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underworld [2012/04/26 10:17] – created Mike Holmesunderworld [2012/04/26 10:42] – Mike Holmes
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 ==== Hooks and Central Concepts ==== ==== Hooks and Central Concepts ====
  
-Optimally the game will be created so that mechanically it can be inserted into another ongoing DW game. But it may work best to have chargen be specifically for the game, so that specialized rules can come into play that will create a centralizing concept and/or hooks that have to do with exploring the underworld area in question. Otherwise the challenge is to both leverage off what currently exists and make the new rules such that they can be incorporated into a normal game of DW. +Optimally the game will be created so that mechanically it can be inserted into another ongoing DW game. But it may work best to have chargen be specifically for the game, so that specialized rules can come into play that will create a centralizing concept and/or hooks that have to do with exploring the underworld area in question. Otherwise the challenge is to both leverage off what currently exists and make the new rules such that they can be incorporated into a normal game of DW. The extant rule that currently feeds into this is bonds... Players just have to tailor the bonds in question to have involvement with the adventure in question.  
 + 
 +Hopefully whatever centralizing concept we come up with, it's better than the typical versions (("the king asked you to," "Everybody else is busy with a war on the surface, and only you can be spared," "you are criminals who have been sentenced to death, who will be pardoned if they do this," etc, etc, etc). Bonds do this somewhat, but basically we can suggest bonds that create the specific concept. For instance if it was folks sentenced to death, bonds would be like "______ committed his crime with me, and I'm angry that it was his fault we got caught." 
 + 
 + 
 +=== Community/Faction Rules === 
 + 
 +Possibly leaving more complex versions of these as a scope for more detailed Faction game supplements (incorporating a full set in this concept would likely just dilute the focus), one idea to create character involvement in the underworld is to have them create bonds with the community, or have moves with them to get community support, etc. The notion being to find some creative ways to give incentive for players getting interested in the sort of exploration we're looking to see happen in play. And to entangle them in potentially interesting faction conflicts that could lead to PC conflicts as well.  
 + 
 +This is just one idea of how to create such a link into the action. There may well be other, better ways to proceed.  
 + 
 +=== Rumors ===  
 + 
 +A classic of early dungeons, we can expand on the concept of "rumors" by creating the NPCs behind them, and developing them into full-fledged "quests." So instead of hearing of a famous gigantic gem, the person telling the PCs about it wants them to get it. Those telling false rumors may have specific agendas for doing so (some may just be misconceptions and the like, though). Unlike most pre-published scenarios, however, these quests and rumors should work into PC issues so that it becomes personal, and not just a run for money. 
  
 === Qs === === Qs ===
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 Do we want to make the game solely stand alone in terms of chargen to focus on creating proper characters? Clever GMs and players will figure out how to convert in any case. Perhaps we can include conversion notes or methods? Do we want to make the game solely stand alone in terms of chargen to focus on creating proper characters? Clever GMs and players will figure out how to convert in any case. Perhaps we can include conversion notes or methods?
  
 +What other creative centralizing concepts can we come up with?
  
 ====== Execution ====== ====== Execution ======
 +
 +===== Non-linear =====
 +Each run down should present lots of branching choices, each a whole adventure itself. The choices themselves should be interesting plot elements, in terms of prioritization. Grimm Portents, Doomsday clocks, or similar mechanics can be used to convey this sort of thing. Do I choose this impending doom, or this other impending problem?
 +
 +
 +===== Atmosphere =====
 +
 +The place should not just be fantastical, but fantastical even by the standards of the adventurer's lives. The underworld is a metaphor for leaving the known realm of light, and going into the unknown. Literally going under should be a trip into an "otherworld" for the PCs, which makes even the departure and return parts of the trip uncertain. Perhaps even finding the entrance is difficult. Entering should mean getting past guardians. 
  
underworld.txt · Last modified: 2012/04/26 10:56 by Mike Holmes

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