Gemmed in the HoK

[Marauder Moe]

Gemming seems to vary greatly from templar to templar.  Some will sit down with you, explain the rules, and even offer a job (or point you in his buddy Lord Oash's direction).  Others will make you pay for it and teach you nothing except how it works (by example).  Such variations seem perfectly reasonable to me.

[Also, those templars that make you pay for a gem probably collect fines/taxes/bribes from just about everyone who comes to them for something.]

[Hymwen]

1. Allanaki Templars get less income.

I think the amount templars charge for the gem is very small, probably less than what your average templar spends on a good meal. You don't want people to run around without a gem because they think it's too expensive

I've played gemmed a few times over the years, and this thread is the first time I've ever heard of Templars charging for the gem.  Is it a new thing?  Because it sounds kind of crazy.  You don't make a mul pay for his own slave collar and whip.

You know, I don't know. I just assumed it because other people said so in this thread. I've yet to play a gemmer (and I probably never will).

[InsertCleverNameHere]

I have seen them charge, and been charged for one. And the price wasn't that tiny, if you happen to have a broke PC. But then, maybe the price varies from templar to templar, magicker to magicker.

[aruna]

1. Allanaki Templars get less income.

I think the amount templars charge for the gem is very small, probably less than what your average templar spends on a good meal. You don't want people to run around without a gem because they think it's too expensive

I've played gemmed a few times over the years, and this thread is the first time I've ever heard of Templars charging for the gem.  Is it a new thing?  Because it sounds kind of crazy.  You don't make a mul pay for his own slave collar and whip.

You know, I don't know. I just assumed it because other people said so in this thread. I've yet to play a gemmer (and I probably never will).

I don't remember the gem ever costing anything either, but I've only ever gotten one once, and that was a few years ago.

Edit: Maybe it's up to the discretion of the Templar? (Who needs fairness among mages? Pfft.)

[Yokunama]

1. Allanaki Templars get less income.

I think the amount templars charge for the gem is very small, probably less than what your average templar spends on a good meal. You don't want people to run around without a gem because they think it's too expensive

I've played gemmed a few times over the years, and this thread is the first time I've ever heard of Templars charging for the gem.  Is it a new thing?  Because it sounds kind of crazy.  You don't make a mul pay for his own slave collar and whip.

You know, I don't know. I just assumed it because other people said so in this thread. I've yet to play a gemmer (and I probably never will).

I don't remember the gem ever costing anything either, but I've only ever gotten one once, and that was a few years ago.

Edit: Maybe it's up to the discretion of the Templar? (Who needs fairness among mages? Pfft.)

I do remember a friend getting his gem for free and my character getting his for a fee.
It really depends upon the templar. Some charge for a gem and some don't. Maybe it depends on the templar, if they are doing something important to deal with you, or if they like or dislike you or your element for some odd reason.

[Yokunama]

I do think character should be able to get gemmed in the Hall of Kings, because theres very little interaction, concerning the gemming process. If interaction is needed, people buying or claiming citizenship in the north can get their citizenship tattoos inquiring a templar about them.

[marko]

I think the making the option available is a good thing.

Some people have char's that have manifested well before they log into the game and for these people it makes sense to come into the game with a gem.

Others manifest when they start their char - at that time they should seek out a templar and get their gem.

And finally others manifest well after starting their char (sometimes a period of RL months goes by) and again, at that time, they should seek out a templar for their gem.

Options are good.

[Cavus]

Well, I am not sure if it has been said, but here it is. If you have a background like:
"....He noticed that he has some unsual powers, and then informs His Templarate about it. In later years, he practiced his skills...bla bla and bla"

In that case, you just wish up for a gem at Hall of Kings, or when you point somewhere you quit your char to OOC room before none see you. And again wish up and get your gem.

[Hymwen]

The problem is that sometimes nobody's around to answer your wish. Do you want to stand around in the HoK for 2 hours right after having waited for character approval, just to receive something that your character should have had for years? I don't see any problem with giving people the option of getting a gem in the HoK. Those who would rather make some RP out of becoming gemmed, well, they can do just that!

[jcarter]

Just another note--

If you receive a gem in the Hall of Kings, you WILL lose it when you pick your citystate. This happened to my PC.

[Eternal]

This is, I assume, why the Tuluki tattoo room isn't a part of the Hall of Kings itself.

Now, on task.  I actually don't see a reason why not, provided that you aren't given the option to equip it, but rather must wear it immediately.  If you want a gem that isn't around your neck in game, you need to get it yourself.  If you want a gem that should have been around your neck since you (manifested?... really?) gave in and embraced your inner freakness then that's fine by me.

Actually, I could see an arguement for merchant tokens as well, though I think those are well-handled ic.

Lord Templar Hard Nose believes all magickers should be branded, tattooed, gemmed and made into ottomans.

