Free Adventures: Ammersfurt #28

The Secret of Ammersfurt is a free role playing supplement for the Dark Dungeon 2nd Ed game. Every week for thirty-five weeks, you'll get new bits for the Ammersfurt adventure setting, like monsters, NPC's, locations, skills, character templates, role play tips, and so on. And also every week, you'll get an adventure seed, which you can turn into a weekly adventure.

Adventure Seed 28: The Glassmaker's Last Wish

After a long search the Ammersfurt officials and the Cathedral builders manage to find a glassmaker for their cathedral that is an absolute master in his work. His name is Nicolas Nicolaessen, and his work is magickal in quality. The heroes are asked to talk the man into designing the windows for the church to build. But as they arrive and admire what he is currently doing in the Utrecht Cathedral, Nicolas explains that he cannot come. Why not?

Download the twentyeighth part of The Secret of Ammersfurt here!

Free Adventures: Ammersfurt #27

The Secret of Ammersfurt is a free role playing supplement for the Dark Dungeon 2nd Ed game. Every week for thirty-five weeks, you'll get new bits for the Ammersfurt adventure setting, like monsters, NPC's, locations, skills, character templates, role play tips, and so on. And also every week, you'll get an adventure seed, which you can turn into a weekly adventure.

Adventure Seed 27: The Cathedral Builders

One of the buildings that was damaged during the short war with Gelre is the church of Our Dear Lady, St. Mary. Now some richer pilgrims and believers have thought of a new plan. They wish to rebuild the Ammersfurt St. Mary's church as a cathedral. In fact, they offer more than enough money to make a start. A huge sum. Burghermaster Swartenburgh has second thoughts about the thing, but he does not want to refuse a given horse. He asks the heroes to investigate subtly.

Download the twentyseventh part of The Secret of Ammersfurt here!

OSR Experiments #29: Real Heavy Stuff

I always hated encumbrance rules. They're cumbersome, hard work, and heavier on the players than the characters. But last holiday I noticed there might be a point to these rules.

Hauling one extra backpack with a bundle of books I bought made the difference. My first backpack, with camera and clothes was heavy enough, feeling a bit like a harness on my back. But this second one was a killer. I literally noticed how I slowed down. Maybe my real speed halved, maybe I made two thirds. But I slowed.

I would have another ten hours to kill in Munich before my train left. Then I figured I needed to find a locker. And so I did.

If I would have to carry my two kids, or perhaps my wife, that would really slow me down. To less than half speed. And I would not be able to continue for a longer period. If it was something heavier still, I would only be able to drag it forth slowly, or not at all.

So encumbrance makes sense, even in adventures where dungeon loot is not the first objective.

But I hate adding up numbers all the time! So I figured, maybe, maybe there is an easier way. Because encumbrance is both weight, and bulk, and the way you are able to carry the stuff.

So instead of counting in coins, or pounds, or grammes, or even stones, like Alexandrian or Lamentations, you might count in HEAVY THINGS. You might even classify as SOME STUFF, HEAVY THINGS, VERY HEAVY THINGS, and HARDLY MOVEABLE STUFF.
And instead of always counting, you only start counting once it becomes important. When you're in a chase running away from enemies. Or when you are chasing others yourself.

It might work out like this.

SOME STUFF - are small weapons, a small handbag, a tool, a jacket, etc. Anything that gets your hands full but doesn't really slow you too much. Some stuff you can always take with you, but it may get your hands full if you don't have a bag for them.

HEAVY THINGS - are just that, a full daypack, a winter coat, a bag of groceries, a sack of loot, a big shield, a big sword, a pole arm - you can carry one heavy thing as a normal person without being slowed down too much. Carrying more heavy things will slow you down.

VERY HEAVY THINGS - another hero, a cupboard, a stack of loot. Very heavy things make you move slowly. You're a sitting duck and you can forget about chasing. Unless you're very strong, or perhaps make a strength check.

Hardly moveable stuff? - Stone slabs, coffins, real big furniture, a tree... Forget about moving long distances at all. No chasing. Get an elephant or horse to help you out.

Now I only need to factor in STRength and SIZe... And figure out how many coins is VERY HEAVY.

What do you think? Worth a try?

Random RPG Thoughts #2: Do you need a Character Sheet?

Sometimes you only find out you need something once you don't have it with you.

Last weekend I was playing with a semi-regular group, but not at the regular location. I brought dice, including a smashing big one. I brought a ruleset, even though I rarely look at it during gaming. I brought my little webbook, with an adventure file of what we played before. I even had some jpegs of maps to use, just in case.

But I didn't bring character sheets. And my wife, usually the leading player, forgot her character booklet too. Now forgetting sheets isn't that uncommon. Some players always forget their sheets, and some write a new one for the same character each session. I don't really mind. I play a story style game, cinematic if I'm into it, and I rarely need exact stats. I mostly need a pretty solid idea of what a hero is like, and I'll wing their scores.

