Make In-World Media For Your Game (Your Players Will Appreciate It)

Game Masters are always looking for ways to enhance immersion, and to really get players stuck into their games. Some GMs will put together playlists and background ambience for particular scenes, others will put together physical props like wallets or maps that the characters may find during their adventure. However, something that a lot of us might not think to do, but which you can get a lot of mileage out of, is creating in-game media that plays into your ongoing campaign.

And while this can be just one more hat for the GM to wear, trust me, few things will draw players in quite the same way as these little extras.

And they can even be fun to make!

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Newspapers, Radio Broadcasts, and More!

As an example of what I'm talking about, let's take your average high fantasy game. Maybe it's Dungeons and Dragons, maybe it's Pathfinder, or maybe it's something else entirely... whatever your system, you should find a way to put in some kind of local newspaper (or at least a broadsheet) that can act as both a recap of your party's adventures thus far, but also as a combination job board, and way for them to potentially get news about the rest of the setting.

This could be a straightforward re-telling, or you could even add a bit of a slant depending on what kind of public persona your PCs have. You might even give it the Jonah Jameson treatment, where the person behind the paper is constantly trying to paint the party as a menace, acting as whole other obstacle to be overcome. You could have quotes from NPCs they've interacted with, eyewitness reports about particular noteworthy moments, and then in the back pages, some personal ads. If you want to get extra clever you can even bury secrets in those want ads so that characters who know spy codes or thief craft may realize there's a bit of doublespeak going on there, and that if they dig deeper there could even be hidden plot points to pursue.

For another example, consider these broadcasts I create from Mr. Nowhere, a representative of Radio Free Fae in my Changeling: The Lost game.

For those who have not played the game before, Changeling: The Lost is about people who are kidnapped by god-like, alien entities from another dimension. These True Fae tear out a captive's soul, pour fae magic into the gap, and then alter these people to be their servants. Those who escape and make it back to the real world find themselves changed, hence the name changelings, and they tend to come together for mutual protection, as well as to help one another cope with (and perhaps even heal from) their traumatic experiences.

Changelings often join large organizations called courts for mutual protection and support, and one of the most common types of courtly arrangement are the courts of the four seasons. The Winter Court are known as spymasters, information brokers, and when necessary, assassins. Radio Free Fae is one way that Winter Courtiers will occasionally broadcast information to other changelings, letting them know about dangers and risks in the area... though these broadcasts tend to be put into coded language so that only those in the know can interpret the true meaning.

The above broadcast was the one I made for my players this Summer. This emotional weather report (named for the Tom Waits song, and because changelings feed off powerful emotions to fuel their magic) talked about which areas of the city are currently dangerous (north side is vampire turf, hence why it might seem dead, but is quite dangerous), where there will be good places to harvest emotions (construction season is peak time for absorbing rage from passerby), and even warnings about dangers that are coming in from outside (a specific reference to white supremacist groups that were causing problems in the city).

And since it's been up for a few months, I went a step further. For those who go to the full page for Emotional Weather Report (Broadcast From Mr. Nowhere), you will find some clues buried in the video tags. Winter Courtiers love to talk in code, after all, and the phrase "Beware The Ashen Lady," was an early warning about one of the True Fae who was making her way to the area. Mr. Nowhere didn't know what her deal was, but knew she was dangerous, and that everyone in the area needed to be warned. To put the other tag in context, Froebischer is a large, emperor penguin in a Hawaiian shirt that breathes fire who wanders through the local Hedge... the message that he is not a penguin could simply be a red herring, or there might be a deeper meaning to it.

If any of my players are reading this, consider whether or not this is a clue.

The first Emotional Weather Report turned out so well (and was so positively regarded by my players) that I've decided to make it something of a seasonal thing. Now Mr. Nowhere acts as an early warning system, allowing players to glean some hints and clues about things that are coming, so long as they put in the effort to maintain good rapport with him, and to do their part to make sure tragedy doesn't befall him, or his broadcasts.

