Motif Story Engine Cheat Sheets

Third Die: Flavor Danger

STORY FLOW OVERVIEW
Favorability  1: No extra or hidden dangers or just
 What is immediately obvious about the  1: The answer could not possibly be more easily avoided threats
answer? What are the logical unfavorable to the characters; interpret in  2: One or two minor threats or
consequences? What is the reasonable the most hostile or negative way possible annoyances
outcome?  2: Generally unfavorable for the  3: A few serious obstacles, but modest
 What makes sense in context of genre and protagonists risks
style? What would be normal traits and  3: Neutral or mildly disadvantageous  4: A few serious obstacles, with serious
factors in a story of the type you are  4: Neutral or mildly favorable risks
exploring? What are common tropes and  5: On par to the advantage of the  5: A minefield of risks, traps, and
elements in the game and setting you are characters dangers
using?  6: The answer is the best possible result,  6: The entire area is a trap, filled with
 What immediately comes to mind for you? for whatever reason; interpret in the most numerous hidden threats and nearly
What is your sense of intuition about how favorable light or with the best advantage unavoidable dangers
things play out? How does the scene
appear in your mind? Weirdness Rarity
 What questions do you have left about the  1: Common, simple items and animals. If the first oracle gives a negative (“no”) answer:
scene or encounter? What aspects of the  2: A few uncommon things, but mundane
story and scene remain unclear?  Rolling below the target number: Gain
 3: A couple unusual oddities, like a an additional severe complication or
brightly colored owl or little-too-curious obstacle.
MAIN ORACLE large squirrel.  Rolling equal to the target number: A
 4: Things are getting weird, with oddly wash, resulting in a hard “no” response
First Die: Answer
behaving animals and minor alien, mad forcing the protagonists to pursue a
 1-2: No, negative answer; small, a little science, or supernatural creatures. different solution or approach.
 3-4: Maybe, mixed answer; middle,  5: Straight up bizarre and surreal  Rolling above the target number: Face
average features and creatures. The sky burns a a severe complication or obstacle, but also
 5-6: Yes, positive answer; big, a lot. somehow bright black. Roads twist and gain a solid lead or clues.
warp back onto themselves. Major
Second Die: Degree The first oracle offers a positive (“yes”) answer:
monsters and wild things will appear,
 1: Weak, inconsequential, or minimal along with unnatural variants of more
 2: Flawed, minor, or modest  Rolling below the target number:
common animals.
 3: Mundane, cheap, or barely passable Provide useful clues or leads but
 6: The rarest and most horrifying things. introduce also a minor obstacle or
 4: Good, notable, or average Things-From-Beyond, legendary beasts,
 5: Strong, major, or overwhelming complication.
dark relics, portals to the spirit realms,
 6: Powerful, vital, or maximum  Rolling equal to the target number:
timeline shifts, and other heavy
Gain a reliable lead or connection.
weirdness manifest.
Rolling above the target number: Go
immediately to a direct find or encounter.

