Plots · Crisis · Multi-Storyline
In the Middle of Noplace
In the middle of Noplace, which is just a bit south of NoWhere, there is a village. It seems calm, almost deserted. Eventually the furitive glances from boarded windows, people scurrying off the streets, and a few toughs keeping a careful eye on the strangers, will express the tension that can be cut with a knife.
Most of the fields around here grow plants that are used to make fabric (or feed the critters that make fabric). There is often a cloth festival here once a year, so the locals can show off their wares and traders can pick them up.
The town seems pretty deserted: windows are shuttered, people are peaking out of cracks, people hustle quickly and hide when you approach. It seems two packs of rogues are vying to 'run the town'. (Used to be one big boss, then when he was going to give the territory to his son, his number one man split off to take what he thought was his). They hang out at inns at the opposite end of town. There are enough thugs on both sides to give the adventurers pause (and a few top dogs in both packs that are just good enough to be dangerous to the adventurers). The peasants and merchants in the town are living in fear of the violence between the two gangs. The only person happy about it is the cooper, who is making a killing on caskets.
Note: the town is so far out of the way, that there are no civil forces to appeal to except for the one waundering magistrate.
The local official who administers this area for the crown/ local noble is very well dressed, fairly cultured, and has the finest things including a carriage. As you might guess, he is a bit more corrupt than you would normally expect. As long as he gets his cut from the rogues, he does not alert the outside world to their presence here. He also takes bribes to lessen tax burdens on the businesses and traders. Even the peasants get into the bribery act.
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Can anyone recognize this classic movie?
Yojimbo (1961) Close enough. :)
I am a firm believer is that games and film have a great deal in common. Games are nothing but stories over time, just like movies. Visual narration is an important part of both. One should study films (or movies they like... darn that means I have to watch good gamer movies a couple of times...) to improve their own GMing skills.
Move plots lines are the best for gamers to adapt. Not only do you get a tested plot line, but you have a sense of the timing for events in the plot line.
Now this story is a classic. Any setting and many subgenres can be used for this one.
Very good.
An alright plot though its Yojimbo roots makes it somewhat predictable and old. It doesn't help that our culture is overrun by countless Yojimbo clones; we know how this scenario plays out, even before the gameplay has begun (Yes, a good GM can use and abuse that fact, but that is beside the point).
A good, simple scenario.
Reminds me of The Blackwater Gospel! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVkDrIacHJM)
I like the visual narration of the scene. Good sense of setting.