GUM Rulebook Rev5

Game
Unfolding Machine
* GUM *
by JeansenVaars
Content
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 3
GM-Less philosophy................................................................................................................................. 4
Methods of playing .................................................................................................................................. 5
The tools of GUM ...................................................................................................................................... 6
Playing scenes in GUM ............................................................................................................................ 7
Quick example ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Game setup guide ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Meta-tool: Unfold the game ............................................................................................................... 15
Tool I: Oracle ............................................................................................................................................. 16
Tool II: Plan check.................................................................................................................................... 18
Tool III: Intervention ............................................................................................................................... 19
Tool IV: Challenge ................................................................................................................................... 20
Tool V: Combat ......................................................................................................................................... 21
Concluding threads ................................................................................................................................ 22
Random tables: Locations .................................................................................................................... 23
Random tables: NPCs ............................................................................................................................ 24
License.......................................................................................................................................................... 31
Credits .......................................................................................................................................................... 31
Page left blank on purpose
Introduction How is it different from other tools?
GUM is a collection of rules-light random tables
GUM is a generic and modular GM Emulator that that you can use during various situations.
enables you to play any RPG without a GM. 1. A guided approach to setup a game from
It provides a unique toolkit to run an RPG from scratch, leading you into your first scene.
scratch, come up with ideas, obstacles, and 2. Multi-perspective oracles that trigger your
trouble for your characters, thus allowing you to imagination, to answer all of your questions.
play your favorite RPGs at your own pace. 3. Rules for checking whether your PCs plans are
Player characters (one or more). It carried on as expected, partially, or disrupted,
PCs
refers to game characters, not player. depending on the level of tension you assess.
Characters that are not deliberately 4. Bundle of independent solo tools, that you
NPCs
controlled by you, rather the world.
can use, combine, and hack however you like.
Game master, dungeon master.
GM 5. Extra pack of random tables to fill those gaps
In this case, GUM, and a bit of you.
Evocative ideas to help you bring when you need, such as locations and NPCs.
Prompts
content and situations for the PCs. 6. Print-friendly one-pager to play very easily.
Random List of possible values chosen at
table random. Roll dice and read results. What do you need?
Random tables (or images, tarot, etc.)
Oracles Some experience with RPGs. Dice. Time. Coffee.
meant to spark your creativity
Driving the game
What is a “GM Emulator”? Meta-tool: Either to drive your game, or to define
To play an RPG without a game master, you need the content of certain scenes, use the plot
to be both the GM and the player, with the catch unfolding tool to prompt ideas.
that the emulator is going to lift off some of your
You can interpret the scene rules freely, or from
GM-side effort, by challenging your own ideas,
there, trigger the available tools of GUM to enrich
helping you improvise, and not knowing it all.
them, on a need-basis. From there, it is only a
With GUM as GM emulator, you delegate critical matter of practice. Have fun!
GM decisions to it (me), in the form of questions,
so you don’t know the answers ahead of time, I The tools of GUM
may also be ruining or distorting your PCs plans, Game setup guide: A step-by-step process
answering questions as the NPCs, and giving you defines out what the game will be about, with
ideas for what your PCs find next. However, you locations, problems, hooks, goals, and starting
decide when and how you call me, and what for. leads. It may be also used to generate quests too.
Bring an interpretative mindset Tool I. Oracles: Bring creative answers to your

questions, conversation topics, or random events.
There are various random tables with single words
or short sentences: a mindset toward reading Tool II. Plan check: PCs take action, execute a
those words flexibly helps a lot. plan: Do things go well? Are there interruptions?
This is why solo systems call unexpected circumstances? Change of plans?
them “oracles”: they are not
Tool III. Intervention: For those tense moments,
meant to be read literally.
does anything happen? Does the GM interrupt?
If you read “military”, it can be
Tool IV. Challenge: Call your PCs to action by
anything from a spartan soldier,
placing them in situations where they need to act.
a modern bunker, or memories of
a shooter game. Adjust it to your current context. Tool V. Combat: Design interesting battles with
terrain features and clever enemy behavior.
3
Game Unfolding Machine (Rev-5) – @ Copyright 2023
A brief introduction as GM-Less Roleplaying
Since you are also driving the game narrative, you

GM-Less philosophy should use the tools presented in this book, to
How do you play Solo RPG? come up with things for your characters to act on,
and also to be yourself surprised with not only the
If you played solo before, you may already know
outcomes of your character actions, but also with
the drill, so feel free to skip this section forward.
interruptions and plot twists you didn’t originally
But, if you haven’t, how does it all work? For me, expect in your game.
playing Solo RPG, without a GM, resembles to
when I was just a kid: My parents would buy me How to play Coop without GM?
some action figure toys, and I would spend entire Following the earlier analogy, as I was a kid,
evenings playing with them. I’d make up stories, sometimes, my parents invited some friends at
or create situations, I would imagine a location, home. They would bring their own action figures,
with houses, cars, trees, and other representative we would sit down together, setup the scene
environment assets, to set up various scenes. together, agree on some ground rules (let’s play
this, or that. Or that is not allowed, and so on),
I would highlight one character, voice act them,
and do the exact same thing, but together.
saying what they say (out loud, on my head, or
mumbling), and then I would pick another figure, Sometimes I proposed some evil enemy, and I
and voice act their response, to talk to each other. would see how my friend reacted to them. Other
They would eventually take action, or fight some times, they brought some challenges, and I used
enemies, or face hazardous challenges, and the my figures to take action. We agreed to be allies,
story would move forward. Finally, I took either a while each would still play their own toys. If I
break to come back later, or wrapped up the story didn’t like their idea, I would still play it along, just
with an ending. This is already solo story-telling. knowing that next time, I could propose one idea,
so they play along, and everyone played a part.
Now, we learned RPGs like Pathfinder, D&D, or
Shadowrun, as collection of rules that simulate Grown up tabletop roleplaying games are again,
situations or help structure a narrative, and we more complex, and typical games would require a
might not have a group for it, or might want to game master, because simulating hundreds of
play on our own pace, to explore our imagination. pages, coordinating a group of people, is way
more complicated than just playing with toys.
What if we combined the kids with toys version,
with RPG rules? Well, that is playing RPGs solo! The essence remains the same, all players would
You play one or more action figures, have them be playing as equals, everyone bringing world
act, roll dice, take risks, and deal with outcomes. problems, enemies, challenges, as well as playing
their action figures reacting to those problems. It
And yes, you do both the GM part, and PCs part.
is all a matter of agreeing on some general rules,
How do you use the RPG? what is possible, what isn’t, some veto power, and
The characters you play with, are character sheets, taking turns to take over the simulation of the
instead of action figures and toys. They have stats, world and its denizens.
items, background stories, and interact with the When using each character’s protagonists, the
world through the rules of the rulebook you use. RPG kicks in, and mechanics play out. There will
Whenever your characters take action, rather than be a bit of game mastering, and a bit of playing.
arbitrarily narrating the outcome, roll dice, use the Perhaps a battle would be setup, or a location
RPG mechanics, and see how things go. Then, live described, or an enemy introduced, an NPC
on with consequences, wherever they lead to. roleplayed. Everything is possible, this way!
4
A brief introduction to GM-Less Roleplaying
Methods of playing Play by voicing it out

Playing out loud has the great advantage of
In the kid’s scenario, we played in our heads, or practicing your vocal narrative skills, and even
by playing character voices out-loud. We also your game-mastering skills. The speed of the
brought physical action figures, and assets, to use game would be as fast as a game with a group.
them for visual reference. But it isn’t the only way.
Prepare your character sheets, print or have the
We could just as well go and theater of the mind GUM rules at hand, and get on playing, voice your
the whole thing. Another way is to hand-draw GM narrative with one voice, and your characters
important events of the game, or write the game voice with another, and feel free to record it if you
as a novel, slowly, carefully, and narratively. would like to later listen to it.
GUM can be played in any of these ways, or any The advantage of this method, is that you could
combination of them. You may combine different record your voice, make a podcast, record your
styles depending on the importance you want to screen, or your camera for a narrative video, like
give a certain part, or to the level of detail you the YouTube channel: My, Myself & Die.
want to give to certain event. For example, to
describe a location, you could write it down, Play by writing
paying attention to details, before proceeding, You may write a novel-like story as you play, the
and do world building. While a fight, you may just speed of such a game is much slower, but will
play it in your head, or table, using the RPG. also give you more time to think, allow narrate
Take your time. It is your game. Not in a hurry. things elegantly, and help you organize ideas.
How much to use these tools? Such games can then be shared with others, or
published online as a collection of actual plays.
Up to your preference, you decide how much, and
how often. You could use them a lot, at every Analogue setup
scene of the game, or just in critical moments of The environment in which you play is critical,
your game. A balance is recommended, since too many solo players enjoy their desk, with a candle
much rolling every minute may feel heavy, and it light, hardcover books, miniatures, and actual
may be smoother to just make things up at times. dice. Add to it a journal to hand-write some
GUM is rules and setting agnostic, you can play notes, and you’ll have a personalized setup.
with Fantasy to Post-Apocalypse, crunchy rules, to
Digital tools
narrative and light RPGs. I provide you with tools.
As much as you can play theater of the mind, you
Use what you like, ignore what you don’t, and use
could make use of software to empower your
as much or as little frequent as you prefer. It is all
pace, and keep digital notes on your PC or phone.
made for you.
You can use VTTs to play with digital figures (2D
Most importantly, it is your game. Have fun.
or 3D), use note taking apps like Obsidian or
Play in your head Notion, or even RPG specific software for your
Just like the Kid’s scenario, this method is fast and specific game. I also created a tool called “Play by
to the point. You don’t need to word out your the Writing” which you can use to automate dice
creativity, you can picture locations and enemies rolls, random tables, with keyboard shortcuts. And
in your head without the words for it. You could don’t forget about AI, to help here and there.
play conversations in your head, take important
Other uses for GUM
decisions, and move forward, just to stop from
World building, or prototype RPG adventures!
time to time, to take notes and journal events.
5
GUM essentials
The tools of GUM

For GUM, it is important, to make sure you never Tool III: Intervention
run out of ideas when thinking how to move your
These are classical interruption chances. There are
game forward. Since I do not want to limit the way,
tension moments in your game when things can
you come up with ideas, a set of tools are given,
go badly. This is that.
so you use them when you need, for what you
need, in no specific order or priority. When to use: Whenever you want to ask “does
anything happen now?” and you are a bit scared.
Learn the five random-table based tools here in
order to play the GUM way. No need to know the Tool IV: Challenge
random tables values, just their purpose, and most Skill tests are drivers of your RPG. These will be
importantly, know when is it best to call them. predominant if your RPG rule system matters to
you. But do not underestimate it, despite the RPG,
On top of the tools, a meta-tool represents a tool
challenges are a source of scene ideas.
of tools, which guides you into using those tools.
When to use: Whenever your PCs traverse a place
Mastering the Meta-Tool of danger, caution, or adventure. Or anytime, if you
The meta-tool is the driver of your game.
can be creative enough.
Whenever you need to know, “what now?”, then it
is time for it. It is a scene designing utility that Tool V: Combat
indicates what could happen when your PCs go This is pretty self-explanatory, if your next scene is
here or there, do this or that. Regardless of what a fight, or if any other tool invoked a conflict, use
you expect to happen, you are not in control of the this one.
universe outside your PCs actions. So, this meta-
When to use: When designing a battle, mostly if
tool brings those external factors to your game.
you don’t know exactly who or how your enemies
When to use: New scenes where anything can be. behave or act in a fight.
Tool I: Oracle More tools?

