VedicDragon's page

Hi there,
My order lists this in my download assets, but when I finish the zip file and attempt to enter/extract it, it is empty.

Please assist!

Thanks!

Please see the attached link for background

I will be posting more separately here. Am looking for mature, motivated individuals in my local area who can respect time commitments and the fact that all participants are sacrificing EXTREMELY limited spare time for this endeavor.

There will be an interview and rigorous vetting process, as I/we are not looking to waste time with individuals that do not meet certain standards of mature appreciation and "common sense" for scheduling and contact.

Game runs on a weekly basis.

Please email me at Monsoon.Rush@yahoo.com if interested.

Anyone?? Bueller? Ferris Bueller?

I found the original request archived. Please forgive the breach of forum etiquette in reposting, but am going to clarify my needs as a fresh request.

I am in need of an experienced player who can make and keep a mature time commitment and is reasonably "together" so life issues do not suddenly sandbag their involvement.

East Asian studies or a background in Nonstereotypical Asian Cultures (aka skipping the Japanese "Spaghetti Samurai" chic for an actual depth-of-knowledge) would be recommended but is not required. A desire to learn, a basic rudimentary understanding of the region, a flexibility of mind and a rigidity of honoring one's commitments is what I am looking for.

Hi,
I preordered this back on Aug 8, 2008 ... it was expected June '09.
Again, not to be a noodge, just was inquiring if there was any word on the -actual- release date?

Hi there,

Looking for players of a mature nature and mentality, who are sociable, bright and eager-to-game.

I am running one of several projects in the Southwestern Connecticut area, with an openminded approach to allowing participants to join us via webcam on Skype.

Please contact me at Monsoon.Rush@yahoo.com if you have any interest.

I favor alot of inclusivity in what's allowable, even in my Vedic India campaign setting which is a very specific premise.

This is to advertise a variety of projects in the making as well as to put myself out there for sitting in on or joining other groups.

Yes it is a completely frivolous nonsequiter of a topic, but I thought I'd glee anyways and share it with y'all.

Been trying to find more time for my Roleplaying related writings and networkings, and I -finally- managed to breach 100 posts here (Despite juggling active topics on Gleemax and Giant In The Playground and Dicefreaks' forums as well).

So *GLEE*

:-D

Back to transcription! *typity clackity slave laborey clackity clack*

I have had to re-do this order several times now. I changed the payment method due to juggling funds, and then found to my rude surprise that the entire contents had been moved from Order #1204268 to an entirely separate one. Now, it's gone from the original order date of August 14th to a new date of September 1st.

That's well and good but I never received any shipping or tracking confirmation via email for either.

Please don't view this as Irate, as I understand these things get delayed. I simply would like an email with the tracking data, if I may. I will be happy to post this concern is resolved when I receive that, or the order, which is now running late again.

Thanks very much! I appreciate that you must have been extraordinarily busy with your recent move, and Vive le Paizo! (or something more inspiring than that)

This is NOT a bash 4th edition or 3.5 / PFRPG or any other system post.

This is a place for musing the potential philosophical and sociological ramifications of certain trends and business practices on the Gamer subculture.

So please, let's keep it civil and intellectual. Nonsequitors, hyperbole and "______ is stupid/sux etc" is NOT welcome here in any form, no matter WHICH edition you prefer.

Now to business:
I recently happened by a blogpost that captivated my interest as it did and does far better what I have wanted to for a while. I have reposted its contents here for the perusal of all.

Why Complain About 4e? Stop the Edition Wars!
June 9, 2009 · 45 Comments
As one of those who is known to still vent the occasional rant at 4e, let me chime in to explain why it’s not just pure wickedness and hate behind why I and others who find fault with 4e don’t just “shut up and go away.”

This entry started as a response to a good post by Zachary the First in response to a Newbie DM article. It got long and I thought I’d post it here in expanded form.

I think what happened in the 3.5e->4e transition is clear to everyone who has analyzed the edition change to any degree. In short, a significant number of 3e and other legacy D&D players who enjoy simulationist play feel mostly left out in 4e as the rules changed to not support that playstyle well. The point of this post isn’t to debate this truth (go here for that); I think at this point it’s pretty much accepted among both 4e fans and detractors.

Which is fair enough. D&D play styles have been diverse over time; certain editions have supported different styles better, there are other games out there, etc. No playstyle is the “one true way,” it’s all personal preference.

