| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| bobwriggins |
Posted - 22 Apr 2006 : 02:57:52
Can anyone suggest a way to introduce younger players to the Realms. I have two daughters, ages 9 & 6, who have expressed an interest in learning to play. They both play DnD Miniatures with me and enjoy it immensely, but are looking for something more than hack and slash (the oldest one in particular). Any and all comments are welcome. |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 01 May 2006 : 16:05:53
Oh, there's a few perfect dungeon magazine modules that I think kids would just love. Granted, the ones I'm thinking of are either 1st or 2nd edition, but they can easily be converted. I believe the two I'm thinking about are both written by Willie Walsh (before he started working for the mag). One involves the characters having to make a young "bog monster" who has the ability to control insects to "quit using his playthings to kill everything in the swamp". This one is the first that introduces the campestri (tiny sentient mushrooms that love to sing along with this old coot that the players meet while taking a bath in a washtub). The text conversations in that module are just priceless, and the parts where they tell you "the mushrooms should act like X to get the parties attention". Oh, and apparently the old coot is only alive because he smokes stinky cigars that the campestri keep making him light (by jumping up and down and catterwallin' until I light one up).... the cigars work as mosquito repellent. It was dungeon issue #41.
In the other module, the characters having to help a poor troll with a beautiful singing voice. They are initially hired because this person wants to find out who is out in the swamp with such a beautiful voice. When I ran it, I modified it so that in the end it was actually a cleric of Milil trapped in a troll's body, but even done straight its fun. That was dungeon #40.
Another is dungeon #34 called Euphoria Horrors. A little boy wants you to help him find his "lost friend". The friend is a faerie dragon who has been captured by some kobolds I think, who are making him breathe his breath weapon on them. Of course, in your version (since its little kids), maybe the kobolds are being bad and bottling the breath weapon to use as a grenade type weapon (they don't realize the effects don't remain potent). The kids could have to rescue the poor faerie dragon (who might even become a familiar?).
Another is Dungeon #18, Chadranther's Bane I think. This one once you hear the concept you could redesign yourself. Basically, the party is following the trail leading to some magic item. They stop for a night to rest... ironically in the place where the magic item is hidden. What's the power of the item? It shrinks all sentient beings within X radius to the size of an ant. The players now have to contend with giant sized "normal" ants, the shrunken goblins who have built a village in the ceiling, take on some rats, watch out for the cat, etc..... until they can find the item and destroy it (I forget what it was, but if you made it glass, maybe they just have to crack it using some knowledge of basic machines).
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
| Firhyanda |
Posted - 30 Apr 2006 : 19:23:37
Greetings
Greetings
The Horizon New Role playing frontiers line of d20 products from fantasy flight games has a product called Grimm. As in Grimm Fairy tales it has the best rules set fore role playing children in D&D I have ever seen bar none. It has a set of classes for children like the Bully, the jock etcetera. I hope this helps good luck.
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| bobwriggins |
Posted - 24 Apr 2006 : 03:03:38
Thanks for all the suggestions. To Dhomal, my oldest daughter really likes the idea as playing the role of a child. She even wants to go meet some relatives in a distant town. Looks like I'll need to do some digging for suitable locations. To Mace, she seems to think one of those relatives may be a lord of some sort (she watched a movie like that over the weekend) so she loved the idea of "Going to see the king". |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 23 Apr 2006 : 01:30:42
quote:
Originally posted by RodOdom
Skullport or Menzoberranzen : off limits !
And Thay, Shade, and a few others also  |
| RodOdom |
Posted - 23 Apr 2006 : 00:20:24
Skullport or Menzoberranzen : off limits ! |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 22 Apr 2006 : 22:41:05
I like Dhomal's idea, as a starting point. Since both of them play DnD minis you may want to not discount combat entirely, but make it something more of an exception.
Like Shadovar said, get the FRCS and, of course, the D&D rules, you will need those, unless you do have the rules already.
If you already are familiar with the game and the Realms, the job is going to be considerably easier.
First thing I'd do, though, is to ask the two of them what they would like to play, in terms of characters and 'adventure'. This way, you can gauge the adventures etc. Also, stress the roleplaying, you already said they tire of hack'n'slash, thank goodness :-)
Children are way more imaginative than us older folks, so let them guide you as well. You should pick a place and time, something that provides what your kids want and take it from there. Maybe get some inspiration from nonviolent 'teen' fiction, for example Enid Blyton, stories where kids solve mysteries without much, if any combat.
This way you can fuel their imaginations AND their roleplaying skills so to speak...and their problem-solving skills...
You could even go and get some inspiration from Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer stories.
But the main issue is to find out what your kids want to play. To let them play kids, at first, may be a good idea, if the adventures do not involve combat! Otherwise the idea won't work. To oversimplify things (fetch water, yada yada) is something *I* would've hated as a kid, I would think that most kids hate that sort of stuff as well.
Cater to their wants and needs, don't overdo it, and if they want to go visit, the king, let them.
Hope that helps some
Cheers |
| Dhomal |
Posted - 22 Apr 2006 : 21:13:27
Hello-
As I recall - 9 is probably around the time I was introduced to the game. It was, however - many years ago - and it was basically just hack-n-slash with a generous dose of 'item and wealth acquisition' thrown in.
As far as your 6-year old - that just may be a bit too young.
However - one idea that 'might' work for either or both of them - is to come up with a very simple 'adventure' - where the characters are in fact - children.
THis could go in a lot of ways - from a couple of kids of the baker in town, to a couple of kids in an orphanage, etc. The 'adventure' could, and quite possibly *should* be fairly straightforward and 'simple'.
- Need to go to the town well to get water - and what might happen on the way/way back
- Helping parents do some tasks around the store/some other profession in order to have a few coppers to have fun at an upcoming Fair or some such
- Going to a church (choose diety) and hearing a sermon - and then later that day/week running into a situation that related to this.
- Mystery of who has been stealing the baked pies off the 2nd floor windowsill (hungry, friendly Tressym perhamps?)
- encountering the town kids' bully. Or perhaps - finding him/her in some sort of jam - and have to decide to help them or not - even though he/she is the bully...
As far as what types of 'encounters' you would have - I would probably suggest roleplaying, or possibly some simple puzzle/mystery types of encounters. Combat is integral to the game, true - but understanding all of the aspects can take a bit. PLus - if you went with children as the characters - they probably would not have more than a couple of HPs.
Anyway - I hope that helps some. Good luck!
Dhomal
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| Shadovar |
Posted - 22 Apr 2006 : 07:14:39
Well, I believe you are familiar with the D&D roleplaying stuff and rules and read the Player's Handbook and DM Guide, so best way to hit out on the realms is to purchase the Forgotten Reams Campaign Setting(FRCS) to gain a new insight into the world of FR, it is a necessary component to have for playing into the world of FR, from there other FR supplements can be purchased once one is familiarized with the FR world. |
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