Jorvik: A Land of Snow & Ice

Game Master DSXMachina

Hello everyone! :)

How is everybody?

Just noticed it is silent over here. ;P

I'm working on Danny, (Working on trying to keep him legal)

I can't promise I'm doing it right, but I promise to try! ;P

Sorry, I was meaning to get up the start to a new chapter a bit ago. :(

Anyway hope you guys are doing well and I'll try to get it dome soon (TM).

Hey It's good, just making sure all is ok with everyone! :)

I know it's not 'per rules' for a major milestone, but I was thinking about tweaking Danny a bit, nothing major, keeping the same Aspects, just maybe tweaking the names a bit? or the cover-blurb part? For help with actually using during the game?

Some have been absolute Gamemaster (and player) gold for mining during the story/adventure, but I think there's one or two that have never been touched. :/

And of course I have long since lost my update notes from last time, (which of course I never got into the online PbP sheet) so I'm basically doing two updates from memory (one for the last minor milestone, and then this major one)

But I'll get it figured out! :)

(Eventually) ;P

I was trying to read my rulebook and going over the skills last night (doing that while already punch-drunk tired is NOT recommended)
And I became majorly confused as to which skills I do and do not need. :P

I am NOT a caster, so do not really need the 'big three' skills, BUT they ARE used for social defense, and giving me more social hit boxes, (Which I HAVE been using!)

So yeah,... I mentioned confused? :P

In the Campaign Info tab there is a simple list of the skills & what they do.
Feel free to update Danny, especially if it makes it better for the game :D

Oh yeah, forgot about that! Thx.
:)

I don't want to 'change' him, just update him a little, now that I have a clue how the system works and all. :P

For example, we have been using Performance as Danny's 'Magic Skill', and it makes sense. But there is also Deceit, which could also be used as his 'magic skill' in some of the situations. ??? :P

I think my biggest confusion is that there is so little information about Danny's Power. (How it actually works, what skill(s) should or might apply, it's limits, etc)

I mean, I think we're using it fine, but there is NO explanation (that I' remember, been a bit since I looked) explaining the difference between his 'basic' illusion power, and the 'advanced' version.

I think in my head I defaulted to Danny's 'basic illusion' power as 'Illusion only, no matter how good you roll and how much people believe it, it's still just light and water vapor on the breeze'.
And the 'Advanced' version as 'Actually creates things out of the ectoplasm of the nevernever. If they believe it, it is real to them.' (Although still easily dispatched?) :P

Yeah,... gonna go read more now,... :)

Grrr,...

As I am not sure that Danny was correct WAY back when he was built, (I think he was when I started, but after his updates? not so much.) and I'm lost as to our 'power level' now, I want to try (time permitting) pretending I'm building him from scratch. :)

This means I need to know our Fate point/refresh level (I have one note still saying 8, and another saying 10?) and how many points to spend on Skills if he were a new character. (I have to also remember that He may have had an upgrade from the previous game? Which might explain why I feel that I'm off with my math?)

My ONLY complaint (If it even is a complaint) about the FATE system is that after thumbing through the rule book several times, it is just not organized very well.
I love the system! But building a PC shouldn't involve flipping through every single chapter in the book OUT OF ORDER in order to figure out what to write down on your PC sheet.

And figuring out if your physical/mental/social hit boxes are correct is like doing algebra. And I don't math. :/

Alright, /grump session. I'm done. Thanks for reading. ;P

Oh, and my previous gripes about the lack of info on Danny's illlusion power? That must have been pre-digital copy of the rulebook. As now I see there is more info on the power description than I recall. (Was probably getting a shorthand version over posts) :)

Assuming Kenneth is right, it was 8 initial refresh (at the time Kenneth joined) and +1 since then.

How's Danny looking?

Dunno, Cuz Danny's player is tired from trying to keep up with his newest stage combat class (Crash course 30 hours in one week intensive, with test to certify at the end) AND trying to get his taxes done! ;P

But he's Danny, he'll be fine, He always manages to land on his feet. :)

So, I checked out Aeronaut's Windlass from the Denver Public Library back when we first talked about it. I thought it downloaded to my Kindle and was deleted while I was struggling to keep my head above water, so I had missed it.

I got an email from the DPL last night saying it was available and ready to download. They have SIX e-copies of the book and it just became available to me since when? December? January?

Anyway, it's downloading now and I'm glad to have not missed it! :)

Enjoy, it does have some typically clever Jim Butcher writing in there.
:)

Afterwords, we can discuss the differences between 'Steampunk' and 'Magitech'. Because apparently some publishers need a new dictionary.

;P

Labels, labels. Why's everything gotta have a label, man? Just, like, be.

I do 'be'. :)

I be lookin' fer a label that accurately describes the book I be lookin' at, sose I kin determine if'n I wanna be read'n it er not! ;P

So, I Do-be-do-be-do-be Doo!

:D

(Ok, I'm Way too tired. Because writing THAT particular lil bit of nonsense was WAY too much fun!) ;P

I enjoyed AW quite a bit and am interested in the sequel. I could have done without the cats, but a lot of people love them and were doubtless thrilled with that aspect.

Heh, Yeah, the cats were on and off for me. But overall I liked them.

They were a variety on of a character type for the story. (I guess?) Made it a little different.

All in all, a fun romp for a first book of a new series. I admit I'm looking forward to seeing where he's going with this one (after seeing what he did with his Codex Alera Series) I'll read the rest of them when they come out.

But I'll be eagerly anticipating the newest Dresden novel more! ;P

I pretty much agree with everything Rags just said. ;)

That's Cuz great minds think alike! ;)

I usually glaze over at long descriptions of combat, but I found the airship combat to be the best part of the book for me; perhaps because the propulsion and steering gear made interesting manoeuvres possible. Butcher writes combat well in general, so I guess that's no surprise.

I get the feeling that this may be very similar to his Alera Setting in a way.

Meaning, when I read the first book of that series, I wasn't overly impressed. But I read it and enjoyed it for what it was, because I LIKE Butcher. Then I continued reading the series. And as He developed his over-arching plotline, and more importantly the characters, they got better, And I ended up loving the characters and the series. (If not necessarily the ending of it) ;P

Agree with your assessment of his description of combat scenes. Far better than most. (IMHO)

MOST (Not all) authors seem to fall into two extremes of writing action and/or fight scenes,
-Either they don't give you ANY descriptive images to work with, (I mean, I have an very active imagination, and I do a lot of stage combat and such, so it wouldn't take much to get me into it) and the fights end up seeming disconnected, or like Shakespeare, something that happens offstage and you never actually get to see how much of a bad@$$ the hero is,

-OR, they give you TOO MUCH description (I myself confess to falling prey to this way to much) And characters and plot and story and everything else just doesn't fit into the blow by blow description of the fight.

Butcher on the other hand (Again, IMHO) balances the two very well if not perfectly. At least with his well-developed characters. His actions are fast-paced, entertaining, clever, and flow with all the rapidity of a Bourne fight scene.

Man I have to learn how to do that,... ;P

Hello?
<looks around thread>

ANybody home? :)

I'm still alive!

And, uh, working on my character. Sort of.

I think have a pulse. *checks*

Yup. I do.

I'm still alive!

And, uh, working on my character. Sort of.

Me Too!

Sort of,... :/

I think have a pulse. *checks*

Yup. I do.

Me Too! :)

<Frowns, checks pulse again>

Um,... sort of?!? o_O

We OK to run with RP at the Viking festival or do you have more setup, O Mighty GM? :)

Well there's a bit more :P

Thought maybe we were doing Runelords-like play. I was going to have Sal pick a spot and start the dance of seven veils. ;)

Well feel free, those were a few examples of stuff. Just like a Alertness/Lore check might reveal further activities (as & when I think of them)

LOL!

Hey DSXM, how many 'skill points' should we have total on our Skill tree now?
I really need to triple check Danny. Another 2 or 3 times,... :)
But I do have an idea where I'm going. Just tweaked a couple of things.

Still working on a couple of Aspect re-names.

Sorry, been VERY distracted, trying to finish state taxes, getting behind at work, AND my daughter is into her 10th day of intense knee pain, been through x ray, ultrasound, blood work, and ended up going to emergency room last night just to end up getting a pain injection. She is only getting worse. We're a little,... distraught. :P

Poor kid. Did she injure it or was it spontaneous?

Q for DSX: is it possible for Sal to obtain a crossbow (legally)? How about a plastic gun (very illegally)?

Poor kid. Did she injure it or was it spontaneous?

Spontaneous. As far as we can tell, the ONLY problem with the leg is it is in pain. NO cause via multiple X-rays, Ultrasound or blood tests can be found. Doc says he can't order an MRI,. because he doesn't know what he is looking for. :P

I don't have a lot of faith in MRIs. Even with the dyes, they've missed various issues which have caused surgeons to marvel once they went in. So, yeah. Still, spontaneous pain is frightening. Glad the blood tests are going well.

And after all that, I need to go schedule an MRI... *headdesk*.

Edit: I assume they've eliminated Osgood-Schlatter?

Q for DSX: is it possible for Sal to obtain a crossbow (legally)? How about a plastic gun (very illegally)?

A crossbow, yes. There's at least 1 shop like that in York, although any carrying around of crossbow (provided you don't look Scottish) in the open will draw a few looks unless folded up and put in a bag.

The gun, well after subtly asking around amongst a few of your more 'dubious' contacts (including the scarlet haired Sariya) did produce an American 'dealer in antiquities' that has such an item for sale along with the kevlar you requested.

LOL!

Hey DSXM, how many 'skill points' should we have total on our Skill tree now?
I really need to triple check Danny. Another 2 or 3 times,... :)
But I do have an idea where I'm going. Just tweaked a couple of things.

Still working on a couple of Aspect re-names.

