The Forge Archives

Hello All,

The first session of my Space-Western Sorcerer game has come and gone.  I took a really bold step with this one.  I came to the table armed only with my conceptions of the four NPCs mentioned in the Player's Kickers, a relatively simple backstory/situation that described how those four NPCs relate, and a one page description of the Setting, which was just a fleshing out of the elements mentioned during character creation.  As usual, my fears of being under prepared (which I get less and less of) proved unfounded.

The first thing I noted was that this time I paid more attention to Setting than I ever have.  Even though the Setting fit on a single page, it felt more present and limiting (in a good way) then when I use a canned Setting.  I think this is definitely a result of the fact that it came as a consequence of character creation more so than its simplicity.

When I use a can setting I have to take a look at the characters and then sift through MASSIVE amounts of setting material to figure out what feels relevant and what doesn't.  The result is that I feel like the Setting never really plays a significant role.  It doesn't feel real in anyway, shape or form.  It feels, well, filtered.  The fact that I've poked holes in it to keep things focused appears obvious.  

But that's because I started with something complex and simplified it down to the character's level.  Here, I started with the characters and constructed up to the complexity, so there aren't any holes.  Nothing feels missing because nothing was ever there in the first place.  And everything fits on a single sheet of paper because every complex detail is immediately relevant to the characters and their kickers and all other details are either vague or absent for the time being.

This is of course, what the material in Sorcerer & Sword is all about but I think this is the first time I fully understood it.

As for actual play it, of course, clipped along at that almost distrubingly fast pace Sorcerer seems to run at.  I'm always amazed at how far three PCs, three Demons and just a handful of NPCs will really take you.  A lot of groundwork was layed, we played for a good solid three hours and it feels like there's still TONS of potential conflict and material to play with.  I used to stress A LOT about the length of scenarios.  I used to pile on NPCs and problems and situations just to ensure there was enough for the players to do.

The players are also already all interacting, if not directly then indirectly.  Of the four Kicker generated NPCs at least one cross-Kicker NPC has taken on a significant role in another PC's situation.  The game has already taken on a very cohesive feel and it did occur naturally.  Nothing feels forced or contrived.

Event wise, the Sheriff got involved in a shoot out with and has arrested his father, after which the Sheriff's player just sighed and said, "Now, I go to the saloon and feed my demon."  Brilliant.  The Station Manager is dealing not only with the beurocrat trying to muscle in on her station but the possibility that her head of security might be an alcholic.  At the end of the session she had just cut a deal with the space bandit.  The bandit agreed to be placed under arrest to buy some time with the beurocrat IF, The Station Manager agreed to insure that the Sheriff's father was eliminated as a threat to his "territory."  Finally, the smugler seems to be laying the ground work for something, I haven't entirely figured out yet.  He's already indirectly put the Sheriff onto his blackmailer.  He also witnessed the aforementioned shoot-out and has begun placing rummor seeds about how he witnessed the Sheriff beating an unarmed man (something that did happen in that scene).

The demons are also swinging into full activity.  The Sheriff's cup by its very nature is doing its job.  The Station Manager made an off hand comment to the station A.I. that it should feel free to have some fun with the terran beurocrat and now some rather important documents have gone missing.  Finally, I played the possessed space critter like a parrot who just pipes up and says things at the least opportune time.  The player of that demon's sorcerer complimented me for nailing what he had in mind for the demon after the game.

Another fun observation I noticed is that I think that The Station Manager's story is shaping up to be the most complex by the nature of her position.  The Sherif and the Smugler basically have to deal with each of their situations almost individualistically but by proxy The Station Manager has to deal with ALL of it either directly or indirectly.  So, there's all this stuff she's dealing with and handling and yet the character hasn't even left her office.

Finally the Humanity definition of "remaining Civilized in the face of frontier barbarism" has worked out well.  The Sherif made a few Humanity checks for taken out his agressions on his father with the Station Manager made a couple of Humanity gain rolls for attempting to maintain order (among her staff and crew which I counted as "friends").  The Smuggler has done some questionable things but it hasn't yet affected anyone who counts as Family or Friends, so no rolls there yet.  It works out well.

I think that about covers it.  Hope that was interesting.

Jesse

Hi there,

For those who are interested, this same thread-starter post got a solid round of discussion in an RPG.net thread.

Best,
Ron