Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 hippodm Dec 01, 2010 16:33:09	I have started a Christmas game for my regular group. last year I built a gingerbread bridge and everyone played elves and defended it until Santa could take off.  This year I am thinking about doing the Nutcracker, all my players will be warforged only 3 inches high, and they will be fighting an army of rats.  The action will literally take place on my dinning room table around a Christmas tablescape. What I was looking for is some help on setting the boundaries of the game. Should I try and tailor it more to fit the nutcracker story, or just use it for a theme? Any ideas on endgame, or special surprises? Just thought I would see what bright ideas you all might have.
#2 archaeologist Dec 01, 2010 19:40:39	Depends.  Do you want it to be D&D set to the Nutcracker?  Or do you want it to be a story of a Mid-Winter's feast as enchanted guardians defend the home from an invasion of rats keen on devouring their food and stealing their things?
#3 hippodm Dec 01, 2010 22:42:08	I think it will be more like D&D set to the nutcracker.
#4 ordrus Dec 03, 2010 1:57:47	I had an idea of doing a Futurama Christmas adventure. The idea was that a Warforged is somehow confused into thinking he was the spirit of a winter holiday that has discovered that no one celebrates his holiday because they are all wicked. So he goes around a particular town trying to kill anyone he finds. Of course the party stumbles upon this town and realizes what's going on and take it upon themselves to shut the evil Santa bot down.
#5 Drecon84 Dec 03, 2010 7:30:50	Ah, themed D&D adventures. Awesome. I once went to work on a simpsons adventure (all the simpsons as PC's,  the story was after a nuclear disaster and featured some simpsons regulars and a spectacular boss fight with a solo Mr Burns-mutant character) Too bad I never got to run it, the idea was brilliant. For your game I'd go all-out on the theme. It's the most fun when all the elements from the original are in there. Try to create the right atmosphere, the right villains and the right heroes. Is one of the characters the nutcracker character from the story? Does he get the girl? Is the nutcracker himself another character that the PC's need to help? Make sure the nutcracker himself is a character and a hero.
#6 pruano Dec 03, 2010 8:44:38	Ah, themed D&D adventures. Awesome. I once went to work on a simpsons adventure (all the simpsons as PC's,  the story was after a nuclear disaster and featured some simpsons regulars and a spectacular boss fight with a solo Mr Burns-mutant character) Too bad I never got to run it, the idea was brilliant. Probably would work wonders with the new Gamma World and its zanny ambiance.
#7 mathius78 Dec 03, 2010 23:55:57	You could try and write and encounter for each act in the play and have them play a differnt charaters in each that are tring to help the nutcracker and the girl do what then need to do.  As for the rats I would reskin a brute into that role since skimisher is not quite right any more when you are 3 inches tall.  Bears could work.  You should also try and do something with the dances of the world, i think maybe this would be a skill challenge. Mathius
#8 hippodm Dec 06, 2010 4:20:04	Alright, so in the nutcracker, the rats invade to steal all the Christmas candy, food, and dolls. The nutcracker leads an army of gingerbread men against them but the rats just eat the gingerbread men. Then the tin soldiers come out to fight the rats and the dolls come out to be nurses for the gingerbread soldiers. So I’m thinking that the game starts and the dinning room table is set for a Christmas party; cake, cookies, stuff like that. All around are wounded gingerbread soldiers being eaten by rats, and the nutcracker is dueling with the rat king. That’s when the tin soldiers arrive. Goals Clear the table of the rat army, only then will the nutcracker be able to kill the Rat king. Protect the dolls as they tend to and evacuate the wounded gingerbread men. At some point the Rat king will disarm the Nutcracker and the tin soldiers will need to retrieve his sword. Bonus Goal There will be elements from the rest of the story hidden on the table among the battlefield. Sugar Plum Fairies and the like can be rescued for … something special at the end. Haven’t decided that yet. After the end of the game, we eat all the food on the table. What do you guys think?
#9 hippodm Dec 06, 2010 4:22:13	By the way I should point out that I am a pastry chef so the Table scape and the food on it will be awesome. and the gingerbread men will be real.
#10 Drecon84 Dec 06, 2010 4:50:34	Sounds awesome. I must say I especially like the aftermath ;). Good luck on the sugar plum fairies (and such). I don't know enough about the nutcracker story to help you there but it sounds like you've got most of this under control
#11 pruano Dec 06, 2010 12:12:09	What do you guys think? Awsome. Plz take pictures of the setup and developments and share; a description of the events as well
#12 hippodm Dec 13, 2010 21:47:33	looking for some good Tin Soldier minis to use, anyone have a suggestion? having a hard time finding some.
#13 islandowner Dec 14, 2010 3:53:33	maybe you could use tin soldiers?
#14 hippodm Dec 14, 2010 23:40:24	All the Tin Soldiers I find are like $90 collectibles. no one makes cheep ones anymore.