I think I just dealt with the worst gaming session

[That Lanky Bugger]

Yeah, I think this one counts. It's the first gaming session I can ever recall where it ended in an arrest.

The Character

Today I had a day off, so I decided to check out this gaming group a friend was in. He said the DM (now nicknamed PsychoDM) was a little weird, but seemed alright. Last night I was told to make a level 5 character, preferably someone who could tank, heal, or was a skill-monkey (the primary was a Bard, at the moment).

Enter Diego "Ash" Althaes, former scout for the Imperial army and now an Acolyte in the services of the Fharlanghn. He is a rather frail looking human youth with a windblown shock of ash gray hair (hence the nickname "Ash"), wearing only the robes common to many of the Fharlanghn's priests and wielding only a worn-looking, if well made Bastard Sword at his side. A sturdy, if also well-worn traveling pack sits comfortably on his back as he strides the road. The only curious thing about him, aside from the bastard sword, is a red ribbon wrapping one arm. It ends well short of his hand, but you'd almost swear it was occasionally letting a drop of blood fall. Looking behind him, you can see that this is the case, as every few hundred paces or so you can just make out dried blood following in his footsteps.

In game terms, he's a Human Rogue 3/Cleric 2. He started out as a Rogue, and he's found god after a particularly nasty battle, which resulted in the cursed ribbon being placed on his arm by his foe. The curse is slowly sapping his life from him. In game terms he only heals at half the normal rate for a character of his level. At the end of every day he must take a just a sip from a potion he's learned to brew (DC 19 Craft: Alchemy check, with a sale cost of 300 Gold for five flasks worth, with me being able to brew five flasks with one check) or take 1d4-1 temporary Con damage, no save. The potion lasts for roughly thirty sips before I have to brew more. The most frightening aspect of the curse for Ash is that the magic used to make it was incredibly rare, and normal avenues for removing curses just don't want to work. A diviner has told me that the only way he knows of to break the curse is to kill the one who gave it to me. PsychoDM told me to make an interesting character with plot hooks, so I unleashed my imagination. A cursed soldier who's found God, looking for the cure to his curse? Plot hooks aplenty with this one. The only thing I asked PsychoDM for in return for this curse was an extra feat, that feat being Skill Focus Craft: Alchemy.

The Game

At this time, I'd like to point out that I was the new guy to the group, and the only person I knew beforehand was a friend who was playing a Halfling Sorcerer. He'd been with PsychoDM since they'd started this campaign, four sessions ago. So, the game is about ready to begin. We're all seated around my living room table (normally games happen at PsychoDM's house, but it was being painted). Bowls of chips rest amid plastic and lead Warhammer miniatures and everybody is getting along fine. PsychoDM had already approved the character's backstory and character sheet (including the curse and the mechanics behind it and the potion), when he asks to see my character sheet just to double check the stats and such. I don't have a problem with this as I hadn't changed anything, so I hand it over and I see him frown. He then hands the character sheet back to me and informs me that I'll be taking 1d6 temporary Con damage a day, "to make things more interesting". This bothers me a little bit as that meant three decent rolls could kill me (or pretty much any character), but I don't complain. It doesn't make a huge difference, and I've got two metal flasks of the potion buried safely in my backpack, plus another metal flask of the potion in a side-pouch under my robes. I can brew up another batch by taking 10 on an Alchemy roll, provided eight hours of not doing anything and access to a small city to hunt the ingredients down (which would take a successful Gather Information check).

After the party meets up and gets the introductions out of the way (we're all on a mission to nail some minor Orc warlord), we head off in the direction of a city where we can get an exact fix on the warlord's location.

Random encounter time. The game has been on for half an hour, so some of the players are eager to get into a good scrap. We run into a group of eight bandits. Four of them have longswords, two have shortbows, two have spears, and all of them are wearing studded leather. I make a token attempt at dissuading the bandits from attacking, which they ignore completely. I move up and flank one of the bandits with the party's Fighter and Sneak Attack damage kicks in, because he's flanked. The guy drops with a single swing of my Bastard Sword, as I dealt him 20 damage.

This is where PsychoDM's first complaint comes in. He tries to tell me that as a Cleric, I can't use Sneak Attack damage, as it goes against my God's religion. I point out that either way, I'm putting holes in someone who's attacking travelers on the road, and that I'm pretty sure Fharlanghn doesn't like bandits using his roads to harm people. Plus he's Neutral, not Good, so I doubt he really gives a damn about the way I put holes in the people abusing his roads. PsychoDM finally agrees, but I did notice that all the other bandits seemed to be a level or two higher. I guess I'd been fighting Atgar the Flimsy Rookie Bandit. It didn't really bother me. It might have been an honest mistake on PsychoDM's part, as he might have forgotten to adjust for the fact that I'm one of the two tanks in the party and I have a +2d6 damage when dealing with flanked and/or flatfooted enemies. However, one of the bandits with a spear scored a Critical hit against me (behind PsychoDM screen) and it's at this point that PsychoDM announces he's going to start using a special critical hit system. He “rolls” and the strike hits my back. So that means it hits my backpack.

Shock and awe, when he rolls to see which item is completely destroyed, it's a flask of the potion. The hit hurts on top of all this, but a Cure Light Wounds on myself and I'm still up. This bothered PsychoDM for some reason, but whatever. After the fight when I take off my pack, I discover that the critical hit that took out my one flask had managed to hit both, because they were packed together. At least, he points out, you've probably gotten your dose for the day. Oh, thanks for the help. I'm sure it'll make a huge difference.

So, night rolls on. I tell PsychoDM I'm taking my dose and going to bed. Holding the d6 (and I'm sure I knew what for) he looks shocked, and tells me I don't have any more. The bandit got both of the flasks in my bag. I tell him I've got a third flask of the stuff that's not in my backpack, but in side pouch entirely separate from my backpack. Hence why it wasn't included in the item list he "rolled" on to see which items were destroyed when my backpack got ganked. So, I repeat that I'm taking my daily dose of medicine and then getting some sleep.

So, a few days in-game pass by as we travel, no further incidents. We get to a large city, and we're told we're going to have to meet with the local lord to get some information about the Orc warlord operating south of his city. A couple weeks south of the city, to put a fine point on it. Unfortunately, it'll take all day to get in to meet the lord. The party says they just want to skip straight to the meeting, and I tell PsychoDM I'm not going, I want to do something else in the city.

He seems surprised, and asks why. I politely tell him that while my party is waiting to speak with the lord, I'm going to use the time to get the ingredients I need and make my potions. I don't need to roleplay the stuff, I add, so it won't take much time. I doubt the lord wants me dripping blood all over his nice rugs while I wait, so I may as well do the party a favor and not make him angry. Thinking this is settled, I ask him how much it's going to cost me to rent a kitchen to have access to the fire I need to brew five flasks worth and what the Gather Information DC is to find the alchemical ingredients. He tells me I wouldn't skip out on the chance to meet a famous lord. I point out that I wasn't going to put off making more of my potion unless I absolutely had to, and this was a perfect opportunity.

Fine, he says. I'm forced to pay ten gold to rent a huge kitchen (like three stoves, which strikes me as odd but I'm an adventurer, I've got more than enough gold to choke a dragon). He says that the Gather Information DC is 19 and then has me roll. I make it, having rolled a 16 before my rather extensive modifiers. He then tries to tell me I've failed, as my cursed arm keeps creeping people out. I return that I'm not dripping enough blood for people to really notice it immediately (it's not gushing, I'm losing a drop of blood maybe once every couple minutes) for one, and if it were more difficult it should have been included in the DC. So he has me roll again, this time versus DC 21. An 15 (before modifiers) sees my way to gathering the information, and I can see his blood pressure rising.

I inform him that while I'm visiting the herbalist's shops I'm buying enough ingredients for two batches. He says this will increase the DC accordingly, and I point out yes, he's already said that if I ever needed to brew more than one batch at once, the DC for all of the batches would be at +3... Something I can easily manage with my +12 bonus to Craft: Alchemy. So it's now time to roll for the brewing of the potions. I tell him I'm going to use the Take 10 option (which automatically brings me to the requisite 22 I need for a success) as I'm not hurried and don't want to mess up. He flips out. He actually breaks his pencil in his grip and asks to speak with me in another room. I agree, and we go into my living room.

He tells me that I'm being a terrible player, and I'm trying to negate a disadvantage I've given myself to gain a free feat. He tells me that he's going to take the feat away from me, because I'm not roleplaying my curse. I point out that the only real use I had for the feat was as something to help alleviate the curse, and that taking a -1d6 temporary Con damage every day if I don't have access to my potion is not something that is going to be treated lightly by my character. By taking this curse so seriously, seriously enough I'd want to skip out on meeting a famous lord, I am roleplaying my curse exactly as it should be. Missing it for three days might just be enough to completely kill my character, so of course it's something he's going to be paranoid about. If he's extraordinarily lucky, he might last a little under two weeks without his potions. I add that he's not going to march off into the wilderness with our objective at least two weeks away, with only one flask. That would be begging for death.

He tells me that the feat is gone, so the brewing failed. I tell him that if the feat goes, the curse goes with it, and I'm not going to have it any other way. The curse is meant to be an interesting, if rarely used weakness. If I'm imprisoned for some reason, I get sick very quickly if I don't have my potions. If I'm separated from my possessions, I get sick very quickly. It's not meant to be something he constantly has to worry about all the damned time, and that if it was I would have had the mechanics we'd agreed on for the curse be reflected differently. If he didn't want me to have the curse the way it was, I would have not bothered with it. I don't want my character on the verge of death all the time. It's supposed to be a stabilized illness, not an out of control illness.

He finally concedes the point, and we return to the table.

Surprise, everybody thinks I'm a witch. Never mind the fact mages are as common as warriors, we passed a wizard's guild on the way into town, and we saw a cleric using his spells to help a farmer not a day behind us... I now have a small group of angry peasants outside my door, with the law. I calmly tell PsychoDM that I'm going to put a small cut on my arm, and that I'm going to walk outside. The peasants say I'm a devil who leaves the blood of children in my wake, and the town guard now needs to ask me a few questions. I look surprised, and then pretend to notice some blood drip down my arm. I calmly tell the guards that I'm a simple healer and priest, but I have a medical condition that means my wounds don't close naturally. I just didn't notice I was bleeding because it was such a small scratch. PsychoDM tells me to roll a Bluff check between ground teeth. I roll a natural 20 which isn't an automatic success, but it might as well be against these guards... my Bluff check, thanks to three levels of Rogue, was pretty high. Presumably a twenty for their Sense Motive still wouldn't have beaten my Bluff Check (I've never once seen these rolls he's been making), because he finally tells me I pass after a long silence. The guards disperse the crowd, and I walk back inside the kitchen where my potions are brewing.

The Breaking Point

For some reason the guy I'd rented the place off had come into the room and knocked the potions over, ruining my ingredients and about six hours of in-game time. I think PsychoDM tried to tell me something about how he was drunk and I should go meet up with the party but at this point, I as a player stand up and tell PsychoDM the game is over. I quit. He tells me that this is fine, I wasn't invited back to the next session anyways. He goes on to add, in a lofty voice, that he was wondering when I'd get the hint. He turns to his players (who are now putting away their things) as if expecting to continue the game. Bear in mind oh gentle readers, that this entire thing has been happening in my own home. We are sitting at my table and in my oven is a five pound lasagna we were cooking for dinner.

When the other players notice PsychoDM not moving, there's a heavy silence. PsychoDM calmly speaks: "I'm sure That Lanky Bugger has no problems with us finishing the session, guys. It's not like he's going to kick fellow gamers out. Besides, he can't eat all the lasagna himself, heh heh."

I don't say a word. I'm so shocked at the stupidity that has just dropped from this man's mouth. Finally I tell him that while no, I'm not going to kick them out, I will be kicking him out. The others are free to leave or stay for food and gaming of their own volition, but he is certainly no longer welcome in my home. He is required to leave, right the hell now.

He laughs in my face and says that I can't make him leave. So, he’s now threatening me in my own home. Fine. I tried to be civil about it but I didn't owe this jerk a single damned thing.

Right away I pick up the cordless phone and dial 911. I've asked nicely, and I'm not about to wreck my furniture by physically wrestling this guy outside. He was watching me on the phone. I guess he didn't think far enough ahead to figure out who I was calling, after a statement like that. When the operator answers, I calmly tell her that I've just asked a visitor who's no longer welcome to leave my home and he's told me that I can't "make him" leave. Would it be at all possible to send a patrol car by so that a police officer can "make him" leave, as I don't want to assault him? She tells me a car is on the way, and I hang up.

He calmly declares that it was all a hoax, that I would never call the cops on a fellow gamer. I tell him once more that he should leave, as I'm not going to press charges if he agrees to leave right now. He stubbornly sits in the chair, and tries (unsuccessfully) to get the others to continue the game. They sit around the table, completely shell-shocked. After maybe five or ten minutes there's a knock at the door. Outside my home there's flashing red and blue lights. I open the door, and simply tell the officers the situation in the plainest terms possible. I don't want him charged with anything, I just want him out of my home.

They tell him he has to leave and he does after he gathers up his stuff. He tried to take a couple of my Warhammer miniatures, but I corrected him and the other players backed me on that. I make certain he has everything before he leaves. I thank the officers and chat with them for a couple minutes, and then they leave as well. I don't even want to file a report, I just wanted to avoid an incident that might require one.

The Return

Ten minutes later, we're all hanging out in my dining room. This would have been the fifth session for them and now that they'd seen this display, they'd pretty much all agreed amongst themselves that PsychoDM would not be gaming with them in the future. We hear a furious knocking on the door, and someone is screaming about how he’s left something and I’d better give it back right now.

I look out the window and it’s PsychoDM. Again I call the cops and this time I’m informed that they’ll be taking him into custody. I didn’t even leave my house until after the cops (the same pair who’d been over before) rolled up. For a moment it looked like he was about to try to run, but I guess he figured out that the in-shape cops would catch his out-of-shape ass pretty easily. They escort him to the car, cuff his hands, and put him in the back.

I spoke with the cops for a little while longer, and though he’s going to have an impressive criminal record of petty crimes there’s nothing major he can be charged with. Most guys like him get nailed with big things when they try to run, or resist arrest. Looks like he’s going to get out of jail sometime tonight, when they’ve properly processed him. They take my statement, and get the rest of the people there to sign something agreeing with my version of events. They didn't want much paperwork on this one either, I guess.

After that incident, the group and I hung out and played some Final Stand by Tim Denee. I don’t think I’ll be seeing any of them again (except for the friend playing the Halfling Sorc), but it was a really nice session after PsychoDM got booted.

