June 28th game

So, given that June 28th seems problematic for people, Degolar has put forth the daring suggestion that rather than try and compress and rearrange the schedule all over the place, we just move the game date to July 5th. Is anyone out of town that weekend that couldn't come?

Just wanted to give the subject a bump.

Rules, Rules, Rules... Redux

So, I've been reading Keep on the Shadowfell and eagerly anticipating 4e, and this has got me thinking about rules again. Basically, I have plans to run three different campaigns at this point (eventually I want to play again too, so somebody else better think about DM'ing in the future). Those three being Ptolus, a Pathfinder Campaign, and a 4e campaign. Obviously, the 4e campaign will be run under the 4e rules (redundant much?), but that leaves the question of the other two open. The Pathfinder rules and campaign setting will be coming out in the next year-- I like to think of it as 3.75-- so the Pathfinder campaign will be run under those rules. Ptolus was written for 3.0-3.5, but I think without much tweaking it can easily be run under the Pathfinder rules. However, I was thinking that there are things that I already like about 4e which may or may not be feasible to incorporate into house rules; sort of a 3.8-3.9 rules set (think at-will Magic Missile). But in my mind, one of the most exciting decisions I've made is that I'm going to run the 4e game in a homebrew campaign setting--within the parameters of the 4e rules. I haven't thought too much about the details yet, but that should wait until I get a look at the complete 4e rules.

Huhuh

Summer

So sticking to our current pattern, the next Ravenloft games should be:

June 7
June 28
July 19
August 9

But I'm going to be out of town June 28. Do we want to reschedule that one session and leave the rest? Skip the session? Play without me? Alter the pattern?

Do the rest of the dates work for everyone else? Do we have any other dates to worry about?

And once we figure all of that out, when will we slot in Hadrian's 4E game(s)?

Torias Anyone?

"The new character introduced in the middle of the game is always in the next room, held captive by the bad guys. Thus it was handed down to us from olden times."

From here.

I Volunteer

... to run a 4e game some time this summer. What prompted this decision? Two things: a) I've already pre-ordered the Core books, and b) I've got a coupon for five dollars off my next purchase at Valhalla's Gate which I have to redeem before I leave town. So, I'm going to pick up the first 4e adventure, Keep on the Shadowfell. So, resist the temptation to buy it, read it, read about it, etc. I've been jonesing to DM for a while now, and doing so under a new rules set will probably make me look like a better DM, since no one else will know the rules any better. (And don't worry, sooner or later, we will play Ptolus...).

A little history

I am the Ancient, I am the Land. My beginning sare lost in the darkness of the past. I was the warrior, I was good and just. I thundered across the land like the wrath of a just god, but the war years and the killing years wore down my soul as the wind wears stone into sand.

All goodness slipped from my life; I found my youth and strength gone, and all I had left was death. My army settled in the valley of Barovia and took power over the people in the name of a just god, but with none of a god’s grace or justice.

I called for my family, long unseated from their ancient thrones, and brought them here to settle in the castle Ravenloft. They came with a younger brother of mine, Sergei. He was handsome and youthful. I hated him for both.

From the families of the valley, one spirit shone above all others. A rare beauty, who was called “perfection,” “joy,” and “treasure.” Her name was Tatyana, and I longed for her to be mine.

I loved her with all my heart. I loved her for her youth. I loved her for her joy. But she spurned me! “Old One” was my name to her – “elder” and “brother” also. Her heart went to Sergi. They were betrothed. The date was set.

With words she called me “brother,” but when I looked into her eyes they reflected another name – “death.” It was the death of the aged that she saw in me. She loved her youth and enjoyed it. I had squandered mine.

The death she saw in me turned her from me. And so I came to heat death, my death. My hate is very strong; I would not be called “death” so soon.

I made a pact with death, a pact of blood. On the day of the wedding, I killed Sergei, my brother. My pact was sealed with is blood.

I found Tatyana weeping in the garden east of the chapel. She fled from me. She would not let me explain, and a great anger swelled within me. She had to understand the pact I made for her. I pursued her. Finally, in despair, she flung herself from the walls of Ravenloft, and I watched everything I ever wanted fall from my grasp forever.

It was a thousand feet through the mists. No trace of her was ever found. Not even I know her final fate.

Arrows from the castle guards pierced me to my soul, but I did not die. Nor did I live. I became frozen, became “Vampyr,” forever.

- Excerpt from The Tome of Strahd

Ignore the Halfling at Your Own Peril

More emails tonight in response to the silence. Just remember that's the character talking and not me. ;-)

Pre-Order

So, I pre-ordered 4e today. The question is-- who will be running our first game under the new rules?

And Blogger is being a tempermental bitch today.