DM Mirror's Shadowdale OOC chat

I have started this thread as a place for players to OOC discuss Shadowdale, ask questions and guidance and engage with me on Shadowdale and Shadowdale DM related things.  Please stay on topic and I am looking forward to gaming with you all!

Quick Introduction:

OOC Shadowdale Structure for those who want to know.:

Past Stories From Before My Time:

Shadowdale Event Schedule

Every Sunday through as many time zones as I can manage will be when I am running events.  They will be listed in a thread in this format: Chapter, Title, Scene, Theme of Event, NPC involved, level the event is designed for, Time in GMT -5.

A question that has always pondered to me... does the Law of Shadowdale stop at the extent of it's walls, or the land around?

Specifically, which areas are to be enforced? I can't seem to find anything that states where the jurisdiction ends. . .

I am pondering this one, Dak. Here is my placeholder for my response.

I would suggest to use the rule of "enforce your law where you can".

comodohead wrote:

I would suggest to use the rule of "enforce your law where you can".

I don't want to bring things off topic, but I hear a lot of people talk about Jurisdiction when talking about law in Shadowdale. Forgotten Realms is legally a medieval setting (with a few key differences). The modern conception of jurisdiction is fairly irrelevant. In older law jurisdiction is far more loose, and really only applies rigidly to nation states. Shadowdale has no say in the justice applied in Myth Dranor and vice versa. However, if a known murderer were caught in either town/city they may very well be tried and executed/jailed. Law does not end at the city borders, but most laws are not enforced rigidly past the city borders. Obviously if you went to another Dale and started trying to be the law the local authorities would take umbrage and might even arrest you.

What comodohead says here is pretty much correct. If someone comes to you and says, "So and so attacked someone and killed them outside of town at such and such location." You might very well say, "Alright. If he comes into town we'll hang him." (of course that would rely on the testimony being believable and the witness credible).

A sheriff would likely not go out of their way to track the individual down unless the one killed was someone from town or someone they knew. It really depends on the immediacy and magnitude of the threat. The most they would do is put out a warrant for their arrest which might be serviced by local bounty hunters. There is a reason that bounty hunters exist. The sheriff and authorities do not track most offenders down. It would be a tremendous waste of their time and resources, which isn't even to mention the risk.

This is merely my opinion and I'm not a legal scholar so if I say something incorrect, feel free to correct me.

Kinda a build off from what Dawizahr posted:

In older times in the united states when the west were still territories or just became new states, if you got across the border from one state to another you were pretty much in the clear, unless you were important enough for federal lawmen to chase you down or you were worth a lot of money.

My comment was directed to free areas, its obvious you dont try to overrule guards in their home. Regarding your comment concerning chasing down criminals. I suggest to hire mercenaries directly. This would give purpose to the merc guilds we have and possibly even make use of the assasination pvp rules that seem to be almost secret. Bounties could finally be claimed too.

Now my own questions. Whom do I have to talk to for getting my characters ban lifted and secondly.. a while ago I paid 200k to the farmers as an repayment for Azzelas acts against the farmers and for the most part the farmers lives azzelas took as they refused to drop their lweapons in an uproar. Will this gold have any use? I received no answer about it afterwards.

So then are we going with a more unregulated feel to the administration of laws outside of the immediate Shadowdale area? Authorities hiring mercs to catch criminals seems....idk, just gives me an icky feeling lol

my, i can't imagine shadowdale becoming shadier than it's been in the past year but i guess this time there'd be a proper reason for it. in case it's helpful there's still a few valid input coming from the past discussion about the suggestions to improve the government [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Dawizahr wrote:

A sheriff would likely not go out of their way to track the individual down unless the one killed was someone from town or someone they knew. It really depends on the immediacy and magnitude of the threat. The most they would do is put out a warrant for their arrest which might be serviced by local bounty hunters. There is a reason that bounty hunters exist. The sheriff and authorities do not track most offenders down. It would be a tremendous waste of their time and resources, which isn't even to mention the risk.

I love this. Bounty hunter RP can be really really interesting.

Fincaen Londrulen wrote:

So then are we going with a more unregulated feel to the administration of laws outside of the immediate Shadowdale area? Authorities hiring mercs to catch criminals seems....idk, just gives me an icky feeling lol

Heh, two of the deputies of Shadowdale Sheriff's office already are mercs, and a portion of the men working with the militia are mercs already, something like 50 npc Hounds. So it's not too strange an idea since it's already happening to tell the truth.   

Also I support the hiring of more mercs, it's a surprisingly hard path to take when everyone and their neighbor can be master swordsmans or mages.   

MissEvelyn wrote:

Dawizahr wrote:

A sheriff would likely not go out of their way to track the individual down unless the one killed was someone from town or someone they knew. It really depends on the immediacy and magnitude of the threat. The most they would do is put out a warrant for their arrest which might be serviced by local bounty hunters. There is a reason that bounty hunters exist. The sheriff and authorities do not track most offenders down. It would be a tremendous waste of their time and resources, which isn't even to mention the risk.

I love this. Bounty hunter RP can be really really interesting.

Bounties is something else entirely, and I'm all for that.

Just seems weird to me that a NG town would hire, say, the Hounds.

Quote :

Rumors are whispered The Pendant of Ashaba, the precious artifact Shadowdale's people chooses to give to the most deserving hero to be lord of their lands, has been found and a search has begun for the next leader worthy.

Just to clarify, is this lordship title for Shadowdale something that us players can accomplish and become or is it reserved for an DM NPC keeping that lordship authority in DM possession?

