Netopalis' Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment (PFS 2013 PBP Game Day) (Inactive)

Game Master Netopalis

Welcome to the Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment. I'm Netopalis, and I will be your GM for this adventure. First of all, thanks for signing up! This is my first time GMming a PBP, so I hope you'll all bear with me as I work through the kinks of running my first one.

The Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment is one of my favorite scenarios. It's dark and a bit morbid, and oozes with flavor. As such, please be prepared for the discussion of some adult themes.

A few notes before we get started:

1) Remember to have fun and don't be a jerk. Things may get a bit heated, but it's all in good fun.

2) Try to post once a day if you can. I'm not going to strictly enforce that, but it would be good for all of the rest of us if you could do so. If you will be leaving for a vacation, let us know. In advance, I should let you all know that I will be attending a convention on Oct. 17-20, and will likely not be posting in the game during that weekend.

3) During the non-combat portions of the adventure, when moving to a new room, please post something along these lines: Move: North or Move: Library. There are certain events in this scenario that will depend heavily on where everybody is. Once one player moves, I will give 24 hours to see who else has moved before revealing the next room. This is done to avoid combat with only half of the party present, or somebody falling into a trap without other party members around to help them out.

4) Please be sure to have your character info updated in the appropriate character that you will be posting under. I won't be doing full audits of all characters, but I would like to glance over everybody's character sheets, as some abilities can come into play in odd ways.

5) All Perception rolls will be done in secret, and you will not know the exact result on the die.

Thanks for reading all of this! We'll be starting on Oct. 4!

Mizunoken pokes his beak into the discussion

I hear there's adventure afoot, and I've been itching for some retribution after that damnable stunt Torch pulled. Name's Mizunoken. You can call me Mimi on account its probably easier for your unevolved tongue to pronounce.

Mizunoken pulls out a monthly planner and a pencil

It appears I will be part of a "Celebration of Wings" on October 11-13, so my availability might be sparse; I'll feather in some instructions during that time and do my best to check the action.

Mimi scrolls down the list

Ah! Lord Netopalis, our annual Lamashan celebration of fun and games! Our fates are knotted that Fireday, Starday, and Sunday.

Mimi flips through a few more pages

Beyond other potential holiday observances, dependent upon how long we are away, I foresee no other obstacles.

Greetings everyone. I'm Tamerius Nilmois, Mendevian Crusader, follower of the Great Asmodeus, defender of Nerosian.

Asmodeus burning fire clean us all.

One other thing I forgot to mention; I will be using Roll20 for the maps for this campaign - if you do not yet have an account for that service, please sign up for one at roll20.net.

One other thing I forgot to mention; I will be using Roll20 for the maps for this campaign - if you do not yet have an account for that service, please sign up for one at roll20.net.

Let me know if you *really* want Fog of War, I can create you a table.

If we end up going low-tier, I can sub out a more level-appropriate character... I have quite a few that might make things interesting.

Asmodeus burning fire clean us all.

...would Asmodeus be so kind as to spare the ships his scouring? Besmara might not take favor, otherwise.

One other thing I forgot to mention; I will be using Roll20 for the maps for this campaign - if you do not yet have an account for that service, please sign up for one at roll20.net.

Why do we need to apply ?

Do you count using rolld20 to do the fights ? Or just for creating the map ?

I asked because I can't have access to Rolld20 from my work.

I'm planning on using it for the fights and for keeping track of the map throughout the adventure - if you can recommend a different service, I'd be willing to consider it.

As long as all our actions are made here - on the forum - and the use of rolld20 is just to keep track to our action/movement on the map I'm ok.

Unfortunately , I can't play through rolld20.

Oh, that's fine, it's just for keeping track of where everybody is. If you want to post in generic terms where you're moving, I'll allow that too and will approximate your movement to the best of my abilities.

Perfect ! :)

If people want to play up, I can change my character to better fit the group needs.

Nevertheless Tamerius will be 2d level when we will start.

G'Day All,

I listed wizard on Warhorn which I haven't created yet, but I do have Seaweed here as a 3rd level cleric if you prefer (profile not yet leveled :).

Netopolis I do have a bit of PbP experience, feel free to lean on me whenever for whatever. If I might be so bold, how much experience does everyone else have with PbP?

I'm experienced in PbP :)

I'm planning on using it for the fights and for keeping track of the map throughout the adventure - if you can recommend a different service, I'd be willing to consider it.

Upon perusing some other PbP games, someone was using "Draw" from Google Docs to handle their map and token movement. I believe they were doing Thornkeep (Enigma Vault, perhaps?)

If I might be so bold, how much experience does everyone else have with PbP?

G'evening, glad to make your acquaintance! I'll admit, this is my first PbP experience, but I'm very excited to give it a go.

Netopalis wrote:

I'm planning on using it for the fights and for keeping track of the map throughout the adventure - if you can recommend a different service, I'd be willing to consider it.

Upon perusing some other PbP games, someone was using "Draw" from Google Docs to handle their map and token movement. I believe they were doing Thornkeep (Enigma Vault, perhaps?)

This map would not work well with Google Docs.

Evigail 'Seaweed' Brandiday wrote:

If I might be so bold, how much experience does everyone else have with PbP?

G'evening, glad to make your acquaintance! I'll admit, this is my first PbP experience, but I'm very excited to give it a go.

The secret is to post everyday ;-)

The secret is to post everyday ;-)

Mister Nal-MOIS... loose lips sink ships. ;)

Is wizard 1(warhorn), preferred over cleric 3?
Any thoughts?

After having played around with it a bit, I've decided on Google Draw after all. Is that alright with everybody?

Is wizard 1(warhorn), preferred over cleric 3?

Any thoughts?

Divine might be nice if we don't have it, but I'd say "play whatever your heart desires".

After having played around with it a bit, I've decided on Google Draw after all. Is that alright with everybody?

Works for me friend.

Is google docs different than google draw? Tis fine by me. :)

Is google docs different than google draw? Tis fine by me. :)

It's a feature of Google Docs that I wasn't aware of earlier. It basically works like Microsoft Publisher in that it lets you manipulate images on top of other images.

Sounds good by me. Looking forward to this!

Greetings brothers and sisters. It would be my honor to guide you to Enlightenment.

I like rolld20, but I have used Google Docs as well. Depending on which medium you are planning on going with, I can recommend a few names for advice. I'm "old skool" and just use a database grid map. Its not pretty, but it gets the job done.

If you need any help with PbP games, I would be happy to help. I have a few games under my belt.

While I am level 5, I have no problems playing down if people are more comfortable with that.

Shan: I think that I'm pretty happy with the Google Draw. We'll see how it goes after the first combat. I really, really hate to use a database, though, because the map for this scenario is positively beautiful. The adventure really loses a lot if you don't get to see it.

Then I fully endorse which ever method allows us to see the art of this map. I do what I gotta do because I'm busy, yet lazy because I'm busy. Such is life.

I'll be posting the intro this evening at midnight; please have your character introductions posted by then.

It is relatively easy to move a pic from the pdf to google docs. (see 'map' for an example). I dinnae know what this does for quality, but it is easy. :)

EDIT: and it looks like three divine (cleric, ranger, druid) so I will go with my new character (wizard 1). I will be making the alias/profile today.

Curaigh: I know and that's basically what I'm doing.

EDIT: and it looks like three divine (cleric, ranger, druid) so I will go with my new character (wizard 1). I will be making the alias/profile today.

If it matters, my ranger took the skirmisher archetype, and has no spellcasting ability.

Having a lot of divine is fun in this scenario, since it deals heavily with the religions of Golarion. I wouldn't be too concerned about having too much divine.

Because this has come up in another PbP:

I was more worried about lack of arcane than profusion of divine. That said if there is a really cool bonus for a follower let me know :)

I got the bones in, still more to add obviously. I have to find traits & that will determine my faction for example. Also only two Tengu avi available and Mizunoken has one of them. I went with something with wings and it may change.

I was more worried about lack of arcane than profusion of divine. That said if there is a really cool bonus for a follower let me know :)

It's not so much a bonus as it is the flavor and RP opportunity in the scenario.

Also only two Tengu avi available and Mizunoken has one of them.

You noticed that limitation, too? A friend of Netopalis and I would be rather upset at the dearth of Tengu portrait selections. :P

Heh. Luckily, I do have an alternate Tengu image, which I'm sure he wouldn't mind you using. How's this?

Tengu Token of Terrific Triumph!

Forgot to mention: Could everybody please PM me with their faction if you do not have one listed, or if it is different than your icon? Although the missions are no longer relevant for PP, I do enjoy giving them out.

There was also a Kenku, just to give us a third...

Sorry kids but I will be dropping out before the fun starts! Take care, Play well and have fun

Tamerius is now 3rd level FYI GM ;-)

Does that change the tier we play at?

I calculate 2.5 as the new APL + 1 for 6 people -> 3.5

In S5, the +1APL is forgotten. So APL is 2.5

Yeah but this isn't this a s3 module?

Doesn't matter with the Guide 5.0.

Now, if our APL is between tiers and we are 6 we MUST play up (for S0-3 scenario). BUT, if nobody is in the upping tiers (like nobody is at least 4th level in a 1-5 scenario) we can choose to play up or down. It's the only exception of the new rule.

Alright I get it, thanks.

I have no problem if you want to roll a skill for me. If you are going to ask, might as well roll it yourself. ;)

I would also recommend that you roll all the initiatives at the start of the encounter if you plan on doing individual initiatives instead of waiting on everybody to roll their own. This is also good advice about saving throws, but some people have special bonuses to saves that the GM may not pick up on (like Hardy from dwarves). If this turns a failed save into a made save, then you may have to recon the narrative results. But I'm a GM-rolls-the-saves kinda guy.

By doing this, it maintains a good pace of the game. While we want to think everybody will post daily, there are times when somebody is unable to post for 3-5 days, thus holding the game up for a simple Will Save. And nothing kills a game faster then lag.

Definately roll for inititive for the players. Saves can be done either way, I think I've rolled most of my own saves on pbp games.

One other thing is can you post the map so that it links at the top (just above the thread)? I'm not exactly how the GM does it but it makes it much easier to get to the map rather then taking the time to dig through a thread.

Click the Campaign Info tag and in the "Short Discription" box, you put the [url] link.