Every table top gamer, ever writer, every story teller will have their own opinion and feel of what makes a memorable character, good story, and wonderful experience. Yet, amongst these divergent opinions there are some key tenants that bring together a pleasant and enjoyable ride.
Merely focusing upon table top gaming viewed through my opinion and experience the following are a few important rules to remember to play and run AWESOME;
1 - The game is for EVERYONE to have fun, if you aren't having fun DMing, if you don't like your character, if you aren't having fun, don't just stop and say I don't like this. Take the time to understand why you don't like it and discuss with your group. You may not be the only one with the problem. This leads to 2.
2- The game is a cooperative bit of storytelling everyone involved in the game is responsible for the game being fun. Just because you are a player, does not mean that you're only duty is to roll the dice the DM tells you to. Be a part of the world, make your character stand out, change the world.
3 - DM's, if you want to make the characters do something don't force them, talk to them about it before hand. Tantalize them with story and let them walk into the gates of hell willingly.
4 - Set the scene. If you want a game to be memorable, get a thesaurus and set a creative and drawing description of the scene that draws both player and character into it. The hardest thing to do is to draw emotion from you players. Challenge yourself as a storyteller and try to set scenes that make the players feel.
5 - Make it fun - If the game is nothing but psychodrama, angst, and struggle, your entire group will lose interest fast. Have some lighthearted and fun games alongside your deep story.
6 - Play to the group - If everyone is playing a certain type of character, run for that type of character. Build a character that compliments the group.
7 - Team Building - The ENTIRE group (DM and Players) should be working together to weave an epic tale. This is not a battle between the DM and Players, the players should not be after one another. I am not saying that there should not be character conflicts, just keep the drama in the game and leave it at the table when you go home.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Last Night at the Opera
Here is a teaser for the next project I will be working on. I'll be stepping away from my normal gaming to focus on this project. Let's hope I complete the project with my sanity in tact.
Monday, November 15, 2010
NinjaCraft - 1
On the initial level most all rules are fully compatible as FantasyCraft and NarutoD20/D20 Modern use the OGl D20 system.
They both utilize the level based Defense attribute instead of AC, simplifying some of it. The following are the first couple of changes to bring the systems together cohesively.
1.) Action Points vs Action Dice: The Action Dice system will port over to a hybrid much more simply than the Action Point system. This brings some advantage to the NarutoD20 rules, as well.
2.) Replace Reputation and Wealth: The FantasyCraft System of Lifestyle and Legend work out a bit smoother with helping shape characters.
3.) Techniques vs Spells: Personally I feel replacing the spell system completely for the Technique System is marvelous. The magical classes from FantasyCraft fit with the game using a Skill Based Casting system, but the spells themselves may need to be altered. As an alternative, the spell system could be left in intact and represents a different theory of magic, (East meets West)
4.) DRmor: Converting all Armor to Damage Reduction instead of Defense is a personal preference of mine.
5.) Bloodlines and ECL: Bloodlines can be converted from level dips to Human Talents relatively easily, just require feat expenditures on the future level dips beyond first. Moujou Aishou is easily replaced by a better feat Animal Partner, with no level loss.
6.) Occupations and Specialty: I may just be a power glutton, but I feel they go together well to bring a starting character closer to a full blown character.
This opens A LOT of areas for abuse, but I would think the potential problems are outweighed greatly by the potential AWESOME.
The only way to refine it, IMO, is to playtest it and make extensive notes about what does and does not work. With all the digital documentation, a possible Play-By-Post or IRC game may be best... or laptops all around, hah.
They both utilize the level based Defense attribute instead of AC, simplifying some of it. The following are the first couple of changes to bring the systems together cohesively.
1.) Action Points vs Action Dice: The Action Dice system will port over to a hybrid much more simply than the Action Point system. This brings some advantage to the NarutoD20 rules, as well.
2.) Replace Reputation and Wealth: The FantasyCraft System of Lifestyle and Legend work out a bit smoother with helping shape characters.
3.) Techniques vs Spells: Personally I feel replacing the spell system completely for the Technique System is marvelous. The magical classes from FantasyCraft fit with the game using a Skill Based Casting system, but the spells themselves may need to be altered. As an alternative, the spell system could be left in intact and represents a different theory of magic, (East meets West)
4.) DRmor: Converting all Armor to Damage Reduction instead of Defense is a personal preference of mine.
