Sunday, August 26, 2012

Creating and Tracking Star Clans Families


Families grouped into Clans form the basis of government in the Ardeni Kingdoms, so each character from a world in the Kingdoms must generate a family chart.  This will serve as the source of Patrons for adventures, as well as help generate background for the Star Clans universe.

An initial family tree consists of three generations, each consisting of a number of siblings and their spouses.  The tree will be built using this table:


Kingdom
Top Row
2nd Row
3rd Row
#
Married
Age
#
Married
Age
#
Married
Age
Uruki
d2
80%
40+4d6
d2
60%
20+4d6
d4
40%
1d20 if single, 13+2d6 if married
Gnomish
d2
75%
50+4d6
d4
50%
30+3d6
d6
30%
1d20 if single, 17+3d6 if married
Ardeni
d4
90%
40+4d6
d6
70%
20+4d6
d10
50%
1d20 if single, 13+2d6 if married

 The placement of the player character in the tree will be determined first by their age upon mustering out of their chosen service:  Age up to 25 puts the player in the 3rd row, 26 to 45 puts them in the second row, and 46+ makes them the top row.  Rank in their row will be random using the nearest die size, with one exception:  a player character will not be the head of a family to start, so they cannot sit in first position in the first row.

Each game year after a player character joins the campaign, I'll check their families for updates, using this table.  (Yes, I'm aware the second chart will not result in family sizes as generated in the first chart!)

Kingdom
Top Row
2nd Row
3rd Row
% Death
% Birth
% Death
% Birth
% Death
% Birth
Uruki
15%
25%
10%
30%
7%
50%
Gnomish
7%
15%
5%
35%
5%
45%
Ardeni
10%
35%
8%
50%
6%
65%


These updates are in addition to any changes that occur because of specific game events, although I suspect I'll generate this data at the beginning of each game year, and roll the data into adventure planning. 

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Imported Posts

It occurred to me my blogging isn't up to snuff.  I'm currently running a Traveller campaign, and had both a Star Clans and a Star Clans Background blog in addition to the blog you're reading!  Further, I'm working on a D&D campaign (or possibly two... an LBB game as well as my AD&D 1ed/2ed mix.)  If I were to follow the Star Clans pattern, that would be an additional 4 blogs to keep track of, and keep interesting... something I'm having trouble with now, before adding new blogs!

To head off this problem, I've imported the Star Clans Background posts here, and will label them as such.  The blog will be deleted momentarily.  The Star Clans blog will continue to be for Actual Play reports, and other information specifically for my players, and any new Star Clan background information will be posted here from now on.  I know my players can get to it if they want to... but if they want to NOT know all the background, they'll still have all they want or need to play.  I'll also create two new blogs; one each for play reports in my D&D campaigns.  They'll be place holders until I actually start running those games.  Background and DM information for those campaigns will be posted here.

BTW:  If some of the posts labeled "Star Clans Background" don't make a lot of sense, there's additional information over at the Star Clans blog that will clear things up!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Boot Hill

On my drive to work this morning, I heard a story on NPR about Boot Hill, the cemetery in Tombstone AZ:  A Wild Resting Place for Gunslingers and Cowboys

It's a good little listen, and hearing it reminded me of our very short foray into Boot Hill (by TSR) when I was in High School.  I remember liking the gunfight mechanic, and I'm pretty sure it had a conversion to AD&D and back, for those who wanted to mix the fantasy and old west campaigns.  I think I'll look around for a copy of the game...

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Contemplation at the End of Time, part 1


A bloated red sun covers half the sky, bathing the earth in dull, scarlet light.  Vast fires boil visibly on its surface, but its heat is scant, and barely warms the sands that stretch as far as the eye can see.  On the western horizon, the red sky fades to black and a myriad of brightly colored stars are visible in the darkness.  Also visible above are the broken remains of a moon, with trailing and leading clouds of debris.
In all directions, the ruins of long-lost civilizations thrust upward through the covering layer of sand.  Ancient buildings, statues, and shards of unknown objects are scattered everywhere, casting vague shadows in the dim red light.  A dry wind whistles across the landscape, pushing piles of sand against every stone jutting from the surface.   Ancient riverbeds hold only sand and no sign of water or life is evident.
Far to the east, on the horizon beneath the blood-red sun, a lone figure appears.  It meanders to and fro, scrambling over the ruins, apparently searching, but moving ever westward.  The figure is tall and lanky, unclothed, hairless, and seemingly genderless.  Its eyes are large, unblinking, and violet, and it stares intently at everything it passes as it moves.
As it continues west, it seems to notice the dark sky for the first time.  It pauses, and stares upward at the stars.   As it scans the heavens, a look of confusion crosses its face, but it returns to scanning the ruins, and heads into the darkness to the west.
                Later, as the sky begins to lighten again, the being comes upon an area swept clean of sand.  It is a black stone platform, rising waist-high above the sand.  The roughly circular platform is a hundred times the creature’s height in diameter, and its near edges are rough and pitted, as though it were a thousand thousand years old.  Seated upon the platform are hundreds of figures, with legs crossed, and eyes closed, as still and silent as statues.
“Hear me, Elders, and awaken, for I have need of your assistance!” shouts the figure in a voice that echoes in the stillness.  Thrice more the figure calls out, as hours pass, and the great red sun crests at high noon.  Again the figure calls out, “Hear me, Elders, and awaken, for I have need of your assistance!”
This time, there is movement on the platform.  Eyes open, and the figures begin to move and stretch, as though waking from a deep sleep.  The nearest figure responds with a question, “What is your need, Seeker?”
“I believe I have heard my Call!”
“And what would that be, Seeker?”
“In all my journeys across the world, I have studied both the ruins and the statues that rise from the sand, and I believe I am Called to understand why they are so varied; why no two statues seem to show the same race of beings, and why none of them appear as we do…”
“Ah, Seeker, a worthy Calling, but one that has already been answered… for they are the remains of the Peoples of the Dawn, some our ancient forebears, others visitors from other worlds, but all faded to dust and lost to time.  Has any other subject piqued your curiosity in your years of Seeking?”
“Yes, I may have heard another Call.  Just recently, I happened to glance up at the stars, and was struck by how much brighter and yellower they appear than our own… I have walked the world twice since I noticed this, and in every direction, the stars nearest our own appear much younger than ours.  Our sun has aged much faster than its neighbors, and I suspect it to be twice as old as any of them”
“This is a new line of inquiry, and a fine Calling.  Have you gathered enough data to join us here in contemplation, or will you continue to Seek for a time?”
“I must continue Seeking, and will return when I am ready to join you.”  The Seeker turns and walks off, scanning the both the sky and the ruins in its path.  The beings on the platform slowly settle, and close their eyes again.