Game Preparations

So, my boyfriend (Daniel, the GM) and I begin our game preparations for tomorrow. Mine consists of asking him to remind me what happened last week and trying to figure out how to get my party into some action before the GM starts dropping anvils from the sky. Daniel's consisted of reading the Monster Manual - we are so screwed.

Hmmm - some of that confused you non-gamers, didn't it? Gamers, at the end of each post I'll attempt to explain things and make them clearer for the non-gamer. However, inasmuch as I'm, not a big gamer myself, I need will need you to assist me. NOTE I said ASSIST me, not EMBARRASS me...

1. Game - In this game, we play Dungeons and Dragons. We are pretending to be on the fictional world of Eberron. This is an RPG(Role-Play Game). We put ourselves in the position of our characters and try to think through what they would do and make moves, alliances, etc based on what they would do. We are not LARPers (Click that link for some hot Live-Action Role Player action). These are the folks you see in the costumes with foam, wooden, or cardboard weapons. At their core, LARPers are improv actors with a theme. Those folks are hard-core and I don't have that much energy (or time). There are 7 players in our party. My character wants to kill 1 of them. Coincidentally, I personally want to...well, that's a whole other issue...
   
2. Characters - its like a movie or a play. We make up characters and assign them (through a point system) attributes we think will be helpful. NON-GAMERS PLEASE NOTE: RPGers and LARPersGamers are the OG's of gaming. They say what they want and don't give a bit of a damn what you think. They are honest to a fault and will boggle your mind with a combination of logic, rules, and otherworldly theories. They will kill you with brain overload if you're not careful. (I've seen grisly death with my own two eyes!) Sitting with a group of these gamers can be exhausting, but don't sleep these are not the punk-ass console and computer gamers. They simply play what someone else has programmed. THESE FOLKS ARE the program and if you forget if for a second you are toast. Your character better rock!
   
3. GM - The Game Master. This is the guy who plans the game, controls the game, and voices the non-player charaters (like extras in a movie). He works really hard to be sure player characters (lead and supporting movie roles) get the crap beat out of them, miss some major point which will cause them trouble later, or misstep and die. He writes the plot, rolls dice of his own for the non-player charcters, makes a map or other supporting pieces, and puts out all the minaitures so players get a visual idea of whats happeneing. Usually this guy has a ton of books, knows the rules by memory and got this way by learning this game while non-gamers were wasting time getting drunk, clubbing, fighting, partying, or other useless socializing over the years. Gamers socialize with a purpose and all that other crap is beneath many of them.
4. Action - basically don't stand around debating for a long time. Pick a direction, a weapon, a spell, or something and go with it. Inaction annoys most GMs and they will punish you for it. Daniel likes to make things fall from the sky...
   
5. Monster Manual - There are dozens, probably hundreds of books that explain the rules, characters, weapons, Gods, and backgrounds of D&D or D&D-based games. And yes, there are actually 5 books that list monsters, their strengths, weaknesses, and where they live on fictional worlds and planes. Every GM has at least one Monster Manual. It helps him punish you. Thank goodness the GM loves me...