Did I not mention it, Nerk? Tomag's going to take Intimidating Presence and assorted other Intimidate-focused combat stuff eventually. The smile is just him trying not to terrify g+%~%*n everybody at all times.
Awesome - you taking dazzling display? I've got a bard in another game that I'm turning into an intimidator, but I'm really torn on that feat.
And thanks for the assist, Tomag!
I am so looking forward to witnessing this.
Are we going to need a more permanent solution to Ingwe being a huge pain every time we meet?
Make him Emperor!
Can we string him up as a scarecrow instead?
Make him Emperor!
I actually wonder how this would turn out...
Make him Emperor!
Ha! He does provide an interesting ethical dilemna, that's for sure. Cueta would advise the following plan(s) of action:
1. Keep an eye on him. Way back at the beginning of this game, Cueta rolled a sense motive on Ingwe that my search-fu is failing to turn up. The result was something along the lines of: Cueta suspected that the half-Mwangi was talking out his behind a bit. She's been suspicious ever since, but probably isn't the best person to keep an eye on him, as she's gone a lot and Ingwe apparently isn't her biggest fan. Wonder why? :)
2. If he's found to be doing something underhanded, Cueta's fine with shipboard justice - a short trial and the guy then walking the plank (or whatever Newspring decides is the equivalent). However, Ingwe would have to be legitimately doing something underhanded for Cueta to consider this option - she was part of a privateer crew, not a pirate crew (or at least that's what they told themselves), and is still - pretty tenuously at this point - CG, trending towards CN or N I think.
3. See Nerk's quote above. If he's just a pain in the ass because he's a PITA, and there's no deception, sedition or malice behind it, then Cueta would go with instituting that fine Chelaxian tradition of co-opting your opposition. Get Ingwe on the council and give him stuff to do, instead of him doing whatever it is he spends his day on now (which is probably not in the council's interests). At that point, he'll be more vested in the system as it is, and less likely to publicly rebuke the decisions the council makes. He may still be a PITA at council moots, but he'd be our PITA, not his own.
Sorala, for her part, doesn't see much wrong with what Ingwe is doing. She doesn't know Cueta or Ingwe well enough to know how much truth there is to Ingwe's claims, and she's read alot of provocative Andoran literature arguing about the role of citizen dissent in a healthy democracy. She's not thrilled with Ingwe's approach, but appreciates that he (and his ilk) can play an important part in Newspring's evolution.
I believe Ingwe is just being an arse and an excellent example of a chaotic character. He doesn't like it that we made an agreement to exchange people with the hobs without their consent, and that we are imposing such things on the group.
I believe Ingwe would be in favor of a democracy where everyone gets a vote rather than our Asskicking Equals Authority oligarchy council. He may not even want to be on the council.
Once things are more stable Kal'Tos is fully in favor of the council being elected through a more rigorous process. But at the time some kind of leadership was needed to keep people alive.
I (Chicken) would like to see a limited democracy combined with an oligarchy (thus our PCs can keep their seats). Maybe a house of commons / house of lords to draft some legislation, and the council, selected by the chairman/president/king/mayor/whatever, who is elected by general election.
Sorala would probably like something similar. Cueta's probably grudgingly going to come around to some sort of top-down government, as long as she can be a part of it and use it to keep those she cares about safe (really, a benevolent dictatorship would be her most ideal form of government). In the near term, she's fine with our near anarchy.
Tomag's not super worried about it. He just wants to make sure everyone not just survives, but thrives, and he's willing to do what it takes to achieve that.
I'm astounded at my diplomacy rolls. I had really just intended to have Cueta wail and nash her teeth at her sister leaving, and then go about setting up some carrier pigeons so that they could talk via airmail.
Sorry for the extended drama, folks!
Would carrier pigeons be set up with an animal pen or hatchery?
Handle Animals to train. I wouldn't expect it to require building anything.
Yeah, I need to have a talk with you about your dice. I had planned for Melilla to simmer a while, but c'est la dice.
Handle Animals to train. I wouldn't expect it to require building anything.
Even better! Cueta can train pigeons (provided she can find some, I suppose) and we can save resources!
