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THINK FOR YOURSELF

July 22, 2014, 6:39 am
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When it comes to gaming no one is a better judge of your own tastes and preferences than you. Sometimes, particularly on the internet, that truth can escape us, and we start believing what others want us to believe rather than what we know to be true for ourselves. I think this is normal human behavior when you are in an environment filled with other people. Online this is amplified because there is a kind of natural selection at work involving the rhetoric of preferences, where the best crafted arguments, even if they are untrue in the end, dominate the conversation. A lot of people give in to this, and cede their own point of view in the process. 


But when it comes to taste, these debates can grow rather silly. Often what it amounts to is a person having a gut response to a game, mechanic or style of play, then trying to explain why that gut response is there. Another person might step in and debate the reasons the person has laid out. This doesn't make the gut reaction wrong, it makes the explanation faulty or incomplete, and those are two very different things. Other times the explanation is perfectly fine, but specious argumentation wins the argument/thread. 

I also see instances where a dominant strain of thought becomes imbedded. It has simply been said for so long people assume it to be true, or those who disagree have lost the argument too many times (again even if they are not wrong in the end). Schools of thought are fine. They can help people navigate the sea of ideas present in the hobby. But militancy about ideas isn't good. I have succumbed to this myself and have stopped because I see it as being highly unproductive and a sign of insecurity in one's own beliefs. 

I think there is a place for discussion about gaming, both in real life and online. I myself participate in a number of gaming forums, and these have helped expose me to ideas and concepts I might not otherwise have known about. This is all good. But it is a double-edged sword, leading to cliques and attempts to find the one-true way of gaming. While this is sometimes the result of a single skilled debater or forceful personality, the true fault lies with those who follow along. No one can force you to believe something. No one can force you to play a particular way. If you do so at the insistence of a stranger online or a gaming friend at the table, then you have only yourself to blame. So pull back for a moment, think and don't just accept what is presented because it sounds good. If it doesn't ring true, do not adopt it. 

This applies to everything from play style to the way you GM. I give a lot of GM advice here on this very page. My hope is people find it helpful and that my experiences at the table have something to offer others. However I wouldn't want anyone to adopt my ideas if they don't feel right or contradict something they believe. So by all means take what is useful for  your game from a variety of sources, but remember to think for yourself. 

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SERTORIUS CHARACTERS: A TALE OF ONE TABLE

July 23, 2014, 5:42 am
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We have been getting a lot of questions about the kinds of characters you can make in Sertorius. It is a difficult game to describe, and explaining the character possibilities is often tricky. One of the players in Bill's campaign tried to answer this question in an email to a new player. I thought his response captured the range of the game perfectly. With his permission, I am posting it here: 


A little info so far on our group...Let me really explain the characters: 
A sadistic healer who has killed more people than he has healed. 
A ninja Elf, who is trying to create an army to take over the world. 
A diviner who continues to put everyone in situations where we don’t want to be (raining lizards and blowing up the towns people).
An archer with a lycanthrope follower, trying to create the world’s real werewolf line. 
A fire/earth elementalist eunuch, who travels with floating Sertori eyes as companions.  
So go as crazy as you want and we will meet you in the middle as to what your character should do… And welcome to the group.
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LONG-DISTANCE VILLAINY

July 24, 2014, 7:32 am
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Several years ago I wrote an article called Long-Distance Villainy, which talked about a GMing technique I used for villains from time to time. I would like to discuss it here again because I am thinking of doing it again soon and I believe it is a great way to bring fresh perspective to your campaign villains. 

Basically, long-distance villainy means you outsource the management of your villain in a campaign to a player who is not actually part of the play group (often someone you gamed with in the past but who has moved and can no longer participate in your local campaigns). I started using this technique back before the internet, and it required a little more effort to conduct through the phone (and in some cases by mail). Now with email, forums and instance messages, doing a long-distance villain is much easier. 

First you need to have an actual villain, or allow the person playing the villain (will just call that individual PPV for short) to create one. Much of this depends on how villainy emerges in your games. Some people deliberately create villains they know the party will face, others have a more 'survival of the fittest' approach. Whatever the case, you ask someone to be the PPV and you either give that person the character details about the villain or you give the person some basic instructions and they make the villain for you. After that you give the person resources, tell them how they fit into the campaign and confer with them after every session to see what their next move is.

This works best when you have a villain operating in the background who is at odds with the party for some reason. However it can work with any type of villain or approach provided the PPV understands his role may be undercut in cases where the villain's place in the campaign is less assured. So here is an example of what might occur. 

You have a party who discovers the lost city of Sarr and takes an object called the Sarrian book from its underground catacombs. The Sarrian Book is an ancient scroll containing forgotten and powerful magic. Unbeknownst to them an evil mastermind, named Ariston has also been questing for this very book and wants to use it to subjugate the city of Donyra and control rival spell-casters in the area. 

Between sessions you contact your old gaming buddy Phil, who lives in another state, and ask him to play Ariston remotely. He wouldn't participate in any of the sessions, except perhaps one where the party actually confronts Ariston. In that case you talk about the possibility of using an online video chat platform to have him make an appearance in the game when it is required. Otherwise all he has to do is manage the resources (mainly money and henchmen) you assign to Ariston, as well as make decisions and plan his actions. 

It is this latter part that makes this technique work as a breath of fresh air for the GM. It introduces an opponent who is trying to win and devising cunning schemes to outwit the party. Because this seriously raises the stakes, I suggest you inform the players that they will likely be facing a difficult opponent who is trying to kill them and not pulling any punches, at some point during the campaign (it is also probably a good idea to mention that this character will be played by another player remotely). 

Once you have established that Phil is all set to play Ariston, you continue the campaign. After each session you confer with Phil, and you keep track of where his minions are, what he is planning, you tell him what information he has gained through various sources (how accurate his knowledge is may depend on a variety of factors). He then says what he intends to do, how he will use various minions and what measures he will take against the party. 

So for his first action, he takes his most trusted henchmen and sends them to the PC's birth cities to find out information about them. During this time, the PC's make their way to Tungat Oasis and agree to help the Qeshar, the tribe who control the city, to find a sacred relic believed to be in a ruin deep in Emerald Valley. After the session you speak with Phil and decide he learns about the PC's going to Tungat Oasis because they passed through Donyra on their way. You also tell Phil what his henchmen learned at the PC's birth cities, including that the player character Beor has a nephew in Donyra. Phil decides to use a spell called Tearing the Veil to learn where the PCs are ultimately heading. In it he has visions of the road to Emerald Valley. Phil then tells you he wants his henchmen Bal-Shillek to come to Donyra and kidnap Beor's Nephew. He also sends Aedra to Tungat Oasis to bribe the Qeshar and turn them against the PCs (asking that they take them prisoner for him). Finally he sends Hasur to follow the PCs when they arrive in Emerald Valley. He has 20 soldiers, but decides to keep those nearby for his own protection until he knows more about the PCs plans.  

This can go on for many sessions, and it may be some time before things come to a head (with either the party confronting Ariston or Ariston striking at the party). I suggest keeping a tracking sheet of the villain's finances, henchmen, information sources, holdings, etc. You also will want there to be space on the tracking sheet to note Phil's orders each week. To the right is a quick example I threw together of what this might look like. But you can use any method that works for you. Personally I like to have several pages like this and use a new one each session, giving me a clear record of past and present information. 

What I like about long-distance villainy is it provides the players with a challenge that thinks differently than I do, and that shakes things up considerably. It also adds an element of the unknown for the GM, where he has less control over a crucial setting element, but it is still outside the control of the PCs themselves, which maintains a sense of the setting being a real and external thing. 

I do not recommend this be used every campaign. I only resort to it once in a while, usually when I just need a change of pace or want to raise the stakes in a game. Internet really makes this easy to do. You can even bring the PPV into play using Skype, google + or any other format that supports video conferencing. 
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Contemplating Grudges in Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate

July 25, 2014, 8:16 am
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I have been working out the encounter tables in Ogre Gate and adjusting the relevant rules from Sertorius to better fit the setting and genre. Yesterday I started toying with the idea of a Grudge table to make part of regular encounter rolls. Basically it would be a potential result on any standard encounter table, causing you to roll on a new sub-table. These sorts of encounters would involve characters with personal vendettas against the party and the GM would need to weave them in on the fly as smoothly as possible. 

Here is what I have so far. Going to test it out tonight in our regular session:

ENCOUNTERS AND SURVIVAL SKILL ROLLS 
Use the system for Survival Skill rolls and Encounters presented in the core Sertorius book (See TRAVEL AND ENCOUNTERS page 173 of the SERTORIUS RULEBOOK). However the martial world is far more dynamic and perilous than Gamandria, making encounters more frequent. This is partly due to grudges, which are common and often come from unexpected sources. Therefore the GM should ask for a roll once every ten miles of movement when the party is travelling. Otherwise use the time increments and suggestions from the book.

GrudgesA Grudge Encounter involves someone who is after the party, a particular character, or someone connected to the group indirectly. The individual holds a grudge that must be settled for personal or collective honor to be restored. The settlement of the grudge is entirely dependent on the situation and characters. Usually it is resolved through violence but other agreements can be reached. Running away and resorting to wits should always be an option. Also, once a grudge is established, through this encounter chart or prior through actual play, it is a good idea to use the same character when it comes up again.

When you roll on the Grudge table, come up with a quick character concept on the fly, using the stock stats from CHAPTER TEN: THREATS AND MONSTSERS. Try to make it fit the situation as best as possible and feel free to allow for creative interpretation—such as a terrible misunderstanding on the part of the aggrieved character. 

Table: TSUN FOREST (TN 6)
Result             Encounter
2                      Roll on Grudge Table
3                      Ogre Demon
4                      Fox Demon
5                      Worm Wood
6                      Impasse
7                      Bandits (2d10)
8                      Tigers
9                      Blood Tree (Sertorius)
10                    Bandits (1d10)
11                    Lost
12                    Tsun City Merchants
13                    Tigers
14                    Blue Mushrooms
15                    Tree Dwelling Nuns (Initiates)
16                    Skeletons (1d10)
17                    Tree Dwelling Nuns (Junior Disciples)
18                    Skeletons (2d10)
19                    Tree Dwelling Nuns (Senior Disciples)
20                    Bandits (4d10)

TABLE: GRUDGES
Result             Encounter
2                      Profound Master (Highly Eccentric Gripe)
3                      Deadly Master (Personal Vendetta)
4                      Fearsome Master (Vendetta that goes back generations)
5                      Fearsome Master (Eccentric Gripe)
6                      Disciple (Vengeance for Master)
7                      Disciple (Personal Vendetta)
8                      Underling (Vengeance for Master)
9                      Underling (Personal Vendetta)
10                    Mundane Character (Vengeance for Family)
11                    Mundane Character (Reputation Sullied)
12                    Mundane Character (Personal loss of fortune, love, etc)
13                    Underling (Vengeance for Sect)
14                    Underling (Vengeance for Family or Friend)
15                    Disciple (Vengeance for Sect)
16                    Disciple (Personal Reputation Sullied)
17                    Fearsome Master (Eccentric Request)
18                    Fearsome Master (Personal Reputation Sullied)
19                    Deadly Master (Eccentric Gripe or Request)
20                    Profound Master (Reputation Sullied)

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WUXIA INSPIRATION: NEW DRAGON GATE INN

July 26, 2014, 7:57 am
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Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate draws on a number of sources for inspiration. I watch a lot of wuxia movies and TV shows, and these have had a big influence not only on Ogre Gate, but on Sertorius and many of my d20 campaigns. I am hoping to share some of my favorite movies and shows in the genre here as we work on Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate.

