The Savour of Madness

[Steerpike]

I haven't been in the habit of cross-posting between here and my blog, but I thought I'd make a small announcement - I recently finished posting a small adventure, The Savour of Madness.  It's a Gothic horror adventure nominally set in Ravenloft, but it could be adapted to other settings.  It involves the following, amongst other things: Intellect Devourers, biomancy, symbionts, eldritch experimentation, degenerate cannibals, a roomful of embalmed corpses, creepy children, quasi-historical psychiatry.

You can read it here in case it's of interest.

[Xathan]

I love this adventure. A couple quick comments and question just from the intro:

Ravenloft sessions are ideally played in the evening, preferably by candlelight.  If you're playing a regular campaign in which your players are whisked off to Ravenloft, I suggest making a "transition" from the regular game: at first, make them think an ordinary session is occurring, and then, as the Mists roll in, turn out the lights and light candles.

This is awesome, have you done it? how did the players respond?

When players discover documents, make sure you have handouts prepared (preferably aged and crinkled).  Hand them the documents and have them read them aloud, squinting in the candlelight to discern the writing.

Do you know of a good method for making them look aged and wrinkled and not looking stupid or destroying the writing? Also, of any good fonts to print it out with for those DMs with really, really bad handwriting (like me)?

[LD]

>>Do you know of a good method for making them look aged and wrinkled and not looking stupid or destroying the writing? Also, of any good fonts to print it out with for those DMs with really, really bad handwriting (like me)?

It's been a while since I've done that... but If I recall properly, first write on, then crumple the paper and hold it over a flame, but not too close, just close enough to singe it.
Another way involves tea... Crumple up the paper, submerse it in tea water... there may have been an oven involved somewhere... but I think the tea water is enough.

[Steerpike]

Xathan: yeah, I do that every time we've been to Ravenloft (twice so far, each October).  I managed to surprise my players both times.  Other than one player who got slightly nervous around flames from the candles everyone seemed to enjoy it a lot.  One player even got into things and got a red filter for a light in the room so that we could play in a kind of crimson gloom punctuated by the candles.  I find the handouts work especially well by candle-light.

Do you know of a good method for making them look aged and wrinkled and not looking stupid or destroying the writing? Also, of any good fonts to print it out with for those DMs with really, really bad handwriting (like me)?

I do have a good tip, albeit a semi-expensive one: get a (cheap) laser printer.  Not only is this useful when tea-staining pages (because the letters won't run), it'll save tons of money in the long run if you do even a modicum of document-printing.

Generally I tea-stain (with cheap black tea) rather than playing with flames since I always end up lighting the paper on fire.  I do a little crumpling and creasing but I find less is more in that regard.  Generally I tea-stain and then let the documents sit, or break out the hair-dryer if time is an issue.

My favorite font for hand-written notes is Mistral.

[Xathan]

Xathan: yeah, I do that every time we've been to Ravenloft (twice so far, each October).  I managed to surprise my players both times.  Other than one player who got slightly nervous around flames from the candles everyone seemed to enjoy it a lot.  One player even got into things and got a red filter for a light in the room so that we could play in a kind of crimson gloom punctuated by the candles.  I find the handouts work especially well by candle-light.

I've got to try that at some point. Perhaps by running this very adventure!

I do have a good tip, albeit a semi-expensive one: get a (cheap) laser printer.  Not only is this useful when tea-staining pages (because the letters won't run), it'll save tons of money in the long run if you do even a modicum of document-printing.

Generally I tea-stain (with cheap black tea) rather than playing with flames since I always end up lighting the paper on fire.  I do a little crumpling and creasing but I find less is more in that regard.  Generally I tea-stain and then let the documents sit, or break out the hair-dryer if time is an issue.

I don't do much document printing...but that's partially because of costs associated. I might need to look into this. How do you tea-stain without the paper falling apart? I've tried the flame method and burning paper has happened too many times, and I've tried dipping it in tea and got soggy paper clumps. -_-

My favorite font for hand-written notes is Mistral.

Oh god I'm in love with this font now.

[Steerpike]

For tea-staining, I steep a pot of tea with about 4-5 tea-bags depending on the number of pages being stained.  Then I removed the tea-bags and use them to dab the paper, rather than pouring tea directly onto the pages.  I also sometimes use a few acryllics to add bloodstains.  I lay the documents down on paper towels to help absorb excess liquid.  If you're going to add rips, add them before staining rather than after.

Man I'm such a nerd...

[Xathan]

For tea-staining, I steep a pot of tea with about 4-5 tea-bags depending on the number of pages being stained.  Then I removed the tea-bags and use them to dab the paper, rather than pouring tea directly onto the pages.  I also sometimes use a few acryllics to add bloodstains.  I lay the documents down on paper towels to help absorb excess liquid.  If you're going to add rips, add them before staining rather than after.

Man I'm such a nerd...

The best kind of nerd. That's a great tip, thanks a ton! :)