A Vast Conspiracy!

[madcomposer]

Since the General Discussion forum appears to be the new home of RP advice, I thought I might ask the community's thoughts on secret societies.

Suppose in the future a guild was formed to be a front for an evil-themed secret society. Would it be considered cheating or dishonest RPing for members to be a double-agent/informant for both the society and another guild?

[Iceshard]

1 guild per person.... Prevents the meta gaming and all other stuff... Now hiding in shadows and evesdropping is entirely different, that is possible and in some cases encouraged

-Ice

PS the only way I can see waiving the 1 guild rule is saying the churches arent really part of the guild.. Think of them more like a group to couple with, not a job within a guild.

[CartMid]

I don't think so... for that exists.
That would be the same thing if you asked if it's not cool if someone makes an evil character and goes slaughtering everybody. In character's terms, yes... he is an asshole. Out of character's I would say this is a good oportunity to RP a lot. ;D
Fact is, you have to keep metagaming out of things.

[Jiszo]

what if an evil character joins a another guild to infiltrate it as a spy. Is this acceptable?

[Iceshard]

There have been cases were evils joined a good group (mainly on accident) to cause havok. Now your evil char can sign into a group, but if its a magical or divine group you may get sniffed out quickly. But you can always try. Just remember 1 guild per person so no joining as a spy and being in another guild at the same time.


-Ice

[madcomposer]

In that case, what exactly is the definition of a guild? If, as you say, a church might not necessarily be a guild, would the drow brotherhood be a guild? The Flaming Fists? The Zhentarim? What about just an informal association? Perhaps guilds should be distinguished from other groups.

The particular society I am thinking of specializes in information wheeling-and-dealing, so it would have to be through an informal information network composed of plants and bribed members but no double agents I suppose.

Of course, I would never condone metagaming (i.e. sharing information between players w/o roleplay). I was just wondering exactly where the line was drawn.

[Iceshard]

Churches of X... Churches. (Another staff member correct me if Im wrong)
All others... Guilds.

The idea of a church is when you have divine inspiration or are sent on some quest for penance... We havent done a whole lot of things for guilds, so its mainly just to make your follower of X more official.
On the hand of Guilds though it comes down to street cred, whos keepin it real-er, and following their creed. Guilds we do a lot with in events or behind the scenes.

-Ice