Reality and Fantasy RPG Game Crossover - How would you write the POV?

[RicoLouis]

I am piddling around with a story idea were a guy gets pulled into a D&D game though I never call it D&D and am jokingly referring to it as Banshees and Brothels at the moment. Anyways the start is in first person with the MC walking into the game and kind of being pressured to play. They give him a simple character and some background and then throw him into the tavern where the story would follow the groups adventure. The story would lean more towards kinky humor then actual adventure with the chance for some naughty consequences in the real world as well.

The question is should I still stick with first person but from the characters POV or have the dungeon master sort of become the narrator. Either in third person or second person. While I can go back to the table at any point if things get crazy between the players or after they break for the day I don't think them essentially just talking dirty could really sell the story and it should be told from the fantasy characters point of view but since you know they are playing a game you could maybe get away with some odd things that you couldn't in a realistic fantasy story.

 

[SimonDoom]

I'd suggest sticking with the character's POV and not the dungeon master's POV. There's more surprise that way. The dungeon master knows everything that's going to happen, while the character does not. It probably will be a more fun story told from the character's POV.

 

[gunhilltrain]

First-person usually works best. I've never had more than two people in them, however. Usually, a woman will set up the basic plot and setting, and the man has the option of responding as he sees fit. Thus the man's POV is used because he is not sure exactly what is coming. The settings are usually very prosaic, like an apartment, a car, a school, a bar - even a typesetting company.

I guess I have the women as natural-born actresses. They also have a sense - you can do a lot with very small things - of props, costumes (which are usually just clothes they already have) and so forth. It's like setting up a single movie scene or maybe a scene in a stage play.

 

[BronzePlaceWriter]

I am piddling around with a story idea were a guy gets pulled into a D&D game though I never call it D&D and am jokingly referring to it as Banshees and Brothels at the moment. Anyways the start is in first person with the MC walking into the game and kind of being pressured to play. They give him a simple character and some background and then throw him into the tavern where the story would follow the groups adventure. The story would lean more towards kinky humor then actual adventure with the chance for some naughty consequences in the real world as well.

The question is should I still stick with first person but from the characters POV or have the dungeon master sort of become the narrator. Either in third person or second person. While I can go back to the table at any point if things get crazy between the players or after they break for the day I don't think them essentially just talking dirty could really sell the story and it should be told from the fantasy characters point of view but since you know they are playing a game you could maybe get away with some odd things that you couldn't in a realistic fantasy story.

Second person is not really something that a lot of readers here seem to like. I haven't had a chance to check yet myself, but I have been told it fairly reliably so I see no reason to doubt that. For that reason, third person or first person might be better. Third person is good if you want to hinge the narrative focus on the main character and little else, and gives you a chance to indulge more deeply in his thoughts and desires but it also limits your ability to focus on other characters. What the MC doesn't see, he can't comment on and that can be important if you're trying to build up another character or to bring the readers' attention to something you don't want him to notice.

If you want more of a focus on a group thing, third person is probably the best option for you. If you want a singular point of focus, first person may be a good choice. Depends on your needs.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

If you started the story in first person, I recommend sticking with first person. Shifting POV can be tricky, and can be a distraction or even jarring to the reader if not executed well. Especially if you've done alot to anchor the reader to the protagonist's emotions and internal motivations.
Not that it can't be done... just a thing to keep in mind. Trying to think now of a well known example of this pov shift....

 

[Defluer]

I like the idea, I have like 2 TTRPG story ideas (and one LARP) sitting in my head and just can't push myself to actually write it. (One would be a Loving Wives story and I am not of sound enough mind to write a whole story that will get shat upon.) So I'm looking forward to this story becoming a reality.

My opinion is sadly the one that is the most work. Write the intro in first person, because I think that would be best to show how awkward it is for the Main Character. How little he knows. Then when you switch to in game, you're might have to try both first and third and see how they sit. I like the idea of third person because it would be more like a book. A fantasy fantasy novel. And the PC would not have the lack of knowledge about everything as the Player. So you wouldn't be in his head to see how little he knows about what's going on.

With a scene like:

"Wadda ya have ta drink?" The bartender asked, his accent and rough voice making him seem more angry than he actually was. Showing his teeth that needed a lot of brushing.

"A Bud Light please." I say, not exactly my favorite beer by what bar doesn't have that on tap? Or in a bottle or can?

"Ain't got none o' that, ya playing with me? Budliet that elven or a sumpin? We got ale and wine. And a whiskey, of sorts." He actually was angry now, by the spittle that flew out of his mouth onto my face, gross and get me out of here!

"Red or whi..." The dirty man's eyes getting large at the question. "Nevermind! Ale! I'll take an ale!"

Which clearly has conceptions that the player does, but the character in the world wouldn't.

"Wadda ya have ta drink?" The bartender asked, his accent and rough voice making him seem more angry than he actually was. Arlocrasta cringing a little at the sight of his teeth but covering it well.

"A Bud Light please." The road weary patron answers, with a hopeful smile.

"Ain't got none o' that, ya playing with me? Budliet that elven or a sumpin? We got ale and wine. And a whiskey, of sorts." He actually was angry now, by the spittle that flew out of his mouth, Arlocrasta wishing there had been another establishment in town to choose from.

"It's a type of ale from my home town, no worries there fellow. I'd ask red or white but..." The dirty man's eyes getting large at that. The adventurer smiled and hurried along. "Nevermind! Ale, my good fellow! I'll take an ale!"

I think third person would work best but... You could get it to go in first. I'd never try second.

I agree it probably wouldn't be as sexy to go to them sitting there talking and rolling about what they are doing. Maybe a few flashes out to looks being shared, some heavy breathing being controlled, as pivotal moments happen during play.

Anyway, I hope you roll a Nat20 on this.

 

[SimonDoom]

I think this is a cool idea, and there's a lot of interesting unexplored territory with this sort of story idea. I'm working on something a little similar--a virtual reality sex thriller, where real people take on characters that are placed into a sexed-up medieval style fantasy world on a quest to accomplish something that has dire consequences for the outside world. I might suggest that to step up the sense of drama and urgency you give your POV character a similar mission or motive: rather than just randomly throwing him into the game, give him a mission he has to accomplish that has some sort of real world consequence for himself or others. Or perhaps the purpose is only revealed to him at the end, kind of like Ender's Game.

 

[Bubo_bubo]

It might be tricky to pull it off, but maybe have it in 1st person (or third person but player as viewpoint character) as long as the player is "In Character" in the game, but as soon as something OOC happens, or even the mechanical parts of the game (dice rolls and such) switch to omniscient 3rd person narrator. That would in a way convey how the player is absorbed in his character while playing, and how some things break that immersion.

 

[RicoLouis]

How would you handle Dice Rolling

Another thing I am thinking about is dice rolling. Not sure how much I want to go into real detail but I do want to include it to suggest a level of chance with a character failing at bad times so that the dice rolling kind of builds some suspense. Maybe just the words dice rolling on the table after the hero makes a decision to let the reader know something is coming that could be good or bad. Not sure if I want to add numbers to it and leave it more of a plot point that the heroes lives are in the hands of the DM which can lead to some truly wacky outcomes for players and not just the main one. I made it a point to explain a critical fail in the first chapter when a character rolls a one on a simple handshake and fucks it up.