DM Doctor Evil Rise of the Runelords AP

Game Master DM DoctorEvil

It's been a bit chaotic getting everyone together, but I think it'll flow a better now. I've tried to avoid reading the GM posts for others to keep my knowledge more in line with Barek's, but sometimes I've had to go back and read other parts to get the NPCs and the scene right.

Funny how my image of Barek has rounded out in just the posts we've already done. He's a lowborn dockworker, really, who learns how to beat people with his fists to make his way in life. He's not without morals, but he is without much etiquette. I see me borrowing a lot from the movie 'The Fighter' for his personality and demeanor. I'll be actively 'dumbing down' his speech not because he's stupid, but because he doesn't have other words in his normal vocabulary. He's a 'spit on the ground', 'wipe your hands on your shirt', 'rub dirt on it', 'hit it in the face', 'Irish fighter' kind of guy. How's that for a guy who might eventually take a level in Paladin?

And for those wanting a visual, a bit of a cross between this and this.

@Character looks like a good system. I'd edit it in to my own post if I still could.

I'm willing to go with any convention the GM prefers, but you may want to check out this thread which gives a good intro to PbP styles and offers some good tips. I tend to be a fan of it, so that generally what I do.

I'm willing to go with any convention the GM prefers, but you may want to check out this thread which gives a good intro to PbP styles and offers some good tips. I tend to be a fan of it, so that generally what I do.

Okies, I'll check that out; a PbP 'for dummies' is exactly what I need. Thanks.

Barek Hisdren wrote:

I'm willing to go with any convention the GM prefers, but you may want to check out this thread which gives a good intro to PbP styles and offers some good tips. I tend to be a fan of it, so that generally what I do.

Okies, I'll check that out; a PbP 'for dummies' is exactly what I need.

I just have. I seem to have picked up most of this by example (and I'm fairly certain I've played with him at least once, but I cannot figure out what for the life of me)

The system works just fine by me. Having a blast so far!

Thanks for your comments; I am always open to feedback as this is my first time.

Twigs, yes, I am trying to have Sandpoint have some dimension for you instead of a place that your rack at night. My RL group will know some of these trick already...

I use the @toon: for common info especially when the group is fragmented (it's been more work than I expected that way, next time you all ride into town as a chain gang and can't get 5' apart...). I didn't mean for that to be private info, for which I would use spoilers, but I can see how it may create confusion.

I will try to be more judicious about this in the future, but 5 different entries to the Rusty Dragon (for example) seemed like a lot already.

keep up the good work, I'm having more fun DMing, than playing...

Aziza told Mirela that she didn't snore. Was she telling the truth?

Fortitude save versus DC 10: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Apparently yes. So all that Mirela will have to put up with overnight are the occasional arcs of electricity surrounding Aziza as she dreams of AWESOME COSMIC POWER!.

Ahem, excuse me, it's been a long day. :)

So, who's excited as the festival?

It's a busy week for me, but I seem to be having no trouble finding time for this game no matter how dire the deadlines look.

I have one question regarding the festival.

Will there be pie!?

As already stated during gameplay, Aziza likes pie. A lot.

Given what I know about 17th century pastries, and given the variety of horrific and likely edible things that inhabit Golarion... well,let's just say I'm sure a Gnomish pie would be pretty horrifying.

Given what I know about 17th century pastries, and given the variety of horrific and likely edible things that inhabit Golarion... well,let's just say I'm sure a Gnomish pie would be pretty horrifying.

Is that like when someone asks me to buy Girl Guide cookies, and I ask if they contain real Girl Guide?

Oh there will pie alright. And plenty of it. Hopefully the yummy kind, and not what Twigs has in mind.

I have been working on the Festival post and not had time to get it the way I want yet, so sorry about radio silence on my part.

It will be up tomorrow even if it's not perfect. Will post a little something for you as teaser.

Cool. Watching this space.

Human festivals are ok, I suppose, but a real celebration calls for some good dwarven diddys. Chants (at least 20 minutes in length), ballads, and epics of all sorts (historic, religious, romantic, and martial) all have their place and make for a grand time. Of all types of music, the other races are most familiar with drinking songs, though those are most likely abbreviated versions.
We like both types of music here, country and western.

Doc, how did you intend to do the discussion between Aziza and Vernutt Parooh, the old gnome at the cartography shop? Off camera via PM so that it doesn't bore everyone else, or IG using spoilers, since Aziza at least will be speaking gnomish?

I was planning to play it straight up, but if you want to cut to the quick version, we can do that. YOu tell me your preference, if the others are bored, they can skip ahead. I expect they'll be busy with their own side stories too.

PS: I put a new map of Sandpoint in the Campaign Notes tab which should be zoomable and easier to read.

Here are the keyed areas you have visited so far:

1: The Cathedral
3: The White Deer - crowded inn
4: The Way North - the lovely Aziza is there now
15: The Red Dog Smithy - hammering and cursing emanates from there
35: The Market Square - crowded with vendors for festival today
37: The Rusty Dragon

If you want to walk by a place or just go explore, or find a specific place, like Sandpoint Savories, then just let me know and I'll describe as best I can (which is probably not well at all...)

I've been lurking my campaign tab for days and somehow didnt see any new posts until this evening. Bugger.

Time to play catchup!

Okay, I give up; I can't figure it out.

How do you get 'Insert skill: dice roll + modifier = result' to appear all in the same color?

I have only been able to show skill + dice by using both [ooc] and [dice] format, but obviously there's a way to do it using only [dice].

So, substituting () for [], this is the expression format I've been using:

(ooc)Spellcraft: (dice)1d20+6(/dice)(/ooc)

What's wrong with it? :)

[BRACKET]dice = LONGSWORD [ENDBRACKET] roll [/dice]

I hadn't noticed it for about a year and a half of playing, until I saw it in a post and tried the above out (thinking it might work like spoiler tags). Dont worry! It took me 18 months to puzzle it out! (not that it really matters at all in the grand scheme of things, but consider your curiosity sated :D).

Also nice post. I've only been speaking in broken elvish to avoid having to construct sentences. The broken grammar and sentence structure is awesome and I will have to up my game.

Thanks on both count Twigs; however the language-flavor is entirely due to online generators, so I can't claim any credit there.

Just a heads up, may have one more player joining us soon to round out the group to six. I have a friend who is DMing a PbP i'm in and I told him I'd save him a spot in exchange for preferential treatment on damage and treasure distributions. (ok, maybe not that last part. He is helping me with technical side of setting up tokens and maps, since I've never done it).

You may see him when you least expect it.

Thorn, you can post here if you want to.

Don't leave us in suspense! What will said mysterious stranger be playing? (I'm told we have a large opening in our "protects the 12 CON elf from the various things that want to dismember him" department.)

Don't leave us in suspense! What will said mysterious stranger be playing? (I'm told we have a large opening in our "protects the 12 CON elf from the various things that want to dismember him" department.)

If Doc told you any of that, Twigs, the new player wouldn't be either 'mysterious' or a 'stranger' anymore, now would he?

LOL, well that is hilarious considering my con and race.

The name is pretty nice too! LOL

I even see issues that I forgot to address.

The true tank, one who will be able to deflect blows and dish them out. :)

Don't worry, this entire time he has been laboring away at creating and preparing his blade if the vision was for a woe Omen.

So Doc, are there any games at the festival where Aziza could pull a prank using Mage hand, or something similar? I'm thinking anything involving throwing a ball or knocking over a small target. She just wouldn't be a real gnome at a festival if she doesn't try to prank somebody!

I hadn't set one up exactly that way, you could try the Dragon Races which consists of encouraging your lizard down the race track, can't touch it, though know one said any other about Mage Hand.

If you want to RP a game like knocking down the milkcans etc, go ahead.

Aziza had her moment of fun with the guy at the Ogre's Hammer game. I'm not going to worry about RP at the Goblin Toss too.

EDIT: On second thought, the 'new guy' just appeared at the Goblin Toss, and I still have spell-like abilities to use up...

Hey! I want some jerky, leave me alone! LOL

Dammit. The internet just ate my post IG. Will try again shortly. :p

Well I can't wait, the site and the internet has been doing that to me more and more. I almost always copy my post before sending it... The last time I did not... it ate it... the irony! Ahhhh, the IRONY! :P

I'm using Mage hand to get away with a lot IG at the moment, but since it's only for flavor I hope Doc will let that pass. Besides, a sorceress, with her limited spell selection, is a bit like a bad craftsman; when you only have a hammer, every problem begins to look like a nail.

