Player-Initiated Events

[SuchDragonWow]

Whatever happened to calling it the Bard's Barrel?

The Bard's Barrel was destroyed in the gith invasion of Allanak in 2007. Everyone inside was killed (including the bard) and the interior was totally wrecked. Afterward, the tavern was rebuilt with the patronage of a Red Robed templar, Great Lord Samos Rennik, and renamed Red's Retreat. Thus, it's not the Bard's Barrel anymore due to IC outcomes that were player-driven; the players had a choice to defend the Barrel or other areas of the city, the Barrel was deemed of lesser importance and so it suffered the consequences.

And what's the deal with the dome where the Trader's Inn should be?

Trader's Inn was burned down due to player-initiated mob action. A single PC started a riot/mob/arson of the tavern, and the other PCs who were present didn't do enough to prevent the blaze from spreading, so it burned down. Later, staff built the dome there in order to provide a more central base of operations for PC templars.

I find these accounts fascinating enough for players to discuss.  What do you think is involved as a player to make things like this happen?  From a staffing point of view, what did the players involved do to enact these events?  Was there preparation, reports, etc.?  I'm sure I'm not the only one who is curios.

[Raptor_Dan]

I am almost certain that planning AND reports were involved. Why? A DM needs time to prepare for world-changing (this includes mere rooms) events. Someone has to code that ash-filled rubble heap before it can be put in.

Having said that, I wasn't involved in either of these, and can't really say for certain (not 100%, at least) one way or the other about anything. I hope you get some good answers, though. I look forward to reading more details.

[Talia]

The Bard's Barrel was destroyed in the gith invasion of Allanak in 2007. Everyone inside was killed (including the bard) and the interior was totally wrecked. Afterward, the tavern was rebuilt with the patronage of a Red Robed templar, Great Lord Samos Rennik, and renamed Red's Retreat. Thus, it's not the Bard's Barrel anymore due to IC outcomes that were player-driven; the players had a choice to defend the Barrel or other areas of the city, the Barrel was deemed of lesser importance and so it suffered the consequences.

Trader's Inn was burned down due to player-initiated mob action. A single PC started a riot/mob/arson of the tavern, and the other PCs who were present didn't do enough to prevent the blaze from spreading, so it burned down. Later, staff built the dome there in order to provide a more central base of operations for PC templars.

I find these accounts fascinating enough for players to discuss.  What do you think is involved as a player to make things like this happen?  From a staffing point of view, what did the players involved do to enact these events?  Was there preparation, reports, etc.?  I'm sure I'm not the only one who is curios.

I'm going to relate from memory because I don't have a ton of time to go look up the documented stuff at the moment. But I was there for these plots, so this is actual experience.

2007 - gith invasion of Allanak - This was a staff-led plot which was part of the "end of the world" plot series. The plot was first detected by players in around June; the AoD got wind of it via an initial incursion toward the city which was fought back by a very small force. Then gith started coming up through the sewers and it became clear to the players that they were in fact invading from underneath the city. After quite a few small skirmishes within the city a final date for the invasion was planned--ICly the players didn't "know" that was the invasion date, but OOCly it was obvious and really unavoidable.

The invasion attempt took place in (IIRC) October 2007. The city was defended by PCs from the AoD, Tor, the Byn, and the GMHs as well. So pretty much anyone who wasn't a Tuluki or complete stranger to Allanak was able to participate. Great Lord Samos Rennik was the PC leader and split defense of the city up into quadrants; the AoD handled the Commoners' Quarter, Samos and the gemmed defended the gemmed quarter, Tor handled the defense of the nobles' quarter, the Byn defended the entrance from the Labyrinth and the marketplace, the GMHs defended the GMH area. Gith came up from the sewers in all locations, including the 'rinth.

As the fight wore on, the PCs "won" in some areas and "lost" in others. Quite a few PCs were killed; prominent gemmed mages, AoD recruits, Tor PCs, some Bynners, 'rinthis. (I'm sure I'm forgetting some!) Looters were executed by the AoD as well. The gith had sorcerors as well as just lots of regular fighters and unit NPCs.

