RPGs

First PDF on OBS & Patreon Launched

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I did it! I’m now a publisher with my first PDF, Locks Vaults and Hiding Places, live on both DriveThruRPG and RPGNow as PWYW I also launched my Patreon. The PDF is a sample of the types of RPG supplements I have in mind. Not just regurgitating blog articles, but bringing them together in a coherent form and expanding them.

I have over 700 blog articles, not all are worthy of inclusion in a PDF, but many are. My brain won’t stop, and I have far more ideas than I will ever be able to put to use in my own games, so I don’t want them to go to waste.

There is no better feeling than to put your game ideas out there and have other people like them and use them. I found that this past spring at Gary Con 10, when I play tested my card game. I’m still working on it in the background, revising the rules and play testing. I want things as done as can be when things are ready for the next step and I can launch the Kickstarter, sometime in 2019.

Putting together PDFs will help me get more feedback than I get on most blog articles. I love the ease of feedback on Anchor, and have listeners and calls in’s from other countries. All of this will help me be better at presenting my Kickstarter. Part of a successful Kickstarter is building a community. I know I have offers from some large YouTube channels to mention it when the time is right. 

Please join me on my journey into the realm of making games! If you just grab the PWYW PDF, please give me some constructive criticism. I have my own ideas about what need to be done to improve it, but I’d never get it done if I did that. I can update the PDF as I get feedback and am excited by the possibilities of the interchange of ideas.

Thanks!

I want to thank the RPG artists who make their art available on OBS at a price point beginners can afford. I hope by directing others to your offerings on OBS you get at least a spike in sales. In my case Denis McCarthy for the cover and some interior art, and Daniel F. Walthall for the rest of the interior art.

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Making Mead

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Way back when my now ex was more forgiving of my hobbies, I made a batch of mead. I followed a recipe from an SCA (Society For Creative Anachronism) book and made enough for a couple of bottles. I used an old wine bottle I had and my brother made the label, and I gave it to our friend and gaming companion, Daryl. [I was never a formal member of SCA. I attended a couple of functions and meetings a few months before I got married.]

One of Daryl’s characters in my brother’s campaign was a dwarf fighter/thief, Abernathy, Emperor of the North. There was no such empire and no one but Abernathy, the oft inebriated, believed it.

So, here is the only evidence left of that long ago effort. I was good, and I’ve always intended to make more, but time, space, and other things take priority.

My recollection was that I had posted a blog article about this, but it turns out I only shared the pictures on my personal Facebook a couple of years ago. So here are the pictures on my blog, so I can find them here next time I look.

Abernathy’s Own Mead

Center
Center-Right
Left Side of Label
Right Side
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RPGs

River and River Encounter Tables

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While listening to the podcast of +Colin Green, AKA Spikepit, on the Spikepit podcast, he asked for source material on river encounters and adventures. He also mentioned a swamp.

Until he mentioned swamps, I was thinking about the creeks I wandered as a boy in a rural/suburban landscape, and going on float trips on different rivers in college, and seeing the results of the major flooding in the Midwest in the late 90’s/early 00’s that affected huge areas. When he mentioned swamps I thought of The Screaming Swamp, my contribution to The Black Isle, that I mentioned a few weeks ago, when it was released.

My ideas for rivers involve random tables. Rivers come in all shapes and sizes, from dry creeks in the desert that only flow when it rains, to mighty rivers like the Missouri, Nile, or Amazon. They all have a source, tributaries, general direction of flow, branches, rapids, falls, and estuaries or mouths. They can be fast, slow, relatively short, or very long. They can freeze over in winter allowing wild herds, trade, or war to cross. 

I took these ideas and expanded them in my publication on DriveThruRPG: Rivers and River Encounters [Affiliate Link].

All rivers have a means to cross them, whether by fording, ferrying, boat, or bridge. They all have a means to travel them if wide and deep enough. The creeks I wandered as a boy were rarely deep enough to find a spot to swim, so traffic would cross them at the easiest spot to avoid them. Larger rivers, like the Missouri were first avenues of exploration and trade. Nearly any size boat can be found, up to small ships, and huge number of barges.

Intelligent races can attempt to wrest control of rivers for their own purposes, such as irrigation, dams to store water for dry conditions, dams for hydro power for grinding grain or sawing logs, or for generating electricity. Locks can be implemented to make a river part of a canal to make travel over difficult terrain possible. 

Where there is trade, there are towns, warehouses, shops, merchants, thieves, bandits, and river pirates. Where there is trade, the authorities come looking for taxes to pay to put down the pirates and thieves, and as the traffic becomes more peaceful, the taxes cover more and more.

Druids would argue against too drastic a change to a river, using their natural magic to thwart attempts to tame it.

Rivers have their own wonders both to behold and dangerous to the unwary. Huge bluffs overlooking the river make a great place to jump in, but also make a great location for a fort or monster lair. Sand and gravel bars impede traffic, but can air in crossing. They can also shift during flooding. Bends in rivers can host deep depressions suitable for the biggest fish, and the things that eat the biggest fish.

Low areas form bogs, swamps, marshes, and fens. Trees fall and form areas to block traffic, make a danger to traffic, and hide both game and predator. Beavers construct dams for their homes and to make an environment to their liking. While attractive to other wildlife, farmers and villages may not like it.

Rivers are also a source of water and great cities tend to only be built near them. They can become corrupted or polluted and poison the population and wildlife.

There are so many things to consider and so many possible tables. I’m not sure I’ll get to tables in this post, but will have as many things to consider for building my tables.

