The Smurfs and The Whispering Stones

Oh The Smurfs RPG, I do smurf you so!

With two of our Wednesday night regulars out for various reasons, I had the opportunity to run The Smurfs once again this past week and obviously I smurfed at the chance!

In addition to returning characters like Sir Smurfsalot - The Questing Smurf and Spelly Smurf, we had Will trying out a new character in the form of Smurfevergreen of Smurfy Grove. 

The adventure, which I titled The Smurfs and The Whispering Stones, was inspired by some interesting folklore I came across recently pertaining to the beliefs and practices of the Gauls in Northwestern France.

The Smurfs of both Smurf Village and Smurfy Grove are all kept up one evening by whispered voices heard on the wind. No one can make out what they are saying but neither can anyone ignore them and get back to sleep. Well...all except Spelly, who cast a QUIET Spell as he does every evening to help him rest comfortably. 

In Smurf Village, Papa Smurf went door to door checking on his little Smurfs. Brainy was seeing formulas spin around his head. Smurfette could barely keep her eyes open. Even Lazy was awake! When Papa reached Sir Smurfsalot, the latter offered to go on a quest to silence these foul whispers! Papa Smurf was happy to hear that, as he had an idea of what the issue might be. He suggested Sir Smurfsalot not go alone, taking at least one other Smurf with him. He decided to call upon his friend Spelly Smurf, certain that Spelly's magic would probably prove helpful. 

Unfortunately, with the QUIET Spell cast within Spelly's house, he was unable to hear Papa and Smurfsalot knocking on his front door. Not to worry! Concerned for Spelly's well-being, Sir Smurfsalot removed his armor and climbed down Spelly's chimney. He was then able to go to Spelly's bedroom to wake him (funny scene). Going downstairs with Smurfsalot to meet Papa, Spelly got the lowdown on what was going on. Papa further explained what he thought the cause of the problem might be. 

"At the edge of the West Woods, past the Sarsaparilla Fields, and the path to Smurfy Grove, there are five menhirs (Gallic Standing Stones) known as 'The Whispering Stones' and 'The Hiding Menhir'. These stones aid in the enchantments that hide the Smurfs' lands and protect them from people like Gargamel. While the magic prevents that foul sorceror from finding our Village and the Grove, it is possible he's located the menhir themselves! If he's moved one, he may yet be able to locate our hidden homes!"

With that, Sir Smurfsalot and Spelly Smurf headed off into the night to investigate what had become of the stones. Papa Smurf advised them to return as soon as they knew what the situation war.

[Before he left the village, Spelly wrote the word QUIET with special chalk, one letter on each of five fist sized rocks. The three Smurfs then placed the rocks in a pentagram like pattern around the village, providing the rest of the Smurfs with a chance to get some much needed shut-eye.]

Meanwhile, wide awake though it was the middle of the night, a female Smurf of Smurfy Grove stood near her work bench in a hollowed out section of a tree. This was Smurfevergreen and she lived on her own a little ways away from Smurfy Grove in a tree at the end of the West Woods. Evergreen is an unusual Smurf in many ways; she prefers to be alone, she likes her tree home as opposed to a Mushroom House, and makes various tools and items out of things she finds out in nature. For example, she didn't carefully carve her bow and arrows so much as find twigs and saplings and just adapt them for her purposes. The only item she owns that may not have been made by her is a Survival Knife which she uses to cut and chop ingredients and materials for her...well...survival. 

Smurfevergreen hears the strange whispers and goes to investigate. The Whispering Stones are not that far from her home so she arrives well before the boys of Smurf Village. The voices were very creepy but hard to make out until she got close. Now she heard 'stone', 'moved', 'danger', and 'broken'. This did not bode well. 

Spelly Smurf and Sir Smurfsalot heard the words but much more faintly as they came striding down the path. Noting a small, dark hole behind the stones - possibly a fox's den or rabbit warren - Spelly wondered if there was something or someone hiding in there. As if on cue, dust and mist billowed out of the hole and five small, angry-looking people came running out towards the Smurfs. The dwarf-like creatures began shouting in a strange dialect the Smurfs couldn't make out at first. Spelly and Smurfsalot tried to communicate with them but the mad mini-men weren't listening.

Smurfevergreen leapt out from the bushes and ended up behind the creatures as they ran towards the boy Smurfs. Using her Survival Knife, she cut the belt of one of two twin beings, causing his pants to fall down and tripping him into a face-plant.

The boys briefly engaged the creatures as well but before long one of them said something Spelly caught on to. He tried again to talk to these ruffians and their 'leader' called Spelly out for 'moving one of the stones'. Pointing out that the Smurfs had only just arrived and were way to small to move a menhir, the creatures began to question their overzealous actions. Noting that SOMEONE moved one of the stones, breaking the enchantment that protects Smurf Village and Smurfy Grove, but these fellows couldn't see who it was. Apparently the culprit was 'Cloaked in Darkness'. 

The creatures introduce themselves as The Goric, spirits of the Whispering Stones. 

Assembling together with Smurfevergreen, Spelly and Smursalot explained that they were Smurfs and that it was their homes that the stones helped protect. "Why would WE move them?" This made sense to the Gorics. Their leader mentioned that it was 'the Old Man' and 'The Lady' - Papa Smurf and Smurfwillow - who set up the magic in the first place. The Goric apologized, not recognizing the Smurfs as being the same type of people as the Old Man and Lady. It turns out the Goric act first and think...eventually. 

Studying the stones, it was indeed clear one of the stones had been moved, though not more than two Human strides. That's three or four steps for a Goric and quite a few more for a Smurf. Suddenly a trap went off, catching Smurfevergreen and two of the Gorics in a crude rope net and lifting them high off the ground. Using her Survival Knife and the surprising strength of the Goric, Evergreen was able to free them all, taking part of the rope net down with them.

Judging by footprints near by, it was likely the menhir was moved by a Man and that man was accompanied by a small animal. Probably a cat.

