Alright, back!
Did pretty good, all things considered. I don't know the way some professors choose finals' questions. I mean, why add a 'When did X happen' question in Criminal Law?
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Yeah, it's great to actually finish a game through PbP. Shame you didn't have a character concept for Seers—it's taking off quite nicely. At least I still get to game with you here. :)
Speaking of which, how do you think we're going with this game? Just, you know, general feelings and stuff. You asked me for feedback earlier, so I guess it's only fair that I turn it back to you.
Yeah, I'm following Seers. Shearwater is Good Guy Greg, Dima has real good posts. Water kinetisists may or may not be able to shoot water jets underwater with no penalty. :P
Originally, I had a pirate in mind (NPC for Moonfall originally), but pistols are unoptimal to the point of not even doing their historic role as a good opening attack, and no 3PP didn't exactly float my boat, so to speak. No leadership meant I couldn't have a crew, either. Honestly, I was looking forward for the Dragon's Demand. That I had a fun character ready.
As for this game: I'm loving the atmosphere and the contrast between characters. It's low on combat, true, but it's more of a mystery game. Mysteries in RPGs should have at least three ways to deduce the truth--that makes clues easy to network eventually to offset the medium's different focus.
I don't know who said it, but it was the difference between American and British horror; the latter is more atmospheric, focuses on the characters, and represents the breakdown of order or the rise of superstition. Gothic horror represents this, and what is more Gothic than Ustalav?
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
Yeah, I'm following Seers. Shearwater is Good Guy Greg, Dima has real good posts. Water kinetisists may or may not be able to shoot water jets underwater with no penalty. :P
Originally, I had a pirate in mind (NPC for Moonfall originally), but pistols are unoptimal to the point of not even doing their historic role as a good opening attack, and no 3PP didn't exactly float my boat, so to speak. No leadership meant I couldn't have a crew, either. Honestly, I was looking forward for the Dragon's Demand. That I had a fun character ready.
Well, I'll certainly let you know when I get around to running Dragon's Demand. What sort of character were you thinking about?
DM Shade wrote:
As for this game: I'm loving the atmosphere and the contrast between characters. It's low on combat, true, but it's more of a mystery game. Mysteries in RPGs should have at least three ways to deduce the truth--that makes clues easy to network eventually to offset the medium's different focus.
I don't know who said it, but it was the difference between American and British horror; the latter is more atmospheric, focuses on the characters, and represents the breakdown of order or the rise of superstition. Gothic horror represents this, and what is more Gothic than Ustalav?
As a horror fan, I've really been loving the slow build-up. How are you planning on running the exploration of the house itself? That's where this seems to be heading. Clearly, it's not going to be dungeon crawl in the traditional sense, but there are some obvious ways of preparing for the excursion that involve the rules (purchasing equipment, hirelings, etc.). I suppose what I'm asking is, how nitty-gritty do we want to be about this?
@DD: A homeless, unlucky dwarf 'paladin' who comes across a holy warhammer of Torag. I'll send you the idea over PM. I think you'll enjoy it.
@House: Ever watched Ghostbusters? Yeah. A little like that (load up, go to war).
But feel free to detail any equipment you need. Ardis does not have a very good economy (unless you're looking for dreamcatchers and harrow cards), but we might just find what you need.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Okay, apologies for the delay.
@Dorn: I dig it. Just the right proportion of comic relief and relatability. The module needs some of that, definitely. When I first played through Dragon's Demand, one of our PCs was a herdsman with two cows for animal companions. That contrasted really well with my more straight Taldan knight, of which I assume we're going to have at least one once I get to running the adventure.
@Load Up, Go to War: Very well, I'll have to start thinking up a list of equipment. The most difficult thing for me is justifying why Thaddeus wouldn't hire a small army of mercenaries to go in with him, if he does have the funds. This is about the time when Thaddeus should become a quest-giver for a reasonably leveled group of adventurers, I think. :P
@Dorn: I don't know how I can write up having a flaming weapon as level 1 (when the module begins), but maybe it's flaming a few times per day instead of the magic item. That's a question for once you find the opportunity to GM, of course.
@Quest-Giving: Well, an easy answer is that no mercenary raised in Ardis would willingly enter the house (perhaps they've seen too many demonic possessions and have the required bad will save for martials). You could of course get an army of cybernetic barbarians from Numeria (right next door), but at that point I'm not sure what game we're playing right here. XD
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Some deadlines, and some entirely unrelated unpleasantness. A break won't be needed, I think, though there might be some more delays in coming weeks. Sorry again. I'll try my best to keep up.