5.) Bloodlines and ECL: Bloodlines can be converted from level dips to Human Talents relatively easily, just require feat expenditures on the future level dips beyond first. Moujou Aishou is easily replaced by a better feat Animal Partner, with no level loss.
6.) Occupations and Specialty: I may just be a power glutton, but I feel they go together well to bring a starting character closer to a full blown character.
This opens A LOT of areas for abuse, but I would think the potential problems are outweighed greatly by the potential AWESOME.
The only way to refine it, IMO, is to playtest it and make extensive notes about what does and does not work. With all the digital documentation, a possible Play-By-Post or IRC game may be best... or laptops all around, hah.
Random Side Project
Real Life bogging down my creativity for characters at the moment. So I got a wild idea, flipped through some digital pages and realized it's possible, for private use only.
The Naruto D20 System Based upon D20 Modern done by Frankto @
NarutoD20.Org
+
FantasyCraft based upon D&D 3.5 from Crafty Games
An unholy amalgamation that screams "Just Play Exalted!"
Yet, for a fun time killer project, I hope it comes out playable.
The Naruto D20 System Based upon D20 Modern done by Frankto @
NarutoD20.Org
+
FantasyCraft based upon D&D 3.5 from Crafty Games
An unholy amalgamation that screams "Just Play Exalted!"
Yet, for a fun time killer project, I hope it comes out playable.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
A Center of Silence
"Evening Mechant...."
She still didn't always answer to the name - so very different from her given one, not that anyone living spoke that any longer. The young Changeling pushed a tangle of white hair from her forehead and eyed the pretty Priest's-pet Feign as he sashayed past for the fourth time in an hour. He was oiled and shined and smelled of flowers and incense. Hell, her hands were probably rougher than his, would catch on his pretty clothes if she dared touch him. She flexed her fist, smiling at the warm pain in her knuckles from the last brawl she'd let herself indulge in.
Feign, the Priestess' son. She'd never have imagined it when she came into the dark depths of this place--that this center of backstabbing and lies, manipulations and cross-talk, would hold such a polished jewel of a man.
Despite the fact that she was not, nor ever would be a Drow, and would most likely be found out and killed, Mechant did what all stupid young women do. She let herself fall in love. What was to be a learning excursion, a dare, a venture into the asp's nest, became the happiest years of her life.
When she learned she was with Feign's child, she cried with joy without letting her husband see. A wife, a Mother, her knuckles scarred but no longer bloody. The day of her daughter's birth brought a spark of warmth to her soul, and from then, fire again burned in Mechant's cold heart.
Her daughter, dark-skinned and pale-haired despite the Changeling heritage that must be hidden at all costs, struck a chord with her Grandmother as well. Feign's bitch of a Mother declared her holy to Lloth, and stole her away.
The letters from Feign's Mother began immediately. They knew the girl-child was a Changeling. They had always known...and their plan to breed a Changeling of their own, well...the temptation was too much. This one was to be given over to Llolth and made a drider. The next? Time would tell. And what were her orders, the blackmailed Mother? To bide her time, to keep herself available for further breedings. Fooled from the beginning. Mechant began to waste away, even as Feign's resolve grew stronger, as he spent more and more time away from home. He always returned with stories of training, speaking only of their daughter, and his determination to find her. Nothing was certain anymore, most especially the words of her husband.
The child, her little pale-haired wonder, was no longer hers. That hot spark that had illuminated Mechant's life briefly flared to fitful, desperate life, and died a cold, silent death in her breast as she packed her things. She'd be no plaything. If Feign's Mother had known, then who's to say he hadn't been in on the whole thing from the beginning? Where was he now, her soft, sweet-smelling bedmate? Always away. Always doing something elsewhere. Probably laughing at his good fortune and bemoaning having to bed a Face-Changer.
She would find solace again in physicality, violence was an unsubtle dance that she knew well, and would lose herself in again. No more political maneuverings. No more talk.
Weeks upon weeks of nonstop illegal paid brawls and mercenary runs of dubious intent found her deep within the vast forest, lost and enraged at the world. Nature felt her wrath, and as darkness gave way to green-tinted dawn, the woman-creature who was once Mechant beheld a solitary hooded figure. It held out a single clawed hand, beckoning.
Her first instinct was to attack, to rend, to pour out her considerable anger upon this lone enemy.
A bestial growl emanated from the hood, and she woke three days later, cleaned and clothed and with flashes of sharp fangs and kind golden eyes.
"There is another way." came the soothing, rough voice, tinged with animal violence of it's own....yet strangely contained. Balanced.
