DM RichD's Council Of Thieves Campaign

Game Master Briccone

I'm okay with that as well :3

Using excel it is a simple matter of altering the formula however you would like. I already adjusted the spreadsheet to reflect both of your preferences.

The only downside to this is that I am hesitant to let items linger on the available list. The longer it takes someone to claim an item the more inaccurate we will be. A compromise to this of course is anything on the loot list that is not a consumable item gets sold after a week of real time unless someone has stated they are gone during that time. That way the spreadsheet stays up to date and people know what they have available.

Btw thanks for the offer of the plate as I will accept unless the others wish otherwise. With the plate my AC is a ridiculous 25 at 2nd level and could be a 26 if I used combat expertise. That just doesn't even sound right.

Usually, player's need for items fall under the general Wealth By Level guidelines. Since this game is Core (and seeming to stay that way), I understand why this might be necessary.

I'd prefer a simple Need and Greed mechanic, as in most computer-based RPGs. Tal Needs on the Full Plate, Raveen and Monday Greeds on it. Need always beats Greed, but if Tal didn't hit Need, he'd be rolling d100s with the rest of us.

Tal: Need: 1d100 ⇒ 55
Raveen: Need: 1d100 ⇒ 52
Monday: Need: 1d100 ⇒ 98

If we ever had another plate-user, or if Raveen desperately needed the money, he might hit on Need--but as-is, if Tal hit Greed and got the same result, Monday will take the item (since she has the highest roll).

But I'm OK with the Excel sheet specifying what everyone has. I'd prefer the pool to be colored as per everyone's withdrawal, however, as well as items not being sorted per the order of loot, but by the item itself.
For example: Cure Light Wounds Potions would have its own Row, with about 12 samples. Raveen's color is Gray-Blue, and two of the potions will be colored as such. Since Raveen consumed one--it became Red.
Any declarations of item withdrawals should be in the discussion under the [ooc] and [b] function, so that we might easily identify them at a quick look.

Less bookkeeping, uses less tabs, and is quite intuitive.

Link.

@Tal: I've given everyone editing privileges.

Edit: @GM: I'll also like to express my admiration at how you managed that combat session. You've played them in-character, and I know the secret conflict between GMs wanting their players to both win and lose.

I was afraid (I admit) that you might stamp on my plan--since it nearly involved them to lose without a chance, but they still managed to be a threat!

Good game!

I'm highly against gambling on equipment, unless it's roleplayed in character as the characters actually gambling, since we don't have a 1-min timer we can simply discuss who would benefit most from it.

I'm highly against gambling on equipment, unless it's roleplayed in character as the characters actually gambling, since we don't have a 1-min timer we can simply discuss who would benefit most from it.

It's a simple principle:

Need it? You take priority over others.
Greed it? Take a roll.
Or declare that you don't want it (in most cases, this flies).

It's not gambling: it's random assignment.

It's not the Needing I have a problem with, it's the Greeding, I rather if we sell loot we have either a party pool or divide it amongst ourselves as evenly as possible, rather than one person or two lucking out on money or equipment.

I'll let the people who are more proficient with Excel to come up with a working system. Tal's spreadsheet seems more practical and detailed, while Raveen's is definitely more easy to read and aesthetically pleasing. Maybe you should combine your ideas, somehow?

I think rolling for stuff won't be necessary. In most cases I think we can just talk it over, but I suppose we can draw straws if we reach a complete impasse. I'm for selling most of the stuff we get as well.

I'd love to chat more with Vasco in-character, but I'd rather not.

After a good day of rumormongering and propaganda, he comes in the evening.
How is everyone else?

I suppose I'm waiting for the GM to move things along? I don't like to assume we get back to the city without a problem. I'd also like to give Mera the chance to respond, but she is probably busy with the con.

I'll let the people who are more proficient with Excel to come up with a working system. Tal's spreadsheet seems more practical and detailed, while Raveen's is definitely more easy to read and aesthetically pleasing. Maybe you should combine your ideas, somehow?

I'm sure we can. Tal's list consolidates prices and items (using the multiplication function). That can be added as 2 columns (price; quantity).

I think rolling for stuff won't be necessary. In most cases I think we can just talk it over, but I suppose we can draw straws if we reach a complete impasse. I'm for selling most of the stuff we get as well.

Hence Need vs. Greed.

