Welcome aboard all :) I'll let you introduce yourselves OOC as you wish, say as much or as little as you are comfortable with.
I apologize in advance for being a nitpicky pedantic SOB, and for likely being a bit stricter than most PBP GMs. Practically this means that unless you have let me know you will have difficulty posting for some reason I will be picky about that per day posting requirement, and about consistent short posting.
As much as possible I would like the gameplay thread to be readable like a story; this means OOC text should be properly formatted so it shows up blue, and anything OOC over a sentence or two should be put inside a spoiler. If anyone is unsure of how to do that check the "How to format your text" button under the post box.
Gameplay posts should be written in third person, and character thoughts should be in italics.
In this thread, aside from standard chat, questions, etc., I would like you to take a look at your fellow characters and decide how your character would likely react to them. This is not meant to be a binding thing, but I do think it is helpful to reflect upon how you might view them to inform your gameplay posts.
If there is also anything you would particularly like to occur in the game, such as an NPC from your background to crop up, to find a particular item, to have a romantic interest, etc. I do not make any promises about such things, but if I can find a satisfying way to work them into play I will try to do so.
@Atrazar could I ask you to please change your monkey's name? Bubbles just catches my ear wrong, and takes me out of the flow, I also keep ending up humming Bad, which will get old soon :) Another whimsical none pop culture referencing name ought to be fine. On the off chance that anybody was not aware Bubbles was Michael Jackson's Chimpanzee.
Hello everyone!
Thanks to GM Knight for selecting Valaravans.
--
Me? Mexican, living in México City, with Spanish as my mother's language, but I think my english is not so bad (even if my daughter's is getting better than mine :S).
Married, 2 children and a white rabbit.
I studied computers, work in computers and do my playing in computers. Yes, I am a dull boy, but RPG's help me be a little better!
--
Valaravans? You can call him "Salty".
He is the cook. Deviously intelligent, without morals (for good or for bad, he is not planning on helping any princess, nor murdering anyone).
He only wants to cook, and that his cooking gets better everyday. And that means staying alive, and getting ingredients, and having partners is a very good way of fulfilling those goals.
And good partners are hard to find, so once you find them, you work hard to keep them.
So he is a nice guys until he drinks his mutagen, and becomes a half shark monstrosity, "Sour" Valaravans.
And one tip: If you want to remain in his good graces, don't say anything bad about his cooking.
So, a little bit about Atrazar and his friendly monkey Norvin:
He's a young man who lost his eye during a misadventure on the Mwangi expanse. Since then he's devoted himself to Erastil, in particular encouraging people to be good stewards of the environment and rooting out bad behavior (e.g. the kind of people who kill rhinos, saw off the horn, and leave the rest of the body to rot).
Physically, he's of average height. His most obvious feature is the scar that dominates the left side of his face, running vertically from his cheekbone to his forehead. His hair is pitch black except for a white patch where the scar meets his hairline. The smile lines by his eyes attest to his friendly demeanor.
These days his adoptive parents are getting on in years and having trouble taking care of themselves. He's hoping to strike it rich so they won't want for anything in their old age.
Peggy is a pretty young woman with long legs, a small frame and narrow hips. She stands a mere 5ft. 4in. tall, has long dark brown hair held back by a blue silken sash. Her skin is tanned from her years of shipboard life and bears several distinctive, but small tattoos, most of which depict sea animals. Peggy wears a white shirt that bares her right shoulder, over this she wears a black leather corset, and straps holding four wicked daggers, another two of which grace her belt. Peggy's short grey skirt is split on the right-hand side , revealing long white stockings and a thigh-high worn leather boot on her left foot. Her right leg ends in a simple wooden peg-leg. In bad or cold weather she wears a tailed blood-red frock-coat and a simple brown leather tricorn hat.
Peggy doesn't take life too seriously. She's learnt to have fun when she can, and rarely considers the long-term consequences of her actions, preferring to follow hur whims wherever they take her.
* I'll get to how she reacts to the others once I've had a good look.
* Would like to meet her brother. He owes her an arm and a leg. Well,.. a leg anyway.
Just popping by before I go off to work ...
