My Ideal OSR Campaign Structure/Setting/Settings

 Hi there, it's me, back from a long hiatus... 

Anyway, I had a thought that I might assemble a series of blog posts where I ruminate upon my favorite bits of the OSR and Old School gaming.  Full Disclaimer: YMMV.  These are my thoughts alone.  I'm not looking to pick a fight, just try to assemble a "comprehensive" list of the favorite bits and tools and resources that I would use in an ideal campaign.  

To me, ideal means a campaign that is fully assembled -- not plotted or heavily structured -- but a campaign where all the pieces are organized (as much as possible) so the GM has all their resources at their fingertips.

Here's a starter list of all the things I'd like to identify as resources.  This list is under construction.  As posts are added, they will be hyperlinked here.

• Outdoor/Wilderness Setting
• Mapping
• Primary City
• Megadungeon(s)
• Mapping Sources
• NPC Generator
• Henchmen/Hirelings
• Random Tables
• House Rules
• Character Creation
• Combat, etc.
• Magic
• Monsters
• Downtime Rules

So that's where I'll start.  I hope you enjoy the series.  

Schrodinger's Dungeon as Sandbox Planning Tool

When I’m on the interwebs, I read about GMs and DMs that are constantly planning “story arcs” for their games.  They have this group of “important heroes” and then these heroes go out and do “important things” and that’s the big important story!  

If you like playing that way, that’s cool.  I’m not going to bash it.  I used to play that way -- but I’ve stopped.  

I’ve stopped for a few of reasons --

1. The prep was KILLING ME!  The amount of time it takes to put a “story” together is daunting.  I am an adult with a full time job now.  I want to spend my gaming time playing, crafting or painting minis.  I don’t want to plot out a story.  Personal preference.
2. If one of the players bails, you have a hole in your story that you have to fix.  The more important that PC, the bigger the hole.  The harder it is to plug.  This leads to massive re-writes of the plot and that goes back to #1 above.  HUGE TIME SUCK!  No thank you.
3. The railroad tracks must be strong and narrow.  If the PCs get off the path, the story suffers.  You have to make changes, re-writes, modifications, etc.  In one campaign, to keep “the story” on track, I had to resort to time travel for the PCs to wrap some things up…  Ack.  Too many ret-cons, to much re-writing.  Nope.

So that leaves sandbox play.  

If you run a sandbox, you have to be good at improvising.  Random tables are your friend.  You have to be good at tying disparate elements together on the fly or after the fact.  You have to weave some kind of world together from the bits you put out there.  You need to keep some good notes so that the random bits from three months ago mean something -- after all, that thing you made up about the blue fairy queen might just be the thing the adventurers want to follow up on!

So I had this initial idea -- why not create a set/series of random tables -- in advance -- that define the parameters of the sandbox?  These tables are all the prep you’ll need.  You keep going back to them, time and again, to determine what is going on in your game.

Yes, yes.  I know, there are literally an infinite number of random things out there (Abulafia, Wizardawn, Chaotic Shiny to name a few) plus all the dead-tree and/or PDF versions you can find (Judges Guild Ready Ref Sheets, Dungeon Alphabet, Wilderness Alphabet, Toolbox, Ultimate Toolbox, etc.)

I’m talking about something else.  A template or structure that you fill in to represent the structure of your world (or parts of your world.)  The template -- how you roll against it -- sets the dynamics of what appears, when it appears, where it appears.  

You could approximate this by using the resources available -- random wandering monster charts, random treasure tables, etc.  That might work out just fine.  How you apply those random rolls to your world would determine the flavor and structure of the place.  If your whole world looks and feels the same, you could keep using the same tables everywhere.

Of course, if the City of Ghouls is different than the Ankaar, city of Thieves, you might need some different tables.

If The Tomb of Sarkos is different than the Crypt of Worms, you might need some different tables.

Of course, of course you could just randomly roll up some more tables.  Fine.  That’ll work.  

What I’m proposing instead is a fixed structure, that always “works” the same, that you fill in with bits and bobs to make each place different.  You’d fill this out initially, you can add to it and/or modify it as you go.  Make changes.  Deletions.  Additions.  But the “structure” for a given site is fixed at the beginning.

This leads me to another part of my idea, what I’m calling a Schrodinger’s Dungeon.  Nothing is fixed until it is observed.  Everything is in flux, until you roll for it.  

This is different than the Quantum Ogre principle, which states it doesn’t matter which way you go -- you’ll always encounter the ogre.  That messes up player agency.

In a Schrodinger’s Dungeon, you don’t know what’s there until you roll for it.  James Maz came up with this idea too, way back in 2009.  Perhaps it’s been rattling around my head all this time?  Who knows.  I’m still planning to “build it” which I don’t think has been done yet!

Now that I’ve Googled it, The Angry DM has an article about it too.  His idea looks like too much work for me (too many stat blocks) so I’m citing it here out of fairness, but I’ll likely not read much more of it.  :)

“Go left?  Go right?  OK, right it is (dice rattle, DM notes what is there) What do you do now?”

As new information becomes available, “You smell the strong odor of brimstone…” the players are free to act on that -- “OK, so you’d prefer to go left?  OK, (rattle, rattle)...”

The map itself can be randomly generated on the fly or just the contents.  The DM can randomly determine in advance or at the table.  I’d probably do a bit of both…

So what does this structure look like?  How does the prep go?  What’s next?

Well, I’m not quite sure.  I have some ideas, but, well, that’s another post.  :)

Iron GM One Page Dungeon -- A call for inspiration!

I had an idea this morning about my (hopeful) 1PD entry for this year.  Much like the "Iron Chef" doesn't know what ingredients she'll get, I thought it might be fun to ask for a series of random elements that I can try to incorporate into my 1PD entry.

So, here's the plan --

Roll 1d6 using the widget below:

Now, remember your number and go to this Google Form:

Choose the category you determined randomly, give me your idea and then hit "Submit."

Many thanks in advance for your ideas!

If I get enough input (and enough variety,) I may try to make a "One Page Sandbox," a mini setting with an adventure, a home base, some NPCs, etc. Let's see what happens!

Crazy Initiative Idea

Cool chart by Telecanter - http://recedingrules.blogspot.com/2010/10/visual-weapon-chart.html

A single caveat --

• This idea is completely untested.  Sometimes you have to get ideas out of your head to see if they work...  :)

How I actually do things --

• When I do initiative, I roll a d6 for the monsters and the players roll a d6 for the party.
• High roll goes first.
• If the dice match, it all happens simultaneously.
• I have a deck of cards that I use to randomize the order of the PCs and the monsters within their initiative roll.

OK, now for the idea.

• High rolls are best.
• You get to add your DEX bonus (if any) to your roll.
• If you have a polearm, and are in position to use it, roll the better of 2d12
• If you have a fast/nimble weapon (rapier, whip, throwing daggers, arrows, darts, loaded crossbow, etc.) roll d12
• If your weapon is long (like a spear or 2h-sword,) and you are in a good position to use it, roll d12
• If you have an "average"melee weapon (sword, axe, flail, etc.) roll d10
• If you have a short melee weapon (dagger, shortsword, fist, shield bash, mace, crossbow that needs to be loaded, etc.) roll d8
• If you have a spear or 2h-sword up close where it's difficult to use, roll d6
• If you have a polearm up close, but there is still room to maneuver, roll d4
• If you have a polearm, spear or 2h-sword and you can't maneuver.  Drop your weapon and use something else.

Whatcha think?

NPC Traits from Griffin Mountain

Saw this post about Griffin Mountain (I am a big original Runequest fan) so I did a little digging on the interwebs.

As I was giving the module the once over, I discovered this graphic in the NPC record section.  I had a thought --

When an NPC is asked to perform one of these actions, which is to say an action along the continua represented within this chart, roll 2d6 and mark the number down.

Low numbers represent a tendency toward the trait on the right, while high numbers represent a tendency toward the trait on the left.  Let me give an example --

Here's a partially fleshed out NPC.  In social situations, where he might need to be out going he is very likely to be INTROVERTED.  When posed with a problem, he is likely to favor a PHYSICAL solution.  He is very much a FOLLOWER.

Once the numbers are established, just roll 2d6 and compare the result to the number shown.  If the number is greater, look to the right.  If it is less, look to the left.  If you roll the number exactly; pick one or pick the more likely or roll again.  Your call.  :)

If you roll a 2 or a 12 for the trait -- the NPC always acts as described.  2 = right, 12 = left.

In the example above, the NPC is always a follower and will not lead. 

This is just an untested idea.  YMMV.  I just thought I'd share.  :)

EDIT:  A gentleman by the name of Alex Chalk created a random generator based upon my crazy idea.  Thanks Alex!

Roll A Character All At Once

Awhile back, I proposed a Boggle character rolling method.  Here's another one.

I made a "funnel" out of cardboard and I put it into a locking "tupperware" box.  You can shake the dice and wiggle them and eventually they will fall into 7 rows of 4d6.  Pick the top 3d6 in each row and arrange to taste.

