I suppose we'll get back on track here after New Years
Happy New Years
So lets see where our brave adventurers left off. You found a crawlspace marked by 6E on the map that apparently led to a dead end. Any other questions?
So lets see where our brave adventurers left off. You found a crawlspace marked by 6E on the map that apparently led to a dead end. Any other questions?
I'm here and ready to go...but need others to push and explore as well. I know that Simon did a brunt of the heavy lifting earlier and I appreciate that.
This game only works when we all participate.
Ravens I completely agree, not saying anything is getting us nowhere and is giving me a sense that I am failing you all. I understand that this is a complex and very frustrating dungeon. Trust me it took me 4 tries to get through this.
As far as participating, I can't tell you what to do unless we really hit a dead end. But the basics apply here as well as any dungeon, search, explore etc.
Very good then I will post something in the gameplay section
Hang on, let's not abandon ship yet. We're missing something - but what?
Is this crawlspace the only way forward? Should we go back the other direction? What about the black/green/red roads the riddle talked about?
Right now the crawlspace is the only way forward, You could go back, there are things you all missed some good, some bad.
I think part of what we're suffering from is the "Internet PbP" format.
I am not sure what you mean by that.
Your not...for shame 8>} Think of the seat as if it was the top of a chest. It will rotate up 90 degrees.
Bwaughl. X_X
My apologies for my continued inaction. Work has been rougher than I expected this year, mostly thanks to the new mandatory 12-hour days with 6-AM starts. As a result I haven't been on Paizo nearly at all since the holidays ended, even at home, much less keeping up to date on PbPs. My time has been extremely limited, and what free time I do have at home has been minimal and eaten up by other things offline or off-forum.
Things seem to be slowing a bit, at least for the moment, so I'll try to make a better effort with keeping up.
I know things always get busy for you in January so I kind of expected this.all in all this particular module is not the greatest in the world for beatsticks however when there is combat you will be needed.
note you have not circumnavigated the room yet
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Quick interlude for a survey: Anyone else feel that gaming is threatened by the language that's developed ("fluff," "crunch," "flavor," "tank," "optimization," the grammatical structure, etc) in the past decade or so, and the ordered, coherent culture that's emerged (and which gaming, by its very nature, SHOULD NOT HAVE), or do you feel it's just an annoying sideshow that shouldn't be a danger in the long run?
Never bugged me. I use some of those terms from time to time myself, as does most of my group. They're easy-to-understand terms that get across an intended meaning quickly. The only one that really bugs me is "toon".
all in all this particular module is not the greatest in the world for beatsticks however when there is combat you will be needed.
No worries! Let the trapspringers have their moments, Jeneva's already had at least a couple of scene-stealings already. =)
No worries! Let the trapspringers have their moments, Jeneva's already had at least a couple of scene-stealings already. =)
Please no. We all need to share in pushing things forward, making mistakes, and doing stuff.
Quick interlude for a survey: Anyone else feel that gaming is threatened by the language that's developed ("fluff," "crunch," "flavor," "tank," "optimization," the grammatical structure, etc) in the past decade or so, and the ordered, coherent culture that's emerged (and which gaming, by its very nature, SHOULD NOT HAVE), or do you feel it's just an annoying sideshow that shouldn't be a danger in the long run?
No, I don't think it's an issue. It's not even a sideshow. It can be annoying to some, but so can I. :)
I can see how it annoys you, but not everyone.
Quick interlude for a survey: Anyone else feel that gaming is threatened by the language that's developed ("fluff," "crunch," "flavor," "tank," "optimization," the grammatical structure, etc) in the past decade or so, and the ordered, coherent culture that's emerged (and which gaming, by its very nature, SHOULD NOT HAVE), or do you feel it's just an annoying sideshow that shouldn't be a danger in the long run?
I certainly would hope not
As stated in prior posts, Jeneva's basically taking rear guard and keeping an eye out toward the corridors for possible attacks while the others investigate.
If the GM needs me to roll perception or something for potential approaching foes, I'll do so when he asks. Otherwise some posts are just dialogue posts. =)
Question for the DM:
If you cast rope trick underwater will the water come through the portal or no?
I would imagine that since the opening is on the bottom and we are talking about magic that no water would get in.
I would imagine that since the opening is on the bottom and we are talking about magic that no water would get in.
