After running three of his games back-to-back-to-back, we were pretty excited to sit down with D. Vincent Baker to chat about our experiences. We spend some time talking about aspects of Dogs in the Vineyard, In a Wicked Age…, and Poison’d, as well as cover some of his basic design philosophies. Unfortunately our first attempt to conduct this interview met with some nasty technical difficulties. There are a couple references to the fact that this is the 2nd attempt, but we only got about 10 minutes in, so no worries, you didn’t miss anything. This interview was great fun, and we can’t wait to have Vincent on again to talk about abandoning games!

Relevant Links

• Vincent’s Blog ()
• Lumpley Games Forum
• Kill Puppies for Satan
• Dogs in the Vineyard
• In A Wicked Age
• Mechaton
• Poison’d
• Storming The Wizard’s Tower
• Apocalypse World
• GTAIV
• ZORK
• Traveller
• Dragon Magazine
• Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon
• rec.games.frp.advocacy
• The Forge
• Drew Baker
• The Gaming Outpost
• Ron Edwards
• Clinton R. Nixon
• Ed Healy
• Jared Sorenson
• Universalis
• FreeMarket
• Graham Walmsley
• No Country for Old Men
• Matt Snyder
• Brigham City
• Burning Wheel
• Tanith Lee
• Jack Vance
• Willow Palecek
• Wicked Nights (Vampire Oracle)
• True Blood
• Judd Karlman
• Matt Wilson
• DexCon
• GenCon
• Dread
• Oo! Let’s make a Game!
• ROCK OF TAHAMAAT, SPACE TYRANT
• The Dragon Killer

Crunchy Bits!

• Intro and Outro music provided by 

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The gang spends a good 45 minutes ranting and raving about how awesome In A Wicked Age… is.

Relevant Links

• Lumpley Games
• In a Wicked Age…
• Sword And Sorcery
• Tanith Lee
• Jack Vance
• Robert E Howard
• Iron Age
• Marvel Comics Conan
• Lumpley Games Oracle Generator
• Misspent Youth
• Duel of Wits
• Emily Care Boss
• Mouse Guard
• The Dreaded D&D 3.5 Grapple Rules
• The Dreaded D&D 3.5 Attacks of Opportunity Rules
• Abulafia
• Silver Age Comics
• GURPS
• Grey Ranks
• Spirit of the Century

Crunchy Bits!

• Intro and Outro Music from The Prince of Persia by Inon Zur and Stuart Chatwood published by Ubisoft.

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Brandon takes over as GM for our final session of Vincent Baker’s In A Wicked Age… We made a distinct attempt at going for non-violent conflicts this time around, and it worked out pretty well. This session focused around a nomadic remnants of the Uesirans coming to a holy site for their coming of age rituals. Many perils awaited them, from without and within!

Oracle: Blood and Sex

Kevin Chose: The seizure of arcane powers by an arrogant and brutal wizard.
A spirit of the wilds, mercurial in form, sister to gazelles.
The celebration of local fertility or harvest rites.
An oasis of sweet water in a barren wilderness, haunted by the shadows of some vast atrocity committed centuries ago.

Roles

Kevin: Ekurzakir, reincarnated into a new, young body.
Best Interests: To Enthrall the fertility spirit and make her my consort.
I will win the heart of the Head Priestess.
Particular Strength: Spellfire

Dan: Aram, Bravest and Strongest of the Tribe
Best Interests: Prove that I am worthy to marry the Chieftain’s Daughter
I will protect our proving ground against outsiders.
Particular Strength: Strength and Bravery

CJ: Sithara, Fertility Spirit
Best Interests: Find the most worthy Youth and give him my “blessing.”
I must punish those who seek to abuse my power.
Particular Strength: Quicksilver Form (shapeshifting)

NPCs

Gemegishkirihallat High Priestess of the Uesiran Nomads
Best Interests: Protect the Young, for one of them is fated to save our dying tribe.
Particular Strength: Talismen and Rituals of Protection

Uesiran Youths
Best Interests: Complete the ritual ahead of their rivals and return to the tribe.
Particular Strength: Youth

