Writer Emergency Fiasco: Rat Trap

The Writer Emergency Fiasco combines the TTRPG Fiasco with the Writer Emergency Pack to create a truly random and chaotic narrative. It’s equal parts solo role play and narrative exercise.

If you just want to read the story without seeing all the messy parts, here you go: Rat Trap (WiP)

Setup

Follow along as I set up the situation, create the characters, and plot the first act.

Writer Emergency Fiasco

Wherein I introduce the reader to the TTRPG Fiasco, the Writer Emergency Pack of cards, and how I am going to use it for both solo roleplay and as a writing exercise.

Writer Emergency Fiasco: The Cast

Meet the cast of the Writer Emergency Fiasco project: Bill, the undercover cop; Jay, his friend and eager criminal; Ash, the niece of the Boss and Bill’s high school flame.

Writer Emergency Fiasco: The Outline

Let’s establish the outline for the first act of Rat Trap. This outline is simple, broad, and subject to change as I draw cards from the Writer Emergency Pack.

What follows are the packages for the scenes, each written as its own blog post. First, I draw a card and work with it craft what the next scene will be about. Next, I write the actual fiction. Lastly, I do a post script to go over what I did, why I did it, and how the card changed my approach in the end. I’ll aim to publish all three posts for each scene once a week.

These scenes are rough drafts, filled with typos and inconsistencies. This exercise is about creating the story–cleaning it up comes later.

Act 1

Scene 1: Bill (black die)

Rat Trap 1-1: The Card

The first card for the Writer Emergency Fiasco, Rat Trap, is “Mysterious Package,” which makes me think about some sort of bad news or revelation right at the start of Bill’s story.

Rat Trap 1-1: Bill Is Trapped

Writer Emergency Fiasco, Scene 1-1: Bill, an undercover cop, drives with his friend/partner in crime to meet the new guy, Ash. Meanwhile, their boss suspects that a rat is among them, and she wants Bill to find them out.

Rat Trap 1-1: Post Script

A few thoughts on how the first scene of the Writer Emergency Fiasco, “Bill Is Trapped” unfolded, and a look ahead at the next scene.

Card #38: Mysterious Package. The caption reads: "Special delivery!" The image shows an owl flying before a star-filled sky while carrying a wrapped box.
Scene 2: Ash (white die)

Rat Trap 1-2: The Card

A look at the card “Misfortune Cookie” and some thoughts on how that will impact our first meeting of Ash, as she hit rock bottom. Can things go even worse for her?

Rat Trap 1-2: Ash Needs Change

Scene 2: Ash wakes up in a cell after a night out filled with assault and grand theft auto. She’s all but giving up on her current life, even looking forward to jail, when her aunt–a powerful crime boss–offers her one last chance to prove herself.

Rat Trap 1-2: Post Script

A look back on how Scene 2, “Ash Needs Change” came together, and a tease for the next scene spotlighting Jay.

Card #51: Misfortune Cooke. The caption reads: "Destiny has a dark sense of humor." The image is a hand with curled fingers, seemingly dead, surrounded by fortune cookies. One cookie is broken open, revealing a message inside that's just a skull and cross bones.
Scene 3: Jay (white die)

Rat Trap 1-3: The Card

A look at the card “Hug The Crocodile” and some thoughts on how this could imply that Jay is actually trying to do the right thing.

Rat Trap 1-3: Jay Locks In

Scene 3: Jay catches up with his old friend Ash and tries his best to get her and Bill to focus on the job.

Rat Trap 1-3: Post Script

A few thoughts on how the third scene, “Jay Locks In” unfolded, and a look ahead at the next scene.

Card #45: Hug The Crocodile. Caption reads: "If you can't beat them, love them." The image shows a crocodile standing on a beach, looking confused, as several animals hugging it from all sides (birds, frogs, snakes, fish, a monkey, a butterfly).
Scene 4: Bill (black die)

Rat Trap 1-4: The Card

A look at the card “A House Is Not A Home” and some thoughts on how Bill might realize that there is no way this will end well for him unless he does something drastic.

Rat Trap 1-4: Bill Makes A Plea

Scene 4: Bill tries to convince Ash to not go through with this job, and must make an important decision when she refuses his plea.

Rat Trap 1-4: Post Script

A look back on how Scene 4, “Bill Makes A Plea” came together, and a tease for the next scene spotlighting Ash.

Scene 5: Ash (white die)

Rat Trap 1-5: The Card

A look at the card “Not My Job” and a deep dive into Ash’s potential change of heart right as she’s about to commit.

Rat Trap 1-5: Post Script

A few thoughts on how the third scene, “Ash Reconsiders” unfolded, and a look ahead at the next scene.

Scene 6: Jay (black die)

Rat Trap 1-6: The Card

A look at the card “Fight The Giant” and how Jay’s innate trust in Ash is probably going to bite him in the ass after all.

Rat Trap 1-6: Post Script

A few thoughts on how the third scene, “Jay Takes a Leap” unfolded, and a look ahead at the next scene.

Writer Emergency Fiasco: The Tilt

Between Act 1 and Act 2, I roll on the Tilt Table to introduce two elements meant to drive the story toward mayhem, guilt, and general chaos.

Act 2

Scene 7: Bill (black die)

Rat Trap 2-7: Post Script

A few thoughts on how the third scene, “Bill Hesitates” unfolded, and a look ahead at the next scene.

Scene 8: Ash (black die)

Rat Trap 2-8: The Card

A look at the card “Oops,” Ash’s (perhaps misguided) push to take her life into her own hands.

Rat Trap 2-8: Ash Has a Plan

Scene 8: Ash really wants to get away from all of this, and she has just the plan to do it. All it takes is for her to make a call, and for the other two not to screw it up.