GM Blood's Age of Worms in Golarion

Game Master David James Olsen

This is the discussion thread for my Age of Worms game. Come here for out of character discussion.

Everyone check in as your characters. I will be working on tidbits for all of you before we start. I aim to begin next week at some point.

As a tidbit to start out, you will all be traveling to Diamond Point, a small mining town. You will have met briefly before you set out for Diamond Point, some of you can even have some shared backstories. You will have a shared mission though.

More detail to come.

Welcome

Rowena Lordail
Trevor the Yellow
Rauno Redpath
Kelkzar Redjaw
Lessien Nenmacil
Quintus, Human Cleric of Sarenrae (John Woodford) Didn't see an made alias

During the journey, Lessien offers to brew curing potions for her companions at the full discounted price, as something to keep busy and help the group prepare for whatever happens.

I can brew cure light potions for 25gp apiece for anyone who wants them.

This game will have the Empyreal Lords as an important thread throughout the game. Rowena and Kelkzar follow them, Quintus is a follower of Sarenrae and ex Empyreal Lord, and Trevor follows Iomedae who's herald used to work for them.

You will all start in Wolf's Ear, gathering for the first time and will get your mission. Some of you can know each other (up to you). I see Lessien and Ruano having met before, as well as possibly Rowena and Kelkzar.

I'd like to email some things back and forth for background outside the game if you are all willing here is my address. Email me and I will send you some things and you can all determine how much to reveal and when.

Rauno has been around town for years, so many of you may have met him. Especially if you had a need for a scribe, a translator, an attorney or a sage. While you have always seen him in scholarly robes around town, now that the group has leaft for Diamond Point, he has switched into much more practical traveling clothes. He still wears colorful Varisian scarves though including one across his chest like a sash; that hasn't changed.

Rauno has always been aimiable, especially to locals. As likeable as he can be, though, it is offset by his slightly unnerving feeling you get around him that he knows what you are thinking or what you will be doing.

Edit: Email sent to the address you provided.

I'm sure Rauno and I have met before. I have bought some almost used up wands to perform experiments on in the past, trying to use science to access arcane power, and I've provided freelance alchemical consultation and medical services since graduating.

Edit: Not sure anyone will really need many curing potions with the composition of this group :) But, for emergencies they are handy.

Hello All!
Thanks for the opportunity.
I'll post a little more in a few hours.

Hooray! We're a Hexastich. I never asked, but is all that stuff I made up for the Empyreal Way (my superstar organization before finding out the organization needed to be antagonistic, and before my round item got destroyed by the judges)?

I definitely don't mind Rowena knowing Kelkzar (indeed, she would be trying to convince him to join the Way, where he'd find some of that acceptance he wants). She's not the greatest speaker, though, and is fairly insular herself.

Hello, checking in and then off to do some reading in everyone's profiles, especially about the Way. More later.

Rowena has been updated with the change of name you wanted, and an alternate method of her escape from Magnimar.

Kelkzar, if you have some further ideas on how to develop the Empyreal Way, by all means.

Updated my background to tie into the story as we find out more.

Rauno: I'd say at the Academy we were part of a circle of friends and knew each other reasonably well, but not best friends. I was always bookish and spent too much time in the lab to get really close to anybody.

Lessien, that sounds great to me. I'm not sure I would want to set a rivalry dynamic beyond the occasional glance that conveys the message "Do you see what I just did there? Now don't you wish you'd studied wizardy/alchemy instead?"

As long as the GM doesn't have any objections, Rauno will take Lessien up on the offer of an at-cost potion during the trip. Even with an inquisitor, cleric and paladin in the party, you can never be too careful.

And I think I've met Trevor before... Wasn't it up around Falcon's Hollow...? :)

Lessien, that sounds great to me. I'm not sure I would want to set a rivalry dynamic beyond the occasional glance that conveys the message "Do you see what I just did there? Now don't you wish you'd studied wizardy/alchemy instead?"

As long as the GM doesn't have any objections, Rauno will take Lessien up on the offer of an at-cost potion during the trip. Even with an inquisitor, cleric and paladin in the party, you can never be too careful.

And I think I've met Trevor before... Wasn't it up around Falcon's Hollow...? :)

I think recognizing but not really knowing each other is a great option.

