It is a proud day in the RPG world when a handful of people look at each other and decide, sometimes randomly, to figure out how to play Dungeons and Dragons (or anything else, for that matter). Whether a group of interested college buddies, curious skeptics, or kids thrown a starter kit and told to “have fun,” this group is in for adventure in more ways than they realize.
Of these people, the most enthusiastic, the most organized, or the oldest gets (or has) to be the GM. Like Gandalf if he couldn’t tell the Lonely Mountain from a pile of gravel, this person does not just have to learn how to play the game from scratch. They have to discover its inner workings, and lead the others through the learning process. Truly, it is a baptism in fire.
Often, this GM runs a hack-n-slash game. The desperation to figure out the gaming system leaves little room for grand and sprawling plots, not to mention the fact that their players, equally lost, usually don’t focus on backstory either. In addition, rules go ignored, misinterpreted, and downright abused. The Fire-Baptized can feel flustered, and may need to recalibrate their understanding of the word “organization.” As any leader in a brave new world, they can benefit from the input of Veteran GM’s, and most importantly, patient and excited players.
Unless fervor for gaming dies altogether, however, the Fire-Baptized can grow into a formidable force. Because of their need to be close to the material from the start, these GM’s regularly become Loremasters and Rules-Lawyers, ultimately able to provide the same guidance to the next generation of gamers. So too, they can be the ones audacious enough to try brand new systems and one-shot games, or to take current rules systems and change them to suit their own desires.
If they can get past the overwhelming chaos of trying to play god with no experience, the only other thing the Fire-Baptized really has to worry about is the fact that it may be years before they actually get a chance to play the game themselves. When they do, however, their knowledge of the game’s inner workings makes them a fantastic Liaison. And, should they be forced into hiatus by other circumstances, what they learn as a fledgling will help them bounce back when the time is right.
If you encounter a Fire-Baptized GM in the wild, be patient with them. Encourage them, and provide good criticism if you have reason to, but also ask them why they thought this was a good idea. This is not to taunt them, but to help them always remember that the journey they’ve embarked on is an exciting one, and worth it.
I raced past the university's gates, splashing water onto homeless Vampires. The campus security Trolls would've caught me if I were Human. Mixbreeds didn't have Pureblood speed, but we could outrun Trolls.
A series of character designs I did for Kenya Wright's Fire Baptized novel series. In order there is: Lanore, MeShack, MeShack Beast, Zulu, Zulu Beast.