It probably comes as no surprise to those following the blog that the Dragon Gate Inn movies are a particular favorite of mine and that Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate is named in part as a homage to these films.

The original Dragon Gate Inn was made in 1967 and Directed by King Hu (Come Drink With Me and A Touch of Zen).  King Hu actually made three films that prominently feature an inn (Come Drink With Me, Dragon Gate Inn and The Fate of Lee Khan) but the inn of Dragon Gate has become quite iconic. The film was remade in 1992 as New Dragon Gate Inn, and again re-imagined in 2011with Jet Li as the star in Flying Swords of Dragon Gate. These are all excellent movies in my opinion (though unfortunately today it is very hard to find a quality copy of the original). But now I want to discuss New Dragon Gate Inn.

New Dragon Gate Inn was made in 1992, directed by Raymond Lee and produced by Tsui Hark. It stars Donnie Yen (Tsao), Tony Leung Ka-fai (Wai-on), Brigitte Lin (Mo-yan), Maggie Cheung (Jade), and even features Elvis Tsui in a small but memorable role. It follows the same basic plot as the original Dragon Gate Inn but contains more action sequences and dark humor. It also turns Dragon Gate into a black inn (a place that serves human meat).


Against the backdrop of the Ming Dynasty, the storyline follows a group of rebels pursued by the powerful East Chamber (an intelligence bureau headed by the eunuch Tsao Siu-yan). The film opens with Tsao executing his rival, Minister Yang. He murders the entire family but saves two children to use as bait to lure Yang's ally, General Chow Wai-on. Wai-on's men and his lover Mo-yan rescue the children and take them a desert inn on the frontier where they plan to meet rendezvous and escape. Bad weather and dust storms force the rebels to remain at the inn as Tsao's men, posing as merchants, investigate the place and wait for reinforcements to arrive. The Inn is operated by a colorful woman named Jade and is a refuge for brigands and thieves.

The bulk of the film occurs at the Inn, and involves two main conflicts: a love triangle between Wai-on, Mo-yan and Jade; and the rebel's efforts to escape with the children while sharing an inn with Tsao's agents. This creates plenty of opportunities for both action and comedy. 

The sword-play is solid, and very different from the sword-play of King Hu's original. In the first Dragon Gate Inn the action sequences were more fluid and discernible. Like a lot of 90s wuxia, the camera angles and editing make many of the actions in the remake seem more sudden and occasionally choppy. It works fine and is simply a bit more stylized. The best fight choreography is a dialogue ridden sparring match between Jade and Mo-yan, that is played mostly for laughs. The final battle is also quite good.

Donnie Yen as Tsao sees very little action in the movie. Aside from some flourishes at the very beginning, he pretty much doesn't do anything (aside from sit patiently in a sedan chair) until the very end. While some folks feel this is a waste of his talent, I feel it adds weight to his final scene and makes it that much more magnificent (and it is a brutal, bloody end).


It is a strong cast, with several great actors turning in a good performances but Maggie Cheung absolutely overshadows all the other talent as Jade. She plays a witty and seductive proprietor with a shady past. This is definitely a more risqué take on the first film. The dialogue is filled with double entendres, with Jade offering to give Wai-on access to "all of my secret corridors" after he asks her about escape tunnels leading to the border. Again this is done mainly for laughs, but it is far from tame.

There is also a small but pleasant performance from Elvis Tsui, who plays a bombastic general with a connection to Jade and the inn. Donnie Yen is there mostly for his martial arts, and he does deliver in the final scene.


I like New Dragon Gate Inn in terms of gaming because it provides a great venue for adventures. Inns are a staple of the genre and this is definitely one of the more remarkable ones. The added element of serving human meat disguised as steamed buns is perfect fodder for a campaign. The desert location also works really well (even if it leaves you wondering where they are getting water from exactly).


 I recommend this one for certain. It is dated though. You can definitely tell it was made in the early 90s and the versions I have seen have all been a little on the grainy and faded side (but still much better preserved than the original). If you can find it, absolutely check out King Hu's Dragon Gate Inn. That one is a classic, but just be prepared for less than stellar sound and image quality (though it has faired better than his other classic, A Touch of Zen).  I'd also highly recommend the latest remake, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Inn. That one also has the advantage of being directed by Tsui Hark (and in my opinion it is one of the better recent wuxia movies).
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ORCS OF THE NORTH: THE MARRIAGE OF PRINCE ORTHU AND ANAREE

July 27, 2014, 10:14 am
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In this session of Sertorius, where our characters have been serving King Malka of the Pendeo Tribes, we continued our flight from Caelum after assassinating General Brogustu (our last session). 

The party is still mainly Orcish and consisted of the following: 


-Enos Ozihel (my character), an Orc who worships Ozias.

-Shillek, a Halfling from the Shahr Republic who has business in the North.

-Aetos, an Orc Tribesman who died, became a Ghoul and was then blessed by Ozias of service and made into a vampire. 

-Ah-Sri, a Hasri raised by Humans in Ronia.


-Varia, a Human from East.

When we left off, we were still in Caelum and trying to flee after we had killed Brogustu. Originally we wanted to go by land, but it was decided a single voyage by ship from Rono to Neoda was our best bet. However that is a long voyage, so we had some difficulty finding a ship at the last minute. We tried persuading a local merchant vessel but lacked the funds to make it worth their while. Ah-Sri provided the solution by using The Transformation of Ashan, a spell that enables him to turn substances into gold temporarily (note, this spell is from the upcoming free PDF, Book of the Archon). Transformation of Ashan also can make transmutations but it comes at great cost, and we decided not to take the risk. Instead we used the temporary attempt as a demonstration to show the captain we could make him gold endlessly (we actually could not do this but it was a lie we needed to tell to escape). We made a deal that upon arrival in Neoda, the king would reward him for his troubles, granting him double what he could have made otherwise and establishing favorable trade ties with the local chieftains. He agreed but we still had a many weeks journey by sea ahead of us. 

Thankfully, and through use of various magics to assist safe passage, we arrived in Neoda several weeks later with only a few shark sightings along the way. In Neoda we re-united with the other members of the party and presented ourselves to the king to announce the death of Brogustu. Malka was pleased and made us all priests of Ozias. He also provided us with ample living quarters. 

The King then told us his plans for war with Caelum. He wanted to ally with the Mandaru tribes, so had reached an agreement with their Kashan: Malka's son Orthu would marry the Kashan's second daughter Anaree. We were placed in charge of managing the details and escorting Orthu to Mandaru. This alliance would allow both powers to strike at Caelum, one from the North and one from the South. It also brought Sardona into the fold, because Mandaru treats them as a client kingdom. 

We were quite concerned about the distance to Mandaru, both in terms of securing safe passage for the prince but also because it posed some logistical issues for the invasion. However we were informed that the king's Sertori adviser had created a solution. Using powerful magic called Thauma, something well beyond our own abilities, he constructed portals making travel between Neoda and the Mandaru lands possible in an instant. He also intended to use these portals during the invasion. 

We traveled through the first portal, which was a swirling cloud encased in an iron rim and arrived near Vashanu (the Mandaru capital). There we met with Anaree, the Kashan's daughter, and found her to be quite against the idea of marrying an orc. Anaree seemed intelligent, hot tempered and interested in taking an active role in politics and war (she even mentioned wanting to fight in the upcoming conflict). We heard her concerns and went back with them to Malka and Prince Orthu. 

Speaking with Orthu, he was less impressive than Anaree and this caused us some concern. For the invasion to work, the marriage would need to go forward without any difficulties. Orthu was quite oblivious to the seriousness of the situation, and seemed incapable of impressing Anaree. But more concerning than that was the fact that Orcs and Elves, to our knowledge, cannot procreate together. This meant, if Anaree were to go to war and die, there would be nothing left to tie the two powers together. Therefore we went to King Malka to devise a solution. 

Our first proposal was to approach Ozias and see if a miracle could be performed making such a child possible. This was dismissed as outside of Ozias' concerns. We then considered an appeal to Ranua (the Elven goddess) asking for the same miracle, but Malka feared offending Ozias. In the end we decided it would be best to allow Anaree to have a child with an elf she found acceptable and then have King Malka adopt the offspring of that union as his own grandson. Provided Anaree and Orthu agree to this solution, it might work. However we also decided the elf in question who serves this function would need to be dealt with so he doesn't threaten Orthu's claim. King Malka decided the easiest solution would be to have him lead the initial invasion, where he would be likely to die. 
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WUXIA INSPIRATION: BROTHERS FIVE

July 27, 2014, 3:10 pm
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Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (WHOG) draws on a number of sources for inspiration. I watch a lot of wuxia movies and TV shows, and these have had a big influence not only on Ogre Gate, but on Sertorius and many of my d20 campaigns. I am hoping to share some of my favorite movies and shows in the genre here as we work on WHOG. Today it's Brothers Five, one of several movies starring Cheng Pei-pei that I will review in the coming months. 

For those not familiar with her work, Cheng Pei-pei is most recognizable to western audiences from her role as Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but in the 60s and 70s she was the "Queen of Swords", appearing in films like Come Drink With Me, The Lady Hermit, Golden Swallow, The Jade Raksha, The Shadow Whip and many more. Known for both her ferocity and grace of movement, Cheng Pei-pei is an icon of the wuxia genre whose fight scenes have been described by some as poetry with the sword. If you watch movies from his period her performances really stand-out. 

Brothers Five features a number of stars from Come Drink With Me (which I talked about HERE), including Yeuh Hua, Lee Wan-chung, and Cheng Pei-pei. Directed by Lo Wei (Fist of Fury and Snake & Crane Arts of Shaolin) and released in 1970 by Shaw Brothers Studio, Brothers Five has some rather lengthy swordplay sequences and a wide range of weapons including the iron hat and a massive sledge hammer. 

Unfortunately Brothers Five under-utilizes Chen Pei-pei, and therefore sees her more in a supporting role, but she still brings a lot to the movie. My understanding is during the 70s, the role of women in wuxia, who had normally played prominent parts in the genre, diminished as men were cast more often as the leads. Whether that had anything to do with this or not I do not know (though Cheng Pei-pei did briefly leave acting the following year for America, only to return a few years later to make more films). 

A story of five brothers separated at birth and re-united by Miss Yan* (Chen Pei-pei) to avenge the death of their father, the hero Gao Shi Yu of Flying Dragon Villa who was killed by Long Zheng Feng. Feng has replaced their father as head of the villa and turned it into a criminal enterprise, leading a gang of thugs who terrify the surrounding region. After Miss Yan finds the five brothers, and after several failed assaults by the brothers on the Villa, she trains them and shows them a manual with a technique called "Five Tigers with one Heart" that will enable them to fight as one and kill Long Zheng Feng. 

