Motif Story Engine - Solo and GM-Lite Roleplaying Toolkit

Copyright
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:
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The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow
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Copyright
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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.
What is “solo play”?

“Solo play” is just what it sounds like. It allows people to play
their favorite RPG or storygame alone without the need for
someone else to play the moderator.
To use the Motif Story Engine, you will need these rules, some
regular six-sided dice, your imagination, and anything required
by your roleplaying game of choice.
You will also need a notebook, word processor document, or a
similar option to keep track of the world details and the
unfolding narrative.
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Introduction
What’s different from normal play?
Most roleplaying games (“RPGs”) have someone take on the role

of story director or “game moderator” (GM). They are commonly
responsible for answering player questions, describing the world,
and portraying non-player characters. They also usually accept
the burden of generating the world and NPCs populating it.
The Motif Story Engine divides the GM role between the player
and an “oracle” system. The player decides the general story
type, basic setting, and the character(s) they will play in the
game. There is also a story engine loop, going from the obvious
consequences to the dice oracle.
The oracle is a set of three regular six-sided dice. It gives
randomized answers to questions that players typically ask
during play. It can even be used to ask about starting details.
It provides guidelines and boundaries for a play, emulating a GM
or narrator. Whatever you would normally ask a game
moderator, you ask the oracle.
The other big difference is that non-player characters and other
details are not contained in a “black box” or hidden from players.
For many gamers, this may take getting used to.
However, the Motif Story Engine includes options to maintain
mystery and suspense. Despite the exposure of non-player
character sheets and other “open box” elements, a large degree
of tension and the excitement of the unknown can be retained.
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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
“GM-lite” can also be done with rotating or shared moderator

duties in multiplayer games. Instead of one person shouldering
the duties, they are divided among the group. The world is
collaboratively built by all the players.
They may each take turns portraying the NPCs and moderating
scenes or split the duties among the players. One person may be
particularly good at portraying NPCs while another may play a
good referee and keep scenes moving.
Let people take the moderator duties they do best or have the
most enthusiasm for.
9
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 2: Game journal
Keep a “game journal” to record the story, world, and non-

player characters as you go along. You can do this as a diary,
world bible, or so on. The best format is one that is meaningful
to you and/or makes it easy to track your game.
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)
Then decide if you want to play a single character or if you want

to play a duo or small group as you might in a video game.
A limit of three characters is recommended in solo play. More
characters can be difficult to follow and play out. It can also
become difficult to track and play out the group dynamics.
Most solo players find playing one or two characters ideal. If you
have a high character turnover rate in your game, three may be
preferable to keep the story from getting derailed or reset.
Step 5: Opening
Pick a starting point or scene. Use random generators or the MSE

oracle to flesh things out as needed or desired. Take cues from
common story tropes and actual plays.
High fantasy games easily start in a tavern or summoned before
the local lord. Dark fantasy stories often open on a secret
meeting common to the setting or a sudden emergency or
disaster. A science fiction game may open up on the bridge, a
crew meeting, or an unexpected alien encounter.
Decide how the main character(s) came to be there or came
together. Do they work together? Did someone call them
together? Is this a sanctuary zone or safe house where they met?
Describe the scene and opening action. Use as much or as little
detail to establish the opening as you feel necessary.
Then continue on with the Motif Story Engine oracle system and
the rules of your chosen RPG. Use the oracle to guide the
emergent story and the roleplaying game rules to moderate the
action and decide the outcomes.
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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
Solo play works on a series of questions. Think of any questions

you would ask a normal game moderator or story narrator. These
are the questions you will ask of the oracle. Valid questions can
be answered yes/no/maybe, negative/mixed/positive, or other
equivalents. The system assumes that question format.
You may also use the system for binary choices, such as a simple
yes/no. You can experiment with different Q&A formats using
the basic system as a guide. Do whatever is best for your
experience.
Scenes
Questions are posed at different points during the scene. They

are asked at the beginning of each scene for unusual or specific
details, during the play of the scene as things unfold, and at the
conclusion.
During the opening of the scene, decide the basic details through
common sense and genre tropes. Ask questions about unusual or
specific details of the scene.
Once the scene is set, continue on. As the scene unfolds, ask
questions as they naturally arise.
13
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.
Wait… what are scenes?
“Scenes” are like the scenes of a novel, play, or movie. Think

about an action scene, montage, chase scene, or dream
sequence. Those are all good examples of scenes.
One way to view scenes is as micro-stories within the wider game.
There is the opening, main action, and closing segment. Scenes
can be brief or cover an extended period, but they form a
coherent story unit or sequence of action.
Another way to view a scene is the smallest unit of a story in
which change takes place. If nothing is at risk of change, you
should avoid running a scene according to that point of view.
The change framing encourages you to focus in on sequences
where changes occur or are risked and fade to black or screen
wipe away from common events.
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Core Oracle System
Core Oracle System