However, besides the nostalgic cachet to the D&D trademark, there’s no denying that WotC is the 900 pound gorilla in the RPG market and D&D is the most played game. More support material is published for D&D than anything else. This means that the change in playstyle support has other secondary effects felt outside the printed pages of the PHB.

Some people – experienced gamers with a knowledge of the larger RPG landscape - pick the game system they rationally prefer. Many, many others are led into a default play style by the game they pick up first, the game that is on every bookstore shelf and the majority of people play – in this case, the majority of gamers are led to 4e by virtue of its market dominance and then get “molded” into the 4e style by playing it.

I think it’s clear that not all that market share is a clear case of “people have specifically chosen gamist tactical combat as their preferred mode of gaming;” with any new edition most sales are driven by “this is the new version of that popular thing.” But players begin, consciously and unconsciously, adhering to its default metaphor.

As we all know, gaming is a social hobby, and it can be hard to find gaming groups and, on the publishing side, get sufficient critical mass to get “fringe” products produced.

As a result, there is significant incentive for me and others who prefer a different type of gaming to continue to advocate for D&D to (re-)adopt our mindset (in 5e, if nothing else). Because when your style of gaming is marginalized outside D&D, then your ability to find like minded gamers and get products that suit your needs is severely degraded. Thus, even if I don’t play 4e, it affects me negatively by affecting the larger gaming ecosystem. (Note that me house-ruling to accomplish simulation in 4e doesn’t reduce any of these secondary effects, and is therefore not a useful solution).

This ecosystem effect is obvious. It’s why Microsoft pushes Windows – it’s not just for the dollars from Windows sales but from the effect on the resulting computing ecosystem that works against Mac, Linux, etc. on multiple levels. It’s just an effect, only good or bad from the point of view of which side of the ecosystem you play in.

It’s traditional that the majority doesn’t understand the concern of the marginalized – why be angry? Go with the flow! Nobody’s telling you what to do! But in the end, it’s not that simple (ask any minority group). It’s not anyone’s intent to marginalize simulation gamers, but intent has nothing to do with the actual results.

And that’s why I personally plan to continue to agitate for changes to D&D to reintegrate the simulationist banner within the game. Doing so produces:

the ability for me to play the best-supported and most-played RPG
the network effect of producing other games and gamers who are fluent in simulation play
Make sense? It’s not about an “edition war.” No one’s giving out a medal for “objectively best version of D&D.” It’s about “we want this kind of gameplay actively included in the world’s most popular role-playing game ™”. The discussion isn’t “over” because the latest version doesn’t support it; there will always be another version. In fact, it seems somewhat offensive and self-serving to tell people who don’t like 4e to “just go away, then” – our input into the development of D&D is just as valid as we’re still potential new customers.

I don’t begrudge anyone enjoying 4e or not liking simulation play. These effects are not any of your “fault.” However, in aggregate, the effect that D&D 4e has of supporting and predominating products, gamers, and gaming groups that are simulation unfriendly results in marginalization and therefore measurable harm to my enjoyment of the hobby.

And I don’t think that continuing to advocate for this is totally in vain, either. Wizards certainly changed their tune some on the whole GSL/OGL thing, and I like to believe that change was facilitated by the press and critique that people, including myself, brought to bear.

Given all this, I hope the intelligent readers out there in the community will realize that this is the core problem that all the common retorts to criticism of 4e totally miss – “Well don’t play it then,” “House rule it!,” “People just fear change,” “4e’s out, it’s over, give up,” “Why don’t you complain about other games,” “I like 4e better because…” All valid thoughts, none of which come logically to bear on this problem. There are other RPGs I “don’t like,” that aren’t open, that only cater to one play style or another. But this is the one that pushes the entire industry in its direction, so both as a habitual D&D player but also as a RPG gamer in general, I have a vested interest in its course and desire input into it.

Here is the Link to the Blog where I reposted this from.

So what do you all think? I found it definite food for thought about deeper ramifications on our genre and subculture and the impact these things have on the market as a whole ...

I know this will sound rather formal and is not for most groups...

Most groups have a rappor and an keen understanding of this tacity.

I find that due to recent events in my current campaign and previous attempts that a written out exposition of the Social Contract between GM and Players can only help.

