Should we have a Scrying Tool?

[Redleafe]

A addition that was discussed heavily in the "Roleplay and You" thread. Get your vote on here!

[Rob]

What is a Scrying Tool?

[Wyvern]

What is a Scrying Tool?

It is an arcane ritual, allowing you to spy and discern the location of individuals, objects, etc.

[izzul]

urghh..i dont like this type of votes..sometimes people with lesser things and lesser hardwork will misuse this..

[ChikenKannon]

Would there be an option to remain hidden from the scrying tool? Say if you don't want to be disturbed IC or OOC

[Rob]

What is a Scrying Tool?

It is an arcane ritual, allowing you to spy and discern the location of individuals, objects, etc.

So are we talking about this http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Scrying? Cause, that could be interesting.

[Wired]

Basically, if you log in and there's 35 people on and you have no idea where, it would give you some kid of indication of where the action was.

[Mad Dog Reno]

Basically, if you log in and there's 35 people on ...

Heh..heh do you think server works if so many in online same time? Even now if we have 25 players so server is too laggy and have some major hickups?

[Twist of Cain]

urghh..i dont like this type of votes..sometimes people with lesser things and lesser hardwork will misuse this..

Well, to throw in my 2 cents on this again...

A magical mass-sending tool in my opinion works more elegantly for gathering people for roleplay and also does not lend itself at all to abuse like "scry and go kill." There's a script from NWN1 that would probably be easy to convert and enhance. If you make it dependent on having a "Sending Stone" then people who don't wish to receive them don't have to.

The reason I think scrying is a poor solution for bringing about roleplay is that if you already know which particular person you want to find or ask, all you have to do is send a single tell. Scrying absolutely does not add any convenience there, unless you want to discern someone's location against their will. But if you are just looking for anyone willing to roleplay or whatever, a sending can tell a lot of people IC at once that you want to get something together, and what it is you want to do.

Another less intrusive IC communication method that's a little more "real time" than forums which I have also suggested before is a working message board for IG. You could leave messages outside the inn like, "gone to hunt orcs in misty mountains, catch up if you want to join -John" or that sort of thing and people logging on or passing by could check the board etc.

[Redleafe]

Another less intrusive IC communication method that's a little more "real time" than forums which I have also suggested before is a working message board for IG. You could leave messages outside the inn like, "gone to hunt orcs in misty mountains, catch up if you want to join -John" or that sort of thing and people logging on or passing by could check the board etc.

ToC, I love this idea personally.

[izzul]

i also love the idea..its more friendly and logic

[Vahene]

For those worried about the scrying tool and abuse, it could just give a "general location". For example, if you see that Edana is in "Cear" - "Cear" could refer to: the docks, T&C, North Cear, the wilds just outside of Cear, or any of the dungeons. There was something similar to this in a previous game I played, and it was helpful. But you didn't know precisely where the person was. Just the general city/locale.

K

[superpoweredchimp]

Then it would still take an hour or more to find Edana, unless you sent a tell (which would defeat the purpose). The only abuse I see coming out of giving a specific location is for those that are trying to hunt someone. In which I hope that the hunted uses the option to go invisible on the scry.

In my experience, a scry tool has never caused any major harm. If you need to find someone in a specific area and they weren't trying to hide, then there are many different IC and non-metagamey reasons for your character to travel to that area as well.

[Twist of Cain]

Just to mention this, using tells doesn't mean it needs to be any less IC or RP than if you had a scripted scrying tool. Something like the following...

Searching Susan (standing in the tavern), asks out loud to noone in particular: "Anyone seen Hiding Hank?" Searching Susan sends a tell to Hiding Hank: *asking crowd in the tavern if the regulars have seen Hank*

"Yes/Maybe."
Option 1. Hank sends reply: "One of the regulars says Hank left to fight orc tribes up north not long ago. Maybe you can catch up" or "They didn't see him, but say there have been attacks near the docks, maybe you should check it out" etc. Susan emotes *nods gratefully at the commoner who mentions Hank passed by and was going to hunt orcs/mentions attacks at the docks/etc* for the benefit of anyone listening IC.

"No."
Option 2. Hank replies: "They haven't, and sorry, I am busy with [RP/Quest/Ignoring You/Cyboring a sex-crazed DM NPC Minotaur], and don't want to be disturbed." Susan emotes *sighs as noone seems to know*, end of story.

"Fair play PC conflict."
Option 3. Hank, who is busy interrogating one of Susan's evil PC minions, replies: "Everyone says Hank has been absent from the tavern all day, which is unusual for him. Tell me your persuasion bonus." Susan replies with a number Hank trusts Susan for (and can check later); he might roll a d20 to add and if he decides it's enough, reply, "One of them saw a man in dark robe and hood drawn leaving quietly, and thought he looked suspiciously like Hank. No other questions in the tavern prove fruitful." Susan emotes *thanks those commoners who explain Hank has been gone all day, and for the mention of the suspiciously incognito man*.

"Alternative PC conflict in plots DMs are following"
Option 4. Mostly the same as Option 3, but assuming this is a serious plot, not just looking for friends to quest with, etc. The difference being Susan sends *asks in the tavern if anyone has seen Hank* to the DM channel instead of to Hank, and may or may not get any sort of response from DMs/tavern NPCs. Option 3 is preferrable if your fellow RPers play along fairly, and you could send both to Hank as well as DMs.

[Alterity]

What about if a scrying tool told the person being scryed that their scrying tool "Heated up, warning them they were currently being scryed."

You could also have the scrying tool limited to certain people (I know this could make people think there are favourites), but then you have to get the help of these people. Say for example Ordo Magica has it, they can scry people, while others can't. If you want to scry someone, find an Ordo Magican to scry for you (Which we would do for free). If you want to scry for evil reasons, maybe you find and mug an Ordo Magican, stealing it from him.

This could have the benefits of attracting people to a faction (Which is always a good thing), as well as keeping the scrying tool in the hands of roleplayers. Not to be biased, but typically, roleplayers are the least likely to abuse a roleplaying item. (I know for Ordo Magica there is a screening so only people that everything thinks will roleplay well and fairly (And the character is not a cold blooded killer) get in).