#RPGaDay2023 - 9 - Favourite Dice

 

My initial thought (when I read this) was that there wasn’t much that I could add from my original answer in 2014.

However, I did search out the Gio Lasar Constellation dice once Remi showed me them, because they appealed to my inner space geek. Nominally bought for Coriolis, I can imagine them getting a play out with Traveller and others.

I have had a habit of buying dice themed with games I’ve kickstartered or pre-ordered. This can be a hit and miss affair as the quality can be variable. For example, the One Ring 2nd edition dice aren’t as nice as the first edition’s. Fortunately, they’re identical. I’ve also had a habit of buying orange dice sets. Not sure what started that, but it’s been a thing. 

9 August 2023

#RPGaDay2023 - 8 - Favourite Character

 

Favourite character is an interesting one, and the answer very different to the one in 2014. I did consider Strahd, as I had a lot of fun playing him during our recent campaign, but in truth the player’s resistance to my shades of grey approach to him meant that quite a lot of opportunity to mess around with him was lost. In truth, I had more fun playing one of his brides, Anastrasya, who was a manipulative, dangerous minx (and didn’t get made as a vampire by the characters at first) but I was never really emotionally invested in her survival.

If you’d asked me this last year, it would have been Náli the Mason, my dwarf from the Lonely Mountains who played through the entire Darkening of Mirkwood campaign run by Dr Mitch, facing off giant spiders and Nazgûl and ending up respected through the local societies around the forest. We do plan to return to that campaign at some point for a coda; there’s a dragon and a ring of power, and probably Náli’s eventual fall to his dragon-sickness. However, it’s been quite some time since we played that campaign, so there’s been time for a new candidate.

My favourite character at the moment is Lotte Rädler-Jones, my 1930s German science student turned journalist from our Eternal Lies campaign run by Rich Lock. Lotte has some dark secrets in her past and fled Germany as the Nazi’s took power, finding love and a new opportunity for life in America. However, she’s drawn a thread that she can’t help but pull on. However, the real reason that she’s my favourite at the moment is the relationship that she’s built up with Benjamin, her fellow investigator (played by Dr Mitch). For most of the campaign, we’ve played as a duo, which has made it really intense and had this spotlight coming closer together. Lotte and Ben have become close friends, which things shared that they wouldn’t show or tell others. Their more recent ally, Gonchi, remains on the outside because of this bond (something that I’m glad Nigel - who plays him - doesn’t mind). Lotte is facing her marriage collapsing because her editor-husband doesn’t understand why she’s off travelling with that man, and society is pressing in on her. However, her sense of duty won’t let it go. Perhaps her husband is right to be jealous and fearful of her relationship with Benjamin, but at this point I don’t know. We’ll find out the best way, through play.

Lotte, generated by artflow.ai from my description of her.

Coda. 

After I initially posted this, I remembered George Esterhase. I only played George for two days and one night, but I have great memories of him. George was a pretty failed spook who got drawn into the Dracula Dossier and ended up killing Dracula with a rocket launcher. And then having to kill his friend who had been turned. He also had a very memorable discussion with a fellow character who had betrayed the party, looking out over the water at Staithes and managed to bring them back on board. It was a really satisfying character arc; from failure to a self-confidence and success that he can never talk of. Hat tip to Steve for running a great mini-campaign that LongCon. Not my favourite overall, but close.

8 August 2023

 

#RPGaDay2023 - 7 - Smartest RPG you’ve played (edit)

 

This is a pretty challenging one, but I’ve settled on Hero Wars (later HeroQuest, even later QuestWorlds). I’m rating this smartest for two reasons; firstly, it broke the mould for me. I read this multiple times, taped the errata in but just couldn’t get it when I read it. I struggled to grok the narrative game engine and mechanics, but I could see that there was something there.

Eventually, I went to the last run of the convention that came before Continuum (whose name escapes me at the moment) and an Australian GM called John [Hughes] showed me the way (again, his surname escapes me but he was an excellent GM). I realise the scope of narrative, descriptive games and I realised just how clever the scaling that the Mastery rules allowed. These were such a neat and elegant way to address scaling (even though there is a quirk in the mechanic) that I was blown away with it.

Hero Wars changed how I looked at game systems and moved the lens that I viewed roleplaying games with.

Of course, nowadays I’d use Tripod as a rules engine in preference to HW/HQ/QW, but this was the start of my move towards looser mechanics and a more narrative style.

Hero Wars Player’s Book

7 August 2023

Edited 12 August 2023 to add John Hughes full name in.

#RPGaDay2023 - 6 - Favourite game you never get to play

 

This one has changed since 2014 and really shows the impact of the pandemic. Back then, I said Pendragon, but this time I’m saying Traveller. That’s really a reflection on the impact of the pandemic and changes in people’s circumstances which have meant that TravCon has been stalled for the last three years. I used to get to play a number of Traveller one-shots at the convention but nothing in recent times. There’s an itch building, one where I start to consider that copy of ‘Hard Times’ that I’ve always wanted to run. GMing would do. There was a time I’d run Traveller every convention but I think I reached a point of burnout.

Still the best Traveller Core rule book cover.

6 August 2023

#RPGaDay2023 - 5 - Oldest Game you’ve played

The oldest roleplaying game I’ve played is Holmes Basic Dungeons & Dragons. Since the first RPGaDay, I’ve managed to track down a decent copy to replace the one that I sold to pay for Traveller and AD&D books.

Holmes Basic D&D cover 

5th August 2023

#RPGaDay2023 - 4 - Most Recent Game Bought

 

The most recent game I’ve purchased is Fantasy Age 2nd Edition. Effectively an impulse buy as I liked the Dragon Age RPG, I pre-ordered it earlier this year, long enough ago that it was a surprise when it landed.

Fantasy Age 2nd Edition Core Rules

#RPGaDay2023 - 3 - First Game bought (this year).

 

The first RPG I bought this year was Mörk Borg. This satisfied an itch I’ve had for a while. While very much an impulse buy, I can imagine using it for some one-shot games. 

3 August 2023

Books in July 2023

 

Books tracker for July 2023

The month with the most reading this year. 14 books, 4,006 pages (3 roleplaying, 3 non-fiction, 8 fiction).

205 days reading on the bounce.

Non-fiction included: 

• Over-ruled by Sam Fowles (somewhat depressing but good overview of the way that the executive is taking more and more power to itself in the UK).
• The Old Ways by Robert McFarlane (dreamy travelogues of the authors journeys on old or almost lost paths - strangely compelling)
• Dictatorship - it's easier than you think! by Sarah Kendzior & Andrea Chalupa (Graphic novel that shows how democracy can easily fall prey to autocrats) - my favourite non-fiction this month.

Fiction includes:

• Last Argument of Kings (Joe Abercrombie) - dark and satisfying ending to the First Law trilogy that leaves lots of hooks.
• Translation State (Ann Leckie) - very enjoyable SF drama that plays on choice of identity and power politics in the Imperial Radch setting.
• Winter's Gifts (Ben Aaronovitch) - latest Rivers of London novel, entirely set in the USA and without any of the main characters. I loved it as a result, much like I enjoyed the German novella a couple of years ago. Great Urban Fantasy.
• Season of Skulls (Charles Stross) - the third 'New Management' novel, spinning off the Laundry Files. Lovecraftian horror crossing the streams with regency romance in this case. My favourite fiction book this month.
• Down Cemetery Road, The Last Voice You Hear, Why We Die (Mick Herron) - the first three novels in the Zoe Boehm thrillers/Oxford Investigations. Very dark and different investigation mysteries bordering on thrillers. I will be reading the next two book in August.
• The Human Front (Ken MacLeod) - alternative history novel set in a Scotland when World War 2 kind of carried on and more nuclear weapons were used. Of course, there are aliens too!

I've reviewed the roleplaying books on the blog already.

I think the various flights for work raised my reading rates!

2 August 2023

Games in July 2023

 

Steady progress

30 games year to date. Conan 2d20 'The Shadow of the Sorceror' run by Graham (First Age) edging it with 7 session and just behind that 'Eternal Lies' for Trail of Cthulhu run by Rich on 6 sessions year to date.

I want to run.

2 August 2023