Symbaroum at LongCon2

Posted on June 11, 2016 by First Age

Preparations are underway for my full weekend game of Symbaroum at LongCon2 on the 9th and 10th July. I’m really excited to be able to give this game a proper run out and some intense game play.

Diving back into the book after a few months reminds me what a great setting we have here, full of adventure and mystery. I’m starting up character generation, only slightly perplexed by the way you should provide powers and rituals to characters. My starter characters will come into the first adventure with 20 experience points under their belt, which is enough to add in two new Novice level abilities or raise a Novice level to Adept. I’ve advised to add in new abilities to broaden avenues for the characters.

Andy and Jag have each created contrasting changeling characters, one infused in the witch tradition with an owl familiar, and the other a vicious duellist with some uncontrolled mystical power. What, I wonder, might be their connection? I’ll be posting up the characters as they start to come through.

One of the fantastic aspects to Symbaroum character generation is the completely free-form method of building capability. Archetypes are simply groupings of optimised abilities and preferred attributes to evoke that type in play. Everything is selectable, so that you can personalise your character to exactly the mix that you want.

In addition to rediscovering the detail of this fine game, I’m having fun printing and preparing handouts and table bling for the weekend. Now, I wouldn’t want anyone to think that I’m competing with Paul Baldowski in some sort of sad bling competition, oh my goodness no, however I shall prevail, oh yes, complete victory shall be mine… 🙂 Lovely to have both Paul (‘Bling’ as he shall be known) and Fil Baldowski from All Rolled Up joining as players for the full weekend, I’m rather honoured.

In fact I have been gifted one of their ARUs, all themed for Symbaroum to add to the weekend! Now, I know that GMs don’t need to roll, but I reckon I’ll have some polyhedral sets in there (Q-Workshop Elven Basic sets – also acquired from Fil) and I’ll be rolling for damage!

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UK Games Expo 2016

Posted on June 7, 2016 by First Age

I had a great time at Expo, and many thanks to all those that made it so, there are a lot of you!


My hotel was the Ibis International Airport, a short journey away from the venues. I really loved it. I liked the experience of travelling in for 20 minutes each day, going up to the first floor of the airport, taking the monorail shuttle to the airport and ambling down into the NEC. There was a certain delicious stillness to the NEC at midnight as I took the journey back. It further helped that the nightly rate was a third of the Hilton.



Thursday night Nandos with Elaine was a great start to the convention, really nice to catch up.



Friday morning was shopping. My haul by the close of the weekend was modest. A Symbaroum book, a few yin and yang, black and white, d10 for my Qin game and the digital copy of Era the Era the White Wolf Rip-Off SF game on a neat USB stick. I bought it on the strength of the enthusiasm of the stall and wanted to support them. I’ll look at the game in more detail another time. I got Gallic hugs from my mates on the Esteren stall, manly chat from d101, nice banter with Mike, Paul and Ian from Chaosium and had my ritual fondle of a Cubicle 7 book that I couldn’t buy because I’d pre-ordered from a game shop and it had yet to arrive.



Two highlights of my convention, the first of which was my Qin game on Friday afternoon in UK roleplayers central, Gladstone . It all went beautifully, and everyone seemed to have a really good time. Many thanks to all my players, who really made the game. You even allowed my NPCs to shine and join in the fun with you. Top! Qin doesn’t see a lot of table time at conventions, so it is tempting to run some more.



Friday evening quickly arrived and I decided to see what was around, and brought me into Mark Threlfall’s 7th Sea Kickstarter Quickstart game, Long Live the Prince. That proved to be a rather surreal experience. I wanted to try the game as I had jumped into the kickstarter along with half the global gaming community. The thought of being a swashbuckler and chewing through the narrative system beckoned. Sadly we jumped in and out of meta game with much grumbly dissection of the system, which Mark clearly didn’t like. I thought it a shame that he hadn’t run this using 1st ed 7thC, I think he might have enjoyed it more. As it was I didn’t get much of a game but a hint of a taster of the game, which held much potential and betrayed good signs of Houses of the Blooded.



Saturday morning was my pre-sign game, Nigel Clarke’s, The Vault of Ossaru, Runequest 6. I enjoyed this, and felt I contributed some system knowledge to help move the game along. The scenario focussed on two contrasting combats, which left me wanting to explore much more of the setting, that was based on a work by Clark Ashton Smith, in tales for Weird Fiction magazine.



Saturday afternoon had me and Darran mooch about eating, chatting and a bit of shopping.



