As far as I can tell, Jakob's position might have improved with the group... slightly overall.
I think Qhude is the only PC who actually thinks less of Jakob now than before the final Trial. Kieran and N'bellocq seem somewhat impressed; Ansha is momentarily disgruntled but ought to come around due to Jakob's new status rubbing off on her as long as he sticks around; and Tebati is bound by her faith to show respect to anyone marked by Shimye-Magalla, even if he is but an unwitting pawn of the goddess.
Jakob set out to do something on his own and succeeded beyond measure. It did not imperil their standings in the contest or his fellow teammates, so N'bellocq remains very impressed.
It is Kieran. ;-)
And Tebati. Maybe they can bond over the fact that Jakob always spells their names wrong when he's speaking. ;)
<Hangs head in shame>
I am a moran, i.e. someone who misspells easy things in public.
Sorry.
~will
<Hangs head in shame>
I am a moran, i.e. someone who misspells easy things in public.
Sorry.
~will
Yeah, somehow you always get N'bellocq and Qhude right. :)
Maybe Tabati and Kieran are two of my burgeoning entourage and you are just assuming he was talking to you.
Maybe Tabati and Kieran are two of my burgeoning entourage and you are just assuming he was talking to you.
I think I'm going with this answer.
;7)
Maybe Tabati and Kieran are two of my burgeoning entourage and you are just assuming he was talking to you.I think I'm going with this answer.
;7)
Amusingly enough, N'bellocq here spelled Kieran's name correctly when I believe he was actually going for the misspelled version, i.e. 'Kerian'. :-)
Maybe Tabati and Kieran are two of my burgeoning entourage and you are just assuming he was talking to you.
That's Kerian; you can't even (mis)spell your own fanboy's name right. ;)
I think I'm going with this answer.
;7)
Come on, Kieran, time to go; we've already been replaced. ;P
That said I am pants at playing high CHA characters.
I have to say that I find this line amusing.
As far as Jakob's persistent habit of misspelling other character names, he misspelled "Ansha" as "Anasha" once, back at the beginning of the PbP. I don't think he's done it since, so it's proof that he can be trained!
Assume any PF source other than UM or UC is ok. If theres some special case where a Pathfinder Companion book has material that as changed slightly and put into UC and UM i'll review it on a case-by-case basis. My essential feeling on those two books is that when the (amazing) APG came out, it maxed me out on crunch. UM and UC have too much power creep, which is inevitable really, not a result of bad books in themselves.
There are a number of very interesting Enchantment spells in UM that I am quite disappointed I can't use.
Of course, the most interesting is also a 9th level spell and cripplingly overpowered when combined with the 20th level controller subspecialization capstone. ;P Overwhelming Presence makes those who fail their save grovel before you as if you were a deity, and gives them the helpless condition until they make a successful save--and does Wisdom damage if they break the spell early, after being affected for at least one round. The Force of Will capstone makes it so that if a target succeeds on their save, they still are affected for a round as if they had failed. Together, the two are guaranteed helplessness for anything that's not flat-out immune to mind-affecting spells.
There are a few interesting lower-level spells in UM as well, like Smug Narcissism and Vengeful Outrage, but I've noticed that a lot of the UM enchantment spells' effects could probably be duplicated by spells existing in the CRB (mainly, Suggestion and Geas). The arcane discovery Golem Constructor would have been nice--which reminds me, do you plan on allowing Leadership or Craft Construct at higher levels?
That said, my question about Player Companion and UM material was a bit hypothetical. The metamagic feat I can think of off of the top of my head that originated elsewhere and showed up in UM is Threnodic Spell, which showed up in the Osirion book first. I forget the requirements, but I know it takes a few ranks of Knowledge (religion) and, I think, Spell Focus (necromany) as well as Spell Focus (enchantment). Since I have neither of those feats yet, it'd be a while before I could qualify for it anyway. It may also not be terribly useful, unless we're fighting a lot of undead.
I guess it's a good sign that I have to struggle to mispell people's name and still fail. It definitely does not carry over to the real world and remembering people's names.
The arcane discovery Golem Constructor would have been nice--which reminds me, do you plan on allowing Leadership or Craft Construct at higher levels?
Yes to the latter, likely no to the former. I'll review it at about level 5 but with a large number of players usually in my games I tend to ignore the leadership feat.
