Month: June 2012

“Pathfinder: Way of the Wicked” Update 1: Prison break

Fellow role-players, here are my notes for our first “evil fantasy” game, which Rich C.G. ran at his apartment in Waltham, Massachusetts, on Monday, 18 June 2012:

Branderscar Prison from Way of the Wicked
Branderscar Prison

>>Player Characters for Rich’s Pathfinder: Way of the Wicked adventure path:

  • “Tomer Raffelli” [Gene D.]-male Halfling Rogue, imprisoned for fraud; NE, Lvl. 1
  • “Pestinha” [Josh C.]-male human Monk; LE, Lvl. 1
  • “Logan” [Bruce K.]-male Half-Elf AntiPaladin of Asmodeus; LE, Lvl. 1
  • “Danzil’Ka” [Jason E.R.]-female human Necromancer (Wizard); NE, Lvl. 1
  • -[Brian W./absent]-male Dwarf Cleric; LE, Lvl. 1
  • -[Sara F./absent]-female Gnome Witch, with an improved hedgehog familiar; LE, Lvl. 1
  • -[Beruk A./absent]-male Fighter; CE, Lvl. 1

>>After being arrested for trying to pull a scam on a pillar of the community, Tomer is taken to Branderscar Prison, which squats on a desolate island. There, he and others who have broken the laws of the supposedly benevolent theocracy of Talingarde are branded on the forearm with an “F” for “forsaken.”

The Halfling Rogue awakens and finds himself chained to other convicts in a dark cell. Tomer cheerfully introduces himself while quietly swearing vengeance against those who have imprisoned him. Ritually scarred Pestinha says little while straining against his bonds, and Danzil’Ka learns that her feminine wiles are of little use on the faithful guards and shackled skeletons.

Logan eventually regains consciousness ahead of a Dwarf Cleric and a Gnome Witch who are also part of the chain gang. The sentries taunt the blackguard by reminding him that heresy and blasphemy are punished by execution, but the human just laughs at them.

The prisoners hear grunting from a nearby cell, and Danzil’Ka eventually gets a glimpse of an Ogre with infernal blood. Tomer overhears hypocritical soldiers talking about gambling and how Sgt. Tomas Blackerly rigs dice games in the gatehouse. They also mention a Wizard with an owl in a nearby tower.

Sometime in the night, six guards come for Logan, who has a distinguished visitor. They take him to a dining hall, where he sees a strangely compliant Sgt. Blackerly talking with an attractive brunette. Lady Alyssa Senhaven mentions Logan’s murder of her husband.

In fact, the lady is actually blonde cultist Teodora magically disguised, and she tells Logan that a “mutual friend” wants to meet him at a manor on the moors in three days. She slips him an embroidered veil, and the charmed guards take the AntiPaladin back to his cellmates.

Logan tells his new companions what happened, and he pulls the image of a blue vial off the veil, and it becomes an actual vial! Other objects magically stored include two daggers, 100 gold pieces, a coil of rope, a hooded lantern, clothing, and masterwork lockpicks.

Logan manages to toss the picks to Tomer, who frees him and begins working on the others’ manacles. The guards notice some of the commotion and, without going into the cell, tell the prisoners and Ogre Grumblejack to be quiet. It takes Tomer some time to successfully unchain everyone, and he and Logan then sneak toward the guardroom.

One sentry notices and blows a horn in alarm, while another draws a longsword. Logan grins and brandishes his dagger, while agile Pestinha maneuvers. Grumblejack smashes a guard, and Danzil’Ka wakes the Gnome and the Dwarf, who heals the horned Ogre.

Tomer takes a dagger and runs to the next rooms, as Grumblejack pummels another guard. The Halfling climbs down a wide chimney and is singed as he enters a kitchen. He throws a pan, scalding an unlucky woman. Cook Gregor pleads for mercy, but the others stab him after shimmying down the chimney. Tomer takes knives and some oil.

In a dining hall, the escapees confront three more guards. Pestinha blinds one with a well-aimed unarmed strike, and Logan misses with a longsword. One guard hits the Monk, but is hit in return by Danzil’Ka’s Ray of Frost spell. Tomer throws knives but also misses.

