Lark and I are both fine with flirting with NPCs. Probably both equally bad at it ;)
Thank you for checking in about it.
OK, that all makes sense then. Thanks for the clarification.
On a side note, am I the only one who thinks the claw should be carried up from the ship to this guy in a style like this... albeit maybe a tad less campy.
Chad, you called it, I was confused about who, exactly, would take the big bribe. I thought silver-teeth was just some minor graft along the way.
Also, nice pull with that scene from Hook. I vaguely remember seeing that movie, but no way did I recall that bit. Perfect!
Posting in all my games. Last few days have had some personal issues that I have had to deal with. Hope to be able to catch up and post sometime tomorrow. I apologize for the inconvenience.
Take care, we'll be here when you get back.
GMDQ, just to make sure I'm clear on rules, the second roll cannot make your hand worse only the same or better, is that right?
Even if the sum of the two dice is over 20, then you can take either of the two rolls, whichever is higher?
Other than that question I'm ready to start. I've not had any brainstorms about dealing with that high-test grog.
Yes, I think you have the right of both questions. E.g., if you roll a 10 on your first roll, and roll a 12 on your second, then you get 12 rather than 22. Likewise if you rolled a 12 and then a 10, you get 12. If that's not as the devs intended, I'll blame them for not explaining the rules clearly enough.
Anything that boosts a Fort save would work--the trick is not being caught using it.
I thought you'd keep rolling and adding the numbers - so, if you rolled a 11 in a d20 to start, you would want to roll either a d8 to play safe, or a d10 or higher to risk (21 style, for whoever played cards). But if you guys understood it differently, please go by your interpretation.
To be honest, while I love S&S for the scenario/environment, I found it quite lackluster on the mechanics. The ship combat / navigation mechanic pretty much means most of the party stays doing nothing for a while. Same goes for the current events. It's not the GM's fault - it's the designers'. Regardless, in PbP it's not as bad since we do have other games to be posting, but in a table this is quite painful to watch.
They should truly design encounters and mechanics to involve as many players as possible in the scenes. To be creating these satellite diversions (as in, "you other guys spot someone trying to cheat") isn't quite the same thing. But that's my opinion!
Hm... perhaps I could shoot the card out of the man's hand if we spot him trying to take it from a palm....
nah... probably wouldn't be seen to be an appropriate response, even in the Shackles...
Cool visual though Chad :)
I thought you'd keep rolling and adding the numbers - so, if you rolled a 11 in a d20 to start, you would want to roll either a d8 to play safe, or a d10 or higher to risk (21 style, for whoever played cards). But if you guys understood it differently, please go by your interpretation.
This is the exact wording from the book:
To represent the discard and draw, each player may then secretly roll another die of her choice (d4, d6, d10, d12, or d20) to improve her score (the larger the die, the more cards drawn). [...] If the total of both dice is 20 or less, that is the gambler's score. If the total is over 20, the gambler's score is only the highest number on a single die.
I believe we have interpreted this correctly. (The [...] represents text about betting that was irrelevant.)
Had I edited this adventure I probably would have asked both for simplification and a clearer step by step procedure than what they provided.
To be honest, while I love S&S for the scenario/environment, I found it quite lackluster on the mechanics. The ship combat / navigation mechanic pretty much means most of the party stays doing nothing for a while.
So far, I've skipped some of the more niggly bits of ship mechanics, though we've done ship to ship combat with boarding and that went okay with everyone with something to do. For a ship chasing another ship, rather than follow the navigation rules, I've just used the chase rules instead (so pick one of two routes and make a relevant skill check or choose a spell to cast etc; I pick skills that different party members can contribute); to represent if one ship is faster than another, I just give that ship a bonus on certain rolls.
Same goes for the current events. It's not the GM's fault - it's the designers'. Regardless, in PbP it's not as bad since we do have other games to be posting, but in a table this is quite painful to watch.
They should truly design encounters and mechanics to involve as many players as possible in the scenes. To be creating these satellite diversions (as in, "you other guys spot someone trying to cheat") isn't quite the same thing. But that's my opinion!
While this is a fair assessment, I feel like the "satellite" diversion in the first test, Bilgerat's sabotage, was okay, and there were a number of ways to resolve that--as well as find ways to cheat if you had wanted to (but Thren obviously didn't need it).
