Posted by FBG on August 7, 2000 at 13:14:30:
In Reply to: Re: I think it's worth laying out in a neat pattern. posted by Cat on August 7, 2000 at 12:43:41:
Not too hard. At least, it shouldn't be for an imm.
I'd actually just write up a standard scenario for unempowering paladins. It's not appropriate to deal with a character the same way you deal with a player: as an anonymous administrator type "god".
1) Do my homework. How'd he fuck up, when, why, does this breach his role, do I have the authority to even approach him. Try to get his patron deity to do it first.
2) Standard issue would be a paladin guildmaster if I'm not authorized to embody a servitor of the god (ie, perpetuim). I'd approach the mortal with my mob. In this case, there was some cute space for useing a manta or the animal from which his evil bracers were made.
3) I'd roleplay. Duh. This is the step the imm in question kind of left out. Assuming I'm the guildmaster, I'd walk up with a frown and maybe hold up a sheaf of scrolls accusingly. Then I'd sarcastically bring up certain aspects of the code for his perusal and discussion before slamming down on him for documented cases where he breached it. Then I'd force him to give up the bracers, demand his weapon, deny his guild membership, and send him to purify himself in prayer to his deity.
4) I'd follow his reactions, mark them in the history, then leave the matter for BT to sort through. Of course, if I'm allowed to unempower him, one might hope I'm allowed to empower, so I'd check up once in a while and see if he was doing penance, wait for feedback from other imms (from what they see as their morts, and from above) and possibly reempower him on condition he give all his possessions to Dawn, or sacrifice them, or something.
It's not brain science. It's roleplaying. It's supposed to be fun. I'd enjoy it, or at least vent some creative energy in making it interesting for anyone watching. The imm in question approached it with the cold eye of a rules-keeper, not of a dungeon-master or role-keeper.