Fare Well

I've run short of specific topics to talk about, but I will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. I'm beginning two story blogs to recount my adventures in dungeons and dragons. I will be attempting to implement some of these methods in each.

To read about young Grynn and her band of misfits

click here for the psychopathic amnisiac

1,000 Views!

I want to let everyone know I'm honored so many have taken the time to read my writings. I've steeled my nerves and decided to publicly post one of my hand-sketch/digital paint originals as a thank-you treat.

FOOD!

Food is nearly as defining of a culture as language. People gotta eat right?

Food is usually influenced mostly by whats available to the region. People living in temperate plains likely live on wheat products and livestock; those in the coastal tropics would naturally have more fish  and fruit in their diet.

Another factor is trade. Some cultures openly trade with others, and would have more variety and spices available than those who are more xenophobic or just undiscovered. Without trade, the Americas would likely never have known of soy sauce and curry.

SFA: Cyberpunk

While I'm not as experienced with cyberpunk as I am sci-fi and fantasy, I am aware of the growing genre. It's plots seem to center on blurring the lines between reality and virtual reality. Though the "reality" portion is often set in grungy, urban distopias, this is not as necessary, in my opinion, to the genre as is the advanced computing technology. The cult classic Bladerunner has been called quintessential to the genre, as is the table-top RPG Shadowrun. I feel the recent anime Sword Art Online qualifies.

In the run-down husk of the Hao Industrial Complex at Earth-Moon L4, servers whir to life as the Arachnos tournament began. High security dummy corps are staged to test the minds of dozens of hackers from across the colonies. The Arachnos title was up for grabs every 18 months, and the victor was deemed the king of the Web. 
From maintenance shaft number four, Mika Huginn threaded the delicate wires of her portable RiG-18 into the trunk line of the servers. This physically circumvented half the firewalls, and would be giving her the best possible connection to the dummy corps of the games. While this tactic was legal, it was thought to be beneath most hackers, but Mika needed the title if she would ever see her brother again.

SFA: Steampunk

Steam punk. This is the idea that nearly all current technology was developed without electricity, rather using natural gas, steam and clockwork to power their constructs. Often Victorian Era clothing style is used, or some form of "practical" leather working clothes. Brass, wood and leather are common materials of ornamentation. Occasionally some from of alchemy is included.

Cogsville was the ticking heart of steam engineering, towering constructs lumber down the streets, the air is heavy with expended steam, and (orange flame burst from the building a block behind you) exploding labs are a daily occurrence. Beware of engineers seeking "assistants" as test-subject is generally a more apt term. Enjoy your stay in the city, and due take care not to be trampled.

SFA: SciFi

Science Fiction. Everything from Atomic Disintegration Beams to the Zorbulons of Sector 9 is included in this broad genre. Intergalactic travel at faster than light speeds is a staple, for it enables travel to these fantastical worlds.

After the catastrophe of Doc Chalk's Shrink Ray, the metro-area is scrambling to raise funds to research how to return the mayor and his staff to normal size. Many citizens see this as a blessing in disguise, as Mayor East has been accused of several shady bills being passed, including Prop 239 which turned off all traffic lights out of "concern for the environment."

Standard Fiction Archetypes: Medival (Swords&Spells)

Sword and Spell Fantasy. Wizards, Knights and Damsels in Distress are the stock of these stories. Dark forests, labyrinthine caverns, and mighty castles fill the land; monsters and pirates rule the seas. This setting is the bread and butter of Dungeons and Dragons.

Jorge, Paladin of the 27th Order of Pelor, continues his arduous journey  to find the fair maiden Wisteria, for she had been stolen from her homeland. The ancient oaks of Thraine's Grove grew tall and stout and nearly blocked the sun from the forest floor. Being a notorious hideaway for bandits, trolls and other things that go bump-in-the-night, most villagers suspected she might be found there. Steep slopes and thick underbrush made traveling off the road nearly impossible, but no effort would keep Jorge from his mighty quest .

