My 10 year old daughter and 8 year old son have been bugging my wife and I to run some Pathfinder for them again. We had already done the black dragon adventure with them using the premade characters (cleric, rogue, fighter) and wanted to do something else this time. As I was trying to figure out what, I remembered that I had reacquired the first adventure I ever ran for a friend -- Keep on the Borderlands.
So we made characters for them - elven black-dragon-blooded sorceress, human cleric of Gorum, wife ran Merisiel. And they just finished clearing out the kobold cave. Part of the modifications I'm doing in my head are changing it a bit so that the creatures living there are more warriors (so no females and young to deal with) and being forged into a fighting force by the Temple folk.
So it looks like our family fun times will now also include Pathfinder instead of just the Wii or Robot Combat League viewing.
Thanks, Paizo!
AJ
FYI there's a PF conversion available of Keep on the Borderlands here.
FYI there's a PF conversion available of Keep on the Borderlands here.
Thanks, but I knew about that already. I don't have it yet, mostly due to my own D&D experiences being heavily tied up in the module -- first one I ever ran, and I've run it a few times now with slightly different skins in a couple different versions of the game. I mean to say that I'm so tied up in the module that I'd rather do the work myself, if that makes any sense.
Though that project is why I went out to eBay and got most of the early modules I used to run. I just hope I can give my kids the same interest.
AJ
Keep us posted on how it goes. My own experience with rewriting then running that module brings a sour taste to my mouth. My best advise is to not be too much in love with your memories of the module. Keep the spirit alive but begin the mechanics anew.
Our second session started with my wife and daughter at the Keep selling off the stuff they managed to drag back from the kobold cave, then getting rooms at the Inn.
Back to the Caves of Chaos, and they went through the Goblin caves. They came across guards who were arguing with each other ("You smell like dog." "You smell like horse."), and a pair of guards who were playing William Tell. Finding the secret door, they managed to take out the Ogre with a well-timed critical and a few magic missiles.
Yes, I've been going easy, but my daughter is 10 and I'd like her to actually get into the game. Maybe too lenient since I lost many characters when I first started playing, but when I first started, I didn't really care -- I found it fun, of course, or I wouldn't still be playing, but it wasn't on the level it is now.
After a rest, they finished off the Goblin Boss and his Sub-Boss, then found the storage room, learning there was a secret door to another section before they decided to head back to the Keep with their treasure.
Bree Yark!
Seriously, ajb47, so cute! Have they encoutered the hermit, lizardmen or bandits between the Caves and the Keep? What of the evil Canon (IIRC) in the Keep? Please more updates for us old timers...
My son is two. Perhaps in a few years...
Bree Yark!
Seriously, ajb47, so cute! Have they encoutered the hermit, lizardmen or bandits between the Caves and the Keep? What of the evil Canon (IIRC) in the Keep? Please more updates for us old timers...
My son is two. Perhaps in a few years...
They haven't done any exploring except for the caves so far. It's been mostly my daughter so far, my son was sick most of the weekend, and she is still on the edge of being able to sit at the table without any action happening for a bit. I'm working into it slowly.
I gave names to the innkeeper and her husband, the taverner, the jewel merchant and the smith (made him a dwarf). There have been minor interactions with them so far, mostly by my wife showing by example. We're getting there.
Didn't get to play last weekend. We have a camper at a campground and it just got back from being repaired from damage from Hurricane Sandy, so we went to open it and get it ready. The kids have a long weekend due to parent-teacher conferences this week, so we'll be going up early and I hope to get some more playing in then. I did a lot of playing while camping as a teen into early twenties.
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I'm holding my 11-day old son as I type this. I hope I get to play Pathfinder with him in a decade or so. Not sure if it will be KotB, though. Maybe Temple of the Frog!
Darn. The kids have been hanging out with their cousins the last couple weeks while camping, so we haven't played. I might try to run a couple of encounters some weeknight after homework is done.
Just trying to keep those interested up to date.
AJ
So did you say no female monsters or just eliminated the children? There should be equal opportunity slaughter of adult monsters...
So did you say no female monsters or just eliminated the children? There should be equal opportunity slaughter of adult monsters...
I decided on no non-combatants. I haven't actually described the gender of any of the kobolds or goblins. There will be female orcs, maybe hobgoblins, but they may be just plain sexist. Most likely female gnolls and bugbears. Definitely female priests.
I didn't want my kids to have to deal with those questions at 8 and 10 years old -- more interested in the adventuring aspect like I was. Also, I am thinking the clerics in the Temple at the end are trying to build a war band to attack the merchants and communities of the "good" races, so since they are going to war, they kept out the camp followers from this forward position. There are actually far less of the monstrous humanoids overall since I'm not sure the numbers work out well as written anyway.
AJ
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Let me just say "Go Dad, Go!"
I'm doing the same for my 11 year old. It's a good hobby to have around, and teaches good life skills (like performance) and gives you perspective.
As for the 'going easy', don't worry about it. Part of what you're feeling is probably just the gap in difficulty/lethality between editions.
Finally, you can buy the other 'B's and 'X's and other classics online now. (Not sure if it is kosher to post where, being competitors and all...)
OK, so, this a bit of a bump, so I don't lose the thread.
Unfortunately, as my kids get closer to the end of the school year, they seem to be less inclined to play for now -- other things to worry about.
They still seem interested when I ask, but we don't seem to be able to find a common time to play. I'm sure we'll sink up soon.
AJ
Keep your hopes up and be supportive!
Your kids are at an age where playing with dad isn't as fun as playing with friends. This will be an important point concerning this hobby being temporary or life long. If the fates are with you, then you may be lucky enough to introduce some friends to the game, but you must allow them to move on and play without you. You may still be an inspiration for how an experienced gamer games, which is a pretty cool position to be in. The culture is passed on in this way.
GAK! "sink" up? What was I thinking? Synch up is what I meant.
Keep your hopes up and be supportive!
Your kids are at an age where playing with dad isn't as fun as playing with friends. This will be an important point concerning this hobby being temporary or life long. If the fates are with you, then you may be lucky enough to introduce some friends to the game, but you must allow them to move on and play without you. You may still be an inspiration for how an experienced gamer games, which is a pretty cool position to be in. The culture is passed on in this way.
I think that, actually, if you love the GMing role, a great chance for your kids to make friends is THROUGH the Pathfinder RPG, by finding other parents who want to form a small kids RPG group!!
Parents pay me to GM games for their kids (ranging from 8 to 12), and it has been wildly successful and fun. Besides the creativity that RPGs can awaken, the parents see it as a great way to get their kids to find new friends.
However, you will not want to go beyond a size of four with younger people because of attention and focus issues. At the same time, I have found that just letting them talk over the table (and not getting anxious that they're not always focusing on the game), to talk about anything -- video games, crazy RPG situations and ideas -- is a great way for them to be creative and make friends.
Finally, you can buy the other 'B's and 'X's and other classics online now. (Not sure if it is kosher to post where, being competitors and all...)
I don't think paizo minds if you point out good classic modules from other publisher...