Where would be the fun in that?
...what part of "raise a herd of giant ants" sounds boring to you? :P
that sounds like being a superhero to me.
I suppose it's the "in peace" part that troubles me. No good throwing out the baby with the bathwater though.
Wouldn't you rather raise a herd of giant ants under the constant threat of violence and starvation?
I suppose it's the "in peace" part that troubles me. No good throwing out the baby with the bathwater though.
Wouldn't you rather raise a herd of giant ants under the constant threat of violence and starvation?
Yes, which is why I play Dwarf Fortress.
In other news, that shark-man is a BEAST. Man-beast. Beast-man. He's doing a lot of damage.
Yeah. Critting Kal'Tos was a lucky one.
Maybe it is a man-shark-pig? Half man, half shark, half pig.
In all honesty though it might be a were shark?
Knowledge: Local is your friend here, Kal'tos.
Knowledge: Local is your friend here, Kal'tos.
Which of course I don't have. In fact I don't think any of us do, but in game it makes more sense that we would only have local knowledge once we have been here for a bit.
Yeah, it seemed a rather unreasonable thing to take off the bat.
I'm going to cast a vote for man-shark-pig however. Man-shark-pigs are super cereal...
Knowledge: Local is your friend here, Kal'tos.Which of course I don't have. In fact I don't think any of us do, but in game it makes more sense that we would only have local knowledge once we have been here for a bit.
I didn't take it for that reason. Will be some day though...
Anyone listen to Dr. Octagon? Half shark-alligator, half man?
If an organized group of these things attack the camp, we're cooked. I hope that palisade gets up an running soon!
"Where I am from, when we meet, we use a speaking stick,"
I think I went to summer camp with Ingwe :)
Anyone listen to Dr. Octagon? Half shark-alligator, half man?
If an organized group of these things attack the camp, we're cooked. I hope that palisade gets up an running soon!
*snickers*
I was thinking of elk skull rather than stick, but I figured it would be too ripe.
As long as I live the entire party will be at full health before we leave again. But this fight would be much easier if there had been time to put on armour before.
I like the speaking stick.
I was thinking today. Perhaps instead of a forge we should build farmland instead. I -want- a forge, but A) Those can be built anytime, and B) Once the steel ingots that the Silverclasp brought over run out, where are we getting metal from? There could be salvage on the Harpy, but I think we might get away with crude tools/cold forging techniques for now.
It's springtime, and farming should get started ASAP. We're probably the only group with the goods to pull it off. The problem- We have no one with farming expertise. We'll have to ask around.
I like the speaking stick.
I was thinking today. Perhaps instead of a forge we should build farmland instead. I -want- a forge, but A) Those can be built anytime, and B) Once the steel ingots that the Silverclasp brought over run out, where are we getting metal from? There could be salvage on the Harpy, but I think we might get away with crude tools/cold forging techniques for now.
It's springtime, and farming should get started ASAP. We're probably the only group with the goods to pull it off. The problem- We have no one with farming expertise. We'll have to ask around.
We need seeds to start farming. The forge won't take long and will be useful if only to keep tools functional. Hopefully we find some seed on the Harp along with metal.
A forge and a farm both take the same amount of time to construct. Farmland costs 15 goods and 15 labor. We have exactly that when everything is traded in for labor and goods. I just have this feeling that we're going to starve during the winter if there isn't a viable source of food.
Nerk- how much food would a 100 square (I think that's 500 square feet?) farm produce? That's the maximum size for a farm under the Room rules. I'm assuming this is variable based on weather, climate, and what we're planting, but mechanically what would you rule?
A farm works for me too. What ever the group decides
I was thinking about these things as well. I had initially figured that farmland would be more suitable for community projects but I'm less and less sure. The food situation is starting to seriously worry me...
Gameplay post incoming.
Once the salvage operation gets back we can start on a farm.
I was thinking about these things as well. I had initially figured that farmland would be more suitable for community projects but I'm less and less sure. The food situation is starting to seriously worry me...
Gameplay post incoming.
Indeed. Essentially the only people capable of projects at the moment are the Thayers, ourselves, and Ingwe. I don't see the community building a farm by themselves.
I've been thinking about this as well. In no particular order, and probably really jumbled, are my thoughts.
