GM Anthorg's Rise of the Runelords - everyone's a cleric! - Table 2

Game Master Anthorg

GM, how do you feel about age. Do elves not leave their home until they are literally 112 or dwarves until they are 43? Talk about a failure to launch. But if so, I'll go with 43. If not, he is a tidy 20, unless you prefer him to be older.

Brand is pretty much like the alias pic though his hair is a bit redder. He has a serious demeanor most of the time which comes off as a scowl. He currently wears heavy armor (steel lamellar) and usually wears in anytime he is awake. Over the armor he wears a dark blue baldric trimmed in yellow with a Saranrae symbol on the chest. Sturdy leather boots completes his ensemble.

Elan is 90 but doesn't look it. He looks like a young human, early 20s. He is tall at 6' 8" and weighs 190 pounds. His skin is a light blue and his hair as dark as night. His eyes are a solid white, there is no pupil or iris like all Samsarians. He dresses in golden yellows with accents of blue. His silver holy symbol rests on his chest for all to see.

Brand could easily be young. He can be 20, no problem. Just think about his maturity as you play him. Do dwarves mature their minds as fast as humans? If slower, how mature should he be?

If Ribitta didn't look like she does (a wetter, deader Ophelia), she would be attractive, with a strong bone structure, firm jaw, full lips and arched poised brows. She looks pretty damn near Arazni, but minus the autopsy stitches, and add small bulging horns under her forehead, threatening to push through her skin. Her hair is greasy and unkempt, she has small patches of dry scales across her body, and she does not shave or groom any of her body hair. Most strikingly, her red, bloodshot eyes are unconnected, able to look in separate directions at will. She is 27.

I may have a hard time reacting appropriately to that appearance. But I'll do my best.

I think everyone would, haha, she has the Monstrous Mask feat for a reason.

Not immediately relevant but are we using the feat tax document? I recall it being discussed but I don't recall what the decision was

I actually don't remember discussing it. I stated in my opening recruitment text that I wasn't using it because I wanted to keep the game beginner friendly.

Yes, sorry, that's what I am remembering, thank you

My belief and understanding was that Mashaka and I were heading to see the sheriff with Brand and Elan on Elan's suggestion, since Elan pointed out there were two hours til the consecration. Are we no longer together?

I think it's just the two of us now, and they're somewhere else.

Well, they haven't posted, so I didn't make them go with you, but if any of them wants, they'll be there. Also, since they're boys, I made them think with their bellies first and mission second.

We questioned the goblins and then somebody said the sheriff was in a mood. Not wanting to deal with that, Brand headed to the ceremony. I thought we split off at that point with you two going in to mess with the sheriff as I and Elan headed to the cathedral.

I hate to bring this up, but a shield is a martial weapon (not both heavy and light shields are listed in the martial weapon list). Being proficient in wearing shields as armor does not give proficiency in using them as weapons. It doesn't mean you can't use them but they do suffer the -4 non-proficiency penalty unless you take the feat martial weapon shield.

I looked at the summary of Shield Proficiency which stated something different. I didn't think it did but thought it was a nice benny. It's still a 13 hit roll though, if it doesn't hit I'll adjust. But a scimitar is not the weapon to whack away at a skeleton with.

I need to get a warhammer and lug it around, Dwarves have proficiency there.

I made a bard for an all bard game based off of using longsword and shield and bashing. Somewhat late in that process I found out I was proficient in shield as a weapon.

Shield Proficiency (Combat)

You are trained in how to properly use a shield.

Benefit: When you use a shield (except a tower shield), the shield's armor check penalty only applies to Strength- and Dexterity-based skills.

Normal: When you are using a shield with which you are not proficient, you take the shield's armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all skill checks that involve moving.

Special: Barbarians, bards, clerics, druids, fighters, paladins, and rangers all automatically have Shield Proficiency as a bonus feat. They need not select it.

The penalty here is referring to the armor check penalty applying to an attack with your main weapon. If a character doesn't have shield proficiency and wears a shield and attacks with it's weapon the ACP applies to the attack with it's, let's say scimitar. That is why you will see wizards with mithral bucklers. The ACP is 0 so it doesn't effect anything they do and they can enchant it as well.

The penalty I was referring to above was the -4 for not being proficient in the weapon. You can pick up any weapon and use it, there is just a penalty to do so if you aren't proficient in it.

@Brand: Elan is right. If you wish to switch your attack to your scimitar, you can (and you'll hit).

I don't disagree, I just wanted to try and hit them with my shield. No worries.

