>. A combination of intrigue, spy catching, mass combat, and multiple duels.</p><p>The epic adventure that everyone thought was going to be a TPK without being a TPK - the Assault on Lord Whitehill's Castle. <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2019/07/dm-report-seaward-south-ford-of-white.html">This</a> is the lead up to the adventure and a full podcast of the main adventure will be made soon. Several large-scale battles culminating in the siege of a mighty fortress, an assault, and the toughest PC party vs NPC party they players have ever seen.</p><p>The largest scale epic adventure - the Elvish-Orcish War. A description with mass combat notes is <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2013/07/dms-log-blackstone-campaign-group-1.html">here</a>. A series of ambushes and skirmishes ending with a massive battle between two armies as PCs attempted to swing the results to a win for the good guys.</p><p>The most epic Defend the Fortress session - the Defense of J.C.'s Castle, described <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2015/08/tales-from-table-number-23-and-how-npcs.html">here</a>. Mass combat, snipers, and holding the breach!</p><p>The most epic TPK ever - A forthcoming podcast will tell this tale. A party that took scouting too far and a desperate Last Stand of 6 PCs and their henchmen against an entire army.</p><p>The epic adventure everyone, and I mean everyone, thought was most epic - the Battle of Tolmar. Described <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2015/01/dms-play-report-from-blackstone-i.html">here</a> and <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2015/05/dms-play-report-from-blackstone-i.html">here</a>. This one had it all; death priests, mass combat, dodging patrols of ghouls, duels of honor, ambushes, and more. </p><p> Please at least glance at one or two in preparation of my upcoming notes on how to make an epic adventure.</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-68360138531110209302021-12-06T06:15:00.001-08:002021-12-06T06:15:08.797-08:00New Blogging Arc - Epic Adventures!<p> By special request I am doing an arc on epic adventures. To prepare for this I have spent a few days talking to current and former players about the adventures they felt were the biggest, baddest, and most epic. From them I have picked a few examples and will use them to describe how you can run the sorts of sessions that players talk about 30 years later!</p><p> To pass this along I will start with a few posts and podcasts about examples of epic adventures. Then I will discuss the elements I think are <u>required</u> to make an epic adventure. Then some discussion of the <u>options</u> that can take the epic to the unforgettable. Finally I will wrap up with a live Q&A about adventure design. </p><p> Stay tuned for more details!</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-37800136467292737342021-11-27T09:34:00.003-08:002021-11-27T09:35:32.856-08:00Play report: Blackstone<p> On Black Friday we had a long, involved session set in Blackstone, my AD&D 2e Players Option campaign, which is 14 years old ('the new campaign').</p><p>The party:<br />Disco (6th level fighter, master of the battle axe) [Alex]<br />Joan (6th level cleric, front line fighter) [Jen]<br />Albrecht (6th level mage, creator of the School of Healing) [Jack]<br />Alazne (7th level thief, assistant guildmaster of East Port) [Sam]<br />Lawrence (6th level mage, master of Song magic) [Nick]</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Background: After a long trek to the northern wastes the party was ble to meet the fabled Green Empress who was in the process of leaving for a different plane of existence. She asked them to take Whitestaff, the most powerful holy sword ever made, and 'put it in a safe place'. They attempted to have the Holy Inquisition take it to the Holy City. But the Inquisition's ship was turned back by the Crimson Pirates of the Undying Witch-King. The party is resolved to take it themselves.</p><p> In the meantime Morro, the Mage-Assassin of the Lord of the Fire Spire, had attempted to buy a Helm of Teleportation from the party that was given to them by the Green Empress. The offered price was shockingly high so Alazne (who owns it) refused and did research. He soon learned that if the wearer uttered a command word before Teleporting it would take him and those that go with him to the Flint Skies!</p><p></p><blockquote>Referenced in the oldest known writings of the Emerald Empire and in obscure books on arcane lore the Flint Skies are associated with the ancient Stone Age Jade Empire. No one is really sure exactly what the Flint Skies really <i>are</i>. It is assumed it is a location, but what kind is unknown. The most common theory is that it is a massive series of caverns, but some conjecture it is a doorway to an air node on the Plane of Elemental Earth and others think it is an ancient temple or pyramid.