Kiss of Darkness: OOC: Part 1--A Hint of Shadow

[Rystil Arden]

I'm really up for anything

[SBLOCK=NLF]Ironically, the part that I was thinking might be right up Rhaka's alley (and involves meeting a character that would be interesting to interact with Rhaka) is the very next part in the forest.

As for Law/Good--I definitely don't think you switch them--conflating is different than switching. Still, if you played it fast and loose as the GM, alignment disconnects admittedly won't matter much (except with Paladins and such), since as I said, it is usually only the stricter enforcer of the requirements as a GM who makes trouble for the PCs (although I guess this time I made trouble for the PCs while being the laxer enforcer--which is a first to my knowledge ).[/SBLOCK]

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Okay, I realize that I am the one who started this debate and I suppose I should be the one to finish it. So, here it is. Nothing held back.

1. I just finished typing a post in the General forum about PbPs and how they only work if the players are committed. Talk about making myself feel like a hypocrite. So, I realized that I should apologize first and foremost.

2. All of what I said earlier in this thread was true, however. I didn't like playing in conflict between ideals between RA and myself over good/lawful. I wasn't really appreciative of alqways feeling like Rhaka's VoPness was counter-intuitive to the needs and goals of the party. Slowly my irritation crept into causing me to be not so committed to the game. Unfortunately, since I wasn't having fun it lead to a lack of committment. That's what the above apology is for. Not for what I said, but for letting my dislike of the conflict about my character to interfere.



However, I also did like being a player in a PbP. [Don't get me wrong, I like DMing as well, and I hope my players like my DMing.] But it was nice to be a player. And ... I am interested in the actual story here. I just wish I was playing a character who could be more "free" about the story as well.

So, here's what I'll propose. If you both feel it worthwhile, I'd like to continue with another character instead of Rhaka. I'd like to play something simple (non-caster) if possible. If this is acceptable to RA and if Unleashed would like to keep up the game, I'd also like to continue. I wouldn't mind trying again with a character that I can feel comfortable getting into their skin.

It's an honest answer, but I also understand if I've already ruined it. I'm open to suggestions, really.

 

[Rystil Arden]

As I said before, I'm perfectly fine with switching characters in general, but on the other hand, I don't think it is worthwhile to continue the game with only one of the initial four characters left if I have to recruit a party that is 80% new (plus poor Baeleth). This game is already a bit different than usual because I skipped around and modified things based on some of the characters (particularly Val), so it won't hold together very well with an all-new cast.

Possibilities (most of these are pretty bad ideas, but we have to start somewhere):

1) Hiatus and hope some of the AWOL players return
2) Kill the game
3) Restart the game
4) Retcon and pretend that we restarted the game with different characters, even though we didn't
5) Something better?

EDIT: By the way, NLF--as far as I'm concerned, the players who left the game are the main cause of the rearrangement problems, not you (If it had just been Rhaka who needed to switch out and Val and Verra were still around, there wouldn't be an issue at all) That said, RL comes first, so they did the right thing too.

 

[unleashed]

I'm fine to continue... now to work out how that's going to happen.

A hiatus would be the best option if we could pull it off, but I'm concerned it'll just turn into option 2 or send us back to this discussion again in the not too distant future if the others cannot return in a reasonable amount of time. So moving on to the more likely choices for continued play...

If you both would prefer to start from scratch, which would probably be the easiest way to go with adding a lot of new characters, I'm happy to do that. After all, I haven't really used any of Baeleth's Wizard abilities yet, so I won't miss them, and it won't take much to change him back to 1st-level... or I could make a new character too, though I've no idea what that would be right now. As for forgetting the plot, it's almost as simple as not looking at my log for this game thus far.

Otherwise, retconning Nonlethal's replacement for Rhaka, and adding new players from where we're up to seems a possibility from my perspective. As it means Nonlethal and I won't have to forget what we already know to make the game work, and the new players won't be expected to know everything we know from the start. Also, it might allow for AWOL players to return at some point.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

I'm okay with either of those.

Although I have to admit, I feel like this is a choice between chosing to cut my own pinkie finger off or choosing to watch someone else cut off the pinkie of a good friend. {Sorry for the gorey analogy.} I know you said that it isn't completely my fault, RA. But it still feels like it.

 

[Bront]

Sorry about that.

FWIW, I am potentialy relocating, and potentialy on my own dime, but either way, we need to do some house renovations (the floor in one room was coming up), plan a trip out there to look around, and generaly, I had already bitten off so much in PbP it was gnawing at my sanity (what little I already have left).

 

[Rystil Arden]

Sorry about that.

FWIW, I am potentialy relocating, and potentialy on my own dime, but either way, we need to do some house renovations (the floor in one room was coming up), plan a trip out there to look around, and generaly, I had already bitten off so much in PbP it was gnawing at my sanity (what little I already have left).

As I said above--you did the right thing, Bront. RL comes first, and this is just a game. No matter what happens, KoD will live on in some form

 

[Nonlethal Force]

Yeah, I understand it that way too. RL always has to come before games. It's a bit sad sometimes to see people go, but relocating, being newly married, etc all change a person's free time.

Anyway, RA ... any thoughts?

