A Free Agent at PretzCon

     PretzCon 2022 is nigh and it's hopefully going to be my first in-person convention in three years since the world went to hell and we bunkered down. As a demo agent for Free League Publishing, I'm going to be running demos of The One Ring 2e and Vaesen. I'll be running "The Old Dwarf-Mines" and "Star of the Mist" for TOR 2e using pregens converted from the TOR 1e pregens. Below you'll see there are two versions for some of the pregens. Those pregens with two versions have one which was a translation from first to second edition and another which is rebuilt under the rules as written (RAW). The "translated" pregens are closer to their first edition versions as I ignored the rule that cultural virtues require a Wisdom score of 2+. The only pregen which differs significantly is Saewara of Stockhorn. Under the rules as written, a wanderer in first edition becomes a messenger in second. I felt that wasn't quite fitting for Saewara given her background and also the calling of captain was not represented in the pregens. I've removed the listing of old MERP and LOTR RPG pregens and will post the conversions when I have time.

 

The One Ring 1st Edition Pregens

• Lifstan, Son of Leiknir (Barding Treasure-Hunter)*
• Beran of the Mountains (Beorning Warden)
• Beli (Dwarf Treasure-Hunter)*
• Caranthir (Elf Scholar)
• Trotter (Hobbit Treasure-Hunter) - Converted and RAW*
  
• The Bride (Woodsmen Warden) - Converted and RAW
• Frida, Daughter of Finnulf (Lake-folk Messenger) - Converted and RAW
• Mona, Daughter of Ginar (Dwarf Warden)
• Barin Greycloak (Dwarf Messenger)*
• Aelfilda (Rohirrim Scholar) - Converted and RAW
  
• Dunhere (Rohirrim Scholar)
• Herubrand (Rohirrim Warden) - Converted and RAW
  
• Saewara of Starkhorn (Rohirrim Captain)
• Thuna (Rohirrim Warden) - Converted and RAW
• Wulf (Rohirrim Champion) - Converted and RAW
• Ralsora (Dunlending Treasure-Hunter) - Converted and RAW
• Fareth (Ranger of the North Warden)*
• Cirmacar (Elf Scholar) - Converted and RAW*

* - Suitable for use as a Free Agent demo character.

 

     For Vaesen, I'm doing something new. Before the demo event ("Dance of Dreams"), I'm going to present a "Session Zero" slot to educate players on the game and setting. I'll be offering pregens as well as character folios for players to use in creating their own characters if they so choose. Below are links to the character folios as well as the pregen characters. Anybody who owns the Vaesen rulebook will notice there are several additional folios beyond the archetypes presented in the core book. These are pulled from Cornish Vaesen, a Free League Workshop publication by JVC Parry. Below is also a link to a bug-fixed version of the form-fillable character sheet created by DreamsAmongStars on the Vaesen Reddit. Finally, the pregens are from two different creators, one of whom was deep_impact on the same Vaesen Reddit as DreamsAmongStars. The material below is suitable for use by Free Agents for their demos as they are RAW, no house rulings or homebrew.

 

Vaesen Pregenerated Characters

• Christina Skytte, Writer
• Dorotea Lind, Doctor
• Lyyli Tamminen, Occultist
• Niklas Skogge, Vagabond
• Otto von Kaiserling, Officer
• Reverend Nystrom, Priest 
• Patricia Bergqvist, Writer
•  Aron Lundstrom, Vagabond
• Henry Anderburg, Servant
• Olof Skoglund, Hunter
  

 

Corebook Archetype Folios

• Academic (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Doctor (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Hunter (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Occultist (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Officer (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Priest (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Private Detective (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Servant (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Vagabond (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Writer (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Form-fillable character sheet

Cornish Vaesen Archetype Folios

• Fisher (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Miner (standard PDF and form-fillable)
• Smuggler (standard PDF and form-fillable)

 

Further Update From The Free Agent Front

     It's been a tumultuous time as of late for me with a death in my family, but coming out of that shadow, there is a bright spot. I managed to nab copies of the starter set and core rulebook for The One Ring. I also bought a couple of dice packs with the hope of correcting the possibility of a misprinted d12 in the starter set (more on that a bit down the line). Well, no good idea or deed goes unpunished - or gazed upon by Sauron's Eye.

