There’s another big expansion coming out for Crusader Kings 2 on the 28th of May. So on Monday I sat down to bring myself back up to speed with the game and polish up my rusty politicking skills; several hours later, I remembered why it was that I had spent 100+ hours playing the game in the first place. CK2 is a fascinating look into the convoluted hearts of power-hungry medieval rulers, and in order to succeed you must become one yourself. I love it.
Author Archives: Henry
Opportunities vs. Obstacles
What’s the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity in an RPG? I’ve played in plenty of games where the GM laid down what they thought was an opportunity and what I thought was an insurmountable obstacle. And I’ve run games where the obstacles I created were instead interpreted as opportunities by my players. Is there any distinction at all?
An Argument for Camera Tricks
You watch the heroes as they step up to the front door of the old and abandoned house, lit only by the faint glow of the streetlights down the block. There’s a rustle, and the heroes look around them anxiously before one of them pushes open the door while the other stands watch. A few leaves obscure your vision as the camera shifts, hiding in a bush. The heroes both turn to look inside, and your view rushes forward, surging up the steps towards the heroes as they turn in shock and you…
Crown of Slaves and Torch of Freedom, by Eric Flint and David Weber
Take one of my favorite writers and give him license to contribute to the phenomenally successful Honor Harrington series, and what do you get? You get Eric Flint working with David Weber on the short-stories-turned-novels, Crown of Slaves and Torch of Freedom.
Do you like space opera? How about great characters engaged in spy games and intrigue? Or maybe true badasses going up against incredible odds? All of them? Good. I’ve got some books to recommend to you.
Story Focus: Who Gets Screen Time?
When you’re playing an RPG, which characters get screen time? Where should the focus be? How can a storyteller make sure that they’re not giving their players short shrift? Finding a good balance and learning how to give your players’ characters the focus that they deserve is an art, one that requires awareness of where your attention is at any given moment.
Monaco Steals Hearts and Minds
For those of you out there already aware of Monaco and its rave reviews, this will be very familiar. If you haven’t yet read those reviews, they’re right. At least, the ones that refer to Monaco as delightful and occasionally vindictive are. It’s a wonderful heist game that — as you keep taking — just keeps on giving. I haven’t yet finished the game, and I anticipate many more hours with it.
The Mongoliad, Book One
The Mongoliad, Book One, is the first in a series of books written by a collection of authors (Bear, Bear, Brassey, deBirmingham, Moo, Stephenson, Teppo). It is an alternate history starting in 1241 AD with brief moments of the fantastical / spiritual. They make no jokes about the devastation wrought by the Mongols, and paint a convincing portrait of medieval Europe (everything is dirty and most people are poor). It’s a quality story, with the promise of more good tales to come.
Servant of the Dragon, by David Drake
Servant of the Dragon is the third book in the epic fantasy series Lord of the Isles, written by David Drake. Published in 1999, it is a excellent sequel and addresses the few issues that I previously had with the series while continuing the better traditions of the first two books. I recommended the series before, I recommend it even more strongly now. If you want to dive into a fantasy setting built on the sunken ruins of an Atlantean past, constructed from the stones of Sumerian mythology and mortared with Greek and Roman poetry, this is the series for you.
Horror and Predetermined Outcomes
In my article on how I run a game, I mentioned that there are specific genres in which I’ll sometimes accept predetermined outcomes. I’ve most often experienced this in horror games, where both the players and the PCs know that there will be certain terrible things that happen, regardless of the actions taken by the PCs. But why does this work? How could any player enjoy knowing that their terrible doom approaches?
Short Story: Jerome Goes North
A second story in my fantastical alternate history world; this one follows Jerome at a younger age, as he travels to trade with the Northmen.
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It was one of those late summer days when the weather somehow thought it was late fall, and Jerome huddled into his wool cloak as the wind forced rain into his eyes. A truly miserable day to be riding north into the hills on a narrow and winding dirt trail. He had to manage the wagon as his team of oxen laboriously pulled it over every rut and stone they could find. The rain had soaked through to his skin several hours back, shortly after he had broken camp with his retainers, and not one of them looked comfortable. His uncle had neglected to mention anything like this.
Fistful of Wits 