Swift Pestinha throws a handful of dirt in the eyes of a second sentry, and Logan slays his opponent. Danzil’Ka casts Chill Touch, killing the third guard. The Dwarf priest attends to the wounded as they press on.

The jailbirds jog through a courtyard, past a fountain and a statue of Denathia the Just, a saint in the religion of Mitra. Pestinha stuns two guards, and Logan, who has donned a guard’s surcoat, bluffs his way to the gatehouse. Kohl-eyed Denzil’Ka and stealthy Tomer pretend to be prisoners awaiting transfer.

The escapees see brawny Grumblejack crashing through more doors and waves of guards as they make a break for the causeway bridge. Volleys of arrows rain from the prison’s watchtowers. Tomer improvises a smoke bomb for partial cover, and Logan tries to shield Denzil’Ka.

About halfway across the bridge, the group realizes that guards are approaching from both sides. One by one, the convicts jump into the water far below. Logan swims to keep Tomer and Danzil’Ka from drowning. They spend the next few hours racing across the countryside, hunted.

Danzil’Ka summons her mongoose, and the Gnome calls for her hedgehog familiar. Logan leads the way, drawn by Teodora’s magic. The adventuring party hikes across the misty moors until it comes to a forbidding manor.

Servants answer the door, and Teodora tells Logan that “it’s about time” he found her. Slaves attend to the newcomers, bathing and clothing them before a banquet.

Teodora introduces the wanderers to Adrastus Thorn, a cardinal in the church of the Prince of Nessus, Asmodeus. The people of Talingarde once worshipped multiple entities, he says. The cardinal also shows that Grumblejack has successfully escaped Branderscar Prison.

Thorn offers Logan and company support if they will swear fealty to him. The escapees reluctantly agree to become the ninth “Nessian Knot,” or band following the nine lessons of Asmodeus. They sign a pact in blood promising loyalty to Asmodeus, Adrastus, one another, and themselves.

In return, each member receives 200 g.p., a silver pentagram, and an Iron Circlet of Disguise. Thorn graciously gives Danzil’Ka her spellbook back. The Ninth Knot rests and prepares for its first mission against the followers of Mitra in Talingarde….

Happy Birthday again to Brian, Josh, and James! I had fun in this adventure path, and we’ll see who is able to attend the next session, currently scheduled for July 2. In the meantime, I’ll be continuing the D&D5e/Next playtest with the Sunday night telecom group, and Jason’s “Glassworks” superhero scenario resumes on June 25. Be seeing you, -Gene

Free RPG Day 2012 report

Happy summer solstice! While I’ve missed some movies and local events lately because of travel and crowded schedules, I did get to Free RPG Day. On Saturday, 16 June 2012, Janice and I drove into Boston to visit the Compleat Strategist.

Retro RPG wallpaper
Retro role-playing rules!

The staff at the small game shop was friendly as usual, and I declined an invitation to participate in a Pathfinder tabletop role-playing session. I did pick up the following free items:

I also bought some Lord of the Rings HeroClix and Giants Revisited for Pathfinder (my Advanced Race Guide hardcopy is coming in the mail). I looked at the thick core rulebooks for Dungeon Crawl Classics and Adventurer, Conqueror, King because of fellow Game Master Brian W.‘s recommendations. I didn’t purchase either of these retro–clones yet, because I want to see what my current face-to-face groups are willing to try after various miniseries and our D&D Next playtest.

I didn’t see any of the planned books for FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer (for “Vortex“) or Legends of Anglerre (for the “Vanished Lands“) but at least the FATE version of Bulldogs has gotten some good science fiction support online. I’m more inclined to stick with rules-light systems than invest in yet another potentially expensive, complicated game with a limited fan base.

Unfortunately, the staff at Pandemonium Books & Games in Cambridge, Mass., was surprisingly ignorant of Free RPG Day and seemed to be more interested in hosting collectible card tournaments than serving role-players. It seemed like a missed opportunity to get people into the store. It’s a shame that the larger shop has focused less on traditional RPGs lately.

