I like to cobble together custom notepaper for my campaigns to record what happens during any particular game session. I'm really bad at keeping track of all the activities the PC's get themselves up to, and this helps make it more enjoyable.
This is the one I've created for my upcoming homebrew Traveller game; Traveller Session Notepaper
This link is on my Summonings page on the blog. I've added additional Traveller pages and I do tweak the format from time to time.
Thursday, December 24
Tuesday, December 15
Burning Sword & Sorcery Cities
How do you determine the results of arson in an ancient city? Here is a table I created to figure this out in my World of Xoth campaign.
For fire damage the most important factor will be time. Given that the structure, and possibly the surrounding structures are flammable, once a fire starts it is only a matter of time before it burns everything around it. The following table uses an ascending order of magnitude (from sputtering out to reducing the city proper to ash) to try and model this.
1d12 City Fire Table (numbered result also reflects the number of hours the blaze burns):
Negative modifiers from -1 to -6 are applied to the initial fire roll to reflect any number of factors the Crypt Keeper deems appropriate for the current game situation, such as weather, available fuel, citizen response, etc. This modified result becomes your initial fire roll. This initial roll establishes the ferocity of the fire within the first hour. Any result of 6 and over requires an additional roll at the end of the first hour. If this second, unmodified roll is greater than the initial fire roll # than roll the 1d12 again. Either way, you finally end up on the final degree of damage caused by the fire at the conclusion of the number of hours the fire burned for.
Any result of 1 or less obviously means the fire didn't get very far and may certainly cause more problems for the PC than it was intended to solve. Then again, the same can be said for the other end of the table too.
01. Put out quickly by the city watch and concerned citizens. The evidence of arson is plain to see.
02. A small portion of the structure is damaged before the fire is quenched. Evidence of arson can be deduced by the wise and the experienced.
03. At least half of the structure is damaged, with some of this resulting in a total loss to items within the building. If the building was occupied there is an excellent chance there was loss of life. It will take some investigation to uncover arson as the reason for the blaze.
04. While the structure is still standing, there isn't a part of it which has not been ruined by fire or smoke damage. The locals may have their suspicions, but the damage makes it difficult to discern if the fire was deliberately set. Unless inhabitants of the structure were awake, or extremely lucky, many inside will have died in the blaze.
05. The structure is a complete loss, dangerous even to walk through after the fire is doused. Nothing of value would have survived and those who were unable to exit quickly will have perished in the flames. Only those who have had their suspicions aroused would be able to discern a deliberate act of arson is the cause.
06. The initial structure has become completely consumed and nearby structures have been damaged. At some point during the conflaguration the locals have given up on saving the original building and put all their efforts into stopping the fire from spreading further. Occupants of the neighboring buildings would have had time to escape harm.
07. Residents and shop owners near the blaze will begin to move valuables away, emptying out the silver cabinet and grabbing the livestock. The streets are clogged with frightened people and animals. Half the city will be aware of the fire at this point.
08. The initial fire has burned hot and bright enough to start multiple buildings on fire. Entire neighborhoods will be alarmed and these residents will rush to extinguish the fire. Who knows if their efforts will be successful?
09. The neighborhood watch appears in force. They will order citizens to risk their lives in putting out the fire if they half to, turning out common houses and gambling halls. People caught near the fire will be hard pressed to reach safety. Large numbers of people will start to move out of the neighborhood.
10. The city will muster all its resources in a final attempt to save the city. Property damage is now severe and countless lives are certainly lost. At this point the fire can be easily seen from a distance from the city.
11. Most people try to abandon the city. The fire has burned large enough that the inhabitants of the city have lost all ability to contain it. Whole neighborhoods are burning at the whim of the gods and the terrorized screams of man and beast ring out.
12. City engulfed. At least 60% of the urban landscape has been destroyed or effected by the raging inferno. The death toll is staggering. Many surviving citizens have been displaced by the fire.
.
For fire damage the most important factor will be time. Given that the structure, and possibly the surrounding structures are flammable, once a fire starts it is only a matter of time before it burns everything around it. The following table uses an ascending order of magnitude (from sputtering out to reducing the city proper to ash) to try and model this.
1d12 City Fire Table (numbered result also reflects the number of hours the blaze burns):
Negative modifiers from -1 to -6 are applied to the initial fire roll to reflect any number of factors the Crypt Keeper deems appropriate for the current game situation, such as weather, available fuel, citizen response, etc. This modified result becomes your initial fire roll. This initial roll establishes the ferocity of the fire within the first hour. Any result of 6 and over requires an additional roll at the end of the first hour. If this second, unmodified roll is greater than the initial fire roll # than roll the 1d12 again. Either way, you finally end up on the final degree of damage caused by the fire at the conclusion of the number of hours the fire burned for.
Any result of 1 or less obviously means the fire didn't get very far and may certainly cause more problems for the PC than it was intended to solve. Then again, the same can be said for the other end of the table too.
01. Put out quickly by the city watch and concerned citizens. The evidence of arson is plain to see.
02. A small portion of the structure is damaged before the fire is quenched. Evidence of arson can be deduced by the wise and the experienced.
03. At least half of the structure is damaged, with some of this resulting in a total loss to items within the building. If the building was occupied there is an excellent chance there was loss of life. It will take some investigation to uncover arson as the reason for the blaze.
04. While the structure is still standing, there isn't a part of it which has not been ruined by fire or smoke damage. The locals may have their suspicions, but the damage makes it difficult to discern if the fire was deliberately set. Unless inhabitants of the structure were awake, or extremely lucky, many inside will have died in the blaze.
