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<blockquote data-quote="Pielorinho" data-source="post: 1107372" data-attributes="member: 259">Incidentally, I know a great joke about Jonestown, but the punch line is pretty grim.&nbsp;Cordo pointed out successfully why your examples don't apply.&nbsp; Diplomacy is a great skill -- but it should only be able to work when you've got something to offer.&nbsp; If you're offering to work for the dragon in exchange for your freedom, that's something legit.&nbsp; If you're offering to spread word of the dragon's fierceness and terrible demeanor, that's worth doing.&nbsp; If you offer to lead the dragon to a great treasure hoard, then you're making a real offer.&nbsp; But batting your eyes real pretty and speaking flowery language won't cut it.&nbsp;MLK persuaded people to march on Washington because he offered them freedom.&nbsp; Jim Jones offered people paradise (and these were people pre-selected to believe everything he said -- they were people who started off friendly, in other words).&nbsp; Hitler offered people a grotesque vision of a utopia.&nbsp; Ghandi offered people a world of justice and righteousness.&nbsp;Diplomacy works when you offer people something that they believe they can attain, and that they believe is worth the sacrifice you're asking them to make.&nbsp; Offer them nothing, and it's counter-intuitive for it to work.&nbsp;Daniel</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Pielorinho, post: 1107372, member: 259"] Incidentally, I know a great joke about Jonestown, but the punch line is pretty grim. Cordo pointed out successfully why your examples don't apply. Diplomacy is a great skill -- but it should only be able to work when you've got something to offer. If you're offering to work for the dragon in exchange for your freedom, that's something legit. If you're offering to spread word of the dragon's fierceness and terrible demeanor, that's worth doing. If you offer to lead the dragon to a great treasure hoard, then you're making a real offer. But batting your eyes real pretty and speaking flowery language won't cut it. MLK persuaded people to march on Washington because he offered them freedom. Jim Jones offered people paradise (and these were people pre-selected to believe everything he said -- they were people who started off friendly, in other words). Hitler offered people a grotesque vision of a utopia. Ghandi offered people a world of justice and righteousness. Diplomacy works when you offer people something that they believe they can attain, and that they believe is worth the sacrifice you're asking them to make. Offer them nothing, and it's counter-intuitive for it to work. Daniel [/QUOTE]

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