RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32. Pathfinder Society Member. 1,148 posts (5,434 including aliases). 1 review. No lists. 1 wishlist. 4 Pathfinder Society characters. 49 aliases.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
In an effort to trim my RPG collection, I have decided to sell some of my Pathfinder collection. The following list includes titles and asking price. I will entertain offers, especially if you’re buying more than one title. Also I keep all of my books in excellent condition, so you can assume such unless otherwise noted. If you wish to purchase, please email me at anthro78@gmail.com. Thanks!
Pathfinder Adventure Path #43: The Haunting of Harrowstone $12
Pathfinder Adventure Path #44:Trial of the Beast $12
Pathfinder Adventure Path #45: Broken Moon $12
Pathfinder Adventure Path #46: Wake of the Watcher $12
Pathfinder Adventure Path #47: Ashes at Dawn $12
Pathfinder Adventure Path #48 Shadows of Gallowspire $12
(If you’d like to purchase all six, I’ll offer them all for $60 total.)
Pathfinder Chronicles Gods and Magic $12
Pathfinder Campaign Setting Lost Cities of Golarion $12
Pathfinder Module Crypt of the Everflame $10
Flip Map: Dungeon $10 (no longer in print; is the dungeon in Crypt of the Everflame)
Pathfinder Module Masks of the Living God $10
Pathfinder Module City of Golden Death $10
Pathfinder Module Carrion Hill $10
Pathfinder Player Companion Faiths of Corruption $8
Pathfinder Player Companion Goblins of Golarion $8
Pathfinder Companion Adventurer’s Armory $8
I live in Davenport, Iowa, so I’m happy to meet you in person for the exchange, or I can ship the books for the cost of the shipping. Also, in case it’s needed, my PayPal ID is anthro78@gmail.com.
The morning started like any other: a light fog drifting in from the hills, pooling in the streets on a cool spring morning. Voices echoed throughout the town, a steady hammerbeat from the smithy and the ever-present patrols of orcs in the road.
Until the bell rang.
The assembly-bell was hung in the top of the steeple to the Temple of Izrador. Worship was twice weekly, mandatory and mercifully brief most days. But today was not a worship day. Today was something else.
You make your way to the temple where the doors have been thrown open wide to allow the air to flow. At the front of the temple, the zordrafin corith, the Black Mirror of the Shadow sits, surrounded by a pool of black foul liquid. The Mirror is a slab of darkest obsidian, which seems to pull light from the air around itself. It is cold and it is evil and it thirsts for blood. Five times a month an unfortunate soul, usually a lawbreaker of some degree, is dragged in front of it and murdered, their blood and body cast into the black pool as the Mirror itself is fed.
Today is one of those days.
A haughty elf, his face beaten and his bare chest slashed, is tied to a ring set into the stone of the temple floor. He stands, defiant yet in obvious pain, as the new Legate, Carcus Verdoff, steps forward to address the crowd.
"Friends. Fellow children of our Lord, Izrador. Once more we gather to give our sacrifice to our God and Master. This... elf..." he spits the word as if a vile curse, "is accused and found guilty of treason against our God. But he will be redeemed with his sacrifice. In his death, he will find the loving embrace of Izrador all too ready to welcome him back into the fold. Let us pray:"
"Oh might Izrador, may this humble traitor's blood be brought back into the fold, and may his vile race perish from the earth, never to trouble the peace of Izrador again. May his soul be redeemed and may Izrador's light shine upon us, who are unworthy of His love."
With this final word, he turns to the elf, and almost lovingly bends down and kisses the elf's head. The elf spits at the Legate and shouts in a clear voice: "Your god is a lie! You live under the Shadow of evil! Throw off your shackles and take up arms..." His words are interupted as the Legate stabs him swiftly in the heart with a long black dagger. For a moment the elf stands, looking at the dagger in his chest. Then he falls, his body toppling into the black pool, while, for just a second, you think you see his afterimage still standing, before it is sucked into the Black Mirror. There is a single discordant note that echoes through the temple, then the Legate speaks.
"His soul is redeemed. May we know the peace of Izrador."
With this, the Legate waves his hands above the crowd, as the orc guards stationed around the perimeter of the crowd begin to roughly shove you out of the temple, and back to your lives.
I want to run a Pathfinder version of Midnight. However, I want to extremely simplify the process and rules. Midnight is a wonderful setting with a long of fiddly rules bits that I don't want to deal with. So I am proposing the following scenario:
The setting is Eredane, a land under the Shadow of Izrador. In the past, there was a war in heaven. The gods turned against Izarador and cast him down to earth. However, as He fell, He rent the veil between this world and the gods, establishing Himself as the only god. Since then, he attempted to conquer the world twice and failed. 100 years ago, he succeeded. You are heroes fighting against the Shadow's rule, trying to overthrow the only god you've ever known. Good luck.
Rules bits:
There are dworgs (dwarf/orc crossbreeds); simply use the dwarf stats for them.
The following classes are not allowed: cleric, druid, oracle, inquisitor. Druids, wizards, sorcerers, alchemists and summoners are extremely rare. Any time there is rumor of arcane magic in a town, the shadow simply sends his legions in and burns the town to the ground and kills anyone who lives there. This leads to an exceptional rarity of arcane magic. Druids are simply killed if discovered, so druids tend to be solitary and reclusive. There is no firearms, so no gunslingers.
20 point buy, 2 traits, 1st level. I will not be using the Midnight bloodlines. I'll take five players to start. Recruiting will be open through Thursday.
Also, you will be starting in the town of Red Grove. Please don't make characters who know all about the rest of the world; this is a highly insular world and should remain so. Your characters should be from or around Red Grove. Red Grove is a small crossroads town nestled in a valley surrounded by high mountains. Wheat and corn is grown, along with some grapes for wine. There are livestock and shepherds in the hills above the town and the requisite pub/inn, general store and temple to Izrador. You may invent any other businesses you need.
