Really long night last night. I'll be posting an update soon.
I know this portion is combat heavy and I look forward to getting into some good role-play once you escape.
It's all good, I enjoy seeing all the details in the prison's function. And, we're managing to see some of everyone's personalities slowly but surely...
I'm glad you are liking the little details Kaynen. To answer your question, room 15 is the last room you have yet to explore in the Great Hall.
Are you guys ready to move onto the Sarg's bedroom or do you want a bit more time to talk?
Lots of folks haven't posted since last Wednesday, so it looks to be "moving on" time...
please do.
Hey, life is coming at me pretty fast right now. I should be clear of it soon, but I'm running rather slowly at the moment.
Kergh, you might have missed it but the group found a sack of spell components, there would have been a small vial of devils blood within the sack as well.
Ah so. I remember that but thought devils blood must be a "special". Thanks AoM. Kherg will snaffle that.
Cheers
Unholy water works as well and will probably be easier to come by.
Ariana, everything ok? I haven't seen you post in over a week.
I'll be posting an update tomorrow evening based on the decision by Kaynen to move into 5.a in addition, Mikhail made a pretty important group suggestion. I would to know what Oswald and Ariana feel about the idea for the group of forsaken to stick together. Also, how is everyone feeling about the pace? Let me know if you have any thoughts.
It has bogged down a bit, but that's more due to infrequent posting from player, than anything you can do.
I <3 the pace of games where every player posts daily, but I'm also good with games that run a little slower.
I wouldn't say there's a need for Mitra to rush us into more rooms and encounters, though, but it's probably fine to hand wave a player's consent if they don't post for 48 hours unless some circumstance indicates strongly we should wait.
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To get everyone posting at the same speed is hard. It only takes one or two to slow things down. There are a few games where that happens, but they are few. I play in several games so it isn't such an issue for me.
If someone keeps missing posting then they can become a liability. I ran a Viking game which included two friends from my home play. It was a bad mistake. They didn't keep up and it became apparent that the game was suffering. In the end the game died.
Also there were eight PCs and I am coming round to the idea that smaller parties are quicker for a pbp. Maybe four is the ideal number?
Cheers
4-5 is probably the optimum, but considering how things go on these boards, it almost makes sense to recruit 8 with the expectation that 2-4 people are going to quit or disappear.
That does seem to happen on the boards, Barnabas.
Speaking of disappearing, I am going to let Ariana go. While I don't mind the occasional absence 11 days without any sort warning is not conducive to a good pbp and bogs down the posting rate for everyone. I'll DMPC her for now. What do you guys think about bringing in one of the alternates to take her spot? Athena Giovanni was selected as the alternate for the arcane role but I am open to suggestions from all of you. Right now there are no other women in the group and it *would* be a sorcerer for a sorcerer. Thoughts?
take a look at these rolls *shakes head*
Barnabas Guard sense motive 1d20 ⇒ 3
Kaynen Guard sense motive 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
I love how you guys are playing smart, splitting up the guards and using the resources at hand to whittle them down. You guys have had several close calls but despite that have managed to get this far without raising an alarm. Keep it up!
The others didn't really say where or how they were taking up positions, but I believe the plan is something like this.
1. A couple folks wait in ambush in area 11 (kitchen) - Mihkail, Kergh, Ariana
2. A couple folks wait in ambush in area 8 (great hall) - Ethaniel, Oswald, Grumblejack. Perhaps Grumblejack waits in area 12 and enters from there during surprise?
3. The doors connecting through area 10 are open so quick changes can be made for the unpredictable.
5. Barnabas heads out to engage his guard.
6. Kaynen heads out to engage his guard.
7. Barnabas tricks his guard to go into the kitchen.
8. Kaynen tricks his guard to get the guard(s) at the gatehouse to go into the great hall.
Ideally we dragged any bodies into area 14, we don't want the guard throwing open the door and running immediately. We want him to at least take a few steps into the room before the surprise happens.
Kaynen, when you say you wanted to take the guards place, are you talking about his place on the gatehouse roof or the one on the walls? I am assuming you want to take his place on the wall, but let me know.
