I am not sure how long this section will be but I suppose I'll chime in with an additive to the narrative going around in the internet these days, I will also attempt to tie in my games and correlation thereof, as much as I would like this blog to be a rallying call for equality and the rights some genders or nationalities are being robbed of, this is a Pathfinder and GM'ing blog, though I sure as hell will state my opinion. Firstly let me state that I have grown up in an extremely progressive household, my mother was and still is a powerful individual with all the same rights and privileges as my father, in fact in some cases she is given more control over most situations, as my father says "The mother is the backbone of the family" More or less, I was slightly paraphrasing, but this is indeed true, though the male has some role in that, I would like to believe. As for gaming, throughout my gaming...life? Career? I would say there has always been this unintentional biased that girls are somewhat...like precious minerals or extremely rare in reference to Dungeons and Dragons, or any RPG for that matter, and not much has been done to change that fact. All if not most of the people I have played with haven't shown a strong aversion towards gamer girls, in fact we welcome them, I especially because they seem so immersed and imaginative in many ways that many of us men lack.
Let me make a quick foot note, this is not intended to bash on any one gender, I am just making observations, and stating what I've experienced and what I would like to see more of, namely more gamer girls.
Now I recently read an amazing piece by a woman speaking about women developers and women gamers, and honestly I'll admit I was taken aback as I felt not even I had been fully aware of the true nature of the wide web and....well I'll be candid terrible disposition, to women, and honestly terrible to people and everyone and everything. It's truly become a nesting ground for so much bigotry and hatred, most of which I see as a cry for attention or insecurities in one's own faculties. Not surprisingly this comes in large quantities from males, or male sounding people out in the web, I was literally playing GTA V online and kept hearing "Faggot, you're a faggot bitch ass" surmise to say I was shocked, almost to the point of sardonic humor, as it is almost impossible to believe someone would be this way in person
The piece that this woman wrote spoke louder to me due to the timely conjunction of such obscenities, which had me thinking, is the same awful atmosphere experienced for people, and namely women, within the Pathfinder universe, are they BEING driven away due to some hidden attitude that we display without even our knowing, women that is? I am certainly left to wonder, and hope my games to not fall under this category, though in all honesty I would like to believe they don't or ever will. As of this moment I have three girls gaming in different groups, and I am absolutely ecstatic to have them part of my game, they bring a jollity and creativity that I thoroughly enjoy and promote, and of course our friendly male segment as well! In fact one of them, whom I wont name unless she doesn't mind (not as if I have millions of views a day ;] ), is leading the way for less sexism in the development arena of software and games, and whether she intended to or not, is getting a rather large following and others thanking her for her stepping up to show that one can be a gamer and a woman in the wide expansive geek world, and not be looked down upon or harassed.
But this all leads to my header, am I just uneducated? For all few of you out there reading this, I'm sure you've never suspected me of sexism or attacking a person due to gender, but I hope that I am only a very very small person in a massive crowd of men and women attempting to change that staunch and obvious sexism in the gamer and rpg tabletop world. I truly hope that instead of focusing on the fight that needs to be made for more acceptance and less bashing of women in the gamer and software world, that instead we can focus on the human side, the story side, the imagination side, and that sexism is actually not even a factor anymore, in the gaming and software world. I know this is wishful thinking, and that hoping and supposition wont change a damned thing, but I will continuously allow and welcome gamer girls and women with a counter argument to what I say, lest we men remain petty and insecure, I will welcome and hope that my fellow GM's and players welcome our sisters into the rpg tabletop, gaming, developer, world as well. Cause in the end, we are just all humans, living and dying, and to harbor resentment and fury towards another person, due to gender, is something this strange and complex world just doesn't need right now, solidarity is our only way out of this massive sink hole we're digging ourselves.
