Great in-game posts so far guys, but I was wondering... did anyone try hunting on this hunt? No one so far's made a check to kill small game - which is fine, if your character wasn't bothering, but poor Lady Rebecca's going to feel a bit silly hunting alone... ;)
I figured I'd leave that to the forester types, especially since the knight types had plenty o' fun with the melee.
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Great in-game posts so far guys, but I was wondering... did anyone try hunting on this hunt? No one so far's made a check to kill small game - which is fine, if your character wasn't bothering, but poor Lady Rebecca's going to feel a bit silly hunting alone... ;)
Up until your post about it, I assumed my time was consumed with tracking. Then we came upon the clearing and I just jumped into that scene. I can retcon a to hit roll out there if you like.
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I am a little off on the directions. If the village and bridge lie to the south, in the same direction as Old Bloodbristle is heading, in which direction lies the castle/keep?
Castle Redwyrm, the village of Dwarf's Bridge, and general 'civilization' all lie roughly speaking to the South - the village and farmlands closer than the castle. They're not in a direct straight line or anything - but unless you can fly, there's not really such a thing as 'travelling in a straight line' in the rural terrain of the Barony. After leaving Dwarf's Bridge you wound your way North, and a little East, but to be honest all you really need to know is that Old Bloodbristle seems to be heading towards innocents, and you guys are the closest authority figures around...
Prof Potts, do we need to roll for the dogs assisting our tracking checks?
The dogs are trained to track, so getting them to do so just requires a Handle Animal check at DC 10 - you can Take 10 on that if you like. You can also assume each dog can track Old Bloodbristle's scent well enough to be counted as successful in an Aid Another to your own Survival roll to Track, adding a +2 bonus each, for a total of +4 for the two dogs each of the forester types has with him.
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Note that as soon as Jaymin tried (and failed) the roll to get his mount down the hillside quickly, he was commited for the round to doing that (at the slower pace) - which is why that's all he got to do. Garrett and Clarius (and anyone else who gets that close) get saves against Zurladew's Silent Image as the lack of sound (or smell, heat, etc.) at that range is obvious enough to at least allow a save to disbelieve... although good luck with Zurladew's Illusion save DC! :)
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Since we've started with the warhorse attacks, I had a quick check, and Garrett's listed attacks for his mount Argos seem a little off. Argos should get (+1 BAB / +3 Str / -1 Size) for a total of +3 to attack (which, at the moment, is a little less than a 'standard' heavy warhorse, but give it a few levels... Argos is obviously a younger steed, but with much greater potential). On the other hand, since Argos is automatically considered war trained (unlike a Druid's horse) his hooves are no longer considered secondary attacks, so his full attack should be: Bite +3 (1d4+3), 2x Hooves +3 (1d6+3).
Since we've started with the warhorse attacks, I had a quick check, and Garrett's listed attacks for his mount Argos seem a little off. Argos should get (+1 BAB / +3 Str / -1 Size) for a total of +3 to attack (which, at the moment, is a little less than a 'standard' heavy warhorse, but give it a few levels... Argos is obviously a younger steed, but with much greater potential). On the other hand, since Argos is automatically considered war trained (unlike a Druid's horse) his hooves are no longer considered secondary attacks, so his full attack should be: Bite +3 (1d4+3), 2x Hooves +3 (1d6+3).
I'll get around to statting up Sir Jaymin's horse ASAP.
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Since we've started with the warhorse attacks, I had a quick check, and Garrett's listed attacks for his mount Argos seem a little off. Argos should get (+1 BAB / +3 Str / -1 Size) for a total of +3 to attack (which, at the moment, is a little less than a 'standard' heavy warhorse, but give it a few levels... Argos is obviously a younger steed, but with much greater potential). On the other hand, since Argos is automatically considered war trained (unlike a Druid's horse) his hooves are no longer considered secondary attacks, so his full attack should be: Bite +3 (1d4+3), 2x Hooves +3 (1d6+3).
I wasn't even thinking about that. I purchased my heavy warhorse. Is it combat trained and if so, should I use the base stats from the bestiary or the above stats?
