Impossible Jargon

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Wikipedia defines jargon as:

Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, or group. In other words, the term covers the language used by people who work in a particular area or who have a common interest. Much like slang, it develops as a kind of short-hand, to express ideas that are frequently discussed between members of a group. A standard term may be given a more precise or unique usage among practitioners of a field. In many cases this causes a barrier to communication with those not familiar with the language of the field. As an example, the words RAM, Hard Disk Drive, CPU, and Graphics Card are jargon terms related to computing.

Gamers end up having their own jargon to refer to situations. Not just as a shorthand but sometimes it is necessary to get shades of meaning that one never needs in real life.
This week we're talking about the word impossible.
impossible can have many meanings because when measured against the possible it is a much larger territory. In games and in fantasy the performance of impossible deeds becomes commonplace. Still within the architecture of a well made world some things remain impossible, even when impossible things are being done. As you can see within this paragraph the term is beginning to be ambiguous.

In our gaming group we have three categories of impossible, called category 1 category 2 and category 3. unfortunately although many of our players arr quie inventive in terms of plot, setting, problem solving etc. overall the group is a bit Leonard of Quirm when it comes to naming things.

Category 1 impossible things are things you cannot do but are not actually outlawed by the laws of reality, like jumping to the moon. You can't do that but jumping does cause you to move upward and one can attain escape velocity and aim correctly you may be able to land on the moon, surviving would be a trick but there's nothing in physics that states that if enough power were put behind a jump it wouldn't work.

Category 2 impossible things are things that could not have happened but their current state is ok. Momotoro a boy that grew out of a peach, or the Death Star. A boy is a perfectly reasonable object, a sphere of metal is reasonable. the laws of the universe have no problem with these. A peach is reasonable as are lumps of metal ore. But there are no set of circumstances that could cause a peach to produce a boy, or lumps of ore to become a moon sized space station, several times during the construction it should have collapsed or something. Category 2 impossible things may be here now but there is no possible way to get to where they now are.

Category 3 impossible things are not happening. Pi being made to equal 3, or the moon being made of cheese. Even if someone were to instantaneously turn the moon into cheese it wouldn't be made of cheese in about 5 minutes as it collapses in on itself and is made of compressed carbon and other things.

In short category one impossible things, you can't do, category 2 impossible things did not happen and category 3 things are not happening.

a problem comes with the many logical fallacy that happens in many gamers heads when they see someone perform a category 1 impossible thing and therefore assume they can do category 2 and sometimes 3 impossible things.

Stop As I Drop This Bomb

Blow up this place like another Vietnam.
if I'm lucky this trick works
special hidden message in the waterbomb

Sociology

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From www.Stephenfry.com

But as Kipling wrote and Billy Bragg repeated, what do they of England know that only England know? My travels in the last year or so have taken me to Mexico, Brazil, Malaysia, Madagascar, Uganda, Kenya, New Zealand, Indonesia and, more importantly for this occasion, to every one of the 50 states of the USA. I was in America for the run up to the presidential election, but for the ballot itself I was in Kenya, the homeland of course of Barack Obama’s father. I asked a Kenyan with whom we were working whether he was pleased that America looked to be about to have its first black president, and one of Kenyan extraction at that? ‘Very pleased,’ he replied. ‘But you must remember Mr. Obama’s mother is of European extraction. If Barack Obama had stayed here and been elected as our leader, he could have become Kenya’s first white president.’



sociology is weird

Larp Advice for Malkavians and other crazy people

Image by Darwin Bell via Flickr

THIS

Do that. With every character not just the malkavians.
specifically this quote

What's the point - of you in particular?
Actually, this is a valid question for any vampire character, but it’s worth repeating here. Vampires hardly ever Embrace someone on the spur of the moment - particularly not in a Camarilla city. The Malkavians have a particular reputation for watching their would-be childer for a long time - even years - before their Embrace. A would-be childe must possess some extraordinary quality, something that simply demands it be preserved for the ages. Anything less, and the subject could just be ghouled - or even Dominated - to whatever purpose the would-be Sire has in mind. After all, it's a lot easier to obtain a ghoul in a Camarilla town, than to receive the right to Sire childer.
And don’t cop out with that “My Sire Embraced me without permission” copout – unless you’re playing in an Anarch troupe. Put some thought into why you were created.

Signs of the times

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arenamontanus/sets/72157594323393196/with/264116790/
So I've been listening to "No Children" by The Mountain Goats. I haven't any links to them as all of the links I have found give popups. but they're a worthwhile band. I think My brain is melting out of my ears. but now there's a rituals section on the vampire.echoesofempires.org I am trying to get the wraith stuff out on time but if any of you readers have anything you want to see in a wraith supplement you let me know.

I thought this might be helpful

A larp conversation with a group of prospective players. I think this may be helpful to others, new and old. if you know any newbs, point them this way

Hi *** and Gang,



A fellow office member expressed some interest about D&D, Gaming Groups, and LARPs.



As to D&D, I can loan her the player’s handbook to give her a general idea. As to describing the current game we are playing, I am at a bit more at a loss… Any comments, observations, etc will be passed on as will your email addresses (if, of course permission is given to share them).



As to the LARP; she expressed interest in attending one also, but here (in addition to your general description and responses on LARPs in general) I would appreciate several specific questions answered:



1) If she were to attend for the first time, could a player-character be created so that she could participate?

