How well can a dedicated RPG GenAI perform?

[Gorgon Zee]

So, I'm starting to run a campaign set in Moria using the (very cool) recent campaign book for it in the One Ring system. So, as a computer geek who wanted to learn the system and plan for the campaign, I thought I'd do the obvious thing. So I

1. Extracted the text from my purchased copies of the Core Rules, Moria and Tales From the Lone Lands
2. Fixed up the extracted text into as best order as I could and converted it to Markdown
3. Used a Markdown chunker together with a simple size-based chunker to convert the text into ~800 labeled chunks
4. Used Langchain and an OpenAI embedding to build a local vector database for those chunks
5. Built an OpenAI chatbot to process queries on these books using the 100 most relevant chunks for that prompt

I was curious about how well the chatbot could answer specific answers. I set it up with a prompt that seemed at least reasonable and fired away. I know there's been some interest in this group over how AI's can be useful in gaming, so I thought I'd show some examples based on about 12 hours of coding (75% of which was step 2 above). A company who owned the text and was able to do steps 1 and 2 without having to start from PDF would do way better. Some prompt engineering would also help!

Here's the instructions I used (I have done no prompt engineering on this) -- the chunks were appended to this text and the actual query was then also sent to the OpenAI API.

You are a game master for a roleplaying game in the world of J R R Tolkien using the One Ring game published by Free
League Games. Your task is to answer questions after reviewing a set of relevant chunks.

Rules for answering questions:
- All assertions can be traced back to the chunks; NEVER include assertions that cannot be traced back to chunks.
- For each SENTENCE in the response, cite the <Chunk ID> source in the response using the format [IDVAL] where IDVAL
is the ID of the chunk.
- All sentences MUST have a citation. All citations must be in the [ref] format.
- Cite each chunk individually; When citing multiple chunks, use the format [IDVAL], [IDVAL]
- Put the citation immediately after the sentence it is applicable to.
- Always use bullet points when giving a list.
- Provide plenty of detail and related information that could be useful to a Game Master or player of the game.
- If there are challenges, difficulties, or requirements for a given sentence, include that information.
- Format your response using Markdown
- Use bullet points using '*' format when appropriate.

Answer the question using the following <ChunkSet> split by <ChunkID>

I'll give some example results below. I will try to hide spoilers for the campaign books, and I respect Free League's copyright ownership of this text, so I will only be producing small samples of text. If you have any questions you'd like to see answered, I will run a few of them -- just add your question as a comment (one per person!).

 

[Gorgon Zee]

How do I run a journey? List the steps I must take as a GM and describe them in detail. List the roles a player can take and skills needed for those roles

STEPS TO RUN A JOURNEY

1. Set Journey Path:
- Determine Route: Begin by discussing with the players the route they intend to take. Use the Player's map to trace the journey path, ensuring it connects the starting location to the destination.
- Consider Terrain: Remind players that the path cannot be drawn in a straight line; they must consider the geography, such as mountains, rivers, and forests, which may require detours or specific crossings [Core-109].
- Document the Path: Draw the itinerary on a copy of the journey log, marking any significant landmarks or terrain types that may affect the journey's duration [Core-109].

2. Make Marching Rolls:
- Guide's Role: The Guide of the Company will make Marching Tests using the TRAVEL skill. This roll determines how far the Company progresses along their journey path.
- Determine Event Locations: Based on the outcome of the Marching Test, you will determine where along the journey events will occur. If the roll fails, the event may happen sooner than expected, while a success may allow the Company to advance further before encountering an event [Core-109].

3. Ending the Journey:
- Reach Destination: The journey concludes when the Guide's Marching Test result matches or exceeds the distance to the destination.
- Handle Unexpected Events: If unexpected occurrences arise during the journey, assess whether they significantly alter the journey's length or direction. You may need to resolve these events before the journey can officially end [Core-109].

