The Origin of Bard College Names?

With a bit of research I recently stumbled upon this information from an article in The Dublin University Magazine (Vol 67) called “Laws of the Ancient Irish” from way back in 1866. (Link goes to a google book, the text below is on page 5 left column.)

“The Ollamh's memory was enriched with his seven times fifty stories; the Anruth's with thrice fifty and half fifty; the Cli remembered eighty, the Cana sixty, the Dos fiftv. the Mac Fuirmidh forty, the Fochiuc thirty, and the Drisac twenty. The poor Taman could only tell ten, and the Ollaire of still worse memory soon wearied his hearers; he had only seven.”

This also hints that perhaps there are three possible new instruments of the bards awaiting discovery for the Drisac, Taman, the the Ollaire. I’d make them wind or percussion instruments were I to create them – ie. more primitive than the stringed instruments.

Rolling HP for Monsters

It's funny, but one of the things I love most about module creation is rolling HP for monsters. I love getting out the dice and seeing what Fate has put against the characters that will go through the module. For unnamed creatures, I don't fudge these rolls at all as that's the spirit of the game.

For named or special creatures, I typically set minimum limits (say dropping all 1's through 3's) depending on how "powerful" they're supposed to be in their respective hierarchy. For "Elite" monsters (Leaders of tribes, etc..) I generally assume maximum hp and subtract a random amount-they're supposed to be the toughest of the tough in a tough world, after all...

A Great Big Giant Map of European Tribes!

This map is just beautiful! (The link has the super-sized, legible version) I think we as gamers can learn that our "barbarian" regions really need to have just tons 'o tribes within general cultural areas. Great map!

I'm Fearless And So Can You

I'm a creative.

I don't have fears about being good at being creative.
I'm don't feel like I'm an imposter at being creative.
I don't worry about my creative abilities.
People either like, don't like, or are indifferent to what I do creatively.
I don't engage emotionally with others' opinions of my creative work.
I emotionally engage with my creations.

What I Like The Most About My Job

One of my favorite things about my job is that moment right when you start diving into a manuscript. You've got a map ...a map detailed as if describing a real existence... and you've got the key to that map and you just start your journey with a single word.

That moment of beginning, of settling into a manuscript, is like that moment after the first bite of a meal you've been looking forward to... a meal involving people you don't know yet, but expect to one day consider friends.

I hope when I publish that that is the experience I'm bringing to the reader. That wonderful moment when everything is unknown and then becomes known.

Castle Map in Progress (III)

I've now got all the levels in the castle finished. I need to go back and touch up a few of the stairs and add in all the windows. It ended up being 5 levels tall. All in all, I think it's a good map and I'm pleased with it. I think it will present a significant challenge to a party just from a design perspective.

Castle Map in Progress (II)

Been plugging away at the map and it's starting to take shape. I suspect it's going to have two or three more levels before it's done. I've got in many of the arrow slits and several doors, but the levels are not finished yet.

The Mechanics of Publishing

Last post I talked about how I was switching gears from Classified to OSRIC to recharge the battery a bit in regards to Classified. Well, the switch didn't work. I wasn't very creative with OSRIC either, which presents the greater problem of the creative: Creative Exhaustion. And by that I don't mean "burnout," I mean more like I've been pulling water from the well to quickly and it's running low.

I've experienced this several times in the decade I've been working as a creative and its on days like this that I'm glad I'm also publishing. By not being a full-time creative, I have the opportunity to step back and do some of the mechanical parts of publishing that I don't like to do when I *am* feeling creative: layout, uploading, planning, etc.

I'm thankful I'm not working for someone else as a creative. If I was, I'd have to figure out a way of digging a deeper well that can deal with the outflows or else I'd face real burnout as opposed to a low-water period.

Group Hit Points

I've been rolling this idea around in the back of my head for a while now, so I thought I should share. I'm thinking that instead of having individual hit points, a party of adventurers would share in a hit point pool, with each individual adding to the pool in varying amounts based upon their perceived combat survivability (ie. fighter types would add more, wizard types less).

