Fantasy World

What if the world was not a sphere but instead a donut?  This article answers some of those questions.  And the possibilities sound really interesting.

Obviously, the author thought so.  His 'Summary' is this:

"Torus-worlds are unlikely to exist naturally. But if they did, they would make awesome places for adventure. A large surface area. Regions with very different climate, seasons, gravity and ecosystems. Awesome skies on the interior surface. Dramatic weather. Moons in strange orbits."

To be honest, when I think about this for use in fantasy gaming, I'm not sure that the player characters would ever have reason to know what the shape of their world was.  It wouldn't matter to them (unless it was a Spelljammer type campaign) OR the world would seem flat to them, just like another world that we all know pretty well.

But for that brand of DM/GM who likes to know why things are the way they are in his or her world, a torus-world would allow crazy climates, strange (to us) night-day patterns, a very interesting sky with bizarre moon motions, among other things.  It would truly seem fantastic, AND the DM could explain it all.

Even Aliens are Susceptible to a Robopacalypse

I am continually amazed by what 'amateur' filmmakers can accomplish these days.  The dividing line between a studio production and an indie production is growing thinner daily.  And the dividing line between an indie production and a one-man production is likewise growing thinner.

While I typically do not delve into science fiction on this blog, I am making an exception for this post.  Go watch this video.  It think that it proves that even aliens are susceptible to a robopacalypse.

Of course, it could easily serve as inspiration for a fantasy rpg campaign:  What would happen if all the golems, automata, and other "created" magical beings in the world suddenly rebelled from their wizard creators, banded together, and attempted to take it over?

World Engines (My Own Part Three)

First off, yes, it's been a long time since I've appeared here.  I apologize.  Honestly, I've been passing this way almost continuously since you last saw me--I just didn't stop to say hello.

So.  Hello.

Okay. On to the topic at hand.

So Dave (here or here) and I have long talked about coming up with a system for a DM to generate a world (continent, region, kingdom, whatever...) history in a relatively short period of time using a set of random charts, similar in concept to the Events Charts from the AD&D Oriental Adventures.  We have talked about it and discussed it for a long, long time.  (A dozen years or more?)  We were talking about it just a few days ago, in fact, the last time that we spoke.

It turns out that others are talking about such a system as well.  They have, in one small way, gone a step further than us--they've given the system a name.  World Engine.  I have to say that I like the sound of that.  Anyway, first go here for Part One of the talk.   Then, go here for a little commentary on Part One.  Finally, go here for Part Two.

I don't have much to say on the topic today, but I wanted to dip my toe in the water and grab a spot at this bar.  I will have more to say in the coming days.  I hope that those others do as well.

Campaign Concept: "Seven"

I find inspiration for gaming just about everywhere I turn.

You might think that I am proposing a campaign concept from the movie "Seven" starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, which is, of course, based on the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins.  I suppose that there is a campaign idea in there somewhere, but that's not where this comes from.

Take a read of the following.  I think that there is plenty here for inspiration.

And I saw an angel come down unto me
In her hand she holds the very key
Words of compassion, words of peace
And in the distance an army's marching feet
But behold, we will watch them fall

And we lay down on the sand of the sea
And before us animosity will stand and decree
That we speak not of love only blasphemy
And in the distance, six others will curse me

And we will see a plague and a river of blood
And every evil soul will surely die in spite of
Their seven tears, but do not fear
for in the distance, twelve souls from now
You and me will still be here - we will still be here

There will be a new city with streets of gold
The young so educated they never grow old
And a, there will be no death for with every breath
The voice of many colors sings a song
That's so bold
Sing it while we watch them fall

All seven and we'll watch them fall
They stand in the way of love
And we will smoke them all
With an intellect and a savoir-faire
No one in the whole universe
Will ever compare
I am yours now and you are mine
And together we'll love through
All space and time, so don't cry
One day all seven will die

More than likely, you recognize that the above are lyrics to a song, even if you do not particularly care for it or the artist.  But that really doesn't matter, because there is plenty here for a campaign.

Angels carrying keys, armies, blasphemy, plague, rivers of blood, a new city with streets of gold, young so educated they never grow old.  Who or what are the Seven?  Are they good?  Are they evil?

