the 36 Dramatic Situations Each situation is stated, then followed by the necessary elements for each situation and a brief description. 1. Supplication a persecutor; a suppliant; a power in authority, whose decision is doubtful. The suppliant appeals to the power in authority for deliverance from the persecutor. The power in authority may be a distinct person or be merely an attribute of the persecutor, e.g. a weapon suspended in their hand. The suppliant may also be two persons, the Persecuted and the Intercessor, an example of which is Esther interceding to the king on behalf of the Jews for deliverance from the king’s chief advisor. 2. Deliverance an unfortunate; a threatener; a rescuer The unfortunate has caused a conflict, and the threatener is to carry out justice, but the rescuer saves the unfortunate. Examples: Ifigenia in Tauride, Deliverance; Superman (1941 film) 3. Crime Pursued by Vengeance a criminal; an avenger The criminal commits a crime that will not see justice, so the avenger seeks justice by punishing the criminal. Example: The Count of Monte Cristo 4. Vengeance taken for kin upon kin Guilty Kinsman; an Avenging Kinsman; remembrance of the Victim, a relative of both. Two entities, the Guilty and the Avenging Kinsmen, are put into conflict over wrongdoing to the Victim, who is allied to both. Example: Hamlet 5. Pursuit punishment; a fugitive the fugitive flees punishment for a misunderstood conflict. Example: Les Misérables, The Fugitive 6. Disaster a vanquished power; a victorious enemy or a messenger The vanquished power falls from their place after being defeated by the victorious enemy or being informed of such a defeat by the messenger. Example: Agamemnon (play) 7. Falling prey to cruelty/misfortune an unfortunate; a master or a misfortune The unfortunate suffers from misfortune and/or at the hands of the master. Example: Job (biblical figure) 8. Revolt a tyrant; a conspirator The tyrant, a cruel power, is plotted against by the conspirator. Example: Julius Caesar (play) 9. Daring Enterprise a bold leader; an object; an adversary The bold leader takes the object from the adversary by overpowering the adversary. Example: Queste del Saint Graal; The Lord of the Rings; Raiders of the Lost Ark 10. Abduction an abductor; the abducted; a guardian The abductor takes the abducted from the guardian. Example: Helen of Troy 11. The Enigma a problem; an interrogator; a seeker The interrogator poses a problem to the seeker and gives a seeker better ability to reach the seeker’s goals. Example: Oedipus and the Sphinx; The Batman (film) 12. Obtaining (a Solicitor & an adversary who is refusing) or (an arbitrator & opposing parties) The solicitor is at odds with the adversary who refuses to give the solicitor an object in the possession of the adversary, or an arbitrator decides who gets the object desired by opposing parties (the solicitor and the adversary). Example: Apple of Discord 13. Enmity of kin a Malevolent Kinsman; a Hated or a reciprocallyhating Kinsman The Malevolent Kinsman and the Hated or a second Malevolent Kinsman conspire together. Example: As You Like It 14. Rivalry of kin the Preferred Kinsman; the Rejected Kinsman; the Object of Rivalry The Object of Rivalry chooses the Preferred Kinsman over the Rejected Kinsman. Example: Wuthering Heights 15. Murderous adultery two Adulterers; a Betrayed Spouse Two Adulterers conspire to kill the Betrayed Spouse. Example: Clytemnestra, Aegisthus, Double Indemnity 51 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions
16. Madness a Madman; a Victim The Madman goes insane and wrongs the Victim. Example: The Shining (novel) 17. Fatal imprudence the Imprudent; a Victim or an Object Lost The Imprudent, by neglect or ignorance, loses the Object Lost or wrongs the Victim. Example: Kris Kelvin and his wife in Solaris (1972 film) 18. Involuntary crimes of love a Lover; a Beloved; a Revealer The Lover and the Beloved have unknowingly broken a taboo through their romantic relationship, and the Revealer reveals this to them. Example: Oedipus, Jocasta and the messenger from Corinth. 