God, I really wish my role-playing was as functional as those guys at Critical Miss.

[Lord Xaedien]

Wow... just....wow.

Thats an interesting/creepy story. On a side note, that is an awesome character hook.

It sounds like this is a DM who is much more interested in things going his way than letting the dice decide. That in and of itself is frustrating. But combine it with what you were dealing with? Sheeesh.

[Frank]

That'll buzzkill a gaming session.

The foreshadowing at the start rocked it.

-Frank

[RandomNPC]

well, you sir take the cake.

*hands over cake*

i have yet to see or hear of something so bad, i had a girlfriend ask me to drive her home before a game because she thought it was evil and couldnt go through with it, that was off the wall, by the way i didnt know she was a drama queen untill a tenth of a second after she said that. she ended up in a psych ward and thats when i told her i wasnt going to help her anymore. im to nice by the way.

[Sciurusaurus]

Uhh... suddenly my own little "horror gaming story" sounded actually pretty nice.

I would love a character like the one you had in any game I DM.

I might rip off your curse for one of my own characters for a time when I'm a player ;)

[Brickwall]

Wow. Great character hook. I really wish you had gotten a better DM to use it on. I can't help but want the best for such a good character idea. Here's hoping the next big thing isn't a big flop like that was.

[Draedan]

Wow...

To be honest, I was not expecting something like that. I figured it would have been your post followed by about 10-15 people who have "been through something worse" but just...wow.

I am not sure what shocked me the most. The fact that the guy thought he could continue the game in your house, that the police had to remove him, or that he actually came back! Makes you wish he would have resisted and got maced, hehe.

Wonderful character background, by the way. I might have to rip it off myself. I wonder what made PsycoDM decide to jack with you in the first place...After all, it seemed incredibley nice of you to host the game at your house on your first session with them and provide food.

[WhiteMonkey]

That's a great story.

Are you woried he'll come back again again?

[El Jaspero, the Pirate King]

Awesome story man, and as others have noted, a great character hook.

The only thing I have that even comes close is from a friend of mine, who was playing some sort of fairly long game centered around building up a character, and whoever gets to a certain point first wins. Think like a game of Munchkin that takes all night.

So, these guys are playing at Some Dude's house, and they've been playing a while. My buddy's new to it and isn't doing great, but Some Dude is some sort of devotee of the game and is doing really well. He's almost to the point of winning, and everybody can see that. One of the other guys at the table isn't anywhere close, but figures he's got nothing to lose and attacks Some Dude's character, or something like that; he goes down in flames, but hoses Some Dude's guy.

Some Dude flips out and starts yelling at them all, telling them what a pack of worthless jerks they are. He storms out of the room, and they figure he's cooling off or getting a drink or something.

Oh, no. Some Dude comes back with a gun and tells the guy who took him out to take it all back, that the attack didn't count, and so forth. Needless to say, the gang cleared out and left him alone with his game and his gun and never came back.

[Draedan]

Some Dude flips Oh, no. Some Dude comes back with a gun and tells the guy who took him out to take it all back, that the attack didn't count, and so forth. Needless to say, the gang cleared out and left him alone with his game and his gun and never came back.
Why wasnt he arrested? Jeez...pulling a gun on someone over D&D...

[El Jaspero, the Pirate King]

Why wasnt he arrested? Jeez...pulling a gun on someone over D&D...

My impression is that it was at Gun Guy's house and they decided to just clear out before things got any weirder.

[That Lanky Bugger]

I'm not all that worried about him coming back. Hopefully he'll be a little more sane tomorrow, and realize that he's already in some fairly deep trouble. If not, I did speak with the police officer. Because they've already had to remove him from my property twice, if he's injured in any scuffle we might have in the future it's far more likely that the courts would take things my way.

I doubt it'll come down to self defense or anything like that, but I do have a nifty cricket bat which I've moved to a handy location at my front door. I plan on keeping my door locked at all times for the next week or two, just in case.

[Brickwall]

His revenge is planned out months in advance. Psychos are like that. Keep 911 on speed dial and take martial arts lessons. Get a burglar alarm installed, and never travel alone. Maybe then will you be safe...BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh, but, of course, don't get all worked up over it.

[Miles Invictus]

I completely missed that first line...but oh, it made the ending so much more entertaining. "It's not like he's gonna kick fellow gamers out." I can actually hear the emphasis in my head.

(Oh, and El Jaspero's story sounds like a Chick Tract. "No! Not Black Leaf!")

[Pedantic]

Loved the character. I fully support your actions, but playing devil's advocate, I'm guessing you're not done with this guy.

I'm certain from his mindset you were completely and totally in the wrong.

So good luck and better gaming!

[Frank]

That's how it is with most people who do something for a long period of time and invest money into it...but not to that aspect.

Something tells me this guy was just sheltered, and didn't actually believe someone would call him on being an egomaniacal jerk. Well, not only did he get called on it, he got called OUT.

Be cautious, but not paranoid. Something tells me he was just heated and never expected that someone could confront him. He'll get over it, and then he'll want to stay as far away from you as possible when he realizes he could get himself into PERMANENT trouble.

Nobody who even sees a jail wants an extended period of time there. Especially your garden variety socially inept psychotic DM.

You might see him at the comic store some time, he might tell a story, or whisper to his friends. Then he'll shut up.

-Frank

<]:*| I hang out at comic book stores.

[VariaVespasa]

Lanky- Sounds like a fun time was had by all! :o Did I read the implications of your curse right, that it was going to cost you about 300 gold per month to keep yourself in potions? Ouchie.

El Jaspero- Sounds like they were playing either Talisman (most likely) or possibly Titan.

*Hugs*
Varia

[Gralamin]

wow I've never had anything like those two stories.

Lanky Bugger:
if he does come back, Expect that he will either attempt to attack you with bare hands, a knife or a gun. He probably will attempt to attack you anyway. I know this because I've seen psychos in the past and heard stories, these people seem ok until its too late.

El jaspero -
really why didnt your friends shuffle out then call the cops? those type of people need help. they might eventually lash out at someone and actually shoot them.

Excellent Concept though Lanky, proably one of the best I've ever seen. I might rip it but put a bit of an eberron Twist on it.

[Alchemistmerlin]

Only 2 words can describe my reaction to that story

Holy Feck!

:o

[Ian]

Actually, you have grounds to have a restraining order issued against this social retard.

He had to be removed from your home by the police not once, but twice, within the span of a few hours.

Most any judge will issue the order, and if so, anytime the mental midget is within whatever distance the restraining order outlines as the boundary, he'll find himself enjoying the amenities of the local jail cell once again.

[Draedan]

really why didnt your friends shuffle out then call the cops? those type of people need help. they might eventually lash out at someone and actually shoot them.
No, what they need is swift kick to the teeth.

[McMouse]

That's a yarn to tell the wee ones.

[Truthseeker]

No, what they need is swift kick to the teeth.

Well, that's "help" of sorts. Percussive psychotherapy. ;)

Creepy story. Be careful, man.

[The_Chilli_God]

Hm. PsychoDM's actions remind me of mine own, although mine are at a much lesser extent. Getting niffed because you feel that the PC's are taking a walk down easy street, taking your campaign for granted, not providing an actual challenge; I've felt that feeling, and I don't like feeling it. I have never blamed it on the player himself, however, unless it is actually the player's fault for being jackassed, with the agreement of all other players, and even then out of the gaming session.

I can sympathise with PsychoDM up to The Breaking Point. After that, I'm with the rest of the posters. I would have called home for a car the instant I realized I wasn't welcome, instead of sitting around like one of the mafia.

Hope your other games go much better (assuming you currently have other groups, which I'm sure you do), they should make you feel more secure, being with actual real friends.

[SpiderBrigade]

Hmm, ChilliGod, I'm glad it's not just me. Not that I really think Lanky Bugger was trying to negate his disadvantage, but that's the kind of misunderstanding that can happen with people you haven't played with before. Of course, that's when you sit down and have a mature discussion with the person, not act like a complete vindictive pocket watch. Although I think the amazing critical-hit coincidence was already a clincher that you wouldn't want to play with the guy. If he wants to make your curse a really big problem...well, there are about a billion other ways to do it that don't rely on DM fiat.

Honestly I think the guy just didn't like you, personally, considering how he was already trying to deny you class features of a character HE APPROVED. I mean, come on. It says Sneak Attack +2d6 right there on the character sheet! It's not like you were even doing anything to mess up his carefully crafted novel (which can really piss off DMs, even decent ones) at that point, which I guess you could argue you did when you didn't want to go off to see the king or whoever. Well, I mean other than "refusing to die."

After the Breaking Point, obviously, it's just pure horror story land. Whatever happened to that "Bad Groups, Bad GMs thread? There were some things in there that should be compiled for posterity.

[The Prince of Cats]

To be honest, the character-flaw seems a little... well, let's say it has the potential to abuse. If I approved it, I would just live with it but I think I might have played up the 'witch' angle (less than he did though) just for added tension.

As for the DM... That was just wrong... He needs a kick in the fork...


Well, not only did he get called on it, he got called OUT.
You know, that phrase must mean something different in America. In my head 'called out' involves swords... (and did, once)


Nobody who even sees a jail wants an extended period of time there.
Yeah... You got that right. I once spent an hour in custody (a simple mistake on their part and no alibi) and the smell was enough to make me glad I was innocent.

[The Glyphstone]

Wow...that's amazing...and here I was, thinking you meant an IN-GAME arrest... :D...Wow...

[ash_wednesday]

A funny story
I'm going to post that on a different RPG forum, because wow, just wow. That's messed up.

[Frank]

Called out for sword-fighting? Hmmm? A fencer, right? Well, I didn't intend for that to have a double meaning, but it seems like it could work...if you're good at stretching analogies. =P

As for acting like a "vindictive pocket watch"...Spider Brigade...That's an awesome metaphor. Perhaps I'd twist it slightly...but that was pretty cool. Is that slang where you come from, or is that your own? Either way . . . can I steal that? =P


Like I said earlier...I don't think you'll see this guy again anytime soon. He's probably not actually a psychopath, just has an over-inflated ego. Shouldn't be THAT over-inflated though.

-Frank

[Agnleas]

my own home

Thats the worst bit. If it was another guys house you could have zipped out. But your house? Now thats wacked.
>:(

PS: I would devour that amount of lagsana (sp?). DMboy is so wrong about the italian w00tfood.

[Premier]

As for acting like a "vindictive pocket watch"...Spider Brigade...That's an awesome metaphor. Perhaps I'd twist it slightly...but that was pretty cool. Is that slang where you come from, or is that your own? Either way . . . can I steal that? =P

I thought it was just an imaginative way of dodging the forums' overbearing language filter. Read last letter of 'pocket' together with the first three of 'watch'.

But it's funny.

[WTFWWD]

That was one harsh session. i must say that beats any of my gaming stories by far.

The closest one I got is when a fellow gamer asked if his brother and brother's wife could join the game. All was well til the the brother's !mistress! called.

[Meat Shield]

If there are any Reno 911 fans out there, you'll get this:

"I'm wearing Boots of Escaping!"
"I am the Demon God of Hell-Fire!"

[Frank]

I so missed that episode.

And...oh. I see. Dag. Must be my subconscious working one over on me. I desperately need sleep.

-Frank

[Sacrath]

If there are any Reno 911 fans out there, you'll get this:

"I'm wearing Boots of Escaping!"
"I am the Demon God of Hell-Fire!"
Impressive, we got to page 3 of a "Gamer Arrest" story before we got a "Boots of Escaping" reference.

[Meat Shield]

Impressive, we got to page 3 of a "Gamer Arrest" story before we got a "Boots of Escaping" reference.

Yeah, thats me. I go for the cheap and easy gags.

[Vacavriach]

I've seen my share of dysfunctional interpersonal gamer drama, but holy cow... this is the king of them all!

[valadil]

I was in a game where the GM had a tooth knocked out. I'm not gonna bother with the full story because it was an accident and far less exciting than what happened to you.

One of the things I've found about gamer geeks is that they tend to come from two distinct backgrounds. One side games because its fun. The other side games because nobody else will socialize with them. Methinks PsychoDM came from the latter of those two backgrounds.

[Maryring]

This is just...

My gaming group consists of five, including the DM and among them, we have a CE psychopat. But he is NOTHING like this. That is just... wow.

[DarkListener]

:o

Thats really harsh...
I agree that it is sorta frustrating for as DM if the characters take out their monsters with too much ease (i run a party of 6 characters, so i often have problems with too easy encounters... but i think one needs to accept that this is his own fault and if it gets too bad you can just add a few HP without the platrs knowing) but he surely overreacted.

It seems to me that he didnt want you in the party in the fizt place in anyway, but ihn this case he should have told your friend he couldnt deal with more player in the group instead of bringing you to the point where quiting the session seems the only option.

I hope you wont have any more trouble with him in the future.

[SpiderBrigade]

It seems to me that he didnt want you in the party in the fizt place in anyway, but ihn this case he should have told your friend he couldnt deal with more player in the group instead of bringing you to the point where quiting the session seems the only option.

Yah, I was thinking along those lines as well, but if so I really don't understand the guy at all. Evil DMs are one thing, but this guy is like Stupid Evil. I mean, just say you don't want anymore players. Lanky: you said you know people that regularly game with this guy. Do you know if he usually plays in such an antagonistic DM-vs-PC fashion?

[Coffee_Dragon]

PsychoDM calmly speaks: "I'm sure That Lanky Bugger has no problems with us finishing the session, guys.

"... then the officers handed me a form and I signed it That Lanky Bugger, and they said, 'Is this some kind of sick joke?' and I explained, 'No, that's just a word replacement thing for the story', but they said, 'That s**t don't fly', and then..."

Seriously though, you do take the cake. You crush the cake, drive its ducks before you, and hear the lamentation of its other ducks. I can think of one or two occasions when someone threw a fit and playing ground to a halt, but that was all back when I was a kid.

[fuzzymoogle]

I must agree with the :o sentiment expressed.

Dude. Whoa. Like, whoa dude.

[Akiosama]

"Your welcome here will expire at the sound of the sirens... ;D"

Who did that guy think he was? Someone needs to teach him a lesson... Kinda hard to believe that noone has so far... seems way too cocky if someone had...

Anyhow, better luck next time on DM selection.

Game on!

Akio

[Gamebird]

I've heard some horrible gaming stories, but that one ranks up there with "Everyone Must Get Stoned", "Why Don't You Slap a Vagina to My Forehead and Just F My Brains Out?", and the one where a gang of 12 year olds antenna whipped a 25 year old. And then there was the time where a guy pulled a gun on his mistress at a convention for impugning his sexual prowess... but that didn't *directly* involve D&D.

