JCServant's Council of Thieves (Inactive)

Game Master JCServant

What can I say, she made me do it...

"Sand does not point. Sand falls. Then sand is round. It is a silly name!" Sharan giggles, and does a little joyful dance. "Sand point! Highswamp! Lowmount!" Quite pleased with her own humor, Sharan falls into a gigglefit, but suddenly stops. She ponders a long moment with a very serious expression, and asks no one in particular, "Is Jack, makes the name?" Then she returns to giggling.

I'm fine either way - I hate to stop something that has some good momentum behind it, but I am pretty neutral when it comes to this vs the other AP.

If both was an/the option, maybe lowering the posting rate or alternating when the GM posts come out (10am CoT, 2pm RotRL, 6pm CoT, 10am next day RotRL) could off-set the timing issue.

Just some rambling thoughts. As I mentioned, I'm good either way.

How many of you are PFS players and have 1 or more PFS character?

For those of you are who are not PFS players, do you have any interest in PFS? How strong is that interest?

Well, so far I have ONE PFS character, but that would not be the one I would like to take to RotRL :D

It is my understanding that you can play any character you like in RotRL and apply it to your PFS character.

I have 2 PFS characters (a half-orc ranger and a dwarf gunslinger), both of which are involved in relatively slow-moving adventures at the moment. I would most likely be putting together a new character for RotRL.

Indeed. If we do RotRL, it would be using non-PFS rules (basically the same rules we use now, including combat) with non-PFS characters. However, for each book we complete from RotRL (roughly 3 levels), you will earn one chronicle sheet that may be applied to any PFS character that is level appropriate.

I don't have the sheets in front of me...but, you may (for example) receive a level 3, 6 and 8 chronicle sheet after completing the first three books of the RotRL AP. If you had a level 3 PFS charcter, you could immediately apply that level 3 sheet, making him level 4. After you've done some PFS events/scenarios and got him up to level 6, you could then apply your level 6 sheet to him/her, making him level 7 quite suddenly. Get that character to level 8 with three more scenarios, and apply the level 8 RotRL sheet to instantly get him to nine. Each RotRL chronicle sheet has 4 Fame, a level appropriate amount of gold and a list of magic items discovered during the sanctioned parts of the book that your PFS character would be able to purchase from above and beyond what he/she could normally acquire.

I have a few, one lvl 2, the others are new, first scenarios. I would love to do pfs but I don't want to stop this COT.

Thanks, Corellon. I want to hear everyone's thoughts, as complete and up front as possible on this. You won't hurt my feelings either way . Thanks!

ACK!!! Stop GM-JC!! Now I WANNA PLAY!! :D

Three PFS toons so far, all 1st level. I'm a PFS noob. Would build to suit, if nothing fit.

So, let me get this straight, Tessai...I'm think you like playing things that tie into PFS? Or am I misunderstanding your somewhat nebulous post? :P

No nebulae over here - I like playing tie ups into PFS :D

I have no pfs experience, therefore no pfs character. Honestly because I haven't had time to look into it I can't honestly say how interested id be.

Can I just ask: if I used Brandon in ROTRL, but the decided to use the credit he'd earned to level up a PFS legitimate wizard, what's the point? I wouldn't have been roleplaying the wizard or crafting that character.

I am fully aware that I am probably missing something glaringly obvious but I wont get time to have a good look into it until the weekend.

Having said that, I am really enjoying playing Brandon/Edmond and I want to continue with CoT regardless of the outcome of this decision

To answer your question...

People who GM a lot in PFS face similar concerns and challenges...because as GMs, we earn sheets/xp/gold for our characters that aren't participating in those adventures...so I have a few answers...

You only get 1 chronicle sheet for every 3ish levels you play (see my example above). So, following that example...you'd have to play 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 9th levels. It's not that you don't play him/her at all..it's more like they're on a fast track.

I know with most PFS sheets, you can also take 1/2 track...earning only 1/2 of the gold and the XP, allowing you to play the character longer for that expressed purposed of getting to RP and know him/her better. (or slow down so your friends can catch up).

Last, but not least...if ya get a lot of chronicle sheets through APs, or GM'ing, what a lot of ppl do is instead of applying it all to one character to basically get them to level 20 w/o actually playing, they spread those sheets around on a number of different characters. They basically get to level more characters faster that way while still taking the time to at least play an average of 1-2 scenarios per level.

Keep those comments coming! The more specific, the better.

I would like to play a sorcerer if we do a pfs jaunt.

I get the idea of PFS, but i don't understand it fully. But i'll go with what the group wants to do.

Does anyone feel strongly one way or the other?

My strongest feeling is "no man left behind"

Let's take a vote on the assumption that running two campaigns is too much:
1. finish COT first,
2. put COT on hold and start RotRL,
3. no vote, happy either way.

My vote is #3

1 for me

I've decided there's only one solution...in the wisdom of solomon. Cut the AP's in two and glue them back together!

Ok...what if the Shades of Grey played a Pen and Paper game in the temple when they had time to rest and relax? Let's say that game was called Rise of the Runelords! And you would have to RP your CoT character RP'ing your RotRL character! How awesome would that be!! I'm stoked!

ROFL!! Just the good laugh I needed after a crappy day at work :D

Wha...? Laugh? Oh no. I'm sooo serious. We can TOTALLY do this! Imagine the thrill of seeing Kyle, a priest of Shelyn, trying to play, in turn, Buka, the priestess of Desna? And Black Devil, who speaks in poems, playing a wild druid girl. C'mon...this can totally work... just have a little imagination!

