Re: Berserk OTT!! [By the way, what does "OTT" mean ?!?]

From: JEFFREY KYER <jeff.kyer_at_...>
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2000 22:25:56 -0000


OTT Over The Top --- its a phrase meaning far far too intense. An actor like Jack Nicholson would be OTT, for example.

I admit that I don't do extended conflicts with trollkin with my group
unless there's extenuating circumstances -- they are just too wimpy.  

> > The player, a Humakti, rolled for berserk and failed the
> > roll. So he then used a Hero Point to force a success and go
Berserk.
>
> That's one way of playing it. Try changing it to where the players
have to
> declare a bump _before_ a roll.

A variant I have found to be dangerous and somewhat lethal in play.  >
> Right, like other proficient Heroes in all kinds of contests when
there is a
> big discrepancy of force... Increase the opposition's power, put
the
fear of
> Humakt into their bones !

This will happen in any conflict where a PC has a significant advantage in abilty over his companions. The challenge is to threaten
the combat-monster without comitting Negligent PC Homicide.  

> OK, stuff like that can happen. But who was it that he killed ?
Gyffur
> Ulfsson the chief of the Hidden Gale itself or, say, Saewulf
Bjrinjolfsson
> one of the sample characters & probable leader of one of its
smaller
raiding
> parties ?
>
> Let's suppose it was Saewulf. The guy is a valuable member of the
Barantaros
> war clan, he is family,"he is _our_ family !" They will want
weregeld for
> his death, blood-money. What is he worth ? Well, in the Blue Rock
clan of

Weregeld is a good start, of course...

> the Torkani from which he was outlawed he was a swordthane, a
huscarl, a
> professional warrior loyal to his chief. Now here among the Hidden
Gale
> _war_ clan he is one warrior among many & as he is fairly new (i.e.
a
> beginning HW character) as well as not a member of the previous
clan, he
> qualifies as a carl. And that means a lot of cows...

Starting characters are actually not whimpy. They are probably considered decent warriors and better than the run of the mill types in the clan -- of course, the HG Clan is a bit warrior skewed.

Weregeld is, I believe, 10 cows for a cottar, 20 for a carl, 40 for a thane and 80 for a noble, but ransoms are half that. ANd, of course, weregelds and ransoms are offset by injury and death done to the opposition. Don't you just love vengance based judicial systems?  

> warband ? How high is his relationship to his clan ? Maybe he
should
spend a
> lot of HPs to raise its target number if he plans on them paying
many
> weregelds... :o)

And, of course, turning over half his income to the kinfolks as they are family... A rule of thumb in our group is that we turn over everything to the chief and he gives about half of it back. That way everyone looks generous and our chief can pay for feasts and weregelds
and unexpected taxations!  

> (Somebody mentioned on one of the lists what is the blood-price of
a
carl on
> one of the lists but I can't remember it... It will appear either
in
Sartar
> Rising or in Thunder Rebels... hopefully ! Let's cross fingers.)

I'd think it'd be there...

But a thrall is usuall 5, a cottar 10, I think...  

> If it was Gyffur that was killed, even if weregild for a clan chief
is paid,
> there will certainly be "hard feelings" remaining... Your humakti
hero will
> probably get an an "adversary" relationship ability from Gyffur's
family.
> And maybe they are not interested in weregild, perhaps they prefer
to start
> a feud ?
>

Of course! But that's all part of a storyline and only if the Narrator is interested in folowing through on the consequences of player actions...

> P.S.: Why didn't your heroes pay for his resurrection ?!? :o) ;o)
 :o)

I kinda LIKE the lack of easy Resurrection in HW.

Jeff Kyer

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