The twenty-sixth of Arodus. The weather outside is still overcast; it had been raining during the viewing in the Henderthane courtyard. It's dimmer inside the cavernous temple. Not the Midnight Temple, Nicolo wasn't that important, but the temple still conveys the grandeur of Hell. The priests chant and ceremony throughout the late evening. It's enough to put nearly anyone to sleep. The only entertainment of any kind is observing the strange people who'd come to the deceased Hellknight's funeral. A small patrol of Hellknights had brought the casket in and would bring it out at the end of the ceremony. Their leader is a small woman with mismatched eyes in signifer's robes.
Afterwards, the guests trail the Hellknights out of the temple and the clerics snuff out the candles. Rain is still drumming faintly on the cobblestones- but it's still Arodus in the Inner Sea, and so it's still balmy. Many of the guests find themselves in a fairly well-to-do tavern named the Green Vine. It's too expensive for most of them, but through an odd twist of fate Nicolo's old company and them are comrades tonight, and so no one objects. The Hellknights clump together at the counter, laughing and talking in hushed tones. The rest of the guests mill about and buy drinks and, once the niceties are out of the way, begin trading their favorite stories of Sir Cosma. Most of them are... hard to credit to say the least. Occasionally, one of the Hellknights will join in the storytelling. By late night everyone seems to be friends with everyone, though the drinking is probably the best explanation of that.
The Embassy of Cheliax offers our condolences on your loss. As according to the final requests of the deceased, you are hereby invited to attend the funeral of the honorable Sir Nicolo Cosma, Hellnight of the Order of the Gate and honored servant of Queen Abrogail the Second. The service will be held at House Henderthane in Egorian on the 26th of Arodus.
Our condolences,
Cheliax
This is the letter you receive near the beginning of Arodus, from whatever stronghold the empire has near wherever you happen to be. Of course, even though they say it’s optional, it’s probably best to play it safe. Especially when there are Hellknights involved.
You knew Nicolo in life, of course. Somehow he did you a favor, even if you never really knew him- then again, maybe you did. A dignified, scholarly old gentleman, he was just as much a devil with a sword as one would expect from his order, and yet he was known to show mercy on occasion. And he tended to find himself in the company of rogues whenever he was off hunting down ancient artifacts and knowledge [Indianna Jones style]. Due to this and his contacts as a member of the Order of the Gate, you really have no idea who else might show up at his funeral.
The Setting
Golarion is a mish-mash of all sorts of things, mostly inspired by old pulp fantasy and sci-fi. The official version is fairly high-fantasy, with mages around every corner, but the version for this campaign is much more like Westeros, or Lankhmar. Magic (and monsters) exist- but you guys don’t know that (shush) (unless you happen to be a mage or a monster youself). I’ll be taking some cues from World of Darkness. The major exception to this style is that there are many races, and no one thinks that’s very strange. Though different races do have a hard time understanding each other at all most of the time.
Race is, of course, one of the most important aspects of your character. You may choose any race here. I’ll be changing quite a bit of fluff, but that’s mostly a concern if you’re playing an elf. I’m changing the stat bonuses so you'll get a total of +0 at character creation. Once you have a race, I'll notify you of any changed fluff or mechanics.
Terminology: I noticed through my last campaign that PCs would refer to the different mechanics of, say, witches versus sorcerers or oracles. In this-Golarion, even if you happen to be a spellcaster yourself, it’s likely it affected your life much like rogue unknown superpowers versus something quanitfiable, and even if you come from an occult background, there is no accepted terminology over the planet. Someone could use the terms ‘sorcerer’ and ‘witch’ and ‘druid’ interchangably and be perfectly correct.
Everything Else: near everything the srd is fair game. As for technology, primitive firearms are available, but if you play a gunslinger make sure to look over Alkenstar on the wiki.
Character Creation, in short, is standard Pathfinder (4d6, drop the lowest) with the exception of race ability modifiers. Alignment, as per usual in my games, does not exist. We will be using this method of leveling, meaning you are encouraged to record XP, but it’s unlikely that we will use it.
***
I will be keeping an eye on this thread and, provided there's enough interest, will select a party once there's enough submissions (bare-bones backstory, motives, an idea for a build) that fit my idea for the campaign. I don't know precisely how long that will take. If you have any questions, feel free to ask or send me a message.
I have a long-standing rule that in a party of five players, I will run a game whenever four players and myself can make it work. This is mostly necessary as we're highschoolers, one of us has sports, about half the players are seniors, and schedules can be both unpredictable and crowded. Because of this, this rule is often used.
I'm starting a new campaign, having finished the previous year-long campaign I'd been running with basically the same group. Trying to arrange a game this weekend, I pushed for Sunday, when four of us could attend for most of the game. This caused one of my players to storm out of the chat room after a passive-agressive argument. Thinking over this incident later, it occurred to me that she will be missing the first session of the new campaign. It hadn't been as much an issue in our previous campaign, which was haphazard and episodic, but it may be in this one. There are other campaigns or oneshots our group can run, but I'd prefer not to; another player is leaving the week after next, and though it gives us some room, the four-person rule was established to allow us to game for sure at all even if schedules change. Also, the disappointed player's character (effectively part of the MIB) gives her an excellent excuse to appear unexpectedly or disappear. I had offered that she could drop in anytime if she got back soon enough, but she was too angry at that time to really accept that. But I can't claim I have no selfish reasons to want to start my pet project campaign sooner rather than later.
Experienced DMs of the Paizo messageboards, do you have any words of advice?
I'm sending out feelers for a low-magic Golarion campaign, containing a lot of homebrew and some improv on my part.
The basis of the game is that it's set in a Golarion (year AR 4712) that does not acknowledge magic as such; when people talk about devils in Cheliax they really mean soulless politicians, and while there's something obviously weird about the mana wastes the conspiracy theorists can't agree on why that is exactly. 'Wizard' is simply a title for scholars clever and powerful enough to pull enough strings. That sort of thing. Of course, the few spellcasters know the truth, but they're not telling. While most of the Inner Sea likes to think itself above witch-burnings there's no sense in risking it. I will be taking a bit of inspiration from Masquerade, a lot from every sword&sorcery where magic can be really best left alone.
The party will be five people. Character creation will be 4d6 drop the lowest, otherwise standard. I'm changing a bit of the mechanics for races and a lot of the fluff (well, pretty much just changing the fluff for elves). Due to the nature of the world, tieflings and aasimars (or any race with blood not from a living, breathing humanoid) have it even worse than usual, and their numbers are fewer- though for the rest of the races, nothing much has changed (similar to not-Mirror Golarion, having different races walking around is perfectly ordinary). I'm putting down a summary of playable races. I'm only changing the ability score modifiers, so what I put down will replace the previous modifiers.