Wait a smurf...

Now the Smurfs panicked! "If it were indeed that fiend Gargamel and Azrael, his wretched familiar, thy friends are in grave danger! The protection of the enchantment hast doth been weakened and they may be nary moments from bestowing woe upon our lands!", exclaimed Sir Smurfsalot. 

It was true and what to do about the situation had to be decided at once! Spelly had an idea! Move the stone back into place first. With any luck, Gargamel and Azrael haven't reached the Village yet and there was still a chance to confuse them and have them lose their way. 

Sir Smurfsalot immediately went to push the stone back into place but even his great strength [for a Smurf] was quite enough. Smurfevergreen fashioned a lasso out of the remains of the rope net so she could pull while Smurfsalot pushed. Spelly asked the Goric if they could help to. It never occurred to them that they might be able to move the stones themlves. Never once in all their centuries. All together, the entire group moved the menhir back into place and just as they did, Gargamel bumped into a tree! He looked about and could not longer see the way to Smurf Village.

"Where did that come from? Wait...where is the path? Azrael! Which way, Azrael? What happened?", Gargamel called out. A confused Azrael just shrugged and looked this way and that. "Egad Azrael! The Smurfs! It must be them. They must have moved the stone back into place! Curses! We must go back to the Whispering Stones and this time, break them into pieces!" This was following by a manical laugh and the sounds of a snickering cat.

Pulling up the hood on a particularly peculiar dark cloak, Gargamel and Azrael faded into the shadows as they headed to the standing stones once again. 

The Smurfs meanwhile assumed their enemy would be making their way back to them and formulated a plan. Spelly readied himself to cast a major spell but needed the others to buy him time. Sir Smurfsalot and Smurfevergreen got ready as the Goric, cheering on the Smurfs, faded back into the spirit world and the stones. 

Not long after, when bushes rustled and hands swiped down to grab the Smurfs, Smurfsalot raised his Sword and angled it to catch the moonlight. He called upon the light to shine down and reveal their opponent! It worked! The moon shimmered across Gargamel's magic Cloak as Evergreen tussled with Azrael. All this time, Spelly Smurf had been spelling out...

C-o-n-c-e-a-l t-h-e H-i-d-i-n-g M-e-n-h-i-r f-r-o-m G-a-r-g-a-m-e-l a-n-d A-z-r-a-e-l

Yes, 'Conceal the Hiding Menhir from Gargamel and Azrael', an incantation it took three long moments to spell out. The spirts of the stones, the Goric, helped a bit by distracting Gargamel and Azrael with their trademark creepy whispers but it was the skill in battle of Sir Smurfsalot and Smurfevergreen that really made the casting possible. 

In the end, Gargamel and Azrael were standing in the West Woods completely lost. Totally baffled by where the Whispering Stones had gone and which way to go to look for either them or the Smurf Village, the two gave up. Defeated, they slinked back to Gargamel's hovel of a keep with their nerves on edge and the Cloak of Darkness shredded by the blades of the fighting Smurfs.

Sir Smurfsalot and Spelly Smurf returned to Smurf Village and Smurfevergreen walked them home, a big deal for her as her preference is to be alone. Generally, Evergreen doesn't make friends easily, if at all, and few Smurfs consider themselves friends of hers. However...Sir Smurfsalot declared how impressed he was by her skills and commended her for her bravery. Spelly insisted the 'quest' could not have been concluded successfully without her. Smurfevergreen felt a strange and unfamiliar emotion...camaraderie? She wasn't sure she felt comfortable with it but you know, she didn't dislike it either. The trio agreed to call upon each other again in the future if they were ever in need of help. 

Papa Smurf, along with Smurfette and Brainy, met with the guys and welcomed them home. As the heroes described their adventure and the others oohed and aahed, Evergreen faded into the Sarsaparilla Fields with a smile.

The End.

Thanks for coming by! Sorry this was a bit of a long one but it was a really great session and I just wanted to share. 

Talk to you again soon...

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Barking Alien

On A Blue Note

My recent lackluster excursion into Medieval Fantasy Solo RPGaming had me really down; moreso than I would have expected. It was made worse by a poor purchase I made specifically for this experiment, hoping the product I bought would be useful for my endeavor*. It was not and in fact it is so lame I can't see myself ever using it but more on that later.

I really dislike wasting time and money. Grr. Sigh.

Luckily, there is light at the end of this dark tunnel and that light my friends, is blue...

I'll be running The Smurfs RPG this week! Woohoo!

With some of our regulars out we'll be skipping the next session of the normal campaign and playing a Smurfs one-shot instead. I am officially cheered-up as I haven't gotten the chance to run The Smurfs in what feels like a long while and, as you probably know by now, I absolutely love this game! 

It looks like Nick will be return to play Sir Smurfsalot - The Questing Smurf, Ray will reprise Spelly Smurf, and Will will be coming in with a brand new Smurf Girl from Smurfy Grove by the name of Smurfevergreen! 

I'm genuinely looking forward to this and will be spending today working up my adventure (as much as Adam works up adventures that is). Later in the week I'll give you all the aftersmurf report. 

Until then, smurf you later my fellow Smurfs!

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Barking Alien

*A Mini-Review of Roll & Play Press's 'No Place Like Homebrew':

I don't normally do product reviews of this sort but I was not happy with this purchase and I wanted everyone out there to be aware of what the book was all about. If you are new to tabletop roleplaying games in general and Dungeons and Dragons 5E specifically, this product might be of interest and use to you. 

If you have been playing for 10 years or more, have played games other than D&D, and have what I have to assume is a modest amount of creativity, you can probably skip this book. It has 252 pages of stuff, ranging from deities and locations to creatures and more locations that you've already come up with or read before on a blog, in a magazine, or any number of other places a dozen times already. Nothing in it, as far as I can tell, is of particular noteworthiness. 

