Motif Story Engine - Solo and GM-Lite Roleplaying Toolkit
Motif Story Engine - Solo and GM-Lite Roleplaying Toolkit
Motif Story Engine - Solo and GM-Lite Roleplaying Toolkit
Copyright
All modules for the Motif Story Engine are Copyright 2017,
2020, Peter Casey and released under license by Thought Police
Interactive Studios.
All releases are available under Creative Commons Licenses.
Please refer to the License section of each release for more
information.
License
The Motif Story Engine and all related modules are
released by Thought Police Interactive and publicly licensed
under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0
International License. Permissions beyond the scope of this
license may be available at:
https://www.facebook.com/tpistudios/
This is a human-readable summary of (and not a substitute for)
the license. Disclaimer.
You are free to:
Share — copy and redistribute the material in any
medium or format
Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow
the license terms.
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Copyright
Under the following terms:
Attribution — You must give appropriate credit,
provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes
were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner,
but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses
you or your use.
NonCommercial — You may not use the material
for commercial purposes.
No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal
terms or technological measures that legally restrict
others from doing anything the license permits.
If you want to license this setting for commercial purposes, please
contact us regarding possible licensing arrangements.
If you run public or convention events that have a cover charge
or minimum donation for event costs, there is a free automatic
exemption for such activity; if you want to know more or have
questions, contact us about your events.
If you want to charge or accept money for it, talk to us. We’re
very open to giving permission for the work as long as we have
a chance to get a head’s up about the project. We have a
preference for projects that are released under the same license.
3
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
COPYRIGHT .................................................................................. 2
LICENSE ............................................................................................. 2
What does this mean for fan works? ............................................. 3
What if I want to charge money? .................................................. 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................. 4
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 7
WHAT IS “SOLO PLAY”? ........................................................................ 7
What’s different from normal play? .............................................. 8
WHAT IS “GM-LITE”?........................................................................... 9
Shared moderation ....................................................................... 9
WHAT IS AN “ORACLE”?...................................................................... 10
OVERVIEW .................................................................................. 11
PRE-PLAY ......................................................................................... 11
Step 1: RPG................................................................................. 11
Step 2: Game journal .................................................................. 11
Step 3: Story ............................................................................... 11
Step 4: Character(s) ................................................................... 12
Step 5: Opening .......................................................................... 12
BASIC PLAY ....................................................................................... 13
Questions .................................................................................... 13
Scenes......................................................................................... 13
Wait… what are scenes? ....................................................................... 14
CORE ORACLE SYSTEM ............................................................. 15
FIRST ORACLE: ANSWER .................................................................... 15
SECOND ORACLE: DEGREE ................................................................. 16
THIRD ORACLE: FLAVOR ..................................................................... 16
Favorability Flavor...................................................................... 17
Weirdness Flavor ........................................................................ 18
Danger Flavor ............................................................................. 19
Rarity Flavor ............................................................................... 20
Difficulty Guidelines ............................................................................. 20
Resolution ............................................................................................. 21
STORY FLOW ..................................................................................... 22
The Obvious ................................................................................ 22
The Understood .......................................................................... 23
The Invented ............................................................................... 23
The Questioned ........................................................................... 24
Story Flow Overview................................................................... 24
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Table of Contents
NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS ...................................................... 25
HIDDEN NPCS .................................................................................. 25
NPC Play Advice ......................................................................... 27
USING FLAVORS AND PATCHES ............................................... 28
THE GOLDEN RULE (OF RPGS) ........................................................... 28
MAKING THE CHOICES ....................................................................... 28
HACKING AND RESKINNING ................................................................ 28
BUILDING YOUR ENGINE .......................................................... 29
START WITH THE CORE ....................................................................... 29
ADD PATCHES ................................................................................... 30
MSE PATCH: NPC FEATURES .................................................... 31
NPC TIES ......................................................................................... 31
Example Ties Build ..................................................................... 31
NPC RESOURCES .............................................................................. 32
Example Resource Build ............................................................. 32
NPC ACTIONS ................................................................................... 33
Example Action Spend ................................................................ 33
NPC PROMPTS .................................................................................. 34
Personality .................................................................................. 34
Motives ....................................................................................... 35
Attitude ....................................................................................... 35
Approach..................................................................................... 36
MSE PATCH: WORLD PROMPTS ............................................... 37
EVENTS ............................................................................................ 37
MEETINGS ........................................................................................ 38
