Carrion Crown, presented by DM Hamied - Campaign Thread

Game Master Hamied

Hello everybody,

Welcome to Carrion Crown! We have plenty to talk about, but for the moment, I'd like for everybody to check in.

Two quick things:

1) I plan to start the actual storyline on Wednesday, after we've discussed a few things in here. There won't be a laundry list of regulations regarding this thread, but I do expect all discussion to be respectful. I'll get more into the use of the discussion thread vs. the campaign thread a little later today.

2) I will be out of town July 26th-30th. I fully expect to have regular internet access and to post every day, but I wanted to give you fair warning that things may slow down just a pinch during that time. It does not mean I'm neglecting the game, and things will be back to normal in August.

Looking forward to playing with you all!

Likewise, DM.

Hrolf Steinolf reporting for duty...

Glad to have Hrolf on board! He and Rosanna seem to both be designed with support in mind, but if I'm understanding things, Hrolf mixes it up in melee and Rosanna has some blasting capability. I will leave it up to the two of you how you want to complement each other in the support role.

One thing to start thinking about is the spell Restoration (and probably Lesser Restoration too). The need might be a ways down the road, but it will have its place in this campaign. Hrolf can access it, but would have to spend a spell slot on it. Rosanna can add it to her familiar, but only if she selects the Healing patron. If neither of you ends up wanting to go this direction, I will begin to think about how to work around it.

I am fairly certain that the witch has baseline access to most other status-removal spells.

I'm probably going to be a little selfish with my spell slots, but i'm hoping to convince everyone to have a sixth loot share for party purchases such as wands and scrolls for ability damage etc.

Other than that, we'll just see how Hrolf evolves.

And you should be. You don't get many of them. I simply thought it prudent to bring up the issue.

Jaxus checking in.

O-hayo gozaimasu. Tetsuo checking in. Headed to PT formation now,but will hit you guys up in a bit.

Rosanna checking in,.. Happy to change to the healing patron and rework to take account of other characters.

I may have missed something obvious, but I couldn't tell from your sheet which patron you had in mind. Since you listed the Hedge Witch archetype, I wondered if you might be intending to go that direction anyway. If not, Hrolf is totally right. The party can put some money aside for scrolls, wands and the like.

Anyway, as per my original post, I'll stop bugging you guys with questions until aptinuviel has checked in.

I may have missed something obvious, but I couldn't tell from your sheet which patron you had in mind. Since you listed the Hedge Witch archetype, I wondered if you might be intending to go that direction anyway. If not, Hrolf is totally right. The party can put some money aside for scrolls, wands and the like.

Anyway, as per my original post, I'll stop bugging you guys with questions until aptinuviel has checked in.

Was going for the Charm patron, but only because i thought that Unnatural Lust sounded like so much fun! - I'll pick it up as a spell later on though. Healing prob fits my background better.

What is starting wealth supposed to be? I won't have enough for even a shortbow and arrows if I start with average monk wealth, haha.

I'd forgotten how low it was. Wow. 35gp?

Tell you what. I will bump Tetsuo and Rosanna's starting gold to 105gp (like the Bard and Barbarian). Does that give you enough to start effectively?

Okay, everybody. I had a conversation with aptinuviel, and it seems Edmund as we know him will be undergoing some changes! Specifically, Edmund will become Iovanna, a female paladin from Lastwall. Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, Joy will be taking on the character instead.

While I'm not certain I would be okay with this under most circumstances, there are two factors that have led me to be comfortable with this decision:

1) Joy was my first runner up in selections. Obviously, who I would ask as a replacement if one of you didn't check in depends on class, but it did sadden me especially that I wasn't able to find room for her witch, Almathea (I was already set on Rosanna), and if there was an opening in any other role than the "tank", I would likely have tried to make her fit.

2) I really want "Edmund". I love the concept of Lastwall, and want it to have a presence in my Carrion Crown game. Beyond that, Edmund was the only true "tank" amidst the applications, so he seemed a perfect fit for the group (Patcher had a paladin, but it was designed as a support fighter). That Joy and aptinuviel know each other is fortuitous; he can pass the same character (Iovanna is mechanically the same, and her background is nearly identical) off to her, and we still have our shield bearing champion of Lastwall.

