tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24339817347826876912024-03-18T03:00:07.196-07:00Rise Up ComusJoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-73169639738263916542024-03-15T02:49:00.000-07:002024-03-15T02:49:39.436-07:00The Ludologic Plague: Practical Advice for Running Derro Encounters<p>To understand this post, I need you to go read this <a href="https://falsemachine.blogspot.com/2014/03/derro.html" target="_blank">post from False Machine</a>. Ready? OK, let's move on.</p><p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Sharpe_Shaver" target="_blank">Derros </a>are characters with a history before D&D, and Patrick Stuart's interpretation of them in <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/209509/Veins-of-the-Earth?" target="_blank">Veins of the Earth</a> is my favorite iteration.</p><p>Whereas he relies on these wonderfully flavorful and evocative splorshes of text to give you a sense of the Derro, I am going to give you <i>practical advice </i>on using them in your games. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Metatextuality</h2><p>The Derros understand that they live within a metatext. This is a terrifying existence for them. The second they are forgotten or unobserved, they do not exist. In the frenetic moments that they do exist, they put all their thought into escaping.</p><p>The Derros recognize that PCs are special. They torture various "named" creatures to see if they are PCs, but can quickly find out that they are not. They interrogate PCs to understand the "Machines" they use.</p><p><b>A machine is a game mechanic. </b></p><p>The Derro lack the language to describe game mechanics, but understand some things as metaphors. A book of rules. Fate is random chance--sure, call it dice. These are all <b>machines</b>. </p><p>They ask about the machines. Is the book brown? Is the book little and brown? Does it come in a white box? The one that is brown does not come in a white box? Do not lie. </p><p>They address the "people behind your eyes." The people who "inhabit your skin."</p><p>They want to go back with you to the "upper world."</p><p>Every encounter with the Derro has this motif, has this refrain. </p><p>Eventually, the PCs will begin to understand the gimmick the GM is trying to pull with the Derros. Then, they are <b>infected</b>.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Ludologic Plague</h2><p>Derros carry a magical disease called the ludologic plague. When PCs start wondering out loud, at the table, if the Derros understand that they are in a game--BAM! </p><p>Every time a player says something about the Derro understanding the real world, the GM takes a post-it note and puts it inside the book. Put it anywhere. The game text hidden by the post-it note no longer exists. The GM can't see it, the players can't use it. The post-it note represent the ludologic plague spreading. </p><p>If the players ever tell the Derros about the "machines." If they ever metagame and start talking, in character, about the mechanics of the game--the PCs become infected themselves. </p><p>Put a post-it note over parts of the PC's character sheet. That part does not exist. That part cannot be read. </p><p>The Derros have false machines that can control the plague. They can write on post-it notes that exist in the real world. They can rewrite the rules for reality.</p><p>Whatever is written on top of the post-it note is what the "real rules" are. Oh, you have PASTA HP now? Sure. That's how that works. You've always had PASTA HP. D&D is well known for giving fighters PASTA HP. </p><p>The PCs can beat the Derros up (in the game world) and break their false machines to erase (or rewrite) what is written on the post-it notes. But the notes can't be removed until the plague is cured.</p><p>The plague is cured by obtaining, in real life, a copy of the Veins of the Earth. Then, rip the pages out from 167-172. The Derro no longer exist. They can no longer hurt you.</p><p><br /></p>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-55411889490187814142024-03-11T06:58:00.000-07:002024-03-11T07:01:43.722-07:00Four Rival Adventuring Parties<p style="text-align: left;">I love rival adventuring parties. I half use them to express ideas I have for characters in games I'm GMing. "I wish I could play this." Here are four that might appear in the first supplement to <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>: the dungeon named <i>The Castle Automatic</i>. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Rival Adventuring Parties</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>The Debtors</b></h3><p style="text-align: left;">A team of debt-bound dwarves. They travel under the cover of a giant's brass helmet. They speak Cant exclusively. They warn about the presence of any traps in this room (less out of kindness and more out of fear that the players will set them off while they're still nearby). </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Quest:</b> They are searching for the Coin of Pentacles to pay off their collective debt. They will pay 20g for solid advice about how to navigate the Palace of Pentacles. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The guild consists of:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Sam Miner the necropolis architect</b> (dwarf, Path of Cups) - De facto leader. Fights with a mattock. Knows a lot about dungeon design due to his background in building trapped necropolii for other underfolk. Owns Zach, a sassy canary.</li><li><b>Albus Sapper the sapper</b> (dwarf, Path of Cups) - Fights with a flamberge. Pyromaniac. In possession of a homemade bomb and is looking for an excuse to use it. </li><li><b>Ethel Tinker the trapsmith</b> (dwarf, Path of Pentacles) - Fights with a crossbow. Professional to a fault. Just there to do a job.</li><li><b>Sue Hauler the dumb muscle</b> (dwarf, Path of Swords) - Fights with a maul. Loves her mates. Loves her beer. Loves her work (bashing heads and hauling heavy shite). Simple as. </li></ul><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Mr. and Mrs. Not</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Gnomish husband and wife duo who are looking for rare and exotic flowers. They travel with orcish guards who are paid to protect them. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Quest</b>: Exotic flowers. They are willing to pay high prices for flowers from the Castle Automatic depending on how rare they are: white lotus from XX - Ossuary (500g), roses from XX - Bower (25g), Fidelis Rose from area XX (1000g), and black lotus from XX - Pleasure Dome (50g).</p><p style="text-align: left;">The guild consists of:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Mr. Waste Not the cantankerous naturalist</b> (gnome, Path of Wands) - Fights with a wand. Grumpy all the time. Traditional and conservative.</li><li><b>Mrs. Want Not the garden witch</b> (gnome, Path of Cups) - Prefers not to fight, but will wield her cast iron pan in a pinch. Kindly. A good cook. </li><li><b>Maer Finrydottir the mage killer</b> (orc, Path of Pentacles) Fights with a pair of daggers. Always wears iron armor because she hates the feeling of magic being cast on her. Utterly in love with Peta. </li><li><b>Peta Ulysdottir the pathfinder</b> (orc, Path of Swords) Fights with a razor boomerang. Half hyper competent, half lazy. </li><li><b>Oyster the dead one</b> (orc, Path of Wands) Fights with a bone club. Came back from the dead once and came back weird. </li></ul><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Penitent</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Templars, sponsored directly by the Cult. Believe themselves to be on a holy crusade. On one hand, they see themselves as agents of a temporal authority in the otherwise lawless space of the Underworld, which makes them come across as true dicks. On the other hand, they practice what they preach and will treat others fairly. They hate ogres, the undead, and vampires, and will always join in on battles against these opponents.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Quest:</b> They are searching for the Chalice of Life, which they believe to be the sacred Grail of Mythrys. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The guild consists of:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Philo "The Confessor" Heartsbane the inquisitor</b> (human, Path of Swords) - Fights with a warhammer. Cautious and disciplined. Holds his guild to high standards. Comes off as joyless. </li><li><b>Dyvin Minor "The Shield of Faith" Heartsbane the knight</b> (human, Path of Swords) - Fights with a mace. Lives in the shadow of his father. Overeager to prove himself.</li><li><b>But-by-Every-Word-that-Procedeth "The Holy Demon" the convert squire</b> (troll, Path of Swords) - Fights with an iron-studded war club. Struggles with their identity as a troll living among humans. A true convert. Rich, baritone singing voice. </li><li><b>Sister Miriam "The Water Bearer" Ormulon the war nun</b> (human, Path of Cups) - Fights with a censer flail. Skilled healer, bad bedside manner. Has an incredibly grim view of sorcery. </li></ul><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Ones</h3><p style="text-align: left;">A group of failsons who each believe they're the chosen one. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Quest</b>: They are searching for the Perfect Sword. Each member believes they are the true inheritors of its legacy. If they ever actually get within sight of the sword, things will get dark fast. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The guild consists of:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Kinwa Too Tall the dashing bravo </b>(high elf, Path of Swords) - Fights with an archwood sword. In love with the nymph, Imaga, who lives in a different section of the Underworld (you wouldn't know her). </li><li><b>Franklin "The Wart" Noname the mage knight</b> (human, Path of Wands) - Fights with a quarterstaff. Marked with a solar-burst like burn on his hand. Dismissive of dangers because he believes himself to be the child of prophecy. </li><li><b>Bingo Beekeeper the people's burglar</b> (halfling, Path of Pentacles) - Carries a hive of trained bees on his back. Fights by directing the bees to attack his enemies using two signal wands. Comes from a noble background, but dedicates his life to helping the poor and unfortunate.</li></ul><p></p><div><br /></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-33066956707552423282024-02-06T04:38:00.000-08:002024-02-06T04:38:12.105-08:00Four Tips to Drive Role Playing<p style="text-align: left;">Dungeon games have a historical bad reputation of being all about kicking down doors and looting treasure. But even games with the most traditional trappings of bash-n-loot fantasy can have vivid, funny, interesting, memorable roleplaying. If you need a bit more in your games, try these tips.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Use Reaction Rolls</h2><p style="text-align: left;">By default, nothing should be outright hostile. In <i>The Hobbit</i>, the three trolls Bilbo came upon felt sorry for him and wanted to let him go (at first). Use Reaction rolls to see if the dragon is hungry, angry, sleepy, amused with your antics, or otherwise. Every encounter is then a roleplaying encounter by default, unless the dice and player actions determine differently.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Meaningful language rules</h2><p>Choose language rules that actually facilitate talking to lots of stuff. Go beyond letting players choose at random from "Aquan" and "Goblin." Have a tight list of 3-5 languages that everything in your setting speaks. Even when an NPC is hostile, understanding their language is a boon. The NPC can shout orders to their minions, giving you a chance to prepare and react. The NPC can speak out loud about what its motivations are, giving you a chance to parley instead. The NPC can talk about different sections of the dungeon, such as a trap in the next room it's trying to push you towards, which gives you information to work with.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Talk to everything</h2><p style="text-align: left;">No seriously, you can talk to everything. Kick "languages" up a notch by making almost everything verbal. Campfires. Doors. Skeletons. Change the paradigm of what can speak and what language is for rich roleplaying experiences.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Recurring NPCs</h2><p style="text-align: left;">I put recurring NPCs on my random encounter table. These entries can expand out to a secondary table, like "Rival Adventuring Party, roll again on the Rival Adventuring Party Table." Then, the players see the same merchants, the same witches, the same rivals, the same Big Bad a few times, learn their tactics, develop relationships, etc.</p>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-74009941662768690692024-01-29T06:07:00.000-08:002024-02-02T07:50:03.190-08:00Metroidvanias and MegadungeonsSometimes, I see the question: "How do I run an RPG like a metroidvania/like Hollow Knight/like Blasphemous?" <div><br /></div><div>I'm making this blog post mostly so I have something to link to when I encounter it.<br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Definitions of terms</h2><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQDGBppUW3ywEIMnRYw_jWRBRjEi7lMXZ78edfuFf2iunmbGyAK798wc3XRAF4BC-WdM4IfP0veT2074_TCqT_PEsxrK1A6EciY4vffrHRpUhizmwIpICLpUyGITn0-sEh4rv0AsjR1Z9z9z43S8KVhS3QB7SNBKHDuunDFQSDDsLuokn4pbD-o6UuhXx/s645/3c20c258a566fc6a9ea1cead9d2a045a.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="645" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQDGBppUW3ywEIMnRYw_jWRBRjEi7lMXZ78edfuFf2iunmbGyAK798wc3XRAF4BC-WdM4IfP0veT2074_TCqT_PEsxrK1A6EciY4vffrHRpUhizmwIpICLpUyGITn0-sEh4rv0AsjR1Z9z9z43S8KVhS3QB7SNBKHDuunDFQSDDsLuokn4pbD-o6UuhXx/s320/3c20c258a566fc6a9ea1cead9d2a045a.webp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>What is man? A miserable little pile of interconnected, gated dungeons.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>"<i>Metroidvania</i> is a subgenre of video games focused on guided non-linearity and utility-gated exploration. The term, popularized by video game critic Jeremy Parish, is a portmanteau of Metroid and Castlevania." - Definition from the sidebar of reddit.com/r/metroidvania<div><br /><div>"Some common characteristics and philosophies for a mythic underworld or megadungeon (keep these in mind when creating your dungeon):</div><div>1. It's big, and has many levels; in fact, it may be endless</div><div>2. It follows its own ecological and physical rules</div><div>3. It is not static; the inhabitants and even the layout may grow or change over time</div><div>4. It is not linear; there are many possible paths and interconnections</div><div>5. There are many ways to move up and down through the levels</div><div>6. Its purpose is mysterious or shrouded in legend</div><div>7. It's inimical to those exploring it</div><div>8. Deeper or farther levels are more dangerous</div><div>9. It's a (the?) central feature of the campaign" </div><div>- James Cone, Philotomy's Musings</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Locks and keys</h2><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN9ZX7Soqlgq_GU3T44scX4mxrcERUYS55srhQBFCctyAIMhgKQMYVm3WdA1MLZsjUuFjGhICimS33GW0wiQLjt0JyymB_RySh2efZLLvP5_53M3NN7o7yS1JwEU7wsTJn0oHeGe6b7fMq-xZkzNoACvLcU3-0iwlcxMqTI1pCnarFB75iU2CkQ6wZlPz/s1920/FG0kmu5XMAALQ5_.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN9ZX7Soqlgq_GU3T44scX4mxrcERUYS55srhQBFCctyAIMhgKQMYVm3WdA1MLZsjUuFjGhICimS33GW0wiQLjt0JyymB_RySh2efZLLvP5_53M3NN7o7yS1JwEU7wsTJn0oHeGe6b7fMq-xZkzNoACvLcU3-0iwlcxMqTI1pCnarFB75iU2CkQ6wZlPz/s320/FG0kmu5XMAALQ5_.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>To open the door, you must do what needs to be done.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>The basic gimmick of any metroidvania is that players can see pathways that they don't yet know how to access. This is done through a series of locks and keys.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Locks are anything that prevent the players from making progress. </div><div><ul><li>They can be <b>spatial</b>—something is separated from you by distance</li><li>They can be <b>physical</b>—something can physically block your progress</li><li>They can be <b>temporal</b>—something only happens at a specific time or after time is spent on a task</li><li>They can be <b>environmental</b>—you need to overcome the limitations of the human body</li><li>They can be <b>interpersonal</b>—you must convince the NPC that you’re worth helping<br /></li></ul></div><div>The simplest example of this is a locked room. You must find the key to enter it.</div><div><br /></div>But the principle applies to much more than that.<br /><br /><b>Entire sections of the dungeon can be locked. </b>Example: You cannot journey through the Drowned Marshes without waterbreathing.<br /><br /><b>Non-player characters can be locked.</b> Example: The ghost of the nurse will not help you until you give her the skeleton of the fair haired girl buried in the First Graveyard.<br /><br /><b>Specific items can be locked. </b>Example: You can’t pick up the Communion Bread and Wine until you have first confessed your sins.<br /><br /><b>Certain events can be locked. </b>Example: The ghost of the baroness only appears in the witching hour.<br /><br /></div><div>Achieve a metroidvania effect by using <b><i>obvious locks</i></b> and <b><i>hidden keys</i></b>.</div><div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Gated, non-linear dungeons</h2><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwFnMSLgv5_vTBwIt6Vw2YsYmOPfo2ufdqel6CgBP83gkXiSsBSKBG7DjkQK2l_6Yd4UJC3UP28uwyE-fSbNe41AqeoFnPWtRpHwPWCokxu5Jr317iguMfGGMS0F2J_uapXEGo0OzhFKk7l6p1D0SHdEFZcOc4wdIBdZL3TlM_c8UlLcad7WUiCBf3H7z/s488/castlevania__symphony_of_the_night_map_by_kamenriderninja_d5my2uf-375w-2x.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="488" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwFnMSLgv5_vTBwIt6Vw2YsYmOPfo2ufdqel6CgBP83gkXiSsBSKBG7DjkQK2l_6Yd4UJC3UP28uwyE-fSbNe41AqeoFnPWtRpHwPWCokxu5Jr317iguMfGGMS0F2J_uapXEGo0OzhFKk7l6p1D0SHdEFZcOc4wdIBdZL3TlM_c8UlLcad7WUiCBf3H7z/s320/castlevania__symphony_of_the_night_map_by_kamenriderninja_d5my2uf-375w-2x.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The map from one of the metroidvanias that lends the genre its name</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>As a gamemaster, creating a megadungeon can seem daunting, but it’s really just a series of small, discrete tasks.</div><div><div><ul><li>Break a megadungeon down to its atomic constituent parts.</li><li>Populate it with interesting things.</li><li>Connect these levels together.</li></ul>It’s less making one huge megadungeon and more creating <b>several, smaller</b> dungeons. Each dungeon should be interesting enough to stand on its own. <a href="https://whosemeasure.blogspot.com/2023/03/20-block-dungeon-stocking.html" target="_blank">Here's one recipe for stocking a dungeon. </a><a href="https://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2016/01/dungeon-checklist.html" target="_blank">Here's another.</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>That said, because you are creating several dungeons and connecting them together, not every dungeon has to have <i>everything</i>. Each dungeon's theme will be reflected by the choices you make while stocking it. One dungeon could be completely devoid of enemies but be full of traps (like Hollow Knight's Path of Pain). One dungeon could be free of both traps and enemies--a rare moment of quiet and place to rest in the center of the megadungeon; a camp between the over world and mythic underworld. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Create locks between these constituent dungeons.</b> Place their keys in places that clever PCs can find them. </div><div><br /></div></div><div>One powerful technique is to show the players they haven't unlocked yet right off the bat. Many metroidvanias do this in the first stage to establish the pattern of explore -> find a roadblock -> explore some more -> return to bypass roadblock.</div></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Tp1vuLpzWz1um_iyILTb_A-hZD_3CcveVwoSQPABwSGm4lzVkbzrgqUu__hDMX_zo65dZLQg0IZa1GFBjLHAhhs-5nKQpNQqPHa70aXK0R5TrVbL_0Va9rah75h0VYMkdSOqHMIP2gWMdQZC5f3r4hUgucPT9docOCXxwMsHTxKfHKTU2fQR4C2SkYf6/s1800/foreshadowing-loop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Tp1vuLpzWz1um_iyILTb_A-hZD_3CcveVwoSQPABwSGm4lzVkbzrgqUu__hDMX_zo65dZLQg0IZa1GFBjLHAhhs-5nKQpNQqPHa70aXK0R5TrVbL_0Va9rah75h0VYMkdSOqHMIP2gWMdQZC5f3r4hUgucPT9docOCXxwMsHTxKfHKTU2fQR4C2SkYf6/s320/foreshadowing-loop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is what <a href="https://sersavictory.itch.io/cyclic-dungeon-generation" target="_blank">Sersa Victory</a> calls a "Foreshadowing Loop"</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Another powerful technique is to show a key behind a difficult puzzle that can be ignored -> the lock that blocks the PCs' progress that contains a clue for the puzzle. This lets players muse over the puzzle in context. See the puzzle, see the blocker, get a clue, backtrack to the puzzle itself.</div><div><br /></div><div>The non-linearity of the maps and expanse of content works to your advantage. Because there are many ways to go, you can afford to get "stuck" on a puzzle. In linear dungeons, a puzzle that blocks the way forward can cause hours of frustration for player and GM alike. In non-linear dungeons, it's not a problem. The players can leave and continue to play and explore. If someone has an insight or if a key is later discovered that fits that puzzle's lock, they can return. Also, because of the nature of the medium, there should be many ways to solve any puzzle. You're not just trying to guess what the game wants you to do--you're finding logical solutions that work within the context of the game world.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">"Story" and level design work together</h2><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQmVeW27QBiGf5u9B_Ee28ZrkETYmn8NZXUM5ewkKBGcrqj-3sAfjm-AmXNKERpCWdVDp6W2dR4dDvpHLlmVVgsM7R73dXRcqKQiKMvDgR5hS9-yIs0i1YjFMtS5pSjPfHW-x88PnrpQAOzoWd7PfJU0Y3CREZsvLZs6_dZjip_lvv_kTlRxv1ZPuSpYZ/s1806/Screenshot%202024-01-29%20090606.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="1806" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQmVeW27QBiGf5u9B_Ee28ZrkETYmn8NZXUM5ewkKBGcrqj-3sAfjm-AmXNKERpCWdVDp6W2dR4dDvpHLlmVVgsM7R73dXRcqKQiKMvDgR5hS9-yIs0i1YjFMtS5pSjPfHW-x88PnrpQAOzoWd7PfJU0Y3CREZsvLZs6_dZjip_lvv_kTlRxv1ZPuSpYZ/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-29%20090606.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>As you play Hollow Knight, the bright Infection spreads.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>In many RPGs, and especially in games of this format, the "story" is what happens at the gaming table. To support this, GMs should imbue the megadungeon with <b>lore seeds</b> that <b>bloom </b>when cared for. </div><div><br /></div><div>That is to say, <a href="https://www.paperspencils.com/prep-tools-not-adventures/">do not create a plot</a>--explicit things that you think are going to happen or actions the PCs will take. Instead, create the backstory of the different dungeon levels/overall megadungeon, and let that shine through your choices of traps, monsters, treasures, and special areas. </div><div><br /><b>Embed lore and information into each level</b>. A trap can reflect the theme of what it guards or its maker. Treasure might depict the scene of a historical or recent event. The gold might be minted with the faces of ancient goddesses. Ruins might have partial Rosetta Stones that allow the translation of unknown and forgotten languages. Let your lore shine in dark places.<br /><br />Ultimately, players might ignore all this as just a bit of flavor. And that’s okay—the game is ultimately about the player’s choices. But, at the same time, if you repeatedly hit your players over the head with bits of lore, they’ll begin to form connections. Things that seemed like one-off bits of description will suddenly be remembered. Players will have “aha” moments. They’ll feel like Sherlock Holmes—and that’s fun for everybody.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Ability-based exploration </h2></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjeh5-rnNNNDwsD8vbA_-gjFqETtWu6A5-5PoVs-BfOQOa8vxj9CHCV3hdfniruQZgdu8mgzR2fGxGRb6ajOGor1bcRs5V6k3SIE6pCEbA09rq7nNlF_FPA7tl31MmoqlBaufnmh8gU2ZkNIyMZ0eo4AzYmx2vLBtXX7SJM4Hi8SXsiAbiluqS23wXJPs/s2000/exiwseg58w071.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBjeh5-rnNNNDwsD8vbA_-gjFqETtWu6A5-5PoVs-BfOQOa8vxj9CHCV3hdfniruQZgdu8mgzR2fGxGRb6ajOGor1bcRs5V6k3SIE6pCEbA09rq7nNlF_FPA7tl31MmoqlBaufnmh8gU2ZkNIyMZ0eo4AzYmx2vLBtXX7SJM4Hi8SXsiAbiluqS23wXJPs/s320/exiwseg58w071.webp" width="202" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In Blasphemous, you upgrade your thorn-covered sword, Mea Culpa, by finding new altars.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes its okay having the blue dungeon gated behind the blue door which is opened with the blue key. But a key feature of metroidvanias is to unlock progress through ability-based exploration: Samus learns how to drop bombs so that her morph ball bounces up into the tunnel, Alucard learns how to become a mist to phase through gates. It's more interesting to open new levels because the PCs gained a new ability that opened up a new mode of play for them.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are some <a href="https://udan-adan.blogspot.com/2021/10/game-enhancing-powers-game-ruining.html" target="_blank">abilities that work better in a dungeon-crawling context and some that work less well</a>. The same is true for metroidvania-esque exploration.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Abilities that are bad for metroidvania-megadungeons</h3><div>In every old-school module, especially tournament dungeons, there was a big list of spells that just didn't work. There's a reason for that.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Passwall: </b>Avoid any ability that removes the essential structure of locks and keys from the dungeon. Passwall (and equivalent abilities) is like that glitch where you pressed Start during screen transitions in Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening--you bypass sections of the dungeon, but you're breaking the experience.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Jumps and spider climbs:</b> It feels counter-intuitive. Getting a double jump works so well in video games! But TTRPGs have different modes of input than video games. When the GM says: "Ha ha, you cannot <i>reach </i>the door on the ledge because it is, like, 15' up," the players are well within their rights to say "Oh, uh, okay we just climb the wall" or "We have a grapple" or whatever. Putting your next level on a super slick unclimbable wall just feels cheap.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Although, having written this, I just got an idea for an entirely upside down dungeon that's only <i>really </i>navigable if everybody has spider climb. Although I think you'd get a nose bleed after a few minutes. I guess my point still stands.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Flight: </b>I'm not an advocate for flight in dungeon crawling games. Too many great puzzles and environments only have tension because the players can't fly right over them. Putting a dungeon in the sky and then giving your player's flight is cool, but comes with a cost. It's better to unlock the sky dungeon through taming a friendly roc or climbing a giant's fishing line. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Teleportation: </b>Teleportation between set points is fine. But the ability to teleport small distances (i.e., through doors) will disrupt the most essential locks (doors) in a megadungeon. <i>Intangibility </i>has the same problem. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Abilities that are good for metroidvania-megadungeons</h3><div><br /></div><div><b>Giant size / giant strength:</b> Moving huge boulders blocking a door is a classic. It's even better if you have to move something that's <i>inhumanly </i>heavy: cranking a giant winch, pushing open a giant door, winning an arm wrestling contest with a giant, etc. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tiny size:</b> Alice in Wonderland style, shrinking into a mouse size lets you enter through small doors or navigate doll house dungeons. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>New languages: </b>New languages can allow you to traverse the dungeon in dramatically new ways. It might turn enemies into friends--once you can speak to the kobolds, you can negotiate passage through their territory. It might allow you to solve previously unsolvable problems ("Speak FRIEND and enter? We had this all wrong.")</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Healing: </b>Sections of the dungeon can be gated by dangers that you can eventually mitigate. For example, you can only survive the Poison Swamp once you gain the ability to Remove Poison. Or a particular type of healing might be needed to bypass a lock: a door can only be opened if the demonic sword pinning it shut has Remove Curse cast on it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Damage immunity: </b>Relatedly, some dungeons can be gated by hazardous environments. Entering the Dragonfire Forge deals 1 damage by heat every turn. If the players gain Rings of Resist Fire, they can traverse this environment. Or perhaps they can enter the Poison Swamp if everybody gets a gas mask. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Elemental damage:</b> Even without 5E style damage types, puzzles that deal with different types of elemental effects "read" well at the table. To open the door encased in ice, you need to cast a fire spell. To charge up the elevator that takes you to a new level, you need to cast lightning bolt on it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Water breathing:</b> Water is a great, natural barrier. Water breathing allows you to descend to dungeon levels at the bottom of a lake or traverse the underground river.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Further reading</h2></div><div>Sersa Victory has written about the patterns of "locks" and "keys" in their supplement <i><a href="https://sersavictory.itch.io/cyclic-dungeon-generation" target="_blank">Cyclic Dungeon Generation</a></i>. It's very much worth checking out.</div><div><br /></div><div>Game Maker's Toolkit has a <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-my-boss-key-13801754" target="_blank">Patreon post analyzing Zelda dungeons</a>, which provides a very handy dungeon graphing system.</div><div><br />I wrote about my procedures for making a megadungeon in a supplement called <a href="https://riseupcomus.itch.io/dungeon-seeds" target="_blank">Dungeon Seeds</a>. This no-frills, low-art draft went on to become a chapter on megadungeon creation for my upcoming game <a href="https://www.hismajestytheworm.games/" target="_blank"><i>His Majesty the Worm</i>.</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="1002" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" width="193" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div>If you sign up for my mailing list, I'll send you Dungeon Seeds for free (and let you know when the full game is available for purchase!). </div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-63293685536217384932024-01-19T18:47:00.000-08:002024-01-19T18:47:54.295-08:00Mutatations<p>I swore I'd never let myself get this bad. I swore I'd never write a mutation table.</p><p>I lied.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNy_0Mq3f7AYT31IRl-svRqwYhDu6IhAK2NMAmDmfUcooLK074s5qj74BH65zNH_VEWFCRubD3WTT0RjhZTrgm8vzcOy4VTMh03wWRq7qX-BY3wUepJC5rX2InPjITBOse-MUSqfp9zJmE33WbUTBe39jHibnNdqI8NpqHx25hWHO6H6cLmJjbDUBdEP2/s1281/sen-x-men.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1281" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNy_0Mq3f7AYT31IRl-svRqwYhDu6IhAK2NMAmDmfUcooLK074s5qj74BH65zNH_VEWFCRubD3WTT0RjhZTrgm8vzcOy4VTMh03wWRq7qX-BY3wUepJC5rX2InPjITBOse-MUSqfp9zJmE33WbUTBe39jHibnNdqI8NpqHx25hWHO6H6cLmJjbDUBdEP2/s320/sen-x-men.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In general, the mutations have some benefit--but everyone thinks of you as a freak. The last four are not great, but let me explore some of the fantastic races that don't get a lot of love in a surfeit of elves and dwarves.</div><br /><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mutation Table</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d05cf242-7fff-6808-86ac-b5c3021f761c"><ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Infernal head: A teratoma grows out of your neck in the shape of a jack o' lantern head. It's all hair and teeth, with a little mouth that squeaks blasphemies in Tylwyth while you try to sleep. You can never be ambushed, however, because the little head squeaks out a warning. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Third-arm: Your left shoulder now has two arms growing from the socket. You gain a third hand slot.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Crab claw: Your right arm becomes a giant crab claw. It can't hold anything, but can be used as a weapon. Your claw has a special weapon property, per the rules in the core book, page 170. When you successfully Attack, you may choose to Notch an opponent's weapon or armor instead of dealing a normal Wound.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Enlarged brain: Your skull swells until you look like a comic book villain called "Braino." When you make eye contact with a person, you can talk to them with telepathy. This gives them a headache and is uncomfortable, but allows you to overcome language barriers.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Centaur: You gain a centaur's body configuration (although your flesh is the same color and you don't have hooves—just four, flat humanoid feet). You gain 4 more pack slots. You cannot climb ropes, and might have all sorts of other problems with the world not being well shaped for you.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Honeycomb head: Your head above your mouth swells and becomes trypophobic, like a lotus pod or honeycomb. You can still see, but it's not apparent how. Creatures that need to make eye contact with you to use their abilities can no longer do so. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye stalks: Your eyes grow out of your head and sit atop long stalks. You can see behind you without turning your head. You can see around corners easily. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Antennae: Two antennae gracefully curve off of your head. When you wave them, you can "hear" the simple thoughts of insects. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Callused body: You grow a thick, red callus all over your body. This mutation is treated like a piece of armor that can be Wounded twice. You can burn charges to heal these Wounds, like a Wounded talent. You find it irritating to wear normal armor; if you do, you gain no benefit from this mutation and you become Stressed.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: upper-roman; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Frog tongue: Your tongue becomes long and sticky. Speak Incantation actions are made with disfavor. However, you can use your tongue to reach out and grab anything that you can fit in your mouth up to a yard away.</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Page. Panotti: Your ears grow as large as an elephants. They both fall down like sacks of skin on either side of you. They don't hear better or worse than your old ears. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Knight. Akephalos: Your head shrinks into your chest. Your eyes are about at your shoulders, your nose is in the center of your chest, and your belly sports your wide mouth. You cannot wear anything on your torso and function normally. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Queen. Cyclops: Your eyes merge together into a single, giant eye in the center of your forehead. You cannot take the Aim action with the bow (core book, p. 170).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">King. Monopod: Your feet fuse together into a single giant foot. You hop everywhere you go. You cannot take the Dash action. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Mutation Rules Sidebar:</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">All mutations are intended to be permanent, but GMs (as always) have discretion.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">To represent a mutation, write the rules on an index card and paper clip it to your adventurer record sheet. It sticks out like a sore thumb. You'll never forget you have it.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Starting Disposition for GM characters who see your weird mutation is (usually) automatically the distaste Disposition (core book, p. 101).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For many mutations, an adventurer will need to discard their clothing and armor as they no longer fit comfortably. Commission bespoke clothing and armor in the City. Bespoke clothing and armor is always a luxurious upkeep expense.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Feel free to also use the mutation table for things like the Cloaca Maxima City Action (core book, p. 307).</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-37263190636571413092024-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:002024-01-13T09:57:31.963-08:00House of the Revelers - Mindstorm Guest Blog Dungeon<p>When <a href="https://www.mindstormpress.com/" target="_blank">Ty of Mindstorm</a> said he was going to do a blog guest tour this year, I raised my hand immediately. I had no idea that<i> </i>it'd go <i>this </i>hard. I am blown away. </p><p>A <i>His Majesty the Worm </i>drop-in-dungeon. Put the secret entrance in another dungeon corridor and let your adventurers discover the terrible secrets of the...</p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3f077ae5-7fff-b6fa-b6f1-a5273e1bd560"><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt; text-align: center;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 20pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">House of the Revelers</span></h1></span><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Theme: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Decadence</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Entrance: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A crease in the dungeon wall indicates a secret door. The aroma of freshly baked bread and sizzling meat seeps out from the cracks. Pushing lightly on the wall causes the door (well-oiled) to the </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dining Room</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> to open.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hallways: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Opulent, full of small alcoves where marble heads (giant sized) look back at the adventurers. There are coins sprinkled here and there, everywhere.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoycu4sDb2HJMVQrmIItp6PWs2fBfAuLrgCi6d5aInNDjUDShDLDX6vbm5WBl5W76Iywo6kjyR1KwteC2e6YRVOlEHthySphInqSK6_PPll1YnjnV6xXJzC5ydjsUG2V07vDhlUBrC6IpsdwS5bGBow0jahFgqRaBh6OrChhezlTGVMkA7NjuwBS18mb7F/s1600/dungeonMapFinal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="1600" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoycu4sDb2HJMVQrmIItp6PWs2fBfAuLrgCi6d5aInNDjUDShDLDX6vbm5WBl5W76Iywo6kjyR1KwteC2e6YRVOlEHthySphInqSK6_PPll1YnjnV6xXJzC5ydjsUG2V07vDhlUBrC6IpsdwS5bGBow0jahFgqRaBh6OrChhezlTGVMkA7NjuwBS18mb7F/s320/dungeonMapFinal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dining Room</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The aroma of freshly-cooked meat. Scurrying feet of a feasting man. The crunching of teeth and the smacking of lips. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #85d7ff; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The moment anyone </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #85d7ff; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">pockets treasure</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #85d7ff; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> from the dungeon, the door leading to and from the dungeon swings closed. There is a flash as it magically welds itself shut. It opens freely for anyone wearing the pendant from the </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #85d7ff; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dance Hall.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7ce5; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A man, dressed in a grease stained frilly shirt, feasting.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Action: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Consuming as much food as he can, as fast as he can.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Appearance</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">: Once fancy clothes, covered in grease. Unkempt hair. A big belly. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Attitude: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Implore others to join him in the feast. Becomes hostile if they try to push past, and when struck explodes into a mass of </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Hungering Worms</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Ancillary:</span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“I can’t remember my damn name!”</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“Damn, it’s just… so good, it’s all so good.”</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“Oh, don’t worry. Someone always brings more! There’s more coming!”</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">If observed</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">, signs of movement under the skin on his tummy.</span></p></li></ul></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">An eight-armed glass chandelier lights the entire room.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Fresh wax candles. Expensive.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">An ornate wooden table full of food and taking up most of the room’s space.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Savory meats, roasted vegetables, crumbly cheese, juicy fruit.</span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The feast is extra filling! Anyone who eats doesn’t need to consume rations during the next 1d3 camp phases. There is a 1-in-6 chance of contracting the Great Hunger affliction; see below.</span></p></li></ul><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Silver platters and plates, golden utensils, crystal wine glasses</span></p></li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Mechanics</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Hungering Worms. Attributes: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Swords 0 | Pentacles 2 | Cups 0 | Wands 0. </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HD: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">3/0</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Each worm is about three feet long and as thin as string. There are dozens.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lesser Doom</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Scatter!</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> Play a lesser doom card to have the worms scurry apart, into the cracks and crevices of the dungeon. Unless the adventurers have a way to pull each worm free, the Challenge ends. The worms will be back. They’re hungry.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Greater Doom</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Burrow! </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Play a greater doom card along with an attack. If it hits, the worms go down the throat of the adventurer. They immediately are Afflicted with The Great Hunger. The Hungering Worms immediately lose 2 Health, representing the majority of them finding a new host.</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Great Hunger. </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">(Affliction)</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Stage 1:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> You’re peckish. Test Wands during the camp phase. On a fail, you need to try sneaking a second ration or you starve. 1 charge to cure.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Stage 2: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">You’re just really, really hungry. You </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">must </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">consume 2 rations during the camp phase or starve. 1 charge to cure.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Stage 3: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">You’re ravenous.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Test Wands whenever you’re in the room with something edible: if you fail, you’re going to try and eat it. 3 charge to cure.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Stage 4: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">You explode into a nest of Hungering Worms. There’s no cure at this stage, because you’ve exploded.</span></p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Baths</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A misty steam filling the room, making you sweat. The splash of something moving in the water. A low, rumbling bass of unnatural laughing voices.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Steam obscures anything further than ten feet out.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sconces on the wall burn brightly, filling the room with hazy light.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Pools of a liquid that looks like water, but thicker.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Stairs lead down into the pools. They’re 8 feet deep.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">A mortal soaking in the water for a quarter-hour heals all physical wounds, but not perfectly—instead of scabs and scars, their skin is patched with gold, like a living kintsugi. Even missing appendages grow back, but made purely of gold.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7ce5; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">12 Marble Revelers soak in the pools.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Action: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Enjoying their endless soak, gossiping with each other.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Appearance: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Twelve-foot tall living marble statues. Perfect bodies with (literal) chiseled muscles. They open their mouths (but don’t otherwise move them) to speak in deep baritone voices.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Attitude: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Curious about the small ones. Completely unafraid and unfazed.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Ancillary: </span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“It’s not water, little one, but it won’t hurt you! Have a dip.”</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“Ah, what a fool you would be to choose to dance instead of soak! This is the life.”</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“The way out? Oh, little one, you can’t get out. The dance hall is too dangerous for you. Stay with us!”</span></p></li></ul></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">An elevated section of the north eastern room is surrounded by wooden railing.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Climbing up the wall and over the railing leads to the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Alcove.</span></p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Alcove</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A hazy mist of pipeweed fills the nostrils and stings the eyes. Leather creaks. A distant splash of water from afar.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7ce5; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A woman in finery leaning back in an armchair smoking from a pipe.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Action: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Smoking endless amounts of pipeweed.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Appearance: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Wrinkly and thin. A beautiful dress. Glazed over eyes.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Attitude: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Languid, dazed, and happy to chat with anyone who doesn’t harsh the vibe. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Ancillary: </span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“My name, darling, is </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Madame Olivia of House Dusklight</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">.”</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“Leave? And risk being crushed by the brutes of this place? No thank you. Besides, sweet thing, nobody leaves this place once the door seals.”</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“Yes, yes, smoke with me. Let me light that for you, sweetie.”</span></p></li></ul></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Two armchairs, facing each other.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Olivia Dusklight is in one.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A small table between the chairs with a single candle, the only light.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A lounging couch.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The amount of coins between the cushions is astounding, really.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The alcove is open to the south and west, blocked by a waist high wooden railing.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Below, the splash of water can be heard and a rumbling of stone. Hazy steam obscures vision.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Leaping off the railing leads down to the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Baths.</span></p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Kitchen</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Racks of hanging cured meat, dried spices, and kitchen implements. A many-armed figure moving through the chaos as easy as pie. Bubbling cauldrons, sizzling frying pans, and warm ovens.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7ce5; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A humanoid figure with twelve arms scurries about the kitchen, flipping, cutting, spicing, and plating several different courses.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Action: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Cook meals, bake bread, and prepare desserts.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Appearance: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Twelve arms. A face longer than it should be with sharp teeth. An old apron. Fingernails as sharp as a chef’s knife. Also brandishing a chef’s knife.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Attitude: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Busy, scatter-brained, and willing to put people to work. If threatened, Chefy turns hostile and unleashes his homunculi on the group. More meat for the pot.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Ancillary: </span></p></li><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“Parts, parts, parts! Bring me things that were once alive, and old Chefy here can make you up some nice takeaway. Delicious!”</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">“Worms? In the food? No, no, no, not from me, what an accusation! Who did you dine with?”</span></p></li><li aria-level="2" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: circle; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">You want out? Of here? Gotta get the pendant from the dance hall… And if you’re going that way… </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">kill the guardian </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">in there, bring me the body… Chefy’ll cook it up nice for you.”</span></p></li></ul></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Firelight from the ovens bathes the room in orange glow.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Racks of food, spices, and implements make up every square inch of the walls.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">There’s enough here to fill every pack the adventurers have with rations.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7ce5; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">(HIDDEN) </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7ce5; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4 homunculi are hidden away in cupboards and drawers.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Chefy’s Takeaway</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Chefy can whip up takeaway in no time at all. Use the Alchemy rules, but the Brew Alchemy doesn’t require tools, talents, or time. Chefy does demand the </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">entire</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> body, though. He’ll do the sorting of parts. In addition to an alchemical substance, Chefy also produces rations for the party with each meal.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Statblocks</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Chefy</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Special: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Chefy, with his many limbs, always grants +1 draw in the Challenge Phase.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Attributes: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Swords 5 | Pentacles 4 | Cups 2 | Wands 2. </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HD: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">6/0</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lesser Dooms:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Knife-skills</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">: Chefy can play a lesser doom card as a Riposte. This does not count as his action for the turn.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Taste test: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">If Chefy is in his kitchen, he can play a lesser doom card to take a quick snack break. He shovels down some of his own creations, Healing 2 Wounds.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Greater Dooms:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Chef’s knife</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">: Play a greater doom card along with an Attack. If the Attack is successful, Chefy cuts free a random limb.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Need more sous-chefs</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">: If Chefy is in his kitchen, he can play a greater doom card. His free hand slaps together 2 homunculi who join the fight in the next round.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Homunculus</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Attributes</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: 0. </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HD</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">: 2/0.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lesser Doom:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Season: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The homunculus throws salt and spices on the character. Chefy makes any attacks against them with favor.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Greater Doom:</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Mise en place: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Pick one adventurer and play a greater doom card. For every homunculus engaged with them beyond the first, deal 1 Wound.</span></p></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dance Hall</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Polished floor stretching out into the dark. A massive hanging lamp in the center of the hall throwing the entire room into contrasting shadows and light. The thunderous crunch as a hundred twelve-foot tall marble folk dance the endless dance.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A golden lantern, the size of a giant’s head, rotating on a clockwork device, throwing out strobes of light. The ever-shifting nature from this creates impenetrable shadows that dance across the room.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7ce5; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">100 Marble Revelers dance in a rhythm of chaos on the dance floor.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Action: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Dance, baby! With each other, in a line, in a mosh pit, swinging with a partner, performing intricate ballroom maneuvers, and every other variation.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Appearance: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Twelve-foot tall living marble statues. Perfect bodies with (literal) chiseled muscles. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Attitude: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">They ignore the small folk entirely and never speak. Ignoring the small folk means that if you’re on the dance floor, a twelve foot tall statue might crash into you at full dance-speed.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7ce5; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">(Hidden) </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7ce5; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Gold-Eater, an abomination of flesh and metal, stalks among the dancers, waiting for those made of meat to try and get the pendant.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Appearance: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Rhino-sized. Bulbous globs of flesh. Five legs of varying, mismatched sizes. A hundred misshapen eyes. Coins, jewels, goblets, and all manner of treasure pressed into the flesh as if it were jelly.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Attitude: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The Gold-Eater, in order of importance, will act in the following way: 1) protect the pendant. 2) eat anyone that enters the dancefloor. 3) stay hidden from intruders of the dance hall.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Ancillary: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The Gold-Eater is bound by magic to the dance floor and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">cannot leave it </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">under any circumstance.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A raised dais, in the center of the dance floor, with something shining on a pedestal when the lantern light hits it.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The center of the dance floor isn’t terribly far from the edge, but is a treacherous journey through the dancers.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The pendant </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">is draped on a golden holder.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Rows and rows of tables, covered in appetizers and dusty bottles.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The appetizers are all freshly made and constantly replenished by </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Chefy’s Homunculi</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> in the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Kitchens.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Wine goblets, made of silver and inlaid with gems, are scattered haphazardly everywhere.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The dusty bottles are unopened wine. The vintage is from the past age.</span></p></li></ul><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Pendant</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The pendant is sized to be worn by a marble reveler, but once picked up it resizes itself to fit around the neck of the adventurer holding it. It is golden chain and glowing red ruby.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The pendant can be used to unseal the door out of the dungeon back in the </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dining Room</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The pendant can also be used to reach this dungeon once again. Use chalk to etch the outline of a door and then fill a small brazier with three handfuls of gold coins. Light the brazier while holding the pendant in a fist. The coins are consumed, but the door opens into the </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dining Room.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The pendant is </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">heavy</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. It takes up 2 slots. If you take the pendant off your neck (even to hold in your fist to make the door) you cannot put it back on until you are inside the dungeon. If you aren’t wearing the pendant for a day, it begins to fade and crumble. On the third day it vanishes, returning to the pedestal in the </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Dance Hall</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Challenge</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Moving onto the dance floor begins a </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Challenge Phase. </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The ever-shifting and unpredictable dance of the marble revelers means that it’s no simple feat to reach the pedestal in the center.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Special Rules: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Draw +1 card for the revelers. The marble revelers always play the GM’s lowest card for their Initiative, and it is played face up before the players choose their own initiative cards. Anyone who has an Initiative below the marble revelers immediately takes 1 Wound as they don’t take enough time to predict the upcoming dance maneuvers.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 4pt; margin-top: 16pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Gold-Eater</span></h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sorcerous Elite</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Attributes: Swords 4 | Pentacles 4 | Cups 4 | Wands 4</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">HD: 6/6</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Restorative: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You must seal, by burning, the attacks you make, lest they heal over! The Gold-Eater heals 1 Wound at the start of each Round unless damaged by fire or acid.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lesser Doom</span></p></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You’ve brought me gifts:</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The maw of the abomination opens and it lets out a sickening cry that worms its way into the hearts of the greedy. Play a lesser doom card. The adventurer in the same zone who is currently carrying the most amount of pilfered treasure reaches into their pack and throws their most valuable piece of loot at the feet of the Gold-Eater.</span></p><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The predator hunting in the dance: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Gold-Eater instinctively understands the motions of the marble revelers. Play a lesser doom card face down and vanish amongst the forest of moving marble bodies.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Major Doom</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Golden shake: </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The abomination shakes it all off, like a wet dog, freeing embedded coins and trinkets and sending them flying. Each character in the same zone takes 1 Wound from the coins and treasure pelting them at bullet-like speed.</span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 20pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Altar</span></h1><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A skeleton, the meat rotted away, lying on the floor. Charcoal etchings on every inch of the wall. A towering old altar, accompanied by benches surrounding it in a circle.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ff7f7f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There is no light in the room.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A human skeleton is leaning against the altar in a seated position.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Their pack, beside them, is rotted away to scraps. They’ve been dead for centuries.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">A marble altar, </span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">sized for the marble revelers</span><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, is in the center of the room, surrounded by benches.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">A marble dagger is placed carefully on the altar. A regular-sized person would wield it as a greatsword.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif" style="background-color: #ffd55f; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The walls are covered in charcoal markings.</span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The etchings are the culmination of research about this place.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">One section shows this small area being torn free from the world.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> It appears the dungeon is a shifting demi-plane.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Another section shows the Gold-Eater. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Etchings show it magically confined to the dance floor. Another section shows it launching coins at unaware adventurers. The last part shows it about to pounce on an adventurer as they snatch the pendant in the center of the dance floor.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Mulish, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.56; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The last section is a drawing of the pendant and illustrations about it.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> It serves as a key to this place—to get out, but also to get back in. It resizes itself to the wearer. If not worn for some amount of time, it fades away from the world and returns here.</span></p></li></ul><div><span face="Mulish, sans-serif"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">---</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face="Mulish, sans-serif"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Many, many thanks to <a href="https://www.mindstormpress.com/" target="_blank">Mindstorm </a>for this incredible post. </span></span></div><br /></span>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-7028986425437889802024-01-10T14:45:00.000-08:002024-01-10T14:46:15.734-08:00Resolutions in the FLAME Imperishable <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">On my RPG writing roadmap, I have a <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2024/01/capsule-games-part-i-what-are-capsule.html" target="_blank">capsule game</a> of my own, tentatively called Tormented Hills and Unharvested Seas. (I first mentioned the germ of this idea, <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2020/11/diegetic-classes-wilderland.html" target="_blank">here</a>).</p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The underlying system of this game has its own cute, bespoke name: the <b>FLAME Imperishable system</b>. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.prismaticwasteland.com/blog/new-years-resolution-mechanic" target="_blank">Mr. W.F. Smith of Prismatic Wasteland</a> has issued a challenge:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span id="docs-internal-guid-1126e3dd-7fff-deb8-6d15-f05bf11b5c35"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">My challenge is thus: In January 2024, come up with a new resolution mechanic for a TTRPG and give it a name. It doesn’t need to be good (in fact, most the good ones have probably already been taken). It just needs to be new! You don’t need to plan to use it in your games; it can be absolute detritus for you. But one blogger’s trash is another designer’s treasure. You never know how great an impact one throwaway idea on a blog might have.</span></span></blockquote><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Because I am easily peer pressured, I will debut this system for you now. It will both be an example of capsule game mechanics, and also fulfill this challenge. </p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-932cb382-7fff-4d0e-daf0-91b7809d068a" style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Flame Imperishable</span></h2><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When you have <a href="https://dicegoblin.blog/time-gear-skill-a-different-approach-to-skill-checks" target="_blank">time, gear, and skill</a>, your adventurer can overcome almost any obstacle. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you lack one of those elements, you must test fate. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When you test fate, roll a pool of six-sided dice. This pool starts at 0, and you add 1 to the pool for each one of the following you have. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>F</b></span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ellowship - Add a die if someone helps you with the task.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>L</b></span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ore - Add a die if you have a Lore that is relevant to the task.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>A</b></span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ttribute - Add a die if one of your Attributes would be helpful.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>M</b></span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">agic - Add a die if you use one of your magical abilities to accomplish the task.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>E</b></span><span face="Arial,sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">quipment - Add a die if you have the right tool for the job.</span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Look at your dice:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i class="fa-solid fa-dice-one"></i>, <i class="fa-solid fa-dice-two"></i>: Miss</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i class="fa-solid fa-dice-three"></i>, <i class="fa-solid fa-dice-four"></i>: Near miss</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i class="fa-solid fa-dice-five"></i>, <i class="fa-solid fa-dice-six"></i>: Hit</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">If you get at least 1 hit, you succeed. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For every additional hit, you can add one detail to your success (say "yes, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">and…</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">"). You might accomplish your task quickly, impressively, thoroughly, effortlessly, and so on.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You can </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">stress </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">one of the assets you rolled (Lore, Attribute, Equipment, etc.) to turn a near miss into a hit. Stressed assets are refreshed during downtime. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And there you have it. A simple dice pool system. The goal of this system is to never do math. No addition, no subtraction, no derived stats, no counting HP. </span></span></p>
Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-50178588830907884212024-01-07T09:15:00.000-08:002024-01-07T09:20:32.158-08:00Capsule Games Part II: Meditations on Capsule Design <div style="text-align: left;">In <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2024/01/capsule-games-part-i-what-are-capsule.html" target="_blank">part I</a>, I tried to define a sub-genre of RPG that my friends and I are calling a "capsule game." </div><div><br /></div><div>To revisit that definition: Capsule games are a genre of RPG where the game is sold as a complete experience. They often have a light-weight rule system, predefined characters, and a bounded adventure for the GM. </div><div><br /></div><div>Is it possible to move our discussion of "capsule games" from declarative to imperative? Let's find out. Vive le manifeste!</div><div><br /></div><div>These principles structure capsule games so they can do what they do best:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Provide predefined characters</li><li>Create rules that are the right size</li><li>Create immersive rules</li><li>Create maps with no blanks</li><li>Provide a sense of finality</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Principle: Define Characters</h2><div><br /></div><div>Capsule games don't say "You can be anything!" They say "Come play this sort of thing." </div><div><br /></div><div>And the more specific a game is, the more bespoke the experience becomes.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is good: "Come play Cops and Robbers. You can be a Cop or a Robber."</div><div><br /></div><div>This can be even better: "Come play Cops and Robbers. You can be Sweet Georgie, the head of the family. You can also play Dick Little, his consigliere. You can also play Fred "Scar Face" Scaramucci, who's Sweet Georgie's cousin but also an FBI informant. That's all the characters."</div><div><br /></div><div>Give players the chance to play important, specific characters like they would take on specific roles in a play. </div><div><br /></div><div>(For a while, "playing a premade character" seemed to be <i>the </i>defining trait of capsule games to me. But enough games lack this specific element and still feel extremely encapsulated (notably the Labyrinth Adventure Game), so this cannot be a hard requirement.)</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Example: Lady Blackbird by John Harper</h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubLnVHCAjjHtGz6VG68VhY7T3ppfkBlESMmq1A0WRvAhSxewGmokIEILPEmxHsDGeng_KETKyDOsSVtcaAzmkKAl5syPtrsSGHQl8m8GpRHl2ipCxT5GYIwGN6zgRv-rFkalEmaNXEyXgnzIDF7AylKx_vDG4Xfn9r-kv46X3DEeb8Z21sZpNbqhH7DLw/s1233/ladyblackbird.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1044" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubLnVHCAjjHtGz6VG68VhY7T3ppfkBlESMmq1A0WRvAhSxewGmokIEILPEmxHsDGeng_KETKyDOsSVtcaAzmkKAl5syPtrsSGHQl8m8GpRHl2ipCxT5GYIwGN6zgRv-rFkalEmaNXEyXgnzIDF7AylKx_vDG4Xfn9r-kv46X3DEeb8Z21sZpNbqhH7DLw/s320/ladyblackbird.png" width="271" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Man, I can't explain Lady Blackbird better than the author himself. The first page reads:</div><div><br /></div><div></div><blockquote><div>Lady Blackbird is on the run from an arranged marriage to Count Carlowe. She hired a smuggler skyship, the Owl, to take her from her palace on the Imperial world of Ilysium to the far reaches of the Remnants, so she could be with her once secret lover, the pirate king Uriah Flint. </div><div><br /></div><div>However—Just before reaching the halfway point of Haven, the Owl was pursued and captured by the Imperial cruiser, Hand of Sorrow, under charges of flying a false flag.</div><div><br /></div><div>Even now Lady Blackbird, her bodyguard, and the crew of the Owl are detained in the brig, while the commander of the cruiser, Captain Hollas, runs the smuggler ship’s registry over the wireless. It’s only a matter of time before they discover the outstanding warrants and learn that the Owl is owned by none other than the infamous outcast Cyrus Vance.</div></blockquote><div></div><div>What an intro! It immediately sets up the scenario and names some of the characters involved—many of whom will be controlled by the players themselves!</div><div><br /></div><div>In this game, you play as the eponymous Lady Blackbird, the outcast skyship captain Cyrus Vance, the lady's bodyguard Naomi Bishop—maybe even Snargle, the skyship's goblin pilot! </div><div><br /></div><div>These characters feel alive, interesting, and ready to go the minute you look at their character sheets. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Principle: Create Rules that are the Right Size</h2><div>Capsule games thrive by being an all-in-one package—the setting, the adventure, the characters, and the rules. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's not just "completeness" that defines this experience, though. These games are only effective when they are the <b>right size</b>. </div><div><blockquote>"<a href="https://whosemeasure.blogspot.com/2024/01/big-theorypost.html" target="_blank">Bespoke Specific RPGs trump unmodified general RPGs</a>" - Phlox, Whose Measure God Cannot Take </blockquote></div><div>If you added a bespoke, discrete campaign on top of the 5E player's guide, dungeon master's guide, and monster manual, you wouldn't have a capsule game. Capsule games have just as many rules as they need. No more, no less. </div><div><br /></div><div>Create rules that you can hold in your head all at once. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Example: Wolves Upon the Coast by Luke Gearing</h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2uYyzDGjaGWGEYQPJCdi17ezPjgi5noMVgGqseH70RD9JwpatzXbxCdRyPIQtmXUzVCUtbciYbMERCjmrKDAXxCZHSmBpMuCh5mOD3YTH5uIQZEuMNDC4rcexcrzTVxEKZrjSbmKUHyAk64Y_ikvlcFil2XO3BCqJpuslGSksDAAFEcQUKBdjkrwkAhok/s1884/Wolves-Labelled.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="1884" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2uYyzDGjaGWGEYQPJCdi17ezPjgi5noMVgGqseH70RD9JwpatzXbxCdRyPIQtmXUzVCUtbciYbMERCjmrKDAXxCZHSmBpMuCh5mOD3YTH5uIQZEuMNDC4rcexcrzTVxEKZrjSbmKUHyAk64Y_ikvlcFil2XO3BCqJpuslGSksDAAFEcQUKBdjkrwkAhok/s320/Wolves-Labelled.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Wolves Upon the Coast is a 'dark ages' hexcrawl campaign. In this game, players are landless, state-less raiders loosed upon a fantastic Scandinavian-esque setting. </div><div><br /></div><div>Everything in this game has Luke Gearing's signature terseness, from the hex descriptions to the monsters to the rules. </div><div><br /></div><div>The rules span 15 pages, and at first glance look like another OSR blogger's retroclone: standard but serviceable. </div><div><br /></div><div>With so few pages devoted to rules, though, what is included and what is excluded is extremely important. It tells you what sort of game this is. Here, look at the table of contents:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegWE5jJQZq4cluuGV53IHitOxt4qDIGzKkVr62DtI5V0an98AisBoSB_odMBmxb7GB2VR7Qri5L3psJ4NnMu7Jq4RvvjfKUYnh48g_HLHXrziYaoNLPhepIljEhYbaS6ld_hZZ0ElKWtcPcH8-fynzVnaG5PZOaBPLQ40qQvgGF8Y8Ku5q8rKhivtC-J2/s921/wolves-toc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="849" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegWE5jJQZq4cluuGV53IHitOxt4qDIGzKkVr62DtI5V0an98AisBoSB_odMBmxb7GB2VR7Qri5L3psJ4NnMu7Jq4RvvjfKUYnh48g_HLHXrziYaoNLPhepIljEhYbaS6ld_hZZ0ElKWtcPcH8-fynzVnaG5PZOaBPLQ40qQvgGF8Y8Ku5q8rKhivtC-J2/s320/wolves-toc.png" width="295" /></a></div><br /><div>Rules for travel. Rules for wind. Rules for timekeeping. Rules for naval battles. These are the things the game is about. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Principle: Create Immersive Rules</h2><div><br /></div><div>RPGs excel as genre emulation devices. Capsule games, doubly so. (This is related to games being the "right size," but is distinct.) </div><div><br /></div><div>The rules don't need to be gimmicky, but capsule games provide a space to embrace genre in a way that might feel repetitive in a game intended for longer play. For example, tearing off pieces of your character sheet or snuffing out candles isn't a mechanic you'd want to replicate over an entire campaign, but could be fun in a smaller game. What feels fresh after 20 hours of gaming might feel tedious after 50 hours. </div><div><br /></div><div>Write rules that evoke something from the genre you're trying to emulate. If they aren't <a href="https://knightattheopera.blogspot.com/2024/01/crunch-criteria.html" target="_blank">intuitive, easy to remember, easy to reference</a>, and <b><i>immersive</i></b>, cut them from your capsule game.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Example: Yazeba's Bed and Breakfast</h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDSsFuec0zWTiam4fmTAF15AOFHQ6XuwWF66iLL6w-pUh7ZF8vxUm4P5JMeZBfAt-wyVFvMcGbNzgAD9Q-2y5NdAjoPSNWkEsZwoiizkwnnTfDXTJaGQVq1AFgw1856M3hZszjE6rcfkKnsq1akuS_6ps0kS6xS6MJRK1HFiWos7I7EYjQruoSEax0sK1/s1275/yazebas.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="1023" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDSsFuec0zWTiam4fmTAF15AOFHQ6XuwWF66iLL6w-pUh7ZF8vxUm4P5JMeZBfAt-wyVFvMcGbNzgAD9Q-2y5NdAjoPSNWkEsZwoiizkwnnTfDXTJaGQVq1AFgw1856M3hZszjE6rcfkKnsq1akuS_6ps0kS6xS6MJRK1HFiWos7I7EYjQruoSEax0sK1/s320/yazebas.png" width="257" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Yazeba's Bed and Breakfast by Possum Creek Games is about the titular B&B owned by the witch Yazeba and staffed by a colorful cast of characters: a robot maid, a frog knight chef, a rock & roll porter, and a runaway who sleeps in the laundry room. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are very few rules to speak of in a trad game sense. But there are rules in this game. </div><div><br /></div><div>For example: Don't open the sealed envelope until you're told to do so by the game. Doing so will evoke a curse on your family.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are stickers. As you progress through the game, you'll unlock stickers which you will place into the game book—reminiscent of a legacy board game. </div><div><br /></div><div>And there are tons of little mini-games that you play as you progress through the chapters. (Indeed, the chapters of the book are out of order, making you feel like you're catching reruns of a Japanese cartoon show on network TV at 2:30 PM as a kid.)</div><div><br /></div><div>All of these "rules" provide a distinct feeling when you're experiencing Yazeba's. The book is half a Lisa Frank activity book and half Studio Ghibli series bible. It's very evocative.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Note of interest: I have it on good authority that Yazeba's was originally a hack of Lady Blackbird until it became <i>it's own thing</i>.)</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Principle: Create Maps with No Blanks</h2><div><br /></div><div>Capsule games aren't just RPGs with strong settings, like Shadowrun or World of Darkness. Capsule games aren't just a collection of random tables for the GM's inspiration, like Ironsworn or Stars Without Number. Capsule games are adventures that are ready to run.</div><div><br /></div><div>Create structures to facilitate play out of the box for GMs. </div><div><br /></div><div>Out of the box play might still have some elements that encourage replayability, like random tables. But having just random tables isn't enough for a GM to run the game. Give your GM something substantive to work with. </div><div><br /></div><div>Provide lists of scene prompts and evocative questions. Provide dungeons with maps. Provide depthcrawls with interesting scenes. Provide whodunits with well-realized NPCs and clues. Provide fully keyed hexmaps. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Example: Silent Titans</h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNupOTKhu1SAkSbnfgZYeJSZec3DAk31lQnB-cpIxlTBQwdp3JzNIlkoMr1b49h21cGKkzdpM0sXMlYjuUfZ5-Ddx3bqpBb-9V_IWTHntf1Ewolw7PEdmeSvW8UU8nhOnMUdP2jOtlAPhLz8GRaA2mZ9JcJmRl1aZIpfoKFcmNXHFMT6CQxfHOW8lb0-v/s1808/silent-titans.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="1808" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNupOTKhu1SAkSbnfgZYeJSZec3DAk31lQnB-cpIxlTBQwdp3JzNIlkoMr1b49h21cGKkzdpM0sXMlYjuUfZ5-Ddx3bqpBb-9V_IWTHntf1Ewolw7PEdmeSvW8UU8nhOnMUdP2jOtlAPhLz8GRaA2mZ9JcJmRl1aZIpfoKFcmNXHFMT6CQxfHOW8lb0-v/s320/silent-titans.