Sample Handout

[tesral]

This is something that will be handed to the players as an internal page from a newspaper. yes the second page is not complete, only the first page is to be printed. While it is topical and not universally usable it does demonstrate using your computer to produce in game handouts.

http://phoenixinn.iwarp.com/fantasy/.../newspaper.pdf

[Skunkape]

Nice idea. I patterned the website for my weird west campaign after a newspaper style. So each session blog that I manage to write up and post appears as an article. So far I don't have any advertising on them, but the front page of the site does have some ads on it.

[tesral]

Updated. My innate desire to create got the better of me and I did an entire broadsheet newspaper. "The Pilot" for Air the Third Month, fifteenth day 2259. Noon Edition.

"A sample broadsheet newspaper from the City of Seahaven. Obviously not universally useful, but it might be interesting as an example of a player handout. Yes there is information that is of some importance to the Player Characters, but certainly not all of it. Most of the ads and about two thirds of the text are drawn from historical Victorian sources dates 1860 to 1880. I printed several copies. I was gratified by the way my players passed the papers back and forth digging into the contents. The file is an 11"x17" broadsheet in PDF format."

[cplmac]

In addition to printing things out on the computer, I have used anything that is just laying around collecting dust. One item was a very small cardboard box that I sat in the middle of the gaming table. The party quickly caught on that the string that held it shut meant that it was a locked chest. Inside I put pieces of paper that had a vague description of the various items that were inside. They took everything with them. Eventually, when the NPC fighter got killed in a fight with a Clay Golem (after "dancing" around instead of trying to evade being attacked), they decided to have the 9th level mage use his identify spell to see just exactly what those boots were. Amazing what a pair of Boots of Dancing can do.

Another handout that I like to use is a small plastic tube. The players know that when I hand this over with a piece of paper rolled up inside it, that there is usually some type of scroll being found. Trick is that now they have to figure out what type (magic user or cleric) and what spells are on it.

I am also know to actually draw the party's map on paper, in color if appropriate, and give to them. They have learned to look at both sides of the paper.

[tesral]

I make stuff all the time. Paper handouts are common. Maps, letters, anything like that I can put a little realism behind I do. I used lego once to build a puzzle. The card box is another commonly handled tool. There is something in the box/paper wrap. Be careful how you open it.

[cplmac]

Yes, definately need to becareful on how you approach and open those boxes. After the party was used to finding "treasure chests", they got a nice surprise that was bigger than just finding an empty chest. One of these turned out to be a mimic. It took them quite awhile to defeat it. They managed to do so just before the dwarf fighter would have lost part of an arm.

That lego puzzle would have been interesting to see.

[tesral]

Alas it went back in the box with the rest of the Lego.

The last mimic I used was a couch.

[cplmac]

Hmmm, a mimic as a couch. Now that gives me a good idea for in the common area of an Inn or Tavern. Thanks Tesral, I am going to borrow that idea from you.

[outrider]

I used to do scrolls I bought parchment paper and sealing wax. It was always scary for the players as there were a significant amount of cursed scrolls in the game. I also used treasure cards. Back in the eighties, there were folks who did drawings on 3x5 cards and sold them cheaply. I colored them in and wrote the information on the back.

[tesral]

It never says they have to be a chest. Second thing, it was in a furniture warehouse, so it didn't look unusual at all. Always place mimics so they look as to fit in. A lone chest in the middle of no where makes no sense. In a pile of boulders they will look like a boulder. In a Louis XIV sitting room they look like a Louis XIV chair (and are really disturbed by it).

[HaeshkaManju]

Wow -- I truly love your "news paper article". *idea snagged*. I have never been truly sure how to use handouts.

[Soft Serve]

Alas it went back in the box with the rest of the Lego.

The last mimic I used was a couch.

Mannequin mimic in a department store in a modern game. They would follow the players through the store until investigated. Then they would attack of course... My favorite.

Used a lighter to burn away paper edges for an old feel on my character sheet once. Might do it for the next map the players find.

[tesral]

Soak the paper in tea. Use a shallow pan and let the tea pool in various places. That gives a great old feel. The paper stiffens and is stained.

[Soft Serve]

Soak the paper in tea. Use a shallow pan and let the tea pool in various places. That gives a great old feel. The paper stiffens and is stained.

Never heard that one. I'll be trying it soonish. (thursday if gaming goes right...)

[Stormbow]

First off- Excellent looking .pdf!

Secondly, what font did you use for that? I could definitely use something like! *idea snagged also*