12 years

(Just a bit of backstory pertaining to my Ravenloft character)

It was a night as sweet as could be hoped for, the tang of summer a fading spice on the autumn air. A cool night, the mists little more than plucking fingers slinking among the wagon’s wheels. Yes, a pleasant night, Islwynn sitting propped against the wagon while Kilimar stalked the woods beyond the campfire-light in the first watch.

Seated there, the crackle of the fire a counterpoint to Morgana’s needle as the rogue worked her wares a melody came back to Islwynn, floating down the corridors of memory unbidden to lips that formed half-hummed words.

Farewell to old Mordent, you sea-bound coast.

Let your marshes dark and dreary be.

When I am far away and mist-bound lost

Will you ever heave a sigh or a wish for me?

The song filled the caravan, the babe chewed his fist and drowsed in his father’s arms.  Pack well rounded by the caravan’s door, Islwynn rocked his babe, singing softly to lull Kristov to dreams.

I grieve to leave my native home

I grieve to leave my comrades all

My parents whom I love so dear

And the darling, darling girl I do ad-

“That damn giorgio song again?” A voice hissed at the caravan door, a dark-haired Vistani swinging herself up into Islwynn’s home.

“Eve to you, sister.” Islwyn sang, keeping the melody as he looked up. “Hush now, he’s almost abed.” Continuing to pace the wagon’s length, Islwynn eventually placed the babe in a basket beside his own swinging hammock. “You’re not at the fire.”

“Nor you, Islwynn.” Leaning against the caravan’s support, she eyed his pack. “You’re truly going.”

“The Rauni kno-“He started, only to be cut short with a gesture from the woman.

“You’re leaving, giving this up for… for what?!”

“Hush!” He hissed, “You’ll wake Kristov, you stupid doe!” Checking his son, Islwynn fussed over the babe for a spell before turning back to face his sister. “I must do this. It’s my calling.”

“Your –“she looked to the baby, then forced her voice still, “Your calling. That damn Giorgio church’s calling, you mean. It was stupid of you, listening to them! They’re not our people, Islwynn! They’re marks! That’s all they are!”

“Krista…” Crossing the wagon, Islwynn took her by the shoulders, “The Legions of the Night gather ‘round us. You’ve seen the fall of the cards. I can’t ignore what they say. I won’t. Mother w-“

“Don’t speak of her.” Krista jerked free, turning away. “She’d call this foolishness. Leaving your child, leaving your tasque. All for a bunch of witless Giorgio.”

“She would.” Came the quiet admission, “But still… I must go. Will you care for him, Krista? Raise him up in the ways?”

“Bastard.”

“Will you?”

Turning, Krista looked up at Islwynn, searching the half-elf’s face. “Yes.”

A sigh, and Islwynn nodded. Kristov would be safe. And he… he would make the world safe for the boy. Safe for all. Going to the basket that served for his son’s bed, Islwynn knelt. Words were spoken, soft and rich. Fingers trailing along the sleeping babe’s chubby fist, Islwynn watched his son a moment more. At last he rose, looking to Krista and finding a back turned to him.

Nodding, Islwynn took up his pack.  Looking back at the basket a final time before stepping out into the night.  It was a night as sweet as could be hoped for, the tang of summer a fading spice on the autumn air. A cool night, the mists little more than plucking fingers slinking among the wheels of his caravan.

A Shift[and General Sundry]

Not dead, just bogged down with school work. A Revival at my church has kept me busy, as well, since I transcribe the sermons for a deaf gentleman while my brother preaches.

Nothing done on the gaming front, really, though I've got a few ideas I'm chewing on. The truth is, I've been playing more board games than anything. The D&D Next playtest I'm in has stuttered to a halt, and it's just easier to set up Tokaido, or Smash Up! than it is to try and round up a group.

I've been getting ideas from Risus though, so there's that.

That's all for now,  more updates later.

Places of Cadoren: Ostlen

Continuing my series on a Blueholme Campaign Setting. No map just yet, I'm terrible at mapping cities.

Ostlen (01.04)

A bustling city some 20,000 strong, Ostlen serves as home to over two-thirds the population of Cadoran. Nestled on a hilly island in the northwestern waters surrounding Cadoren, Ostlen remains the gateway to the young empire.