The power adapter on my laptop shirted out. Not sure how long this will put me out for. Hopefully just a day.
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Being a Cavalier, Garrett gets a special mount as a class ability, with special rules. The other combat trained heavy horses are just that - a horse from the bestiary with the 'quick' advanced simple template and combat training. Or, to make things easier... this...
Heavy Warhorse:
Init +4; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +8
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Template)
hp 19 (2d8+6+4)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3
Speed 50ft
Melee Bite +5 (1d4+5), 2x hooves +5 (1d6+5)
Space 10ft, Reach 5ft
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 7
Base Atk +1; CMB +7; CMD 21 (25 Vs trip)
Feats Endurance, Run
Skills Perception +6 (+2 Template)
Tricks attack, come, defend, down, guard, heel
... that includes the quick Advanced Simple Template, of course.
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Since we've started with the warhorse attacks, I had a quick check, and Garrett's listed attacks for his mount Argos seem a little off. Argos should get (+1 BAB / +3 Str / -1 Size) for a total of +3 to attack (which, at the moment, is a little less than a 'standard' heavy warhorse, but give it a few levels... Argos is obviously a younger steed, but with much greater potential). On the other hand, since Argos is automatically considered war trained (unlike a Druid's horse) his hooves are no longer considered secondary attacks, so his full attack should be: Bite +3 (1d4+3), 2x Hooves +3 (1d6+3).
Got it...Thanks.
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Ride check to get horse to attack: combat trained, no roll needed
Actually, whilst there's no need to take a move (or full-round) action to simply keep control of a combat-trained mount in battle, you do need to roll a DC 10 Ride check to get it to attack - as per 'Fight with combat-trained mount' under the Ride skill (pages 103 to 104 in the core book). One big advantage is that this is a free action (as oppossed to getting an animal which is attack-trained but which isn't a mount to attack, which is a DC 10 Handle Animal check and a move action). For example, if you were trying to get your horse to attack, but weren't mounted at the time, it would take that Handle Animal check and a move action to do so (although it'd still be a free action for Garrett to thus command Argos, 'cos of the Link ability).
On the other hand, since there's no 'automatic miss on a roll of a 1' rule for Skill checks, Clarius is right that having a +5 skill check total means he automatically beats a DC 5 - heck, a +4 bonus would do (in effect, even when you can't 'take 10' like in combat, you can always 'take 1' - although the only reason to do so is to cut down on the amount of dice rolling involved).
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Ride check to get horse to attack: combat trained, no roll neededActually, whilst there's no need to take a move (or full-round) action to simply keep control of a combat-trained mount in battle, you do need to roll a DC 10 Ride check to get it to attack - as per 'Fight with combat-trained mount' under the Ride skill (pages 103 to 104 in the core book)...
You're absolutely right. I read all of this in PRD at work last night as I was preparing my post and looked at the description for attacking with mount and didn't look at the DC table. Here is the roll:
So scratch the horse attacks. I'll know better going forward.
Sorry about the lack of posting, I was out of town for the weekend. You guy's posting rate is incredible, I'll try and get a decent post up some time later today.
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Sorry about the lack of posting, I was out of town for the weekend. You guy's posting rate is incredible, I'll try and get a decent post up some time later today.
I try to post once a day, although with nine PCs it gets a little harder, as I'd also try to avoid posting unless at least half or so of the PCs have (depending on the in-game situation: anything measured in combat rounds tends to slow things down, as it becomes more important for people to 'get their turn', but conversations with NPCs and such don't always require input from everybody to move forwards). I'll admit to posting at weird times (for me) this week as I'm using up the last of my holiday from work (use it or lose it!) but just pottering round the house. Despite having internet access at work, I rarely post from there (since I tend to be too busy, you know, working... ;) ), so usually post in the evenings (GMT). I also wanted to get the big castle descriptions in while I had the time to do them! (Castles are so often short-changed in the fantasy genre!).
I'm looking forwards to seeing some more stuff from Lady Bea - I can see how the romp through the woods have not have been her cup of tea, but heading towards banquets and castle intrigue should hopefully be more her speed. :)
BTW, excellent posting from everyone - great characterisation and role-play!
