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Updated : Oct 2004
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DIY Modules
What should you put into a module? This has puzzled me for some time. I wanted to have a simple plan of the sort of things I should include, to give me a broad template for writing my own modules. I can think up characters easily, I can imagine locations, towns, broad sweeps such as war or famine. But what are the basic components for a module?

I worked it out. My ideas are definitely unoriginal. There must be several books on how to compose a novel or write a screenplay, which is basically what a module is. But this is the way I started;

Definitions

I decided that I needed to break a module into its possible parts and to give these parts special terms to identify them. In drama, these would be called The Protagonist, The Antagonist etc. I thought of the typical D&D type module, but this applies to all genres.

To begin with, the group of PCs is known as The Company (Your Company). This comes from my ideas about organizing D&D and RPG games. More on that later. Other Companies may exist to compete with Your Company (for example, in a Superhero RPG, Your Company may be in an official squad, with other squads being other Companies).
Apart from The Company, there are;

  • Power Groups (the NPCs)
  • A Power Group has a Sphere Of Influence
  • A Power Group has an Interest which is within a Zone Of Action
If Your Company is under direct control of a Power Group, you are in its Sphere Of Influence.
A Company under the Influence of a Power Group must enter the Zone Of Action and obtain the Interest.

If 2 or more Power Groups have the same Interest, they must either;

  1. Ally
  2. Conflict
  3. Abandon their Interest
If a Company is no longer under the Influence of a Power Group, they might leave the Zone Of Interest.

To Write Your Module

Now we have our definitions, we can proceed with writing. For a module, you must identify;
  • The Power Groups
  • The Zone Of Action
  • The Interest
  • The Influence On The Company
To direct a Company into the Zone, there must be an Influence. To keep a Company concerned with the Interest, there must be an Influence. If the Influence lapses, the Company will be free to Abandon the Interest and leave the Zone. If the Influence is strong enough, the Company will engage in Combat with other Companies or even Power Groups. If another Power Group has a greater Influence over the Company, they will gain control of the Company (Your Company).

An example of the process
A small town has been given a charter by the King (or a starport has been given a service contract by the Federation). In the town, there is a Temple to a harvest god. The surrounding fields are owned by a Baron. The woods are owned by the King. Near the town there is a Monastery. In the town, there is a small Council which runs the weekly Market.


Power Groups
Interests
King Woodland, Hunting, Taxes
Baron Farmland, Serfs, Taxes, The King
Church Temple, Parish, Taxes (tithe), Court
Council / Merchants Town, Market, Trade Routes, Tolls
Court / Sheriff Keeping Law, Court Judgements

By identifying the Interests, you can decide what the problem is. Choose a threat to an Interest, and the Power Group will need the Company to fix the problem.
So, the Merchants may be concerned with keeping the Trade Routes open and hire the Company to drive out bandits or goblins or whatever. Or the Church may want to stop an opposing cult developing in its Parish and will get the Company (by religious obligation) to break up the cult. Or the Baron may want a rebel leader caught or killed before the Serfs are stirred up too much and gets the Company to hunt the rebel down (using the Company's charter as an Influence).

The big problem I had when running games was keeping players concerned with scenario. Even in professionally written games, the reasons given for players taking part were often flimsy. Players, particularly when bored, tend to wander off. Even the prospect of a cash reward could not encourage players to keep at it. By identifying the things that influence the PCs, or their Company, you can encourage them to engage in the scenario.


What things have Influence on the Company?
 
Reward /Gain Money, Equipment,  Training, Land, Rights (Charter), Thrill
Danger / Loss Prison, Death, Exile, Loss Of Property (Forfeit), Loss Of Status
Duty To Church, Crown, State, Race, Peer Group, Family / Clan
Honour / Respect Trust, Family Honour, Respect In Society
Test / Challenge Personal Values, Courage, Honesty
Goals / Ambition Fame? Security? Children? Wealth? Revenge? Learning?

Please let me know what you think of the above. If you have tried to write your own modules or scenarios, or have applied similar techniques, tell me what I'm missing.
Back To TRAGSNART! Back To RPG Hub This Page Started 1998
Updated : Oct 2004
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