!

An Avalon Games Product, All rights reserved, Version 1.0, 2010

All comments, suggestions and contacts can be made at…

Avalon Games Company, avalon@comstar-games.com

Or visit
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Written
by
Dillon Langlands

Edited by
Zack Gilmore and Jamie Warwick

Product design, layout and some artwork

by
Robert Hemminger

Some artwork supplied

by
Sade, LPJ, V Shane and Tamas Baranya

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 Contents

Introduction               Page 2
Plotting to Take Over the World! Page 2
  Getting Organized Page 3
  Learning the Setting Page 4
  Writing Your Story Page 4
  Knowing Your Players Page 5
Playing God for a Day Page 6
  Scheduling Page 6
  Having a Backup Plan Page 7
Stay Within the Lines Page 8
  Setting the Mood Page 8
Predictable Chaos Page 9
  Keeping Copies Page 10
  Interruptions Page 11
Snack Time Page 11
  Something Here Does Not Belong Page 12
Do Your Homework Page 12
  Search Engines Page 14
  Modern Media Page 15
  Your Library Card Page 15

1
 Being a great Game Master is a little like being yourself; no matter what you do to be different, you will
always be who you really are in the end. Is that a little cryptic? Let me break it down for you.

Being a great Game Master means; being diverse and flexible. You have to be ready for any possibility and
you need to be able to visualize things in your head that some people have trouble doing with visual aids. It's
a tough job being the person running a game for others, but it's a rewarding one. Some even say that being a
Game Master is a calling, not a job.

No one can tell you if you are a good Game Master or not, so the only way you'll ever know is to try it out
and then try it again and again. Different people, different stories and game settings, even different moods can
affect everything about the way you run a game and deal with your players. Setbacks happen from time to
time so never give up and never feel down about a game session that didn't go as well as you had hoped.

For those of you who don't seem to have all the natural requisites and raw talent for Game Mastering, we
have presented here for you, a one-stop guide to being a great GM. This book won't tell you everything you
need to know, but it is going to give you everything you need to start.

Plotting to Take Over the World! The second part of preparing to run a game is focus
[A.K.A. Preparation] and the ability to multitask. The more people at your
gaming table, the more likely it is to become a
So you're plotting to take over the world...I mean, classroom full of laughing, screaming children. This
being a Game Master. Before you ever pick up a can make it difficult to focus on the scene at hand
game book, organize a game night or even buy a new and even harder to play-out a one on one scene with
notebook, there are some things that you should do a player at that table.
to prepare yourself for running a role playing game.
Focus will help to make sure that you can stay on
There are two key parts to preparing to manage a point during a game session no matter what happens
role-playing game. The first and most important part during play. People are unpredictable and they will
of preparing to run a game is patience. Do you have do what occurs to them is the best thing to do at the
children? Do you baby sit or walk hyperactive dogs? time. This means that a game session can turn ugly
Can you sit still without saying a word for twenty fast and just as quickly; it can become completely
minutes or more at a time? Then you probably don't disrupted by everyone laughing so hard that people
need to train yourself to be patient, but if not, get have to run to the bathroom lest they leave a puddle
ready for it. No matter how experienced a role player beneath them.
is, they will always act like giddy school kids during
a game when things get intense. If you are doing The third and final part of preparing to run a role
your job properly, then your players will get excited, playing game is to be confident. Responsible role
rambunctious and they will definitely players will help a Game Master during a game
test your patience. If this happens to session move a story along and they will play their
you, don't get frustrated, it's a characters to a fault, but not all role players are that
compliment to your responsible, or that experienced. Regardless of
storytelling skills. experience or skill, a person plays a role playing
game for one of two primary motives: The first is
the thrill of the game. The second is for the love of
having fun. !

2
Those players who role play because they want to separated. The third good option is a handful of 100
enjoy the act or role playing and getting into page count or less, spiral bound notebooks, a pen and
character will enjoy living in the shoes of another a bright colored marker for highlighting certain
person for a short period of time. They treat their role notes.
playing time as a vacation from themselves and a
challenge for their imaginations and emotions. These Notes are going to be like oxygen once you get into
people are true role players and they will help you the thick of the game. Everything people say and do
tell a great story every step of the way. might be crucial to remember. Take notes about
everything you can. While your own notes are easy
For the types of players who are in it to simply have to keep track of and make after games, things that
fun, they can be helpful, disruptive, amusing and players do is not and taking those notes as it happens
even someone that you should teach about real role or during a break is the best way to go.
play. These people have just as much a place in role
playing games as you do, but they can test your No matter which method of note taking and file
limits and patience whether they realize they're doing keeping you use, you'll need to keep some kind of
it or not. notepad or open text file in front of you at all times.
If a player starts chatting up an NPC you never
Be prepared for any possible situation and every type planned to flesh out, you may want to remember
of person at a gaming table and you should be fine. some of the details of the NPC for encountering
For the rest of it, read on and see if there happens to again later.
be something there you hadn't thought of yet.
Something you may want to consider to help keep
Getting Organized yourself organized before and after games as well as
up to the moment, is a voice recorder. Micro cassette
You need to be organized and ready to roll before tapes, digital recorders and even a microphone and
you can run a game. A Game Master that isn't your computer will do the trick. Voice notes can
prepared or in the right state of mind to run a game, capture details without effort from game sessions and
runs the risk of ruining the gaming experience for if you take the time to listen to them later, you can
everyone at the table especially themselves. always get the info you need. Some Game Masters
even record their game sessions for later use and
Whether you happen to be using hard copy or digital reference.
files, you need to keep them in order and have them
on hand so you can reference them at any time.
Ideally, a notebook computer is the perfect way to
go. It has a small size, can play sound and video files
and will not take up much space at a gaming table.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have one on hand
so don't get discouraged. Your next best option to
keeping things on track is to type them out in
organized folders on your computer and print the
material you'll need before your game sessions. Your
best approach from there is to put your printed files
and notes into a binder or a Duo-Tang folder and get
some tabbed dividers to keep your categories
!