At first it was just dreams of fire, of bright lights followed by darkness. Then it was dreams of screams, of terror, feelings of loss and entrapment, of peril and pain. The thing was, EVERYONE had the dreams. Even the elves, who sleep only rarely and never for long, had the dreams.
Then came the sound. Every day, a long drawn out keening sound, as if the sky was being rent in twain. It happened at the same time, everywhere, echoing from here and there.
Then came the dragons. Flights of dragons, all converging in the sky to talk. Deadly enemies, longtime foes, all came to speak on the omens it portended.
Last came the rips, tears in space that vomited forth strange creatures and strange men who spoke of other worlds and other places, of things that had never been and places that no longer existed: of Azlant Victorious, of the flying cities of Garund, of the lost city of Absolom, or the Disappearing Trails of Old Cheliax. Of cataclysms, catastrophes and things even worse.
The world began to buzz with talk of the ending of this age and whether a new one would arise. The fey began to speak of the Third World, a refuge to flee to when this world was no more. In the midst of all this talk, a meeting was convened by a little old man who called himself Prester Gallowsmith. You've been a message, delivered by a thrush, that invites you to come to Absolom, to the home of Prester Gallowsmith in one month's time to discuss the end of the world. The letter is signed with a signature and a sigil: three interlocking circles with a spiral at the center. It's not a symbol you're familiar with, but it seems to evoke a sense of familiarity none the less.
Against your doubts, or perhaps because of them, you've decided to attend. You choose your travel methods carefully, but you know that you may never pass this way again.
In the year 4712, in the Age of Lost Omens, on the leapday of 32 Arodus, a gathering was held in the home of Prester Gallowsmith in the city of Absolom. It was attended by men and women of all races, of all walks of life, with no particular connection. It begin with an argument and ended with the everything changed. It began a new age. - Book of Endings, author unknown
The house was modest by the standards of the city, an older manse, its glory fading, its paint peeling. It smells faintly of roses and soap, a pleasant enough smell for such a foreboding day. In the sky above, clouds swirl around one of the Great Rifts, a rip in the sky that reveals another sky beyond, one with two suns perilously close to Golarion, even at night. The heat radiating from the rift has lead to a sweltering summer and the people of Absolom have taken to wearing as little as is modest, preferring the threat of the sight of flesh to the heat stroke which has become too common.
The door of the home is open and voices can be heard inside. As you stand upon the threshold, a mouth appears from the stone of the wall, small and magical. An old man's voice pipes out from it in a pleasant tenor. "Come in, my friends. We have much to discuss. There are food and drink for you inside. Make yourself comfortable, I will be joining you presently."
Feel free to introduce yourselves and make up anything in the house you need or desire.
Okay, now that the Blakros Museum has been in THREE Society Scenarios and is a somewhat beloved location, why is there not a flipmat of it yet? I for one would love one, or perhaps even a Map Pack of Museum Rooms...
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
I've been thinking about alternate histories recently, and I began to think about Alternate Golarions. Golarions where the Whispering Tyrant yet rules, where Aroden never died, where Rovagug is freed, where Cheliax rules the Inner Sea with an iron first, etc.
Here's the thing. I'm not recruiting yet, but I'd like to assemble a team of player/DMs who would take turns using the same set of players in a situation where (for reasons to be determined) they're shuffled from Golarion to Golarion in an effort to avert some cataclysm or event from destroying their own reality. Perhaps they must assemble pieces of some broken multi-planar device that can stop the Big Bad, or perhaps they're searching for the absolute best ale to placate Cayden Cailean's thirst. However it happens, who's in?
Times were bad for the Gullchoker tribe. First the trash had dried up, leaving pickings at the Long Shanks dump slim to none. Bountiful findings of shiny metal and half-eaten steaks had dwindled to nearly nothing after the hurricane struck and washed most of the inhabitants of Cursed Island out to sea. Then the sea had failed to vomit forth any swollen succulent Long Shank corpses for the inevitable post-hurricane meal.
Then the sea had delivered: a 24 foot Jigsaw Shark corpse, huge and smelling of fishy fish smells! The entire tribe had gathered around it for the ceremonial First Biting of the Big Eats by Chief Lumphead the Greatest. The Chief had just delivered a fiery speech extolling the virtues of his great Lumpy Head, and of the wonders which his Lumpy Head had wrought, which included Persuading the Sea to Vomit Forth Dinner. He had just finished talking and stretched his Lumpy Head to take a bite of Dinner when Dinner suddenly convulsed back to life and swallowed Chief Lumphead in one toothy bite. Well, everything except his lumpy left foot, which was left unceremoniously on the beach. The now revived meal proceeded to smash three members of the tribe as it splashed back into the water, now having tasted Goblin flesh and gained an appreciation for it.
Then Mogfort the Greedy grabbed up the Left Foot of the Chief and proclaimed himself the New Chief with two Left Feet and a Right One, too. This was disputed by Arggie the Fat, who was soon defeated soundly by the Magic Left Foot, which was quite vicious when wielded as a weapon.
The rule of Mogfort was mercifully short, ending when he was devoured by starfish after proclaiming that he could walk upon the water. Next came Arggie the Fat, who was drowned in the Holy Pickle Vat after getting drunk on fermented coconut milk. Lastly came Big Chief Krokk With Two Left Feet and Most of a Right One. Krokk was a wise ruler who spoke of returning to the Good Old Days, when the food was plentiful and the Long Shanks were stupid. Under his rule, he decreed that the Gullchokers must move from their Cursed Island and find a new home, a new paradise into which they would be accepted with flows of garbage and many fine dogs to kill. So it was that on the Firtty-Firt of Smelly Season that the Gullchoker tribe gathered on the beach to await the Coming of the Miracle, with their Chief.