A farm is good, and I'm all for building one, but how do we do start-up time for crops? Some of this (seeding, sprouting, seedling stages) could be done while the farm is being built. Early spring crops, like radishes and spinach, take around 1 month, if I recall correctly, from seed to harvest. Is this something we would hand-wave (the farm starts producing as soon as it is built)?
I've been thinking about teams as well. They're cheaper and quicker to build than buildings. I think in addition to farming, the more teams the better. Foragers, hunters and fishermen. Do fishermen exhaust hexes as quickly as land hexes? It seems to me that they may not have as big an impact on the environment.
We're also going to need protection. Especially if these cannibals figure out we're around. They are around 3 days by boat from us - probably not too far by land either. We probably need teams of guards, and probably a watchtower too.
I think we have, in no particular order, the following priorities (assuming the salvagers get back):
a. Form teams for food - foragers, hunters, fishers. Stockpile food for winter.
b. Build a farm. Stockpile food for winter.
c. Build a forge.
d. Build housing.
e. Build defensive structures - wall and watchtower at least.
f. Form guards teams. Station a team in/on the farm and at Newspring. Create some sort of alarm system.
g. Figure out what the blight/smell close to our hex is.
h. scout the area near the shark-teeth that we encountered. Threat assessment.
i. scout hexes around Newspring.
j. Later summer, build a granary, root celler, etc.
About community projects, since the downtime rules seem to work off of teams, what about something like this: You can make a DC 15 Diplomacy, Bluff, or Intimidate check to form a team of laborers for one day for a community project. For every 5 that your roll beats the DC 15 check, you form an additional team. This team of laborers can make one check towards building a communal project at +2 to earn capital. Any capital earned in this way immediately goes into the project.
So yeah, we have a lot of priorities.
Also, Gair, very nice speech!
Anyone listen to Dr. Octagon? Half shark-alligator, half man?
If an organized group of these things attack the camp, we're cooked. I hope that palisade gets up an running soon!
*snickers*
I was thinking of elk skull rather than stick, but I figured it would be too ripe.
Thank you, I'll be here all week. Try the veal.
There are a lot of people in the community.
They are a resource as well as a responsibility. At this point, they haven't done much because they're freaked out and don't know what to do.
Example, if you motivate the community to build farmland, they'll build it, they'll make the rolls to earn the capital and the "gold." Then there's farmland. You (individually) don't get the benefit of the farm, but the community will.
I would say that if the farm produces gp+10 (as I think it does) daily, that we can convert 1 gp to 2 food days. A "good" meal and trail rations both clock in at 5sp, and the farm will produce food that either is fresh and good, or must be preserved. Before anyone starts throwing average crop yields at me, remember, all of this is produced "free," in terms of the game, without anyone actually doing anything. Presumably the work will be getting done by farmers who are also working on other projects, like building a house or another farm.
Post deleted. I think I understand.
We motivate the community to make a farm. They make a check every day. Whatever they roll, they earn that amount of capital which is immediately converted into the farm. What is the community's modifier towards the check? Is it dependent on what they build? Can we aid the check with an appropriate roll?
I say we motivate the community to build the farm, helping out as we can. Meanwhile we deal with other stuff necessary to get things going, the forge, teams, etc.
I say we motivate the community to build the farm, helping out as we can. Meanwhile we deal with other stuff necessary to get things going, the forge, teams, etc.
I agree.
This sounds good. I just took a look at the possible buildings though and it seems like a garden is a vastly better deal than farmland. It will output nearly as much food for less than a third the cost.
I'm curious though, if the settlers are spending their day earning capital and constructing the building, they are unable to forage yes? We would have to try and balance how many are doing each task right?
Does the half price capital rule for this month apply to their efforts as well or just ours?
DM Nerk, any chance you could update what is happening with the Man-shark-pig?
Well then the guys at the camp need to get motivatin.
On it, but we'll let some of the others say their piece.
In order to save us a ton of writing it's probably best to have everyone decide on basic courses of action/resolve disputes and then resolve the specifics of each project with ooc discussion. And the appropriate rolls of course.
Would seem we are going to need a lot of gardens. On average each one should feed about 4 people/day. Meaning we'll want to work on building several. Even if we set up ten of them we'll still need to be procuring 60ish food every day through other means in order to avoid starvation.
