Midweek Character - Captain Mainwaring

So I thought I would start up my Midweek Character posts again.
Here is another great player character, this one is from the greatest TV sitcom of all time, Dad's Army.
The few games I have run have been very intense role playing experiences though very funny at the same time.



Captain George Mainwaring.
"Just testing you, Wilson."
"There's no chip on my shoulder. I'll tell you what there is though, three pips and don't you forget it."
George Mainwaring is Captain of the Walmington-on-Sea platoon as well as manager of Shallows Bank, Rotarian, and pillar of the community.
Considered pompous and overbearing by many, even referred to as ‘Napoleon’, he is a stickler for protocol. He wants things done his way but gets irritated with any hold-ups to his plans.
His wife Elizabeth constantly plagues him on the phone, he fears her more than the imminent Nazi invasion, though he will not let his men know that!
It is a bone of contention that Sergeant Wilson had the benefit of a private education though it is often Pike that gets his umbrage, "Stupid Boy!"
107 words

Goals
Keep men in-line and disciplined.
Win one over on Wilson
Earn the respect of the men
Maintain dignity in all situations
Impress the Top Brass with the Platoon

KeyWords
Captain 15M
Bank Manager 10M

Abilities
Bone of Contention 17
Constant Phone Calls 13
Cover Up Mistakes 13
Detests being Referred to as ‘Napoleon’ 15
Do It My Way 1M
Easily Irritated 17
Fears Elizabeth’s Scolding 5M
Fears Imminent Nazi Invasion 10M
Feels Under-Privileged 17
Hates Hold Ups & Delays 14
Hides Fear from Men 16
Jealous of Wilson 1M
Likes to Plan 17
Natural Leader of Men 19
Over Bearing 17
Pillar of the Community 19
Plagued by Elizabeth 5M
Pompous 5M
Rotarian 13
Stickler for Protocol 3M
Unleash Umbridge 15
"Stupid Boy!" 10M

My Games at Tentacles Déjà Vu.

Here are my games that I’ll be running at Tentacles Déjà Vu, Catle Stahleck, Germany on Friday 9th - Monday 12th May 2008.

A centrepiece part of the convention in the form of a multi-player Freeform game as well as three different HeroQuest games – one Gloranthan, one a Firefly plus Alien: Resurrection hybrid and one based on the Sit-Com Dad’s Army.

Gloranthan Freeform

This game draws upon one of the oldest stories of the Holy Country and an on going theme of Gloranthan mythos , the Tournamet of Luck and Death. Even before the game RuneQuest, there has always been the Masters of Luck and Death, mooted as a boardgame, It has also been the title of TWO Gloranthan supplements and the official name for the HeroQuest demonstration team.

Now it is back, using Greg Stafford’s original notes as reference as well as a strong hint of <<cough!>> X Factor.

I am really looking forward to running this with Simon and Colin though this is only the second time I have ran a freeform game. Freeforms seem to run very well in Germany. It most be the fact we actually play inside A CASTLE!

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'The Masters of Luck and Death'

by Simon Bray, Colin Driver and Darran Sims

A Gloranthan Freeform Game.

The God-King is dying, his corporeal body falls into decay, but do not fear - instead rejoice!

From across the Holy Country come the greatest heroes of the land, fiery warriors from Caladraland, wise earth-women of Esrolia, stormy and passionate Heortlings, sea-blessed islanders of Pelaskos, the soulless sorcerers of God Forgot and the dark and brooding trolls of the Shadow Plateau. Each comes to take part in the greatest challenge in all Glorantha, a series of contests, trials and quests that stretch across this blessed land. They shall be watched by the God-King's fearsome judges and tested by their gods, friends and enemies alike. The victor will receive ascension to the hero plane - they will be worshipped and loved, whilst their useless flesh shall give the glorious God-King new life. So come one, come all to the Masters of Luck and Death!

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[HeroQuest] Serenity / Firefly

These are games based on the series FireFly and the film Serenity by Buffy's Joss Whedon. The player characters will be the crew of The Betty from Alien: Resurrection; Joss Whedon's first stab at a misfit crew of smugglers onboard an old, broken-down ship.

The first game, 'Echoes in the Black', has been run twenty times now at various conventions and has always been over-subscribed.

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'Echoes in the Black' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.

Serenity: HeroQuest adventure for 6 players.

Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

"Ta Ma Duh! Why can't we stick to the gorram plan!

I wanted simple, in and out and everything shiny.

The job was good, the idents were perfect and the feds were away from the Skyplex.

Then everything has gone south.

Something has been following The Betty.

