Based on the video transcript, here's a TTRPG session template incorporating the speaker's advice. Remember, this template emphasizes player agency and a balance between detailed world-building and improvisational gameplay.
I. Pre-Session Prep (J.K. Rowling Phase):
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A. World Building (Start Small):
- Focus: Don't create an entire continent. Begin with a single location (a town, a dungeon, a ship) and its immediate surroundings within a day's travel.
- Example: Instead of mapping a vast kingdom, detail a single town: Oakhaven. Include key locations (tavern, blacksmith, temple), brief descriptions, and a few notable NPCs (the barkeep, a suspicious merchant, a local guard captain).
- Tools: Use a simple map to sketch the area, noting points of interest and potential adventure hooks. Consider pre-generating several possible locations near Oakhaven, such as a haunted forest, forgotten ruins, or a bandit camp. This will give you options depending on player choices.
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B. Character Hooks:
- Focus: Instead of generic adventure hooks, create individual hooks that appeal to the specific characters in your party.
- Example: If you have a cleric interested in religion, create a subplot involving a local temple facing a crisis. If you have a rogue, develop a heist opportunity in Oakhaven. The hooks should integrate directly with the immediate setting.
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C. Initial Scene:
- Focus: Craft a compelling opening scene that immediately engages the players and sets the tone. This scene should directly involve the players, throwing them into the action from the beginning rather than relying on introductory exposition.
- Example: The players are not starting in their usual lodgings; they are captured, already in a precarious situation. Perhaps they awaken in a dark dungeon cell, their possessions missing, or they are tied up in a tavern after a sudden brawl.
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D. NPCs:
- Focus: Don't over-prepare. Focus on 1-2 key NPCs for the initial encounter. Build these NPCs with detailed backgrounds and motivations, including their relationships with each other and the world around them.
- Example: Focus on the barkeep of the tavern—what is their secret? What do they know about the ongoing events in Oakhaven? Creating this level of detail will allow you to naturally draw out the story with the player's questions.
II. Session (Stephen King Phase):
- A. Opening Scene: Begin exactly where you left off from the pre-session prep. Dive straight into the action.
- B. Player Agency: Prompt the players with "What do you do?" Let their choices guide the narrative. Be ready to improvise, drawing upon your pre-prepared world details but allowing for unexpected twists.
- C. Active Listening: Pay attention to player questions and comments. These will reveal their interests, shaping the direction of the game. Make mental notes of any questions that can form future session prep.
- D. Improvisation: Be flexible. Your detailed world-building will give you a solid foundation, but don’t be afraid to deviate from your original plan based on player actions.
- E. Session End: Before the session concludes, have a short discussion with your players and determine their overarching goals for the next session. This provides the hook for the next session prep cycle.
III. Post-Session Prep:
- A. Review Player Choices: Evaluate how player decisions altered the session. Note any unexpected directions the narrative took.
- B. Prep for Next Session: Based on player goals and any new information they discovered, prepare the next session's location and relevant NPCs. This targeted prep is more efficient than creating large chunks of unused material.
- C. Adapt: If player choices lead the story down an entirely unforeseen path, take the time to add that path to your world, enhancing its depth and making it feel more organically connected.
Example using Oakhaven:
Pre-Session: Oakhaven is detailed. The players' hook is a mysterious disappearance in town. The initial scene is them investigating a missing person's abandoned home. You’ve prepped the barkeep, a potential source of information, and have ideas for neighboring locations (a forest with a hidden cult, the abandoned mine where the last victim worked).
Session: Players explore the house. They interrogate the barkeep, who reveals the details of a local cult involved in dark rituals. The players choose to investigate the forest—you use your forest prep, creating a suspenseful encounter with cult members.
Post-Session: You update Oakhaven’s notes about the cult's location and goals. The players’ next goal (based on their in-session decision) is to raid the cult’s hideout. This informs next session’s prep—focusing on the forest and the cult, rather than additional areas of Oakhaven.
This template emphasizes player-driven storytelling, efficient prep time, and a dynamic game world that evolves organically through player agency. Remember, this is a framework; adapt it to your own style and your players' preferences.