CHALLENGES .................................................................................... 39
REQUESTS ........................................................................................ 40
MSE PATCH: TWISTS & TURNS ................................................ 41
TURNS.............................................................................................. 41
TWISTS ............................................................................................. 42
Twist Generator .......................................................................... 43
MSE PATCH: TENSION............................................................... 44
CORE TENSION PATCH ....................................................................... 44
Complications ............................................................................. 45
LEVELS OF PRESSURE ........................................................................ 45
First Level of Pressure ................................................................ 45
Second Level of Pressure............................................................ 45
Third Level of Pressure............................................................... 46
Reset ........................................................................................... 46
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Table of Contents
MSE PATCH: CHAOS FACTOR ................................................... 47
TENSION INTERPRETATION ................................................................. 47
OPTIONAL: HEAVY RATCHET ............................................................... 47
BREAKING UNDER PRESSURE.............................................................. 48
Madness Variations .................................................................... 48
SUB-PATCH: CHAOS FACTOR .............................................................. 49
CHAOS TENSION RESET ..................................................................... 50
“Retirement” ............................................................................... 50
MSE PATCH: MISSION CLOCK .................................................. 51
MISSION CLOCK ................................................................................ 51
Turning the Clock ....................................................................... 52
Clock Changes....................................................................................... 52
Mission Stress............................................................................. 53
Midnight ..................................................................................... 53
MSE PATCH: MOMENTUM ........................................................ 54
MOMENTUM COUNTER ...................................................................... 54
EFFECTS OF MOMENTUM ................................................................... 55
CHANGING MOMENTUM ..................................................................... 56
Breaks and Haste........................................................................ 56
Breaks.................................................................................................... 56
Haste ..................................................................................................... 56
LOVE AND HATE ................................................................................ 57
INVERTED OPTION: HARD MIDDLE (OR DRAMA MOTOR) ........................ 57
PLAY ADVICE: STORY STRUCTURE........................................... 58
OPEN WORLDS: ASK “WHAT’S NEXT?” ................................................ 59
STRUCTURED CYCLES ........................................................................ 60
9-Step Climax Cycle .................................................................... 60
7-Step Episodic Spiral ................................................................ 61
MSE PATCH: ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS HACK .......................... 62
THE THROW SIM ............................................................................... 62
Extra Signs ................................................................................. 62
RANDOMIZED THROWS ....................................................................... 63
Hands of Fate ............................................................................. 63
Fate Die ................................................................................................. 63
SUB-PATCH: RPS CORE REPLACEMENT ............................................... 64
Straight Conversion .................................................................... 64
Complex Results ......................................................................... 64
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Introduction
Introduction
This is the main beta release for the Motif Story Engine (MSE). It
is an evolving document as we receive feedback and additional
playtesting data. This branch of development will become the
full release & print edition.
MSE is a tool used to enhance the experience of your favorite
roleplaying game. It is game neutral (or system agnostic). Most
any RPG with a randomizer can be used.
MSE is designed for storygamers and roleplayers to ease the
moderator (“GM”) role (GM-lite) or enable solo play outright.
The core module is a question & answer oracle system.
This release also includes system patches with additional solo and
GM emulator tool options.
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Introduction
What’s different from normal play?
8
Introduction
What is “GM-lite”?
GM-lite means using MSE to ease the burden for story
moderators or more easily allow players to share moderator
tasks. Moderators are usually responsible for creating the world,
populating it with characters, and handling all of details.
This can require intense prep work and hours of effort. It can also
easily become a frustration or difficulty when players explore
storylines and areas “off the map”.
The Motif Story Engine allows the GM to take on more of a
narrator role. The oracle system shoulders the burden of
generating answers about scenes and the details of the world.
This frees moderators to focus on NPCS and the unfolding story.
Shared moderation
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Introduction
What is an “oracle”?
An “oracle” is a randomizer, in this case enabling solo play. They
are used to introduce a fun random element to a solo or quick
pickup game. They can also be seen as adding uncertainty and
surprise by emulating the unpredictable responses of a game
moderator or a procedural engine.
The oracle addresses questions that may be answered with (yes,
no, maybe/mixed) or (little, average, a lot) or equivalents. It is
scalable. It can answer anything from simple yes/no questions to
complex queries with degrees of result strength and a further
additional dimension to the response, such as favorability to the
main characters.
The main oracle is set of three standard six-sided dice. Rolls of
the dice provide answers to player questions. Each of the three
dice represents an individual oracle in itself.
The yes/no/maybe response is provided on the first die (Answer
Oracle). It provides a sense of scope & scale to the answers on the
next (Degree Oracle). These are the two dice most often
referenced when asking questions.
The final oracle in the three dice set is the “Flavor Die”. It adds
new dimensions to answers from the Motif Story Engine. For
example, it may be used to indicate the level of danger in the
response. It is used to add an extra layer of depth and flavor to
the responses.
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Overview
Overview
Pre-Play
There are 5 steps for pre-play or game prep:
1) Pick your game
2) Start a game journal
3) Choose the type of story you want to experience
4) Write your character(s)
5) Set the opening scene.
Step 1: RPG
Choose your roleplaying game. Make sure you have the rules on
hand, any dice or tokens you need, and anything else your
favorite RPG needs.
