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10 months ago ::
Aug 20, 2012 - 8:27PM
#1
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Yes, yes, LARPers are even bigger nerds than tabletop. Done laughing? Okay.
In about 20 months, I will be helping to run a 3 day LARP event based on Undermountain. We're starting the planning a lot earlier than usual for these events, because we want to do it right. I'm not the guy in charge, but I'm his theme and plot consultant, so to speak, and I'm turning to you lot for ideas.
What encounters really sell Undermountain as a locale? What elements, thematic or monstrous or otherwise, have to be present to do justice to the setting?
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10 months ago ::
Aug 20, 2012 - 8:52PM
#2
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What encounters really sell Undermountain as a locale? What elements, thematic or monstrous or otherwise, have to be present to do justice to the setting?
When you asked these questions, my first thought wasn't about Undermountain, but about the Yawning Portal and its role as a point of easy access into Undermountain.
It just seems to me that having a space where you can roleplay outside of Undermountain would make things fun. GMs can introduce NPCs, plot hooks and quests too. And you give players a home base.
Anyway, all my experiences in Undermountain started from the Yawning Portal, so to me you don't have one without the other.
FWIW I've no experience LARPing, though I've friends aplenty that participate in such things.
Very best of luck to you on your ambitious event.
The Forgotten Realms: It's an ugly baby, but damnit it's our ugly baby.
WotC, please don't wreck the Forgotten Realms a third time in order to introduce the latest version of the D&D rules.
Give us back 3rd Edition's Magic Television concept instead.
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10 months ago ::
Aug 20, 2012 - 11:44PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Apr 21, 2009
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The main thing about Undermountain, for me any way, was the sheer vastness of it all, I mean you could be in there for years and never find your way out! Im not sure how you would capture that feeling in a LARP setting.
I survived Section 4 and all I got was this lousy sig
Off-topic and going downhill from there
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10 months ago ::
Aug 21, 2012 - 2:20PM
#4
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Well, you could break into some catacombs in Paris or something... that might give you the right feeling. You'd undoubtedly get arrested, but if you're not willing to suffer a little for your gaming, then you don't deserve to call yourself a gamer.   Seriously though, what came to mind most when it came to Undermountain was its sheer incongruity and utter unpredictability. Running into crap you'd never otherwise run into underground, and really not being able to truly prepare for anything is, to me, what made it such a challenge, especially for a 2e wizard, since you were never sure if your spell selection was going to be really useful or not, and it could really force you to get very creative. But as my wife loves to point out, anyone who breaks into an archmages abode pretty much deserves whatever happens to them, especially if said archmage is nucking futs.
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10 months ago ::
Aug 21, 2012 - 5:41PM
#5
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Date Joined:
Jun 15, 2004
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In about 20 months, I will be helping to run a 3 day LARP event based on Undermountain.
You mean kinda like True Dungeon? That sounds fun.
my first thought wasn't about Undermountain, but about the Yawning Portal
Ditto. Akin to the True Dungeon Tavern.
Also, Downshadow could serve as a general post adventure 'exit area'.
As for the encounters: any of the numbered areas on level 1 would be recognizable (both the recent product and the earlier editions described mostly similar areas). But really: just about anything would work.
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10 months ago ::
Aug 23, 2012 - 7:55AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Oct 26, 2008
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Yes, yes, LARPers are even bigger nerds than tabletop. Done laughing?
no
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9 months ago ::
Sep 03, 2012 - 7:20PM
#7
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Okay... I haven't ever made it to True Dungeon, but I can point out several major differences just from a quick look through their site.
1) Two hours vs Three days
2) They don't feed the participants.
I'm not sure on how the actual encounters work in TD, but I kind of doubt they play a full contact game like we do.
So, right now we've got Thursday night planned to be done in the Yawning Portal, Friday a run into Undermountain, and Saturday the escape from it. Specific encounters are still being worked out, and will likely change a lot over the next 20 months. Balancing, budgeting and projected attendance, both staff and players.
Other things in the works include a possible concert Friday night (in Skullport) and myself and the coordinator are fightign back and forth over the finale battle. I want something big and visually amazing, he just wants Halaster tossing spells all over the place like berserk artillery.
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