The amount of gold is a carryover from what I had before, which could have been wrong. All I did was add the pay for this week.
However, it is clear that you do a much better job at keeping track of things so I will not argue. Just let me know how much you think Pellius should have.
I'll post later in the game play thread.
Sorry guys once again for the delay with updates. Started a new full time contract at work and it's proving more difficult than anticipated to keep all the balls in the air.
Should have something up tomorrow.
Going to be out of town until Tuesday, and won't be able to post during that time. Feel free to DMPC my character as needed.
@ Pellius; my records put your gp total as either 26 gp or 47 gp. Benefit of the doubt, let's set it at 47 gp.
Just a heads-up to say Typhoon Wutip is heading my way. If it strikes central Vietnam directly there's a possibility I might loose my Internet (plus power, water, but hopefully not the roof) for a few days. Reports vary about whether it's turning north or not; guess I find out tomorrow!
Just a heads-up to say Typhoon Wutip is heading my way. If it strikes central Vietnam directly there's a possibility I might loose my Internet (plus power, water, but hopefully not the roof) for a few days. Reports vary about whether it's turning north or not; guess I find out tomorrow!
Stay safe!
In the end the typhoon veered north. We only got a lot of rain, but 200 km north where my wife is at the moment all the hell broke loose. Two sister-in-laws lost their roofs.
I didn't even get a day off work. Secretly I was rather looking forward to experiencing the full force of a typhoon.
Got a job interview today, but updates will be forthcoming over the course of late-tonight and early-tomorrow.
I'll also aim to update tomorrow. Sorry for the delay!
Oops! Didn't mean to leave that ambiguous. Pellius left the ball in Pollyanna's, I mean Pyotr's court. So, we're off to see the wayward knight, who Pyotr is certain has been unjustly accused!
I'll have a post regarding that up after work unless the DM or Pellius beats me to it.
The Freedom Town map is finished and can be viewed by clicking on these words. A link has also been added to the Campaign Info tab for easy reference.
Very nice. Is the town like a slum (i.e., no other main roads than those shown)? I'm just asking because I noticed that not all 'homes' have access to a 'street'.
Thanks Pellius. A slum's a good description; it's a chaotic mess of mainly ramshackle buildings. The main roads are marked in brown, but all the spaces in between can be considered alleys; it's a real maze in the more rundown end of town.
About an hour before bed here. Depending on Mrs. Tadpole's desires, I'll be updating shortly or first thing in the morning!
Nah, I'll keep my action despite the lack of bonus xp. =P
It was a tactical decision. I wouldn't retcon it just because it was the wrong decision. Pyotr will figure it out when he emerges on a conspicuously non-chase-scene street.
Typhoon Nari - no power, no internet, no gameplay posts for about 24 hour :-(
Stay safe!
I'm still around. Lots of things going on at home. Should have a post up by morning.
It's been intense. We're okay but a lot of damage in the city. Power and water back but no Internet for 3 days. 3g on phone inadequate for proper posts. Might be able to get a USB modem tomorrow.
Still no Internet at home. To make a post I have to go to a cafe eith wifi.
No opportunity today.
I have a housewarming/engagement party for my fiance and me, this weekend, which is soon to consume much of my time. On top of that, I have staff meetings and management meetings this week, AND I will have a new manager trainee starting this week...
DM can probably tell you from his recent experience... It never rains, but it pours! =)
Expect my posting to be a bit spotty for a week or so. Quick combat posts shouldn't be a problem, though.
No idea what happened w my profile....when I leveled up I had 2gp, so unless 2 + 5 = 22 in Golarion I have no idea. retconning that last post.........
My records put you on 5 gp in your pocket (prior to paying Sleer) and 17 gp in Dierik's strongbox. I'm pretty sure that's accurate. I've been developing a spreadsheet to track expendables for the PCs, which I might see if I can linkify in the long term if it proves worthwhile.
I ask everyone to do their best to keep their character sheets up to date, but I know it's difficult given the disjointed pace of a PbP. I aim to be the irrefutable reference point in the future, should you get confused!