As well, I'm removing the alignment system from this game. The long-lived races are generally considered adults at 30, though not necessarily full citizens; they may be expected to spend a lifetime or so among shorter-lived races to truly understand what living so long means.
Dwarves: same as always. Seriously. +2 con -2 charisma.
Elves: Somewhere between Bast from the Name of the Wind and Tolkien's Noldor. Interacting with them frequently gets compared to 'herding cats', being a strongly individualistic race, though they still have a strong connection to nature and history. Though they don't think any other races are inherently 'less' than them and they consider half-elves full elves, sometimes willfully ignoring the halfblood's human natures, they hate having their privacy intruded upon, can be somewhat anarchistic, and due to their drastically 'different' outlook on life, are rarely trusted by other races. Being gone for Golarion's darkest hour and rarely feeling the attached to the larger communtiy of the races as a whole certainly hasn't helped with that. As far as they know, they do not have a set lifespan or age quite like the other races- though they do age.
+2 cha or dex and -2 wis
Gnomes: same. +2 cha -2 str.
Half-elves: similar, though those who don't live among the elves are either mothered by humans, or have found out, as most do, that while elves may be on the whole willing to accept them, they simply can't fit into the lifestyle of another species. Generally distrusted, and while they have to easier than tieflings or such, they have a similar amount of difficulty finding someplace they actually belong. +0 to all scores.
Halflings: same. +2 dex -2 str.
Half-orcs. same. +0 to all.
Humans. Same, of course. +0 to all.
Aasimars: +2 wis. Treated as curses, blessings or anamolies; either way, rarely givent he chance for a normal life.
Catfolk: +2 dex -2 wis
Dhampir: +2 cha -2 con Similar lot as tiefling's.
Drow: +2 cha or int and -2 wis. Needless to say, rare in the extreme, and warped.
Fetchlings: among the most rare of the races. +2 dex -2 wis
Goblins: Fairly common, and universally considered dangerous pests. Same ability modifiers.
Hobgoblins: +2 con
Ifrits:+cha -2 wis They, and other Outsider-blooded races, may be mistaken for a tiefling or aasimar.
Kobolds: Same.
Orcs: Same.
Oreads: +2 str -2 cha
Ratfolk: +2 int -2 str
Sylphs: +2 dex -2 con
Tengus: +2 wis -2 con
Tieflings: Needless to say, seen as impossible marks of shame to the parent(s). +2 int -2 cha.
Undines: +2 wis -2 str
Changelings: It may be more accurate to say that tieflings and such are mistaken for them, but the treatment is ultimately much the same. +2 int -2 con
Duergar: Same
Gillmen: +2 cha -2 con
Gripplis: +2 dex -2 str
Kitsune: +2 cha -2 str
Merfolk: +2 con +2 cha
Nagaji: +2 str -2 int
Samsarans: +2 (to one mental score) -2 con
Strix: Same
Sulis: +2 cha -2 int
Svirfneblin: Same.
Vanaras: +2 dex -2 cha
Vishkanyas: +2 cha +2 dex -2 wis -2 con
Wayangs: +2 int -2 wis
As this is intended to be a roleplay-heavy game, if you choose to play a rare race, or not so rare (elves, gnomes...) keep in mind that they are functionally aliens, and play them as such. Also, you will have very little opportunity to purchase/find magic items, so being able to make them yourself would be very useful. I may choose to use E6 rules.
You will all meet in a tavern. This tavern will be in Falcon's Hollow, which you are all staying at due to a run-in with agents from a certain Consortium. Feel free to build pre-existing ties between your characters.
If interested, please post a brief description of your character, his/her motives and backstory, and how you intend to build them mechanically (everything on the srd is fair game to use). I will keep an eye on this thread and within a work week (unless something entirely unexpected happens) choose five characters for the campaign. I'll keep this thread up, though, if someone has to drop out for any reason.
Though placing this thread on this messageboard makes no sense, my question is, what free compiler and environment should I try and use on my Mac for learning (or at least messing around with) C++?
This is pretty much my first attempt to learn anything technology related, and I'm trying to learn a whole programming language right off through the logic that trying to take my time and download more programs that will actually work on my computer will be harder than just having one project that's way too hard.
I've been trying to use CodeBlocks; however it doesn't seem to be really meant for Macs, and though I've had the most success with it so far, the MingW compiler doesn't work well (if it even downloaded, pretty fuzzy on that).
I can't download Apple XCode as my shiny new computer isn't quite shiny and new enough to run the latest version.
Suggestions? Sort of tired of Googling answers and having all the answers be, 'Google it N00B.'
I love Golarion. I love the old civilizations, the eldritch abominations, everything that reminds me of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and all the wonderful old pulp fiction sword and sorcery, I love the gunpowder and The Prince of Wolves and Tegresin.
However, I'm of the school of thought that most NPCs should be first level commoners and that as the limit of most human capabilities fifth-level NPCs are living legends. PCs are unusual very quickly, and while magic is manifest (I never limit classes that can be played) it's very rare and very far beyond human comprehension. The afterlife is not an open secret that can be diagramed out on maps, and there's really no reason to trust that 'angel' that manifests in your summoning circle. The Worldwound is the farthest that anyone that can still be considered part of humanity at large can get from their world, and that's terrifying. Sure there are different races, but they have their own mortal issues just as much as humans do. You can't buy minor miracles after a good adventuring job. You can't buy wondrous items. You're probably going to think of that powerful wizard who hired you in the same terms as you think of the demons who try and trick you in the weirder dungeons. You can't see the stuff you'll have seen at midlevel and go back to a normal life.
(One complaint I don't have is that monsters on Golarion are monsters; my drow are scheming my PCs deaths already.)
I'd like to preserve what canon I can, Absalom is still the delve that never runs dry, Geb is still lousy with undead and Jalmeray is still wondrous, but I'd like to put a bit of the fantastical back in the fantasy; the s!*& that goes down is never every-day kind of s#&+. More smoke and mirrors, and beside that, stuff that'll really scare my players witless.
(By the way, there was a really awesome thread earlier theorizing about the gods being part of eldritch conspiracies, and it was glorious and could someone link it please?)
I had the best. gaming session. ever. I'm posting here since my head is still too much in the game to do anything else. I think I remember the dialogue fairly clearly- I have a bad memory for conversation. It gets more serious as the story progresses.