     You see, the first round of dice made for TOR 2e had misprinted d12s. The d12 in TOR is an extra die rolled by the player or GM with the potential to cause weal or woe to the character making the test. The original d12 had Sauron's Eye in place of the 11 and Gandalf's Rune in place of the 12. The new dice have Sauron's Eye mistakenly in place of the 1. While I don't have an eye for dice probabilities, I've been told this makes things swing a bit more in the Dark Lord's favor.

     It's a simple mistake, one I'm not going to get bent out of shape over. In most RPGs a roll of 1 isn't a good thing, especially on an effect die. It usualy signifies trouble of some degree based on the overall outcome of the dice roll. While Free League has offered to replace these dice when returned, I don't plan on taking them up on the offer. I don't have time (or money) to waste sending three d12s across the pond and then waiting for three replacements to come back across the water. That being said, I'm just going to interpret an 11 as a 1. It's all I can do. Worse case scenario is that I'll have to roll the d12 myself using my 1e d12 or use a regular d12 and interpret it as the rules state.

     My first demos are decidedly going to be online as local gaming shops do not have their gaming space open quiet yet. As for the convention scene, it's up in the air due to a number of things I don't feel at liberty to discuss. Whether or not I attend ANY convention will depend on their COVID rules, my comfort level, and whether or not there's a virtual option should I feel uncomfortable attending in person.

     That's all I have to report at this time. More to come as things develop...

A Free Agent's Life For Me!

     So, anybody who's even glanced at my blog will see that my 2300AD post is now gone. Well, it's not really gone, but it's not public anymore. After a long series of delays thanks to real life and work, I managed to carry the torch too long in hope of running Mongoose Publishing's version of 2300AD and just got burned out.

     As a result, I decided to take a break from running any campaigns of my own and be a player for a while. Once I'm ready to step back into the role of GM, I'm going to be taking on an additional role - that of a demo agent for Free League Publishing. In the past, I served as a Bounty Hunter for Alderac Entertainment Group, running demos of Spycraft and Stargate SG-1. Now I'm going to be running a whole other set of games for a new generation.

     Overall, I'm going with Vaesen, The One Ring, and Twilight 2000. Although Free League's program is just starting out, Twilight 2000 and Vaesen already have a wide ranging library of community content, one which I hope to contribute to in the near future to aid in supporting my fellow Free Agents. The One Ring will probably take some work as the line is pretty small at this time. While there's a considerable amount of material previously published for Cubicle 7's first edition of TOR, I'm still trying to sort out the issue of compatibility and what Free League will allow.

     Will I get my groove back? Yes. Eventually. Hopefully by fall I'll be back to running games at the local cons. For now, I'm going to work on expanding my RPG repetoire, sort out what direction I want to go in with Free League, and see where this leads me.

Taking the Final Frontier to the Virtual Frontier

Now that the uncertainty regarding Nuke-Con 2020 is out of the way, I can actually start making headway in planning and prepping for my October and November events. After a lot of gamer ADHD and anxiety, I've come to the conclusion that Cyberpunk 2020 hits too close to home with current events the way they are.

As such, I'm going to be running the Icon system edition of the Star Trek RPG. While Modiphius' 2D20 system is the current incarnation of Star Trek roleplaying in the hobby, Last Unicorn's edition is my version of choice. This post will be the central locus for information on my events.

First off, let's get the skinny on the two conventions in question. Nuke-Con is set for October 2-4, 2020. Virtual GameHole Con is scheduled for November 5-8 go here to register for the con. Essentially, I'm going to be running the same events for both conventions, so if you miss a certain event at Nuke-Con's virtual convention, you can always try to catch it at Virtual GameHole Con. All that being said, let's move ahead to the 24th century...