They are keeping their distance, so they aint purple bellies and everytime time we avert course they disappear like echoes in the black. The question is who are they, what do they want and why are they messing up my gorram job?"

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'[HeroQuest] Dad’s Army.'

This is a new game based on a very popular TV series in the UK. A role-play heavy game though very much a 'beer & pretzel' game played for some laughs. The session will involve recreating an actual episode of Britain’s best ever Sit-Com.

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'We are the Boys...' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.

HeroQuest adventure for 6 players.

Newcomers very welcome. [im-]Maturity preferred.

“Excuse me, er, attention men. If you kindly all fall in, that would be rather nice. Thank you.”

“Right men, GHQ has organised a series of military exercises, under the watchful eyes of Colonel Pritchard, to test the Walmington-on-Sea platoon’s ‘fighting fitness’ and to see if we can use diverse tactics and strategies in the field.

“Well, that is a given of course with my experience, but there is a little nuisance in that we are paired off against the Eastgate platoon. We must deal with their Colonel Blimp mentality...”

“His name is Captain Square, a Rotarian you know?”

“Thank you Wilson!

“Well men, I think that you will not let me down? Corporal Jones get the platoon to fall out. Wilson, WILSON come with me!”

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[HeroQuest] Glorantha

The return of some of my Gloranthan games to the convention scene.

Lots of Orlanthi themes to run with as there are raids, counter raids, clan moots and clan rituals to contend with. Though ‘Raid upon Hellbreak’ has some strong martial elements there is plenty of mystery and dilemma to this story as well.

This episode is an old favourite of mine due to the fact that most players panic near the end of the dilemma and do not know what to do.

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'Raid upon Hellbreak' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.

HeroQuest adventure for up to 7 players.

Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

Having been constantly attacked and raided by the Hruling clan the Elders of the White Ram clan now seek vengeance and gather their warriors to launch a counter-raid. The sacred village of 'Hellbreak' is the chosen target and the brave band of raiders set off to deliver retribution, however things do not go as planned.

They have to deal with roving guards, an Iphara mist and the enigmatic Lord in the Tower before even getting to the village.

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My games at Conception 2008.

0 Conception 2008. Naish Holiday Village, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, UK.
Wednesday 30th January - Sunday 3rd February 2008.
http://www.conceptionuk.org/

These are my games that I am running at Conception 2008.

HeroQuest:Heroes
Using some of the cast of the TV show Heroes as player characters set right after where season 1 ends this game debuts at Conception 2008. This setting was voted the winner in a poll here, beating Ultraviolet [the Channel 4 TV Series], The Shield [The channel 5 TV series], Battlestar Galactica [the new TV series], More and newer episodes of Sereinty/Firefly, and some old fashioned Glorantha gaming.




Slot 3 - Thursday 10:00 - 14:00
'Double Ascension' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
A Heroes HeroQuest adventure for 5 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

With Nathan’s self sacrifice to save the city, Peter gone for good and Matt taken to hospital in an ambulance; the survivors look to one another amongst the aftermath of Kirby Plaza. With the remnants of the nuclear explosion drifting down on New York City, in the sudden dark after the brightness of day, there hangs a question.
A blood trail leads to an open manhole cover and the body of the boogeyman is missing.
All that is left in the wake are a few scribbled sketches of what has past, what is and what is yet to come.
So why does everybody feel that they are being watched?

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Serenity/FireFly: HeroQuest
These are games based on the series FireFly and the film Serenity by Buffy's Joss Whedon. The player characters will be the crew of The Betty from Alien: Resurrection; Joss Whedon's first stab at a misfit crew of smugglers onboard an old, broken-down ship.



The first game, 'Echoes in the Black', has been run twenty times now at various conventions and has always been over-subscribed.

The sequel, 'The Quick and the Dead', has only been run seven times and has now been extended with extra dilemmas.

The second sequel [or is that threequel?] debuted at Conception 2007 and has only been ran once more at Dragonmeet 2007. I am running it again especially for Conception 2008. 'Dead Reckoning' is the third in the series of Serenity:HeroQuest games and is completely brand new [though certain parts of the plot my be similar to the other games!]. It still uses the crew of The Betty but puts them in more perilous and immoral situations. Included with more silly props!

Debuted at Furnace 2007 and only ran once so is completely new is the fourth in the series called 'No Power in the 'verse'. This is payback time and the Alliance and Blue Sun will suffer when the crew of The Betty discover the darkest secret yet and will try to bring an end to their evil plots.

Due to the popular demand of these games a seventh player character has been added to all games. The games can be played in order to experience the full epic narrative arc but each game is also complete in itself and can be played as a one-off.

