Salt Lake Comic Con 2017

Originally published by Utah Geek Magazine (check out their site and Facebook page for more pictures).

There is no simple way of wrapping up an event like Salt Lake Comic Con 2017 in a single simple sentence. Exclamations can be made, but they can't tell you what it was about. I attended all three days of the event and had the opportunity of meeting with a lot of people there to get some ideas of what the event was and what it meant

Who Was At The Con

For many of the people coming to Salt Lake Comic Con it was a place to have the opportunity of meeting the media stars they have come to enjoy. For many this means thinking of those who perform on our favorite television programs and movies—and there were a lot.

Michael Rooker and Dick Van Dyke

For three full days we had the opportunity of meeting, getting autographs and photographs, and spending a few minutes with those entertain us on the big and little screen. Along with those who are well known there were those getting started. Independent film makers were there sharing their visions. Other forms of art were also well represented.

The artist alley was comprised of artists who have worked on major animated productions and books along with those who are just starting out. I think every art form was represented (I'm not going to try to name them all because I know I will miss somebody's favorite). I talked with some of the artists who were impressed with the attendance of Salt Lake Comic Con. A couple who travel between conventions were really enjoying the level of knowledge and courtesy their fans have in Salt Lake City.

This was not just in the form of two-dimensional art work. There were a number of crafters sharing what they create. There were all the accessories you could be looking for to complete an outfit for out on the town, or at the next cosplay event. There were those who had items to show your fandom in more everyday items like pens and blankets. If you were unable to find what you were looking for, you could talk to people and they would help create what you wanted. One shop was laser etching on the spot.

There were other fandoms in attendance. Books are strong forms of entertainment and there were some wonderful authors sharing their thoughts and their books. Forewarning: I am biased about books. They are my first love of entertainment (second is games). I talked with authors covering a wide range of genres and they, like the artists, were impressed with the people they were meeting. A number of authors were selling out of their stores and I know a couple who were frantically coming up with extra copies for Saturday because they had sold out on Friday.

John Barrowman

The gamers were not left out. Both electronic and tabletop games had strong showing, both in providing products and in looking for games. Salt Lake Gaming Convention had a location where people were able to sit and play console games.  There were also game shops with items so fans could show which games are their favorites.

Tabletop games were also available. Along with the game shops, I know there were a half-a-dozen developers showing their games. There were also accessory companies with dice, bags, and boards. An open gaming room was there with the Adventurer's League hosting tables and open table space for everyone to use. Some people found this a nice reprieve from the volume of the general floor.

I am also happy to say there were organization in attendance who help the community at large. There were cosplay groups and other organizations who were there raising awareness and support for people in need. I am even more happy to report those organizations said they had great support from the people they came in contact with, either at their booth or out and about throughout the convention.

Who Was Really At The Con

Conventioneer

The largest group at Salt Lake Comic Con were the fans, you who are reading this. Throughput the event I heard speakers claim if it wasn't for the fans, none of this would matter. It's true. Not in the way that a cynic would claim because of ticket sales, but because it is the energy and enthusiasm of the individual fans coming together that make conventions exciting and fun to be at.

There was no point during the entire convention where cosplay was not occurring. There were cosplayers in strollers to those with walkers. There were cosplayers for every area of fandom. I like to think I have a good understanding of the different areas and I met players I didn't recognize. And, yet, along with those of us not in costume, we were all sharing in the event.

I enjoy seeing how people were gracious in their play. People of all shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities were good to each other. We were having fun. We recognized those who had done something we appreciated and we were gracious in being appreciated.

Conventions are hard on the body. I know people who are most likely sleeping away this afternoon (I am writing this on the Sunday after) and I am there with them. Others are still cleaning up from the merriment. While others are making their way home, or to their next engagement. Event fans in attendance will most likely take some time to allow themselves to recover from the time spent at the convention center. We attended knowing the physical consequences.

