M.T. Black
Hero
I've just started a new campaign, and my players told me they wanted leveling up to feel a bit more significant (we use milestone leveling). We came up with three rules. In order to level up after an adventure, the characters must:
This post I want to talk about step 3, carousing. I'm not sure when carousing rules were first codified in D&D-style games. The earliest article I'm aware of is Rient's "Party likes it's 999" but there may be earlier references. I've seen more than a few carousing rules lately, most recently in Shadowdark.
Some might object to having rules around this. Why not just say "You to the tavern after you get back from the dungeon - what do you do?" I think that works well for good improvisors, but many of us need a little more structure, a little more prompting.
Following are the rules I came up with. As is often the case, it reads a little clunky but plays smoothly.
The characters go to the local tavern after the adventure. I post up an image with an assortment of NPCs they can interact with (some they know, others they don't). I also had a list of 10 secrets and clues (a la @SlyFlourish), to drop into conversations as needed.
The evening is divided into a number of phases. This is nothing very heavy - the purpose is to just give the characters something to bounce off. I explain the phase and then ask who wants to talk to someone. So, I might say, "The tavern has filled up now, and the atmosphere is noisy and cheerful. Everyone suddenly wants a drink, and there is a long, jostling queue at the bar. Who wants to talk to someone?" When two players have spoken, we move on to the next phase.
Here are the phases, which are meant to reflect the ebb and flow of a night out.
Phases
Dinner
Lining Up At the Bar
War Stories
Singalong
Bathroom
Confessions
Chaos
Closing Time
Munchies
Antics
Finally, I've codified some activities for the characters. Between them, they have to complete at least six of the following twelve tasks. Once they have done so, the night of carousing is a "success" and they can retire.
I've dabbled with precursors to this system before, but last night was the first time we ran the full system. It was a huge success! There were a couple of clunky transitions, but by and large it ran very smoothly. Everyone got some spotlight and was able to develop their character a bit. They also learned several rumours and bits of gossip that may come into play in the future. And there were several laugh-out-loud moments, as well as some surprisingly heavy bits (like when the cleric decided to comfort the grieving widow).
Your feedback is welcome. I'm also keen to hear how you handle carousing and if you have any particular rules around leveling up.
- Return to their home base (the city of Iskandar)
- Undergo training (the players have to write some flash fiction explaining what they learned and how)
- Complete a night of carousing
This post I want to talk about step 3, carousing. I'm not sure when carousing rules were first codified in D&D-style games. The earliest article I'm aware of is Rient's "Party likes it's 999" but there may be earlier references. I've seen more than a few carousing rules lately, most recently in Shadowdark.
Some might object to having rules around this. Why not just say "You to the tavern after you get back from the dungeon - what do you do?" I think that works well for good improvisors, but many of us need a little more structure, a little more prompting.
Following are the rules I came up with. As is often the case, it reads a little clunky but plays smoothly.
The characters go to the local tavern after the adventure. I post up an image with an assortment of NPCs they can interact with (some they know, others they don't). I also had a list of 10 secrets and clues (a la @SlyFlourish), to drop into conversations as needed.
The evening is divided into a number of phases. This is nothing very heavy - the purpose is to just give the characters something to bounce off. I explain the phase and then ask who wants to talk to someone. So, I might say, "The tavern has filled up now, and the atmosphere is noisy and cheerful. Everyone suddenly wants a drink, and there is a long, jostling queue at the bar. Who wants to talk to someone?" When two players have spoken, we move on to the next phase.
Here are the phases, which are meant to reflect the ebb and flow of a night out.
Phases
Dinner
Lining Up At the Bar
War Stories
Singalong
Bathroom
Confessions
Chaos
Closing Time
Munchies
Antics
Finally, I've codified some activities for the characters. Between them, they have to complete at least six of the following twelve tasks. Once they have done so, the night of carousing is a "success" and they can retire.
I've dabbled with precursors to this system before, but last night was the first time we ran the full system. It was a huge success! There were a couple of clunky transitions, but by and large it ran very smoothly. Everyone got some spotlight and was able to develop their character a bit. They also learned several rumours and bits of gossip that may come into play in the future. And there were several laugh-out-loud moments, as well as some surprisingly heavy bits (like when the cleric decided to comfort the grieving widow).
Your feedback is welcome. I'm also keen to hear how you handle carousing and if you have any particular rules around leveling up.
First off, thank you for putting Iskandar out there - it's great!
