GM FurtiveZoog's continuation of DM Dustin M's PFS First Steps (Inactive)

Game Master FurtiveZoog

Just a heads up with how I like to DM. I prefer to do the initiative rolls for combat, it makes it easier to keep track of, and people tend to go into the kill mode when initiative is rolled and I like to postpone that as much as possible :-) Also, please let me know if you do not want me to adjust it from the script a little. I like to add a little fluff occasionally. And with a party of 6, if combat is too easy it might be a little more fun to tweak it a little. I won't ever make it impossible or too hard, but it isn't that fun if everything is a walkover. But if you want me to do it strictly as written let me know and I will. Finally, please have fun, if I am doing anything that takes away from your fun please let me know so I can try to work on it.

Also, two things I noticed.
Xeno, just go back over and fix the stats that appear to have been copy and pasted from a summoner. I think its from the feats down just need a once-over.
And Menas, I was looking at intensified spell, and it only increases the damage if you are a higher level then the spell damage, so at level 1 it wouldn't apply. I had to read it a few times to understand it fully, so didn't know if you meant to have it or not.

All fixed, I was using my summoner as template and working my way down. Just need to do a background and a appearance.

I prefer the GM to roll initiative so that is fine and quite fine with any modification you feel required.

I am for the challenge rather than the walkover. I run initiative like you so no problemo.

Ready to rock and roll. Thanks for adding me!

I am assuming the group does NOT know each other and are getting separate invitations?

That was the assumption I made as well

Just checking in on this end. Hi! This is my first PbP game ever so I may shoot out an irritating amount of questions, but I've read what I can. Looking forward to playing with you all.

Storn: FWIW, I liked your first post. Your PC sounds like a barrel of fun. Welcome!

I was actually just going to ask about that intensified spell feat as this is probably the first time I'm going to use metamagic feats, is there any thing else that is not pfs legal with Menas before we start?

I don't mind if you roll initiative too, are you planning on group initiative? I feel group initiative gives more flavor for the combat and increases the flow especially for pbp but I'm fine either way.

As far as gameplay, do you get irritated with creative ways to do things? Do you get pissed if we do knowledge checks too much or skill checks for that matter?

If a post from me is really needed, pls feel free to GMPC me, I want to progress too and we are in a time frame, just dont GMPC me and walk me straight into the mouth of some weird creature lol

I will post a background and some character traits to help with that too. Let's do this!!!

Everything else looked good Menas. I haven't used group initiative before, but might try it for the first combat and see where to go from there. And no I don't get irritated with creative ways or knowledge checks. I personally try to have as much info as possible so I understand, I probably occasionally annoy DMs with it.

Whatever initiative method you use is fine by me - especially if it speeds up the paperwork.

And thanks Herman! Already having a blast.

Another thing, if you have more to say or ask of someone and I move on feel free to ask it. I am just trying to keep the story moving, but am more than willing to go back to a conversation that you wanted more out of.

Would anyone be too off-put if I drop the German accent? Like, right away, without an in-character explanation.

It's just not working for me the way I hoped. It makes posting tedious. If you want, just imagine he's speaking with an accent, or maybe he can have "immigrant" parents, but he's able to speak Common just fine.

I certainly don't mind. Storn would have a thick accent, but making up what it is and then typing it out would be misery.

Also, I may be tweaking the format of my character sheet a bit as I get comfortable to the layout. Please bear with. :D

Just a note on my name change. I wanted to call her just Xeno but that name is taken. When I wrote her appearance it occurred to me that 'black widow' is likely name people who don't know her would call her.

Sorry for being out of the loop, my semi car trip took longer than expected due to heavy holiday weekend traffice and a deluge of rain. I will be on schedule, unless otherwise noted, going forward.

Sorry little bit busy here atm.

It's fine. I am going to slow down a little more now, this is pretty much just a dungeon craw with a lot of rooms so we don't need to rush too much. I just wanted to get through the faction leader introductions because they don't actually really offer that much information.

What do you guys want your marching order to be?

Oh, for marching order Storn likes to be in the middle or near the front. The front gives him opportunities to hit things, the middle is where he can buff/heal the easiest.

I'm little and squishy so would be best suited for middle or rear.

Xeno should be at the front, at first level she won't do much damage but for AC is high and can be higher if need be.

Just a quick note, I will be in the car most all day tomorrow and unavailable to post, perhaps even into next day. Driving from Houston TX to new house in Nashville TN with dog. Will see you all when I get settled.

... so ...

ping

sure, I make one car trip and the whole game gets off the rails....I was liking this one too...

Sooo...what happens to your PFS character if your game dies in the middle? If this is officially dead, I can take on DMing it until we finish, but I've never DMed PFS first, so I may needs some assistance at game's end when it's time for Chron sheets.

When do you throw in the towel?

That's tough to say (throwing in towel). I have just GMed this scenario myself, and might be able to get us through the rest if I have my character sit out. I could still give him my GM chronicle for the game.

If the game dies, you treat it as though you didn't complete your mission. You don't earn a chronicle, XP or gold, but your character is free to play in another scenario.

The big drawback to PBP games for Society play is that once your character is in a game, you can't use them in another until it's over. So if you're in a PBP that's dragging you can't take that character to a table game.

I'm willing to give our GM a few more days. Who knows? Maybe he had something really serious come up. Not to be all gloomy, but we wouldn't know it if he was in the hospital, for instance.

If he hasn't gotten back by Monday, I'll run the game until we finish - we're about halfway through right now.