[Eternal]

I've played gemmed a few times over the years, and this thread is the first time I've ever heard of Templars charging for the gem.  Is it a new thing?  Because it sounds kind of crazy.  You don't make a mul pay for his own slave collar and whip.

Glad I wasn't the only one wondering this...

[Ghost]

I have noticed paying for the gem as new.  But somehow it does not look so much out of place.  Because templars can charge you for just being in their presence, or just for being in their company.  I am assuming, you can go around and take your gem without paying for anything even if the templar asks you for, but then you will just see the badside of the templar immediately.  So you are actually buying the templar's good manners.

I think it is okay.  The templar can do whatever trick he wants to do.  He is kind of giving you an option.  Or rather asking you.  You can refuse it, but you would be best if you did not.

And on the original topic:  Getting the gem in the HoK does not sound too good to me.  The gem is giving you and the templar to know each other.  The gemmed are often left alone to find a living for their own.  So by the interaction of the gem, the templar will get the idea of how he can find a place for you perhaps in a future plot to come.

If there was an automated option in the HoK, there would be more people getting the gem from there and missing the first interaction.  I would not support that, and if someone has gem in their background, I think they should wish up instead of making it automated.  This way, it will be more likely unless someone specifically makes it clear he had gem before, people would go for getting it from a PC templar.

[Yokunama]

And on the original topic:  Getting the gem in the HoK does not sound too good to me.  The gem is giving you and the templar to know each other.  The gemmed are often left alone to find a living for their own.  So by the interaction of the gem, the templar will get the idea of how he can find a place for you perhaps in a future plot to come.

If this were true, the same would be for the caste tattoos. People, whom do not have their tattoos, can walk up to a templar and ask for them, but it doesn't create much RP.

The first encounter with a PC templar doesn't really ensure you that you'll be kept in mind, concerning a future plots. The only way you are going to get put in any plots is to beg the templar's for work, something that can be done long after you obtain the gem. If anything, you'll still remain in your temple with hours and hours gone to the solo roleplaying gemmed magickers are so good at.

Yea, I admit, sometimes you will get visits from a templar, but you have to be very useful magicker if you are going to start receiving those encounters. Being a good and attractive roleplayer doesn't hurt either - everyone lurves good roleplayers.

I hate having a magicker gemmed in his/her background (earlier stages of life), only to appear within the game, wait around hours (sometimes RL days), and ask for another gem. Sometimes, theres no garuentee that your wish will get answered if it ever comes to that. So, you are basically stuck waiting around more hours or days even. It took three or four days to get my first magicker gemmed (wishing included), and all the rules were suppose to have been laid out for me by an unanimated NPC in one of the temples.

Having magickers gemmed before they leave the HOKs is a good idea, in my opinion.

[Halaster]

I'm definitely not for this idea, for several reasons, one of them being having to buy a gem from a templar is some good interaction that can occur between players, so why take it away from them?

[Hymwen]

Does this mean that gemmed people only have the two options of either having just discovered their affinity, or having hidden their abilities up until the point where they go and get their gem IG?

So no "she was gemmed as a child and has grown up in the Elementalists' Quarters..." or "having worn the gem for a year now, she is beginning to make use of the innate skills she once loathed..." backgrounds?

[Nao]

Are you guys really so starved for PC interaction that you're going to vote for taking away some very viable, realistic options and maybe a load off the staff's back?  It is not hard to initiate roleplay with a templar...especially negative roleplay (which is what getting the gem usually is).

There's a few problems with that - there are no templars the play primarily off peak and there probably won't be any in the near future so off-peak players would have to sit around for RL weeks waiting to get gemmed (most of the time I couldn't find a templar if I absolutely had to, they find me for the nasty negative stuff). Most won't do that but wish up instead and bother the staff - might as well get it in the hall of kings. Then the wishing up has it's own problems...

[LauraMars]

Are you guys really so starved for PC interaction that you're going to vote for taking away some very viable, realistic options and maybe a load off the staff's back?  It is not hard to initiate roleplay with a templar...especially negative roleplay (which is what getting the gem usually is).

There's a few problems with that - there are no templars the play primarily off peak and there probably won't be any in the near future so off-peak players would have to sit around for RL weeks waiting to get gemmed (most of the time I couldn't find a templar if I absolutely had to, they find me for the nasty negative stuff). Most won't do that but wish up instead and bother the staff - might as well get it in the hall of kings. Then the wishing up has it's own problems...

....Yes.  My post WAS advocating the logic of getting the gem in the hall of kings, and the ease of initiating (other types of) roleplay with templars, if you so choose.  Sorry if that wasn't clear to you, but we're actually in agreement.

[Nao]

....Yes.  My post WAS advocating the logic of getting the gem in the hall of kings, and the ease of initiating (other types of) roleplay with templars, if you so choose.  Sorry if that wasn't clear to you, but we're actually in agreement.

oops - thought it was the other way around, sorry.