Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsRe: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsLate fridays, i like to walk the complex, see who is playing pick up games and just settle my brain before trying to sleep. (It is not my own bed, so i will never rest comfortably in it. Come to think of it, i don't sleep easily at home either. I just like being awake)
But since i am wandering... Looney Labs are you a werewolf. Great fun at midnight. Morten's List. A sort of gamer scavenger hunt. It was all the rage in the 90's. The Prawn larp. You are playing aquatic creatures...in the Crowne Plaza pool. It is never the gamers you want in the pool for this event. Kobolds ate my baby midnight massacre. Yep, huge game that ran opposite paranoia for years. Shouts to hail Torg would be met with shout to hail the computer. (Mark, you would have loved this one.) Gamer Karaoke in the Big Bar...this happened like two years in a row and it was not a good plan. I recall a guy i went to college with named Curtis doing a painfully horrid cover of Birdhouse in Your Soul. Watching Michael Mirth do card tricks in the Big Bar. I was standing behind him at am angle no magician wants a viewer and i know the general mechanics of what he was doing and i still could not see it happening. He is really good at what he does. Just hanging out last year with some people i met via paranoia who introduced me to brand new people and then left. Those people introduced me to other new people and two hours later there were two of us from the original conversation and a dozen strangers who were new friends. Stream of thought, 1996...Noir Larp. Gangsters. They roomed us next to a cthulhu larp. Despite insisting i was only playing night one, they give me a character that is key to night two and needs to lay low all of night one. I spend the night avoiding the game i am playing and watching the deadlands larp featuring guest of honor, Bruce Campbell, as Brisco County jr. (We borrowed a friend's room in the hyatt to suit up for the gangster game and on the way down, elevator opens and Brisco strides in to ride down with us. I was awestruck) Someone with Bruce (i suspect it was his wife) had spent the larp arranging deals to do things on a signal. She was very effective. Just a Bruce steps up to make his big speech in the event, she steps out, snaps her fingers while swinging her arm down and everyone starts shouting for a storyteller and doing something. The storytellers are overwhelmed. McJohn looks at me and points that out. We wander down and offer to help sort the mess out because the Noir larp is sucking and what else is there to do. Bruce never did make that speech. I always wondered if that whole thing was a cover for not having it ready. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsAll those stories from last night and I forogt the important one...
It is the year Charlie and I met Thwak...24 hours later. Again in Franklin C. Same table. Same players, same 7th sea system... Different GM. Somebody points out we all happened to play together the night before and had a good time. Would it be ok if we played your session using the same characters because we had a good vibe going. He says sure...and that was his first and only mistake. The session is going to involve a Kit Marlowe/ Bacon/ Globe theater theme and some sort of smuggling/ planted bomb assassination on The Queen thing so nothing complicated. He opened with: "as you walk down the gangplank onto the docks..." I never heard the rest. Big Jim has started berating me in Character and he is literally picking up the arguement we ended on in Thwak's game the night before at the same sentence. We are two seconds in and the GM has lost control and is looking around the table in shock wondering what the hell just happened. Charlie just leans over to him and in the most comforting tones says, "this is from last night...they do that. Just ignore them and continue on, they will catch up." He keeps trying to run a serious game and we keep it light and amazing. It is not the game he planned but we are hitting his plot points and dealing with them...it is just getting done in very unorthodox ways. And then, we break him. I don't remember whi thing finally got him laughing but he did. And when that happened it was like blood in the water. Everybody piled on with witty rejoinders or goofy actions (yes, even Charlie) this poor GM got laughing so hard he fell out of his chair. Tears are streaming down his face, he can't talk. And we keep going. It gets so bad that he can't breathe. I have to stop everybody amd we are all sitting dead silent not moving, staring at him and the poor guy has now got the giggles so bad that our doing stone faced silence is even funnier than all the antics. The adventure had long been tossed aside by this point. I think but cannot be sure we stopped short of making him pee but only because the breakdown happened just after the restroom break. Even more than the game with Thwak, this game cemented us. When it was done, I knew there was no way i was missing next year and NEEDED to make sure I had at least one game with Charlie. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsSaturday Morning at Origins...busy time lots to do.
1996, C hall before we knew what that meant. The game Late, Late Show: Chopsocky 2, Swords in Space. The GM: "Alan Smithee" host of Origins legendary Smithee Awards for bad movies. Why is this important? This is the game where McJohn and I meet Roger and Connie. If you think I run a good Late Show, you should play it with a guy who makes a hobby out of watching and compiling terrible movies. Best moments were when the pacifist grabbed another player by the shirt and stage slapped him around shouting, "you must stop you violent ways!" And the films romantic ending. I had been given a pregen with the direction that i was to choose a player as my love interest. Years before i knew them, i channeled my inner Jason and picked McJohn. As the game ends, and we resolve stuff the GM points out this woukd be the moment for the fulm to iris out on the romantic kiss. McJohn immediately asks, "is there bonus XP for that?" (You all can hear Roger laughing at that right?") The GM points out that these are pregens. McJohn replies, "so is that a yes?" (And now i know you hear Roger laughing) The GM says sure why not. And McJohn lunges over, grabs me into a dip for a ridiculously long stage kiss. (And now Roger and the others are roaring) Alan ends by pitching his award show and Roger apologizes for missing it becauae he is running Megaparanoia. McJohn and I are signed up for that and curious because it wasn't listed as a larp but does have 100 player slots which may be a typo. We are wondering if it will be some sort of multi table thing with people switching around as they die. Roger (for the first of many times) insists it is not a LARP but it is an active, interactive experience. And he has this look in his eye when we say we are already signed up. It is the look of a GM that realizes if he has two 26 year old bozos willing to make out for XP on characters that are not their own, well tonight is going to be interesting. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsShopping for the next game to run with McJohn in the dealer room. We got like 20 friends along this year from home. We have browsed everything on the market and nothing is catching my eye. I am leafing a book and ignoring the pitch from the company rep. It might have been blue planet or maybe Alternity...i really don't remember. McJohn thinks i am just stalling over price but i am really looking at it and thinking, this won't work for our players. McJohn jumps in asking about a discount. The guy is not budging.
"Dude, you don't get it. If he buys the book and runs this 15 other people here have to come buy this book". The rep is not buying McJohn's pitch. He questions me running for that many and wants to know how many different groups i run for. "Just the one." I tell him. "And it is a group of 15? Sure kid." "It's more like 20. Fifteen came down to the con. " He blows us off. I don't care, that was not the right game. Unknown to me, the rest of our crew is trailing on smaller groups. Every one of them stops to check out that game knowing I had it in mind. Every one of them asks each other if Dave has decided to buy this. All of them over about an hour. I'm well around the dealer hall when the rep comes up, book and supplements in hand and tries to GIVE me all of it. But he was kind of a jerk and i really just am not into his game after looking at it so i turn it down. Right in front of a rival's booth. That guy had a blast watching the exchange. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsSaturday morningish. Down in the convention hall and a space is roped off with blue skirting and stanchions. Inside it are a few tables on the edges also draped with the blue skirts and covered in 1800's village terrain and docks. (Just a few of these but elaborate) also spread over the area are a variety of pedestals around 3 foot high each topped with a 25mm scale pirate ship and crew.
