Gaming and More Gaming!

[Black Jack Rackham]

Speaking of all things gaming, however, by coincidence (at least I think) I've had a couple of acquaintances (all independently, mind you) mention to me that Torg is a great game. Anyone want to weigh in here? I know almost nothing about it (save that it's a dimensional mashup kind of game where you have swords and sorcery combined with cyberpunk, supers, etc. like what Rifts did).

[salamanca]

Torg... Wow, that's a blast from ye olden days. To be honest, I remember ads for it, occasional articles about it and seeing it but I never looked at it because I had other games to bend time that my players at the time had no interest it playing. (back them my players wanted dungeons and monsters to loot and dice to roll and nothing else).

[Black Jack Rackham]

Had a good time running Kuro this weekend (despite the fact that Laura wasn't really interested). Cool creepy vibe to it. Thought I might to a little Good/Bad/Other for those of you who might be interested.

GOOD
As I said above, good creepy vibe to the whole thing. But to add to that, because it's Japanese horror, all the tropes us westerners expect are missing. You don't get to rely on OOC knowledge to help you (unless you're a big fan of Japanese Horror, of course).

Mechanics are both easy to pick up and explain (see OTHER below).

Their first adventure, Last Stop (which is available for free off RPG Now ) is terrific. I could see it as a horror movie almost from the get go.

Metaplot. Ok I've always been a sucker for, "This Is Just The Beginning..." You know, that kind of, there is somebody/something much bigger going on and when you see it it'll be a doozie! And Kuro is just that. Lots of hints that more is going on than meets the eye.

BAD

Where the metaplot might go. Now I don't have anything to go on other than the initial overview mentions a second game and "Drastic Changes" to the Kuro game. So there will actually be a second game called Kuro Tensei that will take the game its new direction. I like the Japanese Horror and I'm worried what they might do with it. But I will reserve judgement until I see the whole thing.

Not really a complaint about the game, more my group, but damn it sure seems tough to find players for this. Besides me, only Megan was really into this. I had one non-committal and then Laura (who I thought was going to go apoplectic over the pronunciation of Japanese names, and this AFTER I pronounced them for her...)

OTHER
Not really good or bad, but it's pretty obvious that Andrew Peregrine has a BIG love affair with 7th Sea's Roll & Keep system. The mechanics of Kuro is JUST different enough to make it a good case for him not ripping it off wholesale, but close enough that all of us can figure it out REAL quick (though to be honest it makes for some wierd (if understandable) mechanics*)

* On a "Characteristic Roll" you roll a number of d6 equal to your characteristic then add 2x(Characteristic) to the roll. So if you were making a Strength Roll (and had a 2 Strength) you would roll 2d6+4. Now this becomes logical when you realize that for all other rolls you roll (Characteristic) dice and add (Relevant Skill) to the roll. So if you're shooting someone you'd roll Dex Dice and add Firearms to it. So with a 2 Dex and a 5 Firearms, you'd roll 2d6+5 So it's obvious the 2x(Characteristic) is just to make sure the TNs don't need to be adjusted for Characteristic Rolls. So it makes logical sense, but in practice it seems a bit odd.

[Rebecca Iavelli]

Laura was not in a good mood that day, along with being sleep deprived, and she hates having to figure out how to say names and words from foreign languages, as she has a hard enough time to remember American names and stuff, so the foreign ones just stress her out that much more. Remember, she works in a company with people from all around the world, and just remembering their names at work is bad enough, never mind trying to remember names (and how to pronounce them) in a game situation.

[Black Jack Rackham]

Board Games this weekend! I wonder what we're going to play?

[salamanca]

The big bang theory edition of Scrabble, Twilight Scene It, the Farming Game, Trouble (Frozen edition), Guess Who, My Little Pony Monopoly, and Diplomacy (which will forever and ALL your friendships).

