Hey. Sorry. The past week has been hectic for me, what with holidays and having to do some major stuff at work. I'll post sometime in the next couple of hours once I get caught up.
No worries. I was too. Just keeping people updated. :)
This is a Public Service Announcement:
I'm diving head first into last prep for my national certification test on the 20th. Therefore, my posting will probably slow a bit until then. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Ah, the joys of a chaotic character. :)
Hmm. My apologies if I've screwed things over for people. Sarenth can take what's coming if the party prefers. My original aim was to make Scourge look like a fool and possibly nudge the environment toward slightly more against his side. May have backfired there.
true strike -> bull rush, bye bye Plugg ;). We got your back!
Well...at this rate, it may be Plugg that has our backs...
gonna leave a mark.
Just waiting for Durvin. He said he was busy around this time, so I'll not wait forever, but I still want him to chime in. This is a pretty important event (and totally not in the book). Youall are good at forcing me to improvise. :)
Seriously, guys? Opposing every single thing the bosun and 1st mate say or do nets us nothing. We are in no position to challenge them, they have not been overly unreasonable to warrant mutiny of any sort, just mean like any crew that would press-gang others in the first place. All we can do is get more and more people on our side, and making the whole crew suffer for one person, gets everyone against those causing it.
He did say he wasn't thinking. :P
Update later this afternoon.
Heh, nothing like a little in-character decision to cook up some juicy, juicy plotmeat.
I've heard it said that, for a storyteller, things that get characters into trouble are great stuff. Things that get them out are probably cheating.
After all, what would an adventure be without someone to get us in trouble once in awhile? heheh.
Speaking of trouble...
The problem I have with the goings on, over and over again, is it feels a little too meta.
First, the game rules have established a standard that everything you meet is of a defeatable difficulty. However, in a world where there are so many powerful people and creatures, a PC should not always make that assumption.
Secondly, the adventure is titled Wormwood Mutiny, which I think also causes problems for groups because they come out the gate thinking "Oh, hey, we're on the Wormwood and we're the PC's, so we're supposed to mutiny."
When, IC, the people should be thinking "No matter how tough I am, it only took one drugged drink to put me in this situation. They have a whole crew with them and I have no one. If I want to be free of this tyranny, I'm going to need some help because I can't do it alone."
Sadly, it's real easy to feel tough when it's just a description of your PC getting whipped "I don't even cry out" or "I just laugh at him" But you have to think about the reality of it. People are getting whipped into unconsciousness. Yet I think on more than one occasion they are doing it without the slightest sound or complaint, and they are volunteering to take it for others. Pain so bad you pass out, and some have come close to almost dying.
PC's getting into trouble is one thing, but getting themselves TPK'd because they think the world is tailor made to not be more than just the next challenge can ruin a game as well. The best you can do is look at it as logically and realistically as the PC you're playing would.
I don't bemoan the single action that led to our current state, I bemoan the fact that every single day someone tries to call out the people that run the ship. The people that are in charge of our lives at this point. Is it reasonable to always call out those with more authority, power, and support that yourself? Or does it make sense to turn the tables until the time to strike is right, until you have the at least one, if not two of those things at your back?
Getting in trouble once in a while would be just fine, again once in a while, not daily. Sometimes avoiding trouble is called Diplomacy, it's in the game for a reason, so that not every encounter leads to trouble. It's not cheating, it's thinking like someone that has some modicum of self-preservation.
My character's a hard-assed half orc from a tribe where "beaten unconscious" is after-dinner recreation If that gets him killed, that's fine. I'm playing a real-world skull and shackes as well. In that one, I'm a smooth talking CHA rogue who's quite happy with the status quo and has no reason at all to mutiny.
Beaten unconscious by rough-housing in an adrenalizing, energetic brawl is fun for some people (I've actually known a few). Beaten unconscious by having your flesh flayed from your back, a little different.
Nonlethal damage is nonlethal damage. You get whipped senseless and are back at 100% after a good night's sleep.
Mechanically speaking, you are correct according to the rules.
I think there just may be a reason Boxing and MMA, where they beat each other unconscious with their fists (or other limbs), are sports, but whipping each other unconscious is not.
Well, if we're getting into mechanics, technically a whip would do slashing damage, but for game purposes like balance and design space (and legacy 3.5 rules) it deals nonlethal.
However, given what I know so far of everyone's character, I'm pretty sure no one here is a total @$$hole and would at least have SOME reason to question others' decisions, running the ship or not. It's really only the sheer number of swabs they've got on their side that's keeping them safe at this point; not because they're evil bastards or something, but because they've crossed lines and offered insult and punishment alike that said characters aren't of a mind to take lying down.
At least, not for long...
*insert decisive glare at offending antagonists here*
From this side of the screen, things have gone swimmingly, even if I have played up the 'give them reason to mutiny' a bit much. The PC's willingness to slit their master's throats isn't all their fault. I feel I could have been gentler at times.
Mainly, I was trying to get across that youall are screwed without prety much every swab and rigger on your side. This point has kinda backfired on me a little as youall have been well within rights to revolt for days now.