I almost forgot! My games are fast evolving and expanding, I think I may in fact have a premise and game idea down for Pacificon, I just now need to get it in electronically, and from there see what the grand master pooba's of Pacificon say, but should it work out, I think I'll have finally taken that step into Master Game Master, having ran a game once already, albeit PFS, if I successfully complete this task of running a game purely from my own insane creative mind, then truly a new achievement will be unlocked, Master Game Master...or perhaps something more poetic sounding. In any case, you shall all be up to date on my progress, and lets raise some wine in hopes that I get this game finished and GM a kick ass game for both women and men, respectively, in my game! :D
As always my thoughtful audience,
Till next time, Roll your D20
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Sunday, July 20, 2014
A nod to my GM friend and something within the city of Vjornstaff
First off I would like to thank my fellow GM Walker for reminding me what this game is about, for the joy most people seek from it, and the fact that I've been taking it far too seriously as of late. With the creation of Entrathia I took the first tentative steps into a world I have never been involved in, I mean yes I would have made worlds or lands on small pieces of graph paper, but as for the immense world that I've created, this is something very foreign to me. With that I have been working as much as my spirit and energy would allow, there are most definitely days where video games and movies are my sole experience as per that day, but it is only done so I may find a bit of respite, recharge my mind and inspiration, and tackle the stories anew. The game I enjoyed the other night, was pure spontaneity and jubilant fun, sadly my father did now enjoy the romp around with us, but as he says "I just like to roll the dice Ryan." To which I responded in kind with "It's not always just dice in Pathfinder Dad, and nor can it only be that." I believe we came to an understanding, perhaps in the future he'll enjoy the ridiculousness with us, or perhaps on another game or what have you. In any case Walker certainly reminded that being silly, off the beaten path, and overall just sitting back and letting it be psychotically amazing is sometimes far better than any monologue or small caption I've prepared. Certainly I tip my hat to one whom reinvigorated such a notion within me, for too long now I've struggled to create a ground breaking soul moving environment, and maybe I'll have such experiences in my games, but in the end, this is for fun and relaxing good times with friends, and I'm glad I realized this before I became to mired in the overtly epic nature of the games I've been attempting to make. Now on to another far more world story related note!
The City of Vjornstaff (There's supposed to be a little up arrow above the 'j')
Within the city of Vjornstaff there are a variety of different families whom run the show from behind the curtain so to speak, while the king or queen has the biggest say, it is the families which have the gold and the enforcement to "Persuade" most edicts and laws and so forth. For all those families there are 5 major families, all of them are not entirely good or evil, though there is one predominantly goodly family, and another which is mostly agreed upon to be evil. So should you find yourself within the City of Vjornstaff, take care to notice the crests and those that bear the names of these 5 major families.
The first family: Known as the BloodRaven
Hegemony(LN), it is said that the BloodRaven Hegemony dates back to near the founding of
the city of Vjornstaff, their records show they came into being 600 years after
the founding of Vjornstaff, when the settlement had fully achieved its powerful
stance known to date, and has grown ever since. The BloodRavens are a vicious
and meticulous bunch, not truly good, nor evil, they follow their set of laws
that their family has passed down from generation to generation. They are crude and known for the terrifying mental prowess, and though to most they are neither erratic nor chivlarous to the slight of piety, they certainly are a force to be reckoned with. The BloodRavens are known as the most powerful family, and they maintain some of the best libraries and reliquaries, having a powerful tie to the past and an eye for the future, though there laws are there to help them interact with those around the city, and to keep whomever leads the BloodRavens from becoming to ambitious for the families own good.
The second family: Known as the EndelCrast
Family(N), the EndelCrasts have always had a rich and bountiful lot, they own
some of the best mines east and north of the city, stretching as far as the
Iron Clad Mountain Range, they are almost at equal with the BloodRavens, but
what they have in loot they lack in the precise intellect of the BloodRavens,
that doesn’t keep them from being a major house within Vjornstaff.
The third family: Known as the Throags
house(CN), they are a vicious and powerful family, renowned best for their
champions that are boastful in battle, and terrifying in war. There have been
many family members of the Throags house that have climbed to the rank of
champion in the arena in Vjornstaff and in the games within the city that are
held to test one’s mettle. They are not so privy to lawfulness or even
following their strict tenets, but they are a powerful family that has demanded
the respect of most.
