Out-of-Character

Just a quick place for OOC. Not that we are clogging up chat (yet) with fan theories about Dark Phoenix, or Toy Story 4, or what really lies at the bottom of Lake Baikal, what have you.

but my wild and unsubstantiated theories!

Unsubstantiated is the single best one word description of the 21st century

I'm liking the character interactions so far. When you're ready, post that you're going to the murder site (or where to next) and I'll paint the scene.

The_Librarian. Just choose those specialties now.

I've been playing this fairly aloof, assuming that each of you is fairly competent with the rules. However, if you want more directions, let me know and I'll start a rules thread. This weekend, I want to post one on spell casting if nothing else, as it bears getting right. I might put up one with combat basics as well, not that I want to run a high octane combat game.

Ouch. I thought Dragomir was descending first, that's why I went next. Sorry, I should have specified that.

Oh, well. So, uh... Yeah. Help?

That was a brutal roll, sorry about that.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm fairly familiar with New World of Darkness 1e rules. That said, I've never played Mage: The Awakening, so some of the spell casting mechanics are new to me.

I ran a Changeling: The Lost campaign for two years with Mages as recurring NPCs, but I totally flaked on the rules today, haha. My brain is contaminated by the cWoD Vampire: The Masquerade game I'm running IRL.

Same. I made a mage but never got to play, so I am shaky on mage mechanics. but ive played a lot of old WoD and alot of changeling the lost

Awesome. Let's learn together while we tell each other a scary story.

Same for me. lots of WoD, first time mage.

1st mages unite!! oh wait....

I'm not sensing engagement on this initial encounter. While my intention was not to run a combat heavy campaign, I would like for us to be able to experience some threats. Did we want to pause and discuss the nature of the game before we go too far down a road you're not interested in?

Sadly i built a less combat centric character

You could try other things. Mage Sight, for example. Or try and assist your allies.

I’m ready to go... just waiting my turn. Don’t want to hog all the action.

I'm with Moloch, I'm ready to go, but don't want to steamroll the others. But I see the appeal of a game rule from one of my other games. In combat, you have 24 hours to add your input or be skipped.

So we have the setup to the conflict of the game. An unknown mage is doing BAD STUFF and you're all likely AGAINST THAT. This will involve investigation and likely confrontation, with the BBEG and it's minions. How that confrontation plays out will be up to you, but along the way, we may learn more about the broader mage world, too.

As part of the 'social contract' to the game, let me know if this works for you.

Before we get too far, we can change directions. For example, if you want more broader mage world interaction, we can bring that in. I arbitrarily made the assumption you would be most of not all of the mages in the city, but it is not too late to expand that community.

please let me know if I am doing something stupid by following the noble guy. I was hoping to some chatter between the guards when the rest went in, but he seemed like an important clue in all this.

I'm not sure when I'll post the results. It makes most sense in game to give you a summary when sufficient time has passed with the other players.

ok - then I'll wait

I know that I kind of sidelined my self, by splitting of from you guys. I am following along, and expect the GM to tell me when we sync up :D

Yup. After the encounter with the little girl, you'll likely meet up.

I'm still here, following along, just has a hard time figuring out how to move forward

I was intending to play this bit kind of loose, rather than roleplay it, since I expected you all to split up. I expect that you met up in the middle (i.e., after the first rolls and results). You can make another investigation montage, based upon the first results, or take another attempt at it.

I agree with The_Librarian, I also struggling to find a clear path after the game lost momentum for a few weeks.

My GMing style for World of Darkness games (relying on player initiative to steer the story) may not work well in this format. There are options, two of which are:
1) we quit and move on, or
2) we discuss how the game should operate on a player side level, and try and make it work.

What are your thoughts?

I’m fine with the game as is, but I understand that everyone has a different style of play. I can go whichever way.

I can only speak for my self when I say that I have a hard time taking initiative when I don't have any idea of where to go. This is my first Mage game, and it has been a while since I created Stephan, so the rules are not fresh in my mind. I had forgotten the magic investigation rote that he just used, until I was looking over the sheet, to get some idear how to move this story forward. I am relying on you Qralloq to convey the setting as I know very little about Russia in the 1500s or its political intrigues.

So:
1) I don't feel like I have any clues to act on
2) I don't like I know the setting enough to act on
3) I don't feel any chemistry/history/connections between the characters
In total: I don't feel that I have that much to move the story forward



So what to do?
a) Quit and move on
b) Continue and hope for the best
c) Change something. Lock us into our sanctum, send us 500 years forward in time, something that would put pressure on the whole group. Uniting them against a common problem.

But we have agreed on what to change

This is also my first mage game. I think the break is what threw me off a bit. I dont mind player driven action, on fact I usually prefer it. I would love to continue, though some prodding or suggestions are welcome as well

Investigation scenes are hard. I'll wrap it up tomorrow and summarize what you have learned. I hesitate to think it through for you, but we're (players and Storyteller) also operating through a intermediary medium.

I am going to redraw from this game. It has nothing to do with my fellow players, but I am having trouble enganing with the setting and the plot.

It fealign like a chore to write a post. I'm sorry, and hope to play with you guys some other time

I get that runekyndig, and totally understand.

With Lux disappearing (she hasn't posted in two months, I think), and runekyndig pulling out, I think it's time to kick the dirt over this shallow grave.

I wouldn't mind discussing the game with all of you before I shut it down. Feedback about:
- the story I tried to craft, or
- about the Mage system (in general or in PBP context), or
- even about third part of Russian history

Feedback from my and Stephen point of view:

1 I fu#kedup! splitting away from the party, ment 2-3 weeks where stepan could'nt act. don't split the party!

2 the setting was to foreign for me to relate to, and to establish for me to safely improvise in.

3 I really missed some connection to the other cabal members. I was expecting some play with Lux as the second founder.

4 From Stepans point of view the plot wasn't important. Some one is doing something terrible, but why should I care?

The mystery was interesting, though I was never fully sure what I could do as a character since Mage is a fuzzy area for me In terms of WoD. I think its partially my fault for feeling disengaged because I built a semi reclusive character.

That’s unfortunate. I enjoyed the game, especially playing a Cossack. That was a fun character.

I liked the investigation, though I have to admit that I’m not the best at investigative games. That’s something I’d like to work on.

I suppose my only criticism isn’t really about the game. It’s that we all decided on the Russian period setting largely because a certain player (who shall remain nameless) really pushed for it. And then that same player stopped posting a few weeks into the game. I enjoyed the historical setting, but it wasn’t my first choice. So it kind of irked me when she dropped the game suddenly. I also was really into the idea of exploring the Mage cosmology, which she was against (but that’s neither here nor there).

I loved your Cossack!

Well, I was deeply interested in this part of Russian history, so I'm sorry I couldn't engage you all more in it.

My plan was to introduce you to the Abyssal Intruder threat, tie it into a plot that leads to the powerful boyars who have engaged the worst sort of Cthulhuian mercenaries (I.e., insane mages) to first undermine and then take down the Regent. They would then step in and 'bring back stability'.

Anyway, thanks for giving it a shot. I for one learned a ton about Mage that I had just glanced over before.

Thanks for taking the time to put this all together. It would have been an interesting game.