Beneath The Snow
Game Master Orannis

Agreed, I've had several memorable instances where the party were resting up somewhere hidden and injured. Once my gnome rogue hid in a barrel of apples with his last action before passing out and waited for a day to recover and rescue the other captured PCs, had to roll a hide check everytime the cook fetched an apple and finally had to whack him with my kosh. Good times :) We were trying to rescue a nobles his daughter who was being forced into a marriage against her will I think.

Raven, there's a few notes about flight that are important. If you already know these, good.

1) You can only assend at half your normal speed.
2) Without the Wingover feat, turning around can take a while.
3) Without the Hover feat, you have to keep moving while flying.
4) You can only carry up to your Light load while flying. This is not expressly covered in Pathfinder, but it was in 3.5 and it's a rule that makes sense to me. You'll need to keep careful track of your encumbrance. Because of this rule, I allow the 3.5 feat Powerful Wings that ups the load you can fly with.

I allow the Fly skill to let you make short flights or glides with heavier loads, DCs depending on how much beyond your normal limits you are trying to carry.

(I had a winged character in another game I ran and had to work all this out)

Of course. I was just wanting to do something cinematic. It was pretty cool.

Yep, and it provided the reminder I needed to address the flight issues, so all in all, a great moment.

Well I can cast cure light if requires so no worries

I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I meant make perception checks to see if you wake up.

oh lol opps

When I GM I use a game theory I call "let it ride".

Basically, if someone has made a skill check, pass or fail, I let the result carry until something significant changes. Generally I use it to cut back on constant re-checks but sometimes it can be very helpful.

In this case, since Raven rolled a 20 on her perception check to spot the tracks, that 20 sets her general level of success in continuing to spot more tracks under the same conditions.

Which means no survival check necessary for now since the tracks have not been lost. Good job Raven.

:-)

I like this rule.

Hope you don't mind the poetic license with the inside of Thorgar's mind. Anything that doesn't match up with your own ideas, please chalk up to the mental manipulation.

I think you pretty much nailed it. LOL probably this is his that of mind in Real Life too?? lol

The bitter grizzled warrior archetype is one I'm familiar with. Of all the characters, Thorgar's the one that's most relatable to me because of his flaws and regrets.

The other characters will develop them, I'm sure. He just happened to choose to start with them which gives me a lot to go off of as a story teller.

Yeah worked for me Doomed Hero, Thorgar's like a comfy pair of shoes archetype wise :)

Thordan, you haven't actually taken an action. Would you like to do anything in particular?

I thought I mentioned it before, but in case it was missed-

Initiative is Group-Based, and after round 1 Init becomes Round-Robin.

So feel free to act in whatever order you like. Once everyone has gone, I'll act for the enemies and NPCs and turn it back over to you guys.

Raven and Thorgar were Dazed, and haakan and Thordan went full defensive, so now it's my turn. Once I get a post up, it's back to you.

Hmmm, doesn't that render having a good Init a bit irrelevant? Or am I misunderstanding? Thorgar has Improved Initiative, which I might like to swap out if I'm understanding this right.

Hmmm, doesn't that render having a good Init a bit irrelevant? Or am I misunderstanding? Thorgar has Improved Initiative, which I might like to swap out if I'm understanding this right.

The group based initiative is only for the first round. Then we get regular.

if it's round based does it mean that the initiation is still in order but the GM will mix our actions in according to that order. for example if the order is like Thorgar wolf Thordan. we both post our actions to hit wolf. but if Thorgar blow was sufficient to kill wolf the the wolf skips it turn and maybe Thordan can post another action through ooc or GM may logically apply the attack on another enemy?

Other way around, actually Raven.

Basically, Init is divided into 2 groups on round 1-

People who go before the bad guys, and people who go after.

On subsequent rounds it sorts itself out and just goes back and forth.

Initiative is only really relevant on round 1.

F&~%. Just lost a lengthy example post to the stupid board.

Re-writing.

Hmmm, maybe I'm being thick here, its the subsequent rounds thing that puzzling me. Does that mean in round two those who rolled below the badguys get bumped up above them? Could you give an example perhaps? Use small words *sigh* ;)

Edit: I hate that, I've started copying any lengthy post before I hit submit, just in case.

F+~@. Just lost a lengthy example post to the stupid board.

Re-writing.

Step 1: Use firefox or chrome.

Problem solved!

I use firefox and have never lost a post since I installed Lazarus. Even when the forums eat it.

Ok, so using the Wolf example above-

The group is being attacked by a Wolf. I roll Perception and Initiative for everyone.

Lets say Thorgar rolls high on Init but fails his perception check.

Thordan rolls low on Init, but makes his Perception check.

The order is-

Thorgar
Wolf
Thordan

-Surprise Round-
1. During the surprise round, Thorgar is unable to act and is flat footed due to having failed the Perception check. He's quick to respond, but that doesn't help him in this case since he didn't see it coming.

2. Then the Wolf goes taking a single standard action (probably Charging). Since it is acting before Thordan, Thordan is also Flat Footed (but for the opposite reason as Thorgar).

3. Thordan takes a Standard action and is no longer Flat Footed.

-Round 1-
1. Thorgar takes a Full Round action and is no longer Flat Footed.

2. The Wolf takes it's action.
-The Break-

Now, at this point, things progress in a loop. Everyone is engaged, not surprised and able to take full actions. It no longer matters which order anyone posts in because after the wolf goes in round one, it does not get to go again until both Thordan and Thorgar have acted.