Roll three six-sided dice for each question. The dice are read in
order from left to right or closest to farthest. Rolls may only
require reading the first one or two dice for the results you need,
but always roll three.
Only use the oracle as need. Keep the story moving with intuition
and common sense. If something seems logical or you are
inspired, roll with it. Do not let the dice interrupt your story. The
oracle is intended to emulate a moderator when necessary.
First Oracle: Answer

This oracle is always used when answering questions. It is a simple
scale with three results. Any question that allows for this
response format can be answered.
Additional random event charts and other result generators can
be used to help prime your questions and add unexpected
directions.
 1-2: No, negative answer; small, a little
 3-4: Maybe, mixed answer; middle, average
 5-6: Yes, positive answer; big, a lot.
If your question is purely binary (such as a yes/no query), read a
result of 3 as “no” and a 4 as “yes”. You may use the first oracle
to answer any question for which there are two or three possible
or likely outcomes. Simply assign them first through second or
third. The first is on 1-2 with three choices, 1-3 with two. The
second option is on 3-4 with three choices, 4-6 with two. The
third option is 5-6.
15
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
Third Oracle: Flavor

The third oracle is something of a wild card. This die adds flavor
and direction to the answers. There are four flavors included with
the Motif Story Engine: Favorability, Weirdness, Danger, and
Rarity. Each emphasizes a different factor (or flavor) to bring to
oracle rolls.
The included defaults may be used directly or as templates and
examples for additional options. A flavor die can add a lot of
depth in the right context. If you find certain themes are not
coming up as often as you prefer, use a flavor die to introduce
that element and some variability to your story. Choose one
flavor die for the main roll.
16
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
Used when you want answers in context of the player characters’

interests, goals, and/or well-being. For example, asking if there’s
another exit, the answer may indicate that one exists but lies
behind an angry crowd or whether it is conveniently located and
easy to access.
This is often a common flavor die rolled, as characters strive to
accomplish their mission or fulfill their quest. It can be used to
re-center the story on the main characters, providing a lens that
puts answers in context of them.
Favorability can be set as a default third die to emulate
melodrama and wild action. Using it on most rolls produces wild
swings between complication and advantage, presenting
dramatic turns and/or an unpredictable world of friends and
foes.
 1: The answer could not possibly be more unfavorable to
the characters; interpret in the most hostile or negative
way possible
 2: Generally unfavorable for the protagonists
 3: Neutral or mildly disadvantageous
 4: Neutral or mildly favorable
 5: On par to the advantage of the characters
 6: The answer is the best possible result, for whatever
reason; interpret in the most favorable light or with the
best advantage
17
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
Some dangers are implied in question and answered by the main

response and the second oracle revealing the strength of result.
However, some dangers may be secondary effects or hidden
threats. This flavor is consulted when there are potential
dangers, but the direct answer does not sufficiently reveal the
threat level.
Roleplaying games often present dangerous and deadly worlds.
This flavor is useful in determining threats and the level of
danger faced in a given situation.
The “danger” need not be a physical or punitive threat. This
flavor can also represent general risks, gambles, and stakes. Make
use of it when any kind of risk is a factor.
 1: No extra or hidden dangers or just easily avoided
threats
 2: One or two minor threats or annoyances
 3: A few serious obstacles, but modest risks
 4: A few serious obstacles, with serious risks
 5: A minefield of risks, traps, and dangers
 6: The entire area is a trap, filled with numerous hidden
threats and nearly unavoidable dangers
19
Core Oracle System
Rarity Flavor
The rarity flavor works differently than the others. This is an

example of how flavor dice can introduce subsystems or
complexity into the toolkit.
While most flavor dice will present a normal range of results,
they can also be set to triggers and target outcomes to generate
results in a different way.
Before rolling, determine the rarity or likelihood of a positive
answer. This will be used for comparison after the roll.
The rarity flavor is consulted when probability or scarcity are
important. As examples, when trying to find a shadowy art
dealer or asking if a library sale has an obscure book.
This flavor is intended to generate something a little more
involved and interesting that a simple yes/no answer for
questions regarding rarity and obscurity. The answers are
intended to drive the fiction forward.
Difficulty Guidelines
Finding a member of a prominent local gang may be a

probability of 1 or 2.
Locating a dealer of an endangered plant or unusual potion
ingredient is a good example of a 5 or 6 rarity level.
 1-2: Easy to find, fairly common, few barriers to access,
relatively low importance
 3-4: Requires effort to find, uncommon, at least a few
obstacles, somewhat important
 5-6: Hard to find, unusually rare, typically harsh barrier
to access, most important
20
Core Oracle System
Resolution
Rarity has two potential outcome paths, positive and negative,

