Style and Etiquette
The general mood of play will be serious, but not exclusively so. I would like to keep focus on the adventure and the task at hand. Excursions and tangents are certainly fine, but, if necessary, I will direct players to spoiler "sidebar" actions so that we can continue with the story. It is perfectly acceptable to have conflict between characters, as long as both players are comfortable with the direction of the interaction. However, conflict between players will be arbitrated as quickly as possible, with the GM having the final word.
Characters
Let it be known now, before we start, that your character may die. I will not fudge rolls. There are enemies out there that can wipe the floor with you. You are always allowed to run away. I will do my very best to have the enemies behave in a way that is accurate to their level of intelligence and tactics, keeping all circumstances in mind. As such, there should be no accusations of unfair play upon character death. Upon character death, you will be welcome to submit and incorporate a new character immediately. But, don't get the wrong idea in your mind. I'm not a calloused killer. You'll be able to tell if you're getting in over your head. I don't like killing characters for no reason, but I also don't like completely caution-free games.
Posting Frequency
Everyone is expected to post at least one time per day. If you will be unable to post, please give as much advance notice as possible, barring extreme circumstances. If a player is not heard from in 24 hours, their character will be eligible to be run by the GM until the player returns. If a player is not heard from 72 hours, their character will be removed from the game in any way appropriate including death. My personal email address is jakedecourcey@gmail.com. Feel free to contact me for any reason. Also, if you choose to do so, I will have an additional way to contact you in case the need arises.
Posting Conventions
Admittedly, I am lifting this wholesale from another GM. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
In character content including Dialogue and internal monologue.
_______________
Move action i.e., Move to E15 or move 3 spaces N, 2 spaces E.
Standard Action or anything else
Combat
Initiative will be done in group format, based on the character with the highest initiative and also using common sense. If you would like to change initiative-based qualities regarding your character at this time, feel free to do so. I would prefer to give as much agency to players as possible, but sometimes, when appropriate, I will make rolls for your character. I promise I won't do anything serious without you. Also, please track your own stats during combat. I will be doing the same, but there more hands on deck the better.Other Bits and Pieces
I'm pretty flexible when it comes to gameplay. Not that I fudge rolls, but rather that I give you, the players, a lot of power. Here's a little example. Let's say we're fighting two guards in a bedroom. It's safe to say that there are sheets in the bedroom, even though I may not specifically mention it. So, your turn may look like this: Kevin grabs the top sheet and slings it in the nearest guard's face, following it up with an jab from his spear. Now, I, the GM, say that the guard gets a reflex save. He fails, so now he's blind and entangled. It's not in the rules anywhere, but it's cool and it makes sense. Hopefully that was a good example.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Clear as mud? If everyone is comfortable with these guidelines, we're good to go. The last thing you should know is that I'm a reasonable guy, and I'm extremely attached to what I consider the number one rule of table top RPGs: "My fun is your fun and your fun is my fun." So speak up. We're all in this to have fun, be creative, learn, and pass time together. If there are ever any problems, we all want to deal. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I want to.
I pretty much have the same GM style so all this sounds gold to me
Sounds good! Looking forward to beginning -- I've never played a sandbox style AP before.
This would also be a great time to sort out exactly how you all came to be involved in this expedition. You will begin your adventure at Oleg's Trading Post, which is intended to serve as a sort of jumping-off point for your exploration and charting of the Stolen Lands.
Where is Oleg's trading post? What city?
All things checked and ready to go. Not sure where Oleg's Trading Post is, but I could be there recovering from my injury (if that works).
Sound's great to me. I hope to be up to the expectation.
But I need some help, as I mentioned before, my background is vague about specific places, mainly cause the Kingmaker players' guide doesn't have a word about the geography of Brevoy. Aside from a map with location's names, of course. SO, should i wikipedia each of them or is there a pdf i could buy to read about those places and finish our interactions?
You could also buy the Inner sea world guide PDF for $10 at paizo or the inner sea primer for $8.
Thanks Idris, will be ready tomorrow morning.
Indeed, I didn't check to see how much information the Player's Guide gave you. The following is all common knowledge for anyone who is familiar with the area. Essentially, you all signed up for this expedition to map and explore the stolen lands. The primary motivation for these expeditions, of which you are not the only one, is that the bandits in the area are becoming more organized and are threatening some of the trading posts and trade routes.
