GM Samy's Strange Aeons

Game Master Samy

This thread for out-of-character posts.

My seventh choice for a player would have been the drow fighter Malarra by Emerald Duke. So far, the group's main melee capability comes from Milady (Barbarian) and Vixen (Brawler). Taking in a seventh would mean less focus on each of you. Please vote yea or nay on Malarra.

Thank you so much for taking me knowing I'm in Asia for 3 weeks! Looking forward to playing!

Yes to the Duke!

Howdy hey all, gratified to have made the cut. If okay with the GM, I'll dot-and-delete into Gameplay to get this in my Active Campaign tab.

I personally would not mind having a seventh party member, but no one immediately springs to mind. I do not remember enough about Malara to comment. I'll reread Duke's submission as well as others and get back with my thoughts later today.

If okay with the GM, I'll dot-and-delete into Gameplay to get this in my Active Campaign tab.

Of course!

Hi y’all, I’m very excited to be here! I’d also be in favor of Malarra as a seventh player.

Thanks for having me! I’ll vote yes in favor of Malarra; I’m in a game with The Emerald Duke right now and having a blast.

I'm going to start game posting right away. You can keep finishing and polishing your characters as we play. I'll let you know when the time comes that you should have your character sheets pretty much finished, but for now, you can just play.

Also, if anybody has read, played or ran Strange Aeons before, I would like to know now. Obviously, it did not affect my selection, but for knowledge's sake I would prefer to know.

Do you want me to start today, despite my inability to post from July 3-22? Or do I pop in when I come back from Asia?

Go ahead and start.

I like Malara, I am fine with Malara, but personally I prefer Jassminder. I vote a hesitant yea.

I would not want an eighth party member, as imo, seven is already pushing it for party size.

That fourth vote pushes it into majority for Malara. I will invite Duke in.

My eighth choice would have been Jassminder, the Keleshite Paladin. Please everyone (including Duke) vote yea or nay on whether to take Jassminder on as an eighth member.

Thank you all for the vote. Still hammering out a few last minute details, but should be set in short order.

As for Jassminder, I am intrigued enough by the concept to give it a shot... I vote yea.

I quite like Jassminder, but I vote no, eight is too many for my liking.

I utterly thrilled to join in. Thank you very much for the chance!
I thin Jassminder. It is a very interesting idea.
----
About having played it before, yes I did. Well sort of. 2 rooms? Then it died. And I do not remember anything about it!

Personally I vote no to an eighth member, I like Jassminder but seven is already a pretty large party and I’d prefer to be able to form unique relationships with the rest of the party members; any more and I think we risk losing out on some of that personal focus.

I'll chance 8. A yes vote, but like that old TV show title says, "Eight is Enough."

Miladγ wrote:

Do we have any weapons, equipment?

A spectacularly astute question. I'll let the adventure itself answer you:

In Search of Sanity, p.7 wrote:

Use an Item: A PC who chooses to use an item provokes a startling discovery among all the characters. Tell each PC to roll 1d4. The result is how many of the items the character has listed on her character sheet that she actually has. Have every character mark or otherwise note that number of items. These are the only items the character currently has with her. This includes weapons, armor, magic items, objects required for class abilities (like holy symbols and spellbooks)—everything.

So everyone roll 1d4 and choose that many items that you have with you right now.

That actually leads into a question I was about to ask: how did you want to do starting wealth?

And a follow up... given our starter outfits are technically items.... do they count toward this dice roll?

Clothes do not count.

Starting wealth, roll once, compare it to average, and take the better.

Wealth Roll (Fighter, average 175): 5d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 3, 1, 2) = 15 x10 for 150. Average is higher, taking that.)

Starting Wealth: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 5) = 9x10=90, average is 105, I'll take that.

Remaining Gear: 1d4 ⇒ 3

@DM, how do you feel about reflavoring weapons and gear? Take an ogre hook for example (which I am not going to use), could a boarding hook or logging hook work in its place?

I don't feel that either of those hooks looks as brutal as an ogre hook so I don't think they would do similar damage. If it's the ogre word that bothers you, you can always call it a war hook or something though.

