30 Days of GameMastering--Day 22!

Let's keep it rolling:  Lindevi's "30 Days of GameMastering" challenge continues!

A novel solution:  what's the best advice you've borrowed from a totally different field?

Einstein was once quoted as saying, "The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."  When you're writing--whether for a novel or a game--inspiration has to come from experience.  The more you read, the more you watch, the more you think...the more ideas you can pull from at the game table.

As such, I've pulled inspiration from some rather odd sources in my day.  In terms of GMing technique, however, the strangest source may well be the various educational philosophies I've come across through my years in teaching.  While most people don't necessarily think of John Dewey or Lev Vygotsky as great gamemasters, the truth is that they provide unique insights into engagement, feedback loops, and reward systems for learning.

For example,Vygotsky emphasizes a concept known as "scaffolding" to advance students towards more advanced concepts via smaller, digestible chunks.  I'm actually currently utilizing this idea in my Planescape game, in terms of the numerous factions in Sigil.  During our first session, our heroes were thrown into a chaotic situation, featuring a mysterious madman known as Barking Wilder.  During our second session, as the PCs were arrested for trespassing (and several other charges), they learned that Barking Wilder was the missing leader of an organization known as the Xaositects, who opposed their jailors, the Harmonium.  As the PCs made their escape, their knowledge and understanding of the factions and their intricate relationships has expanded, with our intrepid planewalkers about to be fully immersed in the complexities of Sigilian politics.

Obviously, educational theory can be quite the mouthful, and it's of most use behind the GM screen, as players often simply don't care about anything but the results themselves.  However, if all goes as planned, I'll be speaking about educational theory at the game table at length as one of my "Pendulum Method" essays.  With any luck, it'll be on shelves next year!

In Which The Warlock Peruses the Perfect Party...

For those of you that were hoping for more cross-blog shenanigans, never fear:  it's just The Journeyman GM's turn to host our info.  This time around, we take a look at one of his games--his Deadlands "Heart of Darkness" conversion!

In the meanwhile, I wanted to spend a little time talking about a recent game that really blew me away, which is only more fitting considering the time of year!

I'm talking, of course, about the PlatinumChick's Call of Cthulhu game, "Welcome to Zendik Farms", which I ran for the first time this past Friday for the WittKids.  I've spent quite a while running over-the-top steampunk action in Deadlands, and it had felt like ages since I'd actually run a true 'horror' session.  Upon arriving, the PlatinumChick and I found ourselves with no less than 11 players--more than enough for two full tables.

I've got to say, though:  I think I ended up the beneficiary of that division, though.  My table was nothing short of immaculate, with a series of spectacular role-players who bought into the nihilistic, cult-driven storyline like none other.

If you haven't played the PlatinumChick's "...Zendik Farms" scenario before, you're missing out.  Based on an actual real-life cult (from which people have actually escaped!), the scenario seems simple on the surface:  characters start on what seems like a relaxing excursion to an organic arts community.  But, the plot delves into deeper secrets and horrors, the longer that the investigators stay.  No session ever truly plays the same way twice, as the farm itself provides a mini-sandbox for the investigators to play through.

So, let's talk a little about my players.  I was excited to have Lindevi (also known as DigitalKat) on board, as she was aching to play in horror game as much as I had been aching to run one.  She's well known my capacity for Wicked GMing, having played in my Deadlands "Follow the Walkin' Man" campaign as well as a Ravenloft one-shot I'd run years ago:  "An Incident at Ravencroft Asylum".  Lindevi was coupled by a familiar face from our Friday night sessions, Chris I!

I knew these guys could role-play.  I see it on a regular basis, as they delve into deep character interactions and difficult moral choices.  What I didn't know was how much the other three would get into it--two WittKids and a community member totally new to the Guild, LatinJoseph.  The three of them played their parts to the hilt, with WittDrew even converting to the Zendik cult partway through the scenario!  The stark looks of horror on the others' faces as their comrade willingly started going along with the farm's plans was priceless--you can't script emotional responses like that!

The segment of the game that struck me most, though, was the willingness for players to put themselves in vulnerable positions.  Characters continually committed that "cardinal sin" of splitting the party again and again, even isolating themselves with members of the cult.  LatinJoseph astounded me, leaving his traumatized college activist alone with Zendik scion Fawn, all the while under the effects of various psychotropic drugs.