Cool with me.

How about we give it until the weekend? If Dustin does not return one of our gracious volunteers picks the game up. Dustin's absence may be for the best reason in the world, but it is still an absence. This is a fun group and it'd be a shame to let the game die, and the longer it lies without any movement, the more likely we'll lose people.

Hi all,

Derek asked if I might be able to GM this scenario in DM Dustin M's absence and I agreed, if it is okay with all of you. I'd also be fine with giving the reins back to Dustin if he does return.

I'll need to read through the posts and familiarize myself with a few things, make tokens for your characters for my map, and such, so it will be a day or two before we can resume.

~~ Matt/GM FurtiveZoog

Welcome GM Furtive. Glad you could donate the time. We would like to finish one part at least...if not all parts. Thanks!

Well I hope nothing bad happened to Dustin.

Me too. It sounded like he got a bit overwhelmed.

So, except for the differences about numbers and such (and not showing places you haven't been yet), does the map I provided accurately reflect where you have been?

It also didn't appear to be mentioned, but here is what you should have seen on the north wall just as you entered into the dungeon:

Attached to the north wall at this corridor junction is the relief carving of a giant face. The relief is that of a Qadiran man with a billowing beard. His eyes are closed, and his lips are parted, as if he were blowing out a flame. His lips frame a deep hole in the wall. The paint once adorning the relief is chipped and faded, but traces of its brilliant blues and pristine whites are still visible here and there. On the man’s forehead is a single Kelish word, carved in a flowing script.

By the way, since you are finding magic items and potions, does everyone understand the PFS rules about such things, that basically you can use any potion or other expendable item that you found in the adventure during that adventure without it costing you anything?

You can also use other items now, like the bracers, although to keep them past the end of the adventure you will have to 'buy' them.

I do, and I recommend spending them all.

I hope the change to needing Detect Magic and Spellcraft isn't too jarring. It seems to be by the rules, though, at least as I understand them.

I've really enjoyed reading the Gameplay thread, by the way. Some great stuff in there. (And Amaruu is a much scarier character than I would have ever thought to create!)

Thanks for taking over btw! Haha my last two characters were a wacky gnome and a halflfing cleric of sarenrae, I figured I would try something different.

So who has the bracers we picked up? what other loot have we taken that matters?

Give me a few and I can have a rundown for you.

Instead of editing it, I'll just give you the list this way:

The ghoul:
potions of cure light wounds (2), potion of protection from evil; leather armor, dagger, shortbow with 20 arrows, masterwork thieves tools, opal worth 200 gp.

Amoeba:
Nothing

Prison Cells:
Nothing beyond the note.

Human skeleton:
100 gp in mixed coin, a golden crown worth 300 gp, a masterwork shortsword, and a wax-sealed tin scroll tube with a scroll of comprehend languages

Beetles:
A small sack containing 200 silver pieces and a set of bronze bracers of armor +1

Frog-creature:
One trade agreement, three flasks of holy water, and an unknown potion

Alcove room:
12 trade agreements

I don't remember, from reading the gameplay thread, that you have used any of the items so far.

So who has the bracers we picked up? what other loot have we taken that matters?

Its not useful to any of us unless you have no armour on, in which case you are welcome to them.

Know of someone who would like to play this scenario?
Hey, if I may advertise here, I was hoping to GM a run of To Delve the Dungeon Deep before I was asked about this one, since I had such a good time in Derek's game and it seems a nice, small, classic dungeon crawl. I am still interested in starting another, and probably have 2-3 players. Plus, I have the map, tokens, images, and such all ready. (I thought we would have enough time to start it by Aug. 14th and finished by Sept. 30th, which seem to be the deadlines for the retiring scenarios.)

I was probably either too honest on the recruitment thread about my newness and/or too restrictive seeming in regards to applications (I said "preferably 1) new to PbP and/or 2) not in any other PbP games yet", as I was trying to give new people a chance.).

But, if you know of someone who would like to play in this adventure, perhaps you could send them by: GM FurtiveZoog's PbP PFS First Steps - Part II: To Delve the Dungeon Deep.

What scenarios have people here played?
Originally, I had hoped to play through the set three adventures, although there may not be time for the third. (The first isn't retiring.)

I also have been working on the Frostfur Captives as a Tier 1-2 scenario. Frankly, though, second level is probably a better place to be than first on these scenarios, judging by what almost happened to our 1st level characters in the Mists of Mwangi.

Welcome, and thanks so much for taking this over. I'd be happy to apply at your other PFS game. I also fit your criteria since I -am- brand new to PbP but a veteran Pathfinder player. I'm in one other game right now, but I've only been playing a few weeks.

I'd love to run Herman through the other steps when we finish this one if that's still on the table and on to any other PFS thereafter. This is my first PFS experience, but since have 2 other characters in other PbP scenarios.

I'd jump in on another PFS game. I've had 4 sessions through PFS so far, so I'm still relatively new.

If you need one, I can join as a wizard or a sorc. I've been wanting to play all classes and see which I like best lol.

It looks like we are now full - actually going to probably run a group of 7, first come, first serve, so to speak. But, I will definitely keep everyone in this group in mind for future scenarios.

No worries, there's always a next one. Just drop me a message. =)

I sent an email to Paizo's webmaster according to the directions regarding inheriting an online campaign, but even if there is a problem there it shouldn't be a problem to get everyone proper credit, I don't believe.

I'll go register it now, too.

Well, it looks like we are back - Paizo was down for me, at least, yesterday.