Wealth: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 1) = 9 x10=90, average is 105 so I'll take that.

10x: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 2) = 13
130g. Ironically, that's average (105) plus the price of that MW backpack (25) I wanted!

It's just an example, more specifically I was considering reflavoring a scythe or a nodachi.

I either want to go all natural weapons or put explicit focus on the big ol' two handers (if not the scythe or nodachi, maybe a greataxe or greatclub).

While I'm briefly considering the natural attack only build, would you allow me use the goblin racial archetype, Feral Gnasher? It's a stretch at best, I know, but your answer would cement my decision and her playstyle.

Nah, racials are racials for a reason.

Starting wealth: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10x10

Wealth: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 3) = 9x10
# items: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Thank you for the invite!

Off to buy equipment and then post in gameplay.

I will be scarce this weekend, it is pride weekend here in my city and many friends are back in town. I have quite a lot of plans already, I'll try to get something in though.

For what it's worth, I would vote for both other characters to be included in the group. For one reason, we will be down a fighter for three weeks, and, no offense intended just a statement of fact, people gone that long may not return.

As for knowledge of the material:
I've read the player's book now :D
And looked at and read the cover of the first adventure book and wanted to play it :D

So, happily oblivious of the foul things awaiting us.

Okay, I'm going to say something controversial but here goes. If the terminology seems harsh, it's because its literally how we lesbians talk about this stuff.

Can we cut out the relentless diminution of women in the gameplay thread? I didn't think I'd have to put in my triggers "having to put up with women constantly acting like patriarchal jerks or lesbian f*ckboys." You are removing female agency from the very beginning of the campaign.

I get enough of that treatment in real life and this campaign looked like a wonderful respite from sexist behavior. But if this is a lesbian f*ckboy fantasy for o*gies with nubile femme women sort of campaign, count me out. I hate to say that, but the GM's sensitivity seems in direct contrast to this behavior. But perhaps I read too much into it and this was the intention all along.

I didn't think I'd have to put in my triggers something that is universally a triggering behavior for women. I thought the triggers applied to both villains and players.

And if it's a guy playing a woman and acting like this, cut it out, it's not appropriate if you do it as a woman any more than you doing it as a guy. It's not cute, it's stomach churning. Dressing sexist misogynistic behavior up in heels and a skirt doesn't make it alright somehow. If this is your view of how lesbians interact, please don't take your cues from lesbian p*rn made by hetero men.

If you have this fantasy, there are chat rooms and bboards out there for this very thing, please look into them. Some of us want to roleplay a fantasy horror campaign devoid of menacing behavior from other players.

The inclusion of asking about triggers seemed to indicate a more sensitive campaign, not one for allowing all of the male depredations but thinking it's alright if woman do it to each other.

I deal with male bs like this all day long. I deal with straight male fantasies like this about lesbians all the time. I was hoping to have one place in the world where I didn't have to put up with this.

If this was the DM's intentions all along, well I'm sorry for taking up your time with my submission - the recruitment thread never mentioned "straight male power fantasy roleplaying, but in skirts so it's okay."

no offense intended just a statement of fact, people gone that long may not return.

None taken, but if will alleviate your concern:

So unless I am greatly mistaken, that would put the votes in favor of the eighth player as 4 to 2 with one uncast, yes?

Yeas:
Malarra
Erisa
Vixen
Miyuki (I think, let me know if I got that wrong reading it)

Nays:
Milady
Danior

Uncast:
Saiya

@Samy,
I apologize.

Please don't hold it against Samy for not publicly (or privately) telling me to knock off the casual use of a term of endearment. I was up-front that my character would be a flirt, but not try to be more than a friend to the other PCs.

That said, I can just not do that. I don't want to ruin the experience for you.

I hope you at least see that my character isn't actually hitting on Matsu. She believes her thought is helpful, but wants Matsu's consent. VV herself doesn't like being touched.

I'm guessing the word "Cutie" and the dinner-first cliche is where I crossed the line with you. I suppose casual swearing does not bother you, but if anyone else is bothered by that, I'd rather work out what the standards are now. It's no fun for anyone if the choice is of two extremes: (1) offend with a gotta-be-me shrug or (2) walk on eggshells.