I suppose I'm waiting for the GM to move things along? I don't like to assume we get back to the city without a problem. I'd also like to give Mera the chance to respond, but she is probably busy with the con.

Don't look a gift encounter-free entrance in the mouth!

Over the next few days, I think I'll have Raveen gathering information and assessing the mood of the city, as well as checking up sympathetic Dottari, Hellknight reaction, and perhaps even begin probing for particularly skilled men and women to join his strike force.

Well--if Janiven has another big job for us, we will need to distract their forces.

But we don't need to adhere to it as a strict rule. In most cases we take each other's concerns to account: This is exactly for complete impasses.

Fair enough. :)

Don't look a gift encounter-free entrance in the mouth!

But seriously, Naberius cleaned up the guys, and Janiven had a man inside.

That's what she says. I'd just hate to backtrack in case there is trouble on the way. I'll give it a few more hours and get a post together.

Naberius doesn't really have much to do in the evening unless someone else engages him, anyway.

I think I am trying to figure out who is going in the gates with Janiven and who is making their way through the gates separately, and then once inside the gates, who is going to help return the horses/get some healing from Gorvio's uncle, or who is separating and meeting up later. Here is what I think happened so far:

Mera Gate with Janiven ? / Going to Gorvio's ?
Monday Gate with Janiven ? / Going to Gorvio's ?
Tuesday Gate with Janiven ? / Going to Gorvio's ?
Tal Gate with Janiven Y / Going to Gorvio's N-Wife
Naberius Gate with Janiven ? / Going to Gorvio's ?
Raveen Gate with Janiven N / Going to Gorvio's N-Mission:Propaganda!

Oh, my bad. Monday and Tueday will accompany Jan and Tal, moreso if that means Monday gets to meet Lily :3

Unless Mera is going elsewhere and would like company.

Naberius will accompany Janiven through the gates, but he would like to get back to hiding as soon as possible.

If Mera is still shaken, he might escort her back to the temple while the others go about selling the loot and the horses.

Monday is more than welcome to join Tal in going to Lily. Just let me know IC and I will get a response to that as well as one to Tuesday asking for his best behaivor and appearance.

As to the spreadsheet I can color coordinate it if you like but if you select your tab at the bottom of the excel sheet you will be able to see what you have claimed thus far. By listing your claimed items this way we can keep track of who has claimed what so if 2 people are claiming hte same item you can compared claimed wealth. Whoever has claimed the least to that point gets the item in question.

I would recommend people claiming healing potions if they want them. Tal already has 1 of the cmw and is waiting to see if anyone else wants the other. No sense leaving them around at this point.

Okies.

And Tuesday isn't who you have to worry about :3

I would recommend people claiming healing potions if they want them. Tal already has 1 of the cmw and is waiting to see if anyone else wants the other. No sense leaving them around at this point.

Naberius will take two CLW potions, just in case.

Raveen might want to take the CMW, or maybe Monday/Tuesday. Can Tuesday drink potions? :o

Yes, Tuesday can drink potions, but if his scarf is not on I assume it would be quite unsettling. So if it's okay a CMW for him and a CLW for Monday.

"Ooh, I know! I can introduce myself as your illegitimate love child!"

Wait, how old is Monday? I thought she and Tal were about the same age. :D

She's actually older than Tal at (was 21 or 24, somewhwre inbetwen those numbers I guess). But with her height and personality I can easily see her passing as younger :3

Raveen and Vasco spend a total of eight hours on the street. Add one hour for preparing and executing the ambush, and throw in another hour for good measure, we will have spent ten hours since waking up.

If Janiven woke us up around 6 am. (which I expect a good time for prisoner-transport), it would be around 4 pm. Since it is also late Lamashtan (October), Id say sundown is around 5.40.

So we have two continuities: Raveen/Vasco on the streets at 4pm, Naberius at the base at around...8am I suppose, and the rest in Tal's house also at 8am.

Hopefully, the rest also establish alibis, or I will pray for the DM's mercy.

bluff: 1 - 1 = 0

Hehe, of course... :D

Hopefully, the rest also establish alibis, or I will pray for the DM's mercy.

I don't think Monday/Tuesday really have any alibis to make, since they are outsiders to the city. Same goes for Naberius, but he'll be laying low anyway. Tal is probably in the process of crafting his own (seeing as he skipped work today), but Mera most likely has people wondering where she is. Unfortunately, the latter is not here to make any excuses for herself.

