AFC – First Impression

So we got the soft start I was hoping for. I tried to get something to compensate for the starter-session with a really soft start with no big activities in which you could try your wings and test your creation. So let’s evaluate and discuss, how did it go?

In this post I hope to have a good and long dialogue with you all, if you feel like expressing your thoughts in Swedish that’s more than okay since we might misunderstand something if you write in English, but that’s only what I think.

So first things first, let’s review a little.

Initiative – still a concept I think that Daniel haven’t grasped really. But that’s only because I use almost the exact same way to say it in battle =). When I say initiative I mean for you to start the scene, thus giving you free hands to shape stuff if you want to. It’s a way to hopefully get your imagination and thinking going and to give you space to just play out your characters without any interference from me. So when I say initiative, if you aren’t engaged in a battle it means that whoever to act or say something is the once I will focus my attention to. Know this especially when you are in different locations and situations.

The initiative start was okay some of you didn’t quite use it as well as you could but I guess we need some time to get in character. Nobody, not even me… I think… played their character fully. I should have pressed more with Halor i.e. given him some more dialogue and actually described more of his actions. When it comes to Paul I really need to NOT gradate my voice. I need to make him feel sterile and plain in a creepy way or he will get too much character. This is quite hard for me so I guess he will be my Challenge =D.

There wasn’t much that happened during the cave-stay and to be honest it almost felt like you met for the first time. Hey! Lighten up, have some more casual discussions. You’ve known each other for quite some time! You’ve just lived through a nightmarish week in a cave for gods sake! Even if you are Taraineer’s you are emotional and at least trust somewhat in most of your company. When not talking at all you are plain and simple boring, nobody likes that. In a Desert People situation you would be seen as the loner who most likely are socially incapable. Well… maybe you are (Hibiki) but I thought some of your concept were to be normal without being normal =). Desert People are social amongst themselves and their trusted ones, which usually are just themselves (yes, I consider this group to be the absolute first successful encounter between Desert People and anyone else =)).

PB tried and actually did a pretty good job bringing out his characteristics with being a diva. And now I mean Diva as a real Diva not the insult.

All in all you all tried and it’s too early to judge so just keep it up and try to find something you are comfortable with. And you disabled people, try to loosen up somehow and find a more… floating way to be disabled on =). Well, no pressure so far, it will come the next session.

As for the trip in the desert, this is mainly focused to Daniel but you all should think about this. When I ask, what do you do? You create something to do; something other than walking and walking. Create a social event do what you want to do, take matters into your own hands to do something, you are the game master for this moment and it’s your and my task to make this into a compelling story in which we have fun =).
If you don’t want anything to happen then describe something or a series of something and hopefully the rest will get along on that train and add their description.

Like;

What do you do?

“We continue to walk on the ridges of the sand dunes and as I walk I sometimes stop to look back at the others. If everyone is doing okay I will continue to walk as I try to focus my vision to finding my way forward between the dunes.”

“I walk with Kei, sometimes in front of him and sometimes behind him, in an understanding silence to preserve energy. Sometimes our eyes meet and I sign some joke about Violet and all her cargo.”

“As I ride on the bumpy camel I speak casually with Halor about a little of this and that. I mostly look towards the backs of the Desert People while speculating about this Hidden Cache Keisuke is leading us to.”

“Sometime a while after I’ve spoken a little with Paul, I approach Violet and ask to speak with her.”

And so on, you could have this going until I stop you or until I have some event occur. This is your way to play out your characteristics and to try your character. Just make up something and not just; I continue…

Even doing nothing can be elaborated and described. If nothing else just what you gaze upon what your character thinks and so on. If you are a social person you might approach the others and start an idle conversation. I will cut when I want time and space with something like; “You continue to talk casually for a while when…”

Just describe, even the smallest things and don’t just wait for things to happen. I mean Taraien is dangerous but not THAT dangerous that you will be killed and attacked at any moment. You will only be attacked once in a while and while being careful. Today I had two events occur just to give the situation some flow. Otherwise, these regular events will be used just every once in a while so you will experience it and have a common flow in it. I will never mean for you to die with casual events as Baby Dragons attacking you or a Sand Crawler trying to get some meat to eat =).

But this IS the first session so it’s no big deal. Especially since we spent the start to write a lot, that usually brings down the flow of the session and the empathy too.

So now for the discussion.

What do you think about your charater, Taraien, everything about the session.

How did it feel?

How did your character feel? The NPC’s, my description?

I want everything you can think of and I want a discussion or dialogue or questions about more tips or even your own suggestions about how I should do things or whatever. Bring me some brain juice!

And if we are lucky and finish the meeting quickly tomorrow we’ll play the second part, which is “The Hidden Cache”. But only if time is available. I need to take a bus from here around 16:30ish and the meeting will start 13:00, no sooner since I want an almost alive PB there.

Best regards,
Herid Fel