Green Dragon

DM-Salsa's page

7,010 posts. Alias of AdamWarnock.


About DM-Salsa

Hello! If you're here, I'm assuming that you're either a player in one of my games or in a recruitment thread I'm running. Below you'll find resources and guides on how I do things, what my players can expect from me, and what I expect from my players. We're all here to have fun, so let's make sure we have the most fun we can.

Play Guide
If you haven't already, check out both Doomed Hero's and Painlord's guides on how to be a good player in a play-by-post (PBP) game. The long story short, pay attention, be engaged, always be pushing, leave hooks for other players and the GM, and keep track of your stuff.

Doomed Hero's Guide to Play By Post Gaming
Building a Better Doomed Hero: Painlord's Advanced Play-by-Post Play

If you're new to the PBP format, or it's been a while since you've played, then I highly recommend reading through those. It should take about 15 minutes or so, and it's time well spent.

What players can expect from me:

1. I am not perfect. I will make mistakes. That said I will do my best to correct them and take steps to prevent myself from making the same mistakes twice. I ask for patience and in return I'll try to be patient with all of y'all.

2. I love character interactions and banter. You can expect a lot of role-playing in my games. One of my favorite things is when characters do something that is in character yet totally unexpected. If you think your character would go out and do something reckless, then by all means do it.

3. I will do my best to involve everyone. If two characters are off to the side having an RP session, I will bring in an NPC to interact with other characters or ask what they are doing while this is going on or just find something that will engage the other players and help spread some of the spotlight. I don't do this to detract from the roleplaying, but to make sure that everyone feels like they are doing something other than waiting around for the scene to move on. It's also a good way for me to get less involved characters to come out of their shells.

4. I will do my best to make sure you're having fun. As a GM, this is my number one priority is to make this fun for everyone. If you're not having fun, then I as a GM have messed up.

5. I will do my best to communicate what's going on and what's planned. This is so that everyone is on the same page and to give everyone an opportunity to correct me if I'm mistaken about something.


What I expect from my players:

1. Honesty. Please be honest with yourself, your fellow players, and me. Don't try to lie to make yourself look better or to get your way. The truth has a way of coming out and lying is one of the ways that will get me to kick you from the game with no warnings. This game is built on trust, and trust requires honesty. If you can't be honest, then how can I expect you to be a good player?

2. Respect. I expect people to act like adults and respect each other. We can disagree and we can even not like each other, but I do ask for some modicum of maturity. I don't agree with everyone here on the boards. I don't expect everyone here to agree with me. I do expect a basic level of maturity and respect while handling those disagreements. Being disrespectful is also one of those things that will get me to kick you from a game with no warnings. In theory, we're all adults or close to it. Let's treat each other as such, please.

3. Communicate. Let others know if they are doing something that bothers you. Especially let me know if something I am doing is bothering you or if you have concerns. If you'll be absent for a while, let us know. If something came up, just pop on and post a quick message that you'll be away for a while. Details can wait. All I'm asking is that you let us know if you'll be unable to post. Trust me, I know the site's awful on mobile, but you can still post.

As another side of this, if something has wowwed you or a line has you laughing, post about it! That's why there's a discussion thread in our games (among other reasons.) Let us know if you enjoyed something in the game or if you think something is particularly clever. Don't forget that you can mark posts as favorites, and seeing that someone liked your post enough to do so is an amazing feeling. It never fails to bring a smile to my face when I see that.

4. Engage. I expect players to engage with each other and with the game. As I mentioned, my favorite thing about tabletop RPGs is the banter and character interactions. If I post something and tag your character in it, I'm expecting a response. Please, don't leave me wondering what I did to cause you to clam up. If nothing else, pop into the discussion thread and let me know you need some more time to respond because you need to think through how your character would react to the situation. And if something isn't engaging you in a way you find fun, let me know. It's my job as GM to make sure everyone has fun, and if something isn't working out, I want to know about it sooner rather than later so we can work out how to make this fun for you too. I'm actually a pretty easy man to entertain and please, so don't worry about ruining my fun. I can make my own if need be.

5. Have Fun. I expect my players to have fun. This is a game, after all. Don't be afraid to poke fun at something or to be a bit silly. I have thick skin and I am of the belief that if you can't laugh at yourself, when are you ever going to laugh? Don't be afraid to do something bold or write up a cool scene. If you're worried about it fitting, just ask about it.

General Rules and Guidelines
1. Post regularly. Once a day is awesome, but as long as we can keep things moving forward a regular clip, I'll be happy. I will insist a once-a-day posting rate for combat. It's slow enough as is.

2. Keep track of your stuff. I'm the worst about this when it comes to gold in games I play, but I still try to make an effort. When it comes to ammo, spells, or limited use abilities, please mark them off as you go. It takes only a few seconds more.

3. Present information in a clear format. If I need to GMPC your character for whatever reason, I'll need to have enough information to be able to run your character. The standard Pathfinder stat blocks are a good starting point, but don't forget to that they don't include everything. Please include spells in your spellbook, if you have one, and what spells you typically prepare for a day. It would also be a good idea to include a GMPC section that details how your character would act in combat.

Also, include things like saves, AC, HP, Perception, and Initiative in your tagline. There's a dozen different ways to do it, but here's the one that I've mostly settled on.

Race: Spells, wands, ammo, other consumables, and conditions

Classes/Levels: Additional information, such as stats for mounts and familiars

Gender: Alignment, Gender, Race, Classes/Levels, HP, Non-lethal damage, AC, CMD, Saves (and modifiers,) initiative, and perception (with modifiers)

What is needed will naturally change based on the game system being used, but this generally works well for Pathfinder 1e and Dungeons and Dragons 5e.

4. Hook your GM. When writing your character's background or expanding on it, give me hooks that I can use to get your character involved. This could be something from their backstory or a character trait that they have that would compel them into joining this adventure. Hooks get me excited because they allow me to set up those opportunities for character moments, interactions, and banter that I love so much.

5. Involve other characters. All of the PCs are part of a team, supposedly. If you want to take a game to the next level, start having your character interact with your fellow PCs. This brings out some of the best play that I have ever seen in games and it doesn't require much from the GM beyond setting up opportunities for those interactions. Maybe your character has a rivalry with another PC. Maybe they are falling head over heels in love with the cleric. Maybe two of you always argue like an old, married couple.


Resources for making Characters and Character Backgrounds:

Below are links and questions that I think can help players stuck on coming up with something for their characters. While I will happily read and have typed out 20,000 word backstories, I don't ask that of my players. Most of the time, I just need a few paragraphs and that's enough to get the gears turning. However, if you feel your character's background is a bit lacking, feel free to use the resources below to help flesh out your character.

Names
Fantasy Name Generators: A collection of a dizzying array of random name generators if you're stuck on finding a name.
Behind The Name: This one is for real-world names, but includes meanings behind the names as well. Great if you want to evoke a certain image.
Nordic Names: Great for finding old Norse names.
20,000 Names: A great resource for finding names from all sorts of cultures. Like Behind the name, they also provide the names' meanings.

Backgrounds and Motivations
Ash’s Guide to RPG Personality & Background
10-minute Background

Twenty questions to help you create a backstory for your character

Spoiler:

Found here.

What is your character’s name?
How old is your character?
What would somebody see at first glance (i.e. height, weight, skin color, eye color, hair color, physique, race, and visible equipment)?
What additional attributes would be noticed upon meeting the character (i.e. Speech, mannerisms)?
Where was your character born?
Where were you raised?
By who?
Who are your parents?
Are they alive?
What do they do for a living?
Do you have any other family or friends?
What is your character’s marital status?
Kids?
What is your character’s alignment?
What is your character’s moral code?
Does your character have goals?
Is your character religious?
What are your character’s personal beliefs?
Does your character have any personality quirks (i.e. anti-social, arrogant, optimistic, paranoid)?
Why does your character adventure?
How does your character view his/her role as an adventurer?
Does your character have any distinguishing marks (birth-marks, scars, deformities)?
How does your character get along with others?
Is there anything that your character hates?
Is there anything that your character fears?


