Role-playing games are intricate, collaborative storytelling endeavors, where the flow of the game is structured by interconnected narrative levels. These levels – action, scene, scenario, and campaign – are the backbone of RPG storytelling. Understanding how they nest together provides game masters with a powerful framework to design compelling and cohesive narratives.

The Foundations of RPG Narrative Structure

At its core, an RPG is a series of actions nested within larger narrative units. By analyzing the distinct characteristics of these units, GMs can manage pacing, player engagement, and overarching plot coherence. Each level serves as both a standalone entity and a part of the larger whole.

Actions: The Smallest Unit of Gameplay

The smallest unit of any RPG is the action. Actions are cycles of decision-making, resolution, and narrative progression. For example, when players encounter a locked door, their decisions – whether to pick the lock, force it open, or find another route – constitute an action. This cycle of situation, choice, resolution forms the basis of all gameplay.

Notably, actions are not defined by the passage of in-game time but by their narrative function. Whether a single action represents seconds of combat or days of library research, it remains an action as long as the situation-choice-resolution cycle remains intact.

While actions drive the immediate gameplay, they require a contextual framework. That’s where scenes come in.

Scenes: Contextual Containers for Action

A scene is a narrative unit that contains a series of related actions. Defined by location, time, or purpose, scenes provide context and stakes for player decisions. For example, a tense negotiation in a royal court or a desperate flight through a haunted forest are scenes, each tied together by a clear objective.

Scenes conclude when their central purpose is resolved, whether through success, failure, or a shift in goals. Transitioning between scenes – moving to a new location or shifting focus – is an essential pacing tool for GMs.

When multiple scenes are connected by a shared theme or objective, they can form a cohesive subplot within the larger narrative. Introducing a red herring – a seemingly vital clue that ultimately leads nowhere – always creates a subplot where players grapple with the question, “Does this information bring us closer to achieving the scenario goal?” These narrative diversions enrich the story by adding complexity and intrigue.

Scenarios: Structuring the Story

Scenarios are larger narrative units that encompass multiple scenes and drive players toward a significant objective. These objectives, known as scenario goals, give the scenario its narrative identity, whether the players are infiltrating a villain’s stronghold or negotiating a treaty between warring factions.

Scenarios are often divided into distinct acts, a structure commonly associated with the three-act structure. This approach allows GMs to guide players through stages of rising tension and resolution, each marked by shifts in player expectations. These shifts might relate to the overall scenario goal or to smaller subgoals within each act. For instance, an initial act may require players to react defensively to the villain’s actions, such as evading pursuit or uncovering vital information. In later acts, players might take a more proactive role, devising and executing their own strategies against the villain. These shifts in dynamics give players a sense of movement and accomplishment as they advance through the scenario.

Campaigns: The Longest Arc

Campaigns represent the largest narrative structure in RPGs, tying multiple scenarios together into a cohesive whole. In a traditional campaign, players pursue long-term goals that connect individual scenarios, such as overthrowing an evil empire or seeking the artifacts of a lost civilization. This overarching narrative throughline unifies the campaign and gives players a sense of movement across multiple game sessions.

However, a campaign-level structure is optional. One-shot scenarios or episodic campaigns may lack an overarching narrative arc. While these approaches sacrifice continuity, they offer flexibility for players and GMs who prefer shorter or disconnected scenarios.

For those who do incorporate a campaign-level narrative, the potential for character development, long-term consequences, and thematic depth is immense. By connecting scenarios with overarching themes and meaningful choices, campaigns create a legacy within the game world that players feel invested in shaping.

From Actions to Campaigns: A Unified Narrative Framework

The nested structure of actions, scenes, scenarios, and campaigns mirrors the way humans experience stories – through layers of goals and challenges, each contributing to the greater whole. By mastering these narrative levels, GMs can create rich, engaging narratives that keep players invested from the smallest action to the grandest campaign.

This exploration of RPG narrative design was inspired by the concepts outlined by Scott “Angry” Rehm in “Game Angry: How to RPG the Angry Way” (2018).