*Discussion Thread* Of Nazgûl-Kings-Friends-Rings Campaign (Calling all Nazgûl II)

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by Valandil

Consider that, if the thread is only used for stating the rules for joining and playing, setting and character-bios it will eventually sink off the page due to inactivity and be easily missed by a new player that wishes to join. Therefore I would rather advise to include this information either in the first post of the game-thread or the discussion-thread. I've seen that done many times before and it works well enough. How does that sound?

I have not thought about the info thread sinking down the page. Yes, it will, and it is bad. Could you glue it somehow? If not, perhaps we can make the info- posts at the beginning of the Discussion thread. But again, I simply don't know, do you, moderators and administrators, have a possibility to insert a post in the beginning of a tread or transfer a post from one place to another?

I, for once, will need to post quite a lot: the whole concept of the nazgul in the beginning of the Third Age, their 9 rings, their powers, their altered senses, invisibility/visibility etc. Most of it is AU, of course, just for this game. That is why there must be a place where every new player could read this easily. We know very little from Tolkien what a nazgul (with his ring on) can do. The poor wretches sent to the Shire were ringless, you know.

[Andúril]

Space for another character? I've read through this discussion thread, and probably half of the RPG (--I'll get to the rest of it when I have time).

I have an idea for an interesting and potentially entertaining personality. Ideally, my character would be in the background most of the time, purely because I don't have much time to devote to these threads.

My past attempts at RPGs have been quite poor. I've always been an outsider with a secret plot: in the Elf Pirate Wine Quest Thingy I was the "Thing" in the Room (The room is locked) while everyone else was either an Elf or a Man or hobbit, IIRC. In the sequel, I was a Maia with an alterior motive disguised as an Elf Lord. In both cases, I didn't last much longer than a week or three.

In this case, however, I would not enter with a plot in mind. Mine would not be a central character--not even close. Much like Rian's character, mine would react according to the situation, based on his personality and traits. That's not to say he wouldn't be proactive in certain scenarios, but in general he'd be a reactive character.

Like I said, I still need to read through the rest of the RPG, but in the interim, anyone have some ideas for a character along these lines:

Depressed by his nihilism, apathetic to most things, he is easily distracted by momentary hedonistic urges*. His lack of ambition is tempered with dry wit and half-hearted cynicism.

*Don't worry mods, I'll adhere to PG-13 constraints and drop all the sexual innuendo, but it's going to be hard.

[Gordis]

We really do need info and bios put separately and readily accessible! Just now I need to locate Annawen's bio. I remember reading it, but now I will have to scan lots of posts to find it...

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by Andúril

Depressed by his nihilism, apathetic to most things, he is easily distracted by momentary hedonistic urges*. His lack of ambition is tempered with dry wit and half-hearted cynicism.

*Don't worry mods, I'll adhere to PG-13 constraints and drop all the sexual innuendo, but it's going to be hard.

Welcome, Anduril. You look like a promising candidate for a nazgul. We have 3 vacant places. Only don't start posting immediately, let's agree on your character.
If you don't like it, you may become a butler in Lilly's haunted house, if Rian and CS will accept you.
Alternatively, you could ask King Val for a position in his entourage. I think there must be a fascinating character to play - Estelmo, the only survivor of Gladden Fields.

[Butterbeer]

Originally Posted by The last sane person

I will start and police it, if that is acceptable? So val and ear wont need to be bothered?

"Sauron's balls!" *Grabs SUPER SHELOB Stun gun and whole bunch of Sir Doc GW's new-to-market 'chill pills' coming in both Elven, Nazgul and other flavours and Joins the Shah to help police 'THE THIRD WAY' .

Actually there shouldn't be too much to trouble in there (why do you think i volunteered for the job? ) because it will be a core of easy to assilimate information and then just a post or two from me!

