Triffles (15) - An abandoned space

The last Triffle picked up a 'Say again?' response in the status bar at base of the post so it seems worth clarifying what's going on. The idea with the series is to present simple ideas for wargaming, roleplaying and writing. It's for anyone wanting familiar, comfortable concepts in a practical form, or a reminder of what's tired enough to need improving on.

This one builds on the announcement in the last, assuming it did mean danger.

                                           items discarded /

                                          activities unfinished

              /

an abandoned space

/             \

a straggler /                        a roving / active 
resident                                    threat      

In general lots of questions. What's the location? Is it large or small, open or restricted, indoors or out? What happened, and how long ago? If recently, where is everyone? If in the deeper past, how has the space changed over time? Think dust, collapse, fungus.

With the possible items discarded / activities unfinished, this seems to lend itself to a characterful terrain piece, and it might be possible to include it on a geomorph, especially if the items remaining are large, like stores, vehicles or strange devices.

In terms of game rules, a roving / active threat is easily managed, and many systems allow for this. In creating a narrative we might want to know whether or not this is related directly to the abandonment, as a cause or a consequence, and what brings it into play.

The greatest challenge for all is likely to come with a straggler / resident.

Here in wargaming there's that usual issue of the rules being a blunt tool, and limited scope for interacting except through combat. A potentially traumatised survivor or isolated inhabitant may not trust armed new arrivals. In purely practical terms, the meeting could lead to a die roll - based inversely on the strength, size or armament to represent the need for tenderness - which if successful reveals traps or deployments.

In roleplaying a DM / GM can manage this kind of situation at a far finer level of detail and with more sensitivity, running a dialogue and better considering the responses. In writing of course we have greatest freedom to explore events, thoughts and feelings.
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