We should hear from Tristan tomorrow night.
Oh? Is life settling down?
Well he can tell you what has been going on. I am still not sure exactly what it is all involved, family on the weekends and double the workload during the week I believe.
Though with his absence and Kevros not able to post regularly I think it might be time to open recruitment again. Their spots will always be there for them but until they can devote more time it might be better to have some more players. What do you think?
I've a few friend I could invite if you'd like. Not sure if they'd be able to pick up the game but I can ask.
Go ahead!
Cleo if you would start making posts in gameplay after getting ready. You should continue the spoilers until you catch up but we should keep it going! ;)
Sorry for the silence, I caught some stomach bug and I can't seem to shake it.
So I will asking the other players... Quince. Shall we wait? I think this will be an excellent time to look for other players, am I right?
I am not opposed to new blood.
Cleo might be able to answer this question better than I could.
With the amount of history in this group is that too much to expect new players to understand. Also the tone of our kingdom is unique, part of the fun of Kingmaker is making your own.
Thinking over Cleo's own on boarding to our crew I wonder if new folks stepping in would face a difficulty trying to fit in. When Cleo joined us we had a in character/out of character issue of wanting to make her feel comfortable and it sort turned into us trusting her too much too early.
If new players join they would have to prove themselves to Quince and more than a dozen NPC leaders. That makes me as the player who is currently Baron. I didn't mind the power dynamic when other players picked me and Quince continued to treat them as sword brothers and sisters. But now its literally Quince and his Kingdom and Cleo with the Academy.
I don't want to feel like the legacy gatekeeper. I felt like that with Cleo a bit trying to justify 10 years of the game and choices we made. (I hope I wasn't too overbearing Cleo).
Honestly if we are going to bring in several new players (which I think would be needed) it feels like that it might be better for us to start on the same footing.
There are few ways that this could be done I guess.
1- A new campaign. I know easy for me to say.
2- The new players be those that escaped the Varnhold Vanishing. They would be important figures from their own now lost settlement arriving and seeking refuge with us and eventually expanding back into Varnhold after we setting things with the rest of the monsters to the south.
3- Do a time skip. Turn the existing characters into NPCs and Cleo and I come up with New characters along side the new players and the first generation characters are aging important people but its 20-30 years in the future and the rest of the AP kicks back in the Warden Council sends out on some missions.
At the end of the day, my honest opinion would be starting a new endeavor with a new group rather than feel like I am carrying the flame for a kingdom and a game that doesn't really still exist.
This kingdom will always exist for me!
I feel the second option is likely the best route. Though the 3rd idea makes me wonder at the possibilities!
The second option would give a more present mission after taking out Cibine.
Link to the new recruitment and game!
We will finish the Red Spider quest here.
We can also start up the next game at the same time!
I agree I love this kingdom, but that's because I built it. Joining a Kingmaker game of a kingdom you didn't build takes a lot of the appeal of the AP away. This is one of the APs where the feel of the setting is in part built by the PCs not just in their response but in what they build and how they build.
Many of the connections that make for a good gaming group are already dealt with. Quince has close friends and allies. Quince and Cleo already have lovers. The roles that shape the kingdom are already filled.
New players would either have to settle for joining our story, cause discord in the story (which could be good though also very bad) or worse who cares about the story because uber min-maxed character can fight and get treasure.
This already has happened. Quince has a job and an entourage of NPCs, Cleo has another job and an entourage of NPCs. Because we tried to RP through a new comer joining us we have a PC that is still in a "if you do well with the academy maybe you could take a position within the council" situation. But 2 of the other 3 players she was joining are gone. So it seems weird to expect her to jump through hoops just for Quince and the NPCs. Now we want more new folks. Its a weird power dynamic.
I am sure it will work out especially with new blood coming in now.
Also we will likely move the kingdom forward 6 months once we deal with the red spider.
I already have a great amount of responses!
Gotcha.
I read the recruit thread. Cool.
Is it your intention to have 6 months go by and then pick up where we are now and finish book 2.
Or
6 months go by and we start addressing Varnhold issues. Meaning it would best to resolve book 2 items.
