The Cult of Shadows

Game Master turnip_head

Discussion thread is up! Check in and introduce yourselves!

What time zone/area do you live in? How long have you been playing role playing games? What do you want to see most in this campaign?

As for me, I'm a college student at the College of Charleston and have been playing D&D for the past 10 years, making the switch to pathfinder a few years ago with a little bit of Dungeon World and Grimm thrown in.

Hi everyone. I'm hailing from Europe, my time zone is CET (GMT+1), and I'm working in Africa at the moment (flying back there on Monday), but it's in the same time zone.

39 years old, been playing D&D in various incarnations since I was 17. Switched to Pathfinder soon after I learned of it (some years ago). Running a real-life long winded Forgotten Realms campaign (with PF rules) for almost 3 years now, but we managed to play "only" 31 session so far - Hey, we are old, it's hard to find time :-(

Outside of D&D/Pathfinder I used to love Battletech/Mechwarrior, but with very few people to play in my area, the interest simply died down. I'll have to think a bit about what I want from this campaign - I'll get back to you guys on that.

I'm in Arizona. Mountain Time! GMT -7.

I've been playing Pathfinder for a long time, but recently quit to play other systems. M&M3e, Dungeon World, Apocalypse World, and a lot of other indie stuff has been my ticket the last year. I'm getting back into Pathfinder with PBPs because my group doesn't want to touch the system anymore.

I want to see character interaction with an interesting cast of NPCs and between the PCs. Combat with meaning-- less random encounters, more encounters with a purpose. People in danger we should save or interesting secondary objectives like damaging a mechanism that's holding a portcullis open.

Sydney (GMT +11) but I am generally on line 12+ hours a day so should be ok to keep up.

40 and been gaming about 25 years. Lots of time in D&D and its various incarnations except 4th Ed. Also lots of time with other RPGs. I too am a Battletech fan :)

What time zone/area do you live in?
I'm in US Central Time, Louisiana. I can generally post 2-5 times per day.
How long have you been playing role playing games?
Since 2nd Ed. about 1994, then I quit for a while and picked up 3.0/3.5 around 2000 until 2006 or so, then life took over and I didn't play until last May, when I discovered Pathfinder.

What do you want to see most in this campaign?
Good times and cool people to roleplay and rekill undead with.

Greetings all. I live in Florida, so I am also Eastern time, being on the east coast of it. I'm 45, been playing rpgs since I was 12. My first exposure to 1st edition was when my brother was playing it, and I watched him and his friend while I was watching the first shuttle take off!

I have played every incarnation of d&d, but moved to pathfinder last year because I loved the "feel" of the game, that same one that d&d ended up losing. I GM a weekly game on roll20 with my friends, and we are finishing the Carrion Crown AP this month. After that, I am GMing a homebrew campaign set in Andoran.

I am online on and off all day, and can post regularly every night, at least. (Getting ready to start a new job with different hours, so I don't want to commit to more posts until I know my schedule better)

this is my first PBP. I am boning up on the how-to's, but may ask a question occasionally so as not to break the mood.

As for the campaign, I agree with Henry on what he suggests.

Hello! I live near NYC. I'm 39, I've been playing and GMing since I was 10, stuck with Pathfinder as my favorite system now.

I'm online regularly but juggling lots of things at the same time. Posting once a day is not an issue, but when the post comes will vary throughout the day.

I've played and run numerous PBPs before, and my style as a GM tends to involve more RP and less combat. As a player and GM, I like the format so that I can up the RP during combat, add photos and music, lots of things.

I'm looking forward to this game. This is my first tiefling, but I just saw the possibilities of how to connect with the game, and thought it best to try this way.

I GM a weekly game on roll20 with my friends, and we are finishing the Carrion Crown AP this month.

If you haven't already post up your campaign summary and experiences on the Carrion Crown boards. I love reading those - great for ideas and looking how people approach things differently.

Well, you all certainly have a bit of a lead in regards to experience with rpg's haha. I almost feel like a rookie leading the vets. Anyways, I thought I'd go over combat and various other tidbits real quick before we get too involved and make sure everyone's okay before.

