-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Postmodern/non-linear adventure
- Thread starter Golem Joe
- Start date
333 Dave said:
This admission will probably earn me ire from most dedicated D&D'ers, but one of the regular campaigns I run is an Amber Diceless campaign. There is some player cross-over between my Amber campaign and my D&D campaign.
Since Amber is the "one true world" that casts shadows on all other realities, I once told my players that I only ever ran one campaign at a time, no matter how many systems I was concurrently running. It was true in so much as I reused themes and characterization ideas in different ways between the two campaigns, but the players assumed an extreme I never anticipated. For years they picked apart everything I did in the two campaigns, compared, and made deductions from that supposed 'meta-knowledge.'
It was down right spooky how often they chose the right course of action by inventing symmetry between inter-campaign nonsense. Maybe Jung had something with his whole notion of synchronicity.
Mark
CreativeMountainGames.com
I think I'd take a far different approach to this task, though one that might prove to require a little more work.
If they are actually going to be involved/interacting in the flashback, you really have to set it up more like you would a time-travel type of adventure, IMO.
I'd make sure that I took stock of the individual character's significant accomplishments...maybe three or four for each one. You might even have the players make this list prior to the session.
I'd set up the game so that what is happening in the present reality has a significant goal that must be achieved...and part of that goal by each of the characters.
I'd then start the game in the present and get them started on their goal(s).
Then in the first flashback, allow them to gain some knowledge that will help them in the present.
When back to the present, if someone has died in the flashback, adjust the present based on that list significant accomplishments. This might even include losing another character if their life was saved by the character that died in the flashback. Inform the players that in the present they no longer are aware that the dead character(s) had ever existed and need to continue based on that lack of knowledge. Change their goal(s) or reassign them based on the who is left alive.
In the next flashback, take it to a time prior to the last flashback and give the players the chance to save the character that died in the previous flashback.
When they return, again, to the present, and if they have succeded in saving the characters that died in the first flashback readjust the goal(s) and inform them of the new adjustments to their knowledge base (perhaps even including some things that are "now true" that weren't when the game started because of the odd changes that have happened.
Each flashback should include possible dangers and information to help them in the present.
Could be tricky, but if you aren't going to use flashbacks as "narrative-only" additions to the game, you truly have to include options and consequences...or they aren't really interacting...they'd only be following your scripted version of what will happen regardless of their input.
*shrug*
If they are actually going to be involved/interacting in the flashback, you really have to set it up more like you would a time-travel type of adventure, IMO.
I'd make sure that I took stock of the individual character's significant accomplishments...maybe three or four for each one. You might even have the players make this list prior to the session.
I'd set up the game so that what is happening in the present reality has a significant goal that must be achieved...and part of that goal by each of the characters.
I'd then start the game in the present and get them started on their goal(s).
Then in the first flashback, allow them to gain some knowledge that will help them in the present.
When back to the present, if someone has died in the flashback, adjust the present based on that list significant accomplishments. This might even include losing another character if their life was saved by the character that died in the flashback. Inform the players that in the present they no longer are aware that the dead character(s) had ever existed and need to continue based on that lack of knowledge. Change their goal(s) or reassign them based on the who is left alive.
In the next flashback, take it to a time prior to the last flashback and give the players the chance to save the character that died in the previous flashback.
When they return, again, to the present, and if they have succeded in saving the characters that died in the first flashback readjust the goal(s) and inform them of the new adjustments to their knowledge base (perhaps even including some things that are "now true" that weren't when the game started because of the odd changes that have happened.
Each flashback should include possible dangers and information to help them in the present.
Could be tricky, but if you aren't going to use flashbacks as "narrative-only" additions to the game, you truly have to include options and consequences...or they aren't really interacting...they'd only be following your scripted version of what will happen regardless of their input.
*shrug*
Last edited:
How about an adventure where one member of the party has been replaced by a doppleganger psion? This creature has been using various mental powers to confuse and distort the party's memories and cause selective amneasia. But at the same time he is adventuring right along beside them as a trusted friend. They start the session knowing that there are in this dark citadel and seeking some sort of evil shapechanging sorceror but the recent past is hazy.
Through the flashbacks, you play out earlier scenes that represent their memories slowly coming back to them. The thing is, you actively try to remove one of them from the picture (killed, captured, falls down trap, etc.). As soon as that happens, you flash back to the present where everyone realizes that the "fallen" player is actually still with them. And thus must be the evil shapechanger. Now, of course, he reveals himself and the Big Fight ensues (the PC becoming NPC at this point).
Anyway, I think it would be kind of funny that one of the players had been playing the doppleganger all night without even knowing it. In fact, not even the DM would know who the bad guy was until the last scene. Only down side is that the "fallen" PC has to sit out the climactic battle, but perhaps that is the penalty for being the first to fall.
Through the flashbacks, you play out earlier scenes that represent their memories slowly coming back to them. The thing is, you actively try to remove one of them from the picture (killed, captured, falls down trap, etc.). As soon as that happens, you flash back to the present where everyone realizes that the "fallen" player is actually still with them. And thus must be the evil shapechanger. Now, of course, he reveals himself and the Big Fight ensues (the PC becoming NPC at this point).
Anyway, I think it would be kind of funny that one of the players had been playing the doppleganger all night without even knowing it. In fact, not even the DM would know who the bad guy was until the last scene. Only down side is that the "fallen" PC has to sit out the climactic battle, but perhaps that is the penalty for being the first to fall.
Similar Threads
