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  1. - Top - End - #511
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    Warriors of the Blackwood

    Row 1: A Sentinel (R) vs. a Wealthy Mercenary

    Row 2: Poor Mercenary, Town Guard, Noble Rake

    I can't believe how close this is to how I picture the Blackwood.
    The rake has a funny sword. Interesting choice of aesthetic.
    LGBTA+itP

  2. - Top - End - #512
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldest View Post
    The rake has a funny sword. Interesting choice of aesthetic.
    I believe it's an atypical take on a falchion, but I don't know how authentic it is.

    The aesthetic in general is inspired by a few things. I mentioned way back at the beginning that The Witcher video games were a huge visual inspiration, but I've been looking for art that's just as historically accurate, but just a touch cartoonier. This image cuts an excellent middle ground... he actually used the *exact* buckler that inspired me to create the Sentinels in the first place!

    I now have solid ideas for all 5 quests, but I won't have more than an hour here and there to work on it until November. I am beginning to picture a completed setting as the birthday Christmas gift to myself.
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  3. - Top - End - #513
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    All right! This wasn't the busiest summer of my life, but it was the most inconveniently busy summer of my life. Everything was perfectly spaced to completely destroy any kind of real free time, but we're moving into the holidays and I've got nothing in sight! It's a great feeling.

    To gear up for the completion of this setting, here's a teaser about each of the quests associated with Denvorn Province:

    Town Tales
    The Unified, a new religion out of the west, has almost completed their temple in the town of Denvorn. This Celebration of Unity's inaugural sermon will be given by a full Unified bishop, and Freelord Denvorn has announced that the bishop will be welcome with a festival. Unfortunately, the masses who have swept into the town are rowdy and restless, and the Freelord grows nervous. The town guard is overwhelmed... who will keep the streets safe for the bishop's arrival?

    A Witch's Brew
    Long ago, a witch and a classicist fought near ancient ground, and the site of their battle became the village of Altinn. It has stood since that time as a symbol of civilization and humanity. But villagers have begun whispering of a strange discomfort in the air. Village children roam in packs, singing songs of elves and witches. Has a foul woodland magic fallen upon this sleepy village?

    The Bandits and the Inn
    The Stag & Dragon Inn near Talbrand used to sit on a noble road wending its way toward Castle Highguard and Lake Echo beyond. Wealthy lords and daring warriors once frequented its tables, laughter once rang from its eaves, but since the fall of the Highguard Curse it has grown into poverty and disrepair. Caravans rarely grace its yard, and its manors are barren of guests. Bandits plague the inn and village both... will anyone ever rise to protect them?

    The Glenfolk Coven
    The tiny village of Hinrick's Glen has always been a refuge for those who prefer the Blackwood to civilization. Its people have been caravaners and tinkers for generations, and they have always lived close to the land. However, rumors abound that they worship elves behind closed doors, and that a coven of witches holds sway over everything they do. Elven malevolence has been rampant in Denvorn province for years... could the Glenfolk Coven be to blame?

    The Curse of Castle Highguard
    Once home to an Elder Lord, Castle Highguard was bequeathed to the Classicists when the noble line died out. They formed a Hall that drew Classicists from all corners of the Blackwood, and tales say they delved deep into history and magic. Alas, the height of their knowledge drove their Keeper into madness, who laid a curse on the castle and all who lived within. Now no more than a dismal ruin atop a blighted peak, many brave souls have been lost seeking the riches and secrets that remain...

    The middle three form a rough storyline, but for the most part they can be played in any order. They're all suitable for the first 3 adventures in your typical WyRM campaign, though some are tougher than others. Each one of them is designed to focus on the action of the campaign first and foremost, but details about the setting's history and culture are woven into the characters, treasure, and plot. Many of them introduce either 4th-level spells or mechanics (or both), and I think they'll be a lot of fun to play.
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  4. - Top - End - #514
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Behold, a Random Sword & Sorcery Adventure Generator!

