Dancing Lights Press - Story Structure

STORY STRUCTURE for Writers and Roleplayers

Dancing Lights Press

https://dancinglightspress.com The bearer of this electronic document has the express written permission of the publisher to make copies for personal use. Copyright 2016, 2018 Berin Kinsman. All Rights Reserved. Lighthouse Roleplaying System™, Story Structure™ and respective trade dress are © and ™ 2018 Berin Kinsman. This is a work of fiction. Any similarity with people or events, past or present, is purely coincidental and unintentional except for any people and events presented in historical context. This is version 1.0 of this document.

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................1 Stories Have Needs......................................................................................................................... 1 Using This Book............................................................................................................................... 3 THE THREE-ACT STRUCTURE....................................................................................5 Opening Prep Work........................................................................................................................ 5 Act I...................................................................................................................................................... 7 Act II.................................................................................................................................................. 13 Act III................................................................................................................................................. 20 Finishing Prep Work................................................................................................................... 23 THE THREE-TIERED SERIES.....................................................................................25 Opening Prep Work..................................................................................................................... 27 Phase I.............................................................................................................................................. 29 Phase II............................................................................................................................................. 38 Phase III........................................................................................................................................... 47 Finishing Prep Work................................................................................................................... 52 STORY TYPES.................................................................................................................55 The Journey Story........................................................................................................................ 56 The Search Story........................................................................................................................... 59 The Chase Story............................................................................................................................ 62 The Rescue Story.......................................................................................................................... 65 The Breakout Story...................................................................................................................... 68 The Payback Story........................................................................................................................ 71 The Mystery Story........................................................................................................................ 74 The Romance Story...................................................................................................................... 77 The Rags-to-Riches Story.......................................................................................................... 80 The Decline and Fall Story........................................................................................................ 83 STORY WORKSHEET...................................................................................................87

INTRODUCTION We all know that stories need a beginning, a middle, and an end. Hero goes on quest, hero faces obstacles, hero completes quest. Lovers fall in love, antagonist keeps lovers apart, lovers end up together. Things beyond the protagonist’s control change. The protagonist faces adversity. They learns to adapt and achieves greatness. On that basic structure writers through the ages have created masterpieces. We keep coming back to the same foundations today for one very good reason. Those structures are versatile and continue to work. This book will help you to leverage basic story structure and use it to your advantage. You’ll be able to say what you want while keeping your audience engaged. Explore the three-act structure and its variations in detail. Learn ways to expand this structure can beyond a single story and into a series or campaign. In the end, you’ll have new tools in your storytelling toolbox. You'll gain the knowledge of how and when to use them in your own creative works.

Stories Have Needs No matter what the genre or setting are, all stories have the same fundamental needs. It doesn't matter what the medium is. There must be a protagonist, the hero, the person the story is about. The story has to have a goal, something for the protagonist to do. There must be obstacles, to keep the goal from being too easy. and keep the story interesting. There has to be an antagonist, a rival or a villain who wants the protagonist to fail. A story needs to have stakes, rewards to the hero for completing the goal. There must also be complications that arise if the hero fails. All that is a function of structure. Without those elements, you don’t have a story. There’s more, though. The story has scenes. While you can play around with their content and order, some scenes have to do specific things. This helps the audience to follow the story and understand what’s happening. The familiarity of structure creates resonance with their experiences and expectations. It fulfills their emotional needs, and keeps them hooked.

Creativity and Constraint There are people who disavow the need for structure. They feel that it stifles their creativity. Structure isn’t story, though, in the same way the map isn’t the journey. Knowing where you’re going is different from the experience of getting 1

there. It makes sure that you do get there, by keeping you from getting lost. You stop wasting time wandering aimlessly without a purpose or a point. It’s not paint-by-numbers. Hand three writers the same ideas, and you'll get three different stories. All with their individual voices and intentions intact. Look at the constraint of structure in another way. If you've never written a story or designed a roleplaying adventure before, this is a template. Once you gain some experience, and develop a comfort level, break the "formula". Not every story in the world has or needs structure. But if you want a story that makes the most sense to the widest audience, this is a vehicle to carry your ideas.

The Sandbox and the Railroad There are two terms that get thrown around a lot in tabletop roleplaying circles. A sandbox is a setting where characters wander freely and explore the world at their leisure. A railroad is a story where a character's decisions don’t affect the outcome in any meaningful way. Many praise the sandbox as best thing ever in a game, while decrying the railroad as a cardinal sin. What we’re talking about are character-driven stories versus plot-driven stories. A character-driven story, the sandbox, is about a protagonist's choices and decisions. Its prime virtue is that the characters have a great deal of agency. There can still be structures, and the basic beginning, middle, and end. There will be goals, obstacles, and stakes. While it might seem fun because the audience gets to do whatever they want, it can get boring. They wander until they stumble upon something interesting. They may not want to make decision, or they might make illogical ones. It requires the gamemaster to create a lot of material they may never use. They'll need to improvise when the players strike off in unexpected directions. Having a plan still creates a better story. A plot-driven story, what some think of as a railroad, is about the story itself. Its prime failing is that it robs characters of their agency. The characters do what needs doing not because they chose to but because they don’t have any other options. It’s easy for gamemasters, because the linear nature means there’s less to prepare for. There's nothing to improvise, because everything is on rails. This is why roleplayers rightfully criticize and reject purely plot-driven stories. It limits their participation, and leaves them little room to insert their own ideas.

The Middle Path It is possible to strike a balance between the sandbox and the railroad. You can walk the line between a character-driven story and a plot-driven one. The 2

characters have goals and objectives, but it’s up to them how they choose to pursue them. They can wander a bit, but they do so with a purpose. There will be obstacles, serving a thematic purpose and connected to the goal of the story. Characters will still have agency in determining how to overcome those obstacles. Most importantly, there will be stakes. It will be clear what the characters stand to gain or lose in the pursuit of the story’s goals. This makes the entire story much more emotionally engaging and meaningful. For the gamemaster this means a little more preparation than a railroad, but not as much as for a sandbox. It requires some improvisation to allow character agency. This happens within the scope of what’s likely to occur in the story. Rather than a wide-open, universal realm of possibilities, everyone has purpose and focus.

The Audience This book the term “audience” to mean the consumer of your creative work. If you’re writing a story, these are the readers. If you’re crafting a screenplay, these are the viewers. If you’re running a tabletop roleplaying event, these are the players. The medium you’re working in may vary, but some aspects of storytelling are universal.

Using This Book To get the most value from this book, read through all the sections in order first. This will give you an overview of the process and the various elements of story structure. You can go back through individual sections as needed while crafting your stories. The major sections of this book are:

The Three-Act Structure More than just the beginning, middle, and end. The three-act structure details what happens in each phase of the story. Learn what scenes to include in those phases.

The Three-Tiered Campaign How to outline a series of stories or roleplaying campaign with a clear beginning, middle, and end. This includes the types of individual stories. Discover what elements should go into each phase.

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Story Types An overview of ten popular story types. Find all the structural elements to develop for them. Learn how to vary the three-act structure for different plot needs.

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THE THREE-ACT STRUCTURE The three-act structure divides a story into three parts. Act I, the beginning, is about exposition. This is where you establish the status quo of the setting. It introduces the characters and establishes the goal of the story. The event that sets the story into motion happens. The challenges characters face seem harsh in comparison to what they’re used to. They aren't particularly difficult in the context of the later parts of the story, though. Throughout this act, the protagonists are reactive to the things happening around them. In Act II, the middle, the stakes increase. We learn some more about the characters. They begin to understand the ramifications of what happened earlier. Obstacles become more difficult, and what the characters need to do becomes clearer. Throughout this act, the characters must become more proactive. They begin to make more choices that direct the action of the story. During Act III, all the elements presented in the first two acts fall into place. The protagonists face the most difficult obstacles. The stakes will be at their highest. Characters will need to bring every resource at their disposal to bear. The characters will either achieve the story goal, or fail spectacularly. This act is about the characters taking charge, developing and carrying out a plan to the end.

Opening Prep Work Before you begin working on the three acts of your story, there is some basic groundwork to lay. These are the guiding principles of your story. It is the road map that you as the creator will use in crafting your story. If you spend a little bit of time on this opening prep work, everything that follows will be easier.

The Premise Sum up the story in a single sentence. Who is the protagonist? What must they accomplish? What’s the obstacle that keeps them from doing that? “A band of adventurers seeks a fabulous treasure, but they have to slay a dragon to get it” is a solid premise. “Homicide detectives try to catch a serial killer before he strikes again” is a premise. “Young lovers struggle to be together as their families work to keep them apart” is a premise. It doesn’t have to be a complicated summary, but it does have to be accurate. Goals – What is the objective that the protagonist has to fulfill for the story to be complete? In a love story, the lovers are finally able to be together. In a quest 5

story, the hero returns with whatever objects he set out looking for. In a payback story, the main character exacts revenge against someone who has wrong them. The ultimate goal is how you picture the story ending. Everything else has to build to that. Obstacles – What is stopping the protagonist from achieving the story goal? There are circumstances physical challenges, mental tests, and antagonists working against them. Come up with about five, from minor and annoying to the worst possible thing that could happen. Order them by severity. The one or two least challenging will go into your first act. The worst won will be your finale in the third act, and the rest get shuffled into the second act.

Genre Fantasy? Science fiction? Horror? Or do you prefer romance, magical realism, or crime drama? The genre you set your story in both opens up and limits possibilities. It does the work of creating boundaries. It can explain away certain things, while providing context for others.

Place and Time Where and when does your story take place? Like genre, place and time will set some boundaries and do a lot of narrative work for you. It will give you a backdrop for events, cultures, and available technology. Historical time periods provide context and an instant sense of setting.

Theme What is the story about? The premise sets the objective, but the theme provides meaning. It creates a universal emotional connection that will hook your audience. Your adventure story could be about the theme of friendship. A revenge story could be about humanity versus nature. Theme will give your story depth and texture.

Stakes What happens if the protagonist overcomes the obstacles and fulfills the story goals? What happens if they fail anywhere along the way? Knowing the stakes allows you to create tension. It hooks your audience in and keeps the story interesting. Rewards – What does the protagonist get for succeeding? Are the rewards intrinsic, meaning the character gets to feel good? Are the rewards extrinsic, in the form of money, stuff, and general accolades? Do the supporting characters 6

benefit in any way? How will the world become a better place when the protagonists meet the story goal. Complications – What happens to the protagonist if they can’t overcome the obstacles? What happens to them if they cannot fulfill the story goal? Are there bad things that will happen to supporting characters? In what ways will the world be worse off if the protagonist fails?

Act I The beginning of your story sets up everything that comes afterward. There will be a lot of description as you establish the main characters and the world that they live in. You’ll anchor the audience in the genre, time, and place of the setting. The first act will create a baseline against which you can measure later changes. This is where most of the worldbuilding happens. The stakes within this act will be low compared to what happens later. The obstacles will be relatively easy to overcome. They only seem rough compared to the status quo that’s established. Complications will have far-reaching implications. The only real rewards may come in preventing things from getting worse. The form of the action means that the protagonist is in a reactive mode. They're stuck dealing with things as they arise, struggling to catch up. Besides laying foundational details used later, this is where you create emotional investment. The audience needs to care about what happens to the characters. The questions asked here need to be compelling enough that people want to see them answered. Everyone should want to see what happens next. If you don’t have the necessary foundational elements established in the first act, you don’t have a story. You will find yourself backtracking to explain things not made clear here. The audience won't understand what’s happening or why they should care, and you’ll begin to lose them. When you do incorporate these elements into Act I, you’ll be off to a solid start. The audience will know who the main characters are. They'll have interest in learning more about the setting, and know what the goal of the story is. They’ll understand what’s at stake, and ready to root for the protagonist as your tale unfolds.

Act I Essentia Eaeeents The following things have to happen in Act I:

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The Opening Scene The very first scene needs to convey a sense of the setting. It has to establish the time and place of the story, the genre, and the general tone and atmosphere. You need to hook the audience from the very first image.

Introduce the Characters In the first act, you will introduce the main characters to the audience and each other. Reveal a little bit of each person’s back story, with some mystery. Establish their personal goals and aspirations, to build upon later.

State the Theme Present the theme of the story, what it’s about, early on. This is either the overt central conflict, or what the conflict of the story represents.

Establish the Goal Before the end of the first act, establish the goal of the story. The characters need to know what’s at stake, and what to do. All this also needs to be clear to the audience as well.

Teach the Rules In roleplaying, the first act is where players become acquainted with the rules. Design scenes to provide opportunities to try out the core mechanic. Showcase the workings of other systems that will recur throughout the adventure.

Reach a Turning Point For most of the first act the characters will be reacting to what’s happening as they figure out what’s going on. Before moving into Act II, they need to reach point where they can commit to achieving the story goal.

The Opening Scene There’s a lot riding on the first scene in your story, so you need to put a lot of preparation into it. Start as close to the beginning of the story as you can. Leave out trivial events and information that you can explain later. A bit of mystery to hook the audience, so they want to learn what’s going on, isn’t a bad thing. A good opening image that establishes the genre, time, and place will do a lot of the work for you. Show the audience when and where they are. You can establish the tone of the story with an opening image as well. Will the story be grim and serious, lighthearted and fun, or silly and comedic? 8

The purpose of the opening scene is to show the status quo, and present the world in its current state. This is the way things are, before events later in this act create change. If things are good, the characters will be working to return the world to this status quo. When things are bad, they’ll be trying to improve the status quo. The audience will get a general feel for the goal of the story, if not the specifics. You need to establish either the protagonist or the antagonist in the opening scene. They don’t need to appear, but the audience has to feel their presence. We get to see the protagonist in action, without knowing who they are. The events in the scene might have been set in motion by the antagonist. We get a feel for the sorts of people involved in the story, even if we don’t yet know who they are. There are many techniques that can work in an opening scene. It may be to present the first scene chronologically. It could be a prologue or flashback showing the status quo of the world. Begin with a piece of a main character's back story relevant to the plot. You can begin in media res, smack in the middle of an action sequence. You might begin with a scene from somewhere in the second act, or the beginning of the third. Make the rest of the story a flashback until the audience catches up. There are many of possibilities to play around with. The important thing to remember is that the opening scene is a promise. You’re setting the audience’s expectations for everything that comes. You’re giving them information that they’ll need to know later, without a lot of fluff or filler. It’s about establishing what the story needs, no less, and very little more.

Introduce the Chiricters The next essential function of Act I is to introduce the characters. We may have seen the protagonist in action in the opening scene, but we don’t know anything about them yet. The outcome of the antagonist’s actions may appear, but we don’t know their goals and motivations. Allowing the audience learn about the main characters keeps things interesting. It deepens the story and offers more points for engagement. Establish every single character that’s important to the story in the first act. We must meet the protagonist and learn what they do. We should see what their relationship to other characters is. Their personal needs and motivations have to be clear. A scene might exist to illustrate their personal problems and personality. There has to be some action in the first act to show that the protagonist is the

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hero of the piece. They're not only the viewpoint character for the audience to follow. They're the person who is going to be able to fulfill the story’s goals. We may not see some supporting cast members until the second act. You still need to establish their existence here. Drop their name in casual conversation, or with a background reference. Imply their existence by having their handiwork being on display. When they do show up the audience has to be able to connect the dots. You need to create context. In the first act you need to establish what these supporting characters can do. If they have an important role in the second act, it can’t come out of the blue. Plant the in formation that they they have some specialized skill here, so you can harvest it later. The same goes for the antagonist. Even if you don’t know who the bad guy is or what their motivation could be, you know someone is behind what's occurring. The protagonist and the audience are aware that an antagonist exists. If they appear in the first act, it can’t be in a situation where they face an early defeat. Their role may be unknown. There may not be clear evidence. The protagonist is in no position to take any sort of action against them. By introducing all important characters in the first act, you save time later. When the audience knows who they are, what they do, and why they do it, you won’t need to rationalize their actions later. You’re settling what’s “in character” for them up front. That establishes a blueprint for their later behavior.

Stite the Theee Every great story, arguably, has a theme. It’s what the story is about, and it can change a lot of elements. It might be a science fiction romance set in 1863 South Africa. If the theme is friendship you’ll have a different story than if it’s about humans versus nature, or good versus evil. Unlike other elements of story and setting, themes are universal. They are things that everyone can connect with on some level. Theme transcends genre, time and place, and even plot archetypes. You may not be able to relate to the fantasy genre or have an interest in westerns. Knowledge about history or geography might not be part of your education. Particular types of stories may be unfamiliar. But the power of love, or the importance of family, are things that everyone can understand. Don’t be subtle about it. You need to hit the audience over the head with your theme in the first act. Do so early on. You can ease off later, being more nuanced and delicate in the second act. Then come back a little more obviously in the third. 10

The first major conflict in the story should highlight the theme. If it’s not one of the protagonist’s personal needs or goals, it should be the antagonist’s. Every obstacle in the story should be at least theme-adjacent. If you don’t have a theme, your story is going to feel flat. Your audience isn’t going to find as much resonance. They’ll like the trappings of the setting, the characters, and the twists and turns of the plot. But it might not feel personal. It might not speak to them in a meaningful way. When you have a theme, though, you’ve got something they have an emotional connection with.

Estibaish the Goia At some point in the first act, something happens that upsets the status quo. The change is obvious, and stems from a clear inciting incident. Nothing will ever be the same again. This sets the story in motion, and gives make clear what the characters need to do. This is where the you establish the story goal. Most story goals come down to three options, with nearly infinite variations: 

fix it, which includes undoing or preventing the change;

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stop the change from getting worse; or

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accept it, and adapt to the changed status quo.

