RPGaDay 2024 - Barking Alien Edition - Day 14

This is tricky to answer as it's difficult to pick my favorite campaign setting.  

I could easily go with Star Trek and explain why even after 42 years of running campaigns set in that universe, I still love to do so and probably will for 42 more. Honestly, I feel like I've discussed the subject before or I am very likely to do so in the future. It's also...too easy. Too expected. 

Instead, let me tell you why I don't generally like Medieval Fantasy but I do enjoy running my D&D-But-Not setting of Aerth, the world of The Winghorn Guard.

First created in 1982 for a campaign called 'The Winghorn Guard', the main idea behind the game is the same reason it remains special to me. The concept was simple, 'Run a Dungeons and Dragons campaign using the Gamemaster advice from a Superhero game'. Instead of planning to do a Medieval Fantasy game using ideas from the Advanced D&D Dungeon Master's Guide , I based how to go about running the game using what I'd learned from years of reading comic books like Marvel's Avengers and DC's Legion of Superheroes. Eventually, when I purchased Villains and Vigilantes [2nd Edition], I used the Gamemaster advice in that game to supplement what I was already doing. 

Giving Dungeons and Dragons 'Four Color' Superhero Comic Book elements allowed the game to have a unique identity and feel. I was able to focus on aspects of world-building and adventure design that emphasized the heroics, ethics, and emotions of the PCs, while de-emphasizing the murderhobo approach. The money, violence, and quest for power normally attributed to traditional D&D PCs are what the bad guys are concerned with on Aerth.

My objective was to inject Medieval Fantasy and Folklore with something I understood a lot better and that, at the time, was Silver to Bronze Age comics. The results were very successful and continue to be four decades later.

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BONUS FEATURE: Day 14 of the official RPGaDay 2024 Prompts:

What about them, eh? What makes a character compelling?

That's definitely a subject that could take up an entire post (good job official challenge!) and may be too broad a topic for a 'BONUS FEATURE' entry. 

I'll say this; it isn't always clear at the onset what will make for a compelling character. Often times players write multi-page backstories for their PCs not thinking about the fact that what they (really the player) might find really interesting is something they hadn't considered or didn't even know about when making up the character. 

As an example, my Hogwarts/Wizarding World PC, Frank Pellgrove, was created with an eye toward making him less interested in and effective at casting spells or brewing potions but really good with Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. These were two things I knew most other players wouldn't give much thought to.

At some point during the campaign he helped birth a Hippocampus (mythological fish tailed horse) in the Hogwarts lake and became especially interested in aquatic beasts thereafter. In follow up sessions he would take an interest in boats, other sea creatures, and it was suggested to him that he might someday get a job as the Wizarding World's equivalent of a Marine Biologist.

These were profund moments for Frankie and ones that intertwined with and challenged his sense of self. Now, after roughly 6 or 7 years playing Frank, he's a much more compelling character than I ever would have expected. 

Bottomline is don't limit yourself to what you think would be compelling. Start with a basic concept, an outlook on life, and then through play allow yourself to be compelled. Give it a try!

RPGaDay 2024 - Barking Alien Edition - Day 6

My campaigns feature a good number of NPCs. The genres and settings I like most just lend themselves to this. A Starfleet vessel can easily have 200+ NPCs onboard in addition to the PCs. A world of Superheroes often has other heroes, villains, scientists, reporters, cops, corporations, and all manner of other inhabitants. 

So who are the favored NPCs in my campaigns? Well...

I am involved in multiple campaigns right now and I decided to ask my players who their favorite NPCs are. Unfortunately, there wasn't a consensus. Each player thought a different NPC was the best NPC. I should probably take that as a win.

Therefore, in the interest of being able to complete this entry, I'll cover a few of MY favorite NPCs over the years.

Cool? Cool.

Chloroplax, Sea Drake - The Rangers Guild of Corindel

Aerth / Chronicles of The Winghorn Guard

In his own words, "Chloroplax is this one - See, I am pointing at self. This one here to whom you are speaking in the now time. Is being a Sea Drake. Is like small dragon but is not dragon, is drake. The here now Chloroplax is friend to all Rangers who are friends to all Rangers at Corindel. Is to have understood word speech?"

Ahem...OK so, Chloroplax is a young adult Sea Drake, relatives (in some as yet unknown way) to the Blue Dragons that dwell across the Sea of Pacifica and the Northern and Southern Atlantean Seas. Chloroplax was found badly injured after defending an Aquatic Elf Enclave from invading Locathah. He was found by members of the Rangers Guild of Corindel, who went on to defeat the Locathah with his help. Following the battle, Chloroplax was taken back to the island nation of Corindel and healed of his wounds. Afterwards, Chloroplax would appear in the waters around the land now and again, following the ships of the Rangers Guild, greeting them, and helping them when he could.  

Some 10-15 years later, Chloroplax was declared a fully-fledged [honorary] member of the Corindel Rangers Guild. He is not just a mascot, joining the Rangers on major missions against pirate fleets, sea monsters, and even aiding The Order of The Winghorn Guard. Chloroplax's knowledge of the world below the surface of the sea has been incredibly useful. He is exceptionally clever, though his odd manner of speech can make it tricky for others to understand his plans.

Physically, Chloroplax is a six limbed draconic creature (two 'arms', two legs, and two wings) about the size of a pony or very large dog. He has clawed hands (complete with thumbs) and feet, as well as a long tail. While his wings enable him to fly, they are much more effective at propelling him through the water. He is assisted by webbed extremities and a finned tail. Chloroplax has both gills and terrestrial lungs and can easily breathe underwater or on the surface. His most impressive weapon is his breath, a powerful jet of water strong enough to knock over a fully loaded wagon or rowboat. He can also alter the temperature of the 'water breath' to be scalding hot (just shy of boiling) or freezing cold (but not ice). 

We've discussed Chloroplax's speech pattern but never broken it down in detail. When he was a wee beastie he learned Drake, which is essentially 'pidgin Draconic', but was later taught the language of the Atlanteans (the Sea Elves). Listening to surface dwelling fisherman, merchants, and sailors he taught himself the Common tongue. Unfortunately, the syntax and tense of Draconic dosen't easily map to Common, resulting in the strange version of the language that he now speaks. 

"You are thanked for the reading of the writing of me, the Chloroplax, and the more of this post that there is being in the now. Please be faring well in not just the now but also the going forward!" 

FA1-T3 or 'FATS', Pilot Droid

Star Wars:

FA1-T3 is a modified piloting and astrogation droid purchased from Jawas on Tatooine by Ithorian Explorer [PC] Moga Wombi at some point during the Galactic Civil War. Originally intended to serve as a co-pilot to Wombi, the two traded positions after a year or so together so that the Explorer could focus on operating his scoutship's sensors. About two years later, the pair started working with Mandalorian Bounty Hunter [PC] Colo Nada, who took to calling the droid 'FATS'.

FATS' voice, personality, and mannerisms were based on a mixture of various real world Jazz and Blues musicans, most nobably Thomas Wright 'FATS' Waller. FA1-T3 had deep, smooth barotone voice and often spoke about love, the hardships of the working droid, and gave Colo Nada romantic advise. He was relatively calm under pressure and could be charming in conversation with both biologicals and droids. 

In one adventure, FATS and Wombi tried desperately to land their vessel safely after the craft took considerable damage from attacks by Imperial ships. Unfortunately, the ship crashed on the ashen surface of the planet Gardine (GAR-deen). Wombi was killed, Colo Nada survived but was badly wounded. 'FATS' received damage but 'awoke' believing itself to be Wombi. According to the droid, Wombi's spirit left his body and entered the robot upon his 'death' [Wombi's PC temporarily took over playing FATS). Nada humored him for a time as the two worked together to reach Mos Garda (also known as Garda City), capital city of Gardine. After a misunderstanding with some Gray Jawas, FATS was zapped by one of their Ionization Guns. A contact of Nada's was able to repair and reboot FATS, returning him to his original personality. 

Not long after the two parted ways, with Colo returning home to Mandalore while FATS decided to remain on Gardine. He is last seen drinking some oil-like substance and toasting to the memory of his friend Moga Wombi. In a later campaign run a year or so after the previous one ended, the PCs enter 'The Gray Oasis', a cantina on Gardine, and run into none other than FA1-T3. Introducing himself as FATS, he claims to be a Pilot for Hire with competitive rates since he's a droid. Colo Nada's Player was there playing a new character but said he'd heard of the droid and convinced the team to hire him. 

All in all, FATS appeared in two campaigns, the first being about a dozen or so sessions and the second going for a little more than double that. One element of the robot I never got to reveal was that the Jawas who originally picked him up on Tatooine pulled him out of the wreckage of a starship. In other words, FATS had a history of crashes and surviving them. 

Lieutenant T'Sora, Assistant Chief Science Officer

Star Trek: Prosperity

T'Sora appeared in the very first session of our Star Trek: Prosperity campaign. Later in that inaugural 'season' she is identified as the Assistant Chief Science Officer. She has appeared in nearly every session since. She is the person at the bridge science station when the PCs beam down to a planet and the one who takes over if [the PC] Commander Solok was injured. 

Personality wise she is calm, cool, collected, and of course logical but also regularly delivers biting one-liners. T'Sora is sarcastic, even sardonic at times. She's been shown to be a flawed character; one who uses her biting wit to hide and control her emotions and the fact that her outlook on life is frought with cynicism. She went a bit too far one time, quipping on the hopelessness of a situation when the Captain was trying to maintain positive morale. She was reprimanded and demerits placed on her record. 

Even so, she learned her lesson and tried to be more careful with her words and actions. Eventually, when Commander Solok departed the Prosperity to marry the ship's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Margaret 'Maggie' Hanover, it was assumed T'Sora would take over the position. Interestingly, T'Sora herself did not 'assume' anything and made a case for her promotion to Captain Fletcher and new First Officer Commander Bhoth. Instead, when the newly christened USS Persistance was launched, Captain Fletcher recommended her to that vessel's Captain for the job of Chief Science Officer and she accepted the position. Our former Communications Officer turned Security Chief is now our new Chief Science Officer, Lt. Commander Carr. 

An unrevealed element of her character is that the man she was betrothed to was killed along with all hands aboard the USS Intrepid. While now free to marry someone else, she maintains the tradition of T' before her name in his memory.  

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BONUS FEATURE: Day 6 of the official RPGaDay 2024 Prompts:

Easy to use? I mean...hmm. Star Wars D6 is one of the easiest games to play and run that I can think of but that's not completely true. There are easier for sure. Faery's Tale Deluxe, Teenagers from Outer Space, and even ALIEN are really simple. 

I'm not really sure where to go with this. Any game you get really good at by playing often over time is going to seem easy to you. My buddy William Corpening finds Champions easy. I find Star Trek Adventures easy, at least my houseruled version of it, though played raw I find it a little slower and harder to run smoothly. 

Yeah. So...next?

RPGaDay Challenge 2022 - Day 21

Here's a big secret from my World of Aerth / Winghorn Guard campaign world unknown to most of its players and their PCs even to this day. Others have had to risk life and limb to find this bit of lore and here I am giving it to you all for free. 

You're welcome.

Why Dragons Have Hoards...

Uncommon Dragon Hoards

Art and Concept by Lauren 'Iguanamouth'

"Greetings and Salutations friends, as well as all seekers of knowledge Arcane and obscure who are not yet friends. Perhaps you are mere acquaintances. Perhaps you wandered in off the street. Hmm, now where was I? Oh yes, I am the one and only Ipperius Argenti-Hydrangea WitSpear, proprietor of Witspear's Wondrous Wizardry Emporium and consultant to none other than The Winghorn Guard on matters of myth, legend, folktale, and truth, for on Aerth these things are all one and the same. 

Today I shall reveal the history of Dragons and why they are such avid collectors of...well...that depends on the Dragon. You see it all began at the beginning, as most things do. The first fact you must understand is that every people on Aerth have their own creation myth and all of them are so very, very wrong. Yes, sadly it's all nonsense I'm afraid. 

The multiverse was created by The Great Alicorn, or Winged Unicorn if you prefer, in the Oldest of Times. Creating an infinite array of Universes is difficult work as you might expect, so The Great Alicorn created helpers to assist in the construction. These helpers were The Dragons. 

Each Dragon used the vast knowledge, power, and skill it had been given to form the Stars, the Planets, and all the non-People bobs and bops that form the Cosmos. Red Dragons used their fiery breath to carve canyons, Silver Dragons combined Ice and their ability to Stop Time to form glaciers, the iridescent Pearl Dragon breathed life into the environment, and the Poison Gas of the Green Dragon prevented said life from growing out of control. 

One assumes this all took a ridiculous amount of time but as the Winged Unicorn had not started Time ticking yet in the same way we know it now, it was completed right on schedule. It was quite exhausting however, tiring in a way that only making Universes can be. Before the Dragons went down to a long deserved slumber, The Great Alicorn held a celebration to thank his creations for their efforts. During the festivities, Tiamat - the multi-headed foreperson of the Chromatic Dragons - asked, "So what becomes of all of creation now as we go to sleep?"

"It will be run by my newest creation, Gods", said the Winged Unicorn, "Deities, beings of great power very different in form from yourselves. They will explore what you have made, run it for a time, and eventually make creations of their own to live in it I would imagine."

The Metallic Dragons all nodded. What a splendid idea. What a grand experiment!

The Chromatic Dragons were not so pleased with this news. "We did all the work and the enjoyment and rule of it goes to someone else? Not even to you but new beings who did nothing to help forge it? That seems unfair and more than a bit foolish." All eyes turned first to Tiamat as she finished uttering these words, then to The Great Alicorn to see his reaction. 

He gave a warm smile and handed her a drink. "An interesting assessment. I shall think on it." And so he did...

The thoughts of Multiversal Creator Entities do not form quickly. The Dragons, even Tiamat, grew tired of waiting for the Winged Unicorn to change its mind and drifted off to slumber. They made their beds in the places they'd built that they favored. Caves were very popular, as were deep forest groves, and under the dunes of deserts. So tired were they that they slept for a thousand years and more. 

Sort of. You see, Tiamat and the Chromatics didn't go to sleep right away*. They rallied and argued, planned and schemed, and made a foul pact with one another that when they woke up they'd take the worlds they'd made for themselves. They were owed! It was their handiwork after all! 

When they did eventually wake they found the Universes were very different places. They were full of People. Yes indeed, the races of Humans, Dwarves, Wilders, and Elves - and even stranger sorts - had taken residence in the Dragons' domains. The people were using THEIR wood, rock, and metal! They were living in their forests, deserts, and snowy mountains! No! No this would not do. 

Today...if you wonder why the Dragon hoards stolen gold be aware; to her it is HER gold. She made it. It's hers. The Green Dragon by the river has taken back her wood in the pile of ornate furniture she sits on. That artwork gathered by the Blue Dragon of the Eastern Sea was created with paints made from minerals and plants he helped construct!

Dragons aren't stealing and hoarding...they are taking back what's theirs."

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*Incidentally, this is also why Dragons sleep so much and why their lairs sometimes seem too small for them to fit in. First, they are still tired from building the world. Second, when they went to bed in that cave it looked very different from how it is thousands of years later. 

Filler Episodes

I've been rather depressed lately. 

Part of it is our current global pandemic, part of it our political and social issues here in the US, and part of it my personal economic troubles which have not been helped by either of the aforementioned situations. I have also been feeling like...well...like I am not getting the most out of my gaming time. 

This last situation could be the result of my depression and accompanying anxiety but in the worst kind of self-perpetuating cycle it is usually gaming that digs me out of the dumps and if that isn't happening...yeah. 

I am gaming more - far more in fact - than I was before the pandemic, yet none of it seems quite as satisfying. That's not to say it isn't good and I hope none of my players or GMs read this and think I am not enjoying our time together. Oh contraire! I am having a great time for the most part and very much like the games I am both running and playing in.

It's just that...

They feel like filler episodes. They're fun stints into the various milieus and systems we are exploring but very little of it feels meaningful, deep, or (to sound extra pompous) artful. These adventures are fun experiences but they don't push the plot or larger character development of Adam-as-Gamer. 

For my Sunday game, for example, I am re-visiting Aerth, my Medieval-But-Not Fantasy setting with yet another campaign featuring The Winghorn Guard (see many previous entries on this esteemed order of do-gooders). I am doing a twist on them I've always wanted to do but never got the chance to previously, with the PCs being members of the covert/espionage arm known as The Winghorn Rangers. It's less Avengers vs Thanos and more Agents of Shield vs Hydra. 

Was it good? The Zero Session went pretty well, though one player was sadly out sick. 

Was is SPECIAL though? Hmm...no, not particularly. It didn't do anything different, shake the earth, or feel especially epic or unique.

Did it need to? No, not really. Not to be a good game.

However...

I would like it to. I would like something to. 

I would like that very much and I kind of need it right now.
 
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31 Days / 31 Characters - JORVAN STARSBYNIGHT

Another character created by the late, great David Cotton.

It's interesting to note how often the same players pop up when I am thinking of characters to post for this challenge. To reiterate, I am trying to choose ones who were not only awesome and memorable but who additionally haven't been discussed on this blog before or at the very least not in great detail.

