Legends abound of the games of the Fae, where mortal and God alike are oft playthings for the Lords of the First. Despite the numerous claims, few manage to show any proof, relegating these stories to wife's tales and the delusions of Gnomes. But this realm is real, and the court of a wicked prince, in their desperation to assuage his boredom, have select people from across Golarion to play in a game for his amusement...
Hello, and welcome to the recruitment thread for "The Gauntlet of Demesne." This is my first attempt at running a PbP Campaign, and as many of the experienced GMs on here have noted, it is best for all involved if I start with something small.
In this campaign, twelve* contestants are selected from across the world; brought to a strange locale via powerful magic, the PCs have no previous knowledge of each other, and come from a variety of backgrounds. After the introductions, the party is faced with a series of challenges of increasing difficulties; these will be as varied as outright combat, Diplo-mancy, and RP interactions involving no mechanical aspects at all. Each "round," a number of contestants will be eliminated, until ultimately only one remains to claim the grand prize.
Yes, PCs will be leaving the party at regular intervals; death is not always the cause (and when it is, the contestant is revived before being removed from the game), and so your hard work at creation doesn't result in a dead end, but perhaps an interesting bit of backstory when you pick up that character again.
I will handle this via random roll in the Discussion tab. PCs will be listed in no particular order, and an hour later I will make another post containing the roll. This will only apply if a PC is not killed or otherwise removed during the round. I will then post in the Gameplay thread detailing how the PCs who are being eliminated meet their fate.
*The Introductory round will eliminate four "GMPCs" from the game. I am only looking for eight PC contestants. However, if there is sufficient interest, and you would like to submit a PC to the "First Four," feel free to do so; just make sure you note that you understand you will be eliminated immediately. We can also work together on some quirky method of your death!
"Rounds" of the game are delineated in the following spoiler:
17/Jan-30/Jan - This is now. Recruitment/Questions. I will select the players on 31/Jan, who may then make their introduction in the Campaign tab.
1/Feb-7/Feb - Introductions. Free-form RP, wherein the PCs get to know one another and examine their surroundings in a mechanically-lax fashion. This is where the "First Four" will be eliminated. Also, consider the campaign "reality-TV" for the First World; PCs should plot to make alliances, feign friendships, and all of that cheese.
8/Feb-22/Feb - The First Round. No spoilers, but expect your fairly-standard encounter. Two PCs will be eliminated this round, unless more actively get themselves killed.
23/Feb-29/Feb - The Second Round, pt. 1. The remaining 6 will be split in two, each group determined at random by me. They will then be placed in a new setting, and given time to rest.
1/Mar-14/Mar - The Second Round, pt. 2. Each group will have different tasks. One PC from each group will be eliminated.
15/Mar-21/Mar - Interim. Rest period for the PCs. They will also meet the Prince.
22/Mar-5/Apr - The Third Round. PCs will switch bodies with each other. This will involve a rather complicated process that I will detail in the Discussion tab. Please be aware of this, and if you are not interested in this unusual mechanic please do not enter the full contest.
6/Apr-24/Apr - The "Final" Round. There will have been instances up to now allowing for the PCs to attempt escape, or learn about what has happened to them. This round, you will interrupt the game and try to break free. At random intervals, two more PCs shall die.
25/Apr-End - This is the final bit, with the two remaining PCs deciding much of what happens and how long it takes. Perhaps one will walk away the victor after all?
Times subject to change based on active events.
I expect 1 post per day, minimum. During the free rounds, and especially the introductory round, I expect you to be as active as in the middle of combat. In fact, I would hope you would be more so (as schedules allow), since turn order is of less relevance. My ideal situation would be players able to make multiple posts per day, but I understand not everyone has that ability.
I like clean posts. For accepted players, please be willing to follow this format with your posts in the Gameplay tab:
This text describes GM Barrister's actions, emotions, reactions, and quirks.
"This is GM Barrister's speech, in Common."
"These are GM Barrister's thoughts."
"This is GM Barrister saying Cure Light Wounds, and then saying something else."