Terrain, geography, natural hazards, control of traffic, strategic points, wildlife (game and predator), monsters, thieves, bandits, and pirate. Navy, patrol, and tax and tariff collectors. Trade wars, embargoes, boycotts, boat and ship construction. Barge traffic. Source, width, depth, falls, tributaries, branches, bends, bluffs, fords, ferries, bridges, canals, dams, locks, estuaries, mouths. Watersheds. rain, floods, droughts, aqueducts, aquifers, caves, caverns, grottoes, cenotes, glaciers, ice, snow, spring thaw, flash floods, encounters, and more.

I foresee many rabbit trails of research on Wikipedia in my future for this. So many ideas all at once is hard to get them all down.

It occurs to me that there are two methods of placing rivers. There may be other ways, but I think they would be sub classes of the following. 

  1. Let the terrain you place on the map dictate where to put rivers.
  2. Draw the rivers first to dictate where you put the terrain.

The tables I plan to develop will aide with developing the river and it’s terrain, or help flesh out the river and terrain you provide. All well planned table should be able to give you ideas to make the things they suggest your own.

The Tables

Rather than plot out the whole river, the type will matter and the GM can pick what part of the river they need for a specific location or encounter.

SOURCE

All streams & rivers have a source, or starting point.

  • Spring
  • Glacial Melt
  • Mountain Stream

CROSSING

When a watercourse crosses your intended path, how do you cross it?

This can also be applied to other barriers, like gaps, gorges, peaks, etc.

  • Walk, Step, Leap, Running Jump.
    • For narrow creeks and streams you may be able to just step over them. 
    • The banks of creeks can be very steep on one side and low on the other.
      • I once slid down a shale cliff while holding the end of a rope intended to help me avoid sliding and getting banged up.  I finally stopped when the rope had played out a safe distance from the stream that was 30 to 40 feet below the top of the shale cliff. Climbing such a cliff is like going up the down escalator with pieces breaking and causing you to slide in addition to moving in the opposite of the intended direction.
  • Natural Bridge
    • This can be a tree, rock, packed earth, packed snow, ice, or the bodies or bones of one or more dead creatures.
  • Directed Natural Bridge
    • Yesterday, someone posted a link to this article on root bridges.
    • These are living trees, roots, or other plant matter guided by humans to cross over gorges and rivers.
    • The original picture online was quite elaborate and the surface of the bridge was packed with dirt and fitted with stones to make a solid surface. 
    • For a game setting, I can see elves, druids, and other forest denizens making such structures in the trees.
  • Ford
    • Stepping Stones
      • These tend to be smooth round stones that are commonly slick without water. Water makes them more so.
      • Wise locals will replace or overlay them with flat stones for more sure  footing.
    • Mixed stone & natural gravel
      • The shallow area has trapped the smaller rocks and stones creating a wet, but serviceable crossing. The intervention of intelligent species may enhance it or destroy it for it’s own purposes.
    • Sandy crossing.
      • More gravel and sand than stones. Area could be prone to liquefaction of the sand and “quicksand.”
    • Wet Crossing
      • Anything from getting your feet wet to not so deep you’re swimming for foot traffic.
      • Anything too deep to walk, but not needing a boat.
        • Riding a riding animal or pack animal.
        • A vehicle, whether drawn or pushed by animals or an engine.
    • Ferry
      • Where the water is consistently deep enough that foot and vehicle traffic can’t make it, but a bridge is not justifiable or impossible.
      • Ferries can cross a distance not much wider than the ferry, to great distances. In addition to crossing watercourses, they can cross lakes and seas to islands or cross straits.
      • Ferries can be tethered or free. The simplest tethered ferries use the tether to pull the ferry and cargo along. Some use a capstan powered by the crew or beast(s) of burden. The capstan is put on the shore for the most efficiency. It could also be a treadwheel powered by the crew or beast of burden.
      • Ferries have a fee that is what the market will bear. There is taxation of it, unless the ferry is initiated prior to civilization catching up with it.
      • Often ferries exist in slightly deeper water to a nearby ferry and is for those who want to stay dry, or for cargo that they don’t want to risk getting to market. In this case, the ferry can’t charge too much, or people will simply go to the ford.
      • Ferries are also used in locations that are too wide for existing technology or resources to bridge.
      • Ferries can be passenger ferries which only accommodate people and their personal possessions. Basically boats.
      • Vehicle and cargo ferries have ramps and flat decks to enable beast drawn vehicles and powered vehicles to embark and disembark.
    • Bridge
      • From simple footbridges for pedestrian traffic, to bridges allowing at least one wagon to cross. 
        • Narrow bridges will have a system to control the flow of traffic if it is only wide enough for traffic in one direction.
        • Daily shift changes, the length of the market day, etc. will influence the busiest time for narrow bridges.
        • Taxes, fees, and tariffs are often collected for maintenance costs and revenue for the crown.
      • Construction is most commonly the cheapest material available that can do the job. 
        • Wood will be used for the narrowest spans that are not easily forded. Heavy traffic may lead to replacement with stone for durability and less frequent repairs and breakdowns.
        • Stone can be used from the river, if enough can be found nearby. Otherwise you will need a quarry within a reasonable distance for the source of materials.
        • Brick can be used for narrow spans if the materials and technology exist.
        • Cement and Concrete technology can increase the distance that can be spanned if the knowledge to use pilings at the base of arches. Roman brick. Roman Architecture. Roman Engineering. Roman Roads.
          • Aqueducts also use bridges for water. In areas where they cross the same spans as other traffic, they could share the same bridge. Here’s some information on Roman Aqueducts.
          • Aqueducts can also be used to extend watercourses for waterborne travel, and are called navigable aqueducts.

Portage

Similar to how a watercourse can interrupt land travel, land can interrupt water travel. There can be low points in a river such as where there is a ford, gravel or sand bar, collection of large stones, debris over the years of floods, or low water caused by drought. 

Portaging is simply porting (carrying) your craft overland until you reach more water. Historically, one thinks of the canoes of trappers and trader, and the boats of Lewis & Clark. However, there have been instances of sizable boats and ships being portaged.

