Push & Pull

    I have always described my style of game mastering as a "Push and Pull" between me and my players. The more they push my game around by interacting with NPCs, exploring locations or seeking objects in the world, the more I can pull the game in the direction they want to see it move. On the surface this sounds simple enough, but how does this look at the table?

    When my players are interacting with NPCs in game, I'll try and influence them to give me as much information as possible to their intentions. Lets follow an example of how some players will handle a situation;

Referee: Mr.Kurimai stands holding his mug, and offers to let you borrow his horse and wagon for the trip as long as you leave it with Mr.Burke when you reach Waterside.

Player:  I'll ask him if there is anything we should know about Mr.Burke.

Referee: He says Burke is a buff man with a red tuff of hair, you can't miss him in this part of the kingdom. 

Player:  Alright, I agree to take his wagon and horse.

After the game the player brings up that he was hoping to learn more about the rumors of Burke being involved with smuggling. As the referee I would have wished that was made more clear than how the player had approached the situation. Players should be asking a lot of questions, especially in OSR style of games. Here is how I encourage the same situation to go;

Referee: Mr.Gustave stands holding his mug, and offers to let you borrow his horse and wagon for the trip as long as you leave it with Mr.Burke when you reach Waterside.

Player:  I'll ask him if there is anything we should know about Mr.Burke and his business, I watch for any tells from Gustave.

Referee: He says Burke is a buff man with a red tuff of hair, you can't miss him in this part of the kingdom. He takes care of deliveries for his employer, a carriage driver of sorts who needs to borrow my wagon as well.

Player:  And his body language?

Referee: He begins scratching at his mug with his thumb nail and looking around a bit as he describes Burke. 

Player:  Alright, I agree to take his wagon and horse.

By giving the Referee a clue as to what the player wanted to know, the Referee can better think of and adjust the actions to fit the game the player wants to play. This same advice can be used to help in combat. If a fighter is attacking an Orc the player can simply say they are attacking the monster, make the rolls and the DM can do the same in return. But that's not all the player can do! With the abstract nature of early D&D combat a player could say "I attack the Orc, looking for an opening to knock his sword out of his hand." leaving the Referee to decide if the Fighter is able to do so. Maybe the Orc is low on hit points anyways so the next hit would be a killing blow, letting the Fighter knock the blade from the Orc and the monster holding up his hands in surrender can help spice up combat a fair bit, with no additional rolls or mechanics needed.