#RPGaDay2015 Days 10-19 catching up and working ahead

The day job is busy and we have much going on with the family, right now. So, I hope you will pardon me as I catch up and work ahead in one post. 

Day 10:  Favorite Publisher

Currently, this is most likely Pelgrane Press. I like the look and feel of their books. They do column layout and design better than most of their competition. I like many of their game lines and can use nearly anything rpg related as source material. They are also more than happy to talk to their fans and are quick to sign books for their fans at conventions. Simon and Cat are good people.

Day 11:  Favorite RPG Writer

This is a hard one for me. If I buy a book, because a specific person wrote the book, it’s because they are a friend of mine. Shane Hensley, Jason L Blair, Jason Vey, Tim Brannon, and Dave Chapman come to mind very quickly. I like their products, but I am also friends with them outside of the rpg space.

If I buy a book, because I like the game line, it’s very rare that a book I purchase is by one single person. Ken Hite and Gareth Hanrahan are a great team up.

Maybe this is a take-away for me:  look into rpg authors and discover them.

Day 12:  Favorite RPG Illustration

Favorite? Not likely. Art, in this form, serves as inspiration. To narrow it down to one image is impossible.

I will side step and give you my favorite artist:  Timothy Bradstreet. I first viewed his work in Vampire:  The Masquerade. His images became icons for the game line. His work in Armageddon is awesome. However, his Punisher MAX image covers are just as iconic as his VtM work. I think the only genre I have yet to use his artwork as inspiration for, is fantasy. I should rectify that someday.

Day 13:  Favorite RPG Podcast

I have fallen out of listening to podcasts. I grew disillusioned with what they were offering. Some gave too much non-rpg content, others added personalities or changed the line, another began covering topics I just don’t care about, and the worst wander down completely unrelated, unnecessary rabbit holes. However, if you are looking for recommendations, you could do worse than start with Podcast at Ground Zero, PLay On Target, or Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff. The latter two have been nominated for awards in the rpg industry.

Day 14:  Favorite RPG Accessory

The Internet.

Nowhere else can I potentially play with friends across the globe, work directly with contributors, bounce ideas off friends to make sure I’m not going down a rabbit hole myself, or address concerns of fans. I can research my next game session, find images that outline the layout and history of a castle to include in my game, run name generators, and find new players for my games.

Dice rollers included, no dice tower needed. Cool battle maps can be found or built. Free scenarios for that new rpg you just purchased are there for downloading and using.

For me, it’s just as much an accessory as the next “tool.”

Day 15:  Longest Campaign Played

This is likely Lowell Francis’ Freakish Band of Adventurers or a Vampire:  The Masquerade game that I ran. Both went 3+ years, playing every other week.

Lowell’s was a game of continent travel, righting rights, releasing gods back into the world, and a game where one (?) character was a full blooded human (mine). There was a rakasta, elves, half-demon, aperkitus, and a wizard who was not all there, even if he did look human – in addition to my character.

The vampire game spanned years in game time. There were three players and an occasional fourth (who didn’t fit in the mix) who fought Nephandi, Sabbat, Inconnu, Angels, Highlanders, and everything else that the Internet could source in the mid- to late 1990s. The game ended with the end of the world and the characters joining different sides to support.

Day 16:  Longest Session Played

It has been decades since I played one that would qualify. There were long nights playing Vampire:  The Masquerade from dusk until dawn and overnights of D&D. None stand out for me this many years later.

Day 17:  Favorite Fantasy RPG

Of a company I work for? Either Dungeons & Zombies or Spellcraft & Swordplay. They have the same author, but it depends on whether I want a ton of zombie options or just zombies.

Of a company I don’t work for? 13^th Age. I don’t run it as is. I drop out the relationships ideas. I find them tedious and intrusive to my game style. What I do like is the mechanics. They use the same skill types as Spellcraft & Sorcery. The combat feels very gamey to me and completely in style of as characters build experience, their abilities increase with more than just feats or another cool thing. Damage increases, options increase, and if you’re looking for a game where you can min-max your heart out, you can likely do it with this one.

Day 18:  Favorite Scifi RPG

Sorry, Dave, it’s not Conspiracy X. Although, Con X is my favorite modern game with a sci-fi bent to it.

My favorite sci-fi game is WEG Star Wars. Of sci-fi game, I ran this one the longest. If you look around the Internet hard enough, you can find a .pdf of material either from the game, or rehashed, to make a new product.

Eclipse Phase is a close 2nd. I think I need to run a campaign or two to see how the fun level compares. 

Traveller, Fading Suns, and Dark Heresy are also worth checking out.

Day 19:  Favorite Supers RPG

The World of Darkness. No, seriously. It is or at least, that’s how most folks I know play it. Which is fine if you are looking to run a game where the setting is more supernatural than superhero.

I think the best rules out there are for Mutants & Masterminds. I haven’t played many supers rpgs:  old DC Comics, old Marvel, Hero, and M&M. M&M is the best for my money. The math works out the best for me and in a game wherein you can potentially play the upper limit of power, you need that. Maybe, one day Beyond Human will fill this roll. For now, it remains vaporware. Don’t worry, I’ll keep bugging George to publish it. J

The superhero game I want is Gotham Central:  players as human cops taking on super villains. Maybe one day I’ll do it and do it right. Mutant City Blues may be the way to go with this one. The game includes a chart of how different powers are related. That builds in another clue structure to the game. It also uses GUMSHOE which is clue driven.

Day 20:  Favorite Horror RPG

I’ll stop right there. This one is going to be special.

#RPGaDay2015 Day 4: Most Surprising Game

And now, for my 201st post, I give you #RPGaDay2015 Day 4:  Most Surprising Game

I will narrow this one down to the past 12 months. In that time, I honestly have not played or game mastered many different games. The list is short. Night's Black Agents, King Arthur:  Pendragon, D&D 5e, and Stars Without Number. The first as game master, the others as a player. Of those, only two are new:  D&D 5e and Stars Without Number. Interestingly, both were run by the same game master. 

For me, D&D5e is the winner of most surprising game. I didn't expect it to work as well as it did. I didn't expect to enjoy the rules as much as I did. I didn't expect to want to steal the rules for other games, at all. 

And it was pretty easy to learn. Sure, I've played 1st through 3.5 edition, some Pathfinder one-shorts, 13th Age, and a dizzying amount of non-F20* games. However, with some versions, the nuances and rules can change. Those changes are not always obvious and I get annoyed when I find out I am doing it wrong. (Clerics in Pathfinder, I've got my eyes on you)

We played three sessions of the Lost Mines of Fandelver with our normal south-side gaming group + one. I think it went well overall. We all learned the rules the first night, clarified everything the second night, and coasted through the third night (rules-wise). We survived the fights, started our own fights, and came close to a TPK at one point due to everyone being down points - not due to the system taking out one type of character, then the next, etc. 

The game works. If you are looking for a new flavor of D&D, try it, you might like it. If you want my preference for F20 games, look at the rules from 13th Age. There is an SRD for it, if you fancy such things. 

*Defined by Robin D. Laws as fantasy games that use the D20 as the core mechanic, ala D&D. I heard it from his mouth first, so until he says and I hear it was defined by someone else first, I'm attributing it to him. 

Day One:  Forthcoming game you are most looking forward to
Day Two:  Which Kickstarter are you most pleased that you backed?
Day Three:  Favorite new game of the past 12 months

#RPGaDay #MostRecentRPGPurchased

#RPGaDay #MostRecentRPGPurchased

The most recent book to make it into my collection is the 13^th Age Beastiary. I pre-ordered this as part of their Kickstarter when I was running a 13^th Age game. It’s a good book filled with better write ups than art. I may not be running a 13^th Age game at the moment, but I may one day in the future.

Maybe a viking game.

My RPG Person Profile

Tim took this from Zak. I thought I would run my information through the meat grinder...

I'm currently running (at home):  13th Age, in my own setting

Tabletop RPGs I'm currently playing (at home) include: nothing

I'm currently running (online): nothing

Tabletop RPGs I'm currently playing (online) include: nothing, but there may be a Night's Black Agents game in my future

I would especially like to play/run:  Night's Black Agents, All Flesh Must Be Eaten, a modern, supernatural, investigative game (mix the TV shows Law & Order, CSI, Miami 5-0, Angel, and Supernatural)

...but would also try:  Legend using the Skyrim setting (with or without Dragonborn as player characters), Gumshoe as medieval fantasy town guardsmen (ala CSI:  Pavis), one session of Microscope, and maybe even Action Cards - all it takes is me finding the time

I live in: South Bend

2 or 3 well-known RPG products other people made that I like:  Night's Black Agents, a|state, Eclipse Phase

2 or 3 novels I like: Hammer's Slammers, The Godwulf Manuscript, The Coming of the Horseclans

2 or 3 movies I like:  Snatch (for the comedy), Excalibur (for the overall majesty of it), In the Mouth of Madness, Cabin in the Woods (oops, that's four)

Best place to find me on-line: G+, but I have and use on occasion, FB and twitter

I will read almost anything on tabletop RPGs if it's:  There's nothing I read everything of exclusively anymore. I simply do not have time. Yet, I do have a lot of sci-fi and horror material.

I really do not want to hear about: Your 15th level paladin, politics, religion

I think dead orc babies are ( circle one: funny / problematic / ....well, ok, it's complicated because....): Not as funny as you might think, outside of special circumstances

Game I'm in are like (link to something): something big and over the top, you may not realize it, I may not realize it, but there is a giant meta-plot or perhaps more gonzo and sometimes a little more down to Earth

Free RPG Content I made for Unisystem and various other games are scattered about the Internet. Much of it is under the screen name, "oaxaca."

You can buy RPG stuff I worked on DriveThruRPG, RPG Now, or at your FLGS

• Fistful O' Zombies (All Flesh Must Be Eaten)
• Worlds of the Dead (All Flesh Must Be Eaten)
• One of the Living (All Flesh Must Be Eaten)
• Book of Archetypes (All Flesh Must Be Eaten)
• Book of Archetypes #2 (All Flesh Must Be Eaten)
• Eden Studios Presents #1 (Eden Studios in-house 'zine)
• Eden Studios Presents #2 (Eden Studios in-house 'zine)
• Eden Studios Presents #3 (Eden Studios in-house 'zine)
• Fields of Blood (Eden Odyssey)
• Liber Bestarius (Eden Odyssey)
• CJ Carella's Armageddon (Armageddon)
• Spellcraft & Swordplay
• Monstrous Mayhem (Spellcraft & Swordplay)
• Eldritch Witchery (Spellcraft & Swordplay) 

I help play-test

• Eden Studios
• AFMBE (line)
• Angel (line)
• Army of Darkness
• Beyond Human
• Buffy (line)
• City of Heroes
• Conspiracy X (2nd ed. line)
• Eden Odyssey (d20 line)
• Ghosts of Albion
• Terra Primate
• Contested Ground Studios
• Cold City

I talk about RPGs mostly on my blog and Google+ under the name Derek Stoelting or oaxaca (if you use the way-back machine). 

• My Blog
• Google+
• Twitter
• Facebook

Alternate Escalation / Dungeon Dice for 13th Age

In this month's "See Page XX" over at the Pelgrane Press website is an article discussing elements that can be added to a game of 13th Age which will help it feel more "old school." Those elements include how mapping out dungeons could provide a bonus to die rolls to the players, how to include alignments and accoutrement related to alignments from past D&D style games, as well as, giving the enemy NPCs an escalation die of their own, and a few other ideas.

The basic idea of "The Meat Grinder" portion of the ideas (I'll wait here while you go read it), is as more enemies enter the fray or are encountered, the enemy escalation die (called the Dungeon Dice) number increases. It is not done every round. The article lists six ways to increase or decrease the number on the dungeon dice. I like the ideas presented here. I think it adds more crunch in a simple way. It also forces the players to play smarter, not use their characters to hit harder.

