writing – The Lady LARPer

Mummy. A game of immortal servitude, fleeting memories, and being powerful enough to call down meteors from the sky.

If you’re not already familiar with the game, I recommend checking out the primer post I have on this blog. You can find it here: https://theladylarper.home.blog/2020/02/27/what-is-mummy-the-curse/

I’m going to be giving a general overview of the 2nd edition, what changes stand out from the 1e, and the bits that really grab my attention. Personally, I enjoyed reading the first edition a lot but it was a little messy at times. I’m expecting to see a lot more clarity in this edition, as well as the boost in power that other splats typically receive in their 2e books.

Disclaimer: a review copy was kindly provided by Onyx Path Publishing.

The Guilds

Five Guilds made up the workers of Irem and each mummy belonged to a Guild in their life. By and large, these remain similar to their 1e counterparts though reading 2e makes it a lot easier to imagine what a Guild member might look and act like. There’s more flavour and character here. They took the pleasant meal of first edition and added some spice. From the flavour text to the sample character concepts, this section is overall more enjoyable to read and will provide players less familiar with the system a better impression of the purpose of the Guilds – both in Irem and after the fall of the empire.

The Decrees

If the Guilds reprsent who the mummy was in life, the Decrees mark what they devoted their soul to during the Rite of Return. The Decrees correspond to the Five pillars of the soul, which pillar the Risen built up when they were broken to nothing in Duat. If the Guilds improved on what was written in first edition, 2e Decrees took a piece of writing and made it art. There’s so much emotion here. It’s crystal clear how the various decrees tie into the themes of the game. They all have their own strengths and passions and weaknesses.

The Decrees are given reasons to keep on living and serving. They all carry their own “curse”. Some mourn the loss of their mortality (not that they’ll ever admit it). Others can’t bear to remember; they loathe the realisation that nothing is new for an immortal. It hurts knowing that all civilisations crumble to dust with time and your work will similarly disappear. I enjoy Chronicles best when it’s about personal pain and struggles and reading this section makes me imagine all the growth and loss you can put a character through. It’s delicious.

The Judges

Good grief, an overhaul was needed here. The first edition offered a lackluster list, each Judge getting a sentence or two to describe them before it was time to move onto the next. Here, we see the Judges fleshed out. We’re told why and how they are worshiped, and what crimes their servants judge. It’s a fun little section and some sections really resonant with current moods. Who doesn’t want to be an immortal being with a vendetta against lying politicians or mega-corporations that exploit their workers.

Affinities and Utterances

Wow.

1E mummies were powerful. That’s their shtick. For a while anyway. Their power wanes but while it’s there, it’s god-like. While the original had its share of awe-inspiring powers, there were admittedly some that were… just a bit less impressive than others. 2E introduces the idea of Blessed and Blighted actions. For a Blessed action, you roll twice and take the best result. For a Blight action, roll twice and take the worst result. To be blunt, this is just cool. It feels thematic. It really fits the idea of being a servant of a powerful God, receiving some sort of divine blessing for your work.

Affinities

Affinities have been tweaked and streamlined in subtle ways. Compare Falcon Soul Aloft in the two editions. 1E granted a dice bonus to keeping balance, 2E grants the mummy perfect balance. Instead of a dice bonus for jumping, you are simply able to just do it. Of course, I appreciate that this affinity is somewhat more powerful in 2E but what I enjoy the most is that it’s just easier to understand. No fiddling about with rolling or something that will possibly work. It just does. It’s much more cinematic to know that you’re going to jump across that chasm and give your character an unassailable confidence in doing so.

If I had one criticism of the Affinities, it’s that some seem a lot more useful than others. Blessed Panoply, like in first edition, protects your items from decay and damage. You can clean them and yourself with an instant action. That’s a neat little trick. Your treasures can’t be damaged and your weapons will never suffer the test of time. Now in 2E, the power also grants 9-again on any rolls that use tools – including an attack that uses a weapon or a drive roll with a vehicle. Additionally, their clothes offer an extra point of armor. This jumps out as something you’d be foolish not to take. Sure, some will resist the allure of such a nice power, and there are other powers out there that will help brawlers but… it’s just so much more appealing than some of the more situational powers.

*Source: Mummy the Curse, 2nd Edition Kickstarter page*

Utterances

Now this is where the real power lies. Utterances are extremely powerful acts of magic and no one can look upon them and mistake them to be a simple mundane occurrence. Each Utterance is split into 3 tiers, higher tiers growing progressively more powerful. Like with Affinities, there are many Utterances here that are streamlined, more powerful versions of their 1E counterparts. And it works!

Utterances are meant to be flashy and powerful. If I’m calling down a meteor from the heavens, I want it to land in an inferno of fire and cause aggravated damage to those unfortunate enough to get hit by my divine wrath (hellooo Secrets Ripped from the Skies!). When I read the Utterances section, I imagine facing down another supernatural. They’ve underestimated me. They’ve never met a Mummy before. They don’t know what they’re in for. That’s when I grapple the werewolf, turn them into an ivory statue, and display them in my tomb.

