Has it been a month already?

Sorry about the lack of updates. I have been busy writing Flames of Freedom: Shadows Upon The Hudson. Work is moving along on that, and I am happy with the results so far. When I am not working on that, I am working on a stand alone adventure for Shadow, Sword & Spell, and that is reaching a nearly finished state. If that was not enough to keep me busy, Shadow, Sword & Spell: Companion is still moving along, and many sections are being play tested.

That is what’s new here.

Tags: thoughts, Game Design

So anything neat happen yesterday? :)

As you probably know by now, yesterday I released Colonial Gothic Second Edition, or CG2E, and as I should have realized, I have been hit with a ton of things. Namely keeping up. This post will bring you all up too speed as to the why’s and what’s.

So first question, why Second Edition?

The game needed it. Revised had a lot of bugs, and my attempts to correct them were nearly impossible. The reason is that the original layout files for the book was corrupted, and I could not open the files on my Mac. This made correcting errata next to impossible, and even though I wanted to update the PDF, I just could not unless I relaid out the whole book. So I started to do that, and after the first chapter, I gave up. Not because I hated the work, but, because I realized the game should be better. Thus, I decided that if I was going to relayout the game, why not really clean it up?

I was on the fence about this for awhile, and then I was pushed off the fence after Graeme came onboard. He voiced the concerns I had, and really gave me the nudge to get off my butt and clean up the game. This was in 2010, and for the next year I wrote, rewrote, revised, rewrote, and cursed the game. Finally it was 2011 that the game was in a state I was happy with. I sent it to Graeme, and his criticism was harsh, but it was the right harsh. He said it could be better, and he was right. Thus, I started from scratch. I killed everything, and rewrote the game from page one.

Doing this, I rethought things, and took the lessons I have learned with Shadow, Sword & Spell, and applied them to the game. The result is the game you see today.

Still this was not enough. I wanted to make sure that this was put through the paces and was thoroughly playtested. The playtesting ran from July 2011 to about August 2012. During this time, every rule was tested, questioned, pulled apart and retested. The result is that the game changed because of this and changed for the better.

So the second question, anything change?

To be honest, not really. This game still plays, runs, and is compatible with what has come before. You can easily play and use the previous version and not notice anything. That being said two things have changed.

First, Social Combat has been totally rewritten. It runs smoother, it is quicker and it actually is a lot easier to use then it was before. Because of this, Resolve is no longer in the game. This is not a bad thing, because the Resolve stat always pissed me off.

Second, there are no longer rules for Specialized Skill use. This is one of the major areas that has caused confusion, and no mater how much I tried to clear it up, I failed. So I killed it. Why? How the game works, there is no need to allow for specialization. Since the TN is based on Stat + Skill, there is no benefit to specializing. Because of this, it made no sense to keep it. Since dropping it, play has been smoother.

The third question, is it edited?

Yes. For me, this was the most important thing that needed to be done. If I was going to do CG2E, then I needed, no, required, that better editing was needed. I went with an outsider, someone who was not in the inner circle, and that someone is Tom Cadorette. This was my first time working with him, and the work he put in on this game was amazing. This game reads better, and is so much cleaner, that I could not be more proud.

The fourth question, is it backward compatible?

Short answer. Yes. Long answer, yes. :)

The only changes are mentioned above. You can use what has come before with this game. I made sure of it.

The last question, does it look better?

I hate to toot my own horn, but yes. I laid this book out, and I did so to make sure it read easily. As many do not know I do freelance graphic design, book design and ebook programming, and I wanted to make sure this book looked as good as it could. The body font is easy on the eyes. Headers are clear, and the organization is there. The book is 282 pages, but does not feel thick. In addition, is hardcover. This is the best looking book I’ve put out, but this is the first time I am proud how the Rulebook looks.

So there you go.

Tags: Colonial Gothic, thoughts, Game Design

I have been busy with a multidtue of projects. One of these projects is Shadow, Sword & Spell: Companion. After suffering from a case of writer’s block with this book earlier this year, I have found the block gone, and my work pace on the first manuscript has picked up speed. I am enjoying writing this book, and it is fun to just be able to cut loose and create optional rules, and the like, that do not have to be strongly tied to humanistic pulp fantasy. Companion is going to be a book of options. Gamemasters and players alike, will find a book filled with little bits that they can use and craft the style of games they want.

One area that I struggled with, however, is races. I knew I wanted to create a section that dealt with fantasy races. I also knew how to approach the rules. I knew some gamers did not like that Shadow, Sword & Spell: Basic or Expert covered races at all. For them, a fantasy game is not a fantasy game if it does not allow for elves, dwarves and the like. For me, Shadow, Sword & Spell was never about this, after all it is based on the pulp fiction of Howard, Smith and Lovecraft. In those works, humans are front and center. They are the driver of events. They are the protagonists, as well as the antagonist.

Still 12° is flexible, and one can easily create different races, as well as other things (see Background and Modifiers in Shadow, Sword & Spell and Backgrounds in Colonial Gothic) that any type of character enhancement is possible. As such, Shadow, Sword & Spell is all about flexibility, and the Companion is designed to give you different styles of fantasy. So races exist.

What I had trouble with, was not what races to include or create, but how to make them not cliches. It is easy to fall to cliches, and the last thing I wanted to do was follow convention. So I have tried to make races different. Here is a recent example, Orcs, that I wrote last night. This is as is, by that It is a rough draft, I am still thinking through some things.

