Another busy week, mostly punctuated by the utter destruction of my house (literally every room was torn apart) as we had painters come in and do several rooms. Still high from all the fumes, it’s amazing what some color does to your surroundings. Well, let’s look at the value of adding some color to your games as well.
Last year I ran a sci-fi game of Fading Suns with an Epic entitled “Covenant of Emperors.” It was heavily based on the Kushiel series of novels by Jacqueline Carey. These fantasy novels translated over, nearly perfectly, to the gothic sci-fi/fantasy setting of Fading Suns, notable for its intrigue and politics, much like Carey’s novels. (I also highly recommend this trilogy of books, as well!)
In any event, faced with a litany of dramatis persona to contend with, I tried a new way to flesh our my NPCs: I used color.
For every NPC description I gave the character a “color palette.” Every time I described the NPC or the characters had an interaction with him or her, I weaved the colors into the conversation. What I found was as dramatic as painting my bedroom: the use of colors helps bring everything to life!
My NPCs became much more vibrant and I did receive some comments from my players as well. For myself, it made me think of my characters in a new way. It wasn’t just how the character looked or sounded, but how they felt, the scent they gave off, even the simple mannerisms that we take for granted, such as idly twirling a lock of hair. The use of color added a new layer of depth that wasn’t there before.
If you want to look at some of my handouts with the dramatis persona, you can find that here. Here’s a bit of sample notes from my GM file on a character, Melisande:
Melisande Shahrizai—A Marquessa and courtier, keeper of secrets. She is the mysterious player that schemes and sends the Epic unfolding. She controls all the secrets, pulling strings from afar. She is a predator and ruthless, and close friend of Anafiel who does not suspect (entirely) her treachery. Melisande allies with the Decados and the Stregazza to claim power and prestige, with eventual eyes on the Imperial throne. To that end she seeks the lost voting scepters and the removal of one of the Five to further her own ends. Melisande currently plays Grigori Decados, much to the hatred of Sasha Decados.
Hooks: Black hair, hypnotic blue eyes, blue and silver, entrancing fragrance that smells of rose petals.
Later, during a masque ball on another planet full of intrigue, I developed costumed “themes” for each character related to their color. Quickly, the colors started to mimic their personalities, much like the use of color in Schindler’s List to punctuate important images or emotional highlights.
My point being, color became part of the game, not just a descriptor.
So think of the last time you used color in your game…I suspect you didn’t. If not, I’d point out that your games have been taking place in the arena of black and white and have an entirely new dimension open to them.
This is such a cool idea! You’ve been on fire lately, and I’m digging it.
This’ll be the subject of Friday’s minipost on TT.
“Is it the SHOES?!!!?!”
Thanks!
Followed the link in from TT, and I must say, this is a wonderfully simple but powerful idea. I can’t wait to take it for a spin.
-Rob D.
PS – In fact, as I think about it, this was somewhat implicit in the Amber DRPG – the royals personal colors were an important component of their descriptions – but I’d never considered the power of taking the idea somewhere else.
Ooh! This is great! My brain goes on to add one thought. Colors and cultural meanings. (I.e. red is the color of luck in China. Could weave things like this into the cultures of the campaign too.)
Off to ponder your wonderful thought provoking idea…
“Ooh! This is great! My brain goes on to add one thought. Colors and cultural meanings.”
That’s a great idea too! In fact you can really substitute whatever symbolism you feel is important in your game for the colors, be it emotions, outlook, culture, temperment, etc.