If you have been hanging around the Variant Ventures page for a while, you will know I am the history guy. I like history, I write about it frequently, and I talk about ways to implement historical factors and events in your game. Today, however, I want to make a statement – most TTRPGs are …
Welcome Variants, to a new series I like to call “Enhance Ability Histories.” In this series, we will analyze a historical battle and see how it could have changed if there were TTRPG style magic users involved. Now, I know this may get complicated, so we are going to set some ground rules before diving …
Alright Variants, let us get into the holiday season with a bang. Today, we are talking about the king of the battlefield as Napoleon called it, artillery. From the catapults, ballista, and trebuchets of antiquity and the Middle Ages to the modern cannons and howitzers, the role of artillery has changed very little over the …
A few weeks ago, we discussed the types of kingdoms that may exist in your fantasy world. Today, let’s branch out a bit and discuss some other governments that could exist in your fantasy world. In our own history, kingdoms tended to be the most common type of governing body in the Medieval period, but …
How did life in your fantasy world begin? How did technology and society progress throughout the years? In some cases, the denizens of your world may have been guided by intelligence from other worlds. Today, I would like to talk about a possible origin for life and society in your fantasy world. The book Chariots …
Across the world we live in, and the many others from various fantasy and sci-fi settings, food is a great indication of culture and society. The types of fruits, vegetables, and meats a people or culture eat are influenced by geography, religion, and economics. All of these factors make for great world-building opportunities. Does your …
To celebrate this wonderful day of Hobbits, let’s take a look and see where these adventurous folk came from! International Hobbit Day is meant to celebrate the works of writer J.R.R Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. These works are also the first mention of Hobbits by this name, but given Tolkien’s affinity …
Why are most fantasy kingdoms ruled organized as kingdoms? And what even is a kingdom and how does it work? As part of my ongoing world-building, I find myself asking this question often. First, let’s establish what a Kingdom is. Simply, it is a region or nation ruled by a monarch, usually titled as King …
Well met Variants, and welcome to another War Talk. Today we shall discuss the iconic weapon of the medieval knight, the lance. Since we clarified a few misconceptions about knights before here, let’s do the same with their weapons. Related: Origins of the Knight A lance is really just a fancy spear, and the earliest …
Let’s try and gaze into the future once again and divine some information about the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) live-action series set for release on Amazon Prime Video in 2022. Based on actors and gossip, we’ll try and figure out what the story may be, and discuss a few story elements that are likely …
