The episode itself is still very light in tone – if you like gallows humor and bad taste, that is. But to be honest, I do like the end product. We get to see a lot of individuality in the characters and what their values are. Now that the players are used to their characters, their roleplay is stepping up a notch and I can take a step back and let them take the wheel.
Read MoreAs I mention in the episode, we play in “Hard mode.” What I mean is we are in a Gritty Realism setting. There are a couple of rules and mechanics that are added to the game for a more realistic and, let’s be honest, hard feel. The result is also a less high-fantasy world and more like a survival game. Resource management, be it spells and ability as well as food rations and ammunition become more important than a regular D&D game.
Read MoreCaptain Alyosha refers to a set of cards called Tarokka, saying that he “was told to be kind and to accept passengers today.” The group does not press him much further but let me expand a little more. A tarokka deck of cards functions, and is very similar to, our tarot card reading deck but uses fifty-four cards instead of the usual seventy-eight. Decks are used to perform cartomancy and is a form of divination that is jealously protected by the Vistani who perform it.
Read MoreThere are two reasons why players can become frustrated when it comes to a GM’s narration, I think. Either the GM is being too vague, and the players do not understand where they should go, or the GM is doing too much railroading. I’ll focus on vagueness today. This is a big subject and there is no way that I can cover it in a few paragraphs.
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