Ruins of Pathfinder: The Quest for Arcadia (Inactive)

Game Master Robert Brookes

Yeah, I'm not sure how long Angrin will stay... Probably until he absolutely must leave.

Maven's shy. But she's no coward.

Eh, on second thought, the post I was going to write up to describe his rescue of four dwarves doesn't look all that inspiring. Better to save it for next turn, assuming the boat survives that long. xD

I know it is not my fault and apparenly the dice roller is punishing all the characters I have in one of Robert's games, but... considering I got a 1 on the perception check I figured I would have to end up in some sort of bad situation.

Guess who will be switching to Mind the Kraken next round...

Curse you, Dakún! I'm feeling very inadequate. x_x

Don't be, Angrin. The simple fact that you were chosen for this campaign means you have proven yourself to be more than enough of a writer/roleplayer. Just because Dakun and a few others blow us out of the water from time to time doesn't mean anyones inadequate. Even I have a hard time writing that much XD

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Also, to everyone excluding Dakun and Vulgarbeard (Who are already in the campaign), I have two spots open in my Skull and Shackles Campaign, and will be looking for new recruits to join us. We're finishing up Day 2 before taking a short break to find new players, at which time we'll work 'em in on Day 3. We've lost our Rogue and Alchemist, and currently are rolling with an Oracle of Metal, Huntmaster Cavalier, Cleric of Szuriel and Sea-Singer Bard. The Bard is the narrator/DMPC, and is more of a background character.

If yer interested, post over in the discussion thread over there and we'll talk aboot it! (If not, thats cool too.)

Also, I'd like to add that this is the theme song for that campaign. :D

Well, Dakun's post is only actually half as long as it looks. He seems to have repeated most of it :p Still a good effort, my last feels a bit weak (engineering in a daze :s)

Curse you, Dakún! I'm feeling very inadequate. x_x

I'm in the same boat. There's some amazing posters in this thread. And while I consider myself decent, I do feel like I'm playing out of my league.

That being said, this is amazingly fun! And it definitely is making me stretch.

You are all doing wonderfully, might I add. I feel I made the right choice I the players I chose, you are all living up to my hopes!

For those who feel a bit undersized, myself included, here's a thought:

When you feel out of your league, it's time to move up to the majors. challenge yourself. think your posts through. Internal monologue it. Whatever best fits your style and your character, play it to the hilt and let the results speak for themselves.

Internal monologues are really good for extending posts and providing characterization and exposition :)

Indeed! I've done a few myself, but then mostly cut them off - because, well, it'a not like he has all the time in the world to stop and ponder, is it? xD

No criticism of those who do use lengthy monologues intended.

The trick is to write them in as concurrent with your movements. If you bring out a 5-line thought process as a kraken's tentacle is inbound, yeah you'll strain credulity a bit. Moderate a little.

A good idea. I'll have to work on it - I learned to roleplay in a "Show, not tell" environment (RP MU*s), so internal monologue doesn't come easily to me. But as you said: "challenge yourself."

I'm roughly the same, Rogath. It's rather difficult for me to get into things, but so shall I do! >:D

The battle continues in round 3, but there are no new skill challenge checks in addition this round. You still are not sure how much more punishment the ship can take, and from his assessment Quint can't be sure whether the ship is even staying afloat on its own, or if the Kraken is holding it up.

I'm actually rather proud of my most recent post. It's stretching me. :D

Nice post Quint. Not sure yet how I want to play this off. Mineko seems to be a bit fond for the dwarf and he is trying to help, yet is also touched Mineko who I think would not appreciate that. On the other hand, getting sucked down into the sea is probably bad too. So I suspect she will let it slide. Komaninu-Kun might have some words with you later about respecting a woman's no-means-no policy =p

hehe, yeah he wouldn't normally do it, but considering the circumstances and his emotional state I figured what the hell :)

*waits for your post*

Rob, minor typo in the amount of cargo saved. Two of my minions saved 4 units. You listed one of them that saved 4 as saving 1. Scofflaw #2, to be precise.

Yep! Your're right. That's what I get for copying and pasting formatting! I'll mark that as higher in my notes when we get to the final tally.

Nothing better then a cig and some coffee to get the writing flowing. Working on a post now-ish.

@Lucent: I am asssuming no taking 10 for aid anothers?

Correct!

I hope to get a post up tonight, but I have been extremely busy.

Yep! Your're right. That's what I get for copying and pasting formatting! I'll mark that as higher in my notes when we get to the final tally.

On that subject, you have an un-rolled d4 in the first round's results. I don't know how you counted that, if at all.

I've learned my lesson: waiting on the kraken fighters before doin' more rescuin', lol. We've saved almost as many supplies as we have Dwarves so far. Won't be much of a city if there's no Dwarves in it, and since the party's males outnumber the females 3 to 1, I don't think settling into a centuries-long baby boom is a good idea, heh.

Yeah... xD Angrin just feels better getting down into the waters.