The fourth family: Known as the Wyrmancers
family(CG), they are actually quite a
curiosity within the 5 major families as they are far more apt to show
mercy and goodly nature than any of the others, partly why they are not looked
at with a favorable eye by the rest, but that does not stop them from
continuing on as they have. It is said they have been around nearly as long as
the BloodRaven Hegemony, but there is a slight feud between the houses, and
while they don’t commit open war, there have been dark dealings between the
two. Wyrmancers normally dabble in necromancy and most magic that the haughty
law abiders have strictly spoken against, but this does not make them evil, and
theirs is a path to learn and study as much about the forsaken arts, while not
using the usual gambit of sacrificing virgins.
The fifth family: Known as the Chimeradin
faction(LE), while all the houses acts in accordance with their rules and how
they maintain control over the city, and while the Chimeridins do, they act
with a more savage stance towards
infractions big or small. It is said they are the only family that could incur
the wrath of the other four, but it is their technological and alchemical strength
which stays all the others hands, and the prominent force they’ve accumulated.
They are known not to be held down by agreed upon laws and moral choices, their
law, however vile it may be in any given circumstance, is what they follow, and
unlike the BloodRavens, it is normally looked down upon as against moral and
principled nature, even in the turbulent world of Entrathia.
So, there's a little something about the 5 major families, and a nod to my fellow GM whom reminded my the nature of the game and to remember the humor that can be wrought from it. I was glad to post this less than erratic post, as I know my last one's have been me almost to the point of yelling to insure that my message gets across. I think on those notes I've said all that there need be, and hope that people refer to my previous posts for clarification and for things like in this post, stuff about my world. Also!!! I will be putting all of my finished, or as far as I can tell finished, stories and history on my world on this website known as RealmWorks, I'll link it when I have suitably gotten what I want on there, or want the players to check it out to get a better idea of where they are. RealmWorks was benevolently donated by my dad, as being a full on GM and nerd is extremely expensive, and I've been dabbling in it to figure out the functions, when I have something posted I'll link you all and hope you think it is as awesome as I do, annnnd I'll probably talk about realm workds more in the future as well!
As always
till next post, roll your D20
Ryan
Monday, July 7, 2014
Now lets take some steam off, and something to tantalize your thoughts about the future, VVH
Quite the post that last one was, honest to gods it should be the last, we talked, we understood, I hopefully rallied you and inspired you, and all is behind us, now onward! I believe I've said before that I am currently creating one of my most ambitious projects yet, something which I am still working on this very moment, and something which I hope you all will enjoy when I reveal it, and when I do, oh it will be something talked of(Hopefully)! I've decided to make this post shorter, determinately shorter, whereas I've said this before, I believe I'll keep true to this, this time. I am currently mulling around the idea of where I will introduce this character and how, how do I go about introducing one of my most villainous creations to date? Well first of it will definitely have to be when I merge my two wonderful groups into one, something I am very much looking forward to, and honestly isn't too far off. Perhaps to introduce this person, I'll make it very clear how viciously evil and cunning he is, with plenty of backstory, all in all I hope it all turns out well, though that's the hope of any GM.
As for the future I foresee the next game taking place most likely in Alsanaan, as I am currently in the throes of creating that continent, and here's a heads up, it will not have the same Realm Divide as Eharlith does, there will be regional bonuses, but I'm going to experiment with other ways to go about this, perhaps religious sects, or ancient peoples or what have you, something altogether different, and of course this will all be transferable between all the continents of Entrathia. As an example you could be in Thrassia as an Alsinian delegate, and have the Alsinian traits or bonuses, such as a foreigner, or you could use the generic foreigner realm section I created if you can't make up your mind (The Foreigner realm really was my way to give you something more neutral and universalist, in case you were wondering).
Well along with continuing to improve my creation, and to work further on preparing new lands and societies for the great merger (I'll find a fantastically appropriate name for the coalescing), I believe that is enough said. Told you this would be a shorter post, I hope you all look forward to a revamped and completely badass character, as well as Alsanaan making its grandiose entry onto the world of Entrathia, along with ALL the other works I am currently immersed in.
