Won't somebody please think of the children?

Khizan

We've been begging for events for a while now. We've got one.

It's been fairly interesting and I enjoyed arguing about it with the Stavennite High Council and with Hasnan. The discussions were interesting and I liked getting a chance to argue the case of the necromancer. However, despite all that, I had a big long list of complaints here about it that I was getting ready to make, because of course I was. However, speaking with Aleutia and Ahkan made me realize that maybe I was being a giant asshole(I totally was) and jumping the gun on things.

And so, I'd just like to make a few comments about problems I have with the event and things that I think could fix them

1. Can we please lose the city-children(or have their numbers greatly reduced) and instead have to scour the world for NPC children from various NPC villages? Orc children, ogre children, nagiri children, tribal children from the islands, young priests from Menanon, etc, etc. Something to make it less "feeding our own citizens into the zombie machine" and more "feeding random children that we really don't like into the zombie machine because they'd just grow up to become an ogre, anyways". It makes it less black and white and more gray, and it also makes it something other than "path through your safe city, harvest children, sell them at the dropoff of your choice".
2. It's probably a bit late now, but, um. Killing children is basically textbook black and white evil and a lot of people just aren't going to want to kill any kind of children. Could we maybe phase out the children for something else here in a bit? Maybe beat a special type of warrior down to <20% of their health and then capture them or something? Something that's not killing children? I mean, I clearly don't have a problem with it, but childkilling is so taboo that most video games make kids flat out immortal. Something less objectionable would probably be a good thing. 

It's been fun so far. I'm just worried about the long-term viability of it, because "Sell your city's children to a mad scientist" and "don't sell your children to a mad scientist" is a pretty iffy choice for an event; one of those options is a really hard sell. 

Ahkan

Gif is totally aimed at Khizan for -almost- resisting the urge to post

Serious note though, I think both solutions are pretty viable. Of course, I don't know the back story or where this is going so it may not fit. It would be sort of nice to allow for more grey area interaction outside of "Kill children" or "Don't kill children." That's a pretty black and white decision 66% of the world the game will choose goody-two-shoes without even saying the word necromancer.

Khizan

Also, it's too late for this now, but "Necromancer" is such a loaded word that it instantly divides this event into "Demonic" and "Not Demonic" no matter what the other choices are. The comparison Ahkan used was something like "given the choice between giving the necromancer's grandmother cupcakes and shooting the necromancer's grandmother in the face, AM and Magick will shoot granny 100% of the time without asking questions".

It would have been much better if we had some mad alchemist doing experiments or something else that is less immediately divisive.

Iniar

Logging in to see Khandava and Jackals ban use of children made me

Maybe there is something wrong with me but those whippersnappers should be put to gooduse. I thought Khandava was evils but they got whitecloak Bathan and I don't mind being evil.

Khizan

Bathan is actually Stavennite now.

Also, Maglust has posted the following ruling regarding children, for the time being:

I've spoken with the Necromancer and he is promising to deliver us undead slaves if we aide him. The Ephorate is already
split on this, as is most the Empire, so the Ephorate will have a vote soon to decide how we handle this as a city.

In the mean time, this is a vague area of our law as our definition of a citizen is a bit unclear currently. Instead of
legislating a specific law to address this right now, we are falling back into the tenet of strength. If you see someone
with children and you think they are taking them where you don't want them to go, kill them and take them yourself.

I love Stavenn sometimes.

Sarrius

Antioch can't pick any choice except the 'save the children' one. I mean, I don't think I'd want to, but.. for Anti-Magick at least, there is no choice. You either do nothing or you save the kids. To help the necromancer is basically a breach of most conventional motivation for AM characters.

All in all, though, I like the first few scraps of this event a lot. What I've heard about it makes me optimistic.

Bathan

Iniar said:

Logging in to see Khandava and Jackals ban use of children made me Maybe there is something wrong with me but those whippersnappers should be put to gooduse. I thought Khandava was evils but they got whitecloak Bathan and I don't mind being evil.

Khandava's not 'evil'. It's a Council that has traditionally always looked after its own interests, up to and including defending citizenry for forced harm, which is precisely what this is.

Iniar

I concede your point but only if Bathan stands eye to eye with Olanre and tell her she's not evil.

Bathan

Derailment aside, I've been enjoying the event thus far, but obviously it's right up my alley.

