Here is where we will discuss any specific questions you or I have.
Though for now we will settle for a simple roll call.
Illya here, thank you for the selection. I've really wanted to try out the kingmaker adventure path and i'm looking forward to it.
Hi there everyone! Thanks for the invite, very much looking forward to playing.
In Skald
Hilsen eventyrlystne sjeler! Jeg Höd Ronoakson i nord og jeg ser frem til å reise og kjempe på dine sider.
Greeting adventurous souls! I am Höd Ronoakson of the north and I look forward to travelling and fighting at your sides.
This looks like a ton of fun. Can everyone give an idea of what your character excels at mechanically? Maybe an area or two where he/she is not so good?
Höd is a good melee combatant and is good at buffing himself and his companions. He will also prove helpful in the wild with spells like Purify Food & Drink and Endure Elements. However, he is cursed by the gods and can only see 30ft, but he does have darkvision. As we level this range will increase to 60ft. and eventually, he will have blindsense!
Good idea Hod. And, I'd like to apologize in advance but I am probably too darn lazy to type the umlaut every time.
Taewyn is a close range fighter, though he does carry a bow. He's focused on using a weapon and shield equally, so once I get the requisite feats he should do well enough in melee. I'm envisioning him taking up a protector's role, and may even take some levels in fighter to enable him to defend the rest of the party.
In non-combat situations, he's generally very observant, and with decent Survival, Knowledge Geography and Knowledge Nature, he should be capable of finding the way.
There is a strong likely-hood Hazel won't be posting until sometime tomorrow, however she had already given me a head's-up to the possibility so we are looking good.
No worries about the umlaut.
I wonder if Taewyn and Höd should take the Shield Wall teamwork feat. I know we're both a bit feat starved and Höd will favor the greatsword when possible, but it may be a good thing to have in the back pocket.
I'm definitely open to that! I'll have to see how Taewyn grows as a character, but he's definitely got a very protective streak.
@DM, do you have any particular formatting preferences for posting, or would you prefer to see a particular thing in our profile beside our name such as: HP X/X AC XX CMD XX Touch XX Flat XX (Melee Weapon)+X;XdX+X (Ranged) +X;XdX+X F +X R +X W +X INIT +X Perc +X CMB +X
Not sure if that makes your job easier, or if you have any thoughts on that direction.
I figure if we can get the logistical stuff ironed out early it should make it smoother than trying to figure it out on the fly.
The vital stats format is nice. Being able to see at a glance what your current HP, AC, Init, Per & saves are is very helpful. That said, I am most interested in your defense information being up there. The Class/ Level info. is of less utility to me then the things I listed.
Which brings up a question from me to you guys. In another PbP I am in, the GM recently asked if we cared if he rolled for Perception in the interests of keeping things moving. Do you guys want to make all your rolls or are there rolls you don't mind/would prefer I made?
Hi Hod, Taewyn, good to meet you guys. Illya is a stealth/perception/diplomacy character with some crit. I'll be able to give some support at range but I hope to use my sneak attack when able.
with no plus to str mod Illya will be limited in the amount of damage she can put out without using flanking to its full benefit. Should be fun.
@DM for rolls I'm okay with whatever you go with.
I do prefer to roll my own as much as possible but realizing that it can slow down a game I'm okay with you rolling some stuff. Perception is really what my character excels at in some ways so to have one of my main abilities handle by the DM might take a little away from it but not much, but like I said I won't complain and it would keep things moving.
One thing that I'm 100% okay with you rolling is initiatives. I think that would speed things up in combat a lot.
I'll get my vital stats set up at some point today.
I don't really have a problem with you handling some rolls. Initiative especially makes sense. I generally prefer to make my rolls, but my feelings won't be hurt or anything if you handle it. :)
I will also get the vitals up ASAP.
As a PbP GM, I can say that the gm should really roll initiative, it just speeds things up. The other thing I have found invaluable for PbP is team initiative. The GM rolls initiative for every creature taking part in the battle and averages their scores by team.
EX. 4 PCs fight 6 goblins. 4 PC's get 18,9,21,3 and 6 goblins get 15, 14, 7, 20, 6, 11. The goblins would have initiative 12.16 and the PCs would have 12.75.
This makes the game go much faster as each player can post when they have the chance to log in and we won't have to wait for our turn. This also helps the GM who can adjudicate player actions as he likes (all at once, as they happen, etc.) and makes it easy to know how many players have posted and in what time frame.
EX. It becomes very easy to tell who we're waiting on, how long since they last posted, etc.
