Throne of Night PbP

Game Master Reckless

Guys, just briefly (posting from phone), if you believe that it would be better overall for the party for Dain to take a reach-weapon and Combat reflexes (I have Dex 14, so doable), I am more than willing to change (put Combat rfl instead of Intimidating prowess to be more effective).

I think that's entirely on you. It would be awesome to have a dwarfish pike wall but if you would rather be intimidating right now that's fine. The combat reflexes/spear decision can certainly wait a level or two if you want to be scary now. Particularly since you won't have paired opportunist until later anyway if you get it at all. :)

Donagh wrote:

Another thing: Donagh will be crafting things. I will try not to abuse the crafting system, however visions on what constitutes abuse can differ. Do you want me to put forward the items I want to craft in the discussion thread before they are RP'ed out?

I assume no issues with crafting standard and masterwork items/armor/weapons. However given the campaign I will not assume the availability of alternative materials until they are found / bought in character.

GM, can you answer this question? Thanks.

Pretty much right on the money. I'm pretty sure as the campaign progresses, there will be opportunities to craft more complex items, and book two promised to use elements of the Ultimate Campaign, so I think we'll be seeing some down time, kingdom building, and army rules come into play.

Just a question, I see some of you guys are using Eastern equipment. I know that some of the GM's might frown, so I did not use any of the options presented there, although Four Mirror Armor would be a much nicer option than a scale mail. What does the GM say?

I thought i saw on your sheet combat reflexes. Never mind. Previous advice still applies though if you take it.

I did take the Kikko but in my mind I see it less as a piece of eastern armor than a classic Brigandine. Which sadly hasn't really been statted up. The kikko is the best equivalent that works.

And that makes sense to me. Just know that, as stated in the recruitment thread, eastern equipment will not be "found" while adventuring, so I wouldn't recommend investing feats in any such.

Thanks for the clarification. While response from TarkXT makes perfect sense for his character, especially considering that it is equivalent of Brigandine armor, I do not see similar equivalent for Four Mirror Armor which I was thinking of taking as replacement.

So I decided to keep Dain as originally stated, with a close eye on very valuable advice's provided by TarkXT - I just might be going into that direction come level 3. Once again, thanks for the help everyone.

Test of beginning map connectivity

How much do we know about each others background? I have some things I wouldn't want for all to know in character. Do we know about the royal blood in the party?

also, daughter jiggled my brain, helped me figure out printscreen issue so we should be good to go with stuff like This

How much do we know about each others background? I have some things I wouldn't want for all to know in character. Do we know about the royal blood in the party?

I think that's up to the individuals. No one would know much of Mirrin except perhaps as a distant relative if at all. Garnult and Elmador would know and it might seem weird that Mirrin is highly protective of the two.

Beyond that he doesn't announce his clan or family name nor give up anything about his past other than he's helping the group as a guide and axe to the cause. Very tight lipped our friend Mirrin.

Ah, in which case read Elmador's mentioning of kinsmen as kinsman. Not letting your heritage slip out from the very beginning!

Posting from my phone on a London rush hour train is not pleasant. Apologies for formatting errors in my gameplay post.

Posting from my phone on a London rush hour train is not pleasant. Apologies for formatting errors in my gameplay post.

Might want to change the alias in the gameplay post if you read this in time.

How much do we know about each others background? I have some things I wouldn't want for all to know in character. Do we know about the royal blood in the party?

Dain knows about Donagh's remorse about his brother's death. He has promised not to tell anyone else about it. The others have noticed the broken hammer in Donagh's backpack. If they have asked Donagh about it he has told them it has to do with his past and he has not elaborated on it.

Yeah caught that one!

Dain knows about Donagh's remorse about his brother's death. He has promised not to tell anyone else about it. The others have noticed the broken hammer in Donagh's backpack. If they have asked Donagh about it he has told them it has to do with his past and he has not elaborated on it.

Wow, that's a lot's of trust. I've read your story and I like it. Rest assured that no matter how brambling Dain might look (I am trying to properly display his low CHA), he will not betray the story of your brother. After all, Briggya teaches us - knowledge should be shared between dwarves, but secrets should be kept.

Btw. how do our characters know each other - acquaintances from the Church of Briggya, I guess?

I think Elmador brought this whole thing together.

Garnult, Mirrin and Elmador are blood...Dain and Donagh came from the Church, Brygga sent them? Wrex is our guide, and Grunyar...he is the Bilbo of the group, kinda being dragged along for the ride.

Donagh wrote:

Dain knows about Donagh's remorse about his brother's death. He has promised not to tell anyone else about it. The others have noticed the broken hammer in Donagh's backpack. If they have asked Donagh about it he has told them it has to do with his past and he has not elaborated on it.

Wow, that's a lot's of trust. I've read your story and I like it. Rest assured that no matter how brambling Dain might look (I am trying to properly display his low CHA), he will not betray the story of your brother. After all, Briggya teaches us - knowledge should be shared between dwarves, but secrets should be kept.

