Heralding the Coming of the Age of Worms (Bravo Team) (Inactive)

Game Master Fanguar

Welcome aboard everyone.

Feel free to say your hellos and make any last minute changes to your characters, now that you know the content of the rest of the party.

GM Notes:
- Reminder, no giant exposition heavy posts, or inner monologue please.

- Diamond Lake is small (pop. ~1000), so all your characters should be aware of each other, at the very least, and some of them could even be friends, though I'll leave that to you.

- For combat, I'll do individual initiative and I'll roll and post the action order. I'll also recap each round before beginning the next.

- Unless someone has an issue with me doing so, I'll just roll save/skill checks for people when it makes to do. Basically, just to eliminate cases of you wanting to do something, me asking for a roll, you posting the roll, then me explaining the outcome. If I just make the roll, it speeds things up.

- I'm not a fun > everything else GM. I want everyone to have fun, but I generally don't bend rules and never fudge dice rolls to make it so. I'm not a fan of TPKs, but wont stop one from happening. Also, while none of the encounters in this AP are designed to be unbeatable, a number are quite unforgiving. Especially at low levels, you'll never be more that couple of big hits or a confirmed crit away from oblivion.

Anyways, I think that is enough for now. Gameplay thread is open for dotting, and let's see if this party will be able to stop the end of the world.

Awesome, I'm in!

Short and too the point, check. No internal dialogue, check.

I could suggest you post the bad guys's saves, AC and HP as well and let us narrate the results of our rolls (hit, miss, made/failed save etc.) to speed things up as well, otherwise I'm cool with you rolling passive and reactive rolls for me.

I'm open to character connection, I have a sister, brother and a mother as written as well as an uncle and his family.

I'll hammer that into a section on the sheet but if anyone wants to take a look for possible connections then, please, go ahead.

Edit; I'm still a bit unsure about the avatar pic, I might change it.

Woo Hoo! Thanks for the opportunity. I'll review tonight, and see if I have any questions / comments, and work on my profile.

- I'm not a fun > everything else GM. I want everyone to have fun, but I generally don't bend rules and never fudge dice rolls to make it so. I'm not a fan of TPKs, but wont stop one from happening. Also, while none of the encounters in this AP are designed to be unbeatable, a number are quite unforgiving. Especially at low levels, you'll never be more that couple of big hits or a confirmed crit away from oblivion.

My type of GM!! Part of the reason why I am here is for the challenge. I don't want any handouts. :)

I will go ahead and transfer my stats to my avatar after I read the other posts.

This is Mr.Swagger.

I am a cleric. My background is also in my profile.

I see Elver is a bard(archeologist). What about everyone else?

Hi there,

Talia is a ranger (archer) apprenticed to Venelle, Diamond Lake Bowmaker/Fletcher. She came to Diamond Lake 7 years ago thanks to father Childramun, an old priest of Heironeous due to a scandal at home. She was fostered with Venelle. Recently, there has been rumours of her ability to kill any man that would come to close to her as a man of her village cam to Venelle's and was killed in a horse accident coming back home.

Everything else is in the profile.

Yup, bard (archaeologist). Also how many are we?

Hey all

We have six PC's for the campaign. Scranford's PC is a Druid(Dragon Shaman) and we also have a wizard and a paladin joining us.

@Elvar: I like that suggestion, I'll put monster stat blocks under a spoiler and those who want to RP their attacks can.

Let me know if you guys have any questions.

I'm currently working on hammering out Elvar's profile with updates to people known and such so, don't look! I'm not done!

Also in regards to roles, consider Elvar a rogue with spells rather than a typical bard. He won't be inspiring anyone and he doesn't give a whit for religion (read; no healing spells) though he could probably master some of their magics if he cared to apply himself (read; maybe later. Maybe.)

Hey DM Fanguar, I wanted to check with you first but can I make up contacts around town? I'm thinking maybe a mine boss (not owner) that he worked with for a time and also I'm thinking about placing some relatives around town, notably an aunt acolyte in the church of St. Cuthbert.

@Bones; Elvar could have been commissioned to help build your farm as part of his profession training. Do you have any connection to Allustan? Or maybe your mother would have?

I would be the Paladin that was mentioned :-)

I know how Archaeologist Bards work. I have played one or two. They are pretty nice. Between the two of us I don't expect any traps or hidden enemies to not be noticed. :)

For those of us like myself who are, or will be taking power attack, it is a good idea to put your attack and damage before and after the feat in your profile. It helps me a lot as a GM when I am checking characters.

Here is Parnel's Dot...Your friendly neighborhood Dragon Shaman.

Elvar my character would agree with you that Diamond Lake is not a good place, but while he wants to leave he would like to set up a church before he does. Being a dwarf he figures he should live long enough to do both. You would likely have heard of his once profitable farm. You can even say you worked for me once. Respecting your knowledge and skills, I would have invited you, even if I thought you might be a somewhat asocial.

Harold you would have most likely seen me around your church. While I agree with your church's ideas I now have trouble accepting the rigidness with which they act, but it would not affect any potential friendship between us. I would definitely have brought the news of the cairn to your attention if I heard of it first.