This one is much more restrictive in how it is set up for how non players can participate. I can think of a few ways you guys can intervene/interfere but it depends on your creativity and the resources you want to spend. I considered coming up with a different and simpler mechanic or a group game, but a) I'm not good at coming up with minigame subsystems, and b) turning it into a group challenge would make me have to roll a lot of dice, which would slow my posting down considerably.
We'll see how the first round goes and how fast it takes to do. I can always just have Tsadok go "all in" early to speed things along. I like the idea of the challenge--it makes sense for tests to prove you abilities of the piracy--but as you say the actual application is lacking.
The third and, thankfully, final challenge will involve everyone.
Having a buff that helps and not getting caught - both tricky here. I went through our inventory and didn't find anything for CON. We don't have many alchemical items.
Pouring alchemists fire on my head would probably sober me up, but then I'd have other problems ;)
GMDQ, would you like to try and schedule a time we're both online for some quick posts back and forth? We might be able to get through a couple hands relatively quickly that way.
Since the party's interacting for now, I want to leave it, but I think when we hit round 5 we'll go all in just to get it over with. That okay with you?
That works, thanks.
Happy Easter to all the pirates here :) May your Easter eggs be filled with gold! Or drink, for that matter!
Likewise! Kiddo didn't get to hunt eggs this year (at least not yet, we will consider it later when things become a bit more normal) but she got a bunch of jelly beans, a chocolate bunny, and an art set (that she proceeded to color on herself with using the markers... almost 4 year olds, what can I say). It is little man's first Easter and he is celebrating by finally being mobile enough to scooch around (if that makes sense... it isn't really crawling yet, but he can definitely move across the floor if you give him enough time... crawling isn't far off I think) and wondering why we are insisting on taking photos and dressing him in strange outfits.
Anyway, update over... hope it is a good one for all of you (whether you celebrate it or not).
Happy Easter and Passover and spring. :) I'll treat myself to a Mary Sue Easter Egg (a local confectionery) later today after a walk to see the tulips in a park nearby. Normally I go to Longwood Gardens to see the Easter lilies in the conservatory and the spring blooms outside but sadly I'll have to content myself with their online content which is not the same.
Happy Easter, y'all! I hope you get to enjoy something sweet and some blooming flora. Here in upstate NY we've got a few crocuses and the inch of snow we had Friday has melted off ;)
Chad - best wishes to your littles. It sounds like you're making the best of a challenging time.
Been not enjoying the blooming flora, thanks anyway, I'll donate my share! Home for the holiday means I get to have family dinner for the first time in ages! GMDQ, if there's any Mary Sue Easter eggs left in a couple days want me to grab you some? :)
My allergies and I are really enjoying spring. I've been a high school theater teacher for 20 years, so I spend spring inside teaching and rehearsing from 7:30-6:00 6 days a week. This year I've taken daily walks and spend a lot of time on my deck, really soaking in the pleasant temps and blossoming trees.
I have 17 and 14 year old daughters. We did three rounds of hunting plastic eggs today. They hid eggs for us, we hid eggs for them, and then they hid eggs for each other.
Now I'm back to trying to figure out another week of teaching theater via non-traditional instruction.
Oh, my allergies are going full force--and while meds are helping, the one thing for whatever reason that really is effective is acupuncture, which I can't get because of the plague. But I still enjoy the sights and what little I get of the scents just the same.
This said, I walked to the park only to see waaaay too many people there for coronavirus safety purposes, so I lurked in a quiet corner to take in the sight, took some photos, left, nearly got killed by an idiot blowing through a red light which caused me to think dark and terrible things about humanity and what it does or doesn't deserve, and walked home some more. I am alive and eating my Mary Sue Easter egg now, so best to focus on the things to be grateful for, I guess.
And thanks, Lathiira but one is enough. :) I love the treat, but they are sooooo sweet.
Kahuranga, good luck with the teaching. I am a child of teachers (one retired, one passed away) and know many teachers trying to struggle with distance learning. Thanks for the hard work, on behalf of the students (and parents) who might express less gratitude. ;) My workload has been mostly light (two of my bosses are wrapped deeply up in dealing with COVID-19 responses, but the things I do for them are arrange travel and special events which are things that aren't happening right now) but as the other researchers I work for get papers finished that will change.