    I think being able to generate content like this on the fly is really important in game design. GMs will not always be able to invent their own exciting and engaging quests. Sometimes things just aren't epic, world-shattering conflicts. The tables in the .pdf provide almost limitless quest fodder for the GM, helped in part by the somewhat formulaic nature of heroic fantasy. I've tried to do something similar for the Blackwood, and looking at this guide made me realize that heroic fantasy--one of the early goals of the setting--has kind of been cast to the wayside. I'm totally ok with that! I think I've struck a good balance between fairy tales and wuxia, and I think all of the pulpy stuff I wanted to evoke comes out as a part of tabletop gaming in general.
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  5. - Top - End - #515
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    I've been working mostly on behind-the-scenes stuff for the setting, particularly writing the GM notes for each of the quests. I'm taking inspiration from Courtney Campbell at Hack & Slash--particularly On Set Design--for the format for these quests.

    Upper Market a) | airy, bustling, Celebration (temple), Crowds, Stalls and Tents
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    • Celebration>SE corner of market, towering, marble and glass, builders, nearly complete (~1 week)

    • Crowds>Knots of people in NW and NE corners
      • NW>7+1d6 people, anxious>observing 2 town guards over corpse
        • People>man: “What a dreadful murder!”; woman: “Not just a murder...he’s Disgraced!”
        • Guards>harassed, overwhelmed, “Nothing to see! Move along!”>will not give information
        • Corpse>obscured by guards, female, strangled
      • NE>4 nobles+1d4 people, arguing
        • Nobles>Town Guard Captain, Guildmaster, Classicist Keeper, Unified Celebrant
          • Captain (Arndt of Altinn)>foppish,arguing w/ everyone, hungover>Blissberries
            • Blissberries>superlatively delicious/poisonous
              • >Mage DL 9>Blissberries+Sage Pine=Sweet Death Tincture
          • Guildmaster (Verena Elm)>fashionable, boisterous>arguing w/ Captain, Keeper>Thefts
            • Thefts (leather, parchment)@ Lumber Camp>”Those are manuscript materials!”
          • Keeper (Keeper Quill)>traditional, reserved>arguing w/ Captain, Guildmaster>Disappearance
            • Disappearance>punctual laborer missing (Maiden Brewery)
          • Celebrant (Celebrant Aurel)>stately, pompous, arguing with Captain>Construction
            • Construction>delayed due to crime>Bishop Marian XII arriving “any day”
    • Stalls and Tents (2d6)>varied, bustling>villagers haggling with shopkeepers
      • Goods and commodities (cloth, food, jewelry, apothecary, etc.)>mostly expensive (but good quality)


    Brief guide:
    The first thing in the text block is the type of space, which will help GMs populate the space with appropriate NPCs, items, events, etc. Following is a concise description of the area, including a couple of adjectives and major sights (in this case, the Unified temple, a couple crowds, and a smattering of carts and stalls). Directions are abbreviated (e.g. Northeast=NE, Down=D, etc.). Any item in bold is something that can be elaborated upon with closer inspection. A ">" arrow also indicates information that is available only upon closer examination, but is typically nested within a bolded item. This isn't relevant to the example above, but foes will be underlined, with their stats and equipment in brief just below.

    Ideally, GMs will read through these entries to describe scenes to their players, and the players will ask questions about these descriptions to get more information. For example, the GM might say "The party wanders into the airy, bustling market in the upper disctrict of Denvorn town. Construction on a new Celebration of Unity is almost complete in the southeast corner of the market, crowds of people have gathered in the northwest and northeast corners, and various carts and stalls fill the center of the market." Players might ask for more information about the carts and stalls, in which case the GM would look at the information in the text block and say "The carts are each unique, with many villagers haggling prices here and there."

    Does this seem like a nice system? Would you have trouble deciphering it? I'm tempted to include a brief narrative description of each scene, so the GM will have a little more information than merely what is written in the text block.
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  6. - Top - End - #516
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I've been working mostly on behind-the-scenes stuff for the setting, particularly writing the GM notes for each of the quests. I'm taking inspiration from Courtney Campbell at Hack & Slash--particularly On Set Design--for the format for these quests.

