DM Alexander Kilcoynes Serpents Skull PbP- Chapter 2, Racing to Ruin (Inactive)

Game Master Alexander Kilcoyne

Thanks Alex, I'll take a look at them....I feel a hot and steamy Mwangi Expanse coming on...Just scanned into my machine here...

^^^ +1

I use RPTools for the Red Hand of Doom game that Alexander is in. They are very helpful, indeed.

And if you find scanning to be burdensome, I would suggest an image extractor. I use the SomePDF extractor, available as a free download. Just let it loose on a PDF, and it will create a folder with every individual image.

Or printscreen.

I could but it would take me forever, and i've already had a warning from my ISP this month about upload/download.

To get you started, here are some great links. One is a huge torrent which will help you a great deal.

Link

Thanks, I'll seed this once I get it, too...

I'm just going through now making player copies of maps from the scans I've done and got the RPTools and played with them a little bit. Must say looks good so far.

I'm gonna be away after Friday early morning (UK Time - GMT+1), returning Sunday evening, feel free to BOT Chi during this time, so it doesn't slow the game.

Trying to get a horror theme across can be difficult in DND, and its not really a theme i've explored much over the years in either writing or GMing-

How did I do? Praise, criticisms? Lurkers can chime in too if we have any.

Very well. Very, VERY well. Your Carrion crown game will be fun. Dibs on being in it.

I second that sentiment. You've got me creeped out, and I'd love to play in Carrion Crowf if you run it.

Alexander, you're planning on running a Carrion Crown game? I was considering that one for my next game to DM. Hmm, have to keep looking...

I volunteered him. He didn't volunteer. The poor man's got so much going on, I doubt he'll have time or be able to do so.

Jeremiziah was attempting to predict a self-fulfilling prophecy...

Alex has got enough on his plate running KM and SS. When Carrion Crown comes out, I'll run it. Of course you are all welcome to join.

Alexander - I was wondering how you would pull that off. I decided today what I'm going to run for my next game and it is reminding me of just how much work goes into setting up a campaign. RHoD is rolling along and just needs regular upkeep, so getting this second one up and running will be a fun challenge.

Talomyr - *rubs hands* Yes, yes... let us know when you are getting ready to recruit.

Alex....that creepy stuff had me wanting to run away pretty much right away..I think you did that whole scene very well indeed. Very scary, with humour too, excellent fun.

Talomyr...I keep wanting to get into your games, so count me in...If I don't get many takers on the River int Darkness adventure, I'll probably go the whole hog and start the Legacy of Fire campaign. Though I'm maybe thinking of starting at the 2nd book, as it seems many adventures don't get past 2nd or 3rd level. I hope and think we'll keep this Serpent AP going to the end.

Alex....that creepy stuff had me wanting to run away pretty much right away..I think you did that whole scene very well indeed. Very scary, with humour too, excellent fun.

Talomyr...I keep wanting to get into your games, so count me in...If I don't get many takers on the River int Darkness adventure, I'll probably go the whole hog and start the Legacy of Fire campaign. Though I'm maybe thinking of starting at the 2nd book, as it seems many adventures don't get past 2nd or 3rd level. I hope and think we'll keep this Serpent AP going to the end.

** spoiler omitted **

Deevor,

Granted Carrion Crown is a few months away, but consider a slot in the game yours for the taking.

Trying to get a horror theme across can be difficult in DND, and its not really a theme i've explored much over the years in either writing or GMing-

How did I do? Praise, criticisms? Lurkers can chime in too if we have any.

A lurker's opinion here.

I think you've done an excellent job of creating a sense of dread and foreboding. Like you say, it's not easy to do in D&D. I also really like what you've done with the shipwrecks as a whole. You've given each one a life of its own and made it unique, not "just another shipwreck".

I may steal a few ideas for my own group. :)

Yeah, the atmosphere was great, wish I had time to play in more games, the rest of yours all look great.

Thanks all :), always nice to hear.

Feel free Navior :)- I just think in a PBP with the sheer amount of shipwrecks theres very little material in the chapter to support keeping them unique and interesting, I couldn't face not having my own themes etc.

I also want to get more NPC interaction across like you have in your game but I have dual motivation there- I want there to be lots if interaction etc. but I also like to try and chomp through the chapter quickly lol...

If I don't get many takers on the River int Darkness adventure, I'll probably go the whole hog and start the Legacy of Fire campaign.

Please keep me in mind if you choose to do LoF. I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to get into a LoF game for quite a while now.

I think I have one more game in me, and I'm holding off for Carrion Crown, I think. Dibs on the Paladin, by the way. I'm healbot in this game, I get to do some BIG DAMAGE in the next one. :P

I'm a little confused as to what we have left in this section of the map, close to us and around the camp.

This is what I think we have left....as seen from the big ridge we went up...

1. Barely visible about two miles away, far into the ridge to your south-west, a small wooden hut is just barely visible.

2. To your north-west, a small clearing is visible- with some exotic looking yellow plants growing in the fifty foot diameter area. You think you briefly spotted some humanoid figures in the clearing, possibly cultivating the plants.

3. In the same direction directly on the coast, another campsite with shelters apparently made from driftwood sits- with the game trail leading north towards it. Your close enough to see that this campsite seems to be uninhabited and mostly wrecked- save for a single figure that stands motionless with his or her back to you- looking out towards the ocean.

4. We also have been asked to go to the lighthouse by the undead sea admiral.

5. Also the mystery of why so many undead..

6. And of course finding the serpent woman and the captain who kindly shipwrecked us here.

Chi would probably go for the flowers on the north coast or the revenge on the captain and snake woman.

I expect I've missed stuff, but thought I'd start the selection process for the next bit

On the other subject...Talomyr my game has 4 characters, that I'd like to put together as a group, but will add your sea bard in if you want to join the game as I think it would work well.

Link

I'm happy to provide clarity. The one shipwreck on the east side that hasn't been red diamonded is the shipwreck with the admiral, as it seems you have unfinished business there.

The spider web is where you got a good view of the surrounding area. The small campsite by the north coast is number 3- a campsite where you spotted a lone figure looking out to the ocean.

The shaded area is very close by- this is the ecotic looking plants which you have listed as number 2.

The T on the map denotes the location of a trap which Tun'ada spotted.

The small wooden shack you have listed as 1 is visible on the link I showed you, on the opposite ridge from the vantage point you used (denoted by the spiderweb where you killed the nasty spider).

Note that your movement along the game trails is far more rapid than trudging through jungle as you have been forced to thus far. Coastline also speeds up travel.

Edit: The big campfire is your current campsite.

Thx Alex..nice job with the map.

On the other subject...Talomyr my game has 4 characters, that I'd like to put together as a group, but will add your sea bard in if you want to join the game as I think it would work well.

Life is gonna be bit on the busy side for the next few days, if you're wanting to get started, go on ahead without me. Otherwise it might be Friday or Saturday before I get the bard worked up.

Life is gonna be bit on the busy side for the next few days, if you're wanting to get started, go on ahead without me. Otherwise it might be Friday or Saturday before I get the bard worked up.

When you're ready you'll be boarding with the rest, if your idea for a sea bard is anything like mine, I'd want one on board...it'll make the party 5 rather than 4, which is a better size I think. I'm hoping no one else joins, as I like the make up of the party thus far.

Hey, I have XP at 3016...is that right? I can't help but think I missed something.

Hey, I have XP at 3016...is that right? I can't help but think I missed something.

I've got 3,116 for Tun'ada right now.

Talomyr wrote:

Life is gonna be bit on the busy side for the next few days, if you're wanting to get started, go on ahead without me. Otherwise it might be Friday or Saturday before I get the bard worked up.

When you're ready you'll be boarding with the rest, if your idea for a sea bard is anything like mine, I'd want one on board...it'll make the party 5 rather than 4, which is a better size I think. I'm hoping no one else joins, as I like the make up of the party thus far.

Deevor, the Sea Bard is ready for inspection.

Jeremiziah wrote:

Hey, I have XP at 3016...is that right? I can't help but think I missed something.

I've got 3,116 for Tun'ada right now.

Ditto.

Hey guys,

I'm going to open up character submission for a game I'm going to run. It will be the Legacy of Fire adventure path.

Just an fyi :)

Hey guys,

I'm going to open up character submission for a game I'm going to run. It will be the Legacy of Fire adventure path.

Just an fyi :)

Hooray! I've been waiting for a Legacy of Fire game to open up. I'll be certain to submit a character.

Good Luck Tanner, I won't be submitting a character, as I hope to start GMing the LoF campaign in the next few months, once I get my River of Darkness well under way.

Have fun guys...

