The Rod of Seven Parts: Kauai Team OOC

[Ambrus]

If you are hot for more skill points, I would even go for you switching out your latest level that you just took for a level in rogue.

That's what I was suggesting; though I was also proposing the idea of going one step further and simply switching both current levels to rogue. To be a truly effective rogue Mael would need to really pump up his search, open locks and disable device skills. That might be easier to do if he was a straight-classed rogue. I guess it would depend on whether you feel it's important enough to have a capable trap-guy in the party.

Maelicent reminds me a little of Loki in the Sandman graphic novels. Do him a favor and he will kill people you like behind your back to screw with you because he resents feeling an obligation to you.

I've never read the Sandman comics I'm afraid. I once ran an Anglo-Saxon campaign with the classical Morpheus as a bad guy so I didn't want the comics influencing me.

Re: Maelicent disliking a sense of obligation, I wholeheartedly agree.

Although I understand you guys' opinion, I don't believe it's entirely accurate. Maelicent acts the way he does (along with most goblins I imagine) out of sense of bitterness and resentment towards those he perceives to be better off than himself. He resents the larger humanoid races for killing and destroying everything he ever knew. He resents himself and his people for being too weak to stop them. He resents the people of the city for being able to erect a grand and wondrous settlement that makes the entire Gudwulf tribelands seem like a sad self-delusional joke. He resents that the big-folk's craft-work and skill at magic outshines his people's in virtually every instance. He hates himself for not seeking revenge for his slain kinsmen and for needing the party-members to learn a better way of life. He hates the gnomes for making a fool of him and his woodland skill for living right under his nose for over six months and making his territorial claims all but meaningless. He consequently hates their good-natured offer of aid. He resents himself for not finding the cave or its hidden cache on his own.

Essentially, Maelicent is a malicious festering boil of bitterness; and that's unlikely to change unless he can prove to himself that he's better than all these giant-kin and mongrel-folk at... something... anything. He's seeking to validate his kinsman's way of life to help bring meaning to their near-genocide, as well as his own existence.

At first I took his behaviour as a personal affront from Ambrus; it seemed like Maelicent's behaviour might have been Ambrus thumbing his nose at both me and this game.

I'm sorry that you ever felt that way; it wasn't my intention. I hold you, the other players and the effort you put into this campaign in the highest regard. I've been in too many PBP games that didn't go anywhere to make me appreciate those that do.

I caveat the above, though, by expressing a profound unhappiness with PCs attacking and/or killing other PCs. I hope it never comes to that. The consequences would be unpleasant for characters and for the game as a whole.

I wouldn't really care for it myself; it wouldn't serve to improve the game or anyone else's playing experience I think. Maelicent may indeed be malicious and full of vinegar, but he does have a grudging respect for the other party members; at least for those who've remained with us (he disliked the kobold and simply thought that Lewit was weird). Maelicent recognizes that he needs them to learn about all the stuff he'll need to rebuild the Gudwulf tribe as an effective and modern society. In the meantime he'll just keep hating himself for it.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

While I can't speak for Voadam, what you said just there about Maelicent's bitterness pretty much sums up what I had been thinking about the character. ...I'd bet money that Voadam thought the same...

Player/owners always seem to phrase their own characters' dreams, motives, ambition, and vices better than do third-parties.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Re: switching out both levels of ranger for levels in rogue...my first inclination is to say heck no, just look at your character background. The background supports a level of ranger. That said, I know that many times when I've sicced goblin sneaks on parties in past games, the goblin sneaks have had levels in rogue.

That said, Chaos can work its wily way into the heart of this game at pretty much any time. We've already seen Dter morph into Chev. Please don't extrapolate from that suggestion that Maelicent should or will morph into Lewit, but if you would prefer Maelicent to have levels in rogue then I can certainly work it in. I'd rather play it out in character, though. Can you imagine Maelicent's reaction upon finding himself no longer able to do certain things but able to do other things far better? Any number of possibilities arise, most of them entertaining as all get out.

So, two choices arise:

1.) Maelicent swaps two levels of ranger for two levels of rogue and we play the switch out in character.

or

2.) You quietly swap 2nd level ranger for 2nd level rogue and we discreetly go about our business as if he has been that way since leveling up.

I guess there's a third choice as well, which is keep things the same and we'll not worry about open lock/disable trap skills until we cross that bridge later on.

 

[Mista Collins]

This is the first play-by-post I have been in where I could get a good understanding of everyone's characters and truly enjoy this game. The details and effort everyone has pt into playing their characters has impressed me. I feel a little saddened that I had to join this game late, but am just happy to be apart of it. It feels like the home games I used to play. I am thankful you didn't drop this one CB.

As for Maelicent, I absolutely love his bitterness.
As for Voadam, I like the way you are playing a character you've had in many games. Now if only we could find him a muzzle
As for Gamad, taking the law influence and playing to it has been funny.
As for Brakkus, what is not to love about a tank. I just can't wait to see the flail in some more action.

Now, I just need to figure out Chev's dreams/ambition/motives to convey them. But then again, he doesn't know where the path he is walking is leading him either.

 

[Mista Collins]

[sblock=CB]Thanks for the info on Kuo-toa. Out of game that is what I was assuming they meant, but didn't want to get a head of myself and Chev's knowledge check.[/sblock]

 

[CanadienneBacon]

You bet, Mista Collins.

 

[Voadam]

Having established in game Maelicent's skills at survival and tracking competency I'd suggest keeping at least one level of ranger. Rogue is a decent class to occassionally dip into for a little sneak attack and a focused 8 skill points of disable device, so most of the character class focus can still be on Ranger. I can see ranger spells as the culmination of Maelicent's quest to learn some magics of his own while still remaining a Gudwulf warrior and Ranger does have search, spot, listen, hide, and move silently as class skills to support the rogue niche as well.

 

[Ambrus]

I wouldn't go for option 1 as presented; Maelicent has enough trouble dealing with regular magic use by his companions. He'd likely freak and flee if he himself was suddenly changed by weird chaos magic. The only reason he's managing now is because he hasn't fully grasped the scope of the forces he's dealing with. He didn't witness Chev's transformation, didn't understand it when it was casually explained and is generally happier not thinking about it too much. When I'd suggested changing to a single-classed rogue it was with the understanding that it'd be a simple cosmetic meta-game change. Mael hasn't displayed any particular abilities that a rogue couldn't have managed just as easily except for the tracking (which could be easily attributed to dumb luck) so I figured it'd be an easy transition as compared, to say, switching to wizard or cleric.

Option 2 is better, though I also don't have any problems with sticking with option 3 either; like Voadam brought up, I'm looking forward to having Mael pick up some magic tricks of his own at fourth level. As I mentioned previously, it's largely a matter of how significant traps and locks are going to be in the campaign. Once one of the wizards learns knock (or acquires a wand or scrolls) then I imagine locks will become a minor issue. If the ten foot pole Mael has appropriated is good enough to detect most traps safely then that might be a minor point too. I dunno.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Why don't we just keep things the way they are, then? If you (or anyone else) wants to multiclass rogue at subsequent levels that is of course fine.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

You guys ready to have your characters sleep for the night or are you wanting to press onward?