It's time to let the dice control everything - let's find out what they want us to explore first!
(Very long post)
Preface
If you don't know what Randomized Roleplay is, check out this post for an overview of the concept.
tl;dr: Start with no plan or concept - let the dice decide everything.
This is the first campaign of this series and I don't yet have a concrete plan for how much I'm going to include in these blog posts. Every little detail might to too cumbersome, while glossing over too many details may become equally frustrating. Let's go with the theme and improvise as we go along. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or recommendations.
Genre and Theme
Let's get right into it by rolling for the most defining parameters of the campaign.
Genre: (6) Low/Gritty Fantasy
Theme: (6) Military
Alright, no game immediately springs to mind but I love military fiction so this is right up my alley. Now, it's time to look through my collection to find a fitting game system. This might take a while but, for you, no time will pass at all.
It actually took quite a few hours because I took the opportunity and sorted all my games into tables separated by genre. There is some overlap but I categorized them based on the style of play I would want to use it for. These tables allow me to randomly determine the game system for my Randomized Roleplay campaigns.
The Game System
My Low/Gritty Fantasy table has 36 entries. I use random.org for unusual tables but, for this one, you could also roll 1d3 as the tens and 1d6 as the ones.
The game for this campaign is going to be: Worlds Without Numbers (free version)
There is a for-pay deluxe version but I don't own it yet and it's not needed for the low fantasy campaign we're about to play here.
Kevin Crawford writes fantastic material full of GM tools that are perfect for solo play. So far, I have only given the PDF a cursory glance, which means I have quite a bit of reading to do.
The Setting
WWN comes with a default campaign setting but this is Randomized Roleplay so we're going to ignore that and instead generate our own little low fantasy setting. If you've already read the initial concept for my solo universe, than you know that I'm planning to run all my games in the same general universe (mega setting). Games of a similar genre, that don't require a specific setting, will all takes place on the same world (or the genre appropriate equivalent). This means that our WWN game will lay the first building blocks for our Low/Gritty Fantasy setting. I'm excited to find out in what direction its going to develop.
The Campaign Structure
It's going to be a military themed campaign so let's keep that in mind while we generate everything.
As always, I'm using the tables and emulation process from the GEMulator.
Premise: Rescue Operation
Length: Long (10 Adventures, -/+5 Transition Modifier Change)
Scope: Wide (minimum 1 local and 2 global factions)
Stakes: High (+10 Campaign Turn Modifier)
Theme: Military
Ok, a long campaign with high stakes that includes several larger factions. To keep this manageable, I'll probably make 1 blog post per adventure, in which I'll only focus on the major events. Talking about every individual scene and dice roll would take ages and fill dozens of blog posts.
The premise of a rescue operation can be interpreted several different ways. 10 adventures mean that it's not just a one-off high risk operation but more of a prolonged struggle. Alternatively, we could go for an episodic style campaign where every adventure is another rescue operation. That sounds fun and is probably more achievable than a single operation stretched across 10 adventures, so let's go with that.
The Backdrop
Originally, I had planned to start 'in media res' at a small location somewhere and slowly generate the world as needed. For me, that's usually a fantastic way to kick off a solo campaign because I can be completely surprised by the random tables. I love to develop/interpret the narrative based on the growing context and that is the kind of playstyle I am aiming for.
However... the dice gave us WWN, which is specifically designed to help GMs with practical worldbuilding for sandbox style campaigns. It would be a shame to just ignore that part so let's use it to generate our starting area.
The book talks about three distinct worldbuilding levels: the World, the Region, and the Kingdom.
Each level comes with several questions that are great for a basic understanding of the setting. Let's randomly generate our answers!
If possible, we're going to use random tables or generation method from the WWN book.
For Yes/No questions, we're using my Main Oracle sheet.
The World (Ro)
What’s the name of this world for people in your campaign’s scope?
WWN doesn't have name generators so we're using this one instead.
(09) One Syllable, double the last letter if desired | (51, 6) Ro
Are natural physical laws mostly the same as in our world?
Main Oracle | Unlikely: (26) No
Low Fantasy doesn't automatically mean an Earth-like environment. Let's make a custom table and find out what we're dealing with.