Time: Near Future(negative)

However, humans seem to have a disposition for killing each other, a trait I've found rather obnoxious as it's set technology back decades or centuries countless times in our history. What wisdom did the library of Alexandria hold? What could the Roman Empire have accomplished with railroads and airplanes? The "Future" could have been now, but I guess the best I can hope for is that we don't screw it up with some WW3 nonsense. A hundred years from now we'll be flying to work, have moved off planet, or have nuked each other into the stone age (realistically more like iron age, but that's not an established dramatic idiom).

Time: Near Future (positive)

Fifty years from now, technology will likely have escalated exponentially thanks to current advances in quantum computing and fiber optic data transfer. Quantum computing will necessitate the change of the basic binary (0's & 1's) computing language to be upgraded to a quaternary one (0,1, 2 & 3), meaning an exponential explosion in the amount of data that can be processed. Fiber optic cable can support multiple frequencies on the same line, delivering internet AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT! I can only hope virtual reality sensory feedback systems can keep up. I am a SAO fan!

Time: Present(Recent past)

Present implies something recognizable today +/- 50 years. Fifty years ago we were still four years away from landing on the Moon, computers were still in their infancy, black Americans gain the right to vote, and St. Louis Arch is completed in Missouri.

In the fifty years before that, steam power was giving rise to internal combustion, The Wright Bros became  the inventors of powered flight, and television broadcasting brought news instantly to all.

Time: Past

Time is another important aspect. Knowing when your story takes place can help shape many aspects of a culture. Especially what technologies may or may not be available.

In a recent past setting, post dark ages- pre automobile, the divide in the worlds first and third world cultures was as stark as the tribal Masai warriors of Africa and Victorian England. Ancient past might be include Egyptian Pharaohs, crusaders of the holy roman empire, or maybe feudal Japan.

Holidays

Every culture has some sort of holiday. Some day where the general populace pauses normal work to celebrate an occasion. Such some things that are commonly celebrated are the new year, harvest, the death of an influential leader, or the victory of a major battle.

Questions to answer about a holiday. What are we celebrating? What time of year does it occur? Are there any special clothes worn? Is there some traditional meal? Are celebrations large scale, or left to each household?

The former slaves of Sha'aqui would never forget the immense kindness of their rescuers from the heavens. Now to commemorate their liberty, people spend the night of the summer solstice dancing and singing. No one goes hungry that night, as the fried dough chains are free, their salty sweet, fluffy goodness a sharp contrast to the iron chains of old.

 Today is the day, a pickpocket's wet dream. Flogging Day, when all of Tantras celebrates the heroes who dragged the tyrant, Maluicious von Dredd, kicking and screaming from his fortress, and left him in the town square for the oppressed townsfolk to deal with him as they saw fit. Now a wooden statue awaits eager citizens, who press together for a chance to be one of the lucky few who get to maim the martinet's marionette. Of course there's is more to the celebration than the brutal beating of the birch buffoon. They aroma of smoked meats and berry pies fill the air, begging to be tasted. Games of skill and fortune tempt even the most virtuous man with their promising prizes. And with all the distractions, who will notice my slipping a few silvers from a couple hundred pockets?

Daily Life

What is "daily life" to the general populace of the area? Are they well off? Do they slave away in some mine? Some examples of how to introduce this element:

Mining the salt of Sha'aqui is hard enough work on its own, but salt saps the hot air of all moisture. Most don't have the fortitude to last a week. If there was any ounce of morale remaining after working fourteen hours shifts, the Beaters made sure to forcibly remove it. But if you're "lucky" enough to survive, you'll be granted meager hydration privileges. It seems only the vilest souls, the kind who feed on the hard work  and good will of others, those who fester in the heart of community, make seniority out of spite. They live to become the Beaters, to be the ones who lace the workers' hard earned water with just enough salt to keep them thirsting for more. This is no place for kindness, nor pity, nor mercy. This is hell. 

These slaves lead a harsh life, knowing that they can only improve their lot by becoming what they despise. 

The briny mists rise from the sea this morning. The first mate bellows the routine orders, and deckhands scurry 'bout the ship coiling rope, adjusting sails, swabbing the *snicker* poop-deck, etc. The Captain of the corvette Desire begins her daily rounds, inspecting the wood for signs of damage or neglect, checking the horizon for storms, gathering reports from the night watch. All seems clear, and we approach our quarry. The Spanish galleon Tesoro should be returning from the Americas, ripe and heavy-laden with gold, spices, and maybe *drool*chocolate. 