The book is oddly organized, at least to me, though perhaps Fantasy gamers are more accustomed to the thinking process that went into this. For example, it starts with REALMS, a whole section on sample worlds and settings which certainly makes sense but its then filled with things like Deities, Celestials, and other otherworldly entities. Is that where most people start their world-building? With the Gods? Is that the first thing I need when trying to put together an adventure for my party of players and their PCs? Felt a little strange to me. 

Their idea of cool and interesting monsters are Bulettes but their gold-colored, Corgis with extra legs, and Pink Hounds that don't tire. Wow. Breathtaking. Also, thank goodness for an Index at the end of the book because its not like all the creatures are in one creature section. Instead they're scattered throughout the book (as are NPCs and other elements) based on terrain type. That makes sense, can't fault them for that, but I found it hard to know where to look to find something I'd previously read without use of the index. 

At $54.99 for the physical book (not including shipping) and $29.99 for the PDF, I can't recommend this for your money. I've far more exciting and innovative ideas to plug into your campaign for free or at a much lower cost from blogs, forums, magazine articles, and the like.

This product gets a 5 or maybe 5.5 out of 10 from me.

I'll Tell You What I Want, What I Really, Really Want

I am currently running three campaigns. 

One is a bi-weekly game of Star Trek Adventures that my players and I have titled Star Trek: Prosperity. This campaign has been going on for nearly twelve years of real time. It features four players, plus myself as Gamemaster, and is set in a version of The Original Series Era that has run considerably longer than the first Star Trek TV series lasted on television. 

I love this campaign. My players appear to love it. It just keeps going.

The other two are, as mentioned the other day, Superhero games;

One is My Hero Academia: Hero Helpline; basically the premise of the video game Dispatch set in the universe of My Hero Academia. I'm using a Japanese fan-made TRPG called 'Plus Ultra'.

The second is The Legion of Superheroes: Legion Outpost, a Champions 4th Edition campaign following an expansion team of DC Comics' 31st Century Superheroes, The Legion of Superheroes. 

These two are fun. Definitely fun. There are ideas in both of them that I think are interesting to explore. That said...are these the games I really want to be running? Well...

Allow me to start by saying, I don't mean for this post to imply I'd rather be running one of the following campaign concepts instead of any of the ones I'm currently GMing.

OK...wait. No, that is kinda what I'm saying. The RPGs below are what I'd really love to be running if I could run anything I wanted and had people who wanted to play them. Except Star Trek: Prosperity. I would want to run one or more of the campaigns I'm about to discuss in addition to continuing with Star Trek: Prosperity. That doesn't mean I am unhappy with the games I'm currently running, just that these are my current 'dream campaigns'. 

The problem is...I don't know that the games I want to run are ones my current groups of players want to play, especially for a prolonged period of time. They might say yes to a one-shot and truly have a great time with it but I don't think they see the ongoing potential of the ones I'm going to talk about. 

Maybe some do. Hmm. OK. With that...

Ghostbusters

Yeah, I've definitely been slimed by the news of the upcoming Netflix animated series Night Shift but a desire to run a long term Ghostbusters campaign always haunts the back of my mind. 

I love the idea of characters who aren't exceptionally adept or particularly professional facing off against foes beyond their 'pay grade'. At the same time, the PCs do have some special skills and gear to level the playing field (pun intended) and the wits and determination to take down far more powerful adversaries. 

I'm also particularly found of the system I've homebrewed to run Ghostbusters, really a kitbash of the original WEG RPG, InSpectres, and the Year Zero mechanics from Free League's ALIEN game. Add in some of the customizable elements my groups and I have added over the years  - things like unique Proton Packs, alternative Ecto Vehicles, and the PCs' Headquarters - and I really think the game, and the players, would get the most out of an extended campaign, instead of just the occasional one-shot.

The Adventures of Horai Academy!!

This is a game near and dear to my heart that I honestly haven't run in roughly 30 years. And to be clear, even back then I only ran 6 sessions. I'd never run it before that and I haven't had the opportunity to run it again since. どうしたの？

Not only do I love the premise, best described by my friend Ray as, 'Crazy Japanese High School - The Roleplaying Game', but I also feel it has simple, interesting rules that make it a breeze to run while maintaining a certain amount of mechanical depth. Not too much mechanical depth I suppose but just enough to keep me engaged and allow for the kinds of stories and actions the game intends to create. 

Man, I have to do a dedicated post on this game. It's history and current incarnation are absolutely fascinating.

Anyway, I am once again in an Anime/Manga mood and this game would absolutely satisfy my craving for Japanese pop culture and fandom influenced gaming. 

The Smurfs

I haven't run or played The Smurfs Roleplaying Game in a while now and I REALLY miss it. Moreover, I desperately want to produce an ongoing campaign. Not only have I been eager to do this for some time now but I have so many ideas for putting one together that they're burning a hole in my smurf!

In addition to exploring the fun characters that players keep coming up with, I want to continue expanding the world/setting, bring in both new and classic adversaries, and incorporate the base-building element of developing your Smurf House. 

I seriously think a long term Smurfs campaign could be the best Medieval Fantasy RPG you're going to get from me. Hopefully I'll get the chance. Smurfs crossed.

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Barking Alien

All Alone and Blue

My regular Wednesday night group decided to skip this past week's get together, largely due to exhaustion and a couple players being away because of personal and/or work obligations.

As a result, the Smurfs RPG one-shot I had planned will have to wait for another time. It's OK. I'm cool with it. No worries on my end. 

...Oh who am I smurfing? I want to play Smurfs! I'm smurfing at the bit! Chomping at the smurf? You smurf my meaning, right?

Wait...this is the perfect opportunity to try out something I've been pondering for a while now; a Smurfs RPG Solo Adventure!

I first mentioned this idea back in November of last year, in a post titled Blue Plate Special. The basic smurf of it is that I would use/focus on a single Smurf as my Player Character but have them accompanied by a rotating cast of additional Smurf companions. 

