Back. Camping trip called on account of rain.
Sorry to hear that. My laptop is still stuck in repair limbo.
Just checking in to note that my laptop is still likely at least a week away. *sigh* I promise I'll be back as soon as I can...
Me too....
Woohoo! Laptop back and functioning! Look for a "getting things moving" post later today!
Who are you again.
'Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz' and the sound of snoring, Natty waits for a prodding to wake him up ... :)
Well, there is a new post up, but at this very moment the presence or absence of a wake-up call depends more on the people still in the tent than those outside of it...
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This is a serious bummer to me, but I have, after substantial thought, decided to cancel this PbP. As is usually the case, the largest share of blame for this lands at the feet of the GM, and I accept it without hesitation. We've already lost a player, almost certainly a victim of the long hiatus forced by my sudden loss of a computer last month and generally uneven posting schedule, but moreover, I think we've run into a pretty serious clash of expectations. Some of these, like the differences in the expectations of various players/characters, I think we could have worked through with some good roleplaying, but a more serious problem, and the reason why I don't think at this point the game is salvagable without an incredibly thorough overhaul, is a difference in expectations between the players and the Adventure Path itself.
What I did not realize when I invited you guys to play and laid down the character creation rules I did is that Shattered Star is a good-guys AP. The truth is, I was too excited and started it too soon, and as a result I approved characters that just won't fit with where Shattered Star is going. It is designed with an eye to characters who will offer to help people in need and/or show mercy to opponents, not least because you're going to miss a bucketload of XP if the people who were going to offer you quests were, well, dead already. And the mix of antiheroes in the group means that, without a hefty change in the general trajectory of the game, that's the probable outcome of nearly every encounter you're headed toward. I should have had more of the AP in hand before I started the recruitment, or I should have been more conservative in my openness to character ideas (because good guys pretty much always work in Paizo APs - Skull and Shackles being something of the exception), or more likely, both. In fact, the truth of the matter is that part of my posting drop-off as a GM hit when I had read enough of Curse of the Lady's Light to realize the trend of the AP was in fact going to extend beyond the first book, and therefore how badly off-track we already were.
I want to make clear that I don't have a problem with any of you as players; this was my mistake, pure and simple, and I will own up to that fact completely. I still want to run the AP, even, and might do so again at some point in the future - in which case you'd be welcome to bring new characters to the table of you wanted and we could see where things fit. However, for now, I don't see much chance of things continuing.
Thank you all for playing.
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Damn. Sorry to hear it, although if Zeuth is a part of your concern, he really is evil for a good cause. Kind of like how the mafia (i.e., the pop culture idea of the mafia) - while they do commit regular acts of evil and intimidation - also help to protect and provide for the communities that they operate in. Zeuth means to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. He's just got nasty methods and a willingness to use them.
If there are other factors in play, that's that - but I'm a GM first and foremost. I know better than to allow a game mechanic (even one like alignment) to interfere with whatever makes for the coolest story. Zeuth cares about people, and grew into the opinion that the ends (Sczarni crime lords and shakedown artists) justify the means (the protection of the people, and the ability to safeguard against greater evils). One way or another, a good player (GM or PC) justifies his or her mechanical choices however he needs to in order to further or improve the story and the overall experience.
If this shutdown can be circumvented by a group consensus of the above, perhaps we could continue.
If not, it's been a pleasure. Thanks, everyone. : )
Daron Woodson
Abandoned Arts
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I guess I should state outright that I'm not resolutely set against continuing, but here's the problem as I see it. It's not about alignment per se; it's about the approach this set of 5 characters has to dealing with other people. Much of the AP (as far as it has been released, anyway, and as I just finished reading The Asylum Stone last night, the trend is only accelerating) is predicated on the assumption that the PCs will be interested in, or at least open to the possibility of, making allies and friends as they proceed through the storyline. Several NPCs are actually "redemption" possibilities whose survival opens side quests worth both XP and treasure; even in cases where there aren't side quests on offer, there is usually a story award floating around for managing to keep a potentially-redeemable NPC alive, and all three installments so far have NPCs who can actually help you in certain boss fights if you didn't kill them earlier.
However, if you look back through the thread, you'll probably notice a pattern, and it isn't one where the group has been making friends a lot. I think it's especially telling that there have been several Intimidation rolls already, but the first time anyone tried a Diplomacy check was in hopes of avoiding a beatdown by a room full of sailors.
So I don't know if that's a change in attitude that any of the characters can readily sustain. Even Arjun, who I would have expected to fall on that end of things, really missed a great "good cop" opportunity when dealing with Zograthy. I don't really like the idea of just telling the group "you're playing your characters wrong," though, particularly when you aren't, except from the perspective of the AP's assumptions.
But I am open to more discussion on the matter regardless.
Please bot Natty if you need to.
My computer motherboard has gone to that great motherboard in the sky.
Thus I may or may not have access to a computer that will allow me to post.
Cheers,
Deevor
Oh I was really enjoying this ... Unfortunately Natty's charisma means he isn't diplomatic very often, but then neither is he much of an intimidating half-orc either. He will make friends with any female NPC that won't lead to him being beaten up, well OK not beaten up too badly.
I don't know much of the other characters, but given the indication in the way the AP continues then each of us should be able to indicate whether our characters would maybe alter their reactions and interactions a little bit.
I'd really like to continue if Zueth can forgive the hauling him out the Inn if we get that far.
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Hha. Oh, Zeuth isn't angry. He'd be angry if you left him in the bar. Despite the evil alignment and the sinister-sounding class, Zeuth isn't a supervillain. He's just got an IQ of 200 or so. He sees human(oid) life as a math problem (murdering one man to save two is a net gain!), and he sees right through Natty's big "show" of dragging him out of the bar to save his hide. He might even thank him later, if he can swallow his pride. : P
Actually, Zeuth likes Natty more than anyone else so far.
Shisumo: you mentioned conflicting player expectations, but I know I haven't PMmed you. Without naming names, are there players who are concerned about Zeuth, or Natty, or some other element of the game?