This convention is about reviving the spirit of creativity and fun. We went because we were seeing not only the people involved in the creation of the stories or bringing those stories to life, we were seeing the characters they represent. Many were becoming the characters to show our appreciation for what they have given us. We go because it gives us the memories of past stories, and the hope of new ones.

More Conventioneers

It is the people I meet that make conventions so great, and all the people who were part of Salt Lake Comic Con 2017 made this event a wonderful memory. This goes to the organizers, the guests, the attendees, the workers in the booths, the workers of the convention center, and the volunteers.

I tip my hat (it was either a cap or bowler depending on which day) to everyone. Now, I think I will take a nap and start getting ready for the next event.

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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Dead Shack, Movie Review Screened at FilmQuest 2017

Dead Shack is a horror/comedy/young adult (YA) movie with the tropes you've come to expect. It takes place in a cabin in the woods and there are zombies. There is the smart aleck younger brother. There are teenagers who save the day, and along the way they deal with some of their own teenager problems. There is humor which would push it to a PG level, and there is language, which would take it to an R rating. These elements combined to present a solid story, but none of them stood out to grab me.

That is because, Dead Shack is a YA horror film. The expected layers of a YA story are present. There are teenagers who, because of their familial situations, are socially struggling. They encounter a situation they bring to the adults. The adults don't believe the outlandish story, and then are unable to do anything about the problem. With a little luck and ingenuity, the youth come up with a plan bringing them through the experience. By the end the teens are changed, presumably for the better.

The Characters and Acting Are Solid

Each character in Dead Shack was their own person and the portrayals of the characters were enjoyable because personalities didn't break. Fitting into the YA setup is the tough sister, Summer (Lizzie Boys), her smart aleck brother, Colin (Gabriel LaBelle), and his friend Jason (Matthew Nelson-Mahood) who allows himself to be pushed around and likes Summer. The three are on a camping trip to a cabin in the woods by the sibling's dad (Donavon Stinson) along with his latest girlfriend (Valerie Tian). The kids go exploring and see the neighbor (Lauren Holly) feeding her family, who happen to be zombies.

The Plot is Young Adult

In a horror film I expect to see characters get killed. Some of them you want to see get it, while others are rooted for to make it through to the end. After the initial introduction to are main characters I was fairly confident of who was going to make it through and who wasn't. And those expectations were met.

I found the plot to be predictable because it fit into the YA format. I talked with others who were in the screening and they had different thoughts about the predictability of Dead Shack. They felt there were unexpected turns that kept them guessing till the end. The main point of enjoyment for them was the teenagers solving the situation.

The humor in the movie goes along with the genre. There are some funny situations and the commentary from Colin is a typical teenage boy who has few restraints.

Dead Shack also has some heart to it. Even with the dysfunctionality of the family, they are still family and they are going to do what needs to be done. This theme was carried through from beginning to end giving the movie coherence.

Overall

Dead Shack is a good movie for spending some time with. There is nothing overly gross or disturbing. A couple of scenes come close—it is still a horror movie—there is some flesh eating and hammer bashing.

The YA format in books and movies is strong right now and Dead Shack is a solid representation of the genre.

I saw Dead Shack at FilmQuest2017 in Provo, Utah. It is currently on the film festival circuit.

Dead Shack was shot and made in Canada.

Director: Peter Ricq

Writers: Phil Ivanusic, and Peter Ricq

Length: 82 Minutes

I give it a score of 3 out of 5, a solid movie

Originally published by Utah Geek Magazine.

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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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.

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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Forbidden Island, Game Review

Time is quickly running out as the land beneath your feet is sinking into the ocean. Your team of stalwart professional adventurers must work quick and smart to recover the treasures of the island and get everyone to the helicopter in time. You have experts on your team that can help in different ways, but even with all of your skill the island is going to be lost and this is the last chance to recover the artifacts of a time gone by.

