[Note from Continuing Mission: The recognition of generative AI and Large Language Models has become a subject of intense debate within the global artist community. While the technology has shown immense potential for creative applications, including art, writing, and music composition, there are concerns and ethical considerations surrounding its usage. This article aims to emphasize that its primary focus is to promote the responsible and private use of generative AI and Large Language Models for personal creative purposes. It does not intend to take a stance either for or against AI in art but rather seeks to empower individuals to explore the capabilities of these tools in their own creative journeys while being mindful of the broader discussions and implications surrounding their use. I wrote the above using AI, by the way. Haha. (Sorry, my humor is always so dark. M. Dismuke]

By Mike Yacullo

I first came across Action / Theme Oracles in Shawn Tomkin’s fantastic, free solo RPG Ironsworn. He used them again in his equally excellent but not free sci-fi follow-up, Starforged. These are tables that you roll on that will give you a verb (Action) and a noun (Theme) that you then combine and interpret within the context of your situation. They work well to answer questions like “What’s this NPC’s motivation?” or “What should be the general theme of my next adventure?”

Let’s use the NPC motivation example. You might roll on the tables and get “Oppose” on the Action table, and “Superstition” on the Theme table. So you think about what “Oppose Superstition” might mean during your adventure. Maybe the character is trying to bring science to a less-developed civilization. Maybe they are trying to reveal that allegedly supernatural occurrences have a more mundane cause. It all depends on context.

In my game, my character came across a research station studying a crashed alien probe. What was the purpose of the probe? I went to the Action / Theme table and my rolls resulted in “Serve Labor” – I interpreted this to mean that the probe has enslaved the scientists to force them to build something.

These tables can work right out of the box with Captain’s Log – especially the ones in Starforged, which I encourage everyone to buy. But I wanted some tables that were more specifically Trek-oriented. I was sure GPT-4 could help me out here.

[Note: as in my previous article, I am using a paid $20/month GPT-4 subscription, but you could take the same approach with GPT-3.5 or other free AIs]

As usual, I began by asking GPT-4 if it was familiar with the subject of our discussion. Throughout the document, GPT-4’s responses are in typewriter font.

are you familiar with the action/theme oracles from the game Ironsworn?

Yes, I’m familiar with the action/theme oracles from the game “Ironsworn”. “Ironsworn” is a tabletop role-playing game (RPG) known for its unique mechanics and narrative structure. The action/theme oracles are part of its system to generate story prompts and help guide the narrative.

In “Ironsworn”, the action/theme oracles are used to inspire and shape the direction of the story, particularly during solo or cooperative play. Players roll dice and use the oracles to interpret the results, which then suggest actions and themes for the current situation in the game. This system helps create a dynamic and unpredictable storytelling environment, making each playthrough unique.

The oracles consist of various tables with potential actions and themes, which players refer to when they need inspiration or when the game mechanics require it. This aspect of “Ironsworn” makes it particularly well-suited for solo RPG play, as it provides a structured yet flexible framework for narrative development.

Great, it has a good grasp of the concept, so we can move forward.

could you create an Action oracle and a Theme oracle, but instead of a fantasy setting they should be appropriate to a Star Trek setting?

Creating Action and Theme oracles for a “Star Trek”-inspired setting is a great idea, as it would blend the structured, improvisational storytelling of “Ironsworn” with the rich science fiction universe of “Star Trek”. Here’s how such oracles might look:

Star Trek-Inspired Action Oracle

1. Negotiate – Engage in diplomatic discussions or peace talks.
2. Explore – Discover a new planet, star system, or anomaly.
3. Defend – Protect your ship or an ally from an attack.
4. Repair – Fix a critical system failure or damage to the ship.
5. Investigate – Solve a mystery or gather information.
6. Rescue – Save individuals from danger or captivity.
7. Patrol – Monitor a sector for unusual activity.
8. Research – Conduct scientific experiments or studies.
9. Pursue – Follow a suspect or enemy.
10. Evade – Escape from a pursuit or dangerous situation.
11. Mediate – Resolve a conflict between factions or species.
12. Trade – Engage in commerce or negotiation for resources.

Star Trek-Inspired Theme Oracle

1. Diplomacy – Interactions focus on peacekeeping and alliances.
2. Mystery – Something unknown or puzzling is central.
3. Conflict – A struggle or battle, possibly involving phasers or starships.
4. Discovery – Finding something new or unexpected.
5. Survival – Overcoming a life-threatening situation.
6. Honor – A matter of ethical, moral, or cultural significance.
7. Betrayal – Trust is broken, or a deception is revealed.
8. Science – The pursuit of knowledge is key.
9. Alien Culture – Interaction with or understanding of a foreign species.
10. Espionage – Covert operations or intelligence gathering.
11. Time Anomaly – Events involving time travel or temporal distortions.
12. Anomaly – A strange or unusual phenomenon that defies explanation.

A very good start! Now to fine-tune the results. There were a couple of issues, but luckily you can just talk to GPT-4 and tell it what you want changed:

could you do it again with just a single word (no summary) for each choice? there should be 100 choices for each oracle

The next set of results (not shown here) were very close to what I wanted, but there were a few anomalies:

• The list went along for a while and then partway through GPT-4 seemed to decide that it should be in alphabetical order. Even though I know this doesn’t actually make a difference, I want the choices to be in a random, non-alphabetical order
• There were a few odd choices (such as Zen and Zephyr) that snuck in. I suspect this is somehow tied to the alphabetical order. 

please remove Zen and Zephyr from the theme oracle. rearrange the entries on both oracles so they are not in alphabetical order

The final change I made was to reduce the number of items to 20. I created mine with 100 items to match Ironsworn and rolling d100, but I felt like the quality began to drop.