Thanks for picking Arven, he holds up a glass of ale in your honor GM Knight.
Will be friendly when I get time later
First a couple of things about me...
First and foremost I live in the UK, and have all my life. That life will later this year span six decades, so the body doesn't hold up as well as it used to. For the majority of that time I worked in computers, making a real hash of a career, but had fun on the way. I too am marries and have 2 children, except they aren't really children anymore as they are treading their own paths now, (or will do once the boy leaves home.....).
Monday night is real gaming night at the moment ... so Monday's post are normally a little less wordy..
I am working a music festival on Thursday (4th Aug) til Monday (8th Aug), so posts will be more difficult than normal.
I am off to Silverstone for MotoGP 1st-5th September and will not be able to post from there, so bot as appropriate then please.
Now for Arven .....
A young and tall muscular bronzed torso, smooth chest with old tribal tattoos across his face and upper arms. He has a somewhat wild appearance, but a beaming smile. His black breeches cover his legs to his knees. He seems a little uncomfortable in the breeches but they will do. Around his waist a red fabric belt allows a cutlass to hang loosely by his side. Several daggers are handily placed in the brown corded belt.
He walks on bare feet with a carefree abandonment, his body contains several scars, most likely caused by fights. Above his left chest is a burned brand, which is no longer legible as later burn marks have been inflicted, or accepted to try and remove the original. He carries a bag with his worldly goods. At the moment he looks rather worn out, but happy.
He lives for the moment, for the freedom a moment provides. His loyalty is for the moment, and lasts until the next port, or until riches have been secured (whichever is the later). His friendship is permanent and given unto death, unless his trust is misplaced. Though his love and lust are like the sea, it rolls in and out on the tide, sometimes violent in its passion, sometimes it is still and unmoving. Like the sea, it never seems permanently in one place, but always changing.
Noted Arven thanks for the heads up, should not be an issue. I live in the U.K to, though my hours tend towards the vampiric :)
Lhinneth is a leggy half-elf of unremarkable height for her race, though a couple of inches taller than your average human female – though you would probably only be able to discern her ancestry by way of her slightly pointed ears, as her facial features are mostly a curious mix of Garundi and Taldane. She tends to handle herself flamboyantly and dress even more so, an act she perfected in her early years on the sea and which has managed to gradually rub off on her true self. She usually plunges into situations head-first, confident either her guile or her fists (or a combination of both) will get her out of any trouble she might get in – never mind they're actually what tends to put her into trouble in the first place.
As a Calistrian and a Besmaran, her personal credo revolves around the enjoyment of life at its fullest mixed with an eagerness to jump from adventure to adventure. She's neither particularly altruistic nor cruel, believing that every man should be allowed the chance to succeed with one's own strength, though she's not above retaliating viciously when threatened first. Still, she believes in sporting chances and in giving quarter when asked, knowing that in the Shackles, today's enemy might be tomorrow's ally (and vice-versa, of course), and in helping a kneeling foe on his feet, one might a have gained an extra pair of legs in her crew.
As for the rest of the crew...
Arven "The Shark's Friend": a half-naked womanizer and a short-tempered, violence-prone Calistrian might make for an explosive mixture, but Lhinneth is probably going to give the statuesque barbarian the benefit of doubt once she witness his power and capabilities – sometimes a good natured brawl can quickly develop in sharing a few rounds of drinks once mutual respect has been established.
Atrazar: as out only 'Good' team-mate, he's a bit of a conundrum. He speaks of respecting nature while, in Lhinneth's maritime experience, nature seldom bothers to repay the favour. He speaks of the jungle, while Lhinneth's heart beats for the sea. His god preaches the value of communities, while the only communities Lhinneth's ever known were the rapidly shifting crews she served with. Still, sometimes opposite attract, and having a slightly perplexing crewmember is a small price to pay get a pet monkey on board, something every self-respecting pirate crew should have!
"Salty" Valaravans: he can turn into a razor-teethed, foe-dismembering monstrosity and he knows how to turn a bucket of fish guts into a tasty meal. He's more than good in Lhinneth's book.
