Monthly Archives: May 2019

RPGs

More Variety In Adventure Structure

Leave a comment

Panzerliion on Twitter mentioned this:

I retweeted it and added a thread with my response:

In essence this is about the need for more variety in in how adventures are developed. It urges all publishers of RPG modules to stretch the bounds of their creative vision beyond the standard skeleton structure.

As I pointed out in my Twitter response, original D&D focused on the megadungeon under the city and the focus was always going there for adventure and treasure. Rarely did the dungeon force itself into the affairs of the surface.

My Idea

I’m not sure it’s new to me. I seem to vaguely recall something like this several years ago on a blog.

The idea is to take The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker or The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations by Georges Polti and list what classic and current modules fit each situation. The idea is to break out of the oft-repeated story structure of someone from outside has to save the day. Dicegeeks has a PDF of the 36 Dramatic Situations with the examples from the now public domain book. However, it does not list specific modules.

I also found some other related ideas while trying to find what I seem to recall from an OSR blog or on G+ from several years ago. John Hodgman’s 55 dramatic situations. This takes the five primal conflicts and gives 11 examples of each.

Seven Six Basic Plots

A computer analysis found six basic plots in an analysis of 1,737 books from Project Gutenberg‘s fiction category, that matched an idea from Kurt Vonnegut. This begs the question, what about a similar analysis of non-European languages? While there may be less than a dozen basic plots in all human literature, are we sure? I only have expertise in English, my native language, as I was born and raised in the United States. I have studied other languages, unlike the majority of Americans whose family are in the US for three or more generations. I’d love to hear from someone of a non-European background or anyone with knowledge on the topic.

The seven basic plots are:

  • overcoming the monster (The Hunger Games)
  • rags to riches (Aladdin)
  • the quest (Lord of the Rings)
  • voyage and return (The Time Machine)
  • comedy (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
  • tragedy (Romeo and Juliet)
  • rebirth (A Christmas Carol)

Computer analysis reveals these six:

  • rags to riches (where there’s a rise in the emotional trajectory of the main character)
  • riches to rags (fall); man in a hole (fall then rise)
  • Icarus (rise then fall)
  • Cinderella (rise, fall and rise)
  • Oedipus (fall, rise and fall)

Five Primal Conflicts

  • Man versus man
  • Man versus nature
  • Man versus society
  • Man versus himself
  • Man versus cyborgs

Another interesting list is Aaron Diaz Dresden Kodak’s 42 Essential Third Act Twists, which refers to most plays and movies with a 3 act structure having a big twist at the end.

Of course, let us not forget Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, and Satine Phoenix’s The Action Heroine’s Journey that looks at it from the perspective of a female protagonist.

Five Common Character Archetypes

There are five common character archetypes:

  • The Hero
  • The Mentor
  • The Everyman
  • The Innocent
  • The Villain

Other Ideas

The Alexandrian has an article, Don’t Prep Plots. He argues to prep situations instead of plots, since plots are the sequence of events that drive a story. Just like a ship’s navigator plots its course. For the open world sandbox style of play, the situation is definitely desirable. The plot works better in a one shot, module, or streamed game where time and focus is a must.

NPCs Should Have A Life Of Their Own

Whether you focus on a plot or a situation for your adventures, the key is how to diversify and have a story that doesn’t treat the NPCs as merely window dressing in the world? To make your campaign world seem more alive, the NPCs have to be more than cardboard cutouts. Think of it as the difference between special effects in 1960’s Star Trek and the Star Trek movies and later TV shows. NPCs as merely one-dimensional fonts of information, money, or conflict are low budget special effects. NPCs with a voice, mannerisms, or something else to make them stand out as individuals brings more life into your world. NPCs aren’t stupid or dumb. Weighted random encounter reactions make more sense. A group on a bandit raid is leaning to either fight or flee. A warband is more weighted to fight. A suspicious person is less likely to be persuaded to do something outside their normal behavior.

More on the 36 Dramatic Situations

Loren J. Miller applies RPG examples to the 36 situations, I think this is the website I recalled, as mentioned above. One should keep in mind that these plots from Georges Polti were from an analysis of ancient Greek literature and more current French works. The original French was published in the late 19th century and translated to English in 1916. I am unaware, and so far, not finding anything similar that may contradict or expand this list from other literary traditions. Having seen this list, and the other examples I have listed, I am not sure what I would add as a general category.

