Saturday, July 4, 2020

My recipe for starting adventures

I've got a little process that I use whenever I start a game of Dungeon World or Homebrew World. It's similar to the first session procedure that's described in the book, but different in some key ways. I've found that this approach reliably kicks off a new game quickly and with a lot of energy, in a way that makes it pretty darn easy to run and improvise.  

Here's the recipe:
  1. Establish the adventure's premise with the group
      > Premise = a fantastic location + a grabby activity
      > Do this before anyone picks playbooks or makes characters

  2. Players create characters, GM writes/updates hook questions, which should establish:
      > Motive: why are they here, doing this?
      > Stakes: what's on the line, why is this important?
      > Urgency: why shouldn't they dawdle?
      > Dangers: what do they expect to face? what do they know about them?
      > Detail: what specifically are they hunting/seeking/fleeing/fighting/etc.?
      >
    Complications: what's getting in the way? making it harder? constraining them?

  3. Do introductions (by name, pronouns, class, and look).
      > Do not do bonds (or in Homebrew World, background questions) just yet. 
      > You're just establishing who the characters are.
      > Yes, you can ask questions, but keep it light for now.

  4. Ask a few of your hook questions
      > Usually 1-3
      > Pick questions that elaborate on or clarify the premise
      > Address specific PCs, not the group at large
      > Ask follow-up questions; encourage the players to do so, too!

  5. Do bonds (or in Homebrew World, background questions)
      > Ask follow-up questions; encourage the players to do so, too!
      > Use this to establish how they know each other, why they're working together

  6. Finish asking your hook questions
      > Doing bonds/background questions often rolls naturally into this
      > Ask follow-up questions; encourage the players to do so, too!
      > Ask additional questions as they occur to you

  7. Frame the initial scene, tightly
      > Start in media res or at least right on the verge of action
      > Who, where, when, doing what?
      > Give up to 3 strong impressions, ideally from different senses
      > Make a soft GM move
      > "What do you do?"

That's the recipe!  More about the background, details, and suggested prep after the jump break.

I keep hearing good things about Delicious in Dungeon,
but haven't read it; just seemed appropriate, y'know? Cuz recipes.