Improving literacy, atorytelling and learning about wildlife with rural Ugandan children using the unique Nyambe roleplaying game
by Patrick Aikonia in Gulu
Hello, my name is Patrick Aikoni, I am 14 years old and I live in Uganda Africa. For the last year my friends and I have been running roleplaying game adventures in and around the village of Koro.
I came up the idea for a Role-playing game project when I was first introduced to roleplaying games at the “Butterfly Project’s” Koro Centre. A project which will provides all sorts of activities and opportunities for children living in the greater Koro area to explore their surroundings, learn about local plants and animals, and have fun roleplaying.
This project be set in a fantasy version of the village of Koro, pretending that is is located within the Mythical African D&D world setting of Nyambe. I hope to combing the fun and excitement of a role playing setting, with tasks the local children will have to perform in and around Koro. These tasks will tie directly to the adventure itself, as well as help teach the children about the flora and fauna near Koro. I think Nyambe will make an excellent setting as since it is based on traditional African Myths and Stories it will be more accessible to the local children.
I ask for your financial support, anything you can spare will help and go a long way to help with making this project come to life. The money will be used for gas to travel to and from Koro, as well as transporting some of the children. Several Meals every day as well as drinks for the children, as the event will take place over more than 1 day. As well as any other miscellaneous supplies like paper, pencils, etc to help run the game.
Here is my adventure idea which I plan on running for the children of Koro.
Once upon a time long ago in the land of Nyambe, there was a great a battle between the Humans and the Orcs. The Orcs took up the worship of a new god, a god who commanded them to enslave all other races under the fist of the Orcs. The Humans valiantly tried to defend there territories by fighting back, but the war was long and hard and many lives were lost in countless battles.
After nearly a century of battle the powerful but aging Orc Leader, an evil Shaman was able to preserve his wicked soul in the heart of a Dire Lion he had sacrificed for just such a purpose.
With his souls power amplified by the strength of the Dire Lions Heart the Orc Shaman was able to finally conquer the Human villages and enslave the Humans. The Humans suffered in misery for centuries until a young Human Paladin named Okeelo rose up to lead a great rebellion against the Orcs. Okeelo was able to slay the Orc Shaman, but every attempt he made to destroy the Dire Lion heart failed. So instead Okeelo hid the Dire Lion Heart in a secret room deep within an ancient shrine, there warded with powerful spells to keep it invisible, thus hidden to all who might seek it out.
However in time the magic of the Korian’s began to fade and the Shrine became visible again to the peoples of Nyambe. It was then that a curious Monkey came across the shrine and being the curious sort he was explored it from top to bottom. In the last room on the last level in the last place the Monkey looked he came across the Dire Lions Heart. The power of the Orc Shamans should have been waiting for centuries for just such an opportunity, and it dominated the poor Monkey, taking control of it’s actions. The Heart told the Monkey it needed to find a new Dire Lion who’s body it could be placed in so it could be reborn to rule the lands near the village of Koro again.
So the Monkey dutifully sought his out friends in the village of Koro for help in locating a Dire Lion for his new master. But not just any Dire Line will do said the Monkey, only a Magical Blue Furred Dire Lion will suffice.
The village children help the monkey search for a Dire Lion in the wilderness around Koro, as they have no reason to believe their friend the Monkey is up to any mischief. The Children score the lands near the village of Koro, searching very very hard for many days, till one day the come across a cave with lion tracks leading into it.
Using their clever minds the children of Koro manage to capture the Magical Blue Dire Lion and bring it back with them to Koro. When the Village Chief see’s the Blue Lion he is astounded, and demands that it be sent as a gift to their King who lives in a town far away. But that evening, before the Children or the Monkey could protest, 3 other monkeys sent buy the Heart still at the temple (the heart had by now dominated the minds of many more monkeys) They manage to sneak into Koro and unlock the Blue Lions cage, expecting the Lion would follow them back to the Shrine and their new master. But instead of following the 3 monkeys the Lion runs off into the forrest outside of Koro causing a great commotion in the village. The 3 monkeys run off as they are chased away by the children. They return to the shrine to report their failure to the Magical Heart.
In the morning the Chief tells the village Children and their Monkey friend that they must set out to find the Blue Lion and bring him back to Koro. The monkeys at the shrine under the thrall of the Evil Heart all set out as well at the same time to try and find and capture the Blue Lion so that they may being it back to the Shrine to give to their new master.
If the Children cannot locate the Magical Blue Dire Lion within 3 days it will have escaped into the wild and never been seen again. If the Monkeys of the Shrine do not find the Lion within 3 days their Masters heart will die as his evil life sustaining magic will run out.
It's a race against the clock pitting good vs.evil, but who will win? Please donate what you can and help the children of Koro find out!
This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.