Let me take a moment to explain an important part of my introduction which I want everyone to understand who joins in this conversation and plays this game with me. In my introduction I describe myself as a "story first" Dungeon Master. I would like to take a moment to explain a bit what I mean by that.

We have agreed as a community that Dalelands Beyond is a role playing server. It is a place where the play-style of acting out your character inside of the setting of the server is encouraged. In order to play a part, or a character, you need to have a story, or narrative, to act your part in. The overall story and plot of the town of Shadowdale is what I will be using as the backdrop to write the plots which will manifest themselves as events in a coherent, ongoing story bringing the town of Shadowdale alive for the entire server to benefit from.

comodohead: I agree that there are areas where it is clear that Shadowdale law is plainly to be enforced. It is of course not these areas which need to be worried about. I would ask players to please avoid answering questions which are directed at me. It will only confuse the conversation. For your own question, I will first point you to the spoiler on past role play in the introductory thread. As I am familiar with your character, I imagine you understand that I believe having a ban lifted on him in the town of Shadowdale would be a longer term plot with the redemption (honest or dishonest) as it's theme. I am more than happy to write such a plot for you and anyone else who is interested, but I would categorize that as a personal plot and encourage you to speak with me about it privately. As for the 200k coin, I believe that falls into the same category.

While I'm thinking about it, these are the types of things I am talking about when I say I enjoy writing personal plots for characters. If you don't mind, comodohead, I will use Azzelas as an example to illustrate how I do these things. For those who don't know, Azzelas the character was banned from Shadowdale for IG actions. Comodohead as a player is interested in having the ban lifted. I typically will ask for as much information from a player on history, reasoning, intentions, plans, characters involved to start. The more information I have about where your character is and where you want to go as a player the better. I then take this information and take a bit of time to chat with, observe and get to know a player to make sure I understand their playstyle they enjoy, the types of stories they enjoy, the types of events they enjoy and once that is established, I "write in" the character to the ongoing plot at the perfect time for the story to be smooth, creative, challenging and fun for everyone who is involved. It can take time to do this sometimes weeks, possibly longer depending on the complexity of the story, so I encourage patience while I move the pieces and weave plots together. The story that manifests is sometimes completely different than what a player was expecting. I typically give a general outline of what I have in mind, but keep the details to be discovered in game through events and role play outside of events. Every one of the events I run are designed to encourage in game interaction between players even when I am not online, so please, take your time, play it out and always be prepared. Sometimes the smallest detail can come back weeks later as a pivotal moment.

Fincaen: Welcome to the community! I have not made a ruling on what will be implemented in game yet concerning the "jurisdiction". I will update the post below Dak's post as soon as I have thought the issue through thoroughly. There are past role play reasons that Shadowdale has worked with the Black Hounds. I would encourage you to have your character speak in game with a man named Curven if you would like to seek out the answer as to the whys. I also encourage you to contact me personally if you would like a personal plot.

Roveston and Asura: I encourage you both to pursue those in character goals in game during Shadowdale events. If either of you are interested in personal plots, please speak with me privately.

FFSDave: I have not decided on this. I am weighing what I am going to do about it. What I have decided on this regardless is; if I do make the Pendant of Ashaba available to a player or lord of Shadowdale a player position, it will be a long, involved and intricate story to get there. I will be watching both characters and players, their IC interactions, OOC interactions and personal interactions with myself while I am deciding. For immediate purposes, as a player I would advise every player that might be interested in such a story to play your character as if it were possible. I will make a formal announcement and ruling on this when I am satisfied I have enough evidence to make the decision.

Should we simply PM you directly if we wish to discuss character based plots?

Yes and please do.

Here's a few basic questions I have.

. What's the current population of SD?
. How many homes/buildings/farms are now abandoned?
. How many homes/buildings/farms are still in use ?

For Mirror, a plot I am attempting to pursue:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Trip, Bryanna, Kendra, and Rwolf (that I remember) were looking into solving that salted earth issue in the north farms. Haven't heard much more since. Trip is dead at the dawnspire... folks are working on that I hear. Haven't seen Bryanna in a good while, Kendra went north for a lil soul searching or somethign, haven't seen Rwolf too much either.

Is this still happening or did it already get fixed. Thanks,
Half    half    half   

Bryanna is around, I was on a short-activity notice I gave a month ago while I was moving and finishing up the work year.

Aidin, please speak with me privately. I would like to know more information about your request.

Xenzie, I have seen your post and would like you to contact me privately with more details about what you are attempting to accomplish.

Halfcentaur, the same for you as well. I have our past conversations still, but I wouldn't mind an update. Also, be on the lookout for an NPC for the HoR for continuing plots of mine and the faction.

(( PM sent ))

((I have made a ruling and spoken with all parties involved with the Banite in town story, I have contacted new parties in town with new agendas, please do not post over other people's posters on boards. Instead, approach me first with your idea and I am happy to entertain it and integrate it, but I want to make sure it is done in a fashion where every player is aware and working together to further the story, not to simply disrupt each other. I am not assuming anything about intent, for the record, I am speaking about a courtesy way to include everyone even through conflict role play with characters with opposing view points. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.

I have a few questions:

Has trade with the outside world basically stopped?

Sources:

Given the loss of trade and reconstruction costs, how is the city paying its 200 some-odd soldiers (plus other expenses)?
Is the homeless census data still accurate?
Is the House of Plenty orphanage full?
How close to opening is the "Future Shadowdale Basic School"?
Does Shadowdale ever have town meetings and the like?


Also, I have a plot idea for Shadowdale that I'd like to talk with you about. I'll send a PM your way shortly after posting this.