A magician never reveals their secrets.
I greatly anticipate what comes next.
Don't mind me. I'm just lurking over here :)
A magician never reveals their secrets.
Ha! I like you.
I greatly anticipate what comes next.
Don't mind me. I'm just lurking over here :)
Please feel free to comment if you'd like! I've only gotten through the intro post of your game, when I have some more time I'd like to read the rest!
Dravos Rennert is very good at bringing out the most Paladin-like side of Rudabeh, as we are about to witness. I want to get this next part just right, so please forgive me for taking my time with this next post.
Phew. This probably won't go well. We'll see if Rudabeh can get out of this one. If not... it was my own fault.
Sorry to derail your joust, but she couldn't let this slide. Paladin and all that. Maybe this was too extreme, I'm not sure, but it felt right for her. We have only seen glimpses of this side of her, but now it's fully out there.
I love it when a player takes a stand.
For some reason I have lost the ability to edit my character sheet from my phone, so my stat line will be incorrect until I figure out why it's doing this.
This is why Rudabeh became a paladin... time to end this irredeemably awful person!
And start a civil war, perhaps.
An unfortunate and unintended consequence... :(
I didn't want this to happen, and neither did Rudabeh, but there was mo avoiding her oaths on that one.
Maybe she could have talked to Irovetti and had him punished later, but I think it was too much to silently bear.
Crime, grafts, extortion she's willing to overlook if it serves a purpose and is technically legal by a country's laws (Like Daggermark) but straight up sadistic killing? No, that falls into the realm of demons and chaos.
Of course, has she caused a greater chaos now? Probably, but we will see.
Wow.
You have done such an incredible job of painting this scene... it's like a real battle. The insanity.
Hmm. Perhaps Rudabeh's actions (or more accurately, Irovetti's choices in response to her actions) will force her to change sides, or perhaps she will still not choose a side. I truly don't know what will happen.
I don't even know how to respond to this yet, and will need to think on it. Even though she doesn't like the Kingdom of the Free, she doesn't want to leave the barbarian woman behind- she came to Rudabeh's side when she was in need, and abandoning her would be quite shameful. I was hoping they could dispatch Dravos and the barbarian lady would could bring Rudabeh to Tolmora for a chat, but it's not going to be that simple.
Plus, if she caused all this and Dravos doesn't die... wow, what a waste.
You set the scene, not me. I am just the humble scribe, portraying the world which spins about your PC like a globe on an axis.
But thanks, means alot.
I don't expect you to run, but you did save that guy's life (and his reputation). He owes you quite a good deal.
I built Rennert to be a beast, that's all I can say.
Ha! True, but honestly your games feel like every has an agenda and they are always pursuing it, which is amazing.
Really glad Pircien showed up, I was wondering when he'd make an appearance.
he's mechanically a beast, or spiritually a beast? Because I think he single-handedly tipped the future of Pitax by basically being one of the worst human beings I've ever witnessed. Irovetti supporting him... ech, hard to defend that one, really hard...
More importantly... how much xp is he worth? (I kid)
Who knows what I meant? But King's need blunt instruments just like any craftsmen. You don't think people like Toski (or the rebels) arrest themselves, do you?
I don't use XP, mostly because I'm bad at math.
I'm not fishing for compliments here, but you have mentioning the NPCs having their own goals a few times. How else would you do it though? It seems natural that the story should flow out of reactions to you (the PC) and that only makes sense if the NPCs have agendas. Is that not how most games work?
XP is an outdated concept for tabletop roleplaying games in my opinion, because GMs should be the ones controlling the power pace of the game. Though it can be useful in crafting the content of a campaign to measure where player levels should be at? Of course we already have Challenge Ratings for that, so maybe it's totally outdated? I'm not sure.
Perhaps agenda isn't the right word, but agency. Everyone is actively pursuing their goals, rather than only acting at certain times so the plot flows in a certain predetermined direction. At least that's my impression.
Or maybe I just have no idea what I'm talking about and my fascination at something seen as typical proves that I do not have the right kind of mind to be an effective GM.
