Man Darc, that is very sad. My sympathies go out to you as I know how much pets are part of your family. Take all the time you need, we will be here waiting for you.
:(
I know that not easy. An uncle of mine has a dog that he isn't ready to put down yet, although the rest of us think that he probably should be. We don't think Max is going to be around much longer either way.
Take what you need, we'll be here when you get back.
Hi Guys, time off was longer than anticipated.
After feeling a bit sorry for Holly's passing I contracted a nasty chest virus and have been signed off from work with it. The cough is still with me, but I'm feeling a lot more human again.
I'll hopefully have a post up in the next 24hrs.
Darc will return ....
So obviously Darc's been out for a while, his character has been out in another game I'm in. He might be having a hard time with the passing of his dog, being ill, and perhaps other issues. In case we are waiting, I think it makes sense to bot him, hoping he will return soon.
Yeah. I hope he's doing alright. Sounds like he's been having a rough time of it.
So obviously Darc's been out for a while, his character has been out in another game I'm in. He might be having a hard time with the passing of his dog, being ill, and perhaps other issues. In case we are waiting, I think it makes sense to bot him, hoping he will return soon.
Yeah, it's been a while amd, having trawled through his other games, it looks like he hasn't been around the boards for a couple of weeks - I will GMPC him for the time being and maybe PM him in a short while.
Hi Guys,
Sorry about leaving you in the lurch, but not being in any games for the last few weeks, (months), has taken a great big weight off my mind. I didn't realise just how much stress that was putting on me, signing in and looking at stuff and responding. I've really enjoyed playing with you guys, but for my peace of mind I think its time I left the boards for a while.
This has nothing to do with you, its just where I am at the moment. This has been one of the best games I've been involved in, I really loved this incarnation of Darc. I loved the different relationships in the group and the characters, and would like to thank GM Zed for making it such a fun game.
I wish you luck in the future and hope the game goes well.
I'm sorry to see you go, Deevor. I hope things go well for you and that you'll be able to come back some day.
Good luck and have fun. :)
You will be sorely missed Deevor, but please do take care of yourself OK? RL is far more important than any of your games.
Hope to see you around some time :)
Totally understand, we want you to be happy. Best of luck in all that you do!
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Shame to see you go Deevor / Darc but we totally understand - your state of mind is the most important thing, and when it gets to the point that logging on here is stressing you out then it is definitely time to step away for a while. There's plenty more Castorhage for us to explore in the future - three modules and the main AP itself - maybe one day Darc will stalk these dark streets once more.
So, there's a rerecruitment going on for a game I'm in. The characters are great, the GM is good, and the only complaint I have is that it moves a little slowly. If you're looking for another game, check out the thread and see if you can think of something that tickles your fancy.
Recruitment thread
Gameplay thread
We are in dire need of a healer. Just something to keep in mind.
Quick accounting post -- need to use 5 more charges of Infernal Healing (on top of those already used in the gameplay thread) to get everyone to full health (except Varian who is at 54/55). 41 charges remain.
Ooooooh, exciting!!! Apparently the main book for the Blight is going to be sent out this weekend (in PDF format at least)... For sure, it'll take me a good while to digest it all but I would imagine that sometime around the time that the Crucible reaches its denouement, I will be looking to run a recruitment for the Blight AP.
Watch this space.
Woo! Got that email too.
Folks, I have had a busy day packing for holidays and then tomorrow will be travelling - I expect to have wi-fi / internet where we are staying but I should think the pace will slow for a week... apologies (you can always check out the Gen Con coverage instead!!!)
Thank goodness for fire resistance. Tella's squishy, but she only took 2 HP of damage.
Hmmm...since Darc is now incapacitated, and there now is a very angry ape to contend with, I am perfectly happy in retreating here. Of course...who gets to carry him up the ship? This is where a Levitate spell will be useful.
So, I think we are definitely coming up on an overnight rest... and the opportunity to write Darc out of the adventure - from here onwards, I am happy to keep running as a 3 party group - we've got a great posting rate / momentum so no need to interfere with that... and I'll try not to kill you too much in the forthcoming combats!!!
Sounds good. I might try to bring the Stirge back into action. Punching people is fun but the greatsword is a lot more effective.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Cool... the floor is kinda open to you folks now to RP whatever you wish and to decide how you are going to proceed with your investigations - looking back through the Gameplay thread, I have confirmed that you have got everything you need to find the source of the living fire - (even though the Organ Grinder took his secrets with him to the foul riverbed).