Yep, it's just right up there with the worst.

I'm glad you came out on the winning side. I hope that persists.

And anyway, none of those horrible stories involved ME. Just people I knew.

[Elurindel]

Man, that guy sounds messed up, Completely wow, though. I wish my guys could come up with such interesting characters. Oh, I might threaten to give them all a sneak attack upside the head, but it's all in jest, and we all know it.
This is just a case of what happens when people take things too seriously and aren't used to people defying their control. Still, I'd advise what some of these people here are advising. Take a few self-defence courses, as he's not likely to forget something like this. Though I completely support the calm and efficient manner in which you handled the situation.

[Dragonmuncher]

To be honest, the character-flaw seems a little... well, let's say it has the potential to abuse. If I approved it, I would just live with it but I think I might have played up the 'witch' angle (less than he did though) just for added tension.

Abuse? The way I read it, the only benefit the character had was getting a free Skill focus: Alchemy. Which can be helpful, but not THAT helpful.

Compare that to having a terminal illness that drains a third of your constitution unless you take some expensive medicine nightly...



Oh, and Gamebird- now I want to hear those stories.

[brummeren]

Excelent character, baaaaad DM...

[Sophistemon]

Gamebird. Seriously. Tell us the stories.

[Umbral_Arcanist]

Wow that really sucks for you, i mean that was an awesome character and the DM was a total jerk about it. I wonder what made him so obssessed with abusing it. That is without a doubt the worst story i have heard, ever.

Have you tried that character out elsewhere? Because it seriously is one of the best backgrounds i have heard, very balanced in terms of bonuses/penalties and makes for some interesting RPing. I would love my players to come up with something like that.... even if it wasn't as original, just something.....

[Gamebird]

"Everyone Must Get Stoned"
Tournament game at a convention. Players sit down, get their characters, head off into the dungeon. They get a little way in and a lot of secret doors open and every monster in the books that turns someone to stone steps out at once. Every character has to make multiple saves vs. petrification (this is 2nd edition). The one guy who makes it through the surprise round and the ensuing next round (where the monsters naturally went first) has his character turn towards the door, close his eyes, put his shield over his face, and run. The DM tells him he trips (no roll), drops the shield (no roll), looks up and opens his eyes (no roll) and fails his save against a medusa that had not previously been between him and the door (DM: "She moved while you had your eyes shut." No roll for the save).

The DM then packed up his stuff and took off. Whole thing took 15 minutes, which left him over three hours to cruise the convention. Running a game gave a DM a free pass to the con, and he didn't want to miss it, ya know.

I rank that one real high on my "bogus gaming story" index because of the sheer, unbridled lamity of it. It wasn't gross, or perverted or mean - just LAME.

"Why Don't You Slap a..."
Another tournament game (different convention). Players get pregenerated female characters. All players are male. They complain a little and then blow it off. Fine, no big deal. People two tables over are playing origami characters. Females can't be that bad. Strange though - no cleric and they're all pretty low on Wisdom. Whatever.

The mission requires going from point A to point B. They head out. On the way, the DM says they encounter satyrs dancing in the forest. The satyrs invite them to dance. Some PCs do. Those that refuse are subjected to the Satyr's charm effect (one from each satyr, make multiple saves). There's some complaining, but all the satyrs are asking for is a dance, so what's the big deal?

Once you're charmed though... Then the sex (rape) begins, on the charmed characters. DM says the PCs who are charmed can't resist this, because it's not an attack, they're not really hurt, it feels good, etc. Pretty much every stupid line used by rapists to justify their actions. The DM tells the other PCs they can't object because the raped PCs seem to be enjoying it and asking for more.

Once the other PCs start objecting a lot, the DM has the satyrs charm them too. Since they already had about half the party, it was short work. Then the even more graphic descriptions roll out, the satyrs change positions, methods, partners, etc. Several players are nearly boiling over in rage at the DM.

Finally one of the PCs who isn't so angry says, "Fine, when is this going to be over? It's been almost three hours and this is only a four hour game slot. Can we just fast forward to when they're done and we can get out of here?"

At which point the DM says, "Oh, no, I don't have anything about point B worked out. The encounter with the satyrs was the only thing I was planning on running."

That sent a couple players over the edge. They leaped up, began yelling, threw game books, dice, drinks, etc. onto the DM, and the game room understandably fell silent as everyone looked over. One of the irate players screamed out the line "Why don't you just slap a _______ to my forehead and ______ my brains out? Huh? You want some?" and further tried to provoke the DM to a fight. The DM declined (and sort of crawled under the table) and so the players left.

For two of the players, this was their first game ever. One was the brother of the yelling player mentioned above and the other was a friend of his. They'd gone with him to the convention to find out what gaming was all about. They never played again, as I'm sure you can understand.



The 12 year olds and the gun pulling pretty much speak for themselves. To get more depth on it, you'd have to know the people involved. The guy who got antenna whipped had been DMing for a group of kids and putting them through hell and laughing at them for accepting his ludicrous house rules. I think some things like the satyr-rape had happened. Anyway, they caught him in the parking lot of a convention and whipped him until they got tired of it, then kicked him until that got old. I knew the guy somewhat and from everything I'd heard, he deserved it, even if it was a life-threatening beating.

The stupid gun thing - that would be an even longer story and again, if you didn't know the participants you might not really get it. All involved were scum, and never partner swap while doing drugs, owning a gun, and doing (Edit: Jello) vodka shots.

[Maryring]

You just had to make her tell you this didn't you? :-X Now I feel seriously and extremely grossed out.

[fuzzymoogle]

WOW...

...

DUDE...

...

:o

Gamebird, what cons were those games at? I seem to have completely missed them. Which I'm thankful for, yes, but some things you just have to see for yourself.

[brummeren]

I've heard alot of horror-stories from gaming, but these are the worst of the bunch... This just makes me apreciate my DM more and more...

[Elurindel]

Yikes. That's some pretty nasty stuff. I'm glad I'm my own DM

[WhiteMonkey]

Oh god... I live for Gamebirds tales of woe!
I'm still waiting on her book to come out.

Gamebird, please go get into more mischief and then tell me all about it. Your ability to locate the nut-jobs in unparalleled.

So funny!

[Shevaresh]

About 5 years ago, some friends and I were in the back room of our apartment playing AD&D (the back room due to noise, IIRC) ... so here we are playing, when suddenly we hear the front door open and a guy we know (friend of a friend's roommate, the friend's roommate being the one making the noise).

Turns out the cops had shown up due to the noise. This guy saw them and bolted out the back window (over a NOISE COMPLAINT and having "jungle juice") ... and so he ran up to our apt and asked to borrow a sword so he could "stick a pig".

We pointed to the idiot and told the cop behind him "we aren't with him".

[That Lanky Bugger]

*snipped*

...and so he ran up to our apt and asked to borrow a sword so he could "stick a pig".

We pointed to the idiot and told the cop behind him "we aren't with him".

:o Right, I'm gonna have to hand the cake over to you, Shevaresh. That one tops mine, unless PsychoDM comes by and actually harrasses me again. Speaking of which...

It seems that PsychoDM was hanging around outside my place today for an hour or two. I think I'm going to be filing for that restraining order tomorrow.

[Torger]

As for acting like a "vindictive pocket watch"...Spider Brigade...That's an awesome metaphor. Perhaps I'd twist it slightly...but that was pretty cool. Is that slang where you come from, or is that your own? Either way . . . can I steal that? =P


Frank,

It's a reference to another post, one about a new magic item -- some kind of clock/flashlight thing. Dude typed in "pocket watch," only to have it replaced with "pockefemale genetaliach" by the forum.

[Frank]

Wow. He really IS a sociopath. That sucks. Sorry.

Yeah, good idea.

-Frank

[That Lanky Bugger]

Hey, nifty. I just heard my front window break. I'm going to go call the police now.

[Pedantic]

Hmm, any chance he's going to see this website and all these people agreeing what a loser he is?

[Torger]

Holy Crap, man... This is terrible. This guy needs a good smack with a Rod of Reality Thwacking +2...

[valadil]

Screw the cops, if you're anywhere near Boston I'll take that guy out, and all I ask is three and a half pounds of the lasagna you mentioned earlier.

[Coffee_Dragon]

Maybe That Lanky Bugger is PsychoDM!

Dun dun DUN!!!

It's "The Shape of the Sword" all over again!

[Sophistemon]

If he's really been hanging around your place recently, be careful. People like this guy can be dangerous. Watch your back, man.

[Hellball]

I must say this puts my RP games of misery in perspective.

[Ferahgo]

Lordy Lue...

I hope that turns out okay for you.
This guy sounds... er, wacked? Nutso?

On a happier tone, the story was very well written. Creepy to the end. Kept me enthralled.

Invest in a beating stick. So you can beat him if he comes near.

[Muzzleflash]

I'd like to note that 99% of gun owners are sane and not psychopathic pocket watches. The people who went nuts in these stories are indicitivate of the personality traits that can't be trusted with a sharp fork, let alone a firearm.

And that story is indeed the most amazing story I have read on this forum. Ever.

[That Lanky Bugger]

Right, so it's update time.

Surprise surprise, my front window being smashed in was PsychoDM. I dunno what he was thinking he'd be able to do, because he looked surprised to see me come out of my bedroom. He decided that it'd be time to bolt, as the first thing I did when I saw him was grab the cricket bat tucked by my front door. After I was certain he'd left my street, I called the cops and they picked him up as he got back to his place, about half an hour ago.

An officer took my report, but that took maybe five minutes. There wasn't much to it, really. I came out of my room to find my window smashed, a rock on the floor, and PsychoDM outside. I grabbed a cricket bat I "happened" to have close at hand and he bolted.

The majority of my time since this happened has been spent duct-taping insulation plastic borrowed off of a neighbor to the broken window (it's damned cold in Toronto right now), and cleaning up broken glass on my living room floor.

It turns out that the PsychoDM was very, very drunk. The police also found some evidence of drug use, given his condition. It apparantly took two hits of pepperspray to bring him down, and it took the police officers five minutes to wrestle him into the car.

I think it's safe to say that he won't be seeing the outside of a prison cell for a good, long time. He didn't injure any of the officers, but he's got a resisting arrest charge, definitely. Possible drug use on top of that, and then the damage he did to my front window. Combined with the stuff he was charged with last night, he's practically paved the way for his own prosecution.

One of the officers told me he was ranting about how he was going to kill "him", and that the "him" probably referred to me. Lovely.

Even though it's likely a very moot point now, I'll be looking into that injunction against him coming within fifty meters or so. I've got no reason to want him anywhere near me, at this point.

Sorry Shevaresh, I'm taking my cake back.

[El Jaspero, the Pirate King]

*bows in homage*

Worst...Game....EVER!

[Akiosama]

Ah... Karmic justice... how sweet it is... ;D

Sorry to hear about the window, though, Lank. Hope the snow (?) doesn't ruin anything...

But you gotta admit... It's nice to see someone get their just desserts.

My 2 slices of cake for Lank.

Game on!

Akio

[That Lanky Bugger]

No snow, it's about 5 or 6 degrees (celsius) outside. I've had to drop the temperature in my home to 15 so the heating bill won't drive me into the poorhouse, though. The insulation plastic isn't doing the greatest job about preserving heat, and it's feeling a little chilly in my house right now. I'm used to leaving the temperature up at around 21 or 22.

On the bright side, I can pick up some better stuff tomorrow. Won't be quite as good as a real window, but it'll at least keep the heat in. I was planning on replacing the window soon anyways. Just gives me the excuse to do so.

Maybe I can get damages out of him? There's a pleasant though...

[Akiosama]

Word of the day for Lank...


PUNITIVE

Heh. He'd better at least pay you for the window and the increased heating costs.

And mental anguish... For all of us. ;D

Stay warm... and cool.

Akio

[Gralamin]

hmm make sure your friend knows about this, and find out whatever happens to him. Make sure you know when and if he will get out. As long as hes in prision, your safe. after that be careful.

and all over not following a railroad plot.

that temp is warm! here in edmonton its like -5 which is werid cause last year it was -35.

[Frank]

I live in Cali...can't complain.

But yeah. Wow. It's PROBABLY a good thing you got this guy, actually...and there's JUST a broken window involved. I mean, who knows what he could have done to some less determined and more defenseless imaginative player...

If he's convicted of the crime, Lanky, then his conviction will be public knowledge. If that occurs, then you can post his name on the boards so that we don't accidentally run into this guy at a convention or something.

I think it's safe to say he will be convicted...just don't say anything yet. That'd be libel.


But yeah, at least you're okay. What a nutjob.

-Frank

[That Lanky Bugger]

I've been avoiding his name for precisely that reason, Frank. I don't want this guy to have any ammo whatsoever to use against me. Right now, the most he could bring up is the cricket bat, but that ones easy enough to explain.

Plus, I didn't lie. The cricket bat DID just happen to be on hand near my front door. The fact I placed it there earlier is an entirely seperate event. ::)

[Nerd-o-rama]

Hell, I'm from Texas. A guy breaks your window here, you can mow him down with a Kalashnikov and face zero legal repercussions. Okay, that's hyperbole: you'd need a special license to use assault weapons.

Silly Canadians ;)

Facetious critique of my home state aside, this is one off-the-wall story. I hope PsychoDM gets his just desserts for being a smacktard, and hopefully some councilling.

[That Lanky Bugger]

O.o

Texas now scares me...

[Nerd-o-rama]

Naw, I'm mostly joking, but it's very easy to get away with assault or even - in particular cases - murder in self-defense or defense of one's property in this state. And firearms are pretty damn common for self-defense.

[That Lanky Bugger]

Hmmm, makes sense. I guess.

On the other hand... Actual death can be justified? *eeps*

[Frank]

I don't think it's wrong to have a bat handy if you think someone's going to hurt you. Not at all..."possible necessary force" is the way I'd figure it.

Not like you used it anyways. As good ol' Teddy Roosevelt said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Ain't many sticks bigger than a cricket bat.

-Frank

[HempRope]

One more reason I hate Texas.

Anyway, I once had a DMy murder my character twice, in my own home, eat two whole pizzas, pull out a semi-automatic that he had concealed in his sock, and then... naw. Naw, I didn't.

I can't even make up a convincing story worse than that.

[Gralamin]

My only beef with texas is how werid tv makes them talk (i hope they dont actually talk like that), and a certain prisendit of the USA. but then again thats my opionion.

I generaly end up gaming with stable people.

ITS SNOWING! it sucked having no snow for christmas but hopefully this will stay.

No one would happen to be say expermenting with the weather would they?