A great storm was brewing over the seas. Lightning raced through dark clouds and winds howled as stormy gales pummeled the beach. The howling of the goblin children in their cages was matched only by the warchanter's dirge of Paradise Moving song. Suddenly from out of the great grey sea, a ship appeared, huge and rimmed in fire and heading straight toward the beach. As if sent by Lamashtu herself, it came, barreling straight for the Mighty Chief Krokk, who stood with his arms wide to embrace this new miracle which he had wrought.
And then the ship ran aground, grinding Mighty Chief Krokk into a bloody sandy paste on the beach. Thus ended the reign of Big Chief Krokk with Two Left Feet and Mose of a Right One, as well as the end of all three of his feet.
From atop the ship came the howl of Long Shanks, and the screaming of pain. A rope ladder was flung over the side, and down came three Long Shanks, blood streaming from their eyes and foam spilling from their mouths, crying aloud that the heavens were punishing them! They drew short wicked swords and began to attack the poor Gullchokers!
We are in need of 1-2 players to join an existing PbP. Currently the players are 2nd level, and adventuring in a Post-Rise of the Runelords Sandpoint. The IC thread is here and the OOC thread is here.
Currently we have the following characters:
A dwarf ranger
A dwarf cleric
A human rogue
I will leave this thread open until Friday, March 25th. Please submit a character idea and reason your character would be in Sandpoint for a mid-summer festival. Thanks!
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
So far I've tried not to give any advice, mainly because I am an expert in nothing. But reading some of the critique threads and thinking upon how to take the words that may seem at first blush to be harsh has changed my mind. I am an expert: I am expert at being criticized. And I know how to take it, so allow me to share.
1. Never Post Angry: No matter what you think you read, no matter how angry you are, no matter how unfair you think the criticism is, never post angry. It doesn't help, it doesn't aid you in any way and it makes you enemies that you don't need.
2. Don't Take It Personally: They're not critiquing you, they're critiquing something you wrote. The best criticism I ever got came from a Political Science professor in a class I took a few years back. He was rumored to be a sharp guy, very excellent teacher. So I took his Politics & Literature class and turned in my first paper, thinking I was pretty hot. He returned the paper two days later with the large letter F and If this is the best you can do, don't waste my time. Blink. Blink. I had NEVER gotten anything less than passing on a paper. I could write like a pro, right? I was smart. I was clever. I was... lazy. He was absolutely right; I half-arsed it and it wasn't worthy. I squared my shoulders, nutted up and tackled the next paper with renewed vigor and determination. I got an A and aced the class. And I thanked the professor. He reminded me of what I could achieve if I tried, so I tried and hard. These criticisms are reminding you of what you're capable of and attempting to point out where your writing and design is weakest. It's not that you're a bad person, it's that what you wrote needs work. And if you want to improve, then you're going to have to work at it. This isn't a game anymore, it's what you do.
3. Don't Attempt To Explain Yourself: At least, not until you've thought about the criticism for at least a day. Yes, you know why you chose the method you chose. Yes, you thought it came across like you thought it did. No it didn't. If it did, you wouldn't have the criticism in front of you. But think about it before you respond. Yes, you did it that way. But it doesn't mean it was a good idea. It may have been, but you should approach it as "This is why I chose that particular option" instead of "This is why I'm right." Believe me, I'm done the latter way too often and it never ends well.
4. Smile: Whenever you get criticism, be it constructive or not, the first thing you should do is smile. It won't make anything better, but it keeps you in the habit.
5. Thicken Thy Skin: There will come a time when you get criticism that doesn't seem helpful, that just seems ugly. And it will bother you. You'll want to respond, to react to the criticism. If you're like me, you'll have the impulse to strike out. Suppress it. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that it's part and parcel of the game. You'll get compliments and you'll get complaints. There will be good days and bad. In the end, as long as you've done something you can be proud of, then the only thing that matters is that you stepped up, you took the swing and you can be proud of the result.
In the end, you'll always be your worst critic. Steel yourself, keep at it and never accidentally insult the Mormons. (True story. I did this. Unintentionally. Yep. Lot of criticism that day.)
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
I see a lot of people who had computer issues in the Critique My Item thread. I cannot say enough good things about getting a Google Docs account for RPG Superstar. Your item is available from any internet connected computer anywhere, your work is not bound to a single place and it's free!
I'm using it regularly now and it's a great tool for this sort of contest.
That's all I have to say. Anyone else have good RPG Superstar tips?
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Crooked Man (Bard)
Not every bard is a master of music, some are masters of the spoken word. And a select few use this aptitude to sway minds, cower the weak willed and swindle the soft-hearted.
Bardic Performance: A crooked man (or woman) gains the following types of bardic performance.
Honeyed Words (Su) At 1st level the crooked man can use his words to make even a hostile listener believe the incredible. The crooked man may target one person per his bard level. He then makes a speech, which must be in a language the listener understands. Listeners must make a Will Save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier). If the listeners’ saving throw succeeds, their attitudes do not change and the crooked man cannot attempt to sway them for 24 hours. If their saving throw fails, they become helpful and more inclined to believe whatever the crooked man tells them for as long as the crooked man speaks plus one minute per bard level afterwards. At the end of this duration, listeners automatically become hostile to the crooked man. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. This ability relies on audible components. Honeyed Words is is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.This performance replaces Countersong.
Sickening Doubts (Su) At 8th level the crooked man can use his words to cause enemies to grow indecisive and doubt their own abilities, causing them to become sickened. To be affected, an enemy must be within 30 feet and able to hear the bard's performance. The effect persists for as long as the enemy is within 30 feet and the bard continues the performance. The performance cannot cause a creature to become nauseated even if the targets are already sickened from another effect. Sickening Doubt is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability and relies on audible components alone. This ability replaces Dirge of Doom.
