GM Kate's Extinction Curse [closed]

Game Master Kate Baker

I’m not overwhelmed! I think this is cool :) I was just playing a f2f module last night and I’m going out to a reading by one of my favorite authors (Carmen Maria Machado for anyone interested!)

Niksi would argue that the flow of a show should be similar to that of a narrative with a rising action, climax, and falling action. Start them off slow and easy (maybe the aviary act since it draws in the children with candy), then building to the explosive “big number” (something dramatic and memorable), then ease the audience off at the end, so maybe her act or Prism’s. I’m on the bus right now so can’t write up a full list effectively atm but I can do so later

I’m on the bus right now so can’t write up a full list effectively atm but I can do so later

Please put up the schedule when you have time. I'm flexible. I mean, I *have* to be flexible to fit in the cannon but will go along with your suggestions.

Schedule looks good to me. You can swap Mordain the Magician with Prism if you want.

Here's the short of what she is suggesting:
Act 1: The Opener
1. Axel's Amazing Aviary

Act 2: Build-up
2. The Flamboni Sisters
3. Feather-Fall Five

Act 3: Big Number
4. Prism's Quest for the Starstone

Acts 4: Finale
5. The Dwarven Throwers
6. Mukluk
7. Niksi

Hope she's not being too annoying! Still figuring her out a bit

Sounds good! If I see no objections by morning my time, I'll proceed with that schedule.

I'm happy with that.

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Also, I was trying to figure out how Niksi knew what the other acts were. I was so focused on the art, I didn't even notice the descriptions at the bottom of the cards!

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And lastly, I sent Kate my trick. My feeling is Rova has been practicing in secret and hasn't really shared the details with anyone. She's very excited -- though nervous -- to finally perform, which she's never done before.

I will update properly when I get home, but I wanted to post a link to this delightful bit of web fiction about some of the NPCs you’re interacting with right now! Link here.

Oh, that’s a good share. I want to know more about the rest of the yahoos.

Oh I love that! I feel even better about offering Axel the first spot; I'm a sucker for well-meaning but anxious characters :D

Also, your dice like Axel a lot more than Mordaine!

A 1 and then a 20 on the next post...my luck in a nutshell.

I’m assuming we are all checking in with each other, running back-and-forth as we get people organized, so relevant people can interject, as it helps keep us moving. If otherwise, she can go seek out Rova, as she has skill with animal handling and caring for them, and Niksi might know she has some knowledge of medicine

Yay, Axel!

And yes, I assume you're all running around backstage, talking to each other!

The snake situation is happening simultaneously with the Build-Up, so anyone who would like can go deal with it. (That is, you can resolve it before Prism goes on for the Big Act.)

I'm good with Perception for Initiative, I think.

I am assuming that Prism would either be at the end of her performance when this is happening or even just getting backstage so would not be aware of this event?

This is happening in between, so Prism has just come off-stage and can participate. You probably noticed them while you were performing.

I forgot about hero points! You each start with one, and they are listed on the first slide.

Tyranius, should I use the name Corkas or Prism in third-person omniscient voice?

Prism is fine since it is her stage name that most of the circus goes would probably call her.

I believe Niksi is retconning her third action to be Sending in the Clowns, which makes the total two successes. So Mukluk is up! Rova can definitely take care of Thkrull.

Gah! I’m up in a big way, but work is not being kind and won’t have time to finish this very important post until tonight. Sorry for the delay. As it is MM’s first trick post, I requires a bit more effort and thought.

It’s mostly done, but some changes have to be made.

Apologies for the delay.

All good! I'm excited to see what you have for us :D

Oh, and everyone RE: the retcon, in terms of our "game canon" I still picture Niksi as having a bit of a breakdown and crying, but it just being covered up by the entrance of the clowns. It's just a good character arc moment that I don't want to give up :3

Sometimes the dice have a story to tell! Sounds good.

So I had the guy attack the elephant since Thkrull was the biggest and scariest opponent, but given the reaction, I’d like to check in here about people’s comfort level with cruelty to animals. Is this somewhere that I should tread lightly? Feel free to contact me in private if anyone would prefer.

For me, I don’t have a problem with the attacks the elephant, which is an animal companion and I expect it to be a combatant in the future. It shouldn’t be in the front lines if it doesn’t want to get hit occasionally.

At the same time, I work in animal welfare and so random or needless violence against animals isn’t my favorite thing, but I do like fighting to stop it. And since I very much know it happens, I’m okay with confronting it head on.

No problem here with it here, it was just a funny mental image. You are getting beat down by all manner of people, instead of taking out some of the smaller, weaker you punch an elephant hehe. This is also coming from the guy who has never been in a fight with an elephant.

I'm with Corkas; it was also amusing that he actually almost DID take down the elephant.