19. Slaying of kin unrecognized the Slayer; an Unrecognized Victim The Slayer kills the Unrecognized Victim. Example: Oedipus and Laius 20. Self-sacrifice for an ideal a Hero; an Ideal; a Creditor or a Person/Thing sacrificed The Hero sacrifices the Person or Thing for their Ideal, which is then taken by the Creditor. Example: The gospel 21. Self-sacrifice for kin a Hero; a Kinsman; a Creditor or a Person/Thing sacrificed The Hero sacrifices a Person or Thing for their Kinsman, which is then taken by the Creditor. Example: The gospel 22. All sacrificed for passion a Lover; an Object of fatal Passion; the Person/Thing sacrificed A Lover sacrifices a Person or Thing for the Object of their Passion, which is then lost forever. Example: Breaking Bad (2008 television show) 23. Necessity of sacrificing loved ones a Hero; a Beloved Victim; the Necessity for the Sacrifice The Hero wrongs the Beloved Victim because of the Necessity for their Sacrifice. Example: Binding of Isaac 24. Rivalry of superior vs. inferior a Superior Rival; an Inferior Rival; the Object of Rivalry An Inferior Rival bests a Superior Rival and wins the Object of Rivalry. Example: Godzilla vs. Kong 25. Adultery two Adulterers; a Deceived Spouse Two Adulterers conspire against the Deceived Spouse. Brothers (2009 film) 26. Crimes of love a Lover; the Beloved A Lover and the Beloved break a taboo by initiating a romantic relationship Example: Sigmund and his sister in The Valkyrie, or the Lannisters in Game of Thrones 27. Discovery of the dishonour of a loved one a Discoverer; the Guilty One The Discoverer discovers the wrongdoing committed by the Guilty One. 28. Obstacles to love two Lovers; an Obstacle Two Lovers face an Obstacle together. Example: Romeo and Juliet 29. An enemy loved a Lover; the Beloved Enemy; the Hater The allied Lover and Hater have diametrically opposed attitudes towards the Beloved Enemy. 30. Ambition an Ambitious Person; a Thing Coveted; an Adversary The Ambitious Person seeks the Thing Coveted and is opposed by the Adversary. Example: Macbeth 31. Conflict with a god a Mortal; an Immortal The Mortal and the Immortal enter a conflict. Example: Jacob wrestling with the angel; Sam and Dean Winchester of Supernatural fighting their destinies as the vessels of Michael and Lucifer 32. Mistaken jealousy a Jealous One; an Object of whose Possession He is Jealous; a Supposed Accomplice; a Cause or an Author of the Mistake The Jealous One falls victim to the Cause or the Author of the Mistake and becomes jealous of the Object and becomes conflicted with the Supposed Accomplice. 52 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions
33. Erroneous judgment a Mistaken One; a Victim of the Mistake; a Cause or Author of the Mistake; the Guilty One The Mistaken One falls victim to the Cause or the Author of the Mistake and passes judgment against the Victim of the Mistake when it should be passed against the Guilty One instead. 34. Remorse a Culprit; a Victim or the Sin; an Interrogator The Culprit wrongs the Victim or commits the Sin, and is at odds with the Interrogator who seeks to understand the situation. Example: No Exit: The Bourne Supremacy 35. Recovery of a lost one a Seeker; the One Found The Seeker finds the One Found. Example: A Very Long Engagement, Finding Nemo 36. Loss of loved ones a Kinsman Slain; a Kinsman Spectator; an Executioner The killing of the Kinsman Slain by the Executioner is witnessed by the Kinsman. Example: Braveheart, Gladiator (2000 film) The Seven Basic Plots Written by Christopher Booker and containing a Junginfluenced analysis of stories and their psychological meaning, The Seven Basic Plots simplifies and refines the 36 dramatic situations as follows: 1. Overcoming the Monster. The protagonist sets out to defeat an antagonistic force (often evil) that threatens the protagonist and/or protagonist’s homeland. Examples: Perseus, Theseus, Beowulf, Dracula, The War of the Worlds, Nicholas Nickleby, The Guns of Navarone, Seven Samurai (The Magnificent Seven), James Bond, Jaws, Star Wars, Naruto. 2. Rags to Riches. The poor protagonist acquires power, wealth, and/or a mate, loses it all and gains it back, growing as a person as a result. Examples: Cinderella, Aladdin, Jane Eyre, A Little Princess, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Moll Flanders, The Prince and the Pauper, The Ugly Duckling, The Gold Rush, The Jerk. 3. The Quest. The protagonist and companions set out to acquire an important object or to get to a location. They face temptations and other obstacles along the way. Examples: The Iliad, The Pilgrim’s Progress, The Lord of the Rings, King Solomon’s Mines, The Divine Comedy, Watership Down, The Aeneid, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. 