PbP GameDay 3: PFS #6-08 The Segang Expedition (4-5) (Inactive)

Game Master Wilmannator

@ GM Damo As of now, I'm planning to go next year. So pretty much, you're screwed and will have to go :)

@ Cyrus the Flea Oh, and you're going too :)

Brought it up tonight, "He some guys are going to GenCon. You know I always wanted to go."

Cold icy stare followed up by, "Then I am going on vacation with [insert friends name] without you."

So am I good, or am I in trouble? Can never tell.

Erm...

So that happened.

Thank you for booking with Expedia!
Your hotel reservation is confirmed.

Conrad Indianapolis (4 nights)
50 W Washington St., Indianapolis, IN, 46204

Property Information: +1 317 713-5000
1 Room: Deluxe King
2 Guests: 2 Adults
3 Nights: Thu Jul/30/2015 to Sun Aug/2/2015
Total: $1,236.69 Payment due at check-in

Erm... anyone want to share? Alternating between the king and the roll-away... erm... free cancellation, free cancellation... wife won't kill me... nothing on the credit card... she doesn't check your email (you hope!).

And Finarin, you are good. Just say you've got a booking already (I can forward you the booking email) and she can book another trip. Either you were in trouble and you have taught your wife a valuable lesson about not being sarcastic when men (ie. you) would prefer to take her literally, or she was being literal and you're fine provided you don't mind her going on a weekend away without you!

Hey, just remember that if you like GMing, you can go for practically free. Doing 7-8 slots for Paizo will pay for your on, and for 1/4 of a room. That's what I did last year, and had a blast (even if Lort and Gunari didn't get the chance to meet in person!)

I will be doing it again... Not because I cannot afford to pay my way, but because I enjoy GMing.

Isn't 7-8 slots GMing every Paizo session for the entire Con? I love GMing, but I would really want to crack Lort out.

@ GM Damo Are you really booked for serious?!? That's amazing!

Absolutely! Book now pay later / free cancellation... why not? I'll deal with the fallout later. June?

Ha! That's incredible!

I tell you what, the good options for that weekend are running out (notably those with two beds), so best to get in as early as possible. If you can pay now (free cancellation still, but no "pay later"), you're better off with options. I'll just hope for the pull-out and a potential room partner.

Don't wait, or you'll be stuck at the effing La Quinta.

@Damo there are ten slots. Last year, I was able to play both specials, with some very cool people.

I know it isn't for everyone, but I had a blast.

Hey Miro Ammars, still haven't got a day job for you. I'll give ya 24 hours, or the following will be your result:

Miro day job, perform (singing): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

This adventure makes use of something called “favor points”. They contribute to everyone's secondary success condition. The adventure says nothing about hiding it from all of you - so I’m of a mind to keep a running total on the campaign info page. Would that be okay with you, or does it break the fourth wall too much? Essentially, you’re trying to win the favor of one or both of these notable nobles. Finarin, especially, will be interested in getting in good with them (and there are Sovereign Court specific boons if he / you all succeed very well).

Since there are limited points available and cool boons (notably for Finarin) available, I will give plenty of opportunity for you to roleplay with the counts. I love having tag-along NPCs, by the way. It gives me so much more scope to roleplay with you guys and departs nicely from the average dungeon-crawl.

Finally, this will be the last adventure I run this year. I’m heading to Australia on the 19th. I’ll still be able to play in my other games with a likely much-reduced posting frequency (still more than once / 24 hours when I'm not flying) but I won’t be able to do justice to the GM chair. I’ll start up again in the first or second week of January (when I return to US soil). As such, I’ll be taking a more relaxed pace. The relaxed pace will also help you to get yourselves in order - important given the relatively high DC!

Really looking forward to this one, boys. Kinda wish I were playing in it instead.

Looks like I'm going to have a busy week. I try to keep up, but might be late with posts. Had a busy weekend, too, so I apologize the low activity on the chase.

Not a problem, Amaranti, it was definitely a time-filler activity anyway. I'll bot you, as always, if we're in combat and it's been >24 hours. Let me know if you'd like a quicker (or more complicated) "bot clock" than that and I can accommodate.

@Everyone: I take it you're happy for me to track the "favor points" on the campaign page as mentioned above?

Favor point tracking sounds favorable :)

-Posted with Wayfinder

Not only am I completely cool with, I would prefer it!

Okay, campaign info page is up!

Does anyone else get a bit of a niggle when they hear about nobles permanent disabilities (ie. injuries that ended his hunting career) when operating in a world where a simple potion of cure light wounds is available for what they would consider a pittance? A regenerate casting (even now) would easily fix any current or past injury up in a jiffy. Instead, he suffered damage that is somehow permanent

I know Alkenstar is low-magic, but they are very technologically advanced and definitely know how to trade and travel. For example, the baron is currently in Absalom! A man of means should never need to suffer permanent disfigurement on Golarion. Sigh. If he were very poor, it would be a different matter... but he is very specifically rich enough to easily be able to fund this massive expedition. He can easily afford a 1,050 GP casting.

Yes, it adds flavor to the story, but what about believability?

Is it just me?

Sorry I have been afk for a few hours, favor points works, pressure is on that it is a Sovereign Court scenario, have to be on my A game.

I for one would like some Real World time to make some purchases.

Sure thing. Real world time to make purchases is fine - I thought you were out of cash, though. ;-)

I can retrofit purchases right up to the first combat encounter, which is still (probably) at least 2 real life days away.

I agree, it's hard to have story elements such as disabilities in a world with such efficient healing easily available. At some point even death starts to be slightly unbelievable problem. I don't know if there's many murder mysteries at higher levels, but when the characters can raise dead on their own, there's not much mystery in it.

I have always had that irk myself... Deformities and even death don't seem to make much sense. The only way to reconcile it is to force it into the "storyline" box. Or just convince yourself that for the sake of the story, there are some wounds and injuries that even magic can't put back together right. Like the bone never set right, and the CLW healed it that way... Who knows :)

:-)

I'm relatively fine with it for poor people who can't afford it and ex-military style folk who want the scars as reminders - and even that CLW can't "cure" everything - but a regeneration spell fixes even lost limbs and organs and "only" costs 1,050 gp.

Thanks for the moral support. I figured out how to roll with it, though. Gotta love PbP for allowing more time to think about roleplaying decisions!

Remind me not to see any Schwarzenegger movies with you guys. Ever hear of Suspension of Disbelief?

Remind me not to see any Schwarzenegger movies with you guys. Ever hear of Suspension of Disbelief?

Hahaha! Oh Snap!

I agree a lingering injury is always a bit of a struggle. Especially for NPCs which are supposed to be wealthy. For NPCs which are supposed to be poor, or even middle class, I don't see this as much of an issue.

...there are some wounds and injuries that even magic can't put back together right. Like the bone never set right, and the CLW healed it that way...

In the case Cyrus has just pointed out, I've always just run the damage type which causes the wound or injury, which is persistent on an NPC (and needed for story or flavor purposes) to be a physical manifestation of Constitution drain. "Dwayne got run over by a horse and carriage, and took 4 constitution drain and nearly killed him...".

This way, straight healing won't fix it, and it may cost more than the NPC has at that given moment. I know that not may not make much sense, but that's how I've run it before in home games and at least no one has called me out on it :0

Unless the NPC is rich, then yeah, it doesn't really make sense :)

Remind me not to see any Schwarzenegger movies with you guys. Ever hear of Suspension of Disbelief?

I love Schwartzenegger movies. Except Twins. That particular unbelievable suspension rivals the Humber. And also it was dreadful.

As for in this context, I've already suspended my disbelief to assume magic exists. If anything, this would be a "willing resumption of disbelief".

... and I've also figured it out. Stay tuned in the gameplay thread.

Except Twins. That particular unbelievable suspension rivals the Humber.

Oh just get ready for Ophiuchus's next move to look like his 'twin' Arturo. You are going to need whole truckloads of disbelief. This works perfectly into my plan ....

FYI - Gunari was not trying to step on any diplomancer roles... wouldn't Miro be the best diplomat, though?

Unless, GM Damo, you are hinting that Finarin's faction mission rides on the Baron? -- FYI - Gunari would definitely want to help the elven magus as much as he can!

That point about Finarin's faction mission is exactly right. I'm thinking of aid another rolls as appropriate with Finarin making the primary roll. It's a good opportunity for the aspiring Lord.

If Finarin fails, there will be ample opportunity for the other characters to "fix things" afterwards anyway.

@ Gunari Seriously as I only have a +1 those aid another would really help. Roll and Role playing aren't adding up. :(

Can I just say this is my most favorite beginning to an adventure EVER. The dept of role playing from this group is amazing. It just goes to show what a great group this is. I could spend the next 2 weeks just role playing this with you all. I feel like my peanut butter just feel into my chocolate.

Alas, heading to work. At least my day started great.

"Anything I would like to know?" asks the baron slyly, perhaps noticing Ibid's slight reluctance when he made the offer, "Well, I have been curious about something particularly intriguing that I noticed when I was doing research into my future traveling companions..." fortunately for Ibid, Gunari chooses this moment to gag on the food he's eating.

Awesome post, GM Damo! I was actually worried as a reader at this comment, forgetting I have control over Ibid's actions, and was thinking, "Oh crap! I wonder what this is referencing?!"

Can I just say this is my most favorite beginning to an adventure EVER. The dept of role playing from this group is amazing. It just goes to show what a great group this is. I could spend the next 2 weeks just role playing this with you all. I feel like my peanut butter just feel into my chocolate.

Alas, heading to work. At least my day started great.

I 100% agree with you Finarin. This group is amazing, and actually better than my in person gaming groups, which I didn't think was possible with PbP.

So what is on the reading list for this adventure? Heart of Darkness? Kipling?

Nah, more African safari adventure... Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom for some of it...

You'd get a double-whammy for Ibid and this adventure with The Lost World by Conan Doyle. I haven't read all of that one, though (and it was ages ago that I tried), so I can't speak for it's literary awesomeness (or lack of) just that it's the most thematically appropriate classic I can think of. Oh, without the dinosaurs. Or is it?

Oh, and I love this adventure for the roleplaying. Having two objects of the adventure travelling with you, and who don't want to kill you... it's great. I'd say easily on a par with Slave Ships for roleplaying opportunity - and maybe beyond with the way I'm planning it (taking it a little off-text with the baron and the count).

As for the group... just wow. I love roleplaying and I love writing. It's wonderful to get a chance to do both like this. It really does open up the possibilities for introducing story and character depth - even in the context of PFS. Having this group of characters stay together is making my life a joy as a GM.

Hey all. I'm going to be pretty busy as of this afternoon (2-3pm+) and won't be my usual frequent-posting self until Sunday. I'll try to get on and post whenever possible, but it'll be tricky. Not that you're necessarily close to one, but if a combat starts, I won't be able to set up the tracker and do all the combat setup craziness until Sunday.

So feel free to post like maniacs until 2pm, and feel free to take it slow after than. Of course, the usual 24 hour bot-window applies. I don't think you can bot me, though, so I'll have to try extra hard. ;-)

That's cool with me, since I'll be attending "Vasectomy Con 2 -- The Final Cut" where a bunch of us are going through 4-5 levels of The Emerald Spire this weekend.

I thought you were geeking up a description of your own vasectomy, I was about to say "TMI", then I saw Emerald Spire. Now I'm not sure... still possible, but it would be strange if you were getting the snip in a group.

wasn't me. The story is the first time we got together to do this, one of the guys got snipped, and was given permission to spend the weekend with the guys. That was back in July.

Now, we're getting together to do the next few levels, and just calling it the same thing... no one is getting snipped this time.

Getting cut there and all he gets is to play Emerald Spire = bad negotiator.

As a fellow genitally mutilated male human, I can say that:

Emerald Spire + all the unprotected sex you want always and forever = its own reward + Emerald Spire.

A few day off work, to have surgery and nurse your small balls isn't so bad. Gives you a chance to clear out the DVR as well as the sperms. The pay-off also includes no more child-like interruptions ever again. Sorry, Miro, but 2 was enough for me!

Oh snap! Totally been operating without realizing there was a discussion thread over here.

Day Job Singing: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Thanks Miro! For the others, I noticed that the usual rapid-post Miro hadn't replied regarding the day job check. I then noticed he hadn't posted to this thread at all and as such wouldn't be getting the usual (93 new) x to alert him to new messages. Anyway, a PM sorted it all out.

Perhaps interestingly, "PM" in Australia refers to our Prime Minister. Still catches my eye as strange when I see it for private messages.

If you haven't read the gameplay thread first please do so, then come back here.

Sorry to post that one early, guys. It will be a long-ish one (perhaps, I've been surprised by you before) and I wanted to get it out as early as possible. Upon reviewing the encounter, I realized I needed to split the initiatives to run it fairly - there are a few success conditions riding upon it, and grouping the initiative could drastically reduce your chances. I grouped the little snakes but had to split off the baron and the count (because of what they do / say on their turn and how it affects the PCs) and the emperor cobra has its own thing going on.

All: As such, I'll try to monitor the thread frequently today - and I will also be taking "contingency plan" posts, including any rolls required. For example, if you're not able to monitor the thread much today, just say what you'll do when it comes around to your turn and under what circumstances you wouldn't do it - and what you'll change your action to (if appropriate). I won't try to rush things, but I don't want everyone to get totally bored or for this to take a week (I'm off to Australia in 10 days!).

You don't need to do a contingency plan post, I just wanted to let you know that for this encounter, I will allow it. If you do post one, please do place it in a spoiler.

Amaranti: it's going to be night time for you before too long. You're on the elephant and as such are best placed to make a ride check to calm it down. In order to keep it moving, would you mind if I made that check for you when the time comes? I'll bot Kaisharga for a reasonable attack action also. Let me know if you'd rather not try to calm the elephant (ie. you'd prefer to cast a spell or enter melee) and I'll change that action for you. I'll assume consent unless you say otherwise.

So this could be a terrible idea, but add soon as I have some time to sit down and post, Cyrus is going to attempt to 'charm' the cobra, then grapple it. I have a whole post worked out in my head, and fully expect in character protests... To which Cyrus will say 'what's the worst that could happen?'.

Just wanted to get that out there in case I can't post until later...

-Posted with Wayfinder

Evidently Cyrus has been learning the wrong lessons from Gunari. Or maybe the right ones? Has he thought about devoting himself to the Drunken Hero?

Perhaps... Your evangelistic efforts are not for naught...

-Posted with Wayfinder

Well, it's only getting-home-from-work -time now, but sure, feel free to bot the ride check. Is the elephant combat trained? Can it be used to deliver a charge? That would make one particular Garundi soooooo happy!

Default actions:
Amaranti: Calm the elephant
Kaisharga: Attack the little snakes