Downtime

[Wolf]

Okay, now I know that not everyone loves Earthdawn like I do.  If that was the case FASA would never have gone out of business, and I might have had the opportunity to work alongside Lou Prosperi long before this!  But, and there's always a butt, that's not what happened.  So, in an attempt to help everyone out in my current game and any future gamers who join this forum or are already here ... I'm going to try and outline things that can be done with characters during downtime ... and some of this I'll be pulling from past experiences both as a GM and as a Player.

 

Passions' Blessings,

 

Wolf

"There are a thousand things beneath the sea and under the sun, that have not been seen or done."

    - Keveros ti'Lanisraa, elf Warrior

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[Wolf]

Q:  What is downtime?

A:  ....

 

Q:  Hello?!

A:  I'll take you all at once!  ... Sorry, what did you ask?

 

Q:  What is downtime?

A:  Ah!  Downtime!  That's an easy one!

 

Q:  ... Well?

A:  Hmmm?  Why is your face turning that unlovely shade of purple?  Oh, all right, don't hit me with the fraggin' frying pan!  Downtime is a general term originally coined by somebody to classify what happens during any role-playing session when the storyline is not really racing along and when characters are spending their time running around, advancing in circle, buying equipment, etc.  In Earthdawn, this period of Downtime may seem more significant than in other games, because you don't advance a circle until you can find someone who can train you, spend the time and money to do so, and then train your new talents.  Not all characters can advance to the next circle at the same time so at one point or another, characters can find themselves not doing anything particularly useful during Downtime, or so it would seem.

 

Q:  So Downtime is when you're not doing anything?  That happens a lot.

A:  Downtime is when long stretches of time occur to accomodate non-storyline issues, like advancing in circle, weaving threads to your item, performing research on a magical item, or etc.  Usually the GM will say something along the lines of "What are you doing during the next 2 weeks?"  Blank looks and stares are also not uncommon answers to the aforementioned question.

 

Q:  So what is there to do during downtime?

A:  I don't know.

 

Q:  What?  What do you mean you don't know?

A:  Well, you see the difference between role-playing a game and watching a movie is that when you role-play, YOU have created the role and so YOU have to play that role, which means to a certain degree, YOU have to come up with things for your character to do, because YOU are the one who knows what your character might be doing, while in a movie, the actors (read Players) are given direction because they are bringing life to the character by acting out the scene and the lines but ultimately they don't make the decision of whether or not they get to enter the dark alley or not.  Thus, the reason that I enjoy RPGs more than anything else, to steal from Morpheus, "It all begins with choice."  Remember those Choose Your Own Adventure novels from long ago?

 

Q:  So, what you're saying is that since it's my character, I have to come up with what my character is doing?

A:  Aye.

 

Q:  But I don't know what my character can or can't do!

A:  Then ask.  There is nothing wrong with exploring your options.  Notes are wonderful tools for this.  For instance, something I always enjoyed as a Player during downtime was the chance for some interactive role-playing between Players not involving the GM.  Groups of Players have dynamics all their own.  Let's face it, everyone has an agenda.  Some are just more obvious about it than others.  Sometimes, it's just interesting for other Players to watch 2 members of their group role-play something out with some serious or semi-serious acting to it.  Now, I'm not saying that we all need to become proficient actors, because I'll be the first to admit that acting is most definitely not my forte.  But, it is fun to do and it's more fun to gauge the reactions of the other Players around you, because they just witnessed something that their character may or may not have seen or heard and thus must now exercise control over that most ephemeral of things, Player Knowledge.

 

Q:  Okay, so role-playing between Players is something that can occur during downtime?  What else?

A:  Correct, role-playing during downtime is actually the best way to cement friendships between characters, delve for information (if you're like me), play other characters against each other, etc.  Role-playing between Players can take many forms depending on why the role-play was initiated.  GMs usually reward more for active RP than anything else *cough* and I can definitely assure that the best sessions I have ever run have managed to mix role-play, combat, and humor with role-play leading the way.   *yawn* Time for a nap, I'll be back later!

 

Passions' Blessings,

 

Wolf

"Keep that gleam in your eye, boy.  Treasure such as I have seen gleams even more.

 See what I have seen, and you will risk death to hold it, to call it yours."

              - Garlthik One-Eye, ork Thief

 

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[Wolf]

Q:  Now that you're done with your nap, what else can Adepts do during downtime?

A:  Lose fingers.

 

Q:  What?!

A:  Sorry, inside joke.  Ahem ... per my previous post, I mentioned that I would try and describe other things that Adepts can do during downtime.

Now, most of the time, this stuff will be done through notes between the Player and the gamemaster.

 

First, let me explain something that some of you may not realize.  Playing any RPG has at least one requirement: you must be prepared to do a lot of reading.  That's right, in order to better understand the setting that Earthdawn is set in, you'll have to do some reading.  Maybe a lot of reading if you want to be a really good magician, but definitely some reading is required.  Table top RPGs differ from video games in that there is more effort required to play, but I think the payoff in the long run is definitely more in favor of the table top than the video game.

 

Stuff that Adepts can do during Downtime:

1. Spend Money
2. Spend Legend Points
3. Role-Play
4. Assist the GM

 

Alright, now that's a short and brief list, but that's pretty much how it breaks down overall.  Let me detail each one here:

 

1. Spend Money:
• Buy Armor-Still wearing padded leather?  Upgrade to something better!
• Buy Weapons-Need more arrows?  Want a better sword?
• Buy Thread Items-Have Thread Weaving talent?  Use it today!
• Buy Healing Aids-Out of healing or booster potions? Stock up today!
• Buy Food/Provisions-Out of rations?  Don't have an elementalist?
• Buy Drinks/Entertainment-What have you been doing in your spare time?
• Buy Weaponsmith Services-Need a blade forged or need Key Knowledges?
• Buy Scholar Services-Need to research a key knowledge?
• Buy Spells-Need to round out that grimoire?
• Buy Transportation-Horses, boats, wagons, airships!
2. Spend Legend Points:
• Raise Talent Ranks
• Raise Skill Ranks
• Create a new spell
• Develop a new Knack
• Weave thread to an Item
• Weave thread to a person
• Weave thread to a place
• Purchase Karma Points
3. Role-Play:
• Interact with other Players: Is there something that your character would say to another character based on past events or conversations?  Have you suddenly found something that links you to another character and you want to pursue it further?  Remember, everyone has an agenda ...
• Interact with NPCs:  Sweet talk a favor out of an NPC, convinvce the local guard to let your drunk friend go, haggle over the price of an item/service, investigate what happened to your finger, convince the old elf to take on a new student.
4. Assist the GM:
• The gamemaster has probably one of the toughest jobs in the game.  Not only does he need to have a working knowledge of the rules of the system, he needs to balance his storyline against the reactions and decisions of the Players and adjust accordingly.  Sometimes, or maybe a lot of the times he or she needs your help.  What kind of help, this can be anything from making a decision quickly to paying attention during the session and not having to utter the words "We're going where?  When did we decide that?" or even engaging in RP with another character to help move the storyline along or being patient and waiting your turn or being willing to anticipate where a GM is going with something and coming up with an IC (in character) reason for going along.

Passions' Blessings,

Wolf
"Where there's a whip *whip crack*
 There's a way *whip crack*
 Where there's a whip *whip crack*
 There's a way *whip crack*

 We don't want to go to war today,
 But the lord of the lash says yeah, yeah, yeah!
 We're going to march all day, all day, all day.

 Where there's a whip, there's a way!"
   - Where there's a whip there's a way from LoTR:RotK animated movie

 

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