I've posited before that the social contracts inherent to role-playing games are fundamentally a variation on the same relationships and contracts held between dominant and submissive members of a BDSM-style relationship.  I've been doing quite a bit of research into this concept, actually, in the hopes to expand my theory into an essay suitable for my upcoming Pendulum Method compilation.  LatinJoseph showed his flexibility and versatility in storytelling by allowing his character to submit to the given plot element:  the psychopathic Fawn.  His metaphorical submission allowed for fantastic role-play opportunities in that his own character slowly came out of their psychotropic haze (which he portrayed spectacularly!) but also for Lindevi, whose then-insane investigative reporter did her best to save LatinJoseph's college student!  By relinquishing a degree of control in the scene, that narrative power was magnified and spread out through my own NPCs, Lindevi's character, and even through himself!

It's okay to give up control
once in a while!  Cut loose!

Throughout the course of the game, the role of 'dominant' was passed back and forth between players and Keeper almost seamlessly.  Lindevi herself took the reins when a horrific event caused her reporter to lose a significant amount of Sanity, leading her to take WittSean's character hostage!  WittSean rolled perfectly with the scene, mentally handing over control of the scene to Lindevi.  Later on, Chris I's housewife stole the show, overturning tables in a desperate, last-gasp stand against the Zendik faithful.  However, the narrative power swiftly changed hands to WittSean's crisis of conscience:  does he betray his 'innocent' friends or does he believe the idyllic truth put forward by Wulf Zendik?

It's that sort of continued, extensive power exchange that takes an average table and makes it a good one or, in the case of this group, takes a good group of players and pushes them into an evening of phenomenal gaming.  This group's ability to build opportunities for one another through narrative power exchange allowed them to achieve some of the best table-based role-play I've ever seen.  When we staggered out of our room in Shouvlin at nearly 12:30 that morning, the group was worn, beaten down, and thoroughly smiling.  And, after a long session of dominance and submission, that's about all you ever want...

In Which The Warlock is Overwhelmed...

I've got a bit of a confession to make, my friends and neighbors.  You see, I haven't been giving this blog all the attention that it deserves.  After almost a year and a half of faithful twice-weekly entries, time and energy have just run out on my end.

I like to think that you're sympathetic in this regard.  You see, in addition to my normal, "real" job of teaching, I've also been taking two college courses for my professional development plan, as well as reformatting all of my courses for iPad usage, as part of the Northmont iPad Pilot program.  On top of all that, I've been working on establishing copyrights and incorporation for my forthcoming company and working on items for our weekly games.

Quite simply, I'm overwhelmed.  There's just too much to do.

That's why, at least until December, I'm going to take my blogging frequency back down to once per week.  Until I manage to get my life back in line, I need to be able to focus on schoolwork, professional development, and actually putting out a potential product.

That said, I'll still do my best to put forward new thoughts on game design, previews for Cold Steel Wardens and The Pendulum Method, reviews of all things geeky in the Miami Valley, and more.  In fact, you can check out a brand new upload--the Huntsmen, a series of PCs for ICONS: Superpowered Roleplaying.

Enjoy, and keep forging on, brothers and sisters!  We can do it!

In Which The Warlock Walks The Golden Mean...

The Oracle at Delphi

The so-called “Golden Mean”—as a philosophical concept, mind you—dates back literally thousands of years to the days of Aristotle and Plato.  Supposedly, as one entered the revered Oracle of Delphi, two sayings were inscribed on the doorway:  on the way in, “Know thyself”; on the way out, “All Things in Moderation”.  And, sure as anything, gaming tends to take a page from greater themes in life and in philosophy in general.

On its most basic level, balance must be achieved in terms of theme—even in the most dire of horror games like Call of Cthulhu or Kult, moments of success, lightness, and even humor must break up the oppressive atmosphere.  Even in a light-hearted or humorous game like Paranoia or ICONS has to come with degree of threat, else the players have no reason to actually play.  Role-players role-play to have fun, but also to tell a unique, collaborative story.  If there’s no story, the game loses focus and falls apart.  If there’s no fun, well…what’s the point?

I’m going to avoid going on another “Wizards of the Coast has it wrong” rant, but I will cite another of Rodney Thompson's editorials, this time as a grand step in maintaining balance in design.  Here, Thompson expounds upon the ratio that the 5e/D&D Next team intends to hold up in their coming rules-set.  Essentially, they’re shooting for a 1:1:1 split between exploration, role-playing, and combat.  While I think that that ratio can work well for D&D, it’s obviously not a sure-fire ratio for every game—just try having that much combat in a Call of Cthulhu campaign and see how long your investigators survive!