Orc

Stat Adjustments: +1 Brawn, +1 Vigor, −1 Reason, −1 Will

Bonus: +1 TN Melee, +1 Tactics

Traits: Scent, Nightvision

Orcs are an interesting race when it comes to fantasy role playing games. They often depicted as creature of pure evil, who only live to serve as foes to put in the way of player characters. It was J.R.R. Tolkien who turned orcs into a pervasion of the elves, and even with him, they were a race devoid of any redeeming characteristics. When Dungeons & Dragons was introduced the ors was depicted as nothing more that a “evil” creature. This is a boring take, and the concept of a race who is inherently evil, though a staple of the genre is rather silly. It strikes me, and has always strikes me, as, well, silly.

No race is inherently evil. For me this is lazy writing. Villainy is not a racial trait it is a outlook, and philosophy if you will. You choose to to willfully due what is wrong, and you are not born to it. Thus, orcs, are evil. To this, I say no. Orcs are no more evil, that the general who orders his troops to slaughter a village of innocents.

For Shadow, Sword & Spell, orcs are a race of warriors. For them strength is what is honored, and those who are the strongest are seen as the more capable of leading. Though not as smart as elves, or even some humans, they are a race who has perfected the art of war. A simple people, their word is their bond, and they are quick to protect those who are in their care, and even quick to avenge a wrong. Though warriors, they do not live for war. It is a part of their culture, but so to is hunting, weaponsmithing, and studying the ways of battle.

Orcs are an enigma. One minute they are ready to charge into battle, and the next they would rather debate the finer points of siege craft.

Tags: Companion, thoughts, Game Design

Subject line says it all, I need some help.

What type of help? Here’s the list:

1. Suggestions on what you would like to see for Shadow, Sword & Spell and Colonial Gothic.
2. Adventure submissions for both Shadow, Sword & Spell and Colonial Gothic.
3. Content for both wikis
4. Writers who are willing to take my notes and outlines for adventures and run with them.

Those three things would be a great help too me. Why? I cannot do it all myself. I’ve been bogged down with not only art school, but my graphic design work, as well as the big projects for Rogue Games. I want to do more, but I just do not have the time to write as much as I like. So I throw it out to you: help me.

If you want to try your hand at adventure writing, or have ideas for adventures, shoot me an email. This is a perfect opportunity for those who have never tried their hand at this.

Tags: Game Design, Gaming, Games

Work continues on Colonial Gothic: The French and Indian War. The layout should be tied up this week, the only thing I am waiting on is Gabriel to finish up the map, and then break it into smaller pieces.

So what does the map look like?



This is not to print size. I just shrunk it down to fit in this post. Up close the map is a thing of beauty – I have only seen lo-rez versions – and will be great looking as a stand alone poster. This is something I am looking into.

There are a lot of maps in this book. Which is what I always wanted. Some are from the period, the others are the work of Gabriel. All really make this book something special.

When can you expect the preorder to go live? I am shooting for next week, but I do not want to rush things. I want Gabriel to have the time he needs to get the maps done. The book will be out next month, just have a little patience.

Tags: Game Design, Colonial Gothic, maps, thoughts

A few weeks ago I wrote about the work I am doing on Shadow, Sword & Spell Companion. In that post I mentioned that how the rules behave now, is that in choosing a race is similar to how you choose a Modifier. Your race has you adjust a few Abilities, give you a few skill bonuses, in some cases a trait, and your character stands out from other characters. For the past few months playtesting has been underway and the results have ten encouraging. Some tweaks and some creativity, and the rules for races have been well received.

So what do the rules look like? Here are two example of the races being used. These are still works in progress, and they still need some work. What they will show you is where the thinking lies and what play testers have been using.

Goblin

Ability Adjustments: -2 Brawn, +2 Quickness
Skill Bonus: Stealth +1, Subterfuge +1
Traits: Bite, Nightvision, Size -1

Half Giant

Ability Adjustments: Brawn +2, Quickness -2, Reason -2
Skill Bonus: Intimidation +2
Traits: Size +1

So looking at this, you notice two things, when the race sections are fully written, there are going to be a lot of choice for GMs when it comes to what type of races they can choose from. The other thing that stands out is the section Traits. Traits are the unique things that make each race standout from each other. These traits are similar to creature traits (as found in Shadow, Sword & Spell: Expert), and when you choose a race, your character gains these traits as well.

There are currently sixteen different races being play tested, some are very familiar (elf and dwarf) some are unique mythological beings (centaurs) while others are unique (the ghoulkin).

So there you go a brief look at what is being play tested. Take these two rough text blocks and play with them and see how they work in your games. If you do use them, be sure to let me know what your impressions are.

Tags: SS&S, Game Design, thoughts

My work on the rough draft of Companion is nearly done -- well the hand written version, I will need to type it -- and I am working on the last major section. That section deals with fantasy races.

Though fantasy races do not fit within the standard game of SS&S, Companion is a collection of options. One option that I wanted to give players and GMs was the option of doing more high fantasy with the game. A way to allow this is by giving rules for fantasy races.

How the rules behave now, is that choosing a race is very much like a Modifier. Your race will have you adjust a few stats, give you a couple of bonuses, and help you stand out from the other characters.

Where I am having issues is what type of races to include. Confession time, I am not a great fan of high fantasy. I can appreciate it as a genre but the traditional tropes of the style are lost on me. Still, I am not designing for myself, and I realize that a book like the Companion should appeal to many. That is why I am stuck on what types of races to include. Here is what I got right now:

• Elf
• Dwarf
• Goblin
• Ogre
• Ratman
• Fairy

Not a long list, and I am sure I am missing a few obvious ones. So I turn to you, what other races would you like to see? The only caveat I have is this: No hobbit-like creatures or cat girls.

