Aiding Hero: FH adventure book freebie

[Barwickian]

I'm currently running a once-a-month campaign with a couple of new-to-HERO players. It's occurred to me that it could make a decent introductory campaign.

 

Given the number of posts about what we can do for Hero System/Games by bringing in new players, I think I'll go ahead and try to write it up as a sourcebook, probably under a creative commons attribution licence (got to talk to Jason about whether it would need anything more formal). It could be hosted on the Hero website, my website or anywhere else, so long as nobody charges for it.

 

Here's my thoughts on how to proceed.

 

1) Should require only the Hero System Basic Rulebook to use. Elements may be built from the full 6e, but would need explaining.

 

2) Should have lots of advice for new GMs, especially on grading and approving characters as appropriate for the campaign (Tasha has posted an excellent article on these boards and her blog about this, which I'd use as a basis with her permission). Also should emphasise and advise on tactical flexibility in combat, and Hero uniqueness such as presence attacks. MUST, MUST, MUST encourage people to come to these boards and join the community.

 

3) High Fantasy setting. I think Hero's association with superhero gaming is strong enough that people playing superhero games have a reason they're NOT using Hero and won't really be convinced by a giveaway. Besides, I don't play superheroes, so I'm hardly qualified to write such a book. Fantasy, and high fantasy in particular, seems to be one of the (if not THE) favourite genre in gaming, so let's shamelessly go populist.

 

4) Integration with existing Hero products. My game's set in the Turakian Age, but in a blank area of the map. I can file off serial numbers but advise on TA integration (or any other suitable high fantasy gameworld - Greyhawk, anyone?). Advise on extending your Hero range beyond HSBasic: full rules, Fantasy Hero, Grimoire, Martial Arts, Bestiary, other genres, Hero Designer.

 

5) Pregen characters for those who don't want to create their own. Fantasy gaming archetypes (fighter, mage, cleric, rogue, with a few others to demonstrate Hero coolness - light fighter, archer, warrior-mage, holy warrior). Maybe a few package deals for those who want a modular approach to creating their own characters. Stock fantasy races: humans, elves, dwarves. Advice on creating custom characters from scratch.

 

Beyond those requirements, I have some ideas about the kind of thing I'd like to create. This little campaign area started by me reminiscing about the first adventure I ever GMed: the Keep on the Borderlands. When I reread it, I took the basic idea of a frontier keep as a base and ran with it.

 

I'm still in the process of developing the area, but...

 

a) Sandbox style. The keep is at the heart of a wilderness area the characters can explore as they will. There are several adventure sites (caves, bandit camp, old ruined tower, standing stones - so far I've used the bandit camp and am rough-drafting the others today and tomorrow in time for the next session) and will, when they're written, be several pre-prepped 'wandering encounters' as well (these may not be actually wondering monsters, but things like a hunter's camp you could encounter anywhere).

 

Well-developed base. PCs will be spending a fair bit of time in the keep and its associated town, so it should have some flavour and memorable NPCs with mission/adventure possibilities as well as being a place to resupply, rest up and heal.

 

c) Rumours, job offers and adventure hooks.

 

d) Equipment list: what's available for sale in which shops. (Yes, I am planning on having magic potions for sale, and the weaponsmith might be able to create fine weapons.)

 

e) NPCs. Friends, allies, enemies, shopkeepers, rivals. Not all need stats.

 

e) Adventure kernels - suggestions for creating your own adventures. Beyond the map (the bigger world - your own, Turakian Age or another high fantasy world.)

 

If all of this sounds a little CRPG, it is. I enjoy games like Baldur's Gate, NWN and Skyrim, and I think it's easy for new players to engage with this kind of thing.

 

Issues:

 

Would need Jason's permission to use published Hero builds for combat encounters, spells, magic items, etc, or all of these would have to be built from scratch.

 

Time. Always at a premium. It's a lot harder to write up this kind of thing for another group to use than it is to do it for your own group - you keep many notes in your head.

 

I'm a fair writer, decent cartographer with CC3, I can make reasonable Poser art and I have layout skillz, Quark Xpress and a decent non-Adobe pro PDF maker. I think I can do a fair job of it. As a PDF, page count isn't really limited, but it it starts getting too big, elements can be hived off into freebie supplements.

 

Of course, if other people care to help, life will be much easier (hey, and I get some prep assistance for my campaign), and I haven't worked a collaborative gaming project for several years. Characters, adventure site ideas, write-ups, advice for noobs...

 

What about it folks? Does it sound like the kind of thing you'd be up for assisting with?

[Ninja-Bear]

Re: Aiding Hero: FH adventure book freebie

 

I'll throw my two bits in-for what's its worth. (I only have fifth rev for the most current edition, but be glad to throw ideas) Are you planning on having the (ahem) staples of Fantasy? At least one type of dwarf and one type of elf? Are you looking for any unique races? I too have the Keep on the Borderlands and am going to run my brother through some of it. (Hopefully, someday). Anyways, the reason I have my brother (Dwarf character) going there is the local Dwarf Lord heard about the Keep and he is sending the PC on diplomancy mission. (Its been years since direct contact with humans, and he'd like to know friend or foe). Another idea would be for a dwarf-centric party would be reforging a (underground) route to the keep. (A dungeon crawl with a purpose.) I do have a couple of groups I'll post later.

[torchwolf]

Re: Aiding Hero: FH adventure book freebie

 

This all sound like a well thought out idea, especially about using the Basic Rulebook, and what to include vs what will need official approval if it's to be used.

 

d) Equipment list: what's available for sale in which shops. (Yes' date=' I am planning on having magic potions for sale, and the weaponsmith might be able to create fine weapons.)[/quote']

This is one thing I think should be optional - all GMs or campaigns might not want magical items for sale so there should be ways to adjust things for lack of magical items and special upgrades.

Then again too many options might be cumbersome, so YMMV.

 

Of course, if other people care to help, life will be much easier (hey, and I get some prep assistance for my campaign), and I haven't worked a collaborative gaming project for several years. Characters, adventure site ideas, write-ups, advice for noobs...

 

What about it folks? Does it sound like the kind of thing you'd be up for assisting with?

I'm certainly willing to work up some stuff - NPC ideas, character writeups, little thingies, mini-plot hooks and options for locations or NPCs, hints & tips, etc.

[Steve Long]

Re: Aiding Hero: FH adventure book freebie

 

Andy, I'd suggest dropping a line to mudpyr8, who's working on a similar sort of idea -- in fact, the draft he showed me was pretty close to finished. No sense duplicating effort; maybe your work can dovetail with his own somehow.

[Barwickian]

Re: Aiding Hero: FH adventure book freebie

 

Will do. Cheers, Steve.