Ganlant of Escavalon's big adventure + pictures

So I jumped into the Constantcon ring a few days ago when I got a chance to play in Jeff Rients' Wessex game. I used a sample cleric that I had rolled up a few weeks ago for my prospective Arthurian LL game. I equipped him from Jeff's chargen equipment list, hooked up my webcam and we were ready to go, as Ganlant was whisked away by the power of FLAILSNAILS from the time of Arthur to a different Cornwall, hundreds of years in his future.

I had a gas. We explored, we laughed, we cried, we fell victim to traps, and we *almost* got some good loot. Ganlant just about fell down a pit to Hell (narrowly saved when one of his friends grabbed his backpack and pulled him back), and later one of the party was killed drinking from a fountain which made him melt "like a Nazi from Raiders of the Lost Ark." I scooped up some of this deadly water in a bucket for later use.

While trying to wedge the lid of a wizard's sarcophagus open using iron spikes, we attracted the wrath of a giant golden spider. I threw my bucket of deadly fountain water at it, while the rest of the party threw flaming oil. We managed to hurt it some but it seemed to laugh at normal weapons, so it was time to beat a retreat. In the process of escaping, Ganlant was hit by the spider and I heard Jeff say: "Can you survive 4 damage? I'm just looking for my Arduin grimoire."

Oh crap... He had four fingers on his right hand sliced off in a single critical hit from the golden spider's scythe-leg! Ganlant made it out with just 1 hit point, climbing a 60' ladder to safety with his mangled hand. Yeah, this is D&D all right.

After the adventure, I made sure to add some extra equipment, not least of all a crowbar for the next sarcophagus we happen to find. Life's going to be pretty tough for an adventurer with only 6 digits, but I'll figure something out... probably strap a torch or holy symbol to the stump so it's always ready, and fight with the left hand.

Also, inspired by some posts around the interwebs, I thought I'd post up some artwork and images that I enjoy for gaming inspiration. I'm not very well versed in visual art, and my tastes are simple, and these pictures aren't quite as good as the ones that happen in my imagination. Which probably means I need to spend more time checking out new art.

(A lot of these are really big/detailed, click to expand)

In thirty years they reduced the civilized nations to carrion and ash...

How do you like stone golems now? - The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973)

"Of course I go adventuring for the chicks!"

Some more Terrible Sorcery.

Best skeletons ever - Jason & The Argonauts (1963).

Hydras are in my Pathfinder wilderness game. Somewhere.

Is this what "creature type: Outsider" means? A thousand times yes.

In terms of "total playtime hours inspired," this is easily #1.

But many men say that there is written upon his tomb this verse: Hic iacet Arthurus, Rex quondam, Rexque futurus

Not pictured: my young mind, completely blown - King's Quest 6.

More play reports soon!

argh

so this thing...

One of my players reads this blog, and he was explaining this post to me the other day. There are some things to like about it: "Treat The Environment As Another Enemy" is a great way to make things interesting and might be rule #2 of good encounter design.

But "Make Sure Each Player Will Have Something To Do and Give Each Player A Unique Role"? Come on. The only example given is for D&D, so since we're not playing GURPS (where we spend several hours doing math so that each character is different), we'll talk about that. Cross-posted from my comment:

"There’s a reason the classic D&D party is a Fighter, a Mage, a Cleric, and a Thief."

Try playing Original D&D with only one fighter. I dare you. See what happens.

This kind of thing is a direct result of the edition power creep that we've had over the last 25 years. In 3.x D&D we have 2000+ feats to choose from for "infinite customization," but every fighter just chooses Power Attack because it's the best. If you have two fighters in your D&D party, of course one will be better than another, because they'll both prioritize Strength, then CON or DEX, etc. And they won't roll exactly the same stats. One will likely have a higher strength and since so much emphasis is placed on stat bonuses to create a "viable" character, the guy who rolled low is left in the dust. This is the "my precious character" sort of thinking which characterizes the current state of the hobby.

This is, by the way, in direct opposition to your other stipulations: to not say "this monster's invulnerable to swords!," "avoid the roll-fest" and "treat the environment as another enemy." In these contexts, whether your fighter has a +1 to damage rolls or a +6 won't affect the solution you, as a creative player, come up with.

And if you *can't* come up with anything to deal with a monster that's invulnerable to all your plusses, well... I don't know how to help you.

Influences on Land's End and Jeff's 20 Questions

This is an old file of musings that I've cleaned up for posting. These are some of the things I reference and ponder when I'm writing up material for my Land's End game, and which provided the initial seeds of its creation.

The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall
This is the only Elder Scrolls game I ever played extensively until my roommate bought Skyrim. An unbelievably big wilderness; a completely optional main quest; huge randomly generated dungeons; a gonzo character-generator and a creepy soundtrack. I reinstalled this game a few weeks ago so that I could get some screen-captures for a forthcoming post about how much better it is than all subsequent Elder Scrolls games (with diagrams).

