Strength and Fear: An Ustalavic Kingmaker Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master vayelan

Nope was figuring I'd head to Ravengro, thus the last line in her backstory. I considered a half orc shaman to make it easy to find them, but the shaman just didn't intrigue me

if we can be sent on our way from there as a pair that's awesome.

How much RP do you want us to do from Ravengro to where they area at?

How much backstory do you want us to know? I was reading the game but have only got three or four of the thirteen pages.

Where would you like us to meet them at?

So I transferred everything over to a profile so I should be all good, let me know if there is anything I need to do or change.

I was thinking that Nikolai is likely travelling with a letter of recommendation from the dean or headmaster of Lepidstadt University. I couldn't find a gender or a name for the person in charge so I left them very neutral in my profile.

I am definitely for traveling with Valda on the search for the countess and her entourage. She would likely find him very enlightening or terribly annoying as he is a font of information and tends to ramble when asked about...well...nearly anything.

You can do as much RP on the way as you would like. Putting it in Spoilers might be a good idea.

You can meet them either at the bend in the trail, facing the clifftop fortress, where the party is currently, or you can meet up with them at the foot of the cliffs after the party approaches the orcs.

As for backstory, here is what your characters would know:

Also, typing up Valda's prior knowledge reminded me of a potentially important detail for the setting. The current in-game year is 4720, but the events of the Tyrant's Grasp AP have not happened yet. Therefore, Tar-Baphon has not unleashed the Radiant Fire upon Vigil and Gallowspire, meaning that Lastwall and the lich's prison still stand.

That is very good to know, yes.

My Tyrant's Grasp party will be thrilled! :)

You can do as much RP on the way as you would like. Putting it in Spoilers might be a good idea.

You can meet them either at the bend in the trail, facing the clifftop fortress, where the party is currently, or you can meet up with them at the foot of the cliffs after the party approaches the orcs.

Nikolai, do you have an opinion either way? I'm good with as much or as little RP as you want. It's just late enough for me that I won't check the boards again tonight but I will first thing in the morning.

If you want to discuss it more great.

If you want to tell me what you want to do that's great as well, If you post in game I will follow your lead.

a heads up, Valda is kind and caring, but she won't suffer fools, she emulates her god, so if you want check out Andoletta

I'll have a post up soon-ish then of their travels on the road together. We can do some spoiler'd stuff so we don't eat up a lot of space on the gameplay boards themselves. I'll have a post up soonish.

I both apologize and not apologize for the length of the introductory post in Ravengro. I've just been really really excited to play in this campaign with you all and with this character <3

I both apologize and not apologize for the length of the introductory post in Ravengro. I've just been really really excited to play in this campaign with you all and with this character <3

No need to apologize, nothing wrong with setting tone and revealing information about the character in an interesting fashion.

So I forgot to give Valda languages, I think she gets ten besides common and aasimar. So I will work on that, obviously orc will be one of them. I'm thinking: abyssal. infernal, necril, sylvan, undercommon, protean, goblin, giant, dark folk. I'm thinking she wants to be able to interrogate possible enemies.

Anyone have a recommendations they think would be better? I normally don't play someone who has a lot of languages. I probably should do Draconic instead of something.

Goblin, Orcish, Dwarven, and Dark Folk/Caligni are the most immediately important non-human languages, but I think the party now has them all covered.

With such a literate character, though, I will have to find ways to incorporate additional languages.

I will be stacking languages like no one's business, since Linguistics is basically all of my social skills.

So does anyone speak Celestial? cause....curse....

We have two characters that speak sign language...

I do not believe Kain speaks celestial.

That said, I'd be surprised if our new... professor, doesn't haha.

Nikolai speaks Common, Elvish, Draconic, Dwarven, Orc, Goblin, Giant, Celestial, and Necril. He is currently studying the more fiendish tongues but they are a bit difficult to really get totally.

I do not believe Kain speaks celestial.

That said, I'd be surprised if our new... professor, doesn't haha.

You are quite right in that. I have us covered :)

I'm sorry guys, I've only read the first few pages of the thread. Kain, I thought in the beginning you were mounted on a horse, and not the griffin.

Are you now mounted on a horse or the griffin.

I'm just trying to picture it in my head.

Oh, and don't take offense to the 'child' or 'boy' references. It's just her way. She really tries to take after 'grandmother crow' and feels like she's everone's older sister.

Part of her personality is like the Aes Sedai from WoT.

none taken, I figured it was something to do like, "a child of the faith" or the like.

And yes, I didn't gain the griffon until level 5, so for a good section of the game I was on a horse. As of now, he rides the griffon.

Yes, something like that, she spent her early years teaching children, little sister and such. I think that someone who serves a lawful good deity called "grandmother crow" would see folks they care for that way.