3
 Learning the Setting

Most role playing games include both a gaming Two, three, four or even five paneled cardboard
system and a game setting. When running a role prints that stand as short four inches tall up to even
playing game, you obviously need a story, but not ten or twelve can give you easy access to tables and
always a defined game setting. For those of you who information you'll need to know about game
are planning on using a pre-made game setting or mechanics. The more complex a game is, the more
using one of your own devising, then there will be a likely you'll need one of these screens and the more
lot of planning and memorization involved. details that will most likely be on them.

Memorizing details is hard for anyone and with how You can even make your own screens with some
big some role playing games have become, the task cardboard, scissors and a pen if need be. No matter
at hand can seem insurmountable. To help make sure how you come across a screen, try to keep one
you don't feel or genuinely get lost in it all, you need nearby so that you don't have to fill your game book
to make the right kind of notes and do some heavy with sticky tabs and scraps of paper. Retreating to
reading. Normally when you read a book, whether your book every time someone asks you a question
it's a textbook, a novel or a game book, you or checking details when combat begins is a good
remember certain parts of the text and themes. way to keep a game stale and stall the action.
Regardless of the type of information, you most
readily remember the parts of the book that you Writing Your Story
enjoyed. To make sure you can remember more, you
need to change the way you read a book. Writing a story for a role playing game or anything
else for that matter is no easy task. Anyone that tells
The best approach to remembering everything from a you they know the best method is just blowing
book, especially a role playing game book, is to treat smoke at you because everyone approaches it
it like a movie. Treat each chapter of the book like a differently and no two people think the same way.
full length movie you are watching and taking notes This means that anything you read here is going to
on. Write down location names, dates and people that be conjecture and suggestions. Sorry if you were
are associated with them. Assuming you found at looking for A to Z directions.
least a handful of things interesting enough to
remember without aid then the related notes will help Some of the best places to start are stories that
to refresh you on the finer details when needed. already exist. Old poetry, fairy tales, modern movies,
television shows and more will show you a multitude
A game's playing system is another matter altogether. of stories in many forms. Most of the stories you see
throughout these different sources will actually be
Learning the gaming mechanics behind a role the same as well, they're just dressed up differently
playing game can be daunting at first and simply or have some small elements altered from one to the
irritating later on. Once you learn the ins and outs of next. If you can dissect the primary components of
a gaming system it will become either second nature the story then you'll have a foundation to build the
or a constant speed bump for smooth game play. Try actual body of your game from.
to avoid letting it dragging you
down by using an age old tool With a foundation in mind, you should know how to
that Game Masters have begin your game. The beginning is sometimes
benefited from for a very long difficult to prepare because your players will become
time; I'm of course referring the pivotal element of it. If you prepare a game story
to the GM's Screen.
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4
 Knowing Your Players
that has them sitting around at an inn, drinking mead
together when a dying man falls through the door Know your players and know how they think. The
because evil wizards are assaulting the town, then way a person reacts to situations is how they will
you're going to need to recalibrate things a little if react to all situations. Regardless of how a person
one of your party members happens to be an evil role plays, they can't ignore their basest instincts.
wizard! It's best to leave the beginning until after you
know what your player's characters will be. Having friends as players tends to work best, but
being around your players long enough will tell you
The ending is instead the place you should begin. what you need to know anyway. Have them over for
Even in ongoing campaigns, there are stories. Each dinner one night, see what they like to do for fun or
story is like a chapter of a book. If you can plan out where they spend their free time. With even
your journey by going from one story to the next, functional grade school knowledge of sociology this
then you can always have a steady flow of drama, information can tell you everything you need to
action and intrigue for your players to salivate over. know.

Work backwards from the ending and determine the Personal habits will tell you if a person is clean, if
most likely way that the players would reach it; but they have addictions, what kinds of compulsions
do this one step at a time. If you plan out every leg of afflict them and if they prefer certain flavors or
the game, then your story will remain complete. sounds. Knowing what your players like to read and
Even if the players do something to subvert your the kinds of movies they watch will tell you about
story or interrupt its flow, you will know how they their choice of plots. Understanding things from their
are supposed to get to the next element of your story past, knowing their parents and more will tell you
and you can compensate for it. things about them they might never actually tell you.
If you can find these things out about your players
Beyond those suggestions, the only thing I can tell you can always know what they'll do and how they'll
you is to keep notes...a lot of notes. Like any part of react to what happens in your games.
being a Game Master, notes will help you remember
details and help to make sure you don't forget Game Masters have to be versatile. Ideally, a Game
something pivotal. Consistency makes the game Master is like a Zen god. If you can find yourself
more believable; no one wants to suffer the meeting any of these requirements, then you're at a
embarrassment of the party meeting an NPC who good state and are ready to learn to be better. A great
talks about something another NPC told them, only Game Master is a sociologist, a novelist, a drama
the first NPC never told them what they needed to teacher, a father or mother figure, a friend, a master
know. Continuity is sometimes more important than chess player and an evil sadist all at once. You'll
being dramatically appropriate. never find all of these qualities and skills in one
individual, and if you do he or she is most likely an
evil genius who actually happens to be plotting to
take over the world; but having as many of them as
you can will make you a better Game Master.

