KublaCon 2017 part 2

The adventure that I was to run was called the Red Pit which is found in the “Conan: Jeweled Thrones of the Earth”. I had spent some time looking at that adventure and found some major problems with the set up that they had printed. First off, the map was not as described by the text of the adventure. Second, I did not like the fact that the characters could start off as prisoners because to me that left out a lot of role play possibilities for the game. Therefore I made a map that was similar to a game I had seen on YouTube which I posted on Google plus. Red Pit Map  I recently watched a YouTube video of the same adventure done by another GM and he used my map. Generally in most adventures, characters are allowed to play with whatever class or race in the game, but in a convention game things need to be a more streamlined, so that you can get the game rolling faster, especially if you have to explain the rules.

Even though I had people drop out from the sign-ups I still had a full table because of alternates waiting to get in. I had a really nice room for the game session, so I set up my stuff and even a camera because I was thinking of videoing the session. ( you’ll find a link down below) I started the session by describing the characters in general terms. Some of the players I could tell they were real enthusiastic and they wanted to see the pictures along with the descriptions that I had prepared in plastic stand-ups.

Just the way they were talking about the characters and why they wanted to choose them, I knew I was in for fun game. In the short time that I started talking about the characters I had forgotten about camera. But one of the players reminded me and I started it. Battery problems prevented me from getting a continuous recording.

Conan_RedPit_Pregens

The main difference in the scenario I ran and the printed adventure was the group had been captured and were being transported to the Red Pit. This gave them time to talk to other prisoners and interact with their captors which allowed for role playing. I think also bringing them into the pit made it easier for them to understand how they needed to escape. I was never a big fan of the nemesis being nice to the player characters by giving them time out of their shackles as in the original adventure. The Red Pit is supposed to be a very  dire place. Fortunately, they realized that being placed into irons was probably the worst situation and that was their motive for escape.

For the most part, the game followed the adventure with the characters making it to the Eunuchs Ear and fighting their way up. One very fortunate incident was the archer taking away a bow from the enemy and using it quite handily. The great beast was not able to be as effective as I thought and so was beaten with all the characters cooperating in defeating it.

Overall everyone had fun and learned the new Modiphius 2d20 rules. I did have one person drop out during the game because he was too tired to continue. My brother who had joined to spectate took the spot and a friend of ours Phil filled the other vacant spot at the beginning which was very fortunate and just added to the fun. I ended the game with just a few enemies left as I thought that they would overcome them easily with just about an hour past scheduled end time.

Kublacon 2017 Conan RPG 2d20 video

Thanks to John H. Kim who provided the original descriptions of the barbarians to run the The Red Pit scenario this way.

DDC 41 – Three Rings of Doom

Three Rings of Doom was a multi-GM multi-genre role-playing game event at Dundracon 41 on Friday evening in San Ramon, California.

My sister-in-law, Jolene had come up with an idea running three RPG tables at the same time but each with their own world setting; fantasy, modern and sci-fi. All these tables would be running with same system or similar system enough that they would be compatible if one player was able to move to another table. Of which the main idea was that they would all end up together in a final Conflict. The seeds of this idea came from where other friend & kids played in a D&D game where all the parties came together at the very end. You can find some more info & photos here at Saulster’s Blog

For my part, I will write about my portion the in the whole event which was science fiction or as my sister-in-law like to call it Space Opera.

But in a way, she is right because we actually own a role playing game called Space Opera which came out in the early 1980s. My brother and I played and GMed it for a few years back then after I figured it out. And probably in the last 10 years my brother has gamed Space Opera at SF Bay Area conventions on a semi-regular basis and myself twice.

The players started out Transcendence Station Spaceport and I explain to them a little bit about the world. Thousands of years in the future which in current events the death of the emperor was about 13 years previously. So space or the galaxy was now being run by small Confederations which make it profitable for small time traders to go from confederation to confederation to make trading runs.

It was suggested that game start off with an action scene, but myself, I thought a little bit of role-playing before any incident would help ease the players into making it feel like they were in the far future. I prepared a vinyl battlemap by drawing the port area where there spaceship was dock and nearby buildings. There was some role playing with various spaceport denizens. I introduced some decisions for the group to make and at that time a fight broke out. I thought all the characters were able to make use of their skills even though the challenge was not very difficult.

So, the game was off to the races. The game was scheduled for

  • Group assembles
  • First conflict
  • Find the next location
  • Second conflict