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 Motif Story Engine Cheat Sheets
NPC Features NPC Prompts
NPC Ties Personality
Minor NPCs: 1-2 ties, 3-6 points.  2-3: Monstrous or sociopathic
Major NPCs: 4-6 ties, 20-25 points.  4-5: “Type A” or power-hungry
 6: Outgoing and friendly
Scale: The reach and power of ties.  7: Hard-hearted hard worker
 1: Personal influence & direct actions only  8: Shy and reserved
 2: Respected expert or influential local  9-10: Deceptive and manipulative
figure  11-12: Delusional or extremely obsessive
 3: Top level manager or major influencer Attitude
Depth: The strength and bond of ties.  2-3: Distrustful and paranoid
NPC Actions  4-5: Colorful showoff or performer
 1: Acquaintances, blackmail, and co-
Minor NPCs: 1-3 points per cycle.  6: Quiet and agreeable
workers
Major NPCs: 9-12 points per cycle.  7: Enthusiastic team player
 2: Established friends and professional
 8: Blowhard or bully
peers Minor action cost: 1 point. Major cost: 3 pts.  9-10: Grumpy lone wolf
 3: Lovers, lifelong friends, and partners  Deal: Make a deal, contract, or trade  11-12: Excessively zealous preacher
 Mislead: Create red herrings and false
NPC Resources
leads Motives
Minor NPCs: 1-3 points per cycle.  Mission: Undertake a specific quest  2-3: Causing harm and torment
Major NPCs: 9-12 points per cycle.  Obscure: Hide people, things, and details  4-5: Acquiring rare items or influence
 Relocate: Move people, items, and  6: Doing their job or fulfilling a role
Liquidity: How quickly resources can be called
facilities  7: Maintaining lifestyle and happiness
upon and/or traded in for favors or cash.
 Secure: Improve security and  8: Improving their life or helping someone
 1: Slow responses or takes a long time to fortification  9-10: An unusual philosophical goal
trade  Spy: Spy on characters and groups  11-12: Creating radical change
 2: Typical response rates and sale speed
 3: 24-hour responsiveness and trade value Approach
 2-3: Chaotic and piecemeal
Utility: The power and usefulness of a resource.
 4-5: Methodical, exacting, and calculated
 1: Minor assistance and usefulness  6: Relying on intuition and gut reactions
 2: Common experts, specialty equipment,  7: Reacts based on the best available
professional facilities, and financial information, but with minimal planning
accounts  8: Loosely but expertly planned, flexible
 3: Massive stock portfolios, top level  9-10: Passionate and impulsive
experts, and rare & unusual equipment  11-12: Over the top and overcomplicated
and facilities. plans, methods, and mechanisms

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 Motif Story Engine Cheat Sheets
World Prompts Twists
Challenges
Events After 3 turns, finish turn and scene.
 2: Explore and escape a very strange
 2-3: A rare or unusual market place. Roll two six-sided dice.
 4-5: Civil unrest or disturbance  3: Solve a hostage situation. May be an
 6: Flood of tourists or explorers object instead of people, as fits your plot.  Any Doubles: What A Twist! Reveal a
 7: Festival or holiday  4: The main characters are attacked. Not new Big Bad or a fresh major story
 8: Unusually severe weather always a physical confrontation; it could complication in a typical “big twist” way.
 9-10: Severe fire or disaster be an assault on their assets or a social While this creates new problems, it should
 11-12: Weird/surreal phenomena. positioning move. also introduce new resources and
 5: Conflict with the authorities, elders, or possibilities for the player characters.
Meetings other ranking NPCs.  3-4: The authorities turn against the PCs
 2-3: Secret society  6: Solve a crime or mystery. OR a major ally betrays them.
 4: Criminal or cult leader  7: Assist people in need.  5-6: The approach the PCs were taking
 5: Niche or subculture group  8: Retrieve an item or evidence. turns out to be the wrong tactic or
 6: Activist or religious speaker  9: Navigate a tense situation. insufficient to fix the problem. However,
 7: Request for help  10: Run into trouble. they should be directed or receive clues to
 8: Authorities or civic leaders  11: Escape from a trap or seemingly help transfer them to the new path and
 9: Local stars or leaders unbeatable foe. evolving storyline.
 10: Threats or warnings  12: Face a worst fear in dreams or the  7: A mixed or neutral high-level NPC
 11-12: Someone thought missing or dead flesh. appears. It could be anything from a
secret agency director to a blazing
Requests Turns archangel. Use the main oracle and 3
 2-3: Find or capture a dangerous questions to determine its purpose and
criminal, cult leader, or enemy  1s: A sudden turn in favor of the player attitude
 4: Non-violently stop a bully from harass- character(s) and/or their interests.  8-9: The player character actions turn out
ing a member of a respected family  2s: Any useful progress or clues in the to be more effective than expected or just
 5: Locate a missing person or lost items scene will be offset by obstacles or delays. flat out lucky, granting them major
 6: Help traumatized or injured people  3s: Helpful non-player characters progress towards their goals. However,
cope and heal suddenly arrive. the gains should also introduce new
 7: Difficult to get information or items  4s: Hostile non-player characters problems and puzzles for the characters
needed by influential figures or leaders suddenly arrive. to solve.
 8: A major danger is harming people and  5s: An especially unusual item or well-  10-11: Hostile authorities make peace
needs to be repaired or otherwise hidden clue is unlocked within the scene. with the PCs OR a major opposition figure
neutralized  6s: A sudden turn in favor of the Big Bad turns to their side.
 9: Discontent or a criminal outbreak is or other forces aligned against the player
creating chaos and needs to be fixed characters and/or their interests.
 10: Retrieve resources or personal
property from a dangerous or poorly
explored area
 11-12: Make a secret handoff in violation
of the law or regional social norms.

