Creative Jag

It happens sometimes ... and when it does? It's the best kind of fun! We had a magnificent creative jag going in the game tonight. Six people online at the same time, posting to 3 separate threads, moving the action fast and furious.

• Hawk & Creed sharing an after-battle moment before getting the signal that trouble's coming.
• Krystal & Jason taking care of the wounded in the River Rats cave.
• Prince & Rourke taking Judge's body back to his tribe, where Lady Arianna finds out about--and has to come to grips with--the worst news possible.

Fort River was hot tonight!

Whether people were composing together offline & then posting jointly, or doing some wicked back-n-forth posting, it was all good. This went on for 4 hours minimum. I finally had to go to bed on it ... and my fellow players were still going strong. :)

It's always fun to be reminded how much creativity lives in these people that I play with on the 'net. The way they portray these unique characters they've developed, the dialogue that they work hard to make as true to life as possible, the circumstances & actions that they make flow as smoothly as possible according to the needs of a particular scene -- everyone has their strong points. And it all comes together somehow! These guys rock!

So this is my tribute to my fellow players, whose ideas & enthusiasm make this game what it is. Most of them have been here for a year now, and it doesn't get boring. Tonight we hit more than 555 posts for the month of December. That's a helluva lot of writing, guys! And I've read every word of it.

My hat's off in tribute to the players. Tonight you done good, friends. What's next?

-Chyna

Photo source: Webshots

"The Tribe"

It's fun to go back & watch the tv show that inspired our game. I've been watching reruns from the last season of The Tribe. Sometimes I forget how good those kids are. They really bring the stories to life -- the Eco-tribe, city kids, Mall Rats, Zootists -- giving just the right sense of reality to their world of no adults.

My favorite Tribe character is still Ebony. Throughout all the seasons of the show, Ebony is the one who kept her edge. Oh, the girl had her ups & downs, her loves & heartbreaks, her battles won & battles lost the same as everybody else. But you could always count on her to keep hitting, to never give up. Even when things were toughest, she'd find a way. Ebony remains the ultimate survivor. Without this me-first girl, the show would've been a whole lot more boring, believe me.

You'll find a bit of Ebony in a lot of the characters in our game...but there can be only one. :)

-Chyna
Photo source: copyright Cloud 9 "The Tribe"

Season-3: Confused yet?

OK, we're into Season-3: Survival and there are a LOT of threads swirling in the game as people wrap up stuff that began in S-2 and try to move ahead. If you're a player or a reader and find yourself confused about what EXACTLY is going on? Maybe this will help.

s s s s s

With "survival" as the primary theme, here are the current plotlines that will probably take us through this season in the game.

1--Aftermath of War, specifically the end of technology that people were getting used to. The AKs are gone but they went out in a big way. They took out the hospital, science labs, communications center and just about every other source of technology on which our people were starting to depend. (Big note here--the only reason Fort River still has electrical power is because it's hydroelectric, generated by StormRiver itself.)

2--The Refugees are flooding into the city, the result of a hard winter/low resources as well as the destruction the AKs caused in cities outside Fort River. Their unrest will create conflict and turmoil throughout the city...and it's starting with the last edition of the "Fort River News."

3--The Way and how that cause will grow, spread and impact Fort River & its people.

Here are some sub-plots worth watching...

West/Pyro/Tom-F and the conflict over whether or not the people have the right to read--and act on--the "old words of freedom" published in the newspaper.

All the relationships including Hawk/Creed, Krystal/Jason & Arianna/Judge now that Judge has died...but we're not sure his impact on the Misfits is quite done yet.

Jade's Past, what happens now between her & Bishop, and whether or not she's really got a future in Fort River with Tom-F.

The Reapers and how these self-styled vigilantes will affect all the other plotlines.

Brena's Fixation with the River Rats...and what happens when she finds out she's not pregnant.

The Old Dude in the Basement...

Anyway, maybe this will help. And here's hoping some of the separate threads will start to merge soon. Would be a whole lot easier to follow that way! -Chyna

'Tis the season ...

Wherever you are in the world, whichever holiday you observe in this season ...

I wish you peace, hope, joy, laughter & love enough to light up even the darkest night.