 

Character: Jorvan StarsByNight

Player: David Cotton

System: Dungeons and Dragons AD - Homebrew Variant of D&D

 

Campaign: The Winghorn Guard: Golden Ring

Gamemaster: Adam Dickstein

Circa: 2005-2006

Origins: I really can't say whether or not Jorvan had a specific origin or inspiration. I can only recall that this campaign was one of the first I ran with Dave, Dave's friend Lee, and our mutual buddy Jeff, following the first campaign I ran wherein we all met for the first time. 

Part of the reason I ran this particular Aerth/Winghorn Guard game was that Dave really wanted to try my homebrewed D&D variant. He was especially intrigued by the world/setting and wanted to not only explore it but play a 'Race' and 'Class' that was uniquely 'Aerth'. 

I wanted to help him fulfill these interests by suggesting he play a Corindel Elf, inaccurately referred to as Half-Elves, as well as a Sorcerer. Both quite different from their traditional D&D counterparts. Additionally he used his one his character's 'Personal Talents' to get a sailing ship, thereby checking the 'explore the world' box. 

Backstory: Jorvan StarsByNight is one of the 'Elves' of Corindel, a descendant of the island's Elven and Human inhabitants who have been interbreeding for many centuries. Referred to as 'Half-Elves', this nomenclature is inaccurate as the lineage of the Continent-Island-Nation's inhabitants are much harder to accurately identify. A given Corindel Elf might be only 1/10th Elf, or 95% Elf, or anywhere in between.

He inherited his ship from his father; an adventurer, explorer, and occasional privateer. StarsBySea, his father, was himself about 2/3rds Elf. His mother was a Sorceress from somewhere within the Southern Freelands of Rae. It was she that taught Jorvan the sorcerous skills of communicating with Elementals and other beings from Beyond this Realm. She died when he was fairly young, payment for a deal made with an otherworldly oceanic entity to protect Jorran and his father from a terrible storm.

After that incident Jorvan's father ventured out into the sea less and less but Jorvan himself did so more and more. He was convinced the sea would always protect him and his time on land was borrowed. By young adulthood, he was a pirate of sorts, though one preying on other pirate ships or the vessels of petty warlords and other villains. Having assisted a Winghorn Guard group on a mission to defeat a sea monster, the Sargent of that party suggested he try out for the Winghorn Guard himself. Not long after that he was Chosen and assigned to Golden Ring, the Guard division located at his homeland of Corindel. 

Overview: We first encounter Jorvan as his vessel, dubbed 'The Lady Luck', chases an enemy pirate vessel in the Sea of Polaris. A Sorcerer aboard the pirate ship had summoned a massive and powerful Sea Spirit that was creating a thunderstorm and terrible waves. Jorvan's allies were flying overhead, trying to wrestle control of Kargas (Griffin-like creatures from Turkish folklore) from their pirate riders. 

Combining his own Sorcerer abilities with his charm and gift of gab, he convinces the Sea Spirit to turn on its summoner for a favor to be bargained for later. Using his magical 'Hand Canon' (a Flintlock Pistol that can never needs physical reloading), Jorvan fires at the opposing Magician and appears to miss.

The Sorcerer taunts Jorvan for his wasted shot until Jorvan points out he wasn't aiming for the magic-user. StarsByNight looks down and the enemy follows his eyes to see the Summoning Circle on the deck of the pirate ship damaged by Jorvan's shot. The villainous Sorcerer looks up again as the Sea Spirit transforms into a tidal wave that crashes against the vessel, sending him head over heels into the ocean. 

When asked by the pirate ship's first mate how he was able to do all this, Jorvan replied with what would become his catchphrase, "Cheating!".

Jorvan's Caracca, 'The Lady Luck'

Indeed Jorvan favored cleverness and trickery above any other power or weapon at his disposal. He and the team's Aegytian (Aerth Egypt) Warrior / Cleric would often have friendly debates over his use of Cheating and the latter's preference for Knowledge, Honor, and Truth. Both agreed time and again that the others ways were not for them but certainly effective. 

In addition to the many missions the group would go on in the name of heroism and in service of the Winghorn Guard, Jorvan would rack up additional quests trying to buy or pay for favors of the various supernatural entities he dealt with to gain his powers or their help. 

The Highlights:

One of my favorite exchanges was when the Sea Spirit mentioned above wanted the bones of a sailor returned to his wrecked ship that had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. The bones had drifted inland and where now in a river. The River Spirit would only let the bones go if Jorvan planted a red-brown mushroom of some importance to the local river wildlife. The fungus had died out for some reason. This led to the discovery of an undead thieves guild organization using a poisonous black mushrooms to kill opponents and raise them as new members. The black mushroom had killed off the red-brown ones. 

What seems like side-quests at first turned into a complex relationship of enemies and ecosystems which eventually united a Forest Spirit, the River Spirit, the Sea Spirit, AND Osiris, God of the Nile to aid our heroes against their soon-to-be reoccurring nemesis, an Eye of Fear and Flame!

Legacy: I think I may have mentioned or used Jorvan as an NPC briefly in a one-shot but for the most part he hasn't been seen in many years and that's a shame. He is an extremely fun character with a lot of personality.

I will try to find a place for him the next time I run a game set on Aerth.

Game Info: The other day I went looking for Jorvan's character sheet, which I was certain I had and yet I could not find it at all. Bizarre as I found the other PCs from that campaign as well as all the notes from it. Is it possible I gave it to Dave? Maybe but it seems unlikely. 

It would be difficult to give you Jorvan's stats and specifics without context as, although he was a D&D character, he was actually a D&D-But-Not character. My house-rules version is so different from any official version as to make them almost incompatible. Well, maybe not incompatible, but there are significant alterations. 

