Forum: Public Forum

on Sun 10 of Oct., 2010 01:58 BST, by Adam posts: 137 United Kingdom

Hello,

I've not been to a Big Meet before, and I've not run an adventure for a while now. I'm thinking of putting both right by offering something for the November meet. If there's interest, of course.

For those who don't know, 7th Sea is set in 1688 in a kind of parallel world to our own (or least to our Europe), but with added sorcery, ancient artefacts from vanished civilisations, fey/goodly folk and other stuff. Many of the main European countries appear in the game, generally reflecting the most interesting parts of their history. For example, 'Avalon', where the adventure will be set, is a combination of the renaissance England of Elizabeth I and the mythic fairytale England of King Arthur. More on the game courtesy of wiki.

Compared to D&D (at least, the versions I know), 7th Sea:

Is much simpler to play and easy to pick up on the day.
Has no formal character classes/professions, so characters are much less specialised
Is designed to encourage and reward swashbuckling, risk-taking, heroism, derring-do, ballsy-but-ill-advised-manoeuvres, and doing what's cool and fun and epic rather than what gives you the optimum chance of success
Is relatively low-magic
Is essentially "Three Musketeers: The Roleplaying Game" in tone and style
Has a fairly simple combat system and therefore only limited tactical options
Is at its best in non-combat situations (IMO)
Isn't a spoof, pastiche, or parody, but, like the Musketeer and other swashbuckler films, doesn't take itself too seriously.

The adventure I have in mind is mainly an open-ended investigation/mystery, with a lot of options and freedom of approach for the players. I'd like players to play their characters as characters, not as collections of stats. There will be combat encounters (depending on PC decisions), but if you prefer games where any investigation/mystery/talky bits is just a prelude to dungeons/ lots of combat encounters this probably isn't the adventure for you.

I'm posting this now to gauge interest. It's not a mainstream system (not having 'Dungeon' or 'Dragon' in the title...) and I know some people are particular about what they want to play or may already have plans for the meet. I'm planning to run this with pre-generated characters for those who are new to the system (though pre-genned to order, where possible, to fit a concept/role you'd like to play), and old hands may be able to make their own (again, with agreed concept/role). Ideally, I'd like to have characters created and discussed in advance with as many of the players as possible - I want you to have a character you want to play.

The scenario....

Autumn 1668, Carleon, glorious capital of Avalon. It is rumoured that Good Queen Elaine may finally rule within months on the long running legal case between the noble families of de Woodeville and de Beaumont. The bitter dispute is over the right to inherit the Earldom of Haverford in the county of Camlann after the death of Earl Richard Jarndyce, the last of his line. Representatives of both families rush to Queen Elaine's court, eager to make an impression and to press their claims. While the de Beaumonts dispatch no lesser person than the family patriarch, Earl William, the de Woodeville family boldly decide to send only young Edward, second son and likely heir to Haverford should the judgement go in their favour, and his entourage.

on Fri 10 of Dec., 2010 00:23 GMT, by Len posts: 1095 United Kingdom

I shall endeavour to leave them in the boot. Provided I come in my car; if not then I shall try to remember they need to come with me.

Len

on Fri 10 of Dec., 2010 16:16 GMT, by Len posts: 1095 United Kingdom

Possible change. cry
I have spent the majority of today zonked out with prescription painkillers.
I have to face the possibility that I may not be up to making it tomorrow.
_{(I have been suffering a bit of a problem for a while now. Some are aware of it.)}

If I am OK, I will be there with bells on as usual, but it is just possible I will not be well enough. In that case, you'll not only be short of me, but the minis too. I shall ask Ash & Ben if they could collect them in that case, and bring them along.

Len

on Sat 11 of Dec., 2010 00:27 GMT, by Adam posts: 137 United Kingdom

Hi Len,

Thanks for letting me know. I hope you're feeling better soon - hopefully in time for tomorrow.

I'll talk to Ginga about borrowing some miniatures just in case....

Adam

on Sat 11 of Dec., 2010 08:58 GMT, by Len posts: 1095 United Kingdom

I'll not be there today folks. - Sorry.

A new prescription last week seems to have negated one that at least worked a bit, so I've had to stop taking them. Hopefully in a few days I'll be back to an acceptable level of pain without unwanted mind numbing effects.

Today is better than yesterday was, but not yet to the point of driving or even thinking straight. Ash & Ben are not heading directly there.

