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I love using props, handouts, music, and other atmospheric devices as a DM. Even though we played just a part of "Age of Worms" I still tried out some of the recipes for Zeech's Feast posted long ago at these very messageboards (bet that thread's still in the "AoW" archives). More recently, I've had lots of fun with the Harrow deck and especially the visit to Zellara's in our two "Curse of the Crimson Throne" campaigns. We even had some of the 'Varisian simmer' one night.
Hoping that when we run "Kingmaker" it'll have more longevity than past games.
Really drawn to this AP due to growing up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and exploring the rivers and forests near my home on weekends. We'd even occasionally bring along some RPG stuff and game with flashlights in the tent at night while camping one one stretch of land or another that didn't look occupied. ;)
One thing I'd like to do to help players better establish PCs' personalities and the frontier exploration is set up a "campfire" at our gaming table. This would be used primarily at the beginning of sessions to allow everyone to talk over the previous session in-character, helping us pick up where we left off and getting everyone in the mood to role-play.
I'm having trouble figuring out how to do this in a way that won't overly-clutter my friends' basement where we'll likely have our games. Hoping to include some element of dimmer light, since I'd like to have all other room lights off for this time.
Ideas are welcome!
One of my players suggested a Ren Faire trip to kick off the AP.
Otherwise, we might do a pseudo-LARP intro to each game. The Sandbox nature implies that rarely will the session end in the middle of a dungeon, so he PCs could be around the campfire or at Oleg's having a pint.
You could also start the game outside with tiki torches or something for the "When last we left our heroes..."" part.
Well, one thing I will defineatly do is put on that old campfire-dvd I got from my mother years ago.
I rarely get to use it :)
Hook up a laptop or stationary computer to a spare monitor/projector and click THIS LINK. Loop the playback, and your fire burns all night long.
Add a playlist of some Nighttime forest sounds for effect, if desired. If you have access to surround sound, all the better.
Ditch the chips and Mountain Dew (blasphemy, I know) and serve some beef jerky, roasted nuts or leaf-wrapped lembas-bread with water or ale.
Bring blankets, turn off the heat and crank the A/C way up if needed and have everyone huddle around the monitor, each with their own blanket (or sharing, if so inclined). If you have some sort of heat source (portable heater, candles etc.) put it close to the video of the fake fire.
or...
Simply say "As you set up camp for the night, the sky darkens and rain starts to pour down" - and set off the sprinklers!
i think the silk flame lamps you can get are pretty groovy and would look realistic with logs stacked around them. also Neko Case's latest album 'Middle Cyclone' has about 20 minutes of frog chorus for the last track (and it's an awesome album : ) )