</blockquote><p></p><p>The party hired the ship The Laughing parrot, captained by a man named Betelgeuse, to get them to the Holy City, beginning a 20 day sea voyage. Most of it was very mundane with the occasional stop to trade with sea elves. The three major encounters-</p><p> A few days out the ship was attacked by a Giant Sea Slug that caused some hull damage and killed a number of crew. The party simply closed and hacked it at it attempted to capsize the ship. Tough fight, but good.<br /><br /> In the middle of he voyage the lookout screamed out a warning - one of the Accursed Pirate Ships of Tolmar was closing on the Laughing Parrot! Surrounded by a magical fog the ship was silhouetted by the setting sun, the bloody glow revealing the tattered sails and undead crew mustering for a nighttime attack. <br /> Crewed by juju zombies and sea zombies the warrant officers were wights, the first mate a wraith, and the captain a vampire! The crew of the Laughing Parrot remained resolved and began firing their mangonel at the rapidly advancing ship, but the missile bounced off the accursed hull! Jen tried something and had Joan cast Bless on three of the catapult stones, all of which hit and did damage, slowing down pursuit!<br /> But not enough.<br /> Soon the accursed ship was in range and its figurehead began firing bolts of fire from its eyes into the rigging of the Laughing Parrot. Realizing the fight was probably unwinnable Albrecht drew his Luck Blade and Wished for a waterspout (akin to the 8th level spell). The waterspout appeared instantly and rushed to engulf the accursed ship. The vampire captain launched himself toward the Laughing parrot with magic and immediately engaged the party in melee, laying about with a cutlass that crackled with black energy.<br /> Alazne was struck by the cutlass twice, but his Bone Ring negated the level drain. Within just 2 rounds the vampire was forced to become mist. A Gust of Wind from Lawrence forced the mist close to the waterspout that had already annihilated the accursed ship and the party watched the 300 moh winds shred the vampire.<br /><br />Just 2 days away from the port of the Holy City the Laughing parrot came upon one of the ships of the Crimson Pirates attacking a Vatican ship! Once again the crew of the Laughing Parrot was fired up and immediately agreed to close with the pirates, Within 15 minutes the crews was exchanging short bow shots with a few pirates and soon thereafter the Laughing parrot and party were closing for boarding action.<br /> Visible on the enemy ship were a captain (wearing only pantaloons and a sash, armed with a cutlass), a Master of Crimson Mages, and 4 Crimson Mages. Fully 30 of pirates were still on their own ship, the other 15 fighting on the Vatican ship they were attacking.<br /> As they closed Lawrence used a Horn of Valhalla to call 8 einherjar to the forecastle of the pirate ship while Disco & Alazne used magic to get to the pirate ship a round early. As the boarding planks dropped Albrecht's henchman Tessa, a paladin, suddenly drew Whitestaff (she was carrying it as they approached) and, obviously under command of the holy blade, leapt into the fray with great power.<br /> A lot went on, most especially a Web spell neutralizing 3 of the mages and cutting the two ships off from each other and Joan's henchman Barbara neutralizing the spell that was demoralizing the crew of the Vatican ship, allowing the same to fight at full effect.<br /> Alazne used magic items and guile to neutralize and eventually kill the Master Mage and his personal assistant mage. Which was good because Joan, Disco, and Joan's half-ogre henchman Grippir were getting a full-on beat down by the pirate captain! The entire party was so stunned by how hard the captain was outclassing them in melee they damn near fell back, especially when Disco <i style="font-weight: bold;">went down</i>!!!!But they pulled it out and finally cut down the pirate leader. <br /></p><p> Albrecht patched up the wounded, especially Disco, the Vatican crew executed the remaining pirates, and the party finally reached the Holy City.</p><p>In the Holy City Whitestaff was given to the marshal of the Holy Military Order, the party had a curse lifted (they didn't even know about) from the accursed ship, and everyone but Disco and Alazne leveled up. They were able to use the Vatican Library to figure out a few command words (including the helmet!) and they sailed back home. the return trip was must less eventful with only a few monster of the day encounters that were quickly resolved.</p><p><br /></p><p>More soon!</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-41826053134919182782021-11-27T08:17:00.002-08:002021-11-27T08:17:20.031-08:00Atlantaverse: Massive Update <p> Hello, all! Over the last 60 days we've done about 12 Champions sessions from San Mateo to Atlanta to Teens. Some of these had play reports on the Discord, others for Patrons only, and a few will be in upcoming podcasts. Here are some of the highlights.