What I have done before that worked out better than I expected for combat was using Google Draw. I would crop your character portraits and make icons out of them, paste them into the image with the map as the background and set the visibility and editing permissions to public and post the link, allowing you guys to move your character where you see fit. I encouraged them to use the line drawer to indicate the path of movement they took, and gave each character a color to distinguish whose icons were whose. They enjoyed it and so did I, so I will go with that for the time being (I will post images of the rooms even if it is void of combat just to help complete the picture of things). I'll post a sample map with everything so that you guys can toy around with it and see if you have any questions.

As for initiative and turn order, what I did was provide the initiative rolls for everyone which determine acting order but allowed them to post their desired actions out of turn and I would sort it out in the narrative. There were only a few hangups with this involving desired actions that were unavailable when there turn came to pass, but this was fix with simple if/else conditions (i.e. If Kobold A is still alive by my turn, then I would like to engage and finish it off ~dice~. Else I will move on to Kobold B and begin a new skirmish ~dice~). And for simplicity, players act before enemies except in the case of ambushes.

I had used a status system to indicate the general health of the creatures, placing a green border if they had 2/3-Full health, Yellow for 1/3-2/3 and Red for Dying-1/3. If this is something you would be interested in let me know.

Because we have quite a range of time zones, I will give a 32 hour posting period from my last post, where if you haven't posted in that time I will move on. If it is non combat, I will assume your character stays silent and follows the groups actions. If it is combat, I will act in your stead and act in a basic manner than doesn't use up any valuable resources (maybe just an arrow or bolt).

If you have any objections or suggestions with these methods, please let me know. I am willing to accommodate and suit the group as necessary!

Those things sound awesome. I'm GMing 3 games on the boards currently and do something very similar with google docs. I guess I'm more strict or more anxious to move things along though, I only allow 12 hours before I bot someone.

If everyone is on board for a smaller window of opportunity, I would love to be able to get things going faster. I just want to be fair to those who half away around the world from me and get my updates at inconvenient times.

It sounds good to me all around.

Posted a sample map in the campaign info. You can leave comments in it as well, which I use to maintain status affects (poison, dazed, +1 AC, etc.) and terrain features. You can always feel free to leave comments as well, possibly regarding tactics and the like.

I was playing a bit on the map, looks very easy to use. If there's some minor guide available or something, I might even rethink my decision not to run PbP games, since I have no idea how to handle maps :-(

As for the time period, honestly, for me with crazy shifts an on the other side of the worl (talk about Mathus in Australia!) 12 hours is really too short time. I can easily see situations where I do not log on at all during those 12 hours - but if 32 seems a bit too much for you guys, then some middle solution, between 20-24 hours should be OK.

But honestly, I am pretty certain that we will get used to each other quickly from the flow of the game, and there should not be a big need for botting.

I'm going to have list of any named NPC's running in the campaign info tab. I'll try and provide links with reference art for each character.

I'm definitely good with the setup that you've got going, GM. I think it's an excellent way to do things.

Coolio

Works great for me....may have to figure out how things work like iliya....so I can effectively run Carrion Crown

Pyotr Krysnec? That is one BADASS character. Well done.

Thank you very much! I'm looking forward to playing with this group. It's diverse and distinct.

Why you gotta shout at the poor governor. He's just a boy. :(

Also I should note: I tend to give people enough time to respond, that way I'm not rapidly progressing the story with a few frequent posters. So if you do check and there is an update, but you don't feel you have anything to contribute, post a simple sentence like "I stand idly watching the events unfold, waiting for a moment to join in." or something along those lines, just so that I know you've read it and are ready to move on.

Also I should note: I tend to give people enough time to respond, that way I'm not rapidly progressing the story with a few frequent posters. So if you do check and there is an update, but you don't feel you have anything to contribute, post a simple sentence like "I stand idly watching the events unfold, waiting for a moment to join in." or something along those lines, just so that I know you've read it and are ready to move on.

I am soooo stealing this rule! Thanks.

Stephan-- here's a cool thing.

