WotW: A Knot of Thorns The Second Parchment

Game Master Xzaral

On the swarm question... the soldiers shouldn't be much of a problem. But unless I'm reading the map wrong, the barracks is attached to the cells holding the 10 low level clerics and possibly the higher level cleric. Given that opposition, with channels, etc. which swarm option would be more advantageous?

Another thought on strategy... I think Teon should take out the guards on the top of the central keep. Then, if he's feeling 'frisky' he could drop a catapult rock on the guards by the front door. Just a suggestion.

it would be way more tactically advantageous to keep them separate, and give them general orders not to stay within 30 feet of each other if they can help it. That would mean that even if they do run into a cleric, any given Channel Energy is only going to catch one or two at most.

Each raven can light things on fire just by being next to them. Doing that in 26 different places every 6 seconds is quickly going to turn this whole place into an uncontrollable firestorm. Just imagine what 26 alchemist fires a round, forever, could do to a place.

The reason I suggested the swarms is because that makes these things manageable. At 5th level these guys are a doomsday weapon, which is awesome for us, but a giant pain in the ass for Mark. I don't want to be that guy, so i figured swarms would make things easier to deal with.

As for the tactics, I'm going to weigh in and say open the gates now, and break the winches. use stubborn nails to jam up the mechanisms so even if they get repaired, they still won't work.

No winches means we don't have to hold the gatehouse.

We don't care if the soldiers rush out to meet the bugbears. That would be a good thing for us. The bugbears will cream them, and we'll be left to do whatever we like.

I love the idea of turning their siege weapons against them. That sounds like the most fun. We should do that.

As for the Chapel, would it be possible to send my Hand over to the chapel doors and jam them? I didn't realize there was another connected exit there.

Yeah, then I'd say go with small swarms. It is effective and less of a headache for the DM but does give us a nice mayhem effect.

Xanos, do you have any tricks to lock down the door to the chapel at 26? I think you are going to be coming that way - more or less. Where we actually hook up with you will depend on what strategy we want to employ.

My preference, I think, is to keep going aggressively at the enemy... so I'm thinking we open the gate, break the winches, hammer the main keep with one volley from the catapult (unless a juicy target steps through the door then we fire more), and then Team Gatehouse, comes out to meet you and Teon and we assault any loose guards and go after the heroes in the main keep.

Mind you, this is a team vote as far as I'm concerned and I'm willing to go with the majority preference.

lol. I guess we were cross-posting there. I like how our two generally 'behind the lines' characters are up for the most aggressive tactic. :)

"Blood and Souls for Asmodeus!"

I have more stubborn nails and scrolls of arcane lock, as well as normal hammers and pitons, locks and chains, and a few different kinds of small deployable traps. I came into this prepared. :)

Slave also has two bear traps inside his chest cavity, in case you want to use them.

First off, Paizo seemed down for most of yesterday. I fully blame the Advanced Class Guide playtest, which I have managed to download as well (not as impressed with the Arcanist as I thought I'd be, sadly).

As far as the swarm issue. If you hadn't killed Mad Martin Raynard he actually causes the Ravens to form into swarms, thus I actually DO have stats for a Raven swarm. Fortunately (in both groups), Martin was killed before having a chance to command the birds.

lol. I guess we were cross-posting there. I like how our two generally 'behind the lines' characters are up for the most aggressive tactic. :)

"Blood and Souls for Asmodeus!"

Hey now, just because you two were more initially vocal about it doesn't mean the rest of us aren't completely in agreement (I just haven't gotten a chance to post yet). We haven't played defense this whole game... why would we start now? >:D

Let's open the gates, ruin the mechanisms, turn their artillery on them for a volley or two, then go head-hunting.

And yah, I don't have a brilliant plan for keeping them in the barracks/chapel, either.

Wha? You've been playing Cain as a closet pacifist... don't try to deny it. ;)

I say open the gates an jam the mechanisms. The ballista on the top of the gatehouse are kinda small to use against the keep. I think they are mainly antipersonnel weapons. I say that after we open the gates and ensure they stay open, that we go hunting for the big guys. Once we kill them, Fargo/Teon wants to go back to the town and kill Regis, the proprietor of Third Eye and of course loot it.

First off, Paizo seemed down for most of yesterday. I fully blame the Advanced Class Guide playtest, which I have managed to download as well (not as impressed with the Arcanist as I thought I'd be, sadly).

Agreed. i like a few of the classes, though. Slayer and Brawler look pretty straight-forward and fun (assuming they take the overwhelming feedback and bump the skills per level up to 6).

Sounds like we have a majority ruling on the tactics, then.

Unless the graphic is wrong, it looks like there are rock launchers of some sort on the Gatehouse roof, not just ballistae. If they can't be used to pelt the Keep or hammer the guards in the courtyard, so be it. Guess we'll have to wait on Mark to tell us what is possible in that regard.

You are correct about the appearance of the rock throwers. That is what I get for not looking at the map for several weeks.

No worries, man. Looking at the actual catapult graphic on the Keep roof, the ones on the Gatehouse are much smaller... so you could very well be right about what they can do.

Quick lunch reply!

I pulled out my tablet to verify what they are. There are actually no catapults in this keep.

The thing on the roof that Teon disabled is a Trebuchet.

On the roof of the gatehouse are two ballistae (50 bolts each) and two rock dumpers (35 loads each).

First off, Paizo seemed down for most of yesterday. I fully blame the Advanced Class Guide playtest, which I have managed to download as well (not as impressed with the Arcanist as I thought I'd be, sadly).

As far as the swarm issue. If you hadn't killed Mad Martin Raynard he actually causes the Ravens to form into swarms, thus I actually DO have stats for a Raven swarm. Fortunately (in both groups), Martin was killed before having a chance to command the birds.

