[RPG][WOD] Playing with people smarter than yourself

I’ve been playing WOD for a while, and depending on the genre, done very well or been totally overwhelmed.  Right now, I’m  having fun, but I’m petrified that I will mess things up.

I completely admit that while Werewolf SEEMED fun at the time I was playing it, and it offered me a sense of liberation and freedom, it was wrong for the kind of player I am.

Werewolf relies a great deal on the ability to make decisions, and expects a strong sense of self from the player. At the time I was playing Jak, I was emotionally lost and had no idea who I was personally. Jak certainly knew himself, but I as the player squashed many of his impulsive choices for fear that indulging them would be doing something “wrong” or due to a lack of confidence in my own decisions. 

(example: Jak was without an alpha or direction for a very long time. In that time, he took two new Uratha into his home and taught them Uratha rules and culture, offered them spiritual advice while providing  them shelter and food.  Jak’s patience was wearing thin and he wanted to push to be declared alpha. I didn’t pursue this because I didn’t want to be “too aggressive” or too demanding of my ST.  My ST later revealed to me that he responds well to decisiveness; and especially so when that decisiveness comes from a werewolf player.)

Changeling was much more my speed- it was very oriented towards a social personality, which is definitely more like my own self. Eile was an intensely social creature, dependent on interactions and emotions to survive and prosper. At the time, I was playing with people who were easy for me to be social with, and with whom I had many ties that helped me touch on emotional responses. Despite playing a character that was “disconnected” and without a home or family, I was able to build those elements inside the game for her, based on my personality and understanding of how the system was supposed to work for Changelings.  Changeling seemed “natural” to me, and I strongly miss playing in that environment.

Vampire is a system I played previously and strongly enjoyed. I felt confident based on previous experience and general interest that I would do well as a Vampire this time around.  I found out through trial and much error that the  NPC Vampires in this makebelieveland are the power brokers, movers and shakers; and thus, are MUCH smarter than myself.  

I have discovered that I don't think in the same way as my ST. He thinks in very divergent ways, and I think pretty directly. My ST's ideas and imaginations are far more creative, hidden and agenda-oriented than mine, and I "miss" many of the hints and plots that exist in the game. 

I have been kind of lucky, because I have been playing with a guy who has incredible knowledge, wisdom, insight and understanding of both the game and the themes in it. His talent has shielded me (and my character) from my own lack of anything remotely like ability. This was made obvious during our last game session, when a ruse that had been perpetrated against all the Vampires for a very long time, and he was the only character (or player)  to see through the illusion. 

Playing with those smarter than yourself is a tricky thing. You have to be able to offer enough "something" to be seen as worth keeping around, but you have to (and should) use their preeminence to your advantage (mostly so you don't die). 


Making allegiances in game is usually direct (except as Vampires, who are strongly encouraged NOT to trust each other) and easy. Not so with Vinnie, who has an agenda and isn't telling anyone about it. This game is full of consequences, and the consequence of not directly making allies is you don't have the support network that other players might. 


The events of last session were a culmination of several sessions' worth of back work; and a lot of hammering out things in character so that the PCs involved would not kill each other. There was a time when Vinnie actually had very strongly worded suggestions to kill another PC, and he had the plan to do so, but that time has passed. Getting Vinnie to a point where he either had faith in or trusted said PC took a lot of roleplaying; with a guy that is a million times smarter than me. 

I forgot to take notes for a lot of it, which stinks, because I know he gave me information I can use. I also forgot to do any kind of defensive work (plausible deniability is a wonderful thing) and it will come back to haunt me very soon. 


But that's the joy of playing with (and sometimes against) those that are just more talented at the game than you; you learn what your failures are and maybe learn how to grow past them. 


Any of you out there have people in their groups that are smarter than you? If so, how do you deal with, learn from and encourage them? How do you fail? What helps you not feel so bad? 

[RPG] Roundtable and Update

First, I want to suggest you folks go take a peek at this thought-provoking post. It was brought to my attention by the ever lovely Dungeonmum, and I figured I'd mosey over and chat a bit.

http://dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/2011/02/female-gamer-roundtable-is-go.html

I have to say I'm not a usual frequenter of the site for a variety of reasons. However, it is by all metrics available, the most popular and highest traffic RPG blog out there- and giving lady gamers a chance to talk about their perspectives and ideas is a pretty good thing in my book.

I did notice that out of 630+ followers, he's only getting something like 30-40 replies. Zak's not dumb though, and he's putting up a follow up post for more discussion. (Actually, Zak and I have talked off an on via comments in a sundry number of RPG blogs and he's an excessively fun and intelligent guy.)

