Mouse Guard the RPG

Recently, I had the privilege to play a game of Mouse Guard, the RPG. My current gaming group, which normally plays Dark Heresy once a month, decided to set up an alternate gaming day once a month. This month we tried out the Mouse Guard RPG, which is based on the Mouse Guard comics.

Mouse Guard has a premise similar to the popular Redwall novel series. In this world, humans don't exist. Instead, mice and several other creatures are sentient. As I'm sure you can imagine, this makes for a plethora of cuteness that is beautifully charming without being toothache inducing. The RPG sets the player characters as the warriors of the mice world, the Mouse Guard, who are in charge of protecting other mice from predators and the enemy weasel army.

No one in my group had played this RPG before, so it was an adventure for all of us. We rolled up characters the day of - though I use "roll" in a very loose sense since no dice were involved in character creation. The rules allowed for a vast array of choices in background, age, and experience which all affected the type of abilities you were able to bring to bear. Characters would be fairly balanced no matter what rank the mouse is in the guard, but our GM decided to limit us to the first or second year rank simply called "Guard Mouse". Most of the party went with this, though I chose "Tenderpaw", a new recruit, which gave me less combat based abilities but more general life experience as well as natural talents.

Though the first session had all the expected snags of learning a new system, it was an incredibly enjoyable undertaking. Some of the rules seemed a little convoluted, but for the most part they really encouraged a specific type of gameplay, and I believe this is what RPG rules should do. It's become my main beef with Dungeons and Dragons - while it can be argued that role-playing and non-combat interaction is perfectly possible with D&D, when the rules do not encourage and cover these interactions, it really pushes players and DMs to combat even if that is not the intention. I found a bit more of what I was searching for in the Dark Heresy games - all skills are treated equally so investigation and other skill based activities are far more likely to be used.

With Mouse Guard, this is taken a step further. There are two types of checks - those against obstacles, which are unopposed, and combats. Both operate very similarly. Both are extremely story based. For each type of check, the player rolls dice and uses a skill either against a set difficulty or against the GM's roll. If the player wins, they get to describe what happens based on the agreed degree of success. If the GM wins, they get to introduce a complication or impose a status condition on the mice who participated, but in general the goal is still accomplished. However, "combat" encompasses all types of opposed interactions, not just fights. Even in a physical fight, the combatants may specify the types of actions they are taking to be non-lethal or even non-threatening (just trying to escape). Regardless, the same system is used. This puts equal weight on ALL types of interactions, encouraging gameplay that follows. Another interesting twist is that even if the players win the combat, if they didn't win perfectly, the GM can specify a concession the players must make - they achieve their goal, but something else goes wrong.

Example: Catching Caterpillars

During our session, we needed to catch some special caterpillars to use as payment for a guide. Wrangling the caterpillars was a real challenge, and we had almost our entire party working on the challenge. This meant that those helping could add one extra die roll to the main mouse's test. However, we weren't quite able to meet the number of successes imposed by the skill test. The GM imposed a status ailment as a result: we all became angry, a status affecting Will-based interactions. So if later on we needed to have a discussion with someone and convince them to do something, we would have been at a disadvantage. The GM got to describe what happened to us - the caterpillars refused to cooperate, we had to waste a lot of time, and maybe they even bit one of us. The frustration set in and couldn't be shaken for the rest of the adventure.

Example: Fighting a Rat

Though not canon to the Mouse Guard setting, our GM chose to have us encounter a rat. During the encounter, the rat tried to take the object of our quest from us, a bag of special components we were set to fetch by the Mouse Guard. What ensued was a "fight" type of conflict, but we chose to keep it non-lethal since the rat had not tried to hurt us, but was simply being a bully. We pushed and shoved and grabbed at the bag, and eventually were able to cause him to drop it. However, the rat managed to reduce our team's "disposition" (somewhat like hit points that regenerate each combat), so we had to make a concession. The GM decided the rat would drop the bag but grab one of the mice and try to drag him into the rat warren. This started a new combat, this one where live steel was drawn and used. We managed to free the mouse from the rat and escape, and the players got to describe the rat being shoved down the ramp into his own warren.

Threat Level

In Dungeons and Dragons, threat level is something easily abstracted into numbers, but they don't really mean much. Especially in 4.0, threat level is just a way to balance encounters. You can create a huge dragon that is an even match for even entry level characters. Consequently, there's not much fear on the players part. You don't get the feeling of scale even though that dragon's toe is as big as your entire body.

