Dread Surgery and You: The Do's and the Don'ts

Subtitle: So you want to take the torturer profession.

Jargon:
OOG=out of game
IG= in game
RP= roleplay
Larping= live action role play
PvP=player vs player

Stoke the furnace and fetch the branding irons because something really bad is about to happen- BUT WAIT!

Before your dastardly pc/npc EVER engages in RP that could be construed as torture (including skills that are not from the torturer profession list or have the interrogation tag), there’s some things you REALLY need to know.

Perhaps, the most obvious is that IG torture is a VERY touchy OOG subject. When done poorly it can not only ruin someone’s weekend, but also negatively color their entire larping experience; this is not the sort of IG torturer you want to be. On the other hand, IG torture scenes that are based on OOG respect and good OOG communication can create powerful and surprisingly fun scenarios which can add serious depth and motivation to your character; this IS the sort of IG torturer you want to be.
To get to that goal, there’s a few things you can and should do:

1) Have an OOG conversation with the player of the potential victim. Not only does this create a healthy dialogue between you and them, it also goes a long way to ensuring everyone has an OOG good time (even though terrible IG things are about to happen). During this talk, ask questions and clearly express what you are and are not comfortable portraying; likewise, listen and respect what the player says they are comfortable with and whatever limits they set. The goal of this is to make sure that both of you are OOG comfortable with the situation; if either of you are even remotely uncomfortable with the situation, DO NOT RP IT!

2) Have a marshal of one type or another present. Not only does this provide an impartial third party to chaperon the scene and make sure that all players are comfortable with it, it also creates opportunities for players to receive RP points for good acting. Marshal presence is especially important if it is going to be a PvP scene; DO NOT RP IT if you don’t have a marshal. The marshals are here to empower your play and make sure the rules of the game are followed; don’t hesitate to reach out to and make use of them!

3) During the RP of the scene, stop periodically to OOG check to make sure the player of your character’s machinations is okay and comfortable. Again, this is about creating a healthy OOG dialogue and ensuring that no one gets OOG hurt on an emotional and/or physical level.

4) Keep in mind that there is only so much blood and gore a scene can have in it. Change things up from time to time- one of the most IG unnerving things you can do is to RP kindness, sympathy, or small mercies during an IG torture scene. It can even be something as simple as asking if the character of the victim would like a glass of water or something to eat. These small acts can inspire an IG horror all their own, and often will become stories that players will remember for years to come.

5) At the end of the scene, take the time to OOG talk with your rp partner and recap the scene.

The last thing I have to offer on the subject is use OOG common sense. The goal is to come together as a player base to create a collaborative story which we can all enjoy. If you’re debating about performing an IG action that will OOG ruin that story for someone or venture outside of PG13 rp, DO NOT DO IT! Keep in mind, you’re in a potentially powerful storytelling position when playing an ig torturer- you can radically change a character’s future with your actions. While you are not required to explicitly follow what I've written here it is your obligation to use that sort of story changing power responsibly…

..and if you can, you’ll find yourself not only making OOG player’s events by giving them a very dramatic scene to remember, but you’ll also find yourself having more fun too and making new friends (however strange that may sound).

So, with that in mind, all you need are your “instruments” and you’re ready to do your worst/best.