General Treister:
The inspiration for our Admiral Birmingham

Our weekly Deadlands game, in many ways, has walked both venues of this treacherous balance for the duration of the game.  Interestingly enough, I think that’s one of the reasons I’ve become such a fan of the setting:  while nominally a horror setting, it’s one where the players can achieve real victory against the forces of darkness; while full of ‘wacky’ mad scientists and hexslinging hucksters, Western genre tropes are played straight to the hilt.  In our sessions, we regularly drift directly from the high action of steam-wagon chase scenes and gunfights, to creeping investigative horror, to outright comedy—just ask ChaoticFrederick and Chris II about Confederate Admiral Birmingham’s waffle iron! 

Without that variety, without those alternated scenes, our game just wouldn’t be the same.  And, fittingly enough, Deadlands (and the Savage Worlds rules behind it) provides ample opportunity for flexibility in this regard.  Players are able to pick the skills, the edges, and the powers that provide them the most “awesome” for their XP.  And, that’s really the way it should be.

As I’ve mentioned in some of my prior design previews for Cold Steel Wardens, I’ve spent a good deal of my original design work establishing a degree of parallelism in my first draft.  Physical and Mental Strain run on parallel tracks—literally on opposite edges of the character sheet—and contribute equally to a burgeoning Hero’s well-being.  Skills are broken up into five categories of five Skills each, making them easy to manipulate and remember.  Those Skills have a nearly even distribution of linked Vitals, ensuring that no “dump stat” arises and that every choice—every XP spent and every choice made—matters.

But what about theme?  Surely, Cold Steel Wardens would suffer in this regard, as the game itself revolves around the rain-spattered dystopia of Iron Age comics?  Well, yes and no.  While maintaining mood is going to be of great import for any would-be Warden, the comfort and enjoyment of the table must always remain paramount. 

As for maintaining that Golden Mean?  Well, it seems I’ve already come across an answer for that…

Pendulum Theory!

While Pendulum Theory isn’t going to be part and parcel with Cold Steel Wardens, it’s a near and dear thing to carry over the innovations of The Pendulum Method into running a solid session of Cold Steel Wardens.

Stay tuned, friends and neighbors!  Grand things are in store!

In Which The Warlock Ruminates Revision...

One of the things that any writer learns swiftly is that first drafts are usually a pile of crap. Put out quickly, in a fit of creative frenzy, first drafts almost always have massive flaws which only get fixed during the arduous, painful process of revision.

While working on WEGS products with El Willy, revision is the sum totality of my job. Not just for grammatical errors, mind you, but rather for content and context, to say nothing of the actual game mechanics themselves! I have something of a running joke with El Willy regarding the Dungeoneer from the "Ultimate Dungeon Party" due to the many versions of Hew and Jab we ran through.

When working with the other freelancers on "The Mythos Dossiers" for Cubicle 7, however, revision was a group effort. After completing a draft, we'd upload the document to a series of Google docs, which were then available for mark-up and changes as needed. Ideas and commentary ran freely, and I still have a whole series of e-mails, detailing commentary on ideas between writers.

And now, two sessions out from the end of my alpha testing for Cold Steel Wardens, I'm finding myself wondering how to go about revising this mess.  While I have quite a few notes of my own, I'm finding the lack of conversation a little frustrating.  While my players have been good about providing feedback, and I seem to be asking important questions, my time with them is limited and the "Q&A" portion of our sessions often comes at 10:30 at night, as we're heading out the door.   That doesn't exactly make for great discussion, particularly if I've been up (as usual) since 6:30 for teaching.

I've thought about contacting a freelance editor--I have a few names that I'd go to, primarily contacts I've made through running games or talking with industry people--though I can't say that I have the cash to pay someone in that position.  So, I'm figuring that my revisions will be a solo effort...

...which is fine.  Really.  Most of the drafting for CSW was done in July, meaning I'll be coming back at it with a fresh head, ready to tear it apart.  In fact, that's just what's happening with my other ongoing writing project:  The Pendulum Method.  Yup!  Pendulum!  Remember that one?  Yeah, I've been taking a look at that once again, with my eyes on expansion. 

And, at the top of the list for that?  A defense of "adverserial game-mastery"...

In Which The Warlock Plans Something Nefarious...

Welcome to the Wasted West, amigo!

When I originally pitched the idea of playing Deadlands to my group, they were really jazzed.  Little did I know that they were more jazzed about the post-apocalyptic sister setting, Hell on Earth, after I had left the corebooks out following our yearly trip to Origins.  The idea of playing a gunslinging Law Dog, a radiation-blasting Doomsayer, or a crafty Junker really had FridayNightWill and Chris I primed for some dice-chuckin'. 