I've put more pictures of the NPCs. Should help put some faces to those names.

If you guys want, I can FF to tomorrow. Elan and Brand are uncovering some truths with the guard, but the rest of the party can finish the day to move the story forward.

I know this part is a little bit slow, but it's supposed to be. It'll pick up soon enough.

Also, I've reached out to Tanwen and they don't seem to be logging in. Do you want to continue with 4, or try to recruit a fifth?

I am comfortable with the pace of things, and also with fastfowarding. I'll write up a post describing Ribitta's day winding down, and talking to Mashaka. I am also comfortable continuing with four or recruiting a new fifth.

Same. To be honest I think we’re fine with four. I hope you guys like how I’m portraying the slightly insane changeling :)

As long as you're having fun, I think it's going well! I can imagine you coming up with wacky-witty comebacks.

Good with four, at least for now. Pace is fine.

Brand, don't you want to react to the guard? No pressure.

I'm good with fast forwarding as well.

Hey sorry my Grandfather died Tuesday mornin, been a hard week, lots of funeral prep

Feel free to move on to the next scene without me but I'll post where/when I can

That's completely ok, Ribitta. Take your time with your family. We'll be here when you're ready.

I'm sorry for your loss. My own grandfather passed earlier this year (February) and it's still in recent memory. I hope his life was rich with good emotions and happiness, and most importantly, good people around him.

My condolences, God be with you.

Guys, we are officially past the point before which all the games where I've played RotR have died. I'm happy!

I think it should be Brand or Mashaka in front (or both), myself immediately behind, then Elan (or Elan beside me?), then the other high AC tank if they aren't both leading.

I think we're all ready to approach?

Sometimes everyone is ready and waiting for someone else to take the initiative.

That's literally how I would describe the dating scene as a lesbian in the American South.

You'll find someone :-)

God willing it will be Jesus.

With a 22 AC wouldn't they have only hit once for 1 pt? I would argue we should not be flat footed since we instigated the incident but even if we are, I have the +2 from Shield of faith which is where the 21 comes from...

@Brand: I actually gave this a great deal of thought on the goblin's turn. Whether or not you're flat-footed depends on whether or not your coming into the room is a surprise round. If so, then you've already acted in this combat and thus, are not flat-footed.

However, you all did a double-move, which cannot be done in a surprise round. Also, you made no attempt at stealth. So what happens is that both you and those three goblins were aware of each other when you came in. Then it was a basic initiative opposed check.

Please don't think I'm being biased against the group. It's actually a decision that is meant to drive some dramatic tension.

No, I was just confused on how I got hit three times. Even flat footed I have a 21 but without it i have a 19 so I thought perhaps you were counting us as flat footed but that 19 is without the +2 from shield of faith. With the spell I'm at 21. So I was just hoping I could avoid about 5 pts of damage which is significant at 1st level. :)

Oh, I'm so sorry! It's actually only 1 hit for 3 damage, then. I must have seen someone else's AC.

There was 1 19, and a crit threat, whose confirmation roll was also 19. That shield of faith prevented 3 damage on you, nice!

Excellent, thank you.

Hey guys! Got a bit of a rough couple days at work. Sorry for the lack of posting - it'll normalize by Monday. @GM, please feel free to bot me until then. Thanks guys and I'll be back soon :)

That's ok Mashaka. Hope everything turns out ok.

Hi team! I will be travelling for the upcoming days for work (yes, irk! In Covid times!) and should be back by Friday. I'll try to keep an eye here and update as possible, but don't let me hold the action if I slow down a little bit. Cheers!

Have a good trip! If you want Mashaka to be botted, give me some basics for the decision making, please.

Thanks mate. I will try to keep posting regardless, but to give an overall idea, she wouldn't step in that room unless someone else from our team was already there. She's a survivalist underneath her craziness, as you can see from her background, and will seek condition that are advantageous for her to fight. If they manage to lure the enemies out of the room or if there's space enough for her to step in together with someone else, then she'd move and attack with her weapon.

Ribitta, I've been thinking for a while about your action. On the one hand, I don't want to downplay your scary character. On the other hand, I don't want a social skill to trivialize combat encounters.

So this is what I'm going to do. Firstly, since the demoralize action is a standard action and can only target 1 enemy, I'll rule the same with your scare tactics. Secondly, the effect of ordering someone to surrender with a successful roll, instead of a plain demoralize action, is trivial when done over a minute (influence attitude action), but during combat will have various results. It will make sense given that character's motivations and desires, but it may seem like arbitrary from the outside.

Sounds fair?