Sorry, been VERY distracted, trying to finish state taxes, getting behind at work, AND my daughter is into her 10th day of intense knee pain, been through x ray, ultrasound, blood work, and ended up going to emergency room last night just to end up getting a pain injection. She is only getting worse. We're a little,... distraught. :P

Oh my, hope they find out what's wrong soon enough.

As for the points, I believe it's probably 33 points. (30 for the start & 3 that've increased it)

Thanks DSXM, That's about what I was getting (Both counting in my head, and peeking at the others PC sheets) ;)

I don't have a lot of faith in MRIs. Even with the dyes, they've missed various issues which have caused surgeons to marvel once they went in. So, yeah. Still, spontaneous pain is frightening. Glad the blood tests are going well.

And after all that, I need to go schedule an MRI... *headdesk*.

Edit: I assume they've eliminated Osgood-Schlatter?

Neither the Dr or the Ortho has mentioned this.

Doctors are all scratching their head, in Osgood there is supposedly visible swelling visible in scans. Both multiple X-rays and Ultrasound have shown nothing. :(

Biggest problem I think? My daughter is a wuss.
(I don't know WHERE she gets it from!)
<Looks at wife, whistles tunelessly>

I think (And Ortho said the same thing) that it started hurting, so she locked her leg for so long, that it has exacerbated the problem, and now she cries when you force her to move the leg. At all. :/

So? Now MORE money for physical therapy to FORCE her to move the leg, because she is NOT going to do it on her own!

Somebody mentioned Headdesk? :/

Ice it until there's no pain, then start with passive flexion/extension. You can do it at home. Drop an ibuprofen an hour prior. The icing hurts for a while, then numbness sets in and it's all good.

I've often wished for those thigh-deep ice baths they stand racehorses in to kill the pain. :)

Treppa wrote:

Q for DSX: is it possible for Sal to obtain a crossbow (legally)? How about a plastic gun (very illegally)?

A crossbow, yes. There's at least 1 shop like that in York, although any carrying around of crossbow (provided you don't look Scottish) in the open will draw a few looks unless folded up and put in a bag.

The gun, well after subtly asking around amongst a few of your more 'dubious' contacts (including the scarlet haired Sariya) did produce an American 'dealer in antiquities' that has such an item for sale along with the kevlar you requested.

Well, Sal doesn't look Scottish. I may avoid the place! And I'd argue that a crossbow isn't a bow and arrow. Nitpicky, but that's what lawyers do.

No Viking Festival this year because of floods? D: Did you see there's a free weekend May 21-22 as an apology to the community for a long shutdown? Looks gorgeous.

If Sal's local contacts were no good for weapon-acquisition, I was going to suggest London contacts and maybe one of those rogue ships that deal arms in international waters just outside the 3-mile limit. Morien could get her there. They sound fascinating, even though my b@@*++#~ meter goes off when I hear of them.

I'll post this weekend. I've got 4-14's this week and can't rub two brain cells together to make a creative post.

I'll be posting when I have a bit more time myself. Been a rough week at work.

Oh good. It's not just me. :P

Been a rough WEEK. Everywhere. ;P

Hope to see you all in the thread soon.

Think I've almost got the skill tree thing sorted,... :/

It's a pyramid, not a tree.

It's a pyramid, not a tree.

Wait. It is? It's Not?!?

DANGIT!

<Knocks over table>

JUST when I thought I was getting the hang of it! ;P

I wanted to double-check Sal's new build. So I went through the threads for half an hour, found the initial build plus all the refreshes so we'd have the references, linked and documented them all in my char sheet - and when I went to save the sheet, got that "you have backtracked too far" error. And Lazarus didn't keep the entry.

I'm going to get coffee.

EDIT: Redid everything as a reference, and finally got to... exactly what Tilnar said weeks ago.

I think Danny has 34 skill points, Ken and Sal 33, Morian 32, and Mahorf whatever DSX says.

Ah, then either I did my math wrong to start,... (Very possible)

OR he had an extra skill point from his previous (PbP) adventures before transferring across the pond. :) (Which is what I bet happened)

OK, I like Danny's Aspects. but I'm convinced that I can do better at naming some of them.

If you have any better ideas for Aspect names that reflect what I'm going for, but sound/phrase it better, I'm all ears! :)

Example- I Like 'Singing down the house' and 'All the worlds a stage' but they do not seem to be as user/gm Friendly (Tappable) as 'Fae Luck'.
;)

That's because Tilnar's clever.

Also, it's easy to count to 1. ;)

LOL!

Okay, so it took waaaaaay too long, but I think I've finally gotten my Dude to a point that I like.

Here he is.

The aspect names might need some tweaking, but I am more or less satisfied with the fluff.

On the crunchier side, the power attached to the watch is a bit tenuous. I'm stuck between Supernatural and Mythic Recovery, which I think Tilnar recommended a while back. Depends on whether the latter is allowed, I guess. Either way, if my math is right, between the watch being an easily concealable object and "holy stuff" being a fairly broad Catch, I should get refunded 3 refresh. I think.

It's been a while since I've actually read the rules. :P

So, I'm open to any critique! This is like, rough draft #7. @_@