Two Questions: Elves and.. another question

[one man posse]

1) I've read the elven racial roleplay thing which talks about the
art of scamming and trust tests and etc. etc. and I was wondering,
in it it mentions that very few elves rp this distrust, and its right.
The general trend is to talk the talk but not walk the walk. When
two elves talk about scams they'll say 'oh I scammed this human
and yadda yadda and that half-giant and yadda yadda', but I never
see it happening, also, with the tests of elven trust its hardly needed
because every elf mine meets just kinda stays at a distance, but
if any problem occured, generally would be helpful, and its hard to
shake that. What's the staff think about that, any suggestions?

2) On a lighter note, on the saturday downtimes does Sanvean,
Nessalin, Halaster and Savak ever create uber-sorceror/psionicist/
elementalist characters with all their spells/psionics mastered and
toe to toe it all over Zalanthas, instead of fixing bugs all day? :)

[Halaster]

I've seen a few elves actually run a scam in their day.  I think that it can be hard for them to do sometimes, because everyone already knows that "hey, it's an elf, he's probably going to try to swindle me".  Well, maybe half-giants may forget sometimes, but you know what I mean.

This, in turn, means that the elves have to get smarter and smarter in order to continue to pull off scams (or hope n00bies come along!!).

Anyway, as with a lot of things.  If you think it's not being done right.. do it right and lead by example.  If you're tired of hearing of elves brag about it, but never see it... do it yourself and show them!  But, keep in mind, that an elf doesn't have to be ALWAYS trying to pull a scam.  They may, in fact, just want to sell that extra sword they have.  Now, if they can turn it into a scam.. awesome.

On a side note, I would encourage non-elf PC's to help elf PC's play their role.  Sure, everyone is going to know that an elf is going to try to scam them, but not everyone will see the scam.  If you OOC'ly know you're being scammed, but you think your character would not know (maybe he's stupid, maybe he's just naieve, etc), go ahead and let them be scammed.  It's kinda fun.

And.. believe it or not.. no, we don't make ubersorcs and run around killing each other on Saturday.  We actually do work.  We make the ubersorcs and run around killing each other every other day of the week.

[John]

I've also been scammed. And I thought to myself just before (don't trust elves).

So yes, damn elves ARE scamming people.........well, at least me

[Alcatraz]

A WHILE ago I played this elven bard back when Tuluk was still Tuluk and learnt that when you're playing an elf, scams can come in many different forms.  They don't all have to be the scam of the centruy.  They could be getting some human to give you coins just for playing a song, or selling a sword you stole for less than a weaponsmith would making someone else think they scammed YOU, when in fact the elf knows it's all profit anyway or even better, you stole it from their buddy.  

Elves in my opinion are the most fun race to play if you do them right.  I think a lot of people are missing out on playing elves because they do 1 of 2 things.  They either forget about the whole elvish scam thing and just run taller, faster, human chars that have lots of true friends they trust and every once in a while catch shit from someone for being an elf, but don't understand it because they're really nice!  Or, they go WAY overboard on the sneaky elves thing and make it way too obvious what they're up to.  I think the best played elf is the one who makes everyone THINK he's all friendly, but in reality, he's screwing them over again and again.  In an elf's mind, you can either screw someone over big time, make 500 coins and have him tell all his friends not to trust you, or you can screw him over a little, make 100 coins off him and then get 100 coins from him another 10 times since he doesn't know what's happening.

[tland]

I have no idea where you are to not be getting scammed by elves, Just go to the rinth or sit in the gaj.

Most elves I've met have some form of scam going constantly.

[Cerebus]

Here's the thing about scamming elves:

The good scammers you'll never know about and they live long. The bad scammers get killed. Of course, those elves who act real nice and seem to be non-scamming are the ones you really need to watch out for :)

[Moofassa]

I agree with the immortal i've never heard of. Scamming elves rule

[Marc]

The three-headed, serpent-tailed dog Cerebus was the offspring of Echidna and Typhon. In Hesiod's Theogony, Cerebus had not three, but fifty heads.

Cerebus was a fierce, pitiless, flesh-eating watchdog, stationed by the River Styx, from which post he would keep the living from entering the land of the dead. Even the gods feared Cerebus, but Hercules, for his twelfth Labor, had to kidnap the three headed dog and bring him to King Eurystheus.

