Roleplaying Tips Weekly E-Zine Issue #299

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Contents: 

• This Week's Tips Summarized
• A Brief Word From Johnn
• 150 Benign Urban Encounters
• Readers' Tips Of The Week

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This Week's Tips Summarized 

150 Benign Urban Encounters

1. 150 Benign Urban Encounter Ideas

Readers' Tips Summarized 

1. Peanut Butter Wiki
   From: Dave Schaefer
2. Fun Trap Ideas
   From: Edge
3. 200 Adventuring Company Names
   From: Forrest
4. Rhetoric For Your Games
   From: Johnn
5. Group Name Tip
   From: Elena of Valhalla
6. Mark Your Figures With Discs
   From: Scot Newbury

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A Brief Word From Johnn 

RPG Advocacy Tips - Supplemental #21 Now Available

Whew - the RPG Advocacy tips Supplemental Issue is now online. It's a big sucker - thanks very much for the great tips submissions on this sensitive topic! You can get the issue here.

Tell Me About Your Character

The Escapist is looking for gamers to participate in TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER, a new column of interviews with diverse and interesting gamers and the characters they play.

Find out more here.

TiddlyWiki Your Campaigns

I stumbled onto a neat organization tool recently and have been using it for my Eberron campaign with success. It's called TiddlyWiki, a free, client-side wiki you can customize with your own styles and numerous community add- ons and plug-ins.

The blurb on the creator's site about what a TiddlyWiki is reads:

Welcome to TiddlyWiki, a free Micro Content Wiki by Jeremy Ruston. It's written in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to run on any modern browser without needing any Server Side logic. It allows anyone to create personal, self-contained hypertext documents that can be posted to any web server, sent by email, or kept on a USB thumb drive to make a WikiOnAStick. TiddlyWiki is published under an Open Source License.

To get your own, free TiddlyWiki, or to learn more: www.tiddlywiki.com

If you have questions about TiddlyWiki, or wikis in general, feel free to ping me. Also, be sure to read Dave Schaefer's Peanut Butter Wiki tip in this issue for more about wikis.

 

Cheers,

Johnn Four

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150 Benign Urban Encounters

This article has moved to the Articles Section.

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Readers' Tips Of The Week: 

1. Peanut Butter Wiki 

From: Dave Schaefer

I wanted to mention another cool wiki I found after being inspired by Jon Thompson's wiki tip from issue #282. It's called Peanut Butter Wiki and it's great! The wikis are easy to set up and use, look clean, and are totally free. Two different games I play in are using pbwiki now, and it's an awesome way to collect, share, and update information about the campaign. Best of all, PBWiki does the hosting, so you don't have to spend time or effort setting up your own server.

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2. Fun Trap Ideas 

From: Edge

Despite playing in a world full of magic, strange creatures, and outlandish locations, I still end up finding the idea of automatic dart traps a little unrealistic. The level of engineering apparent in ancient cultures found in games is amazing. Maybe too much so. Here are a few ideas for simpler traps that anyone could build without the help of a kobold trap master.

The Door Axe

A large axe is attached to the top of the door frame, either held against the wall above the door, or attached to the ceiling. When the door is opened a thin wire attached pulls the axe which swings right through the open door. Damage varies based on the qualities of the axe. A Reflex save allows the character to avoid the cut, provided his friends aren't all rushing in after him. An alert character can see the wire and bypass harm.

Bucket on the Door

Anyone can have a bucket, and it shouldn't be hard to find something grotty to put inside. Poisons, vermin, oil (ready to be lit), slippy slime, gluey substances, blinding powder, tar, or even water.

[Editor's suggestion: In a cold-weather campaign being soaked can be lethal. A freezing body might experience shock, and water acts like superglue as boots, eyelids, and fingers are frozen to whatever they touch.]

Floor Board Spikes

Rather than tricky and complex mechanisms to shoot spikes, why not use rotten floor boards that give way to spikes an inch below. To make things nastier you need a longer fall and bigger spikes. Creators can avoid it by stepping on the few planks that aren't rotten, but made to look like they are.

The Ant Nursery

Some ants excavate large nests underground. If enough weight passes over one it will collapse, leaving the unlucky victim in a pit filled with furious, biting ants. Any character falling in will have to climb crumbly dirt walls while enduring hundreds of stings.

Lantern Trick

A simple trap, but one that can be versatile with preparation. The container below the flame has had easily- overlooked holes put in just above the oil level. If the lantern is tipped or dropped the oil will spill out and set the whole thing ablaze. An adventurer who uses this lantern could find it bursting into flames in his hand, and might spill more oil over himself. Movement like running, climbing, combat, or leaving it swinging from a backpack will surely set it off.

