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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 8996299" data-attributes="member: 29398"><p>If they accept the premise, it's fine. But that 'if' is doing a lot of work there; and even running just a one-shot I don't think I'd ever ask players to accept that fine-tuned a premise in that it hard-codes too many things about their characters up front without their input:</p><p></p><p>--- their alignment (clearly they're lawful or they'd never have sworn to anything and meant it, and here the premise revolves around their having meant it)</p><p>--- their support of not just monarchical rule in general but of that Duke in particular (otherwise why would they swear to protect him?)</p><p>--- a general sense that their social class is not low (what Duke would have low-life alley rats for protection, even if their sworn word was good and true?)</p><p></p><p>And I'd never try anything like this in an ongoing campaign. Hell, I have enough trouble just starting and ending with "You are all adventurers". <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>In a one-shot, railroading is often acceptable for time purposes. However, as one-shots are a specific sub-type of game with quite different parameters and conceits than standard campaign games they're probably not a good example to use in more general discussion.</p><p></p><p>It's a waste of time, in that the players know that no matter what they do or how successful their characters are they still can't prevent that assassin from getting to the Duke in a week.</p><p></p><p>Better IMO would be to start a week prior and say up front (with a bit more flavour added) "Your goal is simple: keep the Duke alive for a week."</p><p></p><p>It's...something odd, but it's not really railroading.</p><p></p><p>No. What it does is make railroading acceptable - and accepted by agreement - at that table.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 8996299, member: 29398"] If they accept the premise, it's fine. But that 'if' is doing a lot of work there; and even running just a one-shot I don't think I'd ever ask players to accept that fine-tuned a premise in that it hard-codes too many things about their characters up front without their input: --- their alignment (clearly they're lawful or they'd never have sworn to anything and meant it, and here the premise revolves around their having meant it) --- their support of not just monarchical rule in general but of that Duke in particular (otherwise why would they swear to protect him?) --- a general sense that their social class is not low (what Duke would have low-life alley rats for protection, even if their sworn word was good and true?) And I'd never try anything like this in an ongoing campaign. Hell, I have enough trouble just starting and ending with "You are all adventurers". :) In a one-shot, railroading is often acceptable for time purposes. However, as one-shots are a specific sub-type of game with quite different parameters and conceits than standard campaign games they're probably not a good example to use in more general discussion. It's a waste of time, in that the players know that no matter what they do or how successful their characters are they still can't prevent that assassin from getting to the Duke in a week. Better IMO would be to start a week prior and say up front (with a bit more flavour added) "Your goal is simple: keep the Duke alive for a week." It's...something odd, but it's not really railroading. No. What it does is make railroading acceptable - and accepted by agreement - at that table. [/QUOTE]
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