Death of the Campaign

 Over the last several months of running Traveller, I've started to notice a pattern in my gaming habits that conflicts with a long-held assumption I've had about styles of gaming and my own preferences. It's forced me to take a serious look at what I want and get out of this hobby.

As a fan of old-school games and things like classic D&D, I've often been a staunch defender of the whole long-term process of characters leveling up over time and getting really enmeshed in an extended campaign. The time it takes to get from 1st to "Name" level being essential to really making the PCs part of the world and for the players to get invested in the setting and what's happening there. There's no substitute for "putting in the work" as they say. It's not that I disagree with this now, but I believe I am at a point in my gaming style, as well as of an age, where my priorities are shifting somewhat.

Lately, I find that I am far more likely to experience burn-out on campaigns that last for months (or longer). This is especially when I GM, but has happened as a player, too. I realize that by some grognardian standards, a 6-12 month campaign is hardly "extended," but when you factor in all the games over the years that have crashed and burned after only 1-2 sessions, I think sustaining one for the better part of a year or more is certainly at the longer end of the curve.

When I went on my game-purchasing spree last year, I originally had the idea of getting at least one published campaign for each system. While Runequest lacks a full campaign (presently), it does have several compilations of scenarios. The thinking was to reduce the workload for me to run the different games and have enough for players to do for a good long while in each game.

The reality has been a little different. While I count myself lucky that my group has really been enjoying Traveller and have gotten engaged with the setting and the campaign, I'm struggling as GM to maintain the energy to prep and run it, even with published materials. My enthusiasm for the campaign has waned over the months and I fear I'm going to need a real break from it soon, which, as experienced gamers know, often means that it will never get picked back up again. Because of this, I've been trying to push through,hoping to regain some momentum. Sadly, that seems to not be happening.

So where does this leave me? Well, for one thing, I've learned something about myself as a GM and a gamer, so that's good. (I guess?) Secondly, I know I will need to make the call about the current campaign at some point, and third, I should focus on shorter, more episodic games where there are frequent "stopping points" to let one wrap up and have some closure before moving on. We had a moment like that in the Traveller campaign right before we shifted gears into the Drinax campaign. Perhaps I should have taken it. Perhaps the open-ended, long term campaign is not for me any more.

Live and Learn.

The Nick of Time

Something that came up in a conversation about a mini-module I wrote got me thinking. The issue was related to encounter randomization and pacing. It's all well and good to say "The monster lives in the cave, which is located at the 'X' on the map." If the PCs never go to X, they don't fight the monster. Simple. But if they miss all the interesting spots, the night's session can get a bit dull.

In cases of a limited layout (i.e. a dungeon) the odds of not finding anything of interest in any room is slight; even if it's not combat (maybe there is a puzzle or trap to deal with). In wilderness or town adventures, the odds of PCs wandering into Dullsville get higher.

I have a solution I like to use: I just move the set pieces around on the fly. Go west instead of east, then I just move the haunted farmhouse (or whatever) into their path. In fact, for my own games, I've actually stopped placing things on the overland maps until after the encounter happens.

This can be seen more than one way, of course. On the one hand, it allows a level of player agency where you let them decide how to proceed ("We cross the river" vs "We stay away from the water"). Players like to feel like their choices matter. Otherwise why even ask them? On the other hand, if the trap or the monster is going to end up in their path anyway, what's the point?

My answer is that the set piece(s) aren't the only thing that the PCs might encounter. Also, once a feature like a town or dungeon or temple, etc. is encountered, then it is  fixed on the map. I'm not going to move it about in their way– geographically or narratively. Unless the nature of the encounter is mobile (caravan or some such).

It's the same with time.  If the players have no knowledge of a timetable to work with, then they will arrive when it is dramatically appropriate. On the other hand, if they are given a deadline to work with ("The scrolls say the hellgate opens at sunset!") and they choose to wait or are delayed, then so be it.

All this flies in the face of sandbox lovers but I have to admit, over the years I've played too many pure sandboxes that fell flat when it came to pacing and excitement to worry too much about it.

Fire it up!

