Mortika's "Citadel of Flame" (Inactive)
Game Master Chris Mortika

This is the discussion board for the "Citadel of Flame" play-by-post.

A couple of ground rules:

I
I'll need you all to send me (1) your characters PFS number (So, if your personal PFS number were 15896, and this were your second character, you'd let me know 15896-02.) I'll also need (2) your post address so that I can send you a Chronicle sheet when we're finished, and (3) your email address you want me to allow to see the map images.

II
I am hapless when it comes to mapping software. I'll try posting things to Google+ when we need a combat map. If anybody has any other image storing or mapping solution you'd like to recommend, I'm all ears.

III
Actions and rolling during combat. When It comes time for combat, I'll roll initative for everybody and let you know the order. During combat, initiative matters in some cases, and less in others. After the first round, strict initative is problematic.

Really, the issues with initiative are (a) who goes before the opposition in the first round, and (b) does anybody's action foul up or otherwise affect somebody else's? I've found it useful to allow people to post their actions in any order, and make changes if someone at an earlier initiative does something that makes a difference:

Ranger at Initiative 10: I shoot the stupid little elf: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12.
Barbarian at Initiative 14: I charge the stupid little elf. 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Ranger at Initiative 10: Well, then, I guess I won't be shooting. I'll try to Demoralize him.

I strongly recommend that you let your characters "delay" if your lower-initiative allies post their actions first. So the situation above would go like:

Ranger at Initiative 10: I shoot the stupid little elf: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12.
Barbarian at Initiative 14: I delay until Initiative 9 and then charge the stupid little elf. 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

IV
Incidentally, kudos for the Ranger's player, who didn't decide that he would shoot into melee with the foreknowledge that he'd roll a hit even with the -4 penalty. Now the question is, does the Ranger's Demoralize use the same die roll as the aborted archery shot? There are problems either way. What I would like to ask is please announce your intended action, and let me make the dice rolls myself. That way, the Barbarian won't see that the Ranger would crit on a shot at Initiative 10, before deciding what to do on Initiative 14.)

V
If you own one of the Paizo / Pathfinder Society t-shirts or character folios, you are entitled to a single free re-roll of a d20 during the adventure. (You have to use it before I announce any results of the roll.) I also have a t-shirt, wich I will donate to the subset of players who don't have a shirt of their own. (If, for example, jtfol and roger were to own PFS shirts, the other four players would have one reroll to share among them. First called, first received; you don't need to ask everybody else's permission, but think twice about using the group reroll to woo the barkeep instead of making that Fortitude saving throw.)

I have some experience as both a player and GM in play-by-post, but I am by no means an expert. If I'm doing something that bugs you, let me know.

Chris, added my second trait.

Email address:

Gerald, is Shel a member of the Taldor faction? Also, PFS number?

DM

I put my pathfinder number at the top of my character sheet, (29917-1 ).

I understand your initiative concerns, and I like your solution.

I have also linked all my spells, feats, and abilities to the PRD. Unfortunately the Wizard page of the PRD has the header configured off a little bit, so you will have to scroll up on occasion to find familiar related abilities. Although I never plan to use Poison, the familiar's poison ability is linked to the paizo blog clarifying how poison works. If you want anything else linkeded, let me know. I want it to be as DM friendly as possible.

I will do my best to link any and all spells/hexes I use (especially at first), but in case I forget, they are easy(ish) to access via my character sheet.

I can't figure out for the life of me how to give each of my characters an avatar, an someone give me a step by step please.

Sure! Click on the link "My Account" at the top of the page.

You may be prompted to enter your password, if you are, enter your password.

there will be a box titled "MESSAGEBOARD ALIASES" just above your pathfinder society card.

All your aliases will be listed as follows:

Name . . . . . . Make Default Alias . . . . . . . Edit

Click Edit.

click the change avatar button.

Pick avatar, click save.

Thanks, It seems as though I just kept overlooking it.

Here is my

and my

I do not have a T-Shirt as of yet. And for post/timing issues, I am in Florida, so EST-US.

Akinra,

The Pathfinder game as a number of "hidden rules" that the developers always follow, like how much spell resistance a CR 6 creature might have.

One of the "unwritten rules" of Pathfinder is that mounts need to be at least one size category larger than their riders. That's why, for example, halfling cavaliers can take a pony or a wolf, Medium-sized creatures, for a mount, while human cavaliers need to take a horse or a camel. It's why a dwarf can't ride a Medium-sized boar. Every single example of a mounted rider, the mount is larger.

So, your Medium tiefling can have a war-trained pony (not a "war pony"), but it's not really designed for her, a creature just as large as it, to ride effectively. By that, I mean it can't charge in battle, and it takes half-again as much damage from long marches.

If you want to mount the halfling on the pony, it won't take those penalties. If you want to change the mount to a horse, I'm fine with that.

(Incidentally, in terms of weight, the pony has a light load limit of 75 lbs, which you exceed, and a medium load limit of 150 pounds, which you probably approach, with gear and bridle and saddle.)

I had to switch some other items to make it work, but now a Light Horse!

I have 2 T-shirts, a record folio, and a fantastic attitude. This character is 44666-2. Real address will be sent via private message shortly.