The Sorcerer Class and Half-Elven 'race' (I prefer the terms Species, Tribe, or People) are quite unlike their commercial counterparts. Jorvan possessed the abilities of Seafaring (granting bonuses to anything related to ships, sailing, and survival at sea), Sorcery (here the power to communicate with, summon, and borrow powers from otherworldly beings in exchange for favors), and skill with both sword and pistol, a very rare talent (and item) on Aerth. 

Additionally his ship was enchanted to give him increased Defense and Saving Throws while aboard it (hence 'Lady Luck) and as mentioned, his pistol need only be shaken once after firing to 'reload' it. 

Next it's back to the Star Wars universe for one of my favorite characters, who belongs to one of my favorite species, played by one of my favorite players! Meet KASHPA!

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31 Days / 31 Characters - IPPERIUS WITSPEAR

This entry has taken me far too long to complete and I don't feel like its anywhere near done or that it came out how I wanted it to.

This was a hard one. Aside from wanting to honor my friend Pete Hernandez, I wanted you - the reader - to really 'get' why Ipperius WitSpear is one of my favorite PCs of all time. I am not sure I did him justice or that I even could. I've had 35 years to get to know this character. You have this post.

 

Character: Ipperius Argenti-Hydrangea WitSpear

These days the character's name is written Ipperius WitSpear, with the second part of the compound word/name being capitalized. Originally it was simply Witspear. This change was made to match with the naming conventions of the other Elves of my original setting of Aerth. 

AKA: Ip, The Sage of The Silver Flower

Player: Pedro 'Pete' Hernandez III

System: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1st Edition - Heavily Modified, House-Ruled Variant.

 

Campaign: The Legend of Ipperius Witspear and others. 

Gamemaster: Adam Dickstein

Circa: 1986-1988. Still used to this day. 

Origins: A number of factors went into the creation of Ip Witspear.

First and foremost, this was not only the first Dungeons and Dragons character Pete had ever created to my knowledge, it was among the first PCs he created in a game run my yours truly. Possibly the first. 

A lot of the character was created on the spot, the result of various choices and die rolls. Mixed into the character's design are such influences as Bugs Bunny, David Bowie in Labyrinth, and Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone'. 

Backstory: When we first meet Ipperius Witspear, he is asleep in a cabin aboard some sort of large ship bound for the continent of Ledgorna. Ip swings his feet off his bed to the sound of a splash and the awareness that he is ankle deep in sea water. The vessel he was on was sinking. 

Witspear gets dressed, puts on his armor, weapons, and gear, and goes top side. Fighting his way past several pirates, Witspear discovers the ship he is on has been besieged by boudy buccaneers! He is able to put up a respectable fight but is overwhelmed and forced to walk the plank of the pirate vessel. Moving his hand in a quick motion similar shaking off water, Ipperius then ran his hand through his hair and down his body as if dusting himself off. This, unbeknownst to the pirates, was his way of casting the custom spell, 'Dry'. 

Stepping off the plank, Witspear plunged for some time through the air unobstructed; the ocean moving away from him in all directions. Dry creates a protective barrier against water, causing it to reflect or run off at some three-to-five inches before touching the object or person the spell is cast on. Eventually, as the water reformed above him and Ip found himself in a sort of oblong bubble, he knew that eventually the spell's duration would run out and he would be in very deep (pun intended) trouble.

Luckily, the pressure built up below him and a moment later shot him out of the ocean, high into the air and with a bit of acrobatics he landed squarely back on the plank. The pirates stared in astonishment. Murmurs and whispers started to move through the pirate crew; "He's not dead?", "How did he do that?", "The sharks didn't get him?", etc. Finally one pirate in the back says, at standard speaking volume, "Ee's...ee's not wet?"

The pirates erupt into a screaming frenzy, running in all directions repeating 'He's not wet!' and 'Demon!' and bumping into the masts and each other. Taking advantage of the moment, Witspear knocks some pirates overboard, frees the held passengers and crew from his ship, arms them, and eventually maroons the pirates on the sinking vessel. In addition, the crew, passengers, and Witspear steal the pirate ship and head for land.

What we don't know at this point is: 

Where is Witspear from? Where did he get on this boat bound for the old world?

Why did he leave? What made him take this trip in the first place?

Where exactly is he going? Specifically that is.

We wouldn't find out the answer to those questions for a very long time as Ip Witspear got sidetracked by dozens of humorous misadventures and colorful characters. 

At some point early in the campaigns second year, Ip says his home is 'an isle lost at sea'. When other Elves encountered WitSpear they noted not recognizing his family name (the House of Wit) and were unfamiliar with his accent. He identifies himself as 'The Sage of The Silver Flower' before the Duke of Drakkenheim, a title neither the Duke nor anyone else in his court had ever heard of. Even those with extensive Elven knowledge were unfamiliar with the term.

It wouldn't be until many years of real time later, over a decade and a half in fact, that we would discover WitSpear's true origins. He was a member of the Eldritch or 'Pale' Elves, all of whom were now believed to be dead. They had attempted to violently conquer the world for its own good more than 500 years earlier, forcing the other Elves to unite and destroy the Pale Elves' 'Del Stone', a crystal connecting them to Aerth.

Just prior to these events, Ipperius' parents and many other Pale Elves who didn't agree with their people's tyrannical aspirations, fled the coming war for the Western Sea. Only a relative handful of the conscientious objectors made it to land, lucking upon a set of islands not found on any map. The islands were hidden by a mist that rarely parted and no scrying magic of any kind could pierce it. Unfortunately they were also cursed but that is a tale for another day. 

With his home no utopia to be sure and always curious about the place from which his kin had come (though I suppose in truth that would be Arcadia, the Realm of Faerie), a young adult WitSpear had found his way to the port on a near-ish Southern island not part of his hidden archipelago. Following that, he bought passage on a ship bound for the continent of Ledgorna and we are back to the beginning once again. 

