Southern RPT 1/19 to 1/22

[Fujikoma]

I don't know why any elf in their right mind would show up. That said, hope it's fun for everyone involved.

[Zenith]

Setting aside 2 hours for an auction is probably a good idea in the future, unless there are relatively few items up for sale.  Some insane amounts of coin get tossed around at these things!  

I thought they could and would run concurrently if the first ran long.

[Mazy]

Setting aside 2 hours for an auction is probably a good idea in the future, unless there are relatively few items up for sale.  Some insane amounts of coin get tossed around at these things!  

The turbo wizard tells it how it is. This is a great advice in Zalanthian party planning. A lot of effort and love has gone into the planning of all this, so huge props to all the staff and players involved.

[RogueGunslinger]

This whole event is cool as fuck. I hope to see it again after it has finished.

[Zenith]

A reminder to everyone that tonight are the Kadian events! Make sure you're there if you want to be the drunkest, best dressed desert rats this side of anywhere. It starts in about 3 hours!

[tinsix]

This is happening now. I recommend attendance, as I think may be spectacular.

[Suhuy]

I don't know why any elf in their right mind would show up. That said, hope it's fun for everyone involved.

There's nothing different about an elf in Allanak than there would be about an elf at this RPT. The main problem is they are so under-represented by the pbase these days that there would be no elf-congregating place. It would just be that one guy who plays an elf sitting there and no one else.

I think people often misunderstand the concept of both elves and racism (sorry to open an entirely different can of worms with this). Look at any country in the world today that has different ethnic groups which are frowned upon by the majority. Gypsies (Roma) are a perfect example. They're subject to all kinds of racism, but that doesn't stop them from having a presence just about everywhere you go. And if there's going to be a huge, city wide event in some European city, you can count on them lurking about somewhere at it. They may be seen as unwanted riffraff, but they're still there. Elves are the second most populous race on Zalanthas. There's no way they can just be kicked out everywhere you go. Noble-only taverns are a different matter entirely. It's a small, private building. But large scale festivals hosting thousands of people? Expect the trash to emerge from their hiding holes and be present no matter how strict a policy you enforce. That's simply how large populations work.

Think of any largely populated event. You go to a concert and when you leave the stadium and walk to your car, some homeless dudes come crawling out of the woodwork, looking for a free hand out. Those are the elves, essentially. And even in a world with powerful templars serving as the law, you'll still be hard pressed to just make them disappear. Racism and hatred can exist until we're blue in the face, elves are still the second most populous race there is. And until there's some large scale ethnic cleansing agenda in the city-states, you can expect elves to show up at your festivals. Just saying.

[Malifaxis]

This was fucking brilliant.

So much work and coordination went in to the events, and it really, really showed.

Thank you SO much to everyone who showed up and had a good time.  It really was a spectacular festival.

[manipura]

I don't know why any elf in their right mind would show up. That said, hope it's fun for everyone involved.

There's nothing different about an elf in Allanak than there would be about an elf at this RPT. The main problem is they are so under-represented by the pbase these days that there would be no elf-congregating place. It would just be that one guy who plays an elf sitting there and no one else.

I think people often misunderstand the concept of both elves and racism (sorry to open an entirely different can of worms with this). Look at any country in the world today that has different ethnic groups which are frowned upon by the majority. Gypsies (Roma) are a perfect example. They're subject to all kinds of racism, but that doesn't stop them from having a presence just about everywhere you go. And if there's going to be a huge, city wide event in some European city, you can count on them lurking about somewhere at it. They may be seen as unwanted riffraff, but they're still there. Elves are the second most populous race on Zalanthas. There's no way they can just be kicked out everywhere you go. Noble-only taverns are a different matter entirely. It's a small, private building. But large scale festivals hosting thousands of people? Expect the trash to emerge from their hiding holes and be present no matter how strict a policy you enforce. That's simply how large populations work.

