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In the Gamemaster Pack by FASA there is a section on adventuring logs and their place both in the game and the world of Earthdawn. In this short article I'd like to share the positive impact that a log has had on my game and how it could add to your own.
As partly stated in the GM pack an obvious and important use of a log is as an outlet for characterization. Here's how it works in my own game. The player whose character will be recording this session's events makes notes on the places, encounters, and settings. Then until the next session (we play once a week) the player has time to turn the notes into entries in the log. While sometimes there is a bland listing of happenings, often the player will take the time to embellish the report with their character's outlook and feelings on the subject. Sometimes this is simply a way for the shy or new players to add some initial depth while they get a feel for the game. It can also inspire them to flesh out their character's past by relating similar 'past experiences'.
There may also be uses for the log that you did not intend but are still beneficial. For example, the log is very valuable for new or potential players. I had a close friend who asked to read the log. She had never played ED and had no idea about the game. Here, entirely in story form, was an excellent example of the game. All at once she could get a general feel of the world, the characters, and even my GM style in what they had experienced. This is part of what makes the entire ED game so easily graspable. The rules and setting are almost inseparable, in a story-like format that has the books talking to you, not at you. Even if you have someone who knows they want to play, the log is a quick way to catch up on current events. So although their character does not know something, the player is not sitting there asking the other players who, what, and where every few minutes.
Another good use of the log, as stated in the GM pack, is its record keeping function. As the game goes along, I try to take copious notes of the important events, but who can say if an event will be important months or years later in game time? With both myself and the players keeping track of everything there is far less chance of forgetting an important date. In a world of blood magic and horror marks that remain for a year and a day this can be very vital to game and story. You can also go over old entries and make past events that seemed unimportant at the time into the signs of or starts of major plot elements in the future (read Roger Zelazny's Amber series for many excellent examples of this).
One difficulty you may have though is getting your players to start a log. The first solution you may want to try is explaining the logs place in the world of Earthdawn. As the GM pack states adventure logs are important to the fabric of society. The scholars want to learn more about the reclaimed world and common folk wish to hear their tales in this Age of Legend. A good roleplayer might be willing to keep a log at first only for this reason. The second solution is to cite the rules in the GM pack. They state the legend point and monetary rewards from the Kingdom of Throal once each game year for a log. There ought to be at least one player to take that bait. Whatever way you get a log started in your game hopefully, they will soon see the many benefits of one and keep the log for those reasons as well.
Those are just the ways an adventure log has helped my ED game so far. Surely there are ways other games have benefited from one and benefits I have yet to discover myself. But still, adventure logs may not be for everyone. I do hope to be playing Earthdawn at a con or two and be able to swap logs around for fun. I hope to see yours there!
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