DM B's 6-05 PFS PbP Slave Ships of Absalom (1-2) (Inactive)

Game Master Beckett

Because the fight is going on inside the building, and Silver Warden was the only one that noticed, and decided to try to sneak in to find out more. It wasn't until after his spell (failed) that he alerted the party something was going on, and then he got himself beaten nearly to death.

Now you are up, right after Fenn and Caladrel, fully aware that there is danger, but still standing outside the building yourself, with everyone else.

See the associated map if there are questions.

I have a link at the very top of each page and also under my name each time I post. It is interactive, so you can move yourself around as needed.

:)

Also keep in mind that while people are posting out of order, all actions will be placed in the proper order as needed. Some, like Van Helsing's will obviously need redone since so much has changed and he didn't look at the map <:P>, but otherwise, only minor tweeks will be done when it's obvious.

Thanks for the explanation!

I decided to attack, but I'm not sure if my damage rolls are correct:
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 6) + 4 = 15

Looks right except it should be 2d6+6, as it is a two-handed weapon. For those you do x1.5 Str, not x1. (not including Power Attack). I'll include the extra +2, though when it gets there.

Also, now that we are in a combat, I wanted to explain a few things to everyone. If you have played with me before, you are aware, so no need to read.

ROUND 2

Silver Warden (-15, Stabilization Check please)
====================================================
Half-Orc Leader (-4)
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Fenn (), Caladrel (), Ailil (), Van (), & Xasay ()
====================================================

This is a typical Initiative Order I use. I do roll everything, so if you ever have a question, I it's there to check out. If you ever feel I missed something or did something wrong, feel free to mention it.

Something else I do is, if there is ever a random chance or an equal chance to target a player, I roll for it. I use a short hand, going down the list alphabetically. At the very top of the page, I have a spoiler with everyone Init Rolls ready to copy/paste, and so lets say you get ambushed, I would roll a 1d6 ⇒ 5 to see who gets attacked. in this Case, "5" means Van Helsing. Obviously if someone is an invalid target, I don't include them. Just to keep it fair.

If you have any rerolls, (honor system here), just let me know, (and go ahead and reroll it, and we will go with it. No need to ask.

Now, on to the actual Init.

ROUND 2

Silver Warden (-15, Stabilization Check please)
====================================================
Half-Orc Leader (-4)
====================================================
Fenn (), Caladrel (), Ailil (), Van (), & Xasay ()
====================================================

Everyone that is BOLD is up. Everyone can post, but it does help if you note out of order, and also understand that other actions that happen before yours may invalidate or change your action. Depending on how severely, I may just make a quick change, or may ask you if you want to switch.

You may also notice that I've included () next to each person's name. These are just for little notes, so I might include (Charged) so I remember that that person has a +2 on attacks, and -2 Ac for the round. I also include the total damage they have taken this combat. NOTE, the -15 is NOT the current HP, just how much total damage they have taken.
This is sometimes a big one I forget to update, often checking in throughout the day and making a quick post, and simply forgetting to add a damage somewhere. Please let me know. Generally I remember it in my head, I just forget to alter it online.

This is also a poor example, but the reason I do Init this way is to help break it up into smaller groups. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it does not. Again, I can't really control the dice. :P

I also try to give everyone about 24 hours to post before "botting" them. If I do control their character, I do have a rule that I will not use up any of their resources unless they ask me to, except in the case where another character might die or be severely screwed. This includes Wands, Potions, #/Day Feats, Spells, etc. . . Most likely I will simply have them do a basic attack, no charge, no Combat Maneuvers, or something like that that's feasible in the situation. Or 0 level spells which do not use up any resources. I might have them Delay or Aid Another, too. Just depends on the circumstances.

If you are going to be out for a while, please let me (or someone know), and it's also cool if you give me a few types of actions you want to do.

Questions?

Fenn is traveling a lot this weekend and so told me that he would not be posting until... tomorrow night, I think?

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Map doesn't look like it's updated...

At everyone, I am in the military, and I just found out today that I will be going out into the field starting tomorrow night and going all the way to the 22nd, which is actually a few days after the Game Day is scheduled to begin. I apologize. IF I have internet access via my phone, I can start the game on time. But I honestly do not know if I will or not, and I can not make any promises until I actually get out there.

