It is unlikely that the entire campaign will concentrate solely on the main conflict and events primarily concerned with it. This is where sub-plots come in handy, filling in slow areas of the campaign while not entirely distracting from their main goals. While these can each have their own Conflicts, Call to Action, Structure etc., at the end they should link back to the campaign’s main Conflict, and the players should have some sort of takeaway from it, be it some important information, item, or character they have gotten to know.
Sub-Plot Examples
- The players are tasked with a mission to find a certain special item deep within the territory of the empire or culture that they are not fond of. The characters have to interact with people loyal to that side and hear some of their view points, with both peaceful and violent options available to them.
- Each ‘Mission’ that the entity sends them on could be it’s own Sub-Plot. For example, the players must get an item that has become an integral part of a town’s culture. The town is not willing to give it up, so the players must find a way to convince the town, or give up their mission.
- The Artifact’s power proves too great for anyone to handle, so the players seek out something to contain it, that they have heard rumors of. Being granted it however requires some sort of religious mission or going into enemy territory, to a laboratory or mage’s tower.