Holidays in the OSR
Usually around this time of year many a game is put on hiatus as real life concerns trump our hobbies. For some of us the interruption is minor and others it is a full month off depending upon the schedules and familial obligations of the DM or players. In many mmorpgs and shooter video games the holidays are incorporated into the game in your garage or loading screens with special events tied in to whatever holidays are current on the actual calendar. I used to be of the mind set to scoff at this in my fantasy games but as I have aged; or wizened who knows, I do so as well. Typically with a twist as is my want but as my record and time keeping habits have become what you may call lazy; the weather matches what i see outside of my window no rolling on charts ;). Allowing 3 days to a week to be the typical time lapsed between games the fantasy calendar typically is a match for our actual seasons and holidays that we as players are experiencing. When it doesn't we fudge it.
fuuuuuudge it
I have no doubt many DMs use reality as a muse for in game ideas. Christmas quickly became Candlemass for my OSR game with hints of carolers; townsfolk go a-warbling, and decorations; you see many small decorated candles burning in the windows of the village, to give a sense of parallel existence. Multiple realms you may wink at or whatever, nothing over the top just a teasing of reality with which we are familiar and the imaginary realms we like to piss away our time in allot. Curious is most or simply a few DMs do this as well.
YaY or NaY? NPCs on sleighs and magical reindeer or festivals that rhyme with your calendar?
Themed one shots spice up a game if not over done. The hint of a Krampus demon whispered by townsfolk actually froze all players for a moment so next year if I am lucky enough to still have a game going its Krampus time. Maybe I'll have some players with NPC children to be snatched by ole scratchy by that time. Maybe,
Game Well, Game Often
#OSR #DnD #MindsGaming #LabyrinthLord #ttrpg