** spoiler omitted **

One 7 HD swarm. Good stuff.

Would it be possible to raise the other 3 his dice as individual birds? (8 of them)

Let me review the templates later today again but I don't see why not.

The individual bird stats are in this profile, already added.

Lonely kids. Well no more. Just get the My Necromancer doll. It's the new best friend that just keeps making more friends for you. And he can help you turn the other kids who would not play with you into friends as well.

Just waiting for King Mark to let us know if the guards are doing anything.

...if the guards are doing anything.

The correct answer here is "dying - horribly".

Clearly Xanos is really just a lonely child at heart.

Hope everybody had a happy thanksgiving. And enjoy what is left of your Black Friday. It's a day bad guys can get behind.

It has bene long enough since anyone has been on that soon I will not only star DMing but I will also run the other characters.

I'm still here.

While we wait for Mark to play life-tetris until he clears away some blocks, we should do a little character study exercise (read as: make fun of each other)

Fargo can start, since he sparked the idea.

Here's the game-

Pick another character in the group and write a "dear diary" entry, or an over-the-top villain monologue from their perspective.

Go!

I have been giving this a great deal of thought, and I've finally come to a decision. I've decided to shut down the games I'm running.

Simply put, things have changed for me since I started running them. Professionally I'm taking more and more trips it seems, which cut into my available free time, and my responsibilities have increased. The amount of time I spend their increase similarly.

My personal life has similarly been suffering, aside from my recent medical news but also the travel and having moved aside from that. Attempting to make new friends, meet new people in the community, it all takes time.

I tried setting up a posting schedule to keep me going, but trial and error showed it takes more time for me to get a post in than I thought, and DM/GM posts take quite a bit longer for me. At this point, I miss a post and start to stress on it, which causes me to doubt myself, and that in and of itself makes me take longer to post.

So I think the fair thing for me to do for you all is to step down at this time. If there's anything I can do to help out, let me know. If someone wants to take over, I'll do what's needed to pass it along.

I wish to apologize for this as well. I hope up to this point people have had fun, even with the delays. This is not a decision I'm coming to lightly, I do enjoy running them. I just don't believe I can keep it up with the way things are right now.

I'll keep the game open for a few days so everyone can see this post before making it inactive.

Naturally, I'm bummed to hear that Mark... but you have to take care of yourself and sometimes stepping away is the only good choice. I've enjoyed your stint as a GM and I hope to play with you again when your life is on an even keel.

If you ever decide to pick it back up again, I'll be interested. This has been my favorite game on the boards by far. Thanks for a great run.

I'm sorry to hear this, but, do what you need to and I wish you good luck with work and life. It's been fun, thanks!

I echo all of the sentiments above.

Do we want to try and get another GM?

Normally I'd say yes, but not with this one. Wouldn't seem right without Xzaral.

I'm hoping that eventually things will smooth out for him enough that he'll want to pick this game back up.

It would feel wrong to me to switch DMs at this point, as well. Xz really put his 'stamp' on this game for me and I see the magic being lost with another DM. Whether or not Xz has the desire to pick the game up in future, I'm content to let this guy rest.

I pretty much agree with everyone here. Xzaral, I hate to hear it, but I completely understand where you're coming from. You should take care of yourself first, man.

Ive loved this character, this group, and this game. I second (or third, i guess) the feeling that I'd prefer to put this game inactive than pull in another GM. I just don't think it'd be the same, and I'd prefer to maintain what this game is on the off-chance that Xzaral ever feels up to pulling it back off the shelf and giving it another go.

Xzaral, thanks for the fun so far. Hope things lighten up for you, and life gets straightened out. Don't see this whole thing as a failure. You have a whole group of folks who seem to love this game, and would rather shelf the game than look for another DM to run it. That's a big deal, man.

Take care of yourself. Same goes for everyone. I hope to game with everyone again (well, those i'm not in other games with, anyway).

Also, Happy Holidays. :)

None of you live in south eastern Pennsylvania do you? My real life games needs another person or two.

Not I. That would be a long commute from California.

Texas, y'all.

Everything about Cain makes so much more sense now. :D

Watch it now!

Careful, he might hit you with his belt buckle.

I just want to say thank you for the kind words everyone! I can't express how much it means to me that not only are you all understanding, but would like me to come back to run. As things are right now, work generally slows down happens usually the first week of February. I don't know how things will be with me then at that time, but if I were to pick them back up that's when I'd start looking to do so. I'll try to send out an update to you all then. Once again, thanks for everything!

And just to add my own, Illinois (formerly Iowa).

Brooklyn, NY... you wanna make somethin' of it? :D

I'm an ex-pat Seattle-ite and before that a Californian.

I if I were to pick them back up that's when I'd start looking to do so. I'll try to send out an update to you all then.

Then I'm going to call this a two-month break rather than an ending. :)

come baaaaaaaaack….

If you are comfortable with it Mark, leave it open and revisit it when you are able (no need to pressure yourself with a timeline). I am having to much fun to let this die. And if it is open, then we can amuse each other like Xanos suggested. Maybe you all will get a glimpse of Fargo's diary. And if anyone else needs someone for a game that they are playing in, drop me a line.

Fargo's right, Xzaral. Don't put a timeline on this thing just to have a timeline on it... I'd hate to put you under yet another deadline at this point.

We'll be here. When/if you feel like you want to continue, give us a shout (through PM or whatever) and hopefully we'll be able to have some more fun.

Happy New Year, everyone (only a few days late).

Hope you're all enjoying yourselves.

I worked new years, but it was mellow. Not a bad way to kick of another spin around the sun.

Happy new year to you to. I had new years off but it was my regular day.today I am off because of the snow.

I'm playing a necromancer in another game. It's just not the same.

How's everyone doing?