# Out of the Darkness (A Harnic RPG) OOG and Control Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 27, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474 "2008-06-27T17:39:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/61 "2008-07-03T02:15:43Z")
Sorry I haven’t posted, but the flight from the UK to Vegas takes over 10 hours. So I’m typing this in my hotel room! I’ll shoot off to the main thread and now use my unarmed skills… ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/62 "2008-07-03T03:38:24Z")
**mlees** , you might want to check it out a bit more. It is far more than just a collection of pretty maps. (And they are VERY pretty!) Production time is slow, and the company that makes the products is, to say the least, messed up, but the writing and conceptualzation are first-rate. Harnworld is not wide, but it’s DEEP. Dig a little into the agriculture or trade of an ordinary settlement, and you’ll get tons of ideas on politics, adventures, and intrigue. Basic DnD (at least when I last played it) was a game best suited for socially unfit adolescent boys who couldn’t meet girls. Harn is for sophisticated, educated men… who are socially unfit and can’t meet women. (Lie! Most Harniacs I know are married to wonderful women. Said women either participate or put up with it.) ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/63 "2008-07-03T14:43:44Z")
Thanks, **tdn**. Unfortunately, I haven’t been active in face to face role playing since the early 90’s. These days, I just bust out the old stuff, and try to remember the glory days of my youth. My imagination and creativity doesn’t have the stamina it used to. I used to sit for _hours_, mapping out home made dungeon settings. Now, I’ll sit there holding a pencil, scratching my belly, hoping for inspiration, and give up after 30 minutes or so. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/64 "2008-07-03T22:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] **mlees** , you might want to check it out a bit more. It is far more than just a collection of pretty maps. (And they are VERY pretty!) Production time is slow, and the company that makes the products is, to say the least, messed up, but the writing and conceptualzation are first-rate. Harnworld is not wide, but it’s DEEP. Dig a little into the agriculture or trade of an ordinary settlement, and you’ll get tons of ideas on politics, adventures, and intrigue. Basic DnD (at least when I last played it) was a game best suited for socially unfit adolescent boys who couldn’t meet girls. Harn is for sophisticated, educated men… who are socially unfit and can’t meet women. /quote] Interesting. I don’t need ideas on politics, trade or intrgue, because I can get them from history, fantasy and even TV series, What I need is a clear roleplaying base. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/65 "2008-07-07T00:38:51Z")
Now with shiny new combat skills! **Santo Rugger** CML=9 STR=14 STA=13 DEX=12 AGL=7 EYE=11 (would be 13 if he had two eyes) EAR=10 VOI=9 INT=11 WIL=7 END=11 Sunsign - Tarael, the Pentacle Throwing/48, Jumping/36, Fletching/39 Unarmed/44, Shield/91, Sword/91, Axe/65 **NAF1138** CML=13 STR=11 STA=9 DEX=13 AGL=13 EYE=12 EAR=11 VOI=16 INT=12 WIL=8 END=9 Throwing/48, Jumping/48, Physician/20, Ritual (Larani)/72, Oratory/70, Rhetoric/72 Unarmed/48, Shield/60, Sword/60 Rituals: Healing, Banner of Mendiz **glee** CML=13 STR=15 STA=16 DEX=16 AGL=16 EYE=14 EAR=11 VOI=9 INT=13 WIL=15 END=15 Throwing/60, Jumping/64 Unarmed/64, Shield/112, Sword/112 **Antinor** CML=17 STR=14 STA=14 DEX=14 AGL=9 EYE=13 EAR=14 VOI=12 SML=13 INT=15 WIL=12 END=13 Throwing/56, Jumping/44, Survival/75, Foraging/28 Unarmed/48, Shield/98, Sword/98 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/66 "2008-07-07T03:27:48Z")
[QUOTE=glee] What I need is a clear roleplaying base. [/QUOTE] May I suggest one? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/67 "2008-07-07T14:34:32Z")
I shall enjoy assessing Harn as the game continues. However there already seem to be more character stats to keep track of (compared to D+D). ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/68 "2008-07-07T14:41:39Z")
So what should I be doing now? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/69 "2008-07-07T14:45:57Z")
Sa-wing, batter! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/70 "2008-07-08T03:36:25Z")
[QUOTE=glee] I shall enjoy assessing Harn as the game continues. However there already seem to be more character stats to keep track of (compared to D+D). [/QUOTE] I like it for its simplicity. Maybe not as much as DnD (which I abandoned some 20 years ago, in favor of RoleMaster, which was an accountant’s nightmare.) HarnMaster is relatively simple to learn once you get the basic concepts. Players need only bring along 5 dice (3d6 and 1d00). The character sheet is a fairly easy to understand 2-sided sheet. And there are only 13 stats. Easy. What really sells me on it is not the system, though. It’s the world. It’s not wide, but it’s deep. One can read any number of possibilities into any situation as mundane as the price of a fur or the bitchiness of the yenta neighbor and turn it into an adventure that goes ten levels deep into high level politics. Not all campaigns need to be about killing monsters, collecting treasures, and gaining experience points. Indeed, I’ve played or GM’d love stories, sailing adventures, farming concerns, barn raisings, clan moots, political moots, festivals… …It opens up countless possibilities. Ever role-played the father of unruly kids who annoy the neighbors and threaten the village crops? Little Sarah Foo Foo can cause more deaths than a hungry dragon. There is no set skill for parenting… ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/71 "2008-07-08T04:04:56Z")