YES

a. If yes, about how long does this take?

Depending on pre-reading 30 min to an hour

i. Any reference material she should/could pre-read?

Why, Yes. All of the rules and detals of our larp are available at http://vampire.echoesofempires.org
If she has questions or needs feedback we have a Larp Advice Blog at
http://malkuthmadness.blogspot.com
you're both welcome to use these resources.



2) How long does the gaming session last?

4-5 hours

a. Average start – finish time?

People are encouraged to arrive at 7 for check in and back actions, official game clock starts at 8 but play can begin sooner and if you have backstory or between game scenes to run 7-8 is really the right time. some players arrive earlier but the staff does not guarantee that they can be super hepful during the 6-7 setup hour.

Game ends officially at midnight, usually we'll do cooldown and closing announcements at 11:45 ot 11:30 but sometimes we'll go as late as 12:30-1. Aftergame events happen at the newark diner until 2, some scenes are handled as well as setup for the next game. participation in after hours diner chat is super optional buit often helpful for new players



3) What is the real (physical) setting for the game (a bar, night club, gaming room, college location, etc)?

The larp has 3 locations to serve you better. Saturday night larp, the main larp that I have been discussing is on the college campus of Udel in a building called Purnell hall. its a big building with senate chamber-style seating and several courtyards and fountains.
The Chester game a different sub-larp happens once a month on mondays it is held in a nice suburban home, a little more cozy than the wilmington larp, but a good place for the feel of immediacy and paranoia a sabbat game deserves.

Incidentally we're currently doing an experimental 3 rd changeling larp. the rules for it are not on the echoesofempire site but are present as expansion posts on the malkuth madness blog. this larp takes place once a month and goes from 4 pm to the mid to late evning, it is at a beach house in Lewes Delaware a colonial manse with english gardens and a few acres of property to realy get that Arcadian changeling feel.. rides can often be arranged

The dates, times and locations of all three larps are in vampire.echoesofempires.org in the ooc section for out of character.

a. Admission fees?

None, all of the larps in the EoE family are free, People sharing rides to he beach game may be asked to contribute gas money if they are being driven however. Donations are accepted to help keep us in ink, paper, and such, with every $10 donation you get a free copy of our Larp rulebook

b. Does the action all take place at one location or throughout DE

EoE is a shared universe larp system. the action takes place throught delaware and areas called the 'philladelphia Compact' each city has zones it regularly uses, for example, the monday, chester, sabbat larp takes place mostly in chester, west chester and media, even though the larp is held in neark de, the wilmingotn game, th emain game takes place thoughout all of delaware but mostly north of thre c&d canal, although the acton can take people as far as baltimore or new york. The changeling larp takes place in the tourist areas in and around rehobeth and tends not to move around much beyond that.

?

c. Is a “costume” required/suggested?

this is a complex question. a costume is not required...unless.. if you are playing a character with horns it is required that you at least twirl some pencils into your hair or stykle it to look like horns. if you are playing a character that is scarred or hideously ugly you should wear a mask or make sure the character has a power that lets them change into a less ugly shape. if you are playing a character with a sword, you should at least have a broom handle or cardboard tube to act as a prop for the sword for blocking purposes. more details on this are on the site but by and large we try to follow the 10 steps rule. If I can't tell what your character is supposed to be from 10 steps away, you need to change the costume or the character. With some people you wouldn't be able to tell that their costume was a costume. A character, ****, dresses in shorts, a t shirt and flip flops because that is what his character wears. his player, out of character usually doesn't wear shorts and definitely prefers boots, a very industrial goth look, Costumes don't have to be difficult or complicated but be aware your character will be perceived however it is you present them.



4) How friendly (helpful) is this group to newcomers?



I like to think we're quite helpful but this requires many caveats. Most vampire games are closed, cliquish and mean to newcomers. This group has been far less cliquish than any vampire larp I've ever seen but the people involved are still gamers, so some of them are rude and some of them are jerks. That having been said, We try to make sure there's someone in and out of character to help guide and assist any new players up until the end of their first year or so of play. Also most of the larp environment is a vampire environment. the people out of character may be nice and friendly and never hurt a fly, but in character they are playing soulless, undead, monstrous bastards. This has led to some misunderstandings. **** is a staffer and a schoolteacher and one of the few genuinely kind people i know. Her character is a enchantress, seductress, poisoning, backstabbing witch. so some people have trouble differentiating. In one case she pretends to be nice and then can be cruel. In another case she is about the best help for new players I know. As long as you make it clear that you need help or assistance out of character, say by making the various out of character handsigns, I have found this group to be helpful, friendly and willing to give new players the benefit of the doubt at the expense of their own character's well being. But if you ask them for aid in character, this is a game of politics and paranoia and some of these people have been playing a long time and playing for blood.

(**, *****, and ***) A collective answer to my questions would be nice, but three individual impressions might be more useful.



I hope this is helpful. feel free to email me with any more questions and post comments to the blog if you have any.
Hoping to See you all at Game
Ben

Thanks alot,



Unknown Newbs

Larp Location/Directions

View Directions to 334 mulberry street Lewes delaware in a larger map


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Alternately there's a way to get there following route 13. I'm not sure how but I've heard it bypasses beach traffic.