This should be the most frequent tool you use. It More tools are provided in GUM Extended. I
represents the “delegation” aspect of GM-less. Any considered the five tools here the essentials for
question you have, for which you do not want to playing a Solo game, but there’s always room for
decide, or would rather have a “GM tell you” (hence more. Find tools such as the Scene Kicker in there.
GM emulation), then ask away.
Random tables in the appendix
When to use: Any time you have a question for
Keep in mind, at all times, the random tables for
which you do not want to impose an answer to.
NPCs, locations, actions and motivations.
Regardless of where and when, game setup, world
building, actual playing, during a scene, or a fight. Motivations tables can be critical to define
interests, factions, political powers, or nemesis.
Tool II: Plan Check
Plan checks are responses from the universe to
The game setup guide
your PCs intentions. The typical use case is when Despite being at the beginning, it is advised that
your PCs go from A to B, open a door, launch a you are aware of all tools before you journey it,
plan, or enter a new, unknown location. since you can help yourself with them when
creating your game, including the random tables.
When to use: Whenever you want to know “is
everything alright? Do things go as planned?” Game setup is the kitchen of ideas for your game!
6
GUM essentials
Playing scenes in GUM

A session is a block of time where you sit down Phase 1 tools: Meta-tool, Tool I (Oracles, to flesh
and play. Ideally, without interruptions. Within a out ideas), Brain Prober, Random tables.
session, you can split it into multiple scenes. A
scene is a unit of game where you handover
Phase 2: Scene Handover
action to your PCs, to fulfill a given purpose. As soon as you are done with the scene setup,
For tracking, record your session and scene make a proposal. This is the handover you do
numbers, where the scene number is held for the from the GM hat to the PCs spotlight.
entire game. For example, session 1: scene 1, 2. Introduce a scene proposal that ends with the
Session 2: scene 3, 4, etc. Consider tilting them! words: “What do you do...?”
Scene structure Using these words in your sentence, forces your

Don’t feel obliged to use this method religiously. brain to prepare the ground for the PCs, even if
they just describe themselves, what they do, or
Phase 1: Scene Setup ask questions. This is an RPG oriented method.
• Context: What are your PCs trying to do? Phase 2 tools: To trigger ideas for the PCs, use
What is the most likely next event? If you Challenge, Scene Kicker, or Enemy Action tools.
know, go with it. If not, use the meta-tool.
Phase 3: Scene Play
• Location: Where the scene takes place As your PCs take over, they start doing things.
Take your time to describe the place within Here is where you must be in a reactive stance, to
your world. Picture it in your head. Consider your own PC choices. Answer their questions, play
the location random tables in the appendix. the NPCs, check their plans, or interrupt them.
Phase 3 tools: Oracles, Plan Check, Intervention,

• NPCs: Describe who else is in the scene
NPC interaction, Plot discovery.
Other than your PCs, who is there? What are
they doing as PCs arrive? Phase 4: Scene Ending
NPCs are difficult to manage without a GM, so
As the purpose of the current context is over,
you might want to get ahead and know a bit
move on to your next scene. Even if it is a smooth
more than the PCs about them, so you can
transition in terms of time and space. Take notes.
roleplay them accordingly to the situation.
Consider the concluding threads chapter for a
A rule of thumb for NPCs is to think or decide method to keep track of your plotline progress.
whether they are important or not. If they are
important, know their motivation, so they play Session resume & recap
their part in your game. Consider the motives When sitting down to play, in whichever method
random tables in the appendix for this. This or format you choose, you’ll want to review your
means, knowing the faction they belong to, and notes, do (or present) a recap about what
their most apparent or visible goals. happened in the last session, and gather the
context of what happened so far. Take your time
If they are not important, or you are not yet
to dump down any mental notes you had, which
sure, just figure their current activities, some
are not part of your written notes. It can help
NPC details, like their looks or behavior, and
settle down pending ideas, or open questions at a
figure them out on the fly. Both ways are valid!
general level. Once ready, move to scene setup.
7
Introductory example and GM voices
Quick example
Before we deep dive into the details, you can take a look at the basics. Keep in mind this is over-simplified.
Asking questions Phase 2: Scene Handover “So. What do you do?”
GUM (GMe) Will act as a game master helper. It Phase 3: Scene Play
can’t propose game content by itself, but it can You (PC): “Do we know anyone important there?”
give ideas, and answer your questions, for an GMe: (Oracle. yes/no, PC question, even odds) →
unpredictable experience. Asking well-placed 1d20: 12 = Answer on success (Average)
questions is the base of playing GM-less. You (PC): “I have Streetwise!” 🎲 (Succeeds!)
GMe: (NPCs table. Who? – Character) →
• Yes/no: “Is the door open when we arrive?”
1d6: 6 (type) and 1d20: 13 (identity) =
• Who: “Who arrives today in the caravan?”
Special type: underground.
• Where: “Where was the King last night? talk!”
You (GM): PCs heard rumors of the Ratmaster, a
• What: “What is going on today, in the city?”
super-mutant suspected to wander those sewers.
TECHNICALITIES - Speaking with yourself:
We shouldn’t be in full control of the game; we
For clarity purposes, you find here three voices:
have to bring risk, and surprises, for a richer game
GM (you),,PC (you as PCs) and GMe (tools).
experience. Decide when such risk may kick in:
These are, implicitly, three voices in a solo game.
You (PC): “We go to the sewers entrance!”
You may choose to hide some, and must not
You (GM): I check for issues along the way.
need to separate them like this; you may play
GMe: (Plan check) 1d20: 18 → as planned.
your character in first person, and talk directly to
GMe; or convert your game to a novel, so only Scene 2
the PC voice remains; others prefer to practice Phase 1: Scene Setup
their GM skills, so the GM voice holds its place; You (GM): The PCs arrive to the sewers entrance.
if you want to share an actual play, other players GMe: (Locations table. Detail)
may be interested in how “you think”, so they 1d20: 3 → “Old, relic, Legendary”
may find very valuable that you display all voices. You (GM): These sewers seem very, very old”
In the end, what matters is your preference and Phase 2: Scene Handover “So. What do you do?”
enjoyment. There are no rights or wrongs in this. You (PC): “I have history knowledge. Do I know
anything historically speaking?” ( success!)
Scene 1 You (GM): “You remember something indeed”
Phase 1: Scene Setup GMe: (Grand oracle. What?) 3d100 →
You (GM): “Are the sewers easy to find?” Recognize + Buried + Territory
GMe: (Oracle. yes/no, GM question, even odds) You (GM): “these sewers were used to store very
→ 1d20: 12 = “Weak yes” old artifacts from family ancestors. They were
You (GM): “Yes, kind of, in a dangerous district” used during the old war”.
The “Weak yes” makes the location relevant to You (PC): “We go ahead and enter the sewers”
the game. I also assume PCs know about this. GMe: (Plan check) 1d20: 2 → A complication!
You (GM): “Where are they, exactly?” 1d20: 12 → “Now impossible, can’t do”
GMe: (Locations table. Where? – location, Urban You (GM): Hm… “the sewer bars are locked.”
type) → 1d20: 14 = Market, street shop You (PC): “Oh no! Is there any lock we could
You (GM): I have chosen the “Urban” column, pick? Any other way we could get in?”
since we are in a city. The sewers are somewhere GMe: (Oracle. yes/no, PC question, even) →
past the “Talos Market”. 1d20: 1 = No, in fact…
8
Crafting your game
Game setup guide

The goal of this tool is to bring ourselves into getting the game going, in eight steps.
We will be following a series of random tables that are meant to be used in the given order. The tables
won’t give exact details, but a very basic skeleton of critical points. Expand such points into more detail.
Take your time for setting up the game; if you go too fast, you may skip details, and later realize that things
may not make sense, or that your PCs are doing things without clear reasons. Such issues can halt a game.
If you have any story-related questions while using this guide and reading the table
answers, learn Tool I, since it will bring interesting answers and twists to your setup.
Additionally, you may very likely need locations and NPCs as you go through these
steps, so familiarize yourself with the Random Tables in the appendix of this book.
Pick an RPG you are excited about, and keep its setting at hand (if it includes one), as it will surely inspire
you to connect the results we are going to get from the tables; focus on what your PCs know, not more.
1. Your plot starting location? Choose, or roll

