In the Shadow of Gallowspire - OOC Discussion Thread

Welcome to the discussion thread!

Our adventures will start in Daven's Rest, a small fishing village in southern Ustalav sitting on the rocky shores of Lake Kavapesta.
We will be using the Pathfinder system, primarily with what information is found in the Advanced Player's Guide and the Pathfinder Reference Document. Other sources will be considered on a case by case basis.

Character Generation
- 20 point buy, as per the Pathfinder tables
- Starting gold is 175g
- Players are permitted 2 traits from any Pathfinder source (please summarize your traits in your character's profile). Alternatively, you may select an additional feat in place of your traits/
- Hit Points: Max hit points at first level, and then rolled from there on out. Rolls of 1 can be re-rolled.

Rolling: Rolling will be done using the forum's dice roll function, which is found in the BBCode tab.

When creating your character profiles, please include your full character sheet, background, and reason for being in Daven's Rest and Ustalav.

<place holder>

Our party thus far includes:

- Motteditor playing Carawyn (NG Gnome Summoner)
- Wrath playing Irian Du'Lac (LN Human Inquisitor of Pharasma)
- Torillan playing Ghorum Kraak (? Dwarf Fighter)
- Face_Pollution playing Gwynn Everard (CG Human Cavalier)
- Old Tanner playing an Elf (? Elf Diviner)
- Severed Ronin probably playing a Gnome (Gnome Cleric of Pharasma)

Additionally, Celestial Half-Porc has thrown his hat in the ring. Still waiting on a concept on his character.

dotting the thread.

Won't get much time today to finish building Irian, but he'll be ready to go by tomorrow (Brisbane Australia time)

Also, is the background I provided giving you enough reason for him to be there. Basically he follows the compulsions his goddess provides him, often without knowing what his mission is going to be or who the target is when he gets there.

And finally, if we have a cleric of Pharasma there it will be interesting to tie our backgrounds together at some point, maybe that's what my new mission for Pharasma is, helping protect her cleric as penance for killing the last one I met.

Just some random thoughts.
Cheers

That should be fine, as I said in the recruitment thread, I don't anticipate getting underway until Thursday or Friday.

I've been tossing around a few ideas as to why Pharasma would have guided you to Daven's Rest.
If Severed Ronin is open to it, that would be a fine motivation for you to be there, and a means to further tie the party together.

I'm gonna change my class to Ranger from Fighter. It gives me some good options that I have recently discovered (with some help!)

So, he'll be a dwarf Ranger with a fetish for large axes...

Two, to be precise...

<insert evil grin here>

Sounds like fun. I look forward to seeing him statted up.

Sounds like fun. I look forward to seeing him statted up.

Excellent! Thanks!

I'm working on him bit by bit...

Well this is Irian pretty much statted up. Only thing left is to finish buying his mundane gear. I took the extra feat rather than traits at this stage, was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

Let me know what mistakes I may have made.

Cheers

Apart from you having your Perception bonus listed as +3 in one place and +7 in another, Irian looks ready to go :)

Hi Everyone. It's an honour to be aboard.

I am working on the backstory for Uldhazel the Elven Diviner ....which is fraught with conundrums. Uldhazel has a kind of amnesia. Not sure how its supposed to work yet.

btw...I may have some trouble with access to internet this week (I am moving to a new house and am not sure how quickly the new internet connection will be set up. Of course I'll be busy moving too...groan! The moving day is Tuesday....I'll try to have the character ready before then.)

FYI - Generally I can post daily 1-3 times. I am at GMT -5, however I work shifts and have access at different times. I mostly post at night.

I was reading a little about Ustalav on the wiki...it sounds like a good, dark setting for an adventure. Looking forweard to it!

Glad to have you :)

Don't worry about it. Having recently moved myself (in a hurry, no less), I know what its like. It shouldn't pose a problem, as I don't anticipate getting started prior to this week end.

A note on my posting schedule: I routinely post between 11PM and 1 PM, Mountain time (GMT -7, I believe). I am often able to post at times other than that, however the timing of such posts will be irregular.

Wouldn't mind tying our backgrounds together at all, Wrath. It gives me yet another addition to Marin's background. I generally post after 5 PM EST because that's after work for me. Also on the original thread I posted up an explanation of Marin's stats, traits, feats, and equipment. Will do the same here after work.

thanks Grim for taking on this n00b... so here come the barrage of n00b questions.

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21 Testing this as I have never done PbP before.

How are we handling tactical elements? I have seen GMs layer maps and share them to the group and I have seen some that just abstract it by doing away with AOO and making it more "2nd Edition."

How are we handling conversation? I presume that I would state something and direct it to [NPC or PC to be named later] but do you prefer things I say to be posted in Bold? I am familiar with the OOC posts.

