Storytelling is a primal human activity. Before writing existed, we sat around fires and told stories about the stars. Before electricity and television, we wrote plays, novels, and operas. Even in this technological age, our children ask for stories. There’s just something about story! In fact, the human brain is hardwired for stories.
For years, I have argued that RPGs are a primal human activity, because they are an act of group storytelling. While these games consist of different mechanics and mini-games, at the heart of it all is a story. If Dungeon Masters and Players would approach every game thinking, “Let’s tell a good story together,” the results would be surprising. Here’s how you can do just that as a Dungeon Master:
Theme and tone
As you prepare for a campaign or session, ask questions like:
- What themes and feelings do I want this game to provoke?
- Is there a real message that I’m trying to communicate?
- What kind of story would my players enjoy?
You can even tell your players the answers to these questions to help them as they create their characters and respond to the challenges in the game.
Last year, I ran an eight-session Star Wars RPG game, set shortly after the events of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The Galactic Empire was new and growing, while the players were members of a Hutt kajidic being pressured by the Empire. Thematically, I wanted to lean into two different story concepts:
- Tensions between the US gov’t and the mafia in the 1970s
- The characters constantly needing to make an impossible choice between (1) loyalty to the Hutts, (2) loyalty to the Empire, or (3) independence. Each choice had its pros and cons. In short, do you sell your soul to gain the world? Or do you step into chaos, risk, and death for a shot at a meaningful life?
To prepare, I watched tons of mafia movies and documentaries. That helped with tone and characterization for NPCs. It gave me ideas for jobs for PCs. Ultimately, it helped me see how the relationship between the Empire and the Hutts could play out.
To keep the tone right, every session had to have two things: increasing pressure and meaningful choices for players. The Hutts and the Empire keep ratcheting up the pressure…and making offers the PCs don’t want to refuse. And yet, they have to make hard choices. Eventually, this growing tension simply couldn’t hold up anymore and…there were meaningful decisions…with several explosions. In the end, it was a great game and we’re about to return for a second season.
But this season will be different thematically and tonally. The players made their decision. They’ve managed to get out of the webs of the Empire and the Hutts. So what does independence look like? They’ve got a whole different set of problems to deal with now! Here’s my point:
Pick some themes and tones that you can intentionally employ in every session. That will help your game to build toward the story that you’re wanting to tell. It will also help with the tyranny of the blank page, as you’re preparing. But that leads to the next thing:
Story Structure
In his Poetics, Aristotle said that a complete story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Call them scenes, call them acts. Same difference. RPG sessions really benefit from a sense of progression, accomplishment, and conclusion. If they don’t have that, players can be left asking, “Did we accomplish anything? What was the point of that?”
I prepare for every session by creating a new note in Apple Notes and typing four headings in bold:
Intro
Beginning
Middle
End
Intro
This is a section, where I write down notes concerning any group housekeeping, so I don’t forget. For example, this is when I confirm our next play session date, recap the last session, and do any other housekeeping.
Beginning
I typically want the beginning of my session to last about thirty minutes. In my notes, I usually jot down a few bullet points to set up the session. This is when PCs receive quests or prepare for them. It may be as simple as PCs awakening and giving each PC an action of how they prepare for the day.
I personally love when games can begin in medias res. I picked this habit up from watching Star Wars: Rebels and Bad Batch. Usually the first act of those episodes begins with the protagonists already in the middle of a mission. The conclusion of that mission leads to the main plotline of the episode. This doesn’t work for every RPG session. But if you lean into an episodic structure (like The A-Team), it works really well.
In short, prepare to have a clear beginning to the game. I aim for three bullet points, because it doesn’t need to be long. But it gives players a chance to ease into the game, get their creative juices flowing, and move into the meat of the session. But it should end with some kind of inciting event that leads to the middle of the game.
Middle
This is the longest part of the session. You may be dungeon-crawling. There may be quests to complete. This is probably what you are already preparing, when you’re preparing for an RPG. You just didn’t realize it was the middle of the game, instead thinking it was the whole of it. If the beginning of the game ends with an inciting moment, the middle of the session should be marked by tension rising toward a climax. This is standard story structure.
Now, unless you railroad players (which I don’t recommend), you can’t guarantee that this part of the story will play out the way you desire. However, your job as a Dungeon Master is to challenge players in a way that demands reaction. As players experience positive and negative reactions, things will either speed up or tense up.
One of the biggest challenges for DMs is shepherding the story along, while the players are actively adding to that story. You don’t want to artificially create a climax, but you do want to help players feel like they achieved something (even if they achieved failure). Not every story turns out well!
Here’s a way to think about it: the inciting action begun in the beginning needs at least partial resolution by the end of your session. Maybe they got further toward their dungeon objective. Maybe they didn’t take out the criminal organization, but they got information leading toward the boss. Maybe they actually did make the shipment or rescue the princess! The middle of your story responds to the beginning and leads to the end.
End
I rarely write anything in the “End” section except housekeeping notes or big goal notes, like “Reward XP” or “Confirm safety of NPC.” Why? Because I have no idea how any session will end. If players actually have agency and choice, I can’t even begin to guess how a game will end.
But as a DM, I have to keep my eye on the clock and be able to wrap up the story with something like a bow on top. This is where tension reduces toward some kind of resolution. In most sessions, an ending only needs 5-10 minutes. Maybe you give each PC a final action, in response to the rising action and climax of the middle. Perhaps you narratively set the scene for whatever comes in the next session. The goal here is not to end in medias res, but with some kind of clear stopping point. While that’s not always possible, it’s definitely helpful for a player’s sense of accomplishment.
I recommend preparing this way, but then leaning into it as you play. Your players brains are trained, perhaps even genetically, to want a beginning, a middle, and an end. Satisfy that cognitive impulse for your sake and theirs!
Let everyone shape the story
Remember, this is group storytelling, which mean every player has a part to play in directing the story. This means two important things: (1) player agency and (2) intentional inclusion.
Player Agency
Whatever you do, let players make meaningful decisions. Present them with clear choices and let them bear the consequences of their choices, whether weal or woe. Encourage the players to make decisions amongst themselves–with one another’s input. The story is not yours to control. It’s one we make together.
Intentional Inclusion
In every group, some people tend to talk more (or less) than others. It’s your job to make sure everyone is heard. So pay attention to who’s not talking and give them an opportunity to shine. This is one thing that I really love about Shadowdark’s initiative system (see my review here): the system ensures that every player gets an equal opportunity to shape the story.
It’s the DM’s job to make that happen, regardless of the system. There’s nothing more frustrating to a player than getting left out. That happened to me one time in a Gen Con online game. It was clear that I was the only player who didn’t know the others (including the Game Master). There was no video feed, only audio. So I just sat there silent, until I intentionally interrupted. That sucked. Don’t do that to people. Work to give everyone at least an opportunity for equal time in the spotlight. And if you see someone getting bored or zoning out, be like a high school teacher. Call on them! Keep everyone included.
End
See? Even blogs need an ending.
Using these simple principles of story-telling can significantly improve your DMing. Take the time to plan a Beginning, Middle, and End. Emphasize the transition points of the inciting event and climax that get you to the Middle and End. Work at creating the rising and falling action. And make sure to allow player agency and to promote everyone’s involvement in shaping the story. If you do, you’ll be surprised at how the sense of progress, fun, and engagement grows.
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