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  1. #1
    Kyle Foster
    Guest

    What do your players know? (len

    Here's a GM's reply to the players point of view.

    Topic 1: I would say that there would be many rumors from all over the
    world with many names mentioned but no details. My impression from the
    Blood Enemies book was that the Abominations where shrouded in mystery
    and vauge rumors of horrible power. So while names may be known details
    would not, I also feel that while a player might know the Abominations
    from his region, ie Anuire, he wouldn't know about the Magian over in
    the Kinashi lands unless an Kinashi told him about it.

    Topic 2: As long as this was done with the understanding that level
    alingment and class were "apperant" based on previous actions and
    behavior this would be a good idea.

    Topic 3: In battle I agree its not evil and maybe Bloodtheft is a
    misnomer for the act in all cases. HIGHLANDER does have some good
    Birthright aspects to it so those are good points for us to consider.

    Topic 4: What happens after killing a scion of Axari isn't a penalty.
    The bloodline change is a simple act of mystical physics for lack of a
    better phrase. As I read LotHK becoming the blood of Azari doesn't
    instently make you evil it simply make you have more evil thoughts and
    have to deal with more temptation. In the original boxed set there is a
    paladin with Azari's bloodline so its possible to still be good you just
    have to work harder.

    I could be off base about some of this but those are my views on the
    things KirbyRanma mentioned.

  2. #2
    Mark A Vandermeulen
    Guest

    What do your players know? (len

    On Thu, 26 Mar 1998, KirbyRanma wrote:

    > TOPIC 1: Does anyone make a list of the Awnsheglin (sp?) that players should
    > know about? I know of the Gorgon, Rhoubhe, Spider, Sphinx, Chimeron, Boar,
    > Minotaur, Hag, Stag (maybe illsheglin?), Kraken/Leviathan (don't know if these
    > are the same or seperate) Serpent and the Cold Rider (I think I know who he
    > *really* is, and it concerns me), but there seems to be many more. Now, some
    > of these I know just because I read the Birthright novels, I'm not sure if my
    > character knows of them all. Do you let your players know of them?

    Well, most of my players have the boxed set and the Blood Enemies book, so
    its sort of a moot point for me, but I would say that characters know at
    least the name, and probably at least the "mythic characteristics" of the
    major Awnsheighlein in their own "subcontinent" of Cerillia. Thus
    Anuireans would know about the Gorgon, the Spider, the Chimaera, and
    Rhoubhe. Minor local awnsheighlein would be known throughout the
    appropriate "subcontinent" by the intelligencia or well-informed, but by
    the commoners only in adjacent domains. Thus, those on the Southern Coast
    (or involved in sailing) would know of the Seadrake, and those in Turonen,
    Alamie, Cariele and other around the 5 Peaks would have heard of the
    Eyeless One. In addition, those in cities have a good chance to have heard
    of the Awnsheighlein important for their trdaing partners: those in
    Illien, which is connected to Binsada (I believe) through El Hadid's trade
    routes, would be likely to know about the Sphinx. Anyplace where Brecht
    sailors are common would likely know about the Kraken (and may
    believe--mistakenly, btw--that it's the same thing as the Leviathan).

    > TOPIC 2: Does anyone make a list of important people in Anuire, what their
    > class, level & alignment are (or what they're *supposed* to be : )? My DM did
    > this and it helps a lot. He also has given us nobles their titles so we won't
    > show disrespect to them.

    I think it would be a very good thing to do for players w/o the books.
    Plus you can read them all off together and agree on a pronounciation for
    those wierd Anuirean words we all love. (For example, in my group we've
    agreed that Roesone is pronounced "roh-SAHN" rather than "roh-SOHN" and
    Ilien is pronouced "il-EEN" rather than "IL-ee-en" or "I-leen."

    > TOPIC 3: Bloodtheft. I think it's safe to deduce that being blooded doesn't


    I think the general consensus on this list has been that as long as the
    reason you are fighting in the first place isn't to improve your
    bloodline, any bloodtheft that occurs as a result of the fight is not an
    evil act. There was a BIG debate a few months ago about whether the blood
    of Azrai is "contagious," and there are certainly DM's who do play that
    way. It's often known as the "Taint of Azrai." Some DM's roll a percentage
    die for the chance to "change derivation" to Azrai whenever one commits
    bloodtheft on an awnsheighlein (major or minor), and others keep track of
    Azrai blood separately from "regular" blood, and as the Azrai blood grows
    in strength it acts like a "voice of temptation" to the character until
    it grow powerful enought ot overwhelm the regular blood. The idea behind
    these concepts is that just as Azrai gained power by his connection to the
    Shadow World, that blood retains the connection and is a source of chaotic
    and/or evil tendencies that can occasionally flood the character with
    impluses. They can be fought (as the Paladin with Azrai's blood attests),
    but it is a background to everyday existance. Also, most DM's which use
    the "Taint of Azrai" also allow some sort of Task or Quest that can be
    accomplished to remove that taint. Generally, the other god's "bloods,"
    which does not have the reinforceing power of something akin to the Shadow
    World behind them, are not powerful enough to cause derivation changes.

    > REMINDER: I'm a player and I don't have the Blood Enemies book nor the Boxed
    > Set, so if a rule clearly states that I'm off my rocker, be gentle with me.
    > :-) My main point is to give you thoughts from the players' perspective.
    > Y'all do have to keep us in mind, as well as all you're NPCs! ( :-D)

    I must thank you very much for your perspective. Most of us on this list
    appear to be DM's, so its useful to have someone here who is
    less-omniscient about the whole BR cannon, and who can poke and prod at us
    when we say things that don't quite make sense. I'm glad you're here. :)

    Mark VanderMeulen
    vander+@pitt.edu

  3. #3
    nick yates
    Guest

    What do your players know? (len

    At 04:13 26/03/98 -0600, you wrote:
    >Here's a GM's reply to the players point of view.
    >
    > Topic 1: I would say that there would be many rumors from all over the
    >world with many names mentioned but no details. My impression from the
    >Blood Enemies book was that the Abominations where shrouded in mystery
    >and vauge rumors of horrible power. So while names may be known details
    >would not, I also feel that while a player might know the Abominations
    >from his region, ie Anuire, he wouldn't know about the Magian over in
    >the Kinashi lands unless an Kinashi told him about it.

    Yeah I agree, the players should know the names of the Awnsheglien, but
    unless they're particularly familiar with them, ie their domain borders the
    Awnshegh's they wouldn't know their history of goals. In the Spider's Test
    what Richard Endier knows about the Spider is a good example. Its only a
    rumor that the Spider is insane, confirmed by the Goblin they capture.

    On the other hand characters that don't come from the region wouldn't know
    very much. In the Hag's Contract Candabraxis describes the Hag as a minor
    Awnshegh, then gets corrected by Parniel Bowspear. Maybe the best thing
    would be to give each player a sheet of information at the start of the
    campaign, full of truths half truths and complete whoppers.

    The players wouldn't know what each other knew, and little bits of
    knowledge could be useful to different players. The only problems comes
    when you're playing with a group that has played BR before. I tried this
    with a DL campaign and it worked quite well, after a few false starts. "No
    I remember reading in XYZ by Badly researched Author ABC that........"

    As for alignment and character class a few comments about the person can
    get the general idea accross. "He's the richest merchant in Müden/Greatest
    Warrior of Anuire/Smelliest Goblin of the Spiderfell" :-)

    Good points though, shame I had to snip them......

    Nick

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