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Core Rules

Story Hooks

What's in a Story Hook?

Story hooks are ways in. They're aspects of the game world you create with the GM during session zero that directly relate to your hero. There are five types of story hooks: bond, person, place, thing, and group. When designing the campaign, your GM uses your story hooks to "hook" you into the story and provide opportunities for you to resolve your hero's conflict.

Bond

A bond is a relationship you create with another hero in the party. For example, if you rolled The Mentor, one of you is the mentor and the other is the student. This is the premise you want to both work with as the basis of the story hook. When establishing your bond with another player, alternate back and forth, adding a detail to the bond until you're both satisfied with the relationship. Never say no! Only yes, and or yes but.

Group

A group is a faction from your backstory related to your conflict. It can be a secret cult, a government, a thieves guild, and so on. If you chose The Fugitive as your conflict, perhaps your group is a band of inquisitors who are out to get you.

The Fugitive

Not too long ago, you were a prisoner, slave, or kidnapee. You are still on your captors' radar, or there are others who remain imprisoned. You seek justice against those who wronged you.

Person

A person is someone in your backstory who is important to your conflict. This is an opportunity for you to create an NPC that the GM may choose to include in the campaign, for better or for worse. For example, if you have the conflict The Personal Liability, a good candidate for your person is the NPC that represents that liability.

The Personal Liability

Your traveling companion is the most important person in the world to you, and you would sacrifice your life for them. But they are in grave danger, and you must mitigate that threat.

Place

A place is a location from your backstory that's central to where your conflict occurs. If you have The Exile as your conflict, maybe your place is the wizarding school that cast you out. It could also be the site where your conflict might be resolved during the course of the campaign.

The Exile

You are exiled from the place you call home. If you self-exiled, your compatriots search for you. If you were exiled, you yearn to return home.

Thing

A thing is something small—a strange amulet, a family crest, a forbidden song—that represents something essential to your conflict. If your conflict is The Chosen One, perhaps your thing is the distinctive mark left upon your head when the evil wizard tried to kill you but failed. Or perhaps if you have The Peasant, your thing is a bag of magic beans you must retrieve in order to save your village from starvation.

The Chosen One

They said you are the Chosen One, prophesied to save them. The burden of their salvation weighs on your soul. You must confront your destiny, whatever it may be.

The Peasant

Gutter born and poverty-stricken, you have only ever known only struggle and squalor. You seek to raise your station and make a name for yourself.

Are you sure?