Emailed and looking forward to seeing your stuff.

Just a caution, posting your email in the open may result in crawler bots picking it up and increasing your spam quotient.  It's actually easier for me thatn if you pm me but avoiding exposing to spam was reason I suggested pming.

Thank you silentarcher00 for your insights. I will make a copy of the hedge maze, on which I can move character standups. My thought about getting the PCs involved early in the garden party: The bored nobles will talk to them, because they have heard about the incident with Clothilde, or they want to know from the better-off PCs why they do all the foot work at the docks. Essentially I will use the ladies-in-waiting for a minor sub-plot with my PC-Noble-Diletante. On another thought I will involve Wanda Grunenwald and Theodosius von Tuchtenhagen in a subplot with the Gourmand-Society early on. All starts with an invitation to diner :-)

thanks soo much or the props Valvorik!

great quality. 

the npc card deck is awesome. a great tool for an immersing description to give te pc's -brief, but to the point: one line to typecast a npc -I think I will standardise this approach in future games (btw where would I find the warhammeresque templates you used on the menagerie npc's? -would like to use it on the dock npcs)

time track: I do like the idea of four 'storytime' actions a day but…

 -would a rallyphase not be appropriate after each and not only at night?

 -would darkness rules also not be appropriately placed on the track?

 -aren't 'tiring effects' not a bit harsh? as a person with a regular 6hrs night sleep I would tend to move all effects up 1 step (but then again that's personal preference -the mechanism is quiet genial and give the pc's a neat time framework -something that in my opinion will enhance the rpg experience and make for a more real world)

Rambrecht's pamphlets: great stuff -how would you part them to the pc's? you wouldn't happen to know how pamphlet distribution was organised in late 15th cent? I guess Rambrecht stuffing all four pamphlets in their hands for a silver wouldn't work for me. Perhaps let the players find some of the documents whilst searching through npc houses or just laying (between a stack of old magazines) in an inn etc. Again I would opt for a slow built up.

Averheim table aid: again very usefull -giving the pc's a concise framework to play in and helping GM and PC's to focus on more relevant interactions -I am wondering if perhaps a little culling of some information might improve the table aid (a lot of PC's tend to give up when they have to read to much…)

It would be sooo great if the Averheim table aid would feature a map of the city -anybody happens to know if such a map was ever produced in earlier editions?

Thanks for feedback.

The stuff I sent is either Word of PDF's for most part - so copy and revise to your taste for your table of course.

For the background etc. for the menagerie NPC's, these were created with the fan-created "strange eons" program using the Liber Fanatica plug-in.

http://cgjennings.ca/eons/

http://www.liberfanatica.net/Addenda.html

Warning, once you save you can't edit (find a typo, recreate, sigh).  Earlier versons of strange eons allowed editing after saving so hopefully this version will as it is updated.

Time Track

I do not give a rally step till the night (unless a fight or something breaks out as you get one just as it looms then).  My view is "your dice hit the table about 4 times, unless you choose not to something when you could, then rally" represents a decent ratio of "chances to act, incur fatigue/stress etc. before rallying".  If it's "rally after each roll" then stress/fatigue become "phfft".  It may help explain that I also use "let it ride" principle of not making people "roll same check twice in a row" in simple encounters.  Your Insight perceives his lie, that means you see through his lies for the encounter, only one roll.  That does not apply in "social engagements" with initiative etc. (social combat in essence).

I should add, perhaps ironically given your concern it was harsh, I realized that I had no "you were up all night" effect and have added one (the negative effects of previous space last all day, and the Resilience check is to avoid becoming Intoxicated - in real world sleep deprivation has been found to produce effects similar to intoxication).

Darkness rules - you're right that would be a good addition for anyone just using my handout.  It would likely require making font smaller though to be on one page and I like "table top handouts" to be large font.  For my own table, I have a separate generic "lighting conditions" generic "table aid/reference" card to put out whenever relevant (during the day in poorly lit room, in sewers etc.).

Tiring Effects - essentially it says that after you have been going for 12 hours straight (didn't take a seista nap), you get a misfortune die for hours 13-15, then still going you get two and have to make a check to avoid a Fatigue and Stress.  I think that's reasonable (then again I am someone who tries to get 8 hours sleep).  Misfortune dice aren't too harsh in my view.  The fact actions gain a Chaos Star - become Sluggish is the hardest thing.  That's a generic chaos star (like a location card).  I admit one area I deviate from the core rules a bit is that I like Chaos Star effects to be nasteier than many location card ones.  I also aim to make Fatigue/Stress count (it is after all really Call of Cthulhu disguised as D&D).  This is very much a "your table may vary" thing.