We started The Flood and, while they were a little disappointed that the archetypes from Hell on Earth weren't available, they've really been enjoying their excursions in the Weird West.  However, I can't help but feel like they might have missed out on something...and that's something that I hope to remedy!

You see, friends and neighbors, I have a plan.

The Friday night group's just reached the halfway point of the Plot Point campaign in The Flood.  They're about to have a huge info-dump of plot loaded on them, and the real quest to take down Reverend Grimme and the Church of Lost Angels will begin in earnest.  As such, this makes the perfect spot for a dramatic interlude!

But, I don't want this to be any simple 'cut-scene'.  No sirree!  Rather, I have something bigger planned...

Stone's ready to turn Reno
into a real "Boomtown"!

Taking a page from my Pendulum theory, we're going to "flash-forward" for a few sessions, to the Wasted West--nearly 200 years after the events of The Flood.  Under the assumption that everybody's favorite gunslinger--the infamous Jasper Stone--managed to kill our heroes before they took out Grimme, the good Reverend's cult will have spread across the post-apocalyptic wasteland.  For this one-off, my players will be taking the roles of a veteran group of wasters, fleeing from Grimme's Faminite hordes to the ruins of Reno, Nevada.

While I'm still formulating the plot, the characters are slowly coming together and my outline will surely follow, I have a good feeling about this little foray into the Wasted West.  The characters already have a "Seven Samurai" feel, and the defense of Reno will really make for a fantastic set-piece. 

As always, I'll be sure to keep you updated on how things are going! 

In Which The Warlock Swings on the Pendulum Once More...

Excitement, friends and neighbors!  My first draft of The Pendulum Method is done!  Sitting at 17,000 words, I'm really looking forward to see what comes of this.  With revisions set to begin--among my other massive slate of projects--this should really be impressive!

And, since this month's RPG Blogger's Carnival (May) deals with Mixing Genres, I figured there'd be no better way to celebrate than by posting a preview of the most dramatic type of Pendulum adventure:  that of Genre and Theme.  Enjoy this sneak preview of the introduction to Section IV:  Pendulum of Theme/Genre!

A Pendulum in Theme/Genre—Finding an Eternal Champion

Out of the three forms of Pendulum adventures, those of Theme or Genre may be the most difficult form to re-create and run.  Doing so requires an incredibly flexible GM, as well as a group that is willing to take on continual challenges both in the context of the game and around the table, as the game itself evolves and changes around them.

The premise behind a Genre-Pendulum adventure stems from an evolution of the Time/Setting-Pendulum concept, though also contains elements of a Character-Pendulum adventure.  It is this blending of ideas that makes a Genre-Pendulum adventure difficult for a GM to run, and difficult for a player to be fully invested in.  However, with a little practice, some quality GM skills, and an enthusiastic group of players, the Genre-Pendulum game can be one that your table will never forget!

In a Genre-Pendulum adventure, the GM changes not just the time period or setting of the adventure, but the entire genre of said adventure midway through.  This concept may be an ongoing conversion—one genre drifting inexorably into another—or in motions more similar to the Pendulum structure previously detailed.  However, in both cases the characters within that adventure also morph and change to reflect their surroundings—while the characters are fundamentally the same, their mechanical abilities and skills are altered to reflect the setting in which they take place.

One classic, if inadvertent, example of a Genre-Pendulum adventure comes from Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu sourcebook, Strange Aeons II.   In it, the adventure “Time After Time” begins simply enough—the character portray members of an FBI raid on a New England cult house.  However, as the characters are overwhelmed by the cultists and die off, it becomes increasingly apparent that all is not what it seems.  The characters, in fact, were nothing more than memories projected into the past by mi-go scientists.  Naked, bereft of identity, and far from “home”, the characters must find some way to escape from the mi-go hive without alerting the creatures to their presence.

That’s one dramatic shift!  What started as a noir-era, 1950s investigation ends with a soul-crushing escape from a dystopian future nightmare!  That fundamental dramatic shift epitomizes Pendulum theory at its core—by asking players (and the GM!) to shift gears so abruptly, an emotional high is reached and tension is maximized.

However, the real genius of this adventure stemmed from its seamless transitioning.  The disconnect felt when the characters are suddenly wrenched from the 1950s into a totally different setting is palpable, yet the mechanics flow from the original character into their new body in a near-perfect manner. 

The greatest advantage found in a Genre-Pendulum game stems from its sheer diversity in scene and malleability.  Fred from the strictures of published campaign settings or even a single pseudo-historical period, the GM is free to create adventures the can truly span the entirety of time and space.  Games that previously seemed difficult or impossible—such as a replication of Michael Moorcock’s Multiverse, complete with Eternal Champion(s), or a game based on Zak Snyder’s film Sucker Punch—now become feasible, even alluring.

