Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kisama 01-19-05, 04:24 PM	I only game once a week with my players and I find that sometimes the game sessions are not enough to really generate the level of "whooo" what I want to. Also I tend to think better during downtime than during game sessions. Sooo... I sent the following email to my group after their last adventure. Zulana stood in the doorway to the room. Inside the room a figure stood at the large table, studying the numerous maps and scrolls which lay scattered on it's surface. "Enter my child." the woman said, and with a hint of nervousness, Zulana obeyed. "Come and see, all the pieces are nearly in place." Zulana made a pretence of looking at the maps and documents but she really did not need to, she had memorized them a long time ago and could draw most of them from memory if required. Instead she patiently waited for what was to come next. "Have you provided the Master Inquisitor with what we need?" the woman asked, never taking her gaze from the map which lay out before her. "Yes, he is quite...gifted. Using his talents we were able to produce these detailed sketches of the individuals who attacked me." as she spoke she held out to the woman a scroll case made of a dark lacquer lined with gold symbols and designs. Without bothering to look at the scrolls the woman spoke, "And these individuals now possess that which we need?" "Yes, I performed a scying on the object this morning and it is now in their possession." replied Zulana, her face reddening as her pulse quickened a bit. "Whomever these individuals are, they must be working for someone quite resourceful. To have intercepted you as they did and defeat you so easily, and with such perfect timing. Surely Zulana the events which transpired were no mere accident." The woman looked up from the table and fixed her penetrating gaze on Zulana and suddenly it was upon her, a power behind that gaze which spoke of the millennia of suffering Zulana could suffer at the hands of this woman. As the images recoiled through her mind, Zulana bit her lip to keep from losing consciousness, with every ounce of her being she forced back the panick which was working it's way up from the knot in her stomach and which threatened to overcome her. Then, as swiftly as it came, the power was gone, and Zulana had to take several controlled breaths to regain herself. "Yes, I am certain they are working for someone" the woman said "and now they have what we need and I must know who moves against us at this time." she moved to the far end of the room and fell back into a large chair located near some book cases. "Take the drawings and have them dispatched to our holdings in every major city. I want these individuals caught. Dead or alive is of no concern." she paused a moment in thought and then spoke in a whisper to herself, barely loud enough for Zulana to hear "No...death has not been a concern for some time now has it." The resulting discussion it generated from all the players was exactly what I was going for. Mainly because they have no clue who this Zulana person (though they do have suspicions) nor what exactly it is they have that she wants. Next I sent this email to one of my players which again got me the effect I was looking for. When the dream comes the dream is always the same. You step out of a coach and look around at the surrounding woods. There is no sound in the dream, there never is. But something tells you there are sounds all around. The woods are overflowig with life and the sounds of nature this day. You look down the path at the small cottage ahead. In the doorway stands a man waiting. You glance from him to the woman beside you, your mother, you know she is your mother, but don't know how you know. You just do. Dreams are peculiar that way sometimes. You admire her beauty in the morning light but also there note the lines which have surfaced on her face from recent events. Lines caused by many sleepness nights, lines caused by worry, lines caused by suffering and other experiences you have only just begun to touch upon. Lines which are beginning to show on your face as well when you look in the mirror. Mother can sense your nervousness and she smiles in an attempt to calm you. In the past, when you were younger and much more innocent that same smile had always worked, had always made you feel safe, had always made the evils of the world disappear at least temporarily, but today it does not. On this morning, things are different and you can never feel as safe as you used to. You look down, mother has taken your hand in hers and you note the grip is painfull. Together you approach the cottage and the man waiting in the doorway. You reach the cottage, the man gives your mother a deep bow and then does the same to you. You all proceed into the cottage. Time passes silently in your dream as you watch the man and your mother talk. Your mother has clearly become upset by what the man is telling her. Often she looks at you while the man speaks and when she does the anger in her eyes is clouded over by deep sadness. Finally, after lenghty discussion, mothers approaches you, she says something to you with tears in her eyes. You know you are crying as well because the dream blurs at times. After a long hug, your mother stands, moves to the door and says something to the man. He replies with a salute and when she is gone he closes the door to the cottage behind her. The man then moves to the window where he stays gazing out at the world for some time his stare only occasionaly drifting back to you along with a nervous smile. You set about unpacking your bags and the dream ends. The point to all this is you can advance your story a bit and keep the players guessing without actually having to sit down in a game session.
Nightlore 01-19-05, 04:42 PM	Our DM does this for us too. We meet to play once a week. During the middle of the week he sends us a "Newsletter" that represents the newspaper from the area that we were last in. We get to read the headlines. Often times, our adventures (or misadventures as is sometimes the case) more often than not have been newsworthy. It's funny to see how the rest of Khorvaire is seeing what our adventuring party is doing. They put a spin on what happens. Sometimes they even blatantly make things up. For instance, we have been accused of burning down an inn that we most certainly didn't. Propaganda? Probably. But from whom? Who wants our names defamed? It creates suspense and excitement for the next game session. Good stuff.