Norma Normans

Norma Normans might sound like William the Conqueror's younger sister. It is, actually, a Latin theological term that means "the norm that norms." Norma normans refers to the ultimate authority that serves as a norm for all other authority.

There are many sources of authority in the classic fantasy RPG community--rules, sourcebooks, quotations from important game creators and designers, blogs, etc. Within the gaming session, the DM is usually considered the ultimate authority. However, to me, the true norma normans is the entire group of people at my gaming table. That doesn't mean that we vote on a particularly decision that I make as DM or we reach a consensus on what monster they are about to encounter. However, over the long haul, to me is all about the group of people at the gaming table. We, as a group determine the system and style of game we want to play. My goal as a GM/DM/CK/Ref is to work with the players to create the type of game we have decided that we want. While I have a high view of the role and responsibilities of the GM/DM/CK/Ref, I have an even higher view of our gaming group. I suppose this is in large part, it is because I have always been blessed with great players who are also good friends (or is that good players who are great friends). While I take my guidance from many sources as I play and DM, ultimately the group that truly matters are the group of people at the table.

What is your gaming norma normans?

A Gygaxian Manipulus Florum

While I believe that each DM and gaming group are authorities unto themselves (I lean towards conciliarism in my approach to gaming), I present a handful of gygaxian flowers that guide my play:

1.
A few brief words are necessary to insure that the reader has actually obtained a game form which he or she desires. Of the two approaches to hobby games today, once is best described as the realism-simulation school and the other as the game school. AD&D is assuredly an adherent of the latter school. It does not stress any realism (in the author's opinion an absurd effort at best considering the topic!). It does little to attempt to simulate anything either. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons is first and foremost a game for the fun and enjoyment of those who seek to use imagination and creativity. [DMG p. 9--bold and italics in original]

2.
Skilled players make a point of knowing what they are doing i.e. they have an objective. They co-operate--particularly at low levels or at higher ones when they must face some particularly stiff challenge--in order to gain their ends. Superior players will not fight everything they meet, for they realize that wit is as good a weapon as the sword or the spell. When weakened by wounds or nearly out of spells and vital equipment, a clever party will seek to leave the dungeons in order to rearm themselves. (He who runs away lives to fight another day) [PHB p. 8]

3.
As the creator of a milieu, you will have to spend a considerable amount of time developing the population and distribution of monsters--in dungeon and wilderness and in urban areas as well. It is highly recommended that you develop an overall scheme for both population and habitation. This is not to say that a random mixture of monsters cannot be used, simply selecting whatever creatures are at hand from the tables of monsters shown by level of their relative challenge. The latter method provides a rather fun type of campaign with a "Disneyland" atmosphere, but long range play becomes difficult, for the whole lacks rhyme and reason, so it becomes for the DM to extrapolate new scenarios from it, let alone build upon it. Therefore, it is better to use random population techniques only in certain areas, and even then to do so with reason. [DMG p. 91 italics in the original]

4.
Most DMs love communication and negotiations, for this allows them to assume an active role in actual play. Your referee will assume the persona proper to the creature your party is dealing with--be it shy or hostile, stupid, greedy, helpful, misinformed, or whatever... ...Negotiation usually gives you a chance to get on with the earning process, or live to come back and fight another day. Always be wary and use your wits, look at all facets and situations and use your best judgment accordingly, in many cases a payment, bribe, toll, share or ransom fee will enable success or survival, and negotiation is a useful tool to the expert adventurer. [PHB p. 104]

5.
Each individual campaign has its own distinct properties and "flavor." A good Dungeon Master will most certainly make each game a surpassing challenge for his or her players. Treasures and experience gained must be taken at great risk or by means of utmost cleverness only. If the game is not challenging, if advancement is too speedy, this it becomes staid and boring. Conversely, a game can be too deadly, and become just as boring, for who enjoys endlessly developing new characters to march off into oblivion in a single night of dungeon adventuring? [PHB pp. 7-8]