Regardless, the Hellknights have nothing to link us to the ambush at this point. I don't think we are in any immediate danger, though it does not hurt to be careful...

Why worry about making an alibi when we were not identified nor suspected prior to this activity. Tal has been a model citizen up to this point and there is no reason to suspect him of any wrong doing. He was too sick for work and that is that.

Yeah, that should work. For now... :)

@Naberius: Tarvi sees the mage come in and she hopes for the opportunity to speak with him without Gorvio around. She left the jewelry store promptly with the very hope of speaking to the man. She was surprised when he gave the secret knock and was alone. She was going to ask him where the others are, but the man's haggard appearance and curt greeting said that he wanted to be left alone. He promptly went to where he had spent the previous night and was soon asleep. Tarvi sighed audibly and went back to her one and only magical tome. She had hoped that Naberius might have a book he could lend her or at least suggest a book she should study, but it looks like she will have to wait to get her answer.

She'll have her chance in exactly eight hours. That would be evening, yes? We left in the morning, and returned at... When exactly?

DM RichD wrote:

@Naberius: Tarvi sees the mage come in and she hopes for the opportunity to speak with him without Gorvio around. She left the jewelry store promptly with the very hope of speaking to the man. She was surprised when he gave the secret knock and was alone. She was going to ask him where the others are, but the man's haggard appearance and curt greeting said that he wanted to be left alone. He promptly went to where he had spent the previous night and was soon asleep. Tarvi sighed audibly and went back to her one and only magical tome. She had hoped that Naberius might have a book he could lend her or at least suggest a book she should study, but it looks like she will have to wait to get her answer.

She'll have her chance in exactly eight hours. That would be evening, yes? We left in the morning, and returned at... When exactly?

By my assessment, we left about 6-8 AM. By the time Raveen is back to discuss things with Arael and Janiven, it is around 6 PM: in both cases, eight hours passed.

@GM: Is that about right?

Would Naberius like to join Raveen in discussing things with the leaders?

Raveen might want to take the CMW, or maybe Monday/Tuesday.

Thanks for reminding me. I forgot to log in Raveen's item withdrawal.

He would take 2 CLW and 1 CMW, but before that, we need to resolve two issues:

1: Determine what happened to the loot (horses, weapons, armor, bolts, etc.) from the last encounter: Did we sell them? [GM] Were the horses marked? Could it be traced back to us? Better yet, could we keep them in the growing Revolution Storage?
2: Vote on one loot sheet to use as reference.

@GM: I suppose we kept the horses at Govrio's, correct?

@Everyone: Please cast a vote on which sheet to use: Tal or mine.
It will be less redundant.
* @GM: You can vote too--whichever is easier for you to check or work with.

Tal's Sheet
Raveen's Sheet

Nothing has been sold technically as everyone split up taking stuff with them. Once we reconvene we can go through the actual seeking of items outside of the horses. I would think that Janiven and Giorgio would take care of that as that is where they went after the ambush.

Nothing has been sold technically as everyone split up taking stuff with them. Once we reconvene we can go through the actual seeking of items outside of the horses. I would think that Janiven and Giorgio would take care of that as that is where they went after the ambush.

I agree. I think it might have been troublesome to pretend that we entered the city with about ten Hellknight warhorses without attracting attention.

But we could just say they're in a safe and secret place--Gorvio's seems alright.

9.5 hour drive yesterday, I don't think I ever want to do that again. I'll fly next time, blah!

Anyway - Back from PAX! Catching up today on the most prolific group of RP'ers I know.

Welcome back Mera. Monday has been missing you while she tries to be all polite and lady-like in front of Lily.

*lunging glomp tackles the singer*

Yes, yes I has.

And I'm going to fail one of those will saves eventually Tal!

(Also, I think you would make an adorable Phantom.)

Welcome back.
We've kept things quite slow, all things considered. Mostly talking and RPing. So far, there was no need to bot, since Mera is still in her shell-shock phase.

Mera just found an opportunity to scheme. I mean, it is what nobility does best, does it not?

Tal is mine! :D

I referred to the Cost of Living table and figured that 50GP a month is enough to knock the socks of Lily. If that's not appropriate, I'll adjust accordingly.

