Sorry for lack of updates. Weird day. Should post tomorrow.
Super Bowl finished at 3 in the morning over here... Worth staying up for though... A great final quarter / didn't watch any of the regular season but I could see why both sides made the final game...
Sorry Zee, as a neutral, (and a long suffering Dolphins fan), I was cheering the Seahawks on...thought they had grabbed it at the end - that catch!!! - but them, quite literally, threw it away...
That game was a real nailbiter, right down to the end!
I grew up near Boston, and you never outgrow your childhood sports affiliations. That said, I'm not much of a football fan-- the Super Bowl is often the only football game I watch in a given year.
I never much care who's playing in the Super Bowl-- not much of a sports fan at all, really. But yea, the very end of the game was a lot of fun to watch.
As we are now well and truly into the New Year, I think we need to be realistic about Joanna's player returning - whatever was going on IRL has stopped them posting in any of their games since before Christmas; it's a shame, especially as her character was just going through her 'transformation' from cosseted and privileged girl to honour driven paladin.
In terms of getting back to 5 players, Escharid's character Arsith is mostly ready...I have asked her to line herself up for being ready to segue into the campaign in about two weeks - which is when I think, based on your plans / my knowledge of the adventure, you will be heading back into Magnimar.
...I have asked her to think a little bit about her background and wondered whether she knows any of you... Any ideas / thoughts?
I've already add a few things on my background, as asked by the GM:
Magnimar, Pathfinders and PCs
After her training, Arsith put herself under orders from the Pharasman temples. She rode the roads of Varisia for more than one year, battling the unliving or living threats to her church, alone or in groups. Unknown to her, one of the members in these ragtag groups was a Pathfinder named Elubain, who saw some potential in the young woman: even disowned, Arsith was still a D'Abariane, a
well-known noble name, who could enter the higher circles of Magnimar's society.Recently, Arsith felt compelled to come back to her native town, if only to pray on Lenore's grave. Maybe she could find the creature that caused the death of her former lover, too. Or help people to escape such a grim Fate.
Arsith might have encountered Briana, when they were younger and both members of Magnimar high society.
But I'm open to any ideas
I was born and raised in Absalom, so we probably haven't met.
I'm sure we can work Arsith and Ziomarra knowing each other into their backgrounds.
Zee had lived in a traveling Varisian caravan most of her life, and has been all over Varisia, from Riddleport to Janderhoff. She spent a good amount of time at Trail's End and Thief Camp in Korvosa, and was there during the events of "Curse of the Crimson Throne." (Unlike most APs, "Shattered Star" assumes the events of "Crimson Throne," "Rise of the Runelords," and "Second Darkness" have all occurred in the past, so i felt safe writing that in.)
After a falling-out with the leadership in her caravan, she spent several months as a fortune-teller in The Warren district of Kaer Maga. That's where she fell in with the Pathfinders. Zee has the "Friend In Every Town" trait, and is one of those people that just seems to know everybody.
That could work, Ziomarra. I haven't tought of that, even if I read your backgrounds
As Pharasma domains is not only Death but Fate too, investigating your divinatory talents would make sense too.
Teldon and I were both posting / re-posting at the same time... The perils of PbP!!! Am sticking with Teldon having the Harness / Boots... Nalathi has the ring...
I am mindful that, with the Tower Girls out on the piling and only Teldon following - Ziomarra, Briana and Nalathi might not have much to do so will wrap up Teldon's pursuit as quickly as possible...
On a totally unrelated note, in honour of RPGSS, I have been going through previous year's monster entities to find something fun to work into the campaign - I believe I have one or two fun ideas!!!!
i'm an idiot... or, at least, way too impatient. GM, you should have 2 PMs from me- 1 sent right before i got your 1st one and 1 (better one) right after it... hopefully you'll get them at the same time instead of the good one right after you respond to the now pointless one...
It's like yesterday's crossed posts all over again... Sorry.
Just pushed Joanna onto NPC status on the Campaign Info...
Let's get through to the next bit of stuff you can do in the Crow and we should be back up to 5 players v. soon.
I had an unexpectedly busy weekend. Sorry for lack of updates!
my posting rate may be a little bit low for the next couple days... i just cut the tip of my left pointer finger off with an axe (I have it held back on with some sterile gauze and duct tape, and i'd give it about a 66% chance to heal back on, but typing this way is awkward and uncomfortable).
Well why did you do that? Also, duct tape for the win.
Well why did you do that?
natural 1...
Ouch...
...really nothing more to be said!!!
...apart from hope it heals back for you...and if it doesn't, you can always invent some really cool story...
Yikes! I hope you saw a doctor about that! Heal quickly!
My week has been pretty crazy, which I why my posting rate is down. My wife is away on business this week, so I've been doing my impression of a single parent.
On a completely unrelated note, I took my daughter to see Jupiter Ascending last night. It was completely ridiculous, over-the-top, over-acted, filled with non-sequiturs, and was a 13-year-old girl's wish-fulfillment fantasy. Mila Kunis plays an undocumented immigrant house cleaner in Chicago who finds out she's a space princess that literally owns the Earth. Hijinks ensue.
I loved it.
That does sound like a proper popcorn movie...unfortunately the Wachowski brothers have kind of lost any respect I had for them...I just can't forgive either of those Matrix sequels (overblown garbage after the first, very slick, film)...I've never walked out of a film at the cinema - but when a fire alarm went off whilst I was watching the second of the sequels, I didn't bother going back in to finish viewing...
...maybe I'll watch this one on Blu-Ray at some point - I must admit it does sound kind of fun...