Reading through the article, I was struck with another idea on providing the enemy with an escalation die of their own. Instead of using what the article provides, my dungeon dice would be the goatee'd twin of the players' escalation dice. At the start of a combat, wherein the enemy has the advantage or elements of surprise, the dungeon dice starts at "6." Every round after this, as the escalation dice increases, the dungeon dice decreases. It represents the changing tide of battle. The enemies are losing steam, they no longer have the element of surprise, and the heroes are working their way towards another win.

So, what happens when the dungeon dice hits "0?" Nothing. The dice stays there, at "0." There is only one way for the dungeon dice to re-set in a combat. If a Big Bad or Level Boss enters into the combat after it has begun, the dungeon dice re-sets to "6." This is meant to represent their ability to encourage or rally their troops on to victory.

I have not used this rule in the game, yet. I think I may try it out during my next session. I have a scene where it would be appropriate by the standards of usage that I have set.

I also need to re-read the mook rules to see if I can use those anytime soon.

13th Age: First Session and Game Remarks (review?)

This Sunday past marks my foray into The 13^th Age from the fine folks at Pelgrane Press and Fire Opal Media. I did not begin a new game. I changed from Legend to 13^th Age.

Why change?

There are three reasons I switched game systems. The first is that if you are not playing a game centered on combat, party balance is odd. I like having role-play and roll-play characters at the table. I want my players to have their cake and sometimes their ice cream (but never the Cool Whip, that’s for me). I also want my game to be balanced when players are building their characters. Some choices may be more beneficial than others, but I don’t want characters stuck in a position where they (or I) feel punished by their choice of race/class/type. The game rules can take away neat stuff, but it must replace it with other cool stuff. When it comes to races and combat, Legend does not do a good job at this topic. Shorter characters, such as the classic Halfling and gnome, suffer on their ability to do damage and do not gain much in the way of a defense bonus. On top of their weak strength, the system’s rules for armor (attack damage minus armor equals damage taken to hit points) only compound on top of the weak strength for smaller characters. Is there some logic to this? Yes, I can see it. That does not mean I like it.

This directly affected one of the players. As a gnome, she was lucky to be doing a single point of damage to combatants. She had some spell abilities to help her and the rest of the party, but at the end of the day, a seashell dropped by a seagull from ten feet was likely to do more damage than her pounding a knife in a villain’s eye. Crazy comparison, I know.

The second reason I switched games is related to the skills list. The list appears to be a compilation of several different versions of the game run by game masters who had no contact with each other. For whatever reason, I found the skills list to be completely not intuitive. I think this was more a stumbling block for a player or two and not so much for me.

I found the magic to be limiting. I do not think my players found it limiting, but in my mind it was thusly. As the players were not complaining, I do not consider this a reason I wanted to leave Legend to the ancestor spirits. I did, however, begin designing new ways of casting magic and creating spells borrowing heavily from Skyrim.

I could easily house rule the first two complaints. I could rewrite the skills list to include only the skills I wanted and add any I thought were necessary. I could remove the rules constricting wee folks’ physical stats being so low. I could introduce magic items that would overcome this problem. (In fact, I had just done this in the last session.)  However, I do not think I should feel a need to create house rules for a game before the end of character creation. With this game, I did. Nor should I need to add magic items to a low magic item game world, just to balance the rules. If I am going to run a game with house rules from the starting point, I have plenty of other games I could run where the house rules already exist and I am not creating from scratch.

When would I use Legend?

I think Legend is completely usable for a game. I think said game should be more human-centric, as to keep the downgrades away. Or, perhaps a game more akin to high fantasy than my low fantasy worlds. Another way Legend could have worked for my group, is if the wee folk’s player had designed their character as a full-on spell caster. They did not and they should not be put in a position where they would be forced to do so.

If I were running a game similar to my old Unisystem Vikings game, Legend would be fun. If I were running Conan, I could easily use Legend as the rules system. Same for a game based on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

For my low fantasy game set in a mythic Europe style setting, it just was not working.

A new age

While fighting against Legend, I began to hear about a new game in development:  13^th Age. Steve and Lowell had mentioned it and I kept running across it due to my interest in another game by the same publisher (Night’s Black Agents). Research showed me the game would have crunchy bits for combat, have the standard d20 rule mechanics, and then have extra stuff for the role-play bits. This last part seemed to be focused on a lack of a skill list and what the game mechanics called “icons.”

In truth, to me it sounded as if the game were a retro-clone based on some of the earliest versions of D&D, not AD&D.

While I was at GenCon, helping Lowell pimp a game he has been developing, we both picked up The 13^th Age on our day one. That evening, we both read at least 50% of the book. Before I made it that far into the book, I knew the rules should work better for my game. I skipped over much of the spell lists and the way many of the feats operated. I have played various editions of Dungeons & Dragons, so the concepts were generally known and understood.  So, what made this set of rules stand out as opposed to a version of D&D or Legend?

First, the style of the book in regards to the writing and layout. The book is super easy to view – no super tight columns or excessive white space. The writing style is not akin to stereo instructions. It is very light and flows easily (I think my language instructors would have called it clear and concise).

Second, it removed the need for an excessive skill list defining what a player could or could not do, as well as, what the skill included or did not include. Instead, players have backgrounds and those give bonuses to die rolling. The backgrounds describe the character or the character’s past. An example is, “I was a journeyman blacksmith before being swept up into the direct service of the local baron.” The character starts with eight points to spread over any backgrounds they wish to create. Then, anytime this character would need to make a check and blacksmithing might be a useful skill to help their knowledge base, the player would add those points to the die roll. Need to know the tensile strength of a gate, bonus. Need to know the value of a sword or suit of armor about to be purchased, bonus.

Could a player go crazy with this and try to overpower their character? Yes, but as a game master, it is your responsibility to recognize these situations and help the player work through them. No, you cannot have, “Former personal bodyguard to the king, trained in the ways of sword fighting, creating poisons, and casting high born magic.” You could be the former bodyguard for the king as a sword user, a crafter of poisons, and a student of magic. However, those are three different backgrounds.

