I wouldn't complain about such an addition. I also like the group of four we have now.
I rather like the dynamic between the four we have now, but if you feel the group is lacking something, I will happily advertise. Keep in mind that eventually you may be able to add Sasha, Aerys and Ishirou as extra muscle, and there are other allies that you can find an recruit on the island. The adventure is designed for four characters - with sense and luck you'll do fine.
When is comes to Karia, (and Gelik, if you can win him round) remember:
Fascinate can take someone out just as well as hold person or charm person.
UMD is a class skill for bards
Bards can use scrolls and wands of spells on their list
The current group is going well I agree.
I do think we're missing a Rogue especially, but as you pointed out UMD is one of my skills, which I will be bumping up.
As I mentioned earlier Karia will take a level of Rogue for the trapfinding, but stick to Bard after that. Happily Rogue also has UMD.
I like our group as it stands, though if the consensus is we need another player I am fine with recruiting.
Hi,sorry, been really busy at work. I'll catch everything up over the next few hours.
Am I missing something? I don't see where on the map we are? There is a shipwreck marked, is that the Jenivere? Are we located where it says 'beach'?
Am I missing something? I don't see where on the map we are? There is a shipwreck marked, is that the Jenivere? Are we located where it says 'beach'?
Pretty sure we're camped on or near the beach.
As per the GM's Into the Jungle Post, the shipwreck on the map isn't the Jenivere but the one we spied from the top of the bluff.
New version of the map, showing the wreck of the Jenivere. You are indeed camped where it says 'Beach'. Point A is where you lost Pamela's trail.
I don't have home internet access, so I'm offline for an extended period (apx. 43 hours) from Friday afternoons (now) to noon on Mondays (Eastern). If you guys need Corliss to tag along or do something that's not totally outlandish (channel positive energy, for example), go for it--he's pretty easygoing. Don't let me hold up the game.
Just to be clear - don't get too hung up on the tracking Pamela thing - I'm setting stuff up for later in the adventure. Also, you need to make a plan for what to do next - this is the sandboxy part of the adventure - you have a map of the north half of the island and several prominent features (and there's lots more to discover). What happens next is up to you.
Sorry I haven't posted yet. I'll post later tonight. Heading to the movies right now.
Hope you're feeling better, GM.
Quick question: Do we have to deal with the heat every day regardless or only if we try to explore during those hours?
Hope you're feeling better, GM.
Quick question: Do we have to deal with the heat every day regardless or only if we tray to explore during those hours?
If you don't exert yourselves during the afternoon, then you won't be affected by the heat. Which means that if you plan to explore in the morning, and then wait out the afternoon, that's fine, as long as I don't roll up a random encounter for the afternoon!
We seem to have ground to a halt. Now I've had some sleep and feel better, let me expand on things a bit.
The NPCs are intended to be a potential great resource for your characters, but they have to work to earn it. Otherwise they can turn into a great problem. Things can go various ways depending on how your characters interact, and you need to take into account their interests, desires and restrictions. They can act as extra muscle, or they can be your support team as you explore the island, or if treated badly they can devolve into antagonists.
So, to take an example purely at random, it's not enough simply to turn up with a dinosaur for Sasha. Who gives it to her? What do they say? Why did you do this for her, and what do you expect in return? All this is important - not just for the group's relationship with Sasha, but with the other NPCs - once they see that the PCs are willing to help them out, maybe they will be more forthcoming.
So let's rewind a bit. Let's assume that Jask and Sasha have just returned with the fish - they were too far away to help, or really notice, the attack of the dire rats, so it is as much a surprise to them as it is to you. Let's take it from there.
Not much for Corliss to retcon. When he finds out that Jask and Sasha didn't know about the rat attack, he'll forgive them for not helping fight them or dealing with the wounded.
As for the hatchling, I think it makes sense for Sizara to present Sasha with the beastie, since she's the one who'd interacted with her previously.
That makes sense. Sizara however no longer sees any reason to pursue a romance with Sasha given the fact that Sasha is pretty loonier than a loonie toons character.
Should you wish it, Sasha (and Archibald) will now accompany you on your explorations of the Shiv. Of course, if she does that, she can't be working back at camp, so it is your choice on how best to use her.
@GM_Ragged.
Can you put the maps up top?
Going back through the thread to find each map is slow and gets more difficult as we go on.
Done
Thanks.
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Sorry I've been away guys. Life and work in general have been a bit overwhelming. I've seen the post count next to this AP's message threads jump up and I felt like a bit of an ass for my last few posts so I've been reluctant to read them, but now I'm ripping off the band-aid and jumping back in.