Thanks for keeping it under control though guys, your chance is scant days away. :)
I think now would be a good time for a general sounding off. I'd like to know how I'm doing. What do you enjoy about my DMing? What can I work on improving? Suggestions? Comments? Enraged slappings across the face? Youall are my first group, so your feedback hold a special place in my GM experience, even if that feedback is "You suck, GTFO."
YOU SUCK, GTFO
I'm having a great time! You're doing a great job balancing "wow these guys are dicks" and "it's too early to start breaking faces". Mr Bad-Ass Half Orc here can just piss and moan about it.
*SLAP!*
Nah, I'm cool with it. Carry on.
hey all saw the Hobbit but now very tired and need bed.
will get Noro cought up tomorrow.
Choon Love this game.
I have three top game I am enjoying, this one, Carrion Crown, and Avalon
As a GM you are doing great. good story flow.
Sarenth has advocated not mutinying once or twice, too. He has acted foolishly twice (IIRC) now, both of which are Sandara-centric. The first was foolish gallantry. The second (the Grease spell), was a roleplaying choice. He saw a woman he cared about (Sandara) about to be whipped for what appeared to be sketchy reasons, and so he set out to do what he could to make things easier for her. He cast Grease to make the ship fall out of Scourge's hand (although I had intended it to be after the first or second strike had landed). Double benefit in his eyes: possibly spare Sandara a lash or two, and make Scourge look silly. He didn't anticipate the reaction they took. If he had been caught, he would have taken his lumps and probably died for it. He didn't think he would be. Part of that is his nature, part of it is his being blinded by a story choice (feelings for Sandara).
Anyway, just thought it might help if I explained my part in what just happened. I can't speak for the decisions of the others. I've been trying something different for me with this character, and it's interesting for story although not always beneficial.
@GM Choon:
I think you're actually doing a good job. That opinion is magnified by finding out this is your first campaign to run. I think you've managed to find one of the hardest (hardest I've read, anyway) APs to start with.
As far as a critique, I only have one to offer. Keep a closer eye on the things we say we do, since it might change how things play out. I'm not saying I haven't enjoyed how things have gone, because I have. But things also could have gone a tad differently.
You're doing a good job, though. This is a tough one to run, so don't get discouraged.
Thanks for the advice, Sarenth. I shall endeavor to pay more attention to the details of your (the party's) posts.
Has anyone else's life just gone nuts? Mine has.
mine has been nuts for the last year
I think virtually everyone is susceptible to those little outbursts of insanity once in awhile. Just have to ride it out and see things get back on track.
I have been thinking thing over about this AP.
my view is this AP does what every PC hates. being captured.
there is way too long of a period where the PC's are at the mercy of the NPC's.
Also, the writers have absolutely no clue on Pirate ship hierarchy. no real pirate ship could ever function if actually run this way. they keep their key crew members that can make or break a captain's reputation in a constant state of fatigue and low morale. there is no incentive for the crew to fight for their captain except through fear, which never works.
also the lack of the captain's presence in front of the crew makes for bad command.
True. That's why it'll all fall apart on him pretty soon. ;)
And how. Once we turn this chum bucket around I say we find a nice unclaimed island with a conveniently unused cove, and turn that floating rock into a PALACE.
*pokes Sarenth*
I will move on with that bilges scene tomorrow evening and GMPC sarenth if need be.
*tap* *tap*
This thing on?
*blows on mic*
Ok, DMpcing Sarenth. And moving this boat along. Way too little activity here.
Isabella needs to post too. It's their turn. :(
This fight has gone rather poorly. My apologies, guys. I kinda dropped the ball on this one.
It's my turn again? Did Fipps make his move? I thought I attacked and moved after he blew his attack and ate my AOO. Pretty sure it was him and Narwhal, wasn't it?
I didn't realize you were waiting on me. I didn't have any actions remaining on my turn after casting.
Botched the description of that pretty badly, too. Fipps is down. Narwhal spent both his actions attacking Sarenth. Sarenth cast a spell which prevented narwhal from getting any closer. Isabella is up then.
Ya, we're gonna roll with that. Kill him quick so we can get to some ship-to-ship lovin', Isabella. ;)
Ahhhh, so Fipps dropped. Okay, missed that. alright then.
Some of my posts seem to be gone, like the conclusion to this bilge fiasco (that's totally my fault). Anyone else see this happen?
Problem is, if it is happening, we would never know. No big deal, though. Long as you don't have to retype a whole novel to get us caught up, (or as long as we don't either) then it's ok.
lots of posts gotten eaten yesterday
yeah, some of my other games are in an uproar too.
well it had to happen...Noro has made her mark in the real world
Map is up under my alias. Youall should be able to edit your own positions. Remember that you are jumping into a fog, so the enemies have not been revealed yet.
you mean this fleet of fog?
Movement is not restricted. In spite of the limited vision, it is not concidered difficult terrain, technically.
Durvin is "to act" as well, I just realized.
I'll be updating tonight. I've had issues accessing my PDF's remotely (which is what I usually do) which has hampered my posting speed. :(
Internet access spotty, old service just ended, new service having issues. I'll do my best to check in daily.