So just to clarify, GM Besmara, there are two doors to the center-ish of the area A4 and the main deck, which lead into the officer's quarters, and then the door that Peppery was opening or disabling a trap from was A46, I assume.
Couple of questions:
1) Cueta didn't see anyone unlock either of the two doors into the Officer's quarters, correct?
2) I never noticed on the map before that there is a stairwell that goes from A4 down to A6 and vice versa, but I'm sure that Cueta has noticed it by now. Does that stairwell have a door on it?
Thanks, GM Besmara!
Correct, there are two doors in.
The door Pepper went in and out of a few times was indeed A4b (funny font yeah, but the most pirate-y font available to me D:)
1)Yes, they unlocked them. Officers quarters are always locked and off limits to the crew.
2) It does have a door at the bottom (A6) and it is, like the other doors, always locked.
Sorry guys, had a thesis deadline crunch that killed me. I will post later today. Sorry sorry sorry. Things should be better for a while now.
Correct, there are two doors in.
The door Pepper went in and out of a few times was indeed A4b (funny font yeah, but the most pirate-y font available to me D:)
1)Yes, they unlocked them. Officers quarters are always locked and off limits to the crew.
2) It does have a door at the bottom (A6) and it is, like the other doors, always locked.
Thanks, GM Besmara! Those locked doors are going to present a problem...
Okay, sorry for holding things up. Let's see if we can get things moving again.
Another question, GM:
Without waiting for an answer, Grok digs around the back and pulls out a large crate. "Just take it all. Be quiet about it, but take it. It should all be there. Oh and..."
Was this all of our stuff, or just all of Harmony's stuff?
Tomorrow's going to be a really hectic day for me. I'll try and get a post in, but please bot Cueta if things are happening that would be held up by her.
Everyone's things. That's all ur stuff. The only thing missing is Artevious' last book.
Sweet! Thanks Grok GM Besmara!
1. What is the significance of the asterisk on some of the nighttime ship actions?
2. Does it require ship actions if I want to get some general info on ship crew member alignments on the Good-Neutral-Evil axis? Or can I do some Diplomacy to Gather Information to find out more about the crew members without using ship actions? Wanting to have a clearer image of which guys are the most evil and which ones are the least evil.
1. If you look at the Ship Actions tab under Game Info it explains the asterisks.
2. You can Diplomacy to gather information based on other people's interactions and perceptions of the NPCs in question, though you won't necessarily get an accurate alignment check. Unless you get a spell that does that ofc.
I should mention that the other crew members no listed in that post are ones you haven't had much interaction with and generally act either indifferent or hostile towards you, though you haven't spent enough time with them for you to really tell.
Maheem is probably one I should have listed there. He's a dick and a jerk to all of you.
1. Ah, found it. The explanation was in the first paragraph instead of after the asterisks where I was looking. Thanks.
I am sorry about being gone. Life threw a hard ball my way, but I'm back now! ^_^
Just in case anybody missed it, Gall gave Cueta and Esmarelda a sap each. Just a normal sap. Might be useful if we need to fight and take somebody alive.
^ Sorry, Gall - was half-asleep when I posted this morning and forgot to respond to this. Post incoming shortly - and thanks for the sap!
Madam Gm! When we got all of our things back does this include our money?
yeah.
Okay, so question/proposition for you all.
I realize now (if you'll recall this is my first time GMing a PBP) exactly how long an AP will take to run. No, no, don't panic I'm not dropping it. I'm thinking about doing some condensing. I know not everything can be cut, but let's face it, Paizo has some fluffy events that could be cropped for the sake of time.
I mean, at this rate the AP will take upwards of two or three years to do. Maybe not, who knows, but we aren't even through the introduction events.
Thoughts?
I for one came in knowing that an AP will take 2-3 years to run, so I have no problem with it.
I didn't realize that this is your first PBP GM job. You're doing quite well, and thanks for running this!
I'm fine with condensing things like unimportant fights, or like you did earlier, putting a few days together into one post.
Will the days (and related job duties) be a constant feature in this AP, or will time be skipped later on?
I'm in it for the long haul, so like Harmony, spending 2-3 years doesn't phase me, if you're OK with that prospect, GM Besmara.
I agree with Harmony and Cueta. While this is my first PBP, I figured it would take a lot longer to go through then a normal AP. So do what you think is best Madam GM! ^_^
I also have to second the commendations for doing very well on your first PbP.
Will the days (and related job duties) be a constant feature in this AP, or will time be skipped later on?
I know a little bit about the AP, and as written, they will become far less a focus later on (trying not to spoil anything). Of course, GM is free to change things around.
Slow and steady is the nature of the beast in PBP. I think the pace has been quite smooth, so in my view you're doing good. The big thing to remember is to not get too excited about something coming up in a future book, since it WILL take weeks, months or years to get to it. Try to find as much enjoyment in the current events.
Will the days (and related job duties) be a constant feature in this AP, or will time be skipped later on?I know a little bit about the AP, and as written, they will become far less a focus later on (trying not to spoil anything). Of course, GM is free to change things around.
Thanks, Harmony!
Yeah, I'm here for the long haul, as has been said. But really, whatever you want to do is just fine with me. I have faith that you will make good choices, oh great and powerful DM. Whether or not it is your first time DMing, you're doing a spectacular job.
Esmarelda, you haven't posted since Tuesday and it's now Friday.
