At the Adventurers' Table: Chapter Fourteen

[Captain Hesperus]

Wolf Rawrrr with all due respect to you, under normal circumstances, Otiorin would have given Nivirea the benefit of the doubt. Stuff happens in dark, hostile dungeons, stuff gets lost and falls out of safe places only to end up in the nasssssty pocketses of fffffilthy Bagginses, gollum gollum. But the coincident events of Oti’s Dragonsight-induced vision, plus Nivirea’s unexpected disappearance and traumatic reappearance along with an important item that the giant mislaid and Nivirea acquired do create some suspicious circumstances, all told. Perhaps it’s another manipulation at the hands of our captor goddess, who could say. She has a history of working events to tear at the bonds between people. This might be another of her trials.

Captain Hesperus

 

[Purr]

Wolf Rawrrr

This new tagging system is pretty cool I have to say *woof*

I do too.

Purr Purr doesn't this say exactly that?

No, I don't think it does, Wolf. Not when it is read in its entirety. Context matters. And I'm suddenly very tired and bored of all this.

Given the conflicting statements she's been making ever since she ran back to the party with Mad (and angry) Giant in hot pursuit, Bren has reached a point where he can no longer automatically believe anything Nivirea says and is instead suspicious of whatever comes out of her mouth, especially if it sounds like an excuse. It's a most uncomfortable and unnatural state for him to be in, particularly with a party member (i.e., someone he's supposed to be able to trust with his life) but Nivirea has been rapidly forfeiting that trust by her own words and actions. It's not just (or even mainly) the bad dice rolls, it's the fact that she's changed her story several times, sometimes in the same breath, and has been not only trying to deceive someone she might conceivably see as an enemy but the rest of us as well.

Look, as your Dungeon Master, here's how I'm seeing it. And I just woke up after thinking about this most of the night. And Wolf, not to single you out, but you've already heard some of this during our Conversation.

This is a game, not a courtroom. And this is our safe haven away from crap like COVID-19, crime, ADHD, whatever is troubling you, on top of the sometimes-many stresses of the world. We're supposed to be having fun here not... whatever this is we're doing. This is Sharseya, not Divorce Court or some stupid TV drama where people need to defend themselves and prove this or that. And no one is ever satisfied.

Well, I'm done. I don't feel like doing this anymore.

Stuff like this is why I'm not going to allow Chaotic Neutrals into my games anymore. It's also why I don't allow Evil characters and I'm hesitant to allow Lawful Neutrals - it never works out in the long run in the good-aligned games I run. Sooner or later, someone in-game screws someone else or several someone elses (regardless of how flowery the argument or language used). Then frustrating drama like this sets in like a leaking faucet that can't be easily shut off. Feelings get hurt. Who is innocent? Who is guilty?

I've gotten to the point now where I'm thinking the same reply Dr. Richard Dawkins uses whenever someone cries out, "I'm offended!" to something he's said. "So fucking what?" I came here to game. I need to game! It's what I do and what I am. It helps me. This is my safe haven too and that very special place (one of two) where I come to imagine, create, and roleplay. I feel alive and good in Sharseya and Robotech: Broadsword. This is my therapy. It's where my mind dances and my heart sings. It's where my soul looks down on it all and smiles knowing it's all finite and that's O.K..

And, one way or another, that's what I'm going to do.

My job as a DM is to deliver a game where like-minded people have fun together. So, I'm going to get back into doing just that. Today. See, when I get to issues like this, I let the dice decide. "Hey, this happened. O.K.. Knowing what the NPC knows, how do they feel about it? Roll percentile. The lower, the better; the higher, the worse it is, just like my Fumble table." I roll the bones, read them, and write within reason whatever happens.

So, pardon me while I roll some dice and do whatever they decide. And what they roll is what happens. But I'm moving on from this and getting back to where I need to be - happily gaming with friends. I'll have an in-game post up today. It may move fast, but if it does, then maybe that's for the best.

P.S. Oh, and I don't mean to shut down any PC-related conversation! Do talk this out. Do communicate. I'm just telling you where your DM stands. That's all. Please continue. =)

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Stuff like what? There is no stuff. You and Kaerri are responding as if I wanted a discussion, but there's nothing to discuss. I was simply expressing my surprise over how it seemed to me that everyone suddenly decided not to trust Nivirea, and all because they caught her lying about one thing and being suspicious about another. I was saying how I thought everyone was overreacting.

And that's it. There's no need to be defensive, no need to engage in long-winded discussions, no need to pull out quotes and records, or feel distressed and fatigued over anything. Perhaps someone understands my surprise, while for someone else what's happening is only logical. You could say something about it, or you could not. You could even say "so fucking what?", in some shape or form, it's perfectly acceptable. I don't see anything to be done about, or to feel not like doing anymore. You don't have to do anything you don't feel like or don't want to. I certainly don't expect it. In fact, I struggle to see what the problem even is.

It's not Chaotic Neutral, I can tell you that. Or anything related to alignment. The D&D/Pathfinder alignment system has always been considered woefully inadequate by many people. It's little more than a vague guideline written somewhere in your sheet, and doesn't fully describe a character. It's a personality thing, if anything. Nivirea is curious. Regardless of what her alignment was, whether it was one of your favored ones or not, and regardless of how many time we ran this same situation, she would steal that trinket 100% of the time. From the moment she saw it and realized it could be taken, it was a done deal. And if she wanted to lie about finding it in the tunnel instead, she could have done that even if her alignment said something other than Chaotic Neutral. I fail to see how her alignment made the game worse in any way, just for the record.