Just a question: should there be some kind of specific way of acting, since I find it quite weird for Aydan or other knights to act... well, so friendly: (ah, hard to find words today) or well, too close.
I understand this of course from the point of forester, knights etc, but somehow I have this bugging feeling that I should say something, but then I guess will be normal so keeping "Kerdin" actions under leash :P
She is at least the daughter for one of the MIGHTIEST Baron in Taldor as I understood :D so I guess there has to be some kind consequences or mannerism, but ... well, I guess you got my point or.. not sure at least from my part. I have been reading recently some medieval stories and history to have the feeling how everything should be with social interactions
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Well, there's an expectation for acting more formally in public - offering respect, using proper titles, deferring to judgement, etc. - but in private it's more a case of what the people involved are comfortable with. Everyone's actually been doing really well in that respect! Aydan (for example) grew up with Lady Rebecca, so it's natural for him to be more familiar with her when out of the public eye than, say (again, for example), Jaymin, who's just getting to know her (or so he hopes... ;) ).
Just to chime in from my perspective, that Prof hit right on the nose. Aydan's known Rebecca since she was a baby and is childhood friends with her and was best friends with her late brother. You are absolutely right in that Aydan's actions are inappropriate, considering his status as a common born (and bastard to) and he (and I'm assuming Rebecca) tries to make sure that he acts appropriately in public.
Aydan's last post says he's ignoring protocol, he doesn't care this time because he thinks Rebecca should hear what he has to say, and he's gotten away with this kind of stuff since he was 5.
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I'll add my 2 cents and say that Clarius' familiarity with Aydan in my last post was due to the fact that Aydan is allowed in a social circle that is well above his standing and that in this circle he is the only other person to understand the wilds. Sirs Jaymin and Garrett are fellow knights, but they do not share that passion for exploration or living rough. Aydan and Clarius are of a mind with regards to forestry while Clarius, Jaymin and Garrett are kindred spirits in their exhilaration at killing a legendary beast which Aydan mourns.
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Sorry about the last couple of extra-long in-game posts... I can assure you I won't be writing that much every time! The castle's just an important piece of the setting, and I'm trying to get across what it's like to live there... hopefully it's not too 'essay-like'... I'm not trying to railroad the PCs either - NPCs say what they say, you can do whatever you like (but obviously NPCs then react to what you do or don't do).
Aydan and Clarius can get back to Castle Redwyrm pretty soon if they want to, since they can ride a lot faster than an ox-cart carrying a giant boar, even after their detour back to the woods.
It's probably a few hours until the banquet starts, so PCs have some time to get ready, do what they want to do, etc..
Everyone gets to be at the banquet, although only Brendan would be on the 'high table' - the knights and ladies close by, but not on the same table... and Aydan somewhere at the far end of the hall... The jesters will, of course, be providing entertainment throughout, so will be able to wander around the hall as they see fit.
In the castle, while the Ladies-in-Waiting and the jesters can go into the private residence level as they please, even the knights and Brendan really shouldn't just wander up there without permission (and Aydan would likely be executed on the spot!).
Obviously the banquet isn't going to be a place to be armed and armoured... you're expected to bring your own knife to eat with, but wearing armour or carrying a sword with you is right out.
Ah... I think that's it for now... feel free to ask questions! :)
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Sorry about the last couple of extra-long in-game posts... I can assure you I won't be writing that much every time! The castle's just an important piece of the setting, and I'm trying to get across what it's like to live there... hopefully it's not too 'essay-like'... I'm not trying to railroad the PCs either - NPCs say what they say, you can do whatever you like (but obviously NPCs then react to what you do or don't do).
I was stunned by your last couple of posts. I sat there wondering how you had the time to come up with such great detail. Well done, sir!
Aydan and Clarius can get back to Castle Redwyrm pretty soon if they want to, since they can ride a lot faster than an ox-cart carrying a giant boar, even after their detour back to the woods.
I see a small detour on the way back to the castle as you can read in my latest post.
