Beacons of Hope: Wrath of the Righteous!

Game Master GM the Fifth

And to you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Will post in full tomorrow.

This year is going quickly. The good thing is that the principal that I filed 2 grievances against in the last two years, one a year, is leaving on Dec. 14.

My wife is going to request a transfer to another school to get away from hers.

Only one of our admin has high school experience. The one who is leaving calls the kids babies and thinks that they should be able to turn in work whenever they want to do it, if they want to do it, with no penalty.

Uhh, wow. Just, wow.

My wife's principal is quite good with the kids and parents, but he's conflict-adverse so staff interpersonal issues just fester. And she's done with that.

It has been a hatf 4 years. She is awful. Good for your wife.

Alrighty, when I said Templars, I was referring to Prelate Hulrun's witch-hunters. I don't remember their official title, so I called them Templars. Sorry for any confusion.

I don't believe they have an official title. They are just "the witch hunters".

Very well told

Thanks. :)

I was worried I'd be taking up too much of the spotlight, or that it'd be a little too dark.

A storyline like Wrath of the Righteous, it takes a lot to get to the too dark point, and there's plenty of spotlight to go around.

I love this sort of thing. It is not always easy to weave a character background into the story.

And, it's kinda hard to be darker than Hulrun's history.

Alrighty, when I said Templars, I was referring to Prelate Hulrun's witch-hunters. I don't remember their official title, so I called them Templars. Sorry for any confusion.

Oops. I was thinking Baphomet’s cultists. Aren’t they called some sort of Templars as well? Retcon time!

I don't think retcon is necessary. Alexa was 12 when this started, and templar is more or less a generic term--a night of a religious military order--so maybe in her mind she just called them "the templars". Not really thinking about the fact that there was another group on the other side of the tracks that called themselves the same thing. For a kid that young, nicknames, labels, little misunderstandings, and so on all have a way of sticking into adulthood.

It's the sort of thing that happens and causes a little confusion, and then you figure it out. "Ah. Not those templars", etc.

So did I.

While you are finishing out this scene, can you please give me a rough idea of where you are all staying at the moment, and generally in what part of the city that is? If you had a home or family in the city (e.g. Alexa) you can assume your home has not been destroyed.

--> Here's a handy reference map <-- showing some key locations.

Edited to add: If you don't know or hadn't thought about it, just make something up. Stuff like "there's an inn near the south gate" or "living with friends in a flat near the ruins of X" are fine.

Alexa's family would be living near the centre of New Kenabres in a small home.

Thank you, Alexa.

Also, just to help with context: I am not setting up ambushes or sinister or crazy stuff like that. I just want a feel for what you are walking by when you are going to/from places.

Arloric would be staying with Crocris, whose home I presume would be close to if not in Truestone Park.

LOVING the roleplay in this scene. These are the RP moments I LIVE for!

She would be at the Riftwarden headquarters.

Quick GM note. I may occasionally make rolls for your characters when I don't want to bog down the game asking for them, and when it's clear that a roll is called for in the context of your actions.

That being said, I'll make this pledge to you: I won't roll a failure on your behalf. Meaning, if I go to roll for you, and the result would obviously fail a check or whatever, I won't post it and instead will ask you for a roll. Because I think it sucks to have the GM take away agency and replace it with FAIL.

Exception: If we're in combat and you haven't checked in, I may bot you. That may mean making rolls, and in that circumstance the rolls will stand.

Any objections to this approach?

Sorry, been a rough few days with the semester winding down.

Kelly will be staying at the inn the original second group fortified, I forget the name.

Edit: Defender's Heart, right there on the map

Will post tomorrow morning.

I will move us along tomorrow.

As we move into the next phase where we'll start having encounters, I want to get everyone's opinions on how to do the battle maps.

VTT

I prefer Foundry as a VTT since I have more control over it and don't have to pay Roll20 any fees. :P It has a web interface, and unlike Roll 20 there aren't ads, delays, and other junk to get in the way. You would connect to my Foundry server, and move your token as needed. Simple and done.

I'll also post the current battlemap image with a coordinate grid so that you can state your actions without having to connect and move things around on your own.

Tokens

As for tokens, in most of my games I've used Rich Burlew's OOTS images from his A Monster for Every Season collection. The big advantage of the stickish-figure approach is that the tokens are clear and readable even at small sizes. I am also pretty competent at drawing in Rich's style so it's easy for me to create or modify something to fit.

But if we go that route, we'd need token images for your characters. And that really comes down to what you want to do. If you'd rather use your Paizo forum images, or if you have your own image, or if you just don't like the stick figure approach, or you've had enough change in this campaign already, then that's fine.

I'm fine with whatever works and makes things easier for you to manage.

I'm fine with whatever works and makes things easier for you to manage.

^^^What she said.

^^

Here's my first attempt at representing the party.

>>> The Party <<<

To save time, I used Rich's stock images and simply made tweaks (colors, items, and so on) rather than drawing from scratch. If you can't figure out who is who from this, then I have failed miserably.

If you want some tweaks to how you look, let me know.

Alexa's ponytail should be higher up on her head, but otherwise she looks pretty accurate. :)

I did make a picture of her on her character profile a long time ago...

Hehehe nice

Alexa's ponytail should be higher up on her head, but otherwise she looks pretty accurate. :)

I did make a picture of her on her character profile a long time ago...

I will adjust the pony tail. Does her hair hang down, or does she keep it tied back?

I remember you had a photo back when the campaign first started and I know I've seen it, but my memory is hazy.

Here's the photo I made for her.

Her bangs hang down a bit over her eyes.

Arloric could use a cloak, and maybe the blade of his weapon could be a little longer. ;)

I'll probably draw Alexa and Arloric by hand to get the changes you're looking for. My Wacom tablet is right next to me. :) I am on vacation through the end of the year starting next weekend, so if I don't get to it right away it will certainly happen around the holidays. I am reasonably well prepared for most of book two, esp at a PbP pace, so I have the time for fun diversions.

Speaking of holidays, as we hit the end of the year I recognize that, even with the pandemic restricting social activities, it is still a very busy time of year. I expect folks to be less available for the game (and I will fall into that category too). I may do some prompting if things get really quiet, but otherwise will try to give you the time you need. If you feel I end up getting too aggressive on that front, please please please let me know. I want to make sure everyone is having fun, and no one is feeling left out or left behind.

The only thing I'd change about Kelly's stick figure is to switch her facial expression from "confident smirk" to "OH GOD OH GOD HOW DID I EVEN GET CAUGHT UP IN ALL THIS I'M JUST A COOK"

Flipping the brow and mouth lines vertically oughta do it

I'd suggest rotating who's working with the supplies/food stores on a daily basis. I know no one's high enough to cast Repel Vermin yet.

So Kelly doesn't Barbarian Rage so much as Barbarian Panic? ;)

Adrenaline is adrenaline

So Kelly doesn't Barbarian Rage so much as Barbarian Panic? ;)

Yeah, that's the idea lol

I like her little trident hands.

GM, can you uninvite these aliases please:
Quen Pah – Telerin Quen'ya

Isn't our like 4th anniversary coming up?

GM, can you uninvite these aliases please:

Quen Pah – Telerin Quen'ya

Once Paizo makes me the owner of the game, I will.

Thank you. That might take years :)

Given our last GM's experience, I am fully expecting a long haul. :)

Uuugh