As for the GM rolling perception, it depends on the circumstance. If the perception is for something the PCs know is nearby or coming, they should roll it. If it is something we would otherwise have no clue about, the GM should roll lest we be more on guard for no reason. It adds to the realism of the game. IMHO.
Hello everyone! I am back in action now and able to post.
Hazel is a sorceress/Harrower, so she'll be primarily focused on casting spells and trying to stay out of combat. Her Harrowed feat allows her to gain a bonus to a random roll each day, based on what card she draws from the deck. She'll eventually multiclass into Harrower if allowed, though she is not your typically gypsy. She grew up as a noble, so she is more geared towards Diplomacy than deception. Though she is a noble, she fancies herself as a little bit of an explorer. She has gained some skill in disabling traps and such, though she has never done so for nonlawful reasons, and she has always rearmed the trap where possible.
Hazel was written up as LG, but I think that I may change that to NG based on some of her abilities and personality traits. I see her as a young noble woman who has a rebellious streak, but is generally good and lawful at heart.
Hazel would be a good fit for Ruler, though I see Hod would also be a good fit. I don't really see Hazel as being a good ruler on her own, though. We'll have to see how things play out I think. She could also be a good councillor and magister.
DM: Hazel can perform Harrowings, which leads me to a question for you. With the PM system in place, I can make the rolls that symbolize drawing cards and then you can provide me with some clues or very generic foreshadowing if you wish in private. I'll be able to then add some fluff in the Gameplay forum. I have the Harrow Deck supplement, so I can provide you with the basic meanings of cards if you need it. I don't anticipate doing this for the party too often at these early levels. The Harrower class is meant to do it each day for the party, but at that point we would just roll up the cards for mechanics and not bother with the fluff each day, I think.
Also, are you planning on using the Book of the River Nations update to the Kingmaker ruleset? It does a really good job of fixing some of the problems with the kingdom building rules without changing too terribly much.
Cool, so definitely roll for Initiative.
DM:
For me personally, combat in a PbP game should be abstracted a bit more than it tends to be in a full on tabletop session, just because of the logistics of the situation. So anything that speeds things up / smooths out the flow of the game, you have carte blanche as far as I'm concerned.
@Hod I like the idea of DM rolling team initiative.
@DM is there anything else you need us to do? Any more information or formatting that would be helpful for you?
Oh I'm pacific time zone, not sure if that makes a big deal but maybe knowing the time zones might help.
BTW Hazel, I love the way you have your character profile set up. I hope you don't mind if I steal format ideas wholesale for my own profile. Looks very easy to navigate!
@Taewyn: Of course I don't mind Taewyn! I stole the setup myself and adapted it a little. I like having everyone available, though I may need to use more spoilers to keep things shorter... Plus, I think this type of profile is useful for a DM as well, who may not know my abilities as well as I do.
@Ilya: I am in the Central time zone, two hours ahead of you.
@DM: Rolling perception, initiative, and such for us is fine by me. If it will keep things moving, I am all for it (especially for group rolls, such as while exploring).
I am on Eastern time, so it looks like we're scattered all over. :)
I am generally most able to post during the day at work, assuming my boss never decides to join the Paizo forums. Once a day posting is almost always possible for me, usually I can post far more frequently.
I'm also in front of my computer most of the day so I can post frequently.
I work at Google so computers are hard to come by...I can post often :P
I post at work as well. In fact, when I'm home I am rarely on the computer because I'm on it all day at work. The weekends are a little busy for me, typically, but I'll do my best to get a post or two in. During the week, I'll be able to post once a day.
Morning all. My apologies for a lack of post most of yesterday. Having (hopefully had) family/parenting issues.
Hazel, glad to hear from you.
I will be sitting down & taking a look of each of your sheets/backgrounds again, this time with an eye towards possible pre-game interactions. If we can have the four of you functioning as a whole prior to receiving your charter, it makes slightly more sense. I'm not saying that is the only way to do it, it just allows me a bit more ease. On the other hand, each of you receiving an individual charter & then forced/encouraged to work to work together implies other things rp-wise, which could also be fun. It also has the advantage that you will be learning how to function together at the same time your characters are.
Sounds good. Looking forward to it.
Hope things resolve in a good fashion for you DM!
I think it could be interesting whichever way we go as far as bringing the party together. I'm willing to make changes to my background to fit whichever way we go, if needed.
I'm okay with things either way and am also willing to adjust my background to make things work out better.
I'm okay with either storywise, I think the group charter does make more sense and serves to force us to work together a bit more. No matter what we are going to have to learn to work together.
But like the others I'm okay with which ever way you take it.