Districts
Officially, Ostlen is divided into four distinct districts. The Keep, Ostlen Proper, South Ostlen, and the Warehouse District.

The Keep: Situated on a rocky, promontory, The Keep district is the oldest portion of Ostlen, and from which the city takes its name. It was through the keep in past generations that those who would become the citizens of Ostlen were processed before being shipped to the mainland. Well patrolled and boasting few amenities, The Keep District is home to the barracks. One of the least expensive facilities in which to take lodging, the barracks offer rows of simple bunks. For a pittance, an individual may find lodging and a simple, but ample, meal. From the Keep District, visitors to Ostlen can clearly see Ironheim, the island prison that holds Ostlen's more dangerous criminals.

Ostlen Proper: Once farmland that supported Ostlen Keep,  Ostlen Proper is now home to the upper echelons of Ostlen society. Here, well-to-do merchants sell their wares in the shadow of the Council Hall, seat of Cadoren's government. Closer to the wall that surrounds Ostlen, however, conditions decline to what would be considered 'upper middle class' by modern standards.

South Ostlen: To the south of Ostlen Proper dwells the bulk of Ostlen's population. Here, like elsewhere in Ostlen, the guard are ever present, a reminder of Cadoren's violent past. several inns and quality merchants are to be found, and it is in South Ostlen's east wall that the Farmer's Gate resides, allowing the few outlying farms to ferry their goods to the Central Market which dominates the heart of South Ostlen.

Warehouse District: To the west of South Ostle, the Warehouse district broods under the watchful eye of the Keep. Bristling with docks, it is here that the bulk of Ostlen's goods are stored.

Shoretown: Though not recognized as an official district, Shoretown is a well known facet of Ostlen, a face that few wish to admit but none can deny. Huddling in the shadow of the wall to the south of the Warehouse District.  Shoretown is home to the desperate and the forsaken. A ramshackle affair of huts and driftwood homes,  Shoretown's streets are beaten earth, and the only lights to be seen at night are the jealously guarded stubs of candles that flicker through chinks in the walls. The guard do not patrol Shoretown,  leaving the denizens to make their own law. Those who are capable in Shoretown quickly escape, either through taking work at the Warehouses, or by joining the guard.  Those that remain have been known to turn to more sinister trades.



People of Interest

Ellen Foxhair (Level 3 Fighting Man )
Captain of Ostlen's guard, Ellen is a descendent of the mercenary that helped to free Cadoren from Imperial rule. Just, she will not turn a blind eye to Ostlen's problems, but she tries to see that each individual to pass through her keep receives a fair hearing.

Olm Eisley (Noble)
Current head councilman of Ostlen, Olm is a relative newcomer to Ostlen. Arriving some twenty years ago in a small merchant ship, Olm set to work solidifying the merchants of Ostlen as a single, powerful guild. Olm's purse runs deep, and it is murmured that it is oiled with the blood of those he could not buy.

"Jitters" (Level 2 Thief)
The undisputed queen of spies, Jitters is a middle aged woman, addled by the poisons she uses to doctor her knives. Based in Shoretown, Jitters has eyes throughout Ostlen, some claiming even in the Guard itself.

How I fly Solo

There are no gamers in my area, not any more. Time and health prevent me from engaging in online play, so for the past few months I've been stuck in the role of game thought, not game play.

Recently, however, I decided to delve into solitaire roleplaying, and here's how.


For the actual mechanics, I make use of Black Stream: Solo Heroes from Sine Nomine Publishing. This product lays out guidelines to handle a solitary player and works with, essentially, any rules set. For the rules, I make use of BLUEHOLME Prentice Rules from Dreamscape Design. Normally I'd go with Swords and Wizardry, but the simplicity, and short level span, of BLUEHOLME gives me a bit more flexibility when it comes to solo shenanigans.

When jumping in to solo play, I took a look at the various tools to handle the GM side of things.  The 9Qs, the Mythic GM Emulator, various bits of homebrew and tomfoolery. While each had their strengths, none had exactly what I wanted.  Instead, I knocked together my own set of guidelines.

