Pokemon Umbral Discussion 22: The PCs Have the GM On Lockdown

[Geminex]

Wait, let me rephrase: is your sidequest still the one where we get to go half-demon, considering all the changes going on?

AB will get back to me on that as soon as he finds the time. I'm assuming that it still is.

Yes, I have some ideas to warm Pierce up to Impact, but it's not really in my best interests to help you with that.

But we've already determined what the outcome of their interactions will be. It is up to us to make this outcome plausible. It's neither in or against your best interests to help me, since, like we agreed, Pierce will support Impact anyway. It's a foregone conclusion. We can justify that conclusion elegantly, or we can't. It's up to you which.

And besides, Impact and Pierce are (potential) enemies. The two of us aren't. Or so I hope.
You wouldn't want hostility between us, would you? I certainly wouldn't. It would be... tiresome.

That comment about her being rich got your interest, eh?

Well, it got me thinking, certainly. AB limits our characters' power quite effectively... but really, if we're free to create any NPCs we want, and if we have free control over our NPCs, then it's rather easy to create an NPC with a lot of political or financial power and a plausible motive to help our respective character, to further our characters' aims.

And I'm not sure how to fix this. The best way would be to simply say "We don't control NPCs we create, they behave like standard characters", but I have a feeling Pierce would object to that. Another option would be to simply forbid players from using their NPCs' power to their own characters' advantage, but that wouldn't be good either. I mean, it's perfectly plausible that one of Impact's former squadmates would be in some high-ranking position, or that Pierce should have... some rich relative or another?, and that they'd be willing to help the character in question. I dunno how he's related to Liz.

What're your thoughts on this? It's no immediate problem, but there's potential for abuse, I think. How do we curb that? Do we do anything at all?

[Menarker]

^^

AB, I accept your change for removing the ability to effect foes using Prosperous Gifts in exchange for making it much like I proposed.

Originally Posted by Dracorion

Also, when I say she loves her pokemon I mean she really loves her pokemon, and you wish I was joking.

She has Tentacruel and Tangrowth and is going to ask Renny to trade his Mollesk to her?

[Dracorion]

Originally Posted by Geminex

But we've already determined what the outcome of their interactions will be. It is up to us to make this outcome plausible. It's neither in or against your best interests to help me, since, like we agreed, Pierce will support Impact anyway. It's a foregone conclusion. We can justify that conclusion elegantly, or we can't. It's up to you which.

What, my idea isn't good enough? It's going to be worded much more nicely, I promise!

Look, at most I can see Impact and Pierce developing a mutual respect. Anything more and when the time comes for their inevitable confrontation because Impact is trying to take over the world, we get some variation of "You were my brother Anakin! I loved you!". And that sucks.

As for how to get there, I really have no idea. Maybe Impact can be the one to suggest that Pierce lead his own team for Mission 3, that would be a start. And maybe when Pierce reveals his past to the team, Impact can be the one to support him and say he trusts him. That should get Pierce warmed up to Impact a bit.

Originally Posted by Geminex

And besides, Impact and Pierce are (potential) enemies. The two of us aren't. Or so I hope.
You wouldn't want hostility between us, would you? I certainly wouldn't. It would be... tiresome.

Phhhhhhhbbbbbbbbbbbbbttttttttttttttt.

Originally Posted by Geminex

Well, it got me thinking, certainly. AB limits our characters' power quite effectively... but really, if we're free to create any NPCs we want, and if we have free control over our NPCs, then it's rather easy to create an NPC with a lot of political or financial power and a plausible motive to help our respective character, to further our characters' aims.

And I'm not sure how to fix this. The best way would be to simply say "We don't control NPCs we create, they behave like standard characters", but I have a feeling Pierce would object to that. Another option would be to simply forbid players from using their NPCs' power to their own characters' advantage, but that wouldn't be good either. I mean, it's perfectly plausible that one of Impact's former squadmates would be in some high-ranking position, or that Pierce should have... some rich relative or another?, and that they'd be willing to help the character in question. I dunno how he's related to Liz.

What're your thoughts on this? It's no immediate problem, but there's potential for abuse, I think. How do we curb that? Do we do anything at all?

Pierce only has one relative. Yes, Liz and Pierce have a history, but that doesn't mean all the NPCs we make have to be linked to our characters.

If AB controls our NPCs, well... like you said, they would behave like "standard characters". There wouldn't be much chance for them to shine. But if AB control them, then we certainly don't have to worry about abuse. Although he does have a lot of NPCs to control, you sure you wanna add more to his load?

I think we can be trusted not to abuse our NPCs, and we can just give AB all the info we have on them and it'll be up to him if he wants to reject them because he thinks we might abuse them or they're just not good.