Step 3: Story
To begin, decide what kind of story you want to tell. What kind
of themes and scenes are you looking for? What is the general
setting and world the story takes place in?
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Overview
Step 4: Character(s)
Step 5: Opening
12
Overview
Basic Play
The basic game is played out with the base rules of your RPG of
choice. Actions are resolved as normal. To simulate a narrator
and build out the world, rolls of six-sided dice provide random
results.
Questions
Scenes
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Overview
If you need a randomizer for reactions, you may also use the
oracle. Using other random generators and charts can add more
uncertainty or help you brainstorm, if you prefer.
At the end of a scene, ask questions relevant to wrapping up the
current aftermath and transitioning to the next scene. You may
also transition to an extended montage or an “off-screen”
passage of time with a short narrative about the status quo that
endures or develops in that time.
Focus on the interesting action of relevance to the player
characters and their associates. Wave over things that are boring
or otherwise uninteresting. Use scenes to break the story and
action down into manageable units.
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Core Oracle System
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Core Oracle System
Second Oracle: Degree
This oracle is used to determine the degree or strength of
answer. It provides scope and scale to the answers.
Any kind of flavor and impact scale, from the firmness of answer
to importance of the results can be determined with this oracle.
It may also be used to answer questions of value, usefulness, or
directness.
1: Weak, inconsequential, or minimal
2: Flawed, minor, or modest
3: Mundane, cheap, or barely passable
4: Good, notable, or average
5: Strong, major, or overwhelming
6: Powerful, vital, or maximum
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Core Oracle System
You may also roll one extra flavor die after the main oracle dice
are rolled. It may be interpreted as an extra independent factor
or as an additional dimension adding depth to the initial roll.
Avoid using more than one extra flavor. Keep the answers
focused.
Favorability Flavor
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Core Oracle System
Weirdness Flavor
Used when you want to lean into the random weirdness &
wildness of a setting.
For example, when asking if there are monsters nearby, the
answer may reveal whether there are just common animals or
there lurk rare terrifying horrors stalking through the trees and
shadows.
This is a common choice when using the Motif Story Engine with
surreal, weird fiction, satirical, and gonzo settings. It can also be
used to introduce unusual elements and spice up stories that
have stagnated.
1: Common, simple items and animals.
2: A few uncommon things, but mundane
3: A couple unusual oddities, like a brightly colored owl
or little-too-curious large squirrel.
4: Things are getting weird, with oddly behaving animals
and minor alien, mad science, or supernatural creatures.
5: Straight up bizarre and surreal features and
creatures. The sky burns a somehow bright black. Roads
twist and warp back onto themselves. Major monsters
and wild things will appear, along with unnatural
variants of more common animals.
6: The rarest and most horrifying things. Things-From-
Beyond, legendary beasts, dark relics, portals to the
spirit realms, timeline shifts, and other heavy weirdness
manifest.
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Core Oracle System
Danger Flavor
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Core Oracle System
Rarity Flavor
Difficulty Guidelines
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Core Oracle System
Resolution
21
Story Flow
The Motif Story Engine has a rhythm based on the flow of asking
questions, filling in details, and playing out the results.
Ask questions when you would naturally ask a GM or narrator.
“Is anyone watching me?” “How crowded is the pub?” Rolling
with the oracle answers, use your own natural creativity and
intuition to shape the tale.
The oracles are the core system, but do not let them break the
flow. Only consult the oracles when needed. Rolling too often
interrupts the game flow and quickly gets tedious.
You can view the cycle of questions, answers, and creativity as a
cycle in four parts:
The obvious, understood, invented, and questioned.
The Obvious
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The Understood
The Invented
23
The Questioned
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Non-Player Characters
Non-Player Characters
Setting and antagonist characters are where many solo players
get tripped up. For some players, it is difficult to properly enjoy
the game when the NPCs are, from their perspective, just another
character. This can break immersion and make play unsatisfying
if you encounter that problem.
This module provides options to add some suspense and
separation from your main character(s). As with other elements
of Motif Story Engine, use them in whichever combination you
find most sensible and productive for your experience.
Experiment with mixing and matching until you find a sweet spot
that works for you.
Hidden NPCs
Instead of writing out full character sheets, only fill in what the
non-player has revealed in action. Assign a name, general power
level, and concept or story role for any new non-player character.
Fill in their sheet and other details as you go along.
Use the main oracles to determine details of their character sheet
as they act. Ask questions and use the results to determine any
skills, special abilities, or other character traits. You could, for
example, ask how strong or clever they are when they are facing
down a locked door, depending on their approach. Once their
abilities and resources meet the intended power level, the sheet
is “complete”.
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Non-Player Characters
Remember the obvious and understood from the story flow cycle
of the Motif Story Engine.
