Plot tools
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.
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.
- Nations
- Imperial institutions
- Internal threats
- Barbarians
- Foreign powers
- Eternals and realms
- Imperial history
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.
- NPC Briefs
- Player Packs
- Ribbons
- Money, Resources & Cards
- Field NPCs
- Letters
- Divinations
- Bestiary