[Sorcerer] Dressed to Kill: Help with Inspirations

[IMAGinES]

Hello, all. This is, I think, my first post to the Adept Press forum.

Recently, I've started brewing up my own Sorcerer campaign concept, and for lack of a better name, I've called it "Dressed to Kill". The interesting thing is, I've approcahed the subject without any direct inspiration beyond my own experience of and cycnicism with a certain Big City (i.e. Sydney) to guide me, and I want to know whether there are any other stories, sorcerous or otherwise, that follow similar themes - basically, the drive for Success and its cost to someone's ability for form and maintain functional relationships with others.

I figure they'd help clarify my thinking a bit and also serve as good group inspiration / get-on-the-same-pageness. I keep thinking of the movies Wall Street and The Game (Michael Douglas movies both), but the fun bit is I've never actually seen either of them.

Can you folks suggest any movies / novels / shows?

[Ron Edwards]

I suggest not. If I'm reading you right, whatever brief summary you give of Sydney, or the parts/aspects that are influencing you, will do the job 100% without padding it out with references, especially second-hand ones.

Best, Ron

[Eric J-D]

Hi Rob,

It sounds like your own experience of Sydney is the only inspiration you need for the pitch you make to the rest of the group.

As someone who is gearing up for a new Sorcerer game of my own, let me point you to the threads I keep coming back to again and again whenever I prep for play:

http://indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=753
http://indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=770
http://indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=828
http://indie-rpgs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=876

These are the famous Art-Deco Melodrama threads (in order).  If you have a chance, give them a read, especially (since you are about to make a pitch to the players) the first thread "To Tor, Jesse, and Paul."

One of the things I really learned from this thread was that regardless of the source of inspiration for your setting you don't need to give the players "homework"---"Here, take this pile of movies and watch them and then come back and we'll talk together about the setting."

When you read that thread you'll see that the pitch is all about conveying a strong impression of the color/style/atmosphere/mood but then letting the players respond to it and make their own contributions.  So all you need do is convey that impression enthusiastically to the group and then listen to the responses and contributions they make.  If somebody says something that sounds really off the mark, try to clarify things (as, for example, in the first of those threads when Ron says quite explicitly that people should forget about the history of the period and concentrate on style) and keep listening to what they say.

I hope that helps.

Eric

[IMAGinES]

Ron, Eric, thanks for your comments and your reassurances.

Ron - One worry I had was sourcing a starting relationship map. Although it looks as though you threw one together for your D&D game for Christopher & Dan, I assume you've had plenty of re-map practice with novels (i.e. your example re-maps in The Sorcerer's Soul) beforehand. I can feel a couple of NPC ideas percolationg in there with the rest of it, though. Is it worth having a source when creating a re-map for the first time?

Eric - yeah, I read the ADM threads a while ago, and I remember the back-and-forth over concepts and tone. I'll be sure to read them again.

Anyway, I'll get back to noodling with the idea. Next question: What are Sorcerers and Lore?

[Ron Edwards]

Is it worth having a source when creating a re-map for the first time?

I think so. Make sure not to be enslaved by it, and when in doubt, simplify it.

Best, Ron