The Scorched Lands (Inactive)

Game Master wicked_raygun

Nice shootin' there, Tex! :o)

Way to outsling the slingers. :P

A single perfect shot from Leland hits the last goblin square in the eye. It drops and rolls off the roof onto the connecting platform.

Mal, since Leland's shot would have resolved before your turn in the initiative order. You didn't take the shot and still have your turn -- which you're going to need now because...

Ben opens the sliding door that leads to Car 6, and finds a scene of devastation and horror. Entire walls have been taken out, leaving a maze of debris. Some of it must have been on fire, since parts of it are smoking weakly while magically conjured water, rains down from the ceiling in the entire car.

Body parts are scattered about while puddles of bloody water seep into the corners and soak into Ben's boots.

And in the center of the car lies a six and half foot tall monstrosity, with bulging muscles, long pointy ears, a hedgerow of razor sharp teeth, and dead lifeless eyes.

Monster Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

In its hands is a struggling human man. Upon seeing Ben, the monster absently grabs the man's jaws and snaps it off with a single tug. The sound from the dying man is horrific, garbled and wet.

Map updated. The purple squares are areas of debris and should be treated like difficult terrain.

Initiative Order
Dr. Loveless Initiative: 22
Leland Hopkins Initiative: 22
Benjamin Dalton Initiative: 20
Mallory Lewis Initiative: 17
Monster Initiative: 13
Ira Kerrigan Initiative: 6

We'll use the same order, and just slot the new baddie in. Ira and Mal are up, then the beast.

Got permission from Ira to DMPC him here.

Ira moves forward and begins to testify to his god, the Hangman.

"For He shall walk among the damned wielding my flesh and bone as a scythe. And he shall cut the wicked down as stalks of wheat..."

Mal is up. Everyone remember your +1 to attacks and damage.

It takes a moment after he hears the thump of the last goblin falling for Ira to duck out of the small amount of cover he had obtained for himself.

The man stays crouched for several seconds, eyes closed and brows furrowed, hands clutching desperately at the noose around his neck. His breathing alternates between quick intakes from his nose and long exhales from his mouth. Between breaths his lips twitch and stutter, and sometimes it seems as if words are trying to take form but get caught just before escaping.

Ira hadn't anticipated that the clamor of guns would be as strong as it was, with two going off near simultaneously, the creaking and groaning of the steamwork animal, and the screaming of the train.

Ira had seen battle before - homesteaders fending off monstrous creatures and untamed beasts, and he himself had contributed to some. But the guns, the machinery, they were nothing like the yells of men, the shrieking of less advanced weaponry clashing and the stomp of feet as combatants met.

But these sounds on the train, so rare to hear on the dusty pathways between the villages of the poor and the troubled... they were the sounds of gods.

A rapturous expression spreads across Ira's nervous features. The Shooter and the Brakeman and the Hangman, all present in one collected high velocity capsule of glorious revelation. He had never anticipated finding solace in the vacuous and shrill noises of modernity, but so it was.

He stands, managing to nod at his erstwhile companions in apology even as his eyes glint with newfound faith. He had never thought they would be capable of ruining the threat as efficiently as they had.

Surely, this meant something. He would not have encountered such profound personifications of deific purview if they were not meant to be sent to him. What he was to do with them... well, that remained unclear. But they were there, and that was what mattered.

"I'm sorry... I should have stepped in sooner. I'll make sure not to go and let you down again." He nods again, slowly, and then follows the group to the next car.

Upon sight of the bugbear, the horrors of the goblins acts revisit him, cutting through his haze of feverish interpretations. But this time, he is neither fearful nor enraged. Ira steps forward to speak the good word, an old, favorite parable coming to his lips as easily as anything he had ever said.

GREAT post, Ira!

A look of horror spreads over Mallory's face as the door opens. She watches the life drain out of the mans eyes, her fingers already squeezing the trigger of her gun.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 +1 Inspire Courage
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 +1 Inspire Courage

Booo.

The horror on Mal's face was multiplied tenfold on Ben's. His eyes, normally squinted a bit in suspicion, were wide as teacups, and he stared - not at the horrible creature with the mouth full of razor teeth, but at the smoking destruction of the car.

People ran screaming everywhere, some with purpose, others just trying to get away from the fire blazing in the compound. The heat was intense and the smoke was choking, and the sound of gunfire and shouting and dying screams were everywhere. Benjamin ran past bodies large and small, trying to avoid the knots of fighting and ignore the smell of gunsmoke and blood.

Then his eyes locked on the monster - not in outrage or anger, but in grim determination. The horror on his face was gone, as though it had never been.

He gripped his sword, and waited for the monster to come to him.

Moved Mal to E10 on the map. She needed to move up to take her shot at the Bugbear.

Mal's shot goes wide. And the monster doesn't even flinch.

"Gunslingerrrr! it howled. "Come here and die!"

The lumbering brute recovers a morningstar from the floor and stands up. He then raises his shield and prepares for battle.

The creature was prone and without his weapon earlier. He needed both move actions to get up and ready his weapon. Everyone is up now.

I keep forgetting that we can actually edit the map.

Surprisingly, the Bugbear's taunt helped to calm Mallory down. 'Jus a beast.' She thought to herself. 'You've killed tons of beasts.'

Forcing herself to keep her hand from shaking, she loads a cartridge into her gun, stares down the barrel, narrows her eyes, and grins. "Reckon I'll stay right here." She replies, and squeezes the trigger.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
(+1 to each if Ira is still doing his song thing?)

Ben hesitated a moment when Mal pushed past him, thinking that a 'slinger between him and that thing might be just what he needed to reload and fire from safety. Then the train shimmied, still tearing down the track with increasing speed, and he changed his mind. They needed to cut that thing down, and do it fast.

Ira can maintain his performance as a free action. So unless he needs to break it, assume it's there. We'll retcon as needed. So in your case, 6 damage for PBS and IC.

The bullet hits the Bugbear in the corner of his abdomen. But if it felt pain, it didn't show it. In fact, its face is the epitome of joy as it smiles rapturously at Mal.

"The Skinwalker thanks you for the gift of your violence."

Remember, Kids, Knowledge Checks are free actions. Ben is waiting for Leland to resolve his action. Ira, Leland, and Loveless are up.

