Pirate Encounter, RPG Generic Format

Sir Francis Drake

Pirates have been a favorite theme of mine in running role playing games (RPGs). I’ve used pirates in every genre of game I have run, except for espionage (but I’m working on an idea). There is a certain appeal of pirates in gaming, as a player and as a game master (GM). No matter if you are playing them as a GM against your heroes, or the heroes of your story are the privateers working under letters of marque raiding enemy ships.

Here is an encounter you can use as a side adventure, a step in a current adventure, or a hook for a larger story arc. It is presented in more of a historical setting, meaning there is no magic built into the encounter.

General Setting

There is a small tropical island out of the way of the main routes and not readily usable by ships. It is found on some charts, but not on others. There are no resources listed for the island on any maps that have charted it. This is because there is no harbor or safe beach for a ship to use. Only a longboat, or smaller vessel is able to reach the shore by crossing over the reef.

No indigenous people live on the island. Although some of the closer island’s inhabitants may be able to reach the island in their boats, there isn’t anything setting this island apart from the others to justify them to risk traveling the open waters to get there.

Hooks

1 – The ship has survived a storm, but has taken damage that must be repaired. Although the island is hard to reach, it must be attempted. The ship does not appear able to survive crossing the open waters in an attempt to reach another island. There are large enough trees to provide the lumber needed.

2 – The ship was caught in the doldrums and is dangerously low on water and food. This is the first land sighted and without fresh water there is a high probability crew members will die.

Historical Women Pirates

What Can Be Seen From the Ship

There are no visible signs of habitation. There is the normal looking detritus on the shore expected on an island without settlement.

Small to medium sized ground animals are glimpsed that could be hunted for food. They look like they might be pigs, which is a sign that at least one other ship in the past has stopped at the island.

There is fresh water. There is one large stream and several smaller ones that can be seen flowing into the sea.

The Encounter

Several years ago a survivor of a storm, Jonathon, washed up on the shore of the island. Over the months after his landing, he tried to gain the attention of passing ships to be rescued. Because there is no easy safe landing on the island, ships didn’t stop. They either didn’t see Jonathon’s signaling or chose to not attempt the reef. Eventually Jonathon gave up on being rescued and settled into his life.

Jonathon has lived alone here for several years. His mental state is deteriorating and he could be considered crazy. He’s taken to calling himself the king of the island and no longer has any desire to leave. In fact, he will only leave if forced. If the landing party tries to make him leave, he will attempt escape and hide on the island, avoiding any further contact.

Jonathon has settled into the ease of his situation. There is plenty of food and water on the island. He doesn’t have to farm and the little hunting and fishing he does is when he has a desire for some type of meat.

The climate is accommodating for Jonathon to live a life of ease. He has a crudely built hut made with local materials, along with some recovered debris from the beaches. His utensils were all made by himself. And, his bed is a gathering of grasses that he changes out regularly. There is nothing spectacular or even interesting about how he lives.

Typical Sailor

Jonathon was a deck hand. He is uneducated and cannot read, write, or navigate. He was washed overboard during a storm while working to secure the sails. His shipmates considered him lost in the storm and he was never searched for.

If Jonathon is befriended, he can provide information on a few topics depending on the needs of the GM. Here are some ideas you can use.

·        Recent knowledge of ships that passed. He can describe them by the flags they were flying and the direction they were heading.

·        Ships that regularly pass by on some level of schedule.

·        He could also know about a ritual site on the island with native markings, even though he has not seen any natives come to the island.

No matter what happens with the meeting of Jonathon, the repairs and restocking of the ship otherwise pass uneventfully, unless you choose to have something more happen.

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The Discarded Gem by Aaron M Lopez, D&D 5e Adventure Review

The kingdom of Halruaa of The Forgotten Realms is a place of magic and mystery. It is also a kingdom that has kept its mysteries from becoming widespread knowledge across Toril. Upon visiting the city of Halarahh the party of adventurers witness a mugging and are asked to recover the stolen family heirloom.

The Discarded Gemis the first of a series of adventures, The Brotherhood of Torment, written by Aaron M Lopez. This part of the adventure is designed for characters up to 4^th level. And to be completed in one gaming session of three to four hours.

I was given a copy of The Discarded Gem by the author for review purposes.

General Statements For Players and Game Masters (GMs)

The Discarded Gemis eleven pages of text describing the adventure and five pages of maps, player handouts, and additional GM material. The size of the adventure makes for an easy read through. Since it is also in a city setting with the encounter locations well described and mapped, this is a good adventure for a newer GM. This doesn’t mean an experienced GM will be bored with the adventure.