One major difference between Genre-Pendulum adventures and its Pendulum-predecessors typically falls in scope.  Where it can be easy to finish a Setting or Character-Pendulum adventure in a single sitting—typically a 4 hour convention slot, or a single night of gaming with friends—Genre-Pendulum adventures tend to take significantly longer, and can even serve as the basis of an ongoing mini-campaign.  The dramatic shifts within a Genre-Pendulum adventure can be so drastic, so encompassing, that multiple sessions are necessary simply to accommodate these changes. 

Mind you, that’s not a bad thing!  One of the biggest complaints from gamers is a dearth in variety.  Oftentimes, both players and GMs feel burnt-out after numerous sessions in the same setting, same genre.  A Genre-Pendulum adventure addresses this problem head-on, providing numerous degrees and opportunities for both change and variety.  In addition, in the style of Moorcock’s aforementioned Eternal Champion, a Genre-Pendulum series of adventures offers different and unique looks at the same character, as each iteration of a given character, NPC, or locale provides a different perspective on what is fundamentally the same idea.

In Which The Warlock Misses the Mark...

First off, apologies for the missed entry this week, assorted gamers.  This one wasn't actually my fault, though--Blogger was down for a bit, due to some technical issues, so even when I went to put up an entry on Thursday, I wasn't able to.  As such, here we are.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the only thing I missed.

Rather, I've been working with El Willy on revising the WEGS "Ultimate Dungeon Party"--a series of advanced Arks set to debut at Origins this year.  Containing the Monk, Templar, Dungeoneer, Warlock, Glaivemaiden, and Sneak, the UDP really has some great content to it, all in a little 54 card deck!  However, I haven't gotten a chance to play with it yet, and told El Willy that I'd give it a go at Wright State's Glory Con this weekend...

I'm not going to mince words here.  Wright State's gaming scene is massively frustrating.  They did absolutely minimal advertisement for Glory Con; we didn't even hear about it at Wittenberg until Gem City ComicCon, where they had a half-page ad in the con's on-site book. 

The last time we went to Glory Con, the amenities were nice, but there were next to no events whatsoever.  EEE and I ran the WEGS classic "Return to Castle von Yumenstein..." for three sessions, but our table by itself made up most of the events in total.  Overall, things were poorly organized, poorly advertised, and poorly set up.

It appears that things haven't changed. 

I arrived at WSU today, ready to throw down the UDP, only to find a totally blank room.  Walking around the WSU Student Union, with an armload of minis and other WEGSing supplies, I managed to find my way to the bookstore, where the clerk was kind enough to pull up the university events list.  Glory Con, apparently, is only tomorrow...as opposed to the 14th-15th date, in the ComicCon ad. 

This could have been easily prevented, if the WSU group had a website or responded to e-mail (I've personally e-mailed the current president, only to receive no response whatsoever).  Even a Facebook page would be helpful, in both advertising and organization.  No such luck.

Honestly, guys.  Get your poop in order.

So, it appears that I have a free evening for once.  That means that I can finish out some of my major projects right now.  I'm about 1,000 words away from being done with Draft 1 on "The Pendulum Method", which will be sitting at 16,000 words total.  And, as mentioned, there's also the UDP, which is a total blast. 

Time for me to limber up those fingers, friends and neighbors.  I've got to get started!

In Which The Warlock Goes Up to 11...

...and we're not just talking about Actorios, who's finally hit Paragon tier and become an Avernian Knight.

Rather, it's my writing.

The Warlock's keyboard, for the past 6 nights...

With WittCon VIII coming up fast on the horizon, I really had to kick it into gear this week, in order to get finished.  While having everything done will make things much easier on me during the actual convention season, it doesn't make life much easier while putting it all together!

Let's run down a brief list of what I've written since last Saturday:

"Westbound..."

• 6 Character Backgrounds, formatted into table-tents  (1,300 words)
• 7 Statted NPCs (850 words, but very time-consuming)
• Westbound... Adventure Outline (6,500 words)

"Splitting Heirs"

• 8 Character Backgrounds, formatted into table-tents (1,500 words)
• Splitting Heirs Adventure Outline (3,600 words)

"Lawfully Blonde"

• 6 Character Backgrounds, formatted into table-tents (1,000 words)
• Lawfully Blonde Adventure Outline (1,800 words)

"Chrysalis"

• 6 Character Backgrounds, formatted into table-tents (1,600 words)
• 6 PCs statted up (no word count available--done via HeroForge)
• Chrysalis Adventure Outline (4,900 words)

That's...*checks calculator* SWEET ZOMBIE GHANDI!  23,050 WORDS!

