GM’s Tricks of the Trade
ARMOUR EFFECTS
#1: Twisted Helm. Direct the blow, whatever weapon
used, to the helm. The blow has such force to it that it
twists the helm a half inch to the left or right or down.
It's just enough to partially obscure the vision, rip the
scalp and force blood into the eyes and mouth, or cause
a ringing in the ears. Any and all of which give them a -1
to their hit rolls and a -1 to dexterity checks.
#2: Shield Strap Fails. This has to be one of my favorites.
A blow lands on the edge of the shield, driving it up or
down with such force that the inner strap or handle
breaks. They are now holding the shield by one hand
only and as a consequence it swings down a few inches.
They either have to really concentrate to keep it even,
applying extra force or it slides, some bumping their
knees and interfering with their ability to fight. In either
case they suffer a -1 on to hit rolls and the shield has
become cumbersome.
#3: Pack Strap Strapped. If they fail to drop their packs
before combat, a blow severs one of their shoulder
straps, either through blade or blunt force. Once that
strap gives way, their pack now swings like a pendulum
to the left and right as they continue the fight. They
either have to take a round, fall back and discard the
pack or suffer a minus (1 or 2) on their AC and to hit
rolls. If they have stuff hanging on the pack and all off it
I give them a little extra minus until discarded. Side Note:
The C&C Adventurers Backpack has some 50 odd backpacks
with contents included. This attack technique is so common
that most of those backpacks come with a quick release clip
that allows the wearer to discard immediately.
#4: Buckles Break. Similar to the pack straps, a blow
smashes the buckles on their armor. The armor falls
away exposing the coats underneath or the flesh. In any
case, the wearer suffers a -4 to their AC. They can
continue to fight without penalty, aka Conan the
Barbarian, but now at an increased risk of being hit. The
armor, too, will eventually have to be replaced or
repaired at considerable expense.
#5: Hanging in There. So this is my favorite I think, as it
makes such a cool visual in my mind. It's used against
armor or shield. A weapon, often a military pick,
crowbill, hammer or some such similar weapon strikes
the character's armor/shield with such force that it
penetrates the metal/leather/wood and becomes
lodged there. The attacker discards the weapon stuck in
the character, pulling another. But now with a weapon
protruding from their breast plate or shield the
character has to take some type action or suffer heavy
to hit penalties. They can fall back and dislodge the
weapon by pulling it out or knocking it to the ground.
Either way they are tangled up for a round or two.
GETTING THE TABLE’s ATTENTION
#1: Something Flying Overhead. Describe a shadow
passing across the sun, or moon, or better yet a shadow
that passes over the party as they are doing whatever
they are doing. Make it a large creature, but very high,
so they can't quite make it out. They are quite likely
going to assume it's a dragon, because people always
assume the worst and the game is very much centered
around dragons... even if you don't use them very often.
Allow the creature to pass over, and then turn, doing a
slow pass back over, obviously investigating the party.
This works almost anywhere but underground, whether
in the open plains or a break in the canopy of a dense
jungle.
#2: Children Laughing. Whatever the situation, describe
in slightly hushed tones the sound of a child's laughter
somewhere in the distance. It is clear, filled with an
unrestrained joy and carries further than it should. It is
short lived and seems to go further away. We are
hardwired (most of us) to respond to children,
especially those we deem are in need. This plays on that
emotion. At the very least, the strangeness of it will
serve to capture their attention, making them think that
some ominous threat is nigh upon them.
#3: Make the Simple, Dangerous. Take whatever
situation they are in, whatever they are doing, whether
walking down a path, drinking ale in a tavern, buying
goods at the general store, into something very
dangerous. Monster books are filled with all kinds of
creatures that can turn the mundane into the
extraordinary. The gibbering mouther comes to mind,
 GM’s Tricks of the Trade
the mimic, any number of slimes or elementals, fey and
other creatures. Anything that can hide itself in plain
sight. One of my favorite encounters that ended up in
Heart of Glass, involved a grocer who kept a pet
gibbering mouther in his basement. His game was to ask
shoppers to go down and fetch something from the
basement for him. Whatever you do, once violence
explodes into the party's sphere, all the players are
likely to jump on board... and in the future, hopefully,
pay a little more attention to the table for they'll never
know when evil shall strike.
#4: Unleash the Unusual. Following in the wake of
"Make the Simple Dangerous", take any mundane
situation and make it a little unusual. Perhaps they are
eating food at a tavern and it is all spoiled, or each finds
maggots in their food. They are riding along a path and
stir up a swarm of yellow jackets that hound the party
for some miles. Perhaps the grass they bed down in
smells of blood. Maybe there is a ringing in the air.
Anything that you can think of that is happening, where
it shouldn't be happening, or that changes the normal
into something other than. First one, then another, then
another is caught in a nearly invisible spider web, it
brushes their head and clings to their hair. How are they
to know that these are but strands of silky web drifting
from a nearby tree? Anything that makes the mundane
unusual, will usually capture their notice.
