Out of Character (OOC) Thread

[Bynw]

Role Playing Games and Storytelling have a few things in common. They both tell a story at the end and during the course of the adventure that is taking place.

The big difference is with a regular story, everything is planned out in advance. The author knows what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, and how it is going to happen. Even in the case of a story that is written by multiple authors.

With a role playing game, the gamemaster sets the stage. And controls a good portion of the environment and minor characters that are encountered along the way. This can be, in part, given over to the players as well. Which in this game they have done a fantastic job of it.

Sometimes there is a set goal for the player characters to achieve, other times it is rather open ended. But whatever happens it is because the players made their characters do it. And in the course of those actions, the outcome isnt always certain or fixed. Things happen that aren't planned at all. And that is due to the dice. The dice determines the outcome for the player characters and everyone else within the game's story.

Role playing is more akin to improve acting than writing a book. One has a character to play and a given scenario. And when it comes to actions that are taken. There is an element of randomness. The dice determine the outcome and flow of that transpires.

Another way of looking at Role playing games is thinking back to the days of yesteryear. We all played the games of Cops and Robbers. Cowboys and Indians. They are truly a free form (no rules at all) role playing game. And of course there are the playground arguments of "I shot you" vs "No you didn't. You missed."

Now we take that and add the dice or any other method of determining the outcome. I'm the cop and I shot the robber. I roll the dice or we play rock scissors paper and the outcome is decided without any room for argument.

That is a role playing game and how it differs from storytelling that is just written.

[Bynw]

Hey Laurna .... I have a question for you ....

On Wash's sheet you have money like this:

Gold: 10 gold
((Edit 2/4/18)) -4 gold and 6 silvers to various people in Droghera, = 5 gold, 4 silvers
((edit 2/6/18)) -1 gold =4 gold, 4 silvers
((Edit 4/30/18 -1gold to priest for St Christopher = 3gold 4silvers.

How are you breaking down the Gold into Silvers and probably coopers as well. Just curious so we can all use the same system.

[Laurna]

Bynw, I didn't want to break it down as much as coppers, but I did break one gold into 10 silvers. Washburn paid the young boys in Droghera a couple silvers each for dying the color of his horse's gear from red to black. I figured a gold would have been too much. he wasn't buying new gear and he was paying kids not adults. I was trying to keep up on how he gave money too. but I may have missed some.
Oh and I have to add in the hero point used today.

DerynifanK, don't be hard on Bynw. He is just taking a little bit of advantage as the villain in this situation. A situation that we four lady writers let run amok. Truth is, we were at a slow point, we needed a little livening up.  We knew Feyd was in the Castle and we knew what he wanted. We didn't set out to let him win. But we did give him the opportunity to make a stab at it. (literally with a drugged pricker.) Then bynw said the first stab wasn't Feyd, then we knew we had two bad guys in the castle. I actually had a lot of fun writing that scene with Washburn fighting Jaxom. And I knew the Feyd was playing a scholarly type foreign noble so I added him into the scene. The scholar did helped Washburn at first, that was because Feyd didn't want his mark mind-ripped; that won't get him any money from his contract. So he helped Wash. Wash took that help, thinking Feyd was an allies. That was Washburn's mistake. Don't turn your back! He should have learned that from his father. For Alaric had fallen for that mistake once, too.

I was pretty sure we could keep Feyd from winning. But even when you start a story-line one way, another writer comes along and adds a twist, which actually makes it really fun and lets you think hard about what to write next. Then as a writer/gamer you follow a few dice rolls and the twists become major kinks in the road. Trouble is, two of our writers are not really near computers this weekend. It might have been cruel to jump into this story line so wholeheartedly, but it is exciting and rather nerve-wracking. I really don't know what will happen next. I'll wait for an inspiration and see what comes up.

And give a big cheer for saving Aliset! Yes-um  a big cheer! Washburn, Darcy and Columcil would have been heart-broken if she had been taken.  One good bout of dice rolling there.

[revanne]

I'm not sure I entirely agree with you, Bynw, about storytelling being planned out in advance, but, yes, in a story, the action is controlled by the author and the development of the characters involved.

I am finding being involved in this game frustrating and chalkenging, which all adds to the fun and stretches me as a writer.

