Of possible interest to Dungeon Fantasy players

[Jürgen Hubert]

I've recently started two threads over at RPGNet which might be of interest to Dungeon Fantasy players. This thread lists all sorts of archetypal Dungeon Fantasy adventure locations.

And this thread attempts to come up with a setting framework where the typical lifestyle of delvers actually makes sense, for those who want some more Dreaded Role-Playing in their campaign - basically, they represent their own social class that stands apart from the normal feudal order, with its own restrictions and privileges, and which evolved because civilization needed its own class of highly-trained monster hunters to prevent the monsters from overrunning civilization (which has happened numerous times in the past, thus explaining all those treasure-filled dungeons).

I have to admit, I am very tempted to write this up as a 20 page mini-setting and selling it as an ebook...

[the_seeker]

Originally Posted by Jürgen Hubert

I am very tempted to write this up as a 20 page mini-setting and selling it as an ebook...

And if not that, you could probably condense it into a very interesting Pyramid article.

Just sayin'...

[Jürgen Hubert]

Originally Posted by the_seeker

And if not that, you could probably condense it into a very interesting Pyramid article.

Just sayin'...

I did consider that, but I think this would likely be of wider interest than just GURPS and Steve Jackson Games fans. All those D&D and Pathfinder players, for instance... ;)

Besides, it's not as if this framework really needs any game-specific rules.

[vierasmarius]

I really like the Doomed Slayers thread. I'm considering how the represent their obligations and privileges in GURPS terms.

To start with they have the Slayer's Code of Honor: Help all who ask, Don't remain living in one place for long, and Own no more than can be carried. Presumably they also can't hold an official Title, since that's generally tied to an Estate, and they're supposed to remain a-political. They can still gain Status from Wealth, though that will be limited based on how much they can take with them. All together, the Slayer's Code seems as limiting as Bushido or Chivalry. [-15]

They also have a set of rights that can be summed up as follows: Right to freedom of Travel, right to Compensation for their deeds, and right of Salvage on loot. This is basically a minor Legal Immunity (free from laws restricting travel, weapon use, reclamation of stolen goods, etc) and resembles a Letter of Marque. I'd place it at [10].

[Jürgen Hubert]

Sounds good for starters. Note that not all Slayers will have the Code of Honor - quite a few are only in this for profit or other reasons, and will break it if they think they can get away with it.

For a GURPS Dungeon Fantasy campaign I would treat the rights and duties of Slayers as campaign assumptions and charge no points for it. Each Slayer can also take the optional Code of Honor for extra points, but this is not mandatory (though it should probably be included in the disadvantage list of all templates).

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Jürgen Hubert

Sounds good for starters. Note that not all Slayers will have the Code of Honor - quite a few are only in this for profit or other reasons, and will break it if they think they can get away with it.

For a GURPS Dungeon Fantasy campaign I would treat the rights and duties of Slayers as campaign assumptions and charge no points for it. Each Slayer can also take the optional Code of Honor for extra points, but this is not mandatory (though it should probably be included in the disadvantage list of all templates).

That makes sense. As long as the PCs act like Slayers, they will be treated accordingly. It's up to them whether it's a Code that they uphold, or mere expediency. In that case, since the benefits they receive are contingent on maintaining at least the appearance of following the code, I'd drop the value somewhat. Even without the actual Code of Honor they'd be restricted in terms of Wealth, Status and property. Absent those elements, it's probably worth at most [-10].

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Jürgen Hubert

I've recently started two threads over at RPGNet which might be of interest to Dungeon Fantasy players. This thread lists all sorts of archetypal Dungeon Fantasy adventure locations.

And this thread attempts to come up with a setting framework where the typical lifestyle of delvers actually makes sense, for those who want some more Dreaded Role-Playing in their campaign - basically, they represent their own social class that stands apart from the normal feudal order, with its own restrictions and privileges, and which evolved because civilization needed its own class of highly-trained monster hunters to prevent the monsters from overrunning civilization (which has happened numerous times in the past, thus explaining all those treasure-filled dungeons).

I have to admit, I am very tempted to write this up as a 20 page mini-setting and selling it as an ebook...

Years ago, I found a link to an FTP site with some RPG articles, almost all about AD&D although they tended not to admit that they weren't generic, and one of them was a quite interesting one, suggesting that the economy implied by the pricings in AD&D core books and supplements was of the same shape as a gold rush area economy, meaning there was huge inflation, and lots of luxury goods and services available.

I lost the URL long ago, but it's possible someone else remembers it. And even if not, it's more the idea itself that made sense to me (from the perspective of actively wanting D&D-land - I actively want to avoid it), than that I remember the article as being extrmely worth reading.

[Jürgen Hubert]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Years ago, I found a link to an FTP site with some RPG articles, almost all about AD&D although they tended not to admit that they weren't generic, and one of them was a quite interesting one, suggesting that the economy implied by the pricings in AD&D core books and supplements was of the same shape as a gold rush area economy, meaning there was huge inflation, and lots of luxury goods and services available.

I lost the URL long ago, but it's possible someone else remembers it. And even if not, it's more the idea itself that made sense to me (from the perspective of actively wanting D&D-land - I actively want to avoid it), than that I remember the article as being extrmely worth reading.

Interesting, though I see it more in terms of social restraints and possibilities than economic ones. Though of course the two are related...

[Moebius]

Originally Posted by Jürgen Hubert

I have to admit, I am very tempted to write this up as a 20 page mini-setting and selling it as an ebook...

Do it! Count mine as a voice supporting you in this. I'd buy it.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Years ago, I found a link to an FTP site with some RPG articles, almost all about AD&D although they tended not to admit that they weren't generic

[...]

I lost the URL long ago, but it's possible someone else remembers it.

While I'm not familiar with that specific article, I think I do remember that FTP archive from back in the 1990s. Iowa State, IIRC. It tended to go up and down -- up before TSR discovered the Internet in late 1994, down when TSR discovered the Internet and became T$R, up again when Wizards bought out TSR and immediately decreed that the TSR Internet policy was asinine.

I'm pretty sure it's toast nowadays. The other possible site was one in Finland, owned by a guy who was a big Ars Magica fan and looked like a young Beethoven on a pogo ball (which was the picture on his web site), and it's gone nowadays too.