Quickly Structure a Plot with But / Therefore

Put an end to the AND THEN syndrome

Let’s be honest for a second. We’ve all endured (or worse, GMed) a session where events unfold like a grocery list. The players arrive in town AND THEN they go to the tavern AND THEN they accept a quest AND THEN they go into the forest.

It’s BORE-AWFUL. It’s the flatline of storytelling.

Personally, I hate it when an adventure lacks COHESION. If your scenes are only connected by the passage of time, you aren't telling a story; you're reading a schedule. For me, TTRPGs are about EMOTION and TENSION. And to get that, you need CAUSALITY.

That’s where a technique stolen from the creators of South Park comes in. It’s RADICALLY SIMPLE, but it will completely transform your scenario prep. Forget "And then"; from now on, we swear by BUT and THEREFORE.

The Iron Law: The Logical Connector

The principle is crystal clear: between every beat of your plot, you must be able to insert either a BUT or a THEREFORE.

• BUT introduces a complication, an obstacle, or an unforeseen twist.
• THEREFORE introduces a logical consequence, a player reaction, or an escalation of the situation.

If you find yourself saying "And then," stop everything. It means your scenario lacks punch. You are forcing a sequence of events without an organic link. Personally, this is what I want to avoid at all costs to keep my players on their toes.

Why is it life-changing?

Because BUT generates CONFLICT. And without conflict, there is no story. THEREFORE generates AGENCY (the famous Player Agency). Players act because there is a LOGICAL reason to do so, not just because it’s the next paragraph in the module.

In my PF2 games (Pathfinder 2e, for those in the know), where the rules are precise and the world is rich, this structure gives MEANING to every dice roll. We don’t roll dice for nothing; we roll them because the BUT forces us to, or the THEREFORE led us there.

A Concrete Example: The Village and the Weevils

Enough theory, let’s get practical. Let’s take a classic starting situation: the party arrives in a lumberjack village.

Here’s where the magic happens:

1. The PCs arrive at the lumberjack village BUT the sawmill has been closed for weeks because giant weevils are infesting the woods.
2. The village is on the brink of bankruptcy THEREFORE the lumberjacks beg the PCs to clear the area in exchange for a reward.
3. The players head to the site to exterminate the vermin BUT they quickly realize the insects aren't wild: they obey a Druid.
4. The Druid refuses to negotiate and retreats THEREFORE the PCs track the hermit to his lair.
5. The lair seems accessible BUT it turns out to be a labyrinth filled with riddles and plant traps.
6. The PCs solve the riddles and defeat the Druid BUT (and this is where it gets juicy) the old man reveals he is the former village chief.
7. He explains he is using the weevils to stop deforestation, otherwise the Dryads will massacre the entire village THEREFORE the players are faced with a heartbreaking moral choice.

It’s brilliant. Why? Because every step DRIVES the next. It’s not just a series of fights; it’s an ESCALATION of tension.

The Dilemma: The Salt of the Table

Did you notice the end of my example? That’s my secret weapon. I love placing players in front of DILEMMAS. Not fake choices between good and evil, no. Real choices where there is no perfect solution.

Here, they either stop the druid and potentially doom the village to nature's fury, or they leave the forest alone and doom the village to economic starvation.

That is what TTRPGs are about. It’s those moments of silence at the table where players look at each other, hesitating, weighing the pros and cons. That’s where EMOTION emerges. Personally, I don’t care how many hit points the boss has; I want to know if the players will have the heart to kill him after hearing his story.

Applying But / Therefore to Point Crawls

Since I’m a huge fan of POINT CRAWLS, I use this method to connect my navigation nodes.

Instead of having point A and point B connected by a simple line on the map, I ask myself:

• "They want to go to point B, BUT the bridge was sabotaged by gnolls."
• "THEREFORE they must go through the lower caverns."
• "The caverns are faster BUT they are haunted by the gnolls' victims."

In short, you get the idea. Every movement becomes a micro-story. It’s simple, it’s direct, and it avoids wasting time on useless descriptions or random encounters that add NOTHING to the plot. I hate excessive randomization. A random encounter roll should always serve the BUT or the THEREFORE; otherwise, it’s just fat added to the session.

Why you should adopt it NOW

1. Preparation Speed: You can structure an entire campaign on the back of a napkin with this logic.
2. Narrative Consistency: Your players will never ask "Why are we doing this again?". The answer is in the last THEREFORE.
3. Flexibility: If the players do something unexpected, you just pivot with a new BUT.

Also, remember that the plot belongs to everyone. The But / Therefore method isn't an immutable rail; it’s a STRUCTURE. It’s the framework that allows players to shine. As a GM, I’m there to set the BUT, and it’s up to them to give me the THEREFORE through their actions.

This is why PF2 is my system of choice. The technical framework is solid, which leaves me all the mental space to manage this chain of causality without worrying if the mechanics will keep up. They ALWAYS do.

Conclusion: Be Ruthless with your "And thens"

Next time you write your session notes, do this exercise. Take your scenario. Cross out all the "and thens." Replace them with complications or consequences.

If you can’t find a BUT or a THEREFORE, it means your scene is USELESS. Delete it. Be radical. Your players will thank you when they are feverishly debating the future of a lumberjack village instead of counting their gold pieces.

That’s the Great Game. It’s the art of weaving logical and emotional threads. So, grab your pens, and remember: no mercy for flat linearity. Drama is born from hindrance; glory is born from consequence.