Watch Well Games: Issue #35
Miskatonic Playhouse: Rivers of London. Running my own RPG. Wazza's Design Essay for ALIEN scenario.
Welcome to our RPG community newsletter!
Thanks so much for joining us. Temps are dropping here. It’s lovely.
Here’s What We’ve Got This Round:
Accounts of Adventure: Running my own RPG
The Miskatonic Playhouse Presents: Rivers of London
This Week’s Free Map From Schlau (Light in Darkness Gaming)
Guest Writer Warren Davidson Shares How He Wrote His ALIEN Scenario
Interview with Blake Ryan, Creator of Don’t Pay the Ferryman, a Kickstarter for a Dragonbane/PbtA Game Supplement
Hi, I’m K.J. I post a Note every few days. Join in the conversation if you’d like. You can find the Notes section of my substack here.
Accounts of Adventure: Running my own RPG
Last weekend, I was able to run three sessions of a particular RPG I began GMing almost four years ago. We’ve had to take brief hiatuses, but since the beginning, we’ve witnessed almost three decades of the PCs’ lives.
When we started this endeavor, my group and I were trying to fill a void. Our other regular game, Pathfinder 1e, was a casualty of the pandemic. As far as I was concerned, I was done with high-fantasy, heroic games for a while - or even forever. I wanted something different, so I did what I’d done before and homebrewed something for us to play.
Because I am planning on publishing this RPG in the future, what I will share is a lightly edited narrative from these past three sessions. I hope you enjoy.
Jimmy Locke (a human and former detective) and Kau-bluey (a [REDACTED] kin) met while on a ship traveling from the US to the UK on their alternative Earth-like planet. In short, Kau-bluey had been captured by nefarious actors. Locke intervened, rescuing this dog-like creature, and the two became traveling companions as a result.
During their early adventures, Kau-bluey learned parts of his origin story, which led the pair back to the States. There, they would attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding who took Kau-bluey captive and what their intentions were.
Jimmy Locke felt reluctant to travel back to the US, as one year ago, he was the scapegoat and took the fall for a former superior’s corrupt actions (which requires the adventuring pair to resolve at a future point in time if the former detective wants to restore his reputation).
The flying vehicle lands in the northernmost part of the US (somewhere right between Maine and Canada), and it’s here that the PCs slowly find more leads in the strangest of places - a seemingly abandoned cabin, a widow with a very similar-looking dog-like companion, and a scientist’s daughter. Eventually, Locke and Kau-bluey catch a train to this Earth’s version of Chicago. This is a necessary detour, as world-famous explorer Evan Stanton will be holding an unveiling ceremony for a device he claims will reveal the location of a highly-sought after location.
Where?
The island that happens to also be Kau-bluey’s natural habitat and origin point.
This POI is significant as it possesses rare, preternatural resources and an ancient humanoid kin with preternatural abilities.
The catch?
The island is invisible, and it is this property that has kept everything on it and about it safe and secure from prying eyes and greedy hands. Should this world-renowned explorer’s claims to have a contraption that will make the island visible be true, who knows what unintended consequences could come about.
What did Jimmy Locke and Kau-bluey do to stop the unveiling ceremony? Were they successful in convincing Evan Stanton to not go forward with pursuing making the island’s location known? What is going on with this mystical island?
Join me next time as I share how things unfolded. Until then, let me just say it involved an automaton, reporters, and a resourceful district known as The Dark Alley.
Game mechanics: Initially, we used a pool of D6s. More recently, we’ve been using D20s and D100s for the majority of rolls to determine success or failure, with rolling under being the goal. I’ve allowed pushed rolls (as long as the PCs took on a condition) and called for opposed rolls (although rarely). Inspiration from Chaosium’s Basic Roleplaying (BRP) and Free League’s Dragonbane.