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Comrade Gorby: Let's not stray into political discussion, shall we? Also, let's keep off graphic descriptions of sex or violence as well (previous posts strayed close to this topic but did not go over the line - just a reminder to stay on the right side of said line). Oh, and please don't post the guys real name here. Just a potential can of worms I'd rather not open, eh?

As for the Texas accent - no, not all Texans speak in that manner... but some do. And some Texas accents are downright unintillegible to those not from the region. Of course, similar things can be said about South Carolina, South Boston, Quebec, Scotland, Ireland, Austrailia, various portions of England... You get the idea ;)

Oh, yeah... on topic... Wow. I can't top this one. And even Gamebird is having trouble doing so (and GB is/was the undisputed Queen of Horrible Gaming Experiences)! I'd definitely say a restraining order is called for - even if PsychoDM had a legitimate reason to be irritated with you over the game (which I don't think is the case), breaking into someone's house and even threatening a life over D&D is way over the line.

[White Blade]

Dude. Man. it sucks to be you. But the two rules for dealing with Gamebird's bad gaming stories:
1. Don't Ask.
2. BOW TO YOUR CURIOSTY PEON ASK ASK!
BUT DAMN! thats gotta suck. I hope the PyschoDM gets to have a lot of time with a cage with hard metal bars.
BTW: I'm gonna show this to my players. Not to mock your sadness, but prove just how HARD it is to be a true evil DM.
Seriously man. I hope this story never makes it to press. I can imagine THAT fiasco! "Local Man threatened by fellow player of a Role-Playing Game called DnD" and I pray it never makes it to Texas. Oh how I hope. I live here. We are pretty religious, but MAN, I can see a non-religious person getting up tight about DnD over this.

[Draedan]

Hmmm, makes sense. I guess.

On the other hand... Actual death can be justified? *eeps*
Yupe. Don't mess with a state where "he needed killin'" is a valid defense.

Heh, just kidding, of course. But Nerd-o-rama is mostly right. As long as you have a justifiable reason (home invasion and the like) it isnt that hard to beat a murder rap. As for shooting him for throwing a rock through your window, it would be hard to justifiy. But with him being drunk, high and on your property after being removed twice by police, you could have probably gotten away with it if you said he was threatening you. Atleast in Texas. Heh.

On the 17th my classes start for a police academy here in Texas. It's just a hunch, but I think I am going to love my job ;D


My only beef with texas is how werid tv makes them talk (i hope they dont actually talk like that)
Like Gorbash said, not all of us speak like that. You mostly get the "Texas accent" from East Texas. I have been told I have an accent, but I have never noticed it, myself. Well, except for saying "ya'll", but what else am I supposed to say? Yous guys?

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Well, except for saying "ya'll", but what else am I supposed to say? Yous guys?
You know, I actually have friends who say "yous guys" in their normal speech - they're not being sarcastic or joking at all, it's just what they say.

Though, most people don't notice their own accents usually - I have one on certain words ("forest" comes out more like "fahrest" or "fahest," "orange" as "ahrange," "story" sounds like "stahry," "drawer" comes out as "drahw") but I don't notice it when I'm talking.

Anyways, TLB, I hope they manage to put the guy away for a while (and hopefully get him into some sort of treatment - the guy clearly has issues) so he won't bother you any further.

[Silivren]

Hmm... Should we be concerned that the guy who's training to be a police officer uses Belkar as his avatar?
;D

[soozenw]

Hell, I'm from Texas. A guy breaks your window here, you can mow him down with a Kalashnikov and face zero legal repercussions.

isn't texas the state that you can use "he needed killin" as an excuse for murder? :-)

(this coming from someone that lives 25 minutes from gary, indiana...)

edit--yeah i didn't see that this was already mentioned...forgive me for my blond moment (*is a natural blond*)

[Nerd-o-rama]

You know, I actually have friends who say "yous guys" in their normal speech - they're not being sarcastic or joking at all, it's just what they say.
[still offtopic]I take it you're originally from Boston? Honestly, I'm surprised that you don't get more "y'all"s in Gainesville, that bein' in the more hickish part of Florida. Y'all is personally my favorite Southernism: English needs a plural for "you," dammit. And don't get me started on a certain political figure's "Texan" accent.

And Draedan, good luck, I hope you're not in Dallas, as the DPD always gets a particularly horrible rap when they screw up. Even more so than most big cities, it seems to me.[/still offtopic].

And sorry about starting the politics bit. I just have a lot of Canadian friends and find the differences in laws and culture to be interesting. Jeez...I've called down the Voice of Mod twice tonight...I feel bad. But anyway, the important thing is that TLB is safe, and my DM seems far, far saner now. Now my fellow players...

[laughingfuzzball]

I played with a group once that was rather disturbing. It was a Nightmare on Elm Street-inspired CoC campaign, and most of the characters were playing females. Since they had all been very mature in other games, I wasn't worried, but another friend was. In Freddy movies, a certain type of female character tends to die quickly and creatively. Being veteran CoC players, they understood that this was a good thing. Since everyone playing was an adult, and the GM handled it well, I wasn't concerned, but things got creepy when the players started enjoying the behavior for it's own sake.

At this point, I had moved out of the area, so couldn't stay in the game. My friend who was playing stayed in, though. All I can get out of him is that there was a lot of one-upmanship. Given thaat some of the characters included a British schoolgirl and the school's scarlet woman (both ofwhom were played by thirty year olds), and that this guy talks about some of the most vulgar things known to man, I guess I should be glad he refuses to talk about it.

When you have adults playing high schoolers, sex should most definately not play that kind of role in the campaign.

[Gordon]

Abuse? The way I read it, the only benefit the character had was getting a free Skill focus: Alchemy. Which can be helpful, but not THAT helpful.

Especially since the free feat didn't show up until PsychoDM tried to pull his fast one with the con damage.

Seriously, this is like watching a slow motion train wreck. :P

[Alchemistmerlin]

I uh...honestly don't understand how anyone can "see things the DMs way"

He had all the information provided, it was ON the character sheet that he reviewed. He also had agreed to the terms of the curse, then he randomly upped the curse. He also tried to screw the player over by having the critical deal damage to items (I'm sorry, I could have SWORN we have a rule for that called 'sundering') in a special rule that the topic starter apparently hadn't been informed of earlier.

He was doing everything in his power to make life difficult for the new guy. And I'm sorry but if things like class abilities, and good rolls mess up your "carefully written novel"(Someone had used that term earlier) Then it isn't carefully written at all.

[DarrylHamlin]

After reading that, all I have to say is o.O

Worst thing I've had happen in game was a DM give a bunch of bandits potions of 3d6 fireballs.

But wow. And 5 or 6 Celsius, that's.... roughly 40 Farenheit right? Somewhere in that area? Damn.

Luckily, there's no way he'd be able to get out of paying the damages on that, unless he were poor.

[laughingfuzzball]

And I'm sorry but if things like class abilities, and good rolls mess up your "carefully written novel"(Someone had used that term earlier) Then it isn't carefully written at all.

If anything other than bad roleplaying can ruin your story, you aren't writing an RPG at all.

[The Prince of Cats]

Naw, I'm mostly joking, but it's very easy to get away with assault or even - in particular cases - murder in self-defense or defense of one's property in this state.
I will confess that I have not studied criminal law in about 8 years but is it even possible to murder in self-defense? If it is self-defense, performed in such a way to prevent a crime and not to inflict undue suffering, then it would probably even come under 'accidental death' or 'death by misadventure' or something similar.

[DarrylHamlin]

I will confess that I have not studied criminal law in about 8 years but is it even possible to murder in self-defense? If it is self-defense, performed in such a way to prevent a crime and not to inflict undue suffering, then it would probably even come under 'accidental death' or 'death by misadventure' or something similar.
Well, it would likely be prosecuted initially as a murder charge, but in self-defense cases it is considered "lethal force".

[Muzzleflash]

If someone makes you fear for your life, you can do whatever it takes to stop them from doing what they are doing. One punch can kill a person or maim them for life.

That is why reasonable self defense laws are a necessity, and in fact exist in nearly every state of the US, but please don't lets take this into politics because I don't want to see this locked. None of us is moonbatty enough to suggest that someone shouldn't be allowed to use lethal force to defend their life or health, anyway. :)

I'm going to link this thread around the internet. After a few hours days, it should become INSANELY popular. Wenzel popular.

[Jades]

Suddenly, I seem much more sane! All I can say is, "I'm sorry." and offer you a place at my table anytime you're in the area of San Marcos or Denton (When I'm in the area as well).

[laughingfuzzball]

If someone makes you fear for your life, you can do whatever it takes to stop them from doing what they are doing.

Acting based on this idea can be legally dangerous.

The requirements to succesfully claim self defense cary widly from country to country. In the US at least, it also varies quite a bit from state to state. Generally, in most areas of the US, you have to have reasonable cause to belive that the person in question has both the means and the intent to cause you harm. Generally you are only protected up to the point that those conditions cease to exist, and you generally aren't covered legally if you pass the degree of harm you had reason to believe they were going to do to you. Even if you are, a jury might still take pity on your 'victim'. If someone threatens to bloody your nose, for example, you'd have a hard time in most places justifying shooting him in the head.

Anyone who feels they may have cause to defend themselves physically should look at the specific laws and at least a summary of the case history for where they live, especially if they carry a weapon or keep one in their home for this purpose.

[Jades]

Yes, but you generally don't have the time, when you're opperating "off the cuff" so to speak.

[laughingfuzzball]

Yes, but you generally don't have the time, when you're opperating "off the cuff" so to speak.

It's the sort of thing you should already know when it comes up. Asking a madman to hold on a sec whil you run down to the courthouse to check up on some case historys is dfinately not a good idea. Looking up your stae laws, or asking a lawyer for advice before buying that pistol for your side table might be though.

We don't need to see any forumers go to prison because they acted in what they thought would be considered self defense.

[Sir_Banjo]

Wow!! I hate bastards like that who think they can push everyone around. That guy deserved a punch in the mouth but you did the right thing standing up to him the way you did. If he's that unbalanced over a game, imagine how he could have been in a fight. Scary.

[Gamebird]

Oh yeah, he tops my stories because his story happened to HIM. Very few of my stories happened to ME (although partner-swapping, jello vodka shot drinking, gun puller did offer to partner swap with husband and I. That was the end of talking to him! But the gun pulling thing happened months later and not at a convention I even went to.)

To answer questions, the conventions in the stories were Okon (Oklahoma Convention, held in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the "Everyone Must Get Stoned") and... dang, I've forgotten the name, but it was held in Oklahoma City at the Radisson... It was a big convention for a couple years. Anyway, OkC for the satyr story. That convention went down fast after hacking off most or all of the area LARPers plus the Klingons, not to mention the guy in the satyr story who took his friends was well placed in the largest area gaming club.

The interesting thing about so many of these stories is that the villain *does* usually get their desserts, big time. Yes, there's generally collateral damage also, but "time wounds all heels."

If you want a lot of cool gamer stories of your own, I heartily encourage getting involved in running conventions. You get together with a dozen or a couple score people who usually don't really know what they're doing, you handle thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, and then you try to divide up the money in some manner that will make everyone happy. Along the way, you'll hear every bad story about every part of the convention - bad DMs, bad players, people making out in the con suite, the video room guy playing porn anime for kids, drug-using parties that get the cops called on them and then tell the cops to bill the convention for it, weird gamers who decide to take a chainsaw to the hotel room wall to connect two adjacent rooms for their war game (again, Okon), DMs who decide to set off a smoke bomb in the plastic bathroom trash with other trash in it as a "special effect for the game" (got the whole hotel evacuated - same DM as in the "Stoned" story, also Okon)...

Anyway, you get a lot of bad stories by running conventions, helping out on them, or just going to them and keeping your eyes and ears open. ;D

I haven't done anything exciting though in the last six years. I've had a kid and went to work full time. Before that I lived on scholarships and went to college, gamed all the time and had all this free time to get into trouble. Alas, no more.

[Junkdealer]

This has got to be the worst case of Egoism ever. IMHO there is a reasonable chance that he is going to be a problem for you. You’ve struck him a blow and now he feels disempowered. He self medicated and ended up loosing the inhibition to do what he really wanted to do. That’s how you ended up with a broken window. The fact that it was wrong immoral never occurred to him

What you need to do is fill for damages. Most of the stuff he is getting charged with is small time. If it weren’t for the fact that the cops responded to 3 calls his “theats” might have been overlooked as simple emotional venting. But when the he is arraigned the judge need to see enough to teach him a lesson in humility. Sue him in civil court for damages and replacement cost for the window and the judge should lean on him enough to put the fear of God in him. You also might want to consider moving.

Imagine what this clown would have been like as a player. Whoof!

[MagFlare]

Imagine what his cellmates are going to think of the guy.

Enormous Felon: I don't think I've ever asked you - what're you in for?
PsychoDM: A Dungeons & Dragons session wasn't going the way I planned it, so I threatened one of the players, refused to leave his house, tried to steal some of his stuff, smashed his window, and resisted arrest.
Enormous Felon: ...
PsychoDM: Oh, dear. It's time for more nonconsentual intimacy, isn't it?
Enormous Felon: Yes, except this time I'll be holding your head in the toilet, too.

[Meat Shield]

PsychoDM: Oh, dear. It's time for more nonconsentual intimacy, isn't it?


I soooo have to use that line in my next session!

[Gamebird]

I've heard they have a lot of good D&D games in prisons. The guy who works nights at the closest game store to where I live learned about D&D while in prison for assault and battery. So now he works at a motorcycle repair shop during the day and the game shop at night. He says it keeps him out of trouble.

[FlashFire]

I know I'm jumping into this conversation about eight pages too late... but I just wanted to say... you did a GREAT job on that character background.

I will be stealing it. If it makes you feel better you'll be getting credit. ;D Just kidding... if you honestly have a problem with it let me know.

As for the situation... I'm going to echo a lot of other people... wow... just .... wow.

[Draedan]

This has got to be the worst case of Egoism ever. IMHO there is a reasonable chance that he is going to be a problem for you. You’ve struck him a blow and now he feels disempowered. He self medicated and ended up loosing the inhibition to do what he really wanted to do. That’s how you ended up with a broken window. The fact that it was wrong immoral never occurred to him

What you need to do is fill for damages. Most of the stuff he is getting charged with is small time. If it weren’t for the fact that the cops responded to 3 calls his “theats” might have been overlooked as simple emotional venting. But when the he is arraigned the judge need to see enough to teach him a lesson in humility. Sue him in civil court for damages and replacement cost for the window and the judge should lean on him enough to put the fear of God in him. You also might want to consider moving.

Imagine what this clown would have been like as a player. Whoof!

Moving? Because some jerk threw a rock through his window? Nah. I think people are over reacting to this. Even taking self defense courses over this seems a bit much. Just get your restraining order, keep your doors locked and make sure you have a weapon handy. I do all of that and I havent even been threatened ;). Dont let this one experience change your life.

[richelieu]

Dear Lanky Bugger:

Awesome story. However, I don't think PsychoDM is gonna be sent away for very long. Sadly, the stuff he did isn't really that big a deal in the criminal justice system, especially if he's a first time offender.

I used to work for the state's attorney's office (prosecutor) here in Illinois. Prosecutors often drop the resisting arrest charge, because juries won't convict on it unless a cop has been pretty badly hurt. Some cussing, running, or struggling is really par for the course when a cop is making the arrest. I remember one case where a cop got kicked in the shin so hard that it was gushing blood and required stitches. That case fell apart during jury selection, because the jury candidates mostly thought that sort of thing was just what happened to you when you're a cop. Very sad.

And, the vandalism charge is pretty minor, no doubt taken care of by a fine or some community service, especially in Canada (no offense.) I remember back in my college days some buddies did something similar, and they had to pay like a $500 fine, and spend 60 hours stripping paint off a garage floor. PsychoDM will probably have to spend 60 picking up trash off the side of the road.

You probably should get a restraining order against him ASAP, because he almost certainly WON'T be spending the night in jail, and if he does, he'll surely be out on bond in the morning. In Illinois at least, you can get a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against someone in a few hours down at the courthouse. The defendant doesn't even have to be there. Violation of that order is a much bigger deal than what he's done so far, and can very well lead to actual jailtime, because it's in contravention of a court order.

Regarding self defense: don't do it unless you really really have to. He could be on your front lawn burning a cross and killing a cat, and you should not shoot him or hurt him in any way. Call the police. Not unless he has somehow gotten into your house or is actually running at you or waving a weapon at you can you pull your gun and shoot. As fun as it might be to think about, self-defense, especially with lethal force, is really a last option, or you could find yourself in the can.

So far it seems like you have handled this very well. Keep it up. Educate yourself on Ontario's laws about stuff like this. Call the prosecutor in the county or province or whatever where you live, and they'll give you more and better advice.

And, what's a cricket bat? Like a baseball bat?
;) J/K

Good luck,
richelieu

[Darkie]

A cricket bat is like a flattened baseball bat, I think.

[fuzzymoogle]

It's like a beefy boat paddle. Whaddya expect from a country that's just a decent-sized island?

;)

I wouldn't worry about moving or anything like that, but that restraining order is a grand idea and if he thinks you're bluffing about that too (y'know, like how you were bluffing about the cops earlier) then, well, he's going to learn real quick-like that it doesn't work quite like that.

[Muzzleflash]

Of course. One person threatening to punch you? That's not going to make me even have the faintest iota of fear for my life unless I'm a 70lb grandma and they're a 270 lb hells angel. I'm talking about someone breaking into your home or threatening you with a knife- if they're sociopathic enough to break and enter, or rob, they're sociopathic enough to take your life. It's all about an absolute last ditch resort anyway, and most people will run anyway when confronted with a weapon. Sword, gun, nail-studded-2x4, whatever. I hate violence and hope never to experience anything like that, but would I protect my family from someone who would do them harm? Yes.

I advise any forum-goers who are curious about the laws in their state to research them, or talk to a local peace officer. Most of them care very much about your safety and how you can protect it in the minutes before they arrive after you've called 911 and that intruder is still smashing through your door.

Whew! That's a big post, and it's drifting OT. I think that Lanky Bastard handled the situation in an incredibly professional manner, practicing the art of de-escalation and calmness throughout.

[Leperflesh]

This one time? We were playing RIFTS and, man, this one dude got a little bit too worked up, and he knocked over a big glass full of coke.

Man, it was chaos! Several character sheets got badly stained, and i was running for paper towels but I couldn't find them, and for a few seconds it was total mayhem.

Hah! I bet nobody can top THAT horror story!

-Lep

[Gorbash Kazdar]

This one time? We were playing RIFTS and, man, this one dude got a little bit too worked up, and he knocked over a big glass full of coke.

Man, it was chaos! Several character sheets got badly stained, and i was running for paper towels but I couldn't find them, and for a few seconds it was total mayhem.

Hah! I bet nobody can top THAT horror story!

-Lep
Well, if we're talking about food related stories - at one session a fellow player shook a 2 liter bottle of soda so much that it - well, the only appropriate word is "detonated." Everything in a 10-ft radius was promptly covered in sticky foam (it really wasn't even liquid by that point).

At the time, it wasn't very funny (thank goodness we were in a room where it was fairly easy to clean all the surfaces - linoleum floors and all that) but, as Carol Burnett once said, "Comedy is tragedy plus time."

[The_Werebear]

Yeesh. Some people take this game way too seriously. I would attempt to prevent this from getting on the news.

[fuzzymoogle]

Yeesh. Some people take this game way too seriously. I would attempt to prevent this from getting on the news.
True, because you KNOW some news agency's gonna link it to Grand Theft Auto somehow.

[TheThan]

The Wearbear
I would attempt to prevent this from getting on the news


Yeah, I’m waiting for the episode to appear on cops.

[Gralamin]

Well, if we're talking about food related stories - at one session a fellow player shook a 2 liter bottle of soda so much that it - well, the only appropriate word is "detonated." Everything in a 10-ft radius was promptly covered in sticky foam (it really wasn't even liquid by that point).


Hmm new spell "Pop (its what you Guys call soda) Detonation" should be fun mwhahaha.

[Gordon]

He then hands the character sheet back to me and informs me that I'll be taking 1d6 temporary Con damage a day, "to make things more interesting."

It occurs to me at this juncture to note that PsychoDM gave clear warning of exactly what sort of game this was going to be. I've boldfaced the word that is, in my finite but non-zero experience, a 200 decibel fire alarm bell signalling "I'm going to screw you over outrageously, and I expect you to take it." It. Never. Fails.

[Akiosama]

Well, if we're talking about food related stories - at one session a fellow player shook a 2 liter bottle of soda so much that it - well, the only appropriate word is "detonated." Everything in a 10-ft radius was promptly covered in sticky foam (it really wasn't even liquid by that point).

At the time, it wasn't very funny (thank goodness we were in a room where it was fairly easy to clean all the surfaces - linoleum floors and all that) but, as Carol Burnett once said, "Comedy is tragedy plus time."

Man, I'd be pissed if that happened to me. RPG books are EXPENSIVE already without having to replace damaged ones... Hope you didn't lose any to the soda.

Reminds me too much of when my brother put his fist through a fishtank that was on top of a small bookshelf. Spent 5 hours blowdrying books.

But yeah, Ms. Burnett is a lot wiser than she looks... ;D

My 2 yen,

Game on!

Akio

[Frank]

hahaha. Great punishment...

I think this guy needs to get strapped to a table and flicked in the nose repeatedly for eight hours a day, five days a week for two weeks. Then give him a 5 cents an hour paycheck.

You know, for his ego

-Frank

<]:*| Cases like this is why Ayn Rand is WRONG.

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Man, I'd be pissed if that happened to me. RPG books are EXPENSIVE already without having to replace damaged ones... Hope you didn't lose any to the soda.
Fortunately for the soda shaker's well-being, we were playing a home-brew system (this was pre-3.x days), so no one had any actual game books at the table. All that got messed up were a few character sheets, but all the important pieces of paper were either laminated by that point or in those clear plastic binder sleeves. No one had any electronic devices out either, thank goodness.

The player in question was subsequently banned from handling soda bottles or cans anywhere near the rest of the group. If he wanted soda, he had to have someone else poor him a glass ;)

[soozenw]

my boyfriend is a gm (he gms more than he plays...unfortunately) and hosts most games at his place. he has a sippy cup for one of the players who likes to spill a lot. guy can't have any beverage unless it is in a sippy cup.

[EladrinStarmist]

The player in question was subsequently banned from handling soda bottles or cans anywhere near the rest of the group. If he wanted soda, he had to have someone else poor him a glass ;)

That sounds like my fiancee. If he doesn't spill something every gaming session hell must've frozen over.

That was an amazing story to read and I'm sorry you had to go through that and waste such an amazing character and story on such an ***hole. Keep that cricket bat close to the door for the next while!

[Sindawe]

Wow. I've heard of taking the game too far, and have been accused of such myself in the past. But that REALLY takes the cake, the oven and the whole frelling bakery!

[Maryring]

You know, what I do to keep our psycopat under control is to simply wink. It may not work in your case ::) but I do believe that he most likely has one thing that *snap* him. If you find out what that is, you won't ever have to fear him again. Of course, not that it is easy to find the weak point of psycopats.

[eddyspaghetti]

That story is the worst of the worst. I think we need an update once this goes to trial. I hope PDM is sufficiently deterred by the judge.

For a while, I was the only one allowed to open any bottles on movie night at my friend Jill's house. Some people just have a lighter touch.

[That Lanky Bugger]

I don't think words can convey the rage I've been feeling since late last night. Then again, I'm getting ahead of myself. It all begins with me discovering...

The Reason PsychoDM Hated My Character (Okay, it was overdramatic. Sue me.)

Last night began with me meeting up at a nearby sushi place with the guy who'd dragged me to PsychoDM's game, the halfling sorcerer. Let's call him ShortBlaster. We ate, and then buggered off to the pub for a few pints. We sat and chatted about stuff (trying to figure out what the hell was possessing PsychoDM), and despite the fact I had a half-day of work today we decided to go back to my place at around 11:00pm to play a game of Warhammer 40k. While I was setting up the Rats with Guns (a Chaos army with converted Skaven models) and stating up the stuff for my Frenzied Freak (a Chaos SM Prince that looks like a giant rat with a huge scythe and an obscene number of attacks), he was finishing up his list of Tyranids.

It was then that he noticed the character sheet for Ash, and he picked it up to take a gander. After a moment, he looks at me and says that he knows the reason why PsychoDM went flippy on Tuesday. I, of course, wanted to know the reason. He pointed to the three inch by two inch post-it stuck at the top of the character sheet. On the post-it was a quick sketch my friend (we'll call her MangaGirl) made after I told her the idea for the character. As you can tell from the nickname, the sketch is heavily anime-themed (if I can divine what's wrong my scanner from the Ouiji board, I'll post a scan of it).

"Yeah, he really doesn't like any of that anime or manga stuff."

I wasn't RPing Ash in any way that would have identified him as being "anime" (whatever the hell that might mean). I wasn't treating this gaming session as Big Eyes, Small Mouth. The drawing did absolutely nothing to effect the way I roleplayed Ash. He was still the same anti-social hardass he was always meant to be. Don't get me wrong, I love anime... But it's not an obsession. I've got a few boxed sets of series I like but like all my hobbies it's its own thing, for the most part.

I asked why PsychoDM hated "that anime or manga stuff".

So, the story goes that PsychoDM's girlfriend left him for some dude at an anime convention in mid-2004. I think it was CN Anime, but I don't really do the con circuit all that much unless MangaGirl drags me. Which means that because this guy has been obsessing over his ex for over a year and a half, I've got a broken window and a psychotic stalker. Right.

I've never actually been so mad that I've seen red, but I came pretty frigging close last night. My friend and I dropped the issue (he could tell it had put me in a really bad mood), and then we played the game.

Right now, I'm going down to Chinatown with MangaGirl to pick up a wall-scroll to hang from my porch. I'm thinking something from Slayers or Ruins Explorers to play up the whole Fantasy angle. Simply because nothing quells anger like spite, and frankly there's no justification for this abnormal hatred he's got for me. It's anime. Deal with it. Hell, if I'm still feeling the Rage I might dig up the old cosplay outfits MangaGirl made for me to wear to a couple different conventions and wear them around the house this weekend.

I hope the guy his ex left him for was wearing a Guts (of Berserk) outfit. Mine still fits, and it's damned comfortable.

[Maryring]

Good idea. Hit the psyco where it hurts him the most. He won't be able to do much to you, because his fear will be too strong. To convert it to DnD terms... he'll have to make a DC 15 will save to get near you, and psycopats usually have low wisdom.

[Darkie]

For the record, the word is "psychopath". Sorry, I couldn't take it anymore.

[Maryring]

Not in Maryringish. :D

I knew I wrote it wrong, but I liked it that way.

[OzymandiasVolt]

The wall hanging idea isn't a good one. Being spiteful won't help the situation. You've handled the situation in a collected and mature manner in the past. Why stop now?

[ILM]

Right now, I'm going down to Chinatown with MangaGirl to pick up a wall-scroll to hang from my porch. I'm thinking something from Slayers or Ruins Explorers to play up the whole Fantasy angle. Simply because nothing quells anger like spite, and frankly there's no justification for this abnormal hatred he's got for me.
In fact, hang it outside your front door so he can see it clearly next time he drops by. Or send it to him as a gift. Nothing quells anger like mockery either, especially if you have a restraining order to keep you safe.

Best story I heard in a while, in any case.

[WhiteMonkey]

Yes.

Perhaps you should fashion up a Manga gift basket filled with bargain-bin manga and anime toys and ship it off to him with a card that says 'no hard feelings'.

Or just drop anime products off on his doorstep with the old doorbell ditch method.

[Miklus]

Hmmm...Very interesting story! I would not be to afraid of this guy, the stone-throwing episode showed him to be a coward. But defenetly get the restraining order. That way, if he comes to your house drunk and yelling again, you can get him arrested BEFORE he does something stupid.

But don't do anything to provoke this guy! If he is as unstable as he sounds, there is no telling what he might do. And if he wants a fight...don't give him one! Run away and call the police, it's THEIR job to deal with dunken, doped psycos. Take the moral high road on this one. Since he tangled with the police three times already, the judge will see things your way...especialy if you got that restraining order.

Do talk to the police on how to make him pay for the window, thoug. He must learn that his actions has long-term concequences.

[Gralamin]

wow that is just sad that he hated your character for that!

and for the record, slayers is one of the best animes Ever!

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Wow, TLB... if that's really at the heart of it, then that guy has some major issues. What an... an... well, I can't come up with anything fitting that wouldn't trigger the board filters, and it wouldn't be proper for a mod to mask profanity, would it? Anyways, if he's nutty enough for that to set him off and for it to escalate, then I say get that restraining order ASAP. I'd bet dollars to pennies he's going to get fixated and somehow decide you're the cause of all his problems :P Keep that cricket bat handy, and be safe!

On more amusing notes...

then [we] buggered off to the pub for a few pints.
That is now one of my 10 all time favorite phrases in English. It's probably not a good thing that it amuses me as much as it does, but whatever ;)

Also...