And since I don't want to waste forum space, really, I'd love to hear everyone else's best gaming sessions :)
The game started out as just a long walk back to the city- I had to get a PC who'd been absent back into the storyline. One of the players was gone for now, and my Lead PC was at 1 hp, but was still bored. So we engaged in a bit of idle roleplaying. Zizi the oracle petted her pet sea urchin and tried to get her flask of rum away from Lead PC Ziharc. Nothing much happened- until the important semi-friendly NPC and his friend, who'd been trailing them, disappeared. They didn't notice for some time. Zizi was bellyaching about something or other.
Then, out of character, the player Wibble (yes, that's what everyone is supposed to call him in RL) declares, "one of the bushes starts going rustle rustle". Zizi and Ziharc and the other ranger Isaac continue chatting, punctuated by the "rustle rustle" until Zizi says, "I think that bush is talking. Most bushes don't go "rustle rustle"." Ziharc, consummate Adventurer, goes over to investigate. The pally (sent by the NPC to keep an eye on them) traps his foot with his sword. Ziharc says matter-of-factly, "The bush is attacking me," (because sh&% happens) and starts to beat at it with his sword. Jack the paladin pulls him into the bush and then begins to drag him off by his feet (since his in plate armor and pretty much impervious to normal kicks and punches) to 'interrogate'. Ziharc, unharmed, crosses his arms and waits for the rest of the party to catch up. Because the guy in the armor hadn't tried to really hurt him yet and he was cool with it. 5-foot-four Zizi chases after the plate-mailed paladin and beats at him with her quarterstaff, verbally belaboring him as well.
Ziharc's Player: you can't knock someone in plate mail out. with a quarterstaff.
Zizi's PLayer: but if I hit him in the helmet, and it made a sound like a gong... you know?
Eventually Jack defends himself and ends up knocking her out could. A very exasperated Isaac chases after them and dumps a water flask over Zizi to wake her up. She starts chattering away immediately. Cuna, the DMPC from when the party had about three functional PCs and who they've grown rather attached to, walks up, shakes Jack's hand, and initiates introductions.
Basically, there's overworked witchy oracle Zizi, ADVENTURRERR and tanking ranger Ziharc, naive-farmboy-prince-with-wings Isaac, and their sometimes-guide clue-dispenser person-of-dubious-species-with-a-trenchcoat Cuna. They're off to rescue Isaac's traveling companion and girlfriend (they keep denying it even though a blind man could see it with a cane) Claire. The important NPC the Crimson Marquis sent Jack after her capture had put his militant camp at odds with some shadowy City magicians. Zizi is not happy with having a 'babysitter'. Then again, she hadn't been in a good mood since she'd been unable to save the PC Mika. Wibble has a character accent for Jack. And it's cool- deep and calls women wummin. They roleplay a bit more, comparing scars.
Since they're all at low hp (Ziharc is never at full) and I needed to bring in the PC who's player had just arrived at the table, I fast-forwarded over the three day's journey. They enter the walls of the City by a hole created during the first session for old time's sake.
Zizi: my spirits are sensing *runs hands over eroded edges of hole* vibes here...
Isaac: that's 'cause he burned the wall here with magic *gestures to Cuna*
Zizi gives him a weird look.
Isaac: it's a long story.
Isaac wanted to charge on to find Claire, but Cuna demands they get Raven first (PC who'd taken a hiatus in the City) and free her from jail. He convinces Isaac he could just as easily trick them all into doing what he wanted, and Isaac caves, muttering his hatred of Cuna. They weave erratically through alleys (even when there weren't any guards whatsoever) while Jack goes to question some guards.
Jack: good sir, I notice more guards here of late. Has there been a disturbance?
Guard Played by Isaac's Player: uhhh
Jack: who is the nearest, uh, officer in this area?
Random Guard Played By Ziharc's Player walks up: Sergeant Doo...ey
Jack: I knew him back, uh, in that war- how's the leg?
Random Guard: Good, good.
Jack: Right.
Random Guard: Yup. *beat* *walks away*
Guard: Actually, there was a bit of a.. commotion. If you're looking for a culprit, look for someone with pointy teeth, guns, and a trench coat...
Ziharc walks up and throws an arm over Jack's shoulder: hi, my friend thinks he knows everyone even when he doesn't we have to go now bye
They all make it to the jail, where Jack's high diplomacy modifier once more gets them past the security. They find Raven's cell, but it doesn't seem to be occupied at the moment. The stand there for a beat, until the wall behind them explodes. Raven stands there in all her steampunk-inspired glory, a huge gun on her shoulder. "YOU BASTARDS, TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH."
Cuna: Merp.
Raven: Left me to rot...
Ziharc: hi, she is?
Raven: Who're these people? (She'd been one of the original PCs, along with Isaac and, well, Cuna)
Zizi: I'm Zizi...
Ziharc: And I'm Ziharc. We're adventurers.
Jack: And I am Jack. The guards are coming.
They get out of there, nearly leaving Ziharc standing there holding a bomb. Raven and Jack discover that they do NOT like each other. Cuna implores her to find them all a hiding place, and she leads them to a sort of underground tavern.
(Upon entering the tavern) Jack: *sits like a hipster* bit-ches.
Raven threatens the barkeep over some sort of transgression, leading to a brief spat with Jack about the law, and with Zizi about morality, after which they find they get along swimmingly. Raven leads them to her little bolt-hole stocked with wine. They talk, especially about what they're going to do next.
Zizi is trying to describe her job to Raven. Everyone but Cuna and Isaac add suggestions like 'freak' or 'loner'.
Zizi: I'm more of the village... b%*!+? Do you think that fits, Cuna?
He raises his eyebrows a bit and nods.
Zizi: Yeah, I'm the village b+$+&.
Raven grins. "I'm going to like you."
Cuna claps. "They get along!" Then he looks over at Jack, Isaac and Ziharc. "Though, it might be more of trial of us now..."
Raven looks affronted. "Hey, two girls and four guys. That means we're the ones outnumbered."
Isaac mutters, "there should've been three..."
They talk about getting to Claire's captor (Erin)'s lair through the demon-infested dungeon, and of course they go for it. The vault door refuses to budge, and Jack lands on his rear after trying to burst it open. Then they corrode the lock a bit and bust it open. They manage to avoid monster patrols, but when they try and cross a pentagram cut in the floor it summons a demon that attacks them. Raven likes to scare them by pretending she's about to jump on one. Cuna doesn't dissuade her. They can't avoid crossing the pentagrams, as Jack is too heavy for Isaac to fly over and he can't jump. After the second one, Isaac suffers a sudden telepathic connection with Claire. It's... bad. No one but Cuna seems to notice, as Ziharc had gone on ahead and had encountered some sort of trouble.
