[FWM] OOC 3: Eccentric Cheerilee

[Grif]

Okay, now that I had time to cool off and thinks things through, here are my answers.

I'm going to see if this can be talked out for now, but I would like to make sure two points are clear:

1) That is, in fact, a rock, and not a grenade. So it's not a matter of would she actually do it, it's a matter that she can't do it.

2) Shell Shock is also a heavy drinker. Sober, shunning may be no big deal. After a pint several pints a barrel a lot of alcohol, that may not be the case. I can see how Grif can make him feel regret if he so chooses. Though not the "oh no I killed a bunch of stuff" regret, the "oh no, my friends don't like me and I have no idea why" sort of regret.

I'd bring up other points, but I'm interested to see where you'd want to take Shell Shock after the heist, and I don't want to pre-emptively influence that answer. I'll be watching the conversation closely, and keeping the DM hat on standby in case things get too heated/frustrating for all involved. I think I speak for everyone when I say I'd much rather see this resolved without having somepony feel as though they want to give up on a character.

*juggles hats*

For your first point, my initial point of contention is that Shell Shock ICly doesn't know this. It was after some thinking that I realised Shell Shock as I made him doesn't really fear death. It's part and parcel of his business and really, the best way for him (in his mind) to go out is to die fighting.

As for point 2, no, after this fiasco, I'll be retiring him for a long, long time. Or, if he does have his own adventures, he'll be somewhere far away. The entire incident has left a bad taste in my mouth.

Also Kelvin, as far I've seen, it seems K since it doesn't kill him or anything, problem is: It still is Grif's character, he doesn't just control him, but also decide what happens to him. Putting a rock in him and threatening with it being a bomb is a pretty annoying roleplay load, especially for a character that's supposed to be just crazed, that sort of stuff is usually discussed with the player before actually done.

I think Luka summed it up pretty well here. The thing that upset me the most is how you heavy-handedly tried to graft something into my character that without at least informing me over PM or through here. Your condescending tone in your post, whether intentional or otherwise, did not help matters.

-snip-

While I appreciate the advice, I think I know how to play an amoral character.

My main two points are thus:

1) I'm doing my utmost to avoid killing off your character. I hate it when people kill mine, other people hate it when people kill theirs, and thus the Golden Rule applies.

2) Shell Shock doesn't have to 'morality' anything. Even a 'if you don't see me do it' loophole would get him out of dangers that aren't even dangerous in the first place. The bluff doesn't require a change in lifestyle. If he's really that afraid of the possibility that he‘ll explode, the only thing he actually has to do is avoid blowing up a bunch of people in public. And considering Bridle Shores is still standing, that frankly doesn't seem like much of a stretch.

From what I’ve seen of Shell, his attitude as the ‘meh’ mercenary makes the concept that he would be browbeat by shunning from Fox Trot and Grills (ponies who, as far as I know, are acquaintances at best) is a bit absurd. And his status as a competent combatant with a bunch of explosives just burning a hole in his bags would take the phrase ‘fudge the police’ and give it a brand new meaning.

Meaning that so far, his consequences are:

1) A bluff that, while he may fear for a time, he barely has to cop to and won't do anything when called.
2) The anger of two ponies which, while possibly hurtful if they're more than acquaintances, doesn't actually mean anything if he doesn't actually care.
3) Metaphorical flies on a windshield, if the police even suspect him at all (And no survivors means low chances).

Which means that, in turn, the negative impact of the loss of potentially hundreds of lives is just Roleplay fodder. And that’s really what it all comes down to. This isn’t railroading. This isn’t a straight-shot plotline. This isn’t a ‘do or die’. The entirety of what comes next in Shell’s life is up to Shell. Whether he plays it sneaky, plays it safe, repents, continues on, calls the bluff…that’s all on him. This detonation thing is just a byword, Grif. I’m handing you a map.

Which direction are you going with it?

And finally, for you. I don't know. I still mislike the tone you took here. Or maybe it's just me being tired at being lectured at. But for what's its worth, I apologise for my outburst. That does not mean I'm happy about this, merely that I'll just suck this up and deal with it. You make good points and I agree that to a certain extent, I was trying to minimise the consequences to Shell Shock so that I can retire him without further incident.

In the future, if you plan on surgically grafting any sort of rock to my characters, please, at least inform me before hand. I don't deal very well with surprises. Others might, but I don't.