Since it's a start of a new page, here's the link once again to the Kaidan Campaign Setting Kickstarter page.
I've just got Wes Schneider to agree on writing the forward/introduction to the Kaidan GM's Guide book when we are complete.
Really looking forward to the releases! Keep on pledging!
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I was traveling when the question concerning horror was asked, but thought I would offer a bit of my own take on horror and the Pathfinder rules.
While most Dungeons and Dragons or Pathfinder games are not horror games, I do not believe that the rules themselves preclude horror. Nor do I think that high-level play precludes horror (though it does make it trickier). I have used the rules to run horror games and have even written and run a high-level horror adventure (it was called Points of Possession and was available at one time free through ENWorld, but I think the file got lost in one of the transitions on that site), so I know it can be done.
Successful role-playing horror games, in my opinion, depend on a combination of things. You need to be able to induce a subtle frustration, accompanied by a sense of helplessness, in the players. You also need to be able to impart a sense of wrongness or displacement through the storyline as well as the tone and mood of the game. The first of these is harder as the characters advance in power, but so long as the GM remembers the PCs are limited and does not allow them to become gods unto themselves in the game, you can always manipulate things so that the PCs do find themselves thwarted, frustrated and helpless to prevent this or that tragedy. This must be done carefully, so that the game remains fun, and the players themselves should always have the hope of success, but somethings should just be impossible to prevent, either because they are tragedies already past (such as in a haunting), or because there are forces at work that are nigh-unstoppable (the unfolding of a curse). The best horror games are going to manipulate events so that the PCs bring their own tragedy down upon them or those they love (sidenote: there are certain seeming-sociopathic players who seem to lack all empathy for the game-world or NPCs - such players are nearly impossible to do horror games with - you should know your group before attempting horror).
The second ingredient, the sense of wrongness, is, I think, easily induced at any level. There are some things that just cause a reaction in most people (snakes, darkness, disease, tentacles, ghosts, dead children, etc.). Such things should not be overused so that the imagination does not become desensitized, but these ingredients, when mixed in with the overmentioned sense of helplessness, induce horror.
I have tried to incorporate horror into Kaidan (following the guidelines of Michael's original ideas) in a number of ways. Each adventure in our trilogy followed a different path for horror. The first adventure relied upon a sense of displacement and helplessness from the combination of being strangers in the land and the unfolding of hidden monsters. The second adventure relied upon the theme of corruption as the PCs found themselves slowly dying as they also faced the corruptions inherit in Kaidan. The third adventure relied upon those things which induce fear in people: darkness, spiders, and dead things, so to speak.
Kaidan at large is a corrupt land. The monsters tend to share the common ability of hiding themselves in plain sight so that you never know who you can trust. Families find their loved ones suddenly possessed of a new personality and can do little to prevent this. There is no hope of heaven (or hell), just a constant rebirth into a life of suffering, ghosts and toil. Adventurers might seem to rise above this, but those of a good heart must face the fact that they can do little more but hold back the darkness here and there. Even if they obtain great power, they still must contend with the many curses of the archipelago and there are always creatures of great darkness and power ready to feast upon the more powerful souls. (Alternatively, the more powerful the PC, the more powerful their ghost when they die violently and tragically and return to haunt their comrades.)
Pledged. Looking forward to this.
Speaking as a DM that is currently running the Curse of the Golden Spear, I can say there is definitely a horror vibe to what the PCs go through. They have only just cleared the first book, but...
Now that last one especially doesn't sound so bad and I didn't notice it myself, but one of the players pointed out to me the party never got a full night of sleep for about a week straight after they arrived in Kaidan. It started with the Ryokan, then there was Stonefang (for a couple nights), the Well, then the attack on the town by the bandits, and so on. It had made a few of them into paranoid messes. At one point I recall the monk saying, "Why would anyone want to live here?!". Got a chuckle out of it but it does go to show the setting can definitely achieve what it seeks to despite the ruleset.