Doc looks over at Leland as he reloads his crossbow. (MA) "Brother, I'm likely to start taking foolish chances shortly. Don't put yourself at risk, but if you have opportunities to stop me from doing something stupid, I'd be much obliged."

"But whatever you do," he adds, "don't get between me and an enemy."

With those words, Loveless pulls a sealed vial from his pocket, sends the cork flying with a practiced flick of his thumb, and pours the contents into his mouth in one smooth motion. (SA, Mutagen)

"Bleh! I have to research a mint-flavored variant, this is just disgnh... krh... *cough*... brfgk..."

Sputtering and shaking, the gnome drops to his knees, grasping first at his throat, then holding his head in apparent pain. In mere seconds, he changes. Still the same gnome, but somehow... primal in appearance. Coarser skin, a prominent brow ridge, somewhat bulkier.

The shaking stops, and he lifts his gaze slowly from the floor, a disturbingly vicious-looking smile on his face. He rises to his feet and glares at the bugbear.

"Mighty high-falutin words, seein's how y'all's about ta die, boy!"

Leland:
hp 10/10; AC 15/12T/13FF; CMD 11
+2F/+2R/+2W
Eidolon:
hp 8/12; AC 18/16T/16FF; CMD 15
+3F/+4R/+0W

Leland points a finger at the monstrosity, "Remove its taint from this most holy vessel."

At those words the Gizmo darts forward and attacks:

Eidolon attack: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 2 + 1 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7

Leland reloads his crossbow

Gizmo's powerful jaws wrap around the Bugbear's arm and takes a ghastly chunk of flesh from him. The bugbear just laughs.

Ira is up. I'm going to bed. And you guys are awesome beyond the counting. I'll check in tomorrow.

The laughing, looming creature before him sends Ira crashing straight back down to earth. Not panicked, no; the beast would fall as readily as the lesser goblinoids had. But a mission of purpose or not, such a being warrants wariness of the first degree. He disregards its commentary - to be distracted by foul words whispered by a servant of a foul god would not help him to serve the smiting currently being doled out with such vigor.

No, it would not do... especially when he could assist in the act of smiting itself.

"And the beasts of the wild shall know order by our hand, for He shall come to sow the seeds of justice among the hearts of men. For it was us that was lost, now found; and always shall it be so, that we may walk free and in grateful servitude under His gaze."

As he speaks Ira procures a miniscule candle from a pouch around his waist, and a small sack closed tight with drawstrings. He takes hold of them in his left hand, and with his right removes his noose from 'round his neck and holds it steady. He begins to swing it gently around the wick, the circular motions growing wider as he continues his preaching.

On its last revolution, the candle lights.

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Continuing Inspire Courage and summoning a Celestial Eagle to appear next to the bugbear next round.

The Bugbear lifts his morningstar high and swung it with all his might, but Gizmo dodged the attack.

Morningstar: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Well that was pathetic. Everybody's up.

"More where that came from." Mal mutters. She starts to speak a taunt right back at him when she notices Doc drop, spasming. She looks at him somewhat regrettably, and says only "By the hangman's noose, I ain't got a lick of time for you.", as she turns back to the bugbear and fires off another shot.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 = 16
Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 1 = 10

Mallory's so distracted by firing that when Doc jumps back up having changed, she thinks for a moment that it's an entirely different gnome. Unsure of what to say, she instead focused on the horrifying creature bearing down on them.

Unable to see the Doc, Benjamin wasn't concerned with his transformation. His hands flew with easy grace as he snagged a bullet, reloaded his pistol and brought it out to fire. "You may have the mouth of a devil, fella, but you got the arm of an old lady!"

DM, can Ben get a clear shot at the bugbear through those blue squares? If so:

pistol attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 1 = 20
dmg: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Leland:
hp 10/10; AC 15/12T/13FF; CMD 11
+2F/+2R/+2W
Eidolon:
hp 8/12; AC 18/16T/16FF; CMD 15
+3F/+4R/+0W

Leland will fire then reload his crossbow and Gizmo will full-attack

Crossbow: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 1 = 4

Bite: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 2 + 1 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 = 9

Claw 1: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 = 7
Claw 2: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 2 + 1 = 13

Thanks for the reminder on the FA Knowledge checks, GM. Doc's got nothing for Religion but maybe Nature might glean something useful...

Kn:Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

"I GOT THIS! I GOT THIS! MAKE A HOLE!" shouts the regressed gnome as he barrels forward past Mallory, nearly knocking her off her feet. (MA, to E9) He whips another longish vial out of a pocket and, holding it in his fist, whacks the cork hard against his thigh, driving it deeper into the vessel and causing a glass rod to shatter an internal capsule. (Think "light stick.") He shakes the vial vigorously for a few seconds, and it begins to glow with a faint red light.

As he winds up to throw it the light rapidly climbs in intensity and progresses from red, through orange, to yellow... giving the distinct impression that something significant is about to happen.

"Chaw on this, you low-down good-fer-nuthin waste of life!" he shouts as he flings the now nearly blinding tube towards the bugbear.

With a sound somewhere between the fwoosh of flames and the boom of an explosion, the center of the train car erupts into an incendiary nightmare.

Alchemist's Bomb (Fire): 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 28

W00t! Critical Threat! Let's confirm that puppy!

Critical Confirm: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 28

CRIMINY!!!

Direct Target Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1d6 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 + 1 + (2) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 15

Ah okay, that's where the crap rolls went. But I'll take it! :o) And with the Arcane Strike adder included that qualifies as a magic attack for DR, in case that's a factor.

Splash damage is "minimum possible direct damage" so that'd be 7 normally, maybe 14 for a crit? Sorry about Gizmo Leland, but a gnome's gotta do what a gnome's gotta do! Reflex save to half on splash damage though, DC 14.

Doc starts jumping up and down in excitement, pointing at the bugbear. "YEE-HAW! Fire! Right PURTY fire! Burn, baby! Die in flames coz yer goin' to Perdition anyways!"

EDIT: Labeled the damage roll.

Sorry about the delay again.

A litany, a twang, two pops, the crunching of motorized gears into flesh and then finally a powerful conflagration of alchemically-induced madness later, and the vicious, mocking, psychotic Bugbear was no more. His evil was puny indeed before the might of the big damned Heroes of Passenger Car 8.

