Mortika runs "Out of Anarchy" (Inactive)

Game Master Zizazat

Hey there. My name's Chris.

I'd like to run "Out of Anarchy", an infiltration-and-rescue mission for the Pathfinder Society.

The consensus around here is that the scenario runs long and is complex, which I think makes it best suited for a play-by-post environment.

I intend to run this as a legal Pathfinder Society game, so all the characters will earn PFS Chronicles for their efforts. I ran several Play-by-posts a couple years' back, so this will be an opportunity for me to learn some things as well.

If you don't have a Society character, yet, that's fine. You're welcome to build a new PC according to the free Guide to the Pathfinder Society. (If I were to oversimplify, I would say: it's a 20-point buy, 150 starting gold. There are a handful of campaign-specific rules.)

Once I pick a team and check stats, I'll start the scenario in a week or so, with text here on the Paizo boards, and maps through Google. I'm expecting to get finished by the end of August, with a break for Gen Con. To accomplish this, I'm expecting people to be able to post daily during the work week. (More frequently is welcome, of course.)

So, what am I asking you to do here?

1) Introduce your character -- if you have one -- or your intended concept. To give PFS veterans some guidance: "Out of Anarchy" is a Tier 1-5 scenario and I'm guessing we'll be running at sub-tier 1-2.

2a) Experienced PFS characters: Provide two or three paragraphs, in character, explaining the greatest accomplishment, or the greatest disaster, or the greatest lesson, you've experienced during your career as a Pathfinder agent.

2b) New Pathfinder characters: According to "Seekers of Secrets" almost every Pathfinder agent endures a three-year apprenticeship program in the Grand Lodge. Provide two or three paragraphs, in character, explaining why you left home to join the Pathfinders, and what motivated you to join the secret faction that earned your affiliation.

3) Let me know whether your character is running in Core or Standard Mode.

This recruitment is not first-come, first-serve. In a day or two, I'll draw straws, looking to build a well-balanced party. I'll let you know now that I'm likely to be capricious, and I'll apologize in advance to those who won't make the cut.

I am, of course, happy to answer any questions.

I have heard both good an bad about this one, but I'll give it a try.

I have a few possible standard characters. My Core character is already in a PbP, so unavailable.
A level 5 inquisitor for high tier. (He has some face skills but isn't usually sneaky. So might not be a great fit.)
A level 2 bloodrager for low tier.
A level 1 gunslinger for low tier.

I can do an intro once I have a better idea what would be useful for the group.

I have a Gunslinger/Brawler 2 and a Skald 2 both standard. If we end up high tier, I have a Archer Slayer 5 and a Monk 4(who is finishing up a scenario).

High tier: Alchemist (Grenadier) level 4. ''If a problem can't be solved with a bomb, then it is unsolvable.''

Low tier: Bloodrager (Earth elemental) level 2. ''Two feet on the ground, and my greataxe in my hands: that's the way I like it!''

"Did somebody say anarchy? That's my specialty! Let me get a drink, then point me in the right direction. I'm ready to go!"

Tovar is a Standard Mode Cleric of Cayden Cailean, level 1. He's got a pretty well developed back story. Let me know if you want anything else.

I can offer the following characters:

Waki Huro - Tengu (Ninja 2)
Omar Posada - Half Elf (Skald 1)

if there is room. Let me know if additional details are needed.

I'll call Sunday late afternoon as a cut-off. I'll be putting the party together at that time.

And Elter Ego, that's my experience as well. I'm going to do everything I can to make this a great adventure.

Quite tempting Chris, but I've got too many pbp games on my schedule at the moment. Maybe we can play something together at GenCon though, send me a PM or email with your schedule and we'll see if we can work something out.

Am interested if there's still space that is.

Understandable, Pirate Rob. Are you free Wednesday of Gen Con?

--

What sort of character, nightdeath?

Take another look at the introductory post.

Frissarose Hobblebom, Gnome Flame Oracle 5, tongues curse - Super friendly and prone to speaking in run-on sentences. Thinks fast, moves fast, and a bit of a blasty pyro.