Besides establishing the goal, the first act also has to establish what the stakes are. What does the protagonist stand to lose? What negative, undesirable changes will occur within the setting if the goal is not met? What, if anything, might the protagonist gain by attaining the story goal? How will the world benefit by meeting the goal? And what does the antagonist get out of all this? The stakes at this point might be high, but the obstacles aren’t. They should feel difficult. They can even be difficult because they’re outside the protagonist’s comfort zone. But they aren’t insurmountable. The protagonist should be able to do what they need to rather easily. They should do so without any major setbacks, defeats, or serious injuries. There’s plenty of time to smack them around, physically, emotionally, and socially, in Act II.

Teich the Ruaes The first act is also where you need to lay down the rules, so the audience understands the way things work. For readers, this can mean learning how the setting operates. If the genre is fantasy, for example, you need to establish what sort of fantasy. Display the tropes that will become important to the story. Make it

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clear what sorts of genre elements do not exist in this story. Introduce and explain any tools and technology that will be vital to the story. Lay out information on the time and place of the story occurs that will weigh on the resolution of the plot. Make it clear, so the audience doesn’t later feel like they’ve had things sprung on them out of the blue. For roleplayers, the first act is where you teach, demonstrate, and try out game rules. Test core mechanics and common die rolls now, while stakes are low and the challenges easy. When it gets harder in the second act, you don’t want people failing because they don’t know how the system works. If the audience isn’t clear about how things work, they’ll fill the gap with assumptions. You need to provide relevant information. When things don’t work the way they’ve decided they should work, the result is disappointment. You’ll start to lose their attention. They’ll focus on why you aren’t upholding their perception of how the rules work, rather than on the story. By being clear and concise about the rules up front, you allow those elements to fade into the background. This includes both the rules of the setting and the rules of the game. There is less disruption when the audience should be paying attention to what’s going on. You need them engaged, not worrying about mechanics or worldbuilding details.

Reich i Turning Point Challenge the protagonist enough to create doubts. They should question their ability to face what’s happening. The obstacles feel hard compared to the status quo, the stakes seem higher, and they don't want to fail. By the end of the act, they need to reach a turning point. They need to make the decision to stop reacting to what’s happening and go on the offensive. Something significant happens to makes the character realize there is no going back. Things continue to get worse, for them, for people they care about, or for the world. They can choose to do nothing, but it’s clear that would be a bad choice. In tabletop roleplaying, this is where things can go wrong. The player chooses to have their character to take action. If they don’t, the whole story comes to a halt. Some people will call this railroading, but it’s not. The character doesn’t have a single course of action that they need to pursue. They just have to do something to insure their continued participation in the story.

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When the protagonist answers the call to adventure, that ends Act I. We know who all the characters are. We’ve seen the theme of the story played out. We’ve established the goals and learned the rules. We have all the information necessary to move forward, and the protagonist has stepped up to lead the way.

Act II The middle of your story is where you start using all the information you’ve set up in the first act. There will be less exposition and more description. You will show more of the world that the protagonist moves through. The status quo established in the beginning has changed. Those changes are having an impact on the characters. People, places, and things mentioned in the first act appear here. This is where you reinforce the worldbuilding. Reinforce, clarify, and expand upon established setting elements. The stakes within this act will be higher compared to the first act. Obstacles will be possible to overcome, but need the efforts of the protagonist. There will be enough success to build up hope. Enough challenge exists to make it clear that fulfilling the story goal won’t be easy. Potential complications become clearer to the audience. By the end of the act some rewards will become available. The protagonist begins to move from a reactive mode to a proactive one. They anticipate what may happen and get ahead of problems before they can have an impact. Building emotional investment in the characters is a large part of what the second act is about. The audience learns more about the characters, and hopefully cares about what happens. Some questions get answered, but more will arise to keep people hooked for the finale. If you don’t have the necessary elements established in Act II, you’ll struggle to find an ending that makes sense. You'll be backtracking during the finale, explaining things that should be clear here. The makings of a great ending are set up here in the middle. The shape of the story is pretty clear by the midpoint of the Act II, and is definitely locked down by the end of the act. Remind the audience of the inciting incident, and what the goal is. They should be able to see that fulfilling the goal is possible. but still not be sure how things will work out. Everything should lead the protagonists into Act III.

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Act II Essentia Eaeeents The following things have to happen in Act II:

Introduce Subplots Secondary stories provide breathers in the second act. They should involve the characters' personal goals and conflicts. This allows you to adjust the pacing of the story and give characters some spotlight time.

Go on a Winning Streak The second act will challenge the characters, but they will experience small victories. This gives the audience a chance to cheer, a will make the emotional blows later in the act more effective.

The Protagonist Stumbles The characters will realize the obstacles are larger than they suspected. Achieving the story goal will be more difficult than they could have imagined. The only direction left to go is up.

The Antagonist Strikes Back The earlier winning streak will not go unanswered. The antagonist will regroup and come back at the protagonists will a vengeance. This will reinforce the notion that reaching the goal will not be easy.

A Brush with Death This is either a literal death, or the figurative destruction of a place, an ideal, or a plan. A main character or beloved supporting character will bite the dust. It has to be an emotional moment for the audience.

Face the Darkness The characters have to think that they can’t win. They need to feel demoralized. Do this in a way that the audience doesn’t know how things will work out. They should desperately want to know what happens next.

Reach a Turning Point Something happens that gives the protagonists a new chance at victory. They gain some resource, piece of information, or insight that makes them feel they can still win. This sets everything up for the third act.

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Introduce Subpaots A subplot is a secondary story that runs parallel to the main story. The goals and stakes are usually personal for the individual characters involved. The function of a subplot is to provide the audience with a breather. It's an a change in pace, and a bit of a break from the main action. It’s also where you can reinforce your theme in more subtle and nuanced ways. Subplots are a great way to fill in the back stories of key characters. This extends to supporting characters as well as protagonists. It provides an opportunity to learn about them. It allows them to pursue their other interests and tackle personal problems. A subplot can also help to flesh out relationships between major characters. Have them do things that are tangential to the plot. If you have no subplots, the story can feel very plot-driven even if it’s not. With no relationships, it’s easy to come away with the perception that the story is on rails. Without addressing their goals and needs, if feels like the protagonist has no agency. It doesn’t provide the audience the opportunity to bond with the characters. They can't develop any deep emotional connections. Subplots fit squarely in the second act. The first act can foreshadow them, when basic story information is being established. You can’t explore them there. The third act is about resolving the main plot. Subplots only get incidental resolution there, or with an acknowledgment in the epilogue.

Go on i Winning Streik Early in the second act, the protagonist will have a string of successes. The stakes don’t increase, the obstacles won’t be much harder than in Act I, but the audience will have a lot of fun. In a movie, this is where most of the exciting stuff that makes it into the trailers happens. In a book, this is the sample chapter used for marketing and advertising. The winning streak is where the hero gets to look cool. They show off their skills, and build confidence that they are the right person to fulfill the goal of the story. The real shift is that the characters are able to become more proactive. They begin to understand what’s going on. They do more than respond to things done to them, at them, or near them by the antagonist. Knowledge and awareness of the story goal makes it possible to get out in front of things. They begin addressing problems before they happen. The protagonist isn’t in a position to take out the antagonist yet, but they can work over their agents and proxies.

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If you’re looking running a roleplaying game and you’re looking for a “sandbox moment”, this is it. The characters can wander around and explore things to their hearts’ content. They can continue to pursue subplots and have side adventures. If they are intentionally or unintentionally avoiding the main story, let them do it for a while. Allow them to get it out of their system. You’ll start to pull them back on track a little bit later in this act. While the winning streak is a blast, if you allow it to go on too long it becomes boring. Drama stems from conflict. If the protagonist does nothing but win all the time, you have no real conflict. You want the protagonist to become confident, but not overconfident or arrogant. Not because you’ll need to knock the down a peg or two, because in the next sequence of scenes you’re going to do that anyone. You need to not let them become cocky or conceited because you need them to remain likable. You don’t want the audience to tune out because the hero is too much of a jerk. When you use the winning streak, what you’re doing is building credibility. You’re showing that the protagonist is capable, and worthy of being the focus of this story. You’re letting the audience know that there will be upbeat moments in the story. Following the disruptive nature of Act I, the audience needs it. The gutpunches come later in Act II, followed by the tension of Act III. You’re setting everyone up for a change of pace and a more dramatic tension, when the winning streak gets stale.

The Protigonist Stuebaes At the midpoint of the second act, you need to pull the rug out from under the protagonist. It will feel like they will achieve story goal with little effort. When everything seems easy, you have to knock them down hard. If the hero is starting to get a smug or even a bit lazy, they get a rough reminder that they need to take things seriously. Things get worse. There are two ways to do this. The first is to deal the protagonist a big loss. It should be shocking, given that there was a nice winning streak going on. Raise the stakes, but the complications shouldn’t be dire. It’s an emotional setback, but not a serious logistic one. No one dies yet, but leave them feeling that the only place left to go is up. The second way is to put a cherry on the top of the winning streak and let them think they’ve won. Then show them that it’s a false victory, and make it clear

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they’ve barely gotten started. Don’t hit them with increased stakes yet. Show them that there are obstacles and complications that they didn’t even dream of. If you don’t knock the protagonists down, your story will get boring. You’ll end up with a winning streak going into the finale in the third act. Victory will feel assured. The audience won’t be emotionally invested, and the stakes won’t feel as if they matter anymore. There have to be some changes in the dramatic tension. The reality is, this isn’t rock bottom. It only feels like it following the winning streak. It even feels like it in comparison to the first act. Things have gotten worse since the original disruption of the status quo. What this section of the story has to do is motivate the protagonist to work harder. It’s where they get to remind us why they’re the hero, because they don’t give up with things get more difficult.

Antigonist Strikes Bick Now it’s the bad guy’s turn. The protagonist had a winning streak, which meant defeat on some level for the antagonist. It might be direct or indirect. They surely haven’t enjoyed hearing about the protagonist’s success. After realizing the story goal isn’t going to be easy to reach, protagonist gets smacked where it counts. This section needs to be a reminder of what’s at stake. The protagonist has to remember why they started on this journey in the first place. After hitting rock bottom, this is where they strengthen their resolve. They may lose again, but it reminds them of why they have to win in the end. Overlooking this section means you’re not milking the emotional stakes for all they’re worth. The audience needs to fear for the protagonist and worry about them achieving the story goal. They need to fear and hate the antagonist. There has to be a reminder of what the story is actually about. That comes with a commensurate reinforcement of the theme. Cement the relationship between the protagonist and antagonist. Raise the stakes again here. If the enmity between the protagonist and antagonist wasn’t personal before, it is now. If it already was, those feeling deepen. The two characters are no longer just after the story goal or their personal goals. They’re actively out to get each other.

A Brush with Deith Someone important dies. Not the protagonist or antagonist, obviously, because without them there is no story. They need to die to illustrate to show that 17

there can be serious fallout from failing to meet the story goal. It needs to show that the stakes are a lot higher now than in Act I or the start of Act II. The death has to somehow reflect the protagonist’s failure, or the antagonist’s success. It should further the villain’s cause in some way, and represent a major setback for the hero. The key is that it has to be someone that the audience already knows and cares about. Remember when you introduced the characters back in the first act? If you established an important supporting character, you might kill them off here. They may have been the protagonist's rock, and suddenly they're gone. If you introduced a sick supporting character, their illness overtakes them here. If the protagonist is relying too much on a supporting character for help, they might need to die. The further away from the protagonist that the death is, the bigger it needs to be. Killing off an immediate family member, beloved mentor, or significant other is huge. Bumping off a character that didn’t exist until this scene is nothing. If you’re going to kill off strangers, there either have to be a lot of them, or it has to be someone famous or important. No mastermind schemes to assassinate a single, random bystander. Think big. The death doesn’t have to be literal; it can be a metaphorical death. A close relationship might shatter for some reason. The protagonist loses something important, an heirloom, useful gadget, or McGuffin. A plan completely unravels and becomes unusable. A vehicle breaks down and leave the protagonist stranded, unable to get somewhere in time. Whatever it is, the point is to hurt the protagonist, help the antagonist, or both.

Fice the Dirkness This is the real low point of the story. After a long winning streak, the characters suffered a significant defeat. The antagonist rose up even stronger than they were before. They have encountered real or metaphorical death. They’re demoralized. The audience has to be wondering where the story goes from here. How can the story continue? In a roleplaying game, this is where the players are scratching their heads trying to figure out what to do next. Never end a game session here. This is a terrible breaking point, because this is where you can lose people and never get them back to the table.

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This is the moment where the protagonist has to regroup. It's time to gather their allies together. They need to review their resources, look at the situation as it is, and make a plan. Don’t linger here too long. It’s depressing. It’s supposed to be depressing, but don’t wallow in it. The protagonist stumbling reminded the audience what the story goal is. The antagonist striking back and the brush with death warned them of the stakes. This scene is about showing the audience why the hero is the hero. Even though they don’t know the way forward, they’re still looking for it. Although they’re feeling defeated and demoralized, they’re still going. They might not know what the next step is, but they’re not willing to give up.

Reich i Turning Point All seems lost. At the lowest point in the story, new possibilities for success present themselves. The protagonist has a sudden revelation. Pieces that have been set up throughout the story fall into place. A path to victory reveals itself. The characters realize they have no choice but to confront the antagonist. The turning point is where the character develops new skills. They show mastery of the skills they’ve been developing throughout the story. This is where the training montage goes. It’s where someone gives the inspirational speech that boosts morale. The supporting character convinces the protagonist that they can accomplish the story goal. The light bulb moment, where the protagonist figures it all out, should connect to the subplot. The solution to a subplot mirrors the way to resolve the main story. A supporting character from a subplot returns with a missing piece of information. It should also tie into the theme of the overall story, reinforcing the point. What is difficult to avoid sometimes is committing a deus ex machina. The turning point can’t come out of nowhere. It needs to be the logical extension of everything that has happened up to this point. No new characters, fantastic gadgets, or incredible strokes of luck can fall out of the sky. It needs to have been set up and foreshadowed, so that it makes sense in the context of the whole story. Here at the turning point is where the accusations of railroading may return. In tabletop roleplaying, players might need a nudge if they can’t put the pieces together. Allow them to come up with a solution on their own, even if it wasn't what you planned. They should feel they get to make meaningful choices. Events 19

don't seem to unfold according the some prepared script. Don’t penalize players for coming up with a plan on their own, or not following your trail of clues. Go with whatever they attempt and work with it. The turning point should leave the audience feeling good. It should parallel the mood during the winning streak. The protagonist has gone through the worst and come out the other side. Everyone is confident that they have what it takes to fulfill the story goal. Now we all get to sit back and enjoy watching the hero win.

Act III This is the end of the story. The protagonist drives the action. They face down the antagonist, and complete the story goal. By following the path to its conclusion, the hero ends the suffering that began in the first act. They restore the status quo, or improve it. The obstacles the protagonist faces are the hardest. The possibility of failure exists. The stakes are nothing less than life or death, literally or metaphorically. They have to be careful. Every bit of creativity they have comes into play. Every resource available to them gets used. There is no new exposition in the last act. No new information reveals itself, and no new characters appear. It’s time to use the elements that you’ve established in the prior acts. Validate the worldbuilding by making previous hints and glimpses of things relevant. The character shows growth due to the journey they’ve been on. Show how they’ve adapted to a new status quo. Demonstrate that they've learned to overcome all obstacles thrown at them. If you don’t have these elements in Act III, you’re not going to have a satisfying ending. The good guy wins — so what? If they don’t win because of their own actions, it’s a cheat. If they coast across the finish line with no significant final challenge, it’s boring. If the protagonist hasn’t changed somehow because of the story, then what was the point? When you set up the finale correctly, you’ll build to a thrilling climax. You’ll resolve all the issues the story has presented. Then you can slow things down. Show how the main characters, and the world, turn out as a result of the story's events.

Act III Essentia Eaeeents The following things have to happen in Act III:

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Finale The protagonists gather every resource available. They pull their allies close. Then they have their final confrontation with the antagonist. Complete the story, or fail spectacularly.

Epilogue Tie up all the loose ends from the first two acts. Resolve the stakes, both rewards and complications. Show what happens to the main characters as a result of the finale.

Final Scene The last scene has to show what the characters and their world look like now. Reinforce the theme. Demonstrate change and growth in the world. Point of any loose ends, and tease them as hooks for a potential sequel.

Finiae The final obstacle is overcome. The antagonist suffers defeat. The protagonist achieves the story goal. We’ve reached the end of the story. The biggest obstacle has to be overcome. It has to be the logical last step in the series of increasingly difficult obstacles. What the protagonist faced throughout the story leads here. You’ve set it up in the previous acts, so the protagonist more or less knows what to expect. Repeat and reinforce the theme in the final challenge. Smack everyone in the head with the point you’re making one last time. There’s no subtlety or nuance here as there was in the second act. Take down the antagonists in order, from lowliest lackey to the ranking mastermind. This provides rising levels of tension. It shows that the protagonist’s abilities have grown. Only the main antagonist presents any challenge. Think of it as a parallel to the winning streak in Act II. The audience gets to have fun and cheer for the hero before the final confrontation takes place. If you haven't structured your story correctly in the first two acts, this will be a mess.. The audience won't understand why the protagonist is doing what they’re doing. The protagonist probably won’t be clear about what they’re doing either. It will feel like railroading. The story rolls to a stop because it’s the end of the story, not because the protagonist made choices. Structured correctly, it will be clear what has to happen. Events will be character-driven. Even if there’s only one option, the protagonist got here

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organically. The suspense comes not from ambiguity about what's next, but in waiting to see how the protagonist does it. The audience should be on the edge of their seats. They shouldn't wonder about whether the protagonist will succeed.