And now he is not but a pile of quivering, smoking flesh that even now the conjured rain inside the car is stamping out.

Gizmo's Reflex Save (DC 14): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Alas, poor Gizmo. We knew him well. He takes the full 14 damage.

Sadly, Leland's conjured machine did not survive the fire.

Benjamin's ears pick up a noise coming from the front of the Passenger Car. When he goes to investigate he notices a man half-buried by rubble, moaning in pain. Leland will recognize him as Alistair Kincaid, the spoiled, rich cretin who had laid his hands where they didn't belong at the Satin Sash that morning.

Ben tugged his hat lower in the magically conjured drizzle; he had no time for tenderfoot fools while the train was running faster with every breath. Reloading his gun carefully under his duster to avoid getting the powder wet, he looked around at the others.

"That fella can wait 'til we ain't all gonna die. You coming, little guy?" he asked Leland, not giving the gnome any time to mourn his contraption. He did give Doc a double-take, frowning as he wondered if the gnome had always looked like that and he'd just hit his head too hard to notice before?

When everyone was ready, he moved up to the next platform and opened the door.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Ben is pretty worried we're going to hit a curve and go flying before a short BOOM and a sudden appointment with the Hangman. That's an acquaintance he doesn't particularly feel compelled to make as of yet.

Doc's eyes sparkle as he stares at the fire, almost mesmerized. But as the conjured rain brings the inferno under control and its intensity begins diminishing, he loses interest.

"Let's go, let's go, time's a'waistin'! he shouts as he tears off towards the front of the train.

GM, you'll have to adjudicate this; I have no way of knowing how far he'll get. Basically he's going to take off heading forward at either a hustle or a full run. That brief fascination with the fire (hey, he is a pyromaniac after all) should give Ben time to get to the cabin door and perform his actions. But unless there's an enemy or a barricade, Doc would tear right past him through the open door onto the platform, and then yank the next door open to continue onward towards the engine. No caution or anticipation of danger at all; he'll only stop/pause when he spots/confronts something as a result of moving forward.

My guess is he won't get farther than flinging Car 5's door open at best before something... interesting happens. :o)

Ben opened the door to the Connecting Platform only to have Loveless plow past him like the forces of Perdition itself were tailing him.

But both Loveless and Ben quickly discover that Passenger Car 5 was empty. It looks as if there had been some fighting here. There's even a single dead goblin on the floor.

But Loveless doesn't stop, and he continues on to Car 4, where a line of debris has been used by Passengers to build a protective wall. Doc spies Jade in the Corner giving triage to a wounded Gnome.

This is the Diner's Car and the goblins have made an ungodly mess here and are attacking the other passengers.

Map has been updated.

Initiative Order
Leland Hopkins Initiative: 20
Goblins Initiative: 18
Benjamin Dalton Initiative: 17
Dr. Loveless Initiative: 7
Ira Kerrigan Initiative: 6
Mallory Lewis Initiative: 6

Leland is up.

When the alchemist's bomb explodes and destroys his eidolon, Leland cries out in horror. Turning to Doc, "What are you doing!! You're no better than these goblins!"

Leland
hp 10/10; AC 15/12T/13FF; CMD 11
+2F/+2R/+2W

When they reach the dining car, Leland sighs and summons another eagle,

Attack G5 bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Attack G5 talon: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Attack G5 talon: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

The eagle swept down and attacked a goblin, but the nimble little monster managed to dodge it's talons. And then it tried to strike back, while a fellow goblin tried the same.

G5 and G3 dropped their shortbows and then pulled out swords to attack the Eagle.

G3
Short sword: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

G5
Short sword: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Eagle took 3 Damage.

The first goblin struck, but the second missed.

The other three goblin uses their short bows to attack the menacing gnome who had just stormed in.

G1
Short bow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

G2
Short bow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

G4
Short bow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

But Doctor Loveless is made of sterner stuff and contemptuously dodges the missiles.

Ok, everybody is up.

Grit is at 2/3, so I don't lose track.

Mallory stares in shock as Doc, seeming more feral than ever, burns the Bugbear from the inside out. There are no witty comments, just a look in her eye of someone that has killed quite a few things in her time and is terribly impressed by what she just saw. As the gnome takes off yelling down the train, she can do little more than following him (at something of a safe distance, mind you), keeping her gun at the ready.

When they enter into the next car, Mallory nearly stops short at the line of Goblins. "Outnumbered." She mutters. Crouching behind the debris, she takes a gulp from her flask before peeking through a spot in the debris and firing at one of the goblins.

Guess I'll shoot at G4?

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Didn't matter in this case but it might in the future, so FYI GM: With this particular mutagen Doc's initiative is +4 (+2 normally, not sure where the +3 came from). For your convenience, the mutagen-adjusted numbers appear next to the normal ones in [square brackets].

Also, the mutagen's on a 10 minute clock, so you'll need to advise when time's up. Thanks!

Upon bursting through the door, Doc shifts right to clear the passage (to F9, map updated), brings his crossbow up quickly and fires. (At Goblin #3)

1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 1 = 9 (+1 more if the reverend is still preaching...)
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Hmm, drew and fired a bit too quickly, it would seem...

There's a lot between you and the Goblin from your position, but despite it all you rolled high enough. You might want to move in next turn though.

A single pop from Mallory's pistol ends the life of one goblin.

The gnome under the tender ministrations of Miss Jade Wen, hears the gunshot and smiles.

"The song of the Gunslinger, begins with a bang..." he sings weakly.

Doc, sorry about the confusion with the initiative. I'll make a special note of it. And it's a new initiative so I'll need Ira to let me know if he'll Inspire again.

The Goblin laughs as the Doc's missile sails just past his ear.

Leland, Ben and Ira are up.

There's a lot between you and the Goblin from your position, but despite it all you rolled high enough. You might want to move in next turn though.

Meant to comment on that. What are the P's and Ja?

Ja = Miss Jade Wen; P = Generic Passenger

Leland
hp 10/10; AC 15/12T/13FF; CMD 11
+2F/+2R/+2W

Leland moves into the car and casts grease beneath the two goblins with bows (G1-2)

Eagle Attacks G5 is a burst of winged fury:

Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Talon 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Talon 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Spotting the elf as he entered the car, Ben pulled his hat lower and ducked to the right, as far from her as he could get. His pistol resounded in the closed carriage as he shot at the goblin in front of him,

pistol attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
dmg: 1d8 ⇒ 6

but he was too distracted by the presence of the elf, and his shot went wide.

Moved to G10, and if it matters, shot at G3.

Miss Wen is a half-elf, actually, Ben. :-) Oh, and Leland, please include the DC for spells. It speeds things up a bit.

G1 Reflex Save VS DC 15: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
G2 Reflex Save VS DC 15: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

One Goblin G1 falls flat on his face, while the other skids comically for a moment, but seems to catch himself. I marked the Grease area with a splash of color.

Ira begins to say his litany again. +1 to attack, weapon damage and saves VS Charm and Fear effects.

Ben opened fire on a goblin, but missed. While Leland's conjured eagle tore a goblin to pieces. It's fellow goblins merely laughed at his misfortune.

G1 Acrobatics VS DC 10: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
G1 Acrobatics VS DC 10: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

The prone Goblin stood up and then shifted off to the side, nearly slipping again. The other greasy goblin fired a missile at Mal, striking the gunslinger in the shoulder.

Short sword: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

"Boom stick no hurt gobbos!" it taunted, while cackling madly.

The last Goblin attacked the Eagle, its cruel blade striking a solid blow against it. But then it stared, mouth agape, when it simply disappeared.

Short sword: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

"Where birdy go?"

Everyone is up again. Don't forget bonuses from Inspire Courage.

Doc quickly reloads and fires at Goblin #3 again.

Crossbow Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 1 + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 1 = 5

Apparently he needs to slow down a little...

Ah, right. Prob'ly hard to see the difference at a moment's glance. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it. :P

Ben's hands worked swiftly as he cleared his gun, then reloaded. "We'll just see about that," he muttered, eyeing the goblin that had shot Mal. The last thing he needed was the other gunslinger down and out with the train still full of goblins that needed to be introduced to the Hangman.

Ben will quick clear his gun and reload. No use of grit.

HP 7/11

Mallory grunts as the shot rips through her shoulder. Clutching it with one hand as blood spurs out, she shoves one of the passengers out of the way, moving closer to get a better shot at the goblin. She throws the old cartridge over her shoulder, nearly hitting the passenger she'd shoved, and loads the new one into the gun. She raises her hand to shoot, but the pain tears through her shoulder and she shouts, her arm dropping to her side. Fire blazes in her eyes as she stares at the goblin. Once more pulling her flask from her pocket, she pours the alcohol over the wound, gritting her teeth as she does so.

Map updated

Leland
hp 10/10; AC 15/12T/13FF; CMD 11
+2F/+2R/+2W

"Filthy vermin," Leland mutters as he fires and then reloads his crossbow. Unfortunately, in his agitation, his shot flies wide.
Fires crossbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 (miss)

Ira is up. I'll DMPC him later tonight, if he can't get a post in.

Ira moved in behind Mal, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Unleash judgment upon the damned."

Cast Guidance on Mal. +1 to a single attack, saving throw or skill check. I'm going to have Ira, stop his Inspire Courage. He has only 2 rounds left and might need it later.

G3 Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

A goblin G3 jumps on top of the rickety, makeshift pile of debris, right in front of Doctor Loveless. He cackled and swung his sword.

Short sword: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

But the attack was laughable.

***

The last two goblins decided to pile on the pain on Mal.

Shortbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Shortbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Mal dodged one, but took another in her arm.

Everyone is up.

Presently:

The assault on Mal by vicious goblin bow and arrow invokes winces from Ira, and immediately after his first spell he begins another. This time, to protect her. He pulls a bundled scroll from his pouch, and unfurls it. It seems not to have text on it, but all the same Ira focuses intently on its blankness while he casts.

"And may your judgement spare you its full glory, that you may avoid its glare. Be always front facing, and the blaze of justice, yours that is His, will not catch you in its sweeping vigilance."

His prayer is followed by a glance underlined with severely lowered eyebrows. "Be careful. I would hate t'lose any a'those who've tried their best to repel these attackers. It's bad enough that innocents have gone on; don't you try and go with 'em."

Casting Shield of Faith on Mal.

As the goblin charges, Doc drops his crossbow and pulls a hidden sword from the cane tucked beneath his belt. (Pretty sure I specified Doc was bringing it -- all gear -- back in the cabin, but retcon it to a dagger if you're uncomfortable with this, GM.)

"SCUM!"

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Woo, I could have just stuck him with a toothpick for that damage.

HP 6/11. Shield of Faith giving +2 AC. Grit is still at 2/3. Guidance giving +1 to my next Attack Roll. Guess I'll shoot at G2.

Between drinking, pouring alcohol on the wound, and the loss of blood, Mallory is barely here, and doesn't even feel the second arrow pierce her skin. She is vaguely aware of it sticking out from her as she fires another shot at the goblin.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"How'd you like MY boomstick?" Ben yelled, shooting over Doc's head at the goblin with the bow, then reloading swiftly.

pistol: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 -2 range?
dmg: 1d8 ⇒ 2 *sigh* Pass that toothpick over here, Doc.

Shot at G1.

Leland
hp 10/10; AC 15/12T/13FF; CMD 11
+2F/+2R/+2W
SA Summon monster: 4/7

Seeing that they are not quite out of the woods yet, Leland delves back down into his magical reserves and brings for yet another eagle, right behind the goblin attacking the good doctor.

Bite: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 = 13
Talon 1: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 3 + 2 = 19
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Talon 2: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 3 + 2 = 16
Damage?: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Between the flurry of feral, feathered fury and the fencing from the ferocious physical phenomenon that is the formally furtive Doctor Loveless, a goblin feels its fleeting, final moments unfurl before him.

I am a huge dork. :-) Anyways, G3 Goblin be dead. And, yeah, Doc, you guys had time to grab your gear.

***

The goblin Ben had shot turned it's head toward the Gunslinger, but unwisely believed the shot had come from the feral Doctor Loveless.

"Tricksie! No boom-boom!

Shortbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Ouch! The Doc takes 4 points of damage. You guys are going to need a channel energy group hug from Ira after this.

He fires his arrow at the gnome, and lands a blow in the Gnome's thigh.

***

Mal's shot went wild and the last goblin G1 cackled and returned fire.

"Me makes you eat boom stick!"

Shortbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

But the arrows slips from the goblins greasy fingers.

Ok, kids. It's that time again! Everybody in the pool!

"Laugh while ya can, goblin-boy!"

Tiring of ineffectual weapons, Doc pulls out another long vial, slaps the cork against his thigh, shakes it vigorously, and lobs it at Goblin #2. (E5) "Yeeeeehawwwww!"

As before, the vial glows ever-more brightly as it arcs towards the goblin, bursting into a ball of flame when the vial shatters.

Alchemist's Bomb (fire): 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19
Direct Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7
Splash Damage: 1 + 4 + 1 = 6 (No one in range that I can see.)

"Hooooooeeeeeee!"

Dang, if I'd known I was going to roll so low I'd've targeted between the two goblins and let them both take the splash damage!

HP 6/11. Shield of Faith giving +2 AC. Grit is still at 2/3.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Nearly panting with effort, Mallory switched the cartridge out of her gun and struggled to raise her arm, taking another shot at the few goblins remaining. Unfortunately, she was so anxious to let the bullet fly that she didn't raise her arm quite enough, and the shot hit the ground between the goblin's legs.

Nothing wrong with a little alliteration."

Leland
hp 10/10; AC 15/12T/13FF; CMD 11
+2F/+2R/+2W
SA Summon monster: 4/7

Leland fire his crossbow at G2 and the eagle flaps over to attack G2 if it is not dead. (otherwise G1)
"Like shotin' fish in a barrel."

Crossbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

"Ugliest damn fish I ever did see." Ben took another shot at the goblin with the bow (the one that wasn't doing the Slippery Dance), a feral grin on his face as they whittled down the numbers of the little green monsters.

pistol: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 4 - 2 = 19
dmg: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Well, I suppose I’ll introduce myself first. I’m Wicked Raygun, your GM for this madness. My real name is Ray, and I live in Puerto Rico. That generally puts me 1 hour ahead of EST.

I’ve run this world before for my wife and two closest friends. We won’t be doing exactly what I did with them, but with the experience I’ve gained there, I have a rough idea on what I should and shouldn’t do. Or at least, that’s the hope. The Scorched Lands as of now is a big empty space of possibilities. We’ll fill it in together.

If you feel I can improve somewhere, please feel free to either bring it up here in the Discussion Tab or PM me if you’d rather keep it private. I want to make this an easy going thread where we can communicate freely.

I’m pretty familiar with Pathfinder rules, but I’m only human. If I make a mistake, go ahead and challenge me. I promise to be civil. I only ask that you do the same in return.

So, yeah, that’s it for now I guess. Please introduce yourselves, talk about your characters and feel free to ask me anything you want.

Hey, I'm Ben. I'm from Massachusetts (no, nowhere near Boston). Looking forward to this, haven't been in a campaign like it.

As for Ira, I wanted to make something like the archetypal fervent preacher. He'll be even-tempered most of the time - I don't want to play that character that spends all his time pressing his religion on others. Mainly he will take unkindly to wrongdoers and ne'er-do-wells, condemning them to... well, something horrible. I'm not sure if there's a Hell equivalent, or if there is if that's what it's called. And when condemnation of their deeds doesn't work, he summons in divine dogs and eagles to hunt them down. So more like a bounty-hunting vicar than a fire and brimstone, we-will-all-burn-for-your-sins type of character.

But if he gets the chance to stand behind a pulpit and do some preaching for the downtrodden and god-fearing, well, he most likely won't pass up the opportunity.

Some questions for you, Ray - do you have a map for the Scorched Lands, or just the Big Drop? No worries if not, I'd just be interested in seeing what exactly the layout of the world looks like. I'm also curious about the settlements and whatnot in the Drop, and where people might settle based on their occupations. I just placed Ira's hometown in the south on a whim, but if there's a plains area somewhere else I'd move it.

I'm also wondering if there's any set holy symbols for the gods. I used a noose for the Hangman, just because it seemed appropriate. If you had something else in mind, I'd be happy to change it.

Last thing: can we hear anything on what the premise for the campaign is? What our motivations for staying right here in the Drop are? A divine will be to enforced, perhaps?

Hey folks. Ryan from Canada here. I'm on the west coast and post mostly at night, just so you know.

For the PCs, we should try to make sure we have our knowledge skills covered. Also I second the call for the campaign premise, or at least what the initial adventure hook will be.

Feeling a little groggy here. I got some awesomely timed food poisoning, so I'm awake right now when I should be sleeping.

Anyways, as of now, there is no map. But I envision an area not unlike the video game Red Dead Redemption. So all the various possibilities of the West are represented. From Sandy desserts, to dry beds, to salt flats, to grassy plains, etc.

Basically, whatever I need for storytelling purposes. :-)

The Big Drop in general is about the size of the Mid-west and West United States put together. So there is a lot of room to spread out.

People do what they can in the Big Drop. Mining for coal or adamantine, drilling for oil, ranching, panhandling for gold in rivers, working on the Railroad -- all the live, long day.

You will begin in New Oasis during Carnivale -- A fantasy stand-in for New Orleans, and Mardi Gras respectively. There you hear about opportunity out West in a boomtown called Tin Star. Now boomtowns go bust all the time, but this one seems stable-ish. So your character should be either dumb enough or desperate enough to travel to Tin Star.

And, yes, a Noose was exactly what I used in my campaigns as the Holy Symbol for the Hangman. I basically created holy symbols as I needed them. The Master uses a stylized depiction of the Sun with 8 rays representing the 8 schools of magic. The Madam uses the Crescent Moon, the Shooter uses bullets.

But in general feel free to create what you need for flavor. Also your gear can look however you want it to for the sake of badassery. Instead of cloaks, dusters, for example.

I'm super excited for this.

Quick question: Are we able to use Traits/Drawbacks? Are there any custom campaign traits?

Hey, I'm Ben. I'm from Massachusetts (no, nowhere near Boston).

Small world! I am also in Massachusetts, but actually am in Boston.

I'm drafting a character writeup about my character, which I'll have up later this morning. If anyone ends up wanting to have some kind of prior relationship, I'd definitely be up for that.

Two traits. But no drawbacks. The Additional Traits feat is viable, if you want it though.

I should mention since some here worship The Brakeman. His holy symbol is a railroad spike.