In Mouse Guard, the feeling of threat is everywhere. A mouse is smaller than almost everything. Seeing a snake, an owl, a fox - these are truly terrifying things for a mouse. A black widow, though smaller than a mouse, is a truly deadly obstacle, whereas giant spiders are a common monster in most fantasy games yet seldom feel scary. Admittedly, part of this increased feeling of threat is due to the lack of magic in the game, but a good portion of it is due, I believe, to our instinctual understanding that a mouse is prey and the enemies are predators. The courage it takes for a mouse to deny his nature (actually a mechanic in the game) and stand against his natural predators is far more inspiring and poignant than a warrior fighting a dragon.

The game was a huge success, and I absolutely loved the way the conflict and obstacles were handled. The emphasis on storytelling and the increased threat level were refreshing. Though initially intended to be a one-off session, I think our group had such a great time that we'll be playing this again soon. The experience makes me want to try reading the comics, and I've even been inspired to do a little watercolor painting of my character. I also hope to post a short story of our adventure later on. Look forward to it!

Risky Business: Into the Maw (Part 1.2)

Risky Business: Into the Maw

Part 1: The Riddle of the Righteous Path

A Rogue Trader Campaign
--- Continued from Part 1.1 ---

[This is a series of write-ups narrating the progress of my online campaign, the Risky Business. If you're interested in seeing a play-by-post campaign in action using the Rogue Trader setting and rules, you can check out the website for my campaign at http://riskybusiness.guildlaunch.com/. All of our gameplay is visible to non-members, so you can watch our progress as we play.]

...

The high ranking officers file one by one into one of the Risky Business's finer meeting rooms. The old and venerable ship creaks and groans, the plasma drives rumbling as minute course changes are made to dodge interstellar debris. The ship dropped out of Warp about one Terran standard hour ago, and began it's slow journey through the void and into Port Wander. It will probably take another week to reach the port - it's unsafe to drop out of Warp too close to any large bodies, or other ships.

The furnishings of the room were once fine - red velvet, rich and opulent, covers the ground, chairs, and some wall hangings. But it has worn thin in places, tattered and dirty with age and use. Gilt coatings on tables and chairs flake and show the plain wood or metal beneath. The room shows clearly the state of the Florosa dynasty, and it is a dire one.

Soon, all chairs are filled save one. After a few minutes of uncomfortable waiting, an orderly rushes in and leans close to Alphmire, but his whisper is loud enough to be heard by all. "Seneschal Dante sends his apologies - his current task will prevent his attendance of this meeting." After receiving Alphmire's nod, the orderly rushes out.

Waiting done, Alphmire turns on the display at the front of the room. A middle aged man with graying, balding hair and a barrel-like chest appears. Alphmire speaks in his pleasant baritone. "We received this message from a contact, one Orbest Dray, at Port Wander as soon as we entered real space." Alphmire keys in something at the display controls, and the man on the screen begins to speak.

"Esteemed Rogue Trader Alphmire, I carry a message and a gift from your great-grandmother Lilianne Florosa. I would meet with you as soon as you have docked, if you would honor me with your presence. I'll be waiting at Old Gert's stall in the Court of the Dead. It is a matter of some urgency, but which promises great glory. I dare not say more now, but I promise you will not be disappointed."

The screen freezes. Alphmire looks out at his officers. "This was recorded and encrypted in our dynasty's personal cipher, with the appropriate seals and signs. It appears to be legitimate. I intend to investigate when we make portfall. However, there is the possibility that this is a trap."

He looks expectantly at the officers, waiting for their input. "Theani, I want your input about keeping everyone safe during this meeting. Mr. Simo, yours as well. Ariadne and Nydia, I will need your advice on warp-spawned dangers; what to expect, how to protect against it, that kind of information. As we've no Ecclesiarch Primus, it will be solely up to you two." Alphmire stands, leans over the table and sighs. "If I haven't seen some of you in action I have still interviewed you and found you exemplary." He smiles with...pride? Elation? Fear? He seems to wear the same face for all three, smile or no. He sits back down. "So let's have it. How do we best approach this meeting?"


Cassius Simo, from his seat exactly halfway between the door and the display, takes in the situation carefully. He studies the image on the screen, capturing every minute detail of the man's face, looking for any hint of deception. He pays close attention to the timbre of the man's voice, listening for any sign that the man is withholding the truth. Unfortunately, despite his close scrutiny, Cassius can't seem to get a read on this Orbest fellow. Before answering, Cassius subconsciously rubs his hand on the handle of his whip, coiled on his right hip as always.

Glancing at his old friend across the table, Cassius turns to Alphmire and, in his soft, low voice replies, "We will need a full schematic, or as close as possible, of the building we will be in, as well as the surrounding area before we are able to draw up a security plan. As for the meeting itself, I advise extreme caution until we learn more about this man and what this gift is."