Currently, I'm kind of stumped trying to come up with relevant questions for the girl AND figuring out what equipment I might need. The former could obviously influence the latter, though I don't know if any useful information is forthcoming. Mystery is all well and good, but I don't feel like I really have anything to work with when it comes to the preparations. :S
Rest assured that I will provide at least three clues for any mystery resolution.
Edric will call for another meeting between the adults (seems fitting after the night of terrors), and everyone else will provide new information and aid that may help make the next course of action clearer.
Thaddeus, for better or worse, is not alone.
[Evil grin]
Regarding the unpleasantness: want to talk about it?
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
DM Shade wrote:
Rest assured that I will provide at least three clues for any mystery resolution.
Edric will call for another meeting between the adults (seems fitting after the night of terrors), and everyone else will provide new information and aid that may help make the next course of action clearer.
Very well. We should probably move on to that meeting then. I'm having a huge writer's block right now.
DM Shade wrote:
Regarding the unpleasantness: want to talk about it?
Thanks, but I've already had the chance to decompress. I appreciate the offer, though. I really do. :)
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
There, I think I'm ready to skip on. I'm doing my best to turn my frustrations into inspiration, so forgive me the constant internal monologue. Though I suppose that is sort of what we set out to explore in the first place, isn't it?
To be frank, I think an investigation skill would be an appropriate addition to Pathfinder in general. A raw Int doesn't do justice to investigative techniques and doesn't scale well.
Investigation (Int)
You can solve puzzles, uncover mysteries, and piece together information to perform research.
Check: A DC 20 Investigation check gives you a hint or piece of relevant information, or allows you to recall one that concerns a mystery you are investigating. If your fail the check by less than 5, you confuse the hint with another one. If you fail this check by 5 or more, you reach a wild assumption.
Educated Search: If you are in a library and are trying to re-roll a failed knowledge check, a successful investigation check against a DC of 15 divides the duration to search by 4 (originally, takes 1d4 hours).
Dramatic Reveal: When piecing together a deduction and revealing it, you can use the results of an investigation check to perform an intimidate to demoralize if the deduction is accurate. If you exceed the target's DC by 10, they must make a successful Will saving throw (DC equal to your investigation result) or risk letting out another clue (if the mystery is incomplete) or outright admission of their role in the mystery.
Action: Performing an investigation of a subject takes 1 standard action to recall a clue or piece together one.
Try Again: Additional attempts to recall a clue or investigate a subject reveal the same result. A different check can be made only when you have new clues. If you fail on a dramatic reveal check, further attempts to reveal are made at a –5 penalty and may be impossible (GM discretion).
Special. A mystery is a self-contained series of linked events that leave behind clues and hints at every component event.
Locked Door Homicide:
For example: A locked-room homicide is a classic murder mystery. The GM plans out the murder into component events.
A murderer performs reconnaissance and plants a latch on the door and window (event 1); victim enters the room and demands to not be disturbed (event 2); murderer enters the room through the window (event 3); murderer and victim engage and the victim is killed (event 4); murderer escapes through door and uses the latch from event 1 to lock the door from the inside (event 5).
It is recommended to have at least 2 clues for every step; one is in plain sight but is mundane and not telling, and the other is more telling but requires a skill check (such as a Knowledge, Craft, or social skill like Sense Motive).
When applied, the GM designates the following clues.
Clues
Event 1. The latch on the door and window (or traces of the latch if removed), and a possible witness,
Event 2. Witnesses hear the victim, and the victim has a key of the room,
Event 3. Footsteps at the window and the window latch
Event 4. Traces of a struggle or lingering magical auras that indicate a murdering spell, and the position of the victim,
Event 5. The door latch and the tool used to lock the door (string to pull latch, etc.)
Piecing together the events alone is possible above, but the identity of the murderer is another mystery that benefits from clues given in this mystery.
The above example is pieced this way to provide a structured and gradual revelation, and also open the path for restrictions on divination spells. If divinations give clues or events instead of revelations, this could help intrigue campaigns.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Ugh, sorry. I'm still having some trouble wrapping my head around all of this. My notes for this campaign have become so jumbled as to be completely useless. :P
I'll try to throw out some in-character questions to further clarify the situation before formulating a plan. So far, the only thing I've come up with is "staking out" Shiraz by keeping watch on Agatha, perhaps allowing Thaddeus to make more meaningful contact with whatever it is that is haunting them. Does that make any sense?
Oh, and also: I might have missed this or forgotten, but do the dates have any correlation with past events? Was the 8th or 15th of Gozran an anniversary of something specific, or seemingly random?
