Proposed Game: Desire and the Dead (Tome)

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 4:57 am

Do I catch the scent of a campaign's potential death-spiral? Perhaps I do. Sweet, and yet so saddening.

Akula · Post by **Akula** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:01 am

You know, my character as I envisioned him would take pains not to be around fiends, nobility, or people that belong in the sanitarium; I came, sat and talked with you all nevertheless. Can we please get some role-playing sacrifices in the name of not killing each other?

ubernoob · Post by **ubernoob** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:04 am

Akula wrote:You know, my character as I envisioned him would take pains not to be around fiends, nobility, or people that belong in the sanitarium; I came, sat and talked with you all nevertheless. Can we please get some role-playing sacrifices in the name of not killing each other?

Umm, my actions didn't kill off JE's character yet.

Akula · Post by **Akula** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:09 am

Yeah, you just grew to twice your height and grabbed the stunned (probably) guy. I get that that might be what your PC would do in the situation, but what incentive does Needleteeth have to work with you in the future? And what incentive does the district have to employ anyone who gets into a fight right in front of their nominal leaders? Perhaps targeting them with AoE attack magic into the bargain.

Kaelik · Post by **Kaelik** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:09 am

All my animalistic character did was attempt to shut up all the loud annoying people who kept saying stupid stuff that had no bearing on anything. Also, I am in no way associated with any attacks that might occur.

EDIT: Short term goal of working with uber: Not dying appears high on the list.

Akula · Post by **Akula** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:14 am

Kaelik wrote:All my animalistic character did was attempt to shut up all the loud annoying people who kept saying stupid stuff that had no bearing on anything. Also, I am in no way associated with any attacks that might occur.

EDIT: Short term goal of working with uber: Not dying appears high on the list.

I sympathize, I really do. I was going to post and try to calm that particular chain reaction down. But you seriously just hit a bartender, a sick man, and an old woman with what amounts to an attack spell. They must think that we are a bunch of loons. And further, a bunch of loons utterly unsuited to the task of keeping the peace in their backyard. The sad part is, they are probably right.

ubernoob · Post by **ubernoob** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:16 am

Lord Peter is from an order of knights known for their mastery of fear. I don't see why anyone has a problem with him making a show of force (not killing anyone) in order to cow everyone into obeying.

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:23 am

Things are looking grim. People are scared. They try pooling their money and hiring some adventurers. I laugh. Still parsing a reaction for the IC thread.

Akula · Post by **Akula** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:24 am

The person who's bar you are currently having your show of force in is likely slightly upset. And what exactly caused you to turn on JE? He was not the problem. By any objective standpoint he didn't offer real insult, just half incoherent commentary. Your fellow knights were the people picking fights and slinging insults. More like knights of the post if you ask me.

Nicklance · Post by **Nicklance** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:25 am

How about we spank the beastman for firing a spell in the tavern, and let Lord Peter spank Needleteeth and we can move on from this.

Akula · Post by **Akula** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:27 am

How about the district lynches you all for being dangerous psychotics? You don't exist in a void.

ubernoob · Post by **ubernoob** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:34 am

Akula wrote:How about the district lynches you all for being dangerous psychotics? You don't exist in a void.

I don't think our orders would be very happy with that. This town can't keep its own peace. If say, the knights of the skull were to raze the entire area... not much they could do to stop it (if they did, they wouldn't be calling in level 3 adventurers to solve their problems).

Nicklance · Post by **Nicklance** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:37 am

Akula wrote:How about the district lynches you all for being dangerous psychotics? You don't exist in a void.

Calm the hell down and re-read the IC thread. Dana did freaking nothing and you're off on a rant about all Knights being lunatics? That's really unfair to make a statement like this.

As for existing in the void. The action is right inside the tavern, you've teleported out of it. Who is 'in a void' now?

And if you're upset about Kaelik firing off a spell in the tavern that kickstarted all this, don't take it out on the rest of us. Some of us have not even done anything to deserve your rant.

