User Blog:
LARP Plot Tips: Contacts and Boons

 
There is a natural drive for people to seek some way to define their character. This is why one of the most difficult tasks a plot member has is determining the loot that goes out when they're running a game. Too often, players define their character by their possessions rather than the story.

Usually, plot gives rewards in the form of items and currency. This type of reward tells the players that this game is about loot. Players will start to downplay the role-playing aspect of the game and look more towards upgrading their gear and buying a bigger estate.

There is a much better reward that you can give players that can improve both your storyline and the game as a whole - Contacts and Boons.

Say a character just saved the Mayor of the town's daughter from bandits. The easy solution would be to pay the character with gold and items and be done with it. That player now has a value associated with rescue and will use that value to determine action in the future.

Instead, plot decides that the mayor is now indebted to that character. He gives him a letter with his personal seal, stating that the mayor is willing to help the character in the future, should the need arise. Here are the benefits of using contacts and boons.

1. Role-playing is promoted
Since the reward in this case is a contact, the player can receive a higher reward by interacting with the contact in order to cultivate the relationship. Since we're playing a role-playing game and not World of Warcraft, this rewards proper gameplay while putting little emphasis on loot accumulation.

2. Character Comparison
Characters often use out-of-game mechanics to compare themselves to others. Every time someone mentions hit points or levels, the game becomes less emersive. Making contacts a regular reward in the game lets players talk about the contacts they have instead of their level - keeping everyone in-game and in-character.

3. Plot Device
This contact is now a great plot device for getting information into game. Many times as plot I've had the PC's miss clues and misinterpret information given in modules. Contacts give an in-game way to remind characters what information is important and what leads to follow.