Would the same hold true for gas should the need arise? :-)
For reference:
Rope Trick:
School transmutation; Level sorcerer/wizard 2
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (powdered corn and a twisted loop of parchment)
EFFECT
Range touch
Target one touched piece of rope from 5 ft. to 30 ft. long
Duration 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
DESCRIPTION
When this spell is cast upon a piece of rope from 5 to 30 feet long, one end of the rope rises into the air until the whole rope hangs perpendicular to the ground, as if affixed at the upper end. The upper end is, in fact, fastened to an extra-dimensional space that is outside the usual multiverse of extra-dimensional spaces. Creatures in the extra-dimensional space are hidden, beyond the reach of spells (including divinations), unless those spells work across planes. The space holds as many as eight creatures (of any size). The rope cannot be removed or hidden. The rope can support up to 16,000 pounds. A weight greater than that can pull the rope free.
Spells cannot be cast across the extra-dimensional interface, nor can area effects cross it. Those in the extra-dimensional space can see out of it as if a 3-foot-by-5-foot window were centered on the rope. The window is invisible, and even creatures that can see the window can't see through it. Anything inside the extra-dimensional space drops out when the spell ends. The rope can be climbed by only one person at a time. The rope trick spell enables climbers to reach a normal place if they do not climb all the way to the extra-dimensional space.
Now how did I know you were gonna there 8>} I am all for creative use of spells so yes that will work.Keep in mind only one person a round can climb up the rope.
Nice idea Jeneva with the wings!
last night we were playing mummies mask and the DM showed us a picture of the big bad and it turned out to be your avatar Jeneva.
Please accept my apologies as we splattered her.
Ravens: I am going to give some folks a chance to change your mind. I am off to see "The Hobbit" at noon.
Well Ravens Jeneva has presented you with an alternative to having your brains scrambled up, the choice is yours.
If the alternative is doing nothing or dying, Ravens will choose dying. I'll go through in a while, because football. Maybe someone will have inspiration.
Hey quick question everyone what is and what is not working for you so far?
No worries Tordek. like I stated in the beginning the weekends you are all free. If you can post awesome, if not i will see you on monday.
Hey quick question everyone what is and what is not working for you so far?
I think I've been vocal with what I've wanted to see DMTFY, and, more importantly, you've responded well every time.
That we've made it this far is a testament to your skillz, and they are mad.
* * *
I know I've been quiet for awhile. I've been traveling this weekend. I'll post tomorrow. Earlier in the week, Ta'ruk offered to go into the room if Ravens cast air bubble on him. That offer will still stand when I post tomorrow.
Yeah, I don't have another gassy thing right now. If we rested, he could...or if someone had a pearly thing.
I'll go through, unless you just want to...or we can follows Jeneva's suggestion that no one seems interested in doing, which is another round of searching for other ways through.
We'll see if anyone picks up and actually posts to do this. Or we rest, I dunno.
If Ravens suggests in character to wait until the next day, Ta'ruk can wait. He's more concerned about poisonous gas than alignment changes. Evil always pushes it's way to the front.
Well, sure...Ravens wasn't really worried about all-of-the-sudden turning 'good' or, uh...less neutral. And, uh, becoming more of an idiot really isn't a worry either. ;)
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May I make a suggestion that I think would help sustain the pace and functionality of the game? Take a leaf out of this old thing's modus operandi and try to DM on the "Zork model." I think it could really help in the play-by-post forum format, which I've concluded is otherwise not the very best format for RPGs. I know it would help me; my main problem has been an inability to sustain a clear focus on what is and what could potentially be going on.
*blink blink*
May I make a suggestion that I think would help sustain the pace and functionality of the game? Take a leaf out of this old thing's modus operandi and try to DM on the "Zork model." I think it could really help in the play-by-post forum format, which I've concluded is otherwise not the very best format for RPGs. I know it would help me; my main problem has been an inability to sustain a clear focus on what is and what could potentially be going on.
I know that thread, what specifically is the Zork model?
May I make a suggestion that I think would help sustain the pace and functionality of the game? Take a leaf out of this old thing's modus operandi and try to DM on the "Zork model." I think it could really help in the play-by-post forum format, which I've concluded is otherwise not the very best format for RPGs. I know it would help me; my main problem has been an inability to sustain a clear focus on what is and what could potentially be going on.I know that thread, what specifically is the Zork model?