I would prefer to run with seven players than bring in another sorcerer. We do have a magus and bard for arcane support.
Kherg will take up position in the kitchen in guard form.
Actually, without Ariana we are six (Barnabas, Ethaniel, Kaynen, Kergh, Mikhail, Oswald).
Furthermore, as far as arcane magical support is concerned, Ethaniel is a magus (albeit one with diminished spellcasting), Kaynen a bard and Oswald a witch. Still, none of them can match a sorcerer in terms of pure firepower, I think.
Plus, for flavor purposes, I would not mind a female PC in our group of miscreants.
Sorry gents, I'm about. Just been bogged down with a few deadlines the last couple weeks. I'll chime in shortly.
Morning Guys, So here's what I am hearing right now:
Kergh: Run with six players and don't worry about replacing Ariana.
Ethaniel: A female PC would be nice, but we are good when it comes to arcane roles.
Barnabas: Would rather not add anyone else to keep up a good posting rate. If we did add one, make it a martial class with full BAB.
Kaynen: Would prefer if we hold on on recruiting others unless we lose someone else.
Waiting to hear back from Oswald and Mikhail before a decision is reached.
While I agree that none of our casters is full arcane, we do still have 3 of them, which is a lot. Preferably, I would rather not add anyone, simply for speed's sake, but if we had to add another arcane caster, I would prefer the versatility a wizard brings.
Really though, if we were to add another player, I would rather have a class with a full BAB progression, since we currently only have one. This part would be so much easier with an extra barbarian or fighter.
As for the sex of the hypothetical new PC, I'm indifferent.
I do prefer a 5 or 6-person group over 7 or 8-person groups.
It's not so bad out of combat, but can be rough when it's in initiative and the person that we're waiting for to advance the round is MIA for a few days or longer.
I'd say to hold off recruiting unless the group's numbers get dangerously low - all the way down to 4 PCs.
I don't imagine all of the characters will survive intact for 10-levels, if we can manage to play that long, so there's plenty of opportunity for replacement PCs from our current players to fill out any gaps.
A witch and a bard/alchemist should be able to more than make up for the loss of a sorcerer. Kaynen will have copious bombs should he survive long enough to get them!
Kaynen, when you say you wanted to take the guards place, are you talking about his place on the gatehouse roof or the one on the walls? I am assuming you want to take his place on the wall, but let me know.
Kaynen assumed that the guard would not cede his position unless he was being relieved by a new guard, so he would make it look like he's taking their position for them, so they can take a quick break to grab some grub.
Once he spots the guard about to enter the main building, and there's no danger of that particular guard seeing Kaynen has abandoned the spot he feigned relief of, he'll quickly head back to the others.
I am okay with our current group for now.
Just to be clearer, I am treating Grumblejack as our full Bab seventh.
Cheers
Right then.. We will stick with the group we have now to keep up the posting speed. I have been *very* busy the last few days and just got back to a computer a little while ago. I'll be posting an update shortly. Thanks for all of your patience.
I'm not seeing how the gatehouse connects to the exterior wall ramparts. Presumably a door may be missing from the second level of the map?
It connects, but there is no access point from the ramparts. Also (not included on the map is a second barracks on the north-west corner of the courtyard.
As a reminder, you do have a Villain Point if you ever need to use it.
VILLAIN POINTS:
All PCs start with 1 Villain point and gain 1 Villain Point each time they level up. The maximum number of Villain Points a PC can have at a time is 3. Hero Point feats and spells are allowed.
You can use 1 Villain Point to do any of the following actions. You can only use 1 Villain Point per turn for these actions.
1. Gain an extra standard action during your turn.
2. Gain a +8 bonus to a d20 roll if spent before or a +4 bonus if spent after. This can also be used to effectively increase the DC of a spell by lowering a single target's saving throw in the same manner.
3. Ready an action at any time. (Must be done before a post is made; no retcons.)
4. Regain a spell or use of a limited special ability.
5. Reroll a d20.
6. Reroll HP at a new level.
You can use 2 Villain Points to do the following, regardless of if you have used a Villain Point this turn.