DM can probably tell you from his recent experience... It never rains, but it pours! =)
Thanks for the heads up Pyotr.
I wonder where our skinnier half-orc is?
As for the typhoon, it's good to be finally back online. If I have a free minute over the next couple of days I'll share some of the pictures of the damage.
He's waiting for an opportunity to pin-cushion the old assassin haha. Hopefully before Pellius' luck runs out.
He's waiting for an opportunity to pin-cushion the old assassin haha. Hopefully before Pellius' luck runs out.
You better hurry because Pellius' luck is about to run out. You are right and he has been incredibly lucky (30 hit points of damage in 2 rounds) but I get the feeling that this NPC wasn't meant to be chased.
Oh well, like a good soldier, Pellius will go down fighting so bring some healing potions!
A proper post later tonight.
Game on!
Dear players, please allow me to take a moment to both thank and congratulate you on taking Follow the Flood Road to 1,000 posts. We may not have got there as quickly as some other campaigns, but considering a post in this campaign usually has several times more content than most of its contemporaries, I think we can feel rightly proud of ourselves. I’m enjoying myself enormously, and I hope you are too.
With that last clause in mind, I’d also like to take this opportunity to ask for feedback on the campaign. I’d appreciate your comments, be they positive or negative, and I’ll endeavour to take them on board as we continue our adventures.
I’d also want to make some observations of my own regarding where and how things are going.
• hopefully, following holidays and typhoons, my own posting schedule can become a little more consistent. That being said, life for me, for various reasons, is busier than it was when this campaign was launched. I’d still like to aim for a post a day as our default value (especially during combat), but I might not manage that 100% of the time, and I’ll try not to moan too much if my players’ are in the same boat. Even so, I appreciate posting as regularly as you can, even if you feel your PC hasn’t got anything to do or say in a given scene. I think there’re always subtle angles to explore, and even if there aren’t, ‘Boris scratches his backside and stares idly at the sky’ is preferred to silence.
• Following Dunagan’s departure, we mooted the idea of inviting extra players (I’d imagine two would be an optimum number) when the caravan arrived at the Freedom Town. With my various disruptions I’ve postponed rerecruitment; how do you guys feel about this at this juncture? Personally I’m in two minds; I feel like we’ve established a good rhythm with just four PCs and I’m a little hesitant to rock the boat. On the other hand, introducing new blood’s always fun to take the campaign in unexpected directions. Plus, if new PCs are going to join then the Freedom Town is the most logical place to introduce them to the evolving storyline.
• Thus far, I’ve put my focus into planting a lot of seeds for later germination in the campaign. I’m pretty happy there are numerous plots developing, many of them directly tied to expanding and challenging the PCs. I’ve rough ‘arcs’ in mind for many of the characters, some occurring in the near future and some for much later in the game. And of course, your actions are always opening up new possibilities and directions.
The other side of the coin is that the campaign might have felt a bit ‘slow’ at times. I recognise that sometimes I have a tendency to limit the dramatic horizons early in a campaign; so when things eventually start getting more epic it feels more meaningful. I think this campaign has a lot of interesting stories to tell, but that we’re just getting started.
• Somewhat related to the last, it might not have slipped your attention that although the PCs have seen many of a dead orc or their adventures, they’ve yet to have the opportunity to ‘make’ a dead orc. Considering they’re being painted as the main villains for the time being, this does seem a bit odd.
Well, it’s not a bait and switch. In the long-term, they’ll be a great deal of orc-slaying to be done (plus occasions when more diplomatic solutions will be required) in Follow the Flood Road. In fact, I’m very aware that when the PCs really get into the Hold of Belkzen, they’ll likely be fighting orcs a lot. Whilst I’ve got a number of tricks up my sleeve to keep that interesting, I’ve been holding back the orcs whilst the PCs are in the borderlands and exploring some more unexpected opponents.