If you add in =Words after dice in a dice roll, like [.dice=Words]1d100[/dice], you get, without the . -- Words: 1d100 ⇒ 74

And if you add +6 after the dice, like [.dice=Words]1d100+6[/dice], you get Words: 1d100 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

It might help you there with your manual formatting, make it so you don't have to do as many edits or previews with multiple attack sneak attack dice later on.

Mathus I just noticed you have the spooked drawback, and there is going to be a fair amount of undead if it isn't obvious already. I have no problem with you keeping it, I just wanted to be sure you were aware before getting caught off guard. I think it would a fun role-playing bit to have haha.

Nilan, don't forget to pick your spells for the day either.

I also got to thinking, and I haven't tried this before but I figured I'd propose it, what do you think about have a designated 'party leader'. Essentially their responsibility would boil down to making final decision of where and what the party does. If you're character feels disinclined to follow, that is one thing, but I will treat his decisions as representative of the party. This way potential debates about which way to go can easily be settled and won't drag out over the course of a day or two.

Let me know what you think, and if you like the idea who your vote for leader is. I will only do this if it is unanimous.

One last thing, as far as marching order goes, let me know if you want front back or middle, and I will organize a marching order and you can let me know what you think. It will serve as the default marching order unless otherwise specified.

I'll take middle, and let someone more human be leader.

Nilan isn't really cut out to be leader. He will take the role if necessary but he isn't the leaderly type. Also, Nilan's spells/day is located under the consumables link in his statline.

I called out 'Spooked' when I posted the character. I know the impact. However it fit and it will be good RP

I am hoping that the more I play (assuming we go up through the levels with you) that with each level we can -1 from the shaken duration (so 1d4 - 1 rounds with a round minimum) at level 2, -2 at level 3 etc. If not, then so be it. That said it seems to be a far harsher impact than a lot of the other drawbacks - I just thought it was the most applicable drawback.

Also, if anyone can spare a vial of holy water later on - not now - you wont find it wasted. In order to equip up as a doctor and undead hunter (with the appropriate standard kits) I burned through the cash I'd normally use on a crossbow or additional Holy Waters. That said I've antiplagues, antitoxins, bloodblock and soothe syrup as well as a potion of CLW, Lsr Restoration and Prot' evil. All of which should come in handy for the group.

Hoping the dead will yield a few weapons I can use later on.

Well it does fit your story, I just wanted to be sure. I'm looking forward to it. And yeah, I think eventually overcoming your fears would be appropriate.

Thanks Henry, that is really going to help!!

If noone else wants it, and are so inclined, Stephan can be leader.

Otherwise, I can take point.

FYI, I will be on the lookout for traps/ambushes (Perception (Trapfinding) +7)

If combat occurs, i will be letting the fighters take point, preferring the side or rear for sneak attacks.

Mathus, I have two Vials of Holy Water. Want to take one? That way we have it split up and not just on one person.

Keep em for now... I don't want to take resources I don't need for the moment. I really should have gotten a sling but that would have chewed up my last 5sp in ammo and I was worried about needing to eat :)

Nilan has only spent 28 of his starting 140GP, GM can we retcon some purchases of 2x Holy Water and 2x Scrolls of CLW.

This would put him at 128 of 140 starting gold.

hells - buy me a sling *free* and 10 bullets :)

Yeah. If you guys still want to make a few changes, feel free. You may now have a better picture of your character and may want to swap out a trait for or another or pick a different feat, that's fine with me. I think I'll say after you guys enter the crypt, all characters are final at that point.

Yes, Nilan will buy some sling bullets for Mathus...

but the interest rate on that 10SP loan is 14565763% compounded daily. So...you owe Nilan your soul. Does that make Nilan a heretical Pharasmin?

No - an apostate one :)

I'll also buy some bullets, leaving me penniless. Its 5sp for 10.

Edit: No need. Its 1sp for 10. I bought 20.

And I still have 3 sp

Swapping out Ray of Frost for Disrupt Undead, because Orcus. He'd know about that.

