2018 Player Campaign (1354 DR) Initiation

[adobongmanok]

I think we should start even if we don't have enough people. More peeps can just join later on.

[Ghalen37]

I'd be willing to join in and fill any faction that needs another body, assuming everyone else is alright with an honest know-nothing newbie taking part.

[Steve]

I'd be willing to join in and fill any faction that needs another body, assuming everyone else is alright with an honest know-nothing newbie taking part.

We take all kinds!!

You can choose between good-ish and nuetral-ish, which seem to be the lacking Factions. Welcome!

[Ghalen37]

I'd be willing to join in and fill any faction that needs another body, assuming everyone else is alright with an honest know-nothing newbie taking part.

We take all kinds!!

You can choose between good-ish and nuetral-ish, which seem to be the lacking Factions. Welcome!

Alright well, I guess I'll take good then. But if there's anyone who ends up wanting in on good and it's full, I am A-okay with switching to neutral. ^.^

Also on the off chance someone wants to switch off of evil I'm good to fill that too. I'm a tabletop DM. I'm used to filling all roles.

[Steve]

I'm re-listing the "rules" we're adhering to, for this Player Campaign...let me know if I missed anything:

This is a collaborative campaign, with the idea that we're here to have Fun and to enjoy each others RP and the Character versus Character conflict built into the basics of the Campaign. Its a Game, so let's enjoy it as such!

Note: Interactions with Characters/Players not "signed up" to this Campaign must follow current BGTSCC Server Rules, in all forms (except were individuals agree for whatever).

Setup / Goals: During the first few months, each Faction has the goal of establishing a "base of operations," which is also something to negotiate with the NPC world. I can imagine that the Evil-ish Faction need to establish a Base in the Upperdark/near Surface + Surface realm. The Good-ish need to find a safe haven in an accommodating village or town. The Neutrals need to find a Base where they can trade freely with both sides. This can also be moments were each faction makes collaboration with existing Guilds/Factions. For example, the Evils might find making a deal with the Zhentarim to use Darkhold as a place of business, by paying a tax for it. Or lying about allegiance. Or, equally make such a move with the Captains of Roaringshore. Etc, etc.

The middle-half months is about confronting, manipulating and posturing positions against the opposite groups. Who knows...in the first months, maybe Evil finds a way to lure the Neutrals more to their side...and the Goods have to "win them back" to at least Neutral, in order that the balance is fair...for if Evil grows in size, that has dire consequences for the Goods!!

The final third of the year is the actual achievement or "win" over the other Side(s), which is a Big Goal yet to be determined. If anyone has a suggestion, I'd like to read it. I'm so far thinking about some Capture the Flag-like goal, or, find a Secret Artifact Goal, or Convert 2 members of the opposing Faction goal (or their permanent destruction). Essentially, there exists a clear cut goal that all Factions know about, but...there is a question about whether just Goods or just Evils can attain it without help (re: neutrals come into play), or using trickery/faith/persuasion to establish political power.

Storyline / Tokens or Coins: Each Character starts with a coin in their possession, the background acquisition left to the Player to write up/invent. The Player Campaign goals are: collect as many Coins as possible via your Faction (alignment-ish based). This is a 1 year Campaign, ending at the end of December 2018 (if we make it that long!!!).

A Character can lose their Coin via a PvP death, as follows: if the Character dies, then the Player of the fallen PC rolls a public 1d4, and if the result is 1, the Character that won the PvP, collects the Coin. A Death via non-mechanical combat RP is a loss of a Coin, with no d4 roll.

Coins can also be gained, new coins, by completing group Tasks or mini-events. Thus, a Faction can replace a Characters lost/taken Coin. The idea being our Characters all want a Coin in their possession. It’s just a “thing” that OOC binds is together in this Campaign.

A DM could also throw the 3 Factions a Challenge, and the winning Faction(s) could gain a Coin as well.

A guiding goal and IC desire built into this campaign/storyline of each individual Character and the Factions, is the IC desire to collect more Coins!

