Heroes of Lastwall (Inactive)

Game Master Tilnar

LOL<
Ok, I'm chastised.

To be honest, I didnt even think about detecting magic, I figured I would see if it was a magical construct,...Like a magic circle,.............

,... which would be much easier with detect magic,......

>_<

Yeah. I'ma go mow the yard now,.... ;P

EDIT- Playing a dummy is easy. Playing a genius is HARD. It's not like I have any experience in that or anything! :P

Also, since I'm droning on about stuff, I should also mention in a big believer in the take-10 and take-20 mechanics (in fact, many of my non-alias posts from back in the day are about that very thing...). And that, as per the skill rules, a 1 isn't auto-failure and 20 isn't auto-success.

This relieves me to hear — for some reason I had you pegged as one of them "possibly hates Take 10 for no conceivable reason" DMs.

Just as a side note about my Gaming style - I believe heavily in player agency, and so I don't assume people do things (even obvious ones) unless they tell me so (*cough* like detecting magic when wondering about potential enchantments *cough*).

I'm glad to hear that, as I prefer it. If we don't think about something, that's on us!

As she has the Deaf curse, Xia is likely to cast spells like Detect Magic with a fair amount of frequency since she can cast everything as though modified by the Silent Metamagic Feat - in other words, a few hand motions and nobody knows she is casting a spell.

I do not think that I recorded it, but Xia spent 110gpld for a combat trained light horse.

Question : Would people prefer I make knowledge rolls on your behalf as we go, or let you decide what you'd like to know more about and ask your questions of Knowledge-pedia and make your own rolls.

I've seen it done both ways - I imagine the preference may come down to whether you think a knowledge check is just a way of figuring out whetherf you know some bit of knowledge, or the result of spending a moment to, as I said, wrack your brain and think hard on everything you might ever have learned even that could be tangentially related to the subject at hand.

Anyhow, let me know, and I'll implement going forward.

Relatedly, I thought you guys might want to figure out who and how you'll be appraising stuff - and whether you want to make those rolls or have me do it.

I'm OK either way.

For speed purposes, if you want to roll for a K: skill when we get a 'good look' at something, go for it!

If we ask an intelligent question (Rarely in my case, but it can happen) then you can say "oh, well roll a K:(skill) and I'll tell you what you remember".

Either way is good for nudging us suppossed geniuses in the right direction when the players are lost and/or confused. (Both states I reside in frequently. Recently.) ;P

In general, I really, really like player agency rather than GM gimmes. The game is as much a giant, fun puzzle as it is role play for me. In the case of a brain dump like the results of our area survey, I'd prefer you give us a day or so to digest it, ask questions, RP the discussion, and do any knowledge checks. This helps me understand the game world better and be more involved in the plot, immersed in the game, etc.

OTOH, because we're not from this world and we often don't have the actual INT/WIS scores of our characters, if you feel we've missed something our character would have gotten, you could ask for a general stat check.

For example, while Treppa is staring at this radiant magical dust in befuddlement, if you call for Sahar's WIS check WIS: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18, it might be enough for the GM to gently remind the player to read the freaking house rules about magic and magical material and so point the way with a small brickbat upside the head. However, if that check turned out to be a 4, Sahar may have been distracted by a bird or a boil on her butt and not even thought about the issue.

Also, if we have someone with a critical K(whatever) who is not currently posting, can we or you roll a check for them?

So that's my preference, but I'm a total puzzle freak.

So, weird funny story: I've been using Google Translate from English to Arabic to come up with Qadiran names or terms for Sahar.

Now when I open GoDaddy for work, Arabic is the first language listed, and it is routing me to the Arabic support center in the Middle East. I chatted with Yusuf about DNS redirects last week. >_<

They're watching us. They're always watching us...

That is funny.

And creepy.

Friend of mine told me that he once, ONCE mind you, mentioned a certain thing that he never ever talks about, because his friend brought it up. They were out and about, so no computers, only cell phones.

The next day, on his COMPUTER, all of the default adds on whatever page he goes to are about that thing. That he mentioned once. In a car with his friend.

'OH your privacy is very secure! trust us!'

(My wrinkled old wizzie @r$e) >_<

So that's my preference, but I'm a total puzzle freak.

Hey, I want everyone to have fun! (I only WRITE like it's all about me!) ;P

Personally, I dont' enjoy puzzles. Much. Mainly because I suck at them :P

I mean, I enjoy TRYING to enjoy puzzles,. Sometimes trying to find the hidden clue in sherlockian style is fun. (It IS fun, when you manage to figure it out)

But the old 1st edition (D&D, not PF) 3rd party dungeons/adventures, where if the PLAYERS (not the PC's) couldn't solve the ridiculously abstract puzzle, you might as well pack it in for the evening, because you couldn't continue the adventure?
Nope, no thank you. ;P

Now, I agree with Treppa, I'm all about 'keep the ball rolling', because it IS easy to get bogged down in PbP, but as she said, having some 'page time' to Rp it out and chat about it is good, because just like sitting around the table we might be able to jog each other (player and PC) into figuring it out.

