Inspiring Rifts RPG Storylines And How To Use Them

Top Inspiring Rifts RPG Storylines And How To Use Them

Introduction to Seeking Inspiration

In role-playing games, seeking inspiration is like a quest for the holy grail. It fuels our imagination, breathes life into our characters, and creates unforgettable adventures. Whether you’re a seasoned Game Master or a player eagerly awaiting your next session, finding sources of inspiration is crucial to get players to the table and to keep things fresh and engaging.

Importance of Inspiration in Role-Playing Games

Without inspiration, gaming sessions run the risk of becoming dull, repetitive, and predictable.

By using inspiring storylines, you unlock countless possibilities and breathe life into every aspect: from character development and plot twists to world-building and encounters. The more a storyline inspires you, the more your imagination creates connections to it.

This can take place in a player characters background, personality, roleplaying, or in the game masters enjoyment of adventure creation and more.

Easy Sources of Inspiration for tabletop RPG adventures

When crafting a campaign or adventure here are things you can use to get inspiration.

Classic literature and mythology

Classic literature like The Odyssey or Beowulf can be great sources of inspiration. These time tested stories can be a great framework for a single adventure or long-term campaign.

Historical events and eras

History has always been a remarkable source of inspiration for storytelling. Time is filled with tales of triumph, tragedy, and everything in between. Gripping stories from different time periods, such as medieval battles or ancient civilizations on the brink of collapse can be adapted to fit your game.

Popular culture references

For those not familiar with history, current pop culture can be a great source. Movies, TV shows, even video games, have shaped our collective imagination and offer countless ideas waiting to be reimagined.

Folklore and Urban Legends

Folklore and Urban legends are another source that can be used. These kinds may not get the connection with players you want, particularly younger players. The reason for this is they are often regional, or cultural making them lesser-known.

Scientific Discoveries and Theories

This approach is unconventional but consider how things would changge in an RPG setting if you introduced current scientific discoveries and theories. Just the idea of physics added to a fantasy setting could totally alter the course of that society. Those in power may want to utterly remove you and the ideas you are spreading, or maybe everyone wants to accept it bringing forth a new age entirely.

Movements Artistic, Aesthetics and others

Throughout history there are movements that occur. Sometimes these happen religously, artistically or otherwise. Whatever kind you want to incorporate can add a new theme for your campaign or RPG adventures.

Obscure historical figures or events

Using obscure figures or events can be a great way to create intirgue and mystery in a game. Villains, NPCs, and events that touch the players senses of familiarity that they cant quite place will have them coming back for more.

Overview of Rifts Captivating RPG Setting

One popular role-playing game that includes many of these sources of inspiration is the Rifts RPG. Created by Kevin Siembieda in 1990, this dynamic tabletop RPG transports players to a post-apocalyptic Earth where dimensional rifts have merged our world with numerous others. The result?

A chaotic blend of technology, magic, mythological creatures, aliens, and supernatural phenomena. Rifts RPG’s unique setting offers

exceptionally gripping storylines to match its extraordinary backdrop.

All of these elements combined allow for unparalled adventure and character creation. There is endless options to explore with the inclusion of the Rifts to other dimensions. Just on Rifts Earth, dozens and dozens of different environments exist allowing totally unique adventures. Lets now explore the storylines within the Rifts RPG to help you find places to explore and adventure.

Top Rifts RPG storylines

There are so many storylines to get caught up in when playing Rifts. By no means are these the only ones you should consider. If I leave anything out then by all means use that storyline instead. These storylines are my personal favorites, many of which are obscure notes deep within a book.

