GM Rennai's Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale (Inactive)

Game Master Rennaivx

Sorry for the lack of posting I have had a horrible few weeks. I think I have broken my littlest toe, messed up my wrist last week, coconut to the head last week which gave me a headache that just will not leave, and the weather has been rather brutal at work.

Background skill points are limited on what you can put them into, and Perception and Survival aren't eligible. But Knowledge (geography), Profession, and Handle Animal are, so it works out in the end. :) The "+1 level" you have for skill points is your favored class bonus, right?

EDIT: Eww, ick. That's all less than fun. No worries - life happens.

It all still counts so it is all good. And I am hoping for a less dangerous month for me in June

Oh and my downtime would be spent with the Owlbears and chatting with my cohort. And maybe spending sometime with the lovely Anthuria ;)

Coconut to the head????

Coconut to the head????

I did a double-take when reading that, too. :D

I was rather surprised too. Coconut to the head can happen anywhere. I am far from the tropics but people should still be cautious.

We have a tiered basket that hangs down from the ceiling and we keep fruit in it. I was sitting on the ground and when I stood up I hit the bottom basket which had a coconut in it. Left a bump on my head. It has been entertaining to tell people and see the looks on their faces. So many confused faces

I almost feel we've finished the campaign! :D

Oh, not just yet...you know there's too many loose ends for that. A mysterious ear snatcher, talk of fire beasts, a tribe of lizardfolk, a property dispute...but tastes of triumph and satisfaction make the crushing blows that much more horrible are a nice reward for players every so often. ;)

And I'll definitely let you know when we're finishing. I wouldn't leave it up in the air. That is one thing I wanted to bring up, though - how is the pace for everyone? We're five months into the campaign now, which is well past what many would ordinarily expect from a module. But I have been fleshing out a lot of the module's expectations, adding some bits of narrative of my own, and your contributions have been astounding as well.

So, is everyone tracking ok, still interested in keeping on how we've been keeping on? We are about halfway through the module, both in terms of in-game time and in terms of printed material, although I suspect that the second half will go a bit quicker in terms of OOC time. If interest is beginning to wane, I can shift things around to up the pace some, although we may possibly risk leaving a couple of ends loose (the lizardmen/dwarves being a significant possibility). On the other hand, if people are still interested in maintaining the status quo, I'm glad to see this through to the end exactly as it's been since the beginning.

Thoughts, opinions? And not just on this matter - if there's ever a question or concern you have, feel free to bring it up, either in here or via PM. I'm still very much learning, and I appreciate all the feedback I can get!

Nah, I think this is very good.

I'm still interested in seeing this to its conclusion (whatever you, the GM, determine that to be).

I think each PC will take the limelight and step back as the situation arises, but it's all good. We can't have everyone in center stage all the time.

So if you're good, then I'm in.

Game on!

I am perfectly fine with the pace of the game.

So my day went from a nice easy lazy day to I have to take a trip out of state and then show up late to my face to face game when i get back. I will post at my normal time, somewhere around 12 hours from now.

Jetta I am going to attempt chatting with you. You have been warned :D

Thoughts, opinions?

As I've said here and elsewhere, you're doing a great job. Same goes for all of the players. Such wonderful creativity!

I have had no problems with the pacing so far: you seem to have a very good feel for when to move things forward and when to stop and focus on a specific scene. The intermittent periods of downtime in the module leave us more than enough time to have some deeper inter-party interactions and character development, and you've been very active in engaging each of us as well. Of course, we have no problem squeezing some drama out of our missions too, but it's good to have time to breathe and build on what each of the characters is doing between missions. Doing the downtime in a more abstract manner was definitely the right choice.

Regardless of when we get there, I definitely do like there being a definite end point to the adventure. The first campaign I joined here in the forums was an Adventure Path, which—while still ongoing—seems unlikely to last all the way until the end. Not to speak ill off that group! They're great. Most longer play-by-post campaigns just seem doomed to fizzle out sooner or later. From that perspective, modules seem much more suited for play-by-post, since one can be finished in about the same time you could get through an AP with a real-time group (assuming weekly sessions). Seeing that we have a group of such active posters, I'm sure we could keep going forever, but with the current pace I feel like we'll be able to tie up all the loose ends and have a satisfying end for each character. I definitely want to see all there is to see in Vale, so there's no need to cut anything just yet. :)

Jetta I am going to attempt chatting with you. You have been warned :D

Oh no, anything but a chat! The most light-hearted of conversations! D:

Most longer play-by-post campaigns just seem doomed to fizzle out sooner or later. From that perspective, modules seem much more suited for play-by-post, since one can be finished in about the same time you could get through an AP with a real-time group (assuming weekly sessions).