I jumped in late to Ben Counter’s, Sleeper RPG – Operation Zenith on Saturday night. I had no idea what it was and it turned out to be a skirmish wargame with some skill rolls. The group were fun and cooperative, the game was incomprehensible, but Ben guided us through that with good knowledge. My overriding feeling about the system was that it did nothing remotely as well as Savage Worlds. Indeed Sleeper is even more grounded as a skirmish game, and not a great one from my viewpoint. Sorry, I really didn’t take to the system, but it didn’t stop me having some fun at the table and Ben ran a tight and well organised game



My Sunday morning game had no sign ups. A late inclusion, OSR fantasy light dungeon adventure. Declan signed up with his delightful 5 year old, Rupert, so I knew I had two players. Knowing this I had to adjust my expectations and hoped that I could bring out a game that the youngling could enjoy.

It was just the three of us, when the mother and the two ten year old girls arrived, having swapped out from another game. I knew then that I was in for an experience. One of the girls had a unicorn fixation, so I tried to work them in, as faerie ponies weren’t good enough. It was fairly anarchic and slightly larpy as I pulled my best grimaces and played up the situations as much as possible to highlight and signpost the action. I ditched quite a bit as I went, though probably should have excised a bit more. I dropped the game down to two hours. The Black Hack is fairly easy and they seemed to grasp what to do.

Young Rupert was outstanding, very into the game and picked out a big barbarian as a character to play and played him well.

My second top moment of Expo was when we reached the end of the scenario as they dispatched the wicked Fae sorceress and the three kids rushed over and beat me up!

The two girls were clearly being dumped, which I think is wrong and I was kicking myself at the end as I wasn’t clear what was safe once the game was over. They insisted they were fine, had mum’s number on their phones and would just go back to their room. I let it go, but actually worried quite a bit afterwards.

I’ll not forget the game in a hurry. Maybe I am stuck a little in the ‘GM as entertainer’ thing, sorry, but mostly hoped that I had presented a game that they could enjoy.
Sunday afternoon was a very pleasant chat and shop with Pete Griffith, where we spun around some game design thinking, a fine beer and then some final shopping.



I am very grateful to Mr Watson to allow me a ride home on the Geordie Fun Bus.

Personal circumstances next year may limit my attendance at cons, so I particularly enjoyed this year knowing I might not be able to make the next. The venue was great (heating issues to one side), with the split site working very well. The convention will continue to go from strength to strength.

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The Gray Hack

Posted on June 2, 2016 by First Age

My current gaming obsession appears to be The Black Hack (TBH). Over the past few weeks I have got enthused about using this small engine to drive a number of games, including a short campaign set in the realms of Midnight. In fairly short order TBH has spawned a whole host of hacks, embellishments, and whole new genre settings from grimy Victorian London to the glittering towers of corporate Cyberpunk. Amongst this eruption of creativity I have gathered a range of neat ideas to blend back in to TBH to make the game that I want around the table – The Gray Hack.

The ideas are, largely, not my own, but the blend and presentation will be. I will include my own take on fantasy races and a few minor tweaks to the classes and include some of my own. Armour will see some modifications along the lines of David Black’s ‘Additional Things’, though I’m still vacillating on which method to use. A simple skill system has been included along with some other clarifications and 13th Age loveliness.

At present this is just coalescing on a Google Doc, but in fairly short order the blend will be done and I can put it into some sort of layout, which will be a challenge. I’d like to try Scribus for this short and simple project, to get my hand in, but may just keep this to a PDF export from Docs as it is all very simple.

What will I do with The Gray Hack? In the end I’m not really sure how useful a careful blend of some of the neat ideas around TBH all placed into one little rulebook will be to anyone else but me. I’ll judge it when it is done. If nothing else it will be a fantastic and complete little book for me and my friends, which is probably good enough for me.

I’m of to UK Games Expo later this morning for a few days of gaming, shopping and schmoozing. Fantastic way to end my week off.

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Gnomes and Halflings of The Midnight Hack

Posted on May 22, 2016 by First Age

Gnomes are the resourceful and adaptable folk that have survived the onslaught of Izrador and carved out a usefulness as river traders, with their barges transporting goods and soldiery throughout the lands.

Here are a range of abilities for gnomes in Midnight. They are less powerful than their ancient cousins the Dwarves, but they have a subtle art of their own.

All Gnomes have the following abilities…

Gnomes are highly skilled at water craft and swimming. All boating, river navigation and swimming tests are rolled at an Advantage.

Gnomes are silken tongued and can talk their way out of any situation. All persuade, trader and bluff tests are rolled at an Advantage.

Gnomes have low-light Vision: Gnomes can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions out to Nearby.

Halflings are a race of tiny folk that some believe descended from the Danisil lineage of southern elvenkind.
They call themselves the Dunni, or “the people” in their own tongue.

All halflings have the following abilities…

Halflings have perfected the art of not being seen and so all hiding tests (DEX) are rolled at an Advantage.