Each of the brothers Gao brings a distinct personality to the table. For example one is a black smith who wields sledge-hammer, one a gentlemen scholar who fights with a capped pen, another a dashing thief with a whip and bandolier of daggers and so on. They did a good job of making it easy to keep track of five brothers who seem to be roughly in the same age range. 


This movie does some interesting things. Notably the fight scenes are quite long, much longer than seems the norm in this kind of film. The choreography is good enough that this works fine. One element I liked is many of the shots are at a distance, giving you a view of the performers entire body with minimal shifts in perspective. This allows you to see all the movement and places more demands on the actors. 

In my opinion the swordplay in this is awesome. And it isn't strictly speaking just swordplay. There are guys throwing daggers, swinging hammers, stabbing with calligraphy pens and using a number of other martial weapons. One of the brothers wields an iron hat with a sharpened rim and that really balanced out some of the other weapons (and made for some nice motions). Cheng Pei-pei wields a sword but also uses a wooden version of the guandao (here) to simulate the villain Long Zheng Feng's techniques as she trains the brothers. I did like that the battles often feature large numbers of combatants. It had a real swash-buckle feel because of that. 


That said the movie isn't perfect. Some of the fights start to look pretty similar after a while. They're still good, it's just that they needed more variation. At times a few of the fights get a little silly and there are a few visible slip-ups too. 




The final technique, Five Tigers with One Heart, is both a blessing and a curse. If you have the forgiving eye of a kung-fu fan, it will probably work for you. However on its own, it does look a little ridiculous and it doesn't seem like it would really do much of anything the way they use it. Basically they form a wall by standing atop one another's shoulders, then in the final battle they spin around for some reason. I really liked the idea of five brothers fighting as one and the visual is charming in a way. It still is a bit tough to swallow though. 


In the end this is a solid movie. The final battle, cheer leader pyramid aside, is quite good. It is a Cheng Pei-pei movie, totally worth seeing, but some of her other films are much better (I would personally recommend Lady Hermit and Come Drink With Me before this one). Mainly it isn't as good because she is underused. 

*Note: The version I have is a blue ray version and part of the Shaw Brothers Sword Masters series issued in 2008. Some of the names in my copy appear different from other versions. I am going to use these spellings in this review. 
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PONDERING KUNG FU TECHNIQUES: REAL-WORLD KNOWLEDGE AND DESIGN

July 28, 2014, 6:40 am
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We've developed a vast list of Kung Fu techniques for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate and continue to add to and refine this list of attacks, counters and stances. Our goal is to reflect what we see in wuxia films and television, not create realistic fighting styles. At times I have found myself needing to forget what I know about real-world martial arts and think more in terms of the fantasy of film. 

Before I got sick, I was into martial arts for years and would train every day for hours. I had solid experience in a few different styles and over time managed to dabble in quite a few others just to see what was out there. But like a lot of people who trained in martial arts, I also watched martial arts movies (in fact kung fu films inspired me to take up actual training....I'd be lying if I didn't add that Star Wars was another factor). One thing I learned pretty early on was the vast gulf between martial arts on screen and how they are actually practiced. 

When I started designing games, I saw this experience like any other expertise or knowledge I could bring to the design table. Generally when I worked on games with other people, they would defer to my knowledge of this, just like I might defer to the science buff's knowledge of physics. However I noticed this was hindering my ability to make workable martial arts mechanics. I would over think, I would consider things from far too many angles, and generally it just muddled my approach because there are so many variables to consider in real life. I wasn't happy with the results, even if they met my criteria for "realness". 

One day I just decided to stop. I would think more like a fan of the genre than a practitioner when it came to design. This freed me up considerably and I started to enjoy the process more than before. It allowed me to embrace the fantasy element of wuxia rather than get into the nitty gritty of actual practice. 

So when we started on Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate I only allowed my self to bring one piece of real world knowledge to the table. There is a single kick in the entire list of techniques (which right now must be close to 80 or more) that is based on my actual experience in the martial arts. Other than that everything is purely inspired by the screen. 

The technique in the book based on my real-world knowledge is called Spinning Back Kick. I modeled it after a counter I used to use at my first martial arts school, and think the mechanics capture that aspect of it well (they fall a little short capturing its more offensive applications). However I have concluded my decision to include a single real-world technique was the right one. Tellingly, no one has shown any interest in taking spinning back kick. Not the folks who choose techniques based on the coolness of the name, nor the folks who choose the technique based on the mechanics. So far, I have only been able to use it through my NPCs. And I have to say, it is serviceable but nothing special in the game. 

I think in game design real world knowledge can be helpful. It can also be a hinderance if you are not careful. Knowing what real world knowledge to apply and what real world knowledge to keep in check is an important skill I have learned over the years. As a generally rule, if it enhances the game, or adds needed depth, then by all means use your real world knowledge. But if you find yourself engaging in unnecessary pedantry or clouding the system with "buts" and "ifs" you might want to step back and refrain. 
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Wuxia Inspiration: Killer Clans

July 28, 2014, 5:01 pm
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Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (WHOG) draws on a number of sources for inspiration. I watch a lot of wuxia movies and TV shows, and these have had a big influence not only on Ogre Gate, but on Sertorius and many of my d20 campaigns. I am hoping to share some of my favorite movies and shows in the genre here as we work on WHOG.


NOTE: Killer Clans is one of the more graphic films in the genre and I will be addressing that frankly. So be aware the following review contains things the Bedrock Blog normally avoids. This post also contains many spoilers because it is difficult to discuss the movie without getting into specifics.


Killer Clans was released in 1976 and directed by Yuen Chor (Jade Tiger and Death Duel). It stars Zong Hua (Meng), Gu Feng (Sun Yu), Chen Ping (Lady Kao), and Yueh Hua (Hsiang). It is based on a Gu Long novel called Meteor, Butterfly, Sword. 

The hero of Killer Clans is an assassin named Meng. An orphan, he was raised in a brothel by Lady Kao and kills for her when she receives contracts from members of the martial world. Lady Kao is vicious and has bred both Meng for killing. He doesn't fear death, but he has no real friends, family or loved ones. This is a recurring theme throughout the film. 


The basic plot is a war between two clans: The Lung Men Society and the Roc Society. Lady Kao receives a contract to kill the head of Lung Men Society, Sun Yu, and assigns Meng to the task. Along the way, Meng meets a woman in a forest villa playing the guzheng. They talk about poetry and butterflies and she serves as a kind of contrast to the ruthlessness of Lady Kao. By the the time he leaves Meng has already started to fall in love with her. Meanwhile the growing blood-feud between the clans escalates as each side tries to outwit the other, leading to the murder of Sun Yu's son, and the death of many of others. 


Lady Kao learns about Meng's meeting at the forest villa and reveals that the women is Sun Yu's daughter. Fearing that Meng might fall in love with her and refuse to complete his mission, Lady Kao sends another assassin to complete the task. He fails, and Sun Yu uncovers Meng's intentions but shows him mercy, bringing him into the fold of his clan. 

Sun Yu weaves plans ridden with counter moves and feints and lays down preparations should the worst occur. It becomes clear there is a spy in his society and he must rely on his right hand man, Hsiang. However, Hsiang betrays him. He tries to seize Yu's position, wounding him with deadly needles and causing him to flee. Now the only one who can help Sun Yu regain control of his clan is Meng. It is soon revealed that Hsiang is the one who paid Lady Kao to have Sun Yu killed. 


At this point in the movie things get very dark. Sun Yu has been making plans in advance for years. Throughout the film he talks about the importance of patience and planning, and it is obvious he has all sorts of contingencies in place. One such contingency involves a couple who leave near the end of a tunnel leading from Lung Men Society's headquarters. Sun Yu saved the husband many years ago, and they are pledged to help him hide in a well should he run into trouble (the details of this arrangement are a bit murky but apparently they have to commit suicide in order to keep the master's pursuers from finding his hiding spot). When Sun Yu arrives at the well, the couple's children rush from their home to see what is happening. The look on Sun Yu's face when he realizes they have young children, foreshadows what is to come. The man and wife hurry the master into the well and bring their children home for a last meal laced with poison. 

The look on Sun Yu's face when he realizes children are going to die is intriguing. He is clearly appalled, apparently shocked, but continues with the plan and accepts their deaths in order to save himself. 


The film culminates with a climactic battle at Lung Men Society headquarters, as Meng and Sun Yu attack as Hsiang is trying to form an alliance with the Roc Society. Hsiang is forced to flee and finds refuge at the Dragon Gate Inn, operated by his childhood friend who gives him poisoned wine and kills him. 

At the end of the film, Sun Yu sends Meng off to live with his daughter. At first this seems to be a reward for his aid, and perhaps it is, but he tells Meng he is sending him from the martial world because eventually he thinks Meng will grow ambitious and try to kill him because that is the way of Jianghu. 

Cynical in its presentation of the martial world Killer Clans deals with the cycle of violence created by grudges and ambition. It is a story that emphasizes the cost of killing and of being a part of the clan system that makes up the Jianghu. It is also graphic, featuring nudity and rape. 

Violence is common in these movies. Sex and nudity are not. At first these scenes seem thrown in to give the movie more allure. However I think the reason they are there is to emphasize the grit of the martial setting, the dirtiness of it. 


It is an interesting film. The fight choreography is pretty good, if a bit stiff now and then. The characters seem pretty typical of many of the Gu Long inspired films I have seen (and the one Gu Long novel translation I've managed to get my hands on). I think much of it turns on that well scene. It is a terrible thing to witness but it also does give weight to Killer Clan's theme. 
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WHAT IS WUXIA?

July 29, 2014, 6:36 am
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I had the pleasure of meeting Chang Yaoyuan through wuxia fan pages online. He is from China, well versed in Chinese literature and is enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge of wuxia with English-speakers. In this video he explains the concept of wuxia, getting into the literal and metaphorical meaning of the original chinese characters. 





If you are interested in learning more, here are some handy online resources: 

An Introduction to the Wuxia Genre

Wuxiapedia

Wuxia Edge

Wuxia Pan

About Chang Yaoyuan: Chang Yaoyuan is Chinese language instructor on iTalki and can be contacted here. He is a wuxia fan and writer, with an interest in Chinese history and philosophy. Chang's favorite wuxia novelist is Jin Yong (sometimes called Louis Cha in English) and his favorite Jin Yong novel is Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. 
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FLEXIBILITY OF DISBELIEF

July 29, 2014, 9:40 am
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I talk a lot about believability and immersion. In particular I like to comment on the things that disrupt my suspension of disbelief in games, so I know how to maximize my enjoyment. But sometimes I feel I ignore the issue of flexibility here and how really, believability is a spectrum...it isn't meant to be a rigid, binary notion. 


Concepts that are rigid are weaker than ones that have flexibility. If you look at a tree for example, even the strongest one, if it doesn't bend to the wind, will crack. In the same way, approaching believability in an RPG without flexibility is a potential problem. 