Eventually the gith were defeated everywhere except in the Commoners' Quarter, where they had sacked the Barrel, and the nobles' quarter, where they had invaded the Borsail estate. Menos was also attacked and the gith were beaten back there (I'm not entirely remembering the exact chronology.) Samos made the strategic decision that the Borsail estate was more important and all the PCs headed to the nobles' quarter. That is when the killing of all the NPCs and the wrecking of the Barrel happened. When the PCs got to Borsail...it was too late. A Black Robed templar came to the scene, determined it was a total loss, and sank the estate in lava.

From the history page http://www.armageddon.org/world/chronology.php:

1579 (Year 39 Age 21)
An army of gith holds Allanak in an extended period of loose seige, using the citystate's extensive sewer system to infiltrate the city from beneath the ground. An organized defense effort consisting of the Arm of the Dragon, the T'zai Byn, and the Great Merchant Houses beats back the majority of gith forces within the city. A large portion of the gith threat claims the Borsail estate, however, despite House Tor's concentrated defense of the noble's quarter. The farming villages, responsible for much of the city's grain production, are attacked at roughly the same time, though the gith hoarde is defeated with a counterattack, led by Lord Templar Samos Rennik. The besieged Borsail estate, declared to be treacherous, is sunk into a pit of lava shortly thereafter by the Black Robe Tarith Kasix, effectively ending the gith threat.

(More later, I have RL things gotta get done right now.)

[SuchDragonWow]

I sort of figured the gith invasion wouldn't be a player-led event, but that's a nice retelling of the player-initiated actions of that RPT.  It's nice to read.  When you get a moment, could you elaborate on thr second event?

Of course, anyone who feels like discussing the topic or who has information from staff side feel free to chime in.

[Talia]

2008 - Allanak invades the gith - This was a player-led plot in which Samos decided to try to enact revenge on the gith. A large combined force was led to the Tablelands to make war. During the battles with the gith (over a few RL days), quite a few PCs died. The Malarn tribe village was wiped out by the gith. That was the end of the "gith invade Allanak" plot, and it was player-initiated rather than staff-initiated.

2011 - Here's a staff-side summary of what happened to Traders: "PC wants to see the people rise up against the Templarate and has been drawing pictures all over Allanak about Fat nobles and Templars sitting on mounds of food and laughing at the starving to put more fuel to the fire.

He managed to secure a stash of weapons from another PC and went to Meleth's and began shouting to the mass of starving that they were handing out free food at Traders. A mob arrived and he began tossing weapons to the crowd, and with no food around. The crowd became even more unsettled. They killed the bouncer and stormed their
way into Traders, killing everyone in their wake. The Arm along with Kadius, Tor, and Citizens began to pour in and slaughtered them.

All the while the fighting was going on PC was shouting to the mob to take their food, and feed yourself! He even urged them to set fire to Traders. Which they did. Everyone just stood around with their thumbs up their butts and watched the place continue to burn until it was just a heap of rubble."

Post-note: That PC was executed (obviously!). Later, staff determined that we did not want to put another tavern in that location, and devised an alternate use. Thus, the dome.

[Patuk]

Every time a thread like this pops up, I get this sensation that I've just wandered into playing Armageddon too late.

[Talia]

Every time a thread like this pops up, I get this sensation that I've just wandered into playing Armageddon too late.

I ran a very large 3-month long plot last year where player decisions guided the outcomes. It was staff-initiated, but player actions were important. It's not "too late" in Armageddon.

[LucildaHunta]

I have a question. So say I wanted to initiate a player created event like the burning down of Trader's. What did the player/staff exchange look like? In other words did it start with a character report? An email? I don't need to see the actual exchange just an idea of how it would work to start an event.

[WithSprinkles]

I imagine that initiating large plots in game depends on several factors. These are general "you"s in this and I'm being a little tongue-in-cheek with some points.

1. Take into account how the world will realistically react to the thing you want to do.
If you walk in with a board, nails, a mallet and a dream and try to barricade Red's, it's gonna end with you at the bottom of a soldier pile with your arms and legs twitching like some squashed bug. BAD END #1.