You were likely up-front about your triggers as most of us were, so I'll check the recruitment thread.

One of my hard no's that I did not mention up-front is party in-fighting. I don't want to irk you in real life and have that affect our character interactions. So I hope you, as well as any others who were offended but just eye-rolled it off, see this apology as sincere.

Hm... well, since we are on the topic of triggers...

I seriously doubt that this will come up, given this isn't an evil campaign (ex: Hell's Vengeance, Way of the Wicked) but I have issues with rape and sexual assault. I know that our GM has put in a strict no-pvp clause in the game (with the penalty being she takes control of your character and you get booted) but I will happily make my last act at the table be attempting to run your character through with a sword conjured from the shadow plane if you cross that line.

Not that I think anyone will, mind you... or even will likely be in a position to try... I just want everyone to know how serious I take that trigger.

Personally I am not bothered by V's flirting, at least not yet. That said, I cannot speak for everyone... just putting my two cents into the open.

Glad I didn't offend everybody. I had no intent to offend anyone, but I have read about those piggish male players who play a female monk to justify (this space left intentionally blank). I'm not that guy.

VV is a fashionista, and her kicking style will incorporate trip maneuvers and the vicious stomp feat. The boots allow me to do that, stomp included, with my improvised weapon of choice. Having free hands allows for heavy lifting (as I'm attempting) as well as grappling feats or the throw anything feat, but I intend to use Martial Flex when I have a need for either of those.

@Erisa, that apology post was supposed to be addressed to you.

Yeah, I also have a problem with it. My issue with it has nothing really to do with the pet name, and is primarily a combination of assuming the agency for another character (especially a woman of color tbh), flirting with another PC in an opening post, and a bit of the White Savior mentality (I doubt it was your intent, just calling out how it reads to me).

rutaskadis (Danior) and I are a real life married lesbian couple, we're in four games together, and while our characters have flirted with each other, we've only done so once the characters have gotten to know each other and established some sort of rapport; we take time for the characters and their relationships to naturally develop. As much as I personally love the idea (and experience) of a strong woman literally sweeping me off my feet, in this circumstance, running for our lives, in total fear and confusion while amidst absolute strangers, to me it feels wholly inappropriate, even as a like "I will protect you" type thing; in fact it kinda gives off stereotypical "predatory lesbian" vibes.

I don't want Erisa's voice to be alone in this, her type of mentality belongs in gaming and proves herself as someone I want to game with, so I'm putting myself forward and elaborating.

@Erisa, I appreciate your willingness to speak up. As The Lobster said, you’re the type of person I want to be playing games with. I’ve been at work all night or I would’ve thrown my two-cents earlier.

@Everyone else, I think the concern is less about the pet names or anything in particular (tho there is some concern there) but about the infantilization of women and stereotyping of lesbians and women of color, and wanting to address early on before it becomes a larger problem. Assuming the agency of another player (even if y’all have played it like this together before, the rest of us haven’t been around to see that) can be cause for concern, and personally I do worry about and want to avoid both the aggressive lesbian stereotype and the weak submissive asian woman stereotype. While I realize it was no one’s intention, these are things that it’s important to remain aware of when playing LGBTQ+ people and people of color.

I’m often open to romantic/sexual development between PCs in game but only if it’s respectful to both the characters AND the other players. Not interested in watching fantasies play out, nor in stereotypical depictions of lesbians as aggressive and overbearing and of young women (especially Asian women) as inherently shy, small, weak, helpless etc etc. because IMO it does cross the line into both sexism and racism.

I'm fine with being called out on it, and glad this game up on Day One as opposed to people stewing about it while I remain oblivious. It was intended as a cross between a hero complex and how real life artist friends of mine talk (to both women and men—sexual attraction doesn't play into the honey/dear/darling/etc.), so VV's mannerism is based on her being an artist, not her orientation. But that is meant as an explanation not an excuse, and only for what's already been said and done. I got your message. I will not pull that "my character talks like that" garbage now that I'm aware, when the right thing to do is tone it down a notch.