I try to make my characters act true to themselves, which means sometimes they do foolish things. The scene with Dhugal was made more risky by the presence of Richard Kirby who as a human had the odds stacked against him. If I had allowed him just to stand aside and let Dhugal deal with things, the chances are that Washburn would be still in Rhemuth. But in real life people get involved who shouldn't and cause havoc with good intentions and I cannot imagine Richard standing passively by with a fight going on around him. Although he has learnt a hard lesson about the evil use of Deryni power.

Even then I thought Dhugal could pull it off but the dice said otherwise. Very frustrating  especially as I had a wonderful scenario all worked out. But that tends to happen in life too. 

And thank you to Bynw about the massive nudge about greybeard and Aliset having not gone through the portal.

[Bynw]

the incident with Feyd in the Library came sooner than Feyd had anticipated. He had to act quickly and lend his power in helping Washburn to draw any suspicion off of him at the time too. Something that Feyd had not planned for so now he is not ready to work the rest of his plans yet.

[DesertRose]

I'm not sure I entirely agree with you, Bynw, about storytelling being planned out in advance, but, yes, in a story, the action is controlled by the author and the development of the characters involved.

Indeed.  Sometimes, to paraphrase KK, the characters decide what they're going to do without much (or any!) consultation with the author who in theory is running the show!

(See the scene near the end of "The Miracles of St. Jorian" wherein Bishop Arilan breaks down in tears.  I had no idea that was happening or going to happen until it just did.)

[Laurna]

the incident with Feyd in the Library came sooner than Feyd had anticipated. He had to act quickly and lend his power in helping Washburn to draw any suspicion off of him at the time too. Something that Feyd had not planned for so now he is not ready to work the rest of his plans yet.

The rest of his plans? oh dear!

Bynw please pm me with what has happened to Wash at least at the moment. So I don't write something that counters your plan.

[DerynifanK]

Ironic situation in this crazy game
Bynw "Washburn is safe in Rhemuth" that was so not true . can't believe bynw
Kelson was going to keep Wash in Rhemuth  in order not to risk another of Alaric's sons then he lost him in Rhemuth  in the castle  itself.

[Bynw]

I'm not sure I entirely agree with you, Bynw, about storytelling being planned out in advance, but, yes, in a story, the action is controlled by the author and the development of the characters involved.

Indeed.  Sometimes, to paraphrase KK, the characters decide what they're going to do without much (or any!) consultation with the author who in theory is running the show!

(See the scene near the end of "The Miracles of St. Jorian" wherein Bishop Arilan breaks down in tears.  I had no idea that was happening or going to happen until it just did.)

Well that is true everywhere. Even in RPGs, the Characters may take on a life of their own after a while.

[Bynw]

An RPG although it is a game. Does not have who wins and who looses. Generally their are some campaign goals that if these are met the campaign will come to and end. But that just means a new one will be starting up afterwards, the game continues. Maybe with the same character or maybe not.

So for Ghosts of the Past, if any of these events take place the campaign will end shortly there after.

• If all 4 of the main player character get captured or get killed.
• If Grand Duke Valerian gets captured or killed.
• If Princess/Queen Sidana of Merea gets captured or killed.
• If King Kelson of Gwynedd gets captured, killed, or abandons his Kingdom.

Basically if any of those things happen the current campaign of this game will be over. And another one would have to be started under a different idea. Or even time period or something else entirely.

[Laurna]

Aack! I hadn't thought about what would bring this game/story to an ending.
With your first closing event named, I realize now how close we got to being nearly half-way to that ending.
I am officially thanking Revanne for saving Aliset and for saving us all from a horrible fate. Now, I just have to keep Wash alive. Somehow. That is my new goal. Keep Washburn alive.

[Jerusha]

That settles it then.  Grand Duke Valerian is going down!

[Bynw]

That settles it then.  Grand Duke Valerian is going down!

Now you cant just write a scene that has him captured or killed without a fight or something that is out of his character. He's a bad guy extreme and will not go down easy.

[DerynifanK]

I'M with you Jerusha!

[revanne]

Aack! I hadn't thought about what would bring this game/story to an ending.
With your first closing event named, I realize now how close we got to being nearly half-way to that ending.
I am officially thanking Revanne for saving Aliset and for saving us all from a horrible fate. Now, I just have to keep Wash alive. Somehow. That is my new goal. Keep Washburn alive.

I'm only sorry I failed to save Washburn.