In Other Words

Roleplaying reduex

Yesterday I finally managed to get a couple of people together for a role playing game. It's been well over four years that I've managed to do that, so it was a treat.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with what a role playing game (RPG) is, it is basically a group of people that come together and try to tell a story together. One player, called the GM or DM (Game Master or Dungeon Master) has the role of the 'story', while the rest of the players (called players) play the main characters in that story.

Before you think you run around and act out what your characters do, no that isn't it at all. Instead you sit around comfortably, sipping wine or beer and tell each other what your character is doing inside the game.

Normally a RPG is set in a fantasy setting, so it does involve killing monsters and dealing with trouble. Yesterday the group (consisting of only two players, unfortunately. Hopefully next week we'll have three) tried to help out with a brigand problem that is causing major havoc to the king of the small kingdom of Greymist.

Yes, I am a nerd. I secretly suspect that you had already realised this. I'm just slightly more gifted at hiding it then others (ok, I'm not, I would just like to think I am, happy?). The entire fun for me in roleplaying is getting to do things that you normally cannot do. How often do you get to be the hero, save the girl and slay the big evil bad guy? How often can you pickpocket the big fat arrogant merchant? Where else can you experience the thrill of adventure without the discomfort of sleeping outdoors, eating bad food and getting bitten by scary insects?

It is escapeism, to a certain degree. But its cheap, doesn't require a computer and even Banana Superhero Girl enjoyed it.

Why am I justifying my roleplaying hobby? I guess I unconsciously do, because I know how many wierdos get into it and what the general population think of the hobby. It is a bit looked down upon, what with all the bad press the hobby got in the late eighties.

Anyway, it was good to roleplay again. It was a bit of a struggle for all of us to get back into it (first time for Banana, so even more of a struggle for her), but it started clicking at the end. Next week we go at it again and hopefully we'll enjoy it even more.

You can have a lot of fun in reality, but sometimes you have to step outside of it to experience a thrill that reality can't really offer. Something to do with our mortality, I imagine.

posted by Symbol @ 15.4.05