- Severus Snape, Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix
Over the last three weeks I've been posting about the pitch I put together for a potential Harry Potter roleplaying game, from why a Harry Potter RPG would be a good thing, how it would respect the books and films, going into detail about the core set and how the game would look, as well as some initial thoughts about game system and how it would reflect the source material.
In a final post, I thought I'd take a quick look at potential supplements for the line, and how it would take the game beyond Hogwarts and into the world of magic.
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| The collector's edition of Page to Screen, along with the collector's Beedle the Bard, and other Harry Potter reference books! |
Each supplement would be presented as a book that could actually exist in the wizarding world, complete with cover design and layout that would fit right in on a shelf in Hogwarts.
Senior Years Supplemental Textbook
Presented as a guide for selecting the optional courses, this book expands upon the rules of the game and allows students to choose their options in the Third Year (adding two of the following courses – Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Muggle Studies and Study of Ancient Runes) as well as the more advanced versions of their usual classes.
The book also presents some of the really advanced magical techniques that are taught to the older students, and prepares them for their OWLs and NEWTs. Apparation and other more exclusive classes are covered for use if there is enough demand for the staff to warrant running the classes (for Sixth and Seventh Year students).
The rules also aid the Headmaster in creating more and more challenging adventures for older students at Hogwarts, taking the game to vast and epic proportions!
The Ministry of Magic
Some students may wish to seek a career at the Ministry of Magic once their education at Hogwarts is complete. The Ministry offers many opportunities to the wizarding graduate and this set of additional rules allow players to continue to game while working for the Ministry.
The various departments are covered, most notably the exciting Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the legendary Auror Office, as well as the Improper Use of Magic Office, Magical Law Enforcement Squad, the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, and the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects Office.
Of course, if they don’t fancy a career there, there are plenty of other options available including the various offices in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, the Department of International Magical Cooperation, the Department of Magical Games and Sports, the Department of Magical Transportation, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and the ever secretive Department of Mysteries.
The Wizengamot will not be an option for the players.
The Ministry of Magic opens up a new world of gameplay for the players, taking on the various tasks of Ministry officials, investigating strange goings on and the misuse of magic in the wizarding world. It also doubles as an essential resource as a location for visiting Hogwarts students.
Headmaster’s Office
It’s all well and good being in charge of things, but it can be a bit tricky sometimes trying to juggle all of the staff, the pupils and the classes, and that’s before any of those unforeseen catastrophes happen. This book provides advice and additional game rules for the Headmaster to help them with running the game, planning new adventures and what to do if the players decide to go off in unexpected directions.
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| Monster Book of Monsters as it appears in the Prisoner of Azkaban movie |
Monster Book of Monsters
While the Basic Game provides a smattering of monsters and bizarre creatures that may be encountered during the average school year – whether this is during class or through reckless venturing into the Forbidden Forest – it only begins to scratch the surface of the vast menagerie of wild and wonderful creatures that inhabit the wizarding world. Cataloguing some of the most interesting, rare and exciting creatures to be encountered, this is a handy resource for anyone wishing to explore or hoping for a career in the Ministry of Magic’s Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
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| Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, cover by MinaLima designed for the films |
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Expanding upon the Monster Book of Monsters, this adds even more information about magical creatures through history, and expands the game into the era of Newt Scamander and the new trilogy of movies set within the wizarding world. This adds new, post school career options for magical explorers and opens up the world to budding Gilderoy Lockharts everywhere.
Magical Schools of the Wizarding World
Hogwarts is well known to be one of the most prestigious places to gain a magical education. Certainly, after the defeat of Voldemort, it has become one of the most famous wizarding schools of its kind. But it is most definitely not the only one. While some choose to home school their young wizards and witches, other schools are out there in case Hogwarts is considered potentially too dangerous. Of course, these other schools are the institutions of choice for those in the country where they are located, but sometimes exchanges and such events as the Tri-Wizard Tournament mean that interaction with other schools becomes part of the academic year.
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| Defence Against the Dark Arts book prop cover from the films designed by MinaLima |
This book gives the Headmaster additional information and rules for setting their game at Durmstrang or Beauxbatons, or possibly even a whole new school of their choosing, or for incorporating students from other schools as part of an exchange program or tournament at Hogwarts.
Defence Against the Dark Arts
One of the most dangerous lessons in the academic year, this deserves an additional textbook of its own. Not only does this provide information for the Headmaster about the dark magic out there in the wizarding world, but also provides details for a host of Villains and evildoers that the students may have to face as part of their adventures. However, the most essential information within this tome is advice for the student on how to defend themselves against such evil and how to counter any of their dastardly plots.
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| Hogwarts - A History, book prop cover by MinaLima for the movies. |
Hogwarts – A History
Hogwarts is a huge place with a colourful and eventful history. This essential handbook for the budding Hogwarts Headmaster collects all of the necessary background information about the school, the various locations within the walls and in its surroundings – from the astronomy tower to the dungeons, from the Headmaster’s office to the Chamber of Secrets, right out to the Owlery and the Quidditch Pitch, to the Dark Lake, the Forbidden Forrest and Hogsmeade.
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And that's it. That's everything that has been compiled to date in my head for a potential Harry Potter roleplaying game. Ideas are always popping into mind, but I'll leave these blogposts as it. It would be amazing if this line were to be made, but for now they will remain as fantastic books in my overactive imagination.
Maybe one day, execs from Warner Bros. or the legendary J K Rowling herself will see these posts, see what a great game it could be, how it would be respectful to Harry's world and Rowling's amazing creation, and how it could spark the imagination of kids and adults alike.
We can but dream.
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