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Non-Player Characters
NPC Play Advice
NPCs have their own lives, motives, and goals. However, within
the scope of stories produced by the Motif Story Engine, they are
part of the setting. They exist to illustrate the tale of the main
characters. That is not putting down their importance. Without
the evil dragon, there is no knight. Without the shadowy
underworld boss, there is no renowned detective. Without the
cruel boss, there is no labor activist.
Those examples are for larger stories, but they can be smaller,
more personal, and less conflict driven as well. There is no
friendship without a friend. There are no community ties without
a community. There is no love of a lifetime without a lover.
In short: Scale your NPCs to your story. Frame them in context of
the main characters.
Think of the whole setting as a living, breathing thing. The NPCs
are just as alive as the main characters. They have lives to live and
jobs to do. Places and areas are also living, changing things. New
businesses open and old businesses close. Houses are built,
remodeled, and demolished. Plants grow and die.
Nothing is static in a breathing world. Let things move along of
their own accord. If it is not relevant to the main characters and
their experiences, do not worry about it. Focus on telling the
story of the player characters and their companions.
NPCs are dynamic creatures in a dynamic world. Let them do
whatever they will unless or until interrupted by the primary
characters. In short: Allow NPCs, and the rest of the setting, to be
dynamic (“living, breathing”). This will let them flow more easily
and naturally as you play them out, especially in combination
with prompts.
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Using Flavors and Patches
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Building Your Engine
Start off with the main oracle using three common six-sided dice.
First, let us briefly revisit that: The first die is your “flat” answer.
That is the yes, no, or maybe. The second die is the answer to the
strength of answer, or its scale and scope.
So, say we are asking the main oracles if there are any other exits
in addition to the one being blocked by the baddies. The first die
shows a 5, which is a yes. The second die shows a 3, which is a
medium strength answer. There is a rear fire exit as is typical for
this type of place.
The third die is variable, depending on the choice of “flavor”.
The favorability flavor is especially popular. It tells us how
favorable the outcome is for the protagonists (the player
characters and their companions).
On the above question about the exit, we choose to use the
favorability flavor and roll a 2. That is fairly unfavorable. There is
indeed a regular rear exit into the alleyway. But the alleyway is
blocked off by a building wall at one end and by trash and debris
in the direction that leads to the street.
The main engine choice for the core roll is the flavor die. You
may use only one or you may swap in flavors as they fit the roll.
In the above example, you could use the danger flavor instead of
favorability. The same roll could be interpreted as an ambush or
bumping into unfriendly locals doing business in a dark alley.
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Building Your Engine
Add Patches
After deciding which flavor die or dice you will use during play,
you can stop there if you wish. You have a complete answer
oracle ready for play.
However, patches can be used to add further actual play or story
generator guidelines and provide a more complete world and
GM emulation experience. The two most popular patches are
Twists & Turns and Tension.
The Twists & Turns patch introduces sudden scene and story
shifts. It is used to add an element of surprise and uncertainty,
adding unexpected wrinkles in scenes and the overall narrative.
The Tension patch introduces a subsystem for tracking escalating
pressure and stakes. As the game progresses, then tension and
dangers increase, putting greater pressure on the protagonists.
Those patches are commonly used together to generate exciting
stories constantly pressing forward. This is great for a lot of pulp
fiction, heroic, and dark fantasy stories. With simple reskin, they
also fit well with tragedy, melodrama, or comedy.
The key to choosing a set of patches is focusing on the genre of
your game and the themes you want to explore. If you are
playing a low-key thriller or slow burning mystery, you most
likely do not want to use the chaos factor patch. If you are
playing a game of intrigue and social posturing, the momentum
and NPC actions patches could prove highly useful.
The patches exist as additional narrative tools to carry the tale
forward and reinforce the feel you want. Mix and match, reskin,
and hack patches that help you generate the play experience you
desire. If something does not work for those goals, leave them
out. Patches in the Motif Story Engine are modular and optional.
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MSE Patch: NPC Features
NPC Ties
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MSE Patch: NPC Features
NPC Resources
The equipment, expertise, and other assets an NPC can summon.
Rated by Liquidity and Utility.
Minor NPCs only have up to one or two resources and 2-4 points
in Liquidity & Depth. Typical major NPCs have up to six resources
and 20-30 points.
Liquidity: How quickly resources can be called upon and/or
traded in for favors or cash.
1: Slow responses or takes a long time to trade
2: Typical response rates and sale speed
3: 24-hour responsiveness and trade value
Utility: The power and usefulness of a resource.
1: Minor assistance and usefulness
2: Common experts, specialty equipment, professional
facilities, and financial accounts
3: Massive stock portfolios, top level experts, and rare &
unusual equipment and facilities.
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MSE Patch: NPC Features
NPC Actions
NPCs can take some special extended actions, representing
common abilities and roles in RPGs and fiction. There are seven
default NPC actions.
Cycle background actions by session, in-world time period, or
whatever rhythm makes the most sense for your game.
Minor NPCs get 1-3 points of actions per background cycle.
Typical major NPCs will receive 9-12 points of actions.
Actions taken can range from 1-3 points in cost. 1 point is a
simple or routine task. 3 points is a major undertaking or
accomplishment.
Deal: Make a deal, contract, or trade
Mislead: Create red herrings and false leads
Mission: Undertake a specific quest
Obscure: Hide people, things, and details
Relocate: Move people, items, and facilities
Secure: Improve security and fortification
Spy: Spy on characters and groups
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MSE Patch: NPC Features
NPC Prompts
NPC prompts flesh out non-player characters. You can think of
them as forming a pseudo-AI engine to drive the NPCs forward.
They help describe the mindset and general behavior of an NPC
to provide clear guidelines for running them.
This can be a useful tool in GM-lite & solo games. It also provides
a quick generation system for complex, multilayered setting
characters. When playing out NPCs, use these different elements
as logical triggers and behavior creators.
You may choose from the lists or roll two dice. The system is
designed to use all of them to paint a complete picture and
create complex emergent behaviors.
However, if using all of them proves to be confusing or
distracting, use fewer. You can also forgo this subsystem entirely
if you have another option or prefer to handle NPCs differently.
Personality
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MSE Patch: NPC Features
Motives
Attitude
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MSE Patch: NPC Features
Approach
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MSE Patch: World Prompts
Events
Events in the world occur around the main characters. This can
range from social events to acts of nature. Use events as
inspiration for new hooks and lines of oracle questions. If a
setting event is not enough to get things going, you can also roll
for a meeting, challenge, and/or requests taking place within the
event.
2-3: A rare or unusual market
4-5: Civil unrest or disturbance
6: Flood of tourists or explorers
7: Festival or holiday
8: Unusually severe weather
9-10: Severe fire or disaster
11-12: Weird or surreal phenomena.
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MSE Patch: World Prompts
Meetings
Meetings are encounters with one or more of the NPCs
populating the world. The main characters may get an invitation,
be forced to participate, or stumble into them. If you are unsure
how to proceed, you can use the challenges or requests chart to
provide context and plot hooks.
Meetings are an excellent way to create new connections and
introduce new setting elements.
To help put them in context, think of why they would approach
the player characters. What is the reputation that drew them?
What is the reason they are reaching out to the protagonists?
Sometimes the main characters may stumble or sneak into a
meeting or somehow strongarm their way in. In that instance,
ask a different sort of question. How are they relevant to the
protagonists’ story? Why does it matter for the PCs to encounter
the meeting? If they were looking, why were they hunting?
2-3: Secret society
4: Criminal or cult leader
5: Niche or subculture group
6: Activist or religious speaker
7: Request for help
8: Authorities or civic leaders
9: Local community stars or leaders
10: Threats or warnings
11-12: Someone thought missing or dead
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MSE Patch: World Prompts
Challenges
Challenges are direct confrontations & problems. They are direct
shifts into drama or action. They present a problem or goal that
must be solved quickly. The aftermath provides hooks & leads to
add momentum. Think of how consequences tie into the world
and people around the characters.
Challenges should be tailored to the game you are playing. For
example, a roll of 2 could be exploring the local supposed
“murder house”. It could also be an unfamiliar neighborhood or
a little niche kingdom with bizarre etiquette. At the other side
of the spectrum, it could be a labyrinthine dungeon, unnatural
pocket dimension, or the mansion home of an ancient monster.
Frame the challenge within the style and tropes of your genre.
Follow what would “naturally” occur in such games and stories.
2: Explore and escape a very strange place.
3: Solve a hostage situation. May be an object instead of
people, as fits your plot.
4: The main characters are attacked. Not always a
physical confrontation; it could be an assault on their
assets or a social positioning move.
5: Conflict or argument with the authorities, elders, or
other ranking NPCs.
6: Solve a crime or mystery.
7: Assist people in need.
8: Retrieve an item or evidence.
9: Navigate a tense situation.
10: Run into trouble.
11: Escape from a trap or seemingly unbeatable foe.
12: Face a worst fear in dreams or the flesh.
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MSE Patch: World Prompts
Requests
People and beings of all varieties provide a constant stream of
wish lists and requests to story protagonists. The asker may
directly approach the main characters or it may be a general
request looking for takers that may appeal to the characters.
Any selected option should be framed in context of the player
characters’ interests and goals. If you roll a 3 and a protagonist
already despises a given cult, go in that direction. If you roll a 9
and have previously run into conflict with a particular gang, use
them as the face of the problem.
Let everything flow naturally from what has been established
and come before in the story.
2-3: Find and/or capture a dangerous criminal, cult
leader, or group enemy
4: Non-violently stop a neighborhood bully from
harassing a member of a respected family
5: Locate a missing person or lost items
6: Help traumatized or injured people cope and heal
7: Difficult to acquire information or items are needed
by influential figures or group leaders
8: A major danger is harming people and needs to be
repaired or otherwise neutralized
9: Discontent or a criminal outbreak is creating chaos
and needs to be fixed
10: Retrieve resources or personal affects from a
dangerous or poorly explored area
11-12: Make a secret handoff in violation of the law or
regional social norms.
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MSE Patch: Twists & Turns
Turns
When triples are rolled, a turn takes place. A turn is a big shift in
the current scene or subplot. This is an example list randomizing
by the numbers rolled. You may customize it with your own ideas
or use other randomizers.
1s: A sudden turn in favor of the player character(s)
and/or their interests.
2s: Any useful progress or clues in the scene will be
offset by obstacles or delays.
3s: Helpful non-player characters suddenly arrive.
4s: Hostile non-player characters suddenly arrive.
5s: An especially unusual item or well-hidden clue is
unlocked within the scene.
6s: A sudden turn in favor of the Big Bad or other forces
aligned against the player characters and/or their
interests.
Think of turns in the context of storytelling. Think about similar
stories to the one you are telling. How would turns appear in
those types of stories? Use that as your inspiration and consult
the oracles if you would like further randomization.
41
MSE Patch: Twists & Turns
Twists
A twist is a large change in the overall story or plotline, from
sudden revelations to major shifts in the local balance of power.
Whereas turns are typically focused on a particular scene or
focused moment, twists usually have a large impact on the status
quo and alter the metaphorical landscape of the setting.
Whenever you roll a turn, add 1 to a twist counter. You can use
dice or stones to keep track of the count.
When the twist counter reaches 3, first resolve the current scene
and the turn that raised it to 3. Finish out the whole scene and
the impacts of the turn before turning to the twist.
After the scene and turn are fully resolved, reset the count to 0
and introduce a twist. Thinking of the twist in context of the
most recent scene and turn is encouraged.
Alternately, you may think of the twist in context of the major
plot drivers in your game. Think of the Big Bads, major leaders,
famous figures, and other such characters. How could the twist
fit in their context? How would they act in line with the twist?
Twists most often occur at the end of the scene. However, they
may be handled during “downtime”, with a flashback, or using
other story tools. Handle it as best fits the twist and your story.
42
MSE Patch: Twists & Turns
Twist Generator
43
MSE Patch: Tension
44
MSE Patch: Tension
Complications
Levels of Pressure
The first level is the starting point of most stories. Stakes are low.
Things are just starting up. Opposition is inconvenient or minor
to start. Obstacles should be more curiosities or annoyances than
serious threats to the protagonists.
As the counter ramps up, characters will face more intimidation,
sabotage, and low-level obstacles. The climax introduces them to
the first real threat or major story escalation.
The second level fits the second act or middle of a story, the main
meat of the tale. Things are heating up. Resistance becomes
serious, even dangerous. Intimidation turns into assault.
Sabotage becomes direct opposition. Obstacles and
complications are now serious problems to be overcome.
As the counter rises, introduce escalating attacks and hurdles.
The climax of the second level of pressure moves the story from
mere conflict to high-level danger or high stakes action.
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MSE Patch: Tension
Third Level of Pressure
The third level is when things hit a fever pitch. Existential and
deadly threats become the norm. Obstacles require all stops out,
desperate efforts to overcome. The peak of the pressure and tale
are being reached.
As the counter rises, events move quickly in the direction of a
final conflict or grand resolution. The closer the story gets to the
end, the greater the tension and higher the stakes of getting
there. This is the scramble for the final peak, the push to the end.
The climax usually resolves the current arc and typically leads into
a rest period or the next installment. This can be anything from
temporarily driving off the Big Bad to closing a full plot loop.
Either way, it should mark the end of a self-contained episode or
installment of the narrative, forming a story in itself.
After the climax, you may spend an additional segment tying up
loose ends and debriefing. Depending the flow and design of
your game, you may then move onto the next episode or you
may spend a downtime for rest and background actions.
Reset
After the climax of the third level of pressure, the whole cycle
resets. Allow characters time to rest and regather their resources,
as appropriate. Consider any major changes to the world, non-
player character shifts, or so on and note them.
By default, remove most negative statuses, serious wounds, and
other downfalls. You are resetting for the next segment. As
appropriate for your game, some negative conditions may not
reset or may become permanent impediments. Start the next
story arc at the first level of pressure, the counter set to 0 or 1.
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MSE Patch: Chaos Factor
Tension Interpretation
Normally, increasing tension counts and levels of pressure
correlate with higher stress and stakes. Using this patch, instead
interpret them in terms of how chaotic, surreal, or just plain wild
things are getting. Rather than a measure of dramatic tension, it
is a measure of dramatic weirdness and chaos.
The higher the tension count rises, the more bizarre and
outlandish the events become. The higher the pressure level, the
more unusual and even outright alien the overall circumstances
and non-player characters become.
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MSE Patch: Chaos Factor
Breaking Under Pressure
When the counter hits 6, resolve as normal and also gain a
Madness or increase an existing one in severity.
“Madness” is not intended to represent real-world clinical
diagnosis. Madness is storybook and film madness.
That in mind, assign and create Madness that best fits your game
and story genre. Use it to reinforce your tone and themes.
Madness Variations
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MSE Patch: Chaos Factor
Sub-Patch: Chaos Factor
Chaos reigns. In addition to the normal complications roll under
the tension patch, roll two six-sided dice for a chaos factor check
at a random point of every major scene and downtime period.
You may use a real-world timer, dice randomizer, or merely pick
a natural lull or “empty spot” in the middle of a scene.
Use this when you want to bizarre events to regularly occur in
the course of scenes and background. This will generate a major
result about half the time. Double 1s or 6s will come up slightly
more often than 1 in 20 times. Buckle up!
On doubles: An insane or unnatural event occurs.
First (Answer) Die shows a 1 or 6: A Madness is active
until the end the scene or downtime. It dominates
thoughts and perceptions for scene, coloring all actions.
o If you do not have one, gain a temporary one based
on recent stress and events.
Second (Degree) Die shows 1 or 6: Some agent of
chaos or impossible phenomena appears.
o If there is a recurring figure or theme in your
game, go with that. Otherwise, consult the main
oracle and ask about guesses that fit your genre
and setting.
All other results: You feel a moment of oddness, a brief
superficial effect occurs, or a minor weird NPC quickly
passes through the scene.
Both single die effects are still applied when rolling doubles.
Apply the effects of the 1s or 6s first. Then resolve the impact of
rolling doubles.
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MSE Patch: Chaos Factor
Chaos Tension Reset
When resetting the back to the first level of pressure, the first
character reset includes resetting Madness except for retaining
or gaining a single mild to moderate Madness.
In following resets, either add a new Madness or increase the
severity of an existing one. Madness kept or gained in the reset
process is permanent and cumulative. On the second reset, the
first Madness will increase in severity or a second will be gained.
This represents the inevitable spiraling decline or burnout of
characters diving into and (barely) surviving a world of chaos.
Inevitably, retirement comes around for everyone. But it is not
voluntarily for many.
“Retirement”
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MSE Patch: Mission Clock
Mission Clock
The mission clock times are metaphorical.
The clock starts are “Noon”, representing the easiest point, and
“Midnight”, representing the end or failure of the mission, time
having run out.
Noon: Starting point, full of bright possibility
1 o’clock: Time is running, but still plentiful
2 o’clock: Still comfortably moving along
3 o’clock: Time is starting to go by faster
4 o’clock: Things are starting to take a while
5 o’clock: Time starts feeling pressured
6 o’clock: The halfway point, you better move
7 o’clock: Midnight starts coming into sight
8 o’clock: The day flew by, but a few hours left
9 o’clock: Time is going too fast, running out
10 o’clock: No room for error, panic sets in
11 o’clock: There is almost no time left
Midnight: Out of time, mission failed
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MSE Patch: Mission Clock
Turning the Clock
The mission clock moves forward and back based on the wins and
losses of the characters.
When things go wrong, they can spiral down. When they go
right, they can hold off the clock or even push it back a notch.
For the purposes of the mission clock, the count is affected by full
sequences of action.
If you use a game with more granular or zoomed in action, base
it on the result of an entire round or exchange’s worth of actions.
If you use a game with much broader resolution, you may wish
to break down missions into additional rolls or increased resource
spending to represent the segmented time of the clock.
Clock Changes
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Mission Stress
Midnight
Midnight is when the clock expires. Your mission fails and you
pay the price. Or you may face a revised mission of greater
difficulty and risk to reach your goal. Follow-up quests should
start the clock between 1 and 3 o’clock, rather than Noon.
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MSE Patch: Momentum
Momentum Counter
The momentum counter goes from -5 to +5. It lasts as long as the
specific quest or larger mission being set out upon. If a given
quest turns out to be longer than expected, you may give the
protagonists a reasonable downtime or extended rest period at
an appropriate point. Then reset the counter with a fresh start.
Momentum determines the likelihood of negative and positive
elements in scene. Advantages or obstacles become more likely.
At the more extreme ends, efforts overall become easier or more
difficult. It creates and reinforces streaks, both good and ill.
At the beginning of a new quest, set the counter to +1,
representing the inertia as you set out.
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MSE Patch: Momentum
Effects of Momentum
Momentum has a small handful of main effects. It can influence
the advantages or obstacles in a scene, as well as the difficulty of
tasks and efforts.