To elaborate, I think at times people approach disbelief in gaming by identifying the things they believe detract from it, then making those things forbidden. So meta-gaming might be an example of this. To aid immersion and believability I could eliminate meta-gaming entirely from my table, but then I think you begin to unnaturally avoid what might be quite organic and normal for your typical gaming experience. Obviously you don't want meta-gaming to become a major issue, but if you are actively avoiding it, becoming paranoid about its hidden impact on play, you then allow it to have just as much of an influence on your gaming. I don't like to restrict peoples' natural impulses at the table, just because I have an idea they might disrupt believability.  

Another place where this occurs is realism. Again, I talk a lot about the need to have the GM step in on occasion and smooth out mechanics when they produce results that are inconsistent with the setting or create unbelievable outcomes. I think this is important. However I still think you need to be careful about applying this rule of thumb, and that you want to reserve it for the more egregious instances. In short, I don't use it to go over everything with a fine tooth comb and vet it for realism. 

And there are also times when believability needs to be challenged. For example when you are trying to adhere to genre conventions in a setting. Granted the genre usually has its own internal logic that you still want to follow, but if you were trying to play or create a game where the point is to experience a setting that emulates the superhero genre, you wouldn't necessarily want physics getting in the way of a cool power, and you might not want death to be so common or permanent. There is a difference between running a gritty game set in a quasi realistic fantasy setting, and running wuxia campaign where the characters are expected to take on thirty guys and defeat them all. Genre emulation isn't for everyone, but it has a place I believe and there is value in distinguishing between realism and what is plausible in the genre. 

My concern is that sometimes in my effort to share my enthusiasm for how I like to play, I give the impression that I am less flexible than I actually am at the table, or that I avoid playing with folks whose preferences are different from mine. This isn't the case. I approach gaming with an eye toward flexibility and learning from others. I also don't like to tell other people how to game, nor to I like to be told so by others.  

This is more of a positive approach to play style than a negative one. Instead of "don't", I am advocating that you "do" the things you believe contribute to a better RPG experience, without restricting people who have a different view. That demands some flexibility at your own table. It means heeding the interests of others, allowing for ingredients you might otherwise avoid. It doesn't mean you embrace everything. We are talking about flexibility, not capitulation. You can incorporate a little salt into a sweet dish, without undermining the flavor. It doesn't become salt because it has a little salt in it.

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WUXIA INSPIRATION: THE LAST HURRAH FOR CHIVALRY

July 30, 2014, 9:08 am
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Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (WHOG) draws on a number of sources for inspiration. I watch a lot of wuxia movies and TV shows, and these have had a big influence not only on Ogre Gate, but on Sertorius and many of my d20 campaigns. I am hoping to share some of my favorite movies and shows in the genre here as we work on WHOG.

NOTE: This is a somewhat lengthy review, that gives a full overview of the plot and that includes many spoilers. 

The Last Hurrah for Chivalry was released in 1979 by Golden Harvest and directed by John Woo, who went on to originate the Gun Fu sub-genre with films like A Better Tomorrow. It stars Damien Lau (Green), Lau Kong (Kao) and Wai Pak (Chang). This is one of John Woo's early movies and feels quite like other films in the swordplay genre. Its chief antagonist is Kao Pang, a wealthy man seeking revenge for his family. Kao Pang is not skilled enough to kill his enemy so he finds a local hero named Chang and befriends him, in order to obtain personal justice. The heart of the film is about the friendship between Chang and another deadly hero nicknamed Green. 

The film opens at the wedding of Kao Pang, who is the wealthy son of a great hero and respected member of the martial world. Through conversations among the guests it becomes clear that Kao is a scholar, not a fighter, but he isn't virtuous and his knowledge is mainly in "the art of love". His bride is a prostitute from the Red Chamber who he paid 1,000 taels to marry him. Kao's villa is attacked during the ceremony by his father's enemy, Pai, who claims ownership of the land. As a fight breaks out, Kao is stabbed by his bride, who reveals that Pai paid 2,000 taels for her to kill him. Nearly all at the villa are killed, and Kao barely manages to escape with a few of his men. 

Kao is nursed back to health by his master who urges him to let the grudge go, but Kao wants revenge for his family and he begs his master to help. The master seems to sense darkness in Kao and says he must change his thoughts, to not think of evil anymore. The master tells Kao that he is not skilled enough to defeat Pai. Kao will need another to perform the task for him.
Kao betrayed by bride

Throughout the film, Kao pressures the master to help and to relinquish a special sabre in his possession, called the Moonlight Sword. In the versions I was watching, the subtitles suggest the blade is magical, but it is possible this was just poor translation. Each time the master resists and urges Kao to forget his evil thoughts. When Kao asks his master if a great hero can help him, his master replies that great heroes only serve great causes, not wealth. To secure a great hero, Kao decides he will have to create a great cause. 
Green


The plot gets slightly convoluted at this point, though on second and third viewing there is a certain elegance to how the various plot threads fit together. Kao learns about a swordsman named Chang who lives with his sick mother and is trying to give up killing. Another swordsman, named Pray (also called Let it Be), is hounding Chang for a fight because he believes he can only be regarded as the greatest by killing Chang. Kao befriends Chang, helps him with his sick mother, and hires Pray to attack his master and take his masters sword on the day of Chang's mother's funeral. 

Pray nearly kills Kao's master, but fails to get the sword. He does inscribe a message at the scene, addressed to Chang, demanding a fight.  When Chang and Kao happen upon the beaten master, Chang vows to kill Pray and the two have a duel in which the latter is killed. 
Green and Chang

As all this is going on, Chang has been developing a friendship with a man known simply as Green. The two met at the Red Chamber while spying on a prostitute playing the Guzheng (a scene very similar to Meng's Forest Villa encounter in Killer Clans). Green is a killer and a drunk, and the prostitute playing the Guzheng is in love with him (though his interest is mainly in wine). However it seems Green is noble, too noble for his profession, and that might be the cause of his drinking. Over the course of the film, Green and Chang meet several times and fight together against foes. Later, and seemingly by chance, they attack a crooked gambling hall run by Pai (Kao's nemesis). 
Green and lady of Red Chamber

After defeating Pray, Chang arrives at Kao's residence to find him in the act of hanging himself. This is all a front of course, but Kao convinces him that he wants to take his own life because he cannot avenge the death of his family and loss of his villa by Pai. Chang is moved and vows to kill Pai for his friend. 

It should be pointed out that, as the movie progresses, Kao transforms as a character. Initially he just seems a bit self centered and cowardly. Gradually he grows more scheming and cruel. This is accompanied by physical changes in the form of posture and dress, with each act of evil. By the time Chang vows to kill Pai, Kao has already killed his own master and taken the Moonlight Sword, at which point he starts to resemble Dracula. 
Kao looking a bit like Dracula

Before attacking Pai's villa, Chang goes once more to the Red Chamber to hear the Guzheng, and there he meets Green again, who has heard of Chang's plans and intends to accompany him. After drinking and strategizing they make their move. 

The attack on Pai's villa is filled with action, with Chang and Green having to take on over 34 guards and several elite heroes such as Wolf, Lance and Sleeping Wizard, before they can encounter Pai. Sleeping Wizard is the most memorable, and played mostly for humor. He literally fights while he sleeps. His stealth is also uncanny, enabling him to literally sneak up on Chang and Green, using their backs to catch a few Zs. 

The two heroes face off against Pai in candled chamber where the villain uses a special solution to breath fire on his foes. The scene is quite long, and has some interesting choreography (will address the fight scenes of the film below). As they are killing Pai, Green reveals that he has been paid 500 taels to kill Chang and it is implied that he does so. 
Chang and Pai

After Chang's funeral, Green goes to collect his money from Kao, who is now rediculously evil and surrounded by newly hired henchmen. Kao attacks Green and the final fight of the film ensues. During the battle, Chang leaps in from the trees revealing his death was staged. He and Green give a speech about true friendship before resuming the battle. This is another long and bloody swordplay scene, with some interesting use of wires. Kao's demeanor and tactics appear very bat-like, with him flying up into the air and then attacking from the shadows. Green sacrifices himself to save Chang, and kills Kao in the process, for one of the most marvelous death shots witnessed on film (less artsy and expensive but more impressive than the final shot in 300 in my view). 

Chang and Green kill a guard
The fight choreography in this movie is a bit rigid, but that is by design. It is stylized and not in the smooth and elegant way of Come Drink with Me or House of Flying Daggers. This has more of a staccato beat and the actors sustain a pose after each strike. It is very much a late 70s martial arts movie in that respect. Personally this isn't my favorite style of choreography but in this case I think they do some great things with it. The movements are wide and exaggerated but they have an enchanting rhythm. Within the context of that style, the movie excels and there are some brilliant swordplay moments.
Death of Green

The opening music is marvelous and sets the tone of the entire film. The melody is played again and again through the film (notably by the lady of the Red Chamber on the Guzheng). The song is called Hao Xia and by Lo Wen (according to Chang Yaoyuan). Apparently the name of the some is identical to the film, but the translation is a bit off. Either way, I think the song is important enough that I am linking it here. The feel of the song and the lyrics help hold the film together. 

Chang and Green against Kao
The Last Hurrah for Chivalry ties in nicely with my last entry, Killer Clans. Both movies deal with the dark side of the martial world and both deal with the question of whether killers can have genuine relationships. Killer Clans answers this with a 'no'. In that movie it is clear that to kill means to be alone, and the hero finds love only by leaving Jianghu (the world of martial sects and heroes). But The Last Hurrah for Chivalry offers a more optimistic response, though it does demand blood. The Hero in this film finds true friendship at the cost of his friend's life. 

It goes without saying, I recommend this film to gamers (I am avoiding movies I wouldn't recommend in these reviews). This is also a John Woo film so I think folks who might not be into the genre may still want to check it out just to see his earlier work. When I first saw The Last Hurrah for Chivalry I wasn't as into it. It wasn't until the assault on Pai's villa that the movie really started to grab me. But it grew on me with each viewing and crept into my favorites category. I do think this is a film that improves the more you watch it. 
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Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate: Weapons of Ogre Gate

July 30, 2014, 3:16 pm
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We've been working on the weapon list and descriptions for Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate slowly, trying to make each one distinct. We want each weapon to have a different feel that gives it a uniqueness fitting to the genre. These are the entries we have so far. There will be more as we work more on the system. 


We also have been trying to fit the weapons to the Kung Fu techniques in the book. After the weapon list, is a sample technique called Lash of the Fly Whisk that shows how this works. 

Butterfly Swords: Used in pairs, Butterfly Swords are equiepd with long cross-guards that protect the hands and assist parrying. Though short, they are highly effective at close range. Butterfly Swords are sharpened only halfway down the blade, allowing the user to deliver non-lethal strikes with the lower portion. Therefore you can choose to make an attack with Butterfly Swords lethal or non-lethal. Butterfly Swords have a +1 bonus to Parry. 
Dao: These powerful sabers are curved with a wide single-edged blade for slashing and chopping. The Dao is a one-handed weapon. The Dao does an automatic wound instead of adding damage dice when you get a Total Success on Attack Roll.  Damage: Muscle +2d10. 
Gun: This is a wooden staff. It bestows a +1 bonus to Parry when used.

