Story HourPost your ongoing tales from your campaigns, and read those from others for inspiration. Lots of other RPG boards post "Story Hours", but this is where it started!
Type: Fantasy. System: OD&D (1974) The One True Game with Supplements, The Strategic Review, The Dragon, Chainmail, Overland Travel, and Wooden Ships Iron Men. Setting: Homebrew of The Known World The Wilderlands of Harn in the Grey Realms
Started: 27 June 2004 Status: Inactive Average Installment Length: Short to Medium with occasional images. Average Frequency of Installments: Daily to Weekly
Available for Download? No Style: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person voices, but no narrator.
Overview: Asked to protect the borderlands of Margrave County our heroes spiral deeper and deeper into the mysteries of the land and its people. Goals and objectives change repeatedly as the characters achieve great successes, suffer colossal failures, and attempt to save themselves, others, and a few coins for their pockets. Incredible depth and custom design.
Reader Comment:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zaruthustran
Fun story. I like how every PC is mysterious, with a hidden agenda.
__________________ Apparently Reagan never played RPGs ...but he liked to watch.
Spoiler:
Participants in the Pentagon simulations were sometimes of very high rank, including members of Congress and White House insiders as well as senior military officers. The identity of many of the participants remains secret even today. It is a tradition in US simulations (and those run by many other nations) that participants are guaranteed anonymity. The main reason for this is that occasionally they may take on a role or express an opinion that is at odds with their professional or public stance (for example portraying a fundamentalist terrorist or advocating hawkish military action), and thus could harm their reputation or career if their in-game persona became widely known.
(cut)
...former US president Ronald Reagan was a keen visitor to simulations conducted in the 1980s, but as an observer only. An official explained: "No president should ever disclose his hand, not even in a war game". Para,6
Type: Fantasy System: D&D 3.5 Setting: The Forgotten Realms
Started: 6 February 2004 Status: Complete Average Installment Length: Short with some Medium Average Frequency of Installments: Weekly with multiple posts
Available for Download? No Style: 1st and 3rd person
Overview: A group of thieves struggle through a puzzling and fantastical test to join the illustrious Calimports thieves guild. Each 8th level character has at least half its class levels in Rogue.
Reader Comment:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piratecat
Whoops - you misspelled "rogue."
__________________ Apparently Reagan never played RPGs ...but he liked to watch.
Spoiler:
Participants in the Pentagon simulations were sometimes of very high rank, including members of Congress and White House insiders as well as senior military officers. The identity of many of the participants remains secret even today. It is a tradition in US simulations (and those run by many other nations) that participants are guaranteed anonymity. The main reason for this is that occasionally they may take on a role or express an opinion that is at odds with their professional or public stance (for example portraying a fundamentalist terrorist or advocating hawkish military action), and thus could harm their reputation or career if their in-game persona became widely known.
(cut)
...former US president Ronald Reagan was a keen visitor to simulations conducted in the 1980s, but as an observer only. An official explained: "No president should ever disclose his hand, not even in a war game". Para,6
Type: Fantasy System: D&D 3.0 before converting to 3.5 Setting: Kalamar
Status: Completed - It's just one short story out of the campaign Style: 3rd person narrative prose with DM comment
Overview: Short story about crazy dice and how two players won a fight they had no chance to win. Possibly one of the best view/post ratio in the storyhour section
Reader Comment: Nyaricus: That's an awesome story man I completely dug it!
__________________ Shilsen: Remember, as a wise man once said, physics is a house rule. Charwoman Gene: Hello, you seem greedy and prone to violence, want to go camping together for the rest of our lives? Celebrim:... + 5 (+5 enchancement bonus) ... Shilsen: I read the strip and felt a great disturbance in the Farce, as if a million voices cried out in terror, "No!! The XX eyes!!" and were suddenly silenced. BlackSeed_Vash: Does the fighter/bard have a +X Greataxe Shock/Shocking Burst, for that feel good electric axe feel?! Do you think your dice are lucky? Read this.
Last edited by Darklone; 19th April 2007 at 04:00 PM..