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Slot 6 - Friday 10:00 - 14:00
'Dead Reckoning' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
Serenity: HeroQuest adventure for 7 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

"Feh Feh Pi Goh! This job should have been shiny!
Here we are floating in the black about to make a move on the 'verse's easiest mark, a Research & Rescue vessel doing 'science' well away from civilisation. The Guay Tuh Guay Nown patron said it would be like taking candy from a baby. "Just don't use sensors as you approach," he said, "use dead reckoning to get in close."
Not only have we just seen what they are actually doing the 'science' on but we have just learnt who the Lao Buhn is who is bankrolling this caper.
A certain Crime Lord with his own Skyplex and a very nasty rep.
Dead Reckoning indeed!"

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Slot 12 - Sunday 10:00 - 14:00
'No Power in the 'verse' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
Serenity: HeroQuest adventure for 7 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

"Well, they have hurt me jobs, hurt my pay, hurt my ship, hurt my crew and now they are hurting my head.
Well I say 'no more!'
I ain't sitting back on this one, no sir. I am goin' to take it to them. Hurt them hard. See how they like that! I coming at them straight and true.
No power in the 'verse can stop me!"

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'We are the Boys...'
This is a new game based on a very popular TV series in the UK. This will not only stretch my scenario writing ability and my GM style but the HeroQuest games mechanic as well. Very much a 'beer & pretzel' game played for some laughs. I hope that it goes well.



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Slot 9 - Saturday 10:00 - 14:00
'We are the Boys...' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
HeroQuest adventure for 6 players.
Newcomers very welcome. [im-]Maturity preferred.

It is the dark summer of 1940 and the storm clouds of war still hang over Europe. Nazi Germany is poised to do Hitler's bidding and invade this green and pleasant land. The Local Defence Volunteers will be the last bastion of England when the invasion comes; if they fail then the country will be under the Nazi jackboot and all freedom lost.
And where will the Nazi vanguard attack?
Walmington-on-Sea!

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Darran's Games at Dragonmeet 2007.

0 Dragonmeet 2007. Kensington Town Hall, London, UK.
Saturday 1st December 2007.
http://dragonmeet.co.uk/

These are my games that I am running at Dragonmeet 2007.

Serenity/FireFly: HeroQuest
These are games based on the series FireFly and the film Serenity by
Buffy's Joss Whedon. The player characters will be the crew of The
Betty from Alien: Resurrection; Joss Whedon's first stab at a misfit
crew of smugglers onboard an old, broken-down ship.



The first game, 'Echoes in the Black', has been run twenty times now
at various conventions and has always been over-subscribed.

The sequel, 'The Quick and the Dead', has only been run six times and
has now been extended with extra dilemmas.

The second sequel [or is that threequel?] debuted at Conception 2007
and has only been ran once. I am running it again especially for
Dragonmeet 2007. 'Dead Reckoning' is the third in the series of
Serenity:HeroQuest games and is completely brand new [though certain
parts of the plot my be similar to the other games!]. It still uses
the crew of The Betty but puts them in more perilous and immoral
situations. Included with more silly props!

Due to the popular demand of these games a seventh player character
has been added to all games. The games can be played in order to
experience the full epic narrative arc but each game is also complete
in itself and can be played as a one-off.

+

Saturday 10:00 - 14:00
'Dead Reckoning' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
Serenity: HeroQuest adventure for 7 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

"Feh Feh Pi Goh! This job should have been shiny!
Here we are floating in the black about to make a move on the 'verse's
easiest mark, a Research & Rescue vessel doing 'science' well away
from civilisation. The Guay Tuh Guay Nown patron said it would be like
taking candy from a baby. "Just don't use sensors as you approach," he
said, "use dead reckoning to get in close."
Not only have we just seen what they are actually doing the 'science'
on but we have just learnt who the Lao Buhn is who is bankrolling this
caper.
A certain Crime Lord with his own Skyplex and a very nasty rep.
Dead Reckoning indeed!"

+

'We are the Boys?'
This is a new game based on a very popular TV series in the UK. This
will not only stretch my scenario writing ability and my GM style but
the HeroQuest games mechanic as well. Very much a 'beer & pretzel'
game played for some laughs. I hope that it goes well.



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Saturday 14:00 - 17:00
'We are the Boys?' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
HeroQuest adventure for 6 players.
Newcomers very welcome. [im-]Maturity preferred.

It is the dark summer of 1940 and the storm clouds of war still hang
over Europe. Nazi Germany is poised to do Hitler's bidding and invade
this green and pleasant land. The Local Defence Volunteers will be the
last bastion of England when the invasion comes; if they fail then the
country will be under the Nazi jackboot and all freedom lost.
And where will the Nazi vanguard attack?
Walmington-on-Sea!