Serenna, "Peggy" Crusilva: in a way, she and Lhinneth are very similar characters, two young and attractive fledging piratesses who bring down their foes through dexterity and finesse rather than brute force. I can see the two developing a sister-like relationship, and/or some degree of friendly rivalry since their respective skill-sets appear so evenly matched.
One last thing. I'm not a native speaker (Italian, actually), though as much as I'd like to pull some sort of pirate accent, it'd probably be an exercise in bathos on my part. On the other hand, it looks like my posting 'windows' might align with some of yours, which is actually a refreshing thing for once.
What Serenna is likely to think of the others:
Arven "The Shark's Friend" Seems like he could be fun although, given that he seems to like sharks,.. who knows. Serenna will probably like him, depending on how seriously he takes things... And he is rather good looking.
Atrazar: Serrena likes monkeys, so she'll probably end up liking Atrazar too, just so long as he doesn't get all preachy.
"Salty" Valaravans: Only a fool doesn't make friends with the cook!
Lhinneth Silvertide She and Serenna are very similar - they seem to have the same taste in life and have a similar attitude towards it. More than happy to have made friends on the boat - Seems likely that they'll either become close friends or mortal enemies. A friendly rivalry for all that life brings seems like a good way to go.
Caching Lizards? I don't imagine times will be a problem, my hours can tend towards the erratic so I imagine things will basically even out :)
Caching Lizards? I don't imagine times will be a problem, my hours can tend towards the erratic so I imagine things will basically even out :)
Final year of a PhD in Zoology,... there may be some conferences here and there too, and a panic in a bit less than a year as it all comes together.
Not a problem :) Sounds fascinating, as for the conferences, etc., I am sure we will all have stuff crop up, a heads up at everything is cool, if we ever get multiple people out at the same time we discuss taking a brief break over that period.
Sorry, but Valaravans is not good making friends...
Arven "The Shark's Friend": Blue skinned cripple freak. Ugly and dull. What do girls can see in that? Is like rancid meat.
Atrazar: Chelaxian scum, seems to have been raised by half-orcs. Nothing interesting about him except... Monkey-brains ice cream... that IS interesting... Like bland fish, without any substance.
Lhinneth Silvertide: Much better. Too bad about the ears. But if you ignore those, she seems to be a very fine girl... flexible... ummm... Like a dessert, sweet but unfulfilling.
"Peggy" Crusilva; Now we are talking. I am sure she is looking for a real man to take care of her, and I think I am in the mood for the main course of tonight's dinner.
Yes, he is a prick, but he grows into you once you get to know him... or when he drinks his mutagen.
Just a quick note, sorry about the confusion, but Arven is a human the short backstory in the Arven for GM Knight's Plunder and Peril. I'm not surprised its confused a few, it confused me too!!
So to reiterate Arven is Human .... he wouldn't have the nickname, but it comes from reusing the basic concept of the previous character ...
So I can't change the name ....
Lhinneth Silvertide She and Serenna are very similar - they seem to have the same taste in life and have a similar attitude towards it. More than happy to have made friends on the boat - Seems likely that they'll either become close friends or mortal enemies. A friendly rivalry for all that life brings seems like a good way to go.
Agreed. I kind of envision them like a pair of sisters who can't help but turn everything into a competition, but scratch the surface and you'll see they care fiercely for each other.
Atrazar: Estaril and Gozreh are pretty chummy, and Arven likes monkey, particularly in a stew. As a native of Mwangi himself, he'd had more trouble with outsiders than the other tribes, but that was a long time ago... Arven is friends with his crew, until crossed, so unlikely to be anything but a rival for the girls affections.
Lhinneth Silvertide: Arven is her puppet
"Peggy" Crusilva: Arven is her puppet, just needs the two ladies to sort it out between them....
"Salty" Valaravans: Food ... yumeee! Even ugly has its uses ...
Just a note re: "the Sharks Friend", Arven has provided shark food for many that crossed him or troubled the crew he was with, tho not the cap'n, bosun and mates, unless....
Ah, no problem you can change it in the class window on your profile that lists him as Undine. Out of curiosity what made you decide to go human with this iteration?