From his end of things, he'd gone on to scout of the next turn, and tossed his sunrod into the corridor. Shadows had rippled away from it. That was bad, he knew. When he went to retrieve it he found he got trapped in a spell that completely scrambled his sensory input. He couldn't make sense of enough to even walk.
"Ziharc?" Zizi honestly sounded concerned. "We're going to help."
"NO. Stay where you are. I'm serious. Just... don't come over here."
They eventually agreed that the paladin might have some more luck with the spell, so they tossed Ziharc a rope which fortunately landed on his foot, and tied the group together. With some fortunate rolls Jack was able to lead the party through the corridor. Isaac ended up nearly strangled in the rope when they staggered out of the spell.
Isaac: why does this always happen to me?!
Cuna. Cause you're so... innocent. Subtext: and therefore funner for the universe to troll, and I should know
They gathered themselves together and Ziharc and Jack were planning something. Raven considers them for a moment, apparently thinking of their camaraderie.
Raven: Yup, I definitely think there's something there.
The rest of the party: ?
Raven: Chemistry. Why're you two spending so much time together? And being so close? Are you going to go on a date after this?
Jack draws his sword threateningly, while Ziharc just rolls his eyes and goes to scout ahead. "Seriously," Raven adds, grinning, "you might make a cute couple, and after this is over-"
"Don't," Isaac implores. He's seriously begging.
"Are you homophobic?"
"Yes."
"You know girls in taverns hit on Zizi?"
"Yes, but I get that, 'cause she looks like a guy."
Zizi: Hey!
Cuna: We should move on. And Ziharc's no fun to tease about it anyway.
(This whole passage probably resulted from four of the six gamers being teenage girls. And Raven was joking about all of it)
The next pentagram, Raven wants to jump on. Cuna eggs her on with a knowing grin, because his schtick is creating anarchy. She does, and disappears. So the rest of the group has little choice but to follow. They end up in a four-by-four broom closet. They're also very loud. When the finally fall out the door, the demonic guard is too surprised to do much of anything before they tie him up. The entrance room looks out onto Abyssal fires. The guard turns out to be an innocent sort for a demon, and they get his advice with the promise that they'd kill Erin and save him being punished for it. Zizi actually takes a liking to him.
The next room is the second entry hall. It's bare of anything but a fountain of gold and blood. There's a shimmery barrier between them and where a bloodied Claire appears to be alone in a much bigger room. Isaac of course charges straight forward and trips a trap, causing a greataxe to swing down towards his head. Ziharc charges forward and bowls him out of the way, getting the blade in his side and halved hp for his troubles. Isaac stops inside the room long enough to look over at the other ranger. Ziharc just nods "I'm OK", coughing up a bit of blood. Isaac runs over to Claire's side. She pulls him down close enough to say, "It's a trap."
Everyone is inside the bigger room by now. Cuna stands about in the middle of it, and turns to face them. "Of course it's a trap," he says loud and clear. "Did anyone honestly not think this was a trap?" And then Erin, Isaac's brother and someone twice the APL, materializes behind him (by magic or stealth, doesn't matter) and sticks a long bone knife into his kidney. It seems sufficient to send him into shock. He stays standing there with the knife still in him (Erin abandoned it in favor of a whip and longsword) while Isaac puts a thin line on Erin's leather armor and Raven blasts out a sliver of his side, to Erin's surprise. And then Cuna falls over. Jack puts a good dent into Erin's armor (Erin apparently does not like paladins) and Ziharc double-crits, before getting his hp dropped to 1. Zizi is torn between helping Cuna and Claire (very injured, maybe dead or dying), or helping her adventuring partner. Raven, to my surprise, abandons the main fight in a rare display of sentiment to cradle Cuna. Claire leans on her and the hard-edged, pyromanic gunslinger temporarily becomes the center of comfort. The fight goes back and forth. Erin seems surprised by how much damage he's taking, but the party is clearly outclassed. They get in some good moments. Raven declares that she likes Isaac after he domes some good damage, and Claire looks up from where she's bleeding all over her shoulder and says quietly, with a smile, "you should."
My players are awesome roleplayers.
Zizi also says, "I think I love that man," after Ziharc nearly caves in Erin's chest. We are not surprised. There's a lot of blood. Then Isaac rolls a 1 on attacking Erin from behind, and falls at his brother's feet. Erin doesn't even look over, just places a foot on his back and says, "I'm ashamed to have you for a brother." The rest of the group is all no-you-didn'. Ziharc is laughing maniacally now, which he does when fighting something he really wants to inflict pain on. Jack rolls nearly maximum damage on his next attack, but the fight ends when Raven notices the knife Erin'd used to stab Cuna with and attacks Erin with it. She jams it up under his ribcage, and it doesn't seem to be an ordinary knife, because Erin goes ashen and teleports away in a plume of smoke.
The smoke or his absence from this pocket of the Abyss proves more harmful than anything so far, and they all drop to 0 hp. And end up in a sort of doggy pile. After Ziharc knocks himself out banging at the walls and raging, and Jack has to crawl over and stabilize him. Raven doesn't even protest when Jack, who'd been trolling her for a while now, lands on her in full plate armor. They can't tell how much time passes in the Abyss, but it takes a long while to heal to about 6 hp, quite a bit of which is apathy. Raven seems deeply shaken about something :3 and refuses healing. Ziharc and Jack (Isaac stays behind with Claire, though they don't really talk, Zizi is tending to Claire and Raven is trying to get Cuna to say something) go check on the broom closet. The young demon is gone, and Erin left a trite little note with 'PS: Traitors never live' at the end of it. Isaac seemed to think that referred to something other than the guard, so that's another mystery for future games. Raven wasn't having much luck with Cuna, though he'd sat up, until she got out one of her wineskins and offered it to him. He eventually moved his hand to take, and lay back, and drank it all in record time. She smiled a bit. So he seemed somewhat recovered, for now, and then I had to leave. So the group will likely look into the knife-thing and how to get out of the Abyss the next time we can get a game together, which hopefully will be as soon as possible.
It was all very melodramatic.
Character creation is a hassle as-is with my gaming group(s), but it occurred to me, in Pathfinder the rules governing adventuring (combat, diseases, falling into pits) are pretty simple- or have become so, for me. And then I read a book for Scions and it seems even more so.
So I ask the community, what is the most complex (and simulationist) system you know about/have used? And where does Pathfinder fall in relation to the other systems out there?
Relatively recently I've started seriously exploring the 'adult fiction' section of the library (going into highschool)- and I've found some good books. Good books beyond the classics there (LotR, etc.) I've been reading anyway, I mean. My to-read list is full of books and series- like A Game of Thrones and Dune. But I'm putting those aside cautiously for now as I've found out something.
