The Pen & Dagger RPG’s Directors & Mythmakers Guide

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.

— Abraham Lincoln

The Pen & Dagger RPG is a game of the imagination. All you need to play is a tale, some paper and pencils, seven polyhedral dice, and one or more friends – one to be the Director and Mythmaker (or DM) and the rest to be heroes. This book, the Directors & Mythmakers Guide (or DMG), provides a DM's resources for running the game.

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GETTING STARTED

As Director and Mythmaker, you control the game, setting the stage for the story and drawing the players in. Whether your tale is as simple as exploring a haunted house or as complex as unraveling a world-spanning conspiracy, the key is to make it matter to your players. Two things to keep in mind for doing so are directing and mythmaking.

DIRECTING

All the world is a stage, and you are the director. Just as the best cinema is beautifully shot, give your players clarity in the world. Whether it be cityscapes, monsters, or allies, paint the clearest picture possible of your player's options and their consequences.

MYTHMAKING

The game is about the players so put their heroes and their decisions at the center of it. Chaos will ensue, but embrace the fun of that madness. Your players' heroes are building their myths. Keep them at the heart of the story and make its events matter to them and you'll open the floodgates to fun, horror, and twists of fate.

What makes The Pen & Dagger RPG different for DMs?

The Pen & Dagger RPG was designed is several DM goals in mind.

Simplicity: A game should not be work. As director and mythmaker, you should be free to focus on creating fun. Set your stage and weave your story without worrying about math. Players know if they succeed or fail, leaving you to tell them how the world reacts.

Flexibility: Swap in monsters, treasures, and stories from any source without mathematical conversion. With simplicity at P&D's core, you can adapt any module or story into your game.

Cinematics: Battles flow. Lines break. Dragons wheel. The foes your players face are not easily pinned down. Combined with your control over heart-pounding critical failures, you play the strongest hand in etching memories into your players' minds.

Mystery: While your players know if their spear strikes true or if dragon flame catches their cloak afire, they may not know from where the assassin made her attack. You are solely privy to player knowledge, placing the element of fear in your command.

Story: Most importantly, you hold the tools to drive the story and the means to draw your players into acting within it. Heroism and villainy await you all, with game mechanics built to encourage everyone's participation.

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THE PLATINUM RULE

Providing clear decisions and consequences that focus on your player's heroes is the first key to a legendary game. The second is to be:

Creative, Cinematic, & Fun

BEING CREATIVE

Creativity sparks the story. Unexpected twists, exciting villains, and sudden threats keep everyone engaged. Be creative in building the myths of your players' heroes. If a hero was once a servant, reveal their former employer in a position of desperation. If the heroes just destroyed a powerful earth elemental with a horn of blasting, set the cavern collapsing. If a villain fills the heroes with hate, have the villain undertake a Robin Hood-like good deed.
The more depth you give your setting and its denizens, the more your players will question their assumptions, latch onto new storylines, and stay engaged.

BEING CINEMATIC

As the director, take cues from the silver screen to craft memorable scenes. If you see things getting bogged down, fast-forward the heroes into the midst of danger. If a dungeon feels too easy, go full director, and allow your players to describe their fast-motion rampage. After a difficult battle, slow things down to highlight the triumph and joy of victory. Most importantly, shine the spotlight on your stars.
If a player wants to try something crazy, zoom in and focus on the deed. Some of the most memorable scenes come from heroes breaking from the expected path or going big and failing massively, such as Harrison Ford shooting the swordsman in Raiders of the Lost Ark or Sam Jackson and Dwayne Johnson aiming for the bushes in The Other Guys. Reward your players for setting up cool lines, desperate actions, and heart-wrenching plot twists, even if they fail.

BEING FUN

Combining creativity and cinema should have you well on your way to an uproarious time. But keep in mind everyone should be having fun. A long cinematic scene can ruin your session if it involves only one hero. Railroading everyone into your storyline, no matter how creative you made it, will bore your players.
Players want to play the game. Let them make big decisions, even if it throws a wrench in your plans.
Additionally, players want to play a game. The best games have clear goals. If your players aren't catching your subtler hooks into the story, have someone run screaming at them for help. If they're stuck on a puzzle, give a hero's familiar an epiphany.
First and foremost, The Pen & Dagger RPG is a game. When everyone is having fun, no matter how it’s happening, you’re doing it right.