There are many types of things that can force the occupants of a water craft to portage it. 

  • Low water due to nature of watercourse or drought.
  • Obstacles
    • Sand bar
    • Gravel bar
    • Rocks
    • Landslide
    • Avalanche
    • Ice
    • Flood debris – rocks, trees, building, bodies, etc.
    • New bridges or ferry tether lines.
    • Collapsed briges
    • Sunken or wrecked vessels.
    • Large water creatures like hippos, or monsters.
  • Rapids
  • Falls

Control of Traffic

Whether traveling on or across a watercourse, others will want to control it. Control can be in the form of legal or extralegal activity. What is considered extralegal in the heart of civilization, might be the closest thing to law in the borderlands. 

Theft

Theft will exist in many forms.

  • Lone or small number of thieves. These will be the pick pockets and those who prey on lone travelers, taking their stuff.
  • Bandits – These will be those a bit more organized and may operate a protection racket at the crossing or narrow point in a river.
  • Pirates – These will roam up and down the river to take the trade goods and other valuables up and down the river. Land raids will be within striking distance of the river, their fast escape route down  river.

Law

Whether the sudden arrival to the frontier or the already civilized interior, the law will make its presence felt in the form of taxation, fees, tariffs, fines and more. 

  • Individual – Whether a self appointed law man or the designated constable of the appropriate jurisdiction. They might deputize assistants. A paladin walking through might disrupt the bandits or pirates, and have to stay on to avoid those he has freed from being taken over again. He might charge fees to help out, and been seen as taxes by some.
  • Garrison – Troops in some level of fortification from the monarch or local noble. They will be place in the most strategic point for control. If the high point is too far to practically control the choke point for traffic, they will s\establish a standing watch, or regular patrol to the point if too far to maintain.
    In a more civilized region or city, the garrison will be the gatehouse or tower built over the tollbooth. A village or town will arise around these locations.
  • Fort or Castle – Troops will have a more substantial and imposing base to project even more strength.
  • Way Stations and Hostels – Way stations for officials and hostels, AKA inns and taverns, will rise up along a road or a large river that is the main route for trade. On borderlands and the wilderness, the ruins of these from fallen empires might be the center point for a small village, or a hideout for bandits, goblins, or a lair of some monster.
  • Boats, Barges, and Ships – In addition to the traffic from civilian versions of these craft, the national or local ruler will patrol the river to protect their own investments in trade and to ensure taxes keep rolling in to keep them in power. 

Beginnings

The source of a river or stream is called the headwaters. Watercourses that begin as springs or flow from other openings in the ground are often considered holy places, or places of magic and healing.

Finding the source of major rivers has been seen as a prize. The Nile was one of the last major rivers in the world to have its source documented by science. There is a game that was released in the 80’s call Source of The Nile informed by this period of colonial expansion and exploration in Africa. More detail at Boardgame Geek.

  • Spring
  • Crack
  • Cave – Surface opening of underground river. Could be a very small opening that is enlarged by those who find it over time.
  • Glacial melt 
  • Mountain peak – the annual spring thaw and rains maintain the flow of water.
  • Marshlands 

Endings

There are two ways a river is considered to end, as an estuary in to a body of water, whether fresh or salt water, or the confluence of two or more rivers into one.

Freshwater bodies can be ponds, lakes, or inland seas. The size of the water body will determine the navigability of the watercourse. Lakes and ponds may have marsh or swamp lands at the estuary in a relatively level area. 

At saltwater bodies, those tend to be seas or oceans. Often the mouth of the river fills with sediment from silt and may limit the ability for seagoing vessels to navigate it.

Weather

Weather affects navigation of watercourses. Too much rain leads to flooding and until the chaos subsides navigation is dangerous. Drought leads to inability to travel, without portage. Seasonal variations in rainfall will lead to semi-predictable peaks and valleys in navigability. Winter in temperate and further regions will lead to ice partially or completely blocking traffic via the river. 

If frozen to sufficient thickness wild herd animals, followed by their predators can cross rivers that lack high banks. Bandits and war parties can utilize this new bridge also. Ice that is thin leads to accidents. Children feared lost beneath the ice or in danger of it could be an adventure hook. 

Drought of an extent to halt traffic will have repercussions on trade, irrigation, diplomacy, and many potentially dying of thirst. Water from a river is easier to access than boring through rock. Work projects to build cisterns for water storage for the next drought, and seeking water will lead to finding things of lost civilizations and provide many adventure hooks.

Geology

Hills and mountains and sedimentary rock along the banks will most likely hold some form of cave or cavern. They may be quite obvious or only be known to a few locals, or be the lairs of predators or monsters. Some could be bandit hideouts, hidden behind waterfalls, surface entrances to a cavern system that eventually leads to the underdark, or the interior world of the planet. I had an idea a couple weeks ago that the underdark is the zone between the outer and inner worlds of the planet.

Cliffs are natural outlooks and can slump if earth or soft stone, or boulders or dead trees can come crashing down. Wyverns might nest on a cliff overlooking the river crossing causing an impact on trade and thus taxes.

Conclusion

There is a lot more here than I could hope to compile in a single day. I hashed this out in about three and a half hours. This will fit into what I see as becoming a framework for building one’s own campaign world, with tools to help build locations and encounters. One need not detail every mile, bend, fall, and rapids in a river. Merely specify what one will find in a particular point along a river.

If you don’t want to map out a river journey, don’t suggest any information to your party to help them think of it. Make all journeys cross rivers and you won’t have to do much detail, of use the same methods for land travel, focus on the narrative of the journey with only highlights of the scenery. Placing specific encounters, or developing encounters that you can fit into any place along a river will ease your work load. 

This exercise of writing this article and generating the rough structure of tables has given me ideas that will percolate in the back of my mind and ideas will emerge when I need them during the course of play. 

I hope you find this informative and useful in crafting your own ideas.

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Idea for Two New Magic Items

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My inspiration for the first of the magic items that came to me today come from a table over at +Shane Ward’s 3 Toadstools Blog. He has a page of Tables. One of the tables is, 100 Minor Magical Items. Catch Shane’s podcast, Gilligan’s Isle of ADD.

If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you should realize that when my brain encounters a title like that, I’m going to get a skewing of that. What came out is 100 Miner Magical Items. Queue obligatory scene from Galaxy Quest.

No, I don’t have a list of 100 items yet. What I thought of is a list of items dwarves might make to make their life in the mines easier. So far, I only have one item:

Auger of Impossible Depth

This auger allows the user to bore holes of the diameter required to great depths. The more narrow the diameter required the quicker it can drill. Originally developed by the brother of a miner lost to a mining accident. It is used to open air vents in collapses and cave ins, and bore supply and rescue tunnels. It soon found use in following veins, probing for underground caves, streams, and gas pockets. Additionally, it is used to bore wells, cisterns, and drill precision grooves for quarrying stone.

With the losses of many dwarves in the goblin wars, this allows the young and old dwarves left in the mines to maintain their quotas. 

The Auger also saw use in sapping, and counter mining, and breaching walls in the goblin wars. 

Stats

This device appears to be a wand or baton. It is usable by any intelligent creature who understands its use and knows the activation word. The dwarven word for drill. The dimensions, depth, and direction of the shaft must be specified. It will return to the owner once the command is completed. Only powerful magics or magical creatures can interrupt its orders.

It can bore a pencil thin shaft 100 feet long through hard rock in an hour, or a 10 foot diameter shaft at the rate of 10 feet per hour. Softer stone is at triple the rate, and earth is at 6 times that rate.

Creatures that burrow in earth, or rock, or from the elemental plane of earth are sensitive to the vibrations of this device. Any within a mile of it will seek it out to stop its annoying tone. Those more than a mile away will find it easier to avoid it. There is a 10% chance that a creature more than a mile away is so annoyed by this thing interrupting its day, that it will seek it out and attempt to destroy it.

Magically summoned earth elementals and other rock burrowing creatures will be harder to control for both friendly and unfriendly spell casters. If a spell caster loses control of the summoned creature, it will deal with the annoying noise before turning on the spell caster who summoned it. 

Simply ceasing to use the device will stop the tone and there is a 90% chance attracted creatures will resume their prior activity. For the 10% of creatures truly annoyed by this device, there is a 50% chance.

Cursed Auger

There is a cursed item that some mad, trickster mage created to annoy those who find it. The Auger of Impossible Drilling. It will only drill one inch into any substance and makes an annoying sound that irritates all who hear it in 100 yards. Conversation is impossible until the augur completes its task. While it only drills to a depth of one inch, it will continue to drill for the duration it would take to complete the task as if it really were the Auger of Impossible Depths.

It attracts all the same creatures as its counterpart, but within 5 miles and there is only a 50% chance of them breaking off if it ceases before their arrival. If the creature sees it or its user, it is too late. Annoyed creatures will find the item and its user and seek to silence both.

This item will obey any depth and direction comments by its unfortunate owner. Only a remove curse can free the owner. Once freed, the device will bore into the ground in a random direction and the castings behind it will harden and make it impossible to trace. Anyone who successfully grapples it before it gets away will now be cursed and it will take them with it to the nearest cavern in the underdark.

Ring of Elven Years

This fine gold or mithril ring bestows a wearer of non-elven blood with an extended lifespan. They will age at a fraction of the normal rate, merely one month for every year. Further they will have elvish resistance to sleep and charm spells. Spells causing haste and slow have a 50% chance of failure as they are of too similar to the phase, or energies of those spells. The slow spell will 

If a haste or slow spell is effective it will have double the duration and age the wearer double the normal rate.

Additionally, non-elven wearers will gain the ability to sense hidden and secret doors at the same rate as elves. This keen eyed ability will carry over to the use of long swords and bows, as well as magic use. Magic users who wear this ring, have no penalty to the use of armor and weapons of the type usable by elves.

This ring is most effective with humans.

Elves will feel none of the magic others can sense. Only the most ancient elf could discern that they feel a bit more spry than yesterday. Younger elves will sense the magnitude of eternity and get a true sense of the years ahead. NPC elves will require a morale check to continue the life of an adventurer. If they fail, they will return home seeking to be a productive member of elven society.

Half-elves will get the full benefit of their elvish blood, and will have a more elf-centric outlook on life. They will tend to ignore their human heritage, and may even act as if they have no human blood.

Halflings will wonder at their less than hearty appetite, but will use their heightened senses and immunities to good advantage.

Dwarves and gnomes will have none of the anti-aging effects, it will make their finger itch. Dwarves will freely spend their gold and wealth to help others, even non-dwarves. PC’s get a save vs. magic. They will have a new appreciation for elves and seek to learn more about elves and their ways. 

Half-orcs will feel self-loathing and it will burn. They will not willingly leave it on as it causes them too much angst and self-doubt. For the next 1+d6 weeks they will have a strong desire for stealth, strategy, and negotiation if they normally charge in without asking questions.

Cursed Ring

The cursed Ring of Elvish Years will cause those of elvish blood to age at the same rate as humans and instantly age d100 years.

For those of non-elvish decent, there is a 90% chance that they will age d100 years. Save verses magic for half. For each week the ring remains on a digit, whether finger or toe, they will age one year. Removal of the ring will not restore lost years.

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Minimalism At The RPG Table

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Minimalism had really hooked me. Less stuff, less clutter, less to do, less to worry about all appeal to me. Having a simple, organized living space and workspace leads to less cluttered thinking and more progress towards goals.

Similarly, at the game table, if the GM can run the game just as effectively with less stuff, it serves multiple ends.

  1. There is less at the table to get in the way of the players and the GM seeing everyone around the table, and anything of importance on the table.
  2. The game is focused on the fun and not paper shuffling and rules lookups.
  3. The GM has less to carry, and is less likely to get a sore back or neck form carrying a lot.
  4. The less need there is for a large space for a large table to play. GM and players can just sit around the living room.
  5. Players have more room for their character sheet and notes if they are organized and know the rules that apply to their characters, such as combat and spells.

To accomplish minimalism at the table for the GM, there are several things to aid with that. I put out a call for comments and suggestions on this topic across all my social media. I had several suggestions on my G+ page.

Suggestions

  1. Organization.
    My 2 cents – A system that works for the GM to keep notes, encounter tables, rules references, etc. in a clear and concise, easily accessible manner will simplify running the game and reduce stress of the GM and add to the enjoyment of all. 
    I think my number one tip is find the organization system that works for you to keep your campaign notes & individual game notes organized. Through running games figure out what you don’t need. Make a checklist of all you take to the actual game. Then cross off what’s not used.
  2. A DM Journal and Index Cards.
    Colin Green – I try and bring my stuff together into a DM journal, combined with index cards. The index cards have things like monsters, encounters, magic items, NPC’s. The journal has plot/story info, notes, maps, random tables. I try to leave rule books away from the table, forgotten rules are subject to rulings.
  3. Write in it, re-draw, revise.
    David Shugars – If you’re running from a module, write in it! 5e is terrible about information presentation so my Curse of Strahd book had all the monster stats written in sharpie in the margins.
    Aside from that, don’t be afraid to re-draw maps and re-key encounters. Here’s a Dyson map I’ve adapted for my next session, scaled down to fit inside my A5 campaign notebook:
    Photo

    1. Colin Green – that’s perfect, it’s amazing what you can include in a relatively small footprint, with a bit of thought. I’m dropping from A4 to A5 and use a similar approach.
    2. Brett Slocum – When using a campaign Journal like that I like to prep on one page and leave the other page blank. That way you can write notes while you’re playing about what happens, who they meet, the names of things and people.
    3. Me – Players can make their own notebook to track the character’s and party’s progress on adventures. This ties in to my ideas on organization above. Whether you use a BuJo or other journaling method, or a binder instead of a journal, find what works for you. There are lots of YouTube channels on how different people use Bullet Journals. The G+ Community, Bullet Journal for Game Masters has lots of ideas for using the Bullet Journal method to organize one’s campaign.
  4. Simple Rules.
    Brett Slocum – One of my methods for con games is using a simple system like The Black Hack that doesn’t require much referencing to run. I never have to look up bonuses or penalties or most other things. I take the rules but rarely reference them.
  5. Sit alongside the Players.
    Steve Hartline – If I’m well versed in the rule set, I like to sit along side the players. I still have a screen where I’ll keep items that are necessary for that particular session, but I try to limit my time behind the screen (index cards and a 3 ring binder). This setup actually encourages more immersive role playing IMHO.

Jay Murphy of The Vanishing Tower Blog and Podcast has 3 Maxims of Gaming that I think tie into my ideas of minimalism at the table. He explains them in three episodes of his Anchor podcast:

  1. GM must have a firm grip on the genre.
  2. System Matters, But It Doesn’t 
  3. Must have Players who do stuff.

Glen Halstrom of the Old Man Grognard YouTube channel and Radio Grognard podcast on Anchor mentions what he does to get organized to run games on several episodes. In particular, he discusses stat blocks that take a single line next to the creature on encounter tables.  

I’ve gotten behind on all the great podcasts on Anchor, and am not up to speed on the latest from Glen. He has episodes about quickie prep, what’s in his game bag, and organization. 

I like hearing how others do things, and if there’s a quick tip that is easy to work into my process, I take it.

More Tips

There are a few other things that I do to simplify running games.

  • I make a long list of names and put a tick mark when I use a name. I’m not afraid to re-use a name, as some names are common, like John.
  • I give tips to players to help them run their characters. For example, for spell casters, I tell them to note the page number of their spells next to the spell name on their character sheet. I forget where I first heard that, but it is a major time saver.
  • I generate weather for a year at a time and put it on the campaign calendar.
  • I generate an annual and monthly events, modeled after the tables in Oriental Adventures, and put on the campaign calendar.
  • I imagine and think about my campaign setting/world and use my visual memory of real places to help me create my world in my mind so I can describe it to players. By seeing this in my mind I am able to run the town episodes without a map, or describe the location in the nearby dungeon from memory. 
    • I have figured out how to do a mind palace without being intentional about it being a mind palace. 
  • I’m not finding the note of where I heard this next bit, but I love it. Generate multiple die rolls for each type of die for secret rolls, like secret doors, random monster checks, etc. Cross of the roll when needed. Of course, you can roll dice to mess with your players, or for the real thing, but if you don’t want them to know you’re rolling, do that. This will be a new tool in my kit.
    • The person who suggested that, from a podcast, as I recall, also used these rolls for random room descriptions, treasure, etc.
    • This works with any number of random tables. The trick is to have enough random rolls for each die type to avoid running out.
    • Using this method, one can do away with pre-generating weather, and perhaps events for extended periods of time.
  • I like a good random table that is easy to use and evokes lots of ideas. A collection of the right random tables for the genre and situation can spur all kinds of fun.
  • Use the player’s ideas against them. Players always seem to get cross talk at the table and speculation. Even if they suggest something that is not the direction they think it’s going, encourage them to think and follow that. They create their own plot hooks and rumors.
  • To avoid giving every NPC a name, have the NPC speak before the player’s do. for example, “The shopkeeper wants to know what you need”, or “How may I help you?” That was another one from a podcast.