There are some rules on pages 30 and 31 of the Smurfs RPG Core Rulebook regarding playing a Smurf with a 'Sidekick' and I kind of extrapolated my Solo rules from there...at first.

The smurf of it is that a Smurf with a Sidekick isn't exactly what I had in mind for a Solo Smurfs RPG. I wanted the NPCs to have a little more to them. Less Sidekicks and more Supporting Characters I suppose. 

For the star of this Solo smurfy outing, I went with my original character Smurfcornflower, first created for The Smurfs and The Palace of the Silver Princess. I just adore her and she makes an excellent central character thanks to her Potion Making talents; needing to make a Potion, having to find the right ingredients, having to cure the effects of a botched potion, and the like all make good catalysts for an adventure.

I rolled randomly off a table I created to determine which companion Smurfs would be joining her and then wrote them up as follows: Create the NPC as per Sidekicks. Then add/expand upon elements of the character that might be prudent to know for an adventure such as Best Stat, Worst Stat, their Advantage, a Signature Item of Equipment, and a short description of their personality and motivation. 

Basically, a Smurf Companion is more than a Sidekick, less then a full Player Character write-up.

In practice, I made all of the choices for my 'Solo Smurf', while the other NPC Smurfs were guided by a mixture of my decisions and random rolls. I also generated the adventure randomly and used die rolls to determine a lot of the elements within the adventure. 

In upcoming posts I will detail the characters, the adventure, and the far too detailed plans I created for Smurfcornflower's Mushroom Cottage. 

Smurf you later!

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Barking Alien

A very Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there with the utmost appreciation and love for all you do!

A Blue Dilemma

This past Wednesday I received an email from Maestro Media indicating my physical, hardcover copy of The Smurfs The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook has shipped and is on its way to me as we speak.

Hopefully the package will include the custom dice I added on 'cause who could resist a bunch more themed 6-sided dice, right? (See previous post)

I also got to run a Smurfs one-shot with most of my regular Wednesday night group, my first time running or playing it this year. Next week the group make up will be a little different - the one person out this week will be back but one or two others will be out - so I'll be running it again [with a new scenario] so everybody gets to experience the magic.

This is awesome and I couldn't be happier. Well...unless...unless I could get a full campaign going I suppose. 

In addition to adoring this game for the comedic elements and really liking the mechanics, its turning out to be something I didn't expect...a Fantasy RPG that I enjoy. Crazy right? 

The reason for this can be, at least partially, attributed to my deep dive into the Smurfs' comic book origins, as well as French and Belgian folklore. A curious item I just picked up is a Smurfs 'Graphic Novel' called The Smurfs Monsters, a collection of Smurfs comics that each feature our favorite little blue people facing various fantastical creatures. I feel a potential 'Monster Manual' coming on, taking these beasts and beings and giving them write-ups in the Smurfs RPG. If the cover is any indication, I'm going to be getting some very interesting looking critters. 

If the game has a flaw it's that one of my favorite aspects, creating your very own personal Mushroom Cottage, is difficult to work into play. As I gain more and more experience with the game, I realize this element truly shines in a campaign and is rather tricky to implement during one-shots or even two-parters. 

Usually, the PC Smurfs go on some adventure that takes them out of the village and don't return home until the scenario is complete. Perhaps they are chasing Gargamel, who just captured some Smurfs. Maybe Papa Smurf has sent them out to gather a rare magical ingredient. Whatever it is, the Smurfs are going away from their Smurfhouses and only coming back to them if they finish their quest or get totally Smurfed! 

I imagine in a long term campaign, more adventures and general activities would be occuring in and around Smurf Village and Smurfy Grove. Because of this, characters would be visiting their Mushroom Cottages (and each others') far more often. This, combined with the usefulness of the mechanical bonuses supplied by Smurfhouse, would make the inclusion of these homes more appealing to the PCs and more vital to the success of particularly difficult scenarios.

I've noticed that some players take the idea of a Smurfs RPG 'seriously', while others default to assuming they're playing a silly, comedic 'break' from their regular, more meaningful campaign. This makes sense given the natural of one-shots combined with the Smurfs themselves being comical characters from comic book and animated origins. As someone who has run and played some dramatically rich 'humorous' games, I think that given an open mind and a full campaign, I could get some great Roleplaying and World-Building moments from the Smurfs RPG with little trouble. 

These are just some thoughts I find myself having on a lazy Sunday in May. More to come, not to mention an idea for a new professional project. 

Smurf strong and stay tuned!

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Barking Alien

The Smurfs depicted are all original, Player Character Smurfs; all the ones I've seen so far in the Smurfs RPG games I've run and played [that I could remember]. They are:

Row 1 (L-to-R): Fisher Smurf, Adventure Smurf, Science Smurf, Lookout Smurf, Sir Smurfsalot aka Questing Smurf, and Champion Smurf.

Row 2: Smurfamaryllis, Suave Smurf, Apathy Smurf, Smurfcornflower, Brash Smurf, Smurfhoneysuckle, and Gamer Smurf.

Row 3: Smurfpepper, Helpful Smurf, Spelly Smurf, Frontier Smurf, and Smurfanise.

UPDATE: May 4th, 2026, 3:30 pm.

I got it! It is here! 

31 Days / 31 Characters - GOSSIP SMURF

I am constantly amazed that the most fun I've had with a Tabletop Roleplaying Game in 2025 was with The Smurfs RPG by Maestro Media. 

First announced in 2024 and followed by a highly successful Kickstarter, the upcoming RPG about three apples tall blue people is way better than it had any right to be. Better than it had any need to be. I mean, if this game was a simple, silly game fit for 5 year olds and their Generation X grandparents, that would've been fine. I'd tip my hat to the creators for a job well enough done and that would be it. 

Instead, the people at Maestro Media created a cool game with clever mechanics, an excellent reflection of the subject matter, and a few surprises I definitely didn't see coming. There are base-building rules for making your own Mushroom Cottage and that is as awesome as it was unnecessary. 