Ariadne, looking ever the disheveled, steam punk, scavenger, raises her goggles onto the top of her head. "Haven't felt anything weird in the warp lately. It ebbs and flows like it always does, no storms, nothing warping the patterns. Can't rule out psykers at port though. Would be worth taking a walk around the building before you leave the ship just to make sure."

She pulls her goggles back and appears to shut out the rest of the conversation, as always, lost in her own little world.

Glancing at her fellow psyker, the navigator Nydia "Crash" sighs. Nydia is a stubby and short human, with a gangly and stern frame. Her face is long and angular, marked by small scars and bits of grease. Small, crystaline frames cover her bleary grey eyes. Flat and lean, her figure isn't very imposing. She typically wears fingerless gloves, soft soled boots, a set of xeno-mesh armor and a bland, black robe. A broadcloth headscarf covers her head, lidless third eye, and short black hair.

"I think the hard part of this leg his behind us." crows Nydia, rubbing her bloodshot and fatigued eyes, "We're out of this warp, and this image seems legit enough." She looks ragged and sleepless, her head drooping forward on some imaginary pillow.

She plays with her headband, scratching behind her ears, "I don't think there will be a plot upfront. They'll get us to do what they want, we'll bring it back. Then they'll try to kill us." She coughs once, "Or whatever they want to do." 

 

Risky Business: Into the Maw (Part1.1)

Risky Business: Into the Maw

Part 1: The Riddle of the Righteous Path

A Rogue Trader Campaign

[I'm starting a series of write-ups narrating the progress of my online campaign, the Risky Business. If you're interested in seeing a play-by-post campaign in action using the Rogue Trader setting and rules, you can check out the website for my campaign at http://riskybusiness.guildlaunch.com/. All of our gameplay is visible to non-members, so you can watch our progress as we play.]

...

The news is insulting to some and hilarious to the rest. It normally wouldn't have made it past the topmost spires of nobility, but the inflammatory nature of this change of leadership ensured that it passed from Lord to servant, and from there to all who would seek temporary escape from the tedium of everyday life.

Katyaina Florosa the twelfth, Rogue Trader of a well established but foundering line, has died. This in itself is not unusual; it's the heir to her Warrant of Trade that is making the buzz. The recipient of this hereditary document is Alphmire Florosa. Not surprised? Well you should be, because until now the Florosas were a matriarchal house, one of the only such houses in existence.

What is even more interesting is Katyaina was purportedly barren. She has no daughters or sons. At least she didn't, until the moment she died.

After some digging we shed a little more light on the story. This Alphmire fellow hails from Archaos, a hive world good for little more than their Scholariums and their press gangs. He comes aboard the Risky Business as some adjunct or servingman with a rucksack and the clothes on his back. But from then on his star shines brightly. He was Katyaina's right hand, and she was never seen without him somewhere in the room, resolving an endless flow of tedious logistics. He was well liked but never in the spotlight, even though by the end of Katyaina's life he was handling many important and sensitive tasks while she quietly deteriorated.

And then she dies, and Alphmire becomes a Florosa. Once he became a Florosa he was given the family Warrant of Trade and named Rogue Trader; neat as you please.

The gossip multiplies like the rats down under. He was feeding her small continuous doses of poison while winning her confidence. He was possessing her with fell powers. He was her bed-slave and manipulated her with soft words. Now his star dims. A few key officers have resigned their commands of the Risky Business in protest to what they call "a brash usurping of a noble line." The common crew are benevolently tight lipped about the whole thing, but new leadership always lacks substance at first; I doubt their discreetness is anything more than a waiting game, until they know who the winning side will be.

And trust me, there is something to win here. The crew may follow him, but he has numerous officer vacancies and no friends. For Alphmire's sake, I hope he doesn't have any powerful enemies, 'cause they'll eat him alive. Every position he fills will in truth be owned by a faction looking to better their lot.

Why will all of these new officers be his enemies, you ask? Remember when I said there is something to win here? The Risky Business is a worthy prize, one that the Mechanicus would hold in reasonable regard. And if the Mechanicus wants it, everyone wants it. It is an ancient and powerful vessel, overflowing with precious technology. But best of all, it doesn't yet belong to the Mechanicus or the Imperial Navy; it belongs to a House that is so weak, it's death would provoke no retaliation.

