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[kj1225]

You know, that gives me a lot of plot work with. And the wild dragons are amazingly like one would expect.

[Nerjin]

I would say that the players should be able to join [all races. Not just humans and elves. Perhaps the dragons have loosened the recruitment thing out of desperation but raised the bar to compensate]. As the last thing I said might imply the Joining ritual [A series of tests that must be completed in order to join the Dragons. Then there are even harder ones to allow you to become a rider after you've spent a sufficient amount of time working for the Dragons to show that you're worthy in the long run and not just in this one thing.] should be deadly. And I mean ACTUALLY deadly. Not "Oh man this NPC died once trying this." I mean "Oh my god they ripped off the arms of two of my characters and then FED THEM TO HIM!" deadly.

[kj1225]

That may be putting the bar a little high. Although even if I wasn't going with the idea anyone would be able to join as any race. Also I believe the orc-pigs are called Kurgal. I'll have to check that.

[Nerjin]

Well being a rider makes you basically god incarnate against anything lesser than another rider [apparently. I hate that kinda crap. Overpowered heroes are boring] so it gives the players something to strive for and gives them a reward that fits it. Also I believe it's Urgals now that I think about it. BUT keep in mind that this is just me talking off the top of my head. It might be for the best that the players have very little to do at all with Riders and the like.

[kj1225]

Now I remember, they're the Urgals and there's an offshoot called the Kull that are generally bigger and meaner.
Also Eragon mostly didn't die due to luck. Heck, in the beginning of the last book he could have easily died without the Elves being there.

[Nerjin]

He kills entire armies. Sure that's the point of the riders but... I don't really recall. I reread a lot of the first, second, and third book due to the world building, world building, and dwarvern politics in those. The fourth book was one of the only books that pissed me the fuck off. He made Galby a pretty interesting villian with a really good point that I thought was a decent idea. Then he killed him with... grief? What?

[kj1225]

I haven't got to the end yet. I kind of don't want to because I've spent the whole series waiting for Eragon and Arya to hook up and then I look through a fanfiction site and find out that Eragon leaves. Kind of made me mad.

[Nerjin]

I reccomend that you don't finish it. Make your own ending. Everyone who I've talked to that's read it [myself included] got PISSED at the ending. It's all rushed, and filled with stupid things that I won't spoil for you in case you wish to be angry yourself. Nothing really feels tied up and... well it honestly feels like he stopped caring about his books.

[Fniff]

Simple. Do what the real countries do.

Indeed. There are countries in asia where your bag is worth several years of work - but since the populace knows there would be a bloody crackdown where they to take one, it is safer than your own house. Except you also keep a squad of guards in there. This complete charade you want to paint here is actually available in North-Korea. Expect only stasi-loyalists to cross your way there. Heard its quite the steal moneywise thou - on the tourists part.

.. which has the Doctors Without Borders.

Such a regime would never let "a dangerous westerner" like that enter. He is only a risk for them. They donīt care that he could help the people. He - or any aid-workers -also is a liability that would need to be protected against possible kidnap/ransom and negative media-attention. Just look at what happened in the afghanistan and so forth - true enough, their political demands are sometimes even ignored in the western translations, or taken out of context. The principle to make pressure on the current system is the same thou. Well, at least thatīs my view. The line of thinking is good thou - how about a drunken western collaborator to the system? Merchant, Investors and roman-catholic priests come to mind.

Ahem, so more onto topic. Iīve actually seen a lighter version of this charade you are speaking of in latin america; Automatic Gunnery in police-hands is a dead-give-away, you even have trouble finding a normal pistol on the forces. A multitude of armed forces also spells of trouble - milita, munipicial police, national police, military police and military itself. Once I counted 4 different types (minus milita). This means there is a very high chance of some of them being corrupt, so others are also called to the watch so they canīt run as rampart. Other watchers watch the watchers-kinda setting.