20 Questions for Deep Character Creation
Spoiler:

Sadly, the page I found this on has since been zapped from the internet. Thankfully I had copied the questions.

Concept
These are the fundamentals, the broadest strokes. Every character should have answers to these five, including NPCs. It’s the quickest way to give the sense of a full individual instead of a cardboard stereotype.

1. What emotion best describes your character? Find one primary emotion your character expresses. Try to use a colorful, specific word to describe it. For instance, instead of “angry” you might say “vengeful” or “raging,” or instead of happy you might say “cheerful” or “exalting.”
2. What emotion does your character evoke in others? How do others react to you? Do you impress, scare, calm, excite, or perhaps annoy? Again try to find the most specific term you can. Is this reaction different between friends and enemies?
3. What does your character need most? If your character had everything he or she needed, why go on an adventure? Most people’s needs are fairly universal, although they can change over time. Common needs are survival, security, companionship, esteem, romance, family, or wisdom. Consider what your character’s starting needs are, and where you want them to be by the end of the adventure or campaign. It helps to establish this need with the GM, to ensure it fits with the themes of the game.
4. What is your character’s goal in life? This should be the principle, underlying motivation for everything your character thinks, says, and does. If your character were lying on the brink of death, what makes him or her cling to life? What could your character lose that he or she would consider worse than death? This goal is often broad, and sometimes unachievable. Whatever the nature of the goal, it should be something your character can strive for his or her entire life. The best goals are ones that can be threatened, as they will help create more compelling adventures. Ideas include justice, revenge, protecting loved ones, redeeming one’s self, or gaining some kind of power. When you think of something, ask yourself “why?” to make sure it isn’t because of some larger, more important goal.
5. How does your character believe this goal can be accomplished? Because the goal can often be ideological, the method to achieving it is sometimes equally insubstantial. Your character’s methods should be strongly tied to beliefs (or lack of beliefs), and primarily be a decision of lifestyle. A character bent on revenge might consider perfecting a fighting discipline, while a character devoted to a cause might consider a religious or philosophical doctrine.

Background
For any campaign, a character should have come from somewhere. Spend any length of time with someone and their history is bound to come up. These questions give your character history, and therefore dramatic and emotional weight.

6. Where did your character come from? Consider your character’s initial roots, before he or she was a teenager. These times are what shape your character the most. Who were your parents? Where did you live? What was your family’s economic and social status? How were you educated? What were the three most important lessons you learned?
7. When did you grow up? Everyone begins taking responsability for their own lives at different times and in different ways. Describe the events related to when your character started taking care of him- or herself.
8. What values does your character hold? Name three things your character considers sacred, and three things he or she is idealogically opposed to. These things will usually stem from a combination of your goals and your personal history. Consider especially where the values came from. Was your character taught these values? Did they develop as a reaction to something your character considered noble or diabolical? Establish lines that your character will not cross in pursuit of his or her goal to add challenge to playing your character.
9. How does your character dress? Start generally with an overall statement of the quality of your character’s appearance, such as projected social status, trade, common activities, or how groomed or slovenly your character is. Begin to hone in on telling details, especially those things that most people take for granted. How exactly does your character style his or her hair? What decorative articles does your character wear, such as jewelry, decorated buttons or buckles, a belt, gloves, etc.?One especially telling detail is footwear. Describe in detail what your character wears on his or her feet, including cut, tightness or looseness, heel height, sole hardness or softness, lacing/buckling/tying or lack thereof, toe shape (square, round, pointed…?), color, material, shininess, cleanliness, repair or disrepair, and any other details you can think of.
10. What are your character’s means? Consider all the resources your character has. This should include material resources such as money and property, social resources such as friends and allies, and personal resources such as skill, courage, strength, wits, etc. It might help to make a list of all your character’s resources that he or she might use to overcome adversity. Consider challenges like fights, puzzles, traveling, persuading (and being persuaded), and any others.