Epiaogue The protagonist has completed all challenges. The antagonist met defeat. The story goal in completed. Rewards and complications Now you have to show the aftermath. The epilogue shows the new status quo. Act III is all about the stakes. The audience wants to see that the protagonist gets their deserved rewards. The antagonist has to face the complications of their actions. It’s not always that clean. The villain didn’t achieve their objective, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t gained a little something. You have to account for all the major supporting characters, to show who is okay and who’s hurting. The hero is better off somehow for winning, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t suffered loss. This is where you show that. If you don’t include an epilogue, you’re not honoring the connection the audience has with the characters. It becomes a plot-driven ending. The story goal achieved, it's the end. We’ve reached the end of the railroad line, now you can go home. It’s not particularly satisfying. The epilogue reinforces that the story was about the characters all along. It was about things that happened to them, the choices they made, and the changes that resulted. It’s a form of reward for the audience. Thank them for sticking with you throughout all the ups and downs in the story.

Finia Scene The very last scene of your story presents the evidence that the story goal is complete. It is one last look at the new world you’ve created. It might show that the antagonist was conclusively defeated. You may want to assure the audience that the protagonist has ended up where they belong. It could be as simple as making it clear that all is right with the world once again. The final scene provides the audience with closure. In the same way the epilogue shows what happened to the characters, this scene wraps up the story goal. If you don’t put at least a strong image here, you’re leaving room for the wrong kind of ambiguity.

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When you’ve got a strong final scene, the audience is going to remember your story. Think of the last scene in a great movie. You know exactly where the story stands, how things have ended up, and that it is in fact over. If you’re doing a series or campaign, you can do the opposite. Your final scene can shine a spotlight on that one unresolved loose end. You can create a sense of ambiguity, that maybe the story goal wasn't achieved after all. It sets up a sequel by denying the audience complete closure. Leave them to wonder what’s going to happen next.

Finishing Prep Work Once you know what happens in all three acts, you can go back in fill in the blanks. You’ll know what elements you need to create in order to tell the story effectively. Names, statistics, and other details can be fleshed out.

Characters What sorts of people do you need to populate the story? What roles do you need to fill? Are their people that might be able to fill more than one role, eliminating some preparation? Can you have fewer supporting characters that are more tightly tied to the story? Make sure every character has a distinct purpose; otherwise, you can probably cut them out.

Protagonist Who is the hero of the story? What is the most appropriate type of character to fill the role of protagonist? In a tabletop roleplaying game, what archetypes are best suited to the story you intend to tell. They should have the abilities and personalities required to fulfill the story goals.

Antagonist Who is the bad guy in the story? What is the most appropriate type of character to fill the role of the antagonist? They should balance out the protagonist as either their opposite or a dark mirror image. The antagonist has to have the personality and abilities to foil the story goal.

Supporting Characters What supporting characters do you need? Look at what abilities the protagonist may be missing. Create people they can rely on for those things. Examine the subplots, and figure out who you need to execute them. Look at the

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scenes you have planned and the locations you want to use. Determine the types of people that would be there.

Locations Every scene has to take place somewhere. If you plan things out, you can create some recurring locations. Add a home, workplace, or hangout where the major characters can congregate. Look at what has to happen. Figure out the most interesting possible place to have those things happen.

Props What objects will you need in the story? How do people get around? How do they communicate? Are weapons needed for fight scenes? Are there McGuffins needed to move the story forward? Look at character backgrounds to see what sorts of things they’d need for work or for their hobbies. Look at scenes and locations. Decide what types of interesting objects might be laying around.

Worldbuilding Look at the story as it unfolds over the three acts. Decide what information about the world you need to establish. What things took place that are prologue to the story? What cultural, political, or religious traditions provide context for character actions? What elements of the world itself do you need to explain to make the story’s goal, obstacles, and stakes make sense?

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THE THREE-TIERED SERIES You don’t want to write a single story; you want an ongoing, episodic epic. The vision you have for your game isn’t for one adventure; there’s a whole campaign inside of you, dying to get out. You’re in luck. The three-act structure scales up to a series. Instead of acts, divide the larger story that you want to tell into phases. Your series will have a beginning phase, a middle phase, and an ending phase. The elements intrinsic to each phase will split out into episodes, rather than scenes. The challenge of doing a three-tiered series is getting the pacing right. You need to mix things up a little bit. If you do five stories in a row about introducing each major character, things will get bogged down. A string of stories about nothing but a protagonist's winning streak is dull. Expanding the three act structure allows you to plan things out more. You know where you’re going, and what you’re building up to. You don’t run the risk of wandering aimlessly. You’ll deliver a more satisfying experience to your audience. You have a complete vision of what the overall series is going to be.

Series and Episodes To keep things simple, series and campaign will be used interchangeably. The preferred term will be series, because it covers more types of media. Stories can unfold over several books, game sessions, or installments. The term episodes is used for single-serving units of the overall series.

Continuity Do you have one big story that you need to tell over the course of the series? Or do you want to do a set of stand-alone stories featuring the same characters? Is there a strong continuity from story to story? Are stories self-contained aside from a handful of common elements? This is the difference between a series of mystery novel and a series of epic fantasy novels. In each mystery book, the same protagonist is working on a different case. The supporting cast, location, and other elements might be the same. You don’t need to have read any other books to understand what’s going on in any single volume. Fantasy novels tend to build on one another. you need to read the previous books if you want to have any idea of what’s going on.

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You need to decide up front which approach you’re going to take. Once you’ve made that decision, it’s hard to change your mind. There is no turning back. You’ll confuse your audience’s expectations. There are pros and cons to both stand-alone stories and true interconnected series. You can develop stand-alone one at a time, with no idea what has to happen in later books. Interconnected and continuing stories require you to think bigger. You need to do a lot more planning. Making things up as you go along rarely results in an overall story that holds together well.

The Trilogy Structuring a trilogy is pretty clear-cut. The first story in the series is the beginning, the second story is the middle, and the third story is the end. Rather than being one piece of the overall story, each phase can have a separate story. Each contributes towards the progress of the series. The trilogy is the easiest type of series to put together. Other than the single story, it has the fewest moving parts. It requires the least amount of planning and preparation. It’s a format that’s familiar to both readers and moviegoers, so there is a build-in resonance. The structure is a familiar one One of the problems with trilogies is that they can feel bloated. Could this story have been one book, one movie, or one tabletop adventure? Is there a lot of unnecessary filler in there to make the story longer? Is the story be too large for a trilogy? Would it be better served with a longer series rather than the arbitrary three phases? When you’re doing a trilogy, your path is clear. The audience knows what to expect. The structure is convenient to work with, yet flexible. There’s a reason it’s used so often in a variety of media.

The Ongoing Series An ongoing series is anything larger than a trilogy. It might be a fixed number of stories, like episodes in a television season. In theory it could be infinite, like the entire run of a television series or issues of a long-running comic book. Typical series will have a few introductory episodes in the beginning. These establish the premise, setting, and main characters. The bulk of the episodes comprising the middle. As few as one or two episodes making up the end. If you know how many episodes you want, you can distribute the phrases with as many stories as you think you’ll need.

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Try to avoid completely open-ended series. Think of seasons or story arcs instead. Too many TV shows have suffered from having a short beginning, a bloated middle, and an abrupt end. There’s only so long that you can stall. Tell one story to completion, then tell another one, and don’t try to milk one premise forever. The benefit of an ongoing series is that you have more time to develop and explore characters. Your plots can become more complex, and your worldbuilding much more detailed. The opportunity to lay the groundwork for story elements that won’t pay off for a while. Foreshadow important events that won’t appear until much later. Build a mythology in the extra time. It can be a lot of fun.

Opening Prep Work If you think of your series as a single story arc with three distinct phases it make preparation easier. Keep the beginning, middle, and end in mind. Do your planning at the series level first. Many of the elements that you’ll use in individual episodes will be ready to reuse and recycle.

The Premise Your series will have its own premise. Individual episodes will each have their own premise. Your show about detectives might not feature them hunting killers every single episode. Your hearty adventurers may not kill a dragon every week. The series premise has to be unique enough to set it apart, but broad enough to allow for a range of story types. That way things don’t become boring and predictable. Series Goals – There should be an overall story goal that the series is working toward. This can be something that guides the vision of individual episodes. It may be or something that the episodes within the series build toward. If the goal features exploration, every episode might have some element of exploration. There may be a specific discovery the protagonist wants to make. Episodes show progress toward that larger story goal. Obstacles – The obstacles present in your series premise will appear in individual stories. The series’ antagonist should be the antagonist in a significant number of episodes. Obstacles in each episode will differ. The premise will set a precedent. It should establish expectations around the form obstacles take.

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Genre The series will have a clear genre designation. Episodes may stray from that, but will keep elements of the series’ genre. A science fiction series might have a one-off romance episode. It could feature a western episode, or crime thriller episode. Built on elements from those genres for a change of pace. It should remain in essence science fiction.

Place and Time The place and time of the series is most like going to be the same as in the individual episodes. This will make research easier, and allow you to build upon the sense of when and where with each episode. If your episode will see the protagonist moving around a lot, the place of the series will need to be broad. It has to be the whole of the United States or the modern world or the galaxy, as opposed to New York City. Unless your series is about time travel, the time of the series and its episodes will be the same.

Theme The theme of the series should appear somehow in every episode. Individual episodes can have their own themes, but have to reinforce the larger theme. The only place the series theme appears within an episode may be a subplot or secondary story, but it has to be there.

Stakes The stakes in an episode should have an impact on the stakes of the series. If the protagonist fails to meet a story goal, it ought to be a setback in achieving the series goal. A success in an episode should move the protagonist forward. They should get closer to accomplishing the series goal. It’s all interconnected. Rewards – In a series, rewards in one episode can contribute toward the success of the next episode. The intrinsic confidence earned from success will propel the protagonist forward. Extrinsic rewards allow the character to continue pursuing the series goal. Things like new resource help them overcome increasingly difficult obstacles. Complications – Failure within an episode will have ramifications in future episodes. It will be harder to meet the story goals of the next episode. Obstacles between the protagonist and the series goal become more difficult to overcome.

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Phase I The first few episodes will comprise beginning of the series. The exact number of episodes will depend on how long you plan your series to be. How much information you feel you need to present up front will drive it. Establish the setting. Introduce the main characters. Explain the premise of the series. As with the first act of a single story, the stakes in these early episodes will be relatively low. Establish the status quo for the characters and setting. Introduce the inciting event that changes it. The protagonist will be in a reactive mode. They'll respond to what’s happening as they, and the audience, get a handle on what’s going on.

Phise I Essentia Eaeeents Stories in a Phase I episode have the same requirements as a single story’s Act I. They also need to be interesting in their own right. To do this, you need to keep in mind the goals of a story’s first act.

The Opening Episode The very first episode needs establish all the essential elements of the series. It has to convey a sense of the setting. The episode must communicate the time, place, and genre. It should provide a feel for the tone and atmosphere. Build the first episode around the status quo. Show the way the world is before the inciting incident. Establish the catalyst that creates the main change in the story itself.

Establish the Characters Introduce the main characters in the first episode. Reveal a little bit of each person’s role, with some mystery. More information about their personalities, goals, and aspirations can appear in future episodes. Begin to establish subplots elements as well, for when you reach Phase II.

State the Theme The theme of the series, what it’s about, has to feature in every Phase I episode. You can lay it on a bit thick to start, and then ease off in later episodes, but it should be there. The theme should create expectations on what future episodes will be about.

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Reveal the Goal Before the end of the first episode, hint at the goal of the series. Not all the details have to appear in full yet. There can be a little mystery about what the actual series goal is. You can even engage in some misdirection. But it should be clear by the end of the Phase I episodes.

Teach the Rules In a game, first sessions are where the players get acquainted with important rules. Design episodes to highlight different aspects of the rules system. The stakes and the obstacles remain low during this orientation period. By the end of Phase I, everyone should be clear on how things work.

Reach a Turning Point For most of the first phase the characters will be reacting to what’s happening. They’ll be trying to figure out what’s going on and comprehend the story goal. Before moving into Phase II, the series needs to have reached a turning point. It doesn't have to be the first episode. The protagonist commits to the series goal, moving the series into the middle phase.

Phise I: Act I: The Beginning of the Beginning This is the first act of an episode in the first phase of the series. It has to provide the elements necessary for the beginning of the episode’s story. It also needs elements for the beginning of the series' story. What’s established here will pay off in this story, but also lay groundwork for events later in the series.

The Opening Scene The very first scene needs to convey a sense of the setting. It has to establish the time and place of the series, the genre, and the general tone and atmosphere. Hook the audience from the very first image. In later episodes, opening scenes can introduce new characters. You can even debut characters that won’t be significant until later in the series. Name-drop people to establish their existence. Hint at subplots, and put down the roots of relationships explored in future episodes. Work the series’ theme into the opening scene as well. You can be subtle at this point. Hit the audience over the head with the meaning of the series later. You can reinforce the theme later in the episode, and in subsequent episodes.

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Don’t overwhelm the audience by throwing in the goal of the series in yet. You can be building toward that reveal. A few foreshadowing elements here can’t hurt. Give the audience a taste of what the premise of the series will be right up front. Lead up to the turning point and the change in the status quo that will drive the series forward. But focus on the episode's story goal first. If you’re running a roleplaying game, don’t hit people over the head with a lot of rules yet. Hint at the sort of things that are possible. Get players thinking about what their characters might do. Then they'll be ready when you teach the rules a little bit later.

Introduce the Characters Introduce the series' main characters in the first episode. Even if they’re not seen yet, mention them or make their presence felt. Mention characters who become important later should, at least in passing. Later episodes in Phase I can go into more detail. The audience should learn more about the protagonist’s back story. Establish the needs, goals, and motivations of major supporting characters. Hint at the antagonist. The character introductions should hook into and reinforce the series’ theme. Reflect the goal of the series’ main story in characters' personal goals. When you disrupt the status quo and this phase comes to a close, it should be clear how this affects the characters. In a roleplaying game, character introductions can showcase how abilities work. It demonstrates what is possible within the rules. As with the opening scene, it’s passive way to plant some seeds ahead of teaching the ins and outs of the game system.

State the Theme The theme of the series should also be the theme of the first episode. It's not a requirement, but it helps to establish the series. Consider using it as the theme of most of the episodes in the first phase, just to hammer the point home. You can be more subtle and nuanced after the first episode. Theme should resonate throughout this entire phase. Themes often represent a point of view. In the beginning phase, establish what the main characters think and feel about the theme. Their approaches can be the point of conflict in relationships. Differing opinions can be the focal point of subplots. The way characters approach the story goal reflects their stance toward the theme. 31

As you begin to teach the rules, you can explore ways to express the theme using the game system. The types of abilities that characters must use can serve as a metaphor for a stance on a thematic topic. The specific challenges you provide reflect the conflict within the theme. Even the difficulty of certain types of tasks can promote one stance over another. When you reach the last episode in this phase, the protagonist reaches the turning point. Punch the theme of the series hard. As the status quo changes, characters will make hard, irrevocable choices. Each character’s stance toward the theme should solidify as well.

Establish the Goal Before the end of the first episode, establish the story goal of the season. The objective of the series needs to be clear to the audience. The episode’s story has to tie directly into that. Most episodes in Phase I should connect to the series goal in some way. Allow a few exceptions for pacing, worldbuilding, and character development. Throughout Phase I, you can also explore how the main characters tie into the series goal as well. How do the potential rewards connect to their personal goals, needs, and motivations? How might the complications of failure impact them? Develop and show how the series goal affect them. Those personal connections are a good way to tie the series goal to the series theme a well. In a tabletop roleplaying game, you will begin to teach the rules required to fulfill the goal right. Think of these early episodes as training missions. Get the players ready for the challenges and obstacles in the later phases. By the time you reach the turning point at the end of this phase, the goal should be well established. You won’t need to smack the audience in the face with it in every episode. In Phase II it’s even okay to forget it a bit and allow the protagonist to wander off course.

Teach the Rules In tabletop roleplaying, this phase is where players become acquainted with the rules. You can build entire stories around mastering one specific set of abilities. Create enough opportunity to memorize a particular mechanic. The first episode can highlight rules the players will need for the final episodes of the series. The beginning episodes also provide the perfect place to showcase character abilities. Players need to learn what they can do. Knowing how things work will 32

be a benefit to them. When obstacles and challenges become harder in later episodes, they'll know what to do When you reach the turning point into Phase II, no one should have doubts about how the core mechanic works. The rules should be second nature. There can’t be any doubt about what characters can do and how, mechanically, the players execute how they do it.

Reach a Turning Point For most of the first phase the characters will be reacting to what’s happening. They slowly figure out what’s going on. Before moving into Phase II, they need to commit to achieving the series goal. Turning points in each Phase I episode should contribute a larger epiphany. Build toward the commitment the protagonist must have before moving into Phase II. Use the turning point to reveal something new about a particular character. It’s a way to fulfill the Phase I mandate. Establishing the characters. Create nice emotional beats moving into the middle of the episode. The first and last episodes of this phase should also punch the series theme here. You can be softer about it in other Phase I episodes. The turning point of an episode should also reinforce the episode goal. Remind the audience what the series goal is.

Phise I: Act II: The Middae of the Beginning This is the second act of an episode in the first phase of the series. It has to provide the elements necessary for middle of the episode’s story. The act must also contribute elements to the beginning of the series’ story. It will build on established elements, and lay groundwork for events later in the series.

Introduce Subplots Subplots in Phase I stories won’t be particularly complex or in-depth. They should continue to serve the purpose of introducing the characters. The audience will get to see what the protagonist’s day-to-day life is like. Use subplots to expand upon what their relationship to supporting characters is. Early subplots should reinforce the theme of the series. They could spring from either the series goal or the episode goal. A personal complication that arises for the character because of the main plot. Work in the character’s personal goal, along with how the series goal fits with attaining that goal. This will create tension and conflict you can leverage as the subplots expand. 33

Subplots also serve as places to demonstrate roleplaying system rules. It's a safe space to fail, because it doesn't jeopardize the story goal. Characters can practice abilities relevant to their occupation. They can engage in their hobbies. Tasks carry very low stakes and no serious complications. By the end of Act II of this episode, bring the protagonist to their turning point. As the series progresses into Phase II, the events of subplots can affect decisions. A situation the main characters resolve might parallel the main plot. It could give them ideas on how they can overcome the obstacles of the series goal. Remind them of the stakes by establishing how supporting characters are at risk. The turning point may come about because the subplot gave them a break in the action to let the stakes sink in.

Go on a Winning Streak During Phase I, the winning streak is all about the episode. It might foreshadow the series-level winning streak in Phase I. During these episodes the characters are still in a reactive mode. They're still getting their feet under them. Have the episode’s winning streak tie into the protagonist’s discovery of the series’ goal. As they find success in attaining the episode’s story goal, they learn more about what’s going on. Provide resources they can leverage during the series-level winning streak in Phase II. Early winning streaks are good places to establish character abilities and teach rules. The audience gets to see what they main characters are good at. The players get to play to their characters’ strengths without a great deal of risk. The whole point of the winning streak is to build up confidence and credibility. By the turning point into Phase II, the audience should see that characters are competent.

The Protagonist Stumbles Rock bottom during Phase I establishes the gravity of the series goal. The protagonist has to feel the complications. They need to realize that far worse things will happen if they fail. It’s all about reinforcing the stakes. Across these beginning episodes, you can establish things about the main characters. Show the audience how they react to failure. It can go a long way toward establishing the type of person they are. Make it clear how their shortcoming affect them. Stumbling in the beginning of the series is about reinforcing the series goal. They protagonist isn't just failing at a single task. They're losing ground in the big 34

picture. Main characters start feeling long-term complications. Punch the theme during the stumbling sequences. Use failure as an argument for a thematic stance. While it seems cruel, in a tabletop roleplaying game this is a good place to teach some new or complicated rules. This is where characters should be failing. Poor tactics, bad die rolls, and unfamiliarity with the system supports the story. The characters, and the audience, should be off-balance. Stumbling around at this point in the series makes later success more satisfying.

The Antagonist Strikes This early in the series the antagonist is being proactive. They're probably winning. They aren’t going to be taking the protagonist particularly seriously. If they do, they won’t think that it will take a lot of effort to sideline them. There’s not going to be a lot of pushing back until Phase II. Then the tables will turn and the protagonist goes into proactive more. That will force the antagonist into reactive mode. Most conflict in this phase is between the protagonist and the antagonist’s agents. There won’t be any sort of face-to-face until at least Phase II. Use these scenes to establish the antagonist’s reputation. Even if they don’t physically appear, the main characters will know them by their actions. The types of people working with them, and the things they ask those people to do for them, can be very revealing. The way the antagonist takes action in these episodes should reflect the theme of the series. It should be in direct service to the greater series goal. Make progress toward the antagonist getting what they want. Every time the antagonist strikes during Phase I, reveal something about their motivation. In a roleplaying game, this is a good place to demonstrate the antagonist’s capabilities. The players can see how they work and begin to figure out ways to counter them. This is part of teaching the rules. It's akin to allowing players to learn their own characters’ abilities earlier. These turning point scenes should serve as motivation for the protagonist. They will know what the antagonist is capable of, and what they want. Main characters will gain experience in dealing with the antagonist. That makes them the best people to deal with the problem and achieve the story goal.

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A Brush with Death This early in the series, death will probably be metaphorical. If an actual character dies this soon, it has to be someone important to the protagonist. The death should providing the motivation to propel them into the next turning point. More than likely, a death early in the series will be the thematic. Destroy something that represents the old status quo. The death should symbolize the goal of the series. Achieving the goal in Phase III will provide closure for what characters lose here. How you handle this in early episodes will establish the tone of the entire series. Let the audience know how uncomfortable you're willing to make them. If you want to be brutal to the protagonists, show it here. Here is where you show that you’re willing to go there. It's also where you can establish that you won't be graphic or gratuitous. In either case, this segment has to make the protagonist look heroic as they reach the turning point.

Face the Darkness This is the hardest thing to pull off this early in a series. Beat the protagonist down so far that they don’t want to get back up, and the audience feels cheated. They will tune out. In tabletop roleplaying, if you demoralize your players completely they’ll quit. You have to rely on the earlier winning streak to keep everyone’s chin up. The best way to deal with this in Phase I episodes is to remember that the protagonist is in a reactive mode. Things are happening to them. You’re not giving them a break, an opportunity to regroup, or a chance to breathe. Make them feel stressed and frustrated, rather than defeated. It's about timing and pace, not failure. They feel they can win, if only they could catch a break. Facing the darkness will show what the characters are made of. This ties into establishing who the characters are. It should also go toward revealing the series goal. because they’re going to be looking for a way out of the darkness. Achieving the series’ goal is going to be that path.

Reach a Turning Point In the beginning of a series, many turning points will spread out across several episodes. You can spotlight each main character’s turning point as they come to grips with what’s going on. Establish that character and lead them into subplots in Phase II. Create turning points around the characters having epiphanies about the series goal. A turning point can be a character realizing they 36

have a stance on the theme. Drawn from their experiences in these episodes to tie up loose ends. The only thing that matters is that these episodic junctures add up to the major turning point. This will help drive the series out of Phase I and into Phase II.

Phise I: Act III: The End of the Beginning This is the third act of an episode within the first phase of the series. What happens here will conclude the episode's story. The protagonist will complete that story goal. It will also continue to lay groundwork for later events in the series. The main characters will gain something that moves them toward the series story goal.

Finale The finale of each episode has to wrap up that episode’s story. It should establish the elements of the series. Reveal something about a character. Allow them to call upon a resource that no one knew they had. Reveal an ability previously unseen. Restate the theme of the series, and reinforce it with some new plot twist. Hint at how the protagonist might achieve the series goal. Drop some small bit of information to hook the audience and make come back for the next episode.

Epilogue The epilogue of an individual episode is the perfect place to build upon the needs of the series. What the characters do after resolving the story reveals something about them. Make a statement about how the theme manifests in the episode. Provide a moral to the story. Reveal how this episode’s goal ties into the larger series goal, if that isn’t clear.

Finia Scene In the earliest episodes of your series, you want the final thing the audience sees to be a strong hook. You have to hit them with a mystery they’ll want answered. Provide a twist that makes them question what really happened. Add a reveal that will need an explanation in the next episode. Throw in a juicy cliffhanger. The object is to make them want to come back for the next episode, to see how the series plays out.

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Phase II This is the middle of the story. The protagonist encounters obstacles while taking steps to accomplishing their mission. They work toward achieving their goal and defeating the antagonist. Reveal more information. Escalate the tension. Give the main characters confidence to carry on. Some elements introduced in Act I pay off. Introduce new elements that will be necessary in in the future. The shape of the story is pretty clear, and is definitely locked down by the end of the act. Everything should logically lead the protagonists into Phase III.

Phise II Essentia Eaeeents Phase II stories need to fulfill all the requirements of a single story’s Act II. They should also provide interesting stories in their own right. To do this, you need to keep in mind the purpose of a story’s first act.

Develop Subplots Secondary stories provide breathers in the second phase. Develop subplots involving the personal goals and conflicts of the main characters. This allows you to adjust the pacing of the story and give characters some spotlight time.

Go on a Winning Streak For most of the second act twill be a challenge for the protagonist. They will experience small victories. This gives the audience a chance to cheer, and will make the emotional blows later in the act more shocking.

The Protagonist Stumbles Characters will realize that the obstacles they face are larger than they suspected. Individual story goals are achievable, but the obstacles of the series goal interfere. The big picture is intimidating. The only direction left to go is up.

The Antagonist Strikes Back The earlier winning streak will not go unanswered. The antagonist will regroup and come back at the protagonists with a vengeance. Actions the antagonist take will include short-term retaliation for the episode's story goal. It may also be proactive interference with the series goal.

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A Brush with Death You can't kill a character off in every episode. Over the course of Phase II you can foreshadow a major death. You can also have the impact of a death resonate across several episodes.

Face the Darkness The characters have to question what they're doing. They might be confidence about episodic story goals, but fear the series goal. The protagonist should have doubts about the big picture.

Reach a Turning Point The protagonist gains a new chance at victory. Some resource, piece of information, or insight gives them hope. The recommit to the series goal. This sets everything up for Phase III of the series.

Phise II: Act I: The Beginning of the Middae This is the first act in the second phase of the series. It has to provide the elements necessary for the beginning of the episode’s story goal. It will build upon elements for the middle of the series’ story goal. What’s established here will pay off in this story. It also needs to reinforce and expand upon information that already exists in the series.

The Opening Scene The very first scene of Phase II needs to remind the audience what they already know. Bring them up to speed on the setting, the characters, and the series goal. The episode should introduce some new information, in the form of what’s pivotal to the episode’s plot. The opening scene of Phase II should highlight how the status quo changed since Phase I. It has to reestablish the time and place of the episode. Pus. the genre of this individual story, and the general tone and atmosphere. Hook the audience back in from the very first image. As we move into the middle of the series, episode opening scenes can also focus on subplots. Feature character stories more prominently. Details about the setting have already been set up, so expand on them. Information necessary to make the episode work can still be here. Episodic opening scenes can also highlight the Phase II winning streak. It can lay the groundwork for their eventual stumble, relative to the series goal.

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Establish that the antagonist is aware of the protagonist’s actions. They are preparing to strike back. Incorporate foreshadowing into opening scenes. Show that death and darkness are around the corner in future Phase II episodes. Create tension by making it clear to the audience that things are going to fall apart at some point. They’re already beginning to unravel. In later episode in Phase II, use the opening scenes to show that things have in fact taken a turn for the worse.

Expand the Characters In Phase II the audience already knows a little bit about the main characters. Take the opportunity here to remind them of what they already know, and begin to expand upon it. Explore existing mysteries and unanswered questions. Reveal more about relationships between the characters, including their past histories together. Unveil the origins of character goals and needs. Deepen the reasons behind their motivations. Phase II is where subplots begin to shine. The series begins to put the audience on an emotional roller coaster here. Show how the characters deal with these highs and lows. Early in Phase II they’ll be on a winning streak, and we can see if they remain grounded or start getting sloppy. When the protagonist stumbles, you can show their resilience. As the antagonist strikes back, connect it to personal subplots. When characters encounter darkness, established backgrounds will lead them to the turning point. Guide them forward in character, and make their journey believable.

Reinforce the Theme You can ease up on the series’ theme in the second phase. Relegating it to subplots. Explore other related themes in individual episodes. The main theme should still be there in the first episode. Hammer it home again as the protagonist reaches the turning point going into Phase III. In the middle phase, emotional beats will reflect characters’ approaches to the theme. The winning streak could validate their stance. Stumbling, facing death, and walking through darkness causes them to have doubts. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Good fortune causes them rethink things. The downturn makes them realize they were correct in the first place.

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Reinforce the Goal After repeating the goal of the series during every episode in Phase I, you can let it go a bit here. As you explore and develop subplots, distract the protagonist and the audience. When the winning streak takes hold, they will be having a good time and won’t care. It’s a good way to pack an emotional punch when the character starts losing and hits rock bottom. They'll realize that they’ve lost their way. When the antagonist strikes back, the protagonist will know that they’ve lost site of the goal. Encountering death and facing the darkness will keep them off balance. Allow them to try to refocus and become proactive again. The turning point happens when the protagonist realizes that they can’t lose sight of the goal again. The protagonist redoubles their effort to achieve it.

Review the Rules By the middle of the series everyone should be comfortable with the rules. Players should have the bits relevant to their characters memorized. Gamemasters should be comfortable enough to locate obscure rules quickly if needed. You can also wing it and make rulings off the cuff rather than bring the game to a halt. Where you can fine tune your understanding of the rules is in the subplots. It’s a place to continue to explore some of the more esoteric rules permutations with little risk. Subplots are the place to clarify mechanics players might still be struggling with. Before throwing them into tougher challenges, put a low-risk challenge in a subplot. When the characters go on the winning streak, it will serve double duty. Protagonists win, and players to feel confident about their knowledge of the rules. At the point they stumble and brush up against death and darkness, they should be having a difficult time. The obstacles are harder, but not because they’re still unclear about how the rules work. Once you reach the turning point and move into Phase III, no one should have any questions left about the rules.

Reach a Turning Point For most of the first phase the characters will be reacting to what’s happening. They spend time figuring out what’s going on. Before moving into Phase II, they must recommit to achieving the series goal. In the middle of the campaign, those turning points can also be epiphanies. There are commitments that the protagonist makes toward pursuing and 41

resolving subplots. It can become unrealistic to make the turning point of every episode a big emotional moment. There's no need for a constant re-dedication to the series goal in every episode. Subplots carry that emotional baggage and make episodes feel a little more organic. When you’re doing a winning streak episode, you likewise don’t need to punch the turning point as hard. The protagonist is succeeding with style and ease. Why would continuing be a hard decision? This changes when in later episodes when the protagonist stumbles. Brushes with death and darkness understandably make them question the story goal.. The only turning point that matters in Phase II is the one in the final episode, before heading into Phase III.

Phise II: Act II: The Middae of the Middae This is the second act of an episode in the second phase of the series. It has to provide the elements necessary for the middle of the episode’s story. On top of that, it has to reinforce elements needed in the middle of the series’ story. What’s expanded upon here will pay off in this story, but also add to what already exists within the series.

Introduce Subplots In Phase II, the audience is already familiar with the main characters. This means you can start to go a little be deeper. Tie up any loose threads left unresolved in Phase I. Set up some situations to resolved in Phase III. Subplots are essential to the pacing of the protagonist’s winning streak. In early episodes during this phase, they should go on a winning streak in their subplots as well. You can then start mixing things up to vary the emotional beats. Introduce the idea that winning streak might not last. Allowing the protagonists to have some minor losses within the subplots. By the time the protagonist hits rock bottom, the subplots should be hitting a darker tone as well. This inverts when the antagonist strikes back. It continues when the protagonist faces death and darkness. As they lose in the main plot and things go bad, subplots can show that they character has a support system. Relationship might be rocky. Personal problems might be difficult. There is hope. They can resolve obstacles in the subplots. Supporting characters have the protagonist’s back. You have a solid foundation for a turning point. By the end of this phase, people and events in the subplots will allow the protagonist to find their resolve. Then they can move forward into Phase III.

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Go On a Winning Streak The wins in these episodes of the series will align with the winning streak of the series itself. The characters are succeeding in nearly everything they do, building credibility and confidence. The more you can tie the two together, so that episode successes affect the series success, the better. The protagonist’s winning streak will carry over to their subplots. Include some different emotional notes in the antagonist’s subplots. They're now on a losing streak. Use subplots with supporting characters to lay the groundwork for future defeats. Build up to the period of darkness coming later in this phase. The winning streak can also set up the protagonist's fall. It’s not about making the obstacles easy to overcome. Don't just give them challenges in areas where they have little or no ability. Play to their strengths, and make it clear. Confront them with something they don’t know how to do, or aren’t very good at. Let the audience worry for a moment. Then present an easier alternative. When the protagonist stumbles, those easier options won’t be there. They will have to face death and darkness with difficulty. When the antagonist strikes back, it won’t be to challenge to the protagonist’s strengths. The point will be to exploit their weaknesses.

The Protagonist Stumbles When the middle phase winning streak ends, the protagonist hits true rock bottom. They face challenges that are harder than anything they’ve seen so far. The stakes are higher than what they have encountered before. The audience should question whether the protagonist can succeed or not. Even if they’re confident the good guys will win, they won’t have any idea how they’re going to do it. In these episodes, you have to make the protagonist feel that they’re not good enough to succeed. They should doubt whether they will accomplish the episode's story goal. You also need to make them question whether they’re good enough to achieving the series goal. Everything seems bigger than it actually is. If the audience isn’t afraid, you need to turn up the heat more.

