Roleplaying Tips Weekly E-Zine Issue #165

Prophetic Double-Whammy: Special Two Article Issue About

Using Prophesies In Your Games

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SENT BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY With Compliments

From: Johnn Four, http://www.roleplayingtips.com
johnn@roleplayingtips.com

CONTENTS:
--> A Brief Word From Johnn

--> This Week's Tips Summarized:

1. To Prophesy Or Not To Prophesy?
2. Choose How You Will Deliver The Prophesy To The PCs
3. Develop The Background And History Of A Prophesy
4. Drafting The Contents Of The Prophesy
5. The Importance Of Metaphor And Simile
6. Sources From Which To Derive Prophetic Ideas
And Language
7. Prophesy Maintenance
8. The Prophesied Messiah Goes Bad
9. The Prophesies Are True, But Useless Or
Inconsequential
10. Someone Prophesies Doom And Destruction For The PCs
11. Non-Player Characters Are The Focus Of The Prophesies
12. NPCs Invent A Prophesy To Hoodwink The PCs
13. The PCs Could Use Prophesy For Fun And Prophet--Err,
Profit
14. Prophesies Have Highly Interpretable Signs
15. Different Versions Of A Prophesy Exist

--> Readers' Tips Of The Week:

1. Finding Names Tip
2. Using Dual Monitors (Windows)
3. Tip For Finding New Players
4. GM Tips From A Player's Perspective
5. Tip For Preventing Player Kills
6. Adding Flavor To Magic Items
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A BRIEF WORD FROM JOHNN

RPGNow.com Contest
------------------
The "Special Scenes" contest is over and I'll be selecting
and emailing the winners in a few days. Over 300 scenes were submitted! And as a
very cool bonus, a subscriber is sorting and editing the entries as we speak so
that I can publish them in an upcoming issue and share them with everyone.

There's a new contest afoot. RPGNow.com is holding a

membership drive in March. If you:
1) Sign up for a free account at:
http://www.rpgnow.com/free/
2) Fill in "Roleplaying Tips Weekly" in the "Where did you
hear about us?" field
3) And buy something

The ezine gets a $1 store credit. I'll use any credits

earned to purchase prizes for future contests in the ezine.
New accounts get a free eBook called "Portable Hole Full of Beer" as well! Check it
out at: http://www.rpgnow.com/free/

Fantasy Guards Fiction

----------------------
I should have mentioned this last week as it tied well into Issue #164: Town Guards
Tips, by Pahl--I just finished a great book by Simon R. Green called "Swords Of
Haven". It's actually three seperate stories glued together on one spine but
they're interconnected. The writing is straightforward and action-oriented and the
stories are about a pair of high-fantasy city guards who investigate crimes and
keep the peace. I quite enjoyed the ideas and plots.
ISBN: 0451457501

Get some gaming done this week!

Johnn Four
johnn@roleplayingtips.com

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MYINFO - ASSISTANT FOR GAME MASTERS

If you are a GM who can't stand their campaigns made up of loose sheets of paper
that possess the unique ability to get lost just when you need them, MyInfo will
help you put an end to it!

MyInfo for Windows makes organizing campaigns, adventures, NPCs, and sites easy.
Search for any information fast. All you have to do is convert your ideas into
entertainment for you and your players.

http://www.milenix.com/rpg/

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PROPHETIC DOUBLE-WHAMMY: SPECIAL TWO ARTICLE ISSUE ABOUT

USING PROPHESIES IN YOUR GAMES

ARTICLE 1:
THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS: THE CREATION AND USE
OF PROPHESY IN AN ONGOING CAMPAIGN

A Guest Article by Jay S. Willis

atlaslaw @ zoomnet.net

1. To Prophesy Or Not To Prophesy? ==================================

The use of Prophesy in any RPG is an excellent tool for GMs. However, before
deciding to utilize Prophesies in your game you should answer an essential
question:
Does the campaign need Prophesy?

1) Specifically, what is the purpose of introducing

Prophesy into the campaign?

Possible answers:
* To aggravate and frustrate the PCs.
* To provide a vague outline of the story.
* To introduce a new story arc.
* To exert some form of control over an out-of-control group
of PCs.
* To get a campaign back on track.
* Adventure seed. To spark creative interpretations from
your players which you can use to expand your game.

2) Will Prophesy enhance the campaign or detract from it?

