thread: 2005-08-31 : The Dragon Killer Fishbowl
On 2005-09-09, Vincent wrote:
Starting Scenes
Only the GM can start a scene. However, you've got these three things on your character sheet: Destination, Circumstance, Reputation. They're toggles. Each can be set to "mine" or "GM's." If it's set to "mine," at your scene's start you decide it; if to "GM's," the GM does.
If anybody has suggestions for better words, feel free.
Destination: Physically where does the scene open? This is scale-indifferent: it might be "in the kitchen," it might be "at Dunnhill Freehold," it might be "at some coastal village."
Circumstance: What state are you in? How's your health, what do you possess, are you hungry cold half-dead, fed rested well-groomed, or what?
Reputation: Apart from your immediate appearance, what do the people there think of you and how do they respond? If the scene's whatchit, in media res, this includes what you've been doing just now.
Like I say, when the GM starts your scene, she decides any- and everything about what's listed as hers, and she has to let you decide any- and everything about what's listed as yours.
Here's an example. I'm the GM. Your sheet says destination yours, circumstance mine, reputation mine:
Me: Where are you now?
You: Um, Dunnhill Freehold [destination].
Me: Awesome. First off, you're terribly sick with fever and infection; your leg's gashed up and swolen so bad you've thrown away your boot. Your clothes are in tatters. Your sword's lost [circumstance]. So Athelred puts you straight to bed and sets his daughters to heal you - but he posts a guard over you as well. You're his prisoner [reputation].
Here's another. I'm the GM. Your sheet says destination mine, circumstance mine, reputation yours:
Me: You wake up in Athelred's daughter's bed [destination], naked, with her [circumstance]. Athelred's calling for her, you can here him across in the hall. Does he know you're in there with her?
You: Of course he does [reputation].
Or else you: No, he doesn't, shit.
See how that works?
And now look ahead, you'll see that the "starting a scene" rules are going to intersect with the "creating a situation" rules ... just right.
This makes BL go "Toggles?"
Are toggles set purely at the player's discretion, or are they tied into the rest of the mechanics? As in -- can I gain and lose control of my destination, circumstances, and relationships?
This makes VB go "I forgot to say..."
You can gain and lose, see below.
This makes Hal go "Finally!"
Aggressive Scene Framing formalized and accesible. Wow.
This makes ecb go "that's so sweet, V."
That's gonna be great when we can do it.
This makes tpc go "lingo..."
..."Mine" = "Standing" and "GM" = "Fallen". Obviously. :)
This makes VB go "tpc - who are you?"
Please say your name so that I can credit you in the game.
This makes SH go "Fantastic"
Haven't seen until now. This was a great mechanic.
This makes tpc go "some call me..."
Tim Cooper, relatively new lurker.
