Dungeons and Dragons

[Kreth]

Although, I've made friends online playing multi-player RPGs such as Diablo...

 

[Navarre]

Although, I've made friends online playing multi-player RPGs such as Diablo...

Yes andthat's good too. But, just like here, online "friends" aren't friends. Don't get me wrong; I'm very grateful for all the great people here. But we asa society have redefined our definition of "friend" to accomodate the electronic age.

 

[arnisador]

Yes andthat's good too. But, just like here, online "friends" aren't friends. Don't get me wrong; I'm very grateful for all the great people here. But we asa society have redefined our definition of "friend" to accomodate the electronic age.

I've made this point often on USENET. I like Navarre and would trust him with a PMed 'secret', but I wouldn't let him babysit my kids. It's a weird kind of relationship that one forms with e-friends, and we need a new term for it!

 

[Kreth]

I think you're mixing friends and acquaintances. I have friends online that I've known for years, and the only reason we haven't met IRL is geographical.

 

[mrhnau]

I've made this point often on USENET. I like Navarre and would trust him with a PMed 'secret', but I wouldn't let him babysit my kids. It's a weird kind of relationship that one forms with e-friends, and we need a new term for it!

Freend? Compufriend? Digifriend? HPriend? (if you own an HP hehe) keyboard SO?

you are right though... then again, its hard to trust those local friends sometimes... Its a messed up world we live in!

MrH

 

[Don Roley]

It really bothers me though that everyone (not you guys, just in general) is so quick to grab a joystick instead of playing a traditional RPG. Playing tabletop RPGs allow us to sit down together as friends, look each other in the eyes, and interconnect our imaginations.

That is what I really loved about RPGs. I can seldom remember the games we played, but I do remember the jokes and such we did while we had the excuse to get together in someone's garage or living room.

 

[arnisador]

That is what I really loved about RPGs. I can seldom remember the games we played, but I do remember the jokes and such we did while we had the excuse to get together in someone's garage or living room.

Yes, I remember many such days in someone's garage. Those were good times!

 

[Kreth]

Bonus geek points if you can name the colors of the original dice set.

 

[Navarre]

Guess I'm not geeky enough. I don't know. ... I never owned original dice. Somehow I managedto own the books long before I owned any dice. I just borrowed off of my DM.

Separate thought:

I'm just now starting to work up a campaign idea for a new game. My wife is going to be the sole player so I can customize it around her.

I have a very general idea I want to develop but I'm struggling to work out the exact direction. Would this be an appropriate thread to ask for help?

p.s. - and by "help" I mean, of course, taking your excellent ideas and completely ripping them off, using them in my new game and then taking credit for your brilliance as my own. lol

 

[Bob Hubbard]

pale blue?

 

[Navarre]

pale blue?

I seem to recall that the D12 was blue but the others were different. I can't remember the D10. I think the D6 was orange, the D4 was yellow, the D8 was green, and (I think) the D20 was white. Am I right?

 

[mrhnau]

I'm just now starting to work up a campaign idea for a new game. My wife is going to be the sole player so I can customize it around her.

I have a very general idea I want to develop but I'm struggling to work out the exact direction. Would this be an appropriate thread to ask for help?

p.s. - and by "help" I mean, of course, taking your excellent ideas and completely ripping them off, using them in my new game and then taking credit for your brilliance as my own. lol

Sure, ask I'm sure there are some good ideas around here...

MrH

 

[Bob Hubbard]

You can also try asking on http://rustaz.com/forum
We have a small but growing gamer community there.

 

[Navarre]

Okay, MrH. Thanks, Bob, I'll keep that in mind!

My wife is all about the role-playing. If she never rolled a die or fought anything she'd still have a good time.

The setting is a more Victorian England type setting than Medieval England. I wanted a different feel for the game based on what my wife had given me. It's more the Sherlock Holmes/London fog kinda thing.

My wife's PC background:

Her character (a sorcerer) Amelia Blythe, when about 8 yrs old, began having visits from the ghost of a classmate, Sara, who had died several weeks prior. Sara claimed she was killed by her father (the town minister, Ben).

She urged Amelia to help her mother, who Sara claimed was also being beaten by Ben. Sara tried to get help but no one believed her and Ben was very well-regarded in the community.

Several months later, Sara's mom also died. No evidence of abuse was ever found. Sara continued to haunt Amelia for several years but stopped when Amelia was 15, at the time that she gained her sorcerer ability.

Amelia left the community and is now very interested in ghosts and other such spirits.

My overall theme:

I'm working on this "devil" who is manipulating souls for some purpose. Serving him are a group of mortals called Soul Brokers. They make deals with people to give them a new soul in exchange for their old one. I'm not sure yet on the process.