-Chyna
Photo source: Webshots

Odds 'n Ends, Pt. 2

...picking up on the speculating I started yesterday...

I realized I left a Misfit out--Worm. Now there's a puzzle. A child? Older than he seems? Just hanging around the Misfits to see how far he can push them before they boot him out? We don't know much about him except that he seems to be fixated on Jade for some reason.

Then there are the River Rats, sitting in Hawk's cave across the river. Well, most of them anyway. Hawk is a River Rat. So is Krystal. Those two have been busting their humps to serve the city just because that was needed. But the rest of the RR? They're supposed to have all these skills, but they sit on their hands and just watch the city to see what happens next. Until recently anyway, when they took a tribe vote & decided they needed to join the human race and be a part of the city instead of just looking at it. They're in the market for a new home on the crowded side of StormRiver. Can you say "out of the frying pan and into the fire"?

Tom-F & Jade, a shady entrepreneur & a former slave? Makes for an unlikely romance. All the signs point to troubled waters ahead. If the city's "have-nots" start targeting the "haves," Tom-F could be first in the line of fire. He looks to have the most, which means he has the most to lose. And Jade's past may be rushing to catch up with her. Question is, is this really love? Has Jade latched onto the most likely source of protection available, only to disappear when the heat gets turned up? And is Tom-F looking for a 2nd wife or another possession? Will he cut his losses & ditch the blonde when the shit hits the fan?

Actually there are a lot of "couples" in question. Bishop & Brena? Adear & Rourke? Krystal & Jason? Prince & Shikra? Tara & Coop (or Pyro? or whoever else this girl knows)? Game-world hasn't been an easy place for lovers. Not so sure the future will be any brighter.

Well, it IS winter & getting even colder and darker. Looks like some of our characters may be getting darker too. I think I'll hang around & see what happens next. -Chyna
Photo source: Chyna's Closet

Odds 'n Ends

The holidays are upon us, and the net is pretty calm right now. We ended S-2 as promised, and S-3 is slow getting started. Players are trying to figure out what to do next with this game-world that's changing on us. There are a lot of threads to tie up, a lot of fires to put out, a lot of wounds to mend among our characters. Not to mention taking care of all the secondaries & NPCs who were killed off in the war.

So, where are we going? If recent posts are any indication...

Hawk is just plain old getting tired. Tired of fighting, tired of losing people she cares about. She's lost too many friends recently, especially the Birds of Prey who fell to the AKs. Hawk is tired of politics, tired of being responsible for or in charge of everything, tired of trying to figure out people. And most especially tired of being in the city. This "wild child" needs a re-charge vacation back in the woods...and maybe take that tall brown-eyed Traveler with her.

Prince & Sid and the Reapers are still figuring things out. (And one can ask, what happened to the New Republic & the Renegades? good ideas whose time ran out too fast?) Once they get the AKs out of their system, will they turn into "Robin Hood" types, robbing the haves to give to the have-nots? Or just find a campfire somewhere & stay stoned until spring? Depending on what challenges them, it could get really interesting or really boring.

Then we have Lion-F & The Way. Is there anything more off-putting than blind obedience & blind worship? The Way is a good concept--especially when you put it together with that document just published in the Fort River News--but ... Lion-F? The Brotherhood bad boy? The Way followers will certainly give him something he never had in the Brotherhood--a power base that's more moral than military. He could just find that being "adored" has as many drawbacks as being hated.

The Misfits are heading into a rough patch, especially once Arianna finds out Judge is dead. That's gonna hurt. Her tribe has dwindled to a handful of small ones. Prince is now a Reaper, Adear is an AK (or is she?), and Rourke is too obsessed with finding Adear to stay put in the warehouse. Sid was also a Misfit at one point, now a Reaper. That leaves Breya to decide if she'll join the tribe & stick around to give Ari a hand. Could be a long cold winter in that warehouse.

More next time... -Chyna
Photo Source: copyright Cloud 9 "The Tribe"

S-1 or S-2?

There's a new poll up on the KTDARPG website, asking members to vote for their favorite season--Season-1 "The Beginning" or Season-2 "Winter."

I voted for Season One. I joined the game mid-way that season, a total rpg-neophyte. Had no clue what i was doing--just waded in and took off.