Though I imagine the bigger challenge will be staying fed during the days it takes to gather the capital and construct the gardens. Going to need a lot more random elk!
Of course, we can also hope the Harpy team comes back with a surplus of salvaged food!
Edit : Probably off for the night, I'll see you guys tomorrow!
Kal'Tos ... a real post ASAP, I promise, but you killed it.
Gair & Vallen ... both of you spoke eloquently enough to earn a +2 on your Diplomacy checks. Gair ... your check will get that many people working on foraging. Vallen, yours will get that many people working on building a farm.
Gair, yes, they can't forage AND build.
When I get time to sit and write their speeches, the Thayers will get people going on their little projects, and Ingwe will take a shot as well. Again, what they build with their resources will go to them, what they build for the community will go to build the community.
So far, nobody's tried to step on anybody's toes, you're just trying to persuade people to do stuff. So there's no real conflict at this point.
If there are any disagreements they will be resolved (mechanically) with opposed diplomacy/intimidate/bluff/other relevant skill? checks, with modifiers based on the player's eloquence and the relative stupidity and popularity of the project. Farm and forage (and in my opinion, palisade and shelter) are all pretty sensible things. Build-a-still guy will probably get a roll with a -10 for stupidity but probably a +2 for popularity. People want a drink, but most of them think food, shelter and safety are higher priorities.
Salvage team: I think we've got a bit of a dilemma. I don't think we can keep anything on or near this beach. Surely there are more shark-teeths about. If there are chests on the ship, we always could take some secondary stuff and bury it, pirate-style.
There's also a storm coming in. How soon, I don't know, but if it is a bad storm, we're probably not safe taking the boat out. If it is a bad storm, at least the shark-teeth probably won't be out in it.
It is dark. Nerk said it is a DC 20 to get the boat to the Harpy without sinking it. Seems to me that leaving now for the Harpy is not an option.
Then there is Mr. Shark-teeth. He's probably got friends, and if he's got friends they're probably going to miss him. I think we've got two options. One is leave him on the beach. Try and create wounds on the body that look like animal wounds. Maybe shark-teeth's buddies buy it and don't go looking for us. Option #2 is to take the body with us. We can bring him back to Newspring, and maybe someone there will have an idea about what it is. This could create a search party of shark-tooths. Or they look around a bit, don't find a body, and give up. They at least won't know exactly what happened to Mr. shark-tooth, and won't have a body to study.
So, once dawn breaks, Kal'Tos is going to need an hour for spells. If it is raining, we probably have to stay put. If it is not raining, maybe I can predict when the storm is coming in. Perhaps we have time to get to the ship and load it up with the important stuff and skedaddle.
Or, if we don't, while Kal'Tos prepares spells, I can try and scout/track the way back to this creature's camp. If I live, we can get an idea for numbers, etc. of the shark-tooths. Ben and Zik can get the boat ready to go in case there is any trouble. Or Zik can get the boat ready and Ben can come with me.
Or, if there isn't enough time to get to the ship and back to another beach, we can try and relocate to another beach and wait out the storm.
Thoughts?
Cueta, I bet you asked and I forgot ... best guess about the storm is that it hits noonish tomorrow.
Figure sun-up at 6am gives you some time.
So we might only have 4 hours on site for a grab and go operation.
So we might only have 4 hours on site for a grab and go operation.
I think we take it. Get those ant hauls prepped! Should we take the body or stage an "animal" attack. Or something else?
Throw it in the water on the way to the ship in the morning.
Hmm. I don't mind pitching the body overboard, but could we wait until we get to the ship? If there are survivors, I'd like them motivated and cooperative, and fear is a great motivator. A show and tell with Mr. shark-tooth may go a long way towards that. Also, there may not be enough salvagable goods to fill the boat (I doubt it, but it is possible), in which case I'd like to take the body back. Someone at camp may know what it is.
With my roll, 19 people will start building a farm, if I understand what's going on here correctly. Thank you dice.
