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That last 5%, she's a bîtch, though! ;-)
That's why we call that last 5% 'your mom'!
*boom*
You've been Grim'd!!
Loving the introductory posts guys! Let's keep this going. I'll post some more color tomorrow (unless I magically find some time tonight).
Really great work all!
Thanks for playing along while we wait for the characters to get going. Still waiting to hear from Ryan - assuming he's jet-lagged. Will try harder if he doesn't respond in the next day or so. If we need to look for an 8th, I'll let you guys know ASAP.
With the Hall of Wonders, please do feel free to insert your own (reasonable and non-spectacular) treasures. Nothing too specific, but if you want some inspiration, look here:
... and you get the idea.
If your mechanics are in place, please also do feel free to roll any appropriate skill to assessing the various aspects of the artefacts on display. Roll multiple if you have them... and if you don't roll at least one of your mission specialist skills, you're not trying hard enough! I will respond in a spoiler when I get time.
For example:
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Juicyfruit casts a critical eye over the treasures. Hmph, I bet I've seen more valuable treasure's in the Lord-Mayor's waiting room. Vying with two other onlookers for a better vantage point, Juicyfruit checks out one particular treasure that has caught his eye - a golden bracelet adorned with rubies.
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Remember, while I can't stop you from reading other people's spoilers (though I would prefer if you didn't) your PCs definitely can't use that knowledge unless it has been imparted via roleplaying.
Edited my last post, since I already had the base of what you were suggesting in there - just added a die roll. I've got a couple ideas how to get a roll in on my "main" skills as the lorekeeper, but I will wait to see how this turns out first...
That last, innocuous little "dot" means that Ryan is in! We have a full complement. I will wait for mechanics to be 100% complete, and would rather that the rest was 100% complete also, but I won't require it if you don't have time.
Is anyone going to have any difficulty if we aim to kick things off in earnest next Monday (24th)?
I know my biggest issue will be stopping myself from jumping the gun. I just need to focus on my hex map. ;-)
That last 5%, she's a bîtch, though! ;-)That's why we call that last 5% 'your mom'!
*boom*
You've been Grim'd!!
P.S. - I never got to say that this made me laugh so hard!
P.P.S. - Concept: 100%
Background: 100%
Mechanics: 100%
Heh. I had a pretty good laugh at that myself.
Was reading your background while you were posting. Really enjoyed it. The imagery of you aimlessly meandering throughout the Inner Sea is wonderful. Very Pratchett-like, in my opinion, while still seeming (to me) to be quite original. Can't wait to read more on the gameplay thread!
Hello everyone!
Just so you're properly warned, this is my first PbP campaign, and I'm here because Damien bullied me into it. I hope not to muck it up for you all.
Concept, background, mechanics - 100%
Welcome on board, Ryan! I love the way you "downgraded" Ciarán back to 3rd level. Very nice touch.
... I'm here because Damien bullied me into it...
Ah, it is so nice to have a fellow Australian on the boards. By the way, Steve was the one who bullied you into it (at GenCon). I just provided the beach towel for you to sit on and the sand for him to kick in your face... after the fact. Hmm. Well, like a donkey caught in the ship's rigging, it would seem I struggle to provide an apt metaphor.
@Gratum, awesome to see you on the gameplay thread again. Please do update your tagline (same template as used for Mor'tagh).
SO! We have a full complement. When Sumaru checks in again, I will continue the prologue and move things toward the eventual beginning. Thanks again all for your beautiful prologue / color posts, and keep them coming!
So chuffing excited. You have no idea the self control I'm requiring right now to not just launch into it.
No problem starting in earnest on Monday.
Monday will be fine... will give me time to figure out who Aeslin is. Got some ideas, but need to start describing. Will do this tonight, perhaps.
Okay, just found out something weird that's kind of frustrating me. It's got spoilers in it, so here goes...
I was emailing Chris (Acre) about potentially joining his ongoing (real life, real time) Skull & Shackles game via Google+ / Skype / whatever. His reply included this.
It is actually funny, because where the game left off is just past where your isle of dread game is heading. The PC's sailed into eye of abendego, in search of a lost island at the center of the storm, and the city of golden death.
So, in all honesty, I did not know about that before designing this part of the Isle of Dread campaign. Since it will be more disruptive to change now, I'm keeping it as is. Essentially, the Eye was simply an unchartered bit of sea that appeared on the Inner Sea maps, and that was far south enough to make sense to me. The Eye of Abendego was just icing on the cake.
Clearly, I'm not the only one to think so. Argh.
