MERLANCE's Campaign Discussion Thread

[Gorth]

Heh, I was just about to ask how "long" is a play turn, as I would love to exchange more lines with Konrad, but not sure how much banter/dialogue we can squeeze in so to speak between Merlance's update posts.

[MERLANCE]

In combat, its general one post by each of you then one by me. Out of combat its a bit less rigid, more that I'll post if either nothing is going on to advance the time, or to resolve an action that you have taken.

[Joseph]

Oh, Gorth, I'm probably going to wind up seeing your character hauled of to a jail if not killing you outright myself. Stealing during events like this is no better than looting during a riot. All things considered, you could have asked for a bottle. I'm sure the innkeeper would have willingly parted with one since we, or rather, some of us fought in the common defense.

And Merl, I could use a play post from you since Josef was asking Dietrich a few questions.

[Gorth]

Oh, Gorth, I'm probably going to wind up seeing your character hauled of to a jail if not killing you outright myself. Stealing during events like this is no better than looting during a riot.

Well, if you just knew what I didn't touch (I hope/think Merlance might share that some day when it has no further impact)... the innkeeper got off lightly. Besides, a thief needs to keep his skills sharp.

[Joseph]

So first you`re an information specialist, now you`re just a common thief? Pfft!

[MERLANCE]

Well after you infiltrate, then you have to open the marks safe and disable his alarms to get his business papers and stuff. He *was* just looking for information... at first.

[Gorth]

So first you`re an information specialist, now you`re just a common thief? Pfft!

Just saw your play thread. Meta gaming much?

[Joseph]

I actually had to look up meta gaming. And no, it's completely in character. My character functioned as a guard on his father's caravans for the family textile business so he has a dislike of thieves (readily available info in my character bio) plus he already called you out as a coward during the zombie attack and even directly asked Konrad where you were and why you weren't helping. It's absolutely not relying on player character knowledge, it is 100% derived from what my character would do given his background and what he's seen of your character during the combat scenario... a self-serving rogue with no care for even the common defense, willing to let others die while he saves his own skin.

In fact, this party, based on character alignment, isn't going to be a cohesive one. You haven't posted your character's alignment but it's safe to say he's not a good guy, you've played him along the NE lines thus far.. And if my character was CG instead of NG, Gorth and Josef would be having a duel right now. So while the timing of my post may have been somewhat influenced by your post, the actions were coming either way.

[Gorth]

Yeah, I never really did get around to the alignment thing, did I?

To be honest, I'm not sure what alignment would "fit" somebody who is loyal to friends (which is currently limited to "Konrad") and ruthless towards anybody else. Lawful is definitely out of the question. I would hate to say true neutral, because that would make me an effin druid.

[Joseph]

Well, I was thinking about party alignments and character alignments after my above post. Magnus is playing True Neutral, an alignment I don't think I could ever do. Marcus is LN. It's been years since I've read anything about Helm but I'm assuming it's a church requirement and yet another alignment I could never play. Most of my characters are CG, and I may have some issues playing NG but Tanis, in Dragonlance is NG so I'll be taking some cues from that (but really, I should have picked CG.

So far, you're, at least from how I view DnD alignments, as somewhere between Neutral Evil and Chaotic Neutral. But to me, CN is more "crazy" and you're methodical which is why I said you were playing more NE.

As for our party, like I said, Josef isn't going to like Gorth. That may change with time, depending on Gorth's actions, but as the son of an honest merchant, and doing guard duty on daddy's caravan's, Josef doesn't like thieves on principle.

There'll be a distrust for Konrad too. Psionics are rare (at least I'm assuming they are in whatever our homeworld is) and you know what they say about fear and distrust of the unknown.

The only character Josef would be inclined to like/trust initially would be Marcus' priest. Helm would be a god my character would be familiar with and Ara has proved his intent to aid others.

I'm anticipating some "tension" in this party and I think playing to that will simply enhance the game. A bunch of do-good heroes can be boring. That's one of the things I always loved about the Dragonlance Chronicles... that no-one really liked or trusted Raistlin even though they knew they needed him.

[Gorth]

I'm anticipating some "tension" in this party and I think playing to that will simply enhance the game. A bunch of do-good heroes can be boring. That's one of the things I always loved about the Dragonlance Chronicles... that no-one really liked or trusted Raistlin even though they knew they needed him.

Well, I wouldn't presume to be a "Raistlin", but my thief has a streak of "indifference" towards other peoples needs and wants.

Trying to play him according to his stats, i.e. clever but distrusted (thanks for rolling that 5 Merlance ), wise and resilient (cleverly linked to his general unlikability) but not a brawler.

An interesting challenge indeed (and very different from the "real life" Gorth that can Bullshit/Charm/Outwit his way out of just about anything), yet would fall dead if trying to do abseiling

[MERLANCE]

Based on what I've seen, and the super secret play posts, Gorth is True Neutral with some chaotic tendencies. He could end up chaotic neutral eventually, but I don't think theres enough there to make him that yet. Theres two kinds of neutral. The druid "balance in all things" kind, and the normal person on the street kind. Gorth just happens to be a coward. Its definitely the alignment of loyal to your friends but not much else. Remember how he interposed himself between Konrad and the zombie?

As for Jo4sef meta gaming... I don't think it is, but I wouldn't have arrived at the same conclusion. Yeah he tried to sneak, and was generally cowardly, but I don't think if I were playing I would have assumed that, "Oh hes just someone that tried to hide and failed, not much different from the rest of hte commoners"

[Joseph]

I guess I've never really had a handle on the TN alignment. While thieves are "accepted" in fantasy settings, to me stealing during something like a zombie invasion is "evil". Not a raping, torturing, murdering, necromantic take over the world kind of evil but you know what I mean.

[Gorth]

Gorth wasn't stealing, he was getting a refund for Konrad while adventuring in the basement. Not that your character would know a bottle went missing mind you

[Joseph]

A refund for a dead pack-mule? Didn't you know liability insurance doesn't cover acts of god or evil necromancers?