There is also the possibility that I will be back a little earlier. We need to wait and see, and if I am able to, I will certainly keep everyone in the loop. I do know that at least one of those days will be a 24 hour duty day, so even if I can connect with my phone, I will not be able to post.

Again, I apologize in advance, and worst case scenario we will just start a few days late.

I thought we had started already.

Anyway, no worries.

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I am pretty sure he was stresaed on time as i know he gets when they pull this shit on him and he just hit copy and past lol

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Bummer, but no worries.

A little bit. I actually did type out a lot of them, and I was more in a mindset of trying to make sure I posted for every game. I just spent about three hours loading crates in the rain, a few hours after the rest of post got off. ha ha

But I do feel bad about having to put everything on hold a bit, especially when it's already behind a day or so.

Ok, so it turns out I didn't go, and I'll be picking this game back up today.

Awesome!

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Such great news!

Sorry, for the delay in posting, work's been a bit hectic suddenly. I should be able to post more regularly now.

No worries. It happens.

Unless you have an opening joe i dont get in this game day :( i applied to a few and got beat out lol....

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Does anyone want to give me the details of how to do a strength check?

Roll 1d20+your Strength modifier, plus any bonuses you may have to Strength checks or ability checks in general. Simplicity itself.

Thanks

Yep, usually an Ability Check is just a 1d20 roll plus the Ability Modifier in question. They sort of represent anything that anyone can do, but no particular skill covers, or that any special training wouldn't really make you better at. So, in this case, simply using your natural strength and power to row the boat. They are not very common, and there are other special modifiers that can apply, but generally it's just a 1d20 plus the Ability Modifier in question.

What does "Take 10" mean? In terms of acrobatics?

Means you automatically roll 10

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However, you typically can't Take 10 in combat.

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So, did my acrobatics work? Am I now standing on the ship?

Yes Ailil your rolls were good enough... Are you wanting up there first or just for round 3

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Did I have three attacks for that turn?

It was a double move to get up so no attacks... That is why i said i would go first lol so you dont get attacked right away lol

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Ailil, PFS does not use Revised Action Economy, so you only get one attack per round.

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My character is so weak. Most times he attacks, he misses.

Unlucky rolls are part of the game, don't fret - also, your damage roll with your greatsword and 19 Strength should be no less than 2d6+6.

My blood rager is only at a plus 6 atk and he is lvl 3 with 20 str dont feel to bad lol

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With a Masterwork Greatsword you should be rolling
4 (strength) + 1 (base attack) + 1 (masterwork weapon) = 6
On attack rolls. Also, don't forget that you can spend a move action to study a target and gain +1 attack and damage against that target more or lessindefinitely. You can do that an infinite number of times per day.

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In the last few months the number of computer-using adults has gone up to 3 (from 2) and the number of working computers has gone from 5 to 1. And I've been looking for a job when I'm not watching the kids (since my wife has increased her hours to compensate). That's why my posting rate has fallen off.

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I'm okay with that. Between a few of use being in the military and whatnot, I'm mostly okay with you all setting the pace.

But, there is something I did want to talk about a little. For me, there are really three things I get enjoyment out of in DMing. 1.) telling the story well, both in accordance with all the restrictions it places and how it plays out, but also by trying to personalize it when I can and adding in some of the little bits of flavor and backstory that normally are sort of DM only. 2.) I enjoy other's being able to partake in and enjoy the scenario. That's a big reason I do it, after all. My first deployment left me without a way to play, and this was back really before PFS PbP became a thing. At the time, I think it was really just me, and I couldn't get a real life game going in Afghanistan, so I sort of tried it out. 3.) I enjoy being able to throw challenges at the party. Not because I want them to lose, but because I want you to win. Overcoming those challenges, through skill, luck, rp, a clever idea, or whatever is more rewarding than simply going through a story without any significant threats.