Megaverse builder central nexus describes a central nexus to be the focal point in a dimensions energies. Rifts Earth and Phase World are examples of what this looks like. I dont recall the book at the moment but it is said that the Atlanteans had a map of 1000 central nexus and how to get to each. This could be a huge treasure to discover leading to much dimensional travel. How many jumps does it take to get to each? Does any other race have access to it like the Splugorth? Is it possible to remove it from others databases? So many options for games here.
The Cosmic Forge is a legendary artifact that is known for creating Cosmo Knights and has become lost to all. After its terrible use in the past it decided to remove itself from anyone specific persons hands. The search for its hiding location has been a popular theme in The Three Galaxies for millenia. More info about the forge can be found in Anvil Galaxy and Phase World.
Anvil Galaxy Chronal Displacement Novus 9 Altess Dynasty. This is a really small note in Anvil Galaxy that would have far reaaching effects on the Altess and possibly the Galaxy itself. Would they become more open to trade with other species with the major loss of their brightest and best people? Their technology is incredible, maybe this loss would send their empire in shambles making them ripe for invasion.
Intruders Phase World Source Book– These new aliens to The 3 Galaxies are quite unique with incredible opportunities. They are what seems an invading army set on gaining new terrritory and nobody knows why. Every time one is captured a self destruct occurs keeping their tech out of others hands. The technology they possess would be a MASSIVE change to all that had it. If one did you could bet all factions would be after you.
Dimensional Outbreak Minion War- When the minion war kicks off nowhere is safe. Even extremely powerful cities like Center on Phase World are attacked. One major reason is that the Demons and Deevils want to gain control of as many dimensional portals as possible. If they can’t then any amount of chaos they can create to confuse others about their goals is also just fine.
Rifts Secrets of the Atlanteans– A further explanation of the Atlantean clans history. It includes how the first Vampire Intelligence was discovered which was prior to Atlanteans having advantages against vampires. More on Sunaj, an expansion of dimensional traveling Tattoo options and far more.
Megaverse in Flames Minion Wars on Rifts Earth- This is the volume that describes how the minion war unfolds on Rifts Earth. Demons and Deevils alike send commanders with the express goal of taking over Rifts Earth for their faction in return being recognized as a Demon/Deevil Lord. Some nasty twists and turns unfold that put all life on Rifts Earth at risk.
Arzno Vampire Incursion– A Coalition Soldier that didn’t achieve his goals, he became bitter and sought revenge. Instead of doing the normal thing and drinking his sorrows away he became a master vampire, you know becuase becoming a murderous slave to a Vampire Intelligence is totally going to get him what he wants.. what could go wrong.. enter the player characters.
New West– a cowboys and aliens feel. Many towns you visit in the New West are simple residential homes with farms and ranches. Within these there are the typcial gambling dens, casinos, inns and your general goods stores with a few Rifts style places like Operators, Cyber Docs, and the like. The New West consists mostly of a huge wilderness area with small settlements dotting the landscape and a large tie to Earths old west past. It is one of the best places to have exploration games take place as little connects each town.
Federation of Magic– Automatons coming to life and many going missing. One rumor suggest that an Infiltrator has walked Chi-Towns halls.
Reids Rangers Vampire World book 1. In this world book there is a group of vampire hunters known across Mexico and the New West. It starts with a man named Doc Reid who is on a crusade to detroy all Vampires.
There are few books that I use the entire storyline for but Juicer Uprising is one such book that I really like. To summarize it, there are some events that many Juicers are invloved in that leads them to think they can avoid death and live longer, only to find it a lie. The uprising occurs when the Juicers “learn” the source of the lie.
Rifts Ultimate Edition– So many areas are described in this book that if its all you had many adventures could be crafted. Other books expand upon all the great times you can have from here. The premise of which is that Rifts have destroyed the Earth as we knew it. This occured hundreds of years ago when one society bombed a large city. The millions of deaths sent magical energy into a ley line nexus igniting all those connected ripping the world apart and throwing new horrors upon it (I mean what a setup to create all kinds of fun adventures).

How to use Rifts storylines

Legate has a few simple methods for creating adventures that I highly suggest considering.

Use the heroes vs. villains trope to create an encounter and then have the players deal with the event’s consequences. A Rifts example could be the Coalition attacking a city of mages. There is a huge battle in the streets, city rats are doing their thing, there are lots of victims, and the black market is doing something that “pays out” if the players do it.
Another option is to go by location, for example, the Pecos Empire. It has a lot of resources where factions exist. So, come up with something going on between them or one of them and an outside influence like the CS(Coalition States), or Splugorth, etc.