based on the results of the first die.
For the purposes of rarity resolution:
The first oracle (Answer Die) …
 3: …Counts as a “no”
 4: …Counts as a “yes”
If the first oracle gives a negative (“no”) answer:
 Rolling below the target number: Gain an additional
severe complication or obstacle.
 Rolling equal to the target number: A wash, resulting
in a hard “no” response forcing the protagonists to
pursue a different solution or approach.
 Rolling above the target number: Face a severe
complication or obstacle, but also gain a solid lead or
clues.
The first oracle offers a positive (“yes”) answer:
 Rolling below the target number: Provide useful
clues or leads but introduce also a minor obstacle or
complication.
 Rolling equal to the target number: Gain a reliable
lead or connection.
 Rolling above the target number: Go immediately to
a direct find or encounter.
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
Assume obvious outcomes and logical conclusions. There is no

need to consult the oracles for every single thing.
Unless playing a survival game, you do not need the oracles to
light a campfire or find basic groceries. If you are playing a noir
game and kill a mob leader, you do not need the oracles to know
the mob is coming for you. Don’t overcomplicate it.
Similarly, there is no need to play 20 questions with the oracle,
asking endless follow-up questions. The world should also
generally continue as it would on its own.
Companies will go on with their plans. The people of the world
will get on with their lives. Allow simple logical results to fill in
the blanks. Leave things to evolve, using your intuition and
common sense to determine how things change over time.
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The Understood
Most everything is open to interpretation. If a direction jumps to

mind, go with it. The oracles only help your story unfold. Think
of movies or novels similar to your game.
Go with it when you naturally understand or assume what
something is or means. Various details can be grasped without
the oracles. The basic look and mythos of a spooky house need
not be drawn from the oracles.
If you have a basic understanding and idea of a haunted murder
house, use it. Use your knowledge and imagination for details
you already understand.
The Invented
Allow your genre & story goals to serve as guides.

What would usually happen next in the kind of story you’re
telling? How do events come up in the genre or style you are
exploring? Make use of available examples.
Do first think that the haunted murder house is possessed by a
demon? Why not? Go with it. Do you have a strong feeling or
sudden thought about how your allies might react to a
discovery? Follow it and keep going with your story.
If you are having a good time and the game is flowing along,
great! The Motif Story Engine is just a tool to help you along. If
whatever is coming to mind feels satisfactory, your game does
not need extra oracle rolls interrupting the flow.
Do not worry about checking on elements you feel certain or
particularly good about. Use the oracles when you are unsure or
want to mix it up and add the excitement of chance. You can
focus the oracles on special details and/or plot hooks.
23
The Questioned
After you go through the obvious, understood, and invented,

questions may still remain. That is when the oracles typically
come into play. Use them to fill in the gaps and details left open
by the process.
Ask a question or short series of questions to provide answers for
the most important elements, potential story hooks, and
interesting details. Focus them on what is most interesting to you
and what best moves your story forward.
After you receive answers, repeat the cycle. Interpret them using
the logical outcomes, your knowledge of tropes, and your gut
feelings.
Story Flow Overview

 What is immediately obvious about the answer? What
are the logical consequences? What is the reasonable
outcome?
 What makes sense in context of genre and style? What
would be normal traits and factors in a story of the type
you are exploring? What are common tropes and
elements in the game and setting you are using?
 What immediately comes to mind for you? What is your
sense of intuition about how things play out? How does
the scene appear in your mind?
 What questions do you have left about the scene or
encounter? What aspects of the story and scene remain
unclear?
24
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”.
Use common sense to fill in some details. If a new NPC is a

professor, it makes sense for them have skills for their career and
academic expertise. If they are a high-level leader, it makes sense
that they would have some leadership abilities and whatever
prerequisites that organization has for its leaders.
25
Remember the obvious and understood from the story flow cycle
of the Motif Story Engine.
This approach allows you to quickly create non-player characters

on the fly. You can simply build out their sheet as it is revealed.
You will avoid wasting time making full sheets for minor
characters and add gradual revelation for more powerful NPCs.
In combination with the randomization of the MSE oracle system,
a degree of suspense and mystery is maintained despite the
“open book” nature of solo and GM-lite play styles.
You are able to introduce characters, from minor to major in the
moment. You can also “hide” the real (but uncertain) abilities of
powerful characters until they are revealed in play.
You may also apply this approach to the “NPC features” from the
following section to represent various background actions and
resources. Set a power level and only reveal their capabilities as
they employ them in a way that is seen by or impacts the main
character(s) and their story.
The approach can be applied to an NPC’s relationships with other
NPCs or indeed any character aspect that may be “hidden” and
revealed that way.
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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
Using Flavors and Patches