The Series Premise

The year is 2377 - only two years since the Dominion War ended. The Alpha Quadrant's long healing process is far from over. The Cardassian Union and Klingon Empire quietly rebuild from their devastating losses. Meanwhile, the Federation and Romulan Star Empire have resumed their cold war. In the shadows, predators and scavengers lurk, watching for any sign of weakness they can take advantage of.

Capt. Malcom Harrison. Yes, I went there.

Into this uneasy peace comes both a new ship and a new generation of Starfleet cadets. Cadet Training Squadron 42 - Delta Squad - find themselves assigned to the USS Odyssey, NCC-71832-A. One of many ships constructed under Starfleet's Rapid Reconstruction Initiative, the Odyssey is built from a number of refurbished, salvaged, repurposed, and new components. Despite being thrown into the deep end of this chaotic situation, Captain Malcom Harrison and his crew are determined to keep the flame of Starfleet and the Federation's ideals burning.

Canon and Apocrypha

While these are convention games, I feel it's important to remind some players that this game adheres mainly to the canon as presented in the TV series (excluding Discovery) and movies (excluding the J.J. Abrams films and despite my dislike of Generations, First Contact, and Nemesis).  Material presented in the novels, comics, and electronic games is considered apocryphal unless I introduce it into the game. 

The Icon System (Condensed)

 For those of you who don't own a copy of Last Unicorn Games' Star Trek: The Next Generation RPG, I've provided a condensed version minus the Renown rules. Why did I leave out the Renown rules? Mainly because I find them pointless, but also because they serve no purpose in these scenarios.

• Rules Handout (with Master Trait List)
• Rules Handout (no Master Trait List)
  

 

The Adventures of the Odyssey and Delta Squad

The following adventures represent the events of Delta Squad's extended cadet cruise. Event information for each convention will be added as details become available. Discord links will be provided here once they have been assigned by the respective conventions.

The Kobayashi Maru - Members of Delta Squad take part in the Kobayashi Maru simulation, but a cadet's secret agenda risks everyone's future.

 

GM's Note: Players whose cadet characters receive a promotion to Ensign in "The Kobayashi Maru" may bring those characters back to participate in the subsequent adventures below.

Shakedown Cruise - The unexpected arrival of Delta Squad and a mysterious subspace signal complicate the USS Odyssey's maiden voyage.

Bioadversity - A survey mission turns deadly when an ancient bioweapon is released and an old enemy of the Federation returns seeking revenge.

A Hungry Season - A mission of mercy is derailed when raiders hijack a convoy carrying medical aid.

USS Odyssey NCC-71832-A

• Icon System stat sheet for USS Odyssey NCC-71832-A
• Icon System starship record sheet
• USS Odyssey stat sheet and starship record sheet

Please note, the starship record sheet is not form-fillable.

Dramatis Personae

Here are the heroes of our adventures - the cadets of Delta Squad and the crew of the Odyssey. The character sheets are forthcoming.

 

Cadet Training Squadron 42 (Delta Squad)

• Tactical Cadet Mark Decker - Male Human
• Medical Cadet Kheris - Female Human-Klingon hybrid
• Engineering Cadet Hiromi Sulu - Female Human
• Biosciences Cadet Sharan Alea - Female Bajoran
• Command Cadet Sural - Male Vulcan
• Command Cadet Thraxana - Female Denobulan
• Operations Cadet Deron Val - Male Trill (unjoined)

 

Crew of the USS Odyssey NCC-71832-A

• Cmdr. M'rynn - Executive Officer - Female Caitian
• Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Hennings - Second Officer - Female Human
• Lt. Cmdr. Ghent - Chief Engineer - Male Tellarite
• Lt. Debrin - Assistant Engineer - Male Tiburonian
  