A 'serious book' has to be heavy and thought-provoking. And that's wonderful and all, and quite promising (so many books, so little time, right?). But there's an unfortunate side effect.
So many of them are so darn depressing.
So I'm looking for a read as satisfying as a good heavy series (which is what I'm looking for)- but still one where the Good Guys Win.
I'm basically looking for a replacement for the Legend of Drizzt, which I have caught up to. Please don't confuse a 'satisfying read' for any sort of critical acclaim. I'll point to what this series or book is supposed to be replacing.
I look forward to looking into the boards' suggestions.
I've found myself running a filler campaign, with players who won't be satisfied with playing anything tastefully bland, and so one of my players wants to play a "race" (see backstory ideas later) based on an illustration- specifically the one on page 190? of the GameMastery Guide. It generally looks like some sort of four-armed, draconic centaur with flaming wings and hair. I'd like to keep the level adjustment rather low (0-2), and having the "race" completely nerfed from the munchkin-ing ideas that immediately come to mind won't bother him. Our campaigns are never that heavy with roleplaying, worldbuilding, or much beyond killing monsters, getting loot, and looking cool while doing it. I'll make up for it by running a more serious campaign in Golarion sometime- make up for pretty much wasting the setting in this campaign. The idea my player came up with off the top of his head for the character is that it's a sort of experiment by a bored elemental noble which has been set loose in the deserts of northern Garund. After it developed free will. The reason for this thread is that I can't make solid rules/balance decisions to save my life (yet). Here's what he scribbled down for the idea (without any of my adjustments), and if you could make it into something usable, I'd be much obliged:
+4 str, -2 dex, -2
[Character] is strong, but lacks coordination and has a monstrous appearance
Large
+2 Natural armor
movement 40 ft, fly 30 ft (poor)
-1 on attacks rolls when using three or more weapons
2 claw attacks; 1d4 each
fire resistance 5, cold vulnerability
+6 to jump things (I'm assuming it doesn't apply to all acrobatics), +2 intimidate
So, I was writing on a project I have when the realization that it was a convoluted piece of (insert choice 4-letter word) started bothering me. This was a fact I had recognized before, but it started to give me a headache. So I started I new project, which is a not-yet-convoluted piece of (same 4-letter word). And I decided to post it here to possibly get advice. Here's the epilogue:
Epilogue of Unnamed Story:
The night wind pulled and carved at the fire, casting bright splashes of color and light on the red stone, and jagged shadows on the faces of the men clustered around it. It howled down the thin canyon like the tortured spirits of the dead and tugged at their cloaks like a living thing. The noise was more than unsettling, particularly considering that not far from the camp gaped the ancient entrance to a tomb. To add discomfort, night was bitterly cold in the desert, however the sun scorched during the day. The men grumbled and cursed at the circumstances that had brought them there. And the treasure seeker who had started the whole expidition.
Of course, that’s to be expected, Ari told himself. He had been distracting himself from the mutinous talk for the whole night by grmacing through a cup of decidedly awful coffee. Either the coffee would run out before the night was through, or he would dump it in the fire due to the taste. That ‘blasted treasure-hunter’ had best filch what he wants and get out here soon. The gold we’ve scrounged so far won’t satisfy these dogs for long. However much he liked Lucca, he had no desire to take a knife in the side for him. Which would certainly happen to Ari as Lucca’s unofficial right-hand man if the thief didn’t get the crew back in hand... and soon.
“An’ that swarthy scoundrel won’t even tell us what he’s gone back in the bone-pit for,” the main dissenter continued. He was completely heedless of Ari’s disapproving glare. The hireling was one of the few Lucca and his small mercenary band had taken with them from the Western mainland. Ari regretted it. The man was loud and filthy and nearly pure muscle, and taunted Ari about his lack of brawn a bit too often. He also ate far too many of the rations and drank. Ari thought his name was Jorish, but he could be mistaken.
“Last I heard, he didn’t answer to you.” The speaker this time was on Ari’s side. Diego, third in the band’s hierarchy, had the fortunate habit of preventing the humiliation of either of his superiors. Though Ari knew that Diego held hopes for control of their band, the smooth-talking fighter was content to let Lucca do the work of building up the gang. If it ever came to a head between Lucca and Diego, Lucca’s current luietenant was content to stand aside and wait to follow the victor. Ari himself had no desire to lead. Diego, with his affability and prowess with a dagger was a much better face for a band than thin, scholarly Ari. “Don’t complain about your sun-starved face at Lucca’s expense, my friend,” Diego went on, framing Jorish’s words in a more negative light.
Some of their native guides laughed along with Diego at Jorish’s expense, though they hadn’t been offended by his comment. Jorish himself just scowled jovially at Diego.
“Aye, but we all came along on the understandin’ that we’d get a fair cut o’ the profit, an’ here Lucca goes off nosin’ around that cave of his for more trinkets, when we went an’ counted out the loot allready.”
“He’s looking for something that’s of little value or use for honest men or bandits.” Only Diego would get away calling this group of cutthroats ‘bandits’ to their face when this was a relatively honest job. The fighter looked over to Ari and raised an eyebrow slightly.
Ari set his gaunt face into the most sinister, emotionless expression he could manage and slipped some violet powder into the palm of his hand from the bandolier where he hid most of his potions and tricks. Only Diego and Lucca knew about most of them. He leaned forward as the wind howled even louder. Lucca had made sure that the rumors about him were spread in this crew for precisely this eventuality. Ari sat farther forward, knowing he had to make his performance swift. All eyes were on him, the hirelings’ wary, Diego’s glinting with amusement. Suddenly the fire gave a peculiar moaning shriek, like the tortured cry of a ghost, and leaped skyward in a sudden rush of dark violet. Everyone but Ari and Diego nearly fell of their seats; some did.
The silence was taut with fear until the fire subsided and the gold tones bled out the purple. The crew continued staring at Ari, who turned his attention to the now-normal fire and took another sip of his cooling coffee. Diego smiled nonchalantly at the crew, his men more than Lucca’s, and definitely not Ari’s.
“Certainly this trip is ill-omened,” a large, deep-voiced guide said, staring with more fear than dislike at Ari.
“Well, as I say, it’s best to have the uncanny stuff on your side while business gets done then wash your hands of it. We’ll be going in the morning when we can see our way up out of this canyon, anyway.”
As the guides turned to muttering among themselves, Diego caught Ari’s attention and mouthed Well done, witch. Ari ignored him, wiping his hands clean on his tunic. He felt like telling Diego exactly how much that powder had cost him. And their troubles weren’t over yet. The silver-tongued diplomat had bought them some respect and kept Jorish’s greedy nose out of their business, but fear soured fast. Their more loyal men had been left waiting a considerable distance away from the top of the cliff. Lucca had best finish his business quickly.