Btw. how do our characters know each other - acquaintances from the Church of Briggya, I guess?

If there is a in-character need to tell Donagh's secrets: by all means go ahead. Donagh may not like it though....

According to the fine introduction by the GM we where send by the church to join this expedition. I assume we met some years ago and were send out to visit other dwarven communities for Bryggya. During these voyages we became friends, rather than just companions. Donagh felt secure enough to share his past with Dain.

Does this work for you?

If there is a in-character need to tell Donagh's secrets: by all means go ahead. Donagh may not like it though....

According to the fine introduction by the GM we where send by the church to join this expedition. I assume we met some years ago and were send out to visit other dwarven communities for Bryggya. During these voyages we became friends, rather than just companions. Donagh felt secure enough to share his past with Dain.

Does this work for you?

I am perfectly fine with that.

Another question - I see from Game thread that most of you have Create water as your orison. If DM allows it, I would like to change my Create water for Guidance, or Read Magic. Is that OK with you?

I will be out of country until Friday night on a business trip. I might very well be unable to post.

Regarding the discussion on spells: I will stick with the lvl1 spells (bless *2 + domain animate rope), I like to keep guidance as lvl0 and do not really mind what the other 2 are.

Donagh wrote:

If there is a in-character need to tell Donagh's secrets: by all means go ahead. Donagh may not like it though....

According to the fine introduction by the GM we where send by the church to join this expedition. I assume we met some years ago and were send out to visit other dwarven communities for Bryggya. During these voyages we became friends, rather than just companions. Donagh felt secure enough to share his past with Dain.

Does this work for you?

I am perfectly fine with that.

Another question - I see from Game thread that most of you have Create water as your orison. If DM allows it, I would like to change my Create water for Guidance, or Read Magic. Is that OK with you?

yes

I just flagged my second to last post as it wasn't posted from my Elmador alias. Is there anyway that you can modify posts GM? I'm not familiar with how much control a GM has over their boards on this forum.

No more control than anyone gets over another poster's posts, which is to say none. :)

Note that even a light wagon will require two mules to pull it as they are medium sized creatures.

I propose we name the mules

Anvil and Knowledge

Why not Barbecue and Teriyaki?

Perseverance and remembrance

"Why is that giant snail dragging your wagon?"

"Because the mules looked tastier."

Don't laugh That might be exactly what happens. Donkeys don't do well in dark places. Speaking of which....

We have 103 gold collected thus far.

Two mules and a light wagon would cost us 66gp leaving us 37gp left.

Getting the mules 15 days of feed will cost only 1.5gold.

Fire wood per day is cheap. But also heavy. Very Heavy. I think we can do better with coal.

So I have a question for the GM how many pounds of coal would we need for a decent fire? And could we possibly use other sources such as dried mule dung?

Another thing I think we should take a long are a couple of chickens. Not to raise mind but harvest for their eggs. Eggs do keep for a quite a bit and are packed full of protein and fat.

TarkXT, if it's any use my house has an open coal fire in the living room. In the winter we buy 25kg (55lbs) bags of coal and have a fire in the evening. Burning it for about 4 hours at a time that bag will last us just over a week. If we intend to only cook with it then I'd reckon 100lbs of coal would be MORE than enough for a two week journey.

take my 7 gp as well.

I see excellent suggestions here.

Regarding food: shall we pool that and appoint a quartermaster?

Donagh has 10 days worth of trail rations

Completely aligned to what Donagh said - both excellent suggestion so far, and that we should appoint someone as quartermaster. Any volunteers for this glorious role, or it goes straight to the stupid dwarf asking for volunteers (Dain)? :-(

"Why is that giant snail dragging your wagon?"

Please don't let there be giant snails, please don't let there be giant snails.

Reckless wrote:

"Why is that giant snail dragging your wagon?"

Please don't let there be giant snails, please don't let there be giant snails.

Ah, now you're simply asking for it! ;-)

Even these are too big for me. Lifelong revulsion and aversion to them. Slugs are fine. I think it's something about their shells!

I'm just putting all of us into HeroLab now. I've entered all the campaign traits as well, mostly non-functioning but they exist.

I'll put all the communal gear onto the portfolio of one of the donkeys along with the kitty.

Nice, I usually use google docs to keep up with stuff like loot and consumable/expendable items. I can make a log if that is something you guys want.

GM, I just discovered the explorer map. For your information: when I click on it I get a battle map tagged with "map not visible to players"

Doesn't Wrex have a Giant Slug as an animal companion?

Aye, A giant slug named Slick!

@Wrex, putting your details into HeroLab you have two skill points unallocated (everyone gets two bonus points from the campaign)

Looking over all our character sheets this is what we have that would be beneficial to the party (I'm not including things like winter bedrolls and flint and steel).