I ask because we have lots of NPCs. I believe in the past we sent Krazok out to do some exploring. Now that we have 2 more heavy hitting NPCs in Kevros and Tristan. It makes sense that they lead teams to deal with some of the rumored threats out there as well as the Kingdom to sponsor some teams to do some exploring. (This also give you room to kill off some NPCs if you want LOL).
I'm starting to feel much better. I'm still having issues but I could actually sit here long enough to read the whole posts without a break!
Quince and Cleo already have lovers.
She does?
Assumption. Could be wrong.
Is wrong. Cleo has no other, she is single. Though three do apparently have interest in Cleo, however the girl doesn't really know how to handle that. You know with how she is and all.
Edit: Oh and Katrina is the first friend she's had since she was 17 years old! Cleonora is 25....
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I sleep with a lot of ladies...
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I have a business relationship with Cleo and prior connections. But no love connection.
Then there is me...
I was thinking we could finish up the Red Spider, any major happenings in Book 2... or leave them for the other campaign... then hop to the future.
We now have the army sending out a training squad.
Krazok's boy party.
Quince's hunting party.
Most of the lesser events will be handled.
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With that in mind, after squishing the Red Spider you should all level up to six. Or leave it at five and make alternate aliases for the other campaign at 6th level.
Oops I just assumed all the intrest I saw from NPCs in Cleo's direction followed by endless spoilers meant more than it did. But I am sure people think more is happening with others than has actually happened as well.
So we are moving to a new Campaign Forum once the new players are chosen?
.... some how that feels insulting! XD
You know what assuming does my friend! XD
But yeah, Saren wants in her pants.
Jorne and she are friends in the working sense with Jorne having feelings and Cleo's ridged belief that you shouldn't date those under your power have kept it from going any further.
Sulvanii and Cleo are friends both with a drive for knowledge that they share in gusto. Sulvanii is attracted to however has kept himself at bay for her sake. He's also the one who know Cleo is bound for Hell and is not happy about it.
Cleo's feelings for each are complicated enough. While physically she is attracted to pretty much each of them for different reasons, she's pretty much crushed her feelings because she has always believed that getting close to people is a bad idea for her... Katrina has been changing that, but change is slow... then three guys told her they're into her and she... uha... don't know what to do with that! XD
I prefer assumption.
That makes an a$$ of you and some guy name Mption.
We are moving to a new Campaign Forum once the new players are chosen.
Though we should finish the above mentioned points. I am sure we can do both at the same time! It looks like the applicants have just a few more days we will see how fast they work. Afterall I whipped a 11th level gestalt monster in only a few days, same as Cleo!
Please come check out the discussion thread of the new game. Once we have the new players gathered we will be going to gameplay, likely to meet the Wardens.
I do have a question, does Cleo have her position by the time of the next game? Like is she going into this game with a title or no?
Yes, Cleo will take over from Selena and she will help out as needed for you and Stalker. Kinda in a position like Larina.
She like most of my NPCs will be around, though Selena might step into your postion again so you may go look into this Vanishing!
See what I did there, yes I want you and Quince to be on this venture. It might take more time than normal and we have plenty of NPCs and bot PCs, so you can!!!
You will each probably select one NPC to go with you, maybe not! ;)
Quince and Cleo suggestions on spells that should be used.
Cleo do you have anything prepared or will I be making up the next stretch of the game?
I thought Selena was the Treasurer? Took over for Jhod didn't she?
I can take it the whole way if you want GM. It's up to you. The only reason I haven't moved us along is so Quince gets time to add anything else he wants to.
That's what I thought too. Selena wanted the Magister position but we needed here for Treasurery. Sota was still the Magister.
I was rather waiting to enjoy Sota and Cleo infuriating each other.
Sota is gone. He was killed when opening Liz's pod. He hit the wrong button and was... well poof.
I forgot about that.
I think Cleo's name is high on the list.
Cleo you are on deck to lead us forward.
I have an outline for either plan, the second of the two would be shorter than the first on she suggested.
Just a reminder GM.
I made the new map awhile back which at the moment is not linked to this campaign. If you need the link let me know.
I am also going to finish the NPC slide show. So that would likely be good to add to the new campaign.
I am up for the long path!
Please link me again!
Oh yes please!
Please check in on the new campaign too!
I am up for the long path!
Please link me again!
Oh yes please!