Battlefleet Calixis would ask no questions if the Risky Business were to show up on their docking ring, wrapped neatly in a bow. Merchant houses are always looking for convoy protection, and the Risky Business just went to market with a tempting price tag: one life. A Rival Rogue Trader could have the beginnings of a fleet, and all they would have to do is pluck little Alphmire from his bridge and sit on his still-warm throne. Whatever else is left of House Florosa will be passed over in favor of this crowning jewel, that I promise.

So it's really no surprise that Alphmire is setting course for Port Wander, and surely from there to the Koronus expanse. Out there, in the Expanse, vast influences in the affairs of the Calixis Sector mean nothing. Out there, the power of that little ship will make Alphmire a king among men, and a power to be reckoned with.

I hear he does have a few loyal crew members left. His Astropath stayed with him through the transition out of a sense of duty and faithfulness to the Florosa line. A Navigator stayed on as well, though I hear there was some kind of foul play and now some reckless youngster's holding the fate of the ship through the Warp. The rest of the officers have been picked up at the edge of the Segmentum in the last six months, as Alphmire dodged bullet after bullet and prepared for this voyage. It's his one shot to salvage what's left of the dynasty.

Character Profile: Gavin "Red" Lockees

SP131-6847

Contact Gavin "Red" Lockees

Name:  Gavin "Red" Lockees

Vocation:  Technomat

Inquisition Ident:  AR013:123:M41:031SP-131

Homeworld:  Hive Dromis - Scintilla

Age:  24 solar standard

Gender:  Male

Background: Born to unknown parents on hive world Scintilla in the lower levels of Hive Dromis. Given name "Gavin Lockees" by schola officials, however immediately nicknamed "Red" by fellow orphans. Early years spent in care of a schola progenium orphanage, was reported missing at age 7 [ref. Arbites record P10:AFT-522]. Lived on the streets, multiple incidents of gang involvement and petty theft. Later became involved in Inquisitorial affiliated cover organization Coblast Assay as a reclaimator. Contact distinguished himself by locating thieves responsible for stealing Coblast Assay property [ref. Arbites record P12:AFT-003]. When working partner was recruited into Inquisition service under Inquisitrix Sola Prinn [ref. Inquisitorial record AR013:123:M41:031SP-022], was stationed on the interstellar freighter the Black Grox. Contact currently works on the freighter as a technomat, but has known dealings with grey market merchants on several planets. Known continued association with acolyte Ziapatra Havelock [ref. Inquisitorial ident AR013:123:M41:031SP-022].

Aptitude Profile: Known close combat and street fighting abilities. Skilled in knife use. Combat rated for basic solid projectile shoulder- and side-arms. Illiterate. Some tech-use knowledge and abilities despite lack of mechanicum training. Skilled in security circumvention, search, and inquiry. Comfortable and confident in working with underworld contacts. Strong interpersonal and leadership abilities.

Pict-Record Ref:  SP131-6847

General Appearance Profile: Lean, stringy build. Tall, lean height to weight ratio. Pale complexion. Bright red hair. Aquiline nose, angular face and cheekbones.

Preferred Equipment: Multiple mono-molecular bladed knives. Silenced Sturm & Drang Hailstorm-pattern autopistol. Multikey, combi tool, and other paraphernalia of the technomat and reclaimator trades. Seldom seen in armor aside from piecemeal street leathers, primitive protection at best.
Contact Status: Trusted contact. Can be counted on for unusual favors, as well as weapon procurement and discount.

Character Profile: Ziapatra "Zee" Havelock

SP022-5668
Acolyte Ziapatra Havelock

Name:  Ziapatra "Zee" Havelock

Vocation:  Reclaimator

Inquisition Ident:  AR013:123:M41:031SP-022

Homeworld:  Hive Dromis - Scintilla

Age:  20 solar standard

Gender:  Female

Imperial Divination:  ‘Even a woman who has nothing can still offer her life.’

Background: Born to parents Dracus and Jedia Havelock, skilled workers and supervisors at Hive Dromis' Red Lens manifactorum. The manifactorum was destroyed via heretic sabotage [ref. Inquisitorial record SNH-931-2255]. Family fell into poverty in the lower hive. Recruit forced to live on the streets when parents died due to overwork in a lower manifactorum. Despite early gang involvement, later became involved in Inquisitorial affiliated cover organization Coblast Assay as a reclaimator. Recruit distinguished herself by locating thieves responsible for stealing Coblast Assay property [ref. Arbites record P12:AFT-003].

Recruitment:  Psy-trance divination undertook by Inquisitrix Sola Prinn and her Astropath Kevil Stass revealed a connection to recruit which lead to agent traveling to Hive Dromus for recruitment.