Halflings are naturally athletic and graceful and so all athletics and tumbling tests (DEX) are rolled at an Advantage.

Halflings have low-light Vision: Gnomes can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions out to Nearby.

Agrarian Halflings…
Agrarian halflings have a natural affinity with the earth and healing. All agrarian based tests and healing tests are rolled at an Advantage.
Nomadic Halflings…
Nomadic halflings roll at an Advantage for all ride tests.
Nomadic halflings may begin play with an adult wogren mount, which they are bound to as allies. From this mount the halfling can fight without being at a Disadvantage.

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Return to Runequest

Posted on May 22, 2016 by First Age

It’s been a glorious return to Runequest over the past few weeks. I’m playing in Dr Mitch’s Saxons campaign for Mythic Britain, with everything you could possibly want for playing Germanic heroes questing for new lands, prestige and the honour of the gods.

We are playing using the up-to-date Design Mechnism’s Runequest 6 version of the game and my word is it a honed beauty. I remember my delight with this meticulously developed version of the game when it first came out. It really is the ultimate expression of the system for general use in a wide range of settings. I can’t wait to see the Design Mechnism forthcoming releases for the game, they promise to be very special, embodying the high quality writing of the two lead maestros and surrounding team.

I’d had an off-putting online experience of the game. Multiple magic systems and some uncertainties of application of the combat rules led to a slow, rather leaden, gameplay experience that seemed to indicate that RQ6 was just too heavy for its own good. Well, that has proven to be nonsense. The ’round the table’ experience was smooth, fast even, and provided that pulse quickening visceral feeling to combat that is such a feature of the Runequest name. I was bricking it. It remains the case that your characters are vulnerable to one good strike and that adequate armour can make just enough of a difference, some of the time.

Runequest 6 has got it all just about right. The d100 base chances are all going to be roughly in the early to mid 20s to give you a base to work from. Standard character generation has given me a couple of signature abilities at 70%, so I’m feeling competent with room to develop. Luck points are all kind of ace. They are your life savers and your opportunity grabbers, a finite resource to spend judiciously at the right moment. The group pool of two more gives us a buffer as a team if we are under pressure. Passions and augments were smoothly applied, giving a simple way to help another character under pressure or to tie in how you feel into what you are doing. Great stuff.

I like my magic low level and subtle. Runequest particularly excels in this kind of setting and my limited experience of Mythic Britain has got his down to a tee. I am, belatedly, trying to get a copy of the Mythic Britain book, so I’ll find out more about how RQ magic has been applied in the setting.

I’m still a fan of my own Age of Arthur and for Keltia, but Runequest 6 has given me another excuse to get out to Britannia to adventure. In a moment I’ll put the keyboard down and head off for a walk. My head is buzzing with setting ideas for Runequest. Some folk magic and maybe some sorcery, lots of danger and passion.

Juggling the excitement, I shall also get on with a few more entries in The Midnight Hack, to get us up and running in that dark and forlorn setting. Runequest 6 would work just as well.

Anyway, thanks to Pete and Loz for the excellent Runequest 6 / Mythras, and to Paul for a very cool game.

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Elves of the Midnight Hack

Posted on May 15, 2016 by First Age

Elves in the Midnight setting have many of the traits you would expect for these magical folk.
Here are a range of abilities for elves in Midnight. There will be other possibles, but this was turning into quite a big list. I’ve put something in for each of the elvish peoples just as with the dwarves

All elves have the following abilities…

Elves are incredibly vigilant. They roll at an Advantage for Listen, Search (WIS) and other awareness tests

Elves are incomparable archers. They roll at an Advantage when using bows (DEX).

Elves roll at an Advantage when climbing trees (STR).

Once per day an elf will automatically succeed at an attribute roll to resist the effects of Magic (INT).

Elf spellcasters roll at an Advantage when trying to keep their spell slots (INT).

Elves have low light vision and are able to see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions out to Far Away.

Caransil…

All Caransil are able to cast magic as if level 1 Channellers.

Caransil of the Channeller class gain an extra 1st level spell slot up to Level 4, An extra 2nd Level Spell slot from level 8, An extra Level 4 spell slot at level 9 and an extra level 5 slot at level 10.

Daransil…

Roll at an Advantage for Survival (CON) and Tracking (WIS) tests

Roll at an Advantage for Hide (DEX) and Move Silently (DEX) tests when in natural surroundings.

Roll at an Advantage when resisting Spirits, Ghosts and Wraiths attacks.

Gain the Brew Poison (INT)  Skill

Erunsil…

Advantage when resisting the effects of cold and exposure (CON)

Increase damage die by one step when damaging Orcs.

Miransil…

Roll at an Advantage when Swimming (STR)

Roll at an Advantage for any Seacraft tests

They hold their breath for 6 x CON Minutes.