Tonight is "Session 0" of the new campaign. We'll spend the beginning making characters and setting up things like PC goals and PC bonds. I have some basic adventure material scribbled out as well. Here's hoping things go well.

It's equal parts exciting and dreadful to start a new campaign as a GM. The potential is tantalizing but the possibility of things fizzling (or a crash & burn) is ever present. Nothing for it but to try, though! Let's roll some dice!

The Church of the Radiance

The Church of Radiance's origins predates the Empire. Legends tell of early prophets traveling among tribal clans, delivering the Word of the Light to all. Many were martyred, but the faith spread and soon it was the predominant human faith in Bryll.

At the height of the Empire, great cathedrals were built and the priesthood grew strong. At the head of the institution was the Patriarch. This spiritual leader was selected from the pontifex when the old leader died.

The faithful depended on the church as much as the throne for succor and guidance. This twin poles were not alway in perfect accord. Sometimes emperors and patriarchs would clash over the issues of the day. Sometimes violently. More than once church templars took the field against imperial troops.

With the empire's decline, the church maintained its hold on the faithful, but politically it now had to juggle relations with multiple rulers instead of just the emperor. As a result, the prelates of areas like Peledan and Blackport have become more independent of the Sacerdom (the enclaved seat of the Patriarch in Rike). In the Splintered Princes, the church is strong among the people, but there is no central ruler to appeal to. Local priests have varying levels of influence with the petty lordlings that rule the various territories. Oddly, the church's political influence seems weak in Silverrun, despite the presence of the beautiful Winged Cathedral and a more stable social structure than the bulk of the region.

The core of the faith centers around the concept of illumination, or the opening of one's being to the light of the divine. The pillars of worship center on spiritual purification through piety and devotion to the church and its teachings. These include tithing as well as avoiding sinful pride, dishonesty, excess, and brutality. The faithful attend weekly services for blessings and to make regular confession. Priests perform these services as well as marriages, funerals, and the anointing of children into the fold.

There are some priestesses, but the overwhelming majority of the clergy is male. There has never been a Matriarch of the church, nor even a female prelate or pontifex. In addition to the ordained priesthood, there are also cloistered monks and nuns, as well as mendicant friars who are considered "of the radiance."

The templars are militant, chivalric orders that have cropped up from time to time in the church's history. The church does not actively support such organizations. Traditionally they have been comprised of privileged faithful, who have banded together –usually in times of crisis– giving the church a militant arm to wield. The would be templars must obtain the charter from the Patriarch to become an official order. At which point, they gain a certain status within the church hierarchy. The charter can be revoked at any time, so many orders have only lasted for one Primacy (or less). At present, there is no "active" templar order, though many nobles still claim a connection to some historical ones.

It should be noted that while the church is the official faith in the empire and Peledan, it is not the only religion. Nature worshippers, demonic cults, and other beliefs hang on in the fringes and shadows of society. The church is a distinctly human religion as well. There are no significant populations of nonhuman followers, though individuals may have adopted the faith.

Gods of Bryll

One of the interesting about the FAGE rule set is its handling of classes. There are only three: Rogue, Warrior, and Mage. Each one covers a lot of ground. Rogues might be thugs, cutpurses, scouts, burglars, and so on. Warriors could be anything from a barbarian to a chivalric knight. Mages cover all spell casters. Which means, among other things, that there isn't a separate cleric/priest class. At least not in the core rules.

This leaves me with the question of how to handle religion in the setting. Since you don't have an entire PC class required to pick a deity, one could theoretically just leave it out. It seems strange to go without religions entirely, though. Gods and goddesses are such a staple in fantasy settings, to have one without them feels incomplete.

On the other hand, this aspect of the game opens up the intriguing possibility of having religion without "gods." By that I mean the people may believe in a deity or pantheon, etc. but –unlike in a D&D game where clerics of Thor call down lightning on the wicked or raise the dead– there are no overt miracles to be seen here. The faith –or faiths– power is institutional, not magical. Like the catholic church in our world, it can be a powerful force in the world, but the power is really secular, based on wealth and influence, not spell slots.

