Re: carrion birds

From: KYER, JEFFREY <jeff.kyer_at_...>
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 10:48:20 -0400

Peter Larsen wrote:
>
> I'm not sure game statistics are particularly appropriate
> (though Mr. Kyer
> has given us some good ideas).

Ideas mercifully snipped... =) I'm a Mister? Good god, I feel old.

> After all, it's not like the characters
> are
> necessarily going to have their mitts on the banner for long ("You
> carry
> it." "No, YOU carry it."). How does the banner work? You win the
> battle,
> the standard bearer dies. Simple enough. Now, the question is: do the
> GM
> and the players agree on what winning means? Is it just driving the
> other
> side from the field? Is it obtaining some objective, and, if so, who
> decides? Really, I think it's best left as a story effect rather than
> mechanics. But that's my gaming style speaking.
>

Peter sums it up nicely. You use it. You win. You die.

When I used the Raven Banner (which is a concept older than KODP) in a D&D campaign back in the mid 80's, it gave victory but at a high price. Many die that would not have. Pyrric victory comes to mind. Odin, giver of victory, charges a high price for his favor.

It was called 'The Raven Banner of Bitter Victory' in our game. It was used once and the players never, ever touched it again.

It should be more of a story effect rather than rules that can be wanked by some lawyering player.

Jeff

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