Flavors provide additional dimensions to the main oracle roll.
Patches provide new sub-systems and add-ons to help guide and
develop your narrative and reinforce your themes.
The Golden Rule (of RPGs)

The “golden rule” of roleplaying games can be phrased in many
ways. But it boils down to: All Rules Are Optional. The Motif Story
Engine treats this common advice as design guideline. Everything
from the choice of flavor dice to the patches are 100% optional.
They exist to support your solo play experience and actual play
writing efforts.
Patches should not be treated like arbitrary restraints or as
requirements for any given genre of game. If something does not
help, do not use it. If something does not feel right for your
narrative, avoid it. Stick with a toolkit build that suits your needs.
Making the Choices

Look at what a given flavor tells you or patch is intended for.
Does it feel right? Does it fit with your intended game
experience? Then use it. If not, then do not include it in the build.
Hacking and Reskinning

Hacking and reskinning are relatively easy in MSE. For example,
the tension patch could be reskinned for “melodrama”. Hacking
the system is also fairly straightforward. Use the flavor and patch
examples as templates for your own. Rebuild them completely as
inspiration starters or use them “straight” as plug-and-play
skeletons, simply replacing pieces and descriptions in the existing
structure. The goal is enforcing story hooks & genre tropes.
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Building Your Engine

While options are great, they can be paralyzing. This is especially
true when using a new ruleset with a different mindset and
design style. This may all look great to you and yet you have no
idea what do with it. That is OK! That is what this segment is for.
Start with the Core
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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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.
30
MSE Patch: NPC Features

This module is mainly intended to compliment limited rules
options for background reach and setting connections. If your
RPG has influence and resource rules, use them. Use the scales
here as a guideline and part of an NPC’s overall power level.
NPC Ties
NPC ties represent organizational and personal ties held by an

NPC. They are rated by Scale and Depth.
Minor NPCs will usually have up to one or two ties with 3 to 6
points for Scale & Depth. Typical major NPCs have developed up
to five or six ties and 20 to 25 points to spend among them.
Scale: The reach and power of ties.
 1: Personal influence and direct actions only
 2: Respected expert or influential local figure
 3: Top level manager or major influencer
Depth: The strength and bond of ties.
 1: Acquaintances, blackmail, and co-workers
 2: Established friends and professional peers
 3: Lovers, lifelong friends, and partners
Example Ties Build
Terrance is a local mechanic. You decide despite being a minor

character, his job connections give him two ties with 9 points:
 Terry’s closest friend is his next-door neighbor, Ron, a
housing contractor. Best Friend: Scale 1, Depth 3.
 Terry has been the mechanic for a local political
dynasty for years. Mayor: Scale 3, Depth 2.
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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.
Example Resource Build
A new NPC is introduced. They are Charlotte the Red, a medium

level assassin for hire. As a mid-level NPC, you give her three
resources and 12 points to spend among them. Over the course
of play, it is revealed that she has:
 Stockpile of weapons, armor and poisons she can access
at a moment’s notice. Arsenal: Liquidity 3, Utility 3.
 A sizable but not obscenely large bank account with
normal debit card access. Cash: Liquidity 2, Utility 2.
 Expensive underworld doctor offering basic first aid and
crude treatments. Alley Doctor: Liquidity 1, Utility 1.
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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
Example Action Spend
Carla is a major NPC leading a notable crime syndicate. She

receives 12 points of actions per background cycle. While the
protagonists are solving a major mystery, she spends 3 points to
spy on them and get the (valuable) information they uncover.
She also spends 3 points to fully obscure the spying, making it a
high difficulty task to discover the spying. She spends another 2
points to add a moderate number of fall guys and fake leads, in
case the spying is discovered. She divides her remaining 4 points
between secure (improving security for herself and the new info)
and deal (arranging an action or buyers for her discovery).
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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
Personality represents the overall personality type of the

character. It is who they are at the core.
The answer when you ask “Who are they at heart?”
 2-3: Monstrous or sociopathic
 4-5: “Type A” or power-hungry
 6: Outgoing and friendly
 7: Hard-hearted hard worker
 8: Shy and reserved
 9-10: Deceptive and manipulative
 11-12: Delusional or extremely obsessive
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Motives
Motives reveal the goals and intentions of a character. They are

the goals they work toward and a focus or lens for the core
personality. Personality and motive in combination form the
foundation of an NPC’s internal world & reason.
The response when you ask, “What drives them?”
 2-3: Causing harm and torment
 4-5: Acquiring rare items or influence
 6: Doing their job or fulfilling a role
 7: Maintaining lifestyle and happiness
 8: Improving their life or helping someone
 9-10: An unusual philosophical goal
 11-12: Creating radical change
Attitude
Attitude how an NPC presents themselves. It can seem at odds