As always
till next post, roll your D20
Ryan
As for the future I foresee the next game taking place most likely in Alsanaan, as I am currently in the throes of creating that continent, and here's a heads up, it will not have the same Realm Divide as Eharlith does, there will be regional bonuses, but I'm going to experiment with other ways to go about this, perhaps religious sects, or ancient peoples or what have you, something altogether different, and of course this will all be transferable between all the continents of Entrathia. As an example you could be in Thrassia as an Alsinian delegate, and have the Alsinian traits or bonuses, such as a foreigner, or you could use the generic foreigner realm section I created if you can't make up your mind (The Foreigner realm really was my way to give you something more neutral and universalist, in case you were wondering).
Well along with continuing to improve my creation, and to work further on preparing new lands and societies for the great merger (I'll find a fantastically appropriate name for the coalescing), I believe that is enough said. Told you this would be a shorter post, I hope you all look forward to a revamped and completely badass character, as well as Alsanaan making its grandiose entry onto the world of Entrathia, along with ALL the other works I am currently immersed in.
As always
till next post, roll your D20
Ryan
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Apologies and one last reiteration (You may want to read this)
I do not believe I'll add a picture to this one, it will be short and to the point, I am tired of 'Political Correct' rewriting and extrapolation on what I am saying, should you not understand, what can I say?
First off, I am sorry to Nikki for the brash way I acted after almost killing a trusted friend and ally in our game, I was laughing raucously while I was completely unaware of the emotional tax it was imposing, for that I am sorry and will take matters far more seriously in the future. Secondly I am going to post this one last time, (if you're thinking "I haven't heard this before" then clearly you have not been listening to me for the past 10 years) things are changing, as the background of this blog is evidence of, things are changing. I have lost friends, I have gained few friends in return, but far more impacting and loving then the ones I knew, I have moved out, I am attempting to cope with everything suddenly thrust on my shoulders, I am a hairs width away from smiling the signature Ryan smile and walking away from it all, as my attempts and rigorous movements in what I thought the right way continues to fail. Now if you're suddenly shocked as to how I believe things are failing, it is due partly to the fact that for so many games now I have been met with rancor, argumentative dispositions, vexatious attitudes, and honest malice towards my attempt at playing, running, and general life choices. As I write this I am reminded that life is full of adversarial challenges, that without the bad how could we possibly enjoy the good, but in the case of Pathfinder, it is meant to be an enjoyment for BOTH sides, I am now demanding that whenst I run that I enjoy it as well, I am going to sound selfish, but after 24 years of bending in each direction for all my friends, I believe I am warranted. Regardless of what I am met with, and how I am too continue on, Pathfinder was my solace in the storm, the eye of the hurricane that is this strange path we all take, for life is but a storm, one moment you may be enjoying clear skies and a calm sea, the next battered against the rocks. I believe I've done pretty damned well weathering that storm until recently, and only recently it's been more than challenging, though hope demands that I believe it will get better, and I do believe it will. As for Pathfinder while it is my solace laden ground, my serenity, there is also dramatic and intense scenarios, that just comes with the territory of being a writer and creative thinker, it is both a curse and a blessing to be creative (I can talk with anyone about why it is a curse, you need only arrange a time to hang out :] )and so with playing these ever evolving games, I am changing and morphing this world in such a way that will demand sacrifice, anxiety ridden feelings, excitement, entertainment, and more often than not, humor. This is no longer the game I run where it takes place on 3 small pieces of graph paper with 10 pages of binder paper with some summaries of the places filled out, this has become a Tolkien esque world, a George R.R. Martin structure, and a Rowling land of fantasy and mythic legends and enough history to make Chris Harman want to write a novel about "A peoples history of Entrathia". Now I am absolutely not saying this to sound arrogant or self involved, quite the contrary I am saying this to inform you and make sure it is an understood fact that the world of Entrathia is revolving around itself, not you. That you are an actor on the stage of life and that this land has breathing living individuals, you can choose to be part of it, drift through it, or watch from afar, the choice is yours and it will continue on regardless. Now this is not to say you do not matter, refer to my previous posts to see the impact you make, just understand its a world with immersion and beings with backstory, political agendas, religions, etc...
