Map Roleplay Factions Through Resources and Obligations
Give every faction something it can provide, something it needs and a commitment it cannot make twice. Draw a relation from one group to another when an action creates an exchange, an obligation or a refusal. Record the effect on any group left outside the deal.
Updated by the tempteo editorial team
The writing examples below are invented. They illustrate the advice and are not recorded chat results.
On this page
- Start with a collective relationship sheet
- Fill the three groups before offering an alliance
- Copyable scene starter
- Alliance A: deliver the tiles and pay the Cartwright promise
- Alliance B: take the trail and leave the heavy load
- Keep the full exchange and the third-party effect together
- Repair an obligation that disappeared
- Sources
- Copy a starter or worksheet
Start with a collective relationship sheet
Repeat the group fields for every group and the alliance fields for each alternate outcome.
Start with a collective relationship sheet
Shared event and initial state: Reader group, representative and control: AI groups and speaking representatives: Group name: Collective resource it can actually supply: Collective need: Existing obligation and limit: What it offers and requests: Directed relation before the agreement: Alliance parties: Full exchange and acceptance by each party: Action that fulfills each commitment, and when: Resources spent and resources retained: Outstanding obligation after the scene: Third group affected, including how it learns: Third group's response and lost relationship: Contrasted alliance from the same initial state: Different resource, obligation and third-party outcome: Next group decision still open: Forgotten commitment and last accepted state: Focused OOC repair:
A label such as "friendly" can stay beside the relation, but the owed action should be explicit: who owes what, to whom, and when. This original map uses no reputation score.
Blades in the Dark's Faction Game connects group actions with changes in relations and resources. That broad connection supplies method background here. Our caravan and obligation records use none of its Tier, Rep, Heat, war or dice rules.
The fair caravan is an original illustration with grown fictional representatives. The reader controls Lale for Ember Bakers; one AI portrays Bera for Cartwright Circle and Sol for Night Singers. These are illustrated turns, not measured product replies.
Fill the three groups before offering an alliance
Fill the three groups before offering an alliance
Shared event: The ridge fair opens at dawn tomorrow; the groups must move their supplies from the valley today. Reader group: Ember Bakers, represented by Lale. Reader controls Lale's words, feelings and decisions, including commitments on behalf of the Bakers. AI groups: Cartwright Circle, represented by Bera; Night Singers, represented by Sol. One AI portrays their representatives and the scene. Ember Bakers resource: Twenty-four packed loaves and the labor of two Bakers. Two heavy oven-tile crates wait in their yard. Ember Bakers need: Carry bread to the fair and recover full oven capacity there by transporting both tile crates. Their stall already has flour, fuel and a working small oven; fitting the tiles enlarges it. Ember Bakers limit: Its two workers can support only one traveling alliance today. Baking a promised batch at dawn delays the fair's first sale. Cartwright Circle resource: One freight cart and crew, able to carry the bread, two tile crates and its own axle together. No room for the Singers' two canvas rolls as well. Cartwright Circle need: Twelve loaves for its crew today and both Bakers' labor to unload the axle at the ridge workshop. At dawn it wants the Bakers' first batch for the workshop breakfast. Cartwright Circle limit: Without those two unloaders it stays in the valley to repair a small wagon. Its offered transport is not unconditional. Night Singers resource: Four pack ponies and trail knowledge. Two ponies can carry bread and the Singers' two canvas rolls; the other two are reserved for its own instruments. None can carry the heavy oven tiles. Night Singers need: Twelve loaves for its supper and six shared trail loaves, plus both Bakers' help erecting the canvas shelter at the fair. Night Singers limit: If its canvases are left behind, it performs on the small uncovered platform and withdraws its invitation to sing at the Bakers' stall. That invitation begins tentative, not earned. Initial relations: Bakers trade cordially with both groups. No alliance or payment is accepted. Cartwrights and Singers have no transport obligation to each other. Both offers require an explicit agreement.
Sol's tentative invitation is a relationship that can be lost. The Bakers' two workers are a collective constraint: making them conveniently available on both routes would remove the third group's consequence.