When injured by enemies, the damage would come from the pool total. With a the following complications

1. Once 50% of pool total is reached, any additional damage triggers a saving throw situation to avoid having the damage applied to a randomly-determined individual, as opposed to the group. If an individual is hit, that damage is removed from their maximum hit points *but not* removed from the hit point pool. In this manner, once the pool gets low, it becomes more likely that individuals start taking "real" damage.

2. Once the pool total is emptied, all additional damage is applied to a randomly determined individual.

I've been thinking this may be a pretty good way to simulate a less granular version of combat or to simulate a type of combat that I think would go pretty well with a super hero theme.

This is just the germ of an idea and far from fleshed out, but I thought I'd share.

Why My Stuff Is Open Game Content

I am thankful for the OGL and OGC and I show my thanks through my actions. My publications that use the OGL are open because without previous open content there wouldn't be any "my publications."

My openness may one day bite me on the butt, but that's a risk I feel I should take.

The Power of Creative Dreams

I get a lot of ideas/inspiration from dreams as well as music. Last night had a dream in which a new magic item presented itself to me.

The Horned Headpiece of Darak-Bek
This ornimental headpiece features two ram's horns. Once per day, if the wearer touches the tip of the right horn with the index finger of his left hand, he can teleport without error. Once per week, if the wearer touches the tip of the left horn with the index finger of his right hand, he can word of recall. The headpiece provides no armor. Experience Point Value: 4,000 G.P. Value: 24,000

Living Encounter Tables

Living Encounter Tables have Secondary and Tertiary Tables that “fill up” the Primary Table once an encounter happens. For example, when Orcs appear, the GM rolls on the Secondary Table for their replacement and gets Ghouls. The GM then rolls on the Tertiary Table to fill in the spot the Ghouls were previously using. The allows the GM to do two main things: change the danger level of encounters or change the "tone" of encounters. In this example, the encounters become progressively more dangerous, but if the GM loaded the Secondary and Tertiary Tables with, say, only ooze/fungi/plant monsters, the tone of the encounters would change as well.

Primary
1d4	Result
1	Hobgoblins
2	Orcs
3	Goblins
4	Kobolds
Secondary
1d4	Result
1	Bugbears
2	Ghouls
3	Ochre Jelly
4	Ogres
Tertiary
1d4	Result
1	Dopplegangers
2	Hydra, 7-heads
3	Minotaurs
4	Slithering Tracker

Some Advanced Adventures Submission Guidelines

Below are a the three main templates I use in Advanced Adventures when dealing with monsters, NPCS, and new critters. If you're thinking about submitting a manuscript, I'd really like to have the below guidelines followed, but I'm not a stickler for it - if the module's good, I'll be glad to publish it. The below just helps me speed up the editing process. Let me repeat that part - I'm not *requiring* you to submit in the manner below, I'm requesting. I'd much rather have a good manuscript that I need to completely re-format than no manuscript at all.


Critters & NPCs: From the fairly simple to the more complex - these examples should cover most of the various options.

Ghouls (4) (SZ: M; AC 6; MV 90 ft.; HD 2; HP 8, 9, 12, 13; #AT 3; Dmg 1-3, 1-3, 1-6; SA Paralyzation; AL CE).

Stirges (5) (SZ: S; AC 8; MV 30 ft., flying 180 ft.; HD 1+1; HP 2, 4, 6, 7, 8; #AT 1; Dmg 1-2; SA Blood drain; AL CE).

Galblag, goblin leader: (SZ: S; AC 6; MV 60 ft.; HD 1; HP 8; #AT 1; Dmg 2-7 (pick) or 1-4 (sling); AL LE). Possessions: Footman’s pick, sling, 20 sling stones, two day’s goblin rations, waterskin, 6 gp, 12 sp.