</p><p>Operation SKYBROOM: Off screen many NPC heroes and 2 PC heroes are involved in a United Earth Space Defense project to clear out low-orbit debris to make the launch of new orbital gear safer and to make more frequent trips to and from Bifrost Station (the low orbit UESD station) possible.</p><p>The San Francisco Bay Supervillains: The heroes of San Mateo are contending with a new team of supervillains, many with mental powers. A series of fights in Sacramento recently occurred and seemed to be draws each time.</p><p>Major Battle in Seattle: A new team of supervillains appeared in Seattle in November and stunned the area by defeating Amazing Lass II! The Amazing Family has not issued a statement.</p><p>Teen Champions: The teen heroes fo Atlanta finally defeated MasterMind and his minions, rescued the supervillain Cricket from blackmail (she is now in rehabilitation training with ICICLE). While taking out MasterMind they learned he was using gear from the vault of a long-abandoned WASP nest. Inside they found a stasis tube and opened it, freeing Amazing Man, Jr, a sidekick who vanished in 1971! Amazing Man, Jr is now at the Atlanta Temporal Displacement Counseling Center and, like Cricket, will be with the Teen Champions for a while.<br /> Meanwhile TechnoShaman has access to a WASP computer node and will attempt to transport the team into cyberspace in a bid to be the first people to ever hack a WASP computer system!</p><p>The Champions of Atlanta: Their War Against WASP might be entering the final phase! WASP sent an elite strike team consisting of 20 flight troops, 30 heavy troops, and the supervillains Iron Wasp, Steel beetle, Tarantula, and Killer Bee after the team. No avail as the Champions defeated the WASP team (after a long slug fest of epic proportions, Truly a Jack Kirby Two Page Spread worthy fight!). In an amazing blow to WASP the Champions were able to figure out that WASP computer nodes are based on alien technology. Working with a team of trustworthy superheroes they have sent what they know to ICICLE. ICICLE is now working on a program in their lab on Asgard Station (the geosynchronous UESD station over the Greenwich Mean Line) and believe they will be able to access the WASP Net within weeks! Animus is standing by for a major data breach attack on WASP ASAP.<br /> Operation: SKYBROOM is a cover mission allowing as many space-capable heroes to be in position to defend Asgard as possible.</p><p>Next Session: The Teen Champions enter Cyberspace!</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-61894100563379097322021-10-27T05:15:00.001-07:002021-10-27T05:15:26.476-07:00New Wandering Monster Podcast: Rolemaster Fantasy RPG<p> It can be heard <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user5264159/wandering-monster-podcast-for-october-27-2021?si=c67d5f1d0b9949a3b3548c6060909f87">here</a>.</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-61780796344735839722021-10-08T07:25:00.003-07:002021-10-08T07:25:59.764-07:00Psychotronic Gaming: Multiple Characters per Player<p> One of the things I have been <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2013/05/jazz-band-adventuring.html">writing about for some time</a> is the positive impact of every players having multiple characters available for play. They can be if widely varying levels, but in my experience by the time you are on your 5th or6th session as a group of players everyone should have at least 2 characters each.</p><p> But how do you manage this?<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><b><u>Game Masters</u></b></p><p>You must keep strict records of in-game time! I have a very simple sheet that I use to track segments, rounds, turns, hours, days, and weeks during the game and I have a full in-world calendar to track - well, everything.</p><p>I also use party sheets listing every player, character, henchman, and prominent hireling that goes on each adventure. I put the real world date(s) of the sessions and add notes to the back about important, noteworthy, subtle, etc. events from the sessions on the back to add to my notes later then file each of these logs in a binder.</p><p>I also track what NPCs are doing 'off screen' and updated their notes and <a href="https://harbingergames.blogspot.com/2013/07/when-is-treasure-not-treasure-npcs-as.html">notecards</a> as needed.</p><p><b><u>Players</u></b></p><p> The majority of character management has to be done by the players.</p><p> My players tend to use individual folders for each character. These folders contain their character sheets, character sheets for henchmen, and hireling log sheets, mount stats, familiar stats, and such. This keeps the things associated with the character in one location.</p><p> My players also take individual notes during each session that records the real-world date, tracks in-game time (not necessarily as strictly as I do!), and has notes on what players and characters were there, what happened, etc. Often in much more detail than I keep for individuals.