Step 2: Seed the Conflicts (GM)
Texto
Next, the GM should look to set up fundamental friction among the movers. This is the friction that results from deeply conflicted goals and desires, rather than frustrations that stem from mismatches in personality or preferences. It might not have started yet when the story begins—or it might have been building for years—but the friction should not yet have boiled over, as that will be a key part of the story later. Assign each mover a giri (in the same manner as a PC), but instead of simply allowing them to clash with the mover’s own ninjō, make sure that each giri conflicts directly with the ninjō of at least one other mover. Some giri that can help set the stage in this regard include:
Keep the peace in a given region
Make sure that a particular individual is kept safe at all costs
Keep a certain faction from gaining too much glory
Prevent anyone from gaining undue influence over the presiding lord
Uphold the social order and propriety at all costs
Make sure that nobody snoops into the ruling lord’s private affairs
Keep public scandal at court to a minimum at any cost Once each mover has a general position at court, ninjō, and giri, some ideas probably start to naturally surface about who these people are, and how they will interact in the story. The GM should record these ideas to look back at later, but avoid getting too attached to any specifics just yet! Drawing the players into the dynamics of the NPCs in later steps is a key part of getting them invested in not just their characters’ interactions at court, but the ebb and flow of the court itself. Leaving most details intentionally undefined in this step facilitates the players’ engagement with the process and eventual court that is assembled.
Texto do livro
Courts of Stone · Chapter 3: Games of Discourse › Assembling a Court in Seven Steps › Step 2: Seed the Conflicts (GM) · p. 139 p. 140
Mostrar o texto como impresso
Next, the GM should look to set up fundamental friction among the movers. This is the friction that results from deeply conflicted goals and desires, rather than frustrations that stem from mismatches in personality or preferences. It might not have started yet when the story begins—or it might have been building for years—but the friction should not yet have boiled over, as that will be a key part of the story later. Assign each mover a giri (in the same manner as a PC), but instead of simply allowing them to clash with the mover’s own ninjō, make sure that each giri conflicts directly with the ninjō of at least one other mover. Some giri that can help set the stage in this regard include:
Keep the peace in a given region
Make sure that a particular individual is kept safe at all costs
Keep a certain faction from gaining too much glory
Prevent anyone from gaining undue influence over the presiding lord
Uphold the social order and propriety at all costs
Make sure that nobody snoops into the ruling lord’s private affairs
Keep public scandal at court to a minimum at any cost Once each mover has a general position at court, ninjō, and giri, some ideas probably start to naturally surface about who these people are, and how they will interact in the story. The GM should record these ideas to look back at later, but avoid getting too attached to any specifics just yet! Drawing the players into the dynamics of the NPCs in later steps is a key part of getting them invested in not just their characters’ interactions at court, but the ebb and flow of the court itself. Leaving most details intentionally undefined in this step facilitates the players’ engagement with the process and eventual court that is assembled.