4. Voyage and Return. The protagonist goes to a strange land and, after overcoming the threats it poses or learning important lessons unique to that location, they return with experience. Examples: Ramayana, Odyssey, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Orpheus, The Time Machine, Peter Rabbit, The Hobbit, Brideshead Revisited, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Gone with the Wind, The Third Man, The Lion King, Back to the Future, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Gulliver’s Travels, Peter Pan, The Epic of Gilgamesh. 5. The Comedy. Light and humorous in character with a happy or cheerful ending; a dramatic work in which the central motif is the triumph over adverse circumstance, resulting in a successful or happy conclusion. Booker stresses that comedy is more than humor. It refers to a pattern where the conflict becomes more and more confusing, but is at last made plain in a single clarifying event. The majority of romance films fall into this category. Examples: The Wasps, Aurularia, The Arbitration, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew, The Alchemist, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Big Lebowski. 6. Tragedy. The protagonist is a hero with a major character flaw or great mistake which is ultimately their undoing. Their unfortunate end evokes pity at their folly and the fall of a fundamentally good character. Examples: Anna Karenina, Bonnie and Clyde, Carmen, Citizen Kane, John Dillinger, Jules et Jim, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Madame Bovary, Oedipus Rex, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Romeo and Juliet, Hamilton, The Great Gatsby. 7. Rebirth. An event forces the main character to change their ways and often become a better individual. Examples: Pride and Prejudice, The Frog Prince, Beauty and the Beast, The Snow Queen, A Christmas Carol, The Secret Garden, Peer Gynt, Groundhog Day. So what’s the Point, already!? Every story you’ve read or written all contain one or more of the elements listed above. You will never write a story that doesn’t include at least one of the 36 dramatic situations or touch on one of the seven basic plots. If you manage to avoid all these basics of human storytelling, your tale will be dull and conflict-free, probably about going grocery shopping and coming home to put milk in your fridge without incident. And that, friend, is wonderfully ok! Storytelling is about making connections and speaking to deeper truths about the world around you through fiction. You don’t have to create everything from scratch to have a good tale, you simply have to arrange your puzzle pieces in a way that grips the audience and gets them thinking. Your goal is not pure originality, don’t get stuck trying. 53 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions
The Rakshasan Caliphate 54 PART 4 | Rakshasan Caliphate
Introducing Gromm’s Villains The good folk of Gromm fear the Tiger Devils, who have dominated the remaining human tribes. While the Rakshasa were defeated in the First Tiger War, they have not been expelled from Gromm, and within the domain of the Rakshasan Caliphate, their power still grows. Using some of the plots outlined at the end of the Candlekeep Conversion, this chapter will explore the major conflict threating Gromm through an open, exploratory lens. First, we’ll explore what makes a Rakshasa tick. Classically, Rakshasas (literal translation ‘preservers’) are a race of usually malevolent demigods prominently featured in Hindu mythology. According to the Brahmanda Purana, the rakshasas were created by Brahma when he assumed a body of tamas (darkness), the beings springing forth and promising to protect the waters of creation. They are often depicted to be maneaters (hence the Tiger facade they wear in Dungeons and Dragons), acting as embodiments of the powers of evil in the Vedic scriptures. In the world of the Ramayana and Mahabharata in Hindu epics, Rakshasas were a populous race. There were both kind and cruel rakshasas, and as warriors they fought alongside the armies of both good and evil. They were powerful warriors, expert magicians and illusionists. As shape-changers, they could assume different physical forms. As illusionists, they were capable of creating appearances which were real to those who believed in them or who failed to dispel them. Rakshasa