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Legends and Lore October 22nd
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<blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6037929" data-attributes="member: 6696971"><p>For instance:</p><p></p><p>The Barbarian Horde vs the Trapper/Furrier Frontier Settlement</p><p></p><p>This was not something that was relevant to the current story arc of the game. This was a hook that I inserted as a thematically challenging setpiece for one of my characters specifically...had nothing to do with their current game. One of the characters in my game was a nomadic wood elf. He was an advanced scout for his people. One fateful day, upon his return to their camp, he found the bloodied, battered remnants of his people walking an ancient trail in a line like refugees leaving a war zone. All of the warriors of his people had perished in a raid by a horde of ruthless, human barbarians. All that were left were the few women and younglings that could escape the onslaught. Always suspicious of humans (like a good, xenophobic elf should be), this set him over the edge. The next year, he and a few of the outriders waged a guerrilla war against the barbarians, killing every last one of them (including women and children). Ultimately, they abandoned their duty to their clan in order to avenge (and engage their own bloodlust) the fallen. The clan ultimately perished because of it. </p><p></p><p>We created a "Haunted" Theme for the character which narratively and mechanically would be intimately tied to his milestones apparatus. He was haunted by:</p><p></p><p>- His failure to protect his people and/or not dying at the side of the warriors of his clan.</p><p>- His unconquerable hatred for humanity...viewing them with the same contempt as orcs.</p><p>- His indiscriminate, vengeful, murderous rampage (the women and children).</p><p>- His bloodlust winning out over his (to that point) absolute commitment to duty...and it ultimately costing him his clan's continued existence.</p><p></p><p>At the outset of the game, I composed several scenarios that challenged the theme of the characters. It didn't have anything to do with the main "campaign arc". They could navigate it (or not) as they saw fit. </p><p></p><p>This particular scenario was dropped in immediately following a rather brutal portion of the campaign. Like my player's character, the scene unfolded similarly:</p><p></p><p>They came upon an extremely long line of human refugees; settlers from remote, northern communities under the border boughs of great Shadowtop trees. Smoking ruins dotted the horizon. Several women and youngling settlers were leaving their ruined, burned settlements. Five settlements were in full flight, with several of their warriors dying noble deaths to see their safe egress through. However, one settlement remained...determined to fight to the death...unwilling to yield the hard-fought (against the bitter, inhospitable north) lives that their parents' parents had carved out for them...barbarian horde be damned. </p><p></p><p>I created the settlement, the High Huntsman and a few specific settlers of consequence. I created the settlement itself. I composed the three Skill Challenges I outlined ("A-Team", "Retreat is the Better Part of Valor", "Cut and Run") upthread, unsure of precisely how (or even if), this situation would unfold. I composed the Horde (using Swarm Rules) and the Barbarian Warlord, his Shaman, and his Elite Guard. I had the High Huntsman NPC, the Settler Minions (multiple targets but one focused attack on the Swarm) and I had their Morale Buff and the mechanics of how it passed to the PCs after their deaths. I used p42 for the Limited Use Terrain effects that the player's devised with their "A-Team" success. Standard Hazards. All of this crunch (including the Skill Challenges) probably took me about an hour of prep by the way (so not much).</p><p></p><p>That is what I mean about "Scene Script" or "Thematic/Story Arc". The players could have chosen whatever route they wish to go. Player Choice and the mechanical resolution tools dictated the outcome. The only input that I had was using this particular player's Theme (and the clear milestone incentives) in order to compose an Arc.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Manbearcat, post: 6037929, member: 6696971"] For instance: The Barbarian Horde vs the Trapper/Furrier Frontier Settlement This was not something that was relevant to the current story arc of the game. This was a hook that I inserted as a thematically challenging setpiece for one of my characters specifically...had nothing to do with their current game. One of the characters in my game was a nomadic wood elf. He was an advanced scout for his people. One fateful day, upon his return to their camp, he found the bloodied, battered remnants of his people walking an ancient trail in a line like refugees leaving a war zone. All of the warriors of his people had perished in a raid by a horde of ruthless, human barbarians. All that were left were the few women and younglings that could escape the onslaught. Always suspicious of humans (like a good, xenophobic elf should be), this set him over the edge. The next year, he and a few of the outriders waged a guerrilla war against the barbarians, killing every last one of them (including women and children). Ultimately, they abandoned their duty to their clan in order to avenge (and engage their own bloodlust) the fallen. The clan ultimately perished because of it. We created a "Haunted" Theme for the character which narratively and mechanically would be intimately tied to his milestones apparatus. He was haunted by: - His failure to protect his people and/or not dying at the side of the warriors of his clan. - His unconquerable hatred for humanity...viewing them with the same contempt as orcs. - His indiscriminate, vengeful, murderous rampage (the women and children). - His bloodlust winning out over his (to that point) absolute commitment to duty...and it ultimately costing him his clan's continued existence. At the outset of the game, I composed several scenarios that challenged the theme of the characters. It didn't have anything to do with the main "campaign arc". They could navigate it (or not) as they saw fit. This particular scenario was dropped in immediately following a rather brutal portion of the campaign. Like my player's character, the scene unfolded similarly: They came upon an extremely long line of human refugees; settlers from remote, northern communities under the border boughs of great Shadowtop trees. Smoking ruins dotted the horizon. Several women and youngling settlers were leaving their ruined, burned settlements. Five settlements were in full flight, with several of their warriors dying noble deaths to see their safe egress through. However, one settlement remained...determined to fight to the death...unwilling to yield the hard-fought (against the bitter, inhospitable north) lives that their parents' parents had carved out for them...barbarian horde be damned. I created the settlement, the High Huntsman and a few specific settlers of consequence. I created the settlement itself. I composed the three Skill Challenges I outlined ("A-Team", "Retreat is the Better Part of Valor", "Cut and Run") upthread, unsure of precisely how (or even if), this situation would unfold. I composed the Horde (using Swarm Rules) and the Barbarian Warlord, his Shaman, and his Elite Guard. I had the High Huntsman NPC, the Settler Minions (multiple targets but one focused attack on the Swarm) and I had their Morale Buff and the mechanics of how it passed to the PCs after their deaths. I used p42 for the Limited Use Terrain effects that the player's devised with their "A-Team" success. Standard Hazards. All of this crunch (including the Skill Challenges) probably took me about an hour of prep by the way (so not much). That is what I mean about "Scene Script" or "Thematic/Story Arc". The players could have chosen whatever route they wish to go. Player Choice and the mechanical resolution tools dictated the outcome. The only input that I had was using this particular player's Theme (and the clear milestone incentives) in order to compose an Arc. [/QUOTE]
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