RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 21

21. What are the major organizations of the campaign? How do they deal with visitors?

The tribe and the village are the most fundamental components of society in Ridia and probably throughout the world. Tribes periodically form an alliance against common foes.

The Longhouse of Trade is a guild of merchants and traders located in every Zem village.

The League of Messengers is a tribal guild of messengers. There are typically several messengers per Zem village.

The Society of Seers is a tribal network of holy seers (shamans and clerics) throughout Zem territory.

The Undeath Cult (if that is their real name) is the evil cult of the Z'Nee, which is hostile and extremely dangerous to non-Z'Nee.

The Council of Wor is a fraternal/sororal organization of war mages who periodically leave their domains to gather for terrifying competitions and twisted conviviality. They are usually hostile and always dangerous.

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 20

20. Are there any mysteries as yet unsolved?

"Is Jee-Oh flat like a drum, round like an orange, or at the bottom of a celestial well? Is it hollow like a gourd or filled with crystals like a geode?

"Are the sun and moon places or gods (or both)?

"What is older, magi-knowledge or teki-knowledge?

"Who is the real power behind the Undeath Cult of the Smiling Killers?

"Why are the creatures of the Blue Abyss not found anywhere else in Jee-Oh (as far as we know)?

"Where does the leviathan of the war wizard Dreadnauticus go after raids on the coast?

"When will the rules of mob zoccer be revised to clarify the circumstances of offsides?

"Which of the Great Calamities ended the civilizations of the Ancients and which were merely harbingers of their ultimate destruction? (There are more mysteries surrounding lost civilizations—Ancient and otherwise—than can be summarized here. The world is unfathomably, incomprehensibly old.)"

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 19

19. Are there any 'Must See' sites?

The "must see" sites are probably the same as the "Where would we go to find 'adventure'?" sites. They might be better categorized as "Ought Not to See" sites.

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 18

18. Forgot to ask: How do we get around?

"Most people travel according to their own natural method of mobility or motility—walking, swimming, climbing, swinging, flying. Croxen, however, can be ridden on land or on water, or used to pull carts or barges. They are slow, but reliable. Canoes are also commonplace. The chiefs and priests of some tribes travel by palanquin on land or ceremonial barge on water.

"According to legend, there are those who ride terrordaks or even firestorks, but I have never seen it."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 17

17. Can you tell us about any famous battles or wars?

"The history of the wars of the Ancients is lost to us except as myth and folklore. There has been nothing as calamitous in living beastmemory. Plantmemory is longer, but it is slower to recall. There have been skirmishes, raids, and uprisings, but tribes rarely walk the path of war. War wizards, however, are an obvious exception."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[Edit: I rewrote this on 17 February 2026.]

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 16

16. Are there any direct threats?

The most direct and obvious threats to the player characters and other members of the Zem tribe are the Z'Nee (mentioned here and here). Other threats may occur or be discovered through gameplay.

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 15

15. What are some things in the setting that are best avoided?

"Travellers should not venture to the southwest coast where the Z'Nee hold sway. They live in a huge fortified compound and only leave to plunder villages and take captives. It is said some captives are enslaved and others are used as sacrifices to their Undeath Cult. Periodically, they embark on "Chopping Sprees" that seem to have no purpose other than to kill living things for pleasure. For this reason, we also call them Smiling Killers. To our knowledge, they do not engage in trade with any tribe. Any encounter with the Z'Nee is redalert.

"Be aware of the difference between aggregators, aggrogators, and napalmgators. Beware of all but the first. The first are harmless and beneficial.

"There are two kinds of croxen—domesticated and wild. The former are docile if given food once; the latter are docile only after they have eaten you.

"The southern coast is said to be dominated by vast ruins and giant Mutants. To be within sight or smell of the ruins is yellolert. To be within a league of the ruins is redalert.

"The Haunted Ravine speaks for itself. The less said the safer."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 14

14. What to order to eat like a local.

"The primary crop grown by the Zem is mez, a tall plant that glows in the dark when it is ripe. Mez can be eaten raw, grilled, boiled, fried, or as a tortilla if ground. Mez is the chief of all crops and takes the place of honor during the Harvest Festival. Mez is central to Zem culture.

"The most popular mez dishes include succotash (lymohayo beans and mez), pomezola (potato mez soup), pazzti, (a mezbread pastry of potato, rutabaga, and meat or xik peas), and meztacos (mez tortilla shell tacos).

"Several crops are grown in rotation with mez: xik peas, lymohayo beans, zing beans, viridi peas, viridi beans, soy beans, potatoes, rutabaga, bruzzils, and zeleri.

