March 2010 Highlights

When I first came to the game, I was on the outside looking in.  I didn't know too many people, I wasn't useful at all in combat, or for any skill I had.  I was a priest of Chronicler... which meant I had a social stigmata from some previous situations that didn't involve me.  I say this, to let you know I understand where you are coming from.  I had no idea what was going on, and I'd be lead out to main mod with everyone else, even though I had no skills that anyone could use, (I literally didn't get a weapon I could use until my 2nd year).  I say this to let you know, that I was on the 'outside' of plot... by a lot.

I spent the first four months eavesdropping on every conversation I could get within 5-10 feet of, quietly jotting down notes.  Then, one day, a bunch of 'higher level' characters forgot something that had happened a few months before.  I flipped through my books, walked up to them, and read to them what had happened.  They looked at me, looked at the book, and from then on, I was a key member of most crazy expeditions.  Now I play Blade so I can get a rest from being too involved, and having too many expectations on me.

So, I really echo the 'just do it' attitude.  Yes, there are players who will keep secrets.  Yes, there are players who will not continue to share secrets with you if you are known to blab them.  However, this particular event there was fairly good communication as to what was going on, and if there was a delay before main mod, that is likely not the 'higher levels' fault as much as the typical 'hurry up and wait' that occurs when getting ready for main mod.

As someone who has been involved, it is fun, and the storytellers have an amazing world to explore and know about!  Every plot marshal wants you to have some clue about what the plot was about, as its their story, they want it heard and told.  Seek out ways to find out, and hopefully you find what you are looking for!  I think that Mitch made some nice points about what storytellers can do to get that info out around past the secret squirrels!

Just my .02... while I agree it's up to the player to find out what's going on, sometimes they need to realize that some folks just don't want other people knowing things.  "Mr. Lvl50 Warrior" knows that a rare box with magic is somewhere nearby.  He also knows a Lich is after it.  When "Ms. Lvl3 Healer" asks what's going on and what needs to be found, Mr. Lvl50 says "something magical", keeping it vague.  Why you ask?  Cause Mr. Lvl50 Warrior is worried that the Lich will go around, Dominating and questioning anyone nearby for info.  Mr. Lvl50 is safe, but he can't hang around to protect Ms. Lvl3 if she knows something.

Ignorance can be bliss... or protection.  If you don't know, you can't be questioned or placed at risk.

I recall going around Friday night asking "What's going on?" and getting no answer.  I asked Lethias and he said he was also in the dark.  So... sometimes even high lvl folks don't always know what's going on.

It's not always about lvls as well, as this past event showed, now politics are coming into the game.  This can add a really cool, new dynamic to the game... but beware as it may seem like some people are being exclusive.

I'm a wallflower... so I will ask what's going on, but not be all that active/gung-ho in trying to find out.  Some folks are different.  Either way... just because you ask, doesn't mean you will always get it.

There's (yet) another angle to things - it's a part of what your character would do or tell other PCs.

For example, at the Feb. event, there was a mod into the Howling Void, the hell that is home to Galmachis, to bargain with a Galamachian devil.  Under no circumstances was this going to be easy - the group was dealing with a minion of death, incarnate, on its home turf, and it had something they wanted.  No one was asked to go.  No one was commanded.  In fact, it was said up front that it would likely be a 50% death rate for people who went.

Under those conditions, no leader in their right mind would say it's OK for an inexperienced adventurer to join them on a trip into Hell, literally.  Heck, most of the high level PCs, myself included, balked at going, and stayed behind.  If a veteran tells you "You're a fool for going," it's not because they want all the loot for themselves, it might be because they don't want you to die, get taken hostage, or something similar.  Being a mostly non-combat PC, I very often do not go on adventures specifically so that I don't become a speed bump for the rest of the party, even at Level 40.

Not to be rude, but can we keep this a highlights thread?

Highlights:
- Being able to repair my own armor.
- Eating cold oatmeal and having Collin come over and offer a "real meal" of which I then ate bread pudding with chopsticks
- Not only getting to go on a Khitanese Investigation of the Kunei, but being chosen to lead the group as their captain.
- Getting attacked by Oni after we found out everything we could and retreating back to Travance.
- The imagery of Antrum walking into a burning building to retrieve a body and back out, without the fire so much as giving him a sunburn.
- Feast and being awarded by Father Edwin during it.
- Gathering the Khitanese for praying to our ancestors on Sunday Morning. BTW, guys (and gals!) I'm going to try to have a Ancestor "Shrine" set up at every event so that anyone can use it to ask their ancestors for forgiveness be it necessary.
-All of the new Khitan in town. I look forward to learning more about you (as well as some of the more permanent residence) and I enjoyed all of the amazing role-play and stories that were had IG.
- Trying to keep people from being infected and from being infected myself. Including using "Intercept 2 Plague, no effect." to keep another character from being infected.

Lowlights:
- NPCing low level main mod was a mess. I hate snow. T.T  

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To add to what everyone else is saying without this becoming a disbursement of information discussion; I actually had a moment where this applied on saturday afternoon. As a player I am keen to involve as many people in something as I possibly can without there being too many of us for the marshal to handle. I blame 11+ years and 98% of my gaming experience being a Dungeonmaster. But in this situation I actually had to buckle-down In-Character and say "No! You cannot come. This is a Khitan matter." to a group of people who were following us out of the Inn. OOG I felt bad, but it was what my character would have done given the situation he was in. Btw, sorry about that Oakroot and others!

Additionally, here I had no idea about the Moss Mod or Dan as a miner, though i wish i could have been there for both. I realize that it is impossible to see everything in a weekend so that is why i believe we should always do our best to RP the situations we are given because you might just end up the envy of everyone else because of it.

Highlights:
- Every npc who signed up for the Friday night shift showing up A+
- Doing plague makeup lots of fun
-Going to sleep right after my shift because it was so cold.
-Tobar's mini interrogation
-Creeds epic fail
-Same thing that Matt White said
-Nobles meeting (well the last 30 minutes of it anyway)
-The talk with the Baron and the new elves
-Pre-main mod nobles meeting in the inn. (I couldn't hear a thing)
-Team slash and grab
-Main mod seeing evil versions of the same pc's is always fun for me
-2am Quick Chek

Low Lights:
-Someone getting a concussion, however not needing to go to the hospital was a relief.
-Mouse!!! ( I swear it followed me from home)