GM Shady's Iron Gods

Game Master shady18

I think we're good - per discussion with Adrien. Onna is dropping out, I will bot her until we get back to the surface and should have no problems finding a replacement.

I am still very good to continue :)

To avoid confusion during combats again, I will start putting what round I am acting in, as well as my own initiative as far as I am aware of it. Hopefully that will stop some of my own confusion when people are posting all over the place :)

Good plan Arkady, I'll do this as well.

The new kid is still in as well!

Note - I'm playing this encounter as written* but it's a deeply annoying one - there aren't enough gremlins around to pose a genuine threat and the combination of high AC and lack of room to manoeuvre make it difficult to get hits in.

With Onna gone we will have: rogue, gunslinger, bloodrager, barbarian, summoner. There's a potential lack of arcane casting (which is having an impact here) and also of healing. I'm open to views on what to recruit, I think I can get a new player relatively quickly (I have so many campaigns running that replacement is less an issue than the smooth rolling in of new players in the middle of a dungeon crawl) but would like to get the right spec.

* I have switched off the gremlins' DR/SR as otherwise this would have gone on forever. So if you think I've been pedantic on the lighting issue, you can thank me now :-)

It's far more important to me that the new character fit the setting. We've lost three characters with backstories well rooted in Numaria; let's get a replacement that lives up to that standard.

It's far more important to me that the new character fit the setting. We've lost three characters with backstories well rooted in Numaria; let's get a replacement that lives up to that standard.

Well, that may be the case, but equally I don't want to get bogged down. So while I take the point - and it's a good one, which I'll try to enforce - I'd like some feedback on class also.

I'd say someone who can toss around a heal or two would be slightly better than the arcane side of things. Longevity often trumps arcane ability in my experience :)

Fair enough. I'd like a party member who can use a CLW wand and cast Lesser Restoration and other condition removal spells. Someone who could make knowledge checks would also be helpful. A healing patron witch, an inquisitor, a cleric with the scroll scholar archetype or knowledge domain, a lore oracle or shaman.

Thanks. I'll leave it till we get back to the surface, as I think we'll get someone fairly quickly and better to introduce them at that point rather than keep them waiting.

Seeing as Ozymandias is the more... "proactive" of the two, Adrien could help with healing through CLW wands as well, meaning we could make do with another secondary healer. At higher levels, Adrien is planning on having his spell list be mostly buffing spells, and Ozymandias will be taking evolutions like Reach, Push, and Pull along with Grab to capitalize on some battlefield control along with damage. So what I think would be a good thing to look for in another character is either negative status effects or outright damaging effects, such as a with/shaman or an inquisitor. A paladin could also work, giving us another primary tank along with healing and self-buffing.

But I do agree on the backstory front; I would rather someone who is deeply rooted in Numeria than someone who is mechanically more efficient, assuming the former is at least serviceable.

Have a new player - have asked him to post here and we can sort out the best fit within the discussion.

Hey folks, you've probably seen me around a bit. GM Shady went lookin' for a player for you guys, and I happened to have something that seemed to fit exactly what he was looking for.

In a weird coincidence, I built Andarien Six, android alchemist, a while back, in an attempt to pursue what I thought was an interesting concept, but I didn't have a game lined up for the character. Then GM Shady mentioned that he needed an android alchemist for Iron Gods! Go figure.

This character is a support/healer alchemist. He should be able to handle your need for some ranged AOE as well as regular use of healing magic, and as level goes up I'll be taking various buff spells.

Since Iron Gods has kind of a Thundarr the Barbarian feel of lost technology, I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually winds up messing around with lost technology as well, as long as that wouldn't be stepping on anyone else's toes.

Cheers, and please - give me feedback! We still have time to shape the character into something that will be a better fit with the party.

Hi Jesse

Seen you around, looks like we'll be playing together a fair bit now. I'm Avogadro in Shady's Dragon's Demand game (and Janus, looking to play Serpents skull for that matter)

Andarien looks good, very thematic! Would his 'voice,' so to speak, and temperament be typical android?

P

Andarien has a very flat affect and a subdued response to events. He can be distant, which is off-putting for people who are used to forming strong bonds with companions in life-and-death situations, like adventuring. He does, however, use colloquialisms and contractions.