Surrounded by lava, fighting a demon... Classic.

Exile: Escape From The Pit
This game provided the seed of inspiration for the campaign. For various reasons, the characters have been exiled from the rigorous, oppressive, strictly Lawful empire where no variety is allowed. They arrive in the land of Exile, an underground cave kingdom and have all kinds of adventures against the Sliths, the cat-people called Nephilim and the demon overlord Grah-Hoth. Classic turn-based CRPG from 1995, this is almost as retro as it gets and you can find it here.

Arx Fatalis
This game was fun as hell, back in 2004 or so. You're just dropped bare-ass naked into a big underground world (megadungeon), annnnd go! It's got a cowardly goblin king, dumb trolls, all kinds of stuff. The vibe of this game was just inspiring. I wonder if my shitty laptop could run it?

Myth: The Fallen Lords
My previous thoughts on this game here. The soundtrack of this game slays, and the monsters are great. I think the undead are the best ever. This game exudes vibe from every pore, it's tough and unforgiving. Time to man up and charge them zombies!

All those blogs listed on the side of this page!
Obviously.

++++ TWENTY QUESTIONS FOR LAND'S END ++++
originally outlined here.

1 - What is the deal with my cleric's religion?
You're a priest of the 137 gods of the Empire, although you can just pick one if you want (and make it up, since I will never detail them all). It's state-mandated! Later it may be possible to convert to a different god.

2 - Where can we go to buy standard equipment?
The general stores in Land's End have a general selection of weapons/armor/gear, and a few more rare things can be bought from the travelling merchants that come through town.

3 - Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?
You'd have to travel to the interior of the empire to get custom armor. The local blacksmith, if he's even good enough to do it, would charge an arm and a leg.

4 - Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?
There aren't any wizards in Land's End (it's a shit town). The mightiest one beyond The Barrier... who knows?

5 - Who is the greatest warrior in the land?
In Land's End, it's likely the Guard Captain of the town, who is perhaps a Level 2 Fighter. In the wastes, the greatest human warrior that anyone's heard of is Mullerigern, a bandit king with a 1500 GP bounty on his head.

6 - Who is the richest person in the land?
The richest person in Land's End is the Innkeeper, Kiros.

7 - Where can we go to get some magical healing?
Father Harkwood at the church of the 137 gods in Land's End will heal you - for a small fee.

8 - Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, death, undeath?
Father Harkwood of the 137 gods will cure: disease, curses, small ability drains. It'll cost you though. A druid (maybe living out in the wilderness) could cure poison. Death, Undeath, polymorph, stoning, permanent level drain and other tough ailments might just be incurable.

9 - Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells?
Nope. Magic is rare and wizards don't congregate or share their secrets, unless they're working for the man (which you ain't).

10- Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?
The church of land's end has an alchemist/sage living in the tower who can do a bit of research for the party, and sell them non-magical 'alchemical' potions at high prices.

11- Where can I hire mercenaries?
To go over the cliffs? You gotta be kidding!

12- Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law?
Anywhere further inside the Empire, people start to frown on carrying weapons openly (what could you possibly need THAT for?), and magic-users are either ostracized or are co-opted by the state.

13- Which way to the nearest tavern?
The Crown and Thistle sits right in the centre of Land's End, across from the church.

14- What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?
There aren't any that 'terrorize' the countryside, but if you kill a monster of legend (werewolf, dragon, hydra, giant ant, etc) and bring its pelt/head back to town, that could make you famous. Occasionally there are wolves on the plateau, but it's rare.

15- Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?
Not yet.

16- How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?
Maybe in another civilization distantly across the wastelands, that's never met the Empire.

17- Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?
There are some nameless monster cults in the wilderness, if you're into frog-cannibalism.

18- What is there to eat around here?
Regular inland medieval stuff: Bread, stew, cows, root vegetables, boiled things, oatmeal, beer, etc.

19- Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?
For one, there's the lost idol of the 137 gods that Father Harkwood will pay 250 GP for (there is a sign on the town notice board to this effect).

20- Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?
Somewhere in the wilderness. You'll know it when you see it, unless it sees you first.






PS: Hey new Blogger interface?

Up yours new Blogger interface.

Somebody has a case of the "mondays"

Headbang or be flayed?

Leather jackets are great when you like something, but not enough to get a tattoo. I wonder if I know anyone with an airbrush and a steady hand? Or access to a silkscreen machine?

I keep meaning to post up more play reports from my Pathfinder game at Land's End, but all the summaries are at home and I do most of my posting at work now! Anyway, I'm keeping busy writing up fun things for both Land's End and the Arthurian adventure. More on both soon.