As to what this most recent report above means... well, it's still fresh, so I don't want to spoil anything. But rest assured, I will have a full write-up down the line, once all the actions are taken, and the story is complete. For those who want to stay on top of these broadcasts, as well as other audio dramas I make, don't forget to subscribe to the Azukail Games channel on YouTube, as well as to my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary!

And if you're curious, Froebischer is one of my creations that came out of the supplement 100 Hobs to Meet in The Hedge, so check that out if you'd like to add some odd little NPCs to your own Lost chronicle!

It's Work, But It's Worth It

I'm the first to admit that making this kind of media for your players is definitely a lot of extra work, even if you have the know-how and resources to put it together. However, it is a great way to take your game up to the next level, and to really get your players' enthusiastic about the campaign.

Not only that, but if you're crafty, you can even get your players to participate in the creation process, which spreads the work out for you!

For instance, if you have a player who likes to write short stories, they might do a dramatic write-up of an adventure, and then that could be published as a kind of dime novel in your game's setting (not dissimilar to what I did for my Hell's Rebels game with The Silver Raven Chronicles). You might have someone who makes music, and their tunes end up getting played at the next bar you go to (whether the songs are about the heroes, or praising the villains, that depends on the inspiration). You could have players volunteer to write the secondary articles or ads in the newspaper so that you can focus on the game relevant ones (and leave the players guessing since they don't know who wrote which parts of the newspaper). And if you want a super easy way to keep folks involved, have players write letters to NPCs (with return letters coming their way over time), or keep journals to chronicle their adventures going forward.

All of this takes energy, no doubt. But when it comes to RPGs, you get out what you put in... and if you've never tried your hand as this sort of thing before, at least give it a whirl! If nothing else, it's often one of the things you're players are going to latch onto, and tell stories about for years to come!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Daily Motion channel!. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Membership in In-Game Organizations Shouldn't Require Specific Class Levels

I remember the first time I came across the opportunity to join in-game organizations was back when I was playing in the Forgotten Realms during the DND 3.5 era. From the Harpers to the Red Wizards of Thay there were particular prestige classes that granted you unique and unusual abilities that were outside the purview of any other classes, and you could join as soon as you met the necessary prerequisites. Even though I never got far enough in a game at that time to reach those prestige classes, it felt like a great, organic addition to my character that would tie me more firmly to the setting, and that desire always sat there in the back of my mind whenever a new game was announced.

Basically what I talked about in What Organizations Does Your Character Belong To?, a little while back.

While I've put my own spin on this idea (more on that later), I wanted to address the other side of the coin this week. Because membership in an in-game organization shouldn't require character levels... if something is a story element, let it be a story element without forcing your players to cut their nose off to spite their faces, mechanically speaking.

And if you haven't grabbed a copy of this book, I would highly recommend it.

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron!

Lastly, to be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree!

Walking That Fine Line Between Roles and Rolls

I mentioned that I first noticed this unique opportunity back in the 3.5 era, but I feel like Pathfinder really brought it home. From prestige classes that covered most major organizations within the Golarion setting, and a slew of class archetypes that you could start taking straight from level one, it felt like the designers really wanted to provide players with opportunities to tie their story to the pillars within the setting to help players make their characters feel more organic... and maybe for some extra wooge.

You can never have too much wooge.

However, it's important to remember that while story and mechanics can converge in perfect harmony, sometimes that isn't the case. And when that happens, it's important to take a step back and find a solution that works well for your particular game.

As an example, consider the hellknight prestige class for Pathfinder. Now, the hellknights are a large organization made up of dozens of orders and chapters, each with its own unique set of special skills and creed that it follows. Whether it's the Order of the Nail and their focus on maintaining law and order, the Order of the Rack and their focus on breaking dissent and putting down rebellions, and so on, and so forth, there's a lot of personality to these orders.

Now, a player could angle themselves toward taking levels in this prestige class once they meet the prerequisites (which involve slaying a devil with hit dice greater than the character while being witnessed by existing hellknights, so not a walk in the park). At that point they can choose which order they join, and gain particular abilities that bolster their character build as they go up in the hellknight prestige class.

However, let's assume you have a character at the table who isn't going to benefit from that class's abilities. The player may not want to expend the extra resources to meet the prerequisites (like heavy armor proficiency, Intimidate ranks, etc.), but they still want their character to become a member of a particular hellknight order for story reasons. The GM is able to do that with a snap of their fingers.