Life needn't be cold, she needn't pour the heat of rage into herself to begin to feel again.
Slowly, she learned another way. There was violence in nature, yes. Enough to satisfy her. There was also creation, protection, nurturing.
Mechant faded away, as easily shed as the Drow disguise she'd long-ago abandoned.
In her place, Niraj.
She still didn't always answer to the name - so very different from her given one, not that anyone living spoke that any longer. The young Changeling pushed a tangle of white hair from her forehead and eyed the pretty Priest's-pet Feign as he sashayed past for the fourth time in an hour. He was oiled and shined and smelled of flowers and incense. Hell, her hands were probably rougher than his, would catch on his pretty clothes if she dared touch him. She flexed her fist, smiling at the warm pain in her knuckles from the last brawl she'd let herself indulge in.
Feign, the Priestess' son. She'd never have imagined it when she came into the dark depths of this place--that this center of backstabbing and lies, manipulations and cross-talk, would hold such a polished jewel of a man.
Despite the fact that she was not, nor ever would be a Drow, and would most likely be found out and killed, Mechant did what all stupid young women do. She let herself fall in love. What was to be a learning excursion, a dare, a venture into the asp's nest, became the happiest years of her life.
When she learned she was with Feign's child, she cried with joy without letting her husband see. A wife, a Mother, her knuckles scarred but no longer bloody. The day of her daughter's birth brought a spark of warmth to her soul, and from then, fire again burned in Mechant's cold heart.
Her daughter, dark-skinned and pale-haired despite the Changeling heritage that must be hidden at all costs, struck a chord with her Grandmother as well. Feign's bitch of a Mother declared her holy to Lloth, and stole her away.
The letters from Feign's Mother began immediately. They knew the girl-child was a Changeling. They had always known...and their plan to breed a Changeling of their own, well...the temptation was too much. This one was to be given over to Llolth and made a drider. The next? Time would tell. And what were her orders, the blackmailed Mother? To bide her time, to keep herself available for further breedings. Fooled from the beginning. Mechant began to waste away, even as Feign's resolve grew stronger, as he spent more and more time away from home. He always returned with stories of training, speaking only of their daughter, and his determination to find her. Nothing was certain anymore, most especially the words of her husband.
The child, her little pale-haired wonder, was no longer hers. That hot spark that had illuminated Mechant's life briefly flared to fitful, desperate life, and died a cold, silent death in her breast as she packed her things. She'd be no plaything. If Feign's Mother had known, then who's to say he hadn't been in on the whole thing from the beginning? Where was he now, her soft, sweet-smelling bedmate? Always away. Always doing something elsewhere. Probably laughing at his good fortune and bemoaning having to bed a Face-Changer.
She would find solace again in physicality, violence was an unsubtle dance that she knew well, and would lose herself in again. No more political maneuverings. No more talk.
Weeks upon weeks of nonstop illegal paid brawls and mercenary runs of dubious intent found her deep within the vast forest, lost and enraged at the world. Nature felt her wrath, and as darkness gave way to green-tinted dawn, the woman-creature who was once Mechant beheld a solitary hooded figure. It held out a single clawed hand, beckoning.
Her first instinct was to attack, to rend, to pour out her considerable anger upon this lone enemy.
A bestial growl emanated from the hood, and she woke three days later, cleaned and clothed and with flashes of sharp fangs and kind golden eyes.
"There is another way." came the soothing, rough voice, tinged with animal violence of it's own....yet strangely contained. Balanced.
Life needn't be cold, she needn't pour the heat of rage into herself to begin to feel again.
Slowly, she learned another way. There was violence in nature, yes. Enough to satisfy her. There was also creation, protection, nurturing.
Mechant faded away, as easily shed as the Drow disguise she'd long-ago abandoned.
In her place, Niraj.
From the Depths of Evil
The story of Feign starts amongst a life of debauchery. He was pretty, wealthy, and spoiled. Feign was the privileged son of a priestess, living the life as a servant to the temple, providing for all of the needs of the priestesses.
A new temple guard had arrived, a lovely young Drow. Mechant was perfect in every way. She didn't care about the temple, only her duties. A skilled and aloof soldier with a preference to bare-knuckled brawling.
Mechant was like nothing Feign had ever seen and he had to have her. This is no love story, so let us skip down the road. They went so far as to marry, at the disgrace of his mother. Mechant was no noble woman with no political worth. Marrying Feign got her into the political games.