I think I'll hold off and either run or play carrion crown early next year, that should put me at about my limit. Thanks for the heads-up though!

Alex, Just been checking the witch in the new game I'm running and noticed I made an error in the way the witch's 1st level was created.

From the witches class description..
A witch’s familiar begins play storing all of the 0-level witch spells plus three 1stlevel spells of the witch’s choice. The witch also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to her Intelligence modifier to store in her familiar.

For some reason I only chose 2 1st level spells, but from the desription I should have chosen to know another 5 spells, (1 + 4 for int mod). I'm hoping you will let my familiar learn the rest to bring the known spells up to the correct amout...sorry, but it made your life a bit easier I guess.

Sure make the changes.

Guys, I hate to have to do this, but as the more observant of you may have noticed I've been doing it across the board - I'm going to have to drop out of Serpent's Skull. RL work is building up more and more, and I can't afford to give this the time it deserves. It's been really great playing with you guys, have fun getting off the island.

Extreme, extreme sadface.

Edit: Seriously, dude, take whatever time you need, make it work... I really don't want to see this happen to this group...

Guys, I hate to have to do this, but as the more observant of you may have noticed I've been doing it across the board - I'm going to have to drop out of Serpent's Skull. RL work is building up more and more, and I can't afford to give this the time it deserves. It's been really great playing with you guys, have fun getting off the island.

Its ok. Shame, but I saw this coming. As long as no one else is planning to drop, i'm still very keen to push on with this AP.

Attention lurkers- If you want a spot speak now or forever hold your peace. I like to give lurkers priority, but the recruitment thread is live.

To the players- someone will need to manage loot now the lootmeister is leaving.

James, it's been a blast with you in this game, Chi will miss you. Come back when you can. Hope RL sorts itself out for you.

I'm really bummed about this, I'd better take the night before I figure out what I want to do. It's a risk you take getting into PbPs in general, and I knew that going in, but...

I don't know, let me just take the night and try to get less bummed out.

I'm really bummed about this, I'd better take the night before I figure out what I want to do. It's a risk you take getting into PbPs in general, and I knew that going in, but...

I don't know, let me just take the night and try to get less bummed out.

Fair enough. If more than two players want to drop out at this stage I won't continue the AP, its simply not worth my time to have to re-recruit half the players- I am in my third year of university.

I put a lot of effort into my games and spend hours trying to make things interesting, making maps and coming up with twists. I do always maintain regular updates and do my best to run a good game, but perhaps i'm not running the style of game or DMing you guys enjoy.

Its difficult not to take players dropping personally, as always. Jer let me know how you'd like to proceed.

As an unofficial lurker I would love to play. I will go over to the recruitment thread and post a concept most likely a fighter.

As an unofficial lurker I would love to play. I will go over to the recruitment thread and post a concept most likely a fighter.

You came very close to getting a spot in my Kingmaker game if I recall, post up another solid concept like that and your likely in, I favor people i've known that have been around for a while.

I've posted my concept. A little short maybe but I didn't want to muck around. Happy to elaborate of course and should be able to stat it up straight away if chosen. I've been following both of your games closely and would be very pleased to play in one.

Sorry to see you go, Stormchaser. Hopefully RL resolves itself in a timely manner.

Sorry to see you go, Stormchaser. Hopefully RL resolves itself in a timely manner.

+1! Stormchaser, it's been a blast playing in this with you. James will be sorely missed!

To Alex, Talomyr, Jeremiziah, Deevor, and Tanner: I just want to say that this is one of the most enjoyable PbP's I've participated in (along with Talomyr's CoT, Sully's Kingmaker, and a couple of others) and I feel very fortunate to have fallen in with you lot. PLEASE don't let this one drop - it's too much fun!

With respect to the potential replacement characters submitted so far, there are several interesting submissions, but I think Dan E's reluctant pirate fits the bill. Just my two coppers...

I'm fine, AK, pray continue.

It has nothing to do with your DMing, which is, frankly, fabulous, or this game, which has exceeded my expectations.

It has more to do with the (I guess) ephemeral nature of PbPs as a whole. I'll just deal with it, don't mind me.

Excellent news- and thanks. Gwen's up btw.

Player input regarding the submissions is certainly a welcome- I agree that Dan E's submission currently has caught my eye in particular.

It's up to you, Alex, I trust you'll choose us a good player. My only criteria for a new person at this point is: "Unlikely to leave the group", which is obviously difficult to determine.