It was a blast. We were focused on small scenes, not epic events. We were still figuring out who our characters were, how they related to each other, and what our world was really like. Some of my favorite "Chyna" scenes are all tied up with S-1...figuring out Chyna's history & motivation, the whole Chyna/Xeno love story, the cage-fight, Merchant Street... I know, I know--or at least I found out by experience--you always get most attached to the first character you create. (Was probably why I finally agreed to kill "Chyna" off in S-2.)

Creativity seemed fresher in S-1. Don't get me wrong. There are scenarios in S-2 that defy description, directions & ideas from my game-mates that I never would've thought they'd come up with. But in those first months of the game, we were spreading our wings, stretching, trying new things. The smaller scale suited us. The smaller landscape contained all we needed. When S-2 started, confidence was high. It was like we were ready to take on the World! And that world had to be bigger to contain all the grand ideas. I still kinda miss the smaller landscape & closer interaction with all the players.

Rumor has it, the upcoming S-3 (doesn't have a title yet) may just kick us backward. Word coming down from the game master indicates we'll be getting rid of all that pesky tech as well as the epic bad guys, narrowing our vision. I'm looking forward to that, to the storyline getting more "tribal" & back to the kinds of stories that inspired this game. The problem-solving, relationship-building, working together--or fighting among ourselves--to overcome the handicaps of this new world. That would take us back to the spirit of S-1, which sucked me into this enterprise in the first place. The challenges that have been the most fun, figuring out ways to overcome them.

I hope that's where we're headed. -Chyna
Photo source: copyright Cloud 9 "The Tribe"

Coming up--the end of Season 2

It was just announced--after the current battle is done, we're closing out KTDA Season 2 and moving on to Season 3. This season has been shorter than the first, only 6 months, but it's been extremely intense. A quick summary? How's this:

• A new Virus unleashed & then conquered
• The end of the Brotherhood
• The AK attack on Fort River & then the battle on the plains
• The deaths of 2 high-profile characters
• War's aftermath
• Winter Solstice
• The final AK war

... yep, very intense. All our players really outdid themselves. To honor their efforts, we're seeking nominations for the next Tribe Awards, to be published in a special edition of the "KTDA Newsletter."

As exciting as Season 2 has been, things are shaping up for Season 3 to be spectacular. We will see... -Chyna
Photo source: Webshots

When players collide

Players in our rpg take their creations very seriously. I mean, we're investing our creative selves in characters & settings & plots. The sense of ownership can get intense. I know at least one player who, if he feels he's getting "too close" to his own character, will kill that one off & start fresh just to maintain some distance. You think creating a character is hard? Try offing one--not easy to do.

Sometimes players collide. Something in the game will set somebody off--how a character is handled in a scene, how a plot twist affects other characters, or even just how slow a player is to respond to action in the game. Your first line of defense is the set of game-rules. Doesn't help? Then you hope whoever's arguing is willing to negotiate. No? Your last recourse is to turn to the game-owner & hope he can sort things out.

What you don't do is start attacking somebody personally. Believe me, I know. I haven't been cussed out that bad since the last time I wound a guy up & then said "no" (which was at least 10 years ago, and I forgot how much it stung). When it does happen, if you're smart, you walk away. Let the one who's angry calm down. Hey, we're all supposed to be friends, right? So wait for your "friend" to get a grip. If negotiation is possible, look for a compromise. Blackmail is not an option. (Blackmail usually runs in the form of "if I don't get my way, I'm quittin' the game." My response to blackmail is "don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.")

Things will eventually sort themselves out and the game will move on. The smart player just lets the insults & the arguing slide. Forgive & forget. But here's a major tip if you want to cut off conflict before it begins: Talk to your game-mates. If you know something's coming that may be contraversial, let whoever will be affected know ahead of time. But also realize that, in the dynamics of the game, that isn't always possible. The element of surprise can be a key factor in story development! When you can let people know, though, it will pay off in less arguing and (hopefully) more cooperation.

Bottom line, rpg-ing is a cooperative venture. We don't play in a vacuum. If you're off by yourself playing in NPC-land, why bother? It's the interaction among players & characters that makes this fun. You feed off each other's creative energies and, with luck, create something together that feels right and keeps you going. -Chyna
Photo source: copyright Cloud 9 "The Tribe"

Chaos Rules!