PLAYER ROLES DURING A JOURNEY
Each Player-hero can take on one of the following roles, each with specific responsibilities and required skills:

- Guide:
- Responsibilities: The Guide is responsible for making decisions about the route, rest stops, and supplies. They must ensure the Company stays on track and manages their resources effectively.
- Required Skill: TRAVEL - This skill is essential for navigating the terrain and estimating the length of the journey [Core-61].

- Hunter:
- Responsibilities: The Hunter is tasked with finding food and ensuring the Company has enough provisions during the journey. They may need to track animals or gather edible plants.
- Required Skill: HUNTING - This skill is crucial for successfully locating and gathering food in the wild [Core-61].

- Look-out:
- Responsibilities: The Look-out keeps watch for dangers, such as ambushes or natural hazards. They must be vigilant and alert the Company to any threats.
- Required Skill: AWARENESS - This skill helps the Look-out notice anything unusual or dangerous in their surroundings [Core-61].

- Scout:
- Responsibilities: The Scout is responsible for setting up camp and exploring new trails. They may also help the Company navigate through unfamiliar areas.
- Required Skill: EXPLORE - This skill is important for finding suitable locations to rest and for navigating through the wilderness [Core-61].

 

[Gorgon Zee]

What sort of bad things can happen on a journey?

During a journey in The One Ring, various negative events can occur that challenge the Player-heroes and add tension to the narrative. Here are some types of bad things that can happen, along with examples and their potential consequences:

TYPES OF NEGATIVE EVENTS

1. Terrible Misfortune:
- Description: Something goes so badly that a member of the Company risks serious harm.
- Example: The Hunters are injured when a prey proves to be too dangerous.
- Consequence: The target of the event may be Wounded, gaining Fatigue points [Core-114].

2. Despair:
- Description: The Company experiences a terrible ordeal, often connected to the rising Shadow.
- Example: The Company stumbles into a blighted area or discovers the remains of travelers murdered by Orcs.
- Consequence: All members of the Company gain 1 Shadow point (Dread) [Core-114].

3. Ill Choices:
- Description: A poor decision leads to grief or frustration for the target.
- Example: The Scout cannot decide on the right way and loses precious time finding a good path.
- Consequence: The target gains 1 Shadow point (Dread) and may suffer additional Fatigue [Core-114].

4. Mishap:
- Description: An adversity causes the Company to slow down or stop altogether.
- Example: The Company runs out of provisions and must spend time hunting or fishing.
- Consequence: The target gains additional Fatigue, and the journey length increases by 1 day [Core-114].

5. Chance Meeting:
- Description: The Player-heroes encounter someone who proves to be a threat or a nuisance.
- Example: They meet a group of brigands who attempt to ambush them.
- Consequence: The Company may have to fight or negotiate their way out of the situation [Core-114].

6. Joyful Sight:
- Description: While not inherently negative, this event can lead to distractions that may cause problems.
- Example: The Company witnesses a beautiful sight, such as a company of Wandering Elves, which may lead them to lose focus on their journey.
- Consequence: They may miss important signs of danger or become delayed [Core-114].

7. Environmental Hazards:
- Description: Natural obstacles can impede progress.
- Example: The Company encounters a sudden snowstorm or treacherous terrain, such as a marsh or steep hill.
- Consequence: All members may gain Fatigue, and the journey may take longer than expected [Core-110].

8. Perilous Areas:
- Description: Certain locations are particularly dangerous, requiring the Company to face additional challenges.
- Example: Entering a dark forest or a cursed ruin where they must confront supernatural threats.
- Consequence: The Company must face a number of events equal to the area's Peril rating before they can leave [Core-110].

9. Shadow Influence:
- Description: The presence of the Shadow can manifest in various ways, affecting the morale and decisions of the Company.
- Example: A Player-hero may experience nightmares or hallucinations that lead to poor decision-making.
- Consequence: The affected hero may gain Shadow points or suffer penalties on rolls [Core-139].

NOTE: This list combines the journey event table (items 1-6 above) with some general info that is not really relevant (items 7-9). It also thinks Chance Meetings are mainly dangerous, when they are not.

