Why are we traveling together?

[CivilianZero]

In the beginning stages of planning a Carcosa campaign (just bought the book and am eagerly anticipating its arrival, already have the PDF), and I'm facing that age old question "Why are we traveling together?" It's usually a simple enough answer in a typical RPG world, but in Carcosa it seems a bit more...problematic.

Other than just handwaving it, what are some reasons you've come up with for why a group of multi-colored humans would be traveling together in Carcosa? Especially since no race trusts any other race.

There's the obvious "party of circumstance" that forms from things like "We freed ourselves from slavers but are now in the middle of nowhere and must band together to survive". And then there's the idea of "Restorative Orders" (I would give credit to the progenitor of this idea, but I can't remember, though I'm sure someone here will). But I'm not entirely sure I can see that fitting into the game I have in mind (and the game my players have expressed wanting to play).

So what say you? What ideas have you guys used to explain this?

[Deleted]

Crussdaddy, a member here, has a pretty good grasp of how to make a Carcosa campaign work. I like his work a lot, and his 'blog has some good ideas along your line of questioning.

thedoomedworldcarcosa.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/carcosa-locations/

My approach, far less popular among the fandom, was to make Carcosa more along the lines of the USA's Old West. Strangers (the other colors in this case) are regarded with suspicion and distrust, but their money is always welcome and with time might be accepted into a community.

So ... there are two solutions that may be of some use to you. I recommend Crussdaddy's, I like his idesa better than mine, but either will work.

[crusssdaddy]

The rare presence of caravans is one idea. As they traverse the world and lose guards/servants/teamsters they don't have time to go home for new ones: they add new guards from the nearest communities, regardless of color. Some are hired on and intend to return to their home after a short period of service. Some join up looking for a new life or to escape persecution. Others are pressed into service. I conceive that caravans are a rare thing (2-3 times/generation) and may have ulterior motives (good or bad), but the overwhelming majority of communities are happy to see them and understand why there is a mix of races present.

So, the PCs begin as part of a multi-racial caravan -- sticking with the caravan can be the adventure, or at some point they decide to strike out on their own.

Getting multi-racial PCs together seems less a problem for me than figuring out how to provide them with some structure in the world at large and safe bases for rest/resupply between adventures. Another idea I had, and this is partially related to the Restorative Orders thing, is that "guest is God" is a common outlook among most Neutral communities, and even some Lawful and Chaotic ones:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atithi_Devo_Bhav

Wanderers and the desperate are provided shelter, opportunity to heal, basic sustenance, etc. for a time. Local prejudice may mean Bone Men, Dolms, whoever are discriminated against, but by and large even mixed-race groups that can find a Neutral community can have a safe harbor for a week or two.

Of course there are limits and the men of CARCOSA did not survive by being idiots. Strangers encased in plate armor, bearing abundant weaponry, or displaying distasteful symbols will be shunned -- PCs are advised to hide their gear nearby and offer themselves as poor and lost wanderers in need of shelter. A gift or tribute will be expected of obviously well-to-do groups. There are numerous rituals and taboos that shelter the community at large from visitors and the guest quarters are segregated. Any hint of treachery or ill intent will get you burned alive inside your guest hut (part of the reason the guest area is segregated). Trying to talk to that pretty local girl over there will get you pin-cushioned. Overstay your welcome and you will wake up from a lavish feast to find out you are now married to the ugliest chick in the dump, with all of the responsibilities that entails.

In the end, the rules do not provide any mechanical distinction between the races so choosing colors is only an aesthetic concern. You may experiment with asking the PCs to choose one color for the group and then providing some other way, within their single race, of bringing some distinction to each character. This CARCOSA PbP had skills and a "star sign" attribute that gave each player a couple goodies in chargen (scroll to second entry on this page):

odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=bert&action=display&thread=2286&page=2

If you start distinguishing the races further (Purples are all barbarians, Yellows are dervishes, Blues are technology-inclined) then it starts to really get complicated.

[Deleted]

They arrive to witness the burial or memorial service for a mutual acquaintance. Some owed the deceased money or a favor; others were owed by the deceased. Still others had connections to each other that make sense only through the dead guy's connection--he served as an intermediary, or an intermediary of an intermediary.