    Upper Market a) | airy, bustling, Celebration (temple), Crowds, Stalls and Tents
    Spoiler
    Show
    • Celebration>SE corner of market, towering, marble and glass, builders, nearly complete (~1 week)

    • Crowds>Knots of people in NW and NE corners
      • NW>7+1d6 people, anxious>observing 2 town guards over corpse
        • People>man: “What a dreadful murder!”; woman: “Not just a murder...he’s Disgraced!”
        • Guards>harassed, overwhelmed, “Nothing to see! Move along!”>will not give information
        • Corpse>obscured by guards, female, strangled
      • NE>4 nobles+1d4 people, arguing
        • Nobles>Town Guard Captain, Guildmaster, Classicist Keeper, Unified Celebrant
          • Captain (Arndt of Altinn)>foppish,arguing w/ everyone, hungover>Blissberries
            • Blissberries>superlatively delicious/poisonous
              • >Mage DL 9>Blissberries+Sage Pine=Sweet Death Tincture
          • Guildmaster (Verena Elm)>fashionable, boisterous>arguing w/ Captain, Keeper>Thefts
            • Thefts (leather, parchment)@ Lumber Camp>”Those are manuscript materials!”
          • Keeper (Keeper Quill)>traditional, reserved>arguing w/ Captain, Guildmaster>Disappearance
            • Disappearance>punctual laborer missing (Maiden Brewery)
          • Celebrant (Celebrant Aurel)>stately, pompous, arguing with Captain>Construction
            • Construction>delayed due to crime>Bishop Marian XII arriving “any day”
    • Stalls and Tents (2d6)>varied, bustling>villagers haggling with shopkeepers
      • Goods and commodities (cloth, food, jewelry, apothecary, etc.)>mostly expensive (but good quality)


    Brief guide:
    The first thing in the text block is the type of space, which will help GMs populate the space with appropriate NPCs, items, events, etc. Following is a concise description of the area, including a couple of adjectives and major sights (in this case, the Unified temple, a couple crowds, and a smattering of carts and stalls). Directions are abbreviated (e.g. Northeast=NE, Down=D, etc.). Any item in bold is something that can be elaborated upon with closer inspection. A ">" arrow also indicates information that is available only upon closer examination, but is typically nested within a bolded item. This isn't relevant to the example above, but foes will be underlined, with their stats and equipment in brief just below.

    Ideally, GMs will read through these entries to describe scenes to their players, and the players will ask questions about these descriptions to get more information. For example, the GM might say "The party wanders into the airy, bustling market in the upper disctrict of Denvorn town. Construction on a new Celebration of Unity is almost complete in the southeast corner of the market, crowds of people have gathered in the northwest and northeast corners, and various carts and stalls fill the center of the market." Players might ask for more information about the carts and stalls, in which case the GM would look at the information in the text block and say "The carts are each unique, with many villagers haggling prices here and there."

    Does this seem like a nice system? Would you have trouble deciphering it? I'm tempted to include a brief narrative description of each scene, so the GM will have a little more information than merely what is written in the text block.
    I would make it a bit more flowy. I mean, I'm reading through, and now that I get that it's a guide for what the DM should talk about I can follow it somewhat, but the formatting needs a more detailed explanation. It could work well with understanding, though.
    LGBTA+itP

  7. - Top - End - #517
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldest View Post
    I would make it a bit more flowy. I mean, I'm reading through, and now that I get that it's a guide for what the DM should talk about I can follow it somewhat, but the formatting needs a more detailed explanation. It could work well with understanding, though.
    Good idea! I'm willing to devote a few pages to it in the guide, so I'll take time to leave no ambiguities. I might end up contacting the blogger who came up with the notation method when I have a rough draft, to see if I'm on the right track.

    So one of the quests for Denvorn Province, The Curse of Castle Highguard, is done! The players become aware of the quest whent hey overhear the following curse, which they could overhear in a tavern, read on a scroll in a pile of treasure, or any way the GM sees fit.

    ====
    When Sickle moon hangs high in starless skies
    Let gate be drawn, go, enter in

    When ironclad hearts yield up their ancient prize
    Let fly their souls, to facet home

    Look east, look west, time in the waters lies
    To lay it bare, the path of pain

    A captive flame shall unbind warmth and light
    Where evil hides, in darkest dark

    A blazing hall, where madness shall take flight
    Cast down the ghost, Snuff out its rage

    Look up, look up, seek out that hidden height
    Climb, seek him out, the Elder King

    Your final test, a nightmare at the last
    Heed not the lie, look to your past

    ====

    Each couplet describes part of the birth of the Highguard Curse, which made the castle's inhabitants devolve into rage and slaughter one another. However, each couplet is also a clue to surviving the dungeon and lifting the curse. GMs might consider splitting up the different couplets amongst different NPCs, to reflect that the curse is old and--while everyone's heard of it--few people remember all the details anymore.