In other news, my Hero System game set in Hawaii is on hiatus at the moment. TheJoe, the GM, recently got a promotion. (YAY! He deserved it.) Due to this his schedule is a little wonky and he's waiting until things settle down to restart the game.

Some of you may have heard (or guessed), but I've decided to retire Eile in the near future. Exactly how (and when) is still very much up to my evocative and story-driven ST. I have some basic ideas about what will happen- but how I react to it and where it leaves the other players is the meat of the matter. It's very much the crux of the D1 style discussion as was brought about by Porky and expanded on by a large number of folks.

Once Eile's story is concluded (or perhaps a better word is withdrawn), I'm not sure where that will leave me on the RPG front. I'm actively thinking about my game world again- and I have some new questions and thoughts to go along with the making of a world. Porky's got me all flustered on naming conventions, though.  I wonder if his "place" in the community is stirring things up, as opposed to mine, which is inspiring others. Food for thought.

I have more subjects for the "core" RPG series I was doing, but this week I wanted to discuss what *I* am doing, and then get back to community.

Community is what I love, and I'm always interested in what's going on around me. I am trying to make my feeds and links direct content that's compelling and provoking- so I'm working on keywords and really honing in on what I want to discuss.

Be Well,

'Lo

[RPG] Plot

I got so many wonderful comments on my Characters post! Thanks so much for sharing. I was reallys truck by how much I identified with some of the comments. I definitely agree that playing a character that allows you to be someone you're not is a fun (but tricky) thing!

One of my favorite characters, Jak, was just about opposite to me in every possible way. I liked playing him, but he was a constant challenge.

I'm really liking this series about the "core" elements of role-playing, and look forward to a lot of interesting discussions with you guys.

Plots seem to be a bit trickier. They're either great or terrible, in my experience. I've yet to be involved in a plot that was "meh", but I'm sure it's possible.

What makes a plot good? Is it personal involvement? Complexity? Depth and scope? Is it the interaction between the elements? Is it the resolution? On the flip side, what makes a plot bad?

How do you develop plots? What makes a plot seem natural and organic, versus railroaded or hammy? How do you incorporate mature (or silly) plots without offending? What do you do when your plot falls apart?

I can't wait to hear what you have to say! 

[WOD] The Hedge Tales, Week 2- The Turning

[Welcome to the 2nd week of the Hedge Tales. This is personally my favorite of the five stories. I wrote it first, and came back to it throughout the series as a touchstone whenever I was stuck. Enjoy!]

I woke up different. I’m long and lean, covered in soft brown fur, with whiskers and ears that telescope on the top my head. My mouth is elongated, and full of big teeth. My eyes are sharper, with clearer vision, but in a much lower spectrum. Colors are washed out, and bright things look a touch grainy. My nose is aflame with a million scents and textures in the air. It’s like a factory of information and my brain is on overload at the moment. I can’t help but notice that I have four legs, with bends going the wrong way at the joints, and weirdest of all, a tail. I shake myself in a strangely dismissive gesture, and I make a slight chuffing noise. I try to get back to business.

I look myself over in depth, and the closest I can come to understanding it is to think of myself as lupine, maybe a coyote. I hear a weird “meep-meep” in my head, strangely familiar, but terribly disconnected. I don’t know where it’s from. I circle around, getting used to the pads on my feet. I’m more than a little wobbly, confusion hazing my every thought. I rest my head on my paws, smelling the loam and the world around me on their fur. I doze off, a strange cloud of unease and bizarre thoughts running through my head.

I wake, and the world is different. It’s a vast forest, full of life. I spend the longest time drinking in the leaves, the trees, the bushes, the pollen, the flowers, the birds, the rabbits and the many other creatures that dwell here. I catch a whiff of a vole, and I straighten, trying to determine how many strides it will take to catch it. I know it’s not what I really want to hunt, but it’s near, and it’s small; so it will do.

I make a leap, pouncing after the terrified little rodent. I feel the air rushing under my chest, my legs rippling as I tear after my target, my muscles bunching and loosening under my pelt as the earth glides beneath me. My teeth catch the skin behind its little head, my snout all fangs and fury.

I clamp my mouth, and the world is different. It’s an arid desert, dry and empty in the hot sun. The rocks and sand are blazing in the mid day, and all around me is bleached out under the torture of the solar blast. I take a moment to smell the immediate area, and I can sense water, but it’s hidden. I know I won’t last long with my tongue hanging out, panting away my hydration. I head to a large section of boulders, and find an outcropping. I begin to dig a small hole, and wiggle myself into it, using the slight umbrella of shade from the overhang. I rest my head for the slightest moment.