Aptitude Profile:   Literate despite humble origins in the lower hive. Combat rated for basic solid projectile shoulder- and side-arms. Skilled with the knife and other primitive melee weapons. Some tech-use knowledge and abilities despite lack of mechanicum training. Skilled in security circumvention, search, and inquiry. Comfortable and confident in working with underworld contacts.

Pict-Record Ref:  SP022-5668

General Appearance Profile: Wiry build, short, lean height to weight ratio. Ruddy complexion, dyed hair (blue as of this writing). Gray eyes. Abstract tattoo covering left shoulder and side.

Preferred Equipment:   Modified Sturm & Drang Hailstorm-pattern autopistol, Drystan Growler-pattern shotgun, brass knuckles and mono-molecular bladed knife for close combat. Carries a multikey at all times. Prefers a flak coat for armor which provides protection but does not inhibit mobility.

Dark Heresy - Introductory Adventure - Part 2

 We ran through the second part of my current Dark Heresy adventure on Wednesday. It was a blast, and I felt like it went a lot smoother than the first session. It was a fairly short session, but fun all the same.


Now Entering Stern Hope

Upon entrance to Stern Hope, the PCs were met by Brother Lamark. They immediately took a liking to him, and he to them. They also met a new PC, the arbitrator. Their first stop was the inn, the Crying Clota. Now, I didn't have a chance to look up what a Clota was before the session (apparently it's some herd animal native to Iocanthos). So, the arbitrator's player decided to define it for us, as a limb that was cut off by a chain sword. I love it when the players take on some of the creativity of the game!

After dropping Aristarchus off at the Crying Clota, the PCs decide to wonder around town and see what they can learn. Since they hadn't done much of this back at Port Suffering, I was glad they were starting to do some investigation. They stopped first at the Priory and talked with Brother Lamark. I had a lot of fun RPing him, though I may have made him a bit too silly. After that some of them wandered up into the hills, but without a guide or good directions, they got a bit lost and finally ended up back where they started. The psyker decided to try psyniscience to sense any disturbances in the warp - but all he sensed was an eerie silence, like the calm before a storm. Finally they headed to bed.

On the Heights

The next morning they met Abbot Skae and Brother Severus. They didn't ask too many questions or interact with him too much, but headed right out to talk to the people of the settlement. Specifically they targeted the camp of Ashleen warriors. This was good, since the Ashleen seemed to have the most interesting information about the situation. The arbitrator's high inquiry skill got them a few answers, and they managed to bribe one of the townsfolk to accompany them up into the hills, where strange lights had been rumored to be seen. Lamark also accompanied them.

In the hills, they were ambushed by a strange creature called a hexalid. Again, the arbitrator proved to be a valuable addition to the party. His high awareness allowed the party to notice the hexalid before it attacked, keeping it from surprising them. Additionally, his quick reactions, trusty shotgun, and high ballistic skill (and good roll!) allowed him to nearly take out the creature in one shot. Upon it's death, the hexalid was revealed to be mostly rotten, with it's eyes pecked out. Creepy!

Session End

I ended the session rather early this time since I needed to pack and people had places to be the next morning. We stopped as the acolytes were returning to Stern Hope, at dusk. The next morning would herald the arrival of Esha Raine, the wisewoman, and later in the afternoon, the consecration of the cathedral. Will the ceremony go smoothly? Or will dire and unnatural forces keep it from succeeding? We'll see next time!


Lessons Learned


The hexalid fight would have been more challenging (and more interesting, and possibly more fun) if I had done a few things differently. First, I completely forgot fear rolls again. The hexalid is a frightening creature and should have required a fear roll of 1. Secondly, the creature had a few special qualities that I neglected to look up ahead of time which may have effected the fight. Finally, I handled the hexalid the same way I handled the thugs, which was a mistake. The thugs were somewhat weak, individual enemies which I allowed to die upon taking any critical damage. The hexalid, however, should have kept on fighting until killed by excess critical damage, just like a PC would. This would have made the fight significantly more interesting, and is something I'll definitely do for any tough NPCs or monsters in the future.

The next session in the adventure will be run sometime in the next two weeks. Hopefully it will go well, as I apply everything I've learned so far!

Dark Heresy - Introductory Adventure - Part 1

 I'm currently running the introductory adventure of Dark Heresy for my local gaming group. I thought I'd bring you a brief summary of how it was going, what I've learned, and what I hope to do better next time.

The Acolytes

The group of PCs is a motley crew (but aren't they always?) consisting of a tech priest, cleric, psyker, arbitrator, and scum. Only the players for the cleric and tech priest have significant knowledge of the Warhammer 40k universe, though the arbitrator has some inkling from the Dawn of War games. So far, none has ventured far from their iconic roles, but that's to be expected as many are new to both the system and the lore.


