Intro's be damned, let's jump straight to the subject, shall we?
Overview: These levels are used to indicate the commonality of magic in a society and/or community. The higher the saturation the more (and more varied) magic is available. People are generally less likely to fear it, more likely to understand it and the less regulated it may be (that's no guarantee though). Also, the higher the saturation, the more organizations may be seen.
Saturation Levels:
Showing posts with label World Building. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Building. Show all posts
Magic in Society: Attitudes & Reactions
We now come to the third aspect (fourth installment) in our Magic in Society series: Attitudes and Reactions. This installment is going to be pretty brief because for the most part it is self explanatory.
People within a given society are likely to mostly share the same feelings about magic, whether those feelings are the result of government regulation or propaganda, historical events, or culturally influenced. There will still be some who have different feelings but in building a fictional setting it is convenient to set a general attitude about magic for each society. So, getting right to it, here is a short dichotomous list of attitudes/reactions about/to magic:
People within a given society are likely to mostly share the same feelings about magic, whether those feelings are the result of government regulation or propaganda, historical events, or culturally influenced. There will still be some who have different feelings but in building a fictional setting it is convenient to set a general attitude about magic for each society. So, getting right to it, here is a short dichotomous list of attitudes/reactions about/to magic:
Magic in Society: Accessibility
It's time for the next installment in this series, Accessibility, so lets get straight to it tonight! When working on the aspects of magic in society one of the questions that kept coming to my mind was "How accessible is magic to the local populous?". Are spells and the associated knowledge and materials freely available in every general store a'la Final Fantasy or The Elder Scrolls games or are they carefully guarded secrets, known only to initiates who closely guard their secrets and share them only with those who know the right symbol or word to gain recognition/admittance.
Magic in Society: Caster Personalities
HAHA! You thought I forgot about this series already. Well, you were right, but I'm back now with the next installment. You can find the previous installment here, where I give the overview of what inspired this series and what it's about.
The information in this particular article in the series will be somewhat proprietary since I developed it for my specific world setting. However, I'm confident you'll be able to adapt it to your own if you choose to use it. That being said, let's move on to the meat of this article!
The information in this particular article in the series will be somewhat proprietary since I developed it for my specific world setting. However, I'm confident you'll be able to adapt it to your own if you choose to use it. That being said, let's move on to the meat of this article!
Magic in Society: Introduction
Things have been pretty quiet for nearly 8 months now. I'm running an on-and-off post apocalyptic game that re-started in early January. Schedules have forced us to miss a few sessions but we hope to be getting together again in another couple of weeks. The system is pretty much done, but lacks a little tweaking, a lot of testing, and a setting.
Technically Renaissance can be used in any setting; heck, it's designed for medieval-fantasy role-playing and I'm using it for a post-apocalyptic sci-fi game. However, there are some features about it that lend itself to a particular setting. One I've always had kicking around in the back of my mind and could never quite get out on paper satisfactorily. You know the one, you probably all have one kicking around the back of your mind too.
Well, I've been studying a lot of geography (a little) and doing a lot of mapping and re-mapping and re-re-mapping and a lot of personal debating about world features, feel, etc. At the moment I'm working on pinning down exactly how much presence magic has in society and how it is felt. I've formulated a series of notes, personal guides you might say, regarding the various aspects of magic within society. Over the next week or so I'll be posting those notes for your review, enjoyment and opinions. I plan a total of 5 articles, one for each aspect and a final one to bring it all together and discuss the "so what"; the worth and use of the guides. From what I'm looking at in the notes right now, I think they're going to be very helpful in my setting building. Hopefully they will be helpful to you as well.
Before I go, here is a summary of the aspects of magic in society I have noted and will be posting:
Technically Renaissance can be used in any setting; heck, it's designed for medieval-fantasy role-playing and I'm using it for a post-apocalyptic sci-fi game. However, there are some features about it that lend itself to a particular setting. One I've always had kicking around in the back of my mind and could never quite get out on paper satisfactorily. You know the one, you probably all have one kicking around the back of your mind too.
Well, I've been studying a lot of geography (a little) and doing a lot of mapping and re-mapping and re-re-mapping and a lot of personal debating about world features, feel, etc. At the moment I'm working on pinning down exactly how much presence magic has in society and how it is felt. I've formulated a series of notes, personal guides you might say, regarding the various aspects of magic within society. Over the next week or so I'll be posting those notes for your review, enjoyment and opinions. I plan a total of 5 articles, one for each aspect and a final one to bring it all together and discuss the "so what"; the worth and use of the guides. From what I'm looking at in the notes right now, I think they're going to be very helpful in my setting building. Hopefully they will be helpful to you as well.