I don't know what it is or why but I have to run a game in 40 minutes so i cannot play but i want info. It is one of Duke Seifried's games. He is very generous with his time and info because he loves this stuff. So how detailed was it? 24 ships. Each has it's own crew with themed paint to tie to the ship. Each ship is unique in paint and accessories like rope coils, hull damage repairs, figureheads etc. The 24th ship is a raft with one pirate and a cannon. But that is not enough for Duke... The pedestals are painted in a blue that he made sure was an exact match to the convention center's blue skirting. He got a sample the year before to get it right. Same for the table covers. If you photograph it at the right angle, you will be hard pressed to see the stands. At the time, i was thinking about the cost for all that but Duke was a founder of Heritage miniatures. If there is a mini for something, he had access to it or the mold to make one. It was truly awesome. And when the last player arrived and was given theraft... 2 players asked to swap but he kept it. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsYeesh, Saturday. I've been cruising since Tues but today will start to look like a mountain. Worse, I know that when I finish climbing it, I'll only have one event left to run, and after that... well I just don't want to think about it.
Not so secretly, I've been keeping pretty careful track of the tickets turned in over time, and I know that today will definitely put us over the top* at some point. But today I will worry the most since this is really the make or break day (and for the record I actually have no idea what would happen should we "fall short" I am simply going to worry about it because that's what I do). I TRY not to put my anxiety on other folks. Fortunately this will all fall completely out of my mind when we hit the 1pm game. Then, it's SHOWTIME! I don't know how others feel about this part of the campaign, but it's the most fun for me. I get to interact with everyone individually. I get to watch them do whatever the thing is they MOST want to do as regards this campaign, and I get a front row seat. Oh and as a bonus, like all those comic book geeks who've read all the books the Marvel Movies are based on, I know what's going to happen and my secret joy is knowing where this will all end and watching your faces when it happens. Case in point, Deb. Ever since Dave and I came up with the twist on the classic rescuing the damsel in distress plot, I have been chomping at the bit to see it dawn on you. And the fact that it didn't until AFTER it was all over. *kisses fingers* Deliciouso! Another example, for the elderly of our players. The second time I did the PA with Tomas (our chief scammer on young women). When we did the whole, "your mom is in town and loves this girl, you should really think about settling down" Plot in which all the rest of the players were in on it and kept talking her up/ berating Tomas for speaking ill of his mother. Priceless. Or what about when Mike's character, Peter Galvin had his mandolin stolen AFTER being so nice to his so called benefactor? HAHAHAHAHA! Folks often think they need to thank me for running adventures (which, don't get me wrong, I do love). But you don't have to pay me back. Just keep coming up with things you want to explore and come to the PAs. That's all the payment I need. That also explains why I am never done on time. It's not for the players' benefit, it's for mine. I don't ever want this to stop. Across the way I hear peals of laughter from Dave/Ken's tables. Dave's come up with yet another zinger and its the only time my enthusiasm for individual time wanes. I'd love to play at that table. Dave already told me the plot and, as usual, I'm jealous I didn't come up with it first. (In the interest of fairness, Ken has taken a couple of turns at the PA-writing wheel and, like Dave, comes up with some real loo-loos. But my experience with his adventures belongs over at the GenCon reminiscences) This day more than any other will be a blur for me. I have to write things down just to remember what everyone did (and believe me I need to remember what everyone did) *Origins likes to see around 80% return on tickets sold, but I like to see ours at 90 because I am an obsessive over-achiever.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to Origins
Way Too Late! ![]() ![]() Think! - Its not Illegal yet.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsMark is worried about tickets all the time for every con. We pat him on the shoulder and try to distract him.
I never worry about the tickets because: A- Origins will never turn us down for events. They always want more events. B- we always have tables over capacity to cover the event that doesn't happen. C- If it was ever a true issue, we could lend generics from megaparanoia to domingo gigante and make it all up. Plus, the Origins staff likes us. I will run a post about PAs next but i totally want to hear memories of these from you all. Earlier Saturday memories... CHall bathroom break. I walk in to use the place. Two guys are standing around waiting on a friend in the stall. They sound like first time attendees and have hit the restroom before registration. I am feeling a bit jealous of that new guy experience. All of a sudden the kid in the stall shouts out, "It's gonna be a great day!" It cracks me up. I am standing at the urinal laughing enough that i can no longer pee. C hall, man. The legend grows. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsBefore the PA, before HoA or CV, there was the millenial army. Thwak's GM crew from Michigan who lived up to their motto: "We run games that don't suck".
