High Fantasy VS Gritty!

I think my style, or atleast how I`ve liked to play games has always been very `High Fantasy``.  A recent review of `The Lizardmen Of Illzathatch`` pointed that out.  Let me point out, I don`t think this is a bad thing, but I need to keep grittiness in mind.

The Lizardmen of Illzathatch has a certain naive or simplistic charm. 

Another thing that I`ve realized is that in RPG`s especially old school stuff, there needs to be RISK & REWARD.  A specific example is in the comments from this post 

Ok, my first response didn't take, so I'm gonna throw out a "shortened" version of it. 

Where's the risk? Where's the cursed items, the helm of alignment changing, or "Brega the Barbarian reaches into the radiant waters of the mysterious pool drawing forth from it a writhing viper!" 
Now this otherwise benign pool of gift giving, just became a question of risk versus reward, and is instantly exciting and a challenge in its own right! If you're going to give valuable magic items away, your PCs will not value them. Inject some danger and suddenly that +1 Ring of Protection, or silver dagger just became a lot more valuable! J Benjamin 

So what I am hoping to keep in mind as I write this mega dungeon is to blur that line between high fantasy and dark fantasy, can we call it MOR Fantasy.  MOR is a music business term that means Middle Of The Road.  ie Easy Listening, Diana Krall, Doobey Brothers, etc.

I`ve always liked the idea of Heroes, good heroes.  I think this comes from my love of this type of literature and movies.  Rooting for the underdogs (bilbo), knights (luke), the bad boy turned good (Han), the outcast turned hero (Drizzt).  Ya get it.  hahaha.

Even reading some S&W literature by C.L. Moore, I really fell in love with the character of Jirel Of Joiry.  Another big influence of late is the Shanara series by Terry Brooks.  All of these characters are still heroes.

Obviously I`ve read and played a bit of `Liberation Of The Demonslayer``, and have an idea of where Mr. Satanis head space is at +Venger Satanis .  Among other things H.P. Lovecraft.

In the back of my mind I have a story written around this mega dungeon that could easily play out in a good aligned PC Hero archetype situation.  However my mind has been wandering lately to evil, and the possible outcomes that may occur. Obviously the plan is to not rail road, I`ve been writing in ideas and rumors that could push the PC`s down a darker path.

Although I hate to admit it, I am not a fan of ``save or die`` situations in writing.  For me it comes down to ``Well if the PC is dumb enough, so be it``.  I have however written in a few of these situations, and will probably throw a few more in for those dumb asses that will poke the sleeping dragon.

I suppose, its friday, I`m riffing here, but its giving me an idea of where to go with certain things.  First and most importantly I think giving stuff away for free (no risk) is a bad idea, as pointed out above.  Writing in those options for a little evil to creep in here and there is another thing that will start happening.

Right its friday!  and I got 3 hours till I can sit back relax and do some more writing.

TLDR:  Inspiration can come from anywhere, soak it up.

Keep rolling those dice

Shane

Old School Layout

Pyramid of the Lost King Kickstarter is live!

A new OSR Sandbox Kickstarter from Genius Loci games went live yesterday.  You can read more about it here http://geniuslocigames.blogspot.ca/2015/01/kickstarter-is-go-pyramid-of-lost-king.html

Here is the link to the kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/784085563/pyramid-of-the-lost-king-adventures-in-basq

An OSR Sandbox adventure for low-level characters in the twisting sands of a barely explored desert.

About Pyramid of the Lost King

Pyramid of the Lost King is the newest Lands of Usarm adventure from Genius Loci Games. Pyramid takes place in the deserts far to the south of the Ruined City of Uostin where the merchant guilds of Neark are trying to open trade with the elvish forest kings of the Last Land. However, between the Lands of Usarm and the Last Lands stands the Saragubi Desert, A wild and unexplored place that offers adventurers a chance at fortune, fame, and of course certain death.  

Pyramid of the Lost King is a decentralized sandbox adventure centering around an area of the Desert known as the Narrows. The Narrows is a section of desert that is divided into a northern and southern half by a massive slab of sandstone over 200 miles wide and 300 feet in height. The only way (aside from walking around) past this slab of rock is through the narrow canyon the area gets its name form. The Narrows and the desert around it have become a hot bed of activity as the merchant guilds have come to rely on it for their caravans to the Last Lands. However, the desert around the Narrows is still unexplored and dangers, both ancient and new, encroach.

Basq - 2015 Danny Prescott for Genius Loci Games

Covers on white

Proposed cover for the enormity project - input needed

Alright folks, lemme know what you think, option 1, 2 or 3.

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Layout fun

Last night in a moment of silliness I spent about a half hour attempting to re-work the current layout and design of my mega dungeon.  It is currently very B/X looking, so much so that I've even considered doing the usual "RPG" cover ala KOTB, old D&D modules.  Of which I previously wrote about here.  Although I highly doubt it will stand out amongst all the competitors out there.  

There is something about that old school layout that works however.  2 columns and using a font like Soultane, and Souvenir just throw you right back to 1981.  Plus its easy as hell to read isn't it!  I was toying with the idea of using a background and changing fonts, but I just kept going back to that original look.  I also toyed with 3 columns, but it just seemed difficult.  I had read thru the temple of elemental evil, and that was on my caveat, damn hard to read.  
I guess we will see what time brings, I quite like the look of "A Red And Pleasant Land" and "No Country For Weak Men" http://nerdomancerofdork.wordpress.com/2014/06/25/new-adventure-no-country-for-weak-men/ (GET IT, ITS REALLY GOOD!) +Anders Hedenbjörk Lager 

Part of the reason for doing the old B&W layout is that is extremely cost effective, I plan to hopefully offer this bad boy up as POD.   But looking at the new version of D&D and pathfinder books that glossy sexiness just well, its glossy sexiness man!  

So I think I may continue to toy with scribus and some Inked Adventures stuff, see what I can't come up with.  Even if its for my own satisfaction. 

Of course I'm getting ahead of myself, I still need to write the rest of this! 

Sneak peak room from the enormity project

Here is another little teaser from the enormity project, feel free to use for your own adventures.

This strange cavern is imbued with a magical blue light.  The walls are smooth and covered in strange old glyphs from floor to ceiling.  In the centre of the room is a stone pool with what appears to be water.  This pool acts as a pool of requirement.  Any Good aligned PC putting their hands into the pool will pull out one of the following.  (This can only be done once per PC).

Roll 1D20

1 Ring Of Protection + 1 (decreases armour class by 1)

2 Gauntlets Of Ogre Power

3 Rope Of Climbing

4 Shield + 1

5 Leather Armour + 1

6 Silver Two Handed Sword +1

7 Wand Of Fear

8 Ring Of Waterwalking

9 Jug Of Ale (Restores 1D6 HP’s)

10 Silver Dagger

11 Standard Rations For 1 Week

12 Plate Mail Armour + 1

13 Silver Sword

14 Potion Of Healing

15 Scroll 1 First Level Spell

16 Blast Shield (Protects against lighting & fire damage, PC receives half damage)

17 Sling + 1

18 Cloak Of Ward Against Undead (when worn fighting undead the PC receives +2 to AC)

19 Magical Lockpicks + 10% when picking locks

20 Spellbook containing 1D6 1st level spells