Suggest away.

Tags: Game Design, thoughts, Companion

Work on Shadow, Sword & Spell: Companion is moving along.

Major sections have been written (by hand as is always the case), and some sections have been noted out. Sections that are still waiting to be written, have been put to the side while I finish up reading and research.

This is going to be a book, that has everything I ever wanted to say about fantasy. There are a lot of options, as well as new items waiting to be added to the existing game.

One option I have really grown to like, is an idea I almost left off the book’s outline. That option is bloodlines.

Bloodlines deal with characters being descendants of historical figures, heroes, or even the gods. What the concept allows is for Gamemasters and players to create characters who have a certain spark to them that sets them apart from others. Bloodlines have four types – diluted, minor, major and true – and depending on what type of bloodline your character has, they either have one power or a few they are able to call upon. bloodlines are a way for you to create a character like Hercules, in that you want a character who is the result of a coupling between a god and mortal woman.

The rules for bloodlines call for you to pick, or have your Gamemaster assign to you one of the types. Depending on the type, you have access to either one or three powers (diluted have access to no powers, but still have something that makes them stand out amongst others). Powers vary from such things as uncanny luck, or being skilled in a certain skill. In addition, certain powers are only available to certain bloodlines, and it is by doing this, that the various types bloodlines are separated from each other.

Besides the rules for these bloodlines, rules for how the bloodline is passed down to another character are provided. With this, groups who want to play a more historical campaign of having their characters be descendants of other characters is possible.

It is the generational play which is found throughout the book. Rules for family and family status are provided, and when you combine them with bloodlines, you could play a game where descendants come into and out of play.

Bloodlines. Just one of the many things that will be found in this book.

Tags: SS&S, Game Design, notes, thoughts, Companion

Shadow, Sword & Spell: Threats is currently in editing. Art is coming in. I am starting to think about the layout, and work up page designs and the like. I think this is the book that I will start to change things up when it comes to presentation. Why? This is a monster, threat, book after all, and the entries need to have space.

Speaking of the threats found within the book, here is a new one, ready to be used in your Shadow, Sword & Spell games now, the White Ape.

White Ape

Brawn 8, Quickness 8, Toughness 8, Wits 9, Will 9, Resolve 45, Vitality 40

Skills: Athletics–Climb [+8/+10], Brawl [+9], Melee [+9], Observe [+10], Tactics [+10], Track [+9]

Traits:
▪ Albinism: White Apes suffers from albinism, and as a result their fur is white, and eyes are red. Albinism gains Fear −2.
▪ Fierce: White Apes are naturally aggressive, and once they take damage they must make a Will Test. Failure, they become enraged, and as a result, its Brawn and Toughness are temporarily raised by 2 points each, and its Vitality is temporarily increased by 15 Points. In addition, both its Will and Wits are temporarily lowered by 2 points each. Fierce lasts for 1d12 Rounds, and while in this state, the white apes is immune to all Fear and ignores any modifiers associated with lost Vitality. As soon as the Fierce state passes, the creature’s Abilities return to normal, and the boosted Vitality disappears.
▪ Leaper: White Apes are able to leap incredible distances, and gain +5 bonus on all Athletics (Jump) Tests or any other Tests where the GM rules that this Trait has bearing. They are also able to leap 16 feet every round as an action.

Before the time of the Lost Kingdom, even before the Rise of the Lost Empire, the White Apes possess an advanced civilization which rivaled that of the Serpent People. How, or why, their culture fell, no one knows. Now the White Apes are found scattered throughout The World, but there are persistent reports that living amongst the ruins scattering The Jungles of Moarn is a city populated by the apes. White apes resemble gorillas, but are bipedal, and their hair allows some to past as human. Though they are afflicted with albinos the white apes show no real effects from it.

Tags: SS&S, thoughts, Snippet, Game Design

The other day I mentioned I would write about the Shadow, Sword & Spell: Companion. I said I would do this on Friday, and as what usually happens, I got side tracked with some other things needing my attention. So even though this is a day late, here we go.

Companion was always a book in the works when Basic and Expert was being written. Both Basic & Expert had a clear goal in mind, and everything that went into those two books was put in for a reason. The design goals was focused on creating a pulp fantasy inspired game, that was influenced by the writing of Howard, Smith and Lovecraft. Because of that, certain things were not covered. Some may balk at this, but I really wanted both books to be as slim as they could be, and I did not want to try to make the game as inclusive as it could. Thus Companion was going to be the book that the kitchen-sink would appear.

Fuzzy footed goblins? In Companion.

Psionics? Companion.

Weird styles of magic? Companion.

More options than you can shake a stick at? Companion.

Basically, Companion is an attempt to harken back to an earlier time of game design and game publishing. A collection of add ons that anyone can use, without harming the base game.

Huh?

Think of Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu. No matter what edition of the game that exists, that rulebook is all you ever need if you want to run CoC. For just as long as the rulebook existed, that has always been a Keeper’s Companion and an Investigator’s Companion. These books exist to present new ideas and topics that would not fit within the main rulebook. In many ways they offer a buffet of game ideas that players and Keepers alike can use to expand upon their games. The Call of Cthulhu example is just one example, and many earlier games always followed the companion model, which presented new ideas and topics without cluttering the main rulebook. a companion is not a splatbook, in that there is no meta plot being advanced, official world setting be explored, or marketing blitz being launched. The design idea of a companion is to collect all the odd bits and pieces that would not hold their own release, and present players and gamemasters alike new ideas to explore.

Thus, Shadow, Sword & Spell: Companion is the book where all the extraneous bits and pieces are going to appear, and allow the players and gamemasters to add new things to their own games, to make them their own games.