Janice and I later enjoyed lunch at Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage and visited our usual book shops in Harvard Square. We missed Josh C. & Sara F., who were at the Compleat Strategist sometime after us. I look forward to looking more closely at my Free RPG Day swag. So many games, so little time!

D&D Next playtest review

I’ve already reported on my first playtest session for Dungeons & Dragons “Next” (Fifth Edition). Stepping back from the Player Characters and the events within that tabletop role-playing game, here are some thoughts about the rules.

The Keep on the Borderlands
The Keep on the Borderlands and the Caves of Chaos

First, let’s take a look at the participants. Jason E.R., Bruce K., and Rich C.G., the newest members of the face-to-face, Boston-area groups, sat out the D&D Next playtest, but we had some returning and new gamers to round out our face-to-face adventuring party.

-Beruk A.: Our font of pop culture references, Beruk is one of the first gamers I met in the Boston area, and all of his characters have strong personalities and terrible luck. Since Josh had already claimed the pregenerated Half-Elf Wizard, Beruk played a human Mage.

-Brian W.: Like me, Brian is a 40-something grognard who has fond memories of games from the early 1980s. He likes lighter rules sets such as Savage Worlds more than recent editions of D&D. Brian is a proponent of Dungeon Crawl Classics, which is part of the retro–clone movement and the so-called Old School Renaissance. He has been hosting our face-to-face gatherings since I moved from Needham to Waltham, Mass.

-Sara F.: Sara is the youngest person in my current groups (under 30) and an experienced role-player, with a preference for non-human characters — we “reskinned” her Halfling as an intelligent raccoon — and simpler systems such as Fantastic Adventures in Tabletop Entertainment (FATE 3e).

-Josh C.: Sara’s boyfriend is a Game Master who came of age during the 1990s, when White Wolf’s Storyteller: the World of Darkness was dominant. Josh has played and run AD&D2, D&D3.x, and Pathfinder, among other systems. His “Spelljammer: the Show Must Go On” miniseries, using FATE 3e Legends of Anglerre, is just winding down on Sunday nights.

-Thomas K.Y.: Primarily a player of video games and massively multiplayer online (MMO) games such as City of Heroes, Thomas did play D&D3.0 and D20 Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Ed. with us a few years ago.

-Kai-Yin H.: A novice to tabletop role-playing games, Thomas’ girlfriend is a good sport and has attended several genre movies with us. Of the pregenerated characters, I gave Kai-Yin the Dwarf Fighter because it was the simplest.

How did D&D Next play? As Dungeon Master, I was glad to be able to use flavor and statistics from the oD&D (BECMI), AD&D2, and D&D3.x versions of the classic Keep on the Borderlands module. I had no difficulty combining Non-Player Characters, maps and scene descriptions, or monsters from the different editions of the “Caves of Chaos.”

We used mostly pregenerated characters, with the notable exceptions of Sara’s raccoon Rogue and Beruk’s human Wizard. I didn’t make any mechanical adjustments to their statistics — we just described and role-played them differently. Since we had two Wizards and two Clerics, more example spells would have been helpful for distinguishing and developing them.

I would have liked more guidance in the playtest PDFs of how to create or customize P.C.s in the event of a larger group or to avoid duplication. If I continue this playtest with my Sunday night telecom fantasy group, we’ll have more tweaking to do.

I thought that D&D Next‘s backgrounds (similar to “aspects” in FATE) and themes (similar to combat roles in D&D4e) added a decent layer to character’s origins and abilities without too much complication. It looks like feats from D&D3.x/D20 will come in here. I wanted to see Bard, Ranger and Paladin options, whether as backgrounds/themes or as full occupational classes.

I liked using D&D5e/Next‘s ability score checks and simplified skill list, but Thomas and Josh said it would have been nice to know the math behind some of the playtest‘s precalculated bonuses.

The Player Character record sheets could have been clearer for novices like Kai-Yin, and Wizards of the Coast (WotC) could have provided more guidance for alignment/motivation. Josh noted that Pathfinder‘s alignment descriptions are particularly clear. Equipment and weapon descriptions could have been more specific or interesting for modern players unfamiliar with fantasy tropes, such as different types of armor and weapons.