As far as why anyone would want to live in Kaidan. Aside from being a beautiful land, the people don't really have a choice. Emmigration is not a policy promoted by the empire, even exiles are kept on a particular island within the archipelago. And of course once death occurs to any inhabitants, they are bound into the reincarnation cycle. So even if they gain some method to escape the cursed islands in the next life, at death, they will be back...
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Speaking as a DM that is currently running the Curse of the Golden Spear, I can say there is definitely a horror vibe to what the PCs go through. They have only just cleared the first book, but...
** spoiler omitted **
Quick question - how did they respond to/analyze the halfling's fever and subsequent possession near the beginning of the module? When I playtested that with my family, that one scene creeped out my kids almost as much as the well.
When I playtested that with my family, that one scene creeped out my kids almost as much as the well.
I am looking forward to the time when I can play Pathfinder around the dinner table with my kids. Still a bit young yet, but the time will come!
-Aaron
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When I playtested that with my family, that one scene creeped out my kids almost as much as the well.I am looking forward to the time when I can play Pathfinder around the dinner table with my kids. Still a bit young yet, but the time will come!
-Aaron
I told mine they couldn't play until they could read. They learned to read when they were 4 or 5, so we've been playing together for a while. I'm going to miss my gaming group when they leave home here in a few years.
Quick question - how did they respond to/analyze the halfling's fever and subsequent possession near the beginning of the module? When I playtested that with my family, that one scene creeped out my kids almost as much as the well.
Sadly not as well as it could have which was not the module's fault but a lack of foresight on my part. The group has been playing well before we started into Kaidan and occasionally as a reward/loot I hand out spells (usually from the books of 101 X level spells, though some custom ones too).
They ended up having two spells that sort of doomed me at this point. The cleric was on watch that night and happened to hear him suffering in the room near there's. The first spell was one that allowed one of the characters to determine it was a disease called Mind Fever. They quickly found Remove Disease had no effect (the cleric of the group takes anyone suffering from an illness personally and considers himself the one of the greatest healers of all time). He basically cycled through healing spells and got nowhere (it worked in my favour since he was empty during all the encounters the next day on the bright side).
Eventually he was running out of options so he spoke with the party summoner who had another custom spell for the setting that allowed him to peer into the spirit realm briefly. I had totally forgot about this at the time, but I went with it and mentioned he could essentially see two souls fighting over the guys body (though I was more vague than that). It was enough for the Cleric to figure out the spell to use to stop it (and cast it repeatedly till he recovered).
So essentially, they got a bit ripped off on that one and I'm still in the process of figuring out how to show them what actually happens. Considering having them run into one of their NPC escorts after the fact and have him be completely different (probably Kaneshi...they all absolutely hate Kaneshi).
Thanks for putting it up as an update. Sorry that my posts are so rare but at the moment my RL is running amok.
As far as why anyone would want to live in Kaidan. Aside from being a beautiful land, the people don't really have a choice. Emmigration is not a policy promoted by the empire, even exiles are kept on a particular island within the archipelago. And of course once death occurs to any inhabitants, they are bound into the reincarnation cycle. So even if they gain some method to escape the cursed islands in the next life, at death, they will be back...
O_o That is the absolutely cruelest thing so far. However, personally I would houserule that once you are away from Kaidan powerful magic can break that bond (Wish or Miracle).
By the way, while following the Bones Kickstarter I found an interesting website. Let's prove it wrong!
Thanks for putting it up as an update. Sorry that my posts are so rare but at the moment my RL is running amok.
As far as why anyone would want to live in Kaidan. Aside from being a beautiful land, the people don't really have a choice. Emmigration is not a policy promoted by the empire, even exiles are kept on a particular island within the archipelago. And of course once death occurs to any inhabitants, they are bound into the reincarnation cycle. So even if they gain some method to escape the cursed islands in the next life, at death, they will be back...O_o That is the absolutely cruelest thing so far. However, personally I would houserule that once you are away from Kaidan powerful magic can break that bond (Wish or Miracle).