There are plenty of opportunities for roleplaying on both sides of the GM’s screen. Players have several points of interaction where non-fighting skills are needed. There is also fighting for those who want to test their mettle.

The Adventure (Spoilers, Information for GMs)

The Discarded Gemis the introduction into what looks to be a larger mystery. The characters are asked to help recover a stolen item. And, for this adventure, that is where it basically ends. There is a scene placing the party into the midst of greater events, but those events are only hinted at.

With The Discarded Gembeing set in the city of Halarahh, the encounters are with bandits. There is no need for the GM to learn the abilities or tactics of any monstrous creatures or races (unless you want to add them in for your own flavoring).

The encounter areas are well described and maps are provided in the locations where combat is planned for with the bandits. Other combat locations may be introduced based on what the player characters choose to do, and how they react. But, for the needs of this adventure, enough information is provided with references to the core rule books.

Our largest portion of The Discarded Gem was the role-playing aspect. Of the five scenes two are combat locations. For players who are more combat oriented, consider adding the element of the sense of danger and being on the verge of combat. This can be played up where they see the need to talk their way out of the situation where they are overpowered (like in the tavern). They are newer characters and in a kingdom like Halruaa, where magic is common, there are some “commoners” who may have resources not available to their counterparts in other parts of Toril.

Overall (For Everyone)

The Discarded Gemis a hook for a greater adventure. You can use the setup for the continuation of The Brotherhood of Torment from Aaron M Lopez, or you can use the information to create a hook for a campaign of your own design.

It has everything needed to set up and run the adventure with a short amount of preparation on the part of the GM. Seriously, an experienced GM could read The Discarded Gem the night before the gaming session and be able to run it. I never recommend doing this, but it could be done.

There is a good mix of roleplaying and combat available to give action to all the players around the table. Combat can also be easily adjusted to meet the needs of your individual party.

The game time fits into one evening of play. It is designed for 3–4 hours of gaming. For us, that included the plenty of time to complete everything and have time for socializing.

About The Author

Aaron M Lopez lives in Sumter, SC with his wife and two extremely needy cats and a full-time job that takes up most of his time. He started playing roleplaying games in 1978 and has been a fan ever since. Through the years Aaron has dabbled in fantasy writing, poetry and music while his love has always been for RPGs of all types. In September of 2017, Aaron completed his first published adventure for Fearlight Games’ Baker Street RPG titled “Cyanide and Faded Petticoats.” Since then, he has contributed to the collaborations “A Vampire and Cleric Walk into a Tavern” By Alan Tucker, and also to a collaboration by Travis Legge titled “Xyrouth” for D&D 5e. Aaron has recently started a series of adventures for Dungeons and Dragons 5e called “The Brotherhood of Torment.” Part 1 was released in February, 2018 with part 2 coming soon. Aaron is also working on a card game and has his own Roleplaying Game in the works as well.

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The Dark City of Hork, Hooks to Get the Party Active in the City

From Slavador Trakal

The party has arrived in the dark city of Hork. They look around and unless they have a reason to be there, they will probably treat it like any other city they’ve been in. They buy their supplies, hit the tavern, gather rumors, and head back out to where the real adventure is.

This is a second article to providing hooks for Hork. Like the last article, similarities exist with the ideas people have used to create adventures in other cities. And, again like the last article, it is more about taking the familiar and twisting it based on the societal norms of the orcs living in this city.

"There's a monster..."

In a classic setting a party may hunt down the evil monster in the city to protect the inhabitants. In an evil city who or what is the monster? This could still be played out, just by using some of the other common themes used.

Pets get lost from time to time. In a city like Hork, it might be better to have the pet eliminated instead of retrieved. But the owner may want the pet brought back to them. There is also the consideration that it might be better to have a group of adventurers to find and retrieve/remove the pet before another tribe finds it and recognizes it, and its owner. The law of retribution can be used to apply a lot of pressure on the person to not have it be known it was their pet spider that killed a half-dozen orcs of another tribe, and it did have on a collar.

The monster might also be something preying in a particular part of the city. A singular tribe, guild, or other group might be willing to protect their own by hiring a party. Bringing in others to take care of the problem might ensure the employer still has enough resources to protect their own. And, if a hired party dies, not much loss in that.

