Death and Retirement

[Manzanita]

In general, I'm hip with keeping NPCs at or below level 8 in almost all cases. In fact, I've done the same thing with my homebrew world.

I wonder if we need to then address the dominion of the character races. How could humans, say, be the dominate power in the world if almost none of them are over 8th level? A single beholder or ancient dragon could wipe out an army. The existance of extremely powerful non-humanoid intelligent creatures should be somehow balanced. Perhaps we should mention that there are almost none of these out there. Or perhaps are held in check by good aligned 'monsters.'

I'm getting a bit tangental, though, perhaps. In general, I like this suggestion.

 

[Manzanita]

Unless some DM steps forward to handle individual quests/challenges/ trips North, I think we should keep the process somewhat mechanical.

Another thing to consider is debt. Perhaps part of Joe's deal with the positive energy cult is that his adventurers get a chance to pay the ressurection bill later.

 

[Creamsteak]

I still don't like all this talk about a positive energy cult.

 

[nimisgod]

How about a positive energy church? How would you like to put it?

How about instead of priests, we can have a group of grounded celestials (or outsiders) do the raising and the ressurrecting?

 

[Knight Otu]

If we have a group do the raising, we'll propably want it to be decidedly neutral - there are a few evil characters out there, and one or two evil NPCs might also try to use the tower.

 

[Zweischneid]

If we have a group do the raising, we'll propably want it to be decidedly neutral - there are a few evil characters out there, and one or two evil NPCs might also try to use the tower.

But there should be drawbacks to playing evil PCs, shouldn't there? After all, they can get away with alot of things that the good guys don't.
(including a bail out while leaving the rest of the party to die when it looks like it turns against them).

Besides (and I hope I'm not taking this off track), are there any official guidelines on interaction between good & evil PCs that might be counterproductive to a game (metagame wise, like good Clerics refusing to heal them, or Paladins outright attacking them)?

 

[Knight Otu]

Understand that this is just my gut reaction, and that the judges as a whole might decide differently.

But there should be drawbacks to playing evil PCs, shouldn't there?

Only if their number grows to an uncomfortable level. Openly evil characters do face a number of problems already - the problem to get into good groups, especially with clerics and paladins being a major one - there are not too many openly evil characters to form an all-evil group, so they have to join a differently aligned group.
Evil characters that do not "advertize" their alignment won't face most of these problems, but if found out, might be off worse.

After all, they can get away with alot of things that the good guys don't.

They cannot really get away with it - they are just more likely to do something like that, depending on alignment. They'll propably face the same problems for doing those things as anyone else in the same situation.

Besides (and I hope I'm not taking this off track), are there any official guidelines on interaction between good & evil PCs that might be counterproductive to a game (metagame wise, like good Clerics refusing to heal them, or Paladins outright attacking them)?

Apart from attacking other characters, all of these should be handled via roleplaying.
Attacking other characters - we've had one instance of that, and it prompted the creation of a rule that should be in the Guide to Living Enworld (though I can't currently find one). Basically, both players must agree that a combat between the characters is becoming inevitable for it to happen. My own advice to PvP action? Don't.
(And I could add a remark about paladins and attacking everyone who registers as evil...)

 

[Manzanita]

In general, given that no one has volunteered to be in charge of PC ressurecting, I think we should make it a mechanical operation. PC can be brought to tower. Cost: standard (per DMG, I would think). If PC (&/or PC's party) can't pay it, it will be assumed as a debt on the PC, per an agreement with those who work via Joe.

How's that?

 

[Zweischneid]

(And I could add a remark about paladins and attacking everyone who registers as evil...)

*shrug* There's a tendency with D&D Player (found frequently as well in LENWorld) to attack everything and anything in sight that shows the barest hints of aggression.. doesn't even have to be evil most of the time.

Why should a Paladin (or any plain Fighter/Ranger/Wizard/whatyou'vegot) show a different reaction to an evil Half-Orc (PC) than he would to an evil Orc or an evil Beholder (NPCs)?

There's only so much leeway you can give to metagaming without wrecking the whole suspension of disbelieve.

 

[Knight Otu]

Why should a Paladin (or any plain Fighter/Ranger/Wizard/whatyou'vegot) show a different reaction to an evil Half-Orc (PC) than he would to an evil Orc or an evil Beholder (NPCs)?

Because they most likely will meet in town, and the authorities would not look kindly upon unprovoked bloodshed? Because the evil guy has a good reputation among other good groups?
In the end, I don't think evil PCs will have it easier in Living Enworld than good ones, and possibly even harder, and that's what this little side thread was really about.