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Post by Tesla Ranger on Jul 7, 2015 17:29:57 GMT
This is something I just started setting up for my campaign and figured it might be handy in others. There's a fair amount of lore for my setting and when I can I try to give the players some bit of writing so they don't have to remember things themselves. This last week I've cut to the chase and started writing In Character books for them to find. They've already mentioned they'd like to go to a Library they've just come across and now I have a couple of books on some of the more momentous bits of the setting's history that they can read. Not all of the information in the books is actually accurate, but it's what the academic community in the world believes. I'm hoping it'll be more interesting for them to the info like this rather than have me tell them XYZ-history-blah. None of the books are very long (2-6 pages) and I have 3 or 4 by now. They're just printed off using the printer's Booklet mode and bound in a sheet of construction paper. I'm looking forward to seeing how the players react when I get the opportunity.  |
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Samuel Wise
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Post by Samuel Wise on Jul 7, 2015 17:38:09 GMT
I really want to do this! Though I have not DM'd very long (and have never played), I can imagine how fun getting something like this might be. It is very much akin to the thin, 5-6 page comic books one would get with an Atari game. Those added so much memory to the game and the story. I'm excited to hear how it goes!
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Post by joatmoniac on Jul 8, 2015 7:00:14 GMT
I can't stop looking at that Yoshi riding a motorcycle! This is a really cool idea, and part of me (although it sounds like homework) would want to have a couple questions for the player that checks out a book, or maybe have them tell me what was in it, and then give them some sort of boon. Advantage on checks related to the specific material. Essentially whatever work they put into reading and learning and investing into the game/campaign they should get a benefit for doing so. It also helps spread the knowledge base out some so that you as a DM aren't the only one that knows everything about the world, and before you know it you have a lore hoarder like magicmark in your group and you might not have to remember anything! Well you will have to remember if the world is flat or round, but other than that he can answer most things, haha. |
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Post by Tesla Ranger on Jul 8, 2015 14:54:58 GMT
Well you will have to remember if the world is flat or round, but other than that he can answer most things, haha. Everytime this comes up on the podcast I can't help but think of how easy it is to answer. Round planets, because they're rotate and are round, have time zones. If you teleport a significant distance and the time of day changes then hurrah! Your planet is round. If you teleport across the world without having to reset your clock, have no polar caps, and your seasons are fairly uniform across the realm then you're probably flat. So far as the books go, I keep thinking of more books to write. Tonight'll be the first opportunity the players would have to ask for any of these books (most them don't know they exist) and I suspect I'll have a hard time not nudging them towards it. Edit: Also, Yoshi = WIN |
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Post by Tesla Ranger on Jul 9, 2015 14:33:52 GMT
It turned out I didn't have to nudge my players at all. One of them went right to the local Library and found himself a book. They were all quite pleased with the props (especially the funny gnomish author) Even better, before that he'd written me up a list of topics he'd wanted to research. Now I have a list of 3-4 more books to write. ^_^
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Samuel Wise
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Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
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Post by Samuel Wise on Jul 9, 2015 15:30:21 GMT
Even better, before that he'd written me up a list of topics he'd wanted to research. Now I have a list of 3-4 more books to write. ^_^ Awesome! Now I really want to try this. One of the players I've DMd for would have certainly done the exact same thing. Now I am writing up some more background stuff so I can do this in the future. Glad the game (and props) went well, Tesla. Thanks! |
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Post by Tesla Ranger on Jul 9, 2015 15:59:41 GMT
This player of mine certainly meets the academic/explorer type and it's sometimes been tricky finding ways to allow him to play up that side of things within the confines of the setting/game. I think these props did that pretty well though, at least for us.
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Post by joatmoniac on Jul 9, 2015 20:31:42 GMT
It will be interesting to see the longer term effect it has on that player. Their investment level for the campaign will probably increase across the board, and potentially have them more engaged in other aspects of the game. OR, they will constantly ask if there is a library in every town, and you will have a campaign setting encyclopedia series before you know it, haha. Really happy to hear that it was a well accepted idea for your group!
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Samuel Wise
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Posts: 989
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Mousefolk
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Post by Samuel Wise on Jul 9, 2015 20:44:00 GMT
OR, they will constantly ask if there is a library in every town, and you will have a campaign setting encyclopedia series before you know it, haha. This is something that I could see actually being fun. Perhaps it is the Player's job to obtain all these books the main story. Perhaps they were hired by a certain Turtle god... |
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Post by Tesla Ranger on Jul 10, 2015 4:09:06 GMT
OR, they will constantly ask if there is a library in every town, and you will have a campaign setting encyclopedia series before you know it, haha. This is something that I could see actually being fun. Perhaps it is the Player's job to obtain all these books the main story. Perhaps they were hired by a certain Turtle god... That could be a neat idea. I'll have to jot it down for later. =P As for said player, he's working on a spellbook prop now. He's going to compile the details of all the spells he can cast (just copy-pasted from the PHB) and I'm adding a few pages on how magic works in this setting. Good stuff ^_^ |
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Samuel Wise
Demigod
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Posts: 989
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Mousefolk
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Post by Samuel Wise on Jul 10, 2015 4:21:09 GMT
This is something that I could see actually being fun. Perhaps it is the Player's job to obtain all these books the main story. Perhaps they were hired by a certain Turtle god... As for said player, he's working on a spellbook prop now. He's going to compile the details of all the spells he can cast (just copy-pasted from the PHB) and I'm adding a few pages on how magic works in this setting. Good stuff ^_^ You take my idea, I'm gonna take yours (or players)  ! Seriously, though, a spell "book" would be a really cool project. Instead of giving your players index cards with the spells, actually give them the spell books. I love it! |
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Post by joatmoniac on Jul 10, 2015 5:08:33 GMT
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Post by Tesla Ranger on Jul 10, 2015 15:50:50 GMT
Playing off of the idea would be to have them kill a wizard and them get a physical spell book as loot. In our campaign, arcane magic has been sealed away (at least for non-magical creatures) for the past 3600 years. This guy's family found a loophole, of sorts (it isn't a pleasant one), and he's possibly the only "mortal" wizard running around. He -does- have a spellbook though. His Father gave it to him long, long ago when he started spontaneously using magic at about the age of 6. He's a studious sort and the only wizard in a family of sorcerers. Go figure. In a previous campaign the players had taken down your typical evil wizard and the Fighter got ahold of their spellbook. They started (slowly) reading it and used that to multiclass wizardish as a Warcaster. |
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! Seriously, though, a spell "book" would be a really cool project. Instead of giving your players index cards with the spells, actually give them the spell books. I love it!