People are Interested in People

Encounters Descriptions Rewards

Location Show don’t tell Non monetary
• Danger • Don’t state an attitude – show it with • Lands / House
• High word and deed • Services / training
• Fast • Setting: props, scenery, extras: how can • Titles, Status, Epithets, Nick names
• Sharp these demonstrate attitude • Reputation, name, ego rub
• Traps Visualise before you speak • Promises, fealty, love or respect
• Ambush • Take 10 seconds • Relationships, servants, marriage offers,
• Awkward • Think of Movie / Game / Fly through fans and groupies, enemies, patrons, DNPCs
• Beauty view • Duties
• Don’t damage the foliage Player specific descriptions based on PC interests Exotic foods
Weather Delay with details in the beginning and middle • Meats
• Temperature Save the best for last • Herbs and spices
6 senses •
• Wind Drinks
• 3 details for a glance •
• Precipitation / fog Treats and sweets
• 5 details for a look •
• Weird – ball lightening Nuts and berries
Lighting • 7 details for inspection Beasts / Monsters / Trophies
Speech: tone, pauses, pacing •
• Dark / dull / bright / too bright Fur / hides / scales
Unrelated campaign details
• Colour • Claws and teeth
• Current events
• Strobing / varying / disappearing • Skulls and horns
• Random goings on Strange materials
Footing
• Not so random goings on •
• Helpful Normal things with cosmetic differences
• Weather •
• Hindering Silk not cloth
• Flora and fauna •
• Levels Teak not wood
• Props, scenery, extras •
• Vehicles / moving Bronze not iron
Time Limit Art
• Success required before a certain time The Art of Providing Evasive Answers Named items
• Failure occurs after a certain time Use appropriately Other monies
• Things change after a certain time • NPCs • Gems
Second challenge • Divination and prophecy • Poker chips
• Cut off escape • Not rules, or PC’s eyes and ears • IOUs / bond certificates / gift certificates
• Multiple foes / riot Metaphors and similes • Cancelled debts
• Mental + physical challenge • Direct – the king is a plague on the land Spells or info
Props / Extras / Scenery • Indirect – my sword shall dog my foes • Sheet metal (Make sure to vary the metals)
Carrot on a stick – reward out of reach • Obscure – secrecy locks the gate to • Tattoos
friendship • Clay tablets
Encounters and the Plot + follow it up with a question / greeting / challenge • Burned into wood
Answer with a question •
• Plot development – players feel the On the backs of paintings
• The answer to this question answers the • Rawhide
encounter develops the plot
PC’s question •
• World development – reveals something Soft leather
• Question is deliberately challenging or • Book covers
about the world
evasive •
• Character development – reveals something Engraved onto armour
Answer a few steps ahead
about the PCs • Glass tablets
• Where is this line of questions going
• NPC development – reveals something • Metal tablets/bars
• Answer the question a few steps forward
about an NPC • Directly on walls
Half answer
• Tactics Spot light time
Don’t answer – run
• Motives • Not necessarily in the character’s speciality
Body language (if the NPC would use it)
• Foibles • Always roleplaying / developing
• Tea with the evil wizards Mum background / character / NPC
• Break the mood
Improvisation - Art Cinematic points to be traded in for cinematic stunts
Know the finale
• “if they yawn, roll initiative” Their turn to GM / serendipity / wish list
Let them go off on tangents
• Combat
• Return to main plot when and if able to
• Romance Improvisation - Science
• Be flexible with time scale. Nick of
• Conversation time is when they arrive
Start at the ending Face down the demon
• Humour • Replant the plot to the new location
Work backwards Magery backfire
• Give an encounter more than one purpose “illusion of freewill”
Investigate mage collecting X
Need to get X themselves
• Plant clues in the new tangent Add a twist Hired by demon flunky so PCs
Features of the game Let the heroes lose will cause the backfire
• PC skills Steal player ideas if they discuss what could be next Plant clues to the twist
• PC classes If you’re stuck Give NPCs personalities
• Type, goals and plans of villain or enemy • Take time out Use averages for stats (max’s for bosses)
• Campaign setting terrain • Admit you haven’t planned for this Continuity
• The victims, employer, or story catalyst • Ask the players what they think you • Write stuff down
• PC equipment should do from here • Go for constant cinematic realism
• Rewards, treasure, magic items It’s OUR plot not MY plot Balance
• NPCs, relationships Encourage and describe feelings don’t state them • Start small then re-enforce
• Nature of missions, jobs, or adventures “chill runs down your spine” not “you’re afraid” • Overkill and have the PCs work out how to
• Technology Never force a player action (and if they’re being
back out
mind controlled, allow them to role play it.)
