GM Rennai's Reign of Winter (Inactive)

Game Master Rennaivx

*peeks in*

Hi, this is Soliana's player; I'm going to try lurking and following along as best as I can as well since I'm an alternate! Looks like it'll be a great game :)

I hope everyone is ok with my trying to pull the party together as I have. It seems a natural role for Freyja. And the few ousiders in the town would certainly stand out and stand out as adventurer types too I think.

I really appreciate what I've seen so far, GREAT RP! Different to the others AP's the practically push you to the action, this one needs a bit of good will from you to bite this 'worm'!

I'm holding my post for now, waiting to see where you are going... it looks like the Smith!

@Blaze: Not sure if you missed that it is still in the early hours in the morning, and it looks like your post fits the 'last night' (the singing, stew, and the other people there), even if your last paragraph leads to the party in front of the door. As a suggestion, you could have gifted your art to the Smith's daughter, who offered you a roof in gratitude... this way, when the other 4 goes there, you'd join in!

I'll be in soon - ran out of time at work, so I gotta get home to post.

RE: Freyja drawing people together - Go for it! Taking initiative is good. :)

Frosty, I will keep Auryel's animal focus as Bull (+2 Str) by default, at least for now. I updated his statblock to reflect that for melee and CMB/D.

@Blaze, you are cued stage left :)

Your first post was great but through me a little too as most of it happened the night before then suddenly you were reacting to events of the morning. If you slept in the Inn then I suspect Freyja would have already met you. That would be fine but would need a little retcon.

@Blaze: Not sure if you missed that it is still in the early hours in the morning, and it looks like your post fits the 'last night' (the singing, stew, and the other people there), even if your last paragraph leads to the party in front of the door. As a suggestion, you could have gifted your art to the Smith's daughter, who offered you a roof in gratitude... this way, when the other 4 goes there, you'd join in!

I did write to the morning but imagined that time passed into early lunch time as she arrived at the Tavern. Sorry if I made a mistake on the singing, I didn't name the singer as Freyja, so maybe it was just staff with a song stuck in their head from the night before. I actually made a mistake in thinking Arvanya's post about the circus meant that they were in the town and wrote a bit of reaction to that until I realized it was all in her head! It seemed like people were waiting on me to finish, so I wrapped up the last bit rather quickly and might not have kept it in the proper context. Sorry, that can happen if I rush. I can make it so the part before happened last night and she stops back in the tavern to make use of the fire to put the finishing touches on her art. It actually takes some time to complete a piece, so it wouldn't work to start in the early morning and then finish and it's still early morning.

I tried to make the comment out loud (she's actually talking to the fire) as a segue for someone in the party to bite and ask Blaze what she means. Blaze is not outgoing or gregarious, she won't just insert herself into the group, expecting that she wouldn't be wanted. She could follow and watch curiously though. I guess that's what she'll have to do since no one is talking to her directly.

Also, she can't give the artwork away. She's opposed to charity the same way she dislikes being pitied. Hence she just borrowed the scrap wood. She'll return it, art and all to serve as a sample of her work that the carpenter can show people. If he allows her to keep some to distribute to other stores so there will be more examples, she might take him up on that offer and keep some of the smaller bits.

Nevermind, was working on fixing things but seems it's been taken out of my hands.

It's all good. A few bumps in the road are to be expected starting a brand new game imho. Sorry if my post was confusing. Still, I think your post can easily be construed as establishing your actions before we all group up.

Apologies. I may not post til later tonight. Today is one of those work 10 hours, 15 minute lunch break, gotta GM a game tonight kind of days... X_X

-Posted with Wayfinder

No worries, I think I'm back in line now. I really enjoyed the circus dream, would have been fun to have Blaze reacting to the fire-dancers. ^_^

Work is in full tilt today and then I am running my home game tonight. Not sure when I will find time to post, but I will. :)

I was waiting fro Freyja to post since she somewhat took the leadership mantle but since it could take a long time for her, I'll move the scene along!

Thanks. Sorry for that. Running to a 6 hour meeting now. :(

Thanks. Sorry for that. Running to a 6 hour meeting now. :(

Ouch. After the day I had yesterday, you have my full sympathy.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Speaking of...

I am taking a big exam next Friday. I'll try to post here and there, but please excuse my diminished presence over the next 8 days.

Since Blaze seems a bit shy, I figured I would take advantage of Evelina having all the subtlety of a bear in a tutu to try and resolve the Blaze/Party separation ;)

Oh, just to let you know, from my initial post, Lady Argentea was attacked just yesterday and her bodyguard arrived just a couple minutes later, even if it was already dark to send a patrol/search group.