Shadows in the ruins of Kal-Nirar
Best Interests: The city must not be disturbed. Remove outsiders before they become corrupted as well.
Particular Strength: Corporeal forms

Relevant Links

• In A Wicked Age
• Lumpley Games
• Fistandantilus
• Weapons of the Gods
• Spellfire
• Wheel of Time:  Rhuidean, Shadar Logoth, Balefire, Aiel
• Prince of Persia (again!)
• The Bedouin
• Fullmetal Alchemist
• Magic Symbol
• Feather Fall
• from Deadwood
• Kukri (the Sihks actually use a Kirpan, oops!)
• Simulacrum

Crunchy Bits!

• Intro and Outro Music from The Prince of Persia by Inon Zur and Stuart Chatwood published by Ubisoft.

Podcast: |

CJ takes the reins as GM this round and much fun was had by all. By this session we’re all pretty comfortable with the rules and conflict flows quickly and freely. This session would prove to be Brandon’s day, as his now-corrupted character from last session wrecks an impressive swath of havoc and madness across two countries, laying low the armies of the Crimson Khan. Despite Dan, Kevin, and CJ all ganging up against him, his dice were too hot and the Maw of Madness consumed all.

Oracle:  The God Kings of War

Dan chose: A staff of white wood, summoner of lightnings and the War Magus who wields it.

The very first time that a certain young soldier, impressed against his choice and wanting nothing more than to return to his home, has killed.

A flock of hunterbirds, sharpbeaked, clever, and dreadful, and their master.

A token indicating that its bearer speaks for the high general.

Roles

Dan: Rafa Ban, Genius of flame.
Particular Strength: The complete metaphysical understanding of all forms of fire. (Double Potent)
Best Interests: To persuade the Mouth of the Abyss to consume the lands of the Crimson Khan, my sworn enemy, and burn the enemy army to cinders and scatter their ashes.

Brandon: Zaheil, the Maw of Madness
Particular Strength: Touch of the Abyss (reality bending powers) (Potent) (Far Reaching)
Best Interests: To eat the Storm Magus and release the Old One residing in his Staff. A descendant of an old enemy is near, he will be consumed like his ancestors finally were.

Kevin: Ekurzakir War Mage of the Crimson Khan, Master of the Stormcrows.
Particular Strength:  Staff of Lightning (Potent) Stormcrows (Far Reaching)
Best Interests:  Steal the secret of fire from Rafa Ban, Direct the wrath of the Abyss unto the heretical Uesirans.

NPCs

Adar, Descendant of the mighty Ninja Dervish Darius.
Particular Strength: Wakizashi (Potent)
Best Interests:  Complete my duty and find my way home. Preserve my homeland.

Relevant Links

• In A Wicked Age
• Lumpley Games
• Ramuh
• Confucius Hat
• Palpatine
• Fables
• Trail of Cthulhu
• Monster Burner

Crunchy Bits

• Intro and Outro Music from The Prince of Persia by Inon Zur and Stuart Chatwood published by Ubisoft.

Podcast: |

Unfortunately we had a bit of a technical failure when we recorded our “real” session 2. Only an hour or so was saved, so in actuality this is session 3. Fortunately the serial nature of In a Wicked Age stories gave us some considerable leeway. There shouldn’t be any problem picking up with the narrative here. Dan picks up the GMing mantle this time around, and we  start off in the city of Kal-Nirar, where Demon Lord Nirar has been ruling for many generations. Nirar was Kevin’s character in the previous session, he started off as a Merchant Prince who made some sorcerous deals in the name of vengeance. Little is left of his humanity now as unseen forces move against him…

Oracle:  The Unquiet Past

Kevin chose:The son of a great tyrant, born crippled and denied his inheritance.

A scholar and antiquarian, unmindful of danger.

A thick gold ring, torn by a powerful sage from a demon’s ear.

The captain of a foreign troop, sent to collect tribute.

Roles

Kevin: The Demon-King Nirar, formerly a merchant prince of the city now called Kal-Nirar.
Special Strength: Minions of the Pit (far-reaching)
Best Interests: To retrieve the ring containing my soul; To send the Red Horde screaming back to their cowardly masters.