This, this, this. I've already been in two APs that have failed. One has been going on for over five months and we're still level 1. This is the only module I've played in, but I'm coming to the realization that you are right.

Anyway, I think this module is going along just swimmingly. It's one of the most consistent, high-quality games I've seen, and I'm happy to continue on as we have done. I wouldn't mind seeing everything there is to offer, assuming the GM has the patience :).

A note before answering people: it's been a while since we've heard from Mairen. I've messaged them, but unless I hear back by the end of this downtime session Mairen will be staying back at the Fort for our next excursion and moving into NPC-mode. We've seemed to handle encounters all right without paladin-y goodness, so I'm not going to worry about re-recruiting anyone.

I think each PC will take the limelight and step back as the situation arises, but it's all good. We can't have everyone in center stage all the time.

So if you're good, then I'm in.

I wouldn't mind seeing everything there is to offer, assuming the GM has the patience :).

Oh, don't worry - you guys are stuck with me as long as you stay in the Vale. ;) There is definitely a back-and-forth in terms of spotlight, but I do my best to engage everyone and give them a chance to shine.

So my day went from a nice easy lazy day to I have to take a trip out of state and then show up late to my face to face game when i get back. I will post at my normal time, somewhere around 12 hours from now.

Mmm...gotta love days like that. :) Don't worry - I'll definitely give everyone a chance to get a post in, and I'm perfectly willing to stick with downtime as long as there's good interaction to be had (and it sounds like we're gearing up for a good bit of interplay right now).

Doing the downtime in a more abstract manner was definitely the right choice.

I'm definitely feeling the same way. I don't doubt that there's groups and campaigns where the downtime rules are a fabulous fit, but I think I like that everything's emerging more organically in this campaign. And it doesn't seem like anyone's been hurting for ways to interact and get involved.

Regardless of when we get there, I definitely do like there being a definite end point to the adventure. The first campaign I joined here in the forums was an Adventure Path, which—while still ongoing—seems unlikely to last all the way until the end. Not to speak ill off that group! They're great. Most longer play-by-post campaigns just seem doomed to fizzle out sooner or later. From that perspective, modules seem much more suited for play-by-post, since one can be finished in about the same time you could get through an AP with a real-time group (assuming weekly sessions). Seeing that we have a group of such active posters, I'm sure we could keep going forever, but with the current pace I feel like we'll be able to tie up all loose ends and have a satisfying end for each character. I definitely want to see all there is to see in Vale, so there's no need to cut anything just yet. :)

This, this, this. I've already been in two APs that have failed. One has been going on for over five months and we're still level 1. This is the only module I've played in, but I'm coming to the realization that you are right.

Don't worry - there's definitely going to be a strong end to it. You'll definitely know that the last post is the last post (I mean, besides the fact that it'll have an OOC out-tro). I hear where you're coming from on Adventure Paths in PbP; it's why everything I've run so far is modules. (Well, both because the length works out better and because it's a chance to pull in some lesser-known material, which is always fun.)

Amund wrote:

Jetta I am going to attempt chatting with you. You have been warned :D

Oh no, anything but a chat! The most light-hearted of conversations! D:

Not light-heartedness! Next thing you know, there'll be...fun! Enjoyment! D:

@Mairen: Of course. I believe the player is in the course of getting a work published, so it is fair enough.

The first campaign I joined here in the forums was an Adventure Path, which—while still ongoing—seems unlikely to last all the way until the end.

Hope you don't get bothered by the question, but do you mean the Nabster Chronicles?

...but tastes of triumph and satisfaction make the crushing blows that much more horrible are a nice reward for players every so often. ;)

Ah, the subtlety of Kubrick! :D

And I'll definitely let you know when we're finishing. I wouldn't leave it up in the air. That is one thing I wanted to bring up, though - how is the pace for everyone? We're five months into the campaign now, which is well past what many would ordinarily expect from a module. But I have been fleshing out a lot of the module's expectations, adding some bits of narrative of my own, and your contributions have been astounding as well.