I'll resist the urge to say "Howdy"...

Anybody who knows me on the general boards knows me as Dux, so I'll introduce myself that way. I'm in Virginia with either wide-open or extremely limited posting ability during the day depending on my work schedule. I can almost always read and at least keep up with the action, though.

The best way to understand of my guy is to watch his episodes in (only) the first season of The Wild Wild West. My Loveless is modeled on him (with the evilness reined in to suit the campaign). Essentially a pint-sized megalomaniacal mad scientist -- though he is, in fact, wildly talented across numerous domains. (Well, at least the TV version; my Loveless only had so many skill points to spread around!) He'll be pompous, arrogant, and overly confident if I play him right... but I'm hoping you'll find some things about him to love, as well.

He's lacking the beard shown in the forum icon, but it was the closest I could get to how I'm imagining his appearance. Those offended by chibi should look away; for the rest, this is his chibiform avatar and will give you a better idea of how he dresses. (Any resemblance to the notorious criminal Roman Torchwick is entirely coincidental.)

(Note that Arliss Loveless from the movie is a totally different character -- Jim West noted Miguelito Loveless has his own strange sense of honor and commented he would miss him in the episode Miguelito was presumed deceased. I'm also going more for the early Loveless vibe; his character changed quite a bit once the creator of the series passed away.)

Ryan, Doc can cover arcana, engineering, and nature when it comes to knowledge.

Ditto on the "super excited" thing!

I’m going with an Anti-Hero kind of character. This Bounty Hunter that’s in her early 30’s, reaching a point where she could be considered ‘aging’, in a profession where one tends not to live a long time. She can feel that she’s only got a few good years left before slowing down, it’s just a matter of time, and she resents it. Resents that her life has been little more than leaving a trail of bodies. She’d be cynical, often drunk, brash and independent. Ruthless to anyone outside of her crew.

For purely fluff reasons, I’ve given her the Perform skill and a violin, thinking of her as being someone who, in another world, could be a lady, could be enchanting, could be pretty. But as it is, she’s brutal, she’s from a harsh and unforgiving world.

Full nerd discretion: She’s inspired by a Keats poem (La Belle Dame Sans Merci) in which a knight meets a beautiful lady, a femme fatale, who attracts lovers only to destroy them, simply because it is her nature to destroy. Beautiful, fascinating, and deadly.

Greetings!

My name is Matthew and I will be playing Caitlyn Browning, named after the rifle manufacturer. Her family owns a rife and munitions company back east and hence the tie in.

I am two weeks away from being a third year medical student, which means I have finals beginning Monday in Pathophysiology and then another Thursday in Pharmacology. I will no doubt be rather scatter brained until then, but I will do my best.

I live in the Caribbean for another three weeks and I can't wait to get out of here. Many people think living on an island in the Caribbean is awesome and I suppose it was for the first two weeks. Now I just want to go home to Atlanta and a life I left behind.

Caitlyn is a young halfling adventuress, having run away from home to join the circus, returning for a short while and then leaving again for the World's Fair. Don't worry if these things don't exist in this world, they're just background.

She likes to blow things up, but not in a bad way. She simply gets excited when things go BOOM! She will focus on making constructs and so will have Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wonderous Item and Craft Construct and will be a support character in that regard. She is a spellslinger however, so most of her daily spells will be shot out the end of her rifle, so in that regard, she's not much of a support character.

I look forward to playing with you all, hopefully from the States.

She likes to blow things up.... She simply gets excited when things go BOOM!

"The very nicest toys are the ones that go 'bang'." -- Miguelito Loveless

Caitlyn is a young halfling adventuress, having run away from home to join the circus, returning for a short while and then leaving again for the World's Fair. Don't worry if these things don't exist in this world, they're just background.

I can guarantee that there is in fact a circus in Scorched Lands. And it is awesome. PT Barnum is just too ingrained into Americana for there not to be.

I hadn't thought about a World's Fair type event, but it makes sense there would be. So you're good, don't worry.

Did I hear someone say explosions?! :D

For the PCs, we should try to make sure we have our knowledge skills covered.

Ryan, Doc can cover arcana, engineering, and nature when it comes to knowledge.

Looking at how people are built right now, we've got about half of them covered, and covered pretty well.

Arcana: Doc (+8), Caitlyn (+4)*, and Leland (+7)
Engineering: Doc (+8), and Caitlyn (+7)
Local: Caitlyn (+7), and Mallory (+6)
Nature: Doc (+5), and Leland (+7)
Religion: Leland (+7), and Ira (+5)

*Note that this will dramatically increase when Caitlyn takes Spellslinger at level 2 and it becomes a class skill.

Which means we're not covered at all on Dungeoneering, Geography, History, Nobility, and Planes. I'm not 100% sure how important Nobility or Planes will be with this setting, but there's like to be a good reason for us to grab History/Geography/Dungeoneering.

I live in the Caribbean for another three weeks and I can't wait to get out of here. Many people think living on an island in the Caribbean is awesome and I suppose it was for the first two weeks.

That's pretty much how I feel about Florida after having lived there for a year. Lovely to visit, but not a good place to live.

Leland's profile is not set yet. I just copied over my standard profile template from another character sheet.

Leland will only have 3 skill points, so probably going to take spellcraft, diplomacy and UMD. With the exception of the alchemist, most of the PCs don't have that many skill points, so I don't think we can cover all the knowledge skills.

@W_R: How are we doing starting HP?

Now's probably a good time to mention that you guys won't have to worry about keeping track of XP. I'll be in charge of that, and I'll just let you know when you level up.

You seem to be pretty well covered skill wise. A couple gaps, but nothing horrifying. It's worth noting that when I selected everyone it was due to the strength of their backgrounds and interest in playing with the tropes. Not based on building a mechanically strong party.

Puerto Rico is beautiful, but a pain to live in. Infrastructure here is not awesome. And don't get me started on Amazon.com International fees.

Leland - Starting HP will be full value at first level (in your case 8 + Constitution Modifier). And then a set amount every level:

• d6 = 4 + Con.
• d8 = 5 + Con.
• d10 = 6 + Con.
• d12 = 7 + Con.

In other words, no random rolling for HP.

I understand you guys need a bit more time. I would like to start the first gameplay post tomorrow afternoon, but I can wait a day more than that if needed. I'll take the temperature of the room tomorrow to see how we're all doing.