Positive (+) numbers are helpful and provide bonuses. Negative
(-) numbers give penalties and hindrances.
At the start of every scene, roll one six-sided die.
If the counter is a + number: You want to roll equal
to or under the number. If you roll equal to or under the
+ momentum counter rating, gain an advantage or allow
an automatic narrated success for minor to average
difficult scenes.
If it is a - number: You do not want to roll equal to or
under the – number on the momentum counter. If you
roll equal or under, introduce an additional major
complication for the scene or immediately following it.
If the counter is at zero: You are at a fine tipping point.
On a roll of 1 or 2, introduce a major complication. On 5
or 6, gain an advantage or skip the scene with a success.
Weighted penalties: As momentum slows, it can create
a drag on efforts. At -3 or worse negative momentum,
take minor penalties on all actions. At +3 or better
positive momentum, receive minor bonuses on all
actions. At -5 and +5, the penalties and bonuses become
medium or moderate modifiers.
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MSE Patch: Momentum
Changing Momentum
Much like the mission clock, this counter presumes full action
sequences. Zoom in or out from the action in your game, as
appropriate.
-2: Major or important sequence failed.
-1: Minor failure, mixed outcome, ties, and success at a
cost.
+0: Minimal success, exact bare win
+1: Simple and basic full wins and successes.
+2: Complete, overwhelming, and exceptional successes
and accomplishments.
Breaks
Haste
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MSE Patch: Momentum
Love and Hate
Some people will admire your success. Others will be jealous or
despise it. Some embrace love, others hold hate.
You can decide to use one or the other. You may instead choose
to decide for each NPC how they will react.
When you are at +2 to +3, social and mental interactions with
“lovers” will be at a mild advantage. Attempts against “haters”
will instead suffer a mild penalty.
At +4 to +5, gain a moderate bonus. For actions versus haters,
face a moderate disadvantage on social and mental efforts.
Negative numbers work similarly on the same scale, interpreted
as pity or sympathy from allies and as mocking confidence from
opponents.
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Play Advice: Story Structure
58
Play Advice: Story Structure
Open Worlds: Ask “What’s Next?”
Running an open or evolving world game can seem
overwhelming for those imagining or used to higher prep
requirements. Even using a more structured cycle, people
sometimes feel stuck in one way or another.
To help move things forward, look first at what you have already
established in the world. Think of the locals, threats, elites, areas,
and so on. What are or would they be doing? How would that
impact the characters or their connections? How would the
protagonists hear about it? Use that for generating new hooks.
Look next at pieces you have yet to explore. What do you
imagine is there? What kind of characters or features would you
expect to see? How might they present mysteries attracting the
characters or problems that need to be solved? Do not overthink
it. Go with your first impressions and intuitions.
You can also always ask questions! Pretend the core system is a
game moderator or fourth-wall breaking narrator. Think about
a few things that would be interesting to happen or explore or
possibilities you could get excited about. Then the Motif Story
Engine about them and see what happens. The third die flavors
make it especially easy to generate interesting answers.
You can also use random event and mission generators to
provide immediate action. Many RPGs include sample missions
and random encounter generators. There are also many tools
available online for random generation.
The world prompts patch is another option to use. Generate
events, meetings, and challenges to generate new plot hooks
and player opportunities to get the story rolling again.
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Play Advice: Story Structure
Structured Cycles
Even using the MSE options, the narrative and experience may
not be structured enough for some players. And that is no
problem! Play flow can take the form of predictable beats based
in a structured cycle. This option provides a couple of options for
you to try out and/or use as illustrative examples and inspiration.
Many forms of fiction follow similar patterns. Explore act
structures, myth cycles, and other story structures to shape your
tale. There are several popular mythological and screenwriting
models you can explore online and in writing guides.
Two versions of an “episodic” or “adventuring” model are
included. You may cycle between them or change them over time
to fit the evolution of your game & its themes.
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Play Advice: Story Structure
7-Step Episodic Spiral
61
MSE Patch: Rock-Paper-Scissors Hack
Extra Signs
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MSE Patch: Rock-Paper-Scissors Hack
Randomized Throws
Hands of Fate
If dice are preferred overall or you do not want to call, you may
use the oracle for your own throws as well as the opposing call.
Other randomization systems may also serve as a drop-in
replacement. For example, rock-paper-scissors spin rings are a
popular option among some “theater style” LARP players.
This patch also includes a sub-patch for an alternative core
resolution system that can be used in place of RPS mechanics.
Fate Die
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MSE Patch: Rock-Paper-Scissors Hack
Sub-Patch: RPS Core Replacement
Replace all rock-paper-scissors throws with a simplified dice roll.
Roll two-sided side dice.
Add them.
Interpret the rolls in one of two ways.
Straight Conversion
Complex Results
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