I don't know about astounding; most of the character development on my end is limited between Enrico and Perry--which touches upon a point that was not addressed by my fellow players (who all stated great positives of the game)--which is that most character developments and conflicts are not shared between characters.

To set definitions, a storyline arc is the overall transformation and/or development of a character from the beginning of the story to the end of it.
An example is Emperor Kuzco from Disney's Emperor's New Groove; Elsa from Frozen; and Samuel L. Jackson' Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction. All the aforementioned characters ended the story on a different state than when they started it.
Character development and interactions always were the more interesting parts of RPGs for me. Seeing players' reactions to events in-game is fascinating to see, and a few tense games teaches more about the player than several conversations.

To be fair, there are characters who are undergoing obvious character development.
Anthuria is one; she is clearly developing, maturing, and learning more, and it shows through her thinking and wide-eyed curiosity towards everything.
Perry is as well; the wraiths triggered self-reflection, and his exchanges with Father Apar, Sir Tolgrith, and Oakbrow are actually changing his alignment on a deeper level--when he exclaimed 'harmony rather than order', which is a principle he is learning from trying to balance between exploiting the vale and exploiting it responsibly.
Jetta is also going through this; the tension between her and Perry (a figure from a past she apparently doesn't know how to handle anymore) and coping with it by creating rather than destroying is evident.

In each case, however, there is a problem.
Anthuria develops on her own, and shares little (if any) words with others that can convey the transformation she is going through. Being something of a wall-flower (pun unintended), it's difficult to put the transformation to words. This makes her development seem like a self-contained affair that is difficult to integrate with other characters.
Perry shares the same problem; most of his verbal duels are with with NPCs; first his majordomo Enrico in a Batman-Alfred fashion, second Father Apar in a Skywalker-Yoda fashion, and Oakbrow in a...well, I'm not exactly sure, but there is a dynamic there (need to watch more movies). This meshes well with his de facto leadership role, but does not give other characters the chance to engage with him.
Jetta has a similar problem to Perry (engaging mostly with NPCs), although she does brush against other characters in varied ways; Mairen she clearly respects (although it amounted to little development), Balthus she admires (which has potential), Amund she...butts heads with, and Anthuria she seems to care for. The issue is channeling these feelings into actual events, which might happen soon.

The module gives time (in a mechanical sense) for this to happen, but there is a problem.
I disagree here with Jetta; although there are periods of downtime that would potentially help character development, it needs active engagement and points of overlap where characters can engage on a deeper level, which is not usually the case. The owlbear case is engaging to some (Amund, Anthuria, to a degree Balthus) but not others (Jetta, Perry), the tarot-card scene sort of teetered out of relevance and did not end on a strong note, etc.

So far, we're halfway through. There's a lot of time to interact, and I'll keep this in mind.

The module is going along on an amazingly efficient pace as of now. The fact that all combats are finished within a week is a mark of that.
Jetta's comment on the unsuitability of APs (and Anthuria's assurances) ring very true with experience. In fact, I am quite sure that if the module is over, I would be interested in playing another game. That indicates that APs have a kind of an overwhelming quality to them that makes them unsuitable for PBP, since they have one long storyline instead of several self-contained ones.
Speaking for myself, my interest did not wane in the story, although Perry's own character mechanics are boring (support characters generally don't suit my instigator-like playstyle), and he is unfortunate enough to have a divine-favored weapon of a really crappy weapon (crossbows).
These are mechanical problems, of course--none related to the story, but they do lessen the fun of the game, though not the fun of the story (which is a split I didn't notice much until now).

Wow Perry tell us how you really feel ;)

To give a more detailed answer I am truly enjoying the game. I agree that modulus tend to hold up better in PbP and this is a fun one. I am loving all the details. Yes there could be more PC on PC interaction but there has been some and I do not have any issue with it or the amount. I love player interactions. The Heroes game I was at was 8 hours of just role-play so it is my thing.