Utterances are the biblical plague of locusts. They’re the river running red with blood and the sky turning black in the middle of the day. They’re not something you’re going to use in every session but that makes them all the more special when you announce you’re going to tear apart the fabric of reality and channel the power of some ancient, forgotten diety.

Conclusion

If I had to pick my favourite section, it would have to be the Decrees or the Utterances. The Utterances are so very cool. They’re cinematic and are sure to make for great “remember that time when-” stories. The Decrees are less flashy but they’re ripe with the potential for emotional stories.

I cannot wait for the physical release. I want to run a campaign of this game and I’ll be buying a hard copy as soon as I possibly can. It’s rare that a book makes me audibly exclaim “holy shit” as often as this one did and really, what more can I say?

We’ve all been there, be it as a player or a GM. Your character stands up in front of the royal court. It’s time to make a speech. The eyes of everyone at the table are on you. You freeze.

Maybe your character has done something silly and they’re now facing down an angry NPC. What do you say? You freeze.

Ten minutes until your LARP starts. You have everything ready. You think. What if people don’t have fun? What if you’re wasting everyone’s time.

It doesn’t matter how seasoned a role-player you are, nerves hit us all sooner or later, sometimes when we least expect them. I once had to leave a particularly dense sci-fi LARP before it even started because I was simply too overwhelmed by all the new info and people. I had a panic attack in a small side room, then let the GMs know I wouldn’t be playing.

I’ve seen countless players panic or stammer their way through a situation. Role-playing can be a scary experience. You’re putting yourself out there in a way that others are going to interact with and possibly judge.

Everyone get nervous. No one is going to judge you.

http://unfitmind.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/social_phobia1.jpg

Try not to be worried that you’re not as eloquent as you feel your character should be. Don’t fret if you don’t make realisations that your character might have. No one is going to scoff and ask why you’re playing the character you’re playing. In general, people are going to empathise and are usually more than willing to help a fellow player out.

If you’re a GM, players are a lot less likely to notice mistakes than you think they are. They don’t know that you had intended for a particular NPC to come off as confident, or that you forgot what a particular location looked like and made it up on the spot. Even if you forget how rules or mechanics work, people are unlikely to care. They understand that you’re human too and that everyone makes mistakes.

Helping out our fellow role-players

There’s a lot of easy steps that can be taken to help others ease into what can be a daunting experience. If you’re playing in a small RPG group, be mindful of the others at the table. If someone is a little quieter or getting left out, make an effort to interact with their character and ask their opinion on things. If it’s in a LARP setting, keep an eye out for anyone who seems to be left alone or who looks nervous and uncomfortable. If your character is the intimidating sort, it could mean a lot to a new player to have you be a little kinder to them. Sure, your character may have no real reason to go over to a strange new person and make an effort to talk to them, but it really enriches other people’s experiences and isn’t that what role-playing is all about? To collaborate to have a fun time?

For GMs, be mindful of how you treat your players. Do you have NPCs mock them or shame them when they fail? Are you creating an environment in which a shyer player feels comfortable using their voice? Take some time to examine your GM style. In my experience, games like Vampire the Masquerade, while intentionally dark, can lean a little too antagonistic with players feeling downtrodden by old and angry vampires.

What can players do for GMs?

I feel like giving constructive feedback to GMs could merit its own post, but we’ll touch upon it here. Did you as a player really enjoy something your GM did? TELL THEM. Seriously. Nothing makes a GM feel more valued than a player telling them that they really enjoyed a puzzle or NPC or combat encounter. Your GM puts time into writing the games, please show them you appreciate their efforts!

If your GM flubs a bit of the game, be it plot, role-play, or mechanics, please do be patient. I promise you they’re trying their best and likely giving themselves enough self-criticism. But what if you really need to bring something up with them? Maybe they’re doing something that makes you genuinely uncomfortable, or maybe you just feel you have some advice that could help them. Do be kind. If you can, mention something you like about their game along with your criticisms. Show that you appreciate their efforts and that you want to work with them to create a better experience.

Comfort comes with time

When I started role-playing, I was remarkably self-conscious. I didn’t know what I was doing. I questioned every decision I made. I worried that people would judge me. Then I started GM-ing and that brought new worries. Were the NPCs I wrote interesting enough? Was my plot engaging? Was the ending going to flop?

I wish I could say I found some magic cure for these nerves, but the truth is, they never entirely go away. I’ve been role-playing for years now and sometimes, the niggling doubts still come back! It’s simply through exposure to these situations do I find myself becoming more self-assured. Role-playing and GM-ing are skills of their own and like any skill, you become more confident using them with time.

Have fun!

At the end of the day, gaming isn’t meant to be a test. It’s supposed to be a fun and rewarding experience. It’s a collaborative experience and if we’re mindful of that, we can make things more enjoyable, even for the most nervous of gamers.

Tag: writing

Mummy the Curse: 2e review