Troupe System

In a "traditional" RPG situation, one person typically acts as the GM (Game Master), and largely controls what happens in the game-world, what NPC's (non-player-characters) do. Many games use different versions of that term, with different connotations; D&D's "Dungeon Master" (DM) is one of the oldest and most well-known. In Ars Magica, the term is "Story Guide" (SG), with an implication of more collaborative (with other players) & story-telling approach.

Unlike traditional RPG's, in "Troupe" style play there is a presumption of much more input/involvement on the part of the rest of the players as to "how the world works." Sometimes there is still only 1 SG, but often there are multiple SG's, who apportion various parts of the game-world and have more-or-less full control within their domain. One player may be the SG for a particular noble (the Duke of Burgundy, for example) and any adventures (stories) played in the Duchy of Burgundy or where the Duke is a primary NPC. Another may control all the faeries in the campaign, and most or all faerie-focused stories. Most often, one player will be the "alpha" SG and coordinate overall interactions and continuity between these "beta" SG's and their spheres of play.