randomling said:
So what are the elements of plot building? What are the steps to building a good plot, and how do you get ideas in the first place?
Taking as read that not all RPG campaigns need to have plots at all, the elements of a plot are:
(1) The protagonist(s). That is, the character(s) that the story is about. The protagonists in an RP adventure are almost always the PCs. When you are more experienced you might want to run an occasional adventure in which the PCs are point-of-view characters, but the story is really about someone else. But this takes a sure touch, and for the moment I suggest that you stick to running adventures that are about the PCs.
(2) The antagonist. That is, the character that the protagonist struggles against. The important thing about antagonists is that the participants should be able to understand *why* he or she struggles. He may repulse us, he may puzzle us, but he should never forcibly remind us that he is a fictional construct.
(3) The conflict. This has to be, or grow to be, a struggle between the protagonist and the antagonist.
(4) The crucible. This is the constraining force that prevents the protagonist (or the antagonist, for that matter) from saying 'This struggle is too much. I think I'll move to Gautemala and ranch avocadoes'.
(5) Steadily rising conflict. The conflict should rise a step at a time, with no character making an impalusible over-reaction. It shouldn't have sudden jumps, and it shouldn't sag in the middle.
(6) Crisis. Conflict should reach the level at which the protagonist is (at least) prepared to go the final yard, to break the rules, make sacrifices, to change, to do whatever it takes to win.
(7) Theme. People are interested in stories because of a primitive urge to learn from the experiences or opinions of others. What is the point that this story teaches?
When I plan a plot-driven campaign, the plan looks like this:
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ANALYSIS OF ELEMENTS
Setting:
Place: Gehennum. A tropical archipelago on a watery fantasy world. Populous. Technologically advanced (clockwork). Wealthy. Involute. Horse-less.
Time: Three years after the end of a bitter war of succession. The regime is unpopular, and has conducted extensive purges.
Protagonists:
Three young men of great ability, but no position or connection, idle in the capital.
* Arion the Namer
- A capable magician, born in slavery and now a metic.
- An earnest proponent of the Balance, ambitious to promote
the responsible use of magic.
* Thasaedon Choramar
- A leshy warrior, and uncle-by marriage of the Emperor.
- Fervent to avenge the political murder of his wife.
* Nimrod of Bethan
- Son of a concubine of the Duke of Bethan, raised to be his
legitimate half-brother's herald.
- In 'exile' after a quarrel with his brother.
Antagonist:
* Regikhord IV, Emperor of Gehennum.
- Charming but intemperate. Jealous of absolute power, but
frivolous and idle. Wishes to be a popular ruler, and also
'great'.
Core conflict:
A struggle for the fate of Regikhord's estranged wife and daughter, Lesterra of the Blessed Isles and Princess Lysandra of Gehennum.
Crucible:
For Regikhord: the divorce and succession laws, and the humiliation he would suffer if he were cuckolded. He cannot get rid of his despised wife without it meaning her death. And he must control his daughter to control the succession.
For the protagonists: their gallant, sentimental, and (perhaps) romantic feelings for the Empress and Princess.
Theme:
"Greatness is like a butterfly: the more you pursue it, the more it shall elude you. But if you set diligently about some other work, it will come an rest upon your shoulder."
Tone:
Bold, brightly-coloured, and larger-than life. A 'twisted' fairy-tale, with frequent nudity, occasional graphic violence, sex, sexual references, and 'adult concepts'.
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ANTAGONIST'S APPRECIATION
History:
Regikhord was the eldest son of the eldest son of Emperor Aristarkes II, but his father predeceased his grandfather, who left his signet to Regikhord's uncle, Hyrkanthes. Trusting to support from nobles who were opposed to a bequeathable monarchy and from the provincial cities against Hyrkanthes's powerbase in the army and the capital, Regikhord raised a rebellion and claimed the throne. That was nine years ago. Things went badly at first, and Regikhord was driven into the east, Hyrkanthes securing the west and the central isles. But suddenly Jasper of Souvenir, a noble of no account to that time, appeared in the west with a private army and destroyed Hyrkanthes's garrisons. He laid siege to the capital, and when Hyrkanthes hurried back to relieve it, killed him in battle. Regikhord won the throne by default. That was six years ago, and in the time since, Jasper has secured Regikhord's position by executing hundreds of disloyal nobles, politicians, and members of the Imperial family.
Regikhord is 37. He secretly began a son, Telman, on a palace slave when he was fifteen, and has had the boy raised as a gentleman on an estate near Hospis. Regikhord made an arranged marriage at 20 to a foreign princess, Lesterra of the Blessed Isles. They had to live as husband and wife while Aristarkes was in charge, and have a sixteen-year-old daughter, Lysandra. Regikhord put Lesterra away when Aristarkes died. When he laid claim to the throne, he placed his wife and child in a secure fortress. During the Civil War, he had to move them from castle to castle. When he secured the throne, he charged Lesterra with adultery, but the Senate chose to accept Lesterra's word on oath above Regikhord's (suborned) evidence. For the last five years, Lesterra and Lysandra have been banished to Morglay with an amazon guard. Morglay is an atoll with no indiginous population- so there are no men on it.
