Writing a story

A story gives players a role, an opening and rules. The narrator plays everything else.

Premise and role

Say where the player is and who they are in two or three sentences. Players can play your role or bring their own persona.

Rules

Adventure uses a d20: risky moves need a check, and heroes have hit points, skills and items. Story-light has no dice, only meters and flags, like a character’s trust.

An opening that starts the story

Begin in the middle of something, with a choice close at hand.

Chapters and endings

Chapters are optional. Each one is a goal, not a script: the narrator steers toward it and players get there their own way. Give the story two or three endings worth reaching.

Characters and testing

Each character in the story is its own file, with a definition the narrator plays from. Use Try it to play your story before you publish.