No t-shirts here.. I am as new you can be to this, but I am enjoying it alot sofar!

Living in Sweden means that my timezone is CET. So east coast US are 6 hours behind me and west coast US are 9 hours behind me. So when the west coast people start their job then I have just ended mine ;)

I am staying awake quite late, normally close to 2AM (8PM EST). Can be good to know if you wonder why I am a bit silent during 8PM-4AM EST.

Now that will also explain if the grammar are not 100% correct when I am typing ;)

/Thrilled

Din engelska är bättre än min svenska.

Haha Chris,

Actually that was a perfect sentence in swedish, so I am not so sure about that yet ;)

Are there faction missions in this campaign?

Yes there are, Gryne. Did you read under your spoiler after Hamshanks released the party?

Yup I see that now. I think I was online at the same time you were and caught the post before you were able to edit it. Sorry for my premature spoiler readation.
Mission Accepted.

This is a good time to ask what the party's marching order is, in a variety of circumstances: outside, where you have space; in rooms, in corridors.

Three members of the party can see in the dark: Gryne, Azatoth, and Hadassah.

Ranged: Azatoth has a shortbow, Gryne has a longbow, Hadassah can cast evil eye, James has his pistol, Moulini has a heavy crossbow*, Shel has her sling**, and Maximo runs up and hits things with his greatsword.

--
* Moulini, do you normally carry your heavy crossbow with the tension drawn and a bolt knocked? You can, and that will spare you the time to load your first shot, but that's a lot of tension. If you take damage from a fall or some similar situations, it might discharge the crossbow.

** Gerald, a lot of people are surprised by the time it takes to load a sling.

Well since I am being quite bulky with decent AC then I don't mind going in the front if the other agrees.

One of the rogues need to be in the front. I will volunteer. Gotta have someone checking for traps and working on locks. If thrilled has a tank, that would be good for the second spot.

Maximo prefers to be as close to the front as possible. He's pretty oblivious to the noise he makes with armor and weapons jingling, clacking, and generally making a racket. If the party desires a stealthy approach, he will step to the back reluctantly.

In general, Maximo has shield and warhammer ready. He only wields the greatsword after sizing up a combat situation.

James, can disable traps and work locks with the best of them but has no problem with Shel focusing on that aspect. James will probably take up the rear, his pistol loaded without the hammer pulled back.

Yeah, I'd think a gunslinger would be better in the back part of the group. Never played in a game with one before, so this will be new for me!

I've never played one before so ditto :)

My real life GMs are anti firearms in their games, and none of my PbP games have ever had one, I don't think...

yeah the crossbow is normal loaded when its out but if i have rapier out its unloaded... normally i'll have it out and then move to the rapier once i've fired it unless there fairly far out or I'm trying to be sneaky...

also sent the DM a message including my info you requested...

I'll bring up the rear with the Longbow.

I think I should be center-ish I am non-armored, so someone between me and the bad guys never makes me sad.

Try using a chess board or even a blank excel sheet to get an idea of the battlefield. A1 is the top left corner and so on. I hope this helps:)

Thanks James, I'll try it when I get to work tomorrow.

The issue is that I am exhausted and sleep deprived as of now. I just wanted to get an action out so you guys wouldn't be waiting on me.

Not sure how accurate this is, but please let me know if it is way off. just a quick map...

MAP

Hadassah, you'll need to make the document public I think for us to view it.

Also, Chris, I didn't notice the "let me make the rolls" statement until now. Sorry for jumping the gun in the battle.

Oops, should be public now, from link. also, if you google maps citadel of flame pathfinder, you can find blanks for personal use and editing.

Maximo/Kobash , that's fine.

I was worried that some of you would balk at the suggestion that we let people act in posting order, but nobody seems to mind. As long as everybody's fine with that, there's no reason you can't roll your attacks and damage in combat.

--+--

Hadassah/Akinra, those look great! I'll see what I can find and post for the next combat!

I like to make rolls, but I find the game moves much faster when the GM makes them rather than wait for a player. I'm happy to let you roll for me if needed.

I am fine with you rolling as well, DM. It seems to be progressing really well that way...

I am fine with you rolling as well, DM. It seems to be progressing really well that way...

agreed.

I am fine with you rolling as well, DM. It seems to be progressing really well that way...

Also agreed

For you, DM Link to Maps

i must agree too...

Looks like the characters vote for the GM to roll, I like it better that way as well.

Fair enough.

Yea I also prefer to have the GM roll.. This will make things progress better too.

My Bar Exam results came in today. I passed! (164 raw score on MBE portion, so I have a little celebrating to do tonight. I apologize in advance if my typing becomes slurred, or if I fail to post more tonight.

Congrats! I passed that sucker 14 years ago next month. You deserve a round of heavy drinking!

I thought I was playing with rules lawyers, turns out I was only half correct. Congrats that truly is an awesome accomplishment.

Huzzah!

I thought I was playing with rules lawyers, turns out I was only half correct. Congrats that truly is an awesome accomplishment.

Funny.

If I have your email address (ahem, James and Maximo) I sent you an illustration of the room you're in.

I did not get the map. Also, were you able to follow the link above? and to everyone else, were you able to follow the first link? Kinda useless now that combat is over, but if it worked, I would like to know for future reference.