Make War, Not Lore: Creating a War and Factions for your Adventures

It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of blogging about it.  -Sun Tzu, almost

In a recent world-famous blogpost, we concluded that mass bloodshed and strife is a lighthearted, pleasant pastime for all involved. And while any power metal album artist or teacher-cum-author can invent a cool battle, it takes a bit more work to create the whole war. Luckily for you, I happen to be an authority on seeming like an authority. 

Writing The Good Fight: Running Large Battle Scenarios in TTRPGs

Much of our favorite fantastical fiction features fierce fights, mammoth melees, and wall-to-wall warfare. We all know that large battles can serve various narrative purposes, from heroic last stands and dramatic climaxes to desperate retreats and crushing defeats. A battle might be raging around our heroes as they try to reach their target, right in front of them as they enter the fray themselves, or miles away as they use the chance to accomplish something. 

At their best, battles are a great tool to add to your storytelling and a powerful way to amp the drama. At their worst, they are a great tool to break the flow of your game, and a powerful way to start players thinking about homebrew versions of the system, ones that remove the suffering they just went through.