Jump to content


The RP OOC thread. Please post here before posting in IC


  • Please log in to reply
514 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_Rand Al'Tor_*

Posted 18 February 2005 - 10:18 AM

Just a thought I had. I know I've had a lot of fun with RP-threads in the past, and all of us have fun characters, and we do enjoy having them spar a bit in the comments and the occasional crossover (BTW, I'm working it again Laufey) So I thought we might have ourselves an RP-thread, and made this thread to check whether people are interested, and if they are, how we'd go about it?

First question: What characters. I suggest using our collective Bhaalspawn? But will they all be natives to the world we'd set it up in? (which means we would probably need some alternate backgrounds) or do we have some goold old-fashioned plot device drop the whole dyfunctional lot in a new world? Regardless of that, how experienced are our guys? Level 1,Pre-SoA, Post SoA, post ToB? My suggestion would be Pre-SoA

Then there's the matter of NPC's. There are some differences in interpretation regarding some character (look kids! Understatement!) so I suggest we
A: Leave our Aerie's and Jaheira's either in the home dimensions if we travel, or just have our characters be natives to a cold, loveless universe where they shall get no druid/avariel/drow/Helmite/Thayvian/tiefling nookie.
B: Only possible if we go with the 'transporting' above. Go Dutch. Everyone brings his/her own NPC party members. So Jarran, Harrian and Theodur won't have to fight about Jaheira (or become her harem) We'll just have three Jaheira's that can exchange their frustrations of their respective boytoys :shock: So if your character is used to a different Aerie... HEY, it's an AU Aerie, could lead to some fun RP.
C: Just having this continuity have one of each NPC seems like asking for problems to me, but hey, it is an option. And it might be interesting to see where all of them might have ended up without Charname.

Then of course is the question WHAT world?

A suggeston: I remember reading the 'There is no Spawn' quiz, and the idea of a world where all three villains were unopposed by our professional meddlers did boost my imagination. So Sarevok has taken control over Baldur's Gate and declared warn on Amn, Irenicus has restored his soul with another Bhaalspawn, possibly failed draining the Tree fo Life completely because of the Seldarine but is still powerful enough to rule Amn, and has aimed his attention on the Throne of Bhaal, and down south a bunch of armies are marching north to take care of the usurper and the renegade Bhaalspawn, distrusting each other all the way. Melly can have already unmasked, or she can do her usual treacherous work. Lots of potential for giving a new twist on things. What is the Radiant Heart doing in such circumstances, the Shadow Thieves, The Cowled Wizards? Tethyr? The druids?

And of course, where would we start?Perhaps in Amn, nice in the middle?And would we have a 'DM', arranging the 'evil ones' plans? Let's hear people's preferences. Or alternatively, just post if you're interested.

#2 Guest_Serena_*

Posted 18 February 2005 - 03:27 PM

Hmmm . . I do like that idea! It's just a question of how we set up a world, and who we use. I would personally like to see just the various Bhaalspawn, because dealing with all the different characters could get confusing when there are a number of different Jaheiras and Aeries. It would be funny, but it could also be very confusing for the players.

I remember reading the 'There is no Spawn' quiz, and the idea of a world where all three villains were unopposed by our professional meddlers did boost my imagination. So Sarevok has taken control over Baldur's Gate and declared warn on Amn, Irenicus has restored his soul with another Bhaalspawn, possibly failed draining the Tree fo Life completely because of the Seldarine but is still powerful enough to rule Amn, and has aimed his attention on the Throne of Bhaal, and down south a bunch of armies are marching north to take care of the usurper and the renegade Bhaalspawn, distrusting each other all the way. Melly can have already unmasked, or she can do her usual treacherous work. Lots of potential for giving a new twist on things.


That actually sounds really interesting.

I most definitely am interested. It's a really neat idea. . . :shock:

#3 Guest_The Blue Sorceress_*

Posted 18 February 2005 - 09:58 PM

My suggestion: Remove it from Faerun or any other world entirely. Set the whole thing up in an non-associated pocket dimension populated only by the various Bhaalspawn.

I would suggest not bringing in -any- game NPC's and no original characters (except maybe familiars or mounts for the spellcasters and paladins among the Spawn.)

