Prelims for The Great Game

16 Sep, 2021

Starting the Campaign

This post is to overview a new AD&D 1e campaign I will be starting. It will be run the rules-as-written and will be inspired by the core precepts of the #brosr, which are:

1:1 Jeffro-Gygaxian Timekeeping
Chantsonian-Style Patrons
RAW – DMG, PHB, MM, FF, DD, and Gamma World
Appendix N
Memes
Lifting

What is a TTRPG and a D&D Campaign?

BDubs has an excellent blog post outlining Alexander Macris’ classifications—Arbiter of Worlds—of Collective, Competitive-Collective, and Individualist as the three basic social-dynamic styles a campaign takes on. Most of the time, these rules are understood implicitly among friends who have gamed together for years, but:

“Macris correctly states that most big arguments between players and/or the DM during a TTRPG campaign are because different players prefer one of the below styles more than the one being run by the crew as a whole.”

Here is BDubs’ paraphrase of the social rules for each:

Collective: Each player will make a PC that fits in, is entitled to enjoy the game, and decisions will be made democratically. Loot is shared equally, and PCs ensure everyone gets an equal amount of magic items.
Competitive-Collective: Each player will make a PC that fits in, though they need not be friendly to each other. No one is entitled to enjoy the game except through their character, and decisions are made democratically. Treasure is not necessarily shared equally, and there may be in-character arguments about which NPCs to work for.
Individualist: Each player has their own PC and accepts the consequences of running an anti-social one. PvP may occur, and decisions are made in-character. Private messaging with the DM is common regarding PC interactions. PCs that don’t fit in may be killed or excluded from adventures.

BDubs explains how the #brosr formula allows campaigns to run all three social-dynamic styles simultaneously. This permits over-the-top PvP antics. For another example, see Jeffro’s recent Trollopulous campaign, The Secret History of Trollopulous.

What is a Patron Player?

Patrons are powerful characters who own domains (castle, monastery, thieves’ den, druid’s grotto, etc.), armies, or have high political influence—or a combination. Patrons can:

Field armies
Lead military campaigns
Build keeps
Craft spells
Run trade ventures or crime syndicates

Each Patron has hidden agendas and may compete with others. They can enlist PCs to work for them or spy on other Patrons. Actions may influence deities’ favor.

Patrons do not need to attend weekly sessions. They only need to stay informed and send orders to the DM once or twice a week. Patrons act as mini-DMs for their domain and may create quests.

During active sessions, the DM plays the Patron, acting as the Patron would or following their orders. Sometimes, decisions can be deferred for direct input from the Patron.

Citizen Patrons

Inspired by non-players reacting to Jeffro’s Trollopulous Twitter campaign, citizen patrons are participants who don’t run a faction or PC. They exist in the city of Krozpont, spreading rumors, memes, and following the campaign in real time.

1:1 Timekeeping – Is it a Big Deal?

Yes.

Original D&D emphasizes recording game time for each PC. In AD&D:

“You cannot have a meaningful campaign if strict time records are not kept.” (p. 37 DMG)

Variable Timekeeping (VTK)

Game world time “pauses” between sessions and “unpauses” when sessions resume.
PCs may fast-forward training or events, but this can limit character creation opportunities.

Jeffro-Gygaxian Timekeeping

No pausing between sessions.
Time runs 1:1 with the real world. N days between sessions equals N days in-game.

“During a campaign session, players control time. They travel, explore, fight, or rest. Outside sessions, they don’t control time. The campaign calendar moves with the real-world calendar.” – Chanticleer blog

Adhering to 1:1 timekeeping seems limiting, but it encourages strategic planning. For example:

The party ends a session in a dungeon. They must plan tactics: hire henchmen, choose spells, decide retreats.
Clearing a dungeon early creates downtime for side tasks: hiring mercs, carousing, rumormongering, creating magic items, assassinations.

Conclusion: Jeffro-Gygaxian Timekeeping is superior because it:

Simplifies downtime management
Supports competing PC parties
Enables Patron play and concurrent wargames

What is Downtime?

Downtime occurs between sessions and allows PCs to:

Gather information from citizens
Visit bathhouses
Sell treasure
Read lore
Create magic scrolls

“Downtime gives the players freedom to pursue side goals and flesh out their characters without taking up session time.”

It also allows the world to react to PCs and enables Patrons to implement plans.

During downtime, Patrons may:

Ask questions
Send minions to gather information
Direct faction actions

Patrons may communicate with PCs, conveying information, requesting help, or offering praise.

The Importance of Information

BDubs emphasizes the “fog-of-war” and the importance of information in Patron 1:1 style play. Reading his blog is highly recommended.

Basements and Braunsteins