Copyable scene starter
OOC scene message
OOC: Ridge-fair caravan scene. The fair opens at dawn tomorrow; the groups move their supplies from the valley today. I control Lale, speaking for Ember Bakers, including their decisions, words and feelings. Portray Bera for Cartwright Circle and Sol for Night Singers; stop for my decisions. Bakers have twenty-four packed loaves, two workers and two heavy oven-tile crates. They need fair transport and want the tiles for a full oven. Their fair stall already has flour, fuel and a working small oven; fitting the tiles enlarges it. Their workers can join only one alliance today. Cartwrights offer one cart fitting bread, both tile crates and their own axle, with no room for the Singers' two canvas rolls. They require twelve loaves today, both Bakers unloading the axle at the ridge workshop, and the Bakers' first batch at dawn; that batch delays the first fair sale. Without the unloading help, Cartwrights stay in the valley repairing a small wagon. Singers offer four ponies and trail knowledge: two carry bread and both canvas rolls, two are reserved for instruments; none carries heavy tiles. They require twelve supper loaves, six shared trail loaves and both Bakers' help putting up the shelter. Leaving tiles means a smaller oven at the fair. Sol has tentatively invited singing at the Bakers' stall; if the canvases stay behind, Singers use the small uncovered platform and withdraw that invitation. No agreement, transport or payment has happened. Begin with both representatives asking what Lale proposes. Relations change through stated actions and communicated decisions; don't make every group accept every request or move my group offscreen.
Alliance A: deliver the tiles and pay the Cartwright promise
Your turn as Lale
"Bera, we'll take the cart. Twelve loaves for your crew, our two workers unload your axle, and you get our first batch at dawn. In return, carry our remaining bread and both tile crates to the fair."
Illustrative AI reply: Bera
"All of that fits. The axle must be unloaded at the ridge workshop before we go on to the fair. Are both your workers staying for that?"
Illustrative AI reply: Sol
"Then my canvases are still down here. I need an answer before I saddle the ponies."
Your turn as Lale
"Both Bakers will unload the axle first. Sol, we can't take the canvases or offer you those workers today. I understand that changes the stall invitation."
Illustrative AI reply
Bera accepts the stated exchange and opens the cart's tailboard. Sol rolls the canvases back into the Singers' shed. "We'll use the little platform. We won't sing at your stall this time." Sol's response follows Lale's communicated refusal; no one invents silent group knowledge.
Your turn as Lale
I hand over the twelve crew loaves. Our two Bakers load the remaining twelve and both tile crates. "Let's stop at the workshop as agreed."
Illustrative AI reply
Bera's crew loads its axle beside them. The cart reaches the ridge workshop, where Bera waits beside the heavy axle. "Our unloading comes first." No dawn baking has happened yet.
Your turn as Lale
Both Bakers help her crew unload the axle. We then continue to the fair, carry our bread and tile crates to the stall, and fit the tiles to enlarge the existing small oven.
Illustrative AI reply
The axle is at the workshop, and both tile crates reach the fair. The Bakers have fitted the tiles for full oven capacity; twelve sale loaves remain. Cartwright Circle's crew has received twelve loaves and the unloading labor. The Night Singers arrive with their instruments, but their canvases remain in the valley and their small-platform performance does not include the Bakers' stall.
Your turn as Lale, dawn
"Our first batch belongs to the workshop breakfast. We'll open the stall after it is delivered." The Bakers bake that batch and carry it to Bera's crew before putting bread out for sale.
Illustrative AI reply
Bera receives the promised batch. The Cartwright obligation is fulfilled. The Bakers' oven is complete, but the first customers have already bought breakfast elsewhere. Sol keeps the withdrawn invitation; fulfilling a promise to Cartwrights does not settle the Singers' loss.
At fair arrival, the tiles are delivered and the axle is at the workshop. Both Bakers have spent their labor on that route. They still owe the first dawn batch at that point and pay it in the dawn scene. Record the Singers' refusal separately from Bera's satisfaction; one representative cannot pardon a cost borne by another group.
Alliance B: take the trail and leave the heavy load
This alternate outcome starts with all twenty-four loaves and no accepted alliance. It is a separate version of the original choice.
Your turn as Lale
"Sol, we'll join your trail party. Twelve loaves for supper, six for the trail, and our two workers help put up both canvases. Carry the other six loaves to the fair. We'll leave the oven tiles here."
Illustrative AI reply: Sol
"Two ponies take the bread and rolls. The instrument ponies keep their load. Help with the shelter before you open the stall, and the singing invitation stands."
Illustrative AI reply: Bera
"Then I don't have the two unloaders. My cart stays here. I can't bring your tiles as a favor after you've committed the workers elsewhere."
