DM Barcas - Kingmaker: Rivers Run Red

Game Master Isaac Duplechain

Willas is a sort of act-first, think-later-or-never sort of guy. He's always been a bit reckless. If you want to slow him down, that's a-okay. It at least lets you delve into the idea for long-term.

Mechanically, we could use the Ultimate Campaign rules for it, though likely on a non-daily basis.

Morning DM Barcas,

Pathfinder Wiki has the following to say about Pathfinder Lodges.

Lodge Requirements

There is no such thing as a canonical Pathfinder lodge -- it could be a log cabin or a majestic fortress. But the following things must be true to give it true lodge status:

I bet Howl of the North Wind will make a spectacular pelt.

I have plans for the pelts think you'll like. I wanted to add that I know technically the flaming sword gutters out when I let go of it, but I like the idea of it sticking in the ground, burning on its own. I'll pay half again the cost of adding continual flame to it if I can just use it like a torch or campfire while I'm not wielding it.

Actually, we can make it so that it is a slight drawback in that it can't extinguish. Perhaps Verik crafted a scabbard that could handle it (which is always, as a result, warm to the touch), but he can't just leave it lying about for fear of accidentally burning something down. It was, after all, forged in the heart of a dragon.

And it doesn't hurt because of my resistance? I can get behind it.

Just a heads up, When I made Elsir, I actually purchased for him, four separate volume's of Pathfinder Pathfinder Chronicles. They are found in the inner sea world guide and cost 50g each and I have ones for Know: Arcane, Planes, Dungeoneering and History. If however you don't want me to have them, then let me know. I figured that with a Haversack and at 1lb each, Elsir would have brought along reference material

Let's say that those are the pamphlets, not the actual official Chronicles which are kept in the Lodges.

You know Steven back to a question you had earlier about where these lands are and if they'd run into conflict with Newhaven claims...

Using the hex map that has the coordinates, we forded the Gudrin at J14 going into K14. Since we camped and then followed the southern side of the river for some distance before we got attacked, I'm thinking we're somewhere around L13 or L12. In any event, other than controlling the Gudrin crossing at J14 and possibly K14 at some point, I don't think there's a conflict with Newhaven territorial claims here from a Kingmaker perspective. After all, a trade route heading to Varnhold wouldn't even use the Gudrin crossing, and going south we'd probably want to claim the Nettles Ferry crossing from J15 to K16 preferably anyway.

So your ideas on a possible territory adjacent to but not conflicting with Newhaven could be feasible out southeast here.

Awesome. Now we guard it with worgs and centaurs. That would put this site just northeast of Newhaven, with conquerable land north and west, and Brevoy farther east and north?

This give Nikolai a place to hang his hat, it gives us a place to train or provision standing troops, and it gives Newhaven a buffer from this direction. Finally, it robs a foreign force of a safe place to stay en route to somewhere they shouldn't be. We'd have lookouts in the hills and control fresh water.

I haven't seen the map. Do I have any part of that wrong?

Well we're more SE of Newhaven right now I'd say, but Varnhold is to our NE and Brevoy is pretty much off the map to the due North. I was using a downloaded copy, but if you want to check it out it's the very last map in the Skydrive list on DMB's Map & Rules Collection link from the 'Campaign Info' tab. You can also see the latest map of Newhaven's (and Varnhold's) expansion, but that map doesn't have the hex coordinates showing, so it kinda helps to look at both.

EDIT: Hehe the more I read Ultimate Campaign the more I have to restrain myself from trying to run a conversion of Newhaven to the slightly different Kingdom rule set :)

The impulse to punch Verik in the chest until his armor is dented as a permanent reminder almost throws Nikolai back into rage...

Hehe that's really a great visual.

Ha! How about we get along okay in the next game and pick on Isaac!?

Ha! How about we get along okay in the next game and pick on Isaac!?

Absolutely! We'll see how Lawful sNooty he'll play it to see how that will go...also I already tentatively picked out a nickname for my guy to call him ;)

The turn of events with Red Eyes in relation to the fight is very cool. I'm imagining that Verik may be put off or moderately wary by "high wolves" with ties to Gozreh, but since I think the takeover of the pack leadership was brilliant, it's hard to play a dismissive attitude about it hehe.

Hey how about a PLAYER ROLL CALL to see who's checking the posts from the group?

Actually I should clarify - how about a Kingmaker: Rivers Run Red player roll call by those NOT named Steven T. Helt, not named Celeador, not named LoreKeeper...err and not named Vorduvai. Ping? One ping only, please.

Just curious...

I know people are busy, but I agree with Vorduvai (it's okay, it's ooc!)