C hall upstairs: one of his crew is running a horror game based on the movie where the killer has memory issues and is marking stuff on his arms. He is wearing a button down long sleeve dress shirt which is odd enough at a con. But he keeps having needs to leave the room. Turns out every time he is out, he is rolling up the sleeves and making notes about the players. (Not the characters, the players) They get to the finale and in the lead up, he rolls up his sleeves to start placing minis and stuff. The players start noticing the marks and are amused, then the ones next to him start reading and freak the hell out! Perfect execution. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsRorshach's Journal:
The evil GMs wives club have insisted i run a session just for them. I tell them, yes. I am sitting on a bench, trying to come up with a plot or premise to use because this crew is the most creative and tricky set of players i will ever deal with. When they are together, it is worse. Two guys interrupt me. They are dressed as klingons. I am under some sort of arrest... i try and shoo them off, i am busy. Gametime is in 10 minutes. They insist because it is for charity. I am about to run a game, do not anger the crazy vigilante. They insist. I am locked in a cell in the convention concourse outside Hall B. Next to me is an eight year old boy witha plush cthulhu. He is raking the claws of the great destroyer along the bars like a tin cup and singing, "nobody knows the trouble I've seen...". It is hilarious. The ladies i am due to run for show up to taunt me. They paid to have me arrested and find it funny. But I am not locked in here with Cthulhu, they are locked out there without a GM! I am eventually released onn my own recognizance (foolish klingons) and the incident becomes the plot i was looking for. Friends are rescued. Cannons are thrown (because Vicki Martin played a very strong character). Laughter is heard. Times are good. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsMalort...just Malort.
![]() "You're still mad at me about that whole 'gun-pointing' thing, aren't you?" -- Fortunato Valeri
And here's where I try to be a writer...
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsOh I do have one more memory to share of the early part of the day. I call it "THAT time." As in, "Oh, it's THAT time now..."
(First a little disclaimer, it may appear that I am saying this in a disparaging way, I do not mean it to. It's just a thing that happens in our living campaign (I suspect because people are invested in more than just getting XP) that makes me smile when I think of it.) So onto the story. It can start at any number of times (up to and including BDs the night before). But it most definitely will start when I drag myself into whichever room we're running on Sat. Any number of different people can start it. But if I am honest Sam is the most likely to start it unless Shane has made it to the con, and then only because SteveN has been working the Con and won't be able to be there until later on. If it's not any of them, its one of the new folks who became enamored with our little pack of nutjobs and cancelled several other events to play with us. It begins with the following sentence (or a variation thereof), "So, I've been thinking about (insert name of their character)'s backstory..." That's followed by a train of thought discussion about what they'd like to see. Its like a variant of "Don't tell me about your character." Only this time I DO want to hear about your character. All of it. In as much detail as you can think of. Because I will use everything you say against you in a court of law. I have solicited more information about players and spoken to their significant others to get juicy details of their private lives which I then turned around and used against them in game. Yes I really am that evil. And more than that, your friends and loved ones are also that evil. As soon as I tell them why I want the information they will DISH! They reveal all to me and on occasion suggest ways for me to make it more hurtful. No dirty trick is too dirty for me*. For Antonio (a player at Total Con) I had a group of around 20 to witness his final adventure (which was his character's abject humiliation). I didn't want him to be humiliated privately so I got an audience. And they performed perfectly. (they even got it on video). *the exception being really traumatic events, and in that case your friends will warn me off, which I thank them for immensely, because this really is all in good fun.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to Origins
Malort is the taste of pure "bad."
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsSo, PAs...