Once it has the core outlines, bio and rules of engagment, only the very odd concise update need be added... rather like this thread (kidding of course)

besides with Shah and me (if he'll take me on to the force, mind?? - I'll call you Guv' if you like ... have you seen the Sweeney? ) patrolling the mean streets...or the street (the THIRD way) or at least having a tharbad donut equivalant or three wth some coffee and putting our feet up ready to spring to action ... when the bar opens ... ahem i digress ... heh don't ask this officer of the peace for directions ...

anyway with the Shah (the Guv) and BB (to be confirmed on the force following Shah's lengthy and exhaustive character check etc ... ??? "you in?" ... "ok" ??? - these initiation ceremonies can be so formal and lengthy! and that cuts down real police time supporting the bars and food establishments of the street) i'm sure our heady mix of Dutch bandero chilled out "no problem" policing style where a friendly smile, a laugh and a joke keep the third way chilled - and our no-nonsense stun and chill SAS style rapid response elite tactics division (that's also Shah and BB(pending ...) will ENSURE there's no trouble on the Street!

(my god, The Street ... sounds like an RPG already .... don't worry Valandil and Earniel, it WON'T BE )


Sorry Lief ... not really up on all this ... which post? what number was it?


...........................

Right i guess i will have to curtail my many other points as they would probably take 2 pages or so ...

with regard to the bigger issues:

here would be my rules:
1]Other issues or flames in the rpg arena

if anyone wants to put this rpg in threat by continous actions (rather than just a one-off incident which is different to my mind ..and can happen easily to anyone) whatever the rights or wrongs of it .... any person threatens this rpg with closure they should either take a 24 or 48 hr rest period (their choice) from both the rpg and discussion threads till they have either calmed it down, sorted it out or agreed with whomever that whatever else may happen it in NO WAY enters THIS thread.

AGREED?

I.e. keep it out of here: this is an rpg nothing else: we have imaginary characters... so imagine your character likes the other character

2. new characters
Two main points here,

2.a exisiting rpg players, helping out new characters: the basic guidelines

all rpg players should agree to give new characters some leeway when they first start posting in an established and complex rpg ... give them some help, support and encouragment: if they really are causing mayhem then politely ask them to edit: if they then do edit and are willing to be team players then great! If not then of course it will need to be looked at. But they must be given a chance to fit in and a chance to edit.

2.b What existing RPG players can expect from new players: new player guidelines

Similarly, existing RPG players should have the right to expect new players have read all or at least a fair amount of start, middle and end of the rpg (depending on it's size at that point) and have a feel for how it is played.

(personally this is something i always do: if you are interested then you will do it, if you are not going to be interested you will not. e.g. Rian made 15 pages of notes or something! It took me ages reading Drunken elf pirates discussion ... mind you i learnt all about it (at least how it was played and what people thought and interacted to discuss things etc, having never actually read the rpg itself ...)

There should be no hard and fast on just how much new players have read, provided they have a half decent grounding and are willing to catch up PROVIDED of course they are willing to edit posts that may cause problems ... but this would then work heavily in conjunction with BB edict ( ) 2.a above: it's a two-way thing here.

New players should have read some of the start and end (minimum) of the discussion threads and ideally ask some questions about their intended characters in the discussion thread .. so they are welcomed in rather than become a bolt out of the blue! They should consider the implications of their characters actions or general posts on the plot, balance and direction of the rpg and other chararcters too ... unless they are GM (Games master) then they should consult in terms of any major new directions. We are all friendly here (really! most of the time ) and new ideas are always welcome and make an rpg what it is!

3 Donughts
Each rpg player shall contribute a donught tax towards the upkeep of the street's (the third way) police force ... one doghnut a week will suffice to keep the peace ... this can be done in the teacup cafe and you can pay for a years fun and friendly policing at one time!

.................................................. ......................................

Finally, i was sad to see that Lief left, that a stupid argument brewed up - though i go on record here and now i COULD understand why it did ... but Lief should have been given a fairer chance to edit and fit in ... and he did want to! ... mistakes were made all round, it happens! ... and unfortunately it HAS.

But for my part i liked all the mooters involved and still do.
SO can we all now move on and start interacting with butterflies!

best all
BB

[Butterbeer]

just read some new posts above mine ....