As I said, I don't mean to start arguments. So in the future, if you see me write something that you can't think of how to reply to without repeating the sentiment of the post you've just made, simply ignore me. It's not worth the bother, especially when you consider that I'm not looking for that in the first place. I wasn't looking for anything, just commenting on what was happening IC. I don't understand why such a big deal is being made out of it. I suppose I could refrain from further comments, since there appears to be a high risk of you and Kaerri misunderstanding me, and I don't want that either.

 

[Purr]

The dice are fickle today.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Today? Man, those dice have never been not fickle Fucking hell, there was no way to avoid that... *whine*

Okay, there probably were times but it's hard to remember anymore

The fact that you were upset with me OOC didn't influence this outcome at all, has it?

 

[Purr]

Heya Gang!

DM tip here: "Rolling the bones."

I would like to share with you what I mean by "rolling the bones" or "letting the dice decide" as a way of adding another tool to your toolbox, one that has affected our game today, and one that I very much enjoy using. In other words, I'd like to write a little something positive about roleplaying because I want that positivity right now. Hope you don't mind. =)

I don't remember when it was in my Dungeon Mastering hobby, but there came a point where there was some very difficult and unavoidable decision that I, as a responsible Dungeon Master, needed to make - one would change the game. If I went one way, I was ruling pro-PC (I know how much players just can't stand that! Ha ha!). If I went the other, I was ruling pro-bad guy.

What's a Dungeon Master who values fairness to do?

Well, here's one method I use: I'll grab my percentile dice and before I roll, I'll decide something like, "Low means good and high means bad" (like in our Fumble charts). I'll roll percentile (d100). I don't want to roll only once lest the decision be based on a fluke. So, I like to take 3d100 (roll percentile three times) and find the average of those rolls. Low (under 33%) is good, high (68%+) is bad and in between means just that - something in the middle. This doesn't have to be exact; what I'm looking for is for the dice to give me something I can use. Some firm "decision" on their part. If the 3d100 doesn't work out (say I get an average of 50% but I'm in a position where I need a yes or a no with no in-betweens), perhaps I'll go 5d100 and use that average instead.

By using this system, I take myself out of the equation and by "reading the bones" if you will, I instead take what is before me and go with what is reasonable. I can't think of a more fair way to do it and I've lost hours (perhaps days) of DM-time in the past struggling with some heavy decisions. But after using this method, I've not wasted so much time (which we all only have so much of).

So has this affected Sharseya recently? Yes! I rolled to see if Nivirea could use her Deception Skill on the Mad Giant. Well, while the dice didn't gank her (hooray!), the totals went to the Mad Giant by a small margin. Meaning, he saw through her Deception! Oh noes! So now what? How do I rule? Well, I rolled the bones and they made the decision for me!

I rolled the dice and his cracking her once with his stone club full blast was the good result. The bad result was "Roll Initiative" and woe to the others (PC and NPC) who helped her, for the Mad Giant was of the mind to take them on too (and my use of the terrible words "The Party is in Mortal Danger!"). But after a 5d100, the dice rolled low and that was great! It meant the Mad Giant was going to have his one swing (because from his point of view, that swing was fully justified). But no more than one swing. After all that taken place, Nivirea lying to the Mad Giant was the straw that broke the camel's back. He could take no more.

However, the Wayward Wanderers sans Nivirea had tried really hard to sway the Mad Giant (including Sherwood and Psychie using hard-to-find Diamonds of Hope in their attempts!) to help. The party's goodwill toward the Mad Giant was taken into account by him (because while he's absolutely insane, he's not stupid). This was certainly not the case when Nivirea initially came running up to you guys to save her, for the Mad Giant was initially Unfriendly to you all. You changed that around. And his decision to whack her only once instead of multiple times? All determined by time-saving dice. =)

So the next time you guys are running a game and you're seriously unsure which way to go, I recommend rolling the bones. The dice have their own way of wisdom - all one has to do is watch and listen to them. =)

 

[Purr]

Today? Man, those dice have never been not fickle Fucking hell, there was no way to avoid that... *whine*

Okay, there probably were times but it's hard to remember anymore

The fact that you were upset with me OOC didn't influence this outcome at all, has it?

Wolf Rawrrr Absolutely not!!

How long have we been roleplaying together? How many years? THINK, Wolf. That's just as absurd as me accusing you of the same in your Amaranth where you're the GM. Just look at what I just posted on Rolling the Bones - I went that far to make sure the scene was fair. I was in the process of typing that post when you hit me with that. I need to stop now.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna doesn't have any ranks in Medicine at all. I'm afraid to even try a roll.

 

[Psychie]

Neither does Oreleth.

 

[Kaerri]

That's what we have a Healer for.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Absolutely not!!

Yikesssss.... Wow, I was only joking, I don't actually think that you did. Didn't know you'd take it so seriously, sorry... I definitely didn't deal any hits though, and I'm sorry once again that you seem to have taken one. Just forget what I said then

So... I guess I'll just hang back and see what happens... *whine*

 

[Purr]

Wolf, see me in my office... (in Conversation)

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

 

[Sherwood]

Here is something I came across that made me chuckle.

 

[Sherwood]

 

[Purr]

Ha ha ha ha! =)

Leave it to Sherwood to give some good laughs! Thanks, you! =)

 

[Sherwood]

You are welcome, my friend!

 

[Purr]

Ah! It's time we close this chapter down! I'll put a link here when it's ready!