Scandord due to your connection to nature I think we would also have been friends. At the least I would have a lot of respect for you, and tried to persuade you to join me in the upcoming adventure.

Talia I may have known you from my time volunteering in the city watch, who may have had to buy items from the shop you worked at if a shipment was late. My character is not exactly a personable guy, but since his idea to start a new church was not a secret that may have made you remember him.

PS:I just saw your post Elvar. I actually wrote my post on you before I read your post, and it would have made sense for you to work for me. I may have been the only person to pay you well and on time. My mother should have known Allustan since she was a bard, and they might have discussed various subjects.

I will post on the wizard once I know who it is. :)

Talia-Ranger
Scanford-Druid
Elvar-Bard
Harold-Paladin
??-Wizard
Me-Druid.

GM I don't mind you rolling for us. Due to me being a dwarf I get bonuses to my saves unless it is a supernatural affect for the most part.

@Garish: Especially since Harold's adoptive parents are Dwarves, and I doubt that the Dwarven population in Diamond Lake is that big, I dare say that we probably know each other fairly well - Garish probably knocked-back more than a few brews with them in front of the forge-fire, at the very least ;-)

Hey DM Fanguar, I wanted to check with you first but can I make up contacts around town? I'm thinking maybe a mine boss (not owner) that he worked with for a time and also I'm thinking about placing some relatives around town, notably an aunt acolyte in the church of St. Cuthbert.

Yup that's fine by me and if you make the mine boss work for the Dourstone mine, it will tie into the 2nd module nicely. That goes for everyone. Feel free create any minor NPC's you want, I'm a big fan of collaborative story-telling. Speaking of which:

This AP starts in the dungeon. Literally. No introductory scene. Nothing. I'm ok with that to kick off the gameplay thread, but I thought that together, we could come up with plausible explanation for the six of you to be there.

The motivator is a trio of adventurers from Greyhawk that have been swaggering around town. They've come to Diamond lake to explore an old cairn that the locals know to be thoroughly looted. Still, they've managed to find a few oddments of value and logic holds that if they can find treasure in an 'empty' cairn, imagine what could be found in an unexplored one.

My default will be to have Allustan put the expedition together, but as you lot seem like a creative crew, I think we can do better. Suggestions?

I think one of us got the info and contacted the others. We all seem to know each other or at least know of each other so that would work. It would make sense for us to travel there together. I am still waiting for the party wizard to show up though. I would at least like to know who it is so I can read the backstory and figure out how I would know him. :)

Hello all

I am the groups wizard, a slightly scruffy vagabond that drifted into town several months ago in the company of a now deceased drunkard.

I'll be reading backstorys and making my formal entrance this afternoon when I have the opportunity to sit down and take my time.

Regards
Istvan

@Bones; I'm liking the idea of Elvar and Bones having a rather close relationship, I can see Elvar naming you one of the rare people he'd actually sit down and have a beer with. Maybe they took a liking to each other when Elvar came to help build your farm and now share the dream of building your temple, you for religeous resons and Elvar at the prospect of building something grand?

@Harold; If your a member of the st. Cuthbert church we could have met on a comition for them? Maybe some minor job that Elvar feels he was cheated for pay on? Also I plan on adding a niece as an accolyte there, maybe you can work with that?

@Parnel; Elvar would have done business with your fathers shop and he'd deifinately have been curious about your 'dragon'. Also, aren't we on a similar age (Elvar is 19)? Maybe we're childhood friends, mates from school? I figure every child in town would have had to sit through lectures at the church of st. Cuthbert to learn his letters if nothing else.

@Talia; You don't like bullies, Elvar is the type to get bullied. Maybe you saved him from a beating? We're also around a similar age right? (19) The event could have been ancient history and we'd be friends for some years. We both seem the anti-social types. (Everyone seems a bit anti social exept Bones in this group actually).

@Istvan; Elvar's older brother is a drunk and gamber and his sister is a dept collector for a gambling den, maybe you can work a connection from there?

My character would like to be social, but he is just not good with people. Yeah he is "that" guy.

In a related note diplomacy was the last skill I dropped. This lack of skills is going to torment me, but I think I can deal with it.

Istvan how long have you been in town?

Do we have anyone with diplomacy or sense motive.

If no then I can shift around some skills, diplomacy isn't exactly in lieu with Elvar's concept but I'm sure it can be over looked. He has after all been forced to work with several people who could do with a healthy dose of shut up so he could have developed a technique for swallowing his tongue when dealing with people after a series of trial and error methods.

Note to self; People don't take well to being called illiterate asses.

Updated family and friends if anyone wants to take a look.

I've been in town for about a month, mostly in the bar or running errands. As for diplomacy; I am decent, though I won't compare to a bard.

I also enjoy characters with lots of skills, usually high intelligence wizards or magi.

@Elvar, I quite sure I would have made your brothers aquintance, and most likely have met you through Allustan. A great many of my errands involved him.

@Elvar, I'm fine with Talia and Elvar having met through a fight with local youths.

