The Story Engine Deck
Character Dynamics Story Expansion Set
Character Dynamics Story Expansion Set
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Our most requested expansion set is now available for pre-order!
The Character Dynamics Expansion Set for The Story Engine Deck system features:
- Inner Truths & Outer Trials: Character Questions Expansion
- Best Friends & Bitter Rivals: Relationships Expansion
- Written in Love & Longing: Romance Expansion
Get deep into character development and dynamics with three NEW 60-card expansions for The Story Engine. Whether you’re developing a character’s personality, exploring plots powered by interpersonal dynamics, or preparing a story with love or romance at its heart, this expansion set offers endless ways to prompt new ideas.
⭐ CAPTIVATING PROMPTS
➡️ 180 cards for creating rich interpersonal dynamics, shaping any character’s inner world and for creating romantic tales
⭐ INSTANT IDEAS
➡️ Generate complex character relationships, personality traits and ignite sparks during writing or live at the table
⭐ LEVEL UP YOUR SKILLS
➡️ Drive the plot forward with character-based dramatic tension, write fictional characters that feel like real-life individuals and hook readers with complicated love triangles, enemies to lovers, and other romantic tropes
⭐ BEAUTIFUL & FUNCTIONAL
➡️ Compact boxes are easy to carry and store
⭐ BUILT TO LAST
➡️ Printed on heavy 350gsm artpaper cards
⭐ COMBINE WITH OUR OTHER DECKS
➡️ Each new expansion combines seamlessly with a variety of our existing decks. Scroll down to learn more.
This expansion set comes with...
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Character Questions Expansion
Pre-order as a single expansionWrite characters that feel real using open-ended questions to help you flesh out your character, from formative memories and core beliefs to petty grudges and personality quirks.
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Relationships Expansion
Pre-order as a single expansionWrite relationships and develop character dynamics that power page-turning plots with an expansion focused on exploring motivations and conflicts that link characters.
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Romance Expansion
Pre-order as a single expansionDeveloped with bestselling romance author Maggie K. Black, Written in Love & Longing is been our most requested expansion ever. Write stories featuring motivations, conflicts, and characters that regularly top the bestseller list.
Character Questions Expansion Preview
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✅ Can be used on its own like a set of flash cards with questions to help you further develop your existing characters.
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✅ Combines seamlessly with The Story Engine Deck to create deeply developed characters from scratch.
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✅ Combines seamlessly with other story expansions and boosters to develop emotionally rich characters in any genre.
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✅ Combines well with Lore Master's Deck to further explore the inner worlds and backstories of your world's figures.
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✅ Can be combined with Deck of Worlds to add detail to characters that that appear as you build your world.
Relationships Expansion Preview
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✅ Designed to work with all Agent cards from The Story Engine Deck (or any story expansion/booster) to create plots powered by character dynamics.
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✅ Combines well with Figure cards from Lore Master's Deck (or any lore expansion) to develop a wide variety of dynamics, backgrounds and lore links. Also works with many Faction cards.
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❗ This expansion is designed to be used in conjunction with either The Story Engine Deck or Lore Master's Deck. It is difficult to use without Agent or Figure cards.
Romance Expansion Preview
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✅ Can be used on its own to create entirely romance-focused stories.
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✅ Combines seamlessly with The Story Engine Deck to create trillions of potential story ideas that go beyond the core tropes of romance.
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✅ Combines seamlessly with other story expansions and boosters to add romantic tension to genre stories (e.g., a sci fi epic with a slow-burning romance at its heart).
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✅ Combines seamlessly with other story expansions and boosters to create popular romance genre blends (e.g. romantic suspense, romantasy, or paranormal romance).
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✅ Has synergy with Lore Master's Deck, especially for writing romantasy stories featuring transformed tropes from modern romance.
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✅ Can be combined with Deck of Worlds. See the Deck of Worlds guidebook for details on combining our story/worldbuilding deck systems.
New expansion launch FAQ
When will pre-orders be delivered?
Pre-orders of the new Character Dynamics Expansions will be delivered between July and September 2026 depending on your region.
When will the final PDFs be released?
The final PDFs will be released in May/June 2026. They are not currently available to order.
How will the alpha PDF release work?
When you pre-order the full expansion set, you'll automatically have alpha access to the PDFs of the new expansions added to your cart for free.
Pre-orders will able to participate in the exclusive alpha, with PDF access from March 2-31.
Early VIP pre-orders placed before 10am ET on February 6 will be able to download the alpha PDFs one week early.
Alpha PDF download access will be provided via email notification from our digital downloads platform Filemonk.
Download access will be removed when the alpha period concludes on Mar 31.
What is an "alpha"?
An alpha is an early, non-final version of a game.
We will be releasing a printable PDF of the 3 new expansions as an alpha to give pre-order customers a first look at the expansions.
Our alpha PDF may feature cards and artwork that do not appear in the final version of the expansions. The prompts will not yet have been reviewed by sensitivity readers and will have only received a preliminary round of proofreading.
You will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the alpha via a survey link that will be provided.
Pre-order individual expansions
Please note that individual expansions do not include alpha PDF access.
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Character Questions Story Expansion
Regular price $19.99Regular priceUnit price per -
Romance Story Prompts Expansion
Regular price $19.99Regular priceUnit price per -
Relationships Story Expansion
Regular price $19.99Regular priceUnit price per