2. How much planning you put into said action and do you have valid IC reasoning to do it?
Okay, you've got beef with Red's, let's do this shizz. How are you gonna nail that place up? Start stacking up debris in front of the entrance? The barkeep throws a full bottle of booze to smash in your face and the soldiers do a river dance on top of you. BAD END #2.

3. Are you in a position to get it done to its completion? If it's a long term goal, do you have the survivability to see it through?
Well... seeing as you've bribed your way out of jail twice and survived half-giants doing the samba on your skull, maybe you've got what it takes. But joking aside, will you start a HUGE plotline about boarding up Red's, only to frustrate everyone involved by walking out into the desert like the Kwisatz Haderach because you're the Chosen One and you've had a revelation?

BAD END #3!

4. What are you adding/taking away from the game world and how much does it help or hinder other people beyond you? Will it include fun and RP for others?
Okay, you are seriously trying to close this establishment up, no joke. Does this make the game more or less fun for everyone else? Does it add to RP and flavor in the world? We share the game, so does your large plot of boarding up Red's add to anything? What are the ramifications? How long will it last? What can you do on your own to get it done? Do you have strings to pull, bribes to make to see it happen? Or will you show up with your trusty mallet, nails and a board? BAD END #4.

5. Will you stick with it even if a wrench is thrown in your plans?
Staff will generally not tell you no directly, but will throw obstacles in your path or present challenges or offer reasons why what you want to do would possibly have consequences. I have found this is a guide unless they have a hard reason why they are saying no and even then they are usually willing to pursue alternatives if you show enough initiative. You then have the choice how you want to play it as your character would realistically. Players could also actively stand in your path (or support you enthusiastically) which just gives you reason to include more people in the story of why you want what you want. Either way, it ends up being frustrating if you fail or rewarding when you eke out a victory because DAMN it, you made it happen and that deserves a drink. Let's go to Red's! Oh.. wait...

6. Can you commit to being informative about your plans?
If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it make a sound? If you start hammering a board across the entrance to Red's, you're gonna get looks, ya wierdo! But if no one's paying attention, you may as well not be doing very much of anything. Did you tell staff what you were doing? At minimum, did you wish up? Better if you made a character report and laid out what you wanted to do. Change your Objective, stuff like that. With no planning, you could almost build a barricade in there (and that thought is slightly hilarious, but would likely end with you getting scolded) and it's not going to do anything to keep people out. It WILL likely take you back to point #1 and a bad day when the soldiers roll up on you and shake you like a rag doll. And then they would have to drag you out to protect you from the barkeep. Which, admittedly, could be it's own story and fun for you and everyone. Or go the purely player route, just take the place over and MAKE people stay out. That will eventually get attention from above too and possibly effect your changes. Just know what's likely coming your character's way at the end of a path like this.

7. Can you be patient?
It likely takes a while to discuss and then set up what you want. Especially if staff want to make it memorable. Or maybe they're getting ready to punt you over the shield wall and are making sure the wind is JUST right and not blowing from the wrong direction so your character flies further. (cue music: "I believe I can fly....") Either way, what you want to happen likely won't and can't happen immediately if it's large scale. Work on other goals, really set it up. Live your character's life.

These were just my immediate thoughts on things, anyway. I had more points, but it was getting long, I got distracted and I worry that maybe I'm rambling and not making sense or keeping to topic.

[SuchDragonWow]

Talia, in your detailing of the events leading up to the burning of Traders, how much of what happened was previously known and approved by staff?  How much was spontaneous?  Was the wish command used to alert staff of what is happening, or was it a pre-planned RPT?

[Talia]

Talia, in your detailing of the events leading up to the burning of Traders, how much of what happened was previously known and approved by staff?  How much was spontaneous?  Was the wish command used to alert staff of what is happening, or was it a pre-planned RPT?

I don't really remember how much of it the player had previously communicated to us. We were aware of his efforts, and other PCs were aware of his efforts (I think even some of the muckety-mucks). I am also pretty sure that the city was still experiencing post-black moon effects such as starvation and yadda; so the environment was primed for rioting, in a sense. He didn't just start something out of nothing, is my point.

There have been plenty of other tavern trashings or attempts over the years. I've been at quite a few!