Magicker population?

[5 day lifespan]

What is the normally expected magicker population normally supposed to be in Zalanthas?  I'm just curious as I have seen a higher percentage of gems-on-throats than I have ever seen before.  It's really nice to see them having a culture and all, but my character is getting a little freaked out by seeing roving packs of them constantly.

I thought they were a rare group, an aberration or mutation. (depending on IC points of view)

[Boggis]

There's a whole quarter full of them. I think it's safe for your PC to assume that you're not seeing any more / less of them just because you see a few more PCs around at some point in time.

[That70sDrovian]

*whistles innocently*

[jhunter]

Yeah, it should be fairly common to see gemmers if you're living in Allanak. Other places it shouldn't be as common so it sounds about right to me. They're always there in 'Nak whether there happens to be a few pc mages or not.

[number13]

Yeah, it should be fairly common to see gemmers if you're living in Allanak.

edit for less snark.

I don't know that it should be 'common' to see gemmers if you are, say, a Byn Runner or a grebber in Allanak. Very few coded NPCs wear gems outside of the quarter.  I can't think of any, actually.

[jhunter]

Edit: Since you actually decided to say something.

Keep in mind, there are vnpcs all over the city. It's safe to say that they too have to leave the quarter in order to get food supplies, or work just like pc elementalists would be doing as well. As for not seeing coded gemmed outside the quarter, that is false, there -are- gemmed npcs outside of the elementalists quarter.

[number13]

Do you have something to actually say or are you trolling?

I dislike with the current frequency of gemmer-mundane encounters in Allanak. It seems a bit high to me.

[Eloran]

I can remember one or two gemmed npcs outside the quarter, I think. In any case, take into account vnpcs as well. Most gemmed never leave the quarter, but some (namely pcs) do.

Things run in cycles here, 5DLS. Sometimes you may see more mages than usual. Other times, it may be desert elves, half-elves, city elves, humans, dwarves, half-giants, whatever.

[jhunter]

Do you have something to actually say or are you trolling?

I dislike with the current frequency of gemmer-mundane encounters in Allanak at present. It seems a bit high to me.

The problem is, IMO, that alot of players seem to be under the misconception that frequency of seeing magicker pcs in Allanak should be much like that of Tuluk or other places. As someone else said, there is an entire quarter of the city where they are allowed to live and practice their magicks. They work alongside some of the other mundane citizens on a daily basis, there's a noble house that employs them. The templarate utilizes them. If you are seeing gemmers in Allanak, that's good, they're part of living there and it is as it should be. If you're seeing them on a daily basis anywhere else, then, there's likely an issue or something major going on at that time causing it.

[Synthesis]

There were even more of them around 1-2 months ago.

[Malken]

It is high because it only takes a few players to make the role sounds like 'fun' to attract more players to play gemmers as well.

The more fun us 'gemmers' seem to be having in public, the more interested people will be in trying one, and perhaps they are
just thinking that right now would be a good time to try a gemmer of their own, because there's a good bunch of great players
playing one currently.

That sort of thread is not going to stop anyone from playing a gemmer in the near future, actually, by saying that there's a good
bunch of them right now will probably attract more of them (and I know that some are quite interested in playing one as well
currently), so, yes, expect numbers to grow in the near future.

I feel for you, though, because yes, I often see 3-5 gemmers all sitting together and acting like they own the place, and there's
only 1 mundane or 2 around, and it must be really hard to pick on a gemmer when the rest of his group will protect him.

When I was playing a mundane, a few months ago, and me and my brother PC insulted a gemmer, the guy went right away to
a militia PC and bribed him to kill my brother for insulting him. The brother was dead a day later.

But again, right now, we are making gemmers sound like a lot of fun to play (and they are!) so players are probably taking notice
and thinking it's a good time to try one.

But the same can be said of anything else, at some point I was making Jul Tavan sounds like a lot of fun to play and we were always
4-5 of us in Tuluk. It only takes one or two interesting PCs in a group to attract more to them.

[number13]

The problem is, IMO, that alot of players seem to be under the misconception that frequency of seeing magicker pcs in Allanak should be much like that of Tuluk or other places.  ...  If you are seeing gemmers in Allanak, that's good, they're part of living there and it is as it should be.

I know you are correct about that. 