Silvered Tongue (Ex): A crooked man gains a bonus equal to half his bard level on Bluff, Diplomacy and Perform: Oratory checks (minimum +1). A crooked man may also substitute his Bluff or Diplomacy checks for any Perform check where an audible component is required. This ability replaces Bardic Knowledge.
Verbal Dodge (Ex): Once per day a crooked man may roll a Bluff, Diplomacy or Perform: Oratory check as an immediate action and substitute the result for his Armor Class against one attack. He must keep the result even if it worse than his normal Armor Class. He may use this ability twice at 6th level and once more for every 4 levels thereafter. This ability replaces Versatile Performance.
After a long day enjoying the food and drink of Sandpoint’s bars and restaurants, you’ve decided to retire to your rooms in the Rusty Dragon, an inn and bar. Sounds of laughter, singing and carousing can still be heard echoing down the alleys and streets. The Long Day festival was a success, with food and drink flowing freely. You danced many dances, heard rumors and tales and legends, some of them concerning Sandpoint. Apparently a group of Pathfinders have arrived in town to examine ruins uncovered during the Siege of Sandpoint. This has caused quite a stir, as the Pathfinders seem to think the ruins uncovered may lead to much older ones. Given the relative quiet since the Siege, most of the people you overheard think it’s better left buried.
Ghorum:
Your caravan arrived three days ago, and has been loading their wares on a small barge for the final leg of their journey. However, your services aren’t required for that leg of the journey, so you have a few days in Sandpoint while you secure new employment. You enjoyed the festivities; a bar called the Hagfish even served a passable Dwarven ale. Now that the festival is winding down, with members of the crowd breaking away in small groups or couples, you decided to retire to your room at the Rusty Dragon, an inn run by a woman named Ameiko and what appears to be a tiefling woman named Jonna. They’re both capable hosts and you’ve been hearing talk of a caravan headed to a place called Fort Rannick that might need a capable hand. It sounds a decent job and may get you to your next one.
As you turn a corner down a long narrow alleyway, you hear a muffled cry, high pitched and childlike. Up ahead several shadows move, their long forms echoing from just around a turn in the alley. What do you do?
Jansen:
The journey to Sandpoint from Korvosa was a bumpy one. The ship you booked passage on, The Lady’s Lament, was meant to dock in Magnimar, but an unseasonal storm blew them offcourse and causes the main mast to come crashing down. The ship limped into Sandpoint on oars and a secondary sail, its crew beated, bruised and tired. Given the spate of bad luck, you took this as a sign from the gods and off-loaded in Sandpoint, weighing your options regarding your next steps. However fortune smiled on you: the Long Day Festival was tomorrow and you took the opportunity to join the crowds and relieve some poor passersby of their coin purses. Indeed, you had the opportunity to earn some honest coin when a talent show was held. Your juggling and acrobatics earned you a total of 17 gold pieces from the crowd; not a small sum, but the crowd was generous. (Your pick-pocketing, on the other hand, only earned you 21 silver.) However, eventually the festivities end and you headed off to the only inn in town that was reputed to have open rooms, the Rusty Dragon. You’re picking your way through the alleys of Sandpoint when you hear the unmistakeable sound of steel cutting into flesh, and a strange high-pitched giggle. It chills you, echoing down your spine. The sound came from just ahead, what do you do?
Morzane:
Three days ago Bones woke you with a loud squawk. A single word, repeated over and over. “Sandpoint! Sandpoint!” In your mind you felt his emotions: a mix of anticipation and a strange fear, as if something was moving toward you, inexorably and terribly. Three days later, you find yourself outside the gates of Sandpoint, which are wide open and topped with banners. The Long Day festival is in full swing, and even your somewhat strange appearance and travelling companion make little difference to the partygoers. You spend the day sampling food and wine, hearing songs and seeing jugglers. Children stop and stare openly at you, but for the most part no one takes any notice of your heritage or companion. It is only when the day ends and night begins that you begin to feel a strange feeling in the pit of your stomach: something is beginning. You feel the pull take you down a dark alley, deep into the heart of Sandpoint. You turn a corner to see a strange sight: a man lays in a pool of blood, shining in the moonlight. A quarter of small twisted forms crouch around him as one of the figures carves a long cut of muscle from the dead man’s thigh. The creatures are goblins. What do you do?
Kromoro:
The life of a Pharasman priest is not a routine one. Three days ago you awoke from a very strange dream in which a tall, very thin woman pointed at a map of Varisia and spoke a single word: Sandpoint. You suddenly had a vision of a very old grave stirring as something lost and dead stirred. Whatever that thing was, you awoke with the feeling that it was wrong. You booked passage from your chapterhouse in Riddleport to Sandpoint.
You arrived on the morning of the Long Day Festival, your voyage choppy as the result of a storm to the south. You are quite happy to be off the heaving ship and on dry land. The town of Sandpoint is relatively new to Dwarven eyes, with mostly stone construction on the first floors and wooden above. You’re drawn to the Sandpoint Cathedral, a large stone structure that towers above the town. It features shrines to several gods, including Pharasma. You pay your respects, then head out to the graveyards behind the Cathedral. Despite your suspicions, the feeling of dread that has been growing since you drew closer to Sandpoint does not seem to originate from here. Leaving the Cathedral you are swept into the festivities of the Long Day. You sample food and drink and see many entertainers. As you wander, the feeling of dread grows until after nightfall you wander south down winding alleys near the rear of the Rusty Dragon, a large inn. All of the sudden you hear a high pitched giggle from a street over. You rush around a corner to see a body lying in shadows, moonlight glinting off a large pool of blood. Several goblins crouch over the body, dogslicers bared and bloody. A half-orc stands between you and the body, facing the body with a raven perched on his shoulder. He seems disturbed by the sight before him. What do you do?