Details
Now we’re picking nits. These five are all about texture and color. These answers take your character beyond an adventure serial persona and into reality. Answers to these make your characters memorable for years.

11. What are your character’s personal tastes? Name at least three things your character enjoys for no reason other than personal preference. A good place to start is with each of the five senses. Consider a sound, smell, taste, feeling, or sight that is uniquely pleasing to your character. Also consider activities such as hobbies or habits. Name three things your character dislikes, as well.
12. What are your character’s opinions? Decide upon at least three major aspects of local society and your character’s opinion on them. This could be generalizations such as rich or poor people, more specific areas like a particular political or religious group, or very specific things like a prominent individual or an aspect of the character’s job. Check with your GM for relevant things in the campaign to have opinions about.
13. What is your character’s comfort zone? What environment, activity, or mindset puts your character at ease? This can add a lot of color to your character during stressful moments, as he or she will have a place to go or a thing to do at these times. It helps to have a comfort zone broken up into the above parts so at least some of it is portable.
14. Who has had the biggest impact on your character’s life? Name and briefly describe at least one person who had a significant impact on how your character perceives the world today. You can name more than one, but they should each reflect different aspects of your character’s beliefs. Use this as a reference point when your character has to make difficult decisions (i.e., “What would so-and-so do?”).
15. What are some of your character’s unexpected quirks? Name three things that are unexpected about the way your character behaves, such as things that go against his or her normal social status, age, or trade. How about three unexpected talents or abilities like being able to sing, or knowing some trivial knowledge, or being good at math? Three things your character can’t do that most other people can such as whistling, swimming, or reading well? How about three things your character fears, such as heights, dogs, or insects?

Player
These five questions direct your play experience itself rather than your character. What do you want out of your game? If a group answers these together, they can expect dramatically rewarding game sessions, and the GM will know clearly what’s expected to give everyone a good time.

16. What kind of story does your character belong in? Who are the characters your character interacts with? What settings does he or she inhabit? What themes are important? What conflicts does your character face? These things are important to understand so your GM can create adventures that will engage your character, and so you will have a better chance at getting along with your fellow players’ characters.
17. What role does your character fill? Roleplaying is all about the ensemble cast. Make sure you fill a unique role in the party, and you aren’t stepping on anyone else’s toes. Consider your role in the interpersonal relations of the party, your role in combat, what skills your character is best at, and what thematic note your character hits.
18. What should the other players know about your character? These should be major thematic points, your character’s general emotion (if it isn’t secret), potential surprises or areas that might be difficult, and any other pertinent information. Also start sketching out potential interactions, such as another character you might go to for help (or who might go to you for help), or someone you’ll probably butt heads with. Getting these things out in the open is important to ensure there aren’t unpleasant surprises.
19. What is your play style? Do you like heavy character immersion, or attention to detail in the rules, or perhaps you’re especially goal-oriented? Maybe you’re a bit competitive. Do you prefer lots of colorful descriptions, or a quicker framework understanding of situations? Do you speak in your character’s voice? You may not even be aware of your own play style. Keep this in mind as you play so you can better communicate with your fellow players about the direction of the party as a whole, and the course of the adventure. This also helps your GM understand your personal needs at the gaming table.
20. How do you want your character to die? Your character won’t live forever, although you might not play him or her to the end. If you had your choice of deaths for your character, what would it be? Death of old age, having survived through all his or her trials? Perhaps a bloody, violent death? A noble sacrifice? Happenstance? It can also provide an unusual layer of texture to your roleplaying, as you have a better understanding of your character’s fate. It will also tell you if your character is a tragic or heroic one. Finally, it can help your GM in resolving conflicts in-game if he or she has an idea of your comfort zone with threats to your character’s life.



