GM Twigs' Rise of the Runelords (Inactive)

Game Master Twigs

Zavac Oro'she wrote:

Awesome! I just finished up my DMing, so I shall post in the morning. Very wiped out from 9hrs of play.

Hope it went well. Give us the scoop in themorning. :)

It went well! They started a gauntlet, in a tree...yes, a tree. They had to find this mysterious character named Bronze that they've been trying to find/defeat since the beginning. They faced a LOT of traps, not all of them obvious...the poor rogue got poisoned thrice, and almost died once he started taking damage from it. They also faced a few groups of monsters and NPC enemies: Cannibals (weird RP here), a group of ranged rogues with a Conjurer, a couple Basalisks (with three of the party turning to stone, luckily the druid wasn't one of them and knew of the cure), and a horde of wind and water elementals.

They finally found this Bronze, and was faced with a little girl. She tried to convince them that the Deities had imprisoned her inside this tree, which had magically made her powers weaken. They didn't believe her, naturally, and shot an arrow at her head, which missed. She smiled, walked slowly towards them, and turned into a Bronze Dragon. The healer, who is DEATHLY afraid of Dragons, ran away....but, they managed to defeat it with two PC's falling unconscious.

They got a huge amount of loot, and then the Healer came back with the NPC who was trying to help them out. The two of them started laughing, and the party became paralized. (they had rings of power on from the NPC, and this controlled the paralysis.)

The party found out that their healer and the NPC were manipulation them the entire time, and killing the Dragon was part of their plan to help the Deities out. The party was transported into another plane, I believe it's an alternate reality type thing, and can't get back as the rings are holding them there.

The healer is now taking up DMing the group, and I'll be playing....it was a lot of fun!

Been having trouble posting all morningM I can't seem to get past the "submit post" button.

My phone seems to be working fine though. Odd

Question:

Are we supposed to be trying to get the group in the same area?

Frankly, I was actually willing to live without Copper as part of my character.

If thats the case perhaps we can shelf him until you do grab leadership. ^^

Are we supposed to be trying to get the group in the same area?

No, there's no pressure. That will happen naturally by midday. Are you folks interested in playing out the festival or would you rather dive headlong into adventure tonight?

Well, its up to you. I would like to have him around, but if it is too much effort, I can deal.

Are you folks interested in playing out the festival or would you rather dive headlong into adventure tonight?

It doesn't matter to me. I'll be off soon to bed, though, as my first class is tomorrow morning. (why I insisted on taking a morning class, I'll never know...)

I'd like the chance to explore Sandpoint a bit and meet a few of the people around it, but I wouldn't insist if others would rather get to the action.

Is there a magical equivalent to the dueling ring? Because that would be cool. 0-level spells only, of course. Otherwise Valeria will happily watch Zavac duel until the s**t hits the inevitably high-powered fan.

There are rules for wizard duels in UM, I believe, but they'd necessitate using higher level slots. It's your call.

From memory during the festival prologue of NWN 2, you could take part in a magic contest, showing off spells and magic to win a prize (and your spells were somehow refreshed at the end). That's more what I had in mind.

From memory during the festival prologue of NWN 2, you could take part in a magic contest, showing off spells and magic to win a prize (and your spells were somehow refreshed at the end). That's more what I had in mind.

I've played that tutorial so many times and never made it past the second act...

I should be able to give you all the attention you deserve now. My modem's been on the fritz, so I haven't been able to use flikr or hunt the messageboards.

I think we'll resolve everybodies scenes and then get on with the show. If you dont feel like you're getting enough attention, go ahead and seize it! Provided I can stay online I'll be checking the thread all night.

I loved that tutorial. You are missing out, Twigs. I love the neverwinter nights series of games. I've played every expansion.

...and I shall apologize for hogging the action. Didn't think it would be that long. On with the show!

Seconding on the NWN2 tutorial (and the whole series) love, however
somehow I don't feel like there is a lot for my character to do right now. Maybe it's due to my chronic lack of sleep :) Unless I suddenly come up with something, please assume I'm ready to move the action forward whenever you are.

