Tuluk, Assassination, Thieving

[Synthesis]

The overarching problem here is that the vast majority of players who get into positions of power in Tuluk can't wrap their minds completely around the way they should behave in order to make licensed thievery/assassination as viable as it should be.

There quite simply is zero respect for the art of thievery/assassination when things aren't going your character's way.  That's not the way it should be. 

If you're a Tuluki noble and your long-time aide gets exquisitely murdered, your -last- response should be going to cry about it to His Faithful.  That's more of Allanaki-style approach to the problem:  immediately flex your power and put the smackdown on somebody.  A Tuluki noble would be more concerned about who put that contract out in the first place, and would then retaliate subtly:  maybe they would hire the -same- assassin to kill one of their enemy's partisans.  Maybe they would get their enemy eliminated.  Maybe they would attack their enemy's source of income, so they could no longer afford to hire such talented assassins.  Newsflash: finding out who carried out the assassination and then having -them- disappeared a week later is not particularly artful or subtle. 

Tulukis in positions of power should applaud artful assassinations, even when it is personally painful, because it's an affirmation of the Tuluki zeitgeist.  To have a master assassin disappeared would be the equivalent of sending Mozart to the gallows.  It's like burning the flag in America.  It pretty much runs against every grain of Tuluki society.

The same thing goes for assassins in Tuluk:  oaths of utter loyalty to a particular House or Noble are more characteristic of Allanak, where force and power are explicit.  If you're an assassin in Tuluk, taking a job should be a matter of "how will this affect my reputation as an artist," not "oh noes, House X will be mads at me."  Similarly, assassinations shouldn't merely be a matter of coins.  Murdering a newbie hunter isn't worth shit, even if Noble X will pay you a million coins for it...because anybody can kill a newbie hunter.  Why do you need a million coins, anyway?  Your reputation is everything, and if you'll kill anything with a pulse for the right amount of coins, you're no better than an Allanaki 'rinthi thug.

That's my opinion anyway.  I hate Tuluk and I never play there, though, so what do I know?

[Xagon]

The overarching problem here is that the vast majority of players who get into positions of power in Tuluk can't wrap their minds completely around the way they should behave in order to make licensed thievery/assassination as viable as it should be.

There quite simply is zero respect for the art of thievery/assassination when things aren't going your character's way.  That's not the way it should be. 

If you're a Tuluki noble and your long-time aide gets exquisitely murdered, your -last- response should be going to cry about it to His Faithful.  That's more of Allanaki-style approach to the problem:  immediately flex your power and put the smackdown on somebody.  A Tuluki noble would be more concerned about who put that contract out in the first place, and would then retaliate subtly:  maybe they would hire the -same- assassin to kill one of their enemy's partisans.  Maybe they would get their enemy eliminated.  Maybe they would attack their enemy's source of income, so they could no longer afford to hire such talented assassins.  Newsflash: finding out who carried out the assassination and then having -them- disappeared a week later is not particularly artful or subtle. 

Tulukis in positions of power should applaud artful assassinations, even when it is personally painful, because it's an affirmation of the Tuluki zeitgeist.  To have a master assassin disappeared would be the equivalent of sending Mozart to the gallows.  It's like burning the flag in America.  It pretty much runs against every grain of Tuluki society.


The same thing goes for assassins in Tuluk:  oaths of utter loyalty to a particular House or Noble are more characteristic of Allanak, where force and power are explicit.  If you're an assassin in Tuluk, taking a job should be a matter of "how will this affect my reputation as an artist," not "oh noes, House X will be mads at me."  Similarly, assassinations shouldn't merely be a matter of coins.  Murdering a newbie hunter isn't worth shit, even if Noble X will pay you a million coins for it...because anybody can kill a newbie hunter.  Why do you need a million coins, anyway?  Your reputation is everything, and if you'll kill anything with a pulse for the right amount of coins, you're no better than an Allanaki 'rinthi thug.

That's my opinion anyway.  I hate Tuluk and I never play there, though, so what do I know?

Amazing. Completely skewed my view of Assassins there.

[RogueGunslinger]

I wish the game was like synthesis wanted it. 

[Clearsighted]

If you're a Tuluki noble and your long-time aide gets exquisitely murdered, your -last- response should be going to cry about it to His Faithful.  That's more of Allanaki-style approach to the problem:  immediately flex your power and put the smackdown on somebody.  A Tuluki noble would be more concerned about who put that contract out in the first place, and would then retaliate subtly:

They should hire a poet to write a parodying song about the assassin.

/Amirite!?
//More or less agreed with Synth too.