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Dwarves of the Midnight Hack

Posted on May 14, 2016 by First Age

Dwarves in the Midnight setting have many of the traits you would expect for these doughty folk.
Here are a range of abilities for dwarves in Midnight. There will be other possibles, but this was turning into quite a big list. I’m also conscious that I have the Heroic Paths to translate too, and I expect that they will also provide an ability or two.

All dwarves have the following abilities…

Dwarves are incredibly resilient. Once per day a dwarf gains a 1d6 Usage die of natural armour. This can be used at will and reduces damage by the total rolled. On a 1-2 it reduces that much damage and depletes to a d4. The armour die is restored at the beginning of each day.

Once per day a dwarf will automatically succeed at a CON roll to resist the effects of Poison.

Once per day a dwarf will automatically succeed at an attribute roll to resist the effects of Magic.

Dwarf spellcasters roll at a Disadvantage when trying to keep their spell slots.
Increase damage die by one step when damaging Orcs.

Dwarves have infravision out to Nearby.

If a Clan Dwarf…

Roll at an Advantage when navigating underground (WIS)

Stonecunning: clan dwarves roll at an Advantage when crafting stone or detecting unusual stonework

If a Kurgan Dwarf…

Roll at an Advantage when climbing (STR)

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Humans of the Midnight Hack

Posted on May 10, 2016 by First Age
The humans of the realms of Midnight are in three groupings covered below.


My own take on The Black Hack borrows some ideas from the Whitehack, so I run The Gray Hack. Essentially each character has a Race and a Class (and a Heroic Path – but more on those for another post). The Race and Class act as ‘Groups’, spheres of knowledge that allows the PC to make straight Attribute checks on specialist areas that make sense for their groups. Other characters would be at a Disadvantage.


So, the Sarcosans have the skill Lore of Cities. They can make a straight INT test to know information about particular cities and their surroundings. Other PCs without this skill would be at a Disadvantage.


I’m not settled yet on the particular abilities, but these form some starter ideas. Characters are created by taking these steps:


Character Generation Options

  1. Choose where you are from
  2. Choose your Class
  3. Choose your Heroic Path

I use The Race Hack and The Class Hack. A number of versions of these are available. They add to TBH without weighing it down.




The Dorn
Start with +1d4 HP
Courageous when fighting with fellow Dorn. Advantage on Willpower tests (WIS) when fighting with 5 or more fellow Dorn.
Advantage with Lore of the Northlands (INT)
Advantage when resisting the effects of cold and exposure (CON)

The Sarcosans

Urban
Advantage when testing Gather Information (CHA) in cities
Advantage with the skill Lore of Cities (INT)

Plains
Advantage for Riding (DEX)
Mounted Combat. Can fight on horses without Disadvantage

Erenlanders


Craft: Gain one Craft or Trade skill to reflect that in the Last Age, life in central Erenland is hard, and men and women must develop useful trades and crafts at a young age simply to survive.


Learning: Gain advantage in any one skill. The Erenlanders are adept at learning and cunning and flexible in the application of it. Provide a story as to why the character has gained this learning.

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The Midnight Hack

Posted on May 4, 2016 by First Age

I have long wanted to run a game set in Fantasy Flight Game’s Midnight setting. This is Eeredane, a land which was subjugated by the Dark Lord Izrador a century ago. Now the land is his. Magic, learning and any sense of independence has been crushed and outlawed. A brave few heroes stand in the way of total subservience to the Dark Lord.

It struck me that this setting would be easy to run using The Black Hack. There would be a certain amount of simplification and conversion work.  I’d want to implement the Heroic Paths either as PC abilities gained over time (at alternate levels) or as a simple ability that they get from the start. The spell lists would also want looking at to reflect the magic now found in the crushed kingdoms. It would also be good to blend ideas from The Race Hack with the distinctive people of the settings to give them tailored abilities dependant on where they come from.

Of course, you could just convert on the fly, but I think a little bit of forethought will set-up a game well and enable a smoother use of the copious material.

If I can get going on this then I’ll label up any work I do on this blog with the Midnight tag so that you can see it together.

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The Character Sheet Ritual

Posted on April 30, 2016 by First Age

When I fall in love I invariably put a few character sheets together. I can see my new darling in all its sparkly glory. So it is with The Black Hack, the lightest and most focussed fantasy RPG that I have seen in a while. In fact its brevity creates some uncertainties with interpretation, and as such a character sheet forces it to straighten shoulders, look up and speak a little more clearly.

I’ve blended in the Class hack and The Race Hack, neither of which slow down the games, adding a number of additional abilities and some more variation. All good.

Having got the first character down, I need to knuckle down and create a brace of them for a convention game.

Me thinks a hangout game might also be in order.

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