Thus if you want to have elfs, dwarfs and the like, Companion has those rules. Does that mean if you rather play pulp fantasy, you can skip this book? Yes and no.

If you love Shadow, Sword & Spell as it is, nothing in Basic and Expert is changed. They game still runs as is. If you want new spells, or new little options that you can plug in, then Companion is an accessory that will allow you to tinker. If you like Shadow, Sword & Spell’s The World, there is more information in Companion, but it is not exhaustive. It is there to give color to the rules and put things into context.

So what does Companion contain? Here is the rough outline as it exists today, November 19, 2011.

Chapter One: Character Options

• Honor
• Prestige
• Legend
• Animal Totems
• Family and Social Levels
• New Backgrounds
• Character Templates
• Fantasy Races

Chapter Two: Combat Options

• Martial Arts
• Ariel Combat
• Ocean Combat
• Chase Rules
• Combat Maneuvers & Stunts

Chapter Three: Gear

• Gunpowder
• Oriental weapons and armor
• Other weapons and armor from historical cultures

Chapter Four: Psionics

Chapter Five: Magic

• Counter spelling
• Necromancy
• Summoning
• Name Magic - knowing the true name allows for power
• Rune Magic
• Witches
• New Alchemical Arts
• New Common Spells
• New Arcane Spells
• Scrolls and their use
• Crystals and gems and using their magical properties
• Ritual Magic - Domain scale spells
• Ley Lines (maybe)

Chapter Six: Settlements & Domains

• Treating settlements as if they are characters
• Expanding the events and actions you can do on the domain level.

Chapter Seven: Dimensions and other planes

• Possessions and exorcism
• Corruption from extra-dimensional creatures
• Using planes and dimensions
• The cosmology of The World

Chapter Eight: Random Items

• Creating random items or power
• Creating random tomes

Chapter Nine: New Creatures

• New devils and demons
• New monsters
• Djinni’s
• Constructs
• Golems
• Psionic creatures

Chapter Ten: Campaigns

• New types of campaigns
• Using Domains as characters and each player plays one

So there you go. That is the outline right now.

Tags: Games, Game Design, notes, thoughts

I’ve mentioned this book on and off for the past year, but finally, after what has taken far longer than I like, Shadow, Sword & Spell: Threats is going to be released February 2012 (the solicit will be up later today).

So what is Threats? Is it a monster manuel type book? A collection of NPCs? A book helping you create monsters of your own? In order: yes, yes and yes.

Threats is a book I have thought about doing for awhile. I have always wanted to do a book that was focused on creating threats for players that a Gamemaster could pick up and run as is. I wanted a book that was more than just monsters, but animals, plants and the like. Plus I had some ideas for creature traits that I did not have when I was working on Basic and Expert.

So Threats is reaching the end. What will you find in it? Here’s a break down:

• Creatures of myth and legend
• Creatures inspired by Lovecraft
• Devils
• Demons
• New animals
• Plants and insects
• Unique creatures
• A few mercenary bands
• New creature traits
• A piece on effective creature design

That’s a lot of items, and the book is packed. It is the type of book I like, by that it has a lot of useful information, enough details about the game’s setting (The World) that inspires you to create your own creations in there, as well as creatures that inspire you to create adventures around them (the dragon Emberstrike is a good example).

So as the title of this post mentions, Threats taught me a few things. So what did I learn?

Patience. This book was hard to write, and not for reasons you think. Coming up with monsters and the like is easy. What is not easy is deciding which ones to include and which ones to drop. What is also hard is deciding on how you want to present information. There are many example of monster manuals, but what I could not find was something like what I wanted to do with Threats.

Threats also taught me when to pull back on detail. At times this book was turning into nothing more than details about The World, and because of this I lost the plot so to speak. So I went back, stripped it all out, and decided to rewrite the book. I rewrote the book five times. It was this process of rewriting that I hit on the perfect mix.

Threats is a good book. It will not change the world, but it is a book I am proud of. It has a lot of cool ideas, and the details I hint at about The World, really have inspired me to create more for this game. Which is a good thing, because I have a lot of ideas.

Tags: Game Design, SS&S

Finished the last revision on Flames of Freedom Part 2 yesterday. I am sitting on it for the next seven days and then I will go back and finish it up next week.

With this small break, I can now turn my attention to finishing up the next book for Shadow, Sword & Spell. That book? Threats.

Here is what I have written for the Introduction:

Threats.

For any game, let alone a fantasy game, threats are the primary component to great adventures.

Threats take many forms.

They might be band of thieves plaguing the streets of a city. Or, they might be a loathsome terror whose fangs drip with black poison. A threats can be something as mundane as a plant. A threat can also be as fear inducing as a band of cutthroats terrorizing a farming community.

In Shadow, Sword & Spell: Threats you will find a collection of threats running the gamut from monsters of myth to more mundane ones. These threats are ready to run as is. They are fully stated, have hooks, and in some cases adventure plots ready for you to take shape into adventures of your own.

There is going to be a lot of cool things in this book, from new monsters, to fully fleshed out villains, and new traits for monsters of your own design.

Tags: Game Design, SS&S, thoughts

So the other day (June 7 to be exact) I tweeted two quick tweets (here and here). As promised, here is a fuller explanation.

When working on Shadow, Sword & Spell, I had a couple of ideas for follow up books. One of them was Shadow, Sword & Spell: City. The idea behind this book was simple: provide rules and guidelines for city games. This book was not only going to provide guidelines and help in building a city, but also present a city. My idea was simple, once I introduced a chapter of new rules or guidelines, the following chapter would put that into practice and present some of the city. As I built the outline, the book was going to be close to twenty chapters. Half with city advice, and the other half with the actual city. I was enthused, but the more I worked on this, the more I began to second guess myself, and actually hate what I was working on.