Lore and world basics: Low magic. Preternatural properties and, for very few kins, preternatural abilities. Some components that are Victorian/gaslight/2nd industrial revolution, blended with some modern concepts and inventions powered by a unique energy that runs throughout this Earth-like planet. Social, economic, geographical, and political structures, along with other key concepts, are still under wraps for now.
The Miskatonic Playhouse Presents: Rivers of London
The Miskatonic Playhouse presents a new investigation for the new Rivers of London RPG. Taking place in Edinburgh, it is titled 'Waters of Leith'. We follow the newly founded Scottish Special Circumstance Unit with the slightly chaotic Rhodri Cadwallador at the head with his pragmatic, level-headed assistant Isabelle Wood. The show will be releasing two one-hour(ish) episodes per week for the next five weeks and is perfect for those curious about the new Rivers of London game. You don't have to have read any other books or anything else to enjoy the series as the creators included a small introduction to the system and the world. Throughout, you'll not only experience the fun interactions between the great cast, but also discussions about the system itself and how it works. The show is peppered with insights about the game by the RPG’s Line Editor Lynne Hardy. When a cast is really enjoy recording a game, it comes through in the podcast, and the absolute joy the cast had in creating this series comes through right from the start to the final beat. - John Hedge, GM for Waters of Leith
Episode 1 on Spotify:
Episode 1 on YouTube:
What exactly is Rivers of London, you ask?
Learn more here about the series and its author Ben Aaronovitch.
What is Rivers of London RPG then?
Rivers of London (RoL) is Chaosium’s ENnie-award winning RPG (Best Rules: Silver). “[P]layers take on the roles of newly recruited members of the London Metropolitan Police Service’s special magic branch, aka “the Folly.” You will solve mysteries, catch criminals, and come to grips with the “demi-monde”—those who have been irreversibly changed by magic.” (Source: chaosium.com) Evocative artwork and easy-to-learn rules brings Aaronovitch’s world of RoL to life, and this means more enjoyment for everyone. Check it out, and let me know what you think!
Personal note from K.J. - The Miskatonic Playhouse is brought to you by a slew of talented folks. From best-selling writers on DriveThruRPG (like T A Newman and John Hedge) on DriveThruRPG to ENnie-award winning creator Stu Sellens, the MP houses not only some of the most top-notch folks I’ve met in the RPG realm, but also some of the friendliest.
Join the MP Discord or, even better, become a Friend of the Playhouse and get exclusive access to content (including Session 0 of Waters of Leith which has even more insights). You can grab a Cheap Seat for a little as a £1/month over on ko-fi.🦙
This Week’s Free Map From Schlau (Light in Darkness Gaming)
Long Tavern is a small pub with passable food and loads of ale to aid with its digestion. If your party needs a rendezvous point or is looking for an informant, this is the ideal unsuspecting watering hole. Gridded and hex grids, along with night versions, will all be available on my Patreon starting Monday, September 16th.
As usual, here’s a Dropbox link to all the free maps Schlau has offered including this week’s Long Tavern:
Light in Darkness Gaming’s Patreon is currently in soft launch mode. Subscribe now to support a human creator. Thank you for your patronage. - Schlau
Wazza’s Whimsical Wanderings: Thoughts on Creating My ALIEN Cinematic Adventure “High Jack”
by guest writer Warren Davidson
“Concentrate. Just start at the beginning... Total brain-lock. Borderline writers block but I don't think there’s any permanent damage.”
Do I have original thoughts? Rarely. Do I have imaginative and fun thoughts? Hell yeah! And that’s what roleplaying games are all about, imagining new worlds and having loads of fun whilst doing so. Many people are content to play in them while some feel the need to contribute, to give something back to the hobby, so to speak. That’s exactly how I feel. I want to write exciting adventures and interesting supplements for my favourite RPGs that have given me so much joy over the past four decades. I don’t profess to be a great writer or content creator but I’m enthusiastic and committed to my craft. It’s taken me a long, long time to arrive at this point, where I can share my thoughts and experiences on this great hobby of ours with you, but it’s a tremendous feeling to finally arrive at the destination! If you’ve reached the same crossroads and feel an overwhelming need to contribute, here are my thoughts and suggestions. I’ll focus on a project for the ALIEN role-playing game which is my favourite.