Arven I am also going to need to ask you to play your charisma, or alter it, if you have a charisma of 8 you are not handsome or personable. Please either explain why your charisma is low or ugly him up a bit. A charisma 8 character is not really going to be an object of lust without copious consumation of alcohol - which may well be a factor ;)
Well this drinking competition is not likely to end well... but should be fun!
Lhinneth:
So,... Lhinneth and Serenna seem to be developing as good friends. It seems like they've known each other for a while. How would you feel about a minor retcon to have them as old friends/shipmates?
OK, will 8 him up a bit for the Charisma I can have a few trick up my sleeve for that.
The Undine didn't work as well as I had hoped in the previous campaign.
They don't lend themselves to barbarians, and their characteristics aren't really very barbarian like, so its a better fit being Human.
Gonna get patchy now for the next few days anyway, as I won't have a lot of time.
No worries Arven I'll GMPC as needed :)
Well this drinking competition is not likely to end well... but should be fun!
Lhinneth:
So,... Lhinneth and Serenna seem to be developing as good friends. It seems like they've known each other for a while. How would you feel about a minor retcon to have them as old friends/shipmates?
I'm all for it. Perhaps Lhinneth was press-ganged by the same crew Serenna was part of? Or you wrote she voyaged on a ship called The Fury before stealing from the captain – perhaps Lhinneth was on board too and they were accomplices?
On a semi-unrelated note, this competition ending on a comedic note – both competing for the same prize and ending up with neither getting it as they're too drunk to reap it – might serve as a good paradigm of their relationship!
Arven I am also going to need to ask you to play your charisma, or alter it, if you have a charisma of 8 you are not handsome or personable. Please either explain why your charisma is low or ugly him up a bit. A charisma 8 character is not really going to be an object of lust without copious consummation of alcohol - which may well be a factor ;)
Of this I'm partially guilty, considering Lhinneth's reactions – though if I can spend a good word for Arven, in my mind she actually really felt his 8 CHA, she just opted not to care. To elaborate: she thinks his face has probably taken one too many punches (or ten, or a hundred) and his cocky mannerism is completely out of sync with his untidy and unkept appearance – though since he managed to win her a neat sum and has been a good sport, she decided she finds it endearing rather than punch-worthy. Add his more than respectable physical stats to the mix (Cha is probably correlated, though doesn't necessarily perfectly translate to appearance tout-court, after all), and after a drink or two she might consider him a candidate for a one-night stand, though hardly more. But the way he grabbed her and kissed her would have probably netted him a kick to the groin in any other circumstance, and is exactly the "frat boy" attitude I picture a low-CHA, high-STR (and DEX, and CON) character having.
On the other hand, I can't say I'm speaking for her but Serenna probably wants him because Lhinneth saw him first :)
Valaravans Changes:
Drops the Vivisectionist Archetype
- Losses Sneak Attack
- Regains Bomb
- Losses Bleeding Attack Discovery
- Gets Tanglefoot Bomb Discovery
- Losses Deathwatch formula
- Losses the ability to use Knowledge(Nature) instead of Heal.
So he is a little worst melee combatant, but now he is a threat in ranged combat (which he wasn't).
I'm all for it. Perhaps Lhinneth was press-ganged by the same crew Serenna was part of? Or you wrote she voyaged on a ship called The Fury before stealing from the captain – perhaps Lhinneth was on board too and they were accomplices?
Sounds good to me,... I was thinking that that's where Serenna picked up her magic armour.. Could be where Lhinneth got one of her magic items too?
On a semi-unrelated note, this competition ending on a comedic note – both competing for the same prize and ending up with neither getting it as they're too drunk to reap it – might serve as a good paradigm of their relationship!
Always getting each other into trouble through reckless (but friendly) competition... Sounds good to me.
On the other hand, I can't say I'm speaking for her but Serenna probably wants him because Lhinneth saw him first :)
Serenna always wants what Lhinneth has,.. right up to the point where she either gets it, or proves that she could if she wanted to,... then she gets bored.
