[Sorcerer] New player, bootstrapping
Paiku:
Hello all,
this is about the hundredth post that I've STARTED to write on the Adept Press forum, but the first that I'll actually finish and post. I've started so many posts because I'm in the middle of planning my first Sorcerer game, and I've had a lot of questions (even though I read the texts a year ago, and have already started using techniques like kickers and bangs and relationship maps in other games). I haven't had to post any of those aborted missives because a little searching through the incredible wealth of knowledge, answers, alternative explanations, examples and extrapolations that exist in this forum's archives always turned up the answers I needed, and then some.
So there isn't much left for me to say except "Hello!" to all, and "thank-you": to Ron for writing an amazing game and for remaining accessible to its players; and to all the Sorcerer grognards and gaming visionaries who continue to help beginners and to make public their moot courts and rarified discussions. Some of the lynch-pin ideas of Sorcerer are pretty non-intuitive to we old-school gamers and recent converts to story games. You just have to keep reading different people's explanations until each concept bursts fully formed into your mind, like your own new idea, except you realize that it's exactly what everyone's been trying to tell you all along.
I'm currently distilling my eureka moments into a series of about a dozen blog posts, pre-game missives to my players. Here's where they can be found (Ron, I didn't come here to poach readers, let me know if you'd like me to cross-post them here). Perhaps they'd be helpful to other beginning Sorcerer players.
Hopefully some AP will follow, too. We have a series of three Sorcerer games planned for 2010, not all of which will I be GMing.
standard setting (I know, I know...), core rulebook onlyDictionary of MuDictionary of Elric (a work in progress)
I'm excited to get started!
Hello and thanks,
-Paiku
Judd:
Quote from: Paiku on January 14, 2010, 08:35:56 AM
Hopefully some AP will follow, too. We have a series of three Sorcerer games planned for 2010, not all of which will I be GMing.
standard setting (I know, I know...), core rulebook onlyDictionary of MuDictionary of Elric (a work in progress)
I'm excited to get started!
I am excited to see you get started. Added your blog to my handy-dandy RSS feed.
Dictionary of Elric? I am intrigued.
Paiku:
Quote from: Paka on January 15, 2010, 02:48:58 PM
Dictionary of Elric? I am intrigued.
So am I. I love the concept behind Dictionary of Mu. And since I'm the only one in our group who has read the Elric saga (I know, there's no helping some people ;-)), we decided that rather than make it required reading, I would just write them up a Dictionary-of-Mu-style collection of Elric-esque assets for the game.
Hey, whatever it takes, right? :) So that'll be a fun little writing project.
I'm trying to decide how to set our Elric S&S game. I thought about starting with characters, kickers and a relationship map that basically set up the opening scene of Elric of Melniboné, and see if things unfold like the book. But that's probably just asking for railroading and disappointment. The players should tell their own stories. But I do think it's important that the PCs play major roles in the fates of nations and the eternal struggle between the Lords of Law and Chaos. Any thoughts about achieving that would be most welcome (I probably need to re-read & Sword).
And I've got to get our first game of Sorcerer under my belt, first!
Ron Edwards:
Hi Paika! I apologize for the delay in replying.
I appreciate the kind words and the general enthusiasm about my work. Following an interview with the Walking Eye yesterday, I found myself thinking both about your post and about the following famous image: My Wife and Mother-in-Law. I have decided, over the years, that reading my game texts, especially Sorcerer, requires not only comprehension at the basic verbal level, but a necessary perspective from which to read. I wrote it completely without regard for readers who might be looking for a mother-in-law when I was writing about the wife.
Regarding posting in your blog and posting at the Forge, I only ask that you don't mirror-post, meaning, have a unique goal for the Forge thread. My post in Etiquitte and Blog Links is my most complete statement about that, so see if what I wrote there makes sense to you.
That said, I enjoyed your blog posts a lot, and I encourage any and all discussion here about what their content, especially compared to others' experiences. There's a fine line between pre-game prep discussion and pre-game-becomes-no-game black-hole talk, and I'd hate to see your work become the latter.
Best, Ron
Paiku:
Hi Ron, it's a pleasure corresponding with you. The mirror-posting policy makes sense, thanks. And I know just what you mean about interminable pre-game prep. Real-life schedules being what they are, the "next game" is never soon enough, and I find myself exercising my enthusiasm the only way I can: by talking about the game to anyone who will listen, and (sometimes) by over-preparing. But I'm sure this game will get off the ground. We have a great group of guys who are just as hungry to game as I am. Our previous game (Lady Blackbird, it was great fun) just wrapped up, and our Sorcerer planning session is tomorrow. *grin*
Speaking of that group, they're a bit ahead of me on the story-gaming curve, and have done a lot to help me broaden my perspective from that of a well-seasoned D&D Player. The game is not about character advancement... the rules are there to help tell a great story... the players drive the story... I'm getting it. It helps that I'm also a bass player :)
Communicating with Demons
A quick line of mechanics questioning for anyone out there. Object Demons generally only communicate by conferring (or withholding) their abilities. That's when they are in the real world (ie. already summoned). But do they communicate more directly, by speech or otherwise, during the Contact ritual? How about during Binding, which is post-Summoning, can they bargain verbally, play at riddles, arm-wrestle? Who decides what form an Object Demon takes, the sorcerer or the Demon?
Thanks all,
-Paiku
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