This is not very "old school," but it is the way that my new DM wants to roll up characters.  (PS: It's one of my favorite methods too, truth be told.)

Here are some pics --

14, 14, 12, 14, 16, 17, 10 -- not bad...

 It's a little fiddly and you do kind of have to wiggle the dice while you are looking at them.  I suppose if I made the "hole" a bit larger, the dice might fall into the frame a bit easier and you would be able to roll by "feel."

Undead Enhancements

I was over at Wizardawn generating a couple adventures for my sandbox --

As an aside, I love using random stuff because I enjoy IMPROVISING around it.  I don't enjoy drawing maps anymore and I find a "blank canvas" a lot harder to run than one with "ideas" on it that I can use or not.  

-- when I discovered something that's kind of a bummer.  For low-level adventures, in Swords & Wizardry, the monsters are exclusively skeletons and zombies.

That's all fine and good, but what about a little variety?  So, I thought, why not make up a chart of little "enhancements" that can be tacked onto the beastie for a few extra XP?

I'm purposely NOT searching for this.  Someone may have already had this idea.  Hopefully I'm not subconsciously channeling your work.  :)

So, here's my chart and a "guesstimate" of how much more XP it should add to the creature.  YMMV.

d20	Enhancement	XP Bonus (Skeleton/Zombie)
1	Re-animates:  It falls down and then gets back up at full HP after 1d4 rounds.  It must be hacked apart and/or burned to stay down	Full XP each time it is killed
2	Shoots arcane energy (like magic missile) or finger bones (like crossbow)	+15/+30
3	Barfs up … goo that is sticky like web	+15/+30
4	… that bursts into flame for 1d4 if it hits	+15/+30
5	… that is slippery, target must save or fall down	+15/+30
6	Invisible	+15/+30
7	Explodes when killed, sending sharp shards of bone nearby for 1d6 damage (save for none)	+15/+30
8	Uses two swords for an extra attack!
9	Has four arms and four attacks!
10	Has a gaze that works like charm person.  Save or fight with the undead rather than against them
11	Can fly	+15/+30
12	Shrouded in darkness	+15/+30
13	Is covered in biting insects.  If it hits in combat, one of these little buggers climbs onto the defender.  It will do 1pt of damage each round.  Defender must lose her attack to squash it	+15/+30
14	Is not human, but is humanoid (dwarf, orc, elf, etc.)  Cosmetic change only for flavor	0
15	… but is an animal (wolf, bear, lion, etc.)  Gains additional attacks	+15/+30
16	… but is larger than human (ogre, troll, bugbear, owlbear, etc.)  Gaining 1d8 additional HPs	+15/+30
17	Is protected … from magic of all kinds	+15/+30
18	… from fire.  It is fireproof	+15/+30
19	… from attack due to enhanced armor.  +2 to AC	0
20	… from turning.  It cannot be turned due to evil glyphs tattooed onto its skin and/or carved onto its bones	+15/+30

Boggle Adventure Hook Generator

I went to Goodwill the other day and I found this game for $1.99.  I'm always on the lookout for games that have funky dice or some other interesting feature --

It's called "Quip Qubes" and it's like Scrabble, but with words instead of letters.  I don't know if it is playable.  There is a score pad in with the game.  One sheet has been used (it's still attached.)  I don't know if that means that the owners just gave up or that they never played again for some other reason.

So, I went through the dice and I picked out 16 of the best "words" to suggest action and/or adventure. There are other dice that are suitable too -- this is just one possible set.

I put them in the Boggle case I have and I gave them a shake.  Here's the result --

So, taking a look and trying to make connections --

Somewhere in town, lives a smart dog.  Not your average smart dog, a REALLY smart dog.  Maybe a former familiar or perhaps a fey dog.  It has seen a devil.  A small, one-foot-tall devil that is part duck (or at least it looks that way.)  The devil knows about the dog and it hates it.  It knows that the dog will be trying to find a way to destroy it, if it can find a way.  It's only a matter of time... 

Not bad.  I could work with that.

These dice might do better if I refine the set and include a few Rory's Story Cubes to help flesh them out.  I'll try that sometime.

Midkemia Press Cities - Sampler Pages 3

TAVERNS

So, what kind of tavern is it?  Generate a name here.

Roll 2d6, one for the Lodging and one for the Food Quality.   You can then cross-reference the costs on IIb.

Enjoy!  You can get the Sampler here.

Midkemia Press Cities - Sampler Pages 2

OPEN MARKET/BAZAAR

Here's a great table --

I'd begin by rolling d% and I'd read across the "Number of Buildings" row.  

