The Time & Place to Roleplay

Location, Location, Location

A dimly lit room in an old castle is a difficult ideal for many of us, but with these tips perhaps you can get that little bit closer (okay, nowhere near – but still closer). Try to choose a room (if there is such a choice) that best reflects the campaign based on space, lighting and decor. Looking at the house I live, in the living room is spacious and has a wooden table with plenty of seating space, the decor is very ‘cottage’ like, with vintage furniture. It also has plenty of light. If I can do so, I like to hold fantasy gaming sessions there because the whole feel of the room is that of a place from another time. The den, on the other hand, is much more dimly lit and so serves well for a ‘dark fantasy’ campaign. Of course, don’t fail to neglect essentials such as temperature and seating comfort.As a rule, no matter how atmospheric it is, I don’t choose to play in the old coal cellar, (especially for long periods of time.)

One of my favorite adventures that I ever ran was out in the open air in the back garden, sat on an old settee late at night. It seems that whatever the campaign, roleplaying outside at night is a fantastic experience (so long as you are not out in the rain.) Of course, if you have a summerhouse or sheltered veranda, then roleplaying with the rain falling around you is also very atmospheric – albeit perhaps a bit risky for those valued character sheets.

Props

Many gaming experiences have been made all the more memorable by the clever use of a ‘prop’, so try to include the occasional aid. Too many props make for hard work and can lessen the players appreciation, so one per every two or three sessions should be enough. And by props I mean things that are directly linked to the campaign, i.e. a letter that the PCs intercept from a messenger sealed with wax. This could be a real test of the players astuteness which could crossover into the game. Do they notice the seal on the back? Do they realize that it is scented with perfume? Another (favorite) example of this player/PC crossover was where the characters were meeting with a gentleman who was in reality an undead fiend. The GM secretly held a bag of ice under the table and insisted on acting out the ‘handshake’ as the characters met the gentleman to see if any of the players realized that he had unusually cold hands. Other easier to set up props would be packs of cards (ordinary playing cards or even tarot) and a chessboard for a game within a game. You could even insist on players wearing backpacks full of books (or other heavy items,) as a constant reminder that encumbrance does matter.

Furniture

This would encompass all that invokes an atmosphere. Suggestions inlcude dimming lights and using candles, themed dice boxes, quiet ‘Enya’ music, a GM throne or big chair (one of the good things about being GM). I’m sure there is much more, which is why I am going to ask YOU to submit something using the form at the bottom of the page.

Keep it Clean

This is really only good manners and is almost certainly a personal gripe, but try to keep the area clean, not just of renegade coffee mugs but of dice and everything else for that matter.

Every coffee stain I see in the making takes my mind further from the game. Keeping with this subject, it probabaly will do much good for play if you make snacks and gaming separate. Every two hours or so, let everyone get the chance to stop play, stretch their legs and grab some drinks. Make sure though that once play begins that eating stops. There is nothing more off-putting than trying to describe a silent eerie scene when a player opposite you is stuffing his face with the contents of a giant bag of Doritos in the loudest possible fashion.