Forbidden Islandis a cooperative game designed by Matt Leacock, illustrated by C.B. Canga, and distributed by Gamewright for 2 to 4 players where everyone succeeds together, or not. There are six characters that are randomly dealt to the players to determine who is working to recover the four artifacts. While the island is sinking players must work together to shore flooded areas and do the treasure hunting.

On your turn you draw cards from a players' deck. The players' deck consists of treasure, action, and Water Rise!" cards. Each player can only hold five cards in their hand, which creates another level of needing to work together. To recover a treasure you need a set of four of the same treasure card and there are only five of each in the players' deck. You have to decide which cards to save. Then when the opportunity arises you can pass treasure cards to get one player holding a set so they can move to the right tile and collect the treasure. After you complete your action island cards are drawn to see which sections of the island flood.

Drawing cards from the island deck creates the timer for the game and increases the difficulty the longer the game goes on. Similar to other cooperative games the island cards reset during play by the random draw of a Waters Rise! card from the players' deck. When this happens the previously played island cards are shuffled and placed on top of the island deck, putting any tile that have become flooded at risk of sinking out of the game. A water level chart also rises which determines how many island cards are drawn each turn.

Twenty four island tiles are placed in the same pattern to create the shape of the island, but they are placed in random order. Every game the island is different. There are two locations for each treasure and the helicopter pad. If the both treasure tiles for an unclaimed treasure sink or the helicopter pad sinks, the treasure hunters fail in their mission.

Forbidden Islandis for ages 10 and up. We played it several times and found it to have a good balance for older and younger players. The game is designed to last 30 minutes and we found that really close.

If you are a fan of Pandemicand have some younger players who want to join into the game, Forbidden Island is a game you should check into.

Originally published by Utah Geek Magazine.

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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Enjoyment of Short Films and FilmQuest

Attending FilmQuest this year (2017) brought back my enjoyment of short films. I didn't realize until sitting through a couple of blocks of films how much I liked them while I was growing up. As a disclaimer up front, I am going to pitch to you why you should be checking out short films at the independent theaters, film festivals, and other places you can find them.

I haven't seen a block of short films in years. This is my fault. I look at my schedule and would think I don't have time for such nonsense like a short film. This is an oddity because I like reading and writing short stories. Several of my favorite short story authors are H. P. Lovecraft, Roger Zelazny, and Philip Jose Farmer. Looking at who I enjoy, I'm not surprised the shorts at FilmQuest were so enjoyable to me.

I wracked my memory to come up with the last time I saw a collection of short films. It was when I was attending the University of Utah and a group of us went to the Blue Mouse to see that year's award-winning shorts. That was the year Pixar introduced the lamps. Something we now see at the start of their movies and consider it to be so basic in animation. Back then, it was cutting edge.

My enjoyment of the shorts goes back further. Along with what I liked to read, it went along with what I liked to watch. I didn't always get to watch the programs I wanted to (I'm the youngest of five children), and if you missed an episode you had to find someone to tell you about it. Or, later, you hoped someone recorded it on their VCR. Growing up, I enjoyed watching the shows that were not episodic dramas or comedies. I enjoyed the shows that represented short film making.

Three of my favorites TV shows were The Twilight Zone (in rerun), The Outer Limits (also in rerun), and Night Gallery. Again, I see how the Filmquest films fit right in to what I like. These shows showcased the short format of film storytelling. Every week a new story would be presented with new settings, characters, and plots. Seldom did a story carry over into the next week's episode.

The Outer Limitsand The Twilight Zoneare still being watched regularly (unfortunately Night Gallery hasn't done as well). I've talked with people who enjoy watching these older shows and we've had discussions about which episode, which story, were our favorites (one of mine is Green Fingers from Night Gallery).

I have friends who haven't gone to see a short film in a long time, or at all, and realized how much we've been missing out on.

FilmQuest targets fantasy, science fiction, and horror. There are other festivals for other genres. Independent movie houses present short films in blocks so you get multiple stories for the price of a single ticket. At FilmQuest there are around 10 short films showing in a block.

