[PFS] GM Brew's PFS Archons

Game Master Wicked Brew

Hello and welcome to the new home of GM Brew's PFS Archons. I will now host all board games here and no longer create a new board for each new scenario. I figure this will give us a consistent place to host games here on Paizo as well as provide a persistent discussion forum. Please note that I am still maintaining the Obsidian Portal campaign site and still encourage folks to post IC posts as well as journal entries on that site should the mood strike you.

I am about ready to post the next game, so head on over to the gameplay thread and post IC to dot the game. Once everyone has dotted the thread, I will proceed to the next scenario.

Game on Archons!

Sounds good Brew!!

I just totally fangirled.

MAGUS up!!

I'm here.

Welcome back fellas. Please do a quick IC post in the gameplay forum to add you character to the roster. As soon as Tarek and Eloriand check in we will be good to go.

And now for something a little different.

Factions

I was reading over some faction info to be sure I was acting within the guidelines of my faction. I came across a picture of Ambrus Valsin under the Grand lodge. I was picturing more of a handle bar mustache but he fits close to the image I had in mind.

Yes, that is how I always pictured Ambrus and kind of where I draw my motivation for his character. One of my "wish list" items for the forums is the ability to embed pics in the post or be able to post with multiple avatar pics so I could post "in character" when I am speaking as an NPC. Here is a what Jorsal of Lauterbury looks like, if anyone what wondering.

I would have never pictured him looking like that. I was thinking he would be a pale bearded fat man because of the northern climate.

I think I like him even less now.

Anyone thinking of Led Zepplin's tune "Gallows Pole" Swinging ona Gallows Pole

oh and while I am at it...this is a pretty cool fan movie...starts a little slow, its in Italian, but you can read the sub titles.. Dark Resurection

and this one...somebody must have been reading war college texts, the strategic messaging is hilarious but very close to a number of US military IO campaigns. The stromtrooper squads on both worlds must have former joes and janes in them.

IMPS Star Wars

Work got the better of me today, sorry about the short post. I will get us back on track tomorrow for certain.

Do these mods intentionally try to throw players off or is it just how they are written? This is another scenario that has me thinking something is up because of how NPCs are reacting. I am not going to read into it this time and just stick to the main storyline but it can get frustrating when trying to determine the next course of action based on how NPCs are written.

I find it very hard to believe that 3 people convicted of murder, innocent or guilty, would just shrug off assistance to clear their name. As a player, it makes me think there is some other plot involving the 3 captives, that we have to uncover, that explains why they wish to stay in jail. I am guessing it is written the way it is so players don't try to break them out. but instead seek out other solutions to clear their names.

I think Brew is doing a great job with the scenarios, it just feels like some things could have been written a little better to guide GMs and players. I could be way off base but several adventures have done things like that, in my opinion.

I find it very hard to believe that 3 people convicted of murder, innocent or guilty, would just shrug off assistance to clear their name. As a player, it makes me think there is some other plot involving the 3 captives, that we have to uncover, that explains why they wish to stay in jail. I am guessing it is written the way it is so players don't try to break them out. but instead seek out other solutions to clear their names.

Sorry you are feeling frustrated, but let me try to clarify a few things. In general, at least in my experience, the PFS scenarios are designed to challenge the players. They challenge the players traditionally, though encounters, but also by offering hard choices. Much as in life, the easier path can be fraught with shortcuts, compromises and actions that can be, at a minimum, morally ambiguous. It is often much more difficult to do the "right" thing.

In the context of this scenario, I would direct you back to Jorsal's words at the beginning of the scenario. Could the PFS raise an army of agents, most of which have levels in heroic classes, lay waste to Dawton and recover the captives? Sure. In fact, there is nothing stopping you guys from doing just that. From Jorsal's point of view, the need is to prove the captives are innocent properly. If the PFS just strong armed the town, diplomatic relations with Mendev would become difficult and the PFS' reputation would take a serious beating generally. No nation would be ok with a society that ignores laws and runs over nations whose laws they disagree with. The three pathfinder prisoners are no different. Looking at them, you can tell they likely could mount some sort of resistance or escape, but they clearly agree that doing so would damage the PFS. You also can tell they are scared to die and are hoping the party's mission clears their name.