Unlike most fantasy roleplaying games, The 13^th Age does not include a list of deities and demigods. Instead, the game introduces the concept of “icons.” Icons represent different ideals and factions within the game. They could be thought of as invisible totems, influencing and being influenced by the characters in the setting. In the book, the icons strike me more as high powered NPCs who make the world go round. They include personalities such as the Emperor, High Druid, and the Lich King. Players start with three points to use with the various icons. The players also choose whether their relation with the icons is positive, negative, or conflicted. These relationships help the game master create stories for the game world. I know I am not doing a great job as describing the icons and how they work, but the book does a great job of it.

For my game world, the icons represent ideals. I have removed the core book’s icons and replaced them with my own. Others have begun doing such things with the Neverwinter Nights, Eberron, and Iron Kingdoms settings. This works very well in my game, as I created it to have a different feel in each barony. The baronies were originally named for their physical features, mist, southern coast, mountains, etc. I also gave each barony its own leader and personal style. The southern coast baron is more laid back and informal. The mists baron is more formal and brutal in leadership. The leaders of the elves are hands off and reserved, but still holding to tradition whenever possible.

I was able to assign a different icon for each of the baronies and the major areas experienced by the players so far. I may eventually have some cross-over, but that is not a problem. Two areas with the baron as an icon could be allies or could have different secondary icons as influencers.

The feats and spells were different than I expected. The spells list is smaller than what I remember from 1^st or 3^rd edition D&D. This is not a bad thing. I do not need ten different spells causing 1d4 damage. The feats are more expansive and gimmicky than I am accustomed to using in 3^rd edition. I, honestly, did not do enough reading on this section and I need to go back through it and re-read it. I need to make sure I understand the players’ abilities, so I know what to throw at them to make a challenge. I helped the newest player make her character and thus I was able to make sure she did everything she could to be a kick ass barbarian. Everyone else, though, not so much.

Whose age is this?

The 13^th Age is not a book for new players. Nor, is it a book for players who want the crunch delivered by games such as Pathfinder or 4^th edition D&D.

In my opinion, basic assumptions exist in the writing.  There are no racial descriptions involving dark sight and the like. The only racial bonuses come in the way of feats. In converting from Legend, I simply kept those I had implemented. There is also a feel to the writing suggesting if you are not familiar with the core mechanics of the d20 SRD or games such as Pathfinder or 4^th edition D&D, you could be missing out on things. These are not necessarily bad things to have in the book. However, I occasional feel like I am missing something, but in conferring with the other players, discover I am not.

Three of my players and I are what I would consider seasoned veterans of roleplaying games. We probably have over 80 years of experience between us. Our fourth, and my wife, has less than three. For her, the game is a struggle. I have always thought d20 rules were bad for starting players and I now have witnessed them as such. It is nothing against The 13^th Age; it is a simple fact of too much going on during combat for a new person to experience.

Taking the horse home

Our first session when well:  I had planned for a combat that did not occur, I had to improvise a combat I was completely unprepared for, and then move through social interactions both expected and unexpected.

We ended the last session with the players having cleared the Tomb of the Manticore, except for the Room of the Sarcophagi. I did not expect the group to trigger the trap in the room, but they did. I had expected a retreat to the surface to seal the tomb and move on to the related social interactions. Therefore, I had not gone back and reconfigured the stats for the NPCs in the room.

What I did have, were print outs of second level characters. Some were from the Pelgrane Press website, some were my own. The player characters were all second level. I also had a manticore in the core book. I ran with it. We busted out the battle map, figs, and got right to it.

The fight was awesome for a first time of playing the game. There were many hiccups and referencing of rules. However, it went smoothly. We were able to help each other stay on top of what could be accomplished. We talked through the different feats and maneuvers for the characters. I used feats with the NPCs and talked through what those feats were and how I was using them.

Four players, a barbarian, a ranger, a wizard, and a bard. NPCs, six with sword and shield and four with pole arms. The players worked together and forced the NPCs to come at them in a manner that allowed the players to control the board. I also set up several situations that played into the player character feats. In a sense, I set them up to win.

Still, I did all of that off the cuff. No planning, no muss, no fuss, and the only mess was the battle map.

The rest of the session involved role-play and not roll-play. We had opportunities to perform skill checks and were able to show how Backgrounds come in to play.

I think the rule system will do what I want it to do. We did not put a lot of focus on the Icons and in truth, I do not think I will put as much emphasis on them as the book puts on them. I view the Icons as a means to help guide a game master on what they should or could include as storylines in a game. I already have those items in motion. However, I did go through and line the Icons up with game world. I have two prior posts about my icons here and here. 

Iconic Relationships in the Barony

Iconic Relationships

Heroic Icons:  The Baron, The Dwarven Ally, The Hero!

Ambiguous Icons:  The Elven Lord and Lady, The Wisest Wizard, The Librarian, The Wanderer

Villainous Icons:  The Prince of Demons, The Warlord, The Nathair-Sgiathach

Can’t we all just get along?

When push comes to shove, many of the Icons would rather align themselves with each other, rather than face the consequences of not. One hundred years into the fourth Age, the primary sources of power and most active representations of the Icons are related to the Baron, the Dwarven Ally, the Wanderer, and the Warlord.

Representatives of the Baron Icon are pushing society in a direction aimed to improve the quality of living for the nobility. . . and perhaps, the lower class, as well. In the barony of Tamaris, it is a solid push in the direction of betterment for everyone. In the barony of Polworth, everyone only includes the major households, such as Cinderfell. Polworth actually fits better with a different Icon – more on that later. The Baron Icon is one of two serving as the primary Icons for humans.

The Baron’s primary allies include the Dwarven Ally and the Hero. The Baron Icon grew out of the end of the third Age when the Hero and Dwarven Ally Icons overthrew the Elven Lord and Lady with their stalwart ally, the Prince of Demons. People representing the Baron and the Hero often clash over ideals and methods. The Hero wants to improve things for everyone, especially the lowest of the low. The Baron wants to improve things for the baronial community. In places like Polworth, the representatives of the Hero and the Baron may actually be at odds with each other. The Baron and the Dwarven Ally Icons represent many of the same ideals, simply delivered with a different flavor.

As my current game is very human-centric due to half the party being human and the campaign being based out of a human barony, I have left the Dwarven Ally as he appeared at the end of the third Age. In truth, he may have changed since then.

