Yours is mined |
Welcome, players to the Year of the Shadow Lodge Special organized by Shifty.
I am looking forward to running this event for you.
Although the game doesn’t get started until June 7, I’m opening the Discussion thread so you can check-in and to let you know I have begun prepping the scenario for you.
I plan on opening the Game Play thread for dotting in a day or two.
In a bit, I will also make some notes about how I like to run my games, but if you have played PbP on the Paizo boards with GMs like Aarvid, Bold Strider and Endless Forms, there won’t be any surprises.
Feel free to ask any questions here and once again, welcome aboard!
EndlessForms |
Looks like we have some level 7 and 8....
I don't really have any divine available in that range so I'll take some input. I would honestly have fun playing any of them so if you have a favorite, speak up!
The Amazing Ali! level 8 suli bard magician; probably familiar to some of you
Lord Henry Flaxseed level 8 beast rider cavalier; he's a halfling riding a dinosaur and I think that's good enough for any party
Chochok Tree Whisper level 8 grippli musket master; also familiar to some of you
Skip Flaxseed level 8 scrollmaster wizard; hasn't been played in a while and jumped several levels with GM credit so I'm not sure how he plays but as a scrollmaster he is a very versatile caster with moderate melee support
Calistan the Wanderer |
My oracle has arrived to join in this holy crusade.
Torvald Gallonica |
All of you are wrong, only with the guidance of Erastil can we keep the flame of civilisation alive against the chaos and darkness of the wilderness.
Calistan the Wanderer |
"Pharasma will judge you all once your own gods and goddesses let you perish." Calistan says with a smile.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Luisila |
@andreww, try typing your summary info line into the Race or Gender line of your PC’s profile page.
Here is my cleric, Luisila’s for example:
Female Half-elf Cleric 10 | HP 103/103 | AC 25 | T 16 | FF 21 | Fort +14 | Ref +11 | Will +17 (+2 vs enchant) | CMD 24 (+1 vs grapple) | Init +5 | Perc +21 | SM +5 | 0/5 Channels | 0/7 BoL | 0/1 GF
BTW, are you the Andrew W mentioned in today’s PFS blog? If so, congratulations on ✩✩✩✩✩!
♗♗♗♗
“Seriously, boys?”
The half-elven cleric tosses her ponytail. “Everyone knows Calistria is the funnest Power.”
“And before you say anything, Calistan. ‘Funnest’ IS a word.”
Torvald Gallonica |
@andreww, try typing your summary info line into the Race or Gender line of your PC’s profile page.
Thanks for that, hopefully this works.
BTW, are you the Andrew W mentioned in today’s PFS blog? If so, congratulations on ✩✩✩✩✩!
Yep, that is me, and thank you.
Yours is mined |
@Torvald, at the bottom right of the Absalom Map slide I have 5 map token options for Ka!
Can you please let me know which one you'd prefer?
andreww |
@Torvald, at the bottom right of the Absalom Map slide I have 5 map token options for Ka!
Can you please let me know which one you'd prefer?
The old school black and white one looks great thanks.
How are you dealing with mapping?
Yours is mined |
After being knocked prone by the biting wind, Calistan the Not-Presently-Wandering has a perfect worm’s eye view of Torvald and Ka!’s aerial battle with the harpy scout.
May Pharasma judge the loser fairly ...
☠☠☠☠
I handle maps like this through Google Drive Slides, so they should be viewable on mobile devices.
I have set the permission level to “edit” so everyone is able to move tokens around on the map.
As new maps come into play, I’ll remove the old map from the header at the top left of the page, and add in the New Map. I’ll also advise you of a map change in gameplay.
Yours is mined |
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Although some of you have played in my games before, a couple of reminders nice and early:
• Please make it obvious what buffs you have active and what your AC is.
• I will roll group initiative and track actions in ‘block’ order. In the example below, the PCs highlighted in bold text on the Line 1 ‘block’ can post actions in any order and I will adjudicate those actions in the order they were posted.
You can delay to a later position anywhere in initiative, as normal. As the turn for each PC’s block comes up, I will bold that block and invite those PCs to post their actions.
Calistan the Wanderer Initiative: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20
Diri Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Roland Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Shiradaz Ghaut Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Torvald Initiative + Ka!: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 (Torvald) +6 in surprise round
Henry Initiative: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Bad Guy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
1. Roland, Diri, Calistan
2. Stay Puft Marshmallow Man
3. Torvald + Ka!, Shiradaz, Henry
Roland, Diri & Calistan go first!