Combat ran reasonably smoothly and faster in D&D Next than for any edition past AD&D1. Smaller stat blocks for opponents were definitely a plus. Hit points and damage seemed initially high — 100+ for an Owlbear — but if the advancement curve is flatter, that might be OK. Thomas mentioned that simple D20-derived rules for firing into melee/friendly fire and certain conditions would have been helpful.

We liked D&D Next‘s advantage/disadvantage method of rolling 2d20, but we didn’t care for its healing, which was almost as easy as in D&D4e. Thomas also pointed out that more of the rules should have been in natural language with more explanatory sidebars.

Admittedly, this was the first session in a while or ever for some gamers, but money, movement, and some spell descriptions caused confusion even though they were on the character sheets or in the rules packets. I agree with Josh that a one-page “cheat sheet” of rules summaries would have been helpful, and should in fact be all that’s required (with page references) for a fully playable game.

Overall, as other reviews have noted, this playtest of D&D Next feels a lot like stripped-down D&D3.x/D20, with bits from D&D4e. It ran smoothly, allowing for some player creativity and D.M. discretion, but as a mostly combat-oriented module, we haven’t gotten very far with character development or problem solving yet.

I know I’m a little late to the party with these observations, but readers and fellow role-players may find them helpful as we compare notes on the D&D Next playtest.

We’ll see whether WotC can live up to its promises for more online support, easy session prep, rules modularity, and the ability to appeal both to nostalgia and the desire for novelty among gamers of all ages. D&D5e/Next still has a ways to go before it can be more than a Hasbro brand, compete with Pathfinder and other games, and dominate our now-shrinking hobby as its predecessors did.

D&D Next playtest, Session 1

Fellow role-players, here’s part one of a report on my playtest session for Dungeons & Dragons “Next” (Fifth Edition). As I’ve mentioned previously, my regular Pathfinder: “the Vanished Lands” telecom fantasy and FATE 3e “Vortex” space opera campaigns are on hiatus while we try other games for the summer.

It was nice to be back in the Game Master’s chair to run this retro/preview scenario. Brian W. hosted the group in Newton on Monday, 11 June 2012. My next post will discuss our observations about D&D5e/Next.

>>Player Characters for the “Caves of Chaos,” playtest scenario for “Dungeons & Dragons Next” (5e), June 2012:

-“Salami” [Brian W.]-male Mountain Dwarf Cleric of Moradin, god of smiths (background: Knight, theme: Guardian); Alignment: Lawful Neutral; at Experience Level 1

-“Gerald” [Beruk A.]-male Human Wizard (Sage, Magic User) and student with a mongoose familiar; Chaotic Good, Lvl. 1

-“Uldor” [Thomas K.Y.]-male Human Cleric of Pelor, sun deity (Priest, Healer); Neutral Good, Lvl. 1

-“Gug” [Kai-Yin H.]-male Hill Dwarf Fighter (Soldier, Slayer), mercenary; Chaotic Neutral, Lvl. 1

-“Kada Theron” [Sara F.]-female Raccoon-folk Rogue (as Lightfoot Halfling; Commoner, Lurker); Chaotic Good, Lvl. 1

-“Pergamoy” [Josh C.]-male High Elf Wizard (Sage, Magic User) with time to spare; Chaotic Good, Lvl. 1

The Caves of Chaos
Player map of the Caves of Chaos

Six would-be adventurers seeking fortune and glory found their way from disparate origins to a keep on the borderlands. Kendall Castle sits along a road between the human-dominated plains and a dark forest and high mountains.

A gruff Dwarf nicknamed “Salami” heads straight for the inn, where he orders an ale from barkeep Will. Wandering student Gerald browses in the market, while wily thief Kada Theron sticks to the shadows and looks for easy prey.

Blond priest Uldor pays his respects at the local chapel, and taciturn mercenary Gug notices the keep‘s stonework on his way to the tavern. Patient Pergamoy sees posters advertising “coin” in return for monster-fighting and exploration services.