Something I was incredibly impressed with was how unscripted it was. Bathan was basically like, 'well let's go to the Blue Knuckle and try and stow you away'. I did not expect the administration to be so flexible. I had multiple conversations, and each of the NPCs denied me for their own reasons. Eventually, I got directed to the stable boy, which totally made sense. I had so much fun, and it felt organic. 

While I agree that the use of children essentially secures this as a victory for non-chaotic evil types, I believe Hasnar originally said something about their being trouble on the horizon, and indicated that his research was necessary as a result. If that's the case, I'd expect to see that broadcasted more. I'd love for this to become some kind of situation where by saving the children, Aetherius prevents Hasnar from doing something that can save the world from an undead horde or something. 

But yah, I'm loving it so far and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Jeremy Saunders

We will be making some adjustments to the event based on the feedback and what players have been communicating to us.

Kanthari

Iniar said:

Logging in to see Khandava and Jackals ban use of children made me Maybe there is something wrong with me but those whippersnappers should be put to gooduse. I thought Khandava was evils but they got whitecloak Bathan and I don't mind being evil.

@Iniar

We already have adult undead. Khandava even has conscripted undead guards. Everyone with DK is already an undead soldier. We even have a giant, jackal-faced entity that we call the Lady Undying. Khandavan children grow up to be Khandavan adults who are all 'hell yeah, I'll be undead'. Hi @Rowynn

Why would we want help from someone who does what we do less well and never consulted us for our (considerable) assistance beforehand.

Unless you're ready to help me make an undead kitten army to send against his, man up

Svorai

Hey guys, on a note similar to Jeremy. We are more than open to see where you guys want to take this RP, that's totally great, that's what we want. So don't be shy on taking your ideas to Hasnar or Galix, see what comes up (I know Stavenn is already brewing some things up with them). 

I hope we can get to the mobs when you require to speak to them, just say something directly to the mob so we know you're interested! 

Ahkan

So far, it's been really awesome to see how this event develops in real time.

Bathan Whitecloak has opened an inn in the basement of the Blue Knuckle in to take in any wandering children.

Hasnar gave an impromptu demonstration of his necromancy machine to Khandava. They were unimpressed.

Khandava decided to keep saving their own children, but allowing everyone else to undeadify them.

Khandava is even working with their slaver to find new lives and jobs for their jobless heathens. They're the best marxists.

Let's keep this up. It's awesome.

This is how to rescue kids

Bathan

And lo, as the world agreed to not murder the children, Bathan breathed a sigh of relief, his heroic work done. VICTORY.

Khizan

Bathan's heroic work was actually completed by Sare, who stopped the Necromancer's child-murder spree by giving him so many children that it maxed out his murder-counter.

Bathan

No, but seriously.

Meanwhile, in the Blue Knuckle, Ricmorn, Galix, and Bathan have been hard at 

work.

Galix, doing his best to accept all children brought to him, was unfortunately 

running out of room. Bathan, being the protector that he is, did what he could 

to get more space made for the children. He spoke with Ricmorn who agreed to 

relinquish the cellar as a temporary home to keep them safe.

After gathering supplies, and putting a few of the children to work, the cellar

has been repurpose into a safe-haven. Bathan has promised to watch over the 

Blue Knuckle, keeping those found safe from the Necromancer's grasp.

Iluv

What I'd like to know is where did all these lost children come from? Did I miss some sort of hippie / ecstasy craze that hit the cities and townes of Aetherius?

Summer of Love 39 - 40 AM.

Iniar

Imperian should totally run a charity event around kids simultaneously while this event continues. :[ Just sayin'

Kanthari

I like to blame @Ahkan for all the Khandavan orphans.

Khizan

Just as a note, when you run an event like this again, could we also get an announce post with various syntaxes? Playing the "How the hell do I get this kid to follow me?" game was pretty frustrating.

Jeremy Saunders

Indeedy.

Eoghan

Iniar said:

Imperian should totally run a charity event around kids simultaneously while this event continues. :[ Just sayin'

I will personally commit to donating 10% of all credits sales in Imperian for the next week to the Reading Rainbow Everywhere Kickstarter (link) up to a limit of $1000. That means $10,000 worth of credits, which is a lofty goal to hit.

Eoghan

Follow-up: