Loretober: A Fantasy Worldbuilding Challenge for October!

[jaybirdthings]

Hey folks! I've been really enjoying having a daily TTRPG task I can give myself for the past few months, having done Swordtember and RPG a Day. Due to the popularity of Inktober, I was having a hard time finding something TTRPG focused for next month, so some friends and I made one! I don't have a hashtag or anything, just wanted to share this with some folks who might be looking for something like this!

Text Version:
LORETOBER 2024
Use the daily theme to craft elements of your world!
1. Old Gods
2. Nightlife
3. Prophecy
4. Music
5. Psionics
6. Heroes
7. Villains
8. Myths & Legends
9. Occultism
10. Dragons
11. Nature
12. Cuisine
13. Weapons
14. War
15. History
16. Premonition
17. Time
18. Innovation
19. Biome
20. Occupation
21. Sport
22. Coming of Age
23. Boon
24. Spell
25. Tome
26. Political Leader
27. Gala
28. Death
29. Artifact
30. Export/Import
31. Tradition

Use these tables to inspire your creations!
Subject (d4)
1. Person
2. Place
3. Item
4. Event
Canvas (d4)
1. Local
2. Regional
3. Global
4. Dimensional

 

[Black Dougal]

Awesome idea, thanks for sharing this.

 

[aramis erak]

Nifty idea. Tempting to get involved. I think posting it to RPGGeek.com and rpg.net would also be a good idea.
If nothing else, it's a great checklist.

I'll suggest one slight wording change: occupation to either occupations, jobs or habitation patterns, depending which you mean.

 

[Edgar Ironpelt]

I have lots of worlds. Some are game worlds, and some are worlds for my read-only fiction. So I'm left uncertain as to how this Loretober is supposed to work.

Can we put a spotlight on an old, well-established example in one of our worlds for the theme of a given day, or should all the themes be brand-new ones?

Should the themes all fit into the same world, or can they be assigned to different ones?

Should we use an existing world or world of ours, or create a new one for this?

Should we even attach each theme to a specific world of ours, or should we create free-floating themes that aren't particularly attached to any specific world?

 

[Edgar Ironpelt]

I'll suggest one slight wording change: occupation to either occupations, jobs or habitation patterns, depending which you mean.

I'll suggest a second change: Villains is misspelled as 'Villans'

And text form because some people find that handier:

Loretober
1. Old Gods
2. Nightlife
3. Prophecy
4. Music
5. Psionics
6. Heroes
7. Villains
8. Myths & Legends
9. Occultism
10. Dragons
11. Nature
12. Cuisine
13. Weapons
14. War
15. History
16. Premonition
17. Time
18. Innovation
19. Biome
20. Occupation
21. Sport
22. Coming of Age
23. Boon
24. Spell
25. Tome
26. Political Leader
27. Gala
28. Death
29. Artifact
30. Export/Import
31. Tradition

Use these tables to inspire your creations!

Subject(d4)   Canvas(d4)
1. Person     1. Local
2. Place      2. Regional
3. Item       3. Global
4. Event      4. Dimensional

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I looked and I have to say that I was inspired…but probably not as intended.

I saw “Old Gods”, and in the context of having dealt with my aging parents’ latest issues the past 2 days, I wondered, what if gods were just extremely long lived powerful mortals who aged just like we do? Without magical intervention, they eventually become old gods.

Imagine Loki becoming senile. Heimdal’s sight and hearing failing. Apollo replacing his chariot with a wheelchair. Kali becoming arthritic. Moradin getting cirrhosis. Ishtar putting on a few pounds.

 

[Edgar Ironpelt]

I looked and I have to say that I was inspired…but probably not as intended.

I saw “Old Gods”, and in the context of having dealt with my aging parents’ latest issues the past 2 days, I wondered, what if gods were just extremely long lived powerful mortals who aged just like we do? Without magical intervention, they eventually become old gods.

Imagine Loki becoming senile. Heimdal’s sight and hearing failing. Apollo replacing his chariot with a wheelchair. Kali becoming arthritic. Moradin getting cirrhosis. Ishtar putting on a few pounds.

Actually I see that as an example of a perfectly legit off-beat take on a Loretober theme. Any of the themes could be played straight, played mostly straight with an unusual detail or three, or played thoroughly twisted.

And in Norse mythology the gods have to eat Idun's magic fruit to keep from growing old and dying. One of the myths has the gods suffering the effects of old age after Idun was abducted by the giant Thjazi. So you've got precedent for your idea.

 

[Tonguez]

Actually I see that as an example of a perfectly legit off-beat take on a Loretober theme. Any of the themes could be played straight, played mostly straight with an unusual detail or three, or played thoroughly twisted.

And in Norse mythology the gods have to eat Idun's magic fruit to keep from growing old and dying. One of the myths has the gods suffering the effects of old age after Idun was abducted by the giant Thjazi. So you've got precedent for your idea.

Geras/Senectas was the greek/roman god of old age and the authority/influence it brought, depicted as a shrivelled baldhead man (origin of the words geriatric and senile too). Chronus as father time is depicted as a white bearded old man.

Then of courses theres the various Grandmother goddesses

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

And in Norse mythology the gods have to eat Idun's magic fruit to keep from growing old and dying.

That’s why I mentioned “without magical intervention”.

 

[aramis erak]

I wondered, what if gods were just extremely long lived powerful mortals who aged just like we do? Without magical intervention, they eventually become old gods.

@Dannyalcatraz That's a great idea...
Makes me think about Star Trek...
We get to see Apollo fade to nothing as he disperses... into nothingness? (TOS: Who Mourns for Adonais?) Or perhaps, to the Q or Orgaininan status?