I understand it was meant as a means to get a bunch of strangers to sit at the same table, but on further consideration, we might have more luck in approaching this challenge as a party rather than everyone for himself: Serenna pointing out the correct drinks, Arven putting his CON to good use, and Valaravans can perhaps concoct something to boost Arven's saves or prevent him from getting drunk? Is this challenge a one-time thing?
I think its probably a one-time thing. And, anyway, Serenna might just indicate the strongest drink for Lhinneth every time... ;)
So just to let everyone know my basic process for character checking is to put everyone's details into herolab. I will be doing this in the next week or so, and I'll bring up any niggles. I am well aware that herolab is not perfect, and the Monkey Domain is just one example, but it seems to work quite well and it has proven handy to have copies of characters previously.
Just to note for combat synergy purposes my basic routine is to throw some eagles out on the field and then fire my longbow at people. If you give me a heads up or the positioning is obvious then they should be pretty consistent flanking buddies.
Hmmm,...
Given our close and continued relationship, how would Lhinneth feel about swapping out a feat to get a teamwork feat? - possibly Precise Strike... Just a thought, so no probs if you'd prefer not to (but we could do some nasty damage with that one!)
Sounds good to me,... I was thinking that that's where Serenna picked up her magic armour.. Could be where Lhinneth got one of her magic items too?
I'm all for it. Perhaps Lhinneth was press-ganged by the same crew Serenna was part of? Or you wrote she voyaged on a ship called The Fury before stealing from the captain – perhaps Lhinneth was on board too and they were accomplices?
A matching pair of darkleaf cloth lamellar armour and mithral chain shirt, for the fashion-conscious (and drowning-averse) pirate. Sounds like a good scot for a Free Captain's eternal enmity. Of course, Serenna talked her into that.
Serenna always wants what Lhinneth has,.. right up to the point where she either gets it, or proves that she could if she wanted to,... then she gets bored.
I think its probably a one-time thing. And, anyway, Serenna might just indicate the strongest drink for Lhinneth every time... ;)
Same ;) though Serenna has the higher INT score and the wider array of skills, so Lhinneth's probably on the receiving end more often than she'd like to. But in the end, Serenna makes Lhinneth's life interesting, and that's more than reason enough to keep her close.
Hmmm,...
Given our close and continued relationship, how would Lhinneth feel about swapping out a feat to get a teamwork feat? - possibly Precise Strike... Just a thought, so no probs if you'd prefer not to (but we could do some nasty damage with that one!)
Teamworks feats are cool, and considering Serenna and Lhinneth's tactics are probably going to revolve around assisting each other's flanks, Precise Strike is actually quite a solid choice. As a non-human archetyped multiclass, alas, I'm a bit starved for non-class-granted feats at the moment (I've only got two, Improved Feint and Combat Expertise which functions as a prerequisite – and I need it to be able to sneak attack when not flanking); next level, though, I'm getting two: a Combat Feat through Brawler (which is going to be Piranha Strike) and my regular, 5th level one. So – soon!
So just to let everyone know my basic process for character checking is to put everyone's details into herolab. I will be doing this in the next week or so, and I'll bring up any niggles. I am well aware that herolab is not perfect, and the Monkey Domain is just one example, but it seems to work quite well and it has proven handy to have copies of characters previously.
HeroLab is a good start IME. If discrepancies emerge, they can always be further checked through 'by-hand' perusal of the rules.
Let me know if there is any confusion over the chase folks :) Basically what I am looking for is your experience feel free to embellish and invent within the scope of things, and if you have an inventive workaround for something let me know and I will try to adjudicate ASAP. The rules do not really allow for assisting one another, but if you spend a full round you may attempt a single check twice to allow a companion to progress with you.
Feel free to split these into several posts as I appreciate it is quite involved :)
Just to note for combat synergy purposes my basic routine is to throw some eagles out on the field and then fire my longbow at people. If you give me a heads up or the positioning is obvious then they should be pretty consistent flanking buddies.
Sorry it appears I had missed that. Flying flanking buddies? Yes, please; Lhinneth's strategy (and probably Serenna's too, for that matter) is very much relying on the 'flurry of sneaks' concept; anything that spares her using a Move Action to feint is very much welcome.
