From the article archive
Writing Practice Nov 20th, 2001
News: This is my third attempt at this. The two previous were done using Internet Explorer, I'm hoping a switch to Netscape will work.
In Ki news, nothing to report. The cold seems to be lifting. Time will confirm or give the lie to my impressions. I will make progress on the project, whether it wants to progress or not.
Essay: Are there holidays in your game? When are they held and why? Are they recurring events, or mere plot devices?
Many societies have holidays. Either to celebrate or comemmorate recurring and/or historical events. In agricultural societies the spring planting and autunm harvest are celebrated. In hunter/gatherer societies it may be an annual fish run or the return of a migratory herd animal. A legendary or historical event may be celebrated on an annual basis. For example, the Fourth of July in the U.S., which is marked by guzzling beer, scarfing hotdogs, and watching fireworks. The birth of the U.S. and her history is also celebrated at this time, but it's mostly the day when Americans can get together and remind themselves they are a people.
That's the primary purpose of any holiday. They serve to bring people together and remind them of what they have in common. A common history, a common code of ethics. Cultural heroes and villains.
In a campaign holidays can help give the whole thing a sense of place, the impression that one is dealing with a living world, a living people, and not just a collection of numbers and scattered flavor text. In a sense, holidays can bring the campaign to life. Then you have the adventuring opportunities. Simply organizing a celebration could keep a party occupied for a few hours. Add in some complications and you could have a multi session affair.
Even better, taking part in a holiday could help make the party feel that their PCs are a part of the world, not just wandering souls rambling from event to event.
So, do you have holidays in your game? When are they held and why? Including such will add a lot of work to your game preparation, but the payoff in terms of increased player participation and adventuring opportunities will more than compensate for it.
Coming Up: Next time, a look at ethics and their role in your campaign. What sort of ethical codes are there, and how do they reflect on the societies and cultures in your game. Till then.
Alan
In Ki news, nothing to report. The cold seems to be lifting. Time will confirm or give the lie to my impressions. I will make progress on the project, whether it wants to progress or not.
Essay: Are there holidays in your game? When are they held and why? Are they recurring events, or mere plot devices?
Many societies have holidays. Either to celebrate or comemmorate recurring and/or historical events. In agricultural societies the spring planting and autunm harvest are celebrated. In hunter/gatherer societies it may be an annual fish run or the return of a migratory herd animal. A legendary or historical event may be celebrated on an annual basis. For example, the Fourth of July in the U.S., which is marked by guzzling beer, scarfing hotdogs, and watching fireworks. The birth of the U.S. and her history is also celebrated at this time, but it's mostly the day when Americans can get together and remind themselves they are a people.
That's the primary purpose of any holiday. They serve to bring people together and remind them of what they have in common. A common history, a common code of ethics. Cultural heroes and villains.
In a campaign holidays can help give the whole thing a sense of place, the impression that one is dealing with a living world, a living people, and not just a collection of numbers and scattered flavor text. In a sense, holidays can bring the campaign to life. Then you have the adventuring opportunities. Simply organizing a celebration could keep a party occupied for a few hours. Add in some complications and you could have a multi session affair.
Even better, taking part in a holiday could help make the party feel that their PCs are a part of the world, not just wandering souls rambling from event to event.
So, do you have holidays in your game? When are they held and why? Including such will add a lot of work to your game preparation, but the payoff in terms of increased player participation and adventuring opportunities will more than compensate for it.
Coming Up: Next time, a look at ethics and their role in your campaign. What sort of ethical codes are there, and how do they reflect on the societies and cultures in your game. Till then.
Alan
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