Lots of people in the party having healing is usually the best kind of party. It spreads things out so the burden and resource drain isn't on one person.
Also, I just realized with Cithembi replacing Blaze, I'm the only one with no access to healing magic...or magic in general. I'm...uh...gifted in other ways.
So, with half the party deafened her bard song is greatly lessened. We seem to be facing flying enemies, again. They seem to be able to see us just fine and target us with range weapons despite the weather while we only move and see 5'. This place sucks! lol. A CR 1 flying creature with a bow could kill is all. How far back do we need to go to to have better vision and/or movement?
Agreed, we're in a very precarious position here! I'd like to wait until next round to see what develops, but if things get too sticky, let's never forget that there can be honor in running away! Honest!
This AP has waaaay too many flying enemies for level 1-2. And I am not at all confident that the writers have correctly accounted for the weather effects in their calculations of CR. I often see such underrated.
I'd say the movement penalty alone is worth +1 CR, especially when you consider we face enemies that can fly. The vision penalty another. Add them together and they become more than the sum of their total. And that is not counting the nerf of my bardic ability where half the party cannot either hear or see me. I like a good challenge though and do not mean to complain. I do want to point out that we are in for a fight!
To be completely honest, I believe environment and other stuff like this are never taken in consideration in any of the APs I've ever read, even if they are not that common.
Regarding the distance, it is a lot! If there is something really deadly flying out there, it would probably kill all of you before you are able to find more favorable conditions. However, not everything is lost!
These encounters were rebalanced for 5 PCs, but you are at 6 right now, so at least you have that going for you.
This early section of Reign of Winter *is* pretty tough when played with all of the environmental effects properly applied. But it can be done.
Yeah, Reign of Winter has a bit of reputation for being difficult.
That's being said, we are still in the first round of combat and no one is bleeding out yet. So, I'd say its still too early to call. It could just be a weak enemy where the terrain is the primary challenge. If so, it might just need a little good old fashioned problem solving.
Me? I'm going to go hide in an igloo. The igloo may be taken, you say? Well, then I'm going to go beat up someone in an igloo.
One thing nice thing with play-by-post: when you get knocked out of a fight, you don't have to sit around and wait for everyone else to finish it like you do at a table. :D
Guys, I'm really sorry to say this but I believe I'll need to take a prolonged vacation from PBP. I'm currently passing through something that I've not yet been able to figure out, but I'm feeling incredibly anxious and a bit panicked. I feel like my live is slipping through my fingers, and I desperately need to grasp it once more, or else I might go entirely crazy and perhaps make some decisions that I'll for sure regret in the future.
I'm not still sure if PBP hampering me or not, but I've been feeling that in many occasions, I'm posting more because of my commitment to all of you, and less because of my own enjoyment. I still believe this is an amazing hobby and I hope to find the root of my problem and come back to you. You are all awesome and it really pains me to leave you in the dark for now. I hope you understand.
I believe I need not to say that, once I started playing with you, I had all the intentions to continue to the end... however, many times stuff don't happen as we wish. I honestly don't know how much time I'll be gone, so I comprehend if you want to look for another GM. Actually I hope you do so, because if I'm not able to return, it would be a shame for all the effort and enjoyment we have together (at least I had).
The worst thing of this decision, is the feeling that I'm letting you down, something that I can't stand. I hope you understand.
Once more, thank you for all the amazing time you've proportioned me.
Awww... I hope you're able to track down the root of what's going on. Good luck with everything! Thank you for letting us know what's going on.
No disappointment at all. We all know that things happen and games, online and otherwise, can end. You've been a great GM and given us a lot of fun!
More important, hope you are able to overcome these challenges and feel better. If you decide to return, you know where to find us!
Wow. This does catch me by surprise as you present as a very confident and content person. You have run an excellent game and I hate to see this one die. But if you think you need to be away from this hobby for a while I wish you success in finding what you are looking for quickly so you can come back to when you are ready.
Sorry to hear that, but definitely no hard feelings. It sounds like you are doing right by yourself taking a step back until you get things figured out. I'm sure we'll all be fine. Me for example, yeah I'm out of both my games, but I'm sure I can find another one...or maybe even run a PbP module like I have kind of wanted to do, but not had the time for.
If you're interested in running a game, Evelina, maybe consider running one for this group? That way everyone wins! :) Along those lines...I am actually considering taking over this Reign of Winter game, but I'll need a couple days to think it over. I'll let everyone know soon!