The world is different again. I can’t remember how many times the world was changed. Weeks, months and maybe years of perpetual change passed me by as I struggled to accept this form. This existence is alien and difficult, but a part of myself recognizes its usefulness. I know that I learned to live in each new place, adapting and using the little resources I had every time something is made again. Every time I came close to any kind of solace, or indulge in my primal desires, the world was different.

I encounter others in the lupus families as I make my way through these strange lands. I learn their languages, their ways of communicating. I make some mistakes, to be sure. I quickly learn the many ways to show that I'm not after territory- to keep my tail low, to avert my head, to dig a makeshift latrine, not to howl, and to stay out of the way of alphas marking their areas. I don't want territory, but even if I wanted it, I couldn't keep it. I learned that lesson very quickly here.

As much as things change here, there are some constants. I can easily predict that as soon as I pursue prey, or show interest in an area, or find myself settled, I'll be shaken into a strange new place where I have to learn to adapt again.

Something jangles in my head- a fitting little ditty that seems so close but so far away. "How do we sleep when our world is turning?"

I keep it in my head every time the world is different.

[WOD] Austin By Night- Session 9 as Eile

The fixture in the city of lust
What the hell's your name?
What's your pleasure and what's your pain?
Do you dream too much?-   Green Day, Homecoming   [Part 1: The death of St. Jimmy]


Somebody get me out of here
Get me the fuck right out of here- Green Day, Homecoming    [Part 2: East 12th St.]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Persona vitae of the scenes:
Eile- Changeling (Myself)
Bruce- Hunter (M)
TK- Geist (E)
New Character- Changeling (B.B.) [Ogre seeming, Gargantuan kith]
Raaf -Werewolf (B)
Avere- Changeling (K)

Last session ended with Eile in the paddy wagon along with her boyfriend (TK), her roommate (Bruce) and her potential kidnapper [new player, character name not revealed at this time] due to the serepticious suggestion made by Coyotoe Joe to the police.

Eile quickly deduces the new Changeling was under the mental influence of an Other (Gentry) and realizes he's absolutely fresh out of Arcadia, the place she's been trying to ignore for over a year now. She quietly advises the Ogre not to say anything while the other two men are talking to each other. She now has a way to influence each of them in some way, and she hopes, a way to get out of the mess as well.

They are taken off the paddy wagon and taken aside one by one. Eile is offered the following, after being read her Miranda rights- twice:

Look, we just want to know what happened. Please answer a few questions and if everything checks out, you'll be free to go.

Eile gently declines to speak, instead pointing, nodding and gesturing during the intial processing. She's put into an interview room and waits a while. Shortly after, Raaf walks in. He begins asking her questions, and she continues her silence.

[Completely unknown to me, at least one other player did the EXACT SAME THING.]

Raaf is more than a little frustrated and decides to try to find a way to make Eile look guilty for various crimes- including arson, embezzelment, insurance fraud and murder. Eile is more than a little amused by all this- with the exception of murder, she actually accomplished or contemplated each of those crimes in recent memory. [Most of them in backstory.]

Raaf finally brings out his big guns- he shows some pictures of murder victims, one of which is Eile's neighbor and Eile believes [right or wrong I don't know], a regular customer. Eile is offended by the idea of a source of tips drying up, and is mystified at Raaf's thinking that she'd destroy a steady revenue source. She absolutely fails a willpower check to stay quiet [Hey, I'm playing her, and my name IS Loquacious] and begins discussing the situation. Raaf has offended her, and he is a member of David's family. Eile has absolutely no respect for David whatsoever, and that disrespect bleeds over to Raaf. The interview quickly turns into Eile using every question as a chance to mock Raaf in some way (some much more obvious than others) while still maintaining as much of the truth as possible without explaining much at all.

Raaf doesn't believe anything she's saying, and her taunting only causes him to be even more hostile to her. He takes her to a holding cell, where Bruce and the New Changeling are already being held. She finds out that the Ogre listened to and followed her instructions, and that Bruce is being coached on what to say. The things that Bruce is being encouraged to say could easily fit with Eile being framed, and the Gargantuan has said nothing. Eile tries to come up with a plan, but realizes she has liabilities when she needs serious advantages. She makes an offhand remark that leads Bruce to believe she's strictly using TK and doesn't have any feelings for him, as well as dismisses the severity of the situation. All the while, New Guy is quietly wondering if Bruce has to go and if the cuffs can or should be broken. [Eile says no to both -at least for now.] They wait a while as TK is being questioned.