We have 110gp. Wagon is 50, 2 mules are 16 leaving us with 44gp
My thoughts on what we'll need:

Garnult will give a hearty thanks to his cousin for taking over the role of quartermaster for the group! Whatever you decide Garnult will support!

I say 5 more mess kits are in order. We do not want to eat with our hands!

So in addition to what was listed above I've added:

Mess Kits (5) (1gp)

4 square yards of canvas (4sp) - to cover the wagon and to use as a windbreak if need be if we have to camp in a tunnel with a through draft

A deck of playing cards (1sp) and A set of dice (1sp) to keep entertained in the evening
Fold away 10ft poles (2) (4sp) - always need a pole
Iron spikes (10)(5sp) - to keep open doors etc.

....annnnd 15 gallons of ale (3gp) because we need to drink something! but even then, I'm sorry lads but 120 pints split 6 ways (I 'ave me whiskey, won't be touching your ale), that doesn't go very far at all.

The wagon can't take much more weight at this point. There's 6gp and change left in the kitty.

GM, would any of our divine casters be able to use create water to create ale/wine a la clerics of Cayden Cailean?

Whoops, you're right about the skill points, also I'll get Slick added to the character sheet attached to this alias in a bit-- he has some more stuff on Slick as well (just barely under his weight limit, most of his rations are on Slick specifically, forgot Hero Lab doesn't put animal companion stuff in)... Also, Wrex already has some spikes and a pole, but a few more poles and spikes definitely never hurt!

That being said, quite a few coins were put into having his slug have a pack and if we end up in a situation where we'll be slowed down anyway (from the wagon or whatnot) Slick should be able to carry a bit more stuff as needed.

Feel free to throw suggestions for orisons for Wrex to take instead, maybe have someone come up with a list and distribute them so we don't end up with everyone with create water... (Though as a handy tip, a creative use of create water in another campaign let everyone--houseruled, of course-- who had it do minimal damage to a swarm we couldn't touch otherwise, and therefore let us actually kill the damn thing... so duplicates might not be too terrible if there's not a necessity for a wider variety. Say, a narrow sloped tunnel with casters summoning a few gallons every round--... of course the whole create ale thing would be just as nice.)

Dain has a mess kit as a part of his inquisitor's kit

African land snails are good eating.

In any case I think we can do better than trail rations. They're expensive and heavy and really very boring to eat. But it does bear having a bunch on hand. So let's take about 14 gold of those away and get more interesting fare.

With 14 gold we can get.

10lbs. of nuts for 3sp

1lb. cinnamon for 1gp

4lbs garlic 2gp

4lbs. of sugar 2sp

4lbs of coffee beans 2sp. (with powdered milk, and sugar I can have my morning coffee now)

5lbs. of cheese for 1gp

5lbs. of dried beans 1sp

10lbs of travel cake mix 1gp

so at 43 pounds and 5gp 8sp how much food do you think we get out of the above? Feel free to consider your own characters tastes in this. We're grocery chopping afterall.

I think we'll be alright with that lot.

Double the amount of beans and nuts and buy 10 more lbs of dried citrus fruits

I hadn't written down Wrex's gear so that was another 10 days worth of Trail Rations meaning we can save another 5gp.

But we have a few people with Survival who can supplement our supplies. That should be enough to be getting on with. To adventure!

Gotta hand it to you guys, that's quite an attention to detail - bravo! This could really make our life easier at a later stage, unless of course giant slugs do not eat all of our food :-)

Now, as Elmador correctly put it - to adventure!

GM, I just discovered the explorer map. For your information: when I click on it I get a battle map tagged with "map not visible to players"

You wanted this one:

Explorer map formerly called Test of beginning map connectivity

GM, would any of our divine casters be able to use create water to create ale/wine a la clerics of Cayden Cailean?

Not really, as she's not as heavily tied into drinking as Cayden is. And while the secrets of crafting fine booze is something she is relevant to, its consumption might be another matter- after all, massive consumption might lead one to the telling of secrets...

are you using some kind of light for the mules, or are they being guided by someone? (or both?)

Elmador Tarnhammer wrote:

GM, would any of our divine casters be able to use create water to create ale/wine a la clerics of Cayden Cailean?

Not really, as she's not as heavily tied into drinking as Cayden is. And while the secrets of crafting fine booze is something she is relevant to, its consumption might be another matter- after all, massive consumption might lead one to the telling of secrets...

And as she doesn't have a mouth drinking might be a bit of a sore point...

Eek, I'd forgotten about the mule's not being able to see in the dark what with us all having darkvision. I'm guessing they're going to be guided. I can prepare light but it'd going to be tedious as hell to cast it every 10 minutes, though I guess spending 6 seconds every 10 minutes isn't so bad. Can do it while walking alongside them. Set up some sort of stick from the harness to dangle a stone in front of them. (I'm guessing that they won't be particularly happy about walking around in the dark...)