The Reconquista OOC

[Thanee]

Hmm. Normal approach to dealing with wizards is to send someone to grapple them. I'm not sure that works when the wizard's a fire giant!

Annis Hags can grapple quite well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

Seriously, I think Anastasia and Latalya are just going to have to provide morality and reason to Mavic a lot of times. They're the only people around that are likely to prompt any natural respect from Mavic.

I guess that could work. As an elf, Latalya will generally prefer caution over blindly charging in.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Hypersmurf]

Mavic's doesn't give giants that sort of credit really. They're dumb, brutish creatures that rely on their strength rather than their wits. When you kick them, they kick back. They lack willpower and mental fortitude, and they're lesser creatures. He recognizes that they're dangerous, but in the same way wild dogs are dangerous. That is, even if they've got alerts going on they're not likely to respond in an appropriate or credible fashion to Mavic. Yes, I know it doesn't make a lot of logical sense. Mavic's beyond "normal" logic though, he's a hate and spite-filled racist. The only way he thinks he's ever going to prove those qualities as not inappropriate is to kill giants and become a hero, which he knows deep inside he isn't.

I'm just... concerned. I can see Reivik trusting Anastasia, and Latalya, and Morley, and George, as comrades-in-arms and companions, people he'd trust with his life and to watch his back. But I can also see him saying "Sure, I'll do your mission... as long as that psycho isn't on board."

Someone who chooses to ignore tactical considerations and realities in favour of his own version of reality isn't someone safe to work with.

But if he thought that would be the best way to kill the most giants then Mavic would all for it...

... but it isn't. It's the best way to kill the fewest giants, because once you die, you can't kill any more of them...

-Hyp.

 

[Branding Opportunity]

Scotley: Thanks for your responses to my questions. I'll take a look at the IC threads you mentioned.

 

[Thanee]

Now that we're about to embark on the IC game I'd like to ask your advice on a subject. In your experience, what are things that kill a PbP game? I'm not talking individual preferences here, I'm asking what things objectively can kill a game? The most obvious one, of course, is if the GM stops posting, so you don't have to mention that

Breaks. Too many and too large breaks. Especially from the DM.
Losing interest. Either as the DM or a player.

As the DM, generally don't wait too long for a response from a specific player. To push things along, it's ok to take over the control over the PC for a moment. Of course, one should try to act reasonable and within character.

As a player, don't just wait for the DM to throw you something to reply to. Also reply to the other characters' questions and/or actions, and every now and then, also post something (especially, if there seems to be nothing else to do for you), just to let the others know you are around. Usually a good opportunity to bring out some character traits, too. Not every post needs to be super-relevant for the plot.

ADDENDUM: Would you mind pointing out some (in your opinion) really great IC threads? I'd be interested in getting your opinions.

CLICK

That is (was) one game, where the DM did an outstanding job IMHO.

And I think this here is one of the better OOC threads. The idea with the background synopsis is pretty cool!

Bye
Thanee

 

[James Heard]

I'm just... concerned. I can see Reivik trusting Anastasia, and Latalya, and Morley, and George, as comrades-in-arms and companions, people he'd trust with his life and to watch his back. But I can also see him saying "Sure, I'll do your mission... as long as that psycho isn't on board."

That's fine with Mavic though, since he wouldn't particularly care whether or not everyone hated his guts if there were giants to kill though he'd be disgusted at anyone who let their personal feelings get in the way a chance to kill giants. To be certain, Mavic isn't there to watch Reivik's back. It's just not likely to come to mind as important all of the time.

Someone who chooses to ignore tactical considerations and realities in favour of his own version of reality isn't someone safe to work with.

People who take time off to spend valuable training time wasted on learning ancient dwarven chants aren't anyone Mavic would particularly pick as his first choice either. The singing and the poem writing? Mavic probably feels generous that he's letting Reivik come along, whether or not that's really the case at all. Reivik's probably the embedded journalist to Mavic.

... but it isn't. It's the best way to kill the least giants, because once you die, you can't kill any more of them...

Either he's less important than a lot of giants in which case he's proved himself by taking a bunch out or he's important enough that death would just be an interruption while loyal Sterich citizens recognized his greatness and raised him. He's not a cleric, but he is as devout follower of Wee Jas. Even in death he'd be proving and testing himself.

If you can't wrap your head around it any other way, consider that my creepy cohort is the cleric. If she's the only high enough level cleric around to travel with then maybe Reivik can come down from his high tactical standards long enough to recognize that she's useful whether or not Reivik thinks that Mavic is a ticking time bomb personality.