Eile asks to talk to Raaf again, and tries to imply that everything he's said about her is right. Eile's approach is rough, overtly direct, and very specific in details in regards to some aspects of her potential tale. Raaf doesn't seem to take that bait either, and Eile goes back to the cell.

[Unknown to Eile, while she is talking to Bruce, the new guy and Raaf, TK is off spilling his guts to the police about everything that happened- dragon and all.]

TK is brought into the holding cell area, and New Guy is taken back out.  There's a little more conversation. Eile spends some time fishing for information, and then asks if TK had anything to do with the murders. [Yes, she's got balls of steel.] He of course denies it, but Eile sees Bruce's reaction and knows the effect she was after has been achieved.

A little while later, Raaf comes down and wants to talk to Eile. He pulls her aside and tells her that the New Guy needs her  - for two specific things. He needs her to give him permission to speak, and he needs Eile to give him a name. Eile asks if she cann talk to him, and she goes to the other worm.

Eiele comes to the door and sees Avere in a chair facing the back of the room. The big guy is facing her, and Eile hesitates at the doorway for a long moment as she debates dealing with Avere.[There's a very cool, hard to describe, completely non-verbal moment between Eile and the New Changeling here while Eile debates.]  She finally enters, and before she has a moment to sit or speak to the new Changeling, Avere chimes in, demanding that Eile give him permission to speak.

Eile asks the Ogre if he wants to speak, and he indicates through writing that it's Avere that wants him to be able to talk. Another question and answer reveals that New Guy only wants to talk if Eile wants him to. Avere badgers away at Eile, trying to insist that he be allowed to speak for himself. Eile tells Avere very seriously- "I don't have to do anything". Avere isn't phased, she declares that it's the "right thing to do". Avere then goes on, in her somewhat childish and naive way, talking about the "dream out there" (meaning outside of jail) and how the new guy won't be able to function if he can't talk. Eile snaps- "I don't dream, and I don't want to; if it means I turn out like that" [implying Avere]. Another comment makes it obvious- the new Changeling WON'T speak until Eile releases him from his prohibition, and only if she wants him to. Eile now knows she has control over his entire world, and is shaken to her core, flashing back to moments in Arcadia. Eile debates and considers what to do, and nearly loses clarity again.

[An important note on the sequence of events and what Eile considered.

Eile was told that someone needed her- in a way that offered her power and control. For Eile, this was a huge and scary responsibility. She wasn't sure how to handle it or how to react. She arrives to find Avere, who she doesn't like or trust, "meddling" in her private domain. [Having one is rare enough for Eile- this is probably the first time she is in control of anything since her escape from the Hedge.] She then finds out that the new Changeling is literally hers to control; which is heady and horrifying. She also learns that Avere has obvious and easily manipulated desires, which flash across Eile's mental control panel in bright displays.Eile's greed and hope for something to call her own are in a vicious duel for Eile's heart as she considers. Eile is literally forced to chose between something -anything- to have as her own and refusing to be like the Fae.]

Eile releases the new fellow, and the two talk for a few moments. In this discussion, names and their power are discussed, as well as the fact that Eile's name is not of her choosing. [This is an important clue for a later scene I want to do] New Changeling wants a name- any name; just not the one he had before he was Taken. Eile admits he reminds her of someone, and he allows her to call him by the name of the person in question. Thus, Terrance is born.

The two are sent back to the holding cell for a while, and then later released for good.

This ends the night for the most part.Other things happened outside of my scenes, but I don't really know anything about them.

[WOD] A Million Pieces

My Brain After Last Night

Almost entirely OOC WOD related thoughts- in no particular order-


On my WOD resume- "Hot Chick, Summoner of Dudes"

The Werewolves are getting the player they have needed for well over 6 months now. I personally asked this player to consider Werewolf previously and he declined at the time- but he's got the perfect personality for the Auspice he'll be playing as well as for the group of players in the pack at the moment.  I'm excited to see how it actually plays out- but again; I feel that conflict of "I wish I was there" and "Man, I am glad I am NOT".

The imminent entrance of this new Werewolf means this player's current character will be diminished in influence and appearance, and I had some thoughts on possible future interactions with him. Easy come, easy go, I guess.

TK's player, Erick, gave me one of the single best ieas for use in game I've heard in years. I'm very excited about its possible implications, but it does have some serious detractions and issues that I need to work through with the ST before I actually persue it.