[tortall]

I wish the game was like synthesis wanted it. 

It IS.

There was a well known assassian, who made sure they were know. I dunno about now though. Maybe the assassians right now suck?

[a strange shadow]

Or maybe they're more subtle.

Har har har.

[mansa]

A master assassin wouldn't ever tell people about his deeds.  He'd just be known as "him"

[Delstro]

Or I would be known as Tick.

When anyone would be whacked, they would be known as "Tick"ed.

I would win the game.

[tortall]

A master assassin wouldn't ever tell people about his deeds.  He'd just be known as "him"

They wouldn't tell WHAT they did, but they would offer their services. There will NEVER be enough nobles for a known assassins' name to spread among them.

[mansa]

A master assassin wouldn't ever tell people about his deeds.  He'd just be known as "him"

They wouldn't tell WHAT they did, but they would offer their services. There will NEVER be enough nobles for a known assassins' name to spread among them.

I highly disagree.

Everybody remembers Yellow Belly / Detal / other assassins

[Delstro]

I still am scared of Yellow Belly and Snake.

[Jingo]

Serpent is the only one I knew with my characters.

[Reiloth]

A master assassin wouldn't ever tell people about his deeds.  He'd just be known as "him"

They wouldn't tell WHAT they did, but they would offer their services. There will NEVER be enough nobles for a known assassins' name to spread among them.

I highly disagree.

Everybody remembers Yellow Belly / Detal / other assassins

Lulz Detal.

But yes -- Assassins are the people at the end of the bar that you always see, but never talks. Or maybe he or she's a very charming individual, that you would never suspect. You might catch a glimpse of a certain tattoo or calling card, and then BAM! The rug is pulled out from under you.

Also, Nobles can always ask a Templar if they have any suggestions. They might turn y'all away, but I bet they'd entertain the idea if you needed something 'taken care of'.

[mattrious]

The overarching problem here is that the vast majority of players who get into positions of power in Tuluk can't wrap their minds completely around the way they should behave in order to make licensed thievery/assassination as viable as it should be.

There quite simply is zero respect for the art of thievery/assassination when things aren't going your character's way.  That's not the way it should be. 

If you're a Tuluki noble and your long-time aide gets exquisitely murdered, your -last- response should be going to cry about it to His Faithful.  That's more of Allanaki-style approach to the problem:  immediately flex your power and put the smackdown on somebody.  A Tuluki noble would be more concerned about who put that contract out in the first place, and would then retaliate subtly:  maybe they would hire the -same- assassin to kill one of their enemy's partisans.  Maybe they would get their enemy eliminated.  Maybe they would attack their enemy's source of income, so they could no longer afford to hire such talented assassins.  Newsflash: finding out who carried out the assassination and then having -them- disappeared a week later is not particularly artful or subtle. 

Tulukis in positions of power should applaud artful assassinations, even when it is personally painful, because it's an affirmation of the Tuluki zeitgeist.  To have a master assassin disappeared would be the equivalent of sending Mozart to the gallows.  It's like burning the flag in America.  It pretty much runs against every grain of Tuluki society.

The same thing goes for assassins in Tuluk:  oaths of utter loyalty to a particular House or Noble are more characteristic of Allanak, where force and power are explicit.  If you're an assassin in Tuluk, taking a job should be a matter of "how will this affect my reputation as an artist," not "oh noes, House X will be mads at me."  Similarly, assassinations shouldn't merely be a matter of coins.  Murdering a newbie hunter isn't worth shit, even if Noble X will pay you a million coins for it...because anybody can kill a newbie hunter.  Why do you need a million coins, anyway?  Your reputation is everything, and if you'll kill anything with a pulse for the right amount of coins, you're no better than an Allanaki 'rinthi thug.

That's my opinion anyway.  I hate Tuluk and I never play there, though, so what do I know?

Perfect explanation.

[Janna]

I wish the game was like synthesis wanted it.

To an extent it is. Save for the last line of Synthesis post, I completely agree, however. I saw a number of times (obviously, so did Synthesis) where the assassin was up shits creek for the assassination. Now, if he botched it, seen, failed etc...Then yes, he/she is in shit. However, if it was pulled off properly, they've done their job admirably. Killing an assassin for doing their job in an artful, tuluki manner is the equivelent of murdering a merchant because the weapons crafter crafted a sub-par item. Not his/her fault.

[jstorrie]

I wish the game was like synthesis wanted it. 

It IS.

There was a well known assassian, who made sure they were know. I dunno about now though. Maybe the assassians right now suck?

Maybe you don't know all of the ways in-game to recognize a registered assassin or thief?