"My name is Frissarose, but my friends call me Frissa and my mum calls me Rose...my biggest accomplishment would be frying baddies while I help keep everyone safe...but I recently talked my way into this warehouse thing and managed to keep the guards busy giving me a tour by pretending to be someone who might store my goods there while one...all the while, one of my pals slipped in and did some work in the back...I even convinced them that the one guy they did spot sneaking in was my security chief and he was "testing their defences" to decide whether I would feel safe storing my cargo there...as for failures, I was actually killed once in a pit fight by a big guy with an axe...maybe I'm not built right for pit fights...that's how I got this one streak of white hair, I think." she pauses at that and twirls her one lock of white hair among a mop of bright red, snapping the other finger and creating sparks with the other hand.

1. Isidian Caissa Human (Taldor) Cavalier-1/Bard-1. Status of minor taldan nobility but of a bankrupt house. Seeks personal wealth to restore his family's name and to attain honor and notoriety. Isidian is a talented swordsman and upcoming knight. He is playing with standard rules.

2. I was at Nerosyan when the demons attacked. What they came for I do not know, perhaps they sought to aquire the information the Society had attained on a new Sky-Citadel for themselves, perhaps they were after our leadership, with so many of us gathered in one place. Perhaps they simply were drawn to an opportunity to cause mayhem, as demons often are.

None of us were prepared, there was utter chaos. We were cut off from our leaders and had to organize into smaller cells. None of us knew where the demons came from or what districts to defend, but they soon all came under heavy attack. I joined a small cadre of heros and tried to lead them into the fray, though all our courage was faltering. Uncertain where to strike a blow strategically, we tried to eliminate as many of the creatures as we could in our area. I saw many good men and women die that day, I should want to say they fought bravely but they had little choice; fight or be cut down, for no demon recognizes surrender. I very nearly fell myself, to this day I do not know how I summoned up the reserves to press on during the final attack.

Though the leadership may claim Nerosyan as a victory in that we held the city, the battle was nothing short of a disaster. I shall not soon forget the sight of the living siege towers they sent against us, belching forth their insectoid clouds of death. At Nerosyan I learned the burdens of those who would be leaders, and that no camp, however seemingly secure, however strong the walls, can ever be truly safe.

I've got a couple of options here, both Standard mode and both 3rd level. One is a cleric I haven't yet been motivated to rebuild (though this could be the impetus if the party needs a divine caster). My other choice is a half-elf melee (Bloodrager (steelblood) 1/Ranger (guide) 2), who's a GM credit baby so I don't yet have a "voice" for him...but play-by-post is a great way to develop that.

Can make an IC post for either, though one will likely be easier than the other. :-)

If you're interested in playing, I would indeed like you to try your hand at (2a) up in the initial post.

If you have two characters you're trying to decide between, pick one.

Pavanna al-Azario is a Chelish cleric of Asmodeus (cleric 4), of Kelish descent. She is a piece of work, to be sure. Mistreated by those born of Chelish blood, Pavanna found a way to force her will on those around her, devotion to Lord Asmodeus. Pavanna's angry, honeyed words, and binding wordsmithing can bite just as deeply as the negative energy she wields. Drawn into the pull of the Paracountess Zarta Dralneen, Pavanna soon found herself in Absalom on the grounds of Skyreach training to be an field agent of the Pathfinder Society.

Especially during her time as a Pathfinder, Pavanna has had her racist upbringing and beliefs repeatedly challenged and disproved. Almost as if the Ten themselves wanted to break her of such ridiculous notions, she was dispatched to the River Kingdoms and was the only human Pathfinder on the team. She has had to learn to rely on the assistance and skills of non-human teammates. She very much struggles with the motives of the Pathfinder leadership, but she trusts the Paracountess.

Her adoration of the Paracountess is very strong, but her faith in the Prince of Lies has never been shaken. The Chelish who would discount her due to her Kelish blood soon learn the Prince of Laws blesses her with His gifts and His word is not to be taken lightly.

Pavanna is a standard campaign mode character.

Hunter of Legends
.
Demon Spawn Tiefling bloodrager 2, if playing lower tier 1-2
Rage shaper and cross blooded (aberrant and abyssal)
Has a horsechopper for a reach weapon, a bow for distance, and natural weapons when raging.
Is more intelligent than he lets on, though still no genius.
Tries to always have the right gear for the task at hand.
The job is the important thing. Relatively unconcerned with side effects or others opinions. If the job is getting done, things are fine.
.
Yes, I may look like a simple wall of muscle. And yes, I can certainly function as such. However, I have found it much more effective to intelligently plan when, where, and how that muscle will be applied. I am also perfectly open to using the correct tools when that is the correct action.
For example, that trouble with Kalkamedes. He was one weird old man. I don’t know why everyone was so concerned what happened to such as him, but that was the job. I always complete the job.
Yes, my muscle was necessary to get us to the point where a solution was found. But if we had stupidly set free the devil, no amount of muscle would have allowed any of us to survive.

