ESCAPE THE DOOM!

Imagine an open-world game in The Song of Ice and Fire, aka Game of Thrones. This will demonstrate how to use layers in NPCs to create some knives (a poignant problem the NPC has and uses to persuade the PC to accomplish a task for the NPC) to reward a PC for not mashing the X button, without punishing the PC who does just to get to the action. This is easily accomplished by making the NPC like a layer cake, with the top layer giving basic, simple, terse instructions, with the middle layer having a balance of gameplay and narrative (and a knife or two), with the bottom layer made entirely of story and a twist, preferably with a knife or two thrown in there.

Define the world of the game.

We are in the world of The Song of Ice and Fire, known by commoners as The Game of Thrones; we are at a pivotal time in this world, before The Game, even before The Dance of the Dragons, as The Doom emerges to devour all of Valyria. The PC's role is a minor Valyrian noble and dragonrider during The Doom.

Rough description of the character, defining their role in this world

You, a minor noble and the last zaldrīzāeksiō (dragonriders) of your family, must discover the source of The Doom, find your dragon, and escape with the knowledge before The Doom destroys everything…and you! 

Briefly, what is their personality like?

You are short-tempered, honor-bound, dismissive of commoners, and ferocious in battle, be it with a sword in your hand or with a dragon underneath you! (Probably some overcompensation for being the youngest red-headed adopted stepchild of a minor, minor, almost extinct noble family.)

Define the NPC’s task.

The NPC (the character’s long-faithful servant) needs to tell the player that Valyria is being destroyed by The Doom, that they need to find the reasons why to prevent The Doom from spreading, and to find their dragon to fly away and save the knowledge and the family line.

Define the stakes for the NPC.

The devoted servant, who raised the main character, wants only to see his/her surrogate child survive, and get the knowledge to prevent a recurrence, since the servant is too old to make it out and cannot ride a dragon.

Define what will happen if the player fails.

The knowledge to prevent The Doom from spreading will be lost and the world will be consumed.

The family line will end and the dragon bound to the main character will die alone.

The main character will die and not accomplish their mission to save themselves, precious knowledge, their dragon, and the entire world. Typical savior stuff.

Define the word of advice you’ll share with the player in the middle layer of your layer cake.

Once The Doom devours a place, you will no longer be able to go there, so use your limited time well!

What surprise can you reveal in the final layer of your layer cake?

The long-devoted servant has left the secret of your real parents’ names in a pouch on your dragon’s saddle. And your dragon is pregnant!

PC/NPC CONVERSATION WITH LAYER CAKE AND KNIFE THEORY

Top layer

NPC: Zaldrīzāeksiōs (Dragonrider!) Wake up! Take your sword and armor and flee or The Doom shall devour you! Uncover its source lest it spread, find your dragon, and escape. Ah! Death has come for me, Zaldrīzāeksiōs, but you can still survive. Remember! What do we say to the God of Death? Tūbī daor! (Not today)

DIALOGUE OPTION ONE (leading to action):

PC: Kostilus, buzdaris, yn sōvegon yno bēvilza. Valar morghulis. (Thank you, servant, but I must fly. All men must die.)

NPC: Valar dohaeris. (All men must serve.)

DIALOGUE OPTION TWO (leading into middle layer):

PC: Skoros yydrā, jorrāelizarzys buzdaris ñuhys? (What are you saying, my beloved servant?)

Middle layer

NPC: Yne ryptā? (Did you hear me?) Take up your family’s Valyrian steel sword and don your zaldrizaeksiomisvos, (dragon rider armor). They will protect you from wicked men in your path. Go to the city center and find a Maester, dressed in brown and draped in heavy chains, for one might know why The Doom has come, and Gods willing, how to stop it. Tarry not, as once The Doom claims an area, there is no return. Then hasten to the vilinio zaldrījudiry (harbor’s dragonpit) to find your dragon, Abraxes, and escape the creeping cloud of death, The Doom. Jās! (Go!)

DIALOGUE OPTION ONE (leading to action):

PC: Kostilus, buzdaris, yn sōvegon yno bēvilza. Valar morghulis. (Thank you, servant, but I must fly. All men must die.)

NPC: Valar dohaeris. (All men must serve.)

DIALOGUE OPTION TWO (leading into bottom layer):

PC: Ūī raketon daor! Aōt syt tōlī mundīnna, raqiros ñuhys! (I can’t take part in this! I will too be sad for you, my friend!)

Bottom layer

NPC: Kostilus, yno syt līmagon daor. (Please, do not cry for me). I was happy to serve your kind and noble family, and know you to be a worthy heir. Since you were long ago adopted and your parents’ names kept a secret from you, I managed to find their names and hid it in your dragon’s saddle for you. Do not delay! Abraxes carries the future of your house and hers: she is pregnant and will need to lay her eggs soon! You must try to contain this creeping horror, The Doom, and escape. Geros ilas, jaedo taobus dōnus ñuhus! (Farewell, my sweet summer child!) 

PC: Kostilus, buzdaris, yn sōvegon yno bēvilza. Valar morghulis. (Thank you, servant, but I must fly. All men must die.)

NPC: Valar dohaeris. (All men must serve.)