RPGaDay 2020 – Forest

Today’s entry is going to be an interesting one. Forests are pretty standard fare, right? But how does that work when you spend most of your time in space? No, I’m not going to write about forest moons and similar traditional representations. Instead, let’s look at how we can reinterpret the concept of a forest in roleplaying games.

“In the depths of a Forest secluded and wild
The night voices whisper in passionate numbers.”
― Henry Kendall

Before we can reimagine the forest, we need to know how they’re normally used in roleplaying games. When you think of a forest, a few things come to mind:

• It’s a region you must pass through to reach your destination.
• It’s home to mysterious or dangerous creatures.
• It’s terrain you can use to sneak up on an enemy.

So how do these translate to Between The Stars? Perhaps we should begin by looking at some galactic features that could serve as forests. Perhaps the asteroid field – a staple of science fiction. It seems to fit the three parameters above, but with one key difference. In most forests, the trees don’t leap out to attack you.

A better option might be the galactic nebula. Giant clouds of matter that sometimes serve as stellar nursaries. Unlike asteroid fields, they’re likely less dangerous to ships passing through them. They could conceal secret military bases and bandit hideouts. A nebula could even surround one or more planets.

Of the two, I do like the sound of using nebulae as forests. Their nebulous nature (pun very much intended) makes them a great analogue for forests. That’s not to say the galaxy will be full of them. Nor will every adventure feature one. While it would make space more vibrant, I’ll apply some restraint.

Come back tomorrow when I’ll get personal and talk about Couple.