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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fenes" data-source="post: 4140286" data-attributes="member: 604">As others said, don't play your NPCs as stupid and suicidal. I'd have assumed an Arbiter was intelligent enough not to provoke a bunch of hot-headed and dangerous adventurers known to use violence. Would it have been too much for the NPC to simply give some (untrue or not) reason? Or to fake some concern for his kids? Or to give some "the mother was insane/evil/frightened" spiel? How did he gain his post then, if he can't even handle PCs without getting killed?Just look at it from the other side of the screen: You have a PC, that walks up to a group of powerful NPCs known for their violent tendencies, and tries to tell them "Give me the baby" and won't give any explanation. Sense motive anyone? Intelligence check? Anything to tell the player "Hey, it's a bad idea to antagonise those people"?Or, to sum it up: If the NPC is doing the equivalent to a PC walking up and trying to boss a dragon around, then the consequence is the same. Consequences and simulationism do not just apply to PCs.If you play your NPCs as having a sense of self-preservation, and with more brains and manners than excessive pride you'd reduce such incidents.That said, I run a campaign where people kill for honor/pride. Quite frequently. A knight would rather die than let an insult or rudeness left unanswered. I assume however, that this also causes the stupidly rude people to get weeded out early on. Not many who have a penchant for making their superiours angry live to see old age - or even 25. And far fewer will pick a fight with heroes. So, most NPCs my PCs meet are polite, and respectful, and used to swallow a lot from nobles and others above their station.</blockquote>

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