of Dice and Dragons

The following article is one I wrote for the Roleplayingtips ezine.

Running an effective and enjoyable campaign requires a lot of organization. Many GMs have volumes of information about the campaign they’re running–maps, NPCs, histories, cultures, the list goes on. Unfortunately, all that information can be unwieldy when running a session, or even worse, you can’t remember what information you’ve already given the players, the plot line hooks you’re going to use, or even where you left off (if you’ve been on hiatus). That’s where your session notes come into play.

Most GMs will take the time to jot down the information during a combat encounter (wounds, opponents killed, and so on) but your session notes can be much more. They can help plan future sessions, provide memory aids for important facts, and keep your sessions on track.

Before going too far, it’s important to have a method of organization for your session notes; after all, they’re no good to you if you can’t reference them in the future.

I’m currently using MyInfo put out by Milenix to keep my notes in. I have a document section entitled ‘Session Notes’ and I create a sub-document for each session. The title of each document is the session number and real world date, which makes them easy to find. You could also just as easily create a series of text files one for each session and keep them in a separate directory on your computer or just a notebook with a page or two dedicated to each session.

So now that we’re in agreement that session notes are a very good thing and have our method for organizing them, what exactly are they?

I use a simple system of three:

1. Pre-Session Notes
2. In-Session Notes
3. Post-Session Notes

Each has a specific purpose, so we’ll look at each in turn.

1. Pre-Session Notes

Each time you sit down to start the process of getting ready for your group’s next session what do you do? I hope it’s more than a few sticky notes in the Monster Manual (yes I will actually admit to having done this). Think about what you want to occur in the session and write it down. I typically put a heading in my file ***Pre-Session*** and then go on to list the highlights of what I’m planning.

Things you may want to include:

* World events. A volcano erupts in the area, war breaks out, a royal marriage. These are things that happen without the group’s interaction.
- On the 6th day of Quiln the King and Queen announce the birth of their son Reginald, the heir apparent.

* Plot advancement. Got a long running campaign plot? Are you going to advance it this session? Then make a note of it. Be sure to include any criteria that must be met for the event to occur.
- When the group camps for the night, Nila will see a shooting star which she was told will precede a great battle. The battle will be….
- In town if the party approaches the one-eyed blacksmith and show him the dagger they found while in the mountains he will tell them….

* Potential side-plots or twists. These are items that may or may not happen, but might add flavor or act as a time filler if you need one.
- Gerald will be accused of cheating at cards.
- The Royal Army is in need of recruits so a press gang arrives in town.

* Important NPCs. Who are the characters likely to run into? Have they met them before or not? Be sure to include in the description any relevant skills and abilities.

* Encounter specifics. I usually pull the specs for the NPC or creature and add it right into my notes.

* Rumors. Don’t be caught off-guard when the party stops for a drink at the local hangout. Write down a few rumors they may hear. Some can be related to the main plot or a sub-plot or not, they may not even be true.
- “Did you hear? The army is losing badly and there’s talk more soldiers are needed for the war.” - "I heard that the Prince was born with six fingers on his left hand."

* Handouts. These are usually separate items, but include the text in your notes so you have an easy reference after giving the original to the party.

As you can see, Pre-Session Notes can be quite extensive. Keep them limited to just the upcoming session to make them manageable. Remember, when writing these up you are not scripting, you are planning. Even though you write it down at this stage, it does not mean you have to use it.

Be sure to hang onto these so you can reference them in the future, especially if you don’t use all the material you planned. The players won’t know you didn’t use a particular item in your Pre-Session Notes, and if you can use it in a later session you’ve cut down on your prep time.

Read page 2 of A Guide to Session Notes