Lord Liaden

I'm so sorry you're going through that, man. "There but for the grace of God go I." For surviving all that, you really are a Hero.

I've never run or played in a game where the PCs started out as members of the nobility or other elites, aside from a backstory of being outcast or disowned like HeroGM suggested above. But I have been part of campaigns where the PCs ascended to that rank through their deeds and accomplishments. IME that campaign worked best when everyone in the group was comfortable with raising the stakes and making the plots more epic. It strains credulity for these increasingly important people to keep dungeon-delving or trekking through wilderness, instead of tending to duties at their own manors or at court. Particularly as a group. Duke, I sympathize with your attitude toward political plots in fantasy games. They hold little appeal for me as well. However, partly as a creative exercise and partly to assist GMs who do like that dimension in their games, some time back I posted a series of political plot seeds: Besruhan Intrigues . As the default it's set in Hero Games' Turakian Age world, but I did offer a few suggestions on adjusting them for other settings (although in most cases that should be obvious). I believe they would mostly fit with the subject of this thread, too.

Oh, I can hear a skull Trumpsloding from 'way over here.

I have to disagree partially with Duke. Small stones can pass naturally with urination. My brother was prone to them and had several bouts where they eventually passed, with considerable pain. Sometimes larger ones can be broken up inside the body with ultrasound, allowing the smaller fragments to pass. But if you've gotten to the point of inflammation, other organs affected, and your doctors discussing possible surgery, IME it's very unlikely they'll go away on their own. Without some sort of intervention they'll probably get worse.

It really is striking how fast the rats are jumping ship, isn't it?

My brother had gall stones and had his gall bladder removed. It's a pretty routine surgery -- he was able to return home the next day. He experienced a couple of weeks of minor pain and had to be careful of lifting heavy weights for several weeks. The gall bladder isn't essential to our functioning. My brother has had to restrict his consumption of fatty foods because the gall bladder helps break those down. Otherwise he's experienced no difficulties. So, if your surgery is limited to the gall bladder, it's not serious. Pancreas and liver, though, would be a bigger matter.

Chalk envy?

They're both in states of deNiles.

"The Chief" from the Doom Patrol is Niles Caulder.

If media spread provable blatant lies, they should be held to account, and have to pay massive compensation or serve jail time. If they won't choose to be ethical they need to be forced. And sadly these days, the only people who can and will hold big corporations to account are other big corporations.

Omigod. This is how some of the elites are going to justify getting the vaccine early. Setting a good example.

Considering male psychology, I suspect it arose out of the desire to take something that no man before ever had, and no man after would ever have. Plus, of course, insecurity over being compared. The rationalization, though, is traditionally that women are a great source of temptation to sin for men, so you'd want to get them before they're corrupted.

On that front at least, Twitter has confirmed their account for the POTUS transfers to Joe Biden after the inauguration. I'm pretty confident any other provocative tweeting Trump attempts will get him banned once he no longer has the shield of that office. Trump will have to find alternative platforms to get his message across, which I'm sure he will; but at least we can anticipate an end to tweetstorms. A lot will depend on how Trump reacts to the termination of his presidency. If he goes off to sulk on his golf course while his lawyers fight the prosecutions heading his way, his followers will probably dissipate. If he actively continues riling them up they could become a significant source of national unrest. Frankly I could see it going either way. Trump loves attention, clearly savors the power and status of POTUS, and is epically petty and vindictive. OTOH he's also lazy and undisciplined, and all the grand strategies he's talking about would require him to actually work at them.

Bolo, it might be prudent to rephrase your expression before Dan Simon drops by.

Among the worst features of Trumpism is that it does indeed appear to be contagious. Trump's success at using nationalist populist rhetoric to foster factionalism in his country, demonize foreigners, convince common Americans that catering to the elite actually benefits them, wage a propaganda war against facts and knowledge, all to advance his personal position, has inspired similar dilettante demagogues elsewhere in the world. E.g. Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom; Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil; Scott Morrison from Australia.

This strikes me as eminently practical advice.

Yes. IME a Private Message to Jason Walters on this subject will get the promptest response.

Hey, not over me.

If being a Lord here is such an imposition, I think the appropriate basis for settling it would be forum seniority.

First, I add my wishes that you stay safe over the holidays. Second... this guy teaches biology?!

Have you talked to them about why you're hesitant? It's not my intention to pry, but I expect many of us are facing that dilemma this season, and sharing strategies may be broadly beneficial. My immediate family include quite a few members in the higher-risk categories, and we're all on side with continuing to keep separated as much as possible.

In my youth I did play in a short but delightful campaign set in my native Montreal. For those unfamiliar with the city, it's a nearly unique blend of Old World charm and New World vibrancy. I tend to think of it as a cross between Paris and Manhattan. It remains very prominent in commerce, science, transportation, education, entertainment and culture, and international affairs. It's internationally famous for modern urban design; yet with many preserved structures and whole neighborhoods from up to 300 years ago, Montreal is also fertile ground for plots mysterious or mystical. One of its more intriguing features is its "world without weather," a system of 20 miles of tunnels and walkways connecting hotels, restaurants, retailers, universities, subway stations, and more, under the heart of the city.

The impression I get is that Florida has been spreading its stupid around more generally, so probably can't concentrate it on winning in one area.