Before I go, here is a summary of the aspects of magic in society I have noted and will be posting:
- Caster Personalities/Purpose
- Accessibility
- Attitudes and Reactions (of the populous)
- Saturation Levels
The End of an Era. Maybe.
I've been reading "The Dungeon Master Experience" article's by Chris Perkins for about 6 months now. He's been writing them longer than that but I came to the show late and frenzied my way through the archives pretty quick. These are some fantastic articles he's written and are well worth the read. As of this last Thursday though, 03/21/2013, his 4th edition campaign is over and so may also be his articles on this topic. There is still the possibility he'll return when his D&DNext campaign gets underway with new Dungeon Master Experience articles, but I would be surprised if he did so. I wouldn't be surprised to see him return with a new series of articles though.
In the meantime, I highly recommend visiting their archives, sorting by Category and reading every one of "The Dungeon Master Experience" articles available. There's lots of good advice and general entertainment, ranging from designing balanced encounters (and whether or not you even should) to how to create a game world that feels truly alive.
'til later...
In the meantime, I highly recommend visiting their archives, sorting by Category and reading every one of "The Dungeon Master Experience" articles available. There's lots of good advice and general entertainment, ranging from designing balanced encounters (and whether or not you even should) to how to create a game world that feels truly alive.
'til later...
How Much Realism Is Too Real
In the past I've been a strong advocate and supporter of realism. I still lean towards realism in my design and planning but I've started re-thinking my opinion on the matter recently. There is such a thing as too much realism. For example...
Believable Villains
Light and Dark can be found in everyone. It can be fun to have a villain that is pure evil, with no redeeming qualities. In such cases the players don't have anything to feel guilty about when they defeat the villain. However, in mortals (and immortals if you take your cosmology cue from most polytheistic religions) Good and Evil can be found within everyone.
Re-learning to GM
I have't GM'd a regular game in years. I used to be pretty decent, though I'd never say great. Over the years, my style and game quality have declined. It's time to get back to the basics.
The plan for now is to start with a small shanty-esque town outside a larger city. The scene begins with the players having been kicked out of the larger city for one reason or another (perhaps to be determined by the players themselves), leaving us with a smaller city area for them to role-play in. In the shanty-town there will be one developed NPC who offers the PC's a job in a simple dungeon, either simply for pay or in exchange for the means of getting back into the city. The means, of course, may or may not involve additional work/adventures to come to fruition.
The plan for now is to start with a small shanty-esque town outside a larger city. The scene begins with the players having been kicked out of the larger city for one reason or another (perhaps to be determined by the players themselves), leaving us with a smaller city area for them to role-play in. In the shanty-town there will be one developed NPC who offers the PC's a job in a simple dungeon, either simply for pay or in exchange for the means of getting back into the city. The means, of course, may or may not involve additional work/adventures to come to fruition.
Secession: Comments and Gaming
In case you weren't aware, there's been a lot of talk about secession from every state in the United States this last week or so. Except it hasn't been the States, officially, just citizens of the states. I wanted to take a moment to comment on that and also look at the inspiration this can offer for GM's because, after all, everything in life is relatable to role-playing and vice versa.
Democracy in Fantasy
From past and recent posts, you may think this blog is rapidly becoming a socio-economic political blog. However, it is not. Gaming is still my passion so, instead of despairing or reveling in last nights results, let's look at them from another angle. Inspiration. Imagine what an election would look like if magic were involved.
To begin with, the things the candidates could promise the masses would be vastly more fantastic: eternal water wells, no blight for the crops, weapons and tools that never lose their edge, etc. etc. And what's more, they'd actually be able to deliver on it, unlike our current politicians who practically do offer such ridiculous things.
There are hooks galore one could take from this or the pre- and ongoing-elections. Let's look at a few:
-One candidate or another has been elected. Now he needs to deliver on those promises but his political opponents need a little "support" before they're willing to enact the laws that will send government wizards to all the towns for the crops.
-The newly elected Grand Citizen has enacted laws requiring all blacksmiths to install an enchanting circle in their forge so that the weapons and tools they make comply with the new law ... but the local guilds are resisting and they've got enough political clout to make a public move against them impossible. The PC's are brought in by one side or the other to enforce the law or defend the guild from rogue agents.
-The PC's wizard has been enlisted to visit towns and build the Well of Eternal water but certain supplies are needed and, like all efficient governments, only insufficiently close approximations have been provided. You'll have to do what you can with what you've got 'cause you're on a time schedule and you don't get paid if it's late. Whether it's done right or not, that's irrelevant to your pay scale.