If there is a reason you are unable to post, please state so before so the game isn't held up.
I'm sorry, I set up my post and when I clicked preview to make sure no one had gotten something else in the site stopped responding. I just now got back on the paizo site.
Apologies for the late reply today. It was Thanksgiving here in Canada, so I was with my family.
Thank you for bearing with me as I navigate the DM thing, by the way. I'm trying to do my best to balance moving things along, not trying to overwhelm myself by posting more than once or twice a day, and letting you all have to to actually do things and collaborate as a party x.x It's definitely different than a live game, that's for sure!
We've got a few more events and such before things start to chance course!
Pace is good IMO. Don't worry too much. Overworrying can lead to burnout. Just remember to be lenient with yourself.
^^ Agreed! Don't overwhelm yourself!
I love PBP. The pace of it allows for richer RP in my opinion, than the tabletop gaming I've done in the past (or at least with the groups I've gamed with). And with the glut of NPCs that this campaign has, the AP is a pretty good choice for this format too.
On another note, I just picked up Spheres of Power. Anyone have this? I'm just starting to get everything digested but it seems pretty phenomenal. Its a magic system that seems a lot more versatile than the Vancian system, opens up more playable concepts, and seems to be in line with martials power-wise.
And happy Thanksgiving, Canadians!
I haven't looked at Spheres of Power no. Is it Paizo?
Nor have I. Is it any good?
It is not - 3rd party. Drop Dead Studios, I think.
A lot of people don't allow 3pp, and I get why, but there's some really good stuff produced. I'm not sure how SoP plays yet, but I suspect it is going to replace Vancian magic in my home game.
SoP Magic builds off of spheres, similar to how feat trees work. It seems to make magic more an all-day thing, limiting the 15-minute work day, and tones down the power, so that magic using classes are more in line with the bard, inquisitor, etc. instead of wizard, cleric, druid.
I gotta say, all of Harmony's internal monologue musings are hysterical. I laugh just about every time. Just the right mix of salacious and silly.
:D Thanks, I'm glad you like!! :)
I'm going to be traveling this weekend. Should be able to get a post in every day, but if I'm holding anything up, bot me please.
Socializing with each other doesn't take any ship action, by the way. You should all get to know each other. Share some stories. expose some background to your fellow crew mates.
I'll be around to give a quicky reply to any diplomacies, but in general, chat with each other.
We mentioned taking ten on things before, can we do that with our tasks here?
Not for your tasks (it would be a guaranteed pass everyday then!) but for your extra bits, such Diplomacy checks, then yes. If you work diligently, I'd allow a take 10 on any of the Climb checks as well.
Thank you!
Sorry for the lack of post today. Will update tomorrow. Long day.
Just a heads up, I am moving this week and there will be a small, hopefully, amount of time I will not have internet connection. This shouldn't be more than 24 hours but if it is more and you need to move on, just bot me.
Gah! I've got to remember to carry a not-reach weapon around. Keep getting bad guys up in my grill...
Are the sandy areas on the map bars, GM Besmara? I'm going to post an action assuming that is the case, and an alternate action if it is not.
They are totally proper sand bars. I made them just for you all.
Ah yes, i had almost forgotten Esmarelda was moving. My bad for waiting so long before posting the combat. Zzz so much to keep track of.
They are totally proper sand bars. I made them just for you all.
Thanks, GM! They're very nice sand bars. Cueta looks forward to standing on one!
Here's a bit of feedback on how to make combat simpler.
* Monsters all act on the same initiative rather than having separate initiatives.
* After monsters, players don't have initiative order but act in posting order.
* Once all players have acted, monsters' turn
* Then players again, in posting order
This, in my personal PbP experience, makes for a much better streamlined flow of combat.
As an example, right now, by strict initiative order, if Harmony acts before Gall, and if I attack and kill the monster, it throws Gall's whole post out of whack, necessitating a whole lot of retconning after the fact.
I've had combat rounds laid out since before the campaign started if you check the gameplay tab. It addresses the issues.
I apologize if I missed some vital information (ie: Swim check DCs and where they were needed, as well as the terrain types)in the first post. I had to make a map for the encounter (I'm just learning how to make my own battle maps) so I was biting off a little more than I had intended to chew with the opening post.
As we have more combats, I'll better learn what sorts of actions your characters are likely to make, as well as discuss "tactics" with you all (probably via PM as we continue on) to help smooth things out a little better come time to resolve the round.
Anyways, I dislike clumping Initiative with PCs then monsters (or vice versa) because it doesn't reward certain classes for getting a solid initiative, or it totally rips off certain class mechanics that benefit from acting first. And I mean that for both PCs and NPCs.
What do you use to make your maps?
Dundjinni. It's a solid program and super easy to use to poop out maps.
Apologies, again, for the delay on moving things along. Real life getting all sorts off clogged up. Will be making the next post as soon as I get home from class. Even before I put on pajamas. That's a big commitment. Pajamas are usually top priority.
So we are at a week of no Esmarelda after she estimated about 24 hours of absence. I'm not sure how long to wait for her return. I'm not big on botting characters, and especially not long term because that is more work than I want to deal with to be quite honest.
Anyways, I understand moving and the hiccups that go with it, but I also don't want to wait three weeks only to have her never return. Any suggestions on how to handle this in the meantime, or how long 'meantime' should be?