Monthly Archives: May 2010

The voting was super close, but by a slim margin the warrior Nakir Death-Angel has won out over Shen Dark-eyes the rogue as our intrepid committee-led adventurer in the Fabled Lands. If he should come to an untimely demise (which, from my limited testing, is a distinct possibility), we'll try again with Shen. For now, onward to adventure!

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I'm going to try something a bit different, in the spirit of our "RPG Corner" experiences. Namely, we're all going to play an RPG together! Well, sort of.

Do you remember those "Choose Your Own Adventure" type books back in the day? That's what they were called in the US, in the UK I believe a similar series called "Fighting Fantasy" ruled the roost, developed partly by Steve Jackson right here in Austin, Texas (turns out there are two different Steve Jacksons in the gaming world, and I got the wrong one, thanks to commenter Tim for pointing out the error). The idea was that you would be given the setup of a classic adventure story, then you would choose what actions the main character would take. The story that unfolded varied based on your decisions.

The "Fighting Fantasy" games took that to the next level by introducing basic skill and characteristic attributes and dice rolls to further randomize the adventure.

It's the intersection of random and fun, which is right up our alley here at HeroMachine, so we're all going to go on one of these adventures together! We're going to be playing in the "Fabled Lands" world, which was a neat group of these sorts of adventures all in the same setting. I've chosen to start us out in Book Five, "The Court of the Hidden Faces", but from here on out all the decisions will be up to the group.

And our first decision is, who do we want to adventure as? Here are the choices:

• Nakir Death-Angel (Warrior): Many a man who has mistaken your good looks and manners for foppishness has ended his life in a spreading pool of blood. Yet still you wish to perfect your skills so that no one can stand against you. You have heard that a general in the Court of Hidden Faces needs the services of a good warrior.
• Lord Jadhak (Mage): Your home is in another time and place, and you only came to the Fabled Lands accidentally when, during an interdimensional excursion, the nexus pathways closed, leaving you stranded on this disgustingly primitive world. You have heard that the mages of Aku may have the knowledge to return you home.
• Anathema Hex (Priest): Even as a child your were fascinated by the old tales of the Uttakin – how they swept north across the Violet Ocean, expelling the High King from his throne and laying waste to his country in the name of their faith. There's a race to admire! Your burning ambition is to visit Aku and study the methods of the Soulwatch.
• Domisellus of Atticala (Troubadour): Inspired by a dream of the High King, who now sleeps beneath the frozen surface of the Rimewater, you took up your haversack and began a life of adventure and minstrelsy. You have not met many people who you could not sway with your deft wit and silver tongue. You have heard tell of songs sung in the haunted ruins of the High King's Seat.
• Melmoth the Outcast (Wayfarer): You were cast out of your homeland for something that no civilized country would regard as a crime. Now you have dedicated yourself to roaming the world in search of a more tolerant people to settle among. Perhaps you will find an end to your quest in Uttaku?
• Shen Darkeye (Rogue): Darkness has always attracted you more than harsh daylight. As a child you practised until your footstep was quieter than a spider's, your touch lighter than a moth's wing. No lock nor vault is proof against your skills. You have learned of the self-styled king of thieves, the Master of Shadows, in the slums of Aku. Perhaps he may present you with a challenge.

I've set the poll to allow multiple selections, so check all the ones you'd be most interested in playing along as. Each day or two I'll gather the results of the replies and input that action, posting a new poll with the new choices. Should be interesting! And if it's not, we'll summarily declare ourselves the winners, because that's how we roll.