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Post by Bewildered Badger on Apr 20, 2008 7:44:56 GMT -5
There were a few issues about the way that I'd been role playing Moon Owl in the Strands of Fate that I wanted to clarify, specifically his attitudes to various other members of the team. Ideally this would have come out through role playing, but that looks unlikely now.
Even though the matters are small, almost trivial, I'd feel happier if we could clear the air, so to speak, so unless anyone has any objections I thought we could discuss such matters here. I'll not start anything now, just in case we somehow can restart it soon.
We can also use this thread for ideas on how to restart things, assuming people are still interested.
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Post by Al on Apr 20, 2008 8:54:36 GMT -5
Sure, sounds like fun, I thought your char was excellent, what questions did you have?
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Post by Beowuuf on Apr 20, 2008 11:20:01 GMT -5
Yeah, he seemed to be the natural leader, butting against berkos'a straight knight and the less straight and unfairly untrusted cap'n al
What was the attitude of him to the rest of us then?
Obviously, I have no objection hijacking the thread if anyone wants to ask any questions, make comments, or put forward criticisms of Cat
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Post by Bewildered Badger on Apr 20, 2008 12:06:39 GMT -5
I'm glad to hear that some approve!
I'll not start anything yet though, as Zipp was our GM I'd want his blessing, to say nothing of his input.
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Post by Al on Apr 20, 2008 13:54:08 GMT -5
Yeah, he seemed to be the natural leader, butting against berkos'a straight knight and the less straight and unfairly untrusted cap'n al Cap'n Al... I was having so much fun playing him! |
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Post by zipp on Apr 21, 2008 0:35:16 GMT -5
Hey guys! Yeah, I wouldn't mind sharing what I had planned for the rest of the game, too, as I doubt we'll ever get back into it. Especially since many of my notes were mental ones, and now it would be hard to regain their tangled thread.
Of course, that's only if you want to know.
EDIT: I will say there's a chance I'll pick up the game again, now that I see everyone was so into it!
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Post by Swiftstrike on Apr 21, 2008 3:56:14 GMT -5
Ah it was a great game. I not quite sure were Akono i was just going to see where the game and the character's interactions took him too.
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Post by Bewildered Badger on Apr 21, 2008 5:29:50 GMT -5
OK, a few thoughts.
First of all, I can remember all the characters (they're like old friends now), but could we get a recap of who played who? I am a badger of little brain and often forget stuff.
Now one of the things I wanted to clear up was Moon Owl's attitude to certain members of the team. I'd hoped to get an opportunity to role play this out, but that seems unlikely. At the end of our first adventure, Moon Owl had formed opinions about the others, based upon their actions and attitudes. Just to complicate things events in the second story caused him to revise some of his views.
It may seem odd, but as far as Moon Owl is concerned the defeat of the Drakkarim wizard in Toran was not a great victory. Whilst the plot was foiled and the city saved, the price was appallingly high. The death of the head of the BCS must surely count as a major tragedy, given his importance to the city and the nation as a whole. All but two of the Stalwart's crew were slaughtered, as were the prisoners on the enemy vessel. Two allies, Satori and Sir Sayid, are missing, presumed dead. The city itself was badly damaged, many of it's citizens hurt or killed.
Moon Owl understands people's need for heroes, so he accepted the honours and applause when the Guild showed off the 'Warriors of the Light', the 'Heroes of Toran' to the people of the city. Inside though he felt little pride, constantly asking himself what went wrong.
In his mind he has identified what he thinks is the crucial moment. At the Battle of Toran Harbour, he decided that the best tactic would be to advance along the quay, boarding the Stalwart, helping what was left of her crew, and from there counter attacking the Ebon Snake. It was not the most subtle of plans, but there was no time for complexity, and sometimes a bold counterstrike at an unexpecting enemy can carry the day.
As it happened most of the others preferred to commandeer a small ship and attempt to attack by the sea. Moon Owl cautioned against this approach. It is unwise in battle to split ones forces needlessly. Furthermore a ship needs a minimum number of people who know what they are doing inboard under ideal conditions. Taking a ship out into a supernaturally fulled storm with untrained civilians making up a less than skeleton crew is madness. That they even got near the Ebon Snake is something he sees as the will of the Gods.
