Templars and fear

[spawnloser]

It is little secret that Templars are promoted through the ranks as Moe said.  It has happened to PC templars in the past.  None have made black, that I am aware of, but I know that red is attainable.

[Sanvean]

I'd like to edit some of this into this doc: http://www.armageddon.org/intro/authority.html since I was reminded of its existence last night while doing some doc clean-up.  Anything else that should go into it?

[Marauder Moe]

...brown robes?

I think brown robe is a laboring/administrative rank in the templarate.  Like, isn't the templar who works the fountain a brown robe?  Probably clerks in some of the ministry offices are brown-robe too.

White robe is the religious rank, leading devotions and writing propaganda I suppose.

I may have the two mixed up in my head, though.

[rufus]

I've never heard of a brown robe templar before though.  Huh.

[Larrath]

Brown-robed templars don't exist in either city-state, to the best of my knowledge.
If they do exist, they'd have to be a super-secretive sect that's practically never visible and/or leaves the Templar's Quarter.

They probably don't exist, though.


Many administrative duties are taken care of by Blue Robes (mine offices, stables, etc), whereas the White Robes administer the water-selling fountain and probably also, virtually, take care of the Highlord's Temples (not the gemmer ones, though), possibly Morning Devotions, and in general do stuff to make the public more reverent of Tektolnes.

[rufus]

Brown robes = ...Bynners?

[Marauder Moe]

I could swear I've seen a brown-robe before... I'll have to check my logs when I get home.

[Southie]

Maybe you just saw a templar who had recently completed a sewer patrol.

[Marauder Moe]

Maybe.  Or maybe someone was messing with me back when I was a newbie.  Or maybe it was a dream.  Or maybe it's a conspiracy.

Or maybe I'm just going crazy.

No, can't be.  Must be a conspiracy.

[Maybe42or54]

It was probably me and some guys messing with you when you were a newbie.

I remember doing that to a couple people.

[Gimfalisette]

Things I would add about templars and authority in general, in ARM, for newbies to be aware of:

Things Not To Do When Dealing with Authority Figures

Resist Questioning or Arrest: If an authority figure wants to stop you and ask you questions, the smart thing to do is to answer them openly and honestly. Ditto with putting your hood down; just do it, if asked/ordered. Protesting being asked questions, or being hesitant, makes you look guilty.

Run: Almost always, PCs that run are immediately caught. If not caught immediately, they are pretty much always caught later. Running will lead to much more severe consequences when you are caught.

Protest Your Innocence: The authority figure will not believe your protest. You will, rather, seem stupid and insubordinate and probably guilty.

Attack: Duh. If you attack an authority figure, it's pretty much guaranteed you're going to wind up dead.

Cop An Attitude: Badmouthing, cursing, spitting at, refusing to talk, laughing at, sneering, and all kinds of bad attitude will probably end up in things being really hard on your character.

[Marauder Moe]

I don't necessarily think it's out of character to do some of those things, though.  But yeah, most people would be aware of the consequences those actions will likely bring.

Also, something that would be IC for people to do but they don't do often enough is bribe.  Doesn't matter whether or not you're innocent or guilty, you should always try to bribe.  It doesn't (shouldn't) make you look more guilty to do so.

[Cavaticus]

Someone once posted a great little example of how your character should feel around templars. It went like this:

Imagine that you're visiting a war-torn third-world country (for whatever reason). You're sitting in a little bar in the middle of nowhere when a huge man armed with an M-60 bursts on in, flanked by a few cronies. You happen to know from rumors and such that this guy (let's call him Bob) is the right-hand man of whoever happens to be in charge of things here.

Bob strides through the room and bumps into somebody who didn't get out of the way fast enough. And because Bob is annoyed now, he levels his M-60 and sprays chunks of the poor dude all over the room.

Nobody says anything, because why would they? Bob basically runs the show and can do whatever he wants. Bob walks up to the bar and looks down at you. He still looks irritated.

--

Imagine how you'd feel right at that point. Right there with your death staring you in the face. Unless your character is either insane or for whatever reason in REALLY good with the templarate, that's probably how he should feel whenever he's interacting with a templar.

[Nao]

Running makes sense when you know that you'd probably get killed anyway. A small chance is better than no chance at all.

[brytta.leofa]

Also, something that would be IC for people to do but they don't do often enough is bribe.  Doesn't matter whether or not you're innocent or guilty, you should always try to bribe.  It doesn't (shouldn't) make you look more guilty to do so.

Lord Templar, what you say is true--I've made a terrible mistake.
Lord Templar, surely the Highlord knows the depth of my loyalty still, even though I am weak and foolish and have greatly inconvenienced you.
Lord Templar, perhaps by some service I can redeem myself in part.
Lord Templar, I beg you accept this in token of my gratitude for your justice.
:roll:

[Marauder Moe]

...and the templar pockets the coin and strolls off?  I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say.