Not surprisingly, I really like making Smurf characters. It was a real effort holding off on making one before this.

Character: Gossip Smurf

AKA: None

Player: Possibly me. Possibly an NPC. I hope me.

System: The Smurfs Roleplaying Game
 
Nature: Created for this Challenge

Gamemaster: None yet. Possibly me.

Circa: January 11th, 2025

Origins: It was a given that I'd be making a Smurfs character for this year's 31 Day Character Challenge (in fact I might make two). The real mystery, even for me, was 'what character should I make?' 

I decided I wanted to make an 'imperfect Smurf', one that is defined as much by his flaw as his advantage. I figured something more akin to Clumsy or Vanity might be interesting. It was the letter I was up to, 'G', that gave me the final form of my newest little blue friend. 

 
Backstory: Not too long ago Gossip Smurf was just another Smurf, one of the many identifcal Smurfs who live and work in Smurf Village. That was until he overheard Papa Smurf telling Brainy Smurf that Gargamel was up to something and he passed on that information to his friend Reporter Smurf. Reporter ended up printing it in the Smurf Tattler. Papa Smurf was very angry at first as he didn't want to panic the Village before he had more information. 

As it turned out, the Smurfs did panic and the Smurf who would become Gossip felt responsible. He decided to use his 'talent' of picking up and dishing out rumors to make Gargamel think the magical relic he was searching for was over by the Sarsaparilla Fields - where Handy and Hefty had set up a trap! Gargamel fell for it and while he was trying to escape, Brainy, Smurfette, and Grouchy moved the item from where it really was and brought it to Papa Smurf's house. 

Gargamel eventually got out of the trap but was so disoriented he got lost in the nearby Western Woods and eventually gave up. He would later learn that the Smurfs got to the artifact first. 

Reporter Smurf decided to hire the rumor spreading Smurf, giving him the name Gossip Smurf. 

Overview: Gossip Smurf has got something to tell you. Now to be perfectly smurfy, its just a rumor but he's smurfed it through several sources and it seems legit. Now before he tells you, and you know he'll smurf it to you straight, he was wondering if you'd heard anything about what that new contraption is that Handy's building. Really? You don't say? Oh no, I won't tell a Smurf. My smurfs are sealed. 

The Highlights: I decided to give Gossip Smurf a different sort of Advantage than I usually go with. Instead of using the type that lowers an Action's Difficulty Level, the type that adds a +2 to an Attribute, or the kind that awards you a Smurfberry, I went with the kind that Clumsy Smurf has:

When obtaining or spreading rumors, a roll that fails or succeeds by no more than 1 becomes a Partial Success instead.

This allows Gossip to persuade people to give him information or to convince someone of information he has, though with partials the information may not be wholely accurate or wholely believed.

His item, a Quill Pen and Paper, helps him remember what he's heard by writing it down. It can be used in other ways as well of course but I feel like that's its main purpose. 

Game Info: 

Notes: I like this guy! A lot! I haven't made a Smurf character yet I haven't liked but I can totally see having fun with this fellow by getting really creative. Heheh. 

 
Legacy: None yet - the ongoing drawback of this Challenge - but I hope he gets one. I can definitely see using him as an NPC with those friends I have who play Smurfs. 

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Barking Alien

The Nightmare Before Smurfmas! - Part I

A Merry Smurfmas and Smurfy Holidays My Smurfs! 

Although there isn't any snow on the ground where I am, it definitely feels like the holidays. New York City has decorations everywhere, with trees large and small covered in all manner of lights. The fancy stores along 5th Avenue have their amazing holiday display windows up and everyone is in a joyous rush to get home to their loved ones.

Now, it's Christmas Day!

Oh what a smurfy time of year! 

What better way to close out the year* than with a Smurfs TRPG one-shot that is also holiday themed? None I dare say! Especially in the case of last weekend's great game of The Smurfs Roleplaying Game, run with a mix of old friends and new, as I got the chance to be 'Storyteller Smurf' for Andy, Brandon, Heather, and Stephen, all formerly part of The Smurfs and The Palace of the Silver Princess. Stephen was the Storyteller for that, as well as for the one-shot The Smurfs and The Bluebird of Happiness. I was very excited [and honestly a bit intimidated] to be on the other side of the table for such a talented Smurfs GM.

Unfortunately, René (Suave Smurf) couldn't join us (we couldn't get a hold of him) but we did have the addition of Julia, a friend of Heather's, who gave us a much needed additional Smurf Girl of Smurfy Grove (since my own Smurfcornflower wouldn't be there). She and Stephen established a very different dynamic between this group and our last big outing even though four of the participants (and three of the Player Characters) were the same. 

Our group of Smurfs was therefore Smurfamaryllis, Apathy Smurf, Brash Smurf, Gamer Smurf, and Smurfhoneysuckle.

Smurfamaryllis (Julia)                  and              Gamer Smurf (Stephen)

Without further adeu, here is Part I of my recap of The Nightmare Before Smurfmas!

Snow is falling, the trees are decorated, and Baker Smurf is making his annual Chocolate and Smurfberry Yule Log Cake - Yes Smurf Boys and Girls, it's almost Smurfmas!** As Smurf Village and Smurfy Grove plan one smurf of a holiday party together, something strange lurks in the woods between the two hidden places. Azrael! Gargamel's nasty ol' cat seems to be searching for the Smurfs but Gargamel himself is nowhere to be seen. Hmm. It could be a trap! 

A group of Smurfs, Boys and Girls alike, volunteer to investigate. Well...sort of. Smurfamaryllis, Brash Smurf, and Smurfhoneysuckle volunteer and basically drag Apathy and Gamer along. What they discover is quite odd. Azrael seems pretty roughed up and eventually falls exhausted in the snow, whimpering softly.