Agitator Pamphlet Distribution - this is tricky as the Old World is mostly illiterate so "written only" distribution is not a good way to spread ideas.  I currently plan to have Rambrecht holding forth, giving away some contents for free as teasers.  Any Silver or Gold tier PC is latched onto and harangued to buy the pamplet for a shilling - perhaps a single page is given for free as sample.  Anyone who is successful in social check with him gets him going and he gives out the content orally just out of enthusiasm (he's not a good negotiator really).  It's only if Players really want a written record they need to buy it.  A good enough roll and he will sell below cost (again he's a believer)…. MY CAMPAIGN IDEA … since he's badmouthing all nobles vying to be elector he's really doing the Conspiracy's work, he doesn't know who, but some benefactor is paying his costs…

Table Aid - again, modify for your table, these things are very much "geared for my table no warranty for world at large".  My players are fairly interested in reading anything on the table so it works in my case (well at least half of them, who then remind others of relevant things).

Map of Averheim - as far as I know Averheim has not been mapped officially or by a fan.  Googlefu has failed me on that count and the various fan sites with all the maps ever produced etc. don't have one.

 Generally Re PART TWO - the Menagerie and Silentarcheroo's experience.

That has me thinking a more fundamental rewrite of that Part, keeping the Act Two highpoint but changing/shifting stuff in the Act One and Three to make them less "tons of GM exposition and Player rolls that don't matter".

ignore this post :P

cant delete it :(

I downloaded SE 3 (I had v2 on an old computer but not my new one), and then just downloaded the plug in and it worked fine.  In SE used a "all options" choice for what to use.  WFRP then appears on the main menu as choice of "what do you want to make" showing the various types of cards.  That said SE3 is still 'newer" and may be a bit buggy (e.g., I tried changing default language setting and it didn't like running at all after that, had to reinstall).

-- added -- oh i see you must have fixed issue, folks can ignore this too except the caution about taking care with SE3

I am working on rewriting/improving the Menagerie episode.

The written text is very GM exposition heavy and it's not a good instance of the 3 Act structure in my view.

Silentarcheroo's ideas are a good part of that (e.g., reveal that Chlotilde is becoming more and more a contender, reveal more of the politics going on and spread suspicions around), any other suggestions? 

My basic ideas (building on silentarcheroo's) are:

(a) let the Academic PC have a potential role as Sun Society member "in the Marquee" as conversationalist for NPC's and let a Gentleborn PC have a role dealing more personally with NPC's (though it seems I won't have a Gentleborn in my group, I may still have a noble).  In short, not every PC is forced to do perimeter duthy and not talk to guests if their backgrounds specficially justify them behaving otherwise.

(b) let PC's have more rolls to gain or lose in the scenario, let more things be on stage with them - they will arrive with the soldiers and be present when soldiers are told to wait outside and they come in.  This is the "show don't tell" principle.

(c) move the scents/observation hints of skaven/thief to be Act 3, investigation after the theft (otherwise Act 3 is pretty thin).  Find useful information leading you on to the menaces on the docks but not before the theft and feel you were supposed to stop it.  I'm writing up the physical layout to explain more how a thief got in and out, and let a witness be found after fact of a 'black caped and hooded figure making away through the rain" (it raining at end of day).

(d) make the various events into things like the Edge of Night that can affect a "success track" for the Graf's event, with how successful it is being his satisfaction with PC's (bonus), also respect that others may have for PCs, as well as for him personally his social success and how well he drums up interest in buying exotic finds from the expedition (recovering his investment). 

For example, it's up to PC's to stop Waldemarius leaving when insulted either by mollifying him or putting the jester in his place. If he leaves, that's a step back for the Graf etc. If anyone dies that's a step back so first aid checks and saving Amalie etc really matter. Exciting events (things that get people talking) what don't result in fatalities actually add to the buzz. Assuming the Graf is not the B.C. he is really upset though at the thefts of the gold plaque and effigy.

(e) when demigryff is lose, PC's are directed by the Graf into the hedge maze to protect guests, to avoid as much as possible any being present for the theft attempt so no "fudging" needed to explain they don't stop the theft.

