FaeCraft Sample Characters

Below are a few characters from FaeCraft that can be dropped into any game. They are presented in different ways to showcase different playstyles and systems. All were generated using the Procedural Character generation system included in the book! 

What does it all mean?!? Stay tuned!

Puff

Ibex Fae Dreamer, 4th Level

HP 23

Proficiency: 3

DreamCraft Abilities: Threadwork

Skills: Light Armor, Appraisal, Jump

DreamCraft Powers: Alter Memory, Dream Step, Healing, Tug

Fae Abilities: Shape Shift (Ibex), Pierce Veil, Herd Step

Possessions: WhisperSledge, Memory Net, Leather Armor

Boots

SkinCraft Giant Fae Bear

AC as chain | HD 7 | Att: Spear +3, Hurl Boulder +3 (4D6), Bellow (Frighten)

• 19 Ft. tall/long

• Fae Abilities: Shape Shift (Bear), Pierce Veil, Hunter's Step

• Shapechange to a Crocodile when in running water

• Giantcraft: Twist the Land, Long Sleep

• As Crocodile: Fearsome Strength, Night Vision

• Skills (+3): Sailing, Sneak/Hide, Medium Armor

• Vulnerable to Darts, Slings etc

Rez

Small Mouldcrafter

Three Sparrows and a Bat live in a grotto near the Old Mill. Polite entreaties for concoctions of mushrooms and magical tourniquets will avoid barrages of flying debris and debilitating fogs of drowsiness. Negotiations and transactions are always handled by a small servant of stone and knotted vines. With time and the offering of arcane trinkets, more powerful concoctions of mold-laden insects may be unveiled.

Salt Palace West-March-Dungeon-Crawl

So, I've been at this gaming thing a while and thought I would start up a classic dungeon crawl that harks back to the games of my misspent youth. A massive dungeon, a mega dungeon, mysteries untold and perched on the edge of the darkness and possibility is a wee village, a safe place to return to, a haven, and a place to resupply. 

Every time we play it is a new group, they form in the village, stock up, decide their destination and head down into the ice caves, the eponymous Salt Palace. Each game they push a little farther, uncover a little bit more, dig into secrets, scrape up treasure, amass experience, and then return to the village. The story is evolving.

They are casual games, ones where people can play as they wish, can drop in, can play regularly, see old friends, and make new ones. The makeup of the group changes constantly, and it doesn't matter your level, your experience, your familiarity, or any of that. You're there for the play! As for mechanics: a streamlined rule set, Knave and CraftWork, virtual play, minimal props, dice and pencil and paper.

Let me know if you want more details! I'm happy to share any and all of it.

That Vision Thing

Continuing the thread of contemplation on vision loss, blindness, and gaming, I posted a comment on a Sly Flourish YouTube video about being a blind DM. It was in response to another commenter who was curious about what that was like. Here is what I said...

'I am a blind DM as well. Lots of description, theater of the mind, players owning the dice rolls, and probably not too different from many tables with or without disabilities. Since I started as a DM in the mid-70s, I have constantly adjusted my style, aids, props etc, as we all do, and as I have lost vision, the adjustments continue.'

I have written about my play aids and so forth, but in essence It has been a slow reduction of the footprint of stuff at my end of the table. Some of what is driving this is philosophical or stylistic shifts, but the bigger driver is vision loss. Without the loss of vision would I have changed my approach to the same degree? 

My relationship with, and reluctant acceptance of, the visual constraints of my disability is complicated. How can I keep doing what I love, cooking, gaming, walking, doing things with family etc in ways that are not visually dependent? There is a shifting constellation of letting go, adoption, adaptation, denial, and stubbornness. Finding success and continuity in one area seems to translate into confidence and acceptance in other areas. My adaptations In my choices and approach to gaming seem to leak into other areas of my life, building patterns for continuity and confidence. 

FaeCraft in Design Land!

A quick update to let folks know that FaeCraft is off in the capable hands of the Designer for the series, Matt, with all text completed, proofed (hah!), and major design and layout decisions discussed. This is very exciting!

When Matt and I met for the handoff, one thing he asked was, 'So, is there a third book in the series?' Hah, not yet! But as soon as I got the weekend under my belt I started noodling around with a new volume. Stick around and we'll see what happens...

Exodus: Movement of Minis

Losing vision over time is a process of letting go, and this week was another milestone: terrain and figures moved out. All the  GW armies and bitz left in the fall, and Infinity and Warmahordes departed yesterday. The bulk of bulky terrain was binned, and all my paints, basing supplies, and terrain making were divvied up by friends who will make better use of It than I. 

Each departure is an emotional mix of resignation and resolution and reality. The reality of knowing I can't see to paint, all grey clouds and shattered light, and can't see to play any table without high contrast and minimal terrain. I suppose I am resigned to this ever-changing reality, hopefully moving towards acceptance but that seems to lag behind. The resolve is all around actually putting stuff in a box and moving it to its next location!

I try to meditate on the past, on the building of practice, the presence of mind, the rich hours of collaboration and play, the game. Thinking about money, or time lost, or what if or maybe someday isn't particularly helpful, and drives me towards an unhealthy nostalgia and a lingering pile of dusty boxes.

So, any words of wisdom or anything? I suppose, be honest with yourself and be gentle. Let go of it, but not before you're ready. Are a couple of trays of figures really taking up that much space? When was the last time you actually were able to use them? What is the chance that you will use them again? Maybe save a couple, ones with brighter colors, distinctive shapes or silhouettes, or those few that you remember from that game or that night you painted with friends, those are the ones to keep.

FaeCraft Ahead!

FaeCraft is just about to head to Matt, the designer, after a vicious cycle of editing. Words, phrases, charts, tables, and characters all trimmed, skimmed, and slimmed. It looks to be about 40 pages, so a little shorter than CraftWork, but it feels more packed with procedure.

It has been a more deliberate and focused process, with a lot of lessons learned from the first volume, including collaborative design processes, bookmaking, front loading content decisions, etc. All great stuff that eases the production, smoothes communication, and, I think, reduces cost. 

It is probably overstated, but there is a lot to be said for an iterated, single product oriented, and bounded growth process of learning new things in a low stakes environment. There is a range of possible models, a lot of room for creativity, and a welcoming and accepting audience. That isn't true in so many places!

I am very excited to see it coming to fruition!

Grognard Gripes

Okay, so everyone loves an old gamer griping. I don't usually get irritated about gaming history or generalizations, but I was listening to a podcast wherein the duo were describing how early games didn't have long lived characters, strong stories, or developed campaigns. They were outlining how these came along in the 80's, with the change attributed to the proliferation of more robust campaign products.

Well, no. 

We were playing long-running , narrative and character-driven campaigns shortly after 1975. As I have written in other posts, our experience was probably outside of the norm, but definitely not isolated. Were we playing or using published scenarios? No. Were we playing in large organized groups? No. Was our style of play something we saw other folks doing? Not really, but the nodes of gamers related to our node all played in similar fashions.

I think that enough folks were playing in this way that the popular and commercial expression of this style of play emerged as something viable by the late 70s. Perhaps this playstyle influenced the creation of more narrative and campaign driven games, like Call of Cthulhu, and then filtered back to mainstream Dungeons and Dragons. 

"And get off my lawn!" 😉