7. Survive a fatal attack at -10, unconscious, and stable.(2 points)
I believe there is some confusion here. The rampart wall that you relieved the guard from physically connects to the Gate House, but there is no opening from the Gatehouse onto the wall. It look like there was one a long time ago but its been long since bricked up. Sorry if my post that was two above was not clear enough.
How do the guards get up there?
From your vantage point it looked like he descened from 3e (Gatehouse Rooftop) and exited through the doorway of 3b. The guard on the ramparts exited the wall through the stairwell and ladder in the most north-eastern battlement (6)
I understand how guards in (3a) through (3e) manage to get to wherever they are.
You mentioned a guard on the western wall amid the various (6)'s.
Kaynen's trying to figure out how a guard gets onto a wall.
None of (3a) through (3e) seem to show a door that would lead to the outer wall.
None of (21) through (25) seem to show a door that would lead to the outer wall.
None of the (6)'s show doors at the ground level.
Kaynen is interested in trying the rouse on the last guard(s) on the western wall, so his predominant destination is getting onto the wall if there's an obvious way to do so. Failing to find a way quickly, he'd head back to the great hall to check how things are going with the others before resuming his search for a way onto the wall.
Hrm..
"Beyond that is a perimeter wall. Evenly spaced around the walls are three round towers that are connected to the wall and inset into the base of each tower is a stout wooden door"
"Closing the door behind you, you see a ladder that leads up another level. Wiping your greasy hands on the blue and white tabard you climb up the ladder and emerge onto the second floor of the battlement tower. Climbing a set of circular stairs you see a door that has been left open that leads to the prison ramparts"
Your right. The map doesn't show them. I never noticed that. Ok, well as I described in the text there are heavy wooden doors inset into the base of each tower. When you enter the small battlement tower there is a ladder up to a trapdoor in each. It looks like the ladder could be raised to prevent someone from accessing the walls, but the guards are lazy and lax so they keep the ladders set up. On the second floor of the battlement tower is a counter clockwise staircase leading up to a door at the top of the stairs that lead up to a half floor that has two doors, allowing passage through the battlement tower on both sides.
Is that clear?
As for getting the guard on the western wall, you would have to pass through the northern courtyard. That leads you past the hound kennel and the second barracks that isn't show on the map. (The module was designed for four players so I threw in more guards). Alternativly you could choose to go south around the back of the Great Hall and approach that western wall by that route.
Their loss, our gain.
Thanks Mitra, that totally fills in the missing pieces!
Specifically that, each of those round towers have a door into the interior courtyard and a ladder leads up with a method to get on top of those walls.
Since combat is over, I'll go with Kaynen setting foot back out into the courtyard and heading back through the double doors into the main hall to check on the others before he attempts to encourage more guards to head in for a snack.
Since we have the duty roster, how many guards are left unaccounted for?
@Barnabas: The guard roster lists twenty four guards and you have killed thirteen so eleven should remain.
@Everyone: I am currently in a Ruins of Pathfinder: Reign of Winter campaing run my a GM named Lucent. Lucent submitted to me tonight a character application for this Way of the Wicked group. Drisella DiAmonica I would like you guys to take a look at it. Lucent’s writing is outstanding as you can see from his campaign. Also, I am not at all concerned about him maintaining his post rate. I know we discussed bringing on another player and we decided not to. However in light of this application I would like you guys to reconsider. This is a group decision but I can’t speak highly enough about his writing.
You don't need our permission if you want to add something to the game! :)
I just peeked at his profile (only online for a moment) and I saw mention of a kyton, so I'm sold.
(I won't let the Summoner class affect my feelings... I won't, I won't)
@Kaynen: Thanks Kaynen! I did select all of you guys with your input. It's just that think that it reduces the chance of personality conflict if the group agrees on a decision. Don't get me wrong, I'm in the military and I have had to do my share of authoritative decisions, but I think of a pbp as a communal effort.
It's definitely an excellent submission.
I'm all for another potentially mentally unstable member of our troop.
Teenage canibal summoner eh? It's a very strong writing sample and summoners are broken good, so she'll add a lot to the party. You'd have no complaint from me if you choose to add her into our little narrative.
I am called.