Serial Killers

[RogueGunslinger]

A serial killer who only kills vnpc's and npcs would not make PC's have any sort of fear at all. They would probably just think you're a twink.

[evilcabbage]

A serial killer who only kills vnpc's and npcs would not make PC's have any sort of fear at all. They would probably just think you're a twink.

Or get them pissed off enough to hunt you down and kill you.

But anyone who kills NPCs/PCs/vNPCs is apparently a twink, and deserves to die, according to the philosophy of a select few who play this game.

Honestly, if you're average Joe Commoner, and you hear about a string of blonde haired blue eyed men and women being killed in your part of town, and you have blonde hair and blue eyes? You gonna be scared!

[Potaje]

I'm just going to add, that if you do kill someone, arrange the body to show it. I think just finding a body on the ground I usually think, oh that person must have died or hunger, thirst, heat exhaustion, old age, or anything but murder.

[Dar]

But anyone who kills NPCs/PCs/vNPCs is apparently a twink, and deserves to die, according to the philosophy of a select few who play this game.

I guess I am of those select few.

In all honesty, I would have no problems with you killing only vnpcs and npcs. As long as you arrange each murder with the Imms so someone is there to animate your potential victim and the world around you.


Otherwise ... you're just abusing the AI's lack of the I.

[Zharal]

I'm just going to add, that if you do kill someone, arrange the body to show it. I think just finding a body on the ground I usually think, oh that person must have died or hunger, thirst, heat exhaustion, old age, or anything but murder.

I agree.. one should arange the body so it shows there is mischift at hand and give a clue to the local milita that there is a situation at hand so they can try and get involved.  See I started this post to see the idea you all have as to how you would play a serial killer, what is a serial killer and why is he or she such. How would one play a role so that the Imms know your not just pking for kicksan grins as this can cause damage to storielines and create disinterest for players that lose there character to a twinkish death.  In truth after alot of reading on this post I belive that a well played serial killer is one that is your avarge joe, but under the serface is a twisted issue that could have been created in many ways from mental illness to mental distress due to tramatic events in the characters life.  I belive that a serial killer could be your best friend and a truly nice guy but something happends and he decideds that someone or a vpc needs to die, it should be well thouth out and played out. Also I belive that you should write the imms fore beginning your hunting to take out your target so they can know what is going on. Lots of think comands as well.  And remember it could be a situation that could take months to years to actually do the deed and you want to leave some sort of clue to let the general poulation know that there is a killer about and generate fear in the general public as well as give the militia something to do as they would focus on a killer on the lose.

[roughneck]

A serial killer who only kills vnpc's and npcs would not make PC's have any sort of fear at all. They would probably just think you're a twink.

Everyone knows that a pc who is a serial killer of npcs is just powering up until they start coming after pcs.  Kill them first!

[Zoan]

I played a NPC-only (well, during my tenure) serial killer. Well he was going to be a serial killer - I only got one victim until the Cheese got me.

[Cind]

was typing on IsFriday's thread and decided this was a more appropriate place for ideas.

idea: dwarven woman named Talia invents, in vengeful rage after the completion of her previous goal, a Focus to kill Amos, who has done something unforgiveable. later on, however, they end up in the same Byn unit or whatever, and they end up becoming friends and reconciling. her Focus remains the same because that's simply the way things are. or, maybe your pc defends themselves against an attacker, but is actually quite a fighter themselves and ends up killing the person by mistake, and it haunts them ever after. not all people who commit murders are what you would consider capable of doing such a thing.

[RogueGunslinger]

Well I can shoot that concept in it's... conception. Talia is a name that can't be used.

[Talia]

Well I can shoot that concept in it's... conception. Talia is a name that can't be used.

I killed everyone's ability to have a character named Talia. That makes me the biggest serial killer on the MUD. I think it also qualifies me as a narcissistic sociopath or whatever else is up in this thread here.

[Aruven]

What makes a person a serial killer, answer that and you might be able to make a compelling character. Note that the term 'a serial killer' did not rise up only until a few centuries ago. Not because mental illnesses that made people  serial killers did not exist, but because there were plenty of ways of exercising the 'urges' without being coined a serial killer. Hell, how many people were considered great and brave warriors during the dark ages, who had those very same urges, but due to easy influx of enemies to kill, were never considered evil or sick. How many serial killers worked in Inquisition? Was Thomas Tarquemada a serial killer?

Same goes for Arm. You might want to play out Dexter Morgan, but ask yourself ... why? Why do you have to hide your killer nature, if you can just go join Byn, Kurac, or Militia. You will have plenty of opportunity to exercise your murderous sadistic qualities and people might actually pay and praise you for it.

Of course your murderous nature may be more extreme. In which case you are a rampaging murderer. But if that's the case, then it's doubtful that you have any kind of social skills to be a serial killer 'a le dexter' instead you a are little more then an animal. Such things do happen, and in the past times ... were quickly proclaimed to be possessed by the devil, hunted down like a rabid dog, and slain.