6.
As a realistic simulation of things from the realm of make-believe, or even as a reflection of medieval or ancient warfare or culture or society, it [AD&D] can be deemed only a dismal failure. Readers who seek the latter must search elsewhere. Those who desire to create and populate imaginary worlds with larger-than-life heroes and villains, who seek relaxation with a fascinating game, and who generally believe games should be fun, not work, will hopefully find this system to their taste. [DMG p. 9]

The Ruins of Ramat: A Review

A little girl comes running and crying into the center of the village. When questioned, she sobs that she and her dog were playing just outside of town by that old stone building on Witch's Hill, when a giant, clawed creature came up out of the ground and took her dog. The girl is obviously completely terrified and her dog, which never normally leaves her side, is nowhere to be seen.

And so the adventure of the Ruins of Ramat begins. My wife, who humors me by playing RPGs on occasion, was ready to jump in and save the doggie. We joked about Sarah McLachlan singing "Angel" in the background (seen the heartrending animal rescue commercial on television?). My wife and daughter will be playing this tomorrow night. It is an ideal adventure module for newer players--simple but not simplistic with a nice background story and some nice details that will encourage thoughtful play.

Overview
The Ruins of Ramat by John Adams; Art: Andy Taylor; Cartography: Bill DeFranza and Pat Bellavance; Layout: John Adams; Proof-Reading: Aaron Hooper and David McCauley; Editing and C&C Conversion: Pat Bellavance; Project Management: John Adams. Published by Arcana Creations & Brave Halfling Publishing.

A Castles & Crusades adventure for 4-6 characters of levels 1-3 in digest format with free PDF; $6.95 plus shipping.

20 pages or so that include: (1) Adventure Background; (2) Player Description; (3) Wandering Monster Table; (4) Level 1 Description; (5) Level 2 Description; (6) An Appendix with 5 monsters converted to C&C from AD&D 1e; (7) The TLG OGL; (8) Two maps; and (9) Quick reference chart for the monsters. Plus artwork by Andy Taylor (6 items).

Details
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILER ALERT

The Ruins of Ramat is actually a remake of a Brave Halfling Publishing module of the same name. The original was offered in two different versions, an Original Editions Adventure version and a Labyrinth Lord version (see James Maliszewski's Grognaria review here). Since I have not seen either of those versions, I am not sure how they differ from the Castles & Crusades version.

The adventure is set in a two level dungeon that for centuries was the home of the clerics of Ramat. This long-lived religious group suffered a split at the hands of sectarians after the discovery of a minor artifact, the Spear of Ramat. In the midst of the infighting, evil gods were appealed to, demons were summoned and the complex was overrun by an evil host. That was 2,500 years ago and this information has been lost and the complex essentially hidden.

As noted above, it is the little girl's lost dog (awwww...) that triggers the adventure. The adventurers journey into a small underground complex with little idea of what they are heading into, which is always nice. The adventure itself is set in a two level dungeon, a religious complex with living quarters, community areas, and worship space. Very simple and straightforward but with a nice amount of detail that will invite curiosity and exploration (always a big plus).

It will not be clear to players what their purpose is, beyond finding the dog (awwww...) but get a chance to face several challenging creatures, find some interesting treasure, and, in the end, possibly help out Ramat take care of his spear.

The Good Stuff
As I said previously, this module is simple but not simplistic. While it won't provide the challenge or creative weirdness and wonder of Bottle City, I think that the simplicity here can be a virtue.

The Ruins of Ramat gives the GM/DM/CK/Ref a nice option to use with new players, younger players, or for those times when a simple short low-level adventure is needed within an ongoing campaign. The addition of huecuva and a unique demon type can wake up a more experienced group of players.

This module is very portable, so you can drop it anywhere, and requires no prep time for the GM/DM/CK/Ref. This is especially true if you are using Castles & Crusades. I often borrow stuff created for other systems, which require some conversion. This module requires no work to convert to C&C. It is prefect for the situation I am facing this weekend--my teen daughter wants to play but the rest of the gaming group is not available.

I love the art. To me, art in a module has two uses. The first is the fun and inspirational use--when I say to myself, "This is so cool." The second use is when I can actually hand the art to the player during the gaming session and say, "This is what you see." I do this a lot when the characters encounter unusual creatures, so it is nice to have the art available to do this. Andy Taylor provides art that is useful in both ways. And the cover art is spectacularly evocative.