But to have a solid idea, you might actually need a character sheet. And I kind of forgot about that. My wife complained that she was running out of options because she forgot what this hero could do. Yeah, she knew about the few high, typical skills, but not about the many smaller ones that give flavor and extra options. Telepathy and Magickal Suggestion all right. But what else? This wasn't a regular character, you might guess.

And because she didn't know it well, neither did I as a GM. Options became a bit more narrow. Another player, who plays less often, and is a relative newbie suddenly realized that she also might be missing her character sheet. She had been playing a few sessions without a sheet already, because, well, she left it at home somewhere in an obscure place. Like in a dustbin or a box in the attic. Maybe that was why she was running out of options  sooner, and found herself sitting just waiting what came at her hero. Instead of taking action for herself.

Maybe she would have been less of a rookie player if she had looked at her skill list and background notes Maybe she'd say, hey, I have night vision! So I'll sneak around and have a look in near pitch dark! Or she might have used her history knowledge to see if she could tell about the allegiance of an older NPC. Or she might just have used another weapon.

I kind of forgot, and often thought that a character sheet may be stifling. I thought you don't really need one, and can let your imagination roam free. But maybe that's not (all) true. Maybe you do need a sheet with descriptors. A sheet with constraints, to actually spark your imagination.

How about you? Do you like to play with, or without a character sheet? Do you think a good game needs them? I'd like to know.

Adventure Shorts #0: Survived!

There, I've survived the September Challenge. Barely. ;-)

Here's a link to (almost) all the adventures as compiled by Asshat. Thanx Matt!

And here's a link to my own twentyfive shorts.

Cheers to all who joined, and cheers especially to those who actually wrote shorts - or even made the challenge. H-H-HURRAAAH!!!!

And now for a beer.

PS As an addendum to the early surveys: Gamemasters corner also seems to have joined the challenge, but I'm not sure why or when - there's no adventure shorts there!

Update: You can find all shorts of my series and more in Unpleasant Encounters at RPGNow. 

Adventure Shorts #21: The Rotting Mill

No It's not skipped! It was just pending! Here's the final part of the september challenge series.

Near the edge of town, in the fields, there stands a dark, ruinous, rotting wooden windmill. It was not there the night before. And neither were the leaping, whispering, ravenous bodies with their yellow eyes.

What may occur next:

• The rotting, dark windmill appeared overnight through a mirrorlike portal with a missing shard. It is no doubt part of the same portal as the shard where the stirges came from. The mill comes from an evil dimension.
• The ravenous bodies are ghouls that eat not only the dead but also the living. They will swarm out next night and attack villagers and heroes alike.
• The mill is actually a travelling device itself. Inside is a set of wheels within wheels, full of runic symbols that can be set to direct it to a new destination. Perhaps it can even travel through time, within limits. There will be fuel for 1d6 transportations. And it may attract new ghouls between dimensions with every trip.

Ghoul

The ghoul is a foul, undead creature, naked, gibbering, licking, leaping, clawing, gnawing. Sometimes covered with rotting poisonous slime which causes paralysis if it touches the skin of living creatures. They are often found near graveyards, and other dry deserted areas where carcasses can be found.

OSR: AC 6, HD 2* need magic or silver to harm, Dam 1d6, paralysis on hit, Move 90', Save: F2, #app 1d6

DD2: dex 4, leap attack 3, claw and bite 4 (weapon class 1), cause fearful paralysis 3, resistance to non-silver weapons (selective armour class 3, may be undone by a blessing)

Update: You can find all shorts of this series and more in Unpleasant Encounters at RPGNow. 

Adventure Shorts #25: Mede's Microcrystal Monster

Mede the Micromancer once again invites the heroes to admire his newest magick finds. He leads them to a grotto where a ten foot high statue of a demon has been crafted from the stalagmites. “It's a present for the duke” Mede explains, “and I want you to help protect and transport it to him”

What may occur next:

• The crystal statue is rather big and heavy to carry, and although the reward Mede promises is good, it will be a challenge to move the crystal demon idol anywhere.
• Forgetful Mede may provide the heroes with a special mycrocrystal spell scroll that can shrink the statue to a nice transportable size and weight. But the transformation will not last, and might wear off too early if the transport is delayed. And then there are all sorts of officials who hinder the heroes on their way to the king.
• The crystal demon is not just a lifeless statue. It will come alive and move to attack once it is delivered to the king. Mede may or may not have been aware of this fact.

Crystal Demon Statue

Crystaline life forms are very rare, but most of them may be found in the Castellan deserts. There something in the soil gives the sands and minerals a life of their own. Most crystal life forms resemble animals, human statues or demons. But in theory they may take any form. Most crystalines are peaceful, and may even remain unmoving for weeks on end. Others may seem animated by malevolent demons.

OSR: AC 3, HD 4, Dam 2d6, Move 90', Save: F3, #app 1d6-3

DD2: heavy crystal skin (armour class 3), crystal fist 6 (weapon class 3), may appear inanimate

Update: You can find all shorts of this series and more in Unpleasant Encounters at RPGNow.