Though there are yet many pitfalls in the reincarnation process, some might consider this as a kind of perverse immortality.
By the way, while following the Bones Kickstarter I found an interesting website. Let's prove it wrong!
At the beginning Kicktracker showed a $16K potential for Kaidan. We still have 2 weeks, let's try and make the most of it for pledges.
Thank you all for the support, and I hope to have more content before it's all over.
If we can reach our next goal Tier of $7000 (only $1065 away) that means a 200 page GM's setting guide, extra maps of interest, and another one-shot adventure PDF.
Submitted all my Kaidan-trilogy reviews, Frozen Wind review and 30 haunts for Kaidan reviews to Nerd Trek.com, where they'll air during the next couple of days. Hope that also generates some additional interest! Cheers!
We passed the $6,000 mark today we are 150% to our goal, we only need $1,000 for our next tier!
We will break that 7000 K to bits!
I'm still hoping for the bestiary.
Me too!
Me too, but for now we will make a concerted effort to make the core campaign book the best damned setting guide possible. While we will also think on how to best approach a player's guide and bestiary for Kaidan. We still have much to do to make the GM's guide, what it ought to be.
They just need $670 to get to the next benchmark.
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The following is my current working outline of what is going into the GM's Campaign book, for those who would care to peruse...
Kaidan Game Master's Guide
A suggested Outline
Table of Contents
Foreword Primus (Schneider)
Foreword Secondus (Tumey)
Introduction: Welcome to Kaidan
In which we peruse and overview the setting.
Interlude the First, providing a brief bit of colorful fiction
Chapter 1: A Brief History of Kaidan
Being a discussion of the coming of the Kami in the time before time; of the coming of the Yokai, the Anu and the Korobokuru; of the rise of the children of the Sun; of the the Colonization of Wa; also and account of the Oni Wars, the rise of the Samurai and the Shogun, the Curse, and a summary of Kaidan today
Interlude the Second, providing another bit of fictional entertainment
Chapter 2: The Races of Kaidan
Containing a description of the prominent race of the islands, humans, as well as descriptions of the yokai, korobokuru, and other races such as the Kami and the Oni
Interlude the Third, in which we read yet another piece of fiction, this time with a more spiritual bent
Chapter 3: The Religions of Kaidan
Being a scholarly account of Yokinto, Zaoism, the Yamabushi and other cults and sects of interest.
Interlude the Fourth, in which we again retreat into fiction
Chapter 4: The Politics of Kaidan
A discussion of the six realms of Kaidan and how they interact with themselves and with one another. These realms being the Nobles, the Asuras, the Realm of Humanity, the Hinin-Eta, the Animal realm, and the realm of the Oni.
Interlude the fifth. Another short piece of colorful fiction describing a scene of breathtaking beauty
Chapter 5: The Geography of Kaidan
Being a lengthy accounting of the regions of the archipelago, including towns, villages, customs therein and flora and fauna surrounding the same.
Interlude the sixth, still yet more descriptive verbiage to set the mood.
Chapter 6: Life in Kaidan
In which we provide information concerning the meaning of being Kaidanese, including the attitudes, customs, and experiences of its people.
Interlude the seventh, in which the fiction becomes rather creepy
Chapter 7: Death in Kaidan
Being an account of the truth and nature of the cycle of death in Kaidan so that the GM may best handle the necessary and frequent demise of would be heroes and villains.
Interlude the eighth, in which our fiction aided escapism contemplates a deed of daring-do
Chapter 8: Adventuring in Kaidan
Containing all the necessary ingredients for a dutiful GM to provide motivation, equipment and challenges for his players.
Interlude the ninth, our penultimate offering of mood shaping fiction
Chapter 9: The Magic of Kaidan
Being an esoteric and meandering contemplation of the arcane and divine energies of the islands and of the beings that utilize these energies; also containing a sample of spells unique to the lands of the noble dead.