Yea, many people (myself included) like to pretend the second and third Matrix movies don't exist.
Jupiter Ascending was a very, very fun "good bad" movie. I thought that some of its utter ridiculousness was part of its charm. The Wachowskis totally went all-in. Part of the fun was watching it in a half-filled theatre, where the other filmgoers joined in laughing at the ridiculous dialogue and villainous scenery-chewing.
I have to give the Wachowskis credit that this film is a completely original idea, even if it's bat-$#!t insane. It's not based on a YA novel or an existing franchise. Which really makes it a rare treat in that respect.
(And, yeah, the Matrix sequels were so bad they detract from the original by association. Kind of like the sequel to Highlander, but not quite as bad.)
My recommendation is to check your brain at the door and enjoy the crazy ride.
I am travelling with work for the next two days - I may have some internet access and get a post up - but probably not...if you get your combat actions for this round up, I'll respond to them ASAP...
Also, if someone wants to suggest / take Joanna's actions (just in case you want her to do something different than attempting to hit the Wererat), that's fine...
Nope- I gave her that shortsword so she could put it to good use...
Answered your PM, Briana
So, my favourite round of RPGSS is due next week - the encounter round always seems like the best balance of story, map-making, mechanics, etc. so, if I seem a little distracted come Tuesday...you know I'm enjoying reading the entries...
...and if in 3 or 4 levels time, your characters accidentally fall down a pit to Nar-Voth, you'll know I really liked one of the encounters!!!!
Folks, just so you guys don't keep on hitting your head against a brick wall, you have reached a point in the adventure where you can't continue without further help - I had always planned on putting something like this in to divert you onto the Feast of Ravenmoor but we can also use it to bring Arsith into the game.
So, you're saying we need like a specific kind of blood or something and we won't be able to open the door right now?
This is total metagaming, but we should all check for secret doors in the rooms with the windows. The map has something blacked out there...
Speaking of help. Guess who's back?
So I think the overwhelming consensus is that Joanna returns to PC status...
...welcome back, good to see you again...
...and Arsith gets to join us for the ride through our diversion into 'Feast of Ravenmoor'...
Joanna - I have ticked Joanna Whitehall as 'Active' (and 'unticked' NPC) so it should appear in your list of campaigns now...feel free to post in game whenever you like (she's been a bit strong and silent of late!!!)
Welcome back, Joanna!
Will do as soon as I get caught up. :D
And it's good to be back!
Yay! Welcome back, Joanna!
Thanks guys. :D
On another note, it seems that Joanna is going to be one of those Paladins that may need an atonement spell or three when what is Lawful doesn't align with what is Good. :)
Well every paladin has a decision to make in those types of situations, because what is Lawful and what is Good butt heads rather frequently. But yea, it definitely seems like you'll be leaning toward 'Good' when that happens. (My PFS paladin, by contrast, does not.)
Well, a lot of it depends on what you mean by "lawful."
For a paladin, I've always considered that the paladin's code (from their order/faith) trumps the local laws of the land. Especially when the laws of the land aren't in accordance with the paladin's LG ethos.
I always figure that a paladin gives "all due respect" to local laws; but it's the paladin's judgement call as to how much respect is due.
But that's just how I GM. YMMV.
we kind of got sidetracked from the IC conversation about what we're going to do with the tower girls... it seems pretty obvious that we're not going to kill them... how is Jo feeling about the whole 'try-to-set-them-on-the-right-track vs deliver-them-to-the-watch' thing?
Teldon already shared his view: "it's better to make a corpse than an enemy, but better still an ally." so, since we're letting them live, his vote is to send them off in a way that will make them view us positively... maybe introduce them to Lady Heidmarch if they seem into that, or possibly use some small part of our spoils to book them safe passage somewhere?
Agreed. I was thinking of giving them back some of their equipment (armor & a dagger), and maybe 5 or 10 gp each, and then just letting them go, with an admonition to do something better with their lives.
Torn, but I think she'd be okay with having them under the eye of someone she trusted.
On an unrelated note, I'm thinking about Zee's advancement to Level 3...
I'm not sure what to do with the feat.
I've narrowed it down to four, and I was wondering what your opinions were...
First of all, since throwing Harrow cards is her shtick now, I'm torn between taking a combat feat or Extra Hex (to get back the L2 hex I gave up for the cartomancer archetype).
If I decide to do a combat feat, I think the best choices would be...
Precise Shot (to throw into melee without penalty)
Rapid Shot (to throw an extra card)
Weapon Focus (Harrow card) (general +1 to hit)
If I decide to do Extra Hex, I think the best choices would be...
Charm (improve attitude of a creature by 1 step, as if by Diplomacy)
Flight (feather fall at will, levitate 1/day, fly for a number of minutes per day as witch level, in 1-minute increments)
Misfortune (unluck: roll 2d20 and take the worst)
Right now, I'm flip-flopping between Precise Shot and Extra Hex (misfortune).
Thoughts?
...and, on that note, you folks are very close to levelling up to Level 3!!! So definitely get your thinking hats on...
- that will include you as well...
personally, i don't think misfortune is that great unless you're planning to pick up Cackle at 4th... with cackle misfortune can be a crazy good debuff, without cackle misfortune's only going to affect a 1-2 rolls and unless there's a huge amount of planning/party coordination (or luck) they're probably not going to be pivotal rolls.
So my 2cp= if you're taking cackle at 4th misfortune is a great option, if not maybe go with precise shot.
I was planning to take Cackle as soon as I had more than one other hex that I could use it with...