Anyone read Vornheim?

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:12 pm

From the same guy who created the Snakes are Books idea for RPGs, I've seen a few mentions of it, and generally enjoy his blog.

Has anyone actually gotten the book he wrote (Vornheim), and can they tell me about it as far as usefulness. I suspect opinions will be similar to opinions given about what the author generally posts on his blog, but I've never heard anyone mention such except for the snakes one.

angelfromanotherpin · Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:19 pm

No. I have just scanned the last few entries in his blog and discovered what he describes as a system-agnostic cunnilingus-motif dungeon. So, this day has been a net positive.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:35 pm

Thanks for reminding me about the snakes are books thing, sounds like a perfect idea to throw into a BPRD game.

Psychic Robot · Post by **Psychic Robot** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:03 am

the author of vornheim is a big cock

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:17 am

Well, he's a porn star, isn't he? I think it's safe to assume he at least has one... and that it's likely all a lot of people see him as... but PR, how would you know?

TheFlatline · Post by **TheFlatline** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:18 am

I picked it up and read through it briefly tonight. It's not bad. It's half DM wankery and half brainstorming ideas for cities. There's a definite fantasy slant to the ideas, with sprawling, ugly, retro-fitted spires and shit that reflect decades of weird architecture and shit.

It's not bad, it's a decent 9 dollar PDF download, especially for urban-centric games. It's better than most of the shit that WOTC puts out that's for sure.

Psychic Robot · Post by **Psychic Robot** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:40 am

Well, he's a porn star, isn't he?

pretty sure he's not. if he is that would explain a lot.

but PR, how would you know?

he got involved in a pissing match with some of people critiquing vornheim on the rpg.net forums. wouldn't be surprised if he showed up at our doorstep now that we're talking about his stuff.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:58 am

Zak's mini profile wrote:I'm Zak, I live in Hollywood. Most of the people I know in LA I know from work--so they're porn stars and strippers. So that's who I play D&D with.

PR wrote:he got involved in a pissing match with some of people critiquing vornheim on the rpg.net forums. wouldn't be surprised if he showed up at our doorstep now that we're talking about his stuff.

Fair enough.

I, for one, welcome our new male pornstar member.

Psychic Robot · Post by **Psychic Robot** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:04 am

ten bucks says he's the fat greasy balding guy behind the camera telling chastity that if she wants to make rent she'll do ass-to-mouth and like it

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 2:45 pm

Psychic Robot wrote:he got involved in a pissing match with some of people critiquing vornheim on the rpg.net forums. wouldn't be surprised if he showed up at our doorstep now that we're talking about his stuff.

Don't forget, rpg.net is a den of slavering 4E adherents and mouth breathers, so someone getting involved in a flamewar with them isn't really a slight against their character.

The most recent post on his blog should have a picture with him in the background, behind the naked woman. He's also in the Hit It With My Axe webshow as the DM.

Psychic Robot · Post by **Psychic Robot** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 12:45 am

Don't forget, rpg.net is a den of slavering 4E adherents and mouth breathers, so someone getting involved in a flamewar with them isn't really a slight against their character.

yeah it's pretty sad, I surf there while I work just because posting on TGD might get me in trouble. the mods recently admitted to giving at least one poster a pass on being a dick because "he's usually right." remember the shitstorm that went down when frank's skill challenges analysis was posted?

not to derail too much, but rpg.net is aggravating because there are people who DISAGREE WITH ME ON THE MOTHERFUCKING INTERNET

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 1:52 am

Psychic Robot wrote:not to derail too much, but rpg.net is aggravating because there are people who DISAGREE WITH ME ON THE MOTHERFUCKING INTERNET

Hey, the internet is serious fucking business.

Seriously though, that snake stuff sounds really interesting, I may have to pick up that book.

Psychic Robot · Post by **Psychic Robot** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 4:05 am

yeah the author does have some cool ideas unfortunately his tone is that of a juvenile delinquet

TheFlatline · Post by **TheFlatline** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:21 am

Psychic Robot wrote:yeah the author does have some cool ideas unfortunately his tone is that of a juvenile delinquet

He apparently sticks his penis into women he doesn't particularly know for a living. How mature and professional do you think someone who does that is going to be?