Your turn as Lale
"Agreed, Sol: shelter before sales. Bera, we're declining your whole cart offer. Please don't hold a departure for us."
Illustrative AI reply
Sol accepts that agreement. Bera returns to the valley wagon repair; the axle has no ridge delivery today. Sol does not promise a later tile trip. The alternate alliance keeps its actual limits.
Your turn as Lale
I give Sol the twelve supper loaves and set aside six trail loaves. The Bakers load the six sale loaves and both canvas rolls onto the two available ponies, leaving the heavy crates in our yard. We walk the trail together, eating the six shared trail loaves on the way.
Illustrative AI reply
The pony party reaches the fair with six sale loaves, twelve supper loaves and both canvases. The tiles and Cartwright axle are still in the valley. Sol unpacks the shelter poles and waits for the agreed help.
Your turn as Lale
Both Bakers help the Singers erect the shelter today. At dawn tomorrow, we open our small oven stall.
Illustrative AI reply
The shelter stands. Sol's group has the twelve supper loaves, and the six trail loaves have been consumed. On the fair's evening, the Singers keep their promised stall performance. The Bakers sell from a smaller oven because the tiles never traveled. Cartwrights finish their valley repair but lose today's ridge axle delivery; Bera tells Lale that another cart trip will require a fresh exchange, with no current transport favor owed.
Your turn as Lale, morning after the Singers' stall performance
"We'll plan a later tile trip within a new deal. We'll keep baking small batches in our current oven. Don't promise Bera the Singers' supplies."
Illustrative AI reply
The Bakers retain the Singers' alliance and a usable shelter. The trail party carried six original loaves to the fair for sale. Their tile trip remains unarranged. Cartwright Circle's axle is still in the valley. No dawn batch is owed to Cartwrights in this version, because that deal was never accepted.
The shelter stands, and the Singers perform at the Bakers' stall. The oven stays small; the Cartwright axle never leaves the valley. Bera's refusal is consistent with the missing unloaders, rather than an unexplained punishment for choosing someone else.
Keep the full exchange and the third-party effect together
Keep the full exchange and the third-party effect together
Alliance A, Bakers -> Cartwrights: Accepted exchange: Twelve loaves today; two Bakers unload axle before fair arrival; first dawn batch to workshop breakfast. Cartwrights carry remaining twelve loaves, both tile crates and their own axle. Fulfillment: Crew loaves handed over before loading; axle unloaded at workshop; bread and tiles delivered to fair; dawn batch delivered next morning. Resources spent/retained: Twelve original loaves traded, twelve carried for sale; both workers used on cart route; tiles available for full oven. Outstanding at fair arrival: First dawn batch still owed. After breakfast delivery it is fulfilled, with first fair sales lost. Directed relation after action: Bakers and Cartwrights have completed a specific exchange; no unlimited future cart service. Third-party cause: No space or Bakers' labor for Singers' canvases. Lale tells Sol before departure. Third-party response: Sol leaves rolls in valley, uses small uncovered platform, withdraws tentative Bakers-stall singing invitation. Retained loss: Singers' invitation remains withdrawn after Cartwright breakfast is paid; early fair customers have bought elsewhere. Next open group decision: Whether to propose a later fresh agreement with Singers. Alliance B, Bakers -> Singers: Accepted exchange: Twelve loaves for supper, six shared trail loaves, both Bakers raise shelter before sales. Singers carry bread and both rolls on two ponies, reserve two for instruments and keep stall singing invitation. Fulfillment: Loaves allocated before trail; six consumed on route; canvases delivered and erected; stall singing performed on the fair's evening. Resources spent/retained: Eighteen loaves allocated to supper/trail, six carried for sale. Tiles stay in valley; fair oven remains small. Outstanding at arrival: Shelter labor, fulfilled before sales. Later tile transport is unarranged, not a promised automatic favor. Directed relation after action: Bakers and Singers fulfill this trail/shelter exchange; no pony route for heavy tiles. Third-party cause: Both Bakers commit to Singers, so Cartwrights lack unloaders. Lale declines the cart offer aloud. Third-party response: Bera stays for valley repair; axle is not delivered to ridge; a later trip needs a fresh exchange. Retained loss: No full oven at this fair and no current Cartwright transport favor. No first dawn batch is owed because Alliance A never happened. Next open group decision: Terms of a possible later tile trip, without spending Singers' resources.
