At the Inn of the Prancing Pony
Chapter 32: An Alternative Theory
Laura looked up at the elderly woman who had just sat down beside her in the stands.
“You’re Laura Curtis, aren’t you?” the woman asked. “The adventure writer for Ponies & Dragons? I’m Dorothy Reichart. I’m interested in writing a screenplay about the Powells. Or perhaps a prose biography...my mother always said I should have gotten into book writing…”
Laura tilted her head a bit at seeing the woman drift off into a tangent without even waiting to hear her reply. “Yes, I’m Laura Curtis,” she said, holding out a hand. “And they’ll never let you do it in a million years.”
“Oh I know,” Dorothy said, taking the hand in both of hers and shaking it. “Probably won’t stop me, though. I was wondering if you know anything about how Mrs. Powell down there was inspired to write the adventure that they are currently playing.”
“I’m afraid I can’t help you there,” said Laura. “I wasn’t involved in that one at all. In fact, I probably shouldn’t even be here, considering my own professional problems with HWI. But...this is the long-anticipated reunion of a legendary role-playing group, not likely to be repeated for years, so I just had to put my personal feelings aside to watch.”
“The Valiant Bees?” Dorothy asked. “I’ve done a little bit of research, you see.”
“Yes, that was them. They practically narrate the Second Edition of the Player’s Handbook,” Laura replied. “As for this adventure, I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, so I’m struggling to keep track.”
“Oh, I’ve read it,” Dorothy told her. “My granddaughter is the Pony Handler for the Young Women’s table, and as I was staying with her family at the time, I was exposed to the concepts of the adventure quite often. I’m looking forward to the point where the Founder’s Group discovers that both tables are playing the same adventure.”
“Oh, they are? I hadn’t even tried to keep track of the other two groups,” Laura admitted.
“Yes, they are. And that will introduce very interesting complications in less than an hour.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. ‘Lost Caverns of Soup Candy’ is introducing something completely new to role-playing games: the idea of a shared story.”
Laura frowned. “Is that what all that sales gibberish on the back cover was about?”
Dorothy nodded. “Yes. In-story, the last part of the game is magically joined for all adventuring teams ever. Practically speaking, the Pony Handler is asked to periodically check on the state of the game, using either an automated phone system or a computer with a modem connected to a dedicated CompuServe forum.”
“Wow, you seem more up to date on this computer stuff than I am.”
“Thanks,” Dorothy said with a smile. “You wouldn’t believe how much easier screenwriting has become with a computer.”
“So I guess that means that anything the Founder’s Group does will affect your granddaughter’s group, and vice-versa?” Laura asked.
“Only for the final part of the game,” Dorothy answered. “For instance, when the Founders took the magic boat, it had no effect on Alexia’s group, which came upon their own boat at nearly the same time. But when they get to the end, if somebody takes a particular treasure, nobody else will be able to take it. And if somebody accidentally blows up the entire caverns, then that will kill not only them, but also any P&D group in the world that happens to be playing that section at that time.”
“Wow, that...that sounds like Horsewords is going to get a lot of complaints from people playing this game after today,” said Laura.
Dorothy thought about this. “Yes, probably. If Mrs. Powell has any sense, she’ll reset the state of the game on CompuServe after tonight’s game, to nip those complaints in the bud.”
“So that explains why you’ve been watching both games,” said Laura. “What do you think about Celestia?”
“This isn’t how these games normally go, is it?” Dorothy asked. “I haven’t seen too many of my granddaughter’s games, so I wasn’t sure.”
“No, this isn’t normal at all. It’s sort of...freaky,” Laura said, with a bit of a shudder.
“I wonder what Mrs. Powell is up to with this tactic, taking the power of choice away from her players? Perhaps it’s because Celestia is the only sympathetic deity in Pony & Dragons’ pantheon? The others are described in the Player’s Manual as enjoying the trials of the ponies who worship them, as if reality was a sort of game to them.”
“As it is,” Laura commented. “Seeing that the gods and the Pony Handlers are one and the same.”
“Ah, I see what you mean,” said Dorothy. “So in this case, is it possible that this play session is designed as a rebuke to Ellen Powell and her ‘followers’, those who have been pushing to make Celestia an active element of the game? To show that if Celestia was involved, the result would be so much helpful cheating on behalf of her followers that games would no longer be fun to play?”
“An interesting theory,” Laura said, rubbing her chin. “But what about the character of Hope? She seems to be as much a part of M.J.’s scheme as Celestia.”
“That I’m not sure of,” Dorothy admitted. “But if I was forced to guess, I would turn to Hellenic mythology, and speculate that Hope was the daughter of Celestia by some famous adventurer.”
Laura sat up straight on hearing this. “Oh!” she exclaimed. “Oh, that would be good. What a story I could write from that premise: a goddess, doing anything to protect the daughter she cannot admit to having. Throw in the political complications from Midnight Sparkle’s backstory, an implied forbidden attraction between master and servant, and between goddess and worshipper, add in a heaping helping of dragons...this would make a fantastic spin-off novel! Assuming that she ever wants to speak with me again, I simply must pitch this to M.J.! I will of course give you due credit.”
“Oh no,” Dorothy said with a smile. “You’re clearly willing to fill in the details, and that is where a writer truly earns their pay. Take all the credit.”
“Ah...thank you,” said Laura. She turned to face the players. “So, how much did we miss?”