See the fifth entry of the month - Ceren-Dee Windrake -  for more on the last of the remaining Pale Elves. 

Overview:  What can I say about Ipperius WitSpear that would even scratch the surface of how awesome he is? Thanks to the incomparable RPG talents of his Player, WitSpear made every session a delight. Every action clever, every line hilarious, every moment of emotion deep and heartfelt. 

I have often said that I GM at my best when I have great players playing at their best. This was especially true with Pete. I could throw challenge after challenge at him, be they puzzles, enemies, or deep pathos. He was so fun to GM for and that made the character just as enjoyable to run as an NPC years later. 

He was a staple of Ceren-Dee WindDrake's campaign, as she often went into his shop - WitSpear's Wondrous Wizardry Emporium - to obtain material components or identify magical items. Each time you walked in, some strange and often ridiculous situation was transpiring.

Everything in the store, except you of course, might be upside down, with the store counter, boxes, and Witspear himself all standing on the ceiling...which was actually the floor. One time the entire interior of the shop was in various shades of orange, including Ip and Gronk. In yet another instance, it was snowing inside the establishment, with customers shivering, Gronk giving out hot cider, and a group of small children building a snowman in the corner. 

Oh, Gronk...

While exploring the bowls of a Dark Wizard's fortress, WitSpear encountered a Troll (Aerth Trolls are more like those of Scandinavian Myth and Folklore). After humorously avoiding the Troll's attacks in a fairly tight space, WitSpear tried to talk the Troll into quitting his job with the Dark Wizard and coming to work for him. This led to an almost Discworld-ian discussion of Fantasy World workers' rights, labor unions for dungeon guards, and world conquering war machines as a sustainable business model. Eventually, after offering a decent pension package and a 1 week paid vacation each year, the Troll agreed to switch sides. 

The Troll remains with Ip for the rest of the campaign and into all his later appearances. I remember when the two signed off on their deal...

Witspear: "It's settled then. Oh, and I shall call you...Gronk."

Troll: "What? That's not my name. My name is..."

Witspear: "Not the point dear boy! Regardless of your actual designation, Gronk is the name I will call you and the name with which I will refer to you is Gronk. Good? Excellent."  

I love Gronk. Slow and deliberate but much smarter than he appears on the surface, Gronk is a friendly, kind-hearted everyman who can also throw a fully loaded cart, with horses, across a town square. I wish I could remember his real name. 

The Highlights:

Oh man, so many Witspear stories...

He fooled two Gnolls into paying 1 gold piece for a copper piece he convinced them could cast a magic Shield. He then backed their idea of going over to the Ogre at the front entrance of the dungeon and telling him off. With their new Shield Coin, well, they'll show him!

Using his Dry spell and a modified crossbow, Witspear fired several bolts into the air, each attached with blanket sized pieces of canvas. The end result was a cover of floating 'umbrellas' that protected an area below from rain as they slowly parachuted to the ground. This enabled Witspear and some NPCs to save a young child who fell into a collapsed well before she drowned. 

Using only complex word play and knowledge of his opponent, Witspear tricked a Dragon into taking a single book of his treasure hoard of magical tomes and giving the rest to Ipperius. Angry, roaring, and seemingly about to eat or breath on the clever Elf, the Dragon cleared his throat, straightened himself, placed tiny binfocal glasses on his snout, and thanked Witspear for such a challenging engagement. "Perhaps again in say...a year? A chance to win the books back? What say you?" WitSpear agreed, bowed, and departed. 

Legacy: Ipperius WitSpear has appeared in every Winghorn Guard/Aerth campaign since 1999 and will continue to appear in them for as long as I find myself returning to that world. 

Game Info: As with many of the oldest characters I've been posting, I don't have Witspear's first character sheet any longer. I am not even sure where his 3E version is these days. 

I recall that he was originally an Elven Wizard/Thief in Advanced D&D 1st Edition. In his campaign he made it to 6th and 7th levels respectively. His later incarnation, in 3E and 3.5, was much higher in level, something in the range of 14th or so in each class. 

In my D&D AD homebrew variant he has the additional ability of Perfect Timing, a natural talent of all Eldritch Elves that gives them a bonus to anything involving timing their actions against external events or the actions of others. He is especially knowledgeable about magic items, artifacts, and relics of all kinds.

He can not only identify most items but often knows the history, nature, and powers of these items. He collects and experiments with a variety of different material components and is always trying to swap out one for another to see how the new ingredient will effect a spell. 

I could write so much more. 

Next up, we head for Universal Century 0088 and believe in the Sign of Zeta! Say hello to Lt. JET OHANA but be prepared to say good-bye as well.

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Barking Alien

31 Days / 31 Characters - CEREN-DEE WINDRAKE

This next character entry is going to be a long one and that's as it should be. The character is, without a doubt, one of my all time favorites you will see this month and holds the special distinction of being created and played by one my favorite people in the world. This is the first character created by my ex-wife and dear friend Selina. 

In addition to being an amazing character, full of depth, nuance, flaws, courage, and drive, she was the catalyst for bringing back my world of Aerth and the revision of The Winghorn Guard concept after a nearly 20+ year hiatus.

Enjoy. 

Character: Ceren-Dee Windrake / WindDrake

Ceren-Dee's last name is actually Windrake, although it is said Wind-Drake. In subsequent Winghorn Guard campaigns this confused some people, especially those playing Elves, so I started spelling it WindDrake. 

(Selina just informed me that, "Since Winddragon and Winddrake would have had the 2 D’s in their names, both of them dropped one D. It was just aesthetically more pleasing to read/write.")

AKA: Guardsman, Sargent, then Lieutenant, then Captain Ceren-Dee WindDrake, Ceren-Dee EverDrake, The Lady of Everwind. In one iteration she becomes The Winghorn Guard's Master of Mages.

