Story Design

Role-playing games consist of two main classes of time; when the characters are involved in a story and when they are not. When they are not in a story everything is going on much as a normal person would experience things; characters life out their lives, pursue interests, and rest. A story is something that disrupts their normal life. It is the source of adventure.

Procedures

Now that you have a world and some characters it is time for you to create stories and story sites. Here is the procedure for creating adventures:

  1. Choose a theme for the story.
  2. Choose a setting for the final scene of the story.
  3. Decide upon the intermediate steps the characters will most likely have to follow to arrive at the final scene.
  4. Choose a setting for each intermediate step that the characters will likely perform.
  5. Sketch out each location for the intermediate steps.
  6. Sketch out each of the encounters that will be found in each location.
  7. Fill in the details.
  8. Make a detailed map (on large graph paper, or on a computer) for each location where combat might occur, or make a suitable terrain model. In either case the map or model should be suitable for use with miniatures (if available); alternately blank chits, chess pieces, or whatever else may be used instead.
  9. If miniatures are to be used try to paint them appropriately to the situation.
  10. Develop random encounter tables that are detailed enough for overland regions that need to be crossed to arrive at specific adventure sites (optional).
  11. Fully develop each possible encounter from the random encounter charts (optional).

Choose a theme for the story

This is similar to choosing a theme for preadventures. When choosing a theme a few details need to be specified. Designate a rough number of HP to be granted to any character who survives the story.

Choose a setting for the final scene of the adventure

This should be the climactic event of the story. Choose exotic locations, fierce opponents, and high payoffs within the scope of the theme you have chosen.

Decide upon the intermediate scenes the characters will most likely have to follow to arrive at the final scene

This is subjective and should not be too detailed, since characters will always find some way around what you have set up. You should think about how the adventure will get started and then proceed through a number of reasonable steps to the finish.

Choose a setting for each intermediate scene that the characters will likely perform

Imagine the scene at each stage and thinking of a rough description of what you imagine. Little details can make ti come alive. What are the colors of things? Are there any odors or sounds? What are any inhabitants doing?

Sketch out each location

What is the layout of the location? What does it look like? This does not require extensive artistic skills, just rough sketch-maps. Develop a thorough description of each location based on the map.

Sketch out each of the encounters that will be found in each location

What is to be found at each of the settings? Are there inhabitants? Are there animals, or even monsters? What are they doing? How are they likely to react to the characters?

Fill in the details of each encounter

You need to design each character of importance as if you were developing them in Character Building. When designing such characters it is important to realize that you are creating them for your world, not as a character that you will be playing in someone else's world; this being the case you can determine the HP available to them during character design (up to the maximum possible for each age category). If the character you create is a seasoned adventurer, it is possible that many preadventures have been experienced that have nothing to do with character creation. Minor characters can be written up with a few ideas about skills and personality notes. Monsters should be developed using the Creature Building system and intelligent monsters should be designed using the Creature Building system and then be developed as a character.

Make a detailed map of each location where combat might occur

You can use a CAD program on a computer, or you can exercise your artistic ability on graph paper to produce these detailed maps. There should be enough detail to allow you to portray the action appropriately.

If miniatures are to be used try to paint them appropriately to the situation

Miniatures and paints are available through many hobby and gaming stores. Purchase the ones you want to use and practice painting them until you like what you see. Imagine what the different peoples and creatures should look like and paint the figures accordingly.

Develop random encounter tables detailed for overland regions that need to be crossed to arrive at specific adventure sites

For every major terrain feature and significant location develop a random encounter chart. To determine the encounters roll 1d100 and consult the chart. The details should be something like this:

For urban settings

1-5% should be local rulers and other important persons in the town or city.
6-75% should be local inhabitants.
76-90% should be local animals or monsters found in the city on a regular basis.
91-100% should be some kind of disaster or adverse weather condition.

For outdoor encounters in settled lands

1-5% should be local rulers and other important NPCs that have been previously developed.
6-50% should be local inhabitants
51-85% should be animals or monsters that frequent the region.
86-100% should be disasters or adverse weather conditions.

For wilderness areas

1-10% should be local inhabitants or NPCs of note.
11-85% should be animals or monsters that frequent the area.
86-100% should be disasters or adverse weather conditions.

For unmapped areas you might want to include a terrain chart based upon the broad type of terrain within the area being explored:

1-50% the terrain continues to conform to the broad pattern of the general terrain type.
51-80% there is some related terrain feature that stands out (a forest in a plain, a lake in a forest, etc.).
81-95% there is some extreme terrain feature (a mountian in a forest, a waterfall in a river, etc.).
96-100% there is some magical terrain feature.

The specifics are up to your imagination. It is important that you develop each random encounter in detail so that you are ready in the event that such an encounter occurs.

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