It has come to my attention that some who were recently cut from my series, What is and What Should Never Be, are now unhappy with the fact that they are no longer invited along. That is quite understandable, as I gave no reasons to each individual as to why they were cut while IG. Also, having been removed from quests myself in the past, I know it is not an easy thing to swallow. I also had hoped that I had a group of mature individuals who could comprehend why such a cut was made. That they would also understand that it was the last thing I wished to do, and that I must have felt dire in needing to take such an action.
Unfortunately, I was wrong.
I will leave it simply at that, but please, if you wish to know more, I will gladly tell you why you didn't make the cut. You will probably not appreciate the thought behind the reasoning, find my reasons frivolous, unflattering, and perhaps even derogatory and outright insulting upon many levels. That is your own choice. As a DM, I would think I still have the right to remove any whom I feel to be detrimental to the fun and progress of a quest, and also minimize the player frustration felt amongst the party.
Again, apparently I was wrong.
I frankly am repulsed by the fact that I had to a) cut players from a quest and b) basically hand pick a party to continue on instead of trusting the dice. I believe it sets a bad precedent, and also that it helps to reinforce many negative conceptions rumbling throughout the community. I have a hard time understanding when such a competitive, cutthroat nature got placed into the mindset here on Layonara, but that is the only explanation that I can see for some of the attitudes I have seen on display. I have put a lot of effort into writing this quest, months actually. Along with RL, and side projects both for this world, and myself. All that is irrelevant. If I spent one hour, or one hundred hours writing storylines and plot, and no matter what the outcome, the players are left frustrated, angry, and bored. Then I have failed.
I Know I am not wrong about that.
I did go out of my way, taking over an hour to explain what could happen on this quest on the initial session, it's importance in the world, and the consequences of your characters. Apparently I joke too much and this did not set in, as nobody shied away from what I set before them. I was deadly serious then, and am now. I had thought that it only those who understood what they were in for would stay.
I was dead wrong on that one.
[Thu Jan 18 19:32:25] Geryon : That's up to you guys, the way I concieve this turning out, there won't be a group failure...you'll all drop as individuals if you don't work together
[Thu Jan 18 19:34:43] Geryon : So if you want to cut somebody loose, I have no problem, but it must stay all IC, and I never ever ever ever ever ever ever not till 100 years after my death hear about OOc complaints or backstabbing one another OOC on this quest
This was in response to a question asked during the FIRST session about my stance on removing people not getting along with the majority of the party. Since then, I've had to drive togetherness down the throat of the party not once, but twice. It took a forced meeting and threat of impending failure to get you guys together, time which I'd rather have spent forwarding the plot. And since nobody in the party decided to step up and ask players to leave, I took it upon myself to do so. No one was cut because "I didn't want them there". You do not get a 98% return rate, and also drag people along for multiple sessions and side quests "Not wanting them there". Nobody who is on that quest, is there solely because I like them, or because they are my friends in game or out of game. They have contributed in their own way either in the forums, in RP with others, or I felt may aid the party due to diversity. The exception being the one, yes, now it is only one person who managed to roll into this quest.
In closing, do not sign up with me if you do not wish to work with the party, or if you cannot work against the party in a way that does not infringe upon griefing through RP. Do not stay with the party if after x sessions you feel you cannot, are not, nor will not contribute. Do not complain when bad things happen, or if good things happen, they aren't "good enough". And most of all if you have a problem with me, tell me, I only look scary, but 80% of the time resemble something most would call resonable. Do NOT, and I repeat, do NOT, go behind my back telling lies. If I really enjoyed being lied to and around, I would've stayed with my ex.
Apparently responsible RP is something lost in the dark dim days when I first started here.
I hope I'm not wrong about that...