I do allow it to be used for 'stay at home' cohorts in my RL games- we'll see down the line.
Ansha is momentarily disgruntled but ought to come around due to Jakob's new status rubbing off on her as long as he sticks around;
Am I portraying Ansha that predictably? xD Honestly, while most enchanter-types would rather be in the background, pulling the strings...Ansha would rather be the center of attention. But she might use other people as stepping stones along the way.
Yes to the latter, likely no to the former. I'll review it at about level 5 but with a large number of players usually in my games I tend to ignore the leadership feat.
It'll be a loooong time before I can create a stone golem, but it gives me an idea of what feats to take, at least. Maybe I can build a soulbound doll or wood golem or something earlier, though.
Oh, another rules question that's totally not relevant yet: the level 8 specialization abilities wizards get, like Aura of Despair or Shape Emotions. Is it a standard action to activate those abilities if it doesn't specify? Is it a standard action to maintain?
I'm not entirely sure to be honest. Before I go digging around for an answer, anyone have a clue?
It reads to me like its a free action to activate it in one round increments and no cost to maintain. Power-wise, that sounds fine to me.
I seem to recall something about 'if unspecified, standard action to start aura' but its a vague memory.
Hm, most of the (Su) abilities in the wizard schools are things that don't require activiation, so I'd lean toward a free action, pending further digging.
EDIT: Board consensus seems to be standard action to activate.
Hm, most of the (Su) abilities in the wizard schools are things that don't require activiation, so I'd lean toward a free action, pending further digging.
EDIT: Board consensus seems to be standard action to activate.
I know the DM of my RL gaming group initially ruled it as "standard to activate, free to maintain," similar to a bardic performance. He later changed that mid-campaign to "standard to active, standard to maintain"--thus crippling the ability in question, since it prevented any other actions indefinitely. Specifically in the case of a Manipulator, the Shape Emotions offensive option--a -2 penalty to all enemies' saves versus mind-affecting spells--becomes significantly weaker. After all, the wizard can't cast anything but a quickened spell if they have to use a standard action to maintain the ability, and thus they can't capitalize on the penalty they're inflicting on their enemies. Only their allies can take advantage of that, and they may or may not be travelling with anyone else who even uses mind-affecting spells.
Like I said, pretty irrelevant for the foreseeable future, but I'm bored and talkative today! :D
...
Does this action involve taking his manhood and his right hand? ;)
:) - not at present. It's more a petulant toddler tantrum than anything else. You know, rant and rave and storm out the room.
I would like people to tell me if they think I'm going too far. I can always have Qhude's record skip and we come back the next day to see him with his bottom lip stuck out in protest and following along like a good little boy :)
Meh, Qhude's on record as being the most violently against collusion and finding a peaceful solution, and I think there's a level of personal betrayal there as well, seeing as how he started as the closest to Jakob of all of us and has been the most let down by his unexpectedly kum-ba-ya tendencies.
Tebati is nearby and ready to step in as peacemaker, if things get too raucous. She has no problem with heated disagreement but feels this is neither the time nor the place to come to blows. Qhude ought to know that publicly displaying intraparty fractures weakens the group in the eyes of outsiders. :)
I can explicitly confirm that blows are not forthcoming... at least not against Jakob.
And Qhude doesn't care overmuch for the opinions of the outsiders :P
Petulant temper tantrum played out, please feel free to return to your party..... sorry about the table...
Qhude just gave new meaning to the phrase 'party crusher'. :-)
Qhude! Qhude! Qhude!
I chuckled at the 'unexpectedly kum-ba-ya tendencies'.
I see jakob as Neil from the Young Ones as written by Mario Puzo. Once he can get Qhude as his Capo-de-Capo and Ansha as his Consigliere we will have a campfire sing along you cannot refuse.
This looks to be quite the game shaping up.
Well if Jakob gets to be Neil, I suppose Qhude must be Vyvyan....
Though checking out some quotes, I think Jakob has a big part of Rick in him too.... just look at this exchange:
Rick: Nobody ever listens to a word I say!
Vyvyan: That's because you're very boring!
Rick: OH! and I suppose you think ideas like peace and freedom and equality are boring, too.
Vyvyan: Yes, they are.