• Torvald and Ka! have the same initiative modifier, so I would like to make one roll for the pair to keep them together and the game moving
• Miss is always low if a miss chance applies. For example, if there is a 50% miss chance on a melee attack, a result of 1-50 on d100 is a miss.
• I generally allow PCs to roll their own saving throws, AoOs etc. However …
• This is designed to be a fast-paced scenario. If you do not post an action in combat within 24 hours from when I invite you to post, I reserve the right to take actions for your character.
• If I make a mistake on the current round, please let me know and I will try to make it right.
• Any questions, please let me know in Discussion or via PM
I’ve finished prepping the maps, (*spoilers* There will be combat ;) and am looking forward to this run.
Henry Flaxseed |
I'm still here!
I wasn't able to see Shiradaz's stats but it doesn't look like we have an abundance of melee so I'll dust off ol' Henry here and bring him along. It's been over a year since I've played him so I need to update his profile and look over him again but he should be good to go soon.
Warning: I'll put out a reminder when we get closer, but I have my doctorate "prelim A" exam from June 6-10 so I will not be on the boards that week. I trust the GM to bot Henry if necessary though. Just as long as Indiana doesn't get killed again.*
*I have horrible luck with animal companions. My roc died (and got better), my axebeak died twice (and got better), and Henry's dino died (and was replaced). Ironically the only animal not to die yet is my level-14-archer's level 5 camel (from a dip in Samurai + boon companion). Lucky beast.
Yours is mined |
I'm still here!
What?! I thought we were rid of you! ;D
Break a leg with your (Pop)Corn Test, Henry! So when your thesis gets accepted, do we call you Doctor Endless or ‘Doc’ or maybe EF PhD ?
I trust the GM to bot Henry if necessary …
“Sure, Endless. No prob!”
*Writes notes* EF’s animal companions are having a run of terrible luck …
Mwah, ha, ha, ha!
Henry Flaxseed |
Break a leg with your (Pop)Corn Test, Henry! So when your thesis gets accepted, do we call you Doctor Endless or ‘Doc’ or maybe EF PhD ?
Oh, thanks! This is a busy summer. My preliminary A test in a few weeks is just a week-long written exam that everyone takes at the end of their second year. Then most people take their "prelim B exam" (which is really a defense of your thesis proposal) at the end of the third year (which would be next summer for me). I'm crazy and anxious to get done as soon as possible so I scheduled my prelim B for August 23. So this summer I'll be pulling my hair out trying to get that done.
But if all goes to plan, that should shave some time off my graduation and I'll be Doc Endless in about two years.
Shiradaz Ghaut |
I wasn't able to see Shiradaz's stats but it doesn't look like we have an abundance of melee so I'll dust off ol' Henry here and bring him along. It's been over a year since I've played him so I need to update his profile and look over him again but he should be good to go soon.
Oh hey, I should probably put that on my profile. That's done.
(And I'm a blaster caster, so not melee here.)
Torvald Gallonica |
Just a quick note, while Ka is large I don't believe he has reach. The whole AC and reach thing is not entirely clear but the base Roc has the reach of a creature one size category lower than it (15' on a 4x4 base) so I tend to treat the AC Roc in the same way. That should help avoid slowing things down too much with opportunity attacks.
Torvald does use a longspear but doesn't have combat reflexes so he will only ever have one. Ka doesn't have combat reflexes but he does have narrow frame should he need to squeeze.
Diri Lizzenbettolze |
Diri technically threatens. But if you just neglect to take AoOs for her, the world won't end.
Shield Bash: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 for Damage: 1d3 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1
It sounds like of the three clerics, I'm the only one who can pass themselves off as a 'healer' if need be. (Channeling is just another form of blasting, right?)
Shiradaz Ghaut |
I have 4 channel positives at 4d6 each. I do not have selective channel however, so they're generally not good during combat.
I also prep my non-burning hands, non-fireball spells generally as condition removal with a smattering of non-fire damage. So I have some healing, but wouldn't be a primary healer. I honestly think we'll be fine.
Diri Lizzenbettolze |
Yeah, mine are also non-selective. Though I did just gain a level and a feat...
I'll have Diri levelled up and ready to go sometime today.
Diri Lizzenbettolze |
Just to clarify (in regards to spell prep, really), we are in Absalom when this scenario starts?
Diri Lizzenbettolze |
Alright. Up and running, save for any purchases I may make later.
In the meantime, everything's up to date on my character page.
...channels are still non-selective, but at least I can hit evil outsiders with 'em instead of dealing with SR and Fire resitance...
Calistan the Wanderer |
Calistan is also ready!
