Mangroves of the Desert (Inactive)

Game Master Herkymr the Silly

I will be out of state until Tuesday for family. I will not be posting til then. srry for the inconvenience.

Thanks for letting us know. Have fun.

I apologize for not posting the last couple of days as my work has consumed most of my brain and awake time this week.

Hey all happy turkey day. Focus on family and fun like I will be doing and I will start up again on monday. Be safe and have fun .....and yes you should be able to do both

Happy turkey day to you as well. Be safe and happy. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Thanks. Same to you.

I would like several items that you think would be useful personally and sveral that would be useful for the party please.

Id also like any feed back you want to giv
e

Items Useful for Quinten
A headband of Intelligence +2 tied to Dungeoneering [4,000 gold]
Reasoning: Intelligence will boost my save DCs, the number of mental focus points I get each day, and my bonus to Knowledge skills.

I chose Dungeoneering as the associated skill because none of us have it covered. I'm thinking the headband might be the circlet that I hope to use an enchantment implement. Perhaps the noble learned to respect commoners after adventuring with and fighting beside them.

Alternately, I could use Perform (oratory) (to represent the noble's skill with rhetoric) or Linguistics (if the headband came from a historian rather than being the noble's circlet).

Cost: 4,000 gold

A ring of protection +1
Reasoning: Somehow, I get the sense we won't be able to avoid combat forever. When it comes, Quinten will need a way to defend himself.
Cost: 2,000 gold

An amulet of natural armor +1
Reasoning: See above.
Cost: 2,000 gold

Enchanted clothing +1
Reasoning: While Quinten knows how to wear armor, he'd prefer to avoid it. With only 10 strength, he isn't fit enough to do so for extended periods. However, he's also smart enough to recognize that defense is important.
Cost: 1,000 gold

A vest of resistance +1
Reasoning: I don't want to fail saves. If the vest has a history behind it, it could eventually become an abjuration implement. For aesthetic reasons, I prefer vests to cloaks.
Cost: 1,000 gold

Items for the Group
A wand of Cure Light Wounds (750 gp; this should let Mang prepare other spells)
Potions of invisibility (300 gold each; in case we need to be sneaky)
Potions of Lesser Restoration (300 gold each; for healing ability damage)
Scrolls of Monkey Fish (if we ever need to go dungeoneering, this could be handy) [25 gold each]

Feedback
I've had fun. I appreciate that you're willing to work in stuff we want to see, encourage us to help shape the world, and incorporate our backstories into the NPC's responses. I'm looking forward to seeing what Milos can do.

I prefer spoilers rather than private messages. I have to admit that it's hard for me to resist the temptation to read ones I shouldn't, and that can make it difficult not to meta game, which I know you dislike. However, spoilers let us know when something has been addressed and make the game look more active, which helps me stay motivated. Keeping most of the relevant information in the thread also makes it easier to read, which is helpful when we need to backtrack or when someone new is trying to get up to speed.

In the past, you've mentioned adding two or three more players to the game. Personally, I'm fine with five. Smaller groups are easier to manage, and there's less chance of overlap. Smaller groups are also easier on players that periodically need to step away; the thread grows at a gradual pace rather than becoming a book every two days, so it takes less time for them to catch up.

Ring of protection

Eyes of the eagle

Ring of feather falling

cloak of resistance

That's all I got for now, I'm cool with what Quinten put up for group items. I might have something else later.

I think you already know I appreciate your style of DM'ing, if I didn't I would have split long ago. =)

Thanks for feedback. I am ok with the group staying small however if someone pitches an awesome addition to the party I would consider bringing them in.

The items all seem good choices I will "mess" with your minds heheheheh with them

I will be out of town and no consistent access to internet til monday sometime. I will try to post between now and then BUT no promises til monday.
I am having fun with the game.
Thanks everyone

I agree with the group items and I have a list of items for personal.
I also want to say that I am loving the game and our group. I am always up for a twist. I also prefer spoilers as it helps me when looking back at things that have already happened.