I was thinking of taking an extra trait and drawback, but I couldn't find one that mimics self-loathing properly.

I'm good. Also: I have one flask of holy water.

Good choice.

Here's the question. What trait would you take? One with dmg vs undead would be outstanding.

Doubt may sorta work... Otherwise some other aspect?

Loner or, more especially, tainted spirit are good fits. Tainted spirit REALLY fits you.

There's a couple things to discuss, here.

First, my alignment is Chaotic Good. With the whole "inborn rage" thing about him, I'd argue that he's Chaotic no matter what. I've got him set up as a Sarenrae devotee. If I were to go Chaotic Neutral, then I could be a Pharasma devotee and be equally (if not more so) anti-undead. The Pharasmin religion has a number of anti-undead traits, but Sarenrae does not (Cleansing Light works for channeling, which I don't do).

Another possibility is to take the Unscathed trait and up my energy resistances. I was thinking of Gifted Adept or Magical Lineage, but I don't know what spell to choose; I probably shouldn't.

As for drawbacks, I agree that Tainted Spirit is looking really good. I was also thinking of Paranoid. Doubt isn't quite it; he doesn't doubt his abilities, just his place in the universe.

I might eventually take the Additional Traits feat later, in any case.

Sarenrae would work really well if in the future Pyotr comes to accept himself more, Sarenrae is all about new beginnings and redemption.

Take a look in the Campaign Info, I posted some links to artwork and illustrations for the places you've been. I hope you enjoy =) I'm probably going to also include links with each post for background music to help set the mood in addition to narrative.

I'm really thankful for Stephan offering to take the leader position. If you do not mind, I would still suggest Henry, based solely on the fact that he is human, nothing else. Although I have no idea if he wishes this responsibility. I know that in such a deadly environment as this (undead all around), Iliya would be a very, very bad choice to take any decisions for others.

EDIT: Plus two more things - Iliya started campaign with a total of 60Gp (I rolled real bad) so I am sorry guys, but I can not find a way to purchase holy water (or almost anything else for that matter).

The second thing is that it is perfectly logical for Stephan to take point while scouting/sneaking, while Iliya will volunteer to take point in any fight (unless you guys want him somewhere else).

You don't need holy water... thats the groovy thing about Barbarians. Even vs things with DR, a great axe will fix that issue.

Also, Nilan's spells/day is located under the consumables link in his statline.

Aaaah, very nice. I had missed that post and link all together and was about to request it again.

So here is what I have for the default/passive marching order, if you'd like to swap spots let me know.

Front

• Stephan
  
• Iliya
  
• Mathus
  
• Pyotr
  
• Henry
  
• Nilan

Waiting on Henry's input about being defacto leader, otherwise we'll be seeing Stephan step up to the plate. If I had bipedal lion roaring orders at me, I think I'd be quick to obey ;)

Yep for DR a big, big axe helps. Not so much for incorporeal though...

Btw - very nice illustrations, they really help on setting the (dark) mood. Good job GM Andrameda!

Thank you. I want to stress that they are not mine (except the map). I pulled them off deviant art.

I've got some great stuff planned for you guys that I can't wait to run, from puzzles to custom hazards to moral dilemmas and of course a few combat encounters. There should be a little something for everyone.

I'd defacto lead, but only because I take charge and try to push games along. Henry's Cha 8. His orders aren't very believable.

Stephan, in game, is a better leader by far. Henry's only gonna pipe up about Undead, Survival and Tactics related topics.

Okay, well considering everything I hereby dub Stephan the "leader" of the group. You seem the best candidate since Pyotr and Nilan are a bit more passive while Mathus, Iliya and Henry do not have the best charisma. It should be fun to see it play out, if it even makes a difference.

A Yay on Stephan. Also have trap finding if needed as well so Stephan has a back up.

Cool, between Mathus and Stephan, we hopefully will catch any traps or ambushes awaiting us.

GM I also find some great stuff on Pintrest for art, characters, and mood.

Stephan will hopefully only need to use his leadership frugally. But when he does, I know that there are two VERY large men backing him (or the just as scary smaller ones) :)