Oh, welcome back! :)

@Raveen: Shouldn't we wait for the others to get back? Or rather, they might be back at the temple before Raveen arrives or Naberius is finished resting. They might want to take part in the conversation about the future of the rebellion as well. Naberius wouldn't mind leaving them out as long as he is invited, but I just want to make sure OOC if we are intentionally excluding them.

@Mera: That was a very nice save. I applaud you.
For reference, it is the afternoon (as of continuity 2 in Tal's house) of Moonday, 26 Lamashan, year 4708.

Interestingly, with Mera willing to pull out rank and name, I think we're in a slight change of tactics...
But on a darker tone, I wonder if declaring name would come and bite us later...

@Naberius: Naberius presumably finished resting at about the same time Raveen arrived. The characters have in-game hours to wrap it up and catch up.
Once team 2 finish, they can reliably be at the temple before Raveen arrived and when Naberius was resting.
I don't expect the GM would allow us to continue anyway until everyone is present--continuity will be all over the place, and I hate retroactive posting.

But on a darker tone, I wonder if declaring name would come and bite us later...

I considered this. But ultimately Mera decided she will get recognized eventually anyway out of the rest of you and if we can't trust Lily with our names we have bigger issues.

Raveen wrote:

But on a darker tone, I wonder if declaring name would come and bite us later...

I considered this. But ultimately Mera decided she will get recognized eventually anyway out of the rest of you and if we can't trust Lily with our names we have bigger issues.

I don't have issues! W-who told you that?!

@Naberius: Naberius presumably finished resting at about the same time Raveen arrived. The characters have in-game hours to wrap it up and catch up.

Once team 2 finish, they can reliably be at the temple before Raveen arrived and when Naberius was resting.
I don't expect the GM would allow us to continue anyway until everyone is present--continuity will be all over the place, and I hate retroactive posting.

Yeah, I would rather wait for the timelines to converge before moving on. Otherwise things are bound to get confusing.

Unless Monday or Mera have anything to add to the conversation at Tal's I think Lily and Tal are ready to head out to see Janiven and get the group back together. No rush though.

RichD...was there any identifying marks on the platemail that Tal 'liberated' from Shanwen? If so Tal would want them removed to make the armor as mundane as possible. How much would that cost and could Tal do that himself?

@GM: I suppose we kept the horses at Govrio's, correct?

Yes, Gorvio's uncle can sell the horses even if it's to the more unsavory restaurants of town. ;) So value would be 50% of a warhorse. The two horses pulling the wagons were too badly burned so if one of you wouldn't then Janiven would have dispatched them (when Vitti wasn't looking, of course!)

@GM: You can vote too--whichever is easier for you to check or work with.

When it comes to treasure, I prefer to be Switzerland and remain neutral.

RichD...was there any identifying marks on the platemail that Tal 'liberated' from Shanwen? If so Tal would want them removed to make the armor as mundane as possible. How much would that cost and could Tal do that himself?

It looks like Hellknight Armor is very specific looking. From the picture in the AP that Raveen had a link to and I used for the Tactical maps, it looks like it has a lot of ridges. So you can either keep it as is and wear it as a disguise (I bet Raveen is saying "Yeah! Yeah!" right now, or you can buff out the ridges. If you have ranks in craft armor, it will take one week. If you'd rather have an armorsmith do it, then he will charge you 50gp and take two days. (Janiven knows a guy).

Tal does indeed have craft armor but for time considerations I think it might be best to have someone else buff it out to make it look like standard issue armor. I will bring it up IC once we all get together and ask Janiven what her thoughts are on it. Does she want someone masquerading as a hellknight?

You could also wear robes and a tabard over it to just cover it at the moment. That or have Nabe or Mera cast Pre(unpronounceable cantrip) to change its colors.

Yeah, Hellknight armor is quite distinctive. I believe the ridges in 'Rackers' armor are supposed to look like exposed musculature (evoking the image of having been flayed). I'm sure we can squeeze in a couple of days of downtime for the crafting, unless there is another rebel we have to rescue from imminent imprisonment. We might need to lay low for a moment, anyway.

You need to send the armor to a smith regardless, if Tal wants to wear it. A captured full plate need to be fitted to its new wearer. You might as well have it modified while you do so. Having the armor enameled to be a color other than foreboding dark grey probably helps to disguise its origins, in addition to removing the ridges. Naberius has better things to do than cast prestidigitation on Tal a dozen times each hour!

@Raveen & Naberius: Sorry but there will be a little bit of a delay until you are all together, but once you all are, then we will move the overall story forward.

