Running Downtime

Once the several players get the hang of it, downtime is as satisfying as open expedition season is. As a reminder, here is the world calendar. 

Orange is Harvest, Yellow is Haven, Pink is Holiday, Blue is Open, Green is Sunday and Purple is War. 

During Harvest and on Sunday, every injured character heals a hit point and disease-like conditions progress. They may also hear rumors. No action is permitted. 

During Holidays, hit points and conditions progress; the players may hear rumors; and they will interact with townsfolk. This means they can have safe, in-town adventures and advance subplots. Merchants will have their best stuff and enough money to buy the most valuable items from players. It is also the best time and place to recruit henchmen and specialists and to disseminate information (true or false.)

During War, players will hear revelations but not of a personal nature, for any and all couriers will be carrying military information. An exception to this is if a PC is called to his lord’s Court to join the war council or diplomatic effort. 

During Haven, the weather is too bad to go on expeditions. Players can do anything except proper dungeon or hex adventuring. This is the time for romance, politics, and the deaths of characters in the story, PC and NPC alike. The characters can also write scrolls and make other magic items. 

During Open season, the players can do anything including adventure, but are still bound by the structure of Sundays and the allure of Holiday festivals.

One job of the Referee (or alternatively the calendarian) is to let the table know what seasons are coming. Letting the players know will help them better plan their character’s activities. 

Don’t be afraid to run some downtime events away from the table, especially one-on-one events. Use texts, calls, emails or in-person visits. 

Downtime is great because the Referee really gets to hand the world over to the players. “What is your character doing?” is a much more open-ended question thence. 

If Haven (especially) is coming up, give the players plenty of notice, preferably at the end of the session prior to the season change. 

When downtime comes, remind the several players what the possible game activities are. Then ask someone to offer his character’s course of action. Once the players get the hang of it, they will have lists ready to go for each of their characters. 

When you give them advance warning and then again when the calendar changes, the Ref will recapitulate as follows. 

Frame the story so far. 

Clarify story hooks. 

Define downtime options again. Here are some you can mention:

• Build a Stronghold
• Craft Items
• Gain Renown (perhaps throw money around, suck up to the Lord, or undertake public works.)
• Practice a Profession
• Recuperate 
• Research
• Perform Sacred Rites
• Plan a Heist
• Run a Business
• Seek Romance
• Sell Magic Items or Valuables 
• Sow Rumors
• Squander
• Train Retainers
• Train to Your Next Level

Such downtime activities help tie characters to the story.

The season will change again of course, but you will find, more and more, the players want their characters to do more than just kill the orc and take his pie.