(7) Cube World
Ok, so not a planet but more of an artificial construct. Who created it?
Can the edges be crossed or is it more like 6 separate square 'worlds'?
Are there any spirit-worlds, alternate dimensions, novel planes of existence, or other cosmological locales generally associated with the world?
Main Oracle | Unknown: (34) No
Are there any grand global-scale empires or groups that impinge on the campaign’s scope?
Main Oracle | Unknown: (14) No
How interconnected are the parts of your world?
Main Oracle | Is travel easy? Unknown: (77) Yes
It's low fantasy so no portal network or instant teleportation.
Good roads, safe sea-routes, overall good infrastructure.
Travel through the cube itself? No planetary core, heat, gravity, pressure, etc?
Magical/advanced transport method that no one understands? Only superficial maintenance possible.
Main Oracle | Do the natives know a lot about their more distant neighbors? Very Likely: (39) Yes
Active trade, tourism, pilgrimages, etc.
Are there any vast global events that have happened recently?
Main Oracle | Unknown: (76) Yes
WWN p.136 Historical Crises table: (67) Religious or ideological excess
Religious or ideological? (2): Ideological
Political, social, epistemological, or ethical?: (4) Ethical
How did they overcome the crisis?: (10) Ruthless but effective sacrifices were made
What sort of sacrifice?
Population, Location, Quality of Life, Resources, Culture | 1d5: (2) Location
I barely know anything about ethical ideologies so I did some superficial research to get some dangerous half-knowledge. Today, we're going to base this event around the following image:
An ideological excess revolving around ethical idealism/relativism that was overcome by ruthlessly sacrificing a location.
Ok, that's definitely an unusual prompt but we can definitely work with that:
- Ideological Excess (something that is more than necessary, permitted, or desirable | lack of moderation)
- Philosophical faction that started out as a neutral party that would debate the morality/ethics of major decisions on a national level.
- Every nation/group heeds their decision
- Over time, they became increasingly influential and took control over more and more minuscule decisions. Endlessly debating the ethics of each action, which slowly drove the entire area into a bureaucratic hellscape.
- Abuse of power
- The faction grew accustomed to their power and corruption spread from top to bottom.
- Sacrificed Location
- Destroyed? Abandoned? Shunned? Ruins would be fun from a gameplay perspective.
- Probably the place of power of the philosophical faction. Maybe a centrally located city, that is now partially forbidden territory?
Their philosophical debates about large scale actions could take several years and often ended after the dilemma in question had long become irrelevant.
Ultimately, the surrounding nations united against them and overthrew them. Their place of power (the inner city of the central metropolis) was meticulously cordoned off and declared forbidden territory. Philosophical debate was outlawed and anyone caught withing the forbidden city was immediately executed.
The Region (Ro-Tenn)
Name the region.
Using the same generator as for the world. | (08) One Syllable, double the last letter if desired | (71, 5) Tenn
Another short name. Maybe the world name Ro is combined with the name of each cube side. In this case, our region would be called Ro-Tenn.
Choose about six major geographical features.
WWN p.121 Significant Terrain Features table
(9) Jungle
(8) Jagged Mountains
(19) Volcano
(11) Megaplex
(14) Rocky Hills
(5) Dense Forest
Interesting combination that could play into the concept of an artificial cube world. The jagged mountains could be along the edges and the megaplex could be a giant underground complex. Maybe we even divide the terrain by distinct environments that are obviously placed in a specific pattern.
WWN p.134 Forms of Rulership table for type of government
(2, 6) Oligarchs of greatest wealth or influence
(19) Triumph
Victorious in recent war?
Defended against unprovoked incursion?
B. Group 1: Light of the Extinct
(3) Despair
Former influential faction? Some sort of leadership?
Neutral party that got decimated during the war?
C. Nation 2: Grithia Empire
(3) Despair
Lost recent war?
Attacked neighbors for perceived 'immoral' actions?
D. Group 2: Betrayed Embers
(11) Enlightenment
Philosophical institute at the center of the recent global events?
Shunned after starting a costly war?
E. Group 3: Goldenford
(17) Prosperity
Merchant guild? Opportunists that got rich through the war?
F. Group 4: Chosen Hunters
(6) Oppression
Ruthless 'peacekeepers' or morality police?