Ari was dozing near the fire, cold coffee in hand and supposedly standing sentinel, when Lucca finally emerged from the tomb. Though Ari was hardly as superstitious as his friend Diego, the dark figure emerging from the gaping mouth of the tunnel did startle him. He dropped his coffee, then regained his composure.
From what he could see by the starlight and the dying ember’s glow, Lucca was covered in dust and grime, but there was the light of triumph in his eyes. He didn’t seem to have fallen afoul of a trap during his solitary exploring, either.
The band’s leader stirred the fire a bit, then grabbed some jerkey from a nearby pack, obviously famished.
“Thought you didn’t believe in ghosts.” Lucca kept his voice low.
“I don’t. Should I wake Diego?”
“No. Let him sleep. I’ll show him our treasure in the morning; you get to see it first.”
Ari would have rather been sleeping as well. He stumbled after Lucca past the firelight. When they were far enough away to avoid disturbing the sleeping crew, Lucca lit a torch. Ari leaned back against the canyon wall, torn between his intense curiousity and fatigue and knowing that he didn’t have a choice in the matter.
Lucca slipped something over his neck and held it up to the torch’s glow. It was a small vial of amber liquid, the vial fashioned with exquisite craftsmanship from jade and gold and it had some runes on it; the chain it hung from fashioned from gold as well. The vial was fashioned in the shape of a closed flower, its sides sloping gently like petals. Covered with dust and ancient, somehow the solution within hadn’t settled over the years. Ari held his hand out. Lucca, beaming, passed it to him. “Is it some sort of potion?” Ari held it reverently. It was warm to the touch and tingled as if with electricity. It was either magic, or an even rarer chemistry that was made by a people long, long before the earliest histories.
“Can you read the writing on it?”
“No, I don’t think so. What is it, Lucca?”
Lucca’s smile glinted in the torchlight. “It’s what I’ve dragged you all the way out of the West for. It’s the secret I’ve been keeping from you and Diego, and it’s going to make us rich. It’s going to put our name down in history. I had to hunt down the least mention of it. It has the power to bring back the legends and shape our sorry world anew, Ari.”
Ari gave his dramatic friend a flat, skeptical stare.
“That vial can bring back the dead and command life itself. It’s immortality.”
Sine I don't want to waste forum space, and I'd like to read some of other peoples' work, feel free to post your writing here and discuss the pastime. And no stealing ideas.
I've been haunting these boards, and there doesn't seem to be. But:
Near the beginning of this month (the first week), I placed an order on Borders for the Bestiary 2. It was supposed to be shipped by the fifteenth, since the books were supposed to arrive at Borders that week. On the fifteenth, we hadn't gotten the phone call that my order had arrived. We called, and it seemed that the publisher had hit a snag and the book would arrive 2 to 4 weeks late. This seemed odd because:
1. The website listed Paizo as the publisher, and I haven't been able to find news of any trouble with the Bestiary 2 on this website recently.
2. Plenty of people have their copies already.
3. Borders' website listed the book as in stock.
4. I don't live in a particularly isolated place: Oregon, actually
So, I was wondering (because I am really impatient to get my copy) wether their has indeed been trouble with the Bestiary 2, wether a different publisher has had trouble, or wether I probably misinterpreted Borders' message.
NOTE: I would have ordered from Paizo directly since that would've been faster, but I got a gift-card.
This isn't as much of a rant, just something I'd like to come to the attention of the folks at paizo.
It seems to me, that once paizo announces something, the people who don't like said thing will be more vocal about their opinions than the people who do. This might possibly create the unfortunate illusion that it's more unpopular than it actually is.
My simple argument for the new material (ninjas, katanas, other controversial things) is:
1. If someone really doesn't like something, they could request that their GM bans it for the game in question.
2. The flip side of #1, it seems unfair to me that said things should be completely unavailable due to some people's preferences. It's not Core material, anyway.
3. It's a new RPG, and Paizo's done a pretty good job so far. Maybe they could avoid the pitfalls 3.5 (apparently) fell into?
I'm just posting this because I'm rather excited about the new Ultimate books, and I'm already planning a ninja character :).
NOTE: This isn't essentially a 'more options the better' argument. With these books, the only fantasy concepts I can think of that aren't possible to work with Pathfinder would by psionics. But that's another can of worms entirely.... (yes, I am pro-psionics)
The small wooden lodge near the old pine copse at the fork in the road stands empty. Usually cheerful light can be seen leaking out from under the wooden shutters, but this summer evening it looks abandoned.
The owner of the lodge, a superstitious old widow, left early in the season when the rumors of a plague to the south came. The lodge is practically the only neutral place for a traveler to rest his head this side of the river, where the suspicious and prickly, though not quite feuding this year, Houses are constantly bickering over the smallest piece of land. Though it stands cold and empty, it's to be the Heroes' first stop on their long journey, and where the representatives of the different clans will meet for probably the first time. The evening waits.
The layout of the lodge: a smallish square house with the front half as one big common room, and the other half divided into a kitchen, private room, and communal sleeping room.
I'm recruiting for my second attempt at DMing a PbP. The game's name is "Heroes of the Valley". The setting is homebrew, but only so far as place names. The deities and cosmology are the same: hypothetically it takes place in the same universe as Golarion.
The adventure is this: the Valley is largely peaceful, though untold dangers surround it and the superstitious clans claim that only the Valley itself is safe, but recently the Houses far down-valley and near the sea have been raided and cursed. The troubles are rapidly traveling towards higher ground. The Houses that are so far unaffected have held council and decided to send one Hero per House across the river that divides the valley to see and hopefully conquer whatever's plaguing the valley. Of course- no one really wants to bother, and see it as Someone Else's Problem that will of course be dealt with somehow if it ever reaches them, so the Heroes are really whoever the respective Houses want to get rid of. But if they do happen to fix the problem, that's even better.
Character Creation:
Starting Level: 1
Stats: Roll 4d6, minus the worst dice (standard)
Races: Human only
Classes: Anything from the Core or APG- Magus is included. If you choose a monk, I expect the flavor to be cleverly tweaked to fit with the Scandinavian setting.
Note: As aforementioned, it's a Scandinavian setting. Please design your characters with this in mind.
Traits/Skills/Feats/etc.: anything from the Core or APG
The first five character submissions that fit together and are sufficiently fleshed out will be selected- then the game will start.