So what does this have to do with a reiteration, THINGS WILL DIE AND CHANGE. Let me make this clear COMPANIONS, PEOPLE, LOVED NPC'S, CIVILIZATIONS AND SO ON WILL FALL AND DIE. Death, which the people of Entrathia know by many names, Undelo, Kosenmori, and many others, has a very final and infinite existence. Death is everywhere, though some may choose to ignore it, some embrace it, and some understand it and accept it with quiet reverence, but it most certainly is there. You can attempt to stave off the inevitable, you can look for subversive ways around it, you can attempt to circumvent me at every single juncture without remorse, but one way or another things fall. Now this does not mean my world is some Gothic tragedy and that all is bleak and terrible, is that how this world, earth is? Some may say yes, but more often than not we see beauty in it, regardless of the constant threat. So, be aware of the more than true aspect that you may lose a companion, a friend may be slain by a dragon, that a civilization may crumble from being besieged, but life moves on, let the loss of companions and allies be a rallying call to you, let it bolster your resolve and move you farther into the lore of my world, let it take you on a wind bound flight through the whimsical fantasy that my world has to offer, be saddened yes, but do not harbor malcontent towards me, rather take this sorrowful event and make it yours, reinvent it to something that is now your oath to avenge or right the wrong. Do not feel anger or viciousness, damn it all I am giving you all the tools to turn a campaign into not just another romp through the dungeon, not just another save the princess tale and poem, I am giving you the tools and environment to have a real affect on those stories you read about in novels you love, I am giving you the option to change the world that you see in those series you wish you could put your character in and impact the antagonist or protagonist in what way you choose, I am giving you an open world with SO much within that players years from now, that see this and have wild wonder of the history of the world they play in, can enjoy the changes you have made and given to future gamers that experience my world and the history of. It will recur, it will come about in a way that some whom have played my previous games will go "OMG I remember that, wow, now it's in the history books, included in such a way that...wow" (Hopefully that's the usual response) I have opened the flood gates and hope that we enjoy the new flowing river that is this collaborative world, story, history, and legend together. Do not be angered by the deaths and sacrifices, if it feels beyond your control. Remember how many times I have granted you a luck roll, D20 roll, hero point, skill check, saving throw, all the monumentally massive amount of leeway I grant, remember and know that some times, out of the small microscopic times that inevitable death occurs, remember and know the purpose and impact it all has. With all these things, truly, am I railroading the game? Am I being a malicious fucker? Am I hapless and shameful? If you still believe so, if you believe I don't put the story and fun first, than I will hang up my soon to be got cloak of the GM, I will store my books away, I will enclose my map in a cartographers tube, and gladly bow out and allow someone else to take the reigns. For if all those second chances, attempts to help, granting hero points, giving luck rolls, allowing skill checks when not granted, letting a natural 20 change the tide of an almost impossible task, a role playing diplomacy or in character out, and overall hand of fate intervening allowance, still doesn't prove that I grant you more than any GM probably out there, then truly I am not equipped to GM, and I will, without any vehemence or harsh feelings otherwise, step down and have someone, if they choose to, take over in my stead.
So I hope this offers some insight, for the last time, that when any of those loveable NPC's, allies, or what have you die, that no matter how hard we think about it, there was no avenue out of it, that there was just not a rational or even magical rationale towards saving the person. That with ALL the boons I grant there just wasn't that one time where you had any amount of luck, hero points, or anything for that matter, and even when I try my damnest, and I almost always do, it just occurs, and death may happen as well.
This actually became far longer than I expected, I was hoping to make it sweet and to the point, but with alllllll this writ and text, maybe now it will become clear, maybe the light will don on and we can all return to the immense amount of joy we have when we play, and if someone is about to die, close to death, or does actually die, maybe now this LONG LONG LONG update will be remembered, and instead of arguing and attacking me and believing me to be unfair, perhaps just that one time out of literally hundreds of games and thousands of chances, it just didn't take. If after all this it still isn't clear, still is unreasonable and you believe I am vindictive or thoughtless, then as before I will quite literally without any sore feelings or fury will step down. But, I don't foresee that happening, hopefully until my eventual stepping down from life as it were, so I hope this helps to shed light on perhaps a hazy and slightly ambiguous topic.
