Re: beating the bat

From: Jeff Richard <richaje_at_E0wFD3N73L_bbVBWj0SgMQHpYeXt0pU-rR6xY1TacZEkDS4IN-RIpE8CET6jpNJRDBiS>
Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:08:15 -0000

OK, this discussion (which I unfortunately responsible for) is beginning to be filled with straw men and arguments that go past each other in the night. Here's my big-picture take on Whitewall: it is the Orlanthi version of Thermopylae. A handful of defenders stand their ground and beat back everything the Empire throws at them - Shargashi beserks, the Granite Phalanx, and ultimately the dread Crimson Bat itself.

Gloranthan history being repetitive, Whitewall is an analogy to the Battle of the Verge - except Broyan has a plan on how to cheat the Empire of even Pyhrric victory. But the theme of a handful of Orlanthi defenders stand their grand and take on everything a hostile world can throw at them appears time and time again in their history.

Broyan, at the time of the siege of Whitewall, is the greatest Heortling hero of the time. He is marked as a Kodigvari, wields the Sword and Helm of Vingkot, has resurrected the Kingdom of the Hendrikings, and is the Last Orlanthi King. He should flee Whitewall.  He certainly should not stand toe-to-toe against vastly superior forces. But he does just that - and does not submit, even in death or in Hell, to the Empire.

That's the big picture. Everything else is game style. Roderick wants clever and wily tactics, I want grand mythological imagery. But that's a stylistic difference that I am happy to respect.

What my players wanted was advice on how to defeat the Bat that they could give to King Broyan. I am running a game and if my characters aren't the center of the action, I like have them come up with the plan for the center of action. Sure it is hokey, but I like to keep the camera on my players - even if they aren't the most important folk around. And it helps give them some ownership of the victory or the defeat.

Jeff