First and foremost, I am a sandbox gamer. Never was good at carrying an extended plot, and with solo play, it's a bit hard to keep the left hand ignorant of hte right hand's foibles. A sandbox, therefore, seemed key. To accommodate this, I used WizarDawn's World Map generator until I found something that sparked my curiosity.  I didn't worry too much at first about naming and planning everything, as that'll be filled in via the plots as they fall, and by my own curiosity. Thus armed with a world and a system to govern play, I strike out into the heady realm behind the screen... Plot.

(side note: I've mentioned before how much I love this site. Go check it out, tools, generators, delights of all kinds. A treasure trove for the fan of random tables.)

For plot, I make use of S. John Ross' "The Big List of RPG Plots". I copied each down onto a blank index card, and printed the actual contents of each plot entry or easy reference. To generate an adventure or twist, I just draw a card from the deck, flip it, and reference the entry. If a twist is needed, Ross was kind enough to provide suggestions, or for fun, I draw a second card. But who provides these hooks? The Cast of course!

Much like the plot cards, I created a deck of Cast cards using three generators, The Thieve's Guild Person and Name generators, and for the personality, I went with 101 Quick NPC personalities. The cards follow a simple format, as seen below.

Most of the template is self-explanatory. The Tell is a habit or trait that immediately stands out about the character, while the Attitude is the character's initial temperament when drawn, rolled on a D6. Certain personalities modify the chart, resulting in a higher chance of one reaction or another, while others  leave the standard spread alone. One character, the captain of the guard in the starting city, is presented below. 

 

An interesting  side effect of the generator I chose, green eyes pop up fairly often.  Now, while I could just roll with that, I decided to work green eyes in as a dressing element of the sandbox. To what end? No clue yet, still pondering.

Back on course, for encounters I'll be recording monster entries onto cards, assembling decks of "Wandering monster" encounters for hex types. This is no different than a regular table, just in index card form. Loot etc will be randomly generated as well.

All in all, this is the form of solitaire role playing that works for me. I suspect the results will read much like a cross between the Garret case files, and Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Truth be told, I'm okay with that. Once I'm done with the monster cards, I'll be giving this system a try. So expect, on occasion, for single-play reports to pop up.

A Listing of Links

Also known as: Dan is lazy but wants to blog.


I've been trawling the internet for a while, building up resources that amuse, educate, and entertain. I thought I'd pass a few of them along. Click the names below to go to the relevant sites.

The Cookbook of Cora Underbough

Something easy to get back into the swing of blogging, and before I forget, Happy Holidays! (as belated as it is...)

Inspired by a post over at Grymvald Gazetteer, I decided to borrow a bit of reality to spice up my fancy. The end result is below. I hope you like it.

Sky Divide session 2

Not much to say about this one. The party is in negotiations with a minotaur locksmith.  A pet emergency cut the game short. Hopefully tomorrow's session will be better.

1,000 views!

Wow, I never thought that would happen! As of this writing, my blog is sitting at 1,004 views since my first post.  I've known for a while now that I've had a silent audience, as well as a random one, if my stats are any indication.

So, for those of you who check my blog, even semi-regularly, thank you.

A Bit of Dungeoncraft

While browsing The Welsh Piper for hex map templates this morning, I came across this chart for generating ruins. Being the curious sort I am, I decided to give it a try, and got the following results:

Type: Castle (14 levels)

Ruin: Angry God(s)

Interest: Plunder

Major Domo: Fighter1, Demon, Fighter2

Minions: Humanoids (F1)

Animals (F1)

Bandits (F2)

Animals (F2)

Worms (Dn)

Weird* (Dn)

Pretty slick, no? One thing I like about charts like these, is when elements come together to help tie to a theme. What we see is that we have a castle that was ruined by an Angry God. Why was it ruined? Well, we see that one of the main nemesi is a demon, and that its minions are worms and something weird. The 14 levels help too. I COULD build a tall castle, but where's the fun in that? Assuming 2 levels for towers, 3 'main' levels, 1 level for the dungeon and 2 for the catacombs, that leaves 6 levels. What lies beneath the catacombs, that could refer to a demon? Why not an old temple? Suppose that in expanding the royal catacombs, the builders unearthed the entrance to an ancient temple complex, and in exploring, awoke the demon originally worshiped in Pre-Stygian times. The reigning monarchs fell back into old worships, a pall fell across the land, and the dominant deity decided enough was enough.