"Zem also eat much fruit, some of which are grown in orchards, some of which are gathered wild. These include limes, lemons, oranges, reds, melons, bananas, tomats, wrathberries, stareberries, sublime peppers, magenta peppers, and naphtha peppers. Many are eaten raw or used in simple dishes.

"Some popular dishes include maagshu (primarily mez and peppers) and bananahalla (a kind of banana bread).

"Any occasion is an excuse for a barbecue, and the Zem will barbecue nearly anything, especially mez, peppers, and various meats.

"The Zem trade mez, beans, and fruits for foods from other tribes, such as shrimm, fish, coconuts, pynaps, rice, and xocolat.

"Some popular intertribal dishes include zhambalai, gumboha, terrazeen, xozuwi, and xomayin. An intertribal drink known as xocofi is commonly offered on special occasions, particularly at the culmination of festivals and intertribal meetings.

"Spices are used in many dishes and are grown locally or obtained through trade. These are too numerous to name, and some are known only to a few who guard their secret."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 13

13. Where can we get a drink and a bite to eat?

"All Zem villages practice the tradition of hospitality. Anyone who comes in peace seeking food, drink, or temporary shelter will be granted it. No payment is required, but the guest is expected to offer something in return such as labor, a small gift, or a favor. (Refugees are given special status. Their accommodations are granted by the village chief, who will offer them induction into the tribe or assistance in their journey.)

"Apart from the tribal oath of hospitality, travellers and villagers alike can get nutrition and cheer from several shops in Null: the coffee wigwam, the rum lodge, the taco stall, the smokehouse, and the aletreehouse are popular.

"During festivals, of course, there are always village barbecues."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 12

12. What do people for entertainment around here?

"Like other Zem villages, we have the usual team sports of mob zoccer, crakkit, lacrosse, polo, badminton. We have the individual sports of archery, atl-atl, boxing, wrestling, free-for-all, running, swimming. Sitting games are also popular: chezz, goh, domi-knows, pyramids, kah-tahn. In the village center, when rituals are not held, there may be plays, concerts, dances, puppet shows. In the grove of Zhaga, there is storytelling of legendary quality. Roaming the village, you may meet wandering magicians, acrobats, and comedians. It is considered proper to offer such wanderers hospitality in the form of food, drink, lodging, or tokens of appreciation. At night, once a week, some of the villagers host a dance ritual in the caves by the glow of phospherscent fungi and glitter ore."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]

Should I Shadowdark?

I do not need another role-playing game, least of all another fantasy role-playing game as I try to find time to run DCC RPG, DCC Lankhmar, DCC Dying Earth, and MCC RPG (with added DCC RPG classes), but Shadowdark RPG strongly appeals to my long-held desire for a game that straddles the line betwixt DCC RPG and Swords & Wizardry White Box. No matter what I play, there will be a few house rules (because I struggle with perfectionism), but Shadowdark RPG already does so much that is so right even down to the layout. It is one of the very few rule books that seems made for me. It's good for the way my brain works. How can I not run it? I will run Shadowdark RPG eventually, but I will not turn my back on the other games I write about on my other gaming blogs. I'll undoubtedly write about it here. Unless I start another gaming blog...

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 11

11. Where would we go to find 'adventure'?

I will pass on answering this prompt due to spoiler hazards except to say that anywhere beyond Zem tribal territory has the potential for adventure.

I could point out the Obsidian Lake, the Fortress of Quartz, the Blue Abyss, the Dreaming Mounds, and the Haunted Ravine, to name just a few, but that would be telling.

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 10

10. What's the first thing we should do?

"You are a member of our tribe who is about to go on a Quest following the First Rite of Adulthood. The first thing you should do is have the formal words of parting with your closest kin. Then you will receive from them the gifts that will aid you in your journey. With these gifts and your chosen weapons you will begin your Quest, leaving your village and childhood behind. You may wear the paint of the Contender and go forth, beyond Zem territory. When you return, you will complete the Second Rite of Adulthood and assume your new status in the village according to your path."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 09

9. Who's in charge here?

Again, I don't want to risk spoilers, so I'll limit this to an overview of community leaders known by the player characters who are all Zem residing in the village of Null.

Fernettica, as mentioned before, is the chief of the Zem in Null and the eldest member of the tribe. She is a fern Plantient. She is the only member of the tribe to have memories of the most recent disaster, the Mass Herbicide, which happened long ago. She is addressed as "Chief of the Zem in Null."

The Holy Seer, also known as Zonzmizz, is a teacher and spirital leader in charge of counselling, instruction, and rituals. He also serves as an advisor to the village chief. He is a Pure Strain Human shaman or cleric. He is addressed as "Holy Seer of the Zem in Null."

