Don't Play in the Arm of the Dragon.

The pudgy, brown-haired half-giant soldier growls loudly as he charges through the frey, moving towards the sleek, black-haired templar!

The pudgy, brown-haired half-giant soldier subdues the sleek, black-haired templar.

The pudgy, brown-haired half-giant soldier's A low but audible growl can be heard falling from his mouth as he picks the sleek, black-haired templar up in the air!

The pudgy, brown-haired half-giant soldier viciously throws the sleek, black-haired templar into the western gate!

Cavaticus replied:

Asanadas,



Hi! I have received word that you were murderized in Allanak last evening. It turns out that this was a mistake on our part - you were meant to have been lightly whacked by a dagger but ended up getting run over by a steam engine masquerading as one. We would like to process a resurrection for your character and get you back into your role! Is this something you'd like?



Cavaticus

Storyteller

ArmageddonMUD Staff

Asanadas replied:

I didn't know bone throwing daggers could hit so hard.


Yeah yeah! I definitely want a resurrection! I put in a new character last night because I had no clue what to do but hammer one out before I went to sleep so I could probably be playing by the next day.



But I definitely want my Sergeant back alive, instead of the new character. If you could do that for me, I'll be real grateful. I can consult my logs for whatever I was carrying / wearing at the time, if necessary.



But yeah by all means, save me from this crazy train.

A copy of the request follows:
(Resurrection ticket)


Details

Heya,



Cavaticus tells me that the throwing dagger that instantly mantis-head'd my character about 12 hours ago was a staff glitch. Truth be told, I was really hoping this was the case. Cav has offered to do a resurrection for my character because of this, so I'm opening up this ticket because I feel like that's what I have to do on my side of the fence, here.



I can provide logs and lists of equipment / what I was carrying, if necessary. I put in a new character application last night because I had no clue what to do otherwise, but I definitely want to keep playing my Sergeant rather than the new character I've applied for.



Thanks for this, and I hope to get back in to die some other way soon.

Talia replied:

Asanadas,



I've resurrected Dannet from NEAR-death You may log in and I'll get you set back up with his stuff.



Talia

Administrator

ArmageddonMUD Staff

Request Granted:



Asanadas,



Your Resurrection request has been resolved.



Talia

Administrator

Armageddon Staff

Details
(Staff complaint / inquiry)
Heya, to all whom this concerns:



Just recently my character was hit by a killer dagger from Eurynomos, and resurrected by Talia. I understand that the dagger wasn't meant to do that much damage - more to pop my character in the side, and do a little bit instead of insta-killing me. But I've been thinking about it recently, and it's been starting to trouble me. I have some issues I need to raise over it.



When a staff avatar throws a dagger at you, how are you supposed to react? You can't retaliate against it, because there's "nothing" there ICly - the staffer's immortalcloaked. It could be said that the virtual npc population did it, but I find that a really bad precedent, since vnpcs are passive in nature in all experience I've had so far with the game. If I had survived, what exactly was I supposed to do? Falling into this clueless situation is really scary.

When a staff avatar throws a dagger at you, what are you supposed to do with that going forward? How are you supposed to take it? I'm not going to assume Eury did it arbitrarily, so there's got to be a reason behind it. Since I was detaining the PC named Flaire at the time, I've got to assume it was related to that. How am I supposed to take it that Eury threw a dagger at me while I was doing the perfectly IC thing of an AoD Sergeant arresting a suspected Shadow Artist under orders? What sort of world reaction is it when I get punished for doing that? Further, if this was supposed to be a reaction of Tuluki sympathizers ICly, where's the agency for me to react to them in my role? There's nothing there to react to, because of point 1, immortalcloaked staff avatar. Was Eury punishing me for interacting with Flaire in that capacity? I am really at a loss on how to understand this in-universe, what the impetus of it was in the first place, and what Eury was trying to communicate through the action.

How am I supposed to react to Flaire now, that Eury threw that dagger at me? Am I supposed to be scared of him and his undoubtedly Tuluki circle of spies that have infiltrated Allanak, capable of throwing instakill daggers? Do I kill him on sight for what Eury did, when my character should be fully committed to blaming Flaire for what was a staff-side mistake? As I understood it from Talia, the dagger was thrown at my character intentionally - only the amount of damage was in error. How, then, am I supposed to go forward with this? It seems like such a fluke for that thread to just end so abruptly, and Eury's actions have got me at a loss on how to handle it.



