The Story of the Red Queen

I came up with this NPC and accompanying setting about a year ago. They've been floating in the back of my mind ever since, and I've finally decided to put some ideas to text. I've run several one-shots with her presence in the background, but I think she would make a powerful villain to eventually come to the forefront in my setting for Labyrinth Lord I've entitled "The Fallen Lands."                                            

                         

Queen Ilona Seraphina IX, more customarily known as the Red Queen, has ruled over the dark Empire of Vordalox, encompassing nearly one-third of the world, for nearly three hundred years.  It is said that she was once mortal, wreaking fear and despair upon her subjects until her very last wilted breath, only to return from the grave and continue her rancorous reign. This is, of course, common knowledge to the inhabitants of the Fallen Lands, but there is more to the story:

From nearly a century of cruel and malicious commands at her behest, perched aseat a macabre and ostentatious throne fashioned from the bones and flesh of her foolish adversaries, it was attested, in hushed whispers, of course, by fearful peasants, that Queen Ilona’s nefarious soul would one day be transported to the deepest levels of hell, whereupon she would endure suffering for eternity.  After inflicting her subjects to years of anguish and torture, that foretold day finally arrived, when she was at last slain by a valiant and heroic champion, whose name has now been lost to the ages—legends and ballads refer to him only as “The Unnamed Hero”— from the final strike of his enchanted blade, sending her to that infernal abyss …

…The 417^th level, to be exact.

Yet her lust for power was so great that not even death could bring finality to her reign of terror, and thus she returned from the grave to tyrannize once more. For you see, the deepest levels of hell are watched over by demons. And demons are always willing to bargain. For as venomous and virulent as she was, the Red Queen was just as, if not more so, cunning and shrewd. And so she was rebound to her grotesque throne, clutching the demon’s contract in her bony, worm-ridden fingers: a promise of bounteous mortal souls to this hell-being. This same twisted bargain that helped her rise from her crypt beneath the foul soil also saw a return of those once in her service. With their chipped swords and rotting armor, an army of undead was now at her command.

For well over a century, the Red Queen and her host conquered the surrounding lands and kingdoms, spreading the Empire of Vordalox ever farther. The souls of her newly dead adversaries were then delivered to this hellion to whom she was indentured, but their now soulless bodies rose again in mindless service to a new queen.

The last three generations have not born witness to her expansive acquisitions, and some say her wicked arrangement has come to an end, while others are less assured--but still none dare venture to the dark lands of Vordalox, for setting foot beyond its borders is agreed to be a death sentence! Some realms have timidly offered vassalage to the Red Queen, with tenuous confidence she will show mercy lest she lead an incursion anew. Most merely hope to be avoided by her harrowing gaze.

Recently, shadows and whispers have been speaking of Vordalox awakening from a decades-long slumber. "The worms have consumed all the flesh," they say. Perhaps these are just rumors told in dark, candle-lit taverns. Or perhaps the claims of sighting black and tattered sails upon ghostly ships are true…   

What is Adventure World?

 I've been asked this question a few times since mentioning to fellow gamer friends and enthusiasts that I've been writing my own game. I suddenly realized how fundamentally important it is to know the answer. Not merely to have some text with fancy font to put on the (eventual) book's back cover, but more of a philosophy to keep in mind when writing the game itself. Without a focusing point, it can be easy to get lost in your creation. "Constraint leads to liberation," is a phrase that comes to mind, which has made it much less taxing to make this damn thing. Before I had become cognizant of this fact, the game was a bit of a Frankenstein. Now, it's a Frankenstein with a purpose.

What is Adventure World?

Adventure World is a game inspired by classic fantasy roleplaying games of the 70s and 80s. But it is not an imitation of those games! It’s an homage to the days of gaming where nobody really knew what they were doing, nor did they really care; they were having too much fun -- that’s not to say Adventure World is lacking in rules or is overly complex (the rules are actually kept to a minimum so you and your friends can get to the good stuff.) but rather it encourages the Adventure Master (AM from here on) and players to fill in the blanks--writing a rule for every situation is both impossible and impractical. The most important ones are all there; however, we at Adventure World Inc. trust you are clever enough to create your own should you find them necessary. The term “Golden Arches-ization of Gaming” comes to mind when thinking about a lot of modern games. That is to say, wherever you go, that game will always be run the same way with the same rules. The experience is analogous to visiting a well known fast-food chain: you can usually expect the same thing no matter which one you go to. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but Adventure World is more about having groups play the game with their own autonomous spirit, much like a mom-and-pop joint off the side of the highway. While some groups might already do this with other gaming systems, Adventure World explicitly encourages this! There are some bits of advice for AMs here and there and example house-rules towards the end of this book, but feel free to add more if you wish . What is Adventure World? That’s really up to you.