Hey Proff, I have a question. I'm planning on having Aydan ask to be allowed to enter the tournament (actually its a bit more brazen than that, but this is the first part) before I do however, I'd like to know if this crosses a major line in the social order. Are these the sort of things only highborn knights can do? I don't want Aydan pushing above his station (well... at least not too far, :p) so just wanted to ask about this before I write it in game.
Oh, and would you have any problem with me saying that Aydan's sword was a gift from the Baron and Hanz, maybe for Aydan's 16th birthday? just a flavor bit I'd like to put in and wanted to check with you on.
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I'm going to be out of town this weekend - just a heads-up before the fact.
Thanks for the heads-up, it's always better to know!
Aydan, You have no way of coming to there! Sorry but just reading the materials and just coming like that is inappropriate :S I can swear that I read somewhere Proff had wroten that you will be executed and you have been denied to ever enter so deep to castle. I just would like to confirm and I apologize for that if I am wrong, but you just can´t simple to do that. Either way you need to contact Kerdin or Zurladew or some "maids" to deliver message but yes :S
No, no, no! Entering the castle won't get the man executed - entering the top-floor 'private residence' without being invited might. From his post it looks like Aydan didn't just walk into the 'private chambers' in the Great Hall either, but has asked for an audience, which is entirely appropriate. Sorry for any confusion!
Hey Proff, I have a question. I'm planning on having Aydan ask to be allowed to enter the tournament (actually its a bit more brazen than that, but this is the first part) before I do however, I'd like to know if this crosses a major line in the social order. Are these the sort of things only highborn knights can do? I don't want Aydan pushing above his station (well... at least not too far, :p) so just wanted to ask about this before I write it in game.
Generally it's knights only. There are to be three basic types of event in the tournament: the joust (lances on horseback), the grand melee (a general free-for-all on horseback), and a variety of duels (two guys on foot going at each other). The first two require, at minimum, a warhorse - so Aydan's out of luck there. He may be allowed to compete in a duel, if he makes a persuasive argument, but at his own peril - the knights generally all wear heavy armour, which minimises the risk of injury or death - I don't think Aydan has any of that lying about either!
The grand melee will be the final event of the tournament (which takes place over the course of several days), and is a 'last man standing' event.
The joust uses blunted lances, and the knights have extra padding and plates added to their armour (any character with full plate will have these 'jousting additions' available - although they'd just give you penalties outside of an actual joust situation) which combine to make the damage non-lethal. It's the best of three passes - a solid hit (an attack roll above the target's AC) counts as a 'broken lance', and the most broken lances after three passes wins. Unseating your opponent is an automatic win. If it's a tie after three passes, and the two participants opt to do so, the combat can be continued on foot until one or other yields or is knocked out.
The 'duels' are: 'sword' (any sword weapon, with or without shield... not rapiers or anything silly like that, of course), 'mace' (any 'blunt' weapon - mace, morningstar, hammer, etc. - with or without shield), and 'polearm' (any hafted weapon - spears, halberds, etc.). These are fought 'first to three good hits' (a good hit, again, being an attack over the opponent's AC), or until knockout or surrender.
The grand melee is fought on a large square field, the joust at the lists, and the duels in the 'sword ring' (even the non-sword events). The joust and duels are simple elimination events - you need to fight and win to advance to the next 'round'.
While there's expected to be medical attention enough so that no-one dies (although there are accidents - finishing a guy down to his last hit point, who just won't quit, with a high damage critical is always possible) there's no expectation of 'free' magical healing or power-boosts beyond that - although participants are free to arrange their own (within the usual limits of chivalric combat). Does this favour the wealthy? Why yes... the nobility like to win, after all - it's how they became nobles in the first place... ;)
Beyond the tournament events themselves, there's bound to be lots of other things going on as well - traders trying to sell their wares, entertainers, sometimes people even organise 'unofficial' events - like an archery contest for the yeomen, bare-knuckle brawling, or 'dueling' with quarterstaffs - which is more the thing Aydan would be expected to be interested in. But who lives up to expectations, right? Organised dogfights and cockfights, always popular passtimes (with lots of gambling) are likely to be around too.