There’s also a mechanical motivation. With ferocity and a penchant for heavy-hitting two handed weapons orcs can be dangerous foes, and I’ve been wary of throwing the PCs at orcs when a lucky crit could bring the curtain down prematurely on their career.
• what are your thoughts regarding the frequency of combat? I imagine it’s been a little less than many people’s expectations, though it will certainly be a more common occurrence when the PCs enter the Hold. I get as much from the more role-play orientated challenges as I do from the fighting (though bloodshed’s fun too!), but I can throw more battle and ruin into the campaign if the desire is there!
Equally, I know I’ve not been particularly generous thus far in terms of gold, gear and magic, nor have I made selling or obtaining stuff especially easy . I feel these small challenges add to the realism (and the fun), but if it’s too much I can loosen the reins a bit.
Most important, thanks again for being part of this and all thoughts and comments welcome.
No matter how good you think we players are; it's you the Gm that makes or breaks this type of game so congratulations to you!
Now on to feedback; I love feedback.
Posting frequency will ebb and flow with player's lives, interests, etc. but a one post per day is still a good goal to strive for. Most of my posting is reduced to night time but there may be a night when I'm just too busy.
I'm all for extra players. I think one or two more would be ideal and will help with the posting frequency 'issue'. If 4-5 people posts every day then the game really moves.
Seeds are appreciated. I know I 'missed' my seed with the carrion golem but I tried to stay true to Pellius character by not 'parleying' with the abomination. I'm sure you'll find a way to keep Pellius' brother story alive.
I think you're doing a good job with the challenges, leveling. Going up levels is nice because it gives the PCs more options but the challenges get harder as well.
I think you're a bit too obsessive with the mundane item/gold tracking but as long as you don;t mind keeping good track of stuff then I'll always rely on you for those things.
I think combat is going fairly rapid for a PBP so no worries there. Maybe something you may want to incorporate is some sort of 'status' for the NPCs. I was really sweating bullets in this last fight because I thought that I hadn't done much damage to my opponent. I use a percentage system in my PBEM games:
100% of hitpoints: Healthy;
75 to 100% hitpoints: light wounds;
50 to 75% hitpoints: medium wounds;
25 to 50% hitpoints: serious wounds; and
0 to 25% hitpoints: critical wounds.
Maybe you can adopt something similar.
In summary, you're doing a great job and I'm enjoying the game very much.
A lot of times the once-a-day guideline is going to simply be out of reach for me. This is largely my own fault for taking on so many PbPs at the same time (one of which my own creation), with a healthy sprinkle of work and social encounters eating up other opportunities. I'll continue trying to pipe up as often as I can, and some times will be easier than others. I tend to prefer offering longer and more involved posts when I do get around to it, but I'll try to sprinkle in a few less involved ones here and there going forward (I can do those from my mobile device, so there's a plus).
I like the cohesion we've got going on with the current group, but I still think some added depth in the roster would go a long way. Both for more interactions (thus more posts) and to help facilitate an easier road forward should any of the current lineup have to bow out of the game in the future for any reason.
I find that I worry less about the pace of PbPs than I do tabletop sessions. The very nature of the format is a lazier approach for me, and I don't mean that in a derogatory way—it's something interesting and sporadically involved to help pass hours that might have otherwise been passed doing far more boring and frivolous tasks. Then there are those occasional days where the schedule is wide open and you can't hit Refresh fast enough, too. Anyways, take as long as the story needs is my vote.
Orcs as low level goons has been done to death, so I'm actually kinda glad we're not taking the usual climb from gobbos and orcs and then working our way on up the CR chain. I love NPCs as bad guys over monsters. You see a monster, you make a knowledge check—fight, fight, fight because you recognize it for what it is. You see a Taldan man wearing heavy armor and a falcata at his hip, you don't know what's coming; maybe he's an involved plot-point, a potential ally, or maybe he's just a thug hired to beat the tar out of you. I will clarify here that us fighting orcs is not going to elicit any eye-rolling from me going forward. From what has been said so far, it looks like we might even be able to have some amicable encounters with them on down the road. Looking forward to it, regardless.