Standard Approach

Most game masters and groups take a storyline and use it just as it is. To be more precise, if the story is about slaying vampires, then the group makes characters designed to do just that and when the storyline is completed those characters are put into retirement until more vampire slaying is to be done.

For new players and game masters this may be the simplest approach and most appropriate. Simply let your friends know, make a post on Roll20, or however you get players, that you want to explore one of the above storylines, or another and make characters accordingly. When I say accordingly that means the GM(game master) has decided on a plotline within the story to use, determined on a power level for players, allowed races, etc. For those that prefer a non standard approach try the following.

Long term character growth

This approach requires players that are interested in the story and character growth the most. This is not for those trying to prove themselves better, or smarter than the GM. If you are a player that likes to poke holes, or jam up the game master then this really isn’t for you.

All of us have characters that we enjoy playing the most. Characters that we connect with a lot for various personal reasons and when the game they were made for ends its very disappointing. This approach to storyline use is for them.

Instead of make characters for a specific campaign, make your characters to play through multiple storylines. Make them knowing that eventually you will all tire of one storyline or another and not want to explore it more. Thats fine, it happens to us all.

How can you take an existing character, or set of characters and explore other storylines? How can you create adventures in different areas of Rifts Earth while using the same characters?

Part of being able to do this is changing ones philosophy on how to roleplay and what tabletop roleplaying is all about. For a longer discussion, check our philosophy page out here tabletop RPG philosophy.

Here are a couple guidelines I use when taking characters from one game to another.

Look at the other players in the group and limit myself in weapons, skills, etc. to be similar to that of the other players.
If I am game master for the game, then I make it known what the limitations are for the characters in those regards. It’s like playing a lower-level character, or maybe you forgot your backpack elsewhere and are limited on gear and equipment, but when you go to another game or later in that one, you get it all back.
Most importantly, I don’t let little things be problems. Going deeper into this, I only make problems out of things in the game that I want to be problems as the game master. If I am GM and I’ve taken time to create a story, made maps, NPCs, etc., then I will tell that story and not let myself get caught up in silly things.
As the saying goes “be true to yourself”, in that if you don’t like a certain class, game type, etc then don’t let others talk you into it. No need to be rude about it, just let others know it doesn’t resonate with you and you’d prefer to do something else.
Simplify. Keeping things simple and moving the story along when players give a genuine effort will help them and you.

With those guidelines in mind, and using Legates ideas for encounter creation you can easily craft adventures in the Rifts RPG. Here are some that Legate came up with for use by those that are new and old to Rifts alike.

Adventure Ideas

You can use Rifts’ storylines to create adventures in so many ways. Here are some that Legate has put together. None of these are cannon and purely made as examples for how you can create Rifts adventures.

New Lazlo Adventures	Stormspire Adventure
Seduced by the Great Experiment	The wonderful Adventures of Dr. Lansford
Drawing Among the Machines part 1
Drawing Among the Machines part 2	Independent Adventures
Tombland	Dont Talk About it
The Magic Zone	Mysteries of the Blackbridge Skies
The Wrong Kind of Trouble
If It Had Happened Otherwise	Ruins
Adventures in Germany	Wanted for crimes unspecified
The Road to Avilogne
A Struggle for Zoutten
	Vampire Kingdoms or New West
Rifts Japan Adventures	The Lowest offerings
Come on Out	True Grit

	Africa Adventures
Merc Ops missions	No Normal
The Captives of Fort Pillow
	Dinosaur Swamp
	Judgement

England adventures	South America Adventures
The Blizzard	The Closing hand
The Devouring King	Biel’s Folly
Clash of Fate and Desolation

Meta Game Adventures	Nights of the Plague
Trapped	Arkansas
Dragon Troubles	Dogtwon
Touch of madness (trapped part 2)
Out of Range
Meta Game #0
Meta Game #1
Meta Game #2