Fan: A fan is an ideal concealed weapon. This is simply a hand fan with sharpened blades that can be used to slash or stab at opponents, and to conceal needles (when thrown using a fan, needles increase their range to 15 feet). Fans also assist parrying and stealth. They provide a +1 to Parry and they provide a +1 bonus to stealth if you attempt a surprise attack with them. 
Fly Whisk: This consists of a handle and a long lash of horse hair and is used primarily to swat insects. However in the hands of a person with the correct training, it can be used as a weapon. To use this as a weapon, the player must expend an expertise simply to utilize its abilities. For the full expertise bonus with the Fly Whisk an additional expertise must be spent. Fly Whisks are more about swiftness than power, so they use the Speed Skill for damage (Speed +0d10). They are also able to be used to disarm opponents. To disarm one must make a successful attack with the weapon in the usual fashion. On a Success, make a damage roll against the target’s Parry score. If this is successful, your opponent drops his weapon.  
Hook Sword: These are meant to be wielded one in each hand. They have long thin blades like a Jian, except instead of ending in a point, they end in hooks used for trapping weapons and tripping opponents. They also have crescent shaped guards to assist attacks and parries. Hook Swords provide a +1 to Parry and can be used to disarm (see CHAPTER FIVE in the SERTORIUS rulebook). When you score a Total Success on an attack roll, opponents must make an Athletics roll TN 10 or be swept to the ground (into prone position). Damage: Muscle +0d10. 
Iron Hat: This looks like a wide brimmed hat with a hole in the middle to place on your head. In actuality it is an iron circle with a sharpened rim. This is a great concealed weapon and particularly lethal if it strikes true. It can also be thrown. The Iron Hat is very difficult to wield safely; if you roll all 1s on your attack roll, you inflict damage on yourself. The Iron Hat can be used more effectively by an intelligent wielder. It does Reason + 1d10 or Muscle +0d10 damage and grants a +2 bonus to parry when wielded. On a Total Success it does a single Automatic wound instead of adding an extra die to your Damage Roll.  
Jian: A one-handed sword, with a long thin double-sided blade for precise slashing and stabbing. Jians provide a +2d10 Accuracy to attacks. Damage: Muscle +1d10Needles: Needles can be thrown at foes using light melee skill. While they don’t do a lot of damage, they are perfect carriers for poisons. Characters with enough skill (see techniques like Storming Needles) can throw multiple needles at foes. If directed at a single target, their damage increases by 1d10 for every needle. So two needles do 1d10, three do 2d10, four do 3d10, etc. 
Net: Nets are excellent for stopping an opponent in his tracks. On a successful attack, they do no Damage, but take away two Moves and impose a -1d10 on all Physical/Combat Skills. On a Total Success, nets take away three Moves. Accuracy: -2d10.
Here is a Kung Fu Technique called Lash of the Fly Whisk. A character equipped with the Fly Whisk or sufficiently similar weapon, who has the technique, may employ it against opponents. 

LASH OF THE FLY WHISK 
Discipline: Waijia 
Skill: Light Melee 
Type: Normal 
Qi: 1  
You lash out with your fly whisk, its tethers extending unnaturally long to reach opponents and entangle them. 
Roll Light Melee against Pary. On a success you can extend the lash of your fly whisk to wrap around foes or disarm them at a distance (5 feet per rank of Qi). Anyone struck can be pulled toward you that round (though they can make a Muscle roll against your attack result to get away). 
Catharsis: When used cathartically you can throw your opponent causing 2d10 falling damage per rank of Waijia.

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APPROACHING HISTORY IN ROLEPLAYING GAMES

July 31, 2014, 8:11 am
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Tackling real-world history in an RPG can be daunting, especially if you have never done historical research. I think the first thing to keep in mind is even though history is a challenging subject and quite serious, your research is for gaming and therefore should be part of the fun. So do what you can and set reasonable goals for yourself. The last thing you want is to end up hating the very subject you are trying to learn about. 
 © Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons

History can come up in a variety of ways in an RPG. For the Gamemaster (GM) this is usually in the form of information he or she needs in order to proceed with prep. It may be in a fictional setting inspired by history or one set in a real historical period. For example, a GM running a game set in The Early Roman Empire might want to know if they had inns in the city of Rome, and if so, what they looked like and who operated them. Right off the bat you start to see a couple of things: historical research begins with asking questions and often the questions that GMs need to ask are not covered by survey books available at the typical bookstore. 

The GM frequently needs to know the minute details of street level life to proceed. So he wants to make sure he has the right sources for these kinds of details. But before he gets there it is a good idea to establish some basic knowledge in the subject. Which brings up the subject of historiography, a very important concept if you want to understand history. 

Keep in mind, historiography means slightly different things in different fields, but in history it refers to the the "history of the history" of a topic. It is all the historical research that has contributed to our understanding of the subject in question. If you are looking at the historiography of Islam for example, you will want to look at everyone from William Muir to Montgomery Watt and Patricia Crone for modern scholars, but also look at earlier Muslim historians like Ibn Khaldun. You need to construct an overview of all the major developments and arguments in the study of the History of Islam. 

A good place to begin is to find some Historiography Bibliographies. These can be found at your local library and provide a listing of the historical journal articles, books, etc., for a topic. An example of a Historiography Bibliography  is the American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature. But there are many other books like this, some much more specialized. There are also historiography books that cover the range of viewpoints and research on a subject. You can also find broad overviews of Historiography such as The Classical Foundations of Modern Historiography by Arnaldo Momigliano, a useful starting point, or Georg G. Igger's Historiography in the 20th Century, which covers some of the major schools of thought among historians and can help orient a reader not familiar with these different viewpoints. I recommend both to anyone interested in learning broadly about historiography. 

Keep in mind, you don't have to read books exclusively. Many smaller subjects in history are tackled by essays and articles, and often books are simply expansions of essays and articles. You will want to construct a bibliography that includes books, just know it can contain more than books. 

What I like to do is establish what I don't know and then what I know. I do this before I get into any specific question. If I know a good deal, this narrows down the topics I need to cover. If I know very little, then I start from square one and try to build up a large base of information. 

As an example, when I wrote The Landlord's Daughter for Colonial Gothic, I realized I had a lot to learn. While my education was in history, it was not in American History. In fact, I took a total of two required US history courses in college and that was quite enough for me. My interests were in the Mediterranean, Medieval Europe and the Middle East. So I had to build myself a bibliography. Because the adventure also included a book written in Arabic I was sure to include sources relevant to that as well. 

The Landord's Daughter is set in Lynn Massachusetts, the area North of Boston, where I am from. I figured that knowing the local geography would come in handy, and it did. But I still had a lot to learn, so I came up with the following bibliography. It was far from perfect but serviceable at the time: 
A History of the Arab Peoples, by Albert Hourani. 
A History of Lynn, Essex County: Including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant, byAlonzo Lewis and James R. Newhall. 
Arabic-English Dictionary: The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, JM
Cowan. 
Colonial Marblehead: From Rogues to Revolutionaries, by Lauren Fogle.Lynn Massachusetts, by Diane Shephard. McConville. 
Massachusetts: A Concise History, by Richard D. Brown and Jack Tager. 
Massachusetts: Voices from Colonial America, by Michael Burgan with Brendan
Native Americans: A History in Pictures, by Arlene Hirschfelder. 
Salem: Place, Myth, and Memory, Dane Anthony Morrison and Nancy Lusignan. 
Salem: From Naumkeag to Witch City, by Jim McAllister. 
Some Annals of Nahant, Fred A. Wilson. 
The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution 1763-1789, by Robert Middlekauf. 
The Lynn Album: A Pictorial History, by Elizabeth Hope Cushing. 
The Witch-hunt in Early Modern Europe, by Brian P. Levack. 
Wayward Puritans: A Study in the Sociology of Deviance, by Kai T. Erikson.
Some of these books I had to read cover to cover and take extensive notes, some, like The History of the Arab Peoples, I had already read and used mainly as a reference book, others, like Some Annals of Nahant, would prove surprisingly invaluable. Once I had done all my reading and taken notes, as well as thought through the adventure and hashed out the details with Bill Butler (my co-writer) I went to the next stage of my research: primary sources. 

This is where living in the area I was writing about turned out to be useful. The adventure covered historical Lynn (which included present-day Nahant, Swampscott and Saugus), Marblehead, Danvers and Salem (the last two very peripherally). Lynn and Marblehead have well run Historical Societies that preserve and catalog artifacts and function as local museums. They not only have libraries filled with primary source material, they also can answer questions and give tours of historical houses in the area. 


Here I found a number of journals, letters, objects and ledgers that really illuminated things for me. I also learned about important local figures and their residence by visiting some of the historical houses. The most helpful document, oddly enough, was a merchant ledger that itemized trade goods. In the adventure one of the NPCs is a merchant, but to be honest I had no real idea what a merchant from the area traded. The list of goods gave me a window into the local rum trade and this led to other documents that just really opened my eyes and breathed life into the history of the place I grew up. 

Still, despite all this effort, I did make mistakes. Thankfully, Richard Iorio, the designer of Colonial Gothic and the editor for this project, caught them. His knowledge of American History, is encyclopedic and his editorial feedback found errors related to things like what resources might have been scarce at the time due to circumstances. The reason I bring this up, is to show that there is always the possibility of being wrong or making a mistake. Don't let that stop you from trying. At the same time, don't dig your heels in on history when you are wrong. Being wrong is wonderful because that is when you learn. This is why I start by figuring out what I don't know, before establishing what I know. 

Hopefully this example gives you an idea of one way to approach history. Another important thing to consider: there are different kinds of history books and different kinds of historians. It is helpful to know which type will best answer the questions you have. There are micro-histories and macro-histories for example (one covers small scale things like an event, a person or a town, while the latter looks for larger patterns over time). There are biographies, narrative histories, etc. The crucial thing is the difference between a broad surgery, which might give you the entire history of Rome or a particular period of Rome and more narrow books that focus on a smaller slice, or just a specific cultural aspect of period.

Let me give an example of how this might play out using Roman History. You are prepping a campaign set in the Early Roman Empire so you start by reading The Roman Empire by Collin Wells. This is a good overview of the empire from 44 BC to 235 AD. It is also pretty lean, so it doesn't take much time to read. But then you realize you need to know more about how cities function on a daily basis, so you pick up Daily Life in the Roman City, by Gregory S. Aldrete, which gives some detail on life in Rome, Pompeii and Ostia. This is useful if you want to learn how merchant associations worked. You might at this point feel confident about running a city adventure set but still a little unsure about the intricacies of Roman society beyond Rome. So you read Roman Social Relations by Ramsay MacMullen, which provides some information on Roman society between 50 BC to 284 AD, with more coverage of the provinces and the rural. After you start your campaign, you feel ready for some primary sources. Knowing the party is headed to Germania Inferior, you read Germania by Tacitus, a Roman ethnography on the Germanic tribes. This gives you plenty of ideas for adventures and setting so you then read Pomponius Mela's De Situ Orbis andy his gives you a better sense of what the world looked like through Roman eyes. 