• Lt. Cmdr. D'vor - Tactical/Security - Male Andorian
• Lt. Cmdr. Teldar - Operations - Male Bolian
• Lt. Cmdr. Kohana - Chief Science Office - Female Andorian
• Lt. T'kel - Assistant Science Officer - Male Vulcan
  
• Lt. Cmdr./Dr. Melara Tebryn, MD - Chief Medical Officer - Female Centauran
  
• Lt./Dr. Chel Beran, MD - Second Medical Officer - Female Betazoid
• Lt. j.g. Michael Peretti - Conn/Ops - Male Human
  

Character sheets by Patrick M. Murphy, aka "The Mad Irishman".

Bonus: Wonder what the theme song would be like? I think Nick Phoenix's "Starfleet" fits the bill.

Nuke-Con LIVES!

After weeks of feeling adrift in seas of uncertainty, the sun broke through and I can see clearly now. Nuke-Con 2020 is going ahead, but in an online format. Just an hour ago, the con coordinator posted the following announcement: 

Good morning, Fellow Gamers.

I have to announce today that Nuke-Con has decided not to hold a face-to-face convention in October 2020.

We also decided that we can’t let our 30th Annual Convention disappear with just a whimper, so we’re shifting gears to an online convention. It’ll be the same weekend you’ve been planning for: October 2, 3, and 4, 2020. We’re still working out details, but in the meantime we invite all GMs to talk with us about how to shift your game to one of the many available online platforms.

You can reach Erik Luken, Game Registration, at gmreg@nuke-con.com.

You can reach Josh Stortz for membership questions at reg@nuke-con.com.

You can reach Speedy Coveny to talk about pre-paid booths at vendors@nuke-con.com.

You can reach me for general questions and comments at main@nuke-con.com.

You can also send a message to https://www.facebook.com/nukecon/inbox/.

We’ll post updates as we finalize details.

Like you, we’ve been hoping for the best but planning for the worst. The staff talked about better spacing around tables, limiting the number of people at a given table, masks, and disinfectant. We discussed the financial impact to the organization, how much we’ll miss seeing our friends, and what the Nuke-Con community might think of us whichever decision we made. In the end, we decided that we can’t, in good conscience, open an arena for possible – maybe even likely – transmission of disease.

Thank you all for understanding.

Norajane McIntyre
Aka the GodMom
Nuke-Con 2020 Convention Coordinator

So there it is, and to quote Droopy Dog, "I'm happy."

"You know what, folks? I'm happy."

I know there are some folks who aren't happy with this situation, but it can't be helped. We're already seeing spikes in COVID-19 case numbers now that restrictions are being lifted in various states. While those spikes alone don't constitute a second wave of the virus, we can't let them grow to that stage. I'm so very glad that Nuke-Con isn't going away and that with hope there will be a Nuke-Con and a vaccine in 2021.

All that being said, keep an eye on this spot for more info on my convention events. I may also be running games at Gamehole Con's virtual convention in November if the stars align right.

On Adapting

Change is hard. Change is scary. But sometimes change is necessary for survival. That's something everybody is learning in this ongoing pandemic. One would think that gaming would be immune to this, but it's not. Groups normally accustomed to meeting in person are having to meet online in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our favorite gaming conventions and convention-related services have also felt the effects of all the uncertainty.

GenCon, GaryCon, PretzCon, Nuke-Con. All of these are institutions in our hobby, either locally or on a larger scale. While GenCon and GaryCon both canceled their physical events, they adapted quickly and went virtual. PretzCon, a smaller convention here in Omaha, sadly canceled for 2020 and now it looks like Nuke-Con is on equally uncertain footing.

I originally wasn't going to raise a fuss regarding the option of going virtual, but given possibility of Nuke-Con 2020's cancellation, I've decided to come out and say this: I would rather see a online Nuke-Con rather than no Nuke-Con at all this year.