I prefer interaction to straight up hack-and-slash. I enjoy the pace that has been set thus far. There's a certain element of enjoyment to tactical decisions in an encounter, sure. At the same time, there is such a thing as too much combat for me, and no such thing as too much roleplaying. So long as combats feel like they serve the situation and aren't just encounters strung along in front of us to bridge the gap between levels (and that has certainly not been the case) everything is gravy.
I really have nothing negative to impart to the conversation, aside from maybe a self reprimand for not having a more frequent posting record. Nothing has bored, upset, or irked me. I occasionally have to google words to figure out what you're talking about, but I don't mind that either; expanding the vocab is always a plus.
I think the posting rate is pretty good for the group as a whole. Only the weekends are kind of sparse, and that's pretty common and expected (and frankly, as much due to my availability). I feel like everyone, DM included has been pretty up-front about absences, etc. So everything seems to move right along.
I'm sort of... wishy-washy? on this one. I keep thinking it would be great to have a full caster in the group... But, then I think, "Why, really?" I think it's possible I might be brainwashed into believing that a group can't survive or succeed in a d20RPG without one. Now, where do we keep the kool-aid?
Edit: I realize this didn't actually answer anything. If we decide to add another player, I'm fine with that. I'd like them to be added earlier rather than later, though. It may alter how I build Pyotr going forward.
I like a lot of the seeds you've dropped. I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing many/most/all of them bear fruit. Rosenholt is certainly working his way towards major adversary status, and Del has gotten himself into a pretty serious pickle!
I'm not super concerned about an over-arching mega-plot. Episodic type adventures and Sandboxes are always fun, though it can be more work on the DM. What I do wonder, is will we have opportunity to sort-of... cut the apron strings from the caravan? Without actually abandoning the caravan? I wouldn't mind being able to go off on our own, without necessarily having to be back by morning. Sanctioned scouting missions, maybe?
I have very little doubt that we will eventually be surfeit with the tusk-toothed blaggards. I share Bonegrit's sentiment... gobby-orc-ogre-giant has been done to death. But, that leaves a lot of opportunity to take one of those and make a really interesting adversary(ies) out of them. I'm really looking forward to seeing Belkzen!
I wouldn't mind some more combat, but I don't feel like it's being neglected. I actually prefer low-wealth campaigns, though I've hardly ever seen them. I dislike even the idea that every mook and macguffin has magic arms and armor. Most players I encounter, however seem to need massive amounts of wealth and magic to enjoy themselves, so I go with the flow. This is better.
AND I am loving the fact that we have to hunt down a buyer for obscure items! Ah... verisimilitude... how I've missed you!
I also hate the idea of selling a magical weapon because you now have a better one. What I do in my games is have a weapon (or armor, whatever) that actually gains abilities as the PC gains levels.
So one of the PCs in my game is an Ulfen priest/fighter who obtained a +1 greatsword. That sword will eventually become +1 frost, etc. The awakenings of the new powers are usually set off by a special event (killing a certain foe or some sort of ritual). So we keep the wealth balance by RAW but make the items unique and interesting. I usually ask a player to come up with some sort of story/legend if they want a specific power. It works great for roleplaying.
I'm not sure about the "awakening power" style... It has a real Inuyasha-Tensaiga feel to it. I do like unique items, though. I once had a hammer that, rather than doing additional damage, would stun a foe for a single round on a critical hit. It wasn't the best weapon in the world, but way more fun to have than a +1 shocking warhammer, which is probably what I would have bought given the value of the unique one.
You will not find a more staunch opponent to the assumed wealth-by-level and magic item creation rules than myself, likely. I tend not to gripe too loud because the they are so firmly bolted onto the system that bending them can cause things to break, but I think they are horribly generic and rigidly uninspired. For me, it takes away the thrill of exploration when everything you find is just another expression of Gold Pieces. I miss the days (of older editions) where finding a truly awesome treasure would facilitate an entirely new direction for a player. It's just hard to divorce that logic when your entire feat tree is based around one single type of weapon.