    I'm tempted to post the whole dungeon (using the format in the previous post and without a map), but I'm also tempted to just run it as a one-shot pbp playtest. Any takers?
    Last edited by Zap Dynamic; 2013-11-26 at 09:19 PM.
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  8. - Top - End - #518
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

    Now that the quests are being wrapped up, it's time to start thinking about maps. I have hand drawn maps for most of the regions, but I don't want to scan/paste a sketch. I looked up a tutorial for interior mapping a gave it a shot:

    Dungeon Map Test 01
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    Like I mention on my deviantArt profile, I'm looking for something that will spice up an image without much more ink, and no color ink. The walls will definitely get thinner, but this feels like I'm on the right track!
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  9. - Top - End - #519
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quick update! The setting is a little behind schedule, mostly because I decided to approach one of the quests (a murder mystery!) from a different angle. The final crunch to get this finished will be a little crunchier than I hoped, but I'm pretty sure Christmas is still a realistic deadline.

    Back to it!
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  10. - Top - End - #520
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Here we are at the beginning of another weekend. Time for an update!

    This week had more brainstorming and outright procrastination than I wanted. Good reason to hit things hard this coming week.

    One quest (The Curse of Castle Highguard) is finished, and another (The Ravens and the Inn) is allllmost finished. This latter quest is the middle of a 3-quest arc that is designed to expose players to all the essential elements of the setting, establish a reputation for the party in the region, and provide some fun spells, items, and optional mechanics for the players. I'm quickly becoming very proud of it.

    This next week I'd like to finish up all of the quests, which is a tall order. If I do that in a timely manner I'd like to get the random tables finalized, put into the GM's guide, and organized. The original release of the GM's guide will be a little unfinished, and subsequent versions will add brief articles (articles? not quite the right word...) about different game mechanics like generating treasure, building your own quests, and topics like character death.

    I'm also looking into a Creative Commons license for at least part of the setting. The GMs Guide will be tricky because I'm including a lot of stuff I've gotten from various blogs... not sure that I can copyright something that I acknowledge in writing isn't mine... nor do I want to. We'll see.

    I had mentioned the possibility of a PbP playtest sometime after the new year, but never heard anything from anyone. Is there interest for this?
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  11. - Top - End - #521
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    I'd do a PbP play-test!
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  12. - Top - End - #522
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Thanks for the response!

    While working on a quest I thought of a possible spell:

    Clarity (4th Circle)
    Mana: 8
    DL: 13
    Rumor had it he could see the woven web of magic and fate, but none could deny that, with time and concentration, there was no clue Brother Spade could not discover.

    Gradually, the caster becomes more aware of the surrounding area. In the first round after the spell is cast, the caster becomes aware of any active 1st circle spells within 10 feet. This spell amplifies to detect the next circle higher and increases its range by 10 feet for each round the caster spends concentrating on the surroundings. The caster may speak and move slowly to take in the scene, but may not attack.

    In the second round, the caster also becomes aware of any animals within range. In the third round, the caster also gains the ability to detect any humans or monsters. In the fourth round all of the area's secrets are laid bare. Any question the caster has about anything within range is answered, including the location of clues or treasure.

    Thoughts? It's pretty powerful, but I make you wait for it.
    Last edited by Zap Dynamic; 2013-12-17 at 12:12 AM.
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  13. - Top - End - #523
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    Thanks for the response!

    While working on a quest I thought of a possible spell:

    Clarity (4th Circle)
    Mana: 8
    DL: 13
    Rumor had it he could see the woven web of magic and fate, but none could deny that, with time and concentration, there was no clue Brother Spade could not discover.

    Gradually, the caster becomes more aware of the surrounding area. In the first round after the spell is cast, the caster becomes aware of any active 1st circle spells within 10 feet. This spell amplifies to detect the next circle higher and increases its range by 10 feet for each round the caster spends concentrating on the surroundings. The caster may speak and move slowly to take in the scene, but may not attack.

    In the second round, the caster also becomes aware of any animals within range. In the third round, the caster also gains the ability to detect any humans or monsters. In the fourth round all of the area's secrets are laid bare. Any question the caster has about anything within range is answered, including the location of clues or treasure.