The young lady captain is knowledgeable of her craft, and must keep her more "youthful" reactions in her head to maintain command. The pirates have a routine that probably doesn't need to be barked at them, but the first-mate isn't going to let a thread of authority out of his grasp. 

Value

What do the people of this culture value? Art, trade goods, religion, basic necessities for survival? No matter what it is, it is likely to impact the main characters at some point.

The jovial monks of the Murazuma shrine, loved to perform as they transported goods between the mountain villages of their parish. The plains of Mu were rich in grass with a permanent stream running through. The ranchers provided wool, meat and milk, this fed and clothed the land. The mines of Ra were rich in iron and gold, iron necessary for smiths, and gold trade with the rest of the world. Zu's forests are lush with stout lumber for tools and housing. Finally, the rice paddies around Ma provided grain for man and beast. The monks ensured peace between the four towns, and kept the goods flowing safely between them.

Here the thing that each town values is what the others can provide, no one town commands the terrain  necessary for all the goods. The monks understand the value and delicacy of this balance better than most, and strive to maintain peace.

Leadership

"Who's in charge here?!" a line heard in many a war movie. It's also important to think about leadership when making a universe. Only a great leader can inspire a nation to band together against a common enemy. Only a great leader can convince a nation that +10% of their meager earnings is better spent by the government than themselves.

What kind of leader will be ruling your people? You've probably heard of a monarchy. That's when one king or queen rules the country. It's efficient for being able to build up a single character, whether they are a good or bad ruler is up to you.

Someone who has taken that kind of power by force, rather than birthright might be called a dictator. The word dictator has a lot of mud on its face, but I suppose their could be a ruler with absolute power, who actually cares about his people, and has good policies.

Perhaps power has been thrust upon someone who either doesn't want it (the humble hero) or who can't handle it (the pampered prince). Those to situations make it easy for a charismatic, ambitious individual (the crafty adviser) to worm his way to the top. 

Maybe public opinion was taken in a vote to elect some president(single elected leader) or parliament (group of elected officials). Maybe a tournament of strength or skill was the deciding factor.

If your setting is smaller than a country, perhaps the Duke of the region or mayor of town.

Culture

Culture is a living, breathing part of our world, but it's not something we usually think about. It is extremely important to some people, and matters surprisingly little to others. Culture is as much effected by traditions, government and quality of life, as it in turn effects them. Two examples:

"The American Dream" is to have a roof over your head, 2.3 kids and a loving spouse, and a car in the driveway. Not having to worry about whether medical help can be provided, or if the police will bother catching the bad guy. Knowing there will be turkey for Thanksgiving and fireworks on the Fourth of July. All these expectations, whether personally met or not (or exceeded), are small part of our collective culture.

On planet J4-X2Z, there is a violent struggle to provide food and shelter for each other. Blinding winds and savage beasts make the outdoors inaccessible several hours a day. Many songs and dances and games have developed to cope with being crammed together so often. Story tellers from other worlds are prized guests. The few hours that are accessible are spent tending crops and cattle, and ensuring landing sites are cleared of debris just in case of visitors.

Questions to ask when developing a culture:

• who's in charge?
• what is valuable to them?
• what do they do in a day?
• are their holidays?
• what do they eat?
• if/how they travel?

Country

You're probably seeing a trend here but yes a country is a collection of cities. We could go on to star systems and galaxies, but they essentially function similarly to countries in a story context. Large scale terrain is usually only important if travel or battle is a large part of the plot. Rarely are the grand affairs of a country important unless there is a state of war. When the character is integral to the affairs of the state is when the audience needs to start knowing about the politics and schemes and what not.

Strategy and tactics are likely to be misunderstood by both yourself and the reader unless some hard facts about terrain are established.

The Eastonians arrive at the barren dust bowl of Cottonmouth Pass only to find the Westerrans already controlled the canyon rim. "A minor disadvantage, they won't hold long in this desert once they learn 32nd and 48th platoons have circled round to cut off their supplies."

