A ta(b)le of winds

Adventure has become a habit from which I can't abstain. 

 

Before the road outside becomes congested with buses, cars, assorted humanity and responsibilities™, there exists a moment when birdsong fills the air, coffee is prepared and my cat melts on the kitchen rug. It is at this juncture that the dice must be cast, heralding the start of a new quest.

The winds that blow and flow over the Selva Lugana, the setting hosting my playthroughs as Bastiano, are yes natural phenomena, but also possess the ability to shape reality.

The winds hold sway over the lives of those inhabiting the towns and surroundings of the Lake. (Note: the Lake, too, has power over the ecosystem developed around it, but in different ways that will be explored). They are both respected and feared, believed to possess powers that can either bless or curse the endeavors of those who dwell around the waters, who exist here at the Lake. Relationships with the winds are forged and tested, with individuals seeking favor or attempting to appease them in their pursuits.

It is within this balance that the story of Bastiano unfolds, guided by the caprice of air.

When preparing my first ever play-through within Selva Lugana, I had the chance to explore the problem of how to quickly start-and-go: I wanted to get to playing as soon as possible and I wanted to be able to do it at any time, with little effort.

Then it hit me: prep is play.

Teigill’s Corner –Philosophizing with the Hämmer: why prep is play in solo RPG

Inspired by this, I rolled a d10 over my bureau, and it landed on a sheet of paper where I had jotted down the names of the winds that Bastiano might be familiar with, along with what the beliefs and superstitions about them the inhabitants of the Lake and its surroundings might have.

---

procedure – wind

• Roll a d10 on the table of winds:
• At the start of selvacrawling, to discover which wind cursed the pirates
• At the start of each session of play, to identify the prevailing wind that will shape encounters.
• During play
• As consequence of an action or interaction of a pc or npc with the winds
  
• Natural shifts
• When the player believes it could makes sense for the wind to be changing

Interpretations – consider the influence of the prevailing wind on the unfolding story.
Allow the winds to evolve and impact the story.
Be prepared for the consequences of interactions with the winds, or by their reactions.
The winds can have both positive and negative effects on the characters and the world they inhabit. Embrace the outcomes of your choices and let them fuel further exploration and development within the Selva Lugana.

– ∞ –

table –  wind 

This is a the setting-agnostic table I created and used to shape the table of winds in Selva Lugana. 

d10	wind
1	Calming touch and harmony
2	Fury and shaking paths
3	Whispers of change
4	Unfolding mysteries
5	Howling danger and lurking threats
6	Whimsical enchantment
7	Embracing forgotten stories
8	Gentle rejuvenation
9	Untamed force of nature
10	Breath of imagination

 

– ∞ – 

 

If you wish for some inspiration on how to go with using the tables, you can check out how I use them in my Selva Lugana sessions. 

If you determined the prevailing wind and wish to crawl the Selva Lugana, be my guest.