</p><p> They also keep a list of objectives, enemies, friends, etc. so they can refresh their memories as needed.</p><p><b><u>Overall Management</u></b></p><p> You must remember that each player character is as different and independent as a henchman or another player's character. The 5th level magic-user that found a Ring of the Comet is not going to trade it for 4 Potions of Healing even if the other character is run by the same player! If players want to have trading and haggling done between their own characters they usually have the other players and DM 'sign off' on the deal to ensure everyone thinks both characters are being considered as individuals.</p><p> </p><p> There you go! Simple effective steps to make multiple characters per player run smoothly!</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-67114788940191239762021-10-06T05:47:00.002-07:002021-10-06T05:47:55.431-07:00Play Report: Atlantaverse Cleveland<p> As a change of pace the crew decided to play villains for a while! We started off with the following:</p><p>Sam is playing Singularity, a cyborg with an special senses and built-in weapons and a huge chip on his shoulder about how he is 'the future of humanity'. Not always in touch with reality.</p><p>Nick is playing Electron Davis, frustrated candidate for the city council who has sworn to use his new electrical powers to make the citizens too dim to elect him pay the price for their foolishness. Underwent tricky procedures to get powers and he isn't quite right anymore.</p><p>Jack is playing Captain Claw, whose father, grand-father, and great-grand-father were all professional henchmen to supervillains. Between his own 2 years henching and the gear, trophies, and loot of his family he's been able to cobbled together a decent costume and weapon, the Claw. He hopes to become the first generation of his family to have henchmen rather than being one.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p> Captain Claw has a surprising number of connections, contacts, and a deep knowledge of the supervillain world, so he was able to track down Singularity and Electron Davis and convince them that new supervillains need to team up. With some discussion the others agreed and started making a plan to move out of the Z-list.</p><p> The first order of business was money, since they were all broke. Some planning and prep and all three arrived at a bank about to disperse cash to ATMs. Singularity positioned himself by the entrance, Electron Davis by the exterior powerlines, and Captain Claw in the back, outside. At the prearranged time Electron Davis used his powers to neutralize the alarms and phones as Singularity began raving about Transhumanism and the future to distract everyone. Captain Claw tunneled his way into the vault and started hauling money out to the waiting van, shortly joined by Electron Davis. Singularity dashed out of the bank, raving still, as the others completed their haul and left, unnoticed still.</p><p> after swapping vehicles in places with no cameras, twice, they used the loot to pay for the information needed for their next job.</p><p> After spending 95% of the bank robbery proceeds they were ready. Electron Davis was not part of the daytie=me ushers at a Cleveland art museum and made himself familiar with the layout. With their purchased schematics of the alarm system Electron Davis put himself at the right spot at the right time as Singularity and Captain Claw closed in on the target. As Electron Davis killed the cameras and alarms Singularity snatched a Van Gogh painting from the wall and Captain Claw cut an escape route through the walls. The two used The Claw to swing over the outside streets to a waiting vehicle they later swapped out and then headed to the rendezvous. Electron Davis just waiting with the other people to be interviewed by the police and 'went home'.</p><p> After ditching his various fake IDs Electron Davis took a cut-out route and met the others. Captain Claw had already used his networks to have an out-of-town fence ready. They all then traveled to Columbus to meet up with the fence. After some haggling they reached a mutually acceptable price and left.</p><p>------------------------------------</p><p><br /></p><p>A ton of fun all around. The crew enjoyed playing the sorts of villains they tend to one-punch into prison and thought the change of pace was good. They are eager to move on but fear that their actions have caught the attention of Cleveland's resident superhero, Skychief!</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-34588008442218457532021-09-16T06:33:00.003-07:002021-09-16T06:33:17.474-07:00Atlantaverse: Blink<p> I finally get to play a new Champions character!</p><p>Meet Blink</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4uK2Dy1Au3c/YUNHeFfbLtI/AAAAAAAAOqA/qrD38PW45TIbE0FyeS9S5T76cUkVBlwiACNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/Blink10241024_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4uK2Dy1Au3c/YUNHeFfbLtI/AAAAAAAAOqA/qrD38PW45TIbE0FyeS9S5T76cUkVBlwiACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Blink10241024_1.