Not sure if this answers your questions, but that is certainly how I read the situation and have been playing it.

PFS be darned...find me in a situation like that a day out from the noose, you better bet I am finding a way to escape. That may be a bit of the Code of Conduct in my though:

I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist.

If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

Yeah, I get it the town is not the enemy, but I would still be looking for a way to bust out instead of sitting down like a lamb for for the slaughter. :)

I understood why the Society did not want to send in a force to free the prisoners. The prisoners response to being helped is what made me feel that something was off. I thought they would have the same reaction that Ark just mentioned above.

I often read into the story a bit more than I should and not every interaction is necessarily a clue in completing the adventure.

There have been a few story arcs that seemed out of place in just about every adventure we played and I just chalked it up to how it was written and not how it is GMed. I think Brew is doing a fine job at making the campaigns enjoyable and the characters interesting. I didn't know if he felt anything could have been written better of if he ever felt like going in a different direction with the material, but had to stay within the guidelines of the script?

There have been a few story arcs that seemed out of place in just about every adventure we played and I just chalked it up to how it was written and not how it is GMed. I think Brew is doing a fine job at making the campaigns enjoyable and the characters interesting. I didn't know if he felt anything could have been written better of if he ever felt like going in a different direction with the material, but had to stay within the guidelines of the script?

Guidelines for PFS indicate you should run the scenarios pretty uch as written. There is some room for table variation, and players can go off script so you are given room to improvise to accommodate, but you cannot modify the scenario significantly. For the most part, I try to portray the characters as I see them in the material and give them as much life as I can muster.

I get what copmc and Ark are saying. After the scenario, I will be able to explain things a bit better and tell you all where my thought process was.

I don't want you to think that I am critiquing your methods. I was focusing more on just general content of each adventure. Some of the way the content is to be played out doesn't always make the most sense to me, but I think it is just the way I look at things and not how you are running the scenario.

It would be interesting to read what you have to share after the campaign is done.

Brew,
the mod/scenario are great...my osting is more what I would do if the role was reversed.

The mod/scenario is great!!

Am I the only one that had a few thoughts pop into their head as to why Havelockk should have scars on his backside?
#1 reason: Arcane Poo!
The gift that keeps on giving :-)

Ahh the key is that I do not have scars on my backside....I was using a historical reference of a Roman, Senator I think, right before Caesar that was falsely accused of crime that used the scars he "earned" on his legs, chest and arms fighting against Jurgatha. Yes....the Arcane Poo keeps on giving....be carful or some may end up in your coffee mug or tankard when you look away next time. :D

not

enough

alcohol....

Must be family time again :-)

Yup.

Though when my youngest nephew dragged the child rocker over to the front door to watch the baby cows (yeah, quarter mile away I got a neighbor's cow pasture - not something you can forget on days with open windows) it was too freakin' cute. Even for an excessively non-maternal person such as I.

Ah.

My bro-in-law knows. When he and my sis came to pick up their boys he brought me a large camping flask of black Russian. He deals with my sis, he knows the best way to deal.

the joys of sharing alcoholism and the reasons for

yeah...families...great to see 'em, great to spend time with 'em, and great to see 'em go

I don't mix well with humans. Call me bitter but I do best when not spending the night with family.

Unless it's my sis... then we really have an hour before we've totally rubbed each other's fur the wrong way and are growly and snappish. Unless we're buzzed or more and have a common "enemy"...

*dies laughing*

My youngest nephew (2) is rocking out on the child's rocking chair singing "Row Row Row" but using meows until "gently down the stream".

Maybe try and get a visitor's litter box. I get what you mean about family though. My brother is a real a-hole. COPMC, on the other hand, has a simply fantastic brother.

I get the feeling most elder siblings feel that way...

