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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FreeTheSlaves" data-source="post: 3894641" data-attributes="member: 9952">Ok, I’ll clarify a bit more of the situation as I saw it, and then outline what I see as the broader debate. (Madewithletters is the GM, and his view is an accurate account of one side of the debate.)Our PC’s are the guests within the keep, that is true. So we should be turfed out on our butts, like we have been in the past. However we are the only effective force at hands that can, will and have taken the fight right to the Vampires. The local Lords failed to protect the townsfolk except to get the majority of them to flee as refugees.Our PC’s definitely are not mercenaries. Wealth serves as a secondary/tertiary goal for all of them. Priest lives to test his strength in combat and smith mighty weapons and armours. Maugrim fights to vanquish evil and accumulate prestige and estates. Grenwyn performs crop-enriching ceremonies, battles the minions of darkness, and adores Maugrim. Kali hones her magics to grow in power and reinforce her independence. Wealth alone will not tempt these characters.Priest and Maugrim did quietly debate the wisdom of Priest using powerful magic in front of the militiamen. They both agreed it wasn’t the best decision but Priest was in a hurry to return to the party before nightfall, so we could attack the vampires. The mist during the day did cause confusion.Grenwyn’s outburst at the militiaman was in response to Priest (who she considers to be more the heroic cleric she wishes she could be) being slightly injured. It was harsh on the militiaman, but hey, she’d do that.Maugrim is not self-proclaimed. He is born nobility, has 50+ followers, a knighthood, a stronghold, 200+ Gnomish allies, good charisma (16), and loyally serves his Queen. Priest has a reputation more as a foe-slayer than as a lord, but Maugrim definitely lays claim to Lordship without thought. In his birth lands, he didn’t take lip from militiamen even when he was 4th level.Maugrim did not give the militiaman much respect as what he saw was his loyal follower getting ripped into by a lesser in terms of: social status, spiritual status, and combat prowess. Maugrim may have done the same on grounds of gender alone.The duel was a farce. Maugrim didn’t take any pride in that and felt rather foolish afterwards. I think he regrets challenging a lesser to a duel – there has to be something comparative for it to have meaning.Maugrim did try to command respect via diplomacy, but the surly militiamen needed to be constantly reasoned with to get the simplest of aid, such as opening the gate or sharing the armoury. Eventually diplomacy failed and so he got heavy handed. I think they were so lippy because they knew of his reputation for not shedding blood unless he has to defend himself. Ironically, if he was a CN Half-Orc Barbarian he would have got more respect. Of course he’d definitely be a tyrant – no ifs or buts there.The heroes likely won’t leave the militia to their fate. They agreed with the local lords to return the favour and as they’re able to they will. Although to be clear the local lords merely outfitted the heroes in mundane gear until they were able to retrieve their real gear. The heroes repayment is at least 50 times more difficult. One of the vampires is the 3rd local lord, another is the former head of the militia, and a 3rd is a senior Cleric. Their leader is a much more powerful fallen hero from old and their undead horde roams for miles in all directions.The greater debate is about social-power relations. Yes a player may get drunk with power as their PC enters high level, but also what about deference? High level PC’s leave in their wake many quests and reputations. Surely that would affect how they’re treated? DM’s need to make the social transition to high level as well. If low level NPCs treat the high level PCs as equals, doesn’t that ignore campaign developments and social status?</blockquote>

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