You could also set it up with a simple mechanism to knock it off its wall hanging or drop it from the ceiling, causing it to smash open and splashing burning oil on all adjacent. In the right circumstances it could just be set down somewhere likely to be disturbed. Try positioning it over an oiled floor, in a room full of hay, or near grain sacks full of grain dust. This trap must be set just before the 'visitors' arrive, and for every second it burns it loses potency.

You Broke My Vase!

For when you don't have a handy alarm spell, a poorly- balanced vase or pot makes a fine improvised alarm. The pot could be set leaning against a door that, if opened, causes the vase to fall and smash. It could also be tied to a trip wire.

The Creaky Door

This one can be a great short range warning. Imagine the rogue's frustration as they try their hardest to quietly open those rusted hinges.

[Note from Johnn: great trap ideas Edge! Simple, real, and fun. Do any readers have trap ideas like these? It would be great to do an issue on simple traps for your games. E-mail your trap ideas to Johnn ]

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3. 200 Adventuring Company Names 

From: Forrest

In my campaign, naming your adventuring group is expected. Any group of such powerful and well-armed individuals is expected to purchase an adventuring charter from the government offices. To get the charter a group must have a name.

In at least one case the patron of the group procured the charter, and since he paid he got to name the team (or I did as GM). This is one way that the GM can keep an eye on weird or silly names. Another is requiring the group to only use an original name (sort of like the current company naming policies most places require). Any silly names have already been taken.

Here is a list of names I compiled, in no particular order.

