After last weekend's game, I just had to post a few tidbits about the nutso players in my campaign. Some of their decisions have come from far afield...
They call themselves "The Misfits", and I've taken the liberty to highlight some memorable events from this campaign:
- Making friends with Kobolds, to the point of allowing said creatures to sell baskets of Moon Radishes to travelers...and not asking a copper for taxes in return.
- Building a park for their city, then taking creature trophies and fashioning rides from them. (A Scythe Tree swing set, for example). They put the park next to a Temple, so the hurt kiddies could get healed free of charge. While parents at the park hate it, the little tikes can't get enough of the dangerous rides.
- Sending a certain bardic rabble-rouser back home to cause mischief for the other guys. They paid him well, too.
- And this last weekend they voted on a law of Lord's (and Lady's) Right (basically primae noctis) for those citizens getting married. No idea where this one came from--caught me rather off guard. I suspect a good deal of elopement in the kingdom's future...
I'm of the mind that, as long as my players are having fun, that's the important thing. Sometimes, though, I wonder how this crazy group came together in the first place. Then I remember I invited them...
Just starting VV next session, and I'm wondering where this eclectic kingdom is heading... Should be entertaining to find out, though.
Anyway, I had to share. I told my players I would after their latest law was invoked. ;)
Wait, what? Prima Noctus? Seriously?
Compulsory terms of service at brothels?
What alignment is your group's kingdom? Doesn't seem too... you know, good to me.
Hope you got a lot of high level adepts around, or, you know, several high level clerics to deal with the potential for disease and absolute madness you're stirring up.
What is the unrest in that kingdom?
*shakes head* just... wow.
I actually like the outbidding the bad guys on the rabble rouser idea. That's crazy like a fox.
Primae Noctis, though? That's kind of creepy.
Sounds like your group plays things for laughs a lot, and comedy frequently tests the limits of good taste. Many comedians cross that line, and I would argue your group has.
In any event, if they are actually enforcing this historically dubious "right", I would start heaping on the unrest, unless your campaign is being played purely for laughs.
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Wow, guys, did you all watch Addams Family in horror and disgust? It sounds like it’s all in fun. Not my group’s style, but if the OP’s group is having fun with it (and it sounds like it), then play on! As an aside, just because the law of Lord’s Right exists, doesn’t necessarily mean it ever needs to be used…it could just be a mind game. ;)
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Compulsary Brothel Service: That law would generate lots of unrest. Especially among the straight men who don't want to be anally used.
It is the military OR brothel service. Which, in addition:
1) Women also go to the brothels so straight men don't have to worry.
2) If not doing the main duties, there's always cooking, cleaning, security, etc.
There's more that I could post but it would quickly spiral into a talk about prostitution instead of the game. In a fantasy world, even a lowly 'professional' can wield the power (see Inara from Firefly/Serenity).
Yes, we're having fun. No, we're not horny nerds. Well we could be considered that but we all have wives/girlfriends and the two ladies at the table are the ones who pushed for the brothel idea.
Lol :)
Ah so it is one of those rare Foglio type of games.
If I understand you correctly, I'll take that as a compliment.
And, really, when one considers that my favorite author has an album out called "A Rose for Iconoclastes"*, I can't be surprised when my games are off the norm... I just shake my head and grin.
* - Any Zelazny fans out there? Ya might catch the reference...;)
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Ah so it is one of those rare Foglio type of games.If I understand you correctly, I'll take that as a compliment.
And, really, when one considers that my favorite author has an album out called "A Rose for Iconoclastes"*, I can't be surprised when my games are off the norm... I just shake my head and grin.
* - Any Zelazny fans out there? Ya might catch the reference...;)
I thought that was Brust...
Our group tryed king maker one time. We all rage quit because we could leave town for 3 mins with out some thing happening. The last straw was when we got about 12 squares out of town ( 85ft ) and part of it starts on fire. In game terms we where gone for under 18 seconds. We said F this town and just left.
Wow...I am in awe. My group frequently does things that turn to laughs and good memories but your group seem to be quite creative about it. You really should keep us updated on what else happens with this and how things evolve.
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Our group tryed king maker one time. We all rage quit because we could leave town for 3 mins with out some thing happening. The last straw was when we got about 12 squares out of town ( 85ft ) and part of it starts on fire. In game terms we where gone for under 18 seconds. We said F this town and just left.
** spoiler omitted **
Aw, I'm sorry to hear that.
Kingmaker can be a little difficult to run. It's different from other modules, and a lot of how it runs will depend on your DM. I can see how a DM might allow that impression in book 2 - I've taken steps to avoid that too much! - but I hope you're willing to give it another try sometime.
