...this was harder than I thought [Archive] - Wizards Community

...this was harder than I thought [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BetterButterBuddha
07-20-03, 12:06 AM WARNING: Players, do not read this thread past this first paragraph. You know who you are.

I'm relatively new to the DM thing, and I've just started my players onto a FR campaign (I love the setting... therefore I ignore all the advice about working with a published campaign settings on your first time. So there.) They are all first level, and the beginning adventure seems to be going pretty well so far.

My problem is a long term one. They are currently in Mulhorand - I thought it would be interesting to do something unorthodox, plus it gives pretty good RP'ing opportunities... different culture, you know.

But I'm not sure my group really fits the setting. Let me give you an brief description.

----------------
Felistia (Air Genasi Barbarian 1, CN): Blazing Red Hair, Problems with authority, likes fighting. In it mostly for the glory.

Haydrien (Rock Gnome Conjurer 1, NG): Slightly left-of-the-SANE gnome wizard. He's got tattoos of eyes all over his head... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I think he's planning for the Alienist PrC.

Cocklebur (Ghostwise Halfling Cleric of Kelemvor 1, LN): Very quiet little dude. Kind of creepy, actually. Has some sort of tragic past, nobody's really sure yet.

Kojjin (Human [MULAN!] Monk 1, LN): The most inconsipicuous one around... actually a native! ...seeks enlightenment, and has a beef with a certain yet-to-be-met crime lord.
-------------

They're a good group, they really are. The problem is not them at all. It's Mulhorand.

Aside from Kojjin, almost every native (according to what I have read, this is how the natives feel) is somehow snooty/disdainful of the adventurers. It's pretty damn hard to get the group to feel like at home in such a country, you know? Sure, there's adventure opportunity galore, but when even the slaves are looking down on you, things get bad.

So my advice is: how can I make Mulhorand more hospitable for my motley crue of adventurers?
Dargoth
07-20-03, 12:28 AM Well there not completely anti western, infact the Pharoh has a Paladin who follows the Red Knight as an advicer

Try and drag them into events in Unther or Thay
athelstan
07-20-03, 12:56 AM Ok, welcome to dming, one of the best bits of advice i can say is: THE GAME WORLD EXISTS ON HOW YOU WANT IT TO, THE BOOKS ARE THERE FOR HELP ONLY!

Seriously man, its your world, literally. Ed Greenwood aint gonna come stomping into your home if you dont play Mulhorrand right. If the book says that Mulhorand doesnt like outsiders, but you want your new characters to fit in, well, change it. You are the caretaker of your games reality, and your greatest mission is to make sure everyone has a great time, yourself included. Following countries by the book should not take precedence over having fun.

But if Mulhorrand isnt good for you, try re-locating to the Silver Marches or the Dales. Good areas for new characters, and new dms, as well as a ton of useful supplements to give you ideas.
Azzadar
07-20-03, 01:13 AM Do your players want people to like them? If so, they should do their best to make that so. Have the people around them warm up as they get to know them.
Astanphaeus
07-20-03, 10:07 AM Originally posted by BetterButterBuddha
So my advice is: how can I make Mulhorand more hospitable for my motley crue of adventurers?

Putting aside the idea of an air genasi with flaming red hair... ;)

You can, of course, ignore what the books say and tailor the immediate setting however you'd like. But I'm sure you know this already, and you've likely decided to try to remain relatively true to the setting as it's presented. Nothing wrong with that. It just changes how you need to go about doing things.

The first point I'd make is that, yes, Mulhorand, as a nation and society, is intolerant of outsiders. But this is a generalization. Mulans are still people, and individual mulans are going to have individual viewpoints. Not all of them are going to be in lockstep with the party line, and some might reject it completely.

Case in point: consider the religion of Anhur. Anhurites promote change and conflict. The dominant isolationist paradigm is very static... so the Anhurites likely want to see it change. Promoting a greater tolerance of outsiders is an obvious way to do this. That would bring in an influx of new ideas and new viewpoints, which would bring change. In any event, it's certainly in keeping with Anhur's schtick of being a very wise, slow-to-judge, and good-hearted sort.

So getting the party involved with the Anhurite priesthood might be a smart idea, because it'd be a concentration of mulans that'd be inclined to be much more accepting of them. Certainly, the doctrine of Anhur should hold a lot of appeal for the genasi, and might even get her shifting into a goodly direction. The monk should be okay with it, just because they're mulan priests. The gnome would likely appreciate Anhur's goodly bent, and the halfling... well, I don't know, but 3 out of 4 ain't bad. ;) Maybe the Anhurites have an undead problem they need help with.

Anyway, this would allow you to introduce an NPC or two to the party. This would serve to dilute the overall weirdness of the group a bit, thereby making them more tolerable to the general public. Make the NPC a priest, and you have the clout factor as well. Priests of the pantheon are some of the most respected members of the society. The group might still usually get a cold shoulder, but at least it'd be a respectful one.

Another thing you could do, which could be tied into the above, is give the PCs the opportunity to do something helpful for a specific community, be it a village, or a particular neighborhood in a city. The members of that community would then have reason to be more favorably inclined towards the group. There would no doubt still be hardliners, but over time the party could build on the initial trust established by their helpful deed. Saving the lives of children is a hard one to argue with, for example. Again, mulans are, in the final analysis, only human... they can be emotionally moved just like any other group of people.

Then there's always money. Money can make you all sorts of friends. Perhaps the PCs can pick up this trick from an NPC who's a foreigner and yet doesn't seem to have the same problems they do. Such an established NPC could give the PCs some pointers in how to better their social standing... or even be a means to it, as the NPC is going to already be familiar with more accepting mulans.

