In order to create a sample story or the germ of a campaign, an easy is to model a plot based on the Hero’s Journey. A narrator may want to do the following:
- The existing world: Start with a paragraph or two describing the characters’ role in the Holy Tongue Society and what they do. These may include their everyday responsibilities, the pressures, the perks, the pay, your coworkers and the work environment.
- Call to adventure: Give some vague information about a emerging crisis. Describe a couple of prominent people and their role in heralding you on your adventure to solve the crisis. They will introduce the problem and what your task of the day is.
- Accepting/refusing the call: Sometimes at this point, some skill checks will give you helpful hints later on in your journey. Make the task important. Don’t forget to issue consequences for failure or defying the order.
- The herald may offer a selection of tools and equipment to get the job done, as well as an NPC teammate or two. Give the characters some meaningful choices in their starting gear to make them feel important. A pick between three different weapons, each with their own styles and strengths, is a good example.
- Crossing the first threshold: Next, describe the journey to the field of danger where the party will have to struggle. Give the party a vivid preview of what legend says about the location. Exaggerate some potential challenges; hide or downplays others.
- First trial and foes: Describe the first conflict, conflict or opposition. Perhaps it’s an enemy or a group of monsters. Or maybe it’s a trap or a force of nature. hink up a few ways player characters may use common skills (or ones they had a chance of learning) to gain an advantage in the first test or challenge. A good way is to base this one one of the 12 senses, the seven attributes or the three elements.
- Mentor or ally appears: Your party gets outside help. Maybe it’s a mysterious stranger, or maybe it’s a higher up official in the ‘Ivrit Revival Movement’s military.
- Make the first challenge part of a larger mystery. Have the party look for clues, whether it means dredging up ancient documents or trying to talk to civilians. (Remember, in Bavel’s dystopia, this isn’t always easy!)