LOL, I like the analogy and it makes sense. Hopefully you can get away with it! :P

Time for another PbP newb question from me; what do folks on the messageboards mean when they post that they are 'bumping' something?

Basically they are bringing it to the top or most recent so that people can see the main question of the forum. It is a good question. I know someone might explain it a different way, but I think that relays the basic idea.

My dramatic entry of Thorn, undone by a beanbag toss. Oh woe is me...Guess my festival games were to much fun to stay away from.

@Thorn, Mirela, Aziza, and Tunder: The brewery is strategically located on the south end of the churchyard. As you hear the crack of the thunderstone announcing the ceremony's beginning you are well situated to see. You may work your way closer if you want (just follow Aziza's lead, she's got mad crowd control skills).

Just wait until I get Burning hands (elemental energy - electricity)... force lightning FTW!

Does anybody know why there was no Game of Thrones this week, perchance?

I'm going to be posting a little slow for the nights to come. My deadlines have soared past with nothing but mostly blank word documents toshow thus far, and the paizo forums are one of many distractions I've got to tear myself away from. Like, right now... Oops.

Does anybody know why there was no Game of Thrones this week, perchance?

Scheduled break until next episode airs on 02JUN13: S3E09 The Rains of Castamere. Reason for break, I've no idea, probably some major calendar event in the US, I'm guessing.

No one else was jumping at it. LOL, plus I wanted to show off this side of him first.

It is our Memorial Day weekend, so yesterday was a holiday for most. Perhaps they worked around the long weekend? Is that season finale? I am a few weeks behind and relying on DVR and ON Demand to catch up. (I have read the books though).

Thorn: no worries, glad you're in game.

Aziza: I may not give you any new spells if you're only going to use them for evil...that's my gig.

Aziza: I may not give you any new spells if you're only going to use them for evil...that's my gig.

So basically what you're telling me is that my plans to become the first gnome Sith Lord are null and void? Dammit!

LOL, come on, I really want to see a gnome Sith Lord, let her have the spells, then I will smite her later, or at least point her out to the paladins when they show up. :P

Yeah, it was probably the long weekend. It won't be the season finale though, most shows like GoT have 13 episode runs for each season, though some have only 10. In either event, this week was only episode 9, and there is a fair bit of ground yet for them to cover from the Storm of Swords.

Note on Combat

Getting ready for first fight (also my first as GM). I plan to run combat like this:

1. I'll make initiative rolls for all of you and opponents and post order which we'll follow down the line.
2. We will post in a loose approximation of that order, but not strictly. If you post first, you may have to retcon based on who or what is ahead of you, but post away.
3. If it's been 24 hrs (less if popular demand decrees), I will DM-PC your actions trying to act as I would (or as you would once I know your style)in your stead. Sorry if that screws up your plan, but we can't wait on you all day, princess. I'll try to throw some gentle reminders out.
4. If you cast, fire or use some fancy special ability or item please link or spoiler the reference so we can all easily see what it does.
5. If you are the victim of a "condition" like dazzled, please post it at the beginning of your action so we keep track
6. Please label the round in which you are acting with BOLD like this Round 1 - Move Action: run like hell Standard Action: cry like a baby.
7. Please, please be as cinematic in description as you can/want to be. It's more fun than just reading die rolls.
8. I think visual representation of the combat is critical to understanding it, so will use maps and tokens whenever possible. Please use lines to indicate planned movement until your initiatve turn comes up.
9. You may see map areas your PC wouldn't know about or things they wouldn't or can't see. Please use appropriate IC behavior when possible
10. Have fun, and be safe. I promise not to kill ALL of you in the first fight.

Let me know your in-hand weapon and current AC if you can.

Weapon in hand: Quarterstaff

Current AC: 15 (12 if Flat-footed)

First round if combat arises:

I'd like you to go ahead and post our of order, (using lines to show intended movement). I'll let you re-do if something changes by the time we get to you. If you do something dependent on another, you might need to wait for them.

Play it by ear, we can always rewind and do over if we need to. Go ahead and get your post up, your ideas here are fine!

ooooh. We can move our icons ourselves! How did you set this up? This is probably the swishest looking battlemap set up i've ever seen.

Green Goblin (hide Gwen Stacy this is NOT a drill)

Gold.