The Not-So-Good Stuff
There is really very little not to like with the Ruins of Ramat. Used in the right context, it provides a straightforward but interesting adventure for new and experienced players. However, some players might find this module too simple. Don't buy this if you are in the market for something complex or something that will provide a significant challenge to experienced players.

The Bottom Line
I am happy that I purchased this module as it does meet a specific need that many of us have for a good straightforward entry-level adventure module.

Be A Real-Life Paladin (Or A Good-Hearted Thief)

I try not to let my real-world life or work seep into the posts of my blog and vice-versa all the more (that would be really weird). However, in this case, I want to give you, my sisters and brothers of the dice, an opportunity to support my real world mission. I am the Executive Director of the S. June Smith Center and every year we provide educational and therapeutic services to over 1,500 children with disabilities. I am continually in awe of my 60 coworkers and the magic that they do. Our mission is to support children and families in such a way that every children has a true opportunity to reach their potential and fully participate in their family, school, and community. You can check out my work blog here (sorry, no haiku yet).

Here is where you come in, my fellow gamers. There is a search engine called GoodSearch (powered by Yahoo) that has been created to support charitable organizations and endeavors. GoodSearch, along with GoodShop allows online searchers and shoppers to do what they are already doing but creating the added benefit of supporting a great cause while doing so. The "How To" information is below:

Search and Support the S. June Smith Center

Support the S. June Smith Center without opening your wallet. Just use GoodSearch as your online search engine. The S. June Smith Center gets a penny ($0.01) for each search. Be sure to type in "S June Smith Center" in the appropriate space as the organization you are searching on behalf of. Your computer will save this information, unless you clean out your cookies. In 2008, the S. June Smith Center received $239.24 through GoodSearch. We have raised almost $1,000 since 2006.

Do Your Holiday Shopping AND Support the S. June Smith Center

You can also support the S. June Smith Center as you shop online by using GoodShop. Popular online stores, such as Amazon, eBay, Target and Staples all use GoodShop as a way to donate to nonprofit organizations, such as the S. June Smith Center. Just be sure to indicate "S June Smith Center" as the organization you are shopping for at the GoodShop website and follow the links to your favorite online stores. Up to 30% of your purchase will go to the S. June Smith Center without any extra cost to you. It couldn't be easier.

You can use the GoodSearch button on the right------>

Thanks!

Mystic Seeker: Castles & Crusades Character Class

Few individuals dare to tread the paths of enlightenment alone, but this is the journey of choice for the mystic seeker. Mystic seekers are adventurous and freedom-loving souls who seek enlightenment and true wisdom along the obscure highways and byways of the universe. Mystic seekers place an emphasis on personal spirituality but reject the structure, dogma and rituals of organized religion. They rely upon their own intuition and insight for spiritual truth and enlightenment. It is this heightened spiritual intuition and insight that also connects the mystic seeker to the currents of divine energy in the world around them. Mystic seekers do not necessarily deny the existence of the deities but they do chaff at the thought of “slavishly” (as they see it) surrendering their will to another being, no matter how powerful and benevolent that other being may be. Mystic seekers value their own personal freedom and independent action, but they are not selfish. Mystic seekers do not ascribe to a written, formal moral code but their actions are shaped by the simple ideals and values that serve as their internal compass and guide. Their ideals and values reflect the mystic seeker’s respect for personal freedom and enlightenment as well as their moral leanings (good, neutral or evil). Life, personal freedom, self-determination, anarchy, chaos, and destruction are among the ideals that serve as a mystic seeker’s internal compass, depending upon their moral alignment.

Mystic seekers are generally held in disdain by polite company and the social elite because they are perceived to be a threat to upset the “natural” divine order of rank and society. Additionally, there is frequently mutual animosity between mystic seekers and clerics, even between those individuals sharing the same alignment. Paladins also view mystic seekers with a certain amount of suspicion. Mystic seekers usually respect other mystic seekers, even when their methods, values and morality differ greatly. However, they tend to shun each other’s company, except for brief periods when they may seek mutual enlightenment.

