1 Reply by BLV

(7 replies, posted in LotFP Gaming Forum)

I usually DO announce the new mechanic unless there's some reason beyond "guess what the GM is thinking" to keep it a secret. As far as XP goes, I give out XP for defeating monsters and recovering treasure. If the players don't engage in those activities, they get no XP.

That might sound harsh, but I'm upfront about it from the very beginning and have gotten no complaints. If the players aren't "adventuring" then they aren't "adventurers". Giving out XP for NOT adventuring would result in most NPCs being super high-level characters rather than level 0 nobodies. Gaining XP (and, axiomatically, Gaining Levels) requires risk before reward. Roleplaying is fun, but shouldn't in and of itself grant XP unless it involves some sort of risk. Real risk. Not risk to one's ego or reputation or whatever other intangible-thing-that-doesn't-matter your players might argue for in order to get some free XP for playing it safe and not adventuring.

Just my two cents.

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2 Topic by BLV

(1 replies, posted in LotFP Gaming Forum)

So, I'm getting ready to run my first session of Lamentations. It's set in a somewhat anachronistic period similar to the colonization of the "New World".

My first adventure, or module, or whatever you prefer to call it is inspired by the events of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island. The PC's begin on a ship to the "new world", and when they arrive they find the colony for which they were bound is abandoned. MYSTERY! Yada, yada, yada, and they discover that a demon masquerading as a god (Tharz-gul, God of Fertility & Debauchery) has been demanding sacrifices from some of the colonists in exchange for promises of power, but lesser demons summoned by this colonist-turned-cult-leader have broken free from his control and are responsible for the disappearance of the entire colony. There's more to it, but you get the gist, I hope.

Anyway, the reason I'm posting this is to see if you guys have any cool ideas for encounters based on this premise. Player agency is of utmost importance to me, so please no "railroad" scenarios. And, yes, I realize that my premise as-written could be seen as a railroad, but it's simply the starting scenario. I have no problem with the players veering away from it (or shunning it altogether) but I have to have SOMETHING prepared.

Input is always appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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3 Reply by BLV

(218 replies, posted in LotFP Gaming Forum)

ASL, huh? The fact that I remember that from AOL chat should give you an indication of my age. tongue

I'm Brian - a 33 year old male from southwestern Virginia. I'm just getting ready to run my first session of Lamentations and thought I'd join the forum for inspiration, advice, et al.

My gaming history is fairly straightforward: after reading a copy of Jack T. Chick's "Dark Dungeons", I stole a copy of the 1st Edition AD&D PHB from my local public library (D&D and Larceny! Jack T. Chick would be disappointed in me.) and learned to play. None of my friends wanted anything to do with D&D, though, so my first real attempt at playing with a group was with West End Games' 2nd edition Star Wars. That went on until 2000, when 3rd edition came out. I finally convinced my friends to try D&D and we played both D&D and Star Wars for several years until life caught up with us all and we had to part ways. Now, thanks to the internet, I'm preparing to get back into gaming and felt like Lamentations of the Flame Princess was the right way to go.

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