
Will Cooper RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |

Hey guys, I bought Jade Regent 1 and I am about halfway through reading it. Happy to GM at least the first part, then we can discuss handing over.
Caveats:
- This will be my first time GMing a PBP - please be gentle
- The pace will be a little stop-start at first; sometimes RPG Superstar or real life commitments will take precedence
- I will try to post most days
- I will make a follow up post today or tomorrow with some house rules that I have seen work well in other PBPs
Questions:
- Who's in?
- Do we, as a group, prefer to: use Mei as a GM character, or go ahead as a foursome, or go back to recruit? Personally I'd prefer not to recruit more players right now, but this should be a group agreement.
Will

Marduzi Lovarya |

First, let's get something out of the way. CONGRATS on Top 16!
Second, I'm in and very grateful you're willing to do this.
I would suggest leaving Mei as a GM character. That way you and I can swap off if we need to at some point. But ok with you dropping her if you find it weird. I'm running a whole host of friendly NPCs in Council of Thieves right now and find the only difficult part to be big combat encounters.
Happy to be a gentle player :)
Will offer suggestions on any areas you find you get stuck.

Will Cooper RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |

Thanks for the congrats. Can't wait to see what everyone did for round three. I'd love to make the last 8, especially in such a strong field.
Great, everyon's still in! Sounds like we have consensus, a plan and all that good stuff. I finished reading part one tonight. There's some awesome stuff coming up and I am excited to be running this adventure for you. First post as GM will come after work tomorrow.
Game on :)

Marduzi Lovarya |

Re Mapping Tools, I know myself and a couple other GMs I play with have had pretty good luck with PowerPoint. You can export the PDF images and put a grid together there. I still need to take the time to learn MapTools because I think once I'm over the learning curve, that will be even easier.

Marduzi Lovarya |

Will Cooper RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |

Hi Asira, yes you were unconscious at about -2 hit points until Nostariel burst in and healed you. As a general note to everyone, feel free to roleplay / describe / write about the effects of attacks on you, or what your last thought is as you crumple to the ground, or that sort of thing. Takes some descriptive pressure of me and makes sure you can still 'play' even when the b'stard GM takes out your character in the surprise round, or whatever...

Will Cooper RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |

Heh, cross-posted. As I said, I'm a little wary of re-rolls as they often don't really fix some underlying issue. But if you're confident that you like PBPs, like my GM style, like the pace, and it's just the character of Asira that you're struggling with, then I am happy for you to design another character.
Do you have anything in mind?

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I'm also in a game with MrDuzi except it died out after only one encounter. I actually have two characters put together for this AP. With only a little work, I'm sure either could quickly be made ready to play.
Azmythe is an elven witch (hedge). He had a serious bump on his head as a youth and come up with this version of history for himself.
As he tells it, Azmyth was born in the Age of Fire and Thunder. It was a horrible time. There was clashing thunder and screams of pain. Teeth gnashed and flesh was torn. It rained blood. It was a time without hope. Except that Azmyth had hope.
As he tells it, Azmyth was born in the Age of Redemption. He is a being of flesh and spirit. He has felt pain and knows of love. He walks the land looking to redeem himself for his arrogance in the Age of Dreams. He seeks redemption for his sins in the Age of Fire and Thunder. It is a time of family. Except he has no family.
This is how he remembers it. Basically, he had a happy life until orcs raided his home. He was led to freedom by his totem. After a time of healing and learning, Azmyth started wandering the land. He doesn't remember who he is or where he came from. He met Koya when she saved him and they had a brief relationship that developed into an intimate friendship.
He doesn't realize it, but Azmyth is looking for a new family.
The other is Draniliss an elven inquisitor of Desna. He protects travelers. His background includes having spent time being tutored by a Desnan priestess. In the original version of his history it was Koya. They were lovers and she left him to see after her mother.
Dranliss' parents were traveling merchants. He grew up traveling the coast of Varisia from Korvosa to Magnimar. When his mother was killed in a pirate attack, his father decided to retire and soon withered.
The young Dranliss, angry at his mother’s death and feeling abandoned by his father, took over his father's business, but was not as successful at it. Though he was good with numbers, he was not as good with people. What's more, he did not like it. During what was to be his last trip, Dranliss befriended a cleric of Desna who tutored him in her doctrine. The two of them traveled and adventured together for the last few years but have recently parted paths.
He's come to Sandpoint to meet with friends and see what new adventures can be found there.
I do want it known that I have some familiarity with the AP. I haven't read it, but I am currently in another Jade Regent game on these boards. I have done this in the past with other APs and have not had a DM call me on out of game knowledge. I don't do it to cheat, but to hedge my bets against APs I want to game dying out.
Thank you for your consideration.

Malcolm Cavendish |

I heard about your need of PCs from another game that I play with Marduzi. I offer Malcom for your consideration. I can certainly adjust level and background. At what level should the PCs start?

Marduzi Lovarya |

Might've swamped you here Will :)
Let's see...I'm in three very active games with David. He's the GM for the one I'm in with markofbane. Dax was very active in our now seeming to be dead Shackled City AP. And Malcolm plays with David and I in another one run by DM Voice of the Voiceless. And Marduzi is a very different cavalier than Black Ulfarr...

Will Cooper RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |

Hey guys! Awesome work Michael, and looks like it was well timed for everyone. I hadn't got round to inviting people from my other games - looks like that's a good thing!
We have two consistent members at the moment, a cavalier and a ranger. I was thinking an extra two players would be good. Then I saw the posts here and thought, well, APs are quite playable with six.
So James, markofbane, Dax and Malcolm are all in.
Then I had a further thought, which is that PBPs aren't tabletop, and don't have the same constraints. So I am going to push myself to experiment with a larger group. I've seen it work in Heathy's games, and actually people usually end up dropping out for real life reasons or whatever, and it shrinks down again.
So robertness, Chainmail and Merck are also in :)
That's it, end of recruitment.

Will Cooper RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16 |

Build rules:
First level
20 point buy
Core, APG, UC, UM. Prefer no ninja or samurai (the AP is about discoving the orient, not starting there)
One general trait, one campaign trait - read the free players guide
Average starting wealth
Ask before you step on Marduzi or Ruhk's toes, they have precedence.
Enjoy :)

robertness |
This shouldn't step on anyone's toes. I'm going to try a bard. Please bear with me because haven't run one before, but the player's guide prompted a little concept that could be fun. I'll have her up later tonight.
Are you going to assume that Marduzi and Ruhk have accomplished whatever's happened in the game to date?