tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47273010072809652022024-03-18T22:48:29.104-04:00The Society of Torch, Pole and RopeThe adventures of a prodigal DM attempting to return home.Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.comBlogger841125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-66808812104002386272015-10-27T07:36:00.000-04:002015-10-27T07:36:43.697-04:00Stonehell Dungeon: Into the Heart of Hell On Sale Now<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The day many undoubtedly believed would never arrived is
finally here! The sequel to the original </i>Stonehell Dungeon: Down Night-Haunted
Halls<i> is available for purchase via Lulu in both hardcopy and PDF. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-Sfbm92QZq5IqxG9ZgUFJyNzIbY2jYkiYZCPmtr0zJ-MVNnWofJZKuYjwzevRkRw5vDfcalhDVt1thQNYtaaxpCBu3pIr6ZvoNxZaPlrVxTuLWu4AkhHgKjycBYDiHVaz8y4TOUK_Tw/s1600/sh2_promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-Sfbm92QZq5IqxG9ZgUFJyNzIbY2jYkiYZCPmtr0zJ-MVNnWofJZKuYjwzevRkRw5vDfcalhDVt1thQNYtaaxpCBu3pIr6ZvoNxZaPlrVxTuLWu4AkhHgKjycBYDiHVaz8y4TOUK_Tw/s320/sh2_promo.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<i><b>Stonehell Dungeon: Into the Heart of Hell </b></i>is the
long-awaited sequel to <i>Stonehell Dungeon: Down Night-Haunted Halls.</i> This book
contains the final five dangerous levels of the titanic megadungeon, revealing
Stonehell’s most terrifying secrets. <i>Stonehell Dungeon: Into the Heart of Hell</i>
contains almost 600 dungeon rooms filled with monsters, traps, and treasure for
the players to explore, more than 70 unique monsters to challenge them, and 13
new magical items to mystify them. This book also contains complete information
on the dungeon’s sinister master, the nixthisis, and full details on the
mysterious chthonic substance known as Vaedium.</div>
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<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
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<i><b>Stonehell Dungeon: Into the Heart of Hell</b></i> is part of the
Stonehell Dungeon series of adventures detailing a classic-style megadungeon
intended for use with the Labyrinth Lord™ role-playing game, but easily
adaptable to most early versions of the original fantasy role-playing game and
its retro-clones. Stonehell Dungeon gives the game master all the necessary
information to run his players through the dungeon, while offering enormous
opportunities to customize and expand on the site.</div>
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<br />
This is not a stand-alone product. <i>Stonehell Dungeon: Down
Night-Haunted Halls i</i>s required to get the full use out of this adventure
supplement.</div>
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Truth in Advertising Disclaimer: There are less than a dozen
instances in the printed version of this supplement where the numeral “7” is
distorted due to Lulu’s printing methods. Despite numerous efforts to resolve
the issue, it persists. The distortion doesn’t affect the usability of the supplement,
but if this minor glitch might impact your enjoyment of the book, please
consider purchasing the PDF edition.</div>
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Color cover, b/w interior, 168 pp.</div>
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Hardcopy Edition ($18.00+shipping): <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-curtis/stonehell-dungeon-into-the-heart-of-hell/paperback/product-22415728.html" target="_blank">Available Here</a> </div>
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PDF Edition ($9.00):
<a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-curtis/stonehell-dungeon-into-the-heart-of-hell/ebook/product-22415806.html" target="_blank">Available Here</a></div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-57148169002390198542015-10-15T13:10:00.001-04:002015-10-15T13:10:38.269-04:00Stonehell Dungeon: Into the Heart of Hell On Sale Oct. 27th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TTz6pfmDs3SAfyKb7Juq5ng2kQGeNBupamhWIw4R_AJdgcoAI5k1OMMZQ2pHG6C2HNF_qz3_052AAQ5MYtmiGPC8gM8ikzePPCEykMrMLycy_3IbVYKxJrFHoQqIZlrVfd8yPtv6asM/s1600/sh2_promo_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TTz6pfmDs3SAfyKb7Juq5ng2kQGeNBupamhWIw4R_AJdgcoAI5k1OMMZQ2pHG6C2HNF_qz3_052AAQ5MYtmiGPC8gM8ikzePPCEykMrMLycy_3IbVYKxJrFHoQqIZlrVfd8yPtv6asM/s400/sh2_promo_web.jpg" width="337" /></a></div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-84381509707662524352015-10-06T13:21:00.002-04:002015-10-06T13:21:51.471-04:00Something stirs…<div class="MsoNormal">
In the darkness, the dead dream. What was believed held in
Death’s firm embrace rouses itself in the night-haunted halls and gloomy
chambers deep under the earth. </div>
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It is coming.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-44116845954874203762014-06-15T13:48:00.000-04:002014-06-15T13:48:02.081-04:00Dexcon 17 and OSWARP in New Jersey (July 4th Weekend)<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="http://www.dexposure.com/dexcon17.html"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlfkgAsPNuQdEvhX9JwKWiM_VMNlTh6Sk9CD2LyNZMmMZJZ191TsE2yVfOtRgKiGzQaTK2oFQU0HfphXynmM3XI_1A2zAZ0le_RASPp_QNdA4NbMjmzMiu8fuT5fVxCgrxQ_62zScCGIk/s1600/oswarp2014-72.png" title="" /></a></div>
On Fourth of July weekend, I’ll be heading across the mighty Hudson River
to the hinterlands of Northern New Jersey for <a href="http://www.dexposure.com/dexcon17.html">DEXCON</a>, specifically to take
part in <a href="http://oswarpconvention.blogspot.com/">OSWARP</a> (Old School Wargames and Role-Playing) mini-convention. It will
be playtests galore as I bring the first two parts of <i>The Four Phantasmagorias</i> DCC RPG adventure series to the table, and
the second playtest of my upcoming METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA adventure. Event
registration is now live, so if you’re in the tri-state area and looking for
some Old-School gaming (and are free Fourth of July weekend), consider coming
on down.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In addition to my own humble presence with DCC RPG and MA, old-school games
such as D6 Star Wars, classic Traveller, Swords & Wizardry, Stars Without
Number, OD&D, AD&D, Adventures Dark & Deep, Call of Cthulhu, and
Champions are on tap, as are a bevy of new school games and classic wargames. I’m
still hashing out the details of my weekend, but I’ll certainly be around for
Thursday, Friday, and part of Saturday.</div>
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Here’s the scoop on what I’m running:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>R0235</b>:
Dungeon Crawl Classics; "The First Phantasmagoria" presented by
Michael Curtis. An OLD SCHOOL Game - Part of the OSWARP Mini-Convention at
DEXCON 17! Strange symbols appear on you flesh and the most learned minds in
the realm cannot fathom why. Perhaps those eldritch priests who serve the Great
Dreaming God, Cthulhu, can help decipher them. What could possibly go wrong
there? "The First Phantasmagoria" is the beginning adventure in a
multi-part adventure saga from Goodman Games.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Thursday, 8:00PM - 12:00AM</b>; One Round; All Materials Provided. Beginners Welcome; Fun,
All Ages. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>R0269</b>:
METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA (1976); "Level of the Lost" presented by Michael
Curtis. An OLD SCHOOL Game - Part of the OSWARP Mini-Convention at DEXCON 17! A
formerly sealed section of the Warden has been opened and rumor has it that one
of the fable command rings awaits beyond the entrance. Does your band of
explorers have what it takes to overcome the hazards of the Level of the Lost
and emerge with this potent artifact? This adventure is highly dangerous, but
highly fun!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Friday, 2:00PM - 6:00PM</b>; One Round; All Materials Provided. Beginners Welcome; Fun,
All Ages. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>R0288</b>:
Dungeon Crawl Classics; "The Second Phantasmagoria" presented by
Michael Curtis. An OLD SCHOOL Game - Part of the OSWARP Mini-Convention at
DEXCON 17! Venture back to the Drowse to enter the Forest of Childish Delights.
Inside lies another part of your quest for the Four Phantasmagorias. But things
(and people) turn weird once they cross the verge of the woods, so be forewarned.
This may make overcoming the eclectic collection of enemies birthed from
bloodstained fairy tales a tad difficult to overcome. "The Second
Phantasmagoria" is the second adventure in a multi-part adventure saga
from Goodman Games.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Friday, 8:00PM - 12:00AM</b>; One Round; All Materials Provided. Beginners Welcome; Fun,
All Ages.</blockquote>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hope to see some familiar
faces (I know I will just looking at the folks who are running games) and to
meet new gamers. Feel free to bring stuff for me to deface if you want my
scrawl on something. Depending on my final schedule, I may actually play something
this time around, too.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-81668367243678275862014-05-15T11:04:00.000-04:002014-05-15T11:34:46.774-04:00The Chained Coffin Kickstarter or Your Fantasy Appalachia Campaign in a Box<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a Kickstarter currently
underway for my forthcoming DCC RPG adventure <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/dungeon-crawl-classics-the-chained-coffin">DCC
#83 The Chained Coffin.</a> Why is Goodman Games conducting a Kickstarter
rather than simply publishing the adventure as they’ve done eighty-two times
before? Good question.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It began with a little puzzle lock
idea I included in the original manuscript. An ancient and long-sealed door
bears a combination lock puzzle that needs bypassing in order to get through
the mighty valve. My initial plan was to have the puzzle illustrated in three
pictures that could be printed out or photocopied, and then the judge would
assemble the wheel by hand to give to the players to monkey with. Joseph
Goodman thought we could go one better and inquired with the printers whether
it was possible to create such an item and have it included with the adventure.
It was, but it would take a little doing, and thus the Chained Coffin
Kickstarter campaign was launched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/dungeon-crawl-classics-the-chained-coffin" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmlD_GmVCXV6qlPi_9RkaL3BcqeVFcrtYo45B5cwTN3U83yPVJEw0RUY_xXhGZnmu83E5oW7dPZeNrgz0nzBiDdFFRzKWGcBf6gkPSs47FqMTGWHiT351JMGkOEYHp5_5HzAsZhKcYFw/s1600/chained.jpg" height="320" title="" width="246" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That was the humble beginning of a
project that is now dreaming big dreams and asking the DCC fans for help
achieving that objective. Joseph and I discussed various stretch goals to help
drive the Kickstarter, and I admitted that I had a lot of stories waiting to be
told in the Shudder Mountains, that fantasy Appalachia analog inspired by the
works of Appendix N author, Manly Wade Wellman. I originally told Joseph that
if the adventure proved popular, I’d like to revisit the setting again in a
sequel. If all goes well, I might not have to wait that long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It has come to pass that <i>The Chained Coffin</i> may be destined for
greater things that a simple 32 pp. adventure. If the fans desire it, <i>The Chained Coffin</i> could become a
mini-campaign boxed set, one that includes a large 11”x17” regional map, a
gazetteer describing the Shudder Mountains, and, in addition to <i>The Chained Coffin </i>adventure, a pair of
secondary adventures designed to begin play in the region as zero-level PCs and
to encounter later in their adventuring careers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Needless to say, if this “campaign
in a box” idea becomes a reality and is well-received by the fans, it may begin
a new trend with DCC RPG. People have been clamoring for an official DCC RPG
campaign world (whether a new one or a revised version of Aereth, Goodman’s
original campaign world for the 3E DCC adventures) and this could be the first
of several steps to make that happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">DCC RPG encourages judges to
abandon the notion that the campaign world needs to be a vast, sprawling
expanse filled with countless cities and diverse ecospheres. Instead, DCC RPG
suggests taking a smaller approach and limiting the campaign to a compact
region, like a duchy, a minor stretch of wilderness, or even a single valley.