A party that came to Hork to eliminate someone may be considered the monster to be hunted. Those who have played evil characters in a city understand the risks and the need to hide from city officials and guards. However, it may be a new experience for those who are usually on the side of “good” to be in a position of being the hunted. This can even build higher if they are in a place where it is clear they are not welcome, and become the target of animosity of the general public.

“I need a message delivered to...”

From Deviant Art

Couriers are always delivering letters for their lords and ladies. There are times when these messages are delivered in a public fashion, and, times when they are very private. Hork can be a dangerous place to deliver a letter when someone else wants the letter, or doesn’t want it delivered. Delivering a message can be more dangerous when crossing tribal boundaries.

Having a courier not bound to a tribe provides many avenues for the employer. The person hiring the messenger can distance themselves to a certain degree with less of a chance of retribution. If they get killed, less loss to the home team. Someone not having affiliation with a group in the city might be able to get around easier, but if they don’t show they can protect themselves they may also be an easy victim to others.

There are also the plot twists that come from the stories of the messenger caught in the middle of feuding clans or families, or rivals of any type. Hork just allows you to amp up the danger because the city laws allow it.

“We need to work together.”

Because the strong rule, small groups band together to increase their strength. After being in the city there might be someone the party takes into their group to increase their numbers. This can also flip in the other direction as the party is offered a position to join another group or individual to improve their odds. But, who are these people offering help or willing to receive it?

Bringing in additional muscle can be a benefit, and at times might even be necessary to survive. And, in an instant the game master (GM) has the opportunity to introduce a non-player character into the party. The motives of the new found friend can be played out to help or hinder.

“I would like to hire you.”

There are always those willing to give money to others to do tasks they don’t want to do. Hork is no different. The tasks aren’t really any different either. The difference comes when you think about the jobs an individual, or party, might be hired to do when placed onto the structure of laws this city runs by.

Orc Cleric by Ogurec-Ubica on Deviant Art

A body guard might have some leeway in a surface city if they kill someone defending their charge. In Hork it is probably best to make sure the attacker is dead, just remember to get things cleaned up. This simple idea applies to all sorts of jobs being considered. Like, there is no law against black magic except the law of retribution. There isn’t even a law of hiring someone on the knowledge you are sending them to their death if you can get away with it.

Conclusion

Everything that can be done in any city can be done in Hork. Even some of the more questionable activities are done more openly than in human run cities. As a GM you can use any adventure seed and twist it because of the structure of law the orcs live by. The difference of how the residents react to their cultural norms will make the experience different. Take the following as an example.

The party has been accosted by a group of thugs at the edge of the market. The citizens back away as weapons are drawn. There is a cry from the crowd as a merchant calls out what he has available. The two fighting groups start to position themselves as space clears and tension builds. You hear a couple of people in the crowd wagering on the outcome and how many will die. Then two larger orcs push through the crowd to where they can see what is happening. They wear the crest of the city guard. One of them turns and accepts the bet.

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The Dark City of Hork, Hooks to Get the Party to the City

From Slavador Trakal

In fantasy role-playing games (RPGs) cities are usually places parties have to go, and not always a place they want to. The party needs a place to restock supplies so they can head back out to find more monsters and treasure. Some campaigns use the city as a place where the party must go to find out where the next adventure is. From my experience, less often the city is a place of adventure. I understand the hardship of running a city campaign, there are a lot of moving parts needing to be considered.

Hork is a city like any other. It can fill the role of any other city you might want to run in your world. The difference being orcs are the primary inhabitants. The laws and culture are different, just like cities in different kingdoms, or those inhabited by other races. Starting with the similarities allows you as the game master (GM) to use familiar hooks. Then because of the differences between Hork and most other cities, hooks that are slightly twisted can work. And, finally, every city has particulars allowing you to use hooks specific to the setting.

Starting with the familiar, here are examples that can be altered to fit your campaign and gaming style.

Familiar Hooks

“We are running out of...”

The party is in need of supplies and the closest place to gain the essentials is Hork. Supplies in the city are available to anyone willing to pay for them. In fact, in the city of Hork there are items openly sold whereas in many places those commodities are difficult to locate without knowing the proper contacts.

The Market is where the resident (Horkians, Horkites?) get almost everything they use, and those items not sold there can be found in some other tunnel.

Outsiders to the city are recognizable in many ways, which can lead to a shopping spree players are not used to. The laws of the city are based on strength rules. Cons are everywhere and prices are set based on what can be earned from the buyer. Theft is acceptable (if you have the strength to take and hold it), as long as you don’t get caught by someone stronger, and most merchants have some means of catching would be thieves. There is also the other side where thieves are watching for unsuspecting targets. The party is in a place where they can do just about anything. Just remember the laws of retribution and cleaning up after yourself.

Places listed can be used, or new locations created. The Market, The Market Bar, and The Squeeze can all be used for encounter areas when the party is in the Hork. In fact, I wrote The Squeeze on a request to provide a place of interest.

“We need to talk to...”

Orc Cleric by Ogurec-Ubica on Deviant Art

Every city has people who know information others want or need—Hork is no different. The party has been directed to talk to a person who now resides in Hork. This could be a long lived orc who survived some ancient battle and knows where the Knight of Pervus fell. Or, a retired thief who once was in the cave of Fangarell the dragon.

Finding the right person to talk with can be a simple or complex series of events. The usual way an orc makes it to their later years is if they are connected to a tribe that can protect them. Others don’t want to be found. And, many times there is someone else who also wants the information, or, those who don’t want the information to be known. The cost of the information is always a consideration, and can easily lead into an adventure all in itself.

Hork is also a place to find a guide. In other cities a party may need the help of an expert in the local forest or mountains. Hork has a number of residents who know the surrounding terrain above ground, and the underground. Hork could very well be the stopover the party needs to find the person who can lead them to their final destination which is deeper in the labyrinth of tunnels and caves those who are not familiar with never return from.

Like locations, this is an opportunity to use residents already in the city or other personalities you already have in your campaign or would like to add. Detailed characters include Simpand Astherfen. There are also named characters that have basic information without a lot of detail in the locations.

“The caravan is stopping where?”

Many adventurers start their careers as caravan guards. Taking a job that gets them out into the country where they have the opportunity of sharpening their skills fighting off the bandits and monsters set on taking the merchant’s good. It also gets them from one location to the next in a larger crowd that provides some level of protection for themselves.

Most of these games of “caravan guard adventure” I have been involved in fall into two general categories: Encounters on the road and getting from point A to point B. Adding Hork as the destination, or part of the circuit, of the caravan adds a different aspect to being a caravan guard. Here is a place that having guards at the trading point is just as crucial as having them along during the journey. Again, the law of might makes right means a merchant needs more than just the right connections on where they are selling their goods; they need the muscle to show they have the right to own and sell their goods like the rest of the merchants in the city. This is especially important for the merchants not part of one of the guilds in the city.

“I’m tired of trail rations!”

Drow wizard by Wolf Eyes on Deviant Art

Adventures are known for being rowdy folks who don’t always do well when they are in a “normal” city. When defending themselves or just enjoying an evening at the tavern they end up running afoul of the law. Then as the cleric and wizard finally get the information they came for, they bail out the barbarian and rogue from jail and they are on their way, quickly, out from under the watchful eyes of the constable.

Being an orc run city, it is known there are going to be fights, mayhem, and death, just clean up after yourself and pay your rightful dues to the business owner for the broken wall you threw the belligerent drunken half-ogre into. The law of Hork isn’t there to stop fights and death, but to control the aftermath.

Conclusion

These are some quick ideas and familiar hooks used when trying to get a party to go to a particular place. You can change the ideas up for they are not set in the stonework originally laid down by the dwarfs that lived in the city. I’m sure you have already remembered ideas you have used in the past and how they could work for Hork.

These have minor twists, as I believe are needed when dealing with any location. Next up is looking at some old themes and developing them more specifically to a dark city that is not ruled by law and order, or a social contract of considering the best good for the most people.

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Finders Keepers by Janek Sielicki, D&D 5th Edition Adventure Review

There are great forces of good and evil in the world. In the Forgotten Realms the forces are always on the prowl, looking for ways to improve their position against their adversaries. Information has surfaced about the Book of Keeping, a magical artifact containing the true names of some of the stronger evil creatures living in the dimensions. Names that can bind the creatures of evil into the service to those who know them.

Janek Sielicki’s adventure Finders Keepers is for a party of 20^th level, Dungeons and Dragons 5^th edition, characters. Either by choice or accident, the party finds themselves in the middle of a world changing situation. It is a paced adventure that was written for players who might not have played such heroic levels before.

In Sielicki's introduction he states his desire to create an adventure for players who don't get a lot of opportunity for playing characters at this level as a standalone scenario. And, at the same time, provide an adventure that can be inserted into an existing campaign or be used as a starting point for more high-level adventures. I received a PDF copy of Finders Keepers for review purposes. This is the third adventure of Sielicki's I've reviewed and the first set in the D&D 5^th edition system.

Finders Keepers delivers a grand adventure for inexperienced and experienced players. There are some limitations in the writing because of the publishing requirements, however, the challenges created are fitting to create the grand scale players expect from an adventure at this level. Sielicki also delivers on the opportunity of an adventure for players who have experience with only lower level characters.

A selection of twelve characters is included, each a different class. The characters are presented in two formats, with and without magic. These options give players and dungeon masters (DMs) options on how to handle the game. The various levels of preparation given means players can spend more or less time getting ready, or personalizing, for the adventure. As the DM, this allows you to do some customization for your players to create a game to their style of play.

Players can also create their own characters, or bring existing characters for Finders Keepers. The variety of characters emphasizes that Finders Keepers is written to allow players options on how they play the adventure. There are hooks and ending scenarios allowing players to take different paths to a conclusion of this adventure, or for setting up future play. It is wonderful to see how he created a multiple possible endings.

The Book

The PDF I reviewed has some nice attributes. I was happy to see the file had already been bookmarked so it was easy to use and allowed me to make quick reference between sections.

The artwork supports the epic grandeur of the adventure. The art used also breaks the writing up nicely to give separation along with story support. This flows over into the maps.

Maps are prepared for players and DMs. Player maps have been created on their own pages, so they can be printed, or shown, without the DM being concerned about displaying too much information.

The first 54 pages of this 71-page book is the adventure. The last section is about how Sielicki created and developed his adventure. He keeps his final article focused on the process used for creating this for Dungeon Master's Guild. It is good information in general for anyone wanting to write adventured for them, other groups, or for their own.

The Adventure

Finders Keeper is an adventure in three chapters. Each chapter has some massive combat, as it should for characters of this level, which is also fitting for the game system. There are also other challenges to take the characters beyond the combat.

Everything starts in the city of Phlan in the Forgotten Realms. Don't let this turn you away if you are not using that setting. If you are using that setting and have used some of the supplemental information, it might not follow to what you have. In either case, enough information is given in the adventure about what is needed in the location to adjust it to fit in other settings or in an existing storyline.

The encounters are built to provide the experience of playing epic level characters. Sielicki keeps with the games namesake and has a battle with a dragon. I would expect this in an adventure wanting to provide an experience of playing high levels for those who might not have done it ever before. This is the opening encounter and he steps it up from there.

The adventure continues, and characters are faced with dealing with others of epic abilities. The party encounters demons, devils, angels, and gods. The challenges are not just how characters fight, but include challenges to make the players think through what they are doing, and why.

All of this comes together at the end of the adventure, which can also be your beginning. The development of events with different outcomes allows the DM and their players to take what is started here and continue. Fulfilling the goal of creating a high-level adventure that can be the springboard for a new campaign.

Overall

Finders Keepers is another successful adventure from Janek Sielicki. There are multiple levels of play taking place. It doesn't limit players to having to be the heroic do-gooders or agents of a particular side in a conflict. It doesn't even require the players to be on the same side as other players (of course that takes more work for players and DMs).

Finders Keeper can be used in an existing campaign, for starting a new campaign, or as a stand-alone adventure.

On the down side, I noticed the copy editing in this adventure was not at the same level of the other two adventures I have reviewed from Sielicki. If you are a grammar fanatic, it might cause some concern. The items I noticed didn't take away from the impact of the adventure. So, I suggest overlook the minor issues and dive into the greater scale of the ideas being presented.

I recommend Finders Keepers for the pure enjoyment of being involved in battles and situations of the magnitude presented.

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The Market of Hork

Orc King by Mananedo on Deviant Art

The dwarves who originally shaped the caverns into what is now known as Hork were typical dwarves. The public areas were made into grand halls. There are several locations around the city of Hork where this is easily seen. The largest hall is easily accessible by the residents and visitors of the city. Those who live in the city just call it The Market.

It can be assumed what the hall was used for by the dwarves, and readily apparent what it is used for now. The wide hall stretches for nearly a half a mile. There are places where the sides stretch out over a hundred feet from side to side. Some sections are only two stories tall, while towards one end the roof raises to accommodate ten layers of balconies. Most of it goes up four stories.

Once, the grand dwarven hall marked some of the clan's achievements. The orcs have by organization, and by mishap have transformed the carvings and paintings on the walls. And most of the depictions are hard to see because of the layers of shadows. Torches and lanterns are placed around the hall, this is done for some items to be seen, but it also creates places of shadow where only those who can see in the dark are welcome. There are even corners where those who have dark vision are unable to penetrate the inky blackness without help. The dwarven art decorating the walls, balconies, and ceiling are still visible in places, or can be discerned with careful study. In one way or another almost all the art has been altered to meet the new owners' aesthetic.

Many items are bought and sold in The Market that are considered illegal in the surface cities. The only reason these items are not bought and sold openly is for discretion: it usually is best for the purchaser not to be seen buying some things. There are some shops who operate openly that are regularly watched by tribal spies. For example, it is known that Tat, a goblin ranger, sells herbs and other components to Hita, a female orc adept, who specializes in making poisons and lives in a darker corner of The Market where the ceiling is low.

The Market is not the only market located in the halls of the orcs. What sets this market apart, besides its size is the general acceptance of its location between the tribes—physically and politically. No tribe openly owns The Market. Tribes might control some of the business taking place in The Market, but their control does not extend beyond their business operation. The groups who maintain a stronger hold in The Market are the thieves' and trade guilds.

The Thieves' Guild

One of the strongest, if not the strongest, factions in residence in The Market is the thieves' guild. Most of the activity of the guild is in providing protection, especially for the businesses not owned and ran by orcs (which there are surprisingly many). Within the city this level of protection is different than what most civilized races think of.

From Deviant Art

Orcs believe in the rule of the strong, and this applies to the running of business. A business without protection will be destroyed by those who choose to come and take what they want. If you're unable to protect your goods, then you should lose them. That is the natural law, and part of the code of law within the city. The thieves' guild is one of the stronger organizations providing the desired protection to successfully run a business.

Trade Guilds

There are many different trade guilds in the city of Hork, just like in every other city of the world. The difference here is the organizations have a stronger level of providing protection. Like every guild, they have the responsibility of training those who want to learn the trade. Every trade guild also has a contingent who are trained warriors who work as guards protecting the guild hall and member businesses.

The first is what most are familiar with: the advancement of the trade by growth, training, and protecting trade secrets. They almost all have a system of apprenticeship, journeyman, and masters. The guilds are growing slowly because of the nature of general orc society, there are few masters who are orcs. Those masters who aren't orcs keep a low profile out of need to ensure their own safety.

Protection is the other major activity of the trade guilds. Some find it easier to hire out the protection from either the thieves' guild or by contracting with other groups. There are a number of mercenary guilds willing to sell their services. Another option that is used, but not as much is obtaining tribal protection. Only a few openly use tribal protection because of the associated political costs usually applied. Another option used is independent protectors.

Unhoused orcs and extended visitors are the main force of independent protectors. These individuals and groups usually only work in limited areas, because along with providing protection for their clients they still have to provide their own protection. This sometimes leads to limited contracts. Some of the more savvy merchants are willing to hire parties as guards because they usually don't have to make the final payment. One example of an established hired protector is the wizard Fafth, a half-elf wizard who provides protection to the two spice merchants located outside his home (neither of which is orc).

Disturbances in The Market

Strength rules, and thus fights break out on a regular basis. For the businesses, this means securing your business as best as possible to minimize the impact to your establishment and goods, and self. The regular fighting that takes place is the main reason the merchants hire guards. There are city guards who have their own responsibilities.

The guard who are assigned to duty in The Market are usually from one of the main houses, so it is expected there are split loyalties when they are performing their duties to the city. The duty of the guard in The Market is not to maintain peace, but to make sure any mess made is taken care of. How it is cleaned up is usually left to the discretion of the guards on hand.

When cleaning things up, if there is something to profit from, without causing additional complications (like the fight was with an established priest or if those involved know the rules and set guards while they pilfer the fallen), the guards will step in a take care of what is left behind. Usually the parties involved are held accountable. The victors of fights, which usually means there is a body on the ground and they are still standing, are required to take care of the remains. This can be done personally or by hiring someone. Most the time there is a goblin, Backack, who arrives when fights break out. When the loser isn't dead (meaning they are still conscious), they must make amends for damages.

From Lord Of The Rings

A Couple of Points of Interest

The Market Bar

Ran by an old veteran orc, Negrut, the Market Bar is a place where orcs are accepted and any non-orcs, who are not brought to a table by an orc, can expect to be forcibly removed by another patron.

The Squeeze

Non-orcs find a more welcoming experience at a bar located in an out of the way location along the main hall of The Market. The small passage leading back into a common room gives the bar its name, and there is no sign marking its location. The passage is narrow and creatures of large size are unable to make it into the common room and have to wait for a friend to bring them something to drink.

Backack

This goblin makes his home on the second level of the market near the middle. He has as a wide range of informants throughout the hall to let him know about fights and other events that he may profit from. He has the ability to quickly arrive to take care of the remains for a fee. He also has a network to make a profit from what he collects.

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A Breath of Fresh Air by Janek Sielicki for the Cypher System, Adventure Review

I've talked before about the differences between strategic and narrative role-playing games (RPGs). Some systems lend themselves more to one than the other. Sometimes it comes down to the adventure being played.

There are adventures written to be a series of combats, emphasizing the strategic aspects of the characters being played. Others, like A Breath of Fresh Air by Janek Sielicki for the Cypher System has combat, but is designed to give the players an opportunity to dig into the characters' personalities.

A Breath of Fresh Airhas the party facing challenges that are more than just overcoming a number of combats to achieve their goals. Some of the ideas are familiar to what narrative players are used to, but with a nice twist.

The party is positioned to put themselves into the hands of fate. They're faced with overwhelming odds and an escape route presents itself (a standard play for one-shot convention style games). They just don't know what is in store for them by utilizing the opportunity.

This leads the party to be in an environment they cannot survive in for a long period of time. With the timer set, they have to figure out how to communicate with creatures they're not familiar with. Then, as they come to understand the position they are in, they must take actions which could have serious consequences.

Using this adventure as a one-shot or in a campaign has the potential of impacting players and characters in future play. A Breath of Fresh Air will have most players, and characters, questioning their choices as they start to learn about their predicament and the possible consequences of what they decide on doing.

For the standalone adventure, that is the part affecting the characters. In a campaign setting you now have characters who have faced a situation most people don't have to ever face. This gives the players the opportunity to role-play out the impact on their characters in future adventures. The characters will have something to look back on, see what they've done before, and use it as a significant part of their story.

For those who are familiar with ethical dilemmas, A Breath of Fresh Air establishes one nicely. It is well placed in the setting. The options are their within the framework of the game, which makes this a more acceptable location of delving into the underlying theme.

This has been a fun adventure leaving the players, and the game master, thinking afterwards.

A Breath of Fresh Airis written by Janek Sielicki for the tier two characters in the Cypher System and distributed through Cypher System Creator at DriveThruRPG (link to adventure on DriveThruRPG).

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Murder at the Vulgar Unicorn, Adventure Review

Sanctuary is a city of intrigue. Plots are thick, sometimes thicker than blood. But, most plots that are put into motion in Thieves' World involve the spilling of blood. And you just found yourself entangled in a plot.

Murder at the Vulgar Unicorn is an adventure for the Thieves' World setting on the Open Gaming License of the D20 system written by Owen K.C. Stephens for Green Ronin Publishing. This adventure is designed for starting characters and works well for players who are new to the setting. It is roughly eighty pages long and includes great information for expanding the adventure into the campaign setting and continuing the players and characters on to other adventures. But first, they have to solve the mystery.

The party is waiting at the Vulgar Unicorn, a famous dive, one evening when they find they have been thrust as the primary suspects in a murder. I'm sure you are surprised to hear that part based on the title of the adventure. The party is given the opportunity to clear themselves of blame by helping to discover who is behind the murder and why it happened. The adventures sets the characters off into the city tracking down clues.

There are a few set scenes with a number of interlude encounters for the players. The interludes are designed to give experience to the characters and the players. For the characters the encounters help provide the experience needed to advance the levels so they are ready to take on the set encounters where major combats occur. By the end of Murder at the Vulgar Unicorn the characters should have gained several levels.

The player experience for the encounters help to introduce them to the city of Sanctuary, its districts and feel. Depending on how the players decide to interact with the encounters helps to determine how well they do in other areas in this adventure and in later games. There is some great information about setting up contacts and building relationships with non-player characters in the city. At the end, if you want to continue in the setting there is information so you can take it several different directions.

There are pre-generated characters available. These are good tools for players who haven't seen the differences presented in the Thieves'' World Player's Handbook (review of Player's Handbook). But, if you have a good group of players who want to bring in characters of their own creation, they would also work.