with their motives & personality. For example, a coward who
avoids trouble may act the blowhard to hide their aversion and
lack of courage. It is a default projection, but it may change or
shift according to the circumstances.
The answer to, “How do they present themselves?”
 2-3: Distrustful and paranoid
 4-5: Colorful showoff or performer
 6: Quiet and agreeable
 7: Enthusiastic team player
 8: Blowhard or bully
 9-10: Grumpy lone wolf
 11-12: Excessively zealous preacher
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Approach
An NPC’s approach is their strategy and mindset in dealing with

obstacles and conflicts. Approach is a lens through which other
prompts are carried out in practical action and outcomes.
This is the method and kind of behavior they will engage in when
trying to handle a situation or push comes to shove.
Approach is the response when you question, “How do they
handle things?” or “What are their methods like?”
When using NPC prompts, use approach as the main restriction
on and final arbiter of NPC actions. Approach says what they will
actually do, no matter what their personality, motives, and
attitude may be.
Determine how to put the other traits into actual play by
considering the methods and activity that their approach would
demand or naturally result in.
Take someone who is interesting in improving themselves and
others but has a chaotic and piecemeal approach. They will
constantly churn through fads, leave projects half-finished, and
only sporadically assist the people they intended to help.
 2-3: Chaotic and piecemeal
 4-5: Methodical, exacting, and calculated
 6: Relying on intuition and gut reactions
 7: Reacts based on the best available information, but
with minimal planning
 8: Loosely but expertly planned, flexible
 9-10: Passionate and impulsive
 11-12: Over the top and overcomplicated plans,
methods, and mechanisms
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MSE Patch: World Prompts

World prompts focus on the things characters face and the world
around them. They provide a system to generate random
circumstances and obstacles.
This patch features events, meetings, challenges, & requests. You
may choose one type or a combination. Choose from the lists or
roll two dice; add them together to choose.
If you find that your game is stalling out, you can use the world
prompt patch to generate new story hooks and brainstorming
material. It can also be used as an opening scene generator,
whether at the beginning of play or after a big gap in actual play
time or within the timeline of the story. It is a launching pad.
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.
37
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
38
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.
39
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

Twists and turns are a way to introduce story pivots and a little
more unpredictability to your games. Turns mark big shifts within
the current scene and twists represent big shifts in the
overarching story. They add a little spice and help chart out story
beats as you play through the game.
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
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
Twist Generator
This is a short example of a twist list. Feel free to replace the

options or use your own randomizers and charts in place of this.
Roll two six-sided dice.
 Any Doubles: What A Twist! Reveal a new Big Bad or a
fresh major story complication in a typical “big twist”
way. While this creates new problems, it should also
introduce new resources and possibilities for the player
characters.
 3-4: The authorities turn against the PCs OR a major ally
betrays them.
 5-6: The approach the PCs were taking turns out to be
the wrong tactic or insufficient to fix the problem.
However, they should be directed or receive clues to
help transfer them to the new path and evolving
storyline.
 7: A mixed or neutral high-level NPC appears. It could
be anything from a secret agency director to a blazing
archangel. Use the main oracle and 3 questions to
determine its purpose and attitude
 8-9: The player character actions turn out to be more
effective than expected or just flat out lucky, granting
them major progress towards their goals. However, the
gains should also introduce new problems and puzzles
for the characters to solve.
 10-11: Hostile authorities make peace with the PCs OR
a major opposition figure turns to their side.
Much like turns, it helps to think of similar stories to one you are
exploring. What are big plot twists you encounter in those
stories? What are common large story beats? What often
happens in the transition between acts? As always, consult the
oracles if you need direction or have questions to answer.
43
MSE Patch: Tension
MSE Patch: Tension

This patch introduces pressure and plot beats. There are three
levels of pressure. Within each level, an increasing count turns up
the stakes.
Core Tension Patch

Start a counter at 0. After each major scene, roll one six-sided die.
The result adds 0, 1, or 2 to the tension counter. You may also
choose to add 1 to the count instead of rolling.
 1-2: No change to tension.
 3-5: Add 1 to tension.
 6: Add 2 to tension. Also roll an extra six-sided die.
Check the triples turn table in the Twists & Turns Patch.
Match the number. Start the next scene with the
selected turn.
The current count reveals the tension level. As tension increases,
the characters should face more consistent obstacles and
opposition.
 0: Low stakes, minimal tension
 1-2: Basic stakes, mild tension
 3-4: Serious stakes, increasing tension
 5-6: High stakes, extreme tension
When the count reaches 6, the next major scene or downtime is
a peak that moves to the next level or chapter of the story.
Examples: Confronting a Big Bad. Facing manifestations of fears.
Think of common films & novels. Main characters often suffer
defeat or merely delay problems in early story beats.
Go with your gut and the oracles. Do not worry about tying
everything up or creating new hooks & plotlines at every climax.
44
MSE Patch: Tension
Complications
Roll at the beginning or crux of each major scene.