Character Start and Leveling: The consensus or majority of voices expressed an interest in starting at Level 1, no muling/twinking gear or gold...so we're going with that, unless anyone expresses some disinterest. Leveling our Characters will have this OOC limitations/schedule: January – March = max Level 10; April – May = max Level 20; June – December = max Level 30. All I can say is: enjoy the challenge and struggle and reward of the Leveling process! Use the time to RP and learn of your Faction-mates, and/or establish who your enemies are. Have FUN!

PvP Rules: I think it is possible to "suspend" these Rules among our Characters, if we also take up a Level restriction timeframe, and we have clear Permadeath rules. I would say that instead of an RP out—though still possible, if you can be that persuasive with your RP—we have a "run to transition you're safe" rule. Fleeing is something that should be respected, but...fleeing has a big time "loss of face" aspect to it, that WILL become known (at least, used against a Faction...bunch of yellow bellied chicken babies!!! muahaha). Any more ideas on how this can be best put into practice, I'm interested in reading.

Regarding RP outs I was thinking that maybe what we can do is, during the first 1-3 months or 1-6 months, we allow RP outs as per current Server Rules, with our Total Group. This way, it is facilitating IC knowledge gain and giving everyone a chance to "learn" about each other. However, after the half-year mark, RP Outs go out the window, and it is full on "you are my enemy prepare to meet steel/spell" kinda danger.

PermaDeath: 3 mechanical PvP deaths, and your PC is Permanently Dead. It is up to the Player to decide if ANY 3 deaths—like those from mobs—would also count, for your Character. PvP deaths will be tallied (tbd).

If Character is perm’d, the Player is very welcome to continue in the Campaign with a new Character. I’m hoping that this condition will instill some Strategy into everyone’s RP, that it is REALLY IMPORTANT to make sure you Win battles, and not Lose battles. Chaotic stupid will probably lose very quickly!!

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I think the above is enough to impose our "limits" and enough to get us started. I may have forgotten some stuff, so remind me if I have, and I will update this list.

Is it too much to ask that Players create a Bio Page on the Forums? Maybe by March, at least? And...any ideas for Campaign names, events, challenges, etc., please be open and share what you have in mind. Remember: collaboration is key!!!

[Tekill]

Really great so far no complaints. This will be great.

But just to be clear should we prioritize story and RP over pvp and 'winning'?

I mean I spoke to the others on team good and we decided to roll all top tier pvp builds. Once team evil is identified we will 'eliminate' them plus their sympathizers. We plan to have this whole match wrapped up say by the end of January? - yeah that sounds about right.

Ha! Just kidding. But in all seriousness we are focusing on story and RP first right?

I know I will just have this natural impulse that will kick in once I see team evil to god mode and go on the offensive- or at least be very defensive. We should address this impulse, at least for my own benefit.

I have already rolled up my player and hit level 2 -so I know I'm chopping at the bit to get this going. But first, perhaps we should discuss story a bit more?
For example should we all develop individual plot lines and then meld them together?
Should we convince a DM to guide us- or if extremely lucky create a story for us?
Should we all butt heads right now and create a story and a basis for the plot that we can then meld our individual story lines to?

[onetwothree]

You guys have created your PCs already? I thought we would start out together.

[Tekill]

Oh great, I've already been caught cheating....
I can always start over...teehee

[aaron22]

I will roll my toon up on Monday. I am still concept building and trying to create an internal theme to the coin story. I should have a bio by Friday. I have no idea what a PvP build is so I might be SOL. I will also brain storm for a title. It will likely be not as good as what mac will come up with. #goldmine.

See you guys soon

[adobongmanok]

Oh great, I've already been caught cheating....
I can always start over...teehee

It's k. I was bored enough and started RPing with random grinders and now I'm level 7....gonna RCR him whenever we actually start. Gonna need to write a bio for him as well...

[Calodan]

Sorry guys but I will be starting out at level 5. I have too many PCs to start yet another new one. So I have XP in the bank for a level 5 PC or I have a level 5 PC that I can use for this right now. Bad enough I do not get to use my plethora of items already gathered to make a concept...So yeah there is that on my part..

