WELCOMING NEW PLAYERS TO YOUR HOME GAME: PART TWO

These publications weren’t even out yet when I was a newbie. Our group bought them new at the bookstore in town.

Cover Letter

(Note: the House Rules in this document refer, not to the rules of the game, since we play ‘rules as written’, but rather to the homeowner’s preferences, which are idiosyncratic and likely unique to each home.)

Adventurer,

Thank you for your query. Brian Cool—local author, gamemaster, and creator of Mythmaker—invites you to join a tabletop roleplaying experience. Two groups are forming: one gathers on the second Saturday of each month, and the other meets on the third Friday. Our games kick off in January.

All game materials are provided. There is no fee to participate, and no purchase required. Beginners are welcome. We supply character sheets and rulebooks so everyone can jump right in. Bring your own dice, but don’t worry if you’re new; spare sets are available.

We begin with a Viking adventure. In The Blood is based on the story of the shield maiden Hervor. It is broken into several short episodes, each playable in an evening. Welcome to the dawn of the Dark Ages, where swords and dreams are forged with magic.

When: 6:30 – 10PM, meeting once monthly

Where: Brian & Karen Cool’s home, 2 ½ miles west of LeRoy, just south of Pine River High School

Playing System: MYTHMAKER This is an epic RPG. It focuses on characters, Medieval fantasy, and bringing mythology to life.

Find us online at www.mage-mythmaker.com or on Facebook.

Call or text ***-***-**** to confirm your place at the table.

P.S. Mythmaker will come to you. Demo one-shots delivered to your event or store.

House Rules

·         If you’re sick, drink some tea, betake thee to thy repose, and come back next time

·         If you need to miss a session, please call or text prior

·         No pets, unless you’re a witch and it’s your familiar J

·         Take breaks whenever needed

·         Use phones only during breaks unless it’s for gameplay purposes

·         Bring your own snacks and drinks

PLAYER QUESTIONNAIRE

1)     Name & Hometown ________________________________________________  

2)    Which group are you most interested in joining?

____ Group A meets on the second Saturday of each month, beginning January 10^th

____ Group B meets on the third Friday, beginning January 16^th

3)     How long have you been roleplaying?

4)     What is your current gaming involvement?

5)     Which RPG systems have you played?

6)   What story genres do you like? (Rate the following from 1-5 with five being your favorite)

 a. Mythology            b. Horror           c. Fantasy           d. Mystery           e. Other (                        ) ____

7)     Do you like an equal balance between Roleplaying, Combat, and Exploration?

If no, list in order of preference.

8)    Have you ever gamemastered? And would you be interested in giving it a try?

9)     Phone_______________________________   

10)  Email___________________________________

The above letter is one I’ve been using for several years (with minor changes). It tells new players everything they need to know—at least until they think of something I didn’t cover. It isn’t designed to sell anyone anything. The top half is a pretty-much straight-forward presentation of what a new player can expect from me. The bottom is my attempt to learn what I can expect from them.

       To be honest, I don’t use this letter with every new player that comes my way, because sometimes the game just won’t wait. We never had anything so formal when we were kids. We would jump in, both feet first, and figure out the details later. House rules were by Lucy Goosey. Our moms supplied our snacks. We played whenever and wherever, and as much as we could.

       Sure, we stayed up half the night. Sure, we took a piss off the back steps a time or two. Sure, we took advantage of the newbies, goading them into obvious danger, just to bail them out. Which is all to say, we did all the things kids and barbarians can be expected to do…. Memories I wouldn’t trade for the world.

       But I enjoy being an adult too, even if it means less time for play. And so, my cover letter to new players has always been aimed at saving more time than it takes to read. In less than two minutes they can learn what the campaign is about, what rules there are, when and where we meet, that no prior experience is needed, and its not going to cost them anything other than time and gasoline. In another two minutes they can fill in the questionnaire, and viola, we have the beginnings of a beautiful thing.

        What I get from the questionnaire is a person’s contact info and their outlook on RPGs. I like to contact my players prior to game nights, as a reminder, and to share any info pertinent to the adventure at hand. And I’m interested in other people’s views on gaming. It gives us an instant rapport, which in my experience, can grow into friendships I will always value.

        So, if you’re reading this because new players are in your future, great. Don’t worry about a thing. People have been doing this forever, in one form or another. If you can use anything from my cover letter, be my guest. But if you’re reading this to learn a little about me, I’ll go ahead and answer a few of my own questions:

·         I’m starting my 50^th year of roleplaying.

·         I’m coming off a six-month hiatus, looking forward to random and scheduled monthly games.

·         Systems I’ve played: Dungeons and Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, DragonRaid, Worlds Without Number, Mythmaker, Gamma World, Superheroes, and Man, Myth & Magic. Half of those were one-time-use affairs. Others extended over several editions. One I created.

·         My favorite story genres are Mythology, Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Mystery.

·         I do like an equal balance of roleplaying, combat, and exploration.

In Part Three of Welcoming New Players, we will reflect on hospitality, group dynamics, and handling challenges.