[OOC] Citadel of the Iron Crown starting point discussion

[Binder Fred]

<snippety snip>where ancestry is involved, a *dwarf's* business is a *dwarf's* business and because he's a dwarf, Baran has no choice but to go it alone, which would be inventing racial traits that I don't think apply to dwarves (in Middle-Earth)

Just to be clear : you are refering to the need to go out *alone*, right? No problems there. My impression of the race is that ancestry is quite important to dwarves though, so the *going out* part would, I think, be required. Something productive has got to be done, every effort made or the family honor is - well - not broken, but certainly not as sturdy as it should be.... Does that fit or am I way off?

Binder Fred, finaly back to home sweet home.

 

[Dlsharrock]

you are refering to the need to go out *alone*, right?

Oh, absolutely. No dwarf worth his salt would let burglars make off with a family heirloom without doing something. It was just the doing something on his own, with no help from anyone- as a typical dwarven trait (or so I interpreted) that I had issue with. I wouldn't have issue with it, and don't, btw, intend to be some huge Tolkien pedant every time a player toys with racial traits, if it hadn't thrown an unecessary spanner in the works of the group setting out together. If it's just a Baran thing though, well that's fine and dandylions, but I still think the rest would just go with him anyway, or at least that makes a nice start to proceedings

 

[renau1g]

Ulfang would go with him regardless of the dwarf's desires. He'd even give him a head start as the dwarf's stubby legs wouldn't let him get too far ahead

 

[Dlsharrock]

The game has started!
Thread link at the bottom of this post. Please read the waffle first.

I have everyone's character sheets (with a few queries/possible problems I'll address as they arise to be honest rather than nitpick through them all in this thread. Nothing major I should add). I have some things to discuss with Binder_Fred re. tunnel combat feat and his weapons choices. And we're waiting for Fenris to present his healer character. I think Fenris that you should join in where you can once your character is approved. I think it's better if the PC is encountered or comes to the logging camp as a visitor, rather than his being an integral part of the camp. I previously mentioned the possibility of hiring an NPC healer, perhaps your PC can fulfill this role?? Of course if the game is relatively sedentary at the beginning you may be able to slip your PC into proceedings as camp healer or something.

Some loose ends to tie up - I'm beginning the game as a linear introduction, with Baran and Ulfang together in Baran's hut, chatting and, I daresay, drinking. They disturb the burglars and give chase. I'm not going to roleplay the whole of this as it means some players are forced to sit and watch. Rather, the intro is an intro and the game begins once the intro is over. Other players should bring their characters in at appropriate points. Please all players bear in mind that this introduction has a twofold purpose: one is to start the game off with a bit of excitement and some possible plot hooks, the other is to bring the group together. The secondary purpose is more important than the first. Once the group are established, we can move on and roleplay in a less self-conscious way.

Some notes on the game in general (in no particular order):

- Rulesplay and Rules Lawyers Rn't Us. As you all know, we're playing D&D 3.5ed rules. Where rules are appropriate I'll use them. If rules get in the way of our enjoyment of the game, I'll omit them. If rules seem inappropriate to the setting I may alter them accordingly (and hopefully intelligently). My games usually emphasise roleplay over rulesplay, and I've had no complaints in more than 10 years of running such games. Rules lawyers are welcome to play in my games, though as a caveat, I don't usually listen to them and have, in the past, asked over-active pedants to either tone it down or find a different game more suited to their... er... preferences. The rules, IMO, are background foundations, not foreground scenery.

- Lookout for Number One and Each Other. If a situation calls for rules specific to your character, or another PC, and I overlook such a rule, feel free to shout about it. Sometimes it's late, I'm tired or my mind isn't entirely enshrined within the pages of the Core books due to a head cold or my GF nattering at me or something. In such situations please don't be afraid to let me know.

- First person, third person once removed etc. Whether you refer to your PC by name 'ie, Fubar opens the door', or use the first person 'I open the door' doesn't matter to me. I'd prefer present tense 'Fubar opens the door' or future tense 'Fubar will open the door' to past tense 'Fubar opened the door' but it's no biggie.

- Map making. I recommend one player volunteers themselves as group map-keeper.

