Black Tom's Serpent Skull
Game Master Black Tom

Hi All. Apologies for doing this, but it seems as though I'm going to have to drop out of this game. I just have too many other things vying for my time. Again, my apologies; happy gaming.

OK, thanks for playing. I am not going to find a replacement for Quij for now, as it strains credibility. We'll see if and when you get off the island.

I have to say Hrakar, that is some of the worst luck with the roller that I have ever seen. I am not sure what you have done to piss it off but I suggest making amends before going any further.

I have to say Hrakar, that is some of the worst luck with the roller that I have ever seen. I am not sure what you have done to piss it off but I suggest making amends before going any further.

No worries! I have just the thing to solve this problem: mass sacrifice to Asmodeus! ;D

Actually you have only made Aerys and Ishirou friendly. Technically Gelik and Jask are still indifferent, but you could butter them up some more if you like. :)

The Paizo dice roller hates Hrakar; Tom's dice hate me...

One of the other games I play in the last combat I rolled over 25 d20's and with the exception of a single 20/20 crit my avg roll was just over 6. The dice roller was hanging out with Murphy for a while.

Black Tom: About Hero Points.
I see that on your profile you have a handy list showing what we can do with our hero points but I guess I am wondering how they are awarded. I see that if something brave or spectacular is done that they may be rewarded but is there a level piece to this as well? Do we start with 1 and then gain a new 1 every level?

There's no set schedule; the GM hands them out whenever he feels someone has earned one.

That's it, and you also get some for accomplishing mission goals or finishing an adventure.

Pardon? Speak up, young man!

Pardon? Speak up, young man!

I'm going on vacation for the coming week, so updates will be very spotty. I'll try to post something when I can but I can't promise anything until next Saturday when I return.

Have a great vacation BT.

Oh. I was wondering about that. Well, have a nice relaxing vacation BT!

Welcome back Tom. I hope you had a good time on vacation. Spent it somewhere nice I hope.

Thank you. I was in London actually. Had a really good time too.

I was in London earlier in the year (April) and really enjoyed it. I would definitely go back and spend some more time exploring the city.

Funny! I'm visiting London this week-end too! I was going to post here to tell you to run my character for me for the week-end because I'll be in vacation, nice to see most of us visited the same place (in different occasions, ofc). I'll be back by tuesday.

It's just me or the game has slowed down drastically?

No, you're right. I know that myself and Shisumo have been swamped lately, but I can't speak for anybody else. Maybe you should just leave the crab alone and press on.

Hrakar, looks like the dice roller hates you again. One of these days everything will turn around!

I'll be in China from October 19-31. I'm not sure how much internet access I'll have, so feel free to NPC my character while I'm gone.

Is the game dead? Just let me know please.

Not as far as I am concerned. I'm just waiting for you to decide which way to go (and for hogarth to come home from China). Also I've been down with a cold for the last week or so so I'm posting a bit sparingly.

Well, the game is still not dead as far as I am concerned, but unless Surkoff resurfaces you'll have a hard time making it by yourselves.

I propose to recruit a couple of new players and have them play some of the NPCs if possible (letting them remake them as they please - up to a point). I would prefer not to strain credibility by introducing new characters at this point.

Or would it be better just to bring one or two of them as NPCs?

I have no problems with some NPCs-turned-PCs. Sounds like a good idea to me.

I'm hip to the idea as well.

Well, the game is still not dead as far as I am concerned, but unless Surkoff resurfaces you'll have a hard time making it by yourselves.

I propose to recruit a couple of new players and have them play some of the NPCs if possible (letting them remake them as they please - up to a point). I would prefer not to strain credibility by introducing new characters at this point.

Or would it be better just to bring one or two of them as NPCs?

Recruit as you need please. And for credibility there could be OTHER survivors on this island... right? ;D

But if new players are fine with the NPCs backgrounds... why not, just keep in mind you can introduce other characters by having other survivors of other ships on the island.