Player: Selina Wong

System: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1st Edition and 3rd Edition - Heavily Modified, House-ruled Variant.

 
Campaign: The Order of the Winghorn Guard: Honorheart 

Gamemaster: Adam Dickstein 

Circa: Um...

This is a little unclear to Selina and I. Selina created this character in AD&D 1st Edition as that is all I had in my collection D&D-wise. A year or two later 3rd Edition came out and we went to Gen Con, our first trip together, and converted everything to 3E. That means we started in 1998 or 99. Meanwhile, I just found an image I drew of Ceren-Dee's daughter, the next character she would play after Ceren-Dee, and it is dated 1999. That seems almost impossible based on our recollections but there you have it. 

Origins: Here is a few words on Ceren-Dee from the creator herself. Ladies, Gentlemen, and Nonbinary Friends, Selina Wong...

"Ceran-Dee Windrake 

When I was thirteen, I became a fan of Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms novels after discovering the Fantasy section at my local Waldenbooks, and while I knew high school classmates who played D&D during our lunch periods or on the weekends at someone’s house, I never participated. I was really shy and introverted, and I hated anything that put me in the spotlight. I loved reading fantasy stories and that was enough for me… until I met Adam a decade later. 

He and I became friends through our mutual love of anime and for a while that was what brought us together. Then he introduced me to a group of people who got together every once in a while for an RPG game. The very first time I met them they played a game in fact. They invited me to join but I was not ready to participate. I opted to watch. Worried I’d be bored, they kept checking on me throughout the game, but I was having fun listening to their stories unfold. A part of me wished I had been brave enough to join in, but I had only just met these people and while I enjoyed their company, I was afraid they’d find me too timid or unimaginative to invite me along next time. 

Adam didn’t think so. 

One night, he talked to me about creating a character for a fantasy-based story. If I got to write my own fantasy novel, who would be the hero/heroine of my story? What kind of character would I make? What abilities would I want her to have? Where was this character from and where would she go?  

For the next few hours, Adam walked me through the process of character creation. Using a copy of the AD&D Player’s Manual, he explained races, classes, attributes, hit points, armor class, movement speed, skills, spells, and feats. He helped me pick out equipment and gear, and he helped me weave the story of my character’s origin, her education, her family, and her life’s objectives. I had chosen to create a female High Elf who would become both a mage and fighter. I described her as having raven-black hair, blue eyes, fair skin, and a slender frame. 

When Adam asked me for her name, it took me a very long time to think of it. I had been thinking her name should sound something like the word “serenity” because it felt so elvish and graceful. Finally, after playing with multiple spelling options, I decided on 'Ceran-Dee Windrake.' 

By this time, I thought the exercise was done. Adam had proven to me that creating a character for a fantasy story or RPG wasn’t so hard and I had a lot of fun doing it. That was when Adam started describing the High-Elven city of Mithrandel, where Ceran-Dee and her family lived. I thought, maybe, he was helping me get a feel for a potential story I could write one day. I started imagining the scene he was setting. He was such a great storyteller, I could see and hear everything he described. I saw younglings running off to play their morning games, well-dressed politicians heading to their assembly meetings, and armed soldiers patrolling the city’s streets. 

Then, Adam asked me, “What are you doing?”

I blinked. “Me?” 

“Yeah. What’s Ceran-Dee doing?” 

“Uh… what are my choices?” 

“You can do whatever you want.”

“Oh.” I felt that I, Selina, had two choices. I could have said, “All right, I see what you’re doing, Adam, but this isn’t my thing. Let’s just say we had fun and call it a night.” Instead, I asked, “Uh… Can I…?” 

Honestly, I don’t remember the first “Can I” question I asked him, but it was the first of thousands of “Can I” questions I would throw at him for the next two years. He not only helped me create Ceran-Dee Windrake, he had planned on running a game for me just to help me get over my fear of role-playing. Did it work? Yup. 

I had designed Ceran-Dee to be brave, strong, clever, and outspoken - qualities I always wished I’d possessed. Playing her character in the amazing Winghorn Guard campaign that Adam created was easily the best RPG experience I’d ever have. Though it took me a little longer before I finally got up the courage to role-play with people other than Adam, it was worth every minute. 

Ceran-Dee Windrake was my first step into the world of role-playing. She was everything I loved in a fantasy heroine, and every character I’ve made since Ceran-Dee was designed with a fragment of my original Mithrandel elf. 

But the real hero is Adam. Without him, Ceran-Dee would never have found her voice, her heart, or her magic."

I would have to argue with that last line. I may have facilitated her creation but her magic and heart came directly from Selina. 

Backstory: Ceren-Dee Windrake (original spelling ;p) was born in the High or Mithral Elf city-state of Mithrandel, the daughter of Aadin-Kal Windragon and Falon-Dae Windphoenix. WindDragon (alternate spelling) was Captain of the Guard of the city's Order of the Brightstorm. Like her older brother Tavin-Kai WindGriffon, Ceren-Dee had joined the BrightStorm only to later apply to join the The Winghorn Guard. A great honor, their father was nonetheless a tad disappointed that neither would be replacing him as leader of the Brightstorm. 

Because of their connection to the knightly order protecting the city, the Wind family was one of the higher Noble Houses of Mithrendel. Ceren-Dee was friends with the children of the other Noble Houses, including her best friend and fellow Winghorn Guard member ThunderCall. 

Successfully chosen by The Great Winged Unicorn (aka The Great Alicorn) after a harrowing trial mission that took on a number of seriously dangerous turns, Ceren-Dee went on to quickly establish herself as a clever, resourceful Guard member with a keen mastery of Wind Magic and excellent fighting skills. She was assigned to the Honorheart Division in the City of Rae-Uhn.

