OOG Chatter

[Tiglath]

Assuming someone is spotting me 180 gp, Elizabeth is plenty willing to have her arm twisted into Vesper's shenanigans. I'll take all the XP someone else is willing to buy me.

Well, quite! But see below... oh, an' work it girl!

OK (I've now found the "Partying Table") and so all makes sense but seemingly in a very Shadowdark "harsh but fair" way?

This "Carousal" is much more complicated / has a greater design than I thought (so a hat tip to the DM there)!

Dare I say it's rather brutal if not plain ruthless for the new joiners?

Yet such may be the travails of a mercenary economy...

I don't know if all 12 PC's will join Vesper...I don't know if the 3 other PC's that went into the sewers with Vesper will all join in on Vesper's 5 day effort to drink the town dry. The players have to tell me what they are doing. I can say it's 180gp times the number of people that end up joining Vesper's party for the Carouse. [/ooc]

So, we are notionally dissolved/disbanded but our individual group of four could party (on dude!) as a group... but with one "golden ticket" freeloader to make the max Five. Didn't make the rules! However, if we want to entertain any more "complete strangers thus far" (new players) on our five day bender it effectively costs one of us a suit of mithril chainmail???

Wow, that's hard to rationalize for some folk we haven't even spoken to... and when we earned a whole party without them...???

I'm seeing Slateholm's Got Talent!

[Marullus]

I'm seeing Slateholm's Got Talent!

Wow. I did not see that punchline coming.

What a great answer, though! New PCs hop in the RP to ingratiate yourselves. If Vesper is willing to offer one free party ticket, Slateholm's Got Talent is such a cool way to award it!

[helvorn]

I will take the mithril chain mail! And dance in my birthday suit for it…

[archolewa]

So, we are notionally dissolved/disbanded but our individual group of four could party (on dude!) as a group... but with one "golden ticket" freeloader to make the max Five. Didn't make the rules! However, if we want to entertain any more "complete strangers thus far" (new players) on our five day bender it effectively costs one of us a suit of mithril chainmail???

Wow, that's hard to rationalize for some folk we haven't even spoken to... and when we earned a whole party without them...???

YOLO.

[Tiglath]

BUT Hold the phone Eugene!!!

Because Vesper's maybe not doing that...

Not because local auditions are so much more crucifying...

Well. OK yes that but...

Bard Effect.

Someone who can do hard math is welcome to help here. If only I could stop chewing on my abacus... so tasty...

Average 1d8 plus average 1d6 +2 puts us not in the 6 XP Hole but on the 4/5 XP fairway...

Cost: Two day "Lost Weekend" and 300GP total. Divisible.

One freeloader rides the wave but other folk are cheaper 60gp (a suit of standard chainmail/a bad night on Wizards and Thieves). Now there's the difference and that amount is within a wealthy character's present ability to "sponsor" or even temporarily hire a new delver with potential (to immediately reimburse them before they explode - most of them are mages). Hiring mages - truly a "volatile" market?

Then we take a day off for confession / finding our clothes / swearing off cheese and onion crisps or kebab or whatever it else it could have been to make that happen...

And then we do it again!

Same spot on the fairway 4/5 XP (nine or a ten off 1d8+1d6+2)...

Boom! Those carrying XP level up.

Even those on zero XP but on the "Naked Ambition Tour" have a chance... Shameless souls...

[Tiglath]

I will take the mithril chain mail! And dance in my birthday suit for it…

Yup on a space hopper...

But see the above... it took me a while...

[helvorn]

I will take the mithril chain mail! And dance in my birthday suit for it…

Yup on a space hopper... 8-)

But see the above... it took me a while...

But what will I be wearing under the chain mail?

[Tiglath]

(Proposal: Ferd provides his Bard bonus to a more frugal group, spending 20 or 60gp each. We may be in the same pub crawls for RP purposes but will have a distinct roll. New PCs welcome to join this or Vesper's lavish party. Ferd's group has a minimumroll of 3 XP results, Vesper has a 180gp each and a minimum roll of 4 XP each. Vesper's worst roll can only result in losing 5% of your money but Ferd's worst rolls could lose 10% or 15% of your money. PCs could create a third group, but man, the Bard bonuses are good.)

Posted my above without reference to your last the main thread but it seems that we've both worked it out a similar way!

I confess hadn't looked at "Barding" serial "one night stands" but the hour's late and I must to bed!

[Tiglath]

I will take the mithril chain mail! And dance in my birthday suit for it…

Yup on a space hopper...

But see the above... it took me a while...

But what will I be wearing under the chain mail?

Easy, Tiger!

[helvorn]

Yup on a space hopper... 8-)

But see the above... it took me a while...

But what will I be wearing under the chain mail?

Easy, Tiger! ;) :P 8-)

Nothing that a true Scotsman wouldn't wear

[Tiglath]

Arrrgh, the "Devils in Skirts" - on space hoppers!!!

[helvorn]

Arrrgh, the "Devils in Skirts" - on space hoppers!!! :shock: :lol:

With very short pipers!

[Rex]

Assuming someone is spotting me 180 gp, Elizabeth is plenty willing to have her arm twisted into Vesper's shenanigans. I'll take all the XP someone else is willing to buy me.

Da too. LOL

[subaltari]

Wow, that's hard to rationalize for some folk we haven't even spoken to... and when we earned a whole party without them...???

Whether it's only 60gp or 180gp, I agree that's a lot for an instant gift to a near-total stranger. In metagame, knowing this is an exchange of gold for XP, WE can justify the money as an investment in the progress of an ongoing ally... but in-game, it looks like absurd level of charity, or "party hospitality" if you will.

Or is it charity? What about a loan? Unless Slateholm has usury laws, you're entitled to offer us a loan at any interest you want. An IOU of double the gold (that's 360gp!) paid as soon as the newbie earns it would not be unheard of, IMO.

Either way, if there's only one 180gp "S.G.T." golden ticket at stake, that leaves my PC out of the drunken orgy since Elizabeth and Da are in line first! But if multiple 60gp tickets are being offered on loan, I'm game!

It might be just as well if Vurna stayed on the sidelines; she could keep tabs and try to help if anything goes south. (Speaking of which, even at 1d8+1d6+2 there's a good chance of someone ending up red-handed in the Governor's Mansion... I'll see what I can do, friends... )

[archolewa]

Whether it's only 60gp or 180gp, I agree that's a lot for an instant gift to a near-total stranger. In metagame, knowing this is an exchange of gold for XP, WE can justify the money as an investment in the progress of an ongoing ally... but in-game, it looks like absurd level of charity, or "party hospitality" if you will.

This is true. As fun as the carousing mechanic looks to be, it does create some fiction vs. mechanic awkwardness when new characters are introduced (whether new players or replacement characters). *We* as players want to get our people leveled up ASAP, especially in such a (presumably) dangerous system, because it will significantly increase everyone's chances of success and survival. But the characters really have no reason to do so. "Levels" and "XP" after all don't exist in their world, and alcohol is *not* in fact the secret to greater skills magical or martial!

Of course, every system has awkward spots like that.

[subaltari]

alcohol is *not* in fact the secret to greater skills magical or martial!

Spoken like the founder of the Western Lands temperance league!

I agree though, and drunken debauchery shouldn't be the preferred pastime of some characters such as Lawful clerics, paladins (which are now official in Shadowdark), or monastic martial artists (which we're bound to have eventually). The only alternative to carousing in the 3rd party supplement is, essentially, a shamanic sweat lodge and ayahuasca retreat. Maybe someone will come up with a more dignified method of turning spare gold + time into XP.

As you probably know from Spearmint's 1e game when active, he had a free-form system for "investing" although the returns came mostly as in-game skills and benefits, IIRC, not straight XP.

[archolewa]

I agree though, and drunken debauchery shouldn't be the preferred pastime of some characters such as Lawful clerics, paladins (which are now official in Shadowdark), or monastic martial artists (which we're bound to have eventually). The only alternative to carousing in the 3rd party supplement is, essentially, a shamanic sweat lodge and ayahuasca retreat. Maybe someone will come up with a more dignified method of turning spare gold + time into XP.

Ah yes, the age-old "Let's add stiff-necked holy warriors to our game about devil-may-care YOLO treasure hunters!" problem. Maybe all the paladins worship the God of Nobility who also happens to be the God of Drunken Revelry? Work hard, party hard right?

Of course, it doesn't really make sense for spellcasters in general. As dangerous as magic is, it really doesn't seem like alcoholic wizards would live long...

*Probably* if you really cared, you could come up with something unique for especially problematic classes. Rather than carousing, a paladin spends time "volunteering." You donate to your church/charity and spend time in the rough parts of town protecting the defenseless. And maybe risk pissing off the local thieves guild/a street gang/some dickbag noble kind of thing. Maybe you get a new enemy, or end up beaten in an alley.

As you probably know from Spearmint's 1e game when active, he had a free-form system for "investing" although the returns came mostly as in-game skills and benefits, IIRC, not straight XP.

I am. Didn't get a chance to indulge in it at all, alas.

[Tiglath]

I suppose the carousing could work like some sort of jobs fair (however I like the talent show format ) or perhaps "taking the 60gp... er... shilling" amounts to an unwritten contract of henchdudeship for the next jaunt? While I fully appreciate some players/characters/both might not want to go there for many valid reasons that might be one way the thing could work.

Just flinging ideas here to see if any stick!

Alternatively while remaining judiciously sober gives the moral high ground doing so in company of a hired sketch artiste / dextrous woodcut producer might provide a fortune in blackmail material...

[Tiglath]

Of course, it doesn't really make sense for spellcasters in general. As dangerous as magic is, it really doesn't seem like alcoholic wizards would live long...

Oh but they would because alcohol is in fact the secret to greater skills magical or martial!

The stress of constantly being on the verge of "exploding" might drive them to it! Maybe if they get a little more "relaxed" they get less stressed and the magic just... flows... baby!

[archolewa]

I suppose the carousing could work like some sort of jobs fair (however I like the talent show format ) or perhaps "taking the 60gp... er... shilling" amounts to an unwritten contract of henchdudeship for the next jaunt? While I fully appreciate some players/characters/both might not want to go there for many valid reasons that might be one way the thing could work.

It's true! Favors owed are the very best of currencies.

Of course, it doesn't really make sense for spellcasters in general. As dangerous as magic is, it really doesn't seem like alcoholic wizards would live long...

Oh but they would because alcohol is in fact the secret to greater skills magical or martial!

The stress of constantly being on the verge of "exploding" might drive them to it! Maybe if they get a little more "relaxed" they get less stressed and the magic just... flows... baby!

Fair enough! And really, if you were the responsible type would you study magic? Of course not! You'd take up a good, respectable profession like fighter or bard.