At the same time, it may well be that there are "mystics"; be they orc shamans, elven seers, human ascetics, or what have you with "the power of miracles." They may believe that their magic comes from the gods, but does it? Or are they naturally gifted mages?

The answer, of course, is a matter of faith.

The Races of Bryll

HUMANS - Are far and away the most numerous of peoples. With the exception of the dwarfs, humans rule all of the "civilized" nations of Bryll. Their appearances vary with region, but during the height of the Empire's rule, there was a great deal of intermixing between groups as the armies and merchants moved throughout the land. In general southerners are darker in coloration; olive-brown skin and darker hair and eyes being most common. To the North, humans tend to be fairer.

ORCS - The empire has long kept orcs as a soldier slave race (shock troops). The orcs in the former provinces are now free, but often treated as 2nd class citizens. There are also savage tribal orcs in the Wyldelands.

HALFLINGS - Are few in number. Nearly all of them live in a small communities within Hin Swamp: the bayou-like region of the southwestern coastline.

DWARFS - (The Kingdom of Koldarth) Make their homes in ancient halls carved inside the Wyrmspine mountains. Mining and smithing are the hallmarks of dwarven prosperity. The dwarf king is elected by the heads of the major clans when the old monarch dies. The chosen candidate becomes not only the secular ruler of the dwarfs, but their high priest as well.

GNOMES - are a subjugated race within the dwarf kingdom. Gnomes are considered tied to their keeper clan, similar to a land-bound serf. Some do manage to get away and leave the dwarf lands for freedom in the wider world. Such gnomes are nearly always looked down upon by any dwarfs that encounter them. Rare indeed is a free gnome that would risk returning to dwarf lands.

ELVES - There are two known populations of elves. The first are a woodland people that live in the taigas of the northeast, they live an arboreal, reclusive life there. The second are a seafaring, piratical breed. They crew wicked corsair ships and attack merchant vessels, fishermen, and coastal settlements. No one knows where they make port, but they are most frequently spotted in southern waters.

The Lands of Bryll

Check out Herr Altbauer's site if you want to commission an AMAZING map like this!

When working up the ideas for the physical setting, I let my imagination run a little loose. Instead of trying for "realistic" pseudo-historical names and places, I tried to take the more evocative route and give names that had an almost fairy-tale feel to them. I haven't written more than a few lines about each of the major locations. The idea is to fill those in as the campaign rolls forward. Here are a few examples:

The Lin Magocracy: Less of a nation, and more of a scattering of wizards' towers across a gloomy land. They say the region is crisscrossed with powerful ley lines, making it idea for arcane study. It is also said to be infested with enchanted beasts and monsters.

The Splintered Princes: After the Havron Empire began to break apart, petty lords began to fight for territory. The region is still volatile to this day; with little wars breaking out all the time. The only thing that unites the lordlings is their resistance to the return of imperial rule.

Dragonsreef: Shoals, treacherous currents, and jagged reefs make this stretch of coastline perilous to ships and even smaller craft. Few sail this way, excepting bold explorers or outlaws.

There is a lot of blank space here, literally and figuratively. I don't want a setting where every village and stream is named and detailed. We'll get to that as we go.

A new AGE begins

Over the last few weeks, for those of you that aren't aware, Wil Wheaton's "Tabletop" web series has been running a pencil and paper RPG campaign that was a promised stretch goal from their Season 2 Indiegogo fundraising. The name of the campaign is Titansgrave: The Ashes of Valkana and airs weekly.

Now whether you enjoy watching other people play an RPG or not why I mention this. Rather, I wanted to talk about the game system they are using. It is called Fantasy AGE (which stands for Adventure Game Engine) or FAGE (as some have begun to call it), and is new from Chris Pramas and Green Ronin Publishing. Pramas and GR hold a special place in my gaming heart because it was they who revived and (IMO) improved my beloved Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay with its 2nd edition (The "Black Industries" version). WFRP 2e is one of those games that I squeezed a TON of fun out of and would play again at the drop of a small but vicious dog.

