Lankhmar

crkrueger · March 30, 2015, 04:45:02 AM

Well, with DCC Lankhmar announced, and Savage Lankhmar still in the works, it looks like there will be some Lieber Roleplaying goodness to be had. The most interesting thing to see for me will be how the systems adjust to Nehwon, which isn't as manically Pulp!!! as SW or as relentlessly gonzo as DCC.

With fickle priests ignoring prayers and a magic system with side effects that could turn a human into something like Sheelba or Ningauble, plus the Patrons system, I'd have to say DCC looks like a better fit then SW out of the box, but in either case it will depend on whether the book is the system with a thin coat of Nehwon paint or a true reimagining of the system with respect to the setting.

What's your ideal Lankhmar RPG?

Turanil · March 30, 2015, 05:13:08 AM

Quote from: CRKrueger;822818Well, with DCC Lankhmar announced, and Savage Lankhmar still in the works, it looks like there will be some Lieber Roleplaying goodness to be had. The most interesting thing to see for me will be how the systems adjust to Nehwon, which isn't as manically Pulp!!! as SW or as relentlessly gonzo as DCC.

With fickle priests ignoring prayers and a magic system with side effects that could turn a human into something like Sheelba or Ningauble, plus the Patrons system, I'd have to say DCC looks like a better fit then SW out of the box, but in either case it will depend on whether the book is the system with a thin coat of Nehwon paint or a true reimagining of the system with respect to the setting.

What's your ideal Lankhmar RPG?

So far, Crypts & Things is a good fit to play a Lankhmar game true to the stories. (As Beyond the Wall is very well adapted to play in Earthsea, and then use my own game below for high fantasy merging Moorcock and Hyboria, with traditional high fantasy tropes.)

One Horse Town · March 30, 2015, 06:32:38 AM

Really looking forward to the DCC treatment on this. As you say, the patron system is already tailor made really.

I'll say that's my perfect treatment until proved otherwise.

Necrozius · March 30, 2015, 06:40:41 AM

Been running Vornheim supplemented with the AD&D Lankhmar books and Mike Mignola's comic adaptation for added inspiration. So far it's been great.

Looking forward to the DCC version, however. I don't actually play DCC, though. Are these books somewhat adaptable to other OSR games or D&D? I'm not really concerned about stat blocks.

finarvyn · March 30, 2015, 08:41:33 AM

Quote from: One Horse Town;822825Really looking forward to the DCC treatment on this. As you say, the patron system is already tailor made really.

I'll say that's my perfect treatment until proved otherwise.

Agreed. When DCC RPG first came out, my initial thought was "this is basically Lankhmar with the serial number filed off" and so I think that an offiicial DCC Lankhmar is a natural.

By the way, my favorite Nehwon world map is from the old TSR board game Lankhmar. The map is hex-based and on a durable plastic.

Just Another Snake Cult · March 30, 2015, 12:34:03 PM

I'm reading the books rights now- just finished Swords & Ice Magic.

They're incredible, a riot of joyful, wild imagination, language, and attitude. Absolutely essential reading.

Simlasa · March 30, 2015, 02:11:24 PM

Lanhkmar does seem like a very good fit for DCC.
Before the big announcement on Saturday I was hoping for something aimed at science fantasy... not that Lanhkmar is a disappointment but I'm not quite sure what an 'official' Lanhkmar setting will bring to the game that wasn't there already.

crkrueger · March 30, 2015, 02:20:17 PM

Quote from: Simlasa;822882Lanhkmar does seem like a very good fit for DCC.
Before the big announcement on Saturday I was hoping for something aimed at science fantasy... not that Lanhkmar is a disappointment but I'm not quite sure what an 'official' Lanhkmar setting will bring to the game that wasn't there already.

Well, as a game focused on a genre of setting rather then setting, DCC has a toolkitish feel to it. I always have thought what every toolkit system needs is at least one "Total Conversion" that redoes things to match a setting.
D20 had Everquest RPG, CoC d20, and Mongoose Conan.
Savage Worlds has Solomon Kane and Interface Zero.

Lankhmar would be a great one for DCC. Different spells, Gods, Patrons, less healing, different character types - if nothing else it.gives you tons of stuff to add to bog standard DCC and seeing how far they've stretched the system can give you ideas to make you own Total Conversion.

Simlasa · March 30, 2015, 02:27:32 PM

Quote from: CRKrueger;822885Different spells, Gods, Patrons, less healing, different character types - if nothing else it.gives you tons of stuff to add to bog standard DCC and seeing how far they've stretched the system can give you ideas to make you own Total Conversion.

All good points... I'm not complaining at all, but I am more likely to rob it for ideas than actually base play there, so I'm less interested in maps and minutae, more in useful booty I can steal for use elsewhere.
Apparently it will forego lvl 0 and the funnel... and clerics... and mercurial magic (personalized spell FX)... will have lots more crossover between classes, ramp up the Luck mechanic... and new Patrons and spells of course. It also looks like they're tinkering with Patrons of various sorts for non-MU classes... which is a thing I'm particularly excited about.

I'd heard there were also advancements toward a refab of Goodman's old Aereth setting, which I'm only glancingly familiar with.

Armchair Gamer · March 30, 2015, 03:50:57 PM

For those interested in the Savage Worlds version, Pinnacle just announced a release date for the PDFs and print-preorder: Two weeks from tomorrow, on April 14th. They also have a Setting Rule preview on Facebook:

QuoteNo Honor Among Thieves

Betrayal is a part of life in the City of Thieves. Sometimes a companion double-crosses his mates over a few gold pieces. Other times he might cheat on a friend over the love of a woman. Most of these betrayals are met with a wry smile and a vow to reciprocate at some future date. There is no honor among thieves, after all.

Sometimes the betrayal is more personal. In Lankhmar, whenever a character is betrayed by a close friend or associate (a trusted ally or even another player character—Game Master's call), he cannot spend a Benny to reroll any opposed defensive action.

If the betrayal is an actual attack (almost assuredly with The Drop) and the victim doesn't Soak all the wounds and / or remove the Shaken, he must make a Vigor roll versus the damage or go unconsciousness per the Knock Out Blow rules on page 25). He may not spend Bennies on this roll.

crkrueger · March 30, 2015, 05:36:42 PM

That's probably going to be one of the main differences between the two versions, SW will have setting-based narrative rules to emulate the genre, while I hope DCC sticks to traditional rules that emulate how things work in Nehwon.

One Horse Town · March 30, 2015, 08:08:59 PM

A few hints on some of the changes we might be seeing in the DCC version of Lankhmar from someone who played a module at a con.

https://skylandgames.wordpress.com/2015/03/30/dcc-lankhmar/

Only 3 classes is what jumped out at me. Seems to emulate the setting quite well. Hope it lends itself to either long-term play or multiple campaigns.

Teazia · March 31, 2015, 03:07:36 AM

Holy crap, this sounds awesome. DCC seemed (seemed being the keyword) too much fussiness to me, but this sounds pitch perfect.

I might have to give Joe some $s.

Cheers

TheShadow · March 31, 2015, 05:51:03 AM

What kind of game does the Lakhmar setting inspire? What's its raison d'etre? I am familiar with the setting, just wondering what it has to offer in particular for gaming these days.

Skyrock · March 31, 2015, 07:00:53 PM

Can't wait for DCC Lankhmar. I could hardly think of a better fitting system.

SW is a good game with some decent S&S adaptions, but it isn't half as freewheeling and willing to throw any semblance of game balance out of the window as DCC is.