That being said, the council of Heldren are not actually 'lazy' or 'uncaring' since all happened last night and it is still in the morning.

Evelina doesn't think the council are uncaring. Just that they haven't found people willing to go after her yet, presumably because people are scared of the forest. That might not be true, but Evelina doesn't know that... ;)

As for her concern about the passage of time, it is a case of time being very short in a kidnapping scenario. Every hour someone is missing, their odds of being found alive drop, so someone being gone for the whole night is a pretty valid cause for concern.

Since Blaze seems a bit shy, I figured I would take advantage of Evelina having all the subtlety of a bear in a tutu to try and resolve the Blaze/Party separation ;)

Thanks for that, works for Blaze! Us chaotic types will have to stick together, bonded by our mutual weirdness.

So, where to: The Willowbark (n°5 on the map) that is just across the street; or look for Councilwoman Ionnia, probably in her home (n°10 on the map), or at the Town Hall (n°4 on the map) that are across the town square?

Oh, another point... When you were at the square, I did not described it because I assumed you read the spoiler-free gazetteer that I posted on the campaign thread. If not, please do or you'll perhaps regret it (not a threat nor a 'warning'... it is just flavorful in the future).

Freyja is all about lining up support so she votes for the council woman first, then the Willowbark.

And yep, I know about the Lady.

Just to let you know, my weekends are usually quite busy so I have little if any time to post... this is why I emphasized the importance of posting during weekdays.

So if I go silent during the weekend, there is no need to get worried, ok? I'll always let you know if I'll have any difficult in my postings (unless I'm dead).

I am similar. In fact I'll be attending a semi-local con next weekend and will be away from mid day Thursday through Sunday.

Nice work with the accent. I understand it just fine. Also note that my HP is 9 (down from 10) since I changed my fcb to skill point. It's still 10 under the Party Conditions spoiler.

It's pretty common for weekends to be down time for PbP. I am often available, but not always. No worries!

I should probably mention that I have a habit of using a lot of figurative language when I write. Basically I often use words in a context that they are not traditionally used. I tend to do this to add more descriptive imagery through metaphor or interesting phrases and to add more "color" and "flare" (see, I'm doing it right now!) to what I write. This can be confusing at times to non-native English speakers. (Or in this case reader/writers) I will try and stop myself from getting too poetic/unconventional and make sure the text is clear in intent, but please let me know if something hasn't made sense.

Just to let you know, my weekends are usually quite busy so I have little if any time to post... this is why I emphasized the importance of posting during weekdays.

So if I go silent during the weekend, there is no need to get worried, ok? I'll always let you know if I'll have any difficult in my postings (unless I'm dead).

That's good to know. Although it will make it very worrying if you disappear during the week, since you'll probably be dead and all... ;)

Weekends depend for me. Last weekend I barely had a free moment. This weekend I have mostly just been screwing around on my laptop while watching tennis. But as Blaze said, weekends are usually understood to be downtime for PbP games, so no worries.

@Evalina: I believe your trait Restless Wayfarer gives you an additional language. If you wish, I'd allow you to 'save' this bonus language for future use, so you can quickly learn a new language.

I'm saying this because I imagine you'd be tempted to learn Skald but it doesn't actually fit her, right?

Oh man, I really didn't do a good job refactoring Evelina for this game. I'm usually pretty good at catching these things, so I am going to blame it on the character being dippy ;)

Yeah, I am not sure if Skald would make sense, though I must admit my Golarian lore knowledge is spotty at best. I'll have to think what languages would make sense, to at least provide a short list to choose from.

Regionally it seems like the only other common language in Taldor is Kelish, so she might speak that since she is a traveler. Otherwise she might have picked up a language via all the stories she used to read, like Elven or Halfling.

The player's guide recommended Hallit, Skald, Sylvan and Aklo. From a player perspective, we have all of these covered within the party except Aklo, but that might not be available/make sense for your character.

Halfling or Elven might make sense if she had a halfling or half-elf friend in the orphanage. For stories, I think Elven makes the most sense as they would have extensive writings that would be incredible to read. Might be fun to speak to the elf apothecary in her native language. She might even favor your character after that. ^_^

Yeah, I think I would have a hard time justifying her knowing Aklo. ;)

You might have me sold on Elven. It seems like it would be both make sense and have greater potential to be useful than the other potential choices.