Heh, well, guess we'll see what the fallout is for him getting overly familiar with Mineko :p

Hey ROb, it just occurred to me that the unseen servant may be able to assist with collecting stuff from the water. Unseen Servant It can't make skill checks above DC 10, but could it make aid another rolls? It can walk on water and drag 100 pounds. It doesn't list any stats for it so I assume it would just be a straight die roll.

If not then hey that's fine, but might help us get some extra goods/dwarves :)

Angrin would be grateful if you aided his next "Swim for the dwarves" check. :D

Well, he'd be confused at first, but grateful later! xD

Robert Brookes wrote:

Yep! Your're right. That's what I get for copying and pasting formatting! I'll mark that as higher in my notes when we get to the final tally.

On that subject, you have an un-rolled d4 in the first round's results. I don't know how you counted that, if at all.

Weird! Tanks for pointing that out to me, I may have counted it as a 4 on a casual glance, I'll go back through and audit those numbers to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Heh, well, guess we'll see what the fallout is for him getting overly familiar with Mineko :p

Hey ROb, it just occurred to me that the unseen servant may be able to assist with collecting stuff from the water. Unseen Servant It can't make skill checks above DC 10, but could it make aid another rolls? It can walk on water and drag 100 pounds. It doesn't list any stats for it so I assume it would just be a straight die roll.

If not then hey that's fine, but might help us get some extra goods/dwarves :)

I don't think it should be able to make the skill challenge checks on its own, but it is likely a component of how someone would make the checks. A tool at their disposal, so to speak.

Meanwhile, Cherryblossom continued to stamp and snort, the brave mule watched as sailor after sailor slipped below the waves and it wanted to help, it knew it could help, yet the stupid dwarves refused to let go of its bridle.

... This made me burst into hysterical giggles, when I finally noticed it. xD

Yeah, that mule is gonna save us all one day. Hog the spotlight, turn the tides, and thwart the main villain all in one glorious mule kick.

BAM! campaign done.

Just hide and watch.

Years ago, I was running a home-brew campaign with an asian theme and one of the players had a pair of Oxen that the group affectionately named "Stumpy" and "Grunty." They pulled the party's wagon and were not combat trained and largely cantankerous animals that always failed saves at the worst moment.

One encounter, the party was attacked by a group of ninjas on a cliffside trail. The party's warlock (the oxen's owner) unleashed them both and managed to make a successful handle animal check to spur them both to bull rush the pair of ninjas off of the cliff, about a 350 foot drop.

The oxen were hailed as heroes.

Animal companions...worth the bookkeeping? Sometimes, my friend. Sometimes.

It reminds me of my Legend of the Five Rings campaign, where one of the players has a buduka (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) - that is, a peasant warrior who is personally sworn to him. This peasant warrior is 2 for 2 on arc villains. He's struck down an oni, slaughtered a variety of other demons, resisted a spell that put basically everyone in an entire city asleep, and that's just the stuff I know of, having joined in at the end of the second arc. Dude's the real hero of our campaign. The samurai are just there as his comic relief.

Have to wonder how many Dwarves have died on this expedition already due to our "cinematic" posts, lol.

Whaddya think? A few dozen at least? I'm thinking around 50.

Quite a few!

If you guys have ever read the Ciaphas Cain books, I always found Gunner Ferik Jurgen to be my favorite character. He was the "mule" if you will of the team. Honestly, Rob, if you ever do another campaign I think I am going to apply as the most unheroic character I can think of. It could be very fun.

We seem to all have agreed that this is the time to go. xD I'm amused.

heh, yup. Let's hope Dwunder realizes too :p

I'm waiting to see how Dwunderbran reacts before I post - my instinct is that this round is "safe" to stay on board, but next round will be the one where you get off or make a really hard check to stay alive.

If no one's left fighting, I'll abandon ship, but if anyone stays up against the beast, I'll back them.

....

Although, come to think of it, I suppose healing is the least useful thing I can be doing now. I'll have to reconsider my plan. It might come down to Abandon Ship (with me) vs Abandon Ship (without me).

I was going to stay another round, but as I was thinking up a post it just didn't make sense to stick around. My character is way, way out of his element and he knows defeating the Kraken cannot be accomplished now. It just makes more sense to attempt to save everyone he can and get off the vessel.

Yeah, this is one of those times that everyone's going to look back on and go, "I can't help but feeling that if we saved more dwarves, we wouldn't be shoulder deep in red dragon dung."

For example.

Maybe a few of these dwarves will save themselves.

Any survivors you guys wrangled is surplus to the predetermined number of survivors you'll be starting with. So, yes, some of those dwarves will be saving themselves.

Likely won't have a post up until tonight. I can confirm Dwunderbran isn't abandoning ship just yet though, if that helps.

Likely won't have a post up until tonight. I can confirm Dwunderbran isn't abandoning ship just yet though, if that helps.

Yeah, it's good to know. I know what I'm going to do, and I should have my post up in the morning.

Just waiting on Rogath now, looks like this is going to get very interesting next round!