Asking about evidence/research

One of my earliest and warmest memories of getting my feet wet in larps took place when I was cast in a convention larp as a forensic specialist.  Now, I like detective fiction and at that point in my life I was seriously considering getting a job as a forensic specialist of some sort. So I was reading a lot of books on the subject of crime scenes, and evidence handling.

At the larp in question, a crime was committed. I started asking pertinent questions and so I was sent to go look at the crime scene. I went with the Assistant GM to the area that had been designated and I started making notes about the things she described. Then I started asking MORE questions. The sorts of questions that might get you pulled off of a plane by a nervous flight crew.  It did make HER get a little glassy eyed, so in something of a panic, she summoned the head GM. He rolled up on me, I think a little annoyed at being pulled away from the scene he was running and asked what the matter was.  I began peppering HIM with the same sorts of questions.  He smiled, and said, “Ah. I see.  We really cast you well didn’t we?” before allowing the Assistant to skive off.

I was pleased.

But it did sort of point up to me, that there may be times, when you know a great DEAL about a particular subject and maybe the GM does not. You might be an expert on Ancient Etruscan in your everyday life.  You might happen to know a LOT about ceremonial magical practices. You may read voraciously about the inner workings of investigative bodies and clandestine intelligence gathering arms of the federal government.

When you are asking about these sorts of things, you need to do the following:

1) Ask the question in a way that lets the GM know what sort of information you are actually hoping to glean from it. 

Like this: “I see from these scorch marks that there was some kind of fire here. Is there any coloration or other indication that this fire was set using an accelerant of some sort? Or is it likely that this was some of sort of “magical” fire?

Or even something like, “I don’t think that Yeti’s are actually involved, but from this hair sample could I at least eliminate them from consideration?”

2) Slow down, if you can. Don’t let your deep knowledge of the subject take you in an errant direction because you think the GM must know as much about it as you do.  If this seems likely, ASK!   If nothing else, It may allow you to eliminate certain possibilities.  

3) If you are about to eliminate something as a possibility, say so when talking to the GM. They MAY backtrack and point you in a direction of another clue.  A GM’s job is not to withhold information, but to get information into your hands. Not every GM gets this, but most do.