Hmm’s True Dragons of Absalom (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

That is very flattering.

Hey gang, it looks like I may not get a post out tonight. Shifty updates Race for the Runecarved Key in a few hours, and I am trying to get my team to still find all the folks from the Gala.

So yes, I am choosing which table to give long updates to today!

Hmm

No worries here! Specials have strict time limits and should take priority!

Crazy Wednesday. No post realistically until very late tonight or early tomorrow morning. Bah.

Hang tight, my friends!

Hmm

Hey everyone, my home is expecting a nasty winter storm and I may lose power and be unable to post. We already had the power blink off this morning before the nasty stuff arrived. If I don't post, please bot me as needed to keep the game moving.

Good luck Redelia.

So.... One thing that I have learned from all of this is to never try to run two specials at once ever again. Doing both this and Race for the Rune Carved Key is heck on my bandwidth! I have also learned that I need to do a better job of communicating when I am swamped with VO stuff.

So. Do y’all have questions? Things that I can answer? Thoughts that you would like to share?

Hmm

Hugs for Hmm! (The VO stuff was nasty)

Your plate seems quite full. When I do eventually start GMing it'll only be one game at a time. I can't imagine how long it takes to put a post together with so many rolls and things going on at once.

Hmm, if you don't mind, I would like to talk a little about strategy for getting things going again after a pause. They happen to all of us, if nothing else when the GM gets sick. Is there anything a GM can do other than just get back to regular posting, along with some sort of polite explanation or apology for the delay?

I have been out with a cold for the past two days and reeeeaaaallllly need to get to bed now but I'll try getting something up in the morning...

No Worries HMM we all her understand how it goes.

I finally was able to get one of the VO duty monkeys off my back so now I concentrate more on my PbP Games and also finishing up some of the logistics of my starter-Con in my local area.

Any of you happen to be in the central northern California Area around the last weekend of April keep an eye out for Konocti-Con Working Name its a small mini-con held in Lakeport, CA overlooking Clearlake and Mt. Konocti.

Pethjun and Skyrahk are both ill. Can someone please bot them tonight? If not, I will do so on Saturday morning.

Hmm

Pethun and Skyrahk are both ill. Can someone please bot them tonight? If not, I will do so on Saturday morning.

Hmm

I got Pethun

I will take Skyrahk.

Thank-you for botting me! I was really out of it for a few days but I should be better and ready to go now.

Glad you are feeling better!

Bah. Had to deal with VC stuff. My brain fried, and tomorrow is a crazy Wednesday. I will try to write your first sight on the other side of the Portal tomorrow morning, but no guarantees.

:(

I shall return by Thursday at the latest.

Hmm

Ya I'm very sorry to have up and vanished for the last week but we've had a sudden death in the family and I've been away from home. I won't be back to a normal schedule until likely Monday. I'll try to get semi caught up and add in a brief post before then.

Thanks

I am sorry for your loss. You have my condolences!

I posted this else where, but I hope you are feeling okay and am sorry for your loss of a (hopefully) loved one!

Sorry for my disappearance this weekend. The unfortunate confluence of a busy schedule and getting hit with a cold and cough took me out.

I'm posting this in my games first thing today, then I'll be catching up in gameplay; I should be caught up by the end of the day.

Hey gang, it's three weeks left until OutPost. Can we all try to push forward a little? I'd like to be done by then. I don't know if it's doable, and I don't want to ruin anyone's fun, just for us all to keep in mind to try to move forward if we can.

Alright, I will try to move a bit faster.

I should talk about the posts in this last section... These were potential encounters that Thurston included to try to make Shadow Absalom a place where things were happening that had nothing to do with the plot. A strange place. A place where anything can happen.

I had mixed feelings about including these optional encounters. On the one hand, I figured that you would all be wondering... Where is the plot? What am I supposed to be doing here?

On the other, I thought Sir Melnas's lost expedition could provide a good entrance point for the plot that just arrived.

Hmm

I appreciate the prods to help Vanarog interact with others. Especially when they strike at his arcane power that he doesn't always think to put to use! And yes he will ALWAYS lie if he doesn't actually know.

Some more thoughts. I am sick today, so if my thoughts seem meandering, that is why.

There are times when an adventure hands you a character or an organization that is just sketched in. There is hardly anything on the Lightweavers and only a little available on the d'ziriak people of the Shadow Plane. But apparently this character is supposed to have been following you without you noticing her for a period of time on the plane of shadow.

I decided that meant that she could weave light into an illusionary disguise or invisibility, and spent time thinking about what it would mean to have a culture that can weave light into solid objects and magic items. I knew from the adventure text that the dragon’s spire was built upon a defeated d’ziriak hive. What would the d’ziriak feel about that?