The AGE system is not exactly new. GR had used it before in their Dragon AGE RPG. However, like WFRP and the Old World, DA is tied to a particular setting. In this case, the one from the Bioware video game by the same name. FAGE gives you the mechanics divorced from any default setting.

After watching an episode or two of Titansgrave, I was intrigued enough to grab a copy of the pdf when it was released just before GenCon. After reading it though a few times, I like what I see.

The book isn't perfect, mind you. It's almost more of an SRD. The bestiary is far too small, there are a few typos and obvious copy/paste errors from where they lifted some rules from Dragon AGE but didn't update some of the language to reflect minor changes to the rules. Still, it is far from unusable as is, and the system itself is light, flexible, and easy to learn. Furthermore, it's FUN. A friend who went to GenCon grabbed a hard copy from GR's booth for me.

I am currently taking the opportunity of a brand new system to inflict a brand new setting and campaign on my group. Rather than designing the whole arc and filling the world with details for them to uncover, I am taking a different route.

There is a map. A gorgeous one I paid to have professionally drawn (which I will share when I have the final version and have paid the artist the rest of his fee). I have outlined a few paragraphs about the world and the races, and seeded a few hooks based on players' input. Beyond that, it is an open page. I am trying to keep my footprint light on the world, allowing a slightly more collaborative process with the players. Now, that isn't to say it's all diceless storytelling! But if a player has a good idea that makes sense, why not incorporate it somehow? It's an experiment for me, and I'll be moving in slightly less familiar waters, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Shelving, but not scrapping

The multi-PC-per-player, high-level campaign is not going to happen any time soon. I still like the idea, but it is complex enough that I will need to spend a lot more time working out the the kinks before I would be ready to run such a beast. Real life distractions are (surprise!) also limiting my time and energy for pursuing such projects. I think I may need to set my GM-ing sites a little lower for now.

Wheels within Wheels

At this point I have a few ideas for how to handle goals and xp/leveling, but that still leaves the question of ways to engage the PCs. I don't want a higher level campaign that's just about killing bigger monsters. I want the players to explore some of the things that are unique to more experienced characters. Specifically, strongholds, domains, political/military conflict, and magical research/rituals.

Strongholds are –in many ways– the simplest of the bunch. A player character selects the site, pays the costs, and waits for construction to finish. The challenges here I see as twofold:

1. The "primary" PC is paying attention to things like layout and design and paying for it all.
2. The "secondary" PCs need to worry about things like keeping supply lines open, wiping out monsters that threaten the builders, etc.

Lots of adventure material there, IMO. 

Domains are more for after the stronghold is done, but players need to start thinking about them even before the first brick is laid. I also use "domain" as a catch all for other name level pursuits including thieves' guilds or position within a temple hierarchy. For wizards, it's more likely about figuring out getting supplies for one's tower, as most farmers won't live in the shadow of such sorcerous places. 

Military conflicts are more likely to be tied to larger events in the campaign than player-driven. Of course, ambitious PCs might instigate a border war with their neighbors. These can also be smaller scale skirmishes or turf wars between thieves. Political conflict could be court intrigue, a diplomatic mission, or a machiavellian power struggle within a guild or church. I can easily foresee external plot hooks as well as player-driven cases of these. 

Magical story arcs might stem from wizards researching new spells, priests performing ancient rituals, or the enchanting of items. The Adventurer, Conquerer, King system includes a lot of rules for these, as well as things like crossbreeding monsters (Bugbatbears, anyone?). Secondaries keeping interlopers away as their sorcerer boss is trying to complete a powerful ritual that will create an iron golem sentinel for the tower is worth a session or two I think. 

In addition to all this, I need to lay out some ideas about what might be going on in the larger world that can drive events in the campaign. Wars, evil gods, rampaging demons, who knows?