Now, for the fighters, suppose that Fighter 2, with his band of bandits (a mercenary crew?), went a-lootin' and dug up ol' squirmy?

The thread continues from there, spinning out a dungeon that could occupy a stalwart group of adventurers for many a session. I think I'm going to have to write this out and torment entertain my players...

So there you have it! Pop by the Piper, give the chart a roll, and see what you get. Be sure to post creations you like in the comments below!

Sky Divide Session 1 recap

No, I haven't abandoned Talislanta. Life's kept me busy, and you can expect a recap on Friday. I have, however, started a Savage Worlds game for a few friends. Read on for the events of the first session.

Dreams of Talslanta: 1-2 Gatekeeper

Too drained last week to run, so I allowed the players a respite, to RP with the newest member of the party, a Rogue Magician named Calithen. This week, the four-strong fellowship ascended the stair. Halfway up, they encountered a trio of mechanical giants.

A tense stand-off occurred and thanks to Cypreana and Calithen, the guardians were turned aside.

Cresting the stairs, the party came face to face with a walled structure, the gate of which had collapsed from age. A further discovery showed that the group was, in fact, standing on a floating island.  

Some outside events forced me to pause the game there, but the party as a whole seemed satisfied. There was good roleplaying, clever use of magic, and though the mechanics are still being puzzled out, I feel that the game is going well.

Post Apoc Sci-Fantasy musings.

"...Warriors here could have been inheritors of ancient ritual traditions so they are genetically engineered, trained to the apex of human potential (think Dune's superhumans), users of gene-coded, evolving relic weapons and/or had potential-expanding machinery integrated into their body. 'Rogues' could have been scholar-cum-archaeologists, studying the ruins of previous civilizations for what they are actively trying to understand the numenera and attempting to piece together their own crude, but innovative, machines. Wizards could have been a select group guarding passed down activation words for the common types of numenera, or those still biologically similar enough to the humans of the ancient empires that the various nanomachines floating around everywhere still respond to their commands."

The above comes from a post on a popular message board concerning Monte Cook's newest project, Numenera. Unfortunately, the user's ideas skip beyond what Cook presents, which means I have little interest in the end product. I do however, have copies of Other Dust and the Stars Without Number core rulebook.  I might see what I can knock together...

The Big Blue Binder o' Talislanta

After a few pokes and prods from folks on IRC, I thought I'd share what exactly my Talislanta binder looks like. As I mentioned in a previous post, I had the core rulebook printed through printme1, the binder I supplied myself.

Dreams of Talislanta: 1-1 An Ill Wind and Strange Shores

So, last night was the first session of my fledgling Talislanta 4th edition campaign. The group had fun, though we didn't progress quite as far as I'd hoped. Still, things went well, and the group digs the system.  

LiBinyon, a Cymrillian Swordsmage had in a drunken haze had acquired a passenger, a gypsy woman who answered to the name Cypreana, and cargo in the form of a Saurian Gladiator that went by the name Ophidon.

As LiBinyon set sail out of Cymril, his vessel was attacked by a buccaneer airship thinking to lighten his load and make off with what precious cargo they could. Lacking in a dedicated crew, LiBinyon chose to flee combat, taking refuge in a building maelstrom. A few successful piloting checks, and LiBinyon rode the storm like an old hand.

Unfortunately, an errant cannon shot damaged the Highstepper III's levitational, leaving LiBinyon and associates slowly but surely floundering as they left the storm's clutches. Spying an ancient landing platform on what appeared to be a mist-choked mountain, the party moored, and LiBinyon attempted to repair the Levitational.  Securing it well enough to keep the ship from scuttling itself, the party abandoned ship. (It should be noted that Ophidon, a hulking brute with a Dinosaurian visage, had the worst luck in disembarking, and ended up tumbling to the landing platform in a heap of claws, tail, and cranky lizard.)

Trusting to fate and Cypreana's coin toss, the party ascended an odd stair, one that glowed, lights rippling beneath its smooth surface with each step they took.


The game was paused there, to be resumed next week. All in all a good amount of play for an hour and forty-five minutes, no?

Codex Fantastica: Mytwari

Home: The Mytwa Jungle

Description:

Tall, graceful beings, the Mytwari are green-skinned plantfolk whose faces grow into masklike  forms that the Mytwari take great delight in ornamenting with dyes in colorful patterns.

Deeply in tune with the living world around them, the Mytwari serve as children and caretakers of the Mytwa Jungle. There, amidst a dazzling bouquet of wild blossoms and dizzyingly tall trees, they spend their days tending to the needs of the jungle.

The Jungle, however, is not alone in its life, and on occasion a Mytwari journeys beyond the Mytwa Jungle, to see and learn more of the world around them. Often attracting the curiosity of the taciturn Sulk, a Mytwari's natural affinity for growing things, and for the magics of plants often help to pay their way on their journeys.

Gettin' Funky Now!

Browsing Spotify this morning, I came across this shocking gem (you'll need Spotify installed before clicking the link, Youtube version available here .). Modern Funk. Good Funk at that!

This got me to thinking, of all things, about Urban Fantasy set in the sixties/seventies.  Just something to ponder in your spare moments during the day. I know I will. Disco Elves. That is all.

Codex Fantastica: Uktulkli

Home: The Thousand Stars
Description: 

Stocky, hexapedal amphibians with thick, fringed tails, Uktulkli stand four feet tall at the shoulder, and measure some twelve feet long from chest to tail.

A peaceful race, the Uktulkli are creatures of magic, born from deep wells that dot the ruins of the Thousand Stars, an island chain  in the midst of the Skymirror Sea. Slow and contemplative, the Uktulkli are considered lazy and dull witted by most races. Those with the patience to maintain a conversation with an Uktulkli, however, find a wise, nurturing individual. Born of water, Uktulkli spend most of their time in contact with the lifeblood of the world, basking in streams, or diving deep in the waters surrounding their homes.

When the notion takes them, the Uktulkli weave Star Pearls from the sacred waters of their Lifewells. These fist-sized, translucent stones glow with a bluish light, gently illuminating a space ten feet in diameter. Whatever other properties these strange artifacts possess is unknown, and when pressed, the Uktulkli respond with a sleepy smile.

My brain, she dinnae sit still.

Being as addled as I am, I jump from project to project with frustrating irregularity. On occasion, an entirely new idea springs up, demanding attention with enough force that I can't get it out of my head until I do something with it. So I present the basic framework for a Role Playing Game inspired by the works of Jim Henson.

The following content is protected by the Creative Commons 3.0 NC-BY-ND license.

What I'm doing

Bleh.  Assistant Teacher for Vacation Bible School,  heat exhaustion, and a summer cold have thrown this blog into disarray. And after I made such a nice promise to be more active, too.

Well, while the internet has been neglected, my GM Journal has not. I've got a few projects cooked up, working on them in between life and coughing fits. Hopefully you'll be hearing more about them in the coming days.

Swordsong Chronicles: A Sword and Wizardry Whitebox campaign, a sandbox based wholeheartedly on the idea of 'like it, lift it, refluff it, use it'.

Land of Nod: A supernatural RPG based loosely on the Nightbane franchise. Roll
                      and keep D6 system, Dreamers are trying to save Nod from 
                      nightmare.

The Unnamed RPG: A roll-under RPG that draws on mesoamerican, african,
                                 egyptian, middle eastern and hindi mythologies for its
                                 influence.


In addition, I'm running a short Talislanta 4th Edition campaign in the coming months, play notes for that will be forthcoming.

How to Write a Story: Pixar Style

Received an interesting tidbit from a friend on IRC tonight, a list of twenty-two rules of storytelling, from Pixar Storyboard artist Emma Coats. While aimed at writers, this list is ideal for a GM, especially one stuck in a rut. Having recently read Robin D. Laws' book Hamlet's Hit Points, this list strikes me more-so than it might have under other circumstances. Still, give a click, Ms. Coats' nuggets of wisdom are well worth taking to heart!