Desert role-playing in Frozen Minneapolis

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Sven
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Desert role-playing in Frozen Minneapolis

Post by Sven »

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I have been a little out of the loop with moving to Minneapolis etc. (we are finally settled in, long story).

I have a new group here in Minneapolis and I have been asked to run a Dark Sun game. I have decided that the characters will all start out as somewhat privelaged members of their city state and very urban-centric. Somewhere in the first session or two all of my PCs are getting screwed (all having to do with the sorcerer king/queen selling/shoving them into slavery). This being Swords and sorcery REVENGE is one hell of a motivator.

While I like the idea of a bunch of city born nancy-boys (and girls) having to work out how to deal with the harsh wilderness and being slaves in some far off shit-hole (engineering an escape of course). I am having difficulty trying to come up with what comes next. I am leaning towards the PCs forming an army to go knock the snot out of the sorcerer king but I can see how that would be repetitive (though social skills would be useful). Any ideas any one? Oh and once I get what my party is going to look like I fully intend to do all kinds of things in regards to peoples back-stories but that will have to wait until we do character creation.


Thanks!!!
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Uber_snotling
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Post by Uber_snotling »

What would Conan do? He would infiltrate the Sorceror-king's lair and assassinate him. Seems more direct than an army.

Of course, Conan and friends need to get the McGuffin that allows them to disarm the fiendish magical traps around the Sorceror King's lair. That requires a bit of a side journey to kill/haggle with the incredibly ancient and powerful YYYY. He may require some tasks done to part with his anti-magic trap disruptor rod.
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jimmy corrigan
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Post by jimmy corrigan »


hiya sven! good to know you're well and have found a game group. in answer to your question:


[quote="Uber_snotling"]What would Conan do?[/quote]a resounding yes here! couldn't have said it better meself. i would liberally lift plot points wholesale from the original movie.



love to the family.

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Skyman
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Post by Skyman »

I third the Conan approach!
As Albert said peace and happiness to your family

Of course I would always ask myself what would Chris do?
"Make the players figure it out."


another alternative idea is to do a kill Bill or Kage no Gundam kinda revenge kick where the players escape. Find the person they think is the douche bag who enslaved them only to find out there was these other four to five douche bags involved who were pulling the strings. This becomes a laundry list of death and mayhem, I say mayhem because it might not just be about killing them but torture or putting them in a social situation that would be most fitting for their station in life...such as putting the lord into his own dungeon in an iron mask while a fake or relative assumes power
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devlin1
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Post by devlin1 »


[quote="Skyman"]
"Make the players figure it out."[/quote]


This. Dark Sun has a lot of potential as a sandbox game. Wrong the PCs, let them find out who did it, and see where they go.

Mike Olson
‎"In this economy, it's not easy to feed a growing family. So we eat Haunkkah gelt for dinner and look at a picture of broccoli." --Paul F. Tompkins
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Roll Some Dice: Another blog.
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Sven
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Post by Sven »

wow. ok. lots of good answers. I will be re-watching Conan soon (and kill bill). Is there some recommended reading for swords and sorcery? Other than the original Conan stuff of course. I have this place: http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/ not 6 blocks from my apartment. Its a really awesome sci-fi/mystery book store, loads of used books as well.
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Uber_snotling
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Post by Uber_snotling »

One of the original Sword & Sorcery series is the Lankhmar books by Fritz Leiber. Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. It should give a reasonable flavoring if Conan is too cliched.
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devlin1
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Post by devlin1 »

I'd look to Burroughs' John Carter of Mars, too, and Jack Vance's The Dying Earth. Dark Sun is, to me, very much about post-apoc weirdness and alien savagery.
Mike Olson
‎"In this economy, it's not easy to feed a growing family. So we eat Haunkkah gelt for dinner and look at a picture of broccoli." --Paul F. Tompkins
Spirit of the Blank: A blog.
Roll Some Dice: Another blog.
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SpaceMonkey
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Post by SpaceMonkey »

Appendix N.
**Formerly dnd3eplayer**
Now your humble host. Let me know if you see any board issues.
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