tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post2761902111296295829..comments2024-03-29T06:16:21.012+08:00Comments on Monsters and Manuals: Points of DarkUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-62538530910162903622017-08-09T20:33:24.918+08:002017-08-09T20:33:24.918+08:00So you're imagining a campaign set under the T...So you're imagining a campaign set under the Trump presidency, then.Confanityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10361443460498670841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-745570938663306982017-08-09T14:35:00.127+08:002017-08-09T14:35:00.127+08:00Imagine a campaign that starts as "Points of ...Imagine a campaign that starts as "Points of Dark". As the game progresses, the darkness spreads. Institutions crumble, the Four Horsemen stalk the land. The bureaucratic troubleshooters become or are replaced by freelancers and plunderers. By the end of the campaign, it's a "Points of Light" setting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-65478538694855079872017-04-19T17:08:29.737+08:002017-04-19T17:08:29.737+08:00Nice! Make sure people know about it on G+. Sounds...Nice! Make sure people know about it on G+. Sounds great, and earlier Japanese history needs more exploration in RPGs. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-75192522582324393012017-04-19T01:08:27.749+08:002017-04-19T01:08:27.749+08:00The kebiishi and their provincial samurai allies i...The kebiishi and their provincial samurai allies in the late Heian era of Japan are also a perfect fit for a murdercrat campaign. So perfect, in fact, that I've written a whole damn RPG about it--release date TBA--although I don't use the term "murdercrat"...but I may have to change that... ;)<br /><br />Some quick details on the kebiishi and associated groups: http://bit.ly/2okfeRz<br /><br />There was a Japanese TV movie called Onmyoji that came out about 15 years ago which is set during this period, and that is roughly about what Mr. Hamlet up there is outlining: warrior-bureaucrats teaming up with a wizard to root out demon-possessed civil servants. Good stuff.David Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04133630988557116729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-62747301474491054622017-04-17T20:32:56.614+08:002017-04-17T20:32:56.614+08:00That's true. There is still a way to make sure...That's true. There is still a way to make sure the PCs retain some agency, though - you just have the PCs being given very broad commands ("Sort out the problems in that village"; "Make sure corruption in town Y is rooted out"), etc. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-64364766856992763232017-04-17T20:31:17.877+08:002017-04-17T20:31:17.877+08:00I had not considered that either, but I quite like...I had not considered that either, but I quite like it. Bureaucratic intrigue may not be a great fit for D&D though? noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-77115950007273052812017-04-17T20:06:08.123+08:002017-04-17T20:06:08.123+08:00For some strange reason, and seriously I blame my ...For some strange reason, and seriously I blame my wife for this, I'm finding it difficult to get out of my head the anime "Story of Saiunkoku." It's not a perfect fit, but the concept of "adventuring civil servant" really is part of it and the entire thing is about a young woman entering civil service and going about the task of setting to order the parts of the government that are out of order and chaotic. With a few tweaks, corrupt government officials can become government officials co-opted by demonic chaos, etc.<br /><br />Hmmm, a method of D&D I'd not really considered.Hamlethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05135081554790749914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-73187589912058043042017-04-16T06:48:18.872+08:002017-04-16T06:48:18.872+08:00The issue, of course, with this scenario (as has b...The issue, of course, with this scenario (as has been written before, this is not my idea) is that it's low on agency.<br /><br />Being this kind of enforcer tends toward a much more reactive role. You are given a task, execute it, and wait for the next task. Or if you're self-directed, you still are more reliant on the GM to cue your actions. You can hardly ignore the portal of evil that appeared outside town because you feel like taking a ship somewhere today, or something.Charles Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00941603544547428940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-69262650446646226722017-04-15T16:15:21.154+08:002017-04-15T16:15:21.154+08:00Yes, that's true. I guess Metropolis is kind o...Yes, that's true. I guess Metropolis is kind of a points of dark setting. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-46957412716619229892017-04-15T10:28:26.971+08:002017-04-15T10:28:26.971+08:00Murderator may be better than mudercrat. Not enti...Murderator may be better than mudercrat. Not entirely sure but leaning towards ator over crat.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210896592657939941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-19768970476826459692017-04-15T10:26:51.527+08:002017-04-15T10:26:51.527+08:00Interesting you should mention China... it's g...Interesting you should mention China... it's got too much geography and history to make one single generalization, of course, but as I understand it the Wuxia milieu is more similar to the "points of light" image - except that it's social rather than spatial.<br /><br />In Wuxia stories there are technically governments and police forces, but they're corrupt or impotent or distant or foreign occupiers or a combination of the above. The roads are beset by brigands, but even in the city you're not safe because that's where school rivalries and selfish/arrogant/cruel kung fu masters operate. Safety comes from the protective social umbrella of a master or lineage, from bonds of friendship and obligation and honor.