OH! And please don't let this bully or maneuver you into being hyper-cautious or paranoid, this was only a friendly update and reminder, take it as you will!
As always my friends
Roll your D20, and your luck roll,
Ryan
First off, I am sorry to Nikki for the brash way I acted after almost killing a trusted friend and ally in our game, I was laughing raucously while I was completely unaware of the emotional tax it was imposing, for that I am sorry and will take matters far more seriously in the future. Secondly I am going to post this one last time, (if you're thinking "I haven't heard this before" then clearly you have not been listening to me for the past 10 years) things are changing, as the background of this blog is evidence of, things are changing. I have lost friends, I have gained few friends in return, but far more impacting and loving then the ones I knew, I have moved out, I am attempting to cope with everything suddenly thrust on my shoulders, I am a hairs width away from smiling the signature Ryan smile and walking away from it all, as my attempts and rigorous movements in what I thought the right way continues to fail. Now if you're suddenly shocked as to how I believe things are failing, it is due partly to the fact that for so many games now I have been met with rancor, argumentative dispositions, vexatious attitudes, and honest malice towards my attempt at playing, running, and general life choices. As I write this I am reminded that life is full of adversarial challenges, that without the bad how could we possibly enjoy the good, but in the case of Pathfinder, it is meant to be an enjoyment for BOTH sides, I am now demanding that whenst I run that I enjoy it as well, I am going to sound selfish, but after 24 years of bending in each direction for all my friends, I believe I am warranted. Regardless of what I am met with, and how I am too continue on, Pathfinder was my solace in the storm, the eye of the hurricane that is this strange path we all take, for life is but a storm, one moment you may be enjoying clear skies and a calm sea, the next battered against the rocks. I believe I've done pretty damned well weathering that storm until recently, and only recently it's been more than challenging, though hope demands that I believe it will get better, and I do believe it will. As for Pathfinder while it is my solace laden ground, my serenity, there is also dramatic and intense scenarios, that just comes with the territory of being a writer and creative thinker, it is both a curse and a blessing to be creative (I can talk with anyone about why it is a curse, you need only arrange a time to hang out :] )and so with playing these ever evolving games, I am changing and morphing this world in such a way that will demand sacrifice, anxiety ridden feelings, excitement, entertainment, and more often than not, humor. This is no longer the game I run where it takes place on 3 small pieces of graph paper with 10 pages of binder paper with some summaries of the places filled out, this has become a Tolkien esque world, a George R.R. Martin structure, and a Rowling land of fantasy and mythic legends and enough history to make Chris Harman want to write a novel about "A peoples history of Entrathia". Now I am absolutely not saying this to sound arrogant or self involved, quite the contrary I am saying this to inform you and make sure it is an understood fact that the world of Entrathia is revolving around itself, not you. That you are an actor on the stage of life and that this land has breathing living individuals, you can choose to be part of it, drift through it, or watch from afar, the choice is yours and it will continue on regardless. Now this is not to say you do not matter, refer to my previous posts to see the impact you make, just understand its a world with immersion and beings with backstory, political agendas, religions, etc...