• Fudge dice rolls
• Let the PCs lose
 How Can I Funk With Their Minds Today
How to fix botched encounters Plot Twists - types Plot Twists – how to
Take a break Cosmetic changes only Divide into steps and twist each step
• Regroup your thoughts • Prince kidnapped by evil warlord • Encounter – make more interesting
• Talk to players about options Complete reversal • Plot – change nature of plot
Dream up ideas • Evil princess keeps wizard locked in • Campaign – change campaign features or
• Stream of consciousness tower PC motives
• Write How many ?! Change nature of props / scenery / extras
• Talk to players about options • 10 wizards trying to kidnap 1 princess • Appearance / Illusion
Give the encounter something new • 1 wizard trying to kidnap 10 princesses • Misdirection / misinformation / sabotage
• Hook • 10 wizards trying to kidnap 10 • Systems failure
• Give the encounter a purpose princesses – but only 1 counts • Wrong target
• Give the PCs something to fight for Bait and Switch Combine two stories
• See table of player wants • Someone or ones are not who they • Create story line A
• See encounters table appear to be (or think they are) • Create story line B
• Re-enforcement / new dangers Amateurs, Damn Amateurs • Work out why for each
Give the NPCS a new feature • Because of incompetence something’s • Swap the why’s and see what emerges
• Tactic gone wrong Don’t twist too often
• Go cinematic Humour – weird or funny side effect of plot Twist in PCs favour sometimes
Re describe scenery / props / extras • Princess wants to marry rescuer.
lights / camera / action Plot Hooks
Re introduce Clues Grab their attention
• State you’re going to try to make it more Use of clues • Dramatic
interesting • Any kind of mystery or secret • Threatening
• Sudden turn for worse or better • Reveal the powers of magic / technology • Confrontational
• Explainable change of features • Reveal special abilities of monsters/ foes • Serendipitous
• Foreshadowing / Use as warnings Point out there’s something in it for them
Things that make a campaign better • Use them as plot hooks • Healing
• Recurring NPCs • Turn a plotline into a character-driven • Information
• Hierarchy of Evil ™ interacting with PCs story: rather than having a bunch of • Revenge
• Foreshadowing and symbolism scheduled events which lead the PCs • Favours from friends, leverage over enemies
• PC / NPC / Plot / World development through the adventure, plant clues to • A present for a birthday
• Relationships generate player interest and desire to • Equipment
proceed
• An overall goal • A new skill, spell or tech
Define the secrets to be revealed
• Family
• Plot
Plot Features • Job/income
• NPC
NPC • New mystery to explore
• Hierarchy of Evil
• Background • Opportunity to roleplay
• Relationships
• How did they get from there to here Call to arms
• PC secrets
• Good at • Direct action towards them
Write down every clue you can think of
• Bad at • Thrill of the chase
• People Places Things
• Blind spots • Time limit on taking action
• Who What Why Where When How
• Evil aren’t all evil • Sixth sense fudge
• 6 senses
• Good aren’t all good Repeat for each sub clue
Give the players options
• Mundane aren’t all mundane • Or at least let them work out what’s
Work out which are:
• Looks / Mannerisms • Helpful
happening as their options dry up
Scenes and speeches • Adapt your hook so it happens anyway
• Essential
• Boxed text (player passive) • Distracting
“illusion of free will”
• Points you must get across Hook can happen to a PC – will provoke an action
Divide into:
• Hook can happen around a PC – provoke a reaction
Good turns of phrase • Clear and easy placement
• • Riot
Ideas of how to vary plot for predictable PC • Easy to improvise placement
induced alterations • Rumour
• Don’t know
Background • Background event
Highlight any essential don’t know clues so you
• People. Make it about the people • Foreground event
remember to look for how to get them in
• Who’s involved • Props / Scenery / Extras
• Motivations Choices • Grey areas of morality
• Interactions – with NPCs and PCs Don’t render PC choices meaningless Recycle existing game elements
• How to and what if they fail or succeed • If offered, make it matter
Clues, Leads, Plot hooks • If it won’t matter, skim over it Conflict – Narrow Focus Lens
• Flexibility • Point out there is a choice • Fight – direct confrontation / traps / capture
• Duplication and repetition Change the nature of the choices • Hide – avoid / divert attention / infiltrate
• Where When Why What Who How • ×/Ø Cost • Run – escape / buy time / chase
• ×/Ø Reward • Deal – negotiate / bluff / intimidate (blackmail)
Improvised Encounters • ×/Ø Available choices
When an improvised encounter is needed –the players • Link to another encounter/NPC/PC Conflict – Wide Focus Lens
are bored, or have done something unexpected, imagine • De-link to another encounter/… • Mislead – activities / goals / other interactions
• Most Obvious • Change how the choice affects the party • Investigate – dig up dirt / discover plot
• Most Surprising (mess with their goals • Change who in the party the choice • Competition for influence with third party
• Most Challenging /identity/worldview) affects • Taking Hostages – people / things / information
• Most Pleasing • Choice directly vs indirectly affects the • Call in the cavalry
And choose the one that will best please those involved party
 A Story is Made or Broken by its Villain
Villains Villain Tactics Interesting Villains
Goal Answering questions • The villain has a different view of good and evil
Motivation • Answer a question with a question • Things the party does wrong, the villain does right
Background to motivation • Villains can lie • Makes allies
Method • (and then follow up with a question) • Sides with the law when the party don’t
Look the part Ask a question then be silent. • Fixes the problems the players create => popular
Resources “He who speaks first looses” • Gathers intelligence
Ending Be on the PCs side… but • Gets there first
• Don’t tell them everything • Weakens PC / NPC relationships
Writing Effective Villains • Lie about objectives or outcomes • Strengthens their own
Don’t hold back • My enemy’s enemy is my enemy • Romantic attachment to party
Don’t overdo it Give the PCs (bad) choices not ultimatums • Villain is the source of
• As evil as needed for the story + assume the thing you want to be done will be • Services the players need
• True to type, plots and ideas done, and give choices about how to do it
• Info
• Don’t steal the limelight Manipulate the PCs
• Items
• Not all bad – still human foibles • Family
• Plot
• Blind spots • Occupation
• Fatal flaws • Relationships
• Likeable characteristics • Money
Order of villainy
Followers are expendable • Seducer
Have a line of reasoning behind methods
Plan the villains demise Treasure • Corrupter
• If the NPC has cool stuff, use it • Merchant
• Especially if it has shots • Torturer
Quick and Dirty Villains
Thinking • Murderer
Give the a % chance of success
Strengths and weaknesses • Monsters can use clever tactics
• • Maybe be nice to the players for a change