The Brazen Sky

The characters began play on The Brazen Sky, a interstellar freighter taking them to the planet Iocanthos, where they would investigate some "phantasmagoria" (best word ever) surrounding a soon to be consecrated temple to Saint Drusus. The time on the Brazen Sky is intended to allow the characters to get to know eachother and interact with an overbearing purser who had access to the "gray market", a market for illegal and hard to find goods. However, I found it difficult making this work, and we ended this section early.

Port Suffering

The next section of the adventure had the acolytes land at Port Suffering. I enjoyed role playing the self-important official who meets them at the drop location, and I felt like the players did a good job of getting into the roleplay and handling him. On the way to meet their contact, the players came across a crazy old man. They succeeded on their rolls to decipher his mumbled ramblings, which was fun. And the scum provoked a combat encounter by roughly grabbing the old man's arm.

Here's where things started to go wrong. I'm simply not familiar with the combat mechanics for Dark Heresy yet, and the combat was one bumbling mistake on my part after another. Still, I feel like we all gained some valuable (out of game) experience on how the combat system works, which I feel was the main point of this particular combat. The PCs were wounded, and learned that working together might have prevented that, as well as being prepared for combat rather than letting it happen to them. These are two important features of Dark Heresy.

After the combat, the PCs would normally have continued on to meet their contact, Aristarchus the Seer. However, they were accosted by the local authorities due to the gunfire in the combat with the street thugs. I (and the book) expected them to try to talk their way out of this, but players always find a way to ruin your plans :) So, Aristarchus met them at the town watch station and collected them there.

The Trip to Stern Hope

The next leg of the adventure involved the trip to Stern Hope, where the cathedral due to be consecrated is located. While there were no combats on the trip, there were two important events. First, during the night, a dead body stumbled into the PC's camp and collapsed. It appeared to have been dead for days. Second, later the next day, the PCs encounter a strange apparition on a nearby outcropping of rock, which disappears right after being seen. Moving closer, they see a symbol of Saint Drusus burned into the rock.

I feel like I didn't handle either of these particularly well. The dead body moving around should possibly have required fear rolls, and could have been made a lot creepier. The strange apparition could also have been made creepier. I need to work on how I describe the strange phenomena going on around the players, to help get them in the mood.

Session End

I ended the first session here, as they were about to reach Stern Hope. One of the nice things about Dark Heresy is that experience is awarded on a per session basis, so that each time players have a chance to get something new. Their fate points also recharge on a per session basis. This also allows players to bypass some of the harshness of the healing rules - a fate point can be expended to regain 1d5 wounds, so at the end of the session the PCs can spend their fate points to recover, then regain the fate points back at the beginning of the next session.

Lessons Learned

This first session was extremely useful in familiarizing myself and my players with the combat system. I also think it helped get them used to the Warhammer 40k lore, though that will take more time to sink in fully. I also became more comfortable with roleplaying 40k NPCs, which I think I did a much better job of in the second session. Finally, it gave me some ideas on how to handle experience, healing, and fate point recharge in the play by post game I have planned.

I've already played through a second session of this adventure, and I'll post a summary of that in the near future!

Dark Heresy - Grim Dark Awesome

I've recently begun GMing (acting as game master for) a game called Dark Heresy. Dark Heresy is a tabletop RPG set in the Warhammer 40k universe. For those unfamiliar with the setting, Warhammer 40k is a science fiction setting in the year 40,000, and the future is not nice. In fact, it's termed "grim, dark" in the official book descriptions, and "grimdark" has become a minor meme around the internet to describe the gritty, harsh conditions that characterize this setting.

Rather than attempt to describe the setting further, I'll give you the official description:

"It is the 41st Millennium. For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor of Mankind has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the master of mankind by the will of the gods and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the vast Imperium of Man for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day so that he may never truly die.Yet even in his deathless state, the Emperor continues his eternal vigilance. Mighty battlefleets cross the daemon-infested miasma of the Warp, the only route between distant stars, their way lit by the Astronomican, the psychic manifestation of the Emperor's will. Vast armies give battle in His name on uncounted worlds. Greatest amongst his soldiers are the Adeptus Astartes, the Space Marines, bio-engineered super-warriors. Their comrades in arms are legion: the Imperial Guard and countless planetary defense forces, the ever-vigilant Inquisition and the tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus to name only a few. But for all their multitudes, they are barely enough to hold off the ever-present threat to humanity from aliens, heretics, mutants -- and far, far worse. To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruelest and most bloody regime imaginable. These are the tales of those times. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be relearned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war. There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods." 

