Wednesday, July 22, 2020
Friday, June 24, 2016
Set Up: The Treasure Hunt
We are going to start this game in the middle of a battle, just off shore of a jungle island. You will have been at sea for some time. By the end of the first session, you will all be on one ship, but that doesn't mean you have to start there. Everyone with the "Married to the Sea" advantage can have their own ship, but all but one will be lost or abandoned by the end of the opening game. Your advantages will be stacked onto a single vessel.
Each of your characters are hunting for the Lost City of Anteus. It is a common story, often told in childhood tales. It is said that those who find the city will be granted a wish.
What desire is so powerful that your character would be looking for a lost city on the off chance that they will be granted a wish?
Each of your characters are hunting for the Lost City of Anteus. It is a common story, often told in childhood tales. It is said that those who find the city will be granted a wish.
What desire is so powerful that your character would be looking for a lost city on the off chance that they will be granted a wish?
Monday, June 20, 2016
7th Sea 20 Questions
I don't think of these as binding statements (unless you want me to), but rather some ideas to explore to try and get to what's neat about your character.
The questions are fully explained on pages 134-136.
1. What Nation is your Hero from?
2. How would you physically describe your Hero?
3. Does your Hero have recurring mannerisms?
4. What is your Hero’s main motivation?
5. What is your Hero’s greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
6. What are your Hero’s most and least favorite things?
7. What about your Hero’s psychology
8. What is your Hero’s single greatest fear?
9. What are your Hero’s highest ambitions? Her greatest love?
10. What is your Hero’s opinion of his country?
11. Does your Hero have any prejudices?
12. Where do your Hero’s loyalties lie?
13. Is your Hero in love? Is she married or betrothed?
14. What about your Hero’s family?
15. How would your Hero’s parents describe her?
16. Is your Hero a gentle?17. How religious is your Hero? What sect of the Church does she follow
18. Is your Hero a member of a guild, gentle’s club, or secret society
19. What does your Hero think of Sorcery?
20. If you could, what advice would you give your Hero?
Take a look at these and reply with your answers!
The questions are fully explained on pages 134-136.
1. What Nation is your Hero from?
2. How would you physically describe your Hero?
3. Does your Hero have recurring mannerisms?
4. What is your Hero’s main motivation?
5. What is your Hero’s greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
6. What are your Hero’s most and least favorite things?
7. What about your Hero’s psychology
8. What is your Hero’s single greatest fear?
9. What are your Hero’s highest ambitions? Her greatest love?
10. What is your Hero’s opinion of his country?
11. Does your Hero have any prejudices?
12. Where do your Hero’s loyalties lie?
13. Is your Hero in love? Is she married or betrothed?
14. What about your Hero’s family?
15. How would your Hero’s parents describe her?
16. Is your Hero a gentle?17. How religious is your Hero? What sect of the Church does she follow
18. Is your Hero a member of a guild, gentle’s club, or secret society
19. What does your Hero think of Sorcery?
20. If you could, what advice would you give your Hero?
Take a look at these and reply with your answers!
Monday, June 6, 2016
An In-Depth Response to James's Email
I'm trying to not write multi-part, epic emails anymore. This is an extended version of the email I sent out on the 6th.
1) Player-driven. Each of the players have their own plot that they wish to explore as they will. Everyone should have a concrete or abstract goal that they work towards. Connections to the setting and the story should be baked in a character generation.
Re: 7th Sea Learning/Mechanics: I just got the preview document for the new edition last week, and I'm pretty sure Alex did too. I'd be happy to make it accessible to y'all, perhaps via Google Drive? It's a pretty simple mechanic (though not quite as simple as GUMSHOE). I'd love to bring it a (next?) meeting and if we had machines handy we could all indulge in a peruse. That said, I don't want to take away from the great game Alex is running, so maybe we should try and show up early on the day we decide to play around with them? Is this something we might want to do in July (seeing as Alex will be gone and he already knows the system)?