[Mr.B]

Hi. Southern Templars, which are generally modeled after the terrifying Dark Sun Templars do have the power to brutally kill, maim, or torture people at a whim. Just because many players in these roles don't have the inclination (or balls) to be cruel and upstanding paragons of Allanaki "Law" (used very loosely here, they ARE the freaking law.) doesn't mean that some templars should be less feared then others, because they can all do pretty much whatever the hell they want. In my opinion the correct course of action is often determined by the Templar being dealt with, if your dealing with a Templar who is a gentle soul compared to a bloodthirsty, overbearing hard-ass of a Templar, your going to react differently to them, and the rules of engagement change. Blue, Red or Black robes are sort of like codes of how much actual power among the -templarate- they wield. Where Blues are enough to ruin your life for fun and profit. Northern Templars are a different story, they are similar to Saddam Hussein's regime (but no bowing plz) in a rich and prosperous Iraq, everyone is to love and serve them, and they in turn protect and govern the people of the land, but a word of dissent is enough for them to make you disappear and do horrible things to your nether regions.

[Zhaira]

White robed templars are in charge of religious duties.  They administer the water at the Temple of the Dragon, and, as someone said above, do things related to increasing worship of the Highlord.

Brown robed templars -- we have some tribal lore that there are templars in brown/yellow robes who are stationed in the farms outside of Allanak.  I think this *may* be an artifact that never really got cleared up from Times Past, but is still in play because it very rarely comes up.  They may be in charge of overseeing a farm or some such (as the farm's survival, though outside the walls, is vital to Allanak's success).

[Pale Horse]

White robed templars are in charge of religious duties.  They administer the water at the Temple of the Dragon, and, as someone said above, do things related to increasing worship of the Highlord.

I've always wanted to see a white-robe PC...

[spawnloser]

I've always wanted to see a white-robe PC...

Not going to happen, if I understand them correctly.

[Gimfalisette]

I don't necessarily think it's out of character to do some of those things, though.  But yeah, most people would be aware of the consequences those actions will likely bring.

It might not be out of character for someone to do...who knows the MUD reasonably well and their character's place in the game world.

But the people doing the openly-defying-authority thing are usually totally new to ARM and have no clue that what they're doing will lead to the death of their character if they're not careful. I think the starting docs should be REALLY clear about this stuff.

Running makes sense when you know that you'd probably get killed anyway. A small chance is better than no chance at all.

I've seen plenty of situations where characters ran when they had no need to run; when running ended in their deaths, while NOT running probably would have turned out with their character alive.

Authority figures in both cities, from what I've seen, really want to work with PCs on an OOC level. They aren't mostly totally into killing and plundering PCs (those who are always seem to be gone really quickly). It's just far more beneficial to PCs overall to recommend begging, prostrating, apologizing, and bribing as a way to deal with situations versus running.

[Rhyden]

I've seen plenty of situations where characters ran when they had no need to run; when running ended in their deaths, while NOT running probably would have turned out with their character alive.

And I've seen plenty of situations where characters didn't run but if they had, they would have had a much better chance at living. Many including my own character.  :twisted: I think running is perfectly acceptable, but like Gim said, it's very likely you'll get caught.

If people didn't defy the templars, they'd have less conflict to deal with. If it's realistic, cause mahem for the templars. When I played a Templar, some of the most fun plots revolved around hunting down or dealing with trouble makers.

Personally, I -hate- it when everyone in the room bows to a templar the moment they enter the room unless they're significantly higher ranked than most templars.

[brytta.leofa]

...and the templar pockets the coin and strolls off?  I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say.

I'm just trying to picture how a bribery scenario would work.  "Lord Templar, can I pay my fine now?"

[Tisiphone]

...and the templar pockets the coin and strolls off?  I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say.

I'm just trying to picture how a bribery scenario would work.  "Lord Templar, can I pay my fine now?"

The bribery usually works something like this.

Your PC is somewhere uncomfortable, like a jail cell, or the middle of the street, or sitting in a chair at the tavern. (Note: when you're in trouble with a templar in the room, anywhere is uncomfortable.)

Templar makes it clear that he or she really doesn't care to deal with you right now, because your little problems are either
a) Boring
b) Stupid
c) Unimportant
d) Unlikely to lead to repeat offenses
e) Above his or her pay grade

or some confluence of the above. Then your character obsequeiously thanks the templar for deigning to notice his or her existence, and furthermore for showing him or her the true path, and offers up the three large he or she happens to have in his or her backpack at the time, with the obvious understanding that such a gift is a mere pittance to the templar, more a token of your character's repentance, but so unfortunately all he or she has at the moment, since he or she is a poor, unworthy commoner.

It usually works, unless option e is in play, at which point you lose your money, might get set 'free', usually get tracked down within a couple of days/hours, and end up with some extremely interesting roleplay.

[Gimfalisette]

I've seen plenty of situations where characters ran when they had no need to run; when running ended in their deaths, while NOT running probably would have turned out with their character alive.

And I've seen plenty of situations where characters didn't run but if they had, they would have had a much better chance at living. Many including my own character.  :twisted: I think running is perfectly acceptable, but like Gim said, it's very likely you'll get caught.

If people didn't defy the templars, they'd have less conflict to deal with. If it's realistic, cause mahem for the templars. When I played a Templar, some of the most fun plots revolved around hunting down or dealing with trouble makers.

Personally, I -hate- it when everyone in the room bows to a templar the moment they enter the room unless they're significantly higher ranked than most templars.

OK, my point is: YOU ARE NOT A NOOB. You -know- what will happen if you do or don't run, or what the possibilities are. Noobs do not know this, and often think that authorities will be "nice" to them, or that they really can get away by running. That's all I'm trying to say: Noobs could use some specific "this is a really bad idea to do" kind of instruction.