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MadJay
05-17-2005, 04:35 PM
My group is a D&D one, or they were before I took over GM duites. I've herded them thru D20 Conan into Warhammer v2...all in prep for BW!!

The Group is 4 players strong with an occasional 5th.
We all work together, and game 2-3 times a month.
They've been loving the new systems thus far - yet not without some prep work on my part.

My plan here is to Pre-gen the stats for their BW characters (a repeat of my WarHammer treatment), a loose conversion of their current PCs from the Warhammer game, 3-4 LPs. They'll still be charged with generating their Beliefs & Instincts.

We've been very much "adventuring Party" styled play...we'll see based on what they list as BITs if this continues, recent sessions have been less "party" oriented...two PCs were even sold of into slavery by a third - one of the most player engaging sessions (Conan) yet!

The starting point however, will be bridged from the current game - they are enroute to meet a contact who has the The book of the Nine Gates to the Kingdom of Shadows ( copy #2 of 3) - their Patron, Balkan, wants to compare this copy with his own copy (#1 of 3).
I've blatantly ripped from the movie 'The Ninth Gate' for this.

Only their contact has been waylaid by Cursoe and forced to reveal where the book is.

This was all I had until I read the thread on The Vault (http://www.burningwheel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=949)
I LOVED it!!!

I'm thinking the Vault IS a Gate to the Kingdom of Shadows, and it's been sealed and forgotten, as well as the city that protected it. several cities have been rebuilt over the original one. The current city is ravaged by war amoung two or three factions.

perhaps only a few remember the gates history and purpose.
perhaps the gate is weakening...and something crosses over from it.

The Contact and Cursoe have made their way to this city - it's where the 2nd book is stored, perhaps near or in the Vault...

I have NO idea why there is fighting in the city or by whom. I just imagined a war-torn city built over previous mostly forgotten cities as a backdrop/environment to retrieveing the book.

now, having no BITs to work from makes this a little hard, but I'm hoping to have enough backdrop(?) to get the players jazzed, they still expect the GM to present the adventure...hence my work thus far.

Our talks about what We want to do/play is mostly me riffing off of me.
Though Once I paint the scene - they are good about working themselves in.
I plan to do a One-Sheet with legends about The Vault, the Cosmology presented in the above thread - altered slightly.
and basic BW mechanics to get us going, if it catches fire, I'll start adding in more BW stuff. My hope is to play here (BW) for sometime.

I'd like the factional fighting to present hazards moving thru the city.
I'm planning for PCs BITs to present avenues of play...Plan B is to allow them to get caught up in the fighting throughout the city.

SOOO - who is fighting in the city? and why?
Do I need to even care??
Have I Over-preped?

Hit me!!

Thor Olavsrud
05-17-2005, 04:45 PM
Hey Hexgunna,

First off, if you liked the movie The Ninth Gate, do yourself a favor: Run out right NOW and buy The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte. It's the book the movie was based on. It's freakin' AWESOME!!!

Anyway, back on topic. I don't think you've overprepped. You've obviously got a hard road to hoe without having BITs to work from. My first instinct is to steal from the Conan story Red Nails, throw in a dash of Florence in the period when the Guelph and Ghibbeline parties made the city their personal war zone, and a pinch of Yojimbo/Fistfull of Dollars, and voila. If you want to make the Vault itself front and center, then the city is the nexus of strange, yet powerful mystical energies that each faction hopes to harness for its own benefit (though this is, of course, incredibly dangerous). If you want to background the Vault a little bit, then make the city itself a resource. It controls an important port, or a trade crossroad, or controls a rich source of salt, iron, silver, or valuable dye.

Paka
05-17-2005, 08:18 PM
I'm glad you dig the Vault

I'd leave the prep to be done once you have their character concepts and Beliefs.

Take the Vault's concept if you like it and distill it down to three paragraphs or so. Or just give it to them as is. Let their concepts form what the Vault is and what lies beyond it.

I have no idea what is under the Vault. No idea. We will figure it out in play.

Don't form too many ideas just yet. Your ideas won't get the players jazzed, their ideas get 'em jazzed.

Am I making sense?

They might not want a war-torn campaign. They might want a political game about who is going to control the Vault. Who knows?

Stay loose.

Have fun and post how it goes. I love seeing what other people are doing with the concept.

MadJay
05-19-2005, 03:10 PM
Yes - You do make sense Paka.
Thank you.

I especially like letting them form ideas about what the Vault is - waaay cooler! This'll determine if it's a background or focal point too!

Thor - "The Club Dumas" is being delivered to me, I'm looking forward to consuming it! Thanks for the Tip!
and thanks for the history tip, I've only just begun reading up on the Guelph and Ghibbeline parties, lotsa goodies there!!

I will post an Update when we start our 1st session, got a final WHFRP session before then.

Thanks for sorting me out!

Paka
05-19-2005, 06:06 PM
Good luck finishing up your Warhammer game and I can't wait to hear how it goes as you and your players sink your teeth into the Vault.