Vexas sets the wheels to 7 – 3 - 5 and presses the button. A secret compartment opens where the riddle was engraved. Inside the compartment is another carved inscription.
Another clarification: the inscription is a permanent part of the compartment, or is removable? I ask because Vexas wants to leave a fake note behind for the kids and take the real one. If not, he can still try that later. :)
Vexas sets the wheels to 7 – 3 - 5 and presses the button. A secret compartment opens where the riddle was engraved. Inside the compartment is another carved inscription.Another clarification: the inscription is a permanent part of the compartment, or is removable? I ask because Vexas wants to leave a fake note behind for the kids and take the real one. If not, he can still try that later. :)
It is permanently carved into the wood. So sneaky, Vexas. :)
Take care and stay safe.
We're in for the long haul, I guess. Probably a few weeks, maybe more.
I'm sure everyone who can post will do, and those who are too busy will be excused
Family and loved ones first. Cats too. Fluffy rabbits for those who like them.
Dogs are optional. ^^
What about ferrets and Geckos and Agamids because I have those :P
Bless all creatures
furry and scaly
slimy and quilly
@Vexas - feel free to retro actions if you want to do anything with the baluster.
@Nymbleth - I was attempting to get you in Malakar and Merrek's story arc, would you prefer Vexas's treasure hunt?
Sorry, I missed that. M&M’s arc is fine.
I'll wait until tomorrow to post the contents of the library just in case others would like to catch up with Vexas.
Vexas, remember that along with the note leading you, potentially, to the library, you also gained a small octagonal key.
Right-o, looking for a key-hole.
Vexas, I had to rethink a puzzle that did not come across right in a PBP. Still working on it but need to get some sleep. Will get there tomorrow after work.
No worries, and no hurry!
Since I started with play-by-post I have really started to enjoy a slower gameso despite this being an AP that I have interest in I am happy to spend all this pre-game(?) time to actually develop a personality for my character and get to know some npcs more than just a name and a job.
The Iron Gods PbP I started on January 11th and is still on the first 24 hours of the adventure because of the amount of RP we are doing.
It has been fun to see these characters grow and have NPC's interact with them. I have definitely had a chance to develop some NPC's more than I would if this was a TT game.
Creating these preludes also allowed me to get more familiar with the setting and everyone's gaming style.
By the time we're done, I'll be retired.
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It has been fun to see these characters grow and have NPC's interact with them. I have definitely had a chance to develop some NPC's more than I would if this was a TT game.
Creating these preludes also allowed me to get more familiar with the setting and everyone's gaming style.
By the time we're done, I'll be retired.
Than you will have time for more games!
Oh I suppose I never gave a personal status update on my situation in these crazy times we are living.
My work was closed as a non-essential retail do to order of NJ's Governor but we have decided to re-open with limited hours and days as curbside only allowing no customers into the store so I am only down a week of pay which I should get back from unemployment shortly.
My only real problem during this whole crisis is that the local pet shop I usually get feeder insects for my lizards from is closed as the owner is in his 70's and doesn't want to risk his health, so I have to pay four times more at the big box stores.
Local store crickets any size 25 to a dollar my normal weekly purchase $8+tax
PetCo and PetSmart 0.11 PER INSECT same amount of bugs $22+tax.
I can do online delivery but I have to get a much larger quantity to make the shipping to guarantee live delivery work out to similar per bug costs as my local shop.
Sorry to hear your plight Malakar. It is amazing how much we go through for our pets.
With all that is going on, I fear my grocer won't have the greens that our new little 'Princess Bunny' finds delicious. If I am late with dinner, she lets me know it.
I hope your pet store can open back up soon.
If you don't mind me asking, what part of Jersey are you from? I'm near the central Jersey/Pennsylvania border. I actually work in Phillipsburg, NJ.
Currently live in Blackwood and Work in Turnersville same zip code different county because of weird gerrymandering I am sure. I live very close to camden county college if that gives you a better picture tho. So less than 20 mins(maybe 45 in non shutdown rush hour) from Philly depending on traffic.
I am from Clayton but spent most of my formative years in North Jersey in Bloomfield and moved back south do to family issues. So I am a weird mish mash of South New Yorker and East Philadelphian as some people like to call the two parts of Jersey lol.
I live on the other side of the pond (aka, the Atlantic Ocean) in the Netherlands and from what I gather we're not hit that badly compared to other countries. It's still bad but many places have it worse.
Personally it's a mixed big. I work in IT so working from home is easy. On the other hand some in my family belong to the groups that are at greater risk (immunocompromised and lung patients) so that's something I do worry about. They're all healthy (barring preexisting conditions) so it's still fine.
@Malakar: We're only about 1.5 hours from each other. Do you go to any conventions in Philly?
@Merrek: Safe tidings to you and your family across the 'pond'.
@Malakar: We're only about 1.5 hours from each other. Do you go to any conventions in Philly?
@Merrek: Safe tidings to you and your family across the 'pond'.
I have never been a convention guy but I have considered going to wizard world a few times. And I went to the east coast reptile show at oaks.