I dub thee Sir Bastard. Now arise, and spread the Law!

Say, as an example, a player was going all-in on a ranger build that focused on tracking and bringing down specific enemies. This might be an ideal candidate for the Order of The Scar, a hellknight order that hunts down killers and assassins. But this character wouldn't benefit from joining the prestige class in a mechanical sense... however, as far as their story goes, they could very easily start the game as a hellknight armiger (essentially a squire), and then at an appropriate time in the story be officially raised to the social position of hellknight (probably after slaying the devil, just for appearances).

This provides the benefits of tying the character more firmly to the setting, providing them with a structure that dictates why they're involved in a given adventure, and the goals they're trying to achieve. It also helps the GM because it tells them what kind of NPCs are likely to figure into this character's interactions, along with the places they've been, and the things they've seen. It also helps lay out a good way to reward the PC for service, allowing them to climb the ranks of the organization and to gain access to other forms of aid, prestige, and social currency.

In the end, it's a win for everyone.

I Talked About This in an Earlier Splat Book of Mine

I told you we'd circle back around to Sellswords of Sundara (available for both Pathfinder and DND 5E), didn't I? For those who are curious, this splat recently got its own audio drama, "The Price of Steel" on the Azukail Games YouTube channel... so toss the channel a sub, and give the track a listen!

Now, Sellswords of Sundara is pretty much what it says on the tin. The splat contains 10 mercenary companies complete with their specialties, uniform style, brief history, combat doctrine, some notable NPCs and rumors, as well as either a subclass (for 5E) or an archetype (for Pathfinder) should one wish to really embody the style of character described.

However, as I explicitly stated in the introduction to the book, players should not be forced to use these mechanical options merely to have their characters be a part of one of these free companies. If someone wants to play a wizard who's part of the Widowmakers free company (a rowdy gang of bruisers and bastards that are little more than cutthroats), they should be allowed to do that. A cleric who specializes in raising and controlling the dead would rise to a command position in the Risen Legion, and shouldn't have to take the fighter-based archetype of the Risen Legionnaire.

And so on, and so forth.

Because the thing about organizations that makes them so useful to you as a GM is that they're never made up of just one kind of character. Even going back to the Forgotten Realms, the Red Wizards of Thay were, of course, all wizards... but those weren't the only people in the organization. There were Thayan Bodyguards (another fun prestige class that came out later) who acted as the muscle to keep the tattooed spellcasters safe. There are the soldiers, the informants, the assassins, and the myriad of people who owe their allegiance to the Red Wizards and their power structures, even if they themselves are not one of those wizards.

Ideally, you want to make these organizations as available as possible because it grounds your player characters in the setting, and provides you with an easier time as the Game Master for telling their stories. While not every character will be drawn to an organization, whether it's a bandit gang, a mercenary company, or a knightly order, they can help provide a lot of useful structure that will save you time and energy going forward.

Recommended Reading

If you're looking for some additional organizations beyond what's available in Sellswords of Sundara, consider the following supplements!

- 100 Secret Societies: Shadowy organizations who seem to have tendrils everywhere, it's possible everyone in the party might be a member of this order and not even know it... or that they each serve a different master when everyone else's back is turned!

- 100 Cults to Encounter: From those who seek the favor of the old gods, to those who delve into outré philosophies, cults come in many forms. Not only that, but they can make quite a useful organization for those seeking a place to... belong.

- 100 Fantasy Guilds: From inventors and explorers, to monster hunters and assassins, guilds dip their fingers into damn near everything... which is why they can be so useful, and flexible, as an organization in your game.

- A Baker's Dozen of Noble Families: From the swamp-dwelling clan fam of the Dredgers, to the deep pockets of High Hall, these 13 noble families are fleshed out enough that you can easily make your character a member.

- 100 Random Mercenary Companies: From the warrior wizards in the Acolytes of Arannis, to the black-clad battalions of the Harbingers of Sorrow, each of these companies offers unique ties for those who signed up for a tour of service.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!