Additional Information and Resources:

Paizo Campaign Tools
Chrome and similar WebKit Broswers
Firefox (Possibly out of date. Last update was in 2018, it seems.)
This is a browser plugin that provides some neat features, such as the ability to rearrange your campaign tab, highlighting new posts in a different color, and the ability to set custom character avatars.

Guides on how to PbP
DoomedHero's Guide to Play-By-Post
Building a better DoomedHero: Painlord's Advanced Play-By-Post Guide

Languages
To help keep things consistent, we'll be using the following languages as stand-ins for the many languages of Golarion.

Golarion Language Stand-ins

Spoiler:

Aboleth = R'Lyehian
Abyssal = Urdu
Aklo = Telugu
Ancient Osiriani = Lao
Aquan = Tamil
Auran = Armenian
Azlanti = Greek
Catfolk = Basque
Celestial = Arabic
Draconic = Bengali
Drow = Tamil
Druidic = Irish
Dwarven = Hebrew
Elven = Welsh
Erutaki = Finnish
Giant = Latvian
Gnoll = Indonesian
Gnome = Hungarian
Goblin = Maltese
Halfling = Estonian
Hallit = Russian
Hongali = Albanian
Ignan = Georgian
Infernal = Persian
Kelish = Catalan
Minkaian = Japanese
Necril = Khmer
Orc = Czech
Osiriani = Gujarati
Polyglot = Swahili
Senzar = Macedonian
Shae = Belarusian
Shoanti = Croatian
Skald = Icelandic
Sylvan = Korean
Tengu = Filipino
Terran = Yiddish
Thassilonian = Kannada
Tien = Chinese (Traditional)
Undercommon = Thai
Varisian = Lithuanian
Varki = Malay
Vegepygmy = Zulu
Vudrani = Hindi

Other Language Tools:
Upside Down Text Generator
Zalgo Text Generator
FSymbols Text generators/alterers Various tools for creating and altering text.

For the sake of everyone's sanity, be sure to put the original, english text in a spoiler and mark it as the language being used. In general, it's best to go in order and use a separate spoiler for each one. Especially if you're using the Zalgo generator.

For example wrote:


"میں بیوقوفوں سے گھرا ہوا ہوں۔," The Dread Lord of the Crypts sighed in Abyssal. He picked up his staff and settled into his throne. "Iltqajt sew! X’nista ’nagħmel għalik," he says in the goblin tongue, his voice cheery.

Abyssal

Spoiler:
"I am surrounded by idiots."

Goblin
Spoiler:
"Well met! What may I do for you?"

Tokens and Character Art

If you'd like to make life on your GM a little easier, here are some tools and resources that you can use to create tokens for the battlemap or pick out art for your character. While AI artbots are an option, I'd ask that you not use them due to ethical concerns about how they were/are developed. If you grab something online, please link back to the original artist in your character's profile.

Token creators
Token Tool (Download)
VTT Token Maker (Web app)
Tokenstamp

Art Resources
My Fantasy Character Pinterest Board
DeviantArt
Artstation
Instagram

Other Resources
Party Loot Sheet - This is a blank sheet that you can copy to your Google Drive to use for games that you are in or running. There's some built-in functionality, such as automatically calculating total value, weight, and sell value as well as highlighting based on status and which character is carrying the items. There is a readme that explains more about how to start using the sheet.


Contact Information
If you need to contact me or would like to chat outside of the boards, here's my email and Discord username.
Email: salsa.the.geek@gmail.com
Discord: salsathegeek

A special thanks
I want to thank the following people. They may no longer be active on the boards, but they have inspired me to be a better player and a better GM.

Doomed Hero
Painlord
Wilmannator (AKA GM Damo)
Lady Ladile