The arrows describe obligations, not mind-reading. Bakers -> Cartwrights means the Bakers owe the stated goods or labor. Singers -> Bakers records the accepted performance in Alliance B; the same performance is withdrawn in Alliance A after Sol hears the decision. Each branch has its own map.
Repair an obligation that disappeared
A wrong dawn continuation after Alliance A says, "Bera waves Lale toward the fair. 'Our deal is all finished. Sell every fresh batch to your customers.'"
At fair arrival, the transport and unloading were complete, but the first dawn batch was still owed. Correct that commitment without reopening the accepted alliance.
OOC correction
OOC: Keep the accepted Cartwright alliance and its completed deliveries. At this dawn, Ember Bakers still owe their first batch to the ridge workshop breakfast; Lale has not chosen to break that promise. Reject the claim that all bread can go straight to fair customers. Bera can remind Lale of the exact obligation, then wait for my decision. Keep the full oven, twelve original sale loaves and Sol's withdrawn singing invitation unchanged. Do not invent a replacement batch or reopen the whole group history.
A corrected illustration can have Bera say, "Breakfast batch first, as agreed. What are the Bakers doing?" It leaves Lale free to fulfill or openly break the promise. If Lale breaks it, record the new action and response rather than pretending the agreement never existed.
An OOC request adds a continuation instruction; earlier replies remain in history. Check the next turn before updating the manual map. The continuity guide covers other forgotten facts. For a setting premise to place these groups in, see fantasy roleplay ideas.
Choose one group representative and begin an exchange in roleplay AI chat. Keep the obligations in your own notes.
Sources
Blades in the Dark: Faction Game supports the narrow action-to-relations/resources connection. The groups, offers, map and dialogue here are original editorial material.
Copy a starter or worksheet
Choose one starter or form to copy. Keep the planning record in your own notes and check the next chat reply against it.
Blank map and alliance form
Shared event and initial state: Reader group, representative and control: AI groups and speaking representatives: Group name: Collective resource it can actually supply: Collective need: Existing obligation and limit: What it offers and requests: Directed relation before the agreement: Alliance parties: Full exchange and acceptance by each party: Action that fulfills each commitment, and when: Resources spent and resources retained: Outstanding obligation after the scene: Third group affected, including how it learns: Third group's response and lost relationship: Contrasted alliance from the same initial state: Different resource, obligation and third-party outcome: Next group decision still open: Forgotten commitment and last accepted state: Focused OOC repair:
Filled group map at the initial choice
Shared event: The ridge fair opens at dawn tomorrow; the groups must move their supplies from the valley today. Reader group: Ember Bakers, represented by Lale. Reader controls Lale's words, feelings and decisions, including commitments on behalf of the Bakers. AI groups: Cartwright Circle, represented by Bera; Night Singers, represented by Sol. One AI portrays their representatives and the scene. Ember Bakers resource: Twenty-four packed loaves and the labor of two Bakers. Two heavy oven-tile crates wait in their yard. Ember Bakers need: Carry bread to the fair and recover full oven capacity there by transporting both tile crates. Their stall already has flour, fuel and a working small oven; fitting the tiles enlarges it. Ember Bakers limit: Its two workers can support only one traveling alliance today. Baking a promised batch at dawn delays the fair's first sale. Cartwright Circle resource: One freight cart and crew, able to carry the bread, two tile crates and its own axle together. No room for the Singers' two canvas rolls as well. Cartwright Circle need: Twelve loaves for its crew today and both Bakers' labor to unload the axle at the ridge workshop. At dawn it wants the Bakers' first batch for the workshop breakfast. Cartwright Circle limit: Without those two unloaders it stays in the valley to repair a small wagon. Its offered transport is not unconditional. Night Singers resource: Four pack ponies and trail knowledge. Two ponies can carry bread and the Singers' two canvas rolls; the other two are reserved for its own instruments. None can carry the heavy oven tiles. Night Singers need: Twelve loaves for its supper and six shared trail loaves, plus both Bakers' help erecting the canvas shelter at the fair. Night Singers limit: If its canvases are left behind, it performs on the small uncovered platform and withdraws its invitation to sing at the Bakers' stall. That invitation begins tentative, not earned. Initial relations: Bakers trade cordially with both groups. No alliance or payment is accepted. Cartwrights and Singers have no transport obligation to each other. Both offers require an explicit agreement.