After going through Murder at the Vulgar Unicorn I found I liked it. The information was well presented to give the introduction to a location that has been part of fantasy reading since the late 1970s. I read those books then and I know this gave me more of a desire to check out the setting. I know the setting of Thieves' World and Sanctuary are not for everyone, in fact I would not recommend this setting for young players. Sanctuary is a dangerous city full of thieves, drugs, prostitutes, and other vices. It is gritty gaming where many times survival was counted as the victory.

Murder at the Vulgar Unicorn was written over ten years ago. So, it uses the D&D 3.5 base of rules. Even with its age I think if you like the grittier style, you should check it out.

Sanctuary is a place of plots. There is always fighting taking place, but it might be a fighting of the minds, or just being able to survive. You might just be looking to make it through the evening earning enough coin to get some food and a place to hole up for the night. Later, then, that may be the time for your own plots.

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A Help for Maintaining Pace in an RPG Adventure

In a conversation with some game masters (GMs), we got into a discussion about some of the issues we have faced over the years. Most of the issues GMs face with in their groups are temporary ones based on the mood of the players and how people are responding to the events in their daily lives. There isn't much we can do as a GM about those issues, but provide a good game. There are different elements in a good game and part of that is the pacing of the adventure.

Every good story, game, movie, book, has good pacing—how well the story moves along from beginning to end. In the more traditional tabletop games this is done with the mechanics of the game, and some of the same basics apply to Role-playing games (RPGs). However, because RPGs are designed to give players a wider range of options the pacing of the game becomes more about the application of the mechanics and not just the mechanics being used.

Application of game mechanics is a balance between player and character wants. There is a balance needing to be struck between what the characters know, understand, and would consider acceptable, against those the players have. Players have another level of knowledge based on the mechanics the characters are playing under.

Players are not always trying to metagame or manipulate the game mechanics for their advantage, even though we have all met those players who will squeeze the rules (I believe this is the main reason rulebooks keep getting thicker). Everyone has a natural disposition to look at the situation they are in and try to make it better. The GM then has the responsibility to allow a level of manipulation without overtaking the game completely.

Curtailing some of the manipulation of the mechanics helps the game's pacing. This allows players, and thus characters, to move from the mundane events to the action-packed ones.

This doesn't require creating a new mechanics on top of your game system. And, the idea I have for you doesn't have to be applied every time. You can apply it in a general sense and then allow the circumstances in the game to direct you easily to the times you find you shouldn't apply it.

Create situational responses that allow a single check for the group.

From Spreadshirt

For example, the party is carefully making their way through the pirate's castle on the alien world to rescue the young son of the merchant prince. The long empty hall has couple dozen closed doors. The first party member steps up to the first door and declares they listen at the door to determine if there is anyone on the other side. They don't hear anything, so they step aside and the next member repeats the action. Because the second party member doesn't hear anything either, they step aside for the next member of the party. And, this continues until somebody in the party hears something, or everyone has pressed their ear near the crack of the door. Then, they move on to the next door.

This level of action becomes tedious.

Creating a situational response before the adventure begins can allow this encounter with the doors to move quickly. The players decide which character is best for listening at doors and how the rest of the party is acting during that encounter with the closed door. Everyone understands the character who has the best chance of hearing something is listening for the entire group—if they don't hear something, no one else will either.

When the party enters the hallway with this pre-planned setup the GM can have already determined at which point the "party" hears something. This allows the story to move past the mundane action and get the party to exploring the rooms, or moving down the hall, quicker and easier.

This concept of group rolls can be applied to other actions. If you find there are times where your game slows down because everyone is taking the same action to confirm a result, hold a quick chat with the players and see if that would be a good situation to apply a single roll for the group.

One of the GMs in our discussion says he allows a bonus to the party for doing these types of rolls. This gives the party an additional reason to go with a single roll. Another GM told how he applies this same idea on his own. Whatever the result of the first character attempting to do something is, it becomes the result for the rest of the party. I think that might be a little extreme for my group. However, I must admit I can see where in the past if I had taken this action, it would have been a good thing.

There are times when the group roll doesn't work. Those times are usually obvious during play. We also allow players to repeat the action if they can give a good, in-character, reason for doing so.

In preparing adventures I can use this setup to create a much faster paced game. For checks that are made by the GM, instead of waiting until the time of the action I can have predetermined some of the information the party has gained. When I have done this it has worked well and allows for a more during a game session.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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