Cheap Dungeon Crafting - Cardboard. And More Cowboys and Dinos

There are a lot of people out there who can do some amazing things with just cardboard, a sharpie and scissors. In my case I also added an hobby knife and pen. I may have to get some fine-tipped Sharpies.

Anyway, saw these docks someone made from cardboard, and having some cardboard from the Fantasy Trips Kickstarter available (I don't save off the shipping boxes. While I sometimes veer to being a completist, I try not to carry that to the shipping containers!), decided to give it a whirl. For 5 minutes or so of work, it was easier than the craft-stick version. And for larger scale things, it may be more than good enough!

On the left, craft sticks, the right, our cardboard dock

I've also been downloading some papercraft models. Maybe some cottages, inns and gates. Of course, putting then together will be a bit challenging so I'll start off with something fairly simple. But all this presupposes I get back to a table. Here's hoping!

I've also been doing some work on the Tumbleweeds and Dinosaur game. I'm thinking of adding 4 attributes to the dinosaurs, and at least two have direct game mechanics. I'm using the Tumbleweeds microlite 20 game as the core, and adding the dinosaurs. I still have to define how you link to the dinosaurs, and I am heavily leaning to the Dragonriders of Pern idea: You have to be there at the hatching to impress on a dino. You can only impress on one at a time, though I think a higher level of dinowrangling may allow for more. 

And I need more details on the dinowrangling: going with not everyone can do that, so it is a chosen class per the rules, just a new one. 

Dinosaurs

Dinos have 4 additional qualities:

Size: this is the dinos base size.

Small: These are smaller than your character, from mouse sized up to large dog sized.

Medium: These dinos range from 100 to 300 pounds or so. Not capable of carrying people, but they are useful for hauling goods.

Large: These are the horse sized and a but larger, 300 to 1000 pounds or so. Generally ridable and able to haul wagons.

Huge: Anything larger is huge, 1000+ pounds.

Speed: this is the dinos top speed.

Slow: A cowboy can out-walk this dinosaur.

Medium: You may have to run to keep up but a cowpoke can go as fast.

Fast: As fast as a horse at a good cantor or gallop.

Very fast: a galloping horse may be able to keep up if it was a very fast horse.

Extremely fast: You ain’t seen nothing move that quick!

Mulishness: just how stubborn is this critter.

The AC is the roll to make to get the dino to do what you want. If you are bonded to the dino, add in your dinowrangling skillx2, else just the skill.

(the x2 may be too much at higher levels: maybe dinowrangling +2?)

Very mulish: it won’t listen and does its own thing in its own time. AC 18-20

Mulish: stubborn but will do what you want it to with enough encouragement. AC 15-17

Listenin’ : the dino will do what you want, though you may get some side eye in there.AC 12-14

Puppylike: the dino tries its best to please you! AC 8-11

Empathy: how well your connection is.

The AC is the ability to be able to share your senses: if you need the dino to come to you, or you need to get to your dino. You may add your dinowrangling skill for your bonded dino.

A success allows you the basic control as below. The higher the success, the more “in-tune” you are with the dino. For those highly connected, you can often feel each other’s pains as well.

This affects how well the dino listens and will obey you, as well as how much you can share in the senses.

Low: You just can’t get through without contact, such as reigns or hand signals. AC 18-20

Medium: a hi-ho Silver, and your dino comes romping up to you within hearing distance. AC 12-17

High: you can complete each other’s thoughts it seems at times. AC 6-11

Dinowrangling and your dinosaur

The dinowrangling skill is affected by the mulishness and empathy of the dinosaur.