HARN helped me become a better DM!

[ninthcouncil]

Not many replies, Kaptain, as the post wasn't really inviting response - it's just a "Harn is great!" post. Noting wrong with that, but most people are going to ignore it.

Cheriomancer: 100 Bushels of Rye is well worth tracking down. I ran it sucessfully as an L5R scenario - it's got a robust storyline which doesn't rely on mechanics and technicalities, and can be easily converted to other systems. Typically of Harn stuff, it has a well-fleshed out locale which can be reused.

NB&S is less easy to convert, as Harnic orcs are somewhat different to vanilla d20, and some of the plot hooks (I'd hesitate to call them adventures) rely on these differences. The orc nests are well done, but rather less expansive than the mega-dungeons of classic D&D....

 

[Cheiromancer]

NB&S is less easy to convert, as Harnic orcs are somewhat different to vanilla d20, and some of the plot hooks (I'd hesitate to call them adventures) rely on these differences. The orc nests are well done, but rather less expansive than the mega-dungeons of classic D&D....

What kind of differences? Hive minds and hermaphroditic reproduction, or something not quite so paradigm-blasting?

 

[ninthcouncil]

What kind of differences? Hive minds and hermaphroditic reproduction, or something not quite so paradigm-blasting?

Harnic orcs (a.k.a. gargun) come in five different varieties, which could be remodelled in a 3e style as differnt races (bugbears, orcs, goblins, etc.) but this would make them a different beast. The relations between the various orc races are quite important in parts of NB&S. Some of them are slightly less vicious than others, but none of them are at all nice.

Funny you should mention reproduction (tee hee). Each nest has only a single active female ("queen") of any one race and a number of inactive "princesses". Only the nest's "king" has sexual access to the queen. Gargun lay eggs, incidentally, rather than birthing live young....

Orcs are shortlived and very animalistic creatures, created in an unknown fashion by one Lothrim as part of his attempt to conquer Harn. He was defeated, but the rapid-breeding gargun have remained a threat. Occasionally, for reasons that humans don't really understand, they "swarm", breeding uncontrollably and spilling out into the surrounding area in an orgy of slaughter and mayhem.

 

[hong]

In para 2 you say everything is going well using CoC rules - and then after 3 weeks you switched systems. Why was that?

K_K is what you might call a serial monogamist, where games are concerned.


Hong "which is better, I suppose, than being a parallel monogamist" Ooi

 

[Cheiromancer]

Species boundaries are a little vague in my game world. It is nominally the KoK, but I get creative now and again.

"Elves" are mostly half-elves. True elves tend to be xenophobic, and look on humans as being a type of orc. Needless to say, they look down on the kinds of elves who would willingly breed with orcs.

"Orcs" are mostly statted as half-orcs. They tend to regard humans as a kind of dwarf (bearded humans, at least- clean shaven humans are sometimes regarded as being a type of elf). Occasionally orcs will hate humans less than their other enemies, and rather unstable alliances will result.

Humans, in turn, are a little vague about the different varieties of elves (lumping them together with fey), and differences between goblinoids. Tribal differences are frequently confused with racial differences, and vice versa.

I think Harnic gargun could work IMC. It would be best if they could interbreed with humans, though. Can they?

 

[Dinkeldog]

And here I was hoping that K_K's punchline was:

"So I'll never have to come to EN World again."

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

And here I was hoping that K_K's punchline was:

"So I'll never have to come to EN World again."

You forgot the smiley face emoticon, dinkel, so I would know you are joking. It works like this:

Actually, Harn has consumed so much of my time that I don't come by ENWorld that much anymore. Just to "preach the Harnic gospel", LOL! I guess Hong is right: I am a serial monogamist (emphasis on the gamist, hehe, it's like gamer, get it?).

As to why we switched from d20/CoC to HM rules, the players had expressed a bitter hatred for Sanity Points and also that they didn't think the setting and the rules were quite "clicking." So I stumbled across a copy of HarnMaster Core rules and decided we'd give them a try... especially after having some troubles converting Harnic concepts to d20. Since I created the hybrid d20 patchwork Frankenstein style out of many d20 products, like a proud daddy, I didn't see any major problems (and enjoyed inflicting Sanity Loss on my hapless players), but was curious about the HM rules set. It worked out so brilliantly: The first combat we had between three PCs and 5 bandits in and around a ruined tower was easily trhe most memorable and satisfying combat we'd ever run in any system, due to its deadliness, graphic injuries and enhanced combat options). The PCs barely won and were more than happy to loot the bandits equipment as their "treasure" and escape with their lives! Harn is cash-poor, treasure-poor and deadly as hell, so you have to take it where you can get it. Most treasure will consist of salvaged equipment and a few silver coins, and maybe one object or person that was the reason you went questing in the first place.