Though Moon Owl voiced his objections, he did not do so forcibly enough to prevent the group splitting. As such only he and the Dwarf Adric made the assault. Though they reached the Stalwart it was far too late for most of the crew.
Moon Owl believes that if the others had accompanied him and Adric, they could have attained their goal much sooner. He feels no ill will (although a little exasperation) towards Cat, who was unconscious at the time. Most of the others are visitors from other lands, and as such can not be expected to automatically follow the orders of a Kai.
Squire Berkos is a different matter. I'm not sure if a Kai, especially such a low ranked one, has any legal right to give orders to others. Certainly scenes in Flight From The Dark, where members of the military dismiss Lone Wolf as 'just a boy' suggest only the higher ranked Kai have any authority. Yet it seemed to Moon Owl that Berkos, the best melee fighter in the group, should have jumped at his suggestion of a straightforward assault, especially with Sommerlending lives at stake on the Stalwart. Instead the Knight chose to join the group on the ship.
This is a mystery to the young Kai Lord. Comments later made by Adric suggest that the Dwarf believes Berkos to be a coward (though this may simply be Dwarfish humour). Moon Owl doesn't believe that in the slightest. There must surely be some other, better explanation. True, Berkos did say he was going to keep an eye on Cap'n Al, whom he believed to be a notorious pirate, but that explanation does not make sense to Moon Owl. A Dark wizard is destroying the city, hordes of Giaks roam the streets butchering helpless civilians, the leaders of the BCS are under attack by foul magic. Yet Berkos considers it more important to keep an eye on a suspected felon than attempt to halt the attack. Utterly perplexing.
I must stress that the above represents Moon Owl's views in character, not necessarily my own!
So at the end of the first adventure, Moon Owl saw at best an incomplete victory. He became convinced that if he'd taken more decisive control at that critical time things could have gone a whole lot better.
Any way, that's enough for now. Thoughts and comments please!
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Post by zipp on Apr 21, 2008 11:44:51 GMT -5
That's what made that game really great. Everyone was very deeply involved in their characters. I tried to provide situations that would create conflicts both internal and external, but of course it was up to the players to use it and build on it. I was just pleased that everyone did, to some degree.
I won't drop the whole plot line yet, just in case we get back into it, but I will say that the current plot arc was going to lead you to Lyris.
The second plot arc would start in Lyris, lead you to the Ilion plains (tieing up some loose ends from the Ragadorn Tavern game), and end in the Darklands.
The third plot arc would've gone back to Lyris and ended in the Wastes of Kalte.
Following my basic plot wouldn't be too difficult still. What's hard is remembering all the little nuances and twists I'd come up with in response to your character actions.
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Post by Al on Apr 21, 2008 15:32:39 GMT -5
I had vague impressions about Lyris and Kalte, but not about the Darklands!
I have a question - assuming that the LWRPGOL becomes active again, can we not just assume that we all survive adventure two and start on adventure three, or would their be too many missed hints and stuff from adventure two?