A familiar saying in the game--Chaos Rules! Whenever we get bored or life gets too easy for our characters, someone is bound to come in & twist the plot & drive us all to distraction! It's frustrating! It's maddening! It makes you want to reach for the nearest blade and cut off a part of someone's anatomy!

Secretly? It's a rush. We bitch & moan & toss the f-word around...but chaos also tends to bring out a wicked creative streak in more than just a few of our players. Me included. That's why Chyna is recognized as the Sister of Chaos, both for stirring it up & responding to it.

We have two chaos-pros ingame. Xeno is truly the Lord of Chaos (as well as game master). Count on Xeno to come outa left field with a plot twist on a grand scale, one you couldn't imagine in a million years. He's royally pissed me off on more than one occasion...and I'm the first to admit, once I get over it, that his twists are usually bloody brilliant. Sid is chaos on a personal level. Whatever character he's playing, he'll go along quietly & calmly for days. Then suddenly some hidden character-trait will totally blindside you.

Let's just say...I don't get bored. -Chyna

**Names have been changed to protect the innocent. Oh, wait--do we have "innocents" in here? Not sure. Will have to think on that one. :)

Small scenes

Something I appreciate in "The Tribe" is that it shows growing connections between kids against the backdrop of a destroyed world. Tough being a teenager. Add the struggle for food, water, a safe place to live? How do you get close to someone if he's your competition for limited resources? But sometimes it good to take a break from the game's "big picture" & focus on smaller scenes, creating dialogue & having characters (and the rest of us) learn about each other.

Two players are developing a maybe-love interest between Krystal & Jason (two River Rats). Krystal has some medical training & in the last war saved a lot of lives. Jason fought in that war & and saw a lot of brutal deaths. He's lost good friends, but inside he still craves connections to people. Both these kids are confident in their skills but not so confident when it comes to dating & love. We're taking time to have these two characters relate--not just hop into bed like so many others do (ingame & real-life).

Not sure where this will lead--everybody's so damn young!--but we'll play it out. A lot of times we sorta let the scene "write itself." It's fun to play by ear & see where we wind up. -Chyna
Photo source: copyright Cloud 9 "The Tribe"

Game-world

The KTDARPG game-world doesn't compromise much. A virus has ravaged the adult population, leaving kids alone to build the future. Most game action occurs in & around a city called Fort River (only partially mapped so far). The primary locations are the Army Base & the banks of StormRiver. Kids in the city live wherever they find room, including warehouses & looted apartment buildings.

Currently it's winter ingame. The city's filling up with refugees coming to Fort River because of what it has (including water-generated electricity). Some refugees are fleeing winter, having no way to find food or keep warm. A good many are running from battles that have destroyed other cities.

As in the tv show "The Tribe," most of our characters divide themselves into tribes--companies of kids who work together to make a better life for their groups. Our tribes include the Misfits, River Rats and Travelers (kinda like gypsies who move about the countryside). Enemy tribes include the Brotherhood, the Anti-kids & a recently introduced group of baddies called the New Republic.

Some of our game battles have been pretty vicious. We've lost popular characters due to war. Characters are injured & maimed (one lost an eye). Each battle has its aftermath & its effect on all the characters who remain. We strive for realism as much as we can...but sometimes reality's loosely defined. We get back on track eventually! -Chyna
Photo source: Webshots

Beginning

"Keep the Dream Alive" role-playing game is my 1st rpg. I joined because of the show that inspired it, Cloud-9's The Tribe. Our players thought a blog might help promote the game & bring in new members. We will see...

"Chyna" was my 1st game character. We killed her off in grand style, but I liked the name & decided to keep it. Chyna's Closet is a place for all the gems--friends, ideas, thoughts & fun moments since I found these people on the Web and decided to play.

Check out our rpg! (Link included.) Lurk & read about us. Join & create a character to play with us. It's a great group of people--most of us are new to rpg's, so we do the best we can. Some of our group will join me & post here (I hope).

Anyway, this is my beginning. Let's see where it goes. -Chyna
Photo source: copyright Cloud 9 "The Tribe"