Will complains to Salami that the distant king hasn’t sent reinforcements to the castle, which has resorted to hiring freelancers after some farm lads went missing. Barmaid Calista brings more food and drink for Gug and Gerald, and Pergamoy negotiates for a free night’s room and board, plus some provisions.

Uldor finds Abercrombie asleep in the dusty chapel. The older Cleric tells the newcomer that he is glad for any help and will offer blessings on any expedition. Stealthy Kada eventually follows Uldor to the inn after deciding that he’s not worth pickpocketing.

Will tells the six travelers that he is also a member of the militia and that with no men to spare, all of the castle’s regular inhabitants must keep an eye on the roads after nearby farms were attacked. Livestock was taken, and no survivors have been left to describe the humanoid raiders. Anyone who defeats the bandits can keep whatever booty they find, he says.

Dwarves Salami and Gug readily agree, especially once Will says that the attackers are likely coming from a nearby cave complex. Uldar feels obliged to protect the human peasants, since he is from a nearby village, and Kada is curious about rumors of monsters in the woods.

Wizards Gerald and Pergamoy need money to continue their arcane research, so the adventuring party agrees after some discussion to set out early the next morning. Will provides a sketchy map of the area. Uldar returns to the chapel for a quick blessing.

Kada leads the way along the rutted road, with Gug close behind. Gerald and Pergamoy are less comfortable roughing it, but Uldor and Salami note that they should be able to afford pack animals — if they survive. A few hours later, the group finds a ravine deep in the woods.

Furry Kada follows a stream to a cave mouth, one of several in the gully’s limestone walls. Gerald casts Light on his ferret’s collar so that he and Uldor can keep up with the demihumans. The spelunkers are horrified when they realize that the crunching sound underfoot isn’t from pebbles or acorns but rather bones!

A large Owlbear lumbers toward them. Uldor invokes Pelor to cast Searing Light, drawing first blood. Pergamoy recites an incantation for Ray of Frost, stopping the unnatural beast in its tracks. However, the Owlbear uses its long arms to swing at Gug, biting the Dwarf.

Salami moves up and swings his warhammer, while Kada’s first sling stones miss. Gerald also casts Ray of Frost, but Uldar’s Radiant Lance and Pergamoy’s next Rays of Frost spells miss the Owlbear, which tries to rake at Salami.

The Dwarf Cleric shouts Moradin’s name in a battle cry and again strikes the Owlbear with his warhammer. Gug coordinates with Salami, timing his great axe’s blows. Kada slings more stones at the monster and then acrobatically slides between its legs to help wounded Uldar, who leans heavily on his staff.

Gerald casts Grease on the Owlbear, which doesn’t trip but is also unable to grab anyone in a bear hug. The wise Mage steps back as Pergamoy fires Magic Missiles. Gug is caught by the Owlbear’s claws, but Uldar blasts it with another Searing Light, felling the foul beast.

The explorers quickly search the cave, claiming electrum pieces and the Owlbear’s claws and beak as trophies (mainly for the Wizards). Salami notices that a pool in one corner leads to another cavern, so he ties a rope around himself, gives the other end to his companions, and wades in.

Salami surfaces in a stench-ridden cave, and he feels something slither past his legs. He hustles to a twig-covered shore and realizes that he has found a nest with another Owlbear! The ooze in the water has eaten the Dwarf’s rope, but Salami manages to hustle back to the rest of the party before it or the second Owlbear can catch him.

The party retreats from the caves and sets up camp for the night just outside the ravine. Pergamoy wonders why Will didn’t offer tents or bedrolls as Kada builds a campfire for Salami to dry out. Gug notices movement in the brush and warns her friends.

Six small Kobolds attack. Uldor calls upon Pelor as he casts Radiant Lance, while robed Pergamoy incinerates two of the doglike reptiles — or reptile-like canids — with Burning Hands. Salami, who hates all Goblinoids, smites another Kobold.

