tissek @ tissek @ttrpg.network

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This is going to be a bit of an echo but nevertheless

• The folks behind City of Mist (crunchy PbtA) are working on Tokyo: Otherscape, cyberpunk with mythic flavour. Haven't looked into it apart from following along the Kickstarter so cannot comment on how easy it is to remove the mythic elements from it. But yeah, in development so perhaps not what you need now.
• Cities without Numbers. Kevin Crawford's upcoming cyberpunk system which going to the printers soon, mid August, and then the pdfs will go on sale. Will come with, as usual, great GM tools. Since it uses the same engine as Stars/Worlds Without Numbers you can check out the bones of the system already now. And the basic editions are free.
• If you want something with a clear mission structure you cannot go wrong with something Forged in the Dark. Don't know what though but saw some in another reply.
• Shadow of the Beanstalk for Genesys. Genesys is great featuring awesome dice, but those can be a but hard to get. Haven't read SotB but will echo the recommendation.
• Among the "pure" PbtAs there is at least the Sprawl (classic anti-corp cyberpunk) and the Veil which is a bit more artistic and philosophical (my impression).
• (Long shot) While Ironsworn: Starforged is very sci-fi it has a great mission structure (vows), ways to track progress (best trackers ever!) and tools for emergent gameplay (gm-less play). With a bit of reflavour and hacking in hacking it could be great. Bet there already is a cyberpunk hack for it...

The more creative the encounter is the more ways you have to adjust on the fly and the less CR is accurate. Sure it gives you an idea on which ballpark you are in.

For example you have multiple lair actions and a selection of those activate each round. If the PCs are hurting then you can choose a few soft ones to give then a chance to regroup and recover. If reinforcements are coming perhaps there are a few less. Similarly if the PCs are cruising, hit 'em hard.

Whether or not this crosses the border into DM fiat/fudging I'll leave up to you.

Also remember you don't have to use the highest DPR actions in general.

For artefacts that have little no to no PC use in combat I worry very little about balance or mechanics. Just let it do what I want it to do. Kind of a non-answer I know.

I would actually look more to lair effects and weird things from dungeon rooms for inspiration in this case. Don't have any on hand but it could be another avenue of research.

I am going to steal your idea though and put it in the big ol' good-ideas-that-i'll-forget-about folder.

Updated Situation and added Game Information after suggestions in comments. Tagging in @Flushmaster@ttrpg.network @funkyb@lemmy.world @Khrux@ttrpg.network (does this work?) @tissek@sopuli.xyz (testing testing)

Campaign Information

Name: A Game of Caravan
When: DAY/TIME for 3-4 hours
System: Is being meditated on (Ironsworn most likely but both Mythras and Conan 2d20 are seriously considered. Swords of the Serpentine and Genesys wildcards)
Form: Episodic adventures within the larger narrative of the caravan’s fate. Decent media examples being Xena: Warrior Princess, Star Trek: Voyager and the Conan stories published in Weird Tales

Situation

The Pearl Cities and its trade is finally under imperial control, its ships leave for imperial ports and exchanges are made in the imperial silver stamps. However the decentralised nature of the trade network going into the Pearl Cities from beyond the Aablu vexes the imperial bureaucracy. With nothing but sand to seize the empire is forced to establish their own presence, their own routes and their own contacts.
Added this bit to give a bit more on the why. Does it make sense?

You are all part of the third imperially sponsored caravan into the Aablu. The first one, which had the same destination as you have, is late but not too terribly so. Second, with a different destination, isn’t expected to return yet and hasn’t done so. As the caravan is also to be a mobile embassy it is large, almost the size of a small village.
First and third paragraph condensed into one. Think there was some information not too important for the ad. But did I remove too much?

Information about Aablu is scarce and unreliable, mostly because traders and inhabitants in the Pearl Cities don’t venture into it and its local people consider themselves under no obligation to divulge information. There are of course tidbits of information: old travellers’ journals, hearsay and sales-talk. You are not headed blind into the Aablu, only mostly.
Unchanged

Removed last paragraph about the size and composition of the van, some details made it into paragraph 2.

Campaign Style

Unchanged

That sounds way too similar. DnD being the staple game that I'm for some reason always in one. Finding groups for more niche games is hard, even filling groups for the games I run can be hard. So much that have to fit - schedules, tastes etc.

I know... I just need to find the time and space to delve properly into it. Wicked Ones is already high on my reading list, Band of Blades sure does interest me. Time though...

The most direct resource for you that I can think of is Mat Colville's Strongholds and Followers. Haven't looked at it but I am aware of it. Also look at DMs Guild to see 8f someone has made anything, there are gems in that program.

Beyond that all I can think of lies outside of DnD. Dungeon World (or hacks Homebrew World, Stonetop) does community needs and wants in a more abstract way. Might be an inspiration depending on how detailed you want to do it. If some (abstract) trackers are enough go for it. Speaking of trackers Ironsworn has the best implementation. My opinion of course.

Kevin Crawford's X without Numbers systems (World for fantasy) has their faction turn you possibly could get inspired by. It is a subsystem for the GM to play out conflicts between factions to drive the background narrative forward.

There isa Forged in the Dark game called Wicked Ones which heavily features basebuilding. In short you play as the monsters building their dungeon to "farm" adventurers. Think Dungeon Keeper. Think most FitD systems feature basebuilding in some form.

"Only" 10-15... That is a good healthy number. When really thinking I got to 18 (I think), but that includes campaigns lasting but a session or two.

Ironsworn is one of the lightest systems I enjoy, it's on the crunchy end of PbtA. Lots of moves so you don't have to rely on Defy Danger that much when doing some perilous adventuring. Novel way of handling "clocks" with their own set of moves. And fully support Co-op and solo play which also ads some moves.