A hitman is a little different, since they might end up needing to take down people who are not nobodies, not breeds, and not enemies. People who have political clout and DO have connections who will exact revenge. While of course hitmen might be serial killers as well, but odds are they wouldnt be very successful at what they do, just due to the sheer amount of noise they would produce and the fact that they would be working for free.

Awesome post.

[roughneck]

What makes a person a serial killer, answer that and you might be able to make a compelling character. Note that the term 'a serial killer' did not rise up only until a few centuries ago. Not because mental illnesses that made people  serial killers did not exist, but because there were plenty of ways of exercising the 'urges' without being coined a serial killer. Hell, how many people were considered great and brave warriors during the dark ages, who had those very same urges, but due to easy influx of enemies to kill, were never considered evil or sick. How many serial killers worked in Inquisition? Was Thomas Tarquemada a serial killer?

Same goes for Arm. You might want to play out Dexter Morgan, but ask yourself ... why? Why do you have to hide your killer nature, if you can just go join Byn, Kurac, or Militia. You will have plenty of opportunity to exercise your murderous sadistic qualities and people might actually pay and praise you for it.

Of course your murderous nature may be more extreme. In which case you are a rampaging murderer. But if that's the case, then it's doubtful that you have any kind of social skills to be a serial killer 'a le dexter' instead you a are little more then an animal. Such things do happen, and in the past times ... were quickly proclaimed to be possessed by the devil, hunted down like a rabid dog, and slain.

A hitman is a little different, since they might end up needing to take down people who are not nobodies, not breeds, and not enemies. People who have political clout and DO have connections who will exact revenge. While of course hitmen might be serial killers as well, but odds are they wouldnt be very successful at what they do, just due to the sheer amount of noise they would produce and the fact that they would be working for free.

Awesome post.

Ditto.

[Gunnerblaster]

That was a pretty awesome post, Dar.

I feel stupid for not having taken 'serial killer' in that sense. I guess, just because of what a 'modern' serial killer is to us, the first thing that stands out is some terrible slasher flick but that's not the case for Zalanthas.

[spicemustflow]

A serial killer can have urges that aren't easily satisfied on the field of battle or he might not be fit combat for whatever reason. For example, Gilles de Rais was a distinguished warrior and displayed great bravery in battle, but it didn't help much since he got off on torturing and killing young children. Even in that period (15th century, thought I'd have to google it up again) such crimes caused great outrage. Another example, Countess Erzsebet Bathory tortured and killed as much as 600 of her serving girls. Again, despite the general brutality of the period and her high status, she was sentenced for that.

I can easily think of many serial killer concept that would fit in the world of our game, even with its constant wars, famine, battle for resources and so on. Life is cheap and life of someone outside of your group is worthless, but unless the people of Zalanthas have lost all humanity (and there's plenty of evidence that they haven't) there will be lines that aren't easily crossed by a common person. Which means many killers would have to hide their nature.

[BleakOne]

That Countess Erzebet Bathory, was she the one who bathed in the blood of her victims... literally? If so, I remember she only got arrested because she killed someone related to someone half-way important (the exact details escape me).

[Wolfsong]

The exact number of young women tortured and killed by Elizabeth Báthory is unknown, though it is often speculated to be as high as 650. The estimates differ greatly. During the trial and before their execution, Szentes and Ficko reported 36 and 37 respectively, during their periods of service. The other defendants estimated a number of 50 or higher. Many Sárvár castle personnel estimated the number of bodies removed from the castle at between 100 to 200.

Modern historians Radu Florescu and Raymond T. McNally have concluded that the theory Báthory murdered on account of her vanity sprung up from contemporary prejudices about gender roles. Women were not believed to be capable of violence for its own sake. At the beginning of the 19th century, the vanity motif was first questioned, and sadistic pleasure was considered a far more plausible motive for Báthory's crimes.[4] In 1817, the witness accounts (which had surfaced in 1765) were published for the first time,[5] demonstrating that the bloodbaths or blood seeker for vanity aspect of Báthory's crimes were legend rather than fact.

The legend nonetheless persisted in the popular imagination.

Per wikipedia.

[spicemustflow]

Yeah, that's the one. It's been a while since I read the great crimelibrary.com entry on her, but I don't remember her killing anyone but peasant girls whom she lured in her service with promises of good pay. I think the rumors grew to a point where they couldn't be ignored anymore and it was, in fact, one of her noble cousins who decided to put her away so she wouldn't disgrace the family any more.

[roughneck]

Since Dar's post, this thread has made me want to watch the Dirty Dozen.  The old one with Telly Savalas (sp?) and Charles Bronson.  I loved that movie when I was a kid.

Fictional WWII story where the US conscripts 12 of murderous criminals on death row for a single suicide mission: to kill as many Nazi officers as possible during a big party at some resort in the mountains.

[Delirium]

I love that movie.

It's totally translatable to Armageddon, too. Basically every Byn unit ever.