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Is RPGing a *literary* endeavour?
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<blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 7611958" data-attributes="member: 6696971"><p>Couple thoughts. One related to the above, a third unrelated to the above.</p><p></p><p>1) I agree with both "there is no optimum" and "crossing the bar to satisfactory is generally straightforward enough that its not a significant challenge of composition."</p><p></p><p>The only daylight remaining is "assuming satisfactory word choice deployed to coherently (with respect to theme, mechanics, pacing) frame situation and invite to action, is it plausible that one arrangement of words (or noises made from mouth, put another way) can move beyond the realm of satisfactory (in terms of provocation)...even if just subtly so?"</p><p></p><p>I'm going to move a bit sideways here and think about monsters, on the axes of both economy and provocation. </p><p></p><p>Remember the 4e Night Hag standing between (figuratively at first) Thurgon and the safety of his King in our game?</p><p></p><p>It has the awesome Dream Haunting (psychic) ability that attacks stunned or unconscious creatures (vs Will), removes the Hag from play and delivers continuous psychic damage until the target is dead or no longer stunned or unconscious. </p><p></p><p>Then, the Night Hag has Wave of Sleep (Recharge 5, 6) that dazes and renders unconscious on a failed save. </p><p></p><p>We don't need a giant page of text to tell us about "Night Hag Ecology" to let us know about its place in our games (ripped straight from nightmarish folklore). The way the mechanics work together, what it attacks, what it does...those collection of words (mechanics in this place) and their brevity let us put the puzzle pieces together. And when we do, its visceral (because they're constructed so beautifully). </p><p></p><p>Then look at Dungeon World's Monster entries. Economic, provocative prose that compels your (the GMs) decision-points in how to integrate the creature as a looming or immediate threat when a danger needs introduced or a player move go awry. Take the Gnoll Tracker (without Tags, Qualities, HP, etc) entry from Ravenous Hordes (that subtype alone doing a good bit of work):</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>2) What do you think about the hierarchy I listed above?</p><p></p><p>My (1) in the hierarchy would be the deft deployment of the Night Hag or Gnoll Trackers as newly framed antagonism, a looming threat, or an immediate reprisal.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Manbearcat, post: 7611958, member: 6696971"] Couple thoughts. One related to the above, a third unrelated to the above. 1) I agree with both "there is no optimum" and "crossing the bar to satisfactory is generally straightforward enough that its not a significant challenge of composition." The only daylight remaining is "assuming satisfactory word choice deployed to coherently (with respect to theme, mechanics, pacing) frame situation and invite to action, is it plausible that one arrangement of words (or noises made from mouth, put another way) can move beyond the realm of satisfactory (in terms of provocation)...even if just subtly so?" I'm going to move a bit sideways here and think about monsters, on the axes of both economy and provocation. Remember the 4e Night Hag standing between (figuratively at first) Thurgon and the safety of his King in our game? It has the awesome Dream Haunting (psychic) ability that attacks stunned or unconscious creatures (vs Will), removes the Hag from play and delivers continuous psychic damage until the target is dead or no longer stunned or unconscious. Then, the Night Hag has Wave of Sleep (Recharge 5, 6) that dazes and renders unconscious on a failed save. We don't need a giant page of text to tell us about "Night Hag Ecology" to let us know about its place in our games (ripped straight from nightmarish folklore). The way the mechanics work together, what it attacks, what it does...those collection of words (mechanics in this place) and their brevity let us put the puzzle pieces together. And when we do, its visceral (because they're constructed so beautifully). Then look at Dungeon World's Monster entries. Economic, provocative prose that compels your (the GMs) decision-points in how to integrate the creature as a looming or immediate threat when a danger needs introduced or a player move go awry. Take the Gnoll Tracker (without Tags, Qualities, HP, etc) entry from Ravenous Hordes (that subtype alone doing a good bit of work): 2) What do you think about the hierarchy I listed above? My (1) in the hierarchy would be the deft deployment of the Night Hag or Gnoll Trackers as newly framed antagonism, a looming threat, or an immediate reprisal. [/QUOTE]
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