In Search of Heroes

Game Master verdigris

Play-by-Post game set in Darkmoon Vale, using the Pathfinder ruleset.


How it works and how to join:

This adventure will be done as play by post on the Paizo messageboards. Maps and other documents will uploaded to Google Docs.

First, create a character (details below).

Next, go to “My Account” and “Create new messageboard alias” in the Messageboard Aliases section. Create an alias for your character in this campaign. Here is an example of one of my characters from another campaign.

Finally, start posting to this forum as a customer or employee of The Sitting Duck.

When posting, please use the following conventions:
Use OOC for OOC snark, questions regarding clarifications, and the like.
"Use bold text when your character is talking out loud."
Use italics for your characters inner thoughts and secret actions.

Combat & Dice Rolling:

Initiative: When combat begins I will roll initiative for all combatants including PC's. Actions will be resolved in order. Players are free to wait their turn or post ahead of time (including options if they'd like). If a player has posted before their initiative and things change before their actual initiative comes up, they are free to change their action with a new post.

Cover: Soft cover applies for ranged attacks. Cover is calculated drawing a line from one corner of your square to all 4 corners of the defender's square without passing through any objects/people.

Hard corners: Provide cover and cannot be bypassed with a 5' step.

Attack modifiers: PC's should modify their die rolls as appropriate for cover, shooting into melee, flanking, attacking from prone, etc. While being prone is technically an AC modifier, feel free to calculate it in as long as you advise me.

Format for posts:
Please list:
-Round and initiative (i.e. Round 1, Init 15)
-spoiler things that would scroll long. I trust and expect that people will not use out of character information they shouldn't.

Dice rolling: Dice rolling is done via the message board dice roller (see BBCode tags below the text box when you post. Feel free to roll dice for a skill, attack, etc, anytime you think is appropriate. I appreciate it if you explain any situational modifiers that alter what the roll would be from your profile. Including at least situational modifiers keeps things like cover from being counted twice or not at all. I go overboard, but understand if it's too much for everyone. For example:

+1 BAB, +4 Dex, +1 Point Blank, -4 cover
[dice]1d20 +2[/dice]

Aside from initiative, I will typically not make rolls for you unless it is necessary to keep things moving. I will also frequently let you make rolls that are supposed to be done by the GM. I trust people to not metagame around it and find it helps with my sense of immersion. If you're the opposite and knowing you rolled a 1 is going to distract you on searches, traps, etc, just let me know.

End of turn: Once you post and your initiative comes up, your turn is done. A friend of mine says, "I play the villians perfectly and I expect you to play your characters perfectly." While I can promise you that I will NOT play the villains perfectly every time, I do expect to play out whatever errors I might make once my turn is done. I expect that players will do the same.

Etiquette, etc:

Please be Active: Please plan on posting at least once a day when we're out of combat and twice a day when we're in combat (to keep things moving along). If you have abilities that interrupt combat (like Step-up) plan on posting even more often.

Play your character: Have fun! Enjoy your creation. Listen to the advice of others, but do what you want. However, be sure to play your character as built. The 8 Int/Wis fighter should probably not be figuring out the puzzles. The 7 Charisma dwarf should not be the lead diplomat. Feel free to assist (especially out of character), but remember who your PC is.

Play your own character: It's fine to make general requests, ask for a flank, suggest a tactic, beg for healing, but refrain from "Next turn you should cast bless, pull out your mace, and take a 5' step to the north to give me a flank."

Let people play their characters: Just because the PC is an ignorant clueless snob doesn't mean the player is. Their motivations might not be the same as yours. They might not care at all about the law and/or the greater good.

Don't play NPC's or other characters: You only control your own actions. You might think your diplomacy roll of 20 will make the lady swoon, but maybe it won't. (i.e. Doctor Wonderful walks into the room with his 20 charisma and uses prestigitation to spin beautiful colors around the barmaid's head. She swoons before me and I embrace her.)

NPC's lie: I know this might be a shocker, but it's true. I will be honest with you as the GM, but NPC's might actually deceive you.

The Locals:

Town Notables
    Gavil Thaldrin Kreed, Human, head of the Lumber Consortium, Most Notable notable
    --Jurin Kreed Son and heir to Thaldrin Kreed.
    Magistrate Vamros Harg, Halfling, Head magistrate
    Deldrin Baleson, half-elf sheriff
    Laurel Planrick, town herbalist and healer
    --Aris Planrick, Laura's much older brother, has great plans for harvesting Dream spider webbing and venom.

At The Rouge Lady

    Ralla Hebbradan Prostitute at The Rouge Lady; Much sought after for her youth and looks, Ralla found work at the Rouge Lady after her parent's passing.
    Hollin Hebbradan Younger brother of Ralla Hebbradan and part of a group of town kids that seem fascinated by the Heroes of the Hollow. His bright red hair and freckles makes him stand out in a crowd. Wants to be a brave warrior when he grows up; just like Master Chrys.
    Betsy Working girl at The Rouge Lady, the one with the snub nose and the big... smile.

At The Sitting Duck

    Brahm Grimstone- proprietor, grizzled barman of indeterminate heritage.(currently missing, though Eli and Fleur think he is on a business trip. It has been several months)
    Fleur - 14 yr old human orphan with blond hair and green eyes. serving girl, room staff, pig mistress. With Brahm currently gone, she and Eli run The Sitting Duck. (Current age:16, due to time spent in the fey realm)
    Eli - 15 yr old half-orc musician, dark curly hair at odds with his otherwise overly orcan features. Rumor has it that his mother was a full orc. Some say that Brahm is his father, but you can't prove it by the way he treats the boy.(currently, Eli aged to 20 or more, due to time spent in the Fey Realm).

At The Goose and Gander The local general store
    Brickasnurd Hildrinsocks - middle aged gnome manager. Has quite a way with commerce and magic and magical commerce.

At Jak’a’Napes
    Jak Crimmy- proprietor, round faced and friendly, has recently lost his wife.

At the Paper Mill
    Miss Ella, deceased, former scribe at the Paper Mill, apparent victim of the plague.
    Ubert human male, works as a guard at the Paper Mill

The surrounding countryside
    Twigzystril Zap Caprice Fey keeper of the cemetery; a grig with an unconventional slant on the symbiotic nature of nature and humanity's place within it.

at Jabb's Place, local butcher shop
    Colbrin Jabbs, proprietor. Victim of deputy's brutality durin the cult scare.
    Mikra Jabbs teen aged son of Colbrin. Slightly mentally challenged but he makes up for it with heart and loyalty.
    Zephram Bonesplitter Dwarven butcher, works for Colbrin Jabbs, the man that owns the town's butcher shop.

Family and Other notable NPCs
    Meredith Mother of Nimeon and Desyrahh. A pawn of the gods. Low level Cleric at Erastil's Temple.
    Jaryd, Nimeon's Father. Elven Druid. aging hipster.
    Desyrahh Nimeon's sister. Whereabouts currently unknown. Suspected mother of Jurin Kreed.

also mentioned, but not yet placed

    Glinter one of several leprous beggars. Though some have wondered why Kreed has not ran them off, other suggest that they work as his informants in town.


Map of Falcon's Hollow

with special thanks for the borrowing I am obviously not the first person to run a play by post, nor the best. With that in mind, I have borrowed from several GMs on the Paizo boards, notably GMChris. I didn't create the wheel, but recognized it's awesomeness when I saw it, and have borrowed (I hope) appropriately. Thank you.