To be perfectly honest, the Audience system in AiME is not going to revolutionize your conversations, but for a specific situation it actually works pretty well. An Audience is a way to mechanically measure how much of a favorable, or unfavorable, impression the party as a whole makes on an NPC. And for that, it does a pretty good job.
Page 192 of the Player's Guide has the Audience rules. It starts with a table of how each culture sees the other cultures. This is good information, because making a good impression is very much effected by cultural stereotypes, that can be one of the challenges for the players to overcome. I do wish this had all also been summarized at the end of each culture in the earlier character creation section, but that's a minor nitpick. There are 6 categories of how cultures see each other, from "Favored" to "Mistrust" and "Unknown." The problem with DnD's base rules shows up quickly in a sidebar here...
The attitude of an individual being intimidated generally drops off the chart from “Mistrust” to “Hostile”. Note that use of the Intimidation skill can be a Misdeed (violent threat – see page 182) causing whoever attempts it to gain one automatic Shadow point, whether successful or not.
Wow, so if Intimidation is a Misdeed, that is a big problem. DnD 5e only has 3 conversation skills: Deception, Intimidation and Persuasion. So 1/3rd of your options get thrown out the window. I think this is a too narrow reading of Intimidation as a threat of direct physical violence instead of something bad will happen to the NPC if they don't help the PCs, but not necessarily from the PCs actions. Saying "you're going to have to live with yourself if you don't help us" should be Intimidation, in my opinion, and it isn't the PCs threatening to beat up the NPC, which is a tactic of conversation very rarely used anyways.
Sorry, digression, back to the rules :)
So each culture has it's base outlook on other cultures. That sets up the beginning of the conversation, then the players start to roll. The book says...
When meeting someone for the first time, especially one of the great, powerful or wise, it is well to go about it in the proper way.
One member of the company must make an Intelligence (Traditions) check at DC15 to introduce the group. Depending on circumstances, a hero’s culture, Standard of Living and reputation can all influence how they are received...
...The result of this check determines the other person’s initial reaction. If the check succeeds, use the table matching the non-player character’s attitude towards that culture. If the check fails, then in this social encounter only, treat the non-player character’s attitude as being one step lower. Treat Unknown and Askance as occupying the same ‘rung’ – in either case, the attitude caused by a failed check is Mistrustful.
For example, a Woodman visits King Bard in Lake-town. Cross-referencing ‘Barding’ and ‘Woodmen’ on the table gives a starting attitude of Neutral. However, the unfortunate Woodman fails his Intelligence (traditions) check and so Bard looks Askance at this boorish barbarian from the wild forest.
Mixed Companies: If there is a mix of cultures in the company, then use the attitude of the spokesman – the Player-hero who makes the initial Intelligence (Traditions) roll.
Okay, so an Int-based skill is a nice change from the 'all Cha all the time' that RPGs usually use. The mixed company rules are nice, so if talking to a Dwarf would be a penalty, as long as the spokesman isn't the Dwarf then the party isn't being punished or hindered for being a mixed group, I like that because it helps prevent a player feeling like a burden to the party. Then the chapter has a sample breakdown of what an NPC is willing to do for the PCs, based on each attitude category, which I will summarize here...
Favoured-
Friendly-
- greets the Company warmly, and will make minor sacrifices and honour small requests.
- accepts a significant risk to aid the Company, if needed. The Company are treated as honoured guests.
- does whatever the Company ask, as long as the requests are not outrageous or suspicious. The Company are welcomed as the NPC’s close kinfolk and given every comfort and honour that can be mustered.
Neutral-
- does as asked, as long as there is no prospect of sacrifice or peril. Shelter is freely offered.
- greets the Company warmly, and will make minor sacrifices and honour small requests.
- accepts a significant risk to aid the Company, if needed. The Company are treated as honoured guests.
Askance-
- offers no help, but does no harm.
- grudgingly offers shelter for a few nights, and does as asked as long as no risk or sacrifice is required.
- provides whatever minor aid or service is asked by the company, but balks at any larger requests.