Balthus and I have bickered quite a bit and I loved every written word of it. Sadly after the poking there is less interactions between Anthuria and I. Jetta and I also had a bit of a argument, also lots of fun. Balthus and Anthuria's interactions are adorable, brief, but adorable. And Jetta and Perry have had some face time. And there has been a liberal amount of PC on NPC.

Player interaction is only going to happen if the players instigate it. I am viewing some of the more reluctant people as hesitant and unsure of the people that they have been paired with. All and all we have a varied good that naturally would have never gotten together. The bickering and lack of socializing reflects that. Instead of letting our situation bond us we have done our own thing and that is squarely on us.

I personally have no issue with Anthurias internal development. PbP is actually a better medium for it than face to face sometimes. In the PbP you do not feel like you are taking up time from a group to deal with just you. You the player get to see that development. The character might not see it to that level but the player does.

As to our wonderful GM. I will happily compete for a spot is pretty much anything you run. Your posts are fun to read and while I do not know what you have added into the game it has been a lot of fun. Part of my enjoyment is interacting with the NPCs as well, or in this case reading others interactions. You have a good feel for when to move things along and your post and well written and fun to read.

*many good points and discussion of narratives*

I don't think you're entirely wrong on the character development vs. interpersonal development dichotomy. Much of that, though, has to do with the time constraints of the medium - unless two people happen to be on at the same time, even relatively short conversations can take days, and if it's just two people talking while others are stuck waiting in the wings, it could be detrimental to the others' enjoyment. Multi-directional conversations can get confused as well - without immediate back-and-forth it's easy to get lost.

Our characters are quite varied as well, and that can actually complicate matters, too. It's difficult to fabricate a social situation that everyone's characters would be interested in, where when the party's on the road they're sort of forced to interact, instead of being caught up in their separate interests.

And as Amund pointed out, much of the onus for inter-character interplay is on the players as well - I can make a setting conducive to it (which I hope I have) and open up opportunities/leave time (as I hope I do), but whether or not to bite is up to y'all. But I'll definitely keep it in mind, and do what I can to facilitate it further.

Speaking for myself, my interest did not wane in the story, although Perry's own character mechanics are boring (support characters generally don't suit my instigator-like playstyle), and he is unfortunate enough to have a divine-favored weapon of a really crappy weapon (crossbows).

These are mechanical problems, of course--none related to the story, but they do lessen the fun of the game, though not the fun of the story (which is a split I didn't notice much until now).

Yeah...clerics can sort of fall into that trap, since they have fairly few class features (two domains, channel energy, and spells). Don't get me wrong - they're a quite excellent class, and probably one of the more powerful. But they suffer from actually being a bit too blank of slates a lot of times. I'm glad you're enjoying the story, though, even if the mechanics don't tickle your fancy! If it becomes too much of a problem, let me know and we'll see what we can do.

So, I'll chime in (But not as extensive as Perry) :)

So I think most people mean that PBP allows for more character interaction when compared to tabletop gaming. It's simply because of the time.

No one is going to wait around for Anthuria to craft a letter to her mother in tabletop. In a PBP, it's nice touch. So 'solo' character actions are far more likely but conversations are more difficult.

Balthus and Jetta's conversation would probably take 5 minutes in table top but it may never have occurred. In PBP, it may take a few days but the medium allows for it to happen.

Character development is always going on. Maybe not as dramatic as in a blockbuster movie but it happens. Perry pointed out some instances. I would add the ongoing relationships between Balthus (father), Amund (punk kid), and Anthuria (daughter) and also Balthus trying to figure whether it's time to settle down or not.

So in the end, you get out of the game what you put into it.

Game on!

@Character Interaction:
I do sympathise with Perry's yearning for clearer narrative structures, but we have to remember that this isn't a book or a movie. It's a living, breathing thing that we are cultivating together, and it has to grow organically. I don't think every character has to have some deep-reaching scene of personal discovery with every other character. For example, as Balthus said, our current conversation probably won't be overly long or complicated, but it still tells us something about the characters: namely that the two get along quite well due to their shared gruffness and practicality. I really like that. Trying to force their interaction into something more melodramatic wouldn't be as true to the characters, or really add anything to the scene. Sometimes people just get along, and conflict is merely a hindrance.