Story Hour Information: Title:Into the Moral Darkness Author: Nonlethal Force Number of Threads: 1
Game Information: Type: Fantasy (Fiction, not based on tabletop gameplay) Style: 3rd person narrative prose, limited omniscient view. System: D&D 3.5 Style, but focused on RP not the rules Setting: Enigmatica (See link in sig regarding Homeworld Info)
Story Hour Statistics: Started: January 2007 Status: Ongoing Average Installment Length: 1,000 - 2,000 words.
Overview: This story hour mainly revolves around a set of freedom fighters who continually put their own lives on the line for the freedom of others. In so doing, they expore hard issues such as morality of: killing, amassing wealth while living among the poor, the problems of fame, and even the harsh realities of not being able to change the whole world. This Story Hour is heavily based on RP, although combat occasionally comes fast and furious.
This story is a sequel to Bitterness Overcome.
Reader Comment: From Mahtave: "Excellent start Nonlethal! Anxiously waiting for more!"
__________________ Most recent products published:
Complete Control - Turn your 3.x game into a game without multiclassing, or classes for that matter! Make your character exactly how you want it.
Complete Gear - Eliminate item issues in your gaming. NPCs can have any gear without impacting game balance. Magic Marts don't need to even exist!
Last edited by Nonlethal Force; 12th January 2007 at 05:57 AM..
Type: Fantasy
System: D&D 3.0/3.5
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Started: 2001 (before the ENWorld update, copied over from the old boards)
Status: Completed
Average Installment Length: 1000-2500 words
Average Frequency of Installments: Not applicable
Overview: Follow a group of five adventurers across Faerun, as they encounter sinister plots, dire creatures, famous and infamous characters, and ultimately even the gods themselves. The story is divided into eight books, and is over 468,000 words total.
Reader Comment:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reg Dword
Thank you Lazybones for taking the time to tell your story on these boards. I looked forward every work day to seeing a new update. As prolific as you are on most work days I was not disappointed.
I can honestly say that you made me care about these characters and about what happened to them. In the end I think, that is what defines a good writer.
Overview: Cauldron. A wondrous city built on the inside slopes of a dormant volcano. A place where you can meet interesting people, visit unique locales. Oh, and there's the insane cult of demon-worshippers that want to turn the entire thing into a Carcerian gate-town. Follow the adventures of an unusual group of heroes as they try to thwart the plans of some of the nastiest villains to ever grace the pages of Dungeon magazine. The story is divided into twelve books, and is over 733,000 words total.
Reader Comment: (see the above thread for 931 other reader comments!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by wolff96
Well, I've been lurking for years now, enjoying the story and occasionally commenting. Lazybones, this has been a great read. I started back when Delem was still my favorite spellcaster and I've been with you ever since -- though usually quietly. Thanks for posting. Thanks for writing. And thanks for making such an excellent read.
Started: August 25, 2006
Status: Ongoing
Average Installment Length: 1000-2500 words
Average Frequency of Installments: Daily Updates Monday through Friday, with the "Friday cliffhanger" (patent pending)
Available for Download? once finished
Style: fiction, 3rd person narrative
Overview: A band of condemned prisoners is thrown into the deadliest dungeon in the world. Things get a bit... messy.
Reader Comment:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Rawen
*chuckles*
You rat bastard you.
*shakes head smiling*
Please let us know when you get something published, I want your book in my collection.
'till then, we'll enjoy your work fantastic & free!.
Type: Fantasy System: D&D 3.5E Setting: Praemal, the world of Ptolus
Started: December 8, 2006 Status: Ongoing Average Installment Length: Approximately 1,000 words Average Frequency of Installments: Daily, depending on workload, sometimes more often
Available for Download? Each chapter will eventually be available as a PDF when they're completed Style: 3rd person
Overview: On the opposite end of the Tarsisian Empire from Ptolus sits the Barony of Midwood, nestled against the Hotash Mountains of the Prustan Peninsula. The tiny hamlet of Maidensbridge is famous as a birthplace of heroes, as Maidensbridge has grown up in the shadow of Green Mountain, home of the green dragon Gax. But now Gax has vanished, her kobold followers are becoming restless, and a new generation of heroes is coming of age in Maidensbridge.
Reader Comment: "I am absolutely loving your Storyhour Whizbang! I love it! This is the second storyhour thread I've subscribed to!"
Note: This is a revision and clean-up of an ongoing play by post game (on another board) that has been running since January 2006. The story hour is currently about 9 or 10 months behind, but catching up so eventually the pace of updates will slow down, but not for many more chapters.
