23 September 2023

All Things in Moderation

What is the most neutral term for "one who runs an adventure"? Referee? Judge? Game Master? "Referee" sounds too neutral—like a nonparticipant who is there merely to observe and occasionally impose penalties. "Judge" sounds more active, but in a strictly judicial sense. Judges adjudicate, but they don't create. "Game Master" is a loaded term and less than desirable (to me, at least) for reasons I describe in "Promoting Clarity in Gaming" in Creative Reckoning. "Moderator" is my own preference (again for reasons explained in the aforementioned article), and since this is my game, it will be the official term used in Omnia. (Although "Omnipotent One" has potential...)