Tuesday 18 August 2015

The Inner Circle Society - how it came to be

The Inner Circle Society was a play-by-email roleplaying game I created a bit over 15 years ago. Funny enough, after all these years I still have the original documents kept in my computer, and curiously after googling the term I've found out some other "Inner Circle Societies" that are more recent and obviously not of my creation since as its origin it's completely different.

The original Inner Circle Society was created out of my obsession with the legend of King Arthur. During my intensive interest on the topic,  I've pretty much read all I could get my hands on about it and that sort of explains why the main plot was "The quest for Excalibur"

Usually when one creates, coordinates and plays writing games, one has to have a very precise idea - or at least as precise as possible - of what things are. It is a requirement so we can explain it welll to others and help them integrate in the story. This was, in my opinion this is one of the most the most wonderful challenges I've faced as a game master in my own creations. Allowing the others to become part of the plot, to enrich it with different aproaches contributing to the storytelling and its end result.

One thing was certain; I always knew how the story started, but it was never possible to predict how it would end and this was a kind of an addictive feeling.


So, the original text about the Inner Circle Society went like this:


   The Inner Circle Society
 
It is said to have its origins around the 5 Th century, in Britain, as a place to gather the followers of the old religions. It was a place dedicated to the ancient forms of magic in its purest state.
 
The rise of Christianism and the fall of the old religion darkened the times for the society.  The secrecy was imposed to avoid their elements extinction and the Inner circle became nothing but a winds whisper.
 
Through the centuries, the Inner circle society developed a structure strong enough to assure its survival and aims. In its core lie the Inner Council, the society’s mastermind and heart. Surrounding the core, there’s the Inner Circle formed by the Avatars, who have direct contact with the Inner council and each one coordinating a team of Guardians. The Guardians are directly in charged of the society’s security. Finally there’s the Outer Circle, formed by observers and researchers. The society’s eyes and ears to the world.
 
Each category has its own level of organization; therefore it is presumed inside the observers and researchers there is someone on can establish a link between them and an Avatar.
 
All members of the Inner Circle Society are recruited. Before being submitted to the training process, they’re taken as guests till they adjust to their new reality. Only then, they go through training. Guardians and Avatars are the most difficult categories to achieve.
 
The society’s mother house it is still in Great Britain, yet the Guardians Head Quarters it is in New York.
(...)


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