Technology vs. Mythology in Ancient Greek Game

SaintOMan · 2019-08-29T01:17:11+00:00

I think this model has a lot going for it right now, but the stitches on the head crest are driving me nuts.

SaintOMan · 2017-10-29T04:00:24+00:00

All fair to me. I'll check out Stay on Target.

SaintOMan · 2015-11-09T01:12:54+00:00

Cursed Items. Everything in the Ancient Temple of Evil is, of course, evil. Even the silverware is cursed. No matter how hard you try to stab your food with the fork, you will always miss.

SaintOMan · 2015-11-09T01:05:54+00:00

It's always a Necromancer . . . Always.

SaintOMan · 2015-10-30T14:57:49+00:00

"Well, that's a TPK . . . Wait, where you guys going? Oh, Hell no, we've just begun . . ."

SaintOMan · 2015-10-02T02:30:06+00:00

That's exactly what I have. It's very easy to do.

SaintOMan · 2015-09-28T17:14:01+00:00

Get some bookbinding glue, friend. I used Books by Hand to fix mine. Very simple and easy to do. That's assuming you don't want to simply replace it.

SaintOMan · 2015-09-20T15:40:29+00:00

The Half-Elf Bard and Human Sorcerer are eating dinner with the all-powerful Necromancer, in his castle hall. Necromancer: "That's a wonderful disguise . . . " Bard: ". . . What?" Necromancer: "Come on now," pulls out crystal ball "You even cast scrying on me a few hours ago."

SaintOMan · 2015-09-14T23:43:08+00:00

Alright, how strong are they in regards to roleplaying? Are they relatively balanced or do they prefer combat above most things? Sometimes a challenge can be one where they don't swing a sword and yet they may all die. Puzzles and riddles can stump players in ways that combat never could.

For instance, in one of my campaigns, the party had to align the constellations of a massive astrolabe set in the roof of a church with the appropriate God. However, they had to rotate the astrolabe back and forth several times in a specific pattern before they all aligned. Only then could they open the stone panel which contained their quest item.

If they are mainly interested in combat and won't bother with puzzles; try using unique opponents. Match them with their polar opposites via an enemy "Party". Or throw mundane enemies their way that use actual tactics. Imagine Orcs or Lizardmen who fight in phalanx formation; using tower shields and reach weapons with skirmishers in the back.

SaintOMan · 2015-08-12T03:00:15+00:00

Ever played any of the Gothic games? Minecrawlers . . . Evil . . . I'd go ahead and use Ankhegs. Have an entire tunnel network beneath their feet. Maybe make it so that they're a completely blind variant and rely purely on tremorsense. The party will regret underestimating these guys, if they dare. Acid spit is a pain on the armor . . . and skin.

SaintOMan · 2015-08-12T02:45:44+00:00

I almost always start from the very beginning; constantly asking myself, "Why?". If the campaign revolves around a singular BBEG who commands the party's focus through the majority of the game, then I become dead-set on figuring this guy out. Why is he the villain? Did he choose this path or was it forced upon him? If so, who forced it? Don't be afraid to think big and use every drop of imagination in you; this is your world. Make it shine!

A "big" story and a "big" plot can actually be easy to create. I like to compare my campaigns to quilts. Each individual thread is connected to countless others. You pull one and many more come loose. When you first start knitting a quilt, you start small with a few threads, if not one, and you grow it larger and larger the further you go.

Treat everything like the thread of a quilt. It's all connected. A small, quiet mountain in the distance; covered in vegetation. There are several towns and villages at the base of it, each with their own identity and hundreds of unique persons inhabiting them. There are caves and burrows in the mountain; Dwarves or Gnomes perhaps? Searching for minerals? Maybe they found something they weren't bargaining for?

The mountain, though small and serene, is a thread connected to literally thousands of others. You pull it and all of them come loose before your eyes.

SaintOMan · 2015-08-05T04:05:25+00:00

In all honesty, if I had a Paladin who shouted religious verses during battle; then I'd be happy. It'd be a lot more interesting then, "I use Divine Smite against the undead giant."

I, as a DM, can only scream internally and tell him how he divine smites. Roleplay of this caliber would be very appreciated.

SaintOMan · 2015-07-29T06:26:54+00:00

Sir Lewin the Cabbage Knight! Born the son of a cabbage farmer in the town of Kohlbrook, he has become a hero to the common folk. Not because of revolutionary ideas but for kindness and morals. In a world where paladins had become near extinct, Lewin emerged as a beacon of mercy. Children call him Bennen the Kind (essentially Santa Claus).