Speaking of which; I've noticed that one of the positives in solo campaigns is the increased emphasis and character development of NPCs (since with no PCs, the line between PC and NPC is blurred).
Hence, NPCs will usually have a lot more to say. If you feel stumped or wish to keep Thaddeus quiet, the other NPCs will continue interacting. Perhaps that'll give you an opening.
Also, you can interrupt existing dialogues (and cancel out current results) if you wish.
Translation projects and theses eating your time and energy? :O
I had to teach in middle school to get my degree on the final year.
Man, was that a experience...
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Yeah, that's about right. As it is, I likely won't be able to finish my thesis until next fall, which is quite disappointing. I managed to overburden myself by trying to finish both that and my remaining courses at the same time. At least I'll be done with the latter...
Teaching is pretty awful. I did my alternative service in a lower secondary school, working as a teaching assistant. Mostly a positive experience, but it very much convinced me that I needed to become anything but a teacher. Props to those who can handle it, though.
If you need any help with your thesis or a place to bounce your ideas off, I'd like to offer my help. I've helped friends complete and pass their MA dissertations for English and American universities before, so Finnish education shouldn't be that different.
Anyway, if you checked out (and were impressed) by Heroforge, I want to get you an E-voucher for a 3D-printed miniature.
Even if you're more a theater-of-the-mind kind of guy, a mini of your favorite character is a nice trinket to have.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Hey, thanks! I certainly won't say no to free stuff. :P
As for the thesis, I appreciate it, but I mostly lack time. The process is clear, I just need to put in the hours. If I do run into any obstacles, I'll certainly take you up on your offer, though.
According to Ardis's population and wealth limit (12,000 and 8,000, respectively), all above items are available with good searching.
The question is their necessity and how to pay for them without selling anything: one-use items that cost 600-1,100+?
Remember when I said abandon previous presumptions regarding this game? Salt can work to abjure even if it isn't Abjurant Salt, so long as your willpower is strong enough.
You just have to believe...
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Well, since Thaddeus still has no concrete idea of what to prepare for, he would prepare for every likely eventuality—in this case, mainly evil outsiders and undead. As for money, I assume he would empty his savings account and loan the rest from his cousins. He asked for their support earlier with this in mind.
OOC, I'm totally cool with doing away with presumptions, but IC, Thaddeus would likely not feel comfortable going in with just a salt shaker. Of course, like carrying around a firearm in Call of Cthulhu, all of these expensive magical items might only be good for a feeling of false security. I'm okay with that. :P
@Savings: Makes sense.
If going by normal WPL rules, it's fair to say Thaddeus has 2,000 gp (sans everything he already purchased in-character). Just declare how much cash you have left, and how much you loaned from the rest, and we can continue on.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
Actually, as a second-level character, that would be 1000 gp. If I recall correctly, that's what I used as a guideline when buying my starting equipment. You did give me physician's spectacles for free, however, so would it be fair to say that Thaddeus sells that to be able to afford all the equipment? Or maybe pawns them, so he can get them back in case he doesn't need the one-use stuff.
Back as promised! Le summer vacation is 4 months here. Amazin.
How about you?
We're also at the third act of the solo campaign! >:D
And how did the Heroforge thing work out for you? They keep adding new stuff without announcing it.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
I wish I had vacation! Training courses for the mandatory Swedish course begin next Tuesday, and I have to start working on my thesis in earnest. At least I've had a week or so to decompress.
As for Heroforge, I'm still struggling with what to get. I'll try to make a decision this weekend.
I'll also try to get back into swing of posting here, especially since we're nearing the end of the campaign. Maybe. Sort of. Feels like it, at least. I've been having some trouble grasping the character of late, but having a definite goal might help me focalise Ol' Tad a bit.
Male Human (Varisian) Forensic Physician 2 | AC 13 | HP 13/15 | Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +4; +2 vs. poison | CMB +0, CMD 12 | Init +2 | Perception +6
So, is the gate impossible to climb, or just challenging? Also, did anyone in the group bring a lantern? That's the one thing I seem to have forgotten. :P
@GAte: If Thaddeus brings up the climbing idea, Agatha is pregnant (early months), Arline is obese (as mentioned earlier), and Maddox suffers an old leg wound. Edric and Thaddeus could technically do it (with enough tries given their low strength and age), but the gate is locked from the inside. A key can possibly be found somewhere.
@Lantern: Not a lantern, no. A couple of candles (plus tindertwigs) and a sunrod. They're still new at this whole adventuring thing. XD
I'll post tomorrow in case you want to add something with this information.