Anyway, sincere apologies to anyone sitting there having played Skull & Shackles who is thinking "Oh, this again? How derivative." I assure you that anything that is not my work comes either from Pathfinder Campaign Setting books or the original Isle of Dread adventure and not from other campaigns (well, not intentionally anyway).
No reason to worry, I just wanted to say something now that I'm aware.
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Okay, just found out something weird that's kind of frustrating me. It's got spoilers in it, so here goes...
** spoiler omitted **
Check your email! You are not infringing on anything in Skull and Shackles. You are totally good. The email I sent you should explain everything, and clear up our little confusion. Sorry everyone else for this confusion. My Skull and Shackles is heavily modified, so there is no concern of this game aligning with anything from Skull and Shackles.
We are all good to go :)
Didn't get my email off in time... Chris' version of skull and shackles is far more detailed and in depth than the book. Chris ending has really nothing to do with the book, and there are just some fun similarities. Sailing into the storm for a mysterious island is about were the coincidences end, I am sure, even with my limited knowledge as a player.
No worries, it's not as bad as you think!
-Posted with Wayfinder
I'm in a Skulls and Shackles game that is set in space (Space Shackles by the infamous EndlessForms), so I won't have any idea what's going on with the Eye of Abendego. We just freed a bunch of silurians and got a second spacecraft as my space yak took over as First Mate and commanded the ship in my absence.
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We just freed a bunch of silurians and got a second spacecraft as my space yak took over as First Mate and commanded the ship in my absence.
Space yak?
Somewhere, someplace, an old elf *facepalms*.
That last 5%, she's a bîtch, though! ;-)That's why we call that last 5% 'your mom'!
*boom*
You've been Grim'd!!
P.S. - I never got to say that this made me laugh so hard!
P.P.S. - Concept: 100%
Background: 100%
Mechanics: 100%
Now that Elon has finished with your mom, I want to note that I finished with your mom as well.
Bazsil:
Concept: 100%
Background: 100%
Mechanics: 100%
p.s. You've been Grim'd!
And here I thought my sex-deviant father was keeping my mum (for she is Australian) satisfied sexually. I guess that just wasn't the case.
Glad to see that both your character and my mum are 100% sorted.
Thanks for the Skull & Shackles assurances. I would have been in time to delete my post after reading Steve and Chris's emails if the Paizo forums would load a web-page in any kind of reasonable time (when I was trying to anyway). With that in mind, I give up tonight. See you in the morning!
So, Elon, I have decided that Barley needs his own alias. Those delightful "Moo" posts need to come from somewhere. Well, obviously, the choice is yours - but if you feel like doing it it, I reckon it would look fantastic. Either way, loving the posts.
Loving all of your posts, guys. Really great work and way to set up a story! I've been really impressed with the detail and thought gone into each of them. I just hope I can do them justice with my (apparently highly derivative) adventure! :-)
So, I am making progress on Aeslin -- her concept is getting close (95%) and mechanics are close (90%) but I am just starting to learn who she is... trying to tie it into Golarion lore and all, yo.
She's likely going to be a younger child to a Qadiran merchant house, who has had her way paid for her (as much as anything to get her out of the house). As I see it now, she attended the Arcanamirium in Absalom, and dabbled with the idea of becoming a Pathfinder, but decided that she'd rather play with Sebastian (her weasel friend) and read tomes about past discoveries than actually go adventuring.
I assume that word of the Magnimaran display of artifacts from the Eye is relatively well known (at least in certain circles)?
Oh, and I am purposely not keeping up with the play thread until I know who she is.
Oh, and I suppose Sebastian's gonna get his own alias at some time.
"SQUEEK!"
Oh, and I am purposely not keeping up with the play thread until I know who she is.
Ah! That would be why you weren't summoned by my stoat-sniffing.
(Stoat sniffing! Now legal in all states!)
@Aeslin: Thanks for the update. Great to hear she's coming along. There's been a bit of action on the gameplay thread, and you may be able to use it for inspiration. Totally up to you, of course.
Good luck... and I hope I didn't take too many liberties with Gado's backstory there!
"Mooo..." wails Barley the Yak as he ponder the edibility of kelp.
Take all the liberties you want! Mistress Lanvi and her organization seems like a very fun thing to explore in a story, at least it seemed like fun as I was creating them. You can take her and her cronies in whatever direction you want! I love that she had someone in the hall keeping an eye on me! Now Gado may be paranoid about who else is watching... Would she put someone else on the expedition to keep an eye on her investment? He can only wonder! The plot thickens....
