diff --git a/gm.tex b/gm.tex index a9928ec5497642091eb47c3d75bafb86fccb3058..2fb0dbb3045962f3991250b342095581f16c95c3 100644 --- a/gm.tex +++ b/gm.tex @@ -85,18 +85,22 @@ Let's look at an example from a village area: \begin{enumerate} -\item{Villagers are burning a witch at the stake and will grab any known magic-user or elf in the party.} +\item{Villagers are burning a witch at the stake and will grab any known magic user or elf in the party.} \item{The party notice a group of elves sneaking up to a village. If they don't stop them, the elves attempt to set fire to various houses.} -\item{Watchmen arrive in the villages, with orders to kill all magic-users and elves on sight. Repeat.} +\item{Watchmen arrive in the villages, with orders to kill all magic users and elves on sight. Repeat.} \end{enumerate} Over the course of these three simple encounters the characters can learn that the villagers have taken to cutting down trees near a space sacred to the elves, and negotiations did not go well. +The elves are now trying to burn the humans out of the area. + +When springing this Side Quest on your players, you start with part 1, then do part 2, and so on, until the encounters have finished. +Some (such as this) finish on a loop, so the players can repeatedly encounter Watchmen in the village who will not take kindly to known magic users. + Notice that none of the encounters involve the party doing anything. If they don't want to engage in the plot, they can sit back and watch, except insofar as the villagers have a problem with them. -The encounter never ends here but repeats, as players find the place on lockdown by the new watchmen. One more example: @@ -113,6 +117,8 @@ One more example: The plot here is that the priest is using his ability to divine the future to capture criminals \emph{before} they commit crimes. The characters are now wanted by the guards who wander the villages, hunting for would-be criminals. +When the players enter the villages, they encounter a random Side Quest - perhaps the next part of the priest's story, perhaps the next part with the elves. + The first encounter combines with the next Side Quest (whatever it happens to be). This helps Side Quests integrate, and adds a little more action to would-be slow scenes. The second encounter move to the pile of town Side Quests, so it can only be randomly encountered there. @@ -122,10 +128,24 @@ Side Quests should never require characters going to a specific location, since If you want to run Side Quests as a secondary part of your game, you can just run them any time the group doesn't get a random encounter. If you want them to be the primary mover in your campaign, you can run a Side Quest every time the group enters a new area. -You can also make one plotline the \emph{primary} quest. +You can also make one plotline the \emph{primary} quest by making it longer than the others. However you run them, players should each receive 5 \gls{xp} for completing a Side Quest for each part it contained. A 2 part Side Quest grants 10 \gls{xp}, while a 4 part Side Quest grants 20 \gls{xp}. +\subsubsection{Anatomy of Side Quests} + +Side Quests often begin with an example to introduce the players to the scene. + +\begin{boxtext} + + As you sit down to write your first Side Quest, you are assaulted by a blank white page! + +\end{boxtext} + +After that, you'll find details such as the \glspl{npc}, with their stats and motives. + +After the Side Quests have finished, you'll find details of any locations relevant to the Side Quests. + \end{multicols} \section{\glsentrytext{gm} Suggestions} @@ -147,7 +167,6 @@ You can give a good pace to combat by hollaring the Initiative count. \end{quote} Nothing has actually happened by this point, but it sets the scene nicely. -Players can find a handy initiative track at the side of their character sheet, counting from 18 downwards. \begin{quote} @@ -158,6 +177,8 @@ Players can find a handy initiative track at the side of their character sheet, \end{quote} The initiative continues down quickly at all times, and the count always provides a sense of urgency. +If players don't notice it's their turn when you're shouting, that's 1 Initiative point lost. +Do it once, and they'll never make the same mistake again. \subsection{Damage, Death \& Dismemberment}