I haven't been able to finish NWN2, because I always end up somehow dissatisfied with my character and starting over after a couple weeks of play. Most recently I believe I have a bard who's just passed the Weeping Willow Inn.

I haven't been able to finish NWN2, because I always end up somehow dissatisfied with my character and starting over after a couple weeks of play. Most recently I believe I have a bard who's just passed the Weeping Willow Inn.

It seems we both suffer the same curse.

As much as I would like to finish it, that first slog is so exhaustively long that I lose interest by Neverwinter, and I just cant settle on a character for the life of me. I've recently picked up the originals for some dirt cheap price, and as excited as I was for Drow of the Underdark I'm having just as much trouble getting into it.

Have to say, nice use of the Tarot, Twigs.

I've beaten NWN1 4 times, with a Paladin, Fighter, Cleric and Monk. Don't remember what I used to get through Undrentide, but I didn't like it anyway. But then Underdark was awesome. I ran several characters through Act 2 specifically, I just love tactics in my RPG :)
And then there were modules. I must have finished at least 50 of them, some of them were better than the OC by a mile. Twilight/Midnight, Aielund Saga, Darkness over Daggerford, Shadowlords/Dreamcatcher series, the Spires of Ravenloft and Ravenloft:beyond the mist - all are made of pure awesome.

NWN2 was more of a mixed bag. I actually liked the OC the first time (especially the trial and the keep management), but the replay value was low for me because I just felt certain decisions were well above all the others. MotB was awesome (Shadow Mulsantir and Kaelyn stood above all for me), Mysteries of Westgate were also very nice, but I couldn't ever start Storm of Zehir because I got bogged down in party planning (I just can't let the thought of leaving some options/sidequests out of the first playthrough). Unfortunately, I haven't fallen in love with the modules either - the complicated toolset has taken its toll. The loading times between areas were also a killer. So in the end it left nice memories but it's not a game I'm returning to.

I wish they made something for PC using the PF ruleset :)

Thanks, Zavac. I'd totally scrapped what I had planned for it last minute so I'm glad people are impressed. :P

Boiko I was actually quite dissapointed by the tactical options in NWN. I found the spellcasting to be really unintuitive, and found myself just constantly autoattacking. Granted, I came in after playing Troika's awesome Temple of Elemental Evil game, which I definately reccomend for the engine alone (if not the storyline). You can get it on gog.com for a fiver, if you havent played it. It's definately worth checking out.

I'll have to post after my show. Duty calls.

I posted some of the Harrow reading on the Flikr group.

This show sounds a fair bit more glamorous than an evening of stomach tablets and panadol. What is it? If you'll forgive my inquisitive side.

For the past few years Sydney has been host to a little think Called Short + Sweet, 10 weeks of 10 minute plays, with ten different plays each week. If you're in the Sydney area Twigs, you should come by Newton theatre one night this week. You'll get to see me!

And don't forget to take a camera! (just kidding)

I don't have a problem with that. But I don't think they'll want flash photography. Heck, I'll even give you an autograph. But only if you guess which person I am correctly (and vote for my play).

Sounds pretty awesome! Would it still be on by Sunday?

Yep. The shows until saturday start at 8, and sunday starts at 5.

We haven't heard from Qualin in a while. Also his sheet is still looking unfinished, and has one too few traits.

Are you still around, buddy?

Also as a side note... if this encounter looks too busy... well, it should, but the crowd will clear. If you'd rather me avoid making things complex like this in future just let me know, but I thought I'd try something new.

I apoligize too for the picture size. Maptools is a fickle mistress, and wont cough up anything bigger.

First Zavac stands toe to toe with a fourth level fighter, then Akrem nails two AC20 bullseyes in a row and now Rohan's first roll is a crit?

I gotta say, folks. I'm a little worried for my poor goblins.

You're worried about them now? Wait until I drop a sleep spell on them. We win.

I'm finding sleep incredibly hard to land in my other PbP. It's a pain. That 1 round casting time is brutal.

Methinks Zavac's elf blood will do wonders if he can hold the front line early on and you can drop goblins in droves Quick question, folks, before it comes up in play. Do you know if you have to aim your sleep spell on the round you start casting or you can release it anywhere you please at the end of the round?