While it may scare off the timid or the flighty, a clear description of my expectations as a GM and responsibilities of both Players and GM as a minimum standard of behavior and conduct becomes more and more necessary with the diminishing of etiquette and protocol in this day and age.

Things that I was raised with as the most rudimentary and elemental (pun intended) concepts of decency I find need to be explained over and over again to a group of my so-called "peers".

As such, I find that this written exposition is vital, and kick myself for my nonchalance in not drafting up and formalizing earlier.

I was wondering if others have had success with this, and if so, what did said contract entail?

I will be posting my rough draft of this shortly...

Please see the attached link for background

I will be posting more separately here. Am looking for mature, motivated individuals in my local area who can respect time commitments and the fact that all participants are sacrificing EXTREMELY limited spare time for this endeavor.

There will be an interview and rigorous vetting process, as I/we are not looking to waste time with individuals that do not meet certain standards of mature appreciation and "common sense" for scheduling and contact.

Game runs on a weekly basis.

Please email me at Monsoon.Rush@yahoo.com if interested.

Just thought I'd post an inquiry about the increasing abundance of technology and its uses. I have a D&D Manager application for my computer that was rather lackluster.

However, I've found that Tech has been invaluable to me as a gamer. I carry a USB Western Digital Passport Drive 320 GB that, among other things, houses my entire gaming library.

I use a 17 inch Macbook Pro as my personal computer, through which I download and display rulebooks, graphics, etc that I may need.

I use both Quicktime and the laptop's internal microphone as well as my iphone's recorder App to record my game sessions, which I playback and integrate into my itunes and manually transcribe the events of the sessions for recap purposes. I may choose to publish this as a podcast at some point.

I will be incorporating House, Trance and traditional indian music for background and setting purposes to "set the mood" for certain encounters, locales and NPC's.

My players work with die-rolling programs alongside manual dice. I may even be having a player remote-access in from long distance and play using an AIM/iChat Video-Chat option.

I've heard some scoff at all this as perversions of the game, and I never agreed until I saw WotC's integration of the Table into their "virtual dungeon" promotion for online D&D 4th edition. Having been utterly disappointed with the promise of Neverwinter Nights and Online D&Ding, I have to say my suspicions and skepticism was confirmed.

I have seen the WoW generation (I've played myself, before the haters and flaming starts) alter the face of D&D, both to benefit and to detriment.

I was wondering what "Silicon Sorcery" other DM's and Players out there use, and to what effect? Do you feel it a drawback or a benefit?

(Before a bunch of "purists" replies, this is directed specifically at people who DO employ technology for a purpose in gaming. No, your PS3 or XBOX probably doesn't count, I am speaking strictly of Tabletop play)

I've seen plenty of resources and contests expanding the horizons of "Pact Magic" as listed in the Tome of Magic.

I was wondering if anyone has seen Trunename Magic and Namers similarly expanded, and in either case, am announcing my intention to do so.

I will be adding a connection to the "Dark Speech" and "Words of Creation" feats, as in my India Game, speaking the words in the oldest tongue is how Brahma the Creator manifested all matter.

Hence, I need to up the powers of "Naming" or at least the applications, while keeping it "in balance" with other factors in normal play.

Any suggestions?

I know I will be combining resources from sigils and related feats from Illumians and adding such resources as the elements of the Dracolexi prestige class.

Beuller!

Ferris Bueller!

... Voodoo Economics, people?

This may seem out of left field, but I have decided to dust off an old concept and have assembled a group to finally explore something long overdue.

As a gamer of Indian descent I have been extremely frustrated by the half-hazard treatment fantasy india and the Hindu religion/mythos has been treated with. Descriptions of Shiva as Chaotic Evil from a myopic western standpoint or grossly inaccurate interpretation of the pantheistic monotheism that is Hinduism, my own religion
do not help either.

What efforts that I -have- seen have been truly disappointing. It seems that the only attempts that have been made vary from downright insulting and offensive to overly-squeamish from not wanting to be categorized as the former. I mean, there is a huge difference from lampooning an existing religion and making a "Vedic Fantasy Setting" devoid of gods! (Cough Mahasharpa cough).

So finally I decided it was put-up or shut-up time. Which is to say, "If you don't like it, make a better one!"

So that is what I am doing.

