Day 1:
Well I'm as prepared as I can be, I think. I have a sleeping bag from the future and enough changes of clothes to offset a minor downpour. I also have my notebook, a pen, duster coat and sense of creeping dread.
I've never done anything like this before; there are so many unknown quantities here that my paranoia and cynicism have found themselves in a surprise coalition with my social cowardice. Despite this, I'm going to press on, for the sake of meeting interesting new people and pretending to stab them up.
This little bit of emotional turbulence is suggestive; has my love of gaming blunted my urge to explore the real world for myself? Has dipping into other people's imaginary constructs so frequently stifled mine, in the same way that over-regularly taking painkillers can compromise the human body's ability to suppress pain naturally? Hmm.
Once arrived and set up, my friends and I go our separate ways, myself to the monster room and they to get kitted up for their characters. I should mention, for those unfamiliar with the terms, "monster" in this sense refers to general NPCs, enemies, shopkeepers, marmosets, sentient tableware- anything the plot guys need, that's what I'll be doing this weekend. The room is currently full of people, slightly more confident looking people, bustle and what looks like a dwarven jumble sale on several tables. Axes, swords and spears are stacked on one table, various scraps of clothing on another. Introductions are made, basics explained and then, to my secret surprise, the game is on. Confusion reigns for a few seconds as I strain to hear the battle setup, what I'm supposed to be and grab a passable costume from the fabric debris and a decent looking weapon. I'm further surprised to realise I'm smiling.
The first battle takes place in the near-dark with me not being sure of the rules, my given NPC's abilities (I'm some flavour of time elemental) or what I can expect to be facing from the players. For this fight, I've picked a two-handed sword and I'm quickly realising that this was a mistake, even if the thing isn't genuine, trying to bring it to bear effectively is still like trying to hit a wasp with a barn on a stick. Next time I'll try something less cumbersome!
This has given me a basic idea of what monstering is all about; you are in essence grist for the mill- you aren't expected to match players on the battlefield, but you are expected to put up as good a fight as your NPC limitations will allow you to. I was brutally splattered about twelve times following this idea, but I'm still grinning. In between battles myself and the monster squad were called upon to do some non combat taster bits also. I'm utterly knackered after all that; time to test out that space-age sleeping bag.
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