Two sentences sum up that there is a battle, who's fighting in it, some sense of the army size, and what the terrain is like.

In a lengthier series it may be necessary to include some form of a map, showing major landmarks and cities that the characters will travel through/fight at/stop for tea the detail on that is up to your discretion.

City

As a "neighborhood" is a collection of "houses," a "city" is a collection of "neighborhoods." When describing a city, it may be important to start thinking about government and laws. Different districts with different average incomes will receive different attentions from authorities, travelers and merchants. Perhaps a local dialect or accent is apparent amongst this city.

What is the "feel" of this place? If the streets are crowded, it it with people rushing to work, or is the city in a perpetual state of riot? Is there a giant ravine running down the middle? Has the physical division sparked a Montague and Capulet like rivalry? All these are examples of spark questions that may be relevant to your city scale.

Falconreach is a glorious castle fortress, with beautiful architecture and top notch defenses. Precariously perched upon a four hundred foot cliff, its elegant stone spires soar towards the heavens. The seemingly delicate design has baffled dozens of besieging battalions, for it has stood there for over three centuries, and neither time nor torment seems to have touched the gleaming granite. A winding path leads up to the main gate from the flooded fields of the rice.

Upon entering through the gate (expertly sculpted to resemble the talons of some enormous bird of prey), you immediately hear the ring of a blacksmith's hammer above the bustle of people in the market. The way to the stronghold is obvious enough to not need directions that are unlikely to be given from the focused populace.

Neighboorhood

A neighborhood in this essence is a collection of houses from my previous post. There is often a common theme that binds the place together.

One theme is wealth, it may be poverty (nobodies ever done that before), it may be nobility, it may be somewhere in between. Average wealth definitely sets an expectation for an area. You wouldn't expect to find a beggar covered in rags digging through the dumpster behind the Ferrari dealer on Main St., but you would expect it behind the Joe Shmoe's Diner on 27th St. In any case it's important to have some form of consistency for all the buildings of an area. 

Just as "houses" are not limited to residential one family dwellings, neighborhoods are not limited to a collection of such dwellings.

Many stories take place on a large school campus. Mrs Johnson's math class (the one with the digits of pi covering the walls), Coach Bigg's gym (and the ever present basket-ball hoops), the lunchroom (the noxious odor of the Three Meat Special is a smell you can feel).

The Tonaki an office building. The CEO's office is spacious with imposing furniture, and a picture of his family weighs down his paperwork. The IT dept. is an afterthought in the basement, cables and computer parts litter the tiny work area, and the constant hum of the servers is maddening.

Waterwood Village is a small riverside town with not much more than a lumber-mill, inn and some trades to support the mill (woodcutters and blacksmiths and such). The squat housing seems limited to arms reach in height except for the inn. The Red Rooster Inn was reconstructed from the tavern that preceded, as housing travelers became more lucrative.

All these areas are representative of what i would call a "neighborhood".

House Sized

As I stated in the list, a house-sized area doesn't necessarily mean a house. Maybe there's a nice little Italian diner that values the privacy of its guests. Does it have the classic red and white checked tablecloths? Is its wine selection superior to the chain restaurant down the street? Is the owner's family portrait on the wall? These are just a few seed questions to think about in this size of a setting.

Props are an important part of this scale. This is an example of such a setting, certainly not a full story.

The arcade behind the diner was run by Joe who was more concerned with the kids having fun than making money. The "c" in the neon sign flickered off more often then on. The bike rack outside was perpetually full, even if school was in session. Inside was a cacophony of flashing lights, exploding star-ships, groaning zombies and noisy kids. Trix, Joe's black cat, flicked his bandaged tail as he kept watch from his perch above the Donkey Kong machine.

Some of the background characters(Trix) may qualify more as props than people for the story.

Setting Scale

The size of your setting is entirely up to you! Be warned that readers probably only want details of the places that affect the main characters. It's great that there is some small jungle island, full of danger and peril, braved by explorers only for its world renowned peaches; but if the main characters are surfers who couldn't give a damn about peaches, there's no reason to bring it up; unless the North beach has some gnarly swells dude.