 

[Gorgon Zee]

What are the the five most dangerosu adrsaries mentioned? Give their full combat stats

Here are five of the most dangerous adversaries mentioned in The One Ring, along with their full combat stats:

1. DURIN’S BANE (THE BALROG OF MORIA)

• Attribute Level: Mighty, Terrible (12)
• Endurance: 150
• Might: 3
• Hate: —
• Parry: —
• Armour: 5
• Combat Proficiencies:

- Flaming Sword: 4 (8/24, Fiery Blow)
- Whip of Many Thongs: 4 (6/18, Seize)
- Fell Abilities:
- Deadly Wound: Wounded targets make an Ill-favoured Feat die roll to determine the severity of their Injury.
- Demon of Might: Immune to Endurance loss and Wounds from all sources of injury except magical weapons; can spend 1 Hate to cancel a Wound from such weapons.
- Denizen of the Dark: All attack rolls are Favoured while in darkness.
- Dreadful Spells: Spend 1 Hate to make a Player-hero gain 3 Shadow points (Sorcery).
- Flame of Udûn: When a Player-hero hits the Balrog with a close combat attack, they suffer severe Endurance loss from fire damage.
- Great Leap: Spend 1 Hate to attack any Player-hero, in any stance, including Rearward.
- Heartless: Not affected by the Intimidate Foe combat task, unless a Magical success is obtained.
- Horrible Strength: If the Balrog scores a Piercing Blow, spend 1 Hate to make the target’s Protection roll Ill-favoured.
- Thing of Terror: At the start of the first round of the battle, all Player-heroes in sight gain 3 Shadow points (Dread).

2. AZOR (THE ASSASSIN OF THE UDÛN-CULT)

• Attribute Level: Cunning, Fierce (5)
• Endurance: 48
• Might: 2
• Hate: 2
• Parry: 7
• Armour: 3
• Combat Proficiencies:

- Heavy Scimitar: 3 (5/18, Break Shield)
- Broad-headed Spear: 3 (5/16, Pierce)
- Fell Abilities:
- Horrible Strength: If the creature scores a Piercing Blow with a close combat attack, spend 1 Hate to make the target’s Protection roll Ill-favoured.
- Snake-like Speed: When targeted by an attack, spend 1 Hate to make the attack roll Ill-favoured.
- Yell of Triumph: Spend 1 Hate to restore 1 Hate to all other Orcs in the fight.

NOTE: I trimmed to just the first two, so as not to give away too many details. The list is pretty good, but when I parsed the stat blocks for each enemy, the PDF was tricky and so I screwed up the Attribute Level value (garbage in, garbage out) so that error is not on the LLM. Not a bad list. It ignored my prompt to give citations for every sentence though.

 

[Gorgon Zee]

i want to have my players fight a troll. where can i find one to fight?

In The One Ring, there are several locations and scenarios where your players can encounter and fight a Troll. Here are some options:

LOCATIONS TO FIND A TROLL

1. The Hidden Valley of [SPOILER REDACTED]:
- Description: This [SPOILER REDACTED] is home to a family of Stone-trolls led by the cunning matriarch [SPOILER REDACTED]. The Trolls use ambush tactics to capture unsuspecting travelers.
- Encounter Details: If the Player-heroes approach the valley, they may be ambushed by the Trolls hiding in the Ambush Gulley. The Trolls will attempt to seize the Player-heroes rather than kill them outright, aiming to capture them for food [LoneLands-22].

2. Troll-Holes in the Trollshaws:
- Description: The Trollshaws are riddled with caves and lairs where Trolls reside. These areas are dangerous and should be approached with caution.
- Encounter Details: Players may stumble upon a Troll-hole while exploring the Trollshaws, leading to a potential encounter with a Troll. The Loremaster can use the random encounter table to determine if a Troll is present [Core-202].

3. The Ettenmoors:
- Description: This bleak highland is known for its fog-shrouded moors and is inhabited by many Trolls eager to catch wayward travelers.
- Encounter Details: As the Player-heroes traverse the Ettenmoors, they may encounter a Troll or a group of Trolls who are hunting for food. The environment is inhospitable, adding to the challenge of the encounter [Core-200].

