DM Berwick's Serpent's Skull Adventure

Game Master Lost Gamer

Eric, burned by leadership?

Let's just say that the party that my LG character was stuck "leading" had a lot of CN characters, and that it ended in much real-life embitterment for all. Anyhow, the take-home message for me was that I'm happier as a Grand Vizier (or even Court Jester) than as a Sultan.

Questions re. character roles:

1) Is the entertainer role in addition to PC Diplomacy checks or in place of PC Diplomacy checks?

2) Can we use the sea scorpions as part of today's food requirements?

Found on the Jenivere [Final]

Captain's Cabin:
Keys (in overturned desk)
Sea charts and maps (in overturned desk)
Captain's log (in overturned desk)
Bottle of fine brandy (in locked lower desk drawer)
Darkwood model of the Jenivere in glass bottle (in locked lower desk drawer)
4 potions of cure light wounds (in locked lower desk drawer)
1 potion of cure moderate wounds (in locked lower desk drawer)
4 potions of lesser restoration (in locked lower desk drawer)
1 potion of remove disease (in locked lower desk drawer)
1 potion of water breathing (in locked lower desk drawer)
1 potion of water walking (in locked lower desk drawer)
Masterwork dagger (in footlocker)
Leather armor (in footlocker)
Holy symbol of Nethys (in footlocker)
Spell component pouch (in footlocker)
2 potions of cure light wounds (in footlocker)

Larder:
Rations, 24 days

Supply Room:
Block and tackle
3 large canvas sheets
2 fishing nets
Grappling hook
2 bullseye lanterns
12 flasks of lantern oil
Hemp rope, 150 ft.
5 shovels

Also...

Captain's Cabin:
Small coffer containing 7 lbs. of coin (in locked lower desk drawer)

You know, I have found that one of my favorite parts of a PbP is the banter between the various characters. A joke here, a witty retort there. Truly a delight to both write and read such stuff! :-D

1) Is the entertainer role in addition to PC Diplomacy checks or in place of PC Diplomacy checks?

2) Can we use the sea scorpions as part of today's food requirements?

1)It is in addition. This is a bonus that is applied to the roll to increase morale and get the grumpy 'guss folks moving emotionally in a positive direction.

2)Certainly, though it seems that Torden has put the kibosh on that one.

Supplies list so far...

I believe that is everything. Everyone should feel free to make appraise rolls if they are so inclined concerning stuff like the brandy and the ship model, etc. Also, anytime y'all find a map or a book or something, feel free to examine it in detail as there will more than likely be reasons and or clues there.

You know, I have found that one of my favorite parts of a PbP is the banter between the various characters. A joke here, a witty retort there. Truly a delight to both write and read such stuff! :-D

This is also exactly why I wanted to take a moment, and mention that I really appreciate you guys, and thank you so much for this oppertunity to run a game for you! You are AWESOME!

Having a good time, folks! Just glad I can keep up and stay in the game.

Now about the goods - how are we going to divvy things up?

Now about the goods - how are we going to divvy things up?

Clearly, Jonagher will take everything and slit everyone's throats in the night to ensure his own personal survival. ;-)

Er...okay.

Bran sleeps with one eye open and his hand on his axe. He kills anything and anyone who comes within five feet of him. :)

Clearly, Jonagher will take everything and slit everyone's throats in the night to ensure his own personal survival. ;-)

If Jonagher kills off the party, I predict that he will soon encounter a group of five castaways from another recent shipwreck. Strangely, they will share an inexplicable hatred of half-elf rogues whose names begin with the letter "J." ;-)

Seriously, it's mostly healing stuff, and it's salvage from the wreck. I say keep it in the party kiddy except for the priest's gear, which we're already returned. I don't care who carries it as long as it's divided among us all.

I'm taking the lack of response to my proposed island government as "no" votes. We should at least designate a PC quartermaster to track supplies in-game, as Torden suggested. Otherwise, Aerys will be drunk until the group runs out of booze, and I'd prefer to keep that bottle of brandy for trade goods. Or cooking. Or anything besides enabling NPC self-abuse. :-P

We should at least designate a PC quartermaster to track supplies in-game, as Torden suggested. Otherwise, Aerys will be drunk until the group runs out of booze, and I'd prefer to keep that bottle of brandy for trade goods. Or cooking. Or anything besides enabling NPC self-abuse. :-P

::Jack Sparrow-voice::

"But why's all the rum gone?"

Some serious posting going on today. I was busy harvesting on Farmville. Whodathunk I planted so many 'taters? And I am sore.
However you divvy up the booty, you gotta clear through me, cuz I already called "Dibs".
See reference Dibs rules

Yuuwa, that link is hilarious

Okay, how about this for tomorrow?