At the end of the third Age, the Wanderer helped broker a peace agreement between the Elven Lord and Lady, the Dwarven Ally, and the Hero. The Prince of Demons refused to participate as his minions were under the control of the Elven Lord and Lady. The Wanderer is often seen meandering the realm, investigating causes in the change of balance in the world. The Wanderer is very interested in maintaining the balance of the realm. This includes allowing representatives work with the evils machinations of the Warlord and the Prince of Demons.

The Elven Lord and Lady are learning their new place in the world. In the third Age, they represented an eccentric people from a bygone time. With the rise in power of the humans and dwarves, they have taken a backseat in their relationship with the world. In the past, they very much aligned themselves with the Prince of Demons and his minions, while facing the Dragon as the great enemy. In the fourth Age, they sit quietly behind the Baron and Dwarven Ally, hoping for the best, while glowering across the way at the Hero and the Wisest Wizard.

The current representatives of the Elven Lord and Lady seek to bring a balance of sorts to the politics and life of the realm, as a whole, while not intruding upon the humans’ newfound place in it. An example would include the constant back and forth between the forces of Navea versus the Haunted Wood.

The Wisest Wizard was taught his powers by the Elven Lord and Lady during the war with the Dragons. He was left alone to continue developing his ideal of colleges and learned magical arts during the third Age. During the war which ended the third Age, many representatives of the Wisest Wizard sided with the Hero and the Dwarven Ally. They remembered the tortures inflicted upon them by the Elven Lord and Lady in the earliest days of the half-elves. In the fourth Age, the Wisest Wizard is somewhat aligned with the Baron, but still recalls his friendship with the Hero and the Dwarven Ally. The Wisest Wizard, the Librarian, and the Wanderer are prone to sharing of gossip and tea late into the night. The Prince of Demons is not counted as an ally, but rather a tool to be used – the same as how the Elven Lord and Lady saw the Prince of Demons.

                                                                                                                                                   

The representatives of the Wisest Wizard still seek knowledge and learning related to the magical arts. The five magical colleges are not aligned as one organization. Each of the different schools have their own methods for teaching, spell-casting, and expectations. While this is not completely unexpected, the end of their rule by the Tuathanas as a whole has resulted in more divergence in practice. The existence of the human hedge-wizard cults have done nothing to add stability to the relationship between the Wisest Wizard and the Elven Lord and Lady.

The Prince of Demons could be the most powerful of the Icons. However, the rules set in place for beings to enter the realm’s plane keep his people in check. If and when they finally find a way to break the barrier into the realm, the work accomplished by the Baron and his allies will be in jeopardy. The Prince of Demons finds himself without allies in the current Age. The Elven Lord and Lady have quietly snubbed him and the Wisest Wizard is nothing but condescending. While the various demons in place serving around the realm do the bidding of their masters, the Prince of Demons casts a baleful eye in the direction of the void left by the Nathair-Sgiathach. His demonologists around the realm appear to have latched onto something that could bring forth new fruit.

The Librarian Icon sits in her corner, cataloguing the world. He has no care for the power plays or alliances in the world. The Librarian’s only concern is ensuring everything is logged. While the Librarian has no true allies, as she does not put herself out into the world in that manner, she can often be found with the Wisest Wizard and the Wanderer. Representatives of the Librarian Icon seek knowledge for knowledge’s sake.

The Warlord is the second most powerful Icon in the fourth Age. The Warlord and the Baron Icons sit on opposite sides of the table. His representatives are those seeking power, including gang leaders, ship reavers roaming the seas, and barons who want more than just one barony. When needed, the Warlord’s representatives will ally themselves with the Dwarven Ally and the Hero. Most who follow the ways of the Warlord do so with an iron fist and have no qualms showing their true colors. The barony of Polworth is fully under the sway of this Icon. Even now, the baron of Polworth is gathering his banner-men and counting his troops before they are marched!

The Dwarven Ally seen as a dwarf is disappearing from sight. Very few dwarf representatives of this Icon wander the halls of the realm. Most think he is encountered in the Barony of the Mountains and the fortress city of Stonehaven. The representatives of the Dwarven Ally believe in helping others, as only when the community succeeds, can the Dwarven Ally succeed. So, in truth, the Dwarven Ally can be found all across the realm. They supply food and clothing to those in need. They fortify neighbor’s homes out in the wild. They are the do-gooders in the world with a primary concern of helping their brothers and sisters.

The Dwarven Ally primarily works with the Hero and the Baron. As of late, he has been sneaking into the home of the Warlord and the Elven Lord and Lady.

NPC Representatives in the Realm

The Baron

·         Baron Galen of Tamaris

The Dwarven Ally

·         Baron of the Mountains

·         Balboshin Koberdawa of House Carnock

·         Dillon Byrne on a good day

·         Galton Sharp on most days

The Hero: 

·         Baron of Caerlaverock

·         Luthais Einruig (historical; led the human and dwarf armies against the Tuathanas)

The Elven Lord and Lady

·         The Lord and Lady of Lanark

·         Baroness Kellie of Navea and her husband Anthony

·         Baroness Kellie of Navea vs. the Haunted Wood

The Wisest Wizard:  Most any wizard taught by the chantries of the realm

The Librarian

·         Sable

·         Lamont the Loremaster of Navea

·         Gerec the Elven Lostfinder

The Wanderer

·         Lord Scuttlebutt or servant Quincy

·         Adok Dragovich of Stonehaven

The Prince of Demons

·         Elves and wizards who perform regularly perform summoning spells

·         Diabolists worshipping and practicing the dark arts

The Warlord

·         Baron of Polworth

·         The Devils of Agony mercenary unit

·         Dillon Byrne on a bad day

The Dragon:  none

Don’t put that on my plate! (Direct Relations)

Positive – The Icon is favorably inclined towards you.

Conflicted – The Icon harbors both favorable and unfavorable inclinations towards you. This conflict is often due to two or more different level of social interactions. However, it can also be due to you possessing an Elven-giver additude.

Negative – For one reason or many, you have gained the wrath of this Icon.

