Offering quarter

Post by **Rias** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:05 pm

After going over some old suggestion posts the other day, I got to Alexander's post about subduing foes without killing them. I was considering an "offer quarter" mechanic, but I'm not sure exactly how to implement. I'd like some feedback and suggestions on what I've got so far:

- The foe must be somehow disabled (knocked down, disarmed, badly wounded, tired or exhausted) or possibly be aware that the player character is significantly tougher than them (like say Evelyn attacks a robber camp mercenary, mercenary will then be aware that oh crap, this person could destroy me if they wanted to).
- You'll need rope or manacles or some other way of binding the target.
- Use some verb, like quarter or whatever, to offer quarter to the target. If successful you'll bind them and they'll follow you for an amount of time before running off. During this time their faction is set to the same as yours, so you can then lead them into a town, to a jail. You hand them over to the local jail facility, get your bonds back so you can re-use them (rope or manacles or whatever) and you're done.

Obviously, you wouldn't get loot from the target this way. It'll also be far more trouble than just killing the target. It's just for arpee. It would only work on humanoids who can be reasoned with, so not infested or nether-animated, for instance. Any ideas for some kind of benefit to going through all the extra trouble, that would make sense? Not to be "better" than just kill/loot, or even to be as good as that, but just a little something for taking the time, in addition to arpee satisfaction.

This mechanic could then be used in tasks, particularly for Templar, and possibly Mercenaries and Utasa (taking prisoners for questioning).

Lysse · Post by **Lysse** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 2:26 pm

It would be nice to have two new options if this gets put in place, Mercy and Beg. When Mercy is toggled on, anyone that asks for Quarter will (given that the PC has bindings of some description) automatically be put through the process of being bound and made to follow.

Beg would automatically ask PCs and certain NPCs (such as guards) to be knocked unconscious instead of killed, if you started to suffer too heavy of a wound.

I could very well see Tse Gaiyan and Templar using this as a mechanic for monks, though Mercenaries to a lesser extent. Thieves, perhaps, could have Kidnapping tasks where they need to capture a rogue Thief for their guild, since they are a self governing group.

As for incentives to be caught, well, I think the fact that you won't suffer skill loss, you'll have less damage done to your armor and weapons (potentially), as well as a free meal (if there isn't a meal in jail there should be), on top of the idea that you actually get to roleplay instead of just respawn and go hide for a while would be incentive enough. But if absolutely necessary, perhaps if your reputation isn't beyond a certain thresh hold, then the town would be more willing to forgive a person who is apt to giving themselves in instead of fighting the guards.

Also, it seems I misread the first post. It would be nice if players received bounty and perhaps increased reputation in a town for bringing in certain NPCs and PCs marked as being Wanted there, such as powerful bandit or thief type NPCs and anyone on the Wanted Posters.

hadesfire · Post by **hadesfire** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 6:59 pm

What if bringing quarter to the gate helped you turn into a batman instea of a darkman i.e. you get welcomed back if you bring in criminals (sorry Lem)

Makkah · Post by **Makkah** » Tue Jan 01, 2013 6:22 pm

Love this idea. Opens up a lot of task opportunities for guilds and, even more so, opens opportunities into a city/faction-based task system. A particularly swarmy varmint has been hassling citizens in the wilderness outside of Shadgard; hire a local toughguy to beat his butt and drag him back. Reminds me of Red Dead.

I do think there needs to be a distinction between "offering quarter" and straight up tying someone up after busting their tail.

Alexander · Post by **Alexander** » Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:25 pm

I would be very grateful to have this possibility, if only for roleplay purposes and possibly for tasks. Rewards could be gained simply from task completion, and the possibility of occasionally spawning notorious bandit or other outlaw NPCs that could be turned in for a bounty.

Lemuel · Post by **Lemuel** » Sun Jan 06, 2013 7:36 am

[quote=hadesfire]What if bringing quarter to the gate helped you turn into a batman instea of a darkman i.e. you get welcomed back if you bring in criminals (sorry Lem)[/quote]

No need to be sorry, if bringing in to justice a dozen weathered brigands and their squinty-eyes partners in crime would allow Lemuel to walk the streets of Shadgard again as a free man, he would be all over that.

Normally a cash bounty would be given per bandit, but Lem would do it without pay to atone for his misdeeds.

Note: Lem's mini-biography can now be seen at viewtopic.php?id=2340

Lemuel · Post by **Lemuel** » Sun Jan 06, 2013 7:42 am

In the case where someone is bleeding and unconscious, one ought to be able without difficulty to shackle them, then to bandage them as per normal percentages. I would recommend a change to the 'die' command such that it cannot be used until after 45 seconds of unconsciousness, so PC's won't hit 'die' in the first second to avoid capture.