Proven Solutions
The Western Horizon doesn’t prescribe specific systems—it defines problems and what makes good solutions. However, several battle-tested games align perfectly with WH principles.
Why These Systems?
Each system was selected because it:
- Supports collaborative authorship — Players participate in creation
- Generates responsive content — Works when players declare intent
- Creates factions with goals — Opposition emerges naturally
- Respects established canon — Builds on rather than contradicts
- Operates at its scale efficiently — Solves the right-sized problems
You can use these systems as written, adapt them, or substitute alternatives that solve the same problems.
The Problem-Solution Matrix
| Problem Domain | What You Need | Proven Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| History & Culture | Shared backstory, cultural touchstones, defining moments | Microscope, Chronicle |
| Living Settlements | Towns with factions pursuing goals, districts with history | Ex Novo, Kingdom |
| Detailed Locations | Specific buildings with sensory details, memorable NPCs | Beak, Feather & Bone, Street Magic |
| Wilderness Travel | Terrain that matters, emergent complications, discoveries | Perilous Wilds, Hexmancer |
| Dangerous Sites | Dungeons with internal logic, ecology, treasures worth the risk | Ex Umbra, Delve & Rise |
| Goal-Driven Structure | Player goal frameworks, faction clocks, obstacle design | Proactive Roleplaying |
Reactive vs. Proactive Tables
Many of these systems use random tables (roll 2d6, consult table). This might seem to contradict “responsive generation,” but it doesn’t. The design language works whether you roll randomly or choose deliberately:
- Roll: Quick generation, surprising results, good for areas players barely mentioned
- Choose: Precise control, goal-aligned obstacles, better for player-declared destinations
The tables provide design vocabulary either way. What matters is that content is generated when players pursue goals, not whether you rolled or picked.
Solution Architecture
How problems at each scale relate and hand off to each other:
Session Zero flow: Microscope/Chronicle → Ex Novo → Beak, Feather & Bone/Street Magic (History → Settlement → Locations & NPCs)
Between-session generation: Player Intent → Check existing canon → Identify gaps → Select appropriate system → Generate → Update wiki
Scale handoffs:
- Settlement generation (Ex Novo) creates districts → Location generation (BF&B/Street Magic) details buildings within them
- Wilderness travel generates discoveries → Those discoveries become future quest targets
- Dungeon rumors (Ex Umbra) inform actual dungeon contents → Treasures connect back to faction goals
New to West Marches?
The Western Horizon is built on the West Marches campaign style. If you’re unfamiliar, start with 08 - Appendices for essential reading on player-driven exploration, open tables, and the Guild model.
Support These Creators
The Western Horizon is a framework for combining these excellent systems—it doesn’t replace them. Please purchase the original games to get the full procedures, tables, and insights their creators have crafted.