As with anything that has to do with a player character, it's up to the player to decide what level of interconnectivity they choose to play out. As others have said, play-by-post is a very fitting medium for inwardly focused character development. Quite uniquely, we have chance to get deep into what our characters are thinking and experiencing. I definitely don't agree with the notion that an act of roleplaying is not valid unless somehow tied to another character, and I would not devalue interactions related to the narrative, either. For example, Anthuria has been particularly good at employing what is written in the module to support her character development, and most of her interactions are also built around the encounters we have in the wild. That's totally fine. I feel like she really embodies what this module is about, more than any other character in the party.

With that said, I do absolutely encourage everyone to make these interactions happen. We still have plenty of time. Just don't feel the need to force them. :)

Hope you don't get bothered by the question, but do you mean the Nabster Chronicles?

Indeed-ly-doo. Still trucking along.

Some really good points are being made here. I will simply agree that PC-PC interaction is up to the players themselves, and Jetta is right that PbP is optimal for internal development. For one thing, some characters are just introverted, and much of their psychology is wrapped up in their own head. For another, the fun of the game is where you find it. Some people really crave inter-PC interaction, for others (like me), the most fun is found in internal development. Or maybe I'm just bad at dialogue, I don't know.

But whatever the case, I don't think it's a problem that there is limited dialogue between us. I imagine the PCs doing just as much off-scene as we write for them on-scene, and in my mind I see them conversing in the distance, though I don't necessarily know what they say to each other. And that's okay. The posts that we do write for them are icing on the cake, giving us a chance to personalize and accentuate personalities. We all know there's much more going on here.

Nobody wants to chat over food?

@Amund:
Very true on the points. You bring up a point that GM Rennai addresses--

Our characters are quite varied as well, and that can actually complicate matters, too. It's difficult to fabricate a social situation that everyone's characters would be interested in, where when the party's on the road they're sort of forced to interact, instead of being caught up in their separate interests.

I was about to bring that up, but decided not to (since saying it from my end will not be very constructive).

I can make a setting conducive to it (which I hope I have) and open up opportunities/leave time (as I hope I do), but whether or not to bite is up to y'all. But I'll definitely keep it in mind, and do what I can to facilitate it further.

That is all roleplayers require from their GM.

@Balthus:

Balthus and Jetta's conversation would probably take 5 minutes in table top but it may never have occurred. In PBP, it may take a few days but the medium allows for it to happen.

Character development is always going on. Maybe not as dramatic as in a blockbuster movie but it happens. Perry pointed out some instances. I would add the ongoing relationships between Balthus (father), Amund (punk kid), and Anthuria (daughter) and also Balthus trying to figure whether it's time to settle down or not.

That is true; it is going on, but I fear most is done with PC-NPC discussions.

@Jetta:

For example, Anthuria has been particularly good at employing what is written in the module to support her character development, and most of her interactions are also built around the encounters we have in the wild. That's totally fine. I feel like she really embodies what this module is about, more than any other character in the party.

That is true; in a way, Anthuria is a mirror that reflects her inner growth. The silent wallflower type does not need to interact with others to grow.

@Anthuria:
GM Rennai's abstract writing is good for these purposes, as it could be easily assumed that the party (according to the description of the events) are getting acclimated to their lives in the fort, and everyone is getting used to the state of how things are so far.
As I said above, Anthuria's introspectiveness is not bad, nor is her personal development wrong.
The thing I feel the party lacks (even in small measure) is the spirit of a team.
That thing is sure to develop in time, though what I fear that it might not be developed enough by the time the module is over.

Of course, these could just be baseless ravings (which I do a lot), but for that purpose, I will explore more of Percival's character so to find more aspects that could be shared with others for this purpose.

@GM: Can Perry transfer the +1 Frost enchantment from the morningstar to his light crossbow?

I'm just chilling and enjoying the RPing. :)

After a bit of searching, I've found someone's homebrew 3.5e spell that I think will do the trick, if no one objects - transfer enchantment. I'll allow Perry to prepare it as a fourth-level spell (which with level 7 he now has access to), since it's decidedly within Abadar's portfolio and there's already established rules for getting spells at lower levels or from other lists based on the god a cleric worships. Sound fair?

By the way, I'll be looking at moving us along in about 24 hours if we've gotten to a good point for it - if it seems like folks still have more to do I'll hold off.

Fair enough. I'll modify the crossbow posthaste.

