Making Tech available in Blackmoor stores?

[Havard]

For a future campaign in Blackmoor (Year 1030 or later), I would like to make technomagical items available in general stores for PCs to buy.

I'd make them expensive of course, but having them on the equipment list does send a strong signal that this is a different type of setting than your average fantasy world.


Things like:
Pistol (Renessance tech), mentioned in the FFC
Arquebus (Renessance tech), mentioned in the FFC
Laser Rifle (City of the Gods tech), mentioned in DA3
Grenades (City of the Gods tech), mentioned in DA3
Prosthetic Arm, increases STR +2* mentioned in the D20 DAB CS
Clockwork Giant Spider Companion, mentioned in the D20 DAB CS

*=Malfunctions at 1 on attack rolls, spend 1 round to repair.

Etc.


How would you feel about including such things as equipment available to PCs in the stores?


-Havard

[Yaztromo]

All good, but if you make laser rifles available, then nobody will buy arquibuses, pistols, bunderbusses etc. I think you need to make a choice WRT level of technology available and stick to that, if you want to make it a bit realistic.

[finarvyn]

In general, I prefer for tech to be found adventuring in the same manner that one might acquire magical items. I don't object to having tech sold in stores (I've done so in the occasional game I've run) but it changes the whole feel of the campaign.

Blackmoor with tech is still Blackmoor, but has a different feel to it than traditional Blackmoor. It's like the newer "Three Musketeers" movie (with Orlando Bloom and others) where they made it a high tech thing with flying ships and the like -- the story is familar but the feel of the movie is very different.

[Havard]

All good, but if you make laser rifles available, then nobody will buy arquibuses, pistols, bunderbusses etc. I think you need to make a choice WRT level of technology available and stick to that, if you want to make it a bit realistic.

Good point. My main idea would be that they would be differentiated by price. Laser Weapons etc would have costs similar to that of buying Magical Items (in campaigns where such is allowed).

The idea would be that Renaissance technology would be something the Blackmoorians would be able to produce themselves (still expensive), while futuristic tech would rely on items being recovered from the Valley of the Ancients and similar sites and possibly repaired/modified by the Blackmoorians.

Blackmoor with tech is still Blackmoor, but has a different feel to it than traditional Blackmoor. It's like the newer "Three Musketeers" movie (with Orlando Bloom and others) where they made it a high tech thing with flying ships and the like -- the story is familar but the feel of the movie is very different.

If I was to introduce something like this, it would be to make a clear setting statement. I would probably only do this in the 1025/1030 Era of the setting and not the FFC Era (995-1000). On the other hand the FFC is filled with technological artifacts, even though they are usually presented as "treasure" items.



-Havard

[Rafael]

What Fin said. Was never a fan of playing BM d20 like Iron Kingdoms, or Dragonmech.

Tech, or any additions to vanilla fantasy need to be scarce, or they lose their dramatic funtion.

If the party finds ONE laser sword, it's "that day we found the laser sword". If everybody has a laser sword, it's "Blackmoor feels a lot like Star Wars, ugh".

[Havard]

Not surprised by these reactions really.

Good to see people posting your opinions!

Tech, or any additions to vanilla fantasy need to be scarce, or they lose their dramatic funtion.

I think my main thing is that I have played so many fantasy games I always look for ways the specific features of a setting that can be pushed to an edge. If I run Dragonlance, I want lots of Dragons and Draconians for instance.

If I run Mystara, I want lots of strange races, a wizards Guild and young fighters exploring caverns filled with gold.

Although I never run the Forgotten Realms, I imagine I would toss in tons of Drow and high powered mages, if I was to run a game there. I am actually not joking about this last bit.

If the party finds ONE laser sword, it's "that day we found the laser sword". If everybody has a laser sword, it's "Blackmoor feels a lot like Star Wars, ugh".

Just to make it clear, the laser sword would cost 5000 GP or something like that. Even if it was on the Equipment list, its not like I would give it away. OTOH, I do think the Equipment list, along with the selection of race/class are powerful ways of communicating to a player what sort of a setting they are dealing with.

Was never a fan of playing BM d20 like Iron Kingdoms, or Dragonmech.

I agree with this. I used to feel differently about it to be honest, especially since I think the Iron Kingdoms is an awesome setting. On the other hand Blackmoor was never that sort of science fantasy. Blackmoor's tech were strange artifacts recovered from crashed space ships. I'd be interested in seeing what the setting would look like after multiple expeditions to the Valley of the Ancients would look like though. Letting the mages experiment on the tech. Maybe try to make repairs and modifications of their own.



-Havard

[RobJN]

I agree with this. I used to feel differently about it to be honest, especially since I think the Iron Kingdoms is an awesome setting. On the other hand Blackmoor was never that sort of science fantasy. Blackmoor's tech were strange artifacts recovered from crashed space ships. I'd be interested in seeing what the setting would look like after multiple expeditions to the Valley of the Ancients would look like though. Letting the mages experiment on the tech. Maybe try to make repairs and modifications of their own.



-Havard

GEE I WONDER WHERE YOU MIGHT FIND SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

I think I'll chime in and agree with the "make it rare and/or ridiculously expensive." The laser-sword should sit in a dust-covered case, in the back corner of the store, under some junk, because either nobody could figure out how to turn it on, or nobody could afford it.

Were I running Uther's Age Blackmoor, there might be a couple of gizmos floating around here and there, but they would be few and far between, more than likely used against the party. Sure, they can have that laser blaster thingy. IF they can pry it out of the warlord's cold, dead hand.

But I'm running a game set in the Last Days of Blackmoor, so magi-tech is quite convenient and common. Swords and suits of armor, now, outside of one of the Empire's many houses of remembrance? Those are rare finds, indeed

[Rafael]

Just to make it clear, the laser sword would cost 5000 GP or something like that. Even if it was on the Equipment list, its not like I would give it away. OTOH, I do think the Equipment list, along with the selection of race/class are powerful ways of communicating to a player what sort of a setting they are dealing with.

We agree completely. Obviously, the dose is the key here. For me, personally, it's mostly that I am not really attached to the SP genre, and thus don't really draw on it when I am creating my games. Just doesn't enter my mind. That said, yeah, I emphasize about the setting adaptations. I usually also try to get as deep into a setting as possible, when I create my stories. This is what drew me to Ravenloft in the day - you have a lot of GM-exclusive lore that really defines the basics of your campaign completely anew, every time you start a game.

I agree with this. I used to feel differently about it to be honest, especially since I think the Iron Kingdoms is an awesome setting. On the other hand Blackmoor was never that sort of science fantasy. Blackmoor's tech were strange artifacts recovered from crashed space ships. I'd be interested in seeing what the setting would look like after multiple expeditions to the Valley of the Ancients would look like though. Letting the mages experiment on the tech. Maybe try to make repairs and modifications of their own.

FWIW, I'll run a few DragonMech one-shots this spring. The first time I venture into territory that people regard as similar to BM, since the start of the LFC, actually. I am pretty excited to see how it will feel to me...

[Vile]

I am normally reluctant to have very expensive items for sale in a setting like this because I would think that someone would already own it if it was that valuable - either a collector, a researcher (or lord with a research staff), or a user. If characters want to get their hands on this stuff they need to find it and take it.