Guild of San Marcos Forum

How about breaking out a new Topic for "in character" conversations? (Howz the site memory coming along!?)

That not only would give the players an opportunity to polish their IC persona for the table at the Cons, especially the PAs; but it would give opportunistic GMs an opportunity to listen-in, or spy, and pick up some clever new tidbits to use...

Isn't there an "In Character" sub-forum, or is that for something else?

Yup there sure is. Just wasn't one when Mike asked this question

Black Jack Rackham wrote:Just wasn't one when Mike asked this question

See how responsive our GM is!?

He is!

I have to say that, after playing in another living campaign in which -- although the admins had to deal with a ton of players -- response times were still typically measured in months, having a team so dedicated to building connections to their players is really refreshing!

Alejandro wrote:He is!

I have to say that, after playing in another living campaign in which -- although the admins had to deal with a ton of players -- response times were still typically measured in months, having a team so dedicated to building connections to their players is really refreshing!

Thanks Alejandro. I think I can safely say, our goal has been (and always should be) that all of us have fun. When this initially started I just thought of the things that would make it fun for me. Now that we have all of you around its much easier to make it fun when we know what it is you want.

It also helps that this campaign effectively IS my home game. Not that I am running it here but that I am not running anything else so this gets all my nasty little attention.

Another noob question: does being a Swordsman (part of the guild) come with a paycheck or stipend, or is it commission only? If the latter, how does a Swordsman advertise his services? I know they all get a pin to mark them as members, but they ALL have pins.

Alejandro wrote:Another noob question: does being a Swordsman (part of the guild) come with a paycheck or stipend, or is it commission only? If the latter, how does a Swordsman advertise his services? I know they all get a pin to mark them as members, but they ALL have pins.

Commission only I'm afraid. HOWEVER, that said, the Guild of San Marcos (which is the Swordsman's guildhouse in Altamira) has plenty of commissions. If you're interested, drop on by (during Personal Agendas) and pick one up.

No need to advertise, the Guild does that for you. People needing services post 'want ads' and Swordsmen come and pick them up. You're free to decide whether or not you'll take any particular commission based on it's particulars (who did what to whom), duel completion (to first hit, first blood, crippling, unconsciousness, or in rare occurances, death), pay (some pay more than others), and talent of your opponent (if an Apprentices find out their opponent is a Master, they might not want to take that duel).

The Guild delineates swordsman by skill level (marked by their pin type) bronze (Apprentice), silver (Journeyman), gold (Master), platinum (Grandmaster), and iron (Indeterminate).

Those also give you a rough estimate of how much you will be paid per commission.

Being a swordsman in theah is a lot like being a gunfighter in the old west. you don't get jobs easy until you prove yourself. then everybody comes looking for you. (This means being the best is usually a short lived career choice)

Another noob question (keep 'em coming, right? )

Why do foreign swordsman schools cost more? Is it to do with the difficulty of finding a teacher? If so, is it any harder to find a Vodacce Ambrogia master in Vendel than to find a Swanson master in Vodacce?

Alejandro wrote:Another noob question (keep 'em coming, right? )

Why do foreign swordsman schools cost more? Is it to do with the difficulty of finding a teacher?

Sure, sounds good to me.

Alejandro wrote:If so, is it any harder to find a Vodacce Ambrogia master in Vendel than to find a Swanson master in Vodacce?

Really that's purely a matter between GM and player (in my opinion). So if I were your GM it'd really depend on the story I was trying to tell. For example, if having a PC with that particular school in that particular place was important to the story, well then either I'd front your the extra points, or discount it. If it wasn't, well then I'd say it's the cost of having access to a school you normally wouldn't.

From a purely mechanics standpoint, I can also see that the 10 pt surcharge keeps players creating characters other than Castillians (because if you look at their advantages, they pretty much run roughshod over all the rest of the nationalities) with whichever swordschool they want...

I asked that very question many years ago to both Wick and Wilson. It's entirely a game balance cost factor. But in regards to scarcity, it is actually very easy to find an Ambrogia instructor in Kirk. It is the home of the Swordsman's Guild and Veronica Ambrogia herself is in residence. Asking about anything Vendel in Vodacce, however, is a good way to commit assisted suicide.