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
I found myself thinking about this last night as I lay in bed: it's Christmas, I wonder if WotC will lay off more staff? As much as I hate to think about it, it's been a holiday tradition the last few years. Is it happening again this year?
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Poisoner’s Retort Aura faint conjuration; CL 5th
Slot -; Price 10,000 gp; Weight 5 lbs.
Description
This head-sized heavy glass flask has two valves, clearly etched weal and woe, which connect to two small replaceable vials. When the heart of a poisonous creature is placed in the flask (the flask expands and contracts to hold a single heart of any size) and a command word spoken, the retort begins to bubble and hiss as the flesh is distilled and flows into the vials. The entire process of distillation takes one hour and the result is ruined if disturbed before the end of this time. One vial contains a single dose of the distilled poison of the creature from which it was created; the other contains a single dose of a special antitoxin that conveys a +10 alchemical bonus to Fortitude saves against that specific variety of poison for 1 hour. Once created, the poison and antitoxin last until used. The distilled poison has the same DC and damage as it did when the creature was alive and only one dose of poison and antitoxin can be created from a single creature.
Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, neutralize poison; Cost 5,000 gp
Monday, April 6, 2009, 6:32 am: The precinct offices always smell the same: stale coffee, burnt popcorn, unwashed bodies, inexplicable floral scents and rust. The lights are always too bright or not working at all, and the low hum of fluorescent lights pervade the place.
"I hate Mondays," a gruff voice growls in the locker room as you all get dressed in your outfits. Standard issue clothing includes your costume choice with the official Freedom City Police sash and communication patches: a series of postage stamp sized circuits that adhere to forehead, throat and pectoral that both allow communication, tracking and status of the officer. As the locker doors slam shut around the room, a sudden alarm rings and your communication patches buzz.
"Officers, Department 13: We have a dimensional breach in the vicinity of the Water Treatment Plant, 2900 Bellevue Blvd. Sensors indicate a possible incursion from Dimension 180. Forces on route. Department 13 proceed as backup immediately. Lethal force is authorized only as a last resort."
Three minutes later you arrive on scene. Dimension 180's residents as known as the Antipodeans. Early dimension travel experiments discovered the Antipodal dimension by accident before the concept of quantum drift was fully understood. Dimension 180 is so named because it is 180 degrees removed from your own; the super powered residents of that dimension are tyrants ruling over an enslaved normal population. Periodically since that initial contact they breach our world and attempt to conquer it, usually causing property damage but no real harm.
Today, however, is different.
Below you lays the holding tanks for the water treatment plant, 100,000 gallon steel reinforced tanks that hold filtered water before it is pumped back into the system for use in households. Of the ten tanks, one is utterly destroyed, shattered into a blast pattern of shrapnel. Several human bodies litter the blast area and the unmoving bodies of the first super team on site lie on top of the blast. Three Antipodeans in black sealed environmental suits also lie unmoving and two more are attempting to affix some sort of device to the largest water tank. The survivor's suits are marked with large neon green numbers 3 and 5. They are flanked by three mechanical spiders the size of Volkswagen Beetles. The mechanical spiders move into an attack formation as their sensors pick up approaching life signs, but the surviving Antipodeans, engrossed in their work, do not notice you.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Okay, so I'm sure any long time denizen of this or many other sites has had this problem: your PbP is going along swimmingly, then pow. Nothing. No posts for a day, three days, two weeks, a month. It's dead and it seems to die just when it's getting interesting.
So what do we learn from this about how to keep a PbP going? What can DMs and players do to keep things interesting and fun for all? What tricks can we glean from the dead games we've all been in?
I'll start:
- The Long Hello: games where the players never seem to get together and the game dies before the action starts. Lesson: start with a bang and keep up the fun.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
This is the discussion thread for our M&M PbP. Once you've posted a character idea on the recruiting thread, head over here and let's see your character!
The Doom That Creeps: A M&M PbP
On January 1st, 1989, Freedom City was officially opened to settlement. Conceived as a response to the disasters of the late '80s terrorist attacks and attempts by the Legion of Men, Freedom City is a place where normal people and supers can live side by side in peace. The city is a success in one respect: supers finally have a place where they can live openly and without persecution. The Legion of Men go quiet for a time, periodically resurfacing to rail against what they see as the abiding threat of our time: the supplanting of normal Homo Sapiens by the new Homo Excellentia.
The year is 2009. Freedom City celebrates its 20th anniversary. Amidst the celebrations, something lurks, looming just over the horizon. A war is coming. Will you be ready?
Freedom City is a manmade island situated off the east coast of America, near Baltimore, Maryland. It is only 25 square miles, but it houses the highest concentration of supers known to man, as well as a large military base. It has all the amenities of a normal city, but also includes a rocket launch facility, a state of the art research hospital and the headquarters of the Brookhaven Research & Development Corporation, a leader in cutting edge technology.
Caveat: this is my first M&M game. Period. I've DM'd, GM'd, Storytold, etc for the last 15 years, but never a M&M game. There may well be a learning curve. You've been warned.
PL 10 characters, please. Include a backstory, feel free to add to Freedom City as you will. This is our sandbox: build a castle or two. I'll accept four players, with options for alternates. Posting will be usually 1/day on Weekdays, maybe once on weekends. If I need to draw that back, I'll warn you first.
I'd like to get this game started with an option to swap MasterMinds if I get tired of running.
Lastly, no house rules, but I have heard there are issues with the Transform power, so please, if you take it, designate a handful of forms and stick to those. Thanks!
