Untitled - Index of - Free

Director - 0. K. [accepting the improvisation] What about
you Johnny?
Johnny - I draw my gun as I leap, diving forward onto
the ground, while firing at whatever comes
through that door.
Director - [Gutsy move. It's a Difficult shot. and it could
have been premature if I wasn't planning on
having an SS Trouper pounce through that
door. On the other hand, she called it right,
and she's playing her character's Personality
Trait of 'Daredevil' pretty well.] You leap
forward as an SS Trouper leaps through the
door. Your gun comes forward as he draws
around his Schmeisser MP38. You fire as a
hail of bullets rings out against the metal
framework of the staircase behind you.
Abe - I try to become small.
Director- Bullets ricochet around the staircase. Abe,
Scott-
Abe-
one hits right by your head, another by your
shoe, and a third comes far too close to
removing the family jewels. Johnny, as you
hit the ground firing, your second bullet
catches the SS Trouper squarely in the chest.
The Trouper jerks violently and falls back­
wards, finger still on the trigger. A neat arc of
fire takes out most of the ceiling lights, and
the few that are spared are now flickering
dimly. Scott, you're fine.
Whew, that was close!
I glower up at Scott from where I'm crunched
down behind the staircase.
Johnny - I get up from the ground and brush myself off.
Hey, anybody want a submachine gun?
Director - Scott, from your vantage point on the stair­
case, as your ears recover from the thunder
of echoing gunfire, you begin to hear an odd
sound. It's the rhythm of a booted footfall,
followed by someone striking the floor with a
metal hammer, repeated, and coming closer.
Scott - Hey guys! Shhhhh. I hear something. Hold it,
didn't that Colonel have a mechanical leg?
Step 1 -Gather Statements of Intent
This process began with Scott's quick interjection at the
sound of the door opening. By reacting so quickly to the
Director's description, Scott grabbed the Initiative for the
Actors. Had they waited for the gunman to appear, this
may have gone differently.
Step 2 -Integrate All Actions
¢ Describe All Preparatory Motion
A good example of a set-up for the following Result,
followed by a pause to increase the tension a half-notch
more.
Here's Abe's payoff for that improvisation. He gets a lot
of ricochets, rather than the nastier hit the Director was
setting him up for.
Keep the pace.
Present a new
Dilemma.
(plot twist)
Difficult
(AbOiit" Capable) ( Environment )
I Hey, he found the fuse box, but now you've got no lights. What's that sound? )
Description leads to improvisation, leads to roleplay,
leads to greater character interaction and definition.
The Director has the Actors' adrenaline going, given them
a much needed toy, and is now about to introduce the
Colonel, for the third time. What the Actors don't know is
that the Colonel will not die, not until each Actor spends
at least one Plot Point in a direct attack against him. This
is a version of the Blackmail rule given in the 'Improvisa­
tion' chapter. Until then, the Director will find a way to
bring the Colonel back each time. This gives the impres­
sion of an undying and undefeatable menace.
Theatrix - The Core Rules 1 03