If the result is equal to or lower than the tension counter,
introduce an additional minor complication, distraction, or low-
level obstacle.
Levels of Pressure
First Level 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.
Second Level of Pressure
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.
45
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.
46
MSE Patch: Chaos Factor

Requires the tension patch. Introduce increasing chaos into
your game! Take a wild ride! This patch is intended to enable
those styles of play.
Please refer to the tension rules for a basic overview of story
beats and the tension counter. Mix and match the pieces of this
patch to tailor the experience to your desired play feel and flow.
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.
Optional: Heavy Ratchet

If you want to see the wild ride and craziness to escalate quickly,
use this sub-patch to apply a heavy hand on the tension counter.
Add 1 to the tension counter at the end of every major scene and
roll as normal. Or add 2 every major scene, instead of rolling.
About every third major scene will lead to a plot peak. This
provides a direct, rapid story progression.
47
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
You may approach “Madness” in a variety of ways. Characters

may become jaded instead of broken, for example. Adapt and
reskin the breaking points and their consequences to fit the style
and themes of your story.
At one end of the spectrum, Madness as pulp fiction or
“Lovecraftian” insanity is a popular choice. Examples would be
hearing the voices in the walls or becoming obsessed with the
resurrection of the dead gods.
At the other end of the spectrum, you may interpret “Madness”
as a sapping of will or cumulative exhaustion. The protagonists
become increasingly bitter, scarred, and plain worn out through
their adventures. Examples: “too old for this mess”, “burned
out”, or “too jaded to care”.
Breaking points in the face of chaos are common across a wide
variety of genres. Put your own spin on the flavor and feel of
Madness to reinforce your game type, themes, and the ongoing
story. It should not break your immersion or derail the intended
experience of your actual play. Like all parts of MSE, it exists to
reinforce and enable your game experiences.
48
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.
49
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”
Once a character has more than 3 severe Madness, they are

usually “retired”, consumed by chaos and all they have seen and
experienced. This rule includes when a fourth Madness would be
added through the reset process.
“Retired” characters may avoid permanent retirement in most
cases. Return to play with “only” one severe Madness on a reset,
at the cost of gaining a permanent severe downfall or flaw,
extreme debt or loss of favor, or sacrifice of major gains or rare,
valuable gear for each Madness removed.
On a second avoided retirement, reset with two severe Madness.
Retirement can only be avoided twice. On the third time reaching
the retirement threshold, it is unavoidable and the character is
permanently retired as they die of shock or enter a permanent
state of insanity, exhaustion, or loss of ability to care. Chaos is
inescapable and always demands its price.
50
MSE Patch: Mission Clock

You may have time or action critical sequences in your stories.
The mission timer patch is intended to provide options for
handling that kind of pressure & constraint. The clock moves fast!
This can be seen as a different approach to the concept of the
tension patch. The difference lies in the how the patches are
directed. While the tension patch focuses on a general series of
narrative escalations and dramatic conflict, the mission clock
zooms in on time pressures and focusing in on the mission goal.
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
51
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
 +2: Major or important sequences failing, extraordinary

new complications or obstacles, and exceptional failures
 +1: Ties, partial successes, wins at a cost, and barely
winning (exactly just passing) successes
 0: Simple and complete wins and successes
 -1: Extraordinarily high-risk wins, exceptional
successes, completion of epic tasks
52
Mission Stress
Mission stress represent the effects of the rising pressure and

dwindling options. Add +1 mission stress at 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock,
and 9 o’clock.
Your game may use target numbers, level of risks, outcome
ranks, or another mechanism. What are minor, low-level
penalties in your RPG are the minor penalties for mission stress.
 1 Mission Stress: You are starting to feel the pressure.
Take minor penalties when you need to concentrate and
on high difficulty tasks.
 2 Mission Stress: Half of your time is gone! The stress
ramps up. Take moderate penalties when concentration
is needed, minor penalties on most other efforts. But
gain minor bonuses when directly trying to reach or
confront your mission’s climax, focusing under pressure.
 3 Mission Stress: Midnight is fast approaching! It is all
too much as you race against time. Take major penalties
when trying to concentrate and moderate penalties on
most actions. But also gain moderate bonuses when
trying to reach or facing the climax of your quest,
focused to obsession.
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.
53
MSE Patch: Momentum
MSE Patch: Momentum