5
The obvious question in all of this is “why?” Why This is perfect for people with control issues, but in
would you need to have these kinds of skills just to either case, you have to be a different person at the
run a great role playing game? If you've ever played game table than you are anywhere else. Something a
with a Game Master who actually meets these little taboo to consider is doing some research into
seemingly impossible prerequisites then you don't what a dominatrix does. Domination is an act of trust
actually need an answer to that question, but Game and safety. Unknown to many people, these acts have
Masters like this are rare for a reason. next to nothing to do with direct, physical sexual
action and everything to do with one person giving
Your players are not characters in a book. They are themselves over to the control of another. Ideally,
not test subjects in a laboratory and they are most your players will sit down to a table with you and
certainly not video game players who go with the trust you so implicitly that they will put the fate of
flow. A role player, whether new or experienced is a their personas in your hands.
human being and humans by our very nature are
diverse and seemingly unpredictable. You can plan a This is a lot of control for any one person to have
game session or a campaign for months and all it and that trust has to be appreciated. Players trust you
takes is one player to stroll into your game and with their fantasy selves and the story you tell is like
completely kill your story with one sentence of the world they get to live in when they take a
dialogue or a single roll of the dice. Things will vacation away from the real world.
happen that you never planned for and never could In the end, that's what role playing is all about, living
and because of that, you need to know your players. another life that you don't have to live forever.
Fantasy at its finest.
If you know what your players will do and
secondarily what they will most likely do, then you Scheduling
can plan ahead and be ready for them to do what they
do best: role play. Random get-together's may be fun for social calls
and a night out on the town, but when it comes to
Playing God for a Day role playing games, a schedule keeps things flowing.
[A.K.A. Execution] Setting up a regular meeting time and place for
playing games will make sure that you don't run into
Playing God sounds worse than it actually is. In a missing players and miscommunications.
literal sense, this is what you do as a Game Master
though. During a game session, a Game Master is in It's going to be hard to setup a regular playing time
control of every aspect of the game save for one: the since most people's schedules don't necessarily
players themselves. You get to determine the match up. If you and your playing group can manage
weather, traffic, the state of the yearly crops, the to meet once a week, schedule the game for a time
reactions that people have and even the cost of liquor when everyone will be rested and will not need to
and the current political state of the country. You are run off at a certain time for work or other events. A
in control of everything. clear mind is the best state to play a role playing
game in after all. Additionally, having to watch the
clock for a deadline so you can make it to work on
time or meet up with someone will distract you as
well as the players around the table, or vice versa.

6
The second element of scheduling that you want to This is where things get a little complicated.
keep in mind is location. Location is important for a
lot of reasons. The more often you play in a certain To make sure that you always have a backup story
location, the more comfortable you will become that you can spring on the players if something goes
playing there. The same is true for the people you wrong, you need to make sure that your current story
play with. People that play at the same table and never relies on anything from the players that can
location every week or two weeks will eventually change without notice or planning. Any story can be
pick out chairs and spots at the table. Some will even designed to work with just about anyone and if a
find room on of your bookshelves that they know story gets derailed during play, you should be able to
will stay empty and leave their character sheets and recover by making certain modifications. A good
dice there to be picked up the next time they come example would be how the party finds out about your
for a game session. key plot elements. If they were supposed to solve a
murder, your initial introduction might be that the
Try to use some incentives to meet with scheduling players were approached by the victim's wife and
demands, award players with a small amount of begged to help solve it. Some adaptations could be
bonus experience or some kind of tangible character that the players instead find themselves framed for
reward for showing up on time and ready to play. the murder or questioned as suspects for being in the
The better your schedule works, the easier it is to get wrong place at the wrong time.
into the game when the time comes to play.
So long as your plots aren't written to be precise in
Having a Backup Plan their origins, any game situation can be adapted to it.
Modern story ideas can be adapted to fantasy games
Murphy's Law: whatever can go wrong, will go and vice versa. Even a small story can be worked
wrong. into a larger campaign game.

This will be truer than you will ever want to believe The best method of attack for versatile gaming is to
when you run role playing games. People change create a story that has a beginning, determined
their minds, want to change characters, get called in locations and events. Use these events to plan
to work and more. The worst of it all is that almost whether or not certain aspects of the game occur.
every role playing game out there uses dice and Plan them by location and even random die rolls or
thanks to the random element they present, anything triggers. Triggers would be things that let certain
can happen at any time. events in your story play out. With all of these events
in mind and definitely written down somewhere, you
Because of this, a character may not live beyond a can determine a list of outcomes for your story. With
random creature encounter in the first game sessions, multiple possible endings to your story, you can
someone might decide to bash in a door you cleverly determine which events will lead to those endings.
locked up tighter than a bank vault or get into a bar This is the best way to make a story flexible and
fight with a key NPC you crafted for them to get versatile.
information from. These are only a few examples of
the things that can go wrong in any given game While this has been a simple explanation
session. There are far more ways a game can go of how to make a versatile story, you
wrong and the story can get derailed and it is because should be able to figure it out and
of this you need to have a backup plan. More than in doing so you'll develop your
just a simple “plan b”, it needs to be adaptive and own individual approach.
able to be worked into any story that you already
have on the go. !