Wall of steel getting in the way of bad things.

Dwarf Inquisitor 5 of Ragathiel (god of heroes), if upper tier
Silver Crusade
Full plate, sword & board
Has the AC and hp to be a decent tank
Some buff spells with backup healing
Some monster knowledges (though not all that great yet)
Good intimidate and decent diplomacy
Feels it is his job to protect the more fragile members of the company from the evil things in the world
Uses Silence spell or simply removes his armor when some stealth or circumspection is necessary.

Ragathiel wants us to all be heroes. That is my mission – to assist all to grow into the heroes that Ragathiel knows they can become. For example: in that nasty business on the Throaty mermaid. I even convinced some of these unscrupulous sailors to stand up for what was right. Ok, maybe it wasn’t willingly and it wasn’t exactly heroic. But it was certainly a step in that direction from their usual. And when the villainess and her henchman attacked us, I managed to nullify most of her power so my allies could save the ship, day, and mission.

I might put this Fighter up for consideration though I'll need to update him to reflect his level of 5.

ALden Darkcrown

"Y'all can call me Wayne or Jericho. I'm a straight shooter. If ya need somethin' shot I'm yer man. If ya need someone good in a scrap, I'm yer man. Hell, if ya need someone to drink with, well I'm good with that too. My best accomplishment? Hmm.. I reckon it was when I landed a bullet right between the eyes of a flyin' lizard while we were ridin' down a river. I dropped that no good varmint into the water with one shot. It was one of the few shots that didn't jam that day. Heh."

"I am Alden Darkcrown. Aspirant to the Hellknights. Trainee Warrior in the order of the Chain. I am a warrior and will not back down to the likes of mere foes that seek to stop our path. Yet do not think me a simple warrior for I have labored long over the books assigned to me by my trainers and though I am not a scholar, I have done reasonably well for myself. I have being trained in interrogation and the finer noble arts of diplomacy. My skills have lead me to uncover a murder, face off multiple fiery foes, aided the pathfinders in an important mission and spoke to a talking shield in Taldor. I am at your Disposal."

Chris --

Hey, I was your goblin GM for WBG Too and Free at Convergence. Before I submit one of my PFS characters, about how long do you expect this one to run in weeks?

Hilary

Oh, never mind. I see that this one will finish up in August.

A young and very well-dressed Taldan girl steps forward. Her eyes are clouded, but she still can see well enough to unflinchingly meet the gaze of the Venture Captain.

She courtesies. "Greetings, I am Roberta Blakros, but all my friends call me Bobbi. Um, yes, I'm related to those Blakros. The ones from the museum...."

She looks around, head held high, as if daring you to say anything against the Blakros Clan. When no one does, she recovers her poise and easy manner. "I'm one of the leading goblin experts in the Sovereign Court faction. After my Confirmation, I prevented the assassination of Lady Ulisha, a well-known Pathfinder, and helped her recover Silverhex, a magical weapon of untold value. However, I am better known for my original research into goblin tribes. I completed two in-depth studies of the Birdcrunchers and the Licktoads before the latter was wiped out."

"In addition to these skills, I'm a fairly decent scholar, have excellent diplomatic skills and am an asset in a fight should diplomacy not work. Now, what sort of a mission do you have for us?"

__________________________
Lunar Oracle 2, Psychic Searcher Archetype -- Inspiration dice to Diplomacy, Sense Motive and Assorted Knowledge Skills. Standard Campaign.

I see a bunch of familiar faces.

Looking through my PCs

A demure halfling, clothed in leathers and furs, leaves his imposing white bengal tiger behind and approaches...

Hello, I'm Fidgwick Thistlebrow. I'm pretty new here. I grew up in a remote region and just had the longing to see the world. I guess that is what has drawn me to the Pathfinders and the Grand Lodge. Most of my time here has been spent gathering herbs and talking to other adventurers. I can't wait to go out and start seeing the world! From what I did see in my travels here has been pretty amazing. I could never imagine the size of cities; so many people crowded together, with such architecture! It's amazing, but a little scary as well. I'm more comfortable out in nature myself. I hope I get my first assignment soon.

I'm Luke and am new to Pathfinder society. I've played only one other PBP game (not pathfinder), but I have played a lot of pathfinder and 3.5 years ago. Fidgwick is a Halfling Druid, level 1. I'm not sure the distinction of "core" and "standard", but I've adhered to the PFS rules, picked a trait, and have just used the core rulebook and guide to organized play. I'll be able to post 1-2 times daily (usually early am US Eastern, or late).

What program will be used to generate dice rolls? Also, do you have a preferred online character sheet software?

Thanks.

Luke, there is a dice roller right in the paizo site.

So for example....

________________________

Roberta did not hesitate. She stabbed the Mugger who had dared cast aspersions on the Blakros Museum straight in his philistine heart. "For Art! For Culture!"

So I would type in this to roll my dice...
[dice=Longspear v. Mugger #1]1d20+4+2[/dice] [b][ooc]Includes Divine Favor, Fate's Favored[/ooc]
[dice=Damage]1d8+3+2[/dice]

...and it becomes this!
Longspear v. Mugger #1: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 4 + 2 = 22 Includes Divine Favor, Fate's Favored
Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

Or more simply:
[dice]1d20[/dice]
[dice]1d8[/dice]

becomes...
1d20 ⇒ 5
1d8 ⇒ 4

________________________

Similarly, if you click Roberta's avatar, you can see her character sheet. You can do the same with any of the other characters in green text. Everyone formats a little differently, but so long as its clear and readable, you're good!

By the way, you get 2 traits! Have fun!

________________________

For More Information on Play by Post
DH's Guide to Play-by-Post Gaming
Building a Better Doomed Hero, Painlord's Guide to Advanced Play-by-Post Gaming

As I said, I choose a party out of whimsey. Mostly, I look for characters who might make a good story together, riffing off one another. Secondarily, I look to build a balanced party, and I favor people with good writing style.

There's an outstanding high sub-tier party here, with

Alden Darkcrown
Frissarose Hobelbom
Morrolan de'Morcaine
Pavanna al-Azario

Selestria (Myriade99's alchemist) would be a fun addition to the group. Is the character PFS-legal? (I think you'll need to change the character's deity.)

There are some terrific 2nd-level characters here, too. But this looks like a subtier 4-5 party. If you're willing to play your 2nd-level PCs out of subtier, I'd be happy to add any of these to the party (first come, first serve). I understand if you demur.

Roberta
Wayne
Isidian

Please head over to the Gameplay board.

Thanks, everybody.

I can switch PCs. I have an Archer Slayer 5 I will play instead of Wayne.

Sounds like a plan.

Whoppee, I'm playing with Amazing Red!

Chris --

Usually when GMs ask about playing up, I ask in return "How dangerous is this one?" If this is a combat-heavy adventure, I'll likely need to bow out. If it's more RP centric, Roberta could play.

Hmm

EDITED to ADD:

Oh, with Selestria and Amazing Red, you have a full party, don't you? I guess my question doesn't matter. Have fun, guys, and congratulations to all selected! Should there be a gameplay no-show, please keep Roberta in mind as an alternate.

I'd play out of subtier as well. Sounds like you have a lot of interest.

Congrats to the winners; I've always found Chris to be a terrific GM. :-)

We're still waiting for Selestria. Hmm, and awp832, this scenario has some pretty tough fights in it. (That's a judgement call; I haven't actually run them against the iconics yet.) My guess is that it's dangerous, but survivable.

I'd do it anyway, if there is space.

Register the character and provide his stats on the "alias" page, awp832.

sorry, i've not done pbp on this site before. it should all be better now.

Ah, it looks awp beat me to it. Congratulations awp!

Chris, do you often run combats against the iconics to prep adventures? I'm impressed.

Hmm,

Yep, I run at least one mock-up of every combat, so I can tell what the NPCs are likely to do, what tactics and spells work in the environment, etc.

Huh. Clearly my prep skills still have a ways to go. I will have to try that out for the next one I gm! PM me if you get an early dropout.

Hugs,
Hmm