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To be honest, I thought of that little bit as an intelligent move on the designer's part.
Maybe not for the owlbear, but for the others (Grigori, cult leader, etc.), why *wouldn't* you make your move when the most powerful people in the kingdom were away?
Now, personally, I didn't have an event hit them *every* time they came back. I usually gave them a month or two in between before I would allow another of those big ones to trigger. I can see how doing one of those special ones literally everytime they return to be tedious.
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Yeah, I'm creating new events that pull the players out of town, so sometimes when they leave town, they're taking care of something, and then they get back from their adventure and build and rule for a while. And sometimes things have simply gone to hell. :) That way it feels more organic, and it's about the events and their enemies, rather than their movements alone.
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This is the greatest thread about Kingmaker ever. Sending Grigori back at Fort Drelev was genius :p
My PCs are running a similarly odd kingdom. They hired on Chief Sootscale as their royal assassin back in the early days of the kingdom. The king is a gnome, so as a sign of good will he traded his masterwork gnome battle-ladder for Sootscale's club, and now any time someone gets too out of control in the kingdom, they get their necks broken on a ladder.
The druid sneaks around at night, wood-shaping buildings into the shape of bears to promote the state worship of bears. In fact, there are already trained bears on their guard force.
The party's fighter, an aspiring swordlord/brewer, convinced Munguk to come work for the kingdom in exchange for some of the best liquor in the Stolen Lands. They're now best friends & Munguk is learning to use an over-sized Aldori dueling sword.
The party rejuvenated the giant owlbear cub they found & released it back into the wild. It now patrols their Southern border and keeps it clear of... anything.
On top of that, there is a piece of almost every exotic creature they've encountered mounted in the castle, worn by one of the PCs, or turned into a hat or piece of lingerie by the gnome-king, who is a master clothier.
Jess Door, you get many Cool Points for knowing that name. "Rose for Iconoclastes" is Brust's album--it's a play on words from Zelazny's short story "A Rose for Ecclesiastes". Brust is a major Zelazny fan. :)
But my hat is off to you knowing Brust. If you enjoy his work, you've excellent taste. :)
Wow...I am in awe. My group frequently does things that turn to laughs and good memories but your group seem to be quite creative about it. You really should keep us updated on what else happens with this and how things evolve.
Wow, really? I mean, I'd be happy to, but I may have to edit stuff if they get any crazier...;)
I should note that I've added my own bits to the AP, including "personal quests" for each of the PCs; and I admit I play things a bit loose, as this is the first time I've ever run a pre-written campaign. I'm also fairly new to PF (and loving it!) though I'm familiar with 3.5. But if you or others are really interested, I can keep up some highlights, sure.
This is the greatest thread about Kingmaker ever. Sending Grigori back at Fort Drelev was genius :p
LOL. Firstly, thanks. I'm blushin', here. Secondly, it sounds like you've a good, fun group as well!
It did remind me of another aspect of the Misfits I failed to mention:
They're starting a zoo. Apparently a few of them don't *want* to kill all the magical beasts they run into, so they're claiming a few hexes, getting some druids together, and making a nature preserve!
A couple of them subdued a Hodag as their first creature, but since they didn't have the zoo ready, they decided to put it in the Gnome Witch's room at the castle...while she was away. Oddly enough, she was delighted when she got home.
And yeah, sending Grigori back boggled my mind. He's currently in jail in Drelev, and the PCs are thinking of sending someone to rescue him. Heh.
I really gotta keep on my toes with this group. :)
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Jess Door, you get many Cool Points for knowing that name. "Rose for Iconoclastes" is Brust's album--it's a play on words from Zelazny's short story "A Rose for Ecclesiastes". Brust is a major Zelazny fan. :)
I thought that was Brust...
Well, yeah, who isn't? :D Zelazny couldn't write women to save his soul, and I still love his stuff (well, okay, he could write one woman. The same woman. Over and over again...). :)
But my hat is off to you knowing Brust. If you enjoy his work, you've excellent taste. :)
I have even addicted my friends to him. :)
Yes it was all in fun, for the curmudgeons out there.
When this policy was suggested by our local troublemaker I mentioned there was no historical evidence for "droit du seigneur" and used a quick wiki check to backup that memory. So they made an informed descirion. The proposed law came up right before a tour of the kingdom, perhaps with the intention of stiring up unrest or generating dialogue from the homesteaders. Wikipedia did provide us with the alternate name, "right of the bedpost", which the group thought sounded funnier. (As mentioned: mostly older men and women, in relationships).
With the kobolds we don't just let them sell moon radishes but carried out a coup against their unpopular leader, destroyed their nearby mite enemies and granted them the mite lair. We also set up a treaty involving sale of moon radishes and silver ore, and I have been pushing to incorporate them into our kingdom (maybe next session). I encouraged this civilization project once I found they were not -essentially- evil in this game world, in order to show they are no worse than halfings given the right environment.
Oh and one more thing to rile people up, when we were sent to kill the stag lord and verified he was evil (as advertised) my paladin executed him in his sleep rather than wake him up, let him gather weapons, buff up, and then duel to the death ... I still get hassled about that every session. :) But the DM bought my argument that Eristil would likely be in favor of frontier justice made legitimate by orders from civilization, rather than the counter argument for lawful stupid behavior and "B.C. Law & Order". :)
...it's a play on words from Zelazny's short story "A Rose for Ecclesiastes". Brust is a major Zelazny fan.
And presumably Zelazny was a Faulkner fan. I'm guessing "A Rose for Ecclesiastes" is a play on Faulkner's short story, "A Rose for Emily." I've never read the Zelazny story, so I can't say for sure, but since it was written second, I'm guessing it was a conscious decision.
Yes it was all in fun, for the curmudgeons out there.
Being wary of rape and sex slavery treated as fun does not make one a curmudgeon.
Yes it was all in fun, for the curmudgeons out there.Being wary of rape and sex slavery treated as fun does not make one a curmudgeon.
Ugh. Those two acts are some of the only reasons why I'm not completely against capital punishment. Wouldn't stand for it in my game. (I'd not only stike such a character down with a God's Bolt of Lightning--certainly for the first offense--but I'd take such a player aside and ask them to change their ways or leave my house, much less my game.)
Sorry, brought up a touchy point with me. I understand wariness, and even a certain amount of disdain, but feel I must clear the air in response. Please take no offense, and I'll take none in return.
If my post truly offends, I'll ask that it be removed.
Yes it was all in fun, for the curmudgeons out there.Being wary of rape and sex slavery treated as fun does not make one a curmudgeon.Ugh. Those two acts are some of the only reasons why I'm not completely against capital punishment. Wouldn't stand for it in my game. (I'd not only stike such a character down with a God's Bolt of Lightning--certainly for the first offense--but I'd take such a player aside and ask them to change their ways or leave my house, much less my game.)
Sorry, brought up a touchy point with me. I understand wariness, and even a certain amount of disdain, but feel I must clear the air in response. Please take no offense, and I'll take none in return.
If my post truly offends, I'll ask that it be removed.
No, I apologize, that was too flip a response from me. I'm sure we've all done something that others here would find offensive; I just don't like hearing that something is prohibited from taking offense at.
And I don't really want to draw out this point, but, you do see it, right? How - all wacky hijinx aside - it can look really icky?
Oh and one more thing to rile people up, when we were sent to kill the stag lord and verified he was evil (as advertised) my paladin executed him in his sleep rather than wake him up, let him gather weapons, buff up, and then duel to the death ... I still get hassled about that every session. :) But the DM bought my argument that Eristil would likely be in favor of frontier justice made legitimate by orders from civilization, rather than the counter argument for lawful stupid behavior and "B.C. Law & Order". :)
Actually, I don't have much problem with this. Paladins of diffeent gods will have somewhat different codes. Erastil isn't a god of chivalry and honor, he's a wilderness god of the hunt and patron of rural communities. High-flying idealism isn't his thing. Practicality is. Do what you have to do to protect the wilderness communities. Evil humans are like rabid animals to Erastil. They are to be put down as quickly and painlessly as possible, for the good of the community. Of course, you had better be damn sure he is throughly evil first.
We have a paladin of Erastil in our group as well, and while he hasn't done anything like that, I wouldn't object if he did. Of course the other part of Erastil is the family values thing. I'm making my paladin get married and start a family, as Erastil strongly recommends. Lily whats-her-name made a play for him, but he turned her down, wanting a less flirtatious and more practical wife. He's currently courting a local farm girl who is sweet, hardworking and has generous, child-bearing hips and huge ... tracts of land.
How - all wacky hijinx aside - it can look really icky?Well this is the point, though, isn’t it? Why are we putting wacky hijinx aside?
“Why do you want to hurt the baby?”
“We don’t want to hurt the baby. We just want to play with the baby. Especially its head.”
As I pointed out earlier, this group is obviously playing a lot of stuff for laughs. A lot of comedy, this included, walks the line between off-color funny and offensive. And everybody's line is in a different place. So, we should give them some slack and not pass judgment on their game. If noone at their table is offended by it, then it's probably all fine for them. By the same token, if they choose to share their stories with others, they shouldn't be too surprised and defensive if some of those people take offense at risque and off-color humor they just find hilarious. Goes with the territory.