Just to be clear to the team, I felt it best to not spill everything to our new ‘friends’. The fact that we have no clue who we are is something I’d prefer they not find out just yet unless it becomes unavoidable. That’s why I gave a true account of what happened, while leaving that tidbit out. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/72 "2008-07-08T04:06:54Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] Just to be clear to the team, I felt it best to not spill everything to our new ‘friends’. The fact that we have no clue who we are is something I’d prefer they not find out just yet unless it becomes unavoidable. That’s why I gave a true account of what happened, while leaving that tidbit out. [/QUOTE] If I wasn’t out cold from shock I would back that play. Good call. Think they can help with the out cold bit? ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/73 "2008-07-08T04:08:04Z")
[QUOTE=NAF1138] If I wasn’t out cold from shock I would back that play. Good call. Think they can help with the out cold bit? [/QUOTE] I gather that they are currently tending to the wounded, but not letting us do anything before they decide whether or not to kill us where we stand. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/74 "2008-07-08T04:10:01Z")
Sounds good to me. I’m following your lead (even though I am out cold.) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/75 "2008-07-08T14:19:33Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I like it for its simplicity. Maybe not as much as DnD (which I abandoned some 20 years ago, in favor of RoleMaster, which was an accountant’s nightmare.) HarnMaster is relatively simple to learn once you get the basic concepts. Players need only bring along 5 dice (3d6 and 1d00). The character sheet is a fairly easy to understand 2-sided sheet. And there are only 13 stats. Easy. I think it’s great that you enjoy this system! However I have DM’d a D+D character that only needed a d6 and a d20… All my character sheets are just 2 sides, which includes a list of possessions, spells loaded and known and a precis of the current story. There are only 6 stats - even easier! > [@tdn](#): > > What really sells me on it is not the system, though. It’s the world. It’s not wide, but it’s deep. One can read any number of possibilities into any situation as mundane as the price of a fur or the bitchiness of the yenta neighbor and turn it into an adventure that goes ten levels deep into high level politics. But all this detail is system independent. The players at my School roleplaying club only see the D+D Players Handbook (and that when designing their characters). After that they use their imagiation (and I sort out the statistics). They have (for example): - set up businesses including a cheese shop, a riding school and a canoe tourist adventure holiday - funded low-cost council housing - enlisted in the local militia and drawn up laws about arresting citizens - set up trade routes (building way-stations in areas of wilderness) and made trade agreements on behalf of their country > [@tdn](#): > > Not all campaigns need to be about killing monsters, collecting treasures, and gaining experience points. Indeed, I’ve played or GM’d love stories, sailing adventures, farming concerns, barn raisings, clan moots, political moots, festivals… > > …It opens up countless possibilities. Ever role-played the father of unruly kids who annoy the neighbors and threaten the village crops? Little Sarah Foo Foo can cause more deaths than a hungry dragon. There is no set skill for parenting… My players enjoy everything from monster-bashing through crime solving to diplomatic negotiations. One of our most dramatic moments was when they captured a rich evil guy and were preparing to take him in. He offered them a massive bribe and there followed an intense discussion between a Paladin ('he must answer for his crimes!) and the Chaotic Cleric (‘we could use all this money to equip ourselves better to do good!’). The Cleric was supported by the Thief; the Paladin by the lawful MagicUser. After some excellent points by both sides, I asked the Archer (who didn’t fall into either camp) if he was bored and wanted me to move it along. “Oh no, Sir! I’m really enjoying the greedy look on the face of the Cleric” … which made everyone collapse in laughter! ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/76 "2008-07-08T14:54:25Z")
D&D’s _Birthright_ campaign setting was intriguing, and was supposed to focus on high level politics and rulership as well. It didn’t seem to be supported for very long by TSR, possibly due to their financial troubles. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/77 "2008-07-08T15:35:57Z")
I’m really not trying to prime you for telling us what to do TDN, just trying to strike a balance between making decisions and keeping in mind that our characters don’t really know anything about themselves. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/78 "2008-07-08T16:49:02Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] I’m really not trying to prime you for telling us what to do TDN, just trying to strike a balance between making decisions and keeping in mind that our characters don’t really know anything about themselves. [/QUOTE] I understand. It can’t be easy to be so in the dark about what’s going on. I’m hoping that by the end of the (real time) day, you’ll have a bit more direction on what you need to be doing. Active participation by everyone will help to make that happen. ---
**Author:** ![Dottygumdrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Dottygumdrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dottygumdrop)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/79 "2008-07-08T17:54:38Z")
Still following along intently. I am liking the story so far! ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474/80 "2008-07-08T20:29:45Z")
Ok boys, the time is going to come very quickly I would imagine that we will be asked who we are. We need to decide what we’re going to say. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/out-of-the-darkness-a-harnic-rpg-oog-and-control-thread/454474.md?page=5)