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GM DESCRIPTION: NARRATION OR CONVERSATION?
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<blockquote data-quote="Beleriphon" data-source="post: 7624031" data-attributes="member: 27847"><p>I think it depends on the effect you want to create. If I provide this description to the players:</p><p></p><p>"You enter the opulent throne room of Emperor Theodius lead by his minister of state. The room is huge, nearly 100 feet east to west, and 150 feet north to south. The long walk to the gilded throne is over a plush purple carpet, the rest of the room's floor is composed of impeccably laid marble mosaics featuring the history of Theodius and his family. Grand banners and tapestries hang on the walls, stretching from the 50 foot high vaulted ceiling to the floors. The air is cold and smells vaguely of lavender. Theodius sits waiting resting chin on his hand, a with a look of utter frustration on his face."</p><p></p><p>That's a pretty narrative style. I like that as a scene setting statement. The order of facts are relevant, because the most important thing is that the Emperor is frustrated, and you're either about to make that better or a whole lot worse.</p><p></p><p>As HJFudge points out the right words, presented the right way have additional contextual meaning. What I like to do is make the thing that the players are going to focus on the last thing I present. That way they will pay attention to what I have to say about other stuff.</p><p></p><p>For example:</p><p></p><p>"You enter the cave mouth, its barely big enough for two dwarves to stand abreast. The whole thing is a rough circle 30 feet across and smells of damp earth and rotting meat. You can see the ceiling 5 feet above your heads illuminated by the camp fire in the middle. Your quarry, a werewolf, is inside. It hasn't noticed you yet."</p><p></p><p>So, I present the werewolf last, because as soon I tell the players there is a werewolf they stopping thinking about the scene, and are waiting for their chance to roll dice and attack, or waiting to see what the werewolf will do.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Beleriphon, post: 7624031, member: 27847"] I think it depends on the effect you want to create. If I provide this description to the players: "You enter the opulent throne room of Emperor Theodius lead by his minister of state. The room is huge, nearly 100 feet east to west, and 150 feet north to south. The long walk to the gilded throne is over a plush purple carpet, the rest of the room's floor is composed of impeccably laid marble mosaics featuring the history of Theodius and his family. Grand banners and tapestries hang on the walls, stretching from the 50 foot high vaulted ceiling to the floors. The air is cold and smells vaguely of lavender. Theodius sits waiting resting chin on his hand, a with a look of utter frustration on his face." That's a pretty narrative style. I like that as a scene setting statement. The order of facts are relevant, because the most important thing is that the Emperor is frustrated, and you're either about to make that better or a whole lot worse. As HJFudge points out the right words, presented the right way have additional contextual meaning. What I like to do is make the thing that the players are going to focus on the last thing I present. That way they will pay attention to what I have to say about other stuff. For example: "You enter the cave mouth, its barely big enough for two dwarves to stand abreast. The whole thing is a rough circle 30 feet across and smells of damp earth and rotting meat. You can see the ceiling 5 feet above your heads illuminated by the camp fire in the middle. Your quarry, a werewolf, is inside. It hasn't noticed you yet." So, I present the werewolf last, because as soon I tell the players there is a werewolf they stopping thinking about the scene, and are waiting for their chance to roll dice and attack, or waiting to see what the werewolf will do. [/QUOTE]
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