I have scouted out the barren and undescribed subcontinent to the south of Kara-Tur in Aber Toril with the "Himaslya Mountain Range" as the general geographic location. A Campaign specific-barrier keeping external elements out will be a premise, thus explaining why previous influences do not effectively permeate nor discover this rich,
vibrant setting which will thus, due to anonymity have developed on its own .. until now.

For resources I am combining the web publication "Sahasra: Land of 1000 Cities" with the Arabian offering "Tales of the Caliphate Nights" and the Mahasharpa web enhancement for Oriental Adventures.

In addition I will be splicing in various elements such as Mindshadows from Green Ronin. As each of these generally depict only a handful of city-states at a time, this campaign will provide the whole picture of a Vedic Fantasy India Premise, essentially layering these attempts and rewriting them from a practicing Hindu's perspective.

The general premise will be a non-arcane setting devoid of all Arcane magic, with Incarnum, Psionics and Divine as well as Pact Magic and Naming filling the Occult Niches that Arcane Magic would otherwise take.

The Only base classes allowable will be Monk, Ranger, Thief and Priest.

Warriors will be replaced with Tome of Battle classes, and all six base psionic classes will be allowed.

The emphasis will be multiclassing and combining power sources to survive.

This posting is more of a place-holder as everything is still in development and I am looking to have a well-written, drawn-out thesis as a setting premise.

The campaign will be run in two parts, a "Prequel" with characters rising the ladder of power rapidly and going off to a then-inscrutable plot-laden destiny.

After this, the campaign will begin a 'second season' two-three generations later, with the settled descendants of the original party being brought together by threads of destiny.
Arcane magic, if introduced/allowed to enter the setting from outside of it, will be an immense source of power and conflict as a corruptive element a la Mask of the Red Death or World of Warcraft d20.

Let me know any reactions, this post will be quoted from the original but modified to better encompass my premise as my notes are streamlined and put into coherent form.

Category 1: Base Combat
Standard Classes & Variants
---------------------------
Ranger
Monk
Hexblade (Replace with Divine Magic until Arcane Magic invades Setting)

Tome of Battle
--------------
Crusader
Warblade
Swordsage

Category 2: Arcane And Sneak Replacements
Tome of Magic
---------------
Binders
Shadowcasters
Truenamers

Sneaks (In Addition to Rogue)
--------------------------------------------
Swashbuckler (switch to Scimitar, "Corsair")
Ninja ("Thuggee")
Scout

Category 3: Psionics
Expanded Psionic Handbook
--------------------
Psion
Psychic Warrior
Soulknife

Complete Psionic
--------------------
Ardent
Divine Mind
Lurk

Category 4: Incarnum & Divine
Magic of the Incarnum
---------------------
Incarnate
Soulborn
Totemist

Various Divine (In Addition to Priest)
--------------------------------------
Shaman
Shugenja
Mystic / Healer (fuse the two classes from Dragonlance & WoW d20)

Acceptable Races for Sahasra
Category 1: Standard & Variants
-----------------------------
Human
Dwarf (as Korobokoru "Vamannan")
Halfling
Frehmin - Kalashtar (Eberron) with the Frehmin template (Secrets of Pact Magic)

Category 2: Spirit Folk / Fae
-----------------------------
Banyan (Bamboo)
River
Mountain
Dusklings

Category 3: Beastfolk
-----------------------------
Vanara (Monkey-kin)
Balou (Bear-folk)
Jatayu (Vulture-folk)
Chooah (Ratfolk-Nezumi)
Molekin

Print Edition is cool and all, but I actually prefer my digital downloads . . .

Any idea when this will be available in PDF, anyone?

Hi,
My book arrived with a slice through the bottom binding. It's shallow enough that I can use carpentry or even hot glue to fix it, so i don't want the hassle of returning it.

Is there some kind of offered discount that can be applied instead? I'll be happy to email pix, its just a tadd off-putting to receive new goods in a damaged state.

Hi all,
Not to be a noodge, but I never recieved a pdf copy of the Pathfinder Volume 1, the first installment of the Rise of the Runelords adventure path.

Because I recieved the print edition and pdf's of all the others, I never made a point of it, but it has come to a point where the PDF for printing separate handouts would actually be valuable.

Can you please add this to my download queue? I have been a subscriber since the first module was offered.

Many thanks!

