Supporting Characters

Supporting characters are created and fleshed out during the game by any participant, and portrayed by the GM.

They break into two types: minor and recurring. This is mostly a bookkeeping distinction, sorting the tangential figures from those who will play an important ongoing role in the series.

The GM, or a player given bookkeeping responsibilities, should keep a list of characters appearing in the series, updating it as necessary. Separate them into the two categories, with special attention paid to the recurring characters.

Minor Characters

Minor characters provide obstacles during procedural scenes. They do not tie into the desires of main cast members or satisfy their emotional needs.

Alternately, they may be mentioned in passing, without taking a central role in the scene. They’re the equivalent of Shakespearean spear-carriers.

Many recurring characters start out as minor, then become more important when a PC develops an emotional need they can fulfill.

Introducing Minor Characters

Characters are introduced for the first time either by the caller, at the top of a scene, or by any participant, while a scene is already in progress.

When bringing in a new character, give him or her a name and a brief description, no more than two or three clauses long. The brief description indicates the minor character’s role in the world or story, giving the GM enough of a starting point to portray him.

Recurring Characters

A player can promote a minor character to recurring status by making him or her the object of his character’s emotional needs.

Some characters start out as recurring, when their first appearance is a dramatic scene in which they are called upon to grant a PCs’ petition.

Players may establish relationships to recurring characters promoted by other players. Do this during any scene featuring both your character and the recurring character.

Recurring characters may act as petitioners, seeking grants from players, but never other recurring characters.

The GM keeps a single pool of drama tokens which represents all of the recurring characters. This is distinct from the kitty. It is possible, for example, to make a force for one recurring character using two tokens garnered by granting on behalf of two other recurring characters in two separate previous scenes.