Old Man Grognard mentioned the 36 plots on the 109th episode of his Radio Grognard podcast.

In my Twitter reply above, I mentioned making a list of the 36 plots with a module that represents each. I thought of them as plots and not dramatic situations, as I had mis-characterized the list in my recollection. I think such a list will still be helpful, but I want to know examples where the players are not outsiders coming in to solve the locals’ problems.

Motivations

Originally, the motivations of characters in D&D were to go to the dungeon to get loot with the ultimate goal of retiring with a stronghold or a castle, temple, or tower. Adventurers were not necessarily good, or even heroic. In general, from my experience of playing AD&D when it came out and it presenting the entire wilderness, cities, and other plans as a place to find adventure, it also leaned toward presenting most classes as heroic. Except for the assassin, and some aspects of the thief, the rest of the classes tended towards good or benign. Subsequent versions of D&D portrayed the adventurers as heroes doing heroic things. Many modules required characters to be heroic and save the day, such as with the slavers and the drow modules.

So the characters have somewhat transitioned from merely treasure seeking to adventure seeking to being heroes with gold as a nice fringe benefit.

However, the characters are the only ones who can save the day in most modules. Are there any older or current modules that don’t require the heroes to be the outsiders who rescue the natives?

Change It Up

While the seven plots and 36 dramatic situations may be truly universal among human storytelling, when it comes to RPGs, we can find new ways to express them. The biggest challenge for those raised in the European tradition of literature, is to find new hooks for our adventures.

Can we avoid writing modules and convention games that don’t involve outsiders solving the problem for the natives? We are so used to it that it is hard not to think like that.

  • It is reasonable for the adventurers to save themselves. If they can’t keep themselves alive long enough to return to town, who will save them?
  • Occasionally, having an object or a person to rescue is valid, but not every module or adventure should begin that way.
  • Go to the roots of D&D and stick to the megadungeon.
  • DCC in my experience, tends to do things right with 0 level funnels where the characters are all from the same village. So the villagers save themselves.
  • Why don’t more adventurers make enemies from villages near the tombs they just looted for taking ancestral burial goods? (Does that happen in your world?)
  • In cities, the watch should be competent unless the city is a corrupt place on the verge of societal collapse and riot. (See the above comment on NPCs – not all oblivious and complacent to the player’s whims.)

Once the characters leave their home turf, how can they not be the outsiders solving problems for others? Wandering adventurers can easily be sidetracked from their initial goals. Have you even not taken weeks to deal with a side quest?

At the very least, language and cultural barriers should rise up once characters leave their starting location. If elves, dwarves and other non-human characters come from far away, how will those types fit in? Is your world a mish-mash high fantasy where all possible species intermingle at every village? If elves and dwarves mistrust each other and are mistrusted by the humans in your world, how will a party form from that?

Conclusion

I must admit, I’m having a struggle determining more than the few ideas above for avoiding the outsiders have to save us trope. I’ve seen that in some foreign films too, most recently from China. While the outsider was from outside the village, it was the same culture/nation. The biggest problems are when the nation or culture changes from the one to which the characters are native. Here, let the foreigners fix it for you….

How do we get past that? I’m not sure that there’s an easy solution other than to put our efforts as GMs to be more creative about the plot and make them such that they don’t reinforce ideas from the era of colonialism and imperialism.

One option is to make the villains the imperialistic colonialists. This would put the characters in the role of rebels and freedom fighters. Something those who know the origins of the USA should get behind.

I’d like to know your solutions to this. What plot hooks would you use that are not the characters swooping in to save the day?

Listen to the companion podcast here.

RPGs

Spell Idea: Blood Trail

Leave a comment

If you need a spell to let the BBEG wizard track the party, here’s a way to do it that doesn’t require a crystal ball or other scrying device. It doesn’t require summoning a dangerous creature and risking it attacking you. Send a powerful ally or minion after the party.

SPELL IDEA:

If you need a spell to let the BBEG wizard track the party, here’s a way to do it that doesn’t require a crystal ball or other scrying device. It doesn’t require summoning a dangerous creature and risking it attacking you. Send a powerful ally or minion after the party.