[EvilRoeSlade]

They could be getting some human to give you coins just for playing a song...

That's not a scam.

...or selling a sword you stole for less than a weaponsmith would making someone else think they scammed YOU, when in fact the elf knows it's all profit anyway...

Neither is that.

or even better, you stole it from their buddy.

There we go.

[Larrath]

The elven definition of stealing:
Recieving something that would not be given if all of the details were known.

"Steal", for an elf, covers all sorts of scams, tricks, sleights of hand and manipulations.  It's a much broader term than some people think.


Selling a 5 'sid item for 7 'sid IS stealing for an elf, because if the buyer knew its true value, the 'sids would not have been given in exchange.

Singing a song may or may not count as a scam, but this actually varies a lot.  An elf pretending to be a master Tuluki bard, for example, and charging a thousand 'sid for that song, would consider that as some serious theft.
The reason behind this is that bards are paid for their knowledge and practice in a given art, and being paid for said knowledge while not having it, for an elf, is theft.


There are all types and degrees of theft, and the harder they are to pull off (or more profitable), the more it is worth to the elf.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Yes, I know that.  But he didn't say getting a grand for a song whe you're not a bard, he said singing a song and getting paid.  That isn't a scam.

Thinking HA HA HA THOUGH YOU THINK YOU'RE GETTING A GOOD DEAL... WELL YOU ARE GETTING A GOOD DEAL, BUT I'M STILL GETTING THE MONEY THAT YOU HAVE WILLINGLY PUT FORTH, isn't a scam.  If the person who you were selling to knew what was going through your head, I imagine he'd still go through with the trade.

However, if he knew that the sword you're selling him actually belonged to his friend, that isn't a scam.

I'm just afraid that such general definitions will start leading to the thought of I WALKED UP AND PKED YOU IN THE DESERT D00D U R SCAMMMED and other such nonesense.

[Spoon]

My last elf scammed everything that walked on two legs. He had a flippin' phD in scammery.

The sheer amount of PC's who would pay him for false information was mind-blowing. I think I maxed out his 'bullshit' skill in two hours flat.

Oh yeah, and buying people a drink with the money you just pinched from their back pocket is always a good one.

I did notice with this character, though, that some people slip out of character when they are obviously being scammed, because they simply do not want to be scammed.

And as for the elf-trust thing: The racism between humans and elves is a great. However, it takes a while for people to get used to the idea. Jumps out and interact with any elves who keep their distance from you. The mud gives you the power to spill drinks, sneeze, trip or whatever. Your not going to get your brainz eaten because your character interacted with an elf (if this sounds patronising, ignore it).

[SpyGuy]

I honestly never really understood of the delf concept of scamming.  Anyone care to elaborate on how their delves view scamming and that aspect of elven life in general with the desert runners?

City elves scam everything that moves, just keep looking around.  Some play honest (sorta) but alot are just flea bags.

[Cenghiz]

D-elves are ultimate scams.. Because they can run...
No no.. Not speaking about stealing.. But they hear a tale from north, shift it a little and sell to south as a serious information. Then do the same from south to north.
I had a d-elf in recent time and if he was right, the desert world should have consisted of many many magickers, raiders, defilers and nilazi and nothing else. The stories were true, only tweaked a little on the characters behalf.
And there are at least 'a few' good leaders in few clans who know to forget OOC information and believe you.
Trust other characters.. Not all of them play uber-streetwises.

[Delirium]

I don't think I agree with a d-elf travelling regularly betweeen Allanak and Tuluk or getting much involved in city affairs.

[Marauder Moe]

The elven definition of stealing:
Recieving something that would not be given if all of the details were known.

Thats the best thing I've read all week.  Doc-worthy IMO.

[SpyGuy]

I don't think I agree with a d-elf travelling regularly betweeen Allanak and Tuluk or getting much involved in city affairs.

I'd say it depends on tribe.  But no delf should be spending more time in the cities as he does in the wastes, that'd just be wrong.  But to spread a few rumors and maybe get some 'sid while in town for trade wouldn't be so bad.