Akula · Post by **Akula** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:37 am

A full scale invasion would be likely to attract the attention of the lady. And there is something totally like a knightly order in the district already. They just don't keep the peace. They are called the Dustmen, and they are a faction. Running down and murdering their members for sport is the kind of thing they actually care about.

ubernoob · Post by **ubernoob** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:42 am

Akula wrote:A full scale invasion would be likely to attract the attention of the lady. And there is something totally like a knightly order in the district already. They just don't keep the peace. They are called the Dustmen, and they are a faction. Running down and murdering their members for sport is the kind of thing they actually care about.

I don't think you remember how D&D power scales work. A single level 8 character can seriously raze an entire city of anyone that is having to ask level 3s for help.

Akula · Post by **Akula** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:44 am

Nicklance wrote:Calm the hell down and re-read the IC thread. Dana did freaking nothing and you're off on a rant about all Knights being lunatics? That's really unfair to make a statement like this.

You mean aside from starting the evening off with a panic by appearing out of nowhere as a fucking panther for the lulz?

As for existing in the void. The action is right inside the tavern, you've teleported out of it. Who is 'in a void' now?

I meant that the PCs actions will have consequences on the NPCs around them.

And if you're upset about Kaelik firing off a spell in the tavern that kickstarted all this, don't take it out on the rest of us. Some of us have not even done anything to deserve your rant.

I never meant to include you in the "taking hostile action" group. I'm upset that the party can't seem to leave personal baggage that is likely to lead to fights at the door.

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:47 am

At least this serves as a reminder that I should be ready to think on my feet. I am currently putting together a rough outline for what might happen if the party ends up running for their lives. Also one for if the party ends up slaughtering most of the Grey District.

Akula · Post by **Akula** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:50 am

ubernoob wrote:I don't think you remember how D&D power scales work. A single level 8 character can seriously raze an entire city of anyone that is having to ask level 3s for help.

The dustmen seriously have high level people, and most of the faction lives in the gray district if they are still in Sigil. Their philosophy leaves them unlikely to care unless someone seriously starts to slaughter their dudes. The Funerary Guild (who alot of these people are members of) has some high level people. I find it unlikely that your order could come in here and stomp around without drawing attention that is up to their level.

Nicklance · Post by **Nicklance** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:58 am

Akula wrote:You mean aside from starting the evening off with a panic by appearing out of nowhere as a fucking panther for the lulz?

A panther in a shopping mall in New York would start a panic. A panther in bloody Sigil where Pit Fiends and Balors are a common sight starts a panic? Are you bloody kidding me? Are you unable to get into a roleplaying mindset befitting a location such as Sigil and not some pre-school building in the middle of a residential district?

Anyway if you must bloody know. The panther is a travel form that Dana shifts into when moving from place to place. If she forgets to change back into human form at the door before she walks in, its a social faux pa. But a panic? I'm not sure if we're in Two Rivers or in Sigil.

I meant that the PCs actions will have consequences on the NPCs around them.

I never meant to include you in the "taking hostile action" group. I'm upset that the party can't seem to leave personal baggage that is likely to lead to fights at the door.

Fair enough, but you can't just lump everyone of us together. And besides, I think this is farily good roleplaying. Alot better than pbp games I've seen elsewhere.

ubernoob · Post by **ubernoob** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:05 am

Akula wrote:
ubernoob wrote:I don't think you remember how D&D power scales work. A single level 8 character can seriously raze an entire city of anyone that is having to ask level 3s for help.
The dustmen seriously have high level people, and most of the faction lives in the gray district if they are still in Sigil. Their philosophy leaves them unlikely to care unless someone seriously starts to slaughter their dudes. The Funerary Guild (who alot of these people are members of) has some high level people. I find it unlikely that your order could come in here and stomp around without drawing attention that is up to their level.

