Weekends were made for dungeon crawls

Well its my weekend again. I am putting it out for any who might be interested.

My dungeon the core. Seeking players either Tonight or tomorrow. I will be avail to run From 9pm CST till the wee hours of the morning on either or both nights. So if your looking for so FLAILSNAILS dungeon action give me a shout.

Other /alternate plan guaging the waters on running a 1e/2e Gamma World game on Tue or Wed. Depending on responces we will see what if any interest is out in the land og Google+

Vengence is mine sayeth the player

Is anyone in the entire world as vengeful as a player character?

One offhanded comment from an NPC. My players then spent nearly 30 mins game time trying to get back at the guy.

Judge for your self, here is the senario...

The PC's want to decend into the catacombs of Paris through a cathedrals basment. The Cardinal in charge of the building asks for a dispensation of 30 gold coins to allow them to do this. The party become upset at this because they are searching for a holy relic rumored to be down there. The Cardinal insists on the payment. The parties paladin pays the 30 coins and comments that he was surprised it was 30 gold instead of 30 silver.
The paladin comments as they continue on the way that he will come back later and give the Cardinal an upbraiding for being greedy.
After they finish their adventure they march back to the Cathedral and insist to be taken to the Cardinal this instant. The priest on duty informs them the Cardinal is indisposed and they can leave their information and he will get back to them. <insert 45 mins of players insisting that they be seen NOW> Finaly after all of this they move along and then spent another 45 mins planning how to get this guy and discussing how if they were the secretary of state and they insisted the President see them, even after he had given orders to not be disturbed: that they would have to be given access to the President.

I think the nature of a PC's vengence is directly tied to level. The higher the level the more they feel any slight to them must be avenged...with extreme prejudice.
Seems even a comment of disparagement will eliscit a near blood fued to characters who is higher then 12th level.

I wonder if other DM's notice this effect?

Names

For years I was part of the crowd who have a hard time coming up with names. When the net came along and people posted random name generators I rejoyced! I would sit for hours rolling up various fantasy names and recording them in my little name book. I had pages of eleven names, dwarven..generic fantasty, etc..

That worked well enough. I have read many people use baby name books. Just after Gary Gygax passed, i started collecting stuff with his name on it. The Fantasy worlds books he put out with Troll Lord Games has this little gem in it.

With the possible exception of the 1E DMG this book is the greatest gaming product i have ever bought. I got it for less then 20$ US. I swear i use it four or five times a session or more. It breaks down names by historical earth geographic areas and by fantasty troupes. This book is a boon to the Mythic Earth campaign i am working on. It has at least 7 sections on the various British isle naming groups.

So if you struggle with names, find this book!

I also reccomend the rest of the series. 

Constantcon X2

Well it has nearly been a week since my initial offering of the Core.  I plan on offering the dungeon again on wed. Might also try for some pick up gaming tonight.

I figured that with over 500 people group sharing through out the G+ streams there would be more pick up games. I am wondering out of those 500+ plus how many play and how many just talk about it? I notice ALOT of producers of fantasy gaming products dont play.

So if your up to a dungeon crawl tonight or tomorrow night on the over night keep your eyes open for calls going out.

I am a supporter of FLAILSNAILS, any FS character of 1 to 3 levels is welcome.

See you in the streams!

C&C

Lack of posts lately due to much oversleeping. Still adjusting to an overnight schedule.

Seems like DIY bloggers are always inventing new mini systems to handle various in game situations.
Just the other day Zak S. (D&D with porn stars...link in blog role) came up with a system for players to role dice and solve problems like deciphering script.
Anyone can invent sunsystems to solve ingame problems, it has been in The Dragon for years. Now its all over the net. (btw REBEL AGAINST this CLOUD BS, its the WEB! i aint down with ret con name changes)

Sorry got derailed by my hatred of calling the web a cloud.

Ok back on track... Almost every blog has little fiddly bits for something.
Some are more useful then others but in the end house ruling a game you love is the heart of D&D. (and its various clones and emulators)

There are alot of resolving the characters chance of doing things. Frankly i am not sure if characters should have any kind of in game 'my guy should know about X'. OSR is supposed to be about player skill.
Give enough ways for in game problem solveing and you give rise to statements like..