    Thoughts? It's pretty powerful, but I make you wait for it.
    Sherlock Scan in a spell! And it would be useless in combat, as it slows the player down and makes it so he can't attack.
    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
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    At this point, however, I'm thinking way too hard about the practical problems of running a battle royale school for Russian assassins, so I think I'll leave it there.
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  14. - Top - End - #524
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Landis963 View Post
    Sherlock Scan in a spell! And it would be useless in combat, as it slows the player down and makes it so he can't attack.
    That's about the size of it! I figure people can use it in combat (to identify weaknesses, etc.), but whoever casts the spell is going to need to be pretty well-protected.

    This is relevant to nothing but worldbuilding, but it. is. awesome!

    Earth Wind Map: a super cool animated look at the wind currents of our earth. Ever been curious about how the winds might behave in your own world? This would be an excellent place to start!
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Well folks, I'm flying down to Missouri this morning to spend Christmas with my family. It's going to be a busy 4 days, and the setting isn't quite finished. I'm pretty bummed it won't be ready for Christmas, but I'll have every night from Christmas until the New Year completely to myself. I don't want 2014 to dawn on an unfinished setting!

    I've got 2 of the quests completely finished, the other 3 well underway, and all of the instruction sections for building dungeons, foes, traps, and treasure need to be finished and edited. I'll be brainstorming all of these during my copious amounts of travel over the next 4 days, and I will most likely be transferring my notes over to the document itself if I find myself with a free evening (unlikely).

    Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    The setting is chugging along! The quests should be finished by tomorrow night, then it's just a matter of finalizing the random tables and formatting everything! I'll release as much of the guide sections as I can by the new year, but I'm planning on saving a few of them for later versions of the GM's Guide.

    This doesn't have anything to do with the Blackwood, but it was an idea I had and wanted to share.

    The Elements and Velocities of Magic
    Elements and Velocities form the building blocks of a lightweight magic system. Magic users have four velocities to choose from: advancing, withdrawing, avoiding, and resisting. There could be abilities a player chooses at character creation to specialize in one or two of these velocities to the detriment of the others.

    When characters learn a spell, they come to understand an element of reality. This could be fire, or darkness, or pride, or almost any noun. Some elements are easier to learn than others, and some are nigh impossible to grasp. This would be reflected in the mechanics by spell levels or something like it.

    When casting a spell, characters grasp an element, then focus on a velocity to spur the element into reality. An advancing fire spell could be a fireball, and a resisting gravity spell might be something that allows you to walk on walls. There could be abilities that allow a character to combine two elements or two velocities in a single spell.

    Complexity could be added to the system by requiring an additional building block: proximity. Maybe starting characters have to choose one proximity (self, short, or medium), and all their spell ranges are affected accordingly. This would still allow characters to creatively interpret the combination of the elements and velocities, but adds a little constrain for those who prefer more crunch.

    Thoughts? I like it, but I don't want to put too much effort into it at the moment.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    The Elements and Velocities of Magic
    Elements and Velocities form the building blocks of a lightweight magic system. Magic users have four velocities to choose from: advancing, withdrawing, avoiding, and resisting. There could be abilities a player chooses at character creation to specialize in one or two of these velocities to the detriment of the others.

    When characters learn a spell, they come to understand an element of reality. This could be fire, or darkness, or pride, or almost any noun. Some elements are easier to learn than others, and some are nigh impossible to grasp. This would be reflected in the mechanics by spell levels or something like it.

    When casting a spell, characters grasp an element, then focus on a velocity to spur the element into reality. An advancing fire spell could be a fireball, and a resisting gravity spell might be something that allows you to walk on walls. There could be abilities that allow a character to combine two elements or two velocities in a single spell.

    Complexity could be added to the system by requiring an additional building block: proximity. Maybe starting characters have to choose one proximity (self, short, or medium), and all their spell ranges are affected accordingly. This would still allow characters to creatively interpret the combination of the elements and velocities, but adds a little constrain for those who prefer more crunch.

    Thoughts? I like it, but I don't want to put too much effort into it at the moment.
    Remember The Minds of Almantha? This would be perfect for that setting. Each player gets to choose an element of nature, a velocity, and a proximity at the start, then at certain levelup stages can get a point or something to put in one of the velocities or proximities.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    The setting is chugging along! The quests should be finished by tomorrow night, then it's just a matter of finalizing the random tables and formatting everything! I'll release as much of the guide sections as I can by the new year, but I'm planning on saving a few of them for later versions of the GM's Guide.

