Heads up: This post has a few affiliate links. If you click one and buy something, I might get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). I only share stuff I actually like and think you might, too.
Have you ever introduced an NPC at your table that just really clicked with your players? Maybe it was a gobliness left behind by a war party that was supposed to foreshadow their bloodthirsty nature but instead became a recipient of their empathy. As Stewards, we can’t always predict what NPCs will connect with our players, but we can certainly give them the depth that inspires connection.
You see, great storytelling isn’t just about what players do. It’s about what they see reflected back.
SEL Through Reflection
In TTRPGs—especially those with intentionally-crafted emotional hooks like Ealdsmyth—NPCs and story beats can act as mirrors. If orchestrated correctly, they can help players to confront truths, grow emotionally, and practice empathy. That’s because of the psychological concept of mirroring that’s common in SEL materials. When we mirror at the gaming table, we’re recognizing parts of ourselves in others or in fictional events.
Mirroring serves several important functions in human development and relationship-building. As young children, we’re learning how to function in this newly-discovered world through mirroring our parents. Like little mockingbirds, we copy the sounds that come from their mouths. We literally step into their oversized shoes and shuffle around the house, learning to mimic their movements.
In Tony Robbins’ book, Unlimited Power, he addresses mirroring as a powerful tool for persuasion. Just subtly mirroring the way someone’s crossing their arms, leaning forward or positioning their feet makes them unconsciously more likely to trust and agree with you. Wield this knowledge responsibly!
In the classroom, I could be lecturing on the history of actors and how, in some societies, they’ve been labeled as condemnable liars. Because the students may recognize themselves in the vulnerable-yet-brave actors of those eras, that knowledge may inspire boldness and new purpose on the stage. They empathize with the actors of old, and their tactics are changed as a result.
Through intentionally mirroring player dilemmas or real-world areas of passion, you may find that players invest more deeply in the narrative, shift their perspective on that real-world topic or surprise you with genuine vulnerability. There is a caveat, however, in that I would steer away from mirroring scenarios built on known real-world trauma or information shared with you in confidence. Leave that for the therapeutic professionals!
Ealdsmyth as a Mirror-World
My TTRPG system, Ealdsmyth, is designed with introspection in mind. Rather than only catering to fantasy settings or sci-fi worlds, it encourages Stewards to pick the setting that most resonates with their players. In establishing these settings, Stewards can introduce landscapes with symbolic meanings (long-forgotten names are etched in an overgrown forest, the ruins of a once-thriving metropolis whisper regrets to the players, etc.).
Players can also find fodder for introspection in the types of conflict they encounter. Are they archetypal, echoing the conflict types present in great literature, historical texts and the universal human experience? Allow your players to struggle with truth vs. illusion, with legacy vs. reinvention or with ambition vs. sacrifice and they’ll thank you for how “real” it feels.
Give room for symbols in your game–as long as you’re not hitting them over the head with it–and the players will sense mythic resonance. Their choice to spare the irredeemable enemy’s life will carry metaphoric weight. That choice doesn’t simply matter in the plot; it taps into deeper patterns or themes one might find in myths, legends or archetypes.
When you have the flexibility of a shared narrative in games like Ealdsmyth, you can weave in your own archetypes and myths, and I highly recommend doing so. Study the writings of Joseph Campbell, who researched tons of myths from across the world to identify similar patterns, and this process will become second nature. (I’d recommend starting with his most famous, The Hero With a Thousand Faces.)
Profiles with Purpose
Don’t underestimate the connective potential of NPCs you come up with for your players to encounter in each game session. Whether the character is meant to recur in your story or simply exist for a single session, NPCs can serve a variety of purposes.
A resonant NPC could represent what a hero might become. (Think of Luke Skywalker’s vision of an encounter with Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back. In choosing violence to slay the villain, he finds his own face behind the menacing mask.)
An NPC might echo a fear or longing that one of your players might have. Should a player be obsessed with accumulating treasure above all else, why not introduce them to a lonely despot who has gained abundant riches at the expense of meaningful relationships that have been sacrificed along the way?
