Strangers in a Stranger Land (Inactive)

Game Master Branding Opportunity

Strange people in a City of Strangers

CURRENT COMBAT MAP


1 to 50 of 74 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | next > last >>

Discord Chat

This is where we will discuss out-of-character things.


GM, I was considering changing class to something divine, either warpriest (cult leader) or druid. But, the expected level will play a part in that decision. Is this a module length adventure spanning a few levels (would wild shape ever come into play)?


Discord Chat

Depends on how long you all want to play. I will be leveling up by fiat, but on average every two to three months if we keep up the pace.

-Posted with Wayfinder


Meh, character creation can go on forever. I'll just stick with what I have, I like it.

Dark Archive

Male Oni-Born Teifling Samurai(sword saint) 2

Just wanted to know if everyone was aware of this game, perhaps if we PM the others they'd notice...


Note sure, but Og had mentioned being out of town. Also Medghar's player has unfortunately been less active on other games.


...and it really stinks. I might start a recruiting thread for something, my other games are super slow/dying now.

Dark Archive

Male Oni-Born Teifling Samurai(sword saint) 2

Hmmm... well... if you think of starting a game I may want a spot, and I understand life happens. Slot of my games are dead in the water or inching along, however I have one game that puts near 10 posts a day... but there are like 7 players with two characters each in that game :/

That's alot of work!


Male Half Orc Half Orc Wizard HP 19/19, AC 13-16/12/11-14, Init +2, Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +3, Falchion +6 (2d4+6/18-20)| 6/day—telekinetic fist +3 Touch for 1d4+1, Perception +5

Hi all. Just found the game thread. I was not dotted into it. I'll dot the gameplay threat with my character later today. Gotta finish him up.


Discord Chat

I'm ready to go, but am waiting for everyone to check in.


I sent Medghar a PM earlier today with the game link


Discord Chat

I've had a high fever since last night. Will let you know here when I have passed into being healthy again.


M Gnome | HP: 23/23 +1 point of burn | AC: 18 (14 Tch, 15 FF) | CMB: +0; CMD: 12 | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1 | Init: +3 | Perception: +5, Sense Motive: +0 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: DR 2/Adamantine | GeoKineticist 2

Yikes. Get well soon.


Discord Chat

Finally kicked the fever today, whew! Will resume posting tomorrow.


Discord Chat

Judging from the lack of response, I'm guessing that we are a group of four (including me). That's fine by me, but if you know someone who would be interested in the game, please let them know and send them this way. Otherwise I'll just get things going ...


M Gnome | HP: 23/23 +1 point of burn | AC: 18 (14 Tch, 15 FF) | CMB: +0; CMD: 12 | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1 | Init: +3 | Perception: +5, Sense Motive: +0 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: DR 2/Adamantine | GeoKineticist 2

Yea. Lets roll.

A little sad that this group went from 3-4 posts a day to people dropping after they committed.

Dark Archive

Male Oni-Born Teifling Samurai(sword saint) 2

you could always put a recruitment up... if you wish.


Medghar had some family issues, not sure he has seen this thread. I'm still here


Discord Chat

Since we seem to only be three, I will advertise for at least one more to join us if that's okay with everyone. I've been away from home since last Saturday, so have not been checking in since then; apologies.


Sounds good!


M Gnome | HP: 23/23 +1 point of burn | AC: 18 (14 Tch, 15 FF) | CMB: +0; CMD: 12 | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1 | Init: +3 | Perception: +5, Sense Motive: +0 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: DR 2/Adamantine | GeoKineticist 2

Good here as well.

Dark Archive

Male Oni-Born Teifling Samurai(sword saint) 2

Where is this advertising? I'd like to see our canadates.


Discord Chat

I've picked our three additions. They should be posting here soon.

I would also like to encourage everyone to post something in the "Story so Far" background adventure descriptions. I think it could really help the RP.

While you are doing that, I'd also like you to think about the following things. They are taken from the DramaSystem OGL, but are very applicable to any RPG. You can incorporate these into your character sheet, or just keep them in mind when you are playing your PC.