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Player Characters for my 'We are the Boys...' Game

I have now finished writing up my 100 words for the player characters of my new HeroQuest game. I am quite pleased with them as it has taken me a while to capture their characters. I will be using the 100 words to get most of their abilities as I will just use the keywords of rank as a broad ability rather than break them down into lots of related abilities.


'We are the Boys…' by Darran Sims narrated by Darran Sims.
HeroQuest adventure for 6 players.
Newcomers very welcome. Maturity preferred.

It is the dark summer of 1940 and the storm clouds of war still hang over Europe. Nazi Germany is poised to do Hitler's bidding and invade this green and pleasant land. The Local Defence Volunteers will be the last bastion of England when the invasion comes; if they fail then the country will be under the Nazi jackboot and all freedom lost.
And where will the Nazi vanguard attack?
Walmington-on-Sea!




Captain George Mainwaring.
George Mainwaring is Captain of the Walmington-on-Sea platoon as well as manager of Shallows bank, Rotarian, and pillar of the community.
Considered pompous and overbearing by many, even referred to as ‘Napoleon’, he is a stickler for protocol. He wants things done his way but gets irritated with any hold-ups to his plans.
His wife Elizabeth constantly plagues him on the phone, he fears her more than the imminent Nazi invasion, though he will not let his men know that!
It is a bone of contention that Sergeant Wilson had the benefit of a private education though it is often Pike that gets his umbrage, "Stupid Boy!"
107 words.



Sergeant Arthur Wilson.
A diffident, upper-class bank clerk who quietly questions Mainwaring's judgement "Do you think that's wise?" Wilson is nonetheless Mainwaring’s subordinate in the bank and on parade; his suave, understated social superiority, public school education and handsome looks lead to jealousy on Mainwaring’s part.
His effect on women is magnetic; he treats them with utmost courtesy and gives them his full attention. Wilson's approach to discipline is much the same. He offers his men to "kindly fall in", and when they do it is "thank you so much."
‘Uncle Arthur’ is beleaguered by Mavis Pike due to the perceived rough treatment of her son, Frank Pike by Mainwaring.
107 words.



Lance Corporal Jack Jones.
A veteran soldier, with many years service (and medals) to his name, Jack Jones is loaded with ‘long’ stories of adventure and heroism. He served with General Gordon and Lord Kitchener becoming very fond of the cold steel bayonet; "they don't like it up 'em".
Jones runs the local butchers shop and he converted his butchers van as troop transport though as the Captain says "his experience will stand us in good steak er... stead".
Loyal to the Captain he will volunteer for every mission. When things go wrong he gets in a flap "Don’t Panic Mr Mainwaring!"
His ambition in life? - to marry Mrs Fox.
107 words.



Private James Frazer.
Every town has a purveyor of calamity and gloom. Everything, according to him, will turn into a disaster "We’re doomed!" As the local undertaker he sees the world through different eyes.
He spent his youth on the wild Isle of Barra off the coast of Scotland. It was a hard life. He served in the Royal Navy, reaching the position of Chief Petty Officer. He often criticises Captain Mainwaring’s plans and chuffs at the bit when Jones does well.
James Frazer has a wealth of stories to tell of exotic lands with strange and supernatural happenings. The whole platoon listens in awe when Frazer spins his yarn...
107 words.



Private Joe Walker.
If you need anything from whiskey to knicker elastic, watches or even black-market weapons, Joe Walker will get them for you. "Mind you, as its war-time it will cost you, 'cos you can't get 'em". Joe is a typical cockney spiv, making his way through life ducking and diving, trying to avoid the law.
Luckily for him, he is allergic to corned beef, which invalided him out of the army.
Walker rarely deals with money, relying on the bartering system to do business, and occasionally doing a little work for ‘charity’.
One of the cleverest in the platoon, others turn to him for inspiration in tricky situations.
107 words.



Private Frank Pike.
Private Frank Pike works in the daytime as a clerk at the bank. By far the youngest member of the platoon at 17, Frank was too young to enlist in the services, but jumped at the change of belonging to the Home Guard, much to his mother's displeasure that spread to Arthur Wilson, or Uncle Arthur, as Frank would usually address him.
He is very proud of the fact that he carries the Tommy gun. He takes it with him everywhere.
Frank Pike usually ends up volunteered in the platoon’s escapades because he is the youngest, despite his protests about suffering from vertigo, croup or hay fever.
107 words.



So what do you think?