Sorry guys, work is kicking me around... worked 60 hours last week and working on the same this week plus other obligations so my time has been crunched. Should have some time to post tonight.
Guys, I apologize but I feel I should probably take a break from PbP for a bit. I just wound up leaving a Campaign I had a great deal of time & enjoyment invested in because what I felt was a simple miscommunication snowballed rapidly & to be painfully honest, I can't tell if I was over-reacting or took too long to make the break.
I'm going to take about a week off, DundjinnMasta, please go ahead & 'bot' me if needful.
After the fact, I realized a further contributing factor was that last week was finals week for my accelerated college class. I have three five-week classes, of which one just finished, so I believe that in the interests of not having another episode like this past week, I will likely be taking another hiatus when my next final comes up in about a month.
Yes, I'm back.
Are you in any full length classes? If so, damn. I took two five week classes over the summer to balance one that was ten weeks, and I can't say I would do it if I had a choice. I certainly wouldn't take a class that requires real work on that short a period, so no science classes and certainly no math.
I took Calc 1 as a 4-week summer class in the halcyon days of 2002. Extremely intensive, but I made it through just fine!
I apologize for the silence. I haven't been on my computer as I am basically working seven days a week right now, and tomorrow will be day 28 without a day off so I have been exhausted and mentally just drained too. This is my last week through and it ends in a 3-day trip to New York which should help put me back in the right mind frame, and I am back to a regular work schedule afterwards too. I can't make any promises, but I am going to try to get another post tonight after work or tomorrow afternoon before work again. Thanks for the patience.
Ouch, that certainly puts my situation in perspective...
Take all the time you need, thanks for giving us a head's-up.
I am back from my trip to New York which helped to make me a sane person again, but was no less exhausting then my crazy work schedule last month, lol. I am headed into work this morning, then I will probably crash afterwards, work tomorrow again, and finally be back to my regularly scheduled programming and able to post without being delirious. Thanks everyone for the patience.
Woo Hoo!
I think that's got to be a first. I've never heard of a trip to New York making someone more sane. Then again, I'm probably projecting, but I'm okay with that.
Needless to say I still haven't fully recovered from the month/trip apparently, I started a post and could get it to flow right and finally trashed it in frustration. I will attempt it again tomorrow.
No worries. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.
Ok guys, Real Life (TM) just hit me hard. I have a family emergency which I seem to be the only effective adult for, so I suspect it is going to be several days to a week before I am in a position to post again. DundjinnMasta, please 'bot' me as needed until I post I'm back.
I would like to say the drama is over, but the truth is it is simply at an abeyance. I am however, back. Ready when you are DundjinnMasta!
Laptop died. HD and motherboard are toast. I had to buy a new one and now I am working on getting all my pdfs and programs back onto it. Finally almost done I should be posting again tomorrow!
Sorry everyone, holidays hit me hard just when people posted again. I've been running without a moment to stop between out of town guests and increased workflow because everyone wants to be looking good for family holiday events. I will get a post out tonight.
We need to try to kickstart activity as much as possible and I know lot of the activity flow comes down on me but we had a two week lull recently after I posted. I'd like to see this game survive... I plan to do another rolecall and bring in some fleshies if we have lost a couple players.
We can keep this game going!
As an off question I would like to know what the players would like to see more of to get active... combat? More roleplaying opportunities? Clearer directions in game posts? Etc etc... more stable activity from my end is a given. And you guys have been stellar in dealing with the up and down activity, thank you.
Mass Combat, even using the rules, is not particularly my thing. I recognize that we are in one right now & it makes perfect sense to be in it, but that has generally been the reason behind my lack of posts recently. Yes, Tad is fairly obviously a 'combat-primary' character, he's a fighter after all, but he's more interested in one-on-one fighting. I am however quite fond of role play as well.
Not certain this answered any of your questions, but I am glad to see we are still going.
Sick season again. My boy was sick the last week so I had to focus on getting him healthy again which was consuming and now I am coming down with it. I'll be back in a couple of days I fell like passing out now.
All I ask is to be kept aware, which you are doing admirably. I understand that you have several other claims to your time. When you get back, I'll still be here.
Sickness passed. Holiday work ramped up. Thought I was going to have a two week vacation to relax and catch up on things but the holidays started out way hectic then I flew to New York for New Years, it also turns out I am allergic to the sulfur in Long Island water supply so you can imagine the pain and problems that caused after drinking it an entire day...
Yeah... that was my last week. I am home now, back to work, and trying to get things back together. It was an exceptionally long period of silence, I realize so I am need to make sure I have atleast 4 players here and still interested in continuing to post here in the next two weeks (hopefully sooner) and I was go ahead with getting the game back on track.
I'm here.
Here.
I'm actually somewhere else, but still ready to resume.
I'm around.
Okay, that is 4. I have one more flight to NY which I am waiting on now as I have been traveling alot. Once I am back home and settled on Sunday I am going to begin a new thread since moving much closer to the second module. Sunday I will start the scene with Varn, do a time skip and have the group meet with two groups (a gnome expedition so we can work on getting the greenbelt mapped out and a group of "adventurers" that can be tasked with dealing with "problems" the party doesn't want to resolve themselves). I will get a location for the "settlement" and discuss Council roles as well as NPC. Ultimately I want to recruit back up to 6 players and move forward with the second module even if I have to do some cleanup work on the reminder of module 1 and the other storylines.
Aftermath/Varn post is away.
Once that is resolved than I will move into getting the party back to the Keep to meet with the gnome expedition to get the information on the Greenbelt.