While I am okay with this, I can see how others might not be. I would like to discuss it, though ultimately, my intention is to allow it. If you have an objection, you should voice it now.

Thanks,
Hamied

I am good with Joy joining the game. Welcome aboard Joy.

Money situation will be great at 150 and I am more than happy to have Joy join us.

I was intending 105gp, actually, if that's enough.

Haha, 105 is quite fine.

Witch is already 105gp, no? - anyway, that's what i was looking at for equipment. Thanks for the sentence "I was already set on Rosanna" - gave me a warm snuggly feeling... :)

Happy for Joy to be part of the team.

Updated to include equipment (Looking at adding some more). Might change the Prehensile Hair hex to something more useful though.

Thank you,

Iovanna checking in now. Not the first time I've played a character aptinuviel made either. :)

I'll go ahead and post this character appearance since she missed that part of the recruitment thread:

Bah, you should be on the payroll if you wanted more starting gold ;).

Hrolf's essentially ready to go. I do need to work on fleshing out his Seer Council, which i'll do either today or tomorrow.

Bah, you should be on the payroll if you wanted more starting gold ;).

Hrolf's essentially ready to go. I do need to work on fleshing out his Seer Council, which i'll do either today or tomorrow.

Actually, I'm glad you mentioned On the Payroll. I think 150gp is too low considering the benefits of other traits, so I'm doubling the gold granted by it. Characters with the trait will receive 300gp beyond starting wealth.

Hrolf Steinolf wrote:

Bah, you should be on the payroll if you wanted more starting gold ;).

Hrolf's essentially ready to go. I do need to work on fleshing out his Seer Council, which i'll do either today or tomorrow.

Actually, I'm glad you mentioned On the Payroll. I think 150gp is too low considering the benefits of other traits, so I'm doubling the gold granted by it. Characters with the trait will receive 300gp beyond starting wealth.

Thanks- scale mail upgraded to breastplate, some mundane gear bought. Character sheet updated.

Everybody has checked in, so I'll bring up a few points of discussion.

I'd like to clarify the difference between the discussion thread and the campaign thread. I'm not introducing anything revolutionary; the two threads will function as they do in just about any other play-by-post. I'm mostly bringing it up as a point of reference.

Campaign Thread

This is our main story thread. This is where I will post the campaign narrative, and where your characters will come to life. There are a few conventions I would like to see observed in the campaign thread, many of which might be familiar to you already:

Please indicate what your character says aloud by using bold text.

Use italics to denote what your character is thinking to themselves.*

When you are speaking out of character, please use light blue text.

Use the normal text when describing what your character is doing, how he/she looks, etc.

*I know some players prefer not to use interior monologue at all, as they would rather indicate their character's thoughts in words and actions. I leave this choice up to you on an individual basis. Every roleplayer has their own approach.

When you are posting on the campaign thread, please post on the alias that represents your character, even if it's an out of character post. Additionally, please keep your character sheet updated to the best of your ability. I will be keeping my own tally of hit points and status effects, but I will refer to your character sheets frequently.

I don't plan on using an alternative dice rolling system, as I like the one built in to these boards. Is everybody clear on how to use the BBCode dice expression? If not, I'm happy to go over it. If you post a dice expression and then see that you've gotten a result that requires another roll (suck as to confirm a critical hit), you can do the secondary roll in your original post (via edit) or in a separate post. I have no preference, as long as it's clear why you're rolling.

While I will occasionally roll secretly (i.e. for some Perceptions checks), all player rolls will take place in the campaign thread: initiative, skills, attacks, hit points (upon leveling), etc.

When you post, don't hesitate to make a roll that you might use. Don't feel the need to wait for me to call for it. If you want to use Sense Motive on the Count's butler, go ahead and roll. It's possible that whatever skill you use won't be relevant, but when in doubt, be proactive and roll anyway.

This goes beyond dice. While part of my job is to set the pace of the story and to narrate events, you are the principle characters. Don't be afraid to take minor liberties with what's happening around your character. What I don't want to happen is to have everybody sitting around waiting for somebody else to do something.

On that note, I would like to keep things moving briskly, so I will forward things when I feel the pace has dipped. I never want to step on somebody's roleplaying, so if it's really important for your character to undertake something complicated, it might be best to indicate that you're putting a great deal of focus on a particular task. That way, I can give you the room you need to fulfill it to your satisfaction.

