Had some free time and managed to finish off this mammoth tome.
"And lastly," Wolfhere said, "no man or woman is given the Eagle's badge until she has seen a comrade die. Death is ever at hand. We do not truly become Eagles until we accept and understand that we are willing to pay that price for our service and our king." (p. 260 SFBC edition).
In most campaigns, the players will have numerous options when it comes to organizations to join. One of the quick hits in the Forgotten Realms would be the Harpers. In many such settings, guilds have a tremendous amount of power.
If the players are part of a guild, or members of multiple guilds, what is expected of them? What do they have to do in order to 'earn their wings'? What do they have to bring to the guild to make it accept them? If a wizard is always out adventuring with his fellow sellswords, what does the mage guild expect of him in turn?
It's not that you want to make these memberships in and of themselves a burden, but rather, a springboard. If the players are always out and about, then the guilds the players are members of would not only recognize this, but use it to send them out for various guild business. It's essentially free labor for them and plot points for the campaign. Are there certain monsters you want to use? The warrior's guild informs the fighters and rangers that their time away from the guild must be earned back with varlous battle against these invaders. The mages guild informs the wizard that certain bits of these creatures can be used as components in a ritual. The divine elements dream of their deity demanding the death of these offending monsters.
"This is certainly grave news, but what am I to tell the people of Gent? Given enough time, the Eika amry outside will burn and batter down Gent's bridges, and when they have done that, they will have free passage up the Vester whether we will it or no." (p. 274 SFBC)
The Game Master should make efforts to show why the players are needed. In some campaigns like the Forgotten Realms, one of the 'strikes' against it is that it is filled with NPC's who should be able to solve all of the problems. But well, so is reality. America for example, truly has enough wealth to offer health care to everyone, but it's not necessarily in the interest in all of the powers that be to spread that around.
The 'good' NPC's of a setting have their own problems to deal with and even when what the players are involved in is campaign shattering, it's up to the players to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and be the heroes of the campaign setting.
"The soft ones are not true people, of course, but they are a kind of people. People can talk. It is the lesson the WiseMothers teach. It is what they whispered to him when he was a half-grown pup and dared venture up the mountainside to the sacred palce tended by the SwiftDaughters to see whether the WiseMothers would speak to him or else kill him for his presumption.
"The knife and the tongue are equally strong weapons."
One of the interesting things about 4th edition is that it somewhat eliminated the wide range of alignments that Dungeons and Dragons has relied on to guide so much of its behavior. Players and NPCs may have motivations that aren't necessarily so crystal clear that every orc child must be battered against a rock.
If the players are able to make a real influence against their enemies, either by sparing them, communicating with them, or showing them a better way, if the Game Master can incorporate that into his campaign instead of just shrugging his shoulders and having the monsters continue to attack brainlessly, the players will see that their actions have a direct influence on the growth of the campaign.
"So do some of us work today to ban inheritance through the male line." (p. 453 SFBC).
When looking at parts of the campaign world, how are things determined in a time of inheritance? The old joke is the son of my daughter is my grandson and the son of my son may be my grandson as one never knows. Of course with modern technology and all that comes with it, and possibly with rituals and magical aid to dtermine in a fantasy campaign the same could be said, but it does bring into question rights of inheritance, differences in culture, and things that players may not be used to in a standard psuedo historical setting.
King's Dragon boasts a wide cast and uses a huge array of characters to tell merely a part of a story despite being over five hundred pages. If the Game Master can take some of the ideas for setting that don't necessarily happen in his game now, ranging from humanoid invaders that are harsh because they come from a harsh land and climate, to patrons that can't always protect their wards, then King's Dragon can act as your own book in your own Appendix N reading list.
