DURING SESSION ZERO
Once your group is ready to start a new journey in Fabula Ultima, make sure
to:
-
Help everyone else. Help everyone find useful information
in the book, offer ideas and prompt everyone to take this new world into
their hands. You are not here to tell them a story; you are here to help
them write their own.
-
Ask questions. When a Player picks a certain option for
their character, have them tell everyone more about it — where did they
learn this? What's their combat style? Why did they choose this specific
Theme? The questions provided by each Class entry can be a huge help;
remember to jot down notes so that you'll remember the Players' answers
later. (Everyone always ends up forgetting something important, and notes
help!)
-
Stir the creative juices. Show your enthusiasm for the
Players' choices and encourage them to add new narrative elements and make
the world their own. Consider using music and artwork to get everyone in
the right "mood", but make sure these elements aren't distracting.
-
Think about threats and Villains. As your group defines
the history of your world and the initial situation of the prologue, start
thinking about the first antagonists they will meet. You can find further
advice on Villains starting on
page 254.
It is often a good
idea to showcase an early Villain during the prologue itself or shortly
afterward — if possible, pick someone the heroes have already recognized
as a threat and use this antagonist to get the action moving; save the
subtler Villains for later!
-
Keep track of changes. While building the premises of the
story, the group might suddenly realize some previous choices no longer
make sense. Since you will be the one keeping track of all information
concerning the game world, make sure to update your notes whenever a
change is approved by the group.
-
Start things off with a bang. Don't be afraid to set some
high stakes during the prologue — while slow buildups can work, an
explosive beginning is often more memorable. Perhaps we first meet our
heroes while they're being chased by a huge monster, or hours away from
being executed for treason.
Do your best to keep everyone engaged and on their toes from the very start!