As long as you don't dive right into combat, I should be good to go for tomorrow.

Even dropping Leland off the listed skills I'd say we're in pretty good shape with those, just a 10% odds drop in two cases. The TV Loveless was an intellectual monster and, to remain true to that, I do plan for Doc to pick up some more Knowledge skills, but that won't help us until 2nd level.

For now, I can justify switching his Kn:Nature (it's not like he's a camping enthusiast) to Geography/History (his parents owned a huge piece of property in the area and he's studied the history of the land to help support that claim) or Planes (the TV Loveless built a machine that created demi-planes in paintings, for gosh sakes). Y'all speak up if you'd like me to do that.

I can go to Gameplay any time you're ready GM, but if you wouldn't mind checking my character I'd appreciate it. I'm wondering if I've cheated Doc, because Hero Lab is insisting I have two more Traits coming. I took the Lava Gnome subtype which granted two Racial Traits, and thinking that used up my allocation I took the Additional Traits Feat to pick up two I specifically wanted.

But now I'm thinking maybe since those two racials replaced four preset Traits, either that opened up two Trait slots, or they don't count against the total?

Quick summary: Lava Gnome grants Darkvision and Pyromaniac alternates, dropping Gnome Magic, Illusion Resistance, Low-Light Vision, and Keen Senses. Accelerated Drinker and Pragmatic Activator were "bought" with Additional Traits.

Thanks!

Oh... and just so everyone will know what they're getting into: One of the reasons I went with a Lava Gnome is it fits with TV Loveless' unpredictable temper and behavior:

"Lava gnomes are considered hot-tempered and dangerously unstable even by other gnomes."

I need to double-check my sheet, as I've been swapping a lot of the numbers around trying to find a Stat array that I actually like. (Yay for having a build that's as MAD as possible.) But I can finalise that in the morning, so I'll be ready to start tomorrow.

Quick summary: Lava Gnome grants Darkvision and Pyromaniac alternates, dropping Gnome Magic, Illusion Resistance, Low-Light Vision, and Keen Senses. Accelerated Drinker and Pragmatic Activator were "bought" with Additional Traits.

If by "bought" you mean they were part of the two traits you get at level creation, then it looks like you're fine. It could just be a hiccup with Hero Lab, as you said.

If by "bought" you mean they were part of the two traits you get at level creation...

So I traded four Traits for two (by virtue of the Lava Gnome swap-out), then burned a Feat to restore the two Trait "slots" I lost. Which I'm not sure is right.

Does that help?

Darkvision and Pyromaniac are 2 alternate racial traits. Unless I've been doing something drastically wrong, those don't count as the 2 traits you can pick at 1st level. In other words, you didn't need the Additional Traits feat to select Pragmatic Activator and Accelerated Drinker. So you can go on and swap Additional Traits for a different bonus feat.

That's great news, thanks! I'll see about correcting that when I get home from work this evening.

I planned for Caitlyn to put 1 pt into every knowledge skill and all are class skills for her. She will have spellcraft, craft alchemy, craft golem bodies and craft firearms maxed out.

Caitlyn should have about a 10 in every knowledge skill.

We should complement each other nicely; Alchemists have all of Craft as class skills.

How's everyone doing with their characters, so far?

I'm good to go. All decisions made, just need to update the character sheet.

Unless the gang wants me to trade out Kn:Nature for something else, but that's a trivial change.

I'm guessing you guys need a bit more time. I'll post tomorrow.

I think I'm good to start.

I'm all right, too... I think. I've been pretty darn busy recently, forgive me if I'm a bit scattered about things.

I might switch some things around with regards to alignment, but probably not. The main issue is whether or not I can construe capital punishment as a good act or not... Typically I play the extremely merciful end of good, but I think this would be a good way to experiment with a harsher interpretation of good. Or at least what's necessary to perpetuate goodness.

Aside from that, I might want to put a rank into Knowledge (planes). But I like all my other skills where they are, so that probably won't happen either.

And I need to make an alias, of course, but that won't take any time at all.

Proioxis wrote:

Hey, I'm Ben. I'm from Massachusetts (no, nowhere near Boston).

Small world! I am also in Massachusetts, but actually am in Boston.

Neat! I'm west of Worcester. The Pioneer Valley, if you know it.

Oh you're way out there, in the land of dragons.

The main issue is whether or not I can construe capital punishment as a good act or not... Typically I play the extremely merciful end of good, but I think this would be a good way to experiment with a harsher interpretation of good. Or at least what's necessary to perpetuate goodness.

Seems to me this approach could be conceived as "extremely merciful" in the grander view, if your character's mind is warped the right way. Remember: Harsh times in a harsh land!

Proioxis,

If done dispassionately, I would rule it as a neutral act. Your character might see it as not a good or evil thing to do, just a necessary one. So it would fall under the same purview as an act of survival. And that makes it neutral.

So you could stay Lawful Good with no real problem from me. If I ever think you're blurring the line, I'll contact you privately.

I also don't be believe in a single act changing alignment right away. There should be a transition. People make mistakes. What matters is what comes after.

Anyway, I hope I helped.

I plan on posting the first game play thread this afternoon.

I don't understand the issue. I consider myself "good" and yet am pro-capital punishment. I can't honestly see why it would matter anyway. How is this going to be an issue?

Caitlyn is ready to go. I will create her profile as soon as I can but have major exams Monday and Thursday.

I believe he was referring to the usual "D&D Prisoner Dilemma" stuff that occasionally comes up, as opposed to Legal, due process, Capital Punishment.

His character is a cleric of The Hangman, so it is pertinent, as regards to character. As for alignment, like I said, it's safely neutral, so Proioxis doesn't have to worry about it in that regard.

And, yes, good people support capital punishment. But I would rather we not dip our toes into politics. That way lies unpleasantness.

Gameplay thread will be up soon-ish.

Gameplay thread is up. For those who still need to adjust their profiles, that's fine. You can post tomorrow. For everyone else...have fun.

Alright, kids, tell me how you woke up from your last night in Carnivale. Did you partake of the festivities, did you exercise saint-like restraint, or were you somewhere in the middle?

I abhor spirits, they make a man less than human.

(For some reason, this is what comes to my mind when you talk about Carnivale at the edge of The Big Drop...)

However you prefer. One could make a lot of money selling hangover cures. Or perhaps all the drunkenness was the last straw and you decided that you weren't going to be there anymore. There's no wrong way to rp this.

Well, I don't want to short-circuit someone else's fun, so I'll hold back from posting for a bit to see how others want to kick it off.

Oh, and: Wow, talk about railroading... literally! :oP

Just put my first up, if it helps any. I went with 'starting with waking up' just because it provides a great way to introduce the character, and have her do something less than agreeable right off the bat.

According to Youtube.com I live in another country and cannot view the link, Doc Loveless sent me. For I am unworthy. Curse you, Google. Curse, you.

And .. does it count as Rail Roading, if there's an actual railroad involved? :-)

And love the post, Mal. Kind of reminds me of Saffron from Firefly.

Huh. Well I suppose you are, technically. But given that Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States: "Silly YouTube!"

It was nothing of consequence, just the "Red Hour" clip from the ST:TOS episode "Return of the Archons". In which all manner of chaos ensues as people run around shouting "Festival! Festival!" while attacking each other, breaking windows, having wanton relations in the middle of the street, and so on.

The only time the people "let loose" is at the striking of "The Red Hour" (at 6:00pm), starting "Festival": a period of violence, destruction and sexual aggressiveness.

Thanks guys :)

Kind of reminds me of Saffron from Firefly.

Not quite what I was thinking, but I'll definitely take it, haha.

All right, so Ira's been aged down and I removed some of his possessions. I'll have a post up soon. And great writing, everyone!

Some responses:

I don't understand the issue. I consider myself "good" and yet am pro-capital punishment. I can't honestly see why it would matter anyway. How is this going to be an issue?

When I was writing that post up last night, I actually thought "I hope no one takes this the wrong way..." Because I did not at all mean to be insulting or condemning, I assure you!

Ray pretty much summed it up:

I believe he was referring to the usual "D&D Prisoner Dilemma" stuff that occasionally comes up, as opposed to Legal, due process, Capital Punishment.

And given that it's outside my area of experience, I just want to be faithful to the character I envisioned. That's all. Wasn't trying to make a comment on anyone's personal beliefs.

You'd simply be striking hard and fast -- as an instrument of your god -- to protect the masses... Remember: Harsh times in a harsh land!

This sounds spot on, yeah! And the latter is definitely something to keep at the forefront of my mind.

Oh you're way out there, in the land of dragons.

Sure, if you count farmers and college students as dragons ;)

I was neither angry nor offended and still am neither. I was simply confused. Everyone believes something different and I try to maintain a "whatever..." attitude.

Thanks for clearing it up however. I was wondering why we were interjecting real world issues into a game.

... given that it's outside my area of experience, I just want to be faithful to the character I envisioned.

I've come to the conclusion that, excluding those who can fall if they break code, formal alignment declaration is more a hindrance than a help. It has utility for those playing an iconic character or who are mostly into the hack'n'slash. Or really, anyone needing to know how Thoroughgood McLawful should react in any particular situation. And for working out how the occasional "aligned item" is going to react to any given person.

But for someone into roleplaying... well look, you said it yourself: "faithful to the character envisioned." Ira lives in your head. You may not've discovered everything about him yet and some things might change, but you know who Ira is and what you want him to be. With a great deal more precision than can be conveyed by a nine box alignment grid!

By all means be faithful to your image of Ira. But I say let the alignment on the character sheet defer to what you envision. If there's disagreement, then it's that coarse written alignment indicator that's in error, not the way he's acting or you're playing him.

Every unresolved argument I've ever gotten into over tabletop roleplaying has centered on alignment. Putting it into the game has been a pain ever since I first started playing.

PS: I've written my first post but I spoilered it as it's kind of long. I hope you can make it through it and then hope even more you'll consider it having been worth your time once you do.

I generally don't mind Alignment, but I certainly prefer it as a guideline than a hard and fast rule.

I'm excited by how long involved your first posts have been. This is shaping up to be super RP heavy, which I absolutely love. I wanted to get a second post up by now but work has been murder today. I'll be reading everything and getting another up tonight!

I have finals Monday and Thursday, so that will be my last long post for a week. There is just too much riding on these two tests for me to do otherwise.

Mal, your opening post was a tough act to follow but I love having that kind of problem! Everyone's writing has been stellar so far and, like you, I'm encouraged. Our posts will likely get shorter and a bit "thinner" once it's not all about exposition, of course. But with this rich a start I see good things ahead!

The first posts were in prose format (third person past tense) which works well for exposition. But the present tense of the two most recent posts makes more sense for narrative intent, and it seems to be the more common choice for PbP besides. So perhaps we should all shift to present tense for consistency as things move forward?

Also, I want Doc to come off as cultured (well more like "ostentatious," really), so he won't have an intense Old West speech pattern (though he'll use the appropriate terminology and so on). In context with his personality, I hope that won't be too distracting for anyone. But if so please speak up and I can work on moderating things a bit.

Let's have fun!

Great post, Caitlyn. Loved it. And, don’t worry. Real life before posting. Completely understandable.

Mal, your opening post was a tough act to follow but I love having that kind of problem!

Oh thanks! I'd say you followed it just fine. And yeah, I love that, too. It's really the best kind of problem for a game like this, haha. I'm working on my second now. I'm enjoying the hell out of this already.

The first posts were in prose format (third person past tense) which works well for exposition. But the present tense of the two most recent posts makes more sense for narrative intent, and it seems to be the more common choice for PbP besides. So perhaps we should all shift to present tense for consistency as things move forward?

Tense is actually one of the weakest parts of my writing, and I have a terrible habit of jumping between these two. I'll do my best with it, though!

[EDIT]

Also, I want Doc to come off as cultured (well more like "ostentatious," really), so he won't have an intense Old West speech pattern (though he'll use the appropriate terminology and so on). In context with his personality, I hope that won't be too distracting for anyone. But if so please speak up and I can work on moderating things a bit.

I think it fits him perfectly, and really, it's definitely about what works for your character. Caitlyn is doing similar - an intelligent and learned character, which I think is interesting, especially given the locale.

Besides, more cultured and proper will definitely be a nice contrast for me (and others) to play with. We should be able to do quite a bit with our relationships given how different we are. I'm really looking forward to us meeting up.