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mHdpZPNKWug/YUNHf_96vFI/AAAAAAAAOqE/l3nob4ONYC0gqtx7zFZe3KpeWYRGZu8PQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/Blink10241024_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="792" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mHdpZPNKWug/YUNHf_96vFI/AAAAAAAAOqE/l3nob4ONYC0gqtx7zFZe3KpeWYRGZu8PQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Blink10241024_2.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-74512470335115005972021-09-16T06:05:00.001-07:002021-09-16T06:05:15.621-07:00New Post for Patrons!<p><span data-offset-key="4p3q0-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/adventure-as-56229842?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=postshare ">Adventure Fiction as Cosmopolitan Literature </a></span></p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-36268557703552478042021-09-11T09:25:00.002-07:002021-09-11T09:25:50.020-07:00Wiki Updates all weekend. New blogpost tomorrow. New Discord content all week!Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-3558049889025571132021-08-23T08:32:00.003-07:002021-08-23T08:32:58.210-07:00DM Play Report, Champions 6e: Atlantaverse - Pulp<p><br /></p><p>The adventurers:</p><p>Jack: Francis Xavier 'Frank' O'Brien, called 'Philosopher' by cops and criminals alike. An International Courier and P.I. based in Chicago, he specializes in cases involving ghosts and magic. Can see auras and his gun can fie 'ghost bullets'.</p><p>Sam: Edward Oliver Wilson Arthur John 'Hammy' Hamm-Smythe, called 'The Mask'. Amateur archaeologist and professional polo player. Wields numerous magical artifacts.</p><p> Edmund. Hammy's valet is Edmund, a gorilla of Gorillaville in Africa. Human-level intelligence and speaks French. Other seem to never notice he is a gorilla until it is pointed out to them.</p><p>Nick: Grigore Zugravescu, Carpathian nobleman called 'The Baron'. Master of mystical 'sunshine boxing' techniques and a vampire hunter.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Having earned the gratitiude of Baron von Gewitter and the ruling party of Germany the team departed Berlin and took the Orient Express and lines east all the way to New Delhi. There they began negotiating for a plane to fly them to the only airport in Tibet. Unfortunately a Nazi Party expedition was doing the same thing! Luckily the word that Baron von Gewitter was friends with them had gone ahead so Dr. Wunder, dared not oppose them. Hammy's ties with the British allowed him to get a plane and dealy the Naizs for 3-5 days.</p><p>Arriving in Tibet in October of 1932 they were met by an ox cart from the Temple of Fu Shou, where they intended to go. The monks told them the abbot had a dream they were coming. And nightfall they went to Ravenwood's, a bar and in run by Abner Ravenwood, a former professor. Speaking with Abner and his early-20's daughter Marion the adventurer's learned of the incredible chaos of 1932. Multiple Communist uprisings, conflicting Republican governments, Japanese invasions, Tibetan invasions, scattered warlords trying to carve out their own domains, and widespread Triad violence meant that no place was safe.</p><p> Retreating to an area protected by Kabbalistic symbols and fire Abner warned them that the powerful Chinese mastermind Fuchow Manzu was behind a majority of these issues. In a long discussion of their mission they were able to realize that Fuchow Manzu was trying to trigger a war between the United States and an Asian power so that he could fill the following power vacuum.</p><p> Marion pointed out that since the Pilgrim left the Temple of Fu Shou had been under constant threat. The locals warned that a mighty storm was coming and that the Nazis had arrived earlier than they hoped. The party, realizing something critical was afoot, decided they had to get to the Temple of Fu Shou as soon as possible. Marion took them to the stable and between her knowledge of the area and Hammy's horsemanship and knowledge of the wilds got them to the temple through a fierce Winter storm.</p><p> The monks were grateful to see them. They sheltered Marion and immediately sent the adventurers through a teleportation gate hidden in the vaults beneath the building....</p><p><br /></p><p> ...they arrived in Shambhala instantaneously. Grigore had trained here in martial arts, Frank had been given his abilities by Monks of Shambhala as payment for saving a life, and Hammy had an amulet forged by them. All were welcomed and cared for due to their injuries from the cold (the valley was perfectly warm).</p><p> The abbot soon explained that a pupil, called the Pilgrim, had left in anger and accidentally broken a ward, revealing that Shambhala was resting place for a shard of pure vril! Now the Red and Back Triad (Fuchow Manzu's personal army and spies) were racing the Nazis under Dr. Wunder to get to Shambhala and steal the Vril. The abbot said the three of them and Edmund had been summoned because they alone of all men had had the combination of trainings and experience to handle the vril without being warped by it.