Will we need to IM you? For example, if we are being sneaky and following a PC for example, their knowledge of this can lead to meta decision making. If we IM you, it takes that out... just curious how we handle those "little slips of paper moments."

You mention to have my character updated in a profile. Do I just create a new one? Should I also create a character name that I can post under so that it's not confusing who is who?

I have much more history for P'Aye in my head which I plan to slowly unravel. However, should you as GM need a bit more detail (beyond the Forlorn Mother, unknown likely arcane father, countless other possible siblings that mother never told us about, adventure lust, just plain lust, and everything else that my first post implies... just let me know... I can give you names places, etc. should you need them.

I am not sure where we are starting but I was thinking Ardis or Caliphas... Grim, do you have a preference?

I know it's too late to get in now, but I thought I'd throw a concept in anyway just in case you need backups. Gargos Ku'thark male Half-orc Sorcerer (Undead bloodline).

Having distant relatives in the armies of the Whispering Tyrant never went over well with the locals of Daven's Rest. Only making it worse was the fact that his dark gift was starting to rear its ugly face. About a year ago now Gargos started to notice himself changing, his face became gaunt and his skin began to lighten. Walking down the road through town would cause animals to panic and people to turn and stare. Gargos knew it was time to prepare to leave, he just wasn't sure how or when he could.

Sorry for the intrusion and not posting before. I have a busier schedule during the weekends it seems. Thanks.

Hey, due to emergency circumstances at home I won't be able to. I'd love too but these things here are more important. Thanks again and sorry.

Carawyn should be good to go now. I gave her a second feat (spell focus: conjuration) instead of the two traits. She's now got full gear, plus Mouse statted out as well.

Looks like we've lost Ronin and therefore our cleric. He's had to call off his own campaign as well. Sad to see you go Ronin, another time perhps.

I'll get my mundane gear sorted tonight for finishing touches on Irian.

Cheers

Looks like we've lost Ronin and therefore our cleric. He's had to call off his own campaign as well. Sad to see you go Ronin, another time perhps.

I'll get my mundane gear sorted tonight for finishing touches on Irian.

Cheers

Oh yeah, that's right, I should probably do some mundane gear myself. We don't really know the setup though do we?

I suppose, in a pinch, I can revise a spell list to prepare a trick or two that will help players forget where it hurts. :)

What else do I need to get done?

I think I'm all set on everything except my human bonus feat. Up-to-date character sheet is in my profile. I should be able to post anytime from around noon Eastern time to 2-3am eastern.

Ronin, I'm sorry to see you go, and I hope all works out well for you.

Celestial, go ahead and stat up your character.

Gwynn, looks good.

Eric, I will handle tactical combat by keeping track of the battlefield on a map at home. Movement will be dictated by coordinates along the x and y aixis (i.e. moving to G3). You are welcome (and I would encourage) keeping a simple version of maps for your own use.
As for IMing, most private information will rely on the spoiler tags ([spoiler ]<private text here>[/spoiler ]).
Your character sheet looks ready to go as well.

Lets go over the roster again. We have

-Gohrum Kraak, Dwarf Fighter (incomplete)
-Irian Du'Lac, Human Inquisitor (near completion)
-Uldhazel, Elf Diviner (complete)
-Gargos Ku'thark, Half-orc Sorcerer (incomplete)
-Carawyn, Gnome Summoner (complete)
-Gwynn Everard, Human Cavalier (just missing a feat)
-Pa'ye, half-elf Bard (complete)

Have I left anyone out or listed them incorrectly?

I have updated my gear. Can't go walking around dressed like that.

P'Aye, to address a question that I overlooked earlier: the adventure itself will be starting in the small fishing village of Daven's Rest, on the shore of Lake Kavapesta in southern Ustalav. As for where your character comes from, (if her origins lie in Ustalav) Ardis or Caliphas seem most likely.

Ok, finished him now and he is pretty much skint. A total of 2 gold and 9 silver remaining with which to survive until his next job comes around. Should prove interesting. I imagine he's going to be hungry until we get some serious cash together.

Cheers

Here he is. Should have him finished pretty quickly this morning. Looking forward to gaming with you all.

-Gohrum Kraak, Dwarf Fighter (incomplete)

Have I left anyone out or listed them incorrectly?

Ghorum will be a Ranger instead of Fighter.

Daven's Rest... why would anyone be there? Have we been called there by someone with authority to do so? Or do we need to mcguffin up a reason to be there? Will the party have already met by that time or will we RP that out?

I am thinking I will have landed in Ardis and be "fresh off the trail" as it were (as I recall, Ardis was the former capital and art/cultural center before it was moved).