Spell Name:

Blood Trail

EFFECT:

Allows the caster or other recipient of the spell to track anyone to a point where they spill blood.

Can be cast on a hired bounty hunter/killer/assassin.

A monstrous creature – either one summoned and bound to service, or an ally of the caster. Perhaps the creature is now an ally of convenience with the caster as the party or other target has plundered both of them.

Undead can also be the spell recipient.

The recipient of the spell can “see” or “know” who was at a site of a fight or battle, and distinguish which side of a fight each participant was on.

Commands, such as, find & kill the minions who were defeated and ran, then bring me the heads of those who defeated them.

Find the winners of this fight and keep tabs on them and report back to me.

Befriend them and betray them to another.

Retrieve what was stolen from me. Do not let them live so they can’t follow you.

DURATION:

Until the command related to the tracking is satisfied, either by the letter or spirit of the command as best fits the mood and personality of the recipient, or until dispelled.

NOTE: While dispel magic will remove the magical ability to track the party, the creature may have other reasons to continue their pursuit.

HIGHER LEVELS:

Improved Blood Trail – The recipient knows the location of the next fight the party will have. They may warn their opponents and help them set an ambush, or wait until the party has fought the other group and strike while they are weakened.

Superior Blood Trail – The recipient can teleport to an advantageous position to observe the next fight and either follow more closely, or attack when most advantageous.

GM NOTES:

Give party hints that they feel like they’re being followed but never see anything. When they defeat some other creature or group, such as a large predator that was tracking them, mention that they still feel like they are being followed.

Listen to the companion podcast episode here.

RPGs

Cultural Idea – the Dead Are Put to work

Leave a comment

I have an area in my campaign world that is yet to be visited by player characters, so I haven’t worked out all the details. The area is a place with high plateaus, more like mesas, that are isolated and self-contained places for those who live atop them. Islands, isolated valleys, or deep caverns could also be the locale.

It occurred to me that not all plateaus will be large and spacious, and that fertile land for crops is at a premium. Perhaps fuel for large fires, such as for cremation is also limited. How would they dispose of the dead, if not by burial? I imagined that the rock is tough and takes a lot of effort that one does not desire to waste it on the dead.

Whether they are a dwindling group in need of workers, or an overcrowded living space where everyone must do their part, even in death.

Whether it is their religion and the priests raise the undead after the conclusion of the funeral ceremonies, if there are such, or wizards in service to the state. The end result is a loyal workforce who unquestioningly do the most back breaking and dangerous tasks.

To avoid both odor and the unpleasant possibility of seeing a loved one in a state of decay, skeletons are the preferred type of undead. To prevent them from getting in the way, they can hang from the rooftops or the edges of the cliffs atop the mesa.

What might the undead do?

  • Backbreaking labor, like digging into the rock to make more living space for the populace.
  • Guard the most dangerous approaches from which predators, monsters, or raiders might attempt to attack.
  • Serve as the bulk of the military.
  • Serve as the body guard for the monarch, oligarchs, or other ruling elite. (Enough armor and cloaks can hide their true nature.)
  • Perform as beasts of burden for moving goods or pulling plows. (Perhaps they turn over the soil with shovels and hoes, or their hands.)

Socio Economic Effects

Essentially enslaving the bodies of the dead until they wear our or are destroyed through accident or battle will elevate the lot of the poorest among them. The wisest among them will live healthy lives to lengthen their years, the foolish will die at a younger age. Those who object to eternal undeath might attempt to flee. By using undead to do all the most menial and dangerous jobs, what might that do to the populace? Will they be degenerate and fall into sloth, leading to a decline in their numbers? Will they use the time to focus on improving their society and both skilled craft and art receive a greater stature? Will there be less crime? Will all have enough?

Aren’t They Evil?

If they aren’t going around killing people to make their undead slaves, then they aren’t necessarily evil. If their religion understands that the vital essence or spirit leaves the body and what remains is just a framework from which the society will benefit. If their religion only calls for this out of necessity for preservation of their ways, and only accepts new undead from the ranks of the group’s recent dead, then most likely, not evil.

