(TFT) Had to share

["David Michael Grouchy II" <david_michael_grouchy_ii@hotmail.com>]

> From: Greg Wilson <Greg.Wilson@baltimore.com>
>
> Hi there.  I'd like to introduce my 8-year-old nephew
> to fantasy role-playing (he's been clamoring after
> "Dungeons & Dragons" for a while now, without really
> knowing what it is).

  Hi Greg.  Thanks for writing.  Everyone I know, who started role-playing, 
saw an increase in their math, english, and history grades.  For us in the 
late 70's public education at our jr-high was slowing to a trickle at the 
pump head, and we were thirsty for more knowledge than that.  D&D was a huge 
influence it our finding our particular fields of study early.  Astro 
physics, Polymer physics, Architecture, Political Science, Etcetera.  Now 
one has launched his own rocket carrying his team's experiment from white 
sands, NM, one works on a particle accelorator in pitsburg, one a political 
palyer in the muslim-american community, one who closed down his home 
building companies to become a high end custom cabinet maker that makes more 
money than anyone else, and one is a movie producer in hollywood who's 
worked on star treck, Kiano Revees movies, and countless comedies.
  The most important thing about D&D for us was that one person got to be 
the teacher, also known as the Dungeon Master, and our learning could 
accelerate unimpeeded.  In fact a lot of the personal style of a DM should 
give one the impression of how they would run a school, or class.  Qualities 
of a good teacher are usefull; terse wording, efficient, impartial, fair, 
and aware come to mind.  But you have already said that your nephew is 
interested, so lets move on to you taking him on an adventure.

>  I was wondering if you, or anyone
> you can point me to, has some simple scenarios (1 or 2
> hours of play for 2-3 PCs) that you could share.  I've
> got my old rule books, but have long since lost all my
> old pre-generated characters, maps, and so on.

    I do have some adventures to point you too.  But the best adventures 
are always hand made.  Take 6 first level monsters.  Roll a D6 and give one 
of them a +1 weapon.  Then fight all the monsters till only 1 is left with 
the sword.  Do this alone and keep track of their experience.  The survivor 
is your bad guy.  Now you are ready to run.  The rest is as you say 
"characters, maps, and so on."
    Try to run combat frequently and with lots of dice rolling.  This 
developes their addition and subtraction muscles.  Once they get to where 
they can read the total on a 3d6 damage without adding up the individual 
numbers, then learning for fun becomes just like breathing air.  But the 
most important thing about combat is you want to be open, inclusive, and 
give reasons why you are doing certain things.  You want to groom the nephew 
to become a DM in his own right.
    There is no greater gift you can give a student than the abilty to 
create their own world and attract their own group of players.  Peers can 
learn from each other exponentialy faster than from an older teacher.  They 
understand each others non verbal cues instantly.  And they have a thorough 
knowledge of what their friends already know, and what they don't know.

    Now for the scenarios.  These are written in a different game system 
but they are very generic and transfer easily.  If you wish to use the 
suplimental combat system for D&D that they were written for you can down 
load "Melee."  from this web page.

http://www.deiker.net/tft.html

    Melee was designed to fix the major logical flaws of the D&D combat 
system.  It shows vastly better science, logic, and consistancy than D&D 
armor class combat.  And it is simple, and much much smaller.  In fact it is 
a tiny book compared to any D&D book.

http://www.branya.com/door.htm

solo 1     2 characters
solo 2     2 characters
solo 3     3 characters

    Greg thanks again for writing, and good luck!
    David Michael Grouchy II

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