Showing posts with label King's Dragon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label King's Dragon. Show all posts
Friday, September 4, 2009
First and Lasting Impressions: King's Dragon by Kate Elliot
“A rider approached. Armed in bright mail, it guided its horse forward at a sedate walk, untroubled by the raging wind. ..The horse was beautiful, as white as untouched snow, almost blinding, and the woman- She was a woman of middle age, scarred on the face and hands, her boots muddied and scuffed, her coat of mail patched here and there with gleaming new rings of iron. Her long sword, sheathed in leather, swayed in front of him. A battered, round shield hung by her knee, tied to the saddle… Her gaze was at once distant and utterly piercing. If her eyes had color, he could not make it out. They seemed as black as a curse to him.” (p. 27 SFBC hardcover)
“Who are you?” he whispered. The sword, like death by pain, was lifted. Her reply rang out and yet was muted by the howl of the wind. “I am the Lady of Battles.” (p. 28 SFBC hardcover)
A good description goes a long way. Ask each player to not only describe themselves, but make sure they have a description written down so that they can refer to it for future reference. Do the characters dress in a certain fashion? Do they wear certain styles of cloth? Are their clothes new or old? Do they have fine silks or worn through materials? Are their weapons nicked from long use and battle or well oiled?
Having a good description for an NPC goes a long way too. Make sure that when doing so, you have the description ready if you plan on using the character again. Insure that things that are unique about the NPC are bolded so that the players can recognize these characters when meeting them in the future. When introducing them, give them a unique persona not only through what they wear and what they are, but by your own actions as a GM. Hand gestures and voice are some of the greatest tools you have at your disposal in such a case and making the same hand gestures in association with a certain NPC, will ingrain that habit into the minds of the players.
“It is necessary that we act. We must find another to consecrate at the altar. One who will not be missed.” (p. 170 SFBC hardcover).
This falls under the rule of no good deed goes unpunished. When attempting to push their own views of right and wrong on the setting, the GM has many options, especially when trying to showcase that the players cannot be everywhere and do everything at the same time. In this example, Alain has saved a savage humanoid from a gruesome death. In response, another is taken in place for sacrifice.
If the players are known defenders of one place, can they be at another? If the players champion one cause, do they directly or indirectly, oppose another and cause people who follow that cause hardship?
When trying to follow the old adage of no good deed goes unpunished, it’s not necessarily that you as the GM are trying to showcase that the world is a harsh and cruel place, but rather, that actions has consequences both intended and unintended. In some games, one of the standard methods here is the players freeing something long dormant from an ancient crypt in their running around and digging up the dead.
“But the blessed Daisan fasted and prayed for seven days! He didn’t suffer!”… “So the church taught falsely for years. So this truth was proclaimed as a heresy at the Great Council of Addai over three hundred years ago.” (p. 175 SFBC hardcover).
“Which fort?” she asked, then knew what he meant: This fort, the old Dariyan fort built by order of Arki-kai Tangashuan seven hundred years ago, reckoning by the calendars she knew. Now of course it was known as Steleshame, a small estate under the authority of the freeholder Gisela that was also an official posting stop for the King’s Eagles and thus under the king’s protection rather than that of the local count.” (P. 250 SFBC hardcover)
Depending on what campaign setting you’re using, either home brewed or store bought, the history may be so vast and grand that things players tend to take as everyday events and elements may be prone to change. One way to introduce these changes is to simply note that some time in the campaign’s past “THIS” is what had actually happened.
But then why doesn’t the campaign reflect it? Take the Forgotten Realms and it’s new incarnation for 4th edition. It incorporated many elements of the 4e default setting by taking a massive hammer to the setting and instead of allowing that unknown history to be discovered by the players, its thrust upon them. Have the characters be the ones who discover these ancient things. Have the players be the ones to discover that Lathandar is actually a different deity. Have the players discover that in prewritten history there was another land. Have the players discover these hidden facets of the setting so that they may be the new authorities and can be part of the change as opposed to just being battered about the head with it.
And as the second quote shows, sometimes the campaign will reflect it. People change. Monsters migrate. Fortress rise and fall. Things have multiple names and multiple purposes depending on who you ask and whose living there now. When dealing with something of great age, have multiple names for the old forts that stretch back into history. Have multiple names for the elves who have seen hundreds of years. Have variety when the players discover a long lost weapon that once served on the front line of battle against shadow and shade.
“Who are you?” he whispered. The sword, like death by pain, was lifted. Her reply rang out and yet was muted by the howl of the wind. “I am the Lady of Battles.” (p. 28 SFBC hardcover)
A good description goes a long way. Ask each player to not only describe themselves, but make sure they have a description written down so that they can refer to it for future reference. Do the characters dress in a certain fashion? Do they wear certain styles of cloth? Are their clothes new or old? Do they have fine silks or worn through materials? Are their weapons nicked from long use and battle or well oiled?
Having a good description for an NPC goes a long way too. Make sure that when doing so, you have the description ready if you plan on using the character again. Insure that things that are unique about the NPC are bolded so that the players can recognize these characters when meeting them in the future. When introducing them, give them a unique persona not only through what they wear and what they are, but by your own actions as a GM. Hand gestures and voice are some of the greatest tools you have at your disposal in such a case and making the same hand gestures in association with a certain NPC, will ingrain that habit into the minds of the players.
“It is necessary that we act. We must find another to consecrate at the altar. One who will not be missed.” (p. 170 SFBC hardcover).
This falls under the rule of no good deed goes unpunished. When attempting to push their own views of right and wrong on the setting, the GM has many options, especially when trying to showcase that the players cannot be everywhere and do everything at the same time. In this example, Alain has saved a savage humanoid from a gruesome death. In response, another is taken in place for sacrifice.
If the players are known defenders of one place, can they be at another? If the players champion one cause, do they directly or indirectly, oppose another and cause people who follow that cause hardship?
When trying to follow the old adage of no good deed goes unpunished, it’s not necessarily that you as the GM are trying to showcase that the world is a harsh and cruel place, but rather, that actions has consequences both intended and unintended. In some games, one of the standard methods here is the players freeing something long dormant from an ancient crypt in their running around and digging up the dead.
“But the blessed Daisan fasted and prayed for seven days! He didn’t suffer!”… “So the church taught falsely for years. So this truth was proclaimed as a heresy at the Great Council of Addai over three hundred years ago.” (p. 175 SFBC hardcover).
“Which fort?” she asked, then knew what he meant: This fort, the old Dariyan fort built by order of Arki-kai Tangashuan seven hundred years ago, reckoning by the calendars she knew. Now of course it was known as Steleshame, a small estate under the authority of the freeholder Gisela that was also an official posting stop for the King’s Eagles and thus under the king’s protection rather than that of the local count.” (P. 250 SFBC hardcover)
Depending on what campaign setting you’re using, either home brewed or store bought, the history may be so vast and grand that things players tend to take as everyday events and elements may be prone to change. One way to introduce these changes is to simply note that some time in the campaign’s past “THIS” is what had actually happened.
But then why doesn’t the campaign reflect it? Take the Forgotten Realms and it’s new incarnation for 4th edition. It incorporated many elements of the 4e default setting by taking a massive hammer to the setting and instead of allowing that unknown history to be discovered by the players, its thrust upon them. Have the characters be the ones who discover these ancient things. Have the players be the ones to discover that Lathandar is actually a different deity. Have the players discover that in prewritten history there was another land. Have the players discover these hidden facets of the setting so that they may be the new authorities and can be part of the change as opposed to just being battered about the head with it.
And as the second quote shows, sometimes the campaign will reflect it. People change. Monsters migrate. Fortress rise and fall. Things have multiple names and multiple purposes depending on who you ask and whose living there now. When dealing with something of great age, have multiple names for the old forts that stretch back into history. Have multiple names for the elves who have seen hundreds of years. Have variety when the players discover a long lost weapon that once served on the front line of battle against shadow and shade.
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