If people were interested, I would be open to it.
I'd be interested. Most of my games have gotten rather quiet of late.
Astrid, you would be a great GM. I am sure of it. I do hate to loose you as a player though. If you want to try to run I am in.
If anyone's curious, I do have a pretty okay resume when it comes to PbP GMing. ;)
Will everyone be interested in staying around and playing through the campaign if I take over? I've got a lead on someone who could possibly step in to replace me (an excellent player in a couple of Sir Longears' other games who's now suddenly found himself with some openings in his roster). Hands up, everyone who's interested in keeping on keeping on, and if we've still got a group I'll go ahead and take charge, running Astrid as an NPC until you no longer have need of her.
Definitely don't feel like that shuts you out of running a campaign, though, Evelina - if you want to, go for it!
I'd be interested in continuing, though I kind of wish we could keep Astrid because I was curious to see where the interaction between her and Cithembi was going to go. :D
Hey Astrid, as I said I am in. What about having your new player just take over as Astrid? I have done that a couple of times, even rebuilding a little. It was fun and a different kind of challenge. Sorta like the old days of convention gaming when you sat down to run a PC with an existing backstory and character flaws and all and you have to step into that character.
Hey all,
As a player in Astrid's Bloodsworn Vale game I would give her my 110% endorsement as a GM.
I am thinking on whether I want to continue. I've loved playing with the group, but I'm also enjoying the time that has opened up for me, and I'm hesitant to recommit to many games.
I'll let you know in the next couple days.
So after sleeping on it, I've confirmed my decision to step out of the game.
I wish you all the best of luck and great fun battling the ice witches!
@Arvanya: :'(, but fair enough. It was great gaming with you and I wish you the best of luck with your other games.
@Astrid: I would be more than willing to let you take over. If you are comfortable doing so, of course. Please don't feel pressured to keep the game going if you have too many other commitments. Also, don't worry about shutting me out. Honestly, I would probably need some time to figure out what I would want to do anyway. I just wrapped up a three year home game on Friday, so in general I need to figure out what I'd want to run next. Also, I can always recruit the old fashioned way when I do decide what I want to do.
--
Regarding Astrid as a character...I would be okay with whatever Astrid wants to do with the character. I know that GMPC is a dirty word in the tabletop world, but personally I would be open minded to it in this scenario. With Blaze and Arvanya needing to be phased out of the story, I don't think we would be able to continue without recruiting if we lost Astrid.
And here I am in my GM hat! I'm good with keeping Astrid as a GMPC if folks want, at least for now. And I am familiar with how to run a GMPC - they're a staple in my IRL group. I've seen them done both well and done horribly, so I know the potential pitfalls. ;) I definitely won't be able to run three characters, though, so some combination of Blaze, Arvanya, and Astrid will probably have to depart. (I can also ask if the new player would want to take one of the three over, although I do think he had the seeds of a plan in mind.)
So we have Evelina, Freyja, and Cithembi sticking around and Arvanya leaving. (We'll miss you!) With a fourth player being brought in that should be enough to go forward with, although I wouldn't say no if someone else knows somebody we could bring in as a fifth. I'll get my buddy into the thread so we can work together on getting him into the story. And I s'pose it's time to start reading the book, huh? ;)
Sounds like a plan!
Hello!
I was invited to join the game by the new GM. I actually know most of you from other games so I hope you were having a good time with me 'cause it seems you're stuck with me again. :)
I won't be taking over any PCs but I am flexible on what to make. I was originally asked to bring on a 'bruiser' and I thought of a brawler which I never played. However, I started this AP a long time ago and I was playing a flame shaman. Below is more information and I would appreciate your input in helping me decide.
BRAWLER
Human*, local trapper. Gruff, down to earth, practical. Maybe quiet until action is needed at which point he will not hesitate. I just saw Frontier in Netflix and I loved it so Jason Momoa character is fresh on my mind. :) Melee fighter. To make things interesting (I'm afraid brawler maybe too 'stale' as far as abilities go after a while), I thought I would make him a skinwalker. I could also reskin this trapper as a human bloodrager with a draconic bloodline.
SHAMAN
Old dwarf, grandfatherly-type. Is afraid of being taken over by his spirit (flame) so he tries his best to avoid conflict and solve things peacefully. Part-time healer (healing hex). Will eventually (4th) turn into a full-time healer once he can channel other spirits (life). Probably ranged with spells but can hold his own in melee so a mix of the two.