And whether or not you like the song or video apart from the lyrics, I find both also to be inspirational.  The tone is generally Middle Eastern to me, with a little horror thrown in (background music), and his outfit is something that I can imagine a desert mystic assassin wearing as he approaches his quarry before silently slitting its throat.

Maybe I should just stick to maps, but, to me, this song drips with inspiration.

Campaign Concept: Afloat in the Fleet (Part 1)

Back here and continuing here, I wrote about Chinese treasure junks, massive ships from the fifteenth century (Good article here.), and how their existence gave me some ideas for roleplaying. Another good article is here, but I’ll just include the relevant portion:

Expedition of Zheng He

The largest junks ever built were possibly those of Admiral Zheng He, for his expeditions in the Indian Ocean. According to Chinese sources, the fleet for He's 1405 expedition comprised nearly 30,000 sailors and over 300 ships at its height.



The dimensions of Zheng He's ships according to ancient Chinese chronicles are disputed by modern scholars (see below):


• "Treasure ships", used by the commander of the fleet and his deputies (Nine-masted junks, claimed by the Ming Shi to be about 420 feet long and 180 feet wide).


• "Horse ships", carrying tribute goods and repair material for the fleet (Eight-masted junks, about 340 feet long and 140 feet wide)


• "Supply ships", containing food-staple for the crew (Seven-masted junks, about 260 feet long and 115 feet wide).


• "Troop transports" (Six-masted junks, about 220 feet long and 83 feet wide).


• "Fuchuan warships" (Five-masted junks, about 165 feet long).


• "Patrol boats" (Eight-oared, about 120 feet long).


• "Water tankers", with 1 month's supply of fresh water.


Some recent research suggests that the actual length of the biggest treasure ships may have been between 390–408 feet (119–124 m) long and 160–166 feet (49–51 m) width, while others estimate them to be 200–250 feet (61–76 m) in length.

When I read the above, numerous ideas spring to mind. Just to simplify, say that you have a fleet of large ships, two to three hundred of them with a total manpower of twenty to thirty thousand people. What could you do with that?  Here are a bunch of possibilities that come to my mind.

One possibility is that the fleet of ships is controlled by a maritime power in your world in order to (pick the goal).  Perhaps it is conquest of surrounding dominions or perhaps it is exploration.  Regardless, the fleet is military in nature.  The PCs are mercenaries in the employ of the government, either in possession of their own ship or based on one of the many barracks ships that are accompanying the expedition.  Or maybe they are spies of a competing power, trying to thwart the aims of the fleet.  This idea could work for any level of PCs.  Low level PCs could interact with the common soldiers (or marines--seaborne infantry), the masters of the smaller ships, and the daily "normal" happenings throughout the fleet.  High level PCs could interact with the Admirals in charge of the fleet and the governing council.

Adventures could be event-based based upon the politics and situations that the PCs find themselves in as part of this massive fleet.  Adventures could also be location-based as the fleet visits various strange locales and the PCs have to explore the lands or islands that the fleet encounters. 

Another possibility is that the fleet of ships is not attached to any land power, but is, in fact, its own political entity.  A literal floating city made up of numerous ships, housing all of the normal functions of a city, but in a collection of moving vessels whose position changes relative to all of the others over time and whose makeup changes as some ships (or groups of ships) leave the main body and others return to it over time.  It would obviously include (much) smaller vessels that taxi passengers between the larger ones.

If one accepts the literal floating city as a campaign idea, what is the nature of that city's voyages?  What are their origins?
- Perhaps it just voyages from place to place with no discernable rhyme or reason (at least to the commoner aboard one of its many vessels).  The PCs would just be along for the ride, and their adventures are determined merely upon the circumstances of the cruise.
- Perhaps the leadership of the city are searching for a particular place, object, or person.  The PCs are actively involved in the search, whether as mercenaries or otherwise.  Or perhaps they don't give a hoot about the overall reasons for the voyage and are out for themselves.
- Perhaps the city voyages to discover its past.  How many science-fictions stories are about humans in space trying to find the mythical 'Earth'?  Translate that idea to fantasy and an ocean voyage, and it works as well.

I'm sure there are other ways that this basic idea could be used in a campaign.  If you can think of any, I'd love to hear of them.