Re: 7th Sea Campaign: 7th Sea is set in a Europe analogue 18th century (think Three Musketeers, pirates, colonization of the Americas, rise of Protestantism, etc). This makes it really easy for players to wrap their heads around the setting with only a bit of an info dump. I'm imagining something glob-trotter-y, perhaps archaeology with a dash of national politics. Play-wise, think shows like The Librarians, and movies like Indiana Jones and Princess Bride. Larger than life heroes and villains and set-piece adventures.
Re: Fate: I've got three big setting ideas for Fate.
1) I'm a big fan of The Dresden Files. The game is based on a series of novels by Jim Butcher, and they are urban fantasy without much of a twist. That sometimes makes them a bit by-the-numbers as a read, but it also makes it a really easy to play a game in (unlike, say Firefly, that more or less requires a 17 hours of background viewing). If we were to play in it, I would still suggest reading one of the books. They are fast, easy, and engaging. Storm Front is the first one, but the series really gets going with Grave Peril. The game is a modified version of the older FATE games that really emphasizes the collaborative game world creation. So for this, I'm thinking a persistent setting with (largely) stable NPCs and power groups that the players would be navigating around and within.
Recently, I've been considering three core settings for an urban fantasy game: Road Trip USA with an embrace of Americana (like the monument park on I-5 and other strange crap you see on the side of the road), something local (alternative Seattle, Tacoma, or Olympia), or something rural.
2) I have a long relationship with Interface Zero. It's a modern cyberpunk game with different parts of the world offering different genres, from a pretty standard Deus Ex pastiche in Chicago to post apocalyptic flooded San Francisco to mechs gone wild in Japan. It's got a more richly detailed game world that's growing and changing. I'm on quite friendly terms (though I wouldn't say friends) with the creator and have gotten permission to do more or less whatever I want with printing or sharing the years of play material.
I'd be most interested in playing a game built around either building a coalition or supporting an up and coming power of some variety.
3) Fate Deadlands. I like the plot point campaigns (The Flood, which is set in California). 'Nuff said?
GMing Style: In any game I run, I want to focus on a couple of things:
1) Player-driven. Each of the players have their own plot that they wish to explore as they will. Everyone should have a concrete or abstract goal that they work towards. Connections to the setting and the story should be baked in a character generation.
2) Co-creation. Everyone works together to generate and maintain the game world.
3) Interesting Combat. Not every session needs a fight, but when it happens, it should be good. For example, I really liked the vampire fight from last month. This is likely my biggest growth area as a GM.
4) World-building. Have I mentioned that I love the conspiracy board? One of the best parts about it is how we just keep track of and add to the fiction.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Some Ideas to Consider
Hi folks!
I spent a couple of days thinking about the future. Did you know that we've all been playing together for more than six months? I've had a good time! My sense is that we've got about three to four months/sessions left in this game (assuming June, July, September, October).
All of this means that I've realized that I want to play a bit more and I got the sense that I'm not alone on this one. Unfortunately, as a busy guy, this takes some planning for me to make this sustainable.
Good thing I'm a planner, right? I'm also a teacher, so I'm breaking down my thoughts into what I consider "easy to digest and respond to" form. If you're not interested in this approach, just ignore it. If you like it, please let me know, as feedback is what keeps me engaged with a project.
I've broken this down into three broad topics. After you take a look at these, please let me know in the comments or via email what you think.
Topic One: More Playing!
I would have a real hard time finding space to head up to Tacoma more regularly, but an online game from 8ish-12ish on a weekend (Th-Sa) once a month would be sustainable for me. I'd be happy to do all of the legwork to make that happen.
It strikes me that this would also meet Antoinette's desire to stream sessions.
So what do you folks think?
Topic Two: Patrick really wants to run the next game!
I'd really like to run the next game, and to do it right I'd like some lead time. I'm mostly interested in running either a Fate game or 7th Sea, but I can learn any system. I've backed a ton of kickstarters and I really want to run a game with some cool real world toys. I've got a list of games that I'd like to run, but I really want to hear from you all before I write out fifteen pages of game sells.