Kregg is the head of the Longhouse of Trade, the village guild that arbitrates trade disputes and sets exchange values for Null. He is a Mutant. He is addressed as "Guild Boss of the Zem in Null."

Fyto is the subchief in charge of the village guard and a champion intervillage fighter. He is a wolf Manimal. He is addressed as "First Subchief of the Zem in Null."

Zirina is the head of the tribal messengers, whom she directs from Null. She is a Pure Strain Human rover. She is addressed as "Supreme Messenger of the Zem."

Zhaga is the head storyteller of Null and the entire Zem tribe. Zhaga is a live oak Plantient. Zhaga is addressed as "Supreme Storyteller of the Zem."

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 08

8. Tell us about the local peoples and their cultures.

"The Zem are a tribe composed of the refugees of many tribes of all genotypes. Together, we are stronger. We honor many of the traditions of our pre-Zem ancestors according to our individual choices, but we unite as Zem to observe Zem holidays, participate in Zem rituals, and uphold Zem oaths of hospitality, diplomacy, and defense.

"The Z'Nee are a tribe of Humans and Manimals who dwell on the coast to the southwest. They are devoted to a cult of which their leader is the high priest. Attempts at diplomacy have failed. We often call them the Smiling Killers.

"The Zogwor live inland to the south. They are a tribe of Manimals who guard their territory fiercely. They distrust non-Zogwor, but those who know how to approach them and respect their customs can sometimes negotiate or even trade with them. Their tribe is organized into familial packs, and they are primarily Hunters.

"The Zerf reside on the coast to the east. They are a tribe of Humans who fish and gather nutrients and treasures from the sea. They are our nearest trading partners.

"The Bah-Uu are a tribe of Plantients who grow inland to the northwest. The Zem and the Bah-Uu are at peace, but there is little trade. The two tribes primarily exchange information. Both honor the oaths of hospitality.

"Many smaller tribes of varying genotypical composition live in the north, northwest, and far south. Some are friendly; some are hostile; some are isolationist. We are willing to meet with any who abide by the oath of diplomacy."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 07

7. What's the weather like today?

"Today, the weather is like most days in Ridia: hot and humid. Plantlife is abundant. Beastlife also flourishes. It rained heavily but briefly this morning. Now, mist hangs in the air, and by afternoon the sun will shine brightly. Rain may come again before nightfall.

"On rare occasions the air will cool, perhaps for a few days. There may even be frost, which can be uncomfortable or even painful for the plantfolk of this land. Sometimes there are atmospheric disturbances that can cause suffering and ill portents: thunderstorms, negastorms, psiclones, hurricanes, and other dangerous weather phenomena. Today, however, is like most days in Ridia. The world is lush and vibrant.

"The climate and lands of the Great Continent vary. There are regions where nothing grows and the air is dry. There are regions where the frost lasts longer or never ends. There are regions where fires burn for many seasons before they are quenched.

"We are thankful to live in Ridia. We have our hardships, but we live in a beautiful and bountiful land. Today is a good day."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 06

6. Where shall we begin?

"You begin where you are, in your home village of Null, the first village of the Zem tribe. At the end of the Harvest Festival, the Holy Seer conducts the First Rite of Adulthood in the sacred longhouse for all who are eligible. He takes the ashes from the bonfire and traces circles around the eyes of each who undertakes the ritual. Then he covers his own face with ashes and dons the Eye Bracelet [gold eyeglass frames]. He chants. Then he instructs. Before he sends you off on your Quest, he parts a curtain of seashells revealing a tall cabinet. From it he distributes cubes of translucent orange, advising you to hold them by the stick that protrudes from each one. Then he licks one, commanding you to do the same. From that moment on, you have been inducted into the First Mystery of Maturity and initiated as a Contender for Adult Status in the tribe of Zem. May your Quest be fructuous."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 05

5. Can you tell us about the campaign's history?

Once it has a history, I'll be able to tell it, but the campaign hasn't yet begun.

Should I run it for more than one group? If I do, should I have the groups merge at some point if possible? Should I post session reports? I like session reports. They become the history of the campaign and a secondary source of notes accessible to everyone. I'll definitely try to post session reports. If this reads like stream-of-conscious blogging, that's because it is. "Sorry about that, chief." If I decide to post session reports, I will link them here.

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 04

4. Is there a map?

There is no map that I can share... yet. To share it now would be a spoiler hazard to players, and Mutant Crawl Classics RPG is very much a game of exploration in a post-apocalyptic setting that may or may not take place on Earth in the possibly distant future after certain world-changing events may or may not have happened. What I can say is that Jee-Oh is not identical to the default setting presented in MCC RPG, Terra A.D. Jee-Oh is my own creation inspired by Thundarr the Barbarian, early editions of TSR's Gamma World, and what little I've seen of certain out-of-print post-apocalyptic comic books. Plus some Ark II, Logan's Run, Mad Max, Road Warrior, etc. But it's mainly a mash-up of Thundarr and Gamma World. Perhaps I can share a map someday, but not today.