An evil twist might be that due to the predations of raiders or ravaging monsters or a battle they lost has left them short of troops. “Lost travelers” might be intercepted by patrols and volunteered into the “skeleton corps.” Only strangers would be targeted. Merchants bring needed supplies they can’t get any other way. Not being fools, they will ensure to learn that no one will miss them, and interrogate them to learn what the prisoners know that might be useful, before inducting them into the undead.

Evil Versions:

If they are an evil cult, they will gladly take all lost travelers in and make them part of their undying servants. How might word of this group get out to warn those who border them?

It might not be an evil cult, it might be a powerful necromancer who is the only one strong enough to keep them safe from warring neighbors, raiders, or monsters, and the populace just goes along with it. So the evil is the silence of those who benefit from it, while the necromancer delves into more ingenious ways to use the dead to serve their means.

How Obvious Is It?

Some might relegate the undead laborers to only work at night, so the populace doesn’t have to look on them. In this case, the undead could be zombies.

Visitors to the plateaus might not see the silent servants, whether they are hidden by natural or magical means. Are they invisible?

How are they Controlled?

Rather than have the priests or wizards guiding their undead creations about, they will develop amulets or other devices to allow overseers to coordinate groups of undead. Ranked devices will allow more control and coordination of groups to common tasks. This will expand the ability to maintain control of the undead and prevent rival clerics or wizards from wresting control of them easily.

Other Ideas:

I’m interested in other ideas, how might a culture use undead that are not necessarily evil?

Listen to the companion podcast episode here.

RPGs

Character Concept – Whistling clan

Leave a comment

I get all kinds of ideas when I’m occupied with a mindless task like housework, or in today’s case, mowing the lawn. My mind wanders and makes all kinds of associations, often things I can use for RPGs.

Today, what came to mind is a character concept for a character from a tribe, clan, or culture for which whistling is a major theme. Whistling is a language like that of the Canary Isles, and used for signals and coordination for hunting and war. It is also used for all forms of music from great tunes of worship, celebration, to bawdy bar tunes. There are bards who specialize in whistling and masters have developed skills like throat singing or making the tones last while they chant, recite, or sing. Great performances of soloists and choirs perform for royalty. Instruments to magnify and focus the sound of whistling are developed. Mages and clerics use whistling for the verbal component of their spells. The list could go on.

Whether a small tribe or clan, or a nation spanning culture, the other characters would know of this, unless from a distant part of the world.

The reason for the character to be abroad and away from their homeland is a matter of shame, embarrassment, or exile, whether by the culture or self-imposed. The issue is that they cannot whistle and their name is actually a title, “He or She or The One Who Cannot Whistle.” Whistless, a contraction of Whistle-less might be used, or some phrase made up by the player or GM. The character is on a quest, to “find their whistle.”

This leaves open why the character can’t whistle. Are they tone-deaf? This would limit their ability to match the tones and clearly understand the whistle language. Perhaps they just can’t whistle. Maybe they are a mage and tried to hide their lack of skill or talent at whistling via audible glammer and got found out. Whether banished by law, custom, or shame, the result is the same.

Whatever reason they cannot whistle, they are prohibited by law, custom, or sense of pride from ever returning until they can whistle.

Their quest is only fulfilled if they can learn or be cured of their inability to whistle. Some players might desire it to be a hopeless quest thinking they can never return home. Other players might want an epic result that allows them to return home triumphant. For me, I wouldn’t want my character to succeed. They would have to find some other way to make their own unique contribution to the world. While they might succeed at finding a new focus, the nagging desire to find their whistle prompts them to continue to adventure.

This quest could be mystical, emotional, physical, etc. Perhaps the touch of the gods, a boon from a patron, or discovering a wish might solve their problem. However, put a high price on it that means someone else must lose their special gift to preserve the balance.

The character may hide where they are from, or say that they are seeking someone who is worthy to hear their whistle, if they are too embarrassed by it. The more I write about this, the more ideas come. I can see making a short story or more about this. Yet another thing for my list that I don’t have time for right now.

I’m trying to think of other kinds of character concepts that are in some way similar to this. All great adventurers are prompted to go adventuring by something. Even if it is only gold and glory.

I challenge you to think of a character concept. Even if it isn’t one you’d ever play, something fun and interesting. It is a great exercise for honing your creative muscles.