Let it be known, I have never, not in my most creative, most productive, and most-sleep deprived days, done this much writing at once.  What's more (and this is me putting aside my usual arrogance), they're good.  Seriously.  Westbound... has a spectacular parallel plotline structure that'll make it a blast to run.  Chrysalis and Splitting Heirs are both Pendulum-style adventures, which adds to the difficulty in writing/running them, but the adventures themselves are creative and inspired.  Lawfully Blonde...well, it'll just be hilarious to play.

Now, two provisions have to be added to this. 

1) I'm not done.  My responsibilities for The Laundry have me pumping out an additional series of documents on the various beasties of the Laundry-verse, which I'm about halfway through, on top of everything I've written for WittCon/FOPCon/DenCon/Origins.  I've written something in the neighborhood of an additional 4,000 words just in rough drafting, with plenty more to go!

50k words?  Feh...

2) There's a little contest that you might have heard of, called NaNoWriMo.  Each November, budding writers from all over the world do their best to assemble a novel in 30 days.  I've never done NaNo, though I've been tempted in the past, and both DigitalKat and PhillyLaura have given it a go.  The goal for NaNoWriMo is 50,000 words--about 175 pages, all told.

I've done over half of that challenge...in 6 days.

Madness!  Insanity!  Obsession-compulsion on the level of Howard Hughes or Rain Man! 

Yeah, probably.  But I'm riding a high right now that's unfathomable.  I'm going to surf this wave till I come into shore, and even then...I'm going to be up on the beach, wondering where the wave went!

As a last bit, there'll be no entry this Saturday.  Why, devoted readers?  Because it's WittCon VIII!  Get your skinny keisters to Springfield, and throw down with us!  See you there!

WittCon VIII!  Be there!

In Which the Warlock Raids the Furniture Store for Inspiration...

With the 2011 convention season on the horizon, I’ve been scheming what to run at this year’s cons. My Cthulhian WEGS scenario—WEGS + Cthulhu = WEGSThulhu!—is already locked and loaded, with only minor changes necessary after the playtests I ran at Champion City ComicCon.


I’m tempted to play through one of my already-made “Pendulum” adventures, but I’d rather come up with something new. However, the Pendulum idea hasn’t been at rest. Rather, John—over at World vs. Hero (go check it out!)—got me thinking.

Two of the basic precepts of the Pendulum Method are shifts in time and shifts in place. Certainly, there are other shifts that are available to GMs, but what about shifting the very PCs themselves? What if you could create a game in which the PCs aren’t really fleshed out until the players flesh them out…at the table?

This idea’s still in development, but I think I really could be on to something here. There’d have to be a hard limit as to how many advancements a player could get, as well as a finite system for when characters may advance, but it’d be fantastic to see what the players come up with! It would really provide a unique play experience on both sides of the table, which nothing else really emulates.

What do you think, fellow gamers? Could I be on to something here? Perhaps a playtest at WittCon? Let me know what you think!

What if, rather than before the game, a player-characters were created as the game itself progressed?



The site of the next zombie outbreak?



Bear with me as I change topics. A few months ago, the PlatinumChick and I were off, roaming around the Ikea in West Chester. Ikea’s a store unto itself—rather than wander up and down aisles, you walk through showrooms based around different rooms in a house, each of which display the various furniture options that Ikea sells. The whole store is rife with “secret passages” leading from one section to another, from “Home Office” to “Kitchen and Dining”.

Then, an idea struck me. The idea of a zombified shopping mall is one of the most classic in all of horror, starting with George Romeo’s classic Dawn of the Dead, and even being spoofed in the Dead Rising series of video games. What if, rather than a shopping mall, the invasion started in an Ikea!? The passages between sections would make for glorious gaming, to say nothing of the improvised weapons one could make from kitchen implements, light-duty furniture, and prop displays!



Maybe he's got the Berserk edge?



That’s where the Pendulum kicks in. Using the Savage Worlds system, all of the characters would start with d6s in each of their 5 stats. Rather than having assigned Skills or Edges, the players would be granted the ability to design their own character, based on their actions in the game. Need to get through a locked door that leads to the employee break room? Come up with a reason in-character to do so, and fill in one of your empty Edge slots with the “Thief” Edge! Want to hot-wire a forklift? Maybe you were a heavy construction worker in the past, giving you “McGuyver”!