Basically, the human regime is harsh, xenophobic, and violently intolerant. The average human can expect a short life filled with little more than work and duty, often cut violently short. But the alternative to the Imperium is much worse - chaos powers and violent aliens are barely kept at bay by Imperial armies.

I've read several books set in this universe - they can be very good, but also very bad, as books commissioned and controlled by a company can be (other examples include Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Star Wars, Star Trek, and others). If the setting sounds interesting and you'd like to try some of the novels, I'd highly recommend the Last Chancers series, or for a lighter and more fun introduction, the Ciaphus Cain series.

Warhammer originally began, and is best known, as a tabletop wargame. However, the RPG (both the fantasy version and 40k) have become more popular recently. The 40k RPG is called Dark Heresy. In it, the characters play as Acolytes, servants of the Inquisition. Their missions from their Inquisitor can vary greatly, but examples include investigating strange phenomena, possible alien activity, or rooting out heretical tendencies. Unlike in D&D, characters are not (in the default rules) particularly powerful compared to other people. Combat is extremely deadly, with characters easily ending up maimed or killed. Additionally, healing is not easy to come by, and unless extraordinarily lucky, characters have access to at best similar medical conditions as those in real life. Often, the party will be visiting a backwoods planet with much lower caliber medical facilities. So an emphasis on investigation and avoidance of combat is the best way for characters to survive.

I've been running the basic, vanilla game. However, there are many supplemental sourcebooks. Additionally, Games Workshop (the Warhammer publisher) has released two standalone expansions to the game called Rogue Trader and Deathwatch. In Rogue Trader, rather than playing Acolytes in the Inquisition, the characters are rogue traders in a ship out to seek their fortune. A rogue trader is a combination of freelance explorer, conquistador and merchant. They are Imperial servants, given a ship, a crew, a contingent of Marines or Guardsmen and carte blanche to roam the worlds beyond Imperial control. Rogue Trader uses a different system for wealth than Dark Heresy, and in general the players have access to more stuff right off the bat since they are more autonomous and have their own ship.

In Deathwatch, the characters play as Space Marines, the Adeptus Astartes. Anyone familiar with the setting knows that space marines are pretty much the scariest thing the Imperium has to offer. They are huge superhumans genetically modified to be tougher and stronger than a normal human. Their skeletal structure has to be strengthened to carry their massive muscle bulk as well as to protect them in battle, they have redundant organs as well as new organ such as one which allows them to ingest and breathe most poisons harmlessly. They wear power armor which is extremely tough, as well as having climate control features and drug delivery methods to pump medical drugs as well as combat drugs into the marine as needed. They use primarily bolters as weapons, somewhat expensive personal firearms whose bullets detonate on impact. Additionally, most have chain or power weapons as well. Yes, chain swords (think chainsaw swords) are really a thing in Warhammer 40k. Deal with it.

Deathwatch space marines fight primarily xenos (aliens) and are usually called in by the Inquisitorial Ordo Xenos. Obviously the Deathwatch RPG is at a much higher power level than the other two RPGs. I don't have the pleasure of owning this rulebook, so I can't comment on much other than that, but I do hope to play it sometime in the future!

I'm currently running the introductory adventure in Dark Heresy for my local gaming group. I'm also considering running a play by post version with my guild. Finally, I'm hoping to join a Dark Heresy game next month as a player. I'll update here with how each have gone, perhaps including the full play by post if we complete it!

DnD Campaign: A Teaser

I'm setting up a new DnD 4e campaign for some of my WoW guildmates, and tonight I wrote a little teaser to introduce what the campaign will be about. I thought it was an interesting read, so I'm sharing it with all of you!

Your homeworld is dying.

It's been scarcely a century since the great Blight began. The terrible rot started off in a few isolated places, and the priests tried to contain it. They said a great necromancer damaged the barrier between our world and the world of Death, and hoped to repair the damage. But it spread too fast, and any who tried to stop it soon sickened and died. Now the forests lie silent, skeleton trees reaching up to the sky. Farms lie fallow, or burned, or rotting. Rivers flow with dust or blood, plague runs rampant, and dangerous earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and fierce storms wrack the land.

But there is hope. Though the great workers of magic have been unable to halt the spread of the Blight through your world, they have discovered the power to visit others. Not all can support life. Some are as used up and burned out as your own. Others are hellish, nightmare landscapes, or barren, desolate and freezing wastelands which could never hope to house your people. But there is one at last that has been found, a world of lush green growing things, a place where your dwindling people might make a home.