Take these abstractly, adapt to chosen setting, let your imagination flow by reading all words.
🎲
Start location archetype
d20
1 Jungle wilderness, humid, rain, rivers, swamp
2 An abandoned building, castle, ruins, mansion
3 Buzzing metropolis, huge city, crowded place
4 Strange cave, underground, underworld, darkness
5 Alien, strange, exotic, weird, where are we?
6 Research facility, station, lab, magic academy
7 Open wilderness, forest, rocky places, cliffs
8 Desert, oasis, nomad camps, travelling people
9 Huge mountains, snowy peaks, hazardous weather
10 Trade routes, famous roads, long journeys, travelling
11 Ocean, island, sea, underwater, navigation
12 Remote town, village, perhaps abandoned, ghosts
13 Manor, a mansion, hotel, resident evil, space station
14 Snow, tundra, very cold, freezing conditions
15 Neighbor, ghetto, dangerous zone, heavy suburbs
16 Secret guild headquarters, facility, station, hideout
17 High, flying, tall building, airship, aircraft, spaceship
18 Military, barracks, fortress, carrier, tank, submarine
19 Special headquarters, selected, sacred, elite, mutants
20 Unexplored continent, planet, lands, new world
Consider: Starting with your rolled location archetype, lookup a location in your RPG and setting that
matches the description. If you are not sure what it all means yet, move on and come back to it later.
Why not consider creating your own d20 locations table? so you could fit your specific setting results.
9
Crafting your game
2. What is going on there? Choose, or roll 1d20

We start to bring relevant content into your game. For the results you get in the next tables, you make an
interpretation. Since the prompts are vague, the column “think about…” gives optional points to consider.
🎲
Big problem You may also think about…
d20
How is the region ruled?
1 Oppression, tyranny, there’s an annoying leader, it is terrible
Who is, or are, the rulers?
Why is it dangerous? What
2 High crime, violence, murder, injustice, nobody acting
do people do to get by?
What could be valuable in
3 Something extremely important or valuable got lost, or stolen
here, to be such a big issue?
What occurred recently that
4 Common enemy, a threat is building up, and is going to affect us all
such enemy is now a threat?
Who are the parties? How is
5 There is a huge confrontation of forces that compete for power
this conflict affecting others?
How are the geography,
6 Natural disaster, a catastrophe stroke, there are sequels, side-effects
conditions, magic, or tech?
If there were hope to cure or
7 Plague, curse, damnation, sickness, disease, we can’t help it
treat it, what could it be?
What are they scared of, that
8 Secret organizations, rumors, intelligence, espionage, we’re being watched
we are being watched?
What are some critical or
9 What used to work isn’t working anymore, failure, damage, are we doomed?
limited resources available?
What could break the
10 Since an object was discovered or brought here, everything is wrong
balance so suddenly?
Who is attacking? why? What
11 Conflict, war, we are all affected by it, we need to work together
are the known reasons?
A minor faction having a
12 Endangered tribe, species, creature, animals, or similar vulnerable group
hard time. Why care?
Who could be so important
13 Kidnapping, someone disappeared, it matters. They have to be rescued.
that it is our interest to help?
Weak authority, someone
14 Corruption everywhere, we are not safe, law is weak, military is non-existent
must do something!
What are the means of living
15 Trade route compromised, business is terrible, resources gone
of the population in here?
Any supernatural forces or
16 Weird event happened, phenomenon, feels very strange, something not right
major technologies in play?
Think of a situation of
17 Total extinction, annihilation, what is going on, what are our morals?
desperate need, and survival
Which minor factions are
18 Uprising, rebellion, revolution, freedom, bring the powerful down, lost battles
fighting a lost battle?
Pick an area where law has
19 Chaos, despair, pandemonium, order no longer, anarchy, lack of authority
no voice, and will never have
Bring a dramatic event to the
20 Catastrophe damage control, survival, doing what we can, it is not enough
location, which role to play?
Consider: Can you adapt the big problem to your setting, combined with the location you came up with?
3. Time to make your main characters

Create interesting characters you would like to play. You may play a lone wolf actor to play 1st person, and
let everyone else be an NPC (even followers). Or you can make a small party, play in 3rd person, have them
talk to each other, different personalities. Relate them to the above issue, and figure which role they play.
10
Crafting your game
4. Ready? Now the Scene Zero begins

From this step forward, you should be in-character: Each of the following steps in the guide, can be
roleplayed already. Scene zero stands for this “pre-game” build up stage, by connecting your characters to
the ideas you start gathering here. Start with: Where are they now? What is happening around them?
If you are playing solo, you could play by writing, recording yourself, screen, or voice. Playing
in your head “day-dreaming” can work well too, but draft some progress notes.
5. Eventually, you get a plot hook call:

Somehow, your characters will be called to act, either by someone or a situation that pulls them in.
🎲
Call hook You may also think about…
d20
1 You receive a formal request, a petition, a royal mandate What do rulers or governors want from you?
2 Someone invites you to a private meeting, it’s important Think of fancy, rich, or powerful people
3 Someone made a great sacrifice today; it can’t be for nothing Someone did their best, but wasn’t enough
4 You found something that could change it everything… What could bring hope to the big problem?
5 Something happened that it now became very personal What are your character backstories?
6 Something bad happened, related with the big problem Think of today, now, what happened?
7 It’s a life-or-death matter, someone can be in great danger Why PCs are the only ones who can help?
8 Desperate request from someone who really needs it Bring a minor faction who is deeply affected
9 It’s an order. You might not want to, but you have no choice Which faction do your PCs respond to?
10 Someone with strong network, connections, makes an offer Think of a shady contact, capable to act
11 A faction could use your help, they are willing to pay What would your PCs do for a good pay?
12 Conflict reached a certain state, something has to be done Think of what could be a last chance, ever
13 You are being watched, following, conspiracy perhaps? Your PCs are suspects. What did they do?
14 A paid job, there’s a lot of gold/money/wealth involved Morally not correct, but the pay is worth it
15 Found a map with instructions, or a secret location Think of an interesting ruin, or dungeon
16 You were in the wrong place, at the wrong time It begins with a bit of bad luck, what was it?
17 Family petition, either of your own, or an important one Are your PCs close to someone they care?
18 Found a dead body, very strange, what happened? A corpse, who (or what) perished?
19 You got attacked, endangered, why? What do they want? Who could attack your PCs?
20 There is a conflict, perhaps moral, you have to pick a side Bring two sides with reasonable arguments
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Crafting your game
6. What should we do? What is the big picture?

At this point, your characters were pulled in. Is it clear already what are they called to do? If not, here some
ideas for the “big goal”, the final destination of their journey.
🎲 🎲
Mission Catch
d20 d20
1 We have to defeat someone really bad 1 We don’t know where the target is
2 We have to defeat a faction, bandits or outlaw 2 The target is constantly moving
3 We have to discover who did something 3 Someone else got involved, but who?
4 We have to sabotage an operation 4 They know, or are already expecting us
5 We have to retrieve an important object 5 We’ve got competition, be careful
6 We have to stop someone from doing wrong 6 There are traps, it is quite dangerous
7 We have to look for something in a location 7 They have large, or powerful army
8 We have to rescue someone from trouble 8 Law and government are not in our side
9 We have to destroy an objective, or location 9 Family is involved (ours, or other’s)
10 We have to spy on someone to confirm 10 We are missing some names, information
11 We have to transport a valuable object 11 We have to keep this very low profile
12 We have to transport someone safely 12 No killings (or at least no innocent losses)
13 We have to protect a group in disadvantage 13 We know where, but it is hard to get there
14 We have to prevent an operation from happening 14 They have a complex network, agents
15 We have to secure a key location before it’s late 15 Someone especially powerful is behind it
16 We have to assault a strategic convoy 16 A legendary enemy is on their side
17 We have to attack where they don’t expect us 17 Location conditions extremely hazardous
18 We have to reveal or divulge the truth 18 No known vulnerability, or safe approach
19 We have to convince them to change their mind 19 We aren’t yet ready, strong, or well-armed
20 We have to fulfill a personal or backstory goal 20 We are under a time limit, hurry up
Consider: Figure any leftover who, why, what, and where from the prompts. Tie things together.
Play your characters reactions, dialogs, and plans

Scene zero is already playing; we are not yet at scene one, but this build up stage can be of great
help to get in-game, and start challenging your brain for creativity prompts, and content.
Feel free to skip one or more steps, or why not skip it altogether, particularly if you are playing a pre-
made adventure, or you know exactly what kind of game and story you want to play.
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Crafting your game
7. Where do we start? What is the first task?

A trigger brought your characters to act, but what is the first lead or starting point to get going?
🎲 First lead prompt
1 We’ve got a lead that points to an unexpected location

2 There is someone you have to talk to, but they’re in danger
3 Someone is about to attack a key location, defend it
4 Relevant people are going to have a secret meeting
5 Someone died recently, take a look, perhaps there is a lead
6 We know someone who can tell you more, but they don’t like us
7 They did something terrible in a location recently, investigate
8 There is a source of information nearby, it can tell us more
9 They are sending someone to take measures, stop them
10 We received this anonymous note, perhaps you can figure it out?
11 We found this item in there, after such thing happened
12 We have someone, but he’s scared to death, he saw everything
13 Talk to a prisoner, or an equivalent uncooperative character
14 Certain official records, or an announcement is contradictory
15 We have someone willing to betray them, but want something back
16 We could conduct an attack, but we need to learn more of the enemy
17 Someone disappeared, or gone missing, find him, it’s important
18 We confirmed the location of a key object, investigate it, or steal it
19 They lost control of things, it went loose, we have to stop it
20 Someone abandoned a location, but why? Check it out
Consider: The starting point is a critical source of information to get to your first scene, it should be as specific as
possible, so, before proceeding, make sure such goal is as clear as possible (without spoiling the answers).
At this point, your PCs personal, and group goals

must be clear, along with what is against them.
Notes about the guided tour

You should have by now a clear picture of the world your characters live in, an idea about world problems, a
plot hook, and some first leads as in where to start. You might have skipped this if playing your own proposal.
Still, you might feel you have a lot in your hands, and that is true. GM emulation is by no means GM
replacement. You have still to play, guide, and interpret what is yet to come, as a GM. However, all these
prompts are going to both, make it easier for you, and make you feel you are not alone in here.
With technology, you could also play with an AI, but GUM’s method is still valid for playing that specific kind of
game that you want to play, which no AI or GM can (yet) give you. On top of that, you practice GM skills!
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Crafting your game
8. What kind of opposition do we deal with?