The Shudder Mountains are precisely this style of world design: a finite area
filled with enough adventuring ideas, unusual locals, and unique critters to
meet the needs of long-term play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A series of “campaign boxes” would
allow judges to pick and choose what they want to include in their campaign
worlds, rather than be given the full world treatment common to most
pre-packaged fantasy campaigns. To continue with an Appalachian-themed
metaphor, you’d get the patches to make the quilt rather than the whole
blanket, and could assemble them using only the squares of color that catch
your interest. Not into Egyptian-themed adventuring regions? Then there’s no
need to spend the buy that campaign module (although if I wrote that one, I
hope you would anyway). Love the idea of sword-and-planet type adventures? Pick
up the hypothetical “Perils of the Purple Planet” themed set. And so on down
the line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This way, the folks who want a
sense of a shared campaign world could have one—if they so desired—while the
maniacal homebrewed campaign designer could pick and choose, utilizing material
from the sets that captured their interest whole cloth or just the portions
they liked. It’s an interesting concept and I believe it would be useful to
game masters of not just DCC RPG, but other fantasy games as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As it stands now, <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/dungeon-crawl-classics-the-chained-coffin">The
Chained Coffin Kickstarter</a> needs to meet a goal of $36,000 dollars to make
the boxed set a reality. But even if it fails to hit that mark in the
two-weeks-and-change remaining, there’s still a plethora of goodies already
funded. As of this morning, a $30 pledge entitles you to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) <i>DCC RPG #83 The Chained Coffin</i> with a special silver foil cover.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) A stand-alone spinning wheel
puzzle dial along with five other ways to utilize the device in your campaign
beyond the original door lock.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) Additional source material
including a patron write-up for “Ol’ Blackcloak,” a powerful entity encountered
in the adventure.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4) A mini-gazetteer of the Shudder
Mountains region.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) Several pages of added random
encounters in the Shudder Mountains.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6) Two full pages of <a href="http://www.dougkovacs.com/home.html">Doug Kovacs’</a> illustrated player
handouts.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7) Seven alternate versions of the
Bad Lick Beast, another challenging denizen of the Shudder Mountains.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">8) Two more pages of player
handouts.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">9) A zero-level adventure complete
with Shudder Mountain regional starting occupations.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">10) The Almanac of the Shudder
Mountains (working title) that compiles the additional background material into
a single, digest-sized supplement for ease of reference during play. The
Almanac includes several new monsters waiting to meet the players.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Still awaiting funding are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">11) <b>$18,000:</b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%;">The Almanac will be expanded to include Magic of the
Shudder Mountains. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">12) <b>$20,000:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%;">The Almanac will be upgraded to 24 pages of normal letter-sized
pages, and will be expanded to include even more gazetteer material. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">13) <b>$25,000:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%;">We'll add in another mini-adventure in the Shudder Mountains
that fills the gap between your level 0 characters and the level 5 Chained
Coffin module.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">14) <b>$30,000:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%;">The Almanac will be expanded with another 8 pages of gazetteer
material further expanding the Shudder Mountain region.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">15) <b>$35,000:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%;">We'll print an 11"x17" poster map of the Shudder
Mountains region.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">16) <b>$36,000:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span style="color: #121a0d; line-height: 115%;">We'll print a full-color box to hold it all! The Shudder
Mountains gazetteer and adventure path will be complete. This two-part box
(i.e., complete with "box and lid," both in color) will hold your
copy of the module, the Almanac, the poster map, and the bonus mini-adventure.
With some room to spare!<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #121a0d; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">I’m immensely proud
of the work I’ve done with the Shudder Mountains. You can hear me gush about
the project a bit on the <a href="http://spellburn.com/2014/05/12/episode-22-kickstarting-a-chained-coffin/">latest
Spellburn podcast</a> (note that the stretch goal tiers have been reduced in
cost since that episode was recorded—you get an even better deal for your money!).
It’s not every day one gets the play in a world inspired by the evocative works
of Manly Wade Wellman and transform 1950s Appalachia into a fantasy setting. I
summed up the experience and <i>The Chained
Coffin</i> itself in a piece I penned for last year’s Goodman Games Gen Con
program:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #121a0d; padding: 0in;">One of the great joys of writing DCC RPG adventures comes from the
game’s commitment to remaining true to the classic pulp-era fantasy and
science-fiction stories that inspired fantasy roleplaying, the so-called “Appendix
N” tales. And while “sword & sorcery” yarns comprise the lion’s share of
Appendix N, they are not the only types of stories found within it. The Chained
Coffin derives its inspiration from American folklore, as perceived through the
atmospheric works of Manly Wade Wellman. You’ll find no kobolds and orcs in The
Chained Coffin, but plenty of restless ghosts, shunned witches and conjure-men,
and devils willing to make a deal at midnight, all set against a backdrop of
superstition-filled mountains and secluded hollows where the still air smells
of pine trees. Heady stuff, indeed, and a far cry from your traditional fantasy
RPG fare.</span></i><span style="color: #121a0d;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #121a0d; padding: 0in;">The Chained Coffin stands as my favorite DCC RPG adventure to
date. The opportunity to create and then dwell for a time within a region more
at home in the eons-old Appalachian Mountains than the fantastical landscapes
of Tolkien, Howard, Moorcock, and Leiber was a designer’s dream. Hopefully, my
personal enjoyment will be shared by you, the judge and player. So gather ‘round
the fire, friends, pass the jug this way, and bend an ear to the music of the
mountains. There are both horrors and wonders waiting in the Deep Hollows and,
if you listen close at midnight, you might just hear a tune or two played on a
lonesome fiddle strung with silver strings…</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #121a0d;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #121a0d; font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">I’m looking forward
to the opportunity to expand on the material I’ve already conjured up.
Hopefully, if share an interest and want to be part of it, we’ll make the boxed
set a reality. Please share this post or the Kickstarter page with similar
like-minded folk if you would. I’d be most appreciative if you help me turn the
Shudder Mountains into a place that spawns a hundred new DCC RPG campaigns. I’ll
sign off now and let you go <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/dungeon-crawl-classics-the-chained-coffin">take
a gander at the Kickstarter</a> and weigh your decision. But before you depart,
allow Leadbelly to put you in the appropriate state of mind:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/a6yCEsDsGx4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Thanks, friends. See you in the Shudders.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-43282084005610265302014-05-03T10:02:00.004-04:002014-05-03T10:02:50.363-04:00The Last, Long Mile of the Stonehell 2 Journey I've been keeping the masses informed about the progress of the <i>Stonehell Dungeon</i> sequel over on the books' <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/128321553895980/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/106062648861214319620/106062648861214319620/posts">Google+</a> pages, but new milestones have been reached. I thought I'd share that report here, along with a preview of the cover art and links to other associated projects.<br />
<br />
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<b>Stonehell Two Status Report (5.3.14)</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m extremely pleased to break the month-long silence with
news that all the last elements of the book are coming together. As predicted,
I didn’t have much to report as the book’s progress relied on other people’s
contributions and wasn’t directly in my hands. It amazing how things move
forward when I’m not the one responsible for pushing the project along. This
report brings us two big pieces of news: the finalization of the sequel’s cover
art and the edited manuscript back in hand. <o:p></o:p></div>
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J.A. D’Andrea, who did the cover of the first Stonehell
book, is providing the cover art for the sequel. I’m always greatly impressed
by J.A.’s work, but his piece for the sequel really struck a chord. He did a magnificent
job of expressing the depths of Stonehell Dungeon and the strange mentality
that accompanies those who tread its halls. I’m proud to feature this one on
the cover, not only because it’s good, but because having J.A.’s work reappear
makes a nice book-end for the Stonehell series. Other pieces of art are also
trickling in, meaning that I’ll soon have all the components needed to push on
to final layout.<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6daAg31wb4iWJ70dG3FWkxqKbX9xuPRJJu8vtFmoPQ-9pcMJk-XnaLGiBpozArO4BOBzizrxt1V8qlcC-tKLX0SdixjdrKsBDr5ARqIXz0YD4P9lmbvOzK24KZPsV0B9y8_VTLtFP43A/s1600/sh2_small_teaser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6daAg31wb4iWJ70dG3FWkxqKbX9xuPRJJu8vtFmoPQ-9pcMJk-XnaLGiBpozArO4BOBzizrxt1V8qlcC-tKLX0SdixjdrKsBDr5ARqIXz0YD4P9lmbvOzK24KZPsV0B9y8_VTLtFP43A/s1600/sh2_small_teaser.jpg" /></a></div>
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I have also received the edited manuscript back from the
outside editor. I’m happy to report that my own three passes over the draft
were not in vain and that the editor found only minor corrections that need to
be implemented. This was a great relief, as my mind always suspects the worse
when I send things off for others to review. However, in this case at least,
the worry was unfounded. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here’s what remains to be done on the punch list:<o:p></o:p></div>
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1) Implement the minor changes required by the manuscript.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2) Collect the last stray pieces of art.<o:p></o:p></div>
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3) Finalize the layout by adding the art, tweaking the
format, and including the various legalese, index, credits, and “special thanks
to” sections.<o:p></o:p></div>
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4) Compose the cover.<o:p></o:p></div>
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5) Get a printer’s proof made and review it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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6) Make any final changes required by the proof.<o:p></o:p></div>
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7) Publication.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As you can see, there’s still a little work to be done, but
we’re heading into the last mile of the journey. Unfortunately, and you knew
there had to be an “unfortunately” if you’ve been following this project, I’m
running into a time crunch. The success of the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/metamorphosis-alpha-deluxe-hardcover-collectors-ed?ref=card">Metamorphosis
Alpha Kickstarter</a> left me with a few pressing projects that need completion
ASAP. I need to get these off my plate before I can attend to the sequel. I
also have <a href="http://ntrpgcon.com/">North Texas RPG Con</a> in a month and
must complete the last adventure that needs writing before I get on the plane
for Dallas (space remains in at least two of my games if you’re interested). I’d
hoped to be able to debut <i>Stonehell 2</i> at North Texas, but, barring a miracle of
time and effort, I doubt this will occur. Rest assured, I’m eager to complete
Stonehell 2 and bid a fond farewell to the project. I’ll continue to push ahead
when I can and I’ll keep you informed of my progress.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once again, I thank you for your patience, but know that we’re
almost there. In the meantime, I ask anyone who enjoys my work to check out the
latest Goodman Games’ <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/dungeon-crawl-classics-the-chained-coffin">Kickstarter
for <i>The Chained Coffin</i></a>, a new adventure penned by me that centers on a hexcrawl
through a “fantasy Appalachia” as inspired by the work of Manly Wade Wellman.