Have you taken a look at the Pathfinder 2nd edition playest? I'm liking a lot of what I'm seeing.
My favorite paragraph so far has been:
Sometimes using a skill in a specific
situation might require you to have a higher proficiency
rank than what is listed on the table. For instance, even
though a high-level barbarian untrained in Arcana could
reliably use Arcana to Recall Knowledge regarding the
breath weapons of the various colors of dragons, the GM
might decide that Recalling Knowledge about the deeper
theories behind magical energy of a dragon’s breath
weapon might be something beyond the scope of the
barbarian’s largely utilitarian and anecdotal knowledge
about how to fight dragons.
I haven't looked at it, to be honest. While Pathfinder could definitely use with some rules simplification and slimming I figure I'll glance through when it is 'done'. That said, I do wonder how many of my players will want to change over to 2.0 when it's ready.
headaches ensue...
A lot going on, hope you are enjoying it.
The die is cast.
I don't have any intention of wanting to switch over, so you don't have to worry about that here!
Yeah I'm enjoying it. This is very tense, I'm not sure how this is going to turn out honestly. But that's what happens when you have no plan and a riot breaks out.
The die is cast.
Indeed... I knew I was going to end up feeling guilty no matter what, but this is going to be rough. I mean she has the Oath of People's Council so maybe it was inevitable.. but... well, there's probably going to be some self-doubt going forward.
As with many people, Lord of the Rings is one of my favortie books. I've always liked this passage..
But it was no orc-chieftain or brigand that led the assault upon Gondor. The darkness was breaking too soon, before the date that his Master had set for it: fortune had betrayed him for the moment, and the world had turned against him; victory was slipping from his grasp even as he stretched out his hand to seize it. But his arm was long. He was still in command, wielding great powers.
Is... Rudabeh the Witch King?
Good rolls.. but are they good enough?
I can barely handle the anticipation to see what happens next.
Not sure if that is Alseta helping your dice or if Gorum has taken you under his iron wing.
Now that would be a plot twist!
I'm not going to celebrate anything until Dravos is dead.
Irovetti is no goblin chieftain and I fear what he may do if backed into a corner.
Okay, if the enraged barbarian is retreating... that's a pretty good sign it's time to leave.
Sorry about the joust. I was really looking forward to it, why did Dravos have to ruin it? At least he paid for it...
Wow the website is about as reliable as Rudabeh in a tense international situation right now.
About to go look at houses or I would post, but wanted some feedback:
Have I been playing Rudabeh consistently?
For instance, did you expect her to denounce Dravos in front of everyone, and charge him with manslaughter? I struggled with that decision because she doesn't like spectacle and prefers to work behind the scenes/make deals with people, but Dravos' behavior was so egregious, and the fact she knew he did it on purpose based on the prior encounter with him, that she had to make it public.
I think if she knew the crowd was going to explode like and riot then she may not have done it, but that wasn't available information.
Part of me wonders what would have happened if she had approached Irovetti first, like he said. My gut tells me he would have done nothing, but... who knows?
In any case I feel like I'm rather predictable in playing her (which can be a good or bad thing), but I just wanted to know if you've been caught off guard by anything or if I've had Rudabeh do anything that seemed out of character.
Every GM is caught off guard by their players. But honestly I expect this scene awhile ago and was wondering when Rudabeh would be set off. Knowing more about the situation then you (the player or the character) I had a feeling their was a breaking point. As for what may have happened...who knows? The road not taken and all that. Considering what you said to Kilarra I was preparing for you to go the 'working with Irovetti' route but it is perfectly believable seeing a brutal murder right in front of Rudabeh would make her change he mind.
And let's not forget, it isn't random chance you met Rennert before. I planned that and this to happen to happen in sequence.
I think the jousting/riot scene has been some of my favorite scenes to date (save for a grand finale or two in my other games). Rudabeh is great and I totally buy her as a character. I am curious how/if this changes her outlook and choices later in the game.