[Black Jack Rackham]

We ended up playing Race for the Galaxy (at least I think that was the name). Fun game (though I may be biased since I decisively won, scoring almost 20 points more than the next person). After that we played Miskatonic School for Girls. If having the least sanity is a win, than I won again!

Next week we're going to be trying something different. I like to call it "Mark's Wacky Gaming Weekend!" in which I will run a one-shot of some game we've never played before. I need an infusion of creativity and I think this might just do it.

[Black Jack Rackham]

Got a good idea for this weekend's first crazy adventure. All I've said to the players is, cold war spies. The only other thing I told them was we'll be using GURPs since it's a system we all know. I am really looking forward to this!!!

[Black Jack Rackham]

Adventure took way to long to run in one session, so we'll be continuing it during the next Wacky Weekend. In the meantime, Megan got a look at Yggdrasill and wants to play that next. I'm thinking Giants...

[salamanca]

I'm thinking you let them play the giants when their "steading" gets invaded by these ridiculous humans bent on killing them and taking their stuff. (and with that, I realize I need to get back into D&D and run a campaign that has the players as the monsters in classic modules being besieged by an adventuring party.)

[Black Jack Rackham]

Two games this weekend. First is Saturday night and my monthly Supers game at the FLGS. One of the big baddies of the campaign has been secretly watching the PCs the whole time and they just figured it out. But they did so in a way that let him know they knew. Now the question becomes what does he do with this information?

Then Sunday its a fun and exciting new game. I was invited up to Nashua to game with a monthly group that does a round-table of GMs. This month, its a complete surprise. I don't even know the system we'll be using. I am so excited!

[salamanca]

If the GM pulls out the book of erotic fantasy, run, do not walk to the door.

[Lady Grace]

And if it's FATAL, nut-punch him.

[Black Jack Rackham]

Given that the GM this time around is about 15 (Dad is co-GMing with him) I think we're safe from Erotic Fantasy and FATAL. (in case you're curious, his dad wrote THIS cool game)

[Black Jack Rackham]

Oh and I forgot to add that it will actually be three days of gaming as Friday I'll be running Hammer and Tongs for the boys (who to their great joy will be joined by my daughter*)



*She stated she wanted to play the same kind of character she had in MouseGuard so I'm recommending a Vestenmannjavnjar with the Sigurdsdottir School.

[Lady Grace]

Actually got back to D&D last Friday, although I was battling the beginning of my cold, Nicci had real life dickery weighing her mind and Other Steve was MIA. So GM Steve solved the case of the Missing Cleric by having our group run into a severely screwed-over party who got there before us who were trying to kill the Necromancer. Said party's barbarian, thief & mage were under some sort of curse and the only member up was the convenient Prestige class Radiant cleric of Pelor. Thanks to a little handwavium butt pulling, Other Steve just "happened to have" a device given to him by the archmage that could teleport him and three others back to the archmage in case the fecal matter hit the rotating blades.

So we brought the other cleric up to speed as to why we were there and why he couldn't kill the Necromancer JUST yet and oh by the way, could you hold on to the Evil Relic in the meantime while the clerics tagged out?

(speaking of handwavium, we got to do a little shopping for upgrades that we should have gotten before this little jaunt. Nicci got herself a crystal echoblade. Mike got a Blurring enchant for his Monk's Belt and I got a +2 Dex to my Dimensional Striding Boots.)

So, we whipped out the Invisibility to Undead spell and made with the sneakery! Or at least tried to. Had to deal with some homebrewed spectres who made their save to see us and weeped poison, played peekaboo that kept resetting initiatives and had a NASTY wail attack. The Cleric turned all but 1 of them, but that one was enough to play havoc. Nicci buffed us with song...and I used the wand o' silence to prevent that bastich from wailing in the general area again.

Yeah, Nicci wasn't happy about that. Oopsie, I panicked.

