Question for role players...

[ffutures]

If you are members of the crew of a spaceship, about to set off on a very short flight, and you're approached by an elderly Buddhist monk who wants to hitch a ride to your next port of call, what's your reaction? Assume that his presence aboard won't cause any problems re supplies etc.

Comments

[pauldrye.livejournal.com]

Depends on the nature of the ship. If it's a Traveller-style free trader, "hop aboard".

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Sorry, should have said. It's a ship belonging to the League of Nations space patrol, the adventurers work for this noble organization.

[aitkendrum.livejournal.com]

I suspect we would let him travel dependant on what we were doing? Military stealth team, naaa. Traders/Freight/Private Yacht: Sure

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

They're members of the Space Patrol, and the monk claims to have a good reason for wanting to get from A to B in a hurry rather than waiting for the next commercial flight.

[gbsteve.livejournal.com]

Subject to the usual medical checks and willingness to pay, come aboard. Of course, if this sets of a picaresque Vancian chain of events all the better, we'll even skip the checks.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Works for me - thanks!

[bemused-leftist.livejournal.com]

Hm, what is the DM up to?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Well yes, but apart from that?

[honorh.livejournal.com]

Take him aboard, of course, especially if he was old, bald, and smiling. Never act incautiously around a bald, wrinkly, smiling man!

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

UR TP AICMFP

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

Are there strawberries?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Might be at the next port of call. And no, this isn't the Firefly 'verse.

[johnreiher.livejournal.com]

Let's see... We'd argue about it, both IC and OC, and after we've taken too much time, the GM will have the starport security/secret agents appear, guns blazing, and the monk, in the GM's best Lo Pan voice, will plead to get on, which we do, while returning fire at the law...

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

The adventurers are the law, but the arguing part does sound plausible.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

Does the side of the spaceship say "No Riders"?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Nope.

[robertprior.livejournal.com]

Of course. He's obviously a harmless pacifist and helping him will help offset the bad karma we've incurred as adventurers.

Either that, or he's a secret martial arts master, and we might get some cool training.

It's a no brainer, really… :-)

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Riiiiight...

[robertprior.livejournal.com]

Hey, if there's a downside, my inner player isn't seeing it :-)

From a meta-gaming standpoint, there's probably some cool plot complications coming out of this NPC, so I'd take him on board just to see what they are.

[raygungothic.livejournal.com]

Sounds like your character's wishes and your metagame urge are right in line. It's fun that way!

I get more irritated by (other) characters who are "serial plot hook refusers" as a player than as a GM. "To satisfy my curiosity" is a perfectly good in character reason, thanks :-)

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

He sounds harmless, invite both him and his collection of esoteric sinister books onboard.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Excellent...

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

From all the comments above, roleplayers, or at least their characters, like to live interesting lives.

I wonder how many pick up hitchhikers in the real world?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

It's very much the characters, I think - but remember we are typically talking groups of four or five heavily armed people, who may regard one hitchhiker as less of a threat.

[raygungothic.livejournal.com]

Most of the characters I've enjoyed playing would be happy to take him on board... my inner voice as a player would be thinking "trouble will come of this" but I wouldn't let it stop me.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

That's about what I was expecting.

[raygungothic.livejournal.com]

I've played more cautious, responsible characters on occasion but it tends to reduce the game pace. Games where most characters are too sensible seem to bog down easily.

Also, in most systems, PCs know that they are very capable individuals. This must skew their world view a bit. Captain Daring, heroic pilot and successful space swashbuckler, has a lot more confidence in his ability to "wing it" if a tricky spot arises than I do!

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

Monk hitch-hiker

[samthereaderman.livejournal.com]

Depends. If I make my living using my spaceship to get goods and/or people from point A to B then no, since he's not paying. If however, I'm flying for a different reason - exploration, prestige, fun, then yes. If I'm military than no unless authorized.

Re: Monk hitch-hiker

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Fair enough.