[tortall]

I wish the game was like synthesis wanted it. 

It IS.

There was a well known assassian, who made sure they were know. I dunno about now though. Maybe the assassians right now suck?

Maybe you don't know all of the ways in-game to recognize a registered assassin or thief?

Apparently not. Someone should tell me since this would be known information.

[a strange shadow]

Email the staff if you think you should be in a position to know.

[Good Gortok]

I can't imagine mugging or robbery falling into the category of things that a licensed thief is "allowed" to do. Certainly not if there's violence involved.

Also, for certain licensed activities, a pre-determined contract is required in order for it to be acceptable. A licensed assassin can't just go around killing people as they see fit.

[Lizzie]

I think a lot of people get confused on the licensing issue. Here's my understanding of it:

The license is not "permission" to do something illegal. It doesn't make it suddenly -not- illegal, for you. It is still against the law to steal, or to rob an apartment, or to kill someone. The only thing the license does, is grant you leniency if you get caught. That doesn't even mean a full pardon, necessarily.

A hypothetical and very possible example:

4 different people hate Chosen Lord's favorite aide.
Chosen Lord obviously thinks his aide is swell. Chosen Lord is also Faithful Lady's favorite cousin, and it's Faithful Lady's turn to hand out the assassination licenses this month.

Hater #1 tries to kill Aide, fails, gets caught, goes to jail, and immediately disappears.
Hater #2 tries to kill Aide, fails, gets caught, goes to jail, and is seen around the city again but is -never- seen in the Sanctuary again, and returns from jail haggard, beat up, walking funny, crying, missing one eye, and refuses to discuss his ordeal.
Hater #3 tries to kill Aide, fails, gets caught, goes to jail, and returns with a bit more blood on his clothes than before, and suddenly seeking employment because he has no sids and no mount anymore.
Hater #4 tries to kill Aide, fails, gets caught, but halfway to jail he is released with a 500-sid fine, and doesn't have to do any time.

Hater #4 was licensed to kill the Aide.
Hater #3 was a registered Tuluki assassin, who didn't have a license out against this specific person, but is recognized as a valueable asset to the city.
Hater #2 was not registered, or licensed, but is a Tuluki citizen, and somehow managed to talk his way out of disappearing.
Hater #1 was just some random guy who hated an aide and tried to kill her in Tuluk without making any attempt at following the protocol.

[Dar]

I think a lot of people get confused on the licensing issue. Here's my understanding of it:

The license is not "permission" to do something illegal. It doesn't make it suddenly -not- illegal, for you. It is still against the law to steal, or to rob an apartment, or to kill someone. The only thing the license does, is grant you leniency if you get caught. That doesn't even mean a full pardon, necessarily.

Here's another hypothethical example.

Hater one succeeds at killing the aide, gathers his reward, and keeps on living happilly ever after.
Hater two succeeds at killing the aide, gathers his reward, 'and' manages to become a partisan of the one who hired him.
Hater three succeeds at killing the aide, gathers his reward, but oddly ... feels kind of funny in the head. The militia pay him real special attention, and he gets a few innocent questions, about his relation to the aide, or even the one who ordered the hit.
Hater four succeeds at killing the aide, gathers his reward, and then dissapears next week.

Reason? Hater Four 'told' the templar he's gonna kill the aide of her favourite cousin. Hater three is 'known' to be capable of killing that aide. Hater two and one are not known, and if not caught ... feel juuuust fine.

[jstorrie]

Templars are acting pretty stupid if they kill the licensed assassin, rather than the client who hired said assassin. The assassin is only the client's tool.

[musashi]

Templars are acting pretty stupid if they kill the licensed assassin, rather than the client who hired said assassin. The assassin is only the client's tool.

+1. I think that if an assassian gets killed, it's usually as a scapegoat, or an added bennie to the death of the one who hired them as well.

[a strange shadow]

Or they are removing the client's tool because they can't remove the client, for whatever reason; crippling his/her reach.

Still, professional assassins as tools (and not objects of blame) is the correct view of them, regardless of the situation.

[Lizzie]

If I were an assassin, and spent enough time studying the political atmosphere of the city first..

I would try to find out about who's been killed lately, who's had attempts made lately, who knew these people, who the assassins in the city were at the time...

and if I discovered a pattern of *licensed* assassins disappearing whenever a victim was somehow in league with a certain noble, or templar, I would pretty much not get licensed until said noble or templar retired/died.

When it's MORE risky to tell a templar you're the assassin hired to kill Bobo the Bard, than it is to hide the fact that you're an assassin, then you are no longer playing in Tuluk. You're playing in Allanak Lite.