The camptime conversation with Red Eyes could mean a lot, and in addition to the fantastic RP, there might be a crucial question or idea one of us contributes.

Finally, I can promise I did not just unpaladinize the game with worgs. They'll roam the land instead of travel with us, and they'll comport themselves differently or Nikolai will end the pack.

OOC, would it be possible for Jemini to tell us if Red Eyes is evil...or for someone to use SM to ID his exact alignment?

Paladins can, in fact, check for evil alignment at will. (Taisper could check for more than just evil.)

I wanted to wait on the full introductions until after we got a better sense of trusting the worgs, and the other players got a chance to respond to the scene. If we thunk it's dragged on too long and we should just move forward, we can go to camp and get the evening scenes out of the way, but Berryn, Jemini and Akiros lose input.

Who else is with us? Not Taisper, right?

I spoke to Sig a few weeks ago. He is in one of those ruts that we all get into with PBPs, where it feels like a chore instead of fun. I hope it will pass and he can get back to us refreshed and ready.

I will message Khaladon as well to find out what is going on with him.

LoreKeeper is sporadically here, as you see, to post as Jemini.

I wanted to wait on the full introductions until after we got a better sense of trusting the worgs, and the other players got a chance to respond to the scene. If we thunk it's dragged on too long and we should just move forward, we can go to camp and get the evening scenes out of the way, but Berryn, Jemini and Akiros lose input.

Who else is with us? Not Taisper, right?

I don't think it's dragging on too long and/or is boring by any means, but we can certainly transition to the evening scenes unless Nikolai and Jemini need to have further discussions on it. Berrin and Akiros are just going to have be silent and brooding for awhile on this point and soliloquy it in for themselves later.

In general it's the "minimum number of player posts to keep the scene alive" thing. Too few (and at this point more player posts are better even if they're brief) and the scene just falls apart, or devolves into reliance strictly on a back-and-forth with the DM, because the characters aren't doing enough to generate the momentum themselves. Thank goodness Verik and Nikolai have the relationship they do (adversarial or fractious at it is), because it keeps me thinking about the scene and looking for ways to respond well and keep it going.

I know it's going to be awhile because of the party split, but looking forward to meeting Elsir. The scene back in town with Willas always gets me thinking about how Verik would agree or respond if he were there. I wish Elsir had a player over there to have a character interaction with in addition to a well played NPC.

Vorduvi,

Me and Willas might need to get some sort of approval to start out building of a lodge. Perhaps you could take on the role of one of your NPC's? Diden't Thomas Quiss get promoted to Olegsgrav? How do you forsee Verik responding on Elsir?

Well see I never would have thought of that. Thomas Quiss is currently the "acting" Junior Banker in Sanctuary, this being a precursor to his promotion as a Junior Banker to Olegsgrav sometime in the year.

Verik would be very positive about the establishment of a Lodge in Sanctuary, and would put what resources and influence he could behind it. While he was wary of the Pathfinders coming initially to investigate the cyclops ruins, Willas Gunderson turned that around rather quickly, as it was clear to Verik that he was willing to share information and not just look to loot and run hehe. While Pathfinders might have some reputation for being opportunistic and secretive in Verik's mind, he feels the more the secrets and mysteries of the Stolen Lands are exposed, the better chance they all have of keeping civilization rooted here. It would not be lost upon Verik that a Lodge in Sanctuary would help to legitimize Newhaven as a civilization worth noting in their own right. So there's a lot of win-win here that Verik would be in agreement with.

There's always a sending spell, if you folks wanna talk about it.

Verik, hopefully that should provide another good reason for us to meet when you get back. =D

Verik, hopefully that should provide another good reason for us to meet when you get back. =D

Yeah the near-guaranteed obliteration of their civilization is definitely an attention grabber!

Hey y'all, my week of camping turned into a 2.5 week Amazing affair, so had little to no online access that whole time. Right now I'm off to a big birthday party in the park. Summer's always a busy, but Great, time. I should have some time tomorrow afternoon to catch up though. So, sorry for my absence and thanks for all remaining awesome!

A minotaur brute, a hag witch, and a two-headed troll who towered above the rest were his companions, though the two-headed troll was the one whose counsel he trusted.

And so it turns out that those are the good guys, and our party are the evil, endlessly power hungry humans who seek to hold dominion over all of the lands.

Happy Fourth everyone!

DM Barcas wrote:

A minotaur brute, a hag witch, and a two-headed troll who towered above the rest were his companions, though the two-headed troll was the one whose counsel he trusted.

And so it turns out that those are the good guys, and our party are the evil, endlessly power hungry humans who seek to hold dominion over all of the lands.