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Silent Titans by Patrick Stuart and Dirk Detweiler Leichty is an Into the Odd-like game set in a strange world of masked talking animals, Faerie Queene references, and slumbering giants whose nightmares have distorted reality. The setting of Silent Titans is persistently dreamlike and unreal: the physics of time, space, seasons, color, causality all seem broken. </div><div><br /></div><div>But it is a very "runnable" book. It has a two page spread on how to create an encounter for the GM, combining elements of the scenes provided by the game book, random table entries, and the players' actions. </div><div><br /></div><div>It has a starting scene. Each game begins with Dr. Hog screaming<i> "You fools! My dementia bomb has wrecked your very minds!"</i> and proceeds to have the PCs climb up the spine of a clocktower titan to defeat him. </div><div><br /></div><div>From there, the players wash up in the watery city of Elles Mere. The city has noted points of interest and NPCs to speak to. </div><div><br /></div><div>From there, there's a clear campaign structure wherein the players journey to five slumbering titans, explore their dungeon bodies, and repair their ego machines to fix reality.</div><div><br /></div><div>Everything you need to run this game and this setting is given to the GM in a single book.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Principle: Create a Sense of Finality</h2><div><br /></div><div>RPGs don't succeed when you think of them like novels. <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2023/05/matrices-of-blorbiness.html" target="_blank">The linearity of a "story" creates friction with an RPG's infinite input.</a> However, a clear structure in a scenario with a beginning, a journey, and an ending will give your game a sense of finality that is appealing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Create a goal for the players. Tell the players and the GM what the goal of this game is: take the ring to Mordor, blow up the Death Star, reunite Lady Blackbird with her former lover the pirate king. The game is about trying to fulfill this quest. </div><div><br /></div><div>Give the GM a scenario for if and when the players finally get to the end of their journey. Give the GM tools to run this final scene. Give the players a sense of accomplishment when it is completed, even if there are twists and unexpected turns.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Example: The Dark Crystal Adventure Game</h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eo1fg5hDtugTMgfSxL8z_HI_CjBm-7leSnxahuuU-3beBDEUzR-sXjc7K2klHWikXGYcjNZcFFzCabMWrLeIw_Fdv4HenFhLOSmpe2xaBJfByZThgqOfhd2Fb9qEAd8MyamXdVl2E8eJXZRkU3CqNBYMlxjTjmLpP2R1iCFJqrDcMNdAtOzaUNhdALqN/s2498/dark-crystal.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="2498" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eo1fg5hDtugTMgfSxL8z_HI_CjBm-7leSnxahuuU-3beBDEUzR-sXjc7K2klHWikXGYcjNZcFFzCabMWrLeIw_Fdv4HenFhLOSmpe2xaBJfByZThgqOfhd2Fb9qEAd8MyamXdVl2E8eJXZRkU3CqNBYMlxjTjmLpP2R1iCFJqrDcMNdAtOzaUNhdALqN/s320/dark-crystal.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>The Dark Crystal Adventure Game by Janet Forbes and Jack Caesar takes place in the setting of the movie, but in the distant past when there were many gelflings and the skeksis were in the first ascendency of their evil power. </div><div><br /></div><div>The set up is this (text directly from the book):</div><div>• The party must travel Thra, collecting seven seeds from the seven great trees.</div><div>• They must do so within ninety and nine days, otherwise a great calamity will strike Thra.</div><div><br /></div><div>The book provides a keyed map. The players can go to any of the seven trees in any order, and the GM knows what sort of lands they cross through to get there and what sort of adventures must be overcome to get the seed at that great tree. </div><div><br /></div><div>As you journey, you tick off days. Each purple day is a "Darkening" event that causes shadow and ruin to fall over an area of the map. Maybe this is an area of the map the PCs have visited, or maybe not.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftrI_vKtLlMxYNcREr378fHoD3fTXGgGLu4WjIu8ovMb3XWLO2YAXazXt1Aoi-A9X8wo-HiSelxdk_N6uNcYmoj5cCDb9xJG1b8TlZdWQxqzToDN3GXVYpddc2hr0rJEiIsvi0Ky3IUS2uAvXajAone54UvAaprQhdCcE62iRhq7kROm6Pmzvzj5kl8WK/s1118/time-tracker.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="804" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftrI_vKtLlMxYNcREr378fHoD3fTXGgGLu4WjIu8ovMb3XWLO2YAXazXt1Aoi-A9X8wo-HiSelxdk_N6uNcYmoj5cCDb9xJG1b8TlZdWQxqzToDN3GXVYpddc2hr0rJEiIsvi0Ky3IUS2uAvXajAone54UvAaprQhdCcE62iRhq7kROm6Pmzvzj5kl8WK/s320/time-tracker.png" width="230" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>[SPOILER] Once the party enters the seventh great tree to get the seventh seed, they trigger the final scene of the game: the skeksis have stolen the final seed and taken it to their evil castle. The players then have to infiltrate the castle to get the final seed to complete their quest. If successful, the Darkening has been held off, and the PCs are given opportunities to say how they will help rebuild the world after the events of the story.</div><div><br /></div><div>—</div><div><br /></div><div>As I mentioned in part I, definitions are squiggly things. A game might not adhere to one or another of these principles and still be solidly a capsule game. Still, these structures (I think) allow capsule games to clearly define themselves as a category apart.</div><div><br /></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-68063410007877494242024-01-03T11:43:00.000-08:002024-01-03T11:43:32.824-08:00The Giant - A Monstrous OSR Class<div style="text-align: left;"><div>This post continues the series of incomparable classes (such as the <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2021/12/truespeaker-freeform-magic-for-osrish.html">Truespeaker</a>, the <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2022/01/knight-or-rehousing-murder-hobo.html" target="_blank">Knight</a>, the <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2021/12/trickster-osr-class-that-can-steal.html" target="_blank">Trickster</a>, the <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2021/12/loremaster-non-magical-scholarship-class.html" target="_blank">Loremaster</a>, and the <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2021/12/jesters-osr-class-that-breaks-rules.html" target="_blank">Jester</a>). As before, I've framed the rules here into a GLoG milieu because I wanted the abilities to cap out quickly, but you can steal the basic concepts pretty easily. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Giant</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJ9Ac-gTwxhVanDg1FZa-UKK5iOMkCz76wvqAXX9C39ghWcQ-WNbloN-cny2c18sUjlHcMSaQiquJjCPUvqLeqqxuaDncdseILObhga1PDIZ0_w63eMW07jf1c1nK6IBCH5NXpI1SxrcTyT8nVyQg47lielOpgBvsbluXZDm_5E8ylJOgHz5wdHn-5LSc/s648/main-qimg-b0924487942fec04761d908a4b6a2f50-pjlq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="602" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJ9Ac-gTwxhVanDg1FZa-UKK5iOMkCz76wvqAXX9C39ghWcQ-WNbloN-cny2c18sUjlHcMSaQiquJjCPUvqLeqqxuaDncdseILObhga1PDIZ0_w63eMW07jf1c1nK6IBCH5NXpI1SxrcTyT8nVyQg47lielOpgBvsbluXZDm_5E8ylJOgHz5wdHn-5LSc/s320/main-qimg-b0924487942fec04761d908a4b6a2f50-pjlq.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Giants are not born. They are made. They are made by eating other giants.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>This class has special leveling rules. </b>You only gain levels in Giant when you eat the heart of a giant. </div><div><br /></div><div>Becoming a giant is a fearsome thing. You did it to become strong. So strong you no longer had to worry about the casual cruelties of common men. </div><div><br /></div><div>But then, you fended off your first giant-slaying band--men who were intent to eat <i>your </i>heart. And then you had to fend off another giant, who sought to grow even larger. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, every footfall is a potential cannibal, longing to pull out your engorged heart and roast it on a spit. You do not have any peers. You only have rivals. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, there can be only one..</div><div><br /></div><div>Δ Giant A - Big, Bully</div><div>Δ Giant B - Huge</div><div>Δ Giant C - Gigantic, Cancerous</div><div>Δ Giant D - Titanic </div><div><br /></div><div>Big - You are now 9 feet tall. Your Strength is 8 (unless it was already higher). </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>You gain +1d4 HP. </li><li>You gain +1 Move. </li><li>Armor and clothing has to be made special for you. It costs 2x the normal rate.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>Bully - You automatically pass Strength-based Combat Maneuver saves against creatures <i>smaller </i>than you.</div><div><br /></div><div>Huge - You are now 14 feet tall. </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>You can wield two-handed weapons in one hand (dealing 1d10 damage). </li><li>You can use other two-slot items with one hand, too, when it makes sense. </li><li>Your unarmed attacks deal 1d6 damage. </li><li>You gain +1d4 HP. </li><li>You gain +1 Move.</li><li>Armor and clothing has to be made special for you. It costs 3x the normal rate.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>Gigantic - You are now 19 feet tall. Your Strength is 9 (unless it was already higher). </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Your unarmed attacks are made at -2 Attack but deal 1d8 damage. </li><li>You can pick up and use improvised weapons like tree trunks or boulders that deal 1d12 damage, but can only be used once. </li><li>You gain +1d6 HP. </li><li>You gain +1 Move.</li><li>Armor and clothing has to be made special for you. It costs 5x the normal rate.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>Cancerous - Tumors begin to grow on your body. Every time you roll a 1, you cough up blood. Roll a 1d100. If you roll under your maximum HP, the cancer has spread too far. You will die at the end of this season.</div><div><br /></div><div>Titanic - You are now 31 feet tall. Your Strength is 12 (unless it was already higher). </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Your unarmed attacks are made at -2 Attack but deal 1d12 damage. </li><li>You can pick up and use improvised weapons like tree trunks or boulders that deal 1d20 damage, but can only be used once. </li><li>You cannot use normal weapons anymore. </li><li>You gain +1d6 HP. </li><li>You gain +1 Move.</li><li>It is practically impossible to make armor for you. Clothes can be made to fit you for the price of a lady's dowry. </li></ul></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Analysis</h2><div>I was thinking that, in contrast to the knight, the giant is the simplest, most basic fighter type. In real life combat, having a few inches on your opponent matters a lot. It's easier for you to do the dance of "hit but not be hit."</div><div><br /></div><div>So take that to its logical extreme. A fighter type whose only strategy is just getting bigger and bigger. Each stride takes you farther. Your weapons get better because they stop being weapons and start being columns. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, he who lives by the giant dies by the giant - both because you join a community of enemies (other would-be titans who want to eat you), and because of...cancer? I don't know why that's there, actually. but I like it. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-56223612008213785442024-01-02T04:41:00.000-08:002024-01-02T04:47:26.753-08:00Capsule Games Part I - What are capsule games?<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I am obsessed with capsule games. </span></span></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlMWAVywko0n89oRvFCJYfet9UO6Ro-VqRdPtnLaLnxSqiGFYwycnSyW1JbMrfBHUhraSl_F_lb9vJ5h3hbTjyRKBgceOp-f57NXCpcoaTkDvLlrvRSiTIFlGF7Fi0f4CS8mithTnC5zK6q35zAPwvmI-sl6rCID-V0S_Zo3F3PXNMa-ZGJhC-A0AnXO4/s1086/charlie-day.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1086" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVlMWAVywko0n89oRvFCJYfet9UO6Ro-VqRdPtnLaLnxSqiGFYwycnSyW1JbMrfBHUhraSl_F_lb9vJ5h3hbTjyRKBgceOp-f57NXCpcoaTkDvLlrvRSiTIFlGF7Fi0f4CS8mithTnC5zK6q35zAPwvmI-sl6rCID-V0S_Zo3F3PXNMa-ZGJhC-A0AnXO4/s320/charlie-day.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>What are capsule games? </b>In short: Capsule games are a genre of RPG where the game is sold as an "encapsulated" experience.</span></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The GM is equipped with a bounded scenario</span></span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">There's probably a small rule set</span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The rules are made to fit the theme of the game</span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Players probably play from a stock roster of characters</span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The characters are probably named</span></li></ul><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8a3615b0-7fff-f575-a79c-b747a7916289"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Taxonomies are difficult things. Signs wiggle out from under signifiers. That's okay. Working definitions are important to move the conversation forward. I hope this blog post helps explain what I mean when I say the word "capsule game."</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This blog post was written in consultation with my colleagues, <a href="https://knightattheopera.blogspot.com/2024/01/capsule-games-part-1-introduction.html" target="_blank">Dwiz of Knight at the Opera</a> and <a href="https://permacrandam.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ava of Permanent Cranial Damage</a>. We all sort of spontaneously became interested in this thing, like Spider-man pointing at Spider-man. It was Ava who coined the term "Capsule Game."* </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">Capsule Games vs RPGs vs Board Games vs CYOA Books</h2><blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">> Me: Does this have any legs? Capsule games are like a choose-your-own-adventure book with a GM attached.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">> Ava: I say invert it. It's a choose-your-own-adventure book given as a resource to a GM.</span></p></blockquote><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Capsule games are a type of RPG game because they are conversation games with free input from players. In RPGs, a player is not bound to a discrete set of options: "If you climb the tree, turn to page 120. If you go under the bridge, turn to page 85." Instead, a GM interprets what the player says they're doing and uses the game's mechanics to resolve situations. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">That said, capsule games probably share some overlap with other types of games. </span></span></p><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">VS Trad RPGs</h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Capsule games are kind of like "Intro to RPGs!" supplements. You know the ones: the introductory RPG boxed sets that have stripped the "confusing" options away and provided pre-made characters and a pre-made scenario. These have a lot of capsule energy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">GURPs is the opposite of a capsule game. <b>Capsule games are not universal. </b>They're very specific experiences. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Capsule games don't say, "You can be anything."</b> <b>They say "You can be a kinda guy."</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Capsule games don't say, "You can make your own adventures!" They say, "Here, run this adventure."</b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Capsule games are RPGs because they share an RPG's defining trait: In RPGs, players have the ability of <b>infinite input</b>. A player can try to do anything, with a GM judging how to interpret that action using the game's mechanics.</span></span></p><h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">VS Board Games</h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Capsule games are kind of like Barbarian Prince or Hero's Quest. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Like board games, capsule games might have a <b>map</b> with <b>pre-defined monsters</b> on it. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Like board games, capsule games might give you a <b>specific character to play. </b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Capsule games aren't like board games because players can come up with their own ideas that are interpreted and adjudicated by a GM. It's not just "Move, Attack." In fact, that's the point: <b>RPGs are special because they employ a referee's brain as the tech.</b> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><h3 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">VS CYOA Books</h3><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Capsule games are kind of like those choose-your-own-adventure books with embedded RPG mechanics like Lone Wolf or Fighting Fantasy. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Like CYOA books, they have a <b>defined play area</b>. They're bounded experiences.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Like CYOA books, they have a <b>sense of finality</b>. You can win.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Unlike CYOA books, capsule games aren't solo games. They're group experiences. And, as noted with board games, capsule games have a referee. They allow for infinite input.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><h2 style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">Example capsule games</h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">What games meet these sketchy criteria? Like pornography, I know a capsule game when I see one.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Here are some games that I think are capsule games:</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Lord of the Rings Adventure Game</span></span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lady Blackbird</span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Silent Titans</span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Labyrinth Adventure Game</span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Wolves on the Coast</span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Yazeba's Bed and Breakfast</span></li><li><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Eat the Reich!</span></li></ul><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">More to come in part 2 of my capsule game series.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: xx-small; white-space-collapse: preserve;">* I was originally pushing for the term "Adventure Game," based on The Labyrinth Adventure Game. I think "Capsule" has more staying power, and yield to Mrs. Islam.</span></span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-46400876807716349622023-12-21T08:24:00.000-08:002023-12-21T08:26:46.879-08:00Knock! News<p>I have some exciting news to share: I have been brought on board as the editor-in-chief of <a href="https://www.themerrymushmen.com/" target="_blank">Knock! magazine</a> moving forward.</p><p>Eric Nieudan, the once and future editor-in-chief, is still very Merry and Mushmany. He has just brought me on so he can focus on the other Merry Mushmen projects. (Speaking of, I really enjoyed the free playtest of <a href="https://www.themerrymushmen.com/product/certification-test-a-dungeon-inc-quickstart-set/" target="_blank">Dungeon, Inc.</a>, where players play the dungeon's monsters endlessly cleaning up and resetting traps for rude adventurers.) </p><p><b>By the way: </b>I'd love to see you on the <a href="https://discord.gg/HHAuusYZSJ" target="_blank">Merry Mushmen Discord</a>. Come chat with us about games!</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">New Submission Portal</h2><p>Since I'm coming into this role as an erstwhile contributor to Knock!, I wanted to make sure the submission process was smooth and simple. To this end, I've made a new <a href="https://www.themerrymushmen.com/submissions-tmm/" target="_blank">submission portal on the Merry Mushmen website</a>:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.themerrymushmen.com/submissions-tmm/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="1360" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEham-rWtzWMtWqUmtMA1ZZjyD_WeIRSjUNJmFmNqi70i_1CJI44SAMh6AkUF06dy1zgeh-cS14brQuKi7_U9yS5VblbduB-E2IZKCl10g7GGfY-o6KNXTVCz0XHEZcMo6gI1dtsz_E6xOOKwMI4r8IJivdPPn1p2lrCKXIwf10sXkSdCocpnmqT3PHbvKG7/s320/submissionform.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.themerrymushmen.com/submissions-tmm/" target="_blank">Now taking submissions for Knock! 5 and 6</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Workflow</h2><div>My intention is that you'll get an email for each step in this process for transparency. (Watch me rue these words.)</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Submission</h3><p>If you have an article, a dungeon, a class, a random table, a magic item, a trap, etc. that you want to submit, we've love to see it! Because we might be able to use one thing but not another, please only submit one <i>thing </i>at a time, but feel free to submit as much as you want. </p><p><b>Two big things here:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We need your name <i>as you want to see it in print</i>. </li><li>We need your email so we can talk to you if we decide to accept your submission.</li></ul><p></p><p>Because everything will be pulled into our chaotic neutral layout by Olivier the Layout Lord, plain text format is preferred. If you have a specific graphic that is needed to make the piece work (like a hand-drawn map for a dungeon), please submit that too. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Pondering the Orb</h3><p>We will ponder everything we receive. </p><p>Because Knock! is a kaleidoscope of content, we might take one thing or another (sometimes leaving things we really love on the cutting-room floor). The book works because it's a collage of lots of different things, so we value variety. If a piece is rejected, you can submit it again a bit later and we'll see if it fits in better with a future volume.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Editing</h3><p>If accepted, I'll place the text into a Google Doc and make edits for our house style and for print/space considerations. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Author Approval</h3><p>I'll email you a copy of the Google Doc so you can see the tracked changes. Accept them or push back to make the changes better. Let's talk about the piece! </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Layout</h3><p>Once everything <i>sounds good </i>to both the editor and submitter, we'll pass things on to Olivier, High Graphic Artist. He'll make the words <i>look good</i>. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Manic Last Touches</h3><p>Of course, putting everything together into a magazine is a near endless series of edits, re-edits, typos, touchups, collapsing, expanding, inserting, moving. We'll be fitting everything together until the book is ready to print. If we need anything else from you, we'll make sure to reach back out.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Prep for the Campaign</h3><p>Once the book is mostly assembled and we're prepping the crowdfunding campaign, we'll reach out to all contributors to get details for payment and to get final sign off. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">20 hours left on the Knock! 4 Kickstarter </h2><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/896102915/knock-issue-four" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="983" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBofjADaydeMlf5LK9h08q07cG8BmYwRie1e1B5Cn25O6k-cfarFGDb9hv-omhLjgElIaIlyjOm3M-pqsJ6IE6CSN_XNcNROGXvNSbWx9m63XKVwRatjOSoElpNiyeFMGm6kxomfYHcmq20HUIZnfBQjwmI0jtt4nkZJyLiLrCo5Ly6BcmJhScsxiFPNiu/s320/77d1ec853e6014b267116d6f008937c1_original.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/896102915/knock-issue-four" target="_blank">Don't miss out!</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>The <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/896102915/knock-issue-four">Knock! 4 Kickstarter</a> is in the home stretch with just 20 hours left. If you haven't already backed, don't miss out on completing your collection. </p><p>(I am just a contributor on this volume, but my "<a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2017/09/1937-hobbit-as-setting.html" target="_blank">1937 Hobbit as a Setting</a>" post made its way in, so I am very excited.)</p>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-20329189860249532692023-12-06T18:54:00.000-08:002023-12-06T19:03:20.909-08:00Reasonable Reviews<p>Recently, the RPG social media sphere reheated one of the classic <i>controversies du jour: </i>Should RPG critics write a review of an RPG product they have not played?</p><p>Some insist that playing a module / an adventure / a zine / a supplement is a minimum requirement. Not just a minimum requirement, but a bare minimum requirement. How could it be any different? How could you write a review of a music album without listening to it?</p><p><b>Is it reasonable to write a review of an RPG supplement without playing it first? </b></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Reviews I like</h2><div>I've <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2023/11/what-im-listening-to.html" target="_blank">mentioned before</a> that I like <i><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/41FaQ4V3NlsWcZFrGdO4oG?si=zbVTvgJFTUOiWR9wEgOw7g" target="_blank">Between Two Cairns</a></i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the most recent episode, Brad and Yochai were joined by <a href="https://amandalee.itch.io/" target="_blank">Amanda Lee Franck</a> to review <i><a href="https://spearwitch.com/products/reach-of-the-roach-god" target="_blank">The Reach of the Roach God</a>. </i><i>The Reach of the Roach God </i>consists of three adventures and supplementary text (I learned from the review).</div><div><br /></div><div>Brad had run the first adventure, a Quiet Lake (using <a href="https://gilarpgs.itch.io/slayers" target="_blank">Spenser Campbell's Slayers</a>? Haha!). </div><div><br /></div><div>Amanda had run the second adventure, Spider Mountain Temple. She regretted that she jumped straight to this adventure instead of running the first one first. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Nobody had run the third adventure</i>, City of Peace. Everybody on the podcast highlighted they thought this adventure seemed the most challenging to run and they weren't sure how they would start to go about it, although they liked certain things about it.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>As always, they gave an overview of the product and talked about what they liked and didn't like in the product. Subjects of discussion included: </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the quality of the art</li><li>the amount of art</li><li>the position of the art on the page related to other content</li><li>the NPCs</li><li>the boxed text</li><li>the procedures</li><li>the maps</li><li>the keying of the maps</li><li>the (custom!) font</li><li>the layout of the pages</li><li>the terseness and humor of the writing</li><li>the relationship of the art to the text, etc. </li></ul><div>(This content seems to be the same regardless of whether or not the hosts have actually played the product or not.)</div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><b>Was this a reasonable review of <i>The Reach of the Roach God</i>?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Reviews I do</h2><div>I have tried to review a few RPG products. I tried really hard to do a good job. It was a difficult task to do well (and I'm not sure I <i>did </i>do well). So I do not do RPG reviews.</div><div><br /></div><div>I do have a job where reviews are a regular part of my job. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Product reviews</h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Is this feature aligned with the overall strategic goals of the company?