Fineus//

Hey so I have some bad news.

Fineus//

Pidge isn't going to be joining us.

Llthander//

What-why? Is everything OK?

I thought she was gonna play the halfling bard.

Fineus//

Yeah, that's not the issue.

She-- Uh.

She doesn't want to roll on our server.

Llthander//

What's wrong with our server?

Fineus//

She wants to play somewhere with less faction imbalance.

And, well...

She doesn't like the name. Says it sounds too--

Llthander//

What does the name matter?

Once you're in-game it's not like you ever even see--

Fineus//

IK. IK. I tried to talk her out of it but she--

Llthander//

It's me, isn't it.

Fineus//

...

I don't--

Llthander//

Is she still pissed off about the way the fight with Strahd ended?

Fineus//

She really didn't want to enter into an alliance with--

Llthander//

Yeah, I get it. I freaking get it. D'you think that is what I wanted to do?

Fineus//

It's not me you have to convince.

Llthander//

When you're playing the Tomb of Horrors, there is one goal.

Llthander//

Get out of the Tomb of Horrors.

Fineus//

Yeah, I get that but...

Llthander//

Lawful Good?

Fineus//

Yeah, well, uhm.

Probably Lawful Neutral at this point, but still Lawf--

Llthander//

Strahd is dead. And Tatanya--

Fineus//

Yeah, I know. I get it.

She...

She wanted you to consult the party before moving forward with--

Llthander//

Hello?

Did everyone just conveniently forget that my character was under the influence of the Ilithid that had been following us since Silverymoon?

Which,

Might I remind everyone,

Only became an issue when we decided to take the magic flute from the bandit camp---

Fineus//

...

Llthander//

Which!

Lest I remind you!

Was something she suggested we do!

Fineus//

...

Llthander//

And then I got possessed by the spirit in the object that we only stole becaues she said she wanted it!

She's the one who said that!

Fineus//

...

Llthander//

But when Strahd's got us backed up against the wall, she's suddenly gonna cite her alignment and say my mind-controlled character should have made a different choice?

What choice was there, praytell?

No one chooses to fail a wisdom save.

No one chooses to fail a wisdom save twice.

Fineus//

Ced...

Llthander//

I didn't want to do what I did either. But it sure is convenient to cite the greater good and ideals and all that jazz when we're out of Barovia chomping on some shrimp cocktail.

Fineus//

I know, Ced... Just...

Llthander//

Y'know, this is part of the reason these kind of games can be absolutely miserable.

One minute you're in the theatre of the mind and you're playing your character and it's totally great and you're having fun--but don't play your character too much because then you're a nerd and we can't associate with you.

And use your OOC knowledge when it benefits me and my character and forget it when it doesn't.

Fineus//

Ced...

Llthander//

And maybe that's why video games are great. Because there are rules. And the same rules get applied the same way to everyone everywhere everytime and if you dont follow the rules, you die and you spawn at the graveyard and you do it again until you get it right.

You do or you don't.

Fineus//

You think that's better? Sitting in a room by yourself?

Llthander//

...

I don't know what I think.

But I do think it's shit that she said to our face that we would adventure together & now suddenly she has an issue with our realm apparently because of the way the name sounds.

Fineus//

You know sometimes people do and say things that aren't really what's in their heart of hearts. There are hundreds, thousands of obstacles that keep people from doing the right thing.

Llthander//

Yeah.

Like becoming the favorite pet of a sadistic squidman from a parallel dimension.

It's a stupid fantasy to pretend that we can ever really be friends with mortals.

Fineus//

That's the Haunt talking.

Llthander//

Yeah, is it?

Just how was that conversation going to go when she found out about us?

Found out what we really are?

Fineus//

If we give up, that's when we lose our humanity.

Llthander//

Yeah, well if she ever knew why we never ate the junk food she brought to the table every Friday then I guaran-fucking-tee you that she'd give up on us.

Fineus//

...

Llthander//

She couldn't even accept that my character would do something out-of-character while being mind-raped.

Some Lawful Good.

Fineus//

Neutral.

Llthander//

Whatever.

If you really believe that there's any fucking difference between tabletop & LARP 'sides the clothes on your back then I gotta bridge to sell you.