What are your characters up against? And remember, if you have any preconceived ideas, or if any of the
previous tables prompted who your enemies are, feel free to skip ahead (Always use only what you need).
🎲 Consider that…
1 They have plenty of minions to stop you
2 They have the law/police/guards on their side
3 They receive government/official support against you
4 They made arrangements with contracted goons
5 They have agents in disguise on your hunt
6 They have voice, eyes and ears, everywhere
7 They are rich, and count with plenty resources
8 They are politically powerful, you are nobody
9 They have agents with special abilities
10 They are aware of you, or are expecting you
11 You are exceedingly outnumbered by them
12 You have a relationship with one of them
13 You possess something that is causing them harm
14 Your backstory is causing them trouble
15 Your backstory is causing you trouble
16 You aren’t sure how or where they operate
17 You have a friend, or family, on their side
18 You could use a specific faction’s help
19 You need a special weapon or item to get to them
20 You need contacts or networking to reach them
Take the time to define your enemies and general opposition, whether that is yourself, monsters or a
corporation. On top of that, don’t forget to think what your PCs want to achieve, their goals, both
personal, or as a group, and what kind of troublesome background they carry on with them.
Playing without game master requires driven characters that have the motivation, and the desperate need
to get things done. Things will not always just happen to them. They have to act. You have to act.
Consider that steps 5, 6, 7, and 8 can be used for quest generation, throughout your game
Where next? Coming up with your scene one

Now, you have to think what is the best scene one for you to jump into your PCs shoes; your official game
starting point, location and time. Follow these steps for a smooth transition into playing:
1. Read and familiarize yourself with tools I, II, III, IV, and V. Know when each of them should be used.
2. Have a very present copy of the Meta-Tool table, this is your main source of scene creation.
3. Locate the NPCs and Locations tables, read their column headers so you know what you can ask.
4. Choose a time, place, and situation for your scene one. It can be, for example, continued right after
you defined your mission and goals, or days after, when your PCs arrive to their first destination.
Repeat this process for scenes two, three, etc., and you have an infinite source of scene generation ideas.
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Crafting your game
Meta-tool: Unfold the game

This tool is the main driver of content for your game. If you play with a strong GM hat, then you may not
need it, as you come up with every stage and scene in your game. However, if you welcome certain tone of
surprise, and source of inspiration for your scenes, then this is the master tool for it. Use on a need-basis.
Scene designer table
Use the scene designer table to come up with a scene situation. It can work fine in various situations:
• You arrive to a new location, where anything could happen, really

• You are not sure what happens next, or how the world reacts, to your PCs recent actions
• Your PCs are taking concrete action, but they are not in full control of their surroundings
• When traversing an area (e.g., a dungeon), and you want to have certain number of scenes.
🎲 d20 Focal point It could be about…
1 Important fight, boss, relevant encounter, high stakes, or stress.

Conflict
2 Filler fight, ambush, attack, interruption, or equivalent trouble.
3 Hit or miss test, one opportunity, else try something else.
4 Fast reaction test, might lead to harm, difficult, stressful.

Skill test
5 Careful test, obstacle, delicate situation, patience, teamwork.
6 Smarts, knowledge, analysis, perception, investigate, crafts.
7 Someone causing trouble, in your way, or otherwise unhelpful.
8 NPC presence Someone neutral, could know something, otherwise move on.
9 Someone helpful, or with right knowledge, indicated person.
10 Something to interact with, be taken, or somehow actionable.

Object
11 Something here reveals a lead, information, intel, clue or lore.
12 Problematic location, hazardous, dangerous, inconvenient place.

Location
13 Location itself is the focus, unique place, area of interest, a zone.
14 Event or interruption, could affect plans, keyed scene, important.

Random event
15 Redundant event, ambiguous situation, lore, or setting specific.
16 Circumstances are not the expected, something is different.
17 Inconvenience makes things worse, or intel was not accurate.

Difficult situation
18 Troublesome complication, unforeseen risk, unexpected trouble.
19 Plan changing problem, completely wrong intel, off the track.
20 Discovery Open scene for investigation, discovery, findings, exploration.
Why is this called a ‘meta-tool’?

This feature represents a tool that is in essence, above others. From here, you can derive closer to which tools you
can use to further deep-dive into an open situation. For example, a skill test can be expanded with Tool IV:
Challenges while NPC presence can derive into expanding it using the NPC Random Tables.
Meta-tools in GUM are openers for the unexpected, where you are literally open for anything. It should help
narrow down your options, from “anything” down to a specific “focal point” you can get in a scene.
15
Tool I: Oracles, questions & answers
Tool I: Oracle
Asking questions is the way to go, when playing without a GM. Oracles are introduced before anything else,
since you may need them both when preparing the game, or while playing it. This is a fundamental tool.
I can answer your questions from different points of view. It all depends from which perspective you ask it.
• As the GM (universal truths) → Is there money in the box? - Is the Queen sitting next to the King?
• As a PC (perception, subjective, readings) →Can we see James, from here? - Does she look angry?
• To an NPC (dialogue, persuasion, taunting) → Hey John, do you know where your father is?
You may have a bias when asking, so roll twice, and keep the highest for a yes-bias, or keep lowest for a no.
🎲d20 As the GM In character To another character

1 Strong no No, in fact… No, in fact…
2 Strong no No, in fact… No, definitely not.
3 No No No, something’s missing…
4 No No No, but hurry up…
5 No No No, it can be dangerous…
6 No No, but… No, I think not…
7 No No, but… I don’t think so, not sure.
8 No Requires skill test Don’t know, but I know who…
9 Weak no Requires skill test I’d be in trouble…
10 Weak no Can’t tell for now Don’t know, no idea.
11 Weak yes Can’t tell for sure It depends…
12 Weak yes Requires skill test It’s complicated…
13 Yes Requires skill test Don’t know, but I know where…
14 Yes Yes, but… It’s possible, not sure.
15 Yes Yes, but… Yes, I guess so.
16 Yes Yes Yes, but be careful…
17 Yes Yes Yes, and hurry up…
18 Yes Yes Yes, despite…
19 Strong yes Yes, not only that… Yes, of course.
20 Strong yes Yes, not only that… Yes, and also…
Grand oracle table

The most powerful skill you can achieve to play without a game master is to dominate the general oracle table; you’ll
have an infinite source of answers, subject topics, dialogue, explanations, reasons, and more. The oracle table has three
columns: action, descriptor and subject. Combine them in different ways to get what you are looking for.
action + subject Most typical for a random event, action, inquiry, or conversation content
action + descriptor + subject A more detailed version of an event or activity, with an added adjective
descriptor + subject Useful to refer to a topic, object, item, or any specific matter
descriptor + descriptor Useful to describe for example objects, locations, people, monsters
- “My PCs are investigating a strange totem in the desert. What else do they see around it?
Formula: Descriptor + Subject → (95) ‘Useful’ + (85) ‘Soldier’
Interpretation: “You didn’t see him before, but there is a man on the ground. He seems yet to be breathing...”
- “Why did the King bring the horse with him? That is indeed strange!”
Formula: Action + Subject → 1d100: 60 = ‘Invest’ + 1d100: 57 = ‘Decision’
Interpretation: “Who knows. Either he is crazy, or he really decided that he can buy her heart with a horse!”
16
Tool I: Oracles, questions & answers
Grand oracle: Whenever you ask an open question, or simply are looking for inspiration on a matter, roll
1d100 on any combination of columns below, and use your imagination to make sense of the words rolled.
🎲 🎲
action descriptor subject action descriptor subject
d100 d100
1 Abandon Abundant Ability 51 Ignore Isolated Knowledge
2 Accuse Accessible Agreement 52 Inform Known Land
3 Achieve Annoying Alertness 53 Insist Legendary Life
4 Acquire Artificial Ambush 54 Interrupt Limited Location
5 Alleviate Broken Annihilation 55 Investigate Magical Machine
6 Approach Buried Army 56 Join Major Meeting
7 Approve Careful Arrival 57 Launch Minor Message
8 Arrange Cautious Artifact 58 Lead Missing Military
9 Assault Chaotic Artifact 59 Learn Monstrous Monster
10 Assist Civilized Ascension 60 Liberate Native Mystery
11 Attack Clever Barricade 61 Locate Natural Objective
12 Avoid Cold Battle 62 Lose Necessary Offense
13 Believe Complicated Belief 63 Move Negative Operation
14 Capture Concealed Building 64 Observe New Opportunity
15 Challenge Confidential Business 65 Obtain Nimble Opposition
16 Change Controlled Campaign 66 Offer Obscure Order
17 Claim Corrupt Command 67 Oppose Pathetic Organization
18 Command Damaged Conflict 68 Organize Political Partnership
19 Conclude Dangerous Consequence 69 Persuade Popular Peace
20 Condemn Dark Council 70 Prepare Positive People
21 Conduct Decadent Creature 71 Prevent Powerful Perception
22 Confront Delicate Culture 72 Promise Precarious Person
23 Create Destroyed Curse 73 Protect Primitive Plan
24 Deceive Developed Danger 74 Prove Protected Politics
25 Declare Different Death 75 Provoke Recovered Power
26 Defeat Elevated Declaration 76 Reach Reinforced Prison
27 Defend Empty Destruction 77 Recognize Renown Problem
28 Demand Enigmatic Dialogue 78 Reduce Resistant Promise
29 Desire Environmental Disease 79 Remind Sacred Rebels
30 Destroy Essential Distance 80 Request Safe Reputation
31 Detain Explosive Distraction 81 Require Scared Resources
32 Detect Fearsome District 82 Rescue Scattered Roads
33 Discover Foolish Enemy 83 Research Secret Settlement
34 Dispatch Forbidden Energy 84 Retain Selected Situation
35 Divide Forgotten Equipment 85 Retrieve Special Soldier
36 Eliminate Guilty Evil 86 Reveal Strange Sorcery
37 Encourage Heated Experiment 87 Sabotage Strategic Superiority
38 Endanger Helpful Facility 88 Scare Strong Survival
39 Engage Hidden Faction 89 Search Technological Technology
40 Enhance Holy Family 90 Secure Temporary Territory
41 Ensure Humid Fear 91 Send Traditional Thoughts
42 Evaluate Illegal Fortress 92 Serve Trustworthy Time
43 Expect Important Freedom 93 Solve Unique Transport
44 Fight Impossible Friend 94 Spread Unknown Triumph
45 Focus Inactive Government 95 Spy Useful Truth
46 Follow Infested History 96 Submit Utilized Tyranny
47 Fortify Innocent Hope 97 Summon Valuable War
48 Handle Inspiring Influence 98 Trade Violent Wealth
49 Harm Interrupted Information 99 Travel Weak Weapons
50 Hinder Irresistible Justice 100 Worship Wonderful World
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Tool II: Plans, expectations, and trouble
Tool II: Plan check

