The Right Way

Seated off to the side watching the room sits Cricket. Her green-faced makeup has a soft glittery shimmer to it. Her hair is tressed up with beautiful hair sticks that also could easily pass for throwing darts. She looks deadly and beautiful at the same time. Cricket's been watching the far corner game with interest ever since the female joined the game. Leaning on a high bar table, tapping her right fingernails in a porcelain bowl full of dark blue liquid, coating just her sharp metal-claw-tipped nails with snake venom...

This, my friends, is one of KTDARPG's newest nefarious figures--a female villain--and this was her entry into the game. It's hard to ask for anything better.

As much as people are focusing on creating the new "bad guys" to stir up the play, one player set her sights smaller and sneaked this one in. Brava! Cricket is a small character but she made an immediate statement. She's a member of a tribe so she isn't "all powerful." Her weapons are a bit out of the ordinary from what we've seen lately, right down to her venom-tipped nails. The girl's got attitude, can size up an opponent, and knows where her priorities are.

Cricket enjoys every second of the show in the back
corner. The female at the table with the men should
be a Grimm. Ah, but Dealer is in no mood for another
fight in the gamble house, after the early morning
show with the two young kids and the dog.

She's also ready to take action when it's time. And she won't necessarily come at you head-on or even play fair. That's the fun part!

Cricket: *sizes up the situation* Sable! Put Tom
back in his cage now! *stands relaxed but moves
her pretty fingers in a catlike way, shooing Sable
to hurry up, then steps closer looking at Villa*
(A typical cat brawler.) So, what's your name?

*Cricket steps even closer to Villa and coyly acts like
she loses her balance stepping on the broken door,
falling towards Villa. Using quick reflexes, she
scratches Villa's arm with her sharp claws, drawing
blood. Then Cricket jumps back, feeling the breeze
of Villa throwing a punch. But she was quicker and
smiles at Villa, knowing she got the first blow.* (Cat
brawlers--that always gets their ego when they
don't get the first punch in a fight.)

As I said--attitude & action. Kudos to the player who decided on this little experiment! (Sable, you done good girl!) The writing is simple so that the character comes through loud 'n clear.

We hope Cricket isn't just a throwaway, that we'll see more of her.

And to the guys 'n girls working & planning for future bad guys, think also about HOW you'll bring them into the game. Sometimes there's no need for a grand announcement or a gripping "statement" to get the attention of the rest of us. Sometimes the narrow way is better, as Cricket shows us.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright www. bartcop. com