You have to wonder how paranoid you make the players when they start questioning the motives of a paladin.
Creating ethical hurdles for pious paladins is a fun passtime.
I just wanted to give you gives a brief peak behind the screen.
I've taken some inspiration from Fire Mountain Games and their Way of the Wicked adventure path. Your actions can earn "victory points" or "influence points" which effect your overall success here and what options are available to you. You don't know what earns them, you don't know how many you have, and you don't know how many you need; but I'm keeping track of all of it. Sometimes an action can have a direct influence. Recruiting Alziver as an ally is an example of that; he can directly help you achieve your goals. There are also actions that can indirectly help you, such as what Ianna just did. Although you won't gain any sort of actual direct buff from it, you do gain points which are counted towards your overall victory here.
Ianna is one fire with these diplomacy rolls. I fear for when her luck breaks.
Council of Thieves used a similar system to represent the heroes slowly winning the belief of Westcrown.
The only problem with such a system is that there has to be some kind of physical representation when they make progress.
Well I'm sorry to say but sometimes there just won't be. Ianna's actions with the families of the victims will not have any physical representation. It will influence the public sway when push comes to shove, but so will a dozen other factors. That's just the nature of the beast in a subterfuge-centered game.
On the contrary, you gave her exactly what I was saying.
She definitely feels the emotional and political weight she has thrown around, and knows her words and actions will spread by word of mouth.
That's plenty.
Oh if that's what you want then I can definitely give you that. When I say "You don't know what actions will yield results" that doesn't mean I won't tell you when something you've done has had an impact. That doesn't mean I won't keep the results of some actions secret, but for the most part you'll know when you made a difference.
The "physical" part of that created some misunderstanding.
Sorry, it's late.
By physical I meant visible.
I know that everybody's (myself included) can have some crazy schedules and can't always post, but I want to reiterate my original expectation of everybody posting once a day. Even if you're not advancing the story or are unable to move forward until somebody else has posted, a reaction post or even a "My character looks on and waits for them to respond" post is nice to let me know you still have a pulse.
I know I personally have been guilty of not following this rule, but with a new semester of school starting I have everything in order and plan to be posting regularly.
And of course if you're unable to post for one reason or another that's fine (life happens), but if at all possible a quick notification post would be highly appreciated.
"My character looks on and waits for them to respond" post is nice to let me know you still have a pulse.
I will be better about this.
Part of the problem in a clandestine game is there are numerous parties that know different facets of the same story. Often, members are split into different locations having different conversations. It becomes cumbersome to add posts without cluttering the thread at times yet actually adding something to the story. I try to make the thread readable. Bjorkus and Toramin can attest to 6-7 completely ooc-ish posts really anchoring the previous game we were in together (among other things). Information becomes hard to find when you must scroll through a dozen posts of "meanwhile musings".
On a more particular note, Dalton's dissatifaction with the hands-off affair of the organization with a situation clearly outside their expectations as posed by this third party as made him take a "hold-your-nose-and-plow-through-it" stance. His parallel arc will have some sort of intersection past this next bit, for he's going to be rather cranky in the way only an old man with kids on his lawn can be upon his return.
That is, if he survives.
If you're worried about cluttering up the thread, just post in discussion. That's fine as well.
I think that's a reasonable request. One I will try to honor.
I have a request of my own. Would you please be more active at posting in ways that keep the story moving? Instead of posting asking us to sign off on a plan or to check in, a post that moves the story forward or show the world moving even if we are not.
I'm not saying we never plan. Some of our plans are good. The majority of our plans are "charge in, hope for the best."
It's been particularly rough for the last four months or so. All of us have been super busy. I am still into game -- very much so -- but occasionally I lose the thread of the story or why we care about a particular event when things lag.
I think the best stories are not where either the DM or the PCs drive the story, dragging the other along; but, when both parties try to engage the other. I promise that if things start happening to, around or otherwise involving my characters, I will send forth a deluge of posts.
@Dalton:
Oh dear god, I still have flashbacks to that game.
"So for the next six months we will lay out planning and executing a wedding between two PCs."
"Uh, Ok"
"Why isn't your character participating?"
"Well, these people are strangers, and they refuse to talk to me. The minotaur -- I mean half orc -- is nice, but the person who came with me has hid in his room for the last three weeks."
or . . .
"I got a 45 on my knowledge check, what do I know about the Plane of Shadows?"
"It's poorly light."
"A 45 and that's all I got?"
"Yep, and by the way this linnorm wants to devour you . . . I mean make your acquaintance."
"Uh, that is a CR 19 challenge we are level 7 . . ."