Here is some sort of reference scale for setting size:

• house - probably enough for a short story. not necessarily a house, but a house-sized area with several details. (could include stores, playgrounds, classrooms, offices etc.)
• neighborhood - usually enough for a single novel. think maybe a 3 mile radius, probably a few "houses" included. there may be some theme to the "neighborhood". (could be a school campus, dorm, hospital, office building)
• city - might be enough for a series. a "city" includes a collection of "neighborhoods." could be several miles in radius. (perhaps a castle and surrounding farms, or a settlement on a new planet)
• country - while a "city" may have its own culture, a country most likely does. a country also is likely friends and enemies with other countries. settings this scale and larger are usually recognized when war/espionage/grand  adventure is the binding plot. 

Sure we could go on to global, interplanetary and interstellar scales, but I'm hoping you understand my meaning.

Setting the Scene (finally)

All right! we're finally around to the main topic of this blog!

The scene is very important for any story, whether it be in book, game or video form. It lets the audience know what to expect from the characters. Language, culture, topography, civil engineering and interior design are all good things to know a little bit about.

As important as using descriptive and vivid adjectives is, it is equally important to know when you've used enough. Some stories require very little setting.

We lived in the house on the hill, the one with the tire swinging by a rotting rope from the old oak out front.

This is more than enough setting for a brief story about someone driving by their childhood home.

While an epic three novel series about the civil war of Arimythea may need a bit more. Who led the two sides, what were they fighting over, will the terrain hinder the armies, will civilian homes and mansions get caught in the crossfire? All good questions that could be answered as the novel requires.

Three major questions we'll be talking about this month:

1. What scale does your setting need to take place at?
2. When does the story happen?
3. What cultures will your setting be patterned after?

Systems close

That's all I'm going to post about established game systems for now. I feel like I could have dragged it out another week, but I know it doesn't interest all my readers.

I hope people will recognize the story-telling potential of these game systems. They've been a terrific weekly mini-vacation from reality for me for the past few years.

Next I'll be giving some ideas on how to use bits and pieces of these games as resources for your world. 

DnD

Last but certainly not least, I'll talk about a few of the features of the most popular tabletop RPG system, Dungeons and Dragons. They've gone through many editions over the last 40+ years trying to find that perfect balance of letting the players feel powerful without the game being too easy. While designed for a medieval fantasy setting (elves and dragons and such), many fans have expanded its possibilities with "splat books" (small expansions to the core system). I've played in editions 2.0, 3.5, 5.0, Bleach D20 and Star Wars D20; all have there perks and quirks.

2.0 is optimized for storytelling, more so than later editions, due to its somewhat ambiguous rules and imperfect combat system. It's class system felt a bit more exclusive with strict minimum abilities required for several classes (paladin and ranger having the highest overall requirements). Armor and attacking always felt a little backwards as well.

3.5 did away with class requirements and added feats. Feats were major advances for your character. These feats allowed advanced combat maneuvers, amplified spells and expert craftsmanship. They also added more room for character growth by allowing abilities to increase. The better defined rules smoothed out combat, but easier combat sometimes leads to less story.

Pathfinder, Bleach d20 and Star Wars d20, all are based off 3.5. They add some skills and powers and items (i.e. lighsabers and The Force) to fit the world they want to play in.

5.0 is similar to 3.5, but they've reduced the number of feats and skill by upping their potency. They also did away with the over-engineered combat system of 4.0. It was released under the tag "easiest to convert to" and so far has lived up to the title. They have tried to bring back the story-telling freedom of 2.0 and the feeling of power from 3.5.

VTM

Vampire the Mascaraed (VTM) is set in the present +/- 50 years. It is a game setting using the WhiteWolf system (known for needing handfuls of ten sided dice). The skills described by this system are varied, specific and can be combined.

As you might expect you play a vampire, but there are 13 clan lines with varying powers. From the super speed of the Brujah to the twisted flesh-molding of the Tzemisce, all sorts of crazy can be found in this world. Two rival mobs of vampires (the Camarilla and the Sabbat) battle for power, and both are hunted by werewolves and vampire hunters.

The odds are constantly stacked against in the race to complete your tasks before dawn, but if you work together, you just may survive to rise through the ranks.