Fortunately, we managed to defeat the bugger. Next up, we found ourselves in a banquet hall guarded by another ghost who wanted to play a game of blackjack with our souls as stakes! But if we won, he'd reveal the password for the locked door at the other end of the room. After some discussion, we went for it. The ghostie did try to cheat a few times, but I called him out on it. Using actual cards, we actually won and the ghost grumbled the password. And I got his mad stylin' pimp hat. I'm not wearing yet.

The next section was "Let's See How Much Damage the Rogue Can Take!". Traps, I was FINE at. Unfortunately, the next room past the squishy trap had zombies. And a LOVELY creature called a necrothane. (GM Steve LOVES the 3rd Monster Manual) I tried to charm with with the wand o' Charm Monster, but alas, it made its save. And it hit me. And drained my constitution.

My party eventually came to my rescue. Apparently, the zombies are its personal buffet/healing source, so the cleric destroyed the undead ASAP. Mike summoned a couple of fiery friends to the party and the necrothane KEPT HITTING ME! Nicci healed my butt and the necrothane was dispatched in the end.

Restoration spell from the cleric brought my con back to normal and we're camping here for the time being...

[Black Jack Rackham]

Hammer and Tongs was lots of fun. The boys followed the monsters back to the cave where the Kobolds had been bringing Waisen (as food of course) and proceeded to have a massive fight. Drove half of them off and killed the rest.

Then as a surprise, Kelly asked to play near the end of the session. She'd been wanting to start (and we agreed to let her start with the boys). She ended up playing a Vesten who arrived on the scene after some hideous monsters stole a runestone from her. I told her she was a on a quest to return a sacred family heirloom which had been with one of her ancestors during a raid on Eisen many years ago and the runestone was going to help her find it once she got close to the place where it had been left.

Anyway, they met up and that was the end of the session.

The Modern Era Champions game came together in a spectacular way. I can't say more because several of the players drop by here from time to time. But it was brilliantly evil. I can hardly wait to see where they go next.

And today I will be heading up to the once-a-month game in Derry. I don't know the genre but I know the rules system is Savage Worlds (I am reserving my dislike since I promised myself to try new things).

[Rebecca Iavelli]

Ok, don't know how long it takes to get to Derry and back, or how long you were there, but waiting to hear how your gaming went. Was it worth it or was it a bust?

[Black Jack Rackham]

Bradford's son did the GMing this time around (his first time GMing for anyone other than his local group of friends) and there were just three players, so we did a small dungeon crawl. It wasn't the roleplaying extravaganza I had hoped for, but I knew that going into it. Plus I got a chance to re-evaluate Savage Worlds (if you're curious, I still hold to it being an inferior version of the original Deadlands Rules).

Next month it's my turn behind the screen. And I'm thinking Dark Ages Cthulhu...

[Rebecca Iavelli]

So, from the sounds of it, we are going down to 3 Sundays a month at your house for gaming? The 4th Sunday you will be in Derry?

[Black Jack Rackham]

Its a weekend day (either Sat or Sun) and I am not sure I'll be able to make it every month, so no. Just sometimes.

[Black Jack Rackham]

Half the crew called to cancel (one for cleaning, the other for moving) so we decided to do an extra day of boardgames. Played Dominion, three games. Good time for all (we even got Her Majesty to sit in).

Next week, Boardgames again (DOH!) hopefully everyone will be in attendance.

[Black Jack Rackham]

Forgot to update this, last week, I got sick, and everyone but Eric decided to not be able to make it (for various reasons). Just as well for me, I slept. Now this week, feeling much better, and we're back around to my wacky gaming weekend. We should (hopefully) finish up with our cold war adventure. And after that? Well who knows?!?

[Lady Grace]

Ended up playing Cards Against Humanity this past Friday with a potential new player for our D&D group. Our GM seems keen about wanting her to play the Rage Mage prestige class rather than just a standard sorcerer or wizard. We'll see what she feels up for though come next Friday.

(No, she's not the GM's new GF)

[salamanca]

Not sure that is the game I would use to test potential new players. Then again, it would help weed out the really freaky ones.