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Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2022 5:19 pm
by mushgnome
ehiker133 wrote:
Fri Apr 01, 2022 3:46 pm
Why this change? I love all the Lovecraftian elements.
I appreciate you saying that! You've played in several of my campaigns through the years, and watched my DM style evolve.

The simple answer is that, for my own mental health, I've been gradually phasing out any R-rated horror elements of my campaigns, and gradually moving toward a kinder, gentler "Basic D&D" vibe of wonder, innocence, and exploration. For example I don't think I would run another Carcosa campaign today! I was in a pretty dark place in my life, when I DM'd that Carcosa game.

A slightly thornier issue to unpack is H.P. Lovecraft as a human being (for example the name of his cat). Do I want to use said person's intellectual property, or would I rather tell my own original stories? I have a hunch that the Lovecraft brand has already "peaked" in popularity, and will become a declining and somewhat toxic brand in the years to come. Time will tell whether my prediction is correct!

Anyhoo, seems like most people these days, when you say 'Arkham,' they think of Batman. :)

Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2022 5:25 pm
by mushgnome
Also @ehiker133, I know you are a fan of Cthulhu Mystery Program (because you are the one who turned me on to it). The showrunner Cat expresses these thoughts much more eloquently than I ever could. For example her editorial "The Problematic Lovecraft and How We Can Flip the Script." https://consequence.net/2020/08/the-pro ... lovecraft/

Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2022 3:56 am
by Bastet1002
The Despair rule in the Hero's Journey 2nd Edition might work if Mythos is cut. It doesn't quite cover sanity, but it is interesting just the same (page 79-80):
As player characters face foes both dark and terrible, they may often find themselves confronting seemingly impossibly evil adversaries or be forced into grief should beloved comrades fall in battle. This is known within the context of The Hero’s Journey as Despair....[When a player character suffers Despair],...player characters are required to make a Saving Throw. If the Saving Throw fails, a character has become overwhelmed by Despair and suffers Disadvantage on all attack rolls and Saving Throws until the source of the Despair has been resolved or is no longer present.
((This was not meant to be a conversation killer. I have countless OSR pdfs, so I basically have too many ideas in my head... :) ))

Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 1:49 pm
by acodispo
mushgnome, you run the game how you want to run it -- the ref needs to be having fun and enjoying the material, just like the rest of the players (even more so)!

I'm not much of a Lovecraft aficionado myself, but I've enjoyed this campaign's contrast between the fundamentally cheerful & wholesome nature of Hobbets and the deep, dark, eerie things lurking below. But I don't imagine that these elements will completely disappear if you choose to leave behind the Lovecraft branding. :)

Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2022 4:21 pm
by mushgnome
I just updated the Maps thread with the new Hornpipe 2.0 map. I'm sure some of you will recognize it! :P

https://forum.immersiveink.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=835

Stay tuned for Adventure 8 coming soon!

Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:42 am
by Scottenkainen
"I've been gradually phasing out any R-rated horror elements of my campaigns, and gradually moving toward a kinder, gentler 'Basic D&D" vibe of wonder, innocence, and exploration'" was the best news I've seen since logging in here tonight.

Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 12:22 pm
by acodispo
We're starting to get c-o-z-y!!

(Actually, this game has always had a sense of the cozy, and as I mentioned above, I very much enjoy the juxtaposition of cozy pancakes with dungeon darkness. :) )

Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:05 pm
by ehiker133
mushgnome wrote:
Fri Apr 01, 2022 5:19 pm
ehiker133 wrote:
Fri Apr 01, 2022 3:46 pm
Why this change? I love all the Lovecraftian elements.
I appreciate you saying that! You've played in several of my campaigns through the years, and watched my DM style evolve.

The simple answer is that, for my own mental health, I've been gradually phasing out any R-rated horror elements of my campaigns, and gradually moving toward a kinder, gentler "Basic D&D" vibe of wonder, innocence, and exploration. For example I don't think I would run another Carcosa campaign today! I was in a pretty dark place in my life, when I DM'd that Carcosa game.

A slightly thornier issue to unpack is H.P. Lovecraft as a human being (for example the name of his cat). Do I want to use said person's intellectual property, or would I rather tell my own original stories? I have a hunch that the Lovecraft brand has already "peaked" in popularity, and will become a declining and somewhat toxic brand in the years to come. Time will tell whether my prediction is correct!

Anyhoo, seems like most people these days, when you say 'Arkham,' they think of Batman. :)
Yeah, I do understand that. No worries, Mush. Just curious. You know I'm here for the long haul, regardless of the theme. :)

Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2022 2:50 am
by mushgnome
Thanks, everybody! I appreciate your input. I think I know what to do. (Ominous DM laughter...)

I apologize I've been distracted from the game this week. I'm driving home tomorrow, I'll get to sleep in my own bed again, and then back to a normal schedule next week.

Lots of exciting things in store for Hobbet Heroes. I promise to deliver on player requests for more ways to spend all that hard-earned treasure. I think Frederick is finally going to kick you out of the nest, to find your own lodgings around town, and pay for your own room and board. Dame Simonetta has commissioned bronze armor, and that is going to lead to a cool NPC encounter. Also look forward to the return of a certain NPC from the 1st adventure!

Ursa has recovered well enough to cast cure light wounds on her frostbite injuries, and now she is ready to share her crazy story. I will give you the cliff notes version: She explored every inch of the underground wilderness, until she felt a tiny puff of fresh air coming from the narrowest crack in the stone ceiling. Ursa swallowed the gemstone, shape-changed into a newt (leaving behind all of her clothing and equipment) and wormed her way to the surface. What she was not expecting was the effect of the winter weather on her cold-blooded metabolism. When the spell wore off, she was planning to just run through the snow on her hairy feet, back to the warm hearth of the pancake house, but instead, she found herself stuck in deep hibernation. And that's how our tobogganeering heroes found her and saved her life!

Re: Out Of Character

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2022 3:05 am
by mushgnome
acodispo wrote:
Mon Apr 04, 2022 12:22 pm
We're starting to get c-o-z-y!!

(Actually, this game has always had a sense of the cozy, and as I mentioned above, I very much enjoy the juxtaposition of cozy pancakes with dungeon darkness. :) )
I love it! I'm going to explore this Under Hill, By Water rabbithole this weekend, possibly while eating pancakes.