Post by James Maliszewski on Dec 16, 2007 14:12:50 GMT -6
So, my planned OD&D adventure today ran afoul of Mother Nature and had to be postponed. However, what I found interesting is that all three of my regular players (there was also a possible fourth, but he was new to our group) emailed me to express disappointment at our having to cancel on account of snow. This made me happy and helped me to realize that I'd done something right in how I presented my plans for the adventure. Reflecting on it, here was my approach; maybe it will inspire and help others who faced skepticism as I did.
1. Emphasize the possibilities of your setting and the adventure you want to run. I think, frankly, that good "stories" always beat rules. If you can present a fun and interesting adventure to your players, the rules will fade in importance (as they should). Once I told my players what the adventure was like, they took a huge interest.
2. Don't start with 1st level characters. I know and believe that a band of new 1st level characters is the iconic D&D experience, but, when introducing skeptics to OD&D, there are few harder ways to sell the thing than to have them roll up inept nobodies who are likely to die in their first melee. I opted for 6000 XP as a starting, so level 3 for all classes but clerics. That way everyone is reasonably skilled and likely to survive (although it's far from certain, which is important to the feel of the game too).
3. Offer to create the characters for them. Doing this let me create characters who, well, had character and were already plugged into the setting and adventure. I created thumbnail backgrounds for all the PCs, but nothing too elaborate, lest I stifle individual creativity. This also worked wonderfully, since, like good adventures, good characters also draw players into a game, regardless of the rules.
4. Finally, listen to their concerns and don't lecture them on OD&D/old school gaming philosophy. This was tough, because a lot of what I kept hearing sounded like they were just completely opposed to playing except "modern" games. In point of fact, they were just concerned the game would feel "flat" and that the rules would impede rather than encourage fun play. Since I'd already provided them with points 1-3 above, this was easy. Now, they don't even mention the rules.
Sure, it's possible that, when we actually play, the game will still fail and they'll hate OD&D, but I've stacked the deck pretty strongly in my favor. They already like their characters and the set-up for the adventure (derived from my own unique take on the Wilderlands of High Fantasy and some fan material therefrom); so long as the rules don't prevent their continuing to like them, I think all will be well.
Which reminds me: here's the basic set-up and their characters. As I said, this is a Wilderlands adventure that I created riffing off some submissions to the Judges Guild website:
The city-state of Zothay is ruled by a benevolent tyrant named Kritas, a wizard devoted to Law and the restoration of his city to its former glories, after many years under corrupt and evil rulership. In this, he has the support of much of the populace and the clerical leaders of the city, particularly the priesthoods of Mitra, Nephtlys, Amala, and Selanii.
Unfortunately, Kritas' predecessors saddled Zothay with a number of unpleasant situations, not least of which being an unruly Beggars Quarter, which, by law and tradition, is an autonomous sanctuary through whose gates neither the City Watch nor any other civic officials may pass. Consequently, the Quarter is under the thumb of the Thieves Guild and all manner of illicit activities originate in this den of iniquity, including a slave market. Because the law is unknown here, individuals who've committed crimes or otherwise found themselves in dire straits have fled here, where there is relative safety but little freedom, for the moment they step foot out of the Quarter, there is a chance they could be apprehended and imprisoned for their misdeeds. The only sure way out is the time-tested one found in all cities devoted to the cause of Law -- bribery.
And so it happened that three lost souls met and planned to acquire enough wealth to bribe their way out of the Beggars Quarter of Zothay and into the world beyond. These three are:
1. Magnus Eisengrim, a dwarf warrior and exiled "prince" of the Ironshield clan. Magnus inherited his father's position as head of his clan but felt his kin little more than bumpkins who'd rather eke out a pitiful existence as armorers for others than seek out glory as all dwarves should. Magnus set about re-organizing his clan for this great destiny, the first step of which was styling himself a prince and behaving in a fashion suitable to his new title. He quickly found his kin had at least a little dwarven fire left in them, as they overthrew him and he barely escaped with his life. Magnus then wandered until he came to Zothay, where he squandered his remaining funds on gambling and drink. He escaped debtors prison -- a terrible fate for a prince such as he! -- by entering the Beggars Quarter.
2. Aldess Skellight: The son of a fighting man dedicated to Mitra, Aldess admired his father, who fought witches and other evil magic-users. He hoped some day to follow in his footsteps. When his father died at the hands of a sorcerer, Aldess vowed revenge, which he achieved, slaying his father's murderer and acquiring for himself his father's blade, Dwimmersmite. Unfortunately, Aldess did not realize Dwimmersmite was a weapon with a mind of its own -- and a hatred for all practitioners of magic. Only his father's monumental force of will kept the blade in check, a will Aldess did not possess, resulting in his killing several members of Zothay's magical police force before he regained control. Aldess then had no choice but to flee to the Beggars Quarter to escape execution.
3. Orane: A pirate in his youth, Orane converted to the worship of the sea goddess Selanii after falling overboard in shark-infested waters. Fearing he would die, Orane called out for help and a group of dolphins appeared, fending off the sharks, and helping him back to shore, where he saw Selanii's seahorse symbol emblazoned on a rusted shield lying in the sand. He immediately renounced his old ways and became a cleric of the sea goddess, using unorthodox methods drawn from his youth -- such as theological sea shanties -- to convert others to Selanii's service. Eventually, Orane ran afoul of a jealous priest of Mitra who, angered by Orane's success in winning converts, called upon a little used law that forbade the use music in proselytizing. Orane's own high priest ordered him to enter the Beggars Quarter to both escape punishment and continue his mission there among the thieves and ruffians. This he has done with some success, but, separated from his temple and surrounded by so many unsavory sorts, he has occasionally lapsed into his old piratical habits, much to his own dismay.
