Running the Camp Phase

Camping scenes are moments of relative calm within the frenetic journey of the Underworld. They are explicitly times for a guild to regroup, role-play with each other, and recover near the warm light of the campfire before moving on into the waiting darkness; a time for the whole table to breathe a sigh of relief.

The GM’s job is two-fold during the Camp Phase:

• Act as the master of ceremonies to make sure that the Camp Phase flows smoothly, adjudicating any rules questions that come up

• Inject color into the scenes of the encampment

The latter is done by asking questions. For the vast majority of the game, you have to be “on”: you describe the setting, interpret the Meatgrinder results, role-play various characters. The Camp Phase is an opportunity for you to take a break, too. Give some of the narrative work to players: ask them to describe their gear, how they set up camp, what sort of rations they’re preparing, etc.

When the adventurers break bread (step 2), you can provide some discussion prompts and ask for a small scene to be role-played out. Frame these questions as subjects the entire guild is discussing: for example, “You’re all discussing the worst injuries you’ve had. What are your scars and where did you get them?” Whenever the players riff on these questions, they provide you free ideas. Take notes about what the players are talking about at camp. Use them to seed the content of the City Phase!

• Did a player riff a story about their childhood sweetheart? Create a special City event where she invites them to her wedding. Will they accept?

• Did a player mention their mother’s famous lemon tart? When they get back to the City, she’s mailed them one—a free ration for the next crawl!

• Did a player mention an old enemy? Place their enemy in the City. Next time they surface, she approaches them on the street and asks to bury the hatchet. How will they react?

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that punishment equals good role-playing. Don’t go and kill old loves, parents, friends. Rather, draw these personas into the story and create flash points for the players to act.