Not in Maryringish. :D
Maryringese has more of a ring to it, methinks.

[Alchemistmerlin]

If I ever meet you, I will PAY the cost of that wall scroll for you (As long as it doesn't like...bankrupt me)

Seriously, brilliant.

Sounds like someone who really didn't deserve a female in his life in the first place. ::)

[That Lanky Bugger]

Ah, back and safe.

So, I'm in the process of acquiring the Restraining Order. Should be ready for me tomorrow sometime, according to the officer I spoke with today.

On another note, I've now got two wallscrolls hanging outside my home. One is a Slayers wallscroll depicting the following:

http://www.zoommovie.com/Poster/VCD-2788.jpg

Not exactly that, but close. Different text and such on it, but I was told it's the same as the cover for the Slayers movie.

The other is this one:

http://www.geocities.com/gunner_d109/pics/inuposter.jpg <-InuYasha FTW

When ShortBlaster dropped by to pick up his Warhammer things, he took one look at the above and told me that PsychoDM was going to KILL me. Apparantly the ex was a big Takahashi fan. Fun times.

[malcolm]

That's an interesting story, the OOC portion moreso. I'm not sure where you live, but I don't invite people I've never met into my home, even fellow gamers. 8)

[Gralamin]

you choose great wall scrolls there.

Inuyasha kicks butt. Sesshomaru is the best (he can apply unlimited pressure! at least thats what the Tokijin is supposed to do... and so many people don't understand what that means!.

Slayers is better for magic, but not as good in the sword fighting aspect (but sometimes they can kick a lot of butt.)

[The_Werebear]

I hope Mr. PsychoDM doesn't have access to firearms.

[The_Chilli_God]

Sticking them outside your house? I should expect a lot more people than usual to look at your house with incredulous expressions.

Hey, keep posting, TLB. If you don't, we might think something bad happened.

[Darkie]

I hope Mr. PsychoDM doesn't have access to firearms.
This is Canada, PsychoDM isn't going to have a legal firearm, and he's not nearly networked enough to have an illegal one.

[Maryring]

Maryringese has more of a ring to it, methinks.

Well, considering where I live, I think Maryringian is the proper term ::D

[Gordon]

Also...
Maryringese has more of a ring to it, methinks.


Maryringlish? :)

[Jibar]

ouch man, I can't believe he did all that, over, apparantly, some girl who dumped him.
That is the sort of bad rep we don't need for this game, there should be laws that let us forbid people like him from playing,

[Miklus]

I don't agree with your decision to hang up the posters. There is no need to provoke this guy further. That's not what I would do, anyway. I would make him pay for the window. That's a fair and adult way to handle the situation.

[Kamakazee_Gnome]

Often with egomainiacal psychopaths, the only way to get rid of them is to humiliate them so completely that they never have the nerve to return. As such, mocking psychodm with the posters sounds like a good idea, in the long run. Unfortunately, this could well throw him into a murderous rage, instead. I'd advise keeping a knife on hand and 911 on speed dial... still... (Heck, I do that even when I don't know of anyone who hates my guts. never too safe.)


(edit: hey, what was that? Did my allignment just shift slightly?)

[dragonfly83h]

PsychoDM is adressed by Xykon:

"Y'know, I've destroyed entire villages and the most I got was a few snarky comments from the survivours. You, sir, have a serious problem with overreaction."

;)

[pocketwatch]

Lanky, I admire your mature and calm handling of the situation. I doubt that I could have done so well. Your actions so far have shown that you can defend yourself without overreacting or placing yourself in the wrong. I think the anime pictures are funny, but not really spiteful. Now, you could also consider getting AnimeGirl to do a life-size mural of your character on your front door... :D At least you aren't breaking into PsychoDM's house and spray-painting anime on his walls.
Also, that's a very well-written horror story. I think that an unstable personality like PsychoDM would have snapped eventually even without the anime. It's a good thing that he just made a stink over a gaming session instead of on a rooftop with a gun. It's a real pity that he trashed such an interesting character. I hope you can find another game to put him in, without him getting spoiled by the memories of PsychoDM.

[Gralamin]

why don't people listen? he can't get a gun in canada! people like him need good connections,or mental stability.
The only way to get a gun is crossing over to the US and going to new york or something but he has a criminal record now.

[Gordon]

why don't people listen? he can't get a gun in canada! people like him need good connections,or mental stability.
The only way to get a gun is crossing over to the US and going to new york or something but he has a criminal record now.

Because after all, illegal = impossible. ::)

[Cobra]

I live in Cali...can't complain.

If he's convicted of the crime, Lanky, then his conviction will be public knowledge. If that occurs, then you can post his name on the boards so that we don't accidentally run into this guy at a convention or something.

I think it's safe to say he will be convicted...just don't say anything yet. That'd be libel.

-Frank

Just to clarify: truth is an absolute defense to libel. So Lanky could use the guys real name as much as he wanted to. Newspapers and such use 'allegedly' because they don't actually know if the charges are actually true or not. Since Lanky knows whats true, and it wouldn't be very hard to prove, he doesn't need to worry bout libel.

That being said of course, the moderators have specifically requested that not be posted, so obviously he shouldn't post any names here.

[Umael]

Because after all, illegal = impossible. ::)

Illegal does equal higher difficulty though.

PsychoDM most likely cannot obtain one, doesn't have the connections, no need to worry about it.


ThatLankyBugger - Bravo. All around for what you have done and how you have handled it. Sucks that it happened in the first place. Loved the concept, by the by... I would have had so much fun just insinuating that I, as DM, was going to screw your PC over, possibly by having your PC locked up for a crime he didn't commit... but what he did... incompetent bungling amateur in the ways of evil... and that's just my assessment of his DMing prowess. We won't discuss his real life issues.

[Reptile]

I don't agree with your decision to hang up the posters. There is no need to provoke this guy further. That's not what I would do, anyway. I would make him pay for the window. That's a fair and adult way to handle the situation.

I'd have to agree with this. If he were just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill jerk, sure, rattle him a bit. But he seems to have serious problems, and has already vandalized your house, threatened your person, and generally acted...well, frankly, wilder than Belkar. This seems rather dangerous...

That said, once the restraining order goes through, will he (legally) be able to get close enough to your house to even see the scrolls?

[That Lanky Bugger]

Eh, I'm not too worried. I only had the one window to break, and the wallscrolls didn't cost me much.

Speaking of the restraining order... I've got it, but it's only temporary. It's what's known as an Ex Parte, which means it's able to be fast-tracked but is only temporary.

[brummeren]

That is one cool avatar.

[The Glyphstone]

But what is it?

[HappyPrince]

I seriously hope you didn't really put out those posters. How can this possibly serve you? Ok, I see how you get the momentary satisfaction of actually doing something in contrast to the feeling of being a passive victim (which you are not, due to getting help by the police). What else is in for you by doing so?

On the other hand, there are several disadvantages for you. First you set yourself to be in a questionable position and go down to his level. Why give up your position of superiority, especially as this position is backed up by the law? More important, why to give him so much influence over your live as to change the appearance of your home for him? I think any interaction with him (and I count posters intended for him to see as interaction) which gets you more emotionally involved in an issue he forced upon you than you already are doesn't do good to you. Again, you cannot help other people invading your life in a way you don't want, but you can help letting their actions determine your behavior.

I also advice you to figure out and judge the function this message thread has to you (I am of course most interested in how things are proceeding, but then this thread is not there for my curiosity). I guess that all the support you get here is very comforting. Moreover, I can imagine that all the planning of revenge via anime-assaults going on in a clearly confined surrounding like this thread might be a good alternative to actually doing the thing - hey, after all we're all gamers. But to my opinion it should stay that, an alternative. Hence my first sentence. Finally, I sincerely hope you have the heart "close" this thread the moment you find out that it keeps you preoccupied with something which would be good not to spend more thoughts on than necessary.

In general I hope never to find a post here in the playground were the identity of person other then the writer are disclosed. Besides this being extremely unfair (no matter how justified the accusations may be), to me this would mean an instant loss in credibility: instead of one position and an individual problem I have no reason to disbelieve in, there suddenly were two positions I had to choose between without any access to real facts - even and especially if there were no response of the other person. Happy I never saw this here - also thanks to the mods. Let's keep it this way, especially as the playgroud gets more and more crowded lately (like by me).

[EladrinStarmist]

ThatLankyBugger: Good thing we've been having a relatively mild winter, eh? (Is Canadian as well). I hope you can get your window fixed before too long. I can't imagine what heat's costing you right now, even with the plastic insulation up.

[Vacavriach]

Often with egomainiacal psychopaths, the only way to get rid of them is to humiliate them so completely that they never have the nerve to return. As such, mocking psychodm with the posters sounds like a good idea, in the long run. Unfortunately, this could well throw him into a murderous rage, instead.
I would have to agree that the posters would only serve to fuel his hatred for you. You may think it is amusing to "hit him where it hurts" by having them up, but that could easily cause him to shift the object of his psychosis to you.

Seriously, take them down.

[Gordon]

I would have to agree that the posters would only serve to fuel his hatred for you. You may think it is amusing to "hit him where it hurts" by having them up, but that could easily cause him to shift the object of his psychosis to you.

Seriously, take them down.

Or enjoy them in your home.

To illustrate, a joke:

A truckdriver was having a beer down in Texas. A weedy fellow walked into the same bar, ordered a Tab, and asked that the TV be turned to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Without a word, the barkeep drew out a shotgun and blew him away.

The truckdriver, flabbergasted, asked what the hell had just happened. The barkeep let him know that, in Texas, it's legal to shoot geeks.

On his next trip through Texas, the truckdriver was hauling a load of computer equipment, when his rear doors came open just north of Austin. When he pulled over, he saw chips, peripherals, drives all over the highway-- and Volvos slamming on their brakes as the geeks ran out to enjoy the sudden plunder. Remembering what he'd seen, the truckdriver retrieved his shotgun and began gunning down his bespectacled prey.

A state trooper pulled up, and told the man he was under arrest. The truckdriver said, "I thought it was legal to shoot geeks in Texas."
"Yessir," the trooper replied, "but you're not permitted to bait them!"

[CaptainSam]

A suggestion from the Mighty Wasps! Don't put them outside. That is leaving them open to theft and possible vandalism. Also it might be construed as you trying to provoke PDM.

Instead, why not hang them in your room, facing the window? Nothing wrong with that. You like anime, and the poster will be safe and dry. The fact that they can be seen from the street is coincidental.

By the way, for those curious, this (http://www.prosportuk.com/images/indexprodimages/1/gray%20nicolls%20cricket%20bats/8.jpg) is a cricket bat. Willow, nice and strong. They have been used for many, many years by Gentlemen. (http://images.art.com/images/products/regular/10096000/10096649.jpg) Not that I'm suggesting that Lanky has the cap, moustache, Whites and everything...but he might.

Lanky, is that in reference to your height or your origins?

[Elurindel]

ouch man, I can't believe he did all that, over, apparantly, some girl who dumped him.
That is the sort of bad rep we don't need for this game, there should be laws that let us forbid people like him from playing,


Perhaps an IQ test before the prospective is allowed to play?

[The_Beast_Rabban]

That is one cool avatar.


But what is it?

I am assuming that the new avatar is a visual OOTS-style representation of his character created for the game (complete with bloody bandages and blood trail) but could be wrong.

V - Yes I like that idea ;D

[Truthseeker]

I am assuming that the new avatar is a visual OOTS-style representation of his character created for the game (complete with bloody bandages and blood trail) but could be wrong.

So it appears. And a fine avatar it is, but for true poetry methinks it should've been all that... but with a cricket bat instead of the sword. ;)

Everyone's a critic. :D

[Chris the Pontifex]

aawww man, I should've thought of that

lets see what I can do

[Akiosama]

Illegal does equal higher difficulty though.

PsychoDM most likely cannot obtain one, doesn't have the connections, no need to worry about it.


I would say probably no need to worry about it... but not knowing PDM, who knows what kind of connections he has? Nothing he exhibits proves he DOESN'T have the connections... and I don't know about Canada, but getting illegal stuff in the U.S. isn't that hard AT ALL, well depending on the size and degree of illegality. And in this case, proximity to the U.S. could be a problem too, as it's far easier to get a firearm here, as well, even with a criminal record (as he would probably get it illegally here, too, since you'd have to wait otherwise, even if the record didn't exist...) Criminals generally won't care about the legality of the tools they use since the acts they're using them for are illegal anyhow. (One of the problems with the idea of gun control, IMO, but that is neither here nor there...)

It'll be more about what PDM is willing to risk to get back at Lank. So, don't get paranoid about it, Lank, but do watch your back. I'd hate to hear that a game did you harm. (For your sake and the sake of the game. Anti-RPG people would already be drooling at your story so far, much less if it got worse...)

Just my 2 yen,

Game on!

Akio

[Wren]

why don't people listen? he can't get a gun in canada! people like him need good connections,or mental stability.
The only way to get a gun is crossing over to the US and going to new york or something but he has a criminal record now.

You're allowed to have hunting weapons. For hunting.

Generally thats pretty restricted, nothing automatic or high caliber. Also some leglisation is coming through that won't let you own any handguns, but that seems a little much.

It must not be that hard to get dangerous weapons either, I was reading a newstory where some mother found in her sons room an AK-47 and some ammo.

[Maryring]

I may be wrong, but I've heard that Norway has as many guns as... Canada or USA, (don't remember which,) per person. The simplicity of getting a gun isn't all that there's too it. Both Canada and Norway have heavy restrictions on guns, so I'd say that Lanky would be quite safe.

[Chris the Pontifex]

aawww man, I should've thought of that

lets see what I can do

here's a quick edit with a bat
I can do better, if I need to, say so


edit:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y2/chrishattink/ASH_LankyBuggerBAT.gif

[Rykaj]

I'm in Europe (Netherlands) and guns (most weapons for that matter, even most knives) are illegal here. Where you said it's really easy to obtain illegal goods you're right. Without actively looking for it I know several places to obtain harddrugs (heroin, cocaine, xtc, speed, I haven't found LSD yet though :P). But I've never ever heard someone mention he had a gun, let alone I've ever seen one except in the holster of a police officer. Just to illustrate how hard it is to get a weapon here... I don't know how it is in Canada though, being next to a country that does allow firearms to the average Joe. It might be different there.

[WhiteMonkey]

I may be wrong, but I've heard that Norway has as many guns as...
FOR GET NORWAY!!!

Kenya!

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/kenya/

[Gamebird]

Guns, in Minnesota, which borders Canada - not hard to get. Even illegal ones. I'd suggest cruising garage sales. Ask around. You'll find them. No paperwork.

(I do have this sort of patchy background.)

It's my experience that criminals are OFTEN psychologically unstable and badly connected. However, this does not deter them from being wack-jobs or getting illegal weapons. If fact, it is their general stupidity and desperation and willingness to do stupid, stupid things (and get caught for it) that makes them criminals. Smart, well connected criminals are never caught, never charged for anything, and have a very clean record. Perhaps even spotless.

[WhiteMonkey]

Ah yes, the criminal 'Garage Sale Gang' of Minnesota. I herd you guys were a real terror back in the 90's, forcing old ladies to haggle well below the value of their second hand items as you threatened them with their own bargain rate pistols and shotguns. Quite shameful really.

[Umael]

I would say probably no need to worry about it...

I am grammatically corrected. Thank you for pointing that out, Akiosama.

Perhaps it would have been better if I said, "Keep an eye open, but don't lose any sleep of this." Of course, how you manage to sleep with one eye open is your business.

[Darkie]

It must not be that hard to get dangerous weapons either, I was reading a newstory where some mother found in her sons room an AK-47 and some ammo.Uhhh, that kid was connected. If you recall the charges, he was traffiking cocaine. Not exactly an anti-social gamer, there.

Look, the only way to get a gun illegally is to know a guy who can hook you up with someone. If you approach a dealer without a reference, you'd be lucky to get out of that meeting alive, forget whatever cash you brought. You have a guy essentially saying "I have no weapon, but I have a hundred bucks in cash that I want to give you in exchange for the loaded handgun you currently have." to a criminal. If he has no reason to not do you harm... then you'll be harmed.

Well, the other ways are to do it yourself, via smuggling or B&E, but I don't see PsychoDM being organized enough to do that.

Also, to get weapons for hunting and the like, you need a license, first and formost. Not just wander up to a shop and buy one because you say you're hunting. The local place I go to charged about 300 bucks just for the courses, without administration fees. And then you gotta take the test, and then they give you your license, and then you can legally buy a hunting weapon. And all this with a spotless background. Don't know what would happen if the background check turned up something. And of course, you could be clean, get your guns, and then have a criminal record, and you'd still have your license, but as was said before, they're tightening that. (A convicted criminal ended up killing someone with a hunting rifle, because dispite being a dangerous offender he was allowed a bunch of firearms for hunting season. WTF?)

[Leperflesh]

I mislike this entire discussion about guns, because it is focusing on entirely the wrong thing.

The question is, is PsychoDM violently inclined, or not. If he is violently inclined, the degree to which he may escalate the conflict is unconstrained. The degree to which he may or may not be armed is constrained, but not of paramount importantce. Just as a random example, the materials to commit arson are readily available, and perhaps equally as dangerous.

LankyBugger needs to make his own assessment. The guy pitched a rock, sure, but it was at a window, not a person. When he was resisting being chucked out of the house, he did so passively, not violently.

I would not do things to provoke him, but my reason would not be fear of violent retribution... rather, because I believe in considering outcomes. First, ask: what outcome do I want? And then based on that, consider: what actions will be most likely to lead to that outcome?

If the outcome you want is "more conflict", then "provocation" is a good strategy. If the outcome you want is "never see or hear from PsychoDM again", then perhaps a different strategy would be optimal.

Right now, the outcome LankyBugger seems to be persuing is "feel satisfaction" - if that's the most important consideration, then by all means go for it. (And I am not being sarcastic. Sometimes after something like this, a cathartic act of defiance is precisely what the doctor ordered.)

-Lep

[Tharr]

Where this game take place Colorado surprised the FBI has not focused on this post. Sounds like a bad session gone wrong.

[Darkie]

Where this game take place Colorado surprised the FBI has not focused on this post. Sounds like a bad session gone wrong.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. FBI has no jurisdiction.

[HempRope]

Hmm... I also doubt the FBI lurks in GitP, or that it would care about something so trivial (well, it's not really trivial, but there are bigger fish to fry, if you'll suffer me that cliche).

Anyway, that said... TLB, you are planning on getting a more permanent version of the restraining order, yes? And what're you doing about getting the window replaced? Suing him for it, or just doing it yourself? Not that it really matters to me, but you've piqued my curiosity.

[Akiosama]

Umael, nothing wrong with your grammar. I was just pointing out that I thought that Lanky is mostly safe as opposed to quite safe, given that a criminal wouldn't generally think about the legality of his tools before committing a crime...

If he's actually committed to going through with a crime, then no amount of illegality of the items needed would stop him from doing it. Acquiring it might be harder than normal, but it doesn't sound like he'd have to go that far to get over to this side, where it'd be far easier.

But actually I don't have any idea how hard it would be to get a firearm up that way. I just know that it's fairly easy to get one here in the U.S. without the transfer on record, so...

But that's just my 2 yen,

Game on!

Akio

[Gamebird]

Like Akio - from my experience here in the US, it's not that hard to get a gun if you want one. Not all gamers are not connected. One of my husband's gaming friends used to be a licensed arms dealer and had a dozen or so guns (handguns mostly) at any time. He had certain other connections.

The jerk who pulled a gun on his partner at a convention, who was into wife swapping, who I mentioned earlier, was in the airforce (some sort of ground crew maintenance I think) and greatly advocated the power of the firearm to get what you want. He had several. I don't know if they were legal or not or if he could have or would have gotten them for someone who paid. I do know that he was pretty crazy himself and he gamed a lot.

And then we have the people who are RELATED to gamers. Yes, perhaps PsychoDM doesn't have a gun. But are you sure his brother, mother, grandfather, cousin, favorite uncle, etc. do not have guns? My father has a large number of guns (almost all are rifles or shotguns). Various of our less savory relatives (and some of his "friends" who then ceased to be friends) have stolen guns from him. Guns can be stolen - and it's fairly easy to steal from a relative or a "friend" whom you know the work schedule of, the layout of their house, and what security arrangements they have.

If someone wants to escalate a conflict to the level of killing someone, or brandishing a firearm for intimidation purposes, the law will impede them, but it does not necessarily stop them.

[Tobaselly]

What's to assume that the guy didn't own a gun before the incident?

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Comrade Gorby: While the discussion of firearm acquisition by extra-legal means is interesting, it's not exactly on topic. Also, it's darn close to violating some of the forum rules (ie. the one regarding not posting information about illegal activities). So, let's move on to something else, eh?

[Munchy]

I'm in Europe (Netherlands) and guns (most weapons for that matter, even most knives) are illegal here. Where you said it's really easy to obtain illegal goods you're right. Without actively looking for it I know several places to obtain harddrugs (heroin, cocaine, xtc, speed, I haven't found LSD yet though ). But I've never ever heard someone mention he had a gun, let alone I've ever seen one except in the holster of a police officer. Just to illustrate how hard it is to get a weapon here... I don't know how it is in Canada though, being next to a country that does allow firearms to the average Joe. It might be different there.


Response censored based on Gorby's post. :D

End comment : Getting guns in Europe is easy.

[Tarthan]

Lanky, your story definitely beats mine. That is, simply put, bad DMing. There is no excuse for what PsychoDM did before or after you ordered him out of your house, and justifying it by saying that you were "ruining his story" is bullshod at best. It is the job of the DM to create a fun and enjoyable story for the characters to play a part of. As soon as the DM stops doing that, you might as well call it a day.

On another note that I am sure you are tired of hearing by now, I love your character's background/curse a lot. Very well thought out. PsychoDM just lost an excellent player.

[That Lanky Bugger]

Tarthan: I'm thinking of having Ash's character sheet framed. Just so I can point to it and say: "This is the reason I had to take a restraining order out on someone."

To all the people who've asked... Feel free to steal the concept. The best GMing is 9/10ths theft anyways.

[Brickwall]

Don't take this as experienced advice, because I know well that I know nothing about this stuff, but...

It seems like you are making this into a "victory" of some sort. while it's nice that you prevailed through an unsettling event like this with a cool head, these are things you only want to remember so you can deal with it well in the future. If you dwell on things like this, it may become awkward to talk about, as you get more and more of a superior tone. While PsychoDM certainly isn't someone I'd ever want to be around, remember that nobody's perfect. Even if he doesn't know you're antagonizing him, that doesn't make it right. I believe there's plenty of people who think there's something wrong with laughing about someone behind their back, wether they deserve it or not. The posters were probably too far anyway, much less framing the character sheet like some sort of trophy. I'm not trying to be insulting, and I really don't know anything about this. I've never been to a Philosophy 101 course or anything. But if I had a bad memory like PsychoDM, I'd keep it away until I needed to recall how I dealt with the situation.

And, before anyone goes on saying how stupid my advice is (for I know very few people if anybody are going to agree with me), it's just my opinion. I don't have any idea if my way is better or worse than his, but I felt that this thread was meant to be for this kind of post. If I'm wrong, umm, that's too bad, I guess.

[That Lanky Bugger]

Brickwall, believe me when I say that I can understand your position. I was ready to give up the fight and quietly let the guy have his psychotic little fantasies when I learned that the reason my heating bills were up, the reason I'd have to pay $400 for a new window to be installed and the reason one of the best characters I've ever created was squandered was because of a post it note with a bit of anime scribbled on it.

I was feeling RK Milholland levels of rage after learning that. I'm not joking. I've never been more furious. We're talking about serious damage to my home and someone threatening my well-being in spite of the police because he can't cope with the fact his girlfriend left him, near to a year and a half ago.

I can understand the point of not tempting him, but let's view it from another angle... If I were some rabid anime fanboy and my walls were plastered with wallscrolls when he came over, how might he have reacted? If he cracked me one, would it be my fault for not catering to my guests?

He can do little more to my home. My one window facing the street is smashed. He can't re-smash it until it gets replaced, and if anything does he goes to jail for a very long time, unless he can provide a solid alibi to the police. My other windows are practically butted against the houses nearest me, and my backyard fence is four feet higher than my backyard window.

I don't care if I'm provoking him at this point. The sanctity of my home has been repeatedly violated by PsychoDM, and to even get near enough to my home to see the wallscrolls means he's coming dangerously close to violating the terms of the restraining order. Actually smashing them would violate the terms beyond the point of no return.

There's a certain point where personal freedoms are infringed by what is considered "polite". I'm a rude person, and I intend to remain that way. If he doesn't like it, he can sod off or cool his heels in jail. I refuse to remodel my home based on his psychosis, and I will not to cater to his delusional fantasies about what a rotten person I am for daring to actually enjoy Neon Genesis Evangelion. If he'd like to build me up as the terrible person I am and attempt action on this illusion he's created for himself, he is very free to try and wind up serving an extended prison term.

If he'd like to fixate on me, he's welcome to do so. It's already been made clear to him that anything even resembling a hostile action against me will land his rear end in a bright jumpsuit amongst Canada's worst. If he requires a fixation, he may contemplate me while he rots.

[Gralamin]

Well said Lanky, well said.

[Brickwall]

I get all that, I was just talking about the whole framing the charsheet thing. I wouldn't think these are memories you want to hold on to. If you can't look back on something and either laugh at it or learn a lesson from it, IMHO, it's best to try and let it go as much as possible. It seems like you have everything covered, so dwell on the justice that's been done, and don't spend any MORE money than you need to ($400 seems quite a blowout to me, me not being a fully independent member of society yet. But still, it should make you think about your spending for a month or two). Just think, you may be able to spend the money you would have used to get the frame for that thing to buy a new D&D book! It's fine to feel good about coming out of this before too much damage was done, but I'm just saying more damage could be caused if you didn't let it fade into the past. If I always thought about some of the worse moments of my past, I would probably be much less happy than I am now. I think that's all I'm trying to cover. The past is to be laughed at and learned from, not regretted and be saddened by. I think. I really don't know. But it works for me, so it has SOME chance of working for you too.

[That Lanky Bugger]

Don't get me wrong. I'm laughing at this situation right now. It bothers me that someone that disturbed has entered my life, but I'm genuinely attached to Ash and this whole situation gives me a funny story to tell people about him.

Even if I never get to play him, he's a veritable goldmine of fun.

[Hawkeye]

I really hope you actually get to play him, you've thought up an excellent background story for him (which in my experience most players don't do) and so much scope for character development.

I also think that most DM's would love it if you played him, as they can create subquests and even whole quests around ash.

[Alchemistmerlin]

I get all that, I was just talking about the whole framing the charsheet thing. I wouldn't think these are memories you want to hold on to. If you can't look back on something and either laugh at it or learn a lesson from it, IMHO, it's best to try and let it go as much as possible. It seems like you have everything covered, so dwell on the justice that's been done, and don't spend any MORE money than you need to ($400 seems quite a blowout to me, me not being a fully independent member of society yet. But still, it should make you think about your spending for a month or two). Just think, you may be able to spend the money you would have used to get the frame for that thing to buy a new D&D book! It's fine to feel good about coming out of this before too much damage was done, but I'm just saying more damage could be caused if you didn't let it fade into the past. If I always thought about some of the worse moments of my past, I would probably be much less happy than I am now. I think that's all I'm trying to cover. The past is to be laughed at and learned from, not regretted and be saddened by. I think. I really don't know. But it works for me, so it has SOME chance of working for you too.


Wait, but this can both be laughed at and learned from.

Lessons:
A) Don't invite strangers into your home
B) Don't play D&D with a DM you don't have much information about
C) Don't obessess over a failed relationship to the point that it makes you seem like a total psychopath.
D) Never doubt that 911 is just 3 numbers away.

[White Blade]

TLB, I want to say that your character concept inspires god-like awe and wonder for your amazingly impressive character. I mean, I've pulled fun backgrounds out of my butt fairly quickly, but DAMN! Thats amazing, a truly brilliant character of a caliber on par with Merlin and the Knights of the round table.
(Merlin lived his life backwards, Jack The Giant Killer stole an invisibility cloak and killed giants, Lancelot was kidnapped, Arthur pulled the sword from the stone. I could go on, but you have truly topped most of the legends I know.)

[Muzzleflash]

Guns, in Minnesota, which borders Canada - not hard to get. Even illegal ones. I'd suggest cruising garage sales. Ask around. You'll find them. No paperwork.

(I do have this sort of patchy background.)

It's my experience that criminals are OFTEN psychologically unstable and badly connected. However, this does not deter them from being wack-jobs or getting illegal weapons. If fact, it is their general stupidity and desperation and willingness to do stupid, stupid things (and get caught for it) that makes them criminals. Smart, well connected criminals are never caught, never charged for anything, and have a very clean record. Perhaps even spotless.