Plan checks are important when your characters have a plan, or take a deliberate action, go somewhere, or
open a door, confront someone, trigger an ambush, or anything that could, essentially, “go wrong”. You
have four levels of tension, which alter the odds: roll the most fitting column, and check how things go.
Safe🎲 Risky🎲 Tense🎲 Exploding🎲 Your PCs plans are…
- 1 1-2 1-3 …cancelled, because of a problem 🎲

1 2-3 3-5 4-6 …suffering, a complication 🎲
2 4-5 6-8 7-10 …facing, an inconvenience 🎲
3 6-8 9-10 11-13 …given, under a circumstance 🎲
4-18 9-18 11-19 14-19 …carried on as you expected
19-20 19-20 20 20 …enjoying good fortune
Issue table
This is how I ruin your PCs plans, and tell you roughly how. If you rolled an alteration in the plan check table
above, then use this following table to guide yourself into making up what kind of situation your PCs get.
🎲 1. Circumstance 2. Inconvenience 3. Complication 4. Problem
1 Curious object Undesired NPC Lost trace, target Lost trace
2 Tricky location Unexpected NPC At risk, endangered Too dangerous
3 Enemy presence Security, watch Ambush, alarm Tightly defended
4 Unexpected NPC Government, law Trap, hazards Gone for good
5 Trade opportunity Displaced, moved Exposed, revealed Got anticipated
6 Being watched Blocked, locked Late, wasted time Too late, missed
7 Confirm an idea Distraction, annoying Missed chance Misfortune
8 Facts contradicted Ongoing event Sabotage, hinder Wrong, bad intel
9 Bring world detail Changed, altered Damaged, harm Broken, damaged
10 Deeds of enemy Backstory related Manipulation, deception No longer valid
11 Worrying event Leaked, revealed Area conditions Area is blocked
12 Awe and wonder Insufficient, lacking Harder than expected Now impossible
13 Someone jealous Trespassing, illegal Reputation issues Government, law
14 Strange smells Draw attention Bad news Now unattractive
15 Feel cold, shiver Not yet ready Damaged, broken Not a good idea
16 Feel warm or fire Area conditions Mistake, failure It was a mistake
17 Something changed Resources Useless, insufficient Destroy, sabotage
18 Warning message Delayed, late Reinforce, fortify Reinforced, fortify

19 Remote event Missing, gone Captured, taken Claimed, sold
20 Face world issues Aware, expecting Dispute, fight Change of plans
18
Tool III: Would a GM do anything now?
Tool III: Intervention

If you have a short moment of silence, tension, or risk: Call a 60% chance for me to intervene in your game.
Voluntarily roll on the following table, whenever you would like to know if “anything” happens.
For example: “After we close the deal with the bandits, we turn around, and leave… (intervention check)”
🎲 🎲
d100
The GM… d100
The GM…
1-20 Remains silent, what do characters do? 51-70 Remains silent, what do characters do?
21-25 Invoke random event 🎲 subject + action 71-75 Invoke random event 🎲 subject + action
26 Sudden change in the location conditions 76 Sudden change in the location conditions
27 Strange sound can be heard 77 Strange whispering can be heard
28 Gives a single character a chance to shine 78 An NPC conducts a good action
29 Positive surprise, good news, or luck 79 Negative surprise, bad news, or bad luck
30 Opportunity to find very interesting loot 80 Something requiring immediate attention
31 Recent action was a good idea because... 81 Recent action was a bad idea because...
32 Active opposition approaches, avoidable 82 Puts characters in danger, tension or risk
33 An object that can be interacted with 83 Situation that conflicts with PCs interests
34-36 Starts an unavoidable combat 🎲 84-86 Starts an unavoidable combat 🎲
37 A location detail not seen before 87 Engages into detailing further the location
38 Brings someone despicable to the scene 88 Something fails or behaves erratically
39 Witness or hear from an enemy evil deed 89 Witness or hear about enemy next deeds
40 NPC requests, or demands something 90 NPC makes an offer, or gives something
41 Enemies nearby are now aware of PCs 91 Enemies nearby are not yet aware of PCs
42 Brings a very convenient NPC to scene 92 Brings a very inconvenient NPC to scene
43 Shows an element related to local history 93 Lays out hazardous traps or an ambush
44 Brings an imminent risk about to trigger 94 Brings an imminent risk about to trigger
45-50 Makes PCs try overcome a skill test 🎲 95-100 Makes PCs try overcome a skill test 🎲
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Tool IV: Bring on the RPG
Tool IV: Challenge

Skill test table
Skill tests can be triggers for your imagination to come up with scenes and problems on your way. You
decide how that makes sense in your current situation, location, and context. A strength-based test in the
wild could be a fallen rock in your way, while on a cyberpunk facility, it could be a jammed metallic door.
Skills involved do NOT imply how your PCs solve them, but only to serve as situation inspiration.
In the example above, a fallen rock in your way (because it is what you came up with after
reading “strength”), may lead to the PCs to use magic, or look for another path, instead of force.
🎲 1. Skill involved 2. Situation 3. Prompt 4. Conditions
Situation for what PCs do

1 Someone watching It’s broken, must restore Hard to move terrain
worst, vulnerability
Resist, endure, withstand,
2 Can hurt, must heal What is that smell? Atmospheric hazard
fortitude test, hold on!
Push, kick, smash, pull,
3 Inconveniently placed It’s about to fall! Vision difficulties
throw, lift, move
Get over someone, make
4 Easier with right tools What are they doing here? Elevation or levels
them, the hard way
They are too many,
5 Costs wealth, resources What is that? Slow to move terrain
another way, trick them
Move, quick, run, quickly!
6 Annoying presence That is treason! Many obstacles
watch out!
Jump, crawl, squeeze,
7 Easy, simple, solvable What is that sound? Underground
climb, stretch, swim, air
Only a specialist or expert
8 Hard, difficult, complex Did you see that? Distracting elements
can do, setting specific
Better not to be detected,
9 Can harm reputation An explosion Destroyed field
guards, sentinels
Test of spirit, will,
10 Difficult terrain Something starts failing Unstable ground
mentality, wits, courage
Locked out, to steal,
11 Time limit, one shot Never seen that before Atmospheric issues
watched, protected
Dodge, evade, run, act
12 Vision difficulties They need help! Open spaces
quickly, hurry up
It’s here, must be, have
13 Haste is rewarded It’s full of traps Large ground
you seen, heard that?
Test of pilot, drive, handle,
14 Needs a distraction Are they trying to trick us? Something on fire
ride, control, manage
Low morale, scared,
15 Team effort, needs help This needs careful study Water presence
uninspired, unwilling
Trace, footstep, supplies,
16 Dangerous consequences This is so weird, magic? Narrow passage
survive, fetch, collect
What is that? Historic,
17 Distracting elements Someone was here Impassable areas
cultural, weird, magical
It’s broken, not working,
18 Lengthy, phased They are way too many Danger to fall
failing, erratic, jammed
Injured being, person, in
19 Do silently, swiftly Advanced technology Large structure
pain, hurts, sick, poisoned
Situation for what PCs do
20 Atmospheric issues This should be stopped Moving objects
best or are good at
20
Tool VI: Bring on the fight
Tool V: Combat
Combat scene table
If your RPG game has some crunch, monsters, goons and flashy battles, then this is for you. Either choose a
focus column of your interest, or roll one or two cross-elements (1d4) at random.
Use dice for measurable content. For example, how many enemies, exactly? Roll 2d4. How strong
are they? Roll 1d4, where 1 is weak and 4 is strong. While also asking yes or no questions too!
🎲 1. Conditions 2. Tactical 3. Behavior 4. Composition
1 Hard to move terrain Plenty of cover Aggressive, frontal In numbers, but weak
2 Atmospheric hazard Time limit Ambush surprise Immunity to typical damage
3 Vision difficulties Bystanders in between Flanking and split Start buffed/prepared
4 Elevation or levels Tactical devices Hide to sneak attack They have a healer/supporter
5 Slow to move terrain Machinery for use Buying time One of them is well equipped
6 Many obstacles Immobilizing traps Protecting someone One of them uses toxins
7 Underground Explosive traps Protecting something One of them is heavy armored
8 Distracting elements Vehicles or platform Keeping distance Dedicated protector/champion
9 Destroyed field Mounted weapons Narrowing distance Few can fly or swim
10 Unstable ground Disadvantage start Focus one target Got very powerful weapon
11 Atmospheric issues At an advantage Spread out Magic or tech member
12 Open spaces Climbable spot Protect key member Few, but strong
13 Large ground Flanking routes Set up a hazard One very strong, others weak
14 Something on fire Doors or triggers Holding position Mixed melee and ranged
15 Water presence One side has no cover Ready to escape All melee
16 Narrow passage Capture the flag Fight to death All ranged
17 Impassable areas Protect the object Cowardly Can move very fast
18 Danger to fall Key spot in the center Honorably One of them can cripple
19 Buildings/large cover Key spot in the sides Taunting One of them can summon
20 Moving objects Protect someone Defensive, careful Area of effect items
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Plot conclusion
Concluding threads
Playing without GM can lead to a situation where you keep thickening the plot forever, and ever. You need,
however, a measure of progress, to set “alerts” that remind you to start wrapping up, either for conclusions,
or at least, for a significant milestone in your game.
A progress track gives you an idea of where you are in the game, so you begin driving your interpretations
toward answers, or right away give your PCs what they were looking for. The how is up to you, but a good
advice is to look back at how things went so far, and lead to a climax, clinching clues, and ‘aha’ moments.
It is way harder to conclude threads, than to extend, twist or even start new ones: It is healthy to
give away what PCs want, from time to time, including rewards, loot, and personal achievements.
We’ll keep track of a PLOT SCORE. By the end of each scene, event or meaningful moment. Score the
situation based on how important it was for the plot, and increase the score with the according dice below.
Once we reach a defined threshold (based on the length we plan to play), then start ending the chapter.
1. Decide the length of threads

