Help a new storyteller

[Persell]

I'm going to be storytelling an online game and I need some advice since it's my first time and I have little play experience. The group is a perfect circle and they all have different preferences for what kind of game to play. Two want semi-combat oriented games and three want it to be socially oriented. Any advice on satisfying both of these group?


Also, whats the best way to start. Should I have them start together or have them seperated and meet each other in game?

 

[Kajata]

I'd say combine the both and make sure that the characters are at least able to take part in each side of the game.  Make the ones who want combat good at combat but also able to have fun in a social setting and visa versa.


You could always set it in a siege setting or something, so there's combat outside and on the walls of the city but within the city the social characters have to deal with backbiting and distrustful people who don't believe the circle is really working in the city's interests (after all, are they? ^_~).  Maybe they have to route out the traitor who is starting rumours about them or something, and whilst your social players are doing that, your combatants can run out and beat the stuffing out of the fae/dragon blooded/lunar hordes at the walls?

 

[Flagg]

My best advice is to make sure you give your NPCs personalities. For the social types, it gives them something to get their teeth into, and for the combat types, it at least makes their enemies a bit more interesting and 3-dimensional.


-S

 

[Persell]

Good advice


Still - This seems like obvious advice but it's so often forgotten. Especially when it come to enemies in combat. It's hard not to give a social character personality but more combat oriented characters can fall by the wayside.


Kajata - I like the idea of a siege and it goes with the I have planned. My only problem is, why are all the characters there together? How did they come to trust each previous to that and why do they work together? My eclipse caste could easily sit on her ass and wait for the enemy leader to enter the city and then just social-fu his ass(maybe not his ass) into letting her leave unharmed.


Should we roleplay the formation of the circle prior to jumping into the city? Should only a few be in the city during the siege and the other be dealing with something else and the two different events be connected somehow and bring the circle together? God, I never realized how much there was to consider.

 

[Kajata]

TBH, I don't think about things so much.  If it's your first story you're GOING to make mistakes, and a lot of the time, your cool plot is just gonna get thrown off by one of your players just deciding he wants to do something different.  Just play it by ear and have a good time.


As for why they're together?  Well, if your players don't have a background planned for their chars, maybe it's their home-town, and, despite the fact that they've lived there for years, it's the fact that they've suddenly become solars that makes people distrust them?  I mean, sure your eclipse can just socialise his way past the guy, but not if he wants to keep his hometown, family, friends and everything he's ever known intact.  And besides, if you don't want him to do that, make the head honcho of the enemy army smart enough not to get fooled.  Or lob a siddy in there or something (if it's a DB led force).  Sure NamelessDB Cathak might be thinking "well it seems fair we let him go... he's a nice guy" but MrExperience III the sid is gonna be thinking a little differently, and in the end, he's the one REALLY giving the orders.


My idea is this; if you want the players to be in a certain situation, just create an environment around them which forces them to play in that way, just don't do it in such a way that it makes them REALISE you're doing it

 

[Persell]

I do tend to overthink things. You've given me quite a few ideas that should make thing easier for me. Thanks.