Tiger fake footprint shoes
adamantine wire saw
springloaded wrist sheaths and daggers
symptom kit
siangham
shuriken
Kusarigama

So at the request and suggestion of the group we will be doing information in spoilers and not in personal messages. That keeps the responsibility on you as players not to ruin your game with reading those not labeled for you.

The discussion must be unanimous

You also have a choice if you desire to go that route of 1500 gp value of items individually. Atleast 500 must be spent on disposables each if you go this route. Olny 900 can be magical items that are not disposable in nature.

If you choose for the group to get items you may have 7500 gp but all has to be spent on things for the group and not individual and anything that looks like it is a personal item to me will need an explanation of why it is a group item.
1000 gp must be spent on "disposables" group wise.
A maximum of 6500gp may be used on non disposable magic items.

You also have a choice if you desire to go that route of 1500 gp value of items individually. Atleast 500 must be spent on disposables each if you go this route. Olny 900 can be magical items that are not disposable in nature.

If you choose for the group to get items you may have 7500 gp but all has to be spent on things for the group and not individual and anything that looks like it is a personal item to me will need an explanation of why it is a group item.
1000 gp must be spent on "disposables" group wise.
A maximum of 6500gp may be used on non disposable magic items.

What an intriguing idea, good job DM.

If we go with the group items, I'm fine buying Eyes of the Eagle for Mang. A good perception roll might save us from an ambush, a hoax, or a natural disaster.

I'm also fine picking up the adamantine wire saw. If we need to get somewhere we shouldn't be–and we're adventurers, so I'm sure we will eventually–it could come in handy.

To my understanding, Milos has healing abilities, albeit unusual ones. Assuming he's interested, we might want to get him a Cloak of Resistance so he doesn't fall to a save or suck spell. I'd suggest one for Mang as well, but if I remember correctly, he already has one.

That would leave us with 3850 gold. A wand of Cure Light Wounds (750 gold), five potions of invisibility (300 gold each), two potions of Lesser Restoration (300 gold each), and two scrolls of Monkey Fish (25 gold each) would bring us to 950 gold, or 237 gold and 5 silver each. Thoughts?

I don't have a resistance cloak, I just put that on my list of items I would find useful. It comes in a bit over the cap for personal item gold value though.

Need a consensus before i can go on...

personal
or
group ??

I think it would be fun to run with Quintens Idea. I think if Herk is up to it the rest of the money could be spent on items of his choice. That way the group would get things they may not understand why they have them. In true adventurer form. It could provide some fun to get items that we are not sure why they were given, or if we actually need them. My snarkiness would randomly pick a bunch of items and make sure a couple have no use at all and then tell them that all will be needed. Then see what the members of the group come up with how to use the items and when.

Sorry went off on an idea. Feel free to ignore. I am good with group.

Milos does not have healing abilities any more, I'm afraid.
I'm therefore inclined to suggest that a large proportion of the group funds should go on healing items.

I'm fine buying items as a group.

group buy is fine

I will get things figured out then and when the dinner in game is over and the discussions finished, I will have them given to you before you leave.

So then is the group ok with the following as quentin has stated?
Purchases:
Eyes of the Eagle for Mang.
adamantine wire saw.
Cloak of Resistance
A wand of Cure Light Wounds ,
5 potions of invisibility
two potions of Lesser Restoration
two scrolls of Monkey Fish

Remaining gold 950 gold, ---- DM randomness/humor/choice????

If so I will make a few adjustments to a few things and get a few other figured out and then we will go from there.

Let me know.

I cant do all with your toon to bring him in. You also need to take some initiative to help me get some tie ins of some sort. I have no Idea what you want to do with your toon so it is harder for me to tie you in at this point without help.
As of right now what i see with your guy is that he is "flat" as to a personality. I rally struggle as a dm to work with flat characters because I have NO IDEA how you see your toon.