Hey, I have LOADS of imagination:

I can already picture my barbarian, or wizard summoner - heck I'll start making them for the fun of it :D

GM JCServant proudly presents...

COUNCIL OF RUNELORDS!
-Rise of the Thieves-

Sharan... damn, that was a FINE character indeed.

I will buy linguistics to speak "Sharanese" :D

I think the GM needs a point as well

It's easier than all that. She's a 'stranger in a strange land' character. So she does things like tip people who run up in uniform, because that's how it's done. She probably could not explain why, she just saw it done, and now mimicks.

She pays a LOT of attention, sometimes draws wrong conclusions, owing to her complete lack of culture. Who was it, called himself 'Jack of all Trades', and Sharan called him Jack forever after that? Then when he asked, "Do I remind you of a Jack you know?", she saw the existential Zen of the question, not the 'why are you calling me Jack?' of it. :)

Yeah, she's fun. She was never a halfling until written for some game here, that didn't happen, and then she was ready for GM-JCS' call for a filler toon. Glad you liked her. :)

Looks like we'll stick with CoT is the general gist of what I'm getting here.

Perhaps I'll set up a smaller RotRL side game for those who are most invested in PFS. A smaller group would be easier to play and manage...and it would be done with the understanding that if I'm tight for time, CoT comes first.

Looks like we'll stick with CoT is the general gist of what I'm getting here.

Perhaps I'll set up a smaller RotRL side game for those who are most invested in PFS. A smaller group would be easier to play and manage...and it would be done with the understanding that if I'm tight for time, CoT comes first.

I like this approach. Beppo would act like he's too cool for RPGs if we did the other thing.

I would welcome a space in such a group. I think I could both contribute sufficiently and also be patient with any delay caused by the secondary group's lack of primacy.

Such a plan satisfies the only condition I've set, of not leaving anyone in the lurch.

Hmmm sounds like a plan tbh :D

Please let me in - I'd love to PFS for ROTRL with you!

Machine trouble, may be scarce

Adding my two cents regarding the RotRL / CoT.

As far as I am concerned, the issue here is quite simple - good and commited DMs are hard to find, heck I think I already said it here that I tried to start a PbP, and got overwhelmed by the sheer amount of applications to stop it right then and there...

So, as I was saying, good and commited DMs are hard to come by - When I am ranting on my own and creating this or that character just for the fun of it (when RL gives a break), or to apply to another PbP around the forums, I tend to get involved with it, mainly due to the fact that I have a very hard time creating a short backstory - so I start getting under the skin of the characters. Now... it has happened more than once that sometimes I enjoy the character so much I find myself thinking: "Damn, it would be good to get this character in GM-JC campaign" (there is one other GM on the forums who is doing an amazing job on a PbP I am in, but that's it).

So what this means is that you GM-JC give the players the trust that there will be continuity for their characters - you can get as much or as little involved with it as you wish, but there is the feeling that this is something that will get to port, and that is why, whenever an option comes up to play an AP with you DMing it of course I simply say "Lets do it!"

Ok, wasn't two cents, more like 10 ;)

Count me in on the RotRL.

We talk a lot but I probably don't tell you enough how much I appreciate your dedication.

awww, shucks.... y'all know how to make a guy blush.

In all seriousness, I've said it 100 times before... .I'm not the best GM out there by any stretch. I don't prep properly... I'm not the best RP'er...I know the rules pretty well, but there are those who know it better than I. And I can be really lazy at times (you should see the pathetic excuse for drawn dungeon maps my local groups get). However, I do try hard to be consistent in being at the table. I know everyone has busy lives, and I dishonor the entire team when I don't do my part. Loyalty is something that's missing in men these days, IMHO. And I'm as loyal as a dog. (According to my wife, I have other traits in common with that species).

But, I digress. This has been a really great group thus far...y'all are doing a great job RP'ing and adjusting to the method of combat (which I know throws people for a loop). I totally enjoy my time reading y'alls posts, and I always look forward to see what y'all have ready for me next.

As far as RotRL goes.... well, let's see what happens. Maybe good things come to those who wait....

.....but not to those who hesitate. So hurry. Now.

.....but not to those who hesitate. So hurry. Now.

What?! What?! I followed the link and then.... What's going on? :D

Hmmm...really odd. Try it again. Workin' for me.

<-- Happy! Working now!

Thax GM-JC :D

Apologies for being MIA today, will catch up and post soon

I'm sorry...we booted you off the island while you were gone. And fed ya to the Shadow Beasts. That will teach YOU to go trapsin' off on us!

My character spends two hours a day to craft already. Can he include that task with another? Or does he have to pick one or the other? If we're going to do training I would think the priests healing skills would be important.

Sorry about me being away too I'll make sure to catch up fully tomorrow.

I really like the idea of the job/training it gives you more investment in the game/npc it's like the Jade regent caravan and all the npc's there.

Yeah, the training idea is really cool - I have been pondering what it is that Tessai may have to teach - her mental stats are not the stronger in the world :/

But she is a wise girl, err.... wise half-demon.

Well, the specifics of exactly what you are training are not mechnically important (though may certainly be RP flavoring). Each week it could be anything from how to equip, take off and work well in armor, how to balance a weapon well, how to parry, how to connect with the divine gods, various common magic items and their importance, how to survive in the wilderness, how to hunt, etc., etc.

So quiet....oh so quiet....