Slavery, odd roles

[Klara]

Hello! New(ish) player (I gave this a go once before, some months back, but never dedicated due to being a silly academic-nerd: just started again a few days ago, and am really impressed) with a very Newby question that's more about what people do de facto rather than societies and culture in Zalanthas. Here goes.

Do people actually play as slaves? Or, take other PC's as slaves? Purely out of curiosity. Also, does anyone ever roleplaying being blind, mute, or anything of that sort? I guess the question mostly entails bizarre stuff that'd be hard to commit to, but interesting to think about.

EDIT: Addendum. Where would one even begin RPing such a thing, now that I think about it? What skillsets would a slave be likely to have?

[FantasyWriter]

http://gdb.armageddon.org/index.php/topic,38017.0.html

Slave roles are currently not playable unless one is offered as a sponsored role by staff.
Someone else may have the time to post up some links to several discussions on the topic, but I have to run off for work.

As far as skillsets, slaves would still be limited to the guild/subguild system unless you were willing to put in a special application for something...well...special. You can find more information on special apps in the help file of that name.

Also, Welcome to Armageddon!
Perhaps one day soon I can start playing again and steal your boots, but I am sure someone else will do right by you until then.

[Klara]

http://gdb.armageddon.org/index.php/topic,38017.0.html

Slave roles are currently not playable unless one is offered as a sponsored role by staff.
Someone else may have the time to post up some links to several discussions on the topic, but I have to run off for work.

As far as skillsets, slaves would still be limited to the guild/subguild system unless you were willing to put in a special application for something...well...special. You can find more information on special apps in the help file of that name.

Also, Welcome to Armageddon!
Perhaps one day soon I can start playing again and steal your boots, but I am sure someone else will do right by you until then.

OK, thank you very much -- and thanks for the warm welcome. <3 This more or less satisfies my curiosity, I had a deep and internal fear of getting my thumbs cut off and being forced to shake a leaf at a lounging noble socialite 'til the end of my days, and now I can see that it's a game-ending scenario. Bittersweet, I guess, because nobody gets to pull the escaped slave business, which is a total winner for character development.

PS. steal my boots anytime!

[lordcooper]

If I understand correctly you can play an escaped/freed slave (one race pretty much demands that you do), just not someone who is currently enslaved.

As for disabilities, I've seen more than a couple.  I wouldn't recommend giving your characters such harsh penalties as a new player, but it's absolutely your call.

[FantasyWriter]

You can play escaped slaves, but you need to run it by the staff of the clan you escaped from for the go-ahead before you submit the character.
And people will most likely be hunting for their little investment, which can lead to death or capture/force storage, too.  

Also, keep in mind: to 99.9% of born slaves, the idea of escaping or being cast out is scary/crazy as hell. These people have never had to provide/defend themselves at all.  They've been given EVERYTHING in a world where you can get your throat slit for a bite of stale bread or a sip of water. Why would you give that up?  They documentation on slavery (also Race: Mul and Roleplaying Muls) will be really helpful research even if you don't intend on playing such a role.

[FantasyWriter]

double post

[Klara]

Alright: that all makes total sense. Thank you guys so much for the info. I gather that the slave thing is monitored and judged through specific slots and karma so as to avoid exactly the silly stuff I mentioned earlier ("No Spartacuses" was mentioned in one of the staff updates. Totally understandable). I shall lurk more often. <3 and many thanks

[Barzalene]

My experience has been that while one can play odd characters and handicaps they are rarely as interesting as the no frills, no gimmicks random guys. I'm not sure why it is. I think I'd rather be surprised by something great in a plain wrapper.

[ShaLeah]

My experience has been that while one can play odd characters and handicaps they are rarely as interesting as the no frills, no gimmicks random guys. I'm not sure why it is. I think I'd rather be surprised by something great in a plain wrapper.

Could be cause all the odd ball ones last about, oh, less than a year. Most anyway. Draws unnecessary attention in a world where unnecessary attention is prolly the leading cause of death.

I have only known of one oddball/mutant character that lasted a while recently, and even he got dead.

[Morrolan]

I've had a couple of fairly successful handicapped characters. One of my favorite had a terrible speech impediment, and another only understood about 50 words. There has been more than one one-eyed character, as well -- and that one is a trope.

But there are actually some interesting "normal" ways to "handicap" your character as well:

• Half-elf psychology and social standing
• Moving from one city to the other in the course of play
• Fostering a dependence on spice for your character.

[Maso]

I've seen blind, deaf and mute played very well IG, as well as a host of other handicaps.

[Klara]

I've seen blind, deaf and mute played very well IG, as well as a host of other handicaps.

That sounds fantastic: Muteness would definitely be interesting, especially if it was one of those tongue-less types troped out in Fantasy fiction for some offense or another.

[Fujikoma]

I've seen blind, deaf and mute played very well IG, as well as a host of other handicaps.

That sounds fantastic: Muteness would definitely be interesting, especially if it was one of those tongue-less types troped out in Fantasy fiction for some offense or another.

I've seen it done. Didn't get to know the character, but what little I saw of it I liked.

That said, I'd think getting your tongue cut out for opening your mouth at the wrong time would actually happen sometimes in game.

[Potaje]

I've seen blind, deaf and mute played very well IG, as well as a host of other handicaps.

That sounds fantastic: Muteness would definitely be interesting, especially if it was one of those tongue-less types troped out in Fantasy fiction for some offense or another.

