Chronicles of Lowenheim (8)

We ended with this event: "One of the other scholars (besides Johannes Mercator) living in the city makes a strange discovery that is of some importance. Who is he or she? What discovery? How will it affect the city? Good or bad? Physical discovery or new knowledge? What does it mean for the tension building up between the scholars and wizards?"

See also our last post, as well the complete overview.

We already have the growing potential conflict between the wizards and Johannes Mercator, and I framed it somewhat as a conflict between magic and science - the wizards being the old guard, and the scholars and scientists being the new. Perhaps we can build on that a bit more, and introduce some more scientific knowledge into the city of Lowenheim.

Hmmm, what to use? Perhaps an astronomical clock? Or a mechanical primitive robot? Or a new mathematical idea or scientific insight? But I'll settle on a mechanical calculator. I teach a class on the history of computer science, so I'm not going to let the oppportunity pass to insert some computer science into my fantasy campaign. The first mechanical calculators were invented in the first half of the 17th century, but it's fantasy after all, so anything goes! I'll use Pascal's caculator, the Pascaline as a model. Not that it really matters, but it was the best of these early calculating devices. Perhaps I could have settled for the invention of the logarithms, but an actual device has the potential of being stolen, and hence, much more potential for adventure ;-)

And what scholar to use? Let's model our new character on Blaise Pascal and Simon Stevin (a famous scientist from the same period), and call him Pascal Stevin. After all, the previous scholar who predicted the planetary conjunction, Johannes Mercator, was also a contraption of Johannes Kepler and Gerard Mercator.

Some musings on character stats

Bet before we go the pretty pictures, let's take a look at out character system again. SO far, I used the system laid out in Tony Bath's book on wargames campaigns. All stats had a number from 1 to 6, and the stats themselves were more geared towards commanders in a military campaign. Some stats also weren't really innate abilities, and more the result of actions (e.g. popularity). And there's the question what to with the stats. It's always easy to use a die roll vs a stat, but I felt the numbers were not discriminating enough. After all, all stats are determined by a D6, while a non-uniform distribution might be somewhat better. Bath's system was invented before the advent of roleplaying games, and we now know a lot more about character generation. And I should have known this as well! I guess I was a bit too focused on using Bathian mechanics instead of thinking a bit more.

So two things: numerical range, and what stats?

As for the numerical range, let's settle on the true and tested D&D method of rolling 3D6 for each stat. This gives a 3-18 number with an emphasis on the middle range, and allows for a D20 vs stat as a simple stat check. (And don;t call 3D6 a "bell curve"! It's not. :-))

Now, the stats themselves. I realized the stats for a character needed in a narrative campaign are a bit different from a roleplaying campaign. In an rpg, the stats might define the character and the direction in which a player develops that character. But in my game, I need something different. After all, I already know I'm generating a wizard, or a scholar, or a guard captain. So I rather need stats that can tell me something how a character and behaves in the setting of Lowenheim, and I don't need stats as a starting point to develop the character.

So I decided on the following:

• Social Aptitude (Soc): call it charisma, popularity, generosity, smooth talking, etc. 
• Political Aptitude (Pol): How well does the character know how to reach certain objectives in the city? How cunning or Machiavellian is he or she?
• Activity (Act): is the character on the lazy side, or on the entrepreneurial side? How likely is it the character will act when something is happening? Ambition (trying to become powerful, rich, ...) is also covered here.
  
• Morals (Mor): What's the character integrity? How lawful is the character, and willing to not harm others in reaching his or her goals?
• Physical Stamina (Phys): Is the character a hypochondriac, or rather a person in good health?

I think these stats will do. If I need a stat check, I will simply roll a D20 vs the stat. All other traits follow from the initial presumptions. E.g. a scholar or wizard is intelligent; a guard captain is skilled in weapon use, etc. Thus, the "profession" of the character defines its skill set.

As for age, I'll use either a 6D10, 8D10 or 10D10, depending on whether I want a younger, middle-aged, or older character. 

So I will use this system from now on, and in time convert the others as well. I will roll a 3D6 for all stats, except I will pick one stat to roll 4D6 and select the 3 highest dice.