Goal Based XP Awards

Some good ideas offered about my campaign idea on G+ and Dragonsfoot. Here is a little more broad -strokes noodling based on feedback regarding advancement and a player's PCs working toward different goals:

Goal-based XP awards:

PCs are classified as Primary ("Name" level) or Secondary (lower level). Each PC should start with at least one major and two minor goals. Categorizing goals is up to the GM's discretion. Minor goals may include acquiring more powerful magic items, greater wealth, or bolstering one's reputation. Major goals should have a greater level of impact on the character or the campaign. A very few examples include:

• Successfully researching a spell or enchanting a minor magic item: Minor
• Acquiring a long sought-after item (magical or otherwise): Minor
• A primary character completing their hold/tower/abbey/guild: Major
• Cementing an important alliance or defeating a bitter foe: Major

Unless there is a solid, in-game RP reason, players should consider coordinating their character goals with the other PCs in their group (Primary and Secondary). Goals can change over time. Either the player completes them and picks new ones, or the existing goals alter because of in-game events. Secondary characters level up when they complete two minor or one major goal. Primary characters level up when they complete two minor or one major goal in addition to  ALL of the player's Secondary PCs leveling up.

Campaign Concept for name level

So this is a rough outline of something that occurred to me. It sounds fun on paper, but it would present certain challenges to run.

• Each player would start with a PC at or near 9th level. If not yet at name level, XP progression would be somewhat accelerated. The idea is the PCs should know what they want to do in the setting.

• In addition, each player will have several low-to-mid level (≈4-5th?) PCs.

• Each of the "lesser" PCs are henchmen/followers of other players' high level PCs.

• The followers are loyal to their boss (the other player's high level character), not their own "main" PC.

• The main PCs all know and have adventured with each other in the past, but that does not mean they have to be BFFs.

• Play rotates between the different facets of the campaign from session to session (or even mid-session if there is a lull).

• To a certain extent, the player of a facet's name level PC drives the story. His or her goals and challenges are (usually) the focus of that storyline, although the followers do have free will and can make their own decisions.

• There are events in the larger world that will impact on any or all of the facets from time to time.

Determining exactly how a name level PCs pursues their higher ambitions is up to the player. Some ideas/examples:

• Will the fighter become a lord with a keep and fief? Conquer his own (or someone else's) lands? Maybe he accepts a command in the royal army and becomes a general?

• Does the thief try to take over a city's guild? Or does he become a bandit king in the wilderness? Does he set up a spy network? Or become captain of a pirate ship?

• Does the wizard become a court magician? Maybe he builds a tower on some desolate peak?

• Will the cleric build an abbey? Rise in the church's hierarchy at the main temple? Or will he found his own order?

One of my main concerns with this sort of a setup is that some players might have a hard time separating their characters' loyalties. i.e. possibly working against one of your other PCs. I see it as a neat RP opp, but others may differ.

Changing Gears

The DCC game sort of fizzled, which is too bad because there are many things I like about the system. Spotty attendance coupled with my less than expert grasp of the new rule set were the main culprits.

Lately we've been playing Lady Blackbird. It's a story-based game a friend is running (I'm a shapeshifting goblin). It's a neat change of pace, but I think we are nearing the wind-down point with the system. This naturally turns my thoughts to what I might to run if I take a seat in the GM's chair again.

So –big surprise– I'm thinking about BX/LL. More specifically, I'm thinking about a "name level" campaign, where the PCs start at or near the 9th level range, where all the "endgame" stuff starts to happen.

This is a realm of the game that I rarely get to play with, mostly because I've always pushed for the extended campaign where PCs earn those levels all the way from 1st. Sadly, nowadays that's a level of time commitment that most players (and GMs) our age simply find difficult to manage.

One of the reasons I like the idea of the long slog up the XP ladder (besides being a grumpy SOB of a GM) is the way that all those sessions create a bond between the PC and the larger campaign world. It's hardly a new idea, I know, but it's still true. One of the appeals of higher level play is the idea that the PCs become movers and shakers in the greater world, not just better orc-killers.

To balance these challenges, I may try borrowing from more story-based games and have the players devise "hooks" for their character that are already in play, instead of developing in-game. Again, not a new concept.

The next issue I need to address, for my own preference, is that of higher power PCs. I loves me some low level grinds. I know, I know, evil GM and all that; but the tighter resources present their own challenges in the game. Over the years, I've been guilty of letting lower level/power campaigns make my job easier because the PCs simply couldn't muster the magic or puissance to face harder challenges easily. Nothing's worse than a carefully crafted encounter or puzzle being sidestepped by an unanticipated spell or item in the party's arsenal.