Her greatest ability and yet the one that got her in the most trouble, was her unparalleled compassion. Until proven otherwise, Ceren-Dee viewed no creature or being as objectively 'Evil'. Everyone and everything was worth being given the chance to do the right thing. While this backfired once in a terrible way, she would learn from it but also never waver from this core belief. 

An old sketch I did of Ceren-Dee Windrake from the late 90s.

I was deeply in my Anime/Manga phase. 

Overview: It is very difficult to narrow down an overview of two years of gaming nearly every evening. Selina and I lived together before eventually getting married and we'd play a few hours each night (practically) before bed. The Ceren-Dee campaign was really just her as the player and myself as GM and the rest of the universe. I learned so much about NPC and story development as a result and it vastly improved my games from that point forward. 

It helped immensely that she, Selina, loved her character and the game. She was all in in a way that I don't see people immersing these days. When Selina started to play with my other groups, especially my ol' NJ gang, she brought that energy with her into a band of players that also all had that energy. It made for an incredible experience. 

Back to Ceren-Dee; she would eventually develop a strong bond and then a romantic relationship with the brooding, driven Sylvan Elf Shaylan Everleaf. Towards the end of the campaign and into the next one, Shaylan and Ceren-Dee would marry and establish the port city of Everwind, also a Winghorn Guard outpost. 

Other strong relationships were forged between Ceren-Dee and the Half-Ogre Vek-Tan, the Ranger-Cleric power couple Gestral Ronamoore and Promelia, and the Half-Elven bad boy and love interest of her friend Thundercall, Dalor EverBurnGreen. We spent as many sessions visiting the various homelands and families of the characters, shopping in markets and favored stores, and exploring the world as we did fighting evil villains, battling monsters, and unraveling ancient mysteries. 

Of particular note when it comes to relationships and villains is Ceren-Dee's dealings with the campaigns arch-nemesis Shadowhaunt. The last of the Pale Elves of Eldrindel (or so it was believed), Shadowhaunt went from pure evil to tragic and in the end he sacrificed himself to hinder an even greater threat than himself, one he partially helped create. He only did so after being moved by words from Ceren-Dee asking if this was his people's legacy. Is that what the Pale Elves will always be known for? Death and tyranny? He could not bare it and turned on the Dragons who'd pretended to be his allies just to steal his power. With his last, dying action and the combined forces of the Winghorn Guard, the evil cadre of Dragons were defeated and peace restored.

For a time...

Highlights: 

Another character with so many great moments and stories . Let's see...

Prior to Ceren-Dee Windrake, the Elves of Aerth had never taken center stage. With a campaign focused around one I decided I had to flesh them out. With Selina's help I designed their cultures, history, and created what I think might be Aerth's best feature.

Ceren-Dee and two other Winghorn Guard members are at one point swept up in a massive wave while on a ship at sea heading to meet the rest of her group. They were wary that the villainous Shadowhaunt was after them. She and her companions are flung overboard and when they surfaced, they'd arrived in the future. It was a timeline where her romantic interest, Shaylan Everleaf, has gone full-on Dark Knight against Shadowhaunt and his allies, hunting them down and making them pay dearly. He nearly destroyed the Dwarven City of Throal because one of Shadowhaunt's agents was said to be hiding there. The grief and anger of losing Ceren-Dee had driven him quiet over the edge it seemed. Luckily, the time displaced Ceren-Dee was able to talk him down and a tearful conversation followed that was one of the best moments I've ever had in a game. Ceren-Dee and friends were returned to their proper place in the timeline and sharing her experience gave them all a new found view of their places in the world and in each others' lives. 

A story arc I really loved involved Shadowhaunt assembling a team of villainous allies made up of either old villains from the original Winghorn Guard game or ones connected to them. To defeat them, Ceren-Dee tracked down the Guard members who had defeated these villains in the past. This resulted in the return of Arigon, Telerie, Rao Sunbird, and others from the previous Winghorn Guard campaign. Some just made cameos, some had short guest appearances, and some hung around for a season or two or had periodic reoccurring roles. 

Legacy: Ceren-Dee's campaign ended with her marrying Shaylan Everleaf, establishing the port city of Everwind and having three children; the youngest of whom, Galefyn EverFae, became her PC in a follow up campaign. 

Ceren-Dee has since appeared in nearly every incarnation of the Winghorn Guard or Aerth I have run since. Sometimes as a major NPC, sometimes a background character, and sometimes just a legend the PCs hear about in passing. 

Trust me, for as long as I am in this hobby and I run some version of Aerth, the name Ceren-Dee Windrake will never, ever fade. 

Game Info: You are in luck! The Chronicles of The Winghorn Guard are well kept. Lo and behold, Ceren-Dee Windrake's original character sheet:

Bonus Feautres:

I almost forgot to mention Ceren-Dee's familiar, a Tressym (Cat with Feather-covered Bat-wings) she saved and named WindFae. I never spoke as WindFae, simply meowing and making other cat noises and Selina had to figure it out. Eventually they develop a bond that enables her to more directly understand WindFae's 'language'. 

Ceren-Dee has a sword called 'The Blue Dragon's Tongue', discovered seemingly at random early in the campaign and then numerous reveals about its powers and origins were spread out through the rest of the game. It is a +3 Elven Longsword, +5 vs. Blue Dragons, and it has the ability to catch/absorb any electricity directed at it (Reflex save required). The electricity is then held within the blade and can be seen faintly crackling over the surface. By uttering the High Elven word for 'Lightning' the electricty can either be released as a bolt or discharged on a successful melee attack. She has used it to shock a group of enemies moving through a large puddle by stabbing into the water and it once disrupted an Artificer's invention by sticking the blade between two tesla-coil-like antenna. 

***

OK, that's all for this one. Whew. Big entry, huh?

Next up, it's cold outside and there's no kind of atmosphere but inside we've got everyone's favorite Gallus Sapien, CHICKEN!

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Barking Alien