Basic Terminology

Tabletop games can be overwhelming with the amount of terminology thrown at new players, and adding a setting like SCP on top of that is a recipe for information overload. This section will discuss some common roleplaying game terms, used in this book. For SCP-specific terminology as referenced by this book, see the glossary.

GM - Game Mediator

This is the person who is running the tabletop game, managing all the behind-the-scenes processes from narrating the world and its non-player characters (NPCs), to mediating in-game actions and conflicts. Traditionally, the term "Game Master" has been used for this abbreviation, however in favor of language more in-line with the collaborative nature of tabletop roleplaying, Warped World uses "Game Mediator". You may also see other games refer to this as a Warden, Arbiter, Dungeon Master, Dungeon Keeper, or Narrator, among others.

NPC - Non-Player Character

An NPC is any character extant within the narrative which is not directly controlled by a player themselves by default. That is, even if a character within the narrative is controlled for a time by a player through one means or another (E.G., mind control, possession, etc.), that state of player control is non-permanent, and the character continues to exist in some form beyond the player's actions.

See also: Player Character

Player Character

Unlike an NPC, a Player Character, or PC is any character within the narrative which is directly and by default controlled by a given player.