Now- We either use our capital to build another farm (that we benefit from), stick with the forge, or build a bunch o' teams. Vallen has 0 interest in maintaining/owning a farm, but sees why they are needed. If we used our capital to start building one, he'd pass it off to someone else. If we build a forge, he'll want to keep/manage it. If we start putting together teams, I'll get a craftspeople team started
If we're all going to share capital, we should have an official vote on what to do with it on day 4. I believe the options are
1) Teams
2) Farm
3) Forge
4) Fill-in-your vote
Because we know a farm is probably going to get built now, I'm going to go with Cueta and say we put together some teams. I believe we can get about 3 teams going (Gair can make a hunting party team (archers? We can afford them they could be the elves in fact), Vallen a craftspeople (carpentry) team, perhaps someone else can manage a guard team?
The problem is all of these options are good ones, which is making it highly difficult for me to make a 100% dedicated decision. I absolutely hate being a flip-flop but the situation keeps changing.
My official vote: Teams
I say we keep the forge and roll those profits and our checks into making teams after.
Are you interested in taking the defence position Vallen? I'm cool with Hassan handling it but I'll be more than happy to nominate you after your performance with the ants. You're planning on staying with the camp for the most part, at least for the foreseeable future, right?
I'd also suggest we set to forming teams with our capital. With the short term discount on capital, the short training times for teams is a huge boon.
The craftsmen are an excellent idea. The archers are also a decent idea, though another craft team might also work, I kind of feel like guards are a good community thing. Something the person chosen as camp defender can work on.
Once we have the forge going, I would suggest we might want to set to work on a garden or two? Food is seriously worrying me.
Waiting on votes from Ben, Cueta, and Garrack on what to do with our capital.
From an RP perspective Vallen would have no interest in managing the guards. I was thinking we would form that team once the salvage operation comes back and everyone's freaking out about Mr. Shooktooth.
Alright, in that case I'm perfectly content to leave the position to Hassan for the time being. I'd kind of had him working on it anyway.
Sounds good. We can leave the guards to him for now. Once the salvage team gets back they can organize more guards if they choose. What kind of team would you hire for scavengers, Gair?
I think two teams of craftsmen could be really good. Both can earn gold to pay for capital, and then when times are good one could be set to crafting specific items, if I understand the rules correctly.
Archers are really expensive, but we could build a team of craftsmen and a team of soldiers for only one more capital than to build the forge. Together, they will bring in more gp and/or the same amount of capital as the forge, with the bonus that we'd get all three types of capital covered as needed, instead of just goods. Though I guess that is less important since capital can be traded at 1:1.
I'd like to vote teams, but I wonder if we can even staff them? We have 75 adults. 44 are involved in community projects. Do we have 20 people foraging every day? That would leave 11 for teams, and I believe that the Thayers already have two teams built? There simply may not be the manpower to create any more teams at the moment.
EDIT for math: 54 are involved in projects, leaving 1 person for a team, including the Thayers' teams?
Um, well if I'm going to be taking them hunting I would very much prefer a team of Archers though they are rather expensive. Though fairly efficient on a cost to bonus ratio.
Having them well outfitted to take down targets at range will be extremely helpful for dealing with random encounters.
I'm a little worried about that idea though. Having 5 armed warriors with me as well as Bern and possibly Kyle and Garrak too seems a little large a party to set against random encounters. Teams are best used behind the scenes but as long as I'm exploring new hexes, anyone I have with me will by necessity take a more active role.
Do you have any suggestions Nerk?
Edit : You raise a good point Ceuta, I was looking at the numbers as well. The downtime rules really start to suffer in an environment with a small, closed population.
Cueta - the 1:1 exchange rate was only for your initial capital, because you had a ton of goods and nothing else. Once that's spent, you go back to the usual 3:1.
As far as teams go, I'm going to assume that teams exist somewhat apart from individuals. Much the way a completed farm will produce produce without anyone actually farming, a team of guards (say) will produce security (and capital) even though the individuals are working on something else. After all, the days are long, and everyone recognizes the need to wear more than one hat.
As far as your foraging party growing too large, why not set them to foraging independently? The guards/archers/whatever can fish close enough to home to be on site for defensive needs, while still gathering food. The unaffiliated can forage in the home hex and you can take Kyle, Bern and Garrak (should he return) with you exploring.
I am good with how ever you all want to spend the initial capital. I will want some of it back Later I am thinking of building a boat for my brother to fish from and will need some sailors.
How would I go about building a boat mechanically?