Less Is More in Harn. The players are more happy to accept less because they are getting more out of their characters and the setting. The DM (me) is getting less headaches coming up with background details and more fun playing his NPCs and advancing his plot. And everybody is getting more out of combat--more fun, more terror, more fear, more brutal and bloody death, more realistic consequences for actions undertaken...

HarnMaster is hardly a perfect rules set. It is not written clearly and information is scattered all over the place. It uses a lot of abbreviations that are hard to remember at first. It is more complicated to run combats, cast magic, use psionics and create characters than d20. But not too much more, not when you get used to it and start memorizing things. I was overwhelmed by it at first, but quickly picked it up over several sessions and now it comes as second nature to me and the players are even able to help me out with the rules if I forget something. The thing is, HarnMaster will put the fear of GOD (or Bane, or Zeus, or whomever) into your players! Everyone will be scared to do anything for fear of failure and/or death! Hehehe! I've never had more fun terrorizing my players and being stingy, and they've never been happier to win a battle and hardly get any treasure out of it! They're lucky to even survive, so any treasure is just icing on the cake as far as they're concerned! With the rules less restrictive and more nebulous (left to the DM to decide on a whim), players will be afraid to undertake foolhardy or ill-thought out actions for fear of the DM's "instant ruling"... Hehe! Then again, they will not be afraid to try out thoughtful and creative ideas that they know will make sense to, and hopefully impress the DM.

Harn (the setting) and specificially HarnMaster (the rules) are truly miraculous for reigning in Monty Haulers, power gamers, munchkins, rules lawyers, and apathetic, jaded players of all stripes. For us, it is like the mysterious and dangerous "first time" we started playing 1st edition D&D twenty years ago. After twenty years, we've finally got our "gaming virginity" back!

"Hallelujah! Praise be to Harn!" *does a little happy dance*

I don't pretend Harn is for everyone or that this thread will gain any "mass connversion" of d20 players flocking to Harn. Nope. But I do expect a few of you will be intrigued and delve into further matters Harnic, perhaps by following the links I posted above... Whether you convert from there or not is your own business.

I'm just saying, like "Hooked On Phonics", Harn worked for me!

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

You will definitely find some very cool things you can steal for your own d20 campaign, regardless of whether you convert to Harn. Follow the above links. For example:

Need more detail for your LE god of tyranny, fire, torture, etc.? Grab a TON of free info from the HRT's (Harn Religion Team) Agrik pages (link above). There are over 100 pages of information on the evil god Agrik and his religion alone! Very useful for putting some zip into Banite or Hextorian clergy. I guarantee you will find something cool to lift here, whether its war songs, chants, prayers, or whatever. The level of detail is amazing... and easily converted to d20 (most of the info is completely rules-neutral).

Need to instantly generate a village, including every single NPC and the ruler? Go to Swords & Shields or Tales of Lynfanna Hundred (links above). I'm not talking about stats, I'm talking about personalities, problems and interests to use as plot hooks!

Free adventures are also available for the time-strapped DM.

 

[Kaptain_Kantrip]

One more thing: Harn can help you become a better DM, even if you don't convert to using Harn or HarnMaster. Take advantage of the vast amount of Harnic resources available online and off. They can really help you to construct logical, realistic adventures and environments, even when playing high fantasy. Very useful tools to hone your DMing skills, and the players will appreciate the renewed focus on internal logic and consistency (like making sure castles have bathrooms, and cults in the middle of nowhere have a realistic way of surviving there, LOL).

 

[Ashtal]

KK, you might get more millage out of these posts if they were on a Harn fan-board.

I don't mean to sound confrontational here or anything, but I think we all get that you really like Harn but this place isn't really the place to get uber-detailed with Harn.

I think everyone's pretty aware that you like it, and that you can take anything non-d20, Harn or otherwise, and use it as inspiration or as a straight conversion, into their games.

Beyond that ... what do you hope to accomplish?

These are D&D boards. I know you'd like to see more Harn players, but this isn't necessarily the place to find them. Your posts are becoming more and more like pursuasive pamplets hoping to entice new players.