tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post6725689202128631341..comments2024-03-25T22:48:31.750-04:00Comments on Dreams in the Lich House: Goblins of the Spanish MainJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-58157705101150225572012-05-13T05:50:31.064-04:002012-05-13T05:50:31.064-04:00I'm finally free to talk - about this and your...I'm finally free to talk - about this and your 1650 game, which could actually be the same, now I think of it. Let me know if you're still up for it - it might actually be best to really talk via g+ hangout to hash out ideas at high speed... I'm most free this coming week. And I'm sorry to have kept you waiting - been traveling all over. <br /><br />For the pirate game, I've been noodling on this for years, ever since I worked in videogames. The ship gives you something to futz with offline and then test online, which I think could be a really interesting paradigm for g+ games... shopping and designing chargen that goes on throughout the campaign. As for how to start at 1st level with autonomy, Charles Johnson's Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates gives an example of one guy (I forget who) that started by stealing a rowing boat and robbing traders on the Delaware, seizing ships and working his way up to 3-masted Caribbean notoriety. In my southeast asian pirates game you start with one or two skiffs and family obligations to a tribe of folks who will be happy to crew for you if only you show some success.richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517340075234811323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-78601563040255216542012-05-12T08:48:03.260-04:002012-05-12T08:48:03.260-04:00IMO the key to the natives in this kind of campaig...IMO the key to the natives in this kind of campaign is to have them be humans, but call them orcs and goblins and such. Or perhaps you could have orc slaves imported from Africa and the natives are different kinds of goblins.<br /><br />Racism is inherent in D&D, especially considering that all the races seem to be just that - different races of the same species. Or perhaps hey could qualify as different species, because they don't normally interbreed.<br /><br />Anyway, Europeans viewed the Indians as sub-humans, so calling the natives demi-humans or fits perfectly.newsalorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12407247452119657221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-90412002709117254422012-05-12T03:45:35.928-04:002012-05-12T03:45:35.928-04:00Or perhaps better start them at 1st level as part ...Or perhaps better start them at 1st level as part of a crew in newbie dungeon mode, but with the expectation they'll have their own ship by ca 3rd/4th level when the exploration phase begins.Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01173759805310975320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-77006581817944795102012-05-12T03:42:30.340-04:002012-05-12T03:42:30.340-04:00I wouldn't make owning a ship the endgame. I&#...I wouldn't make owning a ship the endgame. I'd start the PCs with a small ship & crew, and they could work up through bigger ships, eventually establishing their own port/base and a fleet of ships.Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01173759805310975320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-50842998321866936562012-05-11T17:57:34.738-04:002012-05-11T17:57:34.738-04:00I'm running this concept (set a little earlier...I'm running this concept (set a little earlier, in the equivalent of the early 1500's) in my "Emern" campaign. The PCs don't always own a boat, but they can hire one to go where they want, or can get one from a patron until they can afford one.<br /><br />Currently, they own the unexplored island of Jamaica. We just finished a sequence in which they created new characters - a group of low-level surveyors sent out to explore Jamaica on behalf of their current characters.John Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17318244888477546773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-71055213005233500342012-05-11T10:46:35.182-04:002012-05-11T10:46:35.182-04:00Final Fantasy VI:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=...Final Fantasy VI:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UowrxAHFOU#t=4m10s" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UowrxAHFOU#t=4m10s</a><br /><br />The airship is where you go to switch out your party members. There is a shop on board too.Necropraxishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12716340801054739658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-56933730752398413722012-05-11T10:39:31.320-04:002012-05-11T10:39:31.320-04:00I think the rest of the crew could also be conside...I think the rest of the crew could also be considered the party's retainers. I like the idea of the ship as base and tavern, though perhaps not village (that's what port would be for). Ever since I played Final Fantasy VI, one of my back burner campaign ideas has been to do something similar with an airship. Another variation of the pirates idea that might work well is reavers on the Mediterranean during the age of heroes. Sort of like the Conan story, Scourge of the Bloody Coast I think it was. The size of ships back then might fit adventuring party + retainers as crew better also. Or maybe Sinbad.Necropraxishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12716340801054739658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-43356204449860309122012-05-11T10:38:58.556-04:002012-05-11T10:38:58.556-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Necropraxishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12716340801054739658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-21687328309150824632012-05-11T08:11:30.873-04:002012-05-11T08:11:30.873-04:00Yeah, that gives me some ideas. This exercise is ...Yeah, that gives me some ideas. This exercise is meant as a though experiment, and I had the chance to reflect further on the problem of party autonomy on the way to the office.<br /><br />Continuing the idea that the pirate ship acts as the "home base, tavern, and village" from a traditional campaign, here's how to frame the campaign: In recent years, explorers discovered ancient ruins on the island of Havana (sic), returning to Port Royal with ancient gold coins. Some captains now gather groups to explore the ruins rather than sail the high seas; during low level play (levels 1-3) the players can make traditional dungeon crawls and light wilderness exploration in an around the Atlantean ruins of Havana. During the mid-levels (4-7), they have enough wealth to secure their own ship and begin exploring the extended archipelago, just like a traditional campaign or a saltbox hex crawl often moves to the wilds. The high level game gives them the opportunity to establish island kingdoms and their own pirate fleets.<br /><br />I think it could work. It's a way to take something that seems like a poor fit for a D&D campaign arc and adapt it to the D&D structure. Plus it helps fill some voids in my list of campaign elements that need to be addressed.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-79142540393561645782012-05-11T06:41:09.622-04:002012-05-11T06:41:09.622-04:00I was running my own "saltbox" for a gam...I was running my own "saltbox" for a game group. Yet it imploded after two sessions. Various reasons why. Yet, I did have the same thought you did. How can they go to all of these islands when they are lvl.1 or 2?<br />Well, they solved it themselves by first capturing a derelict ship that was anchored near an adventure site. Then, they were able to use the money that they gained from plunder and from a job to get the ship repaired. Add to that, two of the characters were able to pilot the boat and they were sailing off to the next shore.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01903390795990245944noreply@blogger.com