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 03

3. Where the heck are we?

"Our world is called Jee-Oh in the common language of the Zem. It is said that our world is one of many, and that the Ancients could see other worlds in the sky. There are legends of outworlders coming to Jee-Oh and of the Ancients exploring other worlds, but it is impossible to know what is fact and what is folktale. What we do know is that plantkind was the first to grow in Jee-Oh, followed by beastkind who sprouted into humanity, mutantia, and manimalia.

"We of the tribe of Zem dwell in the land of Ridia, which is an offshoot of the Great Continent. The climate varies greatly across the continent, but in Ridia it is hot and wet, with plentiful rain and vast vegetation. Here and there, we find ruins of the Ancients on land or undersea. Our Seekers map them and retrieve artifacts for cataloguing, study, and potential use for the betterment of life.

"Within Ridia, the tribe of Zem inhabit a slowly expanding patulous cluster of villages including Null, Onay, T'Woh, T'Hree, Foh-Ur, Feevay, Zix, and Seh-Ven. All Zem are free regardless of genotype. Each village elects a chief, and the village chiefs elect a tribal chief. In this way, the tribe defends itself from pests, maintains its health, and grows.

"I, Fernettica, am the chief of the village of Null, the original Zem settlement, and the eldermost of all the Zem. The Zem in Null have pride, but also wisdom. We remember the hardship. We remember the unity that enabled us to survive. We honor our ancestors and their pacts of friendship."

—Fernettica, Chief of the Zem in Null

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 02

2. About Your Tour Guide

"I am the chief and veg-matron of the village of Null of the tribe of Zem. I am called Fernettica by those who cannot speak the subtle language of plants. I am the progenitor of all living Fern Plantients, for I am the only survivor of the Mass Herbicide of long ago. Amid the devastation, a Human called Botta Nist found me and brought me to a safe place where many others were given sanctuary. Over many seasons, this place, Null, became a new home to refugees who formed a new tribe called the Zem. The Zem have founded more villages and all follow the same tribal laws of hospitality and cooperation. All are welcome who share."

Fernettica's Mutant Crawl Classics RPG stats might be forthcoming. I'm just concerned about spoilers for my players. Suffice it to say she is a wise and majestic Plantient of the fern variety whose maternal instinct is extended to the entire tribe.

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

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RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026: Day 01

1. Campaign Introduction and Overview

This month, I shall attempt to participate in Adam Dickstein's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026 with two different campaigns in two different blogs. In Decidedly 6-Sided, I am discussing my Toledo Ghostbusters campaign. For Applied Phantasticality, I shall be using a campaign I have been preparing for, but have not yet run. (I would very much like to start it by this spring.) My responses to this challenge's prompts will likely be brief as this campaign world is a work in progress, but I think it may help in shaping its direction.

The campaign is called The Zem of Null. The system is Mutant Crawl Classics RPG. As with most MCC RPG campaigns, it starts with a rite of passage for the youths of a primitive tribe in a post-apocalyptic world and leads to an exploration of that world far beyond the travels of their elders where they will discover the ruins and artifacts of the Ancients and possible clues as to their disappearance. Player characters will be seeking to prove themselves to their tribe, improve their status, help their village, and expand their knowledge. They may also have other goals dictated by their own personal aspirations, codes, relationships, and interests.

The Zem is a tribe of all genotypes (Humans, Mutants, Manimals, and Plantients), essentially a confederation of the refugees of many different tribes that had been decimated by various hostile tribes, natural disasters, and monstrous rampages. They banded together for mutual protection and, through cooperation and the sharing of knowledge and traditions, prospered and expanded. There are now many villages in the Zem tribe including Null, Onay, T'Woh, T'Hree, Foh-Ur, Feevay, and others. The player characters begin as Zem in the village of Null about to take part in the rite of passage that will confer the privileges of adulthood in their society.

Each player will start with four 0-level characters in the standard manner of MCC RPG (eight 0-level characters each if I can't find more than two players). The house rules are here. As mentioned there, all human classes from both Mutant Crawl Classics RPG and Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG are permitted. Non-human classes from DCC RPG will be considered, but will probably have to be reskinned for this setting. In general, this is a science fantasy campaign where the line between sorcery and super science is blurry and the sword can be as mighty as the laser pistol.

[For more information about RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026, read this.]

[Read Barking Alien's RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026.]