If you enjoy reading short stories, or if enjoyed the TV shows that gave a different story, or several, every episode, I recommend checking out short films.

Originally published by Utah Geek Magazine.

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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Adding a Horror Element Into Any RPG

There are role-playing games (RPGs) designed to take horror as the main theme, like horror novels. Games designed around the concept that there are events and things making people jump, or squirm, or go mad. However, there are elements of horror in most stories, those we read, see, hear, and play. Elements of horror are important in storytelling because they help in creating the mood for the people experience the story as it unravels to them. A problem with many RPGs is the elements of horror aren't used, skimmed over, or, even more common, missed by the players.

The party of adventures break through the doors of the unholy shrine after fighting through the cultist minions. They are facing the evil high priest who is standing behind a sacrificial altar. Spread before the priest is a scene of gruesome proportions: blood and body parts spread out and beyond the altar—blood has splattered to the corners of the room. The iron scent from the blood mixes with the incense and charcoal burning in the five braziers set at the points of a pentagram. And, the air is full of the moans of more cultists chained to the walls on either side. The wails take on an unworldly proportion. Each moan escaping their lips comes out a black wisp moving and curling together to make a cloud above the sacrifice.

The next move is, the party attacks the priest and dispatch the chained cultists.

The element of horror designed into the encounter becomes lost on the players as they are involved in the building of the story. The goal here, therefore, is to provide a mechanic allowing players to experience some level of the horror without slowing down the action or story building taking place.

This mechanic is based on a d20 system and it can be easily translated over to other systems. It is designed to give guidance and not to be an absolute rule.

A Character's Sanity Score

The Sanity score is an independent score that is adjusted like hit points through game play. The score reflects the mental health/strength/sanity of the character at the given moment in time.

From Night of the Living Dead

Characters start with a sanity score of +4. A game master (GM) can start at a higher level if they feel the characters have a better grip on events. The basic of the discussions held on the starting points is summed up here.

The argument for higher scores is that adventuring characters are subject to the horrors of adventuring so they are not as easily affected.

My argument for a lower starting number is most characters are not used to seeing these types of horrors. Further, in the discussions I noticed the argument was based more on what the players and GMs noted they had heard and faced over years of gaming from the viewpoints of different characters. Descriptions are given in adventures, but the full impact of the visual, odor, feeling of the scene is not as easily represented when players are focusing on the strategic elements of the upcoming battle.

As characters advance, their sanity score increases by 1d4 per level. This reflects the increasing mental fortitude of the character as they have become exposed to more horrific events and scenes. This combined total is the maximum sanity of the character. More on this when talking about recovery of sanity.

Creating a Horror Rating

Encounters are given a horror rating by the GM. This is purely a subjective number. At first, I put together some guidelines for how to score this rating. But, after discussions, it was easy to see each GM had a different concept of what they classify as horrific for the campaign they were running. For example, orcs are raised to a different level of brutality than merchants in colonial America. This also allows for the use of a lower starting number of points because the GM can moderate the horror rating of the encounters

Not every encounter needs a horror rating. When running an adventure and the scene is fitting to the campaign, the characters would probably not consider it to be horrific. Placing a slaughter house in an adventure would have very different impacts on characters from different eras.

Exposure to more horrific scenes will always have an impact on a character. This means any horror rating of 15 or greater will always have some effect on a character. Whereas, lesser scores may not.

Sanity Score Versus the Horror Rating

From Nosferatu

If the horror rating is equal to or less than the character's current sanity score, there is no affect. The character is mentally strong/sane enough to deal with the encounter. If the horror score is greater than the character's current sanity score, a check is required. Roll a d20 and add the sanity score to the roll to determine if there is an affect. When the combined total is equal to or greater than the horror rating, there is no affect. Otherwise, the character loses 1 point to their sanity score.

Any encounter that has a horror check of 15 or more always takes 1 sanity point from the character when they succeed a check, or 2 if the check fails.