Hey folks, just wanted to let you know that Paizo just introduced faction cards into the organized play campaign. These are optional, but are available immediately. Check them out. If you guys have satisfied a condition in the current game then you will be able to check off one of the boxes. Have not reviewed these yet, but they seem pretty cool. Let me know if you want to add one to your character.

I have not looked at them yet but they sound like a good addition to the game. I have been allowing Tarek's faction to influence some of his actions based upon the ideals they uphold. I am interested in adding one to my character

I read them. They are pretty good, but they seem to drift a bit from the original description of the new factions. It may give me pause to consider if I am in the right faction or not.

Feel free to use them if you wish. Just let me know as I will have to generate a digital one and send them out like chronicles. Oh and

GO HAWKS!!!!

Sign me up. I don't see my character not wanting to give the full smack down to someone but the first 2 boons are achievable and may be useful if subduing a creature is necessary.

I am not sure if anything has changed with the maps but I am unable to move my token. I am being told that I need to download the google drive app. Has anyone needed to download drive and has it worked for them?

I had settings wrong, you should be able to move token now.

=^_^=

I have new baby kittens. They're so adorable, but neither are calico like their mama.

Yes. I am the crazy cat lady your parents warned you about. Have been ever since I was coordinated enough to run after them.

Congrats on the baby kitties.

Sorry about the slow postings this weekend, was attending Indian Princess camp. Should be able to pick it up again now.

Yes. I am the crazy cat lady your parents warned you about.

This means you are the lady who use to eat paint chips and chase us off her yard with a stick? Yikes!!!

.....was attending Indian Princess camp

Well I hope they molded you into a fine Indian Princess :-)

This means you are the lady who use to eat paint chips and chase us off her yard with a stick?

At least I'm not just the crazy lady. You know, the who turns the hose on kids walking through her yard in winter...

Nice!

Brew, this is all part of becoming part of the Sauk Nation and enjoying those playoff tickets at the UC on Tuesday....right???

Kat, what are you going to do with so many cats? If you find that they may be more than a few handfuls to worry about, I think a few of the local wounded warrior chapters are happy to adopt them wounded vets.

Just a thought.
r/
Ark

I currently live on the family farmstead. So mouser and transients happen.

About a year ago I had two toms decide to adopt me. One even decided to declare himself an indoor cat. Early October my calico showed up, absolutely starving to death, poor thing; was so glad when she realized that she could get a regular meal and pseudo-shelter here. She still doesn't let me touch her, but she does rub against me when I'm standing still and the toms aren't around.

If we have a lot more cats showing up (I'm not counting my transients that won't let me get within 50 feet of them, and I have at least 2 or 3 of those) I will definitely think about the WW. It would be a lot easier on my conscience than going through the fiasco we did when my grandparents were no longer able to live here on their own. There were still three cats who lived here at the time. One tangled with a coon and had to be put down. The other two were taken to a shelter, one was adopted by one of my grandparent's (now my) neighbors while the other we found out had been deemed "too old" and "too feral" (he was about 3, not house broken or used to humans but wasn't aggressive... and he was cross-eyed but such a sweetie when he got used to you) to be adopted and was put down before the week was out. My sister was livid when she went back to check on him and found out after the fact.

and once again

not

enough

alcohol

((especially since I got nothing))

For those interested, major addition to PFS today. The updated classes from the new Pathfinder Unchained book (barbarian, rogue, monk, summoner) are now available for PFS. In addition, anyone currently playing old version of one of the classes gets a free rebuild into the new class if they so choose. More details in the Blog Post.

Just FYI.

Interesting, and certainly worth checking out. What I do like is that they don't have like a new addition like D&D 3, 3.5, 4, 5, etc... that forces you almost to scrap the books.

I am not sure what the differences are, but what I do like is that the Core characters can be played as is or with the new Unchained update.

I won't be available until Monday night. Please bot Eloriand while I am away. Eloriand has a potion if invisibility if things get tight and he needs to get away from a hoard of angry townspeople.

so I don't forget...

Initiative Order
Eloriand
Kat
Isador
Tarek
Unknown Assailant
Havelock
Caoilte

Thanks for posting that, I was just trying to find it again myself.