If they have the power to curbstomp our superiors, they don't need us. It's that simple.

Avoraciopoctules · Post by **Avoraciopoctules** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:09 am

With regards to the fact that the Grey District may be full of puny fleshbags. Just because you happen to be level 5 doesn't mean that you like fighting. Liking fighting is subtly different from being willing to expose oneself to significant danger.

Akula · Post by **Akula** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:12 am

Nicklance wrote:A panther in a shopping mall in New York would start a panic. A panther in bloody Sigil where Pit Fiends and Balors are a common sight starts a panic? Are you bloody kidding me? Are you unable to get into a roleplaying mindset befitting a location such as Sigil and not some pre-school building in the middle of a residential district?

This is the Hive, which is significantly different from what you seem to think of as Sigil. It is a slum, where the most fantastic thing one might see is a gang of low powered fiends. If a Pit Fiend or a Balor was to show up here, there would be panic. The sudden appearance of a person wouldn't go over well in polite company either. A animal that seems to teleport is not going to go over well.

Anyway if you must bloody know. The panther is a travel form that Dana shifts into when moving from place to place. If she forgets to change back into human form at the door before she walks in, its a social faux pa. But a panic? I'm not sure if we're in Two Rivers or in Sigil.

No one saw you walk in, it was as if a man with knives in his hands were to suddenly appear. And yes a man with knives seemingly teleporting next to your leaders is cause for concern.

Fair enough, but you can't just lump everyone of us together. And besides, I think this is farily good roleplaying. Alot better than pbp games I've seen elsewhere.

I just don't want the game to destroy itself.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:13 am

Akula wrote:How about the district lynches you all for being dangerous psychotics? You don't exist in a void.

Hey, Akarchin hasn't done anything other than be a bit of an oversexed bitch. She isn't even going to take part in the brawl that's breaking out...

I think it's been pretty appropriate for a character who is a muddled mix of the various sex fiends...

Judging__Eagle · Post by **Judging__Eagle** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:16 am

Uber, people are lazy. That's why they hire low level adventurers. So they can go back to the infinite elf ladies of some infinite elf ladies demi-plane, and wait for a 'real' emergency to occur.

Also, seriously, our characters are not going to each chocolate sundaes together getting in bed together, despite the fact that the first time this character was played, the exact same thing happened... he ended up grappling with someone in spiked armour, who happened to be able to turn very big.

No, I won't say that, b/c we'll seriously have "you have to all sleep in a giant bed" (in some form or an other) be our next encounter/mission.

Nicklance · Post by **Nicklance** » Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:18 am

Akula wrote:
Nicklance wrote:A panther in a shopping mall in New York would start a panic. A panther in bloody Sigil where Pit Fiends and Balors are a common sight starts a panic? Are you bloody kidding me? Are you unable to get into a roleplaying mindset befitting a location such as Sigil and not some pre-school building in the middle of a residential district?
This is the Hive, which is significantly different from what you seem to think of as Sigil. It is a slum, where the most fantastic thing one might see is a gang of low powered fiends. If a Pit Fiend or a Balor was to show up here, there would be panic. The sudden appearance of a person wouldn't go over well in polite company either. A animal that seems to teleport is not going to go over well.

Anyway if you must bloody know. The panther is a travel form that Dana shifts into when moving from place to place. If she forgets to change back into human form at the door before she walks in, its a social faux pa. But a panic? I'm not sure if we're in Two Rivers or in Sigil.
No one saw you walk in, it was as if a man with knives in his hands were to suddenly appear. And yes a man with knives seemingly teleporting next to your leaders is cause for concern.

Fair enough, but you can't just lump everyone of us together. And besides, I think this is farily good roleplaying. Alot better than pbp games I've seen elsewhere.
I just don't want the game to destroy itself.

Perhaps next time I should write that I bloody walked in instead of assuming that I arrived early and took a seat while waiting for everyone.

And just relax. I don't think this game will implode just like that.