@Parnel, we must have met outside town, maybe spent time exploring the surroundings and even some of the cairns.

@Garish, Ok for having met you through the shop and your time in the city watch.

As a summary, we could all be linked to Elvar and Garish one way or another. So we could postulate that Elvar (due to his archetype and interest) has received the information about the cairn and gathered the others.

I'm going to update my equipment tonight so we can roll as soon as possible.

Regarding diplomacy and sense motive, Talia has sense motive and Harold has diplomacy I think.

All the above ties look good to me. Parnel is a sociable feller, not like a lot of other Druids...he just likes nature better.

If no then I can shift around some skills, diplomacy isn't exactly in lieu with Elvar's concept but I'm sure it can be over looked. He has after all been forced to work with several people who could do with a healthy dose of shut up so he could have developed a technique for swallowing his tongue when dealing with people after a series of trial and error methods.

Note to self; People don't take well to being called illiterate asses.

I don't you to change the character concept. We just may have to deal with the consequences. A bunch of guys that are not exactly personable, but the world kind of needs might be pretty fun to play out.

It looks like we are good then as far as having a reason to travel together. For those of you that can't see in the dark torches or sunrods are a good idea.

Other suggestions:a backup weapon, a ranged weapon.

My character is ready for gameplay.

And somebody buy rope please, I ran out of cash with the thieves tools.

I'd suggest a light, one-handed melee weapon as a backup. It can be used in a grapple situation. Dagger, torch and rope are a must for everyone I'd say.

Settled on a pic, I'm loving it ;)

Possible route for us to hook up for this thing; Istvan hears the rumor and sees the adventurers flashing gold in the tavern, mentions it to Allustan who suggests Elvar who suggests Bones, Talia, Parnel and Harold?

That would allow Istvan to keep his air of mystery but get us all into the cauldron.

Waiting to hear from Harold though...

Edit; Maybe Bones suggested Harold? With the whole Dwarven Connection thing going on there that seems obvious.

Spent the last of my silver on various tid-bits, looking over everyone's sheets I think we're pretty solid equipment wise, seems like everyone knows what they're doing.

Settled on a pic, I'm loving it ;)

Possible route for us to hook up for this thing; Istvan hears the rumor and sees the adventurers flashing gold in the tavern, mentions it to Allustan who suggests Elvar who suggests Bones, Talia, Parnel and Harold?

That would allow Istvan to keep his air of mystery but get us all into the cauldron.

Waiting to hear from Harold though...

Edit; Maybe Bones suggested Harold? With the whole Dwarven Connection thing going on there that seems obvious.

This would suit my purposes fine, if it works for everyone else. The Whispering cairn has pretty much been forgotten by most of the locals, though Allustan would know of its existence. It sits near an abandoned mine in a kind of no man's land off the beaten track. It was 'rediscovered' about a decade ago by a teenager and since then has become a favorite spot for local youths to test their bravery by overnighting inside, so any of the younger local PC's would definitely know of it as well.

Also, as for equipment, the cairn is only about a day out of town, so if you forget something, it's fairly trivial to go to town to get it.

@Parnell: Could you please include your lizard's stats in your profile. Thanks

Oh snap! I got no food or water... Can someone spot a bro for some food? Otherwise I'm going to need to downgrade something to buy it.

Heh. I go to sleep, and there is an explosion of posts ;-)

Couple of responses:

1. Harold has Diplomacy, but most definitely *not* Sense Motive.

2. I have a grappling hook, and 100' of silk rope - it is part of my 'standard adventuring gear'.

3. @Elvar: I am happy to say that we met through Dalva - knowing and respecting her cousin's skills, she put your name forward for one or more jobs...?

I am happy with the suggested 'hook-up route'.

I have provided additional background information, linking Harold with Elvar and Garish :-)

I have rope. ElvarGive yourself 5 rations and I will take take the GP off my character sheet. '

I can also take 10 on survival checks to feed myself and 2 other people if needed, assuming we have an extended stay for some reason.

First campaign post is up in the gameplay thread. Let's get this game going.

Awesome, thanks Bones.

Are we going to be usig maps for combat? It will make significant difference in how I deploy my AoE spells.

Are we going to be usig maps for combat? It will make significant difference in how I deploy my AoE spells.

Yes, I'm using google drive for maps. It makes things like AOOs and flanking easier to manage during combat.

Let me know if I'm moving too fast.

where is everyone?

*waves* I am posting :-/

where is everyone?

Just here. Let's move.

Been wondering the same thing.

Updated. Let's fight.

If you could please indicate the round and your initiative at the start of your post during combat, it would be appreciated. Thanks.

Also feel free to post out of order, or to give more than potential action, eg. If wolf A is alive then I will do X, if it is dead then I will do Z, but please don't post your 2nd round actions until the first has ended.

Nice map.

I won't be able to update my location while at work, but I can certainly do so in the evening.

I'll have to wait until my after the last wolf has gone before I can post my actions. Nearly everything I have is AoE.

Soo... I guess you guys are sleeping when I up. What time zones are you in? I'm GMT.

-5 GMT