Interlude the tenth, containing a final bit of fictional flavor
Chapter 10: GMing in Kaidan
Being scholarly essays on the oriental mindset, horror, honor and the proper tone for a foray into Kaidan.
Appendix I: The Calendar of Kaidan
Appendix II: Glossary
Appendix III: Patron Page
Come on $650 to go for the expanded “Gamemaster's Guide to Kaidan.”
Update:
$560 to go for the expanded “Gamemaster's Guide to Kaidan.”
So close! Would love to see the expanded book!
Update:
$515 to go for the expanded “Gamemaster's Guide to Kaidan.”
If everyone who is a supporter upgrades their pledge a step or two we can make it.
I'm already at my budget limit. The 1k reward isn't much use for a non-US citizen anyway.
I'm already at my budget limit. The 1k reward isn't much use for a non-US citizen anyway.
Same here, I upgraded my pledge yesterday by 2 steps (nearly doubling the original pledge), and that's my limit.
Same here I hate to say. Have been on vacation as well so didn't get any more overtime to help out.
71 hours left and $98 to go until reaching next goal ($7K) - woot! Getting close.
Update:
$92 to go for the expanded “Gamemaster's Guide to Kaidan.”
If everyone who is a supporter upgrades their pledge a step or two we can make it.
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Also, just a reminder, that when we clear the $7000 mark, each patron pledging $40 or more will receive an additional adventure PDF, "Tolling of Tears."
"Tolling of Tears" is a fun little adventure of the mystery-horror subgenre () featuring a cursed bell, a village with political-religious tensions, and an angry ghost.
Edit: We have hit 160 patrons and need only another $52 to hit that next goal! Edit 2: Make that 161 and $32
Goal
sweet
What would be in the Player's Guide if you make one?
This info might help getting people to pledge to the project.
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The answer to that question is really going to depend on the length.
My original vision for the players guide was a combination players handbook - tour guide. I wanted to give players a feel for what the average character would know about the archipelago and the society, without any big reveals, and at the same time provide character options such as races, classes, traits, basic equipment, feats, and even some setting specific spells.
Thus, while the GMs guide would focus, say in matters of religion, on what each religion teaches and why, the Players Guide might have a few words to say about how to act in a shrine, which holidays were popular and provide cleric archtypes.
How exactly that is all going to play out is, again, going to depend on the length of the book. The longer it is, the more details and options we can pack into it.
My thoughts are. If we only get 32 pages paid for in the Player's Guide, this would cover a players point of view of Kaidan. Only if we could get 64 or 96 pages will we be able to provide player mechanics like traits, races, archetypes, etc. We'd like to at least the first stretch towards a player's guide.
Join in the pledgings and help us get there!
My thoughts are. If we only get 32 pages paid for in the Player's Guide, this would cover a players point of view of Kaidan. Only if we could get 64 or 96 pages will we be able to provide player mechanics like traits, races, archetypes, etc. We'd like to at least the first stretch towards a player's guide.
Join in the pledgings and help us get there!
Post this on the kickstarter and it'll get things going again.
Though if there's only 32 pages, I would reserve 2 pages as player content* to help characters mechanically fit into Kaidan better.
Woot!
With 27 hours to go, we've got 185 backers at $8318 - which means there's now going to be a 200 page GM's Guide, and a 32 page Player's Guide, but we still have 27 hours left. We must try to get $1182 in pledges in the time we have left to get a 64 page Player's Guide which will mean Player Options and PC point of view description of the setting.
Thanks everyone - we're beyond where I thought we'd be, but we still have more time!
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We need only about another $1000 to double the player's guide.
I hope we get that $1000 to double the book's size.
I'm in, and it looks like we are close to getting the 64 page players guide! I'm hoping to see a player's guide with some more "crunch."