The more I worked on City the more I hated it, and finally I decided to take a break on it. I switched my focus to writing Shadow, Sword & Spell: Threats (draft done getting ready to finish this), and dove back into Colonial Gothic projects. Mind you, I still tinkered on City, but my enthusiasm and desire to create a sprawling mess of what would be a shitty book.

Then, I bought this. Upon reading it I had two thoughts:

1. Holy Shit! Zak (I Hit It With My Axe and D&D With Porn Stars) is a genius and this is pure brilliance.
2. This is everything I wanted to do, and it is done better.

At first I thought maybe it was just my lack of desire to work on City, but then I reread the book. Actually at last count I have read this think five times. Each time I read it, I realize more and more, this is the perfect city book. Everything I was trying to do with City is done so much better in VORNHEIM. From how to run a city, to a lot of simply cool ideas. For the first time, in a very long time, I found myself excited by a gaming supplement.

So upon finishing the reading for the fifth time, I asked myself a very simple question:

Richard, do you think you can do better than this?

(Yeah, I talk in the third person to myself).

It is a simple question, and upon reflection, I realized that I cannot do better than what Zak has done in VORNHEIM. Even if I thought I could, I do not want to. This is a perfect little book, and covers the areas that I wanted to do. The world does not need another city book. It really doesn’t. Doing one would be an exercise in futility. I have nothing to say on the topic, and I am not going to to a book just to do a book.

So what’s next? City might be dead, but the wealth of city details I wrote will not go to waste. I plan on cleaning things up and over the following weeks start posting the material to The Tome. The wiki has been a joke in that I’ve done nothing to update it for close to a year. That is about to change.

In conclusion, a book that no one has seen might have died in development, but the work will be shared. In addition, hopefully, you will get a copy of VORNHEIM it is that good.

Tags: SS&S, thoughts, Game Design

This will be short and sweet.

You can stop emailing, tweeting, and the like. If you want a GM Screen for our games, we will move it off the maybe list, and move it to the project list. Give me some time to get is thought out and laid out.

Tags: Game Design, news

As mentioned awhile ago, a new series is starting. Said series is known as In the Raw. Here is the first of what I hope to be a regular feature. This continues today with a new template for Shadow, Sword & Spell.

Beggar

Found in all cities of the world, scattered along the street, filing the squares and hiding in the shadows of the alleys are those who’ve slipped through the cracks and eek out a living amongst civilizations scraps. Beggars, due to their living on the streets see and hear many things. They are skilled in scrounging, both for wealth as well as information.

Culture: Civilized

Modifier: Urban

Primary: Nimble

Skills: Acrobatics (Contortion), Bargain (Haggling) Dodge, Observe, Stealth (Shadowing), Streetwise (Scrounging) Subterfuge (Pick Pocket)

Gear: Staff, Clay Bowl

Tags: In the Raw, SS&S, Game Design, Gaming, thoughts

As mentioned in the a few days ago, a new series is starting. Said series is known as In the Raw. Here is the first of what I hope to be a regular feature. This continues today with a new template for Shadow, Sword & Spell.

Bawd

Every city found throughout The World, has men and women selling their services as guides and escorts to the newly arrived. Bawds are those who know every nook and cranny of their chosen city, and are so tuned into it they are able to get a person what they need. In addition, bawds allow outsiders to gain access to areas or information they might not know.

Culture: Civilized

Modifier: Urban

Primary: Wits

Skills: Bargain (Bribery), Defend (Parry), Diplomacy (Negotiation), Gaming (Dice), Language (Trade plus one other), Lore (Specific City), Melee (Club), Observe, Streetwise (Criminal Contacts)

Tags: In the Raw, SS&S, Game Design, Gaming, thoughts

As mentioned in the a few days ago, a new series is starting. Said series is known as In the Raw. Here is the first of what I hope to be a regular feature. This continues today with a new template for Shadow, Sword & Spell.

Barber

Found in the City States of Doarn, as well as the League of Merchants, barbers are a group of people skilled in many areas dealing with the body. More that hair cutters, they are dentists, doctors as well as sources of information. Plying their trade in cities, those unable to afford the cost of a physician, often find themselves under a barber’s care.

Culture: Civilized

Modifier: Urban

Primary: Wits

Skills: Bargain (Charm), Brawl (Dirty Fighting), Heal, Melee (Knife), Observe, Physick (First Aid), Socialize (Carousing), Streetwise (Criminal Contacts), Subterfuge (Sleight of Hand), Throw (Knife)

Gear: Knife

Tags: In the Raw, SS&S, Game Design, Gaming, thoughts

As mentioned in the last post, a new series is starting. Said series is known as In the Raw. Here is the first of what I hope to be a regular feature.

Character Templates

Character templates are designed to make character creation not only quicker, but easier. They supplement the cultures and modifiers given in Shadow, Sword & Spell: Basic and Expert by adding more detail according to a more specific character concept.

Players can use character templates for suggestions on spending points on abilities and skills, buying equipment, and creating Hooks for a Hero. GMs can use them as a quick way to create NPCs of a desired type.

Nothing in any character template is mandatory. Their purpose is to aid in character creation, not restrict it. However, when departing from a character template, it can be helpful to think about why this particular character is different from the norm; doing so will help flesh out the character’s background and personality.