Yeah, I need to have a talk with you about your dice. I had planned for Melilla to simmer a while, but c'est la dice.
Oh boy, that sounds ominous. Meep.
Yeah, I need to have a talk with you about your dice. I had planned for Melilla to simmer a while, but c'est la dice.Oh boy, that sounds ominous. Meep.
Nerk has a way of making anything sound ominous, or maybe we are just paranoid.
I do try to cultivate an atmosphere of hopeless dread, in life as well as in gaming.
Nerk has a way of making anything sound ominous, or maybe we are just paranoid.Yeah, I need to have a talk with you about your dice. I had planned for Melilla to simmer a while, but c'est la dice.Oh boy, that sounds ominous. Meep.
Cueta says, "I'll take 'What is all of the above' for all the gp, Alex."
I do try to cultivate an atmosphere of hopeless dread, in life as well as in gaming.
Ha! I've always thought of our "city's" name being an homage to that hope springs eternal saying, so perhaps we should change it? Fouled Spring? Spring where we shall all die hungry? Ghoulspring?
I named it Newspring because it was new and there was a spring! The spring is still there you'll have to get rid of it first.
...I probably shouldn't give Nerk ideas.
I named it Newspring because it was new and there was a spring! The spring is still there you'll have to get rid of it first.
...I probably shouldn't give Nerk ideas.
The location and naming of Newspring from the beginning resonated with me on a metaphorical level. Bedraggled emigrants making a dangerous journey, finding this life-sustaining place in a hostile land, where they form a bedraggled community that grows into a gleaming city on the hill, a beacon of hope for all who wish to escape the their lives in Golarian and reach the potential of who they are supposed to become, unfettered by the class and racial divisions of the old world...
Good to know I was reading too much into it ;)
Haha in truth I also saw it as a new beginning for the people who arrived on the shores and spring had a multitude of meanings. It's currently spring, there is fresh spring water, a potential for growth etc etc...
I'm no poet but it was a easy, meaningful choice.
Man, I'm still waiting on my Wis-based Skald or Bard archetype so I can be the most amazing Dwarven Battlepoet in the world.
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Dwarven Battlepoet
I may just do this anyway, screw the sub-optimization!
That would be pretty cool. I think you could make a perfectly viable skald now. Start with a thirteen in Cha (15 before racials) and a 20 point buy gets you:
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 13
With medium armor and martial weapons I think it is serviceable. Focus on raging and buff spells, use magic items to pump cha and put all your ability levelling in STR. That's a pretty feasible build IMO.
Or, wait for a Throne of Night game to come along where you can use the alternate ability bonuses and penalties for an all-dwarf party...
Single race parties of any type can be awesome, even more so if they are dwarves. Single class parties can also be interesting in some cases, all dwarf, all cleric party could be awesome.
I did tell you guys that I was originally going to apply to this game with a Dwarf Ranger, right? ;)
All dwarf, all male, all bard party that travels between mountainhomes to perform as a Barbershop Quartet group. Complete with hats and vests.
Name? The Resonant Kegs.
They could solve mysteries in their off time, Scooby-doo style.
All dwarf, all male, all bard party that travels between mountainhomes to perform as a Barbershop Quartet group. Complete with hats and vests.
Name? The Resonant Kegs.
They could solve mysteries in their off time, Scooby-doo style.
That would be awesome, and I assume the hats and vests would be magical?
Also awesome would be a group of dwarf wizards devoted to unraveling the mysteries of the arcane sciences as they embark on a plant wide pub crawl.
Planet wide? Once they're high enough level, it can be planar-wide pub crawl!
They'll never be seen again once they figure out how to access the elemental plane of alcohol....
Single race parties of any type can be awesome, even more so if they are dwarves. Single class parties can also be interesting in some cases, all dwarf, all cleric party could be awesome.
I think that could be a pretty effective party, for sure. There's enough variation in the domains and archetypes that you could handle anything.
Vanilla cleric, crusader cleric, trickery cleric (with high int for skills), evangelist cleric. Tough.
I did tell you guys that I was originally going to apply to this game with a Dwarf Ranger, right? ;)
Dwarf ranger would've fit nicely with our dynamic. Kal'Tos has said it before and I agree - all the characters in this game have been pretty distinct, even when duplicating classes. But I'm happy you came up with Tomag. He's friendly, and I think Cueta needs friends.
