Message:"In DUW do themes trigger triggers or triggers trigger themes?"
I make up so much jargon, building game upon game that even I tend to improvise event to event.
Three types of Triggers: Aspect, Quest and Twist. These are randomized by card flips.
Theme is the Overarching Motive. It is the Government composed of several branches. A Theme would be the sum total of the Quest Triggers. Trigger was selected as the term because they mostly occur spontaneously i.e. Trigger at the endgame climax. Probably too much jargon.
A Theme of Mayhem, Plunder and Waypoint has similarities and differences from a Theme of Mayhem, Prestige and Wonderment. Still too lawyer-ish.
Think of all this as Roleplay Motivation. Though I dislike overly angst driven play, I appreciate that most players want to know they are going somewhere for some reason. Wandering a random hellish world is bleak. Knowing at the end there is treasure and magic items makes it fun. Knowing the party will gain acclaim or open new places of reward is also good. Revenge on the denizens seems satisfying. That's what is being generated by the game randomizers. I relish a good randomizer.
Most of this is created to stay at a constant state of overwhelming my very, very experienced group of players with fresh challenges and unexpected concerns. Truthfully, we would all be perfectly happy with every Theme being "There's this chest I once saw..." But as Ref I feel I have betrayed a trust by using such simplistic Theme. My players would also doubt anything is that easy. That chest to me is a prop not a motivation, a draw to adventure, but what else is needed to truly scare the company?
Triggers are used to scare and tempt the players. Tough to foreshadow without them. When you tell an experienced player that his end goal is Mayhem, he may take pause. He might know the climax challenges will be incredibly intricate and hard, a display of alternating Labors and Combat. (I think I filmed one adventure of Trigger Mayhem.) The victory feels more satisfying that counting imaginary coins.
Because I run complicated games with players who trust my story, I am lucky. Forgive me when I say, I am at the Big Leagues in free-style. Swinging for fences each at bat. Starting small and building is best. This is all new to you. It was inside you as a desire. (Now I'm getting new age.) You knew you wanted a fun, varied experience that was different from the game of Football (DnD). You'll get to the big leagues but start with the ball on a tee. e.g. "There's this chest I once saw..."
So I am always too wordy...hope that helped.
Yours,
IronRed
06-Mar-2021