GURPS

I've decided to list the established tabletop RPG systems in the order I was introduced to them. I met  group who used the Generic Universal Role Play System (GURPS) in my first year of college. This was designed to be modified to fit any setting the group needed, and many fans had made expansion books to cover what the writers missed. It uses an odd system of dice rolling based around three 6-sided dice, rather than the 7-die set that Dungeons and Dragons made so iconic. All skills and abilities were purchased from the same point pool, and could be upgraded to have a better chance of working or a stronger effect. You truly could make characters of any strength, human to superhuman to god. Many stats were given for hundreds of weapons, armor and vehicle ranging from past to future.

As far as story telling was concerned, that was up to the group playing. Resources for settings and monsters were available, but most of the plot is left to the user.

RPG Systems

I love role-playing games, and have played a bit in several systems over the years. Sometimes knowing something about the physics of your world can be a good place to start building. RPG systems cover some basic physics, assign a number value to national alignments, and tell you just how long a character could survive in the desert with no training or equipment. I'm going to cover some basic pros and cons of several established systems this week.

Most systems are combat oriented (telling how much damage you can do to the giant rat with your club), and that is what 90% of the rules will talk about. Now in between the numbers we can find tidbits of story, prices for goods that aren't common in our present day (how often do you buy a camel, three torches, a cart and 50 gallons of water?), and other items that may prove useful.

I hope the next few posts prove informative and not boring (which is why I'll be pushing them out much quicker than usual).

Tools

No work can be done without the proper tools. Story building can be done with as little as pen and paper, or amassed in a database for many to draw from. Tools for record keeping and communication can be needed.

Portfolios, whether digital or physical, keep information about characters, cultures, countries and creatures gathered and organized. Pretty much any type of noun (people, places and things) you want to use can have a synopsis of its information kept in a portfolio. For a character, a name, description and background are needed amongst any special abilities, training or equipment they posses.

Email, cell phones and internet calling provide excellent communication for a group. Most can be used to talk to the entire group a once. A little work with Google Docs or a similar online storage service can provide automatically updated portfolios to your team.

Setting

This is about work area, not story setting (coming soon). It's important to have a consistent place to do your story building. Make sure you choose a place that's convenient for your group (if any) to meet, and have any necessary car pools arranged. Note that a physical place may not be the most convenient way to meet. There are many virtual meeting softwares available (e.g. Skype, Roll20). Online games may even provide you with an environment best for your group.

In a physical or virtual environment, clutter can distract from the process. Idle minds will wander, but a focus (an intentional distracting object relating to the topic) can turn that daydreaming into inspiration. Props or maps could do this trick for you. Keep a few things around the room that remind people of the story you're working on.

Groups

What is a world without variety? Now you could build it yourself, but there is nothing wrong with a little group input. If this is a role-playing group, I think its perfectly fine to allow players to help build the world.

More people means more variety. How boring would a world be if everyone you talked to in Generic Outpost #1322 had the same one of 3 ambitions? How awkward would it be to find out you'd accidentally named a tavern "The Soggy Cat Turd" because you used Google translate instead of your friends actual knowledge of the language. Or describe a clearly unstable building to your architect buddy. Maybe someone is into Feng-shui, let them help with the layout of the throne-room. Bluntly put, your friends are resources who can add to the variety and expertise of your world.

I truly believe in the power of brainstorming to get a story started. Different people have read different books, seen different movies, lived different lives. All this has the potential to make the adventure awesome. 

If you must write alone, there's still no shame in asking for friends' expertise and creative insight.

Getting Started

While this blog will mostly focus on developing a world for tabletop campaign setting (e.g. Dungeons and Dragons); many tools we'll be discussing over the next several weeks can be applied to any type of story-telling.

Some of the major topics include world, culture, and character development. I'll probably throw in some examples from games I've played and books I've read.

We'll also be comparing/contrasting a few tabletop systems early on, but those should only take one of the 16 weeks I plan to run this blog.

This week we'll be discussing different things to consider about the people you may or may not be working with, and tools to convenience each other.

I look forward to getting started on this quest of personal improvement in story making.