How to Write a TRPG Scenario for Beginners: Your First GM Board for Case, Clues, and Scenes

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How to Write a TRPG Scenario for Beginners: Your First GM Board for Case, Clues, and Scenes

First-time TRPG GMs use this beginner template to learn scenario writing step by step, working out the case, clues, and scenes on the board through to session-day prep. Page 1 sets up the table; page 2 branches the case into setting and NPCs to fix the truth; page 3 links five clue steps from intro to truth with scenes and lifelines; page 4 arranges the day's timeline, handouts, and co-GM prep split. The task board has four columns - To Prepare, Preparing, Co-GM Check, Ready - with four parent tasks matching the four pages and three subtasks each, sixteen total. Even first-time GMs can keep a session moving by placing three clues that work back from the truth and prepping lifelines for stuck moments. Share the board with your co-GM at limited access, and copy only the spoiler-free intro to a separate public board for players. The format is rule-agnostic, so use it with any system you already play. Don't copy text from a published rulebook onto the board.

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TRPG Scenario Writing Game Master Session Prep New GM
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① The Order to Fill In This Board (ch... ② Table Basics (start here) ③ Play Preferences ④ Content to Avoid ⑤ Play Experience ⑦ The Truth in One Sentence (GM eyes ... ⑧ NPC1 ⑨ NPC2 ⑩ NPC3 ⑪ NPC4 ⑬ Scene Layout (where each clue from ... ⑭ Lifeline: Alternate Clue ⑮ Lifeline: NPC Hint ⑯ Lifeline: Time Trigger ⑰ Session Day Flow (fit scenes 1–4 fr... ⑱ Table Prep (split with your co-GM) ⑲ The Intro to Show Players (spoiler-... TRPG Scenario Pre... How to use (4 pag... Goals & Decis... Prep & Ground... Secrets & Cau... Terms & Notes 1/4 Set Up the Table Ctrl+F / ⌘F : 2/4... → 2/4 2/4 Grow the Story ↙ 3/4 Page 1: The TableDecide the table's (your play group's) player count, time, and rules, and ask about preferences.GM = the game's host (you) Page 2: The StoryBranch the case out into setting and NPCs, and decide the truth.NPC = a character played by the GM Page 3: Clues & ScenesLink the clues in order and place them into scenes.Check = using dice etc. to decide if an action succeeds Page 4: Session DayPrepare the day's flow and supplies.PC = a character played by a player Decided Notes Player count e.g. 3 players + 1 GM e.g. One player is new to the rules Play time e.g. 3 hours (including a 10-min break) e.g. Saturday 1–4 p.m., online Genre e.g. Modern-day horror mystery e.g. Keep the scares light, more puzzle-solving Ruleset e.g. Pick a ruleset the group already knows e.g. Don't copy rulebook text, just note the page number e.g. I like puzzles, less combat please e.g. I want lots of NPC dialogue Ask everyone, at least one note per person e.g. Don't describe insects in detail e.g. No loud sound effects Let everyone know they can say "stop" on the day too e.g. Player A: has played 3 times e.g. Player B: first time this session If anyone is new, explain how checks work first ⑥ Grow the Story ... Case: e.g. On the eve of the festival, the shri… Setting e.g. Where it happens: the village shrine and the old famil… Player Goal e.g. Find the priest before the festival begins Era & Place e.g. Present-day Japan, a mountain village with poor phone … NPCs e.g. The priest's daughter, the old family's master, a vill… Ending e.g. They find the priest and the festival goes ahead / they Hidden Secret e.g. An accident that happened on a festival night 30 years… The truth in one sentence (who, what, why)e.g. The priest shut himself in the oldmountain shrine to atone for the accident30 years ago. Who knows the truthe.g. Only the old family's master knows, and he's staying silent. Evidence pointing to the truth (turn into 3 clues in ⑫)e.g. A torn talisman, the old family'sdiary, an old path to the shrine. Role: e.g. The priest's daughter (asks the PCs to search) Knows: e.g. Her father left last