A mystic seeker’s approach to life is reflected in their approach to adventuring. They prefer to keep things simple and travel light. A mystic seeker, while valuing freedom, also places a high emphasis on the respect for the individual and so they prefer weapons that place them in personal contact with their opponent. For this reason, mystic seekers are uncomfortable using ranged or missile weapons. They will only use ranged weapons when circumstances do not allow any other option. Mystic seekers also find heavy armor to be an unpleasant encumbrance. Beyond the discomfort factor, metal armor is also a barrier to their ability to intuitively connect to the divine powers present in the world around them and the wearing of metal armor inhibits their ability to use spells. Mystic seekers are able to use the magic items typically usable by clerics. Mystic seekers generally only keep those material goods and items that they can carry on their persons or on their mounts; all excess is given to quietly to charity or some cause that it is keeping with their alignment and personal philosophy.

ABILITIES
SPELLS: A mystic seeker casts divine spells. The spells available are listed below. A mystic seeker is limited to a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. The Cleric and Druid Spells Per Day Table shows the number of spells per day a mystic seeker may cast. Mystic seekers prepare spells each day through rest, self-reflection, and quiet meditation.

BONUS SPELLS: High wisdom indicates a greater intuition and innate understanding of self and the universe, enabling a stronger connection with sources of divine energy. Mystic seekers with a high wisdom gain bonus spells. If they have a wisdom score of 13-15, they receive an extra 1st level spell. If the wisdom score is 16 or 17, they receive an extra 2nd level spell and if 18 or 19, an extra 3rd level spell. Bonus spells can only be acquired once the mystic seeker is at a high enough level to cast them. Bonus spells are cumulative.

COMBAT FORESIGHT: At 2nd level, the mystic seeker gains a +1 to her armor class, due to the ability to mystically anticipate the direction of attack. At 6th level this becomes a +2 to armor class; at 10th level this becomes a +3 to armor class; and at 14th level, a +4.

MYSTIC ENMITY: At 4th level, the mystic seeker gains +1 to attack and damage versus any creature or being of lawful alignment. At 8th level, the mystic seek gains a +2 to attack and damage versus any creature or being of lawful alignment.

MYSTIC IMPRESSION (Wisdom): At 1st level, the mystic seeker can gain a general impression of what happened in a particularly location in the previous 6 hours. This impression will be one of images and feelings and relies upon a wisdom skill check. The length of time goes up 6 hours per level so at 2nd level the mystic seeker can gain a general impression of what happened in the past 12 hours. Only major activities and emotions create an impression that can be read by the mystic seeker, such as fear, joy, surprise or suffering. The mystic seeker must be in the location for this ability to be attempted. This can be attempted once per day.

PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Wisdom
HIT DICE: d8
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, or Chaotic Evil
WEAPON SELECTION: Any handheld melee weapon; missile and ranged weapons are only used in extreme emergencies.
ARMOR: Leather armor, padded armor; any wooden shield

MYSTIC SEEKER SPELL LIST

0-Level Spells: 1 Detect Chaos, Evil, Good, and Law (CC PHB); 2 Detect Disease (Footprints #11); 3 Detect Magic (CC PHB); 4 Detect Neutrality (CC PHB); 5 Detect Poison (CC PHB); 6 Detect Secret Doors (CC PHB); 7 Detect Undead (CC PHB); 8 First Aid (CC PHB).

1st-Level Spells: 1 Comprehend Languages (CC PHB); 2 Create Water (CC PHB); 3 Cure Minor Wound (Cure 1d4); 4 Detect Snares and Pits (CC PHB); 5 Detect Traps (CC PHB); 6 Endure Elements (CC PHB); 7 Identify (CC PHB); 8 Know Direction (CC PHB); 9 Light (CC PHB); 10 Purity Food and Water (CC PHB); 11 Spiritual Weapon (CC PHB); 12 Virtue (Footprints #11); 13 Warning (Footprints #11).