Try to gauge player reaction to the introduction of Prophesy

in your game:
* How will the players react?
* Will they groan upon being given a Prophesy?
* Will they be overjoyed?
* Will they devote hours of game time to interpreting the
Prophesies which confront them?
* If so, is this good, or bad?
* Will this sidetrack your game?
* Know your campaign and the setting. Will the introduction
to Prophesies "fit" into your world?

2. Choose How You Will Deliver The Prophesy To The PCs

======================================================
How will your Prophesy be delivered to the group? Typically, Prophesies are
presented to the players in one (or in a
combination) of the following forms:

* Written
* Spoken
* Dreams
* Songs

Factor in your tastes and skills when choosing form type. If you are a good writer,
you might wish to convey the Prophesy as a written text, book, or scroll that's
found or given to the party.

Perhaps you speak better than you write? If so, have an NPC deliver the Prophesy
verbally. Most of us aren't talented enough to compose and sing a prophetic ballad,
but if you are so inclined, go for it.

Finally, Dreams are a wonderful device for presenting a Prophesy, especially, when
you have good ideas but may not be able to fully express them in writing or
narrative.

3. Develop The Background And History Of A Prophesy

===================================================
Once you figure out how your Prophesy will be delivered determine its origins. When
and where did it originate, and why it is being given to the characters? The
possibilities here are endless, but common sources include:

* Legends that are passed down from generation to

generation.
* Religious authority: divinely inspired. Perhaps as answers
to the prayers of a particular church or as revelations to
a devout cleric.
* A devil or other fiend.
* Celestials.
* Other outsiders.
* The ravings of a madman recorded by a scribe.
* An oracle or channeller of some sort.
* Governmental authority: the Prophesy is a declaration of a
King or other governmental authority.

Other potential sources:

* The character's subconscious mind.
* A character's ancestor from beyond the grave.
* An intelligent magic item or artifact wanting to be
rescued.

When did it originate?

* An ancient Prophesy delivered by the gods at creation.
* A character's dream.
* A message from the future or an alternate timeline.
* A proclamation from the Emperor two generations ago.

In game terms, why was the Prophesy created?

* To save the world.
* To condemn or destroy the world.
* To facilitate the occurrence of a specific event.
* An NPC manipulating a character.

4. Drafting The Contents Of The Prophesy ========================================

After developing the history of the Prophesy you can then
turn to the contents. In writing or scripting a Prophesy consider the following
guidelines:

* Simple vs. detailed: The Prophesy could be something as simple as "the birth of
the one who will bring balance/law/chaos/light/dark to the world", or a detailed
series of documents interwoven as pieces of a larger puzzle.

Which one is better depends upon your personal taste and

skill and your judgment as to how your players will react.

* Style vs. substance: Which is more important? The actual content of the Prophesy
should be dependent largely upon why you are introducing it. It may be sufficient
to tell the characters "the Church has interpreted the Prophesy as follows" without
giving specific contents.

Walking along a road and having a flaming tree talk to the party announcing a
Prophesy is a good way to add some theatrics to the game. Or perhaps a visit from a
god or avatar proclaiming that one of the characters is the "saviour" of the world
would spice up a campaign with a new outlook and direction. Another option is a
series of written documents or poems, each of which contain various pieces of a
complete Prophesy.
5. The Importance Of Metaphor And Simile ========================================
When writing a prophetic verse, poem, or song metaphors and similes are the primary
tools.

For example:

The Great Battle comes with haste

Like the raging of a flood
Death comes to the seeds of destruction
As the rivers run with blood

Good prophesies use common themes and obscure references

that can often have many meanings:
* "The Darkness"
* "The Dark One"
* "The Child of Light"
* "The Breaker of Shadows"

Consider the following:

A Child borne of Darkness comes hither

Life in the palm of his hands
Innocence shines true in his beauty
As sorrow blankets the land

Vic'try of Night comes closer to hand

As the Pawn comes from the womb
The Dark Seed is strong with the Orb in his care
Yet the Pawn must be barred from the tomb

Just who the "Child borne of Darkness" is and what "Life" in the palm of his hands
means is entirely up to the GM. Similarly, who, or what the "Pawn", or the "Dark
Seed" may be are all matters for further exploration.

However, it is the GM's responsibility to ensure there are

ways for the players to decipher the code eventually. While
it may seem to create more work, using Prophesies in this
way can provide you with many adventure seeds and do some of the work for you. The
true bonus for the GM is that references such as these tend to make players crazy
as they try to piece together the meanings. And when they do hit upon a clue it's
often as good as an award of XP or a magic item for the players.

6. Sources From Which To Derive Prophetic Ideas And Language

============================================================
If you don't feel confident in your writing skills don't reinvent the wheel. You
know the story you want to tell-- just look to other sources to derive the right
words.

Excellent resources for ideas and specific language to use

in Prophesies can be found in various media:

* Religious Texts:
- The Apocrypha
- The Old Testament
- The Quran
- The Bhagavad-Gita
- The Tao Te-Ching
- The Upanishads
* Epic Poetry:
- Gilgamesh
- Beowulf
- The Niebelungenlied
- The Song of Roland
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

* Historical Prophesies:
- Nostradamus
- Native American Prophesy

* Fantasy and Science Fiction Literature:

- David Eddings: The Belgariad and The Mallorean
- Robert Jordan: The Wheel of Time
- Frank Herbert: Dune
- Isaac Asimov: Foundation Trilogy
- Raymond E. Feist: Silverthorn and A Darkness at
Sethanon

* Non-Fiction:
- Joseph Campbell: The Hero with a Thousand Faces,
The Power of Myth

* Cinema:
- Star Wars
- Harry Potter

* Music Lyrics:
- Rush
- Pink Floyd
- Styx
- Sting/The Police
- Yes

7. Prophesy Maintenance
=======================
Regardless of what kind of Prophesy you integrate into your game consider a few
final thoughts:

* The GM is the final arbiter of the true meaning of the Prophesy, but listen to
the interpretations of your players. Sometimes they can offer interesting
alternatives.

* Don't be afraid to be flexible and change a meaning in a Prophesy to fit with the
evolving needs of your campaign and your players.

* Prophesies are an excellent way to outline a story arc in your campaign and to
give the PCs some focus and a list of goals. However, beware Deus Ex Machina. You
may inadvertently exercise too much control over the players' actions by
introducing Prophesies.

* Keep in mind not all Prophesies are true. They might be

false for a very good reason.

* As previously stated, once you introduce a Prophesy it is your responsibility to

use it and to provide the players opportunities to decipher it. If you don't use
the Prophesy for its intended purpose, why introduce it in the first place?
ARTICLE 2: PROPHESIES AMUCK!

A Guest Article By Heather Grove

http://www.burningvoid.com
Reprinted from the Twilight Time zine, Vol 4, Issue 1
http://two.pairlist.net/pipermail/twilighttime/2003/000016.html

There's more to the prophesy plot than high-epic "the Player Characters (PCs) must
save the planet" deals. Those are fun of course, but sometimes something a little
more unusual is called for. In that vein, here are some thoughts on possible
prophesy plot variations. Turn them around even further, or just adapt them to your
game, and give your players a surprise!

8. The Prophesied Messiah Goes Bad ==================================

According to prophesy, only one person can stop the
villains. So what happens when that person goes over to the wrong side? What
happens when she decides she doesn't want to save or help anyone? That she'd much
rather kill people, rob people, make a fast buck, or just plain go on holidays?

It's up to the PCs to answer this question, and they'd

better answer it fast. The prophesy was told for a reason
and there's work to be done. Maybe they need to convince the prophesied messiah to
change sides again. Maybe they need to hold someone she loves hostage until she
does what is necessary. Or maybe they need to find a way to get things done without
her. Perhaps it's time for them to find another prophesy...

9. The Prophesies Are True, But Useless Or Inconsequential

==========================================================
Everyone expects a prophesy to be the key to something
amazing. Prophets are frequently pictured as madmen (or
they're at least touched with lunacy)--it isn't easy to see
the future, particularly in the modern world where few
people believe in such things. The word "prophesy" holds connotations of power and
world-changing events, but with that much insanity running around, who's to say
that every prophesy hits the mark?

The prophesy of course is couched in verse and analogy. The

PCs must try to figure out what it means and presumably do something about it. But
what if it's just a cryptic menu for the next holiday feast, or a recipe for
cinnamon rolls? What if it's a note that on April the sixteenth, an oil truck will
run over someone's pet? If the prophesy has lines in it that could be
misinterpreted, the PCs could end up in quite the comedy of errors. They might find
themselves getting involved in random events that have no relation to the prophesy,
or which are completely unimportant.

WARNING: Only try this if your players don't mind a bit of misdirection and
pointless silliness! It's the sort of plot that works for some groups and games,
and definitely not for others. Another alternative is to turn the seemingly
pointless prophesy around again. So it's a recipe for cinnamon rolls--what if it's
a recipe that someone desperately wants? Or it's a prediction about the death of
someone's pet--what if saving the pet will put a very powerful person into the
party's debt?

