Serinbaal the Lands of Torment ("Dark Sun" Homebrew Pathfinder 1e)

Game Master Sebecloki

Canaan should be mostly finished.

I think I'd like to know what sort of breakdown you'll be doing in the future. How much in formal social situations, how much exploring, and so forth.

From your responses, it looks like you're not the type of GM to adjust to the players. Which id fine, but it helps a lot to communicate more about how you want to run and what's going on.

It really depends on what the players do -- but 'exploring' also means interacting with the creatures and objects you find while exploring. I'll also be writing long, elaborate descriptions of those kinds of things.

I'm willing to discuss and compromise on most rules questions.

As I said, the thing I enjoy about DMing is the creative writing aspect dimension doing world building -- that means I'm not going to have fun and won't want to run the same if the compromise is something like a word limit for posts. I can make some hooks more explicit per Rokan's suggestion, but if the issue is you don't like reading lots of text, that's a big issue for my enjoyment of the game.

It's not the long blocks of text. It's more the long blocks of text in the type of scene I wasn't expecting. I wasn't expecting courtly drama to be a major element of the game from the recruitment. Can you give more detail on what types of things you are going to have in the game and rough proportions?

It really depends on what the players do -- I the Kalidnay section will be exploration of the ruins and interacting with different parties to (probably) shut down the Great Orrery. That could take a really long time depending on how things progress.

There's an opportunity to do a sci-fi jaunt of some indeterminable length depending on the party's actions. That would involve flying around in space ships.

The next part is probably to rehabilitate Kelmarane.

I don't really see what we're doing now as courtly drama full blown -- that would be something more like a murder mystery that characters are investigating, or being sent of a diplomatic mission to negotiate a truce. This to me is pretty standard 'just having a conversation with NPCs' level interaction.

Hi everyone, I haven't managed to read through the gameplay thread beyond the first page, but I would like to jump in, could anyone post a synopsis of what has been happening so far?

Thanks!

I'd still advise at least skimming the gameplay thread because there's a lot of details and NPCs, but here's a summary,

House Vordon of Tyr has dispatched an expedition under the command of Lady Almah to rehabilitate the former trading post of Kelmarane, an isolated settlement in the corner of the Great Alluvial Sand Wastes near the Last Oasis and the ruins of Kalidnay.

The House Vordon embassy travels aboard Destiny's Chariot, a great moving platform on top of which a palace rises. It was once the portable summer palace of Kalid-Ma which House Vordon, which comes from Kalidnay, repurposed after the destruction of the city.

The Lady Almah provides midday entertainment in the form of her bard, the mysterious elf Slvathras, who tells a story about a ancient evil in the Crimson Savannah, a kreen naturebender who learned dark arts from the halflings and participated in the Cleansing Wars.

The entertainment is interrupted by the opportunity to view the ruins of Kalidnay from the observation deck of the palace.

Several strange phenomena are observed.

Destiny-Chariot is accosted by an immense moving vehicle, the resembles a pyramid.

The vehicle dispatches an emissary, a small creature with magma-like skin that announces it is Nalcaros the ambassador of Faalcuun, the former apprentice of Dregoth, who wishes to speak with them.

The party forms an expedition and enters the Pavilion of Mercy, the Lawkeeper Faalcuun's place of residence. They ascend to his throne and he proceeds to explain the nature of his mission -- for them to silence the trans-world gate that has opened by the power of the remaining mind of Kalid-Ma, which has been reawakened in the ruins.

Thank you, I will be reading through the gameplay thread in detail, but it might take me several days to finish.

I'll have my first IC post up today.

Same after I skimmed through the gameplay thread.

Pak'cha -- the spoiler in my large post gets all of your characters into the room with the current PCs -- I'm not sure you saw that.

I'm going to answer your current post as a flashback, but the idea is that your character witnesses the whole cosmography demonstration from Faalcuun in the last post.

Pak'cha -- the spoiler in my large post gets all of your characters into the room with the current PCs -- I'm not sure you saw that.

I'm going to answer your current post as a flashback, but the idea is that your character witnesses the whole cosmography demonstration from Faalcuun in the last post.

Sorry, missed that, was updating from work and was interrupted with this work nonsense, don't they know I'm trying to game!

I answered your post as a flashback to keep continuity and fill you in on your knowledge check, but let's assume they're all in the same room as the rest of the PCs now.

I answered your post as a flashback to keep continuity and fill you in on your knowledge check, but let's assume they're all in the same room as the rest of the PCs now.

Thanks, I posted again this time in the room with the rest of the group.

I don't really see what we're doing now as courtly drama full blown -- that would be something more like a murder mystery that characters are investigating, or being sent of a diplomatic mission to negotiate a truce. This to me is pretty standard 'just having a conversation with NPCs' level interaction.