In regard to unique, evolving items? I am all for them if it suits the item, but not in general. If someone finds a random +1 longsword of no real significance in a treasure hoard, I have a hard time imagining why it should become more by virtue of being owned (plus, that kind of stuff marginalizes stuff like Black Blade Magi, where having a scaling item is part of the archetype's perk to begin with). On the other hand, if said sword was once employed by a Barbarian-King of the the Linnorm Kingdoms thousands of years ago but now lies dormant on an altar in said king's tomb as the crown jewel of his treasures... that sounds like a lot to work with. Even so, it becomes a bit contrived if every one of us miraculously finds such a relic in various tombs around the area (especially so when said items conveniently conform to our chosen builds).
I think Ultimate Campaign has actually introduced some downtime mechanics to mitigate that problem with retraining. Granted, it is dependent on having downtime in the first place, but it allows you to replace Feats with new ones. You can even replace the Feats with ones you didn't qualify for initially. (Meaning, a Bard who retrains at third level could replace his first level Feat with Weapon Focus, whereas it wasn't possible at first level due to insufficient BAB)
Extra players
It seems like there is a general, cautious consensus in favour of this. As such, I’ll reopen recruitment today or tomorrow for about a week. I think I’ll look for two players to join the campaign, bringing us to the classic ‘six person’ adventuring group of yesterdays. Thus if one flakes out we’re not back to square one.
When recruitment’s open again, feel free to add your two cents on the applicants (any serious misgivings send me a PM) and trumpet the wonders of our campaign.
We’ll keep an eye out for suitable healers or full casters, but ultimately choose whoever fits the vibe of the campaign best regardless of class.
Cutting ties to the caravan
Pyotr hits upon a something I struggle with myself here. As you’ve no doubt realised, I put a lot of stock in verisimilitude. The conundrum is; if Dierik’s hired the PCs to defend his caravan, how will he benefit from sending them away from it? Current events could conspire to stop him calling the shots for a little while, but in the long run I’ll look into logical ways of providing the PCs with more freedom to explore. On the other hand, I also enjoy the RP angle that emerges from the clash of interests.
Like I’ve said before, from the DM’s perspective the caravan is a great plot contrivance around which to string the campaign. That being said, I’ve no fears of casting things into the great unknown and creating a true sandbox if the PCs and Dierik part ways, although in general they seem to be binding rather than breaking their connections with Dierik and the crew.
It’s also worth mentioning that I’m not entirely sure if the caravan’s destined to complete its journey or not. There are a great many threats out on the Flood Road, and some maybe too grave for even the PCs to overcome . . .
Orcs, orcs, orcs!
I’m glad everyone’s happy to let the orcs wait. They’ll certainly be coming. The evil DM in me can’t help mentioning that in my idle hours I’ve been adding to a seven page and counting word doc of different orc builds using various classes, feats and archetypes to create different opponents from the distinctly mookish to the horrifically destructive. Also the further north we go the closer we get to the Realm of the Mammoth Lords – then I get to start playing with all kinds of prehistoric critters!
How much blood’s he leaking, sir?
Pellius touching on a wider point I’d like to pontificate on when he mentions some kind of health tracking for NPCs. When it comes to describing the action, hit points are an abstraction of how close to death a creature is, and interpreting them can be tricky. This is especially true at higher levels, where with high attack bonuses many blows are landed, but there are many hit points to soak them up. Narratively, it begins to feel like a ‘death of a thousand cuts’ (especially with low DPS builds), and you begin to struggle to find a clean place on a foe’s body to describe a blow being landed.
I’ve known more than one DM who only describes a strike landing if it’s a successful critical, whilst all other successful attacks where hit points are deducted are portrayed as wearing down a creature’s stamina without necessarily drawing blood. Of course, there are many situations where this doesn’t work (e.g. archery, magic, unarmed combat), but I like it as a general rule of thumb. If I went with this direction, I’d of course ensure there was a clear ooc summary which clarified the situation in terms of mechanics. Any thoughts?
