Greets,

So, I've tossed up a simple, fun Christmas RPG -- I knew I needed to write one some day. The title is Santa's Little Helpers, and it is based around the concept of Santa Claus being a wealthy, eccentric philanthropist. How would he keep up with growing demand for cool toys and the number of children he needs to hit on Christmas morn? Enter the elves, bad ass superspy heroes trained to be Santa's helpers, delivering gifts and protecting them from the Forces of Evil. Enter Evil Santa Claus, a clone gone bad, who wants to end Christmas forever with his traitorous elves and misshapen robots. Fun for the whole family!

Anyway, it's free and fun to read:
http://www.mysticages.com/santa

Discussion for this sort of RPG isn't always deep and meaninful -- however, I am interested in feedback in regards to the "health system". Right now, when an elf takes damage, the player takes a bite of a cookie. Once all cookies are gone, the elf superspy has bit the dust. A few comments from players have already said that such mechanics are okay, but they don't really work as intended. What happens if the players take small bites to "cheat"? What happens if the cookies are small? Yes, I know these are quite pathetic little questions -- but has anyone had experience with damage/mechanic systems using edible products? What are the pros and cons? Did it work, did it not?

And let me know if you have any thoughts regarding this quick one shot style game.

Thanks all.. and have a merry Christmas,
Nathan

Fun idea!

Re: Evil Santa - Have you heard the story of Black Peter? This is an interesting folk-tale that I learned as a child. A story whispered and passed around in secret, much like the stories of "Bloody Mary" that Catholic school kids all know.

Black Peter is an evil, crippled dwarf who lives in a coal mine. He watches over children all year, to see who is good and who is wicked, and on Christmas eve he sets out through the tunnels on his coal-cart pulled by plague-ridden undead rams. He snatches up bad children and puts them in a sack full of rats before taking them back to the mines with him to be his slaves, forced to dig coal forever and to be tormented by Black Peter who will poke them with pins and one day eat them.

If a child is naughty and in danger of being taken, Black Peter will leave a lump of coal in their Christmas stocking as a warning of the fate to befall them next year! Woe be to the child who receives this and does not mend their wicked ways...

Best,

Pete

Suggestion #1 serve eggnog along with the cookies, large bites garanteed!

Seriously I use to use gummy bears as counters for things, you know 12 rounds for a spell duration, eat a gummy bear every round till they're all gone. Problem was keeping myself from gobbling up too many.

Thanks for the posts.

So.. first... Black Peter is an awesome story. I never heard that, but it sounds creepy enough for an entire game. Weird, very weird. Where did you hear that? What "country of origin" claims the Black Peter story?

And second, egg nog is a good idea. I sort of suggested cookies and milk only because that is the traditional fare left for Santa on Christmas morn... and heck, it'd be pretty cool to snack on such during a roleplaying game.

Anyway, thanks for the comments!

Thanks,
Nathan

A quick google and I found this Wiki post: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas#Celebration_in_the_Netherlands Looks like Black Peter, or zwarte Pieten are Sinterklaas' "elves" and they may snatch up a wicked child and take him to Spain! (That's where Sinterklaas lives. This version of the jolly fat man is smart.)

Or, Just use small cookies ^_^
I know you can pick up the packs of mini-Oreos or bags/tubs of little butter cookies for pretty cheap. Pop a cookie when the elf get slammed~ Most of the time, the cookies will be small enough.
Also, around Halloween they made the little, personal 'trick or treat' type bags, I think they still have them for the lunch boxes. A player grabs one of those and thats his health~ Easy way ^_^

No idea where "Black Peter" originally comes from in the version I heard. It was in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY where I heard it as a kid. It may well just be one of those things where the older kids make up this legend that stays in the neighborhood, based on something they heard, but I don't know. I put the story on my web site years back.

Looking at the site about holidays in the Netherlands, that might have been the real inspriration for the character and kids took it from there.

The cookie idea is great, btw.

Best,

Pete

Nathan,

Here's miniatures for your game http://www.amazonminiatures.com/catalogue/whats_new.asp
(warning - some nekked miniatures on the page as well)

How strange is finding this? Not only Santa, elves, evil snowmen, and other figures...but Black Pete (the Moorish one) as well! Scroll down further for a huge, muscle bound Santa (maybe your bad guy?) and some penguins that call out to be used (and modified for Seadog Tuxedo minis)

Of all the days to find this...

Best,

Pete