"This is GM Barrister using Telepathy."
Checks/OOC:This is where dice rolls:
And go.
During immediate rounds of combat, I will be rolling initiatives and pre-combat checks. Outside of combat, I will likely ask the players to make certain checks. I would also prefer a minimal amount of OOC text in the Gameplay tab. Here's an example player post, following my request for Sense Motive, Know:Local, and Appraise Checks:
Checks:
Character looked quizzically at the merchant; despite knowing nothing of the man's reputation, Character picked up on the subtle nuances of his sales pitch, and he recognized the merchant as a member of his own order.
"Friend, friend. I speak to you not as a customer, but as a traveler on the river of life. Objects come, and time shapes them into nothingness. Yet beyond each bend the river still flows, bringing new and luxurious delights with each passing day."
Sense Motive DC X:
I promote the use of preview to dictate your actions in regards to requested rolls. In the above example as well, Character interacted with the NPC in a way that mandated his own Bluff check; note how he included that roll in the first spoiler, and explained it in the latter. This speeds along the posting process, as I am able to respond directly through the NPC, rather than requiring multiple OOC posts to dictate actions and delaying the game.
If you're still with me, here are the character creation guidelines.
25 Point Buy. Max HP/lvl.
Level 5 Start, with standard WBL (crafters PM me).
Any Core Race, except Gnomes. They left the First World, and aren't welcome back.
Nothing from Occult Adventures. I'm sorry. Any other Core/Base/Alternate/Hybrid Paizo class is allowed. No 3PP. No Homebrew.
2 Traits, No Campaign. May take 1 Drawback. These must tie into your basic character backstory, described below.
Unchained classes at your option. No Downtime, Background Skills, Automatic Bonus Progression, or any of the other UC/Unchained material.
Cost to add spells to Spellbook= (spell level squared)x15 gp
Background: Obviously, you came from somewhere, and have done things before now. I expect a moderate level of detail to this, but it does not have to be a novel, and your character is more than welcome to be a crotchety hermit Alchemist who has done little but grow mold and blow up small forest animals. However, the traits and/or drawback you choose must be represented in some way through this background.
In addition to posting your crunch, please include a roleplay sample post, hidden behind a spoiler; this may be an existing post from an ongoing/former campaign, or you may generate one specific to this character.
Include with your character entry the minimum number of posts you are able to make in a day. Also, vote if this minimum should extend to weekends.
Please follow this format to answer:
Minimum/Day: X
Weekend Minimum Yes or No
Also, I will be hosting the maps on Roll20. You will need to make a free account in order to move your icons. Nothing else will take place there, and you're free to use the chat feature for OOC functions.
Quick Summary: Seeking 8 players for game. Recruitment ends 30/Jan. Quirky reality-show gauntlet of challenges for a Fae Prince.
I think I covered everything. Please post(preferred) or PM me any questions. Special thanks to Painlord for his PbP GM Guide!
Addendum: PCs will level up between rounds, starting with the First. You may plan a character accordingly, bearing in mind they may or may not last the round.
When you say no Occult, does that mean that you do not want us to use anything from Occult Adventures?
When you say no Occult, does that mean that you do not want us to use anything from Occult Adventures?
I do, and I fixed it accordingly. Thank you.
Sounds like a hoot :)
I do have 2 questions.
The first is about how much PVP should we be expecting and intentionally build for? Is this mostly a "PC team vs NPC team with the occasional friendly/deadly competition" or more of a "Plan your allies death as swiftly and brutally as possible" kind of game?
Do I build a player killer?
Second question is about your schedule. I really like your pre-planned schedule. It tells me that you have a significant part of this planned out already and that you are probably well prepared.
HOWEVER I get the feeling that actual gameplay will blow it out of the water :( Even if all players agree to post multiple times a day, you are still limited by the time each person posts. This can become more pronounced the more people you have.
Here is an example withe 3 people, each checking/posting 3 times a day.
P1: 6am. Wakes up, attacks P2.
