Prim Rose Path Method - Adventure and Campaign Creation
A fine way to come up with ideas for adventures or campaigns
is to use what almost all of us do every day; browse the internet. Whether you are
stumped by writers block or just need fresh idea this method may prove
fruitful. Go to a website or sites that have information on a variety of
subject.
For example we will use Wikipedia. Don’t worry about the
accuracy of the information you find we are going to translate it into gaming content.
Step 1: Find Seed Content
Go to a websites splash page. Select a link any link and
write it down.
I selected The Treaty of Karlowitz.
The Treaty of Karlowitz
The treaty had something to do with ending the Ottoman’s
control of central Europe. So an stagnate decaying empire losses control of a
region by treaty with Holy Roman Empire, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,
Republic of Venice, Peter the great of Russia. The land made up Hungary,
Croatia, Slavonia.
Step 2: Translate
The crumbling Sultanate of Zhan was forced to sign the Treaty
of the Seven Satraps. The Sultanate was left to crumble and feaster turning
away from the Seven Satraps. The five great northern kingdoms took control of their
neighboring territories leaving 3 to their own devices.
Step 3: Find Support Seed Content
I clicked on one of the links Varet Eyalet (Great name by
the way!)
It was a name for a region of administration in the Ottoman Empire.
Also known as the Pashaluk of Varat. It also neighbored Transylvania.
Step 4: Translate
In this case I used the names unchanged for the satraps. I
could have changed them a bit of course.
The three Satraps that were ignored by the great northern
kingdoms are: The Satrap of Pashaluck, The Satrap of Varat, and the Satrap of
Eyalet.
The Satrap of Pashaluck
Location
This Satrap is made up of coastal land with large cold freshwater
lake and marsh boarding it.
The Satrap of Varat
Location
This mountain Satrap is home to dwarves and human mines.
The Satrap of Eyalet
Location
This Satrap of rolling plains is home to nomadic horse
riders and herders.
Step 5: Find additional Support Seed Content
I selected the link Varat with took me to a page for the
City of Oradea.
It gave maps and description of the history of the city. I glanced
over it and it was under siege by the ottomans at one time. It also had a star
shaped fortress and rivers. The coat of arms for the city had a cross a lion
with crown and a angel and book and fortress. One of the Rivers is named Crisul
Repede. There was also a place called the Black Eagle Palace. There are also dinosaur fossils in mines.
Also there was a Skull of famous King Ladislaus. The city was also famous for
the gold smiths.
Step 6: Translate
So I worked on one Satrap.
The Satrap of Varat
This mountain Satrap is home to dwarves and human mines. The
capital of the satrap is Crisulgate. It was named after the swift River Crisul.
Dwarven and elven goldsmiths are the main business in town making tickets of
gold from the ore produced in the looming mountains. The Ruler of the Satrap is King Islaus of the
Golden Mane who rules from the Star Castle on an island in the river. In the
final days of the rule of Sultanate of Zhan the Sultan sieged the city walls
sending undead Flying Skulls to destroy the city. King Islaus keeps the sole remaining
one in a crystal coffer as a trophy. The nearby Palace of the Black Eagles a
house of giant eagle riding knights protects the city and the Satrap. Recently
the dwarven miners of Mount Erdeepe found a giant cavern filled with a tropical
jungle and monstrous dinosaurs roaming around. Some of the creatures have
escaped in to the mountains. The mountain forests are haunted by harpies who
are being controlled by evil priest.
In conclusion we now have campaign setting rife with
adventure possibilities. It was all done with a few internet searches and a little
translation of the content there in. So being led down the primrose path is not
that bad really.
