Traits

[Artaigne]

I am going to toss this here and I suppose Craig can move it if he wants it on another thread.  So the merciful vs cruel...how is that decided?  I don't have a huge issue with the ruling, but there is a part of me that can't help but think that this was the merciful thing to do, especially in the time period.  It would be much more cruel to leave them to die slowly of starvation, infection, etc. or to force march them back to the Praetor, who we all know is the epitome of joy and sunshine.  They would likely have ended up dead that way too, just after a lot of torture and having to put up with smug Roman condescension and airs of superiority. 

[Geoffrey]

I could go with it either way in this case, but for Rodric to get a cruel check does fit because of the hate Saxons roll success. He'd had a successful roll against that passion earlier, but it was Cedwyn's decision to take prisoners that quelled it. Saxons are supposed to be our most hated enemy, and given he'd had 1 success on the passion already I wanted the dice to decide how Rodric would react, even though traits or passions below 16 are still players choice.

[Cedwyn]

For example, Cedwyn is Valorous (16). I'd have to roll not to go into battle. Doesn't mean I canmt think it through first but when push comes to shove, Cedwyn is going to fight.

[GM Craig]

The way the rules are written, letting unarmed or defenceless foes live is considered merciful, and killing them is the opposite. The knights could have taken them prisoner, or let them go to face their fate. Every trait (not passion) is a sliding scale between two extremes - chaste / lustful, energetic / lazy, forgiving / vengeful. Taking actions strongly in line with one or the other side of the trait earns you a check to shift the scale in that direction. Until those traits reach 16 or higher, they do not govern your actions, but traits above 16 can force you to take certain actions, even if your character doesn't want to.

There is no guarantee a trait will shift when you earn a check. Come winter phase, Artaigne will spend time in reflection on his actions, and it may move his traits towards the cruel end of the spectrum. In game terms, he will make a roll to see if the trait shifts or not.

In the Arthurian tales, the actions of knights had a great impact on their personality and how they were perceived. This mechanic is intended to reflect that.

As a contrary example, had you and Rodric performed first aid on them, or left them with food and water and let them make their one way as best they could, that would have been particularly merciful and earned you a check in that direction. Killing them is considered a cruel act, and earned you a check there. Taking them prisoner, or leaving them to live or die as fate decreed is the neutral path and earns no checks.

And to clarify Cedwyn's post a bit - Cedwyn can still try to refuse a fight. But to do so he must make a die roll.  Depending on that die roll he may not be able to refuse, even if the fight means certain death.

[Artaigne]

All of that makes sense...I guess the question that I was asking then is if we are being graded against some sort of external standard or an internal moral compass. 

It sounds like we are being graded against an external standard.  I also was checking to see if that external standard was going to be based in period morality or current morality.

[GM Craig]

There is absolutely an external morality scale. In many ways, the Arthur legends are morality tales, and the game reflects this.

However, morals and expectations of conduct do change as time progresses in the game. In later periods, for example, turning prisoners over to a cruel king may be considered a cruel act, whereas in the late Uther period (where we are currently), it is not. The bars for various trait conduct extremes and what triggers a check do move as the society you live in changes.

Another example - chivalry is not really an active concept in this period. It does not really become one until after the rise of Arthur and the formation of the Round Table. Right now, Might is right, whereas later Forbearance becomes more valued. In later periods, classical chivalry comes to the fore, and the greatest knights are the most chivalrous, not the strongest or best fighters.

We have yet to go through such a period change yet, but I suspect that as these changes happen and we enter new periods, I'll post something to let you guys know how the world has changed. This is my first time going through a campaign in this game, so I'm kind of learning along with you.