Identify regionally-significant gods.
WWN p.140+ and Main Oracle
Are there regionally significant gods? | Almost Certain: (29) Yes
How many gods? | 1d4: 4
How many different religions? | 1d4: 4
Ok, this is going to be a lot of rolling on different tables so I'm just going to copy/paste my notes that I took while going through the process. Hopefully, it helps you to see how easy it can be to grow a narrative from just a few random results.
Scope: (2) Local
Who Leads the Faith? | 1d8: (5)
Powerful lay believers fund temples that are
subject to their family’s wishes, staffed by clergy
supported by their funding.
What is the God's Origin? | 1d12: (10)
It was a tamed or placated supernatural entity
Why does this faith matter? | 1d10: (7)
It’s trying to expand and needs help
What does the faith want? | 1d12: (10)
Perform a tremendously expensive rite
What are the clergy like? | 1d8: (8)
The wealthier believers who can afford to keep
up the expensive or demanding ritual practice.
What is their societal function? | 1d20: (19)
It explains the creation and order of the world
Pay-for-status/position religion based around the people/entity/gods who build the cube/world.
God is placated by constant offerings of wealth and currency.
Offers power for wealth (sounds like a late stage capitalist hellscape - I love the concept).
Religion 2
Scope: (4) Global
Who Leads the Faith? | 1d8: (4)
Individual congregations are independent, with
their clergy subject to the consensus will of their
parishioners.
What is the God's Origin? | 1d12: (12) Roll again and combine both concepts (6 + 11)
It’s the genius of a particular land or location
It was an artificial construct built by humans
Why does this faith matter? | 1d10: (9)
It plots secret sinister evils against the land
What does the faith want? | 1d12: (9)
Erect a huge and imposing temple complex
What are the clergy like? | 1d8: (2)
Chosen from specific bloodlines or groups and
trained to serve the faithful.
What is their societal function? | 1d20: (6)
It’s a patron of an illegal but inevitable trade
Ancient AI that was supposed to control/manage the cube world but got corrupted along the way?
Now barely comprehensible and plots sinister experiments with the inhabitants (macro scale, wars etc).
Clergy are people who can interact with the ancient technology through something in their blood?
Long-term goal is the construction of a giant temple complex for their god.
In the center of the cube/world?
They control an illegal but inevitable trade - what is it?
Something that the spirit/god needs to function?
Substance that allows people to survive inside the cube world?
Something for oxygen or to protect against the environment?
Religion 3
Scope: (1) Dead / Forgotten
Who Leads the Faith? | 1d8: (7)
The church is entirely part of the secular structure
of the land, its clergy no more than officials
appointed by the government to their roles.
What is the God's Origin? | 1d12: (8)
It was a personified natural phenomenon
Why does this faith matter? | 1d10: (10)
It has influence over important locals
What does the faith want? | 1d12: (12) Roll again; stop a rival from doing that (7)
Smash a specific enemy faith or group
What are the clergy like? | 1d8: (2)
Chosen from specific bloodlines or groups and
trained to serve the faithful.
What is their societal function? | 1d20: (10)
It provides good harvests or human fertility
The original religion created around the uncorrupted spirit/god that was supposed to control the cube/world?
Personified nature, wind, water, crops, earth, etc -> led to good harvests
Tried to stop Religion 2 from smashing unbelievers?
Lost the following war and got utterly destroyed?
Religion 4
Scope: (4) Global
Who Leads the Faith? | 1d8: (8) | (4 + 6)
Roll twice; the faith has different structures in different places or contexts.
Individual congregations are independent, with
their clergy subject to the consensus will of their
parishioners.
There is no official clergy; some believers may
take up special roles or provide teaching, but
they are not qualitatively different from others.
What is the God's Origin? | 1d12: (9)
It was another faith’s saint turned into a god
Why does this faith matter? | 1d10: (9)
It plots secret sinister evils against the land
What does the faith want? | 1d12: (1)
Crush its religious rivals in the area
What are the clergy like? | 1d8: (4)
Sorcerers who serve the god as part of their
magical studies or efforts.