I am looking for character posts in the campaign thread at least once a day. Sometimes this can be more difficult, so if you're expecting that you won't be able to, let us know and we can adjust accordingly. It's always okay to take some time away from the game. Just keep the group informed.

Discussion Thread

This thread is for everything else. I call it a discussion thread instead of an out-of-character thread for two reasons:

1) I have no problem with game relevant out of character chat in the campaign thread.
2) The discussion thread isn't necessarily restricted to game/character related stuff.

Rules questions and talk of character builds, party synergy, bookkeeping, etc. should take place here. I have no preference for which alias you use on these boards.

I don't require people to post in the discussion thread with the same frequency that they post in the campaign thread. It is a good idea for players to check it out periodically, however, as game relevant conversation will happen.

I am perfectly fine with off-topic discussion, but it must be respectful. Obviously, anything prohibited by Paizo's messageboard policies is off-limits here. Beyond that, I generally like to keep politics out of things as that can prove a hot button for many people (myself included). Additionally, if any player indicates they are uncomfortable with a given topic, I will ask that we drop it immediately out of courtesy.

Please do not post personal information here. I don't mean that you can't talk about what's going on in your life, but please don't post your home address, or links to photos...anything like that.

To summarize appropriate uses of the two threads:

Campaign Thread
Campaign Narrative
Character Posts
Game Relevant Out-of-Character Posts
Dice Rolls
Minor Rules Questions (i.e. Did you add a +1 morale bonus to that roll?)

Discussion Thread
Bookkeeping/Inventory
Coordinating Character Building/Advancement
Major Rules Questions (i.e. Does my Channel Energy harm Jaxus if I am using it to heal allies?)
Off-Topic

So that's a lot of information, much of which is probably already expected, but here it is nonetheless. Questions? Comments?

No questions as of yet, rules seem fairly standard. Posting at least once a day is no problem for me.

Hrolf moved over to the DM, shaking his hand firmly.

Its possible that I might occasionally slip up and post like this- using bold for speech, italics for actions and a combination for inner monologue, as this is my default style for about a dozen aliases. I will endeavour to remember to change that on this game's IC thread though.

I hope he won't smite me if I mess up...

If I do, apologies, its just force of habit.

Backgrounds

I will be running the Carrion Crown AP by the book, as envisioned by Paizo Publishing. That said, it's a roleplaying game, and your characters are vital to the interactive story. As such, I am incorporating everybody's backgrounds into the greater campaign arc. I have some questions/thoughts below for each of you.

Hrolf moved over to the DM, shaking his hand firmly.

Its possible that I might occasionally slip up and post like this- using bold for speech, italics for actions and a combination for inner monologue, as this is my default style for about a dozen aliases. I will endeavour to remember to change that on this game's IC thread though.

I hope he won't smite me if I mess up...

If I do, apologies, its just force of habit.

I do not forsee it ever becoming an issue. While I like to see some uniformity (my reason for posting my preferred conventions), as long as it clear what is happening in your posts, it's totally fine.

I also think it's prudent to bring up the fact that we have a dhampir in the party. This has big implications, both in terms of roleplaying and mechanics.

Because he is good-aligned, Jaxus isn't inherently offensive to paladins. All the same, he is basically half-vampire, so this may create tension with Iovanna and Hayashi both (the latter being an established undead hunter). I think it will put a nice edge on party relations, but I want to make sure it doesn't evolve into a conflict. I wonder...how obvious is Jaxus' nature? Would he try to hide it from the party? How human does he look?

Mechanically, Jaxus is harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy. This will be a challenge, but not one that I see as insurmountable. It may cause some difficulty once Iovanna can Channel Energy and wishes to use it offensively, but before that, it should simply be a matter of using inflict spells rather than cure spells.

** spoiler omitted **

I'd like to point out on that note that unless its explicably spelled out for Hrolf (or he makes a successful knowledge roll) he won't know not to use cure spells on Jaxus, so don't leave it until your bleeding out on the ground to tell him not to use curative magic on you :).

I also think it's prudent to bring up the fact that we have a dhampir in the party. This has big implications, both in terms of roleplaying and mechanics.

