The Mappa Mundi Institute has dedicated itself and its Chroniclers to a single mission with three interconnected pillars. First, to travel the world, learning and writing the history of its peoples after the Flux. Second, to find, study, and protect the Monsters and Creatures that call the Wilds their home. And third, to go beyond the borders of the old and map the new.
Mappa Mundi - An Exploration + Ecology RPG is a TTRPG about exploring a world recovering from a century of ecological disaster and cultural isolation, a world populated by fantastical Monsters and Creatures that roam the Wilds, a world shaped by Fate. Leave your sword at home, Chronicler! A sharp mind and a curious spirit are the only weapons you’ll need. You are Archivists, Diviners, Fixers, and Guardians. Having sworn an oath to Do No Harm, your main mission is to find and learn about Monsters and Creatures, enigmatic beings who usually inhabit the Wilds, lands beyond the bounds of human civilization. This is a game without combat and character death. Your actions include Traversal, Observation, Deduction, and Exploration. But just because Chroniclers won’t die from getting in a fight or venturing too close to a Monster or Creature doesn’t mean they cannot contract sickness, become injured, or fall unconscious, so explore with caution! Each adventure has three phases: Research, Journey, and Encounter. Research is marked by investigation, information gathering, and discovery. Journey focuses on exploration, overcoming obstacles, and Shaping the environment. Finally, there is the Encounter, marked by positioning, understanding, problem-solving, and close contact with Monsters. An important part of the game is its Shaping, a collaborative storytelling mechanic. It is the process of Chroniclers and Narrators giving form and substance to the environment around them, of adding details, minor or major, to the places, people, Monsters, and Creatures the Narrator introduces. It also allows players to introduce ideas and creations to a scene. Be prepared to immerse yourself into a world that is involves parts of your own creation! As you explore and play, you are encouraged to draw on the map, sketch, and journal. Today's introductory oneshot is called Root and Branch, and its hook reads: Barbecia is a kingdom of dense forests, rolling hills, and swirling rivers, located on the far western edge of the continent of Evasu. You and your fellow Chroniclers have been tasked with learning of a Monster hiding in the midst of a quiet enclave, a small rain-soaked village known as Gascar. You must go in search of a ‘moving forest’ – perhaps the source of the fog that has descended on Gascar.
This game will be great if you like exploration, worldbuilding, mapmaking, sketching, journaling, and ecology.
New players are welcome.
The GM is also new to this.
Pregens can be provided, but those who wish to build their own with the GM's guidance can do so as well.
Tone: Silly⚪⚪⚪⚬⚬ Serious
Combat: ⚪⚬⚬⚬⚬
Role Play: ⚪⚪⚪⚪⚬
Exploration: ⚪⚪⚪⚪⚪
This game will be hosted in room #2 of The TTRPG Pickup Con Discord server; spectators are welcome. using Miro whiteboards.https://miro.com/