I love brainstorming new scenarios, sourcebooks or backstories. Starting with a blank page, setting some constraints, adding random pieces, finding connections, and pulling the thread until something cool emerges. This process is one of my favorite parts of practicing RPGs. It can almost be a game in itself. After all, solo roleplaying is built upon this brainstorming and writing feedback loop.

I started RPGs in 1989 and played for an uninterrupted period of 12 years, with 2 to 4 game sessions per week. Then life and priorities changed, and I completely stopped for twenty years. I only started looking into RPGs again during the pandemic, which I think has been a pretty common pattern. I discovered a whole new world of games, creators, software, and habits. It was amazing, and quite overwhelming.

Integrating character backstories into the heart of our scenarios or campaigns is a subtle but particularly powerful tool in the GM's arsenal. It's one that I'm particularly fond of. When used properly, this technique offers two benefits: it deepens the link between the players and the story, and it enriches the universe of your games with personal issues. The point here is to create a narrative that resonates deeply with the players and turns their personal story into a driving force for the overall plot.

The development of Crucible, our new node-based module writing application, is making good progress. Enough so that we're able to share with you some initial test runs.

In this installment, we're diving into the second phase of a module braistorming using Crucible as visual support and writing tool.

As you may have seen in the first part of this series, we decided to start with a creative constraint: a set of four nodes, randomly drawn by Alkemion’s Deck:

“The Price of Ambition” (a Plot node), “Botanical Garden” (a Location node), “Royal Archives” (another Location node) and “Cleric” (an Entity node).

This step is focusing on deepening our plot, introducing sub-plots, and adding new nodes to enrich our story!

The development of Crucible, our new node-based module writing application, is making good progress. Enough so that we're able to share with you some initial test runs. This is the first part of a brainstorming session we did.

We decided to start with a creative constraint: a set of four nodes, randomly drawn by Alkemion’s Deck:

“The Price of Ambition” (a Plot node), “Botanical Garden” (a Location node), “Royal Archives” (another Location node) and “Cleric” (an Entity node).

Diving into the first phase of our process, it's crucial to harness the initial nodes for a robust thematic foundation and framework. It’s about setting the stage for a compelling narrative that will engage our players!

Stepping into the realm of the ordinary and finding extraordinary tales therein - that's the beauty of a great story. In this post we explore the allure of living landscapes, where sentient mountains, forests, rivers, and more exist not just as mere scenic backdrops, but as breathing entities.

This notion, old as our shared myths yet fresh with narrative potential, can enrich your sessions with depth, unpredictability, and immersive worldbuilding. Imagine weaving character alliances with a sentient cave system or stirring up plotlines within a world that's a part of the unfolding drama.

Intriguing? Let's delve in.