WhooHoo! Today I am celebrating one month of postings to this blog. I know that you, the hypothetical reader cares only slightly less than I do, but given my previous track record of 12 posts in over 2 years: I see this achievement as more of a personal victory over my own procrastination than anything else.
The Future
In 18 days is the release of D&D 4th edition, to which I hope to post a review that first day. I also plan to post several NPC (with 4th ed stat blocks) shortly thereafter. It is my intention to make use of the generic base npc templates for quick characterization and plot incorporation.
Shortly I will to make several posts on a couple world ideas that I hope would be useful as starting points for peoples' new 4th edition games. They include:
Timeless
Clock world
Incarnate
Faithless
Fractured
All of the worlds will reflect the new "points of light" theme of 4th ed but will otherwise be system neutral.
I also plan to post some more generic NPC and Plots that are instances of the Base NPC's but are more tied to a setting. As well as additional suggestions on how to use the Base NPC and plots in writing and game design.
That is all for now.
Thanks for reading,
Snork
--
Snorkey: needs to create some more random generators
2008/05/20
The One Month Mark
2008/05/19
Generic Story Plot 00006
Main Character
Description: A soldier trying to get ahead.
Past: Is married to a spouse from a wealthy and powerful family.
Wants: To live happily ever after.
Strength: The Soldier is deeply in love with the spouse.
Weakness: The spouse is unhappy with their partnership with the person.
Obstacle to "wants": A third party wants to become involved with the spouse (they see the spouses unhappiness).
Act I
Premise: The third party attempts to eliminate the Soldier through a fourth party.
Circumstances: The person is recovering from an injury when agents for the third party attempt to cause harm to the person.
Start of action/"wants": The heroes are visiting someone who is also receving medical assistance when the attack occurs. .
Plot point: The soldier is further injured.
Act II
Low point: The soldier is nearly killed by agents of the third party.
Plot point: A revelation that the third party is the superior of the soldier.
Act III
Climax: A confrontation with the third party, the spouse and the soldier.
Denouement Political/social consequences from the heroes’ involvement in the events.
This is based upon a tarot generator found on Abulafia .
2008/05/18
Generic Story Plot 00005
Main Character
Description: A youth with romantic intent.
Past: The Mother of the person once had a reputation in society as being ruthless and willing to break anyone to get what she wanted.
Wants: The Person is romantically interested in the child of a moneylender. The moneylender, of course objects to the formation of a relationship very strongly. The child is romantically interested in a third party. The parent also objects to the third person.
Strength: The person is very socially connected.
Weakness: The person lacks material wealth and resources. They also lack caution.
Obstacle to "wants": The moneylender has a moderate organization and a large amount of wealth with which to foil the young romantic. The child not interested in the person. The home and workplace of the moneylender is very secure.
Premise: The money lender introduces a hero to their child and the youth becomes intensely jealous of the hero.
Circumstances: The meeting occurs in a public but confined (like a restaurant or similar).
Start of action/"wants": The person arranges for the hero to be embarrassed through the actions of a servant.
Plot point: The person will taunt and threaten the hero in a safe (for the person) manner.
Low point: The money lender is financially harmed by the person. The person attempts to harm the hero politically/legally (by calling in a favor).
Plot point: The Person further taunts and threatens the hero (via the same “safe” mechanism as before).
Climax: The person attempts to “rescue” the child from their parent. If this succeeds, then the rejection by the child causes the person to try to harm the hero.
Denouement: The persons interests turn to another hero.
This is based upon a tarot generator found on Abulafia .
2008/05/17
The Murder Mystery Paradox
The same goes for Players (and thus their characters, the heroes) and plots: Players will assign all of the wrong doing that happens to whoever is the most apparent villain in your story. By combining and merging plot lines into the same time line the GM can create a very complex appearing plot with relative ease.
2008/05/16
Generic Story Plot 00004
Main Character
Description: An Arrogant scholar.
Past: Married into their advanced position by becoming engaged to the establishments’ leader’s only child.
Wants: The spouses’ parents position at the establishment.
Strength: The person has extensive connections to the body that decides who manages the educational establishment.
Weakness: The persons plans seem to suffer from “bad luck” and have a way of failing dramatically.
Obstacle to "wants": The establishment’s leader is grooming the person to be there replacement (in several years). The leading body is largely behind this plan.