When determining how to keep your games from becoming boring rinse-and-repeat moments of bloodshed, use an NPC to introduce challenges that are emotional or ethical instead of merely physical. For example, you could introduce a farmer’s daughter betrothed to a harsh, loveless suitor. Her marriage would resolve a feud between families, but at what cost?
One thing I decided to do pretty early when establishing my Patreon is to craft NPCs designed with player resonance in mind. Wesk the Stonecrafter, for instance, is faced with a dilemma of whether to focus his rebuilding efforts after a devastating raid on the outer wall or on the individual houses of those suffering. In presenting this dilemma, you’re able to introduce your players to the concept that not all decisions are black-and-white.
In the NPC of Lorka Tamsen, your players learn the burden of inherited duty. Though she’s a debt collector by trade, her care toward those from whom she collects is uncanny. This quirk, like so many potential characteristics that make NPCs stand out, leaves lots of room for discussion in post-game reflection.
If the idea of NPCs creatively designed to mirror real-world problems appeals to you, take a look over at my Patreon. I release an original SEL NPC profile each month, and they’re crafted in a way that they can drop into a variety of settings and scenarios.
Story Beats that Surface the Self
A mere moment at the table can reflect inner growth in your players. When you use the tool I suggest in The Shifting Flame and pass a symbolic torch between players, you’re providing a symbol of agency. The simple act of passing a lit Dollar Tree tealight can do wonders for tables plagued with chaotic talking all at once.
When your players least expect it, you can insert a reflective moment in a space they’re exploring by including a mirror that shows memories instead of faces. Such an item spawns meaningful thought about how one’s past actions influence their present choices.
What if an ordinary-looking traveler begins speaking each PC’s deepest doubts aloud? How would that shift the story being told? Characters would be nudged to wrestle with these doubts, which stimulates growth in real time.
Though I always prefer an improvised flow over a rigid narrative structure in my TTRPG games, there is credence to planting specific story beats designed to reflect a player’s real-life journey instead of simply reacting to their in-game actions. The difference between reading a preplanned script and infusing story beats is all in the narrative flexibility. That magic mirror can be inserted anywhere the PCs go, so Stewards can plant it where they most need a reflective moment.
How to Add Mirrors to Your Game
You can add catalysts for player reflection in a variety of ways. First, leverage your NPCs. Make them mean something. When introducing an NPC–whether preemptively or in the moment–ask “What does this NPC represent to the players?” Just as human interaction in the real world prompts real-world change, player interactions with NPCs can really deepen their understanding of their own characters (and, by proxy, themselves).
Remember the power of repetition in telling a good story. It’s what cemented Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideas in so many minds when he delivered his I Have a Dream speech. It’s what makes the ever-expanding Star Wars universe feel connected in repeated lines of dialogue (“May the Force be with you.” “I have a bad feeling about this.” “Rebellions are built on hope.”) Similarly, try to repeat themes and phrases as you weave your story at the table, and those will evolve to take on new, more resonant meaning as time passes.
Players love getting cool new gadgets–whether technologically advanced or magical–to change the way they can play the game. With this knowledge in mind, you can include magical items or elements that reward player introspection. If a player’s new pet parrot has the prescient ability to determine whether a speaker lacks confidence, party members (including that player) will become more conscious of how their decisions are perceived and they’ll work to bolster their confidence.
As a player in a TTRPG, you could ask probing questions that deepen your understanding of your character. What aspect of the real you does your character fear? What would your character do if no one was watching? Seeking to understand one’s motivation–whether in the game or in real life–provides infinite potential for reflective growth.
An Invitation to Reflect
Reflective stories build brave spaces. It’s in these spaces that players can learn to be themselves a little bit more confidently. They can learn to accept those around them, even when their actions diverge from what they would’ve done. They can find the life-changing potential for heroism that existed within them all along.
If you want NPCs that teach empathy, challenge assumptions, and prompt meaningful play, allow me to help!
Join my Patreon for monthly SEL-infused NPCs, reflection guides, and myth-rich content for Ealdsmyth and beyond.
A special thanks to those of you who already support my Patreon. Though it’s unhealthy to base one’s worth on other people’s validation, such validation certainly serves as a confirmation that what I’m doing is resonating. Thank you for that validation!
Leave a Reply