Dungeonometry

Varying encounter tables by location and environment is a standard practice for many game masters. Varying with season is another way to make the world feel more alive and dynamic. It's also important to show the world moving on and changing in a manner unfocused on the player characters. Beltane is quickly approaching. This marks the cultural beginning of summer. Here are some themes worth exploring for this holiday and season in a mythic Ireland setting. ### Cows The early summer sees the cows being taken out to pasture. Many rituals are likely to hope for good omens for the cows. Some specific rituals include: - Decorating cows with flowers or ash; - Walking cows between bonfires; - Taking cows to faerie hills and sacrificing their blood. I also think it's noteworthy that a feast with a sacrificial lamb is held on Beltane. Lambs are an important symbol for the previous holiday of Imbolc. With this feast we observe the transition from the season of the lamb to the season of...

In many RPG campaigns, GMs use random tables based on the local terrain. Ireland is beautiful, but the land is not varied to the extent we see in more fantastical settings. I've had success altering my encounter tables with the season. Aside from varying the encounters, it provides players a concrete feeling of time's progression. This helps reinforce that the world is dynamic. Today is Imbolc! This Celtic holiday marks the cultural start of spring. It is associated with the Celtic goddess Brigid. Here are some themes surrounding the holiday and Irish late winter/early spring. ### Lambs, Birth, and New Life Sheep, cattle, and all manner of animals give birth at this time. All manner of festivals across Europe celebrate this time of year for that reason. Imbolc is one of these. It only makes sense that such life will be encountered in the broader world over the coming months. If you've ever wanted to run an encounter of cute baby animals, this is it. ### Coming of Age for ...