READ HARDER NERD:
Or How I Made Books the Most Sought-After Items in My Settings
Introduction
Hello there my Lovelies!
I have found that in both TTRPGs and computer games, books are often overlooked. Games like Skyrim and its legendary tale of The Lusty Argonian Maid really do go the extra mile to include content, but sadly, there is still not a lot of incentive to read the books outside of your own curiosity. The roguelike Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead (CDDA) makes books really valuable, as they reflect their real-world property.
They teach you things, but you must read them first.
In the real world, books impart information. Humans can learn things without direct experience through books. We use books as a store of memories that are external to our minds. This is why people tend to put such high value on literacy; it is why we balk at the idea of book burnings.
In the games I run, books are highly sought after by the party as they can learn things from them.
The Mechanic
A book will take X days to read, and at the end of this time, the character will learn something. This usually manifests as a very specific bonus to very specific rolls.
Reading days are ticked off by downtime activities or choosing to read during a rest, with each rest counting as one day's worth of reading.
| Example Book | Details |
|---|---|
| Name: | Urgle Gurgle on Sushi |
| Author: | Urgle Gurgle (Esq.) |
| Reading time: | 5 days |
| Rarity: | Uncommon |
| Description: | Written in beautiful poetic prose, this seminal sushi cookery book has been translated from the original Merlock tongue into 27 different languages. |
| Result on reading: | +1 on any roll related to making or knowing about sushi. |
That is the basic outline, but we can expand on it.
How Should Books Be Designed?
- Any bonuses they grant should be highly specific.
- If a book affects a basic skill or stat, it should be very rare or extraordinarily expensive.
- The more general or useful the bonus it grants, the rarer and more expensive the book.
- Give it a fun name and name the author. This adds flavor to the book.
Other Potential Book Bonuses
- Blueprints or instructions on how to build something. Once read, the player is considered proficient (or at least familiar) with the process of making that item.
- Reading the book grants a flash of inspiration. This grants the player a one-time powerful bonus for a limited amount of time.
- FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE! Hidden lore that unveils secrets or may reveal the location of powerful artifacts.
The outcome of this is that my players are highly motivated to find books, and they find them very exciting, often saying “Oh I only have 3 more days left on this book and I can do X”.
Below is my library of most of the books I have made from different campaigns. I intend to add to this in time, so I may make a persistent link to it.
The Tea Set’s Library
| Title | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Urist and Ragnar the Collected Series | Reading Pick Press |
A collection of Key Stage 1 reading books for Dwarven children, contains the following stories amongst others: - Urist and Ragnar go on an adventure - Urist and Ragnar rescue a princess - Urist and Ragnar escape the princess - Urist and Ragnar think princesses are too much trouble Common, (20 days for a learning reader, requires an assistant. Will raise one's reading age to that of a 10-year-old) |
| Urist and Ragnar the Continuing Adventures | Reading Pick Press |
A collection of Key Stage 2 reading books for Dwarven children, contains the following stories amongst others: - Urist and Ragnar go on a quest - Urist and Ragnar and the dragon’s horde - Urist and Ragnar invest in the family business - Urist and Ragnar commit minor fraud - Urist and Ragnar go on another quest to make up for the money they lost Common, (15 days. Will raise one's reading age to that of a 13-year-old) |
| On Xibalba | Memet the Immortal |
A large book discussing the nature of hell. It covers a theory suggesting that hell is part of our plane of existence, and all that you must do to reach it is to just dig too deep. Rare (12 days, Grants +1 on rolls regarding the history, geography, and theories around hell) |
| Tempo of Battle | General Agnew |
A famous war diary of the great General Agnew. Closer inspection of the book reveals deep insights into battlefield tactics. Riveting stuff! Uncommon, (10 days. Grants a once per session ability to re-roll initiative) |
| Limited Divinity | Rector Nunya |
A radical, perhaps heretical text. It proposes a system whereby every 500 years the gods give up their divinity and pass on their title to a chosen mortal. The author suggests this would reduce societal stagnation and boost innovation. Rare, (5 days, Grants +1 to rolls involving theological debates. If found to be in possession of this book, there may be consequences) |
| Trees | Eion Farstrider |
A beautifully illustrated book of field sketches and observations of a myriad of tree species. Accessible yet detailed, the perfect coffee table book. Common, (7 days, grants +1 rolls identifying trees and knowledge about them) |
| Ix: The Eternal City | Reggie Summersmile |
Written by the bestselling halfling travel writer Reggie Summersmile. This tome has a detailed description of what used to be the world's largest city, and capital of the Lurentian Empire. The city Ix. Contains maps! Common, (5 days, +1 to all rolls navigating or knowledge about the city of Ix) |
| Peace... Eventually | Walter Grondyke III |
A professional historical review of the last 500 years of the western human kingdoms. Their centuries of endless warring and eventual peace brought about the great concord of Uribeck. Uncommon, (12 days, +1 to all rolls about the history of the human kingdoms) |
| Fomor: The Vile Beastman | T.H. Yarnly |
This tome is essentially an anthropological study of the races of beastmen that inhabit the world. Written years before the war. Warning, contains graphic descriptions of brutality and torture. Rare, (9 days, +1 on all rolls involving knowledge of beastman behavior and culture) |
| How to Make Friends and Decapitate Your Enemies | W.S. Cam |