In some stories and game play styles, a swing of plot and
character momentum feels like a natural fit. This patch offers
options an inertia tracking system for your games.
The more characters succeed and press on, the greater their
momentum becomes. They gain a chance of advantage in scenes
and actions become easier. The more they fail and take breaks
from their quest, the slow their momentum becomes. They gain
a chance of disadvantage in scenes and efforts get more difficult.
If you want to embrace the panic and thrill of spiraling losses and
wins, this is a good module for that feel. If you want something
that breaks up streaks and pushes things toward the middle,
refer to the sub-patch at the end of the momentum patch
module. Review the main momentum rules first, as it is a rules
variation and not a self-contained patch.
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.
54
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.
55
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 and Haste
Taking in-character breaks slows down momentum, while

pressing on at a cost can increase momentum.
Breaks
 Short breaks: -1 to the momentum counter

 Long breaks: -3 to the momentum counter
Haste
 One group member takes a serious wound or

negative condition: +1 to the counter
 All group members take a serious harm or negative
consequence: +1 to the counter
56
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.
Inverted Option: Hard Middle (or Drama Motor)

Perhaps you want to do the opposite of spiraling successes and
failures. You want to embrace a game where the more the
protagonists succeed, the harder it becomes, while making
actions progressively easier as failures mount. This is proper
alternate rule for your needs.
Reverse the input value of success and failure. Winning drives the
count down and losing drives the count up. Everything else
remains the same. By inverting the counter value of successes and
setbacks, heroes on a (perhaps boring) winning streak will face
complications and protagonists stuck in a (maybe frustrating)
losing streak will receive relief.
Use this variation when you want to use the momentum
subsystem to avoid long streaks and generate drama points or
push things toward the middle away from the extremes.
57
Play Advice: Story Structure

The default assumed play flow for the Motif Story Engine is open
world or freeform play. The story and events are driven by a
combination of the primary oracle and player character actions.
However, a more structured play flow may be wanted or needed.
MSE patches are a good starting point, designed for that
purpose. Options like the tension and mission clock patches
provide some clear direction and emphasize broad story tropes.
Flavor dice also help guide the story in a given direction or frame
it in a certain context. Reading results in context of what is
favorable to the protagonists centers the current narrative on the
lead characters and their interests. Reading result in context of
weirdness emphasizes the surreal and supernatural elements of
the setting you are exploring.
Consider the flavor and patch options first. You will find they do
surprisingly well at creating story beats and keeping the game
moving along. Mix and match to suit your tastes and themes.
Nevertheless, using an outline of a story structure or list of
adventure beats can be a useful tool if you crave a stronger sense
of direction. There is no wrong way to shape your tale. There is
only which tools and frameworks work the best for you.
Story cycles provide a series of steps to place the narrative on.
You understand where you are coming from and the next step
tells you where the game is heading.
Using structured story cycles does not mean the story needs to be
“on rails” with predefined paths and outcomes. Instead, like the
rest of the Motif Story Engine, they provide direction and context
in place of hard requirements and pre-generated story paths.
58
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.
59
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.
9-Step Climax Cycle
This model focuses on an “adventure” cycle with an emphasis on

external consequences. It follows a familiar and predictable story
structure. Use this as a skeleton to build your play experience,
following the steps and moving from them toward the next.
1. Start at “rest”, coming into focus from off-screen downtime.
2. Mission call, dramatic encounter, or a new interesting lead.
3. Pursuing initial leads and easier encounters.
4. First conflict, discovery, or twist.
5. Breathing room for recovery, the calm before the storm.
6. Diving deeper, facing increased difficulty and challenges.
7. Climatic conflict, discovery, or twist.
8. Gain and/or lose according to outcome; consider and reflect
on what was gained & lost, especially the cost to others.
9. Return to “rest”, healing and going back to off-screen time.
60
7-Step Episodic Spiral
This model focuses on a more reflective, character-driven

“episodic” cycle. It follows a common structure followed by
mythology and episodic media alike.
The main elements are the use of a gradually changing status
quo, challenges to the protagonists, paying a cost or discovering
increasing challenges with gains, and examining the changes to
the status quo.
It also includes a holistic look at character and setting changes.
That makes this a good option for driving character and world
development in the fiction writing sense.
The cyclical focus on costs, challenges, and changes will flesh out
the protagonists and their world. Over time, the examined
changes will form into a historical roadmap (“how we got from
there to here”) and a coherent, evolving story mythology.
1. Begin in your “normal world”, your regular life...
2. When you receive a challenge or puzzle…
3. And face and overcome opposition…
4. Attaining your goal, at least in part…
5. But paying a cost or learning of new challenges…
6. Then confronting or accepting the changes the adventure
created in yourself and the world around you…
7. After which, return to your newly altered “normal world”
61
MSE Patch: Rock-Paper-Scissors Hack