The Antagonist Strikes Back In early episodes of Phase II, the antagonist’s response will amount to putting up resistance. The protagonist’s winning streak put the villain on a reactive, not proactive, footing. If they do strike out, it will be at the protagonist’s resources, rather than directly. The antagonist will try to restrict the hero’s capabilities. 43

They'll take out friends and allies allies. They'll target equipment, safe locations, and other useful things. The object is to make the protagonist less effective in their campaign against the bad guys. After the winning streak, the protagonist might be a little overconfident. The audience should fee the same. Hitting rock bottom and failing is the opportunity the antagonist waits for. This section is about the antagonist exploiting the protagonist’s failure. They see a crack and work at widening it. During the middle phase, the antagonist’s strikes are about regaining control of the plot. They work to diminish any advantages the protagonist has gained. Hit the protagonist while they’re down. This free the antagonist from the distractions that protagonist provided. They can get back to pursuing their own personal goal. The turning point will come after the antagonist has increased the difficulty. Obstacles are harder, and the protagonist will be missing resources. Yet somehow, the protagonist is not only still standing but getting stronger. The antagonist's ineffectiveness in the final episodes signal the transition to Phase III.

A Brush with Death This is the point in the series where the antagonist get to kill people and destroy things. If they did such things in Phase I, it was reactive. They did what they had to do in pursuit of their goals. By Phase II the protagonist is becoming proactive. The antagonist's actions, in turn, also become premeditated. It's personal now. During the winning streak, literal or metaphorical death will be counting coup. The protagonist is getting back at the antagonist for what happened earlier. Even if what they do is awful, the audience can forgive them. Emotions are running high, after all. You can build subplots around changes in character. Whether the protagonist creating loss or suffering it, there is an impact on them. Losing someone can drive them toward rock bottom. Realizing that they’ve inflicted carnage can do the same. That will resonate throughout the scenes where the antagonist strikes back. How will the protagonist deal with the dark, uncomfortable ramifications of meeting death? The protagonist should realize that the only way to stop the destruction is to finish the story goal. This will lead them to the turning point at the end of this phase.

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Face the Darkness This is as dark as it gets in the whole series. The protagonist realizes that everything rests on their shoulders. It’s a lot of pressure. There’s a lot of responsibility. Subplots are going to be about how scared they are. This gives the supporting characters the chance to both give them pep talks. The main characters can also weigh them down by reminding them of the complications. We know what they’re feeling down about. It’s coming off the euphoria of the winning streak and walking right into failure. The protagonist has now seen a revitalized antagonist. They've faced literal or metaphorical death. Facing the darkness isn’t succumbing to it, though. It’s figuring out what went wrong so they can do better. That’s what the episodes during this phase have to be about. The protagonist has to figure out how to improve so they can keep going forward.

Reinforcing the Turning Point Throughout Phase II, you need to nurture the protagonist’s resolve to complete the story goal. At some point they’re going to make the commitment. If the audience thinks the protagonist is going to bail, we have no series. You need to keep reinforcing that they’re committed, why they're committed, and that they are of the stakes. To keep this from becoming repetitive, you can work it into subplots. Make the protagonist explain to people why they’re doing what they’re doing. Have the resolution to the subplot be dependent on the resolution of the series goal. Make it clear why the protagonist has reached the turning point. During the winning streak, the protagonist is going to keep going because they’re winning. When they bottom out, that will make the turning point harder to swallow. The resurgence of the antagonist creates doubt. Death and destruction hurt. Getting to the turning point and recommitting to the story goal essential.

Phise II: Act III: The End of the Middae This is the third act of an episode in the second phase of the series. It has to provide the elements necessary for the finale of the episode’s story. These episodes also need to reinforce elements for the middle of the series’ story. What happens here will conclude episode goals. Events must also continue to lay groundwork for later obstacles to the series goal.

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Finale The finale to an episode in the middle of the series is where you show the overall story is. If you’re into the winning streak, the finale has to be a glorious and exciting victory for the protagonist. If the protagonist is hitting rock bottom, they need to fail. When the antagonist strikes back, the protagonist might win or lose, but there will be a cost. Define that cost in the episode finales where the protagonist encounters death. When protagonists battle their doubts and fears, the finale should influence those feelings. As the protagonist heads into the turning point before Phase III, they should be winning. At least, they should have a vision for how they’re going to be able to win.

Epilogue The epilogue is also a good place to touch on subplots. You might resolve a subplot here, or introduce a new one. Flesh out more detail in the next episode, but lay groundwork now. The tone can match the overall tone of the episode, or provide an emotional counterpoint. Give the audience an upbeat epilogue to a downbeat finale, or vice-versa. Keep people emotionally engaged. As with the finale, the epilogue is a good place to reinforce where in Phase II the series is. When the winning streak is going, the characters are going to be celebrating. When the protagonist stumbles, they’re going to be consoling one another. When they experience loss, show them dealing with their emotions. In moments of doubt, have them work through things via subplots. At the turning point, the epilogue should show the main characters gathering together.

Final Scene As in Phase I, the last thing you leave the audience with in an episode should make them want more. The question they should have in their heads is, “Now what?” The protagonist is on a winning streak — now what? Will they go after the antagonist now? They’ve stumbled — now what? Are they going to give up? They’ve faced destruction and despair — now what? How are they going to be able to move on? The protagonist has reached a turning point — now what? How are they going to defeat the antagonist and accomplish the story goal? Keep pulling the audience forward.

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Phase III This is the end of the story. The protagonists takes the final steps toward achieving the story goal. They confront and defeat the antagonist. Personal goals move forward. You can reveal the final pieces of information that tie up loose ends. Elements set up in Act II and Act III pay off. The shape of the story should be solid. The connection between all three acts forming a seamless whole by the end. Everything should lead to a satisfying conclusion to the story and series.

Phise III Essentia Eaeeents Phase III episodes have to fulfill all the requirements of a single story’s Act III. They also have to provide interesting stories in their own right. To do this, you need to keep in mind the purpose of a story’s final act.

Finale The protagonists gathers every resource available to them. They have their final confrontation with the antagonist. Either they achieve the story goal, or they fail spectacularly. In any case, the audience knows that the story is over.

Epilogue Tie up all the loose ends from the first two phases. All the stakes, both rewards and complications, resolve themselves. We get to see what happens to the main characters as a result of the finale.

Final Scene The last scene has to show what the protagonist and their world look like now. Reinforce the theme. Show change and growth in the world and the main characters. Point out any loose ends as potential hooks for a sequel.

Phise III: Act I: The Beginning of the End This is the first act of an episode in the third phase of the series. It has to provide the elements necessary for the beginning of the episode’s story. It should also lead toward the conclusion of the series' story. What’s established here will pay off in this episode, but also progress toward the finale of the series.

Opening Scene The opening scene in a Phase III episode is all about housekeeping. You need to remind the audience of what they already know, and what has gone before. 47

Review the stakes. Help them to remember what rewards and complications are on the line. Put the protagonist into position to confront the antagonist. Allow the main characters to complete the story goal.

Give the Characters Closure All the things we’ve learned about the characters in the first two phases need to pay off. Heading into the finale, address all unanswered questions. Resolve some of the mysteries about characters’ pasts. Complete subplots with the same clarity and finality as the series’ main plot. The epilogue should show that the characters’ individual stories are over. We learn where they fit into the new status quo.

Conclude the Theme Phase II offered a chance to be less overt about the series’ theme. You could explore it in more subtle and refined ways. That’s over now. In the episodes leading up to the finale, you’ll be beating the audience over the head with the theme again. The epilogue can make a definitive statement. The final scene can draw the conclusion you ultimately want to make about the theme.

Complete the Goal In Phase III, every episode’s goal should further the cause of achieving the series goal. The protagonist is calling in favors. They're gathering the resources needed for the final confrontation with the antagonist. Every episode finale whets the audience’s appetite. The ultimate series finale takes place in the last episode. Every episode’s epilogue should recap the progress made and show what has to happen next. You’re crossing things off a list, tying up loose ends, and getting ready to end the series with a bang.

Display Mastery of the Rules If the players have not mastered the rules by this point, they’re doomed. Characters shifted to a proactive mode throughout a story. Players should have become more proactive across the campaign. By now they should know how the rule work. They ought to be able to come up with creative uses for abilities. They should be plotting strategies. Going into the finale of Phase III episodes, they have to have confidence. In the series finale episode, they should be putting their knowledge of the rules on display.

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Remember a Turning Point You don’t need new turning points in Phase III. If it isn’t clear that the protagonist committed to the cause, you failed a while back. You probably can’t fix if now. What you can and should do here is remind everyone of the past turning points. Insert scenes that flash back to the end of Phases I and II. Bring up the issues that drove the protagonist forward at those points. Rekindle the old inspiration, rather than looking for new motivations to heap on.

Phise III: Act II: The Middae of the End This is the second act of an episode in the third phase of the series. It has to provide the elements necessary for middle of the episode’s story. It also has to build to the finale of the series’ story. This act will continue elements established in the episode. It should lay groundwork for the conclusion the series.

Introduce Subplots The end phase of the series is when you need to be resolving subplots. The only groundwork needed is to show what the characters’ plans are after the finale. Who’s moving on? Who’s going to fulfill their personal goal? Who’s going to be stuck with unattainable dreams? This is when characters profess their love for one another. This is when people ask for a divorce. This is when people get accepted into the university of their choice, or get offered their dream jobs. What it does is increase the stakes and makes them more personal. Everything the character has ever wanted can be theirs if they can attain the story goal. They have to come through it in one piece. It gives the protagonist one more thing to fight for. It provides the audience with one more reason to root for the hero. Epilogue scenes in these episodes are tick boxes. Showing the supporting cast achieve closure. Handle the least important characters first. The next-to-last episodes will deal with the protagonist’s likely fate. The antagonist will be in there as well, along with their subplots. The epilogue of the absolute final episode will resolve protagonist subplots.

The Final Winning Streak Phase III is arguably nothing but winning streaks. In the finale, the protagonist is going to face progressively bigger challenges. Increase the stakes and the dramatic tension. They’re going to win. In the epilogue, you’ll cover the

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rewards that are being reaped from the winning streak. The final scene will cement the idea that the protagonist has definitively won.

The Calm Before the Storm There is no protagonist stumble in Phase III episodes. It’s not exactly a winning streak, either. What you have are false bottoms and fake-outs. The thing that needs to work doesn’t immediately work. The event that has to happen in order for the whole plan to come together doesn’t occur. The person you need to show up isn’t there. The protagonist will need to improvise. When it look like they’re about to lose, then the thing works. Stuff finally happens. That supporting character shows up. The suspense is all in the timing. Anything connected to the series’ epilogue scenes will also be fake-outs. It may look like something bad happened, but wait, it wasn’t that at all, it was a good thing. It’s cheap, and it amounts to jerking people around. But if at the end of the series everything feels like it comes too easily, the audience will lose interest. Play with them a little bit.

The Antagonist’s Last Stand This is where the antagonist pulls out all the stops. They had a good run toward the end of Phase II, but now the protagonist has rallied. In the final episodes of the series, the antagonist is going to raise the stakes. They'll increase the difficult of the obstacles. In an act of desperation, they will do things they weren’t willing to do in Phase I, or think were necessary in Phase II. Nothing is off the table. They want to win. The final strike isn’t going to represent the biggest challenge to the protagonist. It’s based on everything the antagonist has learned. By the end of the series, the antagonist will know the protagonist’s weaknesses. They know what they’re good at, and what they aren’t. They know what the protagonist cares about, and what distracts them. You have to create as much drama as possible and milk it for maximum emotional effect.

Death Becomes Closure Literal or metaphorical deaths in Phase III aren’t unexpected or shocking. It’s familiar. You’re closing story loops and snipping off loose plot threads, after all. If someone dies, or something important gets destroyed, they've fulfilled their purpose. Their passing is only to remind the protagonist and the audience of the stakes. Foreshadowing led things here.

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The epilogues in Phase III episodes should acknowledge important characters that have fallen. This is a way to fulfill the emotional beats of meeting death without generating more. You’re wrapping things up, not creating new events that you need to resolve.

Remember the Darkness Darkness in the final phase of a series is another fake out. The possibility that the protagonist could fail exists! No, wait, never mind, they’re okay. False alarm. Don’t beat them down here; we’re not introducing new things this late in the series, we’re resolving things. Remind the protagonist of the doubts and defeats they’ve had in the past. Recall those moments of darkness they experienced back in Phase II. Then allow them to get over it. In the epilogue, you can call back to the darkness the character faced earlier in the story. Even in the final scene, you can revisit past doubts and fears. This will show character growth. It will also add some emotional resonance to the end of the story. Make the protagonist seem even more heroic for having not only survived, but thrived.

Remember the Turning Points Turning points in Phase III episodes recap of how the protagonist got here. Remember the things that happened in earlier phases of the series. Relive what the protagonist when through. Revisit how the repeatedly committed to achieve the story goal. There are no new epiphanies, just some emotional resonance. When the protagonist does win, it feels really, really good.

Phise III: Act III: The End of the End This is the third act of an episode in the final phase of the series. It has to provide the elements necessary for the finale of the episode’s story. It also has to work as the finale of the series’ story. What happens will conclude this episode and the series.

The Finale One of two things has to happen in the finale of a Phase III episode. The protagonist makes progress toward the series goal, bringing them closer to victory. The antagonist suffers a setback, making them easier to defeat. You can have some fake outs in there. The protagonist suffers a minor setback or the antagonist makes some small gain. Either way, you need to be building to the finale of the series. 51

The Epilogue Epilogues to Phase III episodes are a good place to start tying off loose threads. Show what happens to minor characters. Resolve subplots. Explain away plot holes that might adversely affect the series finale. You also need to show how the characters feel about the progress they’ve made toward the series goal. Talk about their plans, not just for the next episode or the series finale, but what comes after the series ends. Make it clear that their lives will go on after the series ends. Give them goals that will reinforce the audience’s connections to the characters.

The Final Scene The last thing the audience sees in a Phase III episode should pull them forward into the next episode. It should be a clue, or even an overt statement, about what’s going to happen next. The final scene in the last episode has to make it clear that the story is over. Resolve the series goal, tie up all the subplots, the movie’s over, go home!

Finishing Prep Work Once you’ve worked out the stories you plan to tell you can begin to work out other details. First among those is how many episodes, chapters, or game sessions the series will run. You may have had some of these things in mind before you started planning your series. Some details may have changed as the story and the supporting element you’ll need became clearer. For some elements, planning before you knew what your needs were would have wasted effort.

Characters Now that you have an idea what will happen in your series, you have a much better idea of who your characters need to be. You know what they need to be able to do. To fit, you know the kind of backgrounds they need to have. Now you can start working on developing their individual back stories. Then you can work out relationships between them. Protagonist – You may have started your idea for a series with a protagonist in mind. Now you know what abilities they’ll need to have, and can expand their back story to explain them. If you’re running a roleplaying game, you know what types of characters will be appropriate. You know the types of abilities that will be crucial in order for players to be able to accomplish the story goals. This will allow

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you to steer players in the right direction. You can help character creation to end up with protagonists that work in the context of the story. Antagonist – The antagonist is largely a function of the story. You need someone to facilitate the obstacles that get thrown at the protagonist. How you create them is also influenced by the protagonist. It’s best to custom-build your antagonist after you are clear who your protagonist is. Then you have a foe that plays off against the hero’s strengths and weaknesses. Supporting Characters – When you know what’s going to happen in the story, you know what sorts of people you’ll have to populate it with. As you work out who the protagonist and antagonist are, you’ll see where they need support and assistance. Start with the gaps in the story that need a person. Then tweak the story a bit. Accommodate the personalities you discover hidden among the supporting characters.

Locations Every scene has to happen somewhere. When you’ve planned out a series, you can work out recurring locations for a lot of scenes. Think about TV shows, and how there are sets that get used in every episode. Only create additional locations when they’re absolutely necessary to the story. Cut your prep work by recycling locations whenever possible.

Props You need to think about unusual objects that will appear in your stories. You should have a passing familiarity with ordinary, everyday things as well. A lot of this will fall back on the genre, time, and place of your story. Think about how people in the story live — what objects are required to eat, sleep, and so on. Think about how they work. What sorts of jobs do they have? What tools and technologies necessary for that to happen. How do people travel? How do they communicate? How do they access information? How do they fight?

Worldbuilding What other details about the world do you need to establish in order to tell these stories and run this series? What events have to have happened in order for the things in the story to take place? How has the world influenced the attitudes and motivations of the characters? What information do you need to provide to the audience in order for them to have the right context for the story, so everything makes sense?

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STORY TYPES There is no such thing as a universal story. What’s in this book so far has been formulaic, but for good reasons. First, it’s a formula that resonates with the audience. That some things are practically cliches is a strength, not a weakness. Meeting the audience's expectations allows you to focus on the details. The structural foundation will support your characters, worldbuilding, and other ideas. Second, it keeps things simple for the needs of a roleplaying game. Establish the goal, have encounters that lead to the goal, complete the goal. Beginning, middle, end. Allow the audience, in this case the players, to have room to move about while the structure guides them. For a gamemaster pressed for preparation time, having some bare bones to flesh out is useful. Finally, this structure makes a great template. If you're an inexperienced storyteller, it's a bit paint-by-numbers. As you gain experience, it becomes jazz. You can play around with elements, change the order, add and delete things. The only way you can break the rules effectively is to understand the rules. When you know why things are the way they are, and the purpose they're meant to serve, it's easier to subvert them. The origins of this structure can be problematic. It is, admittedly, deeply rooted in Joseph Campbell's "hero's journey". That itself is a deconstruction of older myth. The structure, then, has its origins in Western literary traditions. It stems from stories of male heroes. That doesn't mean that it isn't useful for telling stories with diverse protagonists. It means that you, the storyteller, have to find ways to incorporate other types of characters. The foundation is the same. What you build on it is up to you. The structure is a tool. If others have misused it in the past, it's not the tool's fault. Below are ten outlines for ten common types of stories. All use the basic structure detailed earlier. These examples show the flexibility of the structure, and how you can use it. Even these story types present near-infinite possibilities. Change the genre, setting, and characters, and you have a different story using the same basic outline.

