My last gaming session made me uncomfortable...

[Arravis]

Unfortunately, a bar fight has not erupted yet, though it's still quite early in the encounter. I too was amazed that spells weren't cast or that steel wasn't drawn, I was quite expecting that. I was trying hard to make those within as "dirty-baggy" as was humanly possible. Normally, these two women don't put up with such foolishness, but from what I understand, they are trying to keep a low profile while in the place. Anyway, the game session ended soon after that, so we still don't have a resolution on it. After the next session this weekend I'll let you know .

Anyway, I did talk to my wife about it afterwards and she was perfectly fine with it, knowing it was all an in-game NPC thingy. She told me that her character is hoping to get some information from the NPC, and that's why she's going along with his antics. I haven't talked to my sister-in-law about it (the other female player in the group), but during the gaming session I did apologize and made it clear it was all in-character. She seemed fine with it as well. Overall, I seemed to have been the only one perturbed by it somewhat.

Btw, thanks for all the comments, good to hear I'm not coming across as some slimeball.

P.S.: JoeGKushner, that's a great idea... there are plenty of more areas they haven't been to in the tavern .

 

[Lasher Dragon]

Well, you were roleplaying a slimeball - the object IS to come across as one LOL

 

[Maliki]

As long as nobody took offense to the remark, and it suited the NPC(which it did) I don't see a problem. As a player I wouldn't have minded it, but to each his own.

Maybe you could ask them if they thought it went a little too far last week, and get thier input. You don't want to offend a player, just for realism.

 

[Arnwyn]

Anyway, I'm just curious if anyone else has had this sort of experience. Have you ever DM'd something that made you uncomfortable, but that made sense in the context of the situation?

No, of course not.

 

[loki44]

Hey, if nobody was offended, don't sweat it. Sounds like it was all in the family anyway. Besides, the PC's knew what they were getting into before they entered the tavern. When in Rome, and all that.......caveat emptor!

 

[Bladesong]

Something "off color" happened once while I was DM. Though there were no repercussions from it directly, the memory has kept me from doing it again. I think all DMs make that kind of "mistake" once (at least). If it bugs you, forgive yourself and move on.

 

[Mystery Man]

Any comments welcome.

-Arravis

That's tame compared to what I made one of my PC's go through in the "chamber" of a cleric of Loviatar.

He really doesn't like Loviatar now.

 

[John Morrow]

Something happened in our last gaming session that made me somewhat uncomfortable.

[...]

Anyway, I'm just curious if anyone else has had this sort of experience. Have you ever DM'd something that made you uncomfortable, but that made sense in the context of the situation?

To a certain degree, yes. And there are two elements to it. The first element (and perhaps most important) is whether it made your players uncomfortable. Keep an eye on their reaction and you can always ask if you aren't sure. If they aren't uncomfortable, than don't dwell on it and move on.

The second element is your own discomfort. My suggestion there is that if you feel that the situation warrants something rough that you aren't comfortable being explicit about, then don't be explicit. Take a step back and provide a more clinical and less vulgar summary of what is said or done. For example, "He makes a vulgar toast to your physical assets." Let the players fill in the details as much or as little as they want.

As a rule, I don't use foul language, but it often makes sense for NPCs to do so. For a variety of reasons, I'm just not comfortable using foul language. So what I'll simply do is summarize with something like, "She curses up a storm" or "He tells you what he'd like to do with you in the most vulgar way imaginable" and I let the player's imagination fill in. It's a lot like a PG-rated movie using shadows and a splatter of blood to suggest something that would get an R-rating. Imagination is your friend.

 

[Algolei]

Have you ever DM'd something that made you uncomfortable, but that made sense in the context of the situation?

Yes. When the party failed to defend a rape victim from her attacker. It was the opening adventure hook, and my players decided to mess with my head. So they just watched. And kept asking me what was happening, and if anyone else was doing anything about it.

I tried to fight fire with fire by describing things in horrible detail. Like, then they'd HAVE to do something. It didn't exactly work. Ended up, we just put the game aside for the night and played Nintendo because the whole thing was soooooo bizarre and uncomfortable.

(I thought it was a great adventure hook! Who doesn't defend the defenseless maiden from her brutal attacker?!) Now all my adventure hooks involve cute little puppies with "send help!" notes....

*goes back into therapy*

 

[Nydia]

Don't be too worried about it...

Aww..I can't believe you're still worrying about that.

Listen, It wasn't as if we had never been in the Bloody Fist before (Arravis's wife here BTW). I knew what to expect, and no, I wasn't offended. As long as it was In-Character for the NPC (and I'd say it was), it doesn't normally bother me. When it does bother me, I'll let you know.

Now, the reason this louse hasn't hit a wall at high-speeds yet is because my character is attempting to squeeze him for all the information she can get out of him. Fortunately, I think she's gotten the most of it already and fun will likely ensue next game.