Al
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Post by Beowuuf on Apr 21, 2008 16:00:29 GMT -5
Heh, funny to hear Moon Owl's take on that battle, since Cat's was exactly the opposite! He thought that wading through the main attack was foolish in the extreme, and that tryign to go around and take out the wizard from the side was the much prefered option. Especially since he felt that if the orb was removed (destroyed, knocked from the man's hand, etc) the spell would be brokn. AS a player I was dubious and surprised and pleased this actually worked out for the other group, but Cat was convinced. Cat felt confident the group could fake out and topple a Gourgaz with a gammy leg and no sea ability, and he was ready to talk his way close to the wizard by hook or by crook Instead, our Telchos Tyrste got bored with all the talk and ran off, and Cat went to make sure she was safe. OF course the group split was the wrong option, but worse yet was the fact that Adric (who Cat is fond of even though secretly doesn't trust his judgement given the loss of Sayed) and Moon Owl wanted to do a frontal assault! Cat's 'unconsciousness' was of course a desperation measure given the perceived danger and foolishness of the plan. A normal assault wouldn't work, and of course the beligerant warriors killed the Giak cat tried to charm (hoping beyond hope he could be captured and dragged off to the wizard, again to knock the stone fro mthe man's grasp to break the spell.) Instead, a move he'd vaguely thought was possible - using an untested hard armastice to create a temporary gap where he and the others could rush through the Giaks and try to make it deep into the enemy territoy didn't work because of the previous battle and need to use tier II in the fight - and Cat of course almost died. This was not a pre-meditated choice, but seemed logical if risky to buy back some of Cat's backstory. He was an intelligent unliekly boy who#d wormed his way into the Brotherhood. The fact he was a mage slightly ahead of the rest needed to be bought back by a) him having a quick and unusual mind, and b) more importantly him beng fundamentally flawed in the ways of magic, lacking the basics and basic controls in application. Lessons drummed in to children for years opf not overtaxing yourself were over his head, so I felt it right he would, in that situation, push himself without thought and afterwards logically have a crisis when his magic had betrayed him like that. I think Cat felt the group were heroes and capable, but that the group over-estimated their strength of arms, instead of their other skills. Although it worked out well, Cat really didn't liek the plan for. He would have gone alon with it with a feelign of dread if I hadn't been going on holiday, as it was it gave the perfect opportunity for Cat to be Cat and go off by himself to try and 'rescue' the group singlehandedly to save them from themselves  I hoped I'd get to play an outlandish, unlikely character that everyone wouldn't hate (as players, and characters that would be fine) that could mature over a long game. I invested alot in his character to try and make him three dimensional, but the monst important thing I did was roll a second chaarcter up, with a totally different personality (thought still BCS mage) to make sure I played him true and not try to play him for laughs nor save him from dangers or the consequences of foolishness. He regarded Adric as headstrong and stubborn but found himself likign the intelligent dwarf anyway (though the rift about Sayed's fate might have came to the fore more and more). He loved Capn'n Al, regarding the man as a facinating and like minded individual (Not seeing him as a scoundrel at all, and therefore seeing further than the rest of the group in that way!). He regarded both Moon Owl and Berkos as capable fellow Sommlending, despite the occasional narrowness of their vision in certain matters (Moon Owl and the amulet, for certain non-character reasons, Berkos for his dealings with al to start with). Akono was a mystery, I think it would have been somethign Cat would have slowly been drawn towards as he saw more of the Kundi's ability. As a player I loved how Sol played Satori, it gave Cat a playmate of the same apparent naiviety yet curiosty to play with. I remember Satori in the robe in the house as a great example of a fun moment. Tyste Cat was, not scared of, but didn't known how to take her. HE admired her as a warrior, but she seemed the only 'grown up' of the group, and he didn't really know how to take her. Sadly there was not enough time to known Goyagi, but I feel due to the relationship with Satori, Cat would have gravitated to the cat creature. As a player I would have relished playing opposite Simey, and as character's Goyangi's silent, no nonesense cat creature would have been a great odd pairing with Cat's brand of insane chatty madness. I definitely think Moon Owl felt liek he was becoming the leader, even if the group was a group of equals, and certainly strong elements like Al, Adric and Berkos would try to pull the group other ways. But that was how Moon Owl worked best, he balanced all those elements out! |
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Post by Beowuuf on Apr 21, 2008 16:02:06 GMT -5