1. Emphasize the possibilities of your setting and the adventure you want to run. I think, frankly, that good "stories" always beat rules. If you can present a fun and interesting adventure to your players, the rules will fade in importance (as they should). Once I told my players what the adventure was like, they took a huge interest.
2. Don't start with 1st level characters. I know and believe that a band of new 1st level characters is the iconic D&D experience, but, when introducing skeptics to OD&D, there are few harder ways to sell the thing than to have them roll up inept nobodies who are likely to die in their first melee. I opted for 6000 XP as a starting, so level 3 for all classes but clerics. That way everyone is reasonably skilled and likely to survive (although it's far from certain, which is important to the feel of the game too).
3. Offer to create the characters for them. Doing this let me create characters who, well, had character and were already plugged into the setting and adventure. I created thumbnail backgrounds for all the PCs, but nothing too elaborate, lest I stifle individual creativity. This also worked wonderfully, since, like good adventures, good characters also draw players into a game, regardless of the rules.
4. Finally, listen to their concerns and don't lecture them on OD&D/old school gaming philosophy. This was tough, because a lot of what I kept hearing sounded like they were just completely opposed to playing except "modern" games. In point of fact, they were just concerned the game would feel "flat" and that the rules would impede rather than encourage fun play. Since I'd already provided them with points 1-3 above, this was easy. Now, they don't even mention the rules.
Sure, it's possible that, when we actually play, the game will still fail and they'll hate OD&D, but I've stacked the deck pretty strongly in my favor. They already like their characters and the set-up for the adventure (derived from my own unique take on the Wilderlands of High Fantasy and some fan material therefrom); so long as the rules don't prevent their continuing to like them, I think all will be well.
Which reminds me: here's the basic set-up and their characters. As I said, this is a Wilderlands adventure that I created riffing off some submissions to the Judges Guild website:
The city-state of Zothay is ruled by a benevolent tyrant named Kritas, a wizard devoted to Law and the restoration of his city to its former glories, after many years under corrupt and evil rulership. In this, he has the support of much of the populace and the clerical leaders of the city, particularly the priesthoods of Mitra, Nephtlys, Amala, and Selanii.
Unfortunately, Kritas' predecessors saddled Zothay with a number of unpleasant situations, not least of which being an unruly Beggars Quarter, which, by law and tradition, is an autonomous sanctuary through whose gates neither the City Watch nor any other civic officials may pass. Consequently, the Quarter is under the thumb of the Thieves Guild and all manner of illicit activities originate in this den of iniquity, including a slave market. Because the law is unknown here, individuals who've committed crimes or otherwise found themselves in dire straits have fled here, where there is relative safety but little freedom, for the moment they step foot out of the Quarter, there is a chance they could be apprehended and imprisoned for their misdeeds. The only sure way out is the time-tested one found in all cities devoted to the cause of Law -- bribery.
And so it happened that three lost souls met and planned to acquire enough wealth to bribe their way out of the Beggars Quarter of Zothay and into the world beyond. These three are:
1. Magnus Eisengrim, a dwarf warrior and exiled "prince" of the Ironshield clan. Magnus inherited his father's position as head of his clan but felt his kin little more than bumpkins who'd rather eke out a pitiful existence as armorers for others than seek out glory as all dwarves should. Magnus set about re-organizing his clan for this great destiny, the first step of which was styling himself a prince and behaving in a fashion suitable to his new title. He quickly found his kin had at least a little dwarven fire left in them, as they overthrew him and he barely escaped with his life. Magnus then wandered until he came to Zothay, where he squandered his remaining funds on gambling and drink. He escaped debtors prison -- a terrible fate for a prince such as he! -- by entering the Beggars Quarter.
2. Aldess Skellight: The son of a fighting man dedicated to Mitra, Aldess admired his father, who fought witches and other evil magic-users. He hoped some day to follow in his footsteps. When his father died at the hands of a sorcerer, Aldess vowed revenge, which he achieved, slaying his father's murderer and acquiring for himself his father's blade, Dwimmersmite. Unfortunately, Aldess did not realize Dwimmersmite was a weapon with a mind of its own -- and a hatred for all practitioners of magic. Only his father's monumental force of will kept the blade in check, a will Aldess did not possess, resulting in his killing several members of Zothay's magical police force before he regained control. Aldess then had no choice but to flee to the Beggars Quarter to escape execution.
3. Orane: A pirate in his youth, Orane converted to the worship of the sea goddess Selanii after falling overboard in shark-infested waters. Fearing he would die, Orane called out for help and a group of dolphins appeared, fending off the sharks, and helping him back to shore, where he saw Selanii's seahorse symbol emblazoned on a rusted shield lying in the sand. He immediately renounced his old ways and became a cleric of the sea goddess, using unorthodox methods drawn from his youth -- such as theological sea shanties -- to convert others to Selanii's service. Eventually, Orane ran afoul of a jealous priest of Mitra who, angered by Orane's success in winning converts, called upon a little used law that forbade the use music in proselytizing. Orane's own high priest ordered him to enter the Beggars Quarter to both escape punishment and continue his mission there among the thieves and ruffians. This he has done with some success, but, separated from his temple and surrounded by so many unsavory sorts, he has occasionally lapsed into his old piratical habits, much to his own dismay.
