With the talk lately about adventures and campaigns for the less traditional heroes (not warriors and "adventurers", that is) I thought I'd write up some ideas on how to do a campaign focussing on healers and some of the less fashionable character types. I hope it helps out...
CAMPAIGN SEED - THE HEALERS' WAR They always accompany the weaponthanes and the fyrd, but the healers and auxiliaries who go to war with Heortling armies are often overlooked, both in saga and in games. The healers, their assistants and general helpers work on the fringes of battle, and occasionally in the thick of battle itself, patching up the warriors who are brought in from the front line. This is a stressful life, working with limited supplies of materials and magic to save lives while in genuine danger of attack from the enemy.
The characters will see the worst side of war. Healers don't win the battle, they just deal with its cost. The focus of the campaign is the healers (see "Characters", below) and their struggle to save lives. Action can form part of the campaign, as the healers get caught in the middle of the battlefield or have their camp attacked. The focus should be more on the activities of the healers, though. This should consist of more than just a set of first aid or healing rolls, though. It is the human relationships at the healers' camp which should provide the real drama - the friendships, hatreds, rivalries and loves that emerge in these tense conditions.
Most of the recurring NPCs will be workers at the Patients and visitors to the camp can provide a constant stream of NPCs, allowing the Narrator to throw in all her favourite stock types from war movies and hospital dramas.
The fortunes of the healers will mirror the success of the army. As the army moves, the healers will travel to interesting new places, meet interesting new people and get into interesting new trouble all over the place.
CHARACTERS The most obvious characters are the healers and their helpers. Suitable occupational keywords include:
Crafter (making supplies for the healers).
Gardener (helping with the healing plants, though this one may not be too
useful if the healers are on the move).
Healer (obviously).
Merchant (to get supplies).
Steadwife (someone needs to keep the place running).
Stickpicker (former patients who cannot earn a good living elsewhere, injured
warriors or simply the poor and destitute).
Warrior (protectors for the temple, possibly even former patients, though this
campaign should focus on the healers, etc. Warriors get the spotlight in most
campaigns, after all, in this one they might be better kept as followers or
allies of the other characters).
Magical keywords might include:
Chalana Arroy, Orane the Steadwife, any Ernalda the Healer subcults, Durev the Householder, Harst the Reeve.
Almost anyone could turn up as an NPC, particularly as patients. It could be amusing to have a couple of recurring NPCs who keep turning up injured, whether through their own foolishness/heroism or through simple bad luck.
ADVENTURE SEEDS
Regards,
Bruce
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