Ohhhh, exciting... a particularly deliquescent parcel has just made its way through the London freight handling terminal... insanity, disease and fell deeds will surely follow on its trail as the Blight smears its way across the country to my letterbox!!!
Interesting, interesting, curious to see what may be in store!
Hm . . . are we inside the windmill? From a gameplay perspective I thought we were outside, but I just realized that on the map we're inside the first floor. Which I think we shouldn't mess with but just wanted to talk it through.
Hm . . . are we inside the windmill? From a gameplay perspective I thought we were outside, but I just realized that on the map we're inside the first floor. Which I think we shouldn't mess with but just wanted to talk it through.
Oooops, I may have been over-zealous in my pushing you onwards... I took the following as you were headed into the windmill...
...no real impact, that is where you needed to go anyway... maybe a moment of confusion for which I apologise!!!!
I forgot to add a flanking bonus. Any chance that makes a difference? Also, did the feint succeed or fail?
-Posted with Wayfinder
I forgot to add a flanking bonus. Any chance that makes a difference? Also, did the feint succeed or fail?
-Posted with Wayfinder
Yep, saw the flanking bonus absence... still a miss... even though the Feint succeeded!!! The gargoyle matriarch is a bit of a beast!!! But 'fortunately', as you are about to see - not the main adversary per se...
Question--is the tap still causing more fire to pool underneath the container? I guess if the tap has stopped flowing already, it's too late to close it.
Not to self, we need to buy ourselves some healing potions.
Yup, and I hope this thing doesn't do much more damage. Tella's only going to be able to take one more hit at most as is.
OK now that Paizo is finally up, I think it is time to discuss tactics here. For the record here are what the viable options we have are:
1) Tactical Retreat,
2) Tactical Withdrawal,
3) Run away!
Let me know which one will work for you guys.
If you guys want to run onto the boat, I can hold the door. Or else Tella might be able to help some or all of us fly out of here!
Also, if Eliseera makes her save, she won't take any damage thanks to Evasion, in which case I think she's at 10 HP? Every HP counts at this point.
I say we fly. It'll take two rounds, but Tella can cast it on Eliseera and Varian and one of you, probably Varian, carries her.
I think the part that's going to have Tella the most shaken is that the damn thing actually burned her.
Varian may or may not get out of this one alive . . . that elemental is a real beast!
I will say that if Varian goes down, it would seem like a convenient time for Darc to start recovering from his sleeping sickness.
*nods* I do feel bad for him, as I don't think either Elsie or Tella can get close enough to the Stirge without getting dropped by either the Elemental or that other woman.
I will wait to post here until the Stirge responds.
Tella has Charm Person, but that's a big gamble to take. The woman would have to have control over the elemental and then she'd have to fail her save.
Sorry, I would really like to save Varian, but I don't think we can.
Death happens, it's okay. If it never happened it'd be too easy. I think I should've tried another Ear-Piercing Scream, although that only worked the first round because of extreme luck. I think the only chance now is if he rolls a 20 to break grapple.
By the way, Varian's Shawl of Life-Keeping will heal him for 10 HP as soon as he goes to negative HP. So I bet he has another round to try.
...so the Artificer, the woman who was briefly revealed when the elemental poured out of the vessel, was really the end of the trail - there is little more to be investigated so I am planning on wrapping our little story up very soon... it was more whether Tella and Eliseera were going to dare returning to the isle or whether, knowing that the huge detonation will likely draw attention, they are going to make themselves scarce!!!
Well in that case, the Stirge is totally coming back as some sort of fire elemental. :P
-Posted with Wayfinder
Elsie was strongly considering returning to the island, but ultimately would consider it too risky. After all, the Rage-fire Elemental likely survived the blast IMO.
Cool... I'll get things wrapped up over the weekend then - btw, that fight was actually downgraded from the as written adventure where the Ragefire Elemental is an order of evolution upwards at Huge!!!! I think maybe being down the three players just tipped it too far in favour of the GM and his evil dice of doom!!!!
I think the real trick is we needed to be prepared to fight a fire creature. Some potions of Resist Fire, sources of cold damage, should've been obvious if we only thought it through!
Yup, but we were more after information than a fight.
Oh well.
...and that folks, is the end of this romp through the Blight!!! I hope you 'enjoyed' it... happy to take questions, fill in the gaps, etc... if people want to post any last stuff in Gameplay, then that's cool... and I'd love to hear your thoughts on the adventure.