I've seen it done. Didn't get to know the character, but what little I saw of it I liked.

That said, I'd think getting your tongue cut out for opening your mouth at the wrong time would actually happen sometimes in game.

Personally in a world where you can simply way and speak I would see little successful effects in cutting someones tongue out to stop them from telling things.

But I too have seen some very successfully rp'd disabilities. Though I would also say it would be greatly difficult to maintain icly because it would all be very reliant on a persons Rp ability since you will likely find no coded support.

[lordcooper]

I've seen blind, deaf and mute played very well IG, as well as a host of other handicaps.

That sounds fantastic: Muteness would definitely be interesting, especially if it was one of those tongue-less types troped out in Fantasy fiction for some offense or another.

I've seen it done. Didn't get to know the character, but what little I saw of it I liked.

That said, I'd think getting your tongue cut out for opening your mouth at the wrong time would actually happen sometimes in game.

Personally in a world where you can simply way and speak I would see little successful effects in cutting someones tongue out to stop them from telling things.

But I too have seen some very successfully rp'd disabilities. Though I would also say it would be greatly difficult to maintain icly because it would all be very reliant on a persons Rp ability since you will likely find no coded support.

It would be awesome if there was a (mundane-ish) method of permanently blocking someone off from the Way.  It'd be like stealing your mobile mobile, but the phone was in your head.

[Potaje]

I've seen blind, deaf and mute played very well IG, as well as a host of other handicaps.

That sounds fantastic: Muteness would definitely be interesting, especially if it was one of those tongue-less types troped out in Fantasy fiction for some offense or another.

I've seen it done. Didn't get to know the character, but what little I saw of it I liked.

That said, I'd think getting your tongue cut out for opening your mouth at the wrong time would actually happen sometimes in game.

Personally in a world where you can simply way and speak I would see little successful effects in cutting someones tongue out to stop them from telling things.

But I too have seen some very successfully rp'd disabilities. Though I would also say it would be greatly difficult to maintain icly because it would all be very reliant on a persons Rp ability since you will likely find no coded support.

It would be awesome if there was a (mundane-ish) method of permanently blocking someone off from the Way.  It'd be like stealing your mobile mobile, but the phone was in your head.

Pretty sure there is, another find out ic, however all things have their complications.

[Klara]

I don't know why the first thing that popped into my head was a tinfoil hat...

[Fujikoma]

I don't know why the first thing that popped into my head was a tinfoil hat...

Tinfoil hats are terribly expensive in Zalanthas, and thus are only worn by the rich and powerful.

[Maso]

I don't know why the first thing that popped into my head was a tinfoil hat...

Tinfoil hats are terribly expensive in Zalanthas, and thus are only worn by the rich and powerful.

This made me lol.

[FantasyWriter]

Alright: that all makes total sense. Thank you guys so much for the info. I gather that the slave thing is monitored and judged through specific slots and karma so as to avoid exactly the silly stuff I mentioned earlier ("No Spartacuses" was mentioned in one of the staff updates. Totally understandable). I shall lurk more often. <3 and many thanks

On the Spartacus note. There ARE gladiator games in Allanak from time to time where you can apply for a gladiator slave role.
These role generally open for play a couple or three weeks before the actual games, IIRC, so that you can train and interact with the other gladiators and your handler (normally a templar, noble, merchant house representative or Byn sergeant.  Most of them will die, but if yours survives, you may have the option of being temporarily stored until the next games open for play where you are given another opportunity for an awesome death.

[RogueGunslinger]

I've wondered if you could be a non-slave gladiator. Just like ask your local Templar to match you with harder and harder opponents over the in-game months as you gain in skill, until you die.

[Gimfalisette]

I've wondered if you could be a non-slave gladiator. Just like ask your local Templar to match you with harder and harder opponents over the in-game months as you gain in skill, until you die.

I don't really see why not. Of course it would depend on the individual templar's get-up-and-go or organizational skill to run the matches. Soldiers and teams of soldiers against whatever the arena has to offer has often been a feature of the arena as well.

[Patuk]

Alright: that all makes total sense. Thank you guys so much for the info. I gather that the slave thing is monitored and judged through specific slots and karma so as to avoid exactly the silly stuff I mentioned earlier ("No Spartacuses" was mentioned in one of the staff updates. Totally understandable). I shall lurk more often. <3 and many thanks

On the Spartacus note. There ARE gladiator games in Allanak from time to time where you can apply for a gladiator slave role.
These role generally open for play a couple or three weeks before the actual games, IIRC, so that you can train and interact with the other gladiators and your handler (normally a templar, noble, merchant house representative or Byn sergeant.  Most of them will die, but if yours survives, you may have the option of being temporarily stored until the next games open for play where you are given another opportunity for an awesome death.

I've played a gladiator, and staff explicitly stated you aren't going to be escaping, at all, ever.

(These roles still kick ass though, even if they do last only a few hours at most)

I've wondered if you could be a non-slave gladiator. Just like ask your local Templar to match you with harder and harder opponents over the in-game months as you gain in skill, until you die.

I don't really see why not. Of course it would depend on the individual templar's get-up-and-go or organizational skill to run the matches. Soldiers and teams of soldiers against whatever the arena has to offer has often been a feature of the arena as well.

Becoming a non-slave gladiator is easy. Spit in a templar's face, refuse to bow, and you'll be on your way before too long.