</p><p> As the sound of gunfire could be heard the monks began to flee into the snowy Himalayas while the abbot to the party to a central chamber. Giving Grigore the vril shard he then put them into a train! The steam train, without a conductor, plunged into a tunnel that went straight down into the earth as the monks triggered a landslide behind it. The trained raced the rocks and won, but the tunnel was sealed by over a mile of debris. The adventurers were stunned to feel as if they were straight and level as they plunged straight down.</p><p> After a little over 5 days the train arrived on an island in the middle of a sea. At the shore was a small steam-powered boat with supplies, bows & arrows, and a device that always pointed in a particular direction. The adventurers realized that the horizon wen <i style="font-weight: bold;">up</i> and soon noted the sun never moved from directly overhead. If it wasn't for their watches they would have had no idea of time as they saled to follow the compass-like device.</p><p> Soon they saw a 45' long shark fighting a plesiosaur and realized the world was very dangerous. Over the following weeks they encountered semi-civilized Neanderthals called Sagotes, telepathic evil pterosaurs they called Mind Breasts, cave lions, woolly mammoths, T. Rexes, 70' long anacondas, and more as they crossed the oceans and sometimes stopped for fresh water and food.</p><p> After many adventures they sighted a silver-walled city in the distance. As they approached men riding boards that hovered just over the water approached them and began interrogating them in strange tongues. Eventually Frank and the leader realized they both spoke Sumerian and could hold a discussion. They were led into the massive city of gleaming spires under guard. </p><p> In the next few weeks they learned that the city was the Last Outpost of Atlantis, the people the last airbreathing Atlanteans. Cut off from the surface world in the 3,000 BC by the cataclysm that sank Atlantis they had survived in the Hollow Earth for over 4,000 years as the technology of the city slowly failed. Now that their lightning guns had no power the Sagotes tribes were growing more and more bold. They feared that in another generation the city would fall.</p><p> Investigating the city they eventually were allowed into the main power cell where the last power crystal was down to just 3% power, which was being used for water pumps only, now. Inspired, the party rigged up some gear and and used the vril charge to re-charge all 200 of the power crystals, instantly reactivating all the city's technology!</p><p> The vril shard was placed into a deep vault shielded by wards and technology, safe from prying eyes and hostile forces, just as the abbot wished.</p><p> Heroes of the city, the adventurers were all ennobled by the city governor. As the festival period was winding down a trade caravan arrived and the party met David Innes, an American who was leader of a small nation not too far away. After spending some time together Innes explained that he knew of a way back to the surface, but it was far and they could only pass through if they were "supposed to".</p><p> The adventurers set off with David and his lovely wife Dian and after trekking through jungles and mountains they reached a swamp. Entering alone they met the mighty guardian of the Portal. Approved by the guardian they stepped through...</p><p> ...and arrived in Florida. </p><p> After cleaning up in town they departed for Chicago, arriving back in town a in May 1933, gone 8 entire months in the Hollow Earth, although they could have sworn they were there for over a year.</p><p>---------------------------------------------</p><p> There were a LOT of cameos in the last two adventures ranging from meeting Oberst Sturm as a 16 year old to one of their own Cosmic Champions characters to the Green Lama and many more.</p><p> Nick's comment: "This adventure in summary 'Rick Stump read everything Edgar Rice Burroughs ever wrote and loved it all, a lot'." He isn't wrong.</p><p> Jennifer's comment: "You fixed the plot to Disney's Atlantis, thanks. It always bugged me."</p><p> </p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-40334809265919992882021-08-18T07:31:00.004-07:002021-08-18T07:31:44.245-07:00Patron Post up, public<p><a href=" https://www.patreon.com/posts/psychotronic-55049755?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=postshare">Here</a></p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912583655186771882.post-72190383295511270972021-08-17T09:34:00.001-07:002021-08-17T09:34:04.476-07:00A New Wandering Monster Podcast<p> Found <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/55014761">here</a>.</p>Rick Stumphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12163938268347172871noreply@blogger.com0