In
1976 I went with a friend
to a thing called a "Gaming Convention", ostensibly to play a miniature
wargame called Seapower. I never did play any Seapower. Instead, I
discovered a thing called D&D. By the end of the weekend I had
bought the game, dice and several miniatures to go with it.
It
was hardly the
end of the matter. By the time I was done (and as of yet I am not) I
had filled many a box with the miniatures, two four-drawer file
cabinets with paper and a good deal of my hard drive as well. (Once the
personal computer was invented.)
D&D,
and its
later incarnation AD&D has become a life time hobby. I have
gamed
in the same setting for Three Decades now. RPG gaming has brought
valued friends, confidence, and yes, even love my way. So yes, I am
fond of the game, and expect to be playing when they haul me away to
bury.
In
the process of
playing the game I have created a large number of items for the game. I
offer a selection of those creations for your persual here. A few
races, fantasy religions for your clerics, and a class or two that has
worked out in the long run.
Many of my
documents are in Adobe PDF format. While proprietary formats are not my
favorites, PDF allows me to more accurately present the documents as my
own players see them. If you don't have the Acrobat Reader you can get
it at Adobe
Acrobat Reader
I
also offer a few
sites with answers for those people that might have problems with the
idea of RPGs, or might be having problems with those that have problems
with RPGs. Destroy the myths, check the facts.
On Thud
and
Blunder This excellent essay by Poul
Anderson is hosted on
the Science Fiction &
Fantasy Writer's Association web
site. I strongly recommend a read of this essay by anyone that attempts
to write fantasy or a fantasy RPG. It is a reality check and good one.
Yes, even fantasy needs a grounding in reality. Read it, it will do you
good.
The Link below will
subscribe you to the "Phoenixrpg"
mailing list.
This is an e-mail list that is sent to all subscribers. Anything posted
to the list will be received by all subscribers. "Phoenixrpg"
is for discussion of role-playing
games. The main thrust will be
AD&D and variants thereof, but
general discussion of interest to all RPGs is welcome.
The
Avians
-- A bird-man
type creature in five varieties. These creatures are prevlant in my
game world as Non-player Characters and also seen as Player Characters.
They are highly magical and fairly powerful creatures. Handle with
extreme care.
The
Centaur
-- My
take on the classic fantasy creature. I like Centaurs, and this will
show it. The
Centaur
My
Monstrous Compendium Sheet in PDF format.
The
Leoman
-- A cat
man creature, something warm and friendly. A creature that doesn't
prefer human flesh, amazing that. This should fit into most games with
little alteration. It is not powerful, just different. cultural and
religious details included.
The
Sauroi
--
Royal Saurian, "Sauoi" as they call themsleves. A dragon-human cross.
This creature is very powerful, and should be handled with extreme
care. That is a warning label.
The
Vampire
-- A
different view of the Vampire from the AD&D standard. Much less
the
cartoon monster, and more the cunning ancient being. Inspiration taken
from Saberhagin, Rice, and Yarburrow.
The
Vala
-- The
gods of the First Children, also known as "Elves". This is likely the
most important bit of myth on my game world.
The
Orders of Abba Eecreeana
-- Four orders with different proposes, one power. The
Order of
Abba; your basic goodly priest
types. The Guardians of Aqulin;
Support and logistics for a brotherhood of Paladins that are dedicated
to tolerance and diversity. The
Fellowship of Mycr; dedicated
to the practice of free will. They also rescue unwilling sacrifices. The
Protective Order of Magi;
priest/magicians for the ethical use of
magic, and protection of magicians.
The
Centaur Gods
--
The ethics and morals followed by the Centaurs of my World, and the
powers that represent and back them. Centaur
Gods
in PDF for those that prefer PDF format.
Coran
the
Oathkeeper
-- Coran the Golden is also know as "The
Oathkeeper". Various people seek him or his priests out to have oaths
sworn that cannot be broken. This is his religious order dedicated to
Oaths and Soldiers. Most non-centaurs that worship him do so through
this order.
Hospitalers
of
the Rose
-- As Coran has his separate order, so does his wife
Suszan. This is a healing order that combines aspects of the cleric and
healer classes in the same way that the The Protective Order of Magi
does for cleric and magician.
The
Sect of Sharla
--
Sharla, god of the Leomans. This is presented as part of the Leoman
culture. Can be used as a templet for a racial patron god, or
small-scale single interest cult such as youth or a single trade.
The
Church of Kirt
-- The god of the Sauroi, Lord of life and death. Kirt is also a god
supporting adventurers and a highly libertarian point of view, for a
god.
The
Disciplines
-- An
urban religion. A patron for a city of less than upright character. A
sect for thieves and outcasts. Lastly a god for the changes of life,
birth death and what falls between.