• Behavioural (intimidating stare, flinches easily) May figure out PCs tactics
• • Reputation for being wonderful
• Physical (incredible strength, poor vision) Can Bluff
• Be a thorn in PCs side just to be malicious
• Mental (always cool, genius, fear of snakes) Home field advantage / tactics
• Political (Emperor is ally, merchants are enemies) • Entrances
• Economic (healthy bank account, poor credit) • Escape routes NPC Goals
• Social (people never suspect, shy around ladies) • Alarm systems • Army (or avoid it)
• Military (large, well-trained army, poor general) • Barricades • Avoid attracting attention
• Family (mother is Queen, must protect his sons) • And traps on the barricades • Avoid becoming scapegoat
• Special (spells, the force, delusions of intuition) • Traps • Attract Attention
Point form plan • Deliberately misleading trails • Be as passive aggressive as possible
• Start at goal • Ambushes • Build a better mousetrap
• Work back to achievable • Guerrilla tactics • Defend against political enemies
• Now you have a plot • Split the PCs up • Dig up dirt on enemies
Create a number of the above • Secret passages allow the PCs to be • Family man
Mesh the plots together surrounded • Fix specific family problem
• If winning push on • Get a better job
Hierarchy of Evil Run away, revenge later • Gossip – either do or avoid
Decide on goal • If the PCs retreat, make them pay • Impress people
• Has to be something to interest the PCs Goals • Impress superiors
• Doesn’t have to be all bad or all selfish • Power and conquest • Impress the Joneses
• Can choose a good goal that will twist later • Safety / Self Defence • Keep my job
Arch villain • Greed and money • Make a little extra cash
• No single PC should able to defeat them • Achievement and prestige • Marriage
• PCs don’t have to know / recognise them • Seeking (forbidden) knowledge • Marry off children
Chief Lieutenants • Food (+ little effort) • Marry up
• Personal goal / motivation • Revenge • Money / Land
• Link to Arch Villain • Cubs • Obsession with hobby / job / person / goal
• Can be tougher to deal with than the Villain • Sympathy / love • Pass on my wisdom
• Arch Villain’s last line of defence • Compassion and conversation • Political standing
• Complex relationship with Arch Villain • Survival • Power
Cannon Fodder • Get the job done no matter what • Reputation
• Eyes / Ears • Religious Mania • Social Climb
• Mouth / Hands • Twisted code of honour • Social standing
• Lead PCs to the Lieutenants • Sheer Malevolence • Use job to get time for hobbies
• If they become a recurring NPC, This will define what the monsters are willing to • Wishing was in an alternate career
make them a Lieutenant sacrifice, and how they act.
Relationships Goals may change mid encounter Improvising NPC personas
• Cannon fodder want to become Lieutenants • Give any NPC a characteristic line or two. Even
• Lieutenants want to further own goals Antagonists if you never use this piece of prepared dialogue, it
/ become a power in their own right • Noble will help flesh out the character, and give you a
• Arch villain have complex relations with Lts • Likeable framework for their dialogue.
• Can be weaknesses the PCs can exploit • Friends • Give NPCs a (single) personality trait (list below)
Evil flunkies make their masters look bad • Can help heroes • Cast an Actor or book character to play the NPC
• PCs may hate the villains because of their • Can save heroes • Don’t use a persona you’ll regret when they
flunkies’ evil behaviour • Goals differ from heroes (inevitably) become a recurring character.