What is their societal function? | 1d20: (17)
It bestows material wealth upon petitioners
An evil religion led by sorcerers that want to crush their religious rivals (Religion 2?) and bestows material wealth upon their followers? That is the most perfect villainous faction you could ever ask for.
Make a sketch map of the region.
As the book says, a very basic sketch is more than enough for now. Maybe we'll make a nice one for the kingdom level but that's for the next post.
We already know the major geographical features of the region and that
the world is an artificial construct in the form of a cube. The concept
of a 'planned' world sounds fun so let's place the terrain in a very
artificial layout.
.png) |
| Very rough 15min sketch made with Wonderdraft |
Sidenote: I just realized that the rivers are placed the wrong way around but it's a sketch so it doesn't matter.
As you can see, I fully embraced the artificial layout and decided to put the jagged mountains as the border on the cube edges. The overall world is relatively small and this map covers an area roughly the size of France.
The ruins in the top right corner represent the megaplex. Probably a gigantic complex that was originally used to maintain the cube. With the corruption of the cube spirit/god it slowly fell apart and was abandoned. The Chosen Hunters (Group 4) now live there, after they were mercilessly hunted during the religious war started by Religion 3.
The central metropolis was the place of power of the Betrayed Embers (Group 2) that got 'ruthlessly destroyed' during the recent global crisis. The inner city is still forbidden territory but the outer ring is very active as a central trade hub and a place of learning. Philosophical debate is still outlawed though.
|
Rough Political Map |
.png)
The Edrolum Kingdrom (Nation 1) won the recent war against the Grithia Empire (Nation 2) so let's assume that the territory beyond the rivers is newly conquered. The Chosen Hunters (Group 4) also took some land from them and they are now in danger of having their territory cut in half.
Light of the Extinct (Group 1) is made up of the former ruling class of the Grithia Empire (Nation 2). They were overthrown during the recent war, after a rival anti-war faction gained enough momentum to start a rebellion.
Assign two important historical events to each group or nation.
Edrolum Kingdom - Nation 1 (Triumph)
(82) Religious Rise
During the war, a new religion emerged and became dominant after the victory
Religion 2? Would make sense and allow Group 4 to act as oppression force
(89) Total Collapse
(Long time ago) What caused the collapse?
Light of the Extinct - Group 1 (Despair)
(20) Economic Boom
Generational wealth from the exploitation of natural resources (long ago, access lost by now)
(68) Plague
During the war, a mysterious plague spread across the land (and only affected their people?)
Grithia Empire - Nation 2 (Despair)
(22) Enemies Within
Anti-war faction?
(50) Internal War
Anti-war sentiment escalates into full rebellion
Betrayed Embers - Group 2 (Enlightenment)
(70) Poverty
They used to live a minimalist life of research and philosophical debate.
(11) Decadence
Over time, their purpose slowly shifted and they let themselves be corrupted by wealth, luxury, and a life of leisure.
Goldenford - Group 3 (Prosperity)
(63) Noble Function
Aristocratic Merchants?
(59) New Horizons
Probably underground network with important resources for the spirit/god
Chosen Hunters - Group 4 (Oppression)
(20) Economic Boom
Probably from resources/treasures found in the ruins
(06) Brutal Oppression
(Long time ago) Hunted and persecuted for their beliefs? That's why they live in the ruins.
Define the relationships between the groups.
We already have enough information to get a rough understanding of each faction so no additional rolling is required. Let's look at a rough relationship map that I quickly threw together with draw.io
Back to the Campaign Structure
Now that we have a rough idea of the region we are going to play in, it is time to return to our campaign structure from the GEMulator. As a reminder, we generated a long campaign that's centered around a military rescue operation with high stakes and involving several factions. Specifically, it was 1 local faction and 2 global factions.
The global factions are definitely the two rival nations. Let's randomly determine one of the groups as our local faction.
1d4: (3) Goldenford
The aristocratic merchant house that recently discovered a potential underground network within the cube. Sounds perfect for an episodic campaign where every adventure is a rescue operation to save people who went missing in this new underground network.
The Next Steps
My original plan was to make a fancy map for the local area but it doesn't really make sense to have a detailed map of a newly discovered underground complex. Let's get into the mindset of soldiers delving into the unknown to rescue their comrades and faction members.
Who needs a map if you have cold steel and an iron will?
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