Untitled - Index of - Free

ecome violent. The Troupe can look through old insur­
ance claims, or check old burglary records. They can
question the department store owner, who won't be very
helpful for obvious reasons. A few more nameless people
will die on the streets from drug overdoses, just to let the
Actors know they're under a time constraint. Eventually,
the store owner will settle with the insurance company,
and then he'll start using political pressure to strangle the
DEA's investigation. He'll be uninterested in pursuing the
theft any further. Pinch I will come when the Troupe's boss
at the DEA tells them they're on the wrong track, and he's
getting heat from above, so they'd better stop hassling
that poor innocent department store owner. This is the
point at which the Troupe will be sure they've got the right
guy, and will be their cue to turn up the heat to full blast.
This Scene leads to the surveillance that bears fruit at the
awards ceremony, during the Midpoint.
Example of Pinch II
The context of the second half of Act II is the attack.
How are the Actors going to hurt the drug ring, and the
department store owner specifically? During the Mid­
point, the Actors should have uncovered how the drugs
are being shipped, and when the next shipment is due.
The Troupe plans a DEA raid, and Pinch II becomes the
seizure of the drug shipment. The rest of this half of Act
II is taken up with storage of the drugs, in preparation for
disposal, and an attempt at revenge by the department
store owner, who's now on the run. Eventually, the Troupe
132 Theatr1x - The Core Rules
gets the fateful call at Plot Turn II, which swings the drama
towards the final confrontation.
TIMING
The way Act I, II, and Ill get split up among your
game sessions is going to vary from Episode to Episode.
However, we suggest that, in general, you shoot for about
a four session split. That is, Act I gets played out in one
session, ending with Plot Turn I. Act II gets split up among
two sessions, the first ending on the Midpoint, and the
second ending on Plot Tum II. Act Ill should take up the
fourth session, at the end of which your Troupe may deal
with the issue of downtime, and of assigning the Director
for the next Episode. This sequence is going to vary, and
it's hardly ever going to be so neat. Some Episodes may
be designed for more play than can fit into four sessions,
and some may be shorter, taking only a session or two. Of
course, how much time your Troupe can allot to each
session is also going to make a lot of difference. As a very
rough average, about four to six hours per session is
probably about right, although your Troupe will find its
own pace and rhythm. If you can end a session at a major
break point, then that's ideal. This gives each session the
feeling of a cliff-hanger, and leaves your Actors hungry for
a little more.