"Too bad, you guys are dead. By the way, we didn't like your posts on the discussion board. Please never play with us again."
"You guys were talking about sex. I am gay. I added my two cents. The game has mature themes explicitly. The straight people -- who are playing gay or transgender -- get gold stars; but me, an actual gay person, who mentioned having a boyfriend and made an oblique reference to a cock joke makes you and your wife uncomfortable? F@*~ you."
Ugh. I try not to think about that game.
Sorry, I'm here and I'm still interested. In fact, Toramin and I spoke briefly last night about how we were hoping Rilka would be able to toss up a couple posts so we could get the story moving again.
I second Toramin's counter request. We lose a lot of potential posting time on plan requests even after someone has already proposed a plan or most of one. In the future, rather than checking and double checking with us why not just set the scene and let the players fill in the rest of the details when they next check in? This prisoner swap scenario is a good example. Why do you need Rilka to check in with a plan? She and Fosco already seem to have one in place. You could get it moving so that when she's next available to post she has something to engage with.
Wow. That game sounds like it was a ton of fun.
Yes, I can do that. It's something I want to get better at.
Well there are two ways for me to handle when I need player input.
1) Wait. Time consuming, obviously, but I don't have to worry about needing to go back to it.
2) Assume their actions and move forward. This can (and does) work a large amount of the time, but if I assume something incorrect I either need to retcon or I'm saying "Well you guys are screwed because of an assumption I made".
I would like to see more activity from Rilka though, if possible. Not to say she hasn't been posting enough, but compared to the pace everybody else can keep up with I know you guys wait around for her. And I feel bad about that, but I don't want to screw over one party or the other. I want to heavily involve Rilka in the story, which means certain parts of the game hinge on her actions and decisions, which means we will need to wait for her sometimes. If I don't do that she becomes a background character, like a cohort, and I do not want to do that to her.
Personally, I'm definitely okay with the second option. If you make an incorrect assumption, that's generally fine, as long as it was an assumption that our character could have made given previous thoughts and actions.
I really enjoy a world that feels vibrant regardless of our presence. That really engages me as a player.
Yeah, the problem comes when I make an assumption that I thought to be reasonable but you disagree with me on. It's a judgement call, and unlike when I'm umpiring, my judgement should not be considered absolute. I would at least like an overall agreement of "Yes you can go ahead and make some assumptions" or even "We will make the assumptions for them". And also more to the point, I do not have an unbiased viewpoint when it comes to making these kinds of decisions. I know what is likely to work and what is likely to fail, so any decision I make on behalf of you is me deciding if I want you to succeed or fail at a particular action, which I don't think is fair.
I tend to just make assumptions that are favorable to the party when I'm DMing in similar circumstances. That way the game keeps moving and I don't end up unfairly punishing the players.
I, personally, don't mind if you take liberty with my character's actions, just don't ascribe thoughts and opinions to them.
However, I think there are lots of ways to engage the players without making assumptions about the characters' actions: the npcs taking a more proactive stance in engaging us for example. In the past, we have given you goals and outlines for what we hoped might happen. There are things to work with and build upon.
I don't think you will have to worry about us becoming DM puppets. :-)
Rilka is key to our entire adventure. Leaving aside how important her Shield extracts are, her Disguise infusions are super important. Besides, she is the only character half way good at being a spy.
That seems appropriate enough. She's a career aestheric. We started as field commissions.
I am sorry about not posting on the weekend. I was trying to post twice a day (on average) last week. That’s my goal for this week as well. This game is very fun. I don’t want to lose it.
Hahahaha, that's fantastic!
Man, I thought if anybody in the party would sympathize with him it would be the other paladin. Working in the spy game as a paladin is taxing.
Honestly, Toramin thinks he talks too much but says too little.
Besides, Toramin has high standards for his fellow paladins. (In keep with their ethos of course: which is why he was so horrified by Geoffrey's abdication of the rule of law at the end of the siege. What kind of civilization based paladin goes "you know what? I just cannot with this whole legal system today.")
So Fosco's general incompetence isn't endearing him to Toramin.
I think the only person who even vaguely likes him in the party is Ianna and that's because she thinks he is handsome.
Man, do you guys like any of my NPCs? :P
Like, Heff I can understand. I'm pretty sure the first line of his bio would be "Heff is a dick".
I like:
Yix, Liamsho, Jasper (only because he is funny), and Ninnec (especially Ninnec).
I would work with Victkor again. He was useful.
Toramin likes Alia and Marcus.
Hmm, interesting. Veeeeerrrry interesting...
Marcus, really? Wow, that one's surprising.
He is a great respecter of tenacity.
