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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rechan" data-source="post: 4113244" data-attributes="member: 54846">I came up with a fun method for creating plots for intrigue-based games. This includes Pulp, Noir, or any game where you have multiple organizations or entities that can cross paths during the course of the adventure. I will use Standard Fantasy elements for this, but it's easy to do with contemporary, or Nobles, Spy games, and mysteries. I fully admit that this just came to me, and that it's likely been done before. Really it's just a variation of a plot web, or brainstorm bubbling, but even so, I'm excited so I'll write it out. Step 1: PC cardsYou need PCs with a little bit of background, preferably background that is tied to anything within your setting. Take an index card, or a cut piece of note book paper, and write the PC's name on it. Then underneath, write certain things affiliated with the PC's background and identity. Let's take Kars the Wizard for example: KarsWizard of Order of the Blackened CoinMentor: Talsthana of RavendaleSecret: Grandfather consorted with demons. Magical Power Source? Step 2: NPC cardsAsk yourself, "In the course of this campaign, who do I want the PCs to meet, fight, and ally with?" Write down various organizations, governments, NPCs, and bad guys on some index cards. This could range from "Lord Efnar" to "Archdevil Demigorgon". For an example, here's a few:Talsthana of Ravendale. Oculos Sinister (Enemy of The Order of the Blackened Coin). It's okay if you aren't absolutely certain who all those individuals should be. You could leave the affiliations blank, and not give a lot of clues as to who the NPC or organization is until you decide to flesh it out. Such as "Assassins w/ poisonous thorn tattoo".In addition to the cards above, write in "Wild Card". This could constitute anything from another PC's aspect, to an honest NPC seeking the PC's expertise, to "Wildfire in area you're in". Step 3: Deal the PlotThis is the step I'm still putting together, but here's what I have in mind.Shuffle the PC and NPC cards into separate decks. Draw two NPC cards. Then a PC card.The first is the Plot Group card; the group or badguy that the plot revolves around. Second is the Other Group card. This means that somehow, the second group has entrenched themselves into the plot. Finally, the PC card, is the Complication card. Take an aspect from the PC's card, and have that come to bite the PC.ExampleThis will be a Kars-specific plot, because he's my sample PC card. However, I encourage you to have your PC card not be the same as all the plot elements, just so it feels more engaging, conflicting, and makes everyone at the table feel their character is relevant every adventure.Let us say that I drew the Oculus Sinister card, Talsthana of Ravendale, and Kas's card. Oculus Sinister is our Plot Group card. They are enemy to Kars's order, and are up to something. Let's say they are digging up an ancient artifact that allows the harnessing of storms to give extra power to their spellcasting. Somehow in the course of wandering around, Kars has discovered they are in the area doing something, and being a PC, he investigates. Talsthana of Ravendale is our Other Group card. Perhaps she is betraying the Order of the Blackened Coin by giving information to the leader of Oculus Sinister. She is on-site at the time. She, hearing that Kars is in the area, works to slow him down, give him mis-information, or otherwise try to complicate the situation because she doesn't want to mess up her relationship with her once apprentice, and still keep her deal with Oculus Sinister.Kars is our Complication Card. Looking at his card, I see an interesting aspect: his grandfater consorted with demons, and that might be the source of his power. Conveniently, the other PCs do not know this. So I create Saarthan, Knight of St. Athmas, Demon Hunter. He has discovered Kars's family secret, and has been hunting the wizard.So, we have Kars investigating Oculus Sinister's plot. Talsthana somehow works in the background. And, during the course of the adventure, Saarthan shows up when it's inconvenient for the PCs, confronting Kars about his demon-tainted magic, and wishes to put him under an Inquisition (by force if necessary) to discern the extent of his demonic association. Oculus Sinister may have put Saarthan up to this, or Oculus Sinister, unrelated to demonic things, is not something Saarthas is concerned about. Talsthana could even sic Saarthan on Kars, as a diversion or stalling tactic, while she gets out of dodge. Or, she could offer to help him with Saarthan, in exchange for an end to Kars's hampering with Oculus Sinister.As you can see, the plot is nice and convoluted, with three different groups. But each part is either developed from the PC's background, or the DM's choice in what entities he wants to pop up in his plots.</blockquote>

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