Is there a different system that you'd want to play? Do you have a need or desire to run the next game? Is there a genre you really want to engage in or avoid? I've got a couple I'm itching to run, but I really want to run a game in general more than a specific setting.
Topic Three: What sort of stuff do you want to do?
I'd also like to run a game that is largely sandbox and character driven with a loose overarching plot. To provide an example, I'm going to respond, but don't feel compelled to follow my format and if there is something missing, please let me know.
I'm interested in:
I spent a couple of days thinking about the future. Did you know that we've all been playing together for more than six months? I've had a good time! My sense is that we've got about three to four months/sessions left in this game (assuming June, July, September, October).
All of this means that I've realized that I want to play a bit more and I got the sense that I'm not alone on this one. Unfortunately, as a busy guy, this takes some planning for me to make this sustainable.
Good thing I'm a planner, right? I'm also a teacher, so I'm breaking down my thoughts into what I consider "easy to digest and respond to" form. If you're not interested in this approach, just ignore it. If you like it, please let me know, as feedback is what keeps me engaged with a project.
I've broken this down into three broad topics. After you take a look at these, please let me know in the comments or via email what you think.
Topic One: More Playing!
I would have a real hard time finding space to head up to Tacoma more regularly, but an online game from 8ish-12ish on a weekend (Th-Sa) once a month would be sustainable for me. I'd be happy to do all of the legwork to make that happen.
It strikes me that this would also meet Antoinette's desire to stream sessions.
So what do you folks think?
Topic Two: Patrick really wants to run the next game!
I'd really like to run the next game, and to do it right I'd like some lead time. I'm mostly interested in running either a Fate game or 7th Sea, but I can learn any system. I've backed a ton of kickstarters and I really want to run a game with some cool real world toys. I've got a list of games that I'd like to run, but I really want to hear from you all before I write out fifteen pages of game sells.
Is there a different system that you'd want to play? Do you have a need or desire to run the next game? Is there a genre you really want to engage in or avoid? I've got a couple I'm itching to run, but I really want to run a game in general more than a specific setting.
Topic Three: What sort of stuff do you want to do?
I'd also like to run a game that is largely sandbox and character driven with a loose overarching plot. To provide an example, I'm going to respond, but don't feel compelled to follow my format and if there is something missing, please let me know.
I'm interested in:
- World-building
- NPC's with agendas
- Player-centered stories
- Player-centered game play (such as Fate or Apocalypse World engine)
- Small number of well designed combats (one-three per session)
- Crunchy systems
- Players have serious impact on setting
- A system that allows new characters and rewards consistent players
- Something to do when that GM is running those awesome scenes with people who aren't me.
What do you value in a game?
Monday, March 14, 2016
Game Summary, 2/20/2016-A Fresh Start
Game Summary:
The PCs were summoned to do some deniable work for the CIA: Find rogue agent Sarah Smith and to seal off loose ends.
Our intrepid heroes arrived in Caracas, Venezuela to start their efforts in tracking down the agent. They met with their handler, one "John Smith". The team was not kind, and pressed their handler quite hard, only to discover that he was curiously uninformed (and it would turn out later, under-prepared). The team left, but not without bugging J. Smith.
They separated to pursue several leads. One team went to the morgue to examine the body of the man S. Smith was accused of murdering, and another went to investigate S. Smith's apartment.
The morgue visit lead to some interesting information, as well as a couple of possible leads: The archaeologist S. Smith was accused of murdering was not, in fact, the body in the morgue. The people who forced this through were a couple of "government" thugs. Given that we were posing as the same, it seems likely that was yet another front.
The trip to S. Smith's apartment yielded more clues, namely a map to her hiding place. Someone labeled it "hiding place", so it had to be true.
When the team returned to the safehouse, they discovered that their handler had been executed and they retrieved functionally nothing from the scene of his murder. This job smelled fishy from the start, and it wasn't getting any better.
With nothing left to do in Caracas, the team went into the jungle to find S. Smith. What they found was a heavily fortified shack with a satellite uplink. Though they attempted negotiation, they failed, and S. Smith died in an explosion that destroyed whatever was with her.