If you look at the map in the Player's Guide, you will see a City called Restov. Restov, which is the capital of Rostland, lies on the southern border of Brevoy, a nation of eternal political scheming, and The River Kingdoms, which is a large collection of petty kingdoms all trying to obtain more land and power at the expense of the others. The Stolen lands are an area that has not yet been able to be claimed by any noble. Restov has decided to try to claim the stolen lands for whatever reason, and they have hired adventurers to clear out the more threatening bandits and to establish trade routes.
Here's a quote from the Adventure Path itself:
The adventure begins with the PCs, each bearing a charter
from the Lord Mayor of Restov granting license to explore and
map the section of the Stolen Lands known as the Greenbelt,
arriving at a small, remote trading post at the southern edge
of rural Rostland.
So, you are on the Southern border of Rostland, deep in rural Restov, and you will be expected to chart and clear out the area directly to the south of that location. You will begin the adventure by reporting to Oleg's Trading Post, which lies at the far north edge of the area you will be adventuring in.
I think I have probably been a bit repetitive, but I hope that settles up any outstanding questions about why you're where you are.
All right! That's pretty good Jacob.
Restov does seem to be a nice town, an according to the reference i would be welcome if i could adapt myself to it. I'm a smart girl, i can do that!
But New Stetven looks better for business purposes, and it's still near. I guess New Stetven could even have one or maybe more Tielflings without them calling too much attention. So it seems the background would adjust, in large view, to at least two options:
1) I'm from the Rogarvia family, and my birth city is New Stetven (unless i would have disappeared with the nobles - that was 12 years ago, right?). Since the noble's disappearances i came back to town, reestablishing my profession. Restov is where I spent most of my life, so I have friends there and connections. But I did travel throughout the region and kept refreshing my information on the Rogarvia family. Once they disappeared I went back to New Stetven, but it seem business were not so good and the Surtova family occupied well my "family-I-hate" spot, with their ancient tradition and hard ruling. Thanks god I'm not being chase anymore, but as business are not doing good (probably because have never been the same since the confront with the family) I am looking for new opportunities, and managed to get the chart with my (maybe friend) mayor, to explore the southern region with a temporary group. Well, the fact is that in such a misterious disappearance my fiendish heritage might give everyone clues of what the family has done in a distant past (or maybe in the recent one ^^). Run, Pretty! Run!
2) I'm from the Surtova family, and Port Ice is my home town, from which i ran 20 years ago, when my mother passed out and all the scandal took place. I've been in New Stetven for most of the first 10 years, but once the Rogarvia family disappeared and the Surtova moved in, I found the place was no longer safe and moved to Restov where i had more connections. But the uneasy feeling never passed, so maybe a region farther away would be nice.
So, if anyone wants to give opinion about it please feel free, and after that we will check interactions. I do know that the first option have MAY be unavailable if I would vanish with the other nobles, but it's said once that "most of the members" vanished, while in Inner Sea World they say that "every member of House Rogarvia vanished without a trace". So i believe it's up to you, Jacob, to deny the first option if you think inappropriate, leaving me with the second or even a third we could reach.
Cassius learned of an expedition gathering in Restov while he was in New Stetven. Considering he had Brotherhood members on his tail, leaving the country would be a good idea.
* Sera and Idris - How about we all met in New Stetven and decided to travel together to Restov together since we all planned on joining this expedition?
Makes sense, and maybe Idris remembers Pretty from when she had a shop in New Stetven. I like the second option better, Pretty, it just seems a little more natural. What kind of a shop was it? I can't see you put that in the background.
Pretty...I think we're technically cousins? Since i am also from the Surtova family and i'm from Port Ice. However since you ran away we would never have met in Port Ice. But now that we are together we can be somewhat family? (At least thats if you pick the second option)
Hello Discussion thread!
I also use the same posting style. GM, do you prefer we spoiler dice rolls? Also, what are your guidelines regarding ooc discussion? Are PC's allowed to discuss battle plans ooc or would you prefer we limit that to in character speech?
I liked this site when I was looking for info on the noble families, it gives a summary of diplomatic relations between families too.
Medvyen wiki page
I'll be finishing up Sera's gear and work out her segue into adventure and get it posted today! [/excited!]
Hmm. I'm seeing a pretty consistent theme in the backstories of the characters...
@Sera, you can make dice rolls out in the open, but I'd prefer it if you put them below the line so that the descriptive text isn't cluttered up. You are welcome to discuss tactics out of character as long as it doesn't hamper the speed of the game, much like in real life.
Ok, I see Cassius, Idris, and Sera arriving together, Maja on her own, Pretty on her own, and Kivan already at Oleg's for one day. That all works by me, so if you'd like to make any changes, now's your chance. I'm going to post the opening in the gameplay thread, but I'll let you introduce yourselves.