This should happen once, and never change.
Plot complexity Plot score threshold

Side-quest, small job, task 20
Average length thread 30
Long or complex story thread 40
2. Increase the Plot Score

Just when you are ready to start your next scene, take a moment to evaluate what happened so far.
Progress assessment Score increase by…

It didn’t add much 🎲 1d4
Some progress was made 🎲 2d4
It was quite important 🎲 2d6
It was critical 🎲 3d6
3. Trigger game ending

When you reach the plot score threshold, it doesn’t mean the game is over, it can be as much an ending as
it can be a milestone. You can continue playing for as long as you like, but keep in mind the threshold is a
reminder for you to start driving the game to an ending. It just doesn’t have to be immediately.
This means, as you continue to play normally, always add bits and pieces that give away answers, discover
those missing explanations, and encounter those final enemies your PCs been looking to find.
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Extra random tables
Random tables: Locations

Where? – Location identity
Define a location. Where does such thing happen? Or where to go? If you know the type, choose a column.
🎲 1. Building 2. Urban 3. Outskirts 4. Wilderness 5. Space 6. Special

1 Fortification Urban center Military outpost Cliffs, hills Space station High in the skies
2 Bank, institution Neighborhood Outlaw hideout Ocean, waters Space debris Low or no gravity
3 Military, barracks Tower, skyscraper Industry, product Hot weather Deep space Deep down
4 Government Gardens, botanic Farm, crops Cold weather Rocky planet Ruins, abandon
5 Library, study Bridge, tunnel Mineral extract Marsh, lake Asteroid base Alien, weird
6 Industrial Streets, alleys Route, roads Forest, woods Raw moon Hi-tech, magical
7 Clinic, healing Marketplace Settlement Jungle, wilds Moon base Superstructure
8 Palace, mansion Building complex Difficult terrain Disaster zone Jungle planet Huge facility
9 Workshop Construction Private property Plains, grassland Orbital ruin Floating, elevated
10 Food place Merchant district Ruins, abandon Caves, mines Orbit satellite Fascinate, wonder
11 Magic, labs Noble quarter Tower, control Rocks, cliffs Ocean planet Sacred, holy
12 Prison, jail Canal, fountain Encampment Island, reef Research base Nature, life
13 Research, facility Supply, energy Fishing, hunting Rivers, creek Military base Graveyard, dead
14 Cemetery, grave Underground Dam, canal Valley, ravine Ice planet Fog, unseen, dark
15 House, living Slums, crime Traveler’s inn Excavation Asteroid belt Battleground
16 School, academy Abandoned, ruins Hazardous zone Waterfall, floods Faction ship Unstable, erratic
17 Trading post Temple, church Moving vehicle Sands, desert Pirate ship Islands, isolated
18 Church, divine Schools, museum Isolated building Rocks, peaks Gas giant Volcanic, on fire
19 Entertainment Port, customs Silo, mill, barns Snow, ice Livable planet Torrential, rain
20 Setting specific Setting specific Setting specific Setting specific Refuel station Sea, floating
Where? – Location detail

Likewise, if you know about a location already, I can help come up with some details about it:
🎲 1. Feature 2. Worth 3. Purpose 4. Inhabitants 5. Looks 6. Activity

1 Faction Political value Communication Civilians, workers Old, obsolete Politics
2 Legendary Sacred, divine Security, watch Military, mercs New, modern Fight
3 Inhospitable Unique, curious Defense, military Traders, merchant Dark, foggy Discussion
4 Dangerous Source of wealth Transportation Leader, figure Bright, light Plan, prepare
5 Secured Mineral, resource Research, study Monsters, robots Colorful, alive Trading, deals
6 Secretive Advanced tech Storage, depot Bandits, rebels Sad, opaque Security, guard
7 Unstable Classist, elitist Medicine, clinic Culture or tribe Joyful, cheering Special event
8 Magic, tech Strategic place Power, energy Scholars, educated Simple, minimal Nothing
9 Sabotaged Military strategic Repair, work Faction members Bloated, heavy Damage, repair
10 Disputed Trade routes Hospitality Abandoned Active, busy Emergency
11 Destroyed Strategic nature Educate, train Famous, heroes Inactive, unused Daily activities
12 Atmosphere Opportunity Study, torture Animalistic beings Noisy, sounds Visits, meeting
13 Bad atmosphere Industrial power Entertainment Machinery Silent, peace Bad news
14 Under conflict Magical, special Socializing Dead, undead Crowded, packed Good news
15 Abandoned Bottleneck Production Travelers, mixed Empty, space Crime
16 Forbidden Well-connected Food and drinks Selected people Stressful, intense Treason
17 Ruin Touristic, value Trade, business Poor, outcast Relaxing, peace Oppression
18 Isolated Nature, paradise Decision making Rich people Conservative Government
19 Unholy Elevated position Operations Noble, loyalty Techy, magic Searching
20 Bad reputation Fertile, land Home, survival Servant, employee Unique, special Alert, paranoid
23
Extra random tables
Random tables: NPCs

Who? – Character identity
I can also help you figure out who is the character being mentioned. Choose a type, or randomize with a d6:
🎲 1. Civilian 2. Skilled 3. Fighting 4. Connected 5. VIP 6. Special

1 Lowlife Healer Controller, conjurer Politician Faction leader Monster, beast
2 Beggar Blacksmith Warrior, soldier Advisor Rich merchant Ethereal, invisible
3 Farmer Chemist Archer, crossbow Smuggler Military leader Non-intelligent
4 Innkeeper Academic Rogue, hiding Noble, royal Landlord, owner Mutant, enhanced
5 Trader Accountant Sorcerer, hacker Diplomat Prophet, cultist Mage, warlock
6 Helper Agent Acrobatic, fast Business Holy, priest Flying, fast-move
7 Guard Engineer Summon, drone Trustee Mayor, sheriff Swim, excavate
8 Kid Artist Heavily armed Journalist Criminal leader Vehicle, mount
9 Mother Criminal Grenadier, flasks Investigator Royalty, noble Alive object, AI
10 Father Merchant Melee, weapons Activist Field expert Divine, Deity
11 Regular Councilor Healer, cleric Innkeeper Ruler, governor Golem, robot
12 Worker Expert Defender, guard Storyteller Knight, veteran Golem, construct
13 Builder Repairman Assassin, skilled Renegade Ambassador Virus, bacteria
14 Cleaner Activist Techie, gadgets Family Magician Limbs, implants
15 Driver Musician Unarmed, martial Guard Valued expert Undead, cloned
16 Maid Administrator Large, big, slow Best friend Companion Huge, large
17 Servant Writer Exotic, different Spy, agent Unique being Small, nimble
18 Postman Acolyte Mutant, cyborg Fixer, broker Major enemy Night, dark
19 Thief Craftsman Grapple, disable Whistleblower Personal enemy Legend, hero
20 Setting specific Setting specific Setting specific Setting specific Setting specific Setting specific
Who? – Character detail

I can come up with NPC details. But how many, or which kind of details you know of them?
🎲 1. Attitude 2. Wants 3. Edge 4. Quirk 5. Looks 6. Stuff

1 Generous Wealth Intelligence Reputation Piercing Defensive item
2 Talkative Attention Personality Weak Special limbs Tech gadgets
3 Determined Loyalty Connections Wanted Well dressed Transport
4 Motivated Survival Influence Delusional Makeup, tattoo Followers
5 Optimistic Status Leadership Sick Scarred Fancy cloak
6 Courageous Happiness Allies Dependents On drugs Expensive stuff
7 Nervous Growth Wisdom Addiction Techie Property
8 Indecisive Popularity Awareness Overconfident Athletic Books, scrolls
9 Idealistic Knowledge Resourceful Impulsive Tall Business
10 Annoyed Acceptance An ability Secretive Short Servants
11 Reserved Family Special item Curse Exotic Staff, wand
12 Resigned Recover lost Knowledge Bad luck Beautiful Weapons, lots
13 Defiant Recognition Know-how Blind Special ethnic Sword
14 Inquisitive Everything Languages Mute Strange face Travel items
15 Cautious Victory Coldness Arrogant Facial expression Dagger
16 Threatened Revenge Vision Loyal Posture Special stones
17 Uncomfortable Justice Faith Greedy Cool Charms, amulet
18 Avoiding Specific thing Streetwise Impulsive Ragged A pet, a drone
19 Secretive Redemption Toughness Mean Young Portrait
20 Intimidating Power Talent Ugly Old Weird device
24
Extra random tables
>> Motive or reason, good