Than comes the settlement, new players, and possible "adventurers".
That was probably about the least diplomatic route I could have taken.
Please tell me it isn't down to just Teyran & I...
Morley and Antha should be around. I will post tomorrow after work if they haven't posted by then. I am going to get into the habit of not waiting for posts if we ever want to get the game pumping again. Once we are through to the settlement stage I will recruit to two more PCs.
We got hit hard at work for a few days. I'll post soon as I get home tonight. Thanks for the patience. Off to work again.
Teyran, Antha, Morley, and Tad if you can update your characters to level 3 when possible I would appreciate it. Which brings me to my next question as I plan to recruit two players I want your opinions on whether I should drop the E6 rules and continue with standard Pathfinder leveling or if I should continue to use the E6 rules and tact on the Mythic rules for post level 6 play (something I have been considering/wanting to experiment with since they were released.)
Everything except the Feat is done. Once more I am trying to decide between multiple feat choices. The top choices are Iron Will, Improved Grapple, Improved Reposition & Power attack. Considering Tad clocks in at 1d3 + 7 damage on a punch right now, I'm not certain that Power attack is entirely necessary for more than I need it for some of the other feats I want for him...
Given that one of the things that first attracted me to this Campaign in the first place was trying out E6, I personally would just as soon stay with that rules's-set, but I'm not so attached to that idea I'll quit if the majority would prefer we try something different.
My personal choice would be to keep the game E6, and add in some "Mythic" stuff (a rank or two) to keep the character power level in line with the later parts of the "Kingmaker" campaign.
Of course we are only half way there to the E6 "level cap" but I figured getting the decision in place before I recruit two additional players would be for the best.
I would prefer to stick with E6 as well.
My personal choice would be to keep the game E6, and add in some "Mythic" stuff (a rank or two) to keep the character power level in line with the later parts of the "Kingmaker" campaign.
I would actually prefer this over standard leveling for this particular game. Kingmaker just lends itself so much to keeping things at this lower level of activity.
I have no opinion on the subject, I've never had a character at level six that didn't start there.
Sounds as though we have no opposition to remaining E6 & at least half or so in favor.
I went ahead & took Improved Reposition, just because I want to see if it will do me any good.
That & I like the idea of Tad's response to being flanked being to move his 'flankers' around will they or nil they...
Alright, than we will remain with E6! Has everyone gotten their characters worked up to level 3 yet?
We were probably waiting for me on that front, and I think I have everything in order now.
Character sheet updated!
Spells: Invisibility and Glitterdust, deducting 80gp (40gp each) for the cost to scribe into my spellbook.
Skills: Diplomacy, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nobility), Perception, Spellcraft.
Feat: Eschew Materials
I want to narrate the last bits of wrap up for the first part of the game. I am currently rebuilding the description of the game for the second act (Rivers Run Red module + additions).
The following issues have to be resolved:
The Sword Council and Lord Maegar Varn which can be attempted with diplomacy, using the Sword Pact against Varn by challenging him, revealing the charter and trying to force the Sword Council to recognize the new ruler, or staying neutral while the Sword Council resolves their own issues.
The Creation of the New "Nation" including establishing a new settlement location. Several locations that are currently ideal would be the Border Keep, the Temple of the Elk, or the now abandoned, but apparently scary close to a new enemy former Stag Fort on the Tuskwater. To ease into the next act so we are lagging on the wrap up on this module, a group of gnome explorers have come to the border keep with detailed maps of the northside of the greenbelt. Other adventurers can be hired to deal with some of the "threats" that need to be wrapped up while the party focuses on moving to "Act 2".
The Recruitment of the Council of the "Nation" (including recruiting two new "adventurers" to the game)
We are transitioning from one module to another one which means there are several loose ends and some wrap-up, but if we don't push forward I fear we could lag out again on our progress.
Hrm... I've been a bit more reactive in this campaign, as apposed to proactive as I am in some of my others. I will look back over & see what Tad might be doing right about now.
And I've been the opposite, which is kind of an interesting change of pace.
As far as the Sword Council thing goes, Teyran has just about decided to challenge Varn. He figures that if he and his allies acquire as much legitimate power as they can right now, all of this politics nonsense will become moot. He also wants to marginalize the Sword Council because he thinks they only care about refighting battles that have already been lost.
In fact, I think I'll post that now.
I have added a bit of content, but the game is still based off the Kingmaker AP, which given the sandboxy-nature of the AP almost requires a certain proactive approach from the players. Things are going well and we are making progress. I just didn't want it to putt out. I will post tonight after work.
Sorry about the sudden absence I got so busy between work and preparing for a convention that I went too that didn't even have time to turn my computer on and the hotel internet was crap too, so I couldn't even use my computer there.
And the Con Crud got me and laid me out. I am feeling better again. Working on getting a post together now.
It's an interesting thing playing a death seeker. If I'm not mistaken, this is the third time that my character has gotten into a situation that I'm not sure I'll be able to get out of. . .
I apologize as I've been suffering from melancholy which made it hard to bring myself to do anything. I am going to try to work up a post to begin the duel tomorrow. I want to do some research for it to see how to involve the rest of the party as well, if nothing else we will get some council on party role-play while Teyran and Maegar beat on each other.
I think one option is to have Teyran pre-roll a number of attack/damage rolls and DM can apply those in a sequence of rolls for Varn and then put together a "cut scene" of sorts to both provide something memorable and not drag out the event for an extended period of time.