The Father of Waters

Game Master Fighting Chicken

Interesting to see the nuts and bolts of it- I'm glad it worked out this way, much more intriguing!

I hope you write this into a book someday.

Naira- Sorry to hear about the family troubles, and glad to see you're back. I hope you do stick with us until the end, you're fantastic to have around!

Thanks for checking in, Naira! Much appreciated!

This week is a weird one - I'm working 4 overnights. Thus, posting may come at strange times.

I like Mother Hunger, he's sassy!

Sassy cannibals are the best kind of cannibal.

@Naira: Are you happy to follow Imix's plan on the 25th?

Thinking Naira and Imix could carefully sabotage the ships very early on the 25th. Okay to be talked out of it - after all, our primary plan is to walk to Te-Moak.

Assuming you are referring to the above, then more than happy! Trying to catch up on the reading now, will probably have a good portion of time tomorrow afternoon to make the post everything I want it to be.

Have this weird thing going on where my games are slowly dropping from existence in my gameplay tab. Happened to this one in the last couple of days, so I'll have to check it manually from now on. Didn't realize anyone has updated.

I'm going to get a response up to Oios now, but I may not get the next Mother Hunger post up until tonight / tomorrow early morning.

No problem BP, I've had weird instances where my games didn't update posts either.

Estimation for the time to break down the ships is based off the Row Boat and Keelboat stats on the d20pfsrd page, specifically lowering those boats' HP to less than half, giving them the broken condition.

I don't have much to add to the planning honestly. I'm good with scuppering them or stealing them.

If Mother Hunger can lead us to one of these underground settlements, we could hide there. I doubt he's going to cooperate though.

If Mother Hunger can lead us to one of these underground settlements, we could hide there. I doubt he's going to cooperate though.

It is worth exploring as a good viable option. Though I would be surprised if he even knows where one might be after 15 generations

And it seems like the ones that went underground made sure nobody could follow them.

I agree on both points, it's an unlikely solution. But it's worth a shot. Drazen got into that tomb without much trouble, maybe there's a town sized dwelling out there somewhere?

So I've decided to do something pretty dumb guys!

Throwing my hat into the GMing ring for at least a test run.

Any advice would be appreciated on how I do.

I actually don't want you guys to apply because the level of GMing in this game is so high! Can't live up to this game.

Ha! You'll do great, don't worry. Just be prepared for all the curve balls your players will throw at you.

Amusingly, I have run this module live as a GM before. (At least I think so, it seems VERY familiar, does it have a werewolf?) Despite being veteran gamers the players made all sorts of terrible decisions and everyone in Falcon's Hallow died. C'est la vie I suppose.

It does have a worg...

Also, have you seen Painlord's guide?
Some of the best advice I've ever seen.

Ooooh i have run that one before. The werewolf is in the sequel to that module i believe.

Yeah I have read that. What do you think of my houserule Isitel?

The secret rolls will be more work on your end but as long as you keep up with it, it will definitely speed up stuff.

Ive run that series of three adventures before, maybe several times. Its a setting that allowed for a lot of personal touches.

Crown of the Goblin King comes after that right?

I think your houserule is very intriguing, it's going to be a little more work on your end like Drazen said, but your players will definitely appreciate it and the game will rocket along.

Tell me how it goes, I think they'll like it.

Actually it might not be that much work. If someone has a +8 Per (not hard at level 1 for a wis based character), then I'll just tell 'em what they see with a Per DC less than 18 as soon as they move in to an area... actually DC19 because if I rolled for them they'd get a 1 anyway. I'd only roll if there was a DC20 or higher. Plus man, I'd rather just have all the Perception rolls done when they enter a place rather than wait days for everybody to get their Per rolls in.

Once players twig onto that then a consequence of the rule would probably be that they might stop putting so many points into Perception and Knowledge checks because they're not worried about low rolls out of combat. Would create more well rounded skilled character. Might cause them problems IN combat though :). That only comes into play when players level up though which is not in this module.