Conclusion

Finding what works best for you to run a game at the table takes time. The more comfortable you are with running games in general, the easier it is to simplify. The right choice of rules that are either simple, or you feel comfortable with less rule books also aids in minimalism at the table.

It opens the opportunity to focus on running the game and the shared story that emerges through play. The old adage of rulings, not rules, makes it more evident that minimalism at the game table is one fruit of growing into the role of GM. With a simple one page map, and a page of notes, I can run a four hour con game. I can endure the chaos and clutter of developing the adventure to inform what notes I use to simplify what I need at the table.

I’d like to keep going with collecting tips for RPG minimalism for GMs and players. Comment here on the blog, or on any of my social media. I will add to this article and do a revised article. 

If you’re the source of an idea I mentioned, please let me know, I want to give credit where credit is due. I typed up my notes, and left off the source for a couple, and tossed the index cards it was written on.

Goals

Besides pen/pencil and paper for notes, and dice, I want to see how lean I can get when running games in person, especially at cons. Mining these tips, and any others that may be submitted or I find online for what I can most easily integrate into my own way of running games. A set of random tables for on the fly ideas and descriptions at the table. A list of NPC names, and simple stats for the creatures that will be encountered.

There are so many games that have an old school D&D core, that combat is run the same way. Except for non-D&D engines, which a simple GM screen can accommodate. If a GM screen doesn’t have the most pertinent rules for a GM to run the game, then it’s no good. I like cool art, but don’t put more effort into art than functionality.

I touched on the topic briefly on my podcast.

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Thinking About Ability Scores

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I started this post back on January 1, 2018 after spending some time the prior weekend thinking about ability scores and the classic 3-18. This was prompted by the 1e/2e character sheet on Roll20, where it defaults to 10 on all the abilities.

Since the average on a d6 is 3.5, this results in 10.5 for 3d6, which rounds up to 11.

Player characters are generally considered to be “heroic” or above average, one could use 10 + 1d8, for 11-18 for abilities. This will generate abilities on average of 14.5, which rounds to 15. Now there is the problem of every character is way above average. Some may not consider that a problem.

1e DMG p. 11 Methods 1-4 are presented.

I use 4d6 drop the lowest (Method 1) for character generation. I have a House Rule for my 1e campaign to get to play a class requiring special minimum scores.

But I Want It:

Players wishing to play a class in AD&D 1e who don’t roll the stats for it, can set the minimum stats for those ability scores that are pertinent, but all other stats will be rolled on a d4+8 making their range 9-12.

1e UA p. 74 adds method 5 where each class rolls a different amount of dice for each ability, making it more likely to get the scores needed to reach the minimums required for specialty classes, such as druids, rangers, and illusionists.

5e PH p. 13 – Roll 4d6, drop the lowest, or use 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8. (Score – 10 = x. Divide x by 2 to get modifier.) Or use 27 points to boost scores that all start at 8, but can’t go higher than 15. Then add racial bonuses. A human could end up with three 14’s and three 13’s after applying racial bonuses, having three scores at +2 and the other three at +1. With a barbarian, the first class in the book, it gets 4 chances to raise an ability 2 points, or two abilities by 1 point, with a max of 20. So a barbarian that lives to level 19, has 8 points that can be added to other abilities. So one of those 14’s can go to 20, and another to 16, for a +5 and +3 bonus.

Swords & Wizardry basically does 3d6 in order and 13+ is +1 and less than 7 or 8 is -1. The exact score is not that important.

Skills

This comes back to the issue, do you like a game where you need a high score to stand a chance of success, or a game where player skill negates the importance of the exact number on an ability?

At what point on the scale do skills fall? Only class specific skills, but anyone can start a fire, not just rangers, or a comprehensive system that covers what a character can do. My preference is that anyone can start a file, but rangers, druids, and someone with a secondary skill like hunter or forester can start a fire in the rain.

XP Idea

I made some notes for an idea on making my own retroclone over a year ago. Nothing organized, just some rough ideas. How to handle XP is something all making a retroclone need to address.

My idea use a base XP chart that is used for all characters with the base “Adventurer” class. Additional XP is required if you want fancier skills, like magic. To have magic perhaps double the XP needed for each level. Other skills like thieving skills use 1.5 times the base. This post is already long, but the idea is to have categories or groups of abilities or skills that are a package to make one’s own custom character. Since non-humans tend to have special traits, those would also require more XP to level.

Or a system with no XP and no level advancement. How would you handle a character getting better at code breaking or fighting? With practice, one gets better. But how to gamify that in a simple way that scales and there is balance between characters of similar “level?”

It comes down to how crunchy do you want your system?

The more I delve into trying to make my own game, the more I come back to wanting something light/simple/quick.

Basic, S&W, Delving Deeper, Black Hack, etc. are looking more appealing. The teaming masses of new players today, are focused on 5e, and the style of play that they see online in shows like Critical Role and Maze Arcana. They don’t get what more experienced players know, The rules aren’t the game, and don’t really matter. We just need a mutually agreed framework for generating consistent results when it comes to rolling the die.

I’m not sure I like the story game thing where you can override parts of the narrative you don’t like. Yes, it is a game, and we should play what we like, but I think there should be a chance for complete failure or nail-biting success. The idea of yes/and, or no/but is interesting, but how to model that for the style of play I prefer?

Points On The Spectrum

Tables and charts necessitating reference to the book or a GM screen, or target numbers that are easy to calculate? Bonuses and penalties that players need to keep track of and modify their rolls quickly, so that game play doesn’t halt while they figure it out?

Other Systems

d7 system, the one live play I watched seemed interesting. I need to know more about that..

I’ve read Maze Rats and like the super simple system there. A new system more compatible with other OSR games and retroclones is in the works.