My sister hates me and holds me in contempt, because we are polar opposites and she has the typical insecurity problems tied to popularity and other middle school drama. She also has an immense ego and an inefriority complex. She's a brat. She deals with her problems by bullying me. Her excuse is that I neglect her as an older sister, and that's even worse because it torments my conscious even though I make an effort and she's still a [censored] so I have to avoid her or I'll go psychotic and beyond just a catfight. She provokes me on purpose, because she hates my guts, and she can get away with more than I can, and so I have no peace in my life.
I can't move out of the house for five more years. I'm making no progress in arranging a truce.
Yay me.
I'm writing, and I have writer's block. I'm not satisfied with any of the beginings I've written so far, and I've written three in the past week. So, what do you guys do when you need inspiration? Drink hot cocoa? Listen to certain music? Annoy your relatives?
I would appreciate any advice. My muse has decided to hate me...
Hello, I'm looking for a Rifts pbp game to join. I have a character concept, and experience with roleplaying in the system, but with unreliable mechanics experience and no rulebooks. Does there happen to be an opening in a game?
Has anyone else seen it?
Do you like it, or find it downright offensive?
Subbed or dubbed?
Any news on the movie? I'd like to see it (I'm in the US), just not dubbed.
Who's your favorite character?
This isn't about how they'd work, but the lack of a saber is starting annoy me. The lack of an epee of foil, not so much, since they were developed earlier. Does anyone know what might work for saber damage and such?
In an effort to interest in players in semi-serious roleplaying and the survival of their characters, I suggested a campaign where they played characters from our favorite anime/manga. They were very excited about the opportunity.
The series is called Axis Powers Hetalia; the main characters are personifications, and it's a light comedy poking fun at world history and stereotypes. It can be very offensive if you take it too seriously. On the pros side of things, it's generally accurate in an ironic way and fairly educational. None of my friends or I are racist.
We had just enough time to start the game:
~I explained the scenario: it was the day before a world meeting. England had been practicing spells in his basement, and one of them went wrong, catapulting everyone into another dimension. France, China, Germany, and Austria* find themselves in an old, abandoned dungeon.
*Due to lack of players, I often make a PC for myself.
~Their turn. Serious roleplaying? France and China decide to fight for no apparent reason (other than that France creeped China out a few episodes ago).
That's all we had time for. Better luck next time, maybe.
Hello. I am a newbie.
Looking back, I realize that I've been playing (or trying to play) Pathfinder for about a year. And I've been on these boards for not much shorter than that. I have never had an off-line game where I haven't had to DM, where the other people were quite as serious about the game as me, and where the adventure was very consistent in the long run. Not to say that I don't enjoy getting together with my friends and just goofing off in-character, but...
I'm not the only person in my (8th) grade who plays Pathfinder. There is a group of people who play Pathfinder, and seem to enjoy it and are fairly serious about following the rules, so far as I know. My dillema is a.) they keep to themselves, which is understandable b.) they seem to be afraid of girls and c.) a part of the group really hated me in fifth grade, and I hated them. If you're not tired of me complaing by now, I'd like advice on how to somehow join the aforementioned gaming group, and how to get my existing players more interested in consistancy, rules, storyline and combat without boring them.
Well, I find myself in need of a "relax" book (or series) that will hold my attention. Preferably, a gripping story that doesn't end with everyone dying, the Apocolypse, or someone important's immortal soul finding an undeserved fate. I can't find anything quite filling my criteria at the libraries I have access to. Sort of what I have in mind:
LotR: this is, admittedly, on the grimmer side of things
The Earthsea Cycle
Mistborn
The Icewind Dale trilogy
No flaming anything on this thread, please. The books must be no worse than PG-13.
Hello.
In my small gaming group, there are two people who have repeatedly asked me to create a shinigami or reaper NPC (that's OK since my group is really laid back). I'd like to, but Pathfinder doesn't yet have something that fits what I need, and I'm a bit cautious to create one myself due to unfamiliarity with how that works and with the legend of shinigami/reapers themselves. The shinigami I am thinking of are the ones in the manga/anime Black Butler. I've seen I homebrew prestige class, but I was thinking more along the lines of a race of outsiders or perhaps an acquired template.
Any help?
Hello, as the title says, I'm looking for a Rifts game to join. I have a couple of characters who may or may not be correct by the rules, and I don't have a rulebook to run my own game. the thing is, I really want to play Rifts. Now. So if someone could direct me to a pbp...
A general thread about the hobby, and also the study of historical sword fighting. If you're a ranked fencer, feel free to post your rank egotistically. Also feel free to debate which school of fencing is superior (Italian, definitely) but be polite about it. Mention wether you do foil, epee, or saber, and if more than one, which one you prefer and why.
On the subject of historical swordfighting, I'd appreciate posts of random trivia so I don't have to track down elusive reference documents and can avoid renassaince illustrations of gruesome deaths and naked people.
If you know nothing about it, but fencing interests you, I'll answer any questions I can.
I have yet to acquire an official rank, though I stole time on C/B ranked fencer. If only I could remember how I did that. I study the Italian school of fencing, Aldo Nadi's technique specifically. My instructor learned from an instructor, etc., who learned from Aldo Nadi himself. I know foil, nothing else.
The people who are supposed to click know who they are (everyone else, please leave). This is where my gaming group can chat, organize play-by-posts (even Rifts if T. K. is up for it), or ask questions about Pathfinder or the website.
*This doesn't include drow, which I know exist in Golarion.
1. Are they going to exist in Pathfinder, ever? Or is the basic assumption that any GM who wants to include them simply modify the 3.5 stat modifiers? Or that they do exist, obliging a GM to modify the stat modifiers anyway?
2. If they are included in Pathfinder, will the differences between subraces be simply fluff?
3. If they are included in Pathfinder, will the annoying fact that the most common type of elves are called high elves be altered?
This is more a hypothetical thread than anything, since I know those of you who can divine the future and read not-yet-published supplement books may want to keep it a secret.
I find myself with some money to spend, and intend to buy some Pathfinder supplements. My main problem is that a lot of the products are tied in to Golarion, and I'm mainly interested in rules that can be used out of Golarion, since most of my campaigns take place in homebrew settings. Also, I'm not sure what exactly OGL means. These are my main criteria for what I'd like to buy;
1. As mentioned above, usable out of the Golarion campaign setting.
2. Heavy on "crunch".
3. Not requiring the purchase of any other products to use effectively (the Core Rulebook is a given).
4. PFRPG, not 3.5
5. Not something that's going to need replaced, or is going to be re-printed, anytime soon.
My homebrew settings aren't different from Golarion in regards to rules, races, and the like.
I don't care about art, just usability.
Where to begin?
