When Storytellers Collide

Written by Harry

Many seasoned gamers have played both sides of the screen, having been either player or master of the game. Sometimes it can be difficult to switch from one role to another. If you began as an ST, it might be difficult for you to bite your tongue and let someone else run the game. As a player, you might feel a little intimidated the first time you try to run your own game.

Playing With the Big Boys

Some of the most enjoyable scenes and games I’ve been in are ones where I’m playing with a group of fellow STs. The energy that comes from a bunch of storytellers working together is amazing. Everyone knows exactly what’s expected and how to work a scene to its maximum potential.

It was a weekend, a lazy Sunday with no one else around, and both James and I had our desks clear of work with some free time on our hands. We hadn’t had a screw-off day in a while, and it was easy to slip back into a few hours of what we love most: creative writing RPG.

We wrote a kick-ass scene together on Escaping Reality.

The Posting Marathon

The scene began to roll, with James and me rattling off “tags” one after another at an amazing pace. A few thousand words in a couple of hours? No problem. We were in the zone.

Jamie’s characters kept throwing mine these amazing curves. He and I have been gaming partners for a few years, and while we still manage to out-guess the other from time to time, there’s always the element of surprise.

Someone asked if we planned scenes in advance. How much do we share or discuss for any given scene in game when we play together? They were surprised at the flow and the seamless reading of the scene.

The answer is that we share some information, but not all. Most of our scenes are created on the fly. We have a general direction, such as John being pissed off at Jake, but that’s it. We begin everything with a one-line premise. We let our characters run loose.

Keep a Few Secrets

As an ST, you know how to throw a wrench into your gamers’ plans - and they do the same thing to you whether they realize it or not. When you get two STs going at it head to head, it makes for some fantastic and interesting playing.

James is very good at the short-term quick hits. He’s pulled some off-the-cuff stunts that have totally blown me away. My scheming takes a longer to play out. I might remember something from a scene written several days ago and file it away in my mind, only to bring it out in game when no one’s expecting it.

After all, no one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

How Can You Use This As A Player?

So what does all this have to do with your playing? There are tons of tips in this post that you can learn simply by watching your storyteller. Keep your eyes open and look at what the STs do. Is there something they mention repeatedly? How is their character behaving? What clues are they dropping?

Use everything you can. You may not be able to use it right away, but make a note of something you feel would be good to bring back into the game later on. File it away. Pick your moments for the best impact.

Go ahead; take your STs by surprise. They’ll love you for it.

Spanish Inquisition Clip

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