Thoughts?
While we could use both roles the shamen seems more of an interesting character to me.
Either seems like they could be interesting! And it's funny - both have some parallels to potentially-disappearing characters (my skinwalker warpriest and a pyrokineticist). Whichever you want to play should be fine, but I think in terms of group composition the brawler might just edge out the shaman, as we've lost three damage-focused characters. But then again, we've only got one full-on caster.
Long and short of it, play who interests you most and we'll muddle through. :) I'll message you with some advice on bringing the character in, since you're coming in in medias res.
Edit: oh, almost forgot! Build rules here, but we're at second level now. 1000 gp character wealth.
Welcome! Also, how does everyone from all these game seem to know each other? Is there some hidden network of PbP players that I am just discovering? :p
Yeah, I'd say play what interests you. If your unsure which one you prefer, then I would agree with others and lean towards the Shaman, since we already lost our fire person and we just lost our only other ranged person. But really its your call. I certainly wouldn't complain about there being a Brawler to throw at the moss troll we are currently fighting.
Welcome! Also, how does everyone from all these game seem to know each other? Is there some hidden network of PbP players that I am just discovering? :p
Actually there is hidden network. It's called the 'play with your friends'. I usually don't open up a recruitment thread but send PMs to some people I have played with and I think would enjoy the type of game I plan to run. or I advertise game opening in the discussion threads of games I'm currently playing.
That doesn't mean that you can invite everyone you know and like because I still limit my PBP roster to five players.
Yeah, I'd say play what interests you. If your unsure which one you prefer, then I would agree with others and lean towards the Shaman, since we already lost our fire person and we just lost our only other ranged person. But really its your call. I certainly wouldn't complain about there being a Brawler to throw at the moss troll we are currently fighting.
OK, I will go with the dwarven flame shaman. My brawler will have to wait and his personality may have been too close to a ranger I just finished playing in the GM's last game.
I'll work with the GM to introduce him ASAP.
Game on!
Ok, here's Martok, gentle goat-herder soon to be...
Let me know if you have any questions.
Game on!
Looks good to me, Fabian!
Since we've got our next character ready to go, I'll get an action from Evelina for this round off Frosty's former post. I'll pick up from there, and I should be able to bring Martok into the action pretty quickly. I'll continue to NPC the characters of our departed until a good time arises to write them out. But I'll let you guys decide - do you want Astrid to stay a part of the group for longer? I'm fine with whatever you folks prefer in the matter.
Actually there is hidden network. It's called the 'play with your friends'. I usually don't open up a recruitment thread but send PMs to some people I have played with and I think would enjoy the type of game I plan to run. or I advertise game opening in the discussion threads of games I'm currently playing.
Knew it! ;)
And yeah, I noticed that after I landed in some of my most recent games, all of a sudden I went from enduring the cage matches that are recruitment thread to having to turn down invitations to games because I didn't have enough time to commit to more than 2-3 games at a time. It was like, "Ah, so that's where all the good games were hiding..."
@GM:
Personally, I'm fine with Astrid sticking around. We just talked Fabian out of being a brawler. So, without Astrid, our front line is a 5'3, 18 year old girl and an admittedly very tall and stronger than average bard.
@GM:
Personally, I'm fine with Astrid sticking around. We just talked Fabian out of being a brawler. So, without Astrid, our front line is a 5'3, 18 year old girl and an admittedly very tall and stronger than average bard.
I'm also OK with you DMNPCing Astrid.
However, if you're looking for a 5th player... I could tap into my 'hidden network' and see if someone else wants to join. :)
Shari comes to mind. She's also out two games when Sir Longears stopped GMing. Angie may also want to play but she may be more difficult to commit to the game.
BTW, how will you get this campaign turned over to you? You will surely need that, right?
Will you have to start a new game?
I PMed Sir Longears a couple of days ago asking him whether he would inactivate the campaigns but got no response from him so he's probably unreachable for the time being.
It just takes an email to transfer ownership, and I've already gotten it sent. He specifically talked in his fareweĺl about us finding another GM, so I assumed it'd be ok. :)
I'd be just fine with bringing in a fifth player - in fact, I opened it up to everyone else a few posts ago, haha. If Shari's out a couple of games and is cool with Reign of Winter (or if you know of someone else looking) have them shoot me a PM. I prefer having five or even sometimes six players if I can, to make it less impactful when someone has to be out for a little while.