Some roleplaying games use a rock-paper-scissors (RPS) based
system for conflict and task resolution. RPS is a “throwing” game,
where people “throw” hand signs. The signs are compared to
determine the winner. Rock beats scissors. Paper beats rock.
Scissors beats paper. Some systems include a special fourth sign
to indicate special abilities.
RPS can be hurdle for solo play without another person to throw
against. This Motif Story Engine mod converts normal rock-
paper-scissors play into a dice-based randomizer.
The Throw Sim

The throw sim is extremely simple and uses a single six-sided die.
Call your sign (rock, paper, or scissors). Then roll the sim die to
call the other throw. Resolve according to your RPG rules.
 1-2: Rock
 3-4: Paper
 5-6: Scissors
Extra Signs
If your chosen RPG has an extra sign available, roll a second

“check die” along with the throw sim die. If you roll pairs, the
result is the special sign rather than one of the normal three.
Resolve using your game’s standard rules for the special sign.
If your system has two or three additional signs that can be
thrown in the same action, number the signs (first, second, third).
If you roll doubles, roll an extra die. If using two extra signs, 1-3
is the first sign and 4-6 is the second. If using three, 1-2 is the first
sign, 3-4 is the second, and 5-6 is the third.
62
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
If you choose to leave your throws to the hands of fate, gain a

special fate die. You may use this extra die once per scene.
When using the fate die, roll two dice for your throw instead of
one. Read them with this guidance.
 Doubles: Free retry if you lose.
 Same Sign, Different Numbers: Win on a tie, tie on
loss.
 Different Signs: The more favorable result counts
against the opposing throw.
If you are using the core replacement sub-patch in the next
section, do not roll an extra die. Instead directly count doubles as
a free retry and partial successes (ties) as simple success.
63
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
This is a straight rock-paper-scissors conversion. The roll provides

the final result in place of two opposing throws. Interpret the
stated outcome using the standard rules of your game.
 2-5: Loss
 6-8: Tie
 9-12: Win
Complex Results
This option interprets the results with additional complexity.

When your game system requires a tie, that option is noted.
Otherwise, interpret the outcome of actions with the additional
layer of scale and scope of wins and failures.
 2: Hard loss or epic failure
 3-6: Loss or flat failure
 7-8: Win at a cost or partial success (tie)
 9-11: Win or simple success
 12: Hard win or exceptional success
64

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What does this mean for fan works?

Basically, you have permission to create your own hacks and

What if I want to charge money?

What is “solo play”?

Most roleplaying games (“RPGs”) have someone take on the role

“GM-lite” can also be done with rotating or shared moderator

Step 2: Game journal

Keep a “game journal” to record the story, world, and non-

Then decide if you want to play a single character or if you want

Pick a starting point or scene. Use random generators or the MSE

Solo play works on a series of questions. Think of any questions

Questions are posed at different points during the scene. They

Wait… what are scenes?

“Scenes” are like the scenes of a novel, play, or movie. Think

Core Oracle System

First Oracle: Answer

Third Oracle: Flavor

Used when you want answers in context of the player characters’

Some dangers are implied in question and answered by the main

The rarity flavor works differently than the others. This is an

Finding a member of a prominent local gang may be a

Rarity has two potential outcome paths, positive and negative,

Assume obvious outcomes and logical conclusions. There is no

Most everything is open to interpretation. If a direction jumps to

Allow your genre & story goals to serve as guides.

After you go through the obvious, understood, and invented,

Story Flow Overview

Use common sense to fill in some details. If a new NPC is a

This approach allows you to quickly create non-player characters

Using Flavors and Patches

The Golden Rule (of RPGs)

Making the Choices

Hacking and Reskinning

Building Your Engine

Start with the Core

MSE Patch: NPC Features

NPC ties represent organizational and personal ties held by an

Example Ties Build

Terrance is a local mechanic. You decide despite being a minor

Example Resource Build

A new NPC is introduced. They are Charlotte the Red, a medium

Example Action Spend

Carla is a major NPC leading a notable crime syndicate. She

Personality represents the overall personality type of the

Motives reveal the goals and intentions of a character. They are

Attitude how an NPC presents themselves. It can seem at odds

An NPC’s approach is their strategy and mindset in dealing with

MSE Patch: World Prompts

MSE Patch: Twists & Turns

This is a short example of a twist list. Feel free to replace the

MSE Patch: Tension

Core Tension Patch

Roll at the beginning or crux of each major scene.

First Level of Pressure

Second Level of Pressure

MSE Patch: Chaos Factor

Optional: Heavy Ratchet

You may approach “Madness” in a variety of ways. Characters