Please check in on the new campaign too!
Check your messages
What of you Quince? Which would you prefer?
Also GM I think you might have missed Jorne's spoiler, unless you just wanted to leave it at her question. Also I believe Sulvanii is allowed in this talk between Cleo and Quince, if he so chooses.
I am game for whatever.
Let me know if you can see this Cleo.
If you have any input. Its a work in progress. I wanted to have a place to reference the army of existing NPCs.
It might be fun to do a similar page for the Academy.
You forgot that Larina is also the Royal assassin.
If you want to do something like that for the Academy let me know! It'd be very useful for new comers and this looks great!
GM wolf. Let me know all the details I am going to need to look like I know what I am talking about trying to organize this expedition to Varnhold.
- What Restov has asked us to do.
- What we know from rumors, spy network, and such.
- What sort of announcement we as a kingdom have made.
- Who among the new characters is famous or infamous enough for us to have heard of them.
Also I was thinking of a few things that are RP flavor/reasonable for us to do kingdom wise. Seeing as after we deal with Cleo's killer we are also going to resolve Rivers Run Red. Also we have one new settlement and it is likely a good idea to expand toward Tatzleford.
It might be wise at this point to appoint Tristan as the Viceroy of Fort Promise and Kevros the Viceroy of Tatzleford. The second might be weird because Katrina is still very active and a good friend of Cleo. Saren might make a good Viceroy for Tatzleford.
This also starts to make room on the council over time.
Ahhhh! So much that for some reason I have missed... catching up!
Yesterday I don't think I thouched PbP, I had finished grades, and went to bed early.
Yes Quince it looks GREAT!
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- What Restov has asked us to do:
Restov hasn't exactly asked us to do anything. If anything the letter that Layla has would be the only official thing. They are having political problems with the nobles and swordlords of the North.
- What we know from rumors, spy network, and such.
Varnhold does not have the resources that we do. They are a village or a thorp with about a dozen hexes of farmlands. They are about 2/3 our size if that. With the right negotiations we could annex them once we claim hexes to them.
- What sort of announcement we as a kingdom have made.
A clarion call - the spell - was used to summon those adventurers and travelers that would look into Varnhold or come with what they knew to the present meeting.
Though we should probably make some more! XP
- Who among the new characters is famous or infamous enough for us to have heard of them.
Doing a K Local check would pick out certain things. The DC would be 15, every 5 over you get another tid bit.
Yes we will resolve Rivers Run Red after...
We do need to do the expansion for at least 6 months maybe more!
I would leave Svetlanna as Viceroy of Fort Promise and Tristan as Viceroy of Tatzleford. If anything. There will be some unrest in the kingdom especially the city that you change things like that up. Then again you could send in a strike force. Oh wait we don't have any of those! I wouldn't worry about making room on the council until the Vanishing of Varnhold is done.
Tristan has ownership of the kingdom spreadsheet will we need a new one.
Or can we reach out to him to change the sharing to allow editing.
Looking at our most recent Book 2 Wanted Board there a few things unfinished that were likely to be addressed with further exploration. If we never bring the troll blood to the alchemist that's not a big deal but leaving the monsters seems like a bad idea.
Not sure if these will be handled off camera in the down time of us finishing here or if they will remain open.
Given our huge number of NPCs if we are going to have down time. There are at lest 3 teams of explorer/monster hunters we could set up to chase these issues. Both Kevros and Tristan mentioned taking some troops to hunt some of these creatures. So that might be how its handled.
The Forest Drake- While making the Character Slide Show I stumbled onto this image, which is the full image of the art that Svettlana's head shot is taken from. Looks like she already killed a forest drake.
Old Crackjaw- This one is not far from us I don't think we just never dealt with it.
The "Northern Howls" Worg- Depending on the route we take to Varnhold we might run into this creature.
Shamblesap- Apparently there is an infamous Shambling Mound we didn't tackle yet.
We left A LOT of book 2 undealt with. . . . Can I rethink my suggestion to jump us ahead to Varnhold?? Just kidding.
Well I was going to do hunting with NPCs. We do have at least 6 months to catch up... lets see what we can finish. We are starting with the Red Spider...
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If people will leave me be long enough so I may post! I love my family but some times... like come on!