Assassin

Though there are those who sell their skills and offer to kill others, and rumors abound that the Veil of Caim hire their services out, there are those who train and enter the ranks of professional killers. Known as assassins, they organize themselves into small guilds and gangs, and ply their trade for a price. Found in all major cities, assassins are dispassionate killers.

Culture: Civilized

Modifier: Decadent

Primary: Toughness

Skills: Archery (Crossbow), Athletics (Climbing), Brawl (Punching), Defend (Parry), Herbalist (Poison Making), Intimidation (Torture), Melee (Knife, Sword), Observe, Stealth (Shadowing), Throw (Knife)

Gear: Short Sword, 3 Knives, …..

Hooks:

• It is not personal it is only business.
• Your death will bring me great wealth.
• Let it not be said, I did not kill my target.
• No one weeps for your death.
• I have a message for you, it is a simple one: die.

Tags: In the Raw, SS&S, Game Design, Gaming, thoughts

Shadow, Sword & Spell: Expert builds upon the foundation laid in Basic.

As have been stated many times, Basic covers the early adventures of your heroes, and Expert covers the end game.

So, if Expert is covering the end game, the book has to cover certain things. Like what? Here’s the list:

1. Domain Rules
2. Henchmen and Retainers
3. Merchant Rules
4. Spell and Alchemical Art Creation
5. Relics
6. Ancient Tomes
7. Mass Combat

Expert contains all of this, as well as other things. This post, however, is about the Mass Combat rules.

My goal in designing these rules were simple: allow for large scale army conflict that has the player characters able to take a role. You can quickly run mass combat with these rules, and in playtests I have seen engagements go for no longer than 15 minutes. The criteria mass combat have in regards to a roleplaying game, is much different when you are doing a wargame. Mass combat must be fast, it must allow for a more descriptive nature of things, and more importantly, it must be fast.

Why?

Those who play roleplaying games, for the most part, are not wargammers. Rolepayers do not have the desire to push counters, measure distances, and deal with the complexity wargaming has. I am a wargammer, and for me, more so than roleplaying, wargamming is my favorite thing to do. Just because I enjoy it, does not mean, others will.

So in designing the rules, I worked hard to strip wargaming down to something that can be done in a few minutes. Here is just a small example.

Chapter Seven: Mass Combat

As your Hero grows in fame and prestige, she will eventually come into contact with armies. The world of Shadow, Sword & Spell is a violent one, and various powers clash in battle. The rules governing Mass Combat are straightforward and allow you to quickly run mass combat on the table top. These rules cover small squads as well as large armies. These simple rules are designed to allow both the Gamemaster and players to fight out battles involving these armies quickly and easily.

The first thing to keep in mind is that this system is narrative in scope, and this has been done intentionally. Mass Combat is very complex, and typically involves miniatures, counters, and terrain, as well as a lot of time. This is not a knock against wargames and miniatures. Hell, growing up, wargames and miniature wargaming consumed a lot of my free time. However, for a roleplaying game, the needs are quite different. Often war, or a clash of armies, is just one small facet of an adventure. There isn’t a need to have a detailed, drawn out battle. Instead, Mass Combat for Shadow, Sword & Spell has been reduced down to a few simple dice rolls. This system is designed to allow not only armies but small units to clash. It allows the Gamemaster and players to deal with Mass Combat quickly and efficiently.

Basics

Before going into detail, it’s important to note that all armies have six basic elements. No matter the type of troops, these common elements quickly allow you to assess the strength or weakness of various troops. These elements are: Unit Type, Unit Rating, Quality, Size, Engagement Rating, and Hooks.

Unit Type is simply the type of unit with which one is dealing. The Unit Type can be infantry, cavalry, and the like.

Unit Rating is a simple stat which takes into account a unit’s training, skills, abilities, and the like. Over time, this stat can and does improve.

Quality is not only partially based on the Unit Rating, but it takes into account the weapons, armor, mounts, and any other type of special abilities that the unit might have.

Size is a simple concept, and is mainly comes down to the number of soldiers found in the unit.

Engagement Rating is the number used to see if you win or lose a battle.

Hooks are well, hooks. They are similar to the Hooks that individual Heroes have.

Combat involves two armies declaring tactics, taking the calculated Engagement Scores, a few other factors, and then rolling 2d12. This result is added to the Engagement Score, and whichever side has the highest number, wins. Combat continues until one side is destroyed, retreats or surrenders.

With the basics out of the way, let’s go into detail about how the system works.

...

There is more to this, but this should give you an idea where we are going.

Tags: Shadow, Sword & Spell, Game Design, thoughts

Work is moving fast on Shadow, Sword & Spell: Expert. Second round of edits are beginning. The book has a lot of options in it, as well as new expansions. There is a lot on this book that I am proud of. Today I want to share a small section from one of the chapters. This section deals with Henchman and Hirelings, and is part of a much larger chapter dealing with the concepts of leadership and domains. What I wanted to do with this chapter, as well as other chapters dealing with the “end game” is make the whole process easy. A lot of the systems deal with rolling either a d12 or 2d12 and modifying it with a number to get a result. Mass combat is a perfect example of this.

So here is a small section straight from Chapter 3. Enjoy.

Henchman & Hirelings

As characters grow and gain experience, their reputations grow as well. Because of this increased reputation they might often be asked to undertake missions, or perform tasks, that are too big for just themselves. Some characters might have their own goals, and in order to accomplish these goals, they might need to hire extra help. Conversely the characters reputation might have others seek them out in hope of joining their cause or swearing allegiance to their banner.