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The Journey Story The protagonist sets off on a journey to an exotic place, hoping to find fortune and glory.

The Journey: Act I There are two ways that a journey plot commonly begins. The first is in a location that is relatively mundane. This is the protagonist’s status quo. The purpose is to establish why the protagonist is so willing to run off to pursue the object of their desire. They may be trying to get away from this starting point. They could also need to do something in order to save the starting point. The Opening Scene – The very first scene should portray the protagonist doing whatever it is they normally do. This will also establish things about the place. These elements will become relevant to the protagonist’s motivation. Introduce the Characters – The protagonist’s feelings about the starting point are established. Relationships between major characters are set up. They will each have an attachment to the place. They should also have some need that cannot be met in this place. State the Theme – The theme should shape the conflicts during the first act. Coming of age is a common theme in a journey story. The trip the protagonist takes symbolizes their maturing, and moving into a new stage of life. The individual versus society can work as a theme if the protagonist doesn’t want to take the journey, but does so for the greater good. Establish the Goal – The goal in a journey story is right out in the open. The protagonist has to travel somewhere. On the surface, they may need to deliver something, retrieve something, or meet someone. The real goal is what they learn along the way. This story goal is tied into the theme. They grow up, learn to appreciate where they came from, gain perspective on a relationship or issue. Teach the Rules – The players need to know how things like fight scenes and chases work. Hazards related to the environment, like weather, heat, and cold, have to be understood. Protagonists may need to fight wild animals, monsters, or bandits. They should understand how foraging for food and other survival skills work. Reach a Turning Point – The turning point in a journey story is when the opportunity to turn back presents itself. The protagonist will question the

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wisdom of going on. The potential rewards and consequences will weigh on them. Something convinces them to go on, and complete the story goal.

The Journey: Act II In the second act, the journey begins. The protagonist sets off to visit exotic locations. They seek out what they need or desire. They will encounter things that are far removed from their status quo. They’ll see strange things, meet unusual people, and have totally new experiences. Each step along the journey should lead logically to the next step. By the end of the act, they’ll be ready to complete their goal and return home. Introduce Subplots – In a journey story, the most common type of subplot is a romance. The protagonist meets someone and falls in love. This complicates the journey in some way. It may introduce the antagonist, who is a romantic rival. The relationship may or may not be viable in the long term, but the protagonist is blinded by the desires of the moment. Go on a Winning Streak – Things will be relatively easy for the protagonist throughout the early part of this act. Travel is easy. Obstacles can be handled. Losses and injuries are few. The protagonist will show off their skill and gain confidence. Everyone should be having fun. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through Act II, the challenges become more difficult. The protagonist does not have the proper resources. Obstacles are outside of their experience and skill set. There will be unexpected setbacks. The main characters begin to lose some of their resolve. The Antagonist Strikes Back – In this type of story, there may or may not be a literal, individual antagonist. It may be the environment, or the rigors of travel. In any case, the antagonist has a goal and makes progress toward it. This run contrary to the protagonist’s goal. There are setbacks and delays. The journey may even come to a complete halt until issues create by the antagonist can be resolved. A Brush with Death – Someone important to the journey will become injured and unable to go on. This might be an original member of the expedition, or someone the protagonist met along the way. It should reinforce the danger of the journey. The main characters should rethink what’s at stake, and determine whether it’s worth carrying on. Face the Darkness – The worst case scenario happens. It might be a complication create by the brush with death. It could be an obstacle resulting 57

from the antagonist striking back. This is a biggest challenge of the story. The protagonist has to figure out a way to move forward. They may be stuck where they are until they can solve a huge problem. Reach a Turning Point – When things seem absolutely bleak, something happens. The protagonist makes a discovery. Main characters catch a lucky break. Ideally, they figure out a solution to the darkness. The stakes become to high for the protagonist to quit. With renewed resolve, they press on and try to complete the journey.

The Journey: Act III In Act III of a journey plot, the protagonist gets what they need or desire. That was a forgone conclusion at the beginning, of course. What’s interesting is discovering how they managed to get it. If not handled properly, the finale can be anticlimactic. There needs to be some sort of risk, some real danger, which feels as if it could credibly stop the protagonist from meeting the story goal. The Finale – The protagonist will gather every resource available to make it to the final location. The antagonist will be prepared to stop them. This is where the final confrontation between the protagonist and antagonist will take place. Everything that the protagonist learned throughout the journey can come into play here. The point is to showcase how much the main characters have grown. The Epilogue – All of the loose ends from the first two acts are tied up. The protagonist returns home, skipping the journey back. It’s assumed that the return trip was uneventful. The important part is the warm welcome they get from the people at the starting point. People have new respect for the protagonist. In turn, the protagonist has a new appreciation for the place they come from. The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively that the protagonist has won. The rewards will be given out. Proof that any complications have been avoided will be shown. If the status quo was disrupted, it will be restored or improved upon. Everyone is well, and the starting location is safe and prosperous.

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The Search Story The protagonist sets off on a journey to find something, but learns something important about his- or herself that changes their life forever.

The Seirch: Act I The first act of a search plot typically begins at the protagonist’s home. They have some desire, something that they think they need, but they’re not able to fulfill it where they are. They either learn about some place where they can get what they want, or are somehow sent there for other reasons. Either way, the protagonist has an opportunity and has to make the decision to pursue it. The Opening Scene – The very first scene should portray the protagonist doing whatever it is they normally do. It should highlight the dissastifier, the thing that will cause them to leave. Even though we don’t know the character yet, the audience should understand that a problem exists. Introduce the Characters – The key bit of characterization that needs to be shown during the first act is why the protagonist has this desire. We learn why they, personally, are motivated to fill this need. It may be personal. It may be to help other people. The audience should feel their frustration. State the Theme – The theme should shape the conflicts during the first act. In a search story, this often takes the form of the individual versus some other force. One person versus social norms. A good woman versus evil. A common citizen versus an oppressive government. The object of the search is the means to overcome the opposed thematic force. Establish the Goal – The goal in a journey story is right out in the open. The protagonist has to find what they’re searching for. Once they have it, the story is over. The object, knowledge, or epiphany they acquire solves the problem. Unlike the journey story, it’s not about what they learn along the way. They actually find a specific thing. Teach the Rules – Unlike the journey story, the obstacles will not be centered on the hazards of travel. Problems may center on finding and deciphering clues. People will need to be questioned, in order to gain information. There may still be fights and chases, but rules around investigation and social skills will be more important. Reach a Turning Point – In the first act of a search story, the turning point occurs when the protagonist figure out what they need to acquire. They may not 59

know where to begin. They probably don’t know how to go about getting it. What they do know is what is needed to solve the problem. The protagonist commits to search for the thing they need.

The Seirch: Act II In the second act of a search plot, the protagonist learns to navigate an unfamiliar world. They are called upon to do things they’ve never done before. They get to see what life is like beyond their old, familiar status quo. In their search, they visit new places, meet new people, and have new experiences. They will pass through a number of locations seeking the object of their search There may be clues to find in order to know where to go next. Introduce Subplots – In a search story, a common type of subplot is the side quest. Someone convinces the protagonist that they’re looking for the wrong thing. A quicker solution is offered that won’t work. Red herrings appear that distract them from the main story, and send them off in the wrong direction. It’s a subplot because it involves a supporting character that they trust. It’s more about the relationship and the inevitable betrayal than the actual search. Go on a Winning Streak – Things will be relatively easy for the protagonist throughout the early part of this act. They will gain broad clues that lead them in the right direction. It will become harder as they have to narrow things down. For the moment a general notion that they’re on track is better than that complete lack of knowledge in the first act. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through Act II, the challenges become more difficult. The next clue is harder to find. The obstacles lay outside the protagonist’s skill set. What they need to do falls outside of their comfort zone. They’ll begin to encounter opposition. Someone else may be searching for the same thing. Those people won’t want competition. The forces guarding the object of the search may not want it to be found, and will create problems for the protagonist. The Antagonist Strikes Back – In this type of story, there may or may not be a literal, individual antagonist. The search itself could be the antagonist. As noted above, the antagonist might be a rival trying to locate the same thing. It might be the guardians of the object being sought after, who don’t want to give it up. Following the winning streak, they now see the protagonist as a threat, and will work to stop them.

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A Brush with Death – Someone or something becomes lost. A supporting character might die before they reveal some vital clue. An essential piece of equipment might be destroyed. The plan for the search becomes unworkable. It may even be that the protagonist thinks that the object of the search has been destroyed. The main characters will feel that they’ve reached the end of the line. Face the Darkness – The complications of not completing the search come to bear. The protagonist feels a little bit of what will happen if they don’t solve the problem. After the brush with death, this ought to feel like inevitable doom. All is lost. The antagonist might show up to gloat. They might try to finish off the protagonist while they’re vulnerable. Reach a Turning Point – When things seem absolutely bleak, something happens. The protagonist finds a new way forward. They discover that the brush with death was a fake-out. Maybe the person who died left behind a different clue. In any case, something provides the protagonist with a way to complete the search. The location of the thing, or the means to acquire it, pretty much falls into their lap.

The Seirch: Act III The third act of a search plot is where the protagonist finds what they were looking for. They get to confront and defeat the antagonist. With the solution to the problem acquired, they can fix whatever is broken and get on with their life. The Finale – The protagonist will gather every resource available to make it to the final location. The antagonist will fight them for the search object. There may be some final riddle, trap, or general obstacle to overcome, the solution to which lies with what the protagonist has learned over the course of the search. The story goal will be completed when they acquire the thing they were after. The Epilogue – All of the loose ends from the first two acts are tied up. There will be a montage if using the object of the search takes time. If they return to the starting point with the object, there will be a celebration. When the object allows the protagonist to move forward, we get a glimpse of their new life. Everything is better than it was at the end of the first act. The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively that the protagonist has won. There should be some symbol that one thematic stance has triumphed over another. Account for the antagonist’s whereabouts, if necessary. Show that supporting characters have found what they were searching for as well.

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The Chase Story The pursuer goes to extremes to capture the pursued, because something important is at stake.

The Chise: Act I In the opening act, the situation is established and the chase begins. The reason why the chase is taking place is shown. What each person stands to gain or lose is made clear to the audience. We can dive head first into the action. The Opening Scene – The very first scene should portray the protagonist doing whatever it is they normally do. It should be an action scene, to establish the character’s qualifications for the rest of the story. They need to be someone who would get caught up in a chase, and have the ability to do so successfully. Introduce the Characters – This type of story needs to introduce the antagonist in the first act. They have done something that causes them to flee. Usually, this is some criminal act. People will want to catch them to recover what they’ve stolen, or to punish them for what they’ve done. Supporting characters affected by the antagonist need to be established. These characters will aid the protagonist with resources, and possibly provide a motivation. State the Theme – A frequently used theme in a chase story is crime does not pay. The antagonist has done wrong, and the protagonist is required to dispense justice. Good versus evil serves the same purpose, but will express itself through the character’s actions. The protagonist will need to follow the rules within the chase. The tactics used by the antagonist will be utterly despicable. Establish the Goal – The story goal in a chase is clear. The pursuer needs to catch the pursued. When that happens, the story is over. To make the goal less cartoonish, you can tie the stakes into it. The protagonist needs what the antagonist has stolen, and catching them is the means to get it. Maybe they need to prove something, and winning the chase is how they will do that. It still ends when the chase is over. Teach the Rules – The players will need to know how chases work within your system of choice. It’s important to understand vehicle rules, if relevant. Rules for running, riding, and any form of transportation has to be clear. You will need to show how to handle damage from collisions and falls. Perception skills and tracking should come into play.

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Reach a Turning Point – In the first act, the turning point happens when the protagonist decided to chase after the antagonist. It’s the commitment to pursue them to the very end, no matter how far they go or how long it takes. They’re willing to assume responsibility, rather than letting it go or passing the buck. This makes the chase story very personal from the start. The protagonist has a sense of duty, or a grudge, possibly a bit of both.

The Chise: Act II The middle of a chase story is pure action. There is risk in the chase itself. There is danger at the locations the characters are moving through. The pursuer and the pursued are a danger to each other. Sometimes they’re a danger to themselves, because of what they’re willing to do. The end of the act comes when the protagonist and antagonist are about to confront one another. Introduce Subplots – It’s tough to have a subplot in a chase story. The characters are on the move. This means that they’re usually relationship stories involving the protagonist and a supporting character that’s helping them. It might be about a separate issue that’s come between two protagonists. The chase forces them to spend time together and work things out. Go on a Winning Streak – A winning streak for a chase story means the protagonist keeps up. They’ve got the resources they need, their equipment is working, and they are tracking the antagonist. They can’t completely win, because that would mean the chase is over. The obstacles are relatively easy, though, even if the object of pursuit remains just out of reach. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through the second act, the protagonist has trouble. They have a minor accident. Someone gets injured. Equipment fails or gets lost. The antagonist gets away. The protagonist makes some sort of mistake that puts the whole chase in jeopardy. In many chase stories, this is the result of being overconfident and getting sloppy, rather than the obstacles becoming noticeably harder. The Antagonist Strikes Back – The personality of the antagonist will drive what happens here. If they’re smart, they’ll see that the protagonist’s troubles are temporary. The antagonist will circle back and try to put a more permanent stop to the pursuit. If they’re foolish, the antagonist will double back to gloat about their good fortune, assuming that the chase is completely over now. A Brush with Death – If the tone of the story is serious, you might actually kill someone. A supporting character or innocent bystander could be the victim of 63

a crash. If the antagonist injured someone back in the first act, possibly leading to the pursuit, the protagonist gets word that they’ve passed. If the story sticks to lighthearted fun, it could be their vehicle that dies. There may be sentimental or symbolic attachment to that ride. The protagonist will need to find a new means of transportation to move forward. Face the Darkness – At this point, the protagonist thinks the chase is over. They may be distracted. They may lack resources to go on. It could be that their spirit is broken. They need to be reminded of the stakes. This setback is another example of why the antagonist needs to be caught. They can’t be allowed to do more harm to more people. The protagonist has to find their resolve. Reach a Turning Point – When the protagonist realizes that they have to carry on, they find a way. They get new transportation. Someone offer to help. They figure out a plan to lure the antagonist back. Maybe they realize where the antagonist is going, and know a way to get there first and be waiting. When it’s clear that all is not lost, it’s time for the finale.

The Chise: Act III The chase plot ends with the confrontation between the pursuer and the pursued. Either the pursued is captured, or the pursuer abandons the chase. In either case, the conclusion is definitive. The pursuit has ended, and the story goal has been met. The Finale – The protagonist catches up to the antagonist, and there’s a final confrontation. Maybe they fight. There might be a smaller chase on a more intimate scale. If the bulk of the story had them riding horses, the chase might continue with climbing up a cliff. If they were in spaceships before, now they’re on a planet engaged in a motorcycle chase. This has to be an action sequence, where the characters run the risk of getting seriously injured or killed. The Epilogue – For a chase story, you don’t need an epilogue. You can say “the end”, roll credits, and be done with it. If you do decide to add an epilogue, it should show what happens to the antagonist first. Are the dead? Did they go to jail? How did they end up? Then account for the supporting characters. If there was a relationship subplot, provide at least a hit of how that worked out. End with what happened to the protagonist. How did things go once the chase ended? The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively that the protagonist has won. If you had a thematic stance, make your final point here. It’s over. The good guys won. 64

The Rescue Story The protagonist heads into a dangerous situation to rescue the victim from the antagonist and return them to safety.

The Rescue: Act I A victim or victims get into trouble and need to be saved. The circumstances could be just about anything. They could be kidnapped or taken hostage. A natural disaster could leave them trapped someplace. It be that they need to evacuate before something terrible happens. The protagonist is the person who answers the call, and sets out to rescue them. The Opening Scene – The very first scene should portray the protagonist doing whatever it is they normally do. If they are in a profession that rescues people, this can be an action sequence. Show them on the job. If they’re an ordinary person living a normal life, you need to establish that. Present the status quo before disaster strikes. Introduce the Characters – The protagonist should have some sort of relationship with one of the future victims. Establish that here. When the inciting incident happens and the supporting character is in need of rescue, the audience already understands the stakes. It will be a personal story, as the protagonist has to save someone they clearly care about. State the Theme – There are a few choices in a rescue story. If the protagonist doesn’t have a clear connection to the victims, it might be good versus evil. The protagonist has to save people because the protagonist has done something nefarious. If it’s personal, the power of love can work. This is especially true if the protagonist is a regular person, not a professional, seeking to save a loved on. Family is everything is a similar take, if the victim is a child or other close relative. Establish the Goal – This type of story offers a straightforward story goal. Rescue the victim. When the protagonist has assured the victim’s safety, the story is over. There could be some ulterior motive. The victim is the only person who can stop some other disaster, so they have to be retrieved. The end is still the same. Once they’re rescued, the problem can be solved and the story is over. Teach the Rules – What the players need to know depends on the type of danger the victim is in. If they’re trapped underwater in a disabled submarine, diving will be a necessary skill. When they’re being held by terrorists, rules for 65

stealth and combat will be handy. Should the issue be an erupting volcano that’s destroyed the road, rules for heat, poisoned air, and the operation of assorted vehicles will be relevant. Reach a Turning Point – The turning point in the first act comes when the protagonist commits to participate in the rescue. It doesn’t matter if it’s part of their job, if they’re asked to help, or if they take it upon themselves. Once they’ve decided they need to be the one to save the victims, you’re ready for the second act.