While there are people who tout the efficacy of such things as social distancing, masks, gloves, and plastic shields, these measures aren't entirely foolproof. In a convention scene, they're pretty much counterproductive. Masks and gloves can tear or become otherwise contaminated; plastic shields are expensive. Also, I can't see myself sitting six feet away from my players, shouting over the din of an open convention hall through a mask. Living with multiple risk factors, the only way I'll truly feel safe in physically attending a convention is if a working COVID-19 vaccine is made readily available.

This might appear selfish to some people, but think about it. While we would all love to get together with our friends and love ones at Nuke-Con, we all have to act responsibly to prevent the spread of the virus. Meeting virtually is the only way around this, in my opinion. Yes, I know meeting online is not everyone's thing, but sacrifices have to be made in order to protect ourselves and others from this pandemic. I'd rather run my games online than not run them at all.

As such, I'm going to be registering my events – with the proviso that if Nuke-Con happens physically (with or without a virtual Nuke-Con), and a working vaccine is not available at the time, I will run my games on Roll20. I will be including info in my event descriptions for where players can go on Roll20 and Discord to find the games if I am not physically at the convention. I would only need communication from Nuke-Con as to who signed up for what game. No prize support, no con bucks, no physical support of any kind. Just communications from the event team regarding players.

So the long and short of it is this: if there's no vaccine, I won't be there physically at Nuke-Con; instead, I'll be more than happy to run my games online for anyone interested. If a vaccine is available, I'll take the jab and be there to run my games in person.

We're all in this together, folks, and I hope we're able to see each other for real in October.

Appendix B - Part 2 - It's Magic!

One of the neat things about Dragon Magazine has always been to see the creativity of its contributors, especially when it comes to magic and magic items. A lot - if not all - of the spells and items that appeared in Dragon prior to AD&D's second edition were codified into the Encyclopedia Magica books. While this tradition continued long into the latest editions of the game, I'm going to be cherry-picking a number of articles that have caught my eye over the years. Again, I've tried very hard to stay away from mechanic-heavy articles. In this installment, I've also tried to pick out articles that add variety and flavor to the game experience rather than just another way of dealing 1d6 damage or healing 1d4 hit points per casting.

Dragon #18 (August 1978)

"Magic: Governed By Laws of Theory" by Thomas A. McCloud: All good systems of magic in games or fiction are governed by laws. Here, Dungeon Master Thomas McCloud details the roots of magical laws and theories and shows how they can be incorporated into a logical and coherent system for Dungeons & Dragons (or other fantasy RPGs).

Dragon #37 (May 1980)

"From the City of Brass to Dead Orc Pass" by Ed Greenwood: Portals are another well-known ingredient of fantasy fiction, leading either to safety or peril. In this article, the master of the Forgotten Realms himself gives an overview of various gates in fantasy fiction and the tricks (and traps) behind them,

Dragon #69 (January 1983)

"Runes" by Taterczynski & Raupp: Runes are yet another trope of fantasy fiction, providing players and their characters a code to break or riddle to solve in the course of an adventure. This article details the history of runes, including their development and use in various European cultures. It should be noted that some of the historical, archaeological, and anthropological information in this article may be out of date, possibly even contradicted by modern theories and findings. Still, it should provide a foundation for a gamemaster looking to develop a system of arcane or ancient writing for their setting.

Dragon #73 (May 1983)

"Non-Violent Magic Items" by Pulsipher & Gettliffe: When standard magic items like wands, swords, and scrolls just won't do, this article can help. While a number of them seem to be more of an "industrial" type of magic, most of these work well for unique items you might find within a wizard's tower, dragon's hoard, or dwarven delve. Definitely an article worth having on hand.

Dragon #87 (July 1984)

"The Legacy of Hortus" by Jack Crane: Wizards do like to experiment with things - devices, spell creation, the essence of life... This article by Jack Crane details a number of horticultural creations left behind by the late wizard Hortus. A system-agnostic article, it can easily be used in any fantasy system.