(f) If PC's aren't there to save the skaven victim, Chlotilde is there to hear his last words, but doesn't share his last words without a successful check.  She fears the faithful retainer was delusional in the end and doesn't want to dishonour him.  If Chlotilde's beloved footman is slain, she is stricken.  She will be stinging in her critique of Baerfast and Kaufman, and announce a reward to whoever brings justice for the death.

(g) Just for fun, the skaven smoke bomb has a bit of weirdroot in it.  Causing hallucinations helps ensure witnesses who do see them are dismissed.  I think that would be a pretty standard skaven tactic in my version of Old World.

When I have this written up I would appreciate feedback, don't know if posting it all (lots of text) best - I think emailing it to interested folks for review may work better?

PS - my earlier critique of menagerie for having creatures not found in Southlands were misplaced - it is an ongoing feature of the grounds and so would have other creatures.  Apologies to any authors/editors of the adventure reading this on that point.

Funny, I see that there is a Demigryph in the scenario. That's what my submission to their writer's stuff was.

Interesting, it's a "juvenile demigryph" in adventure, physical stats lower than above, R2 not C2 etc.

I've finished my first draft restructuring of the Menagerie scene, will sleep on it and edit it Monday.  Again thanks to silentarcheroo for drawing attention to this, I was "hmm" about it but didn't really delve into it until his post.

I noticed that in lead up heroes are offered 30 shillings @ (page 46) but in aftermath they are paid their fee of 20 shillings (page 55).  I've gone with 20 shillings as the offer up front with actual pay ranging from 10 to 30 depending on how well they do (where the "Ah What A Lovely Afternoon" progress track I"ve created ends up). 

Heroes can be further enticed to take the job (if money not a motivator) by the chance to see the expedition finds close up (academic) and to make an impression (though doing a good job, that progress track is their success not just Kaufman's) on representatives of all sorts that may be key to future commissions or just "who to rob and scam" if lowlives (the two contending families, the 2nd tier movers and shakers etc.).

Rob

On a different point, the image of the black cowl in box and on website:

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_npm_sec.asp?eidm=131&esem=1&epmi=s

The mask looks rather "goblinish" to me, the sort of face on some greenskin minis.

The image in the icon on chest (eye with arrows) I'm not sure of, I wonder if it's an established Chaos or Tzeentch image?  I would not play it that way, don't think the Black Cowl would reveal that connection so openly.  More it's the symbol of his criminal network "the brotherhood".

Going with the mask being a goblin face has interesting implications in goblin-hating Averland.  To help explain the involvement of greenskins (earlier in thread I noted lack of them a shame for Averlander racial bonus mattering), the mask grants a magically compelling power over greenskins and is very intimidating to others (granting or enhancing any Fear/Terror effect).

If anyone sees it and researches it, they discover that the actors at the Sun of Solland (Sulky Sun) have been perturbed by the loss of the "Goblin Mask", one of their props, used in plays about the invasion of Gorbad Ironclaw in particular the tragedy, "Sunset of Solland".  It was said that the portrayal of Gorbad by actors wearing the mask was always inspired and terrifying, the theatres had to issue warnings about fainting.  The present actors are very perturbed at the mask's loss, it would be good luck for their new production about the Third Battle of Blackfire Pass (a work in progress, yet to be named).  There were always some rumours about the mask but those are just theatre superstitions of course.

Rob

Awesome thread Valvorik,

I have just Pm'ed you to see if you you could forward on the extras you have worked on they sound FAB.

Just wondering, I like the govlin tie in to Averland and the black cowl,  I too would include more golbin activity just not sure how but perhaps early on in the docklands have an idea about an infested cargo ship and fungal growths in the basements of the dockside buildings. Themed around piazo goblins/tribbles.

As for the main campaign, I will be running it with 2nd tier characters who have already completed a couple of adventures one of my pc is a preistess of Verena and I see her as being particulary tricky to avoid spoiling the suspense.

Any advice on how to ensure the pc still enjoys their character without nerfing her abilities too much?

Hi,

First big thanks to Valvorik, great play aids.

Krisstoff; Yeah priests of verena and grey wizards can be tricky. I'm guessing Percieve Lies is the blessing you're concerned about? My solution would be to offer a nominal difficulty based on the expected difficulty of the challenge, then add some secret crossed swords/banes as appears on many of the "epic" action cards. This way a PC can still use the blessing but shouldnt be able to break the story ahead of schedule, the result will hopefully be close enough for you to assign enough swords to call it a fail. Hopefully your player hasnt munchkined their Fel to 5+?