    This doesn't have anything to do with the Blackwood, but it was an idea I had and wanted to share.

    The Elements and Velocities of Magic
    Elements and Velocities form the building blocks of a lightweight magic system. Magic users have four velocities to choose from: advancing, withdrawing, avoiding, and resisting. There could be abilities a player chooses at character creation to specialize in one or two of these velocities to the detriment of the others.

    When characters learn a spell, they come to understand an element of reality. This could be fire, or darkness, or pride, or almost any noun. Some elements are easier to learn than others, and some are nigh impossible to grasp. This would be reflected in the mechanics by spell levels or something like it.

    When casting a spell, characters grasp an element, then focus on a velocity to spur the element into reality. An advancing fire spell could be a fireball, and a resisting gravity spell might be something that allows you to walk on walls. There could be abilities that allow a character to combine two elements or two velocities in a single spell.

    Complexity could be added to the system by requiring an additional building block: proximity. Maybe starting characters have to choose one proximity (self, short, or medium), and all their spell ranges are affected accordingly. This would still allow characters to creatively interpret the combination of the elements and velocities, but adds a little constrain for those who prefer more crunch.

    Thoughts? I like it, but I don't want to put too much effort into it at the moment.
    I would suggest instead going towards a verb-noun form, instead of a noun-direction form. That way you could have (for example) slay, negate, ward, create, stuff like that. I've got a sample one that was for a different rpg, but that'll have to wait till tomorrow. I'm sleepy now.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    2014 will dawn on an unfinished setting. I've been unfocused and just haven't given it enough time. I really hate saying it when I don't follow through on my word, but at the end of the day I need to remind myself that this is a hobby and a game. It'll get done, and it won't be the end of the world if it takes longer than I expected or hoped.

    The quests are 80% finished. After that I need to revise the random tables and finish writing the guide sections. Maps are nice but ultimately unnecessary, so they'll either come in a revised version of the GM's Guide later (it'll take a couple months to make them), or I'll make a totally separate Atlas for the province.

    Aside from the potential atlas, the setting will include the Player's Guide, GM's Guide, and the Book of Tales. Putting the info here on the forums will be long and tedious, so for the time being I plan to release the setting as a collection of .pdfs. I'd like to be able to see how many people get a copy just for my own curiosity, but I haven't been able to find a website that will host files and track downloads... anybody know of anything?
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Unfortunately, no. Also, lots of mechanics stuff that I figure by others responses is pretty good (I'm only here for the role play, dammit!), and don't worry! By 3015, I'm sure this'll be done, sheerly due to how little of it is left!
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Work on the setting is skimming right along. Chicago Chiberia was a hellish, icy realm pretty cozy place for productivity this past weekend, and I have a great start on the final quest for the setting. I had originally thought to write up the final quest differently, which would have allowed GMs to come up with the details on their own. Instead, I've sprinkled in a lot of opportunities for GMs to generate mini-dungeons on the fly during this quest, so it'll still be a good opportunity for GMs to create their own stuff.

    A friend of mine is a huge fan of Magic: The Gathering, and while I've never really played I've been enjoying the odd game here and there with him. I recently created my first deck--green and blue--based on the Blackwood. There's a distinct lack of elves (because of flavor differences between the two settings), but my creatures are mostly things you'd find in the Blackwood: wolves, elk, lions, and a nigh-unstoppable horde of rabid squirrels. It's pretty fun, but it pales in comparison to tabletop gaming.

    I haven't played any D&D since the campaign I ran on here 6 months ago, and I haven't done any in person gaming in almost three years. I want to plaaaaaaaayyyyy.

    Soon, Zap. Soon.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Right, so that example rune system I mentioned roughly a week back. That. Here it is! Turns out it was based off the Futhark (viking) runes.

    Verbs: Create, Control, Heal, Transform, Sense, Communicate, Weaken, Strengthen, Move, Protect, Warn.

    Nouns: Earth, Animal, Magic, Body (aka, Man), Mind, Undead, Air, Fire, Water, Plant, Illusion, Light/Dark, Food, Sound.

    Combine them for fun times! Examples might be something weaken-earth for breaking stones, or create-light for making a flashlight. In this system, each of those works is a skill, with some of the words (Food and Sound) being easy to learn, some are very hard (Earth, Animal, Magic, Body, Mind, Undead, Create, Control, Heal, Transform, and Sense), and everything else is average difficulty.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    I love futhark! And that's a mighty fine magic system. It would be even cooler in a world where spells recognize their own kind.