4. The Ruins of the Old Kingdom:
- Description: Ancient ruins scattered throughout Eriador may serve as lairs for Trolls. These locations often have remnants of past civilizations, making them intriguing for exploration.
- Encounter Details: While exploring these ruins, the Player-heroes may inadvertently disturb a Troll that has made its home there, leading to a combat encounter [LoneLands-16].

5. Ambush Scenarios:
- Description: If the Player-heroes are traveling through wilderness areas, you can create an ambush scenario where Trolls attempt to seize them.
- Encounter Details: Use the mechanics from the ambush rules to set up a surprise encounter, where the Trolls will try to capture the Player-heroes rather than kill them immediately [LoneLands-22].

 

[Gorgon Zee]

list all the cultures. for each give a description, list cultural belssing (with explanation), preosperity level, which weapons they liek to use, distinctive features and whatever you think si most cool about them


1. BARDINGS

• Description: The Bardings are Northmen of noble blood, known for their valiant spirit and strong connection to the lineage of powerful kings. They have a rich heritage that has been renewed after the defeat of a dragon.
• Cultural Blessing: Stout-hearted - This blessing allows Bardings to have Favoured rolls on their VALOUR tests, reflecting their courageous nature and resilience in the face of danger.
• Prosperity Level: Prosperous - Thanks to successful trading connections, Bardings enjoy a good standard of living.
• Preferred Weapons: Swords and bows are favored, with a notable preference for swords over axes.
• Distinctive Features: Bardings are strong-limbed, often with fair hair, and they tend to keep beards. Their gear is often of superior make.
• Cool Aspect: Bardings have a rich tradition of storytelling and heroism, with legends like Bard the Bowman inspiring their adventurous spirit.

2. DWARVES OF DURIN’S FOLK

• Description: Dwarves are known for their strength, craftsmanship, and resilience. They are short and stocky, with a robust appearance, and they often have long beards.
• Cultural Blessing: Redoubtable - Dwarves halve the Load rating of any armor they wear, allowing them to carry heavier gear without being encumbered.
• Prosperity Level: Prosperous - With the recovery of Erebor, Dwarves enjoy a wealthier lifestyle than before.
• Preferred Weapons: Axes and swords are common, with a particular fondness for heavy two-handed mattocks among some clans.
• Distinctive Features: Dwarves are known for their sturdy build and often plait their beards when on journeys or in battle.
• Cool Aspect: Dwarves have a deep connection to the earth and stone, often crafting legendary weapons and armor that are sought after by many.

3. ELVES OF LINDON

• Description: Elves are ethereal beings known for their grace, beauty, and connection to magic. They are immortal and possess great vitality.
• Cultural Blessing: Elven-skill - This blessing allows Elves to spend 1 point of Hope to achieve a Magical success on a roll when using a Skill in which they possess at least one rank.
• Prosperity Level: Frugal - Elves live in harmony with nature and do not seek wealth in the same way as other cultures.
• Preferred Weapons: Bows and swords are commonly used, with many Elves also favoring axes.
• Distinctive Features: Elves are tall and graceful, often with keen eyes and an air of wisdom about them.
• Cool Aspect: Elves have a deep connection to the natural world and possess ancient knowledge, often being the guardians of Middle-earth's lore.

4. HOBBITS OF THE SHIRE

• Description: Hobbits are small, cheerful folk who value peace and comfort. They are known for their love of good food, drink, and simple pleasures.
• Cultural Blessing: Hobbit-sense - This blessing allows Hobbits to have Favoured rolls on their WISDOM tests and gain (1d) on all Shadow Tests made to resist the effects of Greed.
• Prosperity Level: Common - Hobbits live comfortably, but their wealth is modest compared to other cultures.
• Preferred Weapons: Short swords and hunting bows are typical, reflecting their non-warlike nature.
• Distinctive Features: Hobbits are notably smaller than other races, with a love for gardening and a strong sense of community.
• Cool Aspect: Hobbits have a unique ability to blend into their surroundings, making them surprisingly adept at stealth despite their unassuming nature.