 Props - Scenery - Extras
City numbers Plain Mountain Cave Ocean
Town of 10,000 Crops Alp Catacomb Sea(side)
• 90 people per acre Down Bluff Cavern Deeps
• ½ mile diameter Field Cliff Chamber Main
• 3d mins to cross Grassland Crag Grotto Shallows
Heath Divide Labyr(inth) Strait
• 3 deaths, 3 births per week
Meadow Escarpment Maze Surf
Moor (Foot)Hill Network Bay
Town types Pasture Height Coast(line)
• College town Prairie Highland River Beach
• Agriculture / Fishing / Mining Savannah Peak Aqueduct (Fore)Shore
• Market / Trading / On a trade route Steppe Pinnacle Arroyo Waterfront
• Defence / Military / Tactical Tundra Range Brook
• Secondary industry Ridge Canal City
• Religion / Politics Swamp Slope Channel Burg
• Tourist / Historical by-product Bayou Table Land Creek Hamlet
Bog Fjord Metropolis
Town features and Buildings Delta Valley Flow Parish
Estuary Basin Rill Port
• College, School, Academy, University
Fen Canyon Runnel Settlement
• Library, Museum, Art Gallery, Historic Site
Mangrove Chasm Sound Shire
• Church, Monastery, Temple, Graveyard, Shrine Marsh Cleft Torrent Suburb
• Prison, Stocks, Cages, Police station, Law Courts Morass Crevasse Tributary Town(ship)
• Palace, Mansion, Residence, Stately Home Mudflat Dale Wadi Village
• Ancient relic (known or unknown), Ruins (Quag)Mire Dell Wash
• Monument to Monarch, Conqueror, God, Hero Quicksand Fissure Watercourse Castle
• Aqueduct, Viaduct, Sewers, Storm drains Slough Glen (Well)Spring Barracks
• Bridge (long, tall, pylons), Arches, Tunnels Wash Gorge (Water)Fall Bastion
• Subterranean Labyrinth (natural?) Wetland Gully Cascade Citadel
• Spring, Fountain, River, Lake, Dam Hollow Estate
• Gardens, Fields, Arenas, Playgrounds, Parks Forest Pass Lake Fastness
• Inn, Tavern, Cafe, Saloon, Way house Brush Precipice (Mill)Pond Fort(ress)
• Whorehouse, Gambling Dens, Seedy sections Copse Ravine Dam Fortification
• Crossroads, Town square, Town Hall Glade Rift Lough Garrison
• Warehouses, Docks, Ports, Quays, Factories Grove Vale Lock Keep
Jungle Mere Lodge
• Shops, Merchants, Markets, Bazaars
Rainforest Desert Overflow Manor
• Cafés, Restaurants, Food Halls, Roadside Vendors
Scrub Badlands Pool Motte and Bailey
• Guilds, Meeting halls, Council Chambers Taiga Desolation Lagoon Outpost
• City walls, Gates, other Defence structures Thicket Waste(land) Reservoir Palace
• Watchtowers, Lighthouse, Beacons Wood(land) Wilderness Tarn (Strong)Hold
• Entertainment, Play houses, Theatres, Buskers Dunes Waterhole (Watch)Tower

Personality Traits
• absent-minded • defiant • gullible • paranoid • slothful
• accommodating • dependent • happy-go-lucky • perky • smug
• ambitious • diplomatic • histrionic • petulant • soft-spoken
• angry • dissolute • honest • pious • stammering
• argumentative • distrustful • icy • plain-spoken • stoic
• authoritative • dithering • ideological • pretentious • stubborn
• awkward • down-to-earth • ignorant • puritanical • submissive
• bad tempered • dull • incapable • quiet • superstitious
• bland • eager • intimidating • rational • surly
• blithe • easy-going • inventive • rebellious • swaggering
• blunt • eloquent • irresponsible • reckless • taciturn
• broad-minded • emotional • joyous • resourceful • uncouth
• bureaucratic • energetic • kind • respectable • unfazeable
• cautious • enigmatic • licentious • responsible • unfriendly
• charming • excited • loud • retiring • unkempt
• childish • fearful • lustful • rugged • unpredictable
• cold • flamboyant • malicious • rustic • vacuous
• conceited • foolish • mean • sacrificing • violent
• confident • forgiving • meek • sarcastic • vivacious
• conservative • friendly • menacing • seductive • voracious
• contrary • generous • miserly • seething • wary
• controlling • gossipy • mournful • self-effacing • weird
• corrupt • graceful • narcissistic • selfish • whiny
• courageous • greedy • officious • self-righteous • wily
• curious • gregarious • overbearing • sleepy • wise
• deceitful • gruff • overconfident • slick • witty