An interesting thought

    I came across an interesting post on Against the Wicked City. I want to share a snippet of it,


The idea of resolving encounters through non-violent social interaction is hardly a new one. If you look at the very earliest D&D rulebooks and adventures, they presuppose a world filled with danger which can be navigated in three ways: via combat (kill the monsters), via logical problem-solving (work out a way to rob or evade or outmanoeuvre the monsters), or via diplomacy (persuade the monsters to leave you alone, and maybe even help you out or fight your enemies for you). WotC D&D has mostly been all about the combat, whereas OSR D&D is more likely to emphasise the problem-solving, as Arnold K's eloquent discussion of 'OSR-style challenges' demonstrates; but while you're more likely to find diplomatic elements built into OSR adventures than into, say, Pathfinder modules, they're usually not accorded any kind of central role. (Maze of the Blue Medusa may be an exception, as the best way through it really is just to walk very cautiously from room to room having very strange conversations with very strange people.) If your group prefers combat and/or problem-solving to diplomacy, then that's fine: those are totally legitimate preferences, and indeed almost certainly define the majority of participants in the hobby. But I've gamed with a number of players over the years who really enjoy things like befriending goblins by swapping make-up tips ('I hear mud-brown is in this season!'), flirting with princesses, developing weird love-hate frenemy relationships with local authority figures, adopting strange outcast kids as sidekicks, and generally using social interactions with NPCs as one of the main methods through which they interacted with the game world. And if that's a mode of play which your group enjoys and wants to encourage, then I think there's a lot to be gained from building it into the game at ground-level, creating a world which is built around relationships and thus amenable to relationship-based manipulation.


You can read the whole thing here. Lots of really cool stuff besides this as well. Wander about and give dudes blog a gander. You will be rewarded.

Where I went wrong

The New World

    I know where I went wrong, and put down writing this setting. Its the setting itself. Well not the setting per say, but the expanse. I was thinking about too much. English colonies, France, Spanish, and so on. Its too much all at once.

    So I was pondering this expanse while driving about earlier. Slim it down. Maybe start with just say the Massachusetts colony. Then I thought, no keep it simple stupid. Start with focusing on a village. Start with a colonial "Homlet" so to speak. A small base of operations and then branch out. Rumors and activities in the village, that lead to other areas outside. Think more like when developing an adventure area/hex. Not, I'm gonna write this setting book. It will all come together. Ever expanding till, boom full book like, fleshed out big ole map. 

M20 "New World" backgrounds

Backgrounds for my New World M20 game, They basically take the place of races. I think it works well all together.

Background

All characters receive a one time background bonus to a skill.

Civilized Native	+1 Communication
Uncivilized Native	+1 Survival
Upper Class Towns Folk	+1 Knowledge or Communication
Lower Class Towns Folk	+1 Communication or Subterfuge
Farmer	+1 Physical
Mariner	+1 Physical or Subterfuge

In addition to the background. The player should select where they are from to determine their native language.

The mind wanders

   

    So I haven't really had any real time to game as of late. Playing, running or writing. Summers here, fun stuff, and work have taken over a bit. But I've had a couple ideas rolling around in my head. Mainly focused on a mythical colonial america. Which caused me the other night to look over my notes/campaign bible for a Microlite 20 game I wrote a long time ago. Yes, another half written project. Before you say it, yes I have a lot of them. I'm a flighty bastard that way. I suppose I'm just ready for when inspiration strikes in a particular vein. I think its good to look at things with fresh eyes now and again. I'll probably drop some snips of it here in the following days.

Hawaiian Noir Antagonist

    I present an example of a villain I plan on using in a session. Though villain is probably a strong word. Everyone is a bit grey hazy. It depends on how look look at them, and or the situation. But the following antagonist definitely is not a good person by any stretch.

Kupu Kahuna

S2 C2 Q2 W4 H9 D6 Mv20 
SK Dodgy (clever) 2, Lore (Clever) 3, Negotiate (Clever) 2, Intimidate (Strong) 3
Talents: Sorcery
Spells: Create Zombie, Confusion, Fear, Create Revenant, Charm, Summon

Thinking "Hawaiian Noir"

Hawaiian Noir is a 1950's hard boiled, cynical world full of crime, betrayal, and murder. Taking place in an exotic paradise. Where the the weary world's veil grows thin and darkness creeps over.

    I've been thinking a lot lately about my "Hawaiian Noir". Well that and throwing a luau in the backyard. Roast pig, and rum drinks. You really can't go wrong.
    Anyways back on topic. I've been thinking again about system. I totally have a system I've been working on for "Noir Mystery Men". It would work plenty fine for this. But I've really been enamored with Onedice from Cakebread & Walton. It really wouldn't be very hard to convert. Although convert is a pretty strong word to use here. Onedice can really be run on the fly very easily.
    So I think I'm going to run it using it. At least a one shot. Gotta get the boys together. Probably not this weekend. Being Memorial Day weekend, everyone has things going on. But hopefully soon.

A break

I had to take a brake, as of late. Life has been crazy. New content soon. I swear! Been thinking a lot about the Hawaiian Noir. Probably some new content for that.