Regikhord's harsh treatment of Lesterra is, although he does not appreciate it, the chief cause of his unpopularity.
Situation:
Regikhord is Emperor of Gehennum. But he is not an absolute ruler.
1) He depends for the security of his regime on Jasper of Souvenir, whom he must employ as Marshal. But Jasper's bloody purges excite as much dissent as they destroy, postponing, rather than preventing, rebellion.
2) He requires the assent of the Senate and the Assembly of Mayors to make laws, and since they have learned that Jasper will not punish them for negative votes, they block all his Bills.
3) He requires the permission of the Senate and the Assembly of Mayors to levy taxes, and they will not give this assent. Regikhord is able to run those parts of the government that interest him out of shield-money and ship-money receipts, the income of his estates, and the profits of a rich silver mine near Mount Taygetos. He is even able to build a vast New Palace outside Thekla. But he cannot (will not) fund public building programs and the mere duties of government out of his private income. The government is, therefore, in something of a state of paralysis, and the cities are resuming functions handed over to the Empire in previous reigns.
Regikhord despises his wife, Lesterra
1) Lesterra will not consent to a divorce, because divorced she would be no longer Empress, and therefore would have no protection against Regikhord's arbitrary powers.
2) Lesterra will not flee, because she is afraid that that would put her legally in the wrong, and Regikhord would divorce her.
3) Regikhord cannot divorce Lesterra against her will. To do so, he would need to prove infidelity. Infidelity to the Emperor is high treason. High treason carries the death penalty. As Empress, Lesterra is a noble. Nobles are entitled to the protection of a trial by the Senate. The Senate is full of men who are inclined to disoblige Regikhord because they want to (re-)establish Senatorial authority over the Emperor, because Jasper killed their relatives, because they are dis-satisfied with the rewards they have gotten after supporting Regikhord in the Civil War, because they side with Lesterra, thinking her a victim... Jasper will not punish a Senator for a disobliging vote in the Senate, nor even a speech that is not openly seditious.
4) Jasper refuses to have Lesterra discreetly murdered, and since Regikhord suggested it has been taking steps to prevent any assassins from getting to Morglay (Lesterra's place of banishment).
5) While Lesterra is alive, undivorced, and unsubmissive, Regikhord cannot beget a legitimate son. The rest of the Imperial family has been exterminated in the wars, or executed by Jasper. Whomsoever marries Lysandra will eventually succeed to the throne.
Goals:
1) To be generally respected and obeyed as an Emperor should
2) To maintain the dignity of an emperor, to gain face
3) To be a popular emperor
4) To be a great emperor
5) To build a startlingly luxurious palace, hunt, play at athletics, cut a figure at grand balls, have lots of sex with a variety of beautiful women and boys, and not be bothered with tedious duties
6) To be rid of Lesterra
7) To establish Telman and his descendants in dignity and comfort
8) To be succeeded on the throne by a son.
Available resources:
1) The power to appoint the Imperial Council (Primate, Chancellor, Marshal, Treasurer, Herald, and Court Mage), qualified by the fact that Jasper must be given the authority of Marshal to enable him to continue his secret police work.
2) The services of Jasper of Souvenir, Jasper the Terrible, who will protect Regikhord's regime, even though he will not co-operate with certain schemes.
3) The enthusiastic support of Jokanan of Harmon, Regikhord's charismatic Treasurer, onetime mentor, sometime lover, and partner in previous disgraceful adventures, a man who seems almost to revel in scandalous deeds.
4) The complaisance of the court mage, Gestar, who is prepared to perform questionable magics in the Imperial service, no questions asked. He is aging, and probably tempted by necromancy- and trying to make Regikhord willing to wink at future black magic.
5) Vast, unaccountable funds.
6) The attachment of the political Opposition to Lesterra.
7) The fact that Lesterra's place of banishment is isolated.
8) Vast popular sympathy for Lesterra and Lysandra.
9) The mystique and authority of the Throne.
10) A son no-one knows about except Jokanan, who does not even know his own antecedents: Telman. Telman is of age, and has come to Thekla to pursue a military/political career.
11) Ready and secret access to Lesterra's and Lysandra's old wardrobes, curios, and personal effects.
Obstacles:
1) Jasper's scrupulous intransigence.
2) Strong political opposition at all levels except among the provincial landowners. Especially in the Senate, the Assembly of Mayors, and the government of the capital, Thekla.
3) Lesterra's legal privileges as Empress.
4) The fact that Lesterra's place of banishment is secure.
5) The fact that Lesterra's place of banishment is isolated.
6) Vast popular sympathy for Lesterra and Lysandra.
7) The fact that Telman does not appear on the citizen-rolls of any city.
8) An almost-universal horror of incest.
9) The lack of an ostensible reason for favouring Telman.
Plan:
1) Have Gestar take one of Lysandra's milk-teeth (available), and make a magical pointer that will indicate her whereabouts, also some useful magical devices such as weapons.