2nd-Level Spells: 1 Augury (CC PHB); 2 Cure Light Wounds (CC PHB); 3 Darkness (CC PHB); 4 Delay Poison (CC PHB); 5 Detect Thoughts (CC PHB); 6 Locate Object (CC PHB); 7 Protection from Chaos, Evil, Good, and Law (CC PHB); 8 See Invisibility (CC PHB); 9 Sound Burst (CC PHB); 10 Speak with Animals (CC PHB); 11 Speak with Dead (CC PHB).

3rd-Level Spells: 1 Aid (CC PHB); 2 Clairaudience/Clairvoyance (CC PHB); 3 Darkness (CC PHB); 4 Detect Curse (Footprints #11); 5 Detect Illusion (CC PHB); 6 Discern Lies (CC PHB); 7 Divination (CC PHB); 8 Lesser Restoration (CC PHB); 9 Remove Paralysis (CC PHB); 10 Resist Elements (CC PHB); 11 Silence (CC PHB); 12 Tongues (CC PHB).

4th-Level Spells: 1 Commune (CC PHB); 2 Cure Serious Wounds (CC PHB); 3 Dispel Magic (CC PHB); 4 Freedom of Movement (CC PHB); 5 Locate Creature (CC PHB); 6 Mystic Sight (Footprints #11--Wizard Sight); 7 Remove Blindness or Deafness (CC PHB); 8 Remove Curse (CC PHB); 9 Remove Disease (CC PHB); 10 Scrying (CC PHB); 11 Sending (CC PHB); 12 True Seeing (CC PHB).

5th-Level Spells: 1 Consequence (Footprints #11); 2 Control Water (CC PHB); 3 Dismissal (CC PHB); 4 Dispel Illusion (CC PHB); 5 Ethereal Jaunt (CC PHB); 6 Find the Path (CC PHB); 7 Healing Circle (CC PHB); 8 Legend Lore (CC PHB); 9 Neutralize Poison (CC PHB); 10 Restoration (CC PHB).

6th-Level Spells: 1 Aura (Footprints #11); 2 Cure Critical Wounds (CC PHB); 3 Death Ward (CC PHB); 4 Detect Scrying (CC PHB); 5 Flame Strike (CC PHB); 6 Raise Dead (CC PHB); 7 Spirit Self (Footprints #11).

7th-Level Spells: 1 Banishment (CC PHB); 2 Blade Barrier (CC PHB); 3 Discern Location (CC PHB); 4 Geas (CC PHB); 5 Greater Scrying (CC PHB); 6 Heal (CC PHB); 7 Plane Shift (CC PHB).

8th-Level Spells: 1 Greater Restoration (CC PHB); 2 Mind Blank (CC PHB); 3 Repulsion (CC PHB); 4 Stone Tell (CC PHB); 5 Wind Talk (CC PHB); 6 Word of Recall (CC PHB).

9th-Level Spells: 1 Astral Projection (CC PHB); 2 Earthquake (CC PHB); 3 Finger of Death (CC PHB); 4 Fire Storm (CC PHB); 5 Mass Heal (CC PHB); 6 Soul Bind (CC PHB); 7 Summon Planar Ally (CC PHB).

SOURCES

1. Some of the spells can be found in Footprints No. 11 at Dragonsfoot.
2. Oddly enough, although the Mystic Seeker sounds like a Sedona-bound crystal-waving New Ager, the inspiration came primarily from my reading of Peter Brown's classic biography of St. Augustine and Augustine's experience with the Neo-Platonists. It was more inspiration than source material.

Hell Hound: A Haiku

awww, nice puppy dog;
never trust strange dogs from hell--
mike vick's best in show

Little Books of Goodness

Yay! My little books of Castles & Crusades goodness arrived from the heart of the Midwest this week. Lots of varied and useful items by James Mishler from Adventure Games Publishing. I've reviewed a small part of James Mishler's offerings here and here.

Lots of good stuff that I can drop right into my Isles of Emmon campaign, particularly the barbarians. I'm not overly fond of barbarians as a generic class, but with the right setting, customization and cultural detail, they really pop (to put it in fashion terms).