Divining a Travel Event
Table of Contents
Overview
Travel events are one of the finest parts of His Majesty the Worm's already fine Meatgrinder. However, they're oft considered to be one of the absolute hardest things to write for the system; while I've already handled a lengthy list of them myself, I do believe that the time-honored tradition of rollable tables is just what the Worm Doctor ordered.
And so, with that in mind, the following post is an attempt at providing that very thing: the ability to use your tarot cards and a little divination to manifest interesting and exciting Travel Event frameworks from the very aether.
If you spin these off or remix them in any way, I'd be eager to see it!
A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.
- John Steinbeck
Divining an Event
In order to divine a Travel Event, all you'll need is the Minor Arcana deck and (optionally) the Major Arcana deck, as well as the steps and tables below. At any point, you're free to ignore a result, draw a new card, or do literally whatever you want. I'm not a card cop.
Core Steps
- Draw 1 Minor Arcana card and check the Suit. Set it down, face-up.
- Swords → Problem ▼
- Pentacles → Instant Effect ▼
- Cups → Opportunity ▼
- Wands → Choice ▼
- (Optional) Check if your card is Inverted. If it is, then the event is optional.
- Draw 2 Minor Arcana cards and place them to the right of the first card.
- Compare the Suits of the 2 new cards to the relevant Suit Table, found below; you're looking for doubles, or only the first of the 2.
- Fill the first blank by matching your first card’s Rank to the Trait table, then fill each remaining blank using the corresponding card from left-to-right (2nd blank and 2nd card, 3rd blank and 3rd card.)
- (Optional) Draw 1 Major Arcana card (or more) and compare it to the Spark Table, found below - Go to Spark Table â–¼
- Flesh out your Travel Event properly! Add flavor and narrative! Add the juice! Is a Choice two equal options, or do you frame it as a Cost? Get loose with it, experiment.
- (Optional) If one of your cards is Inverted, perhaps consider what would happen if the relevant Trait (such as Avoid) was inverted?
Who to Target?
When deciding who to target, there are a few methods that can be used:
- Single: Minor Harms are commonly applied as an Instant Effect to single adventurers, with more serious ones requiring an Avoid, though any type of Travel Event may fit. Common methods for targeting include: complete randomness, place in marching order, and something like "lowest Cups in guild."
- Guild: Targeting the entire guild is a little more rare for an Instant Effect, but many Problems automatically apply. Outside of Stress or other more minor Harms, it's usually a good idea to give the guild some method to Avoid what comes their way. A hyper-specific Avoid (such as not affecting elves) should usually target the entire guild (lest you randomly select a single human and the event becomes moot).
- Mixed: It's VERY fun to mix targets, especially with a Choice. Giving an adventurer the option to take a large Harm in exchange for their guild not all experiencing a smaller Harm is a very stressful choice (so make them do it).
- Avoid: At times, referencing an Avoid for who to target can be a valuable option indeed. For example, perhaps "Light Check" is what selects the target (they are holding a light, or NOT holding a light), and a different Avoid is how they bypass the Harm.
- Optional Events: Some events will be optional; if you are not using the Inverted card option, this is fully up to your discretion. An "optional" event is one that can be ignored or left alone. A weird object the guild can choose to not touch is optional. Many Opportunities will be optional, and many optional events may double as Navigation Harm; after all, they're free to turn around if neither Choice is good.
Trouble in a Suit
Swords (Problems)
Go to Trait Table â–¼Problems are the kind of Travel Event that prompts creative problem-solving and encourages the adventurers to involve themselves in the world; in a sense, Problems are like a mini-puzzle or mini-room key, and make for fun microcosms of the playstyle His Majesty the Worm intends.
| Problems (Suits) | Results |
|---|---|
| (Swords, Swords) | The target immediately suffers [Harm]; then the problem causes [Harm] (to the target or another) on an error in solving it. |
| (Pentacles, Pentacles) | The target suffers [Harm] if they can't [Avoid] it first. If they fail to [Avoid] twice, a problem begins. |
| (Cups, Cups) | The target encounters a problem that causes [Harm] on error. If the first attempt succeeds, they receive a major [Boon]. |
| (Wands, Wands) | The target encounters a problem that will severely [Harm] them, if they're not careful. |
| (Swords, X) | The target encounters a problem that causes [Harm] on error. |
| (Pentacles, X) | The target suffers [Harm] if they can't [Avoid] it first. If they fail, a problem begins. |
| (Cups, X) | The target encounters a problem that causes [Harm] on error. On a success, they receive a [Boon]. |
| (Wands, X) | The target encounters a problem that causes [Harm] when solved, if they're not careful. |
Pentacles (Instant Effects)
Go to Trait Table â–¼Instant Effects are the kind of Travel Event that is easy to run and adjudicate; they're more like advanced Curiosities than a puzzle to solve. With minimal outliers, the Instant Effect just happens (perhaps with a chance to avoid it) and then is over. They fill a necessary role of being "relief" for the guild, even when they bring harm. Their simplicity is an oasis in a world that constantly asks complex decisions.