The has not been one i regret running. All of the plots have worked out. I also don't have a favorite. But each one has had player caused moments. Rescuing the elderly bride certainly led to many awkward responses and some ladies at the table took grand amusement at that session. Being able to cue up the first appearance of Primo was fun. Watching you all catch on to how the expense report flashbacks were going to work was priceless. If i have to pick a session, that one would be my go to session. But the one that will always stand out was the year we shifted to 2nd ed. I had a whole different adventure for that year andnit was...ok. it was pretty much the plot of helping the guys in the hills but it just didn't sing. I had mentioned to Mark that if the 2nd ed demo set had included a little character gen i would consider running that but it would be work to convert everyone. Plus the book was just not available. Then John dropped the preview copy 5 days before Origins. I outright deleted the written adventure, jumped in with both feet and no reserve chute and hammered out that adventure. The characters took a little longer. But the look on all your faces when i told you to put your sheets away and pick a campaign NPC...confusion, disappointment, eyerolls. And the rest of the session will be 2nd ed. Mike B. Raised an eyebrow at that. The rest of you reacted like a child that got a puppy for christmas. Mark missed the smiles and joy of that moment. John Wick was directly invited, time and place, and he missed the looks of excitement. The second group was kept just enough in the dark that i got the same reaction 2 hours and 17 minutes later (Mark ran late, anybody call that?) And then it got hard...the game really doesn't handle 10 at a time. But i rocked it. Knowing what i know now, i wish Wick had shown to see it work. Now something most of you don't know about the PAs... there have been several years where the adventures had a common link between Origins, GenCon and the stuff Mark does back east. We did it knowing there would be maybe 4 people who would ever get to see all of it just as a little bonus. I only have one rule for my PAs, no matter how grim portions of the campaign had to get, the PA was going to show a lighter side of Altamira. For most of you it is the last taste of our game for the year and i want it to be a dessert. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsMark, it is always "that time" with Sam. He has too many characters to waste tine not discussing a goal. (And i love his creativity) Sam throws away character concepts better than most of my home group played.
I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to Origins"Clearly, it's time for me to be kidnapped again!"
"You're still mad at me about that whole 'gun-pointing' thing, aren't you?" -- Fortunato Valeri
And here's where I try to be a writer...
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsA little PA survey:
The first few i wrote had a different adventure for people who started at Mark's table. It was sort of a way to make them extra unique. Group 1 might have to swipe something and grouo 2 would need to put it back. Was that more fun for you all or less because there was no way to get both sides of the story? It was more work to write but if you all really loved it, i could do at least one more like that. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsAh yes, the Evil GMs Wives Club. Thoughts of that game (and the preceding events) always bring a smile to my face. And Dave, you forgot being taunted by the roughly 8 year old girl who danced in front of you singing "You're in jail and I'm not".
![]() The game itself was a riot. We played our characters from our home game (online, run jointly by Thwak, Dana, and Jimbeau), and had to break Thwak's and Jimbeau's characters out of jail. One valuable lesson learned from that session was that when the nice Vodacce lady asks you to smell something, DON'T! The PAs. What can I say, I love them. I love the one-on-one attention to my character (and greatly enjoy bearing witness to everyone else's pain), as well as the more light-hearted mini-adventure. All in all, it makes for a fantastic 4+ hours of play. When I first created Caitlin, I had not chosen a background, so my first couple of PAs were tied to attempting to gain entry to the ranks of Los Vagos. While fun, I quickly realized that I needed something a bit more personal for Mark to use to torment me. After some deliberation, I decided on the Betrothed background. After all, I had begun developing an attachment to Gabino, and why would I want that to progress smoothly? Thoroughly enjoyed writing up the sessions, and cannot wait to begin the "sequel". It's tough for me to pick a favorite moment from the PAs. On the personal side, one of the most memorable moments was when we found Gabino's swords on the ground in the alley, and I had to tell Bogdan not to touch them (sorry for yelling at you Sam, but I was a bit caught up in the moment). I think my favorite "mini-adventure" would have to be a toss-up between the expense reports (had a lot of fun with Aleksei) and rescuing the elderly bride (had a lot of fun with Ekaterina).
