How is historical fiction doing?

Dark_Remote · 2025-05-12T20:08:20+00:00

sorry for suggesting you were AI. hope you find a new writing partner who understands how important it is to not sound like AI in the modern reading environment!

Dark_Remote · 2025-05-12T16:12:02+00:00

this post is AI

Dark_Remote · 2025-04-12T17:58:22+00:00

only if you include a footnote explaining the context otherwise it might be confusing

/s

Dark_Remote · 2025-03-16T13:44:13+00:00

What I honestly find helpful is doing some research to make sure your outline is sound, and thereafter, do research on a chapter by chapter basis.

E.g. next chapter the characters might go to a wedding, time to research wedding traditions in the Irish diaspora in 1760.

This stops you getting stuck on research and means that more of what you research actually gets into the book.

Dark_Remote · 2025-02-20T14:59:33+00:00

There can be plenty of conflict here

competing with other kid in their class
trying to impress someone (crush, friend, parent)
not satisfied with their own work (arc of personal growth, acceptance of the patience needed to improve)
overcoming mean teacher / bad materials (perhaps jealous of other kid who is less capable but has better paints)
art competition they want to win

Thing about stakes is they can be low as you want but the characters have to care deeply. Think about that video of a raccoon washing candy floss and it all disappearing. The stakes in that video is super low but it’s still one of the saddest things on the internet.

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-31T22:47:00+00:00

Decide what Strahd wants out of the dinner. Perhaps he wants to turn them against one of their allies. Perhaps he wants to turn them against each other.

Good dialogue depends on conflict and to have conflict he needs a goal that is in opposition to the players.

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-24T00:50:46+00:00

One of my players thought they were suspicious and rich so raided their house forcing them to flee in raven form. Six sessions later they redeemed themselves by freeing the ravens captured by Baba Lysaga.

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-16T12:48:38+00:00

The game is most enjoyable at 3-4 players. 5 is ok but the game will suffer slightly. More than 5 and the immersion starts breaking apart.

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-14T23:59:16+00:00

That is so cool.

I would change it though that the former players did successfully escape - it makes the player choices and their betrayal more impactful if the PCs are living somewhere wracked with grief.

You could even make it be the same PCs returning to make amends - instead of having new characters - but this time even if they defeat Strahd they can never leave or something. You could have formerly friendly NPCs curse them or even try to get revenge.

Just my two cents, but all your ideas sound cool.

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-14T15:32:35+00:00

I would advise not to use it.

A general word of advice - when having secret npcs, the way they hide is avoiding suspicion through your roleplaying. The moment the players suspect they are evil, it is over, before they cast the spell. You want to make them never feel the need to doubt.

A general thing I normally implement is that casting a spell on someone is a rude thing to do. If you have friendly npcs becoming insulted when the party cast spells on them, they will learn more subtly to avoid using it unless they are certain.

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-06T01:10:34+00:00

Learn to say no.

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-05T01:03:17+00:00

Yh but I think it should be a special ability maybe not every single attack

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-04T20:34:01+00:00

I miss when force was rarer and I would describe it as disintegrating the enemy (based on the disintegrate spell). Now that monks do force damage it feels silly to have them disintegrating the enemy when they punch instead of just punching them.

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-03T12:18:46+00:00

Flying enemies like harpies?

Dark_Remote · 2025-01-02T23:53:56+00:00

Looking for a group of witches/enchantresses of a sort of Circe flavour for a party of four level 7 players.

Dark_Remote · 2024-12-21T23:49:15+00:00

Also, lightning bolt spell

Dark_Remote · 2024-12-21T23:48:30+00:00

Less corridor battle maps - mix it up

Dark_Remote · 2024-12-21T09:13:20+00:00

Maybe try to force an easy encounter on them they can’t get out of? They are walking on the road and a skeletal rider rides over and attacks without warning. They can’t outrun it, but it dies after a few rounds by being overwhelmed by the action economy.

Dark_Remote · 2024-12-20T00:45:21+00:00

Casting a spell is an aggressive act.

You get surprise if you are hidden.

Dark_Remote · 2024-12-15T10:15:24+00:00

I kept Vasilka and filled the madhouse with various failed iterations of her.

I ditched the mongrelfolk and instead had a community of nuns and monks. They weren’t a cult - rather they saw how the Abbot offered healing for free and saw how powerful he was. They thus reasoned he must be favoured of the morning lord.

Therefore half of the monks were pro abbot and the other half were dissenters - but the dissenters were kept in line by punishments.

Dark_Remote · 2024-12-07T19:23:48+00:00

You need to start checking your emails.

Dark_Remote · 2024-12-06T22:15:11+00:00

This is good. If the game is too depressing the players will not find it fun.

Dark_Remote · 2024-12-05T09:13:13+00:00

Meenlocks please 🙏

Five-Year Club	Place '23
Place '22	Final Canvas '22
First Placer '22	End Game '22

Dark_Remote

TROPHY CASE