You are part of the expedition that has been chosen to begin settling the new land. Transporting people between worlds takes a great toll on the magic users of your homeland, as well as many precious materials that must be used as components for the spell. While they are seeking ways to send more people more quickly, for now only a mere fifty people may be sent each month. You will be in the second group sent to this new place, and one of the lucky few who will be able to escape the disease and death of your home.

"Welcome to Kalbar," a swarthy man in a military uniform grunts. His smirk peeks out from beneath a bushy mustache. "Just what we need, some fresh meat."

You step out of the great ether-ship, blinking in the unfamiliar light. The journey took three weeks, and in that time you've had only lamplight to see by. But it's more than that. The light on this world is different than your homeland's. The sun glints with a sharp, white light, harsher and brighter than any you have seen. The air is muggy, warm and humid, and your clothes immediately begin to stick to your limbs and body.

As overwhelming as these things seem, they are nothing compared to the trees. The trees! You've never seen so much color in all your life. Not just green, though of course there is green. Oceans of green, a green so deep and oppressive you feel as if it might swallow you up. But mixed in are plants with bark and foliage of deep purple, of blue, and bright and angry red and yellow. More than the sun, more than the heavy, fetid air, the saturated colors of this place tell you, you are not at home.

The man, who appears to be an officer of small authority but large ego, sighs. "Come on then, stop gawking. You'll have plenty of time to get used to this hell hole." He wanders off, clearly expecting you to follow.

You take in the scene before you. A city of tents covers most of a cleared hilltop. There are several hastily constructed buildings. The officer appears to be heading toward one of these. However, you can't help but notice a number of unfinished buildings. This in itself is not odd - what seems strange is that, despite it being mid morning and a prime time for it, no one is working on these buildings. Instead, workers swarm around the perimeter of the hill, furiously working on a half built wall of sharpened poles.

Halfway through the camp, the officer veers off in the direction of a small disturbance at the half-finished wall. Some men are carrying the body of a soldier. His body is mauled past recognition, great gouges rent in his flesh by some massive claw. Some distant part of your mind begins calculating exactly how large a creature might have made such wounds, and stops, unable to deal with the result. The thing must have been massive, the size of a wagon, or a small building.

The officer's face turns red, and he grabs hold of the nearest soldier. "I told you men to stay in pairs. I told you, dammit! How many is it this week? How many?!"

"Three, Marcus. And don't go yelling at the men, now. They haven't found this one's partner, either."

A tall, thin man in a shabby blue robe places a comforting hand on the officer's shoulder. His fingers are long and bony, and he folds each joint in a measured, deliberate manner. His face is long, with deeply set eyes like dark caves, and wide, bushy gray eyebrows. "Come on, my friend. Introduce me to the new recruits."

Marcus, the swarthy officer, gruffly shrugs off the tall man's hand. "New Meat, Istul. Istul, New Meat."

Unable to hold it in any longer, you blurt out, "What in all seven hells is going on here? Three what? What happened to this man?"

Marcus turns away. Istul looks at you with an expression full of sadness and pity. "Kalbar happened. This world hates us. Hates us. It wants nothing more than to kill and eat every single one of us." His voice is completely flat, devoid of all emotion, and all hope.

You stare at him incredulously. "What are you talking about? You mean this was done by natural creatures? Don't we have any druids here?"

A chorus of laughter erupts around you, a grim, desperate laughter. Marcus painfully jabs a sausage-like finger into your chest.  "You think we're idiots, New Meat? You think we haven't tried that? Drav Kalidson himself came with us on this mission. Yeah, the Lifespeaker himself! And you know what happened to him? THAT happened to him!" Marcus finally removes his finger and gestures fiercely in the direction of the mauled corpse. "First day here. He went out to 'Commune with the spirits of the land.' I guess they made their point in a way no one was expecting!"

"But couldn't you just..."

Istul cuts you off. "No. No no no, I'm afraid not my friends. You see, Drav was killed, oh yes, but he didn't die right away. No. And we had other druids with us. You see, you see..." Istul's voice becomes more and more distracted as he goes on. Suddenly his eyes lose focus, and he turns away, cocking his head as if listening.

Marcus shakes his head. "He's gettin a call from home, don't mind him. What Istul's trying to say is that druids are powerless here. We didn't realize it going in, but something's different between this world and ours. And while the lifespeakers may be friends with OUR natural world, they sure as hell aren't friends here. Kalbar doesn't have friends. It doesn't understand friends. All it understands is that we are prey."

He claps you on the back, steering you back towards the large building at the center of camp. "And I'm here to try and turn us into the predators."