10. Someone Prophesies Doom And Destruction For The PCs

=======================================================
Most prophesy-plots require the PCs to fulfill the
prophesies. They must find the item, destroy the villain, or work the pivotal
magic. The PCs will not, however, want to fulfill this particular sort of prophesy!

The PCs hear a prophesy that spells their doom. They have reason to believe the
source of the prophesy--they know from past experience or by reputation that it's
reliable, or the prophesy involves small signs that they can verify. The point of
the plot is for them to find some way to avoid the prophesy.

Sometimes this means averting a number of the smaller parts

of the prophesy, with the assumption that once those have
been averted, the party has changed the entire future of the prophesy. Sometimes
the prophesy must be dealt with head-on. Sometimes the PCs must go through several
iterations of believing they've dealt with their dark fate before they find the
true key.

WARNING: When this variation on the prophesy-plot appears in literature and on TV,
it usually centers around the idea of free will: do the PCs have free will? Can
they change the future, or are they doomed to repeat it? Because of this, it's
important that you allow them to have their free will-- otherwise you defeat the
whole theme of the plot. Don't decide ahead of time exactly how the plot will come
out and then push the party into that end-point. Figure out what's likely, what's
possible, and how, and then set your party loose. (If you need more information on
the free will issue, there's a whole series of articles on our RPG resources
page.)

11. Non-Player Characters Are The Focus Of The Prophesies

=========================================================
We've all heard of "the PC glow," I'm sure (or some variant
on it). It's that invisible aura that results in the PCs
being the focus of every plot out there. It's the reason why everyone pulls them
into their schemes. (Okay, so a lot of game masters (GMs) have found good, logical
reasons why the plots center around the PCs. But not everyone has.)

What if, for once, the PCs didn't have that glow? What if
the prophesies centered around someone else for a change? Perhaps the PCs need to
protect an important person who is prophesied to die. Perhaps they must stop a
villain prophesied to take over the world. (For once it isn't the good guys who are
prophesied to win!) Maybe a prophesy states that a young man will lead his people
to freedom, and the PCs must help him learn what he needs to know to be a good
leader. Or perhaps they must help him overcome his enemies.

WARNING: Make sure you've left room for the PCs to have an effect on this plot!
Just because the plot *centers* on someone else doesn't mean that the PCs can't
determine how the plot comes out. You don't want the party to turn into observers;
they should still drive the events of the story.

12. NPCs Invent A Prophesy To Hoodwink The PCs

==============================================
A group of NPCs produces a prophesy and makes a big deal out
of it. They use it as "proof" that the PCs are destined to
help them out of their miserable situation. But the prophesy
is false! The NPCs made it up to convince the PCs to help
them.

Is the cause a good one, one that the PCs might be glad
they've helped out with even once they find out they've been tricked? Or do the PCs
realize they've been working for the wrong side? Does everything work out, or do
the PCs need to find a way to right the wrongs they've perpetrated in the name of
fate?

What about NPCs who use a bit of psychology? They arrange

for the PCs to hear a prophesy of their own doom and destruction (we're combining
#3 and #5 here). This prophesy is false, however. The NPCs hope that the prophesy
will send the PCs off on a wild goose chase, send them into hiding, or make them so
nervous that they hesitate or screw up. The NPCs might even arrange for a few
"signs" to convince the PCs of the validity of the prophesy. If the NPCs are
feeling particularly motivated, they might even try to bring about the
circumstances of the prophesy, hoping to use the PCs' fear to destroy them.

CAVEAT: There must always be a way for the PCs to figure out that they're being
fooled, otherwise the players are likely to feel used and frustrated!

13. The PCs Could Use Prophesy For Fun And Prophet--Err,
Profit ========================================================

Who says the PCs themselves can't have a little prophesy

fun? Perhaps an NPC friend suggests that he could dress
himself up as a mad prophet. This man arrives in a town a couple of days before the
rest of the party and, with a little shrewd timing (or perhaps a little magical
help of one kind or another) establishes a reputation as a true prophet with a
knack for helping people. Just before the PCs arrive, he produces a prophesy about
great heroes who are destined to help the town against an unknown enemy.

