GM Lorenzo's PFS Quest: Honor's Echo - Redelia's PbP GM Mentorship Program (Inactive)

Game Master Lawrence Smith 2

This is the discussion thread.
For players new to play-by-post PFS, please check out some time-tested resources:
The Flaxseed Pathfinder Lodge
Painlord's Advanced PbP Play
Doomed Hero's Guide to PbP Gaming
GM Damo's user profile offers excellent additional guidance and tips.
This Tagline Template offers a basic setup for your own PC's PbP tagline, providing vital information at a glance. Please, modify/adapt it to your own PC's crucial needs.

Please ensure you have an updated stat block associated with your PC and any companions or familiars.
For those using Hero Lab, it's quite simple.
Under the "File" tab, select "Output Hero Statblock." In the pop-up menu, select the "BBCode" tab and click on the "Copy" button.
In your PC's Paizo profile, click on the "Edit My Profile" button. Then paste it into the "About [Your PC's Name]" block near the bottom of the page.
Got some questions? Post them here in the Discussion thread.

When you're ready, use this thread to introduce your PC to the GM and to the party. Please do so in-character.

Some Basic Rules of Engagement (ROE):
OOC Text: When mistakes are made or clarifications are necessary, just let us know in the discussion thread. Let's keep the ooc text in the gameplay thread to a minimum.
Conditions/Effects: Regarding penalties or bonuses/buffs/debuffs from conditions/effects, please, players, indicate any bonuses/penalties to attacks, damage, etc separately--to remind the GM and other players.
For example, [dice=Attack, Power Attack, Inspire Courage, Fatigued]d20-1+1-2; d8+2+1-2[/ dice].
Animal Companion/Mount/Familiar/Eidolon: Please create a separate alias for it, especially if it will act on its own. Also indicate its Perception and Initiative modifier, as well as your own, on Slide 2.
Initiative: Animal Companions/Mounts/Familiars/Eidolons will have their own Initiative results. They can act independently or you can opt to have you and your companion act at the same time on the lower of the two Initiative results. The one with the higher result will be considered delayed, but not flat-footed.
Miss Chance: I prefer to roll miss chances as the GM; if you roll it, please use a d100, where a "miss" is less than or equal to the percentage chance.

Pathfinders, I'll go ahead and run the first quest, "Grove," to demonstrate how this GM runs a PbP session, share a few tips, and answer any questions you might have.

You can also use this time to select and prep the quest you want to run. You should all have a copy of PFS Quest: Honor's Echo. Please let me know which quest you'd like to run.

Just to verify, we're playing and running in this? If so, would it be permissible to bring along a potentially disruptive character?

Also, I ran this last year in-person at Phoenix ComicCon, so I will gladly take a back seat to anyone else that has a preference for a section they want to run -- offer is open until Sunday evening at the latest due to needs of preparations...

Checking in with Ijo Ibn Son for GM Weenerton (OG3).

Ijo is a slender half-orc with a sly grin. He wears a leather armor and carries a bag with typical sundry items. He frequently takes deep breaths like a great weight rests on his soul.

Where do we get a copy of Honor's Echo? Or should we purchase it from the website?

GM Wageslave chiming in here.

Honor's Echo is a Free Quest product located HERE

This is the character I would like to bring along for this Quest chain, both to get them 'play experience' as well as a bit of a GM challenge.

If it is inappropriate, I can bring a different character.

BOBBI! I'll carry the jar.

*extends a tendril from their basic gear cookpot and leaves a slimy symbol on the chalkboard* ...it looks like a clumsily drawn 'heart'

I appreciate quirky characters that add layers of fun RP to the game.

I'll only ask that any disruptions be limited to those that don't screw over the party.

We can all enjoy a good RP riff, especially if such a post also contains the essential elements that still manage to drive the story and the action forward.

If it's too much a labor of self-expression/pleasure, it might come across to the rest of us like Mom walking into your bedroom and all you've got on is a tube sock in one hand.

A pot sits on one of the chairs. The pot has the stenciling 'Rob Libertas' and there's a stylized eagle next to it.

From within pinkish fluid in it stirs every so often, and a tendril loops out of it, dribbling fluids onto a chalkboard with painstaking slowness.

Unless otherwise noted, all communications are slow and via this method, thank you for your patience.

"Bobbi. *demonface* 8 bones E/R/C! Here 2 hlp. *demonface crossed out* *image of bag under table-like arch* Rdy 2 go! *smileyface*"

Bobbi is here to help everyone out, and not make a huge mess out of things. He just has a hard time staying solid, and that other cautionary note is definitely a consideration of why I asked permission rather than assuming.