Because he is good-aligned, Jaxus isn't inherently offensive to paladins. All the same, he is basically half-vampire, so this may create tension with Iovanna and Hayashi both (the latter being an established undead hunter). I think it will put a nice edge on party relations, but I want to make sure it doesn't evolve into a conflict. I wonder...how obvious is Jaxus' nature? Would he try to hide it from the party? How human does he look?

Mechanically, Jaxus is harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy. This will be a challenge, but not one that I see as insurmountable. It may cause some difficulty once Iovanna can Channel Energy and wishes to use it offensively, but before that, it should simply be a matter of using inflict spells rather than cure spells.

Jaxus doesn't really hide what he is but he is not going to advertise his nature. If someone asks he will tell them but he looks like a pale human that doesn't really like sunlight. I have met several such people in my life time and have never asked them if they were half-vampire so I was going to kind of let it evolve in the game and soo how it goes. Hopefully Jaxus isn't unconscious and when someone tries to heal him that's the end of it, not very fun way to surprise everyone but I guess we will see.

As far as the other stuff above it is just like all the other pbp I have played so no questions for me.

Re Jaxus:

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 121d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Trying out the dice expression it has been awhile since I did a pbp and it was not really used when I did my last game.

As far as the other stuff above it is just like all the other pbp I have played so no questions for me.

** spoiler omitted **

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Re Jaxus: ** spoiler omitted **

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Re Jaxus: ** spoiler omitted **

DM

I can't remember but can we use 'DM' on this site since it 'belongs' to WotC?

I can't remember but can we use 'DM' on this site since it 'belongs' to WotC?

** spoiler omitted **

Hmmm. I hadn't considered that. It's probably naive of me, but I would guess that while "Dungeon Master" is probably copyrighted, "DM" is a generic enough abbreviation that it wouldn't be. That's entirely a guess, however.

I happen to be in a tabletop game with somebody who works in copyright. I've had to step away from that game for a few weeks, but I'll see him again in August and I'll ask him what he makes of it. Using the DM prefix seems to be pretty standard practice in play-by-post games on these boards, though that's not to say it's 100% legit.

Dreamweaver wrote:

I can't remember but can we use 'DM' on this site since it 'belongs' to WotC?

** spoiler omitted **

Hmmm. I hadn't considered that. It's probably naive of me, but I would guess that while "Dungeon Master" is probably copyrighted, "DM" is a generic enough abbreviation that it wouldn't be. That's entirely a guess, however.

I happen to be in a tabletop game with somebody who works in copyright. I've had to step away from that game for a few weeks, but I'll see him again in August and I'll ask him what he makes of it. Using the DM prefix seems to be pretty standard practice in play-by-post games on these boards, though that's not to say it's 100% legit.

** spoiler omitted **

Party Skills and Abilities

I was perhaps imposing with the Restoration issue above, but for the most part, I will leave party synergy up to you guys. I'll introduce the issue here, however, simply because I have been looking over your characters' skills and abilities since before I made my selections. The party has strengths and weaknesses, and I'll leave it as your challenge to effectively use those strengths and overcome your weaknesses.

Because I assembled a group with no Trapfinding, however, I will be designing traps a little differently. Carrion Crown has a lot of room for a somewhat similar mechanic in the form of Haunts (I will discuss Haunts more thoroughly if and when the party comes upon them). Beyond that, I will make traditional traps work more as part of encounters, or as quasi-encounters themselves, rather than using them as a means to keep the hypothetical rogue on high alert.

Skill wise, the party has the majority of the major Knowledge skills covered (as far as monster identification, currently missing are Planes and Dungeoneering). Hayashi has good Stealth and between Hrolf and Iovanna, the party has decent social skills.

Anyway, I'll bow out of this conversation and let you guys decide if and how much you want to tweak your characters to cover different bases. I think the group is very balanced as is, but I figured it was worth broaching the subject.

I haven't given a lot of time between selections and the start of the campaign because frankly, I'm very eager to start. Because of the short turnaround, I will allow you to make minor tweaks to your characters through the weekend.

Hey guys, my internet is down, but should be back up today. I will post from work when I can.

@Dm Hamied: I will think about some general conceptions the folks around Ustalav will have about him. Suspicious people tend to be rather adoring once you prove yourself to them. I think he will have a bit of reputation for aiding the common folk, seems classic monk to me.

** spoiler omitted **