We all good here? Lark's got a game to win :)
So I think I misread the level of concealment provided by the fog last night when I posted. I was reading it as 50% concealment (not 50% miss chance from total concealment) so unless I am closer to the giant than I thought my attacks probably need to be rolled for miss percent. GM, would you rather handle that assuming my turn fires off or should I?
And, for that matter, I am right that I was wrong last night, lol.
Chad, yes, he has Total Concealment, which Improved Precise Shot does not bypass. Sorry I missed your post somehow when posting earlier.
I will resolve all later this evening, after a nap and cooking dinner.
GMDQ, how do we access the aft deck? Is it only via those stairs that appear to connect to an interior space? What's the vertical distance (for jumping/climbing) from mid deck to aft?
Yes, the stairs go down into the officer's quarters and then out the door onto the main deck. 10 feet down (yes you can ignore damage jumping down if you make a high enough Acrobatics check). (If you click on the fore or aft deck and then an arrow key you can move it out of the way to see what's underneath.)
By the way, I'm using the Magpie Princess temporarily for the Fearsome Tide. I actually hope to use a different ship map that I purchased but I'm struggling to get it formatted optimally for pbp use.
... your description of Fishpork popping back up on the other side made me think of this: oooh no.... they say he's got to go. ;)
LOL nice. :)
All well GMDQ? Work finally catching up to you?
You have no idea! I'll post more later (good news, actually) but want to get the game updated first. :)
Can't wait to hear it!
Ok, since we're in town, what do we want to do?
Sandara will go off to the shrine and do her thing.
Thren wants her hat, just because! Do we have anything we want to buy or sell?
Other than some carousing, there isn't much I need to accomplish here. But I'll be happy to party and observe the currents of the city.
So what do folks think about finding a smith to remake the elysian bronze we got into a sword for either Lark or Thren? Or someone else (not meaning to play favorites, just thinking that they are the most likely to get good use out of a one handed weapon.... though Thren does use shields if she thinks that would be a better use for it) if we have someone in mind?
I mean, there are *other* things we can do with it too... like sell it... or maybe get it enchanted and (through the magic shrinking technology, TM) give it to someone as a slot item (though to be fair I am not sure what slot it would fit best even if shrunk down to "medium people" size).
Thren uses a buckler and rapier. The rapier is her arcane bond, and it costs money to change bonds (I think it's 1400gp right now?).
hm... so if we made something for you it would be a shield of some kind then, yes? (especially given it will probably be costly to get it reforged into something usable at all before we factor in bonding costs.)
Speaking of, if we do end up going the "make it into something" route, how hard would it be to get it enchanted?
If anyone truly needs anything, then go for it - I won't oppose. Otherwise, I'd just sell it and split gold as usual.
So, it would have been a crazy busy week at work anyway based on projects coming in, but on TOP of that I have been offered a new position (still at my current workplace, but with a different office). I know a weird time to be hired but there we are. HR is in its bureaucracy phase of vetting me, in case they're not sure my working for them already for 17 years showed I work for them well, but it's till not 100% official--but I am also working on both the work I need to do to make the transition, as well as just dealing with both excitement but also anxiety for facing a big change. So yeah, I'm a little distracted and I apologize, but especially since I'm telecommuting, I don't expect an impact on my contributions to the game too much. I may ask for a break once it gets closer to the date of the new position, in a few weeks.
ANYWAY....
On with the show:
I tend to be lenient with the idea that you can have someone reforge an existing steel blade with new alloy, like Elysian bronze, so it shouldn't affect Thren's bond should she want to enhance her rapier. But this said, you can't add it to a weapon or shield already made of a special material. You can also have a new item made.
I SHOULD NOTE you can also use it if you want to enhance 50 pieces of ammunition instead, but I know generally folks don't like to use that kind of thing on ammo when it can disappear.
