tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post4238612861218601119..comments2024-03-25T22:48:31.750-04:00Comments on Dreams in the Lich House: Let's Kill Monsters and Take Their StuffJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-15195003164108287892011-06-10T14:49:41.068-04:002011-06-10T14:49:41.068-04:00I just ran B5 recently (last year recently) and di...I just ran B5 recently (last year recently) and didn't present anything about a hobgoblin king or army up front; the players investigated the hill because they knew it was a place with monsters, and as they discovered information, starting planning their own deeper investigations.<br /><br />If players discover information during their free-form exploration, and they decide to act on it, it's still 100% player agency driving the game, as opposed to plotting it out. I expect a good site-based locale to generate potential side quests (B5 is pretty underrated - it's really large!)<br /><br />On the other hand, I haven't played U1 in many years, and went back to check - sure enough, the recommendation is to have the group hired to investigate the house - a much stronger push than I prefer.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-64649378797496280112011-06-10T13:10:48.814-04:002011-06-10T13:10:48.814-04:00@Beedo: Maybe you have different versions than the...@Beedo: Maybe you have different versions than the ones I have. :)<br /><br />SPOILERS <br /><br />In the B5 I own there are multiple plots (side quests in videogame parlance) with a central plot of investigate the mysterious hill and uncover the Hobgoblin King as the army he's building up to invade Guido's Fort. If you read the parts before it gets into the room by room description and after the end you'll see this more. If you have the In Search of Adventure compilation it cuts a lot of that out.<br /><br />In U1 the Town of Saltmarsh hires the adventurers to investigate the spooky haunted house on the edge of town. There are mysterious lights there and nobody wants to go near it. The party uncovers the Smuggling operation taking place there and it leads them to the Smuggler's ship and the follow up adventures that deal with why the Smugglers are supplying arms to the Lizard Men.<br /><br />There's no set timeline, and the players are free to make their own choices about where to go and what parts of the narrative to engage with... but those modules definitely have more than "kick in the doors, kill the monsters, take their stuff".<br /><br />Both are worth a second look if you haven't seen them in a while. They're both high on the list of "favorite D&D modules" that get posted online from time to time.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13457050225967190052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-53217419450987162032011-06-10T12:17:46.314-04:002011-06-10T12:17:46.314-04:00Stuart - there is no plot to either B5 or U1. The...Stuart - there is no plot to either B5 or U1. They're presented as simple descriptive locations, providing no motivations for exploring the locations other than basic adventure (ie, kicking in doors and looting monsters).<br /><br />As the characters begin to explore and interact with the location, a story might emerge - but I'd hope that's the case with any adventure site.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-40241013786282532662011-06-10T11:48:00.411-04:002011-06-10T11:48:00.411-04:00Larceny is alright, some felonies and murder are o...Larceny is alright, some felonies and murder are okay, but we draw the line at genocide. :)<br /><br />Players do experience a certain amount of moral liberation. Perhaps this is one reason Gygax wasn't big on the deep role-playing aspects of RPGs. It's a slippery slope. One has to consider how mature the group of players are. <br /><br />And mixing children and adults? Double jeopardy! Sometimes. But, you probably have more to worry about with media and movies, etc effecting his judgement than your gaming friends (hopefully).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-16100977288253270592011-06-10T11:30:58.289-04:002011-06-10T11:30:58.289-04:00One of the things that I've noticed over the y...One of the things that I've noticed over the years is that players will choose morally questionable and <i>interesting</i> over noble and <i>boring</i>. If they are bored, they will start trouble. <br /><br />Sometimes players aren't too inventive in searching for fun. Perfectly rational people will set a town on fire if there is nothing else to do. Sometimes a DM needs to put a neon sign over some of the more 'noble' options in a sandbox to give the players meaningful choices. <br /><br />I run a non-evil game zone. I'm not really comfortable with baby killers as it is, but with my son playing, I really don't want my friends setting an example of genocide. But that bulging purse dangling off the drunk guy at the bar . . . well . . . that certainly is an option. :)<br /><br />- ArkArkheinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04197738947435750745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-48678672195424264572011-06-10T11:29:12.713-04:002011-06-10T11:29:12.713-04:00None of these adventures have over-arching plots o...<em>None of these adventures have over-arching plots or storylines, or intricate plot hooks to get the player's started. </em><br /><br />B5 and U1 do.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13457050225967190052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-70737308152291022112011-06-10T11:26:50.237-04:002011-06-10T11:26:50.237-04:00Great post! So true, good sir!
"Compelling ...Great post! So true, good sir!<br /><br /><i>"Compelling stories emerges through play."</i> - cannot be stated enough!bliss_infintehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433733609487959653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-61892867509060421602011-06-10T10:46:55.808-04:002011-06-10T10:46:55.808-04:00Nicely said.
Although, "Take their stuff&qu...Nicely said. <br /><br />Although, "Take their stuff"? Oh, how you wound me, good sir. Such a slander to my wonderful characters' professions. <br /><br />We rescue the gold and liberate the magic items from their avericious overlords! It's for their own good... :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com