Thursday, August 13, 2020

#RPGaDay2020: Day 13 - Rest is NOT Stasis

Day 13 of #RPGaDay2020 and we're already at "Rest."

There is no rest for the wicked... or a GM who likes vibrant campaign. 

One of the hallmarks of my campaign that I do get constant praise for is continuity.  Things need to constantly churn in my campaign, even if they're far away from the PCs.  Oceans rise, empires fall.  NPCs live, die, make it big, squander it all away... and sometimes the PCs' actions may have had a hand in it.
Even King George III does stuff in-between his songs...
If you run your games like a video game, where the NPC says his script and goes back to being a turnip farmer, that's your choice, but I much prefer at least a rough outline for the village... and beyond. 

If it feels like that's too much, plot out your little area using the newspaper.  National events affect the kingdom, local events the baronies and villages, sports can be adventuring (or other), and obituaries?  You ever notice how NO ONE ever dies in town?  A sprinkling of obituaries can influence who lives or dies in town, and with that, influence businesses, social structures, and the like.  And with that the town is no longer where adventurers come back to rest, unload gold and destroy the economy, and make stale conversation at the tavern until the old guy with the next treasure map just happens to arrive.

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