Beyond The Lost City

The last grading period of last school year and for two weeks of summer classes I leaned very heavily on two classic D&D modules for inspiration: I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden City (David Cook) and B4 The Lost City (Tom Moldvay).

        

Each underwent significant changes as I rolled them together into "Bawal Bayan" and placed the sunken ziggurat not in a desert, but right in the middle of I1's crater, surrounded by jungle and haunted by bullywugs, mongrelmen and yuan-ti servants of Zargon.

This year, though I'm still a couple weeks away from the role-playing component of my Adventure Games class, I want to built on the Bawal Bayan setting while still adding new content so that I don't begin to get stale.

I realized that the Forbidden City could use a vast subterranean layer that could spark a new season of adventures ... so, after I spent a weekend grinding through a sharpie or two, I present you with "Sheberoth: The Cavern Endless"

Yes, it's another poster sized isometric-view map to share with players.
Features:

• It connects directly with Bawal Bayan via the ruined ziggurat (which extends underground to the upper right of the Sheberoth map)
• It is partially lit by the crevasse that bisects the upper city, and includes a nice waterfall that descends from the bullywug lake above
• The pillars in the lower right corner mark the descent to where I can drop in 3rd edition module The Sunken Citadel
• The sprawling fungal forest in the upper right can nicely contain N2 The Forest Oracle (re-skinned for the down-deep)
• The map is studded with tons of compelling place names like the "Mouth of Cho" (offering descent to greater depths), the "Plain of Knives", "The Great Library" (domed structure center-right), and the "Daughter of Yig" (the massive serpent skeleton seen to the right) that will encourage exploration.
• I can plug The Keep on the Borderlands in with ease, re-skinned with degenerate, albino protagonists who believe the upper world has been destroyed huddled atop the Fane of Zargon, watching warily for movement from the many tunnel mouths of the nearby Canyon of Whispers.
• "The Coffers of Gome" are a vast, disordered heap of huge, stone cubes ... I have no idea what that's about ... but it feels a bit like this ...
• 
• "Sheberoth" is fun to say ... I was thinking about Shelob, Shibboleth (from the Bible story -- Ephraimites can't say it), Xibalba (from Maya mythology), Hoth (coolest name for a planet ever), and a few other things besides.

Anyway, I'm excited to see what this setting offers up when my middle schoolers start to explore it.  I have a few sketchy ideas, but I fully expect to be as surprised as they are.

There's Probably a Dragon

So now I'm gaming up to three hours a day in school -- that's awesome -- but one downside of school starting back up is that there won't be much time for my own kids and their friends to get together for our Home Guard B/X D&D campaign.  We'll be lucky to get one game in a month.

Recently, recognizing that it would probably be our last session of the summer, I grabbed some tape and construction paper to throw together this cliff face, narrow trail, and geyser-field (complete with savage reptile-men), setting it up on the dining room table for my kids to find at breakfast time.



That simple little visual hook pulled the girls right in.

"No dad, you put Sarah in the back.  She's supposed to be up front, remember?"

Soon enough they were battling monsters, rolling saving throws as the geysers spat scalding water, and (at long last) stumbling upon the secret "back door" that the wizard had used to escape from the third dungeon level under The Hill.  They checked the wizard's lengthy written account again (written in cursive to give them something to decode), confirming that they were very close to where he had reported seeing a huge mound of treasure.

"It's either an illusion, or trapped, or there's a dragon," my oldest declared with a certainty that positively would not be shaken.

"Probably there's a dragon and we'll all get killed because I don't think first and second level characters can handle a dragon."  

"Well, there's Aerick and he's fourth, but everyone else is first and second level."  

"How many hit points does a dragon have?"  

"It's most likely a red dragon because of all the steam and hot stuff.  We definitely couldn't handle a red dragon."

So the session ended with the party lingering just inside the mouth of the broad tunnel, thick, hot, fumes blowing up into their faces from somewhere deep, deep below ... and then on Sunday we went to The Riverside Center to see a five-man production of The Hobbit.

 The kids have now set aside any notion that the rumored treasure might be an illusion, trapped, or merely a lie and the conversation has turned to how one might set about getting hold of a black arrow.

"If we had like fifteen elves and they all had magic missile and they all cast it at the same time would that be enough to kill it?"

Hmm ... perhaps this would be the perfect time to drop a rumor about a certain elf princess ...

Momentous Day

Yesterday was a most momentous day:  First I held my first 90-minute Adventure Games Class AND my after school Strategy Games Club reconvened for the new school year!  That's a lot of cool stuff for a day of public school and my head is still spinning a bit.

Some highlights:

• My opening slide for Adventure Games Class was (and could only have been) this ...