Sorry for the delay... yesterday was a mix between no internet, sickness, a f2f game, and a headache! I'm good to move on now!

Not a great day, but at least you got to play your f2f game. Are you running or playing that one? And what game?

Running a Carrion Crown game (I'm always the one running the games!). Not my best group since the are that kind of 'making fun of everything' and that doesn't really fit an horror AP but I'm trying to put them in line lol. It is always fun nevertheless, even if I highly prefer pbp games nowadays.

Where are you at.

I am in a PBP Carrion Crown game that has been running for 3 years. We still have 4 of the original players but lost our original DM almost a year back. It has been an excellent game and now that we have a new DM I hope it becomes excellent again. I believe we are about half way through book three.

We are just starting, about half way trough book one, readying ourselves to first dive into the Harrowstone. I have been thinking about running the same game for PBP but wasn't really happy with the whole AP (the theme changes a lot for my taste), even if I prefer horror stories...

I think I'll wait for the Cthulhu AP to fix my 'horror spot'!

I am headed to a local con this afternoon and will be gone through Sunday. I am unsure how much time I will have to post or if there will be good internet. Please bot me if needed.

Ok, thanks for letting me know!

To make sure you know what you are up against, I'll post here and in the campaign info page the rules of cold weather:

Cold Dangers
Cold: Cold and exposure deal nonlethal damage to their victims. A character cannot recover from the damage dealt by a cold environment until she gets out of the cold and warms up again. Once a character has taken an amount of nonlethal damage equal to her total hit points, any further damage from a cold environment is lethal damage.

• Cold Weather: An unprotected character in cold weather (below 40° F) must succeed at a Fortitude save each hour (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage. A character who has the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and might be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well.
• Severe Cold Weather: In conditions of severe cold or exposure (below 0° F), an unprotected character must attempt a Fortitude save once every 10 minutes (DC 15, +1 per previous check), taking 1d6 points of nonlethal damage on each failed save. A character who has the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and might be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well. A character who takes any nonlethal damage from cold or exposure is beset by frostbite or hypothermia (treat her as fatigued). These penalties end when the character recovers from the nonlethal damage she took from the cold and exposure. Characters wearing a cold weather outfit only need check once per hour for cold and exposure damage.
• Extreme Cold Weather: In conditions of extreme cold (below –20° F), an unprotected chareacter takes 1d6 points of lethal damage per minute (no save). In addition, a character must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. A character who takes any nonlethal damage from cold or exposure is beset by frostbite or hypothermia (treat her as fatigued). These penalties end when the character recovers from the nonlethal damage she took from the cold and exposure. Characters wearing a cold weather outfit must attempt a Fortitude save once every 10 minutes (DC 15, +1 per previous check), taking 1d6 points of nonlethal damage on each failed save. A character who has the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and might be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well.

Weather Effects
Snow: Falling snow has the same effects on visibility (reduces visibility ranges by half), ranged weapon attacks (-2 penalty), and skill checks as rain (–4 penalty on Perception checks), and it costs 2 squares of movement to enter a snow-covered square. A day of snowfall leaves 1d6 inches of snow on the ground.
Heavy Snow: Heavy snow has the same effects as normal snowfall but also restricts visibility as fog does (obscures all sight beyond 5 feet, including darkvision; creatures 5 or more feet away have concealment), and increases the penalty to ranged weapon attacks (-4 penalty). A day of heavy snow leaves 1d4 feet of snow on the ground, and it costs 4 squares of movement to enter a square covered with heavy snow. Heavy snow accompanied by strong or severe winds might result in snowdrifts 1d4 × 5 feet deep, especially in and around objects big enough to deflect the wind—a cabin or a large tent, for instance. Heavy snow has the same effect on flames as moderate wind.
Sleet: Essentially frozen rain, sleet has the same effect as rain while falling (except that its chance to extinguish protected flames is 75%), and it has the same effect as snow once on the ground.
Hail: Hail does not reduce visibility, but the sound of falling hail makes sound-based Perception checks more difficult (–4 penalty). Sometimes (5% chance) hail can become large enough to deal 1 point of lethal damage (per storm) to anything in the open. Once on the ground, hail has the same effect on movement as snow.
Snowstorm: The combined effects of snow and wind that accompany all storms reduce visibility ranges by three-quarters, imposing a –8 penalty on Perception checks. Storms make ranged weapon attacks impossible, except for those using siege weapons, which have a –4 penalty on attack rolls. They automatically extinguish candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames. They cause protected flames, such as those of lanterns, to dance wildly and have a 50% chance to extinguish these lights. Creatures of medium size or smaller are unable to move forward against the force of the storm unless the succeed on a DC 10 Strength check (if on the ground) or a DC 20 Fly check if airborne (with a -8 penalty). Snowstorms leave 1d6 inches of snow on the ground afterward.
Blizzard: Very high winds and heavy snow precipitation reduce visibility to zero, making Perception checks and all ranged weapon attacks impossible. Unprotected flames are automatically extinguished, and protected flames have a 75% chance of being doused. Creatures of medium size or smaller are unable to move forward against the force of the storm unless the succeed on a DC 10 Strength check (if on the ground) or a DC 20 Fly check if airborne (with a -8 penalty). Blizzards leave 1d3 feet of snow on the ground afterward.