While Apathy and Brash are not sure if they should go help him - I mean, he has tried to smurf many a Smurf over the years - Honeysuckle is already out there checking on the cat (Honeysuckle is a farmer and really cares about animals). Amaryllis tags along.

Gamer plays a quick Riddle/Guessing Game with the other boys. If he wins, they help Azrael. If they win, he'll follow their lead. Gamer wins! The entire group takes Azrael back to the edge of Smurfy Grove and calls on Smurfwillow's help. The wise older Female Smurf gives the cat some medicine and it begins to meow frantically! They are able to determine that Gargamel is in trouble! Something about a Magic Spell and some kind of Monster! Great Smurfs!

While Azrael rests and heals, Smurfwillow sends a message to Papa Smurf letting him know the group is headed to Gargamel's hovel/castle to investigate further. The group grabs their favored gear and receives some holiday treats before heading Northeast.

The trip is not an easy one. The region is covered in deep snow (if you're three apples tall that is) and there is a lot of slippery ice. Branches have fallen from trees and the wind wickedly whipped westward. There is also the matter of the Smurfs themselves, who smurfed each other the wrong way at every turn.

Smurfamaryllis needed to be the center of attention and kept trying to get the others to watch what she's doing. Apathy, well he's Apathy and couldn't have cared less, which just made Amaryllis try harder. The long standing competition/rivalry between Brash and Honeysuckle was friendly (flirty?) and good-natured but that took their focus away from Amaryllis and she didn't like that. She might also have been a little sweet on Brash. Gamer keeps wanting to make it all a game, which proves annoying to the others and potentially dangerous near ponds of thin ice.***

Eventually, Apathy took up the role of leader and got the party to get its smurf together. They decided to make a brief camp, warm up with some Smurfberry Leaf Tea and Smurfberry Biscuits, and smurf out their differences. After some heartfelt and humorous dialogue, Honeysuckle notices a light not too far away. She points it out to the others, believing it to be another campfire. The group gets up to take a closer look but can only see the shadows of small people.

After dowsing their fire, the party walks over to see a dozen or so (Thirteen to be exact) small, wizened elf-like beings gathered around their own campfire. One member of the group invites the Smurfs over to have a bowl of their soup, which the PCs suddenly notice is cooking over the little trolls' flame. Was that there a second ago? Amaryllis bows and says she would be honored to try their soup! After all, "I am well known as a Great Taster of Soups back in Smurfy Grove!", she exclaims. The little men laugh and slap their knees and each others backs. 

"Smurfs you say? Well, *chuckle* splendid, splendid! We, my brothers and I, are the Yule Lads. Here you are lovely Smurf", said one of the 'handsome goblins'**** as he handed her a bowl and a spoon. Smurfamaryllis loved the attention and praise and gladly took the gift of food. She scooped up a spoonful of thick broth and potato chunks and downed it in one gulp. She then spewed it out, coughing and making just the most contorted of faces.

"What the smurf? What's wrong Amaryllis?", shouted Honeysuckle, her hands balling into fists.

"It's sour and spoiled. Like it went bad long ago! Yuck! Awful! But it looked and smelled so good", replied Amaryllis, trying to use her scarf to wipe the taste off her tongue.

All 13 Yule Lads roared with laughter. "Oldest trick we have and still one of the best", said one. 

"The look on her silly face!" barked another.

"That's what you get for boasting", snapped a third, his face more serious than his kin. 

"Let's just be on our way...", Gamer began to say but it was too late. He was traveling with Brash Smurf and Brash Smurf tended to be rather...well...Brash. Leaping forward, his hands wrapped in his signature red cape, Brash grabbed the handles of the soup pot and threw the entirety of it at the Yule Lads. Not to be outdone ('cause isn't that her way), Honeysuckle followed up by smurfing the lid of the pot at them discus (frisbee) style. Amaryllis smurfed the Yule Lad who had handed her the rotten potato soup with her baton (stick) with a rattling 'thok!'

"And take that!", she exclaimed!

The Yule Lads erupted in yelps, shouts, and at least two in a loud 'BONG!' as the pot lid struck them. Suddenly the Smurfs were surrounded by the mischevious bunch, all attempting to trick, trip, pull, push, or steal something from the group. The team fought back in various very clever ways, from Amaryllis drawing their attention so Brash could send them rolling down the hill, to Gamer distracting them with a game of dice while Honeysuckle shook a bush that buried a few Yule Lads in falling snow.

Finally as the tricky, troublemaking trolls looked like they were on the outs, one of the Yule Lads stood tall with a burning stick in his hand, laughing hysterically yet furiously as he approached the Smurfs. Most were taken aback, quite intimidated or at least wary of the threat. Apathy gently pushed passed his friends and stood right in from of the fellow, classic nonplussed***** look of calm disinterest on his face. 

"Yes?", Apathy said in a bored monotone. "You have something to say?"

The Yule Lad leered at Apathy for a long moment. Then looked confused for nearly as long. Then he shut his mouth and stepped back. Apathy, face completely unchanged, took a slow and very deliberate step forward. The Yule Lad gulped, put out his torch in the snow, and grinned sheepishly. "Heh, just a bit of fun ol' nut? No real harm or foul, right? We'll be about our business and you the same."

"Not so fast!", said Honeysuckle in a deep, rough-sounding drawl, right hand clenched in a fist, "What are y'all doing here? You know what's going on up at the castle don't ya?" 

The Yule Lads began to mutter and whisper among themselves, most of the conversations ending in shrugs and head scratching. The one who'd been threatening the Smurfs a mere moment ago said, "We were doing nothing of note 'til you came along. Our Master told us to waylay any who'd come to the aid of the old malcontent up there in the ruined keep. A true misanthrope if ever there was one! Who'd come to help such a churl, I mean really?"

The Smurfs all looked at each other, their feelings and thoughts twisting in knotts. Gargamel.