05. The structure is a complete loss, dangerous even to walk through after the fire is doused. Nothing of value would have survived and those who were unable to exit quickly will have perished in the flames. Only those who have had their suspicions aroused would be able to discern a deliberate act of arson is the cause.
06. The initial structure has become completely consumed and nearby structures have been damaged. At some point during the conflaguration the locals have given up on saving the original building and put all their efforts into stopping the fire from spreading further. Occupants of the neighboring buildings would have had time to escape harm.
07. Residents and shop owners near the blaze will begin to move valuables away, emptying out the silver cabinet and grabbing the livestock. The streets are clogged with frightened people and animals. Half the city will be aware of the fire at this point.
08. The initial fire has burned hot and bright enough to start multiple buildings on fire. Entire neighborhoods will be alarmed and these residents will rush to extinguish the fire. Who knows if their efforts will be successful?
09. The neighborhood watch appears in force. They will order citizens to risk their lives in putting out the fire if they half to, turning out common houses and gambling halls. People caught near the fire will be hard pressed to reach safety. Large numbers of people will start to move out of the neighborhood.
10. The city will muster all its resources in a final attempt to save the city. Property damage is now severe and countless lives are certainly lost. At this point the fire can be easily seen from a distance from the city.
11. Most people try to abandon the city. The fire has burned large enough that the inhabitants of the city have lost all ability to contain it. Whole neighborhoods are burning at the whim of the gods and the terrorized screams of man and beast ring out.
12. City engulfed. At least 60% of the urban landscape has been destroyed or effected by the raging inferno. The death toll is staggering. Many surviving citizens have been displaced by the fire.
.
Saturday, November 28
Rolling Dice Twice
no, three times. I DM'ed another session of my Mystara campaign and while the PC's where in a decidedly deadly environment I only rolled a d20 for attack in only three instants. Granted one attack was a multiple, but the the PC's (and NPC's) rolled high saving rolls when it mattered.
In between the PC's seemed vexed, confounded, and felt railroaded. But they have patience. The proper response when confronted with the inexplicable and decidedly deadly. I found it a good session because the PC's felt unsure and nervous while I don't think I abused their fantasy sensabilaties.
I did throw many rolls on them, in the form of saving throws. I like it better than rolling against ability scores because it rewards levels. Maybe the PC's would argue the case, but lifting a portcullis together and then one bolts, roll against Save vs. Paralysis. Didn't make it, ouch. Forget the strange serpent with the pig face snorting through the underbrush where the heck did the dwarf run off to?
Tuesday, November 24
The Ease of Basic Fantasy
I challenged myself to tease out of my bookcase the text tools I've accumulated to run a game instantly. What would I grab? Would it work?
First experiment is Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game (free pdf) with Richard Leblanc, Jr.'s AX1 D30 DM Companion, AX2 D30 Sandbox Companion, and CC1 Creature Compendium.
I got all four of these products through Lulu as a print on demand product. Granted Basic Fantasy is a completely free product as a pdf, but at less then the price of a pint of vodka delivered to your door I think it is worth spending for a print version.
AX2 has an Adventure Generator so this is the right start. The adventure generation tables have ten categories which require a roll on a d30. It is explicate on the tin, use of the product requires a d30. I don't have one, but online tools are readily available to generate random numbers, so honey badger don't give a shit.
First experiment is Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game (free pdf) with Richard Leblanc, Jr.'s AX1 D30 DM Companion, AX2 D30 Sandbox Companion, and CC1 Creature Compendium.
I got all four of these products through Lulu as a print on demand product. Granted Basic Fantasy is a completely free product as a pdf, but at less then the price of a pint of vodka delivered to your door I think it is worth spending for a print version.
AX2 has an Adventure Generator so this is the right start. The adventure generation tables have ten categories which require a roll on a d30. It is explicate on the tin, use of the product requires a d30. I don't have one, but online tools are readily available to generate random numbers, so honey badger don't give a shit.
Adventure Generator
Trigger: Diary
Major Goal: Defend Location
Obstacle: Fix “broken” item.
Location: Tower
Feature: Library
Phenomena: Fear
Villain Goal: Power
Artifact: Codex/Manual/tome
Theme: Glory
Key NPC: Slave
Trigger: Transaction
Major Goal: Stop Impending Devastation
Obstacle: Acquire Key Parts
Location: Village
Feature: Plaza
Phenomena: Monster Plague
Villain Goal: Utopia (at all cost)
Artifact: Horn
Theme: Wonder
Key NPC: King
I rolled two times in each category just to see how different random rolls on these tables would perform. Doesn't disappoint. The first adventure generated makes the object of the game session an object, a "McGuffin". The second an exchange between (at least) two disparate parties. As the gods of probability dispatch their judgment you end up with divergent adventures. So far so good. You could go on with this. Adventure hook after adventure hook. But the PC's will make a move, then you will need meat on the hoof.
Location will most likely be any player groups first move, so don't worry about the details of the goal, the scheming NPC's. price of drink, etc. They will move from point A to point B to achieve the goal. this means you will need to illuminate to your satisfaction the Obstacle which stand in the way of the PC's success. Scenario 1 considers a broken state which needs fixing while scenario 2 postulates the assemblage of particular parts of a greater whole are needed for success. Hand in hand kind of thinking here. Sorry, I didn't write the charts. So I will run to AX1 D30 DM Companion. Why? Because I am making it up as I go,
So the PC's decide defending a tower containing a valuable book will get them to next level faster than the other (only) adventure opportunity on the table. So the AX1 book gives me table to generate the salient interior features of the "tower" but I can use the AX2 book to create overland challenges; yep, that easy. Not going to bore yo with the details, but it seems with these for books, a bag of dice yo can show up anywhere and get interested parties involved in one f'ed up adventure. Great sport.
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