[PFS] GD-VII AoA GM Thread (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Muldoon

They are! My group has done... GL, LE, SovC, SilvC, and almost done with Scarabs. So GM Dennis, if they do finish that, since all we will have left are the ones that are completed.... do those and apply excess?

EDIT: Also, can you check that I've applied all 4 of those? I think I did, but I honestly might have missed one.

EDIT The Second: I found where I could check that myself, I did miss the SovCt report.

I'd day if you've finished all the non-completed ones, go ahead and do the ones your group hasn't done, even if the house has completed it. That way your players get a more varied experience.

OK, this time the Grand Lodge mission really is complete.

***OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT***

The combined strength of the Muckruckers and the Grand Lodge have broken through the Black Echelon’s defenses and retaken Fort Tempest. Absalom’s flag flies over the fortress once more, encouraging the city’s defenders.

Table GMs, the Grand Lodge mission has been completed, and that faction’s special condition on page 10 is in effect. No new groups may start the Grand Lodge mission; those groups already in progress may complete the mission and report the success towards one of the other missions.

There is no official 4-player adjustment for this, correct?

In my 1-2 tier table we have five players, but one is only checking in on average twice a week. For now I am botting judiciously, but if he ends up entirely trailing off I am wondering how to proceed.

There is not, 4 player tables just have more of a challenge.

As for making adjustments, you don't. You have to run it as written.

Zoomba, I would suggest a gentle reminder by PM to your often absent player.

Same boat as Zoomba, but slightly worse. 5 players, but one player has yet to actually participate in any encounter so far. I have confirmed via PM they are still intending to play (that was over a week ago), but they still haven't posted anything. This is my first time with a situation like this, any GM tips or advice?

At this point I would tell them that their participation is no longer needed and drop them.

If you want to give them some time, I suggest giving the 18th as a cutoff as that is about the halfway point of the adventure.

Completed the Grand Lodge faction mission, but too late to beat the House. Reported a success for Liberty's Edge, instead.

We'll tackle the Scarab Sages faction mission. It's the only one left available to my table.

Irish/Zoomba,
The PFS Roleplaying Guild Guide has some pretty clear rules for how much credit to award based on a player's participation. Can't go wrong, if you adhere to the Guide.

While it is different, it isn't different than a player who leaves the table to go to the bathroom and is gone a surprisingly long time. You don't stop the action to wait for them to return, you just keep going.

If you had 3 active players, I would judiciously bot the missing player, but as long as you have 4 active players, just keep going and the other character is on Delay until he or she returns.

You can remind them that:

1. Since they have started the table, they will be receiving credit for having played the scenario (i.e. no replay) and...
2. If they participate in only 1 or 2 encounters, they will only receive partial XP/PP (like a multisession scenario where someone can't make all the sessions) or 0 XP/PP if they participate in no encounters.

I'm not sure if the pre-mustering activities count as an encounter, but I assume they do.

It looks like we'll hit all the successes for part 2 in the next day. So what happens then? Do we start Part 3 ahead of schedule?

We may start it a little early, but I’m going to leave it open through at least Monday or Tuesday, so don’t be afraid to start another one.

On that note, if possible during the currently allotted time, I'd like my table to have the opportunity to complete all the faction missions, rather than start the next section early. After their current mission, they'll only have one left to complete.

It seems the boons on the Chronicle are determined by which faction mission a table completes.

The PCs can earn up to two benefits based on their performance. Each PC earns the Defender of Absalom boon for participating in Assault on Absalom. This boon requires the player to choose a benefit based on the faction missions the group completed, so Table GMs should remind the group which of the seven missions they completed and have the players select a reward before leaving. If the House reported enough General successes during the adventure, each PC instead chooses two benefits.

If that's not an issue, then I don't mind considering an adjusted start to Part 3.

I don't have the link handy, but they changed it. The boons are now tied to which missions the house completes, rather than individual tables.

Check the chronicle:

Defender of Absalom: You aided Absalom in its hour of need, breaking the siege of demon-flesh monstrosities, undead saboteurs, and ghastly ships. The people of Absalom witnessed your triumphs and will remember your courage for several deeds in particular. Choose one (or two, if so instructed by the Overseer GM) of the following rewards corresponding to a faction’s objective that either the House successfully fulfilled (corresponding to one of the conditions announced during play) or that your table successfully fulfilled; cross the others off your Chronicle sheet. You do not need to be a member of a particular faction to choose its associated reward.

Got it, either/or. Very cool.

No objections from here, then, to an accelerated schedule.

***OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT***

Led from Misery Row by agents of Liberty’s Edge, most of Absalom’s slaves have cast off their chains to contribute to Absalom’s defense.

Table GMs, the Liberty’s Edge faction’s special condition on page 10 is in effect.

----------

The gathering clouds momentarily part as a beam of sunlight shines upon the Ascendant Court, heralding the return of Sarenrae’s holy warriors and the arrival of a small host of celestial guardians. These reinforcements rally alongside the paladin Ollysta Zadrian before dispersing to aid Absalom.

Table GMs, the Silver Crusade faction’s special condition on page 10 is in effect.

-----------

Warriors wearing the colors of a dozen or more noble houses course through Absalom’s streets, lending their strength directly to the First Guard. Numerous well-known aristocrats—previously thought to have fled before someone convinced them otherwise—appear at major sites and intersections to help coordinate the war effort and rally the citizens.

Table GMs, the Sovereign Court faction’s special condition on page 10 is in effect.