I had vague impressions about Lyris and Kalte, but not about the Darklands! I have a question - assuming that the LWRPGOL becomes active again, can we not just assume that we all survive adventure two and start on adventure three, or would their be too many missed hints and stuff from adventure two? Al The pendant plotline, the spider madness, and whatsisface the ranger all seemed significant elements to resolve. That and Balgin's questions about many limbed spiders ;p |
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Post by zipp on Apr 21, 2008 17:12:36 GMT -5
I had vague impressions about Lyris and Kalte, but not about the Darklands! I have a question - assuming that the LWRPGOL becomes active again, can we not just assume that we all survive adventure two and start on adventure three, or would their be too many missed hints and stuff from adventure two? Al The pendant plotline, the spider madness, and whatsisface the ranger all seemed significant elements to resolve. That and Balgin's questions about many limbed spiders ;p Yeah, in fact you guys are in a pretty good starting spot. I think half of you are in the village, captured, and the other half still making your way there. Battle is over and it's decision making time. Cutting straight to the next adventure would not only lose you some conclusions about the Ranger, but would also lose you a plot spanning item. Akono knows what I'm talking about. |
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Post by Balgin Stondraeg on Apr 21, 2008 20:29:12 GMT -5
There were a few issues about the way that I'd been role playing Moon Owl in the Strands of Fate that I wanted to clarify, specifically his attitudes to various other members of the team. Getting on to clarifications. I'd like to ask Zipp how these giant spiders without hands or even oposable thumbs managed to remove the dwarf's shield that was tied onto the back of his rucksack, remove his rucksack, untie the musket from the side of the rucksack/unsling it from his back, put the rucksack back on his back and then strap the shield back on top of that! Seriously Adric developed a major conspiracy theory that involved the spiders having help (but nothing to do with Prince Phillip, Princess Diana and some rich businessman's son). I had no problems with the axe being removed from his hands (he could've dropped it) but the gun being removed without displacing the two objects on top of it/sandwiching it to his body simply didn't make sense. He probably wouldn't have used it in the current situation. Shooting a gun (with the attendant bang) is about as subtle as a blatant saboteur when trying to sneak out of a monster's lair. He assumed that whoever pinched his musket wasn't very bright (since they didn't take his boompowder). They also didn't take his torches or his tinderbox so he might've slowly cut himself free enough to set fire to the web and break free before taking any serious damage. Or just cut himself free really slowly (via the wiggle method of very slowly decreasing stickiness to work his hand to his dagger and then slowly cut himself free). He wouldn't have made a sound unless it was to respond to his companions (no point advertising his state of consciousness or his activities to nearby foes, but once aware of his companions he would've been as vocal and longwinded as usual  . He would've then tracked down his musket (as it's a major status thing he's not allowed to use, a treasured possession) and exacted wicked vengeance upon the culprit. Although if it wasn't actualy missing then he would've just snuck out with it. He would've offered his dagger to the (least drained) knight to fight anything that attempted to prevent their escape. He'd want that dagger back afterwards (it's his property and he looks after his own equipment), if need be he'd use his shield as a two handed weapon to "assist the knight's attack rolls". So oh yes, he had plans for getting out of there. He did not despise the knight, he just mocked him a bit in that jovial warrior culture way. He did put him down a bit over his lack of involvement in the battle at the docks but the lad had earned some respect by later valour. He didn't like the cat thing or the monkey man (clearly just figments of his own imagination) although he did like the wise sage (who sometimes pretended to be a monkey with magical mind tricks). His favourite companion was actualy the amazon. He liked her attitude and respected many of her opinions (because they seemed like good dwarven attitudes and fitted his world view). Sometimes he wished some of the others could be more like her. He also liked the kai monk, almost treating him as a shield brother (brother in arms, as evidenced by the constant shield swapping to protect the fragile young lad's life). He did like the amazon a little more but didn't get to work with her much (she often went off with the others or did her own thing while he could almost rely on the kai's assistance, although he didn't trust him enough to reveal his secret mission to him just yet). Adric personaly believes that if Berkos had assisted them, the three of them could have reached the ship while the rest of the party rowed over in the boat. He holds it against the young squire that Berkos chose the boat, and it's the main reason he doesn't respect the lad enough yet (that grudge is going to take some good deeds to offset). For the most part it was. There was an element