Team Dwarf/Gnome in Elves vs Dwarves -- ELVES KEEP OUT
Game Master Chainmail

Let me know if Garrison is boring you. We can fast-forward till the items are done.

For those of you that joined recently, this adventure was orignally designed for those that liked to mix up. I think the term 'Hack and Slashers' has been used to describe them. It quickly involved into an entire world and converted some Hack and Slashers to true role-roleplayers with somewhat original names. I think the first dwarf party had a Gumli, a Bombador, a Thane, and a Bifur.

Sorry, I recently shifted gears and I'm working full-time at my job over the summer. This has put a crimp on my posting, and as things pick up, it'll put even more of a crimp, but I am far from bored. I'm still trying to find Joan's center, but I'm pretty close, I think.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to go through this, and if need be, we can throw Gkirkhan into the mix to provide a little more muscle. {ooc]Thanks for the enlarge Chainmail, just wish my damage roll was better :/[/ooc]

I have to draw that now. It's too funny not to be on paper.

Please share it when you're done! ; )

I could have put Kragg's stuff in spoiler, but the plot details are somewhat important. I assume Kragg MAY share all but the details needed to get to the secret market.

DANG!! If we had a rogue, he'd be all over this;-)

Big If!

DANG! If we only had a diplomat... :-)

PS Good thing we didn't quit our dayjob.

For what it's worth, just wanted to put my two cents in. When a single roll can effect the entire course of our adventure/plan/clan etc. as much as Chaunmail's roll for Gallak did, I think it is entirely fair, and right, that we should be making such rolls ourselves. Not that there's any the die roller should be working any different for us than it does for Chainmail or course, but for vitally important situations like that, I think it should be up to we players, not our wise and benevolent DM, as to how the roll and the situation surrounding it proceed.

That's all. I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Well although I understand Kibs point, die rolls seem better when you do them yourself. After waiting 40 nonweekend hours for a diplomacy roll, I intend to roll it to speed things along. Kragg, as the party leader, has the option to step in and roll for someone too. Yes, I got the modifiers wrong as I forgot about using wind performance for the diplomacy skill, but my objective here is to speed things along with a minimum of railroading.

Die rolls tend to average out. Brask noticed every hidden door in the dwarf hold to avoid a ghoulish surprise. Durnak's will save to die well and imbue his essence in the axe is less than a 50% chance, and that die roll that I made went well for the dwarves. Kib's diplomacy roll with the white wizard went poorly (which I did roll), and that closed off some options.

If there is more support for having the party roll their own die rolls like initiative (some elves wanted to roll their own initiative) let me know.

The main question is where to next? There is the southern king to visit and the barbarians that tried to burn down Hon's ancestral home too.

Reactive rolls-initiative, Perception, saves; and secret rolls- Appraise, Disable Device, trapfinding; I have no issue with the GM rolling, especially in a pbp. Active rolls, such as diplomacy, whenever the character has to "do" something, I feel should be player rolled. I did whiff that I was doing the talking, though, since I had mentioned I was using performance to help diplomacies.

Moving forward it makes a lot more sense to me for Kragg to aid for a +2, me to perform for a +2, and Hon to roll at a +9 (with human interactions).
Also, Kib, can you be bothered to loan out the Cha headband for diplomatic soujourns?

Running two other pbp games I understand the need to sometimes push things along. Its not like at a table where you biff someone over the head and tell them to roll. If you ever need to make a roll for me I am ok with that..

I'd rather you handle as much as the routine stuff as possible, like initiative to keep things moving. It can be painful in a game to start an encounter and wait a week for everyone to post their initiatives scores.

Nar feels like north is his calling, but he is along for the ride to aid the dwarves in matters divine. Angradd's will can be done in any pursuit we take.

Gallak is intrigued by ice ships, and isn't a HUGE fan of mines. He prefers ice caves and open tundra. The giants, the bugs, and the ships are his preferred destinations, but he feels the dwarves as a whole benefit from the mine the most.

I spoilered Hon's Diplomacy roll because I knew he was not the party leader, King's Rep nor designated negotiator and quite possibly not even assisting with his motives suspect. Throw in the Society bracelet modifiers (pos/neg) and the question becomes whom does Hon represent? He will continue to walk a fine line of following orders and blazing a non-traditional dwarven path, HMMV. ;-)
AAAANnnnnnnnd Kib and the others may have some issues loaning out the headband to Hon considering the above issues.
Hon's Diplo roll was awesome btw, even without the modifiers or headband of suckup.

As for where we go and when, I believe our original charter (or contract) was for re-establishing multiple trade contracts, finding allies, acquiring resources for Dwarf posperity. Lets go north, to see what is on the western side of the barbarians. You know, encourage them to migrate or come to an Land Use agreement of sorts.

North. For glory and adventure. And Loot. Lots of loot.

I fully agree with Gallak and much prefer the DM roll all non-active rolls (knowledge, perception etc.) But when one single roll can so dramatically affect our options, much prefer to have the players do it (social interaction, battle, saves etc. also, even if the DM has rolled a passive knowledge or perception roll, I still think the player can concentrate on it and get to roll again, taking the better of the two. That's how I would run it anyway ) In times of player absence, makes sense for Kragg (or next in charge-who Is that, btw?) to roll it in their behalf.