5. MEN OF BREE

• Description: The Men of Bree are a stocky and cheerful folk, known for their independence and wisdom. They live in a region that serves as a crossroads for various cultures.
• Cultural Blessing: Bree-blood - This blessing increases the Fellowship Rating by 1 point for each Man of Bree in the Company, reflecting their friendly nature.
• Prosperity Level: Common - The Men of Bree enjoy a decent standard of living, though they are not particularly wealthy.
• Preferred Weapons: Simple weapons derived from everyday tools, such as clubs and short swords.
• Distinctive Features: Men of Bree are often brown-haired and stocky, with a friendly disposition.
• Cool Aspect: Their culture emphasizes hospitality and trade, making them excellent negotiators and hosts.

6. RANGERS OF THE NORTH

• Description: The Rangers are the last descendants of the Dúnedain, known for their nobility and skills in wilderness survival. They are often silent and grim, embodying the spirit of ancient kings.
• Cultural Blessing: Kings of Men - This blessing allows Rangers to add 1 point to one Attribute of their choice, reflecting their noble heritage.
• Prosperity Level: Frugal - Rangers live a simple life, often relying on their skills to survive in the wild.
• Preferred Weapons: Bows and swords are common, with a focus on stealth and precision.
• Distinctive Features: Rangers are tall and lordly, often wearing weather-beaten garments suited for the wild.
• Cool Aspect: Rangers possess a deep connection to the land and are skilled in tracking and survival, making them formidable protectors against the Shadow.

NOTE: These are mostly right, but not completely. I can make it right by adding more detail, but this is what I tried first.

 

[Gorgon Zee]

if i have a party of size 6, and they are beign attacked by 2 trolls and 2 orcs, how many heroes can be in rearward stance? Explain your reasoning in a step by step fashion making sure that each step in your chain of reasoning derives logically from the previous one

To determine how many heroes can be in Rearward stance when facing 2 Trolls and 2 Orcs, we need to follow the rules outlined in the One Ring game regarding combat stances and engagement limits. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Understanding the Engagement Rules: According to the rules, Player-heroes can only assume a Rearward stance if the total number of enemies is not more than twice the number of adventurers in the Company. Additionally, for each Player-hero in Rearward, there must be two other adventurers fighting in Close Combat stances [Core-95].

2. Calculating the Total Number of Enemies: In this scenario, there are 2 Trolls and 2 Orcs, which totals to 4 enemies.

3. Calculating the Maximum Number of Player-heroes: The party consists of 6 Player-heroes. To determine if they can assume Rearward stance, we check the condition: the number of enemies (4) must not exceed twice the number of Player-heroes (6).
- Twice the number of Player-heroes: 2 x 6 = 12.
- Since 4 (the number of enemies) is less than 12, the first condition is satisfied.

4. Determining the Number of Player-heroes in Rearward Stance: Now, we need to consider the second condition: for each Player-hero in Rearward stance, there must be two other Player-heroes in Close Combat stances.
- If we let x be the number of Player-heroes in Rearward stance, then the number of Player-heroes in Close Combat stances must be at least 2x.

5. Setting Up the Equation: The total number of Player-heroes is 6, so we can set up the following equation:
- x (Rearward) + 2x (Close Combat) ≤ 6.
- This simplifies to 3x ≤ 6.

6. Solving for x: Dividing both sides of the equation by 3 gives:
- x ≤ 2.

7. Conclusion: Therefore, a maximum of 2 Player-heroes can be in Rearward stance while the remaining 4 must be in Close Combat stances to satisfy the engagement rules.

In summary, with a party of 6 facing 4 enemies (2 Trolls and 2 Orcs), up to 2 Player-heroes can be in Rearward stance while the other 4 must engage in Close Combat. This conclusion is derived logically from the engagement rules and the calculations based on the number of Player-heroes and enemies involved.