Guardian Statue, hasted stone golem: (SZ: L; AC 5; MV 120 ft.; HD 60 hp; HP 60; #AT 2; Dmg 3-24, 3-24; SA slow; SD damaged only by +2 or better weapons, immune to most spells; AL NG)

Planatars (2): (SZ: L; AC -7; MV 150 ft., flying 480 ft., swimming 240 ft.; HD 144 hp; HP 144 each; #AT 3; Dmg by weapon +7; SA see monster description; SD see monster description; AL CG)

Chryseothrax, ancient red dragon: (SZ L, AC -1; MV 90 ft., 240 ft. flying, HD 11, HP 88, #AT: 3 Dmg 1-8, 1-8, 3-30; SA: Breath weapon and spell use, AL CE)

First: detect invisibility, phantasmal force
Second: blur, mirror image
Third: non-detection, spectral force
Fourth: improved invisibility, phantasmal killer

Drimmal Stonefist, 3rd-level dwarf Fighter: (SZ: S; AC 1; MV 60 ft.; HD 3, HP 26; #AT 1; Dmg 1-8 +1; AL LG). He has a +1 to hit and +1 to damage due his strength. Possessions: battle axe +1, plate mail armor +1, potion of healing, shield, light crossbow, 20 quarrels, and 95 gp.

Momoko Yosida, female ogre 3rd-level Shaman (SZ L; AC 6; MV 120 ft.; HD 6; HP 30; #AT 2/1; Dmg ; 1-6; SA spells, ki speed (+3 to initiative for one round), ki maximization (1 spell at maximum effect), kung-fu; S 9, I 17, W 13, D 14, C 12, Ch 14; AL CE). Possessions: greatclub, harp of the white whale (see new magic items), ice cleats, ice ring, keys to area 12, area 15, and area 16, 112 gp. She has been granted the following spells:

First: cure light wounds, protection from good
Second: resist fire

Chief Flemin Ironfoot, 4th-level dwarf Fighter/ 3rd-level Cleric : (SZ: S; AC -2; MV 60 ft.; HD 6/3, HP 31; #AT 1; Dmg 1-8 +1; AL LG). He has a +1 to hit to damage due his strength. Possessions: battle axe +1, plate mail armor +3, shield +1, potion of heroism, light crossbow, 20 quarrels, a golden chief necklace worth 450 gp and 65 gp. He has prayed for the following spells:

First: bless, command, cure light wounds, protection from evil
Second: hold person, slow poison, silence 15 ft. radius



New Monsters: This is the format I use - it is the same as that found in Malevolent & Benign.

MONSTER NAME

SIZE: Small (3 ft. wide)
MOVE: 60 ft., flying 240 ft. (AA: level II), climbing 120 ft.
ARMOR CLASS: 7
HIT DICE: 2+2
ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE: 1
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison
SPECIAL DEFENSES: None
MAGIC RESISTANCE: None
RARITY: Rare
NO. ENCOUNTERED: 2-20
LAIR PROBABILITY: 35%
TREASURE: In Lair: 1-12k cp (20%), 1-6k sp (30%), 1-4k ep (10%), 1-6 gems (25%), 1-3 jewelry (20%), any 2 magic items (10%)
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
LEVEL/X.P.: 4 / 230 + 2/hp

General information:

Languages:

Physical description:

Variants:

Not really a resolution...

I've been thinking a lot about the role a dungeon or adventure designer assumes in the play experience at the table created by the GM and the players and have come to the humbling conclusion that the designer is a lot like a writing utensil - a tool that exists only to make the GM's job easier. A GM chooses what tool to bring to the table (a pencil, a dry erase marker, a pen, a colored pencil, a grease pencil, The Mouth of the Shadowvein) based upon the needs of the game.

With that in mind, I've decided to try and become the Palomino Blackwing of old-school dungeons design pencils. If my utility is that of a pencil, I want to be a good one.

Not really a resolution, but something that I think should be consciously considered and integrated. A viewpoint to remember, IMO.

The Worldbuilding Monster Statistics

Some people think that there are several statistics in the 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual that are not needed to play the game.

