It's been quite some time since my last DnD outing, and I've missed it. Something about the lack of structure and the storytelling aspects of a branching world (some dm's allow for significantly less branching) has always sparked my interest. I think that I could watch a game, without even playing it, for hours, just admiring the creativity of the players and the personas they drive. There is always that conflict, also, between assuming a role and relinquishing meta-knowledge a player might have, especially in the brand of game we've chosen: numenara.
Numenara takes place in a distant (billions of years) future, and assumes that artifacts from countless ages are strewn about across the world. Now, civilization is lost in something of a dark age, and believes these objects to be religious in nature, mystical, or beyond understanding (scientific-mechanical). A character might find a 'space heater' in the game that, in a different age, might have been a super-computer, or an engine, or a generator of microwaves that gets hot, and knowing nothing about the object, simply use it for its radiation of heat. A car battery might be an explosive, and countless alien artifacts are likely being abused for activities outside their original intentions.
The dm can choose to articulate the scientific background of any object, if he chooses (nanotechnology or something), or leave everything up to the imaginations of the players. Player characters can be religious or scientific, as they choose. My character is something of an anomaly, having survived a treacherous wind (the iron wind) that intermittently strikes different locations in the world, and now is more machine than man (muahaha star wars reference).
I'm not even particularly great at dnd, due to my introverted tendency to linger near the rear of the party (as a person, not a character), but it's always a blast.
Not much of a post tonight; I got home too late. But then again, it's reading month, Christmas month, advent month, winter month, friends month! So what is this 'writing' thing of which you speak?
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Christmas:
I realize I love the idea of Christmas quite a bit. I have a roommate who despises, or claims to despise, all holidays, and always attempts to get overtime on holidays. Maybe it's my jewish heritage, or just that I love seeing my friends whenever possible, but I love the idea of holidays and celebrations. What is better than dining with those you love, playing (word) games, visiting home, drinking cider until you burst, or celebrating some aspect of Christendom that actually makes a holiday holy.
I've never remember the advent candles, what order they are in, or what the four candles actually are. Whenever I think of candles in this portion of the year, I think Chanukah. I was talking to one of my bosses today, the one who lives in Mexico, and asked him about the weather down there. He said, "you probably would feel uncomfortable wearing pants." I think I might enjoy a lot of sun in my life, but I love seasons, and I'd miss them. When Christmas rolls around, the shorter days supply greater meaning to every candle lit, as the world outside is as festooned in darkness as inside trees are ribboned with light.
So, Merry Christmas season everyone. I love you very much, all. I'm not the greatest at giving gifts, mostly because I cringe every time I have to receive one. But I cherish very dearly intangible gifts: love, kindness, patience, grace, joy. I hope I can share as many of these as possible in the coming weeks (and maybe a few actual gifts, too).
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