Mistrustful-
- offers no help, and bids the company leave immediately.
- grudgingly offers shelter for one night, but nothing more.
- grudgingly offers shelter for one night, and does as asked as long as no risk or sacrifice is required.
- opposes the company’s actions and thwarts them if possible. Shelter is refused.
- offers no help, and bids the company leave immediately.
- grudgingly offers shelter for one night, but nothing more.
This is a pretty comprehensive table, and easy to figure out on the fly what the NPC would be willing to do for the party.
And then the chapter ends, and you might think while this is kind of nice, it isn't really anything that great. Because the good parts of the system are actually on the GM side and are hidden from the players.
Here is an excerpt from the "Wilderland Adventures" campaign book, in the very first adventure the players meet the Wood Elves...
Guests of the Elves
Sadly, the company see little of the Elvenking’s halls. Baldor is met by a friend of his, an Elf named Lindar who is master of the king’s cellars. Baldor is welcome here – the other characters may not be so lucky. If the company are unable to convince Lindar of their good character, they are obliged to wait under guard in the cellars until the caravan is ready to depart. Elves of Mirkwood are of course allowed to wander the halls as they wish.
Motivation
Lindar’s sole motivation is to ensure that the player characters keep the peace within the Elf-King’s halls.
Expectations
+2: If the player characters are especially polite and courteous, or bring interesting news from afar
+1: If there are any Elves in the Company.
-1: If there any Dwarves in the company.
-2: If the characters demand better accommodation or complain about the guards.
Introduction
In the halls of the Elven-king, it is expected that one makes a DC 15 Intelligence (Traditions) check. Less educated heroes might make a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check instead.
Interaction
Lindar suggests that as the Elves do not know the company, they should remain here to ‘guard the supplies’. In two days, the Elves will bring the company to the edge of Thranduil’s realm. In the meantime, they can remain here in the caves; Lindar promises to send down some bread and wine.
Outcomes
Failure: Insulted, Lindar demands that the company leave immediately. It’s a Fell and Forboding Start to their crossing of Mirkwood, and they automatically get that result without having to roll on the Embarkation table.
Success by 0-2: Lindar permits the adventures to reside in the caves until they are ready to depart.
Success by 3-4: Lindar sends down excellent meals from the Elf-King’s kitchens, and the adventurers are welcome to visit again in future.
Success by 6 or more: The characters are permitted to stay in better quarters in the upper caves, and may even hear the Elves singing. The combination of soft beds and good company ensures the characters depart With Hopeful Hearts and Clear Purpose when the journey begins without needing to roll on the Embarkation table.
Now, I don't run very many published adventures so my opinion pool is limited, but this is one of the most useful NPC introductions I can remember. It lays out the NPCs stance pretty clearly and succinctly, and then it gives some nice mechanical benefits to how the party might act. It does have a kind of weird thing about "if the players complain about the accommodations or guards" which is always stupid to me because what kind of a-hole players do you have at your table that just complain about everything for no reason? The outcomes are also clearly defined and have mechanical as well as story consequences.
Here's one more block, from the same book but a later adventure...
Encountering the Village Elders
The three Beornings who face the company are: Hartwulf, a greybeard who leans heavily upon a staff, and mumbles when he talks. The villagers call him their wiseman, and believe he knows all sorts of magical secrets – but who knows what he means when he mutters to himself. Ava is Hartwulf’s daughter and one of the strongest personalities in the village. She is the clan’s diplomat and spokeswoman when trading and dealing with outsiders. She mistrusts visitors, and always tries to dissuade them from coming too close to the village. Williferd, a warrior. With the recent death of Rathfic and the disgrace of Oderic, Williferd is now the most experienced warrior of Stonyford. He is very nervous about this new honour, and is clearly jumpy. He keeps one hand on his axe-handle at all times.
Motivation
Hartwulf just wants to get through the encounter without too much fuss.
Ava wishes to give a good impression of her village to the strangers.
Williferd is nervous, and desperate to show strength.
Expectations
+2: Beornings can be trusted; other folk less so. (If the companions declare they are on a mission for Beorn immediately or if the company has Beorn’s blessing, they are counted as Beornings.)
