When a fight broke out, I asked: “What do you do that makes the swordsman hesitate?” The player didn’t roll to hit. They described the way their character spat a mouthful of rust onto the floor and smiled with crooked teeth. The swordsman hesitated. Combat resolved.
“Turn around. There’s a child made of wet clay standing in the muck. It has her eyes. It asks: ‘Did you bring the key?’ You don’t have a key. What do you do?” yensyfrp blogspot
“You remember a death that isn’t yours. A woman in blue on a stone floor. Her hand reaches for yours. The fungus pops. A bubble of sound escapes—it’s her last word. What is it?” When a fight broke out, I asked: “What
Posted by Yensy – No date, but the air smells like ozone and old paper. On the Nature of Play Without Ropes We have to stop lying to each other. The dice are not in charge. The GM is not a god. The character sheet is not a cage, but lately, it’s been feeling like one. Combat resolved
And remember: the map is not the territory. The map is honey. You are the bee. Get sticky.
Never ask “Can I do this?” Ask “Is this interesting if I succeed? Is it more interesting if I fail?” If the answer to both is no, stop playing that scene. Move on. Cut the boring cord.
Currently listening to: Coil, “The Anal Staircase.” Currently reading: The instruction manual for a VCR from 1998. It’s the most terrifying horror story I own. [End of Blog Post. Comments are disabled because last time someone tried to argue about “quantum ogres” and Yensy turned their argument into a living spell that now haunts a Denny’s in Ohio.]