• My class played "Table and Chair Olympics" to get used to shifting my room from dull old institutional rows to groups and back, both quickly and quietly.

• We started "Lights Out!" our course pre-assessment, where kids were challenged to use things like a toilet, a box of dry macaroni, and an electric iron to help them meet basic needs during a month-long blackout.

• 28 young people showed up after school for Strategy Games Club ... and that number will likely grow if prior years are any indication!

• I got to try out my new D&D 5th edition boxed starter set with a group of four seventh and eighth graders.  We used the pre-generated characters and started off playing Lost Mine of Phandelver ... I've challenged myself to try and run it by-the-book so that I can give the newest edition a fair test drive.

I wonder if this had come out when my oldest was 6 if I would have gone with it instead of B/X?
Probably not, but it is a fine little game so far as I can tell.

• In our first D&D session, within 2 minutes of hearing the set-up/adventure hook, my players decided that if the dwarf could afford to pay them 10 gold each to transport the supplies that the supplies must be worth a good deal more than that ... so the logical thing to do would be to steal the wagon, sell the supplies, and pocket the profits ... apparently old school gaming is alive and well ...

• Elsewhere in the room games of Munchkin, Jumanji, Settlers of Catan, Labyrinth Lord/Dagger for Kids, and The Adventurers: Pyramid of Horus were run ... without any rage-quitting.  One of these games probably marked the highlight of some kid's day!

Classroom Activity: Culminating Project

So, if things go according to plan (which they never quite do) ... by the time students in my Adventure Games Class are seven weeks through the marking period they will have done the following:

• completed a pre-assessment on creative problem solving
• learned about theoretical vs experimental probability while learning to play RISK
• learned the rules of a tabletop role-playing game (a homebrew D&D 5th ed. lite)
• role-played a few sessions with classmates
• written a short story, told from the point of view of their character
• explored the concept of point-of-view and bias in narrative (and written an essay about it)
• practiced reading a map and using a map legend
• created and stocked their own location-based adventure settings (dungeons)
• modified an adventure setting to increase its difficulty level
• run one or more RPG sessions as a GM
• created a new imaginary creature, complete with game stats
• modified our existing rules set, adding new character classes, rules for criticals, new skills, etc

At that point it will be time to set them to work on their culminating project for the nine-week class:

Design a new game for a setting or world that you find compelling [super heroes, vampires vs werewolves, alien hunters, stone aged tribal drama, martial arts reptiles, etc]

Technique:

• students are provided with a list of “inspiration sparkers”
• students may work collaboratively with permission
• students will submit game proposal using template provided
• students will develop systems for describing characters, conflict resolution, and advancement
• students will develop content describing setting, hazards, and rewards
• students will play test their game

Here are my thoughts for a project rubric that will be used to guide the students:

Character Attributes	Conflict Resolution	Hazards	Rewards	Advancement
My game uses attributes that reflect or support the theme of the setting. My game uses either random rolls or player choice to allow creation of a variety of setting-appropriate characters.	My game includes one or more systems for resolving the most common types of conflict faced by characters within the setting. My system supports the themes of the setting.	My game includes a variety of hazards that support its setting and themes. The hazards provide challenges that can be overcome or bypassed in multiple ways Hazards are presented that can challenge both beginning and experienced characters.	My game presents a variety of in-game rewards, some of which have the potential to change or enhance characters’ attributes, conflict resolution, or resources.	My game has a system for changing and / or improving characters over time as a result of their experiences and adventures.

Maybe this will implode, maybe we'll never get this far, but maybe ... just maybe ... some of the kids will cook up something wonderful and strange and new!

... and wouldn't THAT be glorious?

Classroom Activity: Tinkering with the Rules

As has been said many times, one of the great delights of older RPG rules sets is that many of them are general and suggestive rather than specific and prescriptive. They are tool kits with which a group can collectively putter around and build a game that suits them.

(c) Phil & Kaja Foglio

When, in preparation for teaching the basics of a role-playing system to my middle school class, I took a chainsaw to 5th edition D&D, boiling it down to less than 20 pages, many interesting tidbits were hacked off and left behind for the sake of simplicity and clarity.

Once the kids understand the basic concepts, however, I'd like to challenge them to customize the rules set that we will have been using up to that point. That brings us to ...

Unit Four: Activity 2

Using an existing rules framework, students will develop rules for fumbles, criticals, initiative, NPC morale, hirelings, new character classes, etc



Technique:

Brainstorming whole-class and in small groups around questions like:

• "What would make this even more cool?"
• "What do you wish that there were specific rules for?"
• "What's the best part of the game and how can we enhance it?"

Students record their suggested rules changes and try them out in actual play.