I can only cast in once today, since I don't have it prepped (I can cast it through my Arcane Bond).

And I've always assumed that targeting is the last thing you do. The same as summon monster spells, you chose the arrival point of your creature on the turn it arrives - not when you start casting.

I agree with Valeria. That's how I had always understood it as well.

Also, regarding Qualin, I thought somebody was missing. :P

I picked Rich Parents as the other trait, just forgot to fill it out on the sheet, my bad.

I'm still around, just a little busier than I thought I'd be getting moved back into my appartment. Tonight I'll make sure to get something up. Mostly I've just been reading through the other things people are doing, so I'll probably just have Qualin walk around the festival and watch things. I like the idea of the festival games and playing that part out, but I'm not seeing much that I wanted to interact with.

Wow...he was a 4th lvl? I think we have a great group! I shall hold the lines, as a good Guardian should. ;)

Yup. I've been running the npc's as they're written in the adventure, and the Sherrif is probably the most powerful in town.

Ah, you're right on that Qualin, I remember now. Apologies about the map size, I'll see if I cant resize it in an external program. One of the tokens is purely for show, being the dead dog. I'd forgotten that was there.

Edit: I doubled the size of the map, but it seems Flikr does some resizing of its own. You can try this, but I don't know that it will work as a direct link.

To get there simply click the image and "View All Sizes" in the top right.

Really sorry if ppl were waiting for me to post, just got outta class. On that note, Twigs, you wanting us to post as per the init order, oooor....?

Do you want some kind of header to our round posts?

The PbPs Ive been in have had us do something like:

Round 1, 13/13hp, Mage Armor active (AC +4), Stunned for 2 rounds

While Im fine without it, I do think it helps keep things a bit mroe organized, cause you can tell who's doing what on which turn.

Not necessarily. The closer to it the better, and all, but if people just post what they're planning on doing we can fit the actions together accordingly, and if there are any issues with the actions better to post them a few hours earlier so they can be resolved.

Alrighty. I also second Akrem's suggestion, if we're all on board.

Great idea, Akrem. I'm all for it.

Life is keeping me busy with the show and travel atm. Tomorrow night I should be able to post Valerias combat actions. Sorry if I'm holding folks up.

Not at all, we're waiting on Boiko at the moment so I might speed things up tommorow if he hasn't posted for the sake of flow, either delaying or npcing his action, whatever folks would be more comfortable with in the long haul.

Sorry for delaying the game, I try not to do this often but yesterday was my last day on the job and I had leaving drinks after that :) I will post my action today (hopefully right now).

No worries. We all have lives, and they come first. Hope you had a good night!

I hope the finale goes well, PsionicFox! I had plans with the lady to swing up to newtown and grab dinner and poke our heads into the theatre, but she's backed out on me so I think I'll spend the night in. Your post tonight will probably wrap up this first encounter, but don't worry, the battle's still going. Valeria will get plenty of chances to show off.

Has anyone here played Magicka? A recent update has allowed it to run on my computer, and now I desperately want to play a word caster.

Did we run out of Goblins? We can assume that Valeria held her action, if that speeds up the end of this combat.

And Magicka is awesome. Just be sure to learn all the awesome spells.

There's one more remaining, standing in the square above Akrem, Goblin III. Each of you get an action against it.

The map is up! I had to make an unexpected detour, so it took a little longer than expected. The quality is still a little dissapointing, and Maptools puts up a fight, but I'm pretty happy with the maps so far. Thoughts?

Also this is technically a CR 4 encounter, but I'm thinking a combination of your numbers and goblin tactics should bring that figure down a fair bit.

Also I'm very dissapointed to find I cant launch my copy of Neverwinter Nights. I want to have another crack at Hordes of the Underdark, but I really really loathe the interface. Is there a way to replace it?

I'm happy with the way the maps are turning out. They look rather good, IMO. Also, in your post, you have Zavac down twice...think you need to replace the second one with Qualin.

The CR shouldn't be a big deal at all. We are a good team thus far...also, on that note, how are we going to deal with PC death if we come across it?

I have no knowledge of NwN...really wanna try it out, though. Good luck!