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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GnomeWorks" data-source="post: 4680681" data-attributes="member: 162">I have a need for consistency. You do not. Fine.I define the world beforehand, so that I am able to work with a cohesive and consistent background for events that occur in the course of a game.Because that's ridiculous? How likely is it that the PCs happen to get there and stop the ritual just as the countdown hits 00:00:01?In defining this ritual, I would determine how long it takes, certainly. I would attempt to find a reasonable duration based upon the parameters of the spell; what sort of reagents and foci does it require, how many people involved, is it based upon some kind of astrological alignment, etc etc. I would ask myself questions such as, why now? What has prevented this event from happening before? What events have taken place that have put into place the causal chain that leads to this event? What sorts of defenses would such an organization have in place, and what would their reactions to be to interruptions of varying types?I don't care to make things dramatic. You might find that interesting; I do not. I find it trite, overdone, and unrealistic.Imagine that. You have more than a hammer in your toolbox, as PCs, and not everything is a nail.I do not appreciate the arrogant tone here.You seem focused on what is "interesting" and "dramatic." I do not care for things that would be termed as such. I am interested in making a vaguely realistic, reasonable, and consistent setting. I am interested in events taking place that make sense, and I am interested in varying groups of "adventurers" interacting with these events, because - in this fictional setting - there are people who fall under the category of "adventurer" and interact with events of varying interest. How they interact with them, and whether it is "dramatic" or not, is irrelevant.Then there is no point in playing. Failure has no meaning. My actions - or lack thereof - have no repercussions.I hold this view from either side of the screen. If a villain in my setting is out to destroy the world, and capable of such, that goal will be accomplished if nothing is done about it. End of story.I really am not a fan of this 4e mentality of "everyone must be able to contribute equally at all times."Nor am I a fan of this approach. In this instance, I would look at the player and say, "Guess what, you knew - or had opportunity to learn - that this area was a dead magic zone. You went there. It's a dead magic zone. Get over it."For the example commonly cited in my setting, my setting has about twelve dragons, all epic and gestalt. They are incredibly dangerous, though not all evil (nor are they color-coded for your convenience). If you go to one of the few whose lair locations are vaguely known, guess what - you'll find a probably-irritated epic gestalt dragon. Doesn't matter if you're 1st-level or 100th-level. That is what you find. Deal with it.As you should. Just because you are unable to deal with other things going on in the world doesn't mean they aren't going on, and if they happen to impact the area you are adventuring in... well, sucks to be you. I guess you'll have to figure out how to deal with that in-character, as anyone else in that position would.What is this "forced" crap? I'm not holding a gun to a player's head and making them roll the dice.And yes, as a character gains in levels, then yes, they grow in power and importance in the world. At no point, however, does a group or even a single character become the center around which the universe revolves.Your tone makes it clear that you do not understand my position.A player would have to come up with something rather extreme in order for me to decide that it is incompatible with the consistency of the setting.And everytime a player demands something that breaks my setting, something is lost.If elves do not live in forests in my setting, and someone wants to play an elf from a forest, my response is - give me a background that makes it make sense. There are always exceptions, and I am generally willing to allow for PCs to be exceptions to general rules if the player is willing to put in the effort.I'm sorry, but I am unwilling to trash thirteen years' worth of setting for some punk who's not willing to write a page of explanatory background.</blockquote>

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