The point would be less game-plot associated and more of a mingling of Spawn and their allies. Who ever keeps things going would set them to challenges that they would have to cooperate to defeat (treat it sort of like an all-Spawn adventure).

I would suggest that all cleric-spawn be allowed to still cast all of their spells (save the ones that would allow them out of the dimension, if it's a "Gilligan's Island" scenario) even though their deities aren't present in the world the logic of that need not be figured out.

The goal would be to defeat the challenges and return back to their own realities, but mostly the fun of it would be to have the Spawn interact with one another.

I would set up the pocket plane something like the Spawn's own in ToB, with the exception that the area would obviously not be tied to the Spawn's will and it would be less Infernal-looking. It would probably be a very neutral, spartan area, with appropriate housing for all the Spawn (and familiars and mounts etc) all radiating off of a central area shared in common where they could meet. Challenges would be met and defeated somewhere beyond this area (mebbe through a portal?) and they would return here when the challenge had been completed.

Looks like it could be a fun idea :shock:
-Blue

#4 Guest_jcompton_*

Posted 18 February 2005 - 10:26 PM

I would personally like to see just the various Bhaalspawn, because dealing with all the different characters could get confusing when there are a number of different Jaheiras and Aeries. It would be funny, but it could also be very confusing for the players.


Are you kidding? Think of the mirth and merriment that would ensue as all the Evil Aeries put an icepick in the skull of the "normal" Aeries!

#5 Guest_Rand Al'Tor_*

Posted 18 February 2005 - 10:33 PM

Yes, but us Aerie fans would enjoy that a lot less..

Blue's idea sound spretty good. Too bad we lack any background, but allows for more inter-Spawn talk. And we're less likely to all just grab for the weapons when we're in such weird surroundings. Hmm... what kind of challenges would that be then? For a big time 'I don't think we're in Kansas anymore I suggest a rather agoraphobic, endless waste, so our Spawn can spend days walking in between challenges, getting on each other's nerves?

Of course, if other people say 'no, we wanna have political twistiness in the above scenariio we could do that too. Heck, if we have enough enthusiasm we could do both of them!

#6 Guest_The Blue Sorceress_*

Posted 19 February 2005 - 12:32 AM

Blue's idea sound spretty good. Too bad we lack any background, but allows for more inter-Spawn talk. And we're less likely to all just grab for the weapons when we're in such weird surroundings. Hmm... what kind of challenges would that be then? For a big time 'I don't think we're in Kansas anymore I suggest a rather agoraphobic, endless waste, so our Spawn can spend days walking in between challenges, getting on each other's nerves?


That sounds good too. I think part of the idea is that it would be a culture-less scenario. There could be unintelligent creatures, animals and so forth, that would allow the Spawn to do basic hunting/gathering to survive, but no "civilization" even in the least sense of the word. Challenges could be along the lines of "get from point X to point Y in Z amount of time", mostly physical and group oriented. Some would probably also related to basic survival. For example if they start out in an empty desert they would have to somehow find water, food and shelter. The challenges could be presented by whatever force of deus ex machina forced them into this situation, and the limits of the challenge would determine the means of success.

I would also suggest some point of competition between the Spawn themselves, such as those who provide elements determined to be key to the completion of a challenge might be awarded with special powers appropriate to the challenge and to the Spawn in question. An example for this would be that is Oryx's Jade were to provide the plan for obtaining food and water and her plan was successful, she might be rewarded with some sort of immunity to hunger and thirst, or maybe change somehow so that she wouldn't need to sleep, or perhaps an insitinctual knowledge about what plants and such are safe to eat and if a water source is pure (like the 3.0 druid's nature sense ability) all things that a warrior might find useful, but also skills that she might not otherwise have been able to pick up.


Of course, if other people say 'no, we wanna have political twistiness in the above scenariio we could do that too. Heck, if we have enough enthusiasm we could do both of them!



I think the political twistiness between the various Spawn as they get to know one another and make alliances within the group (bound to happen, since not all of them will get along. I can't imagine Brynn would be very fond of Adrian, or vice versa, for example) particularly if there are rewards involved for solving challenges. I can see a lot of twistiness happening as they compete and ally with each other to get what they want and at the same time try and maintain the whole group relationship so that they will still be able to work together to get home again.