<i>The Chained Coffin</i> is one of my favorite works to date and I think it
demonstrates admirably the goal of <i>DCC RPG</i> going back to the source material of
the hobby and doing new and interesting things with the Appendix N material.<o:p></o:p></div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-2716495304253617642014-04-09T10:58:00.000-04:002014-04-09T11:15:10.828-04:00METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA: 1976<div class="MsoNormal">
You may have heard the news already, but I’ve yet to chime
in on the latest announcement by <a href="http://www.goodmangames.com/">Goodman
Games</a> that emerged from the chaos of <a href="http://garycon.com/index.php">Gary
Con VI</a>. Yes, it’s true: the original METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA rules as written
by James. M. Ward is being re-released in a <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/metamorphosis-alpha-deluxe-hardcover-collectors-ed?ref=card">deluxe
collector’s edition!</a><br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/metamorphosis-alpha-deluxe-hardcover-collectors-ed?ref=card"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-hJ73mVFpIRrrtJ0jBkqeE3F1wvBbSEZmbe0_0cb9K9SLbi8Bhwb_-VXzk_l7hpLXX_0QfNbk5J9FL4CQzYroOyixzkdUiHbw1mkZhvlE9vmKkfoAFZdh4wH6YxgnnHC83TdEGs5G7M/s1600/ma_kick.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Late last year, I started receiving some very cryptic emails
from Joseph Goodman inquiring about my familiarity with METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA. I
knew the game, and had the uncommon honor of adventuring aboard the Warden
three times under Jim Ward’s mastery without the loss of life or limb. I was
hoping these email were leading in the direction they seemed to be going, and,
sure enough, once the legalities and contracts were obtained, I got the invite
to climb aboard the doomed Warden for another go-around.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For those of you unfamiliar with METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA, it is
the original science-fiction roleplaying game released by TSR back in 1976. You
play the role of a primitive tribesman aboard the generational starship, the
Warden, bound for a distant star. Generations ago, catastrophe struck the
Warden, killing a large percentage of the crew and colonists, and mutating many
of the survivors. Over time, those left alive on the Warden forgot their
original mission and plunged into a state of barbarism. The decline of
civilization was so thorough that the survivors forgot they were aboard a
starship, and developed tribal communities in self-contained levels of the ship
that defined their entire world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As a player character, you begin the game in these small
enclosed worlds but eventually discover the truth of your predicament, acquiring
knowledge of the Warden and learning to use many of the weird artifacts
(lasers, vibro blades, Geiger counters, etc.) left behind by the original crew.
If you survive long enough (a difficult task given the hostility of the mutated
creatures that prowl the ship and the lethality of radiation still lingering in
places), you may eventually gain control of the ship and perhaps even guide it
to safety on a new world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Although METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA didn’t have a long printing
life during the TSR days, the game, unlike the PCs who explore the Warden,
proved notoriously hard to kill. METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA is the urtext for GAMMA
WORLD, and many of the mutations, mutants, and technology found in that first
post-apocalyptic roleplaying game first appeared in MA. And like GAMMA WORLD, a
game which has gone through seven or eight editions, METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA
endured beyond its original print run. TSR released a version of the game for
it AMAZING ENGINE system in 1994, Fast Forward Entertainment published a 25<sup>th</sup>
anniversary edition in 2002, Mudpuppy Games produced the fourth edition in
2006, and there is currently work on a 5<sup>th</sup> edition of MA by Signal
Fire Games. On top of all this, the original 1976 rulebook is <a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?manufacturers_id=2191">available for
download</a> and <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/james-m-ward/metamorphosis-alpha/paperback/product-1647436.html">print-on-demand</a>
from WardCo.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jYgK8K8eNro?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
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“So why in the blazes in Goodman Games producing a deluxe collector’s
edition of the original rules?” you might ask. The answer is based on playability,
longevity, and historical importance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The original rules, as available from WardCo., are identical
to the 1976 TSR release—and that includes the minute font they were printed in.
If you’ve never seen the original rulebook, the type is very small and the
layout is in dual column format. That might have been a good idea in 1976, but
as many gamers get older, their eyes aren’t what they used to be and the tiny
type becomes difficult to decipher. The Goodman Games print run will be an
oversized 10.5” x 14” book, allowing the original rules to be printed at 110%
size. This will alleviate the eyestrain factor.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Goodman Games version also collects a vast amount of
material released for METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA under a single cover. Magazine
articles about the game, James M. Ward’s short story, “Footprints in the Sky,”
a new introductory adventure, special advice essays written especially for the
deluxe edition, and other useful material will all be compiled in the Goodman
Games edition. To ensure this material survives, say exposure to cosmic
radiation (or regular game use), the deluxe edition will utilized high-quality
binding, that used by collegiate text, to keep the book intact for decades to
come. It’s a book you’ll be proud to have as part of your RPG collection, yet
tough enough to actually use at the table.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The collector’s edition release also allows Goodman Games to
provide support for METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA in the form of published adventures,
something that MA has been lacking for many years. Four (and maybe five if the
Kickstarter hits its stretch goals) adventures released by Goodman Games are
planned for METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA in the coming year. The first, <i>The Android Underlords</i>, was available
for purchase at Gary Con VI and was written by yours truly. The opportunity to
contribute even a little bit to the Warden’s long history was a dream come true
for me, and when the creator of the game praised the adventure, it was a fan’s
dream come true. If Jim likes it, you know it’s both good and worthy of bearing
the METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA title on the cover.<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hm4Er1B13rVXzMxwMzlWZBcnyfFVi8CZkNoCkGVUsyPmNBVmTX-0yAMq7ZIXCFF0kJcRWi4sxUWc3R5BjW2L7nZZn_BEgnq2iZZF7FofX3M9HwxhRbnkjo3hKZRv4N3_fFKdU1bc9HY/s1600/android.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hm4Er1B13rVXzMxwMzlWZBcnyfFVi8CZkNoCkGVUsyPmNBVmTX-0yAMq7ZIXCFF0kJcRWi4sxUWc3R5BjW2L7nZZn_BEgnq2iZZF7FofX3M9HwxhRbnkjo3hKZRv4N3_fFKdU1bc9HY/s1600/android.jpg" height="400" width="307" /></a></div>
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Once the Kickstarter funds, there will be another three
adventures produced, one by Jobe Bittman, another by me, and a third by the
captain of the Warden, himself, James M. Ward. Should the Kickstarter hit
$37,000, a fifth adventure, author to be determined, will be published as well.
Even if you decide that the collector’s edition isn’t your cup of tea, you
might consider contributing to the Kickstarter to get the complete run of
adventures, all of which can be played with the WardCo version of the rules or
easily adapted to other RPG systems (like DCC RPG, for instance!).</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Before I go, it bears mentioning that the deluxe collector’s
edition is being produced under a license that allows a <b>single printing</b> of the book. Once this run is gone, so is the
deluxe version. Those who don’t get aboard the Kickstarter now will have to
rely on the secondary markets—where it will command an extravagant price—to obtain
a copy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Hopefully, my ramblings have piqued your interest enough to
back the Kickstarter, but if not, there are other ways to get involved with the
original science-fiction RPG. Consider checking out one or more of the
following METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA forums for more information about the game and to
meet like-minded mutants:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Official <a href="http://www.metamorphosisalpha.net/phpBBv3/index.php">METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA
forum</a> <br />
The Goodman Games forum’s <a href="http://www.goodman-games.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=80&sid=55bea8a445489b984a45e54289875ab7">METAMORPHOSIS
ALPHA section</a> <br />
The METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/MetamorphosisAlphaRPG/">Facebook Group</a><br />
The Google+ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/116604194143817399386">METAMORPHOSIS
ALPHA Community</a></span><br />
<!--[endif]--></span>Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-24942072563718932162014-03-23T09:30:00.000-04:002014-03-23T09:30:17.567-04:00Gary Con VI Bound<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m leaving for the still-wintery Midwest on Wednesday,
travelling once again to Lake Geneva, WI to attend <a href="http://garycon.com/index.php">Gary Con VI</a>. This year’s convention
looks to be a good one for both myself and Goodman Games.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m bringing three new <i>DCC
RPG</i> adventures to playtest: <i>The
Forging of the Ghost Ring, The First Phantasmagoria</i>, and <i>The Second Phantasmagoria</i>. In addition
to these three titles, I’ll be running <i>Not
Another Night on the Town,</i> the follow-up to the “street crawl” adventure I
took on tour with me in 2013. Unfortunately for anyone looking to register at
the con, all the seats for those games are filled, but if you’re going to be at
the Lodge and are looking to experience <i>DCC
RPG</i>, Doug Kovacs will be running various pick-up games during the weekend. One
way or another, if you want to play <i>DCC
RPG</i>, we’ll find a way to make it happen.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On Friday morning, there will be a special seminar in the
bar entitled “What’s New with Goodman Games?” This hour-long event features the
Goodman Games’ crew unveiling our secret plans for 2014 and 2015, including a
first look at forthcoming art and adventures. The event culminates with the
announcement of a “hush hush” project that I’m excited to be part of. A Very Special
Guest will join us to help make that announcement. I can say no more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To add to my already busy schedule, I’ll be running two
unofficial game sessions over the weekend. Wednesday night is the return of my <i>Completely Unofficial Pre Gary Con Gamma
World Game</i> and Sunday night will see <i>Down
Where the Dead Men Go</i>, a <i>Call of
Cthulhu</i> game set in my Wildwyck County setting featured in <i>Fight On!</i> magazine. If you’re arriving
early or staying late at the Lodge, track me down and I’ll squeeze you in if
there’s room.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m looking forward to seeing a number of old friends and
meeting new ones. As always, if you’ve got something you want me to deface with
my scrawl, just ask. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ll see some of you in three days!<o:p></o:p></div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-7572907797365689312014-03-23T09:02:00.000-04:002014-03-23T09:02:36.014-04:00Stonehell 2 Update<div class="MsoNormal">
It has been awhile since I posted anything here regarding
the progress of Stonehell 2 (or about anything else for that matter). Most of
the status reports have been shared via the Stonehell Facebook page and the
Google+ page, but I’ve let the blog go fallow. My apologies for that to
everyone who chooses to avoid social media. Let me correct my error.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The manuscript and maps for Stonehell 2 are finished and the
book is in rough layout. After a couple of editing passes by myself, the book
is now in the hands of an outside editor for a final editing and proofing pass.