So what does this have to do with a reiteration, THINGS WILL DIE AND CHANGE. Let me make this clear COMPANIONS, PEOPLE, LOVED NPC'S, CIVILIZATIONS AND SO ON WILL FALL AND DIE. Death, which the people of Entrathia know by many names, Undelo, Kosenmori, and many others, has a very final and infinite existence. Death is everywhere, though some may choose to ignore it, some embrace it, and some understand it and accept it with quiet reverence, but it most certainly is there. You can attempt to stave off the inevitable, you can look for subversive ways around it, you can attempt to circumvent me at every single juncture without remorse, but one way or another things fall. Now this does not mean my world is some Gothic tragedy and that all is bleak and terrible, is that how this world, earth is? Some may say yes, but more often than not we see beauty in it, regardless of the constant threat. So, be aware of the more than true aspect that you may lose a companion, a friend may be slain by a dragon, that a civilization may crumble from being besieged, but life moves on, let the loss of companions and allies be a rallying call to you, let it bolster your resolve and move you farther into the lore of my world, let it take you on a wind bound flight through the whimsical fantasy that my world has to offer, be saddened yes, but do not harbor malcontent towards me, rather take this sorrowful event and make it yours, reinvent it to something that is now your oath to avenge or right the wrong. Do not feel anger or viciousness, damn it all I am giving you all the tools to turn a campaign into not just another romp through the dungeon, not just another save the princess tale and poem, I am giving you the tools and environment to have a real affect on those stories you read about in novels you love, I am giving you the option to change the world that you see in those series you wish you could put your character in and impact the antagonist or protagonist in what way you choose, I am giving you an open world with SO much within that players years from now, that see this and have wild wonder of the history of the world they play in, can enjoy the changes you have made and given to future gamers that experience my world and the history of. It will recur, it will come about in a way that some whom have played my previous games will go "OMG I remember that, wow, now it's in the history books, included in such a way that...wow" (Hopefully that's the usual response) I have opened the flood gates and hope that we enjoy the new flowing river that is this collaborative world, story, history, and legend together. Do not be angered by the deaths and sacrifices, if it feels beyond your control. Remember how many times I have granted you a luck roll, D20 roll, hero point, skill check, saving throw, all the monumentally massive amount of leeway I grant, remember and know that some times, out of the small microscopic times that inevitable death occurs, remember and know the purpose and impact it all has. With all these things, truly, am I railroading the game? Am I being a malicious fucker? Am I hapless and shameful? If you still believe so, if you believe I don't put the story and fun first, than I will hang up my soon to be got cloak of the GM, I will store my books away, I will enclose my map in a cartographers tube, and gladly bow out and allow someone else to take the reigns. For if all those second chances, attempts to help, granting hero points, giving luck rolls, allowing skill checks when not granted, letting a natural 20 change the tide of an almost impossible task, a role playing diplomacy or in character out, and overall hand of fate intervening allowance, still doesn't prove that I grant you more than any GM probably out there, then truly I am not equipped to GM, and I will, without any vehemence or harsh feelings otherwise, step down and have someone, if they choose to, take over in my stead.
So I hope this offers some insight, for the last time, that when any of those loveable NPC's, allies, or what have you die, that no matter how hard we think about it, there was no avenue out of it, that there was just not a rational or even magical rationale towards saving the person. That with ALL the boons I grant there just wasn't that one time where you had any amount of luck, hero points, or anything for that matter, and even when I try my damnest, and I almost always do, it just occurs, and death may happen as well.
This actually became far longer than I expected, I was hoping to make it sweet and to the point, but with alllllll this writ and text, maybe now it will become clear, maybe the light will don on and we can all return to the immense amount of joy we have when we play, and if someone is about to die, close to death, or does actually die, maybe now this LONG LONG LONG update will be remembered, and instead of arguing and attacking me and believing me to be unfair, perhaps just that one time out of literally hundreds of games and thousands of chances, it just didn't take. If after all this it still isn't clear, still is unreasonable and you believe I am vindictive or thoughtless, then as before I will quite literally without any sore feelings or fury will step down. But, I don't foresee that happening, hopefully until my eventual stepping down from life as it were, so I hope this helps to shed light on perhaps a hazy and slightly ambiguous topic.
OH! And please don't let this bully or maneuver you into being hyper-cautious or paranoid, this was only a friendly update and reminder, take it as you will!
As always my friends
Roll your D20, and your luck roll,
Ryan
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Should we run away?! GODS YES!!!