of admonishion (to make sure he wouldn't do it again) but mostly it was a joke. After the encounter at the inn on the road south some of you may have noticed that he didn't put the knight down quite so much. Berkos had begun to earn some respect from the stocky little fellow ('though not yet enough to cancel out his misdeed earlier, the situation in the spider's cave would have proved a great chance for Berkos to fully redeem himself). You've no idea how much I used to chuckle coming up with Adric's outlandish ideas, his justification for them or his attitudes. He was not unlike the sargeant major from It Ain't Half Hot Mum. That wasn't intentional. I didn't give him a welsh accent to make him like Old Shut Up. It's just that his (rather than Phillip Maddoc's) was the deep welsh voice that came up predominently when I was thinking of him (despite the fact that Windsor Davies was not actualy welsh at all but a yorkshireman). So he might have become a bit more like him as play progressed. The awkward thing about Adric is that he operated under certain military protocol and often forgot, or simply overlooked, the fact that these forreigners wouldn't know or understand the orders that he gave them. Often in certain situations he'd act, as if obeying strict orders, and expected the others to know what he was doing without having to explain it to them (because in his world everyone is treated to react to certain dangerous situations the same way). So he was just doing what came naturaly and didn't yet understand that others did not behave the same way. He operated on a "who's best for the job, does it" policy (hence his annoyance at Berkos not taking the main melee on the docks, where Adric believes he would have been best suited). |
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Post by Balgin Stondraeg on Apr 21, 2008 21:07:31 GMT -5
Did anyone else ever pick up on this? I know Adric never explicitly stated his opinions of her but his actions might have given a slight impression (he wasn't willing or ready to offer his opinions on her to the rest of the party yet, his trust is not easily gained). Oh Adric knew it was foolish. He also knew that with his equipment it was his best chance (no leaping from boat to boat in his armour and the same went for the rowing boat, dwarfs like firm ground that doesn't go rolling from side to side and if he fell overboard he'd plummet like a stone). At the distance he was at, he didn't want to waste powder on shots that would miss too often so decided to get in close and distract the giaks while the others got up to something. In his opinion Berkos should have lead the distraction, Moon Owl was optional (but earned much gratitude by assisting him). Yep, you know there was a very blatantly obvious reason why Adric was walking towards the wizard with a keg of boompowder  . He'd sort of had the same idea but his involved getting close enough to lob an ignited powder keg at the wizard (or the gourgaz, ideally catching both in the blast). Yeah, but you guys made the mistake of giving it to Adric to look after. This resulted in a number of things: 1: The dwarf is always very serious. 2: He had been charged with guarding a dangerous magical item that had, adversely, affected a friend's mind (his opinion). 3: This item must be prevented from harming anyone else. 4: He was going to blow it up. The mages at Toran could study it's shattered remains if they wanted but if it could twist friends then how much more damage could it do to high ranking wizards who bear a lot of responsibility? It should certainly be destroyed before it could do any mroe harm. 5: People started asking him to give it to them. Unfortunately they did not outrank him and as such his promise to guard this item untill it could be handed over to a higher authority overrode their demands. 6: He wasn't going to let anyone have it. 7: He was greatly weakened, in a confined space with the foul item and a keg of boompowder. 8: If it looked like he wasn't going to get out alive he'd blow the item up. He didn't want to blast it to smithereens. He simply desired to place it on the ground, place the barrel of a loaded musket directly against the centre and blast a hole through the middle (leaving some twisted metal and a few fragments of gemstone). So er, the plot spanning item might have needed some repairing as it was unlikely to have the artifact status of invulnerability required to survive such a powerful blast. even if it had a little extra magical hardness to make it durable against the elements and the odd accident, there wasn't much chance of it surviving an intentional direct gunshot delivered at pointblank range. He would've definitely left some fragments of the stone in the hole the bullet would make in the floor. He wasn't going to bother digging them all out. He would have then packed the ruined object away (probably wrapped up in a hanky near the bottom of his pack) and not mentioned it, producing it when such higher authorities as were able to deal with it were encountered (at which point he'd expect all sort of grief and hassle from the group over his actions). |
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. He'd sort of had the same idea but his involved getting close enough to lob an ignited powder keg at the wizard (or the gourgaz, ideally catching both in the blast).