Ptolus fans who are disappointed that this takes place thousands of miles away from the City by the Spire (most of the player characters had never heard of Ptolus the first time it's mentioned to them), never fear: The same themes are present in Midwood, although a lot of the more obvious elements trickle in slowly over time.
Freeport is also located in my version of Praemal in the Southern Sea south of Gharon. Redhurst is also a part of the setting, although it only teleports around the world, and not to any other planes.
Unlike most Story Hours, I'm trying to keep the Story Hour discussion-free. Comments, questions and supplemental material goes in the discussion thread.
Type: Fantasy System: D&D 3.5e (mostly, with a few house rules thrown in - but nothing major) Setting: Greyhawk
Started: The campaign started on June 5, 2006. The Story Hour was launched on January 26, 2007. Status: Ongoing Average Installment Length: Medium/Long Average Frequency of Installments: bi-weekly
Available for Download? No Style: 3rd person description of game session events. This is not intended to be a story! It is mostly just a resource and a record for the players in my campaign. Most entries are just blow-by-blow descriptions of events. Some rare entries will be told in short story format (3rd person, if written by DM - 1st person, if written by players).
Overview: A group of childhood friends from a corrupt, backwater mining town join forces for adventure. Little do they know that they are destined to save the world from a horrific apocalypse!
Reader Comments: Unwelcome! If you wish to make a comment or ask a question, please email menexenus at ATT dot net. If you are a reader who is not in the game, please do not post directly to the thread.
Title: A Journey to the Sea (Greyhawk) Author: sniffles Number of Threads: 1
Type: Fantasy System: D&D 3.5e Setting: Greyhawk
Started: The campaign began in 2002. The Story Hour was launched on January 8, 2007. Status: Ongoing, but likely to terminate in the near future. Average Installment Length: Medium Average Frequency of Installments: Daily (weekdays only) until caught up to the present.
Available for Download? No Style: 1st person narrative in the form of in-character letters to a relative of one player-character.
Overview: A group of random adventurers join forces to explore the world of Greyhawk. Their goal: to see the ocean. Along the way they discover an evil that is gradually invading the world and determine to eradicate it if they can.
Title: The Collected Journals of Artemis Heuw Author: Devo Number of Threads: 1
Type: Fantasy System: D&D 3.5e Setting: Eberron
Started: The campaign began in December 2005. The Story Hour was re-launched on June 12, 2006, following the big database crash of 2006. Status: Ongoing. Average Installment Length: Long Average Frequency of Installments: Weekly
Available for Download? No Style: This story hour includes in-character journals/letters from 3 player-characters. The primary entries are journal entries by the title character, supported by letters from two other characters. At present the story hour author is unable to access ENworld regularly, so I am taking responsibility for maintaining the story hour.
Overview: Led by the brilliant artificer Artemis Heuw Cannith, a band of intrepid heroes sets out to uncover ancient treasures and even older evils in the lands of Khorvaire and beyond.
Reader Comments: Welcomed and encouraged.
__________________ It's all fun and games until someone loses a die.
Type: Fantasy System: D&D 3.5E Setting: Castle Ravenloft in Eberron
Started: 3 February 2007 Status: Completed Average Installment Length: Started medium, now long Average Frequency of Installments: Weekly.
Available for Download? Not at this time. Style: Third person with references to the underlying game.
Overview: Thundina Seong has joined a band of Lightbringers to travel to the village of Barovia to find a missing artifact and a previous missing party. And to acquire fortune, fame, and glory. She quickly learns that Barovia is more than a mere barony; it is the land of Ravenloft, ruled by the gentleman vampire Baron Strahd. Thundina will find that adventure can be more horrifying than she had ever imagined.
Type: Fantasy System: D&D 3.5e Setting: Homebrew: Perin
Started: January 2005 Status: Ongoing Average Installment Length: Long Average Frequency of Installments: Infrequent (whenever I feel like there's something fun to tell)
Available for Download? No Style: narration
Overview: Adventurers are caught between competing groups that want the same thing. Skipping over some game sessions, this story thread throws you right into the meat grinder sessions with the rest of 'em!
Last edited by Skyscraper; 7th February 2007 at 08:51 PM..