Unleashed In The East

My home Pathfinder game is directly inspired by the Ars Ludi epic "West Marches" (the uninitiated may receive solid gold chronic truth here). Although at the time of its beginning, my home game only had 2 players and 1 drunk - far from the epic cast of a true West Marches game - I still wanted to explore a massive, dangerous and uncharted wilderness full of strange things, away from the safety of the city (Confession Time: I never liked city adventures. While you're talking to guys in a tavern to get information, I'm pulling the arm of a statue to open the hidden crypt. While you're explaining your antisocial activities to the city guards, I'm climbing into a 1000-foot pit from whence no one returns).

I knew we were playing Pathfinder, because I impulsively bought the book (this was before I really got my head around these retro things). I decided to go for broke and I let the guys play all kinds of different PC races, because adventurers are rare in this world and they're going to stand out anyway. Don't worry, I have a plan for those planetouched kids. It will be awesome.

The cast has at one point or another included:

Arrai Rivenwen - aasimar ranger, he changes colour and age with the seasons
Adrock - tiefling rogue, he has green hair and an ice touch (I rolled on the original Planescape tiefling table for these ones!)
Trigger McGillicuddy - half-elf wizard, always drunk (player and character)
Aercius - human cleric of the 137 Imperial Gods (played to the hilt by my visiting brother, as detailed here)
"Ratticus Finch" - half-man half-rat hybrid lab escapee alchemist (blurb about the Pathfinder Player's Guide to follow later)

The adventure began in a small town at the edge of a giant, bureaucratic empire where nothing fun or exciting or lucrative happens to adventurers. I called it Land's End, and to disguise my influences I placed it at the far eastern border of the empire. It's a one-church, one-inn, one-horse sort of town with a blacksmith shop, farmers selling vegetables and the occasional travelling merchant. A town of simple folk who smile sadly at the occasional kid with a crazy dream who passes through on his way to an obscure death.

From Land's End, explorers head east for half a day to The Barrier, a sheer cliff's edge which overlooks an uncharted land obscured by mist and clouds. Few have ever gone down, and even less have come back up - but for adventurers craving action and gold, it's the only game in town.

23 GM Questions a la Zak

GM QUESTIONNAIRE

From D&DwPS:


1. If you had to pick a single invention in a game you were most proud of what would it be?
Hmmm... you know, I cop most of my ideas from the comics I read. I think my favorite was those Cage Skeletons I posted at the start of this blog, but I was flipping through a 3.5 or Pathfinder bestiary (I don't remember which) and I saw that somebody already did them, it's called "Animated Object" I think.

2. When was the last time you GMed?

Two weekends back.

3. When was the last time you played?

Last weekend on Saturday.

4. Give us a one-sentence pitch for an adventure you haven't run but would like to.

Adventurers from across the universe(s) team up to fight the legendary heroes of old in a cross-dimensional tournament held in an ancient valhalla-esque heroes' hall, where the winners go on to fight an ancient fifth-element style evil planet of devourment.

5. What do you do while you wait for players to do things?

Mostly flip through my notes, or stare at them in silence to make them feel awkward and hasten their decision-making.

6. What, if anything, do you eat while you play?

Usually whatever my players bring over.

7. Do you find GMing physically exhausting?

I find it about as taxing as band practise, so yes.

8. What was the last interesting (to you, anyway) thing you remember a PC you were running doing?
Playing Star Wars last weekend, my wookiee Aargh! strapped on the bounty hunter's jetpack, swooped in between ten armed guards, grabbed our bounty and flew away. Aargh! made it back alive, barely, when the villain detonated a spore grenade in a failed escape attempt but we cashed in on that guy in the end.

9. Do your players take your serious setting and make it unserious? Vice versa? Neither?

Well, 3/4 of my players take my somewhat serious setting and make it unserious. One of them takes my somewhat serious setting and takes it much more seriously than I do.

10. What do you do with goblins?

For my Pathfinder game I use Zak's different-coloured goblins (green, red, black and white) from an old D&DwPS post, and I added two more (yellow and blue) so I can roll a d6 whenever goblin encounters are called for. For the Arthurian game I'm working on, I'll do something different but I don't know what yet.

11. What was the last non-RPG thing you saw that you converted into game material (background, setting, trap, etc.)?

I guess this poem.

12. What's the funniest table moment you can remember right now?

Trigger McGillicuddy, the drunken wizard, asking me if the Lizardmen are "partying".

13. What was the last game book you looked at--aside from things you referenced in a game--why were you looking at it?

Labyrinth Lord, wherein I attempted to get my head around the treasure tables.

14. Who's your idea of the perfect RPG illustrator?

I'm not really a connoisseur of such things like some folks I read, but probably Edward Burne-Jones and John William Waterhouse.