-Blue

#7 Guest_Rand Al'Tor_*

Posted 19 February 2005 - 12:50 AM


Blue's idea sound spretty good. Too bad we lack any background, but allows for more inter-Spawn talk. And we're less likely to all just grab for the weapons when we're in such weird surroundings. Hmm... what kind of challenges would that be then? For a big time 'I don't think we're in Kansas anymore I suggest a rather agoraphobic, endless waste, so our Spawn can spend days walking in between challenges, getting on each other's nerves?


That sounds good too. I think part of the idea is that it would be a culture-less scenario. There could be unintelligent creatures, animals and so forth, that would allow the Spawn to do basic hunting/gathering to survive, but no "civilization" even in the least sense of the word. Challenges could be along the lines of "get from point X to point Y in Z amount of time", mostly physical and group oriented. Some would probably also related to basic survival. For example if they start out in an empty desert they would have to somehow find water, food and shelter. The challenges could be presented by whatever force of deus ex machina forced them into this situation, and the limits of the challenge would determine the means of success.


Sounds good. No shops, no tents or ways to earn gold. Back to basics. Think that could be interesting.

I would also suggest some point of competition between the Spawn themselves, such as those who provide elements determined to be key to the completion of a challenge might be awarded with special powers appropriate to the challenge and to the Spawn in question. An example for this would be that is Oryx's Jade were to provide the plan for obtaining food and water and her plan was successful, she might be rewarded with some sort of immunity to hunger and thirst, or maybe change somehow so that she wouldn't need to sleep, or perhaps an insitinctual knowledge about what plants and such are safe to eat and if a water source is pure (like the 3.0 druid's nature sense ability) all things that a warrior might find useful, but also skills that she might not otherwise have been able to pick up.


Hmm, sounds like a fun idea. Would we need some sort of authority on what rewards there are on what challenges? Also, I sure hope not all challenges are based on thinking, or Talek is screwed. :twisted:



Of course, if other people say 'no, we wanna have political twistiness in the above scenariio we could do that too. Heck, if we have enough enthusiasm we could do both of them!



I think the political twistiness between the various Spawn as they get to know one another and make alliances within the group (bound to happen, since not all of them will get along. I can't imagine Brynn would be very fond of Adrian, or vice versa, for example) particularly if there are rewards involved for solving challenges. I can see a lot of twistiness happening as they compete and ally with each other to get what they want and at the same time try and maintain the whole group relationship so that they will still be able to work together to get home again.

-Blue


Heheh, it's starting to sound a bit like a 'Put the Spawn on an island' TV-show. But better!

Hmmm... would the Bhaalspawn be in the possession of their usual 'gear' (armour, weapons, spell components?) or would they be 'naked' and left to scavenge for weapons? I kinda like that! All of them have gotten a bit used to being well equipped and able to function in society, hiring themsleves out and sleeping in inns or at least tents, and now they'll have to do without!

Anyway, to get some movement in the plan, let's list some people who'd be interested to join the fun, while we're still making stuff up.

Up till now that's

Serena
The Blue Sorceress
Rand Al'Tor

#8 Guest_Oryx_*

Posted 19 February 2005 - 01:18 AM

Survivor meets the Sims meets Baldur's Gate :twisted:

Blue's suggestions satisfy a lot of nice properties: they prevent inflationary playing where characters yank stuff and friends out of their ars - er, bags of holding as needed, and so thought turns to what the character can think of and do, not have. A lack of intelligent bystanders removes the need for anyone to field them, as well as reducing the chance of direct conflict between the sorts of Bspawn who fleece or kill innocent bystanders when convenient, and the sorts of Bspawn who won't stand for such fleecing and killing (if you prefer for PCs to focus on the actual task/plot and don't have an iron mechanism for PC vs PC dispute resolution, that'll keep it moving fastest and smoothest). But as she also said, you still may have political rifts and intrigue, which is good; and there still is a lot of stuff to interact with and attempt. Nature is a very objective medium and thus it's got a lot of similar nice properties like this, when used as the medium for some sort of goal a/o field of competition.

#9 Guest_The Blue Sorceress_*

Posted 19 February 2005 - 03:43 AM

Survivor meets the Sims meets Baldur's Gate :twisted:



I had no idea exactly how Survivorish it was until I got started thinking about it. I feel almost... unclean. :twisted:


Blue's suggestions satisfy a lot of nice properties: they prevent inflationary playing where characters yank stuff and friends out of their ars - er, bags of holding as needed, and so thought turns to what the character can think of and do, not have. A lack of intelligent bystanders removes the need for anyone to field them, as well as reducing the chance of direct conflict between the sorts of Bspawn who fleece or kill innocent bystanders when convenient, and the sorts of Bspawn who won't stand for such fleecing and killing (if you prefer for PCs to focus on the actual task/plot and don't have an iron mechanism for PC vs PC dispute resolution, that'll keep it moving fastest and smoothest). But as she also said, you still may have political rifts and intrigue, which is good; and there still is a lot of stuff to interact with and attempt. Nature is a very objective medium and thus it's got a lot of similar nice properties like this, when used as the medium for some sort of goal a/o field of competition.



I would suggest that they be given one or two items, but they would have to be very personal items to the character. Example: Brynn appears with her swords and the clothes on her back, mages among the Spawn would have their spell books, stuff like that. Their gear might vanish temporarily so as to make them approach certain challenges differently, but they would have it to start with. Spellcasters, depending on the challenege, might be limited in what spells they could cast, so that in the case of the food-and-water challenge they couldn't just magically create a Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion or what have you, or in the case of a cleric case Create Water.


-Blue

#10 Guest_The Blue Sorceress_*

Posted 19 February 2005 - 03:58 AM

[quote]
[quote]I would also suggest some point of competition between the Spawn themselves, such as those who provide elements determined to be key to the completion of a challenge might be awarded with special powers appropriate to the challenge and to the Spawn in question. An example for this would be that is Oryx's Jade were to provide the plan for obtaining food and water and her plan was successful, she might be rewarded with some sort of immunity to hunger and thirst, or maybe change somehow so that she wouldn't need to sleep, or perhaps an insitinctual knowledge about what plants and such are safe to eat and if a water source is pure (like the 3.0 druid's nature sense ability) all things that a warrior might find useful, but also skills that she might not otherwise have been able to pick up. [/quote]
[/quote]

[quote]
Hmm, sounds like a fun idea. Would we need some sort of authority on what rewards there are on what challenges? Also, I sure hope not all challenges are based on thinking, or Talek is screwed. :twisted:
[/quote]


Well, that's why there would be other Spawn to do the thinking, and Talek could be used to perform other important tasks, such as the application of brute strength to a problem. There might also be fun "Kill the Monster" tasks, involving the slaying of some great beast like a tarasque or whatever.

As for the awards, I think they would be made up on a case by case basis. Whoever provides the ideas for the challenges would provide the rewards. They would also probably have to be arranged after the challenege was met, since it would be too complicated to set up awards for all the different Spawn if only one needed to be awarded. Then too, that Spawn's controller and whoever ends up running the challenges could figure something out out of game that would be appropriate for the character.

We should probably all take turns arranging challenges and the thing would be that the one who arranged the challenge would be able to help the others discover the solution (I'm guessing we're all good enough at separating what out characters know from what we know to do this) but would be unable to receive the reward for that challenge (except they wouldn't know that :twisted:).


[quote]
[quote] [quote]
Of course, if other people say 'no, we wanna have political twistiness in the above scenariio we could do that too. Heck, if we have enough enthusiasm we could do both of them![/quote]
[/quote]


[quote]
I think the political twistiness between the various Spawn as they get to know one another and make alliances within the group (bound to happen, since not all of them will get along. I can't imagine Brynn would be very fond of Adrian, or vice versa, for example) particularly if there are rewards involved for solving challenges. I can see a lot of twistiness happening as they compete and ally with each other to get what they want and at the same time try and maintain the whole group relationship so that they will still be able to work together to get home again.
[/quote]


[quote]
Heheh, it's starting to sound a bit like a 'Put the Spawn on an island' TV-show. But better!
[/quote]


[quote]
Hmmm... would the Bhaalspawn be in the possession of their usual 'gear' (armour, weapons, spell components?) or would they be 'naked' and left to scavenge for weapons? I kinda like that! All of them have gotten a bit used to being well equipped and able to function in society, hiring themsleves out and sleeping in inns or at least tents, and now they'll have to do without!
[/quote]


Like I said in response to Oryx's post, limited gear sounds best. One or two personally significant items at the most and one set of normal travelling clothes. Another thing could be that the reward issued to each Spawn for their first solved challenge would be the item(s) of significance.