7
 Stay Within the Lines
that point can be insulting and offensive. Do yourself
Fantasy is far different from reality. Things will a favor and make sure you don't take anything
always go the way you want them to go in fantasy or personal that happens during a game session.
they'll go horribly wrong and anything in between,
but it's always by design. Life is different because if Make sure you know the sensibilities of your players.
there is a design, if there is something that you can Understanding what offends them and what they can
call fate or a higher power then its too wide ranged handle will help you run a smoother game. It's when
and subtle to see. In a role playing game, the fantasy you cross that line that the game can become
is a constructed story that you live while you take on disrupted and even cause it to break up. This isn't
the role of someone else. always the case though, some players will actually
invite the drastic change to normal life and
When things happen in life, they happen because of situations; just be careful to know which your
cause and effect, but the cause could have started players happen to be.
years before and on the other side of the world
before the eventual side-effects are finally observed A seasoned Game Master can introduce some
in our own lives. The same thing happens in a role seriously vile elements into a game without
playing game, but the difference is that a Game disrupting the actual story or game with them. Stay
Master has made it happen by weaving together a away from taboo subjects until you develop some
captivating and realistic story. He or she has chosen experience in running a game. With some skill and
to have these things eventually affect you as the an in-depth knowledge of your players, you can even
player, hence, by design. introduce some very difficult and horrible events
such as race crimes, personal violation and torture.
This is all very important to keep in mind when you These subjects are not for all games and definitely
play any role playing game because things have not for all kinds of gamers; but for those equipped to
either been planned to happen or will spontaneously handle it, such topics can further increase the realism
occur in a role playing game that can shock the of your games.
senses and truly test your mettle. Because a game has
no real repercussions and side-effects, people can Setting the Mood
and no doubt will do things they would never do in
real life; a perk of none of it being real. Setting the stage for your game is a key art of
running it successfully. Any role playing game, big
Modern media has unfortunately played a big part in or small has many elements and themes that can be
how this is something to be leery of in games. used to set a mood.
Thanks to overexposure, less and less is shocking to
people these days and you have to continue to push While not necessary, mood setting will help to
things further and further to make a genuine enhance your game and the gaming experience your
impression on people. To this end, your players will players have while playing with you. The question
do things that may upset you and to get a reaction becomes, how do you set a mood?
from them, you may have to do the
same thing. The reason this is a Horror games are particularly easy to set a mood for.
problem is how much your A dark house with bright lights at the table only will
players and you can handle. give a feeling of unease about what lies just beyond
Everyone has a breaking point sight in the dark. Candles are a nice touch, but don't
and being pushed beyond rely on them as a primary light source around the
table as it can put a strain on the eyes and make
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8
 Acting out is also something that can be a very
reading character sheets difficult. Fake skull effective in a role playing game. Since table top role
decorations and even going so far as to use glow in playing games are played at a table, hence the name,
the dark dice is also a good way to help set the mood. everyone is sitting and talking, writing and rolling
If you can find some ambient music tracks that can dice. In some cases games go on for hours and in
be played in the background, they will also help to others they even last for a lot of hours; getting up and
create an ominous feeling during your game. moving around gets the blood moving and helps to
keep you aware and mentally active. In the heat of a
Science fiction games are simple to set a mood for, heavy combat situation, getting up from your chair to
but you have to make sure you tailor your mood illustrate an attack or the lumbering movement of a
setting for each game. Electronic ambient music is fat, smelly ogre may seem a little comical, but it is
great for playing in the background and the use of very effective. Leave your shame at the door and just
simple colors in your game room help to establish a play.
feeling of inorganic presence. The use of notebook
laptops at the table and metallic dice are also great
ways to bring the game to life. Additionally, if you Predictable Chaos
have ever used LED cord lights at Christmas, this is [A.K.A. Wild Cards]
a great time to break one or two out of storage. A
blue cord light taped to the underside of the table can Predictable chaos is a contradiction in terms, but role
make it feel very modern and can only serve to lend playing games are full of them so this shouldn't be
itself to the game's ambience. anything new. Nothing ever goes quite the way you
planned it to or hoped it would end up. This is just a
High fantasy games are one of the most difficult basic fact of life, one that seems even more present
types of games to set a mood for. Creating an in games.
ambience for a fantasy game depends almost entirely
on the individual game setting and the game story If you plan for things to go wrong and hope they
you are running. Fake skull decorations, pewter work out right, you can be prepared, which is half
dragon statuettes, specialty dice, a well made GM the battle. This is where you need to think ahead of
Screen, fanfare and dramatic ambient music are great the curve and make sure your games, your players
tools, but they only work when used for the right and your gaming environment won't turn on you or
fantasy game. become a hazard.
A part of mood setting for role playing games that What is the most important thing to keep watchful of
people often overlook is voice acting and acting out. when it comes to role playing games? Everything,
treat it like a day in the CIA, get paranoid.
Voice acting can really portray a character or creature
you're controlling in the game. Using a heavy and You can be prepared and ready for things to happen,
raspy voice for a grizzled pub owner or a soft and but you can never truly be able to stop things from
decadent voice for a haughty aristocrat will get disrupting your game. Because of this, you need to
players into the game. If you start it some players plan for things to happen beyond
may even join in and start doing it for their own your control and outside of the
characters as well. This is definitely a sign that you're normal range of events in your
getting players into the game and really setting a life. Buy a cheap notebook and
dramatic stage for them to role play with. some sticky colored tabs or tape
and colored construction paper.
!

9
With your notebook in hand you can write out Keeping Copies
contingency plans: “what to do if...” Write down
short story ideas, write about some interesting NPCs, The loss of characters sheets, game notes and even
and just keep it going. Write down everything you books and dice is an inevitability. People lose things
think might help you wiggle your way out of a and since gamers tend to have a lot of paper work to
situation you didn't know was coming or didn't plan keep track of, they will tend to lose things even
for. This notebook will save our life when these more. All it takes is for one person to come to your
things come up in a game and you may even find game session from the other side of the city only to
yourself with multiple notebooks to write down all realize they forgot their character sheet, their dice or
your ideas. just one of their sheets for the game to get disrupted
or stop it dead in its tracks.
Even if you don't use a notebook, get a card box and
index cards, a series of text documents in sorted There are many ways to work around this, but the
folders on your computer, whatever will suit your best method is to keep copies of everything. If you
purposes best. Keep adding to your notes and keep live close to a local library and can use their
them on hand, this will become your codex. A Game photocopy machine, it's a perfect way to make copies
Master's Codex is like an unscrupulous bible and it of character sheets. A flatbed or handheld scanner
should be referred to religiously when one is in doubt also does a good job of copying a character sheet and
of what to do next. These notes can be used in other in some cases will be better suited to doing this.
campaigns as well if they are set in the same type of Some people will write information on their
setting. character sheet very lightly and it may not show up
well in a photocopy.