Ha! Nice! Ya know, it would actually be very interesting to play a campaign as the poor, suffering, monsters, trying to survive and prosper in the face of the constantly encroaching and slaughtering humans who continue to breed and expand like an infestation of rats. I mean, after all, we were here first!

Imperalist bourgeoisie!

In all seriousness, while they are Evil creatures who literally eat human flesh frequently, it would be a good debate to have. I'm not sure who it would be IC for to point out. Jemini, maybe? Zander or Jhod, too.

Hey there Khaladon -- good to see you back! Sounds like summer up there is not too shabby!

Imperalist bourgeoisie!

In all seriousness, while they are Evil creatures who literally eat human flesh frequently, it would be a good debate to have. I'm not sure who it would be IC for to point out. Jemini, maybe? Zander or Jhod, too.

It is an interesting topic that would be good IC debate - where it really comes in to play is why certain non-human groups are willing to deal with trolls to preserve their way of life over encroaching humanity. That's a pretty good sales pitch by the trolls really. Verik's LG character would suggest he'd be troubled by this notion a bit on the merits of justice, but would probably keep it to himself as he still believes the expansion of Newhaven is the best thing to happen to the Stolen Lands.

And Nikolai's view is that civility is just another form of barbarism. As long as capable warriors surround New Haven, there exists a buffer for advancing enemies. It doesn't matter whether they are CN centaur tribes who take offense at the notion of being "allied" with humans, or LE worgs led by a LN druid who prefers natural primitive life over civilized animals using law to stab one another in the back, or even a pacified CE troll king who protects a border solely out of fear of dragonsbreath. The end result: Nikolai learns to rule and Jemini and her friends have time to grow and defend themselves from Brevoy and the like.

Well I was going to post for the lake and afternoon scene they've come across on the following day, but I'd really hate to disrupt the fine post you've just put in there with Red Eyes. I'm going to hold off a bit in case there's more to play out with that.

Disrupt away, boss!

Or, if you prefer, check Filby's First Post. Soon to be a national day of remembrance.

Disrupt away, boss!

Or, if you prefer, check Filby's First Post. Soon to be a national day of remembrance.

Loved it! That's a hard act to follow with the insight as to how Filby's mind works. I had to play off of your intro and put in a second post over there to have some fun.

Man, I miss playing Jabber. What a character.

Jabber's response to Berrin about "crazy-man" is still one of my favorite quotes ever, in any game I've ever played in.

Yeaaaahhh...do dee dum dee do dee da...

Elsir, did you want me to move ahead with the visions? I was under the impression that you were going to write that post up, so I just had Willas agree to it and sit down. Let me know if you want me to write it up, though I am pretty so-so at cryptic visions.

My fault! Based on the PM I thought we were going to do some sort of vision quest and I was expecting you to post the scene. I would be happy to do so if you like.

Nope. I have something planned, though. I will fit it in one way or another.

Man, that took forever to write, but I am glad that I ended up putting it down on paper.

It's a pretty interesting turn of events.

You will be going to a graveyard at some point during this time travel trip.

Well, you told me to run with it! Is it what you expected?

I think of it less as time travel and more of an exploration of an alternate time stream.

Days of Future Past: Newhaven! Anyone with ideas is free to send them over. I wish I had seen this before my scan today, as I had an hour to brainstorm while laying completely still.

I messaged Meowzebub about possibly returning to Zander soon, following up on his post from a few months ago about moving.

Thanks for holding a space for me.

We are moving back in two weeks. My to do list is pretty long (I am sanding and refinishing the 100 year old floors in three large rooms and a staircase, while also helping the wife painting 8 rooms and four closets (1 floor stripped and 3 rooms painted so far), but my work schedule has calmed considerably. We are doing enough in the past week and the next two weeks to allow us to move back in comfortably, and then complete some projects that are in areas away from are main spaces (office and guest bedroom)

So my weekends are toast, but I will make the time to catch up on the posts after this weekend. Once there, during next week I expect, I will buzz you and we can see how to ease me back in, once I see where we are in the story. I look forward to it.

Well, this makes me wish I had some points placed into Bluff. Hopefully Willas is a more fluid speaker then I am.

Willas has +2 to Bluff. He's so busy being earnest and excited that he doesn't have time to come up with lies.

I statted him up a while ago. He is a Bard 4 with the Archaeologist archetype. He's got several good Knowledge skills (Arcana, Dungeoneering, Planes), UMD, Disable Device, Perception, Stealth, and Linguistics. He speaks Common, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Draconic, Aboleth, Jistka, and Ancient Osiriani. You would know about all but the last two, which he learned at level 3 and 4 (which occurred since you saw him last).