Rules regarding masks in the FAI?

[Rask]

Run into -a lot- of people with masks in the FAI. Am I wrong in that masks are illegal in the FAI walls? Or is this not the case and I am crazy?

If they are outlawed, should that be changed?? Since I see a lot of players ignoring it anyways.

[ValerieJean]

Masks are not permitted in the FAI, I have noticed that some pass through the gate without being tossed back on their hind end as I believe perhaps there may be a glitch with the app changer or whatever the base model of the head item is.

But all in all no masks are allowed at all, those I catch I send them a tell informing them as some may not realize being new or what not, which is usually the case.

[NeonAvenger]

I gather the script looks at the base item not the current appearance so if your mask was originally a hat the guards won't stop you. And in the opposite direction if your hat was originally a mask they'll stop you and demand you remove your mask even though it doesn't look like you're wearing one.

Then again I've seen people dimension dooring, teleporting, and pass-walling into the FAI to avoid the guards...

[ValerieJean]

I gather the script looks at the base item not the current appearance so if your mask was originally a hat the guards won't stop you. And in the opposite direction if your hat was originally a mask they'll stop you and demand you remove your mask even though it doesn't look like you're wearing one.

Then again I've seen people dimension dooring, teleporting, and pass-walling into the FAI to avoid the guards...

I would say if that is caught again the spell use, SS and send it to DMs as long as that trek around may be! They are god modding and come on people just waaaaaaaaaaaaalk, don't break a rule just cause you're lazy to click all the way the proper way.

[Snarfy]

I would say if that is caught again the spell use, SS and send it to DMs....

There isn't enough time in the day to screen shot all the mask-wearing, casting, armed, and pet-dragging FAI visitors. Players do it because either they don't know about the rules, don't care, or simply know they can get away with it. Once upon a time I saw someone dragonshape inside the walls, and I wished for a script that would have the guards plunk such types with arrows from atop the battlements(nothing cures laziness like a quick trip to the Fugue I say), but now I've just settled for doing my business at the vendors and vacating the immersion trainwreck as quickly as possible.

[ValerieJean]

I am not saying to camp there and take one every time. If you see one in passing just snip quick, and I agree some are not aware even a friendly tell saying hey idk if you are aware but blahblah etc.

That would be amazing if arrows just came out and shot people who did such. But the only way to assist in keeping such silliness down is to inform those who can do something about it or just give a friendly heads up!

[Tsidkenu]

I'm of the opposite opinion, in fact, that Bentley's Friendly Arm Inn should allow masked individuals inside. It's not his, nor anyone else's, business to ask questions of patrons of the Arm as long as they're behaving and paying their bills. The whole Guards=Police mindset really needs to come to an end because that's how FAI guards end up more powerful than Drizzt. Ugh.

[Sun Wukong]

The Friendly Arm was once the
hold of an evil priest of Bhaal who
was destroyed in undead form by a
band of adventurers led by the gnome
thief and illusionist Bentley Mirror-
shade. Bentley set his comrades-at-
arms to work renovating the keep,
and it soon opened as a fortified
waystop on the Coast Way in territory
often endangered by brigands and
raiding bands of orcs, kobolds, bug-
bears, and even trolls. Though these
perils have lessened somewhat since
the Arm was founded, the safe, clean
inn is still a favorite stop.

Hmn... That's what a fellow named Volo had to say about the inn.

It's not his, nor anyone else's, business to ask questions of patrons of the Arm as long as they're behaving and paying their bills.

Well, it is certainly my business to ask questions of a possible brigand in a territory endangered by brigands, raiding bands of orcs, kobolds, bug-bears, and even trolls, while not forgetting about those gnolls we have in game.

Not to mention that some odd follower of Bhaal might think the murder of ol' Bentley might please Bhaal enough to grant them some degree of divine favor. We really cannot forget what the place was before, and how it is likely to act as lightning rod of sorts for murderous intent. Now, Bentley Mirrorshade is a gnome of a man that can ask for many favors, from many people. But such favors do not do much to anyone with dagger attached to his back. Thus, does it not make sense to weed out the common, known murderers from being patrons of the inn?

And lets not forget, many people have very different opinions about simply concepts such as behaving and paying bills.


Oh, and as for FAI guards end up being more powerful than Drizzt... In the original Baldur's Gate PC game, there is a 'random' encounter with Drizzt Do'Urden and with some unlocky rolls on Drizzt's part the gnolls can actually kill him. Or how about those novels where orcs in large numbers pose enough of a threat to slay our purple eyed drow?

[Rask]

I have approached people IC about wearing masks, pointing out the illegality. They usually say things like "I am a personal friend of the owner" or "The guards do not seem to mind" ect.

It just makes me think the rule may be unnecessary for a place like the FAI. Not only do people not seem to care about that law, nobody really cares enough to enforce it or screen shot and report people over something so mundane and ultimately harmless.

It would be nice if it was the one place a person could shop/visit and -not- have to remove their mask. A true neutral ground.

[Valefort]

I'll take a look at mechanical enforcement when I go back home, "masks" and spells ... prepare your behinds silly people.

[Steve]

I think the problem is related to how the new Appearance Kit can change an Items look, but doesn't change the Base Tag, right? And the old "NO MASKS" script on the FAI looks at the Base Tag.

So lately, many people change normal hoods to have masks with the appearance kit, and thus, just walk on it, no problemo.

Or, I could be wrong.

What I don't like is that an inn is guarded by a dozen guardsmen armored in fullplate, I have a hard time believing that.

Agreed. But, in a more "real life" situation, nobody with a full helmet or a face mask would get served by the merchants! And, the full plated guardsmen are there because otherwise EPICGODLIKEUBERTOONS would continually pawnlolz everything and everyone. THAT is the reasoning behind something like this....

And the fact that Characters don't die from arsehat behavior, which, if implemented, would totally curb that shit quick!

[ZestyDragon]

The inn is a hub of rp and because of that needs guards. Bentley Mirrorshade is actually higher level then Drizzt by their 2e stats, and by going by the typical half level rule is stronger then an pc adventurer. The guards and half the laws such as no spell casting (finger in the belt) are also by lore. And finally its rumored that bentleys staff is actually iron golems under the effect of illusions. Which some DMs in the past haves used ig.

[Hoihe]

I'll take a look at mechanical enforcement when I go back home, "masks" and spells ... prepare your behinds silly people.

What about people casting Silent spells that have no somatic component, or doing them out of sight?

What about the Black Orc Wars II: The Electric Boogaloo? Aka - Gate was under attack, PCs defending it got arrested by flaming fist soldiers for having weapons. Unfortunately, the NPC black orcs did NOT get arrested.

Considering FAI is often the grounds for crazy mass DM events and the place is threatened with superdimensional destruction every few months by some DM action, what ways would the DM have to prevent the players from being arrested while participating in his event?

[ZestyDragon]

Tie the script to the npc guards. Then all a dm needs to do is limbo the guard (stops respawning) and spawn in non scripted guards. Or make it a trigger (DMs can delete triggers till reset).

[Xanfyrst]

Can't the DM "freeze" the NPCs so they don't do any actions?

I don't like people breaking immersions with masks and spell-casting inside a place that is known to have zero tolerance to it? If I see someone I know has been around for a while to know better, I mark them as "avoid" and avoid roleplaying with them as much as possible. If they ignore stuff like that, what else are they willing to ignore just because they can? Consequences of their actions? Yeah, I'm not a hardcore roleplayer by any stretch, but respecting immersion of others does appear high on my list of "good roleplaying etiquette".