Luke's Crimson Throne Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master GM Crimson

Really sorry to see you go, GM. This game was fun while it lasted.

I've been PMing back-and-forth with Emi's player, and while we doubt anyone can totally fill Luke's shoes, we agree that the PCs in the game are pretty special as well.

We've discussed trying to find another GM to continue the story, and I'm weighing taking on the GMing reins myself (with Kayleigh as more of a background GMPC).

What do folks think about either of these two possibilities?

I'd be down for either of those options.

I would be as well!

I'm willing if you are. :)

Kayleigh reached out to me about continuing, and I'm considering. I really enjoy the game and all of you, just am struggling to keep up with my PBPs.

Yeah, after making that post I had to go get a drink. I haven't really followed the cannon since 2.0 and have never played a game. I figure this one might actually be my last hurrah for awhile in gaming. And what a hurrah! You guys' willingness to take this at such a slow pace and really write out the characters is what makes the thing so hard to walk away from. But the work world is sooo messed up right now. I've lost my boss, two peers and eight employees. Even though things have to slow down, the remainders are still getting killed right now.

I'm thrilled that Smith may pick this thing up and run with it, and you can bet I'll keep reading along.

I'll give the lightest answer possible to Nebbin's question (in the interest of not spoiling!), but I really treated the AP like the bones of my own homebrew. I wanted most to make Korvosa seem like a real city with overlapping and complicated problems, lots of self-interested factions, etc. So what you've seen up to now has mostly been by-the-book enemies cast in slightly different situations so all you guys who know and have even run this game still got some surprises. There's only a handful of minor encounters that I've skipped. And small augmentations to the enemy side to make the encounters still be challenging for 5.

There has been some genuinely original filler. Most of the maps you've seen are original. Much of the arc that you have essentially finished here is my attempt at creating a prequel for the House on Hook Street, which is supposed to happen 7 years after the arc.

My happiest moments in the thread were the places where I could feel the folks who know the arc suddenly recognizing an encounter that they knew was coming, packaged, presented or sequenced slightly different to preserve some element of surprise.

I'll start sharing thoughts on where this was all headed with Smith via PM. And then, I shall lurk. :)

Well, with DM Luke's blessing, I'll be taking over the GMing reins of the campaign. I've decided to run a slightly off-script 'survival horror' side adventure (since we're in Halloween season) before returning to the meat of the Curse of the Crimson Throne adventure path.

Luke told me he's been following the main script of the CotCT AP while tweaking encounters here and there for his own ideas and/or to pump up the challenge for a party of 5 25-point-buy PCs. I'll be doing the same. Luke also revealed some of his future plans and plot twists, and I'll try to incorporate those into the game going forward.

For the previous games I've run on the forums, I've used a combination of Google Docs and Roll20 for combat maps. I've heard some complaints about how Roll20 interacts (or doesn't interact) with phone users, but I'm the proverbial old dog who doesn't really want to learn any new tricks (though you can try to convince me to learn and adopt Google Slides or whatever you kids call that app. (It took great force of will to type "app" instead of "program.")

I'll try to post every 1-2 days; on days I do post, I may well make multiple posts.

If anyone has any questions or suggestions, I'm open to them.

So, thinking about it, I'm up for continuing, at least for now. I can't guarantee I'm going to stay with the game, but I do enjoy playing Nebbin and playing with all of you. (FWIW, I read House on Hook Street when it came out, but I have no knowledge of this AP other than the queen is the bad guy.)

I will admit I much prefer Google Slides (actually, I use Google Drawing) for maps. Roll20 doesn't work at all on my work computer, and even on my home computer, I feel like it's just a bit more work for PBP (I'm fine with it for live games).

Nice! Thank you for taking on the GM role Crimson/Kayleigh. That name transition might take some time to get used to, 'Kayleigh' is almost a reflex by now. I'm glad you're sticking around Nebbin!

I don't really have a big preference for maps. I've used Google Slides, which I think works well, and Roll20, which is also fine.

How do you intend to Handle Kayleigh Crimson? Will she continue to be an adventuring DMPC or will she transition into her healing and charity work with the clinic? If she's not going to be so active in the adventuring going forward, do we need a new player?

Also, out of curiosity, who among us does know the AP? I know nothing about The House on Hook Street. I do know some things about CotCC, but it's more a set of "facts" or "plot arcs" about the campaign, stuff that's practically in the air and water since it's been around for so long and has been discussed widely over time. No details or specifics really.