I picture her a little like Cadsuane from WoT

Cool, thanks! I thought you were mounted on the griffon, but I wanted to make sure :)

Hey DM Vayelan, just curious on what kind of posting rate do you want to push for?

I'm willing to move things along a little. I wasn't sure if I should follow Kain to the countess and comment on the orc discussion or if I should wait until Valeska (or anyone else) speaks to us.

Just wasn't sure how hard I should push. I can post several times a day but I don't want to try and push things beyond a comfortable rate for everyone.

Hey DM Vayelan, just curious on what kind of posting rate do you want to push for?

I'm willing to move things along a little. I wasn't sure if I should follow Kain to the countess and comment on the orc discussion or if I should wait until Valeska (or anyone else) speaks to us.

Just wasn't sure how hard I should push. I can post several times a day but I don't want to try and push things beyond a comfortable rate for everyone.

For myself, I aim to post once a day at least.

Regarding players' posting rate...that's harder to say. With most folks' circumstances in turmoil, I understand that it's hard to adhere to a set posting schedule - especially a rigorous one.

However, I would like to see the rest of our group weigh in, too, to see what everyone's comfortable with.

Welcome aboard ALL THREE!

Once a day is awesome, if we hit a sweet cadence. But honestly, that's an ideal.

It looks like if everyone could post once every 1-2 days and not mind being directed or nominally botted, we could keep a decent rhythm.

I'm guilty of getting busy and not checking in as often as I should. But, I can improve.

Also, I find is someone is trying to sneak a moment and catch up and post... if they encounter a wall of several lengthy posts (although enjoyable to read - no doubt)... they could be dissuaded.

They may not have the time to digest what's happening and be left feeling their own post should be just as lengthy... and since there is no time to execute on that... skip it all together. It's happened to me in a few games.

I generally try to go for once a day minimum and once on the weekends. I know that this last year has been tumultuous and these recent weeks have been even moreso so delays will happen.

I'm US East Coast time.

How about everyone else?

I'm US East Coast time.

How about everyone else?

I am also on the U.S. East Coast.

I am in Texas so I am on CST. I'm just an hour behind you two.

Also, I find is someone is trying to sneak a moment and catch up and post... if they encounter a wall of several lengthy posts (although enjoyable to read - no doubt)... they could be dissuaded.

They may not have the time to digest what's happening and be left feeling their own post should be just as lengthy... and since there is no time to execute on that... skip it all together. It's happened to me in a few games.

Is there something we can do to help you identify what's important to read or not? There are several games where I use OOC to highlight who I'm talking to.

And Please, don't feel obligated to write as much.

I'm east coast. My posting times have changed. When I played last with DM Vayelan I was working a job on third shift, posting mostly then and checking a couple three times the rest of the day. Now I stay home and take care of my mom who has dementia and the house stuff. I post the most between 7 am and 5 pm, and check again around 9 pm. I say that sitting her at 6:45, so obviously that's not a set rule.

Unless I have an appointment or something to do like the grocery store I check the boards at least every hour ... I just realized how sad that makes me sound, but we're going to blame covid right :)

EST US, at this time, my posting is... unscheduled. As I'm working a sling shift of sorts. But, usually I am free and able to post later at night.

Like Valda said, no one should be obligated to try and measure up to lengths of posts. My own vary in size and importance depending on the situation and inspiration.

I'm CST and check the boards daily almost always, but I don't force a post just for the sake of it. I try to have something worthwhile to say but 1/day is good with me :)

Oy... I opened my big mouth.

I'm not discouraging writing (was an English, Creative Writing major). I love it.

Nor am I discouraging daily posts, love them too!

Losing folks because of RL situations or disinterest is not the greatest but happens.

I would like our collective to be sensitive enough not to lose anyone (current or future players) because the pace/volume is overwhelming.

Perhaps I'm too sensitive to the effect on others. But, it's how I roll (and rule, in-game)!

Servant leadership and all that jazz.

I'll post again once Valeyan chimes back in. I'm hoping the knowledge rolls will play in well.

I'll post again once Valeyan chimes back in. I'm hoping the knowledge rolls will play in well.

With those rolls, you know everything! :)

I'm working on a post to document the results of the Knowledge and Lore rolls.
It is a lot of information, but I will try to have it ready soon.

No worries dude, I apologize ahead of time for all the info dumps :D

No worries dude, I apologize ahead of time for all the info dumps :D

Hehehe... I'm low maintenance, hardly a knowledge skill :)

So I forgot to give Valda languages, I think she gets ten besides common and aasimar. So I will work on that, obviously orc will be one of them. I'm thinking: abyssal. infernal, necril, sylvan, undercommon, protean, goblin, giant, dark folk. I'm thinking she wants to be able to interrogate possible enemies.

