@BanditsKeep2024HowUseRumors

Summary

My notes and additional thoughts on a video about using rumours effectively in a TTRPG-setting. The video talks about rumours for a DM/GM running a D&D group, but I think it can work for solo roleplay and story-writing too.

Reference:: Bandit's Keep. (2024) How to Use Rumors in Your D&D Sandbox Campaign

These are my personal notes and reflections based on the reference source noted above. 💗 My insights may differ from what originally intended by the original author.

Key Points

A rumour in a ttrpg feeds information to players that provides flavour and directs behaviour towards adventure.

Types of rumours

Tavern talk - news, what people gossip about
Legends - folk tales that players can learn more about from NPCs (e.g. discover something related then ask around about it)
Superstition - beliefs about something ongoing and unknown

Introducing rumours

learn about rumours passively (e.g. overhear in a tavern, written on a noticeboard)
- Did you hear the Prince is getting married?
- I saw smoke up north-- what do you think that is?
interact with an object, location, or rumour (e.g. inscription on a helmet that was loot, page from a book while researching, warning mentioned, etc.)
characters seek out more information about a rumour (e.g. from guilds, merchants, local tavern, sages, library)
characters exchange stories with others (e.g. commented in response while travelling)
- You're heading to the cove at this hour? No one ever come back if they do. Wait until the morning to travel there.
- There's a merchant caravan up the ways you're headed
- Oh really? We were told to never mix black moss with crystal shards.
- Sorry, stranger! I'm in a rush. King's Guard is coming, and I heard they are looking for new guardsmen.
characters already know these (e.g. as part of backstory, lore of the world)

Framing rumours

give some rumours to some characters to already know
elaborate narratively on how characters (player or non-player) came across rumours
share rumours with variations (different tidbits, different interpretations, similar motifs)

Reaction

How did I feel about this source? Positive? Negative? What emotions, if any? Why?

I think the concept of rumours is so good! I think, in addition to group ttrpg, it also has applicability for solo roleplaying as well as for story-writing. Excited to use this in my games.

Connections

Related Works

Insert any sources that relate to this source - eg video I found this from, etc. and make them actionable, where possible.

Will likely be useful in conjunction with @GameMasters2025HowRunSandbox