1 Seek revenge on a person or enemy 51 Bring a couple together
2 Escape a difficult situation 52 Find true love or friend
3 Rescue a loved one 53 Follow a personal dream
4 Fulfill a sacred mission 54 Become a master of disguise
5 Become the leader of a country 55 Unearth a terrible conspiracy
6 Protect a place of power 56 Overcome a seemingly impossible obstacle
7 Find a way to save the world 57 Leave the world a better place
8 Restore balance to a chaotic system 58 Share a special knowledge
9 Acquire wealth and power 59 Create a masterpiece
10 Make a name for themselves 60 Master a form of magic
11 Uncover the truth of a mystery 61 Avenge a great injustice
12 Defeat a powerful enemy 62 Forge a powerful alliance
13 Find a way to be accepted in society 63 Journey to an unknown land
14 Prove their worth to another individual 64 Retrieve a stolen item
15 Start a rebellion or rebel gang 65 Unearth an ancient secret
16 Right a wrong from their past 66 Return something to its rightful owners
17 Reunite with a lost love 67 Shed light on an obscure mystery
18 Achieve immortality 68 Reconcile with an estranged family member
19 Unlock the secrets of the universe 69 Put an end to a hazardous situation
20 Overcome great physical or mental challenges 70 Achieve a monumental feat
21 Get justice for an injustice 71 Help someone in need
22 Protect a special object 72 Unearth a lost civilization
23 Avenge the death of a loved one 73 Avenge a wronged ancestor
24 Pursue knowledge and wisdom 74 Help a friend at all costs
25 Bring a group of people together 75 Conquer a great feat of strength
26 End a war or struggle 76 Overcome a personal fear
27 Create or live a utopia 77 Change a person or group's fate
28 Become a master of a craft 78 Save a species from extinction
29 Resolve a family conflict 79 Find peace and purpose
30 Become a master of a martial art 80 Disobey an unjust law
31 Obtain magical powers 81 Help a village in crisis
32 Satisfy a deep curiosity 82 Put a stop to a villain's plans
33 Become the ruler of a land 83 Take a stand against injustice
34 Live out a prophecy 84 Find redemption or innocence
35 Find a forbidden item 85 Compel a powerful force to retreat
36 Obtain a secret or information 86 Liberate a people from tyranny
37 Track down a missing person 87 Find a missing relative
38 Experience a great adventure 88 Rescue a trapped soul
39 Take on an impossible task 89 Become a hero of legend
40 Uncover secrets of the past 90 Uphold a sacred oath
41 Defeat an ancient enemy 91 Uncover the secrets of the afterlife
42 Fulfill a sacred prophecy 92 Embark on a personal pilgrimage
43 Restore order from a chaotic situation 93 Foster global understanding
44 Vanquish a great evil 94 Unlock a hidden potential
45 Bring justice to wronged innocents 95 Become the confidante of a powerful figure
46 Find a hidden treasure 96 Become a legendary warrior
47 Conquer a great mountain 97 Overcome a personal trauma
48 Discover the origin of a magical power 98 Overcome a great personal challenge
49 Come to terms with a traumatic experience 99 Establish peace between two factions
50 Transform a place of darkness into a place of light 100 Become a beacon of hope
25
Extra random tables
>> Motive or reason, evil

1 To guard a secret 51 Fear of death
2 To make a point 52 Fear of the unknown
3 Change fate or destiny 53 Fear of failure
4 Sadism, fun, entertainment 54 Fear of the future
5 Jealousy, envy, revenge 55 Fear of the past
6 To create chaos 56 Hearing voices
7 Restore the past 57 Doing what is right
8 Control, dominance 58 Following orders
9 Create a legacy, long-lasting change 59 Immortality or longevity
10 Destroy a legacy, history or culture 60 A need to punish
11 Greed for money 61 A need to control
12 Greed for resources 62 A need to subjugate
13 Greed for knowledge 63 A need to be feared
14 Greed for magic or superpower 64 A need to be respected
15 Greed for political power 65 A need to be superior
16 Following a dark path 66 A need to be powerful
17 Self-preservation, survival 67 A need to be admired
18 To create a new order 68 A need to be superior to others
19 Greed for territory 69 Corrupting influence of money
20 Evil for its own sake 70 Corrupting influence of power
21 Fix a wrong or a broken ideal 71 Corrupting influence of ambition
22 Because of pain, suffering 72 Corrupting influence of materialism
23 To cause pain, suffering 73 Corrupting influence of peer pressure
24 Mental illness 74 Corrupting influence of drugs and alcohol
25 Social pressure or anxiety 75 Corrupting influence of media or information
26 Political pressure 76 Corrupting influence of popular culture
27 Selfishness, egoism, pride 77 Corrupting influence of consumerism
28 Fanaticism, religion, ideal 78 Corrupting influence of superstition
29 Intolerance, oppression 79 Belief in a false god
30 To deny the truth 80 Belief in a destructive ideology
31 Hatred of social classes 81 Belief in a dangerous cult
32 Hatred of races 82 Desperation, need
33 Hatred of religions 83 Defy a prophecy
34 Hatred of ideologies 84 Fulfill a prophecy
35 Hatred of law and order 85 Compulsion, impulse
36 Hatred of the wealthy 86 Satisfy addiction, craving
37 Being forced to do so 87 An attempt to escape reality
38 Hatred of authority 88 An attempt to escape guilt or shame
39 Hatred of the state 89 An attempt to cover up a mistake
40 Hatred of tradition 90 An attempt to protect someone or something
41 Hatred of science 91 An attempt to force conformity
42 Hatred of progress 92 An attempt to manipulate or exploit
43 Hatred of technology 93 An attempt to gain favor or favoritism
44 Hatred of change 94 An attempt to take advantage of a vulnerable target
45 Hatred of education 95 An attempt to destroy a rival or enemy
46 Hatred of knowledge 96 An attempt to satisfy a warped sense of justice
47 Hatred of art and culture 97 An attempt to remain anonymous
48 Desire to be admired or loved 98 An attempt to gain notoriety
49 Hatred of social norms 99 An attempt to become infamous
50 Hate of people in general 100 An attempt to vent anger, frustration or aggression
26
Extra random tables
>> Action or intent, good

1 Make an offering to a temple 51 Rescue someone from drowning
2 Help an enemy make things right 52 Visit the sick and injured in hospital
3 Give inspiration and courage 53 Face a danger to help somebody
4 Fix a broken device or object 54 Give an enemy a second chance
5 Defeat a powerful enemy 55 Achieve peace between enemies
6 Rescue someone from falling 56 Help make friends of two enemies
7 Help an elderly or weak person 57 Help with research or investigation
8 Pay tribute to the gods or cult 58 Scout an undiscovered danger zone
9 Untangle an evil or secret organization 59 Support a vulnerable community
10 Rescue someone from a fire 60 Offer words of encouragement
11 Help someone injured get to a safe place 61 Join a minor or losing faction
12 Show mercy to a defeated enemy 62 Make redemption or ask forgiveness
13 Bring down a tyrant from power 63 Take care of creature or beast
14 Be part of a long-term project 64 Endure pain to protect others
15 Be part of an important battle 65 Right a wrong or injustice
16 Protect the nature and the living 66 Pay respect to the dead
17 Lead a team or squad to victory 67 Find and rescue a child
18 Participate in a find and rescue mission 68 Give away a family relic
19 Help with clothing and warmth 69 Bring medical supplies to a healer
20 Sacrifice a family object for a good cause 70 Bring a murderer to justice
21 Support or help a desperate family 71 Stop an enemy from doing harm
22 Educate and faster a child 72 Tell a harmful truth
23 Help defend a town or village 73 Rescue hostages or prisoners
24 Defeat bandits and outlaws 74 Help an injured soldier in battle
25 Destroy a valuable but evil artifact 75 Defend someone falsely accused
26 Listen to someone’s problems 76 Rescue a dying creature
27 Give council to a king or president 77 Participate in a disaster relief effort
28 Protect an envoy or caravan 78 Help with infrastructure repair
29 Volunteer to an organization 79 Respond a call of an ally in need
30 Stop the spreading of false information 80 Donate work supplies and tools
31 Forgive someone of a wrong deed 81 Solve a complicated problem
32 Defend the king or president 82 Refuse to take revenge in a hard time
33 Discover the truth of a murder 83 Make a promise to somebody
34 Donate books or knowledge 84 Fight alongside an enemy
35 Help with food and shelter 85 Defend an innocent from harm
36 Sabotage an act of corruption 86 Build a home or community building
37 Repair critical machinery 87 Help lifting a curse or witchcraft
38 Support with weapons 88 Sacrifice something for greater good
39 Help prepare some defenses 89 Fight alongside a friend to the end
40 Participate in a rebellion 90 Secure dangerous roads from bandits
41 Help avoid a battle or fight 91 Offer craftsman or specialist training
42 Uphold the truth and justice 92 Donate to a homeless shelter
43 Give someone a ride or transport 93 Find books, lore or knowledge
44 Confront a terrible evil with courage 94 Help with financial planning
45 Bring light to a dark place 95 Defend someone in danger
46 Support a minority culture 96 Take care of a creature or beast
47 Recover a stolen object 97 Train someone to defend themselves
48 Support a lost or minority cause 98 Play an important role in war logistics
49 Help a friend or colleague in need 99 Heal or save someone from death
50 Bring back hope to the hopeless 100 Donate a horse or a vehicle
27
Extra random tables
>> Action or intent, evil