Good questions. I know four players are the standard, but definitely would be concerned with our mix if Kayleigh won't be with us (but also completely understand why you wouldn't want to run both; and it's certainly easy enough to have Kayleigh turn her attention to helping deal directly with the effects of the Blood Veil full time).

My plan is to keep Kayleigh on as a DMPC but move her a little more to the background. She'll still provide healing, recovery, and blood veil removal, but I'm going to look to you players to make the big decisions. Which is probably a good thing, as Kayleigh's obsession with combating the blood veil has had a tendency to slow the follow-up on other plotlines.

I played CotCT into Book 3 of the AP several years back (the D&D 3.5 version) but had barely flipped through the last 3 volumes, so I'll need to refresh my knowledge of the later events over the coming weeks. I bought the revised PF-rules revision PDF during one of the convention sales earlier this year, so I've now got the whole saga in its full current ruleset glory.

I've actually come into this nearly completely blind; a lot of what I thought was part of this AP turned out to be half-remembered things from a skim I did of Carrion Crown a while back. A friend of mine has the paperback of the anniversary edition but I haven't done more than looked at its cover.

Seems to align nicely with Fírinne being completely new to the city and its circumstances, at least.

Just to make sure it's clear, Ravnos is a female tabby cat.

Whoops! I kind of knew that at one point but forgot.

Chin rubs to make amends!

"Purr..."

If we make our Will Saves, are we allowed to narrate what happens in our nightmares next?

If we make our Will Saves, are we allowed to narrate what happens in our nightmares next?

Possibly. You might even wake up from them.

Before that, though, I have to hustle Nebbin through what happens when he (along with Kayleigh) wakes up first.

Alrighty. Not sure what Ravnos can really do at this point...

Alrighty. Not sure what Ravnos can really do at this point...

Having her Aid Another on a character's check to escape or burst the web seems ridiculous on the surface but may be rules-legal.

And a big "Yay!" for the latest Will saves rolled by Tassira and Emi. I'm really looking forward to having all the characters able to take actions at the same time!

Double Yikes!! My latest post was even more challenging than the nightmares one, due in no small part to my sister calling from her cell phone on three separate occasions to chat. I hope the post is legible--I couldn't bring myself to reread it any more.

I think what I'll do after I get Nebbin's initial actions (and maybe some from Ravnos as well) is get the players involved in the combat to roll a bunch of attacks & damage rolls and maybe multiple Escape Artist/burst web checks (if necessary). That way I can patch together a narrative of the battle (which I don't expect to be long but which I also don't want to drag out over several days) which I can post in one fell swoop; that way, Emi and Firinne's players won't have to stand by for days doing nothing.

More on that once I get the first batch of actions from Nebbin and Ravnos.

Suspected that I'd forgotten something....

There's no map (yet) for the battle. I'll be trying to learn Google Slides tomorrow and/or this weekend and getting something posted ASAP.

Nebbin, you're also owed a Round 1 Action. So you can immediately try to escape again.

"RROOWRR! HISSSS! RRRROWOWWOWORR!!"

"Psst! Purr-purr-meow-mrowr!"

P.S. - Any profanity-laced ranting folks might hear coming from somewhere in Massachusetts would be me trying to learn Google Slides.

What are you trying to learn? It's pretty quick once you get the hang of it. I'm happy to share my thoughts...

What are you trying to learn? It's pretty quick once you get the hang of it. I'm happy to share my thoughts...

Currently, I have an image of the cupola, but it doesn't have tokens or a grid. I'm watching a tutorial on YouTube, but I'm not sure those issues will be coming up on it.

"...mmrrp. Mew."

"Grrrowrrr."

Sorry for the gap in posting. I've had a few eventful days, including a 7 hour(!) zoom meeting to finish off my work week, a day trip to the beach, and adopting a second dog.

I should be able to catch up and post tomorrow.

Anyways, would Ravnos be able to start cutting others free with her claws?

Anyways, would Ravnos be able to start cutting others free with her claws?

Probably not: Each square of the web has DR 5/-. Even with crits, I don't think she could cause enough damage in one strike to overcome the DR. She might be able to rip the 'cord web strands' attached to sleepers' heads, though.

@Emi: No problem. It's looking like the battle with the ettercaps may end tomorrow and some of the sleepers should start waking up. Firinne isn't helping her cause with those terrible Will saves, though.

