Spirit of Pinvendor |
I recognize that you both are roleplaying responsible adults who are concerned for a little girl in the wilderness. But just to make sure...would you like for Arielle to exit the story? I don't want to deus ex machina her coming with you if you're including this specifically to push her out of the group.
OneDrunkViking |
Children are ubiquitous IRL, even on frontiers. Heck, Sacajawea took her baby along on the Lewis and Clark expedition.
True that. Ragnar however has no concern raisin a kid. How old is Arielle exactly? That might be a big deciding factor.
In my mind, I think Ragnar as a character wouldn't want to bring her out when they have no idea whats going on, so I could see maybe after we've begun our first foray into the wilds, bringing her along on the second trip etc.
In general kids in games aren't the best of fun but if done well, they're done well.
Plus we can't make her exit the story... Unless... We murdered her and sacrificed her virginal blood to the Dark Gods.
yeah unless we do that...
I wouldn't mind (and I expect mind you!) that Ragnar will leave her at the fort and she'll end up tagging along behind us in secret. It's a little cliche, but it just makes sense character-wise for both of them. Ragnar doesn't want to put the little girl in danger, and she doesn't want to be left behind. Solution?
Ragnar DOESN'T put her in danger, Arielle does by sneaking off after them so that she's not left behind.
Again her round about age would be a big help. I'm guessing she's like 5-7 or 8.
Also I hate River Tam (of Firefly) so you can probably get why ultra powerful sheltered weird "useless" girl characters aren't my fav hahaha.
If that makes sense.
Man I like hitting Enter.
Spirit of Pinvendor |
I never got the Firefly bug, my friend, so I actually have no idea about River other than the clip I saw of her killing like 200 Reavers at the end of Serenity.
Arielle is built like a PC, so as far as her being "powerful" she's no more powerful than any other Summoner really. She has a couple unique things about her that may be outside the normal rules, but unless you're keeping a chart based on what a Summoner should or shouldn't be able to do, it won't be obvious during the game.
As far as useless...lol, well soon enough you'll be able to judge if she is that.
Oh, and her approximate age appearance is listed as 7 in her profile.
OneDrunkViking |
The reason I put useless in italics is to make it none that on the surface she is supposed to be, hell she's a little girl, but I know she won't be.
I know Arielle is built like a PC, and in general I don't like DMPC's just because what happens is the story becomes all about that PC and the party circles around it. This isn't all the time obviously, the way Gabe ran Berthold and what not never felt that way. I don't doubt that you will handle it equally as well I'm just wary of it. I got a tingle of that with this priest storyline, but again, you're just developing her back/side story like you'd do with Ciri and Ragnar so its cool.
Treppa |
I almost always run a GMPC. They're handy for information, hooks, party cohesion, filling in knowledge gaps, etc. The biggest complaint players have is that I run them as bland as tapioca - and that's deliberate. They're there to support the party, not vice-versa. They're not party minions because they serve my purposes. I can ask "are you SURE you want to do that" in character instead of breaking the proscenium. No objection here, as long as the PC's have autonomy. With our respective strong backstories, I don't see us becoming GMPC satellites.
Spirit of Pinvendor |
I understand you concern regarding her. And don't worry. The "tingle" you're feeling is an off camera tingle. This is more or less to let you know, that leaving the girl at the trading post may not be the "safe" option...
The PCs choice of course. And I assure you, I have no intention of making the story about Arielle. If the PCs choose to explore her backstory, that is the only way you will learn more, heh heh. Out in the wilderness, she is no different from any other refugee. :D
OneDrunkViking |
...and then the DM decided, "I don't like playing games any more." He grew up really fast and turned old and sour and spent his days working extra hard, all work and no play, and then he became a person who hated fun and hated anyone who didn't hate fun because they obviously could not be such reasonable people if they engage or encourage such frivolities, and then he turned to dust.
But seriously, any update on whats going on? If theres some life stuff going on just give us an ETA!
Please, and thanks.
Spirit of Pinvendor |
Oh goodness! Been busy mostly. Plus I really needed to get an NPC villain statted up. Thank HeroLab for making that easy, because otherwise, whew!
You should probably see something starting it up tomorrow. If either of you feel like it, feel free to mark up the map image to show the locations you are ambushing them from.
Treppa |
Proposed defense setup, if you agree, Ragnar:
- Wagon: Roll to block the doors to A3 and A4 and chock the wheels. All animals will be in the stable (unless somebody has a trained warhorse, which could be valuable).
- Svetlana and the child: hole up in A9 with all the doors locked and barred from inside.
- Subotai: On the roof of the house hidden behind the low palisade, ready to let fly.
- Area A1: Remove the awning. Ragnar and Norri can be at the tables *or* inside the door of A2 ready to spring out.
- Grub: If he would, can man the walkway by the front gate (near A2) and drop down to close and bar the gates, trapping the bandits inside, once they have come in. He can then return to the walkway and sling from up there if they try to flee.
- Walkway: can the ladders be pulled up or moved?
- Ciri: Can be on the walkway opposite Grub, near the stable, ready to help close and bar the gates and/or shoot from that perch, or drop down and fight.
Spirit of Pinvendor |
Can we take down the awning over the tables to have a shot from the raised areas? Oleg never answered that particular question.
This is a simple matter as it's just a tarp stretched between some standing poles. As long as the "fortifications" and other defense modifications don't require something which would amount to a lot of time (which you do not have), Oleg is agreeable to anything you suggest.