Editing Tailspins & Tiki Gods:Song (section)

== HOW TO USE SONG: ==

About 90% of the time, Song is a ‘normal’ NPC- that is, under GM control. However, the other 10% of the time is where you guys come in: In a “Doylist” sense, the “author” of the story your PCs are in uses Song to introduce information to the ‘audience’ about the setting or characters. (This would be once every reel of serial, or every couple of chapters in a story- not constant, but a trusty ‘writer’s tool’.) 
We can probably work out some sort of game-mechanics thing where the group dragging the kid along on adventures (and not, say, leaving the kid for the sharks) is beneficial. But the main thing would be that this reflects a genre staple (The kid-audience stand-in) while also providing an in-game benefit (This is how you get setting information that you might not otherwise get.)

'''“''Could you tell me about…?''”'''''

There are many things your PCs are ‘assumed’ to know, and (in setting) would seem uninformed NOT knowing. Not even skill-roll things, just basic facts about the world. 

Since things might bog down if we infodump everything in the Wiki or front-load you with facts, here’s where Song comes in.

Say your characters run into some Germans out near Ile Trouve. This seems weird to you, but you’re not sure how weird, and going looking up random facts isn’t your idea of a good time. Anyway, your character, Professor Quincy, might know, but you sure don’t. 

So, you put the question in Song’s mouth, typing: ''“Song asks 'Gee, Professor- how did Germans get all the way out here?'. "''

If the GM feels he’d know, we’d say “the Professor replies: ‘''Well, Song- you know, the Germans have been in Samoa for years, now.''’ ”

If the answer he gives is more like “''I don’t… know.''” then you can assume it’s a mystery, there for you to find out about in play. If there’s a roll involved, we’ll do that.

There are, of course, limits (Song is a kid sidekick, not a doctoral student!) and the answers he gets will depend on your PCs’ “common knowledge”, but this way you can prompt for information without really going OOC. 

''”'''Did I ever tell you about…?'''”''

You have made a really intricate character, and so has everyone else. A lot of the time, characters are aloof or ‘keeping privacy’. Or maybe you want to establish something, for later.

So, if you want to provide backstory, you can put the question in Song’s mouth, saying: “Wow! You sure can dance good! Where’d you learn to DO that?” and your character (played by you) replies “Well, Song, it started when Flo Zigfeld wanted me to join his Follies, on Broadway...” (or whatever).

Alternately, you can have Song ask another player’s character. Like “Holy smokes, Mr. Mystery- where did you learn to use your dukes like that?” and Mr Mystery (played by another character) will reply as comes naturally.

(There are limits to this, as well- Song wouldn’t ask nonstop question-after-question, and since he’s not malicious, something like “Good god, Col. Rocket, why are you so ugly?” or whatever wouldn’t fly.)

[Aspects & Such TBA]

''Stuff'': a wooden bowl. Western-style clothes (shirt, shorts, socks, sneakers). A multipurpose “tool” knife. Small lucky charms (and dice) in a pocket.