Oh, this isn't a standard interaction by any means. A standard interaction has back and forth. We're dealing with people with lots more power than we have (in multiple ways). If we cause problems, we'll have nasty repercussions, so there's a lot of sitting quietly and listening. Most of the player posts have been knowledge checks and side comments. It's pretty much a cut scene. Not the most exciting start to the game.

Given the response that "this is player driven" compared with the more "narration-focused" style that I've seen so far, our styles aren't going to match well. I will be the third player dropping out. Please remove me from the game list.

Sebecloki wrote:

I don't really see what we're doing now as courtly drama full blown -- that would be something more like a murder mystery that characters are investigating, or being sent of a diplomatic mission to negotiate a truce. This to me is pretty standard 'just having a conversation with NPCs' level interaction.

Oh, this isn't a standard interaction by any means. A standard interaction has back and forth. We're dealing with people with lots more power than we have (in multiple ways). If we cause problems, we'll have nasty repercussions, so there's a lot of sitting quietly and listening. Most of the player posts have been knowledge checks and side comments. It's pretty much a cut scene. Not the most exciting start to the game.

Given the response that "this is player driven" compared with the more "narration-focused" style that I've seen so far, our styles aren't going to match well. I will be the third player dropping out. Please remove me from the game list.

I'm not sure what the game-list is or how to edit people out of it -- presumably you can just stop posting like the other players who don't want to participate anymore?

I think you can mark characters as inactive on the Characters tab?

On another note, might we have a list of NPCs in the game info? Reading through the gameplay thread there seem to be quite a few of them aside from the plot-critical ones. I am particularly interested in the pteran.

I'll get a list up sometime tonight.

Sorry guys, I've been a little wonky after my oral surgery but I should be good again, I'll get caught up again for tonight.

Congrats to the new players.

Only the GM can mark people as inactive. This removes the game from their list.

I'm not sure what the game-list is or how to edit people out of it -- presumably you can just stop posting like the other players who don't want to participate anymore?

Its in the Campaign Tab, at the bottom there is a list of active PCs and you can unmark the box to make a PC inactive.

FYI Tkk-Tkk if you click the Hide button on this campaign it will also remove the game from your list, a little trick I learned when DMs just disappear and you want to clear out your campaigns tab :-)

Only the GM can mark people as inactive. This removes the game from their list.

I can't find this button -- looks like Storyteller Shadow has a good suggestion for you.

I think you can mark characters as inactive on the Characters tab?

On another note, might we have a list of NPCs in the game info? Reading through the gameplay thread there seem to be quite a few of them aside from the plot-critical ones. I am particularly interested in the pteran.

I'm going to include some info that was in knowledge checks with the idea it's accessible to someone -- just preserve the distinction between character and player knowledge in some cases if necessary.

I think I have everyone here, let me know if this helps --

Dramatis Personae:

Lady Almah of the Clan Ashtarte Athiratu of House Vordon

This lady is a scion of a once prominent clan within House Vordon that owed its preeminent position within the company to its domination of the slave trade. With the revolution in Tyr, and accompanying banning of the slave trade, their fortunes have declined precipitously. The venture to reclaim Kelmarane is an attempt for her clan to regain their position with in House Vordon.

Garavel Ba'al-Hammim, Major-Domo/Chamberlain of Clan Ashatate Athiratu

This mustachioed gentleman is the chief servant of Lady Almah. His brain is replaced by an obsidian orb -- what this entails is unclear, but effects an unnerving countenance.

Tilacoan, Rain Priest

This is the water cleric and seer attached to Lady Almah's expedition.

Slavathras (Silan-Tilak)

This mysterious elf is the Lady Almah's bard. He wears chitin armor that seems to be made of some kind of kreen not native to the Tablelands. He himself is apparently from a land beyond the obsidian plane to the south. He appears very knowledgeable, and has clearly met Nalcaros and Faalcuun in the past, as well as traveled through the ruins of Kalidnay. His name to the party is Slavathras, though Nalcaros and Faalcuun address him as Silan Tilak, so this must be another name by which he is known.

The Rhul-Ty'ragi Dalman and Misra

These two druids are part of an order which tends the gardens of the Golden Tower of the Council and the High Templar Tithian in Tyr. They wear robes of chameleon skin. Their order venerates the legacy of the halfling naturemasters of the Blue Age. They are opposed to the notion that the kreen might have been the original inhabitants of Athas, or that the halflings were themselves servants of other beings, as suggested by Faalcuun.

Daskhi the Ranger -- the Gnoll Hunter

Dashki is a mercenary from Tyr whose favored opponent is gnolls. He has struck up a friendship with Kuro, but is quite acerbic.