We know from the fetchling addicts that some forms of light are addictive. What would emotional light be like? Using the fetchling addicts to foreshadow the appearance of the light weaver emissary, I played with the color purple (my favorite color - btw) and tried to decide what that color would feel like if it were the color of both mourning and nostalgia for a lost joy for this culture. Aside: In the regency era, purple, grey and lilac were the colors of half-mourning. What you wore before you were fully out of mourning, but ready to be among society again, and courtable.

When I read that the dragon’s tower was composed of a dark violet stone, that kind of solidified it for me. So I threw in other mentions of violet, and let resonations build in order to give more feeling about the light weavers. I wanted her to be more than a guide and a rest stop. I wanted her to be someone you would remember once this adventure is over.

It can be fun building a bit on a setting and a character. Light touches can do a lot. I gave Y’zilik a speech pattern where she refers humbly to herself as ‘This One’ — something that may be appropriate to a hive culture. And boy, did I have fun with the paragraphs describing the interior of the light weavers hive! Something the adventure was silent upon, though Y’zilik is supposed to offer you a chance to rest.

So as we near the end of this adventure... What have you learned? Not just from me, but from your fellow players? Have you found any new tools to use?

I have learned that I love minion nicknames. And boy, did I have fun using Y’zilik’s innocent lack of familiarity with kobolds to have her view ‘Talky Minion’ as an honorific.

Hmm

I am at a Convention so posting will be slow.

Hugs
Hmm

Have fun, Oh Great Lady in Red, Storytelling Minion Extraordinaire!

Oh Great Lady in Red, Storytelling Minion Extraordinaire, I have a question.

Was than encounter with the Queen in the adventure, or did you add that in, based on our actions? It somehow felt even more like 'you' than normal.

It is all mine, Redelia. The meeting with the Queen and the fireworks... That was me.

I will be getting back to this game and likely closing it tomorrow. It was my crazy Wednesday again. I know that some of you changed the character to whom you assigned this... Can you remind me if you were one of those people) what character number etc will be receiving this chronicle? I am going to try and close us out.

Hugs
Hmm

Massee
Mort Gloomhollow
202046-9

Which is nice because I got Mort into the Sewer Dragon's game, so some nice synergy there.

Player: Zin Z'arin (Rob Riemersma)
Character: Jon Rooi
PFS ID#: 192785-12
Faction: The Exchange

Thanks so much for the game, Hmm. It was loads of fun, and the side discussions were interesting and useful!

This will be the first time that I'm applying a pregen chronicle to one of my characters. In this case, Jon Rooi is brand new and has never been played. My understanding is that I can do one of the following two things:
- Apply the chronicle now, gaining 500 gp and access to the entire chronicle sheet now
- Apply the chronicle when the PC gets to level 3, gaining the chronicle gold and all other items at that time

Is that right?

Player: Gary Pepper
Character: Lancyn Pendragon
Pathfinder Society Number: 43992-2
Level: 3
Faction: Silver Crusade
Slow Track or Normal: Normal

This Chronicle #: 8
Starting XP: 7
Initial Prestige: 11
Initial Fame: 14
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle: 0
Starting Gold: 2704
Day Job Roll: Was 8 on initial post.
If I can use my Reroll please
dayjob, 1 GM Star: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

Gold Spent on this Chronicle: 0
Anything else you want me to note on your Chronicle:

HMM by chance did we "Defeat a divine spellcaster whose patron is an evil deity and whose Challenge Rating is at least equal to your character level?"

or "Defeat an outsider that has the evil subtype, an evil-aligned creature with the elemental subtype, or an undead creature whose CR is at least equal to your character level?"

or would killing the Dragon earlier count for "In the course of an adventure, purify a corrupted object or location, or remove an evil force that is possessing or otherwise controlling a creature."

Looking at my Faction Cards if you couldn't tell

I found that I made an error in applying a pregen chronicle to Zinta, so I will give you her information again.

Player: Redelia
Character: Zinta
Pathfinder Society Number: 184425-3
Level: 3
Faction: Scarab Sages
Slow Track or Normal: Normal
This Chronicle #: 7
Starting XP: 8
Initial Prestige: 8
Initial Fame: 10
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle: 0
Starting Gold: 6626
Gold spent this chronicle: 0
No day job

(this chronicle will now 'plug a hole' at level 3, and then I will apply other held chronicles to her.)

This will be the first time that I'm applying a pregen chronicle to one of my characters. In this case, Jon Rooi is brand new and has never been played. My understanding is that I can do one of the following two things:

- Apply the chronicle now, gaining 500 gp and access to the entire chronicle sheet now
- Apply the chronicle when the PC gets to level 3, gaining the chronicle gold and all other items at that time

Is that right?

