Rascally Raven

[Aeglosdir]

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[zedturtle]

I guess I will embrace the tangent, and say that, for my money, the reason that the Eagles are a bad idea is because they are prideful and powerful creatures. The Ring preys on pride and lure of power... it tries to corrupt everyone, but there's a reason why Boromir falls victim more than anyone else.

An eagle bearing the Ring-bearer would be tempted and quite able to seize the ruling ring for himself. That is the danger, not that you'd have awesome aerial combats in your version of the story, but that instead of a dark lord you would have a dark eagle, beautiful and feathery to behold.

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Or, to get quite a bit closer to the subject at hand, when players go off the rails, say "okay". If they're changing things because of an awesome idea, roll with it. Ask for a break if you need it... consider the options and how, no matter what, whatever ends up happening will be what was supposed to happen. But, if they're walking away from heroic opportunities, let them. Have the world continue spinning... because they didn't take an action, people that would have been alive are no dead, or missing. If that's the natural and logical result of the players' inactions, it's not punishing anyone for those things to have happened.