Avtalt (Agreed)
I'm pretty excited, I keep refreshing the page ever hour or so lol
I'm excited too! I'm really enjoying the backstories of each character, and I think this will turn out to be a really good game once we get started. Hopefully this one will last a while!
Well I'm up for trying to get through the entire adventure path. It's one I've heard a lot of Good things about but that I don't know much about so I'm looking forward to sticking it out. Seems like we have a nice combination of interesting characters so here's hoping it lasts.
I'm really thinking this could last.
The key to play by post is dedication and patience. I'm all for beginning however.
I have heard of players doing a post about how they come to Oleg's Trading Post and meet the characters from there. I've heard of starting in Restov where everyone is given the charter. There are so many options; I just can't wait to get started!
Let me start by saying thank you all for your patience. Yesterday & today have been eventful. Good eventful, but they left less time to post & I was starting to get edgy about the time taken.
Therefore, without further ado.
Time to set the stage.
HöD RONOAKSON:
Of course, it could have been worse, you were half afraid they were going to just kill you outright when they realised what you could do!
The cell is surprisingly comfortable, there is an actual cot with rushes & a blanket rather than a bare spot on the stone floor. You've a pot to piss in (again, rather than the stone floor) & they actually fed you and let you drink some water.
You are begining to think they aren't going to kill you when you hear the bolt at your door being drawn. You can hear two people outside. One of them is the guard, he's alright as far as you can tell. Not that you have had that much to do with him. The other... Well, she is a warrior, you have never heard footfalls like that from anyone else. Likely a champion, she is too light on her feet to be anything less than some ring-giver's elite, you would expect White Estrid's steps to sound like these.
As the door opens, "You are called HöD Ronoakson are you not?" In Skald no less! Granted, the accent is off but it occurs to you you would very much like to hear this woman sing some of the old songs. She almost sets your bones humming just speaking. Before you do more than start in surprise she continues. "The punishment for Banditry is death. Sorry, no wereguild here. Not that you personally look to be able to recompense Able for the loss of those horses & his son. Fortunately for you, according to the officer's report, you weren't directly involved in any of the deaths. Well, yes you kill the mare, but only after that idiot butcher managed to lame disembowel her before riding on to leave her there, screaming. Tch"
Illya Vastrakova:
Your Loving Mother,
Inza Vastrakova
You put paper to candleflame just in time, as the last ashes fall onto the base of the candleholder there is a knock on your door.
Hazel Medvyed:
"I understand your ladyship is interested in our 'little' endeavor, yes?" Aldori always make such a point of not being intimidated by Issian nobility. Granted, it's not as if you have a title, & after the stink Tarith made, well it's likely the only way you're going to have a title is if you take one for yourself. Hence, this meeting.
"As it happens, there is an area, the Greenbelt. It's in many ways the prime locale." Which tells me it probably is 'comparatively safe', just not likely to make me more than a minor provincial lady, safely tucked out of harms way...
"We have even taken steps to see to it you have an appropriate entourage to your station." Oh gods, what can he mean by that?!
"A woodswise scout by the name of Kais, an Ulfen who answers to Ronoakson and, of course, a handmaiden to see to it your virtue remains unassailed. I understand her name is Illya, she is waiting for you at your Inn."
Taewin Kais:
Post your responses in the gameplay thread boys & girls. The curtains are up, your director is having a case of the vapors in the back corner of the stage, the house is packed & the lights are on.
Excellent! Thanks for your work DM, its very much appreciated.
@DM: I don't think we can post until you open up the thread.
never mind :) Game on!
So everyone knows, I have read the game play posts & was going to post responses. Unfortunately, I am now dealing with drunken idiots at work & my ability to focus on you guys is deleteriously affected. I will be posting tomorrow, hopefully in the AM.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Just have to say guys that so far I've enjoyed your posts, Really great to see some people with a clear idea of their characters personality.
And DMBleedsGreen I think it's been a great start to the campaign. really enjoying the way you started us all out. I'm really looking forward to this campaign.
The interchange between Illya & Hazel has brought yet another reminder to mind.
As I implied (though only implied) in the Campaign info thread with reference to Manifest Destiny & G.R.R. Martin's 'Song of Ice & Fire' (actual name of the series popularized by HBO's 'Game of Thrones') all of you have your own agendas here. While I intend to 'guide' the opportunities so that the agendas for the most part complement each other, I also want them to be distinct.
How do you all feel about that? If you are alright with it, things will continue as they have been. If not, I will make adjustments. (Actually, I will just stick closer to the AP as written. Don't worry, I'm not planning on heading wildly out into Iobaria or anything; I just intend to make interacting with the lands around your kingdom noticeably more prominent.)
