Empire

Plot tools

(Created page with "==Introduction== The main wiki describes a set of plot guidelines - but these are really a set of rules for things not to do. There is a lot of advice on what to avoid writing...")
 
 
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The main wiki describes a set of plot guidelines - but these are really a set of rules for things not to do. There is a lot of advice on what to avoid writing - and it is important for aspiring plot writers to ensure that they had read these guidelines - but there is almost nothing on what you can write, or more importantly what tools exist to write plot with. That information is described here.
The main wiki describes a set of plot guidelines - but these are really a set of rules for things not to do. There is a lot of advice on what to avoid writing - and it is important for aspiring plot writers to ensure that they had read these guidelines - but there is almost nothing on what you can write, or more importantly what tools exist to write plot with. That information is described here.


This is a big document - there is a lot here! The previous game we ran had something of a shortage of interesting elements to create plot with. For this reason, when Empire was created we made a conscious effort to fill it with as many plot elements as we could possibly manage.
There is a lot to read here! The previous game we ran had something of a shortage of interesting elements to create plot with. For this reason, when Empire was created we made a conscious effort to fill it with as many plot elements as we could possibly manage.


I've split this loosely into three sections, but I suspect it will end up being a set of linked documents.
==Incomplete==
The material listed on this page is incomplete - the section on campaign elements is complete and the first half of the structural elements have been written, but the remainder is blank. It's not clear if this material has ever proved of any benefit to anyone - so I haven't made time to complete it. If there is a specific section that is currently incomplete that would be useful, please let me know and I'll look at trying to write that section.


==Campaign Elements==
==Campaign Elements==
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To make this process viable, the Empire setting is filled with scores of ''campaign elements'', things that exist in the world that can be used as base elements for plots.
To make this process viable, the Empire setting is filled with scores of ''campaign elements'', things that exist in the world that can be used as base elements for plots.
===Imperial Institutions===
====The Senate====
=====Titles=====
=====Research Projects=====


====The Military Council====
* [[Nations]]
====The Bourse====
* [[Imperial institutions]]
====The Conclave====
* [[Internal threats]]
====The Synod====
* [[Barbarians]]
 
* [[Foreign powers]]
====The Civil Service====
* [[Eternals and realms]]
====The Tavern====
* [[Imperial history]]
====The Academy====
 
===National Structures===
====Egregores====
====Bards====
 
===Internal Threats===
These are enemies that exist within the borders of the Empire. Most of these groups are closely tied to one or more nations (for example, the Feni are mostly active in the Marches) but they are intended to be used as threats to any nation - the Feni have effected the Brass Coast already, and it is easy to see how they might cause trouble in Wintermark, for the Navarr, or in Dawn.
====Bandits====
====Sovereigns====
====Feni====
====Secret Societies====
====Trolls====
====Vallorn====
====Volodny====
 
===Cults===
 
===The Barbarians===
====Jotun====
====Thule====
====Druj====
====Grendel====
 
===The Realms===
===The Bestiary===
 
===Foreigners===
====Local Foreigners====
Axos, Faraden, Skoura, the Iron Confederaxy, Xira
====Distant Foreigners====
The Sumaah Republic, The Asavaen Archipelago, the Commonwealth, the Principalities of Jarm, the Sarcophan Delves
 
===History===
====Recent History====
====Imperial History====
====Pre-imperial History====


==Structural Elements==
==Structural Elements==
As a LRP game, Empire has a defined format that provides a number of structural elements that can be used to develop plot. These structural elements include opportunities to introduce, develop or resolve plot - like quests and battles, potential sources of plot through backgrounds and skills, and various mechanisms for plot delivery that I have loosely called economics.
As a LRP game, Empire has a defined format that provides a number of structural elements that can be used to develop plot. These structural elements include opportunities to introduce, develop or resolve plot - like quests and battles, potential sources of plot through backgrounds and skills, and various mechanisms for plot delivery that I have loosely called economics.