Hi there,
I have a standing order for numerous products totalling about $90.00 in value that is being held up because Downer Volume 2 was pushed back til June of '09.

Please separate Downer Volume 2 out from this order and mail this posthaste to me as I have been waiting rather patiently for this order for about 2 months now.

I called several days ago and left a message with the Customer Service line, to no effect.

Thanks in advance for expediting this matter.

Hi all,
I have a bit of an interesting request ....

In my current campaign-world, my co-dm is taking the reigns and we have advanced the Faerunian timeline to the beginnings of the 4th edition era. That being said, we are sticking to 3.5, and nothing but so please take any flames or extraneous discussion elsewhere ...

That being said, I have a quandry. We killed off most of the previous characters of epic level in favor of brand new concepts. One of the few that survived is to be my current character's uncle. To whit, the son of Yamun Kahan that was recently detailed in that Dragon magazine update to the Horde setting.

That being said, the current concept is the son of a Northern Barbarian Priestess and one of Yamun Kahan's sons, who has seen the might of having a strong Navy being the easiest path to conquest of Faerun.

As such, yes, he is going to be a Barbarian/Swashbuckler, having spent most of his life on ships in the North or on the Sword Coast, and the rest among his fellow Tuigan Hordesman. Basically an ersatz Conan-as-pirate (if anyone has seen the Age of Conan game, where barbarians are a "Rogue" type class), though the emphasis of the character will be finesse as well as physical power. The overall goal will be to amass a pirate fleet to take on Umberlee's current champion, a "Davey Jones" like figure, the Captain of an Accursed vessel known as "The Acheron". Of course, the REAL goal will be to build a fleet of looters & Freebooters to invade/conquer Faerun along with the Horde, but you get the point ...

I am looking for a really good build here, both "Fun to play" for the concept, while at the same time being viable and combining strengths as it were.

The options on the table for Base Classes are preferrably no more than two, same for prestige.

This campaign WILL be going to twenty, and is a Pirate/Swashbuckler's game. Yes I will be handing my DM Savage Tide to play with, no I have not read anything about it other than the summary stuff from the very first parts.

SO....

Base Classes: Swashbuckler, Barbarian, Rogue & Fighter (Because those seem to fit flavor and skills most with the whole "Daring" feats from Complete Scoundrel)

Potential Prestige Classes:
Uncanny Trickster (extremely optional), Dervish, Dread Pirate, Scarlet Corsair, Fortune's Friend.

He will most likely be a Chaotic Neutral Tymoran with Luck Feats involved. That however is negotiable depending on Build.

I have been told from an infamy/leadership angle that I will get twice the reknown if I do both Dread Pirate and Scarlet Corsair for five-level increments, to offset the steep loss in higher level abilities of those PrC's.

I am very torn with how best to jury-rig each build to compare capabilities, as I want to take advantage of Fast-Movement, and Dervish Dance seems to go hand in hand with that, however Swash/Dread seems to be a natural build, and yet the Fortune's Friend retests would go well with the intimidation, feint & bluff abilities of Scarlet Corsair.

We will probably be swapping out Barbarian Rage for another ability from Substitution levels or the like.

Any advice? Please help! I am well aware that this needs to be streamlined and I can't "Do it All", I just am having some serious issues deciding/comparing the tools in question and how I would measure the varying capabilities.

Many Thanks in Advance.

Hi there.
I own the Call of Cthulhu Campaign and am embroiled in a series of epic D&D games with concurrent plotline. I was planning on having an Alienist ally of my Diabolic PC try to contact Great Cthulhu and ordered the book only to be infuriated.

Demigod status?!?!?!

DEMIGOD???

Now I know it/s/he's a servitor to Yog-Sothoth, but come on! If Tyr can have Helm and Torm giving him Due, then Yog-Sothoth can certaintly have a more powerful Servant ...

I mean, I have factored in all the different spells and whatnot.

At any rate, was looking for advise in porting old 'thullhu into a Planar D&D campaign . . . with the express purpose of toppling/subverting Ilsensine and setting up a new hierarchy for the Illithids.

Any ideas/feedbacks/flames-as-to-why-this-wouldn't-work?

Do you think Great Cthullhu would get a shot in the arm from the transmogrification to a magic-rich setting like the D&D cosmos, or be crippled by the journey? Would he be a psionic entity or no?

Thanks in advance.