They may coordinate their actions in the Discussion thread, choosing the most beneficial order they like. Once they have both acted, it is the Wolf's turn again.

Actions happen in the order they are posted. This helps cut back on the need to retcon anything.

Please note that this is as complex as it gets. I will always try to make it so the party acts as a block. I've found that is the best way of speeding up PBP combat.

Ah, okay that makes sense, thank you. Now get over to that gameplay thread and tell me what happens with Thorgar's attack! I'm dying here! ;)

Lazarus you say? I'll take a look.

Uhoh, did that sound like partial weapon damage or no weapon damage to you guys? Because if its the later we might be in biiiiig trouble.

Ok, so using the Wolf example above-

The group is being attacked by a Wolf. I roll Perception and Initiative for everyone.

Lets say Thorgar rolls high on Init but fails his perception check.

Thordan rolls low on Init, but makes his Perception check.

The order is-

Thorgar
Wolf
Thordan

-Surprise Round-
1. During the surprise round, Thorgar is unable to act and is flat footed due to having failed the Perception check. He's quick to respond, but that doesn't help him in this case since he didn't see it coming.

2. Then the Wolf goes taking a single standard action (probably Charging). Since it is acting before Thordan, Thordan is also Flat Footed (but for the opposite reason as Thorgar).

3. Thordan takes a Standard action and is no longer Flat Footed.

-Round 1-
1. Thorgar takes a Full Round action and is no longer Flat Footed.

2. The Wolf takes it's action.
-The Break-

Now, at this point, things progress in a loop. Everyone is engaged, not surprised and able to take full actions. It no longer matters which order anyone posts in because after the wolf goes in round one, it does not get to go again until both Thordan and Thorgar have acted.

They may coordinate their actions in the Discussion thread, choosing the most beneficial order they like. Once they have both acted, it is the Wolf's turn again.

Actions happen in the order they are posted. This helps cut back on the need to retcon anything.

Please note that this is as complex as it gets. I will always try to make it so the party acts as a block. I've found that is the best way of speeding up PBP combat.

So we ro'll initiation once only cos in round 2 the wolf acts first and then all the other players act etc.

It's more accurate to say that after the wolf acts in the 1st round, the whole party then gets to go as a unit.

The only thing that gets wonky is the round count for things like spell durations.

For that small abnormality, I err on the side of what's beneficial to the PCs.

It's more accurate to say that after the wolf acts in the 1st round, the whole party then gets to go as a unit.

The only thing that gets wonky is the round count for things like spell durations.

For that small abnormality, I err on the side of what's beneficial to the PCs.

So do we roll initiative for round 2 then? That means you roll for all of us? Sorry I am still a little thickheaded. And...if our intiation is before the enemy do we act first?

I'll handle the rolls for you on initiative and blocks of perception checks at the start of combat.

Then I'll give you an order list for the surprise round and round 1. After that, it just goes around.

You'll see. It makes a lot more sense in practice than in abstract.

@Thorgar: Yeah, that sounded like no damage to me. I'm not rich enough to have anything that can bypass DR, so unless something easy to generate like fire can do the trick, we might be hosed.

I'm encouraged that we've taken no damage, though. Let's try not to let it lead us off a cliff.

Thorgar dropped his rope wrapped improvised torch, is it still lit DMDH? If not he has another four stuffed in his scabbard, though none are lit. I can't really see him listening to reason for at least another round though.

Haaken's trained his entire life, but he's never been in a real fight. Coupled with his philosophy, he's going to be fighting defensively until he sees real danger from this thing. This could get interesting.

I'm enjoying this encounter a lot so far.

Thorgar, sure it's lit. You dropped it when you got stunned, so it's sputtering and about to die, but you lucked out. It didn't land in the snow. Just frosty ground.

Com'on Thorgar or Raven!!! I'm holding to react to what I see/hear next.

Things have definitely slowed down a bit. Is anything about the way I'm running things making people hesitant or confused, or is this just life getting in the way?

I have no complaints. I'm currently traveling for work, and tomorrow will be a really long day, since we're doing the cut over, but I'm having a good time.

Trying to keep up on my phone, but it's annoying to type anything lengthy on it.

I'm enjoying the group and looking forward to more.

Thanks for taking the reigns, even if it's just for a short adventure, DH. Seriously.

I'm more than happy and enjoying the encounter, was hoping to wait for Raven to tell us about the wisp.

I am just a blur mouse...

Thorgar's torch is actually on the floor at Thordan's feet, so probably in reach of everyone, but Thorgar. It might be an idea for someone to grab it, Thorgar has four more torches in his scabbard so we could each grab one and use the lit torch to get them going.

Well I've got the torch, let's drive it back and spread the love.

Lol, your on.

Getting no love from the dife on my attack rolls. Anyone have any ideas on how to trap and wipe this little sucker out?

Thordan, there was no Will save asked for this round. Last round you failed it and went all forgetful. This round it attacked Haakan. Nothing happened that required a save.

Would labeling rounds help keep track of things?

Yeah i guess it would be helpful.

Since Haakan and Thordan were mesmerized when they walked here, and Thorgar and Raven both filed their Memory Loss saves, I'm pretty sure that means no one remembers how they got here or how to get back to camp.

Go ahead and roleplay it. :)

Hehe, sweet.

Pre-Combat Overview

Light level: Clear
Cover: Moderate. Lots of trees nearby.
Terrain: Trail is normal terrain (5' winding path). Snow is Difficult.

The enemy (and Thorgar) is currently 100 feet away.

Map coming soon.

oh....

Current Map