I love to write. It's probably my favorite hobby, followed closely by quilting and sewing, and then role-playing games. (Yes, those RPGs. Yes, I play D&D (3rd Ed.). I also play Cyberpunk, Shadowrun, the very odd game of V: TM, and the occasional one/two-off of D20 Modern.) No, I don't go to conventions in costume. In fact, I don't go to conventions. No, I don't believe that I'm an elf/halfling/dwarf/magic-user/cleric/paladin/insert-fantasy-race-and-job-description-here.
You knew I was a geek, so why are you looking so shocked, and shuffling your feet that way? At least the stuff I do is creative. At least I'm not plunking my butt down in front of the tube. So what if I'm not part of the demographic you usually "see" playing those games? Get over it, already. WOTC (a division Hasbro--they bought out TSR) realized that their core audience is now in their twenties and thirties. RPGs have grown up with the gamers who seriously follow them. Besides, you need a real job to afford just the rulebooks. There. 'Nuff said.
As I wrote earlier, I love writing more than any of my other hobbies. So, I was delighted when my Best Friend suggested a new installment of The Letter Game.
Basically, each player makes up a fictional character. You communicate with each other in letter format. (If you've ever read Freedom and Necessity by Steven Brust and Emma Bull, then you know what I'm talking about. That book exemplifies The Letter Game.) There is a reason why the two of you cannot get together, which is why you're communicating through your letters. Each missive spins another piece of the plot, which means that the game is a collaborative fiction project. And it's rollicking good fun!
Our previous letter game was pure fantasy. It started out as a light hearted romp, but some darker elements got introduced, which we ran with. It got very messy, very quickly, and we had a blast!
This time, the story isn't quite so blatantly fantastical. (But it'll be fun to see where it goes.) Each character so far has jobs in the "modern day". But there are hints--ripples, if you will--under the surface of the first letters, which are basically comprised of, "Wow! How strange to hear from you. You'd been on my mind a lot, lately. I'm not just saying this, but I was about to contact you, too. No, really. About that stuff that happened a few years ago? It still haunts me...")
Between T. (my best friend), S. (my husband), and me, I think things can get very wierd, very quickly.
I can't wait.
posted by Linda on January 15, 2004 09:03 PM