2) Outfit a fast boat, which magical/miraculous propulsion.
3) Get Jokanan to hire some foreign mercenaries or pirates to sail up to Morglay and kidnap Lysandra
4) Get the Senate and Assembly to pass a bill for the reward of whomsoever rescues Lysandra- requiring the Emperor to grant him an estate worth a handsome income, and empowering him to raise that person into the nobility from any degree.
5) Get Jokanan to give Telman the magical boat, weapons and tools, and the Lysandra-seeker. This can be done anonymously, on the pretence that Jokanan knew Telman's father, or on the pretence that Telman is romantically interested in Telman
6) When Telman recovers Lysandra, make him a prince or duke and give him a handsome estate.
7) Marry Lysandra to Telman
8) In a show of forgiveness, recall Lesterra to the capital, where she can be compromised by intrigue, and where Jasper cannot protect her from assassins.
9) With the Empress's supporters thus mollified, dismayed, confounded, and neutralised- force blame for the unpopular acts to the early years onto Jasper, and dismiss him or have him executed.
10) Reign happily ever after, to be succeeded by Telman, or perhaps by a legitimate son begotten on a new wife.
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PROTAGONIST'S APPRECIATION
Situation:
The three PCs are living in a respectable boarding-house in Thekla, the capital of Gehennum. One is the acknowledged bastard of a duke, a trained diplomat, bodyguard, and counterintelligence organiser. One is a magician. The third is a leshy (rather like a Tolkien elf), and the widower of an Imperial princess. They none of them have friends at court or in the government who can give them preferment. They none of them have significant capital.
Thasaedon (who is immune to age, by the way), fled into the Sidhe during the Civil War, after his wife was killed. He is ignorant of developments in the last seven years.
Goals:
1) To acquire riches, dignity, and power
2) To make fine figure in the world
3) To succour the weak, resist the oppressive, and generally have a good time
4) In the case of Arion, to promote the responsible use of magic, and destroy irresponsible and wicked magicians
5) In the case of Thasaedon, to avenge the murder of his wife and children on Regikhord's party and Gehennese culture in general
Available resources:
1) Arion's ability to invoke magical effects, which is particularly strong with regard to elemental effects: controlling winds and so forth
2) Nimrod's and Thasaedon's mighty thews, good looks, upper-class manners...
3) Personal weapons of high quality
4) A small yacht-rigged sailboat
Obstacles:
1) Lack of political contacts
2) Lack of reputation
3) Lack of income
Plan:
1) Rescue the princess
2) Accept noble titles
3) Share the income of a handsome estate
4) Move in Court Circles
5) Pursue appointments in the government or the retinues of great courtiers, and work their way up to important posts.
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GM's APPRECIATION
Goal:
1) To bring the PCs into opposition with the Emperor, gradually expose the core conflict, and steadily raise the level of conflict to a decisive crisis of open hostility.
2) To demonstrate that Regikhord is not a great man because of his selfishness and pettiness
3) To have the PCs become great while working unselfishly at real goals, not themselves pursued in an effort to become great.
4) To make the PCs live in a haunted castle, of which the geist is friendly but the ghost forbidding, and which has "charm'd magic casements, opening on the foam/ of perilous seas in fairylands forlorn."
Plan:
1) The PCs attempt the rescue of the princess, and note the expensive equipment and special magical preparations of Telman
2) Telman attempts to nobble the PCs' rescue efforts
3) The PCs rescue the princess while Telman is busy fighting the kidnappers. They find a round sum of Gehennese money and an unsigned memorandum explaining the defences of Morglay and the princess's routine.
4) Telman attempts to steal the princess from the PCs, but fails
5) The PCs bring the princess into Thekla, and are feted by the pro-Empress city government and mob.
6) The PCs take the princess to the Imperial palace, where they are snubbed by the emperor, who orders Lysandra returned to Morglay.
7) The emperor is obliged by the chancellor to give the PCs their promised reward.
- The emperor raises the PCs to the rank of 'aretos', only
technically within the lower fringes of the nobility, and
not entitling them to seats in the Senate.
- The emperor grants the characters joint title to a single
estate, which is rated as producing an income rather in
excess of the amount he is obliged to give them.
8) The PCs visit their estate, and discover that it is deserted and overgrown- producing no income- because it is haunted by the ghost of a former owner.
9) The PCs go into the mansion on their estate, which is sadly decayed, but which feels welcoming
10) The PCs discover that they cannot get peasants to work their lands
11) If the PCs seek to leave their estate abandoned, the Emperor will instruct the local prefect to oblige them to organise the militia in that area, and will require them to pay the ship-money nominally due from the owner of that estate.
12) Sub-plot with the PCs in conflict with the ghost. PCs mollify or exorcise the ghost, raise loans among their sympathisers in the capital, and bring their land into cultivation.
13) The emperor tries another scheme to establish Telman and marry him to Lysandra.
Further action to be planned when circumstances are known in better detail.
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Regards,
Agback
