Episode 12

Who's Leading Who? Yes!

You feel like you have prepared an amazing story arc with many side plots and a key plot twist. Certain NPCs have important information that the player characters will NEED to know. You placed each piece of information and plot in all the "right" places so that it will seem like just enough of a challenge.

Players show up and the session starts ... Nothing is going as YOU planned it !!!

When guiding an adventure you may sometimes feel like you are losing control of the plot. That feeling may be what's actually happening. This is a great opportunity! This is where you can find a balance between you and the players leading the game content. You get the chance to interact through the characters you built. Remember that the player characters are changing the world you created so allowing them to drive the story line should be encouraged!

• If they find something funny, use it
• If they want to call something by a different name, use it
• If they want to make a lobster out of floor tiles, let them at least try it!

During this episode a player said, "You just made that up."
I replied with, "Yes, yes I did."

In truth I make up all of it except for what's in the rule book. The players do the same.

Now that we are in our 12th session I prep in more of an outline form than in a written story form. I find this to be my style of guiding a campaign. Early sessions a few scripted chapters to establish a world and a story foundation. Now that the story is underway I find myself creating characters with certain personalities, locations with certain issues or opportunities, and adapt them to the overlying story arc. The organic story arc that has been established in the previous sessions.
Then it's game on!
This leaves each session adaptable and fluid. This is only my style and it does not fit everyone. I enjoy being challenged through creativity and quick thinking.

The creativity and imagination is limitless!

I find that some moments are lead by the game master and some are lead by the players.
Being open to ideas and story content lead by others is key!
Find the balance that works for your group.

-Scooter
@discopreacha

Episode 11

Recap, NPCs, and Impromptu Battle

We took a couple weeks off as I was out of town so coming back to the game can be quite a bit of pressure as a game master.

• What if you forget some key parts of the adventure?
• What if the recap takes FOREVER and people get bored?

Relax!

If you watch the sessions or read these blogs you know that I take some of the pressure off of myself by having the players do recaps along with myself. This helps me know what they each find important and relevant. My part of the recap this session was listing out some NPCs. Some of them I personally found important and some of them not so much! I mentioned them in no specific order. While discussing some of the characters, some players showed interested in some NPCs that I did not find very relevant.

Add this stuff to your notes! It's good future content!

We had battle!
I had a few different ideas that would lead them in to battle.

• An reoccurring NPC is in immediate danger
• A group they have already confronted is in town
• An old 'friend' has come to collect
• Even a Battle Royale was in the mix

The only concrete idea was that I was going to lead them in to a battle.
The players are getting more comfortable with their characters so I wanted to give them a chance to express themselves through using the Open Legend RPG system for combat. It also helps me. I mean this is the first continuing adventure I have run with this system. The players were very creative in what they wanted to do. This challenged me as a game master since they expressed actions and attacks that I needed to find out how to make the system work for them. I know that I made mistakes along the way. Mistakes not at the cost of enjoyment.

It's okay to make mistakes!

Making mistakes and being self reflective helps everyone in the adventure grow as individuals and ultimately as a group. I am over the top thankful for our "New Trippers" group.

My thoughts are to have a recap expressed by players lead by the game master, bring up NPCs to see who has interest/disinterest, and expose yourself to mistakes. Bringing everyone in to the loop through open conversation promotes success in having fun!

-Scooter
@discopreacha