Hope this helps. :) Good luck.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BetterButterBuddha 07-20-03, 12:06 AM	WARNING: Players, do not read this thread past this first paragraph. You know who you are. I'm relatively new to the DM thing, and I've just started my players onto a FR campaign (I love the setting... therefore I ignore all the advice about working with a published campaign settings on your first time. So there.) They are all first level, and the beginning adventure seems to be going pretty well so far. My problem is a long term one. They are currently in Mulhorand - I thought it would be interesting to do something unorthodox, plus it gives pretty good RP'ing opportunities... different culture, you know. But I'm not sure my group really fits the setting. Let me give you an brief description. ---------------- Felistia (Air Genasi Barbarian 1, CN): Blazing Red Hair, Problems with authority, likes fighting. In it mostly for the glory. Haydrien (Rock Gnome Conjurer 1, NG): Slightly left-of-the-SANE gnome wizard. He's got tattoos of eyes all over his head... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I think he's planning for the Alienist PrC. Cocklebur (Ghostwise Halfling Cleric of Kelemvor 1, LN): Very quiet little dude. Kind of creepy, actually. Has some sort of tragic past, nobody's really sure yet. Kojjin (Human [MULAN!] Monk 1, LN): The most inconsipicuous one around... actually a native! ...seeks enlightenment, and has a beef with a certain yet-to-be-met crime lord. ------------- They're a good group, they really are. The problem is not them at all. It's Mulhorand. Aside from Kojjin, almost every native (according to what I have read, this is how the natives feel) is somehow snooty/disdainful of the adventurers. It's pretty damn hard to get the group to feel like at home in such a country, you know? Sure, there's adventure opportunity galore, but when even the slaves are looking down on you, things get bad. So my advice is: how can I make Mulhorand more hospitable for my motley crue of adventurers?
Dargoth 07-20-03, 12:28 AM	Well there not completely anti western, infact the Pharoh has a Paladin who follows the Red Knight as an advicer Try and drag them into events in Unther or Thay
athelstan 07-20-03, 12:56 AM	Ok, welcome to dming, one of the best bits of advice i can say is: THE GAME WORLD EXISTS ON HOW YOU WANT IT TO, THE BOOKS ARE THERE FOR HELP ONLY! Seriously man, its your world, literally. Ed Greenwood aint gonna come stomping into your home if you dont play Mulhorrand right. If the book says that Mulhorand doesnt like outsiders, but you want your new characters to fit in, well, change it. You are the caretaker of your games reality, and your greatest mission is to make sure everyone has a great time, yourself included. Following countries by the book should not take precedence over having fun. But if Mulhorrand isnt good for you, try re-locating to the Silver Marches or the Dales. Good areas for new characters, and new dms, as well as a ton of useful supplements to give you ideas.
Azzadar 07-20-03, 01:13 AM	Do your players want people to like them? If so, they should do their best to make that so. Have the people around them warm up as they get to know them.
Astanphaeus 07-20-03, 10:07 AM	Originally posted by BetterButterBuddha So my advice is: how can I make Mulhorand more hospitable for my motley crue of adventurers? Putting aside the idea of an air genasi with flaming red hair... ;) You can, of course, ignore what the books say and tailor the immediate setting however you'd like. But I'm sure you know this already, and you've likely decided to try to remain relatively true to the setting as it's presented. Nothing wrong with that. It just changes how you need to go about doing things. The first point I'd make is that, yes, Mulhorand, as a nation and society, is intolerant of outsiders. But this is a generalization. Mulans are still people, and individual mulans are going to have individual viewpoints. Not all of them are going to be in lockstep with the party line, and some might reject it completely. Case in point: consider the religion of Anhur. Anhurites promote change and conflict. The dominant isolationist paradigm is very static... so the Anhurites likely want to see it change. Promoting a greater tolerance of outsiders is an obvious way to do this. That would bring in an influx of new ideas and new viewpoints, which would bring change. In any event, it's certainly in keeping with Anhur's schtick of being a very wise, slow-to-judge, and good-hearted sort. So getting the party involved with the Anhurite priesthood might be a smart idea, because it'd be a concentration of mulans that'd be inclined to be much more accepting of them. Certainly, the doctrine of Anhur should hold a lot of appeal for the genasi, and might even get her shifting into a goodly direction. The monk should be okay with it, just because they're mulan priests. The gnome would likely appreciate Anhur's goodly bent, and the halfling... well, I don't know, but 3 out of 4 ain't bad. ;) Maybe the Anhurites have an undead problem they need help with. Anyway, this would allow you to introduce an NPC or two to the party. This would serve to dilute the overall weirdness of the group a bit, thereby making them more tolerable to the general public. Make the NPC a priest, and you have the clout factor as well. Priests of the pantheon are some of the most respected members of the society. The group might still usually get a cold shoulder, but at least it'd be a respectful one. Another thing you could do, which could be tied into the above, is give the PCs the opportunity to do something helpful for a specific community, be it a village, or a particular neighborhood in a city. The members of that community would then have reason to be more favorably inclined towards the group. There would no doubt still be hardliners, but over time the party could build on the initial trust established by their helpful deed. Saving the lives of children is a hard one to argue with, for example. Again, mulans are, in the final analysis, only human... they can be emotionally moved just like any other group of people. Then there's always money. Money can make you all sorts of friends. Perhaps the PCs can pick up this trick from an NPC who's a foreigner and yet doesn't seem to have the same problems they do. Such an established NPC could give the PCs some pointers in how to better their social standing... or even be a means to it, as the NPC is going to already be familiar with more accepting mulans. Hope this helps. :) Good luck.