Besides they have a complicated relationship. :-p
Definitely giving Fosco a one star review. Though I suppose incompetent is preferable to intentionally obstructive.
It could be both. It feels like both.
But if you were incompetent and intentionally obstructive, wouldn't those two combine to be unintentionally helpful?
Yup.
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Although do remember that you were brought here not because the Aestherics felt like only their organization could handle the situation, but rather because the gnomes were incapable of handling it.
Or maybe they're all working for Calios and its all an elaborate ruse to lure you into a trap.
Or maybe Heff is Calios? You've never seen them in the same room together!
How do you even know Geoffrey is real?!?
Or maybe Heff is Calios? You've never seen them in the same room together!
I use that exact argument all the time.
I just never imagined that an entire city government could be this bad at getting things done.
They are like the Flint of this world.
Hmm, I doubt they are the same person, but I wouldn't be surprised if we end up fighting both of them somewhere down the line. (Hopefully, not at the same time.)
-> puts forth entirely flippant point
-> party considers it
When you know you're a good GM.
I just never imagined that an entire city government could be this bad at getting things done.
They are like the Flint of this world.
Being a regional denizen, I feel I must point out our governor nullified local control and inserted an "emergency manager", so it's more accurate to say the Michigan of this world.
Sadly.
As far as the NPCs? The dead ones are good!
Of those alive:
Ninnec
Alia (possibly)
Of those beyond life:
The Platypus
Dalton's "friend"
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
*puts finger to Dalton's mouth*
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....
Lol the platypus. Just remember, it's not dead. It retreated. And it's intelligent.
Dalton, claim your mute assistant.
Lol the platypus. Just remember, it's not dead. It retreated. And it's intelligent.
More than that, it has lifesense-omniscience. A god among mammals!
I hope you know that has a permanent place in my world now, and probably in all of my future games from now on. I always have a few characters that exist in all my of homebrew settings: Tiasar (first character), Nareth (first villain), Heff (first a*$&~~@), and now a colossal bleeding horror platypus.
Although you guys don't fully understand what is keeping these particular individuals from dying, the universal monster ability Regneration does essentially make the creature immortal as long as you can't stop their regeneration. There are ways around it (like suffocation or starvation or energy drain), but you can't kill a regenerating creature with just damage.
Please, Bjorkus stop mentioning that we have done this before.
I think it is regeneration, and all regeneration has a counter (even-demigods). We just don't know the specific counter yet.
Were I Alia, I would be crafting specific divinations to reveal what that weakness is. Since there are spells that reveal elemental resistance, it's at least theoretically possible to craft that spell.
Sorry, I keep forgetting that only we consistently run into these guys. In my head these immortal nutjobs are all over the place.
Were I Alia, I would be crafting specific divinations to reveal what that weakness is. Since there are spells that reveal elemental resistance, it's at least theoretically possible to craft that spell.
You can't even imagine what Acera has been experiencing these past few weeks. Let's just say it's a good thing the Aestherics are morally flexible.
Sorry, I keep forgetting that only we consistently run into these guys. In my head these immortal nutjobs are all over the place.
It's almost like you're the protagonists and they're the antagonists!
I feel very blessed that Torag's paladin code includes clauses for lying and other not nice behavior as long as it is for the good of the dwarven people. Given Vorn's charge to aid the Aestherics and be their point of contact, a whole host of things suddenly become kosher.
Despite this flexibility, Toramin has a very strict policy that his word is his bond. What he says, he does. Which half-orc alchemists and frost giants learned to their surprise.
I very seriously considered banning Paladins (and possibly LG entirely) during recruitment, but I just have too much fun morally torturing the righteous.
And yes, you've toed the line quite well.
If it were true immortality, then a god (with a full five domains) is basically saying hey these dudes are part of me, since they are the only things that mortals cannot truly destroy. I think the other gods might notice cheating on that level.
The hardest non-god things I've seen to kill have been the Great Old Ones. Their "we come back" clauses are rather hard to deal with.
"If Hastur is slain, the robes that drape his frame suddenly drop to the ground as if whatever shape supported them had suddenly ceased to exist. The robes themselves remain inanimate on the ground, but any humanoid creature that touches them must succeed at a DC 40 Will save to resist a sudden urge to put the robes on. Doing so is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Once it has donned Hastur's robes, the creature immediately perishes and its body is destroyed. In its place, Hastur lives again, as if brought back via true resurrection. If the discarded robes are not donned within 24 hours, they fade away, leaving behind a faint yellow stain. In this case, Hastur can't manifest a physical body again until the conditions are right, or until an unwitting cultist or fool calls him forth once again. The save DC is Charisma-based."