1 Kill, murder, assassinate someone 51 Kill a trader, merchant or businessman
2 Make an act of stealing or robbery 52 Kill a governor, noble or politician
3 Intentionally lie in detriment of others 53 Leave behind an ally in need
4 Conspire to start a war among others 54 Take wrath or revenge on an innocent soul
5 Raid and burn a village or location 55 Acts of deception and manipulation
6 Sacrifice others for own goals 56 Creating dispute and conflict among others
7 Destroy religious artifacts 57 Be a false witness or lie to the law
8 Conduct slavery or kidnapping 58 Deliberately prevent someone from healing back
9 Exercise oppression by force 59 Hindering progress or sabotage a town
10 Betray someone by surprise 60 Hide true motives from high powers
11 Sabotage own faction operations 61 Imprisonment and torture of an innocent
12 Destroy houses, farms, set on fire 62 Forcing of unwanted marriage for power
13 Unfair actions or choices upon others 63 Drug trafficking or smuggling
14 Exercise religious intolerance 64 Refuse to comply to peace or stop a conflict
15 Conduct a violent assault or battle 65 Hide a secret that could save lives
16 Violence, raiding, looting 66 Praising or encouraging evil factions
17 Vandalism and destruction 67 Selling secrets, intel, whistleblowing
18 Torture or extortion for a demand 68 Transport hostages or prisoners
19 Join or recruit for an evil force 69 Conduct an ambush or stealth operation
20 Spying, sabotage, mind control 70 Order to destroy a group or faction
21 Give means of destruction to a faction 71 Lead a gang, mafia or troublemakers
22 Vandalism and destruction 72 Steal from the vulnerable, corruption
23 Send thugs or assassins to kill 73 Recover or usurp an evil artifact or power
24 Accept or exercise bribery 74 Give an artifact to the wrong hands
25 Sabotage machine or vehicle 75 Fake an identity or conduct forgery
26 Corrupt the innocent, force ill actions 76 Create or summon monsters or creeps
27 Destruction of nature or sources 77 Develop or research a lethal weapon
28 Abuse of power, ability or magic 78 Raise armies, monsters or mercenaries
29 Exploitation of workforce 79 Hunt down a minor or weak faction
30 Sabotage city defenses to help attacker 80 Making false promises to people
31 Pay respect to an evil god or cult 81 Conduct piracy or raid convoys
32 Destruction of old ruins and remnants 82 Prey down on the weak and vulnerable
33 Be part of kidnapping and trafficking 83 Decide not to save someone from death
34 State terrorism or vandalism 84 Denying the truth to an unknowing person
35 Support rises of tyranny or an old evil 85 Unfair trading or black market
36 Start an unjustified war or conflict 86 Cast away, banish or execute people
37 Do evil for a supposed greater good 87 Spread poison, plague or curse
38 Usurp a powerful or political position 88 Refusal to respect faith or culture
39 Assault a location with innocents 89 Raise the dead, necromancy
40 Allowing or witness unjust suffering 90 Conduct dark practices, blood or black magic
41 Conquer, colonize, override culture 91 Build secret lairs, illegal facilities
42 Hunting of creatures, beasts, preys 92 Destroy lore, history, books, knowledge
43 Neglect respect of hierarchy or an order 93 Sabotage someone’s attempt to do good
44 Squander resources and sabotage 94 Break a promise, disappoint someone
45 Refusal to help someone in need 95 Hunt down a family or legacy
46 Manipulating others for benefit 96 Refuse to forgive or have piety
47 Operate illegal gambling or business 97 Promote false or malicious information
48 Ignore injustice or an ill act 98 Conduct torture and experimentation for science
49 Seduction for manipulation 99 Loot from fallen corpses or the dead
50 Conduct burglary, bank robbery 100 Spread fear and terror to control
28
Extra random tables
Who, exactly?
1 Shopkeeper, innkeeper, bartender, vendor 51 Judge, lawyer, attorney, master of law
2 Blacksmith, weapons expert, weapons producer 52 Expert, specialist, professional, scientist
3 Trader, merchant, businessman, salesman 53 Outsider, immigrant, unfamiliar, strange
4 Tailor, dressmaker, armorer, fashion designer 54 Mysterious, shady, unknown, traveler
5 Farmer, peasant, countryman, serf, villager 55 Council, board, delegate, advisor, steward
6 Sea captain, sailor, pirate, shipmaster 56 Prisoner, convict, hostage, kidnapped
7 Noble, aristocrat, patrician, high-class, baron 57 Engineer, mechanic, armorer, artificer
8 Guard, soldier, security, bodyguard 58 Member of a noble or royal family
9 Courtesan, hooker, prostitute, night worker 59 Member of a religious organization
10 Captain, police, sheriff, sergeant 60 Member of the military or police
11 Priest, cleric, father, reverend, spiritual figure 61 Member of a very rich or renown family
12 Teacher, educator, trainer, master, tutor 62 Member of a political organization
13 Shaman, healer, herbalist, druid, gardener 63 Member of a strange cult or circle
14 Driver, pilot, operator, motorist, rider, engineer 64 Conqueror, conquistador, renown military
15 Hunter, tanner, woodsman, predator 65 Member of a magic or tech academy
16 Baker, chef, cook, piemaker, brewer 66 Member of a technology organization
17 Builder, constructor, architect, carpenter 67 Member of a trading company
18 Apothecary, pharmacist, druggist, chemist 68 Member of a legal or judge organization
19 Steward, representative, official, organizer 69 Member of a secret organization
20 Jeweler, miner, collector, gatherer 70 Member of an enemy faction
21 Scribe, writer, translator, journalist, archivist 71 Member of a powerful faction
22 Scholar, academic, intellectual, professor 72 Creature, monster, robot, being, drone
23 Banker, businessman, investor, dealer, capitalist 73 Competitor, opposition, contender
24 Wizard, expert, specialist, sorcerer, technician 74 Someone very scared or in hiding
25 Assassin, murderer, killer, gunman, hitman 75 Someone very angry looking for revenge
26 Jester, buffoon, clown, comedian, prankster 76 Someone very desperate and in need
27 Diplomat, agent, ambassador, envoy, emissary 77 Someone very powerful and might
28 Clerk, office worker, servant, accountant 78 Someone special for a powerful person
29 Mercenary, thug, hireling, hitman, bounty hunter 79 Powerful ally, friend, henchmen, supporter
30 Musician, artist, designer, sculptor, creator 80 Powerful enemy, boss, leader, nemesis
31 Street cleaner, public worker, janitor, porter 81 Family member, old friend, family friend
32 Explorer, scout, gypsy, roamer, traveler 82 Strange or unexpected enemy
33 Doctor, medic, healer, surgeon, physician 83 Local, original or part of this location
34 Investigator, detective, agent, operative 84 Very old character or ancient being
35 Apprentice, student, novice, pupil, trainee 85 An unimportant character or a nobody
36 Spy, agent, broker, fixer, operative, rogue, hacker 86 Strange or unexpected ally
37 Soldier, sergeant, commander, leader, lieutenant 87 Someone badly wounded or sick
38 Rogue, scoundrel, rat, rascal, thief, burglar, beggar 88 Someone who had disappeared
39 Investigator, inquisitor, interrogator, executioner 89 Someone with a bounty on their head
40 Tax collector, financial agent, accountant 90 Famous adventurer, hero, explorer
41 Tinkerer, enthusiast, builder, repairman 91 Renegade, traitor, deserter, rebel, runner
42 Knight, ceremonial soldier, honored veteran 92 Expelled, banished, deported, refugee
43 King, emperor, ruler, lord, president, queen, prince 93 Street urchin, beggar, vagabond, vagrant
44 Monk, prior, brother, abbot, preacher 94 Renown soldier, fighter, warrior
45 Bandit, rebel, outlaw, criminal, gangster 95 Demon hunter, ghost hunter, voodoo
46 Fisherman, harbormaster, port worker 96 Witch, demon, ghost, virus, AI
47 Minstrel, bard, reporter, storyteller, writer, herald 97 Mutant, cyborg, robot, shapeshifter
48 Gravedigger, necromancer, diener, pathologist 98 Politician, court member, chancellor
49 Cartographer, explorer, navigator, scout 99 Astronaut, astronomer, stargazer
50 Animal trainer, ranger, drone rigger, summoner 100 Oracle, astrologer, clairvoyant, prophet
29
License & Credits
Page left blank on purpose
30
License & Credits
License
Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Source: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/legalcode
You are free to:
• Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format

• Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
• Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate
if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that
suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
• NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
• ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your
contributions under the same license as the original.
• No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures
that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Credits
I hope you have read, liked, enjoyed or even shared this brew. Don’t forget to check out my RPG
blog: https://jvhouse.xyz or Ko-Fi page: https://ko-fi.com/jeansenvaars
Great inspirations for me, were Mythic GM Emulator by Word Mill Games, Tricube Tales by Zadmar
Games, and my learnings from my previous Plot Unfolding Machine and Scene Unfolding Machine.
Cover generated using Stable Diffusion AI on my local PC.
Thank you to the following users for amazing feedback and support during private preview phase:
• Othelarian (Collaboration with ideas and algorithms)

• Steelheartx (Awesome feedback and support)
• Zadmar (Professional opinions from the Tricube Tales series author)
• Stargolem (Rockstar of analog playstyle, and supporter)
• Phillip Dudley (Community motivator, good vibes)
• Tam (Experienced indie publisher’s feedback)
GUM is Pay-what-you-want on itch.io and DriveThruRPG. Donations appreciated.
JeansenVaars
31

GUM Rulebook Rev5

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Game

Methods of playing .................................................................................................................................. 5

The tools of GUM ...................................................................................................................................... 6

Playing scenes in GUM ............................................................................................................................ 7

Quick example ............................................................................................................................................ 8

Game setup guide ..................................................................................................................................... 9

Meta-tool: Unfold the game ............................................................................................................... 15

Tool I: Oracle ............................................................................................................................................. 16

Tool II: Plan check.................................................................................................................................... 18

Tool III: Intervention ............................................................................................................................... 19

Tool IV: Challenge ................................................................................................................................... 20

Tool V: Combat ......................................................................................................................................... 21

Concluding threads ................................................................................................................................ 22

Random tables: Locations .................................................................................................................... 23

Random tables: NPCs ............................................................................................................................ 24

Bring an interpretative mindset Tool I. Oracles: Bring creative answers to your

Since you are also driving the game narrative, you

Methods of playing Play by voicing it out

The tools of GUM

Tool I: Oracle More tools?

Playing scenes in GUM

Scene structure Using these words in your sentence, forces your

Phase 3 tools: Oracles, Plan Check, Intervention,

Asking questions Phase 2: Scene Handover “So. What do you do?”

Game setup guide

1. Your plot starting location? Choose, or roll

2. What is going on there? Choose, or roll 1d20

3. Time to make your main characters

4. Ready? Now the Scene Zero begins

5. Eventually, you get a plot hook call:

6. What should we do? What is the big picture?

2 We have to defeat a faction, bandits or outlaw 2 The target is constantly moving

4 We have to sabotage an operation 4 They know, or are already expecting us

5 We have to retrieve an important object 5 We’ve got competition, be careful

9 We have to destroy an objective, or location 9 Family is involved (ours, or other’s)

10 We have to spy on someone to confirm 10 We are missing some names, information

12 We have to transport someone safely 12 No killings (or at least no innocent losses)

16 We have to assault a strategic convoy 16 A legendary enemy is on their side

18 We have to reveal or divulge the truth 18 No known vulnerability, or safe approach

Play your characters reactions, dialogs, and plans

7. Where do we start? What is the first task?

🎲 First lead prompt

1 We’ve got a lead that points to an unexpected location

At this point, your PCs personal, and group goals

Notes about the guided tour

8. What kind of opposition do we deal with?

Where next? Coming up with your scene one

Meta-tool: Unfold the game

• You arrive to a new location, where anything could happen, really

🎲 d20 Focal point It could be about…

1 Important fight, boss, relevant encounter, high stakes, or stress.

3 Hit or miss test, one opportunity, else try something else.

4 Fast reaction test, might lead to harm, difficult, stressful.

6 Smarts, knowledge, analysis, perception, investigate, crafts.

7 Someone causing trouble, in your way, or otherwise unhelpful.

9 Someone helpful, or with right knowledge, indicated person.

10 Something to interact with, be taken, or somehow actionable.

12 Problematic location, hazardous, dangerous, inconvenient place.

14 Event or interruption, could affect plans, keyed scene, important.

16 Circumstances are not the expected, something is different.