in D&D Rakshasas in Dungeons and Dragons are a dignified race of duplicitous outsiders that mostly dwell on the Material Plane. They were reviled as devious sorcerers, political puppeteers and thought to be an embodiment of evil. A connection to evil is not always the case, as with Valantajar of Waterdeep a clear cut example of a kind and good-aligned Rakshasa. The true form of a rakshasa was almost never seen due to their ability to assume almost any humanoid figure, but their lavish taste ensured they were almost always wearing the finest garments and most precious jewelry. Their true forms are most commonly humanoids with the heads of tigers and luxurious fur to match their attire. Gromm’s Tyrants The Rakshasa of the Caliphate combine the habits of a predatory aristocrat with those of an indolent cat, savoring the finest art, music, literature, clothing, weapons and armor while spending large amounts of time lazily resting in their comforts and prowling unseen. Powerful magic, lost spells, arcane tomes and secret lore, particularly those of the evil variety, are of special interest to these born sorcerers. Slaves are collected the same as any other form of art, and expected to indulge every whim of their cruel master. Since their arrival on Gromm, the tiger tyrants have displayed their true identities for all to see while in their lands. They often take the form of locals to travel the plane, terrorizing and enslaving those at the edges of the simian democracy. While the barbarian human population submitted to the Rakshasa willingly, seeing them as gods, the Grommam demigods lead a resitance to their influence, some Grommam warriors even chasing their trails to hunt them across the face of the supercontinent. These hunts almost invariably end in failure if not led directly by a grommam demigod… 55 PART 4 | Rakshasan Caliphate
How many Devil Tigers? The country is led by a rakshasa named Shivarr. A council of his five children help him administrate and run the state. If Shivarr is killed, one of his children will assume his throne. This process is likely to be anything but peaceful, each of his children determined to wear the crown. The Caliphate’s Military Schemes aside, the relatively small state hosts a massive military force consisiting of over 300,000 human Berserkers under the command of some 50 Warlords. The humans are divided by tribe, and sometimes an unruly warlord will lead his crazed warriors out into the greater world to raid and pillage. The Rakshasa Pashas, of course, deny any knowledge or culpability for the humans who sneak across Caliphate borders to attack their neighbors. The tigers draw the loyalty of Papio warlords through delivering them shipments of firearms. Should players spend much time on Gromm, the Rakshasa’s goal is to unite the baboon-men into the Papio Confederacy, convincing them as Kong’s chosen they deserve dominion over all other simians- the same yarn they feed their human worshippers. In addition to firearms, they will provide the new Confederate Army many horses, creating cavalry divisions with the range to threaten the simian democracy from Sunthrone to Cape Knievel. Methods to Conquest While military conquest is the Rakshasa Caliphate’s goal, using their army of human barbarians and Papio defectors equipped with firearms, they employ a variety of schemes and evils to assault the peoples of Gromm as they prepare to launch the Second Tiger War. One of these is a terrifying poison: Rage Toxin The Rakshasa have developed a potion that reduces the intelligence of a creature to lower animal levels and induces rage. Testing the potion on captured bonob, the Rakshasa were delighted to note a full regression to animalistic behaviors and intelligence. Once highly intelligent humanoids, the test subjects had reverted to simple Apes. (If you wanted to turn steampunk planet of the apes into a zombie survival story, that’s your in… ) A Vanara struggling against rage toxin smashes apart their room and screams at himself in a mirror, no longer recognizing his own face. 56 PART 4 | Rakshasan Caliphate
5 7 P A R T 4 | R a k s h a s a n C a l i p h a t e
5 8 P A R T 4 | R a k s h a s a n C a l i p h a t e
5 9 P A R T 4 | R a k s h a s a n C a l i p h a t e
So long, and thanks for all the Banya fruit! The Voidfarer’s Guide to the Verse will return in Volume 5: the Rise of the Rifters! 60 PART 5 | See ya next time, Space Cowboy!