I notice you have two people in the group whose names start with A (Adrien and Arkady), so I would be inclined to change the character's name.

Also, I saw some chatter above about perhaps wanting a witch, shaman, or inquisitor, and I can build something different if that would be more desirable.

We can always call you Darien for short =) And your android character reminds me a bit of Doc Yewll from Defiance...
=)

If you like! I have some other concepts too, like Nalket, a Kellid shaman who mixes the tools of her tribe with misappropriated relics from the sky, and Viv, an android witch with an oddly detached salacious side. So I'm quite flexible if you want something different.

All of those concepts sound like roleplaying gold, Jesse. If you're having trouble deciding, consider that we're missing several important knowledge skills to identify monsters and we don't have anyone who can cast condition removal spells like Lesser Restoration and Remove Disease.

It's less "trouble deciding" and more "what would the group think makes the best fit"? Andarien (or whatever he gets named) is designed to be a close-to-stereotype android who is interested in applying a methodical deconstruction to the world. Nalket is an animist who has co-opted various pieces of ruined technology into her ensemble as a shaman, so she has taboos and superstitions but also has this characterization of telling culture stories about the Skyfall and the war of sky spirits and all this stuff about the end of the world (from the Kellit perspective) that led to the desolation that is Numeria today. Viv is a ley line guardian witch (healer) so she spontaneously casts, but conceptualized as an android incarnated in a "pleasure model" body, so she has this bizarre dichotomy of seeing magical power flow through the world and being able to manipulate it, but also being a sort of constructed object - "You can't buy love, but you can rent mine by the hour," and other sorts of oddball, slightly unnerving behaviors because of the uncanny valley.

At level 1-2, it's going to be tough to have lesser restoration or remove disease though, regardless of character choice. :)

In terms of knowledge skills, Andarien has some arcana and nature, as well as engineering, but until he gets the Technologist feat he still won't be able to identify robots (which is probably true for everyone, since it becomes an untrained check). Nalket would probably recognize monsters (nature, religion, maybe dungeoneering). Viv would have the least useful knowledge skills (probably just arcana).

Adrien already has Technologist, and so can identify robots and such. Skills to identify things with Religion and Dungeoneering might be the most useful to us, at least for now. That said, I do really like the concept of an android alchemist. We're really just looking for someone capable of some healing, I think, but if I remember Alchemists with Infusion can use things like Lesser Restoration. At higher levels, we still might have a healing problem, though...

Well,

The healer-witch might be the best bet. Certainly the oddest character of the bunch, though. Also witches don't really excel at AOE, but they can do debuffing, so there's that. Being an Int caster means high Int which means more skills which could mean more knowledges.

Oh no, we can't have any odd... no no no!

Says the small bird like gnome, totting the large pistol.

Which character do you most want to play? I'm sure we can make it work.

My sentiments exactly. If we can't deal with radiation, we'll do what I always do in Fallout; limp along until we find someone who can.

So, I was working on aliases for the other concepts, and my computer barfed and destroyed a half hour of writing. I'll try to have them done later this afternoon.

DM, could Viv (the android witch) use these alternative race traits? I only just noticed that they are 3rd party material (the OGC is not super good about separating that out in the race pages). A "no" doesn't destroy the character, these would just be good flavoring for it.

Anomaly: Sometimes, a particularly volatile soul can overwhelm the technology of an android body, making the resulting individual subject to emotions, and greatly so. Anomalous androids suffer a –2 racial penalty on saving throws against all mind-affecting effects, emotion effects, and fear effects but can gain the benefits of morale bonuses and suffer no penalty on Sense Motive checks. Additionally, Bluff and Sense Motive are always class skills for them. This racial trait modifies constructed and replaces logical.
Conduit: Rarely, an android’s circuitry is built to act as a potent conduit for divine power. Androids with this trait treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for the purpose of the channel energy and lay on hands class features, and also for oracle class features (including both spellcasting and revelations). Furthermore, conduits treat their caster level as 1 higher when casting cure and inflict spells. This racial trait replaces nanite surge.

DM, could Viv (the android witch) use these alternative race traits? I only just noticed that they are 3rd party material (the OGC is not super good about separating that out in the race pages). A "no" doesn't destroy the character, these would just be good flavoring for it.

I'd prefer not.

Not a problem, thanks for the quick response.

NP, sorry it was so brief. At some point I am going to some massive 3rd party homebrew mashup using Kobold Press and Dreamscarred stuff along with 3.5. Not yet though. That way lies madness.

Definitely let us know when that's happening! I'm thinking some kind of Psionic/Path of War monster may be in order...

Hey, I had to put down my dog today, so my posting might be a little... lax for a few days. I should be okay in a few days, but I'll be back to form soon. I'm sorry for the delay; Shady, please feel free to bot me as needed. I'm gonna try to keep my posting up, this kind of thing usually helps, but I just don't know.

I'll do my best to get back in the swing of things soon.

On the flip side, I have built a full alias for each character concept. NOW YOU MUST CHOOSE!

(Or the DM might just tell me that I applied with an android alchemist and I'm gonna play a damn android alchemist)

Darian Six, android alchemist (chirurgeon, inspired chemist)
Changed the name to avoid too much alliteration in the party.
Pros: Strong support character, some decent knowledge skills, can make alchemical goodies and healing potions with downtime. At next level gets to make cure infusions thanks to his archetype. Plus bombs.
Cons: Magical support will become more sharply limited at higher levels. Never gets the ability to handle radiation poisoning. Terrible people skills.

Nalket of the Ghost Wolves, human shaman (animist)
Pros: Minor healing support that will improve as she gains channeling and hexes. Strong Diplomacy, which combined with her animist archetype will allow her to handle a lot of debuff curing. Might be able to pick up some cleric spells via favored class feature, so that could help expand opportunities. Flying familiar/animal spirit for great scouting opportunities overland! Would be a fun friend for Thüm, who is also a barbarian-ish character. (She might even be one of his daughters!)
Cons: Shaman spell list is generally lackluster. Not a really good support fighter.

Viv Voltine, android witch (ley line guardian)
Pros: Can eventually learn to cure radiation, along with lots of other healing goodies. Doesn't channel, but does get lots of spells (uses sorcerer progression thanks to ley line guardian archetype). Good shot for ranged support, plus a little magic damage and debuffing. Intelligence will increase with level, which means even more skills! Snappy dresser.
Cons: Seriously weak if caught in melee. Extreme weirdo.

Feel free to ask questions. I am equally happy with any of them, so let me know which one you all would love to meet.

@Adrien - noted (and sent PM offline).

@Jesse - happy for group to decide. My only concern is that characters aren't too far ahead of the arc on technology awareness. The PCs aren't meant to have much knowledge of tech going into the campaign. Other than that, go ahead.

Yep! Darien applies the scientific method to his alchemy without recognizing that he is doing so, and he doesn't have any sense of "science" as a process, nor of the actual scope of technology (yet). Nalket, obviously, has no sense of what technology is about. Viv is not a technologist, she sees the world in magical terms, though her android mind of course makes her a bit more logical than the typical witch.

My impression of Iron Gods is that it's heavily influenced by Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (in which the PCs are not technologists at all) and Thundarr the Barbarian (in which technology is not really understood by anyone except maybe a few remnants of the old world), and I'm keen to fit in that vibe.

Hey, I had to put down my dog today, so my posting might be a little... lax for a few days. I should be okay in a few days, but I'll be back to form soon. I'm sorry for the delay; Shady, please feel free to bot me as needed. I'm gonna try to keep my posting up, this kind of thing usually helps, but I just don't know.

I'll do my best to get back in the swing of things soon.

@Adrien: Very sorry to hear of your misfortune. :(

Adrien - sorry for your loss! I have yet to find a good heal spell for a broken heart...

Jesse - I'm more into the story than trying to build a super character...so I like Darien and even maybe Viv from the potential dialogue options they will bring!! It's the interaction of unique personalities that make this role-playing and not just roll-playing. =)

I also like Darien, my only suggestion might be shifting knowledge from Engineering to Dungeoneering or something of the sort, since Adrien has Technologist and Engineering already.

