I figured I’d write up a peek into how I handled a mix of prep and improv for my session, in case that would be helpful to others.
Last night I ran a session with a gang. I had no particular adventure prepared, because I planned to listen to the players by seeing what they picked for their gang (which communicates what kind of game they want to me) and seeing what details of their characters jumped out at me.
My prep consisted of using the enterprise system, and deciding that the Crows were going to make a move against the Red Sashes.
https://fictivefantasies.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/enterprises-6-9-15.pdf
The players decided to be Rooks (con men) and they wanted Resources (3 coin) and they wanted to work for Stella (intelligence/counter intelligence.) So, they wanted to run a con with minimal prep (but all the flashbacks they need) and move in some wealthy circles.
https://fictivefantasies.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/gang-generation-6-15.pdf
Also, I had an academic-focused fighter (against Red Sashes) and a crazy person who collected leviathan music. I had a noble connected to the government (but poor) and a whisper. And, finally, a lurk.
So I picked the Tea House as an ideal target, that took no time. Sir Myron was an NPC I already named and gave a couple traits on the enterprise sheet, so he’s the target. I made up some books that reflected leviathan song, to tie into the group’s interests and provide something they couldn’t easily get at without socially engaging. I put in a bunch of guards working for various nobles, and a whisper to counter the team’s whisper. (I decided she sees through rats, and riffed some details, to go with the spy theme.) I also made up a skull implanted in a plaster statue as a secondary target. And for spice, I added the head bouncer, a woman named Kerlew who was a one-eyed duelist. THAT WAS ALL MY PREP.
I had time to make this up while they were doing the meet and greet. I basically looked at how I could plug custom content from the characters into my existing enterprise target, aiming for the feel of an episode of Leverage.
The theme was decadent opulence, with the Red Sashes at home in their native environment. Drugs and sex and violence, but all attempting to be refined and tied to ancient tradition. When I needed to fall back to add detail, that was my well.
During the game, I connected Kerlew into the Dean’s background using a devil’s bargain. I put in several opportunities for the gang to leave their “fingerprints” and they took about half of them (but the Red Sashes will likely be too busy to take revenge–right?!) (P.S. I am really glad there is a fortune roll, it’s handy to provide more grist to interpret in situations that could go a number of ways.)
As the players set up their background efforts, that planted more hooks for me. That told me what they wanted to protect against, and how they planned to operate. So by the time the actual heist started, I had a hybrid of my ideas and their ideas and the main focus was on spotlight management to try and give every character chances to shine.
https://fictivefantasies.wordpress.com/2015/06/18/blades-in-the-dark-striking-the-red-sashes/
So, thanks to the players for providing great material and rolling with the fluid situation. Especially since the group had not played together before. Everyone got into the spirit of things and drove the heist to a great conclusion.
So that’s a peek into how I made myself tools to make improvisation easier with a group I had not played with before. I hope some of that is useful to you as you plan and run your own games.
https://fictivefantasies.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/enterprises-6-9-15.pdf