I'm saying I wish the the pendulum would swing back to gemmer/mundane ratio I perceived when I first started playing the game. That could involve gemmers hiding in their own circles, mundane players returning from stints in Tuluk, less gemmers, or a mundane hide-away for grebbers, scum, and mercs with a 'no fingerwigglers' sign posted out front.

For any given area aside from the quarter (and -perhaps- another couple certain areas), I'd prefer seeing mundane PCs outnumber non-mundanes.

[Riev]

*sniff*

Do you smell that? I smell a derail into "All the mundane players are in Tuluk" insinuations, causing another argument about city-states.

[5 day lifespan]

I suppose it is just the WHERE of it.  If I'm in the elementalists' quarter, sure.  If I am in the Bard's, sure.  MAYBE the traders.  But in the Gaj?  Templars get shanked in the Gaj.

And yes, there is at least one gemmer NPC outside of the quarter.  I was flirting with her until I saw the gem.  Oops.

[X-D]

The traders? No way.

Reds? Maybe.

The Gaj, definitly.

Thing is, the Gaj is the lowest class of tavern in allanak proper. Where else would scum like mages, Mercs and thieves hang out?

Which BTW, is the way staff wants it, otherwise they would have put in a gemmed quarter tavern AGES ago, not like nearly every gemmed player has not asked over the years.

[Synthesis]

The traders? No way.

Reds? Maybe.

The Gaj, definitly.

Thing is, the Gaj is the lowest class of tavern in allanak proper. Where else would scum like mages, Mercs and thieves hang out?

Which BTW, is the way staff wants it, otherwise they would have put in a gemmed quarter tavern AGES ago, not like nearly every gemmed player has not asked over the years.

Inferring what the Staff want from what they haven't done is probably a fairly poor way of determining their intentions.

[titansfan]

So make the gemmers life a living hell when you see them? Maybe you'll force them to off themselves in self pity? I never have a problem with amounts of things in any area...it's a world, adapt to it...play as your character's mindset would force you to act. You hate the mages? Then piss on their boots or throw poop at them. Maybe then they will stay in their quarter?

[X-D]

Maybe, or maybe it is just the way I felt like saying it.

Either way, there have been many attempts, IC and OOC to get a tavern in the gemmed quarter, and in the better then 12 years that the quarter has existed, still, no tavern there...SO...given the time and the literally hundreds maybe thousands of requests, I would say that it is a rather good way to infer such a thing.

[Malken]

Maybe, or maybe it is just the way I felt like saying it.

Either way, there have been many attempts, IC and OOC to get a tavern in the gemmed quarter, and in the better then 12 years that the quarter has existed, still, no tavern there...SO...given the time and the literally hundreds maybe thousands of requests, I would say that it is a rather good way to infer such a thing.

The gemmed quarter is one of my most favorite area in the game, to be honest. They don't have a tavern but they have a whole nice area that could serve as one, bbq and picnic area included!

I usually go to the Gaj because I want to roleplay with others, not because I'm bored out of my mind. I see the Gaj so empty, lately, so I feel bad that 8 characters out of 21 are gemmed ones all
hanging out together in some Estate, or in a Temple, having a blast, so sometimes I decide to head there to play with the 1 or 2 mundane sitting at the bar.

If you want us all to hang out in our quarter, trust me, it won't be a problem for me, but don't say that the Gaj and Allanak are always empty nowadays. I go there to entertain the masses, not the
other way around.

(That wasn't directed to you, X-D, I was just quoting you for, huh, I don't really remember now..)

[evil_erdlu]

Err.. making a gemmer's life hell?

Let's assume IRL, there _is_ someone who has psionic powers. People have observed him moving a truck with only the power of his mind. About half a year ago, he accelerated a little piece of stone into such a high speed that he instantly killed a mugger beating on his momma.

That man is _naturally_ shunned, you know he's been going to a special laboratory where folks from the government examine his brain. Seems they did allow him to wander around freely and there are rumours he's even being used a specialized killer in some situations.

So.. You get into the bar and fling poo at him? Bad move..

- He will indeed be killed by special forces if he goes berserk but heh.. You'll most possibly die, too.
- He is in a way the property of the government, a.k.a the men in black. You don't mess with the toys of men in black.
- You pass through three alleys when you go home.
- You _do not_ know if he's able to kill you without a trace from far, far away.