    I've been suffering from a real lack of gumption for the past week or so. Work has been pretty intense this week, and I find myself with much less time for idle brainstorming during the day. I've tried to manufacture gumption by picking my way through the OSR Links to Wisdom. It hasn't really been working, but I've been learning a lot of really awesome things. So maybe it's just working slowly?

    I guess now's a good time for an update! The quests are finished (!!!), and all I have left to do is write the instructional stuff to a) decipher that way I've presented the dungeons, and b) to provide tips about how to run an exemplary Blackwood campaign. It will only take a few hours' work, but finding that time will be easier said than done.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I love futhark! And that's a mighty fine magic system. It would be even cooler in a world where spells recognize their own kind.
    Wuuuuut.

    It had my understanding up till spells became sentient and your understanding of a spell involved if you had it prepared. Bull on that. But a sorcerer, for example, who knew the Fly spell should by rights know it inside, outside, back to front and all, and a wizard would be able to have close to the same knowledge, if he has his spellbook. Otherwise, the spells he reviewed that morning and pre-casted (my personal explaination for why spell casting works as it does, when you prep spells you pre-cast them and you actually casting them is filling in the handful of blanks needed (center of fireball, for example) and such) are better focused in his mind, of course.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldest View Post
    It had my understanding up till spells became sentient and your understanding of a spell involved if you had it prepared. Bull on that.
    I thought the same thing until I read these excerpts from Jack Vance's Dying Earth. I knew this was where Vancian magic got it's name but had never bothered to check it out." I hadn't seen a compelling description of prepared spells from a storytelling perspective, but this is pretty awesome!

    But a sorcerer, for example, who knew the Fly spell should by rights know it inside, outside, back to front and all, and a wizard would be able to have close to the same knowledge, if he has his spellbook.
    These Vance quotes raise an interesting question: how can D&D sorcerers and wizards both exist in a world where magic functions like Dying Earth? Wouldn't the sorcerers be unable to bear their spells' power?

    Sorcerers in D&D are chaotic, charismatic characters (I never thought I'd see "ch" alliteration!). A brutally old school DM might dictate that sorcerers roll to randomly determine which spell is cast any time a sorcerer casts a spell, and another kind might call for some sort of regular sacrifice to fuel the magic. I saw a post recently about how magic users ought to slowly grow more erudite and chaotic as they gain access to more powerful spells, which would be an interesting "role play tax" in exchange for spontaneous spellcasting. I don't think I'm down with that exactly, but I like the idea of explaining the difference between wizards and sorcerers without altering the mechanics.

    Speaking of posts I've been reading, I noticed a few about random tables that really revolutionized my thinking. I'm revamping all of my tables tonight to be more streamlined, compact, and more focused on stocking scenes and dungeon rooms with interesting ideas. They'll do as much as tell you a particular kind of trap to place ("kill," "capture," etc.) or how challenging the party's next combat encounter will be, but they leave the work of actually building the challenges to the GM. The tables I had didn't leave as much room for creativity. I'm already liking these much more.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    I thought the same thing until I read these excerpts from Jack Vance's Dying Earth. I knew this was where Vancian magic got it's name but had never bothered to check it out." I hadn't seen a compelling description of prepared spells from a storytelling perspective, but this is pretty awesome!
    Have you read the Chronicles of Amber? It's how I think of prepared (arcane) casting. You "hang", or pre-cast a spell. You leave slots open for the shadow enviroment (it's a multiverse, so rules for one universe (aka shadow) will be different from another) and then other specifics. It's a better fit than Vance's work for 3.5 arcane prepared, IMO.

    These Vance quotes raise an interesting question: how can D&D sorcerers and wizards both exist in a world where magic functions like Dying Earth? Wouldn't the sorcerers be unable to bear their spells' power?

    Sorcerers in D&D are chaotic, charismatic characters (I never thought I'd see "ch" alliteration!). A brutally old school DM might dictate that sorcerers roll to randomly determine which spell is cast any time a sorcerer casts a spell, and another kind might call for some sort of regular sacrifice to fuel the magic. I saw a post recently about how magic users ought to slowly grow more erudite and chaotic as they gain access to more powerful spells, which would be an interesting "role play tax" in exchange for spontaneous spellcasting. I don't think I'm down with that exactly, but I like the idea of explaining the difference between wizards and sorcerers without altering the mechanics.
    RaaaaaaaNOOOOOO. No giving MORE disadvantages to sorcerers. They already have limited spells per day, a level behind, trouble with metamagic, less PrCs...