No problem!

I am just concerned that if Tal is wearing this on guard duty he will be noticed and identified if the armor is too noticeable. It won't matter if Tal has his face covered if he has the only armor in the city with a particular identifying feature. That is why I am hoping that by getting rid of the main features and keeping it plain he will avoid some notice. That being said if there are people that are wearing similarly designed fullplate then Tal has nothing to worry about.

RichD would I have to have someone do a know local check to know what would pass as normal fullplate without raising suspicions? Also do many of those people have armor spikes on them as well?

It looks like Hellknight Armor is very specific looking. From the picture in the AP that Raveen had a link to and I used for the Tactical maps, it looks like it has a lot of ridges. So you can either keep it as is and wear it as a disguise (I bet Raveen is saying "Yeah! Yeah!" right now, or you can buff out the ridges. If you have ranks in craft armor, it will take one week. If you'd rather have an armorsmith do it, then he will charge you 50gp and take two days. (Janiven knows a guy).

I'd normally be open to the possibilities, but since Tal can't lie his way out of a wet paper bag, I'll advise (alongside with Naberius) for buffing the armor or getting an entirely new custom-fit set.

Note to self: Have the base outfitted with armor, or get a bigger base that can do the job.

By the way: is no one voting for the loot sheet? If so, I'd like to withdraw my sheet. The adventure log and sprites have me busy anyway.

@Raveen & Naberius: Sorry but there will be a little bit of a delay until you are all together, but once you all are, then we will move the overall story forward.

If you please, I would strongly advise against that: We've already delayed the main plot for nearly a week.

Uh, did you not read the gameplay thread? He is moving the plot along while those that are at Tal's house are posting in spoilers to keep the events separate and the story moving forward.

Uh, did you not read the gameplay thread? He is moving the plot along while those that are at Tal's house are posting in spoilers to keep the events separate and the story moving forward.

I would advise wrapping up the existing dialogue and continuing on.

continuity will be all over the place, and I hate retroactive posting.

Yeah, I would rather wait for the timelines to converge before moving on. Otherwise things are bound to get confusing.

Not to mention slow.

*shrugs*

I don't know what to tell you, we separated the personal roleplay into spoilers and the GM is advancing us back to the base to meet up with everyone. One of the pitfalls of splitting up a group is that the speed are gonna be different, moreso since this a PbP instead of RL.

Since the Mainz household RP is not relevant to the main plot I'm perfectly find continuing it in a spoiler while the rest plays onward.

Sorry for holding everyone up!

Ah you're just fashionably late is all ^w^

If you please, I would strongly advise against that: We've already delayed the main plot for nearly a week.

Considering the average play-by-post lifespan, it's a little too much (and optimistic) to have the game grind to a halt for that long for a scene that does not even have all the characters roleplaying in.
I would advise wrapping up the existing dialogue and continuing on, or delaying this new character's introduction until later--or at least when we're all in a group again.

One of the problems with an AP is that the AP writers write some encounters for what they think they PC's will do. As anyone who has DM'd knows, PC's don't do what the AP thinks they will do.

Therefore as a DM you can do onne of the following:

1. Railroad the PC's to take the action the module expect them to take. (Yuck!)

2. Skip the encounter.

3. Move the encounter.

Now the encounter with Thesing. The module expected all the PC's to meet him at Gorvio's uncle's place when he is there to pick up his horses. No one wanted to go there (Even after I suggested free healing!) So of the three options above:

1. Railroad you to going to Gorvio's Uncle. I don't think anyone would be happy with this option and we would have missed out on the RP'ing @ Tal's, the RP'ing between Raveen and Vasco and the purchase of the posters.(Love the idea of the posters by the way.)

2. Skip the encounter. Thought about it but I think it is just to good to miss and will have far-reaching consequences.

3. Move the encounter. The next time you all will be together will be at the secret hideout. I cannot see Thesing, an actor, stumbling across a hideout that the Hellknights or Dottari can't find. Since the horses used in the ambush are the catalyst, I can't move it to days later without implausibility.

Therefore I ask for your indulgence while we play out Thesing. It should not take too long and then we will move the main story forward while Tal's House finishes up in spoiler blocks.

Huh, I just thought Thesig was a character you made up to interact with Mera. Neat that he's an actual npc that you made able to interact with a PC like that ^w^