</li><li>Does the feature solve the actual needs of a specific user profile? Does it balance the needs of multiple user profiles? What are the tradeoffs?</li><li>Is this the right level for an MVP? </li><li>What metrics will be used to determine next steps?</li><li>Are there bugs in the MVP?</li><li>Are these bugs launch blockers?</li><li>What is the correct positioning for this product?</li></ul></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Design reviews</h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Are the CTA buttons the right size?</li><li>Do the navigation buttons make sense?</li><li>Are elements that look interactable actually interactable?</li><li>Is the design responsive to screen size?</li><li>Is the UX copy primed for translation?</li><li>Is the color contrast accessible?</li></ul></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Technical writing reviews</h3><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Are the instructions consistent? </li><li>Are the screenshots up to date?</li><li>Are unhappy paths documented?</li><li>Do code samples exist?</li><li>Do code samples have proper formatting and highlighting?</li><li>Will the sample code provided actually run if you copy and paste it?</li><li>Is the language in active voice?</li><li>Are the headers descriptive?</li></ul></div><div>Because my job is in software, I am not an end user. I do not do the job that our end users do. <i>Nobody I work with uses the product that my company produces on a day-to-day basis</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Is it reasonable to provide reviews for a product I do not use?</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">User testing and feedback</h2><div>For all of the above, something that is missing is the feedback from actual users. Did we get it right? </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Are we providing value to our customers? </li><li>Is the UX delightful? </li><li>Is the documentation helpful? </li></ul></div><div>We spend a lot of money and a lot of time to try and get these answers out of real users. Our business depends on it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Does the the need for user feedback invalidate the other types of reviews provided during the product development process?</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Is user feedback helpful in the same way as other types of reviews?</b></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-42140834748442533502023-11-24T08:06:00.000-08:002023-11-24T08:06:12.460-08:00Gods are high level PCs<p>Listening to Between Two Cairns about Caverns of Thracia, and I was thinking about Greek-mythological elements in the hodgepodge mélange of D&D. </p><p>I realized: <b>Greek gods are just high level PCs. </b></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Greek elements in D&D</h2><p>A preponderance of fantastic elements in vanilla D&D are Tolkien-esque, North/Western European. Old-school D&D is definitely more of a melting pot, with a Saturday morning cartoon blending of dinosaurs, samurai, and spaceships thrown in the mix. But even in the most vanilla D&D have these decidedly Greek mythological elements: hydras, harpies, medusa, minotaurs. </p><p>Gods in vanilla D&D have a Greek pantheon vibe. They have these very Greco-Roman spheres of influence - Raylor is the god of the sun, good, human fighters, and archery. There's usually a ruling hegemony of major gods and dozens of minor gods. In major cities, you can find temples to any god. Gods can be patrons to a particular race or people. When you say, "I worship the god of the sun and you worship the goddess of the moon," nobody blinks.</p><p>(This is often very boring. The endless iterations on this theme, with vaguely different names and groupings, are so tedious to read. Not to yuck anybody's yum, but there should be public decency laws where you go to jail if you make me read your re-coloration of the Faerun pantheon.)</p><p>It would be more interesting if the gods in D&D acted more like the gods in Greek mythology. And the gods in Greek mythology act like high-level player characters, overloaded with magical items, zipping around and causing trouble for everybody.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Rethinking the gods</h2><p>People say "Greek gods are more human." I guess that's true. But they don't act rational, like normal humans. They act irrational, like a 14 year old boy playing "Mars, God of War" who asks for his PC to bang every bar wench the adventuring party encounters.</p><p>They are not omniscient. When you pray to them, you hope they or their messengers are nearby in shape-changed form or invisible. You offer them things not abstractly, but in the deliberate hope that you're luring them to your altar.</p><p>They are not omnipotent. They are powerful beings who wield technologies invisible to humankind: weather, seasons, disease, emotions, birth, death. </p><p>When gods act for or against you, they do so very directly:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>They give you <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus#Overcoming_the_Gorgon" target="_blank">magical items</a> - a helm of invisibility and a mirror shield - to slay Medusa. </li><li>They <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laoco%C3%B6n_and_His_Sons">summon a monster</a> to devour you.</li><li>They summon <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agenor_of_Troy" target="_blank">veils of mist</a> to obscure you from your enemies in battle. </li><li>They cast <a href="https://classical-inquiries.chs.harvard.edu/introduction-to-helen-and-her-eidolon/" target="_blank">Clone </a>on you so that your eidolon can take your place in an unpleasant situation.</li></ul><h2 style="text-align: left;">Gamifying this</h2><div>Anybody can pray. When you make a prayer to a god, you have a 1-in-20 chance of having your prayer fulfilled. </div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>+1 if you make a significant offering (at least 10% of gold value to advance to your next level)</li><li>+1-3 for doing something awesome that that god likes (feats of battle for war gods, clever plans for wisdom gods, good deeds for good gods, etc.) since your last prayer</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>On a successful prayer, call a friend that's pretty good at RPGs but isn't part of this particular game. Tell them they have a level 20 PC, with any build they want. Tell them they're given a quest to do X (where X is the other PC's prayer). Ask what they do.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's how the god reacts to your prayer.</div><p></p>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-5603600675507570462023-11-19T09:12:00.000-08:002023-11-19T09:25:53.897-08:00Familiars<p>(Hey look, I can make posts that aren't just <i>His Majesty the Worm </i>shilling. I still am playing games and thinking about them!)</p><p>For my current <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2023/05/dolmenwood-his-majesty-worm-house-rules.html" target="_blank">Dolmenwood game</a>, my players said they wanted to all play witches. To play to this gimmick, I wrote a magical familiar subsystem. Rules below in a <i>His Majesty the Worm </i>parlance, but can be adapted to any OSR system without difficulty. Lots of inspiration for this system came from the unparalleled <a href="https://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2014/06/youre-doing-familiars-all-wrong.html" target="_blank">Goblinpunch</a>. </p><p>A thing I really like about this subsystem is how it creates <i>trouble </i>for the players. Each familiar wants something weird and outrageous, which pushes the characters into interesting/dangerous situations to try and keep the little shit happy. </p><p>Also, because this system creates such interesting little personalities, the players never have the "Oh right, I have a pet I forgot about" moment. Actually, they're penalized with an in-character justification if they ever have that realization as the familiar has felt neglected and slipped away into the dreaming world (see below).</p><p>The one big con about this system is that I have to talk in a lot of funny voices to handle the bonded NPCs that the players all have now. Exhausting on my vocal chords. </p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Binding your Familiar</h1><p>To bind a familiar to your service, you must go on a vision quest into the lowest realms of Dreaming (the parts that are tangent to the upper levels of Hell). Find some drugs that can get you there, if you have no spells that can do it.</p><p>Creating your familiar is like going to <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Build a Bear Workshop. Choose three representative pieces of the familiar and combine them together. (The art I made for my players for this is amateurish, but was accepted with applause, which made me feel good.)</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyra4kjlLlRlUlDd0d8ua8xd7oZsZb4fCWHbRlisvPL71LRjX2Y67ZKE2xvn1r7HDGJkydHiY0Hang89bXGI90-iUG6G4VMrMMMcuZw9k2up0MbajxsLE6mHEvldC7ksi2lcfXwXZZxnurV3EqSs0CynUXOaMCM8NqpeL7ilIJs6lJ4JOZXRDXouRsl8_/s1291/IMG_20230718_204543842.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="968" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsyra4kjlLlRlUlDd0d8ua8xd7oZsZb4fCWHbRlisvPL71LRjX2Y67ZKE2xvn1r7HDGJkydHiY0Hang89bXGI90-iUG6G4VMrMMMcuZw9k2up0MbajxsLE6mHEvldC7ksi2lcfXwXZZxnurV3EqSs0CynUXOaMCM8NqpeL7ilIJs6lJ4JOZXRDXouRsl8_/w300-h400/IMG_20230718_204543842.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0b565db9-7fff-2dc1-bd94-db92758452d4"><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt; text-align: left;">Form</h3><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In my heart, I know my familiar is:</span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-top: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Toad with teeth, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">speaks in a deep baritone voice (my dear boy!)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Blind crow</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">, flies backwards</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Black goat</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">, always stands on your shadow, causes discomfort on places where it's hoofs touch</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Shoulder imp</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">, smug as Hell (literally)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Fat hare</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">, walks like a man, fond of eating bones and skin</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Moth, tiny crown</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">, everyone gets goosebumps when it appears, speaks like a king</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;">Function</h3><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I most desire:</span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-top: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Ghost.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> Can teleport you (only) to the nearest graveyard. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Fat. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">You can tickle it and it opens up to reveal an extradimensional space 1 slot large (does this for free, no need for a favor). Can burp out 1-21 gold coins, but these fade away during the next full moon. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Circle-Square-Triangle.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> Can conjure 1 random spell component every month. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Spellbook. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Can ask it a question about the future: “If I do X, what will happen?”</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Silvery. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Your familiar is white. Once a month, it can speak to the moon. The moon can see anything that happens out of doors during the night, except for nights of the new moon. Can tell you where something is or how something went down.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Bat wings. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Your familiar gains bat wings. It can lend them to you, allowing you to fly. </span></p></li></ol><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></h3><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;">Favor</h3><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">For this, I would trade:</span></p><ol style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-top: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Silver lantern. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">The familiar seeks new frontiers (especially of the mind and/or other planes) and cosmic truth</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Gilded birdcage</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">. Familiar craves political power to rule the world and become a leader of men (preferred: starting a cult, marrying royalty)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Cookie jar. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Strange, dangerous, and terrible things to eat. </span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Cage carved of a single ruby.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;"> Money. Give it treasure.</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Doll-sized wizard tower. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Familiar desires the construction of a vast object, built for some distant, undefined purpose (preferred: tower, ziggurat, ship)</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">A mirror (familiar appears as a reflection). </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-wrap: wrap; vertical-align: baseline;">Familiar wishes for your ego-death through dissociative drugs, anomie, and constant exposure to danger.</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-top: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 0pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lastly, each familiar is unique. Roll on the </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/1VcRz7YXrG2PF3XPGwNyzZUOjhAN74v6o/view" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">1d100 Familiar List</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> to see how your combination is different from every other familiar. This also gives your familiar a </span><a href="https://perchance.org/all-manner-of-hounds" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">random name.</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Feed your familiar a portion of your own blood mixed with milk and honey to bind them to you. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><h1>Familiar Rules</h1><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Once a familiar has agreed to work with you, it is your familiar for life. You and your familiar may fall out, get into fights. It might leave. It’s still your familiar, but until you come to mutually agreeable terms, you won’t be able to work together.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When you have a bound familiar, you can ask it to dwell with you in the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">dreaming world </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">or the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">waking world</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;">Waking</h3><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When in the waking world, your familiar is physically present with you. It rides on your shoulders, trots at your side, sleeps in your sleeve. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Familiars don’t like to be ignored. Every time you—as the player—mention it, describe what it’s doing, talk to it in-character, the familiar is pleased. It can feel it is being noticed.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Every time the GM has to say, “Wait, what is your familiar doing while you do that” the familiar feels hurt. You’ve forgotten about it. When this happens, it slinks off into the dreaming world. Summoning it is done with disfavor.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Familiars go into the dreaming world when they’re hurt. They rest there for 1-21 days. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">You can dismiss a familiar to the dreaming world whenever you want, if it would be dangerous or inconvenient to have them around.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;">Dreaming</h3><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">When in the dreaming world, it appears to you in your dreams. You can talk to it here, if you want. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;">Summoning</h3><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Whenever you attempt to summon your familiar from the dreaming world to the waking one (or vice versa) make a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Wands test</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. Success means that the familiar arrives immediately. Otherwise it arrives in 1d4 watches. If you have annoyed your familiar, you automatically fail this test, while familiars that are extremely pleased will always arrive promptly.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;">Services</h3><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Familiars can perform </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">services</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">, but never more than 1/day. However, for every service it performs, you owe a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">favor</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">1. Familiars can use one of their </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">special powers </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">at your behest.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">2. Familiars can give you a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">spell slot</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">3. Familiars can do just about anything that a </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">normal animal </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">could do—and then some! They could fly away, spy on a bandit’s camp, and report back. It can even give its opinion about plans on how to ambush the bandit leader. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">4. You can ask a familiar to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">fight </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">with you. This counts as one service. In <i>His Majesty the Worm, </i>use Cups cards to command them during a Challenge.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">5. Familiars can </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">save you from a violent death</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">—but only once ever.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;"><br /></p><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;">Favor</h3><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Each favor is always something that the familiar can call in immediately, or at a later date. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you perform the favor that the familiar requests, that's the end of it. But if you refuse, that is a violation of the contract with the familiar, and deserving of a roll on the Breach of the Covenant table.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><b>Playtest Note: </b>There's a bit of extra mental load with keeping track of all the familiars, their names, and their desired favors. Write a notecard with all this information to keep next to your campaign notes. At the start of each session, go over who <i>owes </i>their familiar a favor, and think about nearby things the familiar would be interested in. You can have the start of a session be a familiar demanding something troublesome nearby.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
</span></span></p><h3 style="border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt;">Breach of the Covenant </h3><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
1. <a href="https://www.remixesandrevelations.com/2023/10/osr-oni.html" target="_blank">random curse</a>
2. <a href="https://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2018/11/d100-mutations.html" target="_blank">random mutation</a>
3. -1 to a random attribute
4. lose 2-8 XP
</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></p><h3 style="border-bottom: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-left: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); border-right: 1pt solid rgb(254, 253, 250); line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0pt 2pt 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Bonus Picture</span></span></h3><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg795lMqB5hahQ-EHYqwJRvwFmUVYDBFdV_4PhBf-nXSYYM-hu8g_fUFWHQzHkkmhII0WnWvrR6SixStBbyEDVSqX1rFoAMEmwnZJowayZccEdmsQ7jhfFzrfBd26QjsYfR3tJgtIeAlCxbySbEszn4CpxvkJdh5dYarrqH7GV1JwdHSaE6j8uFFRgAMZBx/s1721/IMG_20230718_204557734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1291" data-original-width="1721" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg795lMqB5hahQ-EHYqwJRvwFmUVYDBFdV_4PhBf-nXSYYM-hu8g_fUFWHQzHkkmhII0WnWvrR6SixStBbyEDVSqX1rFoAMEmwnZJowayZccEdmsQ7jhfFzrfBd26QjsYfR3tJgtIeAlCxbySbEszn4CpxvkJdh5dYarrqH7GV1JwdHSaE6j8uFFRgAMZBx/w400-h300/IMG_20230718_204557734.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-62327022716624453252023-11-17T04:46:00.000-08:002023-11-17T06:50:25.725-08:00HIS MAJESTY THE WORM Deep Dive - The Adventurer Sheet<p> <i>His Majesty the Worm</i> is a new-school game with old-school sensibilities: the classic megadungeon experience given fresh life through a focus on the mundanities and small moments of daily life inside the dungeon. This post is part of a series of deep dives into the mechanics of the game.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Adventurer Sheet</h2><p>Here are two mild takes:</p><p>1. I think you can figure out what an RPG is about by looking at the page count dedicated to discussions of that subject.</p><p>2. I think you can figure out what players do by looking at the character sheet.</p><p>Here is the adventurer sheet* from His Majesty the Worm. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kiRJv2riM-6XV_kig7nto6s7gMxf2BXc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="3300" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNLCoGLIhitPlwMPhKXNHH5eD-lnaKxjIfxr1gV92k-HlyLjkK2pYBx2bcJyIKBxAbc_nPLIHHBz-2fTcXAI_KGx7vB8fKjCV5N9kUX8jZ-sCGHmFqUuK9_DHl_7fi08Ct_Qr5X-0I3FsZDWTn6wzRWwMj8wgSfeYPs11m1IlE8OSpy6en1UyibowCdttm/s320/HMTW%20Character%20Sheet%20v2_Page_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kiRJv2riM-6XV_kig7nto6s7gMxf2BXc/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><span style="text-align: left;">Click here to download a copy of the adventurer sheet. What do </span><i style="text-align: left;">you </i><span style="text-align: left;">think players do in this game?</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The front of the booklet is who your <b>adventurer </b>is at a glance. Their name, kith & kin, their motifs, attributes, their relationships with other characters. </p><p>The back of the booklet is a <b>rules reference</b> for players. The book is a shared resource. Pull as much commonly-referenced information out of it so people don't need to hog it.</p><p>The inside of the booklet (page 2) is where the <i>stuff </i>you track is kept. On the left page, you track your <b>talents</b>, <b>conditions</b>, and <b>animal companions</b>. Talents can be wounded, so they're included near the status tracker. On the right page you track your <b>equipment</b>, separated between what you're <b>carrying</b>, your <b>pack </b>and your <b>belt</b>. (It's easier to grab things from your belt than your pack!)</p><p>Read on to learn more about the design decisions involved here.</p><p><br /></p><p>* I think "adventurer" is the more natural-language sounding word for a player's character (as opposed to the insurance-salesman-sounding acronym "PC"). </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Credit</h3><p>First, let me call out the people who actually designed the sheet. One of my players, M. Finch, designed the initial version of the sheet in more-or-less its final form. One of the contributing artists, Michael Strange, gave this sheet a nice design. My graphic designer, Pete Borlace, iterated on and finalized the sheet.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Design Decisions</h2><p>First, the adventurer sheet is designed to be printed double-sided and folded into a booklet. (I don't know if this is the first game with a booklet-based character sheet, but <i>I</i> have not seen one in the past.) It is aesthetically and tactically pleasing (to me) to have a pretty little folded booklet in my hands. It's appealing.</p><p>There's a subtle visual language to the sheet. Circles tend to signify resources being taxed: damage taken, light flickering out, Resolve weakened. Squares tend to signify resources gained: Bonds charged, Arete triggered. Your light source is carried, as shown by the etched line connecting that section of the sheet to your hand slots.</p><p>If you have the Beast Master talent, an animal companion you have can be upgraded to a familiar and learn five commands instead of three. Notice how the 4th and 5th command slots are slightly rolled up to show that they're non-standard. </p><p>You have four belt slots and twenty-one pack slots. This was done for a game design reason: it allows the GM to randomly target a piece of equipment. Either glance at the suit (1 of 4) in the minor arcana discard pile to target the belt or in the major arcana discard pile (1 of 21) to target something in the pack.</p><p>When I say that "His Majesty the Worm focuses on the human elements of dungeon exploration," tracking what's in your hands is sort of what I mean. It's important to think about what's in your hands. It changes as you adventure. If you're carrying a shield and a mace and you say, "I want to cup the moth in my hands," the GM can follow up to see how you're trying to do that. Do you put your weapons down? These things feel important to think about.</p><p><br /></p><h2>Want to learn more about <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>?</h2><p>If this sounds interesting and you'd like to check the game out, please sign up for the mailing list in the sidebar of the blog. I will email you to tell you when the game is ready for purchase. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="1002" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" width="193" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-26362222704813204112023-11-08T05:18:00.004-08:002023-11-08T05:30:05.920-08:00HIS MAJESTY THE WORM Deep Dive - Characters<p><i>His Majesty the Worm</i> is a new-school game with old-school sensibilities: the classic megadungeon experience given fresh life through a focus on the mundanities and small moments of daily life inside the dungeon. This post is part of a series of deep dives into the mechanics of the game.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">What do characters do?</h2><p>Players take on the role of <b>adventurers</b>. Adventurers descend into the Underworld in search of impossible things that can never exist on the surface world. They explore collectively as a <b>guild</b>—a chartered union of adventurers. Adventurers fight monsters, avoid traps, get treasure, spend it all on drink, and maybe live long enough to do it twice.</p><p>This is all pretty bog standard stuff for folks used to games with dragons and dungeons.</p><p>I do think there are <b>innovations </b>in <i>His Majesty the Worm </i>that I want to talk about, though. There's something about the character lifecycle that's really compelling to me as a player and a game master. That's what this post is about.