Shadowrun
Shadowrun Play => Gamemasters' Lounge => Topic started by: James McMurray on <02-27-11/2330:36>
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I tend to go overboard when creating group newsletters for the games I run, and so here ya go (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/born_to_die.htm). It's an account of the first run for our new campaign, as well as some details on the world and a few of the PCs' contacts. The full game website is here (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/). It's got our house rules and a few links right now. Eventually it'll be fleshed out more as things get created for the game (for instance I'm sure we'll have at least one magical group in the future, probably more).
For folks who recognize the run or the artwork (or are just curious): I ran Born to Die (http://pavao.org/shadowrun/adventures/).
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I would like to look at it, but your links aren't working for me
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Strange. I had the "http://" at the front fo the links and the forum software was adding it again. They should work now.
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Our second run, or at least most of it. The team is hired to extract a scientist, but grab the wrong guy.
Mistaken Identity, part 1 (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/mistaken_identity.htm)
or the site's main page (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/)
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The second half, wherein they redeem themselves.
Mistaken Identity (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/mistaken_identity.htm) or the site's main page (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/).
It's the same page as the last update. New stuff is after the line towards the end of the "What went down" section. I also changed the format a little so I could put OOC comments in without having to break up the flow of the actual story.
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The second half, wherein they redeem themselves.
Mistaken Identity (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/mistaken_identity.htm) or the site's main page (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/).
It's the same page as the last update. New stuff is after the line towards the end of the "What went down" section. I also changed the format a little so I could put OOC comments in without having to break up the flow of the actual story.
That's an excellent, detailed run-down of events. I'm really impressed with the record keeping and extra stuff (news, external events etc) that are going into your mission notes.
Nice work :)
+1 for you!
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Thanks!
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For the curious the main page (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/)'s listing of the newsletters now includes links to the runs.
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The next part is up. It's the first in a (probably) 2 part run where the team is hired to lead a scientist past a UCAS naval blockade and into a magical anolmaly (a recurring displacement alchera).
Direct link (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/the_appearance.htm) or main site index page (http://shadowrun.colugo.org)
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Part 2 (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/the_appearance.htm) of The Appearance is up. The new stuff is what's after the long line in the middle of that page.
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Ready, Set, Gogh! (http://"shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/ready_set_gogh.html")
An elaborate plan ends before it starts thanks to a bullet in a security guard's face. Instead, car chases!
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Conflicting Interests (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/conflicting_interests.htm), in which the kidnapping of pregnant women to sell them into experimentation somehow turns ugly.
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Lt Col Garrus Shepherd
I Lol'd
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The player named him. I know its from a game, but that it. What's the joke?
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Mass Effect. The Turian.
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The second part of Conflicting Interests (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/conflicting_interests.htm) is up, in which the team steps away from the kidnapping game for a bit and insteads takes on the mob. With, um... consequences.
Oh yeah, and another fixer hires them to take out anything and everything associated with the kidnappers.
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Still lovin' it. Keep it up.
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Part 3 (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/conflicting_interests.htm) is up. Unfortunately the fight took longer than I expected, so there will be a part 4 as well.
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The last part of Conflicting Interests (http://shadowrun.colugo.org/newsletter/conflicting_interests.htm) is up. It's been a funky week, so I skimmed through the final fight instead of going blow-by-blow like I usually do. It went so fast I may end up doing that for all of the fights for now. :)
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This is an amazing site and resource. I'm loving reading about your groups adventures!
How do you keep such meticulous notes? Are you recording sessions? Is there a dedicated notetaker for the party? Are you keeping these notes AND running the game?
For "Ready, Set, Gogh!" how did you make your maps? Are these available online, and you just drew the routes on them, or did you make them yourself?
Do you keep your notes? I would love to see your notes for some of the adventures, and then compare them to what actually went down.
Please keep the site updated!
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Glad you like it! :-)
I take the notes while running, jotting down actions in combat or rough summaries of noncombat stuff. Its all in a spiral notebook though, so sharing would be difficult. :-)
The maps are cut and pasted from either Seattle 2072 or the third edition New Seattle book, can't remember which. The routes were figured out using google maps and then drawn on with paint.
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Just a thing I noticed:
I screwed up and didn't realize there were thresholds for noticing spellcasting. A stealthed caster who wreaked havoc on the group should have been much easier to see. This is a reminder to myself not to forget again.
I'm not sure how he was "stealthed"... but if it was him standing in the shadows or something where you'd need a perception vs. infiltration test to see him, I wouldn't worry about it.
I don't think the rules for "noticing spellcasting" apply to hidden persons. That rule's there to see if a person you can clearly see is casting a spell; not for a hidden person.
Spellcasting isn't a hand-gesturing arm-waving latin-speaking thing, it can be as simple as eyes squinting slightly, and that could be all there is to notice.
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Hey,
is this game still going? I love reading about your campaign!
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It's not. I was having a hard time getting into running an SR game because it was turning out to be way too mission-based and not enough story-based. The one aspect I wanted to ramp up story wise was the kid magicians and Project Icarus, but magic was the players' least favorite aspect of the system. We finished out the first run in the artifacts series and then put the campaign on indefinite hiatus.
We switched to Exalted, where the PCs are so powerful they're almost forced to drive their own stories, and the system doesn't reward a "kill it and take its stuff" mentality. You can read the 8 sessions we've done so far here (http://exalted.colugo.org/newsletter/) if you're interested. The first one "Embryo" is their rise from mere mortals to Solars (i.e. super badass kings of creation if you're unfamiliar with the setting).
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I believe the rules describe mana actually crackling and gathering near a person with spells at a high Force, the Force levels where casting is easy to notice. Like, Force 5+.
But I am not going to go dig through the books and find that :P
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The perception test to notice magic is (6 - F) So F6 and higher is easily noticable by anyone looking. The mana physically starts to manifest near you in an aura or rushing of wind. (the way I picture it). A flash of light or you know something that obviously gives away that your casting. If you cast a F1 spell good luck trying to spot it with a perception test of 5 hits. xD
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I work it as a (Magic minus Force) threshold. Makes powerful mages hold back better and unskilled mages fumbling and noticeable. A variant could be 6 plus spellcasting minus Force.