Rowena and Kelkzar, update for you two tomorrow but its late tonight and need to go to sleep.

Potion will only take 2 hours so I can brew one up during downtime assuming we have enough time while we're traveling. If GM approves, drop 25 and you've got it.

If Trevor was in our general area, there's a decent chance he might recognize me from my time as a traveling healer, but I probably wouldn't remember him in particular.

New version of Kelkzar's backstory has been posted with ties to Rowena and Trevor. Happy to make further tweaks. I think this would also work with us meeting Trevor on the way to Wolf's Ear and having the connection between his armor and Kelkzar's time in Vigil if Trevor does not want to have spent time in Lastwall.

Everyone, I have started to post a few things in the Campaign Info tab. I have a link to a Example Map, How I will do initiative, and a spoiler status format to use during combat.

This is my first time running a PBP but I have played in a few. If anyone else has any suggestions or things they did in other pbps to help things along let me know and I will think on adding it.

(You'll have to scroll down a bit on the map to see the first room)

GM Blood, I think you've hit the big ones I can think of. Having you roll initiative makes things go much, much smoother.

New version of Kelkzar's backstory has been posted with ties to Rowena and Trevor. Happy to make further tweaks. I think this would also work with us meeting Trevor on the way to Wolf's Ear and having the connection between his armor and Kelkzar's time in Vigil if Trevor does not want to have spent time in Lastwall.

That would be a good way. Trevor would be very excited and interested in knowing more about Lastwall and the cause.

Ok, since it seems we probably need to meet you on the way to Wolf's Ear maybe we hook up in Galduria? Just need to figure out a way to get you heading north. I'll update my background once we get it all worked out.

One thing I could suggest, borrowed from DM Barcas, and not everybody's cup of tea because one has to trust the players to be honest and not meta game, is to post the enemies' stats, such as hp, AC, and saves. This serves to save time waiting for you to resolve things such as telling us if an attack hit or not, or finding out if a monster makes a save, plus we get to cinematically describe the results of our attacks and spells.

Rolling initiative for everybody is good, as are passive checks like Perception checks anytime we enter a new area, Stealth checks if the group is trying to be sneaky, etc.

I took some liberties and fleshed out that first meeting a bit (sorry, Trevor, but how often does one get to actually kick a paladin in the holy jewels?). Rowena's had a rough go of things in her life, and when strange men just show up, her knee-jerk reaction is usually quite literally that.

All right, that is too good to pass up, but I think Trevor wants a less direct connection with Lastwall. So, Kelkzar and Trevor meet on the road between Wartle and Magnimar. Kelkzar remarks on the paladin's armor, Trevor learns about Kelkzar's time in Lastwall and asks a ton of questions about Vigil.

Sounds good. Rauno and I will meet you guys for the first time in Wolf's Ear then.

Map looks nice and clean, and having GM Blood make any rolls he can will definitely speed things up.

All right, that is too good to pass up, but I think Trevor wants a less direct connection with Lastwall. So, Kelkzar and Trevor meet on the road between Wartle and Magnimar. Kelkzar remarks on the paladin's armor, Trevor learns about Kelkzar's time in Lastwall and asks a ton of questions about Vigil.

Works perfect for me.

Ok, I thought about it last night and wanted your guy's input. I am willing to put AC up and I'll think about hps. Here is an example of what i was thinking

Stats are from Here

You enter the large room and there is a creature digging a hole in the corner. This tall creature has rough, green hide. Its hands end in claws, and its bestial face has a hideous, tusked underbite.

Initiative Order

Trevor, Lessien, Kelkzar, Monster, Quintus, Ruano

Knowledge (local) to identify it.

I'm good either way. I think it is interesting to build in the Knowledge checks that way although I don't think that applies to non-monstrous foes (If it does, I need to brush up on my GMing). I've never tried it this way, but certainly willing to.

You are correct the DC checks for information will just be for monstrous foes.

Also if there are multiple type of monsters or NPCs in a fight I will roll for the different groups separately (but not each foe individually)

I'm good with whatever you wish to try. Personally, I like the DM to resolve and not the player.

Anyhow, things can always be revisited once we've done a few fights.