Protection
Cold-Weather Outfit: This outfit is designed for mountaineering or hunting and traveling in icy climates. It includes a coat of wool or thick animal fur, a linen shirt, a wool cap, a heavy cloak, a heavy skirt or pants, and waterproof leather boots. In some regions, the
outfit may be composed primarily of fur and animal pelts. This outfit grants a +5 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold weather. The character is considered protected for regarding cold climates.
Furs: The most basic of cold-weather gear, animal furs serve to keep their wearers warm. Wearing enough fur to cover the body provides a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves to resist cold weather. This does not stack with any bonuses gained from the Survival skill. Furs may supplement another outfit. The character is considered protected for regarding cold climates.
Energy Resistance: Even if the damage dealt by cold climate is untyped, I'll rule that they are cold damage so cold resistance will apply normally.

If they are available we should all get cleats. Maybe Snow Shoes too.

It might not hurt to pool money for a couple of heatstones, too, just in case wood is hard to find or keep dry. Along the same token, it might not hurt to get a bundle or two of firewood to keep in a pack, although it's damnably heavy. Do we want to consider a pack animal?

Edit: I'll go ahead and keep the furs from my Profession check - I've got a pretty good Fortitude save, Survival, and cold resistance, so I'm less likely to need the protection of a full cold weather outfit. If someone needs them worse, I'll gladly give them up.

We're going to have a Frozen scene, trying to buy winter gear like Kristoff during Oaken's Big Summer Blow-Out sale! XD

Too bad a cold environment doesn't deal cold damage!
Blaze will only be able to buy a cold weather outfit and a backpack and then she is broke again. =(

Ok, Blaze was hoping for an idea of why witches might want to take the noblewoman hostage.

Oh, my Frozen reference was deliberate. ;) And Frosty said he was ruling it as cold damage, so you may be better off than you think.

The cold has never really bothered Freyjs much. Must be because she is used to it. :)

A pack animal would be useful, but quite possibly out of our price range, unless Auryel is volunteering :p.

At the very least, I know that Evelina is pretty broke and going to have to try and barter jewelry for winter clothing at the store.

Freyja already has cold weather gear. She has 12 gold she can offer for gear. But out of that she would like to get cleats, if available.

I have 16gp I'll throw into the pot. Considering I have no resistance or magic against cold, I'd like to purchase a cold weather outfit.

I'm honestly not familiar with the rules on animal companions carrying gear, but if it's feasible we should consider it. He's only medium size, but he's a good boy!

All we'd need for Auryel to easily carry a load is a pack saddle made for wolves - if we can't buy an exotic pack saddle here, Astrid has Craft (leather), so she could possibly devise something from the rest of the furs she has left, with GM approval.

I've also got 18 gp to throw into the mix, and I'm good for cold protection besides making Survival checks as necessary. (I'll definitely be aiming to improve others' saves with Survival as well, targeting the most vulnerable. No spot by the fire for Freyja, bye! :P)

In the end, it looks like only Arvanya and Evelina will really need the cold-weather clothes since Blaze and Freyja both have pretty good cold resistance and Astrid with her pelts might be OK.

I've found no rules regarding Auryel but I believe that with his pelt he will be immune to Cold and even Severe Cold weather.

Astrid has cold resistance, too - not quite as much as Blaze and Freyja, but it's ok.

I agree about Auryel and the cold, and not just because it helps me! The players guide specifically lists wolves in its recommended animal companions as "stout enough to thrive in cold environments.". At least within reason.

Maybe have Auryel treat cold environments as one step less severe (cold as normal, severe cold as cold, and extreme cold as severe cold)? I don't want to kill off the animal companion, but that seems to me to be a good compromise.