At any rate, if I put Thkrull in the line of fire, he may get burned.

He's also a bit of a dick, it turns out. I hadn't expected that until I started writing him, but time may come when you all want him to get his comeuppance. :)

Does someone want to play treasurer? I'm happy to do so if no one else wants.

That said, I tend to have less elaborate sheets/division of spoils than some I've seen. I believe in folks having roughly equal amounts of treasure, but my usual policy is when we get loot, people claim what they want and then the rest is divvied up equally. I think as long as everyone is roughly in the same area, I don't mind if someone has a more valuable item since it's all for the betterment of us as a group...

(That said, I know another common route is to divine the full treasure equally and then people can claim items deducting that amount from their share of the total, and I'm fine with that too.)

Happy to have you be Treasurer, Rova, though I will have to insist that Thkrull go over your work to make sure you don’t forget to carry any 1s.

Yes, whatever we can do to mostly have equal distribution is fine. I’m not too picky.

The circus's money has to get reinvested in the circus, so that is a separate category from your individual payouts, which the Professor just brought around!

Sounds great Rova! The first option sounds like much less of a hassle, but I can work with whichever system.

I tend to also be pretty loose with party treasure, and I imagine Niksi would be too, considering how devoted she is to the community of the circus. I figure everything will balance out, especially with a smaller party with less roll overlap.

Yup, understood. I'll set up a spreadsheet ASAP.

Everyone receives a hero point for awesomely described circus performances from Prism, Niksi, and Mukluk, and Rova for taking care of various situations backstage!

I am at a con this weekend, so I will try to still post once a day, but I may slow down.

Mukluk gold:

..1.29 gp/sp leftover from start
+5.00 gp/sp first show
————-
.6.29 gp/sp to spend

I’ll try post today, but it may be tomorrow night, after the con.

Here is the loot sheet I set up. Right now anyone with the link can edit; if people want, I can narrow that down by just inviting you all.

I'm happy to make changes if people want. As mention, I tend to list treasures and then delete them when they're claimed (and presumably transferred to your character sheet/alias). I get confused when everyone's treasure is tracked throughout a campaign. :)

Second sheet has the circus' accounts. Not sure if I need to keep track of Anticipation Points and Excitement Points (I assume I'll keep track of Prestige)...

Looks fine to me. But if you need and want to expand, Rova, the one that Kyffin uses for our Strange Aeons game is a good base to build.

But whatevs, yo, fo’ sho mustard’s gone.

Thanks for your patience, everyone! The con was awesome, other than getting my first kill as a GM! :O

This won't be important until my next turn, but question:

Could Niksi have refocused during the hour we waited at the fire? I don't see why she wouldn't have if she had the chance to. If so, she will be trying to use lingering composition on her turn.

Yeah, for sure!

You may have noticed, but I tend to just give common magic items without making anyone roll because I find rolling to identify things like healing potions tiresome. I will ask for a roll on rarer or unique items.

I'd also like to houserule out the massive damage rule. Death is on the table by reaching Dying 4, but massive damage is just bad luck on one roll by a tough creature, and I think it results in rather unsatisfying character deaths narratively.

Sounds good. I've adapted a similar rule for identifying magic items, especially as players get up in level.

If something's cursed, I'll just roll secretly (and then inevitably completely forget about it down the road...)

Haha, looks like we are just posting over each other on that one. Prism will go whichever direction.

Okay, that's two votes for the woods and one for the Thunder's tent. Do we have a consensus?

I think the woods are our ultimate destination, but considering the wagon is a much smaller area, doesn't it make sense to look there first, guys?

Either way, I'm fine if next person to post decides for us.

Ahem. Uhm...uh, quoting from this PbP Guide I read this one time:

“Painlord's PbP Rule of Two: Designed to reduce dithering, this rule suggests that after one character has suggested an action (or course of action) and it is seconded, that's what the party does and the GM should go along those lines. The other players are still welcome to post other actions, but the GM may assume that the seconded action is where/what the party is going/doing. This helps keep momentum moving AND reduces the stress on the GM on knowing when to proceed. “

Seems like that should work here.

I go with a course of action once one person has suggested it and another person seconds unless someone else objects, but in this case we have an objection. With two to one, if there’s not a consensus by the time I get home today, I’ll go with the woods.

I’d normally agree with Rova, but I’m gonna go with the woods since that’s what the majority wants.

Three to one for woods it is. I’ll move you along this afternoon or evening.

Wait, I think I got confused on who wanted to go where. Maybe it was two for the wagon? I already started the woods encounter, and I promise it doesn't matter which order you do these in. Feel free to holler at me in future if I'm messing up what you want to do!

Also, I put Thkrull in there, but if he's not joining you in the woods, you can remove his icon and rearrange.