I think the key is to set goals using the above methods or any that work for you, make use of local libraries and historical societies and to scale the project to your comfort level. You don't need to do all the things I have laid out. It is enough to know that these sorts of things are out there if you need them. This is after all your game and how you research must serve your needs at the table. 



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Why Wuxia?

August 1, 2014, 10:24 am
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The other day, my friend Chang posted a video which we linked here providing a literal definition of Wuxia. If you missed it, here is Chang's Explanation of Wuxia along with some links breaking the idea down into possible English explanations. Usually it is translated as something like "honorable Hero", "chivalrous hero" or "martial hero". Chang's definition focuses on the root meanings and connotations in which Wuxia means those who are powerful who protect the powerless with martial arts. Personally I am no scholar, just a fan and an English speaker. So I will leave the details of its precise meaning to others. I simply provide this overview of possible meanings to lead into today's subject. I am just an American who likes wuxia movies. I cannot approach the nuanced understanding of a native speaker. 

I realize wuxia is a term that has emerged somewhat recently in the US. I don't remember when I first encountered it, but I know prior to that I just tended to lump all martial arts movies together. I was certainly consuming wuxia before I became aware of it as a distinct sub-genre. I tended to prefer films like Tai Chi Master to Fist of Fury (though I still very much loved Fist of Fury). But the thing to understand is wuxia is a clear sub genre of martial arts films, and wuxia movies tend to be set in historical periods and feature chi-fueled martial arts and swordplay. Wuxia films are the ones where characters defy gravity by leaping long distances or skimming over pools of water and perform incredible feats like unleashing energy blasts on their foes. They also tend to be set on the periphery of imperial control, either in literal frontiers or within martial underworlds. I think it's this combination of history, fantasy and rogue settings that make wuxia an ideal genre for gamers and roleplaying games. 



Sometimes an analogy is a good way to grasp a genre. A lot of folks compare wuxia to western films, and there is much shared there. Robin Hood is also another example that is vaguely reminiscent. But these all lack the fantastic components like lightness kung fu and the ability to channel and use your chi. I think the closest thing we have to wuxia is Star Wars. In the newer films especially you see the physicality of wuxia in many of the Jedi battles, but the original trilogy also has that combination of martial arts and supernatural that I think helps explain some of the appeal of wuxia. 

I have been doing a series here called Wuxia Inspiration, in which I attempt to review films in the genre. Part of this is because I am watching and re-watching a bunch of wuxia movies as we make Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate, and my enthusiasm for them leads me to write blog entries. My other aim is to help create more interest in wuxia among gamers and to show it can be approached in a light way without getting pedantic or intimidated by those who know more about the genre than you. 

Here are the reviews I have up so far: Last Hurrah for Chivalry, Killer Clans, New Dragon Gate Inn, The One-Armed Swordsman, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, Swordsman II and Swordsman, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, A Chinese Odyssey, Come Drink with Me, and Brothers Five. 

The last two are part of a series of Cheng Pei-pei reviews I hope to do over the next few months. You may recognize her as Jade Fox from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but she has been appearing in wuxia films since the 1960s and is arguably one of the greatest actors in the genre. What I like about her movies is the acrobatics she brings to it and the grace of movement. There is a real rhythm and musical flow to her swordplay that stands out. Because she had a background as a dancer she brought that to her martial arts work on films like Come Drink With Me and The Lady Hermit. People also frequently single out Come Drink With Me as the first modern wuxia movie, so I think it is appropriate to start there and with Cheng Pei-pei when tackling the subject. 

The others are a pretty even mix of old, not-so-old and recent wuxia films or television series. It is a deep genre. Not only are there countless movies to track down and view, there are television series that have 30-50 hour long episodes. That is a lot to dig into, and it can be fun if you find the right series that connects with your interests. Most of these series and movies are based on wuxia novels by writers like Louis Cha and Gu Long. They are not widely available in English (at least in print) but online translations exist. 

Here is the thing I want to avoid in all this though: I don't want to make wuxia seem like something that is inaccessible because it is unfamiliar or part of an exclusive fan club. I don't want to handle the material like it is magic because it comes from another country, and I don't want this to be a "hot chicks with swords" thing. In particular, I want to avoid the pedantry. Sometimes you encounter strains of that in our geek culture around things and I am just interested in talking about this as a fan, not as an expert or someone with more knowledge than they have (though I will happily bring guys like Chang in here who do have more first hand knowledge to help explain things). 

So to answer the question I started this article with, the reason I am talking about wuxia and writing these reviews is I believe it has a lot that can inspire gamers, even those running more traditional fantasy. Even if you ignore the martial arts, the wirework, and the historical setting, wuxia movies, series and books have all the elements found in a good game of D&D. In fact I would argue they make better use of some of the same staples. Inns and Taverns in wuxia offer a lot more in terms of adventure potential than they often do in western fantasy (at least in my opinion). Another feature of wuxia that I think would appeal to western gamers is the parity of women and men in battle. 


Down the road I will do some articles helping to explain some of the things in wuxia that look unusual to American eyes. Things like why characters can leap hundreds of feet or create an air blast by slashing their sword. I think the more you understand these elements, the more fun wuxia becomes, because it isn't all random abilities, there is an internal logic at work, just like a fantasy setting with magic has internal logic that explains what wizards can do. 
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WANDERING HEROES OF OGRE GATE PLAYTEST VII

August 2, 2014, 6:11 am
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Technical difficulties continues this session, which resulted in less play time, but not as bad as last week. I hope to have these problems resolved before next game. 


The party continued north to the Tsun Forest to find the Tree Dwelling Nuns. There they negotiated an alliance that would be sealed if the party would go to Je Valley and kill the Gentle Demon (a great master who kidnapped a member of their sect). The party agreed and headed south. Along the way The Venom of Zhoaze (Si) and his daughter (Ju) tracked down the party to discuss their strategy against the other sects. Si revealed that he was working on an alliance with Je Valley sect, which created a problem, since they were on their way to kill the head of Je Valley. They discussed it and decided a few days was needed to figure out how to handle this complication. Si then asked for a private meeting with Leng regarding a matter of "great importance".

Away from the rest of the party, Si announced that his daughter was in love with Leng and that he wanted them to marry. Leng was flattered but already married to Min, so he declined (as politely as possible). Unfazed, Si told him to leave Min and marry Ju. Leng also declined this proposal. Si became furious, and said he would shatter the alliance over the issue if his daughter's will was not met. Again Leng declined. Si left in a huff saying he would be back in ten days for Leng's final decision on the matter. 

Min understood the purpose of The Venom's meeting with Leng and became angry, but he managed to explain and reassure her. The group then set out toward Je Valley, discussing their options along the way. They were attacked by two more Bronze Monks (see last playtest report) and a lengthy combat ensued. 

Two Bronze Monks proved difficult indeed and the party well might have been killed in this conflict, though they did manage to harm one of the Monks quite badly. The Monks focused their efforts on Min and attacked her until she was incapacitated, at which point they left, leaving the party to wonder the purpose of the attack. Over the next few days they helped Min recover and then set out again. 

Though short, a number of interesting things happened this session. In the combat we saw Spinning Back Kick and Kick of the Golden Elephant interact. The first is a counter against the latter. We also found some text issues in the healing section that needed fixing. 

The reason for Leng's ongoing issues with Min and The Venom of Zhaoze is his Fated Flaw.   This has been an interesting development in the game and the players seem to like it a lot. Even though Fate can be heavy handed at times, because they know it is something in the setting and a product of a player's decision to take the flaw, they are quite okay with it. It has been so successful that we worked out a new fate mechanic that can be applied to an entire party over the course of the campaign. I will post about that later and we will see how it goes in play testing. 

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WUXIA INSPIRATION: THE LADY HERMIT

August 3, 2014, 10:48 am
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Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (WHOG) draws on a number of sources for inspiration. I watch a lot of wuxia movies and TV shows, and these have had a big influence not only on Ogre Gate, but on Sertorius and many of my d20 campaigns. I am hoping to share some of my favorite movies and shows in the genre here as we work on WHOG.

Note: I am writing these as a fan of the genre. I am not a movie expert or an expert in asian cinema. These are my own observations based on what I have learned by watching wuxia and kung fu movies, and by reading about them through interviews and books. But my knowledge is quite limited and I am an English speaker. So understand that my commentary comes from this perspective. 

This is the third installment of my Cheng Pei-pei review series. You can see my others here: Come Drink with Me& Brothers Five. Again, for those who do not know her name, Cheng Pei-pei is probably familiar from her role as Jade Fox in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. 

This review contains many spoilers.


Cheng Pei-pei "Queen of Swords"
The Lady Hermit is not only one of my favorite Cheng Pei-pei films, it also one of her last movie before she semi-retired from Hong Kong cinema and moved to America to start a family and open a dance studio and pursue television. Thankfully, she did return to make more films. 



In the old-school wuxia of the 50s and early 60s, female martial heroes were a staple, and common protagonists. King Hu's Come Drink With Me, which starred Cheng Pei-pei, marked the shift to new school wuxia, with greater focus on realistic bloodshed. The film was such a success that it made Cheng Pei-pei a star and led to other female knight errant vehicles. Though the wuxia genre had featured many females in prominent roles to this point, the global Kung Fu explosion of the 70s (that started with Bruce Lee) changed things and women were increasingly given less screen time in swordplay films. In an interview Cheng Pei-pei regarded her decision to move to the US favorably in light of this development saying "When Bruce Lee arrived, actresses started to have very small parts. It’s a good thing I left when I did, otherwise I might never have left."

I think this is another reason her movies are important. They are a different kind of martial arts experience that was overshadowed for a time after Lee's break-through in The Big Boss. This isn't to detract from Lee. There is a reason he became such a hit and that his films continue to resonate. I love 70s Kung Fu movies as well as new wuxia, but it did have an impact and I think one of the downsides is less interest in prominent female roles for over a decade and less interest in the elegance and flow you find in Cheng Pei-pei's movies.

The Lady Hermit

The Lady Hermit was made in 1971 by Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Ho Meng-hua. The movie stars Cheng Pei-pei as Leng Yushuang (better known as The Lady Hermit), Shih Szu as Cui and Lo Lieh as Cheng-chun. The main villain, Black Demon, is played by Wang Hsia. Notably, Sammo Hung has a very small role as one of the Black Demon's minions. The Lady Hermit was meant to serve as a vehicle for establishing Shih Szu as the next Cheng Pei-pei. This is reflected in the plot of the film and Cheng Pei-pei has since expressed her dislike of the idea.
Cheng Pei-pei as Lady Hermit

The story is quite simple and the action does not dominate the central focus, which is the relationship between the three main characters: Lady Hermit*, Cui and Cheng-chun. The film opens in Baijang Town with a gruesome off-camera murder committed by mysterious masked men. Later we learn the murder is part of a protection racket arranged in the name of Lady Hermit (but in actuality by her enemy Black Demon as an attempt to lure The Lady from hiding). 