Oh, and would you have any problem with me saying that Aydan's sword was a gift from the Baron and Hanz, maybe for Aydan's 16th birthday? just a flavor bit I'd like to put in and wanted to check with you on.
To be honest I can't imagine how he got it any other way, so yeah, that's fine!
Ok, so it was my confusion and I admit it and apologize then (if I sounded rude) :)
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If you advertise on the boards you can probably fill a game roster in less than a day, depending on how 'weird' your proposal is - people are always on the lookout for new DMs! But if you put up a proposal I'll certainly check it out.
If this is your first go running a PbP, a bit of unsolicited advice, if that's okay: I'd make your descisions on things like points for Ability Score buys, max hit points at level one, amount of starting cash, classes and races you'll allow, and all that sort of stuff before you put up a proposal... and try to stick to those choices (and remember that 'more powerful' PCs seldom makes a better game... just a blander one). People always have different ideas on the sort of game they're looking for, but it's no good if it's not the sort of game you'll be interested in running in the long term... even a 'short adventure' tends to be a long-term commitment in PbP, since the pace is, in real-time terms, very slow. That 'psionic centaur' or 'comically insane' or 'actually an anti-paladin in disguise' character may be well written and seem interesting to begin with, but can be a serious headache in the long term. Also, try to be open about the sort of game it's going to be from the start - you may want, for example, to have hordes of undead as a surprise twist, but if someone's designed a magic-using character with no spells which effect the undead, they're going to get pretty frustrated pretty quickly. Or if someone designs a social character and it's nothing by fights, then that's frustrating too (or vice-versa - a pure combat character in a social-based adventure will be chomping at the bit to start a brawl!). That includes being open about any house rules, so even if they seem 'normal' to you, have a think if the way you play matches the core book and make sure to let people know when and where it doesn't.
Well, that's all pretty much IMHO, of course, so feel free to ignore as you wish!
Good luck, and I'll be looking forward to seeing what your proposed game is! :)
It made me think a bit, and for better or worse it helped me expose the one flaw in my brilliant master plan, my own lack of creating map skills. I think there will be times when not having a map could be a problem, I'll have to either try and think of some way of doing without them, or try to find some way to learn how to.
If you don't see a proposal I guess it means I wasn't able to do either.
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Okay, I have added Clarius' heraldry to his character sheet. Sorry it took so long. I forgot about it until I saw it in Garrett's post. What I posted was quick and dirty without looking up anything up for guidance. The character sheet has a proper description. I chose not to add a mark of cadency outside of the border as I have decided that in the character's family holdings, cadency goes to those who have led successful raids into Qadira or destroyed Qadiran raids into Taldor.
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As long as the border's a mark of difference, then that's fine - Taldan heraldry is meant to be pretty complex, but you still need to know exactly who it is you're chopping the head off of in the middle of a fight!
What I do is to just get everyone to post what they're doing (including all the rolls they may need to make), then sort out a DM post describing the action and the results as part of the ongoing story. Stuff like who can flank whom, and who gets caught in an area effect spell, is actually pretty easy without maps - you just give the benefit of the doubt, and go with what makes for the best story. If someone states they're trying to flank an enemy, then either let them (and describe it) or don't let them (and describe why it failed). Combat is meant to be dramatic, and maps can often reduce it to statistics... which is the least dramatic thing in the world! Try to make everything you write interesting, especially in combat. There's little more boring than three pages of posts like 'you hit him for 6 damage', 'he hits you for 4 damage'... Describe it like it's an action movie!
In general I'd say the old fiction writing advice is key to running PbP, that is to say: 'Show, don't tell'. What that basically means is that you're the player's eyes and ears in the world, so you should describe what they see and hear (and taste, smell, and touch), not just tell them. In other words, posting something like 'an aboleth appears and attacks' is pretty meaningless, but posting something like 'a green, slime-covered, fish-like creature larger than a house suddenly bursts from the water, the spray soaking you all even as its three red eyes, one above the other, swivel to take you in and its four long tentacles lash out towards you...' is evocative, draws people into the action, and tends to get players writing descriptive responses too. Sure, it takes a lot longer, but that's one of the plus points of PbP - you don't need to make knee-jerk responses to stuff, you can take a little time to check the rules, re-read a spell description, and compose an interesting and descriptive response.
