RE: (TFT) word value

[paleryder1@verizon.net]

David,

I guess I don't understand the nature of the issue you're addressing.
Your examples seem to argue for creative environments with good story
lines. I agree.  Are you saying that DM's can get players to not focus
on character development, at least the fine, granular details, by
getting them to focus on the story and the setting? I would agree that
players have opted to focus on the details because that is offered in
many rule sets and  there is a tendency to use the fine details to
min/max the characters because "everybody wants to win". I don't know if
a better scenario would solve this problem. If the clubs are in the bag,
the golfer is going to use the best one for the job. Are you saying that
TFT's level of detail allows for a better game because there's less
detail in character development to manipulate? Sorry, I'm a little
dense.

Aidan



>

> Aidan


Here are 3 examples.

description (difficulty)

The double entendre (basic)

The community as enchantment (medium)

A sense of broken justice (complex)



The double entendre (basic)

B B  memetic formula: something = something.

B B B B  This is the approach of having zombies represent pollution, magic
items
represent membership in the upper class, or a horse represent
independence and
adulthood. These are just some examples. Take for instance the gold
medal.
While it represents a triumph and an accomplishment in the face of
fearce
competition, it can also represent the achievement of a bit of fame.
Similarly
in TFT one can run a campaign where any possession of gold represents an
attendant level of fame.

B B B B  This motivates and enlivens almost every aspect of the rules. Now
Dwarves
crave gold because they are status conscious, and thus probably will not
take
insult lightly. One method of deployment could be that early in the game
almost no one is famous, and each land is know for the dragon that
controls
and rules over it. I'm sure you see where this is going.

B B B B  But in your campaign it can stand for anything. Gold, and the
possession
of it can stand for crime & evil, and the only way to cleanse it is to
liberate it and give it to the poor. Gold could also stand for the
responsibility of a military leader to his community of merchants, with
you
and your soldiers guarding their every caravan and sea journey.
I trust you get the idea.


The community as enchantment (medium)

B B B B  memetic formula: something = something + somepeople.

B B B B  The motive for a community to come together and share their
identity is
the magic item wielded by their leader. For instance a small mercenary
force
around their captain who wields a +1 weapon with dark vision. Anyone who
takes
possession of that weapon becomes the leader of that force. Conversely
it is
not "just a +1 weapon with dark vision" but it is also a complete
mercenary
force.

B B B B  Each individual enchantment can tell it's own story by the people
it is
made out of, and it is wizards who actually make all communities. A
cursed
sword of possession that is tied to a gang of silver slimes. The wielder
is
told where to go and who to kill by the silver slimes, who go along to
blast
all opposition. An amulet vs drunkenness of hobbits. Where ever the
wielder
goes hobbits show up insisting they "buy you a pint", or "slip off to
the
tavern." Thus building up your tolerance.

B B B B  This is a little more difficult because matching the logic of the
enchantment to make up of the community is best done with a bit more
planing,
where as a double entendre can be made up on the spot. Each enchantment
has a
number of weeks to make, and a strength per week required. Consequently
I
recommend one village per week required, with an adult population at
least
that of the strength required. There is also consideration given to the
required components, if any.
I recommend that all enchantments currently being worked on be large
outdoor
social events, news of which travels across the land. Old Mad Merlin is
building a dock and has

B B B B  called together ten captains, with their ships, something large is
brewing. Or, everyone around this town is an animal handler with tamed
wolves.
The wizards guild here sells wolf gems. If you can survive the reaction
rolls
to get in that is.

B B B B  Hopefully you can see the ramifications of this require a bit more
planning to deal with.

The sense of broken justice (complex)

B B B B  memetic formula: something = someplace + something + somepeople.

B B B B  This in not just a weapon armor enchantment, or a lesser
enchantment.
These are the greater enchantments and the size an complexities of the
villages they are made of necessitate that they have a capitol city,
sacred
grove, or field of glory where the ritual of receiving the new
enchantment can
be performed.

B B B B  There is not enough space here to do this subject justice so I will
just
represent it will some played out cliches and trust that you will see
the
pattern. The symptom that the wizards guild is ready for a new leader is
usually played out by rumors and whispers. Also multiple complex
enchantments
are detailed out in advance so if and when a player achieves an item
they have
someone else to fight against.

B B B B  "Something is wrong in the land." "They say the king has gone mad."
"Everyone who enters the cursed sea is never heard from again." "Every
year
the people land offer sacrifice to a demon." "Just as soon a merchant
grows
beyond six wagons, a dragon shows up and devours him." I'll stop here
confident that you are familiar with this kind of campaign.
My island campaign of Branya is a magic ring of invisibility. It has
four
other enchantments of great power. Every enchantment is self powered.
Consequently the island is populated by five entire cities, of very
different
peoples. In twenty eight years of running the campaign only three people
have
ever actually gotten to wear the ring.

B B B B  In order those are Opus the boat slayer, who was sent into pick up
the
item by Glens Mohamed who was actually too terrified to pick it up
himself.
Eric Akbe who murdered his way through prootwaddles to finally achieve
it at
the behest of his patron demon. And Mr White who traveled through time
gates,
defeated armies, developed his own chain of scroll factories to do it.

B B B B  I hope you are now having some ideas of your own.

B B B B  Now I have alluded to all of this before back in 2001. Ty Beard
asked for
ideas for his Scifi TFT campagin Swords in space. He seemed to really
love the
space port bar called "the belly ache" where some of the best of the old
west
style brawls have erupted. The "Screaming Buddhists" an anti-terrorist
religion. Who get exp for taking damage. And "The Rabid Puppies" A
street
gang, of young punks about 6-8 in age.

B B B B  http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0101/msg00082.html
<http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0101/msg00082.html> B 
<http://tft.brainiac.com/archive/0101/msg00082.html>

B B B B  As you can see, this approach makes for unforgettable role playing.
Magic
items are fewer, but more powerful at the same time. Greater wizards a
community builders. And the GM always knows where every single magic
item in
the game is, and it has word value.


David Michael Grouchy II


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