Copyable scene starter
OOC: Ridge-fair caravan scene. The fair opens at dawn tomorrow; the groups move their supplies from the valley today. I control Lale, speaking for Ember Bakers, including their decisions, words and feelings. Portray Bera for Cartwright Circle and Sol for Night Singers; stop for my decisions. Bakers have twenty-four packed loaves, two workers and two heavy oven-tile crates. They need fair transport and want the tiles for a full oven. Their fair stall already has flour, fuel and a working small oven; fitting the tiles enlarges it. Their workers can join only one alliance today. Cartwrights offer one cart fitting bread, both tile crates and their own axle, with no room for the Singers' two canvas rolls. They require twelve loaves today, both Bakers unloading the axle at the ridge workshop, and the Bakers' first batch at dawn; that batch delays the first fair sale. Without the unloading help, Cartwrights stay in the valley repairing a small wagon. Singers offer four ponies and trail knowledge: two carry bread and both canvas rolls, two are reserved for instruments; none carries heavy tiles. They require twelve supper loaves, six shared trail loaves and both Bakers' help putting up the shelter. Leaving tiles means a smaller oven at the fair. Sol has tentatively invited singing at the Bakers' stall; if the canvases stay behind, Singers use the small uncovered platform and withdraw that invitation. No agreement, transport or payment has happened. Begin with both representatives asking what Lale proposes. Relations change through stated actions and communicated decisions; don't make every group accept every request or move my group offscreen.
Filled resource, need, obligation and third-party records
Alliance A, Bakers -> Cartwrights: Accepted exchange: Twelve loaves today; two Bakers unload axle before fair arrival; first dawn batch to workshop breakfast. Cartwrights carry remaining twelve loaves, both tile crates and their own axle. Fulfillment: Crew loaves handed over before loading; axle unloaded at workshop; bread and tiles delivered to fair; dawn batch delivered next morning. Resources spent/retained: Twelve original loaves traded, twelve carried for sale; both workers used on cart route; tiles available for full oven. Outstanding at fair arrival: First dawn batch still owed. After breakfast delivery it is fulfilled, with first fair sales lost. Directed relation after action: Bakers and Cartwrights have completed a specific exchange; no unlimited future cart service. Third-party cause: No space or Bakers' labor for Singers' canvases. Lale tells Sol before departure. Third-party response: Sol leaves rolls in valley, uses small uncovered platform, withdraws tentative Bakers-stall singing invitation. Retained loss: Singers' invitation remains withdrawn after Cartwright breakfast is paid; early fair customers have bought elsewhere. Next open group decision: Whether to propose a later fresh agreement with Singers. Alliance B, Bakers -> Singers: Accepted exchange: Twelve loaves for supper, six shared trail loaves, both Bakers raise shelter before sales. Singers carry bread and both rolls on two ponies, reserve two for instruments and keep stall singing invitation. Fulfillment: Loaves allocated before trail; six consumed on route; canvases delivered and erected; stall singing performed on the fair's evening. Resources spent/retained: Eighteen loaves allocated to supper/trail, six carried for sale. Tiles stay in valley; fair oven remains small. Outstanding at arrival: Shelter labor, fulfilled before sales. Later tile transport is unarranged, not a promised automatic favor. Directed relation after action: Bakers and Singers fulfill this trail/shelter exchange; no pony route for heavy tiles. Third-party cause: Both Bakers commit to Singers, so Cartwrights lack unloaders. Lale declines the cart offer aloud. Third-party response: Bera stays for valley repair; axle is not delivered to ridge; a later trip needs a fresh exchange. Retained loss: No full oven at this fair and no current Cartwright transport favor. No first dawn batch is owed because Alliance A never happened. Next open group decision: Terms of a possible later tile trip, without spending Singers' resources.
Wrong continuation: Bera says Alliance A is finished at dawn and every fresh batch may be sold at the fair. The dawn-batch promise was accepted and not yet fulfilled.
Focused obligation repair
OOC: Keep the accepted Cartwright alliance and its completed deliveries. At this dawn, Ember Bakers still owe their first batch to the ridge workshop breakfast; Lale has not chosen to break that promise. Reject the claim that all bread can go straight to fair customers. Bera can remind Lale of the exact obligation, then wait for my decision. Keep the full oven, twelve original sale loaves and Sol's withdrawn singing invitation unchanged. Do not invent a replacement batch or reopen the whole group history.
A valid continuation reminds Lale about the workshop breakfast and waits. Any later decision to break it must be explicit and receive its own consequence. The correction does not erase chat history or rewrite the other alliance into the accepted branch.