Icon	Positive Relationship	Conflicted Relationship	Negative Relationship
Heroic Icon Usually The Baron The Dwarven Ally The Hero Sometimes The Librarian	Spend 1, 2, or 3 points You are a white hat, riding in to save the day. Authorities are more likely to listen to your side of the story and the people are more likely to trust you. Do not be surprised if their representatives call upon you for aid – or if the opposite Icons’ representatives target you for some nefarious purpose!	Spend 1, 2, or 3 points Likely, you are one of the good guys. However, something you have done or been involved with (that old gang from school, perhaps?) leads to some distrust from the Icon. While you will have allies related to this Icon, enemies representing the Icon will also come about.	Spend 1 point You represent a rivalry or an enemy. Goodly authorities likely consider you a criminal, a thief, a ne’er do well.
Ambiguous Icons Usually The Elven Lord and Lady The Wisest Wizard The Librarian The Wanderer Sometimes The Hero The Wanderer	Spend 1, 2, or 3 points In the eyes of the Icon, you are a hero, be that an Elven leader, a wizard of high regard, a cataloguer beyond all cataloguers, or the gnome with the most miles traveled. To others, you may be an enemy or friend, depending on the day and the need.	Spend 1, 2, or 3 points Some days are good, some are bad. You tread the water between the two of them, never sure what awaits you with the representatives of this Icon.	Spend 1 or 2 points You are an enemy or dire threat to the Icon. Perhaps, the Tuathanas in your blood is too strong to accept the “elves” place in this world. You could be a wizard who has turned to join the diabolists serving the Prince of Demons. Maybe you burned down a library as a child.
Villainous Icons Usually The Prince of Demons The Warlord The Dragon Sometimes The Wanderer	Spend 1 point Your connection to this Icon brings you forbidden secrets, hidden knowledge, and danger. You are hated and hunted by the Heroic Icons. You must be prepared to defend yourself against false (and sometimes true) allegations of heinous deeds.	Spend 1 or 2 points You are cursed with your connection to this icon. Try as you might, you can never sever this relationship. Perhaps, it is due to a relative or personal past transgression. Followers of the other Icons will always be wary of you, no matter what your intentions may be.	Spend 1 or 2 points This foe is out to get you and depending on the number of points you spend, you could be seen as an arch-rival worthy of hunting and slaying. On the other hand, it makes you one of the good guys and you should be able to find allies in the most desperate of times.

My 13th Age Icons

I have decided to switch the rules set in my fantasy game from Mongoose's Legend to Pelgrane Press' The 13th Age.  The Legend rule set does not work for the game I am trying to run. If I wanted to run a straight combat game, it would work just fine. However, I need something more robust than that. I picked up The 13th Age at GenCon, read half-way through it the first night, and promptly decided this was the system I should utilize for my game. I have already developed the setting, the conflicts, and the current story line. So, I will not be using the Icons or realm from The 13th Age core book. Instead, I am converting my materials to their rules and ideas. 

On Icons in the 4th Age

The Icons in my game represent differing ideals and personal characteristics. They may manifest themselves as certain individuals or through various followers.


Some denizens of the realm view them as gods. This is most often true of those not represented by the Icons. For example, the modern Elven Lord and Lady are said to reside in the forests of Lanark. Most humans will never make it to Lanark and thus not have the opportunity to meet the Lord and Lady. Yet, to those Tuathanas dwelling in or around Lanark, the Lord and Lady can be seen presiding over court.


The Icons change with the Ages. Some continue from Age to Age. Others die out and are eventually replaced by new Icons born for the new Age. The Nathair-Sgiathach (Dragon) is one who has died out, but has yet to be replaced. The Tuathanas kept the Icon around as a bogeyman to use against their human and dwarf slaves. Because of this, the human and dwarf view of the Tuathanas from the prior Age have been folded into the Dragon Icon. Even though the races of dragon and elf were enemies in Ages past, what they have come to represent in the current Age is one in the same.


The Icons are presented here in a manner displaying their primary aspects. However, each Icon may have other aspects or lights in which they can be seen or worshiped.


Heroic Icons: The Baron, The Dwarven Ally, The Hero
Ambiguous Icons: The Elven Lord and Lady, The Wisest Wizard, The Librarian, The Wanderer
Villainous Icons: The Prince of Demons, The Warlord, The Nathair-Sgiathach


If they were given D&D alignments, they would appear something akin to the following chart.

Lawful Good - The Baron	Neutral Good - The Dwarven Ally	Chaotic Good - The Hero
Lawful Neutral - The Elven Lord and Lady - The Wisest Wizard	True Neutral - The Librarian	Chaotic Neutral - The Wanderer
Lawful Evil - The Prince of Demons	Neutral Evil - The Warlord	Chaotic Evil - Nathair-Sgiathach (The Dragon)

Icon: The Elven Lord and Lady

Quote: We are your past, but also your future. You cannot hope to rule the land without the knowledge of time and strength of arms.


Symbol: Lightning bolt crossing an arrow over a tree


Usual Location: It is thought the Pair wanders the forests near Lanark, but they have not been seen since the start of this Age.


Common Knowledge: The Tuathanas Lord and Lady are grouped together as one Icon. They represent a dualistic way of looking at life and the world. The Lord represents (overbearing) strength, the wild, and directness. The Lady represents order, intelligence, and subtlety. The Lord is the ruler of summer, the predators in the forest, and the forgers of steel. The Lady rules the winter, court, and chantries. They are never seen without one another, even by those who portend to only follow one of the Pair.


Adventurers and the Icon: All Tuathanas follow the ways of the Lord and Lady. The Tuathanas of the current Age, elves, understand the need for both light and dark, good and bad, elf and non-elf in the modern world. They seek to establish a balance in the world where the knowledge of the Tuathanas of old can be combined with the modern sensibilities wherein humans and dwarves are counted as friends and allies.


Not all elves follow the ways of both Icons within the Pair. Some are more likely to follow the Lord or the Lady, somewhat disregarding the other. Still, the need for both the Lord and Lady's abilities are understood, if not utilized.


