Metacognition: What Has It Got in Its Pockets?

We’re back with our “thinking about thinking” series! If you’re interested in our previous deep thoughts, check out the Metacognition series.  Join us for some deep thoughts (and maybe the occasional not-so-deep thought) about gaming. If you find one you’d like to answer, you can either comment below or write a post and share the link so we can all read your fantastic thoughts!

What are four random things found in your RPG questing satchel?

A fun variation of that weird party game in which folks are asked to produce random items from their pockets or handbags, isn’t it? Just because we are so dedicated to the real lives behind virtual worlds, let’s take a look in an RPG pack, and then take a look in my own personal bag.

Don’t Go Questing Without…

I took a look in the bags of Geralt, Ra’zirr, and my Grey Warden, and found a few common items, although they are called different things.

1. Health items: These come in the form of poultices, food, or other stat-boosting potions, and it seems that no matter what game I play, I enjoy hoarding them as much as possible.

   

2. An item gained at the beginning of the game that I have decided has sentimental value: These poor heroes are doomed to carry around their first suit of armor, a gift given to them by an important character, or a weapon that has a cool name that they forgot to use before they found one that had better stats. Often, these items have no value as the game goes on, and the characters certainly don’t seem to notice if they have them or not, but they are always there, taking up inventory space for 60+ hours.
3. Plants: Because you never know when the need to craft a potion might hit
4.  A book: Don’t these things get heavy? But there it is… Perhaps it’s a tome that can be used to gain a skill point for a mage or other class that my character is not a part of, or a history book left lying around in a cave or dungeon. But either way, no matter how useless it seems, I can’t the characters can’t bring themselves to throw away knowledge contained in the pages, no matter how useless it is to them.

   

Okay, so those are a few things my virtual counterparts always have with them. But what about me? What does Athena take on her daily quests? I am going to exclude things like “wallet” and “keys” and such because, really, those are about as typical as a warrior carrying a sword.

Don’t Leave Home Without…

1. Nail clippers: Life as a violinist has trained me well. I think I own more nail clippers than anyone else I know. They reside in my violin case, my backpack, the medicine cabinet at home, my laptop bag, my duffel bag that goes sailing with me, and my handbag. So if you ever need a trim, I’ve got you covered.

   

2. Rubber gloves: These are still in here from when I worked in a hospital and should probably be thrown away, but there you go. They are in my bag. Sentimental value, I suppose…?
3. Headphones: Technically I guess they are earbuds, but either way I bring them with me. I work in a shared office, and putting these in, even if there is no music playing through them, is a silent sign to everyone that I am working on something important and don’t want to be disturbed.

   

4. A pill bottle full of guitar picks: Yep. <brushes off shoulders> They get lost, stolen, “permanently borrowed,” and broken, and I always have a penicillin-bottle’s worth of picks with me, just in case. You know, for emergencies.

There we go! Eight items that are a must when leaving the house, whether to slay a dragon or conquer that to-do list at work.

What about you? What are four items you always have with you (besides the usual suspects)? Do you carry a pill bottle of guitar picks? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you soon!
~Athena

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