Adventure World Playtest #1

 I got to sit down this weekend with a few friends to take Adventure World for a little test drive. I've got to say, I was a bit solicitous about the game falling to pieces but was pleasantly surprised that our four-hour session went swimmingly -- and that it ended with white-knuckled tension (can't ask for much more than that). I had two players; one played a Human Rogue, and the other played an Elf Warrior.

Adventure World makes use of a 2d8 system for a majority of the rolls in the game: Action rolls, Skill rolls, and Talent rolls. Basically, you roll 2d8 plus modifier(s) and add the total. 7 or less means a failure; 8-11 means success with a consequence; 12 or more is a resounding success.

There are other little mechanics throughout this game, and most of them worked out well. My players made some nice recommendations about the leveling system and rules for item costs. Your character levels up when they fail (7 or less) using one of their two highlighted abilities. (During character creation, the player chooses one ability to highlight, and the player to the left chooses that same player's second ability to highlight.) As I had foreseen, it was a bit easy to meta-game at times and level up quicker. We brainstormed a few ideas for evening things out a bit, and we'll give them a try next time.

For price items, I divide items into 1gp (commoner items); 5gp (adventurer items); 10gp (special items); 25 (luxury items); and 100gp (illegal/inherently dangerous) items. These items cost an amount of gp per syllable. For example, a 5gp adventurer item like a lantern costs 10gp (lan-tern). The more syllables you add to the item, the more expensive it is -- a "hooded lantern" costs 20gp, for example. One player had the brilliant idea that if you add detrimental adjectives to the item, it lowers the price, but there should be a chance (1 in 6 or something) that the item breaks or becomes useless when you try to use it. For example, a mirror (I consider this an adventurer items), is 10gp. but a "cracked mirror" is 5gp. On the opposite end, we discussed that by adding a certain gp amount of beneficial syllables would give you a special circumstantial bonus or something with that item.

These are the ideas that will be consuming my brain for the next week or so.

All in all, we had a great time, and I can't wait for the next playtest.

The character sheet (nothing fancy as of yet...)

The Rogue Talent Tree 

The Warrior Talent Tree.

Adventure World -- My Own Gaming System

As if the world needs another tabletop RPG, right!? I don't care. I'm writing the game that I'd like to play. It's got elements of old-school games, as well as elements of more modern games that I've been playing the last six months or so. Of course, it hasn't reached it's final form yet, but it's getting there. Essentially, it's based on a 2d8 system (as opposed to the d20 system) with other bits and bobbles to add variety, customizability, and its own unique flair. The elevator pitch of the system is what I call the "7-;8-11; 12+" Rule. That is to say, when rolling 2d8 (plus positive/negative modifiers from abilities, skills, talents, or situational circumstances) this main rule governs the results. A 7 or less is a fail with varying consequences. On the plus side, failing is where you gain XP. A result of 8-11 is a moderate success with a minor setback -- you hit your target but they get a counter attack; you steal the gem, but maybe somebody saw you; you convince the merchant, but only if you accept their counter bargain; your spell goes off, but your target has a chance of avoiding it, etc. A 12+ is a resounding success.

I had originally planned to have this "little" game maxed at 20 pages -- boy, was I stupid. I'm now well over 20 pages and believe that it will be completed around the 100-page mark (including class talent and spell descriptions). I've been having a blast writing, playtesting, tweaking, and re-tweaking this little game until the wee hours of the morning. It might be complete within the next few months, only to be completely rewritten again...Who knows? In the meantime, I'll leave you with a few teasers:

The Classes

“The Warrior” – Whether dominating foes with sword and shield, two-handed warhammer, or bow and arrow, the Warrior is unmatched in skill with weapons and armor.

+1 to Act or React and one more +1 bonus that may be added to any ability besides Magic. Warriors are unable to use the Magic ability. Warriors use 1d8 for weapon damage. Warriors begin with three Talent Points that may be used on the Warrior Talent Tree.

“The Rogue” – A stealthy shadow-prowler, their footsteps or whispers rarely heard by their quarry before a knife has been put in their chest, or their pockets emptied, the Rogue is a quick-fingered scoundrel.

+1 to React or Sway and one more +1 bonus that may be added to any ability besides Magic. Rogues are unable to use the Magic ability. Rogues use 1d6 for weapon damage. Rogues begin with all Level-1 Scoundrel Talents on the Rogue Talent Tree, and three Talent Points that may be used on the Rogue Talent Tree.

“The Spellcaster” – Equipped with a mind fit to unravel the world’s arcane mysteries, and the ability to weave them into spells of healing, harm, or manipulation, the Spellcaster is one with power like no other.  

+1 to “Magic” or “Wits” and one more +1 bonus that may be added to any ability. Spellcasters use 1d4 for weapon damage. Spellcasters begin with three Talent Points that may be used on the Spellcaster Talent Tree.

The Races

Human

“Humans are the most widespread race, coming from a multitude of backgrounds, and are more well-rounded than other races.”

Racial Traits: +2 Body HP; +2 Mind HP; +2 Soul HP .  

Skills: Humans begin with +1 to any one skill, and can spend five Skill Points.

Dwarf

“Dwarves are short, stout, and hearty. They mostly live underground or in mountain kingdoms, and have an intense fascination with gold, jewels, and well-crafted arms and armor.”

Racial Traits: +6 Body HP; 60’ infravision; cannot use 2-handed weapons or longbows due to small stature; +1 Act vs. poison; +1 Wits vs. spells.

Skills: Dwarves begin with 2 bonus points used in any combination between Dungeoneering and Appraisal, and can spend four Skill Points.

Elf 

“While mentally and soulfully strong, Elves are physically frail compared to other races. They mostly live in forests or away from human settlements, and their sensitive ears and eyes make them all the more aware of what is happening around them.”

Racial Traits: -4 Body HP; +5 Mind HP; +5 Soul HP; 60’ infravision; -2 Act vs. poison; +2 Wits vs. spells.

Skills: Elves begin with +1 Nature and Perception, +1 Dungeoneering when looking for secret doors, and can spend four Skill Points.

Half-Elf

“Having mixed blood, Half-elves do not share all the same boons as Humans or Elves. What they have inherited, however, is a quick tongue and ability to read others. They can be found dwelling among small forest tribes or in the cities of men.”

Racial Traits:+1 Body HP; +3 Mind HP; +2 Soul HP; 30’ infravision, -1 Act vs. poison, +1 Wits vs. spells    

Skills: Half-elves begin with +1 Deception and Insight, +1 Dungeoneering when looking for secret doors, and can spend four Skill Points.

Halfling

“Halflings are a bit more vulnerable to physical damage, but are very pure, soulful creatures. Their small stature allows them to sneak around and hide almost anywhere, and their love of reading a good book next to a warm fire has filled their tiny heads with all sorts of knowledge.

Racial Traits: - 2 Body HP; +8 Soul HP; opponents larger than human size attack Halflings at -1; no 2-handed weapons or longbows due to small stature; +2 Wits vs. Soul HP-damaging spells; 1d4 weapon damage dice, regardless of class, but may still advance on Class Talent Trees on one die type lower.

Skills: Halflings begin with +1 Stealth and Lore , and can spend four Skill Points.

Half-Orc

“Half-Orcs are notoriously hardened, but weaker in mind and soul due to corrupted blood. Their greyish or greenish skin and monstrous appearance make them all the more frightening to behold.”

Racial Traits: +12 Body HP; -3 Mind HP; -3 Soul HP; +1 bonus damage to all weapons.      

Skills: Half-Orcs begin with +2 Intimidation and may use Act modifier instead of Sway modifier when using the Intimidation skill, -2 Persuasion, +1 Dungeoneering when looking for secret doors, and can spend four Skill Points.

 Each Class has a Talent Tree. I really like how these are coming along.

 I've still got a lot of work to do, and maybe I'll post updates. I hope by 2016 this game is at least somewhat playable. I've had a few small playtests and we've been having a good time thus far. That's all that really matters, right?....Right?!