Rick: Ha! Fallen into my trap. In that case, why isnt Cliff Richard boring, clever trouser? Tell me that!
Vyvyan: *Stands up and hits Rick's head on the table*
Eeeeerriiee....
Well if Jakob gets to be Neil, I suppose Qhude must be Vyvyan....
Though checking out some quotes, I think Jakob has a big part of Rick in him too.... just look at this exchange:
Rick: Nobody ever listens to a word I say!
Vyvyan: That's because you're very boring!
Rick: OH! and I suppose you think ideas like peace and freedom and equality are boring, too.
Vyvyan: Yes, they are.
Rick: Ha! Fallen into my trap. In that case, why isnt Cliff Richard boring, clever trouser? Tell me that!
Vyvyan: *Stands up and hits Rick's head on the table*Eeeeerriiee....
I just don't see Ansha fitting into this...which is fine by me. DM AK's Sargavan Saga: The Sitcom sounds a bit less interesting. ;P
Also, a man named Vyvyan just makes me go "Huh?"
Sorry, AK, I spent the evening watching (or nervously not watching) game 2 of the World Series, and I'm too tired and scattered right now to string together paragraphs. I'll retcon you something tomorrow. Feel free to move us along and assume that Tebati minds her own business and doesn't bother any of the NPCs for the rest of the party. I imagine she'll retire well before Ansha does.
Its no problem your a great and reliable player and i'm in no hurry.
The thought occurs to me that Ansha is literally the only party member who doesn't speak Polyglot. I'll have to fix that.
Aw, but then we can't talk about you behind your back in front of your face. ;)
Yes linguistics if frequently useful for high int characters. Especially if they say want to decode any mysterious papers they find down the front of their dress.
;7)
Aw, but then we can't talk about you behind your back in front of your face. ;)
We couldn't have that. What ever would the party do if it couldn't talk about the lone elf behind her back in front of her face? ;P
The elf might get the impression that people liked her or something! (Not that she understands what's being said, but furtive glances and blatant pointing and laughing transcend any language.)
Yes linguistics if frequently useful for high int characters. Especially if they say want to decode any mysterious papers they find down the front of their dress.
;7)
That'd be the other reason to take Linguistics when we hit level 2, incidentally! But now I have to take Polyglot instead of something really off-the-wall like, I don't know, Ignan or Terran.
N'bellocq's brief interjection? Priceless! :-D
On a related note, I very much like how the two Mwangi men are so different. One is so tormented by his past and his experiences that he seems unable for now to find a way out of his self-loathing and a place in the present, while the other embraces his new life and the experiences it may bring. And both are a delight to get to know as well.
I had to go back and edit a bit as Tebati was too quick in her response.
<shakes fist at his cousin>
I was going to have you knocking on N'bellocq's door by mistake, with him thinking you were a certain husky-voiced colonial woman. But she beat me too it while I was fiddling with the post. Oh well..at that point I didn't want the post to just drop so I changed it up a bit. Glad it made you smile..because I know I was laughing while I wrote it..both times. Its Friday and I am in a good mood, I guess.
You stay in your room when I have gentleman callers, cousin. Perhaps I should hang a glass chime on the doorknob.... ;)
Oh I expect she will be along soon N'bellocq. I love how this game turned on a dime from agnst fest to bedroom farce. Well done you three. VERY well done.
On a related note, I very much like how the two Mwangi men are so different. One is so tormented by his past and his experiences that he seems unable for now to find a way out of his self-loathing and a place in the present, while the other embraces his new life and the experiences it may bring. And both are a delight to get to know as well.
Glad to hear that Qhude is appreciated, at times I get worried that I'm going a bit overboard or too extreme. Eventually he will come out of his self-abusing shell, but that will take time and influence - and despite the 900+ posts we've only been at this for less than 24 hours game time :)
And this makes the times I have ever done a romantic scene in a roleplaying game, be it PbP or PnP, a grand total of... one.