Dragon #91 (November 1984)

"Treasure Trove" by various contributors: Another valuable article, this one details various magical items, some of dubious utility that a GM could easily inflict on reckless PCs.

Dragon #98 (June 1985)

"Creative Magic Items" by Ken Hughes: A good gamemaster doesn't rely strictly on the rulebook or supplements for magical treasure. Sometimes the best items are created by the GM. Ken Hughes provides a guide for GMs to make their own creations while maintaining some semblance of balance in their game world.

Dragon #99 (July 1985)

"Treasure Trove II: Seventeen New Treasures" by various contributors: Another handful of magical treasures that can aid or hinder PCs.

Dragon #123 (July 1987)

"The Mystic College" by James A. Yates: While heavily driven by AD&D rules, this article by James A. Yates provides a nice outline of what a fledgling mage could expect at a wizard's school.

Dragon #129 (January 1988)

"Arcane Lore: Magic of the Dwarven Priests" by Len Carpenter: Players who favor the Dwarven Runecaster playbook may want to take a look at this article, which covers dwarven runic magic. It includes a number of recommendations on tailoring various spells to fit the dwarven point of view.

Dragon #139 (November 1988)

"Where Wizards Meet" by John C. Bunnell: Dovetailing a little over a year from James A. Yates' "The Mystic College", this article provides an overview of the inner workings of a mages' guild. My only caveat on this article is that it seems to focus on a world where magic is much more common than what Beyond The Wall and other OSR campaigns might feature.

Dragon #140 (December 1988)

"The Savant" by Vince Garcia: Garcia presents a sage PC class (actually a subclass for the cleric or magic-user class) for first edition AD&D in this article. This is the article I referenced for the savant archetype "Another Exercise in Nostalgia".

"So Many Gods So Little Time" by Andrew C. Gronosky: This is one of a number of articles which have appeared in Dragon Magazine over the years on creating believable pantheons in RPGs. Gronosky discusses reasons for having monotheistic and pantheistic religions in a fantasy campaign as well as handling rival religions, the purposes of the faiths, and other ideas. While not focusing on AD&D mechanics, it is couched in the logic of the game.

"Fantasy Clerics and Clerical Fallacies" by Gregory Detwiler: Detwiler provides a look at making clerical healing a bit more realistic in fantasy campaigns, noting that high-level healing will not always be available to peasants, let alone heroes. Definitely worth a look if you want to run a low-magic campaign.

Dragon #149 (September 1989)

"Magic For Beginners" by  Gregory W. Detwiler: Detwiler strikes gold again in this article on low-level magic items. While most of these are more combat-oriented items, there are some very good ideas in here. My favorite is the silver-iron weapons which provide inherent magic against the fae without the common "+1" enchantment.

Dragon #163 (November 1990)

"Oops! Sorry!" by Donald Hoverson: Magical misfirings are one thing I look for in games. Hoverson provides a compact set of guidelines on how spells can go awry instead of just going "pfft." 

"Magic Gone Haywire" by Rich Stump: Stump dovetails from Hoverson's article here, detailing how magical items can malfunction.

Dragon #181 (May 1992)

"More Magic For Beginners" by Gregory W. Detwiler: Detwiler's sequel to "Magic For Beginners" in Dragon #149 brings us more low-level goodies. In this article there are a few more utilitarian items like low-weight equipment, the continual torch, and miniature or polymorphed gear.

Dragon #200 (December 1993)

"The Color of Magic" by Dan Joyce: "The Color of Magic" provides workable guidelines to making each mage's spells unique and noteworthy in BECMI D&D (as well as B/X, Holmes, and other editions) without incorporating a ton of metamagic feats and the like. An excellent article to consult for Beyond the Wall.

Dragon #229 (May 1996)

"Magic Doesn't Always Go Boom" by Christopher Byler: Byler confronts the issue of level-appropriate magical items in adventuring. While grounded in second edition AD&D rules, the article does have good guidelines on providing non-combat magical items and treasure for low and middle level groups.