Cloudbreather the Pterran

This is a trader from beyond the Ringing Mountains who used to visit the village of Amlitkayek from whence Gaanon and Kuro hail. He rides the slimahacc, a serpent like creature. He set up a breeding den near Amlitkayek before it was destroyed recently by the renegade Templar Hiero of Tyr.

His attachment to the expedition is connected with some significance that the vicinity of Kelmarane has for his people's religion.

Husayn el Khanif, Born Eunuch of Raam

A mul descended from the temujin, a race of nomadic horse warriors who, led by Abalch-Re, conquered ancient Raam, subjugating the native desi humans and annihilating the yaksas, a race of ogres that used to rule the humans of Raam. As a mul, he is one of the 'Born Eunuchs' of the great harem of Abalach-Re, and is current reason for being in the caravan is unknown. He knew Ja'far in Raam, though the details of that story are still unfolding.

Nalcaros of Ebe

A svirfneblin zhen, one of the unique Athasian undead which are obsidian-skinned humanoids. He is a gem-caster, a forgotten form of sorcery, and was once an inhabitant of Ebe, the ruined city of Borys prior to the Dragon's founding of Ur-Draxa. Nalcaros originated in a gnome settlement in the Deadlands, and was part of a 'gnome town' in Ebe. He witnessed the destruction of his people during the Cleansing Wars. His love of gems led him to become subsumed by a dark cult that worshiped the Dark Lens, and attempted to overthrow Borys. This Obsidian Brotherhood, or Society of Shadows, was largely crushed by the Dragon, after which he somehow became attached to Faalcuun as his emissary.

Faalccun of Bodach

A powerful defiler/psion and t'liz, a unique form of Athasian undead which most closely resembles a vampire. He had partially completed the dragon metamorphosis before his apparent death and resurrection as a t'liz. He was part of a group of merciless psionic police that controlled ancient Bodach, and helped the Champions of Rajaat conquer the city. He is famous for destroying a large population of giants on concentration camps in the Silt Archipelago. Though originally associated with Borys or Wyan, he somehow attached himself to Dregoth and became the sorcerer-king's greatest servant and apprentice. Some catastrophe has separated him from his former master.

Apologies in advance for all the questions. ALL the questions.

What year are we in? If I understand correctly, Borys is still alive?

How large is the current population of Destiny's Chariot - staff, guards, Lady Almah's entourage etc.?

For how long have we been travelling from Tyr?

Whereabouts would the village of Amlitkayek be situated?

Are there pterran settlements on this side of the Ringing Mountains?

It says the exact date in the Campaign Info -- we're in the period when the City State of Tyr guide book is set -- Tithian is still alive, but we're after Kalak dies. Borys is still alive for another year in the canonical timeline I think. He's going to be alive during the campaign.

Edit: 190th King's Age the year of Friend's Agitation (Free Year: 10) is the exact date.

Destiny's Chariot has probably a 50 or so people, a few dozen, somewhere around there.

About a week --I think I established that in the first post in the gameplay thread if I'm not mistaken.

Amlitkayek is in the mountains surrounding Tyr. There's a post about it in the discussion thread. It's one of a set of four towns, the others all now ruined. They formed some kind of naturebender artifact along with the ancient halfling city of Ty'ragi upon whose ruins the Free State is built. Amlitkayek in devoted to the Queen of Flames, a great fire drake named Ymera. Let me know if you can't find the post about it in the discussion thread.

The Pterrans are from the other side of the Ringing Mountains I think. I was intending Cloudbreather to be from a settlement near Lost Scale, if you're familiar with the two canonical towns from the setting.

Need to know if Pak, Canaan & Kethe introduced themselves to each other prior to the current scene? I assumed that they did when they stepped up.

Need to know if Pak, Canaan & Kethe introduced themselves to each other prior to the current scene? I assumed that they did when they stepped up.

I would say yes but we are all strangers to one another regardless.

Need to know if Pak, Canaan & Kethe introduced themselves to each other prior to the current scene? I assumed that they did when they stepped up.

I would say you've seen each other on the expedition, but not actually talked, but resolve it as you think best. I was really trying to get you into the story as quickly as possible -- if you want to write in some background about how you met over the last few days, that would be fine.

Could everyone respond if they're going to join the expedition to Kalidnay?

If they all agree, I'm going to level you all up to level 4, 2 mythic tiers through Faalcuun's use of the Pavilion, but I don't want to make that decision on your behalf.

OK, I'll update my Avatar! :-)

Vigor 1d6 ⇒ 2

The others may have seen Kethe, perhaps received water from her, but she wasn't introduced during the journey.

Phew, I'm struggling just to keep up with the reading right now. Is it okay that we're giving room for the new group to be introduced, or am I falling down on the threads Rokan is involved in?

Need to pick skills still and update profile but update done, I'll complete tomorrow and post at lunch time a response to latest IC update.

Gaanon out too -- lol, I think we're going to replace half the party at this rate. But that's just the way PbP is, I am not deterred!

