Hungry Ghosts and Character Death

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    • Hungry Ghosts and Character Death

      As I mentioned in this thread, one of my PCs died last week. This week, they will continue on to defeat a band of Hungry Ghosts who manifest as undead creatures.

      The Khaujíva are the remnants of a company who were told to defend a pass at all costs, but who were sold out and sacrificed to allow the enemy to have the pass after infiltrating from behind. The honor of the commander was stained forever by the betrayal, since the betrayer was his brother-in-law.

      The janah with him are doomed to defend the pass forever...but I'm adding a twist out of Indian mythology.

      The stain of honor is on Commander Sayahava, the Snow Leopard leader of the Khaujíva, but his men must follow him, as their honor relies on it. In order to replace the dead PC, I've talked with the player about making him one of the Khaujíva. My players tend to go after the leader figures of their enemies. I'm banking on (and can massage) them attacking Sayahava. I will make them fight and defeat many of the Khaujíva first, of course, and may have the mercenaries from their caravan join in to allow for the destruction of all but one of the Khaujíva.

      That one Khaujíva will revert to mortal form after Sayahava is destroyed, as the burden of honor will be lifted. He may even help defeat Sayahava, which gives reinforces his karma. He will return to life and join the PCs, who freed him from his 400 years of servitude. He will be equally intrigued when he learns the name of their enemy: who hasn't changed in 400 years at least...
      -JFC Wolz
      HISTORIAN
    • RE: Hungry Ghosts and Character Death

      That sounds quite epic!

      What form will your khaujíva be taking in this instance? I'm assuming some solid form that the players can face in physical combat?

      Actual corpses held together by the ancient curse? Conglomerate bodies made of the shattered bones of the dead? Jánah-shaped heaps of root-riddled soil and clay surrounding the original skeletons? Immaterial specters that the players must meet and defeat in the Dream?

      I crave to know these things!

      Scottie ^^
    • These khaujíva will be physical manifestations of the soldiers who died defending the pass. They appear as they did in life, but glowing a ghostly silver light. They are vulnerable in the physical realm, but cannot pass on unless the leader dies before them. Of course they can be temporarily banished in the Dream.

      In life, Sayahava died last, so everyone's honor appeared satisfied, but in death, he mustered their spirits to aid him. Although they only manifest annually, they have seemed to be fighting for the past 400 years.
      -JFC Wolz
      HISTORIAN
    • Originally posted by Scott Jones
      Cool!

      So almost like more beautiful, yet haunting, versions of the restless dead in Lord of the Rings,...in the flesh!


      Yes, that's what I'm going for. I want to use "lighter" words that describe them, since the eastern color for death is white. I want them to be pale and ghostly, but not sickly. Like idealized versions of themselves.
      -JFC Wolz
      HISTORIAN
    • And a great example it is!!!

      As soon as I'm able to do so,...I'll be sharing the kinds of games I run by way of example through some mini-adventures I'll upload here inspired by those games (as long as I can find a way to remain within the current "canon", so as not to reveal stuff that might appear in later supplements)...

      Scottie ^^
    • Hello fellow gentle gamers,

      I am a fellow player in Joe's game. Nope reading his notes will do nothing for us at all. There is no understanding the mind of Joe and like any GM any notes are a suggestion of what can happen so basing anything on them is like basing your life off of fortune cookies.

      Let me take this opportunity to thank you for an amazing game. Not only is it a world that is unique and fun to play around in but it is also quite an innovative system that in my opinion takes role playing to the next level (or to 11 as our group would say).

      In an age where it seems that rules are being simplified, skills are being reduced to less then 20 to choose from and turn based powers that take away the imagination and make it more of a miniature game (or Roll playing) then Role Playing Game, you have taken all that hype and said "PBBBBBTTTTTTTT" (what you wanted me to be totally serious all the time, so not going to happen)

      The depth of skills and the professions that use them are amazing. The actual forms you can choose from are incredibly well thought out and represented with realistic art (not Disney's Robin Hood, nothing wrong with it but definitely sets the tone for the game). The combat system is elegant in its simplicity of form yet infinite in its application. Your system grabs the players and makes them a part of the storytelling experience without taking a single dot or tittle away from the Story Teller's power and authority.

      I have found enjoyment in playing this game that I had lost in most of my other endeavors in Role Playing. It has breathed new life in my gaming style and I truly look forward to our gaming nights.

      Thank you for all your hard work and sleepless nights (either from creative overload or stress) they are appreciated. If you gentle gamers ever need help at Gen Con I am ready and willing to bring my many years of con experience to your aid or I can just run and grab soda's.

      Excelsior!!!!
      "Now it is time to make circles with mints, do not haste any longer!" amazing fortune cookie
    • Nicky and Matt,

      It's great to see you folks posting. :) We love to hear from fellow Shard players.

      And thank you for the kind words, Matt. More than anything, we wanted to put the "role-playing" back into pen-n-paper RPGs. The trend certainly does seem to be to go in the direction of MMO-style computer games (rigid classes, limited choices with advancement, emphasis on "class powers," etc.) or to have systems with dozens of pages of charts and headache-inducing, detailed rules. The thing that drew me to RPGs back in the 80s was the notion that I could assume the role of another, fantastical character and live vicariously through that character's amazing exploits.

      A great GM should never be underestimated. Hang on to Joe, he's a gem. The shared stories you all create will stay with you for a long, long time. And anything that puts a smile on our faces is definitely worth cherishing and keeping.

      Again, welcome.

      -Aaron
    • Secrets you say?

      We are having an amazing time with this game, I look forward to every Wednesday night :D

      Originally posted by Matt-Man
      I am a fellow player in Joe's game. Nope reading his notes will do nothing for us at all.


      ...cause we cant see the daggers drawn next to the character names in those notes.

      Chris
    • Well since everyone jumped on the band wagon of forum posting, why not. I am yet another one of Joe's seemingly-endless-players.

      I have to say I enjoy this game and not only have I considered buying the book once, but I can say its now a weekly ponder. That should be taken as a compliment due to the fact time and time again I have said, "Why by the book when you all have one and you can tell me what to do?" I'm 9times out of 10 the only jerk at the table without one for the fact that I'm lazy and cheap. Well if I wasn't suffering money crisis' left and right its safe to say your glorious book would be mine.

      I've acquired a cult following of people who want to hear about this already legendary weekly game, that now 5 out of the 7 people involved are now on this forum. They all have found the way the system works is completely mind blowing-pure-awesome-crazy-win-mode. So I want to thank you for being balls to the walls awesome and keep doing what you do.
      Rhinos don't wear t-shirts.