Henchmen and hirelings come from all walks of life and offer characters access to skills that they might nov, or the time time to use. Henchmen and hirelings are more than just tools – however some characters might view them as this – they are trusted confidents, loyal followers or even well respected friends.

Henchmen

Exactly when a hero, or a villain, attracts followers is left up to the Gamemaster. Acquiring followers is an organic outgrowth that follows through play and deeds. A rough rule of thumb is that a hero begins to attract followers once they have made a name for themselves. This can be done after numerous adventures, or after performing tasks that bring them prestige.

How many henchmen can a hero have? A number equal to the hero’s Resolve. For example, your Hero has a Resolve 40. This means that they can easily lead a group of henchmen that numbers up to 40. Keep in mind that just because your hero can have henchmen, it means that they acquire them automatically. They must hire them, persuade them to join their cause, or have a reputation which attracts people to them.

Case in point. Let’s use an example. Growing up on the mean streets and canals of Gravina, Johan the Black took to thieving to survive. As a young lad he became a pickpocket, and eventually learned the skills enabling him to be a burglar. Over time his reputation grows, and because of this, one, then two, partners in crime seek him out to join his “gang.” Johan, whose Resolve is 30, soon finds himself leading a band of 15 thieves. To keep his band together, Johan’s player constantly seeks ways to keep them happy.

So, can you have more henchmen than your Resolve allows? Yes, but to do so requires the hero to make a Diplomacy, Tactics, or Intimidation Test every time he wishes to have his henchmen undertake something. This Test has a penalty depending on how many henchman over their usual maximum total they are leading.

[START TABLE]
Table 3:1 Leadership Penalty
# Over Resolve Penalty
1-5 -1
6-10 -2
11-15 -3
20-25 -4
26-30 -5
31+ -6
[END TABLE]

Note, that the number of henchmen your character has is not the same as the number of families attached in their domain (see below). Henchmen are a whole different beast when compared to ruling a kingdom. Think of Henchmen as trusted agents, lieutenants and people who have been with your hero as they have gained in power and infamy.

Unlike hirelings who get paid (see below), henchmen are not covered by a set pay rate. That does not mean that henchmen do not cost anything, or that they work out of gratitude. Their is an exception among henchmen that they are to be given a place to live, food to eat and a chance to gain wealth via a percentage of spoils. Character who do not take care of their henchmen needs soon find themselves with henchmen harder to lead, prove to leaving, or worse wanting to mutiny.

As a general rule of thumb payment for henchmen can use Tables 2:9 and 2:10 (see pages XXX) as a rough guideline when it comes to henchmen pay.

Hirelings

Hirelings are those who are loyal to your hero due to one fact — they are being paid. Hirelings work for the hero and perform jobs, and it cost a number of Crowns per day to employ a hireling (see Chapter 2).

Group Resolve

Henchmen and Hirelings are collectively known as Retainers, and they have Retainer Resolve, which is a measure of how happy, or angry, they are. Retainer Resolve covers both henchmen and hirelings as a a means to keep track of all retainers moral. The initial Resolve rating is equal to the sum of the the characters’ Resolve multiplied by 5. In addition to Resolve, retainers also have a Resolve Level which is based on the rating, and periodically a Resolve check is made. Whenever a Resolve Check is made, look up the current Resolve rating on the Resolve Level Table which indicates the new Resolve. Remember although Resolve changes frequently, the Resolve Level only changes when a Resolve Check is made — even if the rating moves into a different range between checks.

[START TABLE]
Table 3:2 Resolve Level
Resolve Resolve Level
19 or less Turbulent
20 to 49 Belligerent
50 to 100 Rebellious
101 to 150 Defiant
151 to 200 Unsteady
201 to 250 Average
251 to 300 Steady
301 to 350 Healthy
351 to 400 Prosperous
401 to 450 Thriving
451+ Ideal
[END TABLE]

Tags: Shadow, Sword & Spell, Game Design, thoughts, Expert

I am finishing up the last bits on Shadow, Sword & Spell: Expert. The book has been edited once already, and I am now making the changes and additions John (our editor) has called for. Once done, I will send the manuscript back to him, and it will go through the second round. From there, it goes to proofreading, and then eventually layout.

I might be bias, but this is a good book. There is a lot of cool additions and options found here. Areas have been expanded, as well as added to. I am really pleased with the rules I’ve created for Domains, Henchmen and War. There are a lot of new spells -- including Arcana -- as well as new monsters. Here is just one example of one of the new monsters.

Basilisk

Brawn 8, Quickness 10, Toughness 8, Wits 7, Will 11, Fear -4, Resolve 55, Vitality 57

Skills: Brawl [+10], Dodge [+10], Shoot [+11]

Traits: Breath: Fire [DV 2(30), R 5/15/30, ROF 1/1], Claws, Fierce, Fear, Gaze [R 50’, ROF 1/1, successful hit, target must make a Toughness Test, with Failure resulting in their being paralyzed for 1 day, Dramatic Failure target dies], Moan — Hiss [Effective only against animals, any animal within a 50-foot radius of Basilisk must make a Toughness Test with Failure causing them to lose half their Vitality, and a Dramatic Failure causes them to instantly die], Weakness — Weasels [a weasel’s attacks cause double damage].

The basilisk looks like a rooster, with the tail of a snake. A fierce creature, it is a danger to all life, and has been known to attack with no regard for itself or its surroundings. Like the scorpion, it prefers dry places, and thus they are native to The Shimmering Sands. Though some think this creature is able to turn a person to stone, that is just a myth. A Basilisk is hatched from a cock's egg — a rare occurrence — and they are susceptible to the attacks of weasels.

