I've rarely had a home base in campaigns. Mine are usually very mobile. The big exception is super hero games because the threats come to them and they are the defenders of the locale. Those always have a home base.

Years ago, I did a Chaos Earth campaign where the whole premise is the PCs were the only ones in the locale with MDC weapons and training. AKA, they were all that stood between Man and Monster. They had to protect the town and explore the greater area for supplies, meanwhile trying to deal with town drama and each other. The results were mixed and I'd do things differently next time.

My 0e drop-in game has a home base, the City of Rings, but since its a drop-in game, the players mostly show up to just adventure with the pregens and don't do much involving getting tied into the town. I suspect that would be different in a home game with a consistent crew.

I see it as tangential to my four-part breakdown of horror (safety, secrets, suspense, surprise) -- a function of maintaining (for lack of a better term right now. feel free to offer a new one,) "narrative momentum." No safety, no cool down from stress, adrenal fatigue sets in, no longevity of play. Basically it's a function of organisms dealing with stress -- they need a baseline normal to thrive. They need rest. And Secrets, Suspense, & Surprise all suck as a baseline normal, lack of rest eroding coherency and thus attachment. (You can never "figure the world out" enough to make it livable.)

Quote from: Opaopajr;1079951I see it as tangential to my four-part breakdown of horror (safety, secrets, suspense, surprise) -- a function of maintaining (for lack of a better term right now. feel free to offer a new one,) "narrative momentum." No safety, no cool down from stress, adrenal fatigue sets in, no longevity of play. Basically it's a function of organisms dealing with stress -- they need a baseline normal to thrive. They need rest.

Yes, that's my experience.

Quote from: S'mon;1079956Yes, that's my experience.

Greetings!

I agree, S'mon. I always have various kinds of "Home Bases" for the player characters. In one campaign, for example, the player characters had a floating, flying island. This island is a mountainous island, about 12 miles long and 10 miles wide, covered in dense pine trees, a small lake, and a river which cascades into the lake from the mountain slopes above. Situated on the island amongst the mountainous slopes, shrouded in dense fog, is an enchanted castle, crafted of shimmering crystal, glass, and white granite. At dawn, the sunlight gleams amongst the castle towers like glittering fire.

Magic animals live amongst the fog-shrouded woods, as well as enchanted fish which live in the beautiful lake. The enchanted castle, and the magical, flying island is a very wondrous and mystical place, and the players protect the island with a fanatical zeal.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK