SHARK
First Post
Greetings!
The was thinking about the lack of real role-playing examples in the DM's guide. There seems to be a great lack of actual adventures/instructions on how exactly to play in a non-hack & slash adventure, and in how to actually run such a scenario, from the DM. For example:
How does a player *know* how to address the King?
How does a DM actually go about structuring and running a scenario where the players must deal with different personalities, passions, conflicting interests, and political details that really, at the end of the day, have nothing to do with AC, or fireballs, but far more in who the characters are as people, what they believe in, and what they say, and how they say it, and the kinds of choices they make in who they befriend someone, and *how*.
Then, of course, as obvious as it may seem, but apparently there are great mysteries involved, how would a player learn how to roleplay his character in dealing with his fiance's father? How would the DM learn to run such encounters, and actually organize the social interactions?
Of course, this kind of interaction isn't restricted to the standard four characters, and the DM's guide really only gives such advice about looting dungeons, but little to say on how to make one's way in the court of the God-King.
The kind of "adventures" is really a misnomer, because it doesn't fall neatly into those expectations. Nary a sword need be drawn, nor does the firepower of the wizard even come into play. However, all such characters in dealing with different people have different skills and personalities to interact and influence different characters, and the adventure itself.
What are the gains? What are the dangers? Well, many. The rewards and the dangers do not come in the form of being physically attacked or enspelled, but in impressing and befriending the Royal Steward, or not. What does that actually mean, though? If one doesn't manage to make friends with the Royal Steward, and such isn't really done in one session, but several, *that* in itself, is the potential goal of the adventure. Failure to do so, is failing the adventure, and the party may experience simply the social and political opposition of the Royal Steward. They could have gained a powerful ally and friend on the other hand, and both of these such considerations can greatly influence future scenarios--either with the Royal Steward as a friend, or as a growing enemy.
The interaction, however, is not, and need not, ever be physical. It exists in the realm of relationships, alliances, impressions, politics, even down to the points one may score while attending a ball because of the way that they characters dance, oe the costumes that they wear, or the manner in which they handle themselves in a series of detailed and passionate discussions concerning politics and religion in the parlour, with other nobles who are gathered around drinking and smoking, and partaking of the encounter in some fashion, as the Royal Steward looks on--realising that different nobles are being subtly influenced and impressed, or turned off by the player character's performance and passion and skill in expressing themselves.
Do you see what I'm saying? What do you think? What kind of tecniques, skills, and approaches would you think are good in order to *teach* players and DM's alike in how to run and organize such "adventures."?
I know my friend mmadsen will have many excellent ideas to contribute, as he usually inspires my own thoughts.
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
The was thinking about the lack of real role-playing examples in the DM's guide. There seems to be a great lack of actual adventures/instructions on how exactly to play in a non-hack & slash adventure, and in how to actually run such a scenario, from the DM. For example:
How does a player *know* how to address the King?
How does a DM actually go about structuring and running a scenario where the players must deal with different personalities, passions, conflicting interests, and political details that really, at the end of the day, have nothing to do with AC, or fireballs, but far more in who the characters are as people, what they believe in, and what they say, and how they say it, and the kinds of choices they make in who they befriend someone, and *how*.
Then, of course, as obvious as it may seem, but apparently there are great mysteries involved, how would a player learn how to roleplay his character in dealing with his fiance's father? How would the DM learn to run such encounters, and actually organize the social interactions?
Of course, this kind of interaction isn't restricted to the standard four characters, and the DM's guide really only gives such advice about looting dungeons, but little to say on how to make one's way in the court of the God-King.
The kind of "adventures" is really a misnomer, because it doesn't fall neatly into those expectations. Nary a sword need be drawn, nor does the firepower of the wizard even come into play. However, all such characters in dealing with different people have different skills and personalities to interact and influence different characters, and the adventure itself.
What are the gains? What are the dangers? Well, many. The rewards and the dangers do not come in the form of being physically attacked or enspelled, but in impressing and befriending the Royal Steward, or not. What does that actually mean, though? If one doesn't manage to make friends with the Royal Steward, and such isn't really done in one session, but several, *that* in itself, is the potential goal of the adventure. Failure to do so, is failing the adventure, and the party may experience simply the social and political opposition of the Royal Steward. They could have gained a powerful ally and friend on the other hand, and both of these such considerations can greatly influence future scenarios--either with the Royal Steward as a friend, or as a growing enemy.
The interaction, however, is not, and need not, ever be physical. It exists in the realm of relationships, alliances, impressions, politics, even down to the points one may score while attending a ball because of the way that they characters dance, oe the costumes that they wear, or the manner in which they handle themselves in a series of detailed and passionate discussions concerning politics and religion in the parlour, with other nobles who are gathered around drinking and smoking, and partaking of the encounter in some fashion, as the Royal Steward looks on--realising that different nobles are being subtly influenced and impressed, or turned off by the player character's performance and passion and skill in expressing themselves.
Do you see what I'm saying? What do you think? What kind of tecniques, skills, and approaches would you think are good in order to *teach* players and DM's alike in how to run and organize such "adventures."?
I know my friend mmadsen will have many excellent ideas to contribute, as he usually inspires my own thoughts.
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
