This marks the 24th and final entry of my Adventure Calendar. For 24 days, up until Christmas, I released a bit of RPG content. Happy holidays!
Image: Christmas Carol by Emmanuel Shiu
Christmas Eve has allllmost arrived (it’s 17:29 as I write this, so technically not quite Christmas Eve yet). Writing this Calendar has been really fun; it’s kinda amazing how many ideas came up just because I ‘forced’ myself to write. For the final entry, I’m going to just dump all the ideas that didn’t make it into full entries!
Trade Caravans
In a world where monsters roam, trade caravans provide important lifelines for society. Players can interact with them in multiple ways:
- Encounter them along the road (and being forced to stand aside by the armed escort)
- Serving in the armed escort of the caravan
- Having important treasure shipped from small towns near dungeons to collectors in major cities
- Robbing them for treasure and perhaps snooping at the mail
Sleep Quality
I think something fun could be done with the quality of one’s sleep, on a 2d6 table. Most entries would just be ‘a normal night sleep’, but on a 3-4, one might have bad dreams, and on a 2, a dire omen about the future. Perhaps an omen means the DM can force a reroll of a successful roll.
On a 10-11, the dreams might be extra pleasant, and a 12 might contain a useful vision, idea or revelation. I can imagine the events of the day being modifiers for the 2d6 roll; if you had a lovely peaceful day, you gain a bonus. If you saw a friend of yours die, it’s gonna be a -3.
Upcasting Magic Dice
Magic Dice in Block, Dodge, Parry could perhaps be upcasted with time, allowing you to cast spells you don’t have the MD for. Upcasting 1 level (for instance, 1 MD to 2 MD) would take 10 minutes, 2 levels would take an hour, 3 levels (from 1 MD to 4 MD) would take a full day. This time would have to be spent absolutely uninterrupted.
Healing STR, DEX and WIL
I think STR should require medical attention of sorts, DEX might require massages, spas and physical therapy, and WIL is about the, well, will to go on; friends, good food and drink, meditation etc.
Magical Radiation
I like how radiation blocks off areas until you have the proper equipment in Fallout. Perhaps certain hexes are under the effect of ancient magic, cast by dueling wizards. Every day/8 hours/1 hours/10 minutes (depending on the intensity), make a STR (for physical damage) or WIL (for mental damage) save. On a failure, take 1 damage to that attribute. Proper charms, spells and equipment can ward off these effects.
Campaign Settings
Some campaign ideas I have further notes on and might elaborate on in the future:
- Reskin Fallout: New Vegas for a fantasy setting
- An ancient dragon was slain by 4 heroes: a wizard, a warrior, a thief and a cleric (or go by the classic OSE classes, that works too). They all got infected by the dragon’s greed and corruption (through the Experience Points they gained), and are now the false lords of a stagnant world. Dark Souls but a little bit different.
- A setting which is the afterlife of another plane of existence. I don’t know what that means. I think it sounds cool.