Found this, but not what I was looking for.

I was in search of the piece that was written for the back cover of the Second Edition book. I have not found it, but I found this.

I keep writing story snippets and never know what to do with them, so here it is.

 

Proper Stranger, by Mark Ellis Harmon

I saw the kid coming, he was surprisingly good for a youngster. He was a little scrawny, but he had potential. Redhead, slight beard starting, and a nasty sword affixed to his back. I kept my eyes closed and waited to see what he would do. I heard the blade leave the sheath.

The kid finally spoke: "All right old man, don't move, or I will take your head off and put it on my belt."

I could not help it, I was impressed with his brass. "Ok, you got the jump on me, what do you want?"

"I want to know where that Dragon went. He flew this way yesterday, and I want him. He burned my hamlet, killed my master, and I owe him something. I need to pay the dragon what he deserves."

Now I am revising my thinking, this kid is just plain mad. "When you find the brute, what are you planning on doing? You do realize how big and nasty that one is."

"Yea, but that does not matter. I have a surprise for him. I am going to look the son of a bitch right in the eye, and let him have it."

"So you think you can kill a dragon?"

The kid looked me straight in the eye and spoke. "Hell no! I want to thank him for killing the necro and setting me free. Besides, he is my dad.. I want to breath fire too."

I smiled, This one was going to be a good kid.

Pre Convention Postings continue

We are starting with the Gamemaster and the Dragon in our Second Edition Book and cards, but that does not mean we are forgetting about the other shifter races. To prove that I am posting our Beta Werewolf material on the Downloads page for people to take a look at. Plus, I am going to post the Get to Know your Werewolf notes right here.

Get to Know your Werewolf.

©Susan Van Camp and Mark Ellis Harmon

 

Werewolf Design Notes:

These notes are based on the Beta cards and are not yet finalized.

 

Werewolf Forms that could be "Adopted" by other shifter races:

Dog Form, Fox Form, Wolf Form, Human Form.

 

Werewolf Senses:

The Werewolf cards focus on the sense of Smell. For Sight, sound and touch skills the Werewolf can learn the Perception Anchor and add those. The Perception Anchor bonus of +2 would apply to Distinguish Scent and Keen Nose.

 

Werewolf Form Enhances:

Note that these may only be used when the Werewolf has activated his/her werewolf senses by shifting into any form, including human. A bit odd, that human inclusion, but we are dealing with werewolves.

These Enhances do not have to be played when the werewolf first shifts, they may be combined at a later time. It increases their flexibility. Watch the timing duration of these when you activate them. Leap Away and Regenerate only last about five minutes ( C ). That means ten rounds. In regenerating after a combat that amounts to 10d6 healing.

 

Werewolf Role-Playing cards:

Distinguish Scent, Keen Nose, Distinguish Scent, Werewolf Hunt, Canine Empathy, Wolf Stalking and Sense Location all have serious role-playing potential.

This means we expect that the players will want to use any, or all, of these in creative ways during adventures. We endorse stretching the rules, and even ignoring the rules to play unique uses. The GM will, of course, determine the results, difficulty and uses using the 3.4 GM ability.

 

Howl of Rage:

Howl of Rage cards are tied to the forms of the Werewolf. You can always use smaller Howls, but not the larger. That really does mean that a Prime Werewolf can do all three in a round, if they have enough "things" to perform them.

The Classic Howl of Rage is still a valid card. We will not be creating special rules to deal with specific cards. We expect players to use their cards within the spirit of the game as a fun role-playing game. Carrying the Classic Howl and two of the new Howls will be common for higher CP characters.

 

Werewolf Slashes:

These cards are tied to the size of forms. We expect players to be able to play any of these to support other cards like Channel Healing, no matter what form they are in. These qualify as STR Enhancing cards.

 

Summon Cards:

Gamemasters will need to work with players on these cards. Some players will want to be able to Summon all three and use three Boon slots to do so. Other players will want to carry just the most powerful Summoned Wolf available. GM's are encouraged to use 3.4 to allow characters to drop the earlier Boons and have just one, if that fits the character's personality.

Note that a Summoned creature uses two IUK per round. That means that they get a Movement and an Action each round and the character summoning them has eight "things" they can do in a round. They are most commonly seen when the character is playing Solo, or in a small party, or when the character needs the extra attack.