| Instant (Suits) | Results |
|---|---|
| (Swords, Swords) | The target suffers a notably dangerous [Harm] unless they can [Avoid]. |
| (Pentacles, Pentacles) | The target faces a [Harm] that grows progressively worse if they keep failing to [Avoid]. |
| (Cups, Cups) | The target must suffer a [Harm] unless they forsake a [Boon]. |
| (Wands, Wands) | The target suffers [Harm] unless an ally steps in for them. |
| (Swords, X) | The target suffers [Harm]. |
| (Pentacles, X) | The target suffers [Harm] unless they can [Avoid]. |
| (Cups, X) | The target suffers [Harm] unless an ally can help them [Avoid]. |
| (Wands, X) | The target suffers [Harm]; prompt them to RP it out. |
Cups (Opportunities)
Go to Trait Table â–¼Opportunities are the kind of Travel Event that rewards the guild with a pleasant benefit; they provide the guild with a taste of success, even when they require effort to attain. They may themselves be a kind of problem, or an instant effect, or even a choice - but nevertheless, they are defined primarily by the presence of good tidings. Opportunities are the light in the dark that keeps an adventurer eager for what may be over the horizon.
| Opportunity (Suits) | Results |
|---|---|
| (Swords, Swords) | The target encounters [Harm], but it seems as if it were [Boon]. |
| (Pentacles, Pentacles) | The target suffers [Harm] if they fail to [Avoid]; otherwise, they gain [Boon]. |
| (Cups, Cups) | The target receives a highly impactful [Boon]. |
| (Wands, Wands) | The target has to make a choice. They gain [Boon] or [Boon]. |
| (Swords, X) | The target suffers [Harm] but also gains [Boon]. |
| (Pentacles, X) | If the target successfully [Avoid], they gain [Boon]. |
| (Cups, X) | The target gains [Boon]. |
| (Wands, X) | The target has to make a choice. They can take [Harm], or take [Harm] and gain [Boon]. |
Wands (Choices)
Go to Trait Table â–¼Choices are the kind of Travel Event that forces the guild to pick-and-choose what they value and what they're willing to suffer; for an adventurer, the very experience of dungeon-crawling is a choice. They are forced to choose between safety and danger, between their resources and their health, or between treasure and morality. Choices are a very fun Travel Event indeed, should you wish to make your players squirm.
| Choices (Suits) | Results |
|---|---|
| (Swords, Swords) | The target can suffer [Harm] now, or a much worse [Harm] with a chance to [Avoid] later. |
| (Pentacles, Pentacles) | The target suffers [Harm] unless they can [Avoid] or [Avoid]. |
| (Cups, Cups) | The target may trade one [Boon] for another [Boon]. |
| (Wands, Wands) | The target must choose to suffer [Harm], or they will suffer from the secret [Harm]. |
| (Swords, X) | The target must choose whether to suffer [Harm], or force it upon an ally. |
| (Pentacles, X) | The target must choose between [Harm] or [Harm], if they can't [Avoid]. |
| (Cups, X) | The target chooses who suffers [Harm]. |
| (Wands, X) | The target must choose between suffering [Harm] or [Harm]. |
The Terrible Two Tables
Below are two (2) tables that can be used to help you divine your Travel Event. The first table, the Trait Table, is required with this system. The second table, the Spark Table, exists to help struggling Wormers get just a little more inspiration in. There's a lot of room to expand on these and adjust them however you like!
The Trait Table
Go to the Suits â–²When you are presented with a travel event "fill in the blank," the appropriate results are right here (where they belong). Compare the Ranks of your cards to the below tables, left-to-right. Harm is what you suffer and bear, Avoids are how you bypass or hide (or even gain!), and Boons are why you gear up and explore.