Yes, let's spend a little time to update characters and introduce the new ones.

Gaanon quite too -- lol, I think we're going to replace half the party at this rate. But that's just the way PbP is, I am not deterred!

Yes, let's spend a little time to update characters and introduce the new ones.

It is just the way it is, my Ravenloft game has only 1 original PC left and he hasn't posted in weeks...

Happens.

I just made a post under a spoiler entitled "Prisoners of the Scarab Hold" -- just ignore these, they are the second group, a part from another world. You'll meet them at some point.

I just made a post under a spoiler entitled "Prisoners of the Scarab Hold" -- just ignore these, they are the second group, a part from another world. You'll meet them at some point.

Ok!

Phew, I'm struggling just to keep up with the reading right now. Is it okay that we're giving room for the new group to be introduced, or am I falling down on the threads Rokan is involved in?

Why don't you, and the other original party members, spend some time updating your characters to 4th level, 2 mythic tiers.

I'm going to try to have some of the NPCs interact with the new characters to get them integrated into the story and establish some plot threads.

If that's good for everyone, we'll do that for a bit -- then I'll write the post where Faalcuun empowers everyone.

I think we can resolve the return expedition to Destiny's Chariot without explicitly narrating it. I'm all for a leisurely pace, but Lady Almah isn't going to have a lot to say except "that's cool I guess," so my plan is to move on the The Great Battle Gate or the underground approach to Kallidnay right after we get the new characters introduced.

It would be helpful if you could all start deciding if you're interested in pursuing one of the two approaches, or if you're going to split the party in two and each try one direction, or what.

Pak wants to see Lady Almah because she promised a "reward" for bringing her Bard back safe, he's a power grabber so gaining advantages is what he is all about :-)

He is LE, right?

Slammed at work today and tomorrow and have a house guest tonight, will update IC tomorrow night as it turns out.

So, I’m here. This annual training is...bleh.

14 hour shifts for a week. Then get 3.5 hours of sleep. Then get a 23.5 hour shift, where I spend a solid 10 hours in the woods, pulling guard duty, without my cold weather gear. Finally get relieved, and it is then that the opfor (other team) Attack our base. I fall sleep to the sound of a 240b light machine gun going off. The next day I’m back on guard duty. Only we get attacked from the other side...see no action once again and war game ends. Other people in my section talk about how cool it was, and I’m here going “at least I didn’t get hypothermia.”

Just finished reading up on gameplay thread. Got 8 hours of sleep. Today is the actual weapons range, and only 4/7 could go. I didn’t get to go...but I at least have the time now to actually read everything. :p

——

Complaining aside, great fluff so far. But I’d like to make a suggestion. Alternate profiles for recurring NPCs. The change of profile picture and name would really help in keeping all the characters straight.

OOF, lot's of reading to catch up on

Complaining aside, great fluff so far. But I’d like to make a suggestion. Alternate profiles for recurring NPCs. The change of profile picture and name would really help in keeping all the characters straight.

I like this a lot. I think it would make the narrative more readily consumable.

Why don't you, and the other original party members, spend some time updating your characters to 4th level, 2 mythic tiers.

...

It would be helpful if you could all start deciding if you're interested in pursuing one of the two approaches, or if you're going to split the party in two and each try one direction, or what.

Got it, will work on level and tier over the next couple of days.

Decision: Rokan would look to the wisdom of the Druids and the bard but his intuition will be to take the underground passages. This discussion can be RP’d in gameplay.

So, I’m here. This annual training is...bleh.

14 hour shifts for a week. Then get 3.5 hours of sleep. Then get a 23.5 hour shift, where I spend a solid 10 hours in the woods, pulling guard duty, without my cold weather gear. Finally get relieved, and it is then that the opfor (other team) Attack our base. I fall sleep to the sound of a 240b light machine gun going off. The next day I’m back on guard duty. Only we get attacked from the other side...see no action once again and war game ends. Other people in my section talk about how cool it was, and I’m here going “at least I didn’t get hypothermia.”

Just finished reading up on gameplay thread. Got 8 hours of sleep. Today is the actual weapons range, and only 4/7 could go. I didn’t get to go...but I at least have the time now to actually read everything. :p

——

Complaining aside, great fluff so far. But I’d like to make a suggestion. Alternate profiles for recurring NPCs. The change of profile picture and name would really help in keeping all the characters straight.

I can do that -- as long as it's understood that I'm only going to make avatars, not filling in all the stats for every character.

Yeah, I think that's all that is being asked. It gives a good distinction for speech but also makes the NPCs in the story feel more interaction in this medium.

Level 4 vigor point roll: 1d10 ⇒ 10 !!!

BTW, the bard can still convince Rokan to not take the underground. This is just his initial intuition about it.