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Paths</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjE2Nt6cHJYp-_B89XqnlyO1_CD8EFQtcLZRQvhlrh-npB-dSmM_F9rLjGy4_wUlpbEir55m7mDA0rPeqho4zhqRmPAZegUj35JOVU5swjtePPB3yp3s2dtgX6cgVx_-1yUSPohr5RR0RSr5mDh85BnqmSjJjBbIKXxvLrBTRCZMj12gPP28TxDRpB78FO/s3508/5.%20HMTW%20path%20of%20cups_Emily%20Cheeseman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3508" data-original-width="2480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjE2Nt6cHJYp-_B89XqnlyO1_CD8EFQtcLZRQvhlrh-npB-dSmM_F9rLjGy4_wUlpbEir55m7mDA0rPeqho4zhqRmPAZegUj35JOVU5swjtePPB3yp3s2dtgX6cgVx_-1yUSPohr5RR0RSr5mDh85BnqmSjJjBbIKXxvLrBTRCZMj12gPP28TxDRpB78FO/w283-h400/5.%20HMTW%20path%20of%20cups_Emily%20Cheeseman.jpg" width="283" /></a></div><br /><p>Adventurers walk one of four paths. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The Path of Swords is that of violence.</li><li>The Path of Pentacles is that of slyness.</li><li>The Path of Cups is that of learning.</li><li>The Path of Wands is that of sorcery.</li></ul><p></p><p>Your attributes are the four suits of the tarot. Think about them like jobs - fighter, thief, scholar, wizard. By putting points into them, you determine which job is your focus and which jobs are your back up. Your highest attribute determines your path. </p><p>When you select your path, you gain access to a set of <b>talents</b> that define your special abilities.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Quests</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2FlPChvMmWFELO0qTmkjF2APf0amhhQAI9XrsfgzhyoEE_0dklotDMwoced5njKUaLXGTBgS4Mzf3zvt78fT3JFT7KiqK549PTcXOlDTGb1h6eLWVvlngZXAKd6Boiudeni2vjIJvrqD-9zASFU8_xf8UwRNsJRSVAIMaLw00LGR2oVYHkmDcazTMwsA/s3519/2.%20Adventurer%20(painting)%20by%20Caitlin%20Reid.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3519" data-original-width="2480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2FlPChvMmWFELO0qTmkjF2APf0amhhQAI9XrsfgzhyoEE_0dklotDMwoced5njKUaLXGTBgS4Mzf3zvt78fT3JFT7KiqK549PTcXOlDTGb1h6eLWVvlngZXAKd6Boiudeni2vjIJvrqD-9zASFU8_xf8UwRNsJRSVAIMaLw00LGR2oVYHkmDcazTMwsA/s320/2.%20Adventurer%20(painting)%20by%20Caitlin%20Reid.png" width="226" /></a></div><br /><p>The GM creates the <b>underworld </b>- an exciting megadungeon to explore. The players create their <b>quests</b>. </p><p>Quests are your reason for going into the underworld. Normal, healthy-brained people don't want to go there. That place sucks.</p><p>The GM places your quest somewhere in the underworld. There, it sits fermenting, gestating, and shaping the world around it--sending out rumors like satellite signals to lure you towards it. </p><p>You get 3 XP for agreeing to help one player with their quest. </p><p>XP is spent as a resource to use talents that you do not have mastered. You get XP at the <i>start </i>of an adventure to help you use new talents <i>during </i>the adventure.</p><p>You get 3 XP whenever you complete a quest.</p><p>You also get 1 XP (much less) for taking on assignments for NPCs and for blowing all your coin on drink at the City. Little incentivizers. </p><p>When you have finished your quest, you're encouraged to retire your character. You've done what you've made that character to do. Retire them to the City and have the fun of playing a new type of dude for a little while.</p><p>In the last quest before we called the playtest "finished" (after 7 years!), one player defeated the Locust Lich that ruled the first level of the Underworld, rescued her dryad girlfriend, married her, and carved her tree into a figurehead for her pirate ship so the two of them could return to the surface and sail together forever. </p><p>That's the sort of stories I want to be a part of.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Wide, not deep growth </h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicqMVfTs_y3l1kS0jO-2m910Xf_9sJcLm_xlw-tp6mNHIUwgtTo8xg7zuw47KQXpdK7760WPMgxkgl8z_7u6AjkSaPlNbzjnr_UeuOuijPm1QPh1mSAAtDWUwUC8O2fBV5CD2Pw8YwLSnesTQxEJ_oyI42fUFBbdlu1ajN-MTe0OwV7iyYpt9payQd8Ow/s4676/4.%20Human%20-%20Alec%20Sorensen.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4676" data-original-width="3308" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicqMVfTs_y3l1kS0jO-2m910Xf_9sJcLm_xlw-tp6mNHIUwgtTo8xg7zuw47KQXpdK7760WPMgxkgl8z_7u6AjkSaPlNbzjnr_UeuOuijPm1QPh1mSAAtDWUwUC8O2fBV5CD2Pw8YwLSnesTQxEJ_oyI42fUFBbdlu1ajN-MTe0OwV7iyYpt9payQd8Ow/s320/4.%20Human%20-%20Alec%20Sorensen.png" width="226" /></a></div><p>It’s worth noting that adventurers in His Majesty the Worm grow “wide” not “deep.” That is, XP allows you to use and master more talents, broadening the options available to you. You do not gain bigger numbers, +1s, more hit points, etc. </p><p>You can learn any talent in the game. Your path determines what talents you start with, but you can train with your other adventurers or NPCs to learn their talents too. </p><p>In my current campaign, I've put like 30 more talents into the game and seeded their trainers around the map. I'm having fun with players trying to find the right dude to teach them X talent. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Arête and beyond</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1j9IV4LaOEVSUX_ZBIhp1ItS1FEll4SwFupkai9gPfbOLxxtz7lb3_9f39KniBlfa_tYKvUCQ9fOyB4eq52PLErV5uVByo2ijeL6ly5aDHPnw6-vqVcBIWH1YfGarHJaEQF2_kUHOMkSBHXndAe70-z8l-uLL3GZLZ8NlL0dcgIYLY_nFrGLRs_Qys62/s3508/4.%20Kith%20and%20Kin%20-%20moon_painting%20by%20Caitlin%20Reid.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3508" data-original-width="2480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1j9IV4LaOEVSUX_ZBIhp1ItS1FEll4SwFupkai9gPfbOLxxtz7lb3_9f39KniBlfa_tYKvUCQ9fOyB4eq52PLErV5uVByo2ijeL6ly5aDHPnw6-vqVcBIWH1YfGarHJaEQF2_kUHOMkSBHXndAe70-z8l-uLL3GZLZ8NlL0dcgIYLY_nFrGLRs_Qys62/s320/4.%20Kith%20and%20Kin%20-%20moon_painting%20by%20Caitlin%20Reid.png" width="226" /></a></div><br /><p>In addition to XP, there are two other types of growth that adventurers benefit from. The first is <b>arête</b>, a feature of your kith. </p><p>Each kith (your larger racial group) has three <b>arête triggers</b>. For example, here's the ones for the fay kith:</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5O_p7TCz3vbOfXtDm29VaYwuoSPXmEet5KnjavEie0evbFn9iY2cYjuthTlSQZewfoSBPKQ11hfFrWVKQmOTOUB1WvRJtBn-RrS5WCwqnvixYZcPj2hVa_Sk1-8ejKhN1JeXSuxV_UXtFCxhPy7B38BDm8KQE0BoevS0BmG3tX6S04jqTtfvOrbcPYp0/s784/arete.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="425" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5O_p7TCz3vbOfXtDm29VaYwuoSPXmEet5KnjavEie0evbFn9iY2cYjuthTlSQZewfoSBPKQ11hfFrWVKQmOTOUB1WvRJtBn-RrS5WCwqnvixYZcPj2hVa_Sk1-8ejKhN1JeXSuxV_UXtFCxhPy7B38BDm8KQE0BoevS0BmG3tX6S04jqTtfvOrbcPYp0/w346-h640/arete.png" width="346" /></a></div><br /><p>When you check all of your arête, you gain a new talent specific to your kin. These unlockable talents are the only example of "deep growth" in the core game.</p><p>The second is “<b>weirdness</b>.” As you journey through the Underworld, you get weirder. You accumulate scars, mutations, magical items, pets, mutilations, phobias, etc. There are no rules governing the latter. Finding out how your adventurer gets weirder is essentially the whole game.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">To be continued</h2><p>My next deep dive is going to discuss the tech of the character sheet. What better way to learn about what characters <i>do </i>in the game? Stay tuned!</p><h2>Want to learn more about <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>?</h2><p>If this sounds interesting and you'd like to check the game out, please sign up for the mailing list in the sidebar of the blog. I will email you to tell you when the game is ready for purchase. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="1002" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" width="193" /></a></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-73776503344961550522023-11-01T19:26:00.002-07:002023-11-01T19:26:18.184-07:00What I'm Listening To<p>Despite the fact I GMed for an <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1tQaf22RWMOC3sCdHQyhn5" target="_blank">AP podcast</a>, I've never really liked podcasts. I've found them difficult to listen to. However, luckily, <b>local millennial with beard has gotten into</b> <b>podcasts</b>. (I also enjoy the works of one "Modest Mouse.") Rejoice. </p><p>I've gotten into a few podcasts that talk about the theory of RPGs (especially indie/OSR play). This is my jam. My jim jam. </p><p>Here's what I'm listening to.*</p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Between Two Cairns</h1><p>Local dudes Brad Kerr and Yochai Gal talk about modules (NOT SETTINGS) in <a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2042709" target="_blank">Between Two Cairns</a>. I'm hooting and hollering. Yochai talks about the folklore and background of modules, and I say "Ha ha yeah, that's right." Brad does a long form joke. I laugh and say "Ha ha yeah! YES!"</p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Blogs on Tape</h1><p>I already read blogs. But someone has done the hard work of aggregating them for me, and read them to me aloud? So I can listen? At the <i>gym</i>? THANK YOU NICK LS WHELAN OF <a href="http://blogsontape.paperspencils.com/" target="_blank">BLOGS ON TAPE</a>. </p><h1 style="text-align: left;">Into the Megadungeon</h1><p>So few genres of RPG are as close to my heart as the noble megadungeon. Ben L's deep dive into megadungeon theory, <a href="https://maziriansgarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Into%20the%20Megadungeon" target="_blank">Into the Megadungeon</a>, is a super helpful, super insightful look into the place I've spent - shucks - I guess most of my time. Every episode has some new insight. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>* The fact that I'm on a few of these has no** bearing on me recommending them.</p><p>** It has enormous bearing.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-61729742536795567752023-10-14T04:39:00.001-07:002023-10-14T04:45:37.711-07:00HIS MAJESTY THE WORM Deep Dive - Tarot<p><i>His Majesty the Worm</i> is a new-school game with old-school sensibilities: the classic megadungeon experience given fresh life through a focus on the mundanities and small moments of daily life inside the dungeon. This post is part of a series of deep dives into the mechanics of the game.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Tarot</h2><p><i>His Majesty the Worm </i>uses a standard deck of tarot cards to play the game (instead of dice). </p><p>It is not the first RPG to do so. I read maybe half a dozen while designing it to get the lay of the land. <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/mvqumn/a_comprehensive_list_of_rpg_or_rpglike_games_that/" target="_blank">Here is a pretty thorough list of games with card-based mechanics, including tarot cards.</a></p><p>Many of the games that use tarot cards lean into it as their primary gimmick. "This is the tarot card RPG," they say. Not so with <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>. <i>His Majesty the Worm </i>is a megadungeon exploration game. The tarot cards are mostly incidental--but certainly referenced in the art and graphic design (see page borders, below).</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6m8dUfK72h2Y7VLfOvRQ16vnjsFQ8_1uFY6gYlsa5mVc69Qe558SGPoY_KWn8k90aq1JDFYU4dfQTDXLr1ZEW9ldJ9XhR11mBWMDUW3raZNleGxS0Btn0FtpkYcsMfPnlxKs34r-feYSbmBGcKRzJ6rCt3vY100JkXr76blc0qM-AVHm1uzsB2jEki1Gi/s1597/1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="1597" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6m8dUfK72h2Y7VLfOvRQ16vnjsFQ8_1uFY6gYlsa5mVc69Qe558SGPoY_KWn8k90aq1JDFYU4dfQTDXLr1ZEW9ldJ9XhR11mBWMDUW3raZNleGxS0Btn0FtpkYcsMfPnlxKs34r-feYSbmBGcKRzJ6rCt3vY100JkXr76blc0qM-AVHm1uzsB2jEki1Gi/s320/1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The page borders of each chapter have a different arcana as a theme. The page numbers rotate as you flip through the book, too.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">How are tarot cards used?</h2><p>Tarot cards are used as randomizers in <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>. </p><p>Cards can do lots of cool things when used as game mechanics:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Cards are informationally rich. Each card has a number and a suit. There are numbered cards and face cards. Some suits are phallic and some are yonic. The cards have art and imagery. </li><li>Cards are persistent. You can have a hand of cards. You can count the cards in your discard pile. </li><li>Cards are physical. You can trade cards to your friends. You can play cards face down. You can turn/tap cards to represent different states.</li><li>Cards are limited. You won't get the same effect on a table twice if its keyed to a card.</li><li>Cards are gameable. Draw 3 keep 1. Put 1 on the bottom of the deck and 1 at the top of the deck. Play from the top of the discard pile. Etc. </li></ul><p></p><p></p><div>In the combat system, the Challenge Phase, I think all of these elements come together in a very fun way. Every player draws 4 cards. One card will be their Initiative, which represents how fast they move <i>and </i>how easy it is to hit them. The rest are spent during the round to take actions. You can take actions <i>at any time </i>if you play a card whose suit matches the action you want to take. Combat takes on this Dark Souls quality where you're dodge rolling, backing off to regain stamina, and performing split-second attacks. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tarot spreads can also be used to generate interesting and inspirational city and megadungeon layouts. I published rough drafts of these chapters as <a href="https://riseupcomus.itch.io/omphalos" target="_blank">Omphalos </a>and <a href="https://riseupcomus.itch.io/dungeon-seeds" target="_blank">Dungeon Seeds</a>, respectively.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCh5Yv_vN5yYQhzosN4MpSgz296MObwbuunHoJFimrLBrPus1I1662M7Uqzkcmq5l_Epe7aoIXZygiUcTGB7wRpjrNlxfTJSbz17Etvw2Mg-J1_pkPa1cuVefCUoe-ftzyt-9cdw0FifFZYCiH2cm22U7Pj9dib9L7Eg6vHZotpsK9_tfmos__HqiIXk0/s1588/2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1588" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCh5Yv_vN5yYQhzosN4MpSgz296MObwbuunHoJFimrLBrPus1I1662M7Uqzkcmq5l_Epe7aoIXZygiUcTGB7wRpjrNlxfTJSbz17Etvw2Mg-J1_pkPa1cuVefCUoe-ftzyt-9cdw0FifFZYCiH2cm22U7Pj9dib9L7Eg6vHZotpsK9_tfmos__HqiIXk0/s320/2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">How are tarot cards <i>not </i>used?</h2><p>Tarot cards do not have any oracular properties in <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>. That is, there are really no mechanics for using the normal methods of tarot symbolism and interpretation to generate scenarios, NPCs, plots, etc. </p><p>I think you <i>can </i>do that. I just don't, myself. <i>His Majesty the Worm </i>is essentially me capturing how I run games and trying to teach you how to do it. I don't use the cards that way, so I don't talk about it.</p><p>I'd love for a future supplement to dive into this more.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Then why tarot?</h2><p>I think tarot cards look cool. That's pretty much it.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr89KODy_rx3SLCwPuD9kip6SGlGs3nBCdXUJQCREnEysweRw4I7cFZ3Dl6hNAzaTdxnPuqIBZYEBwQeKssr9OVkIZMkM3Sd8MIbQpQX3NntccV2-wsuYOPAmhkXVx63Ji5D_py7f_VbuUnMRdxUAGHcBvGkP8jTYYwAeQYjltdDFnQxlUpBUq-Oscyjqu/s3579/Flowchart%20by%20Emmy%20Verte.png.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3579" data-original-width="2552" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr89KODy_rx3SLCwPuD9kip6SGlGs3nBCdXUJQCREnEysweRw4I7cFZ3Dl6hNAzaTdxnPuqIBZYEBwQeKssr9OVkIZMkM3Sd8MIbQpQX3NntccV2-wsuYOPAmhkXVx63Ji5D_py7f_VbuUnMRdxUAGHcBvGkP8jTYYwAeQYjltdDFnQxlUpBUq-Oscyjqu/s320/Flowchart%20by%20Emmy%20Verte.png.png" width="228" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>by Emmy Verte</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I do not think tarot cards are magical. Tarot cards are just Rorschach blots. They're groups of symbols and inspirational art. </p><p>For example: You draw a card that represents something that's blocking your progress. You draw The Emperor (IV) and think about a male in a position of authority. You think of your boss. You think about your relationship with him. It's Mad Libs. </p><p>I wanted to play with tarot cards because they're weirder than playing cards, they make the game feel more heavy metal and arcane, and they're interesting to look at. I like them.</p><h2>Want to learn more about <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>?</h2><p>If this sounds interesting and you'd like to check the game out, please sign up for the mailing list in the sidebar of the blog. I will email you to tell you when the game is ready for purchase. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="1002" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" width="193" /></a></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-61565931739592577362023-10-08T03:51:00.008-07:002023-10-08T03:59:13.471-07:00Monster Masquerade - a Halloween party game<p>Here is a party game for Halloween. And when I say party game, I mean party game. This is designed to be played by folks walking around at a party, giving this maybe 10% of their attention.</p><p>Print off the different characters. Hand them out at your Halloween shindig.</p><h1 style="text-align: center;">Monster Masquerade</h1><div><br /></div><div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Rules</b></h2><div>Try to accomplish all three of your goals. Some require you to talk to other players. Some require you to scavenger hunt. Not everything you need to find is in the house. In fact, I have no idea if it is or not. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some players have special rules that turn you into different creature types. For example, a Frankenstein might kill a human and make that human a ghost. A vampire might make a human into a vampire. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Ghost Goals</b></h3><div>If you are a ghost, possess and buddy up with a living player. You have to help them achieve their accomplishments. If they win, you win.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ghosts don’t have any special abilities. You can just provide advice. </div></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Characters</h2><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Vincent St. James</h3><div><div><i>Human Monster Hunter</i></div><div><br /></div><div>You are a monster hunter. Can you escape this party alive? </div><div><br /></div><div>You know that one of the humans at this party is secretly a werewolf. </div><div><br /></div><div>You know that if a vampire or werewolf touches a Coors Light can, or if they drink a Coors Light, that person becomes a ghost.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Goals:</b></div><div>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Turn two non-humans into ghosts. </div><div>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Find some garlic, a stake and a mallet. Good vampire killin’ gear.</div><div>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Find at least three pairs of sunglasses. Wear them all at once. Now you look cool. </div><div><br /></div></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Alouicious de’Morte </h3><div><i>Vampire Sensualist </i></div><div><br /></div><div>Nobody has you beat for being a pretentious prick in the Anne Rice tradition. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Vampire Special Rules: </b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>If a vampire or werewolf touches a Coors Light can, or if they drink a Coors Light, that person becomes a ghost.</li><li>If a vampire gives a living person a red drink (red wine, red eye, kool-aid, whatever), and they drink it, tell them that they are now a vampire.</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Goals: </b></div><div>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Compose a melodramatic poem for three other guests and perform it for them.</div><div>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Find and give flowers to your hostess. Thank her gravely for inviting you inside her home. (Don’t steal the flowers from the neighbors.)</div><div>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Make a LiveJournal to fit this persona and make at least one post on it.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Count vonDoom</h3><div><i>Vampire Lord</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Blah! Come children of the night! Blah!</div><div><br /></div><div>You know that one of the humans is actually a werewolf. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Vampire Special Rules: </b></div><div><ul><li>If a vampire or werewolf touches a Coors Light can, or if they drink a Coors Light, that person becomes a ghost.</li><li>If a vampire gives a living person a red drink (red wine, red eye, kool-aid, whatever), and they drink it, tell them that they are now a vampire.</li></ul></div></div><div><b>Goals:</b></div><div>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Make allies with the werewolf. Give him your dark mark on his right hand in marker. </div><div>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Gather your children to you. Find three things shaped like a bat. </div><div>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Turn at least one human into a vampire. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Randy Butternubs</h3><div><i>Werewolf Cowboy</i></div><div><br /></div><div>You are a werewolf. But don’t tell anyone. If anyone asks, say that you are a cowboy.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Special Werewolf Rules: </b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>If you touch a Coors Light can with your skin, or if you drink a Coors Light, you become a ghost.</li><li>If somebody <i>asks </i>you if you are a werewolf and you are <i>outside </i>at <i>night</i>, you cannot lie. You have to confess to being a werewolf.</li><li>You can kill a human player by saying “I kill you.” You can only say this if a) You are outside and b) You are absolutely alone.</li><li>If someone thinks you’re human and tries to kill you, you have to say “This doesn’t work because I’m actually a werewolf.”</li></ul></div><div><b>Goals: </b></div><div>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Kill a human player. This human is now a ghost. They HAVE to possess you. They now win if you win. (None of your other goals can be accomplished by this person.)</div><div>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Be a turncoat. Steal some item that somebody else needs as a goal. That item fulfills this goal for you, now. </div><div>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Be a skin changer. Change a costume with somebody else. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Aubrey Frankenstein</h3><div><i>Sexy Frankenstein </i></div><div><br /></div><div>Move over Twilight. It’s not just Vamps and Werewolves who are sexy. FRANKENSTEINS CAN BE SEXY TOO. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Frankenstein Rules: </b>You can kill a human player by saying “I kill you.” You can only say this if you are absolutely alone. That player is now a ghost.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Goals:</b></div><div>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You are looking for a mate. Get someone to leave a big lipstick mark on your cheek. You are now friends.</div><div>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Make a crude drawing of three other party guests. Give it to them. You are now friends.</div><div>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Kill someone who is your friend. Get Dr. Forester to make them into a Frankenstein. You are now best friends.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">J.R. Witherwit</h3><div><i>Human Investigator of Eldritch Horror</i></div><div><br /></div><div>The horror! The horror!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Goals:</b></div><div>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Make a “wizard staff” of beer cans. Only this talisman can protect you against the Deep Ones. It has to be at least 5 cans long to count. </div><div>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Find a fossil. It’s horror calls out for you to make a shrine to it. </div><div>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Protect three of your friends from MADNESS by drawing an Elder Sign on their right hands with a marker. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Dr. Forester</h3><div><i>Human Mad Scientist</i></div><div><br /></div><div>They called you mad? Well, YOU’LL SHOW THEM WHAT MADNESS IS.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Special:</b> If you make a ghost a suicide drink out of 3 different types of drinks and they drink it, they stop being a ghost and become a Frankenstein instead. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Goals:</b></div><div>1.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Make a suicide drink out of 5 different types of drinks. Drink it. It’s a good potion! Mm mm!</div><div>2.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Make a grave rubbing. You need to keep it for your records. (You’re a grave rubber, not robber)</div><div>3.<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Collect up to 5 hand-held lights (glowsticks, flashlights) that don’t have to be plugged in. </div></div><div><br /></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-26695384936821457612023-08-14T06:57:00.002-07:002023-08-14T06:58:32.510-07:00HIS MAJESTY THE WORM Deep Dive - Speedbumps<p>Every time I make an announcement about <a href="https://riseupcomus.itch.io/his-majesty-the-worm" target="_blank"><i>His Majesty the Worm</i>,</a> I declare we are getting close. Then a year goes by. Then I make another announcement. Then another year.</p><p><b>But this time I mean it. </b>We are getting close to print. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://riseupcomus.itch.io/his-majesty-the-worm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="917" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTk_wB6klnRvvVrkGCARARb0Uq_t7yfXFgYK4qujInKo_yTqo9YWio6FJn0zQyibkAbx83z9yE-8sXnNTPRpXQV_UosDM_EdJy9hFTDfXLSJ3XnZMkGIrPfDJnjPHv1TuVk2T-8Km1hP2r_rbijgH9J9gfUKiilqdoB-fjb-4LkvGFqZS1mEeiE3dHJp3/w288-h400/cover.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><br /><blockquote><p><i>What is </i>His Majesty the Worm<i>? It is a new-school game with old-school sensibilities: the classic megadungeon experience given fresh life through a focus on the mundanities and small moments of daily life inside the dungeon. </i></p></blockquote><p>In the lead up to actually having the book in stores, I'll be doing a series of <b>deep dive </b>blog posts, where I drill into the different parts of the game, wax philosophical about design choices, and talk about my experiences playing it for the past seven years.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Speedbumps</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoj-t4-pkxtqqKcdtXRHSWmkbBC8N7-NRVD8EP9zo2tbe-YH5hdBKTpKGmKR1QgrckqyWpyzHFIOrR28Jf33IhiwfA7iuwfbjVd7-n2mV8oNw0FcDYo9FVnDauid1xwZxFyBCJluGb6fC6H8Kv3U5qaEVcv200pWsme4_htbRkrGqaHVDNTNZHcfR1E0uW/s3379/1.%20Basics%20by%20Marcin%20S.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3379" data-original-width="2317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoj-t4-pkxtqqKcdtXRHSWmkbBC8N7-NRVD8EP9zo2tbe-YH5hdBKTpKGmKR1QgrckqyWpyzHFIOrR28Jf33IhiwfA7iuwfbjVd7-n2mV8oNw0FcDYo9FVnDauid1xwZxFyBCJluGb6fC6H8Kv3U5qaEVcv200pWsme4_htbRkrGqaHVDNTNZHcfR1E0uW/s320/1.%20Basics%20by%20Marcin%20S.tif" width="219" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">I have a bad memory. GMing is composed of tasks that have a certain cognitive load. Sometimes, while running trad games, I forget a rule detail. "Oh, wait, you were supposed to have disadvantage on that roll since the goblin is higher than you," or "Oh shoot, I forgot that the skeleton is actually immune to necrotic damage. He wouldn't have died from that last blast, huh."</p><p style="text-align: left;">To reduce the number of plates I have spinning while running <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>, the game has procedures that frame the freeform conversations of play. I think about them like speedbumps. Rules that say: <i>Slow down. Don't forget this.