I'm convinced that one of my long-time gaming friends would be great in and enjoy this wacky, intense, fun and unusual game. However he's known for being a pretty traditional table-top roleplaying type guy. The question and problem becomes whether a campaign to get him to join is a futile effort or if it's the type of thing I'm known for and good at.

Playing with your teenage kids presents some really unusual challenges. It does not help that my oldest is one of the world's biggest prudes/most straightlaced people ever, and I keep encountering his character while Eile is making amorous advances towards TK, or evidence of sexuality is in play at the time. As I mentioned previously, you have to pay attention to maturity, tone and interest when progressing with the more sensual plots.

It appears as if there will be a new Changeling soon. It also appears that she'll be tied to Avere, which is a confounding and interesting situation for me. Pretty much every character in game interacts with Avere (some to a nearly obsessive amount) and Avere's doing everything she can to NOT interact with Eile. This makes for some truly challenging obstacles towards doing what I'm aiming to do. (See below for more.)


Over on Greg's blog, he asked what kind of emotional responses I wanted out of gaming. Here's a snippet of what I said.

Sometimes what I get is related to the GM and/or the players, and when that's the case, I just have to think differently about whatever is happening to find a new direction. 

Last night I spoke to the ST of the WOD game because I was having concerns about what emotional responses I am getting from the game. We've both agreed that my character and her concept is wonderful, and we both want to find ways to keep her in the game and get her active.

One of the single most important aspects of making Eile work effectively for plot and results (resonance and personal satisfaction) is direct, player-to-player interaction. I haven't been able to accomplish this with more than a couple players- and while the results there are fantastic (just wait for the write-up);  it's not enough to make Eile a fully participating part of the group.

[This lack of direct interaction is due to two or three factors- one; Eile has been pursuing NPC oriented activities; two, Avere has been in many ways the "gate keeper" to other PCs with whom Eile could interact and Eile is actively avoiding Avere just as much as Avere is avoiding Eile; and three-the KIND of character Eile is- she's simply not direct in any way.]

At the moment, I really feel as if I'm playing a particularly active NPC. I did approach this with the ST; that perhaps Eile is better suited as an NPC.

Many of the downtime related activities Eile has been persuing have been highly NPC oriented (activity in the Spring Court, trying to encounter a Werewolf pack [not the one being played by the PCs], getting a job at a strip club, etc) and these activities- while they make perfect sense for her mindset and objectives- do not further her being an active participant in the game.

What I told my ST last night was that I either needed to come up with some new ideas/directions that would allow for character interaction, or consider a new idea entirely- because I'm just not generating the traction I want and expect through Eile and her endeavors.

if I consider something else, the problem becomes WHAT. I'm still convinced Werewolf is out. I'm not super sold on Geist but I am not as against it as I was previously. Mage is right out. Vampire is possible, but I'd have to be VERY careful with what character I generate- I can easily see another Eile type and the same frustrations coming about without caution. A Changeling doesn't really solve my problem; and then there's the issue of how to offer anything NEW to the group- Avere's pretty powerful and has shared a GREAT deal of information on the Lost and her abilities. And trying not to metagame this info into any new concept gets tricky, too.

So time to come up with some new directions and possibilities so I can keep this wonderful girl I love so much, I think.

Reinventing the Wheel

A friend of mine who loves fiddling with games told me recently that he is trying to come up with a D&D 3.5 rewrite that won't make me puke. He's selling it to me as a point buy, without classes and minus the THACO.

He's trying to hit on my "laundry list" of hated points of pretty much any D&D variant. I know he means well, and I enjoy his creativity. I'm willing to consider looking at it when he's done because I'm a good friend, but in all honesty, it will be very hard to convince me that it's not the same stuff I've come to find so distasteful.

I understand why he's doing it- he wants to try to give me the "shared experience" of the D&D culture. He wants me, of all people, to enjoy what he enjoyed so much and what he grew up on. He wants to give me the opportunity to see things through his viewfinder. I'm really touched that he likes me that much. He's not writing it just for me, but he wants to share the end result with me for a very specific purpose.

I appreciate it- it's an interesting concept. But part of me wonders, why go to all the trouble? There are a wide variety of clones and there's so many ways to play the game without fiddling with an existing ruleset. What point does having yet another adaptation of the 'predecessor' prove?

To me, it's like riffing on Night In Tunisia- it might sound good, but why mess with it in the first place? Love it or hate it, the structure, pacing, elements, mood and performance are the "gold standard" for a certain place and time for jazz. The same can and perhaps should be said for D&D- a standard that shouldn't be emulated.

Am I totally off?