Sorry I've been away guys. Life and work in general have been a bit overwhelming. I've seen the post count next to this AP's message threads jump up and I felt like a bit of an ass for my last few posts so I've been reluctant to read them, but now I'm ripping off the band-aid and jumping back in.
Don't worry Corin. I've been the same way myself actually. Trying to play catch up due to work.
I think there's some confusion amongst us.
Unless I'm mistaken, the shipwreck we're talking about is northeast of the beach, meaning we'd just paddle to it from the beach. But the waters around the outer edge of the Shiv are dangerous to navigate (and, I would imagine, swim). Maybe some sort of small "personalized rafts" (like the boards Corliss and Karia used to reach the Jenivere )could be built and used to give the non-swimmers a bonus to their swim checks.
The waters of the lagoon are safer for the boat and would require getting the boat down a cliff, but I'm unaware of any shipwreck there.
Maybe hanging out with Sasha for a few days and nabbing that +1 bonus on Init rolls wouldn't be a bad idea. :)
My understanding from this post and this post was that the way to access that shipwreck was to climb down the cliff, then swim out to the shipwreck. If we can just swim out there (possibly with the assistance of some floating debris) at low tide from the lagoon, then that is by far the better option IMO.
Also, I want to clarify that when I'm talking about a raft, I'm talking about something very small that we can hold on to while we swim, and use to carry back supplies from the shipwreck.
OK, it sounds like boating to the wreck (which is the one east of camp, along the outer edge of the Shiv--correct?) is too dangerous but swimming to it would be safer. If that's the case, I'm all for building the small raft for the expedition.
OK, to be absolutely clear -
The wreck of The Grog Dog is on a small island a few hundred yards off the coast of the Shiv, and about a mile from the beach where your main camp is. The closest point to the island is on a cliff about 50' above the sea. There is a channel between the mainland and the island, a few hundred yards wide.
So, to get to the island you have a number of choices:
1) Row the boat out from the Camp Beach, past the reef, and around the shore if the Shiv for about a mile. It is obvious to even the least experienced amongst you that taking the boat out into the open waters around the Shiv would be extremely hazardous. The boat is best kept for sheltered waters, such as those at Camp Beach, the large central Lagoon or the Shiv's inland waterways.
2) Walk to the cliff, descend the cliff somehow (rope, climb, jump) and then swim, surf, float, doggypaddle out to the island, which will be much easier at low tide. Of course, you will then have to think of a way of getting up the cliff again on the way back. Like securing a rope to the top. You could take your boat, or a raft, with you to help you cross the channel, but a) it would be a hell of a job carrying it through the jungle, and b) you would have a hell of job getting it back up the cliff again afterwards. But yes, it would certainly help you get the weaker swimmers across, and make it easier to retrieve any salvage.
Hmm. Building the raft at the top of the cliff would remove the need to drag it up the bluff and through the jungle.
Maybe have one PC train with Sasha each day while the other three work on building the raft?
As far as moving gear and people up and down the cliff, we did recover a block and tackle from the wreck of the Jenivere, and we have at least 3 coils of 50' hemp rope. Corin has an additional coil of hemp rope in his personal supplies, I'm not sure how much rope the rest of you have.
Karia at least should have Knowledge (engineering) through bardic knowledge, which should help with our various tasks.
Transporting the 'raft' to the cliff is probably going to be the hardest part (aside from actually building it), but Corin is willing to do it if everybody else is.
To add a bit more info, here's the Pathfinder info on rafts.
Since it has no cost, I'm not sure how long it would take for us to Craft one (or would this count under Profession (shipbuilder))?
Corliss has no rope.
If you want a good, solid raft, reusable and capable of carrying large amounts of cargo, then it will take 3 DC15 Survival checks to build, with a maximum of 2 checks per day. You could build it at the clifftop, and raise and lower it with the block and tackle.
Alternatively, if you want a glorified floatation device that will get you across the channel and back, and you can essentially abandon afterwards, it will take half a day and no survival check. It would be a collection of logs loosely tied together, and you could essentially just launch it off the cliff.
Just a reminder, you also have a single potion of water walk.
Best we save that potion for an emergency.
Sizara seems to be one of the best swimmers.
Also we can abandon the raft after hauling the salvage up the cliff. I don't think we'll use it again. But I could be wrong based on where the other shipwrecks are located.
Do people have a preference of which we do? I sort of lean toward the solid raft built at the top of the cliff.
