[Unknown Armies] Am I driving with Bangs?

[ptevis]

So recalling that Bangs are Introducing events into the game which make a thematically-significant or at least evocative choice necessary for a player, I'm wondering whether or not I've been using them. In the last two sessions of my Unknown Armies game, I've tried to create interesting situations for the characters to react to. Here's what I've done.

First, the group met with a Native American medicine man, because Jed, the hillbilly who had fallen in with the group, need to find "a powerful preacher" for reason he hadn't explained. Jed believed he had been "touched by Satan" and he wanted guidance about how remove the mark of the beast from him. (He had been mauled by an alligator that had left a pentagram-shaped scar on his chest.)

I wanted to emphasize Jed's dependence on other people to tell him what do to, so when he spoke with the medicine man (who somehow knew all about what had happened), Jed was repeatedly asked why he needed guidance, and why he couldn't figure out what to do. Jed insisted on being told what to do. As a result, the medicine man told Jed that Jenny (the teenage runaway who in some ways is the anti-Jed) would be his guide. Then the medicine man left.

This creates a very different character dynamic between Jed and Jenny, and the subsequent interaction has caused Jed to become extremely dependent on Jenny. My question is, was this a Bang or not? And if not, why?

Second situation: Another one of the PCs, RJ, believes that he committed several murders while he was possessed.  Unsurprisingly, he has been reluctant to discuss this with the group. He has also taken "Demonic Possession" as his Fear Passion. So, in the last session, Jed was temporarily possessed by "Urach the Ravager," who attacked RJ and told him, "I know what you did." The possession passed, but as a result the dynamic between RJ and Jed has changed quite a bit. Additionally, RJ has opened up to the group about his past, which has put quite a bit of strain on his relationship with Steven, the skeptic who believes that Jed is clinically insane. Again, Bang or no? Why or why not?

Thanks,

--Paul

[Ron Edwards]

Hiya,

They sound like Bangs to me.

I also think that you are playing a very different sort of UA than some groups I've seen or read about (or are strongly implied in the published adventures). It's the kind that I think I'd enjoy most.

UA with Bangs, a strong sense of protagonist open-choice, and a willingness to see those choices have consequences in terms of human relationships ... is a lot like Sorcerer. (a useful bit of Drift is to establish specific in-game actions which reduce characters' current scores on their madness meters)

UA with plot hooks, an age-old conspiracy to uncover, an approaching climactic outcome of a conflict about NPC Avatars, and a lot of emphasis on spiralling toward either end of the madness meters ... is a lot like Call of Cthulhu. (a useful bit of Drift is to establish some GM control over features of characters' histories that are unknown to the players)

Best,
Ron

[DannyK]

The first I'm not sure about... I'm not sure if Jed's dependency is part of his character, or is related to an OOC issue belonging to Jed's player.  

If it's the first, then it's sort of a Bang: Jed could either follow the shaman's advice and take the "anti-Jed" as his teacher, or he could rebel against one or the other teacher and make at least one decision on his own.  

On the other hand, I wonder if there isn't some Force being applied (The shaman says, "This way to the next enlightenment."  Which way do you go?) and if this is in some way reinforcing dysfunctional play behavior.  

The second one sounds like a terrific Bang, hitting no fewer than three characters in sensitive points.  

Just my 2 cents, as someone who is still trying to figure out this Bang stuff himself.

[Lisa Padol]

UA with Bangs, a strong sense of protagonist open-choice, and a willingness to see those choices have consequences in terms of human relationships ... is a lot like Sorcerer. (a useful bit of Drift is to establish specific in-game actions which reduce characters' current scores on their madness meters)

UA as written, especially as 2nd edition is written, has strong similarities to Sorcerer. Easing off the global conspiracy stuff, at least at first, probably helps. Todd Furler runs good UA games, especially the ones revolving around a group of folks working for a 3rd rate newsrag. At one convention, when I was playing the star reporter, he -- and I -- actually had to think about whether the right thing to do was try to stop some upcoming carnage or just to get the story, which would be so much cooler with the carnage.

-Lisa

[ptevis]

UA with Bangs, a strong sense of protagonist open-choice, and a willingness to see those choices have consequences in terms of human relationships ... is a lot like Sorcerer. (a useful bit of Drift is to establish specific in-game actions which reduce characters' current scores on their madness meters)

This is exactly what I'm going for. Thankfully, I just read Sorcerer, and it's put me in what I hope is right frame of mind for this.  I'll have to consider the Drift you suggest; it seems logical given what I'm shooting for.

The first I'm not sure about... I'm not sure if Jed's dependency is part of his character, or is related to an OOC issue belonging to Jed's player.

It's definitely the first. Jed's player is quite independent. In fact, Jed is deliberate break from the types of characters he normally plays, who are very intelligent and free-spirited.

If it's the first, then it's sort of a Bang: Jed could either follow the shaman's advice and take the "anti-Jed" as his teacher, or he could rebel against one or the other teacher and make at least one decision on his own.

That's what I'm hoping.

You say it's sort of Bang. What do you think would make it more of one?

On the other hand, I wonder if there isn't some Force being applied (The shaman says, "This way to the next enlightenment." Which way do you go?) and if this is in some way reinforcing dysfunctional play behavior.

This is the part that potentially worries me. Two things allieviate my fear. First, Jenny's a PC, so I have no idea what she's going to tell Jed to do, much less how he's going to react to it. Second, I don't have anything specific in mind right now as to what the answer to his problem is, so I don't feel like I'm pushing him toward anything in particular. Thoughts?

I think I'm starting to see why Bang are called Bangs. I feel a bit like I'm tossing a grenade in through the window and seeing what happens.

--Paul

[TonyLB]

I think I'm starting to see why Bang are called Bangs. I feel a bit like I'm tossing a grenade in through the window and seeing what happens.

While I don't have any grand insights to offer, I have to whole-heartedly echo this sense of using Bangs.  I've murmured "Fire in the hole" to myself while sending off posts in my internet games.