Once this is complete and the last corrections are implemented, I’ll be ready
to move the book into the final layout phase in preparation for getting a
printer’s proof.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m expecting to have all the art by the end of April, and
using May to do the layout and proofing of the book. If things go according to
plan, I intend to have Stonehell 2 out in the first weekend of June to coincide
with NTRPG Con. I’ll have copies in hand down in Texas and the book and PDF
will be available through the usual venues.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Needless to say, I’m anxiously looking forward to getting
the sequel out into the wild, bringing a project with began five years ago to a
long-overdue conclusion. I hate leaving things unfinished and I’m ecstatic
Stonehell has defied the obstacles and reached the end of its journey. As we
get closer to the finish line, I’ll post here again to keep you up to date on
the status of the sequel.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let me once again extend my thanks for your patience and
support, and I hope you enjoy the final Stonehell book as much as the first.<o:p></o:p></div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-29237917337840612462013-10-18T10:11:00.002-04:002013-10-18T10:11:18.100-04:00Post-Fundraiser Stonehell Sequel Status ReportThis is a brief update for the period immediately following
the <b><i>Save
Stonehell Fundraiser </i></b>from last week. As promised, now that I’ve
restored myself to the 21<sup>st</sup> century and have the means to continue
working on the dungeon, I’ve spent the last seven days getting back to
business. Some time was spent acquiring my new system and the programs needed
to access and edit the existing draft of the sequel and its map components, but,
despite that, the project moves along.<div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As of this morning, three more quadrants are completed,
meaning their maps saw their final tweaks, the drafts went through preliminary
edits, and they been added to the rough layout of the book. For those of you
following along at home, this means that I’ve hit the two-thirds completed mark
and only nine more quadrants remain to be finished. I remain optimistic we’ll
have a finished draft by month’s end and a completed <i>Stonehell Dungeon</i> by the end of December. Of course, any delay
could through this schedule out of whack, but I’m keeping my head down and
pushing on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are existing projects that I need to work on, all of
which were assigned prior to the fundraiser, but these are small ones that
shouldn’t eat into too much time to work on the sequel. One will be completed
this afternoon, while the second is due in mid-November. Until the end of the
month, Stonehell will be my primary concern, and I’m aiming to have the draft
ready for editing by that time. Once it’s prepared, my next step will be acquiring
art for the book to prepare the cover and the interior layout after the editing
process is finished. After those steps are finished, it’s just a short sprint
across the finish line with proof copies and final changes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I have a bunch of new bosses, I’ll continue to make
weekly progress reports throughout this stage of the process (preliminary
editing, map changes, and draft layout). They may become bi-weekly during the
editing and art phase since that’s all work that will be out of my direct
control and I’ll be dependent on others for progress through that period.
Nevertheless, I look forward to keeping everyone informed and I hope you’re
getting as excited as I am that the final Stonehell book is nearing completion.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
I'll be posting status reports over on both the <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/106062648861214319620/posts">Google+ Stonehell Dungeon pag</a>e and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/128321553895980/">Facebook Stonehell Group</a>. If you're not yet circled or joined those groups, now it the perfect time to do so to ensure you get the news first, as I'm not certain I'll be detailing the process as thoroughly here on the blog.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-73291693258959745892013-10-10T13:11:00.000-04:002013-10-10T13:11:05.238-04:00Thank YouThe <b><i>Save Stonehell Fundraiser</i></b> (which
swiftly became the “pay what you want” release of <i>Convention Specials: Revealed</i>) is finished. Actually, it was
finished two hours after it started, surprising the hell out of me. Due to your
overwhelming generosity, my efforts to raise $300.00 to cover or defray the
cost of getting my old computer repaired or replaced was met six times over.
One hundred and nine of you contributed to meeting that goal, resulting in a
total of $1889.63 in contributions and purchases of the limited-edition PDF. I
am astounded.<div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In all honesty, I thought I’d be lucky to reach the $300.00
mark over the course of the week. You proved me wrong and for that I’m deeply
appreciative. I now have 109 new bosses, so I’d better get to work on finishing
that sequel.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As to dispersal of the money raised, here’s the anticipated
breakdown: Half of it goes to replacing my ancient computer, upgrading the few
programs I need, and purchasing a backup power-supply. I’ve not owned a
computer that wasn’t second-hand since the turn of the millennium, and owning
one without “quirks” is a new experience for me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The remaining money is going towards two other goals.
Firstly, I’ll cover some monthly bills with it. This means I can turn down a
project or two and devote all my time to finishing Stonehell 2. Lack of time
and breathing room has been the book’s greatest enemy and is largely the reason
it keeps getting delayed. With the surplus raised, I can say “no” to another
gig or two in the short term to finish the sequel. This will be both a boon to
everyone who has been waiting patiently for it, and to myself, who wants to get
the damned thing done and remove the millstone from around my neck.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Secondly, a portion of the remaining money is to be paid
forward. Since I ended up with far more money than I anticipated, it only
stands to reason that others benefit from my good fortune. There’s a number of
worthy causes out there more deserving of assistance than my First World
problem. I mean to do my part to help now that I can. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In regards to the two sets of original notes I promised,
each of those has a new home. One is going to the <a href="http://ntrpgcon.com/">North
Texas RPG Convention</a>. I’m not certain what plans Doug and Mike have for
those pages, but I can’t think of a better home for them. There, they’ll either
find a place of security or make their way into someone’s collection.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second set goes to a very generous contributor who paid
a few dollars extra to bump him into second place. That contributor will receive
the remaining set of notes after NTRPG Con makes their decision as to which one
they want.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let me close by again thanking you all for contributing or
buying the PDF. Your generosity and fellowship has both inspired me and humbled
me. I will continue to endeavor to sustain your faith in my ability to produce
interesting and entertaining material for your games.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Very sincerely,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mike</div>
</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-27150158570925276082013-10-09T10:51:00.000-04:002013-10-09T10:51:27.144-04:00Fundraiser Update 10.9.13<div class="MsoNormal">
We're reaching the last 24 hours
of the fundraiser, and I'd like to again thank everyone who donated. Yesterday,
I replaced my broken, aged computer with a new Dell Inspiron and will soon be
back at full production. I’ve one small piece I’m contracted to finish, and
then it’s on to Stonehell 2 full-time. Your generosity has made that possible.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are still three donors tied
for who shall receive the original notes for one of the adventures. These three
contributors each donated $100.00, and if you were one of those kind souls, you’re
in the running for my notes. The last thing I want to do is encourage more
donation as you all gone above and beyond my expectation, but if one of those
three were to contribute even $1.00, that’d break the tie and ensure that party
ownership of the original adventure. I’ll leave that up to you all to decide if
you desire adventure that much or are willing to determine the receiver by a
die-roll.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to my records, every donor has been sent their
copy of the PDF as of 10:45 AM EST, today. If you didn’t receive yours, please
check your spam folder and then contact me. I’ll make sure you get your copy.