Hey Bobbi,

I played Giovanni in a confirmation run with you. honest feedback, I think the character concept is great and the chalkboard communication is novel. I personally had a tough time deciphering the messages sometimes, especially when you were describing images and crossing stuff out. maybe i'm dense but just wanted to give you my perspective.

I realized part of the way through that putting a Bluff check with a really easy difficulty number (that a good chunk of people could hit) for simple concepts with the message Bobbi was trying to impart was helpful. I was trying to think of some way to say 'NO' (crossed out item) and that was the best way I could think of, but if you've a better idea I'm really on board with expanding the knowledge base! Please keep giving me feedback!

OOHHHHHHHHHH. That should be a Sense Motive check, for my character to understand you. I kept seeing Bluff and thinking "why would I bluff him right now?" Yeah that explanation text in spoiler would be super helpful for me.

Brunoreturns checking in. This alias isn't a PFS character, but it is one that I've wanted to play.

If that's not OK, I have a PFS core cleric that I've never played. I could bring that one in.

If this alias is acceptable, I'll just need to look at the crunch a bit to be sure it is PFS legal.

Edit: Oh yeah, last campaign I tried to get him in had us starting at 2nd level, so I'll definitely need to rework him.

I'm not sure how much time I'll have this weekend. I'll get him set up by Monday night at the latest.

OG3: I ALWAYS get tripped up on that for some reason, sorry about that confusion!

Any level-1 PC or pregen will work for the quest.

A Monday start is fine with me.

Please use the intervening time to create a tagline and a character sheet for your selected PC.

If you have questions, take a look at the helpful links included in my first post, above.

If you need help, please let me know.

I lied and updated the character right away. Sleep is overrated. It will be Monday before I download and look at the module though.

I am willing to take last choice on the quests to be run.

Folks, please do this old GM a favor, and let me know if you intend to use any nonstandard pronouns.

Feel free to express yourself and refer to yourself however you'd like. That said, the GM might not be familiar with all the latest trends in the gender-bending and political correctness of our world.

If I or the NPCs get it wrong, it's not out of spite or bigotry, but just genuine confusion and ignorance.

I know next to nothing about baseball stats, electronic dance music, or reality TV shows, either. And I'll never understand why people spend $3 or more for a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

I'm guessing it's no problem if I've played this scenario before since it's probably not for usual PFS credit anyway?

I'll choose a character by Sunday night.

Bobbi has enough of a time maintaining a solid form that the idea of sexual characteristics is not on the agenda. As long as folks don't call them 'it' it's a small victory in their book.

In other words, as long as they're treated like a living being and not some hunk of protoplasmic goop(usually with terrified flailing and murderous intents towards them), it's all good.

As far as gender and PC?

Whatever pronoun folks designate (if they care to) is what I run with, and apologize and correct if I make a mistake. I don't see it so much as 'PC' as 'polite'.

True story, you've seen me in person (at the PbP panel at least!). I had my back turned to someone once about ten years ago at work and I had a customer going "Ma'am, ma'am, could you help me, please?" And then when I turned around she said "Why do you have a beard?" "What happened to your voice?" It was a bit of an eye-opener, to say the least.

I'll join the club you've got there, because I don't understand most of those things, are you recruiting? The other thing I'll never understand is people texting to each other -- when they're standing RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER!...

I am struggling to understand what a "nonstandard pronoun" could be.

As for Starbucks, I'll point out that even there coffee is less than $3. The "lattes" and "macchiatos" people like to spend exhorbitant amoints of money on are mostly milk, The frappuccinos are mostly ice. Explain to me why anyone would pay $6 for a large cup of warm milk...

This scenario will be GMed/played for credit. It's evergreen/replayable, and you can apply GM and player credits for each subquest to the same Chronicle.

Re pronouns, I'm most comfortable with the traditional he/she/it, etc. If you'd prefer something else, have at it, I've no objection. Just let me know, so I can avoid ruffling anyone's fur or feathers. Sounds like Bobbi's going with the proletariat plural 'they.' (As opposed to the royal 'wee.' Ah, I love me a cheap pun!)

I do remember meeting you, GM Wageslave, at the PbP workshop at PaizoCon. I enjoyed the story behind your nom de plume/nom de guerre, Wei Ji.