"How many dice to have to roll to solve this problem?"

The mechanic in C&C for character skill of any kind is called 'The Siege Engine'.
Which simply gos like this... The target number for any skill a character should or should not have is 18.
You get to add appropiate stat bonuses. You also add +6 if the relevant stat is a 'Prime' ( every character has 2 to 3 stat primes. a sort of things your best at).
Finaly if it is something your class should know you get to add your level.

This breaks down to thing
D20 + stat mod + 6 (prime if stat is prime ) + level = Exceed 18 to suceed.
The Game master or CK , can add or subtract a variable from the 18 based on how hard it is. The books give guidelines for this and i dont want to get into that here.

So example Rogue wants to open a stanndard lock found in a dungeon D20+3(high dex)+6(dex prime for rogues)+ level = EIghteen or more and the lock opens.

It seems harder then it is in actual play. In reality my players tend to roll and ask what to add.I remind them. They add the numbers and give me a total. I announce sucess or failure, the game gos on.

Zak S. basicly reinvented this system but he suggests only allowing the level bonus to be used once a day.
In a 'I call upon my years of experiance' dexus es machina move. I give my players a muligan a night. Its the same kind of Butt-hair.

Butt-Hair, noun ...uses... I pulled a butt-hair and managed to win through. definition: To over come some odds with a once in blue moon kind of problem solver.  ie:i have had a potion of dragon control squirreled away as a Butt-hair for ages.

In the end do what you like in your game. I like to game fast and lite in the rules department. Castles and Crusades lets me do that, while retaining a 1E feel.

Gaming songs

Listening to a bit of music before the time rolls around for my first FLAILSNAILS offering.
You tube reccomended a new parady song to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI2Ckx3qswI&feature=endscreen&NR=1

Very cute song. Black Eyed Peas song. I added it to my roster of Gaming songs.
In the interest of sharing i will list the songs i find best.

Best gaming themed songs ( in no paticular order, I love them all)

1 I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas (Dungeons and Dragons Parody)  link above

2 Dungeon master girls  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSt-3X-pK24&feature=related

3 Monster Manual video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJqZ9MMa4FE&feature=channel_video_title

4 I Kissed a Nerd http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjiHvkVXfA&feature=channel_video_title

5 M A G E  Yes its wow based but still it rocks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov07yLusCKs

6 Battle of Evermore (ZEPLIN!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHJH0ETi8D4

I hope you enjoyed them all.

The Core

I have not had any requests or querries about the game i am planning to run tonight.
I guess i am afraid it is all for naught.

I am doubting the power of Constantcon. I keep trying to form pickup games and have yet to get a single interest responce.
I am not giving up yet. I still hope that others wish to play in pick up games.
I guess time will tell .....

GM survey

Reposted from "Playing D & D with porn stars"

Thouhgt i would take a turn at this as it is 4 am and no one seems up for gaming on G+.

GM Questionnaire

Repost and answer. Or, if you don't have a blog, answer in the comments. Or be a big rebel and do neither.

1. If you had to pick a single invention in a game you were most proud of what would it be?

   Not sure how to answer this one

2. When was the last time you GMed?

    10 days ago.

3. When was the last time you played?

     7 days ago

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

      I dont have any unran adventures.

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

    Write notes/ plan/ roll dice/ read my notes

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

     Gummy bears

7. Do you find GMing physically exhausting?

    I find it mentaly exhilerating

8. What was the last interesting (to you, anyway) thing you remember a PC you were running doing?

     Except for a G+ pickup game a week ago, I havent played in about 5 years. 

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

    I run a mostly serious game, most players want to take the game more seriously then i present it as.

10. What do you do with goblins?

      I dont associate with demihumans  (high squeaky voice devious and tricksey)

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

     World history book "precivilization to 1500"

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

       My regular real world group constantly throws out lines that crack us all up.

      Most recently i was describing a battle in a monastary and said "All the monks lived except those that died".  Had a cleric say "I am not healing you, you'll just get hurt again". these sorts of things get blurted fairly regularly.

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

      Hero systems newest version. Used to run Champions and was curious about changes to the system over time.

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

  Dave Trampier

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

     I have made players genuinely ill but i dont see how i could actualy scare anyone.

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

     Tomb of unspeakable horrors (hackmaster module) my group was so paranoid it was funny. One play broke into a mantra of "Open door bad thing happen". he kept repeating it every time they came to a new a door or some one talked about a door or room. I was dieing from laughter.

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

       I would like a table shaped much like Super Mans chest symbol a kind of 5 sided affair. where i feel i like i am in the middle not on a far end.

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

         Rifts and Fringeworthy. Both deal with alternate worlds in completely different ways.

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

       Smart phones

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

     Fun, inventive, outgoing, easygoing, and neat. (ie: not a slob)

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

      My urban exploration experiances, and Caving experiances.

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

      The noxious gamer reminder, a product that tells people to shower and brush teeth before comeing to game with others.

23. Is there anyone you know who you talk abotu RPGs with who doesn't play? How do those conversations go?

 I know a few people who dont play and know I do. I get asked about my games from time to time and i keep things general and short. No one wants to hear you blather about a hobby they dont get into.

Questions i would add.

 

24. Do you allow player innovation or require character skills?
        Player innovation

25 By the book or Off the cuff?
       Little of both

26 Characters should die...?
      When they are stupid or careless, or forget to run away from things they cant handle.

27 Dice fall where they may or a little fudging never hurt.
      Fall where they may

28 How many combats can a player expect a session.
     depending on the session 1 for non dungeon crawls 10 + for dungeon crawls

29 House rule you think everyone should use.
     Shrines and relics of faith. ( will post this in a couple days)

30 Crab Rangoons , yes or no?
     HELL NO

Whisperings

Rumors abound about the Core. So many tales circulate it is hard to determine which are true and which are not.

Romurs.....

There is an INN inside the Core. All are welcome, no violence allowed. Called the "Do Drop Inn". Some seasoned adventuerers chuckle when the name is mentioned, but they never discuss the inn.

Keraphim, also called the the Broker dwells inside the Core. He is a chromatic dragon of mixed parentage. Showing aspects of white and red dragon lineage. He trades in information. For the right price he can answer most any question.

Some believe Pang is truely not dead and evil cultists labor to raise him again.

There is a self aware zombie that wanders the Core. He is not evil and claims to be seeking his true master.
Some say he is called McGee and wears a top hat monacle and tuxedo.

There is a Man called Vince Clortho, he is the KeyMaster and can be bribed for keys to any place in the Core.

Some say occasionaly when within the depths of the Core mirrors will show a reflection of an aged noble woman called Agatha. She is somehow trapped beyound the glass. She is a powerful oracle and can divine if she can be convinced to help.

Bonus material for DM's

Finaly figured out how share documents on Blogger... (welcome to the 21st century).
Two forms I have made for DM's

First is a character tracker. Have the players write in their info before the game. Add notes as you play and it acts as a record of the game, also durring the game it has all the handy stats you normaly have to ask for.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoIfEibLe4FfdFpfMUJXRTVlR1I5eXBqMC1vbDViNXc&hl=en_GB#gid=0
DM sheet is for tracking monsters/encounters you use durring play.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoIfEibLe4FfdGVwYVV6TzhXV0pwUXMyN21iWS10UWc&hl=en_GB#gid=0

Keep in mind i play Castles and Crusades so CK=DM=GM


Deadline nearing for my first go at running a Constantcon game

For those interested....

Enter the Core

 Game to run  11pm cst  17 jan / 5am london  18 jan

System is Castles and Crusades but D20 srd FLAILSNAILS are exceptable.
levels 1 to 3 (for now)

Addition entering the C&C game players need to pick primes 3 for humans 2 for demi humans.
First prime is based on class  Fighter & Ranger are Str, Rogue/Assassin are DEX, Monk/Barbarian are Con,  Wizard/Illusionist Int, Cleric/Druid are Wis, Bard/Knight/Paladin Chr.

Primes add 6 to that stats save or check.  All saves are based on D20 +stat mod (+prime if aplicable) +level   In all other respects C&C runs a hybird 1E 3E game rules lite.

Looking for 4 or 5 players this will be a weekly game.


The Core

Seven thousand or so years ago a demon lord and a deity of good battled on the spot of the core.
The loser a powerful demon lord named Pang’Graas.
When Pang’Graas died his corpse putrefied and turned vicious nearly instantly.
The resulting goo burned and sizzled and like acid through steel it melted into the land.
The earth began to tremble and quake.
Less than an hour after its death a volcano erupted.
Spitting lava ash and rock chunks as it grew to immense size in a matter of days.
Over time the volcano has come to be called the Core.

The Core seems to radiate power and has over the years attracted vile and cruel beasts, monsters, and men.
The Core has become riddled with warrens, hovels, temples, and dens of various evil beings.
As the Core became more and more over run, a cottage industry has grown around it.
Adventuring into its deepest reaches has given rise to powerful heroes.
Many have gained fabulous fortunes by delving its dangerous dungeons and caves.
Over the centuries there have been seven major strongholds built into and on the slopes of the Core.
The great Hylderwynn first King of Raaga built a castle and many subterranean levels. The upper works stand in ruins on the western slopes.
The Orkan Citadel of Domination from the unification of empire was leveled during the brethren of the Star rebellion. It was rumored to have twelve below ground levels.
The Brethren of the Star had a tower and school on the northwestern slope. Before it exploded it was whispered to have over twenty levels of secrets and magical goodies.
The God Kings grand palatial stronghold vanished in a torrent of flames one night leaving a crater on the south slope.
The Maw was a temple dedicated to demonic powers before being cleared by adventurers. The "Core Crusaders" claimed the Maw had eight levels. The Maw is now the main entrance to the Core for adventurers and a wonderful Inn sits near it.
The Mystic Forge was Dwarven armor and arms manufactory buried deep in the core. It was over run by humanoids and the entrance tunnel collapsed, it had 5 levels.
A great Many tiered (nine) prison complex existed in the core until its entrances suddenly caved in.

Currently the Core is believed to have upwards of forty separate levels inside it with at least a dozen entrances. Those that survive bring wonderful riches from its depths. The list of those who never return seems to grow by the day. Recently it has become vogue for young lords to show thier bravery by entering the core. Most don’t pass far beyond No Return.

The winner WOTC

5E has already won. Everyone on the net have been talking about it for days. Way to generate a buzz WotC!
Reminds me a bit of the hype for 3E. Back to the basics, an edition to unite us all!

Three Editions for the Old schoolers under the sky,
Seven for the Munch-kins in their halls of stone,
Nine for Story-tellers doomed to die,
One for the Dark Wizard on his Coastal throne
In the Land of Hasbro where the Shadows lie.
One Edition to rule them all, One Edition to find them,
One Edition to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Hasbro where the Shadows lie.

To the players of previou editions, even a modular new edition that at a basic level plays like the older editions has little real value. Do those OSR gamers need anything from a new edition? My only hope for the new edition is a hope that the old PDF's return for purchase.

The editions each have thier own unique play styles and feels. Heck the power level of each successive edition is different. I remember seeing a chart some where that showed how many goblins a first level fighter could reasonably expect to kill before death. If i remember it correctly an OD&D fighter could expect to kill 1 or 2 and at the other end of the spectrum a 4E fighter could reasonably kill 84. How one rules system can wed the various styles i can not figure out.

Any way you slice it though. WotC has won the first round. I will check out the new edition. Will i buy it?
Will you?

Commence Primary Ignition

The Core is coming to G+. Submitted my game to Constantcon this very night. My mega dungeon has been in production for 3ish years now and i think i only have the first two levels completed.

My game world is Aldraazar of HackMaster 4E fame.



See the big Island right above the word big? Thats where i base my campaign.

The Core is on the southern most isle in the bottom left corner square.