I am a "child", and with precious little previous experience in "geek culture", or serious literature studies. I am thirteen, I know more about Twilight than I know about the person called Terry Pratchett, I am eagerly awaiting the time when I can continue reading Salvatore's novels, and I would still like to try 4E.
I read, game, and write for my own enjoyment, using my own standards for what is enjoyable, and I see no reason why this is inferior to reading, gaming, etc. using any other standards. It is difficult to learn about and integrate yourself in a subculture wherein each member seems determined to prove that he/she knows best and will not budge an inch from that opinion, even when they allow others their own opinion. While I admire individualism and understand the desire to converse intelligently about a subject one has a passion for, is it any wonder that the current generation of young gamers is leaning towards World of Warcraft and 4E when the more traditional, "sophisticated" group of geeks are so apparently anti-newbie? Not all of us are fortunate enough to have gaming mentors or older, well-read friends in real life.
Therefore, I refuse to be ashamed of my ongoing love of The Legend of Drizzt and quite a lot of kid's books, and I am now satisfied that I have at least tried to get my point across.
(This may be on the wrong forum. Admins, feel free to move it).
I would like to discuss the following topics on this thread, if others will reply with lack of negativity or condescension;
-The Legend of Drizzt
-The Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin
-Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
-Narnia
-LotR
I have two questions, purely from curiosity (they won't effect any game I'm now running/playing).
1.) Since dragons are classified by their color, would the albino trait even exist, and if it did, would it change the dragon's stats? Would an albino dragon be able to create more albino dragons if it had such a rare trait?
2.) If a lich was using the ioun stone that prevents the appearance of age and the loss of ability scores due to age before becoming a lich, would the ioun stone still work, and would an undead being lose/gain ability scores due to age anyway? Would the ioun stone prevent the lich from decomposing?
(Those of you who I have "checked" in the recruitment thread, you may start playing, but nothing beyond introductions and such)
The disguised thugs who stand outside of the large, well-constructed building of The Golden Globe ask your business, then, when you have answered, usher you inside with what seems undue urgency. The hallways are dark and richly furnished, befitting the stature of the nobles who have made this their headquarters. Your destination is deep inside the mighty manor and boarding house. Few come here, and the room you enter, dark, secluded, is empty. It appears you must wait a while for an audience with your prospective employer. Though handsomely furnished, the room is rather bare, with only a few chairs and a desk. The only thing on the desk is a small packet made of crude, coarse fabric.
aura (magic) detection:
The packet radiates strong, intriguing evocation magic, and is surrounded by an area of somewhat weaker magic of the same kind.
I believe I've said this before, but it really, really gets on my nerves that even the geeks at my school think it awkward or funny or at best mildly surprising to find a girl playing a fantasy RPG. Anyone else have this problem?
I want to see if anyone is interested in joining... well, it's in the title. This will be my first time DMing on the messageboards, though not my first time DMing at all. I'm looking for a party of up to six adventurers.
The backstory (briefly)
-The magistrates of the trading town of Luskan are stepping up their security. The lawmen's inspections, and increased monster activity targeted at the town, have driven the owner of a large hotel on the wrong side of the tracks to seek out willing adventurers to bring a precious, top-secret treasure to a colleague of his in a Northern town for him, though the journey may be harrowing.
I intend the roleplay to be fairly focused on the roleplaying aspect, instead of combat, and may eventually involve some detective work. Some of the more experienced gamers on these forums may be more familiar with the technical rules than I.
-The characters that answer the landlord's advertisement are likely to be from the wrong side of the tracks, though I don't want the party comprised entirely of rogues. For creating a character, everything from the Core Rulebook is "legal", and if you would like to play a race from the Bestiary please post which race you are thinking of. The pantheon is the one in the Core Rulebook, though the game is not in Golarion. Select two traits, the characters will be first level. All feats and equipment and other such from Pathfinder Chronicles; Seekers of Secrets are legal, as well as any of those and the two deities found in Pathfinder Chronicles; guide to the River Kingdoms. If you would like to make use of anything else, please notify me. This pbp is basically first come, first serve. Post your character name and concept. I would appreciate it if latecomers would fill in any gaps in the party. I ask that any who join be able to post fairly often, though I myself may not be able to post for a few days at a time.
One problem would be the elves. To keep it true to LotR, they would end up as the most powerful player race, not even going into immortality. Say I figured out bonuses and stuff. would elves still get penalties/bonuses for aging, and when would they get them? Also, should I make minor subrace variations for the different kindred? The High Elves, Grey Elves, and Dark Elves(NOT drow).
Sorry to bother you gamers who actually know what you're doing, but this has been sorta bothering me. It's not like my players are super particular or anything, or even necessarily know as much as I do about Pathfinder, but I don't feel very qualified to DM. I never put that much effort into figuring out what monsters are where currently and just add them as needed.
The only reason I DM at all is because no one else I know can, really. I was given several old miss-matched rulebooks by a family friend when I got interested in fantasy and have practically no gaming experience, and I'm pretty much learning Pathfinder.
I'm pretty busy with writing and school and friends and life in general, so is it essential that I map out the area my PCs are exploring (it's not a current setting, I'm slowly creating it)? and any tips if I ever get around to that (which i want to, eventually)?
My PCs often get way off track. It's mainly the fault of my friend who plays Rifts, or as I sometimes refer to him, the Pathetic Drow Rogue. But then again half the fun of my campaigns are these irrelevant events.
1. The Pathetic Drow Rogue incident; I let Merlin(the character's name, not the player's name) be a drow. He rolled high on all his ability scores, and equipment too. The first thing his character does is gets himself knocked unconcious by one goblin.
2. whenever Merlin enters a town he insists on throwing chicken at at least one person.
I was just wondering. And I am aware those three questions aren't really related.
1. The first question is purely out of curiousity. As I am a loyal Tolkien fan, I often attempt to give my characters elven names when a different name doesn't fit perfectly.
2. The second is because I have read quite a few novels based on the D&D settings, and they at times imply that the different settings are in one galaxy, or at least universe. Maybe I read it wrong. I want to know this mainly because I intend to include Drizzt Do'Urden as a NPC in one of my campaigns. You might wonder why someone so ignorant is DM. The reason is that all the people who will tolerate plying with me know even less.
3. The third is because I am currently attempting to write a fantasy novel, and am rather obsessed with it, and including it in my campaign might help me build on the story. I also think it would be fun to see what Luthien and Merlin(the two PCs) do.
Hello, everyone. This is my first post on these messageboards. I'm not complaining about the combat system, I am simply confused by it. Admittedly, I only started playing Pathfinder recently. If anyone could explain it simply, I would appreciate it.