And I'm curious to what you think the problem is and why that model would fix it.
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May I make a suggestion that I think would help sustain the pace and functionality of the game? Take a leaf out of this old thing's modus operandi and try to DM on the "Zork model." I think it could really help in the play-by-post forum format, which I've concluded is otherwise not the very best format for RPGs. I know it would help me; my main problem has been an inability to sustain a clear focus on what is and what could potentially be going on.I know that thread, what specifically is the Zork model?
I'm referring to the DM's "Zorkian" style of presentation (as he specifically said in the thread, he adores Zork, and uses it as his model for DMing). Something more like that would help me keep track of everything in the game that is, was, and could be.
Skiron: I read the thread again and to be honest, I am sure I cannot emulate that particular style...However, I went back and read your last post and I can catch you up.
The party went down a hallway and discovered 3 doors made of a weak wood similiar to balsa on the other side of the doors were pit traps put there in case some were to try and run through. You now are at a very heavy oaken door that is described in the gameplay section.
Well lets see you had a misty archway(a trap), the crawlway back to the hall of orbs and the stone wall that only opened if you put a magic ring in the nook.
All I can say is that this is not a linear dungeon, there are at least 4 different ways to reach the end and that it is quite easy to become lost/frustrated.
I think Skiron was more referring to when we first were investigating the island, where we had very little detail and you seemed to be waiting on us to say/do something extremely specific but with no hints, geography, or other notices in the description of the area to point us in that direction until we finally got to the point where you pretty much spelled it out for us.
I think what he's advising is that in the future when we reach an area like that, that we be given full details on everything around us that we can see, so we can say "Okay, (thing) looks/sounds like a lead, I interact with (thing)" rather than having to fumble around for a page of game text before either stumbling onto something we can interact with by accident, or everyone getting fed up with seemingly-endless dead ends and one side or the other just giving in and practically handing out the answer.
In essence it comes down to a difference in how adventures are written between the time TOH was published and now. Older adventures seem to have made a habit of being extremely vague, rewarding more a player's ability to remember how this went the last time they were through (even if that's knowledge the character would not have access to), and trying to encourage/force out-of-the-box thinking. Whereas newer adventures, especially Paizo's, tend to be highly descriptive, giving the characters (rather than the players) a fair bit of information to work with, and prompting the GM to reward them - primarily for making successful skill checks - with more information at certain points.
For example: (GM only-text in OOC color)
This is an empty room, ten feet by ten feet square. There is a wooden door on the opposite side.
versus:
This is an empty room, ten feet by ten feet square. There is a wooden door on the opposite side.
Orthos I will have to take a look at that when I get home that is quite a wall of text and alas my phone is small.
I think Skiron was more referring to when we first were investigating the island, where we had very little detail and you seemed to be waiting on us to say/do something extremely specific but with no hints, geography, or other notices in the description of the area to point us in that direction until we finally got to the point where you pretty much spelled it out for us.
Well he was describing the chapel that we were just in so i am just going off that, However if anyone has questions/concerns please let me know. After all I am in the learning process myself and your input is helping me. Much like your example above.
I think what he's advising is that in the future when we reach an area like that, that we be given full details on everything around us that we can see, so we can say "Okay, (thing) looks/sounds like a lead, I interact with (thing)" rather than having to fumble around for a page of game text before either stumbling onto something we can interact with by accident, or everyone getting fed up with seemingly-endless dead ends and one side or the other just giving in and practically handing out the answer.
In essence it comes down to a difference in how adventures are written between the time TOH was published and now. Older adventures seem to have made a habit of being extremely vague, rewarding more a player's ability to remember how this went the last time they were through (even if that's knowledge the character would not have access to), and trying to encourage/force out-of-the-box thinking. Whereas newer adventures, especially Paizo's, tend to be highly descriptive, giving the characters (rather than the players) a fair bit of information to work with, and prompting the GM to reward them - primarily for making successful skill checks - with more information at certain points.
That part I bolded is a great point. Like I said it has been a long time since I have been a DM and it is also the reason I am running a one shot adventure vs an AP or homebrew campaign. I want to test the waters and see where I need to improve.
For example: (GM only-text in OOC color)
This is an empty room, ten feet by ten feet square. There is a wooden door on the opposite side.
versus:
This is an empty room, ten feet by ten feet square. There is a wooden door on the opposite side....