<br /><br />If somebody invents an RPG system with mechanics oriented toward exciting one-on-one or small-group dueling and social interactions, then a Wuxia-flavored world would fit it perfectly, in my opinion, in the same way that dungeon crawling fits well with a mechanical system based on resource management and planning, as D&D was.<br /><br />PS. I too enjoyed the term "murdercrats." Cute.Confanityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10361443460498670841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-89638569709124531922017-04-14T19:05:06.665+08:002017-04-14T19:05:06.665+08:00Points of grey?Points of grey?noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-81044877327418794692017-04-14T19:04:31.074+08:002017-04-14T19:04:31.074+08:00Blue Rose is actually sort of along the lines I am...Blue Rose is actually sort of along the lines I am talking about I suppose, but I just don't like the particular execution of it. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-43350561774060687562017-04-14T19:03:57.024+08:002017-04-14T19:03:57.024+08:00Good call. Good call. noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-64449462972001211702017-04-14T19:03:39.888+08:002017-04-14T19:03:39.888+08:00I quite like the idea of civil servants as being l...I quite like the idea of civil servants as being like surveyors just trying to figure out what's in the realm. In a fantasy setting that could be really fun.noismshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09933436762608669966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-23831683659477369542017-04-14T15:45:58.053+08:002017-04-14T15:45:58.053+08:00If you conceptualise darkness as chaos rather than...If you conceptualise darkness as chaos rather than evil, and light as law & order,<br />The points of dark concept could be pockets of resistance (or difference) within an overbearing tyranical Order. The points of dark could be underground cults (such as early christanity within Roman empire) of old or new gods, (magic) researchers, cultural or philosphical groups or organisations of support with beliefs or activities antithetical to the greater order. These may not necessarily good or evil or seeking overthrow, but are sought out by the greater order for removal or absorption. The moral ambiguity of all this is potentially delicious. The greater order can be both good and tyranical at the same time. Noone expects the Paladins of the Spannish Inquisition. <br />K kimbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12961382206655820923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-52458043848193417882017-04-14T13:27:56.988+08:002017-04-14T13:27:56.988+08:00Blue Rose? Blue Rose? Ghasthousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07401924351959645260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-76344631496119809382017-04-14T11:09:01.090+08:002017-04-14T11:09:01.090+08:00I've been thinking about running some sort of ...I've been thinking about running some sort of "Late Old West" game set in the Pacific Northwest in 1880s/90s when it was still far enough from the East that was effectively a "Point of Dark" inside the largely civilized and modern US. Ian Wyanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03915411375848031032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-21319245160792769622017-04-14T09:30:08.351+08:002017-04-14T09:30:08.351+08:00I think a campaign set in the Fourth Age of Middle...I think a campaign set in the Fourth Age of Middle-Earth would fit this idea, especially the whole corruption aspect.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-16290350152811634702017-04-14T08:45:20.379+08:002017-04-14T08:45:20.379+08:00I ran a convention game like that. Each player wa...I ran a convention game like that. Each player was from a different department of the government and had a separate goal to achieve besides the group mission. They had to keep their secondary mission secret from each other. It worked out well.Travis Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08462669235840448896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-90001892396753155522017-04-14T05:50:44.895+08:002017-04-14T05:50:44.895+08:00murdercrats! HOLY MOLEY THAT'S GREAT!murdercrats! HOLY MOLEY THAT'S GREAT!StevenWarblehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12697680166430879676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-17809192861788363882017-04-14T05:26:31.312+08:002017-04-14T05:26:31.312+08:00I love the *murdercrat* formulation.
Seems like a...I love the *murdercrat* formulation.<br /><br />Seems like a lot of superhero games could be cast as a points of dark settings.Kevin Kenanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17590296316415968220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-20543995999786475782017-04-14T05:26:02.244+08:002017-04-14T05:26:02.244+08:00I love the *murdercrat* conception.
Seems like a ...I love the *murdercrat* conception.<br /><br />Seems like a lot of superhero games could be cast as a points of dark settings.Kevin Kenanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17590296316415968220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-27821258744783468382017-04-14T05:20:26.113+08:002017-04-14T05:20:26.113+08:00It's awesome. And there's a free PDF (ever...It's awesome. And there's a free PDF (everything but the art) if you want to sample first. Picadorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01244353406711565712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2513019539869706574.post-27133876896109134812017-04-14T04:31:45.086+08:002017-04-14T04:31:45.086+08:00I want to be a murdercrat now.I want to be a murdercrat now.Megazverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17237498983266699769noreply@blogger.com