===War===
A good knowledge of the structural elements of Empire will help to make it easier to create plot that runs smoothly at events and that links up with the things that players can actually '''do'''.
====Battles====
 
====Skirmishes====
* [[War]]
====Quests====
* [[Backgrounds]]
* [[Economics]]
* [[Magic]]
* [[Religion]]


===Backgrounds===
==Logistical Elements==
====Group backgrounds====
Every LRP event includes a number of logistical elements - these are the functional elements from which the game is built. NPCs, ribbons, money, etc. A good understanding of what logistical elements exist, how they are put together and how you can use them will help make it easier to write and run plot.
====Character backgrounds====
====Character skills====


===Economics===
*[[Player Packs]]
====Downtime====
*[[How_To_Make_Ribbons]]
====Skills====
*[[Quests]]
====Magical Items====
*[[Money, Resources & Cards]]
*[[Field NPCs]]
*[[Letters]]
*[[Divinations]]
*[[Bestiary]]


==Logistical Elements==
<!--
It is not enough to write plot, it needs to be run at events. You may be content to allow others to run their plot, or you may prefer to be more hands on briefing NPCs and getting the the props, resources and costumes they require for them. Whatever level of involvement you have, it helps to appreciate what the logistical process is - and what elements are involved. There is no point creating a plot that involves a thousand orcs parachuting into Anvil - the logistical elements do not exist to run this plot.
===Civil Service===
===NPC Briefs===
===Egregores & Bards===
===Battle Scenarios===
===Tavern===
===Skirmish Team===
===NPC Team===


===Player Packs===
===Ribbons===
===Money, Resources & Cards===
===NPCs===
====Civil Service====
====Egregores & Bards====
====Tavern====
====Skirmish Team====
====NPC Team====
===Letters===
===Divination===
Empire has a number of rituals that can be used by players to gain information about a situation, item or place. Two rituals bear special mention - [[EmpireWiki:Whispering Shadow Courtiers|Whispering Shadow Courtiers]] and [[EmpireWiki:Signs and Portents|Signs and Portents]] can be used to seed information or story hooks into the game directly.
Empire has a number of rituals that can be used by players to gain information about a situation, item or place. Two rituals bear special mention - [[EmpireWiki:Whispering Shadow Courtiers|Whispering Shadow Courtiers]] and [[EmpireWiki:Signs and Portents|Signs and Portents]] can be used to seed information or story hooks into the game directly.


[[Category:Plot]]
-->
 
{{Plot Further Reading}}

Latest revision as of 14:54, 13 June 2016

Introduction

The main wiki describes a set of plot guidelines - but these are really a set of rules for things not to do. There is a lot of advice on what to avoid writing - and it is important for aspiring plot writers to ensure that they had read these guidelines - but there is almost nothing on what you can write, or more importantly what tools exist to write plot with. That information is described here.

There is a lot to read here! The previous game we ran had something of a shortage of interesting elements to create plot with. For this reason, when Empire was created we made a conscious effort to fill it with as many plot elements as we could possibly manage.

Incomplete

The material listed on this page is incomplete - the section on campaign elements is complete and the first half of the structural elements have been written, but the remainder is blank. It's not clear if this material has ever proved of any benefit to anyone - so I haven't made time to complete it. If there is a specific section that is currently incomplete that would be useful, please let me know and I'll look at trying to write that section.

Campaign Elements

Empire is a closed world - that means that everything that exists in the world is known of - if not about. In Empire we can't introduce a race of giants - because we want one for a plot - giants don't exist in the world and the whole concept of a closed world is to preclude the ad hoc creation of new things. The closed world of Empire is described in great detail on the wiki.

Ideally, this should channel our imagination, rather than limiting it. For example, we can't suddenly create a brand new Imperial institution, the Forgers - and claim they have always been there. But there is an Imperial Mint in the setting - if we want to run a plot about forgery (please don't!) - we could use the Mint and create a dishonest NPC who works for the Mint.

To make this process viable, the Empire setting is filled with scores of campaign elements, things that exist in the world that can be used as base elements for plots.

Structural Elements

As a LRP game, Empire has a defined format that provides a number of structural elements that can be used to develop plot. These structural elements include opportunities to introduce, develop or resolve plot - like quests and battles, potential sources of plot through backgrounds and skills, and various mechanisms for plot delivery that I have loosely called economics.

A good knowledge of the structural elements of Empire will help to make it easier to create plot that runs smoothly at events and that links up with the things that players can actually do.

Logistical Elements

Every LRP event includes a number of logistical elements - these are the functional elements from which the game is built. NPCs, ribbons, money, etc. A good understanding of what logistical elements exist, how they are put together and how you can use them will help make it easier to write and run plot.


Further Reading

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