What other ways deal with skills? d20/roll under stats or roll under stats on xd6/etc? I’ve read some that use saving throws for skills, or replace saving throws with rolling under vs. stats.

Conclusion

My desire for simplicity is twofold. First, as a GM, I want a game where the rules are simple enough that all can grasp and it easy to run with minimal or no referral back to a book or screen during a game.

Second, simple is also better as a player. This is especially relevant for those new to RPGs. The fewer and less complex the fiddly bits, AKA the rules, the easier for new players to get into it.

I put out a call across my social media sites for what tips and tricks GMs have for minimizing what they need at the table. I will pull that together into its own post soon.


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Creatures Inspired By Song Lyrics

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Over lunch today, when I ran out for a quick errans, the Genesis’ song, Invisible Touch came on the radio. This part stood out,  She reaches in, grabs right hold of your heart…. takes control and slowly tears you apart.

My Idea

Take a metaphorical song literally then give it an RPG spin. I googled the lyrics and this whole thing can be a horror show if read literally.

I’ve got ideas for a couple of genres rattling around in my mind just from this song.

One can easily take other love songs literally and see what ideas it sparks. It isn’t just love songs, but any song or poetry or metaphorical writing. Some can be weird, odd, creepy, and disturbing if taken literally. Which is perfect for RPGs!

Fantasy Monster

The first thing that came to mind was a variant on a succubus. In AD&D [Affiliate Link]a succubus has a charm ability, so that you can’t resist. What is worse than gladly going to the thing that will rip out your heart and dismember you?

Better yet, a new creature. Something with a charm ability, illusion, or mind power. A completely hideous creature that ensnares its victims to lure them in for the kill. A single creature would need to be very tough to deal with a party. So if not super tough, it would need cunning to avoid going against a large number.

I can see three options for this:
  1. Something tougher than a single person.
  2. Something about as tough as or tougher than the party.
  3. A group, family, or pack of the creature.

In all cases this could be a creature of animal intelligence with some sort of special ability and the cunning to avoid large groups. What would be scarier than a party member being charmed and cheerfully walking off into the forest when they’re on watch? The next day all that is found is what’s left.

It could be a cursed spell caster that has to eat the heart of someone on a regular basis and their use their magic to lure them in close, or some variant on lycanthrope.

A large intimidating creature that gives the party pause when faced with fighting it. A group that makes the odds of a straight up fight unappealing to the party.

I’m also reminded of how mindflayers use their mental powers so they can eat your brain. Another creature could do the same and eat all your innards.

Science Fiction Creature/Alien

I thought of the the salt vampire from The Man Trap, the first episode broadcast of Star Trek.  Either through a doppleganger effect or a mind trick, they get close enough to get you alone. Similar tricks might take place on other planets.

There could be a pheromone, since it’s an invisible touch.

An intelligent group of aliens may have developed technology to amplify the effect to be more successful in attracting food.

Beast or intelligent being from another planet has a symbiotic plant, bacterium, or small animal that attracts the prey. Or some sort of attached lure.

I had an idea a few months ago that I don’t recall if I wrote down. Have an intelligent species of alien with an attraction odor. Any species attracted by it’s odor that gets eaten is obviously not intelligent. Not all humans are vulnerable to it, but the aliens have trouble distinguishing those that claim to be a part of an intelligent species from prey.

Talk about a diplomatic issue! Respect each other’s culture. The rules come down to a planet controlled by humans follows human laws and norms, and any human on a planet controlled by the alien has to be tested for sensitivity to the attraction factor before they are allowed on the surface. Smugglers and survivors of crashes will have a “fun” time avoiding the locals long enough to get to the embassy.

Stats

I always do better with the descriptive part of creatures. The mechanics always frustrate me trying to come up with something good.

The easy way is to find something roughly equivalent in HD and special abilities of other creatures.

So for a beast, something like a lion or tiger in power with an attraction ability.

For intelligent creatures, take the stats of a doppleganger, or mind flayer.

For a pack, choose dire wolves.

For a large creature choose a bulette.

Then change the skins, AKA re-skin them to fit the description.

Example of Re-Skinning

I used Swords & Wizardry Core monsters and took the doppelganger, wolf, and dragon stats for a base for re-skinning.

Doppelganger
Hit Dice: 4
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Attacks: Claw (1d12)
Saving Throw: 13 (5 against any magic)
Special: Mimics shape, immune to sleep and charm spells
Move: 9

The doppelganger will be the basis for an intelligent creature that prowls lonely places seeking whatever mysterious things it wants, needs, or desires. It is strong and can rip open an adult. It uses its shape shifting ability to appear weak or injured.

Lone Prowler
Hit Dice: 4
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Attacks: Claw (1d12)
Saving Throw: 13 (5 against any magic)
Special: Mimics shape, immune to sleep and charm spells
Move: 9

Wolves will form the smaller creatures that rip one to shreds, and the whole pack can join in the fun. Stalkers are fearsome creatures, one of whom could lay low a hapless traveler. Then tend to travel in packs of 4 to 12 and can challenge a family or other group by themselves.

Stalkers
Hit Dice: 2+2
Armor Class: 7 [12]
Attacks: Bite (1d8)
Saving Throw: 16
Special: None
Move: 18

Finally, the red dragon will inform the large fearsome beast. the spiked devil is a ravenous creature, preferring the soft innards of its victims, but also know to swallow smaller prey whole. It is named for the pointy protrusions covering its body. It has been known to eat the tenderest parts of a herd then work its way through the bodies.