Allies: The Baron, The Prince of Demons


Enemies: The Dragon


History: The Pair have always existed in one form or another throughout the Ages. Tuathanas Icons from other Ages were simply absorbed by the pair, allowing them to continue representing the Tuathanas people. It is unknown what will happen at the end of this Age. Will they combine into one or will one simply disappear?


The True Danger: Everything will be all right as long as the Pair exist together. If one exists without the other, the power held by the Pair becomes the power held by only one of the Pair. This could bring forth war of steel or of magic.

Icon: The Dwarven Ally

Quote: Look, I know you think you know what happened when Luthais the Hero conquered the old Tuathanas Lord. Why don't you sit down, drink some of this good beer, and listen to the story I heard about it.


Symbol: Warhammer


Usual Location: Wandering the halls of Stonehaven, sharing stories, brews, and helping his friends.


Common Knowledge: The Dwarven Ally is the tie that binds. All good things in life are held together by other good things in life and he makes sure they stay together. His people believe in community and that strong communities are safer, better places to live, than places where individuals trample over each other for a chance at power. The Dwarven Ally is a brother in arms to all who believe in helping their fellow man survive another day.


Adventurers and the Icon: Adventurers following in the footsteps of the Dwarven Ally are usually not leaders. They believe in taking a vote and going with the flow of the group they travel with, as a whole. The Dwarven Ally will come to the aid of those who aid others.


Allies: The Baron


Enemies: The Warlord, The Prince of Demons


History: The Dwarven Ally grew out of the mining work gangs assembled by the Nathair-Sgiathach. These gangs worked as a team to ensure their masters' desires were achieved while keeping everyone in the work gang alive.


The True Danger: Everything will be all right provided the Dwarven Ally never runs out of Iconic allies. The moment he is all alone, he will crumble upon himself.

Icon: The Warlord

Quote: These fools think they can rule us as the Tuathanas once did. Pity them, for we shall crush them!


Symbol: Barbed sword


Usual Location: The Warlord can be found wandering the halls and campfires of those who gather for ill-gained power. Of late, rumors state he either resides in Cambria or Polworth.


Common Knowledge: The Warlord seeks power for power's sake. He takes no prisoners and asks for no quarter. The Warlord hates the Baron, Dwarven Ally, and the Hero. He is the iconic villain.


Adventurers and the Icon: Adventurers seeking power, glory, and monetary wealth follow the Warlord. They know they must rise in the ranks to become the Warlord, else another follower will strike them down and claim the title for himself. Adventurers with a more criminal bent also seek the Warlord's approval.


Allies: The Warlord has no allies among the Icons. Followers of the Dwarven Ally or the Elven Lord may align themselves with the Warlord's followers out of a feeling of mutual purpose. In the end, the Warlord will always reveal his true colors and betray them for his own gains.


Enemies: The Baron, The Dwarven Ally, The Hero


History: In prior Ages, the Warlord was an aspect separate of the Elf Lord. It was thought the Tuathanas Warlord Icon had folded into the Elf Lord with the rise of man and dwarf. However, that is now thought to not be true. Some believe the Tuathanas' Warlord became part of two Icons: The Elf Lord and The Warlord.


The True Danger: As long as the Warlord faces multiple opponents, he will never gain enough power to claim the world. However, if he can gain his own allies or defeat two of his three enemies, he may yet make that claim. . .

Icon: The Baron

Quote: The people deserve a place to sleep, a farm to supply food, and a warrior to protect them.


Symbol: Crown


Usual Location: The Baron can be found throughout the realms of benevolent leaders. He is most often seen in the lands of Leone, Tamaris, and on occasion, Navea.


Common Knowledge: The Baron is looked upon as the protector of the people. It is his duty to ward against the evils wrought by the Warlord and the Dragon. Most also think it his duty to protect against the Prince of Demons. In truth, the Baron and the Prince rarely cross paths.


Adventurers and the Icon: Adventurers who seek to better the realm work for the Baron. They understand the need to bring light to darkness and sword to monster's gullet.


Allies: The Dwarven Ally, the Hero


Enemies: The Warlord, The Dragon


History: The Baron was born into the current Age. He is descended form the generals who lead the Hero's army at the end of the prior Age. They, in turn, are descended from the slave household leaders who looked after their common slaves, trying to make everyone's lives a little more better and safer.


The True Danger: Everything will be all right , as long as the evil forces in the realm do not attack the Baron as one force.

Icon: The Wanderer

Quote: Have you ever seen the sun setting on the sea? How about the fishing villages along the shores of Leone? Not even the water flowing around the Chantry in the Falls?


Symbol: A pair of boots


Usual Location: The Wanderer is most often found on the roads of the realm or within an inn at the crossroads.


Common Knowledge: The Wanderer represents all those who travel in the world and their worldly knowledge. The Wanderer is generally seen in a goodly light, as he brings news and entertainment to the Baron's followers. The Wanderer likes to travel with the Hero, as the Hero often goes to new places, causing adventure and creating stories to share.


Adventurers and the Icon: Bards, wandering minstrels, diplomats, and spies are among the adventurers who follow the way of the Wanderer. Many believe the tribes of Sleat to all follow the Wanderer. This is a gross generalization showing a misunderstanding of the tribes.


Allies: The Baron, The Hero


Enemies: The Dragon, due to an ages old transgression which led to the downfall of the Nathair-Sgiathach.


History: The Wanderer was brought to the realm by the gnomes.


The True Danger: The Wanderer has a goal and a purpose in this realm. However, he is often distracted by new finds along the roads he travels. As long as these distractions continue, the Wanderer will continue to wander. When the distractions end, the Wanderer's true purpose will be made known – for good or evil.

Icon: The Prince of Demons

Quote: You know the cost of doing business with me. Souls.


Symbol: A pair of spiked wings


Usual Location: The deepest level of Hell.


Common Knowledge: The Prince of Demons is fighting to increase his power in the realm. The ties that once bound demons into servitude, the old compacts, and the agreements are not in use as much in the current Age, as prior Ages. This has lead to a decrease in the amount of contact the Prince of Demons and his followers have with the realm.