Think of any largely populated event. You go to a concert and when you leave the stadium and walk to your car, some homeless dudes come crawling out of the woodwork, looking for a free hand out. Those are the elves, essentially. And even in a world with powerful templars serving as the law, you'll still be hard pressed to just make them disappear. Racism and hatred can exist until we're blue in the face, elves are still the second most populous race there is. And until there's some large scale ethnic cleansing agenda in the city-states, you can expect elves to show up at your festivals. Just saying.

I don't mean to derail this thread or anything, because it's not really about this can of worms, but your post just made me think of something.  I think part of the reason that an elf or breed or some other undesirable would be hesitant to show up to something like this is that the virtual population isn't always respected (not really the right word, maybe) by the PC population.  You're absolutely right that a large festival like this would have crowds and crowds of people, of all races and your example of Gypsies lurking about at any sort of European event is pretty spot on, I'd think...  The issue in Arm though is that even though -virtually- there might be dozens upon dozens upon dozens of elves/breeds/undesirables lurking around, it's "the tall, gangly elven PC" or "the black-haired, half-elven PC" who becomes the elf/breed/whoever "that was at the festival".  I don't think players do it on purpose, or with any sort of ill intent, it's just really easy to forget that the virtual population is full of the undesirables that are often underrepresented in the playerbase.   That being said, I can see why someone playing such a character wouldn't want to get into all of that by attending an event like this.  Not because they don't want to deal with the racism IC or with being excluded IC, but because the player doesn't want to spend the next RL week or two being pointed out as "the one that was at the festival", even though virtually there were loads of them around.  Anyhow, not meant to be a derail or anything, just a thought that popped in my head while reading Suhuy's post.

Besides all that though...it sounds like a grand time was had by all who attended!
It can be a huge pain to get even a few people together for something in game, so the fact that the organizers of this managed to make a multi-day festival with lots of different events work so smoothly was quite the feat!  Kudos to the staff and players involved in putting it all together.

[BadSkeelz]

The more logical and succinct explanation is that players of breeds, elves, and other undersirables don't want to unduly expose themselves in case some nooble or nooblar decides to off 'em to enhance their grimdark street cred.

[Asmoth]

The more logical and succinct explanation is that players of breeds, elves, and other undersirables don't want to unduly expose themselves in case some nooble or nooblar decides to off 'em to enhance their grimdark street cred.

I'm waiting for my first Templar role just to earn that streetcred lol

[Suhuy]

Good points, Manipura. I'm not sure, but I believe group NPCs are frowned upon and used sparingly, but that may be due to how they fight when someone tries to attack them. I'd like to see more group NPCs, expressly for the purpose of helping to lend a better picture of the virtual environment. Imagine seeing something like this.

Festival Grounds [NW]
A group of filthy elves clad in drab rags lurk beside one of the tents here.
A group of humans in slightly less atrocious attire loiter beside another tent.
An Allanaki soldier stands silently on guard here.

It might give those few elf or half-elf PCs the idea that they are actually welcome. They're at least a little less likely to be seen as that one elf who showed up at the party if the virtual world has an NPC group reminder to point it out to us. It's not much, but it's something and it might encourage more players to try their hands at being an elf.

That slight derail aside, it was nice to see and hear about so many bigwig NPCs showing up for the RPT. Thanks whoever you are! It helps to lend credibility to the size of the event, though I'm probably repeating myself by now

[wizturbo]

The more logical and succinct explanation is that players of breeds, elves, and other undersirables don't want to unduly expose themselves in case some nooble or nooblar decides to off 'em to enhance their grimdark street cred.

If players of undesirables want to act OOCly and avoid festivals that are inclusive of them, so be it...  No one can force them.  The fact remains there were countless virtual undesirables there, and they weren't offed to enhance anyone's anything.   Allanak is a brutal, unpleasant place.  But not every day.

[Suhuy]

Agreed, wizturbo.