All done. Let me know if you catch anything I missed.

Gargos, looks good.

If you want, you're welcome to see if any of the other party members. By default, I'm not assuming any of you know each other at the start.

As for why you're in Daven's Rest, there are any number of reasons why you might be there. You're welcome to come up with your own reason or, barring that, I will come up with a reason. Daven's Rest is one of the few civilized stops on the shores of Lake Kavapesta, either coming north over the lake or coming or going west, so travelers often pass through the town. In addition, there are a number of ruins from Ustalav's glorious past and the Whispering Tyrant's dominion which sometimes attract treasure seekers and heroes who come to fight for glory and fame against the terrors sometimes awakened by the explorers and grave robbers.

Now all I can think of is multiclassing as cleric of Pharasma because Irian the inquisitor and I sit and talk about the goddess. Isn't that what inquisitors are all about? Converting others to their god or goddess' beliefs and enforcing their will. Sounds like a good path.

If you want, you're welcome to see if any of the other party members. By default, I'm not assuming any of you know each other at the start.

As for why you're in Daven's Rest, there are any number of reasons why you might be there.

Gotcha. If Daven's Rest is on the lake, I could just as easily be fresh off the boat from Kyonin. I am thinking that I would like to book passage to Karcau so that I can audition at the Opera House. Not sure where Karcau is in relation to Daven's Rest though. :(

Gargos, that might be a good multiclass option (I'm guessing you mean ultimately going Mystic Theurge?), as we have a fair number of arcanists already.

P'aye, that sounds workable. I'll check my map when I get home to see if I can make any determinations on the locations relative to each other.

A thought from reading other PbP campaigns... loot.

Presuming we survive long enough to reap the benefits of our toil, how will loot be divided?

My tabletop group uses a "add it all up and divide" method that works pretty well with party members "buying" items out of the pot that they cannot make for themselves at "create" costs.

Thoughts?

I say we give it all to Pharasma and let her work it out. Given that she's a little busy with all the dead folk and such, you'll have to make do with her nearest representative.....Oh, that would be me. I'll make sure everyone gets what's theirs. :)

I'll make sure everyone gets what's theirs. :)

I don't know that I trust what I would get from a worshiper of Pharasma when they say "I'll make sure everyone gets what's theirs."

;)

Mystic Theurge looks like what I'm talking about. That's a pretty nice PrC.

I'm fine with doing our phat loot that way.

Alternatively, my real-life group everyone pretty much picks what works for their characters (though we tend to be a bit more varied, instead of everyone being arcane casters of some sort) and then sell (and equally divide, often with one share going to a group fund that'll pay for healing and items we think the group needs as a whole for a specific outing) what no one wants. Don't know if that'll be tougher in a PbP format and/or with people who don't know each otehr from Adam (i.e. will any of us being "ninja looters"?), but since letting the dwarven fighter have the big magical axe means I'm less likely to get killed, I think it balances out.

I think the division of loot should depend on how group dynamics work out in role play. Hopefully the characters will find common cause enough to share loot in a way that is convenient for the players. They usually do.

We can keep track of loot on this thread.

I think the division of loot should depend on how group dynamics work out in role play. Hopefully the characters will find common cause enough to share loot in a way that is convenient for the players. They usually do.

We can keep track of loot on this thread.

+1

Even if more than one person really wants the item, we can always roll for it. Or whatever works.

Even if more than one person really wants the item, we can always roll for it. Or whatever works.

And by roll for it, I assume you mean initiative and then a sneak attack, right? (Thank goodness my eidolon makes me two against one! Mwahahaha.)

Regarding loot: I will leave the fair distribution of the spoils of your efforts up to you as a group. On a similar note, I will try to ensure that everyone gets items that are both interesting and useful to their character.

Could I please get a roll-call of who's ready to start and who still needs to finish up a few things? I'd like to get this show on the road :)

Irian is good to go.

I'll be out of town and out of internet access on Saturday/saturday night Australia time (GMT +10) but should be good to go from Sunday afternoon onwards.

Cheers

Good to go. May add some fluff in background as we go.

Almost there! Just a little fine tuning and I should be done. I'm at work right now but will be home in a few hours. I won't be ready for sleep right away so I'll finish it then.

I'm definitely looking forward to this!

Just need to add background...I think thats all I need...

I have a some adjustments to make, however they shouldn't change the character in a such a way as to affect the game. I'll make them today.

I am good to go. I forgot that you were starting us at 175 gold so I added a bit of chink to my pocket but otherwise, I am set.

Since it looks like people are mostly ready, I'll plan on getting the opening post up within the net 24 hours.

Ok, I have my bonus feat picked out, I'm all set to go. Sorry for taking this long.