Anyways, if Mavic were less flawed then he'd be less interesting to get inside his head. Basically I think he's a nutjob on a teetering precarious balance right now. Either he slips deeper into the darkness, or he somehow comes to grips with everything. I mean really, eventually the war is over, right? And basically Mavic's got a bunch of ideals that he doesn't exactly follow and that he's pushed aside in favor of expediency. I figure he either goes NE and ends up the lonely guy raising zombies to fix his tower, or he eventually repents and goes LG on everyone.

 

[Hypersmurf]

People who take time off to spend valuable training time wasted on learning ancient dwarven chants aren't anyone Mavic would particularly pick as his first choice either.

Eminently fair

Okay - well, the synopses have certainly helped in that respect. Reivik's gonna be awfully wary of Mavic's state of mind...!

-Hyp.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Mavric = psychotic?


Let me say a few things about a PC's intense hatred. It is good as long as it is tempered by reason. As a PC gets older reason does occur. That is the logic behind wisdom getting plused up in old age.

In real life, those that survive have learned to control their hate. In 1ed I had a PC with an intense hatred. After 2 failed assination attempts that where littlerally a die roll between life & the trash pile, it made sense to calm down. The GM made some obvious traps & back than assination was a percentile live or die roll. He informed me he was going to keep doing these attempts as I grew more powerful. I learned real quick to tone it down.

I would think after several years of war and experience, Mavric would learn to control his hate and relent to stealth.

Controlling hate is not the same as making it not so severe. In fact the hate can grow.

I would not be surprised to see George egg on his hatred though.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have seen PBP die because the GM can not post as much. In my opinion the GM probably needs to post twice as much as the players. This shows that he is moving the game along and is responding to everyone.

Branding I think that so far you are on track with this.

 

[Seeten]

Anastasia has her sword, Clarity, by now, and her lance, Conviction, as well. Mayaheine provides and protects.

Parlay with Drow. Well, +21 diplomacy, so negotiations are a strong point. What do I know about drow? I have no particular knowledges that cover it. Assuming I dont know a drow from a normal elf, I'll assume, if they seem evil, that they are untrustworthy, but self serving, and negotiate from that standpoint.

Why doesnt a glitterdust + lance charge fix the air elemental? I am sure it does outrageous dmg to any single target guy. Can my horse make it up there?

Once we descend, its a horse free zone, which is a sad thing. I'll need to rely on divine might and shield, and large amounts of smite. Holy works against fire giants, so they have something they can fear. Clarity. Take that, evil monsters!

I dont sense any great speechifying opportunities, except maybe with the drow and dwarves, but Ana doesnt understand self pity, so Morley's effort is better placed anyway.

 

[Seeten]

On the subject of Mavic, Anastasia will absolutely not allow any mindless killing, behind the back antics, finger cutting off answer getting sessions, or other on the brink episodes. That is to say, she will use her force of personality to quell that sort of thing the second it reappears.

It is ok to hate giants. Anastasia hates them. It is ok to want revenge, Anastasia is the Paladin of a goddess of Vengeance. It is ok to kill as many giants as you can to make your homeland safe, and Anastasia will help everyone do so.

It is not ok to recklessly endanger lives, comrades especially, or even your own, murder in cold blood something that isnt evil(murder in cold blood all the giants you like, but dont torture) and it isnt ok to just basically be the next thing to evil.

Anastasia has standards. She doesnt hold people to her standards, and she doesnt care what you talk about over the campfire at night, "I want to kill every giant on earth...slowly" whatever, but she does care about actions, quantifiable actions that can get others killed. Anyone who is a danger to the mission, is staying back at camp, no matter how powerful. Anyone who cannot follow the battleplan, even if he is the genius who thought it up, isnt trustworthy enough to risk life and limb with. She also cares about her friends, Mavic included.

So, I guess what I am saying, is this: I dont think Mavic would ever drop to the depths of insanity around Anastasia, because she'd turn on him and unleash the glare of doom. Anastasia is jovial and kind, and spends most of her time laughing and having fun, but she can turn that off, in an instant, to cold calculating fury. And woe, literally, to those on the other end of it. Not only is she a force of nature, personality wise, her god fully backs her up.

So. Go mostly as nuts as you want, as long as you dont endanger anyone. I know Mavic has mentioned "Unless Anastasia" several times, so I assume he is aware of the above, but this is the expectation. It probably happened once, a couple years ago, I dont imagine it'd ever happen a second time.