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">Speedbumps include things like:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>At the beginning of every game, a chosen player reminds the table about what happened last time. They receive a free point of Resolve for doing this chore. </li><li>At the beginning of <i>every </i>Challenge round, the GM reframes the scene, stating what combatants are in which zone, who's doing what, what the players can see, etc.</li><li>There's a step to confirm that players have tents or bedrolls while sleeping, or else become Stressed.</li></ul><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">I talked about this on Twitter with Errant designer Ava Islam. She captured some takeaways in her <a href="https://permacrandam.blogspot.com/2021/09/memory-problems.html" target="_blank">blog, here. </a></p><p style="text-align: left;">To sum up:</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">"...Consider the role of memory, especially in terms of the cognitive overload demanded of the GM, when designing your rules. Some rules are designed to be fringe and referenced only when needed, but for the core design, think about ways of making sure the rule will actually get remembered at the table."</p></blockquote><p>Basically, the flow of the game has touchpoints that I use to make sure that we all know the current state of things and what's coming next. In play, these procedures makes for a smoother experience that I really enjoy.</p><p>Let's dive into two specific examples: <b>Fame </b>and <b>Morale</b>.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Fame</h2><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf08Vx4QLGpt7geP_QhHOvzLUZb52Sx43woTNU41rVBa45dZAqHNUWsoaL0Uu4aFAKhckXVjvh6hYe-WmTqQ8hczpgxyvvR42sbXymAWFPi8D20NBAzwt4_BArKY0Fw3E0Wgvg7ZwwDPmxwkylU58zH7HXJ7t1gkSenXg0rJo2lndjV5nb3evlk95neoMz/s2200/3.%20Guild_Sheet.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="1700" data-original-width="2200" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf08Vx4QLGpt7geP_QhHOvzLUZb52Sx43woTNU41rVBa45dZAqHNUWsoaL0Uu4aFAKhckXVjvh6hYe-WmTqQ8hczpgxyvvR42sbXymAWFPi8D20NBAzwt4_BArKY0Fw3E0Wgvg7ZwwDPmxwkylU58zH7HXJ7t1gkSenXg0rJo2lndjV5nb3evlk95neoMz/w400-h309/3.%20Guild_Sheet.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>In <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>, players are adventurers in an adventuring guild. Players share a guild sheet, which tracks the stats of the entire party. One of the guild's stats is <b>fame</b>. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">What is fame?</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Fame is the likelihood of whether or not an NPC has heard of the guild, rated 0-5. If their fame is 0, nobody has ever heard of them. If their rating is 5, everybody has heard of them.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">How do you track this stat?</h3><p style="text-align: left;">I will forget to hand out fame if it was up to GM fiat. Therefore, there is a procedure to set a guild's current fame score when we need it most (just in time resolution): when the guild begins the City Phase.</p><p style="text-align: left;">When the guild enters the City and pays their taxes, the City Phase procedures ask the players to <b>tally their noteworthy deeds </b>and <b>erase the oldest deed </b>from their guild sheet.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Noteworthy deeds are a running list of cool shit the guild has done. Defeating dungeon lords, finding new paths to new levels, curing the petrified people in the basilisk's lair, etc. <b>The guild's fame equals the number of noteworthy deeds on their guild sheet.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Sidenote</b>: Because the game is focused on dungeon crawling, the players are disincentivized to spend time in the City. Because the City Phase obliges you to erase one of your noteworthy deeds, your fame trends down if you come back too frequently without noteworthy deeds.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">What does it do?</h3><p>Fame isn't necessarily good or bad. If the guild's actions are cruel and violent, it's more like <i>infamous</i>. It's just a "Yeah, I've heard of you." When the players encounter NPCs, the roleplaying exchange is framed by whether or not the NPC knows of the guild's exploits. "Yeah, I heard of you. You betrayed the Steel-clad Snakes, I hear. Why should I do <i>you </i>a favor?"</p><p>This is the basic way fame is used. But there are some niche uses for it too. </p><p>This brings me to my next point...</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Morale</h2><p>Intelligent creatures do not want to fight to the death. When the going gets tough, they will fallback, retreat, trigger traps, cast the big spells, and try to end the combat. </p><p>When I am running games, I will forget this because there's a lot of stuff going on during combat. Thus, I put in a speedbump by shifting the responsibility from the GM to the players.</p><p>In <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>, Morale is a player-facing mechanic (sorta). Let me explain.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Banter</h3><p>In the Challenge Phase, every player has a hand of cards. They can take actions by spending cards. One action they can take is "Banter." </p><p>When a player Banters, they intimidate, belittle, or taunt an enemy. They add the card's value and (on their turn) their Wands attribute to this action. The target number for the Banter action is an enemy's Morale. </p><p>Here's what the book says about Morale:</p><blockquote><p>Morale is a way to track how confident and self-assured the GM’s characters are in stressful situations. Adventurers don't need to track a Morale rating—it is only for the GM’s characters.</p><p>During Challenges, the Banter action is used to affect an enemy’s Disposition. Your Banter value must exceed an enemy’s Morale to successfully change their Disposition. Unlike Initiative, Morale isn’t determined by cards, but by the situation at hand as determined by the GM.</p><p>When Banter is used, the GM makes an assessment of the enemy’s current confidence to determine their Morale. As the battle progresses, the GM should reassess their characters’ Morale score.</p></blockquote><p>Morale is a sliding scale from 8-20, with some common bonuses and penalties to help the GM set the target number. Basically, the GM just walks through a quick checklist: Is 50% of the foe's fighting force down? Is the enemy commander down? <i>Does the guild have a high enough fame for the foes to have heard of them?</i> </p><p>More famous guilds will find their Banter actions are more successful more often because their reputation proceeds them.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Want to learn more about <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>?</h2><p>If this sounds interesting and you'd like to check the game out, please sign up for the mailing list in the sidebar of the blog. I will email you to tell you when the game is ready for purchase. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="1002" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhw7_tUvI2mcv_CtorVOSdS_Ze8VHRAkIEWcsWrAAwfWNw880t_R_8iI8URb4gnnsQzKGTced96KmENmeThXIuMg89XksF2lu85iZMtZw3kdKMI4g05LuP76PFboC4fN5F93FO4CI18XdEoDq4rYaMH1XSGb8rdAqH943eiiftGHKFb_wqHRA4mF2i9Op6n" width="193" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-18641584283628814182023-08-11T04:38:00.004-07:002023-08-11T04:41:51.769-07:00Pointcrawling Character Creation<p>The blog that brought you <a href="http://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2022/06/hexflower-lifepath-character-generation.html">hexflower character creation</a> now brings you....POINTCRAWLING CHARACTER CREATION. </p><p>You have been invited to the <b>Counsel at Aben Garan</b>. You must travel through the world, braving the fortresses of the <b>enemy </b>(skulls), exploring <b>ruins</b>, crossing <b>natural wonders</b> (stars), and visiting <b>holdfasts </b>(castles) to reach your destination. The adventures along the way have made you who you are today.</p><p>I like this method because it ties each of the things on your character sheet to a specific moment, a specific storypoint. This method threads the needle between a three-page navel-gazing fanfiction backstory and "Dirk Jr, Human, Fighter 1."</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8hRDPTSjUn0wSYzGQT-hNcyF6K9r13krNKY4eL1jXmun-1ph3t5dSkAa6dZT5SNLzoIrpfwfbWVIMIineETKP9Lx1a0Lm0J8L8c7usOHY1gg9MQJfDGg490kFZri_ki9-nBfhDvXLfj9ExNN0olz9p-w6NXAQwOKWlSh4GjPGGoLryfGzBps2D5eRNK1/s5478/Ringless%20Map%20No%20Hexes.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4898" data-original-width="5478" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8hRDPTSjUn0wSYzGQT-hNcyF6K9r13krNKY4eL1jXmun-1ph3t5dSkAa6dZT5SNLzoIrpfwfbWVIMIineETKP9Lx1a0Lm0J8L8c7usOHY1gg9MQJfDGg490kFZri_ki9-nBfhDvXLfj9ExNN0olz9p-w6NXAQwOKWlSh4GjPGGoLryfGzBps2D5eRNK1/w400-h358/Ringless%20Map%20No%20Hexes.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A noble click embiggens the smallest map.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Start at one of the <b>castle holdfasts </b>at the outer edge of the map. You begin with the special feature or ability of that holdfast. </p><p>The starting holdfasts are:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Willand Corners</b>, the sleepy home of burrowers and rustic men</li><li><b>Whitebeacon</b>, capital of the stalwart Ondians, inheritors of the legacy of the First Men</li><li><b>Haven Tree</b>, birthplace of the elven folk</li><li><b>Baranar Kalan</b>, the deepest delving of the dwarves</li></ul><p></p><p>You have <b>five seasons</b> to reach Aben Garan. Each season, <b>draw a line</b> to another named point and gain the feature of that location. </p><p>For every season you arrived at Aben Garan <b>early</b>, increase one of your attributes by +1.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Locations</h2><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Baranar Kalan</b></h3><p>Long has the Shadow been held at bay by the valor of the dwarves of Baranar Kalan. You have stood with them, fighting the legions of trollspawn beneath the earth and raiding corsairs from the north.</p><p><b>Boon</b>: You gain +2 Attack.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Blood Swamp</h3><p>Littered with the corpses of armies, fellowships, and travelers foolhardy enough to try to cut through it. In the eerie glow of bioluminescent flora, you are attacked by a bloodwyrm but manage to fend it off. </p><p><b>Boon: </b>You gain +1d8 HP.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Corsair's Cove</b></h3><p>A wretched hive of scum and villainy. You survived here by your wits more than your skill with the blade, as even the mightiest warrior might meet an untimely end in a dark and narrow alley.</p><p><b>Boon</b>: You gain a <i>clever wallet</i>. Your wallet is enchanted with a squeaky voice. If it is ever picked, it will squeal an alarm. If it is ever empty, it will chastise you for being a spendthrift.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Feasting Forest</h3><p>In the Feasting Forest, the druids ask you riddles in exchange for your life. You answered their questions, and drank from the star-scattered waters of their sacred pool. </p><p><b>Boon:</b> You gain the ability to <i>Speak with Animals.</i></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Goblinhole</h3><p>Deep within the depths of Goblinhole, a labyrinth of twisting passages
leads to a city where goblins barter
curiosities and trinkets in exchange for stories of the world above. You've traded with them and come out the better for the bargain. They have not forgotten it.</p><p><b>Boon: </b>You gain a <i>goblin bomb</i>. It would be clumsy to use in combat, but you know too well how they can be used to blow open doors, collapse sections of the mine, or cause other destruction.</p><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Guth-Gulaenar</h3><p>Built to be an impregnable castle. Now, a ruin. You ventured within to learn if it was truly haunted. You found no ghosts, but did find a treasure of ancient days.</p><p><b>Boon</b>: You gain an <i>auroch hunting horn</i>. When blown, members of your fellowship will always hear the call - no matter how far away they are. In the wilds, you have a 2-in-6 chance of attracting outside help. When blown near your home haven, this is a 6-in-6 chance.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Haven Tree</b></h3><p><text x="-9999" y="-9999"></text><span class="flex-grow flex-shrink-0"></span></p><div class="flex flex-grow flex-col gap-3"><div class="min-h-[20px] flex flex-col items-start gap-3 overflow-x-auto whitespace-pre-wrap break-words"><div class="markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert light"><p>Beneath the towering branches of the Haven Tree, you shelter from the endless march of the outside world. You have learned much from the stories of the elven inhabitants.</p><p><b>Boon:</b> You are a <i>Loremaster</i>. When you bid lore, you may ask a follow up question for free.</p></div></div></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Kel Tanenhen</h3><p>The hilltop home of the brave and honest Free Men, a city-state of humans who self govern. While dwelling among them, you taught them some of your people's crafts. In thanks, they wove you a gift.</p><p><b>Boon</b>: You gain a <i>golden-threaded banner</i>, proudly displaying the arms of your house or realm. When carrying it into battle, you have advantage on attempts to route and drive your foes back.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Lake of Jack in the Green</b></h3><p>An elven boatman gives you passage to the island in the center of the emerald lake. Here, you find the ruins of the First Men, and take a cutting of an ancient tree.</p><p><b>Boon: </b>You gain the <i>living tree staff. </i>As long as you carry it, it lives and grows. Wherever you choose to plant it will be blessed indeed.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Landennvein Forge</h3><p>The Landennvein Forge once boasted the finest dwarven artisans in all the land. The anvil is now is silent. You found some of their ancient material, yet unworked. </p><p><b>Boon</b>: You gain an ingot of <i>moonsilver</i>. Moonsivler is more precious than gold, for it is both beautiful and useful for all metalcrafts. What will you make this ingot into?</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Lautur'Skelleth</h3><p>Lautur'Skelleth, also known as the Corpsehead Keep, was once the city of necromancers. The sorcerer-kings have now joined their subjects in the lands of the dead. In the shadow of those towers, you plucked an ancient and rare herb</p><p><b>Boon: </b>You have a single leaf of very rare <i>Queensfan herb</i>. Place it on the mouth of one mortally wounded and they will recover if there is even a flicker of life left within them.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Mistymere</h3><p>Beside the tranquil expanse of the Mistymere, a lone figure contemplates the ripples on the water's surface, their thoughts drifting to distant shores and forgotten tales. You surprised her in her contemplations, and when she saw you had no evil in you, she gave you a gift. </p><p><b>Boon</b>: You are a <i>Skinchanger</i>. When you put on the swan-feather cloak, you take on the form of a white swan.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Shivering Lake</h3><p>While fishing on the Shivering Lake, you pulled up a river maiden. She traded you a better net in exchange for her feedom.</p><p><b>Boon: </b>You gain the <i>river maiden's fishing net. </i>It rarely needs mended, and almost always produces a catch.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Tarmaen Hole</h3><p>Burrowers claim that they once dwelled in Tarmaen Hole, but were forced out by some nameless evil. If those gentle folk ever lived here, the land tells no tale. Nothing green grows here. It is a ruined heath. While passing through these lands, you rescued Windproud the queen of eagles from a tar pit. </p><p><b>Boon:</b> You have a golden feather of <i>Windproud.</i> If you are ever in need, release the feather onto the wind and she will come to you.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Throne of Sight</h3><p>The ruins of an Andantine fortress set high on a mountain. After an arduous trek, you beheld a view unrivaled throughout the Wilderlands. You saw many far off places as if they were brought near to you.</p><p><b>Boon:</b> You are <i>Sharp Eyed.</i> You will always act during a surprise round.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Throne of Sound</h3><p>The ruins of an Andantine fortress set deep in a bowl. Climbing down, many sounds from far way places seemed near at hand. You achieved an understanding most consider uncanny.</p><p><b>Boon: </b>You are <i>Sharp Eared</i>. Once per session, ask the GM for a random rumor.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Tomb of Bandor the Bereft</h3><p>Bandor was a king of Ond who commanded his wife, his son, his knights, and his entire retinue to be buried with him. This last act of arrogance laid a curse upon the Tomb, as well as the deep valley that surrounds it. You braved only part of the passages beneath the earth, claiming a treasure from the shadows that therein dwell.</p><p><b>Boon</b>: You gain a <i>dagger of star iron</i>. This ancient dagger never needs to be sharpened and always keeps its edge.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Tomb of the First Men</h3><p>Beside the ancient stones of the Tomb of the First Men, you puzzled over the star signs writ in stone.</p><p><b>Boon</b>: You gain a <i>broken runestone.</i> It is said that the First Men made henges of runestones to travel quickly across the land in ancient times. They are now broken. You have a piece that fits into one of these runestones. If you can find the right henge, perhaps you can make it work one last time?</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Trollbog</h3><p>The trollspawn crawl up from a blight in the very earth itself. You have stood against them for a time.</p><p><b>Boon: </b>You are a <i>Shieldthane. </i>As a maneuver, you may create a shield wall if you have at least two other companions who also carry shields. </p><p></p><ul><li>The shieldthane “leads” the shield wall. They gain a +2 bonus to their attack roll by being in the shield wall. Other players in the shield wall cannot attack. </li><li>Damage done to a shield wall may be split up in any way between the participants. For example, a troll’s hammer dealing 12 damage may be split up as 6 damage to one participant, 3 damage to a second, and 3 damage to a third. You gain 1d8 additional HP. </li></ul><h3 style="text-align: left;">Uldvoton Hall</h3><p>Though an ancient ruin, refugee dwarves are settling here and forming a colony. You trade stories and gear with them.</p><p><b>Boon: </b>You are a <i>Wanderer</i>. You gain 2 pack slots.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Whitebeacon</b></h3><p>In the last Age of the world, the Shadow spilled the seas and dried the oceans. The Andantine Isles are now only a ruin and a memory. Whitebeacon is one of the last outposts of this ancient culture: they still tell of heroes, devils, titans, and monsters.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Boon:</b> You are a <i>Dwimmer-crafty</i>. You may <a href="http://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2018/11/reagents-in-wilderland.html" target="_blank">combine herbs to cast spells</a>.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Willand Corners</h3><p>A crossroads town, straight down the King's Highway. Here and here alone is the curious but agreeable custom of human and burrower living together practiced. You have dwelt among them and learned some of their horse sense and wisdom.</p><p><b>Boon:</b> You are a <i>Sneak. </i>At any point, you may declare that you go sneaking. This allows you to go dramatically off-stage. Later, if you are not present in a scene and it’s at least somewhat plausible that you could have snuck there, take 1d4 damage to arrive on the scene dramatically. </p><p>If you go sneaking and all tension evaporates, you may rejoin the scene by slinking out of the shadows. This does not cost HP.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Wispwood</h3><p>Amidst the whispering trees of Wispwood, fauns and dryads dance in the
moonlight, beckoning travelers to join their otherworldly revelry and
lose themselves in a realm of enchantment. You did so, and come out changed.</p><p><b>Boon: </b>You are <i>Faun-footed. </i>You have little hooves. You (and everyone you are with) may travel through forest hexes as if they had a road.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Example</h2><p>Let's make a character together. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSh-c1_ryJ3PJShPtaFj97JcQ85IOGZ1zzi10Tu2sBXf0lgw4lLwdDdsBZ-81NYqxhngQII5_7NHqIo9qk437EizjfJdDPpVtyQWWS7WxpVTVQanmIdP7Zd61CDkzTjKOfcCLCfn-wgd0q44K2-CMhjpyceu-wLhShH0D54hsrizLWSFV73cINZZbE2O_/s5478/Ringless%20Map%20No%20Hexes%20with%20Arrows.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4898" data-original-width="5478" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeSh-c1_ryJ3PJShPtaFj97JcQ85IOGZ1zzi10Tu2sBXf0lgw4lLwdDdsBZ-81NYqxhngQII5_7NHqIo9qk437EizjfJdDPpVtyQWWS7WxpVTVQanmIdP7Zd61CDkzTjKOfcCLCfn-wgd0q44K2-CMhjpyceu-wLhShH0D54hsrizLWSFV73cINZZbE2O_/w400-h358/Ringless%20Map%20No%20Hexes%20with%20Arrows.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>To start, we'll choose a starting castle holdfast. We'll make a burrower because I like little dudes. We'll start at Willand Corners, where burrowers live. We gain the <i>Sneak </i>ability.</p><p>(Ostensibly, you could have a burrower character come from any holdfast on the map if you wanted to do a "Character raised by another culture" schtick.) </p><p>Then, we just start connecting the dots as we go towards Aben Garan. We have five stops we could potentially make.</p><p>Our first stop is Landennvein Forge. We gain an <i>ingot of moonsilver</i>. Maybe we got the moonsilver ingot by sneaking through the ruins? When game starts, we can trade this as Treasure to an NPC or find an opportunity to forge it into something wondrous.</p><p>Our second stop is the Lake of Jack of the Green. We board an elven boat and get a <i>living tree staff. </i>I love that for our burrower. I can just picture a little guy with an over-tall walking staff that's literally growing leaves. I imagine that I want to take it back to Willand Corners and plant it there as a goal, but who can say what will happen during play?</p><p>Our third stop is Goblinhole. There, we trick some goblins and get a <i>goblin bomb. </i>Bombs are always useful in play.</p><p>We have two more potential stops, but I want some extra attribute points for my guy, so I cut directly towards Aben Garan. Since we arrive two seasons early, we get +2 points to our attributes. We could have taken the long way around, but I'm happy with this character as he is.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Making Your Own Map</h2><p>You can make your own map with image editing software using the <a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2022/05/tolkien-style-maps.html" target="_blank">assets provided here</a>. You can add new locations to the map. You can remove these and write wholly original holdfasts, dungeons, etc. </p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Leveling Up With Pointcrawling</h2><p>Why stop at character creation? Use this system to handle character advancement, too. </p><p>After every adventure, you can spend a downtime season to journey to any location on the map and gain the benefits of that place. As you travel, you will find more locations and gain more options!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-48481112042821996432023-07-30T09:07:00.006-07:002023-07-30T09:07:51.535-07:00Monster Menu Playtest: Dungeon Meshi meets HeroQuest<p>While between tasks for launching <a href="https://riseupcomus.itch.io/his-majesty-the-worm" target="_blank">His Majesty the Worm</a>, I found myself with something I haven't had in the last few years: free time. I found being idle uncomfortable, so I made an ashcan of a game that was on my mind: What if HeroQuest could accommodate the storyline of Dungeon Meshi?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGR24jMXvTQJcXRbz7cTt2FBEIFU3iNmRxSHyl-Jsn4dMz9i0jEYdldf2VAmqwzR4vNyIVDWQCRMlYTqi7n9qQE4fod2P-qX_bfNNhdoWZGu6HGzyMS3P9CJIxKYpHnCqpzJJ-Tvk2AmA0P3E0EzCOpcwNydtkawb3eL6z2LRM13HAetIZhj8gmj48Ygh/s1292/dungeon%20meshi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="904" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSGR24jMXvTQJcXRbz7cTt2FBEIFU3iNmRxSHyl-Jsn4dMz9i0jEYdldf2VAmqwzR4vNyIVDWQCRMlYTqi7n9qQE4fod2P-qX_bfNNhdoWZGu6HGzyMS3P9CJIxKYpHnCqpzJJ-Tvk2AmA0P3E0EzCOpcwNydtkawb3eL6z2LRM13HAetIZhj8gmj48Ygh/w280-h400/dungeon%20meshi.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2020/02/glog-rat-kebab-edition.html" target="_blank">I played in a Dungeon Meshi space briefly before, as you might recall</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I called this project Monster Menu. I put it onto paper just to get it out of my head. I used a lot of art resources that I had either already purchased or were free to use. I wrote in layout, which is something I've never done before. </p><p>This ashcan version is available to check out. I'd love for you to play it with your friends. If you do, I'd love for you to tell me how it went!</p><p>There's a lot of gaps, but I hope you can figure them out. If there's something you don't understand or if something seems weird, just change it. HeroQuest is a game for young folks, and we have grown up. Ride this game hard and put it away wet.</p><p>Check out the playtest materials by clicking <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PD1Y2NJvnbi2wWJqEGLQ_6kYgveWU6e2?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">here </a>or on the picture below.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PD1Y2NJvnbi2wWJqEGLQ_6kYgveWU6e2?usp=drive_link" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="845" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWS970IeUfC_twvEeU_cvQXfrc-Wl9utHopWy2zwxpZsDiBlcRgIGFmgzggkr-ShRS7Z1ZUfpL7IPPg2T6hOdTuZAEhZarBUEL1uaLalJSGOkAGQcbe2GvwSJBZZlLPK6UvfL1GEFko0A3tzgwMKfrrMG9BrLNF7svElXRWPantWV7rqenfANPVVoM3cO/w284-h400/cover.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PD1Y2NJvnbi2wWJqEGLQ_6kYgveWU6e2?usp=drive_link" target="_blank">Click here to check out the playtest materials</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-76122655997337085352023-07-08T04:23:00.009-07:002023-07-08T04:23:56.779-07:00On the Origin of Ents<p>Despite the inappropriateness of the format, I've made several long threads about Tolkien on Twitter.</p><p>As Twitter crashes and burns, I wanted to pull this one out. It's pretty good scholarship, I think.</p><p style="text-align: center;">-----</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqv-vlb9yksX90-tyPXrWmM4Sfz10od_U1XVpPtTNdm3C_DlxUpf3ZbGKXkT7wkpVmp1tEPlbDeS3HqjDU_0AtrUG7gU2pI-7DIiT9DtdNAfZwfoq-G7vHNLuYRnf44HtbLlE_qjT_EQF8qevD_13R16tZXGYEvqo5ZL4k95moTbx4xls6oatzg9CLu1i/s1192/FJEKFzqX0AEMMBZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1192" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqv-vlb9yksX90-tyPXrWmM4Sfz10od_U1XVpPtTNdm3C_DlxUpf3ZbGKXkT7wkpVmp1tEPlbDeS3HqjDU_0AtrUG7gU2pI-7DIiT9DtdNAfZwfoq-G7vHNLuYRnf44HtbLlE_qjT_EQF8qevD_13R16tZXGYEvqo5ZL4k95moTbx4xls6oatzg9CLu1i/w400-h374/FJEKFzqX0AEMMBZ.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is my favorite picture of Ents. It is by Darrel Sweet.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Introduction</h2><p>I want to talk about both the origin of Ents, both within the mythos and also in Tolkien's writing process.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Caveat: </b>Some ascribe a near mythical status to Tolkien, imagining that he had a perfect understanding of the entire corpus of written literature, and that his books were divinely inspired, unerring, and delivered on golden tablets. In truth, he was an ambitious writer who was constantly rewriting. I believe Tolkien would still be tinkering if he could.