PFS 6-01: Trial By Machine (Inactive)

Game Master Wilmannator

Please post here if you have any useful suggestions. I'm all ears! When the scenario starts, this thread will just be for my players.

Mors checking in. Thanks for having me. Would you be able to start a gameplay thread, just for dotting, so this game shows up in our Campaign tabs?

Sure. I'll post the first post and everyone can describe their first appearance when they have the time while I collect all the admin stuff.

Actually, that'll be nice. The social stuff can just keep going for those who want to participate and help to ensure everyone is introduced when the admin is complete.

Finarin Arcana check Arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

That was my test - going to post over in Gameplay.

Miro checking in on discussion.

Can someone help me out here. New to the tech of these message boards. I have a normal profile for me, and 2 society characters made, they are under my aliases tab. I can't seem to find out how to make a avatar for them. I have an avatar for my main profile, but there is no option I see for them. You can PM if you can help.

Thanks

test

Ok so how do I link that new aliases to the society character?

Never mind I got it!!!

Indeed you do! You've written a nice little soliloquy for us to read, too.

Just thought I'd let you know that I have some Australians staying with me starting in about 2 hours! They're roleplayers, too, and I should be able to get some posting in... but please just be aware that I may be a little slow to respond.

That said, when PapaSteve08 checks in with his character, we should be good to jump right into it.

So sorry to take so long to post! (Papasteve08 here) I didn't realize we had started... I am catching up on the thread and will get a post in ASAP. this is a fresh character, so he only has gear purchased with starting gold.

Do you need an inventory sheet filled out for that? Either way, it is all listed in the profile.

First post up! again, I am so sorry for holding everyone up! This looks like it is going to be a fun group :)

Hey Jaender, we haven't yet officially started so please don't worry! This was just for introductions and you'd already emailed me to inform me of your change in character. No inventory sheet needed for starting purchases.

Great posting all, and we are definitely on track for a slightly early start. I'll post the first official scene from the adventure soon. Feel free to continue the introductions and make any purchases you feel you'll need and we will get going shortly!

Of course, since the official start was put at Friday, please don't worry if you can't post properly until then.

Sorry for the slight delay. I had very limited access to my laptop yesterday and needed the PDF for the opening intro! I've now got a copy on my phone, so that shouldn't happen again.

That's fine, re: Perception checks for traps. I was going to post a suggestion that if you did them for me, it would slow us down less, so it seems we have the same idea. Do you want me to make Disable Device rolls, or would you like to make them, too? His Disable Device bonus is +9, minus 1 for ACP, so +8 total.

Glad to hear you're on the same page! If you decide you would like to disarm the trap, please do feel free to make your disable device checks yourself when you write that you decide to disarm them.

Regarding rolls, this is straight from my Play Guide, which everyone's read, right? ;-)

As for the maps, they are publicly editable (with the link) and you shouldn't need a Google account to use them. I'd like for everyone to update their own positions as part of their posts. Where this isn't possible, please give me the grid coordinates you would like to move to, and I will do it next time I'm near a laptop. If anyone is able to do so before me, please do feel free to move them for me! I've superimposed grid coordinates (and other things) on all the maps to make this easy.

For the interim, I will do the gradual reveal on a room-by-room basis with Photoshop. If this becomes cumbersome, I may use another GM's technique of overlaying a series of black boxes. I'd rather not, but it may become tricky to use Photoshop all the time - and I don't have it on my iPhone.

Please, please, please write about how your character moves in the post. Don't just say "see my location on the map". That will help to maintain the roleplaying flavor and also make sure we don't have to constantly flick between the map and the gameplay thread to find out what's going on. It can also help me to adjudicate what happens as you move. But the most important reason is: your position on the map will change over time, but your post will not. Describe your movement.

Finally, in adjudicating movement (mostly for attacks of opportunity and traps) I will assume you take the most direct route to an enemy while still avoiding attacks of opportunity and hazards. If you close to a square and you can't get there within your available movement without provoking, I will make an AoO against you. Otherwise, though, I will assume your character doesn't move like a brain-damaged zombie and avoids such things. If you would like to specify how you move, please put the grid coordinates of the squares you enter in an "ooc" comment.

Aye, I second Mors. The more you are willing to roll for us, the faster things will move, and I am all about the story, and keeping things moving. I don't feel like you rolling any of those things for me takes away my ability to control my character. Random is random right?