This idea’s still in development, but I think I really could be on to something here. There’d have to be a hard limit as to how many advancements a player could get, as well as a finite system for when characters may advance, but it’d be fantastic to see what the players come up with! It would really provide a unique play experience on both sides of the table, which nothing else really emulates.


What do you think, fellow gamers? Could I be on to something here? Perhaps a playtest at WittCon? Let me know what you think!

In Which The Warlock Levels Up...

I debated quite a bit about this entry, as it's not every day that you hit a milestone! I've had this blog active for quite a while now and, at one entry per week (more during Origins and other live-blogging moments), that makes for four solid years of entries!

200 Entries!

I received several really good suggestions from the PlatinumChick, from Chaotic Karl, Kat, and a few others, but none of them seemed to fit. I had thought about doing a "how did you get into gaming?" entry, but in a blog that's been focusing on newness and innovation in gaming, it seemed like a needless bit of navel-gazing on my part to look back like that. Instead, I'm going to make a few announcements, and show off my preview of "The Pendulum Method"!

--2 Entries a Week. Starting in November, I'd like to try to push out more content and more ideas on a weekly basis. I feel like this will bring in more readership, as well as provide you with more ideas, fresh from my twisted brain. I have yet to choose a second day yet, but I'm guessing it'll probably be a Wednesday/Saturday schedule at this point

--Full Campaign Logs. This is where this blog started off, and I don't mean to get away from that. Besides, the very sessions that we have out here easily become fodder for ideas, adventure hooks, and NPCs in your own games.

--More Previews up Upcoming Content. This one's for me. As I drift from project to project, I have the tendency to leave behind the things that I've been working on, and I don't intend to keep leaving them half-finished. In promising to show you some of my brainchildren, that'll keep me on the ball in terms of revision and (re)drafting, which means that I'll sooner be able to focus on publication.

And, speaking of a preview, here's a section from one of the sample adventure outlines that I'll be including in "The Pendulum Method", once it hits PDF! Enjoy Vegas Nights, Bright Lights, and Encryption Chip 416!

Adventure Overview:
This scenario centers on a lucrative goal for the PCs—a Las Vegas casino vault, which is set to be the site of a massive funds transfer between mafia functionaries. As an elite group of highly-trained, accomplished rogues, the PCs have decided to pool their talents as the “Men in White” in the hopes to disrupt the funds transfer, elude the mob, and make off with the funds themselves.

Reservoir Dogs

That is, that’s what the plot would be, if this was a standard adventure. This, friends and neighbors, is a Pendulum-style plot, which means that there’s more to it than meets the eye! Rather, the PCs will simultaneously be playing the group’s “electronic ops” group as well, the “Men in Black,” as they attempt to remotely disable the casino’s security system…from its owners’ corporate headquarters in Hong Kong.

Film Inspirations and Recommended Game Systems:
• Ocean’s Eleven
• Reservoir Dogs
• Snatch
• Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
• Inception
• Sexy Beast
• The Italian Job

There are several game systems that would be more than acceptable for this sort of game. The d20 Modern system has several sourcebooks (including the spectacular Spycraft book by AEG and Crafty Games) that would serve admirably in this venue. Pinnacle Entertainment Group’s Savage Worlds would also work well, as would Shadowrun, though the cyberpunk elements may need to be downplayed, given a modern aesthetic. Other generic systems, such as GURPS, may be fitting, as well.
For a d20 Modern game, pre-generated characters should be of approximately 9th level. In Savage Worlds, Veteran would be an acceptable experience level. As always, the GM should have final say over level and experience regarding characters, whether pre-generated or player-generated.

Encounter (-2)—Introducing the Men in White

The PCs should begin this encounter, quite literally, as they walk into the Casino. Having “prepared” prior to their infiltration, the group is in full-on action mode. As part of their final preparations, they have a private suite set aside at the Excalibur Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, held under a false name. After some brief meetings—during which the GM may distribute floor layouts, guard schedules, money transfers, and other information, the PCs may swing into action. However, as they attempt to delve deeper into the casino’s basement and sub-basements, a steel security bars their path…

Encounter 1—White Light’s Dark Shadow

Immediately, the scene changes to a simultaneous operation, far across the world. There, the Men in Black are laying in wait within a darkened warehouse across from the Shun Tak Holdings corporate headquarters. The headquarters is heavily guarded, with armed guards roving the perimeter (as befits a major Chinese corporation). Inside, on the headquarters’ 46th floor, is the remote server room. In order for the Men in White to succeed, it’s critical that the Men in Black hack that server…and do it stealthily. As the PCs make their way through the lobby area, entering the stairwells, the GM should enter a cut scene: A silent alarm has been tripped during their ascent.

