Re: [DL] First time Marshal

[balance@tubas.net]

On Thursday, August 29, 2002, at 08:13  AM, Rich Borges wrote:

> 	I had been running the d20 version but was getting frustrated with 
> the lack
> of..."character" and I have decided to run Deadlands original recipe (I
> already had a lot of the source material.) But, I was wondering if 
> there are
> any "must run" adventures and or anything that would make running the 
> game
> easier and better.

I've mostly run HOE using PEG's adventures, but I have a few of the dime 
novels for Deadlands as well. The Werewolf: The Apocalypse trilogy is a 
good series, but I'd skip it unless your characters are good role 
players AND know the basic 'concept' of Werewolf. Adios A-MiGo is a dang 
good adventure, though, and doesn't really require that much Call of 
cthulhu knowledge.I haven't run these, yet.

The Bonenanza disk Pinnacle is offering for their anniversary has some 
good ones on it as well... Since I haven't run'em i don't want to say 
too much though.

A really god suggestion from a list member whos name I can never 
remember is to run a one-shot using very stock 'normal' characters... 
Farmer, townsfolk, etc. instead of the gun bunnies, spell-tossers, and 
Persons With No Name players will generate on their own.

And then, as the suggestion goes, kill the bastards. Preferably in a 
Zombie nightmare setting as seen in dozens of movies.

The advantages are many. Everyone can see how the system works and learn 
the basics without being tempted to sue the Arcane Backgrounds and such 
that add a layer of complexity. No one will likely even have edges and 
hindrances that are too difficult. Players (and the marshal!) will have 
a chance to see how skills and aptitudes interact to make a coherent 
character, and know how to assign priorities better when they make 
long-term characters.

If you want, you could make this a prologue to a longer campaign. Go 
from the one-shot and then have the real characters as the heroes riding 
into town to sve the day. The players will probably enjoy going from he 
somewhat underpowered 'generalist' farmers and such to the more tweaked 
(and better armed) full player characters with more edges and hindrances 
that are more specialized.

This also would work well if the players are interested in a game with a 
skeleton of working for a major faction like the Agency.

> 	One more thing, I was reading about Appeasement Points. It is my 
> understand
> that a shaman would (say the night before an adventure) would ask a 
> favor,
> then conduct a ritual so he would have the favor for the next day, 
> right? I
> know it says that you can't stockpile the points, but I toke that as you
> can't just conduct rituals to generate "X" number of points to spend the
> next day on what ever favor tickles his fancy. Am I right in this
> assumption? Thanks...

As far as I remember, you gotta use'em immediately. While playable with 
the core, I'd recommend a shaman grab a copy of Ghost Dancers to learn 
about the Guardian spirit rules that can, amongst other tricks, act as 
an Appeasement battery. Hexarcana has a couple of Guardians, but I think 
it's hard to use without Ghost Dancers.

--
Brett

LORD, WHAT CAN THE HARVEST HOPE FOR, IF NOT FOR THE CARE OF THE REAPER 
MAN? (Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett)