Jim Simons wrote: > > I have a group of friend, some of which are Brust fans. We were > > interested in starting role-playing again after a couple of year > hiatus, and I decided to start one in the Jhereg universe. We are using AD&D 3rd > Edition rule set Howard Brazee asked: > Why? Use the rules as little as possible, use story telling > as much as possible. Agreed, but a good RPG campaign is a combination of both. Eventually when the players decide to burn down a rival warehouse by driving a wagonload of naphtha into the center and igniting it, and warehouse guards choose to object, or when they decide to seduce a reluctant Dzurlord into a compromising position, and need to judge the success of their efforts, a rule set for resolving conflicts is necessary. Using an establish rule set help give the player a better feeling that they are at least partly in control of their destiny - that's they are not just "novel characters" in a pre-determined play where everything is fixed. On the other hand, a good game master never lets the rules get in the way of a good story, or a good adventure. Making up a custom rule set is possible (I've done it before) but more complex than we were looking for in a semi-monthly "get together" type campaign. As a side note.. the wargamer in me actually prefers the Rolemaster rule set for fantasy adventure spells and combat (Motto: Combat is more than bruising your opponent to death) .. but have reluctantly concluded that the added flexibility and realism comes at too much too high a price to the roleplay.. combat just takes too long to resolve, and it slows the game too much. Jim Simons wrote: > All the characters are of the Jhereg house, 5 > > "Humans", 3 "Easterners" (which is a bit high..) Howard Brazee asked: > > What are the backgrounds of the elves? Breeding makes a > significant difference. Give them pasts that matter. Of course.. each (human and Easterner) have unique and individualized backgrounds, some of which weave in the current plotlines, some that will be touched on in future ones. I won't say any more here.. because they don't know each others, and some of them are on this mailing list.. but if you want to know more detail.. or a synopsis of the adventures so far (I keep a log with about 2 pages of summery per playing session to help keep the details fresh) feel free to email me.) > > Those are the only two types of magic you have? At the moment.. I started with mostly the AD&D cookie cutter system in order to get going, with a few adaptations. I need to put more design time into customizing the magic system, as I do into the combat system, but it competes with everything else I "need" to do... > >Allen S. Rout wrote: > >> I'm thinking pre-interregnum settings, so my first > challenge has been > >> modelling flashstones so that they aren't totally unbalancing. > >Howard Brazee responded: > Remember the Orb and related sorcery were much less > developed. But if > you do this, give extra credit for players whose characters > talk as Paarfi > would have them talk. Agreed. I went with post-interregnum myself. We still have a bit of Paarfi-style interaction in the roleplaying parts, although trying to maintain it for very long "real-time" soon taxes everyone.. >Howard Brazee wrote: > Decide how to handle + weapons. Agreed.. +weapon are either well crafted (masterwork) or enhanced for additional sharpness, etc (magical) >There aren't many Great > Weapons. Yep. Unlikely to be seen for quite a while. How many books did it take Vlad to get one ?? > Morganti blades seem more common, but don't fight better. Disagree.. I think for the most part they will be rare, and master crafted with a minor bonus.. but the players have yet to see one in my campaigns > Figure how often deaths are unrevivable. Gamemaster's discretion based on the manner and style of death. The enforcer that bought it in combat with Dragonlord was revivable.. the thief who had a disagreement with a Racoiss (alligator) in the sewers and was partially eaten was not. For NPC's -- it depends on what works better for the overall plot :) It is a important point for the characters.. because they often have to try to either keep their opponents alive, or at least revivable. >I recently started reading Elizabeth Moon I read the first couple of her Space Opera series. I couldn't help comparing them to Weber's Honor Harrington, which I thought was a considerably better handling of much the same subject. (although with Weber - all the character are either heroes or villains - no shades of grey) Because of that.. I haven't tried her fantasy.