If you keep your own notes and files in digital format

then you already have your own records covered for
keeping copies because you can simply print them as
needed. The same situation is applicable to character
sheets if your players happen to keep things backed
up on their computers, or even yours when they
come to your house for a game session.

One additional way to be prepared for the loss of

character sheets and records is to have your players
keep them at your house. Don't let them take them
home and instead store them all in a small box or
portfolio folder. If everything your players need to
play the game and what you need to run it is all at
hand, then no one can forget to bring something and
you won't be at a loss.

10
This small measure of planning can ensure that your Unless you're expecting an important phone call, set
games will never be interrupted or stopped because your answering machine to pick up the call
of bad luck and losing sheets of paper. immediately. You could also just go so far as to shut
the ringer off or unplug it. Make sure that your
Additionally, a Game Master is well advised to keep non-role playing friends and family members know
a small collection of dice other than the ones he or what night of the week your game session is held on
she uses on a regular basis. This will help to ensure so they don't come knocking. You can also hang a
that players new to role playing will have dice sign on your door telling people you don't want to be
available to them at the game table when they come disturbed, but that only ever becomes necessary
to play one of your games as well as giving your when you get a lot of people who stop by without
regular players dice to use if they forget their own at warning.
home. This can become rather expensive after a
while, but the usefulness of the collection will pay Scheduling breaks every half hour can also help to
for itself and in most cases, rather quickly. stop interruptions like bathroom breaks, cigarette
breaks and will let people get up to grab drinks or
Interruptions snacks.

Interruptions during game play are going to happen. Snack Time

People have to use the bathroom, the phone will ring,
knocks on the door, you name it and it will happen Snacks, food, munchies, or even a game night dinner
eventually. These interruptions can slow a game will happen eventually. Sitting around a table and
down and make you lose your place, if they're really role playing may not be a physical exercise but it
bad, then the interruptions can even ruin the mood does exercise the mind. Foods that provide
and atmosphere you have going on or halt game immediate energy are always commonplace around
progress altogether. the gaming table and this unfortunately leads to
sugary foods and candy more often than not.
Some of these interruptions can't be avoided. Some
interruptions are serious and will need to be attended Why is this a bad thing? Other than the obvious
to, like someone choking on something they ate or health implications, too much sugary food around a
getting called in to work at the last minute. No one is table will lead to euphoria and distraction when that
above those kinds of interruptions and they are sugar wears off. This of course says nothing about
important. what happens when someone has too much sugar and
becomes hyper and giddy while playing. Both of
The kinds of interruptions that can be avoided are the these can be a bad interruption around the game
simple things you may just take for granted. table. When someone has had too much sugar and
Something to consider is how many of your players, gets hyper and silly, they will undoubtedly lose focus
including you, smoke cigarettes? Lets face it, if you on the game and things will move to a more comic
smoke, you're going to want to take breaks to sneak tone from there on. After someone is coming down
outside for one unless of course everyone does in from being picked up on sugar in their system, they
which case you may just let people smoke at the will crash. If this sugar has been the only
table. That one is completely up to you. thing keeping that person acutely
aware and active, then when they
Another major factor in a smooth game night is have used up all the energy from
outside interference. Outside interference means the sugar they will become sleepy
anything from outside of your home or gaming table and docile. This will screw
that can and will interfere with your game session !

11
things up worse than someone laughing themselves Something Here Does Not Belong
stupid and not being serious anymore.
Most role playing groups consist of familiar people,
There are two things you can do about snacks at the friends and family. Most groups play together for
game table. years and once they establish themselves, they rarely
like to take on new players or change many aspects
The first is to ensure that there are simple, easily of their routine. We, as role players, are creatures of
digested snacks available for everyone and that they habit; the habits, repetition and schedules that we
are healthy. Potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods take on help to make us feel more secure in sharing
will feel heavy at first, but they metabolize into at a game table. A big part of role play after all is
natural sugar which helps to keep you energized revealing intimate parts of oneself disguised as
without the sugar crash after you digest it. For people clever interpretations of make-believe events.
who aren't allergic to peanuts, there are hundreds of
healthy peanut butter based cookie recipes and other Familiar grounds make for familiar people and with
snacks to be found online. Vegetables are also a great people around a game table that you know nothing
snack food round the table, especially cucumber, really happens between you to mess things up. It's
rhubarb, berries, apples and oranges. These when you need to replenish the ranks that you will
vegetables and fruits are light on the stomach and meet role players that do not fit into your archetype.
provide healthy natural sugars to keep you and your This isn't a bad thing, in fact it's good to explore new
players alert and active with. avenues and experience new opinions.

The second part of managing snacks at the game The problem comes when the people in your playing
table is making sure there are enough snacks to go group have a radical enough playing style or set of
around. This will become difficult and costly over ideals that they become disruptive to the game. You
time depending on the size of your group of players. may even be the source of this disruption if enough
If you feel comfortable providing those snacks for of your players do not like your style or the way you
them then you should be fine, but if you don't, then handle certain situations. This is going to happen and
its time to consider collections. if you're unlucky, it may even happen among your
established playing group. People do change after all.
Collecting as little as three to five dollars from your
players each game session will let you pick up fresh Amongst a group of seasoned role players who
vegetables and cold drinks. You can make sure that prefer a gritty, realistic game with harsh
no one needs to get up to find something to snack on consequences and horribly violent repercussions, a
or go on a run to the store. No one will need to phone young and inexperienced player will quickly find
up a pizza shop for a delivery and you won't need to themselves outmatched and in an environment
spend every cent either. You can save up the rest of they're not comfortable with. You can have a large
the collected cash and every four or five game variety of players, but to do so with any kind of
sessions you can add it all together to buy or make a efficiency you have to make sure they all have the
big dinner for everyone. same tastes and preferences or at least
complimentary ones.