Assessment: Reflective writing

• "Did your rules change have the effect that you had hoped?"
• "How did your changes enhance or detract from the game?"
• "Will you continue to use your additional rules?"

This minor tinkering is really just prep work for their final activity ... which I'll post about next time.

Classroom Activity: Design a Monster

If I cover all the ground I hope to with my middle school games class, not only will each student get to play in an RPG a few times, get to evaluate and design a location-based game setting, and get to GM an RPG scenario for a session or two, but by the time we reach our final unit I'd like them to start thinking about game design and the best way to tell the stories that they have inside of them ...

Unit Four: Game Design

Key Objective: Students will identify a setting or genre that interests them and will develop their own unique narrative structure and rules framework for managing storytelling games within that setting.

To get the ball rolling creatively, I'd like them to design their own creature ...

Activity 1: Create a New Creature 

Technique:

• Read existing catalogs of game creatures. Discuss: 
• "What makes them compelling, surprising, or predictable?"
• "What kind of story can you see this creature initiating?  
• "What might it do that causes drama or conflict?"
• "Identify more than one way that characters in a game could successfully deal with the conflict posed by the creature."
• Talk about real-world ecology and contrast to fantasy ecology and place-in-story. Discuss the narrative appeal of each.
• Talk about creature power-level, how to evaluate, and how to represent it in game mechanics

Assessment: by rubric

A rating of "3" would look like this:

3 = My creature and its ecology are described in clear, unique, and vivid terms.  My reader gains a clear understanding of how my creature fits into its environment. My ecology includes one or more story hooks or suggestions for how characters can interact with the creature. My description includes a list of the creature’s attributes.

From here, some kids may want to write short scenarios to showcase their critters, others may want to dive into expanding their creature's ecology, some may want to take time to illustrate their new creation artistically, and still others will be ready to move ahead and start looking at our rules set critically -- what does it simulate in a way they like?  Where does it fall flat?

Classroom Activity: Student GMs

Tomorrow is the first day of school and I'm still busily planning lessons for my brand new Adventure Games class. I've had full support from my administrative team and they've even developed a short affinity survey to gauge the interests of our students and to help the teachers of my grade-level team place our kids in the areas where academic needs and individual interests best align. This kind of thinking is really setting me up to win!

Today I'm thinking about ...

Unit Three: Managing a Game

Key Objective: Students will begin to develop proficiency as the lead narrator of a collaborative storytelling framework

Sub-Objectives:

• Students will consider how to best engage players
• Students will revise a setting based on player input and self-assessment

Activity 1: Manage (GM) prefabricated / pre-stocked setting for peers

Technique:

• GM chooses and manages setting
• GM provided with a survey
• Name your players
• What did you do to help engage each of your players individually?
• What could you have done to better engage any players who were not engaged?
• What was the best / most engaging part of the game?
• What part of managing the game was the hardest?
• What do you wish you had handled differently?
• Grade your performance as a GM
• What tools would make it easier to manage your next game?

• Players are provided with a survey
• Who was your GM?
• How engaging was the game?
• What was the best part?
• What did your GM do particularly well?
• What could your GM improve upon?

• GMs given reminder cards, summarizing their roles
• apply rules fairly to all players
• keep game moving and players on task
• provide information about the setting
• make rulings when players attempt things not covered by the rules
• create interest and excitement
• insist on good sportsmanship from your players
• refer difficult situations to teacher

Formative Assessment: 

• player survey and GM self-survey

Activity 2: GM manages a setting that he or she has created from scratch (prior Unit)

Technique:

• GM develops and stocks own setting (prior Unit)
• GM manages setting for peers
• GM provided with self-survey

• Players are provided with survey

• GMs given reminder cards, summarizing their roles

• GM revises setting based on reflection and player feedback
• GM manages revised setting for a different group of players
• GM completes second reflection
• Identify your second round players
• What specific changes did you implement to improve your setting?
• What was the best / most engaging part of the game this time?
• Grade your performance as a GM

Formative Assessment: 

• player survey and self-survey

So, as I learned last year, the really, really sweet spot is where I can give my 8th graders enough experience role-playing (as players) and just enough guidance in the form of rules (suggestive, not proscriptive) and imagination-sparking support materials (sketches, partial maps, sample monsters, hazards, and treasures) that they can step out and begin to GM groups of their peers on their own.

What I sketched out above is my effort to intentionally scaffold that development. That being said, while I'd like every student to try running at least one session for peers, I don't have the expectation that every student will feel an affinity for the role of GM. Somewhere around this point I expect my class to fork, branching into two or more different tracks, with some students continuing to refine their skills as GMs while others double back to Unit Two and engage in world-building and still others move ahead to Unit Four to focus on designing completely new games.