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 Motif Story Engine Cheat Sheets
Tension Mission Clock Clock Changes
 +2: Major or important sequences failing,
Tension Check  Noon: Starting point, full of bright extraordinary new complications or
possibility and hope obstacles, and exceptional failures
 1-2: No change to tension.
 1 o’clock: Time is running, but still +1: Ties, partial successes, wins at a cost,
 3-5: Add 1 to tension. 
thankfully plentiful and barely winning (exactly just passing)
 6: Add 2 to tension. Also roll an extra six-
 2 o’clock: Still comfortably moving along successes
sided die. Check the triples turn table in
 3 o’clock: 1 Mission Stress 0: Simple and complete wins and
the Twists & Turns Patch. Match the 
 4 o’clock: Starting to take a while successes
number. Start the next scene with the
 5 o’clock: Time starts feeling pressured -1: Extraordinarily high-risk wins, epic
selected turn. 
 6 o’clock: 2 Mission Stress successes, completion of epic tasks
Tension Count  7 o’clock: Midnight is coming into sight
 0: Low stakes, minimal tension  8 o’clock: The day flew by, but a few Momentum
 1-2: Basic stakes, mild tension hours left
 9 o’clock: 3 Mission Stress  -2: Major or important sequence failed.
 3-4: Serious stakes, increasing tension
 10 o’clock: No room for error, panic sets  -1: Minor failure, mixed outcome, ties,
 5-6: High stakes, extreme tension
in and success at a cost.
Complications  11 o’clock: There is almost no time left  +0: Minimal success, exact bare win
 Midnight: Out of time, mission failed  +1: Simple and basic full wins and
Roll at the beginning or crux of each major scene.
successes.
If the result is equal to or lower than the tension Mission Stress  +2: Complete, overwhelming, and
counter, introduce an additional minor
 1 Mission Stress: You are starting to feel exceptional successes and
complication, distraction, or low-level obstacle.
the pressure. Take minor penalties when accomplishments.
you need to concentrate and on high
Chaos Factor Breaks and Haste
difficulty tasks.
 On doubles: An insane or unnatural  2 Mission Stress: Half of your time is Breaks
event occurs. gone! The stress ramps up. Take  Short breaks: -1 to the counter
 First (Answer) Die shows a 1 or 6: A moderate penalties when concentration is  Long breaks: -3 to the counter
Madness is active until the end the scene needed, minor penalties on most other
or downtime. It dominates thoughts and efforts. But gain minor bonuses when Haste
perceptions for scene, coloring all actions. directly trying to reach or confront your  One group member takes a serious
o If you do not have one, gain a mission’s climax, focusing under wound or negative condition: +1 to the
temporary one based on recent pressure. counter
stress and events.  3 Mission Stress: Midnight is fast  All group members take a serious
 Second (Degree) Die shows 1 or 6: approaching! It is all too much as you race harm or negative consequence: +1 to
Some agent of chaos or impossible against time. Take major penalties when the counter
phenomena appears. trying to concentrate and moderate
 All other results: You feel a moment of penalties on most actions. But also gain
oddness, a brief superficial effect occurs, moderate bonuses when trying to reach or
or a minor weird NPC quickly passes facing the climax of your quest, focused to
through the scene. obsession.