Then the "prophet" can give himself a makeover and rejoin

the party, or stick around in his disguise. The PCs could probably live off of the
town's generosity for at least a week before anyone became too suspicious. If they
were particularly clever and arranged for an "unknown enemy" for them to fight (or
found one), they might be able to fool the town for even longer. If they had an
enemy already in the area, they could use this gambit to get the town to support
them in their fight.

But what's in it for the friend? He must have had some

reason for setting all this up. Perhaps he has his own
reasons for wanting to establish a reputation as a skilled prophet. Or perhaps he
isn't such a good friend after all, and he thinks he can fleece the townspeople
while he's there, leaving the party to take the blame. Or perhaps there's someone
in the town he wants to hurt, and he's going to set that person up as the "unknown
enemy" once his reputation has been established.

14. Prophesies Have Highly Interpretable Signs

==============================================
The verse or analogy in which many prophesies are written
just screams for misinterpretation. What if a prophesy means one thing, but could
be read as meaning something entirely different?

The GM could write up some "prophesies" ahead of time. He

tries to write them so that the PCs will misinterpret them
in a certain way; this is difficult, but possible. Better
yet, the GM can listen to the players as they try to
interpret the verse themselves. If they come up with interesting ideas, he can turn
some of them into false leads.
WARNING: Don't push the players too far in the wrong
direction. Use contextual clues to cause them to steer
*themselves* in the wrong direction. As always, make sure there's a way for them to
figure out what's really going on. And, of course, this has the usual "not every
group of players will be happy with this kind of plot" caveat. Know your players
and their preferences before trying out a plot that involves misleading them.

15. Different Versions Of A Prophesy Exist

==========================================
The PCs get their hands on an old prophesy about a coming catastrophe. It details
the signs that will lead up to the disaster, how it will come about, and how it may
be stopped. The PCs set off to do their duty. On the way they get their hands on
another prophesy about the same event. This one also details the preceding signs,
the catastrophe, and how to stop it. Too bad the verses are wildly different!

Most likely, a little bit of each verse is correct. Each prophet had some idea of
what was to come, but he didn't want to say that he just didn't know the rest so he
made it up. Or perhaps one prophet heard that another had prophesied this horrible
thing, and he figured his reputation would be ruined if he didn't also produce a
prophesy. Maybe someone spread false versions to distract people from the correct
one. At any rate, the PCs must figure out what's really happening, and deal with
it, before it's too late.

As always, make sure the PCs have a way to figure out the
truth of the matter!

Many of these ideas can be mixed and matched to good end.

Just remember that prophesy-plots don't have to be straightforward and normal. They
can be as twisted and confusing as any other plot!

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SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION

New Review NPC Essentials Up

----------------------------
Jeff Ibach, Tips subscriber, RPG Author, and Reviewer for GamePlayNews.com has
posted a review of NPC Essentials.

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 http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=241

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READERS' TIPS OF THE WEEK

1. Finding Names Tip

From: Mike B.
====================
One of the most time-consuming and stressful things I have
to do as a GM is come up with believable place and character names for my campaign.
I have developed a few tips and techniques over the years but I would welcome even
more.

1) The Babelfish translator at Altavista is a great resource for everything from

realistic modern-day place names (Moscas Delnegro--Mexican city of the black flies;
Rotter Lowe--the Red Lion club in Munich) to exotic fantasy names (Chauve Aigle
could be a castle named for the lord's bald eagle crest; Schlechter Geruch is
obviously a most foul and rancid place). This is also a great site for when the
characters take a trip to Paris or Brazil to add in some local spice.
http://babelfish.altavista.com

2) I have a copy of the Olympic Almanac which I picked up in 2000 from a local
thrift store. It lists off the names of every gold, silver, and bronze medal sport
winner in the history of the Olympics. Need the name of a Japanese assassin, or a
Belgian waiter, or an American cowboy? Pick up almost any almanac.

3) Sometimes, it's hard to come up with names on the fly. A neat trick I use is to
steal the names of professional athletes and sneak them into games. Even if you
have sports fans in your group, if you just mention the names Even, Adrian, Raef
and Dirk, no one needs to know that these are players for the NBA's Dallas
Mavericks. (If you are not a sports fan, or if your players wise up to this
technique, you can just borrow names from anywhere. Co-workers, college dormmates,
comic book characters, etc. Just use one category per encounter, and then it will
be easy to keep up with.) Also, most American professional sports sites, NBA.com,
NFL.com, NHL.com, etc. also include photographs of their players, which is a great
way to have a database of available NPCs.

