Important GM Resources

Studying the epics of the world is important for a Game Master to do to improve his games.  The Ramayana is one epic, and so are the Vedas.  The Ramayana is written, or attributed to, Valmiki.  The stories of Rama and Sita make good watching, and reading.

This series is from 1986.  It's subtitled in English.

And goes on from there.  Also, there is a personal interpretation of the Ramayana by Valmiki done by Nina Paley.  This is, of course, "Sita Sings the Blues."   The Fundamentalists got all in a huff and a puff that it was written and Stated that the Ramayana was owned by them.  Valmiki probably thought it should be owned by the World because the Ramayana is Hinduism's greatest and best known epic.





Enjoy both films. Get inspired.

Here is the beginning of the Anime RG Veda from CLAMP.


Watch Rg Veda OVA_1 [En Sub] 1of2 in Animation  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Here is the not so good, but great in the Day, Hercules! Which is a movie that is based on the Argonautic Expedition.



It's actually a good movie. Steve Reaves is playing Hercules, which is the Danite Judge Samson. Speaking of Samson:



There is Cecil B. Demille's Samson and Deliah! :)

These should be a well rounded start to the World's Mythology. View at your pleasure and get inspired for your games.

ROLEMASTERing The Forgotten Realms

My cousin and I are conspiring to do a rolemaster campaign in the Forgotten Realms. Well, the past two days, I've been reading heavily into Star Wars lore. And I realized something about the Weave . . .

It's the Force from Star Wars. The Weave is the Force, the Unified Energy Field, the Essence, Zero-point Energy, everything that the Force is that is the Weave for those who exist on Toril. So, I looked strongly at Star Wars about how to approach Mystra and Shar.

Mystra is the Goddess of Magic (i.e. until 4th Edition); she is the caretaker of the Weave. Shar is the caretaker of the Shadow Weave. Mystra's Weave represents the Light Side of the Force. The Good Side of the Force. The Shadow Weave represents the Dark Side of the Force.

Looking at Star Wars for inspiration; I've figured out some interesting ways to approach Mystra's "church" in the Forgotten Realms. As the Goddess of the Magic, and for those who worship her; I decided that the priests would combine the realms of essence and channeling. Since my cousin and I are using RMFRP -- I figured using the Channeling Companion would make for some interesting changes.

A Priest of Mystra uses the Channeling/Priest Hybrid Template. However, such an religious order needs a group to defend it. Usually this would fall to Azuth's order. But since Azuth in my game helps Mystra with her duties -- I turned to the Jedi Order from Star Wars for some ideas. And I believe I know how to fit Essence Monks into the world of the Forgotten Realms. Star Wars influence again, so why not exploit it? The Temple of Mystra is protected by monks that wield the Essence. So, why am I calling a duck (a Jedi) a mallard (something else?) Jedi are protected under the copyright of Lucasfilm, despite ideas being free.

So the ideas of Jedi and Sith exist in the realms that I'm running.

NEXT: My take on the Gods of Politics --> Tyr, Lathander, Helm, Cyric, Bane, and Tiamat.