DMs letter: Halfway done with game and other notes.

DMs letter: Halfway done with game and other notes.

I was going to write an entirely different “DMs letter to the players” last night when my phone was lit up with messages from players. The Messages I received changed the content of this letter to a large degree.  There are several items of business. I will work on the bad then work my way to the good.

This is intended for Aaron. Where do I start; I will never tolerate sophomoric communication between players, outside of the game, about the game. What I mean by this is, when you talk to others in the hopes of manipulating the situation I don’t appreciate it and nether will others. It will also cause players to not trust each other. Anytime you start a letter with a “don’t tell anyone else” phrase you are asking for trouble and being manipulative. So simply don’t do it. If you can’t say it to others than don’t say it at all. This is not a large problem but I would like it to end the same week it has started.

Yes; there are players who find your incessant talking during their turn extremely aggravating, as do I. You have good games and bad games. The very fact that you have entire games that go very well tells me, through my limited research, that this is not caused by a condition. I guarantee this because, now that I have seen you think things through, you still make the decision to hit another player to save your ass. If it really was a move you thought your character would do fine, but you made no attempt to (as a character) tell Ray’s character you were going to do this. You only said sorry (as a character) after I ruled (as DM) that Ray could attack in return. Then on the Facebook group you showed no remorse for your actions, only indifference in a matter of fact statement. A statement that made me think you planned to take an action similar to this no matter what.  If you truly wanted to play again you would have said you’re sorry in REAL life. To be quite honest since it was apparent to me and the other players your character should have died we did not need you to confirm that. An example of your self-centeredness is; you post on the group page that you’re not upset, WHAT ABOUT RAY! He was upset and rightly so. I also want to point out that in the past I wanted to see what kind of player and possible friend to the group you would be and I ASKED Wane to tell you what he told me about your improvement. Wane was VERY happy how you played the second game. You however returned the praise with a condescending message of superfluous explanation. You stated that you would not be affected as a child would. if you can’t take praise or criticism you will be EXTREMELY miserable for the rest of your life, and that’s a FACT!  I don’t care how old a person is, praise is always needed. It doesn’t mean you’re a child. It means you did excellent and another person is thankful for it. You used the word “disconcerting”, I find it disconcerting that you don’t like to know how you’re doing in others eyes; in your friends eyes. I ask players all the time “how was it” “how am I doing” not because I’m worried about me, but because I truly care about my players and the experience they are having. You have displayed other instances where you showed the group you (the player) only care about yourself.

I was totally in favor of your return, if Heather wanted and agreed to it. I was going to tell her this today, however now with the backdoor text messages and lack of apology on Facebook I think you need to show you care about the friendships at this gaming table and the players as the friends that they could be for life. You know; some people ask “why not play WOW?” or some other game online. They ask “why do you play D&D?”. My answer is simple. The greatest friendships of our time have been and will be forged at the table where you can look at each other, and you have to face both the good and bad as friends. This is what makes GAMERS so amazing! This is what makes them so LOYAL. This is the stuff of legendary friendships! The kind where if I died tomorrow I know for a fact each and every person I have gamed with would be there at my grave! Now that’s not to say we didn’t fight.  We all most certainly disagree from time to time, but we respect each other. I hope sincerely that this has given you some sort of view of a possible new path that an adult can take and one you have not taken.

Do not think for one second I do want you to play, because without players I am no DM!  I DO want you to continue to attend the game. I want you to work toward repairing friendships and socialize. By attending you will also keep the plot fresh in your mind first hand. You will do this until the group votes you back in. by doing this you will have shown the group that this and them mean something to you.  This will also allow me to bring a character in to the game for you. The idea that you and Heather came up with was good, but not how I’m thinking it should go. This is up to you, but if the same things continue I will be a DM and kick you out.

One a final positive note; I’m so very proud of everything else this group has done and how you all have played. I have seen some fantastic character work in game. Remember I will try my best to make all players happy, however I know I don’t always and I’m so thankful I have a very patent group. The original intention of this letter was to let everyone know that we are about half way to the end of this story. The other intention was to convey that this is the best group I have ever had. I’m so happy that I have met you ALL! I look forward to many more nights of KICK ASS GAMING!

Your DM

Erick Main

RIP  Mortgage, level 15 Eladrin, Shadowy Rogue Scoundrel