@Merrek My sister and her fiance are living in the Netherlands currently. Her fiance is on contract for the us military and stationed there for the next few years. They are actually getting married there in may. I can't make it do to money issues but small world.
Waiting to hear back from the rest of the dive team before I move forward with what is happening below and above deck.
I guess I am also doing an interest check.
Are folks busy right now or just losing interest? Seems like there is less posting as a group. Maybe its me and I am going crazy with this Shelter-In-Place Order.
The AP will be the very next thing we will get to, but I would ask that everyone check in, if I have not heard from you in a few days.
I could also skip this scenario if everyone wants to bounce to the AP.
Kowal, I know we PM'd each other and you are happy to wait until the AP begins. Could you check in for this last scenario so I know you are following along?
Thanks and let me know if you all would like to see less of these side rping scenarios. I want this to be a fun game for everybody, but it is also more fun when everybody participates.
I'm good with whatever. I understand that since others weren't attached to Vexas' sidequest that it might just be noise for others (though I'm enjoying it!).
I'm good with whatever. I understand that since others weren't attached to Vexas' sidequest that it might just be noise for others (though I'm enjoying it!).
You're almost at the treasure. Don't give up now. I appreciate all of your participation. I really enjoyed creating this 'Escape Room' scenario.
I'm just kinda hanging out. Ready to start the AP whenever you are!
I'm good with whatever. I understand that since others weren't attached to Vexas' sidequest that it might just be noise for others (though I'm enjoying it!).You're almost at the treasure. Don't give up now. I appreciate all of your participation. I really enjoyed creating this 'Escape Room' scenario.
Oh, no, don't get me wrong. I'm not at all giving up on it. :)
Honestly, this side quest has gone on a bit long considering that it is all centered on one PC. I don't mind waiting while it wraps up, though.
I imagine the AP has tons of story and plot such that you do not need to add a lot more. Especially not single-PC side quests for eight PCs. That sounds like an impossible task.
I am in a Kingmaker game that has taken five years to get through one book - not for lack of posting frequency, but just due to a lot of meandering side quests that seem unrelated to the overarching story. It can be a bit frustrating. I am also in a War for the Crown that is halfway through Book 3 after 2 years. And a Strange Aeons in Book 3 after 3 years (and 3 GMs; now on a faster pace). Those APs have good stories and I am glad we have gotten to experience them. A pace of 6-8 months per book is about what I think is good as a target. Tastes vary.
Oooh! Strange Aeons! How is it? I've always wanted to play it but both the PbP's I got into fell apart immediately.
I wouldn't mind glossing over the underwater encounter at some speed.
I have been a bit distracted by a combination of weirdness at work and some bad news in the family (all complicated by, but not caused by Corona)
Now that the treasure hunt is out of the way, maybe Vexas can make better friends with some of the PCs using aged rum :)
Oooh! Strange Aeons! How is it? I've always wanted to play it but both the PbP's I got into fell apart immediately.
Strange Aeons is really good with the right group and GM. I am very fortunate to be in the game that I'm in. We are on our third GM who seems very committed to see it through, and are moving at a good clip.
I did have a "side quest" that focused on my PC that I think made for a fantastic story, but everybody got to help. His soul was infested with an entity from the Dark Tapestry. This was a recurring plot point in the background for 2 years, with comments from the thing at various times, but the actual exorcism ritual and combat with the entity took maybe 3 days of PbP.
Horror games do require somewhat different PC attitudes than a standard game and I think there are some good tips on this in the Players' Guide and various Horror Adventures books (both PF and 3.5). For example, "I've seen lots of weird stuff and it's no big deal" is not really helping the atmosphere. But freaking out over everything would also get tiresome.
The first book is brutally tough, as it should be. I know it is possible to over-optimize such that it would be a cakewalk, and am glad we didn't have that happen. The first group I was in, which fell apart after the first encounter, would have had that problem due to a super-optimized synthesist summoner.
Anyway, really enjoying it. I may look to run it someday.
I have played book one of Strange Aeons and liked it but the GM decided that he would make all the characters to build on the amnesia thing which made some people not be invested. So to make the game move me playing a witch just acted as a taskmaster and tactician which meant we actually cleared book 1 in 2 4 hour sessions.
Thank you for indulging me with my little RP scenarios. It did allow me to cultivate some NPC's that might be useful throughout the AP.
Now for the good stuff:
I'll get a post out in a day or two.
In the interim, I have not heard from Nymbleth in a few days. Mr. H. can you issue a post confirming you are still with us and interested in the game?
Also, Kowal expressed he would wait until the AP began to start involving himself. Kowal, can you also issue a post, so I know you have been following along and still interested?
This will help tell me how I need to adjust any encounters coming up.
Thanks and Cheers!
I'll get a final prelude post up this evening. I'm kinda low on gas right now.
I'll get a final prelude post up this evening. I'm kinda low on gas right now.
no worries. get some rest
My plan is to work on the first actual AP post tonight.
Looks like we might be one player short. I PM'd Mr. Hebeme a few days ago and have not heard back. I am hoping we hear from Mr. H. and Nymbleth, I really enjoyed that character.
Is anybody in any other games with him?