For those of you who have your copy, I hope you’re enjoying them!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember that I’ll be officially pulling the plug on the
fundraiser/”pay what you want” release at noon EST time tomorrow. At that time,
the donation button comes down and the <i>Stonehell
Dungeon—Convention Specials: Revealed </i>supplement goes away for good. You
have roughly 25 hours remaining.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you all once again for your extreme generosity and
fellowship. No matter if you contributed $1.00 or $100.00, your help is greatly
appreciated. Without you, I’d been sidelined from making any progress on either
Stonehell or other projects until at least the turn of the year. You’ve made it
possible for this writer to write, and you don’t know how much that means to
me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Michael.<o:p></o:p></div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-45246903767229977152013-10-08T15:22:00.003-04:002013-10-08T15:24:42.987-04:00DCC RPG #80: Intrigue at the Court of Chaos is now available for pre-order<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-xaA-nFE588yPEGg-gTkf34MOBxTas8Oru7B2x_ghpoov1-BhJtJA_qVJbVqrIId2fQPpB1-Hr9M3qfKmfB8YFcbFxpAR5EYuOA4Jp6IfyOLJaBdPdBomUe8bSjLTTGJraEVIKUD3Po/s1600/GMG5081CoverLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT-xaA-nFE588yPEGg-gTkf34MOBxTas8Oru7B2x_ghpoov1-BhJtJA_qVJbVqrIId2fQPpB1-Hr9M3qfKmfB8YFcbFxpAR5EYuOA4Jp6IfyOLJaBdPdBomUe8bSjLTTGJraEVIKUD3Po/s1600/GMG5081CoverLarge.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /><i>At the mercy of Chaos! Abducted by the Court of Chaos, the adventurers face hard choices if they want to return home. The Host of Chaos desires a legendary artifact held by the Scions of Law and need patsies to retrieve it. Faced with an eternity of servitude, the party must sneak into the Plane of Law and steal the Yokeless Egg from under its guardians’ watch. But not all is what it appears when the Court of Chaos is concerned and serving the Host may destroy the party from within. Can they survive the Intrigue At the Court of Chaos? </i><a href="http://www.goodmangames.com/5081preview.html">Link</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white;">
<b>Rules Set: </b>DCC RPG</div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<b>Writer:</b> Michael Curtis<br />
<b>Cover Art and Cartography:</b> Doug Kovacs</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-64866861928611314792013-10-07T15:40:00.001-04:002013-10-07T15:40:28.366-04:00Spellburn Episode #11: Curtis vs. Stroh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ACNU93AsWYdnsXXY4X6qdwT9SQA7Cr4EyyU9B_YqhUWUDnV3Yy6ZHGJYHnpuccsdysfzDk1Llwljc7GapDXs5ktx0En29aJr_D9iPZv4msJrL39-aBmd_L2de3hNyLRfsJjPCJqxvQs/s1600/spellburn11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ACNU93AsWYdnsXXY4X6qdwT9SQA7Cr4EyyU9B_YqhUWUDnV3Yy6ZHGJYHnpuccsdysfzDk1Llwljc7GapDXs5ktx0En29aJr_D9iPZv4msJrL39-aBmd_L2de3hNyLRfsJjPCJqxvQs/s1600/spellburn11.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
A brief interlude: In this week's episode of <a href="http://spellburn.com/"><i>Spellburn</i></a>, Harley Stroh and I make return appearances to the podcast to demonstrate the spell duel mechanics in <b><i>Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG</i></b>. There's a lot of smack talk and even more laughs as we show why you don't need to be intimidated when adjudicating two (or more!) spell-slingers facing off in wizardly combat. <a href="http://spellburn.com/2013/09/30/episode-11-spell-duelists-fight/">Here's the episode link.</a>Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-49225481998573509322013-10-04T09:08:00.002-04:002013-10-04T09:08:33.235-04:00Fundraiser Update (10.04.13)Let me again thank everyone who contributed to help solve what is, quite frankly, a First World problem and not nearly as deserving as a lot of other good causes. I'm astounded and humbled by the outpouring of goodwill.<br />
<br />
As of 8:56 AM EST, every contributor has been sent their PDF of <i>Stonehell Dungeon--Convention Specials: Revealed</i>. If you haven't received yours, please check your spam folder first and then drop me a line to let me know it didn't turn up. I'll make sure you get it as promised.<br />
<br />
Also as promised, I will be giving out the original notes, maps, and other materials from the adventures included in the PDF to two generous contributors. One is definitely spoken for and that donor has first choice as to which of the adventures he'd like. The second one will go to the donor who contributed the next highest amount. At the moment, three generous donors contributed $100.00 each and I'll be randomly determining the recipient of the second adventure from those three.<br />
<br />
The PDFs will remain available as a "pay what you want" release until Thursday, October 10th at 12 PM EST. I also intend to remove the donation button from the blog at that time, as well. You've already been extremely generous and I have no desire to wear out my welcome!<br />
<br />
Thanks again to you all,<br />
<br />
MikeMichael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-2439690176980410762013-10-03T16:21:00.000-04:002013-10-03T16:21:51.400-04:00Status on PDFsAs of 4:19 EST, everyone who contributed to the fundraiser and I received notification about has had their "thank you" PDF sent to them. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. If you received the email but the PDF wasn't attached for some reason (in other words, I screwed up), please let me know.<br />
<br />Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-80125403676997617272013-10-03T12:57:00.000-04:002013-10-03T14:43:43.140-04:00The Save Stonehell Fundraiser (UPDATED!)<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Important Announcement!</b><br />
<br />
In an unbelievable stroke of generosity, I've reached my goal (and then some) for the fundraiser in an unimaginable short time. The gift was so generous that this unnamed individual will have the choice of either both sets of my original notes for the adventures or one of his choosing. Should he wish just the one, I'll be giving the other set to the next highest donor in thanks for all the good will I've received in less than two hours.<br />
<br />
So for the record, I'll be able to replace my aging computer and get back on with finishing the sequel. However, I promised to keep this fundraiser going for a full week to allow people access to the limited edition PDF. I intend to keep that promise. All additional funds raised from this point forward will be applied towards other expenses. This allows me to actually turn down additional freelance projects (not counting those I've already committed myself to) in the short term so that I can concentrate on getting the sequel completed before year's end. However, I know not everyone may not wish to contribute towards that goal, and I wanted to be honest with all you very fine and unbelievably generous people. So consider the PDF to be more of a "pay what you want" product than a true fundraiser from now until next Thursday.<br />
<br />
I am deeply in awe of you all. I've said this before, but writing is an extremely lonesome profession and I'm seldom aware of how much people enjoy my work until I get out on the convention trail and meet fans face-to-face. Your contributions this afternoon have astounded me, and I remain gobsmacked at the generosity and humanity of you all. From the bottom of my heart, I extend my thanks. I will endeavor to continue producing work of my finest caliber for your enjoyment. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you.<br />
<br />
Very most sincerely,<br />
<br />
Mike.<br />
<br />
<br />
My friends, <b><i>Stonehell Dungeon</i></b> is cursed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not speaking of the manifold magical enchantments that
lurk within, but rather a real world phenomenon that has plagued the dungeon
since its inception. Back in 2009, when I was assembling the first book, my
computer decided it would be a good time to cook its motherboard right when I
was at the tail end of putting together the book. Some work was lost, but I was
able to get my hoary computer repaired and complete the book. Now, history has
repeated itself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You may have noticed that I’ve had little to report either
here or on the various forums and social media dedicated to chronicling the
sequel. This is because nothing has been accomplished for reasons outside of my
control. A few weeks ago, my computer decided to become twitchy, and then
undergo a series of catastrophic failures. I’m typing this on a loaned laptop,
which is how I’ve been connecting to the ether the past three weeks. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As with many things in life, catastrophe seldom comes when
it’s convenient, and my computer giving up the ghost for good is no exception.
My machine died just when finances are at their worst and, after pursuing my
budget, it’s apparent it may be several months before I can afford repairs or
replace the ancient computer. At this point, it’s probably the same cost to do
either. Frankly, that’s a delay I do not want to endure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To this end, I’ve decided to appeal to the fans of the
dungeon to help get things back on track and to finish the book before year’s
end as anticipated. Beginning today and running for one week, I’m holding the <b><i>Save Stonehell Fundraiser</i></b> in hopes of helping cover or at least defray
the cost of getting myself back into the modern age and finish the sequel. I’m
not one to ask for charity often and hate to do so, but this is one case where
I feel appealing to the fans of Sto<i>nehell
Dungeon </i>in particular, and my work in general, is justified since it helps
me get the book out and into your hands all the sooner. Both of us benefit in
the long run.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, rather than ask for pure charity, the <b><i>Save Stonehell Fundraiser</i></b> rewards you for your assistance. For the next
seven days, anyone who donates any amount to the fund will receive a special
PDF of seldom-seen Stonehell material. This PDF, <i>Stonehell Dungeon—Convention Specials: Revealed</i>, contains two
special adventures set in and around Stonehell Dungeon, adventures previously
only experienced by a small handful of people who played through them at
conventions. After next week, I’ll no longer be distributing this PDF and its
mysterious contents will return to my private archive of work for good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The 16-page supplement contains “The Hidden Vault of Evaders
Noan”, an adventure designed for 3<sup>rd</sup> level PCs that was first run at
the 3<sup>rd</sup> Annual Dave Arneson Memorial Game Day in 2011, and “The
Great Stonehell Lazer Massacre,” run exclusively at this year’s NTRPG Con. In
addition to the adventures, the PDF contains a number of “Behind the Scenes”
sidebars that discuss dungeon design choices, humorous anecdotes, and actual
events that occurred when running these adventures. Much like <i>Stonehell Dungeon Supplement Two: Buried
Secrets</i>, there is almost no art in the supplement (but there is a cool piece of map clarification by Jim Wampler), meaning the pages are
jam-packed with goodies. If you own that supplement, you know what to expect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As noted above, it doesn’t matter if you can spare $1.00 or
$100.00. All contributors receive a copy of the PDF as a “thank you” for your
generosity. I’ll endeavor to email your copy within 24 hours of being notified
of your contribution. The PDF will be sent to the default email address
associated with the contributor’s PayPal account unless otherwise specified by
the donor. The PDF is 883 kb in size, so if you expect your email provider may have issues with a file of that size, let me know and I'll make other arrangements to get it to you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But that’s not all. To further show my appreciation (and to
possibly convince you to donate generously), the two contributors who donate
the most to the <b><i>Save Stonehell Fundraiser</i></b> will receive a special thank
you: my own personal copies of the adventures, including my hand-drawn maps,
notes, and other annotations that accrued through actual play. I will
personally mail each of those two contributors one of the adventures and
provide extra customization (an autograph, a letter of provenance, a stick
figure drawing of a Viking riding a whale, etc.) as desired. The contributor
who donates the most will get first choice of the two adventures, with the
second highest donor receiving the other. In the event of multiple donors
contributing the same amount, I’ll determine the recipient randomly using a
good old polyhedral. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the end of each day, I’ll post in the comments below the highest
contributions to date. This way, if you really want a shot of one of the
adventures, you’ll know the goal to hit or exceed. Multiple donations by one
person will be totaled when determining the two recipients of my personal
notes, so if you give more than once, all your contributions will be applied
when making the determination of the most generous donors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>How to Help Out<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strike><br /></strike>
EDIT: Should be working now. Thank you!<br />
<br />
On the upper right of this blog is a Paypal Donation button.
If you wish to contribute to the fund, please use that button to give. I’m hoping to raise around $300.00 during the next seven
days, which will either cover the cost to get my nine-year-old, second-hand PC
restored to life or allow me to purchase a budget economy tower from the local
electronics box store. If thirty fans of Stonehell contribute $10.00 each, my
goal is reached and I can accelerate the return to working on both Stonehell
and other projects, clearing my plate clean by 2014. Give what you can,
however, if you’re so inclined.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let me conclude by both thanking you in advance for your
generosity and for you constant patience in waiting for the final Stonehell
book. The dungeon is getting close to completion and, with your help now, will
soon go from a long-standing promise unfulfilled to something you can read,
use, and keep on your shelf for years to come.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-41315008712604608762013-08-12T19:41:00.000-04:002013-08-12T19:41:14.236-04:00Pardon the InterruptionI've got a few more post regarding my return to 2nd Edition AD&D and the Forgotten Realms planned, but preparations for Gen Con 2013 have thrown a serious spanner in the works. I'll pick up the series once I get back from Indy and have a day or three to recover. My apologies to everyone looking forward to me.Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-55435361614619614392013-08-07T23:26:00.002-04:002013-08-07T23:42:44.150-04:00GenCon 2013 Schedule<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey, readers! If you’re planning on attending <a href="http://www.gencon.com/">GenCon 2013</a> next week (holy crap!) and want
to say hello, get something signed, kick me in the shins, or otherwise interact
with me, I’m bound by law to be in certain places at certain times. For those
of you looking to track me down, you can pretty much guarantee I’ll be at the
following places when scheduled. If I’m not, I’ve been abducted and you should
alert the proper authorities.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Scheduled RPG
Events<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>DCC
RPG—The Croaking Fane</b> (RPG1344549): Thursday 8/15 @7:00 PM<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>DCC
RPG—Frozen in Time</b> (Zero-level funnel) (RPG1344551):
Friday 8/16 @ 9:00 AM<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>DCC
RPG—The Croaking Fane</b> (RPG1344550): Friday 8/16 @7:00 PM<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>DCC
RPG—Frozen in Time</b> (1<sup>st</sup> level PCs) (RPG1344552):
Saturday 8/17 @ 9:00 AM<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>DCC
RPG—A Night on the Town</b> (RPG1344553): Saturday 8/17 @ 7:00 PM<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Goodman
Games Booth</u></b><b>
</b>(Booth #1819)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Thursday
8/15:</b> Scheduled from 10 AM to 3 PM, but I
might be there as soon as 9AM.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Saturday
8/17:</b> 1 PM to 4 PM<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Sunday
8/18:</b> 2 PM to 3 PM, but possibly until the
dealers’ room closes at 4 PM.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’ve met me at cons previously, you
know I’m always up for chatting about gaming, signing books I’ve worked on (and
even those I haven’t!), and meeting fellow gamers. Feel free to introduce
yourself, but please leave your 19<sup>th</sup> level Paladin stories behind.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m looking forward to meeting you!<o:p></o:p></div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-75556778667118377452013-08-06T10:32:00.000-04:002013-08-06T10:36:20.446-04:00Current Clacking<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In every player pack I created for one of my Realms
campaigns, I included “current clack”—news and rumors characters would hear
locally (including from caravans passing through their locale) as play began.