I'm trying to push outside my comfort zone a little by giving the players higher level options and resources. In return, I want them to see beyond the crawl and use those resources on a larger scale. At the same time, I think I may introduce a few house-ruled bits of DCC-inspired weirdness to keep things like spells and magic items from being too easy to depend upon. [evil laugh] But that's a different post.

Short DCC Followup

We played "Session 0" last night. 16 zero-level PCs went into the funnel, about a third are dead. We'll probably finish the adventure next time and do some leveling up of the survivors. I decided to set things up to use a version of my Kelvernia setting for any actual campaign play. We'll see what happens next.

Overall, I like the idea of the zero-level funnel, but it's probably best if it doesn't go on for too long. The proto-PCs are so very fragile, and they can't do any of the really cool stuff "full" PCs can (Mighty Deeds, Spells, etc.).

The Mythos: Canon or suggestion?

One of the risks of working with a licensed RPG or setting is the idea that the source material is the final measure of things. In other words, your stories, etc. need to match with what was put down before. You can't put the Shire next to Mordor or give dwarves bazookas and still call it Middle Earth.

Lovecraft is interesting in this regard because despite all the stories, entities, and monsters the whole idea is that people don't know these things' true natures. It gives you a fun springboard to start from.

While I am working with several ideas based on actual "official" creatures for the campaign, I do think I will be homebrewing a few things as well. Another issue with licensed/derivative games is that the players may be quite knowledgeable about "the lore." While good players will avoid metagaming, an obvious tell as to what their dealing with might wreck the suspense.

[I'm deliberately avoiding spoilers here, as a potential player or two might stumble along these posts.]

Oh those college days...of TERROR!

"Oh, soon we'll be out amid the cold world's strife.

Soon we'll be sliding down the razor blade of life."

-Tom Lehrer, "Bright College Days"

Saginaw College a fictional institution on the coast of Saginaw Bay, Michigan (between the thumb and fingers of the "mitten"). It was founded in 1846 as a presbyterian divinity school when the Lowell family left a sizable bequest and their property outside Bangor to be used for the college. The school only lasted a few years before going bankrupt and shuttering its doors in 1858.

In 1889, the campus grounds and old estate manor were purchased by a consortium of wealthy patrons. The school was re-opened as a secular liberal arts college and has been in steady operation since, except for reducing its course offerings during the Great War.

The campus consists of two main sections. The "New Campus" a handful of brick buildings built during the college's inception as classrooms and dormitories, and the "Old Estate." Which consists of the old Lowell home and original buildings. These are used as administrative offices, faculty housing, and the chapel for services.

Bangor township lies a few miles south from the college along the shoreline. It is a small town of about 8,000 people. Its main commercial interests are fishing and logging, though salt industry employs several locals. There is a modest international shipping trade with Canada through the Bay as well.

Behind the Curtain

So the next big question in the assembling of my campaign is What The Heck Is Going On? This entails some spoiler territory, so rather than listing lots of plot details, I'll discuss a little about what goes on in my decision-making process.

Sandbox campaigns (nonlinear or plotless) aren't a good fit here, as there needs to events or mysteries for the investigators to, well, investigate. There needs to be a secret to uncover or a cult to thwart or similar. As the goal here is an ongoing campaign instead of a single adventure, there needs to be some sort of link between adventures. This can be as simple as receiving a new research assignment from the board that oversees your fellowship with no real connection to the previous job, or there can be a thread of common elements that lead the PCs on a progression from start to finish.

The latter certainly has an appeal from a narrative satisfaction point of view, but in my experience complex plots like that can quickly get off the rails. On the other hand, simply dropping the night's adventure in the party's laps can feel rather artificial and "rail-roady."

All aboard the Plot Train!