The concept of battle maps is a little weird anyway, as they tend to make combat seem 'static' - move to space X, then do action Y - where it should come across as dynamic. Heroes should leap on tables, swing on chandeleers, and punch camels - not plot the safest path through the enemy's threatened spaces on a grid map... Maps can be helpful tools in running combats, but IMHO they're hardly a necessity. But then again, I've always been more a role-player than a roll-player: for me game mechanics are the tools which help you tell the story, not the reason for the story to exist.
Again, all IMHO, and I'm sure many would disagree - take and leave as you see fit! And you really should try running a game if you're interested in doing so - as with most stuff, you learn most by doing, and at the end of the day what's the worst that could happen? It's even safer than face-to-face role-play, where people can throw stuff at you (and those d30s can hurt, let me tell you!)! ;)
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Basically the english system, but the Taldor book suggests that there's a whole lot of titles which are really confusing, so there could be others thrown in there (so there could be Counts as well as Earls, even though they're basically the same thing). But basically...
Baronet
Baron / Viscount
Earl / Count
Marquis
Duke
The Crown Prince
Marquis and Duke would essentially by royalty (related in some way to Grand Prince Stavian III), whilst the Barons and Earls are the 'tennants-in-chief', and Baronets are the least of the nobility, in some cases barely above landed knights (knights technically being 'gentry' rather than 'nobility'). On top of that there are Imperial titles which are 'offices' or 'jobs' rather than 'rank' - such as patrician, magister, proconsul, mandator, exarch, and viceroy - which also grant varying amounts of power and influence, and which (although they aren't strictly heriditary) are often passed down through families or secured by 'donations' to the right people in the senate.
Essentially, anyone with a title above a simple 'Sir' is of higher 'rank' than any of the PCs. Of course when you get to the land-owning classes, rank and power don't always match - so a rich and successful Baron with plenty of troops to command could well have more power and influence than a Duke who just happens to be Stavian's second-cousin but who's wasted any fortune he inherited. But hey - it's politics, it's never simple! ;)
Haha, politics is not meant to be simple, if it was, the right mix of corruption and ambition could not grow to provide noble and just Pc's with the despicable villians to opose.
Kerdin - No worries, you were trying to help. Sorry for repeating what was already said hours before here, in the other thread. I forgot to check it, :p
Hey Prof, is there a library Aydan would have access to? To help with knowledge checks?
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Re-knowing about the poison: Generally you should post as if you only know stuff your character has been told in-game - 'team telepathy' is turned off! ;)
(Face-to-face I even make players leave the room for private talks when their characters are privy to information that other PCs aren't... then again, sometimes I just walk out with them, wait a few minutes, then say, 'No, it was nothing'... when they go back in and the other players ask them what it was about, and they say 'nothing' you get a wonderful 'instant paranoia' effect! I'm a bad, bad, man... ;p).
Re-knowing about the poison: Generally you should post as if you only know stuff your character has been told in-game - 'team telepathy' is turned off! ;)
(Face-to-face I even make players leave the room for private talks when their characters are privy to information that other PCs aren't... then again, sometimes I just walk out with them, wait a few minutes, then say, 'No, it was nothing'... when they go back in and the other players ask them what it was about, and they say 'nothing' you get a wonderful 'instant paranoia' effect! I'm a bad, bad, man... ;p).
I wasn't looking for team telepathy, but they did go on a horse ride from the village to the scene of the boar attack, and then back from the last battle to the castle. Even if we don't play out every minute, it seems a likely topic of conversation that Zurladew would have raised.
Yah, you are a baad boy, aa baaad boy :P
The initiation was also that "jesters" weren´t going to talk about this. Even Kerdin won´t have idea, since we didn´t speak at any point about poison. PC heard about it first time in front of Baron, but then Kerdin already has his own plans for Sir Guy.