Worried that might be too much work for you, we can see how it goes.

Ok, I thought about it last night and wanted your guy's input. I am willing to put AC up and I'll think about hps. Here is an example of what i was thinking

Stats are from Here

Room Description wrote:

You enter the large room and there is a creature digging a hole in the corner. This tall creature has rough, green hide. Its hands end in claws, and its bestial face has a hideous, tusked underbite.

Initiative Order

Trevor, Lessien, Kelkzar, Monster, Quintus, Ruano

Knowledge (local) to identify it.

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

Hey, what's Rowena doing during this fight!? Knitting it a scarf!? :D

Like I said (or at least, meant to) it's a style that works in PbP, though I'd never do it in face-to-face. That one change alone allows combats that often take weeks to happen in days, plus the players get to be cinematic in describing their characters' actions, which takes some pressure off the GM, as he no longer has to come up with a billion different ways you can slice somebody with a sword.

It just requires greater GM/player trust is all.

In different pbps, I've seen most of these elements used before to good effect. I'm certainly good with any of them. If any part of them does turn out to be easy for you, we can of course adjust as we go.

Quintus here, straggling in and looking terrible (as usual).

Marginally more OOC, apologies for my lateness; I was being domestic all day Friday, we had a house full of people on Saturday and I couldn't break away from playing host and occasional chauffeur, and we spent today recovering and cleaning up.

ETA: I may have to change my icon; that one looks like a mirror of the GM's.

Great, get the rest done as you can. I am thinking starting Wednesday if that works for everyone. Was thinking Tuesday but I have game nights on Monday so probably better to give myself a little cushion.

Anyone have last minute questions fire away. I'm excited to get going and think this will be an awesome group!

*Edit* Thinking of a couple things today shoveling my driveway that everyone probably knows but just a reminder.

One last thing that I forgot to say early. One of my house-rules (or it may be a regular rule) is the fighting in the doorway gives soft cover to those not directly in front of the door. That also applies to around corners. (Also being in the hallway give soft cover to those at the angles)

Also a reminder when moving no moving diagonal around corners or doors (again everyone probably knows that).

Wednesday night would be a great starting point for me.

I have updated Rauno's profile to reflect that he is traveling (and it was a planned trip). That just means slightly more aggressive spells memorized (Gravity Bow instead of Comprehend Languages), wearing traveler's clothes instead of scholar's clothes and he is wearing his backpack instead of having it stashed at his room in town.

I also marked off 25 gp and added a potion of cure light wounds, assuming it was okay for him to take Lessien up on her offer. If you would rather that not happen before play starts, just let me know and I will reverse it on his character sheet.

Wednesday works for me, too. Quintus should be finalized but for pasting his background onto his character profile. I held off on that pending any comments from GM Blood regarding adjustments to facilitate assembling the party.

BTW, GM Blood, did you get my email?

I might post up the start tomorrow night. So don't be surprised by that if I get to it. (My home game ended early tonight since they finished CC#2 so I have extra time)

Anyone As long as you have the money it is fine to purchase whatever you can afford

Quintus I got an email yesterday, but it didn't have anything in it. As soon as I see your background I can send something with any adjustments or tie-ins.

Sorry about that; I had read your post as just requesting our email addresses. Draft background sent.

No worries I figured you would post it on here. Email sent back.

Ok, Game thread is up and started for Rauno and Lessien. Others to join in quickly.

Everyone can post to help track

GM Blood, I incorporated what you sent into my character background. Take a look when you have a moment.

Looks great, awesome job! Your turn to follow after a couple of reaction post in the game play thread.

Great backstory Quintus.

Thanks, Lessien. I hope I can keep it going in play.

Private messages are now installed on the boards! (I sent a test one to Quintus)

You can send by clicking on a name and there is a link at the top to send.

Also you can read your messages on the last tab in your own profile

Wow, I heard a rumor about PM's coming but I didn't expect them to just appear so quickly.

There is also a change that includes having your profession next to your name. How do you feel about putting in AC and HP in there? (Look at mine as an example)

We can try it if you want, the main problem is that field auto updates on all of your posts based on your profile, so unlike stats posted in a spoiler, it's not tied to a specific time when it was accurate.