This is…how it all begins, every time—because if you, the players, are going to
choose where your characters go and what they explore, I must dangle an array
of possibilities before you. You have to feel the world is no lifeless
backdrop, but a gigantic flood of many lives constantly unfolding. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster’s Forgotten Realms</i>, p. 45</blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s Ed demonstrating his old school roots (as if there
was ever any question). From that one quote, you see that Ed’s Realms campaigns
were “sandbox” affairs, even if he didn’t use—or even know—the now-common term.
And although 2<sup>nd</sup> edition AD&D somehow got the reputation for
being the version that eschewed the sandbox for the railroad, there’s nothing
in the actual rules that says it has to be played that way. Deneir knows I wasn’t
going to run my campaign that way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Taking a page from Ed’s book, I created a list of rumors the
PCs would know at the start of the campaign and then did some minor preparations
to cover my ass should they choose to pursue them. I specifically didn’t flesh
out every possible avenue of adventure, cribbing from the old <i>Dungeoncraft </i>articles the adage “Never
create more than you have to,” but sketched out an encounter or two related to
each rumor. I figured once the players chose a direction to pursue I could add
more details to the scenario they wanted to explore. That method has worked
well for me in the past and it continues to do so now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After character creation in the first session, the players
got a single page of rumors. Here’s what it contained:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Current Clack for the 9<sup>th</sup> of Mirtul—Year of
the Shadows (1358 DR)</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Rumors
are flying that a trade coster (caravan) traveling from Loudwater up along the
Dawn Pass Trail was attacked and looted by brigands of uncertain origin. The
ambush occurred a half-day’s travel west of the Nighthunt Inn. Common opinion
holds Zhentarim raiders are responsible for the attack, but no definitive
evidence links the Black Network to the brigands.</li>
<li>In light
of the recent ambush, a small caravan bound for Lonely Oak is seeking to
strengthen its defenses. Polgan Dranthmir of the Thunderpine Trading Coster is
looking to hire stout swordsmen and spell-hurlers for the roundtrip journey
from Elf Water to Lonely Oak. The trip is expected to take two tendays. Dranthmir
is offering 3 silvers per day for freeswords and 5 silvers a day for
spell-masters.</li>
<li>“Elf
fire” was spotted late last tenday by travelers approaching the village. The
mysterious green fire was sighted south of the western trail near the vicinity
of Grumber’s Meadow. Elf fire is believed to appear in places were lost
treasure is concealed or where ancient spell-casting once occurred.</li>
<li>Heavy
spring storms have uncovered a sealed portal set in the rocky walls of the Orc
Trough, a deep gully located west of town. In addition to this recently
unearthed door, the Trough contains a number of old catacombs believed to be of
elven origin.</li>
<li>Erig
Wholodown of Wholodown Brewery has a standing offer to buy leathertop
mushrooms. He is offering 2 silver per dozen toadstools. Leathertops are found
throughout the Southwood, typically in moist earth between the northern roots
of crumblebark trees.</li>
<li>Fresh
land urchin tracks have been spotted along the western river bank, indicating a
“quill” of land urchins is hunting the area. These curious creatures often form
pearls within their bodies, and some older urchins have been known to create up
to two dozen pearls with each valued between a hundred and six hundred gold
coins. Unfortunately, the bizarre creatures’ myriad spines are poisonous, so
urchin hunters should take care.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the end,
the players seemed most interested in the hired caravan guards, the unearthed
portal, and the land urchin hunt rumors. They would do a little rumor-mongering
of their own in the first session before deciding on which one to pursue. Their
choice and the subsequent events will be covered in the next series of posts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As an
aside, I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback about these Realms posts. I hope
you’re enjoying my return to Faerûn and maybe are inspired to make your own
visit, either for the first time or to reacquaint yourself with old ground.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-15902449474031255992013-08-05T01:25:00.000-04:002013-08-05T01:25:18.999-04:00Adventure in Your Own Backyard<div class="MsoNormal">
I took an atypical approach when designing the outskirts of
Elf Water. In the past, especially when I anticipated a megadungeon-centric
campaign, I’d locate potential adventuring sites a bit of a distance away from
the PCs’ home base. This was a nod to realism, seeing as how an ancient ruin
rife with fell monsters situated too close to a settlement would mean constant
raids and the eventual deaths or departure of any sentient residents living
nearby. That’s not the course I undertook with the Realms campaign, and there
were several reasons for this design choice.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first was that the Realms have such a rich and long
history. I didn’t quite grasp this in my younger days, but now I have a better
idea of what Ed was going for when he built the world. With a history
stretching back millennia, the Realms have seen innumerable civilizations and
cultures rise and fall, with each potentially leaving their mark behind. There
are a lot of similarities between the Realms and Middle Earth, and Peter
Jackson’s movies have influenced my mental picture of what the Realms “looks
like.” Just as in Jackson’s films, a moss-covered ruin or broken statue of an
ancient potentate isn’t out of place in the wilds of the Realms, lingering evidence
of those who tread Faerûn long ago. I could conceivably place such enticing
lures close to the village and thereby hint at the Realms’ history and to serve
as adventure hooks.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Secondly, since I was running a by the book AD&D game
with a small number of players, I wanted them to have ready access to help for
the first level or two. They could flee to the safety of civilization if they
ran out of important materials or got in over their heads. Borrowing from the
MMORPG school of design, the outskirts of Elf Water is the “yard trash” newbie
zone where one can familiarize themselves with the world before pursuing
grander and more dangerous goals. In the future, I could see myself using Elf
Water and the environs as an introductory campaign for players experiencing RPGs
for the first time, but I hope it’s also challenging and interesting enough
that veteran players will enjoy their own explorations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thirdly, I wanted to ground the PCs in their home town,
making it seem like a real place, one they have familiarity with by virtue of
living there their entire young lives. I have many pleasant memories of
rambling through the wooded glens of my own neighborhood in my youth, dreaming
dreams of what adventures might be found there and making my own discoveries of
places and things forgotten in the scrap woods of suburbia. It stands to reason
the PCs would have similar experiences, albeit of a slightly more dangerous
variety.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lastly, and I make no bones about this, I was influenced by
Ed’s map of Shadowdale that appeared in the Gray Box. In addition to detailing
the village of Shadowdale, there are a number of geographical features depicted
on the map, many of which have legends and adventure potential assigned to
them. If it’s good enough for the Realms’ creator, it’s good enough for me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With these design decisions in mind, I set out filling in
the rest of blank space on my big piece of poster paper that already held my
Elf Water map. This is the result:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FgPobYlRvc7-5S-E8NQOwGZn0OhVzupJKS6kIcxUlgzcEFcy13-ZZDorbQHQHM7vufYYX4yGqYoBhAFheoncRHMgHmoPu4IlYY4gtnIBA09G6zoGB-uRBo3ZKimdTlK9MAZj4-N3XTA/s1600/southwoods_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FgPobYlRvc7-5S-E8NQOwGZn0OhVzupJKS6kIcxUlgzcEFcy13-ZZDorbQHQHM7vufYYX4yGqYoBhAFheoncRHMgHmoPu4IlYY4gtnIBA09G6zoGB-uRBo3ZKimdTlK9MAZj4-N3XTA/s400/southwoods_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blank poster paper and colored pencils: Life's less celebrated wonders.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are few special landmarks and places the PCs know
about—and more they don’t. I have a master map with each interesting place or
thing detailed, but these are unmarked on the big map. During the game
sessions, I lay the large map down on the table and let the players consult it,
replicating their familiarity with the area. Of course, growing up here doesn’t
mean they know everything about their own backyard. They know the major
landmarks and legends, so I’m not spoiling the fun by pointing out a couple of
them. Maybe it’ll get your own creative juices flowing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the lower left-hand corner is a gorge running through the
woods. This is the somewhat infamous “Orc Trough.” The elven/human alliance
broke the Black Slashers’ drive toward Loudwater in this gulley back in 1235 DR
with a cunning ambush. The rocky walls of the Trough contain a number of elven
catacombs known as <i>Sinomrin.</i> An
Espruar word that’s closest Common translation is both “tomb” and “remembrance
place,” the <i>Sinomrin</i> were formed from
the surrounding rock to memorialize some of the great lights of Eaerlann who
fled south when Hellgate Keep rose in power. When the Black Slashers marched
through the Southwood, guerilla engagements drew the horde to this location.