- Sticking Together. Sometimes splitting up will be necessary, but this is officially a group game and I only really have time to moderate one IC thread, so I'd appreciate if players could do their best, using a mix of logic and common sense, to keep the group together. Where this really makes no sense whatsoever, use your best judgement.

!!The game thread is here!!
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=224827

See you in the game!

 

[Shayuri]

Shall I assume Aranel has been alerted by the five interlopers passage? Or shall I roll something?

 

[Shayuri]

Um...or not?

I'm a little confused by the posts. Are people entering the woods yet? It seems like all these checks are being made outside of time and the order of narration, so it's hard to determine what's happening in the present.

 

[Binder Fred]

Um...or not?

I'm a little confused by the posts. Are people entering the woods yet? It seems like all these checks are being made outside of time and the order of narration, so it's hard to determine what's happening in the present.

I've always been more of a pbem man myself, but that's what you call Fluid Time : there *is* no present, everything is fluid until all scenes have come to their respective conclusion. Given the slowness of posting, you simultaniously play (bits of) scenes that don't actually occur at the same time in the order of narration. The only requirement is that you know the end situation of side-scenes (and get there) so the scenes can hook up to each other and form the finished story.

So we *could* have gone the table-top/order of narration way and stopped at Baran seing the thieves in his hut and myself asking for spot rolls. Waited for Renau to describe his character's actions. I would then have rolled, Dave would then have answered with results on both our actions. And so on before moving on to the running scene and then the entering the woods scene. That takes a heck of a lot of time in a forum game. In this case, since we know the outcome of both earlier scenes (thieves get away and enter the woods) all those scenes can be played at the same time and so can the "before the robbery" scene with its "Suddenly there comes a crash and the sound of cursing voices from Baran's hut" end point. When each scene is finished writing, it is then slotted in its place in the order the characters actually experienced them, becoming the finished story. Takes a bit more care (and there *is* the occassional hook-up glitch) but this system ensures everybody has something to do and that things progress apace.

In this case, first decide where your character is and what she was doing when all this occurs. Then decide her actions, wether she notices or not (roll a die if you wish). Describe away in the appropriate thread(s). She could come in as early as the curse and crash, at the screaming or at any other point. You decide... I take it you're used to something different?

Binder Fred, watching the cultures clash.

 

[Shayuri]

It's far more common (as in, I believe you're the first to do it differently in all the games I've played) to use more linear time schemes in play by posts. I haven't really played much in the way of PBEM's so I can't comment on that except to say that fluid time makes more sense for a PBEM, since all the various little clips go through a central moderator (the GM) who then assembles the pieces and redistributes them.

Here, it can get pretty confusing, if my reaction so far is any guide.

It might take a bit more time, but I think it saves a lot of headaches. And really, what's the rush?

That said, I'll adapt if that's the way y'all wanna play. No biggy.

 

[Binder Fred]

except to say that fluid time makes more sense for a PBEM, since all the various little clips go through a central moderator (the GM) who then assembles the pieces and redistributes them.

Only in player vs player games or if, say, your thief has gone a wandering and what he discovers would directly affect what the main group is doing : then you'd see cordoned off posting groups with DM-managed interactions between groups. Else you post to everybody at once, just like in forum play.

Truly, aside from the ability to do the above, the only difference between the two is that in forum games you have a record of past posts outside your personal computer.

Binder Fred, hungry now, what with Ulfang's venison bit.

 

[Shayuri]

Hee...we've had different experiences gaming online, I can see.

Here's my main concern, aside from confusion which will pass swiftly now that I understand what's going on a bit better. It seems to me that doing things this way puts some extra-game pressure on posters. That is, it influences what people can and/or will do based on who posts first...not necessarily which character acts first.

For example, say I post Aranel observing the thieves run away, then starting to track them, then noticing you and deciding to join up...and I post it first. But maybe you intended to go to the camp first and notify them to get help. Well...now you're stuck. You can either post your actions differently than I did...and make it so I wasted the time and effort I spent in writing my bit...or you can ditch what you wanted to do (and have every right to do, IC) because Aranel's player (not character) was faster on the gun than you.

I dunno. Granted, this sort of scenario probably doesn't come up often...but the potential for it has me leery.