Spiked Devil
Hit Dice: 9–11
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Attacks: 2 claws (1d8), bite (3d10), tail slap (1d10)
Saving Throw: 6, 5, or 4
Special: Prehensile tongue rips out heart of victim within 20 feet before it can fall on a 20. DEX save for victim.
Move: 9/24 (flying)

 


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Trust Your GM

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It is important for players to trust their GM and for the GM to explain how they use the rules and run games. GMs should be both clear and fair in their presentation and application of the rules. They should strive to instill trust in their players. This is a follow up to yesterday’s blog post on rules lawyering, and is an expansion of episode 11 of the podcast.

Two Way Street

The relationship between the GM and players at the table (real or virtual) is a two way street between the GM and each player, as well as each player between every other player. The GM prepares the campaign setting/world to host the adventures, and also prepares for each adventure. They have to run and voice all the monsters and NPCs and keep track of all the things involved to keep the game moving.

Players should each do their part. Just as the GM works to show the players that they can trust him or her to run the game, the players should work to show the GM and other players that they fit in at the table.

What should the players do?

The following assumes a veteran player.

  • Show up on time.
    • If you are late, it delays the start of the game, or causes a pause in the action to get you up to speed
    • If you are going to be late, it shouldn’t be a habit and you should let everyone know.
      • Life happens and the unexpected can derail the most firm commitment.
    • With online play this is also important.
  • Bring what you need to play, character sheet, writing instrument, paper, dice, PHB or similar.
  • Have your character sheet and inventory up to date and organized so the game can start on time, and you can find the information needed during play.
  • Be ready to declare your action when it is your turn to act.
  • Be familiar with your character’s class, abilities, equipment, and whatever else you need to know to play that character.
  • Be courteous and respectful of others. (I shouldn’t have to say that. If you don’t know what this means, a bullet point can’t explain it.)
  • Be welcoming of new players to the game. You are an ambassador to both your group and the wider RPG community.
    • This is both experienced players new to your table.
    • As well as new players who are new to the game. There are two variations:
      • Players who have never played an RPG. Their experience at your table is their FIRST IMPRESSION of the game. They will assume all role players are jerks if they are treated poorly and won’t want to play.
      • Experienced role players who are new to the rules of the game you are playing.
  • Be willing to step outside your comfort zone. The GM has to do this, so you aren’t the only one.
    • If you are a natural extrovert, play an introverted character occasionally. Encourage the less active players to take risks.
    • If you are a natural introvert, play an extroverted character, or one who takes risks.
  • Be willing to try your hand as GM.
    • Your GM needs a break to let their batteries re-charge. Run a one-shot or short campaign.
  • Do your part to help bring the campaign world alive. Suggest ideas for monsters, cultures, items, and more.
  • Tell your GM what they get right more loudly and before you tell them what they did wrong.
    • When you tell them what went wrong or you didn’t like, do it in a constructive way.
  • If there is a problem at the table be part of the solution. If you’re the problem, recognize it when everyone else calls you out.

Conclusion

TTRPGs require an open mind, trust, and creativity for all concerned. Such games are a communal exercise in play. This type of play allows one to do things they can’t do in the real world. It is a communal activity that when players and GM come together, the fictional world comes alive. By trusting the GM and players buying in to the world and adventure presented, you will have memories as vivid as the ones you have of things you really did. Together you weave a story that will unite your group in a way that you can say, “Hey, remember that time?” and you will all laugh and no one else will ever quite understand.


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AD&D Invites Rules Lawyering

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In episode ten of the podcast I posited that AD&D 1e [Affiliate Link] invites rules lawyering. While the AD&D core books brought together rules, classes, and monsters introduced in the supplements and issues of Dragon Magazine since the original game did organize a lot, it was still not truly organized.

Some of the issues are:

  • Contradictions between the Player’s Handbook [Affiliate Link] and the Dungeon Master’s Guide [Affiliate Link] .
  • Similar rules are not grouped in proximity, especially in the DMG.
  • Instead of using an existing system, or developing a coherent engine to the game, there is a new system for many new things.
    • For example, the difference between regular combat and grappling is very confusing.
  • Too many fiddly bits.

How to address it:

I have a love and nostalgia for AD&D. I even like some of the fiddly bits. But as a player and GM both then and now, rules lawyering interrupts the flow of the game and kills the mood. For me to run AD&D as a campaign, I need a more comprehensive document that clarifies three things:

  • What rules are not used at all, such as weapon speed.
  • What rules are modified, morale by the book is a mass of number crunching. Simple is better to keep the flow.
    • Modification can vary from a simple modification or clarification to replacement by another method whether from another game or home brewed.
  • What rules are used as is, like turn undead.

If you clarify that your game is rulings over rules, then those who can’t stand anything but RAW (Rules As Written) will look elsewhere for a game to join.

Conclusion

Being on the same page about what rules are used and how they are implemented during play will enhance the experience at the table. Be open to revision of rules based on how things work at the table. Be consistent, and most of all have fun! Remember it’s a game!

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Read An RPG Book In Public

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This week is the second of the three annual Read An RPG Book In Public weeks promoted by The Escapist, AKA RPG Advocate.

The whole idea is to read any RPG related book in public to show people that it is an acceptable thing to do. This comes from the mindset of those who lived through the Satanic panic. Now that D&D is cool, and the hatred and misunderstanding is abating, we should still celebrate our hobby and keep it in the public eye.

The week of March 4th is GM’s Day and coincidentally the day Gary Gygax died in 2008.

The week of July 27 is Gary Gygax’s birthday.

Finally, October 1 is Dave Arneson’s birthday. Dave Arneson invented what would become D&D.

It is fitting that this Saturday, Luke Gygax and WOTC are teaming up for Founders & Legends to celebrate the founders and pioneers of the game. It isn’t just all 5e and Eberron. Stephan Pokorny of Dwarven Forge is running AD&D! In addition to lots of online gaming, viewers are encouraged to donate to Extra Life. Luke will even be playing his old character Melf with 5e stats.


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Ramblings of an Old Gamer