My theory is to steer a middle course. Events will transpire –barring PC intervention– along a certain timeline and in a certain order. The party will be given direction at least occasionally via the research project plot device, but not constantly. PCs are free to investigate matters on their own, but may find balancing their "normal" responsibilities difficult at times- which is a nice touch of realism, I think.  If things are progressing too quickly, an unrelated mystery may present itself as a break from the main plot. I may limit that a bit, so as to avoid muddying the waters too much regarding the central story.

The mysteries at work in the background will react to the PCs as well. For example, if the bad guys' next step in their plan is to perform some ritual, but the party managed to capture a crucial relic last session. Obviously the cultists will need to get the relic back first.

I have in mind that the "forces of evil" in the campaign are working toward an ultimate goal that is achievable during play. It will be up to the PCs to stop them. Delta Green isn't charging up at the last second to save the day. Thwarting the bad guys will be possible, but not guaranteed and not without a cost. I usually like to give characters a shot at a "clean win," but this is Cthulhu, darn it!

Framing the house (of Horror)

So, for starters, there needs to be a reason for the PCs to be together and investigating various weirdnesses; there needs a coherent setting in terms of what's "normal" for the PCs; and there needs to be a progression of events that doesn't railroad, but gives incentive for the characters to pursue the plot-line.

You all meet in a speakeasy: not

One of the things I feel is important for trying to make this a campaign as opposed to a short adventure is there needs to be a sustainable rationale for the PCs to not only investigate things, but to continue to associate with one another. The hook I'm considering is to have the party all be either students or junior staff at a college or university. To further "push" them together, I'm thinking in terms of a small college, probably somewhat rural. Back in the 1920s, such a locale could be an island of learning in a backwater town or similar. These rural farming towns and the like are classic backdrops for Lovecraftian horror. The campus gives the characters some resources for research, etc. but its library and pool of scholars is limited. Plus, the daily routine of student life provides a backdrop of normalcy.

GoodFellows

As far as a motivation to investigate, the device I'm considering is for each PC to be a recipient of a "research fellowship" from an academic society. The fellowships cover tuition, etc. and provide a small stipend for living expenses. The catch, however, is that the society periodically may assign "field work" projects to its beneficiaries. This may be simple research in the library, cataloging materials, or actually going out and tracking down clues to greater mysteries. None of this exempts the PCs from their responsibilities as students or staff, though.

Spookiness, Horror RPGs, and campaign ideas

So, back again.

I don't know if anyone is still reading this blog, but here I are.

I've talked about horror gaming in the past. It's not my usual thing, but I'm way too fond of HPL stories and Warhammer (Fantasy & 40K) to not think about it as a playable genre. With Halloween approaching, it's also not so strange that horror is on my mind.

Lately, I've been re-reading my old copy of d20 Call of Cthulhu. It's really an excellent conversion IMO. The GM section on the Mythos and running a horror game is a must-read regardless of version or system you're using.

In any case, I'm not going to argue the plusses or minuses of the d20 version vs. the BRP rules. My point simply is that I've been thinking about running a CoC campaign. This is a bit of a departure for me, as I normally prefer horror in one-shot doses and I'm more often a player than a GM for things like Cthulhu. Short adventures make is easier to build and maintain suspense. Also not everyone is up for a longer term investment in spookiness. 

All that said, I am going to pursue trying to piece together a framework for a campaign. It might not be sustainable indefinitely, but I'm after something that doesn't just come to a close after the first adventure.

CoC as a system wasn't a given for me. I took a good look at Goblinoid's Cryptworld. It's a nice, compact set of rules, but I'm just not up to speed on the Pacesetter action tables system. Perhaps if Mr. Snider will be so kind as to run a game or two at Garycon next spring, I'll get a chance to see it at work! 

Anyhow, for me that left Cthulhu. I haven't actually decided about BRP (Chaosium's classic rules) vs. d20. I'd like to give the d20 version a spin, but I may get more player buy-in with BRP. We shall see.

Next up on the to-do list was location and time period. Cthulhu defaults to 1920's but that's not set in stone. I'm leaning toward that era to avoid some of the issues with technology short-circuiting (a-heh) certain challenges. Of course it also meshes nicely with the source material.

Next up on my to-do list is a general outline of events. I have cocktail napkin level ideas, but they need organizing.