TALK with your other players and get assistance and ideas if you need or want. Check the link I will place in next post for an idea of how to help this feel be transferred to the rest of us

For those that haven't posted their music for their characters please do so here.

Also those of you who have please repost them here so we have them all together.

I think this will give a better feel to the characters for everybody.

Remember that there is a bonus coming in game for those that do so and I think you all will like it.

coldnt figure out how to link it.

queinten would you refresh my memory??

Quinten's out-of-combat song is Pretty Maids All in a Row. His combat song is Face Down by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

Herkymr, creating a link is like creating a spoiler, but the equal sign connects to the URL instead of the name of the spoiler, and the text surrounded by the opening and closing sets of brackets is the text you want to highlight. For an example, see Creating Links.

Richard, if you're not sure how to take a more active role, you might be interested in DH's Guide to Play by Post Gaming and Building a Better Doomed Hero: Painlord's Guide to Play by Post Gaming.

One of the key takeaways I got from those guides, or perhaps the comments on them, is that the strong, silent type and the shy bookworm work poorly in a PBP game. You and the other players will have more fun if you play someone who interacts with and cares about the other characters.

Right now, there are several things you could respond to:
1. Shadara, the elven maiden with a bow on her back who has the blood of the Covenant, studied you quite thoroughly as she sat down. Perhaps he gaze makes you uncomfortable enough that you'll introduce yourself.
2. Milos, the pale, well-spoken man who you know to be a vampire from Quinten's thoughts, has a horse whose mind you can't read. Perhaps you could ask him about it.
3. Mang Fu Hu Saan, who I think of as a weather-beaten rock man, has used a greeting that suggests he has a strong appreciation for nature. Perhaps you recognize it as a druidic ritual and are curious whether he's a druid.
4. Jana, our hostess, mentioned an enemy named Kharif. Perhaps you could ask what he's done to deserve her ire and how he manages to escape her wrath.

The fourth option is good because it is something all of us can react to.

I'll try to give you hooks to interact with Quinten as well. Herkymr has given him a good reason to be curious about your character, but the teacher hasn't seen you use any magic, so he hasn't made the connection yet. In the meantime, feel free to treat any thoughts I put in italics (or thoughts I imply outside of italics) as surface thoughts for the purpose of your mind-reading ability.

Concept wise I wanted Richard to be that character that hides his true potential and keeps most info on himself to himself not wanting to have others know about his unique form of magic. So in that he should appear as having a forgettable personality but I see your point. Also from his perspective he's in a unknown place with unknown people and was invited to join them while they discuss seemingly important things. He's missing most of his past memories besides nearly dying in the desert and waking up in the infirmary a few minutes ago. So he's still a little cautious of the others for now.

That said I got an idea of what to post later when I'm not at work.

Thanks to both Quinten and Richard for the help in the discussion. It makes my job much easier and thus for me and i hope for you all more enjoyable.

Milos: been curious as to what you are doing with your horse. :) Been tempted to figure out something either odd, funny, good, or warped to do with him to remind you u figured this was a good approach for now.

Mang your character is starting to become more real to me and fleshed out. Thank you it is making things much easier for me to include you in. Love the interplay you have been using to accentuate that you are a druid and nature and strong talent focused.

Shadara nice to see you playing within character knowledge. I know you have tons of information that isnt shared by party .... yet. And it is easy to overstep from player to character knowledges. Great effort not metagaming.

Not sure if I told Richard and /or quinten about the role of a natural 20 and or natural 1.
20 is +10
1 is -10
then modifiers are added. Also it doesnot signify that you fail or succeed. Just that something potentially good or something potentially annoying or dm bad occurs BECAUSE of the roll. It doesnt mean it will be immediate but it will follow or atleast start to build its place with in just a little bit of time from when the actual role happens.

Shadara - slight of hand observed.

What does the group think about taking a break for the holidays from say the 20th through the 9th? That will allow all to relax and enjoy the holidays with family, etc. It will also allow me to spend sometime getting ahead again on the prep for the game. I have been able to keep ahead (barely) but I am afraid with all the holiday confusion and that that I might fall behind if trying to run game and RL during this time. So WHAT DOES THE GROUP WANT TO DO? i will do my best to post during this time if you all want to but i would prefer not to.