Yours is mined |
Awww … they’re so cute when they think they’re ready!
Shifty has posted the official start date as June 7.
Just to clarify (in regards to spell prep, really), we are in Absalom when this scenario starts?
Yes
♠♠♠♠
Time for the sub-tier chat, Pathfinders!
Calistan: 8
Diri: 7
Henry: 8
Roland: 8
Shiradaz: 7
Torvald: 8
APL: 8 + 7 + 8 + 8 + 7 + 8 = 46/6 = 7.67
The nearest whole number to 7.67 is 8. So we are obligated to play sub-tier 8-9 as advertised.
I note this Season 2 scenario was designed for four players, but there is no 4/6 person adjustment in Season 2. Therefore, we are legal to proceed with our party of six (+ pets) as is.
Henry Flaxseed |
Shifty has posted the official start date as June 7.
Which is the day after my exam starts and won't be done until the 10th. It will probably be until the 11th or 12th before I recover and catch back up on my games. So I'll be absent from the briefing/introduction, which isn't ideal, but I'll catch back up as soon as I can.
Diri Lizzenbettolze |
Not sure if I've mentioned this yet or not, so here goes.
Full disclosure: I have run this scenario as a GM, (this is even one ofthe subtiers that I prepped). It's been awhile, but some parts of it I certainly remember.
Yours is mined |
@Henry, I’ve got you covered ;)
☮☮☮☮
That’s no worries, Diri!
One thing I don’t have to worry about with this group is player-shenanigans.
Among the players we have 3 VO’s, 2 x 5✰, 2 x 4✰ and two others that should have at least that many ✰s if being great players/GMs/fellows was taken into account.
This means I can focus on creating the framework for the telling of this story, in a medium which allows for lively banter, character development (if you’re into that) and the time to do tactical combat.
All conducted in an environment (presumably) somewhat quieter than the halls where these kinds of Specials are normally conducted! ;)
Henry Flaxseed |
This is just a reminder that I will be taking the preliminary exam for my PhD program from Monday-Friday this week and will not be back until next Saturday or Sunday. Please bot me if needed to keep the action moving. Thanks!
GM Aarvid |
Good luck EF. We have a wave of encouragement as we drove through Madison...did you see us? In Sturgeon Bay today.
Henry Flaxseed |
Thanks.
We're over by Monona but actually today we were out at Gibraltar Rock on the Ice Age Trail.
Eadie Navhelan |
Shifty has posted that we’re starting in less than 24 hours.
Break a corn-stalk, Endless! I’ll bot Henry and Indy II ‘til you’re back.
If anyone has any questions now or during the game, just let me know here or via PM.
Otherwise, let’s GO!
Torvald Gallonica |
Well, its June 7th here.....*taps foot*
On a slightly more serious note, I am based in the UK so am a good 5-8 hours different from most of you so my posting may well come at what look like odd hours.
Hopefully this wont slow things up for people too much,
Shiradaz Ghaut |
Okay, I'm impressed at the sheer number of pictures you've found for this so far. It's like there's a new picture every other day or so. (Even before the scenario "started".)
Yours is mined |
Hey, thanks!
One of the advantages of PbP is the time you have as a GM to find some pics to add another dimension to the game.
Even when I GM F2F (which is almost never these days), I can see the players' delight when I show them digital iPad pics of briefing Venture-Captains, Inner Sea maps of where they are and where they are going, treasure etc.
I love doing it and really don’t find it much extra work.
One of the best sources I’ve found for pics is Paizo’s own blogs, which of course are available to everyone via their very generous Community Use Policy.
Torvald Gallonica |
Just a quick note. Torvals init mod is +2, its +4 in surprise rounds and he gets an extra +2 if he has downed a blood boiling pill which he wont have done as yet.
Omrax the Bold |
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@Luisila - great pic of Omrax. Although he is a model uncle and none of those goblinkids are his!!!
Luisila |
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Thanks, Omrax.
Just a small tribute to the first paladin role model I encountered after a 20 year absence from the game.
Calistan the Wanderer |
I think the real question is: Where can one of my characters get that weapon consisting of a caged spider with its fangs and legs sticking out in the goblin warriors picture.
Luisila |
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The Pathfinder contributor Richard Pett has a dedication to one of his players who wanted to keep a fire beetle in a cage with holes cut in the cage floor so his ‘living lantern’ was self-propelled.
The best off-the-wall weapon idea I have come across was a player in a F2F Many Fortunes of GM Torch game I GM’d, who wanted to use a Secure Market wheelbarrow as an improvised bullrushing/melee weapon. We made it work …