Reffing small events

Introduction

This page contains some guidelines by the excellent Ruth Fillery-Travis on how to ref player events.

Make sure you know what you’re getting into

Make sure you are clear about what you have been invited to do. If it is a social event, there is probably the assumption that you are happy processing item bondings, religious ceremonies, small rituals and at the outside, pvp, as a Field Ref might. If pvp is expected, it may not be appropriate for you to ref if you are a player referee, and if the event is predominantly ritual-focussed you may struggle if your experience is predominantly skirmish-based and you have not refereed rituals before.

If it is a plot event with combat, your role within the event may be less clear. Does the organiser expect you to help run out encounters e.g. as a Skirmish ref might? Or do they expect you to do a bit of both Field and Skirmish style reffing? Do they assume that you will be willing to engage in safety refereeing any fights that occur, and are you comfortable doing that? Have you any experience briefing and running encounters on your own?

If you are the only PD referee attending, you will be asked to make the final call on rules issues, and on player deaths, and to mediate in situations of conflict and deal with challenging behaviour. You need to be prepared and comfortable doing this, or consider asking an additional referee to attend the event. Someone will also have to provide weapons checking, and it is worth identifying if the organiser expects this to be you.

Ultimately you need to be happy you have the experience and skills to fulfil the role the event organiser is asking you to perform. It’s okay not to have experience in everything, as long as you know what it is you are being asked to do, and whether you have the skills to do it on your own. Bare in mind that the usual central PD backup that is provided at the main four events will not be available, and consider whether you want additional referees present at the event with you.

Materials to ask the organiser for before the event

• A list of the players. This allows you to skim the database and identify any people with plot items which might require specific reffing, mastered rituals and the ability to use them which might indicate that you need to be prepared to answer them, and characters with notable skills (e.g. hero points or hit points) which would stand out in play, etc. You don’t have to do this, but it can help you get to grips with what the players are likely to ask you to do for them.
• A list of all ribbons being introduced at the event. As you cannot be certain of a connection to the database, you will need a printed list of ribbons, their effects and history, so that you can answer player rituals such as Skein of Years appropriately.
• A list of any event specific curses or trauma wounds and a clear understanding of how they can be identified and cured.
• A plot document. It is worth asking for this at least a week before the event (or as soon as it has been okayed by PD), so that you have time to read it, and ask for any clarifications that you need. It should include a timeline of how the organiser expects the plot to play out. Depending on the depth of involvement the organiser is expecting from you, you may need to consider how you will run out or ref the listed encounters and anticipate any problems/concerns.

Things to do before the event

• Make sure you have a pad or phone which has a data connection and can connect to the wiki and the database. You might not pick up signal on site, but if you can, you will really appreciate this!
• Make sure you have database access e.g. working user name/password.
• Work out if the organiser is expecting you to bring traumatic wound cards or if they are providing them.
• Identify any Eternal plot that might be running, and familiarise yourself with the relevant background.
• Identify any crazy plot items that the players are bringing to the event, and if you can, get a sense of how they roleplay with them. Do not rely on checking what items the players have bonded to, because many items are not bondable/players have not bonded to them. Consider posting on the facebook event page asking people to contact you if they are bringing anything.
• Identify if the organiser is providing radios, and who will have one.
• Identify who is responsible for what: e.g. Who makes the final call on plot during the weekend? Who is the first aider? Who is responsible for the ooc logistics of the site? Who is the weapons checker? Who is the insurance holder?
• Consider printing some of the quick reference rules sheets for both the monster room and any players who are rusty on the rules.
• Identify if there are any specific rituals which you will need to have an awareness of and make sure there is an answer for: e.g. Signs and Portents and Clear Lens of the Eternal River.
• Ask if there is permission to use smoke sfx on the site, and whether the organiser has any – if so, you may wish to use some (if you are comfortable/trained) for rituals etc.

At the beginning of the event

• Undertake a site walk preferably with the event organizer, so that you are not only familiar with the site but familiar with what the organizer intends to run out in each of the site areas. Discuss any safety concerns you have, and identify which parts of the site are OOC and any areas where fighting will be prohibited.
• At the player briefing and introduction, introduce yourself to the players, and give them a clear indication of what your responsibilities are at the event, and what you can do for them. If you have any safety concerns with regards to the site, mention these now e.g. “please be aware of the steep drop-off behind the player hut”.
• If there have been any very recent rules updates, consider repeating these. Understandably not all players keep up with the Empire facebook pages etc.

At the end of the event/afterwards

• There is often a ‘thank you’ ooc meeting at the end of the event. Consider offering the players half an hour of your time to process any bondings, unbondings etc, or answer any questions. This gives a firm indication of how long you will be available, and should save you from being mobbed whilst attempting to pack and get off site!
• Either at the end of the event, or afterwards, depending on what is most appropriate, consider offering polite, useful feedback to the organiser based on your experiences.
• Ensure that you have processed any database activities (bondings, exorcisms, etc) that need to be done, or that you have emailed these in to admin@profounddecisions.co.uk.
• The event organiser should do a debrief on the plot wiki, so if you have any information relating to plot/outcomes you should in the first instance send them by email to the event organiser so that they are included.
• If any larger issues arise from the event not related to immediate plot outcomes, consider whether you wish to email PD or speak to someone about them.