15. Does your game ever make your players genuinely afraid?

Not yet, try as I might.

16. What was the best time you ever had running an adventure you didn't write? (If ever)

Ruins of Undermountain in middle school. Shit was crazy back then!

17. What would be the ideal physical set up to run a game in?

A room with a giant stereo system playing the soundtrack to the first Conan movie at all times. Also roman-style couches and perhaps a mini fridge.

18. If you had to think of the two most disparate games or game products that you like what would they be?

Pathfinder and Ninja Burger.

19. If you had to think of the most disparate influences overall on your game, what would they be?

Fairy tales, and old Hellblazer comics.

20. As a GM, what kind of player do you want at your table?

One that will take the game & setting on its own terms, whatever those may be.

21. What's a real life experience you've translated into game terms?

Lysergic acid.

22. Is there an RPG product that you wish existed but doesn't?

Man, there is already a product for everything I can imagine, and many that have been imagined for me.

23. Is there anyone you know who you talk about RPGs with who doesn't play? How do those conversations go?
Nope, I keep it deep under my hat when I'm talking to normal people. I do have an excellent sounding board though - my old buddy 4th replaced me as DM back home, he's my gaming Oprah.

Follow up question, in her own words: why does your girlfriend/wife not play?
"I honestly have no idea what D&D is all about. Do you guys dress up and give silly voices to your characters or something?." Hmm, likely her very busy "real life" thing is a big factor.

Sir Martin of Gore

OK, so the first amusing post about my Labyrinth Lord one-shot game, which is getting close to runnable. I have some cool encounters planned which I will post about AFTER running it - loose lips sink ships and all that.

Anyway, I've decided to set this game in King Arthur's Britain. It's a setting I know very well, having read and collected any & every Arthurian book I can get my hands on (Note to my ex-girlfriends: Marion Zimmer Bradley does not count). Arthur takes the place in my childhood heart & imagination that Conan, Elric and Aragorn do for many D&D-ers (or Drizzt, Huma and those Shannara guys for my generation). This is great for DMing a setting, but what's also great is that I can say this to my players:

"You guys are commoner adventurers in King Arthur's Britain. It's just like the stories, except with Basic D&D classes and races (Fighter, Wizard, Cleric, Thief, Dwarf, Elf, Halfling). Halflings are from Britain, Dwarves are all Vikings and Elves are from the otherworld Annwn.

If you want to be in the Round Table some day, pick a Fighter.
Clerics can either be Christian or Pagan. If Pagan, choose any Celtic, Roman or Germanic deity and go for it. Call yourself whatever you like (Druid, Skald, etc).

Our adventure begins on the Isle of Wight, where monsters from the ruins on the hill are coming down to go bump in the night, eat villagers and mutilate cattle. The lord of the province is away jousting right now, but maybe you guys can do something about it. [roll on random rumor table about the dungeon]. Aaaand go!"

Nine sentences later, everyone has a pretty good idea of what's going on.

So for some starting character flavour, I worked up this table of the various countries and provinces in Arthurian Britain. It's anachronistic and combines both historical and fictitious names. Some entries are entirely contained within other entries. But that's okay. Roll it up and learn whether your hero is some kind of bearded Viking immigrant, a sheepshagger, fucking French or something else. If you can't figure that out from the name, that's OK too.


ARTHURIAN PROVINCE/COUNTRY "HAILS FROM" TABLE

Humans: roll 1d50 (d10/2 + d10)
Halflings: roll 2d20-1 (results ranging from 1-39 - Britain only)
Dwarves: roll 1d8+39 (ranging from 40-47 - Barbarian homelands or immigrant territories)
Elves: You're from Fairyland, basically. Pick (or roll) a place your character pretends to be from.

1. Gore
2. Logres
3. Escavalon
4. Camelot
5. Glouchedon
6. Cameliard
7. Norgales
8. Clauvegris
9. Orkney Islands
10. Distant Isles
11. Lothian
12. Rheged
13. Cambernic
14. Branlant
15. Sorestan
16. Sorelais
17. Orofaise
18. Estregales
19. Sugales
20. Estrangore
21. Ascalon
22. Clarence
23. Magance
24. Cantia
25. Eastland
26. Wales
27. Cornwall
28. Dumnonia
29. Cumbria
30. Gwynnedd
31. Dyfed
32. Powys
33. Gwent
34. Caledonia
35. Votadinia
36. Selgovia
37. Novantia
38. Gododdin
39. Strathclyde
40. Denmark
41. Saxony
42. Jutland
43. Anglia
44. Kent
45. Mercia
46. Sussex
47. Wessex
48. Gaul
49. Brittany
50. Benwick

PS: There is only one paladin, and it sure as hell ain't you.