Think of the game table as a workplace. Everyone

has to follow the rules and get along, but they are
also encouraged to think for themselves and excel at
what they do. Surprisingly enough, this is an ideal
model for a gaming group. !

12
1
Beyond the presence or lack of the so-called “odd Do Your Homework
man out”, there is another potential problem when it [A.K.A. Research]
comes to your playing group. Disruptive players or
players that are just having a bad day and take it out No one likes a Game Master that has no idea what to
on the group are a bad thing. It's hard to deal with do or answers a question with I don't know. A leader
them if you can't just tell them to get out. Giving always knows the answer to a question posed to him
them a chance can work, but you have to do this or her. People who inspire others are always looked
carefully and make sure that every player in the to not only for guidance but for assurance as well.
group wants to work through it with them. This is a very big part of your role as a Game Master.
The players are relying on you to portray a world not
Role playing games are for everyone, but not their own. They are looking to you to play God and
everyone is meant to role play. Just remember that give them an experience in that fantasy like no other.
while everyone wants that rich fantasy life, not
everyone is ready to live in it. Be understanding and This might not seem like a fair weight to put on your
patient, you never know when an inexperienced, rude shoulders, but its one you have whether you like it or
and disruptive player just needs some encouragement not. It is this responsibility that calls for the need to
and direction to become better than you could know what the heck you're talking about. You have
imagine. to be able to answer the questions people ask you.
This means doing your homework.

Don't walk into a game setting without knowing

everything about it that you can handle learning.
Don't use a biological terrorist attack in a major U.S.
city without knowing something about the way the
C.D.C. and Homeland Security will respond to the
threat. Don't let players mess with chemicals in a
fantasy game unless you know something about
chemistry or are willing to do some research as
things progress. These may only be a few examples
but you can as any Game Master, they either have or
will come up.

In the event that you have no clue about what's going

on in a game session, you have to sound like you do.
Being confident and quick to answer is the first step
in sounding like you know what you're talking about.
The second step is much easier, it's being consistent.
You can be consistent with complete bull by just
keeping notes about it so you can make sure you
have the same answer an hour after you
were asked the first time.

13
If you can make sure that your players can rely on
you for information and problem solving, then
you've succeeded in being a reliable resource. Being
that resource means knowing things that will never Search Engines
be useful in any other part of your life. Essentially, a
great Game Master is a fountain of knowledge... The world wide web is probably your single most
mostly of useless facts, but a fountain just the same. useful tool for research. You can fill your library with
books on every topic you can think of and you will
In your spare time, do some light reading. Pick up an still fall short when asked the right question.
encyclopedia, read a book about anatomy; pick up an
old chemistry text book from a garage sale or used This amazing communication tool has given us the
book store and anything else you can get your hands ability to research, archive and understand nearly
on. The little bits of knowledge that you'll gleam anything in our history; it has also allowed us to
from reading these books will give you direct and learn about up to date events and discoveries at the
applicable knowledge of a multitude of subjects. push of a button and the clack of a few keys.
Yes, with the internet at your disposal and some
You would also be surprised how widely useful this creative use of search engines you can find out just
knowledge is. Learning about chemistry will give about anything.
you insight into alchemical practices and even
wilderness survival. Sociology will help you not only Search engines work by using the relevant terms that
create NPCs with more depth and realism, but also you type in to find the best associated websites it can.
help you to identify with and lead your players Search engines use the keywords built into a website
better. Wilderness survival and hunting books can to find matches for your searches so you may or may
tell you a lot about making and disarming traps, not find what you are looking for. If at first you don't
identifying concealed encampments and even succeed, try and try again. Even if you do find one
camouflage. Tax law and economic studies will give website that answers your question, look at others to
you a very good base knowledge of economies and make sure you are getting all the right information;
trade values. Biology text books will allow you to this is particularly important when researching
create better visual scenes in combat and work in history since many scholars do not agree with each
more realistic and thrilling wounds, injuries and other.
battle scars. There is no end to what you can achieve
with even the most rudimentary understanding of a Once you find a website that holds information that
particular subject. you need, you really have to keep track of it. Most
web browser programs let save web pages addresses
Do your homework and make sure that you can and you should keep track of all of them. In some
always answer a question, no matter what your cases you can even save an archive copy of the
answer may be. website for offline viewing which is invaluable when
traveling with a laptop or notebook because you can't
always access the internet everywhere you go.

Using web pages, you can create a virtual library of

information gathered from the internet and even a
collection of offline web pages for reference
whenever you need it.

14
The internet will also give you access to e-books and Modern media has also created another problem for
digital documents. These types of books are cheaper you and its one that gives every Game Master a
and some can even be printed from home to have headache. Thanks to the ever-evolving state of
them in hard copy. Role playing books are especially special effects and feature films pushing the
useful to have in both hard copy and digital format in boundaries of acceptable entertainment, people's
case you hard copy is ever lost, borrowed or imaginations have dwindled. With most people
destroyed. unable to visually summon images in their head with
any proficiency, imagining what's going on around a
Modern Media game table can be very hard. To make sure this
doesn't impede your games you are going to have to
Modern media is your best friend and your worst step up your game so to speak.
enemy. On the one hand modern media has given us
the ability to access information at the touch of a Describing a scene visually is hard work because if
button that would otherwise have been reserved for you make your explanation too simple, you risk your
those who could afford to track it down or purchase players not “seeing” it play out right and you have to
old and rare antiquities; on the other hand, it also rely on them to visualize it all. This isn't the way a
means that your players have that same level of great Game Master works. You have to describe a
access that you do. This means that when you speak, scene so well that your players can practically taste
you've got to make sure that you speak with some the barley and hops in your taverns, feel the cool
degree of authority. mist on their faces by the lake and shiver at the sight
of the dead rising before their mind's eye. You can't
You can rely on modern media as a security blanket take too long to describe things either which presents
for ignorance. Most people learn through experience the challenge for Game Masters. If the whole game
and because of this, movies, television shows and session is spent with you describing a single scene,
social networking sites have become a repository for well, your players will know every inch of what
people to learn things they think are correct. Because you're trying to describe, but the game will get lost in
movies and television have had to blend more and the details.
more reality into their fiction, it's becoming
considerably harder to separate fiction from fact. Really, it all boils down to what this guide has been
This has led to people thinking that they can actually telling you the whole time: you need to know your
learn things from these fictional presentations. This players and work with them to make the best
is actually more a blessing for your particular possible game experience for everyone.
endeavors than a curse. Knowing that people will
think they are learning from certain kinds of movies Your Library Card
gives you the advantage of being able to dazzle them
with the reality of the situation in your game if you Your library card is your most effective weapon.
happen to know the difference, or to use the fiction That little piece of paper is like a train ticket that
they have been presented as your own fact in role never expires and can take you anywhere you want
playing games that you host. to go. Yes, I realize that sounded a little too much
like an after school special message,
In all cases, modern media will make sure that your but sadly every word of it is true.
factual and fictional balance in any given game story No one expects you to have a
must remain far more attuned than games you've library that could rival your
hosted in the past. More effort just means getting local library, or do they?
better at what you do. !

15
Game Masters are supposed to be regular people, This is not to say that modern writers aren't as good
everyday role players. They take the bus to work, as the classics or that newer books won't teach you
they get up in the morning to an alarm clock, they something the way the old ones can. You have to
have hopes and dreams and yet every time we sit understand though that classic writers had something
down to a game session with Game Masters, we to rebel against. They lived in an age where the
expect them to be gods among men. You don't people that spoke out against a state of affairs were
actually need to have read the passages in the Library either hailed as heroes or locked away to rot as
of Alexandria, but people expect you to have. martyrs. Today, even those that would speak up
against atrocity or oppression are very rarely more
Using your library card will let you get to books you than a bad joke. Regardless of whether they have
never thought to have picked up because either they something worth saying or not, you've no doubt
weren't relevant or just not your kind of reading heard the root of what you'll find in their works
material. You never know when reading a young anyway.
adult mystery novella will tell you things you need to
know about a game you're planning on running. The best part about it all obviously is that it means
You'd be surprised what kind of insights you can that you don't have to buy more books that you may
even gain from small children's books let alone well only read once. There are already enough costs
developed stories by the greats. involved in being a Game Master.

Take the time to read poetry, old poetry. Pick up Back to School
Robert Frost and feel his grasp of the dark, brutality
revealed. Dive into some of William Shakespeare's If you want to be a great Game Master then school's
plays and divine what kind of insight the man had back in session. There are three ways to learn: from
into the human heart. Dare to read Edgar Alan Poe carefully constructed text and instruction, hands on
and discover the shadows that lingered in his heart work and practice and finally, from the wisdom and
and mind. There are thousands and more, but these guidance of your elders. The third way to learn is
three alone will tell you more about life and love arguably the best way.
than your life will have told you by the time you lay
on your death's bed. So what exactly is it that you can learn from those
around you? Just about everything, but let me see if I
Read a book, not a graphic novel or a boring socially can make it come out a little more specifically.
constructed manual on feeling good at the workplace
when your boss hits on you, no, a real book. Dig Construction workers, contractors and computer
deep and blow the dust off the shelves. Enjoy Fyodor programmers can teach you some amazing things
Dostoyevsky's work in social psychology and his about details. The devil is in the details and this is no
willingness to speak a dangerous truth. Plumb the less true in life than it is in building objects and
many depths of Charles Dickens and come to structures. These people understand that calculation
understand why generations later, the world still is akin to interpretation and they can both be the
holds him up as a shining example. Dare to read foundation of something great. To think that numbers
Mark Twain and gain an and lines on paper can become buildings and walls
understanding of the human and video games is something truly amazing when
will and our very quizzical you really think your way through the processes
nature. involved. To take an idea and turn it into something
real is an act of creation. It is something powerful
and ultimate.
!

