Encounters: spokesman or not?

[Ferretz]

I have a couple of question about social Encounters. So let's start with speaking as a group or not.

So, when starting an Encounter, the group decides if they will have one person speaking for them, or not. But what is the difference when it comes to the rules?

The way I understand it, is that if there is a spokesperson, the Tolerance is set based on his or her Wisdom, Valour, Standing and so on only. But only he or she can roll dice.

But what happens when there is no spokesperson? What is the difference from having one, when it comes to the rules (setting Tolerance and rolling dice).

-Eirik

[Robin Smallburrow]

Really depends on who the PCs are encountering, thus a successful Insight roll when the PCs meet the NPC will reveal whether the NPC would prefer to speak to one spokesperson or not- the example given in the Marsh Bell adventure indicates that Gloin is in a bit of a hurry and wants to get the PCs moving, so doesn't want to talk to each PC individually. Another example I use (in my upcoming Adventure 2) is the Sheik of a desert tribe,by custom will speak to each PC individually.

The LM can modify the Tolerance of an Encounter for a spokesperson or not, depends on the situation really.

Robin S.

[Hermes Serpent]

The LM sets the Tolerance of an Encounter to the highest level of Valour or Wisdom according to his views and the highest rating of that value in the group (it doesn't matter who it is) - Basic rating LMB p52. The LM adds the highest Standing value of the character of the same Culture in the group - LMB p52, adjusts for Prejudice and the task that the party say they have - LMB p53.

So far no change due to the use of a spokesperson or not. However the LM may decide that the target of the Encounter doesn't want to be faced with a horde of people all talking at once and can adjust the Tolerance accordingly.

If the party choose to make a Lore or Insight test to work out the target's manner or perhaps the cultural norms they can adjust between a spokesperson or not according to the success of this test.

If they fail this test, and I'd probably only allow the character with the highest Lore or Insight rank to test, then that's probably an initial failure to count against the Tolerance of the meeting. If everyone chooses to speak then I might have them all simultaneously make their individual tests as round one of the Encounter. With lots of die rolling then the chances are that they are going to possibly exceed the Tolerance level of the Encounter straight away and the target would send them away as uncouth fools.

Some players might choose to narrate their contributions and then test, so seeing if the mood swings one way or another (as they approach the Tolerance limit).

Although it doesn't state any limit on the use of a skill I might tell the characters that each character may only use a skill once during a single Encounter to avoid a dice rolling nightmare. I might alternatively state that if a character fails with a skill they can't test it again in the same encounter. If a player rolls an eye I might ignore his contributions as having made such a faux pas as to be regarded as a fool.

So as far as I can see no mechanical difference between the use of a spokesperson or not purely down to cultural preference or the LM not wanting to get bogged down with every player wanting to test, racking up failures and forcing the Encounter to be fudged to allow the information to be imparted and the plot to move along. Note the advice in the Marsh Bell regarding this issue.

[Otaku-sempai]

If the party has not agreed on a group spokesman then an NPC might decide to make the choice for them. Alternately, if someone has risen to the position of party leader then he/she might be the default spokesman.

If the company is being questioned by Elves or Dwarves then it seems sensible, if there is a member of the same race in the party, to allow that person to be the spokesman for that encounter.

[Falenthal]

If I get it correctly from the RAW, if the party chooses a spokesman then, during the Interaction Phase, only the spokesman can speak (i.e. use common skills)?

What does the rest of the group do? Just listen? As I understand it, they can't use their skills to influence the outcome of the encounter. Maybe they can roleplay that their characters do in fact say something, but they do not roll and are not taken into account for any calculations.

Or do you accept them interrupting during the Interaction Phase (using a common skill), giving them some hindrace? Maybe with a higher TN -16 instead of 14- for example.

[aramis]

The spokesman could introduce another, yielding to their expertise...

"Master Dwarf, I am uncertain how best to put this to you, so I'll let my friend Killi, son of Villi, explain the structural issues with your farmhall..."

[Otaku-sempai]

The spokesman could introduce another, yielding to their expertise...

"Master Dwarf, I am uncertain how best to put this to you, so I'll let my friend Killi, son of Villi, explain the structural issues with your farmhall..."

Excellent example. One from Tolkien would be Aragorn as leader of the Fellowship giving Legolas the lead in speaking to the Elves guarding the borders of Lothlorien.

[Yusei]

If I get it correctly from the RAW, if the party chooses a spokesman then, during the Interaction Phase, only the spokesman can speak (i.e. use common skills)?

What does the rest of the group do? Just listen?

The way I understand it, it's not about who is allowed to make rolls, but how the other party will react. Some will prefer a spokesman (Beorn, according to Gandalf), some will prefer that everyone speaks, and some will not care. However, if the group decides to have a spokesman, and then someone else speaks without being invited to, I would count that as a failure, unless he succeeds at a Courtesy roll.

[Glorelendil]

WTB: Encounter flow chart.

[Stormcrow]

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