Clubhouse: The Shearing Pen

[GuardianLurker]

Ic

While the gnome, dwarf, and halfling are all trying to swindle each other, a fat old scholar steps up to the host's podium. Behind him is a humanoid of some kind, not much taller than the dwarf or gnome. It has a simple helmet and utilitarian leather jerkin and breechs, but it's most distinguishing feature is it's nose. The nose consumes well over 2/3 of the humanoid's face, so it must constantly look over it's nose to see anything. This would give it an air of arrogant superiority, if it weren't for the fact that it is so bent over carrying the scholars' library on its back that it ends up merely looking straight ahead.

The scholar motions to the short humanoid - "Come on, Kelzwick. Your laggard pace has already delayed me past the opening rounds, and I've lost vital information already. Where else am I going to find such a fertile ground for my theories?" As the scholar seats himself at a large table in the Pit facing the scoreboard, those nearest the short humanoid can hear it mutter to itself - "And who's lardbutt couldn't get moving until the sun was halfway up the sky and had his breakfast feast? Laggard pace my bent back..."

Kelzwick lugs the library next to the table, and as soon as he has set it down, the scholar grabs a ledger and a quill and begins to rapidly make tally marks as he surveys the crowds and the combatants, muttering happily to himself. Kelzwick wanders over to the bar and hops up on to a stool.

 

[Infiniti2000]

The halfling's eyes follow the spectators as they find seats to watch the arenas. In particular, he stares at the pack of books, papers, and whatnot attached to the strange, big-nosed humanoid's back. I wonder what price that would fetch...

Standing on the barstool, the halfling taps the hound archon on the shoulder. "Excuse me, my good man, er, dog. Er, whatever. Anyway, I was wondering if you would kindly witness this wager." Pointing with his thumb over his shoulder at the gnome, the halfling continues, "I'd rather he not, you know, reneg."

The dwarf seems to lose interest and puts his face back into his tankard.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Ooc

You know, I should've posted here in the first place. My apologies.

I enjoy GL's imaginative actions and there was no point in rules-lawyering his characterization of the parley. I'm trying as hard as possible to factor it in to the cat's behavior.

So do I, believe you me! That's why I'm apologizing so much, 'cause I don't want to seem to be as much of an ass as I sound.

I tried not to say anything, but he mentioned "check" and the lawyer in me (i.e. the evil side) took over. There was nothing I could, officer, honest!

 

[Gansk]

I tried not to say anything, but he mentioned "check" and the lawyer in me (i.e. the evil side) took over. There was nothing I could, officer, honest!

I took no offense in what you did and you helped me remember some things that I need to keep in mind. You and I both have rules lawyer as part of our basic nature.

Please interject if you feel that I or PJSlavner are forgetting something. You're right, it might be better to do it in this thread than the arena thread.

 

[GuardianLurker]

The halfling's eyes follow the spectators as they find seats to watch the arenas. In particular, he stares at the pack of books, papers, and whatnot attached to the strange, big-nosed humanoid's back. I wonder what price that would fetch...

Standing on the barstool, the halfling taps the hound archon on the shoulder. "Excuse me, my good man, er, dog. Er, whatever. Anyway, I was wondering if you would kindly witness this wager." Pointing with his thumb over his shoulder at the gnome, the halfling continues, "I'd rather he not, you know, reneg."

The dwarf seems to lose interest and puts his face back into his tankard.

"Hey, now." The gnome, grabs the bag off the table, and tosses it up in the air, muttering a few words. "If you're going to be pulling witnesses in, I'm going to have to see your cash first. For that matter," and he briefly glances as the dwarf, then looks directly at the halfling again, "how do I know you aren't running a scam of some sort? This was just supposed to be a friendly wager. The high stakes stuff is for later."

 

[GuardianLurker]

Ooc

I was a little confused at first what you two were talking about, then I read the arena thread.

Again, my apologies for interrupting. But, there are only two types of intimidate checks and the only one the archon can perform is "changing another's behavior" which takes 1 minute. If you want the combat intimidate, you need to be in melee combat, and it takes a standard action (so it's impossible, not just useless). I'm just guessing you didn't really mean intimidate and you intended it as pure RP, but you mentioned the check explicitly; so I thought maybe I missed something.

I was still a little confused. Then I discovered it was a "last line" problem.

<rant>
For the record, I've always just played it as I just did, not as "in melee combat". If I have 30 bowmen all with arrows pointed at characters chest, all 30' away. And the bowmen's leader (all of them 30' away), starts talking to me in a threatening manner, that isn't just a parley IMO. Especially if I've just dodged 30 arrows fired at me.

Really, looking at it, I really don't understand why they'd make that change in 3.5 from 3.0 out of nothing. What are they trying to prohibit?

Here's another situation that should be modeled as a standard-action Intimidate and can't be - imagine our heroic street-avenger hero bad-a** "discussing" things with an informant, when two unrelated minions enter the scene. The BA growls "You don't want to be here.", and the minions flee in fear.

It's possible in 3.0 (BA is changing others actions through fear), but not in 3.5 (the minions aren't in melee combat, and BA isn't taking a full minute). Frankly, it's exactly the kind of gratuitous change that 3.5 made that keeps me in 3.25 land.

As is said, "The rules should serve the game, not the game the rules."
</rant>

But per RAW, you're right. Das est Verbotten!

And Gansk, thanks.

 

[Infiniti2000]

The halfling assumes an expression of mortal injury. "Why is it that people always distrust halflings? How rude!" Before the gnome can respond, the halfling harrumphs and walks away to the other side of the Shearing Pen, engaging in animated conversation with a talking bipedal toad.

The dwarf taps the gnome on the shoulder, however, and points to the crystal ball showing the Mechanus fight. "Ye know, I kinna unnerstand why that blasted rust dragon calls 'imself FeO. Do ye 'ave any idea?"

 

[GuardianLurker]

IC

"Eh. Not really. I'm not a big fan of early rounds in these kinds of things. Have to come in early if you want a good seat and view, however. And the ale is *really* good. I think I may have made a mistake when I ordered the largest mug they had though." The gnome holds out his hand to the dwarf. "Name's Alem. Sorry I drove your mark away."

 

[Infiniti2000]

The dwarf takes the gnome's hand and gives it three firm pumps. "Nice ta meet ye, lad. Me name's Roukin." He smiles, showing half a set of yellowed teeth, "Ye know, there be a reason why they call that mug Dwarf-size. Methinks ye wanted the smaller one, Dragon-size."

After a minute or so of silent drinking, Roukin ponders some more. "Another thing I kinna fathom. Why aren't there any draws in the Abyss? And, lookit all the blasted creatures that Evil has on its side. The other Neutrals and the Goods have to win 2 fer 1 just to keep up!"

 

[GuardianLurker]

"Well, I don't really care about the size of the mug, just the quality of the drink - and the price, of course. And since food and drink are free here, it's all the better.

As for the demons, I suppose they don't draw because they're too stupid to do anything other than scream and leap, even when they should be running the other way. A take-no-prisoners attitude pretty much guarantees you won't be one either.

And the last shouldn't be surprising either; hasn't it always been said that being Good is a uphill struggle and being Evil the easy way out?"