Background: we're about to wrap up the first book of Serpent's Skull and move on with the Adventure Path. While we began the campaign as semi-strangers, we've developed into a working team; two of the PCs (myself and another player) are strident worshippers of Asmodeus, god of contracts - so we're looking to actually write up a party constitution to formally guide our group in the future.
The players and GM are all experienced, and we've been playing together for some time (and play together in other campaigns). So, the question is, how can we put together an 'Adventuring Compact' from the character's perspective? What would need to be formally included? And most importantly, any ideas for 'legal loopholes' that the Chelaxians (a mage and his man-at-arms) might use later to their own advantage?
Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
Are you lawful evil, neutral evil, or lawful neutral? That might alter the language a bit (or at least the intent behind it). I'm presuming at least some flavor of lawful (based on the idea of contracts), and probably leaning toward the evil (based on the 'strident' worshiper of big A), but I could be wrong.
Have you played "way of the wicked"? the contract we all had to sign at the beginning there was pretty good :p
If you're going to conspire, get DM approval first, so s/he can work your contract idea into the game, and let the other players know that the Chelaxians are scheming by creating the appropriate scenes.
To answer your question... First, you'd want to establish the participants in the contract, and their loyalty or fealty at the time of signing the contract. It will be null and void unless all party members are compliant.
You'd (as Chelaxians) assume rights to any and all items important to Chelish history, of course. This would disallow any non-Chelish members of the adventuring party a monetary cut of the sale or redistribution of said items.
Consider Tacticslion's post. You'll need to address what it is exactly your Chelish "faction" wishes to gain. I'm in this AP now, so I do not want to spoil anything.
And don't be surprised if other party members want no part of a contract. It's a great rp move on your end, but the rest of the party might be hesitant to your advance. Your group, your game.
And it seems that there is a core resolve in your gaming group. Use that in your contract build. Can/Will the other players be swayed to follow your lead? Are the Chelaxians leading this adventure through tact and deed?
A great idea for the AP, good luck!
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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I always want to do things like this, but assumed I was the only one. I almost wrote up a contract for a shadowrun game once upon a time...
Anyhow, I'm not sure how much you want to abstract this process, but one thought would be to have the drafter of the compact make a Profession (Attorney) check, maybe granting a quasi-racial bonus if the drafter is of the Lawful subtype. That check would be used for the DC to find loopholes in the future. Anytime a character wants to find a loophole, they must make a Profession (Attorney) check and beat the DC of the drafter. This could even be an opposed check, with each party arguing their own interpretation of the contract, which is only successful if they also beat the DC set by the drafter.
Dot!