If I may interject swiftly:

It is perfectly legal to purchase a firearm from someone else, with no paperwork. Garage sale? Pennysaver ad? Guy at work? Sure. Knock yourself out.

If you ask me where people get the idea that you always need to have paperwork or 'licensing'*, I blame poorly written TV shows.

How else would Americans know that firearms are so complex that special training is needed to operate them, yet are so simple to use that commiting a murder with them is easy, and where else would they constantly hear the non-term 'unregistered gun'? :P


*PRNJ, PRK, PRNY are different. Also, by federal law, transferable NFA items do require a background check and fingerprints followed by an ATF approved transfer, but no thug will even be looking in those channels.

[Lysander]

Ealier I noticed someone say something about truth being a complete defense against libel. That is true, but you could still get sued for saying someone did something (whether they did or not) simply because you can sue anyone for anything and just because something is true doesn't mean you could prove it.

Also, newspapers can't say "allegedly" and be libel-free. That's a pretty common myth. If they published "Mike Johnson allegedly stabbed the victim with the knife" they would get sued for libel the next day. The reason is that simply writing allegedly doesn't negate the impact of their statements. Libel is about lowering someone's standing in the community and it doesn't matter if you say something to effect of "But we're not sure about this" before or after the libelous statement. Imagine if someone said this about you to everyone you knew "That person killed their neighbor's pet dog just for the thrill of it and then ate it, allegedly."

[Goumindong]

Ealier I noticed someone say something about truth being a complete defense against libel. That is true, but you could still get sued for saying someone did something (whether they did or not) simply because you can sue anyone for anything and just because something is true doesn't mean you could prove it.


No, you cannot "sue anyone for anything". I do not know what crazy Nation/State you live in, or what crazy civil judicial laws you have on the books... but really.

[The_Beast_Rabban]

No, you cannot "sue anyone for anything". I do not know what crazy Nation/State you live in, or what crazy civil judicial laws you have on the books... but really.
Technically you can try but the level of success would be questionable ;)

[Falkus]

Ealier I noticed someone say something about truth being a complete defense against libel. That is true, but you could still get sued for saying someone did something (whether they did or not) simply because you can sue anyone for anything and just because something is true doesn't mean you could prove it.

In the United States maybe, but not in Canada.

[prufock]

I'm not all that worried about him coming back. Hopefully he'll be a little more sane tomorrow, and realize that he's already in some fairly deep trouble. If not, I did speak with the police officer. Because they've already had to remove him from my property twice, if he's injured in any scuffle we might have in the future it's far more likely that the courts would take things my way.

I doubt it'll come down to self defense or anything like that, but I do have a nifty cricket bat which I've moved to a handy location at my front door. I plan on keeping my door locked at all times for the next week or two, just in case.

Cricket bat? Nice touch. I use a sledgehammer.

[Hawkeye]

Cricket bat? Nice touch. I use a sledgehammer.


The cricket bat is the gentleman's weapon, used in a more civilised time.

[Gamebird]

My weapons of choice are baseball bat, huge Bowie knife, and butcher knife. Oh, and rock hammer.

I like things that can be construed as being "tools" or "sporting equipment" rather than weapons. I've gone out to fight people armed with an umbrella once and a can opener another time (the two handled type with the crank, not the four inch bit of metal).

Luckily, I've never had to fight with any of these and thus I have yet to seriously hurt myself. ;D

As for the paperwork thing and guns - I dunno. I've never bought a gun legally. (And this being a public forum, of course I've never bought one illegally either.)

[Gordon]

The cricket bat is the gentleman's weapon, used in a more civilised time.

Not as clumsy or as random as a soccer ball?

[Brickwall]

There's plenty of weapons you don't need a license for. They're not always meant to be used as weapons, but still.

A: Anything you can buy in a martial arts shop. wooden swords, nunchaku, wooden staffs...all heavy and damaging if used well

B: as you said, bats. fun, simple, but I find them a bit unwieldy. But they're still effective against psychoDMs.

C: Spare pipes. You'll probably dent them, but one hit in the right area (don't go for the head, you'll kill them) should stop any intruder. Except a bear. Then you have a problem.

D: If you have a knife rack for various cooking jobs, or even just one cleaver or bread knife (the 1 foot long serrated kind), you can just take a big one out and hide it if you hear the window break.

But it's a bad idea to carry these things out of your house. Except bats, maybe. You'll be in big trouble if you ever plan to use them for anything but defending the sanctity of your own home.

Meanwhile, find a good use for that character. I'm sure there are plenty of sane DMs who would love to have him.

[Nahal]

In the United States maybe, but not in Canada.


Actually, last time I checked truth WAS a defence against libel. Claiming that someone raped and murdered a three-year-old may lower their standing in their community, but if you can prove it's true they can't do a thing about it. That clause protects people who report damaging facts about, say, politicians behaving badly..

[Lysander]

Oh, you can sue for absolutely anything. Or nothing. You won't win and the judge might impose a fine but you can go to court over anything. When wealthy individuals or organizations want to destroy their enemies they often take them to court over nothing, simply because they can afford the attorney fees but their opponents will be driven bankrupt. Suing and winning are different but getting sued and having to go to court and hire a lawyer is a hassle, even if you win.

And truth IS a defense against libel. They could still sue you but you'd win. But the truth has to be really easy to prove for you to win. If someone is the number 1 suspect the police have in a case and they have lots of evidence you still can't SAY they did it until they're actually found guilty in a court of law. Here's what you can't print:

"Mike Johnson allegedly killed the man"

In the eyes of the law that is the same as saying they're a murderer and they could sue you for libel if found innocent. Here's what you can print:

"Mike Johnson was arrested and will stand trial for the murder of the man"

Because that statement makes no judgements about whether he actually killed anyone or not, it simply states what is actually occuring.

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Comrade Gorby: I seem to recall nudging this thread away from both the discussions of weapon acquisition and usage, and from discussions of legal differences between different areas. The thread has clearly wandered away from the topic - again - and into the areas I already asked it not to go. So, once again I'm going to ask that the discussion move on.

This is the third time I've needed to do this; next time, I will be locking the thread.

[fuzzymoogle]

Query, Lanky:

Why was your friend not quite as forthright about that little bit of information?

[Renmazuo]

Lanky, thats a pretty funny & sad story at the same time

I just wanted to say one thing though. It was very well written ;D

[That Lanky Bugger]

Query, Lanky:

Why was your friend not quite as forthright about that little bit of information?

Simple answer: He didn't see the character sheet until after the game. He didn't realize that this was what had set off PsychoDM. In fact there was nothing in my behavior that would have caused this, according to ShortBlaster. The picture was the only clue he had to work from.

He knew PsychoDM wasn't playing with a full deck, but he didn't know how many cards short he was.

[TheOtherMC]

Simple answer: He didn't see the character sheet until after the game. He didn't realize that this was what had set off PsychoDM. In fact there was nothing in my behavior that would have caused this, according to ShortBlaster. The picture was the only clue he had to work from.

He knew PsychoDM wasn't playing with a full deck, but he didn't know how many cards short he was.

Wow....I just realized...that must've been one freakin intense game of 40k, considering your emotional state....:smallbiggrin:

[TheThan]

If I may interject swiftly:

It is perfectly legal to purchase a firearm from someone else, with no paperwork. Garage sale? Pennysaver ad? Guy at work? Sure. Knock yourself out.


In California you need paperwork to (well legally) purchase guns via private sale. It didn’t used to be that way, you used to be able to buy and sell guns at will, but times change.


There's plenty of weapons you don't need a license for. They're not always meant to be used as weapons, but still.

A: Anything you can buy in a martial arts shop. wooden swords, nunchaku, wooden staffs...all heavy and damaging if used well

But it's a bad idea to carry these things out of your house. Except bats, maybe. You'll be in big trouble if you ever plan to use them for anything but defending the sanctity of your own home.

Meanwhile, find a good use for that character. I'm sure there are plenty of sane DMs who would love to have him.

Nunchaku are illegal in California as well, unless we’re talking about those cheep foam kind you get at costume shops.

[Foolster41]

Man. Some story. I hope I never have a player or GM like that guy. good to hear the others also saw how much of a jerk he was being.

I was thinking at the point where he takes you aside I'd ask "Why are you so intent on killing my character?" because it really seemed he had it out for you. I mean, you don't just break a pencil when your mildly annoyed.

I know this is redundant but the hook is cool, I may use it as well myself if it's ok.

[Cobra]

Wow, this is some pretty serious thread necromancy going on here. Check the dates on the original posts... I think all the original posters are long gone.

[J_Muller]

Yeah, necro much, MC?

[Mc. Lovin']

Wow. And we think we have problems. Is there ever a gaming group without problems O.o?

[Narthon the Bold]

I'm glad it got necroed, I never saw it the first time. How creepy.

[Yahzi]

The Reason PsychoDM Hated My Character
Looking for reasons in a psychopath's head is like looking for free money in Haley's pockets.

Senor Psychopath hated you because you were in front of him at the moment. End of story...

BTW, you handled it all very well. And you've got the best kind of closure - a lot of people laughing. :smallbiggrin:

[Yahzi]

I don't agree with your decision to hang up the posters. There is no need to provoke this guy further. That's not what I would do, anyway.
Lanky Bugger isn't hanging the posters up for PsychoDM. He is hanging them up for himself.

If it helps him deal with the situation, he's fully entitled. This is what people do: they take ownership of their lives and situations and feelings. Well, it's what healthy people do. :smallbiggrin: There are plenty of goobers like PsychoDM who can't take ownership of their own actions...

[Yahzi]

I would have to agree that the posters would only serve to fuel his hatred for you..
Um... no.

Mailing the posters to PsychoDM in jail would be provoking him. And pretty dang funny. :smallbiggrin:

Putting up posters on your own house is defending your space, your rights, and your own peace of mind.

[Yahzi]

Edited for the moderator's sake.

[OzymandiasVolt]

Um... no.

Mailing the posters to PsychoDM in jail would be provoking him. And pretty dang funny. :smallbiggrin:

Putting up posters on your own house is defending your space, your rights, and your own peace of mind.

But putting them outside specifically because the psycho hates them is indeed provoking him to further idiocy.

[Yahzi]

There's a certain point where personal freedoms are infringed by what is considered "polite". I'm a rude person, and I intend to remain that way.
:smallcool:

The world needs more people who stand up to misbehavour.

[Yahzi]

Edit, for the moderator's sake.

[Yahzi]

But putting them outside specifically because the psycho hates them is indeed provoking him to further idiocy.
No, it's Lanky asserting his rights.

And by extension, defending everyone else's.

[shaddy_24]

Hey, nifty. I just heard my front window break. I'm going to go call the police now.

Ok, that scared me so badly. Please don't do anything like that to people. Let them know after everything has finished. I don't want to hear later how you got hert when that happened. That would suck.

And btw, I do know this happened months ago. It still scared me.

[OzymandiasVolt]

No, it's Lanky asserting his rights.

And by extension, defending everyone else's.

It's like prodding a really weak and annoying lion with a sharp stick. Yes, we all know you CAN do it. The question is, SHOULD you do it? It serves no purpose beyond provocation.

[Helgraf]

It's like prodding a really weak and annoying lion with a sharp stick. Yes, we all know you CAN do it. The question is, SHOULD you do it? It serves no purpose beyond provocation.

And _that_ is a decision every person must make for themselves. And Lanky clearly has.

[Viscount Einstrauss]

Hey, the guy started turning out scary. Imagine if you suddenly found out that you might have inadvertently brought a true, honest-to-god psychopath into your home. We have police for exactly these kind of people. And psych wards.

[Tor the Fallen]

Hey, the guy started turning out scary. Imagine if you suddenly found out that you might have inadvertently brought a true, honest-to-god psychopath into your home. We have police for exactly these kind of people. And psych wards.

Or loaded guns!!

[Viscount Einstrauss]

Oh, sure, let's all just shoot our problems away.

Well, he could always get a nice 200 lbs dog.

[Tor the Fallen]

But a mean bark.

[Sliver_Slave]

But what is it?

A xill bard.

[Dr. Weasel]

Egad! This thread died months ago. Leave it be.

[Sliver_Slave]

Egad! This thread died months ago. Leave it be.

And what difference does it make? Is there some rule against it?

[Dr. Weasel]

Thread Necromancy
Bringing a thread back from “the dead.” If a thread has fallen to page three and hasn’t been posted to in for a month and a half, don’t post to it. Start a new topic if you want to discuss the subject.

So... Yeah, there is a rule against it

[Sliver_Slave]

Why don't they just lock it if its so bad? *Last comment*

[Jayabalard]

wow... interesting situation, I missed this one the first time around.

Speaking of forum rules, doesn't anyone else find irony in people quoting rules at people since Vigilante Modding is also against the rules?

[F.H. Zebedee]

Xiaoyan Quihante had a good saying for this. "TURN UNTHREAD!"

Really, I think that this topic should just be somehow disabled, since otherwise, it'll just keep rising from the grave. This thread is possibly the most memorable one in this entire section, and gets linked to so often (and is so outlandish) that people are sure to post in it.

I've been left wondering, also. Has psycho-DM done any more performances/got mature and apologized? Has anybody heard?

[psychoticbarber]

I've been left wondering, also. Has psycho-DM done any more performances/got mature and apologized? Has anybody heard?

"We should really close this thread, or it'll continue to rise from the dead. That being said, I'm going to post in it."

Said with a complete understanding of the irony, intended to be playful, not mean :smallsmile:.

[Solo]

Lanky's last activity was on: 07-18-2007 10:35 AM

He is alive and well.

Now lets never post in this thread again.

[skywalker]

Sorry Solo, but this needs to be addressed:

wow... interesting situation, I missed this one the first time around.

Speaking of forum rules, doesn't anyone else find irony in people quoting rules at people since Vigilante Modding is also against the rules?

There is, in fact, precedent from the mods asking that forum rules be explained and posted as reminders to those who forget/don't know(especially new members.) There's a difference between simply posting a rule and flaming someone for it. I believe the latter is what is mainly meant by "vigilante modding." Obviously, with the rather small number of mods and the rather large number of topics in this forum, we need to be self-policing to a certain extent.

[Arlanthe]

Whoa....

Just whoa. Best horror gaming story ever. I applaud you. Or sympathise, or whatever is appropriate.

I can never beat that.

Edit: I notice some people are irritated about it. I'm kinda glad it came back so I got a chance to read it. It's an epic post and deserves an encore.

[Tengu]

Speaking of old threads about stupid DMs, does anyone have a link to the one where Shiyuyan (or what was his name... it was so long ago...) writes about the worst DM/player he ever met? It was a story about a nation of Viking-Japanese crossover people fighting off sort-of-Mongol invaders.