Since it has been a few months since we started this game, I am rereading Book 1 for a refresher. And there are a few suggestions. Below is one such suggestion:
Since the PC's start on a remote island with limited resources, it is suggested that I ask you to make a list of items your characters would like as they advance in level. I then may take some/all of these items and add them to the story.
Some of you have already reached out to me about certain items.
Feel free to think about it and PM or spoiler me when you think of items.
Sorry folks, no Flagon of Perpetual Pour :)
I have indeed already PM'd you recently and before character creation but just in case so you can make a consolidated list.
A magic necklace(read belt) for Razor to be able to move and breath on land so he doesn't have to sit out parts of the adventure aren't under water eventually.
Also if no one in the party is planning on taking crafting feats it might not be a bad idea to have an npc or cohort that is willing to do so for the party.
We have a large party so maybe we don't need any gimmies but it may not be a bad idea to let Nymbleth have Brew Potion as a bonus feat since his archetype gets rid of it that way he can dump his unused extracts into hand outs for the party especially the ones with out swim speeds.
Also for Nymbleth and Korwal it would be nice if they during downtime could do spell research to learn more than just level up extracts and spells since I assume there won't be a town for them to buy scrolls from to copy from.
For the Ranger, Rogue and fighter is may be nice to allow them access to the combat stamina system so they don't fall behind casters at higher level. But this may not be needed since the party is so big.
What Vexas really wants is that shinny pile of treasure and rum, buuuut for the practical purposes of surviving (I assume these will come *very* slowly):
mithril shirt, and then enhancement upgrades to that
ehancement upgrades to mwk rapier
handy haversack
any wonderous item that enhances his stealth, thieving or conniving.
We have a large party so maybe we don't need any gimmies but it may not be a bad idea to let Nymbleth have Brew Potion as a bonus feat since his archetype gets rid of it that way he can dump his unused extracts into hand outs for the party especially the ones with out swim speeds.
I think the Infusion discovery is better in many ways than Brew Potion since it costs nothing (other than daily extract slots), has no spell level limit, and can be used to share Personal-only spells (like True Strike or Shield) which Brew Potion can't do. But let's see if Nymbleth is still with us and what he want to do.
For the Ranger, Rogue and fighter is may be nice to allow them access to the combat stamina system so they don't fall behind casters at higher level. But this may not be needed since the party is so big.
Honestly, if the casters are reasonable and not over-optimizing, I think it will be fine. I am pretty confident that Brannart will be a solid contributor into the high levels, with things like Advanced Weapon Training and Advanced Armor Training. If I am wrong and it becomes a problem, happy to make an adjustment at that point.
Infusion is pretty much mandatory for Alchemists. That said, Brew potion is nice at low levels when giving up slots can be a burden. Of course it's also hard to afford to brew potions at low levels so it's something of a catch-22.
I'll get a list together but I doubt it will be long. Bards aren't finicky about magic items needed so her needs will be of the meat and potatoes kind.
One exception I know of right away:
It will be a while before she can use the ability, but Fenna will be able to cast spells for scrolls and spell books without consuming them. Doing so just uses one of her X / per day spell slots of the appropriate level.
She'll want her own spell book at some point. Scrolls will be excellent finds for her since hoarding them will her ability all the more versatile.
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I am going to move forward assuming that Nymbleth will not join you on your adventures on the island. My plan will be to use him along with Alba as they set up shop for your alchemy needs. Alba is designed to help you during the AP, and this is why I wanted to develop a relationship early on. This will also give Nymbleth a 'Back-in' if we hear from Mr. H.
(I truly hope everything is all right with Mr. H., and I want him know that he is welcome back anytime, no questions asked.)
Thank you for giving me some ideas of things you would like. With this type of format (the PBP), I think what I can offer up as a motivator is the more you put into your posts, the more treats you will get.
Cheers!
I am going to leave Ramona's proposal up through Monday. I want everyone who is interested in going to the island to respond to her. If I hear back from everyone before Monday, I will continue earlier. Thank you to everyone whom already responded.
I want to make sure all players are following along and 'all in'.
This will also give me time to refresh my memory on my notes and get a map together for you all.
When the map comes out, each location has an alpha-numeric code. So things are not slowed down, my plan is to have you investigate each location in order of the code. (ie: A1, A2, A3 etc ...) Instead of one pc saying let's go here while another says let's go there. Unless you are splitting up which could make things interesting.
Another suggestion would be to pick a leader to decide where to go first / next and that's where you go.
I am open to other suggestions and options to keep things moving and not get bogged down.
Cheers!
I added a map of Talmandor's Bounty to the 'Battle Grids' Sheet. Let me know if you are having trouble viewing it.
Cheers! and Happy Easter for those that celebrate.
It gave a “you need permission to view” error so I sent a request
It gave a “you need permission to view” error so I sent a request
You should have access now.
The map works fine for me.
It’s working now
At this point, I will assume that Merrek is out, and we now have a party of six.
If Merrek can post before I post tomorrow, I will assume he is in the water with Malakar.
I am thinking this is more than fair.
Thank you all for making this very enjoyable. Finally, Talmandor's Bounty!
I've sent a request to access the battle map. I'll hold my post until I can see it.
same