Difficulty for GMs and Players New to the RoL World

[JohnK]

Hullo, folks,

Question for those in the know... 

How difficult will running the Rivers of London RPG be for someone who hasn't read much in the way of the book series, or who hasn't read the novels at all? 

For that matter, how difficult will it be for players new to the world be to play characters and get into the game world?

What sort of guidelines would you give to a GM new to the game and its world, and the same question for the new player to this game world?

Thanks, in advance. 🙂

[Cloud64]

I can't address someone running it who doesn't know the books as I know them well. I'd say get the first book and read it - it's a page turner, so won't take long and will demonstrate the tone that suits the game. 

I've run it for players who weren't familiar with the books, a mixed group in that respect. It didn't pose any problems. It's set in the modern world, so there's no lore standing in the way, except perhaps the methods of UK policing (watch some of our many excellent cop shows to get a feel for it). It can give a nice simulation of the first book where the main characters first learn of the magical world.

I'd suggest the players who aren't familiar are given, or create, everyday characters who know no magic. Those familiar can have characters with magic who are in the know. 
 

 

[Silverfoxdmt73]

I'd agree with Cloud64. I'm up to book 6 in the series, but I would say players new to the RoL world should have very little trouble adapting to the setting. The suggestion to create non-magical characters is a very good one. Introduce magic slowly to build the feeling of something being not quite right in a case perhaps, then hit them with the 'there's a whole world of magic hidden from you' to freak the characters out a little.

[jp1885]

The biggest problem I have with GMing the game for RoL newbies is avoiding spoilers!

By way of introduction, I always send them a link to Doc Brown's RoL music video a few days before we start.

[JohnK]

Hullo, Cloud64,

I am somewhat familiar with the novels by Ben Aaronovitch, as I've read the first four or so, and have all but the last three.  And I just ordered several of the graphic novel comics, since I might be able to use them for plots (heh).  I wouldn't say that Rivers of London was a page turner, as to be honest, it bogged down in a few places, but am starting to re-read the series from the beginning, and it's much easier reading the second time around.

Yeah, the police procedural stuff for the UK is a bit of a brain teaser for folks from North America, I suspect, but I have a fondness for some British police shows, and to be honest, having been born in the UK (but have lived in Canada since I was 12 years old), I'm a bit more...familiar with the UK legal and police system (though it has changed over the decades, of course).  That said, I understand there's a good chapter in the book covering this element of the game.

In terms of the player characters, I plan to try and run the game along the lines of the first book in the series, with the players characters slowing getting involved with magic and the like, so having the players take the role of non-magical characters and spellcasting seems the good road to take.  Since it seems players can create characters who can learn magic later, this doesn't seem to be a problem.  I hope. 🙂

[JohnK]

Hullo, Silverfoxdmt73,

That's pretty much the plan.  (But it did bear repeating and all here.) 🙂

 

[JohnK]

Hullo, jp1885,

Any chance that you can post the link to that music video here?

Thanks, in advance. 🙂

[jp1885]

16 minutes ago, JohnK said:

Hullo, jp1885,

Any chance that you can post the link to that music video here?

Thanks, in advance. 🙂

Certainly - https://youtu.be/rXW2-qbSKpA