===========================================

Only one faction mission uncompleted, and it's only one away. That said, I will not call this part until at least Monday night (Pacific Time). I'd like to hear from you, though: would you rather have more time to complete more missions, or move on and have more time in Part 3 and/or 4?

If we're getting through Monday Night then I'm good with some extra time for Part 3/4

Can you submit an overflow success to a faction that your team has already completed?

i.e. my team just finished Grand Lodge, but has already completed the scarab sages mission...can I use Grand Lodge success for Scarab Sages, since it's the only one left?

I believe the GM is supposed to fill out the form for what their table actually completes, and the overseer handles moving the overflow.

*cough* reports last success *cough*

Do the teams get to use the factions special conditions in Part 3 or is that only for Part 2?

More time for Part 3 could be good. My low-level tables never got to finish their encounters during Part 3, it tends to move fast in face-to-face and driven by higher level tables blowing everything up. I'm not sure how that will translate to PbP speed.

EDIT: Also, it's a little unfair to have tables using resources in encounters that don't actually move the special forward, leaving them short for Part 3. In a face-to-face game, the players could see the completion bars and would go to the bathroom at this point rather than risk an errant crit-kill or spend their spell slots.

Agreed. My table is finishing their current mission and then we are going to wait for part 3.

That also may depend which missions you haven't done yet. There are about two of them which I would say are either important for understanding the later stuff in this special, or understanding future adventures.

Looks like part 2 is complete. Do I wait for part 3 tomorrow(?) Or do I start new mission?

RAW, you're not allowed to start another mission, other than Scarab Sages, and my crew has already done that...

Let us forge on!

My crew has finished Sacrab Sages combat. Golgamodh is standing there.

Almost done with Scarab Sages. Please, don't pull the rug out from under my table. ;-)

Unless I'm mistaken, the Overseer GM hasn't yet called the Scarab Sages faction mission complete yet.

Not yet, but I think everything else has been completed.

I hear what you're saying about resources, Blake. My thinking about waiting a bit had been this: with the help of ACG, we got through this in just over half the time allotted. Often, the complaint with these specials is that groups don't get to experience enough of it, and since we had time I wanted to give tables that wanted it a chance to play them. Feel free to have your table take a break instead; we'll move one Monday night/Tuesday morning (I'll keep an eye on your table, Lorenzo).

Thanks, brother. They've been awesome. If the Scarab Sages mission had been called already, I'd shut them down. But since it hasn't, I thought I'd let them try. They're real close.

IRL this would be the time for people from different tables to mingle and share their discoveries.

AUKE! Did I ever post that aid token in your thread? We had issues that day.

EDIT: Checked for myself and I did. Good stuff.

AUKE! Did I ever post that aid token in your thread? We had issues that day.

Yes, it arrived! :-)

I think my party will desperately need it in part III

Just as a Check In, this is where we would be notified if Backup GM Duties were needed?

And from the sounds of it, Everyone is moving along Smoothly!

My party is doing fairly well. Only one potion was used in part 2. And I think this is where you check for backup GM needed, this is where I posted when I needed one last special.

Chie, you might also regularly check your Private Messages; the notifications are not working, and if someone is trying to request a backup well ahead of time, they often use PMs.

Hey everyone, I'm not available as backup right now because I'm sick. I'll be trying to keep my games without time pressure going, but it wouldn't be fair to a table of a special to try to help out right now.

Hey everyone, I'm not available as backup right now because I'm sick. I'll be trying to keep my games without time pressure going, but it wouldn't be fair to a table of a special to try to help out right now.

Get well soon!

My table finished the Scarab Sages faction mission, and I reported the success earlier this afternoon.

Told them to take a knee and drink water.

Scarab Sages success posted. Transition post coming soon.

***OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT***

Having dealt with the chaos that ensued from the Black Echelon’s attack, the Pathfinders return to the Grand Lodge. You can boost any Aid Token in your possession once, and this is an excellent opportunity to pass it to another group.

-----End Part 2-----

The sound of brass signal horns echoes across Absalom, warning the city that the enemy onslaught has begun. Sergeants of the First Guard shout warnings to attend the walls, when suddenly a second warning sounds. A messenger brings news of a second attack: “An enemy fleet is approaching from the south!” A strange mist is rising in the Flotsam Graveyard, and dozens of ships with tattered sails approach Absalom’s harbor with long-dead marines on board.

Back at the Grand Lodge, Master of Swords Marcos Farabellus addresses the Pathfinders: “You and the factions you represent have greatly helped our city; however, the worst is still to come, and Absalom needs our help! We must fight the enemy on land and at sea. Those of you who choose to bolster Absalom’s defenses against the demon-flesh army attacking from the Cairnlands to the north, report to Captain of the First Guard, Rothos of House Vastille. Those of you who choose to fight the undead armada, report to Captain Sevana Kinhan of the Wave Riders.”

Table GMs, Part 3 has begun.

==========

Everyone should have gotten that transition in their games; please let me know if I missed someone. I'll get the reporting link for part 3 up and running tomorrow.

Discord needs the Overseer announcement.

Please do keep the aid tokens moving! Now would be an excellent time to pass one if you still have it.

Here are the current locations of the aid tokens based on the Recruitment tab. If your name is on this list, please check how long you've had it, and pass your aid token!

1 - Auke
2 - Ethelnir
3 - Greenclaw
4 - Woodenman
5 - cwethan
6 - uktar
7 - Gum B the Chewy

Token 6 was passed to GM Gustavef on Thursday.

Token 6 was passed to GM Gustavef on Thursday.

The recruitment thread doesn't show that transfer.

Oops. Forgot to post there. It's on the discussion thread for GM Gustavef
here. My apologies.