Human and elven troops concealed themselves in the <i>Sinomrin</i>, springing out to ambush the horde and cutting the orcish
flanks to bloody ribbons before routing the Slashers and sending them back to
the Graypeaks. When the elves conceded the verge of the Southwood to human
settlement, they emptied the <i>Sinomrin</i>,
leaving the catacombs bare. Since that time, the <i>Sinomrin </i>have served to host teenage parties away from parental eyes
and more than a few adulterous rendezvous. But they are not all completely
abandoned as the party has recently learned.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just north of the Orc Trough on the far side of the brook is
the farm of Amrig and Sobashy, a woodsman and healer, respectively. The couple
prefers the solitude of the woods over the hustle and bustle of the village
proper, and they are largely believed to be “elf friends,” individuals who deal
with the isolationist Lanymthilhar elves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the eastern edge of the banana-shaped clearing bisected
by the western road stands a single tree. This is the Hangman’s Tree, a relic
of the rough frontier justice enacted regularly in the early days of Elf Water’s
settling. Although no longer used, rumors say a ghostly figure is sometimes
sighted beneath the tree and is undoubtedly the spectre of an unknown criminal
who met his (or her) death on the tree decades ago.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
North of the large clearing where the Hangman’s Tree grows
is a rocky hill known as “The Prow.” The southern edge of the hill is steep and
narrows to a point, giving it the appearance of a ship’s bow breaking through
the surrounding trees. A stone bearing Thorass runes is located atop the Prow
and some of the PCs have seen it in their youth, but the lack of fluency in the
dwarven tongue means the stone’s writing remains a mystery.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Immediately east of The Prow and in the vaguely star-shaped
clearing located east of the Orc Trough are two large clearings. The presence
of a pond and creek in each meadow makes for damp earth, making both places possible
sites to gather leathertop mushrooms, should one be in the mood for such fare.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All my initial prep work was now finished and I was ready to
begin the campaign. There was just one small chore I needed to do: seed the
campaign with rumors and see which ones would spark the players’ interest, thus
deciding the course of the campaign for the first few sessions. I’ll share
those rumors, or to put it in Realms terms, “the clack,” tomorrow.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-61012764574194686702013-08-01T09:00:00.000-04:002013-08-01T09:00:08.570-04:00Welcome to Elf Water<div class="MsoNormal">
The next step in the campaign prep stage was establishing
the PCs’ “home base.” This was a much easier phase than settling on a region in
which to set the campaign—largely, because I cheated.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve always enjoyed and appreciated maps, even before I
discovered RPGs. One might even argue that my fascination for this hobby stems
from that love. I still recall a map from the interior of some children’s book
I owned that showed the protagonist’s journey through a forest, diagramed in
dotted line fashion like a “Family Circus” cartoon. For me, the attraction wasn’t
what adventures were documented, but what possible events might occur in the
areas unvisited by the hero. Maps still have that effect on me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The “cartographilia” has manifested in a peculiar habit of
mine. I find it incredibly relaxing to sketch maps of small towns and sylvan
areas, rending such landscapes in either regular or colored pencil. My mind
wanders during the process, pondering who lives in these imaginary places and
what life must be like for them. It’s a wonderful way to de-stress when
something’s bothering me. As a result, I have a number of little maps tucked
away in various stages of completion. When it’s time to introduce a new
community into a game, I check this collection first to see if anything fits
the bill. In this case, I had the perfect map.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coming up with a name for the community was a quick chore. I
imagined that the settlement was situated on a place where the elves and humans
first came into contact, a place to trade and negotiate the accord that
ultimately led to the human settlement of the outskirts of Southwood. Picturing
a forest glen along a riverbank, a place where elves once danced graceful
waltzes underneath a summer moon, the name “Elf Water” sprung to mind as an appropriate
human-given name for that place and the community that arose on that site would
share that moniker.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the past, I’ve gone to great lengths to detail most of my
home bases before play begins. The pages accompanying my old Ashabenford map is
a good representation of how much effort I’d expend before the game started.
But this time, going along with the “this is supposed to be fun” mantra, I whipped
up just two pages of notes documenting a few important NPCs and buildings to
guide me. I plan to flesh Elf Water out as future play dictates. I know who’s
in charge, what temples are in town, who has their fingers in quasi-legal (or
outright illegal) pies, the major wizards, and a few other colorful
individuals. That’s all I needed to get things rolling.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The final step was to scan my village map and key the
important buildings for the players to consult as needed. A quick trip through
Photoshop and—viola!—Elf Water was ready for PC inhabitation. With plenty of
space to add new material, I can get a lot of use out of this community, now
and in the future.<br />
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmeqKCl8Nhs-b7VsOerEEIfnUHaawd6pOu5xQoxjFiDZJNHUYTcwLwsoPiJwg2LGL9aLPNVPkLB3bSNhFIkdDpsu0Vb9iRRZYQcEJbgGwbd_8z97_7VuFcy4XJy1USJLgpZAW_oyuuec/s1600/elf_water_key.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmeqKCl8Nhs-b7VsOerEEIfnUHaawd6pOu5xQoxjFiDZJNHUYTcwLwsoPiJwg2LGL9aLPNVPkLB3bSNhFIkdDpsu0Vb9iRRZYQcEJbgGwbd_8z97_7VuFcy4XJy1USJLgpZAW_oyuuec/s640/elf_water_key.jpg" width="484" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I know what "festhall" really means.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s it for this week. There’ll be a post on Elf Water’s
outskirts and some actual play reports next week as I continue to ramble on
about the Realms. </div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-46226717636872354242013-07-31T16:49:00.000-04:002013-07-31T16:59:30.871-04:00Choosing a Backdrop<div class="MsoNormal">
To say the Realms is large place is an understatement, even
if I’m confining myself to regions covered in the Gray Box and some of the
supplements. Those poster-sized maps only hint at the scope of Faerûn and it’s
not until you put down the transparent overlays and start counting hexes that
you realize how much an area even a small section covers. Needless to say, I
was going to have to zoom in on but a small part of its grandeur for the
campaign.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My usual choices for campaigns are the Dalelands (Mistledale
in particular; see
my original campaign <a href="http://www.mediafire.com/file/0ygl8mnsnchyw4o/fr_homebrew_ashabenford.pdf">map
of Ashabenford here</a>), the Western
Heartlands along the Trade Way, or somewhere in the Savage North. One of these
years I’ll tackle Tethyr or the lands east of the Sea of Fallen Stars, but
since this was an exercise in fun, I decided I’d keep to my old haunts. Having
a backlog of previously-generated campaign materials for those regions doesn’t
hurt, either.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I was coming off of <i>Kingmaker,</i> and as an old school DM I have a preference for such, I
wanted to keep the campaign on the fringes of civilization, thus allowing me to
play with some of the plot ideas I had in mind. This crossed the Dalelands off
the list and I wasn’t feeling like managing the constant stream of traders and
costers rolling along the Trade Way. Plus, I personally like mountains and
forests. A return to the Savage North was in order.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Breaking out my copies of FR1 <i>Waterdeep and the North</i> and FR5 <i>The
Savage Frontier</i>, I started re-reading them and looking over the landscape.
Although a Waterdeep-based campaign would be fun, running an urban game
requires a lot of work, and I discarded that idea. The same reasoning also
removed Silverymoon, Neverwinter, Luskan, and other large urban sites from the
list. Then my eyes fell on the Loudwater environs and the creative wheels
started churning. A nearby fallen Elven empire, a large town, the biggest
forest in all of the Realms, a Zhentarim-controlled village, an abandoned
dwarven kingdom, and Hellgate Keep all in close proximity to one offered more
potential adventure seeds than I could count. This had potential.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Following my decision to only incorporate Realms canon as
interested me, I started looking for what was actually detailed about this
area. None of it is covered in the Gray Box, so it was time to move on to
secondary sources, namely the above-mentioned supplements. Loudwater and Llorkh
garner a paragraph or two each in <i>Waterdeep
and the North</i>, while Hellgate Keep and the High Forest each earn three.
Hardly a treasure trove, but exactly the amount I felt like dealing with. The
Greypeak Mountains have a paragraph in <i>The
Savage Frontier</i>, and more detailed information for Loudwater, Llorkh, and
Hellgate Keep is provided. The High Forest earns an entire chapter, but by this
point, it’s become beyond the scope of my focus for the initial campaign
adventures, so I can ignore that material for now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What does catch my attention is a small entry covering “Other
Woods” in <i>FR5</i>. It reads in its
entirety, “This is not the name of a single forest, but includes the Lurkwood,
Southkrypt garden, Southwood, Moonwood, and Westwood. These [sic] edges of
these forests are logged by men, though their dark depths are largely a
mystery.” Southwood (or South Wood depending on if you’re going by the text or
the map) is located just beneath Loudwater and seems perfect what I’m thinking
about: A frontier area close to a bastion of civilization but offering
unplumbed mysteries. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided to consult a tertiary source—<i>The North</i> boxed set—to see if there was anything further I could
use in there. As much of the material in that set is based (or copied outright)
from both <i>FR1</i> and <i>FR5</i>, it might or might not provide
additional glimpses or inspiration. Luckily, there was a little more, but the
entry was still sparse enough for me to monkey with. I’ll decline quoting it in
case it spoils any surprises for my players.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next, I started brainstorming and came up with the following
background for the campaign: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>After the transformation
of Ascalhorn to Hellgate Keep, the elven kingdom of Eaerlann fell, and most of
the moon elves fled down the Riving Shining to either travel to Evermeet or
join the Fallen Kingdom near Ardeep Forest. A few, however, lingered in the
Loudwater area, either joining the small mixed-race community or occupying the
Southwood. These displaced refugees harbored dreams of resettling the ancient
kingdom if the forces of Hellgate Keep were ever banished. For centuries, the
elves claimed the Southwood as their own, a small domain of displaced elves
dreaming of their former glory. This enclave dubbed themselves “Lanymthilhar.” <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>In 1235 DR, the Year
of the Black Horde, a never-before seen force of orcs boiled out of the
Northern mountains, rampaging as far south as Calimshan. One tribe, the Black
Slashers, charged down from the Graypeak Mountains towards the River Shining.