Shah and i can walk the beat once a week to post an editable inclusion to the third way..

easy ... we walk the beat to keep it alive ... when people post anything needed and valid to a CONCISE quick-look view of the rpg ... we copy and paste it to and edit at the top of the thread over one of our "walks past whistling" posts and then whoever edits their post later down to
"sees Shah and BB at the pub again ..." etc.

no problem.

if it don't work, ditch it! could be worth trying though.

Anduril, welcome! If you want to keep it pg 13...do NOT get a job up at the haunted House!

Sure you will enjoy it! ... i'm thinking the Brotherhood of butterflies could do with a human agent ...? Plus you can add to the public characters too.

and of course develop your own.

best BB

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by gordis

I have not thought about the info thread sinking down the page. Yes, it will, and it is bad. Could you glue it somehow? If not, perhaps we can make the info- posts at the beginning of the Discussion thread. But again, I simply don't know, do you, moderators and administrators, have a possibility to insert a post in the beginning of a tread or transfer a post from one place to another?

I could stick it on top of the forum like the thread 'how do there RPG's work?' is stuck at the moment. However that treatment is reserved for important messages and announcements. I am unprepared to start using that function for the ordinary threads.

I do not know of a possibility to inserts posts at the beginning of a thread (perhaps Val does). We can merge and split threads but the posts arrange themselves chronologically so we cannot -to my knowledge- slip posts of a later date before earlier ones.

Grey_wolf's first post in the Discussion thread and Lotesse's post that follows right after can be editted to include the necesary information. It is also possible, if the information is too much to fit into the post, to work with links to later posts that hold biographies or other nazgul explanations.

Examples:

Butterbeer's butterfly
CrazySquirrel's Lilly
Viv's photo

On a second thought, the use of links instead of copying all the information into the first posts, is probably more flexible as well. That way people can still control their own character description (in their own post somewhere in the discussion thread) without having to rely on others to edit the first post with the crucial information. All the information will still be neatly bundled. And people will not have to scroll through pages of info, they will be able to pinpoint posts that hold biographies and rules very easily.

But keep in mind to stay brief in explanations and to add to the first post only info and links that are relevant to this game.

Originally Posted by Butterbeer

Shah and i can walk the beat once a week to post an editable inclusion to the third way..

easy ... we walk the beat to keep it alive ... when people post anything needed and valid to a CONCISE quick-look view of the rpg ... we copy and paste it to and edit at the top of the thread over one of our "walks past whistling" posts and then whoever edits their post later down to
"sees Shah and BB at the pub again ..." etc.

More effort that it's worth IMO, BB. Most people are used to two threads relating to the same RPG by now. Three threads about the self same game will, I think, only confuse people. Besides, you won't be able to stop people from posting in the third thread. It could very easily become less concise than the original intentions.

And what if you and Sane are absent for a longer period?

[Gordis]

Earniel, thanks for the explanations. That will be OK. How do you make links to a post?

[Butterbeer]

we could make some sherrifs ... (kidding!)

or add a link at top of discussion thread to third bit. so they read that bit first ... plus this 3rd bit can only be posted to by mods .. then anyone wants to join in they talk to us in discussion thread as normal ... and we refer them to concise info to read.

they post their bio as normal in here (discussion thread) ... once approved for clarity and conciseness one or other mod copies and posts a link to it in third way.

any additional info added can remain here as normal

How's about that?

Plus .. any feedback on my guidelines?

Best
BB

[Gordis]

I think we can ask Grey Wolf to put the summary (with links to specific posts with info and rules) in his initial post. GW can be the "Keeper of the Info". Everyone here trusts him, I am sure.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by gordis

Earniel, thanks for the explanations. That will be OK. How do you make links to a post?

At the right upper corner of each post there's a number of that post. Click your right mouse button on that number and select 'properties' (at least I think that's how it is called in English?) and you will see the internet-address of that particular post. Or click with your left mouse so the post opens in a seperate window and copy the address from he address-bar there. Then all you have to do is put the [URL] tags around it to make it a link.

[CrazySquirrel]

Now we have to wait for your post, Gordie. No one, but you knows what awaits us inside!
great info on the Chancellor

[Lief Erikson]

Originally Posted by Butterbeer

Sorry Lief ... not really up on all this ... which post? what number was it?