Listen to the companion podcast episode here.

RPGs

Tweaking Random Treasure Maps

2 Comments

An idea came to me to make treasure maps more interesting. I used a combination of a table from Kelri’s 4 – ENCOUNTERS Reference.pdf, page 130 gives 3 tables, a 2d8 table for the form of the map, a percentile table like in the 1e DMG for what the map goes to, and the best one a d10 table for the status of the treasure. This is on page 120 of the 1e DMG.

Surprisingly, OSRIC does not have tables for determining the type of map one finds. While AD&D assumes a treasure map, OSRIC just says the GM will have to make their own treasure maps.

Just because one has a treasure map does not mean that the treasure the map leads to is real, or if real, is still there. In the DMG, 5% of all treasure maps are false maps.What does that mean? The treasure is gone, or it’s like a scam where there is no really Lost Dutchman Mine, or the monsters in the dungeon are hoping to lead the adventurer’s away.

I combined the ideas from Kelri’s map table, the 1e DMG map tables, Grim’s all the dice Treasure Map Generator, and Richard LeBlanc’s New Big Dragon A to Z d30 Treasure Map Generator.

Grim’s table is a way to indicate landmarks, obstacles, or destinations on the map. The d30 map generator is one of 30 d30 PDFs written as part of the annual 2014 A to Z blogging challenge. It details the materials used for the map, the condition of the map, and the language or code it is written in.

My need for these map tables arose several years ago, in my home campaign, I created a map seller and decided to randomly determine how many treasure maps he had. The party bought every map he had in the general location where they were adventuring. I determined there were 32 maps and the party bought 17 maps. I then determined all kinds of things about the maps using all these resources, plus some additional things.

I built a spreadsheet to track it. The first column is Source, where did the map come from. I used the name of the map seller. I did not determine where he got them, so that is another layer one could add. Then I had Quality of the cartography, Size in square feet, Condition, Language, Details, General location depicted on map, Treasure status, 6 columns for the general terrain, landmarks, obstacles to put on the map, and Notes about exactly where a pristine or mostly pristine treasure is in the dungeon or other location. Determining treasure can also lead to their being more maps. Here is a link to a PDF of what I ended up with. Don’t ask me how I got to this point. It was just a mis-mash of different tables jammed into something I wanted. It was a lot of work.

This leads to all kinds of ways to use each map in game. Can the player’s read or decipher it? Is it good enough quality for the party to figure out where it is? And it the treasure still there?

For really large treasures, some are still “there”. That is there are in the general area, but have been found and moved and hidden by others who found it first. If the moved treasure is still there, it has either been found recently, or the finders never returned to claim it. If the moved treasure is “gone” it was either retrieved by the initial finders or still others. A large enough horde might get found and moved and hidden many times over the millennia as different groups find it and take what they can carry, and hide the rest hoping to come back later.

Some treasure might be found and dealt with in interesting ways. I have one treasure somewhere in my world that was found by a reclusive individual who built a shack over a treasure found by adventurers in the past who moved and buried it. The recluse is either unwise or untrusting, I haven’t decided yet, but won’t leave his shack except when in need of something, and only carries enough money to buy what he needs in town. Portions of the horde are scattered about his “range” so that he has multiple nest eggs in case something bad happens, but the treasure is so huge, he can never move it all on his own.

My idea is to create a PDF in the coming months with these ideas.

Generate random treasure maps and determine if the treasures are intact, partially looted, or cleaned out.

Cleaned out can be complete, bits in the corners left, smaller piles & stashes of coins in nooks, crannies, crevices, or ledges, or undiscovered rooms.

There are tons of maps available online for dungeons and other adventure locations, but I’m not aware of any maps that actually lead to these locations. Is there anyone out there creating treasure maps or maps to various locations?

Here is the companion podcast episode #116 from Thursday, May 9, 2019.

RPGs

Jasper’s Game Day 2019

Leave a comment

I attended the inaugural jasper’s Game Day in 2018 and the second annual event on Saturday, May 11, 2019. This event raised $12,001.00.

Next week is Jasper’s Game Week with a week of online gaming and more opportunities to give and a chance to win donated items in a raffle.