Greetings, greetings! I'm afraid you all got busy on the one day I don't respond to my play-by-posts. :D Your shaman seems like an interesting character.
I'd certainly like to keep Astrid around, but I'd be open to a fifth player coming in.
I'd have no issue adding a fifth person and if Shari or Angie has availability and interest either would be a fine choice.
With as close as you guys are to taking down the fight, and since there's five PCs in the fight already, I decided to wait juuust a little bit to introduce Martok - the group's strong enough to finish this out. In more good news, we have both Shari and Angie joining us (hopefully they'll be in Discussion soon), and if all three characters are coming from Heldren it would make sense for them to come together. Don't worry, Fabian, your moment of glory will come! :)
Hello! Thanks for the invite-via-Fabian, Rennai - it'll be good to play with you again. . I've never seen this AP before, so have a lot of reading to do. Shari and I are thinking of doing something together (twins maybe), so we'll be putting our heads together tomorrow. I probably won't be ready until after the weekend to jump in.
I've skimmed a little of the last few pages of gameplay, and you look like a fun group. I certainly won't have time to go back and read the whole game-to-date; where would be the best place to start?
I'm good waiting. Just keep me informed.
Hey everyone! Echoing Angie's thoughts...
Hope to be up and running soon.
Ang, you've also played with Evelina but you know her better as Tattoo :)
Welcome! Good to have you guys in here.
Just some guidelines for building:
Here is the original build requirement. We are now at level 2, and you can build with 1000 gold character wealth. We currently have a a rapier-wielding swashbuckler, an arcane duelist bard for support and melee, a heavens oracle focused on casting, and a flame shaman as a ranged caster and backup healer. The biggest gaps are probably a heavy melee type and a full arcane caster. Of course, play what you want and we'll make it work. :)
I can give a quick recap of the story so far a little later - it'll probably be easier than reading any particular section of Gameplay. We're actually at a good point for introducing new PCs and writing out old ones, which is nice. Build characters according to the guidelines in the player's guide and I'll be able to bring them in easily, probably along with Mardok as messengers and backup sent from town.
Hey everyone! Echoing Angie's thoughts...
Hope to be up and running soon.
Ang, you've also played with Evelina but you know her better as Tattoo :)
Yup. *Waves* Welcome to you both!
As far a story, GM may give you extra info, but I wouldn't think you'd need to worry too much about reading through gameplay. There's not really much to know so far from a setting standpoint other than it's snowing, which is weird because it summer.
Hey everyone! Echoing Angie's thoughts...
Hope to be up and running soon.
Ang, you've also played with Evelina but you know her better as Tattoo :)
Yup. *Waves* Welcome to you both!
As far a story, GM may give you extra info, but I wouldn't think you'd need to worry too much about reading through gameplay. There's not really much to know so far from a setting standpoint other than it's snowing, which is weird because it summer.
And we're investigating, because it's weird that it's snowing in the middle of a Taldane summer. Also we rescued a damsel in distress in the process of investigating. It was very heroic. *nod*
Cool. Hi Tattoo!
Where are we at the moment?
Shari and I were considering a bruiser/wizard twin combo, so that works nicely with your group.
Evelina, Freyja, Cithembi, Astrid, Arvanya, and Blaze (Astrid, Arvanya, and Blaze will be retiring) are at a clearing in the middle of the Border Wood near a town called Heldren in Taldor. You, Shari, and Mardok are coming from Heldren, being sent after the six who are already there with news from town The three of you have made the trek following the main party's path (seeing evidence of several small victories along the way), and will arrive to find everyone cleaning up the aftermath of a fight with a moss troll, an atomie, and several sprites.
Greetings, greetings! The one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that Cithembi is deaf (Oracle curse), so he may sometimes not hear you. But you probably gathered that if you've been looking at the gameplay.
Shari and I were considering a bruiser/wizard twin combo, so that works nicely with your group.
So are you guys going the Raistlin/Caramon path?
If you haven't hashed out the details, you should consider a parent/older sibling and a 'child'/younger sibling.
Maybe a wild and crazy older parent and the child who tries to curtail their craziness passion. :)
Whatever you gals come up with, I'm sure it will be fun.
Game on!
What, that combination has been done before? I don't believe it. Never heard of this Raistlin fellow, though I'm sure he's very nice.