Reviewing the Highlights or Playing Monday Morning Quarterback

 

This morning I woke up early enough that I was able to engage in something of infinite gaming value – mentally recapping the game. This is not just going over the game again to make sure I commit the details to memory, it is taking it apart bit by bit to assure that I have both been fair in my judgments and not made any huge mistakes. I believe that if you are playing a dungeon crawl, this is not that essential (did I stab that kobold enough times?) but if you are playing a multi-year intrigue game it is invaluable.

 

For instance, last night, I felt I was getting cut off by one of the other players. At the time, I solved this by splitting from the party and doing a few things on my own. Instead of carrying this feeling over into the next game, the isolation of meditating on the game allowed me to break this little scenario apart. My character is not the brains of the operation (but I as a player am not exactly stupid, so this is a fine line) and I had a real life migraine that was messing with me. It could be that distorted my view, or perhaps the other person felt that speaking up for me was helpful. Nothing to hold a grudge over. For me, who can hold a grudge better than a dwarf, this is a break though.

 

There is also the matter of how to improve my own performance. I painted myself into a corner when I designed this particular character. She is a ‘one-shot’ organization character which means I will likely play her for a handful of times over the next few months. Still, I have a character I pigeonholed myself with. She is good at three things – breaking and entering, and being stealthy. That is about it. When I have nothing to steal, and nowhere to sneak to, I find myself thinking – what now? So recapping the game also allows me to tear apart her abilities and where I can better use them next time. Should I have been the one that went to the estate to look for clues, or should I have stayed in town and tried to break back into that noble estate for a second time? There are always clues for ways to do things better.

 

If you are really being reflective on how to improve your gaming, invite a trusted game member to give you feedback, too! I have one member of my gaming group and we always call each other the day after a game and recap. Usually this involves making sure the other noticed all the clues and significant bits of information, and sometimes he tells me I messed up or did something really right. These bit of praise or criticism I file away for future endeavors. If I blew it when I talked to NPC X, how, and how can I get it right?

 

I am 5 foot 1 inches and have short stubby legs and a large chest. Gaming is my sports. Recaping by myself and with others are my highlight reel, because I want to be the best gamer I can be, and that comes from reviewing the footage.

Returning to Athas

So after a long game break, our group has begun the return to Athas and the start of Dark Sun Chapter 4. Jason (our long suffering DM for those who do not know) has been running mini games for us with the spotlight on various characters. As I get ready to start gaming Zarnian again, I wanted to highlight a few moments for her.

One moment that is important to chapter 4, at least to me, is her newly cemented relationship with Trakas. Chapter 2 ended with them going their separate ways, Chapter 3 saw them go through rocky times, but Jason and I both decided that they would be together at the start of Chapter 4. But anyone can tell you, unpacking what has been at times a tempestuous romance can be tricky.

I wrote and rewrote this a few times, yet I am happy with it. The part of me that is Zarnian is thrilled and this makes me anxious to start Chapter 4.

So here it is, a story snippet with Zarnian and Trakas, a few days after Kalak's death.

*****

 

                She felt his presence before she heard even the softest of his footfalls. His scent and presence were familiar to her, so she did not move from her place as she tried to arrange things in her new room in Tyr. Then, she felt his arms around her. A flood of comfort tinged with guilt stabbed through her all at once. “Zarnian,” he whispered as he buried his face in her neck. She turned to see him now. Trakas had not recovered from his ordeal in Kalak’s chambers over the last few days. His skin still hung on him like beggar’s rags and the dark circles under his eyes made his face appear as haunted as her soul felt. Seeing him like his, some of the pain of Malik’s death leeched from her bones. She hugged him with her one working arm, holding him against her. For long moments, they said nothing, just holding each other until finally Trakas confessed, “You were all I thought about while I was in the chamber. You kept me going. Just thinking about killing Kalak and being with you, raising the kids, being a family.”

                Her confused feelings over Malik wrenched her soul. She loved Trakas but she had loved Malik, too. Malik had rejected her twice before he died. Why? He wanted her to be happy, to build a life without him. It was what gave him hope. Trakas had hurt her to the core, but he hadn’t meant to. He probably felt he had no choice. The druid’s smell swept over her, the way his heart beat against her skin, the way he gently touched the base of her neck. If she said she would try again for this third time, it had to be permanent, no regrets, nothing held back. “Trakas, right before the fight, I kissed Malik.”

                He gently positioned her good shoulder so he could look her in the eye. “I don’t care,” he divulged with a trace of his old mischievous twinkle in his own green eyes. “I don’t care what happened yesterday or before this minute, with either one of us. All I care about is the two of us, here, now. Zarnian,” he paused for just a moment as he gazed into her eyes, “I love you.”

                Zarnian released a breath that she didn’t even know she had been holding for the last three years and with it allowed all the old hurt to flow out. She didn’t say the words this moment, instead saying them with a lingering kiss. She’d tell him how much she loved him and wanted a life with him, but later, when they didn’t sound mimicked. For now, she would just enjoy this moment.