night with the storehouse key Speech: e.g. Polite but fast-talking Hiding: e.g. She argued with her father the day before Role: e.g. The old family's master (knows the truth) Knows: e.g. Everything about the accident 30 years ago Speech: e.g. Quiet, answers questions with questions Hiding: e.g. He was with the priest the night of the accident Role: e.g. A village elder (tells old stories) Knows: e.g. A legend that no one enters the mountain on the festival night Speech: e.g. Slow, repeats himself twice Hiding: e.g. He knows the old path to the shrine Role: e.g. The local officer (tries to stop the PCs) Knows: e.g. The priest's car was at the mountain trailhead Speech: e.g. Kind, but suspicious of outsiders Hiding: e.g. He was asked to delay the search until after the festival 3/4 Link the Clues → 4/4 4/4 Ready the Table ⑫ The Clue Chain ... Intro e.g. The priest's daughter asks for help: 'My father is missing' Clue 1 e.g. A torn talisman lies by the storehouse (leads to the old family) Clue 2 e.g. The old family's diary mentions 'the festival night 30 years ago' (leads to the elder) Clue 3 e.g. The elder tells of an old path to the mountain shrine (leads to the shrine) Truth e.g. Meet the priest at the shrine and hear about the accident Location Clue Found Check Guideline Scene 1: Intro e.g. The shrine office e.g. The intro request (no check) e.g. No check. Talk to NPCs to set the goal Scene 2: Investig... e.g. In front of the old family's storehouse e.g. Clue 1: the torn talisman e.g. A search check; if failed, the daughter finds it Scene 3: Investig... e.g. The old family's parlor and the elder's home e.g. Clue 2's diary and Clue 3's old path e.g. A persuasion check; if failed, time advances Scene 4: Climax e.g. The mountain shrine e.g. The truth (meet the priest) e.g. A climbing check; failing still gets you there, tired e.g. If the diary isn't found, the same note is behind a photo on the altar e.g. The old family's crest is on the back of the talisman Give every key clue two places it can turn up e.g. Daughter: 'Come to think of it, Father and the old family's master were childhood friends' e.g. Officer: 'There was a car at the trailhead, come to think of it' Make it a hint pointing to the next place, not an answer e.g. At dusk, the festival drums sound and the elder comes outside e.g. At night, a light appears on the mountain Use this if players are still stuck past the halfway point Gathering & IntrosIntroduce each PC in one minute and confirm the content to avoid from ④.e.g. 20 min IntroScene 1. Get everyone aligned on the goal.e.g. 15 min InvestigationScenes 2 & 3. Use ⑭–⑯ if players get stuck.e.g. 90 min (with a 10-min break) ClimaxScene 4. Reveal the truth and decide the ending.e.g. 40 min Wrap-UpAsk what everyone enjoyed and what to play next.e.g. 15 min To Prepare Co-GM Split Confirmed Handouts e.g. 3 character sheets, notes from ⑭ e.g. Sheets by GM, notes by co-GM e.g. Sent to everyone the day before Screen & Tools e.g. Call app, dice, background music e.g. Call by GM, music by co-GM e.g. Test the sound 30 min before Timing e.g. Pin the 5-step timing from ⑰ beside the screen e.g. Co-GM calls out the time e.g. Check you'll reach the climax with an hour left The intro texte.g. On the eve of the festival, the shrine priest vanishedfrom a mountain village. His daughter asks you to search. Starting location and PC goale.g. Gather at the shrine office.Find the priest before the festival begins. What not to write heree.g. The truth from ⑦, what's hidden in ⑧–⑪, and clue locations from ⑫ → 2/4 Grow the Story ↙ 3/4 Link the Clues → 4/4 Ready the Table
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Task board contents

To Prepare 16 items

Set Up the Table
Grow the Story
Link the Clues
Ready the Table
Learn the Terms
Fill In the Basics
Ask Player Prefs
Write the Case
Write the Truth
Create 4 NPCs
Link 5 Clue Steps
Build Scene Table
Prep Lifelines
Set Day's Timing
Split Table Prep
Show Intro Board

Preparing 0 items

Co-GM Check 0 items

Ready 0 items

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