I describe a situation and the people in the area.
The players tell me what they want to do. Thier replies can be a short as one word: 'Run' or as long as an elaborate speech they wish to give. The more creative characters will give vivid descriptions of what thier character will do and how it looks to those around them.
And I put it all together in a big story telling who did what. What happend because of that. And what looks like what is going to happen next.
Then after the players read the results they tell me what they want to do next based on whatever just happened.
The easiest type of situation to describe is a conflict situation so I use that as an example:
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| There is a large room with huge vaulted ceilings and beautiful murals showing various scenes of women at play. There are two exits one to the north and one to the south, at the moment both are sealed by thick red-metal doors that are embossed with the scene of a woman next to a tree reaching up to the heavens. But the room is not unoccupied, in one corner stands a small stout man, his beard little more than scrub on his face. If you were far enough away it would like he got his face dirty. He has a dour look on is face as he chews on the stem of a lit pipe. He glares at the two in the center of the room. In the center of the room stand a pair of tall men who are steadfastly ignoring his glares. One dressed in a hunting outfit dyed deep blue, the other in a similar outfit in its normal green shade. They stand chatting amongst themselves amiably enough. On the other side of the room is young girl playing a small lyre. She seems small and petite. A very fragile looking thing she would be marked an easy target for any bandits that want to come along. But only if you failed to notice the wicked looking barbed long sword at her waist with the brilliant red jewel in the center of the hilt. Standing near the south door watching the others with more than a little suspicion in thier eyes is either the worlds ugliest woman, or a ugly man in a dress. Either way he/she/it seems to think it is too good to be associated with the rest of the hooligans. The last person in the room stands by the north door, obviously a guard of some sort. He steadfastly ignores everyone in the room. The south door opens and the guard quickly vanishes inside. A moment later a creature out of legend steps out. Standing at nearly twenty feet high, the light from the torches gleams off of its shiny scales. It mouth opens up to reveal a dozen rows of teeth as its forked tongue reaches out to test the air. It's single eye set in the center of its forehead rotates with a dizzy swirling pattern as the red, purple, and black portions of its eyes mix together like paint on a demented artists mixing board. The short man mutters, "Bloody PsychoDragon!" Beside the giant creature is a young lady dressed in stately robes. She looks around and frowns at the group. Then sighs turns around and pats the creature saying, "Nothing here of interest they are all yours" and she starts to walk away. The PsychoDragon roars with delight and takes a step forward. Keltic Corman. |
This is the kind of post I will send out to the players and they will send me their responses individually:
| Short man (Bob) | |
| Run between the dragons legs and out the door. If the princess gives me any lip, kick her in the shin. | |
| Tall man 1 (Ferris) | |
| Mutter loudly, "Stupid little trollop!" Draw my sword and try and put that creatures eye out. | |
| Tall man 2 (Parker) | |
| Pull out my bow, stand behind Ferris and try and hit the eye or failing that hit something vital....like the princess. | |
| Young Woman (Ariana) | |
| The young woman playing the flute puts her flute away and stands. Her eyes flashing hotly she stands up, her very demeanor announcing her royal blood. "How dare you speak that way to me! I'm am princess Ariana. And I'm not here to see you. I'm to marry your brother you little snip! Which means I'm to be your next queen, so show some respect or I'll turn your pet into lunch." To emphasize her point, she picks up her sword which bursts into flames at her touch. | |
| Ugly Woman (Ye) | |
| Piss in pants...I mean beg princess to reconsider or failing that bribe the guards to take me away. |
As you can see for a first impression things are going to go swimmingly. Then I take the entire situation and their actions into account and create the next post.
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Beside the giant creature is a young lady dressed in stately robes. She looks around and frowns at the group. Then sighs turns around and pats the creature saying, "Nothing here of interest there all yours." and she starts to walk away. The PsychoDragon roars with delight and takes a step forward. The Ugly Woman runs forth and prostrates herself before the dragon pleading, "Please! Please! Don't leave me to die here. I have come on a worthy mission!! Really I have!" The princess pauses, takes one look at the woman and continues on her way. Both of the tall men draw weapons, the one in blue draws a long sword and says, "Stupid little trollop." But he makes the mistake of looking at the woman on the floor. The back of her dress is hiked up to revealed legs that haven't been shaved since she was born. That, in combination with a growing puddle of liquid under her, makes him turn away from the entire scene in distaste. He turns so quickly that he accidentally hits his friend who had drawn a crossbow. The jolt was enough to send the crossbow bolt into a wall where it shatters. The dragon bends over and sniffs the prostrated woman and makes a distasteful sound. While the dragon is distracted the short man slips around him and heads through the door. The young woman playing the flute puts her flute away and stands. Her eyes flashing hotly she stands up, her very demeanor announcing her royal blood. "How dare you speak that way to me! I'm am princess Ariana. And I'm not here to see you. I'm to marry your brother you little snip! Which means I'm to be your next queen, so show some respect or I'll turn your pet into lunch." To emphasize her point, she picks up her sword which bursts into flames at her touch. The princesses look at each other before the younger says, "No way my brother will marry and old hag like you!" She makes a face and starts to walk out. "Rina!" A deep voice booms from beyond the doorway. The princess freezes up. Looking like a kid who was caught with her hand in the cookie jar, she steps back away from the door. "Down Crosos!" Again the deep voice booms from beyond the doorway. The dragon whimpers and sits like an obedient dog. In strides a man even shorter than the shortest man in the room. Less than half as tall as Ariana and thin as a weed he nonetheless walks in like he owns the place. He looks around and spots Princess Ariana. He turns and speaks in an impossibly deep voice, "Ah, my lovely Ariana. It is I Prince Koobe, your betrothed."
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