All that being said, I see the benefits of moving back, and am fine doing so.
My official vote is stay at Newspring. Vallen can create fresh water, but he doesn't want to be everyone's well. Ka'ltos and Gair are for moving. Ben, Garrack?
Well, for the record I'm still hoping to convince Edmund to relocate. I'm just against trying to establish two settlements.
At a mile, it's not really all that far. It will be inconvenient to have to haul water but I don't think you'll be required to serve as a well Vallen.
I am in favor of staying by the spring, but it isn't worth separating the group over. I do worry about appearing indecisive and weak if we cave and return to the beach though.
@Vallen please don't build the forge right by the spring that is the best source of fresh water we have we need to protect it. Build it down stream from the spring.
I think staying at the spring is the best bet, for the port and the village. First, We want our palisade around the spring. If there are hostile natives we don't want to get seiged with out a good water source.
Second, the highest priority for ocean going ships is fresh water. Why would the ships moor at a port where they have to haul their water a mile. The site with the spring is a bowshot from the beach and the captain said both anchorages were equally good.
Edmund Thayer doesn't have a clue what he is doing. If you will recall he had to be told to move his tent so the tide wouldn't flood it. He hasn't looked for a good spot to build he is simply starting to build where he is. The feilds may be a good spot to farm but we can still farm that area from a village at the spring.
Ask the women folk if they want to carry the water for cooking a mile every day. Remember 5 gallons of water is 40 lbs. everyone needs to drink at least a gallon a day especially when working hard.
building two settlements is a bad idea but where the group builds is something that everyone needs to discuss.
I think we're all in agreement that the spring is the best choice. We just need to convince Edmund. I'm doing what I can but I think it will have to fall to someone else.
My only admission is that if we fail to sway him, I'd rather put up with this one bit of stupidity than try to build two settlements.
Edit : Wait, so did I convince the Thayers after all?
It looks like they decided our arguments were good enough. Does someone on good terms with them want to pitch the idea of a council to them? I think we should also invite the elves to have a representative on the council, plus Ben, myself and either Gair or Cueta.
Does anyone object to the 5 person council idea or any of the possible members?
@Vallen please don't build the forge right by the spring that is the best source of fresh water we have we need to protect it. Build it down stream from the spring.
Oops I meant to say stream in my post not spring. I was extremely tired last night, I'm surprised my post was coherent at all.
I'm glad the Thayers decided to move, good job battering some sense into them everyone!
I'm liking the idea of a council. Having one of the Thayers and another representative npc, if/when the show up, would be good. We just have to hold a majority...
The Council is a cool idea though as it's rather informal I'd say we let any of our number interested be on it. Both the Thayers if they are so inclined and one of our elven delegation.
We should also try to have one of the other NPCs unassociated with any of us, at least once a solid candidate differentiates themselves over the coming days.
I'll be happy to pitch the idea to them if you want. Either way it can wait a day or two, half the prospects are about to be gone for the better part of a week.
As long as we keep the number odd to avoid tie votes and the PCs have a majority, I have no issues with expanding it. Perhaps we can start with 5 and expand as needed later?
Certainly possible, though I feel creation of such a council will have to wait until you guys return as it's an odd idea to pitch with a good number of the members away from the camp.
Ceuta, what are your thoughts on said council? We've both been put for as possibles. As he's coming into his own I think Gair would fit the role well but I will have more than enough to do in coming weeks if you'd like to take the initial spot?
So basically, I'm saying, Gair, go for it! I'd eventually like Cueta to be involved, but as long as I as a player have people to talk to and impact on the world we are creating, I don't care if it is informally.
Should the council roughly mirror some of the leadership spots in the kingdom building rules? That way the transition to official roles would be easier, and we could start grooming NPCs for certain positions, but I guess the downside is that the council may in some ways be less flexible. For example, I could see Gair being in charge of organizing Newspring's defense, and then evolving into the role of general or warden/marshall in an official capacity once the kingdom is founded.
Well eventually you've have a kingdom leadership rule so no worries there :)
And as mentioned there can easily be a spot on the council if she wants one in future.
Well eventually you've have a kingdom leadership rule so no worries there :)
And as mentioned there can easily be a spot on the council if she wants one in future.
Yeah, I was kind of hoping she'd buy in about the time the kingdom rules kick in.