Len

on Sat 11 of Dec., 2010 20:03 GMT, by Adam posts: 137 United Kingdom

Well, well, well!

An interesting and unexpected adventure session, finishing on something of a cliffhanger, with Finn being taken hostage by the bad guys!

Ian joined as Kurt, but Len and Ginga were unable to make it, so Felipe has been ill and Jonathan has been drunk.

As before I don't want to post too much on the interweb in case I run this again, but I can say that the following things happened:
1. Lots of intelligence gathering
2. Lots of planning
3. Some weird sewer obsessions.....
4. A bit of combat (although I don't think Annabel has had a chance to kill owt yet)
5. Some bad guys killed!

The combat has started, but it's far from finished, and there's a chance for Felipe and Jonathan to join in next time, if people are up for a third session.

One problem is that I can't make the second Saturday in January (9th, I think), if that's the date for the next Big Meet. I could run at the one after that, or alternatively we could think about another date, possibly in Nottingham?

on Wed 05 of Jan., 2011 22:40 GMT, by thegreatpl posts: 4

I dont mind. I just logged on to look at when exactly the next big meet was, and I cant actually seem to find anything for a January Big Meet anywhere. Anyone got any info as to why there doesnt seem to be one?

I can probably meet some other time if we have to.

on Thu 06 of Jan., 2011 08:07 GMT, by Adam posts: 137 United Kingdom

I'm not sure what's happening about the Big Meet. As I mentioned back in December, I can't make it. I spoke to Laurent yesterday who's just back from the States and he isn't going either. I think he normally sets up the event page, but his tour of North American airports hasn't allowed the time to do it. This meet has come round very quickly after Christmas/New Year......

I can make the afternoon session of the next Big Meet in Feb, so I could run part 3 of the Dandy Highwayman then....

on Thu 13 of Jan., 2011 13:01 GMT, by Adam posts: 137 United Kingdom

Just a quick note to confirm that I'll be running the third and final instalment of 'Dandy Highwayman' at the February Big Meet. I've already posted this in the main thread, but I thought it was worth confirming here just in case there's anyone who's only subscribed to this thread.

Incidentally, a couple of people asked about the core rulebooks. A copy of both the Players Guide and the DM's Guide (or whatever it's called) are on ebay at the moment - the books are out of print, and so only available second hand. Obviously there's no need to get them just for this game!

on Mon 14 of Feb., 2011 10:24 GMT, by Laurent posts: 1029 United Kingdom

Adam,

Thanks for running the game.

The last session cool has inspired me to possibly have a re-match with Mokmurian in my Rise of the Runelords game. A double pistol shot in the face of the Paladin, would have started the encounter on a more even footing! razz

As you must have realised, standard RPG players are not related to Lt Columbo. We need easy leads, so leads that promise a good old fight are always taken at face value. Villains can be cunning, or intelligent as in "INT 20" (or equivalent in the 7th Seas system) to cast spells, but do not have them be that clever at scheming. surprised

The "dodgy late loading" of another ship at the harbour was great though. We nearly got onto it, so when we realised we had seen through a deception that was not there, as it was only a coincidence, Edward and Kurt thought that the other lead must have been genuine.
Oh well, the players had already had more than extended the plot by themselves, so the adventure had to end. We may have lost neutral , but it was surely fun trying. lol exclaim

Laurent,

on Mon 14 of Feb., 2011 13:52 GMT, by Adam posts: 137 United Kingdom

Thanks to everyone who played. I wouldn't say our heroes 'lost' exactly - although the villains escaped (well, most of them), their activities are at an end, and the streets are safe once more. At least some of the bad guys could have been hunted down (and probably will be, out of game), but the bulk of the work is done: our heroes forced a criminal gang to flee, and were able to give Sir Bors McAllister a fairly strong indication about the nature of the goings on with the sidhe known as the 'Dandy Highwayman'. So two-and-a-half cheers. And no-one "lost" if people had fun, which I hope they did. Apart from dog lovers, maybe.....

A combination of bad luck, bad decisions, unforeseen consequences, and a shortage of time meant that there never was a final juicy combat encounter, which is a pity.

It was a learning experience. The kind of adventures I used to run for my old gaming group probably aren't suitable for a Big Meet game. It does look like easy leads and clear signposts labelled "encounter this way" are what's required for Big Meet style games, and that's what I'll offer to run in future. Less arthouse, more blockbuster; less literature, more pulp fiction.....