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsYou and Alexandria had a lot of fun at the expense of the guys that session and it was worth it.
I am not sharing several memories involving young ladies in this but i had forgotten the taunting. Here is a friday evening one... i walk in the hotel room to prep for HoA larp#1. A woman i do not recognize with straight blond hair walks out of the bathroom with her back to me. I didn't invite her, Jeremy is downstairs. That leaves Katie's husband Mike...uh oh... then the blond turns around. It is Katie in the wig for her character. Katie is not meant to have straight hair, or blond hair. Mike is spared needing to make any horrible confessions...for now. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsMy part of the PA is a wrap. Mark (wait for it) still has 3-4 people to cover. Anybody want to go to Max and Erma's? I am buying.
At this point, my work part of the con is over. (But Sal, what about MegaParanoia?) Yeah, that is not work, that is my reward. Saturday dinners don't follow a pattern. For a long time, it involved the hibachi place that is sadly gone. Some years it is a second trip to BDs or Max. Sometimes it is just me grabbing a sub. Speaking of food, i miss the PBJ sandwiches at the old nut store. Time for a final runner up for worst Origins game ever. We are playing a Deadlands game hosted by Pinnacle and run by a member of the Hong Kong Action Theater design team. I sit down thinking this should be good. We have a full time game guy running, he will give us a good game. We are 10 minutes in and his buddies show up wanting him to go drinking at the big bar. He blatantly says IN FRONT OF US, " I'll be right there, just gimme 10 minutes to kill these guys off". 4 hour event and he plans to ditch in 10. He has never met me. My buddy Shawn is with me and he is a huge Deadlands guy. We have two guys at the table that just get up and leave. The other 2 are literally there as a demo considering buying the game. We are going to play. Thanks to Shawn's mechanics wizardry and me being me, we make that guy work over 3 hours to kill us off and piss him off so bad that he is not going to be any fun over in the Big Bar. If you know the term "Rage Quit", this was a "Rage Stay". It is the most antagonistic i have ever been at the con. I made a point to track Shane Hensley down that night and make sure he knew who and what went down. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsI think Mark did a double-take too in the con room that year. I also had my contacts in -- which is something I rarely do.
Beirao. I can't get in OH -- I can't FIND it in OH. It's a Portuguese liqueur that a since deceased friend introduced me to when I was still living in Massachusetts. The last bottle I had with me when I last saw him in '05 or so, I nursed (he passed in '06). It's orangey and anisey and syrupy, but it's home in a lot of ways. I know there are liquor stores in Cambridge that sell it and I shyly message Mark if he could get me a bottle please. Despite my self-doubt, he does. In the passing years, he does it a couple of times (and one year he gets me a 4-pack of Spencer Trappist Ale which hadn't hit CLE yet). Thank you, Mark. <3 "You're still mad at me about that whole 'gun-pointing' thing, aren't you?" -- Fortunato Valeri
And here's where I try to be a writer...
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsHad Buca with Bill, Steph, Casey, Tom, Jeremy, And a couple others from home. This is the year Bill and Steph have gotten engaged and Steph has hinted Bill wants to ask me something this weekend.