“High Jack” came about due to an online competition posted on the Alien RPG by Free League Facebook group on the 28th September 2021. The contestants were instructed to create a new mission or “mini scenario” for the Alien RPG using the maps, locations, characters, and/or events from the failing colony world of Ariarcus, as detailed in the Alien RPG boxed set Destroyer of Worlds. The judging panel included the moderator team, and the award-winning Writer, Author, Creative Director, Franchise Consultant, and Senior Development Editor Andrew E.C. Gaska!
I was predisposed to write a standard Colonial Marines meets Xenomorphs bug hunt with a few twists thrown in; however on further reflection, I decided to try something a little different. How about Ocean’s 11 meets ALIEN? I loved the idea of criminals with purely selfish motives who find themselves out of their depth in a heist gone wrong. I wanted the adventure to be playable in a single session, so I only included the locations vital to the plot, especially as the contest stipulated a maximum of 1500 words. I broke the scenario down into four acts which emulated the events in most heist movies i.e. the Meet, the Plan, the Heist, and the Getaway. I figured each one would take half an hour to an hour to complete, which is perfect for a convention game or a one-off.
The concept was simple enough: A patron hires the PCs to steal a consignment of military equipment on route from a colonial marine base to an orbiting station via a space elevator. The catch? The cargo contains xenomorphs! The more I thought about this, the more it gelled in my mind, and I committed myself to writing. This is how my creative process works: I go for a walk and allow my subconscious mind to wander, ideas pop into my head, and I write them down straight away. iPhone notes are great for this as I can copy them onto my MacBookPro when I get back. I go through each one weighing up their merits and shortcomings until one emerges as a favourite. I expand that idea until I have an outline for an adventure and add more detail until I’m satisfied. I’m also reminded of what Ernest Hemingway once said, “The first draft of anything is rubbish.” I’m not saying you should revise your writing ad infinitum; just work on it until you’re happy. If you want to publish it professionally, that’s another story and there’s plenty of advice available elsewhere on that topic.
I started writing act one where the players are introduced to their patron. He worked as a clerk on the colonial marine base and knows valuable cargo is irregularly transported to an orbiting station via a space elevator. He tells them what he thinks it’s worth and their cut. To pull this off, he needs them to find out the next shipment date, security arrangements, and schematics of the base and elevator. Keep this conversation brief but concise. Players want to get straight into the action. So, we have the plot, the main NPC, the reward, and an idea of what’s required to get the job done, all in a few sentences. Next, I created six pre-generated characters based on stereotypical heist archetypes: a getaway driver, a fixer, two fighters, a techie, and a mastermind. I also added each character’s personal agenda to ensure a healthy mix of loyalty, betrayal, backstabbing, and bribery which the ALIEN RPG handles well.
Act two is where the PCs plan their heist and is the largest section. Why? Because you must plan for some of the eventualities of their actions. In this case they’re going to need information, and most marines hang out at a local bar. There are several routes open to them: bribery, blackmail, and coercion. This allows the role-playing players in your group to shine and gives the socially focused characters their moment in the spotlight. There’s bound to be a bar brawl, so the fighters have some action too. The PCs discover that the information they need is on the bases’ mainframe, so again, several opportunities present themselves - disguising themselves as workers to infiltrate the base, which allows the techie and mastermind their moments; ambushing a marine patrol then donning their uniforms. Once they acquire the information, they discover the consignment details, the date it’s to be transported, and an “easter egg” mentioning a top-secret project. This is an example of foreshadowing. (In this instance, it’s the transport of xenomorphs in stasis! Don’t reveal too much, as you want to watch your players' priceless reaction when they discover the truth!)