@Milady, @Danoir, thank you both for adding your takes on the issue. Easier not to repeat the error when it's clearly defined.

I really do need to address the Asian woman thing, however. My wife is Chinese. I lived in Hong Kong for three years. I can tell you that Asian woman are not typically weak and submissive—certainly not my wife, nor the friends and students I had in HK. (—some of whom I'm still in touch with and will see next week for the first time in six years!) Assuming Matsu was petite is based on her stats, not her ethnicity, and the player invited me to this campaign, which is why I thought the teamwork attempt (carry the caster so she can cast as I run like hell) was appropriate with that particular character.

So... think I have everything ready to roll. If anyone wants to give my sheet a once over to see if I missed/misunderstood anything I would (as always) be appreciative.

One other thing: as I am a male playing a female for this game I would ask that folks who are female try not to eye roll too much if I sound like I am. I am not trying to be offensive as a general rule... if something I say or do proverbially rubs one of you the wrong way though, please feel free to call me out on it (in discussion or in PM, whichever way you feel more comfortable). For the record, I see Malarra as being straight... but also (as I said to Erisa earlier) as being not interested in relationships in general just based on who and what she is. Hell, it will probably take some time for her to get used to having companions in general, let alone ones that might be friends.

Starting items1d4 ⇒ 1 I will keep my spell component pouch.

I want to express my deepest appreciations to everyone for talking about things. It is absolutely not my intent for this to be a "hot lesbians" campaign of any kind, so if the campaign errs in that direction at any point, I will be very grateful if someone speaks up to put things on the right track.

I am not great at picking up trigger cues and can from time to time be oblivious to something being offensive, but I want to assure everyone that if you bring it up, I will do my best to treat your concerns with the utmost respect.

I do enjoy the building of relationships, both PC-PC and PC-NPC, so I do want to promote that kind of RP in my campaigns, but I do want to avoid it happening in an uncomfortable manner to anyone.

As always, I think communication is key. I want to give big thanks to Erisa, Danoir and Milady for speaking up and explaining the issue, and it is my intent that the campaign take their worries into consideration. I want to thank Vixen for agreeing to course correct. Now I suggest we play forward a little and see if the issue is fixed so that everyone is comfortable.

I want to second Malarra's words:

if something I say or do proverbially rubs one of you the wrong way though, please feel free to call me out on it (in discussion or in PM, whichever way you feel more comfortable).

That applies to me as well. This discussion thread and my PM box will always be open to raising any concerns about your comfort with the campaign. I would very much like this to be a safe space for everyone to express their worries without belittling of any kind.

Getting back to the eighth member Jassminder,

Matsu, was your post regarding that intended as a yea? It wasn't entirely clear.

I also want to wait for Saiya's opinion on that. Eight is a lot, so the difference between a 4-3 and 5-2 vote matters to me. The latter has a stronger mandate to bring in an eighth.

Sorry for the delay; my afternoon plans ended up lasting all day.

I am a tentative yes to Jassminder, as I really like the character concept. My main concern with such a large group is getting hung up waiting for people to post. Could we all maybe agree to have standard “Bot Me” actions in case someone can’t post for a day or so?

Wealth: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 5) = 9 x10 = 90, standard is 105, so I’ll take that.
Currently have: 1d4 ⇒ 4. I’ll have: armor, rapier, spell component pouch, and thieves tools.

With Saiya's input, I have invited Jassminder in. From comments I assume eight is the maximum. Does anyone want to vote for a ninth?

Quick question for Samy. The questioner archetype casts arcane spells like a bard, and draws from the same spell list. However, unlike the bard, it doesn't grant the ability to cast spells in light armor without the arcane spell failure chance. Since the bard spell list doesn't include mage armor or shield, this puts the questioner at a big disadvantage in terms of AC.

There's a lot of debate about whether this was an unintentional oversight or not. Would you be okay with ruling that the arcane spell failure chance doesn't apply if Saiya is in light armor? If not that's fine, I just wanted to ask before we got too far in.

No vote for a 9th here; there were a lot of really good ideas but 8 is already pushing it in my opinion.

Let's cap at 8 for now.

I'm fine with letting the Questioner cast in light armor like a bard.