1. Company of the Silver Skull
2. Knights of the Filthy Lucre
3. Company of the Scarlet Swords
4. Company of the Broken Lantern
5. Company of the Bloodshot Eye
6. The Little People
7. The Gray Riders
8. The Pyromaniacs
9. The Savage Company
10. The Salvage and Recovery Team
11. Companions of the Keg
12. Brotherhood of the Blade
13. The Underdark Raiding & Expedition Company
14. The Company of the Broken Arrow
15. The Company of the Fell Rune
16. The Company of the Bloated Corpse
17. The Wildmen
18. The Wilderness Restoration Society
19. The Revenue Generation League
20. The Castaways
21. The Old World Expeditionary Force
22. The Emancipation Organization
23. The Executioners
24. The Embattled Company
25. The Courageous Company
26. The Elfin Admiration Society
27. The Honor Society
28. The Wilderness Abatement League
29. The Monster Extermination Brotherhood
30. The Sisters of Pain
31. The Odd Squad
32. The Aborigines
33. Adventurers at Large
34. The Beautiful People
35. Dealers in Abuse
36. The Abysmal Failures
37. The Company of Public Acclaim
38. The Accidental Death & Dismemberment Team
39. The Company of Glorious Accolade
40. The Accomplished Company
41. The Society of Harmonious Accord
42. The Martial Fraternity
43. Ace Troubleshooters
44. The Masters of Acquisition
45. The Company of the Adventurous Addiction
46. The Adamantium League
47. The Admirable Adventuring Society
48. The Gentle Admonishment Sorority
49. The Regulators of Adversity
50. Aegis Society
51. The Gatherers of Affluence
52. The Brawlers
53. The Agents of Agility
54. The Aggravation Eliminators
55. The Adventurers Allegro
56. The Altruistic Company
57. The Altercationists
58. The Amazonian Sisterhood
59. Ambuscade Inc.
60. The Amorous Company
61. Lions of the Underdark
62. The Anarchists
63. The Antagonist League
64. The Aquatic Company
65. The Ardent Adventurers
66. Adventurers Ascendant
67. The Atrocity Force
68. The Balladeers
69. Band of the Bare Blade
70. The Band of Battle
71. Battle Brotherhood
72. Battle Force
73. The Bawdy Band
74. Beast Slayers
75. Beast Slayer Specialists
76. The Subterfuge Company
77. The Bedlam Boys
78. The Bellicose Band
79. Company of the Bitch
80. Bitches & Bastards
81. Bizarre Force
82. The Blackguards
83. The Bad Guys
84. Bluff & Blunder
85. Brotherhood of the Brave
86. The Company of False Bravado
87. The Brazen Company
88. The Ladies of Ill Repute
89. Freebooters of the Briny Deep
90. The Expedition & Brigandage Society
91. The Fire & Brimstone Brood
92. Brutality Inc.
93. The Brutal Buccaneers
94. The Buccaneering & Enrichment Society
95. The Personal Enrichment League
96. The Cohorts of Destruction
97. The Lords of Destruction
98. Company of the Hunting Horn
99. Brotherhood of the Sacred Bull
100. Sisterhood of the Sacred Bullock
101. The Bungling Through Crew
102. Looters of the Lost Cairn
103. Company of the Precipitous Withdrawal
104. The Calamity Resolution Society
105. The Cohort of Campaigners
106. The Dungeon Capitalization League
107. The Capricious Company
108. Caravan Escort & Protection, Inc.
109. The Castration Company
110. The Catastrophic Event Society
111. The Shining Cavaliers
112. The Crotchety Cavaliers
113. The Celebrated Companions
114. The Celestial Cohort
115. The Celestial Sorority
116. The Brotherhood of the Orb Celestial
117. The Celestial Beauties
118. The Celestial Buccaneers
119. The Celestial Cabal
120. The Infernal League
121. The Celestial Blades
122. The Celestial Heroes
123. The Celestial Sisterhood
124. The Demonic Pack
125. The Celestial Raiders
126. The Courageous Cadets
127. The Centaur Squad
128. The Ceremonial Guard
129. The Celestial Champions
130. Champions of the Crucible
131. Forgebrothers of Adversity
132. The Chainmail Champions
133. The Companions of the Honorable Challenge
134. Challengers of the Underdark
135. The Challengers of Adversity
136. The Challengers of Chaos
137. The Chaotic Company
138. Seekers of the Big Haul
139. Seekers of the Celestial Coin
140. Tymora's Troop
141. The Challengers of Horror
142. The Troop of the Dark Tomb
143. The Band of Blood
144. The Berserk Gang
145. Companions of the Lady
146. Masters of Destiny
147. Band of the Brave Ballad
148. Champions of Justice
149. The Injustice League
150. The Seven Swords
151. Opportunity Knocks
152. The Lord's Men
153. Kingsmen
154. The Maiden's Watch
155. The Femme Fatales
156. The Sword's Edge Company
157. The Liberators
158. The Spearhead Society
159. The Lords of Order
160. The Myrmidons of Mayhem
161. The Order of Infernal Glory
162. The Witch-Hunters
163. Exterminators of the Undead
164. Followers of the Holy Light
165. Brotherhood of the Holy Sword
166. The Sword Sisters
167. The Sword Watch
168. Guardians of the Unfailing Watch
169. The Guardians of the Holy Word
170. The Unholy Guard
171. The Never-Ending Patrol
172. Guardians of the Supernatural World
173. Keepers of the Crystal Goblet
174. Seekers of the Eternal Beast
175. Keepers of the Peace
176. Enforcers of the Common Good
177. Followers of the Way of the Weapon
178. The Apostates
179. The Free Fighters Guild
180. Companions of the Mithril Golem
181. The Adamantium Order of Punishment
182. Keepers of the Iron Crown
183. Cohorts of the Infernal Agreement
184. The Divine Guard
185. Guardians of the Divine Rose
186. Fruit of the Vine Society
187. Followers of the Divine Glory
188. The Sorcery Squad
189. The Warfare Admiration Association
190. Delvers of the Unknown
191. The Triumphant Troop
192. The Abyssal Assembly
193. The Select of Society
194. The Mounted Constables of Law
195. The Marshals of the Eternal Flame
196. We Happy Few
197. The Ignoble Band
198. The Gentlemen of the Bloody Gauntlet
199. The Inspired Order
200. The Followers of the Unforgiving Way

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4. Rhetoric For Your Games 

From: Johnn

Check out this site of the top 100 general speeches, political speeches, and movie speeches for interesting content you can use for NPCs on soap boxes, adventure parts, and player handouts and other props:

www.americanrhetoric.com

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5. Group Name Tip 

From: Elena of Valhalla

For my lighthearted group, I selected an acronym at the start of the campaign and told it to the players, asking them to find its meaning, taking all the time they needed. This gave me something to use for the website and mailing list right from the start, and it also proved fun, with many alternative meanings born at various stages of the game. This might not be a good idea for everyone as it could hurt the suspension of disbelief.

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6. Mark Your Figures With Discs 

From: Scot Newbury - newburyonline.com

The question often comes up during a role-playing session, "how do I mark a figure on the battlemat?" My solution: make discs out of dowels.

For those not familiar, dowels are short wooden rods you find in craft stores or in the craft department of your local super-store. They come in a variety of diameters. I recommend the 1 inch variety as it matches up with the size of your typical battle-mat grid. Be sure to pick up some paint as well; 4-8 colors should give you enough variety.

Cut small sections of your dowel (be consistent with the size) and paint them in different colors. When a character has a particular effect placed on them you can slip one of these discs under the figure. Since the discs are painted, you can easily tell which effects are in place.

If you have a figure that's larger than a single square, just slip a disc under each corner of the figurine to mark it.

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