 

What are "Special Items" mentioned on forms?

Players have an interesting way of claiming to use ropes, saddle bags, belt pouches and belts to create gear for their dogs. We left this vague so that players and GM's would feel free to improvise. Good place to use a homemade proxy.

 

Classic cards and the Werewolf:

Taking a quick scan of the cards it looks like only Slash and Fangs of the Wolf are Enhances and everything else requires a "thing" to activate them. As far as (IUK) requirements of Classic cards, we leave that in the hands of the players and GM. Do what feels right and fair.

 

Werwolf Background overview:

Werewolves have been recorded throughout written history, so they have been a known Mortal shifter for a long time.

Most werewolves are Human Werewolves, but everything is possible.

Throughout history Dragon Clans used Werewolves as a "police" force because they can speak and use items. The legends of Werewolf raids, and their visual similarity to wakana, make mortals "nervous" of them, at best.

Werewolves are best known as nasty melee fighters, getting up close and personal with their enemies. Werewolves can, like everyone else, be magic users, scribes and anything else, but they are known as warriors.

 

Werewolf Sizes:

Players will want to take these in to account when they hear the description of spaces available as the GM describes them. If you have any doubt about forms you can use, ask your GM, be sure to include your size in the request to help the GM decide.

Standard Werewolf. 6'3" to 6'9" tall. 200 to 250 lbs weight.

Greater Werewolf. 7'3" to 7'9" tall. 275 to 325 lbs weight. Great Avatar's add another foot in height to account for the wing tips.

Prime Werewolf. 8'3" to 8'9" tall. 350 to 400 lbs weight.

As we approach Second Edition a few hints at random

The new rules will have several appendixes, and below you will find two. This one is dear to everyone's hearts as it concerns using Classic cards in Second Edition and rules adjustments.

With Marcon coming up this weekend, I thought it best to start answering questions now.

Classic cards and Second Edition:

 

Classic cards are happily accepted in Second Edition. There are a few cards that will need to be watched, but they blend well.  Players are expected to use common sense and the spirit of Dragon Storm to play nicely. If a GM determines that you are abusing the game, being unfair to other players, or have no common sense, they will ask you to stop using some cards in their games.

 

1. Banned cards: Make it Independent.

 

2. Modified Cards:

Dispel Magic: Limit one per round.

Teleport: Limit One per round.

Dual Strike, Dual Action, Defend and Cast, Slice and Slide, etc.: May not be combined with any cards. They now stand alone.

 

3. Either Or Cards. Use Classic Anchors and cards or Second Edition Anchors, but not both. You can mix and match from the list. As an example you could use Classic Masteries and Second Edition Scouting.

Classic Cards Second Edition

Weapon Masteries or Warrior, Archer sets.

Perception or Perception Set

Scouting Anchor or Scouting set

Knowledge Cards or Philosopher set

Language Cards or Linguist Set

Familiar Cards or Companion Set

Bloodline Cards or Bloodline sets

Form Affinity Boon or Form Affinity Anchor

 

 

4. "Way Of" cards. A Character may acquire one different Way Of card at Lifeline 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18. These will eventually reappear in Second Edition.

 

5.  What is an Enhance card?
Enhance cards must be combined with an Action, Movement or Independent. They improve your contest number. They do not count as "things" when counting ten things.

When using Classic cards apply this test to see if a card is an Enhance:
Does the card stand on its own, or must it be played in combination with another card to work? If it stands alone it requires a "thing" to use it. An example is Good Moves. It stands alone, it costs a "thing" to play it. Those that can not stand alone, like Dragon Claws and Boosted Moves, are Enhancements and do not cost a "thing" to play.

While we may have opinions on these cards, the final judgement is between you and your GM and how you are using the card. If you need to contrive a sophisticated argument for a card to be an Enhance rather than a "thing", it is probably not an Enhance, it requires a "thing" to use it.

 

6. Dropping Bloodkin Cards:

We are dropping the Bloodkin cards and folding them into the other racial cards and Anchors. We do not think using Classic Bloodkin cards will affect game balance. Go ahead and use them.

 

7. New, more powerful Forms.

Second Edition shifter forms are more powerful than Classic Forms. We recommend that you change them over by buying the new forms or by making Proxies of the new forms.

 

8. Classic Character Cards.

Classic Character cards, including commissioned cards, are Second Edition ready, use them.

 

9. Storm Rider Guild Cards.

We accept them in Second Edition, but you are always limited by the ten "things" rule.

 

10. Grandfathering card changes.

Any Warden/GM will be glad to help you replace Classic cards with Second Edition cards. There is no time limit. There is also no requirement that you change, just play within the DS framework and you will be fine. You may only want to use the new cards with new characters.

 

11. Cards with changes between Classic and Second Edition.

A number of cards have moved from Universal into an Anchor, had stat changes or have new guides for use. We will not be doing card by card rules. In most cases just use the card you have. In the other cases, use your own sense of fair play. If the GM wants to read the card, hand it to her, she can apply 3.4 if she wants. You may want to bring chocolate to sooth the GM.

 

 

 

Overview of Rules changes between Classic and Second Edition.

 

1. Each player is limited to "ten" things per round.

Action and Movement may be performed without a card, however, all additional "things" require a card to be played to access them.

 

2. Terrible Two.

A natural roll of two on a 2d6 roll is always a failure. No, you can not get out of it.

 

3. Exploding Dice.

When rolling 2d6 a 10, 11 or 12 explodes. Roll again and add the result. Yes, the second roll may also explode. A Terrible Two stops exploding dice, but does not negate the result.

 

4. Characteristics may only be added to a single roll once.

You may only add STR, COR, SPD, or WIS once to a roll, no matter what the combined cards say.

 

5. We have defined Enhance cards.

Cards like Dragon Claws did not have their own term, they do now.

 

6. We dropped the term Ace.

Cards are now Enhance, Independent, Action or Anchor instead of being lumped together.

 

7. Magic Items and Terrible Two.

When a magic Item has a related Terrible Two it misfires. That means it drains and needs serious repair. Your GM will happily decide what you must do. In general a week in Od will do the job of repair.

Yes, there are some updates!

Susan and I will be in Columbus for Marcon next weekend. The last couple of Cons have been excellent for sales, but they have trimmed our art print supplies. I spent a long weekend getting prints and badges created for the show.

I have posted a series of PDF's on the Downloads page for Second Edition. You can check them out here. The actual changes between Classic are few, but significant. I am really excited about the new "stuff" we will be able to do with the changes in place.

The GM cards are getting a handy overhaul. Now you get to create your own landscapes in ways that could not be done before. This way you can create areas that really are chaotic, new and fantastical. You have more freedom in showing what those nasty Dragon Storms have done to the world. Speaking of Dragon Storms, there is a whole set of cards you can use to build your very own Dragon Storm. Don't forget to add a couple of warp features to the storm, gotta keep the players on their toes.

I did get the weekly Familiar Place posted.  It was rather late in the day, oh well. I got backed up here at the Secret Clanhold.

Now, I need to spend a few hours getting the final edit done on the rules, I will be able to do the layouts as soon as Sue finishes the cartoons for the book.

For now, Good Night and Good Gaming!

Updated Great Change Forms

We have just about finished the update of the Great Change forms.

The PDF's are on the downloads page. Scroll down and you will find them.

The first major adjustment has been the increase in card points for Greater and Prime forms. The second adjustment is that the Greater forms now require the character to have the Seeker Lifeline to take them and the Primes require the Seasoned Lifeline before they may be taken.

We are working on hammering out the Form Affinity set of cards as several of them affect form selection. The Form Enhancement cards also effect form usage and will be in the second Valarian set. Just use the current ones until we get their.

That is it for now. Good night and Good gaming.

Weekend Round Up

I am slowly recovering, but my work time is still limited.

I got an updated Second Edition FAQ on-line. It includes several questions about how to deal with Classic cards and Characters in Second Edition. You can read it here.

I have also updated the Classic Dragon Storm page. I added PDF's for the Dragon Storm and Kanchaka cards. These are made directly from the original press sheets, so they are awkward, but they are available. If you have other requests, be sure to let me know. I will do the best I can to put it together. Check out the growing Classic collection here.

Everything else I have been doing is mundane prep work for the Second Edition release and supporting Sue's Art business.

Good Night and Good Gaming!