The
Church of
Creation
[PDF fomat] -- The Three Brothers offer primal support
to the creative in terms of love, healing, and spiritual sustenance. A
general propose religion
The
Church of Heaven
[PDF format] -- How to get to Heaven by the powers that run the place.
A good works, reward and punishment, old testament style religion. Good
for those ernest Paladin types.
The
Church of
Mephistopheles
The pleasant face of evil. The oh so
reasoanble approach to getting exactly what you want, for a price, as
it sees itself. What I said in the introduction goes double for this
one. This is
not a guide on how to worship
the devil!
This is a fantasy
piece. You know, fantasy, as in not real.
Every game needs evil to oppose, this is one of the milder types.
The
Fellowship of Plenty
-- A merchant's creed. Great for that ambitious, but ethical shopkeeper
or caravan master. A capitalistic way to paradise.
The
Church of
Moreland
The Institutional face of evil. A state religion
designed to make servants of the people while claiming to be the
servants of the people. Again presented as it sees itself. Read between
the lines. What I said in the introduction goes double for this one. This
is not a
guide on how to worship the devil or anything else!
This is a fantasy
piece. You know, fantasy, as in not real.
Every game needs evil to oppose, this is one of the stronger types.
The
Way of the
Sacred Self
A Zen Gnostic religion that treats everyone as a
god, yet worships no god. Something a little off center to offer your
players, or to throw at them.
The Fantasy Religion Worksheet
[2K] -- A guide and blank to aid in creating fantasy religions in the
style I present them. Includes guildelines on questions to ask of your
creation, and a worksheet and gildelines for creating orders of Paladin
as well.
The
Craft
- Users
of earth magic, Hedge wizards and witches. Strengths lie in divination,
alteration and charm. Unique spells.
The
Healer
-
Physicians with a touch of magic. The traditional view of medicine as
science mixed with magic. The functions of the Doctor and the
Veterinary rolled into one profession. This version is for 1st/2ed
AD&D
The
Hoc Ta'lung
- An
order of monks with a peculiar viewpoint towards extra planer creatures.
Clerical
Spells So you are looking of my
religions and say, "what is this
spell?" Yes I have moved
things around a bit., added some spells, and edited the entire lot to
suit myself. Here are my standard clerical spells.
Character
Record 2
-- The Character Record sheet used in the Greyhawke Campaign. This item
exhibits why I like computers so much. The first such sheet was made on
drafting velum with prestype letters and technical pens in 1980. I
think it took me 14 hours to do. Those originals are carefully mounted
on matt board and have been photocopied repeatedly. When it was
determined than an update was required it took me 4 hours in the word
processor to do the same job. Here is the 2ed version for posterity.
Character
Record 3
-- The updated Character Sheet for my game. This incorporates the 3e
elements I want while trying to keep the numbers to a sane minimum.
I am somewhat
different in how I handle experience. I
award experience based on story only. To aid me in getting the amount
of experience right for the level of the character I created this
table. It is based in the Second Edition AD&D Experience tables
plus the classes used in my game. I award experience base on the
average level of the party and the percentage of an average level I
think they have earned in that session. Usual awards are from 10% for a
slow night to 40% for a major campaign changing event. Herein is the
table I created. DMG
1: Experience Tables
Below are the
chapters of the "MD&D 2.8 Edition
Player's Manua". This is the latest effort for my game. This is a work
in progress and each chapter will be posted as I finish it. Even
"finished" chapters are a work in progress and subject to change. All
files are PDF format, and yes, the titles are hot cyan. The PDFs are
primarily for my players to download and print out. The "hot cyan"
color looks fine on the printed page. Chapter One:
Introduction and Cultures Chapter
Two: Ability Scores Chapter
Three: Player Character Races Chapter
Four: Character Classes
These
pages
are crafted from an article Susan and I wrote for the Roleplaying
tips news letter writen by John
Four. If you don't get it
you should.
Gaming
the Horse is a
systemless document atempting to express in game terms the real actions
and reactions of Horses. Read it and judge for yourself.
Here
I take a
look at books within RPGs. What books are made from, and how they are
put together along with tables to create fictional books for your RPGs.
One better, I have illastrations too.
Just
hit any search engine, type in "AD&D", and you'll find more
sites
than you can shake an orc at. Below are a few of my personal favorites.
Please,
if you find dead link
on this or any of my pages mail me
and
let me know
.
CAR-PGa
-- for those worried about RPGs or needing support
What
A Character
-- A database of character actors with photos. You
won't find stars, or well known faces, but this is the perfect place to
hunt up a face to attach to that wizard you just created.