Spoiler:
Defining Relationships

When you define your relationship to another PC, you establish a crucial fact about both characters. You can make it any kind of relationship, so long as it’s an important one. Family relationships are the easiest to think of and may prove richest in play. Close friendships also work. By choosing a friendship, you’re establishing that the relationship is strong enough to create a powerful emotional bond between the two of you. Bonds of romantic love, past or present, may be the strongest of all.

As in any strong drama, your most important relationships happen to be fraught with unresolved tension. These are the people your character looks to for emotional fulfillment. The struggle for this fulfillment drives your ongoing story.

Defining one relationship also determines others, based on what has already been decided.
Players may raise objections to relationship choices of other players that turn their PCs into people they don’t want to play. When this occurs, the proposing player makes an alternate suggestion, negotiating with the other player until both are satisfied. If needed, the GM assists them in finding a choice that is interesting to the proposing player without imposing unduly on the other.

Represent each character as a name with a box or circle around it. Place your character in the center of the sheet. Draw a line from your character to each other PC. Label the line with the nature of the relationship. As relationships between other PCs are established, connect them and label the connection lines as well.

Your Desire

A PC’s desire is the broadly stated, strong motivation driving his actions during dramatic scenes. The desire moves him to pursue an inner, emotional goal, which can only be achieved by engaging with other members of the main cast, and, to a lesser degree, with recurring characters run by the GM. Your desire might be seen as your character’s weakness: it makes him vulnerable to others, placing his happiness in their hands. Because this is a dramatic story, conflict with these central characters prevents him from easily or permanently satisfying his desire. Think of the desire as an emotional reward your character seeks from others. The most powerful choices are generally the simplest:
* approval
* acceptance
* forgiveness
* respect
* love
* subservience
* reassurance
* power
* to punish
* to be punished

Your Dramatic Poles

Driving any compelling dramatic character in any story form is an internal contradiction. The character is torn between two opposed dramatic poles. Each pole suggests a choice of identities for the character, each at war with the other. Events in the story pull the character from one pole to the next.

Examples from film and literature include:

* Walter White (Breaking Bad): virtuous weakness or anti-social power?
* Tony Soprano (The Sopranos): family man or Family man?
* Buffy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer): Self-sacrifice or personal happiness?
* Nate Fisher (Six Feet Under): freedom or responsiblity?

What You Want From Others

Now bring your dramatic poles into specific focus by declaring what they lead you to seek from particular other PCs.

The sooner you define a want, the more important it is to you. The first and second PCs you name as your withholders of emotional reward are your fraught relationships. Also, mark your fraught relationships by circling or highlighting them on your relationship map. If you find it a useful memory aid, include a notation describing the emotional reward you seek.


INACTIVE - GAME DIED

Helloooo! I'm one of the additions. I should be able to help with traps, and do a little teeny bit of support buffing/healing!

@DM: I don't recall ever getting an answer about whether you use background skills.


Discord Chat
Anastasia Lirel wrote:
@DM: I don't recall ever getting an answer about whether you use background skills.

Nope, no background skills.


M Gnome | HP: 23/23 +1 point of burn | AC: 18 (14 Tch, 15 FF) | CMB: +0; CMD: 12 | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1 | Init: +3 | Perception: +5, Sense Motive: +0 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: DR 2/Adamantine | GeoKineticist 2

Hey all. Sorry for my slack posting. Had some medical issues but all is good now, or at least better. I am back at work and catching up on my posts too.

Dark Archive

Male Oni-Born Teifling Samurai(sword saint) 2

Sorry for my abdance, scedual had me prioritizing my games, but I have time to post here now ;)


Was my entry in the "Story so Far" document total garbage? Is that why no one else is putting stuff there? :(

Dark Archive

Male Oni-Born Teifling Samurai(sword saint) 2

What? Where is it?

That's why I did nothing!


Campaign info tab at top

Dark Archive

Male Oni-Born Teifling Samurai(sword saint) 2

Oh :P thanks, I'll edit it when I'm not on my phone that hates Google documents.


Discord Chat
Vigan wrote:
Was my entry in the "Story so Far" document total garbage? Is that why no one else is putting stuff there? :(

It was definitely not garbage, Vigan. I'm guessing that most people didn't know about it or haven't had the time.