With this, I was happy with the results. I now had an Action / Theme matrix I could use to spark (not replace!) creativity in my Captain’s Log game. 

Here is a condensed prompt, combining all my trial and error into one, and the results:

please create an Action oracle and a Theme oracle, similar to those used in the game Ironsworn, but instead of a fantasy setting, they should be consistent with a Star Trek setting. each choice should be a single word (no summary) for each choice. there should be 20 choices for each oracle. the choices should be in a random non-alphabetical order.

Certainly! Here are the Action and Theme oracles, each with 20 choices, designed for a Star Trek setting. These single-word choices are arranged in a random order to enhance the unpredictability and variety in storytelling.

Action Oracle (Star Trek Themed)

1. Negotiate
2. Explore
3. Beam
4. Scan
5. Infiltrate
6. Repair
7. Analyze
8. Command
9. Evade
10. Rescue
11. Diplomacy
12. Adapt
13. Decipher
14. Innovate
15. Sabotage
16. Navigate
17. Construct
18. Detect
19. Communicate
20. Strategize

Theme Oracle (Star Trek Themed)

1. Discovery
2. Anomaly
3. Federation
4. Galaxy
5. Quantum
6. Nebula
7. Odyssey
8. Artifact
9. Paradox
10. Alien
11. Diplomacy
12. Unity
13. Sovereignty
14. Technology
15. Intrigue
16. Betrayal
17. Peace
18. Enlightenment
19. Frontier
20. Science

AI is unpredictable, so you may need to run this multiple times before you get the results you like. Some ways you may consider tweaking the prompt:

• Ask for summaries of each word
• Ask for different elements to be included or excluded

The nice thing is, because these are so easy to generate when you feel like you’ve seen most of the “good” combinations, you can create a new one. You can even create oracles for specific situations:

do it again for a Star Trek game set during the Dominion War. include the names of the factions in the Theme oracle. There should be 20 choices for each oracle.

For a Star Trek game set during the Dominion War, the oracles would reflect the heightened tension, conflict, and alliances of that era. Here are the Action and Theme oracles tailored to this setting:

Action Oracle (Dominion War Themed)

1. Ambush
2. Reinforce
3. Infiltrate
4. Sabotage
5. Negotiate
6. Defend
7. Intercept
8. Retreat
9. Spy
10. Strategize
11. Alliance
12. Rescue
13. Patrol
14. Encrypt
15. Outmaneuver
16. Assault
17. Evacuate
18. Blockade
19. Collaborate
20. Propagandize

Theme Oracle (Dominion War Themed)

1. Dominion
2. Federation
3. Cardassia
4. Klingon
5. Romulan
6. Bajor
7. Betrayal
8. Alliance
9. Espionage
10. Occupation
11. Rebellion
12. Truce
13. Starfleet
14. Maquis
15. Section31
16. Ferengi
17. NeutralZone
18. Warfront
19. Resistance
20. Treaty

In this way, you can be specific or broad, and get ideas no matter what your era and setting.

Just for fun, I wanted to see what GPT-4 would make of the results from the Dominion War matrix:

please create an example that will help people understand how these oracles work. make a roll on the action oracle and a roll on the theme oracle, then create a single-paragraph Star Trek situation setup that relates to the phrase created by combining the results. do not describe what happens after the setup, and do not give ships or characters names.

The rolled phrases from the oracles are “Retreat” and “Truce.”

Situation Setup:

In the volatile expanse of the Neutral Zone, a Starfleet vessel finds itself unexpectedly in a standoff against a Romulan warbird. Tensions escalate rapidly, threatening to shatter the fragile peace. However, high-ranking officials from both sides have been secretly negotiating a truce, recognizing the greater threat posed by the Dominion’s expansion. In this tense moment, the Starfleet captain faces a critical decision: to order a strategic retreat, honoring the unannounced truce and avoiding a potentially catastrophic conflict, or to stand ground, risking an all-out battle. The crew stands by, awaiting the command, as communications channels buzz with the final words of diplomacy. The situation teeters on the brink of war and peace, with the fate of interstellar relations hanging in the balance. ​​

do it again but instead of a situation describe a Star Trek NPC whose motivations are the action and theme rolled

The rolled phrases from the oracles are “Strategize” and “Occupation.”

Star Trek NPC Description:

This NPC is a high-ranking intelligence officer of the Cardassian military, deeply involved in the strategic planning of the Occupation forces. They are a master strategist, known for their cunning and foresight in military tactics. Despite their allegiance to the Cardassian government, their true motivations are complex. They view the Occupation not just as a means to expand Cardassian influence, but as a strategic chessboard where they can exercise their intellect and strategic acumen. This NPC is not driven by mere loyalty or patriotism; instead, they are fascinated by the intricacies of interstellar politics and warfare. They see the Occupation as a grand opportunity to test their strategies and leave a mark on the galaxy’s history. Their actions, though often cold and calculated, are always intricately planned, aiming to secure Cardassia’s position in the quadrant while simultaneously considering the larger galactic picture, especially concerning the Dominion War’s shifting dynamics. ​

As with any matrix, if you roll a combination that doesn’t make sense or sound fun to you, re-roll, or pick the combo that sparks your imagination.

I hope this article has helped you see new ways to move your game forward. I’m happy to answer questions in the comments.

Good luck, Captains!

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