If a player rolls a 1 on the d20 it is an automatic failure.

Example

The party rushes into the room encountering the evil priest amidst a sacrifice. The GM has decided the mixture of sight, sounds, and odors are enough to warrant a horror rating of 20.

Diane, playing a fighter, has a current sanity score of +25. The scene shakes her up a little, but because her sanity score is higher than the rating, she doesn't need to make a check. She loses 1 point and her sanity score is now +24.

Bob, playing a wizard, has a current sanity score of +16. He makes a check. The d20 rolls a 15. The 16 is added to the 15 for a total of 31, success. But, since the scene is so horrific his sanity score still goes down by 1 point to +15.

Dave's character comes into the room with a sanity score of +15, and he rolls a 4. Dave missed the check. He loses 2 point (1 for missing and 1 for the scene being above a 15) and his score adjusts to +13.

What This Does for the Players

This is not an absolute rule, or table to check against, telling players what is happening to their character and how to play them. It is provided as a guideline: a score to help them stay in the storyline with what the characters are encountering.

Film festival of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror

Consider any positive score as maintaining a sane state of being. The higher the score the more grounded the character is in their reality. The closer to zero the score gets the less stable they are becoming. The stresses of adventuring is slowly and steadily wearing their mental state down.

If a character reaches zero on their sanity score, their mentally state is in question. The further in the minus they go the worse they become. At -10 they are insane, which can only be cured magically, or through serious therapy.

Each player decides for their character how the character reacts. This might sound a little loose, but everyone responds differently. One person might develop a phobia, while another might do the opposite and embrace what they are seeing. Character quirks and flaws can develop over long or short term. They might go quieter, hoping to hide away from more encounters, or get louder. Giving the players the liberty to develop how they play allows the character's individual "sanity" to play a part. In playtesting one player started using it to argue for the group to turn back, even though most everyone else had been unaffected by what they had encountered.

Regaining Lost Sanity

Regaining points to a character's sanity score requires the character to spend time doing something to get balance back in their life.

Personal activity can be done to restore a sense of well-being, or balance. Exercises (like yoga, mental exercises, performing kata, martial training) or mediations (spending time in a comforting surrounding) or common forms dealing with stress. The surrounding would be a place the character is comfortable. This provides 1 point over 4 days of rest or activity where a least 2 hours a day are spent on the activity. This type of activity is individualized. What some people find relaxing others don't. The idea is to have the characters take some down time, relax, and deal with some of the stress they have been living through.

Counseling can be done in a group, or individually with a trained counselor. Counseling sessions are at least 1 hour in 1 day. And, a character needs 2 sessions (2 days of counseling) to regain 1 point. This is with a group, or counselor, who understands that what the character is seeing is in fact real. If the group or counselor don't believe the character, then the number of days is doubled (same as doing it on your own, but with less time each day).

Some activities can combine the personal and group activity and the best of the combination would help restore a person.

A recent horror read (review)

When dealing in magical settings, clerics could be used as counselors and spells can be used to restore sanity. This can be done along the same lines as curing wounds with spells designed to help the mental state instead of the physical (i.e., Cure Light Mental Infliction, Calm Nerves).

This sanity score works in different settings equally well and can be easily added in at any time. Along with the player who was trying to talk the party to retreat from possible more encounters, another play-tester used their misses as a guide to how they responded in the encounter. Both players used the score in different ways to enhance their role-playing.

The party advances into the room. The fighter charges forward letting out a war cry of her Amazonian tribe. The wizard steps to the side of the doorway and starts casting a spell targeting the evil priest. The cleric enters and stumbles a little from the scene. While the cleric gathers himself to focus on the gathering dark mass above the altar the thief pushes around him. The smell rocks him back on his heels for just a moment and he stuffs a cloth in his mouth to breathe through as he moves towards the cultists on the right wall.

Originally published on Stuffer Shack.

