Player Journals from Session 1

I've previously played in campaigns where the DM encouraged the players to write in-character campaign journals between sessions, and awarded bonus experience points as an incentive. I enjoy reading player journals, as they provide an opportunity to flesh out the characters outside of the actual game and provide an amusing perspective on their lives.

I'm not sold on any particular award scheme. You don't want the bonus XP for the journal to overshadow the actual XP gained in a particular session, but on the other hand if the reward is too minimal then many players won't bother. For now we have settled on a bonus of +10% XP at the end of the next session (in addition to any bonuses due to high prime requisites).

Here are my players' journals from our first session:

A letter home (Quazzle's Journal #1):

Dear Father,

Despite your misgivings, I am in fact still alive after our foray into the Undercity. We even returned with a small token of our first trip. Nothing particularly valuable, I'll admit, but still, better than the "Pain, Death, and Worse" you predicted would be my only reward.

So far, our travels have actually been rather uneventful. A few giant rodents, insects, and bird-things, and some really quite friendly little miners. Nothing like the terrors you seem to think we'll encounter.

Tomorrow I believe we'll find some real valuables. Or at least help to clear out some of the criminal element who have holed up down there.

Your son,
Quazzle

Caryatid diary entry:

Dear Diary,

So today we joined the Adventures' Guild at some Rusty place. Not sure how adventurous I was, kept experiencing week bowel control. :(.

Good news! I found my tome! Can't wait to start to adding to it. Gotta find a control bowels spell…

More adventure tonight…

Tyrriel sent her journal in handwritten form!

The Journal of Tod P. Quasit Jr.

I joined this adventurer's guild. Super secret. Handshakes, winks, special nods, the whole thing. Very cool. There is a guarded trap door down into the old city through a pup known only as the Rusty Lantern. Their house cocktail is something frothy with mint and gin in it. A little froofy for me. I'll stick to the dark whiskey. Good sandwiches.

Anyhow, the group I joined, we need a name for ourselves, went down into the old city. We killed some bugs. We ate some meat pies with some little miners who were hiding from giant mosquitoes. And I have made myself indispensable to the group by walking in the front of the line and opening all the stuck doors. My shoulder is killing me. And when I bought that fancy plate mail with the money Grandmama left me in her will, I wasn't thinking about how damned heavy it is. It's good for me. Build up my strength. I also bought a two handed sword. Also heavy. And a ten foot pole. Which was stupid.

I have to go. I hear someone at the door.

TPQjr signing off.