GM ShadowLord's Ironfang Invasion (Inactive)

Game Master The Rising Phoenix

If we aren't going to swirl the backgrounds together more it's probably best to keep them separate and just have an NPC be Thael's sister.

Did we ever make a decision on traps/Disable Device? I wouldn't be as good at it as Selde if she takes the slayer talent (and couldn't find magical ones), but I could get Disable Device as a class skill with a trait.

I'll pick up trap finding with a slayer talent. Magical traps are the ones you really want to be able to disable.

Sounds good. Thanks. :)

Alright, have Jillian's background up in her profile.

Glad to see almost everyone has made it IC. I've heard from both Jillian and Selde and they are putting the finishing touches on their characters now. I do realize adding the story feat may have forced you to tweak a thing or two, but I think its worth it! I do believe we're still on track for a starting by Friday of this week at the latest.

I do have a few more tricks up my sleeve later on in the campaign like the story feat, but what happens is entirely up to you guys as you play through the story. I'm excited to get started and can't to see you guys in action!

I do believe we're still on track for a starting by Friday of this week at the latest.

Looking forward to getting started for sure! To note, unless there are any notes from the GM I believe Jillian is finished up.

Edit: So... I just realized that people have been posting IC and it wasn't showing any new posts for some reason....

No worries. Get your gameplay post in and I'll wrap up the pre-game and get us started.

I have some activities to attend to this evening, so wrap the pregame chatter I'll get us started tomorrow morning.

Other than the unfortunate rolls I'm having, great start to the campaign today guys! Anytime you can knock out nearly 2 full rounds of combat in a six person party in a single day, that's a good sign!

I'm running a couple of tables with my monthly group tomorrow, so my posts will be slower but I'll check in when I can.

Here's to hoping things turn around quickly for you!

Maybe you'll be merciful and let us reroll after the TPK. :/

I think APs always start fast, as we're all excited to get going. :)

Also, the nice thing about this AP is there are a lot of people in the village right now. Worst comes to worst, we all roll up new characters and say, well, I was over here when the fight started. :)

What's all this talk of TPK?! We outnumber them, 2 of them are prone, and one is also blinded. They are in danger of TPK, not us.

I think it's mainly commentary about the GM trying to kill us on the first encounter. I don't really think we're about to TPK.

I know. I was being mock dramatic.

But as it turns out, two can play the game of getting a critical on their first attack. When the weapon does x4 damage it more than makes up for our bad luck so far, I hope.

This first fight is actually pretty difficult -- imagine if it were with just four characters. IIRC, I had to have Aubrin channel a few times to get my group through it when I ran it.

I see your crit and raise you one!

Welcome to the crittiest, most intense start to any Ironfang Invasion game ever. If this picturesque beginning doesn't paint the gruesome scene before you, I don't know whatever could! Also, who loves level one?!

I'm GMPC'ing Thael a round to keep it moving.

Jillian is free to stand now, it moved 5' away. All shaken conditions are down. Only purple remains.

I think it's mainly commentary about the GM trying to kill us on the first encounter. I don't really think we're about to TPK.

OK, I am actually trying not to kill you. My dice on the other hand? Yeah, they are definitely wanting the Ironfang's to wipe the floor with you. At least this should give your characters some additional motivation?

Can you guys do me a favor and double check your quick stat bars? A few of you missing a few pieces of information I'd like. Make sure the following is displayed: AC, Touch AC, FF AC, All saves, HP, Perception, Init, CMD. Other stuff is okay too, but I like to have all of those at my fingertips.

Thanks!

Man, what did someone do to piss off Dicebot?!

Stat bar updated. Here is Selde's Character Sheet as well. updated Selde's backstory to include Thael. I didn't see any names for Thaels parents so I just picked some to reference.

Also, I have a pinterest board for Selde. Anyone else have a pile of references for their characters? I love looking through them.

Stat bar updated. Here is Selde's Character Sheet as well. updated Selde's backstory to include Thael. I didn't see any names for Thaels parents so I just picked some to reference.

Also, I have a pinterest board for Selde. Anyone else have a pile of references for their characters? I love looking through them.

Not a pile, but in Emil's header is a link to one picture that captures something of what I envision Emil to look like. There's another pic at the top of his profile. It's easier to find interesting pictures of red-headed half-elves than 50 something cleric farmers.

