Theme musings

[jeregenest]

Anyone who has gamed with me, or followed my gaming, should not be surprised that I like to think about theme and genre tropes a lot about the games I run, and play in. I’ve long been very clear about spelling them out ahead of time and referring back to them as play continues. I’d like to think that while themes exist in any game, making a conscious decision to place them in the forefront allows one to connect to the story on a deeper level.

That said, I don’t really see the need to have explicit rules to encourage people using the theme. I do believe that adherence to the tropes of genre and theme are ones that everyone should buy into upfront of the game and solely exists on the level of social contract. Anything more than that is stifling, it removes the ability to interpret, and for me any creative encounter is at heart one of interpretation. Any mechanistic attempt to regulate theme just serves to limit the potential of interpretation and limit the fun.

That said I’ve been thinking a lot of Tantaene's theme, which is all about initiation and spiritual growth. I’ve been quite happy with the way this theme has been adopted by the players, but what I’ve found interesting is that it hasn’t jump started as much proactive play from my players as I want to. Which has me wondering if there’s something in the way I wrote this up which lends to reactive play? I don’t have any answers but it has been something I’ve been picking at recently.

Comments

[jeffwik.livejournal.com]

I wonder what you would describe as proactve play that directly relates to the theme. Can you give an example of something we might have done/might yet do?

[jeregenest.livejournal.com]

I feel like noone is going out to make their initiations, with one exception which I goofed about (post forthcoming, crypticness aside its the Emily thing you all make fun of me about0.

[jeffwik.livejournal.com]

Ah! I understand your meaning a little better. I think we plead it's on the to-do list, just a ways down is all on that. Keshditenku's current projects (conquest of the internet, redemption of holy tobacco, becoming a Grand Master, probably a few other things that slip my mind) are higher on the docket.

[bluegargantua]

Initiation kind of implies that there is someone who will do the intiating. From the various writings on Tantanea, I feel like all the PCs are pretty bad-ass and magic-knowing to begin with. Who will unveil the mysteries for them?

And even if there is someone to initiate them, the whole concept of initiation doesn't suggest proactive play -- you wait until the Master says "enter the circle" and then you deal with the ass-paddlings and other hazings as best you can. It's a very experiential, re-active event.

From the peanut gallery
Tom

[unquietsoul5.livejournal.com]

he whole concept of initiation doesn't suggest proactive play

I think I have to agree with this assessment. Initiations are rarely self inflicted, they sort of show up on your doorstep and force themselves upon you. In real world magic, the self-initiated are extremely rare and many who believe they are were actually initiated by an unseen catalyst teacher or force, while others are, well, self-deluded into thinking they have been initiated or illuminated.

[ivan23.livejournal.com]

Along bluegargantua's lines ... self-initiation is possible, but in my experience tends to leave folks in our general place in the world (white, middle-class, educated, cynical) feeling rather unfulfilled. Even the most kick-ass vision quest can be easily waved away as nothing more than a fast-induced hallucination after that first week of excitement and exaltation.

I'd go so far as to claim that real initiation and growth aren't about the moments themselves, but about the integration of those lessons into daily life. The trick is that RP characters' daily life tends to be jam-packed with the kind of ass-kicking high weirdness that would qualify as major initiations and paradigm shifts for most of us.

Just a thought that's less mechanically oriented than the first few coming to mind, can you break that theme into mini-themes for each adventure or chapter? For instance, how does Keshditenku's redemption of holy tobacco tie into initiation and spiritual growth? What opportunities for growth lie within the stories that Jeff's got higher on the docket? By making initiation and growth a process rather than a goal, you might be able to get the themes into all the stories a little more easily?

(Note that I'm not picking on Jeff, his examples are just right there for me to snag easily.)