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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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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The Temple of Gruumsh in Hork

From Slavador Trakal

There are six major orc deities and all are worshipped in the city of Hork. The religions are an independent major power structure that competes against and works with the political power of the Council of Kings. Gruumsh is the most worshiped deity of the pantheon within the city. The other five maintain strong followings and their numbers fluctuate as their popularity grows and wanes. Because of the position of the high priest of Gruumsh in the Council of Kings, none of them have the same influence and control of the general populace.

All the temples maintain their positions of power in Hork by appealing more to the common orcs and across the tribes. This helps their political power as well, since the kings know that upsetting the higher priests, of any temple, can be a quick way of losing leadership.

Most orcs pay tribute to more than one of the key gods of the pantheon. There are also followings of the more obscure ones which aren't talked about much. This style of worship is also reflected by the tribes. A tribe has their patron deity and the others are worshipped to a lesser degree.

Here is the leadership of the priesthood of Gruumsh.

The high priest of the temple of Gruumsh is Gorrukk. This older orc is older than most orcs in the city and still looks like he could manage himself in a fight. However, he knows he doesn't have the quickness he once had and has turned to dealing with the politics at the Council of Kings.

Gorrukk maintains influence in the Court due to his extensive knowledge about the individual kings and what is happening within their tribes. His network of informants includes priests he has personally placed with each king as consultants to their tribal court. An intermediate for the king and tribe to Gruumsh.

The kings' know these consultants are a two-headed axe. And, both sides of an axe can be wielded. Gorrukk also understands his consultant priests have divided loyalty to their tribe, king, and temple. To ensure he has the right information, his network goes well beyond those few orcs.

Gorrukk has two main goals while in the Council of Kings. The first is to maintain the King of Black Fang as the King of Kings. Tuagout is a capable figurehead leader for the city. However, Gorrukk ensures Tuagout's position is always working to maintain the conflicts within and without the city so he doesn't get too involved with the matters of religion.

From Deviant Art

Along with maintaining a somewhat stable leadership for the city, Gorrukk works to ensure the other races now living in the city are controlled. He believes the largest threat to the city of Hork are the non-orcs who have been allowed to enter the city. And, those now living in the city would best be dealt with by killing them or expelling them. He doesn't trust non-orcs and the only slaves he keeps are the undead he has created and can control.

With his time being devoted to activities of court Gorrukk leaves most of the temple business Kuhkill.

Kuhkill is the next highest ranking priest in the temple. Where Gorrukk is concerned about maintaining the current order of the city sitting in the council chamber, Kuhkill is inclined to be an orc of action. His main goal, besides ensuring his place in the pecking order, is to strengthen the temple of Gruumsh's position within the city. His own spy network gives him much of the same information about the tribal activities that his leader gets. With that information Kuhkill focuses on what can be used to recruit more priests and followers. His manner of growing the following of Gruumsh uses whatever means he feels useful.

Kuhkill's rise in power has been helped by his association with the thieves' and assassins' guilds. He has found a level of fear of not following a command from the temple is a strong motivator for many orcs to be faithful. When the fear is generated by the unknown hand of Gruumsh, faith can even become stronger.

He is also willing to use the priests and the holy warriors of Gruumsh as he feels they are most useful. Gorrukk has turned is eye away from how Kuhkill manages the faithful since his heavier involvement in court.

Kuhkill is well known by many orcs in the halls of Hork and spends a lot of time in the market hall consorting at the different businesses. Kuhkill's activities brings money to many commoners and they don't want to upset the current order, as long as it is paying so well. He is also known for not wasting time of killing an individual who has offended him.

Many see him as the real leader of the temple. This is not spoken openly. There are more informants than not. If you're not selling information, you're shorting your purse.

Kuhkill allows the next priest in line at the temple to be the Gorrukk's assistant. Mogfu is better suited to sit with the old orc. And the two underling priests have an unspoken understanding that the power arrangement of court and city will be maintained after Gorrukk's death.

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