#5: An Abandoned Wagon or Cart. Whether
underground or overland, having the party stumble
upon an abandoned wagon or cart will almost always
make them stop and investigate. They'll look for
treasure or anything of value. They'll also look for clues
as to why it was abandoned. You can create a back story
for it, or not as you desire, put treasure there or not as
you desire, that is up to the GM. But the wagon itself
will serve enough of a curiosity to make everywhere
come back to the table.
A FEW FLESHOUT AREA/TOWN
#1: Legends. You’ve already begun envisioning what lies
beyond the horizon, now people it with a few legends.
Something that the NPCs in the settlement know. These
should border on the mythic and hopefully integrate a
few local gods. Keep them simple, something the locals
know only a little about and can only pique the
character's curiosity. These lands were once occupied
by a powerful wizard and he built his tower in the forest
to the west. Or, giants built stone rings to the north
where they worshiped their strange gods. Or, this was
the land where the griffons hunted before they were
rooted out by the rangers (or maybe the still hunt). This
is really background noise and flavor, something to
pique the curiosity of your players and perhaps fire the
interest of their characters.
#2: Let it Rain. Create a local weather pattern for
ambiance and consistency. Does it rain a lot here, or
snow? Is it dry or humid? Borrow from you own local
weather if you have to, or poke around on the internet
until you find an area much like the one you've
developed and see what their local weather is like. Bring
this in to play and try to be consistent about it. Take
into account mountains and plains that might actually
impact the way the weather behaves. You can find loads
of information on the internet about the weather. But
don't worry about being too technical or true to earth's
own weather, as your world is beyond our own and
possibly affected by things far greater than the gulf
stream.
#3: Follow the Road. The roadside tavern or small
village that played host to your campaign is probably
going to be connected to some type of trade network.
Down the road should be a town. This is the source of
the barley, salt and sugar, the rope, harnesses, tools
and implements and all the myriad things a settlement
needs to prosper. Down the road should be a town and
some type of connection made with it. Perhaps
caravans come once a week or once a month bringing
goods to trade and sell. Perhaps a few of the locals
gather together and travel to the town to purchase
their needs. Consider developing this in a few
directions. Not just on the road. Maybe there is a band
of halflings that live south beyond the valley who
regularly bring in pelts and foodstuffs. Perhaps a druid
dwells in the forest, a secretive individual that comes to
the settlement once in a awhile to bring herbs and
 GM’s Tricks of the Trade
other treasures of the wild. Whatever it is, create a local
trade network, something that brings life to the
settlement in one or multiple guises.
#4: Going to Town. Create a town as part of the trade
network. It shouldn't be anything huge, but it should be
a place that the characters can get big ticket items, like
heavy armor, horses, uncommon weapons. There
should be skilled blacksmiths and other trades to
develop some depth to the town. You'll also want to
create some type of governing body, this can be a
simple mayor, appointed or chosen, to an oligarchy of
merchants. Whatever it is, keep it simple and give it a
somewhat friendly face. Characters coming and going
should be welcome... they bring in money and treasure
that makes everyone's life a little richer. Also remember
to people it with different demi-humans. This does not
have to be a massive hand written affair, a few notes
will suffice. Refer to the template below, that is taken
from one of our Aihrde Expansions: The Darkenfold.
#5: The Polity. Once the town is imagined, you're going
to want to take a step back and take a look at the bigger
picture. You don’t have to flesh anything out, just get an
idea of what the surrounding area's polity is. You have
many choices: monarchies, anarchy, feudal realms,
republics, city states, and so on. All you need this for is
background noise, something to feed the players as
they wander farther from the settlement. And
remember no government is just as good as any
government. I almost always begin adventures in the
Darkenfold, a wilderness in Aihrde with no real
governing bodies but the sword. All this does is gives
you fodder to feed the players.
Next Week: Involving the players and their characters in
the setting's development.
SAMPLE TOWN
GreenBriar [3]
Greenbriar sits astride the Old Post Road, upon the banks of the
Westerling River. Populated predominately by humans, it is a
community that survives through farming, a little animal husbandry
and living off the bounty of the forest. Her folk are a hardy, stout
people. They are generally leery of strangers, but they are
welcoming and friendly to those whom they know or whom they
believe bring them no harm or foul play. They are religious folk, all
adhering to the worship of the Og Aust, th Great Tree, and they hold
their forest to be one with the Eastern Wood, the Eldwood. They
have concourse with the rangers of the Ranger’s Knot and the druids
in the Order of the Oak.
The village is walled with a simple palisade 12 feet high, with gates
on either end at the road. It is largely designed to keep out animals
and other simpler monsters. Most people live within the walls, but
some live without in small, stout buildings. Greenbriar consists of
several dozen close knit houses, the Long House inn, and a large
communal barn. They have cleared the forest for several acres
around their town and cultivate potatoes, carrots and other small
yield crops. They free range small herds of hogs and a few cattle.