CJ: General Darius of the Red Horde
Special Strength: The Ninja dervishes of the Red Horde (potent).
Best Interests: To survive my negotiations with Nirar and convince him I’m only there for the tribute; To find some weakness in the demon-king’s armor (such as any random phylactery or disloyal heir that might be sitting around).

Brandon: Zaheil
Special Strength: The demon ring, which makes him invisible and silent.
Best Interests: To learn the secrets that power the gate – so other uses may be found for it; To make a blunder out of the Red Horde’s envoy, just like I did 20 years ago when I stole their ring.

NPCs:

Dem Ashur, blind and disowned son of Nirar.
Special Strength: The power to jump through shadows, and see shadows for what they really are (far reaching).
Best Interests: To banish my father and claim my throne; To steal the ring and seal the gate.

Relevant Links

• In A Wicked Age
• Lumpley Games
• Ptolus: City by the Spire
• Hardcore History Podcast
• Radiolab Podcast about Genghis Khan
• Marvel GI Joe comics
• Vincent’s rules hack to play Conan in a Wicked Age.
• Tom Bombadil
• Prince of Persia again – but Sands of Time this time.
• Sword +5, Holy Avenger
• The Wizaaaaaard

Crunchy Bits

• Intro and Outro Music from The Prince of Persia by Inon Zur and Stuart Chatwood published by Ubisoft.

Podcast: |

We’ve all been champing at the bit to dig into Vincent Baker’s games, and due to its popularity as a one-shot party game, the crew decided to go with In a Wicked Age first.  These sessions were an absolute blast, and everyone came away a pretty big fan. For IAWA, we changed up our format a bit: we all GM’d one session each, starting with Kevin.  Check it out!

Oracle: God Kings of War

A cask of honey wine, tribute to a fierce bandit queen.

The arrival of unexpected and improbable allies, in darkness.

A genius of flame, imprisoned within a brass mirror.

The campsite of a traveling army, not long deserted.

Roles

Dan: Rafa Ban, Genius of flame.
Forms: Covertly d4, Directly d12, For Myself d6, For Others d6, With Love d8, With Violence d10
Particular Strength: The complete metaphysical understanding of all forms of fire.
Best Interests: To get free of the mirror. To burn Eric’s twisted soul to ash.

Brandon: Kadashman-Enlil, leader of a destroyed army, holder of the brass mirror.
Forms: Covertly d6, Directly d10, For Myself d4, For Others d8, With Love d6, With Violence d12
Particular Strength: The last of the divinely infused royal bloodline, who can draw from the strength of the people to Inspire, Lead, and Overcome the worst odds.
Best Interests: To remove Eric the Bitter from the land.  The bandits will take advantage of my defeat; I must end the bandit-queen’s tyranny when she shows her face.

CJ: Zahir the Blade, the Bandit-Queen’s Champion and lover.
Forms: Covertly d6, Directly d6, For Myself d8, For Others d4, With Love d10, With Violence d12
Particular Strength: The Training of the southern assassins.  A series of complex meditations culminating in a single strike.
Best Interests: To convince Kadashman-Enlil that we will help him. To steal the mirror and trade it to Eric for our safety.

NPCs:

Ku-aya, the Bandit Queen
Best Interests: Kill Kadashman-Enlil while he is still weak.  Use the foolish noble remnants to drive Eric from the land.

Eric the Bitter, icy warlord, with his warhammer Gutar-Mag
Best Interests: To smash the prison of Rafa Ban, sundering his spirit.

Relevant Links

• In A Wicked Age
• Lumpley Games
• Cadash
• Story Games Names Project
• Planescape: Torment (Ignus)
• The Darksword Trilogy
• “A little too close to Narnia”
• The North Wind from Fables
• A Song of Ice & Fire
• Wheel of Time
• Final Fantasy X (Auron)
• Green Lantern: Blackest Night
• The King-Priest of Istar and the Cataclysm
• Prince of Persia (the new one)

Crunchy Bits!

• Intro and Outro Music from The Prince of Persia by Inon Zur and Stuart Chatwood published by Ubisoft.

Podcast: |