In a way, video games are one of the easiest nerdoms to get into, along with TV shows and some books, in the sense that it's something you can easily find and get into. I think that's part of the reason I devote a lot of time to video games in this blog. It's something that easiest for me to enjoy after a long day of work. But I really became a full fledged nerd with tabletop, and now I'm finally getting back to that.
You all got a peak of my character in a friend's Obsidian game Amy Valencia. I had never really played a truly carefree character before so I decided in this universe I would play one. She is kind of a ditz following the easiest path of a high power, a high demonic power. She's not entirely stupid, just entirely honest about her love of drugs, parties and the occasional visit to the masseuse. It's been very liberating playing her because she is not one to give two shits about most dramatic stuff. I think the most concerned she got was when a bomb was about to kill her and her group in a tiny office. Having traditionally played characters that have stressed out very easily, it's great to play one that is not.
I think my experiences with Amy have colored my choices in playing a new character in another game. I got invited to play in a Apocalypse World game that has been going for some time but had some people playing new characters due to old characters dying off or becoming unplayable. I came in with Iris, the classiest brainer in the tree town. Brainers actually can manipulate people with their psychic powers and find out personal things just by touching people. Usually people go for the mystic in rags look for brainers. I went a little more fabulous. She has her kinky hair in an up do and wears a shiny pants suit with a corset. Still weird, but a bit more approachable. Like Amy she is a social creature who looks for the fun in life. Unlike Amy, she strategizes more in the long run. She's not really book smart but she is definitely world-smart. If someone has recently become very powerful, you damn well make sure that you are their friend. Things like that.
On top of those two games I am also running my 3.5 D&D campaign again! I'm super excited about it. The last two times I ran the game we had a ton of characters who were honored, privileged and eager to serve a king to the 2nd largest kingdom in the world. This time I have a lot of hesitant characters who decided to go along merely because is somewhat fulfills their alternative goals, which include siring a messiah and selling potables to whoever will buy them. The first session happened last week and even though it ran so late I was working on low brain power, we all had fun. Next session will immediately start with combat!
It's so great to go back to my roots. I really became a nerd when a friend of mine in high school invited me to play a game of Dungeons and Dragons that her father was running. I'm not sure how nerdy I really was before then, but after that there was no turning back. It now feels like I'm really a nerd again, spending a significant amount of time rolling dice and playing make believe with friends.
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