Tags: Shadow, Sword & Spell, thoughts, Game Design

Fast at work on a new project. Said project is for Shadow, Sword & Spell. Have a look.



This will be out in August.

No, it is not Expert. That is being edited now.

And no, it is not a new adventure.

What is it? Only time will tell.

Tags: Shadow, Sword & Spell, thoughts, Game Design

So I am ending the final work on Flames of Freedom: Philadelphia (official title to come) and one of the things I notice with this draft is how important the city is going to be for not only the adventure, but for the GMs to use in their own adventures. There is a lot of detail in the sourcebook portion, and a lot of the stress I have been under, is condensing all the research into manageable chunks. I am glad I have reworked the draft as much as I have (last count eight rewrites), and it has enabled me to think about the use of cities in not only Colonial Gothic, but roleplaying games as well.

Cities are big (I know, no shock there) and they can be intimidating for GMs when using them. What I have done is rethink the approach, and boil down what is important, and what not is important. Thus, there are sections dealing with Inns, Taverns & Coffee Houses, as well as the City Watch, Streets, Education and the like. I like this, because it enables the GM to take these bits, and use them for their own work.

The good thing about this, is that while I am working on the ending points on this manuscript, I am also working on Shadow, Sword & Spell: City. As I think about cities in the colonial period, I am also thinking about them in the pulp fantasy sense. It is strange to be working on cites as much as I have.

Tags: Colonial Gothic, Game Design, thoughts, Shadow, Sword & Spell

Now that health is coming back to me, and the damn infections that took root in my sinus and nose is finally going away, I have been able to return to my desk and write. I am playing a lot of catch up right now, in addition still worn out from the plague, but I am slowly getting my writing legs back under me.

I got a lot on my plate, writing wise, and I will be busy writing various manuscripts for not only Shadow, Sword & Spell, but Colonial Gothic and something else which will remain a mystery for a time. I am not complaining about this, I love to write and design, so this is all fun for me.

Today I want to share with you one of the projects filling my time. That project is SS&S: Expert. The book is about 75% done. I am really excited about this book, and I like what we have here. Here is the outline, and it will show you where Expert is going.

I. Chapter One: Skills and Scheming
a. New Options for Skill Buying
b. Schemes and Scheming

II. Chapter Two: New Gear
a. Buildings
b. Services
c. Hirelings

III. Chapter Three: Followers and Domains
a. Hirelings & Henchmen
i. Obtaining
ii. Retaining
iii. Resolve
iv. Types
b.  Domains
i. Designing
ii. Costs
iii. Building
iv. Obtaining
v. Maintaining
vi. Income & Expenses
vii. Resolve
viii. Insurrections/Rebellions
ix. Events
x. Natural Disasters

IV. Chapter Four: Magic
a. New Common Spells
b. Arcane Spells
c. New Alchemy Arts

V. Chapter Five: Relics
a. Why Relics?
b. Possibilities of relics in adventures
c. When can you have too many?
d. What is the difference between Relics and items characters create?
e. Should characters be able to create relics?
f. Sample Relics
i. Claw of Crowtan
ii. Eyeglasses
iii. Roland’s Finger
iv. Dagger
v. Boots
vi. Quill
vii. Key
viii. Staff
ix. Sword
x. Ring
VI. Chapter Six: Ancient Tomes & Books

VII. Chapter Seven: Mass Combat

VIII. Chapter Eight: Other Worlds & Dimensions

IX. Chapter Nine: Setting
a. Creating your own Setting
b. Setting – The World
c. Gods

X. Chapter Ten: Creatures Great & Small
a. Monster Creation
b. New Creatures

The key to Expert is pretty simple, keep it simple and show the possibilities. Though the book deals with the “endgame” if you will, what James and I really want to do is give you more options and ideas that you can use in your games, even if you do not want to play the “endgame.” Examples of this is with the new gear in Chapter Two and the magic in Chapter Four. For us, SS&S is about options and possibilities, and this is what this book will be.

Tags: Game Design, Shadow, Sword & Spell, thoughts

You would think after getting Shadow, Sword & Spell: Basic done and to the printer, that I would take a break from fantasy and work on other things. Well, I am working on other things, but I am still working on fantasy. Past two days I have finished the outlines on three projects for Shadow, Sword & Spell:

1. Shadow, Sword & Spell: Expert
2. Shadow, Sword & Spell: City
3. Shadow, Sword & Spell’s campaign

Yeah, that is a lot of projects, but I enjoy the work. What amuses me that if it was five years ago I would not be dealing with fantasy at all. I was burned out. Then I begun working on Colonial Gothic and Thousand Suns, and I found myself longing for some fantasy. So for the past few days I have once again immersed myself in the realms of fantasy.

Today I’ve done a lot of work and thinking about magic. Shadow, Sword & Spell: Expert is going to have new spells as well as alchemical arts. In terms of spells, there are new Common ones, as well as Arcane ones. The Arcane ones are powerful and fit the scope of the source material we pull from. As far as alchemy goes, I am doing some things that I could not get away with in Colonial Gothic.

The thing is, I stress about magic in this game. The reason is that pulp fantasy has magic, but the magic found there is powerful and typical out of the scope of most people. Now as much as I would love to have no magic in the player’s hands, I realize that this would not make a fun game. So I worry about making magic too powerful, but not powerful enough.

So I stressed about this for about a week, making magic magical. Then I get hit with the idea and make a break through. I call James to bounce the ideas off of him, and, like what always happens the talk makes me rethink the ideas. However, the ideas are now better.

The point of all of this?

It is nice having friends.

Tags: Shadow, Sword & Spell, thoughts, Game Design