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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Roland Delacroix" data-source="post: 446511" data-attributes="member: 1753">Re: The Rat Bastard’s Club is now recruiting new members!I like to run whatever game my players want.  I take the radically different viewpoint that it's not MY game, it's their game and I am just here to give them a good time.  However, I expect to have a good time as well.  For me this means challenging the party on as many levels as I can.  Physically in fights, mentally with puzzles and mysteries, and socially with good NPC interaction.  I realize that a challenge is most enjoyed, and if properly challenged the players will rise to meet it.I can run any setting, but I preffer Mystara.  Invisible moons, hollow worlds, fledgling kingdoms, mysterious artifacts, the setting is chock full of anything a party could want.  With a decently defined political system (NPC's, laws, etc) I can work some devious magic.Oooo, and I loved the Rokugan setting in 2nd edition L5R.  Political machinations, secret plots, love affairs, and violent homicidal samurai.I think 'Grim and Gritty' makes the players too depressed for a long term campaign, but I would run it if thats what the players wanted.  IMO I could make almost any setting colorfull, rich, and fun.Well, my players mention it all the time  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />  When i run a game, I get the most out of my NPC's.  Invariably, it is the intelligent bad guys that provoke screams of 'Rat Bastard!'.  The BBEG doesn't just sit there, it's a dynamic game.  Smart opponents know who they are fighting and strike t their weakness.  It really pisses off Paladins when their enemy is a Bard committed to destroying their reputation.  But it also spurs the party to re-assess what they are facing, and make changes to overcome.And, like in the real world, '<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> happens'.  I try to arrange scenes where players can shine, but occassionally something might randomly come up as well.  Example:  In an L5R game I ran there was a Crab clan 'tank', high level, playing for a year or more, equivalent to a 15th level 3e fighter maybe.  He was well known as a heroic defeater of evil etc.  As a random encounter he came across a respectfull, spunky young duelist trying to make a name for himself.  It was obvious the NPC was a dueling specialist, in a very lethal game system, but the tank took up the challenge.  Killed first blow.  Just a random encounter, added alot of flavor, and the PC coulda walked away or taken a 'first touch' duel.  I have no sympathy for stupidity though. A local Baron, a Half-Orc, sends for the renowned defenders of justice (certainly not MY PC's  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />  ).  His daughter has been captured by the Dread Pirate.  He send them to the area the pirate has been seen at.  He gives them a few potent items to assist, such as a Quall's Feather Token or two.Arriving at the small, sea-side villiage the PC's search among a well-defined cast of NPC's.  This is where it gets tricky as many of the NPC's hide the pirates doings from the (in their opinion) oppressive and evil baron.  Expect a few sessions of the PC's just trying to make out what is the truth, who is the real bad guy here?  There could be some conflict as well if the PC's openlly admit alliance to the Baron, or maybe get some help from townies if they act sympathetic to the pirates.  Of course, everyone in town knows who reports back to the Baron, except the PC's.  If act pirate-sympathetic to the wrong farmer, the Baron might have to come down with a few high level knights....Regardless, the PC's will eventually meet the Dread Pirate captain.  Decades ago this small town was a mid-land farming community.  During a brutal civil war, terrible magics sank much of the surrounding land below the ocean.  The pirate captain resides in a 3/4 sunken windmill a mile off-shore.  A Succubus, she fled here after the current baron killed her one love, the late, rebelling baron.  One stormy night a ship of mutineers docked at the stump of windmill to escape the winds.  The Succubus shook off her sorrow and devised a plan to bring the current Baron as much pain as he had brought her.  Her fury has been directed towards destroying his trade, starving his country, and invoking rebellion.  The PC's meet the Dread Succubus Pirate at the windmill, either following clues or led there by locals (depending on what stance they take in town).  If they whack her, game over, hurrah, the baron's faction loves them but much of the populace hates them now.  If they hear her story they might decide to let her go, maybe take her to the Baron.  Storm coulds and lightning punctuate the scene in the watery windmill.Whichever the PC's choose, Lo and behold, here comes the Baron with a ship full of knights, sailors, et all.  Succubus/Pirate Queen flees to her ship outside, rousing the crew.  She takes off into the windy night as the baron pursues.At this point, the PC's could do anything really.  If they stay at the windmill, the adventure concludes there, maybe the ships disapear, or the pirate gets away, of the baron gets her, dunno.  That depends on where the group wants to go.  If higher level have the Baron sink and leave the country leaderless, maybe the high level group could take over.If the party gets on a ship, high speed ship-to-ship battle ensues.  The ship tosses and heaves, requiring quite a few Balance checks.  Waves pound the ships, carrying to Davey Jones locker those who fail a reflex save.  Flaming arrows criss-cross the sky, until, it seems, oh no!  They're gonna get us!  (or, Theyre gonna get away!)  Then the Feather token comes out, lays on a burst of speed, a few more rounds of combat, then the heavens open to a downpour that cuts sight to a few feet.  They get away, roll credits.Quite a bit of leeway here for side plots, further RP, etc.  Racial lines can play an interesting part (if your world has widespread racism).  Everyone knows 1/2 orcs are brutal, right?  And Succubus are evil and unfeeling?  Should be a fun game, IMOI keep the details fo my RttToEE game here:  <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MyRttToEE/" target="_blank">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MyRttToEE/</a>Under Files:Mystara Gazzette.  I think there are some older ones there too, pre-RttToEE.  Players or myself write them up for XP.<a href="mailto:mostholycerebus@yahoo.com">mostholycerebus@yahoo.com</a></blockquote>

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