All dwarf, all male, all bard party that travels between mountainhomes to perform as a Barbershop Quartet group. Complete with hats and vests.
I love it! I've thought for a long time that an all bard party could be the most fun single class party to be in. I'd do: Arcane duelist for the martial smackdown/buffing, court bard caster/debuffer, archaeologist for secondary melee and rogue abilities, and another bard of any type for kicks (archivist, skald archetype, negotiator, diva, or vanilla bard could all work really well in this party).
I have a friend that has always said the 5th party member should always be a bard.
Even in a group of 5 bards, the 5th party member should always be a vanilla bard.
Honestly the bard spell list is pretty robust. If everyone worked together they could cover a -lot- of skills and spells. Combine that with Bardic Masterpieces and it's a spellcasting force of nature.
Not to mention be a badass band. Well, the diva would have to be the lead vocals, of course... or else.
Message sent to Zoriya yesterday, Gair today. We'll see if either of them replies.
I'm growing increasingly concerned. I know Gair loves this campaign and Zoriya was beginning to feel the same, so it makes me hope their computers simply had a meltdown.
@ Istiel ... "They" meaning the hobgoblins or you guys?
Gair did say something about being swamped at work, but that was a while back. There's no question that things can come up unexpectedly in RL that make it harder to play, and it's even possible that they just got sick of my s***.
I do try to cultivate an atmosphere of hopeless dread, in life as well as in gaming.
Both! Istiel isn't racist- she has equal disdain for all non-elves.
and it's even possible that they just got sick of my s***.
I don't think so, Nerk. He said many times that he was enjoying himself greatly. I'm worried that something came up IRL, as he seems like a pretty responsible and affable fellow.
And the atmosphere of hopeless dread - well, that is one of the things that makes this campaign great! I mean, I hope that Cueta retires to a nice house on the beach with little children running around and a nice, healthy relationship with an upstanding guy, but I'm expecting that her life will be quite violent, tragic, and possibly short. Even though I play her for laughs at points, I think she's quite flawed, and it works (I think) in this context.
I will say though, that it is nice to have a PC2, that while perhaps a little crazy, is relatively well-adjusted, all things considered. It makes for a nice change of pace when writing her.
I'm still rooting for Vallen and Istiel to have the first long, drawn out, schizophrenic argument.
And the atmosphere of hopeless dread is a slight exaggeration. My idea of an ideal campaign is one where the PCs are heroic, and all that hopeless dread is really just to give them something to do. No call for heroes in a utopia.
I'm still rooting for Vallen and Istiel to have the first long, drawn out, schizophrenic argument.
Me too! I think about how exasperated Vallen has gotten with my characters, and it makes me smile to wonder about what Istiel could do to that poor priest.
And the atmosphere of hopeless dread is a slight exaggeration. My idea of an ideal campaign is one where the PCs are heroic, and all that hopeless dread is really just to give them something to do. No call for heroes in a utopia.
Agreed! And I should say that I haven't felt that the campaign is hopeless, or a sense of hopelessness pervades the campaign, but rather that perhaps Cueta is hopeless, in that I don't know yet what path she will travel down, if that makes sense? I imagine a lot of it will depend on her sister, who I have decided probably holds all the power in their relationship, whether Melilla knows it or not, or is even capable of knowing it.
Dread on the other hand - yeah, that's not Cueta specific ;) But that's great too! I love the elves and the dwarves and the demons and the rain and the hunger and our threadbare little town. And whatever else is coming our way, I'm sure.
I may be out until Sunday. Feel free to activate the bots if needed.
I'm still rooting for Vallen and Istiel to have the first long, drawn out, schizophrenic argument.
This may happen one day... one day... It will probably happen at a council meeting, if anywhere.
Planet wide? Once they're high enough level, it can be planar-wide pub crawl!
They'll never be seen again once they figure out how to access the elemental plane of alcohol....
I doubt the dwarf race would have survived if they discovered the existence of an elemental plane of alcohol, unless it was entirely elven wine.