To that, I respond, "Yes, they are not needed to play the game, but they serve the purpose of building the world in which the game is played." These are the Worldbuilding Monster Statistics. Statistics such as Frequency, No. Appearing, % in Lair, Treasure Type, Intelligence, Alignment, and Size have primarily a world-building goal. Sure, there are bits and bobs of these statistics that can be interpreted as "game related," but they're primarily there to inform the GM about the world in which the game is played. Changing these statistics changes the game very little, but can drastically change the game world.

And a very interesting thing about rpgs is that, over time, the world around the game eventually *becomes* the game, because rpgs are about "what if" and how we react to different "what ifs."

The Inverse Dungeon?

David over at the Tower of the Archmage has an interesting post about the relative emptiness of hallways in comparison with rooms in the traditional dungeon. This observation has led me to speculate on how to design an Inverse Dungeon, wherein almost all the encounters take place in the hallways and the rooms are the transit areas from one encounter to another.

I wonder how long it would take a party to key on this fundamental alteration and change their behaviors to adapt?

Empty Rooms are Full of Talkie-Talkie this Week

Pardon the title, but it seem as if empty rooms are the subject du week in the OSR-verse after Joethelawyer's post about his recent experience with Dwimmermount (link to Grognardia's Dwimmermount tag). There's been a lot of talk about the importance of empty rooms in the megadungeon, mostly around two main ideas - space (for exploration, party camping ability, etc.) and weirdness (or fuck-a-diddle's as Stephan Poag termed it). Both, IMO, are spot on observations about the construction of the Megadungeon environment and play-style and I do think they are both necessary.

However, I think the responses I've seen from the OSR community as a whole seem to be focused more on explaining why Joethelawyer had a bad experience based on the assumption that he isn't aware of the empty room megadungeon framework. Which is fine-and-dandy, but perhaps there's a different reason. As a designer, I see something different in his post than a springboard to explain megadungeon design - I see a player's expectations not being matched to the game environment - and I'm not going to try and provide information regarding the different styles, I'm going to try and provide some help on making the different styles mesh together better.

His posts starts off with something that should key the reader in very quick that the Megadungeon environment is probably not a good fit.

Here's the thing--as a player, I want my character to kick some ass, be awesome, and have a tale to tell back at the tavern so he can get some action with the serving wenches.  You know, Conan, or Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser style.  That to me is the motivation to play an adventurer.

This, to me, is not the megadungeon style, and certainly not the style of Dwimmermount as I've come to understand it from Grognardia's posts over the years.To me, the root of the issue is in different play style preferences.

Assuming that I've said something of interest, what, as a designer, can be done to try and make Joethelawyer's apparent preference mesh better with a megadungeon environment like Dwimmermount? Below are a few thoughts/responses pulled from comments on his post.

Rooms with stuff that on its surface looks interesting, but in the end is just a needless distraction that doesn't lead to anything cool.  Ever.  Not even once in a while.  There was one room with ghosts around a table.  They gave no clues to greater mysteries,  they provided no combat opportunities, they were nothing but a waste of time

1. Provide a quicker way for players to place fuck-a-diddles into the greater context of the megadungeon. Provide these contexts quicker the closer the room is to the entrance to the dungeon to grab the attention of new players. Leave the majority of context-less fuck-a-diddles for deeper areas, which when encountered are based upon the idea that the player is already "hooked" into the environment and will find contextless aspects less frustrating.

There was a room with half dozen balloons.  No one is stupid enough to go into such a room, so we shot them from outside.  One exploded and caused the others to explode.  Would have done damage had we been in there.  Again, who would be stupid enough to be in there?

2. Provide the opportunity for players to utilize traps against enemies. I don't know if this room could be used in such a manner, but I think the room would be improved were players able to use the trap against lured enemies in some manner.

There was another room where nothing aged.  Why?  Who placed it there?  Why place such a massive investment of magical energy (time stop being a 9th level spell) into a room with not a goddamned thing in it worth anything?  At the end I just wanted to smash everything in the room out of frustration.

3. Another example of contextlessness providing frustration. Perhaps the Dwimmermount notes provide an explanation of the room to the GM, and if it does, providing a way for the *players* to find out the reason would be beneficial. If possible, finding a way for the players to find out that provides a material reward of some sort (treasure, intel) would be even better.

Then, random rooms with stuff in it for no reason.  In one room, in a corner, is a bag with 1000 gp.  Why?  Empty otherwise, except for the orcs we drove off.  Orcs, with 1000 gp.  Exactly 1000 gp.  It's a very exact dungeon.  Another room had debris in it.  After killing the rats in it, we spent 30 minutes looking thru rat shit and found 2000 cp.  Why?  Oh, and there was also some other crap like a pin and a comb worth some money.

4. This touches on one of my design preferences: generally avoid round numbers. Round numbers do not feel organic and the organic feeling is very important during play, IMO. This should be an easy fix and one that, IMO, would benefit even players who prefer the Megadungeon style of play already.

And to finish up this already long post....

Where's the grand tale of adventure in that?  Would it make a good movie?  Would you pay eight bucks to see it on the big screen?  Did we do anything awesome?  Did we encounter weird ass shit and survive by the skin of our teeth, using our wits and courage to overcome the obstacles?  Was there at any point an opportunity or a need to be creative with the stuff in the environment to further our ends?  Was the environment itself creative and mysterious, leaving us a with a sense of awe and wonder?  Did it make us want to explore further?  Did it open up further layers of a mystery?

This highlights where the different play desires don't mesh. Joethelawyer is thinking of the game in terms of a movie. IMO, the Megadungeon environment is not a movie - (at most) megadungeons are thematic tapestries in which various areas can explore different themes and these themes are usually not explored until deeper in the dungeon. Movies are narrative pieces with a purpose - Megadungeons don't have a purpose - they have many different purposes.

Would my suggestions have improved Joethelawyer's experience with Dwimmermount? Perhaps, but perhaps not. Regardless, I think they're useful things to think about when designing for an audience that is not your personal table.

Tree Weaving

Stumbled upon some very cool images at Atlas Obscura that I think would fit right into most fantasy games. Something like the  Gilroy Gardens should make an appearance somewhere. I think geometric shapes, and especially angles that do not occur naturally very often (as in the second picture) would fit into an Elvish art garden.

Mechanical Musings on Classified

IMO, one of the genius moves in the James Bond game is that actions are declared by the slowest character, than the next slowest, and finally the fastest declares last. This way the fastest has best information when deciding what to do

Couple that with the fact that the fastest goes first once the round begins... and that's one of the reasons why Classified is going to exist. :-)

Great design, IMO. Especially when the players get an idea of just how quickly combat can go against them... Be quick or be dead!

And The New Retro-Clone Is...

Classified. It is a retro-clone of the James Bond 007 game. I've made a few changes (and will have to update much of the equipment to the modern-day), but it'll be eminently compatible with the old adventures and supplements. I've loved this game ever since it came out. It runs like a finely-tuned machine during play and does a great job of genre emulation. If you have not played it, it really plays like a dream.

I'm opening up the system a bit to include all sorts of covert operations, not just the super-spy genre. I think there are a lot of different things that the system works well for, and I'll be trying to make sure that it covers different takes on the subject.

I've been working quickly on this and hopefully it will see the light of day soon. I'm on the Skills section and only expect to slow down when I come to the equipment section. That could be a major slowdown area, so we'll have to see.

I've also started plotting out the first adventure, tentatively titled The Bucharest Libretto.

In 1787, right before the beginning of the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1892, Antonio Salieri visited Bucharest. During his visit he composed the opera L'esaltato (The Exalted) celebrating the proud spirit of the Russians and Austrians. For the only time in his career, Salieri also wrote the libretto while residing in his hotel in Bucharest. Returning to Vienna a few months later, he put the finishing touches on L'esaltato and it was performed to moderate success. During WWII, the original hand-written copy of the libretto was “liberated” by the Soviets to Bucharest and it has remained there ever since.

The original copy of the Libretto has recently been stolen and the Austrians are very interested in returning the work of Salieri to the city that was his home, Vienna.