• If I rolled below 3, I'd say there's 1 tent that sells a lot of different stuff and keep rolling. 
• If I roll above 70, I'd roll in the 51-70 column and add 1d10 to the result.

You can modify/tweak the occupations in Table 1d by assigning some lower chances for more specialized types of occupations.

• For example in the Tinker/Coppersmith row --  If you roll 10-20, include a Silversmith in addition to a Tinker and Coppersmith.  01-05, include a Goldsmith and the other types.
• For example in the Horse Trader row -- If you roll 10-20, include exotic animals like llamas and camels in the stable.  If you roll 01-02, maybe he has a gryphon or pegasi.
• For Sharpener -- if you roll 10-20, there's also a Blacksmith, 01-05 add a Weaponsmith to the mix; 06-10 include an Armorer.
• etc.  You get the idea...

You can get the sampler here.

Midkemia Cities - Sampler Pages

Years ago, Midkemia Press sold an awesome product called "Cities."  You can still get it as a PDF if you are so inclined.

They also have a sampler.  I think there are some good tables in there and I'm planning to do a few posts about them.

ENCOUNTER TABLE - POOR QUARTER

In my campaign, 9 times out of 10, the PCs are probably in the crappy part of town anyway.  Keep this chart handy and roll % based on the time of day.  Most of these categories are self explanatory.  It wouldn't take much work to generate a quick NPC and assign them to one of these categories.  You could easily use my GM Cards to make that happen.  Also my 3 word NPCs.  

If you roll Category 1 (Already Occurring) the Sampler has this table as well.

There is some really good stuff here.  Print this page out too.  Maybe on the back of the first one...

DM Prep Page [7+8 of 9]

Page 7 comprises a randomized list of the Dungeon Dressing Tables from CotMA.

If you see a Dungeon Dressing entry on Page 6, you flip to the next page to see what the Dungeon Dressing is:

Within the Dungeon Dressing lists, you will sometimes find a Special Appendix IV Random Encounter.

When you do, you flip to Page 8.  I won't say much about these other than that they exist and they look a lot like the random tables above.  :)

I think that the best part of random tables like these are the patterns that emerge "from play".  As a DM, I could plan all this stuff deliberately, but where's the surprise (for me) in that?  When you discover these things at the same time as the players, questions start to percolate in your head.  The answers to these questions expand the game and are very exciting to me as a DM.

• What WAS that mist?
• What are all these pipes for?
• Whose voices were those?
• Why is there a pigeon in the dungeon?
• Why are the wall scorched?
• Where's the right boot?
• Who is M.B.?

You get the idea...

DM Prep Page [6 of 9]

Page 6 is a page tied exclusively to the random encounter tables in CotMA.

I've cut and pasted and interlocked the encounter tables from within the module.  I've also used my "how long until a random encounter" matrix to fill in the dots on the left.

The characters explore the dungeon.  Each turn, I mark a dot.  When I run out of dots, I cross-reference the row I'm on with the column for the level they are currently exploring.

Presto!  Instant random encounter.

Here's a pic --

Here's a scan of a page with marked off dots -- (PS: this page is before I expanded the page to Level 8, but you'll get the idea...)

Another added benefit to this method is the way it sort of "outlines" the adventure...

For example, looking at the page above, the adventurers began on Level 1 and very quickly (1 turn) they encountered some Grimlocks.

They defeated them and over the course of an hour, the descended to Level 4 where they encountered a glowing bubble.

Shortly thereafter, they were attacked by a Flind warparty.

A couple of Gelatinous Cubes were encountered (something happened with one... maybe it was frozen or something...) but when the party hunkered down to rest in the dungeon, a group of Giant Centipedes skittered by.

Later on, they encountered some Black Puddings, found a room filled with damp pipes, and some more Black Puddings.  (With all these Black Puddings around, this might be the expedition when the Frostbrand of Errol was destroyed... that led to another series of quests...)

On their way out of the dungeon, they happened upon some Carrion Crawlers and then the Grinning Skull Orc Tribe.

Bottom line, this page allows for random encounters to happen automatically without any constraints on the players.  They just explore and as time passes, the random encounters happen.

An additional benefit I've just though of now would be to use what's happening on the unexplored levels as ideas for how the dungeon is evolving over time.

For example, The Grinning Skull Orcs appear once and Troglodytes appear three times during the expedition.  IF I WANTED to explain what might be happening on Level 1 during the time the adventurers were exploring, I might say that the Orcs and the Trogs had a confrontation.  Perhaps, even when the party was leaving the dungeon, the conflict might still have been raging.

Here's another pic:

Just an idea...