Depending on Tebati's reaction to this, I suppose we are close to calling out "Aaand... scene!" and cutting to the next morning or something. :-P
My bets on Kieran getting a fist in the face... :P
Well, at least you -and I- hope it is the face... ;-)
She's a priestess of a chaotic neutral deity of fate and nature; I find it hard to believe the cult has any kind of sexual ethic, let alone a proscription against putting out on the first (quasi-)date. :P
But, yes, discreet fade-away, please. I don't read romance novels and have no desire to write one. I just need to know if he stays until morning or slips away when he thinks she's asleep. ;)
Glad we're in agreement about the scenes of... ahem... sexual nature. Definitely going for the 'fade out slowly to a kiss' cinematic moment if the romance does go ahead.
Edit: ... is anyone else going to be shocked it wasn't Ansha first, let alone beaten to the punch by TWO fellow party members :O ?
Edit: ... is anyone else going to be shocked it wasn't Ansha first, let alone beaten to the punch by TWO fellow party members :O ?
Eh, Ansha's more calculating. She's going to take the time necessary to make sure any relationship she gets into is going to reap the benefits she's looking for. Plus, at the moment, her target seems to be Utilinus who is far too political and calculating himself to get involved with her until he's filed his own dossier on the possible consequences of the situation.
Speaking of discreet fadeaways, when I bought "Lady & the Tramp" for my kids to watch, having not seen it since I was a child, I was utterly shocked to realize that at the end of the famous spaghetti-eating "Bella Notte" scene, Lady totally goes off and gets herself knocked up! In a Disney movie! The fadeaway and dissolve to the sadder-but-wiser morning went completely over my head when I was a girl!
But, yes, discreet fade-away, please. I don't read romance novels and have no desire to write one. I just need to know if he stays until morning or slips away when he thinks she's asleep. ;)
Kieran may be a rogue and a scoundrel, but other than that he is a pretty stand up guy, so till morning it is; besides, he could use the rest after all of the day's shenanigans. Would not hold my breath about him bringing Tebati breakfast in bed, however, at least not yet. ;-)
You know, I do seem to recall Tebati actually calling him 'Ansha's eunuch' or something to that effect when the Trials started? Ah, the irony! :-P
Ansha can be calculating about affairs of the heart, but "do what you feel like and damn the consequences" does seem to be a tenet of Calistria's faith as well (i.e. Ansha's not above one-night stands or completely-no-strings-attached 'relationships' in other circumstances; but in the palace of a man she's actively trying to work on seems ill-advised even for her).
And yes, I was a bit surprised that Ansha wasn't the first too.
Tebati looks away to the field as well, her lips a tight line. 'Faith,' she wonders to herself. Faith in what, elf-woman? In the colonials for whose pleasure we dance like puppets on a string? In the other teams, which may at any point turn violently against us for the pleasure of the puppet-masters? In your dilettante lover or eunuch or whatever he may be and his ability to protect N'bellocq? N'bellocq ... in him I have faith, in his prowess with the bow, in his ability to endure. He has endured so much already, and yet Shimye-Magalla has been known to let a lifeboat draw within sight of shore after many desperate days at sea before tipping its inhabitants to the sharks....
Found the 'eunuch' reference! :D
Tebati looks away to the field as well, her lips a tight line. 'Faith,' she wonders to herself. Faith in what, elf-woman? In the colonials for whose pleasure we dance like puppets on a string? In the other teams, which may at any point turn violently against us for the pleasure of the puppet-masters? In your dilettante lover or eunuch or whatever he may be and his ability to protect N'bellocq? N'bellocq ... in him I have faith, in his prowess with the bow, in his ability to endure. He has endured so much already, and yet Shimye-Magalla has been known to let a lifeboat draw within sight of shore after many desperate days at sea before tipping its inhabitants to the sharks....Found the 'eunuch' reference! :D
Yeah, she was intending to bring it up again anyway.* If nothing else, this is a fact-finding mission! ;)
*casts wall of text in an attempt to counter spell the double entendres*
I used to do a lot of writing but that was quite a few years ago and I notice that in PbP I mix tenses a lot by accident. Its an irritating habit I can correct with enough edit time, but I was running out of time towards the end.
I used to write a lot as well, and even in other RP media (like forum-based RP based on WoW or NWN2 or the like) I tend to write in the past tense. In-game RP in WoW or NWN2 is mostly emoted in the present tense, though--I usually find it jarring when people use the past tense for that.
Mostly, I write poetry any more, and it's a bit harder to mix up tenses in poetry unless you're writing epic poetry. Even then, it works a bit better thanks to the nature of poetry and poetic license.