Roll Playing vs. Role Playing?

First of all...Happy New Year everyone!

Secondly, the winner of the 'How much would you pay for an eBook' poll was by far the $2.99 to $7.99 slot with 61% of the vote and the $8.99 to $12.99 slot coming in second with 29% of the vote. Just in case anyone was following and wanted to know the results!

Thirdly, I have a new subject for you to discuss for you RPG gamers out there--Roll Playing vs. Role Playing! Here we go...

Is there room for both in your game? I think so. I have often asked myself if the game master or dungeon master of your RPG can satisfy both. After much consideration, I have concluded that with the right preparation, yes, it can be done. I would always first and foremost cater to what your players want to do with regards to play style. Do they enjoy hack and slash, puzzles, role-playing, problem solving, etc? You as the referee of the game would know this best if you play with friends. I as the GM/DM would often find that I wanted my players to get involved with the storyline one way or the other before unleashing any type of combat on them as I believe that a firm understanding of a specific goal is important--especially if you spend a good deal of time preparing something for them to enjoy. I feel that any of us can cater to his or her players’ desires for the most part, while still being able to fit them into the environment or setting that you envisioned.

I have played with players that enjoy both the role-playing aspect and the combat of the game. The majority of my players have enjoyed the combat the most. They want to put themselves into the role of hero and save the day, using their swords and sorcery to down the evil-doers. And who doesn’t? It is what drew me to comic books, sci-fi/fantasy novels and role-playing games in the first place….

There are also a good amount of players who want to solve the puzzles or riddles or who want to be the ones who solve the mystery set upon them in order to go through a passageway or advance further into a dungeon. There are also tests that can put players into a situation where they have to figure out what makes a creature/villain tick or what his/her/it's weakness might be in order to resolve the issues.

These tests can be a good deal of fun as well and I implore any of you gamers out there to try to experience them all. All of it is designed for one thing that I think we can all agree on: no matter what school you hail from, games are designed to give you an escape from reality and to share some time with friends or with people of like mind. So, no matter what game you play, no matter what genre you play in and no matter what style you choose, make sure you are having fun!
 
As always, please feel free to share your thoughts with us and comment on what kind of games, play style or genres you enjoy most! I look forward to your posts. Have a great week everyone!

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

Photo from Stock.xchng.

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios, LLC 2011 unless otherwise noted.

A Synopsis of Characters

I have been told on some forums and by some other folks that my teaser and blurbs do not give enough information about the characters, which is the story's focus. In response to that I have come up with a few minor descriptions that may demystify that position.

 

Elec is a high elf with very little self confidence when it comes to fighting, but has certain skills that continue to force him in that direction such as setting and disarming mechanical traps as a classic thief or rogue and he is a master alchemist. The alchemy provides him with artificial means of boosting his natural speed, strength, agility and healing among other things. Reluctantly, he accepts his ‘destiny’ and accompanies the heroes on their quest.

 

Saeunn is a human barbarian woman who is displaced from her home after it was overrun by orcs and goblins. She is struggling initially with a choice of keeping an eye on her mother and giving in to her natural instincts and love for battle!

 


Rose is a human female pick pocket and true rogue who had a rough childhood and is a member of the Thieves’ Guild. She realizes that she has missed the danger and excitement of her youth and now takes up a chance to rediscover that excitement on her own without informing her guild of this plan.

Garius is a former priest/warpriest to The Shimmering One (the sun god) and current Inquisitor with the Order of the Faceless Knights, a sect of religious zealots who have access to every divine power offered by each of the gods. These bountiful powers and spells are given in exchange for keeping all of their temples free of heresy and deceit. He is a natural leader and a quick study.

My overall storyline is an thickly layered web that has many overarching story-lines and would be extremely difficult to explain in short order. Suffice it to say that this particular novel focuses on an artifact that disappears from a temple right out from under the priests’ noses and is the key component that could represent a lich coming back into his former power.

Synpopsis: "When a dangerous artifact goes missing from a temple, the elderly high priest in charge requests the aid of a one-time apprentice. Garius Forge, who is now an Inquisitor among the Order of the Faceless Knights, assembles a small team of heroes and sets out on his quest. He is aided by the wise-cracking Rose, a rogue among rogues, by the stoic and battle-hungry Saeunn, and by a naïve elf named Elec, who reluctantly agrees to accompany them at the behest of the persuasive Inquisitor. The eclectic group sets out to recover the artifact before it falls into the hands of the lich who once held it. Not only do the heroes have to overcome numerous foes, but they must also conquer their own shortcomings in order to ensure the safety of the Realm of Ashenclaw!"

The main villain behind the entire series is Zabalas Dimonia, an especially dark warlord with a mysterious past and a penchant for enticing others to do his bidding in the Realm of Ashenclaw!

The characters in the world refer to the continent as Wothlondia and refer to the world or the plane of existence that we call earth as Krotto. We, as the readers, call the world the Realm of Ashenclaw.

The rest of the characters can be found on my home page and in greater detail HERE.

See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase Covenant of the Faceless Knights and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!
 

All maps, names and content copyright Ashenclaw Studios, LLC 2011 unless otherwise noted. All Sketches of characters done by Justine Babcock.