-Posted with Wayfinder
Please note that I have updated the Writing Style section of My PbP Guide to include the correct tense to use (simple present). I thought it was in there, but it wasn't. I also had the wrong link for help with using Third Person Limited. D'oh, right? It came after a chat with Ryan when he was asking if all was well, and I noted that he was using third person limited (correctly as per the guide) but not the simple present tense. I prepared to ask "how dare you not read that single sentence and absorb it along with all the other information?", but then I realised it was missing. Anyway, hope it works for all of you!
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Writing Style
Use Third Person Limited and write in the Simple Present tense. Full stop. If for no other reason, it will keep everyone's posts consistent. It is also what most PbP posters use.
--
As always, if you have any disagreements regarding my PbP rules, please do let me know. I personally prefer to write about things as though things have already happened. However, the above is how almost all PbPers write, so my preference for convention overrides my regular writing style.
I believe I have found Aeslin's voice. Remarkable, with just that one post. She is the only daughter of an older, but very wealthy Qadiran merchant Prince. She's never wanted for anything, and has never personally bought anything for herself... Daddy always did that. While she understand money, she never bothers herself to worry about it.
Daddy sent her to the acadamirium when he learned that she (and Sebastian, of course) were showing remarkable magical aptitude. However, she as more interested in reading history books rather than arcane studies, telling everyone that Sebastian would take care of all of the hard work.
A few weeks ago, she accidentally stowed away on a ship sailing for Magnimar. She met the Lady Shiela Heidmarch on the voyage, and appealed to the Venture-Captains motherly instincts to protect her from being thrown overboard (charming a few sailors did not hurt, either!)
She uses magic to do just about anything she can make it do, having learned many "tricks" from Sebastian.
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Please note that I have updated the Writing Style section of My PbP Guide to include the correct tense to use (simple present)... I prepared to ask "how dare you not read that single sentence and absorb it along with all the other information?", but then I realised it was missing.
This is coming from someone who used the phrase "It flings the man-meat into the air and swallows it down," by the way.
This is coming from someone who used the phrase "It flings the man-meat into the air and swallows it down," by the way.
Heh. Glad you remembered that post. I consider it to be one of my finest pieces of writing ever.
Glad you found your voice, too, Aeslin. "Writing it out" is one of the things I love most about PbP. Posting is the same as telling your story. Makes it easier than on the tabletop... unless you're a wayang magic user. Then, you need to come up with some hideously offensive manner of talking to get it right - otherwise, you'll never get your head around the concept, no matter how much you write... at least such have been my observations of the intricacies involved in playing a wayang magic user.
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By the way, that is probably as much background as I am going to write for her... For now.
I tens to order to find out characters backstory as I play them (much like Cyrus and Ibid) so that I can get to know them like everyone else. Otherwise the back stories often feel contrived to me. Plus, it takes a lot of time, time I would rather be learning about the character in their own voice.
If that's how you work, then that's fine by me. That post is about 500 words, right? ;-)
Monday is coming so soon. Can't wait.
So... over Saturday night and Sunday, if you're reading this and able to post, I've got two little requests...
Wrap it up
Mostly, I need your characters to be in a position to be listening to Barbarosa's grand speech (whatever that might be). That is, except for Elon, who may still be parachuting there if he prefers. I'm happy either way. If you have something to say to him, please say it before Monday and I will do my best to respond soon after you post.
If you can't post by then, don't worry. I'll take the liberty of getting you there as best I can.
Feedback
How do you feel about the current style of posts? I've been really happy with yours, and would love to keep it up like that when we continue on to the adventure properly. They've been full of description and marvelous story elements. I've tried my best to work off them and with them, and will try to continue to do that as we play.
So, generally, if you're happy to keep writing like that and reading my posts as they are, then great. if you're not, please let me know so we can make sure we work out a style that suits for the "regular posts".
As a reminder, I will continue to post 1-2 times per day, or more often as appropriate. In response, I would like for everyone to please try for daily posts (or more frequently). If you can't and we're not in combat, two days between posts will be fine. If we're in combat, I will consider whether or not to bot your PCs or delay after 24 hours.
PM me if you don't have my cell number so you can text me when / if you can't post and I'll take appropriate action.
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Anyway, thanks again for all the enthusiasm. I've finished the new map of the Isle of Dread (the old one was... well... very old school). I can't wait for you to get to the Isle so you can start to reveal it. Of course, we will wait.
So, one more day of Prologue to go, Chapter One is coming oh so soon!
I think the length of posts will likely wax and wane, so to speak, as we go through the story, but from the beginning of this I have tried to approach it truly as a story telling opportunity. That is to say, I don't foresee the depth of posts changing.