Something I was thinking about - although I don't know if it would work ... could Aileen (Elenia) offer to send some new recruits with Baeleth? (Perhas friends she knows as Aileen who don't know she's the princess? Maybe they're looking for work and she hooks them up unofficially?) If they were briefed by Baeleth before they went, it would give reason for me to hold on to Rhaka's IC knowledge of the non-Rhaka specific storyline. The other recruits (however many there are) could just pick it up as we went ahead.

That way, Baeleth could continue to be played and the storyline could continue, and my knowledge isn't wasted completely by having a new character. In other words, it need not be like only 1 character is continuing ... I would just be responsible for making sure my character "remembered" what information they did on account of Baeleth's debriefing.

Additionally, it would leave the door open for Val and/or Verra to be re-entered into the story if Bront/Keia return to the game later.

Possibility?

 

[Rystil Arden]

Yeah, I understand it that way too. RL always has to come before games. It's a bit sad sometimes to see people go, but relocating, being newly married, etc all change a person's free time.

Anyway, RA ... any thoughts?

Something I was thinking about - although I don't know if it would work ... could Aileen (Elenia) offer to send some new recruits with Baeleth? (Perhas friends she knows as Aileen who don't know she's the princess? Maybe they're looking for work and she hooks them up unofficially?) If they were briefed by Baeleth before they went, it would give reason for me to hold on to Rhaka's IC knowledge of the non-Rhaka specific storyline. The other recruits (however many there are) could just pick it up as we went ahead.

That way, Baeleth could continue to be played and the storyline could continue, and my knowledge isn't wasted completely by having a new character. In other words, it need not be like only 1 character is continuing ... I would just be responsible for making sure my character "remembered" what information they did on account of Baeleth's debriefing.

Additionally, it would leave the door open for Val and/or Verra to be re-entered into the story if Bront/Keia return to the game later.

Possibility?

Oh, that's exactly my plan for the new players--you've nailed it on the head. But I need to have at least some continuity though from the beginning. Have you ever had one of these moments:

The PCs can't carry all the stuff out of the dungeon, so they hire out an NPC merchant to port the stuff and sell it, and sign a contract that everyone can agree with. Several adventures and character deaths later, they come back for their money. The merchant says "I've never seen any of you before in my life," and he's right--none of the initial players remain.

In that sense, I don't want killing Baeleth to do this, if he ever gets killed (almost happened last time, for instance--could easily happen next time). If he's the only one of the four initial characters who sticks around, then one little roll (a crit for an orc, a failed save-or-die, etc) will do that to the party. I've also seen parties that fell flat because the lack of initial players ruined the impetus to actually do the adventure. No, I need to have a decent number of the initial characters around.

If someone were to take over Val, Verra, (or hey--even Rhaka), that would fix it. My ret-con idea would too.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

The PCs can't carry all the stuff out of the dungeon, so they hire out an NPC merchant to port the stuff and sell it, and sign a contract that everyone can agree with. Several adventures and character deaths later, they come back for their money. The merchant says "I've never seen any of you before in my life," and he's right--none of the initial players remain.

Heh. That's funny! And for the record, I'd actually be on the side of the merchant. Of course, as a DM I'd also have made sure that the replacement characters weren't depending on that wealth so that when they complained they wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

If it would make you feel better ... I could always continue to play Rhaka until she inentionally eats a poison berry. Then she wouldn't need to come back! [Kidding .. just so you know.] Although, it brings up an interesting question. Clearly suicide (at least non-sacrifical suicide like standing in the path of a black dragon so your friends can get away unharmed) is not a good act, right? But is it lawful or chaotic as you see it? [Or neither, because it falls on the good/evil axis?]

On a different note, I had an idea, but it would need some serious work. It might make it easier to continue with as little retro-thingie as possible. The question is, how far would you allow it? Slap Rhaka into a new alignment, whatever fits her. Strip her of her VoPness, that's okay. The only problem is what to do with her. Without her VoPness/exalted status she's an even weaker character, although she would be easier to RP and wouldn't necessarily conflict the party. Is this even a possibility? The problem is, would she then become so weak that she's worthless to the party? I had originally given her a low INT as a flaw to help balance the VOP benefits. As I've said before, I think it's the whole alignment/VoP/exalted thing at work here. If we can come to an alignment agreement and if she has a foreseable future as a legit character ... it could work. Any thoughts on this? It certainly would require a fair amount of work on my behalf .. although in some respects it would be like getting a different character. It would take the least amount of work on your part (and Unleashed's aprt) and that would also make me happy. But is this even possible? Thoughts?

FWIW, I don't want to sound wishy-washy. I just want to be able to pick up the game and not feel like I'm hindering it. I want to play and have fun, but I want you all to do the same. I realize that may come out as wishy-washy ... but I'm trying to find some sort of compromise so that I go on with a character that I can enjoy playing and you all can enjoy the game like you have been. I guess what I am saying is that in the end, if we restart/retcon I'll always feel as though you all had to go about a lot of work just to please me (even though you said it isn't that, RA). So I'll throw out ths idea as a last ditch effort to prevent you all from having to do much work and still allow me to be excited about the game.