As for the crits, they do seem to keep coming. I'm thankful we have a paladin and a druid in the party. Also I haven't put Emil's story feat in his profile yet, but it makes it harder for him to die from wounds. As long as someone stops this hobgoblin before he crits again.

Reminds me of the first fight in a PFS module where the GM played out an ambush and set two assassins flanking one of the PCs. Both got crits in the first round and that player sat out the rest of the game.

I love the portrait. That's a man that gives good hugs there.

Taproot Inn -> Riverwood Shrine -> Phaendar Trading Company -> Oreld's Fine Shop -> Bridge

This seems to be the obvious path. Pick up whomever and whatever we can along the way. Aubrin can ride on Nur with Selde since it seems Aubrin won't be able to move. I can only assume cutting across the field isn't an option, what with the hobgoblin army and all.

That works for me. Assuming we survive this current fight. :)

Haha yeah, all plans are assuming survival.

That’s fine for me as well.

In the games where I am GM, I've found it helpful when players spell out all the bonuses and penalties they are applying when setting up the dice rolls. This helps me tell if a player included all the bonuses and penalties allowed/required and saves me having to go into the profile to see what the usual bonus so as to figure what was added to or subtracted from that.

Example: Longsword, bless, flanking, power attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 1 + 2 - 1 = 20
Damage, power attack: 1d8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 2 = 11

I usually do this as a player and I recommend everyone get into the habit. It can make the GMs oversight duties easier.

I appreciate that type of thing as well. I tend to include them in my "effects" line on my quick stats, as especially later in games they can get crazy. IME, anything we can do to help GMs in PBP is much appreciated. :)

I appreciate all the help I can get! :)

Sounds good.

We're getting a lot of loot...is anyone any good at being loot tracker?

Unless the GM already had something setup. I just copied and edited one of the sheets I commonly use. LINK

We can use Jillian's, I put a link to it up top.

There will be quite a bit of loot pretty rapidly here, so it is an excellent idea to start tracking it. I prefer to not have the responsibility to track the loot, so thank you for putting one up.

We're going to need to track a fair bit more info than loot in this campaign, so I'll add additional tabs to that sheet as we move along.

Great...thanks, Jillian!

I'd like to hang on to the wand of magic missile if that's okay (since I've already resorted to using my sling).

Any objections? Anyone else want the wand of grease or presidigitation? (I already prepare grease as part of my daily spells).

Thanks. I'd asked and then forgotten.

I think Thael having the wand makes a lot of sense; we're in the middle of an (Ironfang) invasion, so we need him able to do stuff. Don't hesitate to use it, I'd say.

We should also make sure we track Provision Points.

Yes, please take the wand. I'm sure there will be plenty more hobgoblins to empty it on.

Added Provision Points on there. Not sure if it will inevitably need to be tracked separately but for now it is the last column before 100% sell value items.

Cool beans, appreciate it.

If we find any other wands of spells that are on a psychic’s list, I could use one as well. I’m already down to one spell left for the day, lol. That first encounter was brutal!

I know prestidigitation isn't an attack spell, but do you want that wand? It's on your list and I already have it prepared...

That’s fine. I’m sure we will all need some cleaning up over the next few days!

We should probably come up with a standard marching order.

Caspan/Jillian should take the front, I'd imagine.

Selde looks mostly ranged, and would probably make a good rear-guard.

Wren and Thael would probably be good in the middle or rear. Emil seems like he could handle melee or ranged.

Any thoughts on standard order?

I think you’ve got it, Thael.

C&J
Emil
W&T
S

Sounds perfect to me.

Sounds good to me.

Selde makes a good rear guard and scout so it's whatever the party needs.

I do think you're also our best scout. Perhaps you should be the rear guard, except when you're scouting ahead, in which case Emil could take that position.

@Emil Haha yeah we've been busy today, this is a fun game.

@Thael Sounds good, Nur gives her a lot of mobility so she can switch back and forth pretty easily.

Wow! You've all been busy posters. I posted before going to work this morning and there have been dozens of posts in both gameplay and discussion.

I'm trying my best to keep the pace with which you are all posting. With four pages of gameplay in the first two weeks time, I have to say you all kick ass and I love the energy!

Yeah, good start so far. :)

I didn’t have room to learn detect magic. I can still do Spellcraft checks, correct?

So we have two magic missile wands now? If so, could I borrow one of those, Thael?