-1: (Ava only) Affairs are to be kept private. (Ava grows worried if the characters seem too eager to pry into the events that led to Oderic’s arrest.)
-1: (Hartwulf only) Discussions are to be kept short. (Hartwulf grows tired if the characters are evasive or longwinded.)
-1: (Williferd only) Swords come easily to the hands of strangers. (He’s looking for a fight.)
Introduction
The three villagers introduce themselves first, with Ava doing most of the talking.
“Strangers we do not welcome to our homes. Unless you have business here, you must move on. Woodland Hall is but a few days travel east of here; doubtless you will find better hospitality there. We have suffered enough sorrow in recent days. I beg you, leave us in peace.”
Ava is a hardened diplomat and difficult to impress. She imposes Disadvantage upon the DC 15 Intelligence (Traditions) introduction check).
Interaction
The first thing the companions need to do is to get permission to enter the village. If they provide a thorough telling of how Oderic escaped and how the companions have tracked him back here, they receive a +1 bonus modifier to the Final Audience Check. If they instead barge into the village without explaining themselves, they gain a -1 modifier instead. In either case, Ava directs them to an empty house near the river-bank, this was Oderic’s house.
Unless persuaded otherwise, Ava demands they hand their weapons over to Williferd before entering the village.
Once they have permission to enter the village, they can share news. On hearing that Oderic has escaped, the Beornings are alarmed. Ava shakes her head. “These are grim tidings. Oderic is a murderer and kinslayer. We thought that by sending him to the Carrock for judgement, we were done with his evil.” Her aged father mutters something into his beard about curses and ghosts, while Williferd grips his axe even tighter and looks around warily as if expecting Oderic to jump out from behind a tree. The company can get the same story from Ava as they receive in Sorrows Old & New , below, although Ava’s version of events is less charitable than some. Ava tells the company that she has heard nothing more of Oderic since he was taken away up the river by Merovech and Odo, but it is possible that someone in the village saw him and said nothing.
Sorrows Old & New
The villager’s goodwill depends on how they did meeting the elders. Choose one hero to make a Final Audience Check using any appropriate skills (Traditions or Persuasion most likely)
Failure: The villagers offer no welcome, and barely acknowledge the travellers’ existence. They are given stale bread to eat. The difficulty for all interactions in the village is set at DC 15.
0-4: The villagers give a grudging welcome, and invite the company to share their fires. They are given fish to eat, and the DC for interaction rolls stays at the level of DC 10.
5 or more: The villagers greet the travellers as welcome guests! A deer is roasted, and the whole village gathers around to hear news and tell tales. The DC of Interaction rolls is reduced to DC 5.
Again, I think this gets a lot of useful information across in a short and clear block. Each NPC is given enough character to be useful, but there's still room to improvise something yourself as GM. There are a couple of quote blocks that set the mood and tone for that NPC, which again you could read or improvise on. And there are role-playing guides that also have some mechanical weight along with pretty clear guidelines on how the conversation could end and what the NPCs would do thereafter. I like this mix of, well, 'rules' and 'storytelling' that remembers this is a game that needs rules along with setting the scene and players involved.
This is not a perfect system by any means, and it is really only good at the "first impression" stage, not a general conversation mechanic. Still, it's one of the more useful I've seen in DnD-based RPGs and I think it captures the spirit of The Lord of the Rings well. In the "Lore-master's Guidebook" (or GM's guide) pages 80-85 there are some more rules for creating your own Audiences, and it's pretty useful overall. I would have liked more than just one example, but if you also have the "Wilderlands Adventure" book then there are several - pretty much at least 1 Audience per adventure (with 7 adventures total).
There are some good ideas here, and I have liked this system overall. I wish this was an OGL system that people could build on and improve, but sadly you couldn't directly lift this for your own system (which I talked about in my last post).
To finish out this review I'm going to do one more post with a quick run-down of some other rules AiMe added, and then give my thoughts on the game as a whole.
You can find the rest of this series here
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