The Rescue: Act II In the second act, the protagonist begins the rescue operation. This could begin with locating the victims. It might be devising a plan to get them out of a difficult situation. They may need to travel through a dangerous area. They’ll gather together the supporting characters they require to undertake the mission. They’ll locate whatever special equipment they need. By the end of the second act, they’ll be ready to take on the antagonist directly and rescue the victims. Introduce Subplots – The go-to subplot for a rescue story is the damaged relationship. Undertaking this mission is a point of contention between the protagonist and another character. It may be a flashback to an argument they had with the victim, prior to the inciting incident. A loved one may not want the protagonist to take the risk. They might be forced to work with someone they despise to accomplish the story goal. Go on a Winning Streak – Things will be relatively easy for the protagonist throughout the early part of this act. They make a plan. The resources they think they need can be acquired with little difficulty. Gathering information and traveling to the rescue site aren’t frustrating tasks. It feels like accomplishing the story goal will be simple and uneventful. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through Act II, the challenges become more difficult. Things that the protagonist didn’t account for happen. There are new complications. The situation is different, if not worse, than initially described. The protagonist will need to improvise solutions because they lack the skill set and resources to overcome these obstacles. The Antagonist Strikes Back – Aware of the rescue effort, the antagonist takes steps to foil the protagonist. They may not be directly responsible for the situation. It could be that they’re exploiting it to achieve some personal goal. It

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might be a problem they created as a distraction from their real goal. The protagonist is too close, however, and is interfering with their plans. A Brush with Death – Someone important to the journey will become injured and unable to go on. It could be a group of extras who couldn’t be saved in time. A supporting character might sacrifice themselves to save the protagonist. It might be that an essential piece of equipment is destroyed. The intended escape vehicle could become disabled, ruining the whole plan. Face the Darkness – The protagonist realizes that it’s too late to turn back. Yet they don’t know how to move forward. They become trapped along with the other victims. It looks like failure. At this point the protagonist needs to be reminded of the stakes. They need to re-commit to achieving the story goal, and find a way to rescue everyone. Reach a Turning Point – When things seem absolutely bleak, something happens. It might be that falling debris uncovers a new exit. An offhand remark by the antagonist could reveal a clue. The protagonist could discover a piece of equipment that offers new hope. They know how to pull off the rescue, and are ready to proceed to the finale.

The Rescue: Act III In the final act, the protagonist faces off against the antagonist. They rescue the victims, or at least those who have survived this long. The story ends when the victim is clearly safe. The Finale – The protagonist will gather every resource available to make it to the final location. They defeat the antagonist. Gathering the victims together, they escape to safety. If there’s any kind of grand special effect, like a bomb going off, a building collapsing, or a volcano erupting, it happens immediately after everyone has reached a minimum safe distance. The Epilogue – All of the loose ends from the first two acts are tied up. If the antagonist survived, we see what becomes of them. They might be caught, or they could get away. What matters most is that the victims are safe. The fate of the supporting characters is revealed next. End with how things have turned out for the protagonist, in terms of both rewards and complications. If you used a damaged relationship subplot, show how that resolved itself here. The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively that the protagonist has won. They rescued people. Even if they didn’t get everyone to safety, more people survived as a result of the protagonist’s actions. 67

The Breakout Story The protagonist must escape from a bad situation, and get away from an antagonist who wants to keep them there.

The Breikout: Act I In the first act, establish the protagonist’s situation. They may already be confined. Maybe they become confined following some inciting incident. They could be in prison, or held hostage, or become trapped underground by a mining accident. It doesn’t have to be a physical confinement, either. They could be stuck somewhere due to a lack of finances, a commitment they’ve made, or because they fear what another person will do if they leave. The Opening Scene – Establish the status quo in the first scene. If the protagonist is already confined, show that. You can reveal why, or save that information for later. If the protagonist isn’t confined, show a bit of their normal life. Any actions that they take they lead to their confinement will occur here. Introduce the Characters – Something about the protagonist places them in the position to be confined. It might be their profession. It could be something they’re doing. You should also establish that they have the ability to orchestrate an escape. Either they have some special skills that will be relevant later, or are good at making plans and solving problems. State the Theme – The breakout story is perfect for nearly any theme pitting the individual against a larger force. The individual versus society works if the protagonist is wrongly imprisoned. Humans versus nature is applicable if they find themselves trapped in a cave, or in the middle of a forest fire. Other themes can be used if the focus is less on how they’re imprisoned, but why. The Horrors of War might make them captured soldiers or conscientious objectors. The Nature of Religion might have them be martyrs or heretics. Establish the Goal – The story ends when the protagonist achieves their freedom. They have gotten away from the bad situation. It has to be clear that this is a permanent solution, and that they’re not going to end up right back in confinement later. Teach the Rules – The players will need to have skills relevant to the type of confinement. They’ll need to know how to survive in the confining situation. This might be how to function in prison society. It might be wilderness survival. If they’re trapped by societal norms, it could be interpersonal skills, or cultural 68

traditions. If they are confined due to their actions, then they need to understand the rules around those tasks. Reach a Turning Point – In a breakout story, the first act turning point happens when the protagonist can’t take it any more. They may fear for their lives. It might be that they’ve reached their tolerance for abuse. They will think that they have nothing left to lose. Once they have committed to escaping from their situation, the story moves into the second act.

The Breikout: Act II In the second act, the protagonist will plan their breakout. They will gather the information, allies, and other resources required to carry out that plan. In the early part of this act, they will be successful in their plots. By the mid-point they will begin to have problems. The antagonist will figure out what they’re up to and retaliate. The second act ends when the protagonist is prepared to implement the breakout plan. Introduce Subplots – If the protagonist was already confined at the start of the story, you might reveal why here. Have them explain to another character, in detail, what happened. You can use flashbacks to explore their life before. If they have become trapped, they can develop a relationship with another confined person. This could be a friendship or a romance. The other character might be a mentor, or a sidekick for the protagonist. Go on a Winning Streak – This act is all about planning and gathering resources. While it should be challenging, early on things go smoothly. The information needed to form a plan can be located with minimal effort. Potential allies agree to help. Resources can be found, scrounged, and traded for. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through Act II, the challenges become more difficult. Now the protagonist has the easy-to-find stuff, and they struggle for rarer items. Potential allies with specialized skills need to be convinced to help. Doing things undetected gets harder, as the pan gets harder to hide. The protagonist needs to do things beyond their skill set or comfort zone. The Antagonist Strikes Back – At some point the antagonist suspects that the protagonist is up to something. They may even foil part of the plan. They confiscate resources. They may turn an ally to their side. New measures are enacted to make the original plan unworkable. Scrutiny of the protagonist increases, making it harder to execute the plan unnoticed.

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A Brush with Death – Someone dies, and it rattles the protagonist. Maybe the effects of confinement get them. They might be killed trying to escape. It could even be news that someone on the outside that the protagonist cares about has passed, and they didn’t get to say goodbye. This should serve as motivation for the protagonist to step up their efforts. Face the Darkness – The escape plan suffers a major setback. It could be tied to the death, above. It may be unrelated. The plan is discovered by the antagonist. An ally changes sides. The escape tunnel collapses. The equipment that the whole plan was designed around doesn’t work. Everything the protagonist has been working toward seems like a waste of effort. Reach a Turning Point – The protagonist is reminded of the stakes. They have nothing to lose. Things will only get worse if they remain in this situation. They’ve got to get out, if not for themselves then for the sake of the supporting characters. The only option may be something risky and desperate, but they have to try. Once they’ve re-committed to the story goal, the protagonist is ready for the third act.

The Breikout: Act III In the final act, the protagonist confronts the antagonist. Grudges are resolved. The protagonist makes a break for it. Everything is risked to gain freedom. The aftermath of the breakout is revealed. The audience gets some assurance that the protagonist will remain free, now that the antagonist has been defeated. The Finale – The protagonist executes their plan. The antagonist will try to stop them. Or maybe the protagonist confronts the antagonist first, knowing that their defeat will lead to freedom. This finale will entail a lot of action. There will be danger. There may be injury and loss. It should be exciting, but the end result is that the protagonist gets away. The Epilogue – You might show what happens to the antagonist and the supporting characters. It can be fun to see what happens to the place of incarceration. The real focus, though, has to be on the protagonist. It needs to be established that they did survive, and gained their freedom. The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively that the protagonist has won. There could be a time jump, to show that in the future they’re still free. If there were any complications from the confinement, the audience will see which still linger, and which have been resolved. 70

The Payback Story After being hurt by the antagonist, the protagonist takes justice into their own hands in an attempt to even the score.

The Piybick: Act I In the opening act, establish that the antagonist has wronged the protagonist. Show what they did, either in real time or as part of a flashback. This type of story implies that the protagonist will seek revenge, but they can be after justice. It’s a matter of methodology. The protagonist can’t make things right again, but they can get even. The Opening Scene – The very first scene should portray the protagonist doing whatever it is they normally do. Then the inciting incident happens. The antagonist robs them. They steal their love interest away. Someone close to the protagonist gets murdered. It has to be a material and emotional loss. Introduce the Characters – The protagonist has to be established early on. The audience has to know what they care about. They have to see what the protagonist is capable of. Motivations and skills are key. The antagonist doesn’t need to be known at this point, but the impact of their actions is clear. At least one clue to finding them should be established in the first act. The protagonist should have a lead to start their revenge campaign with. State the Theme – Crime does not pay is the obvious choice here. The protagonist isn’t going to let the antagonist get away with it. Be careful with good versus evil, because it limits the possible actions of a “good” protagonist. You have to play by the rules, not exact messy and possibly illegal revenge. Any theme that pits an individual against something works, if the antagonist represents the opposed force. The individual versus government, the individual versus religion, and the individual versus society can all be payback themes. Establish the Goal – The goal of a payback story isn’t to give the antagonist what they deserve. It’s to allow the protagonist to find closure. If that means achieving catharsis by blowing up the bad guy, blow up the bad guy. It could also mean that the protagonist realizes that ruining the antagonist’s life won’t bring back what they’ve lost. It might mean reaching a point where they can acknowledge their grief. It could be finding a way to move forward with their life, in spite of whatever happens to the antagonist.

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Teach the Rules – The rules players need to learn depend on the nature of their revenge. There will likely be investigation, to determine the identity or location of the antagonist. They might need to know how combat works. If they’re planning some long con, they need to know how social interactions are handled. Reach a Turning Point – The turning point in the first act of a payback story is when the protagonist decided to take things into their own hands. They may not see the legal system as an option. Going through proper channels may be too slow. The antagonist may be above the law, or outside of its reach. The protagonist learns these things, and feels they need to handle it personally.

The Piybick: Act II The middle of the payback plot is all about action. This is where the protagonist will gather the resources they need. They’ll track down the antagonist and gather evidence against them. All the moving parts in their revenge scheme fall into place. Around the middle is when the antagonist will catch on. They’ll push back, and things will get harder. By the end of this act, the protagonist will be ready to exact their revenge. Introduce Subplots – If you’re going for all-out action, this story may not have subplots. You may rely on flashbacks, to help establish why the protagonist is having such a strong emotional reaction. This will relate to what they’ve lost. There may be a subplot involving a supporting character who is trying to stop them from taking this dark road. They fear the protagonist is really plotting their own destruction. Go on a Winning Streak – The early planning stages are easy. There shouldn’t be a lot of difficulty in figuring out who the antagonist is. Allies might say no to helping with the payback, but they won’t interfere. Gathering resources won’t take too much effort, or tax the protagonist's capabilities. The plan will come together nicely. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through Act II, the challenges become more difficult. Information become harder to acquire. Upon learning what the protagonist is planning, supporting characters may quit or try to stop them. Equipment and resources aren’t as easy to lay hands on, and get more expensive. Elements of the plan exceed the protagonist’s skill set. They also discover things that they hadn’t initially taken into consideration. The Antagonist Strikes Back – This is where the audience learns about the antagonist’s intentions. If their actions in Act I were intended to hurt the 72

protagonist, they will continue on that course. They may or may not be aware of the protagonist’s quest for payback. If the harm to the protagonist was collateral damage, they may just be learning that someone has been asking about them. Knowing that someone is seeking revenge, they’ll try to stop the protagonist. A Brush with Death – At this point in the story, the protagonist will realize that their actions have consequences. It doesn’t have to be that they get someone killed, or even injured. They will come close, though. Something backfires. Part of their plan doesn’t work out. Maybe innocent bystanders are jeopardized. The protagonist see that they’re becoming as bad as the antagonist. Face the Darkness – With the antagonist aware that something is going on, the protagonist will need to rethink things. After the brush with death, supporting characters might once again urge them to quit. This is where they have to look over the stakes. Is payback worth the possible cost? Can they right themselves and keep moving forward, more carefully this time? Reach a Turning Point – Something happens that makes the protagonist recommit to the story goal. The antagonist might do something evil. Some new bit of information could be learned. After learning more about what happened, allies come around and agree to help.

The Piybick: Act III The last act of a payback plot is where the protagonist confronts the antagonist. They carry out their revenge. All the plans are put into motion. The audience will get to see what happens to all of the major characters. Hopefully things will end in an emotionally satisfying way, rather than a tragic one. The Finale – The protagonist brings together their resources and allies. The plan is put into motion. If it’s a direct confrontation and a fight scene, it has to be epic. A more nuanced plan has to be executed in a suspenseful way, with the possibility that one or more moving parts won’t work. The antagonist gets what the protagonist feels they deserve. The protagonist gets closure. Nothing changes, but it feels satisfying. The Epilogue – If the protagonist broke the law to get their revenge, this is where they get caught. Should their actions manage to not alert the authorities, they go back to their old life. Perhaps they move forward and start a new one. The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively that the antagonist was defeated. The audience learns what actually happened to them. It’s an emotional shot that should make everyone feel good about what happened. 73

The Mystery Story The protagonist has to find the answer to a question, but the antagonist doesn’t want that question answered.

The Mystery: Act I A mystery story typically begins with the discovery of a crime. The protagonist will become involved. All characters essential to answering the central question will be introduced or mentioned. By the end of the first act, the protagonist will have determined what the central question is. The Opening Scene – A crime has been committed. The protagonist is made aware of this, in a way that’s appropriate for their role. Basic information is presented, but a context is lacking. Introduce the Characters – Establish the protagonist’s role in this situation. They could be a detective called in to solve the case. They might be a suspect, and will need to clear their name. They could be the victim of any crime other than murder. If it was a murder, they could be close to the victim. Their reason for becoming involved has to be clear. State the Theme – The go-to themes in a mystery are crime does not pay or good versus evil. Those are easy, but cliched. Any theme can be applied by assigning the antagonist one side of a thematic stance, and the victim of their crime the opposing stance. Humanity versus nature? Man versus machine? Money is the root of all evil? The antagonist proves their side in the way the execute their crime. Establish the Goal – The goal is to solve the mystery. Answer the question, whether it’s determining who did it, how they did it, or why. For non-criminal mysteries, there will still be some central mystery to figure out. Teach the Rules – The players will need to know how investigative skills work. Social skills like interrogation, persuasion, and diplomacy will be important. It’s possible that criminal abilities, like picking locked and sneaking around, will be important. Reach a Turning Point – At the point the central question is known, and the protagonist agrees to answer it, you’re ready for Act II. There should be at least one good clue, or a place to start investigating. All the protagonist needs is a general idea of where to begin.

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The Mystery: Act II In the second act the investigation begins. The protagonist is proactively seeking new leads and lines of inquiry. Obstacles to finding answers become more difficult. The antagonist will step up their efforts to hinder the investigation. The act ends when the protagonist is certain they’re able to answer the central question. Introduce Subplots – Relationship subplots work well in a mystery. They allow for a change of tone and pace. A romance can be a distraction from the main plot. It’s also possible to have a secondary mystery, one that is uncovered while pursuing the main story goal. Go on a Winning Streak – At the start of the investigation, people are cooperative. Basic information is easy to find. Obvious clues can be checked. As the protagonist digs deeper, people will want to protect their own secrets. Gathering information requires more skill, or access to restricted files. Some clues will be obscured, accidentally or intentionally. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through the second act, the protagonist will his a wall. Their initial suspicions don’t pan out. Obvious suspects have iron-clad alibis. People stop cooperating. Each answer leads to more questions, and it gets a bit muddy and confusing. The Antagonist Strikes Back – If the protagonist is actually on to something, the antagonist might lash out. They could try to kill the protagonist. They may steal evidence. Witnesses could be paid off or threatened. Without revealing their identity, or doing anything to confirm their guilt, they make the investigation harder. A Brush with Death – The investigation faces a major setback. Another crime is committed, which doesn’t align with the working theory. Someone is murdered. Evidence is destroyed. An alibi appears, clearing the main suspect. The whole investigation feel like a waste of time. Face the Darkness – The protagonist feels like they need to start from scratch. Nothing makes sense. They can’t answer the central question. They don’t have a way to prove their current hypothesis. It’s frustrating, and it will seem as if the mystery cannot be solved. At this point, the protagonist needs to be reminded of the stakes. Reach a Turning Point – The protagonist re-commits to answering the central question. Their duty, their principals, and their sense of identity demand

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that they solve the mystery. They gain a fresh perspective, and discover a solution. They know the answer, and are ready to reveal it.