Jesse - I'm more into the story than trying to build a super character...so I like Darien and even maybe Viv from the potential dialogue options they will bring!! It's the interaction of unique personalities that make this role-playing and not just roll-playing. =)

Oh, I'm by no means a hyper-optimizer. I just want to make sure that as we proceed through Iron Gods, we will have the tools to continue to face progressively harder problems. Each of these characters has different ways to handle the need for higher-level healing power. Darien would probably have to Use Magic Device to use a scroll for fixing high-level issues. Viv and Nalket would both likely have the full spellcasting ability needed, but they bring less added combat power to the table. In every case I want the character to provide an interesting dynamic for the party and new interactions with all of you!

From comments above:

I'd like a party member who can use a CLW wand and cast Lesser Restoration and other condition removal spells.

We're really just looking for someone capable of some healing, I think, but if I remember Alchemists with Infusion can use things like Lesser Restoration. At higher levels, we still might have a healing problem, though...

So I'm just trying to be mindful of those needs. :)

No additional feedback? Anyone else have any preferences?

I would vote for Darian. just because I think an Android would be swell and I've got to know that character better.

Any info from Kyte on brown mould shady?

Darian it is then! I also finished picking all of the formulae for his starting book.

Here is to hoping that Preli rolled the bluff check in jest.. I don't fancy having to cut his hand off for inter-party thievery.. ;)

He didn't roll in jest, Preli wouldn't hesitate to steal from you at the moment! But I'm controlling him so he probably wont...

On the subject of the games house... you should probably tie Preli's hands together/tie him up outside, he might cause a scene.

On the visit to the gaming hall - bear in mind the incursions to the caves are meant to be constrained by the water-breathing spell. I need to go back and figure out how long you have - it's 6 hours I think. So you can go back, explore more of the caves during and visit the gaming hall in the evening.

In general the idea is that you're having this adventure under the hills and there is also this parallel urban/political adventure developing in Torch at the same time. Just so you know.

Bringing this conversation to the discussion thread so as to not to disrupt in character thread. Can I just ask why we would need to role play getting equal share of treasure, exactly?? Particularly since this was already a discussion the original players had and agreed on.

Sorry, I didn't mean to cause any consternation. If it's a problem forget it.

Preli is a cheeky schemer, aiming to make as much wealth as he can whatever way he can. It's just not in his character to hand over a load of money. Just thought we could play that, since we're here to play characters, I'm not going to make it difficult. Threaten him or, the way things seem to be working out, just get Kayla to tell him to hand it over.

But, all that being said, I don't want to cause angst, players are more important than characters after all, so we'll just split it.

The number of silverdisks is 56 - these should be divided by 6 (or 560 gp/6) per person. Onna took hers with her. If you decide to pool it or not - I think the best place to decide it is in the discussion thread. I'd suggest also putting any purchases and modifications to stat block in here. Thum's suggestion is potentially a good one of having a light source at the front of the group, and it's an investment for the good of the group.

If you then want to RP to post-rationalise it fine, but for the good of the group I suggest agreeing the meta-detail here.

Darian should assume the same level of starting XP/wealth as the group, to avoid tracking.

I think the only real loot at this point is 56 silverdisks and the "cards", whatever they may be (I think one thing to do before going back would be to find someone who knows what they are, btw). So you have 56/6 = 9.3 each.

I assume we should get back to the caves, with the above caveat on the cards. I've had a horrendous week at work but if so will get you back to Father Kyte later this evening.

Is all good - was just concerned with potential treasure issues. Have been in a game (real life) before where two players acted as a gateway to the treasure (damn rogues) - it was not pretty.

NB probably at the weekend I will do a re-check on the XP also. I suspect you are a couple of 100 points off.

OK, cool. Thüm spends 75 gold on a Ion Torch assuming one is available, leaving him with 18g 3s 3c of his share of the treasure.

Sorry work's been so crazy, Shady.

OK, cool. Thüm spends 75 gold on a Ion Torch assuming one is available, leaving him with 18g 3s 3c of his share of the treasure.

Sorry work's been so crazy, Shady.

No problem, same thing here.