"Who is your Master..." Gamer Smurf began, but the Yule Lads were gone. There was no fire, no evidence they'd ever been there. Wait...that wasn't quite accurate. On a log the wee cretins had previous been sitting on when the Smurfs first met them, Gamer found a small package in a bright green box tied with a red bow. A present? He showed it to the others and they suggested he hold on to it for the time being.

With that, off they went to Gargamel's...

So ends Part I of our Yule Tide Tale! Stay tuned for more after these messages...

AD

Barking Alien

*This game was not necessarily the last one of the year but it was holiday themed, it was Smurfs, and it just felt like if I had to make this one good just in case I don't get to play again this year. I know, I know. I do it to myself.

**Smurfmas isn't so much Christmas but more the Pagan Yule Tide holidays of pre-Christian France and Belgium mixed with a few more Christmas-y trappings. I always imagine the Smurfs are some sort of Forest Spirits or Fae so it kind of makes sense.

***This group of Player Character Smurfs featured a lot more interpersonal friction than any of my previous Smurf parties thus far. This was absolutely the intention. Discussed right before the start of the game, Julia wanted to play a character that leaned in the direction of Brainy being a Smart Alec, Hefty being Bull-Headed, Baker Being Greedy (at least on the Cartoon), and the like. This doesn't mean Brainy isn't smart, Hefty isn't strong, or that Baker isn't a skilled, er, baker. She just wanted to lean into Smurfamaryllis' flaws, not her Advantage. 

We talked about it to insure that the group understood issues might arise among the PCs but that had nothing to do with the players. More specifically, Julia wanted to make sure her idea didn't harsh everyone else's mellow. Everyone was cool with her character being trying sometimes and how that dynamic could generate a lot of humor and interpersonal moments. 

Stephen leaned into a similar idea but to a lesser extent. 

****Before letting the players and PCs know they were dealing the Icelandic Folklore beings known as 'The Yule Lads' I danced around the name with various descriptions of faerie beings like pre-Tolkien elves, brownies, lutins, and other such creatures. Julia offhandedly called them 'handsome goblins' at one point and, I don't know if it was the phrase or how she said it, but it struck me as really funny at the time. 

*****Nonplussed is such a great word. It is a contranym; a word with two opposite meanings. Nonplussed can mean surprised and confused, often beyond the ability to react or completely unphased, not peturbed at all.

Sorry this is so long. And that it's a Part I. I really thought I could summarize the session more concisely but like a great stocking over the fireplace on Xmas, this session was stuffed full of neat things. 

Blue Plate Special

HAPPY SMURFSGIVING WEEKEND EVERYONE!

To celebrate my favorite holiday1, I am smurfing up a four course meal of deliciously smurfy goodness. I am positively smurfing to smurf the Smurfs Roleplaying Game again, as I have had so much fun with it so far. It's to the point where I have a rather crazy2 thought but I'll smurf that for the end of the post.

First, why do I love this game so much? Seriously, what is wrong with me? lol Well, there are a number of factors actually:

• The obsurdity of it. Someone made an official Smurfs RPG!
• The rules system. I really like the mechanics a lot! 
• It's a comedic cartoon game AND a Fantasy/Fairytale game!
• It's fast and easy to run and play!
• Tools! So many tools for creating Houses, Magic Items, Characters, and more!

So what am I thinking about today...

Expanded Magic

The rules for casting Magic Spells, crafting Magic Items, and making Potions found in the Smurf are just so flavorful and fun that you'll probably have a least one player who wants to create a magic-using Smurf3.

At the same time, it is explained in the rules that 'instant spells', the outright casting of a  magical incantation out of the blue (the blue! get it?) is very rare in the default Smurfs setting. Following the traditions of French and Belgian folklore, most magic manifests in the form of creatures, objects, and elixirs. 

That said, not only do we sometimes see 'Ritual Magic' and traditional spells being used by characters such as Papa Smurf and Gargamel but this is your campaign and there is nothing preventing you from creating a Smurf with a talent for prestidigitation.

To add even more of a Fairytale/Folklore mystique to your Smurf sorcery, any Player Character with the ability to cast Magic Spells should have a limitation/quirk/requirement that accompanies the act. The concept is common throughout the myths and legends of numerous countries across Europe [and beyond]. 

This is an opportunity for the players and the Storyteller to lean into both the comedy and 'Dark Ages'/Early Middle Ages feel of the Smurfs' world [as I run it]. PC Smurfs might require a wand waved in a specific way [without which they can't use magic], spell out the name of their hexes before casting, or they might forget a recent memory after their rote has been used.

I would apply this to Spellcasting only, as Magic Items and Potions already have perimeters and difficulties built into them. Additionally, I would say that no such limiations should apply to Papa Smurf, Gargamel, and other major league Magicans, Witches, and magical beings such as Fairies (beyond something story based). 

Expanded Base-Building

One of the things I like most about the Smurfs game is of course the Base-Building element. The fact that the designers made the Mushroom Cottages a functional part of the game continues to impress me. The Smurf Houses serve to give the PCs a Safety Roll, which allows an unconscious and/or badly injured PC to wake-up in the comfort of their own home. Additionally, PCs begin with a single Room inside their house that gives them a bonus of +1 thanks to its particular design or a piece of equipment found within it

This got me thinking about various 'strategies' (for lack of a better term) for constructing one's personal abode. Imagine for example that my character Smurfcornflower, who started her first adventure with a Potions Room, essentially an indoor firepit with a cauldron mounted above it and some space to store her Ingredients. The Potion Room gives her a +1 (originally a +2) when making Potions in that room.

What if the next time I add a room, it's an Ingredients Pantry? If Cornflower needs to make a Potion with X, she can attempt a roll under her Mind Attribute +1 to see if she has any on hand. Next, maybe add a Recipe Library containing scrolls and books on hope to make a wide variety of Potions. You get what I am going for here.

Alternatively, a Smurf might want to diversify their portfolio, if you smurf my meaning. A Music Room for a Heart bonus, a Workout Area to benefit Brawn, etc. 