Coffee? Brew my own, invest the savings. It's amazing, what a lifetime of doing that does for one's personal finances. ;-)

Quest Assignments:
Grove - GM Lorenzo
Basilica -
Blade -
Homestead -
Breakdown -
Cacophony - GM Lorenzo

Please pick one, and let me know. I'd appreciate someone volunteering soon to run 'Basilica,' so we can avoid unnecessary delay between the subquests.

We'll continue to use the Discussion thread to cover GMing matters as we go.

EDIT: I'll take Basilica.

I'll probably just roll with a pregen then and apply it to a separate character.

As far as quest selection goes, what would be best to avoid my July 14-22 absence? Pick an earlier scenario? Basilica?

The best 'fit' for Bobbi is 'they/them/their', however, if someone flubs it and calls her by female pronouns or alternatively him by male pronouns that'd be a perfectly understandable situation.

Bobbi's a special case.

Most GMs I've run with have made a similar request for address in advance, to prevent any confusion and/or repeatedly calling the character that has firmly and decisively called themselves male throughout a 'her' because 'it says F* on their character sheet/statblock'.

And yes, I *have* had this or similar happen with a character that was in-transition via PFS.

Thankfully only a couple of times.

It's really confusing when you've been vigorously playing a tough old grandmother and suddenly the GM starts saying 'he' out of the blue, for a different example.

Okay, if no one has a claim on 'Blade' I'll take it.

Update:
Quest Assignments:
Grove - GM Lorenzo
Basilica - GM Weenerton
Blade - GM Wageslave
Homestead -
Breakdown -
Cacophony - GM Lorenzo

GM PaleDim, how about running Breakdown, last quest before the grand finale?

Yeah, I like that section. I'll take it.

I'll dot in momentarily with the Enora pregen.

Quest Assignments:
Grove - GM Lorenzo
Basilica - GM Weenerton
Blade - GM Wageslave
Homestead - GM OG3
Breakdown - GM PaleDim
Cacophony - GM Lorenzo

Okay, we've got our GMing assignments. Once you've selected the PC you're playing, please make an in-character post in the Gameplay thread, and we'll get this party started.

Hi Lorenzo. Weenerton is my GM handle for OG3. I can do both sections if you like but wanted to clear up any confusion.

I think he meant to make me one of those :)

Is there a process for setting up the maps and whatnot in Slides that I could be walked through, please?

I've never done it before, and I don't want to mess it up?

Quest Assignments:
Grove - GM Lorenzo
Basilica - GM Weenerton
Blade - GM Wageslave
Homestead - GM Brunoreturns
Breakdown - GM PaleDim
Cacophony - GM Lorenzo

Corrected GMing assignments. Once you've selected the PC you're playing, please make an in-character post in the Gameplay thread, and we'll get this party started.

I'll walk everyone through the steps of setting up maps and images in Google slides.

Awesome, thank you very much!

If folks need further information on what an Oozemorph is about, feel free to ask, it's a bit of a weird thing so...

Thank you, Bobbi, for making your introduction and updating the slides.

Everyone else, please do the same. Copy and past your PC's icon onto Slide 1 and place it in the preferred placement in a couple of standard march orders.
On Slide 2, enter the requested admin information about your PC in the matrix, then enter your PC's Perception and Initiative modifiers in the pre-formatted spoiler blocks at the bottom of Slide 2.

PbP Tips:

Initiative: As the GM, I'll roll Initiative for everyone, including the bad guys, using a spoiler. That's faster than waiting for everyone to roll their own in individual posts. (If you have a familiar/companion/mount/eidolon that acts in combat, list its modifier separately from your own.)

Perception: As the GM, I'll occasionally roll Perception for you as well, again using a spoiler, when appropriate to expedite play. Feel free to roll Perception checks yourselves, when you want to examine something. (If you have a familiar/companion/mount/eidolon, list its modifier separately from your own.)

Waves to everyone, glad that you've got your GM assignments.

Don't worry about setting up maps, I will be walking everyone through how to do those in the classroom part. You should of course ask questions either in the classroom or here, depending on which you feel more comfortable with.

Homestead seems like a really interesting quest. I am pleased at the defaulting.

So far, it seems like Maskini is the most martial of the characters, so I put him in front. I will have no issues moving back from the front line if more tankish builds show up.

Are we starting in a briefing with the guy, or is our briefing the note that's on one of the slides titled 'Grove'? *confusion indicated, heading to work*

Reveille's going to cover creation of slides, so I won't go into much detail on that subject.