If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Churjiir CR 3
XP 800
NE Small Magical Beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision, scent; Perception +7
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
hp 39 (6d10+6)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +6
Immune disease
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Melee 2 bites +7 (1d6 plus bleed)
Ranged infestation +10 ranged touch (1d6 plus disease and distraction)
Space 5 ft.
Special Attacks bleed (1), disease, distraction (DC 14)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +1)
1/day—summon swarm (rats only)
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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 13
Base Atk +6; CMB +5; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip)
Feats Ability Focus (Rat Control), Iron Will, Improved Natural Attack (bite)
Skills Climb +7, Perception +7, Stealth +12, Swim +7; Racial Modifiers uses Dex to modify Climb and Swim
Languages Common, telepathy (rats only) 100 ft.
SQ Rat Control
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Ecology
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Environment any urban
Organization solitary, or gang (solitary plus 2d4 dire rats and 1d3 wererats), or royal court (solitary plus 3d6 dire rats, 1d6 rat swarms and 2d4 wererats)
Treasure standard
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Special Abilities
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Disease (Ex)Filth Fever: Infestation—injury; save Fort DC 14; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save is Constitution-based.
Infestation (su) A Churjiir is infested by hordes of biting fleas with which it maintains a symbiotic relationship. In times of stress the churjiir may launch a mass of fleas up to 30 feet away to swarm a victim. The mass then disperses immediately after attacking and makes its way slowly back to the churjiir. A churjiir may launch a number of infestation attacks up to its hit dice before it must wait at least an hour to attract enough vermin to replenish its supply.
Rat Control (sp) Churjiir exert mental control over rats or enhanced rat-like creatures such as wererats. Creatures with intelligence scores over 4 may make a will save (DC 16) to resist this domination; less intelligent creatures are automatically controlled. The domination lasts one day per hit die of the churjiir. This save is constitution based. Dominated creatures with whom the churjiir can see and telepathically communicate gain a +2 morale bonus to attack and damage. Creatures dominated in this fashion abound with fleas, a consequence of proximity to the churjiir.
The churjiir is a two-headed, hairless rat-like beast. Much larger than a normal rat, its body is three feet in length and can weigh up to thirty pounds. It reeks of musty urine, and a haze of servitor fleas seethes over it. Its two heads mutter in low, chittering voices as it sits back on its haunches, its forepaws rubbing together in a decidedly human fashion.
The ashen hide of the churjiir’s bald body stretches tautly from both muzzles to its undersized, malformed ears, giving its faces a skeletal aspect. Lumps and lesions mottle the skin on the creature’s back, and a ropey, ophidian tail twitches behind it. Yellowed fangs jut down from its snouts and both jaws are set with needle-like teeth. Its mouths slaver with fetid spittle while its cavernous crimson eyes glint with a feral light. Churjiir possess cruel and calculating intellects, allowing them to thrive in the sewers, cesspools and murky forgotten corners of civilization. They aspire to reign as rat kings, served by subjugated minions and surrounded by gaudy displays of wealth. They are rarely found alone, but are usually surrounded by dominated minions. Some go so far as to carve out subterranean domains and declare themselves monarchs, often using grandiose titles such as the Lord of Tails or the Underking.
Churjiir prefer to hang back in combat, allowing their dominated subjects to do their fighting while they direct the battle. They launch clouds of biting fleas using infestation, preferring to target spell-casters. They fight fiercely if cornered, using their wicked teeth to terrible effect. If the battle turns against them they do not hesitate to flee, leaving their minions to gloriously sacrifice themselves for their king.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Wyrmhiri Description: Wyrmhiri, or stunted wyrms, are the dark secret of dragonkind: the result of dragon eggs that fail to properly develop. Wyrmhiri are six-foot-long legless eyeless dragons. They are winged, but their wings lack membranes between the phalanges, leaving them unable to fly but able to use the wings for climbing and for bursts of rapid movement. Wyrmhiri vary in color but usually are a mottled pale form of their parent dragon’s color with a single blunt horn on their short snouts. They are ambush predators and possess a draconic cunning. They burrow through the earth, hoarding precious gems and metals, which they swallow and regurgitate in hidden caches. Newborn wyrmhiri instinctively flee the nest, seeking to avoid being slain by their siblings and parents. Wyrmhiri hate and are fiercely jealous of true dragons, from whose hoards they are prone to steal. They grow quickly, eating insatiably in their first year. Among dragonkind it is forbidden to speak of wyrmhiri.
Powers and Abilities: Wyrmhiri compensate for being blind by having keen senses of smell, hearing and vibration that allow them to locate their prey. They are patient, remaining still for hours before suddenly bursting from underground with unnatural speed, using their wings to propel themselves upward before they attack with their wicked jaws. Wyrmhiri have a slight resistance to the energy type of their parent dragon. Their scales develop a rocky coating, giving them resistance to any blow save one able to pierce the skin. They lack a dragon’s breath weapon, but can violently regurgitate swallowed gems and metal if desperate. Wyrmhiri possess a supernatural affinity for stone, learning to speak to it and share its memories.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Wizards has been oddly quiet about DDM for a while now. Does anyone have any news on what they're planning for it? Are they going back to fully random or merging with Heroscape?
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
So my group has now played about 10 sessions of 4e and while we agree it's okay, we also agree that it feels... unfinished. Like it's just lacking something to be great.