Also, wanted to add, Rudabeh is one of the most fleshed out and realistic characters I've ever had the pleasure to interact with.
Every time I try to reply to the discussion the website goes down so third try's a charm!
I really did think she was going to work with Irovetti. Everything he was doing to try and make Pitax a better place was much easier to justify from the perspective of maintaining order, and she was willing to negociate with him about some of the more seedier things he had done through Toski. If the Dravos thing hadn't happened she definitely would have kept supporting him, though the way he defended Dravos over her own ruling (which is understandable and forgivable but she is a Robocop kind of person and generally believes she has the authority to convict and judge people of crimes) and if he ordered the knight charge against his own people it's going to bruise her idea of supporting him even more than it already was.
In truth, she hopes she still can work with him. Is it possible? Probably not, but she doesn't think Irovetti is an evil man or a bad king, and if she ends up fully supporting the rebels she can hopefully convince them to put Irovetti on trial properly, with the People of Pitax as the jury. I'll put it this way: the rebels still aren't going to like her opinions, just like with the first meeting.
Plus there's the Kingdom of the Free situation... excited to wade into that and figure out what their motivations are.
The jousting/riot scene really was amazing, I can only think of one other scene in a game that came close to being that tense and descriptive. I had no idea how it was going to turn out and you described it really, really well. It was a big choice with big consquences.
Thanks for the kind words about Rudabeh- that's what I'm going for, and hopefully I can keep delivering. She came into PItax hoping to make friends, but we'll see how she feels when she leaves (hopefully not in a coffin).
Site has been up and down all day. Posts for this game take considerable time so will wait until it settles down.
Test
I think discussion threads are working, but not gameplay?
No posts until they say they fixed it, don't want anything lost.
That's a really good idea, honestly.
There will be no posts until Paizo says the forums are working again. Don't want anything lost.
I'm going to need to do a round-up post to make sure we both remember everything.
I think I've forgotten how to roleplay.
I have to be in character all the time.. right?
Something like that.
Post up, hope it helps you get back into the swing of things.
I just recieved news my grandfather has passed away. Between the funeral and the fact my SO and I are in the process of buying a house, my posting will be slowed. I will try to keep up at work at least, but posts in the evening and this weekend may not occur.
I'm really glad we can get back to this though. There is so much intrigue at hand!
I am sorry to hear that. You have my condolences. My grandfather passed away a few years ago, and I still miss him (and the history he represented). Take whatever time you need.
So fades a summer cloud away;
So sinks the gale when storms are o'er;
So gently shuts the eye of day;
So dies a wave along the shore.
Anna Letitia Barbauld, The Death of the Virtuous, as reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922)
I have already missed him for a while now. He had dementia, so his personality and great intellect died a few years ago even if his body persisted. I have already mourned the passing of his mind, and only feel relief that he is free from worldly torment.
That is an excellent poem, thank you.
Hmm. There may be a third path here, one that does not involve siding with the rebels or Irovetti. If Rudbaeh can gain the trust and confidence of the populace, perhaps she could "direct the wave" as Kilarra put it, to her own purpose. You've hinted that no one expected the rioting to start so soon, so maybe there is a chance to intterupt the rebel's plans and stanch control for herself (which wouldn't really be for herself, but for the good of Pitax's people, because she does not desire the power itself).
Given she is only one person it will be extremely difficult, but it could be an option that would allow her to keep Irovetti in power while simutaneously forcing him to enact reforms under the threat of being disposed by the angry citizens. Kilarra seemed open to the idea, so if she's not upset about her condeming Dravos to death maybe she would help.
Of course, if this path was taken, Rudabeh would be working against both the rebels and Irovetti... not very good odds there, but it would certainly fit her neutrality, and wanting to support the people of Pitax. Splitting a civil war into three factions ultimately means stalemate or two sides gang up on the other. Perhaps if Rudabeh can gain enough support she could convince Irovetti that the only way he's going to remain in power is to agree to reforms, and then they put the rebels down together. I actually meant to do something like this after the joust before the Dravos situation occured.
The adventurers are the wild card in all this, though I suspect they're already in bed with the rebels... I'm probably going to try and get Tolmara to make some statements that will reveal what they're up to/whose side they're on in all this in the next few posts. Unfortunately she's likely a master at this so it may not go well.
Unless something incredible/spontaneous happens I intend on Rudabeh heading to the local church of Alseta after this scene to purchase supplies (scrolls) and recieve spiritual guidance on what to do next. There will most likely be some fevered praying and deciding on whose side to take, if any.
Just wanted to give you a heads up/organize my own thoughts.
Incredible/spontaneous you say?
Watch out, flying trolls!
I'm more expecting flying oozes! You warned me there will be an ooze in here somewhere.
....also did the three trolls and the gelatinous cube thing really happen to someone or did you make that up? Because that sounds awful.
Alas, I made it up.
If you want 'real' stories I have experienced, I don't have many. I basically went from learning the game to GMing right away. Not sure if I should reveal this but I have, in my entire life, played one session of live gaming in a group. It was a memorable session though including bear/grippli/eagle sandwiches, a puzzle I solved, casting spells from my chair and a heroic 'Kazad-Dum bridge moment' where one character plunged to his death amid an endless tangle of black tentacles.
But that is about it. Everything else has been online and about 80% (or more) is GMing.
Sorry if I am revealing too much behind the curtain!
Happy Labor Day
Happy Labor Day!
Sorry I forgot to reply to your previous post and sorry I've been posting so slow! The Saturday was spent at a funeral, then my SO's family from out of state was visiting Sunday, and today I harvested over 200 lbs of squash and planted a few hundred feet of peas and turnips. Me and my SO are also getting everything together to make an offer on what will hopefully become our first house tomorrow.
I don't have any real stories either, frankly. I GM'd one live session for about a month, and I don't think anyone actually had any fun. I'm not a very quick thinker in IRL, I can't act, and I have some social anxiety, so it's not really surprising. But, researching things for that game led me to these boards and the PbP area, and here I am!
I did quick posts in my other games, but I love this game and actually like to think about this one and do it real justice, especially in response to such a tense and pivotal moment. I promise I will post tomorrow morning!
Rudabeh is about to make a proposal to cooperate with the rebels,... this is the point where she will either join them, or work parallel/against them. But she has conditions, and they will probably not like them...
Good luck on the house! Hope it goes better then MY first offer, another couple outbid us at the 11th hour, and we lost. But it turned out all right in the end, the next house was way nicer and better priced.
Look forward to your post, these are indeed tense times.
Never feel bad about not posting, this shouldn't be a pressure thing.
Whew.
Don't know how they're going to react with that... but I don't think those are bad terms, really.
Wow on the house. I hope that doesn't happen to us, we've found something we really like! The housing market around here is a buyer's market, so we shouldn't get outbid, hopefully.
I feel bad even if I shouldn't feel bad, it's just what I do!
Hahahahahaha
Right after.. I mean, seconds after that last post... our realtor called me and told me someone else bought the house we were about to make an offer on.
I'm livid. The person that made an offer looked at it ONCE over the weekend (which we weren't going to make an offer over so everyone could have their 3-day weekend, that's the last time I be nice). Who looks at a house once and buys it on a whim?! Not only that, the seller knew we were going to make an offer today, and just pulled the rug out from under us, immediately accepting the other person's offer! I would never do that to someone. Ever. Just... so upsetting.
Sorry to hear it, it sucks big time. Like I have said, I have been there. When we were interested next time, we made an offer that day (pending home inspections) to avoid being upstaged again.
But yeah, meeting with the seller and having an understanding which they renege on....that is very much not cool.
Should I expect Rudabeh to be extra angry for the next few days?
Yeah, we had been thinking hard about that house for three weeks and getting everything lined up perfectly... we refused to jump on it without proper thought and I guess this is the price.
I'll try not to let it influence my roleplay, but yeah I'll certainly be angry.