TL;DR Cairn PCs are conceptualized around humans. What are some approaches to playing the various Kindreds in Dolmenwood?
My group has just finished their first RPG adventure in the Crystal Frontier which was a ton of fun and they learned not to mess with @GusL. They also chose OSE because they wanted that d20, 6 stat, roll-to-hit experience. I think we got it. Now we are in the mood for something a bit closer to fantastical fantasy. We went with Dolemenwood (Valley of Flowers was 2nd choice).
I’m going to start them off with Winter’s Daughter and propose we play it using Cairn. Then we can choose a system moving forward. I’d of course use the conversion at CairnRPG. Their starting PCs will be brought over from the last game, and as they die they’ll have the option to playing any kindreds encountered.
Any thoughts on doing this? What are some ways to handle the kindreds of Dolmenwood?
I would lean toward handling the Glamours with Recharge Conditions (perhaps selecting a suitable one from my Potential Spell Recharge Conditions Table.) One fun way we handled it was the Character’s Appearance changing a bit once their Glamour had been exhausted.
Here are a few ideas from the above:
Awe - Bend or mar a Weapon used in battle to defeat a foe and cast it into a new body of Water.
Fairy Dust - Drop a Coin into the center of a Body of Water from a Boat, wait three days, then retrieve it.
Seeming - Bathe in a new Body of Water or wear Clothing that belongs to another for a Week.
Beguilement - Perform 3 favors for 3 friends unbidden, or burn and inhale the smoke from one of the following: Harpy Feather, Dryad Lock, or Lamia Fur.
Flame Charm - You must be alone during the span of a night: No other soul within at least an Acre. Count the Blinks of Fireflies or Shooting Stars.
Silver Tongue - Carry a coin in your mouth for three days, then give it to someone who you do not share a language with.
Breath of the Wind - Open no Doors for a Week, and cross thresholds only whilst bearing Fire or something Frozen.
Fool’s Gold - Place a coin in the nest of a Magpie and then overpay by at least half as much for an Item.
Subtle Sight - Sleep not for at least three nights in a row in the company of at no more than ten, and no less than eight cats.
Cloak of Darkness - With eyes closed for the duration: husk Peas harvested in the Dew of the Morning or take a Sauna in Steam.
Forgetting - Gather Rosemary, Forget-Me-Nots blossoms, or Walnuts: enough to fill both palms full. Dry these and consume only a tea brewed from them for a day and night.
Through the Keyhole - Remain within a Sealed Room for two days and nights, sleeping on a bed of Keys.
Conjure Treats - Catch four different Fish/Animals using the same bait. Release each.
Masquerade - Answer only to a Name that is not your own for a Week, and introduce yourself by this Name to anyone new you meet for the duration.
Vanishing - Avoid your Reflection or any Visual Depictions of yourself for a Week.
Dancing Flame - Mold a Candle from spent Wax beneath Starlight.
Mirth and Malice - Four Loon Feathers or a fistful of Bear Fur must be tossed upon a Raging Bonfire that must consume a pile of wood taller than you.
Walk in Shadows - Spend a Day and Night without Seeing or within Total Darkness.
Disguise Object - Utter no Lies for the span of a Week.
Moon Sight - Stir at least four drops of blood from four willing creatures into a glass of wine with an Owl Feather. This must be the only thing you consume for a day and night
There’s an interesting friction between Dolmenwood’s kindreds and Cairn’s backgrounds that I keep rolling over and playing with in my brain.
Translating Dolemenwood’s structured character presentation to Carin’s character history-building is fascinating. Carin explains character roles and how they relate to the world whereas Dolmenwood explains what kindreds and why they exist.
There’s a friction between the two I need to get into. I think it’s the essential piece, for me, to really “get” Cairn. Till now, I’ve appreciated Cairn for its simplicity and mechanical synergy. The emphasis on ingenuity, for example, is reinforced by the mechanics of only taking the highest result from multiple attackers. Now the backgrounds are beginning to pop out at me, Cairn’s narrative focus is reinforced by mechanically building character history.
Concretely, Dolmenwood’s Enchanters are reminiscent of Cairn’s Half Witch, in that their power is born out of the uncomfortable relationship between fey and mortal realms. This contrasts brilliantly with Cairn’s Hexbane and Dolmenwood’s Cleric whose disciplined approach gives their mission clarity.
I keep picking at these kinds of relationships. Honestly I need more time playing both Cairn and Dolmenwood to really get into it. Here’s some that
Glamour Touched: You travelled into Fairy, now magic feels like memories. What memory came with you? Take a Faerie Veil. Placing it on something (even partially) to use Disguise Object.
Whisperpaws: What did you steal from the Cold Prince? Still working on this one.