Now it’s time to pull off the heist of the century. What could possibly go wrong? Lots of things hopefully. Don’t fret it though, as PCs have an unerringly ability to screw up their best laid plans, which makes for extremely entertaining roleplaying. In act three, the PCs enter the elevator for the trip to the station. Their patron has arranged to extract them in his ship when they reach the midpoint. Now the bad news, last minute changes to the security arrangements means more marines to deal with before a power failure (or other technical fault) brings the lift to an abrupt stop throwing the xenomorph cargo loose along with the PCs and marines. The xenomorphs come out of stasis and utter chaos ensues!
With act four, we’re into the home stretch. The surviving PCs have the cargo and proceed to the pickup point to get the hell out of dodge. What else could possibly go awry? How about their patron’s inevitable betrayal? He scoops up the cargo and attempts to blow them out the ship’s airlock - sounds good to me! I wrote in a contingency here where if he escapes, they can steal a ship from the orbiting space station and go after him, and this gives the getaway driver their moment in the spotlight. So, we’re done right? Not quite! There’s one final twist. The mastermind has arranged a nighttime meet to fence the cargo and betrays everyone to keep all the money for himself. Another shootout ensues and a car chase across town with the PCs out for revenge. Now that’s an ending!
That’s my writing process, it’s not perfect but it works for me, and I hope it provides you with insight. Writing is a personal experience, it’s hard but always rewarding and the more you write the better you get! That’s all for now - this is Wazza signing off…
In the previous newsletter, Warren offered us his cinematic scenario “High Jack” (playable for up to six players).
If you’re just now catching up, you can use the Dropbox link below to download both of Warren’s creations: the cinematic scenario “High Jack” and the 56-page “Alien Resurrection: Completely Unofficial Sourcebook Update.”
Psst - Hey. Do you play Dragonbane or PbtA?
Here’s a Kickstarter for your consideration:
…and an Interview with Blake Ryan, Creator of Don’t Pay the Ferryman
Is this your first time to create something in the RPG realm? No, I've created a few 5E& PBTA things including 2 PBTA kickstarters, Season of Dreams and Nexus Modern Sorcery
What inspired you to create this? Been working on this setting on and off since 1998, used it with Palladium, Rolemaster, D&D and Dungeon World systems, but when I found Dragonbane I thought yes this is the right game for the stories I want to tell with this world.
For fun: Describe your creation in 10 words or less. Bronze Age Weird & Wicked Celtic-Greek Fantasy Dreamlands Underworld
What was the most rewarding part of the creation process when making this? Making the locations, designing the Rikirta Games and working on the hexmaps
If you could go back and do it all over again, what would you do differently in the creation process? Changed the logo at the start and mid way through, should have locked that in at the start. This meant I had to order new test prints to make sure it all looked good which takes time and money.
What advice or encouragement would you give new creators? Get different people to look at it, people who have played different games because they will view it different. You have to balance not pleasing everyone with reviewing your creation so you produce a decent product.
Do you have a future creation you can give us any teasers or hints about? Working on two sets of Quests, both 6 Quests with themes for Don't pay the Ferryman setting (though it wouldn't take much to run them with vanilla Dragonbane)
How did you discover RPGs? Played AD&D & Rolemaster with some friends in highschool back in 1989. Yes I am old.
What other hobbies do you enjoy aside from RPGs? Hiking & Wildlife Parks. Fortnite & Rocket League. Watching The Order/The Magicians/Supernatural.
Favorite RPG item(s)? Got some Monster of the Week t-shirts from Redbubble that are super comfortable.
Anything else you want to share about this project? Tried hard to make it an interesting world with a bunch of interesting places to see and things to interact with. There are some good maps, setting detail and quests, so even if you're not 100% on onboard with the setting style there is plenty of stuff to mine for your own games.
That’s a wrap, folks. Remember:
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Most kind.
Regards
Wazza
Another great issue!