The Mystery: Act III In the final act, the protagonist solves the mystery. They are able to answer the central question with authority. They have proof to back up their assertions. The antagonist will be confronted, and the problem will be solved. The audience The Finale – The protagonist will gather all available information and evidence. They will present their conclusions. A confrontation with the antagonist will occur. How that plays out depends upon the personality, and desperation, of the antagonist. Having answered the central question and solved the mystery, the story ends. The Epilogue – An epilogue in a mystery can be used to tie up subplots. Relationship issues are resolved. Secondary mysteries are answered. We might learn what happened to the antagonist, and the supporting characters. The protagonist usually returns to their status quo. The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively that the protagonist has won. They will be back to their regular life. They may be called upon to solve their next mystery, showing that their career continues.

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The Romance Story The protagonist meets the love of their life, but the antagonist conspires to keep the lovers apart.

The Roeince: Act I In the beginning of the romance story, we see who the protagonist is before the inciting incident. They may be alone, or in a romantic relationship that clearly isn’t working. We learn what the status quo is in their current phase of life. By the end of the act, the must be willing to pursue a new relationship, whether or not they realize they have already met the love of their life. The Opening Scene – The first scenes should show the status quo for the main characters. They may or may not be seeking a romantic encounter, but we should learn their feelings about relationships. Other characters will express what is desirable, and acceptable, in a romantic partner within the setting. Introduce the Characters – This type of story can have one or two protagonists. It’s okay to present things from the point of view of one of the lovers. The romantic partners can be co-protagonists if they will go through the challenges together. The supporting cast has to be introduced here, even if they don’t become important until later. State the Theme – Most romance stories have a theme that centers on love and family. Love conquers all is popular, showing that lovers can overcome any sort of adversity by supporting one another. Family is everything is a misnomer, because the disapproval of the family is often the central conflict in the relationship. You can shoehorn just about any theme in here, if the lovers are on opposite sides. They need to make the relationship work in spite of their mismatched thematic stances. Establish the Goal – The lovers will meet and fall in love. They will also encounter obstacles that prevent them from connecting. The story goal is to overcome those obstacles so they can be together and live happily ever after. Teach the Rules – The rules that players need to become familiar with will depend upon the setting. They should know the customs and traditions of the setting. Any rules relating to the obstacles that keep the lovers apart will be important. If the need to flee, to hide, or to fight, have it down. Reach a Turning Point – The turning point in a romance story comes when the protagonists decide to be together. They vow to overcome any obstacle to 77

make that happen. Once they’ve decided to assume the risks in the name of love, the story moves into the second act.

The Roeince: Act II In the middle of the romance story, the protagonist pursues the love of their life. They will overcome several obstacles to be with them. The antagonist will make their issues with the protagonist personal rather than ideological. By the end of the act, the protagonist will be able to overcome the final barrier between them and their love interest. Introduce Subplots – Subplots in a romance will establish the obstacles. They’ll display religious and cultural beliefs. The reasons for the family’s objection to the romance will be established. Show the back story to prejudices impacting the lovers. This can also be a place to show the relationship between the protagonist and antagonist, and where the conflict between them arises. Go on a Winning Streak – Early in this act, few people will know about the relationship. Whether the protagonists are keeping it a secret, or no one has figured it out yet, they’ll be left alone. They will learn about the objections to the romance, and be able to work around it. Things seem to be going well. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through Act II, the opposition grows. The antagonist begins to throw up obstacles to the relationship. They may try to get one of the lovers in trouble. It becomes difficult to meet, and people who don’t approve give them grief. The Antagonist Strikes Back – When the antagonist learns that the lovers intend to carry on the relationship, they become aggravated. They do something drastic to break the couple up. What’s appropriate here depends on the genre and setting. They could have one of both of them locked up. They could try to have one of them killed. It could be more subtle, like a smear campaign to hurt their reputation. A Brush with Death – This is often the false death of the relationship. The lovers become convinced that they cannot make it work. There is often a misunderstanding that one has abandoned the other. You could use an actual death of an ally, who died trying to aid the romantic partners. The risks of being together are made clear. Face the Darkness – At this point in the story, no one is happy. The lovers are lonely and miserable. The antagonist is probably gloating, and making at least

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one of the protagonists more distraught. The romantic partners will realize that the only things that will make them happy again is to find a way to be together. Reach a Turning Point – Once the protagonists decide that they will make the relationship work no matter what, it’s time for the finale. They have resolved to eschew tradition, abandon cultural norms, and defy the antagonist. They understand that the stakes are their own happiness and well being.

The Roeince: Act III In the third act, the protagonist gets their chance to defeat the antagonist. They can claim the hand of their true love. They get to show what they’re capable and leave no doubt that they are worthy. The protagonist will get to live happily ever after with their love interest. The audience will get to see what happens to all of the characters as a result of the story. The Finale – If the antagonist has nothing more than a social stranglehold over the protagonists, standing up to them is enough. It might require discrediting the antagonist. The protagonists might need to sway other people to their side. Anything from blackmail to combat to an elaborate power play is possible. In any case, the couple gets to be together with on further interference from the antagonist. The Epilogue – All of the loose ends from the first two acts are tied up. Some sense that the antagonist has been permanently neutralized has to be shown. The fates of supporting characters who enabled the relationship can be presented. How things worked out for the protagonists is the most important part. The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively that the lovers get to be together. Something has to establish that they’re settled into a life together. There may be a time jump, to indicate that the relationship is going to last. It has to be clear that the romantic partners are still deeply in love, and living happily ever after.

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The Rags-to-Riches Story The protagonist starts with nothing, and in spite of the antagonist’s opposition rises to find fame, fortune, and happiness.

Rigs-to-Riches: Act I The first act of a rags-to-riches story begins by establishing that the protagonist is poor. They may be of a lower class or caste. Some opportunity arises that allows them to rise up, but it comes with risks. The act ends when the character decides to pursue the opportunity and chase their dream of a better life. The Opening Scene – Begin by showing a day in the life of the protagonist. Establish that they’re poor., and how they live. Detail what they do to survive. It doesn’t need to be bleak and depressing. It’s just the way things are. Introduce the Characters – The protagonist’s motivations have to be shown. They may have a lot of needs, but they have one desire above all others. That’s the dream that they hold onto. Someday, they will find a way to make that dream come true. State the Theme – Depending on how they protagonist attains their riches, overcoming the odds can be an appropriate theme. They rise above all obstacles. This assumes that they make it on their own merit. If they get lucky or fall into money, the theme might be their own worst enemy. Sudden wealth doesn’t make old problems go away, and creates new ones. Establish the Goal – The goal of a rags-to-riches story is a bit more complicated than usual. The protagonist has to realize that happiness comes from the inside. They might achieve a personal goal and still not be satisfied. It’s often a matter of becoming comfortable with who the really are. Teach the Rules – It’s important for the players to understand how the protagonist acquires their wealth. They don’t necessarily need the skills to navigate their new social status. Being awkward is one of the obstacles they’ll have to face. The skills needed to facilitate their personal goal should be understood by the player, even if the character spends the story acquiring them. Reach a Turning Point – The turning point in a journey story is when the protagonist strikes it rich. Their idea pays off. They inherit a fortune. They win the lottery. In an instant, everything is different. All sorts of possibilities open up for them. Now they have to face the complications that come with the riches.

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Rigs-to-Riches: Act II In the middle of the rags-to-riches story, the protagonist pursues the opportunity they have been given. They will deal with people trying to take advantage of them. There will be decisions to be made that are outside of their comfort zone and skill set. The protagonist will have to adapt, while trying to enjoy their newfound wealth. Introduce Subplots – Money changes people. It puts a strain on existing relationships. New people appear in the protagonist’s life, who may be a help or a hindrance. The protagonist can also use the subplot to pursue their personal goal, the thing they always wanted to do but never had the resources. Go on a Winning Streak – It’s fun to suddenly have money. The protagonist can do all kinds of things they couldn’t before. They’ll buy things, travel, maybe even help people. Enjoy it. Live the fantasy for a while. Have a blast. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through the second act, something snaps the protagonist back to reality. It should be something that can’t be fixed by throwing money at it. Maybe they just realize how quickly they’re burning through their new fortune. They might be faced with the responsibilities that come with wealth, like paying taxes and supporting charities. The Antagonist Strikes Back – In many rags-to-riches stories, the antagonist is someone who feels the protagonist isn’t deserving of their new wealth. They might be jealous. They could feel threatened. It might be that they’re just classist, or racist, or otherwise elitist. For this reason, they set out to humiliate, ruin, and destroy the protagonist. A Brush with Death – This is where someone close to the protagonist dies. Maybe they just become seriously ill. Some type of loss is suffered. Again, it’s a problem all the money in the world couldn’t fix. The protagonist feels no better off now than they did when they were poor. Face the Darkness – The protagonist will begin to see the money doesn’t change everything. They realize that they’ve been irresponsible. The damage that they’ve done to old relationships comes back to bite them. They see what they’ve done wrong, and how sudden wealth has corrupted them. Reach a Turning Point – At the point that the protagonist accepts that they’ve made mistakes, we’re ready for the finale. They can try to mend relationships. They vow to put their money to better use. Advisors who have led

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them down the wrong path are fired. The recover their sense of self, and their real values.

Rigs-to-Riches: Act III The end of a rags-to-riches story will show the protagonist giving their all to change the world. Whether they succeed or not, the audience will be with them and cheering them on. The antagonist will lose either way, because the protagonist’s spirit will not be broken. The fates of all of the supporting characters will be resolved. How the world has changed as a result of the story should be presented The Finale – The protagonist will confront the antagonist, if the antagonist doesn’t confront them first. It’s not so much about defeating them as breaking their influence. The protagonist reconnects with their values, and doesn’t need the assistance or approval of those who find them unworthy. The Epilogue – All of the loose ends from the first two acts are tied up. We see the impact that the protagonist has on the supporting characters. From there, we get a glimpse of how they have affected the world. They managed to achieve something that they find meaningful. The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively that the protagonist is happy. They’ve realized the true meaning of life and stayed true to themselves. Money may have provided them with opportunities, but what they have achieved is entirely due to their efforts and vision.

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The Decline and Fall Story The protagonist struggles with a tragic flaw, which the antagonist exploits, as they try to prevent the loss of everything they have.

Decaine ind Fiaa: Act I A decline-and-fall plot has the protagonist starting at a high point in their life. Due to a character flaw, a tragic mistake, or some kind of disaster, they stand to lose everything. The first act sets up the stakes, and shows what they have and what could be taken away. The Opening Scene – The protagonist’s status quo has to be established. They are successful at what they do. Show exactly what they are successful at, and how they maintain it. Hints of their character flaw, or the disaster that is about to befall them, should be made. Introduce the Characters – It’s essential to show what the protagonist is like early on. Their success has to be credible, based on their skills, background, and personality. Allude to the fact that there is some flaw that they have. It could be a secret, a weakness, or an addiction. State the Theme – The theme of a decline-and-fall story is that the protagonist is their own worst enemy. There may be outside forces at work, but it’s the protagonist’s own actions that will take them down. If they succumb to their own flaws, things will quickly fall apart. Establish the Goal – There are two different goals that you can play with. If you want the story to be a tragedy, the goal is to reach the protagonist’s demise. They fail and lose everything. For a more upbeat story, they have a chance at salvation. They may lose a lot, but the goal is to overcome their flaw and master it before they’re wiped out completely. Teach the Rules – The players will need to know the rules around what the protagonist does. If they’re the leader of the country, you need to know how politics work within the setting. If they’re a corporate CEO, you need to understand how the business works. Everyone should definitely have a grasp on the systems related to character flaws, what triggers them, and their effects. Reach a Turning Point – The turning point in the first act comes when the status quo is threatened. Something sets the protagonist off. They make a bad decision. They go on a bender. Their flaw comes into play, and we get to see how they handle it. 83

Decaine ind Fiaa: Act II In the middle of the decline-and-fall story, the protagonist will succumb to their fatal flaw. The impact will be small at first. Things of value in their life will begin to slip away. By the end of the act the protagonist will have one last shot to either stop their fall, or bring the antagonist down with them. Introduce Subplots – In a decline-and-fall story, a subplot often has to do with what the protagonist does. There is a problem with the business. They’re up for re-election. A rival kingdom is threatening war. There is an external threat to their power. This isn’t just a fake out. It should create genuine tension, and lead to the triggering of their flaw. Go on a Winning Streak – The protagonist has things under control for the early part of the story. Whatever their issue is, they can manage it. Minor problems will arise, and we can see the impacts of the flaw, but it’s handled. The Protagonist Stumbles – About half way through Act II, the challenges become more difficult. Not only do the problems of running their successful empire weigh on them, the flaw becomes harder to contain. The impacts of their slip-ups start to cascade, creating other problems. It’s not that the obstacles are more difficult. There are just more of them coming in at once. The Antagonist Strikes Back – In a sense, the protagonist is their own antagonist in this sort of story. This is where they do something rash. They overreact. Their secret comes out, and they don’t handle it well. They succumb to their addiction. They take actions that aren’t in their own best interests. Things get really bad. A Brush with Death – The protagonist loses something or someone. It’s the result of their own actions. Because they were sloppy, someone dies. A lack of attention to the business causes a massive financial loss. A rash decision means a major battle was lost. It’s clear that they’re causing harm. Face the Darkness – This is where the protagonist faces consequences. Some of their power and wealth is taken away. People leave them. Allies turn their backs on them. They see what’s at stake, and have a choice. They can either give in to the darkness, or they can find a way to pull themselves together. Reach a Turning Point – The turning point into the finale happens when the protagonist either succumbs to their flaw, or pulls themselves together. Maybe they choose to seek help. They might apologize, seek forgiveness, or try to set things right. For a tragedy, they lean into the flaw. They double down. Go on

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another bender. Stick with the bad decision. Go down doing things their way, even though their way is demonstrably harmful.

Decaine ind Fiaa: Act III The end of a decline-and-fall story will show the protagonist on the verge of losing everything. A likable protagonist will have a chance to save some people, and perhaps preserve their legacy. An unlikable protagonist will have a chance to take other people down with them in a final act of hubris and revenge. The Finale – For better or worse, the protagonist makes their last stand. They either fix the problem and redeem themselves, or they go down in a blaze of glory. Instead of confronting an antagonist, supporting characters might confront them. It may be an attempt at an intervention. It could also be to announce that they’re leaving, and the protagonist is on their own. If there’s an enemy, they will confront the protagonist. If the flaw involved illegal activity, law enforcement might show up. The Epilogue – We get to see what happens to the protagonist’s empire. They may have save all or part of it. It’s possible that it’s all gone. You should resolve what happens to the supporting characters, especially those negatively impacted by the protagonist’s flaw. Did they go down, too, or have they turned their lives around? The Final Scene – The last scene will show conclusively what happens to the protagonist. If they managed to redeem themselves, they’re probably happy. They may be on the road back to the top. If they succumbed to their fatal flaw, they may be dead. Worse, they may be living with their defeat, in poverty, in jail, and all alone.

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STORY WORKSHEET Opening Prep Work These things need to be determined before you can flesh out the story.  Premise – To meet the story goal, the protagonist must overcome an obstacle.  Goals – What is the objective that has to be accomplished by the end of the story?  Obstacles – What keeps the protagonist from accomplishing the story goal?  Genre – What type of story is it, and what are the tropes and trappings?  Place and Time – When and where is the story set, and what boundaries exist?  Theme – What is the story really about, and what ideas or statements repeat  Stakes –What could be gained on lost, depending upon the outcome of the story?  Rewards – What does the protagonist gain for success? Does the world benefit?  Complications – What does the protagonist lose if they fail? Is the world harmed? Act I The main plot is introduced, and the protagonist reacts to changes in the status quo.  Opening Scene – Establish the genre, time and place, and tone of the story.  Introduce the Characters – Establish all of the major characters in the story.  State the Theme – Establish what the story is really about.  Establish the Goal – Establish what has to be done to complete the story.  Teach the Rules – Establish how the both world and the game system work.  Reach a Turning Point – Establish that the protagonist is committed to the goal. Act II The protagonist begins to shift from reactive to proactive mode in the story.  Introduce Subplots – Learn more about the characters and their relationships.  Go on a Winning Streak – Showcase the protagonist's strengths and have fun.  The Protagonist Stumbles – Introduce doubt that the story goal can be met.  The Antagonist Strikes Back – The antagonist makes things personal.  A Brush with Death – A literal or metaphorical death occurs.  Face the Darkness – The worst case scenario occurs.  Reach a Turning Point – The protagonist rallies to bring the story to an end. Act III The protagonist becomes fully proactive and seeks to achieve the story goal.  Finale – The protagonist confronts the antagonist and completes the story goal.  Epilogue – Show what happens to all of the major characters after the story ends.  Final Scene – Prove that the story is over, or set up a continuation or sequel. Finishing Prep Work These elements need to be created now that you know your story's needs.  Characters – The people required to tell the story effectively.  Protagonist – The hero of the story tasked with accomplishing the story goal.  Antagonist – The person, organization, or other force opposing the protagonist.  Supporting Characters – Other people who might affect the story goal.  Locations – Where all of the necessary scenes will take place.  Props – Any physical that are required to tell the story.

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Worldbuilding – Background information to provide context for the story.

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