how RPG-based Secret History fanfic was born

[helenic]

Just in case you haven't trawled through the fifty-something comments on my last entry (which is more than likely), I'm re-printing this for your amusement and delight:

sisuphos:

You're rapidly shattering my Secret History image of you. I just can't see Henry playing RPGs somehow.

the_lady_lily:

Oh, I don't know... "You need to convince the democratic assembly of Athens to attack the island of Lesbos before the sun sets. Your nominated orator has a rhetoric level of five, but you're hampered since you have a statue of Pericles in your hallway and have been known to associate with the dangerous free-thinker Socrates..." (mutter from background - "told you talking to him was a stupid idea! Told you!") "...but you did support the last three votes on the grain supply, which means the people will at least give you a free hearing. Demodocus is sitting to one side looking sly, as if he knows something you don't. You need to roll a three first off, to attract the attention of the Assembly..." (Shouts of complaint from other players) "Well, you did insist on wearing something unpretentious and unprepossessing. Come on, are we playing or not? Put down the wine, Charles, we haven't got to the evening yet. No, we can't have an impromptu orgy in the middle of the bloody Assembly. I do wish you'd take this seriously."

Genius.

Comments

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

My view of Henry is that he is someone who roleplays in real life (and more to the point can't always tell the difference) - c.f. his wondering which book to have with him while being interrogated by the police (and a few other incidents).

For that matter, the entire bacchanale (leading to the first death) was a form of roleplaying.

[libellum.livejournal.com]

I agree, but that not really the point. More that LARP seems far too adolescent and geeky to be reconcilable with the world of Henry and Julian. The reason Lily's idea tickled me so much is that removes RPGs from their usual, dorky, "fantasy" stereotype, and makes it possible - bizarrely, but still plausibly - for Henry and co. to be imagined talking about things like Skills and Armour Classes. It's an incongruous but successfuly merging of worlds, which is nothing to do with how much of their time they spend "in character" the rest of the time - the joke is in the geeky paraphernalia of character stats and dice.

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

Ah. I don't even see it as incongruous- all the characters are extremely geeky in their own way. The only incongruity I see is that they would deign to share such a hobby with such ... engineers, and the way round that is to simply not tell them that they have either reinvented the wheel or what's happened to their source. After all: (to borrow one of my friends icons)

[libellum.livejournal.com]

The only incongruity I see is that they would deign to share such a hobby with such ... engineers, and the way round that is to simply not tell them that they have either reinvented the wheel or what's happened to their source.

I'm sorry if I'm being dense, but I really can't work out what you mean ... what engineers? What source? I'm confused!

as for the best Classics-meets-Geek icon, how about the old chestnut:

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

Must eschew obfuscation, sorry.

Engineers is something I can easily see Henry and Co using as an epithet- people who only live in the here and now and have their eyes only on the practical.

As for the source, I can imagine them digging up an old RPG (they weren't invented by Gygax... - but I don't know how far back you can trace the things), or having done their own as a good idea. On the other hand, they would IMNSHO be mortified to realise who most roleplayers were.

[libellum.livejournal.com]

But they wouldn't share it with "engineers" (by this I assume you mean modern people) - they'd keep it among themselves.

And of course they'd make up their own! at least, if there currently exists a decent 5th century Athens roleplay game, I'd like to see it. I imagine they'd do it with a sense of ironic amusement, however, not imagining that the idea was original.

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

But they wouldn't share it with "engineers" (by this I assume you mean modern people) - they'd keep it among themselves.

Exactly. It's on realising that engineers would be doing exactly the same thing that they'd be upset. (Engineers would, I think, be almost the most repellant type of modern people to that group)

As for the rest, I'm not as sure as you are (although I would expect skills resolution along paper/scissors/stone lines (not that any popular contemporary LARPS use that...) rather than the sort of complexity of rules prevalent in games like Rolemaster). I also wouldn't expect such rules to be more than scribbled down and played in very small groups... (And the only "grounded" character in that book is Richard- the others might very well think they were inventing something)

[mostlyacat.livejournal.com]

Wah! I'm an engineer. I hope you're not being nasty to engineers. We are nice people really... ;-)

[libellum.livejournal.com]

Don't look at me! Francis' word entirely. I'm still not really sure what he's getting at ...

[neonchameleon.livejournal.com]

I'm not. I just think that Henry would loathe them as embodying all that is wrong in the modern world (just little things like practicality and reason. Oh, and making things that allow the hoi poloi to think they are Henry's equal.)

[sisuphos.livejournal.com]

waaaaaaaah!!!

and other adolescent squeeing.

[libellum.livejournal.com]

*grins*

[maga-dogg.livejournal.com]

Having the orgy after conquering Lesbos would make so much more sense.

Well, maybe not to the Greeks.

[libellum.livejournal.com]

hahaha. true. I'm sure Camilla would take your stance, though ;) I can't help but wonder what characters they'd all have now ... dear god, I can't decide if this is so geeky as to be painful, or actually sort of brilliant :)

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

hello; a comment of great random, but I happened upon your journal through clicking random interests and after reading the userinfo and journal I was fascinated. I've added you, if you'll excuse the stalkerlike behaviour.

[libellum.livejournal.com]

hello! I've added you back - there's nothing stalkerlike about it in the slightest! nice to meet you.

[theobscureone.livejournal.com]

:) I read it, and then I read it out loud to my roommate, also a gamer. We laughed and laughed . . .

You all rock.

[libellum.livejournal.com]

credit goes to the fabness of lily, not to me :)

but thanks anyway. glad I'm not the only one with that random a sense of humour :)

[theobscureone.livejournal.com]

glad I'm not the only one with that random a sense of humour.

Nope. Not a bit. :)