Interesting things to think about. Let's see what practice is like.

Sound in theory, but important perception checks are rarely below DC 20. Perception is important in determining surprise rounds, situational awareness in combat, and potion identification just to name a few off the cuff. It will remain the most important skill and those that have it as a class skill, will likely never neglect putting a point in.

I would be interested in hearing how it actually pans out though. One or two pbp groups Im in havent addressed the searching every door and room for traps and secret doors and treasures and it pretty much consumes 2 days worth of posts every week at a minimum.

Im a fan of secret rolls for stuff.

Glad you're getting into the GM chair, Oios! There's good advice in this thread, and in the other game we're in, so I'll not repeat any of that. My 2cp:

1) Choose the player, not the PC. I think this is really important. Of course you want players that can rp and write, but you'll also want ones that can commit, will communicate, and will play nicely with others. Look through profiles, check into applicants other games, if any.

You may end up with roles that are lacking, but that's OK. You can always adapt the game/encounter/treasure to make up for that. What you can't make up for is the antisocial player that is stubborn/confrontational (and not in a role-playing sense), who chimes in with one-line responses along the lines of "Mog attacks with his whip."

2) Choose a newbie, if possible. So, this contradicts with #1, and I didn't do this myself, largely to not having a recruitment for this game, but if you get a good application from someone without much history, find a space for him/her. We were all newbies at one time, and I didn't get chosen for that first wonderful game that this game is the spiritual successor of, I may not be on these boards today.

Good luck, I look forward to hearing about how your houserule goes!

I just finished watching the movie Arrival. I loved it. If you like sci-fi it's a must see. If you don't like sci-fi, but enjoy thinking, see it.

Agreed. This movie was beautiful, haunting, tense, and tear-inducing.

Basically, it stunned me and I'm still thinking about it a day later. Best movie I've seen in a loooooooooooonnnnnnggggg time, probably since Sicario.

Which was done by the same director. Hmmmm.

It really is a thought provoking movie. One of the best I've seen in a long time.

Would it be okay to assume Naira and Imix go sabotage the boats on the 25th?

Ready for sabotage on your mark!

^Sabotage away!

What's the plan?

EDIT: Nevermind, I don't think the exact methodology is important. I'll move us forward with the sabotage soon.

If it's okay with everyone else Oios would like to detect the loyalties of the party members when he gets the chance. Is that okay with everyone else? Perfectly understand if it's not.

Sure thing Oios. I will make it slightly more detailed than what you'd normally get, because you can just ask her as well.

Drazan might need more explaination, but as a player Im not going to stop you.

Should I scroll back up and reread the earlier discussion on the spell to give a reply to what Oios gets as an answer or will you provide the guidance and constraints of the spell upon casting?

Is there a save? :)

Oios has no compunction about being a big brother type and there's no save. So I figured I'd ask OOC :).

Here's the text of the Power:

You may divine the top three general things matter most to the creatures you can see within range. Examples of base loyalties may include but are not limited to: Country, Faith, Family, Power, and Self. Subcategories for base loyalties may also exist where appropriate such as Self (survival) or Self (perfection). While you do not learn specific details such as proper names of the associated loyalties, you do acquire the order in which the loyalties stand. Mindless creatures might have only 1 loyalty such as Self (survival), whereas creatures with low animal-like intelligence might only have 2 loyalties such as Family (pack) and Self (survival). Only the top three loyalties are revealed, even if they have more.

Busy day today. I'll get an update in tomorrow.

Happy Holidays indeed!

Istiel has presents for the Frozen.

Her fists are wrapped in ribbon and have little dangling tags labeled "Naughty" and "Nice".

Naira'll make sure that it snows, though maybe it'll be more of a blizzard than a nice, holiday flurry.

My posting will be slow until a bit after the new year, but I should be able to pop in every once in a while. Feel free to bot me if things need to move forward. Happy holidays everyone :D

^ Thanks, Naira!