The Heist

Encounter (-1)—The Missing Link

With that dire news, the Men in White make their way through the security door. At this point, stealth is of the essence, as mafia guards and flunkies patrol this area heavily. The PCs’ goal at this point should be a side room just outside of a major conference room, which has a series of computer terminals, brightly humming. These are their target—these computers will be used to transfer the funds at precisely 6pm this evening. As the PCs find ways to distract or eliminate the mafia members, their computer-using-comrade runs into a massive snag: a remote encryption chip is relaying a signal that bars the transfer to all those without the 18 digit passcode. The only way to complete the transfer? Find Encryption Chip 416 somewhere within the casino and destroy it!

Encounter 2—Race to the Top

As the Shun Tak security forces close in on the group’s position, thanks to the silent alarm, they receive an urgent message from the Men in White. With the funds transfer being encrypted from a remote transmitter, the Men in Black must not only hack the server on floor 46, but also find a way to trace the signal from the encryption chip, so that it can be eliminated or neutralized. The group must split up, with some members moving up a floor, while the others work their way through the server room. In both cases, the group must manage to both disable the security protocols on the Excalibur’s network, as well as locate the enigmatic chip.

Encounter 0—Follow the Bouncing Ball

At this point, all but madness ensues. With the mafia and the Shun Tak guards knocking on their doorstep, all bets are off. The Men in White must split up and both man the station to initiate the funds transfer and find the missing chip, destroying it before 6pm. The Men in Black must keep in radio contact with the Men in White, so that they can find the chip, while simultaneously pulling down the Shun Tak security protocols. All this while the men with guns move in!

In Which The Warlock Swings Both Ways...

So, in my (admittedly small and feeble) attempts to keep gaming fresh and inspired in the Dayton area, I believe I've finally stumbled across something that might just be a diamond in the massive slag pits of my brain.

And, believe it or not...it came to me in a dream!

While I was editing WEGS: Dice Rule!, one of El Willy's biggest points of discussion was that of adventuring structure. El Willy spends nearly a full chapter discussing the three primary forms of WEGSplay--"Wave" play (the standard, three encounter 'convention' game), "Chapter" play (an extension of Wave play, including three chapters of three waves each), and "Campaign" play (a combination of several chapters into an extended ongoing storyline).

El Willy's discussion is really a fantastic breakdown and review of standard plotting technique. WEGS runs hot and heavy on the "standard fantasy tropes", but does so intentionally, so that the GM/Kreator is free to place his tongue firmly in-cheek and provide fresh, WEGSified views on old classics. That's an advantage for WEGS (and games like it), but what if you want to push a little further?

Plot is typically outlined in a pyramidal format--the traditional dramatic structure of:
Freytag Dramatic Structure Pyramid
--exposition
--rising action
--climax
--falling action
--denouement
Typically, in a gaming adventure, the climax revolves around some "boss fight" against a BBEG, with the falling action and denouement becoming a stereotypical process of "save the princess, loot the bodies."

That's all well and good. But it's time to give it the chop!
"Down--still unceasingly, still inevitably down!

Rather, I've come up with a unique way of telling stories--one that really hasn't come before, especially in terms of adventure writing! Centered primarily around the build-up of tension leading up to a central, pivotal moment, the Pendulum method alternates between times or places, allowing (and even encouraging) players to blend in-character and out-of-character knowledge as they approach their final destinies. As the pendulum descends, who will rise?

I'm only in the early development stages of this idea--I have about 8 pages written, and am currently working on sample adventures that fit the Pendulum formula. Is it a replacement for the standard plot outline? No, absolutely not, but it's a fresh new direction in terms of plot generation and adventure writing that could really change things up, especially in the horror, fantasy, and sci-fi genres!

On a more serious note, though, I'm going to get up on my soapbox for a moment. Much like gamer nation, America as a whole has a tendency to fear change. It took us almost 100 years longer to abolish slavery than any other Western nation. Even then, racial and gender-based discrimination were the norm for over 125 years, until LBJ pushed forward the Civil Rights Act in 1968.

International Coming Out Day

Now, we face a new fight. The gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community fights unceasingly for the rights that millions of others enjoy without thought or consequence: the right to marry, the right to adopt, the right to be free of harassment or persecution for personal beliefs. Each year, the Human Rights Campaign sponsors National Coming Out Day to provide strength for all people, as we fight for equal rights in the community.

If you're among the GLBT community, have strength--we will continue the fight.
If you're a friend of a GLBT person, show us your support--we appreciate it more than you know.
If you stand against us, give a second thought--we only ask for the same rights as others already receive.