Welcome to the second set of game notes of our The Rime of Frost Maiden campaign from a player’s perspective. We’ll discuss the pre-game, the session itself, the post-game and what I’m taking into the next session in each of these posts. The aim is to provide a diary of the experience from a player’s perspective.
Disclaimer
These posts are written from the perspective of a player who has not looked up spoilers. I am enjoying the game. These thoughts are my own and I can’t speak for my fellow players.
These reports are written close to the session but may not be released immediately after.
The sections
The pre-game
Based on the last session and the thoughts I had post-game we have to consider two questions.
Did the game slow down? The game didn’t slow down, if anything, this session seemed to run at an even faster pace. I’ve got more thoughts on this post-game, but the headline at the moment is it’s not that the game runs fast or with a certain level of velocity but that the experience seems abbreviated.
Did I start to use flashbacks? Yes, I did and it worked really well. I was especially keen to insert the flashback organically as if it was part of the flow rather than just a sort of let’s throw one in at the end.
I specifically wanted to frame my flashbacks on an ‘x winters previous model’ the idea being to paint a picture of how the character that is in the game currently got to be where she is at. This sends signals to the other participants in the game and also sends signals to myself, which in turn, creates a richer character in my head.
I think it worked well. It worked well enough I am looking to do more.
Key points
The session had the following key points: –
- We visited two towns Targos and Bremen
- We met the husband of the expedition guide in Targos
- We climbed Kelvin’s Cairn to rescue an expedition
- We survived an avalanche
- We killed a Yeti in its cave lair
- We rescued the guide and also a halfling
- We kiled a sea monster in a lake
- I introduced my first flashback integrated into events
I cannot say there shouldn’t be others as I didn’t take notes.
The session
We got to pick up quests in two Icewindale towns: Targos and Bremen.
In Targos a dog came running up to us as soon as we passed the gates and lead us to a house. We learned that the expedition to Kelvin’s Cairn had obviously suffered some calamity so we set off to rescue them. We climbed a mountain, faced numerous natural challenges, battled some giant ice cats and a Yet. We rescued two people and then returned.
In Bremen, we got propositioned to go out and do some fishing by a quest giver trying to hide the fact a monster was in the lake. We went out to kill the monster and had a battle with it while being in boats that were always in danger of falling apart due to damage. We killed the monster.
Both these quests were the subject of rumours in session one.
I did manage to author some things into the abbreviated experience. I talked about scrimshawing to the guide’s husband as I am assuming it’s also a thing in Lonelywood. I also got a flashback in. It ended up being a different one than I had in mind but it established a point at ’10 winters previous’. I did manage to author it as part of the narrative rather than like an end credit scene as I authored that we could see Lonelywood out on the lake on the opposite shore. I have no idea if this is true but it sounded possible, so that triggered the memory.
The post-game
At this point, I’m going to assume the game is not going to slow down and just work with what’s presented. It has got me thinking about a few things.
The games of the regular gaming group, a recent all-day playing Blades in the Dark and these D&D sessions have got me thinking about the difference between the narrative velocity we’ve used in our regular gaming group, plot velocity and how experiences can feel abbreviated.
I’d advocate what is happening here goes beyond even plot velocity and what we have is a sort of abbreviated D&D experience. Like a quest speed run. The challenge with this abbreviated experience, with the quests ran at considerable plot speed, is it gives a very breathless experience which has the psychological impact of it feeling like there is little space for the characters to grow and change as it’s hard for the players to insert stuff in.
Stars and Wishes
At the end of each session, we can list stars (things to keep doing) and wishes (things we want to see).
I didn’t offer any stars or wishes. I just listened to what everyone else was saying which was largely about how the mechanical game opens up as the characters increase in level, which is certainly true.
Plans for the next session
At this point I think I’m going to accept the abbreviated experience is just going to continue. I think the focus next game is going to be: –
Primarily, focus on the flashback. The first one worked and, finding an organic moment to insert them aside, they are completely in my control and represent an asked for a way to apply a speed break. So this makes sense.
I do have one big challenge. We are now heading north which means eventually hitting Lonelywood. At that point, I enter a town where, theoretically, my character’s family lives and the hag at least visits the Lonelywood Forest. This puts pressure on me to paint a certain picture via flashbacks before I get there.
Possibly consider a more overt model. I say consider because the brevity applied to the experience is so robustly and consistently applied that it would have to be pretty overt. Anyway, the aim would be to create space for scenes to happen focused around character relationships between people, places and ideas.
Let’s see. The third session is usually when things kick in for me in terms of having the ‘creative space navigated’ in order to more effectively contribute. So, roll on to session three.