[CleverUsername123]

(deleted)

[Ghalen37]

Everything sounds pretty good so far. I've got my good-ish character rolled up and ready to go, sitting pretty at level 1. So other goodies hit me up if you wanna swap stories and set up a sort of session 0 or anything.

And then some thoughts just for sake of collaboration:
An endgame could revolve around the coins themselves. Get enough together and they all work as clues to something larger. The more coins a faction have, the more pieces of the puzzle there are. So the faction that reaches some arbitrary number of coins discover whatever it is there is to be found, and the remaining faction(s) have to spring up to prevent the leading faction from fulfilling whatever it is the coins lead to.
There could also be specific ways for each faction to acquire coins for a little more differentiation. Just as an example, the coins could mysteriously come to the Neutral faction, who are responsible for rewarding the coins to worthy questers. Only while the goodies are trying to win over the various neutrals and their coins, the more sinister aligned faction might just, say, murder a neutral for their stash, or let a goody do all the hard work and then ambush them for the coin.

For the Permas, i would say leave the 3-strike rule to just PvP and event related deaths. Because out in the wild, there are just some silly, near unavoidable deaths. *Shakes fist at overpowered worg riders north of Beregost* And those don't contribute to the story. Also maybe discount any deaths that are countered by a legitimate ressurection, such as through a spell or temple.

Again, just some suggestions to get the ball rolling. Take them or leave them as desired.

[Steve]

Hello everyone!

First and foremost, I want to reiterate that, this being a Role-play Server, this player campaign IS about role-play over PvP "winning" via mechanical means.

Let me explain it another way: This player-initiated Campaign is about Character-versus-Character conflict and consequence, where all Players involved are "signed up" to accept such results from the Role-play role they've chosen to do awesome things with!

I think we all realize that, if any Faction was to join up in force and track down another Character, and mechanically PvP them, it would be a "win." But a hollow win, because we know a few things: 5-on-1 is stupid odds (the hunted PC should run from this...); b) 5+ level differences between Characters can mean a slaughter for the low level PC.

Thus, we're thinking about how to make this Fun for all involved, and...why also a mechanical PvP win has only a 25% chance of acquiring a Coin from the loser, but an Role-play death that truly involves all in a collaborative "story" to get there, is a solid Coin gain.

If you have doubts or concerns, please address them, so no one is disappointed!

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Regarding started Characters or Levels: In these months of Jan. – March, the Level limit is 1 – 10. That means, if you're the type of Player to get to Level 10 yesterday, then go for it. If you're the type of Player to take it easy and enjoy the process, learning IC how to "be" this Character on the Server, that go for it.

The Level limitation is there to make it easier for Players to group up, but...it should not become a defining factor in the Storyline. Hell...anyone in this Player Campaign could be rolling up a Commoner character, and that commoner has a Coin but must be TOTALLY PROTECTED by the others, in order to win! See, think outside the box.

I personally find it more interesting and challenging to see if through my Character I can manipulate and gain without PvP mechanics...but that is the challenge, and if not successful, I'm not successful. But I realize that if I "lose" in this manner, I can easily roll up another Character that might have a better chance.

Lastly, if anyone wants to roll up an EDM Bard or FS/Paladin (Blackguard) and rofflestomp, well...we'll have to deal with that. That would be a challenge to the others, and I would hope that the Player of said PvP Build would understand their possible mechanical "advantage" does nothing to help the storyline get better (so consider always how to make the Campaign and storyline better/more interesting for all!). An example, in my opinion, would be: Player of such a "powerbuild" would put themselves in a position where they might be the underdog in a 3-on-1 situation, and thus...give over Players and Characters and Factions a chance.

Oh...I almost forgot: if you are doing things to get together OOC or build your faction, please document that in some IC manner, where we can post to the Forum once a more IC storyline thread is started.

Because: if we all take a solid presence IG and on the Forum, there will come DM supported moments!! But we have to make that effort to get the attention.

[onetwothree]

Perhaps we should ask for a subforum so that we can arrange playtimes and such?