Forging a tentative alliance, the humans of Loudwater and the refugee elves of
Lanymthihar battled the Black Slashers, breaking their invasion near the
northern verge of the Southwood. After this defeat, an accord was reached
between the Lanymithihar elves and the residents of Loudwater. The agreement
opened the outer edges of the Southwood to human logging and settlement, but
the forest interior would remain sacrosanct and protected by the elves. So long
as this compact was obeyed and the loggers didn’t become greedy in their yearly
felling of timber, the two cultures would pursue their own agendas separately and
in peace.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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The PCs would begin the campaign in one of the few forest
edge communities, caught between civilization to the north and forbidden
mystery to the south. A decision to play up the mystery of elven culture and
the phenomenon known as “The Retreat,” led me to prohibit elves as a starting
race for the PCs as mentioned previously. While not actual enemies, I wanted to
explore the “alien” factor of elves, rather than making them pointy-eared
humans. I hope to have fun with this aspect of the campaign.</div>
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<br /></div>
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After a quick trip of the maps through my scanner and
importing the scans into Photoshop, I made minor changes and additions to the
canonical landscape of the region. I also took a look through <i>Volo’s Guide to the North</i> to see if I
could use anything in that book, and decided I’d incorporate one of roadside
inns mentioned therein. Situated to the east of Loudwater, “The Nighthunt Inn”
might come in handy should the PCs ever decide to travel toward Llorkh. I now
had my regional campaign map.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_a_X_TiZzYCfeybZYr1nL2wdxa7DKyy3wc8bEiyxg6LphbbT-U5vKc9qZaliVerWF7nzuWw3nnQei7GJDWdiQageZdfsrIuqVMUL-snPtL0AZe2Ov9vQefNXaFV26iOmQoXbRiGApRk/s1600/elf+water+region+map_local.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_a_X_TiZzYCfeybZYr1nL2wdxa7DKyy3wc8bEiyxg6LphbbT-U5vKc9qZaliVerWF7nzuWw3nnQei7GJDWdiQageZdfsrIuqVMUL-snPtL0AZe2Ov9vQefNXaFV26iOmQoXbRiGApRk/s400/elf+water+region+map_local.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loudwater and Environs as Ed never imaged.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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The next step would be zooming in even more to detail the
PCs’ home base of Elf Water and the adventuring opportunities in their own
backyard.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-39284029637099154822013-07-30T14:30:00.000-04:002013-07-30T14:55:20.247-04:00Establishing Boundaries in the Realms<div class="MsoNormal">
Having decided to go ahead with a 2<sup>nd</sup> edition <i>AD&D</i> game in the Forgotten Realms,
my first task was deciding what to bring to the table and what to leave on the
shelf. Between the various rules and campaign supplements available for 2<sup>nd</sup>
Edition and the Realms, there’s a small mountain of books waiting to be
climbed. And I wanted this to be fun, not mountaineering.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Deciding my limits for the rules was easy. Although not my usual
“go to” <i>D&D</i> rules, I’ve never had
too much a problem with 2<sup>nd</sup> Edition in its initial form. The core
rules are close enough to 1<sup>st</sup> edition in practice and don’t make for
far-reaching changes to the original advanced game. I’ve found that it’s only
once you start bolting on the supplemental material that the power levels start
getting wonky and the wheels fall off.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So no problem here: I’d only allow the players the class and
race options available in the <i>Players
Handbook</i>. No “Complete Book of…” class kits allowed, no <i>Tome of Magic</i> spells, and especially
nothing from the <i>Player’s Option</i>
books! This kept it strictly in the classic <i>AD&D</i>
family, and had the bonus benefit of freeing me from such troublesome classes as
assassins, cavaliers, and barbarians. I had forgotten that 2<sup>nd</sup> Edition
removed half-orcs as a playable class, but that wouldn’t matter for what I had
in mind for the campaign. And, of course, as the DM, I could make use of any of
the <i>verboten </i>material freely.
Sometimes it’s good to be boss.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Choosing the Realms material I intended to limit myself to required
a bit more thinking. My introduction to the Realms—outside of Ed’s excellent <i>Dragon</i> articles—had been the “gray box.”
Using that as the backbone was a no-brainer. But I’ve got a respectable
collection of other Realms stuff I’ve accumulated over the years. Would say the
material in <i>The Dalelands</i> supplement
trump what was presented in the Gray Box, which was much less detailed or would
I stick to the bare bones presentation found in the original set? Would I make the <i>Volo</i> series my primary source for all things Realms? Was I going to
concern myself with Realms canon? </div>
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<br /></div>
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I wrestled with these decisions a bit, and my original
thought was to go all the way back and just utilize whatever information was
given in the Gray Box, building my own campaign from that modicum of
information. The designer in me loved the idea of such a challenge and I
readily imagined myself pouring over the two slim books from that set,
ferreting out small nuggets of information and implied hints at the larger
world to build upon. But then I remembered the real purpose of the summer
campaign: Let Mike have some fun for a change. This isn’t work, knucklehead!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ultimately, I made what I feel is the wisest choice and
decided that the only limitations I’d place on myself was “Is the ‘canonical’
material in X entertaining, inspiring, useful, or fun? If so, use it. If not,
forget it.” This gave me a lot of leeway while still maintaining a game which
would be easily identifiable as the Forgotten Realms to anyone playing or
observing it. Sure, a die-hard Realms aficionado might take me to task for fudging
a few dates or adding new places, but last time I checked, I didn’t need anyone
to vouch for the orthodoxy of my home games.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And speaking of dates and orthodoxy, this led me to my
biggest alteration of the established Realms’ timeline: The Time of Troubles.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It never happened, folks.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I started running my first Realms game back in 1987 when the
Gray Box was released. Reading that set completely changed how I approached
world design. In fact, the experience of turning the pages of that set remains
such a developmental milestone for me that I can still remember what food I ate
and what was playing on my tape deck as I paged through <i>Cyclopedia of the Realms</i> (if you’re interested, I’ll always
associate the Gray Box with port wine cheese, Paul Simon’s <i>Graceland</i>, and Eddy Grant’s <i>Killer
on a Rampage</i>.)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So when the Time of Troubles happened, it needless to say
had a great impact on my vision of Faerûn. Although even then I realized it was
a marketing ploy to steer gamers towards the 2<sup>nd</sup> edition of the
game, I made a half-hearted attempt to adjust my own version of the Realms to accommodate
the changes inflicted by the Time of Troubles. But it always stuck in my craw a
bit. Years later, it seems that most of the world-shaking changes that Time of
Troubles wrought have vanished (Bane’s been back for a while now), so why
bother? Let’s just pretend it never happened and excise any obvious Time of
Troubles-related material from the campaign setting. It’s surprisingly easy.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Removing the Time of Troubles was also a breeze due to my
choice of when to set the campaign. Rather than keep the game relatively
current to the established timeline, I went back to the beginning. This
campaign takes place in 1358 DR, the Year of the Shadows (and interestingly not
“Year of Shadows” as later supplements would refer to it), the suggested starting
year in the original Gray Box. So technically and temporally, somewhere out
there in the Realms, the campaign I ran in 10<sup>th</sup> grade is currently
underway with a much younger Michael at the helm. Maybe I should finagle a
crossover event between the two groups?</div>
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<br /></div>
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The last limitations I needed to establish were campaign
ones, boundaries stipulated by the focus of the campaign. I had a few possible
themes and potential plots I wanted to introduce (which I’ll cover in a
forthcoming post) that would be best done if I drew a few lines in the
proverbial sand. In the end, it came down to demi-humans in character creation.
With a small group, I wanted humans to equal the number of demi-humans (if not
outnumber them) in the party. Originally, I was looking at three players, and
decided only one person could play a demi-human, ability scores allowing. At
the last moment, we picked up a fourth player, so I relaxed that limit to two
non-human PCs in the party. But there was a catch to this: To quote a famous ad
slogan for <i>Talislanta</i>, “No
elves!”</div>
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<br /></div>
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What? No elves in a Forgotten Realms campaign? You’re mad!</div>
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<br /></div>
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There’s a method to my madness, gentle reader, one I’ll
explain in a future post.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4727301007280965202.post-65783635202869747192013-07-29T15:21:00.002-04:002013-07-29T15:21:44.847-04:00Back to Faerûn<div class="MsoNormal">
Ah, summertime! The season where one can relax a bit, spend
time with long-neglected friends, go to concerts, attend barbeques, and enjoy a
momentary escape from the workaday chores of modern life—that is, unless you’re
a handsome, gregarious, freelance designer and writer struggling to keep the
bills paid and the wolves away from the door for another month. Then summer is
pretty much like any other time of year, except more humid and mosquito-filled.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As many of you know, I came back into gaming after a
prolonged absence, returning to the role-playing fold about the same time the
OSR started gaining momentum in the back alleys of the internet. I was lucky
enough to return with a minor splash, one that swiftly moved me from hobbyist to
professional, and, before I knew it, I was working as a freelancer as a second
job. While the upswing of that development is that people actually pay me to
use my imagination and I get to share my creations with a wider audience than I
ever imaged possible, the downside is that there’s no longer a dividing line
between recreation and vocation for me when it comes to role-playing games. I
know: cry me a river.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Still, it remains a fact that what I once did for fun and
personal enjoyment is now labor and there are many times when I wish—if just
for a little while—I could treat RPGs as a pleasant pastime. I’ve been running
a lot of DCC RPG on the convention trail, which is just play-testing in the
guise of fun, and even my semi-regular home Pathfinder campaign is more of an
exercise to familiarize myself with the mechanics and design needs of the
industry’s current 800 lbs. gorilla in hopes that it’ll pay off with more work
down the line.</div>
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<br /></div>
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At the end of April, one of the players in the Pathfinder
campaign informed us he received a summer scholarship to study out of state for
the summer. The Pathfinder campaign I’m running is the <i>Kingmaker </i>adventure path, which if you know Paizo’s APs, is
designed for four players. The campaign had also reached a pivotal point and I
(and the rest of the group) thought it be best if we put the campaign on hiatus
until the departing player returned, and then pick things up from there.</div>
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<br /></div>
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That left us with the summer to play something else. I
originally proposed that we’d spend the summer months doing a playtest of my <i>Shiverwhen</i> game and anticipated giving
it a thorough shakedown and chronicling it over on the <a href="http://shiverwhen.blogspot.com/">Shiverwhen blog</a>. We got as far as
the players generating characters and me doing the initial prep work when cold
reality hit: this was going to be more work than I felt like doing. The problem
with running a game you’re currently developing means there’s always something
that need attention, sometimes even built from scratch to fill gaps. It quickly
dawned on me that the last thing I wanted to do was spend the summer with an
even greater workload. I’ve already got a lot on my plate between crafting new <i>DCC RPG</i> material and sewing the final
parts of Stonehell 2 together. I didn’t need more work masquerading as
recreation.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I told my players of my revelation and my desire to scrap <i>Shiverwhen</i> before it began, but that
meant we had to find a replacement game for the summer. I gave them four
options of what we could do: 1) <i>DCC RPG </i>(a
chance for me to playtest and develop material); 2) <i>OD&D </i>(beer & pretzels dungeon crawling that’d be easy for
me to write and keep everyone entertained through the summer); 3) <i>Pathfinder</i> (a non-adventure path to keep
us in fighting shape for fall and allow me to further try my hand at designing
for the system); and 4) <i>2<sup>nd</sup>
Edition AD&D</i> set in the Forgotten Realms (just because it had
absolutely nothing to do with my paying design work).</div>
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<br /></div>
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To my surprise and delight, option #4 carried the day.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So for the last three weeks, I’ve found myself back in Ed
Greenwood’s world running a game using a system I’ve not really touched since
1990 or thereabouts. And I must say I’m having a wonderful time. Long time
readers know that <a href="http://poleandrope.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-forgotten-realms.html">I
remain a fan of the Realms</a>, despite everything that’s been done to the poor
place over the last (can you believe it?) twenty-five years. Returning there
has been a joy, like falling back in with old flame or seeing someone from your
youth and reminiscing about days gone by.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In the weeks ahead I’ll be posting more about the Realms
campaign, sharing the work I’ve done with it, displaying maps, and boring you
with the occasional actual play reports. For the first time in a long while,
I’m having fun as a DM and designer again, and not viewing my time in front of
the computer as work, but an engaging and entertaining process. This blog’s
been too much of a marketing venue and it is past time to utilize it as a means
to disseminate “fun stuff” and frolic in the shared happiness of these strange
games we play.</div>
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More to come.</div>
Michael Curtishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.com5