All of us have these events in life that have scarred us. We try to learn from them and become better ppl but often find ourselves so traumatized from our actions that we can never recapture the spirit we once had.

So, the Soul Brokers are taking these tortured souls in exchange for unburdened souls (primarily those of children). The person still has their memories but their perspective has changed thanks to the "fresh" soul.

Questions:

Why is the devil doing this? Perhaps he's amassing some power through the corrupted souls as well as feeling that he's lost nothing because the fresh souls will likely be tainted in time too?

What is the connection to Sara and Ben? It doesn't seem likely that Ben is a Soul Broker because the souls of his family (as well as his) are in anguish so what's going on?

How do I involve Amelia in all of this?

I want a red herring or two but eventually a gripping plot laced with horror and tragedy. I had even thought maybe Amelia herself had a transplanted soul but I'm not sure that works. It would make a good revelation far later in the game but it's very like The Sixth Sense/The Others.

Anyway, this is a good place to start. Any ideas?

 

[Kreth]

Bonus geek points if you can name the colors of the original dice set.

d4 - yellow
d6 - red
d8 - green
d12 - blue
d20 - white

There was no d10 with the original set. d20 was numbered 0-9 twice, and you were supposed to use crayon or marker to color one set of numbers to use as 11-20.

 

[Navarre]

I seem to recall that the D12 was blue but the others were different. I can't remember the D10. I think the D6 was orange, the D4 was yellow, the D8 was green, and (I think) the D20 was white. Am I right?

Then did I get this close enough to be "correct"?

 

[mrhnau]

Okay, MrH. Thanks, Bob, I'll keep that in mind!

My wife is all about the role-playing. If she never rolled a die or fought anything she'd still have a good time.

The setting is a more Victorian England type setting than Medieval England. I wanted a different feel for the game based on what my wife had given me. It's more the Sherlock Holmes/London fog kinda thing.

My wife's PC background:

Her character (a sorcerer) Amelia Blythe, when about 8 yrs old, began having visits from the ghost of a classmate, Sara, who had died several weeks prior. Sara claimed she was killed by her father (the town minister, Ben).

She urged Amelia to help her mother, who Sara claimed was also being beaten by Ben. Sara tried to get help but no one believed her and Ben was very well-regarded in the community.

Several months later, Sara's mom also died. No evidence of abuse was ever found. Sara continued to haunt Amelia for several years but stopped when Amelia was 15, at the time that she gained her sorcerer ability.

Amelia left the community and is now very interested in ghosts and other such spirits.

My overall theme:

I'm working on this "devil" who is manipulating souls for some purpose. Serving him are a group of mortals called Soul Brokers. They make deals with people to give them a new soul in exchange for their old one. I'm not sure yet on the process.

All of us have these events in life that have scarred us. We try to learn from them and become better ppl but often find ourselves so traumatized from our actions that we can never recapture the spirit we once had.

So, the Soul Brokers are taking these tortured souls in exchange for unburdened souls (primarily those of children). The person still has their memories but their perspective has changed thanks to the "fresh" soul.

Questions:

Why is the devil doing this? Perhaps he's amassing some power through the corrupted souls as well as feeling that he's lost nothing because the fresh souls will likely be tainted in time too?

What is the connection to Sara and Ben? It doesn't seem likely that Ben is a Soul Broker because the souls of his family (as well as his) are in anguish so what's going on?

How do I involve Amelia in all of this?

I want a red herring or two but eventually a gripping plot laced with horror and tragedy. I had even thought maybe Amelia herself had a transplanted soul but I'm not sure that works. It would make a good revelation far later in the game but it's very like The Sixth Sense/The Others.

Anyway, this is a good place to start. Any ideas?

Sounds interesting... how about this concept... The "tormented souls" perhaps are being consumed by some evil deity? Perhaps the "untainted souls" are not souls at all, but are substitutes? Or perhaps the "tormented souls" are more pleasing to the evil deity?

Perhaps the minister/murderer had some connection the evil deity or its hencemen? Power for fresh souls?

Involving Amelia in this could be interesting... perhaps as you suggested, her soul was taken? her finding out could lead to interesting story lines. Perhaps the minister is seeking her, or she escaped before the process was finished?

Just an idea of two...

MrH

 

[Kreth]

Then did I get this close enough to be "correct"?

I guess I can let you slide on orange vs. red for the d6. And here's your prize: a Martial Talk pocket protector. Congratulations!

 

[arnisador]

There was no d10 with the original set. d20 was numbered 0-9 twice, and you were supposed to use crayon or marker to color one set of numbers to use as 11-20.

The marker wore off too easily. I usually just rolled a d6 with it and used that for high/low.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I remember those days of the color wearing off, and using a high low die as well. Ahhh The Memories