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Consider introducing some atypical scenes. These break up the pace of things, impart information otherwise unavailable to the characters, and enrich the world.

Flashbacks are a useful tool. Just as we don’t know everything about the stars of Battlestar Galactica, players never define every aspect of their

characters at the start of a campaign. Use flashbacks to fill in those gaps in history or personality, moments when a character is lost in their own memories. A flashback connects a character to previous knowledge, past relationships, old opinions, or deeply held causes. It may simply remind them from whence they’ve come. The particular scene can be picked to reflect on their current situation.

Dream scenes are more open-ended. In a dream, you have carte blanche to create whatever sort of strange, pseudo-experiences you like. You can place the character in situations that could never happen or that reflect internal turmoil. The right dream could encourage a player to embrace a forgotten or marginalized aspect of his character.

Dreams can also take on a larger role. They might be imparted by another source, inspired perhaps by faith or supernatural power. These dreams are often prophetic or mysterious, shedding a subconscious light on the current plotline. They might grant clues to the path to Earth or some other critical event that may change the fate of the human race.

Finally, you might want to try a cut scene. In these, the story “cuts away” from our heroes and focuses for a short time on something or someone they can’t see and don’t know about. A classic example is a short scene where the enemy is shown plotting against the player characters. References to the exact threat are left obscure to maintain the mystery of it, but the danger to come is foreshadowed. Telling players that the Cylons are their enemy and they have a plan is one thing. Giving them a glimpse into the machinations and scheming of the human-model Cylons makes that threat much more real.

Unusual scenes should be used sparingly. You have principal control over them, and they are used to impart certain information or highlight a mood. That means the players interact less. They watch more

Game Master

Climax

Eventually, it all comes to a head, a moment where you’ve got fate in your hands. A particular plot line should reach its most crucial point. Success or failure is in the balance. Important questions may get answered. The characters are given their greatest tests, and the most is at stake should they fail. Either way, the plot is resolved and relationships may never be the same.

Do the characters achieve what they’ve set out to do? If not, was the struggle worth it anyway? Is what they sought still important to them? Will they try again another day? The climax is the tipping point and events cannot be undone. Characters make choices, the die is cast, and all must live with the results.

Planning an impressive climax can be tricky. The scene must be flexible enough that choices made during the rising action don’t render it meaningless or impossible. For example, if the climax scene is tied to a particular player character, and that character doesn’t survive to reach the scene, that’s a problem. Focus on the key elements that really make the climax impressive. Will it be mortal combat? A political test, the loser forever shamed in the eyes of the fleet? Will a great secret be revealed which changes people’s attitudes and beliefs? Once that’s set, let the details become sharper as the action rises and the exact circumstances of the final scene become more defined.

The setting for the climax can be vitally important. Consider places and situations that add to the sense of drama or increase the stakes even higher. Space battles within an asteroid field, a gunfight in a dangerous factory ship, closing arguments before a military tribunal, or a race across the face of Kobol all make exciting settings for a plot climax.

Resolution

Climaxes usually lead straight into some kind of resolution. Once the high point of an adventure has been faced, what happens next? What are the consequences of the player characters’ decisions? Do others’ opinions of the characters change? Did success earn them promotion, new opportunities, coveted possessions, respect, friendship, or something else? Did failure, in whole or in part, rob them of something vital?

Take it a step deeper, and consider the effects on nonplayer characters. Who won and lost given how things played out? How does that affect their relationship with the player characters and with other NPCs. What about institutional repercussions?

Is society as a whole changed? How do the “powers that be” adjust their goals and plans?

And after it hits the fan, there’s usually a lot of cleanup to do. Characters tie up loose ends and address hanging issues from earlier in the adventure. Less important decisions, deferred due to the rising action, may now be addressed. Though happy to have survived and perhaps achieved their ends, the PCs may wish to discuss their future course of action.

Now is also a good time to see how characters have grown and changed. After the heat of an adventure is over, they may realize that relationships they did not value before have become much more important. They may have acquired new skills or a new role in life. They may make choices that alienate them from the other player characters. Players who embrace these possibilities deserve Plot Points for staying true to their characters and letting them grow, especially if the change doesn’t bring an obvious benefit.

New Traits might be acquired if the past events and current circumstances warrant. Enemies might have been made or privileges lost. Allies could be revealed, a particular skill or talent discovered.

At this point, you and the players should discuss how the game is going. Mention the high points and low points, the good and the bad. Some things might have worked better than others, or the characters might seek new challenges. You all may decide to change the tone or direction of the campaign. A Caprican resistance campaign might have been fun, but now the players want to be reunited with the fleet and explore new kinds of stories. They might identify a particular nonplayer character and want to know more about him. A situation left unresolved appears intriguing. Consider their comments and suggestions. Use them to prepare new plotlines.

Scenes

Scenes are the building blocks of adventures. Each scene details a bit of the Battlestar Galactica world. Remember, your descriptions let the player characters see, smell, or feel the game world. When crafting a scene and portraying it at the gaming table, consider all five senses. Describe what they see first, to provide a frame of reference. Follow it with notable sounds or smells. Suggest likely feelings the scene might impart: joy, fear, wonder, shame, hope, or nausea are a few possibilities. The richer your descriptions, the better the players understand the scene and see its role playing potential.

Each scene has many potential uses. It may end up imparting a clue. A relationship may be formed or a rivalry heightened. Emotions



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can be released or stoked to a higher pitch. Recall the campaign themes when working a scene—paranoia, desperation, heroism, or human nature itself can be referenced.

Scenes can also be used to simply blow off steam or release tension (before you crank it right back up). Let the characters have some fun every once in a while. A card game or pyramid match, a music recital or the discovery of a cache of Colonial treasures— these lighter moments contrast starkly with the dark themes of a campaign. Without a break, the darkness become less meaningful, like repetitive horror or gore that numbs over time.

Consider how the scene will engage the characters. If it is the location of a disaster, provide the characters with possible ways they can help, particularly those that involve personal challenges and risk. Will their actions help the situation, incite a passionate response, or be ignored? Will anyone engage the PCs, and what are their motives for doing so? Are there choices to be made, actions to be taken, or simply things to be witnessed in the scene.