Sage Hint - > NPC Camp

Kalphoenix · Post by **Kalphoenix** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:49 pm

A couple questions regarding Sages getting sage hints just so everyone is on the same page. I have seen a lot of confusion and variation on this:

1.) Are the sages required to go to NPC camp in-character for the sage hint?

2.) If the answer is yes, what does this traveling around by the sages represent from a role-playing standpoint, other than just an excuse to get the sages out where they can be attacked? I was actually told this was the reason for making sages go to NPC camp, not a very satisfactory answer.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:40 pm

If sages have to go to npc camp, I would say they have to go out and gather the information, iether getting that scroll, or meditaing.

Post by **GM_Chris** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:55 pm

There is no out of game so cole's answer is perfect

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:33 pm

Heidi's question is do sages actually need to go to npc camp?

dier_cire · Post by **dier_cire** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 8:02 am

If you don't want to wait for the off chance that an npc happens to come by that knows the answer... how else are you going to get your hint?

Eilonwy · Post by **Eilonwy** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:50 am

This's always been an odd one. Ex: Esmerelda's reading the cards to find insight; suddenly she jumps up and heads into the dangerous night instead...er...

???

Post by **GM_Chris** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 12:33 pm

Yeah, but unfortunatly there is no way to do sage unless we have sages walking around with hand over their head or what have you.

I know there was a sage that went and got the hints they wanted, then RP'd the time afterwards in game.

Wyrmwrath · Post by **Wyrmwrath** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:08 pm

I say the FH should supply the Sages with speed dialing cell phones with only the numbers of the GM staff in em.

NewGuy · Post by **NewGuy** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:32 pm

The alternative would be having sealed envelopes with all the sage hints at PC camp, and using the honor system. As the honor system is less than perfect, and the GMs cannot anticipate every possible change the PCs force them into making in the plot last minute by their reactions, this system would not work.

Else, there could be an "on duty GM" station betwix PC and NPC camp somewhere out of the way and "Out of game" but the GMs would most likely not enjoy just sitting there waiting for us when they could be providing us with more story/play/fun.

I believe sending the sages to NPC camp is the least of the evils, although I wouldn't mind if the trip was considered OOG, and upon return, they role-played the obtaining of knowledge.

Zaire · Post by **Zaire** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:37 pm

I don't see a problem with the Sages having to go to NPC camp.

The in character explanation would be that they have to travel and do some minor research.

Some risks are worth it.

Esmerelda · Post by **Esmerelda** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:39 pm

The only issue with sealed envelopes is inevitably the sages come up with something they want hints on that wasn't forseen before game on or is about something fun that was added to a plot at the last minute...

Eilonwy · Post by **Eilonwy** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:15 pm

I either RP the time before I head to NPC camp or after; usually the former, giving plenty of time to be attacked or interrupted. Usually it's a trance or casting the rune stones so it makes more sense to RP it and then head to NPC camp for the hint.

cole45 · Post by **cole45** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:17 pm

of course, the act of walking to npc camp, is still IN game.

Malphus · Post by **Malphus** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:52 pm

that's why I don't take skills that require role-playing. RPing is for losers.

Torakhan · Post by **Torakhan** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:34 pm

As for the Sage Hints, why would a character who has no reason to leave a building to "get information" go out down a path to a location that doesn't exist so that they can be slaughtered at a time when they they were studdying in their library, or asking their pretty rocks, or communing with the Essence? (No, there is nothing to say that a Sage must go out and walk about in the woods for 15 minutes to figure out what's going on.) Sage Hint write-up says that a Sage must go to NPC camp (which doesn't exist in-game). So it must either be that the player must go, or the character must go to a location in-game.

So for now, if I were to go ask for a Sage Hint, I would spend the 15 minutes RPing the activity the Sage uses to get the ifnormation, then go OOG with hand above my head to go to NPC camp to hopefully find a GM there. If/when I do go OOC to walk to NPC camp, I usually make a lot of noise, saying "I'm Out Of Game" and hold a flashlight (when it's dark) over me so that nobody wastes an ambush on me. I also don't acknowledge anything that happens while I'm walking, or what I overheard either. But that's a courtesy I think everyone should use anyways. And if someone has too big of a problem with that... it's an easy fix for me... and I'd save $50 every Final Haven event after that. I wouldn't stop anyone else's fun, but I just wouldn't go.

Otherwise another idea would be to set up a set of walkie-talkies so that Players can call NPC camp (or GM's who are listening in) and have someone come to the location of the Sage-player for the information (If they don't want to broadcast over the walkie-talkie).
If "there wasn't anyone available there" isn't a good enough excuse for Players to find a GM, why should it be good enough for the GMs and NPCs?

By the way... I get sick of this so-called excuse "there is no out-of-game". I can understand when it's used as courtesy excuse when you slip on knowing what is IC and what is OOC.
However, it's thrown around to explain everything, almost to the point that it's funny. If everything was under the "there is no Out of Game" clause, then we would be doing REAL damage, using REAL weapons and there would be NO magic/monsters/etc. All items would have to be REAL, not just "physically represented" because that's just an out-of-game excuse as for why those aren't there. Everything that has to be "physically represented" by deffinition is OOG when you have to pretend to believe something is other than what it really is. Skills and abilities and actions that require OOG rules and conduct in order to exist and take effect is OOG. So please, stop using "there is no Out Of Game" as a blanket argument. You'd be out of a LOT of NPC players if those people had to remain playing dead, imprisoned or otherwise "there" individuals, plus we'd gack and capture up the GMs as prisoners and then who would run the plots?

So let people walk Out Of Game to fulfill their OOG requirement for an In Game ability. As long as it isn't used excessively (I decided to wander around and stretch my legs... Oh, I didn't want to get hit and die, so I was out of game! My head is bleeding and I need stitches!)... why not allow it until we can get a GM chained into the PC buildings?

Sage Hint - > NPC Camp

Sage Hint - > NPC Camp

Sages and OOC...