The three remaining creatures try to flee, but Kada drops one with a well-aimed sling stone. Gerald’s Ray of Frost takes care of another Kobold, but Gug misses wildly with his crossbow. Salami interrogates the last Kobold, who mentions that there is an Orc chieftan in the Caves of Chaos.

Gug dispatches the Kobold (demihumans and humanoids tend not to expect or grant quarter). Pergamoy asks whether the Owlbear nest is somehow connected to the humanoid tribes, but Uldor thinks that it is unlikely. Gerald recommends caution before returning to the caves, and Kada asks Salami to help keep watch while the injured attend to their wounds….

I hope that everyone who participated in this playtest enjoyed it, and I look forward to discussing and posting more feedback regarding the D&D Next rules. Depending on scheduling, we may continue with this scenario and these characters, either face to face or online. Don’t forget Free RPG Day, and take it easy, -Gene

Prometheus review

On Tuesday, 12 June 2012, I met fellow role-player Josh C. for dinner at Bombay Mahal on Moody Street in Waltham, Massachusetts. We then joined Thomas K.Y. & Kai-Yin H. at the Landmark Embassy Cinema for Prometheus. We enjoyed Ridley Scott’s prequel to the Alien franchise, despite the movie’s flaws.

The Prometheus
The Prometheus

Like its predecessors, Prometheus follows a ragtag group of humans on an interstellar vessel as they encounter murderous, parasitic aliens, or xenomorphs. (That’s shouldn’t come as a “spoiler” to anyone after 1979.) This time, Scott adds ruminations on the origins of humanity, religion, and more explicit parental conflict.

Prometheus is one of the most polished science fiction movies of the past few years, with believable late-21st century hardware and vehicles, majestic landscapes, and aliens and environments still inspired by H.R. Giger’s designs. Matte paintings, computer-generated images, practical props and miniatures, and costumes flowed (or, in some cases, oozed or slithered) seamlessly.

The casting and acting of Prometheus is also up to the standard set by the early entries in this series. Noomi Rapace (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows) is archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw, who follows ancient images to a distant and dangerous world. Bloodied and running around in her underwear in some scenes, she’s idealistic and tough much like Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley.

Idris Elba (The Wire, Thor) is Janek, the no-nonsense captain of the Prometheus, and Charlize Theron (Aeon Flux, Snow White and the Huntsman) is the icy Meredith Vickers, leader of the ill-fated Weyland prospecting expedition.

Michael Fassbender (Inglorious Basterds) gets many good scenes as ambiguous android David, following in the steps of Ian Holm and Lance Henrickson. Guy Pierce (The Time Machine) is nearly unrecognizable as Peter Weyland, aged co-founder of the Weyland megacorporation. None of the characters is as charismatic or sympathetic as Ripley.

Ridley Scott’s direction and the scale harken back to stately space opera epics like Dune, with a slow start and a symphonic soundtrack. The latter half of the movie is more of an action/horror flick, with some predictably stupid moves by members of Prometheus‘ crew, such as removing helmets before fully testing for toxins and biohazards.

Other than the aforementioned parental issues involving Shaw, David, and Vickers, the script and plot for Prometheus are serviceable but a bit predictable. The trailers for the movie gave away the result of some of the film’s battles. In the original Alien, a new type of body horror overwhelmed any need for suspension of disbelief, and in James Cameron’s Aliens, the Marines’ (futile) flight for survival kept viewers’ pulses racing. The second movie is my favorite.

The draw of later Alien movies, including crossovers with Predator, was to see which characters would die first and how. Prometheus only flirts with this schadenfreude, trying to juggle the big ideas of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the action/horror DNA of its predecessors, and post-Avatar expectations for “eye candy.” Its ending (avoiding “spoilers“) is more a pyrrhic victory than a triumph of human/android will or just another massacre of/by xenomorphs.

I’d give Prometheus, which is rated R for violence and language, 7 out of 10, a solid B, or three stars out of five. Prometheus is more mature speculative fiction than the underrated John Carter, but I’m not sure if it was more entertaining or if I’d care to see it again. Fans of the Alien franchise will want to see Prometheus on the big screen, even if lowbrow CGI comedy Madagascar beat it at the box office.