Wow, that was an interesting adventure! I have to admit I did enjoy the various settings we got to visit...I mean a boat lashed to a pier sideways is just AWESOME! I do think being more familiar with the setting would have added more flavor and made things more memorable.
As for the plot itself I felt as if we were struggling initially to track down the source of the living flame it eventually became clearer as we progressed. Needless to say losing our main muscle and our healing source definitely hurt us at the end.
As for questions I have, I think most of them have been answered...though I would like to know whether the Family crime syndicate was involved, and to what extent? Also the City Watch was definitely involved too; I am curious to know what extent he he. While I could read the module (I did pick it up during the KS for the Blight) I think I will await your response instead, Zed.
Finally while I am burning with curiosity as to how the Stirge managed to survive, there is a part of me that shudders as to what dark pact the Stirge made to return to life...
...such is the nature of the Blight...
The outlandish settings of the adventure are a definite highlight... and the boat lashed to the jetty is probably the most unique of them - I rather enjoyed the evolution of the windmill fight even though it turned into a quick retreat... maybe, were I to run it again, I would foreshadow the Artificer a little more than the adventure does - she is quite an interesting character as written yet she only really appears at the very end and she's a fight to the death adversary.
As to the involvement of the Family... well they're a big crime syndicate (if not THE crime syndicate) on the island of Festival and so Mahaas had some dealings with them - and maybe, just maybe, the influence of the Family extends into the Office of the Watch... for sure, had the group ever gone back to the Watch Tower in Festival they would have been given the cold shoulder... and would certainly find out, eventually, that Mahaas is once again free...
I've enjoyed it and was a little saddened and really surprised to learn we were at the end.
On another note, this is the first PBP game I've seen through to completion. \o/
I really enjoyed this and Tella surprised me. She turned out a lot darker than I was expecting and I loved it.
Thanks for running this Zed and I look forward to playing with you again! For our epilogue, do we have some leeway in where we end up and what happens? I was thinking that Darc, Eliseera, and Tella eventually made it to Magnimar or Kaer Maga and set up as Private Investigators.
I was surprised that we reached the ending so soon! I didn't expect to find the source of the living flame there, i.e. the Artificer. So, was she selling bottles of flame to fund her work? Why did the Family buy it? Why was it that there was always a source of water ready to quench the flame against its many victims? So many questions!
Happy to make it through the end of the adventure! Even though the Stirge did not exactly make it, but it seems appropriate that the most aloof member of the group ends up on his own.
-Posted with Wayfinder
For our epilogue, do we have some leeway in where we end up and what happens? I was thinking that Darc, Eliseera, and Tella eventually made it to Magnimar or Kaer Maga and set up as Private Investigators.
....totally fine with you folks adding whatever feels right to your epilogues - it's always good to know how, beyond riding off into the sunset, the character's arc might play out.
...So, was she selling bottles of flame to fund her work? Why did the Family buy it?
So... the Organ Grinder was heavily invested in the Artificer's work - she was a down and out who happened upon the secrets of creating Ragefire Elementals... going into partnership, the Organ Grinder cleared out the Great Windmill and paid for the material goods needed (the Crucible itself and the near constant shipments of coal) - this was all against a planned end point of using the elemental to disable incoming shipping and to commit piracy.
The Organ Grinder had a few bottles of Ragefire to allow him to commit a degree of Blackmail - keeping some kind of revenue going... and things obviously fell apart for the Grinder and the Artificer when Mahaas stole a bottle and, in a panic, used it against the prostitute who resisted his advances...
As to the 'Family', they were never directly involved... more that they are ever present in Festival and nothing happens without their knowledge.
Why was it that there was always a source of water ready to quench the flame against its many victims?
The Artificer was a sorcerer - and for those victims (guinea pigs!!!) who weren't close enough to be pushed into the Lyme, she used Aqueous Orb (the spell she started casting in the Windmill during her doomed effort to subdue the elemental).
*****
Glad you folks enjoyed it - even if we did somewhat arrive at the end in an unexpected hurry!!! Were I to run this again, I would definitely signpost the Artificer earlier, I'd probably include some more investigation such that it wasn't just Mahaas, the Organ Grinder and then the Windmill... and, with the Campaign Book now available, I think we could have a lot more fun with the Festival location!!!!
For my part, I really enjoyed the game - even losing people as we went along actually added to the feeling of the game (in somewhere like the Blight, people can just go missing!!!)
...and keep an eye out for a future Blight recruitment (I'll let each of you know in the other games that you are playing with me), it's coming soon!!!!