Using Brynn as and example again, the first time she was crucial to resolving a challenge she would be rewarded with the return of her katanas. Until then she would be weaponless (and in her own mind, since her swords are like her limbs so she'd be utterly debilitated).

-Blue


PS: I'm going to be away at yet another horse show for the next two days (I'll be back Sunday night) so don't get it all started without me :shock:

#11 Guest_Silver_*

Posted 19 February 2005 - 06:44 PM

Or alternatively, just post if you're interested.


It sounds interesting. :roll: You can count me in.

#12 Guest_Rand Al'Tor_*

Posted 19 February 2005 - 09:25 PM

So for the list that makes

Silver
Serena
The Blue Sorceress
Rand Al'Tor
Onyx (?)

That's enough to start out with I think, though we're not started yet. Of course, plenty room for more. But in preparation for a start, we should get some things fixed for a start.

1: When are we?

I suggest between BG 1 and SoA. We know what we are, we're competent by now, but no legends yet. Problem with Kane is that he starts out there, so if we follow canon, he doesn't even know Edwin for very long. I suggest fudging continuity.

2: How do we go?

Do our Bhaalspawn go to sleep and wake up in a 'brave new world?' Do they 'fade out'? Do they enter a mystical gate? Does a spell misfure? Whatever we pick, I suggest having the Bhaalspawn be in the middle of action when they travel, so we can become a bit familiar with them, as perhaps not everyone has read everyone's serials.

3: Where do we go?

A natural environment without civilization is the concensus it seems. Would that be a desert? An island? Something supernatural? My suggestion is that we have our Bhaalspawn play Robinson Crusoƫ. Deserted island. Big enough that there's plenty of unexplored areas to find various fun things.

Finally, a thought of a more long term nature. Will we let anything happen over the course of a few days, or will we now and then skip ahead a few days, weeks, perhaps even months (hey, this is outside continuity after all) to investigate how relations might evolve over a longer term?

#13 Guest_Serena_*

Posted 19 February 2005 - 10:26 PM

I suggest between BG 1 and SoA. We know what we are, we're competent by now, but no legends yet.


Right. I like that, and it works for Elshana.

Whatever we pick, I suggest having the Bhaalspawn be in the middle of action when they travel, so we can become a bit familiar with them, as perhaps not everyone has read everyone's serials.


That's a good idea. I personally would like the 'deserted island' idea, myself.

Will we let anything happen over the course of a few days, or will we now and then skip ahead a few days, weeks, perhaps even months (hey, this is outside continuity after all) to investigate how relations might evolve over a longer term?


I think we can sort of play the passage of time by ear . . if it takes a week to hike between locations, then we can say a week passed (unless we want something to happen . . .) but other times it might be a few minutes or hours for passage of time in-character.

#14 Darkwolf Shadowwalker

Posted 20 February 2005 - 08:06 AM

Sounds like a cool idea. Could definitely lead to some interesting interactions.

You might want to decide who will be 'DMing' the thread, though. After all, you need someone to manage the flow of the storyline, challenges, etc.

#15 Guest_Slide_*

Posted 21 February 2005 - 12:39 AM

As someone with extensive experience in online RP (more play by e-mail than forum, but it's the same shebang) I doubt we'll need massive plots driving us when we have the rich characters around that exist on The Attic. And with a good group of writers (and where might we find one of them?), it's quite easy to open up the doors to plot being thrown out by players rather than just a DM.

But if we have a DM, Rand gets pegged with it as it was his idea. :twisted:

And, yes, Harrian may have to take part. I've overcome writer's block with him, I think, and if not, this sounds like a wonderful way to have something to do and write with him when I encounter a wall!

#16 Guest_IriaZenn_*

Posted 21 February 2005 - 04:56 AM

Ooh sounds real fun. Count me in too?

#17 Guest_Daie_*

Posted 21 February 2005 - 03:16 PM

yeah, cool, sign me up too!

