Not long ago, I was surfing the boards (I won't mention where) and I came across a post from a gamer who insisted that it was the GM's job to serve the players. I'm paraphrasing, but it seemed to me that he was saying that the GM should always allow player decisions to trump her designs. It's a viewpoint I've heard echoed before. In the early 90s, I played ...

Gathering the party, even a party of veteran characters, is a standard literary trope. One or two protagonists learn of a threat and seek out old friends. Often they are shocked and surprised to discover what their friends have been up to in the meantime. The clever thief may now be a legitimate business man with a family, the paladin may now be an alcoholic mercenary, and the ...

Tori sat at the head of the table behind her GM's Screen. Today was the start of her new post-apocalyptic campaign and the group would start by generating characters. Tori: Okay, what are you guys thinking of playing? Marc: I want to play a scavenger that kitbashes vehicles and equipment. Gina: I'm going to play a merchant with leadership skills. Brandon: My guy is going to be a gladiator that fights ...