Blades in the Dark is lighter but I don't quite make the setting work for me, its awesomeness have yet to click for me. Its mechanics though - chef's kiss.

I'm slightly with you on this, the excitement part. Not excited because I want to play it. Excited because I want the product on the market and excited because I want to listen in on his (and his team's) design process.

The primary reason for such a sizeable caravan is for there to be a consistent cast of background NPCs, not that it is the most efficient or anything. And yes, I cannot be bothered with survival/management if it doesn't serve to drive drama. Instead of asking how long the food lasts I ask how with the people deal with the possibility of food running out.

Continuing...

Caravans are trading expeditions

While mostly true these fit into the larger imperial designs of the empire and have as much a diplomatic goal as that of commerce. They don't have to individually be profitable if they can manage to steer trade directly into the imperial heartland instead of it going through the pearl cities. A bit like trying to redirect the silk road. There will be a Big Picture along the ad that will give more insight into these imperial designs. I've made a note to work something into the ad about about the caravans' purposes, probably remove the dates to free up words.

issue[s] with a large expedition

The size of it I've not chosen as any basis in reality but rather for there to be a consistent background cast of NPCs. And then afterwords making reasons why it is as it is. Having it be of the most optimal and efficient design requires it to be organized that way, but with an imperial bureaucracy half based on favours it is far from that. Also as mentioned above it does not need to efficient as it is part of long term imperial designs.

While they could get swallowed and disappear in the size of it I have the dramatic tool of spotlighting. If the NPCs overshadow the PCs I would be better off writing a book. Should a player be playing a scout type and there is a need for scouting related stuff the spotlight will feature the PC regardless if they are the best or chief scout. If no player plays a scout type then scout stuff either happens off screen or the motley crew has to deal with things outside of their comfort zones. Which tends to be nice change of pace, a bit like comedy episodes.

Good reply! And forcing me to think of things. Going to divide it up (probably) due to being on mobile, replying on breaks etc.

I'm not explicitly running it as a sandbox, it can come through as one I agree. There is a goal, hints and suggestions of a way there and they will know when they have "won" (there and back again). What in between that sure can be described as a sandbox as I very much play to find out. In my head I'm imagining something like the adventure shows of "old": Xena, Star Treks. Go to new place, solve their "problem" (get supplied?) then onwards to next place. Or problem on the way that needs to be addressed. Some call it episodic.

But there is no big bad evil, don't find much amusement in running such things. The overarching plot being if it makes it or not and the drama within the caravan.

I think I should in some way add the above to the ad. What do they call it, touchstones? Hopefully it can just be a line along the campaign info (when, where, system etc).

Much of what you wonder about are things that once was in the situation but was moved to the Big Picture. I would love to have something about the triangle drama between the empire, the now subjugated pearl cities and the locals of the (immideate) dry lands. How the cultural traits of the empire drives its structure and imperialistic tendencies. Why it couldn't just take over the pearl trade networks and how the spreading common faith is pulling power away from the empire. But as said that would be too much for the ad. The Big Picture, as well the larger setting ("overview") document, will be attached to it for those wanting to delve deeper.

Heck, I'd support regular testing for everyone. Laws change, best practices change and regular testing is a good way to keep most up to date. It would cost, be a hassle and extremely unpopular. But if it saves lives and/or make traffic softer it is worth it.

Accidents per 1000km would be a much better metric. Or km/accident. Both say pretty much the same thing but have different readability.

4-5 degrees? You are optimistic. I bet I get to see 3 degrees in my lifetime as we will blast by each and every exit ramps. Not only that we'll also be drifting on the highway, because it looks cool.

I have used kanka.io for a while now and I'm satisfied with it. While I would prefer to self-host a solution or have an automatic offline backup and editor/viewer I cannot be that bothered. There are wikis that would allow me to do that but then I would have to set up and all that. Used a wiki before migrating to kanka.io and it was kind of a pain to set up, use and update.

While finding something better than my wiki I tested a few other services but found them coming with too much bloat. Mind you this was several years ago and they may be more modular now. That was what made me settle on kanka.io, its modularity. I also feel it is leaning more into worldbuilding than campaign management.

A bonus is that private pages are available in the free package so you can just share the whole campaign with your players and they can only see what you want them to see.

Some quick recommendations, let me know if you want to know more about any

Genesys - Uses a separate wound tracker (Strain) for all kinds of mental fatigue. Including its "debate" system for when a single roll isn't enough. Essentially it works like a combat with turns and all. Its narrative dice system is good at keeping things non-binary so it does drive the narrative by itself. There is also talent support for those who want to build for social encounters.

Ironsworn - Essentially PbtA at the core with basic social moves. When more granularity is desired the debate can use the fight framework. Why I mention it specifically is also its really awesome approach to trackers. You don't have to fill the tracker but can roll against it whenever you feel the goal is met.

Burning Wheel (and Torchbearer) - Uses a rock-paper-sissors like system where each side's action is played against the other's. Really cool system.

Exalted 3e - Have the least experience with this but the one that I like the most of the meaty systems. It boils down to manipulation of characters Intimacies. Everyone has them. They are things like Love (person) or Affiliation (group). And you cannot convince anyone without tagging in one or more Intimacies, unless you threaten them. The more socially sly a character is the harder it is to find out about their Intimacies so there is a whole system for that too. So you may start engaging with someone to first discover an intimacy or two that you then can use to manipulate them. Once manipulated to a suitable level you can "cash out". I may have some details wrong, was a while. If interested I'll pull out the book and freshen it up.

Another good time to do PvP is early mornings. Well, generally before 10am the activity is small.