Kentucky Bourbon Brainstorm

     My Twitter friend, Lex (@titanomachy), was asking about what kind of liquor would make for a good TTRPG. I responded with this:
"Kentucky Bourbon. Families of Appalachian conjure folk warring and scheming over ancient hollers filled with magical secrets. Making deals with the fairy folk and dodging the coal companies that want to take away their homes." Thanks to their encouragement, here we are with me sharing my brainstorming process publicly because it might be interesting.

    I will be creating this game using Fate Core rules and a few of the Fate Tool Kits. I want this to be a game that isn't too far removed from the Appalachia where I grew up. I was intimidated by the concept of doing this because Old Gods of Appalachia is already a thing both in podcast and TTRPG format and I was like: "Well hell, what can I do that hasn't been done?" Then I realized that was just a cop out. Any project that scares me is something I need to be doing. The fact that someone else has done something like this is cool, it means it's an interesting thing and people enjoy it. Kentucky Bourbon will be my own take on the region and the weirdness.

    Now that's out of the way, I need to create a setting. Harlan, Kentucky is a small town. One that by the census numbers is dying on the vine. That is the perfect image to run with. The setting is about Appalachian Conjure Folk and their families. This means that the focus is local. How can the people of Harlan keep hanging on as economic opportunities vanish with great regularity? That is an excellent question for the setting.

    Then we have the supernatural elements. There is magic but it's not world bending powerful. It is small magic for healing, luck, and protection. There are fairies but these are the North American Fae. The Nunnehi (Immortals) and the Yvwi Tsvsdi (Little People) of Cherokee stories. I also want there to be pockets of powerful magic. Places of power, caches of items and lore, lairs of more ancient and powerful beings who remain from ages long gone. 

    The mundane aspects will need some research and reading. However I have my faction ideas.

The Locals- Decent enough folk who are just trying to get by as their way of life fades into history.

The Fae- Ancient beings who have seen humans come and go but who remember debts owed and services repaid.

The Coal Companies- The dying behemoths whose sole purpose is to squeeze out as much profit as possible before their time ends and they are replaced by other means of exploiting land and people. Their agents are outsiders who wear smiles while they destroy lives in the name of industry.

Outsiders- Activists, entrepreneurs, and rogues coming into town with their own agendas.

    That should do it for now. I have some stuff to play with and consider. I look forward to sharing more of my process with you. I appreciate you reading this.

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