I edited my post above asking about the council and those rules, as well - just a thought I had.
Chances are most people on the council will eventually be in leadership positions once we move to kingdom rules, but I don't think we have to tie people to titles yet. But hopefully a council will reduce issues between us and the Thayers and let the settlement be developed logically.
I think we should ship both the Thayers back to Avistan with the Laughing Lillend. we could pay the captain to take them he doesn't even have to take them all the way.
Seriously though that is an idea we could try to get the Thayers to go back to Absalom with the Lillend to get more supplies and people for the colony. Who better to go than a charismatic young noble and his attractive sister?
Also can I change my alignment to Lawful Neutral then I could get away with saying things like "we should kill both of them and use them for fish bait. They are just going to cause problems later."
Pretty sure premeditated murder is still evil. Even when you have a really good justification like "They're just going to cause problems later."
Really, you can call your alignment whatever you want to. And do whatever you want to. I know I'm going to have to debate the existence of a saw, the method of keeping spirits up, the weight of an elk, and the gods only know what else, so I'm content to let you call your alignment whatever you like.
are you sure being an insufferable a@@hat isn't suficient justification for murder.
are you sure being an insufferable a@@hat isn't suficient justification for murder.
So you want being a noble to become a crime?
noble is sacrificing your life to save someone else. The Thayers are aristocrats. They are probably doing things the Targaryan way too.
As long as their Palisade is big enough for everything we need inside, I have no issues with the Thayers doing the legwork to get it established along with a great hall.
Later tonight I'm going to put notes about NPCs on our spreadsheet. We should keep track of who's who, what they're doing, and possible motivations.
Excellent idea Vallen, having all NPCs listed in one location with what we know about them will be super handy.
Later tonight I'm going to put notes about NPCs on our spreadsheet. We should keep track of who's who, what they're doing, and possible motivations.
Great idea! I think we're going to have a lot to track, so the more info available in one spot the better.
Very great idea. I put a roster in the campaign tab, but I'm not sure I haven't missed someone. Oh. I just remembered Hassan.
Anyone who feels like it, check me and see if anyone you remember has slipped my mind.
While not a priority we should probably have a list of NPCs that we don't know by name yet. I will help avoid issues like the number of elves in the expedition changing because we cannot remember what was said about them.
Very great idea. I put a roster in the campaign tab, but I'm not sure I haven't missed someone. Oh. I just remembered Hassan.
Anyone who feels like it, check me and see if anyone you remember has slipped my mind.
Oh I didn't even notice this! Thank you Nerk.
Also sorry for waffling on with Sandra and holding up the day, I just want her to know Vallen isn't there to change her outlook, but for business.
Really, Vallen, I had been thinking I needed to make notes and then read your post, and just thought, hey ... good idea.
No apologies for waffling. I'm going to try to get a quick reply up before I get in trouble. ;)
Holy crap Ben, you really, really hate the Thayers. Do you just hate people named Edmund or what?
Honestly I think it is just the way Nerk wrote the characters rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I see too much forshadowing in thier existance. Maybe I have read to much many fantasy novels.
I am a little disappointed that everyone missed the Game of Thrones reference.
Oh I most certainly didn't but for the record, I highly doubt he's banging his sister :P
I agree we should be wary of them, but be careful. You'll lose the contest of wills quickly if it's you that comes off as the unreasonable party.
Honestly I think it is just the way Nerk wrote the characters rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I see too much forshadowing in thier existance. Maybe I have read to much many fantasy novels.
I am a little disappointed that everyone missed the Game of Thrones reference.
PCs being paranoid of what their GM is doing is natural and healthy, and tends to result in your character living longer.
I got the reference but didn't feel the need to comment on it.
The sister seems like the smarter of the 2, she seems to always have a reason why someone else's idea is a bad one. A forge will allow us to make more tools and keep the ones we have working. Kind of hard to build a great hall with your hands and a rock.
Sandra is certainly the easier to deal with of the pair. I agree about the forge but don't tell me, she's the one you need to convince.
Though the longhouse is sort of the collective project anyway. We can work on both :)
Unfortunately I am off on a salvage run and cannot speak to her for several days, technically Kal'Tos has no idea what is happening at the camp.
Part of me wants to trust them, but my paranoid side says that they are going to do something really stupid after most people are following them.
That's the thing, most people aren't following them. Before he agreed to move they had about 30 people with them. The rest were all at the spring anyway.
And yeah, for the next couple days a lot of this is up to our good friend Vallen.
I need to remember to round up the other two Gnomes when I come back from the Harpy. Us shorties got to stick together. as far as I have seen so far the only woodworking tools were Cueta's and other than that the only real tools were the dwarves smithing tools. There are no axes to fell trees or saws to cut lumber or picks or shovels. They aren't going to get far with out those tools. the forge is definately needed first. I need some small sized tools too.
The rest were all at the spring anyway.
I seem to be maneuvering Vallen into campaigning our cause at a meeting while everyone is away. The awkward dwarf with no diplomacy. Oh dear.
Sounds great. I just need to hear if our little scouting party is able to join you? Is so I'll do what I can, if not I wish you luck!
Haha thanks. Honestly I'm not worried about the forge, it will be completed through downtime rolls- Vallen sees it as a necessary part of his religious existence.
Given the right moment, Vallen will say that for now they should focus on constructing shelter for everyone, and once this necessity is complete (in a week's time, more? However long it takes to stall for the rest of the group to get back) they should discuss a form of government among the people, a wise council made up of representatives from the group. Our idea, basically, but he will absolutely want the likes of Cueta, Ben, and Gair there to be on the council, as he's seen them in action.
I plan on having Vallen offer advising/planning/carpentry on longhouse construction during the day, work on the forge during downtime rolls for our 4 missing labor, get Horn'tos making some armor (eventually the random event table -will- betray the settlement, hopefully Vallen is not the only PC there when this happens), and tend to the two malaria sufferers.
First, let me congratulate you on surviving the first 30 hours.
Second, Ben, there really are and always have been simple tools such as saws and axes. I know you've made up your mind that there aren't, but there are. I really don't feel like looking up the posts where I said that, but if you want to look up posts where I said there aren't, have a ball. There will still be simple tools, but you can tell me you told me so.
Third, Gair, were you planning on staying out of camp while exploring, or returning at night? If you're returning, you can help with the politicking in camp. If not, I guess you can try to persuade the bats?
Fourth, transparency. There are things happening off-camera. I can break it down for you if you like, or I can track it silently and you can see the results. Example, the Thayers have started working on building the capital to build a hall (common room+bunks) and a palisade (defensive wall). They would welcome your help (lol) as you would welcome theirs.
Fifth: the meeting. There is little happening with the salvage mission tonight. Anyone have a problem with proceeding with day 3 and spoilering stuff related to the meeting? I have a feeling there will be a lot of backing and forthing, and most of it will probably repeated when the salvage mission returns anyway.
I am good with starting day 3.
yay! we survived 30 hours!
@Nerk If you say there are saws and axes, then there are saws and axes. I was just confused because everyone was using sticks to dig with earlier. I have no problem with having tools. Thanks letting me know. I was thinking I would have to use my daggers to cut down trees for a hut.
Where are the Thayers getting the GP to pay for the earned capital? Is there some way Ben can steal it?
You might find that a little difficult from a days boat ride away. Might incur some hefty slight of hand penalties :P
I'm fine with spoilering the meeting and moving to day three. Would hate to hold up the others.
Ben ... you tell me how you plan to find out, I'll tell you what you learn.
I do want to say for the Nth time, that the capital that you had at the beginning of the game is paid for. You do not need to spend any gold to use it to build with.
Yeah, I was hoping they'd get more ants or something, but the dice spake and said no.
Stupid dice.
Shhh...they'll hear you :P
I am 100% fine with spoilering the meeting. I want to know what's happening with the salvage trip!
I'm ok with it too. I think we can run them concurrently and catch up with one or the other when timing needs to be ironed out as well, if that wouldn't be too confusing (or time consuming for DM Nerk).
As for the transparency, I'd prefer if you kept things behind the scenes. I'd like to know as little about what is happening beyond my character's reality as possible. That's just me though - if others want transparency, I won't object.
It looks like the meeting is going to wait until tonight anyway.
I generally like to see the mechanics of things. Mainly because it's an easy way to convey a large amount if information. In the pbp format it saves us from having to ask as many questions of you when we want to get involved in something specific.
Though you are extremely on top of this campaign so that's less of an issue here if people would prefer a little more "fog of war".