Defender: Jonagher Witt and Sasha, whom I'm imagining as a more athletic version of Ginger from Gillagan's Island. They can make heart-shaped pit traps. ;-)

Medic: Frik

Guard: Origen. Why? Ranged weapons, a signal whistle, and Perception +5 or +6 with the hat.

Entertainer: Torden, Yuuwa. The good-cop, bad-cop routine. Maybe Yuuwa can be quartermaster.

Hunter: Jask, Bran, Isandril. I'm betting that Survival is the key skill for this role. Transfer Jask to Medic if you don't trusk him enough to take him into the jungle, but having a cleric along could help in a fight.

The Jonagher/Sasha and Isandril/Bran pairs could switch roles, but I guarantee that Jonagher will not hear the end of it for a while.

Also, three watches of two, or four watches of two (with Frik and Sasha or Jask)? I don't care.

Sounds good to me. Isandril could certainly do some hunting, especially since Origen has been so kind as to loan him his crossbow. :-)

From the game thread:

Also, the group receives +100 xp for assisting Jask, and getting him to be friendly. Oh, and for the beach and the ship, you all get 74 xp, so a total so far of 174 each. Should I just keep track and let you know when you should level, or do you want to keep track?

My vote would be towards the former, i.e. just letting us know we should level up when the time comes. In the other two games I am that is what happens and I find it pretty nice. That is my opinion, of course. :-)

Sorry folks,

I have an emergency trip to the dentist's office tonight. I will not be able to post.

Hopefully we can return to our regular schedule tomorrow.

Thanks for your understanding.

DM Berwick

I have an emergency trip to the dentist's office tonight. I will not be able to post.

Ouch. Hope that you can have the problem fixed quickly.

Okay, I am back, and my teeth are ok...essentially.

Thanks for the concern, it ended up being minor but painful.

Let me ponder what is going on here, and I shall hope to post around 1200, but I will get after it around 1600 at the very least.

All times in MST btw.

Thanks,
Me

I'm amused that Jonagher spent his whole watch flirting with Sasha, and he STILL got the second-highest Perception check.

Maybe Origen needs to borrow the bottle of rum . . . .

I'm amused that Jonagher spent his whole watch flirting with Sasha, and he STILL got the second-highest Perception check. Maybe Origen needs to borrow the bottle of rum....

What can I say? The life of a rogue. Jonagher's awesome like that. And a worshipper of both Desna (goddess of luck) and Cayden Cailean (god of fine drink, womanizing, and also...luck). :-]

I didn't realize that Desna's portfolio extended to electronic dice, but you learn something new every day. ;-)

On a totally different note, I've been pondering our situation, and I have some speculations about the fair Sasha and Ieana.

1) Sasha comes from the headquarters of the Red Mantis Assassins, and she is missing a finger. She describes her mother as tradition-bound, while she seems more free-spirited.

Loss of a finger to me suggests an underworld penalty for improper action (e.g., the Yakuza). Sasha also volunteered for rogue-appropriate group jobs.

My proposed inference: Sasha is affiliated with the Red Mantis Assassins in some way, but she may have gotten the boot or be on probation for not playing by the rules. Plausible hypothesis or paranoia?

2) Ieana is a scholar who keeps to herself, but is interested in ancient ruins. Cookie was killed by a mysterious large snake, but we knew of none on the ship. Cookie may also have been impersonated by a shapeshifter, as we didn't remember not seeing him around the ship.

Blatantly using metagame knowledge, we can guess from the illustrations in the Player's Guide that serpentfolk are involved in this AP. According to the Call of Cthulhu/Freeport versions of these creatures, serpentfolk can assume human form to disguise themselves. I haven't seen any Pathfinder version of serpentfolk, but I strongly expect that this ability will be included because of the many opportunities for adventure hooks that it affords.

My proposed inference: Ieana is one of the serpentfolk assuming human guise to find some artifact or ruin. Plausible hypothesis or paranoia?

Why oh why would you have anything to be paranoid about?

MUAHAHAHAHAHAAHA!

Kill them all now and let 'ol Gozzy sort them out...

What?! Whose alignment? Surely you must be mistaken. I am merely providing a hard-sell technique to potential recruits for Gozreh's "May his name forever reign" Army when the great battle arrives. Thats "Good" and I leave the judging to Gozreh "May his name forever reign". So thats "Neutral". I am covered. Right? Who's with me? Guys? Um guys? Now where did they go?

Just as a minor reminder, to effect lasting change in the castaways, a separate Diplomacy may be tried each day. Once their attitude reaches friendly, they will not need to make checks again, barring betrayal or violence from the PC's.

Also, while completing tasks for the camp, one must stay relatively close, and it is an extended effort. Thus, while you remain at camp, there is little chance to explore the island. It would certainly make things easier if all the NPC's were at least at indifferent, and camp would become a sort of self-sustaining effort to allow more extended absences from the breadwinners...you guys.

E-mail for secret DM and Yuwaa conspiracy plotting stuff.

Sorry, no post tonight. I had a crisis at the casa...garbage disposal ate itself...

Had to fix it. Though it should be smooth grinding from here on out.

RL kicked my butt this week. I'm posting before the vortex sucks me back in. Cuz it will.

Is it just me, or has Paizo adjusted the die mechanic? Previewed post for coherency, got some numbers, added another roll to the post and got a different set of numbers. Not that I am complaining, got to keep people honest, but it cuts back the editorial "D'oh" comments if the numbers keep changing...

Is it just me, or has Paizo adjusted the die mechanic? Previewed post for coherency, got some numbers, added another roll to the post and got a different set of numbers. Not that I am complaining, got to keep people honest, but it cuts back the editorial "D'oh" comments if the numbers keep changing...

Interesting. I never preview; I post and edit the post afterwards if I see a mistake. I haven't seen the same problem with dice roll changes.

1d20 ⇒ 15
1d100 ⇒ 77
1d12 ⇒ 5

EDIT: The results were 15, 77, 5.

Now let's try the preview.

1d20 ⇒ 18
1d100 ⇒ 79
1d12 ⇒ 5

The results are 18, 79, 5.

EDIT: Hmm, no change. A non-reproducible or irregular problem, perhaps?

I noted other folk on the forum occasionally mentioning it. As this is the second time the problem popped up for me, I suspect irregular or a certain set of conditions, ie time difference between preview and official posting, as I was able to reproduce it (once) but only because of extended time. Still it wasn't consistent...

I had the same problem. If you post, and then go back and edit, it is fine...previewing seems to be the problem. though it hasn't happened in awhile.

Just wanted to check in and give a big congrats to NSpicer for winning the contest, and getting his article into Wayfinder #4! Way to go! I can't wait to read it!

Thanks. I was really surprised by it. Just hoped to place. Didn't expect to win, because fiction-writing is very different from game design writing.

--Neil

Congratulations, Neil! When will it be published?

But obviously you are good at both!

Congratulations, Neil! When will it be published?

It'll be featured in Wayfinder #4. Six pages and three pieces of art (thankfully rendered by someone much better at art than I am)... :-)

I'm linking the Wayfinder contest information for easy access.

Pathfinder Fiction Contest
The Runners Up

Neil, the contest had a lot more entries than expected, so you must have done better with the story than you thought. Congrats again!

Sorry all, Friday through today has been somewhat overwhelming.

I will not be posting tonight, but I will correct this deficiency on the morrow.

Thank you for your patience,

Me.

Hey y'all.

Just want to let you know that I'm around.
I'm in the process of about three big projects (one at work, and two at play) and also trying to move this week.

So, I will try and post, but it may be spotty (then there's the fear that Qwest will mess up getting us back on line after the move.)

NPC Torden if you need to--just try not to get him killed--if I don't post in a timely manner.

Thanks guys.

Thanks for the heads-up, Curn. Good luck with the projects (and move)!

sorry for the delay of game folks.

I had an ingrown toenail permanently cut out, and between the general pain and the burn from the base that was applied to my toe...well, lets just say I couldn't think straight.

We shall proceed....now

sorry for the delay of game folks.

Ouch. Hope that you're feeling better.

Looks like several of us have been delayed by RL issues. Work has been kicking my @$$ for the last two weeks, and things won't ease up until the last week of October (when my fellow school counselor returns from her honeymoon).
Still enjoying the game - hey, I think I just killed a goat! :)

Also, congrats Neil - I envy you, man!

And Berwick, I've found that the old country lament rings true: "It ain't love, it ain't money, it's just whiskey that eases the pain."

Gotta keep the priorities straight. We'll wait for RL to resolve itself, the toe to heal, the unpacking of household and try not to use Torden as cannibal bait.
Yuuwa will go fishing in the interim.

So what's happening? Are we on hiatus for real-life reasons?

Well, I am still here. Other than that, waiting for the show to go on, so to speak. Over and out. Oh, and cheers! :-)

Just hanging around. I'll bump it and play in character.

Actually, no need. Let's take a break until Monday.

I am going to be working on maps and such for upcoming encounters, and it will get me an opportunity to get ahead on that.

Sorry for the recent quiet...my place of employment has recently changed my account status, and I am trying to get my internet access all sorted out again so I can get payed to play once again...meanwhile, I don't get home till later in the evening.

Apologies all the way around.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to post them, and I will still answer as much as possible. We shall start moving forward again soon.

Thanks,

Me.