The Post-Session Playbook
Notes that preserve pressure, not memory.
Most post-session notes try to remember everything that happened.
That’s the problem.
I know too many well-intentioned GMs who spend their time writing down every scene, every NPC, and every clever moment—only to discover that three-quarters of it never matters again.
This playbook isn’t about memory.
It’s about momentum.
You don’t write down the whole session.
You only write what still exerts pressure on the world.
If nothing changed, write nothing.
Mic Drop
The truth about boring gaming sessions
Here’s the one rule that governs how I take post-session notes…
The Core Rule
Write only what still exerts pressure.
If a faction is quiet, skip it.
If no one saw the PCs do anything, skip reputations.
If a thread died at the table, let it die.
The world only remembers what won’t stay quiet.
Hard Constraints
These limits on what you track are intentional.
0–3 factions
0–3 reputations
0–3 loose ends
0–3 key NPCs
If nothing changed, write nothing
If your notes start growing, something isn’t resolving.
Pressure is supposed to move.
If it isn’t, that’s a signal.
The Four Tracks
1) Faction Update
0–3 factions
Update only factions that are actively exerting pressure.
For each one, record:
Current Goal
Next Move
If the faction isn’t doing anything, skip it.
Quiet factions don’t need notes.
2) Reputations
0–3 total
Track only reputations that create social pressure.
Format:
↑ Who trusts them — why
↓ Who distrusts them — why
If nothing public or witnessed happened, skip this section entirely.
Private actions don’t change reputation.
3) Loose Ends
0–3 seeds total
Record only things that still cause future pressure.
Do not plan outcomes.
Do not script payoffs.
Just log the danger.
Format:
Thing →
Who it matters to →
Why it’s dangerous later
If it isn’t causing pressure, it isn’t a loose end.
4) Key NPCs
0–3 total
Log only NPCs who:
Are exerting pressure, or
Matter for immediate continuity
Format:
Name — Role; Faction; Why they matter now
If no one “stuck” this session, skip the section.
Four tracks. A few lines each. That’s enough pressure to run a whole campaign.
Post-Session Playbook
This is the exact one-page sheet I use at my table.
If you want it, you can grab it below.
Let the World Move
You don’t need pages of notes.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
Just track what’s moving, what’s breaking, and who’s feeling the heat.
The rest of the world will take care of itself.
Embrace the Chaos.
Want in? Just hit the button.
Subscribe for Free or toss a coin to your chaotic uncle—either way, you get the goods.
Rules are optional. This part isn’t.