Yes, that is correct. Which would you like to do?

Hmm

Player: Redelia

Character: Zinta
Pathfinder Society Number: 184425-3
Level: 4
Faction: Scarab Sages
Slow Track or Normal: Normal

This Chronicle #: 9
Starting XP: 10
Initial Prestige: 13
Initial Fame: 15
Prestige Spent on this Chronicle: 0
Starting Gold: 9188
Day Job Roll: 1d20

Gold Spent on this Chronicle: unknown. This is a GM/pregen credit blob, so if I build the character, there will be a lot purchased, otherwise, nothing. If I have not said otherwise, please assume 0.

If no one else wants it, I will play Skyrahk, the cleric.

I do not think you used your GM reroll here.

Want to see if you can get something better than 4?

BTW, I will try to get all the chronicles finished by Saturday -- well before OutPost starts!

Hmm

day job reroll, GM stars: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

edit: actually, I don't think I'm entitled to a Day Job, because my character is not built, and the pregen does not have any day job skill.

Not even craft traps? By my count, 7+8=15, so you get a whopping 10 gold! Isn’t that exciting?

Hmm

I'll go ahead and take the chronicle now. The boons won't come online until 4th either way, but I can start with some gold and a better shopping list.

And if we can use our pregen for a day job roll, Engashez is always happy to sing for her supper.

Perform (sing): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33

Use there craft checks! Woot that makes my Day job roll a whopping 35!!!

100 GP!!!

Day Job, Craft Traps: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Didn't realize you got to use the day job rolls for a pregen.

Sorry I've been pretty awol of late, sick with the flu or some such. I enjoyed playing Vanarog and his self serving self. I think Skyrahk will take him out eventually. He's far too obnoxious with no sense motive!

And Skyrahk has been (for entirely selfish reasons) somewhat kind to the other party members, manipulating them to take her side when the showdown actually happens.

They ruled a while ago that pregens could make day job checks with their own bonuses, and be counted as having the same faction as the character that you were applying the adventure to. They did this at the same time as they forced the rule that one had to assign pregen credit at the beginning of the adventure, and that pregen deaths were deaths to real characters.

Hmm

They ruled a while ago that pregens could make day job checks with their own bonuses, and be counted as having the same faction as the character that you were applying the adventure to. They did this at the same time as they forced the rule that one had to assign pregen credit at the beginning of the adventure, and that pregen deaths were deaths to real characters.

Hmm

I don't know how, but I seem to have completely missed this update somewhere along the line!!

And in answer to some of your questions above, GM, I would like to say that I took a great deal away from watching you roll this out. First and foremost, I took away the enjoyment of a good game with good people. I have really enjoyed this group!
Seriously though, I have picked up quite a few examples of ways I can make my NPC's better and more engaging. I like your style, and the way that you rolled with the things that we threw at you, and hope to incorporate some of this into my own gaming as well. You were forthright with us regarding deviations from the script and how we will sometimes have to make those calls ourselves.. and how to do it correctly.
Overall, I can say that for me at least, this game was a success!!!

I didn't realize that we could do Faction Goals with pregens either!

HMM by chance did we "Defeat a divine spellcaster whose patron is an evil deity and whose Challenge Rating is at least equal to your character level?"

or "Defeat an outsider that has the evil subtype, an evil-aligned creature with the elemental subtype, or an undead creature whose CR is at least equal to your character level?"

or would killing the Dragon earlier count for "In the course of an adventure, purify a corrupted object or location, or remove an evil force that is possessing or otherwise controlling a creature."

Looking at my Faction Cards if you couldn't tell

I had to look through the NPCs carefully. There were no divine spellcasters, the dragon did not have an elemental subtype, and the fetchlings, while they were evil outsiders, were not outsiders with the evil subtype.

There was an optional encounter that I did not run in part because we were trying to finish before OutPost, but mostly because I felt that it added nothing to the storyline. However, the evil outsider in that encounter had the wrong subtypes as well. Alas, I think we fulfilled none of the goals here. :/

Hmm

I didn't realize that we could do Faction Goals with pregens either!

Your first choice applies.

This one would be honored to join your trade organization, honorable talky minion.

Would anyone be interested in a Minions reunion after OutPost? The rumor is that on the chronicle for this adventure, we get the ability to use our kobold pregen once more, if we could use a normal level 4 pregen. It would be really neat to keep the same group together and play a normal scenario as kobolds. If the Great Lady in Red, Storytelling Minion Extraordinaire is not able to GM for us again, we can look for someone.

My gosh, that would be irresistible. May I state that 9-09 “Beyond the Halflight Path” has a Kobold story Arc? I could see you guys being sent after some rogue kobolds in Kaer Maga.

Hmm