Now, we've talked about that, and honestly I feel like I'll still get angry glances or people arguing with me incessantly, which drives me more and more to stopping altogether, there is some small amount of light in this darkness, most players, recently have seen that I don't just wantonly throw ancient evil beings of DOOOM at you, rather it's sparse and quite virile when I do. I make it clear, I have detect magic almost blind you, I have ancient runes lining the coffin or ancient tome or what have you, I GIVE YOU GODS DAMNED SIGNS! So, with that we may find a work around if you curiosity just can't be satiated, or if perhaps a quest is involved obviously I'm not going to force you to awaken him, as that would mean I would kill most if not all and that would be the end of that. In my worlds, till as long as honestly I GM, Cthulhu, ancient beings, creatures of that power will not be winnable. Let me make that clear, NOT winnable, but that's ok, running away is a choice which you can exercise and will not detract from that story. Take this iota of advice from me before I leave you my attentive and wonderful players, we're all in this together, I do not go out of my way to kill players, read my previous posts and that should be painfully obvious by now, but as of late death will become far more real, I allow many things but in this case...well I think it's pretty plain to see. Be aware, have fun, and if you decide to take the game off the hinges and go "Fuck da police!" on everything and challenge the biggest baddest mofo out there, don't be surprised if you...become worse for wear. There are more powerful beings out there, that's just how I work, that's how my world works, understand that, and you'll do just dandy :). But aside from all else, lets have fun shall we, perhaps even the GM can join in that fun? ( : D Welp hopefully this touched base on the fact of Cthulhu, the inevitability of such creatures, and how running away is a fine option, which I nor anyone else should look down upon. I mean no malice towards anyone, and we're here to have fun, this was just something that I believed should be understood, with that, now you know. Though this isn't Call of Cthulhu, so you most likely wont die a death of tentacles and insanity, at least in Pathfinder you can garner power to fight back most unnamed horrors! Welp, that's about it for me.
as always
Till next post, Roll your D20
Ryan
Friday, July 4, 2014
That's a great backstory, perhaps tell me before the game starts...?
*Ahem* well then, where was I? Ah yes, back story!!! Also, missed the week mark, though it's within this week so I'm going to say that still counts. Back story...something which every character should posses, and some may, and some may not, and to those fulfilling the latter I say, Poppycock! Now that you've decidedly made up your mind to make back story for your character in every campaign we run, let's discuss how we'll fit that into my world, ENTRATHIA! Firstly I am completely open and willing to have back story intertwine within the main plot itself or as a subplot, or as just an amazing side note for lack of anything else. As to how one goes about ensuring it gets used in an awesome way and is prevalent to the story, that's a bit trickier. Let's say you are an all powerful Magus, you have journeyed from peasanthood in order to obtain the magical prowess you know you have within you, but alas a diabolical villainous crab had stolen your keepsake from home, that which reminded you of your roots and helped to center your mind whenst casting spells, all is lost! That's a pretty epic back story, albeit a very short one, but we're just throwing ideas around at the moment, now I'll most definitely enjoy it, but if I start the campaign where you're in some random caravan, met in a bar, imprisoned or what have you, it may seem as though I have torn you from what would be rational steps and plopped you in some random situation, and there we have distrust and disenfranchisement taking place. Now, I'm sure you would say that you don't mind or it would make sense, but partially why I'm mentioning this is because I read another RPG blog touching base on this, and it certainly resonated with me. On the one hand I want to get the party together in some way and introduce the game in a provocative and alluring manner, and in the other hand I want to make your character as involved as humanly....or elvenly.....or orcly....or so on, as possible. Conundrum to say the least, but not a lost cause. In the following weeks...nay years to come I will be dabbling with plot hooks that have a direct connection with character back story and choices she or he may have made in the past before reaching the "Game start point". With that I will also involve characters in the story by making the story suddenly coincide or be directly mired within the back story that the player may have cooked up. Let's not kid ourselves though, this will be a learning process, one which I will take great pains to get correctly, but in any case hopefully it will become clearer and more immersive as time goes on. I suppose the purpose of this smaller blog post was to just touch base on this subject, share my opinions, and muse about where my players and I may be going, although honestly I feel it's already taking motions in that direction. Now I am immensely tired but I believe I may post again in the morning as I know I have more to write about, but am having a slightly more difficult time at this hour articulating it. *YAWN*
In any case as always
Till next post, Roll your D20
Ryan
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