Act I
Premise: The person’s spouse is concerned that the persons’ actions may damage their reputations and chances of success.
Circumstances: The spouse covertly contacts the heroes through a blind drop, or agent.
Start of action/"wants": The heroes are requested to help ensure that the persons’ latest plan fails quietly, instead of dramatically.
Plot point: The person’s actions are exposed to the heroes.
Act II
Low point: Dismissal by the scholar, preceding their continued action on their plot to destroy the establishments’ leader.
Plot point: The establishments’ leader becomes terribly ill.
Act III
Climax: The role of the spouse is exposed, a parent is rescued, and the person may receive rewards or justice.
Denouement: The establishment is restored, or diminished.
This is based upon a tarot generator found on Abulafia .
2008/05/15
Generic Story Plot 00003
Main Character
Description: A person of no wealth or means.
Past: The Person was once successful until a series of poor choices lead them to financial and social ruin.
Wants: They plan to destroy a local business person whom wronged them.
Strength: The person is slow, deliberate, and very resourceful. The victim is a creature of habit.
Weakness: The person is blinded by anger. The desire to destroy the victim is overwhelming and will be pursued at any cost.
Obstacle to "wants": The victim is planning a trip and will become unreachable in a very short time.
Premise: The heroes become collateral damage from an act of sabotage by the person.
Circumstances: The heroes are at the victims place of business attempting to acquire or dispose of something of value.
Start of action/"wants": The item that the heroes desire goes missing in the chaos of the sabotages aftermath. This is after the paid for or before they receive payment for the item.
Plot point: Casual examination of the evidence may lead the heroes to believe that the victim was trying to cheat them. The victim goes missing.
Low point: A child informs and presents evidence of that the victim is not responsible.
Plot point: More “bad luck” for the business persons interests and family, including the murder of an innocent third person, apparently by the victims only child.
Climax: The confrontation between the heroes, the person, and the victim in an abandoned place.
Denouement: Restoration of the victim, restitution or replacement is given for the desired item.
2008/05/14
Generic Story Plot 00002
Main Character
Description: A faithful person in a troubled land.
Past: New to the area, the person sees corruption and wishes to restore faith and integrity to the land.
Wants: The person wishes to establish their faith in this area.
Strength: The person is very well financed and very strong.
Weakness: The person was previously involved in a devastating series of scandals.
Obstacle to "wants": The person perceives threats from several organizations, while these threats are not real; the persons’ actions may cause those organizations to work in opposition to the person. Those that know of the person’s dark past will also be seen as threats.
Premise: The Heroes witness the verbal assault by followers of the person upon a family.
Circumstances: The child of the family has circumstantial evidence of past wrong doing by the person.
Start of action/"wants": A visit to the construction sight of a new religious building.
Plot point: The person’s agents bring legal action against another, well established, religious organization.
Low point: A riot of faithful.
Plot point: The brokering of a meeting between the various involved parties.
Climax: Confrontation between the organizations will end in disaster unless the heroes act.
Denouement: A land at peace or in flames depending upon the actions/inactions of the heroes.
2008/05/13
Generic Story Plot 00001
Main Character
Description: A leader of an Organization.
Past: The country has been plagued by internal turmoil and corruption.
Wants: To “clean house”: they are planning to remove the corrupt elements within the organization.
Strength: They are patent, cautious, and careful. The person plans to have the purge occur over several months to a few years. Hopefully before the corrupt elements do too much more damage.
Weakness: The Leaders’ agents are, for the most part, the same people that the leader is trying to remove, but work for a third external organization.
Obstacle to "wants": The corrupt elements are well organized and entrenched; any evidence of wrong doing will point to an expendable underling.
Premise: The Heroes are introduced to a person who is the victim of false evidence of wrong doing. The evidence was planted by individuals who are in the person’s organizational superiors.
Circumstances: The person has been working within the limits of the organization and has managed to achieve great works. If the false evidence comes to light then all of their past good works would become suspect; causing damage to the persons, the leaders’ and the organizations reputation.
Start of action/"wants": Agents for the leader contact the heroes and offer assistance in planting counter evidence against the superior.
Plot point: The superior is getting married and the agents suggest that by turning this event into a social disaster, the superior will be totally destroyed.