For my part... I'm crazy excited about where all this could go. To me, role playing is interactive storytelling at it's core, and this has been absolutely going in that direction, which is a wonderful thing.
So I say keep on keepin' on! Loving it so far.
I say play on! This has been great so far. Maybe check in like this every month or so? That way players can voice concern or opinion and you can continue to shape the AP to your players wants and needs.
I'm with them. I think it's great so far and interesting. I think the way you are allowing the story to go is allowing us to play our characters and it's made this so much more interesting. I'm also a big fan of the interaction with kingdoms as well.
As for my turn I'm having Internet issues, well the landlord is and hasn't fixed them yet. I'm sending this message from my phone right now. I've written my turn up on my computer but havnt sent it. I'll try and send it when I get someplace with Internet so hopefully in an hour or two.
It's going well so far. I like the Game of Thrones aspect, as long as the group works together and doesn't scheme against each other too much. Scheming with each other against other groups/kingdoms/etc is perfectly fine, and should make things very interesting!
Just a quick post here to give Illya (and everyone else) an idea of where I'd like to take my character:
I see Hazel as a slightly naive though extremely confident character. She can be very proper when protocol states it, but does not care for the propriety that comes with her station. In fact, wherever possible, she snubs it and defies the "rules" that come with being a noble. You can see this with her discussion with Illya, that she would prefer a friend over someone waiting on her.
Hazel is naive in that she tends to trust before asking some important questions. This isn't to say she's going to just take everyone at face value, but perhaps more than she should.
In terms of character growth, she'll probably learn the hard way to not trust so openly. She'll also probably grow from a character that doesn't care to be leader, due to her disinterest in nobility, to someone who will lead out of necessity.
When it comes to her relationship with the rest of the party members, I see Hazel as becoming close friends with everyone, but especially Illya (which could provide some interesting conflict down the road, since Hazel has a small problem with House Surtova at the moment). She could become romantically interested in Höd or Taewyn, if things lead that way. I'm guessing she'll end up being the Ruler, since she's the most capable in terms of backstory and stats, but wouldn't mind ruling alongside another if marriage is involved.
Höd will be a front line fighter as much as is prudent. He prefers to heal after combat, but if healing is needed, he would be more keen for the character in need to move to him if possible so he does not leave himself open to opportunists.
He will take buff and survival spells more than anything else as his charisma is not sufficiently high to provide a difficult DC. If that changes, he may start debuffing enemies.
Höd would most like the General position but would make a good Warden too. Depending on how things go, he could rise to rule, but only if he had someone to rule with I think.
My idea with Illya is to play a spy conflicted, she definitely has her loyalties but I see her developing loyalties with the party as well.
It should make for some interesting decisions in the long run. I know that a rogue character played with their own motives and not the benefit of the partys motives can de-rail a campaign or frustrate other players so I will always try and consider what's fun for everyone while playing this character but still trying to stay true to the character.
Illya finds that the rough life of spying and intrigue both suit her but also disgusts her. So we'll see where the character goes :-) Should be fun!!
I'm even more excited after reading everyone's response. I'm REALLY excited to see how Taewyn grows throughout the story. Currently he's a bit wet behind the ears, and perhaps not really acquainted with how things work in the 'real world', though his short stay in Restov has changed that a bit. I can't wait for him to see some of the dirtier side.. the political machinations, the scheming, etc.
I cant wait to see how all of our characters grow throughout this adventure.
Yesterday, & my opening post today bring yet another thought to mind. My personal GM style is somewhat re-active. Which is to say, I have a tendency to present a scene & then respond to my players actions, with certain obvious exceptions.
What I mean by this is, if you want to make Skill checks such as Perception or Sense Motive or Knowledge, be sure to tell me.
Or would you prefer that I set the DC's & list the results in spoilers as part of my initial post? I ask because almost invariably somebody comes up with something interesting I haven't thought to include.
Another point, so you know ahead of time. If you are one of those people such as myself who likes the idea of diplomatic/redemptive responses to ostensibly combat scenarios, it is possible, but it will require thought, effort, and to be honest, a bit of luck on your parts.
Your thoughts, opinions?
I think skill checks, especially sense motive, are generally a player responsibility.
I like the combat option.
And before I forget, please help me remember that Höd has darkvision but can only see 30 ft. beyond that, he is blind. He can still hear, so he's not super useless. Just keep this in mind for tactics and whatnot. I will eventually get to see within 60ft, but that is at 5th level.
For RP purposes, it is easy to spot Höd's curse. His piercing gray eyes have clouded over making his eyes look like a stormy twilight.