Also, we should try not to go overboard with NPCs. I mean, I get two, and only because one of them is pretty much a given. But even then, if you argue really really really hard I could be convinced to give one up, though I really don't want to. I think two NPCs per PC should be the limit, although we should all aim for just one or no NPCs.

Originally Posted by Menarker

She has Tentacruel and Tangrowth and is going to ask Renny to trade his Mollesk to her?

No, but thanks for giving me that idea. She's certainly going to be borrowing Renny's Mollesk, and I can only imagine Renny's shock when he sees Mollesk's new 'tude after Liz is done with it.

[Menarker]

Yeah... I was thinking that since she's a snagger, her "battle personality" would be something like...

*Engages in battle. Any battle*
*Sees something to her "tastes*
"SQUEEEEEEE!!! SO CUTE/HANDSOME/EROTIC! I'M GOING TO TAKE IT HOME WITH ME!" *Eyes flash*
*Snags it and runs off with it.*
*Does the same for guys she falls in love with. If they resist, she'll bean them upside the head before kidnapping them and running off for whatever antics she got in mind for the poor lucky bastard.*

[Dracorion]

Yeah, pretty much.

Well, except for humans it's not like she falls head over heels every five minutes. Also, no beaning over the head. But she will be coming on pretty strongly to anyone attractive.

[Menarker]

Yeah, I was just referencing Marie from Ranma 1/2. Any time she saw something or someone cute, she'll steal it or kidnap him/her, give it a french name, dress it up french-like and stick it in her mansion like one of her dolls all the while marveling out loud on how cute said thing is. If someone resists, she'll knock them out before she does that.

Like literally, she wanted to have total monopoly on cute things.

Liz: "Maybe if I take Renny himself, I can get all 6 of his pokemons too! Umbreon, Togekiss, Shaymin... All cute! Mollesk, I want it SO BADLY!!! Swampert... maybe I can make him a butler. Magnezone can be a prop! The kid isn't that bad looking too, cute even! Plus, if I work him now with my charms, I can influence his personality as he grows up and he might grow up to look like a bishonen!"


Seriously, that's one of the charms of Renny to the other NPCs perhaps now that I think of it... As cute as he is now, they might daydream about how he'll grow up... maybe as a total hottie - a bishonen perhaps! (Their imagination running wild). Plus, as he's still growing, he could be VERY IMPRESSSIONABLE, age and naivety and all. A few lewd bits of flirting, some teasing, a kiss or two, some "training" and they could "shape" him into their ideal boyfriend since he comes with loyalty and devotion practically ingrained and prepackaged. And after the under-age thing passes, his young age could be a benefit for those wanting a healthy guy long term...

"Let's see... When I turn 30, Renny will be 20 something. When I'm 40, he's 30, when I'm 50, he's 40! When I'm 60, he's 50..." *Evil Lusty Grin*

*If the women in question happen to be fairly older like Jeanette or Rayleen, it gets better in their favor!*
"When I'm 40, he's 20... when I'm 50, he's 30! When I'm 60, he's 40!"

[Dracorion]

Um, no. Lizzie may be a lot of things, but she's no crib jumper.

And you can compare her to Marie all you want. Fact is, there's only one "dollhouse" Elizabeth is going to be sticking people into. She doesn't play with her partners, she fucks them silly. As for Renny's pokemon, she'll probably only go for Mollesk. She doesn't really jump anything with a pulse.

I'm pretty sure the only one who thinks of Renny's charms is, well, you. Maybe you're the one who wants to bang Renny. No, seriously, I doubt any of the girls in PATCA are interested in manipulating Renny like that, even Elizabeth.

[Menarker]

Nah, I'm just referencing Great Teacher Onizuka (age thing) and Mahou Sensei Negima (brainwashing a young impressionable kid until he matures to an ideal boyfriend).

^,^

It's potentially possible though for anyone that Renny gets high on their "approval rating". They might go "If only he wasn't so young..." and the result is that they might attempt to shape him for the "great day" when he becomes legal. (Assuming they don't jump him prior or have some way to force-age him).
Mind you, AB is the one controlling them and I'm not trying to make things like that (I would have made my character appropriately aged if I knew the setting was going to be loaded with sexy girls).

[Dracorion]

Okay, reference some retarded little anime again. I dare you.

No, seriously, what's wrong with you?

"Potentially possible"? Sure, maybe. But then whoever does that will have to deal with all the rest of the girls telling them to stop manipulating poor little Wenny-poo.

Also, I'd like it on record that I am entirely against Renny being aged by the Magatama.

[Menarker]

Originally Posted by Dracorion

Okay, reference some retarded little anime again. I dare you.

No, seriously, what's wrong with you?

We're all full growned men roleplaying about pokemons?