There are plenty of dogs about the town that give warning should
the need arise. Their houses are stout affairs of thick wood,
plastered with waddle. They lock their doors at night and rarely
open them for anyone. They all have cellars in which they hide in
times of danger, or if the threat is overwhelming, they flee into the
Thicket to the north of town, hoping that the Og Aust will look after
them.
Total Population: 250-300
Human: 250-280
Gnome: 10 +/-
Halfling: 4-8 +/-
Dwarf: 0 +/-
Elf: 4-8 +/-
Government: The town is governed by the heads of the 11 families
who either originally settled the town or have a vested interest.
These determine the town's small tax for upkeep of the wall and
help maintain peace and the upkeep of the roads within. No one is
particularly forced to adhere to edicts of the council, however,
banishment is a punishment meted out to some.
Military: They have no militia to speak of, generally relying on their
forestry skills to keep them safe, however if pressed they can put
together a small fighting force of about 75 men and women,
decently armed with bows, spears and similar weapons.
Economy: Small trade exists with Petersboro and Ends Meet, largely
in foodstuffs, wooden items carved in town and furs and the like.
They also do a decent trade with travelers and the tinkers who
wander the roads of the Darkenfold.
Religion: People adhere to the Og Aust, the Great Tree, and the
forest itself. Many pay homage to the Naiads of Lake Altop.
Language: The Vulgate
Major Guilds: There are none.
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CHANGING UP COMBAT
#1: Use Mechanics. The gist of this is: Use bonuses and
minuses every round. Change them up every round as
the situation dictates. But make sure you give MORE
than you take. For example, if a fallen orc causes the
ground to be slick, Davis might suffer a -1 to his attack
but he gains a +2 to damage as the orcs are practically
impaling themselves on his blade. See more examples
below. But change 'em up every round as the situation
demands. This will help fuel the chaos.
#2: Chaos Reigns. In a mad fracas where bodies are
tumbled up against one another in a desperate bid for
victory, it is utter chaos. Weapons and shields become
tangled, dropped, thrown, seized, pinned and whatever
else happens in the fray. Make it so. This can be tough
GMing but describe the mad press of bodies and gear as
those orcs are rushing forward, pushing their comrades
into the party members, grinding gear up against gear
and making the whole a tangled mess. The ruin of battle
makes it worse, as bodies pile up and the ground
becomes slick with blood. "The orcs surge forward, the
press of them crushes armor and flesh against you,
pulling and clawing at you every moment; all this
mingles with the stink of their unwashed bodies and the
wretched filth of their ruined flesh that makes the
ground slick with blood and ichor." Try to throw chaos
in everywhere. Do it with your monsters MOST. Have
them drop weapons, fall down, get tangled, up, claw
over one another to get to the party members. Make it
madness. It's hard, but very doable. Just keep up the
tempo. To bring that home, use mechanics. Don’t
incapacitate your player’s characters. You are better
served throwing around minuses on swings and
damage. Change it up every round. "Davis you suffer a
-1 from your swing as this orc trips forward into your
knees. You can swing at him or another." If he's smart,
he’ll swing at the one laying at his feet and gain a +10
for prone attack. Whatever you do, keep it rolling.
#3: Anything is a Weapon. To build on the above. Make
sure you show the players that anything is a weapon.
You can do this with your orcs easily enough. Have one
drop a blade, but pick up a fallen helmet and smash the
player in the face for a point of damage. Once they see
orcs doing it they’ll follow suit, so that if you have an
arm pinned by the press of orcs, they can use their
shield to smash a foe or even grab another orc and hurl
them into the press. Remember the fight in the first
Bourne movie where he uses a pencil to kill the bad
guy? Same principle here. Anything is a weapon, well
almost anything. There is nothing like a fight that
devolves into a blood match of people just hammering
each other with whatever comes to hand. Keep in mind
there are going to be tons of weapons lying about with
the dead orcs.
#4: Destroy or Scatter Equipment/Redirect Damage. I
bring this up a lot, but for mass, chaotic combat it is
especially important. Instead of doing 8 points of
damage to the second level character, break the straps
on the shield, cut the backpack strap, notch the mace
handle, knock off the helmet. Whatever it is, whether
you deflect damage or not, chew up the equipment.
This will help play into #2 and encourage them to scoop
up anything and use it as a weapon. Gear, weapons and
armor scattered about is just fun.
#5: Crowd the Characters. This one is fun and easy. Push
the characters up against each other. Have the orcs
swarming around and just the weight of them forces
the characters to fight back to back or to get tangled up
with each other. Make it real. "Davis, the sheer weight
of orcs pushes you up against Tim and your shield grinds
into his arm. Tim, you suffer a -1 to your attack this
round, but gain a +2 on your AC because Davis is
blocking attacks on you." The tangle just adds to the
chaos.
#6: Factor Spells In. This one is an addendum to all the
above. Make sure you have enough monsters to survive
the fire ball and lightning bolt that the spell caster is
going to land on your horde. Don’t worry about the
losses, just have enough to spare so it doesn’t end the
battle before it begins! This makes it crazy fun for the
spell caster without detracting from the madness of the
battle.