So how are we handling initiative? Mandatory posting on one's count and one's count only, 'consolidated' group initiative, or everyone chimes in describing his actions and then it's up to the GM to reframe all of this into a coherent narrative?
I'm now waiting for Half Orc 1 and Huldren to act before posting my actions (which are basically going to be the same as the previous turns', but still).
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I think we go with what you feel comfortable with, I am fine with posting ahead, but obviously you risk having something change if you do so. Big things are fine to redo, say if you took a great deal of damager I would probably ask if you wished to alter an offensive action for a defensive one, etc.
Posts happen in the order they are posted within the same initiative block, unless otherwise specified by the poster, to prevent,
"I killed it!"
"No I go over and kill, it redo your post."
Agreed (has happened!).
Personally, my favourite way of handling it is option #1 (i.e. the 'standard' one) as it encourages a more tactical approach to combat, though I noticed it tends to only work well in fast-paced campaigns or when everybody's posting windows align, and tends to bog down pacing dramatically otherwise. 'Block' initiative is generally a good compromise in a PbP, and I found that 'narrative' initiative usually creates more confusion (and all the delays that go with it) than it is actually worth.
Ideally I would agree, but I would rather not force it, and its difficult to know at this point how often times will align favourably. Generally I think we can play it by ear and correct as necessary until we find our groove - always happy to listen to suggestions so if you think something would work better holler and I will at least consider it :)
My experience is that group init tends to work best for pbp but I'm happy with any option....
Quite right, I was mistakenly thinking both were on 9, so Atrazar should indeed be rolling init and up if he gets 16 or better.
@Atrazar we are still in the very early stages so I do not mind you guys making character tweaks. Maybe you could consider dropping a rank in handle animal and putting it into linguistics for one of the elemental languages? An elemental you can talk to can do pretty much anything a PC could.
Sure, let's go with Terran and swap in an earth elemental. I've lost my edit rights on the original post. Not sure if you can edit or if I should do a new one with the retcon.
I don't think I can, pop up a new one if you would :) Terran is a strong choice - though I do love Auran to for the whirwind ability and speed.
"Attacking unarmed provokes an attack of opportunity from the character you attack"
Serenna is not unarmed, (she has an improvised weapon) she just isn't using the weapon to attack...
Well that is argument, but about as valid as not being unarmed because you have arms, LOL.
To be fair, that specific instance (having arms but not wielding weapons) is specifically called out as not counting as being armed in the Improved Unarmed Strike's description. Though I concur that interpreting 'attacking unarmed' as 'attacking while wielding no weapons' as opposed to 'attacking with your bare fists, regardless of what your other hand might be holding' is a bit of a stretch. Anyone wielding a shield or grabbing the nearest object would qualify for a free Improved Unarmed Strike (minus the lethal damage part) it it weren't so.
But it appears we're all on the same page here :)
Extremely sorry folks, but I am going to need to take a day or 2 off. I've had some odd fever, flu maybe? For a couple of days and it seems to be worsening, spending a lot of time staring at posts, not really processing and feeling generally awful. Headed to the Doctor tomorrow so hopefully ought to get sorted ASAP.
I know I would generally be thinking oh here we go as a PBPer, but I pinky swear I'm just dying on my arse :)
Hey don't worry, real life happens and unseasonal flues are among the suckiest real life happenings of all. I hope you get well soon, and once you do, we'll be here waiting for you!
Take care!
Get well soon
Don't worry about it and good luck.
OK, back in the game ... just got a bit of catching up to do ...
Get Well soon GM Knight ...
..Sorry the patchy was ... too much to do in too little time ...
... working on the festival ..late nights .. drinks ... ==> knackered..
but a great time was had by all (and me), had a chat with Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet for those old enough to remember the 80s....
For those even older it was great to hear Lindesfarne again, Lady Eleanor, Fog on the Tyne and all that..
played sausage roulette ...
I know the feeling, IMHO doing what you did (giving advance notice you wouldn't be able to post for a few days instead of trying to do it anyway, getting overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of things to do and looking like you vanished from the boards) is the honest and sensible thing to do. Too bad you reappeared just when the GM called in sick!
A brief summary of what happened in the meantime: