Persistent World
Too many times have I seen the world where the campaign didn’t matter – all the achievements of the previous party disappearing when a new one shows up. This is the most prevalent in the online games, as there the party turnover is generally much higher than in normal, in person games. Many GMs do so, as it is the easiest way of going around, preparing the campaign for a new party, even within the same group and yet it bothers me, as all the previous achievements and stories are just erased without a second thought.
I’m guilty of it too, as I was doing so in my earlier games, where I had no idea or experience to do so and I recognize that it is a perfectly valid way to do things, but still – it sticks with me, as why should the diegetic moments stay only outside the world itself. This post is much more of a ramble, but I think it is a necessary one in the world of TTRPG discussion.
The Semi-Blank Slate
Most of the worlds, that happen to be used in TTRPGs are in some way a blank slate for the GMs and players to fill with their creativity and hijinks, shaping the story and environment around them as they go (or at least they should be if the GM is not railroading too much).
The play itself can be compared to making a grand art piece on a whiteboard – filling the mostly white and monotone world with colors and expressions of ourselves and others, which is often overlooked, leading to the problem mentioned above: clearing the imaginary whiteboard and returning to the blank board that we had at the start with the world stuck in the endless cycle of the same events happening.
It is important not to overlook the fact, that even if the thing were meant to be erased is still holds value, but I think that with a little more work on behalf of the GM it can be turned into something meaningful that when the time comes they will cherish.
The Persistence – A Canvas of Ages
I personally think that sticking to the certain timeline can be beneficial and help GMs flesh out their worlds in a more natural and flowing manner. Instead of creating all the legends, stories and heroes from scratch, why not let the players become them instead – The great heist that the rogue and their crew has pulled of against all odds can become a dream of all the up-and-coming thieves, a great act of magics of one of the spell-casters may be the reason why they are distrusted or regulated in the future.
Keep in mind that TTRPGs were never solitary endeavors and things like this lead to a big chunk of TTRPG folk lord emerging. The most epic and memorable moments are almost never the grandiose preplanned sequences, that GM spent 3 weeks preparing, that was inevitably derailed 2h into a session, but those spur of the moment actions, that spiraled into something many people talk even until today.
The Why
You may say “Exi, but why should I take more work upon myself?”. Worry not Mr Straw-man, as I will answer your question. In theory there is no reason to do so, as it will not impact the enjoyment of you and the players that much, but this is not the main point of this article.
Life comes and goes and there is no way to tell if in year or two time we will still be playing with the same people. I think that it is important to cherish and commemorate moments we had fun together and this is a fun and in-world way of doing so, remembering why we engage in this hobby.
Things have as much value and meaning as we give them, but sometimes under stress and other emotions we may misvalue things and cloud our judgment and lead to us making mistakes. These moments help us ground ourselves in “why” and give us another roadblock before making a wrong decision.
To close; I’ve had games where I and the players parted on not the best of terms, but I still cherish the time and moments we have spent together, cementing some of it in my “forever world” – Land of Sain. I can only hope to one day fully fill the infinite canvas of my world with stories like these and I hope that you may try your hand at it too, one day.