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And A PROGRESS REPORT
“There are no problems, only solutions.” - John Lennon
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY the site today, or any day. I wanted to give readers a big ol’ progress report, but I've had a bit of a slowdown. In January our family was given the news that our mother, Norma Cool was dying. Last month began with her passing. I admit it took some of the wind out of my sails. Then the month ended with an accident that literally knocked the wind right out of me.
Meanwhile I was also working on a blog post of advice to characters. Much of it would be excerpted from our upcoming release, the Adventurer’s Manual. There seemed to be a parallel theme hiding in between the two articles, and so here they are together—a little ol’ progress report, interspersed with life lessons from an RPG perspective.
Work on Mythmaker throughout February was a bittersweet task. On one hand it was some of the most interesting and fun writing I’d done, finishing up the sections on traps and puzzles. On the other, it was written between tears over my mother dying.
Mom would love to have seen this project finished, though not as much as she must love seeing those who awaited her in heaven. And for the most part I am glad for her, to have lived ninety years, to have eight kids who all love her, and to know that she gave us all we need to live without her here. Also, her funeral brought the whole family together like I haven’t seen in years.
Then, toward the end of the month we had an ice storm up here, and to make a long story short, I fell. I'm feeling better now, but I've been pretty much out of commission for about a week. Truthfully, I have never been so scared. When I hit the ice, I got a concussion and lost feeling in my legs for a minute. I'm still sore. Mostly I’ve been staying in bed, but I was able to GM our regular Sunday night game.
Anyway, I am getting back to work now as best I can. How do you learn from mistakes that could kill you? Only by living through them.
I don't think there will be any long-term damage, so I feel very lucky. I am also humbled for not listening to my wife’s good advice, which I’ll get back to at the end of this post.
TRIED AND TRUE TACTICS
RPG SESSIONS ARE MADE up of a series of encounters. There are three types: Combat, Exploratory, and Roleplay. A story is created by moving through successive encounters—enemies are fought, plot lines are expanded, and mysteries are uncovered.
Storytelling is a key part of Mythmaker. The GM is responsible for setting the stage, but the character’s actions drive the plot. No one at the table knows the ending because it will change based on the actions taken by the party. The same encounter will be different for each party, depending on their choices. How one encounter unfolds, often has a bearing on the next. Unexpected results have a way of changing the story trajectory, just as in real life.
Heroes seem to have a knack for getting into life-or-death situations. A party’s best hope of success often grows from common sense and cooperation. The following suggestions are a few practical guidelines for new adventurers.
In the course of many adventures, you will follow a crooked path along your main quest. The road will be fraught with danger, of course, and filled with sidetracks. There will be setbacks and idle periods. There will also be the unexpected kind of treasure found in the old saying, “it’s not the destination, but the journey that counts.”
The expedition should have a stated goal and stick to the objective. Strive for a balanced set of skills among party members so that at least one person can face any problem. Make sure they carry a wide array of useful items, equipment, weapons, and food for the adventure. Sometimes, even the most insignificant seeming piece of equipment can save a life. For example, a length of stiff wire, while obviously useful as a garrote, could also allow a character to reach through cracks to retrieve hard-to-get items.
There is sometimes a temptation for characters to take separate routes. However, this is not advisable in dangerous places, unless you have a plan to converge simultaneously upon an enemy from different vantage points. Once you get to wherever it is you have prepared for, and your best laid plans all fall apart, at least you can say you tried.
Seriously though, a good adventure is full of surprises. So, try to keep your head, literally. And when all else fails . . . did you prearrange the rescue party? No? Oops! Leave word with local officials, or others that you can trust, to rescue you if things go wrong . . . or to avenge you if things go horribly wrong.
The best defense may be a good offense but be ready to run away while all of the party members are still able. By run, we mean retreat tactically. Don’t get yourself backed into a corner. Even the greenest soldier learns to keep alternate lines of action and approach, and an escape route for when you are down to that one last choice.
Don’t burn your bridges. When you bring the fight, plan a way out for each attacker. Your escape route is back the way you came, usually. If you do need to flee into unknown territory, you can often find your way back out with a few tricks. And there will be failures. So, a set of contingencies is advised. Assuming there is a plan to go along with your goals, there should also be a plan B, for when the first plan inevitably fails.
The key to survival is cooperation. The party must actively work together. In prolonged times of danger, the only choice is to coalesce into a well-oiled fighting machine. The clever leader remembers the principle of reserves. Hidden nearby, awaiting a signal, reserves can intervene at the crucial moment. Meanwhile, they should be on the lookout for enemy reserves.
Someday you will run into the fight of your life. When you do, you will need to know when to cut your losses and run. Good tactical training teaches you to recognize when the odds are against you. If you can make that assessment without alerting the enemy, all the better. If you get out while you still can, and keep your overall plan a secret, you can try again another day, better prepared.
If you let the curiosity of the explorer take over, there is often the temptation to go too far; to make one more kill. Then, before you know it, when you’re licking your wounds, some wandering fiend smells your blood. When you retreat to a place of safety, make sure to keep enough fire in your gut to fight one more battle.
PARALLELS
LOOKING BACK ON MY own advice I realize a few things. First, that I should listen to myself more. Second, that my own party is true and strong. While February was beating me down, Karen, Leslie, Krista, Larry, and a handful of playtesters were diligently moving Mythmaker forward.
I just received Leslie’s latest edits and suggestions. Nice work on her part, as always. These last two sections complete the working parts of The Book of Legends. That is a great relief to me. I just finished the rewrites on the Adventurer’s Manual, and so was able to make copies for my players. And I will soon make PDF copies available on the website for playtesters. Work is coming along on the GM primer and accompanying adventures. I’ve also had time to do a few blog posts and am working on a few more. After that there are the three adventures to wrap up.
I’m still working on the third thing I learned. It has something to do with listening to your wife when she tells you not to go out on ice . . . not to always be the hero . . . and to get some cleats for your boots. Otherwise, you only have yourself to blame.
Until next time, take care, love your mother, stay game for more, and stay off the ice.
Brian
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