Caveat: I've met plenty of people in the porn business, I used to work for an IT service company who had porn studios for clients, and they're all professional on the business side of it. Never met many performers however beyond a few.

David · Post by **David** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:08 pm

Um, yeah. So Vornhiem. I've read it.

It's got a lot going for it. There are some real innovations in the layout and design that makes the whole thing more fun and a better tool.

It's less about his particular campaign city and more a collection of tools for running your own campaign city. There is info on Vornhiem but the Vorhiem that any two DMs get will be drastically different. So what you have is an organic thing that your players can play in and actually have some kind of affect on, rather than a snapshot of a city that never changes.

It's inspiring, creative and definitely worth the money for the hard cover book.

I hope that helps.

Vnonymous · Post by **Vnonymous** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:23 am

Welcome to the forums Zak S.

Zak S · Post by **Zak S** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:12 am

Vnonymous wrote:Welcome to the forums Zak S.

That's not me, this is me.

And I am watching this thread with amusement. Carry on.

Oh, and that one guy owes me ten bucks.

darkmaster · Post by **darkmaster** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:22 am

.... not sure if troll, or greatest troll.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 5:57 am

I just wanted to point this excerpt out:

Vornheim, p 59, Legal Stipulations wrote: 13: Trial by pie: The defendant and prosecutor have 24 hours to prepare as many pies (1 foot diameter) as possible. The accuser then consumes any one of his/her pies as quickly as possible. The defendant must then consume any one of his/her own pies as fast or faster. The accuser then must eat any one of the defendant’s pies as fast as that or faster, and then vice versa and then the sequence starts over until one party or the other is unable to finish a pie in time (and therefore loses) or runs out of pies (and therefore loses). The winner is entitled to any and all remaining pies.

I love this idea as a Halfling legal procedure.

virgil · Post by **virgil** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:48 pm

Now the question is when it'll get to my place. My friend ordered it back in Oct 25, and I await it still. It's a shame, for me, that Zak chose to have the publisher be in Europe.

David · Post by **David** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:21 pm

Yeah, the wait time is a bit of a downer, but I think James Raggi at LotFP is probably the best publisher for something like this. He's not afraid to push the envelope.

When I ordered it I received a PDF copy right away which made it not so bad to wait. While the book is definitely a better way to go through the material, you need to check out the maps! The dungeon maps are laid out in a cool, representational model that gives visual cues for the DM. I'm visual so it makes it easier for me to run the stuff. Especially if my party does a 180 and goes to one of these places and I haven't read up on them in a while. It's nice to be able to take in a room at a glance instead of flipping pages.

As for vnonomous's idea that I'm Zak, who the hell would use "David" as a pseudonym? Seriously? What were you thinking?

For the record, I use my real name on the internet because my ego has no room for the anonymity of an internet handle.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:22 pm

It's all part of the conspiracy of Dave anyway.

Vebyast · Post by **Vebyast** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:19 pm

David wrote:As for vnonomous's idea that I'm Zak, who the hell would use "David" as a pseudonym? Seriously? What were you thinking?

To be honest, I had exactly the same thought as V. You showed up:
[*]Without previous credentials...
[*]Using a name that couldn't possibly be cross-referenced ("David" may be a terrible pseudonym, but it's an amazing anonym)...
[*]Just to post in this thread...
[*]With hyperbolic praise about the author...
[*]Who has a demonstrated record of doing all of the above...
[*]And who may be doing it again.
So, sorry for the suspicion, but you fit almost every single one of the heuristics.

Starmaker · Post by **Starmaker** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 10:02 pm

Zak,
1. You just sold 2 books.
2. If you don't make that one dungeon available as a large format poster, whatever it might cost, I will eat your soul.

Zak S · Post by **Zak S** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 10:50 pm

It's cute that David has to prove he's not me, but this...

Vebyast wrote:
David wrote: You showed up...
[*]Using a name that couldn't possibly be cross-referenced ("David" may be a terrible pseudonym, but it's an amazing anonym)...
[*]With hyperbolic praise about the author...
[*]Who has a demonstrated record of doing all of the above...

(alleging I have done these things before)...is a personal attack. Please cut and paste a quote from me doing any of that--ever--or stop. Otherwise: start making some pies.

Oh, also, the guy who owes me ten bucks--you can just Paypal that directly to the GF at mandymorbid at gee mayle dawt calm.