To go back to Pellius’ main point, well the evil DM in me did quietly enjoy him ‘sweating buckets’ over his duel with Tharkon (who was built with the assumption that at least two or three PCs would be taking him on simultaneously). But rather than indulge such wicked proclivities, as a general rule in future combats I’ll ooc label creatures as ‘bloodied’ (without the 4 ed. implications) when they fall below 50% hit points. I’m not inclined to go further than that, as if I recall correctly there are spells that monitor opponents’ hit points and I don’t want to detract from those. Also, for some creature types (e.g. some kinds of undead or constructs, oozes and their ilk) I’d rule it’s harder to assess the damage, and purposefully leave you in the dark regarding how much more damage you need to deal out.
Old school wealth and magic item acquisition
It’s good to see that we seem to be largely on the same page in this area, particularly with the magic items. Enchanted gear can be bought and sold, but as a general rule not without a little effort, and whilst there are places to buy magic (part of the reason Zriorinta was added to the caravan), stock will be limited and rather random. I like to maintain the sense of wonder when it comes to magic items. As I’ve previously discussed with Dunagan, I’m all for magic item creation, but in an organic, ‘quest to find the raw materials then RP its creation’ way, as it was in the earlier additions.
With regards to different kinds of magic items, expect to see the usual suspects resting alongside homebrew creations and obscure items gleaned from older sourcebooks. I’m certainly not against more powerful items that level with the wielder, but prefer to make those the exception rather than the rule.
I've just re-opened the recruitment thread :-)
Seeds are appreciated. I know I 'missed' my seed with the carrion golem but I tried to stay true to Pellius character by not 'parleying' with the abomination. I'm sure you'll find a way to keep Pellius' brother story alive.
Have no fear on that score. More clues will come in time.
I think you're a bit too obsessive with the mundane item/gold tracking but as long as you don;t mind keeping good track of stuff then I'll always rely on you for those things.
I don’t mind being obsessive. At the very least I’m self-aware! Like I said, I’ve set up an excel spreadsheet to give my pedantry full expression.
I'll continue trying to pipe up as often as I can, and some times will be easier than others. I tend to prefer offering longer and more involved posts when I do get around to it, but I'll try to sprinkle in a few less involved ones here and there going forward
That’s cool, and always note and appreciate the craft that goes into the posts you do make.
On retraining
Although I haven’t studied the rules in depth, I must say I feel rather unconvinced by the notion of retraining. I find it hard to realistically justify the notion of PCs forgetting certain feats in order to learn others.
Yeah, I think those rules are, for the most part, firmly in the realm of metagame. Which isn't always terrible. Sometimes things don't work out the way people intend. I think the period of time spent learning something would ease or stiffen how organic it feels in character. Going from Weapon Focus: Longsword to Weapon Focus: Whip in the span of a week would be ludicrous, for example.
no healer submissions yet? I was hoping.....
Perhaps you should drop a post in recruitment yourself, Del, raving about how as a player being part of this campaign has been a life-changing, life-affirming experience. It's made you fitter, faster and more successful with the ladies . . . :-)
I just thought I'd mention that some of the personages and features of the Freedom Town have been borrowed with permission from DM Frogfoot's Wastes of Belkzen campaign. It's a very different take on the area, and rather more rollicking wild-west adventure than our own campaign, but it's worth taking a look at.
Marshall Oswald, for example, comes from that campaign. So does the white obelisk in the centre of the town.
However, bear in mind that Frogfoot's Marshall Oswald and my own may not have a great deal in common!
I think we've exhausted the possibility of getting Tharkon to give us the antidote. Seems like he's set on walking once he's given it, not dependent on whether Dierik survives. I'm not... or well, Pyotr's not really in favor of that.
I say we go and see Del's hermit, and see what he knows. After we figure out how to get some healing... Pyotr has 1 LoH's left...