At that time, the team was burned by a stunningly powerful something (group, person, agency) who was able to add them to all sorts of watch-lists and reveal most of their identities to the world. While clearly associated with the CIA, it seems likely that their scope is beyond American intelligence, as the burning went beyond the normal channels.
When we left our team, they were recouping with a conspiracy theorist in the jungle, pondering next steps.
The PCs were summoned to do some deniable work for the CIA: Find rogue agent Sarah Smith and to seal off loose ends.
Our intrepid heroes arrived in Caracas, Venezuela to start their efforts in tracking down the agent. They met with their handler, one "John Smith". The team was not kind, and pressed their handler quite hard, only to discover that he was curiously uninformed (and it would turn out later, under-prepared). The team left, but not without bugging J. Smith.
They separated to pursue several leads. One team went to the morgue to examine the body of the man S. Smith was accused of murdering, and another went to investigate S. Smith's apartment.
The morgue visit lead to some interesting information, as well as a couple of possible leads: The archaeologist S. Smith was accused of murdering was not, in fact, the body in the morgue. The people who forced this through were a couple of "government" thugs. Given that we were posing as the same, it seems likely that was yet another front.
The trip to S. Smith's apartment yielded more clues, namely a map to her hiding place. Someone labeled it "hiding place", so it had to be true.
When the team returned to the safehouse, they discovered that their handler had been executed and they retrieved functionally nothing from the scene of his murder. This job smelled fishy from the start, and it wasn't getting any better.
With nothing left to do in Caracas, the team went into the jungle to find S. Smith. What they found was a heavily fortified shack with a satellite uplink. Though they attempted negotiation, they failed, and S. Smith died in an explosion that destroyed whatever was with her.
At that time, the team was burned by a stunningly powerful something (group, person, agency) who was able to add them to all sorts of watch-lists and reveal most of their identities to the world. While clearly associated with the CIA, it seems likely that their scope is beyond American intelligence, as the burning went beyond the normal channels.
When we left our team, they were recouping with a conspiracy theorist in the jungle, pondering next steps.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Welcome!
Ah gaming blogs. My favorite.
Hi everyone, and welcome to Stonegate Night's Black Agents (the blog)!
Our player list is as follows:
Alex (GM)
James (character name)
Antoinette (character name)-Hunter/Striker
Patrick (Doctor Arling)-Doctor/Interrogator
Griff (character name)-Hacker/Data retrieval specialist
Joan (character name)-Sneaker
Obviously, I'll update as I get information. On that note, please send me information on your characters that you'd like added. A comment is fine, an email works too.
The first session was pretty eventful. I'll do a separate post with a summary, and then maybe a few updating various NPCs, clues, and other conspiracy stuff. If you have any ideas about what I should be tracking, let me know. I can get at this stuff at Stonegate as well.
Character generation was fun, though I'm a little concerned that we might not really have a good knowledge spread. I imagine Alex will let us revamp our characters next session, so that's a good thing.
Proposed Doctor Arling revamp: How do you all feel if I make him into the straight up doctor? Specialties: medicine, interrogation, shrink, forensic pathology
Hi everyone, and welcome to Stonegate Night's Black Agents (the blog)!
Our player list is as follows:
Alex (GM)
James (character name)
Antoinette (character name)-Hunter/Striker
Patrick (Doctor Arling)-Doctor/Interrogator
Griff (character name)-Hacker/Data retrieval specialist
Joan (character name)-Sneaker
Obviously, I'll update as I get information. On that note, please send me information on your characters that you'd like added. A comment is fine, an email works too.
The first session was pretty eventful. I'll do a separate post with a summary, and then maybe a few updating various NPCs, clues, and other conspiracy stuff. If you have any ideas about what I should be tracking, let me know. I can get at this stuff at Stonegate as well.
Character generation was fun, though I'm a little concerned that we might not really have a good knowledge spread. I imagine Alex will let us revamp our characters next session, so that's a good thing.
Proposed Doctor Arling revamp: How do you all feel if I make him into the straight up doctor? Specialties: medicine, interrogation, shrink, forensic pathology
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