4) I have run several games set in the Wild West. After struggling to come up with
convincing town names, I discovered that you can use the names of race horses as
great Western sounding names. Just throw the name of a Western US state at the end,
like Tom Fool, Nevada; or Kelso, Wyoming; or Gallorette, Utah. A partial list can
be found at: http://www.bloodhorse.com/tb_champions/top_100_list.html

2. Using Dual Monitors (Windows)

From: StarManta
================================
Here's an idea for those GMs who use laptops. Most laptops
have dual-monitor abilities. By plugging in an external
monitor the computer can display two seperate desktops. This could be useful for
spreading information (or misinformation).

Set up the laptop so it's facing you (the GM) then plug in
the second monitor where everyone can see it. To set up the dual monitor, right-
click on the desktop, choose Properties, then go to the Settings tab. Select the
second monitor if it appears greyed-out, then check Extend Windows Desktop to this
Monitor. Then drag it to wherever you want Windows to think it is. I have mine to
the right of my default desktop. It may take some fiddling to get it how you like
it.

You can take notes, read a script for a scene, etc., on your laptop screen and no
one will see it. If you want to show your players something, such as a picture of
the town they just entered, a map, a character, etc., just open it and drag it to
the second monitor. You can set the desktop to some picture to give the game some
mood, visually. And while you have the laptop out, get some ambient music from
mp3.com and set the mood musically.

3. Tip For Finding New Players

From: Mike H.
==============================
Johnn, I discovered a very effective tip for finding new
players: make a community page on MSN or Yahoo (not sure
about AOL) for your group and tell what is about and how
people can join. When they view page and find out everything about it they are more
inclined to join. Here is an example of my group community page.

http://groups.msn.com/LeesburgRolePlayingAssociation

4. GM Tips From A Player's Perspective

From: Tom
======================================
I had a bad experience during my last session as a player,
so I wanted to contribute some tips for DMs.

Session Background: In order to enter the tomb of Mr. X we

had to put a magical sword into a slit in the side of
statue. My PC was the only one with a magic sword, so I did
it. I had to leave my only magic weapon outside the tomb (because my DM told me the
sword was stuck) and then our DM had us fight against a flesh golem and 4 mummies!
I was the only fighter in the group! I didn't lament and instead started to think
about what I could do.

The Problem: In the middle of the tomb was a deep hole so I took my 50' silk rope
and threw it over the hole to catch one of the mummies and pull him (from the other
side) into the hole! I was not proficient with the weapon (lasso) and the hit roll
was hard--but I made it! Then my DM told me that it was a called shot and I had to
take another -4 penalty to the roll. DARN!

We had also been "slowed" at the beginning of the encounter

and our priest was not allowed to rebuke the mummies. Great. The fight was only won
because we had a high level Fighter NPC with us! And two of the PCs died (my
fighter among them).

The Solution: If you (as a DM) confront your players with a really hard challenge,
make sure they will have resources to survive the encounter! When they come up with
some cool, great idea let them do it, even if you might think it would make it too
easy to overcome the problem. Good thinking should be rewarded. Your players will
feel as if they have accomplished something with a good idea rather than with
weapons!

And *never* let the party win a fight because a high level
NPC is with the group. The players will feel like they are nothing but "Push-
Arounds".
5. Tip For Preventing Player Kills
From: John G.
==================================
Regarding problem players who attack each other: if the GM
opts to pull players aside and talk to them OOC, it might be
a good idea to remind them that they aren't playing
EVERQUEST or any of the other online "kill-the-newbies-get- their-stuff" campaigns.
Remind them that, in your game, they get no benefits from this kind of behavior and
will actually earn themselves penalties (stiff XP penalties--hit them where they
live).

6. Adding Flavor To Magic Items

From: James B.
===============================
For relevant/unique magic items for PCs I have found that nothing beats the system
developed by FASA for Earthdawn. In essence, each magic item is powerful, but
research must be done into the item to determine the extent of its powers. This
research takes time, XP, and greatly increases the value of the item. As more
research into the weapon is completed, greater powers of the weapon become
available to the PC.

For example, a +1 longsword of Smiting becomes The

Longsword of Garth Orcbane, Slayer of Orcs, Saviour of Humbletown. Last used by
Garth in the battle of Crushed Horns, it is said that this sword enabled Garth to
slice through three orc's as if they were so much butter.

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That's it for this week's issue.

Have more fun at every game!

Johnn Four
mailto:johnn@roleplayingtips.com

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