All in all, we're playing this game to have fun, and I get that. What happened to me was very un-fun, and I feel like I've got the general reason to be upset about it on the multiple levels I've listed out here.



What I'm seeking is an explanation for why it happened, guidance for how to handle it, and an apology for how it did go down. I'm sincerely hoping that this complaint ticket will get me these three things. I do enjoy this game, but I'm just not sure how to handle it with Eury's decision to do what he did.



Looking over the GDB, there's been a couple of voices speaking out on how it feels like the staff are pressuring in an OOC level for Allanakis to not react in such a patriotic fashion to the Tuluki players coming to the city on account of Tuluk being closed. I feel like my character getting blind-sided by a steam engine dagger was just that: a punishment from staff for interacting with a Tuluki player in that fashion. Should I be expecting more punishments for doing what makes sense in the world with the months I've been playing my character? What sort of line is being drawn here, and what on earth is the justification for it being enforced the way it has? Is there a line at all? These are the sort of questions that are really messing with me.



Thank you for reading, and I'm hoping I've been clear enough in my frustrations, here. This is a big deal for me, since I feel like I'd be abandoning some of my enjoyment of the game if I didn't at least try to understand what happened, or get some response over it other than what has been truly helpful (the resurrection and help from Talia and Cavaticus) but otherwise enigmatic.



Let me know if there's anything you'd like me to clear up. I'd really appreciate a response quickly, since the frustrations and fears I've expressed here extend to current events, and events that'll be happening in the near future.

Nathvaan replied:

Asanadas,



Before addressing this point by point I want to make something perfectly clear. It is incredibly chaotic on the staff side when NPCs are getting animated and staff are moving in and out of controlling NPCs. They must also respond with multiple NPCs to multiple PCs. Chaos, trust me! Honestly I am almost amazed that OOC mistakes like this don't happen more often. The fact that it doesn't happen more often is, I suppose, a tribute to how careful staff normally are with regards to controlling NPCs.



Additionally, staff avatars are 100% OOC and this whole situation was what amounts to a totally honest OOC mistake and should be taken as such.



Let's address things point by point:



1) When this happens you shouldn't react. If a staff avatar interacts with you at all, it is a mistake where the staff thought they were controlling a NPC and therefore using the NPCs skills/bonuses. As you rightly stated, 'there's "nothing" there ICly' with which to respond because this shouldn't have happened.



2) Moving forward you should assume that the death never happened. Again, the attack was an OOC mistake.



I can't address all your assumptions in this point honestly. Making any kind of assumption about the motivation of the attack is going to typically lead you astray as it may have done here. I'll be clear. You weren't targeted specifically. The NPC that was suppose to make the attack had it's motivations but Eurynomos' only motive was animating the world in that moment. This wasn't some attempt to curb your play in any way as it seems you may think.



To that point, if you had to have an IC story around it. A dagger flew at the group of you from an unknown assailant and narrowly missed you. That's it. Really.



3) Hopefully this is explained in the previous point. Yes the dagger was thrown at you, but it could have been just as easily thrown at any one of the people you were with. As it goes with attacks from unknown assailants, you really don't know their motivations.



The best way to handle it is to understand it was a mistake. People make mistakes. It happens, all the time. I would say you should continue playing your character as you see fit.



Yes, I imagine that this was not fun at all and it was completely unintentional. Mistakes were made but I think, were I you, I would focus on the fact that they were put right fairly quickly as well. The staff involved recognized it was a mistake and opened a request with you to let you know you were being resurrected which all sounds pretty magnanimous to me.



There isn't much I will say about your perception that you are somehow being blind-sided by a steam engine dagger because you are being too IClly Nakki patriotic. I will say that to you, your perception is your reality but that doesn't make it reality. What I would like to point out here is that you are taking multiple OOC sources (GDB, accidental avatar interaction, personal player assumptions) and trying to see what this means for your character IC, which can be very frustrating and stymie your play. The best course of action, in my opinion, is to set aside OOC influence and just play and enjoy!



Lastly, I can say that there was no ill intent and this was an honest OOC mistake and hope you take it as such.



If you have any questions or comments, I will leave this open for a bit.



Thanks,



Nathvaan

Producer

ArmageddonMUD Staff

A Small, Dusty Plaza [N, E, S, W]
Even lying under the thick sweep of night's dark wing, this plaza
is full of life, commoners passing through it on their errands, many
lingering to gossip, talk or simply watch the passersby. The ground
underfoot is simple, hardpacked dirt, worn smooth with footsteps, but
with the occasional jagged crack or pile of offal that keeps the
traveler's step wary. Slightly taller buildings surround this plaza,
torchlight marking the entrances of a few.
Protruding from a cluster of tents is a narrow sandstone building.
The dark, lanky young woman has arrived from the east, dragging the tall, stubbled, blond man behind.
The dark, lanky young woman raises a brow at the tall, stubbled, blond man.
With a sigh, the tall, stubbled, blond man says to the dark, lanky young woman, in northern-accented sirihish:
"You know, Arc of Words? Krath, this joke would've been a success in the north."
You are a little thirsty.
Dourly, you say to the tall, stubbled, blond man, in sirihish:
"Your society shouldn't reward the turncloak that you are. And make no mistake - you find yourself in the good graces of the Templar in this moment because of it."
A Small, Dusty Plaza [N, E, S, W]
Even lying under the thick sweep of night's dark wing, this plaza
is full of life, commoners passing through it on their errands, many
lingering to gossip, talk or simply watch the passersby. The ground
underfoot is simple, hardpacked dirt, worn smooth with footsteps, but
with the occasional jagged crack or pile of offal that keeps the
traveler's step wary. Slightly taller buildings surround this plaza,
torchlight marking the entrances of a few.
Protruding from a cluster of tents is a narrow sandstone building.
The tall, stubbled, blond man is standing here held by the dark, lanky young woman.
To the south is a Small, Dusty Plaza.
[Near]
The half-giant soldier is keeping order here, patrolling the plaza.
A four-story, mud-brick apartment building sits among others along the street.
To the west is a Small, Dusty Plaza.
[Near]
The half-giant soldier is keeping order here, patrolling the plaza.
A line of lizards is carved atop a red sandstone wall.
A Small, Dusty Plaza [N, E, S, W]
Even lying under the thick sweep of night's dark wing, this plaza
is full of life, commoners passing through it on their errands, many
lingering to gossip, talk or simply watch the passersby. The ground
underfoot is simple, hardpacked dirt, worn smooth with footsteps, but
with the occasional jagged crack or pile of offal that keeps the
traveler's step wary. Slightly taller buildings surround this plaza,
torchlight marking the entrances of a few.
A line of lizards is carved atop a red sandstone wall.
A bench, made of worn grey stone, sits against a wall.
The half-giant soldier is keeping order here, patrolling the plaza.
The dark, lanky young woman has arrived from the east, dragging the tall, stubbled, blond man behind.
A Small, Dusty Plaza [N, E, S]
Even lying under the thick sweep of night's dark wing, this plaza
is full of life, commoners passing through it on their errands, many
lingering to gossip, talk or simply watch the passersby. The ground
underfoot is simple, hardpacked dirt, worn smooth with footsteps, but
with the occasional jagged crack or pile of offal that keeps the
traveler's step wary. Slightly taller buildings surround this plaza,
torchlight marking the entrances of a few.
A large pile of broken and rubbled stone lies here.
A clay-stained human potter sits here on a woven mat of grass.
The scrawny, sunken-eyed beggar grovels for coins here piteously.
A lithe, obsidian-eyed woman lounges near the tavern entrance.
The dark, lanky young woman has arrived from the north, dragging the tall, stubbled, blond man behind.
A dark red archway, lined in a silver tint, leads into a tavern.
[Near]
A tall, amber-eyed woman serves drinks from behind a boxy wooden bar.
The small, dark-haired man sits drinking at a table in the corner.
A husky dwarf sits on a stone-seated stool at the bar.
With a smile, the tall, stubbled, blond man asks the dark, lanky young woman, in northern-accented sirihish:
"Am I a turncloak?"
The tall, stubbled, blond man says to the dark, lanky young woman, in northern-accented sirihish:
"I am not a turncloak. My society exists no longer."
The dark, lanky young woman rolls her shoulders.
Reserved, you say to the tall, stubbled, blond man, in sirihish:
"We'll see in the coming days. You'd be wise to make yourself useful to the Templar."
A slim bone throwing dagger flies in from the south. You swipe at it using your hands, but miss.
A slim bone throwing dagger flies in from the south and strikes your waist!
You stop watching the tall, stubbled, blond man.
 _______ ___
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