but not really!

Recently I've been witness to a Storyteller giving a description of something to kill. It amounted to "They look like zombies but not really!"... and it got me thinking!

My preferred method of setting up a scene is to describe it without saying what it is or what it resembles. When you tell the players what something looks to their senses, they can decide what it is for themselves. Quite often you can use that to lure them into a false sense of security.

For instance, if you describe a zombie but never actually use the word "zombie" in the description, the players might realise it is a zombie. However, this information came from them and not the Storyteller so there's room for them being wrong. On the other hand, if you as the Storyteller use the word "zombie" as a basis for the description, cutting away the preconceptions you don't need, you are telling them what this thing definitely isn't thus destroying part of the mystery.

This is not to say that you should always use a detailed description. There are times when it is more advantageous to give a one sentence summary. If you want your players to add detail to a scene, just tell them where they are and what kind of things would be within their reach.

I once told my player that he is in a storage building at the docks. There were big wooden crates all over the place and people moving them onto a loading bay. He then asked me if there is anything he could use as a distraction, to which I said "What do you need?" and suddenly his character noticed someone smoking a cigarette to unwind for a while. He used that to make the whole place go in flames.

It is a very simple thing but as a Storyteller I don't think about every minute detail, focusing more on the bigger picture. Coming up with what every person on the street looks like or what they carry would take way too much time. So I leave that job to the players by giving them a general idea what kind of things they would be able to find and approve or disapprove their ideas.

As one of my friends said: as long as it's reasonable and not a nuke in the car trunk...