At the same time, an increasing number of demons are finding their own way into the realm. This is partially due to the inability of humans to master summoning magics as well as the Tuathanas of old. This contributes to demons altering compacts or performing “side quests” while summoned to perform bidding. Both of these will eventually bring more power to the Prince of Demons.


In prior Ages, the Tuathanas Lord and Lady were counted upon as allies. In the current Age, the formerly allied Icons have much less contact.


Adventurers and the Icon: Wizards and those wishing to use the powers wrought by demons most often follow this Icon. The compacts and agreements of old still function and those with the greatest power still use the Prince of Demon's minions to accomplish their goals.


Allies: The Wisest Wizard, The Elven Lord and Lady


Enemies: The Baron, The Hero


History: The Prince of Demons has existed since time began. He arranged the first compacts and first taught the Tuathanas how to perform magic. In the past, he was satiated by the souls fed to his realm from the Tuathanas. With the decreasing sacrifices, he searches for a new source of power.


The True Danger: Everything will be all right as long as the compacts and agreements are not lost to time and the Prince of Demons does not find a way to enter this realm.

Icon: The Hero

Quote: As long as I still wield this sword, no monster shall harm you.


Symbol: A simple, lone shield


Usual Location: The Hero has gone quiet since the start of the current Age. There has not been a need for him to show his face in the realm. It is said when his time is needed, he will return to the realm to, once again, free people from oppressors.


Common Knowledge: The Hero is the manifestation of hope for the oppressed. He understands his role is to sacrifice his wants and needs for the people he represents. He represents that lone individual, making a stand against all who would do wrong. The Hero's manifestation in the prior Age was a human, but was still seen as an ally by the dwarf communities.


Adventurers and the Icon: Adventurers walking the path of The Hero represent the good in the world. They know they will stand on the edge of the world and face down evil. They are the rally point against raiders.


Allies: The Baron, The Dwarven Ally


Enemies: The Dragon, The Warlord, The Wanderer


History: The Hero is a product of the prior Age. He manifested as a human named Luthais and led the human and dwarf army in their defeat of the Tuathanas. With the aid of the Wanderer, he was able to reach a deal with a fifth columnist group of Tuathanas who would eventually become the Lanark Elves. The Hero does not consider the Wanderer a friend due to the Wanderer's habit of not choosing a side.


The True Danger: Everything will be all right , unless the Warlord or the Dragon finally defeat the Hero.

Icon: The Wisest Wizard

Quote: Vasago, Saminga, and Barbaras, I beseech you remember the compacts of old and send me a servant worthy of your name. Let him bring forth the power I seek!


Symbol: Circle of power


Usual Location: The Chantry at the Top of the World


Common Knowledge: The Wisest Wizard is the grandest of all spell-casters. He has existed since the First Age and none may know than he. The Wisest Wizard once sat upon the many councils of the land, lending his knowledge to all. He spurred the creation of the different chantries across the land and led the defense of the Tuathanas people against the Nathair-Sgiathach. It was against his council that humans were taught magic. Yet, it was with his council that the magic of the Nathair-Sgiathach and their dwarf servants was learned and mastered in ways the Nathair-Sgiathach may not have ever dreamt. . . or so they say.


Adventurers and the Icon: Adventurers in the service of the Wisest Wizard are often, themselves, spell-casters. They search for lost tomes of knowledge, the unknown places of the world, and the lost magic items of the world. They understand the need to master the ability of summoning demons is both the most powerful and most dangerous of all magics.


Allies: The Elven Lord and Lady, The Prince of Demons


Enemies: The Dragon, The Hero


History: The Wisest Wizard has always been a male Tuathanas, until the current Age. It is said the current Wisest Wizard is actually a female half-elf.


The True Danger: Everything will be all right, as long as the Wisest Wizard never goes mad. There are those who fear the change of sex and species may be signs of a weakening Icon.

Icon: The Nathair-Sgiathach

Quote: none


Symbol: Dragon skull


Usual Location: none


Common Knowledge: The Nathair-Sgiathach, or Dragon, is a deceased Icon. When the Tuathanas destroyed the last dragon, this Icon fell in to a deep slumber. When the human and dwarf alliance overthrew their Tuathanas slave owners, the slumbering Icon died. There are scattered locations of dragon graveyards throughout the world. The Wisest Wizard and the Librarian are said to be the only ones who know of said locations and they are not sharing them. The dragon bones can be used to fuel powerful magics and craft items of wondrous abilities.


Adventurers and the Icon: There are no adventurers following this Icon. Those that would are following something else far more sinister and unknown to the world at large. There are occasional rumors of someone trying to resurrect the Nathair-Sgiathach or summon the soul of one to this realm. Thus far, no one has made any contact with any Nathair-Sgiathach or their souls.


Allies: none


Enemies: The Elf Lord and Lady, The Baron, The Dwarven Ally


History: The Nathair-Sgiathach are the age old enemies of the Tuathanas. The dragons lost the war with the elves. The Elves systematically hunted down all dragons and slaughtered them.


The True Danger: The true danger is not in the Nathair-Sgiathach returning, but in what has replaced them in the world. . .

Icon: The Librarian

Quote: The knowledge you seek may be found within a library found on the other edge of the world. Once you reach that library, I will aid you in locating the book.


Symbol: An open tome


Usual Location: One of the five chantries.


Common Knowledge: The Librarian is one part historian, one part sage, and one part hermit. The


Adventurers and the Icon: Those adventurers following the path of this Icon are those seeking knowledge. While these people strike close to the same anvil as those following the Wisest Wizard, followers of the Librarian concern themselves with more than just magically related quests. They seek the knowledge gained by the Wanderer's wanderings, the historical knowledge held by the Elf Lord and Lady, and realms never gleamed from the Wisest Wizard.


Allies: The Wisest Wizard, The Wanderer


Enemies: The Warlord


History: Historically, the Librarian is the weakest of the Icons in terms of physical power. The Librarian's wealth of knowledge more than makes up for this, making her on-par with the summoning abilities of the Wisest Wizard. While the Librarian often sits among those abstaining from good and evil, she falters to the side of good when pushed.



The True Danger: Everything will be all right as long as the libraries of the world are not destroyed and knowledge lost.