I am amenable to a break. I want to apologize for not posting the last couple of days, life has been a bit hectic. I am loving the game at this point and can see that there can be lots of intrigue in the immediate future. My character seems to be having a "Wheel of time"ish type life changing choice coming up and it will be fun to see what happens.

I'm fine with a break.

Mang, I enjoyed your description.

Here Herk, This is the link to the post that I originally submitted.

Character Music Choices

I think a break would be okay.

Mang first off. AWESOME ExPLANATION OF CHARACTER BOTH PHYSICAL AND CLASS. AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL TIE IN INFORMATION FOR THE GAME.

Richard, I am liking what i am seeing. I appreciate you engageing your character more.

Shadara, yes possible big changes but possible not :) muwahahahahahahahah

Quentin thanks thats all i have to say about everything you have added to game since you joind.

MILOS srry that it is taking a bit to get back to you story wise but I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN. thanks for hanging in there I appreciate having you in the game and between you and quinten I have less fill in for world background than I have ever really had before.
It really makes my job more enjoyable.

Glad you like it! I really enjoy writing a descriptive story for the character, and it gets delicious RP bonus xp.

Are we starting the break now? I was sick yesterday but I don't see any updates.

I wasnt going to but things have gotten really busy here and so If everyone agrees then yes we will start now.
Catch ya at the new year and Merry Christmas

Alright. Happy holidays all!

happy holidays all.

Sorry all,
is RealmWorks working for anyone else?
I've been trying for days to log in and got nothing.
I've been sick and my internet was dodgy, so I thought it was me, but those should now be fixed.
I didn't want to respond to the question without rereading all the Order stuff. :(

I can access the server and sync the game, but I had to install an update to do so. The latest version appears to be 1.0.1048.208. Do you have that one installed?

Aha! You're the man!

I'm glad updating helped.

Merry Christmas and Happy holidays to all.
See ya early January

Happy New Years all!

Hope all the holidays were great and Christ helped the happy.
See you all starting Monday for game.

I'm looking forward to it.

Guys,
I'm going to drop out.
I like how deep the world is, and how Herkymr has incorporated ideas into the setting - but I've lost this character. I've been running into mental blanks for weeks about how to write his post, I did find the information I needed about the world, but I just can't get "into" the character's head any more. He's turned into someone quiet, and moody, and stereotypical. I was down to looking through old posts just try to remember what he looked like.
I know there was more in there when we started, hidden underneath - but I've lost it :(
I really hope the game goes well - with the effort people are putting in, it deserves to.
Sorry for letting you all down.

I'm sorry to hear that. I've enjoyed the posts you've made so far and have been curious to see where Milos goes.

Sorry to hear that as well. I understand what you are saying though. Sometimes the original idea and design of the character can get lost or changed once gameplay starts. You will be missed. I too have enjoyed your posts.

Guys,

I'm going to drop out.
I like how deep the world is, and how Herkymr has incorporated ideas into the setting - but I've lost this character. I've been running into mental blanks for weeks about how to write his post, I did find the information I needed about the world, but I just can't get "into" the character's head any more. He's turned into someone quiet, and moody, and stereotypical. I was down to looking through old posts just try to remember what he looked like.
I know there was more in there when we started, hidden underneath - but I've lost it :(
I really hope the game goes well - with the effort people are putting in, it deserves to.
Sorry for letting you all down.

Hate to see you go. I have enjoyed having you in game and adding as much as you have to the game.

Just throwing it out there, if you wanted to stay in game and "recreate" a character of whatever (guidelines of course) and I would be good with that.

Either way you decide no pressure from me.

Look, please feel free to NPC Milos if you like - I'll do what I can to hand over the character.
A new PC is a very kind offer, but I would prefer to move on rather than be reminded.