I'm not sure if there has been a long miscommunication, (and that could be on my part) or if most are just concerned with combat, or if maybe the slower pacing is making it difficult to remember what's all going on, but I feel that it's kind of getting to some. It's kind of getting to me a bit, because I sort of feel like a lot of the important RP or story elements have sort of just come down to me telling your character's actions. It's a trend I'm sort of noticing in a lot of games, both that I run or am playing in. So, what sorts of things can I do to help make this more interesting for everyone? To get more input with posting, or more investment in the game/story?

A) We've been in a combat for a while now, and were in one for a while before. It's most of what we've done so far.

B) What other stuff there's been has been a little hard for me to figure out, so I haven't been taking point when I wasn't clear on what's expected of us, and there hasn't been too much more to do in it besides relaying information - I'm assuming we're not too far in.

C) For a Bard, my social skills so far suck (you should have seen some of the embarrassing rolls I made in the last game I was in).

D) I'm in a LOT of adventures right now (I have 14 characters set up, and the majority of them are presently in the field, as it were), so I can't say my attention is undivided.

E) I have severe real-life psychiatric problems which inhibit my ability to do as well as I should, as well as the "mental injury" issues of having to recover from years in environments like MMOs and the closest thing to a gaming group there's mostly been where I live, in both cases where proper RPG-playing is actually discouraged, even though that was all I had available for multiplayer gaming for years.

Sorry, I don't at all mean this as any sort of blame, or on anyone. I'm honestly not sure if people are enjoying this or not, so I'm mostly trying to see what I can try to do better to make sure that everyone is. Than again, I might just be over thinking things.

I think you are. Slowish pace aside, I'm having a good time.

I am enjoying the game, even though I have no idea what I'm doing most of the time. I can't get my mind to remember how to roll various things (may be someone could send me a quick and dirty list of the rolls I'm most likely to need in a formulaic form: 1d20 + this number + weight in lbs. - number of bills in collections = fortitude save. I am enjoying the game- even if I whined about my character's lack of ability to hit someone who is right in front of him even with a dexterity of +7... But I know there's more going on- the character is super strong and if he could hit everyone, then it might make it too easy. No complaints here.

I missed a closing ")" Now it won't compile

lol

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Ok, so maybe it is just me.

As for your rolls, for the most part, just about everything is going to be 1d20 + Something.

Generally, that "+ Something" is simply just what the roll is asking for. In the case of Fortitude, that is one of your three Saving Throws, which represent a way for you to resist or avoid something happening. Fortitude is your bodies natural toughness, so it is used to avoid becoming sick, catching a disease, poison, and things like that. Reflex is your natural reactiveness, and generally reduces how affected you are by things that explode around you. So, it's kind of like how lucky you are at dodging behind a rock, rolling with the force, or dodging most of the shrapnel if someone tosses a grenade into the area. The last one is Will, which is your mental and spiritual toughness, willpower, and ability to see through falsehoods (illusions) or not be affected by mental or emotional magics.

In the case in game, the Half-Orc essentially through a sonic grenade. It doesn't do damage, but when it does hit te ground, it sends a thunderous explosion of sound into the immediate area, and everyone that was in that area need to make a Fortitude Save vs a Difficulty of 15. Failure means you are Deafened for 1 hour.

So, for you, you simply need to roll a 1d20+3.

Your Saves should be:
Fort +3
Refl +5
Will -1

For me, it's what I said in the post before yours. I could handle the number of games I was in (too many) a month or two ago, but when things changed recently it became a lot harder to put as much time and thought into it.

I do like your style of GMing.

I was a little unsure of what information we failed to give the lady that made her unhappy. So I guess in some regards I am, like some others have stated, a little lost.

But I do follow the plot so far. These pirates are the source of the slaves that have scrying marks attached to them. So we're storming their ship to dig deeper (and free slaves!)

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If anyone is interested, we are looking for 1 or 2 more players for a Traitor's Lodge game. I believe it is 3-7 off the top of my head, and is a Game Day 4 Game.

Do the rolls I did before the GMs post roll over into the next combat round? or do I need to roll those again? Thanks.

If I read the hound statuses correctly, he already added in the damage from your attack. He just didn't offer any summary text.

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The GM posted chronicle sheets in the recruitment thread.

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