A quick question to anyone out there…    I was thinking of running Mauer as a member of the Unity secret society, what with his family backround, and shared theories with Oppenheimer and such. I dont think I want him to be the Cowl but I would like to complicate his innocense a little. Are there any obvious slip ups I may have missed???

Cheers 

Not sure which Verernan abilities menace here.  At high level there's a Light spell that tells you "the truth someone is hiding", that's a mystery nerfer I just took out of game before anyone took it.  If you can advise on the actions etc. in question can ponder.  "I WIN" button actions for mysteries have no place in the murky Old World.

Per above, one point is to be clear with heroes that this is a campaign that takes you to epic heights.  Actually meeting the BC at Rank1 is a good way to learn about critical wounds and long term care recovery rules (between BC and as many cutthroats and others as needed to make it so).  Expecting to pierce the veil of lies etc. at lower Rank is expecting alot.  Egrimm van Horstmann fooled the entire College of Light for years.

Be clear, as I am at times, that some actions have built in failures and banes on them such as higher level cards do.

The opposed action rules can sometimes make life too easy (Int 6 vs Int 6 strongly favours whoever acts).  I make no bones about sometimes making things competitive checks and sometimes making the NPC be the active party.  I also make no bones about fact that "innocent people roll too", everyone has something to hide even if it's "I think you are such an idiot wasting time looking for a mythical ubervillain".  Don't let people reroll Insight type checks vs major NPC's more than once per Rank or unless major new evidence comes out.

Have them all make a "you meet Baerfast/Mauer/Kaufman/Chlotilde/(any others you want to throw in) initial "reaction check" and give them some real information etc. but be clear "that's what they learn".  They've all got secrets, agendas etc.

A more complicated option, that requries rewriting a bit, is to take the "mask" even further.  The "Black Cowl" is effectively a multiple personality possessed by the Mask and doesn't remember/know all that is done wearing the mask.  Their conscious mind is a supporter of the "Conspiracy" type of thinking and is influenced by their unconscious mind that is being twisted more and more by the Mask.

Rob

No:12 said:

Thanks, enabled by others who created background papers, special fonts and software for cards and inspired by WFRP books and other sources.  I'm a halfing standing on the shoulders of giants.

I've been looking at the organization and secret society cards from GM Toolkit and Lure of Power as well. 

I forget which one (secret society) it is by name but there is one that is essentially "onto a bit of the truth" of the universe (of course it has its own distorted version of the truth).  That one has an interest in Old Ones and gold plaques of their texts etc. - would have been very interested in that part of the Southlands expedition and is a fit for Conspiracy on the front of "less religious and blinkered nobility restraint on natural philosophy and inquiry".  The entire Sun Society could actually be merely the "front easy part" of such a secret society with links throughout the Old World, including Middenheim and Altdorf etc.

I also want all the principals to have secrets, agendas, things they hide.  Any Insight (Intuition?) check against any of them that does really well reveals "there is something they are not saying"…

I don't want to quite make everyone a villain, I don't take my Old World grimness that far, but everyone flawed and many flawed fatally, yes.

Another question (no answers about the Black Cowl's symbol?), who would have made the effigy - manipulating warpstone down in the south?  I can't think of a logical candidate to do that.  My workaround is that perhaps the Slann (not the Old Ones) tried to experiment with ways of negating warpstone by binding it into forms that were inert etc.  It worked - for a 1000 years or so, but eventually the warpstone effect started overcoming the binding.  I've ruled in my game that lead boxes only contain warpstone for a while, eventually the taint progresses through the lead - being a heavy metal just slows it (hmmm, gold another heavy metal).  Part of my own "there's no safe disposal really" rules that I was very happy to see validated by the course of the adventure.

This latent "bound and hidden" effect explains in part why the effigy doesn't send of alarms to everyone who looks at it with magical sight etc etc.  I ask because I will have it found in the "lizard man temple" etc. then.

Krisstoff said:

My players started to try and investigate the criminal underworld conections to the dissapearences. Maybe a sub plot where they try and infiltrate the new criminal empire for information, that will eventually lead them to the name 'Black Cowl'? This will give them something to investigate, but also not everyone knows the full picture. Getting a small amount of info from a part time theif might lead to the Upright Pig, which might lead to a name and rumors, which might lead to the bandits outside town, which will lead to the garison etc. That way the priest can use the abilities and advance the game, but not jump ahead.

One of the things my players did was to pay off Beatrice Knox and then shadow her till she gave the money to someone at the Upright Pig, then followed them. It's initiative like that players will bring to an investigation.