Umbrage Saga

The Worlds of Aihrde (Erde), Inzae, their history, game play and more.
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Snoring Rock
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Umbrage Saga

Post by Snoring Rock »

Ok so for the 50th time I am considering starting a campaign in Aihrde. The only logical starting place must be the Blacktooth Ridge.

I am reading it, I have the boxed set that starts with A0 Rising Knight. The story and back ground is great, but I am thinking about playing this. I can make notes and shorthand type stuff, and even highlight monster stats, NPC details and other MUST do stuff.

Does anyone else have any tricks for making game play smooth and not getting tripped up on all of the fluff? I do not want to get caught stopping to read in game.

Suggestions?

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Buttmonkey »

I usually hand-draw the dungeon map and write down on the new map what is in each room (just monsters and traps and maybe important room features (like "magic well" or something). That saves time when playing, especially when noise is made and you want to figure out what is nearby that might respond.

Read the module at least twice.

Reread any rules you tend to forget. For me, it's the grappling/wrestling rules. I can never remember those, so I try to read them over before each session. I also like to reread the turning rules. Someday, I will be smart and make a cheat sheet with that info on it in shorthand form, but until then, I reread.

I can't think of anything specific to A0 or the Umbrage Saga modules. If there are NPC and faction relationships you are struggling to keep straight, you may want to do a cheat sheet on those.
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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Snoring Rock »

These all seem reasonable to me. Re-drawing the map is a great idea! I struggle with the sheer amount of info in these modules as compared to the bare-bones gritty stuff like old school JG stuff.

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Re: Umbrage Saga

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Snoring Rock wrote:These all seem reasonable to me. Re-drawing the map is a great idea! I struggle with the sheer amount of info in these modules as compared to the bare-bones gritty stuff like old school JG stuff.
??

I run Judges Guild stuff, in fact I am currently running Tegal Manor, TONS of detailed info in those adventures!
Since its 20,000 I suggest "Captain Nemo" as his title. Beyond the obvious connection, he is one who sails on his own terms and ignores those he doesn't agree with...confident in his journey and goals.
Sounds obvious to me! -Gm Michael

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Treebore »

When you run A0 and A1 I strongly recommend using bits and pieces of Keep on the Borderlands mixed with it. They combine easily since they both have so many similar elements.
Since its 20,000 I suggest "Captain Nemo" as his title. Beyond the obvious connection, he is one who sails on his own terms and ignores those he doesn't agree with...confident in his journey and goals.
Sounds obvious to me! -Gm Michael

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Re: Umbrage Saga

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Treebore wrote:
Snoring Rock wrote:These all seem reasonable to me. Re-drawing the map is a great idea! I struggle with the sheer amount of info in these modules as compared to the bare-bones gritty stuff like old school JG stuff.
??

I run Judges Guild stuff, in fact I am currently running Tegal Manor, TONS of detailed info in those adventures!
What I mean is that there are 11 1/2 pages of history and NPC details from the front cover to the actual entrance to Baleon Nakt (1st level dungeon). Then the dungeon explanations for each room is 2-3 paragraphs, sometimes more. That is much more than Tegel Manor. Baleon Nakt has a total of 18 rooms and takes 6 1/4 pages. Imagine how thick Tegel Manor would be at that rate.

Not complaining here so much as stating the obvious. You cannot run most TLG products on the fly.

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Treebore »

Tegal Manor is 40 very dense print pages, plus about 10 more pages of maps. While I convert it on the fly, I definitely do a lot of reading before hand just to understand who and what is where on the maps. Plus I have to decide what NPC's are up to, such as the Cleric in her temple, Sir Runic Rump's full plans to dump the Manor, or clear it out, the bandits, the evil worshipers of the Faceless One, etc...
Since its 20,000 I suggest "Captain Nemo" as his title. Beyond the obvious connection, he is one who sails on his own terms and ignores those he doesn't agree with...confident in his journey and goals.
Sounds obvious to me! -Gm Michael

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Re: Umbrage Saga

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Treebore wrote:
..., the evil worshipers of the Faceless One, etc...


Who are now all dead thank you very much ! :lol:

I do agree with SR though. The TLG adventures I have read and thought about running need to be read and reread a few times just to start to grasp who is doing what and what are the underlying / behind the scenes events/effects etc etc etc. That isn't a complaint though, I like it being that detailed and 'realistic'
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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Treebore »

Lurker wrote:
Treebore wrote:
..., the evil worshipers of the Faceless One, etc...


Who are now all dead thank you very much ! :lol:

I do agree with SR though. The TLG adventures I have read and thought about running need to be read and reread a few times just to start to grasp who is doing what and what are the underlying / behind the scenes events/effects etc etc etc. That isn't a complaint though, I like it being that detailed and 'realistic'
Well, my point is, even with Judges Guild stuff, if you take that small, tightly packed print, and made it as big and spaced out as TLG modules are, the Judges Guild material would be even MORE than what is in TLG adventures. Reprint Tegal Manor TLG style and it would easily become an 80 to 100 page module. Maybe even 120 pages or more. In Tegal Manor there are over 100 NPC's I have to know about, ahead of time. Then there are all the rooms of the Manor, even if they don't have a monster in them, special "events" can occur. Glory Hole was similarly complex, and I think has a similar page count.


So what I am getting at is that maybe some JG adventures are easier to run than some C&C modules, but it certainly isn't so with all of them.
Since its 20,000 I suggest "Captain Nemo" as his title. Beyond the obvious connection, he is one who sails on his own terms and ignores those he doesn't agree with...confident in his journey and goals.
Sounds obvious to me! -Gm Michael

Grand Knight Commander of the Society.

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Lurker »

I guess I need to clarify, I'm not arguing which has more info, which is bigger, which has more back ground info the DM needs to have.

I was trying to agree with needing to read and reread the module (also I guess it helps if I properly say who I agree with = BM's original post).

After our combat the other night in the cave, and seeing the bad guys I'm sure the rest of the module is packed full of info you have to track. Just as is some of the TLG modules

In short, I was trying to complement both not compare contrast any one of them (and of course the skills and prepwork needed by a DM to run them in a way that they deserve).
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Re: Umbrage Saga

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Snoring Rock wrote:Ok so for the 50th time I am considering starting a campaign in Aihrde. The only logical starting place must be the Blacktooth Ridge.

I am reading it, I have the boxed set that starts with A0 Rising Knight. The story and back ground is great, but I am thinking about playing this. I can make notes and shorthand type stuff, and even highlight monster stats, NPC details and other MUST do stuff.

Does anyone else have any tricks for making game play smooth and not getting tripped up on all of the fluff? I do not want to get caught stopping to read in game.

Suggestions?
I would say, just follow the Rising Knight lead. Don't worry about Aihrde and all the other details for now. Certainly read RK once or twice until you feel comfortable. And remember, you can do anything ~ which means, ignore anything you don't wish to have in the game or limit which stuff you don't want use. Also, you can restrict information as you begin, so as to not overwhelm yourself or your players. Add it later, if necessary . . or not.

This adventure is a fantastic beginning, IMO to any game.

Enjoy!

Rhu. :)
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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by tylermo »

Agreed. Rising Knight is fantastic. LOVE IT!

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Michael Montalto »

Advice? I have some advice.

Make certain that the players make Gritznak pay with his life!

-mM

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by tylermo »

True, Michael.

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Michael Montalto »

My 9 year old was so happy when he went down. He was BEAMING with pride. "Dad! We totally just killed the boss! Now we're gonna take his head back to Malforten and earn some respect!"

LOL

-mM

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Rigon »

Michael Montalto wrote:My 9 year old was so happy when he went down. He was BEAMING with pride. "Dad! We totally just killed the boss! Now we're gonna take his head back to Malforten and earn some respect!"

LOL

-mM
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Re: Umbrage Saga

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Michael Montalto wrote:My 9 year old was so happy when he went down. He was BEAMING with pride. "Dad! We totally just killed the boss! Now we're gonna take his head back to Malforten and earn some respect!"

LOL

-mM
So, when does he find out that Gritznak was *not* the Boss?

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by tylermo »

Good point, mmbutter, but let the kid have his well-earned moment of glory. :)

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Greyblade »

Quick question = are there plans for a complete Umbrage saga book once the last episode is out? Something like a Kickstarter for a deluxe edition with maps, etc... something like that?
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Re: Umbrage Saga

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I just had a couple friends and our boys roll up characters to take a crack at Rising Knight, this being the first time I've ever GM'd a game. I've been trying to figure out how big Malforten is in terms of population. I don't think it's in there...anyone have any ideas?

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Rigon »

Not having access to my book and going off of memory from several years ago, I think it was around 100-150. A very small hamlet.

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Re: Umbrage Saga

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Rigon wrote:Not having access to my book and going off of memory from several years ago, I think it was around 100-150. A very small hamlet.

R-
Thanks, Rigon. Are the cities/towns outlined in any of the core books or Codex of Aihrde? I've been looking and haven't found it yet if they are.

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Treebore »

Fosco wrote:
Rigon wrote:Not having access to my book and going off of memory from several years ago, I think it was around 100-150. A very small hamlet.

R-
Thanks, Rigon. Are the cities/towns outlined in any of the core books or Codex of Aihrde? I've been looking and haven't found it yet if they are.
Technically, any location is as big or small as you want it to be. It is small, so don't give specific numbers, just describe it in smaller terms, "You see a couple of dozen people working about the village, hanging clothes, grinding wheat, patching clothes, shoeing a horse..." things like that. The picture you paint for their mental imagery is far more important than hard numbers.
Since its 20,000 I suggest "Captain Nemo" as his title. Beyond the obvious connection, he is one who sails on his own terms and ignores those he doesn't agree with...confident in his journey and goals.
Sounds obvious to me! -Gm Michael

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Fosco »

Treebore wrote:
Fosco wrote:
Rigon wrote:Not having access to my book and going off of memory from several years ago, I think it was around 100-150. A very small hamlet.

R-
Thanks, Rigon. Are the cities/towns outlined in any of the core books or Codex of Aihrde? I've been looking and haven't found it yet if they are.
Technically, any location is as big or small as you want it to be. It is small, so don't give specific numbers, just describe it in smaller terms, "You see a couple of dozen people working about the village, hanging clothes, grinding wheat, patching clothes, shoeing a horse..." things like that. The picture you paint for their mental imagery is far more important than hard numbers.
Thanks! Good advice!

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Tadhg »

Fosco wrote:I just had a couple friends and our boys roll up characters to take a crack at Rising Knight, this being the first time I've ever GM'd a game. I've been trying to figure out how big Malforten is in terms of population. I don't think it's in there...anyone have any ideas?

Good luck, hope everyone enjoys the module. It's the one I started with for my daughter, friend and nephews. It's well written and has lots of great stuff.

I'm remembering when I ran it (whoa - about 10 years ago - holy cats does time fly) - the module mentions that there are 40 men in the militia. So, I figured mebbe half of them are married and mebbe half of those have 1-2 children. Then there are the important persons listed and figure some visitors, so you can really decide what size works for you.

I went with about 125, so Rigon is right on and what Treebore said is very valuable.

Enjoy the game,

Rhu. :)
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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by Fosco »

Thanks, Rhu.

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by arcanechimera »

I've got to put my players in The Vargolg which is a dungeon in Blacktooth Ridge. The thing is they're a little tougher than the goblins in there. Any idea where I can get stats on a goblin shaman or something like that?

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Re: Umbrage Saga

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arcanechimera wrote:I've got to put my players in The Vargolg which is a dungeon in Blacktooth Ridge. The thing is they're a little tougher than the goblins in there. Any idea where I can get stats on a goblin shaman or something like that?
Hmm, shamans are mentioned in the goblin description in the M&T, but no stats. So, perhaps you can use the MT hobgoblin stats and downgrade them somewhat to fit a lesser powered shaman.

:)
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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by arcanechimera »

I talked to Go0gleplex about in in the KOTC chat. I'm going to basically make a 3rd level cleric but use the stats and hit die of a goblin x 3 levels.

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Re: Umbrage Saga

Post by slimykuotoan »

I'm adding extra clues for the players to have in order to link things together. That way they'll travel where there's adventure.

And since I'm using Rising Knight, and adding clues there, entering Botkinburg will be completely optional.
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