I approach all my other PbP games the same way, but for whatever reason, this one has started off feeling much more like a collaborative novel more so than a pathfinder game, which is awesome. I know there will be more intensive rolling and such when we get to combat, but I don't anticipate losing the novel-style feel to it.
On a related note, Third Person Limited and Simple Present tense are (IMHO) ideal for PbP because it lends to that novel-style when you go back and read through it. It really feels like you are reading a book, as opposed to past tense. past tense might feel more natural to write, but it doesn't read as well from a story-telling standpoint.
Just my 2 copper on that, I am firmly in favor of 3rd person limited and simple present. (and admittedly accidentally break it on the odd occasion, because I am an engineer. I add letters together more often than I write with them.)
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I love this line, by the way:
A short distance away a large man with oily black hair explained to the captain that though he was a lowly thief and farmer, he aspired to be a merchant, despite being unable to craft goods of any kind.
:)
I love this line, by the way...
Also one of my favorites. I think Ciarán and Sumaru are going to be a good "grounding" influence on the party. I'm really looking forward to all of you being properly introduced. I'm still wondering if Elon will be a peacekeeper (in line with his hippy posts) or a powder keg (in line with his dwarven heritage)...
Ciaran arrives at the back of the Hall just in time to see a man who must be Barbarosa congratulating an insipid little oik on being hired. He brushes past with a smile like an overly pampered cat, and Ciaran briefly entertains the thought of tripping him as he oozes past.
Just remember to be nice to one another. Your characters don't need to be nice (though a level of cooperation is required), just please do make it clear where the narrative is describing a character's thoughts vs your own descriptions. Where it won't be clear, use italics and step into your character's thoughts. I wonder if I'm being overly sensitive here... ah well, better to tell these people now. I think it's clear the above quote is an extension of Ciarán's thoughts, but just want all of you to be mindful of keeping the distinction between your narrative viewpoint and your character's viewpoint clear.
Ciaran arrives at the back of the Hall just in time to see a man who must be Barbarosa congratulating an insipid little oik on being hired.
Oik? You're calling me an 'oik'?! I'm sure I'd be pissed off if I knew what that was.
To the urban dictionary!
/me reads
Oh...oh...ayep, that's pretty accurate. As you were.
By the way, now that we have a full cast, I've updated the image on our Map page:
Bazsil struts up the map, looking it up and down.
"Are you a dinosaur? Because jurASSics beautiful!"
Close by, he can seem what appears to be a sad man, perhaps overcompensating and blustering with a tough show of clout.
Not sad. Angry. But the rest is definitely true :)
You made me break my no-posting-at-work rule for this, too!
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You made me break my no-posting-at-work rule for this, too!
I hope this rule isn't contagious. My other games will be dead in the water if it catches on!
You made me break my no-posting-at-work rule for this, too!I hope this rule isn't contagious. My other games will be dead in the water if it catches on!
Shhhh! Don't tell anyone...
"Are you a dinosaur? Because jurASSics beautiful!"
Aside from the Beavis and Butthead-like calling out of the word "ass", I'm not sure I quite get this one. Maybe it's my "mind accent" as I read that's screwing it up for me. Tex-Mex accent gets it closest to funny, so far as I've tried...
It would be a terrible pick up pun in a bar, so if you imagine the map as a fine lady with a quality backside, it may clear things up...
-Posted with Wayfinder
Hey there cutie. You must be penicillin, because you've just cleared that right up for me.
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Hey all! Sorry I didn't get a chance to post in discussion earlier today, the first post got away from me a touch. Can you tell? ;-)
First up a big thank you to Elon for doing exactly what I was hoping he would do. I could have found some other distraction, but nothing else would have been quite so perfect as a dwarf and a yak parachuting through the ceiling.
Next, we are now in proper game mode. That'll mean usually posting a minimum of once per day and having your characters all set to go. That in mind, @Gratum, I've noticed your tagline isn't up-to-date and it's been a little while since you've posted. Please let me know if there are any issues with kicking it into gear as of today. @Wrigley, I'm aware of your real life currently imposing upon your posting time, so no need to for any further info there. Just post when you can, mate.
Thirdly, I will eventually be posting a tactical map for the warehouse. That doesn't mean that you have to fight someone. It just means that, if the need arises you can. That goes for this and any other tactical that I post (even if I've rolled for initiative). If you have a creative solution that doesn't involve combat, go for it!
Finally, a massive thank you for indulging me during the prologue. It was wonderful seeing all of you get into character ahead of the main beginning.
Now, let's have some fun!