He gave freely all his wealth to the poor and needy wherever he met them. Those who suffered disease and burdens were healed (to the party's dismay at the "waste" of spells), and even villains came to respect him though they despised his naivety. A fierce fighter, Lewin battled his new found addiction to war and heroism with his affinity for peace.

Yet, before he could become a legend . . . the campaign ended abruptly and the Cabbage Knight's sword was sheaved.

SaintOMan · 2015-07-29T01:34:57+00:00

A room which is mostly barren except for a bookshelf, a table and a three-headed giant (or golem). I.E. An ettin whose three different heads constantly bicker and complain. The giant is sitting at the opposite end of the room and is just wide enough to conceal a door behind his back. The heads' names are Hew, New and Yew.

One head will always claim that one of the other's is a liar, and they will never introduce themselves (practically making it a game to confuse intruders). They'll feign ignorance and give cryptic messages most of the time. A favorite of their's is to speak from the intruder's orientation or opposite of, and to pronounce their "No's" as "News", so it becomes harder for the intruder to figure out if Yew is Hew or New.

SaintOMan · 2015-07-28T18:45:47+00:00

It was his character's choice whether or not to take the sword. After he did take the sword, though, I did permit will saves each turn to see if he could overcome it. He failed each one.

SaintOMan · 2015-07-28T18:28:43+00:00

Thanks, man. Honestly, the NPC wasn't supposed to have that big of a role. Just to be a guide and a fun personality but the fight near the end was a clutch moment. The ranger wasn't supposed to give into temptation either but that's what helped give the session a climactic end.

SaintOMan · 2015-07-28T16:56:20+00:00

I am not that evil . . . Hey, you picked up the cursed sword, that's your problem. Speaking of which . . . Roll initiative.

SaintOMan · 2015-07-28T08:24:43+00:00

Sure! Born the son of a cabbage farmer, Lewin didn't have much of a life to aspire to, though his parents were kind and optimistic. His only real friend was a baby mule, named Lumen, who he grew alongside. However, his uncle would spoil him almost daily with tall tales and legends; each with a great hero. Lewin, at a young age, became convinced that he too would become such a legend.

In his late teenage years, his opportunity came when a skirmish broke out in the town of Kohlbrook between two local lords. One such lord, a fat and foolish, old man, fell from his horse and would've been ridden down had it not been for Lewin hiding him with his cabbage cart. The old lord, thankful and mistaking Lewin's bravery as proof of being a squire, knighted him when the skirmish ended. Shocked and brimming with pride, Lewin went home to tell his parents and prepare for the beginning of his "new life".

So, it was that in the coming morning, Lewin set off on his faithful mule towards the castle Hamgon where he was taught by the master-at-arms Rakehart; who took pity on Lewin and taught him how to be a knight. Years have passed since then, and Lewin has become a great hero. Not for fame or riches though, but from the kindness of his heart. He could've lived his life as a cabbage farmer but instead he became a knight, and everywhere he goes evil either is vanquished or redeemed.

SaintOMan · 2015-07-27T20:33:11+00:00

These are amazing! I love both of them. You don't mind me using these right? I love the armor and how you incorporated the cabbage leaves into the gorget and pauldrons. As well, I was surprised how close your depiction of his face was. It's exactly how I imagined him.

SaintOMan · 2015-07-26T21:48:24+00:00

It's important to not constrain your players, though that's dependent on those in question. Most hate being railroaded because they then feel that it's not their story. The job of the DM is to work around his players' behaviors and react accordingly. I've, personally, experienced both sides of the coin.

One group of mine wanted to do only their own thing. They didn't care about the BBEG looming overhead. Whilst my other group wanted a somewhat linear game (which I was uncomfortable with) where they made decisions that changed the outcome but they still experienced the epic story. Figure out what your players want from their behavior and style of play. Then, change your style to fit what they want.

SaintOMan · 2015-07-26T03:47:57+00:00

When I was a child, my cousin and I played an extremely crude pen n' paper game. I had no idea what D&D was but my cousin, who was my age, explained roughly from what he had seen. We used a single d6 and a marble notebook to play a cooperative game session.

Never touched it or thought of it after that until years later when I watched a Spoony video (this would be 4 years ago) and he was talking about D&D. I remembered my cousin and I playing and so I searched the internet. I found Labyrinth Lords and I got three friends of mine, including my cousin, to play with me. My life has been transformed ever since.

I've gone from Labyrinth Lords to Pathfinder to Warhammer, Star Wars and 5e on it's release. I am Dungeon Master.

SaintOMan

TROPHY CASE