#18 Guest_Rand Al'Tor_*

Posted 21 February 2005 - 03:48 PM

Sure Ira

So, confirmed in are
IraZenn: Anni
Serena: Elshana
Slide: Harrian
The Blue Sorceress: Brynn
Silver: Kane
Daie: Daie
Rand Al'Tor: Talek

Unsure (as in, they seem interested but they didn't actually say they wanted to join)
Onyx: Onyx
Darkwolf Shadowwalker: Vantrel

Now, for everyone's introduction, therre are a couple of suggestions for all of us to 'enter'.

1: Go to sleep and wake up

Very simple. One night you're having a drink with Khalid, Jaheira, Imoen and all the rest. Then you wake up and you're somewhere else entirely.

2: Near Death Experience

A bit more drama. Our Bhaalspawn all get an arrow in their chest, start drowning, fall down from somewhere, get poisoned... whatever, they're losing consciousness in a non-voluntary and potentially fatal way. Extra bonus, all our Bhaalspawn get to fret over whether they might be actually dead and in a 'special' afterlife. Of course, some people may not like the ANGST!

3: Out of the Blue (not, not you TBS)

They're in the middle of something, maybe even something IMPORTAN and suddenly they either lose consciousness or even fade from existance, returning on the place where we are.

4: Asking for it

The time-honoured method of our Bhaalspawn accidentally or willfully fiddling with some kind of magical/holy/unholy artifact/place/plot-device and suddenly go poof.



Some more regarding the 'time' where it happens. One thought I have is that is we situate it between BG and SoA, Brynn for example doesn't know any Yoshimo. Most Bhaalspawn seem to go through their stories in Amn, so I'm wondering if we should have the story start somewhere later in SoA. After SoA is also a possibility, but by then we're all a bit too legendary for my taste (consdering we're supposed to be abunch of people all very helpless and depndant on each other), so I'd prefer somewhere lower level. What's your take on this?


If noone objects to 'deserted island' I would suggest that we all wake up somwhere on a beach. All with nothing but the clothes on our back.

Heck, as much as Talek loves his bastard swords it might be interesting of having the boys and girls learn to go back to absolute basics. After cheerfully wielding level 12 hackmasters, perhaps all of us should re-learn some respect for the Pointed Stick of Poking, the Sturdy Tree Branch of Clubbing and the Big Rock of Throwing? Then again, that would give the wizards an edge. Unless THEY have to learn to survive on a very strict diet of magic as well? Just a suggestion. If everyone likes their characters to eventually reclaim their favourite tools of mayhem, that's fun too.

#19 Guest_Serena_*

Posted 21 February 2005 - 04:01 PM

I do like the desert island. And loosing all the equipment is an interesting idea, although I think one of the rewards for the challenges should perhaps be one or two peices of equipment, something really meaningful to the character. Their main weapon, or a spellbook, or a holy symbol, or something.

As for the mages . . . simply say they don't have their spellbooks, so they're sruck with whatever they've got memorized, and once they're out of spells, they're screwed. As for clerics/druids? Just take away their holy symbol, it's the material component for about 90% of their spells. :)

The 'go to sleep and wake up' one is probably the simplest. The fourth option is the most traditional, I think, but that still could make it really humourous. The 'near death' could also be interesting, but that would change the setting a little. I tend to go for number one.

As for setting, I would aim for either before SoA, or the beginning of SoA, while Imoen's still missing. That would place some urgency on some characters that they would want to get out, to rescue Imoen from Spellhold.

But yep, you can still count me in! :)

#20 Guest_Slide_*

Posted 21 February 2005 - 04:16 PM

Continuity can easily be fudged. Honestly, I don't think this is going to be about what level the characters are at, because, in practice and in writing, I don't think the difference between end of BG and end of SoA is 10-plus levels. We use a 'system' that's not so limited by game mechanics, and unless we end up fighting one another, I don't think it'll really matter.

And then I'd happily defer to simple plot realism. For eg, in a fight between Harrian and Talek, Harrian's a fine swordsman for sure, but he hasn't had the same focused training as devoted-fighter Talek, and so on an overall scale, I'd defer to Talek's martial skills. The fact that if we took the level 20-odd Harrian from ToB and pitched him against the level 4-odd Talek of BG and we'd come out with Talek-paste isn't entirely relevant in a setting consisting of writing outside of the general canon.




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

Skin Designed By Evanescence at IBSkin.com