I'm putting my final touches on Sera's background and character sheet. Made some changes to her appearance and linked a visual reference portrait. Wanted to double check on a couple of things before I post the final version.
1)Is the Leadership feat legal for play in this game?
2)What all is available for purchase in terms of scrolls and special substances?
Seraphina Medvyed was the seventh and last child of Glennwyn Medvyed, nephew to the head of their noble house, Lord Gurev. Glennwyn and his six sons had long defended their modest farm and the border of Medvyen lands, but his wife, Viera had always longed for a daughter.
Seraphina was named for her fiery red hair, which was so uncommon in her family and seemed to mark her out as 'special' among them. She was not spoiled by material wealth, but she was well loved. As the child grew in grace and beauty, she became the apple of her parent's eye and even attracted the attention of the family patriarch. Uncle Gurev saw to it that Seraphina came to visit with his wife and daughter(s) at their home in Stoneclimb so that she received instructions on etiquette since she had a knack for charming people, especially men.
It was during one such visit that brigands attacked her family homestead, killing her father and three of her brothers. Uncle Gurev took the surviving family in and now her older brothers work for him directly. Seraphina is still close to her family, but her thirst for vengeance burns like a fire inside her. Soon after the tragedy, her magical abilities became apparent and she realized she has all the tools she needs to find her families' killers and take matters into her own claws.
Visual reference
Seraphina has grown into an attractive young woman with an effortless sensuality. She has a warm and friendly personality, easy to talk to and quick to laugh at a joke or even make one herself. She is fiercely loyal and passionate about her beliefs and her loved ones and swift to anger if either is threatened. Her bright red hair glows like molten iron and her copper colored eyes shine like new pennies in the sun. She stands out among her kin and has drawn much attention from minor noble suitors in the area. Uncle Gurev expects that she will make a good match that will strengthen the family’s position and openly favors one Kol Garess, who has expressed interest in Seraphina. But Sera refuses to seriously consider marriage until she has addressed her business with her father's killers, though this is not the excuse she shares with her family. Whether they understand her true motives, she does not know.
The loss of her closest male kin has left Seraphina with an aching emptiness within her. She is aware of the effect she tends to have on men, but she is less aware of how much they effect her as well. She is drawn to men who show the same sense of duty and honor as her father and brothers. Teasing and playful banter draws her attention as well and she always instantly likes all who treat the mysteries of the natural world with respect and reverence. Sera has only recently begun to suspect her own Draconic heritage and she is fearful of finding she is the progeny of a wicked red dragon, so she is ambivalent about finding more about her progenitor. She also fears that her family will turn on her when the truth is known.
Seraphina has many friends and acquaintances among her local area but her closest friends were sort of inherited from her now deceased older brother Olek. He had been closest in age with Seraphina and she had followed him relentlessly from the moment she was able to toddle after him. Once she was fast enough to keep up, he couldn't shake her if he tried. But fortunately, he was an amicable and tolerant big brother, so he rarely tried. His best friend, Zak Orlovsky and his best girl, Mara Burov continued to keep in contact with the family and both helped Sera through her grief. Mara became like a surrogate big-sister and best friend to her and still keeps in touch even though she is newly married, though her letters come less often now... a subject that concerns Sera. Zak has been different the last few times she had seen him as well, distant and distracted somehow. Seraphina worries over the increasing awkwardness between them, wondering how it's possible to miss someone when they are standing mere paces away. Everything seems to be changing.
Several young women connected to the noble houses despise Sera and the attention she attracts from the "best catches" of eligible and influential men. One woman, Ingrid, has her sights set upon Kol Garess and has openly disparaged Seraphina's virtue as a fickle and indecisive woman for refusing to entertain his interest. But Sera worries little over a spiteful woman's petty jealousies. Her sights are set on her true enemy, for she is certain the infamous bandit leader, the Stag Lord is responsible for spilling her kin's precious blood.
Uncle Gurev is concerned and disapproves of Seraphina’s plan to leave home and join the expeditions into the Stolen Lands. He would much rather see her married and safely settled somewhere with a powerful husband that she can influence to further her family’s ideals and interests. He suspects her true motives and he fears she will be reckless and get herself killed.
But even her formidable Uncle cannot stand against her powers of persuasion forever.