Recruit as you need please. And for credibility there could be OTHER survivors on this island... right? ;D

Sure. Maybe there's even a bunch of empty crab shells sitting next to each other like kenku condos. ;-)

When we hit next level, I'm thinking of multi-classing into rogue. Is anyone else planning to take rogue levels for their character build? I don't want to step on any toes, but the party could use some trap-finding, etc. I'm also getting the feeling that Gelik is a bit too "squishy" right now.

A good idea for the party to have a rogue, but it will make you a much weaker spellcaster as we go up the levels. Not that I'm trying to dissuade you, but as you have so few spells that you know it might prove a disadvantage later on, when spells could become more important. Is anyone else likely to take rogue? The class does fit with Aerys character, I see her as a pirate in the making, although I had originally set her up as going through fighter levels. Next level should be fighter to keep within the story line set for Aerys in the AP.

The plan has always been for Torch to take rogue levels as we go - he's going to bounce between rogue and ranger until we hit level 6, then prestige out. I certainly don't object to others with rogue levels as well, but if that's the only reason you're thinking about it, then don't sweat it.

Personally, I think rogues are somewhat overrated. One character with rogue levels is plenty in my book. :-)

The idea of Torch taking rogue, seems a good plan .. Aerys will stick with the fighter classes....

I'm sold. Gelik will go straight Sorcerer. I need some offensive firepower though. I'm feeling the need to blow some stuff up. Maybe the urge will pass when we get off of mold-man island.

Of course, that is predicated on the idea that he lives that long...!

What could be more embarassing than getting whacked by mini-fungus-men?

How are you guys dealing with party treasure?

Do you share it all out, or is there a central pot?

I don't think we've received much (any?) treasure so far, so your suggestion is as good as mine!

What little we've gotten has largely just been claimed by people who need it, which suits me fine - but I'm also willing to hear any alternatives.

Should we do a running tally here? We could just maintain a list of pooled party loot, assuming it's distributed around evenly, and do the split when we get back to "civilization". I'm good with the useful items going to those who can use them best. I'm sure we can keep it reasonably fair.

Here's what I've seen so far:

Party Loot
432 cp, 284 sp, 123 gp, and jewelry worth 250 gp

For Individual Use
bracers of armor +1 (?)
wand of mirror image (Gelik?)
masterwork spear (Gelik?)

Gelik's not greedy, honest!

Here's what we collected till now, I don't know how we'll deal with what Surkoff claimed. Nothing has been assigned yet anyway, people just stated what they'd like to get.

LIST OF LOOT:

-Keys (we don't know what they open btw)
-Sea charts and maps
-Captain's Log
-Lots of rations (enough for a single man for 24 days)= These will be rationed
-Masterwork studded leather armor (Alton's) = Torch
-Masterwork shortsword (Alton's)
-Masterwork dagger = Surkoff
-Suit of leather armor
-Holy symbol of Nethys
-spell component pouch
-Block & Tackle
-3 large canvas sheets
-2 fishing nets
-Grappling hook = Surkoff
-2 bullseye lanterns = Surkoff 1x
-12 flasks of lantern oil = Surkoff 3x
-150 feet of hemp rope
-5 shovels
-1 bottle of fine brandy = Aerys & Surkoff (shared proprety I guess)
-darkwood model of the Jenivere in a glass bottle
-coffer containing 350 gp
-4 cure light wounds potions = Qui 1x
-1 cure moderate wounds potion = Surkoff
-4 lesser restoration potions = Torch 2x
-1 remove disease potion
-1 water breathing potion = Hrakar
-1 water walking potion = Hrakar

P.S.

Personally I'm not interessed in any of the new items but I think you should just take one if other people are interessed.

I like the idea of an ongoing log kept here...

...anything that hasn't been assigned, I assume is kept somewhere safe at the base camp.

I'm hoping BT will let us retrieve some of the items taken by Surkoff?

Yeah, I'm not going to punish you for a player leaving, so let's assume that Surkoff returned the stuff he got out of the common loot before he headed back to camp.

Have some family challenges at the moment, so please bot and don't let Aerys hold up the game.

FYI, I'll have limited internet access until Dec. 31. Merry statutory holidays!

I don't know if it's already Christmas in your time zone, in mine it is so I want to wish you all:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Hope you all had a GREAT CHRISTMAS!!