The Culture: Agency Demands Ambition

A hobby that centers itself on the agency of the player requires that the player have a reason to exercise that agency. In short, what does he want?

A Referee pesters a recovering Cargo Cultist.

This is not a hobby that rewards passivity. It rewards those who have objectives and execute on plans to achieve them, and the grander the objectives the better.

Note that I made no moral judgements here. The Paladin that seeks to win a crusade against a demon-infested empire is just as welcome at the table as the Assassin who seeks to become so infamous that the rumor of his presence compels compliance, and both will find both ally and enemy in the Fighter that seeks to become the greatest warrior that ever lived.

The sniper that seeks to surpass He Who Speaks For The Trees, the pilot who seeks to surpass the Red Baron, the officer that wants to one-up Nelson (or Napoleon), the mogul that wants to devour Alphabet, the heretic that dares to challenge God by declaring him to be an absentee Father, the prophet seeking to bring God's word to a people that need it, the boy that made a shattered land whole under his reign- these are the sorts of things a campaign ought to see.

"But I don't know what my man would want."

A good product will have, hard-coded into its rules, a default ambition for your man to pursue; this is the case with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition. Poor ones will actively inhibit or punish players for doing so. Most do neither; you'll have to insert it yourself, though depending on your specific circumstances that may be easier said than done.

Why do you need this? Because deciding upon what your man wants informs EVERY SINGLE DECISION about how you play him.

Someone wanting to become the Platonic Ideal of the Warrior will not make the same decisions about what to do, how to do, where to go, or what to do that someone who pursues martial excellence because he wants to become king by his own hand.

The former seeks out worthy foes, new martial arts, and ever-greater challenges so that he may be celebrated as The Greatest Of All Time. The latter grows his might to become influential, his influence to become powerful, and his power to seize the throne and rule. They may both be Fighters, but they are very different men.

You, Anon, need to show up with a plan for your man. If you don't, you will end up a defacto Henchman to the man that does.

You, Anon, need to know that just because you show up with a plan doesn't mean that you get to see it achieved. Lots of ambitious men end up forgotten due to their own failures, being outplayed by rivals or enemies, or just play bad luck. Be prepared to get got, reroll, and try again.

You, Referee, need to not only encourage player ambition but require it. Make them drive the bus.

We'll be expanding on this through the week.