To keep things easy (on my side of things at least), the speed at which a creating/reforging plus, if desired, an enchanting to +1 or +2 (if you have the cash), will take is at the speed of plot. You are coming to a close of part one of three of this book. If you arrange for the reforging now, it will be ready for you at the beginning of part three (which I don't feel like it's a massive spoiler to say it will be the Free Captains' Regatta). So it should be something you are willing to not have during part two, but can make use of in part three and subsequent books presuming we get through them.
The cost will be 500 gp + masterwork cost of item + cost of enchantment. If you are reforging an existing item, you forgo the masterwork cost of item and instead pay 100 gp if reforging a weapon and 50 gp a shield.
As for other projects, we have a visit to the shrine of Besmara and to a milliner, as well as carousing which I'll presume will be going back to the Riptide. Anything else?
Ok, Thren can't be without her rapier without having problems casting spells. (Concentration check DC 20 + spell level or lose the spell.) I didn't see a distinct benefit of the material for shields when I read up on it.
Not giving a shield a benefit seems like an oversight to me, so I'd say it has the same benefit as light armor: DR 1/- vs the unarmed and natural attacks of magical beasts and monstrous humanoids. The benefits are so circumstantial I don't think we'd break anything by allowing that.
I agree with the oversight. I wouldn't mind it on my buckler at all.
What else do we all want to do while we're in port? Look for crew? Buy building supplies? Paint the town red?
It still feels like a waste (to use the material for it), but be my guest.
Anyway: We were just at a different port. We just built and bought stuff. Not really sure if there's anything for us to do here. As for looking for crew, I don't know how the AP deals with it mechanically.
This isn't just an invitation to a shopping trip. You can carouse, continue to build influence, or just gather information -- YOU should be the ones coming up with this, but for example, what do you know about the other Free Captains, who are your ostensible allies? What do you know about Kerdak Bonefist, who's home city this is? What do you know about this Free Captains Regatta everyone is talking about? Of course it is your prerogative if you don't care about such things, but I like it when players and their PCs are engaged and curious about the world--but refuse to handfeed them this kind of thing, however, if they're not intentional about being engaged.
You can also work on building influence as always with your crew mates to be sure their morale is high when you get into a fight or deal with another stressful situation. SPEAKING OF WHICH, I FORGOT TO MENTION, HUMORING CONCHOBAR AND ASKING HIM FOR HELP AT THE GAMBLING TEST HAS PUSHED HIM TO "HELPFUL." As a reminder, this means when you're with him he can provide you with an automatic +2 to appropriate checks (attack, prof sailor, or any skills he is good at). This is true for your other "helpful" NPCs as well which I don't think I've reminded you of for awhile, and is good to repeat especially with newer players aboard.
As for recruiting crew, there's no mechanic. You go somewhere and announce you're hiring and convince or bribe (or press gang, but this crew is too good-aligned for that), or as things unfold, if you meet someone you like (or don't like but find useful) you invite them to join you. Your ships--and you have two of them now--have a minimum required crew of 20 and can have up to 40 crew (which makes dividing shifts and doing certain sailing tasks easier). Your current crew, including yourselves, is 29. You also have a stronghold you can send workers to.
To be totally transparent, the AP is not very obvious or railroady about how to get you into the next couple events, and specifies the party should be expected to take advantage of free time in town. And yet it is just railroady enough that it needs you to be in town and doing "stuff" for the next few things to happen.
I am assuming by now all have weighed in who wanted to, so here's what's going down:
- Find a smith to play with the bracelet or keep it (we have two yeas and one nay so far)?
- visit to the shrine of Besmara
- go to a milliner specializing in tiefling headgear
- carousing which I'll presume will be going back to the Riptide.
Edit: for clarity, your crew of 29 is the number of people on your ship. There are more people left back at Ghoral Rey.
I just realized the crew roster is old and I need to add Chakam and Chad (I thought I did so I apologize, Chakam and Chad, that I've left you off for so long!). I will work on that post haste. If there's any other adjustments you see needing made, let me know. I hope also to get the new map of the [i}Fearsome Tide[/i] up and running as soon as I can manage it.
Also, anyone want the wand? And any more input on the Elysian bronze?
Which wand?
Wand of spider climb, 8 charges, found with the Elysian bronze off of Fishpork.
Ah. Thanks. Spider climb isn’t on my list.
Nor do I. It's a druid spell though.