An extra note on Avoids is that they can be flipped; if you pull "Check Sorcerer," that can be read as "they avoid it if they are a Sorcerer," or even "they avoid it if they AREN'T a Sorcerer."
| Rank | Harm | Avoids | Boons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace | Stress | Swords Test | +Stress |
| 2 | Wounds | Pentacles Test | Heal |
| 3 | Effects | Cups Test | Treasure |
| 4 | Inventory Slots | Wands Test | +Gear |
| 5 | Weapon/Armor | Check Attribute | +Light |
| 6 | Affliction | Check Gear | +Component |
| 7 | Light | Check Hands | +Alchemical |
| 8 | Meatgrinder | Check Armor | Unique Item |
| 9 | Resolve | Check Light | +Resolve |
| 10 | Lore Bid | Check Sorcerer | +Lore Bid |
| Page | Bonds | Check Stress | Charge Bond |
| Knight | Navigation | Check Kindred/Path | Expand Map |
| Queen | Narrative | Check Motif | Narrative Bonus |
| King | Bane | Check Condition | Unique |
The Spark Table
When you need a little help coming up with some more flavor for your Travel Event, worry not: we have got ourselves a table here that will zap you right quick. Simply draw a Major Arcana card and check it below. Or draw a few cards! Or just pick one. Alternatively, you could just look at your cards and use the art on them for inspiration.
| Lesser Dooms | Mundane | Lesser | Mun. | Major Dooms | Mystical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Dry | VIII | Dark | XV | Holy |
| II | Damp | IX | Light | XVI | Cursed |
| III | Hot | X | Heavy | XVI | Elemental |
| IV | Cold | XI | Clean | XVII | Spiritual |
| V | Flora | XII | Nasty | XIX | Illusory |
| VI | Fauna | XIII | Create | XX | Temporal |
| VII | Bright | XIV | Consume | XXI | Dream |
Divination in Action
In order to showcase the system, I'll do several examples here in hopes that it makes the procedures a little more clear. It's fun, I promise.
Example 1 (Drop that!)
Opening playingcards.io (our beloved ball and chain), I pull three minor arcana cards and just so happen to find...
- 5 of Pentacles
- 4 of Pentacles
- 4 of Swords
And so, given my first card was a Pentacles, I go to check the Instant Effect table... "The target suffers [Harm] unless they can [Avoid]," it says. Awfully quaint, isn't it?
Filling in the blanks by comparing my 5 to Harm and my 4 to Avoid, I am left with: "The target suffers [Weapon/Armor] unless they can [Wands Test]." Rewriting this to make it into a proper travel event...
One of the stone statues that guard the dungeon suddenly turns to the most heavily armed adventurer, and demands they lay down their vile tools of bloodshedding. They must test Wands to convince the statue otherwise, or be forcibly stripped of their weaponry (and it's not exactly easy to pull a sword from solid stone).
Example 2 (Prying Eyes)
I shuffle my deck (though you don't have to), and then I proceed to pull...
- Page of Cups
- 10 of Swords
- 8 of Cups
Well, I do believe my guild gets an Opportunity! Lucky them. No more hardtack for dinner tonight, hopefully. Checking the table, I see: "The target suffers [Harm] but also gains [Boon]." Alas, those poor fools...
Filling in the blanks, I am left with: "The target suffers [Bond] but also gains [Lore Bid]." Knowing how easy it is to restore lore bids, I'll say that they instantly recover all of them as a little treat.
The adventurer last in marching order happens to notice a scrap of paper hanging from one of their companion's pack. Is that a diary entry? Well, how interesting! The adventurer recovers all Lore Bids, but they can't help but feel like they've betrayed their companion; they choose an ally to uncharge a Bond with.
Example 3 (Fireflies)
Once more unto the breach, then. Let's a good one, shall we? I draw...
- 7 of Swords
- Queen of Wands
- 2 of Pentacles
After the last two, a complicated little Problem might be quite fun. Let's take a look. "The target encounters a problem that causes [Harm] when solved, if they're not careful." Rather quirky!
Filling in the singular blank, I get: "The target encounters a problem that causes [Light] when solved, if they're not careful." So it damages torches or costs flickers, but only when they succeed.
Tiny moth-like insects swarm around exposed light, forming blinding clouds. Those that touch the flame ignite and float away changed as smoldering motes; if allowed to continue, they'll surely gobble up the torches (but stop swarming, eventually). How will the guild deal with them (without wasting their precious torches)?
While there are a few solutions here, I think simply swapping to a lantern is one option, or perhaps sacrificing a candle or two. An even more fun option is bottling them up and using them as the lanterns!
Summary
By using the classic rollable table method, creating Travel Events that are unique and varied should be a breeze. Force yourself to think about the weird outcomes you get before you switch to an easier one. Let it be a puzzle for you to solve so that, once you have, you can relish in watching your players do the same.
And if you get any weird results that shock a lot of weird Travel Events into your brain, let me know!