I conducted several interviews at Saturday’s event and you can listen to them on my podcast, Episode 117 – Saturday Scrawl – Jasper’s Game Day.

#Jasper’s Game Day #Jasper’s Game Week

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

For more information about Jasper’s Game Day

American Association of Suicidology

Those Interviewed:

My Motivation To Participate:

Episode #72 Tuesday Tales #13 Insanity – Where I discuss insanity as a game mechanic and it moves into my experience with a loved one’s hints at thoughts of self harm. I provide a content warning for that portion of the episode.

Cards

Artist For the Card Game

Leave a comment

Follow Me, And Die! Is happy to announce Lindsay Poulos as the artist doing the art for the card game so often mentioned here.

I met Lindsay at Marmalade Dog in March, where I interviewed her for my podcast and commissioned a picture for my granddaughter, as I discussed in this post.

Once the art is complete at some point in 2020, the Kickstarter will be launched. The anticipated launch date will be sometime between March and June.

Where To Find Lindsay

You can find Lindsay and examples of here art at the following sites:

Lindsay is a trained artist who wants to make that her main means of support instead of needing a full time job. She lives in Grand Rapids, MI.

She interned with Comfort and Adam, and has done art for a board game. Lindsay is an avid gamer of all kinds of games both tabletop and computer/console. She likes RPGs but doesn’t have a local group.

Playtesting Update

While Lindsay is busy at work with the art, I and another helper will be running as many playtests as possible to refine the information on the cards and in the rules. Basically, we are working to revise the deck to ensure it is easy to play your first game. Playtest deck 3.0 was ordered a few days ago and will arrive any day. I will proof it for errors then order a second deck for the other helper.

When Do We Find Out The Name Of The Game

Once we are sure the layout and verbiage on the cards are clear and no major changes are needed, you can expect another announcement. This is projected to be sometime this summer.

I Have A YouTube Channel, Blog, Etc. Can I get a review copy?

The plan is to resolve all the card and rule issues and a review deck will be created. Some of my friends have offered to do a review, and I will be approaching others. Should you wish to do a review, please direct message Follow Me, And Die! at any of the sites at Where To Find Me.

FAQ

A list of Frequently Asked Questions is available here.

Kickstarter Launch Announcement Email List

To get an email when the Kickstarter launches, you can sign up for the email list here. It will only be used to announce the Kickstarter.

Thanks!

I want to thank everyone who has playtested and made suggestions for the game! Every interaction has shown that this game has promise and is fun. All of the support and encouragement from everyone is greatly appreciated!

RPGs

Royal Regalia And Symbols Of Monarchy

Leave a comment

With the recent abdication and coronation of a new emperor in Japan and coronation of the King of Thailand, my interest in monarchies has been renewed. I am not a monarchist, I just think it is an interesting topic and ties in to my history degree where I focused on ancient and medieval history. At least as much as one can do with a BA. I also have an interest in European history up to WWII, which includes Napoleon, etc.

Regalia are the emblems or royalty. Possession of these items brings legitimacy to a monarch’s rule.

In the European and many other traditions, regalia are often a crown, scepter, orb, sword, or other physical item.

In Japan, the regalia are a bit different, for one, emperors do not wear crowns. They have 3 regalia, a sword, a mirror, and a jewel. All three have mystical origins with the sun god, who is the ancestor of the emperor. Instead of the palace, they are kept at different Shinto shrines, and even the emperor doesn’t get to see them, as they are wrapped up. In addition, the imperial household seal and the great seal of Japan were presented.

That throws in an interesting plot hook for a game. The regalia are stolen and it turns out they are something unexpected, like the Ark of the Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Such a scenario works with any genre of RPG.

For Thailand, the regalia are a 16 pound (7.3 kg) crown, slippers, fan and fly whisk, the Sword of Victory, and the royal scepter. It is interesting that on the surface, some of the items, like the fan and fly whisk are very practical for the tropical climate.

Any country with a monarch in their history will have some sort of regalia, you can find them on Wikipedia by searching for royal or imperial regalia of [country].

While I have not done an exhaustive search, it is a topic I think about for expressing royal office in a unique way in game. Not all monarchs will have a sword or crown.