-The election has yet to take place and one candidate or the other needs some more experienced, specialized protection to see them through the campaign.
--What if both feel they need protection and both contact the PC's? Are they really in danger from each other, something more sinister apart from them, or are they just paranoid. How do they react if the PC's take both jobs and try to keep their divided loyalties a secret?
-The PC's uncover information that the magically monitored and operated polls are being manipulated by a third party to some nefarious means. Do they get involved, is the nefarious goal truly nefarious or just politically selfish? What's involved and is their assistance viewed as such, or is it seen as illegal interference despite the need and benevolence with which it is performed.
-The PC's are tasked with guarding one of the wizards being sent to modify the wells and crops (or the PC's wizard is being sent). Wacky hijinks and/or dire consequences ensue when spells go awry, the influx of magic to the nations fields and water produces imbalances and unexpected side effects, etc. What about the results of people eating the MMO (Magically Modified Organisms) crops.
These are just a few of the possibilities. Do you have other ideas/suggestions? Drop them in the comments section for Mutually Assured Enjoyment or discussion!
To begin with, the things the candidates could promise the masses would be vastly more fantastic: eternal water wells, no blight for the crops, weapons and tools that never lose their edge, etc. etc. And what's more, they'd actually be able to deliver on it, unlike our current politicians who practically do offer such ridiculous things.
There are hooks galore one could take from this or the pre- and ongoing-elections. Let's look at a few:
-One candidate or another has been elected. Now he needs to deliver on those promises but his political opponents need a little "support" before they're willing to enact the laws that will send government wizards to all the towns for the crops.
-The newly elected Grand Citizen has enacted laws requiring all blacksmiths to install an enchanting circle in their forge so that the weapons and tools they make comply with the new law ... but the local guilds are resisting and they've got enough political clout to make a public move against them impossible. The PC's are brought in by one side or the other to enforce the law or defend the guild from rogue agents.
-The PC's wizard has been enlisted to visit towns and build the Well of Eternal water but certain supplies are needed and, like all efficient governments, only insufficiently close approximations have been provided. You'll have to do what you can with what you've got 'cause you're on a time schedule and you don't get paid if it's late. Whether it's done right or not, that's irrelevant to your pay scale.
-The election has yet to take place and one candidate or the other needs some more experienced, specialized protection to see them through the campaign.
--What if both feel they need protection and both contact the PC's? Are they really in danger from each other, something more sinister apart from them, or are they just paranoid. How do they react if the PC's take both jobs and try to keep their divided loyalties a secret?
-The PC's uncover information that the magically monitored and operated polls are being manipulated by a third party to some nefarious means. Do they get involved, is the nefarious goal truly nefarious or just politically selfish? What's involved and is their assistance viewed as such, or is it seen as illegal interference despite the need and benevolence with which it is performed.
-The PC's are tasked with guarding one of the wizards being sent to modify the wells and crops (or the PC's wizard is being sent). Wacky hijinks and/or dire consequences ensue when spells go awry, the influx of magic to the nations fields and water produces imbalances and unexpected side effects, etc. What about the results of people eating the MMO (Magically Modified Organisms) crops.
These are just a few of the possibilities. Do you have other ideas/suggestions? Drop them in the comments section for Mutually Assured Enjoyment or discussion!
How Boring Demographics can become Exciting Adventure Hooks
While some of us do actually enjoy reviewing demographics, up to a point, they are not on their own particularly interesting for adventurers. However, by doing a little pre-game work on a city and figuring up its demographics, there are ways to extrapolate any number of interesting adventure hooks for your players.
Walk your World
First, I apologize. No pun was intended. Now then, moving on.
When I work on a world setting, I used to find myself building lots of high-level structures (not in terms of character level but in terms of framework) such as government types, tax levels, demographics, etc. As a result, I often ended up with excess material that player's almost never needed and found myself having to flesh out towns and cities on the fly. Not necessarily a bad way to run, but if I'm running based on a pre-designed setting, I need more information from the ground up and less from the top down. Thankfully, I found a solution to this situation.
When I work on a world setting, I used to find myself building lots of high-level structures (not in terms of character level but in terms of framework) such as government types, tax levels, demographics, etc. As a result, I often ended up with excess material that player's almost never needed and found myself having to flesh out towns and cities on the fly. Not necessarily a bad way to run, but if I'm running based on a pre-designed setting, I need more information from the ground up and less from the top down. Thankfully, I found a solution to this situation.
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