Yeah, I remember the potion of water walk, however only one of us can drink it. It is probably better at this point to save it for an emergency.
And we've got a potion of water breathing as well.
I second the "build a solid raft at the top of the hill" idea. It'll also give at least some of us time to train with Sasha.
I'm happy to build the solid raft, there's a lot more coast that we haven't seen yet.
Map updated - link at the top of the page.
I see what you mean about this island being a ships graveyard.
Can we discuss this method of resolving combat? I'm not a fan of having to tell you what I'm doing before I know the full circumstances surrounding my action.
For instance if the snake closed with me before I could throw my javelin, I certainly wouldn't have used the javelin in melee, I would have dropped it and drawn my longsword, then attacked with it.
If we can't change the way we resolve combat, then I'd appreciate a little retconning of my actions to account for information I would have had when I acted (such as the snake being in melee with me and not at range).
Also, Karia said that she wouldn't shoot at the snake if it was engaged in melee combat.
Sure, suggest away. We can do it round by round, but there's still be times where circumstances change before you act. Or you can use conditionals, e.g.
If the snake is at range Corin throws his javelin, else he draws his sword and strikes
Or you could have a 'battle plan' in your stats block, e.g.
Corin will always melee an adjacent foe, drawing his longsword if necessary and moving to close. If he can't get into melee, he'll throw a javelin.
Or if you want maximum freedom, we can resolve actions individually in separate posts. Player1 posts -> GM -> Player2 posts -> GM etc. It will slow things down, but give you maximum tactical freedom.
How do you all want to do this?
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Most of the games I'm in use "blocks" for combat.
For instance, let's say these are the GM's Initiative Rolls:
Corliss: 19
Corin: 13
Sizara: 12
Snake: 11
Karia: 10
Block 1 would be Corliss, Corin, and Sizara. They would be called upon to act by the GM, either in Init order or, more commonly, by posting order. The GM might or might not rule on individual actions or wait until the whole block had acted before ruling.
Block 2 would be the Snake.
Block 3 would be Karia (with the GM maybe giving a shout out that the rest of the PCs are on deck, so they'll be watching and ready to post once Karia's done so).
It'll be slower than the current system, but more accurate and, IMO, satisfying for the players. As the party healer, especially, it helps to know where the party health stands at all times and to be able to react to changing situations quickly. I'd hate to have to try to qualify or place certain conditions on Corliss's every action.
Them's my 2 cents.
I like what Corliss came up with. Seems easy and makes sense actually.
The 'block' system seems eminently sensible, and I'm happy to give it a go. The only drawback I can see would be if someone had devoted a great deal of resources (feats etc.) to having a high initiative modifier, so that they were pretty likely to go first. Being in a 'block' that was processed in posting order would penalize them. But if none of you feel like that, then I'm happy to go with that.
Incidentally, following the earlier discussion, does anyone feel the need for a 5th player and an arcane character?
Also, general feedback on the pacing, style etc. of the game is always welcome, either here or by PM. You're really still in the 'get them to second level' section of the adventure - things don't really get moving plot-wise until you move further south.
Second level is not far away, incidentally.
There will always be drawbacks and questions. For instance, if Karia comes up first in Init order but a couple of people in the block post before her...how do you rule if her action is to Inspire Courage? Do you add it into the other players' attack and damage rolls after the fact or not? I'm not sure there's a right answer--just try to be consistent.
5th player: I'm unchanged. I wouldn't mind an arcane character but am not convinced we need a 5th character.
I'm pretty happy with the campaign thus far. The pacing's been a bit uneven (insanely fast early, more choppy lately), but that happens from time to time. Speaking of which....
I'm going to be offline for the next 2-1/2 days, so if anyone needs magical healing or a Heal or Profession (sailor) check, just ask Corliss to do it and the GM will probably be nice and bot those actions until I return on Tuesday. :)
I'm fine with the block system, we can see how it works for now.
GM_Ragged.
I've added the number of Karia's crossbow bolts to her profile. She's now down 3 from her starting total.
I'm with the others on the block system too. Also yeah I guess we could have a fifth character to join in. I could ask a friend of mine if you like just to see if he's interested.
Is everyone off lighting fireworks and eating hotdogs? (I actually have no idea what goes on on 4th July)
Not American, so not me.
And Corliss posted he'd be away till Tuesday.
Is everyone off lighting fireworks and eating hotdogs? (I actually have no idea what goes on on 4th July)
Yeah that's pretty much what we Americans do on July 4th. We also eat hamburgers too and potato chips.
Hopefully the others will be back with us soon when they run out of potato chips.