| Example: Tracy meets with Mabel Rissetti Background: Mabel Rissetti is already a player-invented character. The player who owns Aduz Agave invented her as part of his background, as you can see in the Sample Character, Aduz Agave. Mabel was invented as part of his coming of age book, and is mentioned in his Aspect Biggest Bad-ass in Brownsville. It was reasonable for him to do so, since there certainly is a racketeering kingpin in that area, so the player just saved the GM the details of making up a name and giving her a bit of context. Tracy Dickson is in Austin, and has already used her Diplomacy/Contacting skill to put word on the street that she would like to meet with Mabel Rissetti, hinting that she has information that can lead to Aduz. Word arrives back that she is to be at the Old Pecan Street Cafe at 8:30. Player: I arrive at the address, impressed with the old-world charm of the place. A maître d' in a tuxedo and sporting a disdainful sneer at my plain attire asks if I have a reservation. When I inform him that I will be meeting with Ms. Rissetti he suddenly becomes obsequious, calls me Miss Dickson though I hadn't mentioned my name, and leads me to a private room. The GM had originally imagined that the restaurant was more of a bistro than fine dining, and did not plan for a private room, but there is nothing in his plans broken by these details, so he just accepts the bit of scenery and moves on. He does cut the player off before she describes Mabel being in the room, because he has plans that Mabel will observe Tracy for some time before making an entrance. GM: The room has a table set for six people, though no one is seated at the moment. The only occupant is a young waitress, who looks at you expectantly. Beside the archway through which you just entered, which leads back to the main dining room, there is another door on the side which probably leads to a kitchen. You notice that the archway includes a curtain that could be drawn, but no solid door. Player: I walk slowly to take a seat, one that offers a view of both the door and the archway. As I walk I study the walls and the paintings for spyholes, traps, or any other anomalies. The waitress has dark hair but light eyes, and, when I ask, she tells me her name is Carlita. “Tell me, darling,” I ask, “how long have you worked for Big Mabel?” More details that the GM hadn't invented, but they fit so he is happy for the player to supply them. Suddenly he has a brilliant idea: the waitress is, in fact, Mabel Rissetti in disguise. He knows that Tracy has a Superb (+5) Investigation skill, which is the skill that would be used to pierce a disguise, but he decides on the spot that Mabel's Deceit skill is Great (+4) and he gives Tracy a -2 to penetrate it, for a freely-tagged Aspect of 'The character was just what she expected.” Anyway, it's more fun and makes a better story if the Mabel/waitress is trying to pump Tracy for information at the same time Tracy is trying to get the same from her, so he lets the disguise work, at least for a while. |