So in this spirit, I'd like to know what house rules people have implemented and why. I'm going to try and cobble together a 4.1 system for our group, in an effort to salvage the money we've already put into the game and your submissions might be a huge help.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Runcible Spoon Aura Moderate Conjuration (healing); CL 9th
Slot -; Price 14,575; Weight 1 lb
Description
A Runcible Spoon is a battered iron ladle with slight blunted teeth lining the cup. When a poisoned food or drink is placed in the spoon, it magically extracts the poison into a purple bubble, which floats above the Spoon and can be handled as if it were made of glass. When touched to a bottle or vial, the bubble transfers the poison into the container and pops. The spoon can be used once per day in this manner. Alternatively the spoon can be placed on the chest of a victim suffering from poison, curses, petrification, magical or mundane diseases or any other persistent condition short of death. The Spoon will glow purple, hum slightly and shatter, destroying itself and ending the affliction. Runcible Spoons are highly sought after for this reason, being one of the few things that can end a fairy curse.
Construction
Runcible Spoons are difficult to construct, requiring the breath of a Gorgon, the poison of a Dark Naga and the spit of a Gibbering Mouther. These components are added to the iron during forging, giving the Spoon its purplish tone. Failure to add these components nearly always leads to the creation of a Poisoned Spoon instead.
Requirements Create Wondrous Item, neutralize poison, break enchantment , special components (see above); Cost 7,237 gp
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Hey! I just relocated to Fargo and am looking for a game, any game. I'm even willing to DM 3.x/Pathfinder or even 4th with some learning curve. Any takers?
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Okay, in fighting against the gigantic economic stimulus package, the Republicans in Congress have essentially bet against it working. Instead of stepping up and offering alternatives, they stonewalled and resisted and did their level best to stop any package.
So, if the economic stimulus package fails, and we're left even worse off, they can say "We told you so!" and essentially fiddle while Rome burns. A pretty Pyrrhic victory.
If it succeeds, they've lost just about any relevance in the political process that they had. They've lost the presidency, both houses of Congress, the battle to have any hand in saving the economy, backed the failing Iraq War for far too long and advocated bad economic theory in their trickle-down economic theories.
Why keep fighting just to attempt to win an ideological victory? Is it that important to be proven correct? Why not actually realize that something needs to be done, swallow your ideology and dig in, even if it means backing something that is against what you normally believe in? At least the final product would be more akin to what you would like, instead of totally contrary to your opinion?
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Beta Pathfinder wrote:
Might of the Gods (Su): You can add your caster levelas an enhancement bonus to your Strength score for a number of rounds per day equal to your caster level. This bonus only applies on Strength checks and Strength-based skill checks. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
This really should also apply to CMB for escaping grapples. It just fits the imagery of a cleric calling upon his god's strength to break free of a pin or a grapple.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Enlarge Person from Beta wrote:
All equipment worn or carried by a creature is similarly enlarged by the spell. Melee weapons affected by this spell deal more damage. Other magical properties are not affected by this spell. Any enlarged item that leaves an enlarged creature’s possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown weapons deal their normal damage, and projectiles deal damage based on the size of the weapon that fired them.
Righteous Might from Beta wrote:
All equipment you wear or carry is similarly enlarged by the spell. Melee weapons deal more damage. Other magical properties are not affected by this spell. Any enlarged item that leaves your possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown and projectile weapons deal their normal damage.
Why are they different? According to the D20SRD.org, they're the same there.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
I'd like to place a request for poster prints of some of the awesome covers from the Chronicles, such as the Gods and Magic cover. I'd love to be able to purchase them. Any chance?
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Okay, so my players retook Rannick and began rebuilding. A month later an exhausted Turtleback Ferry resident rides in, tells them that the river is rising and people are drowning and they rush... to the Dam, to stop it at its source.
So, after taking the Dam, figuring out its mechanisms, they opened the floodgates and saved the town.
But. Black Magga was not stopped. I told them that when they arrived, most of the town was destroyed, including the cathedral, as well as several townspeople killed or missing.
What sort of implications can I derive from this? How would the town react? Would they rebuild? Would they hate the players for not stopping the beast? Who will teach the children now that the yummy pie baking school marm has been eaten by a giant snake?
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
I had an idea I'd like to float regarding the Bard.
Premise: The bard is the only class that can be modified to fill multiple roles well. He can be a healer, sneaky type, fighter melee or ranged, or arcane controller. However, he doesn't really have any class features to support this idea.
Suggestion: Create a list of class features culled from other classes. Allow the bard to select one of them every five levels or possibly as a replacement for a feat. Such as:
- Fighter Bonus Feat
- Rage 1/day
- Sneak Attack +1d6
- Favored Enemy +2
- Channel Positive Energy as a cleric 4 levels lower
- 1 Clerical Domain
- School Specialization
- Minor Sorcerer Bloodline
- Unarmed Attack Damage as a monk 4 levels lower
This allows the Bard to truly be a jack of all trades and allows two bards to look nothing alike. In fact a party of all bards could fill any role you'd need.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Spoilers to follow:
Spoiler:
So the players got the Graul homestead, nearly got killed by Biggun and the boys, called out Mammy and killed her without exploring the house. I really want them to explore, as it's way too creepy cool not to use to its fullest extent. Right now Hucker and the young Grauls are all that's left. How do I get them to go inside?
They've camped for the night not too far away. Should I have Hucker kidnap one of the PCs? Steal something valuable?
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
So the great game has now come and gone. A buddy and I co-DM'd eight players in a huge 4e game, 6th level with pregen characters. We started at 4:30 pm and ended at 12:30. It was generally a huge success, everyone had a good time and everyone "got" the system, but there were a few things I noted about 4e that I'd like to see if other have noted as well.
1. Preparation time was cut down, but not as much as I'd truly hoped. If I had just wanted to throw a few creatures down on the board, it would have worked, but actually thinking hard about creatures still lead to long preps. Not that I minded, but since it was one of the key features touted, it seemed less than advertised.