After several years, they gave birth to a lovely daughter. Feign's mother came before them, pronouncing the child as destined and property of Llolth. There was nothing that could be done, the child was to be taken away to be raised by the temple.
Something broke in Feign that day. He had a secret, something that gave him an edge in his life up to this point and would no be his unmaking. He had a Wild Talent, raw psionic power. No longer would he choose to be passive in his manipulations.
Feign dedicated the next several years to perfecting his talent, he had a goal and would obtain it. Insinuating himself deeper into the temple, he found out of his daughter and her fate. No longer his sweet child, she had been turned into a slave of Llolth, a drider.
Finally the time came, he broke the will of one of the priestesses, gaining mental domination of her. Using her, he was able to get to his daughter. She was a miserable little monster, evil to the core. He tried to speak with her, explain who he was. She laughed at him, and made fun of his weak sentiments.
He knew no other option, slaying the young priestess he commanded all of his power and made his daughter a Thrall. A permanent mind-slave.
Now a murderer, kidnapper, and having commited something truly vile, Feign knew he must escape. Ruturning home to get Mechant and some supplies, he found their home empty. Mechant was gone. Was she kidnapped, killed, did she run away?
All he knew was that he had to escape with his daughter, he had no other choice, or they would both die. They ran until they found their first bit of hope, the surface.
A new temple guard had arrived, a lovely young Drow. Mechant was perfect in every way. She didn't care about the temple, only her duties. A skilled and aloof soldier with a preference to bare-knuckled brawling.
Mechant was like nothing Feign had ever seen and he had to have her. This is no love story, so let us skip down the road. They went so far as to marry, at the disgrace of his mother. Mechant was no noble woman with no political worth. Marrying Feign got her into the political games.
After several years, they gave birth to a lovely daughter. Feign's mother came before them, pronouncing the child as destined and property of Llolth. There was nothing that could be done, the child was to be taken away to be raised by the temple.
Something broke in Feign that day. He had a secret, something that gave him an edge in his life up to this point and would no be his unmaking. He had a Wild Talent, raw psionic power. No longer would he choose to be passive in his manipulations.
Feign dedicated the next several years to perfecting his talent, he had a goal and would obtain it. Insinuating himself deeper into the temple, he found out of his daughter and her fate. No longer his sweet child, she had been turned into a slave of Llolth, a drider.
Finally the time came, he broke the will of one of the priestesses, gaining mental domination of her. Using her, he was able to get to his daughter. She was a miserable little monster, evil to the core. He tried to speak with her, explain who he was. She laughed at him, and made fun of his weak sentiments.
He knew no other option, slaying the young priestess he commanded all of his power and made his daughter a Thrall. A permanent mind-slave.
Now a murderer, kidnapper, and having commited something truly vile, Feign knew he must escape. Ruturning home to get Mechant and some supplies, he found their home empty. Mechant was gone. Was she kidnapped, killed, did she run away?
All he knew was that he had to escape with his daughter, he had no other choice, or they would both die. They ran until they found their first bit of hope, the surface.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Dark Sand Raiders
Our intrepid party of adventurers are forming under the illustrious banner of The Dark Sand Raiders. Not by their choice mind you. The Fierce Mul, Crimson Fang Korr, is the Captain of their Silt Strider ship, which they use to travel the desert wastes of this world.
Adding to the crew so far,
Crimson Fang Korr, Ex-Gladiator Mul now serves as the captain of the Dark Sands. Brandishing two jagged stone hatchets, he has no qualms about fighting dirty, as long as he walks away from the fight, it was a 'fair' fight.
A Freeborn Mul, this nomad wanders the wastes freely staff in hand. Little is known of this wanderer, but they do join up with the Dark Sands for the occasional mission to earn some provisions and then disappear back into the wastes.
A sand running courier, this one handles many of the deliveries and emergency supply pick ups for the crew. A real beast in combat, this sand runner moves like the wind.
Adding to the crew so far,
Crimson Fang Korr, Ex-Gladiator Mul now serves as the captain of the Dark Sands. Brandishing two jagged stone hatchets, he has no qualms about fighting dirty, as long as he walks away from the fight, it was a 'fair' fight.
A Freeborn Mul, this nomad wanders the wastes freely staff in hand. Little is known of this wanderer, but they do join up with the Dark Sands for the occasional mission to earn some provisions and then disappear back into the wastes.
A sand running courier, this one handles many of the deliveries and emergency supply pick ups for the crew. A real beast in combat, this sand runner moves like the wind.
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