I got into town last night, and then am driving tomorrow up to see the inlaws, so it'll probably be after Christmas before I get a gameplay post up.

We've got a couple of options here: 1) we can RP out the talk with MH, or 2) you all can submit some questions and I'll answer them all in a post in gameplay.

#1 would be more natural, #2 would move us along quicker.

Happy holidays!

Hope the Holiday Madness is treating everyone well.

Regarding Mother Hunger, I'm not too sure what questions to ask. I'm not a very good interviewer (interrogator?)

However, Istiel would ask MH if there were any Mynyth Darohm settlements nearby they could flee to. She is willing to offer anything MH might want to secure the information and his service as a guide. I don't expect this to work but it doesn't hurt to ask.

To everyone else- I am still an advocate of fleeing, but just to generate discussion, what if we don't? What if we try to slowly save the area around Shadeholme at least? What if we start clearing out the Silkworm grove and turning it into farms using all our goods/downtime rules? We could stay behind the walls a while longer, and turn Shadeholme into a lean-running, iron-fisted oligarchy. The problem with this option is I see no future in it. The Frozen are not going to just vanish. I suppose our party could become guerilla warfare agents, and start to slowly pick them apart?

I'm a big dummy and left my charger for my Chromebook at my parents house. Still have few hours of juice in the Chromebook and I have my phone but once the CB runs out of juice complicated posts won't be possible until I get back there, on the 28th.

Apologies!

GMBP: you deserve a break, from the sound of it. Sorry to hear we won't be hearing from you - but this is a game I'm prepared to wait for.

No problem BP, take a break like Imix said!

I will be traveling between the 29th and the 1st for new years. I can probably still post but I won't make any promises. GMPC as needed.

So the First Flame might be trying to drop the whole of Baunti Valley a few thousand feet? Wouldn't that cause the Great Northern Lake to flood everything between the two mountain ranges and basically kill everything? (The fish would be happy i guess)

Or perhaps I'm reading too much into this and that was simply what the affliction of the first flame caused the Eldeleth to do to themselves/trying to screw over the dwarves?

If this is a cycle, perhaps the Eldeleth were attacked as the Takayah people are now (maybe even BY THE DWARVES) and they sundered the earth as a final solution to get rid of them, which was all the First Flame's plan? We may have to avoid falling for a similar trap if a solution to our Barbarian problem appears that is too good to be true. It could bring about our own downfall.

That or in just bored at work and thinking too much :p

Ha, no, I'll be around - just wanted to let you all know involved posts would be beyond me.

Please, read away! You may come up with a better idea than mine, and I'll shamelessly poach it for further down the line...

As I remember no-one had told Imix the wolf is a shifter, so I'm going on his previous understandings.

Please, read away! You may come up with a better idea than mine, and I'll shamelessly poach it for further down the line...

Ha! Poach away, then later on I can say I KNEW IT and feel like a real smrty pnts

As I remember no-one had told Imix the wolf is a shifter, so I'm going on his previous understandings.

Right on. Likewise, MH would have no knowledge of any Suriname discovering a dwarven ruin.

I'm driving all day tomorrow, probably won't get a post up. Unless anyone has any more they'd like to ask MH about, I'll move us along to Goz 27 ASAP, likely Saturday.

Woops, forgot MH's loyalties, Oios:

OK, wiki updated:

Mother Hunger

Mynath Darohm

Eldeleth

Ooh, I'm excited by this as well :)

Thanks GMBP!

Back from my trip.

My, my my... this is beautiful. There is clearly no hope for us staying. If this is a trap, all of Shadeholme is dead. If it's not, they're all dead anyway.

Still suggesting we try to find Ahalem Mynon and hole up there. Then our party goes on a good ol fashioned adventure to Eldeleth Keherim to find some clues on how we can stop all this... if we can.

Thought you could use some incentive to get out of the nest. Though, if you all want to stay and dig in, I can work with that too.