[4e] Not Your GM’s Keep on the Shadowfell: Magic Surges

As I related in my previous post, our old DM from a multi-year 3.0 homebrew has taken over running a regular 4E game for my Thursday night gaming group, and being who he is, can’t help but change things.  Last time I discussed identifying magic items, and withholding their abilities until worn for at least 24 hrs.  This time, I’m going to try and figure out how replacing Milestone refreshes of Daily Magic Item uses with Magical Surges changes things around.

[4e] Not Your GM’s Keep on the Shadowfell: Identifying Magic Items

First off, Mea Culpa on The Keep on the Borderlands articles that have been mentioned but failed to materialize.  Work and other obstacles have stalled me on that front.  But as my players have recently reached fourth level, and are taking a much deserved break back in the relative safety of the Keep, I may have a chance to catch that up as I prepare for the second half of the heroic tier.

In the meantime, I have started playing in another 4th Edition game with a different group, this time a weekly game (more or less) run by our old 3.0 – 3.5 DM.  While I am having fun, I feel the need to share some of the changes and modifications he’s made to the game, both for my own sanity but also so I can think through the implications and perhaps get some help pointing out the potential pitfalls, and avenues for exploitation.  The backdrop will be somewhat familiar to most 4th Edition players, as these stories will involve us progressing through his interpretations of the Heroic Tier adventures, starting with H1 Keep on the Shadowfell.

Adam’s Amber Game Log 2

Session 2: 5/7/2009

Still in a meeting room at Argolin Castle in Jason’s Shadow of the Realm, Talon attends to his prisoner (a vermik) and interrogates it. Discovers that the gods had been to its home shadow and recruited some of its people recently. And it’s hungry.

Adam’s Amber Game Log 1

This is a game log from Adam’s Amber Game, run at the EAGLES regular Thursday night meetings. This is the first post-Auction session, run on 4/30/09.

Leonardo, son of Fiona, was the first to see one – a creature out of Shadow that was just suddenly there. Was it hiding shapeshifted as a rock in the Grove of the Unicorn? Not wanting to confront it (and sure his stakeout for the Unicorn was interrupted) he calls in Julian by Trump, and heads back to the Castle.

He runs into Jason, son of Flora, and tells him the details. Jason senses a disruption in the local Pattern, and they go to investigate. Bryce, unacknowledged but known Patternwalker, was researching something in the Library when a similar creature appeared. Grayish, with a retractable sword in the arm. Bryce called for the guards, and together they finished it off just as Leo and Jason arrive.

UpKeep on the Borderlands: Introductions

This is the first in (hopefully) a series of articles on how I am approaching my first 4E D&D campaign. Consider this post zero; why I’ve chosen to use B2, Keep on the Borderlands as a basis to update, and my history with it.

Statement of Intent

This is an attempt to regularly expand on ideas and thoughts that come up while preparing for, running, and playing in role-playing games run by, for, or even NEAR members of the League of Elgin Gamers.