Spoiler: As for concrete ideas; (click to show/hide)

A clearly starved dog runs into the "picture". Adding foam for obvious rabbies-infection optional.
Traveling through the countryside, or on official buildings - bullet"holes"/impacts from the last coupīd etat or rebellion.
A scantily clad women approaches, and is run off by angry verbal commands from guides/guards.
That child who throws a fearful glance towards your travelgroup... - not the suspicios kind, more the horrified. Youīd know.
A polluted river. Throw in garbage, oily film, "sick-ish algea", foam - or another colour from some chemicals dumped into it.
Dead animal/s on the fields. Only getīs you baffled, but thats lifeblood of a farmer lying on the ground. Maybe add bullet-wounds.
The kids that played with a ball on the street, and get going real fast when your vehicle approaches.
A sabotaged bridge - be as flashy as you like. Fire/Molotov for wood, sledge-hammering for concrete. Or outright explosives.
A rock-slide that "Oh-so~ concidentally" decides to fall down while your treck approaches.
Some beggar actually makes it into the picture! aand is taken from it, but the beating in the next alley echoes outta there.
Gunshots / at night. Damm scary, especially with no nature around which would explain it being hunting.
One of the guides offering to sell "something special" under the table. White powder comes to mind.
An old mudslide with a building sticking out. Subtle, but somewhat there.
Lots of withered houses dotting the landscape. Add vandalism to be more obvious.
Abandoned fields - while those might be seen in industrializing nations, it can stirr things your way. No farmer would ever do so on a whim, afterall.
`Dose chimneys in the distance, that send forth big billows of smoke. Need not be black smoke, mind china.
While passing a police-car, you spy a whip lying in it. Just donīt give the boys gay sm-vibes afterwards.
A sign that warns about landmines in the fair plain next to it. Sure, might be a relic. Still, it paints the region as troubled.
After waking up, there is some turmoil because someone vandalized - the party van, police car or hostel. Or broke into same streets grocer.
Suddenly, soldiers! Three-a-more jeeps just plainly legging it to wherever at their possibly highest speed.
Broken toilet and a visibly distressed / nervous / fearfull plumber.
No ambulance-sirens. Ever. Would need a very in-depth explanation of the traveling and surroundings, but hey.
In that line, carīs not making way for the ambulance. Actually was faster as pedestrian once. Hella scary.
A lot of checkups on your papers while traveling. Security is there for a reason, afterall.
Tourist-only resorts. Touched upon, but I want to stress the point. Only learned personal, no outsiders to be seen. Subtle, but there.
Unpainted houses are the norm. Paint is a luxory item with no real use (unless it is really expensive) - expanding this line of thinking might help.

Hm... yeah, think Iīm spent for now.

Those are all great details! I'll save them in a document, thanks a lot for making it!

[Xantalos]

WHAT'S THIS
A USEFUL THREAD
AN OVERABUNDANCE OF PTW OUGHTA FIX THAT

[kj1225]

I reccomend that you don't finish it. Make your own ending. Everyone who I've talked to that's read it [myself included] got PISSED at the ending. It's all rushed, and filled with stupid things that I won't spoil for you in case you wish to be angry yourself. Nothing really feels tied up and... well it honestly feels like he stopped caring about his books.

When I get the mechanics down and start this then I'll probably ask if an ending that someone else wrote or the one that came with the book is preffered. To be honest I'll probably go with a custom ending just because of what I've heard thus far.

[scapheap]

I reccomend that you don't finish it. Make your own ending. Everyone who I've talked to that's read it [myself included] got PISSED at the ending. It's all rushed, and filled with stupid things that I won't spoil for you in case you wish to be angry yourself. Nothing really feels tied up and... well it honestly feels like he stopped caring about his books.

I got pissed at the Marty Sue and gave up at the end of the second book.

[Parsely]

Yurp. Yrep. Yorp.

[Xantalos]

He kills entire armies. Sure that's the point of the riders but... I don't really recall. I reread a lot of the first, second, and third book due to the world building, world building, and dwarvern politics in those. The fourth book was one of the only books that pissed me the fuck off. He made Galby a pretty interesting villian with a really good point that I thought was a decent idea. Then he killed him with... grief? What?

Yeah, it was kinda the dwarven politics that was the best bit for me.
And their cities. Holy fuck I want to build something like that in DF so pretty
...
But then Galbatorix did his ending thing and yeah. It was kinda rushed IMO.

[Nerjin]

I reccomend that you don't finish it. Make your own ending. Everyone who I've talked to that's read it [myself included] got PISSED at the ending. It's all rushed, and filled with stupid things that I won't spoil for you in case you wish to be angry yourself. Nothing really feels tied up and... well it honestly feels like he stopped caring about his books.

I got pissed at the Marty Sue and gave up at the end of the second book.

Who was a Marty Sue again?

The best parts of the Second book were, as I said, Rohan or whatever the cousins name was. That and, as I said, the world building. Oddly after the first book the best parts were NEVER Eragon or what he was doing.