Jump to content

Strange Tales of the Dreamworld


1000buffalo

Recommended Posts

I think it best to separate my emergent Magic World campaign idea from the "respect" thread. ;)  

 

The campaign concept emerged after some chatting with Ben and Angelo, and shifting our system and setting focus. The setting shift due to the past few sessions (a few months ago) being as bog-standard fantasy as my current non-MW campaign with other players. This creates some challenges for me - working on two campaigns concurrently is no big deal ... having them be very similar in theme and such is where I get demotivated.

 

My players were also tired of zero-to-hero play. That, combined with a side commentary with Ben re: treatment of MW, had me think, well, let's use Magic World then.

 

Setting wise, I've been hankering for something more sword & sorcery, and definitely more pulpy weird. One idea I've had floating around a bit is to use the Dreamlands map, and various bits of the related book(s), as a "straight up" setting for a fantasy game.

 

From there, it quickly became ... The Strange Tales of the Dreamworld.

 

I'm looking forward to it - the session in a week has three (possibly four) players, all of whom are old hands at gaming (general and BRP / MW). I'm super fortunate in that I might have two of the folks behind MW at the table. Having players who have system mastery, are positive contributors, great roleplayers and know the source material is a heck of a gift. :)

 

I'm thinking the initial spot will be The Six Kingdoms region of the Dreamlands map: "Well and Weirdly Met in Zakarion" sounds like a good and appropriate title for the kickoff.

 

I'll look to post materials, commentary and such to this thread. 

 

Comments, encouragement, contributions, etc. welcome. Detractors may take their issues up c/o "Arioch, Dept of Caring ..." ;)

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Likewise, let's bring over Ben's Player Character:


 

And for those who're interested, here's my character for this upcoming game:

 

Ka

Talking raven mystic
 
 “This lovely bauble? Why, I doubt they'll miss it in the slightest...”
STR 2 CON 5 SIZ 2 INT 12 POW 17 DEX 29 APP 12
 
Attacks: Claw 40 (1D2), Bite 25 (1D3)
 
Armor: None
Equipment: Bronze ring around leg is a MP battery of 15 MP
 
Move 2/24 flying Hit Points 7    OOOOO   OO
Skills:
PHYSICAL Brawl 20, Climb 40, Dodge 80, Jump 05, Ride 00, Swim 00, Throw 25, Wrestle 00
COMMUNICATION Art 05, Bargain 55, Disguise 15, Fast Talk 55, Oratory 45.
KNOWLEDGE Evaluate 75, Nature 65, Navigate 70, Other Language 40, Own Language (INTx5), Physik 30, Potions 40, World Lore 55
MANIPULATION Conceal Object 25, Craft 5, Hide 50, Move Quietly 80, Pick Lock 05, Repair/Devise (DEXx4), Sailing 00, Scribe 40, Trap 05
PERCEPTION Insight 15, Listen 65, Search 160, Sense 100, Track 140
 
Magic:
Cloak of Night (1-4): +20% to Hide per level.
Clumsiness (1-3): Target loses 3 DEX per level.
Guile (1-4): +20% to Fast Talk per level.
Hag's Flesh (1-3): -3 APP per level, reducing Charisma roll.
Heal ( 2): Add 1D4 HP to target, up to max.
Terror (1): Cause fear and doubt in target.
Witch Sight (3): Learn approx. POW of a target.
Wrack (1): Target suffers boiled flesh and 1D3 damage.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yesterday's session of MW, The Strange Tales of the DreamWorld" , kicked off really well. I had five players, all experienced hands, who made their characters in advance.

We got through finishing chargen, first meeting, and start & finished the 1st adventure all in yesterday's session. (!!)

The PCs are:

  • Ka, talking mystical raven;
  • Karvirzhul ("Zhul"), Hyperborean warlock and trader;
  • Vitu Quicksilver, mutant rogue;
  • Cito Kusanagi, human springdart marksman; and
  • Angus Khan, steppes nomad

They met (ill or otherwise) in Khromarium, south along the coast from Zakarion in the Six Kingdoms. Finding opportunities to investigate a demon cult in the sewers or some a "small caravan job" in the lucrative but dangerous dream distillate trade, they chose ... the sewers.

Which lead to a two level delve to the ruined layers of the city below the current sewers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is it with demon cults and sewers?  Since such groups frequently turn out to be comprised of the wealthiest and most politically connected folks in the city, you'd think they could spring for a posh penthouse uptown with dance floor, private restaurant and wet bar.  Hey, just because you're trafficking with powerful evil beings from other worlds doesn't mean you can't be comfortable.  Sewers are for thieves' guilds and mutant ninjas.   ;D

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In this case, it may have had something to do with the fact that there was a particular altar, which when it was created existed off the wing of the Hyperborean colosseum (which, I'm told, was the place to be among the royal and connected ... thousands of years ago before it got buried). Onto such altar had been bound a particular demon, and as of late, some down and out Hyperboreans had learned of such and ...

 

Ahem. Ben is listening.

 

Wet bar. I like that though ... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I ran a fantasy campaign based in the Dreamlands. My characters slipped from Nehwon (my usual campaign world) into the Dreamlands in pursuit of a mysterious Man in Black (move over John Brunner and Stephen King!) I ran a modified version of an out of print Cthulhu module set in the Dreamlands -- 'The Dreaming Stone'. It was very interesting to run it as a fantasy rather than a horror; it changed it quite a bit. Also, the setting allows bizarre mixes of characters with no problems. I had a desert shaman/charlatan, a jungle warrior/herbalist and a precognitive space navigator with a vibro knife and blaster pistol (those came in handy against the Moonbeasts and Cats from Saturn). Our heroes journeyed from Celephaïs to the Forbidden Lands,to Zakarion (like your characters) and the dark towers of Dylath-Leen, to Oriab, through the Basalt Pillars of the West and to the Moon and back (the space navigator dreamer's skill came in handy there too).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well this Man in Black was a lot more selfish than Johnny Cash's, though he wasn't evil (just manipulated by those who were).

 

I find the Dreamlands is a great 'wood between the worlds' setting. Anyone from any dimension can meet there.

 

@Chaot, if you are interested the session write-ups start here: https://nehwon.obsidianportal.com/adventure-log/three-lands-first-session

 

It was a pretty good campaign. :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I never thought to play a fantasy game using The Dreamlands as the origin setting.

What a cool concept, that's a great idea.

Can't get much more 'Pulp Weird' Sword & Sorcery than The Dreamlands

" Sure it's fun, but it is also well known that a D20 roll and an AC is no match against a hefty swing of a D100% and a D20 Hit Location Table!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...