Oh, there was a leader. Galder still owes his allegiance to him.
Rand hasn't exactly done anything beneficial but get himself screwed over...and US screwed over...several times. It's quite fun, Galder actually enjoys it. The only reason Galder follows him, really, is that he always leads to trouble. Galder likes trouble, and likes ending trouble.... 😄
There's no point saying that you can only be a good leader when eveeything is going right, Rand!
And to be sure- on that basis you may well never get such a chance.
Well, please do consider the situation, folks, because this is the only good chance to change things for the forseeable future, and there will be no point moaning in-thread about it when you made an active decision to carry on with things as they are.
I looked at the option of Rand simply not being leader any more, but it would almost certainly put your animosity into the penalising level.
we are leaderless nontheless. winging it doesn't cut it rand. but i don't think the leading job is easy for a player character. the master template simply doesn't strike through it's dominance. and that's good, because it balances the game.....but it also leaves room for disobediance. somebody controlling a character with kuylen's stats can make himself lestened waaay more easily. but that's that....
Takuan hates this current state, let that be said.
It should be remembered that the Nemesis templates are balanced against other starting templates, rather than templates with a campaign's worth of experience behind them. That always made the job harder for Rand; Masters are meant to have the highest sabre rating.
(and indeed, Rand has more Force and force powers than Kuylen)
Anyway, point is, I am always worried when a player hates the situation, especially when the group as a whole doesn't seem happy.
I think we are going to have to directly look at the question- does Rand keep on playing or not?
And please don't wimp out again with a 'try it and see' answer- thart's what got you into trouble last time, and an opportunity might not be there anyway. It is important people are decisive rather than trying to find a pointless compromise.
Do you want him in perpetuity- yes or no?
Sorry to be harsh, but is has reached that point. If the answer is yes, EVERYONE should try and make it work, else the unhappiness will continue. If you don't think you can do that then say no. It is a shame for Zink, I know, if we say no, but Rand is on borrowed time anyway so I can't see any major complaint.
I'l leave the decision to the players, but my opinion is that putting a Master in has failed as an idea. On the other hand, subsequent stories are ready to work with Rand and if things do improve then I am very open to be being shown to be wrong.
Ok, it looks like we know where this one is heading.
That being the case, my brother suggests this.
Anakin is planning on killing the Emperor almost immediately, as he so attempts to conspire with Padme ("Not too bright, though..."😉.
However, he doesn't do it, because by the time his job is done, he is now this cybernetic cripple and his great power has gone.
But instead he bides his time- and once Luke comes along, he is looking for the chance for power again...
My brother thinks that a Megalomaniac who becomes crippled in the way Anakin did and Rand has has an option to suppress his megalomania attribute as he decides to play the long term game, as his immediate loss of power makes his top-of-the-tree position untenable.
If we exercise this option, Rand can continue to play without the group having a decided leader, and with megalomania suppressed, you will not pay the animosity penalty.
I thought this could be combined with a little re-conning of Rand; character, with him being more of a Veteran Jedi than an actual Dooku-type ex-Master, and his low stas caused by accumulated injuries (at, foer example, the Rattatak arena, and now confirmed by this)
Of course, as Rand gains in experience, his megalomania will return- and by then he may be in a much better position to lead.
Meanwhile, as Rand's character changees, he gets to hack out a new niche as a custom template all of his own. The group gets to continue with Rand as their main source of Lore and other such knowledge, and still the lik by which they find new members, but not with the automatic 'must be boss' schtick.
Of course, you can always decide on another leader, but I doubt that will work- Takuan is too much of a backroom boy (who would be more likely to steal power once he is strong enough rather than get put into the firing range like that), and Galder... would probably make just as many people unhappy...
And no-one else is really suitable.
How does this sound?