In this hypothetical scenario, we can have a little look at what it might cost and what the benefits might be to slay a Cave Troll. Cave trolls are powerful beings and although large targets, are surrounded by their minions of lesser-trolls and orcs which makes them a formidable force and one that is almost impossible to fell alone. They also can be accompanied by powerful wizards who support the Cave troll and attract the minions.
Scenario:
- 1 Cave Troll posts 10 times per day / 70 times per week.
- 1 powerful wizard with 1 million Steem Power upvotes every post 100%
- 25,000 lesser-trolls and orcs surround and swarm the Cave troll
10 posts a day / 70 a week is precisely how many 100% upvotes each account has every day. The wizard upvotes each at 200 SBD and the Cave Troll and the 25,000-strong minion add another 100. This gives each a value of 300 x 10 per day x 7 days. This is ~21000 SBD value per week for the Cave Troll. How it uses this value is questionable.
The problems is that if a few small soldiers attack, the minions will respond en force, if they get far enough through the defenses, the Cave Troll will decimate them and if the warrior is strong enough, the Wizard will step in to finish the job and drive the nails home.
Negotiations for truce and peace have fallen through and now, the only options left are to let the cave troll raping and pillaging to continue, or kill it.
How to Kill a cave troll
The cave Troll is strong, the wizard is strong but, their weakness is that they are short on numbers with power which makes a scheduled attack in numbers relatively easy and, with minimal costs.
What is required is 21 wizards each with a 100 dollar spell to cast. 10 times a day and an agreement that for each day of the week, 3 will combine forces to cast simultaneously at the next 10 posts to pay out in the 12 hour window. This could be automated with an auto-cast function.
Monday - 3 wizards cast a total of 30 x 100% votes and wipe 3000 dollars from the cave trolls ill-gotten treasures from the Tuesday before. After which, they rest and spend the next 6 days living their life. This is repeated on Tuesday by the next 3 wizards and so on until the Cave Troll starves.
These wizards are strong so their resistance to the 25,000 minions is very high and even if attacked en masse, at any one time, there are 18 of the fellowship of wizards to came to their aid.
In time, either the Cave Troll admits defeat and comes to parley or, leaves its castle and is classified as killed. At this point, the minions will mostly lay down arms.
The cost to Kill
While the battle rages, costs are incurred but for the fellowship, the costs are spread between the 21 powerful wizards, which means to take all treasure from the Cave Troll incurs a penalty of 1/7 of their power each week. This cost is also felt by the towns folk they support. It is a significant amount, especially if it is an extended campaign.
They will become large targets for the minions and likely have to deal with a large volume of poor lesser-troll and orc behaviour in the weeks to come, even in victory.
It is also possible that other Wizards join to support the Cave Troll and this would require a ramping up of the costs. which means the fellowship may require 2/7 days instead of 1.
The benefits to Kill
The benefits are large for the community if the fellowship is successful as the treasure collected goes back into the pool (I will call it the Chalice of Wealth) to be distributed to the many town folk who are in need and deserving.
Although the costs are high for the wizards, it creates a bond of trust in one another that in times of need, they can come together for the betterment of the community. But, it is also likely that they will be called on again as the potential for Cave Trolls is high, meaning future responsibility is likely to come their way.
The wizards and townsfolk would have hopefully learned some lessons in how to identify and dispatch of future Cave Trolls.
Easy Kills via Helsing
Now, 14.3 percent of spell power is the cost for the 21-strong fellowship of wizards to take part in the campaign which is quite hard and opens them up to revenge attacks.
If the top 200 wizards of greater and lesser degree decided to create a Cave troll Killer Tool, it would cost a small fraction of treasure per wizard and would give a much stronger and precise weapon to wield.
It could hibernate or be used for menial tasks with low spell power but, when required, could be immediately brought to life to act with delegated magic at whatever percentage is required for the job at hand.
Originally, I considered the almighty and powerful Dungeon Master as the major contributor but, the dungeon master must remain impartial in such matters as it can not be seen as taking sides on such things.
This is about self-governance.
The top 200 wizards are also the most influential citizens in this world and are therefore invested meaning, they are free to use their spells as they deem fit, they need not remain impartial.
It could be up to them how they wield their collective weapon and much like they have organized their current campaign, they could ad hoc call upon the Executioner, Helsing.
If, they are unable to manage it well, it can be dissolved immediately.
The future of Community
Last night I wrote a piece about bullies and their importance within a system to bring people together. Here we are and many of the wizards standing together today, have had all kinds of conflicts in the past amongst each other.
This Cave Troll has shown what is possible with one powerful Wizard and inaction, what happens if the next has 2, 3 or 4 to cast spells? It is a warning that mechanisms need to be put in place to deal with such characters and the Dungeon Master has to remain impartial.
It has shown that in times of need, adversaries can come together to act as one and it has shown that despite conflicting visions for the future, the world comes first. It demonstrates that as independent, invested, self-governing wizards, they can still act together for the community interests.
Gotta love this game, so much to see, so much to do, to explore, to learn, to benefit from. With a little imagination this world is the most compelling there is because not only can we take part in the adventures, the walls are glass and we can see the journeys of all, including that of wizard or Cave Troll.
Roll the Dice.
Taraz
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