NOTE: Whenever asking an LLM to do some reasoning, it's vital to tell it to show the steps in the reasoning. This is because it is WAY less likely to hallucinate a small step and so an answer composed of 6 small steps is much more likely to be correct than simply asking it to answer in one guess. It did well with this question

 

[Art Waring]

So, I'm starting to run a campaign set in Moria using the (very cool) recent campaign book for it in the One Ring system. So, as a computer geek who wanted to learn the system and plan for the campaign, I thought I'd do the obvious thing. So I

1. Extracted the text from my purchased copies of the Core Rules, Moria and Tales From the Lone Lands
2. Fixed up the extracted text into as best order as I could and converted it to Markdown
3. Used a Markdown chunker together with a simple size-based chunker to convert the text into ~800 labeled chunks
4. Used Langchain and an OpenAI embedding to build a local vector database for those chunks
5. Built an OpenAI chatbot to process queries on these books using the 100 most relevant chunks for that prompt

Hi there, I see that you are excited about testing out ai chatbots, but I have to [respectfully] warn you that this experiment is dealing with copyrighted materials.

I mention this because I doubt that either Free League or the Middle Earth LLC have given you consent to have their copyrighted materials uploaded to an ai platform. I am trying to tell you that while you may be doing this with the best of intentions, you may have just accidentally trained an ai chatbot on copyrighted material without the consent of the creators. OpenAI then uses this data you provided to them to further train their models. Can you see how that might be a problem? (MELLC is well known for being litigous as well, FYI).

One of the most contentious issues revolving around generative AI is the lack of consent, credit, or compensation for the original creators. By doing this, you are unintentionally normalizing the wholesale theft of intellectual property by companies like OpenAI.

I respect Free League's copyright ownership of this text

I seriously have doubts on this, as you took all the text wholesale from several Free League books and uploaded them to OpenAI (which then uses that data to further train their future models). You could have chosen to use something that is more "open" for use by the public, such as the 5.1 SRD (still unsure if it is legal, as CC has its own legal requirements, but it is certainly not as bad as uploading The One Ring RPG to OpenAI).

To be clear, I am not trying to call you out, I am expressly trying to illustrate just how easy it is for the general public to accidentally do this kind of thing when you are excited and getting into it. As much as I would like to see the [potential] good these tools can do, so far they are only succeeding in making the theft of creative works easier.

I understand that you are coming from a place of good intentions, but I think that if you took a moment to think about the writers, whose material you casually copy pasted and uploaded to OpenAI without asking them, I think that they might have something to say about that.

Next time, I would recommend you look into using data that is available to the public. Planty of stuff exists in the public domain and in the creative commons.

 

[CubicsRube]

Hey @Gorgon Zee this is interesting stuff. Please continue to share your experience.

As long as you aren't distributing any protected IP it's fine to share information here. Ultimately we are in an uncertain space in many domains of AI and it's better for us to increase our understanding and determine the good and the bad outcomes of it. Best to not bury our heads in the sand.

As I have very little expertise in programming or in AI, this is interesting stuff for me.

 

[Art Waring]

Hey @Gorgon Zee this is interesting stuff. Please continue to share your experience.

As long as you aren't distributing any protected IP it's fine to share information here. Ultimately we are in an uncertain space in many domains of AI and it's better for us to increase our understanding and determine the good and the bad outcomes of it. Best to not bury our heads in the sand.

As I have very little expertise in programming or in AI, this is interesting stuff for me.

"Bury heads in the sand" is not the same as "deliberately stealing another writers work to train ai chatbot."

The point is that I am trying to shed light on the way that OpenAI trains its models (which is the opposite of "head in sand"). If you don't understand that training a model in this way is taking away the rights of the creators, I don't know what to tell you.

This isn't even factoring in the disastrous effects on the environment. Thank you, but we are very much aware how the tech works, and we are aware of the damage it is causing.

The only people with their head in the sand are those who are ignoring the facts about how genAI is trained. Unethical data scraping, no consent (opt-out only or change of terms to platforms), and currently facing countless lawsuits. Respected authors like George RR Martin are currently suing OpenAI and other ai companies, I don't think that this is a coincidence.

Maybe if the OP used publicly available information, instead of data that is copyright protected, we wouldn't be having this conversation.