Lost Idea

So I was inspired today to finally start recording my ideas on a blog or something. Hence this first post. Of course having waded through all the prep for this thing, I have since forgotten my original idea. That's too bad because it would have been a great adventure I'm sure. That's about all I remember about the idea was that it was an adventure concept.

I've often found its easier to come up new ideas than to remember old ones. Backtracking in mind never seems to turn up anything (unlike a desk or drawer of papers which can turn into a treasure trove of lost ideas). For new ideas I tend to do a random stream of consciousness thing, letting ideas lead me from one to another.

For example, right now I'm helping a friend with a game he's prepping for tonight (via IM). He's sending the PC on an errand for the character's mentor. Essentially drop off an item to another NPC (hereafter call the Eunuch). The Eunuch asks him to pick up some herbs at the apothecary in Chinatown.

Enter me. Well obviously we need the next destination. Well the apothecary should be dwelled on. Especially since its in Chinatown. It should be creepy (its a World of Darkness game). Maybe a few cow fetuses in jars. (At this point I'm distracted by a Firefly episode where a cow fetus is used as a "real" alien at a side show, I start imagining a Guardian Labyrinth based around alien abductions.) The next stop is the guy who needs the herbs. Mike (the ST) says maybe it is a solitary mage. OK, so lets say he is dying of cancer and is all alone. Thinking of my grandmother, I say let him be lonely and just want to chat for a long while. Another step done. Now we can complicate things with some stuff along the way to points A through D; traffic accidents or mysterious graffiti.

And so ideas and stories knit themselves together.