PbP Tip:
Google Slides -
On Google.com, select Drive. On the drive, select Google Slides. I give the new presentation a title that matches the name of my scenario, in this case, "GM Lorenzo's PFS Quest: Honor's Echo - Redelia's PbP GM Mentorship Program." In the upper right corner I click on Share, and set it to "Anyone Can Edit," so players can enter their information and move their PCs' icons around the map, etc.
To make the first two slides, I open a previous scenario's Google Slides, copy and paste them into the new scenario. Then, I edit them for the new scenario.
I use a MacBook Pro, so I open the scenario's pdf in Adobe. I sometimes have difficulty copying and pasting a JPG file directly into Google Slides, so I copy what I want into Preview, then save it as a PNG file, which I can insert into the Google Slides with no difficulty.

There may be a better way, but that method works for me.

No intro briefing in this scenario, so I just referred you to Ramaio's note with a hyperlink for your convenience.

I ad-libbed a couple of lines to get the party moving to the boat.

The scenario has an image of Polgrin, so I provided that with another hyperlink, again for your convenience.

PbP Tip:
Spoilers -
Rather than play "Stump-the-Chump," and wait to see if anyone wants to attempt a Sense Motive check on their own, I provided the DC for that check. If you succeed at the check, you can open it. It also avoids wasting time, calling for the players to make their rolls and waiting a full day for everyone to respond.

You don't have to share what you learned with the party, but it's a courtesy to your fellow players if you do. As a player, I usually cut-and-paste what the GM revealed within the spoiler, and edit it as little as possible before including it in my PC's dialogue.

Another way to share what's revealed in a spoiler is to just make an OOC entry, saying 'Hey everybody, if you're interested, open up the spoiler and take a look.' I generally discourage that, because it breaks the 'fourth wall,' unnecessarily compromising the immersive experience of the game.

My preference is to do most of the OOC chatting in the Discussion thread.

Bear in mind, the NPCs might react to what you say...

They are not happy about us being there. Feel free to read the spoiler. :)

There are a lot of things going on in the post initiating the combat encounter in The Blackwood Grove. Let me know if you have any questions.

PbP Tips

Maps & Images: I copied a portion of the map, not the whole thing but enough for the encounter, and imported it into a new slide. I found images for a gnome druid, a bear, and a bat swarm and created icons for them and placed them on the map. I copied your icons and put placed them on the map as well.

Pre-formatted Initiative: I used the pre-formatted Initiative block on Slide 2 to roll initiative for the party and the NPCs. (Trajet's action initiated the encounter, effectively a 'surprise' round. She had the highest initiative, so her summons completed before anyone else could react.)

Spoilers: I created spoilers for Spellcraft and Knowledge checks, as well as for saving throws.

Hyperlinks: I created a number of hyperlinks for players to reference for more on the spell and conditions in effect. It's a great feature of the PbP method of play, keeping GMs and players informed of the rules.

Block Initiative: Like most PbP GMs, I use 'block initiative,' enabling anyone highlighted in bold letters to act as soon as he or she can post, without having to wait until his or her initiative number comes up. That avoids lag time and expedites play.

Links fir conditions is a great idea that I haven't seen before. I will definitely be using that.

However, the Nauseated link (at least the one by my name) is going to the wrong place (a spellblight page)

Good catch, I had selected the wrong entry for 'nauseated.' I'll fix it.

PbP Tip:

PC & NPC Icons: To help the eye better and more quickly identify friend and foe on the maps, I've adopted a tip from someone else in another game I'm playing with a GM new to PbP. PCs will continue to be indicated with a thin, round, black border. NPCs' borders will remain thicker and colored, but I will also make them hexagonal. That will help everyone, but especially players that are colorblind.

Folks, I'll try to post this weekend, but it might be tough. I'm overseeing a small local con, Toy & Geek Fest, Saturday and Sunday here in Puyallup, Washington.

Just check in from time to time, to see if things have been updated.

I'm going to drop in here to point out that your mentor is doing something very important: letting players know he might not be posting for a few days. This kind of communication lets your players know what to expect, and keeps them from feeling ignored or neglected if real life keeps you from posting.

This is a link to Basilica for when the time comes.

This is the location of Honor's Echo: Blade for when it comes up on rotation.

EDIT:

Also, GM, PM sent regarding some questions that have come up.

That's if we even make it out of the first quest. Things looking grim!

[GMSchool] Honor's Echo: Breakdown created.

It's a very simple thing, but I appreciate how all of the character conditions are thoroughly enumerated and linked. I like the additional icons on specific characters on the map.

takes notes...