The Kingdom of Raga is based on the Island of Ragen. With the Core on its northern shore. Some how the Core draws things...from this world and beyond. It radiates a siren song that can pull people and items from across the Teraverse.

Most travlers wishing to delve the infested tunnels and caverns of the Core meet in the Last Chance Inn.

The Inn is a three story affair with timber and stucco construction. White washed with a thick thatched roof that seems to bow in the center, the Inn is an inviting and busy place. All maner of travelors and vagabonds gather to plumb the Core or try to fleece those who have. 

Game one in the bag

Played in my first Flailsnails game last night. Zak S. DMed had 5 people in the party. Played a wizard but in retrospect i want to run a thief. So I will have to roll one up for next time.
Was a fun little game. Started waking up in a pile of bodies. Not to spoil the adventure but it turned out to be an escape type senario.

The other players i am weak on the names but two stood out. Father Jack and Farley the dwarf. Both role played well and were memorible characters. In alot of ways this game reminded me of the olden days of the mid 80's. With the blind pick up groups and playing for joy of the game.

My first taste and i want more! I believe i will try and run my Mega dungeon next week on one of my days off.

Time to dust off the Core!   Picv of me at a family picnic playing V-ball ...Look blonde hair !

Getting started

Ok further digging turned up this

http://dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/search/label/Constantcon

It has pretty much all the info in it... It just is laid out poorly. 
Also as a new member of Constantcon you have to figure out who to add to your G+ groups.
(Hint a contact list would help)
Currently working on finding and adding people to my G+ rpg group. Also fixing up G+ with my info and crap. Having never used Face book or My space its a slight learning curve.

I intend to run a dungeon crawl on G+. Starting in the next few weeks. Still getting my bearings and adjusting to being employed again.

Constantly confused con...

Constantcon, a good idea I am sure. Trying to figure it out is a mess. There are no how to's or tutorials. The constantcon page lists like 3 games. Seriously only 3 games?

Noob questions, how does this all work? how do i find out about potential games i could join? I remember there being talk of FLAILSNAILS but i cant find what the meaning of FLAILSNAILS is.
From the outside it looks like some kind of in-group thing.
I keep searching and reading, maybe i will figure it out.

Where is your book from?

From a thread on Dragonsfoot i got to thinking how our books get around.
I know i have books that have been purchased in Nebraska, used in Colorado and Korea. Then returned to Nebraska sold and 20 years later reaquired.

Kinda like the money with the where is George stamped on them. All of my 1e stuff is used. Though some of it is stuff i used and sold and rebought years later.

I think all of this can carry over to treasure.
That sword you got off the orc? he stole it from a farmer in a town raid. The farmers grandfather earned it in a war 50 years ago.  The army had gained it as booty from an earlier conquest and it had been forged as a gift to a noble from a greatful king.
Suddenly that old plus one sword has a back story. Give it a name and possibly a minor ability....

True Guard , sword +1 (+2 when deffending your home or leiges lands. Gains 1d4 Bane damage vs invaders)

One minute of thinking to make a unique sword that a player would treasure. Also it can create future plots and stories as people recognise it and covet it.

2012 the end of the world is nigh!

Believe ancient Myans and we have less then a year to live!

My world is at an end... New job's schedual blows. 3rd shift the death of a social life.
I guess it is time to bite the bullet and get a web cam. Constantcon here i come!

I will detail my voyage into the steamy depths of internet gaming via web cam.
I think I May have to revive my neglected mega dungeon.
One of the artistic FLAILSNAILS types should design a t-shirt so we can display our geek pride.

Gaming related ....found along side the road in the ditch
1 Small dead animal.
2 Random item of clothing
3 Broken shield
4 Strange bone
5 Clay tablet in unknown language (is a tax ledger)
6 Excerment, fresh and smelly
7 Toy boat (optionaly my be magic and will expand to full size)
8 Dead person.. rotten nothing of value
9 Flagon full of some kind of liquid (cod liver oil)
10 Coin pouch (2d10 silver)
11 Stray dog (friendly if fed)
12 Iron key (47) roll % on any lock tried if a 47 is rolled this opens it)