Low point: The leader’s agents turn upon the heroes.
Plot point: A servant of the leader brokers a meeting between the heroes and the Leader.
Climax: The Apparent power behind the Agents is revealed and the agent’s source of power is destroyed by the actions of the heroes.
Denouement: The spouse of the leader (the true power behind the agents) departs and goes into hiding.
2008/05/12
BaseNPC00023
| Core Concept: | Street harden criminal. |
| Appearance: | Sharply dress but with a horrible complexion and very little hair. |
| Personality: | Very Friendly, if a bit shallow. |
| Family: | Troubled, the spouse doesn't appreciate time that the person spends away. |
| Friends: | The person's friends are numerous and dangerous. |
| Enemies: | The person considers their patron, a person of great wealth and power to be "in their way" and wishes to eliminate them. |
| Formative Exp: | An early encounter with a law enforcer has lead to their current violent life. |
| Party Ties: | The person is connected to the heroes though a third party who is in partnership with the person and the heroes. |
| Fears/Dreams: | The person is torn between home life and their chosen life, the loss of ether is not tolerable. |
| Hobbies/Interests: | As a nervous habit the person will fold and refold paper sculptures until they fall apart into so much confetti. |
| Blind spots/Breaking Points: | The person has a vision of the future, and is working toward that vision as they believe is best. They cannot see repercussions that stem from their actions that do not lead to the vision. |
| History: | The person was betrayed by a friend but was discovered and the friend was punished by the person. This still haunts the person. |
| Home: | The activities of the person have placed a strain upon their relationship. |
| Relationships: | To the person there are only two types of people: those that have power and those who follow power. They are respectful to those with power and disdainful to people that follow them. |
| Agendas: | The person wants to be in charge. |
| Motivation: | They do not like to have people with power over them. |
| Plot Hook 1: | The organizations leader introduces the Heroes to the person in hopes that the heroes will bring the person back into line. |
| Plot Hook 2: | The heroes encounter the young child of the person, who gives them a gift. The item is very important to the person. |
| Plot Hook 3: | The person requests the heroes' assistance in a plot to diminish the organization's leader. |
| Plot Hook 4: | The person has decided to assist the Heroes in their current venture. They will exercise all the care and delicacy of a bull in a china shop. |
2008/05/11
BaseNPC00022
| Core Concept: | Recovering Law Enforcer |
| Appearance: | In a casual setting their presentation will be clean and well kept; in a professional setting they will be in attire appropriate to their profession. They tend to keep their hair a bit longer than is normally acceptable. |
| Personality: | Reserved but friendly. They consider themselves law abiding yet ever so slightly above the law. |
| Family: | They have an ailing sibling that they are caring for. |
| Friends: | They have a wide circle of friends that are supportive and generally caring. |
| Enemies: | Their own fame and success have brought with them scrutiny and may expose their past deeds. |
| Formative Exp: | In their youth, in a moment of haste and anger they did a something that is socially unacceptable, possibly criminal. The deed its self is not generally known but the person fears exposure. |
| Party Ties: | The person has been following the public (and a few private) exploits of the heroes and has become somewhat enamored with one of them. |
| Fears/Dreams: | They dream of success and fear the return of their father. |
| Hobbies/Interests: | They engage in a common sport that demands much skill, but less stamina or strength. |
| Blind spots/Breaking Points: | They believe that one particular subset of society or culture is ether above the law or responsible for all wrong doings. |
| History: | In addition to the aforementioned trouble, there is an semi-active investigation into the event that they participated in. |
| Home: | The ailing sibling is verbally abusive and mentally domineering. |
| Relationships: | The person is genuinely friendly, but very reserved about personal details. |
| Agendas: | To cure the sibling; catch the criminals; and ensure that details of their involvement in the event never come to light. |
| Motivation: | They have a drive to undo the wrongs that they feel that both they and their father have done. |
| Plot Hook 1: | The father seeks the heroes' assistance in contacting this person. |
| Plot Hook 2: | The heroes witness the mistreatment of the person at the hands of the ill sibling in a semi public setting. |
| Plot Hook 3: | The person believes that the heroes are responsible or connected to some criminal activity; based upon information they were given by a third party. |
| Plot Hook 4: | New information has come to light in the event that the person participated in, and the person is taking measures to insure that it goes back into the darkness. |