Not all heads of state will be royalty. They may be some other variation, whether elected, or a council, etc. The AD&D 1e DMG [Affiliate Link] had a great section on types of government. Perhaps the ruler of a magocracy will posses a Wand of the Arch Magi. An oligarchy might use ceremonial gold coins to cast votes, heads for and tails against.

In more recent times, possession of the great seal of a state implies legitimacy. During the American Civil War, the pro South governor of Missouri fled with the great seal, as I recall, but I’m not finding a reference to clarify the details. Missouri stayed in the Union and the confederate state government spent most of the war in exile in Texas. So while the Confederate state government had the seal, they did not have control of the state and their decision to secede from the Union gave them seats in the Confederate government. A new seal had to be made, as I recall.

[Edit: I found a vague reference here. Further, a direct quote from here:
The day after that meeting, Jackson issued a proclamation denouncing the federal government and calling for 50,000 militia volunteers to fight the Union invaders. Within hours, Lyon embarked with 2,000 men on a river expedition to the state capital, Jefferson City, to capture the governor and any state guard troops who might follow him. Tipped off to Lyon’s impending arrival, Jackson and his staff frantically gathered papers, money and the state seal and headed west, ordering the destruction of three railroad bridges along the way to impede pursuit. The legally elected state government was now fugitive. ]

There have been other instances in history, where control of a symbol of authority, whether a piece of royal regalia, or a government seal were a source of great controversy.

In Japan they have named the throne, the Chrysanthemum Throne. A few years ago I did some research and as I recall, not many thrones are named.

In Roman Catholicism the bishops chair is a cathedra and is in the cathedral. The Pope has to be in his official chair as the bishop of Rome to make a pronouncement that is infallible. The Pope is also an example of an elected monarch, as he is effectively a king in the temporal sense. Note: Bishops in the Anglican and Orthodox traditions also have cathedra.

In Great Britain, when a monarch is crowned, all the nobles have their coronets, which are like little crowns of different size depending on the title. They also have their coronation robes. By tradition, they only wear them on coronation day. If you watch video of past coronations, all the nobles put on their coronets at the moment the monarch had the crown placed on their head.

All kinds of symbolism in ceremonies that evolve over hundreds or thousands of years. Some aspects may seem quite strange if you don’t know or understand the origin and it’s significance in myth and/or history.

Questions To Ask For Your Campaign

  • Whether you have monarchs or other types of heads of state, what is their symbol of office?
  • How is it significant?
  • What is it’s backstory.
  • Is it rooted in myth and legend?
  • Is it magical? (Does the bearer know & know how to use it?)
  • How many are there? 1d6
  • What cool name does each item have? (If rooted in myth & legend, a cool name is important.)
  • What does this item indicate about the culture, ruler, government?
  • Do the regalia/symbols of office grant authority or are they merely symbols of office? (It might be a big deal not to have the crown of legend passed down through the ages.)
  • Does it have a secret compartment?

If a secret compartment:

  • Does the bearer or anyone with access know about it?
  • How big is the compartment?
  • What is in it? (Note, map, key, jewel, magic item, etc.)
  • Could it be detachable, like a key?
  • If not known, is it documented somewhere?

RPGs

More On The Screaming Swamp

Leave a comment

My Patrons have spoken and have voted for me to work on an expansion of my hex, The Screaming Swamp, from the Tenkar’s Landing Project, Eilean Dubh. This was a community world building project, focused on an islands and the area around it. It started on G+ and finished a few months before the end of G+.

I’ll flesh out some hinted options for encounter tables and such. I plan to make it a stand alone swamp area with improved encounter tables from those in Eilean Dubh , with some ideas for adventures.

I packed a lot in a 6 mile hex, as published in Eilean Dubh. Making it a larger area with some ideas for generating swampy areas will fit with my theme of useful collections of tables as in my more well received PDFs.

You can get the free map and PDF at Dropbox.

You can order a softcover book from LuLu, here. (At cost for printing & shipping.)

You can get a canvas map of the Isle here. 

I discuss the release of Eilean Dubh in episode 6 of my podcast.

You can read what I’ve written about Eilean Dubh elswhere on my blog at this tag.

I look forward to discussing the details of this project with patrons on the monthly-pdf channel on the Patron Discord.