[Asmoth]

The more logical and succinct explanation is that players of breeds, elves, and other undersirables don't want to unduly expose themselves in case some nooble or nooblar decides to off 'em to enhance their grimdark street cred.

If players of undesirables want to act OOCly and avoid festivals that are inclusive of them, so be it...  No one can force them.  The fact remains there were countless virtual undesirables there, and they weren't offed to enhance anyone's anything.   Allanak is a brutal, unpleasant place.  But not every day.

Wait, so I wasn't supposed to kill that magicker because they showed up at the festival?

Bury knife

Nothing to see here.

[Teal]

I can see a very good argument for why an elf, rinthi, or other various scum wouldn't want to show up. The PC festival representation was very top-heavy, and most of those undesirable sorts want anything but being around aides and highborn. Especially not competing against them in events. Virtually they might be there, but virtual ones aren't gaining notice or attention, because they're not participating in events or bidding wars.

Despite my opinion there, I had a wonderful time. Kudos to the organizers, I know how much of a pain in the ass arranging scheduling can be.

And thank you staff, you are completely and utterly terrifying.

[Suhuy]

I wouldn't expect an elf to participate in any competitions, just as I wouldn't expect some hobo lurking at a local carnival looking for hand outs to go on any of the rides. He's still there though. There are so many real world examples of situations where a certain group of people will be at an event, but not necessarily participating with the rest of the group. Instead, they're more there in the background.

I remember landing in some city in India a couple years ago and while the plane was taxiing I could see a shanty town overlooking the runway. About a dozen local residents in raggedy clothes came out to watch the plane land. They were the poorest people you can imagine and this was essentially their television for the afternoon, watching a plane roll past (maybe not unlike an elf's existence). All the while in the same area there are airport workers of various sorts, some quite high in their respective ranks (not unlike noble aides). Probably a building away is some diplomat having people over for masala tea while they discuss the business of the day (not unlike merchants). They're all in the same area and they all have some opportunity to, however briefly, cross paths. And no one's going to stop and say "What are these beggars from the shanty town doing here!" because they're everywhere. Just like elves.

And I'm not saying shame on anyone for the situation or pointing fingers. I just wanted to make it clear that it was open to everyone.

[Malifaxis]

The definition of "undesirable" is literally right there in the word.  Something not desired. If you want to be not executed by a "nooblar or nooble" then play something that is desired.  Honestly, any noble or Templar should be dispatching these motherfuckers post haste any time they show up at an event, and doing so would be completely in character and not in any way "noob"ish.  If they aren't flat out executing them for the entertainment of the crowds (because honestly, that's why they exist anyway in the eyes of the nobility), then they should be ejected forcefully from the event.  There's nothing about this that is bad roleplay, and such actions, in my eyes, should be encouraged.

If you are playing an elf, or a breed, or a somethingwhatever that people don't want around, you will be shat on... it is part of the role, not some OOC lack of knowledge on the shitter's part. 

If some undesirable had come to the Festival and just hung out, and kept their head down, much like in Suhuy's example of India, they would have been left alone.  But to continue Suhuy's example, the -moment- one of those beggars tried to bust in and jack some tika masala from the Diplomat's table, shit would have gone down.... and since Armageddon is even more harsh than IRL, expect there to be more harsh reactions to said busting.

Now can we PLEASE get back to the current focus of this fucking thread, which should be to encourage more of these more of these Festival style RPTs by letting the players and staff involved in organizing them know how much they kicked ass?  Seriously, this WHOLE event pretty much went down without a serious hitch... okay, so Legendary Lag Night was tough to swallow, but that wasn't anyone's fault.  That was Ginka being generically fucky. 

Seriously, everyone who pitched in on this gets a double non-secret Gold Star and Malifaxian Stamp of Approval.  You all kicked serious ass, and I thank you.

[Nergal]

RPT is over, thread locked.