Followers (was Re: Digest Number 397)

From: GypsyComet_at_...
Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2000 17:13:23 EST


<history of followers in RPGs snipped>

>> picked it up.
>>
>> I'm glad it has a major role in Hero Wars since it really does fit
in better
>> with mythology and the flavor of traditional adventuring heroes.
>
>This is quite true. But followers can be abused rather badly -- or at
>least, I've observed that from some of comments I've had to field from
>one or two distressed local narrators.
>

 I found the best solution to this borrows from Ars Magica: run one session that effectively drags all the primary characters off-stage for a while, THEN run another using just the followers that stayed behind. Even one session of thinking of a follower as a real character will change the way that follower is viewed forever...
 One of the most fun convention games I ever ran was an "all grogs" Ars Magica game at Pacificon some 7 years ago. Only a few people played, but as soon as they learned the setting was France the Monty Python accents came out and the Mages (normally the stars of this game) became one more target of grogish ridicule. Much fun ensued, but more important was breaking the "just a follower" mould completely...

Powered by hypermail