Alrighty--as long as she can do something to help get the others into the fight.

Currently, I have an image of the cupola, but it doesn't have tokens or a grid. I'm watching a tutorial on YouTube, but I'm not sure those issues will be coming up on it.

You have to upload each token individually. I typically just right-click on our avatars, copy that image, and then paste them into the Google Slide. There's no way to get a grid unfortunately (at least no easy way that I know). I just typically have people either move themselves, or describe their movement (three squares up, two over // I move next to enemy X).

One thing I find useful is the border color/weight/dash tools, when you have multiple enemies with the same image/token. If you click on the token, you'll see a little pencil. I put a border on (typically two point) and then add a color so people can differentiate. If there are enough enemies you can also use dash vs. solid borders, though I've only had to do that once or twice.

You CAN make a table that can serve as a grid using Google Slides or Google Drawings, but I personally wouldn't recommend it when official maps are available.

It's also helpful to put the actual map itself into a "layout template," which makes it harder for people to accidentally bump the entire thing out of alignment.

Would dispelling the nightmare spells work to wake Firinne up?

Would dispelling the nightmare spells work to wake Firinne up?

Dispel magic won't work because nightmare is, technically, an instantaneous effect. Also, that spell doesn't work against supernatural effects, which is what the nightmare ettercaps' night terrors ability (which is extending Firinne's nightmare) is.

Dispel evil should work, but that spell's likely beyond the party's capabilities at this point.

I'm on vacation this week, so not sure how much time I'll have for posting. I may still have time to post today and Tuesday, but definitely don't expect to be posting Wednesday-Friday. I'm hoping to get going again Saturday evening.

Still trying to get my head screwed on straight. If I still can't get focused/motivated enough to learn Google Slides by the weekend after Thanksgiving, I'll revert to what I DO know somewhat (Roll20) for maps until my brain starts functioning again.

I'm fine with using Roll20 if you know it and it's easier for you. No need to suffer over it!

Yeah, that's fine. (I'm sure one of us could also walk you through it when you're ready.)

Thirded!

QUICK UPDATE: I think I've got a Roll20 game set up (it's been several years since I set up my other game there). I've got a map set up; all I need are some tokens for the cultists. Unfortunately, I only have a paper copy of "The House on Hook Street" so I have to scan some images by hand to create the tokens...and my printer/scanner is highly temperamental. If it fails me, I'll try a dive on the web to find other suitable images.

I'm hoping to have a post up later today.

Thanks for bearing with me over this rough patch!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Happy Hannukah to motteditor (I'm late but it's early...so it's a wash in my book).

I'm feeling a lot better and plan on pushing things along (at least until Christmas and New Year's inject their influence into the proceedings).

I'm running a bit behind schedule today, so at this point I'm probably going to hold off posting until tomorrow to give TASSIRA a bit more time to post.

A couple of quick notes about my GMing style: I try to use BOLD/CAPS in a post when there's something for the character's player to note or they're up in combat. It's not usually meant as a virtual cattle-prod--I find that as a PbP player myself, I sometimes skim posts and fail to note important things that concern my PC. Also, I try to tint injured foes' tokens a reddish color on Roll20 to indicate that they're wounded.

Apologies for the gap in posting. Aside from the holiday my car was totaled over the weekend. No injuries, but I'm in the middle of dealing with all the stuff involved, including finding a new vehicle right quick. It may be a few days yet before things are back to normal. If you need to please bot me.

Ugh, that's rough. :(

Will post ASAP. Just finishing up some work, so I hope it will be tonight.

GM, how would you like to handle Opportune Parry and Riposte? Luke was just doing the rolling for me, which I was fine with, but you may have a different preference.

GM, how would you like to handle Opportune Parry and Riposte? Luke was just doing the rolling for me, which I was fine with, but you may have a different preference.

In hindsight, I should've just responded, "I'm not sure" rather than let this slide for as long as I have.

I think my preference would be for you to include a spoiler with the parry roll and the riposte rolls when you'd like to use the deed and spend a panache point.

I should have a gameplay post up later today.

That's what I've typically done with my swashbuckler, with the assumption it'll trigger on the first attack against me (unless I call out otherwise, of course, but I usually don't).

To help myself, I also usually include an OOC note to myself/everyone to indicate panache will be X if parry goes off.

Works for me! That's what I've done in the past as well.