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I doubt the dwarf race would have survived if they discovered the existence of an elemental plane of alcohol, unless it was entirely elven wine.Planet wide? Once they're high enough level, it can be planar-wide pub crawl!
They'll never be seen again once they figure out how to access the elemental plane of alcohol....
Ale Dwarf (10rp)
Certain dwarves posit an elemental plane of alcohol. Other dwarves live there.They speak common and dwarven. They have darkvision to 60'.
Like normal dwarves, they are slow, but able to carry substantial burdens.
20' move, but move is unaffected by armor or encumbrance.
Unlike other dwarves, ale dwarves are known to be gregarious, but exhibit spectacularly poor judgement.
Con +2
Wis -2
Cha +2
Like their cousins on the material plane, they are hardy and stubborn folk.
(resistant) +2 to resist poison and mind affecting effects.
They have been so drunk for so long that they are quite fearless.
(fearless) +2 to saves against fear-based effects.
Though most creatures only think they're eloquent when they drink, ale dwarves actually are.
(gift of tongues) They get a +1 to diplomacy and bluff checks, each time they tank a rank in linguistics, they learn one additional language.
(sociable) When ale dwarfs fail a diplomacy check to change a creature's attitude by 5 or more, they can retry once before 24 hours have passed.
(weapon training) they are automatically proficient with battle axes, and treat any weapon with "dwarven" in the name as a martial weapon.
(bonus feat: catch off guard) due to the frequency of brawls in the mighty stein-castles on the elemental plane of alcohol, ale dwarves are considered proficient with improvised weapons.
I love you so freaking much, Nerk.
I am now seriously considering GMing a new PbP with a all dwarf one class party, the real question is what class?
Bards would be awesome as Vallen indicated.
Clerics would be interesting.
And obviously an inter-planar dwarven wizard pub crawl would be epic.
An all ranger party hunting down a great orc champion who raided their hold.
If dwarves didn't have a Cha penalty Sorceror would also be an option.
Rangers don't offer enough variety, I think. Bards would be great. Paladins would be pretty intense. If you ever read the Goblins comic, there's a dwarf paladin in it that scares the bejesus out of me.
Vada, you should happen to be walking by Cueta and Melilla just now. (Also, "training" means she's going to beat you black and blue at least the first couple of days ... as a barbarian should beat an expert. Which leads nicely to your pursuing the Invulnerable Rager archetype.)
and lastly, you know you want to play an ale dwarf skald.
You are DAMN RIGHT I want to play a full party of Ale Dwarf Skalds. ALL THE RAGE POWERS! Then we all take the Racial Heritage: Orc feat and get Amplified Rage. Because the dwarves that rage together, slay together.
Gotcha. I'll take care of that right now. :)
Also, you are DAMN RIGHT I want to play a full party of Ale Dwarf Skalds. ALL THE RAGE POWERS! Then we all take the Racial Heritage: Orc feat and get Amplified Rage. Because the dwarves that rage together, slay together.
I think you just sold me on it being bards and associated archtypes. And that quote is awesome.
Edit: and I guess there is no reason it couldn't be an epic inter-planar pub crawl of travelling bards on the greatest road show in history.
Aw yeah Aledwarves! Fantastic.
If you ever read the Goblins comic, there's a dwarf paladin in it that scares the bejesus out of me.
Kore is probably the most frightening dwarf and most frightening paladin I have ever seen. If you didn't already know, Thunt is back and updating the comic again. I have the feeling someone is about to die and it's not going to be Kore.
I am now seriously considering GMing a new PbP with a all dwarf one class party, the real question is what class?I think you just sold me on it being bards and associated archtypes. And that quote is awesome.
Edit: and I guess there is no reason it couldn't be an epic inter-planar pub crawl of travelling bards on the greatest road show in history.
Why must you tempt me, Kal'tos. I have enough things to do without wanting to participate in an amazing dwarfy adventure.
Nerk, can Cueta make wooden armor for her sister, using her carpentry skills and tools?
This suit of leather armor has plates of fire-treated wood sewn over vital areas. Though not as effective as metal armor, it offers better protection than leather alone. Unlike metal armor, the wood is slightly buoyant.
Benefit: The armor check penalty for swimming in this armor is 0.
Source: APG