Ragitsu

"Do not worry! They are fearful of the electricity."

"AS AM I!"

That is worth 65 XP? Hm...

Take a page from BioWare's finest: widespread privation caused by the shortage of one specific resource. In that game, the iron went sour, but there are other possibilities such as trees, grains, birds, music (a divine curse at play?), et cetera; all you need is a semi-believable domino effect which results in sufficient drama.

Most DMs: Can get players excited over tangible rewards (e.g., swords, gold, scrolls, fine silks, et cetera).

Fewer DMs: Can get players excited over intangible rewards (e.g., friendships, romance, invitations, honorary citizenship, et cetera).

The rarest DMs of all: Can get players to prefer the intangible over the tangible.

I know that they are ambitious - they certainly have aspirations to expand the burgeoning Orc restaurant industry - but this is a bit much.

There are days when the Dungeon Master doesn't feel like indulging his inner thespian.

4 hours ago, Scott Ruggels said:

Sounds like a reasonable Southern Restaurant to go to.

 

At these, ah...these establishments...are random patrons liable to hurl daggers within a hair's breadth of the cook's head to express their dissatisfaction with the burnt roast?

3 hours ago, tkdguy said:

Various sources (printed and online) have equated D&D currency to American currency. Hence, 1 gp = a dollar, 1 sp = a dime, and 1 cp = a penny. Since my solo game is set in fantasy California, I may just convert wealth to dollar amounts. GURPS does this already, so it's not a new idea. I won't use electrum or platinum coins; I'll convert them to the gp/sp equivalent. Gems will be listed separately from cash, but will be listed in the total gp/dollar value.

As long as you're not offering sticks with pitch (pardon me: "torches") for 1 gp a pop, you're doing great . 

"In the falcon's talons." or "Falcon's talons." = A Druid's (or Ranger's) expression which means "Being caught up in unexpected trouble/an unexpected problem." (formed by many observations of the birds-of-prey ambushing their quarry before the latter can react quickly enough).

You receive a platter of fatty pork; drizzled atop the slices is a pungent mixture of crushed garlic, salt and an unknown oil. Next is a plate bearing a loaf of coarsely-textured wheat bread with an accompanying stick of what looks to be herb-infused butter. Then comes a wide wooden bowl filled with some sort of chestnut salad.

Finally, the wench plunks down a bulbous jug of mead smack-dab in the center of the table.

I had yet another dream where I visited an alternative house which felt as though it was always mine.

Scots make the best Irish.

On 3/21/2024 at 9:56 AM, tkdguy said:

People who think Tolkien's works lack darkness have never read this tale (no spoilers in this link): https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Narn_i_Chîn_Húrin_(tale)

At this point in my life, I find little benefit in extoling the darkness of a given work. Now, if someone clearly inquires about the nature of an offering or obviously indicates that they are showing interest in the possibility of dark(er) themes, I will certainly speak up truthfully. Other than that, I latch onto those works crafted in layers...those works where you - the smart, bookish individual - can read between the lines and draw logical conclusions which may reveal adult themes. In the arena of collaborative make-believe, take The Forgotten Realms, for instance: although there are humorous elements presented throughout the main box sets/setting books, Ed Greenwood doesn't shy away from peppering in mentions of bloody conflicts which have shaped Faerun's history (some of which occurred between ancestors of the "present day" good guys), but he never relies on a shock factor. Even though my TTRPG stomping ground of choice is not as manifestly grim as, say, Dark Sun or Ravenloft, I always feel comfortable peeling away the layers to explore those weightier subjects, because his brainchild respects my intellect and maturity.