M Gnome | HP: 23/23 +1 point of burn | AC: 18 (14 Tch, 15 FF) | CMB: +0; CMD: 12 | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1 | Init: +3 | Perception: +5, Sense Motive: +0 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: DR 2/Adamantine | GeoKineticist 2

I'll be camping starting tomorrow and will not be back until Monday. I am not sure I will even have cell service where I am headed. Have a good weekend.


Discord Chat
Gnarl Stonesproket wrote:
I'll be camping starting tomorrow and will not be back until Monday. I am not sure I will even have cell service where I am headed. Have a good weekend.

Thanks for letting us know, Gnarl.


Discord Chat

I'm curious to try something, guys.

Did you notice how the pink thug dropped his crossbow to rub his eyes as the blinding ray struck him? Disarming your foe is obviously not part of the class ability, but A) I thought it "made sense" for him to do that (i.e. thinking "how would I react if that happened to me?"), and B) I thought it was cool because it provided some variety to the standard "I hit him with my longsword +1 with a +44 kajillion attack bonus" that d20 combat often becomes, and C) it increases verisimilitude, which is something any RPG can do better.

So here's my suggestion: what if we somewhat codified this reaction and gave you some incentives to use them? What if when you do something that makes you loose a move action (or its rough equivalent) you can bank a +2 untyped bonus to any d20 roll in the future, and if you loose a standard or full-round action (or its equivalent), you can bank a +4 bonus? You would only be able to bank one +2 and one +4 bonus at a time. The penalty you take has to fit thematically into the game, and you can't take it when it really wouldn't hurt you (e.g. on the last round of combat when all the foes have basically been dispatched).

Would this be something that all of you are interested in? Please let me know. I would want unanimous support before we adapt it, as it involves everyone, and am happy to modify it if you have a good idea.


I like the banking idea, but am a little confused. Can you give me a play by play example?


Discord Chat

Here's an example.

You're playing your illusionist and a foe fires an arrow at you that hits. Instead of just taking damage, you say that the arrow is literally sticking out of you and on your next action, you say that you spend a move action breaking the shaft of the arrow off so that it doesn't get in your way, then you fire off a spell. That action lets you bank a +2 for a d20 roll whenever you want it and adds a lot to the flavor of the scene. It's not just "I roll a 23 and do 4 points of damage". You could even run with it and say that there's a chance that wound is painful and needs extra attention after the combat is over. It doesn't have any further game effect, but helps you tell the story. It's basically a way for players to become more involved in the storytelling of the game while giving them a little bonus. Limiting it to one +2 and +4 bonus (or possibly one or the other if it starts to feel too powerful), hopefully removes the chance that it gets "cheesed" and becomes abused. I'm thinking that it has to be a real disadvantage, you can't simply choose to lose a move or standard action when it doesn't in some significant way impede you in some way.

Is that clearer?


Yes, thank you, wasn't sure you meant the player spent the move action or caused one to be lost. I support the idea.


M Gnome | HP: 23/23 +1 point of burn | AC: 18 (14 Tch, 15 FF) | CMB: +0; CMD: 12 | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1 | Init: +3 | Perception: +5, Sense Motive: +0 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: DR 2/Adamantine | GeoKineticist 2

I certainly do not mind adopting the idea. Might be fun.


Female NG Dhampir Oracle 2 | HP: 17/17 | AC: 19 (11 Tch, 18 FF) | CMB: +2; CMD: 11 | Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4 | Init: +1 | Perception: +3, Sense Motive: +6 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: Sickened | Spells: L1: 5/5

Sure, sounds good to me!


Female NG Dhampir Oracle 2 | HP: 17/17 | AC: 19 (11 Tch, 18 FF) | CMB: +2; CMD: 11 | Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4 | Init: +1 | Perception: +3, Sense Motive: +6 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: Sickened | Spells: L1: 5/5

Since I suspect not everyone has read the Kaer Maga book, here's a list of common slang terms in the City of Strangers!

Ankle-biter: Derogatory slang for halflings or gnomes; often carries sexual connotations.

Bend: A primarily human term for an attractive gnome or halfling, stemming from the fact that he or she is “worth bending down for.”

Catch Your 28: Stems from the practice of punishing crimes by removing a number of finger joints. When a criminal has used up all her joints (28 on a normal human), she’s executed. As a result, to “catch your 28” means to be slain justly or, more commonly, to be punished.

Core: The three districts in the center of Kaer Maga exposed to the outdoors: Downmarket, Widdershins, and Hospice.

Dropjaw: Non-Kaer Magan; outsider.

Emissary: A gang member out of her territory on official inter-gang business.

Gawk: Non-Kaer Magan; outsider.

Gov: Short for “governor,” used as a familiar yet moderately respectful term for a superior.

Groundling: Riffraff. A derogatory term used among residents of Highside Stacks to refer to the rest of the citizenry.

Neh: An interjection seeking confirmation, meaning roughly “Is it not so?”, as in “I’ve seen you around here before, neh?”

Payride: A prostitute.

Ring: Collectively refers to all the districts inside the roofed structure of Kaer Maga: Ankar-Te, Bis, The Bottoms, Cavalcade, Highside Stacks, Oriat, Tarheel Promenade, and The Warren.

Shaded: One-upped or disgraced. Stems from the practice in both Bis and Highside Stacks of equating the height of one’s residence with social status—since most light in the city comes from above, anyone higher in elevation (and hence social status) can block the light and “shade” those below them.

Shorteyes: A member of a human-sized race who prefers gnome or halfling lovers.

Stray: A gang member out of her territory.

Swing-door: A prostitute.

Switch: A recent immigrant to the city.

Twice-Born: A polite term for one of the undead, used primarily in Ankar-Te.

Undercity: Any of the forbidden dungeons and passages below the level of the city’s Duskwarden-approved basements and cellars.

Wormfolk: Derogatory term for nagas.


INACTIVE - GAME DIED

The setting that wanted to be Planescape...

Dark Archive

Male Oni-Born Teifling Samurai(sword saint) 2

I'm sure our group applies for much of that slang... not saying we're payrides, hardly that! Just that Quintas is an outsider of many varieties, we have a gnome with us, and I don't think people know the difference between undead and dhampir.


M Gnome | HP: 23/23 +1 point of burn | AC: 18 (14 Tch, 15 FF) | CMB: +0; CMD: 12 | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1 | Init: +3 | Perception: +5, Sense Motive: +0 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: DR 2/Adamantine | GeoKineticist 2

Cool backgorund info Orwinnia. Thanks for that!


Female NG Dhampir Oracle 2 | HP: 17/17 | AC: 19 (11 Tch, 18 FF) | CMB: +2; CMD: 11 | Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4 | Init: +1 | Perception: +3, Sense Motive: +6 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: Sickened | Spells: L1: 5/5

Well, not all of us are payrides.


M Gnome | HP: 23/23 +1 point of burn | AC: 18 (14 Tch, 15 FF) | CMB: +0; CMD: 12 | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1 | Init: +3 | Perception: +5, Sense Motive: +0 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: DR 2/Adamantine | GeoKineticist 2

We seem to be stuck...


Discord Chat

My fault entirely. I was out of town with my family all of last week and not able to post much. My apologies, I should have let you know ahead of time.


M Gnome | HP: 23/23 +1 point of burn | AC: 18 (14 Tch, 15 FF) | CMB: +0; CMD: 12 | Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1 | Init: +3 | Perception: +5, Sense Motive: +0 | Speed 20ft | Active conditions: DR 2/Adamantine | GeoKineticist 2

All,

I will be traveling this weekend to help my daughter move into the house she just bought. I leave tonight and her new house is without internet until next Monday so my posting chance will be slim. I return Sunday night.

Dark Archive

Male Oni-Born Teifling Samurai(sword saint) 2

Is it okay if I change Quintas to the sword saint archetype? I feel like I don't need a mount so doing this will help me focus on non-mounted combat.


INACTIVE - GAME DIED

I will be camping and out of contact this weekend. Back Monday! Bot if needed!

1 to 50 of 74 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | next > last >>
Community / Forums / Online Campaigns / Play-by-Post Discussion / Strangers in a Stranger Land Discussion All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.