RE: Nexus-remove

["Brandon Stenger" <bh010296@prodigy.net>]

> I have to agree with Steve about this.  It has always been my
> impression that
> a cardinal rule of GMing is you never use your own charactors, active,
> retired, or dead.  Brandon ran not only his dead charactor, but Father
> Warrick, who is, and correct me if I am wrong here, an active
> charactor of
> his.  True, he didn't do anything, but he was run as the hook of the
> adventure.  The one time S'lar, my own charactor, was used as an
> adventure
> hook, the adventure was run by Andy, not by me, and I played another
> charactor.  In that adventure, I gave Andy permision to use S'lar
> in order to
> complete a plot line that had been started some time ago in which
> S'lar was
> active.  I did not run any part of the adventure, and at no time
> have I ever
> used S'lar, or any of my other charactors, in my own adventures.
> It's just
> bad form.
>
> Mike B.

Before I began the adventure, and even now, I see little to no problem
with running a former adventurer as an actor. If other GMs with more
experience say it is a bad idea I will listen to them, and probably
never bother with it. What good is a low-rate Priest of Neptune other
than nostalgia anyway?

As for Father Warrick being the hook - yes he was. I have the good fortune
of playing a character who has created a large number of positive
relationships with other characters in the Rougtero area. I knew any number
of characters would be glad to do anything to save my character. You can
imagine how honored this makes me feel. Indeed, none of the twelve
adventurers even bothered mentioning payment during my game Saturday night.
They were willing to do it because of who the character was.

This is why Warrick was the hook. Yes, he is still my current character. But
for 95% of the adventure he was chained to a wall, unconscious, in another
dimension. When he was rescued by the party, he spoke perhaps three times,
and then the party dropped him off to begin their debate. He didn't even
heal anyone.

My point - and I do have one - is that the constant use of a current
character can weaken your credibility while GMing. Never forget, however,
that the infrequent opportunity to create an excellent gaming experience
should be taken.

Brandon