What are you doing with Grim Tales?

[Munin]

I purchased Grim Tales some time ago, read it, fell in love with it, and for reasons unknown set it on my shelf and haven't looked at it since.

Now I'm thinking of starting a one-on-one low magic, high-intrigue campaign with my wife and am looking for campaign suggestions. The only prereqs are that it is in the fantasy genre, low or no magic, and has plenty of oppourtiny for political intrigue, heavy roleplaying and moments of intense combat.

So along those lines, what using Grim Tales for? Are you running a completely home-grown campaign? Are you porting over a campaign setting from a different ruleset, and if so, why?

Please let me know, your suggestions will be very much appreciated.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

I last used GT for my "Airships!" campaign, which worked out very very well.

Setting-wise, it was entirely of my own invention. It was high/low magic ... magic was prevalent, but we had ONE "fireball" in the whole run of the game, and that from the party Shipwizard who laid down a hellish cold burst that swept an enemy deck. Magic, however, was prevalent. Flying ships, magical trinkets, the entire society the PCs were from was based around magic and trade.

But it was a very political game ... the PCs were pitted first against some pirates, then against the Shipwright's Guild that had de facto control of the city, but realizing they would only get themselves turned out by laying accusations against the shipwrights they played their cards close and bided their time, strengthening political connections in town via marriage and business interests. Eventually uncovering a shared foe that, itself, was using largely political machinations in order to infiltrate the whole of their society in preparation for total war, etc etc.

Best RPGing I've ever done.

--fje

 

[Flynn]

I'm designing a sword-and-planet setting for my Grim Tales campaign, which will start after I wrap up my current D&D game, probably in mid-March. It is about a group of people (the PCs) who are taken near the point of their death on Earth (historical periods vary; concepts may come from the late Middle Ages up to WWII) and are sent to Samardan through some mysterious mystical means, where they undertake "John Carter of Mars/Dray Prescot of Kregen"-style adventures, saving people, making friends, marrying princesses, fighting monsters, etc.

Most of my influence comes from Ken Bulmer's work under the pseudonym of Alan Burt Akers in his tremendous Dray Prescot of Kregen series, though I'll have definite nods to the John Carter series, the Green Star series, the Gor novels, etc. It's going to be a lot of fun, I hope. I definitely know that I'm enjoying planning it out right now.

Although most of the game will be core GT, I'm using the Mythic Earth magic system for the mystics and sorcerers of the setting, which transitions it slightly into the sword-and-sorcery realm. Still, the primary focus will be on the planetary romance genre.

Hope this helps,
Flynn

 

[Munin]

Heap,
That sounds like some great stuff. I love airships. And pirates. I can't get enough of them.
It's hard for me to build a campaign from the ground up, though, so I gotta hand it to you. I work much better within a framework, which is what I'm looking for.


ps...I've enjoyed your storyhours, keep up the good work.


Flynn,
Sounds like an interesting setting. I'd like to know how it turns out for you.

 

[Hammerhead]

After my current D&D game wraps up? Slavelords of Cydonia! Yeah!

 

[ragboy]

I've got an early 15th century 'magical realism' adventure based on the myths surrounding the Hope Diamond.

You might consider such a setting as you're designing your campaign. The 1500's to the early 1900's were some of the most politically tumultuous times as governments transitioned from that medieval mindset (and religions) to the various 'isms' that shape the political landscape today. Just think RoundHeads and Cavaliers, various French revolutions, 7-Years War, American Revolution, etc etc. on into the 1900's with the Russian revolution, various Mid-East revolts (Turkey most notably), etc. Throw in some fantasy elements and you have yourself a ready made campaign world.

I really like GT's portability between genres, and that "dial D for mo' deadly" aspect of the rules. I plan on porting over a WWII campaign and a futuristic adventure, as well.

 

[Old One]

Big GT fan...

To this point, I have run a pseudo-historical Arthurian one-shot built on GT and a GT-BCCS hybrid in my Faded Glory setting. If I ever get a regular PnP back up and running, it will either be a GT-BCCS hybrid or a GT-GT Magic game (cough, cough).

Designing one-shots with GT is lots of fun, because it is so flexible...you can do just about anything with it.

~ OO

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Personally I am contemplating a Star Wars D20/Grim Tales hybrid. Force powers would be the equivalent of a spell and would incur spell burn.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Designing one-shots with GT is lots of fun, because it is so flexible...you can do just about anything with it.

I do this more than anything.

It's the Game Day platform of choice: All the players already know all the rules they need to know (it's d20) and adventure design takes me (usually) about an hour.

I honestly spend more time making the characters than anything else-- and even that is more of a "lots of time invested cause I want to" than a "lots of time invested cause I have to" kind of thing.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

GT Magic...

<sigh>

Maybe I should set up a playtest group or something to help kick me in the ass on this.

Anybody want to help me out?

EDIT: If you want an invite, email me.