Only that supposedly dead acquaintance isn't really dead. Or not quite dead. Or . . . well, you fill in the blank.

It helps if the acquaintance is a merchant or shady figure with connections across the realms.

[crusssdaddy]

Geoffrey, if you have your ears on on I'd love to hear how you kicked off your campaigns. Was it just sort of hand-waved as "this is the way things are on Carcosa" or did your players demand a more naturalistic explanation of the setting?

[geoffrey]

Dec 5, 2012 14:49:55 GMT -6 crusssdaddy said:

Geoffrey, if you have your ears on on I'd love to hear how you kicked off your campaigns. Was it just sort of hand-waved as "this is the way things are on Carcosa" or did your players demand a more naturalistic explanation of the setting?

Remember that when I started my Carcosa campaign, not all the stuff in the rulebook (such as the racial antipathy) was there. I kind of groped my way, gradually, towards what was ultimately published. As such, the players began with various skin colors for no other reason than that it was cool, metal, and swords-and-sorcery-ish.

More often than not, the PCs are (in AD&D terms) lawful evil. They tend to be sorcerers, and they travel the continent in search of material components for their rituals. I imagine sorcerers as typically being too canny and learned to place much stock in racial prejudices. An Orange sorcerer, for example, knows that another Orange sorcerer is no more nor less likely than a differently-colored sorcerer to need an Orange sacrifice. In other words, another Orange sorcerer presents the exact same potential threat as does a Jale sorcerer. Thus sorcerers of different colors will not hesitate to work together.

Further, sorcerers are too learned (and perhaps experienced!) with Cthulhoid entities to think that a man's skin of a different color is weird or repulsive. One glance at (for example) the Lurker amidst the Obsidian Ruins will forever after make all men (even Bone Men) look positively pedestrian!

[CivilianZero]

Just from these answers I think I've got the problem all solved.

I can't believe I hadn't even considered the bit about sorcerers (and probably PC's in general) being less ignorant than the typical Carcosan and so less prone to prejudice. That's some subtle genius there.

Thanks very much to all of you. And don't let my satisfaction stop the discussion

[crusssdaddy]

Dec 5, 2012 22:52:08 GMT -6 geoffrey said:

Dec 5, 2012 14:49:55 GMT -6 crusssdaddy said:

Geoffrey, if you have your ears on on I'd love to hear how you kicked off your campaigns. Was it just sort of hand-waved as "this is the way things are on Carcosa" or did your players demand a more naturalistic explanation of the setting?

Remember that when I started my Carcosa campaign, not all the stuff in the rulebook (such as the racial antipathy) was there. I kind of groped my way, gradually, towards what was ultimately published. As such, the players began with various skin colors for no other reason than that it was cool, metal, and swords-and-sorcery-ish.

More often than not, the PCs are (in AD&D terms) lawful evil. They tend to be sorcerers, and they travel the continent in search of material components for their rituals. I imagine sorcerers as typically being too canny and learned to place much stock in racial prejudices. An Orange sorcerer, for example, knows that another Orange sorcerer is no more nor less likely than a differently-colored sorcerer to need an Orange sacrifice. In other words, another Orange sorcerer presents the exact same potential threat as does a Jale sorcerer. Thus sorcerers of different colors will not hesitate to work together.

Further, sorcerers are too learned (and perhaps experienced!) with Cthulhoid entities to think that a man's skin of a different color is weird or repulsive. One glance at (for example) the Lurker amidst the Obsidian Ruins will forever after make all men (even Bone Men) look positively pedestrian!

Did your players engage in "domain play" at atypically lower levels? The setting seems to invite this, with 3-6 level NPCs leading villages, castles, and citadels in Wilderlands-fashion. Having them set up their own little operations seems like a solution to likely poor reception a wandering group of sorcerers would receive from the typical village. Someone had a Carcosa play report a while ago in which the 1st level PCs took over a village and turned it from law to chaos...

[verhaden]

In a brief one-shot I did with Carcosa, all the PC's grew up in an orphan community under the protection of an ancient 1970's looking super computer. Race wasn't important, because the computer overlord never made that distinction.

[Deleted]

Or, you are all cult members whose brainwashing has lifted with the death of the cult leader who enslaved you.