P3: 7am. Wakes up, wants to heal P2. Has to wait for P2 to act first. Pre-posts his actions.
P1: noon. Checks again, can't post yet, waiting for P2.
P2: 3pm. Gets off work. Eats the attack, retaliates against P1 with a spell.
P2: 6pm. Checks game again, can't post anything.
P3: 6:30pm logs on again, heals P2, has to wait until P1 saves/fails his save to act.
P3: 8pm. Logs on, can't do anything. Sets up another pre-post. Goes to bed.
P1: 10pm. Saves vs the spell, casts his own spell, negates P3s action. Goes to bed.
P2: 11pm. Logs on, can't act because P3s action was negated and has to wait.
It's kinda long so sorry, but it is a quick demonstration on how 3 people each posting 3 times a day and they only barely get through a round and a half. Multiply that by 8 people and different posting habits and it can slow down. Or the reverse were P1 crits, P2 crits, P3 casts SoD and the combat is over in 1 day :/
I guess my actual question is how flexible is that schedule?
3rd question (oops). How optimized should we create our characters? I can do just about any level of optimization :)
Posting:
I can usually post a minimum of 2/day. I can often post 3-4 a day as the upper limit. Weekends have no change for me.
As for what character I would play, I found an interesting feat I would like to try and play around with :)
I was thinking of a Fighter/Monk (MoMS) Archer using the Overwatch Style feat. The basic idea is to use the MoMS to ignore the BAB +11 pre-req, then play around with readied actions.
It isn't any more attacks then what a zen Archer could make anyways, and I don't think it is any more powerful, it is just different. That and it takes a metric ton of feats :/ I think it could be a fair bit of fun :)
I would call him William Tell ^-^
1. There will be exactly one "round" of PvP, wherein the PCs have switched their bodies. They will retain their mental stats, some feats, and a couple inherent traits, and then gain the physical stats, other feats, and class of a different PC. I've got a system set up for it, but I was kind of saving it, as it reveals a lot of plot hooks in its exposition. As such, I wouldn't plan for PvP at all, unless that's what your PC did for a living.
2. Yeah, my schedule was more to illustrate the systematic elimination of PCs, and give a general feel for how long each section should take (you'll notice the official "Rounds" are given at least twice as much time as the free-RP sections); that way, everyone has at least a broad perspective on the quickness I wish to bring to the table. The rounds will takes as long as they take; I'm not opposed to the entire thing taking a year rather than a few months, provided everyone is active and involved. I feel like two weeks is a fair estimate of a combat encounter length, especially if I streamline said combat.
I intend (hopefully) to adequately present with each GM post what I expect from the follow-ups from the players; after each has done their part, I'll make a summation post of the mechanical round, and then everyone is free to act for the next. That way, instead of waiting for everyone to roll Perception, followed by Initiative, and then dictate the turn order, I'll roll them all, post the order of the actions (including actions of the NPCs; remember the 6-second round occurs simultaneously; it's only our perception of gameplay that makes us divide it into turns), and then the players post what they will do, including any applicable rolls (Acrobatics, Bluff, Stealth, Atk&Dmg, etc). In theory, it'll mesh together fairly well regardless of post order.
And this is also why I asked for post commitment; if our entire group agrees to 2/day, 7days/week, we will obviously move at a higher pace than 1/day, 5/week with no weekends.
3. You are free to optimize as much or as little as you'd like. However, not every "round" will be combat, and if you've dumped Str and Dex to the bottom, you can expect enemies to take advantage of that. After all, the Game Masters are powerful Fae, capable of teleporting you here and holding you indefinitely.
Likewise, though I won't use this one specifically, an encounter could require use of the Profession: Barrister skill; an ideal PC would resemble a living individual, specialized in one or two areas, but having some others to fall back on.
dot
Less than a week left and this only has two dots and a question; might just have to table the idea.
I'll give it the few remaining days just in case.
Looks like this is tabled. When/if I start it up again, I'll pop a message at you guys and let you know. Thanks!