So what about our new scholar, Pascal Stevin? Rolling the dice, and selecting Soc as the 4D6 stat (because it fits the figure I want to use):

• Soc: 14
  
• Pol: 9
  
• Act: 6
  
• Mor: 10
  
• Phys: 12
  
• Age (8D10): 48
  

Since with a 3D6, the scores of 9, 10, 11 and 12 are the average bulk, we have a very social person,  on the lazy side,  but nothing exceptional in the other characteristics. Since we already have decided he's a scholar, he's of course intelligent and very knowledgeable about a lot of things.

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Johannes Mercator and Pascal Stevin are good friends. They both live near each other in the same quarter f Lowenheim, and meet each other regularly to discuss their new findings. Pascal is a bit of a slow worker though, and it might take some time before he really sets his mind to things.

Pascal Stevin in front of his house in Lowenheim.

 

One evening, he invites Johannes to his house to discuss a new contraption he has worked on in secret for years: a mechanical calculator. "I will name this device after myself, the Pascaline! It will change the calculations for traders, merchants, and even the ships sailing the seas and oceans!"

Pascal Stevin and Johannes Mercator discussing the Pascaline in Stevin's work room.

 

The Pascaline

Mercator is impressed! "But what took you so long?" "You know I'm a bit on the lazy side ... And I didn't really want to show it before it was finished." "We should show it to the Landvoogd." "You think so?" "Yes, we can finally show everyone that science is the tool for bringing prosperity, an that the days of magic are over!" "Ok, but how do we do that?" "Hmmm, let's think abouth this some more. But for now, keep your invention a secret. We don't want to irritate the Trigonometros. They're already angry enough because I predicted the planetary conjunction."

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Up to the the event list for week 5. Obviously, event 6 needs to be replaced. Event 10 got superceded. I tuned the oldest events a little. The number in square brackets is the week in which the event was first listed (although it might have been updated a bit).

1. The Landvoogd makes an important announcement as a result of the planetary conjuction seen in the sky and the subsequent riots. What is it? What is the result on the morale of the inhabitants of the city? [1]
   
2. A trade caravan arrives. Who is the trader? What does he or she hope to sell or trade in Lowenheim? What news does the caravan bring? [1]
   
3. Grombo SuykerByck feels he should be rewarded for his efforts in putting down a revolt in the city. What would be a proper reward? Will he become an influential friend of the Landvoogd? Will he get more money and/or influence? [4]
   
4. The guards (along with the tax collector) go out collecting the new taxes, but a fight ensues. In what quarter of the city? Why is there a fight? (==> skirmish wargame) [1]
   
5. The Magicians plan an attack on Mercator's tower. How will they do this? Night or day? Ground, air, tunnels, spells? Using their magical creatures, or do it more stealthily? Who will come to the help of Johannes Mercator? (==> skirmish wargame) [3]
   
6. One of the other scholars (besides Johannes Mercator) living in the city makes a strange discovery that is of some importance. Who is he or she? What discovery? How will it affect the city? Good or bad? Physical discovery or new knowledge? What does it mean for the tension building up between the scholars and wizards? [3] Mercator and Stevin want to see the Landvoogd and tell him about the new dawning Age of Science. Will they have the Landvoogd's ear? How will he reacht, and what effect will it have on the developments in the city? [5]
   
7. There are 4 statues at the crossroads (and a few more in the city). What is their meaning? What do they tell about the history of Lowenheim? [4]
   
8. A murder takes place in Lowenheim. Who is the (important?) victim? Will there be a trial? What's the judicial system in Lowenheim? [1]
   
9. The recent riots around De Groene Draak lead to heightened patrols by the city guards. What will they do to restore order? Impose a curfew? How will they do it? By force or not? (==> skirmish wargame?) [4]
   
10. Johannes Mercator is now even more popular than he was before. What are his plans for the future? What does he want to gain from the current situation? [2] There's a coven of cultists hiding in the city somewhere. Who are they? What do they want? What is their secret temple? Is there an important figure part of the cult? [5]
    

 Let's roll the D10 .... a 1! So we have the following event: "The Landvoogd makes an important announcement as a result of the planetary conjuction seen in the sky and the subsequent riots. What is it? What is the result on the morale of the inhabitants of the city?"

Finally we will have to introduce the Landvoogd, the so-far unnamed leader of the city.