Anyone have a recommendations they think would be better? I normally don't play someone who has a lot of languages. I probably should do Draconic instead of something.

ll right decided to replace protean with draconic.

I think we've exceeded the posting rate limit!

The RP is fun.

I'm assuming between volleys, each side takes a little time to digest and consider a response so that our actions fit within those volleys.

The roleplay is my favorite part of play-by-post. You sacrifice the speed of IRL playing but gain all the meaty character development. I have really enjoyed all the characters in this campaign when I perused it and the newcomers are all great too. We're going to be a hell of a ride for Ustalav.

I need to finish reading more about the characters

RP rules!

Speaking of Languages... Valeska has "Common, Gnome, Hallit, Kelish, Sylvan, Undercommon, Varisian" The regional dialects are because of the merchant background.

Does Hallit = Common?

If so, I'd like to replace it with Aklo (evil fey) as a counterpoint to Sylvan (fey) because she's a First Worlder.

To Valda, What sort of vulnerability would that be...

I don't know if your familiar with life link, it permits the caster to take damage for the character, as a paladin Valda will be able to heal herself as a 'swift' action, saving the need for standard action to heal someone, It will be one of her primary ways to help people. She also has a clw wand, the spell, channel and LoH, but like I said, the life link will help action economy.

her motivation for being here was she had a dream from her god to keep the countess alive...

I think on this continent Taldane is considered 'common' I was thinking about taking 'varisian' since the people who originally settled in Ustalav were varisian

Speaking of Languages... Valeska has "Common, Gnome, Hallit, Kelish, Sylvan, Undercommon, Varisian" The regional dialects are because of the merchant background.

Does Hallit = Common?

If so, I'd like to replace it with Aklo (evil fey) as a counterpoint to Sylvan (fey) because she's a First Worlder.

Valda is correct: across Avistan, "Common" refers to Taldane. (As opposed to in Tian Xia, where Tien is considered "Common").

Hallit is a separate language spoken by the Kellid people, so it is more prevalent in northeastern Avistan (Brevoy, Galt, River Kingdoms, Numeria, Mendev, et al.)

Valeska Talanova wrote:

To Valda, What sort of vulnerability would that be...

I don't know if your familiar with life link, it permits the caster to take damage for the character, as a paladin Valda will be able to heal herself as a 'swift' action, saving the need for standard action to heal someone, It will be one of her primary ways to help people. She also has a clw wand, the spell, channel and LoH, but like I said, the life link will help action economy.

her motivation for being here was she had a dream from her god to keep the countess alive...

She means that vulnerability as a show of trust is part of the gesture. And the faith that it will yield some relationship based on trust.

If she goes in magicked up and protected... It is not be an honest act, not trusting and therefore not trustworthy. Vulnerability is part of the negotiation, risk, sacrifice.

Just to be clear, Fire Dancer was intended for Bashuk. As the flames lick up and down her arms, etc...

GM, before I begin shouting out lore and stats about the dark folk that I know about, is there anything I shouldn't know? I'll be good and not mention anything you think my roll doesn't give me <3

Just to be clear, Fire Dancer was intended for Bashuk. As the flames lick up and down her arms, etc...

Thank you for the clarification. However, I still like the idea of Firehair mistakenly believing you meant her.

GM, before I begin shouting out lore and stats about the dark folk that I know about, is there anything I shouldn't know? I'll be good and not mention anything you think my roll doesn't give me <3

Beyond what I included in the spoiler, the only information that your roll would not have made you privy to would be in regards to the Dark Folk/Caligni's religion and society, as described in those sections on their PathfinderWiki page.

Your rolls also would not have provided the exact name of the Azlanti settlement they descend from, or their relationship with the Forsaken and the Cradles of Night.

Hey Vayelan! I was wondering how you wanted to do traps and trapfinding? Do you just want to make secret rolls when I'm scouting/looking around? Do I have to always declare first?

I just want to know so we're on the same page together :)

Hey Vayelan! I was wondering how you wanted to do traps and trapfinding? Do you just want to make secret rolls when I'm scouting/looking around? Do I have to always declare first?

I just want to know so we're on the same page together :)

Excellent question!

For expediency's sake, I can make secret rolls for you based on the assumption that you remain cautious and look for traps and other dangers while scouting.

I would appreciate it. I'll let try to warn you if I have anything that gives me buffs or whatnot to detecting traps and such. I know that Tears to Wine helps since Empiricist makes my Perception based on Intelligence rather than Wisdom. That's where that +2 is coming from <3

Sorry folks, catching up on the AM.

I's cool Valeska, thanks for the heads up!