> The main character has to make friends and allies to help with the fight against the evil wizard, particularly because nobles continually interfere, as they regard their petty squabbles as more important.
Or maybe the squabbles aren't so petty and one of the noble factions is secretly in league with the evil wizard.
A good example I've seen of how to juggle plot threads and subplots is in the Judge Dee novels by Richard Van Gulik. They're police procedurals set in 7th century AD T'ang China with showing how Confucian magistrate Judge Dee solves crimes and baffling mysteries in whatever city he's currently stationed in. The Judge usually ends up dealing with three different mysteries, that sometimes get tangled together and sometimes are completely separate. He often also finds the time to have other subplots. Like in 'The Haunted Monastery' where he unintentionally ends up playing matchmaker for two young couples.
> The main character has to make friends and allies to help with the fight against the evil wizard, particularly because nobles continually interfere, as they regard their petty squabbles as more important.
Or maybe the squabbles aren't so petty and one of the noble factions is secretly in league with the evil wizard.
Or maybe they are so petty but they are so self-absorbed that they are willing to enter into a league with him.
Even opposing factions.
Lots of possibilities could fit that framework.
A good example I've seen of how to juggle plot threads and subplots is in the Judge Dee novels by Richard Van Gulik. They're police procedurals set in 7th century AD T'ang China with showing how Confucian magistrate Judge Dee solves crimes and baffling mysteries in whatever city he's currently stationed in. The Judge usually ends up dealing with three different mysteries, that sometimes get tangled together and sometimes are completely separate. He often also finds the time to have other subplots. Like in 'The Haunted Monastery' where he unintentionally ends up playing matchmaker for two young couples.
Separate mysteries require careful juggling.
Van Gulik provides a good example in his Judge Dee stories of how to do just that.