</p><p style="text-align: left;">One of the reasons that "Where did Ents come from" is a perennial question is <i>because </i>of Tolkien's editorial gaps. If the Silmarillion goes into all this detail about who gets to be Ilúvatar's special boy, what about Ents? If Treebeard is called the oldest creature, what of Tom Bombadil? What of the Elves awakening first? And what are we supposed to do about the connection of ents -> trolls that Treebeard mentions, considering Tolkien was refining his “problem of thinking evil creatures” up until his death?</p><p>(For that matter, what are we supposed to do about giants, who are only mentioned in an off-handed passage in <i>The Hobbit</i>?)</p><p>In Letter 180, Tolkien writes: "I have long ceased to invent...I have no recollection of inventing Ents...I wrote the 'Treebeard' chapter without any recollection of any previous thought." </p><p>This seems largely true. Here are the accompanying notes to the first draft of Treebeard's appearance from <i>The Treason of Isengard</i>:</p><p></p><blockquote><p>Did first lord of the Elves make Tree-folk in order to or through trying to understand trees?</p><p>Notes for Treebeard.</p><p>In some ways rather stupid. Are the Tree-folk ('Lone-walkers') hnau that have gone tree-like, or trees that have become hnau?</p><p>Treebeard might be 'moveless' - but here are some notes [?or) first [? suggestions].</p><p>There are very few left. Not enough room. 'Time was when a fellow could walk and sing all day and hear no more than the echo of his voice in the mountains.'</p><p>Difference between trolls - stone inhabited by goblin-spirit, stone-giants, and the 'tree-folk'. [Added in ink: Ents.] </p></blockquote><p></p><p>There are some gems in these notes that make my hair stand on end. "Did the first elves make Tree-folk in order to understand trees"? "Hnau"? "Goblin spirits"? </p><p>Let's dig into it.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Elves and the Origins of Ents</h2><p>If we take him at his word, Legolas can hear the speech of the stones of Hollin: </p><p></p><blockquote>“But the Elves of this land were of a race strange to us of the silvan folk, and the trees and the grass do not now remember them. Only I hear the stones lament them: <i>deep they delved us, fair they wrought us, high they builded us; but they are gone</i>. They are gone. They sought the Havens long ago.”</blockquote><p></p><p>Elves can <b>talk</b> to things, even seemingly unliving things.</p><p>Treebeard says as much in <i>The Two Towers: </i>"Elves began it, of course, waking trees up and teaching them to speak and learning their tree-talk. They always wished to talk to everything, the old Elves did."</p><p>And here is one of the contradictions between the trilogy and the Silmarillion. The Silmarillion goes into some depth about how speech was evidence of sentience, and sentience can only be given by Ilúvatar. Ipso facto, Ents must have been made by Ilúvatar "off screen."</p><p>I think we can accept this lore of the Silmarillion as being an editorial contradiction - because the text of <i>The Hobbit</i> and the trilogy is just full of things that talk: troll purses, foxes watching hobbits sleep, speaking thrushes and ravens, etc.</p><p>Needling at the point of elves "creating" Ents, let's look at the rest of the first draft of the Treebeard chapter. Treebeard says: "But it was not so, of course, in the beginning. We were like your Tombombadil [sic] when we were young."</p><p>Tom Bombadil is one of those other "problems" about Middle-earth, but I think it's pretty well solved in this passage from <i>The Lost Tales</i>:</p><p></p><blockquote><p>And with them came many of the lesser Vali who loved them and (...) these are the Mánir and the Súruli, the sylphs of the airs and the winds.</p><p>...</p><p>About them fared a great host of sprites of trees and woods, of dale and forest and mountain-side, or those that sing amid the grass at morning and chant among the standing corn at eve. These are the Nermir and the Tavari, Nandini and Orossi, brownies, fays, pixies, leprawns, and what else are they not called, for their number is very great: yet must they not be confused with the Eldar, for they were born before the world and are older than its oldest, and are not of it, but laugh at it much, for had they not somewhat to do with its making, so that it is for the most part a play for them...</p></blockquote><p></p><p>In the early days of Tolkien's conception - perhaps during the work of writing the trilogy - Middle-earth was a populous place of fairy spirits, "brownies, fays, pixies." These spirits made the world through the Ainulindalë and dwelled in it because they loved it.</p><p>Treebeard saying that he was <b>like</b> Tom Bombadil is telling. If Tom Bombadil is a genus loci, so is Treebeard. Both have the same origins. </p><p>Elves woke up spirits who dwelled in trees to try and understand trees. These spirits are part of the host of "sprites of tree and wood."</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Hnau</h2><div><div>Tolkien's marginal text is curious here. "Hnau." What is that word? Is it a word from his own conlangs? </div><div><br /></div><div>Actually, "hnau" is from C.S. Lewis - it was used in his Space Trilogy to mean "rational species." Earth only has one, but Mars had three. Middle-earth seems to have several.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I love that Tolkien borrows the word here as he's thinking about the origin of "rational species" in Middle-earth, and wondering if Ents qualify.</div><div><br /></div><div>As an aside, it seems to me that using a fictional word like hnau would put to rest the complaints of folks who object to using the word "race" for fantasy species in roleplaying games.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Origins of Trolls (and Giants)</h2><p>In <i>The Two Towers</i>, Treebeard says: "Maybe you have heard of Trolls? They are mighty strong. But Trolls are only counterfeits, made by the Enemy in the Great Darkness, in mockery of Ents, as Orcs were of Elves."</p><p>The problem of wholly evil "hnau" (ha ha now I can't stop using the word) was something Tolkien wrestled with until his death. It seems much of fantasy fandom is still noodlin' on it. But we can make some educated guesses based on the text on the relationship of trolls and Ents.</p><p>First, the <i>word</i> "ent." In Letter 157, Tolkien shows his work: "As usually with me they grew rather out of their name, than the other way about. I always felt that something ought to be done about the peculiar A. Saxon word ent for a 'giant'— to whom all old works were ascribed."</p><p>You see the element "ent" before you meet an ent in the text in a toponym. The Ettenmoors, which the hobbits travel through on the way to Elrond's house, means "Troll moors." They also call them the "troll fells." Etten is derived from ent (in English).</p><p>You can see the linguistic association between trolls and Ents and giants. </p><p>If we can imagine that Elves can speak to trees to wake up the Ainur spirits that dwelled within them, we can also imagine that the Enemy could do the same with stone. In fact, "normal thing possessed by an evil spirit" is Tolkien's go-to explanation for all sorts of monsters: werewolves, wargs, vampires, etc.</p><p>And if "ent" is derived from giant, and the linguistic element can also be applied to trolls, I don't think it's far out to say that the giants that Bilbo spots playing stone-toss in the valley are probably of the same "sort" of creature. Mountain trolls. Big ones.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Conclusion</h2><p>Tolkien once joked in a letter that his works had no editorial errors, he was merely given faulty materials because he was translating the work of hobbits and there wasn’t space to clarify everything.</p><p>Middle-earth "rings true" to audiences because it has *room* for these sorts of inconsistencies. I think they enrich the text, not detract from it. Overexplaining and over clarifying takes away the feeling of history and mystery. </p><p>Let the giants play in the valleys, I say.</p>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-43025739346212901912023-06-26T08:45:00.005-07:002023-06-26T08:52:07.933-07:00The Dolmenwood Overloaded Encounter Generator <p><a href="http://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2023/05/dolmenwood-his-majesty-worm-house-rules.html" target="_blank">As I mentioned,</a> I started a Dolmenwood game using the<i> His Majesty the Worm</i> ruleset recently.</p><p><a href="https://necroticgnome.com/collections/dolmenwood" target="_blank">Dolmenwood </a>is a fantasy setting inspired by British folklore and fairy tales with a delightful psychedelic vibe. It is "mossy," in a word. It was originally published in a series of zines called Wormskin (partially to credit with me getting into the OSR scene). A stand-alone OSE hack, hexcrawl, and monster manual are scheduled to launch on Kickstarter <i>soon</i>. </p><p>To prepare for my game, I have made an elaborate <b>Dolmenwood Meatgrinder on Perchance</b>. <a href="https://perchance.org/dolmenwood-meatgrinder" target="_blank">Check it out!</a></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://perchance.org/dolmenwood-meatgrinder" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1258" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiKMlFqZNhFWtGRcd9AdAXPMSINb6uJhHCqowQpHI_DaghMYTiBiKhjBtr5PIieHXqChswDM8-FiIM96Wv1DuPja7tJUIcPZgA8JLXwJDMbNZgHKw3wugNdGaorV-EA7050MABYZWwUCp62GgTt-IxuB5F0uXZtLaCR2pgnWBzV19-zjbu8pHad8vRGSaW=w400-h384" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://perchance.org/dolmenwood-meatgrinder" target="_blank">Click here to play around with it!</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">What is this thing?</h2><p>A <a href="http://riseupcomus.blogspot.com/2019/04/watches-or-meatgrinder.html" target="_blank">Meatgrinder </a>is a tool like an overloaded encounter dice that's used in <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>. In its simple form, a Meatgrinder is a table of 21 entries of encounters, events, and signs for players to encounter as they explore a megadungeon. </p><p>When the players' guild enters a room, the GM draws an entry for the Meatgrinder, then reads the room key in combination with the Meatgrinder result. The combination makes play dynamic and interesting for everybody involved.</p><p>However, when running large hexcrawls, I suffer from tool-switching exhaustion. When running Dolmenwood, I need:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Hex key</li><li>The GM's map</li><li>His Majesty the Worm rulebook for reference</li><li>Monster entries</li><li>The playlist (each region of the forest has its own theme song, plus music for session start, battles, rests, etc.)</li><li>Dozens of random tables: </li><ul><li>the Meatgrinder</li><li>random herbs</li><li>reaction tables and monster activities</li><li>weather</li><li>settlement rumors</li><li>treasure tables </li><li>etc.</li></ul></ul><p></p><p>In the past, I've felt bogged down by switching through the dozens of resources I have open to help run the game. I have 30 windows open and can't find shit. </p><p>Hence, the Perchance Meatgrinder. <b>Everything </b>I want for the game in <b>one place</b>.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">How does it work?</h2><p>The Dolmenwood Meatgrinder aggregates the different randomizers I use for the different phases of <i>His Majesty the Worm</i>. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEix05QbkrSYhOfqQ4vVuRMIQO2lOrvRQV6tUfeMEYAMWdYoUH-scGltg91lZbfDkUT9VQJUFRmZGd48kcvpmIGLfURtdUo4Sh4sJl8QbSFoupmQ4uP9X1aLMiw7QtZgIiCh3Ta8HhBNp5liwR91hCnBRA6CLKPIunHkLF8Y89zPE2CsLjVxkl9EAGRjaNgk" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="907" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEix05QbkrSYhOfqQ4vVuRMIQO2lOrvRQV6tUfeMEYAMWdYoUH-scGltg91lZbfDkUT9VQJUFRmZGd48kcvpmIGLfURtdUo4Sh4sJl8QbSFoupmQ4uP9X1aLMiw7QtZgIiCh3Ta8HhBNp5liwR91hCnBRA6CLKPIunHkLF8Y89zPE2CsLjVxkl9EAGRjaNgk=w288-h400" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Pic from the core book for reference on the different phases<br /><br /></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>At a top level, you choose one of the <b>regions of Dolmenwood</b> to generate content for (Aldweald, Hag's Addle, Valley of Wise Beasts, etc.). The content for each region is <b>different</b>.</p><p>Each section is explained in detail below.</p><p><span></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ca1c8245-7fff-3b7c-8e50-0a13ff7afb58"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><hr /><p></p></span></div><h3>A digression about the Meatgrinder</h3><p>The purpose of the Meatgrinder is to make the game interesting for both the GM and the players, keep prep easy (maintaining a fresh 21-item table for each dungeon level is only minor maintenance), and introduce a gloss of <b><i>verisimilitude. </i></b></p><p>When playing a game where you visit a dungeon or city for 2-3 sessions, this is unneeded. Indeed, it's probably better handled entirely by GM fiat. When playing in a hex crawl/megadungeon game that's intended to last <b>years</b>, a well-designed Meatgrinder can do a lot to create a sort of internal consistency. Repeated visits to different regions of the 'Wood get their own texture and color by a combination of different vignettes, encounters, and monsters. The region of Nagwood feels <b>darker </b>not because I say "You enter a dark region of the wood," but because the encounters there are with more dangerous foes and you receive no respite from chance encounters with beneficent creatures.</p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ca1c8245-7fff-3b7c-8e50-0a13ff7afb58"></span></p><p></p><hr /><p>The entire thing consists of <b>3951 lines</b> of pseudo-code. Click <b>"edit" </b>in the upper right corner to look under the hood. </p><p>Many of the entries were taken from the Patreon Dolmenwood materials, the original Wormskin zines, the excellent <a href="https://blog.d4caltrops.com/" target="_blank">d4caltrops blog</a>, the <a href="http://goatmansgoblet.com" target="_blank">Goatman's Goblet blog</a>, and...just tons of other places. I have a vast amount of random GM prep tools that I put into the sausage grinder.</p><p>Importantly, the Meatgrinder should not put out sentences like this: "You encounter 1 trolls. They are tossing a pumpkin back and forth." </p><p><i>A lot</i> of work was done to make sure that the text serves my purposes at the table. That includes making each output logically consistent, grammatically correct, having important actions bolded, etc. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Crawl</h3><p>The <b>Crawl </b>Phase is where the players spend most of their time, so has the most robust entries for the Meatgrinder. </p><p>Each Crawl entry looks something like this:</p>TableDownsEncounters<br /> <b>Curiosity:</b> [hilly_vignette]<br /> <b>Travel Event:</b> [t = woodland_travel_event.consumableList]<br /> <b>Sign:</b> [table_down_sign] ^0.5<br /> <b>Hex Feature:</b> The guild experiences the encounter specific to this hex.<br><br>If none, a <b>Curiosity</b>: [hilly_vignette]<br /> <b>Encounter:</b> You encounter [m = table_down_encounters.selectOne, ""] <b>[n = encounters[m].number_appearing.selectOne, ""] [if (n > 1) {"[n] [encounters[m].namePlural]"} else {"{a} [encounters[m].name]"}]</b>. They are [encounters[m].activity.consumableList]<br /><br /><b>Curiosities </b>are moments of serendipity. I don't like entries that say "Nothing happens," but I do like narration that gives a sense of place or purpose to a region. You'll notice that curiosities are based on the environment of a particular region, whether it's civilization, farmland, hills, forests, swamps, etc.<div><br /></div><div><b>Travel events </b>are challenges that test the player's ingenuity, the character's stats, or force resource attrition. Using a `consumableList`, I ensure that travel events won't be duplicated over the same instance.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Signs </b>hint at the local monster population. This is things like "You hear a wolf howling in the distance." The sign tables and encounter tables are mostly one to one. If you hear a wolf howling in a region, you can also be attacked by 1-22 wolves in that region later.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Hex features</b> are the way I'm handling the keyed entries from the Dolmenwood map. Sometimes these say "Players have a 2-in-6 chance of encountering the Wild Hunt in Hex 3201" or something. Instead of rolling each time, I'll just look at the "Special encounter" section of a hex if the Meatgrinder gives this result. If there are no hex features keyed, I'll default to a <b>curiosity.</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Encounters </b>are when you cross paths with creatures. Sometimes these are sentients (knights, travelers), sometimes these are helpful (merchants, healing friars), sometimes these are aggressive monsters (antler wraiths, bog zombies), sometimes these are wild beasts (musk boars, wolves), sometimes these are sorts of puzzle monsters (sprites, marsh lanterns). </div><div><br /></div><div>Each monster entry provides an <b>activity</b> that contextualizes the encounter (the deorling are singing "The Last Lament of the Deorling"), a random <b>reaction </b>(they seem happy to see you),<b> </b>and lists the <b>number appearing. </b>Sentient monsters are given a <b>name: </b>there's named lists for humans, elves, mosslings, goatfolk, woodgrue, etc., and friars and knights are given special tables of names, too. Knights even display their coat of arms!<b> </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Encounters are different depending on whether its <b>Night </b>or <b>Day</b>. For example, `^[if (nightBox.checked) {1} else {0}]` ensures that creatures like headless riders only appear at night. </div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Camp</h3><div>Campsite events are important on overland hexcrawls. Sometimes these entries are pure flavor ("In quiet moments between conversation, wind keens its way to your ears"). Sometimes these are role-playing prompts ("Everyone reminisces about a childhood pet or favorite animal"). Sometimes these have mechanical weight ("Double chance to have a nighttime encounter with a sentient humanoid").</div><div><br /></div><div>Some of these are from d4Caltrops, some of these are from one of the Wormskin zine, some are from the His Majesty core book.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">City</h3><div>There are three types of City events: City Vignettes, Hex Features, and Signs and Portents.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>City Vignettes</b> are <b>curiosities </b>that contextualize your visit to a settlement but don't have mechanical weight. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Hex Features </b>will be read from the settlement's description.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Signs and Portents</b> are the most rare type of City event. These change the game world in some way. For example, one of the things that might happen is that a star might fall on Drigbolton, triggering the module "The Weird that Befell Drigbolton."</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Rumors </b>are something to drop in to conversation as you roleplay the City Phase with the players.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Hangovers </b>occur when a player chooses to take the Carouse action. These are generated here just in case, and so I don't have to maintain a separate list.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Weather</h3><div>Weather varies based on season. Change the season dropdown and generate today's weather. Italicized weather is disorienting and prompts checks to see if the guild gets lost as they travel. Bold weather is extreme and generates Stress if the guild is not properly outfitted.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Music</h3><div>Each region has its own background musical theme, which I use to provide a sense of continuity. Because of a bug I don't feel like fixing, you'll need to change the region dropdown once before the Music section appears. </div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">What can I do with this?</h2><p>Well, if you want to run games exactly like I do, go nuts. Use the damn thing. I hope it's helpful! Practically speaking, I find this webpage to be more useful during play than the beautiful tables of Knock or Morkborg. </p><p>I suspect you will want to change it to suit your own purposes or make your own. That is easy to do. If you have an account, you can click <b>edit </b>and make your own version. Adapt it however you wish, or use the underlying schema for your own games. Perchance has very robust tutorials and a very helpful community.</p><p>In the future, I might try and work on doing some, uh, front-end development on it. It looks like it's made with spit and gum right now. </p></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2433981734782687691.post-89914173676723362652023-05-31T11:26:00.003-07:002023-05-31T11:27:04.745-07:00Conversational Spirals - Closure in RPGs<h2 style="text-align: left;">What is Closure?</h2><p>In Scott McCloud's book <i>Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art</i>, McCloud discusses various aspects of comics, including panel transitions, the use of gutters, and the reader's engagement with the page. McCloud introduces the concept of "closure," which refers to the mental process that occurs when readers fill in the gaps between panels to create a seamless narrative. He also discusses the idea that comics allow for a non-linear reading experience, where the reader can control the pace and revisit panels or sequences as they desire. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglz_gycPdxwldfwPN13LzwDIOk3Ug4ayhv_sSSxoUDmpKaT5oajOnAiLuj1QFSPNoziezpC_EdecKTMoBi6JZu82Wf_QbYmdDoOwsCWhayV2wEGl28yrNgantqk9FDWVEsMIRZQino5CJWMJd48GdlZ6YFjsdRwL47lOYvfJjsVh-8bgOjgZWehwevA/s1127/understanding-comics.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="741" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglz_gycPdxwldfwPN13LzwDIOk3Ug4ayhv_sSSxoUDmpKaT5oajOnAiLuj1QFSPNoziezpC_EdecKTMoBi6JZu82Wf_QbYmdDoOwsCWhayV2wEGl28yrNgantqk9FDWVEsMIRZQino5CJWMJd48GdlZ6YFjsdRwL47lOYvfJjsVh-8bgOjgZWehwevA/w263-h400/understanding-comics.png" width="263" /></a></div><br /><p>On a comic page, the reader's eye can move all over. They can revisit earlier panels, even earlier pages, and reread sections. Your eye flicks between the text and the images, skips quickly over several panels of transitional art, then lingers over a beautiful, detail-rich spread. </p><p>This is different than movies where you're trapped in the director's experience. Short of rewinding or bothering your wife by asking "Who was that guy again?", you experience the narrative through the tyranny of time's straight arrow.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Tension Spikes in RPGs</h2><p>In the forthcoming Mothership Warden's Guide, Sean McCoy attempts to set realistic expectations of what a game looks like by illustrating the rising and falling action and tension of a game. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIM_bMK5-8qVbjnjHT2Df_KtO3e0Z-x_DMoXdq7yi7wV4-5GTSR5vwETtqqcwHZUFi0kK2fBUdEkh_dsGyADRPjSXBkHBxEV4I-5kUy4-6f11vDQ8B6Di6zar5r2Y15qCmZb_45KRCw6XmfFQ_Qp6vyPqesd6cKsx2_WLWbpvTq4B96aYcDULhafnumA/s2086/FYibfbnXwAA7pDl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="2086" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIM_bMK5-8qVbjnjHT2Df_KtO3e0Z-x_DMoXdq7yi7wV4-5GTSR5vwETtqqcwHZUFi0kK2fBUdEkh_dsGyADRPjSXBkHBxEV4I-5kUy4-6f11vDQ8B6Di6zar5r2Y15qCmZb_45KRCw6XmfFQ_Qp6vyPqesd6cKsx2_WLWbpvTq4B96aYcDULhafnumA/w400-h173/FYibfbnXwAA7pDl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>It's not out yet, but everything I've seen coming out of this book is absolutely A+ material.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Sure, sometimes you take bathroom breaks, but when you're remembering the game after the event, those moments evaporate away--you had an amazing, exciting time. Your brain provides closure to the sequences of the evening's play.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Conversational Spirals</h2><div><br /></div><div>As a conversation game, trad RPGs have this essential structure:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The GM describes something.</li><ul><li>The players ask clarifying questions.</li><li>The GM answers</li></ul><li>The players describe their actions.</li><ul><li>The GM asks clarifying questions.</li><li>The players answer.</li></ul><li>The GM describes the consequences.</li></ul><div>But as the participants of the game do this, they slip in and out of different tenses and moods--effortlessly and without confusion (usually). There are pauses, re-establishment of details, zooming in to get clarification on someone's position, skipping ahead in narrative time, skipping backwards in narrative time, editing details, jokes, laughter. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Consider:</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjvqDRsbheW6pkZHdqPizEd4L5IWPbY3JJ4RuOVCZebIvDYgOhvpy5399jhOqYbWpK9eQgbNfaA6uG9Il4kk9rcAmrmCRcjc5TIBCqu3f22o5cbvsHOO51t0ypuvnAdF4JU0fnzjS72LPKyed5ELsJ8S_QZryd7Wf5H0CN6nbCItj-1eNZ4K0FZjr9w/s1500/convo-spiral-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1500" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjvqDRsbheW6pkZHdqPizEd4L5IWPbY3JJ4RuOVCZebIvDYgOhvpy5399jhOqYbWpK9eQgbNfaA6uG9Il4kk9rcAmrmCRcjc5TIBCqu3f22o5cbvsHOO51t0ypuvnAdF4JU0fnzjS72LPKyed5ELsJ8S_QZryd7Wf5H0CN6nbCItj-1eNZ4K0FZjr9w/s320/convo-spiral-1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbp5tCJDFuG9dIRAgH1UDHQol-KA_l_7NrQfgg-3Egsi_eywLk6a1W1MAUZWEpuR-IJ7iKhKkBTqQH6lFe_pN6aE807OrgorhDqRZ84qTl0oxOKAUfI5sU7EyDtjE_Cl_WMc86QektF6gTQgnE4zLqIQML1e3tFvVftVTkXVMk5V3SQknz1MADw0y3w/s1303/convo-spiral-2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1303" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbp5tCJDFuG9dIRAgH1UDHQol-KA_l_7NrQfgg-3Egsi_eywLk6a1W1MAUZWEpuR-IJ7iKhKkBTqQH6lFe_pN6aE807OrgorhDqRZ84qTl0oxOKAUfI5sU7EyDtjE_Cl_WMc86QektF6gTQgnE4zLqIQML1e3tFvVftVTkXVMk5V3SQknz1MADw0y3w/s320/convo-spiral-2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIjrLg9HlS3dasvrAhnNoBwgYUuYRpslMwdqy4GDvbJrHWiOQI9xFP_QBABHOPvmfNcFEx3uWb5cBa6AeyF5hBnVAILJwRHXbbyyigQ8waTSfZsHcDBXnzHP3jDRmD-T0dxD7jbkQfxGbMGKIA9EfFcelWtbfG6W4mILpU8gQJFRQrLUnFuORO_s_ig/s1399/convo-spiral-3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1399" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIjrLg9HlS3dasvrAhnNoBwgYUuYRpslMwdqy4GDvbJrHWiOQI9xFP_QBABHOPvmfNcFEx3uWb5cBa6AeyF5hBnVAILJwRHXbbyyigQ8waTSfZsHcDBXnzHP3jDRmD-T0dxD7jbkQfxGbMGKIA9EfFcelWtbfG6W4mILpU8gQJFRQrLUnFuORO_s_ig/s320/convo-spiral-3.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Like movies, RPGs have directors (multiple competing ones!) pushing you and pulling you into different experiences. Like comics, you can linger on some moments, skip past others, return to points for clarification.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It's not just spikes, it's like this:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXuMavGU4HaOqPRxAqDblxfF_-a46-ihlKAk31yWfc5G10jjXxyIreMJ8WShgv-PYOIRq7EN56sVN2E7Tn7rY-D7qvDHaNrAF8Jjld-k0JALHqPqlLwE8vBPxiEtKCDtYpPbqMhNOOsb3dLXyOD5ZZ6fQVHBaBYYYgllXP4xBX6sx9fRS1LFjHe1qLgA/s850/Comparison-of-a-fluid-mechanics-problem-a-Karman-vortex-street-in-situ-in-two.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="850" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXuMavGU4HaOqPRxAqDblxfF_-a46-ihlKAk31yWfc5G10jjXxyIreMJ8WShgv-PYOIRq7EN56sVN2E7Tn7rY-D7qvDHaNrAF8Jjld-k0JALHqPqlLwE8vBPxiEtKCDtYpPbqMhNOOsb3dLXyOD5ZZ6fQVHBaBYYYgllXP4xBX6sx9fRS1LFjHe1qLgA/s320/Comparison-of-a-fluid-mechanics-problem-a-Karman-vortex-street-in-situ-in-two.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>RPG play moves like eddies in the stream, little vortices of conversations spiraling. They loop back on themselves, but ultimately move down the river of time. </div><div><br /></div>Joshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11103061574208320331noreply@blogger.com1