”I must go, Uncle. We cannot hide ourselves away inside stone walls while our backyard fills with thieves and murderers! You have always said that all it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. Tell me then, what about the good women? Should we stay sheltered in our homes, silently waiting and worrying if our brothers, fathers, husbands and sons will ever come home? Forgive me, Uncle, but that sounds a lot like doing nothing to me! And if you wish my mother’s fate upon me, you do not love me at all!!” She spat this last with fierce venom, showing her acerbic tongue which rarely occurred. She fought to hold her defiant glare, but she felt her grief fighting to betray her and twist her features in grief. It was strange the sudden way it could leap up and consume her again, even though several years had passed.
With tears in his eyes, he bowed his head in submission and nodded silently. He knew the young woman was unmovable once she had taken a stance and he could not refute her impassioned argument. He convinced her to travel with Kristof, her eldest brother to receive her charter and rendezvous with the rest of her team.
Well, I'm going with number 2, then. Thanks to Cassius and Idris for the help. I do find option 1 much more thrilling, but I guess it would take us out of the adventure's path. Se 2 it is.
But aside from that I lived in Restov for the last 10 years, and the shop was a Jewerly shop in Port Ice, the one they put on fire (probably stealing the jewerly before that), and it was before your time. I was a teenager back then. So, what do you think?
Leadership is legal and extremely valuable in this campaign. You can start the game with anything you can afford, but you're going to be out in the wilderness for some time, so pickings might me more limited.
I have no problem with the Orc connection.
Good catch on the ranger WIS. It would actually be worth noting that the urban ranger's skill set isn't great for Kingmaker in general. Kingmaker takes place largely in the wild. Skirmisher would be a worthwhile consideration.
I dont mind switching it up
@ Pretty- Yeah when i wrote this it was at like 1-2am and I was rushing to submit it on time :P i went through and changed it though. Also i think its a Surtova thing maybe? Cause i don't plan on telling anyone who i really am either. For now most will only know that i'm working and hope to eventually have my sister and mother come and stay with me once i'm settled.
Either Trapper or Skirmisher would be good ideas. Trapper gets us trapfinding, which Pretty doesn't have due to her archtype, and lets you set traps yourself.
I have it as Skrimisher right now, but if people want the arch type to be tracker lemme know
Do what seems right for your character. There are always ways around traps.
In all fairness, I wouldn't give any weight to trapfinding. There aren't a ton in this path. I'm more into thinking through traps logically instead of rolling for them anyway.
Pretty -- What do you think about taking the Outflank teamwork feat with Idris at a future point?
@Idris: a Must-have. But that would be lvl 7 for me in the minimum, as my BAB is 3/4. We will surely be doing it all the time.
@kivan: Since we're doing some metagame here, you'd maybe want to change the reactionary trait, once we're doing group init with the highest modifier, and i believe that will be Cassius (+9 not);
If you guys are okay I will switch that now knowing this, or not if that isn't okay.
If you would like to change initiative-based qualities regarding your character at this time, feel free to do so.
The trait is not valuable enough if we're rolling group ini, but it's up to Jacob. I think he would allow that.
Yeah, switch it up. I like to do group init on PbP because it's a pain to have to wait for one single person to post. Feel free to pick something more valuable.
Are you fine with this?
So are you going to roll my init? or would you like me to roll it? Just to confirm
I'll roll, Cassius. For the most part, I'll just take initiative based on common sense. If you get the jump on someone, you go first, etc. It's usually pretty obvious who goes first. I think the only situation where initiative will be rolled is if there is a surprise round, in which case I'll roll to see who goes first in normal rounds.
And yes, Kivan, that's good.
May I drop Mage Armor and pick up Enlarge Person instead? I couldn't see going 3 levels without it, but Kivan has it and that is a safe bet for a wizard to prepare.
Enlarge person is a good spell in general, but it wouldn't be much of a buff for Idris, at least, since she's a finesse fighter. Pretty looks like she's going that route too.
Yeah, everyone can make any changes up until 2nd level. I trust you to not abuse the privilege. ;)
That's a good point, Idris... *goes to peruse character sheets*
"Say Maja, How'd you like to be 10ft tall?" Seraphina winks mischievously at the woman with the cut biceps, holding a vicious looking longspear.
I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. I am, too. I think as the game progresses, we'll be a bit more action-oriented just to keep things moving, but it's good to establish some personality and dynamics early on.
Enlarge person is a good spell in general, but it wouldn't be much of a buff for Pretty, at least, since she's a finesse fighter. Idris looks like she's going that route too.
GM Jacob, I won't be changing my spells any more, (well, I don't think... but a woman reserves the right to change her mind, lol!) but could I perhaps plan to get this one later?
Yeah, if it's on the online reference document, it's fair game.