Assorted rules for Sequel Sagas (Freebie)

If run by the book, BREAK!! gives players a good indication of where to end a saga. Namely, achieving Rank 10 and going on one final big adventure to wrap up a game. What happens next depends on your group - it's very likely you'll take a different game for a spin. You might also play BREAK!! again with a brand new saga with a fresh take on Outer World (or wherever your game happens to take place). However, it can also be a lot of fun to stick with the game world you established with one saga and build on it further. 

We'll refer to these as Sequel Sagas (to contrast with starting a new game with a clean slate) for the sake of this entry. Here we'll discuss a few simple ideas and rules that can be used to connect one saga to another. These are grouped into broader categories based around the considerations they necessitate. 

Character Legacy

One of the most important parts of starting a sequel saga is knowing what happened to the characters of the previous one. Rank 10 characters represent powerful, unique individuals in Outer World. While there is a limit to what any one person can do, their actions can have a profound influence when focused. As a saga winds down, it can be helpful to have players consider what the characters will do after the game is done and what legacy they will leave behind. The exact nature of this can vary a great deal depending on the individual character and how much time has passed between sagas, but some examples include:

• Dedicates their life to some lofty or difficult goal. 
• The fact they accomplished something great or even just attempted it is enough to make tales of their deeds spread far and wide. If the next party traces their steps or otherwise interacts with the results of their quest, they should gain a bonus Objective Experience point for the session.
• Settles into an organization or location.
• The character has become a sort of shared GMC between the original player and the GM. An appropriate GMC type should be selected for the characters new position. Allies and Quest Givers are the most likely positions, but if the player is on board with it they might even be a Villain.
• If this option is chosen, the GM and Player should work out how much control the player has over their old character. Think carefully on this: while it's fun to step into the shoes of an old favorite here and again, they might run the risk of overshadowing the new group or otherwise disrupting the game. 
• Takes on a protege or two.
• The previous character acted as mentor or teacher for one of the characters in the new party. The new character begins play with a Social Bond with their mentor and is able to learn a Standard Elective Ability that their teacher knew in lieu of one they could normally take upon attaining an even numbered Rank. 
• This one is fun, but should be handled on a case by case basis as it allows characters to take abilities from outside of their Calling's list.

Connected Threads and Setting Changes

Events within the previous saga no doubt caused ripples that will carry into new ones. Noting these ripples and using them to inspire new adventures and events is a particularly effective way to make players feel like their actions and decisions had weight. Naturally, these can take the form of both bad and good consequences.

•  If a villainous GMC (or one of their lackeys) survived their clash with the characters, they might continue a plan that was left unfulfilled in the previous saga or reformed to become another GMC type instead.
• The players actions might have inspired long lasting change in a settlement or region. Taking down a despotic lord might lead to a power vacuum or some sort of structural reform. Ruins cleansed of arcane pollution might become the base of operations for a new faction. If an aggressive beast that lorded over an area was  pacified or driven off, it might give access to new places for the party to explore.
• The party may have gotten famous enough to have their stories told through song, art, and even notable performances - all likely to contain embellishments and inaccuracies.

  

Unlockable Character Options

While the default is that any character options on in the book, having the players "unlock" them through play (in the same way you might earn new options in a video game) can be a fun way to bring new options to the attention of your players.

• Additional Callings and Calling Variants could be earned by meeting a member of those Callings, besting them in an encounter, or accomplishing some quest connected to them. For example, gathering some magical instruments for an adventure in one saga could unlock the Balladeer for the next one.
• By the same token, exploring certain locations or meeting a member of a new species  could make them available for player characters in a sequel saga.
• If you want, you might even make it so that even options in the core book are limited at first. For example, you might only allow Factotums, Sneaks, Champions, and Raiders for your initial saga and have it so that magical crystals must be found to unlock the magic using callings. This is another tricky one to implement, but could allow for some very unique games! 

One additional thing to consider is how much time has passed between the new Saga and the previous one. Will it pick up right after the previous one ended, or a century after? It's important to keep this in mind as it can limit how the sagas connect.

 

How you connect Sagas will ultimately come down to what works for your game, and will more than likely include numerous variations on the above and brand new ones of your own (or your player's) invention. This is a chance for you and your players to help carve out your own version of Outer World, or further define a custom setting, so be sure to have fun with it if you do decide to use any of these options.