16
 Knowing how to create something will let you do
Knowing how to work with others and work with
things in role playing games that you honestly never
how they feel is a wonderful talent and one that can
thought possible, or never thought was possible for
be trained and honed. Understanding how people
you to do. Running a game is an act of creation
work internally will help you to provoke, to soothe,
regardless of how you look at it, and like any act of
to coerce and even to engage the person.
creation, the process is arduous and draining; but it is
something wonderful.
Role players, video gamers and martial artists can
teach you to envision a world without walls. These
Artists, sculptors and masons can teach you some
people live in a constant state of reality and fantasy
wonderful things about lying. Yes, you read that
that, while apart, is blurred together into a kind of
right, lying, falsehood, gags, and distractions. Lying
Zen-like state. With the ability to visualize anything
is an essential part of running a role playing game,
and play scenes out in your head, you can help to
you are after all making something up for the pur-
ensure that others can do the same. Bringing a kind
poses of entertainment and trying to make it seem as
of wet reality to the imagination of others is an act of
real and involved as possible. These people will be
inspiration.
able to teach you how to lie for the sake of
presenting something or to create some kind of
Inspiring others is power, true power. It's not the kind
awareness of a truth; a contradiction in terms, but
of maniacal power that a super villain has in some
one that is prevalent in our world, old and new.
rag comic book, but instead its real power. To the
Lying for the sake of creating awareness is an act of
inspired, they feel uplifted and empowered and they
empathy.
will feel better about every aspect of their life if even
for a moment. This is how people are engaged and
Acts of empathy are rarely done well, or correctly,
how they turn a conversation over dice and paper at a
but they are done for all sorts of reasons and in even
table into an interactive movie in their heads.
more forms. When you can learn to understand that
there are many ways to present falsehoods you will
That is that. You certainly haven't learned everything
start to understand that running a game is about more
you needed to know, but you've no doubt learned
than the fantasy of it all.
enough to be better. Never stop learning and looking
ahead to the future. Your skills, resources and
Actors, teachers and animal lovers can teach you the
especially your passion is what will make you a truly
need for spiritual and emotional bonding. You can't
great Game Master in the end.
illustrate a point to a person without knowing how
they see the world. Without knowing something
“Games are meant to be played”
about the person after all is like explaining
-Penniless Canadian Stereotypes
something to a brick wall. You can't obviously know
everyone that you need to explain things to or
counsel, so all you can do is know how certain
people think and feel and do your best. This is an act
of compassion.
!

17
 All games available at
(Click on the name to visit their site)

RPGNow.com

e23.sjgames.com

wargamedownloads.com

wargamevault.com

Yourgamesnow.com

Drivethrustuff.com












 






 
























 If you like this product, try other games from Avalon Games

Arcanum
An exciting adventure game of magic, glory and exploration. Set for 2 or more players,
the game uses a unique chip system to resolve all events and encounters. Now with four
great expansions.

Board Games
Avalon makes some great board games, great games at a great price. Arcanum, Mystic
Adventures, Dragon Lords and Junkyard Wars are but a few of our great titles.

Battle Tiles
Battle Tiles, Avalon Games, is a fun, and exciting way to improve your gaming
experience. Use these high quality map tiles to create new and challenging battle arenas
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Each square is set to a 1" to 5 foot scale, and each tile is created so you can interconnect
them with other tiles to create massive settings for adventure and battle.

At a cost of less then fifty cents a page, and hundreds of possible combinations, you can't
go wrong with Battle Tiles, so get started and have a battle to remember.

Avalon Clip Art

Avalon has tons of artwork, all ready for you to use. Great art for a great price is our
goal, so grab a handful right away.

Character Portraits
Need a fast picture of what your character looks like. These professional, full color works
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Each set comes with 10 full color portraits of different fantasy characters, each suitable
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Sets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are all ready for download, so go get 'em.

Mini-Games
Avalon Games is happy to offer tons of little games, that we like to call Mini-Games,
and with over 30 titles, you are sure to find one or more games that will blow your mind.
Little, however, does not mean lame. No, these are great gaming gems, just in small bite
sized forms. Fun, fast and cheap, they are a great way to get some gaming fun into a
short block of time. Have a look, you might be surprised at what you find.

Worlds of Wonder
Worlds of Wonder is a fast, simple to play RPG system designed for use by advanced
players who wish to create detailed characters without having to roll on endless charts
and deal with endless rules.
After 30+ years of playing, running and designing games, be they RPG’s or board games,
we at Avalon have come to one conclusion. Its not the game’s rules that make it
enjoyable, but the people you play with. With that in mind, Worlds of Wonder takes the
most important aspect of any RPG, the character creation, and tries to offer players, and
their GM, the tools needed to make the time spent playing together well worth the time
spent creating the characters.

Worlds of Wonder Expansions

Want more Worlds of Wonder? Try one of the many expansions for the system. More
monsters, foes, magic, skill sets and gaming stuff to keep you occupied for weeks,
months, hell maybe for a lifetime. Ever expanding, the WoW system is made for gaming
fun, so don’t wait, have an adventure and enter Worlds of Wonder.

Arcana
Arcana is generic world, designed for use with any Fantasy RPG System, and so
the information presented here and in other Arcana expansions will of course be a
bit vague as to stats, levels and powers. The intention is to give the GM and
players a world rich in personality, history and depth, one where they can seek
adventure, but use any RPG system they feel most conferrable with.

The basics of the game world are presented here in the core book, but as
expansions are released, the complexity of the world will grow as more and more
of its history, dangers and wonders are explored. When it is all said and done,
Arcana will become a vast world of detailed and expansive depth, one where that
you and your friends can full explore.

Game Geek
Avalon's Monthly game magazine, inside you will find tons of gaming goodness, free
games, add on materials for many of Avalon's titles, and a monthly sections dedicated to
S&G, Battle Axe and Arcana. Great game stuff each and every month.

Avalon is a proud participant of Kiva,

making loans that change lives.








Avalon’s premier game system the S&G battle system allows you to play skirmish level
engagements, and do so with a fast, easy to learn system that also allows for endless
expansions and genres. With S&G you can fight battles between fantasy based elves and
orcs, or blast off into the cold hard future with space marines and aliens.







Weapons and Armor
'
Warlord Grom Weapons As mod Damage mod Notes____ 


Scimitar
Dagger
-1
+0
+1
-1
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 Battle Axe is a simple to play tabletop system for skirmish level
battles. Using cards instead of dice, you will find the game to be
less luck based and much more tactical in nature. The rules and
cards provide here will be enough to get you started, and new
characters and rule expansions are on the way so you can continue
to increase both the size and composition of your War Bands.
 If you liked this game, try one of Avalon Game’s Mini-Games, such as Warriors of
the Four Circles, a great addition to the S&G line of skirmish games.

(Click here to visit this product’s page at RPGnow)

 



 
 



 
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