I'm just chilling and enjoying the RPing. :)

Sometimes it is fun to sit back and watch people. Also if you do not have anything nice to say... I mean your Balthus. You still say it! Join us.

I have run out of questions I think Amund would ask. You got any?

Not right now. Good scene. :)

I enjoyed it, Thank you it was fun.

The grumpy cub is now named Owlbert since Jetta is always scowling. Gotta name a lazy one.

I am going out of town this weekend, friday to sunday, and I have no idea if I will have wifi or the time to post so bot me if need be.

Sorry, came down with food poisoning yesterday. Left work early, slept for eighteen hours, woke up again just in time to come back to work and play catch-up. I'll get posted by late morning.

The grumpy cub is now named Owlbert since Jetta is always scowling.

Scowlbear would have been a good pick, too. :P

"[...] wants something more? Be something more, do something more, be part of something more..."

Hmm. So either Perry is having a midlife crisis, or he is secretly a Disney princess.

Sorry, came down with food poisoning yesterday. Left work early, slept for eighteen hours, woke up again just in time to come back to work and play catch-up. I'll get posted by late morning.

Ouch. Hopefully you are feeling better! We've been keeping ourselves busy, though, so no need to worry about that. :)

Ouch. Hopefully you are feeling better! We've been keeping ourselves busy, though, so no need to worry about that. :)

I saw that - this pleases me. :) Fortunately, I am feeling better than I was yesterday, although my system's still somewhat grumpy. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to put off my post another sixteen hours or so - with all the catching up I had to do at work I ran out of time and energy, and this next post from me deserves some attention. We will move along tonight, though.

Hmm. So either Perry is having a midlife crisis, or he is secretly a Disney princess.

Well, that is what he expects is upsetting Jetta.

FYI, I'm going on vacation for the next 12 days. I won't be back home until Thursday June 16th. However, I should still have internet access and I do intend to keep the games going. I'll probably be posting in the mornings and nights but don't expect much during from me during the daytime. And don't be too concerned if you don't hear from me for a day or two. Please bot me as necessary.

Game on!

Got it - thanks for letting me know! Along that note, I'll be taking off for a few days myself from the 10th to the 13th or 14th. I should still have Internet and be able to post in the mornings and/or evenings, but it'll likely be not-quite-as-lengthy posts. (I'll remind you guys again when the time comes.)

Percival coughed slightly, and then carried the spear and message to Sir Tolgrith.

I assume everyone follows, since we'll want to be present for whatever conversation is to be had about the lizardfolk. Jetta goes with, anyhow.

Yesterday it was a fire knocking out the Internet, today it's a thunderstorm threatening to knock out the power. XD Ah, this place in summertime. Post'll be up soon assuming the power holds out; if not now, it'll be a few hours from now when I was going to be skipping town anyway. ;)

-25 gp worth of the party pool for the party's interests

What party pool? I thought we divided all our loot previously. All we should have in our loot list is and the circlet of persuasion the newly de-enchanted morningstar.

You thought correctly.
It'ĺl be deducted instead from Perry's wealth then.
By the way, Perry will use the Circlet during the negotiations.

Copy that, Perry. Thanks.

By the way, I'm leaving this morning to visit family - I will have Internet and should still be able to post once a day, but if I go quiet at any point over the next few days, that's why.

So we've got interest in speaking with Oakbrow and with the dead dwarf. Oakbrow did give you guys a scroll of animal messenger if you want to call him that way...

I don't think we have anyone who can use the scroll, though. :S

Balthus didn't take an archetype to trade away spellcasting, and animal messenger is a ranger spell.

Oh, okay! We haven't seen him casting any spells, so I assumed he might have. :P

Thats fine old man. We can have our moment another time. Just use your ranger powers to send the message and we will chat with him here.

@GM: Yes. That will be the question for the divination.

Sounds good. I'll be working on posts answering both concerns over the next couple of hours - just need to make some breakfast first.

So...maybe the "next couple of hours" turned into a little more than that. That trip suddenly took off on me. ;) Back now, though, and I'll get caught up. A good time was had. :)

*does best Titanic impression* Is there anybody alive out there?!

:)

I'll give folks some more chance to post if they like - I plan to move along tonight, though.

*Waves back* (^_^)

I already put the questions.