Started: 20 April 2006 Status: Ongoing Average Installment Length: 4 or 5 pages of typed Word document Average Frequency of Installments: Weekly, usually on tuesdays
Available for Download? No Style: 1st person. As long as I don't die, then it might have to go 3rd person!
Overview: The tales of a group of friends (and those who follow after them as they get brutally slaughtered in the quest for treasure), featuring worms, age, overgods, my character's complete inability to hit the broadside of a barn with a crossbow, copious quantities of combat, and the party necromancer's lifelong quest to make a specialised debuffer work. Oh, and find a non-evil undead summoing spell. All in all, the Age of Worms campaign, as DM'd by Morrus.
Reader Comment: Awsome! You really have a talent for turning session into story! <Kroh>
You're a complete and utter rat bastard! <Tamlyn>
Title: Rule of Darkness
Author: Ghostknight
Number of Threads: 1
Type: Fantasy/Horror/Humour/Modern/Sci-Fi (with subtypes, if you must).
System: D&D 3.5e
Setting: Homebrew
Started: 21 February 2007
Status: Ongoing
Average Installment Length: Verbose
Average Frequency of Installments: M, W, F
Style: 3rd person narrative
Overview: Survival in a world ruled by devils.
Reader Comments:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackdirge
You have a knack for writing combat scenes, which can be very difficult. Good detail, with an eye on keeping the action moving.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mahtave
I'm hooked. I can't wait for the next installment.
Type: Anime Fantasy (T.V. Series: Interdimensional Travel)
System: BESM d20
Setting: Atlantis -- Modern Japan
Started: 17 Feb 2007
Status: Ongoing
Average Installment Length: Short.
Average Frequency of Installments: After a session is over.
Available for Download? No (although I will have it available for Download soon).
Style: Journalistic.
Overview: The adventures of Japanese High School students in the Continent of Atlantis; and two Americans -- One of which is a little like Rodney McKay.
System: D&D 3.x Setting:Aquerra (homebrew) Started: February 2007 Status: On-going Average Installment Length: Longish Average Frequency of Installments: Right now: Every 6 to 8 days Available for Download? Not yet. Style: 3rd person narrative prose, with footnotes for game mechanics and meta-game info; also embedded links to wiki pages. Often grim n' gritty [adult themes].
Overview: A group of young Thrician nobles of low birth rank form an adventuring charter for their own glory, and that of their Houses, and for the good of the people. Reader Comment:
Quote:
Originally Posted by handforged
I must say that I am so excited about this story. The characters are becoming very real. Yay! I can't wait for more!
The Prayers of the Timotheus Smith - An overview of the campaign's events from the perspective of one character's frequent prayers to his patron goddess.
Title:Last Stand of the Dorinthians Author: Deuce Traveler Number of Threads: 4, 1 for each chapter. Will ultimately be 5. Type: Fantasy System: D&D 3.5e Setting: Homebrew Started: 23 March 2007 Status: Ongoing Average Installment Length: Long Average Frequency of Installments: Weekly, until caught up with current posts. Available for Download? No Style: 3rd person narrative prose from the DM, with actions posted by players and placed into past tense.
Overview: Dorinthia has fallen to the Imperials. There is no kingdom to save. However, a small band of refugees must cut out a new home for themselves while surrounded by suspicious neighbors. A band of heroes step forth to herald a new beginning for the homeless people.
Reader Comment: N/A
Special: See links in my signature below.
__________________ My Involvement:
Spoiler:
Player of Doral Kinsman the Beguiler in Who Wants to Be a Wayfinder IC
Type: Fantasy/Modern/Sci-Fi System: D&D 3.5e with Modern D20 elements Setting: Homebrew
Started: November 2006 Status: Ongoing Average Installment Length: Medium Average Frequency of Installments: Biweekly
Available for Download? No Style: 3rd person narrative prose, with occasional winks to the underlying mechanics
Overview: The case files of a small private investigation firm run by Dirk Chance, a human from the wrong side of the tracks, and Case Nine, a robot on the run from a vile corporation. Join the duo as they fight for justice in a world filled with cars, guns, magic, super-science, and other weirdness!
Reader Comment: "Awesome title, excellent writing and a very evocative world you've got here." - Destil
Last edited by Pell-Mell; 23rd April 2007 at 05:12 AM..
I completely dug it!
Linear Mode
And yet another word from our sponsors