A purported self-help manual. People will love you, all you need to do is threaten them with an axe. Common, (3 days, Grants a once-ever +4 bonus on the next social interaction roll you make) |
| Smith Like a Dwarf | Lulgrim Steeltoe |
Learn to smith like a dwarf, grow a beard, hammer red hot metal. Chicks will dig you! Common, (8 days, +1 on rolls for blacksmithing) |
| The Nyxian Chronicles | Thrain Stoneheart |
An ancient tome that narrates the history of the subterranean Nyxian Ocean, with details on trade, navigation, and folklore. Common, (7 days, +1 on rolls about locations and cultures of the Nyxian Ocean) |
| Tooth and Claw: A Bestiary of the Deep Paths | Grom Ironfoot |
A compendium of underground creatures, including information on their habitats, behaviors, and weaknesses. Lots of pretty pictures. Uncommon, (5 days, +1 on rolls to identify creatures of the deep paths, and recall information about them) |
| A History of a Bearded People | Balin Basaltchin |
A grand if sometimes embellished history of the Dwarven folk. Common, (6 days, +1 on rolls involving dwarven history) |
| Nautical Maps of the Nyxian Ocean | Karak Lomores Nautical Commission |
A collection of maps and charts detailing routes, navigation, and forgotten locations in the Nyxian Ocean. Uncommon, (1 day, may show hidden locations) |
| The Luminous Hymns | The Lumic See |
A hymnbook containing the most holy hymns dedicated to the Goddess Lumina, the grand matriarch of the pantheon. Uncommon, (2 days) |
| Mysteries of the Abyss | Durgan Onyxfoot |
A collection of folktales of horrific creatures that stalk the deep paths and other horrors. Mostly tosh, good fun read though. Uncommon, (4 days) |
| Voices from the Deep Paths | Arlia Moonshimmer |
A compilation of traditional dwarven ballads and drinking songs, as well as songs from other races who traveled the deep paths. Collected by an elven anthropologist. Common, (3 days) |
| Recipes from the Deep | Lira Stoneear |
Written in a brisk cheerfulness not often associated with dwarves, this is a legendary book that adorns the bookshelf of any self-respecting dwarven household. Common, (5 days, +1 to any roll for cooking using subterranean ingredients.) |
| A Technical Guide to Intoxication through the Kingdom Fungi | Plagueface esq. |
A thick tome written in a conspiratorial manner about identifying various types of mushrooms to make hallucinogenic potions and poisons. Rare, (6 days, +1 to rolls identifying fungi and their uses) |
| Fractal Mosaics | Prof. R.K. Dunshelm |
What would be a dry exploration of mosaic design and technique is lifted to greater heights by the author's beautiful prose and exploration of the relationship between art and culture. Rare, (10 days, +1 on critiquing and understanding art) |
| Backdoor Wenches (Volume 9) | Funhouse |
A smutty picture book depicting all races in various forms of copulation. Rare, (1 day) |
| The Epic of Yorm | Unknown Author |
This is an ancient poem (by the editor's standards). It was passed down through oral tradition and has now been codified into text. The poem is about a great hero who slays several increasingly dangerous monsters only undone by his own hubris. Common, (4 days) |
| Jombaha! | Archmage Press |
A pop-arcane book. Designed to get the masses more enraged with arcane studies and rituals. It is a collection of presumably real-life stories when rituals went horribly wrong, resulting in death, destruction, and occasionally hilarity. Uncommon, (5 days, +1 on any roll to do with avoiding ritual blowback) |
| Leviathan Stirs | Anon |
A philosophical dialogue. Discusses the importance of maintaining social roles and the sanctity of the social contract between lord and subject. If one were to read between the lines you might think the author is telling you how to tear down society. Rare, (6 days) |
| Applied Accountancy | Professor Boringson |
It is an accountancy textbook. Useful but boring. Rare, (10 days. Must pass an INT or Wisdom check to read, as it's DULL. When rolling for any accountancy-based topic, roll with advantage.) |
| Poisons for Responsible Adults | Archie McStabberson |
A very responsible book about how to make poisons to kill various pests, like insects, birds, rats, and other people. Very Rare, (8 days, +1 to rolls crafting and identifying poison) |
| Extra-Dimensional Topology | Yuler |
A dense work about an incredibly niche subject area that has limited real-world application. You think it discusses how mathematical geometries might shift in other dimensions. Very Rare, (12 days, requires INT check to ensure you understand what the book is about. Gains +1 to rolls identifying magic, if you can cast you also gain an additional spell) |
| Build a Buddy | Unknown |
A handwritten and unique tome that describes the very expensive process of building a golem. Construction time requires 30 days per HD. Stupidly Rare, (12 days, requires INT check. Allows for construction of a golem) |
| Cat of the West | R. Heartly |
Famous Novel. It's not about a cat, it’s allegorical. Common, (5 days) |
| Mending Nature | Clipclop Bristlechin |
Druidic tome on the corruption of the natural world and recognizing it. Uncommon, (7 days, +1 to rolls identifying corruption in nature) |
| Understanding Semaphore | Imperial Navy Publishing House |
Describes standard semaphore, a language involving flag use on maritime vessels. Uncommon, (12 days, Learns the language Semaphore) |
| Weather Watcher’s Guide | Imperial Navy Publishing House |
Reference book on weather forecasting. Uncommon, (7 days, +1 to rolls to forecast the weather, can only forecast the weather up 24 hours in advance, not always accurate) |
| Gorlian’s Insights | Gorlian the Wise |
Philosophical musings on phenomenology. It is mind-expanding stuff. Rare, (7 days, requires an INT or WIS roll to read, as it is DEEP. Grants a one-time re-roll on any one failed roll) |
| Suffer the Weak | G. T. Hateful |
Autobiography of Gashnik the Hateful, orc pirate. Grim reading. Common, (5 days) |
| Roshambo | A. Smee |
A player's guide to a favorite pirate game, where men take turns kicking each other in the balls. Very Rare, (1 day reading time, you always get the first go in a game of Roshambo) |
I hope you have found this post useful. Untill then, much love
The Civil Tea Set