In a past post I discussed the idea of multiple Smurfs contributing Rooms to a single House. Since then I have come up with a host of other thoughts regarding the creation of non-standard Smurf homes. What if instead of a Mushroom Cottage your 'House' was an Inn, a Lighthouse, or even a Seagoing Ship4. An Inn would have rooms many Smurfs could use. A Lighthouse might give a bonus to sailing Smurfs so they could find they way safely home. A Ship gives you many advantages, from rooms on board to transportation to far off lands and maybe a canon for fighting off pirates! Such locations would serve a purpose beyond just being the home of a Smurf and may require, or simply benefit, from having additional rules added to the Base-Building mechanics. Maybe. I need to contemplate on this a bit further.

Expanded Folklore

I've mentioned before (many times - my apologies) that I didn't grow up reading or watching the type of Fantasy that inspired Dungeons & Dragons. I was a little too young and my preference was for Science Fiction and Superheroes. Television shows, movies, and comic books were my source material and few of those were of the Sword and Sorcery Fantasy type in 1977 (when I started gaming). I was far more well versed in things like Folklore, Mythology, and the works of L. Frank Baum and Lewis Carroll. 

When I run the Smurfs RPG, I lean heavily on the Legends and Fairy Tales of Western Europe, specially those from France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. Strong influences sneak in from England, Scandinavia, and elsewhere (to a lesser extent). How far beyond this can I expand? Obviously I can do anything I want in my games. How far beyond this do I want to go? That's a different story and one I've been thinking about quite a lot. 

I don't want to stray too far from Pseudo-Historical Medieval Legend Themed Fantasy Franco-Belgian Setting. The Smurfs themselves go beyond this from time to time, inventing the printing press, dreaming about being an astronaut, and even meeting an alien visitor and a Sci-Fi robot. There are tons of anachronisms in the stories that take place in their default fairytale forest milieu.

For me, I like to keep these instances to a minimum5. Perhaps 'a minimum' isn't quite the right phrase but please bare with me as I explain what I am going for. I think I get the most out of the Smurfs RPG by treating the setting as a Fantasy game, somewhere between Ars Magica and D&D2. Now that's one wide margin to be sure but having run and played Smurfs a number of times now, it really feels like our adventures have all have a very classic Fantasy feel with a humorous twist. A the same time, there is this vaguely dark, fairy folklore feel to them. By keeping the vibes of the original Peyo Comic Strip 'Johan and Peewit' and the legends of France and Belgium in mind, I believe I create a setting with a distinct character that stands out from other Fantasy games. 

Smurfing Solo

My exploration of Solo Roleplaying was rather interesting.

I had fun, I truly did, though I don't know that I ever shook the feeling that it was less a game and more an improvisational writing exercise. I still feel that way for the most part but again, it was fun. The biggest issue was, as always, time. With only so many hours in the day to devote to my hobbies, I couldn't/can't let a game no one will enjoy other than me eat into the time better used generating material for my friends and I to enjoy together.

That said, I have been feeling like getting back into it lately. It's not like I have more free time (I have less in fact!) but right now two of the three campaigns I run are on hold. Others are doing the GMing and that does avail me some room to try some more experiments in Solo gaming. One idea I've been very interested in is 'Solo Smurfs'. The tricky part though is that much like Ghostbusters (which was my previous Solo experience), Smurfs isn't a setting that focuses on the adventures of a single character. Friendship and a group of companions is what the Smurfs is all about. So would I be playing an entire village of 101 characters? Smurf me! It's 201 if you count Smurfy Grove's Smurf Girls (which I absolutely would 'cause they're really neat). 

Hmmm. OK...smurf this...

I would create a single Smurf who would serve as my Solo character and each adventure they would accompany a constantly changing group of NPC friends. Picture this: Solo Smurf goes on an adventure to find a rare medicinal plant. They are joined by Smurfstorm, Brainy, and Smurfcornflower. In the next scenario, Gargamel has smurfnapped Smurfette and Solo Smurf teams up with Hefty, Smurflily, and Champion Smurf to free her. Maybe I would roll randomly to determine who's in Solo Smurf's party and/or how many Smurfs will be involved. 

Anyway, these are just some of my many thoughts on the Smurf RPG. I can't stop coming up with stuff for it! Help! lol Kidding. I'm having a blast. I am really looking forward to my next outing into the Cursed Lands and sharing it with all of you. 

Ta-ta for now! I hope you, your family, and your friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Smurf you soon,

AD

Barking Alien

1. I love Thanksgiving for the holiday it is to me and my family. A chance to get together, be happy we are here, healthy, and happy to be in each others presence. I understand some people don't view Thanksgiving that way but it means a lot to me. 

2. I've been thinking about running a Fantasy RPG lately and I wrestle with finding a game that does what I want it to when it comes to making this genre work. Why, when I actually have a fantastic Fantasy game that I really like. Why not run a long term Smurfs game? Can I? I may just try...

3. At least one but likely many if the option is available. I would limit it to one in a party unless one is a Spellcaster and the other is a Potion Maker. I could totally see my buddy Ray's Spelly Smurf teaming up with my PC Smurfcornflower. That would be really awesome! 

4. My friend Will's first Smurfs character, Lookout Smurf, has a Sailing Ship of the 'pirate ship' variety and it appeared in my very first short Smurf RPG adventure. That's when I first came up with the idea of a ship as Smurf House. We played it pretty fast and loose and it worked quite well but I continue to ponder refining the concept. 

5. My very first original Smurfs character was Spacey Smurf, a Smurf obsessed with 'Outer Space', which in his mind meant the night sky, the stars, and the Moon. He wears a faux 'Space Suit' built for him by Hefty Smurf from notes in a book Brainy has and the imagination of both Dreamy Smurf and himself. He's funny, he's fun, and I love him. He is also the exception and not the rule. He is a rare instance of me choosing to put such a character in my games. There aren't, so far, other characters like him.