#392, I think. It's my "leaving" post. If anyone takes offense at anything I wrote in the more recent version, none is intended. Tell me what you find wrong so that I can edit further, please.

[Gordis]

Earniel, thanks for explaining the links to me. I shall try to write my INFO part as soon as I have time.

CS, could you, please, for the sake of continuity, take away the last two paragraphs of your post, about Annawen coming out and Lilly going in. I wanted to describe Annawen's interview. You are welcome to start the new post with those lines.
Gor

[Andúril]

Originally Posted by gordis

Welcome, Anduril. You look like a promising candidate for a nazgul. We have 3 vacant places. Only don't start posting immediately, let's agree on your character.
If you don't like it, you may become a butler in Lilly's haunted house, if Rian and CS will accept you.
Alternatively, you could ask King Val for a position in his entourage. I think there must be a fascinating character to play - Estelmo, the only survivor of Gladden Fields.

I'd say my character is a blend of the two in this pic. Not a blend in terms of looks, but that type of personality. Oh, and not Ferrell's character in Elf, but closer to his SNL work.

[Gordis]

Hmmm, I don't think you look like a nazgul, Anduril.

Neither I think as a butler. Perhaps someone in Val's group?

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

On a second thought, the use of links instead of copying all the information into the first posts, is probably more flexible as well. That way people can still control their own character description (in their own post somewhere in the discussion thread) without having to rely on others to edit the first post with the crucial information. All the information will still be neatly bundled. And people will not have to scroll through pages of info, they will be able to pinpoint posts that hold biographies and rules very easily.

But keep in mind to stay brief in explanations and to add to the first post only info and links that are relevant to this game.

I like the idea of links and was going to propose it, too, but in a slightly different way.

I really think the 3-thread idea is a good one, and to be anal about it, I would propose standard formats in the form of something like:

Calling All Nazgul : rpg thread
Calling All Nazgul : discussion thread
Calling All Nazgul : formal info thread


Then in the first post of the rpg thread, you could say something like "for any new player interested in joining, here is a link [provide link] to our formal information page, where you will find background descriptions and bios of characters. Please do NOT post comments here, as this thread is for reference only. Please put all chat in the discussion thread here [provide link], and please keep the rpg thread only for rpg and short OOC comments."

That way, even if the info thread sinks down, it will still be readily available thru the link.

I know that I would sure appreciate a third thread that has bios and info. Third Age history is not my strong point and I'm terrible at geography!

[Rían]

Val - the odd butterfly being the cause of the runaway - I love it!! Great! And I like the mysterious vanishing of the occupant of the coach ...

But one thing I don't understand is the treatment of the orc It just doesn't make sense to me Personally, I think it would be more consistent to change everything from orc to orc-like. I just never saw anywhere in Tolkien where any orc was allowed to live. What thinkest thou? I know you mentioned the normal orc policy, but I don't see why it would be deviated from! And orc-like would allow a deviation, or at least a pause for evaluation before killing it.


I just read the newest posts. Please, mods, have mercy on me, a poor little rpg newbie!!!!! It was bad enough with about 12 major characters, but when they start using their alternate names, I just lose it! Could we please try out the 3-thread format?

Actually, I don't see any mods on now, so maybe one of the main rpg people just start the thread up. I'm sure the mods wouldn't mind *throws yummy cookies and chocolate to the mods * and they can always shut it down if it doesn't work, anyway. What do you guys (mods included) think of this: everyone in the rpg make at least a placeholder post in the formal info thread, and then put in info in that post as required, kind of like I do in the Entmoot Picture Links thread. That way, the thread will be very compact.

[Rían]

(hey, gordis just hit 500 posts and is now an Elf Lord - congrats, gordis! Will you choose a custom title?)

[Earniel]

*quick post between cleaning*

RÃ*an, please have some more patience. A third thread now is not going to immediatly alleviate you of the confusion because all the information we have to put in that third thread is still is scattered and fragmented. So whether we put it in one post here or a whole new thread is, IMO, not going to be any sooner. We first have to find everyone's biography, provided everyone has written one in the first place, which I for one know I didn't.

*goes off to finish cleaning*