    Ahem.

    No. You see, charisma is force of will. That means that the Wizard, who does his magic through meticulous research and knowing *exactly* how to position his hands and chant the words, does NOT have much force of will, unlike what the Vance book implied. Meanwhile, the sorcerers actually can just will something to explode, and can get sloppy with the hand motions and chants. So Wizards are engineers: they work out in advance exactly how the math goes. Sorcerers are mechanics: they have less versatility, but they don't need to work out how to fix a car in advance. They don't need the diagram for the car to know that the funny noise is from the radiator. (I know nothing about cars. >.>)
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldest View Post
    No. You see, charisma is force of will.
    This was my original thought while I was posting, but then I realized that your Will save is governed by your Wisdom score. Now that the charisma-as-willpower seed is planted in my head, I'm beginning to feel like Will ought to be governed by Charisma instead.

    That said, I always liked the way the books described Charisma as "personal magnetism." It made me picture sorcery as a kind of "magic is attracted to me" situation, whereas wizardry would be more about seeking the magic out.

    So Wizards are engineers: they work out in advance exactly how the math goes. Sorcerers are mechanics: they have less versatility, but they don't need to work out how to fix a car in advance. They don't need the diagram for the car to know that the funny noise is from the radiator. (I know nothing about cars. >.>)
    What a great analogy! It reminds me a lot of the Classical/Romantic split in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

    You're blowing my mind up over here, Eldest.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Zap Dynamic View Post
    This was my original thought while I was posting, but then I realized that your Will save is governed by your Wisdom score. Now that the charisma-as-willpower seed is planted in my head, I'm beginning to feel like Will ought to be governed by Charisma instead.

    That said, I always liked the way the books described Charisma as "personal magnetism." It made me picture sorcery as a kind of "magic is attracted to me" situation, whereas wizardry would be more about seeking the magic out.
    How perceptive you are should not affect your ability to shrug off hostile mind magic, yeah. Save for illusions, and that's a maybe. And yes, Charisma does include.... well, charisma. Your ability to be liked and influence people. (How the attributes map to real-world stuff has been a small interest of mine for a while).

    What a great analogy! It reminds me a lot of the Classical/Romantic split in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

    You're blowing my mind up over here, Eldest.
    The split in the whosie whatit?
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldest View Post
    The split in the whosie whatit?
    Haha, it's a central idea in the book. Basically, the author talks about the dichotomy of analytic and artistic reasoning. The classical view is very systems-oriented; learning about the parts and their relationships in controlled (scientific method) environments. The romantic view, on the other hand, is more of a Zen "be in the moment" approach. The book deals with the conflict between these two viewpoints and the consequences of those viewpoints in our own history, but that's neither here nor there.

    In your analogy, the engineer is the classical thinker: he studies, experiments, and arrives at conclusions via empiricism. The mechanic would be the romantic viewpoint: maybe his shop's a mess, but he knows where everything is; maybe he never went to school, but he's knows an engine better than his own kids. He's learned a trade by feel and--no matter how little he knows about other things--he never needs to search for an answer in that trade. It just comes to him.

    Interestingly, your mechanic is probably what the author of Zen and the Art would have considered a perfect marriage of classic and romantic thinking. He applies his zen attitude to a scientific task, and each becomes enriched by the other.
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    Default Re: The Blackwood - A Folkloric "Mini" Setting (WIP, PEACH)

    I was reading the OSR blogs looking for a little gumption to use today and tonight, and came across a post about a guy's sandbox campaign, West Marches. I'd read it before, but this time through I noticed an important sentence:

    Normally a DM just puts off running a game until he’s 100% ready (which is sometimes never)...
    How important! The Blackwood is technically my third campaign setting. One I started in college and came *this close* to finishing. The other I started around the same time as the Blackwood and dropped pretty quickly (it was clear where my interests lay).

    Long story short, I think I'll find the gumption for the work I have left by running a campaign. I definitely want to run an in-person with some local friends, but I think I'd like to tackle another PbP. Any takers?
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