Emirikol the Chaotic
Sep. 28th, 2006 06:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
subplotkudzu
It's becoming clear to me that I lack the mental energy in a post-baby universe to run the Revolution game the way I want. I can't be guaranteed of having anywhere near enough sleep the night before the session, or enough concentration the week before to get the multitude of plots and sub plots sorted out. At the session proper we've been digressing a lot lately (not aided by having a toddler around for the last 3rd of every session) and while we're having a fun time it's not producing the immersive and sometimes intense gaming that I want from the game.
In short, I end each session with a mixed feeling of enjoyment and frustration at lost opportunities. No one's doing anything wrong, it's just we have a new reality, and I have to adapt to it. Hence, this month or next is probably the last Revolution game for a while - time to put that one back on the shelf until the kids are older.
So what to do next?
I know that![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ladegard mentioned possibly running a Weapons of the Gods game, but I also know myself well enough to know that if I'm not running something I'll go quietly mad - and netcurmudgeon is currently behind the screen with my other group. For ease of strain on my psyche I'm thinking of something fairly episodic, low impact and tolerant of digressions, and that means some sort of fantasy, likely in D&D. Both Bec and Cambias said they were cool with that (and this is my sneaky way of getting Ladegard's input), and then Cambias kicked something over in my head by saying he'd never been in a swashbuckler game that got off the ground.
What fell out from that kick was Trampier's Emirikol the Chaotic picture from the 1st edition DMG. I always found that scene, especially the city it presented, as evocative, but nevr felt I got the city right in any other game. A group of lower level (campaign running from, say, 1st to 6th level to keep the fencing matches gritty) fighters, rogues et al in such a city, with a conflict between Law and Chaos, a noble 'phoenix guard' type group for the PCs to aspire towards, with extensive docks and waterborne trade if the players want do some privateering, and tombs of old, dead imperial lines filled with ancient treasures to be unearthed, sounds like it could work.
I'd have a couple of pre-set dungeon tombs for the weeks when I have minimal brain power, and more complicated urban plots for the weeks when I'm better off. I've always found D&D easy to run and plan for, and the setting should keep the kudzu to a minimum.
More on this as it develops.
In short, I end each session with a mixed feeling of enjoyment and frustration at lost opportunities. No one's doing anything wrong, it's just we have a new reality, and I have to adapt to it. Hence, this month or next is probably the last Revolution game for a while - time to put that one back on the shelf until the kids are older.
So what to do next?
I know that
ladegard mentioned possibly running a Weapons of the Gods game, but I also know myself well enough to know that if I'm not running something I'll go quietly mad - and netcurmudgeon is currently behind the screen with my other group. For ease of strain on my psyche I'm thinking of something fairly episodic, low impact and tolerant of digressions, and that means some sort of fantasy, likely in D&D. Both Bec and Cambias said they were cool with that (and this is my sneaky way of getting Ladegard's input), and then Cambias kicked something over in my head by saying he'd never been in a swashbuckler game that got off the ground. What fell out from that kick was Trampier's Emirikol the Chaotic picture from the 1st edition DMG. I always found that scene, especially the city it presented, as evocative, but nevr felt I got the city right in any other game. A group of lower level (campaign running from, say, 1st to 6th level to keep the fencing matches gritty) fighters, rogues et al in such a city, with a conflict between Law and Chaos, a noble 'phoenix guard' type group for the PCs to aspire towards, with extensive docks and waterborne trade if the players want do some privateering, and tombs of old, dead imperial lines filled with ancient treasures to be unearthed, sounds like it could work.
I'd have a couple of pre-set dungeon tombs for the weeks when I have minimal brain power, and more complicated urban plots for the weeks when I'm better off. I've always found D&D easy to run and plan for, and the setting should keep the kudzu to a minimum.
More on this as it develops.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-29 12:06 pm (UTC)For what you're trying to do though, it's perfect. The Taltos setting is too modern in its mindset to be right.
It sounds like a good idea to go with multiple, smaller tombs and mausoleums rather than the vast catacombs or previous cities and it should let you control the pace of the exploring/dungeon delving and the ratio of urban to dungeon too.