Sick Ducker

Tips for beginning GMs/Content creators

Expect for the worst and plan for it.

Never assume people will stay, because there's not a single successful group RP that didn't lose players along the way. Always leave space, both in OOC administration and IC plot, for replacements. Some people may close applications at a threshold, but I leave it open even when the group is stuffed (new guys go into queue at that point), as that will keep a steady flow of replacements coming.

Don't even assume yourself will be dedicated all the time. Like Ellri said, a good co-GM can back you up when writing gets difficult for you. Depending on how much you trust your co-GM, you may also wish to tell them future plans for the RP. When someone else has the roadmap, they can continue the game even if the original GM is absent. Long time RPs tend to become community efforts.

I'm against having pre-assigned roles or characters occupying non-replaceable roles. Just one of these pre-assigned or pivotal players leaving can cripple the entire story. Instead, start people off as somewhat generic and define them as they go along.

Most importantly, don't be afraid to make mistakes. Consulting your co-GM, players and even potential candidates (in interest check), to smooth out your plans from different perspectives. You may restart or reboot an unsuccessful RP, while doing so, look back to see what went right and wrong, and improve based on these lessons.

The Elder Scrolls: Fruits of Contention - Chapter 1 (Completed)

Well, well, well! Look at what we have here. May have to hop on to the world I helped shape...once.

@sandman9913

Look who's here. Long time no see, buddy. How have you been? Where did you go in those two years?

He just hoped to finish it would further bloodshed.

@Dervish

Would or would not?

That Character you have always wanted to play

An online kitchen salesman, or a Korean university recruiter.

All of my ideas

I'm down for some Overwatch.

The Elder Scrolls: Fruits of Contention - Chapter 1 (Completed)

@Hank, don't need rolls. The fireball hits and blinds the centurion.

Projection

The Elder Scrolls: Fruits of Contention - Chapter 1 (Completed)

For my next post, should I roll for attack of the neyerdowells trying to bust open the door?

@Dervish

Roll to your heart's content.

Alternatively, you can also try talking (Narivar doesn't seem that hostile), or take it out on Hlaalu and his buddy instead.

The Elder Scrolls: Fruits of Contention - Chapter 1 (Completed)

@Mortarion, no problem, go ahead.

The Elder Scrolls: Fruits of Contention - Chapter 1 (Completed)

After what seemed to be either the longest or the shortest time, depending on the perspective, the dwemer centurion finally put together its slaughter queue. First up was an Ashlander close to Hlaalu, who was immediately flattened under a large brass hammer. Hlaalu himself escaped being a target, probably due to Roze crippling his chance of standing up (or adventuring) with an arrow to the knee. Next up was Roze herself. The centurion had set a course towards her, but to her luck then, the automaton tangled its legs on a series of pipes halfway across. In its attempted rampage, Do’Karth was all but forgotten.

Blanketed by steam, Do’Karth could see Narivar and another Ashlander prying open the door they worked on earlier. The Khajiit was further in than out, so he could not know what happened to the rest of the mercenaries.

At the side where everyone came in from, a tense standoff occurred besides the door. Niernen managed to pacify an opposing Dunmer with nothing but her native tongue and an ingenious speech. That Ashlander proceeded to trust Niernen by offering his observations. He pointed out to several tall cylinders that apparently served as boilers and hot water tanks, from which steam were generated and stored. One flanked each side of the centurion, where it struggled to smash through the pipes connecting in between. The Ashlander told Niernen that cranking up valves below the tanks will cause it to overload, possibly exploding or collapsing straight into the centurion. In addition, a large pipe on the ceiling showed cracks directly overhead the giant machine; an arrow or offensive spell could easily burst it open, blasting steam right into the centurion’s “eyes”.

Exploiting dangerous mechanisms near a killer robot seemed insane, but there were little alternatives. Apparently, what Narivar and his Dunmers sought after was across the room, behind the opposite door. In Hlaalu’s panic and foolish aggression, his subordinates had been sent away from their destination, and quite frankly, into danger. Of course, running was a safer bet, but who knew if the centurion would give chase or not. Here was a rare moment of opportunity, when the two groups can take down their common enemy with ease, provided they work together. When Niernen brought it up to her, Edith was not ready to be convinced. Madura, on the other hand, went along without hesitation.

Madura switched between Tamrielic and his rusty Dunmeris in order to break it to the three Ashlanders not yet out. At his urging, they temporarily stopped running and stood with weapons on guard. None of the three said anything at first, but when Edith decided to play along to get Madura out of the way, one of them actually responded. The strongly accented words were something along the lines of “we’ll do it if you do it”.

In the end, Edith settled on give it a shot. As long as the injured are cared for, and judging from a quick glance, both the injuries of Tsleeixth and Raelyn seemed to be stabilizing. The Ashlanders themselves reluctantly allowed the Tsleeixth out, once they have done so, Edith rallied whoever not hurt to execute the plan of sabotaging the centurion. Three opposing Dunmers waited for the mercenaries to make the first move, claiming they have already demonstrated good will by making way for Tsleeixth.