We are walking back from dinner and are just across the street from the Hyatt when Bill finally asks. He stutters a little when he asks which makes the request all the more precious because he is really a little nervous. He asks me if I would be willing to be in his wedding party. I have known Bill since he was 10, watched him grow up and love him like family. I feel the same way about Steph. I am totally cool with this and honored to be asked. But Bill has always been an internet troll, i have to mess with him. When he asks, the girls are about 5 paces behind. It is me Bill and Tom, his best man. "Sure Bill, i would love to be in your wedding. Can I have your spot? Because I would love to be married to Steph." His face goes red and all we hear is "uh, buh, buh, buh" Tom starts laughing uncontrollably he is leaning on the concrete barrier over the railroad tracks. Casey asks what is so funny and Tom tells them. She laughs. Steph was in on it... she replies, "I'm ok with that." Now Tom totally breaks and Bill is just shaking his head. He knows he has been trolled and he owns it. But he still clarifies what my spot in the party will be to be sure. To be honest, i was good with either spot. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsI got nothing for saturdays that holds up to fridays. I love PA's. I love getting to play it, then getting to read what dave Actually wrote, and then getting to spin it around. I love it when you guys decide that since im at a table, i count, and you swipe francois stuff. If he existed outside of our heads, he would too, im sure. The record is having his carriage stolen 5 times in 4 hours. Im amused that francois is the runner up for mayor, three times. Ive enjoyed taking the blame for Other people destroying church property, and paying to fix it again. I Love getting to yell "Sorry" to all the ussurans around, and being proven right time after time, that they really are all entertainers. This includes Bogdan, the insult comic. I have happily supported rene-care, brought l'emperors family cross to a larp, Watched my playhouse almost fumble, and my friends perform as the best (and worst) actors ever (tho that was gencon, im getting kinda emotional here) I love that when someone needs something, they come to francois, no questions. Despite his heresy, his montaingeness, the stealing of magical weapons because they just look terrible. In short, I miss you all, and love you all like family.
Except when you give me malort.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsI was gonna jump right to Paranoia but let's talk about the beverages for a minute.
Mark brings Katie memories and trappist ale. Ken has brought and shared mead. Charlie has not necessarily brought anything along but he has certainly bought plenty over the years. Sam ans Alexandria have brought a myriad of Orange things to our tables. And all of you have built a fortress of Diet Peach Snapple around Mark in the last 10 years. Since I don't drink alcohol and hate Snapple in anyform, none of it matters a bit to me aside form the friendship it represents. And that is important. But Kenny and Jason, in keeping of their particular idiom, brought that damn Malort. And i tasted it just to know if it really was as bad as you all exclaimed. And it is. But i will say this... IF I were to take up drinking, i would choose to drink Malort. Why? Because if you are willing to drink Malort to excess, you know for certain that you have a drinking problem. That stuff needs to ne on a government list of stuff you send the leader of another nation when you want to start a war. And before anybody gets any ideas about supplying Sal with his favorite beverage, I gave most of them up last year. Gotta stay healthy for campaign #4. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
Re: Dr. Manhatten goes to OriginsSo, I want to mention that I enjoy watching Ken fix my adventures. It is his super power.
So let me tell you why certain Origins GMs are so good. Everybody I discuss is an all around good GM and each has some flaws but I am going to tell you what each one does better than the rest of us. Thwak- Patrick runs the most flamboyant and descriptive combat scenes. His games center on the high action and it is like a John Woo film at his table. Floyd- He is best at building games that are personal. Mark does it well in PAs, but Floyd finds eays to do it in the main session. Ken- He takes the scenes that Mark and I create and fills them with the emotional spark they need to carry. He makes you care so much more about what is happening than what is on the page he is working from. (See episode 2, el vago's last scene) Mark- He is best at pulling the threads together. Across 24 adventures or in a single 10 minute PA, he is going to weave you into something you mever saw coming (except the andrea doria) He is always setting you up and you will gleefully walk right into his traps. Jason Haskins- He is the master of adventure pacing. His games flow, shift gears smoothly from passive to high octane action. When you play with him, you feel the speed of what is happening to you in game. Ed Rollins - he has mastered all contingencies. I have never done anything in his game he was not prepared to handle. Not improvised around, he had the idea it might come up and considered it. Roger- improvising. You want a game run by a guy with no plan? Roger will make it happen. I am practiced at this and i can't touch what he can do on my best day. Sam, i would add you to the list but I have never been free to see you run a game...I need to change that. And before you all ask about me... i am just a really good liar. I don't mind growing old... but I hate growing up.
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