Let's translate this passage to zalanthas..

Let's assume in Allanak, there _is_ someone who is a krathi. People have observed him creating walls of fire with only the power of his mind. About half a year ago, he burned down a gith attacking his mining buddy in mere moments.

That man is _naturally_ shunned, you know he's been going to the Temple of Suk-Krath where templars often visit and examine the gemmers. Seems they did allow him to wander around freely and there are rumours he's even being used a specialized killed in some situations.

So.. You get into the tavern and fling poo at him? Bad move..

- He will indeed be killed by militia if he goes berserk but heh.. You'll most possibly die, too.
- He is in a way the property of the templerate. You don't mess with the toys of templerate.
- You pass through three alleys when you go home, additionally you go outside the gates for salt grebbing.
- You _do not_ know if he's able to kill you without a trace from far, far away.

Now, still messing with gemmers without social power to back you up sounds reasonable?

[Synthesis]

There are ways to shun magickers, without being a total farkwad.

1) Don't invite them to your parties.

2) Don't invite them out on hunting trips.

3) Don't trade with them, even if they're the *only* PC in town.

4) Don't talk to them.

5) Don't sit at the same table as them.

6) Any time one enters the room, leave.

7) Ditto the above for anyone else who deals with them.

[evil_erdlu]

There are ways to shun magickers, without being a total farkwad.

1) Don't invite them to your parties.

2) Don't invite them out on hunting trips.

3) Don't trade with them, even if they're the *only* PC in town.

4) Don't talk to them.

5) Don't sit at the same table as them.

6) Any time one enters the room, leave.

7) Ditto the above for anyone else who deals with them.

Totally right...

[spawnloser]

Which BTW, is the way staff wants it, otherwise they would have put in a gemmed quarter tavern AGES ago, not like nearly every gemmed player has not asked over the years.

Inferring what the Staff want from what they haven't done is probably a fairly poor way of determining their intentions.

I was directly told that they would not put a tavern in the Elementalist Quarter because non-gemmers wouldn't go there, furthering an arbitrary separation between PC mundanes and PC gemmers.  I infer that they do not want the potential conflict of mundanes and gemmers to be eliminated.  Handle it IC.

[Malken]

There are ways to shun magickers, without being a total farkwad.

1) Don't invite them to your parties.

2) Don't invite them out on hunting trips.

3) Don't trade with them, even if they're the *only* PC in town.

4) Don't talk to them.

5) Don't sit at the same table as them.

6) Any time one enters the room, leave.

7) Ditto the above for anyone else who deals with them.

It might be totally right, but with the amount of magickers right now, you are making your life more boring than you would make theirs. It shows, people come back an hour later and talk to the gemmers.

1) What parties? For every mundane party, there's probably five gemmer parties going on.

2) Hunting trips? Gemmers probably hunt more than the Salarri hunters, lately.

3) Gemmers are some of the wealthiest PCs in game, not trading with them would be.. Dumb.

4) See the part where the mundanes get bored and come back to talk and be buddies again within an hour.

5) They couldn't care less, gemmers are often in groups together at the Gaj, mundanes are often alone.

6) That makes us giggle more than anything else.

[Marauder Moe]

A character of mine once helped squelch an IC attempt to make a gemmer tavern.

He was a gemmer himself, too.   

There are ways to shun magickers, without being a total farkwad.

1) Don't invite them to your parties.

2) Don't invite them out on hunting trips.

3) Don't trade with them, even if they're the *only* PC in town.

4) Don't talk to them.

5) Don't sit at the same table as them.

6) Any time one enters the room, leave.

7) Ditto the above for anyone else who deals with them.

Yes... do this if you want to avoid all conflict and bore gemmer PCs to tears. 

My list:
1) Exchange awkward/dirty/scared/pity glances with gemmers.

2) Play up ignorance.  Without malice, ask some gemmer if it's true genital shrinkage is a side effect of magick.  Perhaps offer to bribe them to leave your berries alone.

3) Do business with gemmers, but be rough on the bargaining.  Also perhaps tell them to keep quiet afterwards, because you won't do business with them again if all your friends find out you did.

4) Invite them on hunting trips (works a little better if this is a militia trip), but don't let them buff you and your men.  Tell them to save the curses for the prey/enemy (and not the ones you intend to eat).