Hi there, just a quick note about the adventure. The first portion of it is done with no fixed maps, just encounter maps spread out by directions, descriptions and travel time.

Unfortunately, it appears as though the proof readers have not done their job. Some things don't make sense mathematically (eg. Two different routes to the same room take the same time, despite one being a direct route, and the other moves away from the room for five minutes). Other things simply have the wrong directions in them. No wonder I got a little confused in that room!

In any case, I can fix it, I just need to modify a few things about times and directions. I'm happy to do so, but being PFS I know I'm supposed to run as written. I sincerely doubt my modifications will change the adventure for you, it will mostly mean you won't ever say "but when did the western corridor start going east?"

If you object, please do let me know.

Yeah I am a touch confused. Do the tracks of the humanoids move the same way we are supposed to go? I know there are 2 exits from the chamber with the x.

There are actually three exits - but one is blocked and marked "do not enter". You can try to unblock it, though, which is why I mention it.

The other two exits both look like viable options. The red tracks happen to go north. As was surmised earlier, though, it is unlikely the tracks (or the chalk) were left by the same folk who designed this test for you.

I personally am not sure why they even have two choices by which to exit to this room in the adventure... illusion of choice? Since most seem keen to follow the tracks north, I'll assume that's what you do unless there are any strong objections in the next hour or so. Let's move past this little distraction. ;-) I knew what happened when I read this, so I wasn't expecting this much indecision really... but I totally understand why there is.

Miro shrugs, one way seemed as good as another. He taps Mors on his arm, then points north. "Let's be on our way, shall we?"

I am a methodical elf who has lived for hundreds of year, a little conversation about north or west is a blimp in my life. Just be glad I did not call an Entmoot ... ;).

Thanks though for the attention to detail though - love the map on Google.

@Finarin: Glad you appreciate the maps! I like adding extra touches like that - got some mad Photoshop skills going on. ;-)

@Miro: Wrong thread! I can totally appreciate the mistake, though, this discussion was very gameplay-like. I'll fix it.

How's the pace, guys? Am I moving things along too quickly? I know that not everyone has the same posting frequency, so I'm mainly concerned for those who are posting once a day. Do you feel like you're missing out? Just concerned. If the pace is okay, I'll keep going. Painlord suggests the "rule of two" - once two decide on something, move it along. I won't stick to that exactly (it'll depend on the gravity of the situation), but it is currently how I'm proceeding.

Also, loving the posting frequency from you guys! Really nice work and keep it up.

It looks great to me! This feels like a good, fluid pace and the story is moving along nicely. Definitely not to fast for me.

I like the pace. Things in a PbP can get bogged down in a hurry if you're always waiting for a group consensus. Then again, I'm a frequent poster, so my viewpoint is likely biased.

The pace is good, and rule of two is fine with me. I just hope the game won't move too much forwards during one day, since I'm living in GMT+2 TZ, and therefore miss most hectic interaction. Ie. Don't get my character killed while I'm sleeping ;)

BTW, are there any pictures in the scenario that could be linked here? As the setting is slightly different from before, some visual stimulus might help to get into the right atmosphere as a player.. (although I guess we'll be seeing this more in season 6)

@Amaranti: I promise not to kill you without some input from you - unless you go AWOL, of course. ;-)

There are not a whole lot of thematic pictures for the scenario. PFS scenarios even use generic maps a lot of the time (probably to help with the sale of the map packs). The main map is, however, awesome. Looks great and very thematic. You'll just have to wait for that, though.

In the meantime, try these...

Front cover:

Cover

Cutaway of the Red Redoubt (with the annotations removed), the chamber above ladder like thing right down the bottom is where you guys started - apparently the first portion of the redoubt was very boring:

Cutaway

I am good with the pace as this is a lot of 'box text' type stuff. Once combat starts it will slow down a lot.

Let's hope it doesn't slow down too much! I'll try to make sure it's all done fairly but also swiftly. Aiming for max 48 hour rounds.

Regarding the adamantine dagger and metagame thinking... Now seeing the scenario front cover (such spoilers they are...), and knowing what the themes for season 6 are, we are going to most likely fighting against some hardness. So which one of you able to benefit most from it / not able to contribute in combat without it?

I hope nobody gets upset by this metagaming, just that I have played through some modules/scenarios with hardness/DR enemies with my halfling swashbuckler, where 1d3+2 just didn't do much :) A combat where you cannot contribute is quite a boring combat...

@Amaranti - I have no problem at all, hopefully people don't worry about hurting my feelings because someone else got the dagger. lets DEFINITELY put it in the hands of someone who can use it, particularly because I plan on casting spells, not using a dagger...

and this group is awesome, so I find it unlikely anyone is going to be upset because they didn't get to use the shiny dagger for this scenario... :)

Now... after the scenario, I could buy it myself if I wanted to (when I can eventually afford it) and it might make for a very nice wizard's bonded object....

I know I'm guilty of most of the meta here with the dagger situation, so please accept my apologies. I'll ramp it back. Suffice it to say that the in-game conversation is very much going in the right direction, so I'd very much prefer to leave it to that for a resolution.

this group is awesome

Couldn't agree more. I've already got plans to invite you all back to play the next adventure I run.

Also, as a quick note, once we get to the next encounter, we will finally be running the adventure with a map for every place you find yourselves in. I'm not big on maps outside of combat for my tabletop games (I find that imagination works so much better) but for PbP, they really do help to answer a lot of questions without me having to type belabored descriptions.

Pencil me in for the next one whatever it is.

Ditto!

-Posted with Wayfinder

Me, too!

I'll happily follow, as long as it's not a repeat. So, unless it's the Glass River Rescue, it won't be a repeat. LOL

Nice. I'm thinking of running the next tier 1-5 that gets released for season 6. It's due this month. I'm also open to suggestions.

So... posts in discussion but not gameplay... is everyone okay if I move it along?

Agreed. Had fun playing with Lort, and you've been entertaining so far.

The hardest thing will be finding the scenario! You might even get me to try and run a PbP!

+1 interested here for next scenario!

BTW, how do you want to handle Attacks of Opportunity? Amaranti and Kaisharga both have reach and Paired Opportunist feat, so they try to get AoO's during enemy movement. Will you roll them as GM during enemy action, to keep game moving? Or should I roll them after a enemy action is published? Or should I put them beforehand, and put into a spoiler tag in case the AoO is triggered?

Actually, same applies for anyone making AoO and players triggering them from enemies...

I'll roll AoOs when provoked for NPCs and PCs using the most obvious choice for your character. If anyone would rather have a standard AoO that differs from using their main hand weapon, let me know. We can always retroactively change it if needed (though we will use the same roll).

How do you want to handle rerolls (shirt/folio)?

Typically, with PbP, I can tell if I need it immediately when I am posting, but if you are rolling... and we need to decide before success/failure has been announced, that gets to be a little tricky.

Now, mind you, I'd likely only care if we are talking about a saving throw, but...

I figured I'd ask before it became an issue.

Folio / shirt, eh? Have to say I didn't even consider it, based on our online nature. If you send me a snap of you holding a folio or wearing a shirt, I say let's do it with the rerolls! Happy to waive the success/failure thing if I'm the one who made the roll.

You might even get me to try and run a PbP!

A strange looking half-orc, covered head to toe in what appear to be the blended remains of an elf, pops his head around the corner, "Any time, Gunari, any time. Just so long as it goes quicker than the last 18 seconds of my life. That was like pulling teeth."

The gigantic warrior brushes an eye from his shoulder, smiles an enormous toothy grin and departs muttering something about just wanting his cut of treasure and to be on his way.

I forgot to handle this before the game started, but does anyone want or need to change their faction? There are a whole set of new factions for season 6, and you get a "free" faction change. The only likely effect will be to one of your traits. Do let me know.

If you are going to pick Silver Crusade, also please let me know sooner rather than later. It's not especially important (or even especially exciting), but there's a little bit extra coming up soon for members of that faction.

Since this is Jaender's first chronicle sheet, I think he just starts on one of the new ones, so no changing for me...

He does indeed, but your faction appears to be "Andoran", which is an old one...

Thats because the forum doesn't have a check box yet for the new factions... I haven't been able to change my other character's factions yet for the same reason, unless I missed something... which is entirely possible... :)

Edit: I figured that was just kind of semantics anyways, the important part is what is reported on the chronicle sheet... so for this character it would be Liberty's Edge. sorry for the confusion!

No problem (currently) for that with Gunari... he's going to stick with The Exchange (was Szcarni). The Silver Crusaders are a little uptight for him. Considered Liberty's Edge, but he'll follow Uncle Guaril in his alliance with the Trade Prince.

After all, there has to be some advantage there, right?