2. Combat lethality. So, as I understand it, one of the goals of 4e was to eliminate the need for the fighter, cleric, mage, rogue party structure. They did. And then they replaced it with the Controller, Leader, Blaster, etc. roles. Which seem just as necessary to have in a group that's expected to do well according to the XP/CR system. We broke the large group into 2 groups of 4 and when my group didn't have a blaster, it was noted. Combats that were well within their level according to the DMG nearly killed the lot of them. I had to seriously dial down the challenge and be very careful not to slaughter them all in the first couple encounters.
3. Skill challenges. Still don't "get" these. I'm not sure when one is appropriate or how to encourage all the players to get into the situation. WOTC needs to produce some sort of primer on these more than what's in the DMG.
4. Round lengths. More rounds, same combat time. That was nice.
5. Powers. These seemed to work well. Still, I kind of want to introduce some sort of Exalted background story for why the PCs are running around with colossal powers when no one else has them. That's just me, though.
Overall, everyone seemed to like the system well enough, but not enough that there's a consensus to drop our current 3e games in favor of it. I suspect some point down the road, in 1-2 years we might try a 4e campaign, but the majority seemed to agree that it's better for us as a one shot platform.
For me, being on the 4e rollercoaster these last few months, my opinion of the system is better for having run it, but still it didn't live up to the hype I've heard here and on other boards about it. It didn't feel any better or worse than 3e or 2e (my D&D experiences, I'm afraid) and it didn't have that WOW factor that I've heard expressed here. It was an okay system, rough in some spots, golden in others. It allowed me to run a really cinematic game, but I've done that with other systems such as Star Wars Saga and 3.5 and White Wolf, so it doesn't hinder that experience. The absolute best point of the whole game and the one idea I really might steal for or regular 3.5 game is:
MINIONS! For the final battle we threw down 38 minis onto the board. 38 minis versus 6 PCs. And the PCs won! That was brilliant and might make purchasing the core books a worthwhile investment. Cheers to WOTC for doing that right.
That's all. I'm trying to avoid any trollish words. Did other people find any way around these issues that I might beg/borrow/steal from you?
Wizards of the Coast has chosen to concentrate its D&D miniatures-creation efforts on an accessory line optimized for D&D Roleplaying Game use. November’s release of Demonweb will be the last new set that includes skirmish statistics. We will continue to update all miniatures stats from previous sets to the current D&D Miniatures ruleset as promised, with the conclusion of that process scheduled for mid-2009.
In addition, official sanctioning of D&D Miniatures skirmish events will cease right after D&D Experience in February. We hope to see skirmish play continue at the grassroots level, using the hundreds of miniatures produced for the game over the past six years and encouraged by the passionate fan sites that exist for the D&D Miniatures skirmish game.
The skirmish game has many dedicated fans, and we appreciate the years of enthusiastic support that these players have shown to the line. Unfortunately, despite this enthusiasm, the number of skirmish players has been dropping steadily over the past couple of years. We had hoped that improvements implemented during 2007 and 2008 would change that trend, but they have not accomplished enough toward that end. At this point, we can no longer justify the design, development, and production resources required to support the skirmish game.
Let's recap: Minis cost more. The skirmish game is gone.
Why does WotC insist on further whittling away its customer base? Is this part of some brilliant scheme to win new customers through a clever series of product line cuts and insulting media campaigns? Has Hasbro finally instituted their Bizarro plan for success?
We have received a tremendous amount of feedback from fans regarding the D&D Miniatures line, and have made some exciting changes for 2009. Here’s what’s coming to a shelf near you!
More than anything else, D&D players have been asking us for more PC (player character) minis. The D&D Heroes line features high-quality miniatures representing iconic player character races and classes described in the Player’s Handbook and Player’s Handbook 2 core rulebooks. Now players will be able to find the miniature that best represents their PC, and Dungeon Masters can use these figures to represent non-player characters in their adventures.
Launching in Spring 2009, the first D&D Heroes series features six different packs (18 figures total):
Each package contains 3 PC minis: 2 males and 1 female, and 3 unique power cards featuring brand new class powers. All three of the figures in the package will be visible so you’ll know exactly which pack to pick for your game.
The D&D Heroes will be refreshed regularly in order to continue to deliver new PC options to players. There are two series scheduled for 2009 and three scheduled for 2010. MSRP $10.99.
Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures -- Monster Manual
Also new to the 2009 lineup are Monster Manual themed releases. These sets are designed to be what every Dungeon Master (or D&D enthusiast) needs to create riveting adventures and exciting encounters at all levels of play.
Releasing in Spring 2009, the first D&D Monsters set is called Monster Manual: Dangerous Delves. This will be a 40-miniature set containing both medium and large sized figures. Each semi-randomized “booster” box contains 5 minis: 1 visible figure, 1 rare figure, 1 uncommon figure and 2 common figures, as well as full-color D&D Dungeon Delve stat cards for each miniature. MSRP $14.99.
Upon the release of D&D Monsters and D&D Heroes, we will no longer package the D&D Miniatures line in its current configuration (fully randomized booster packs and huge packs). This means that November’s set -- D&D Miniatures: Demonweb -- will be the final release sold in fully randomized booster packs.
So, less minis for more price. I'm not liking this trend at all.
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Hello!
I'm currently planning for a one shot, to be run October 25th and I need some advice/info:
How long does a typical encounter take in 4e? We're running 6th level PCs with around 4-6 players and I need to be able to make sure that I have enough encounters prepped for the time I have without having to scramble to make new ones on the spot. Any assistance would be welcomed!
James Martin(RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32)
Anyone got any good online tabletop suggestions either for free or a nominal fee? My group is looking at gas prices and exploring options. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Looks like the free trial of Dragon and Dungeon go subscriber only in October. I'm thinking I'm going to pass on subscribing. Nothing much in the digital Dragon and Dungeons has really wowed me beyond a meh level.
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