HQ2: Community Resources as Flags pt.2

While tinkering around with writing up some setting material, I realized that in order to really get the most out of using Community Resources as Flag mechanics, you kinda have to shift your view of them.

The book lists them as literal resources or abilities (”Wealth”, “Influence”, “Magic”)- though in the examples you see it becomes abstracted to themes (”War”, “Peace” etc.). And this works well enough, but if you focus it a bit more, it really shines.

“One Thing”

Make the first Resource the “one thing” the community has that makes it stand out and gives it influence and power. For example, “Controls the Southern Trade Routes”. This sets up their biggest source of power and sets a tone for what the community is about. If you choose to focus play on it, it becomes a big source of conflict, while if you focus play away from it, it still sets up the base of legitimacy while wrestling with other issues.

“We need THIS to survive.”

Pick two resources specific to the community and situation that they need to survive. “Safety from Sand Beasts”, “Oases, Water, Housing”. These should fit local to the setting and be things the players would want to call on often (in this case, a desert campaign would make sense). The strength of a community is not just the numbers, but how appropriate the resources are to the kinds of conflicts you expect to see fairly often.

“This is who we are.”

Finally, have at least one resource set to define the social/cultural identity of the community. This sets up a combination of morale and culture. “The Southern Trade Clan, and the ways of the Old Royalty”, “The last of the Dynasty style weavers”.

As a whole

By doing so, you set up communities in basis of power, necessary resources, and cultural identity, all of which make great places to set up conflicts. You’ll also notice that more than one could stand in for the recommendations in the book- military, wealth, magic, etc., while at the same time giving it a bit more context if you’re using it to generate situations to play with.

Extended Character Concept Generator

Some folks might remember when I did the “1 Sentence Character Concept generator”. Well, here’s an evolution of it, usable for any game, but inspired by HeroQuest’s character generation process.

You’ll also notice it sets up a Conflict web around the PC – a mix of friends, allies, rivals, obligations, etc. A great way to build characters and situation.

You could either fill out the whole thing, or, just do the first sentence and fill out one or two of the other sentences- filling in more as play develops.

Extended Character Concept Generator

A (personality trait) (profession/role) trying to (goal) despite her (flaw).

She wants to become (profession/positive trait), achieve (social status), overcome/move beyond (past trouble, mistake, tragedy). She believes in (ideal or personal credo) and can’t stand people who (believe other credo/behave in a certain way). People know her as (reputation) and expect that she will (achieve/fail/become something).

She is a part of (social group), is expected to obey (authority figure), assisted by (friend/group of friends), is opposed by (rival group).

She wants to earn respect/love of (NPC), see (NPC2/rival group) get their just desserts for (dirty deed), help (NPC3) deal with (problem/flaw), fulfill (promise made) for (NPC4), and protect (NPC5) from (personal flaw, danger, other NPC or group).

Fantasy Armor!

Only in a world of magic could you make this really work, but it looks awesome:

Runa: Boto Fallen, Jala Standing

Background

Once, Bota was a free land, the center of trade between the Lunar Empire and the Bayan lands to the south. Over 30 years ago it fell with hardly much bloodshed, some say, because it was already flooded with traitors, converted to foreign ways by the missionaries.

Today, Jala has become the center of resistance- both refugees streaming in from the north from Lunar raids as well as a few seeking adventure and a name for themselves by fighting the invaders.

War Comes…

A small group of Bayan missionaries have come from Boto, begging that Jala surrender peacefully. The Imperials have grown tired of the long struggle to take the Bayan lands- they have sent a new general, Maratha, brutal, cruel, and determined to break all resistance.

The Heroes

Young members of Jala, either natives or refugees, who must decide how to best protect and serve the people in the face of oncoming war.

Does it make more sense to try to engage the Lunars in the contested jungles further north? Make alliances with the Siyan Hill Clans? Try to move as many refugees south? Can any compromise be struck with the Lunar missionaries or is it just another Lunar trick?

Keyword: Jala Native
Abilities: Traveler-wise, Refugee-wise, Hates the Lunars, Hardworking, R-ship: Diwata Selene, Family Standing

Jala Resources:
Bayan Cultural Identity, Fierce Warriors & Militia, Local Alliances, Craft & Trades, Freedom for Bayan Lands

Defining your character:
Each character should have some description of how the Lunar Invasion impacted them directly (including family history), some abilities and social position that would put them in a place to do something about it, and some ties to the cultural aspects in particular.

Diwata Selene

The guardian spirit of Jala, small altars are found all around town, and along the roads. Selene appears to be a young woman dressed in colorful clothing, wearing a distinctive traditional headwrap and wielding a curved dagger. Her spirit is called upon to fight tigers and dangerous beasts of the jungle, to find lost children, and, to protect Jala when in danger. Most travelers, traders, and refugees give offerings before any journey and thanks after one.

Other Communities

Boto Resources:
Bayan Cultural Identity, Lunar Cultural Influence, Lunar Garrison, Northern Trade Center, Town Expansion

Siyan Resources:
Fierce Independence, Brutal Infighting, Guerilla Mastery, Rare Herbal Medicine and Poison, Spirit Traditions

HQ2: Community Resources as Flags

One neat thing about HQ2 is the way in which communities are handled – they’re defined by 5 resource traits which:

a) can be used to set up situations in play, moments of crisis, opportunities, and conflict
b) can be improved or reduced as a measurement of the well being of a given community
c) can be called upon to aid player characters

What these do, is serve as Flags on a group level- a group of players could define what they want the campaign to be about through selecting appropriate Resources and assigning the traits appropriately (weaker traits = more conflict).

For example, if you wanted to do a Battlestar Galactica game? The Fleet would count as a community with Resources like, “Trust”, “Political Infrastructure”, “Vipers, Pilots, Marines”, “Food”, “Hope & Morale”…

HQ2 brings up the issue of Nested Communities- that you might be part of a national group, a local village, a religious group, a particular clan, all at the same time- which gives you several layers of communities to work with and aid or protect. This then sets up those very classic stories of the hero choosing between protecting kin or saving the country, etc.

It also becomes a neat thing where you might bring in one Community Resource at one level to influence a rival community at another – basically, we’re talking the issues of intersectionality built into the game mechanics.

“Yes, well, they are heretics, but she IS the daughter of the head of the merchant guild- and she could easily sell the rights to the trade routes to Baron Ofsky… let them keep their temples!”

Hero Wars had this, but sort of divided between the rules for community support and the rules for setting up crisis moments, but it locked in the categories- this is an elegant combination of the two, which I think makes a lot more sense and should lead to a lot of interesting play.