The film then shifts to another nearby town where the young Cui has come in search of the famous Lady Hermit, who has been in hiding for the past three years after being defeated by Black Demon. Cui is bold but overconfident and even callous. She finds work and lodging at the Da An Security Company which transports and guards goods for local merchants. Da An is operated by the kindly Mr. Wang. At the company headquarters Cui meets a maid named Leng, who is later revealed to be Lady Hermit. 
Shih Szu as Cui


Another member of the security company, Cheng-chun, agrees to take Cui to Baijang town with a shipment to follow rumors of Lady Hermit in the area. While there, she learns that the Chun Kuei Temple is selling protective charms for ten taels in the name of Lady Hermit and that households who do not display the charms on their windows, get murdered in the middle of the night (thus the murder sequence at the start of the movie). She and Cheng-Chun return to the Da An Security company and Cui tells Leng about the temple and its alleged ties to Lady Hermit. 

Cui and Cheng-chun return to the temple that night to investigate and discover an impostor Lady Hermit who threatens to kill them if they don't reveal the real Lady's whereabouts. At the final moment, Leng arrives and an enormous battle ensues culminating in a duel between the two Lady Hermits. The heroes are victorious but Leng leaves the Da An Security company and goes back into hiding now that her identity has been revealed. 
Lady Hermit and Cui at Chung Kuei Temple


Cui is determined to learn martial arts from Lady Hermit and tracks her down by hitching a ride with a wagon. She then convinces the Lady to accept her as a student after many failed attempts to persuade her. The two take-up residence in an abandoned cottage and Cui begins her training. 

Cui returns one last time to Da An Security to say good bye to Cheng-chun, whom she has fallen in love with. She tells him she has found the Lady Hermit, and agrees to teach him what she learns in the evenings if he meets her at the cemetery. Cui's attempts to woo Cheng-chun are complicated by his secret love for Leng. This love triangle forms the core of the story.
Cheng-chun and Cui


During her training, Cui learns that the Lady Hermit has been in hiding for three years, after she was seriously wounded by Black Demon. Like Cui, the Lady wanted to be a hero and rid the world of evil, but could not defeat him. Her wound still troubles her and impedes her ability to fight at times. She has also been developing a technique, called Flying Tiger Style, to counter Black Demon's "shadowless claws" and throws. She teaches this to Cui, hoping one of them will be capable of destroying her former nemesis. 

While Cui is away from the cottage on an errand, Black Demon learns of Lady Hermit's connection to the Da An Security company and sends men there to find her. The head of the company, Mr. Wang, refuses to reveal anything and the whole household is slaughtered. Cheng-chun is nearly killed in the battle and ensuing fire, but flees to the wilderness and desperately calls for Lady Hermit who finds him. 
Lady Hermit and Cheng-chun

This is where one of the most impressive scenes of the movies takes place, in which Leng assaults the murderers at tea house and litters the place with corpses. I will talk about this more below in the section on swordplay.

Leng returns to the cottage, where Cheng-chun is staying in separate quarters. They both share affection for one another, but Lady Hermit says she has vowed no other pre-occupations until she kills Black Demon, so she cannot give him her love. Still they enjoy many sweet moments and an evening together in the cottage hiding from a particularly nasty storm. Cui returns to the cottage after this storm and is furious to discover her master and Cheng-chun have stayed under the same roof. She vents her jealousy at Cheng-chun during their training and eventually storms off to kill Black Demon in a fit of rage. Lady Hermit and Cheng-Chun follow after her, leading to the climactic confrontation of the film. 
Cui and Lady Hermit face Black Demon


After a massive assault on Black Demon's compound, Lady Hermit kills him using her flying  tiger attack, though she is very badly wounded in the process. In order to restore peace between her and Cui, she plunges her saber into the ground and leaves while her two companions are exploring a chamber in the complex. When Cui and Cheng-chun return they find a blood written note that reads "Good riddance to evil. My sword is a wedding gift." After which Cui weeps and vows to find her master. 

A Swirl of Blades
A wonderful shot of Black Demon's Shadowless Claws
There are many very well executed action sequences in The Lady Hermit but it does a good job of not overdoing it. This is a strength of the film. There are extended periods in the center of the movie where very little action occurs and we have opportunities for character development. That said, this is classic Cheng Pei-pei, and makes solid use of her smooth, flowing strikes and her graceful footwork. 

Something also needs to be said about the cinematography and art direction. This is a very well shot movie and things seem carefully placed. There are several moments like this, but the most memorable is the point-of-view from Black Demon's perspective when he and Cui meet for the first time (above).  

The Lady Hermit also features a whip, wielded by Cui at the start of the film. You don't see whip used so extensively so this was a nice change of pace, though another Cheng Pei-pei movie from the same year, The Shadow Whip, does feature one. 

While the majority of good swordplay occurs at the end of the film, there is a crucial fight in the middle after Mr. Wang and his Da An Security have been slaughtered.  In this iconic sequence Lady Hermit tracks down the men who massacred the Da An Security company seeking revenge for Mr. Wang. Though the following clip is low quality, I think it captures what is good about Cheng Pei-pei movies, both in terms of her whirling sword movements and her intensity as an actress. There are no subtitles, but midway through she points her blade at three men and declares to them in turn "I want your head. I want your shoulder. I want your leg." Leng then unleashes a devastating attack severing each limb as promised. At about the 1:15 mark the fighting begins:



I think the climax of the film has the bulk of the best swordplay. There are some truly exceptional swordplay and action scenes in this portion of the movie. Much of the action centers on Shih Szu as Cui, but Cheng Pei-pei has the more impressive sequences. We get a series of fast paced, sword twirling episodes over a wide variety of locations, raging from a road-side tavern to a collapsing rope-bridge and even a Pagoda scaling. The final showdown between Lady Hermit and Black Demon is stellar. It is also rare because we get to see Cheng Pei-pei drop her sword and resort to hand-strikes and throws for a change.

Unfortunately I could not find a clip of the final battle. But this clip of the movie's kill counts, put together by a fan, does give a good idea of the kind of swordplay to expect in the movie. In particular it highlights the footwork and spinning sword flourishes I mentioned above. 




*Also called Leng or Leng Yushuang through the article. 
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THE MEANING OF JIANGHU

August 4, 2014, 4:00 am
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I had the pleasure of meeting Chang Yaoyuan through wuxia fan pages online. He is from China, well versed in Chinese literature and is enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge of wuxia with English-speakers. In this video he explains the concept of Jianghu, getting into the literal and metaphorical meaning of the original chinese characters.



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ORCS OF THE NORTH: AN AUDIENCE WITH OZIAS

August 4, 2014, 6:36 am
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We continued our Sertorius campaign and our efforts to oversee the marriage of Orthu and Anaree. That is described in a previous blog entry. This session we also worked to help the King's plans against Caelum and were granted an audience with Ozias the Lich-god himself. 


Characters present were:

-Enos Ozihel (my character), an Orc who worships Ozias.

-Shillek, a Halfling from the Shahr Republic who has business in the North. 

-Aetos, an Orc Tribesman who died, became a Ghoul and was then blessed by Ozias of service and made into a vampire.

-Ah-Sri, a Hasri raised by Humans in Ronia.


-Varia, a Human from East.

-Poro, a Kobold tradesmen. 

-Orto Turanus, a one-armed Orc scholar from Caelum. 

This session began where the last left off, with us continuing to groom Prince Orthu for his upcoming marriage with Anaree, daughter of the Emperor of Mandaru. We also revisited Anaree herself to gauge her feelings on our most recent accommodations. 

King Malka agreed to make Anaree a general in his army and she would be allowed an elf consort (which would also make an heir possible). She liked this arrangement but took pleasure in belittling our intelligence and upbringing, which were were more than happy to endure for the sake of our King. It also seemed like we were establishing ourselves as her most trusted contacts in Atroxis. 

We then returned to Atroxis via the portals the King's Sertori created. There we learned that Ozias wished an audience with us in his ice palace. We set north immediately for the Island of Atroxis. Though a short voyage we became lost at sea briefly due to a poor Survival Roll on the Captain's part. This brought us into the waters of pirates who tried to board our ship. Attempting to take a ship with seven Sertori aboard proved their undoing and we defeated them, taking some prisoners and bringing the bodies of the dead as offerings to our god. 

Finally we made it to the ice palace of Daethron, and appeared before Ozias in a chamber lined with pristine armor and a glowing throne. The lich appeared before us and spoke, thanking us for our efforts and giving us the gift of "the second death" as a reward. This gift means when we next die in battle, we will rise back to life. It only works one and is considered a rare honor, reserved for a select few. 

Enos made the mistake of asking how to put the gift to use, and Ozias replied "Destroy the Caelcori and defeat Caelum." The Caelcori are a powerful order of Sertori who operate in the shadows of Caelum society. Ozias told us that Atroxis cannot defeat Caelum unless the Caelcori are taken out first. We accepted his decree and took our leave. 

This presented a huge issue. The Caelcori are secretive and powerful. There is no way seven Sertori can defeat them in a direct battle. Particularly our seven, because so few of us have combat spells. Instead we decided to recruit and secured the King's permission to grant 100 acres of land to any Sertori who comes to Atroxis to serve. We also went to Mandaru to speak with the Emperor. 

Getting an audience with the emperor required bringing Prince Orthu. We decided to present our plan to Veja Kashan (The Emperor) as if it had been the prince's (in order to improve his standing among the elves). We wanted to recruit from the Fellowship of Promestus in Ronia but Ronia is at war with Sardona, a client of the Mandaru. Veja Kashan said he was agreeable and could offer the Sardonan's land after the conquest if they allowed us to work with the fellowship but we would need to go and ask the Sardonans ourselves. 

We are currently working on making those arrangements but in the meantime we decided to lure and capture a Caelcori. Our plan is to infect him with Aetos' vampirism, creating a minion we can send back to the Caelcori headquarters. 

We learned that there is a Caelcori member along the frontier between Caelum and Atroxis who is a sort of ranger and known for investigating into our area. We constructed an inn and spread rumors that is was spawned by a recent Grim. We then used spells to make the place appear supernatural, with Aetos acting as the inn keeper. 

A Gru Sertori showed up and became suspicious by some of our actions. Aetos bit him in the neck and the Gru cast a powerful spell, making himself blind but vastly increasing his powers. This is where the session ended and we intend to resume the combat next time. 

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WUXIA INSPIRATION: THE SHADOW WHIP

August 5, 2014, 9:58 am
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Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate (WHOG) draws on a number of sources for inspiration. I watch a lot of wuxia movies and TV shows, and these have had a big influence not only on Ogre Gate, but on Sertorius and many of my d20 campaigns. I am hoping to share some of my favorite movies and shows in the genre here as we work on WHOG.

Note: I am writing these as a fan of the genre. I am not a movie expert or an expert in asian cinema. These are my own observations based on what I have learned by watching wuxia and kung fu movies, and by reading about them through interviews and books. But my knowledge is quite limited and I am an English speaker. So understand that my commentary comes from this perspective. 

This review contains many spoilers.

This is part of my Cheng Pei-pei review series. You can see my other reviews of her movies here: Come Drink With Me, Brothers Five, and The Lady Hermit. 


INTRODUCTION
Cheng Pei-pei has described Lo Wei as a story teller, in contrast to King Hu who she described as an art director. The Shadow Whip often gets compared to Hu's Come Drink With Me, because it re-unites that film's stars Cheng Pei-pei and Yueh Hua, and the comparison is often unfavorable. It should be pointed out though that they appeared in many films together between Come Drink With Me and The Shadow Whip (including Swamp Dragon and Brothers Five). I think it is clear from interviews with Cheng Pei-pei that she reserved her greatest respect for King Hu as an artist and director, and events of her later life would seem to support this as well. But it is somewhat unfair to hold The Shadow Whip to the incredibly high bar of Come Drink With Me (which is rightly widely regarded as a much better film). Personally I enjoyed the Shadow Whip immensely right from the opening scene, and I think it offers a much different look and feel than other wuxia films of the time. It does have its flaws, and it is a movie rooted firmly in the trappings of the genre. Still, I think The Shadow Whip is a strong movie, with a steady, exciting pace and a little bit of everything. 


THE SHADOW WHIP
The Shadow Whip was released in 1971* by Shaw Brothers Studio and directed by Lo Wei (Brothers Five and Fist of Fury). It stars Cheng Pei-pei (Yang Kaiyun), Yeuh Hua (Wang), Tien Feng (Fang Chengtian/The Shadow Whip), Ku Feng (Chief Hong) and Lee Kwan (Ersha). The art direction is by Chen Ching-Shen and music by Wang Fook-Ling). 

Readers have probably guessed I am a sucker for dramatic opening music and The Shadow Whip doesn't disappoint here, leading in with a strong overture, followed by an actual song within the opening sequence itself. The movie starts with a shot of a merchant caravan moving supplies between two mountain towns. One of the character's (Ersha) sings a melody about trading goods like pipes for smoking and gifts for children, and this blend of location and song that establishes the atmosphere of The Shadow Whip. 

The caravan is led by Yang Kaiyun, who runs the nearby Red Pine Village Inn with her uncle. She is accompanied by Ersha, an employee of the inn, to the nearby town of Dafeng. Along the way, a group of three horse riders calling themselves The Serial Trio**, harass Ersha for being in their way, one of them lashing him with a whip. 

The Serial Trio reach Defeng and go to the Guanyi Inn where they demand seating despite no tables being available. The inn keeper asks one of the guests, Wang Jianxin, to share his table with the trio and he agrees. Wang is peaceable with the new arrivals but between their treatment of Ersha and their unruly behavior in the Inn it is clear they are dangerous guys. 
Kaiyun leaping to avoid some darts


When Ersha and Kaiyun arrive in Dafeng, Ersha has worked himself into a fury over his beating. He spots the trio's horses by Guanyi Inn and storms in to confront them. Physically, the diminutive Ersha is no match for his assailants, but that doesn't stop him from insisting on a fight. This leads to Wang stepping in to save the smaller man and then a battle between the trio, Wang, Ersha and Kaiyun ensues. 

The fight is short-lived, as the innkeeper talks everyone into a temporary truce. The Serial Trio leaves but vows that the score hasn't yet been settled. Wang and Kaiyun exchange some friendly banter, with Wang expressing interest in Kaiyun's whip technique. He asks if she was trained by The Shadow Whip, a great master whose style resembles her own. Kaiyun tells him she learned from her uncle. After Kaiyun leaves, Wang asks the innkeeper about her and is told she runs the inn in a nearby town with her uncle. 


When Ersha and Kaiyun return to Red Pine Village, a mysterious guest arrives (we learn later that this is Chief Hong). When Ersha sees that the man leaves no footprints in the snow, he becomes suspicious and goes to Kaiyun's uncle. Meanwhile, Kaiyun tells her uncle that she thinks he is the Shadow Whip, after learning about the master from Wang. We also learn that they have been in hiding for fifteen years but Kaiyun is too young to know the reason. When Ersha brings news of the guest, Kaiyun goes to investigate, fearing it may be a person her uncle is hiding from.
Wang and Chief Hong


Wang leaves for Red Pine Village to follow Kaiyun and is intercepted by the Serial Trio in the wilderness. They push for a fight and he agrees, but says he is pressed for time and can only spar for a few short rounds. During the battle Wang disengages and makes his way to Red Pine Inn, the Serial Trio on his tail. 

All the players converge on the Red Pine Inn, with the trio chasing Wang into the courtyard. The mysterious guest is revealed to be their master, Chief Hong. He dismisses his students and departs. Wang tells Kaiyun he believes her uncle is the Shadow Whip and wants to learn from him and tells her to have his uncle meet him at The Guangyi Inn. 

Kaiyun's uncle and Chief Hong square off in the forest, for an epic snow battle between whip and sword. Soon Kaiyun arrives to help her uncle and bring Wang's message, as Hong's Serial Trio arrive to aid their master, but the uncle tells her to go to Guangyi Inn ahead of him while he deals with the fight. She leaves and the uncle eventually manages to disengage his attackers. 
Kaiyun faces the 16 Bandits


Kaiyun returns to the Red Pine Inn to find poor Ersha speared against a post and a group of thugs called the 16 Bandits waiting for her in the inn's tavern. They tell her that her father is a criminal named Fang Chengtian, who stole 300,000 taels worth of jewelry under the protection of Chief Hong 15 years ago. According to the bandits, Chief Hong and Fang were sworn brothers, so the chief has gathered men in the martial world to help him obtain revenge. Kaiyun refuses to believe that her uncle did anything wrong and refuses to tell the Bandits where he is, leading to a spectacular fight. Her uncle returns to the Inn and helps her fend off the bandits, telling her once again to go to Guangyi and meet Wang while he deals with them. 


Uncle Fang and Kaiyun against the 16 bandits
A confused Kaiyun arrives at the Guangyi Inn and enters Wang's room, only to be attacked by him. He apologizes once he realizes she isn't her uncle, and he tells her that he is the nephew of Chief Yang of the Xuan Wu Security company. According to Wang his uncle was in charge with a shipment of jewelry, and had asked for both Chief Hong and Chief Fang's assistance protecting it. Yang was killed by Fang, who stole the jewelry, leading to the suicide of Wang's aunt. Wang wants revenge for his uncle and aunt but holds no grudge with Kaiyun, and even seems to admire her. During their talk, the inn is surrounded by Chief Hong and his forces who demands that Wang give him Kaiyun They fight together to escape the courtyard in a fight with dozens of men. They eventually escape to the woods but are tracked down by Hong for another showdown. Hong seems to think Kaiyun is Fang's daughter and therefore a fair target for his wrath, but she insists her surname is Yang, which provokes Hong and he tries to stab her. 

Fang arrives and helps them escape back to the Red Pine Inn. There Wang accuses Fang of killing his uncle, stealing the jewelry and causing his aunt's suicide. Fang explains that he is in fact The Shadow Whip but has been hiding his identity for 15 years to protect Kaiyun. He then takes them to a secret chamber below the Inn where he keeps a shrine to the Yang family and has a book that provides his account of events. 
Wang


There is a well done flashback scene to the incident 15 years ago. Chief Yang came to Fang to ask for his helps with the shipment, and Fang agreed because Chief Hong was involved and they were sworn brothers. That night his men learned of rumors that the 16 Bandits were planning to strike at Yang to steal the shipment, so he took his horse and went to Yang's inn to inform him. When he arrived, the inn was under attack led by a masked man wielding a whip using a technique similar to Fang's. He understood immediately that he was being framed and when he learned that Yang was already killed he took Yang's daughter (Kaiyun) and took her into hiding. 

Fang says he wants revenge but doesn't know who the person wearing the mask was. Wang suggests that it was Chief Hong, based on his lethal reaction when Kaiyun told him her true surname. He suggests they use that against him, and have kaiyun claim to remember who killed her father to lure a confession from the chief. 

By this time all of Chief Hong's men have gathered in the courtyard and Kaiyun appears before them, saying she is the daughter of Yang and she knows the identity of her father's killer. A nervous Chief Hong dismisses her claims but the other men want to know the truth and press her to tell them. When she says it was none other than Chief Hong himself, he denies saying she couldn't possibly know it was him because he "was wearing a mask that night". His identity as the killer revealed, alliances suddenly shift, and everyone attacks Chief Hong, leading to a showdown between him Wang, Kaiyun and Fang. 


THE LASH OF THE WHIP
The fight scenes in this movie are quite interesting to view, largely because the whip takes center stage. It is a bit difficult to imagine a fight between swords and a whip, and I was skeptical before I saw it myself, but the weapon compliments Cheng Pei-pei's circular style of movement very well. And it honestly has some great martial arts choreography. Also there is plenty of straightforward swordplay as Yeuh Hua uses a sword throughout the movie. 


Wang and Kaiyun
The film makes good use of Chen Pei-pei's height; she is powerful in her stance and performance. This is in fact probably the strongest physically she has appeared in a film, just in terms of her stature, motion, attacks, etc. At least in my opinion. I may be in the minority on this point, as I haven't really seen it reflected in other reviews or commentaries, and I do not know what I am picking up on specifically but she just has a strong presence in the action scenes. 

The use of the whip really forces the filmmakers to get creative, and opens up all kinds of possibilities. They do all kinds of interesting things with it, like launching spears into people's chests with a whip lash. I really enjoyed the balance between the sword and the whip. It stretches plausibility a bit, because it is hard to imagine a person with a whip not getting cut down by swordsman, but it works for the screen. 

While I couldn't find any isolated clips from the film, I think this kill count put together by a fan helps illustrate what I am talking about: 




In terms of gaming it is a solid source of inspiration. Like a lot of these movies it introduces viewers to the idea of Security companies working with martial artists to transport goods safely through dangerous territory. There is a lot there that could be incorporated into a campaign. Also the two inns are useful because they each have a distinct feel and some imaginative flourishes. Definitely great gaming material. 

While this isn't the strongest Cheng Pei-pei film, it is a solid movie with solid performances and has unique qualities that make it one of the ones I re-watch more frequently. I think the combination of the mountain location, the whip, and Cheng Pei-pei's more powerful presence are what set it apart. 


One thing I really like about the movie is it has everything: music, comedy, tragedy, action and drama. This is common in many wuxia films and one of the reasons I like the genre. The comedy is largely provided by Ersha, who also provides the tragedy when he meets an untimely demise. It is packed with action, so there really isn't a dull moment to spare. And the plot twist in the middle where Kaiyun learns her identity followed by the flashback sequence gives the movie another layer. It is one of those films when you step back and view, has a lot of texture due to all the elements it contains. 




*I should note that the DVD I watched said it was released in 1970, but all other sources I could find indicate 1971. 

**This may have been a translation issue in my version, as the Serial Trio sounds like an odd name. 
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