Lending the circlet out is a great idea. You may have your work cut out convincing Kib to lend it to Hon though....just sayin'

If there is not a response for 24 hours then I will make the relevant roll unless Chainmail beats me to it. I agree though that all the passive rolls to speed the game up can be done ahead of time by our GM. The question I have, is if I roll for someone do I use their stats and modifiers or go with Kragg's stats? I can see it both ways and just wondering for clarification.

Feel free to roll using their stats bonuses.

Thanks will do to keep the story going.

We'll want furs, cleats, and spelunking gear before heading into the caves.

Just went through the characters and no one has knowledge engineering. Kragg will leave the construction to Khazad as he has training in prof soldier and that is as close as we get. Good Luck with the roll Khazad.

[snicker] Looks like I picked the wrong time to play a venture capitalist...[/snicker]
Looks like the roll will max out at 10, plus an "assist" for possibly 12. OooRah! Perhaps we can retcon some backstory about the Dwarven Engineering Youth? DEY? Get it? Ha ha? No? Yeah. I'll just go back to my corner and read a book...

Bardic Knowledge.

Woot!

Bardic knowledge has it. Take it away Gallak.

Adam dropped? huh. I'll keep posting about once a day, even if I only contribute flavortext. That is until Hon dies or he loses the dwarven contract.

I'd suggest this is normal attrition but I've nothing to base it off of. This is the longest running PBP I've been in.
Thank you Chainmail.

This makes me sad. Oh well, thanks to Chainmail for plowing through with the game and running a host of NPCs to boot :) I bet Khazad would squash more bugs than Kragg though :)
Oh BTW, Khazad has his magic belt now, right? I'm yet to factor that into the profile.

Yeah speaking of NPCs, We probably should be whittling them down.
And really Chainmail is juggling to campaigns w/npc. Personally, I'd go all Brask on them. ;-)

And Khazad, would that be the Retaining Belt of Girth?

Just FYI, I at a 24hr Relay4Life event today/tomorrow. My next post will be Sunday, after a nap.

I have a cast of NPCs that have developed some character from running this--their personalities are fixed -- it is running the Ninni's and Joan's as PCs drop that I am trying to cut down on.

Uh, no, that was supposed to be a Belt of Mighty Constitution +2 :)
Khazad will also down a Bull's Strength potion before battle.

This encounter wasn't one of the easier ones, especially with fortification problems. The Overmind does not play around.

Neither do the KK brothers. 2 rounds to clear a path and then on to the big bug. Just need some healing along the way.

Chainmail: Can Hon see beyond the overmind? Does he perceive other bugs waiting in reserve?

anyone got a 'deploy carrier' spell?

[protoss voice] Carrier Has Arrived. [/protoss voice]

Zerg are enough we don't need to have any protoss flying around here Bad enough fireballs are going every which way.

Trying to help a dwarf out, but do we get the +2 to saves against spells or spell like abilities for the saves versus fire. If so that mugth put Hon over the 16 threshold and not take any damage. It pains me to mention this as Kragg looks to Hon as the red headed step shild of the group but without the beard. :P

Hey Chainmail, no worries.
Round 4: Hon is cooked, sitting at -8. Let see if he stabilizes until next cooking round. ;-) DC10 to stabilize,
1d20 - 8 ⇒ (5) - 8 = -3
Nope. -1 hp.

Round 5: DC10 is the challenge 1d20 - 9 ⇒ (17) - 9 = 8
-1 hp.
Round 6: DC10 is the challenge 1d20 - 10 ⇒ (4) - 10 = -6
HAHAHAhahahah
-1hp
Round 7:-1hp -11HP
Round 8: Finite.

I'll watch and post snide commentary from an out of body viewpoint.

BTW: This happens EVERYTIME I send a rogue in. I tried playing him conservatively, now I realize that cowardice is a survival trait.

+2 vs spell like effects applies

Not that Kib would be crying at his funeral or anything, but you do realize that, even if he had been cooked by the fireballs that Hon could have been healed sometime during all those rounds, right?

Thanks chain mail. If not everyone has made saves in 3 hours I will make them to speed things along.

P.S. Hon you owe me. The bugs would have had you for dinner.

Wait we're playing with hero points?

Can't find then in core, so no.

Just as he was about to give Torag some pointers on the finer points proper anvil maintenance, he gets pulled back into a frozen wasteland, ironically dodging burning antspit. The letdown is beyond explanation.

Thanks Kragg. I've been saving you a special brew in your honor. Just waiting for the right moment...

Oh were not? My bad, coulda sworn I saw them used here.

Ok well in that case Kib is toasted. He's at -1 hp and no fireball from him then. 'Twas fun while it lasted!

Don't worry Kib Kragg is with you at -4 since 3 bugs decided to lay into him.

Holy c$@p, I'm still alive. How's that even work?

Don't worry Kib Kragg is with you at -4 since 3 bugs decided to lay into him.

Damn these are tough bugs! Thanks for the save Nar!

Well, I rolled a 10 on 2d6 doubled then rolled a 10 on 3d8+3....not my best performance ever....

Having all the big bad guys stunned for 4 rounds wasn't supposed to happen.