On the Laws of Vigil, Iomedean Teachings, and your Nefarious Prisoner
With our intractable prisoner refusing to spill the beans and a paladin in the party, I thought it’d be useful to shine a spotlight on a few relevant areas – namely, how the laws of Vigil would treat this situation, where Iomedae’s teaching intersect, and the implications certain actions might have upon a paladin’s vows.
Consider the following to apply to humans. With orcs, views are somewhat more lax.
Vigil’s laws are heavily influenced by the widespread faith in Iomedae. Of course, they don’t apply in the Freedom Town, but they’re the most likely point of reference for those PCs who have grown up there.
First of all, the Shield and Sword Marks that the majority of citizens bear do something to limit criminal activity within the city. Tempering justice with mercy is part of the Sword Mark oath, and Vigil’s lawmakers do their best to put noble intention before base necessity as much as possible whilst ensuring the city’s continued security.
Trials are civic, but the presence of a priest of Iomedae is a formality always observed. Punishment for serious crimes usually takes the form of a mark of justice binding the guilty to some form of indentured servitude (often a rotation serving on the front lines). Execution is rare, and only used in some instances of murder or high treason, with the condemned being beheaded cleanly with a sword (not a public event). Other forms of capital punishment are not used.
Obviously, things in the Freedom Town are quite a bit different. The PCs could talk to some of the NPCs or make a Gather Information check to find out more.
Iomedae values honour and justice, but also kindness and love. For the majority of her followers, torture is considered unacceptable; however grave a situation might be (although a little rough-handling might pass without comment). More militant groups do exist (the Swords of the Allure being a historical example of such) with a more hardline attitude, and reports of some crusaders falling out of Iomedae’s light and indulging in brutal frontier justice continue to trouble the church.
Iomedeans judge crime by the standards of their own beliefs rather than the laws of whatever realm they find themselves in (although of course in Lastwall such things run closely together). A trial of some kind is required before punishment can be passed. Execution or capital punishment is almost never considered an acceptable punishment for a crime. Instead, a wrongdoer must be given the opportunity for redemption. However criminals who remain a clear and present threat might be incarcerated or banished.
The Inheritor’s Crusaders (the prestige class) are not numerous, but often play an important role in law. In the presence of a Crusader, a trial can be eschewed in favour of the Sword Against Injustice, a special power granted to Iomedae’s most faithful. In this situation, a naked blade is struck against the perpetrator, rebounding if the accused is innocent and striking home if they are guilty. Such blows are only made to be killing strokes in the gravest of crimes, and when the criminal shows no remorse for his actions.
Finding a Crusader in the Freedom Town is decidedly unlikely!
I think everyone’s been roleplaying their anger with Tharkon admirably.
However, if Pyotr allowed Tharkon to be tortured to retrieve any information he might have concerning the antidote, his paladinhood would be in jeopardy. The same would apply should Tharkon be executed (or have his hand lopped off) without trial.
Of course Pellius is also a follower of Iomedae, although I imagine coming from a Chelaxian family his outlook might be a little grittier.
At this point, Bonegrit doesn't really hold Tharkon responsible for the deed. Maybe being less socialized than most gives him a unique perspective, but he sees the assassin as little more than another weapon. Punishing his thugs won't stop the man from continuing to send them; which is why he wanted Tharkon to go back and perforate Haisnar instead. Granted, I really don't expect Pyotr to be too keen on that notion (and maybe some others as well) but that impasse should be interesting should it develop.
On Recruitment: something that might help with deciding on some new faces would be a writing sample. As an entry fee have them write a small scene in-character as directed by the GM. Gives you a good idea of their writing style at a glance.
Bonegrit, you face is different!!! :-)
I hope you don't mind Pellius reaction to the whole situation. Yes, he is a devout follower of Iomedae but he's also a gritty, non-b$++!&~~ soldier. His recent experiences with his brother and squad haven't earned him any compassion points either.
The idea of someone getting caught in an assassination attempt and wanting to walk away whole just rubs him the wrong way.
Yeah. The old one (a hobgoblin, no less) didn't capture much beyond him being scrawny. The new picture's face is more or less spot on, ignoring the armor shooting up all around his collar.