Buuuutu, if (and when) we go completely off track, or just misunderstood something terribly backwards, a tiny, little friendly whack to the head with the GM 'CLUEBAT'(TM) goes along way too! :)

SHORT answer (TO LATE!) I'm for whatever makes everyone happy. And keeps the fun rolling.
If I'm playing a 'genius' INT pc, and I'm not being very genius (Hey, I have LOT going on in RL right now!) ;P
Then please, have mercy on the poor, beleaguered PC who has to put up with his imbecilic player, and toss me a bone? :)

(Is it sad that I'm laughing at myself as I write this? Is this normal? Please tell me this is normal.) >_<

It's normal, Rags. As they say...

Blessed is he who can laugh at himself, for he shall never cease to be amused.

I'll agree with Treppa's post — in general, I don't mind the DM rolling applicable skills for anything "passive", like "Fiona, you happen to be aware that orcs with swords are really scary when they're alive or undead", but also don't mind rolling it m'self (even unasked-for sometimes). I think there's a healthy balance.

It's normal, Rags. As they say...

They wrote:

Blessed is he who can laugh at himself, for he shall never cease to be amused.

I'll agree with Treppa's post — in general, I don't mind the DM rolling applicable skills for anything "passive", like "Fiona, you happen to be aware that orcs with swords are really scary when they're alive or undead", but also don't mind rolling it m'self (even unasked-for sometimes). I think there's a healthy balance.

LOL, THAT saying explains a lot about me, I think. :)

Yep. Agreed.
Thank you all for summing it up MUCH more succinctly than I can. :P

So just to summarize - the general lean (so far) is to give you guys the gimmies but let you think about (and roll yourselves) the more complex things -- with the occasional... nudge... reflecting things your characters know that you don't (or have forgotten) as needed, as a result of an intelligence or wisdom check.

That sound about right? And if so, is everyone more or less ok with that? (I'll remind folks, too, that getting such a flash of insight is one of the possible uses of hero points - another reason I like the system)

I think thats right.(?)
That gives us (players) a clue when we're about to walk past something that our PC's would be screaming about, and still gives us 'control' over dealing with the big things once we find them. Puzzles and all! ;)

So, NOW I'm going to have to go and research the hero points because I thought they were just for combat (?!)

:)

It's an acorn scaled up by a factor of 12 in each direction, so assuming it's still the same density, it'll be 1,728 times the weight of a standard acorn. A large acorn is about a half-ounce, so 864 ounces or 54 pounds.

I updated the loot spreadsheet with the Orc Grove items and distributed the weight across the pack beasts. They are still at light load, the brawny bovines, so we'll have room for Merlan's Magical Nut.

I updated the loot spreadsheet with the Orc Grove items and distributed the weight across the pack beasts. They are still at light load, the brawny bovines, so we'll have room for Merlan's Magical Nut.

So it has been named, so mote it be known forever, as "Merlan's Magical Nut"! ;P

Treppa - the values for all the items are listed in a spoiler in the gameplay thread -- I suppose some of those 20s can be taken on appraise while Merlan's playing in the dirt.

Also:

- the hide-covered shield is a heavy wooden shield, with a built-up section over which hides have been pulled tight allowing it to be used as a drum. It weighs 12 pounds, and per the appraisal, is worth 24 gp.

- And I should have been clearer - the darkleaf lamellar isn't a cuirass - it's a full coat (i.e. - AC 4, 12.5 lbs, 810gp).

Darkleaf, isnt that one of the good materials? weighs less, reduced magic fail, etc?

Oh, look at the GM being all funny! ;)

That's "MR nut in the purple hat" to you sir! ;P

hehehe, :)

Treppa - the values for all the items are listed in a spoiler in the gameplay thread -- I suppose some of those 20s can be taken on appraise while Merlan's playing in the dirt.

Also:

- the hide-covered shield is a heavy wooden shield, with a built-up section over which hides have been pulled tight allowing it to be used as a drum. It weighs 12 pounds, and per the appraisal, is worth 24 gp.

- And I should have been clearer - the darkleaf lamellar isn't a cuirass - it's a full coat (i.e. - AC 4, 12.5 lbs, 810gp).

Thank you. I will update that tomorrow. The weight was a bigger concern to me right now, and I didn't want to assume I could go wandering through the spoilers willy-nilly. :)

Darkleaf, isnt that one of the good materials? weighs less, reduced magic fail, etc?

It is indeed. Think of it like mithral, but for leather and hides.

...and I just noted that because appraise had consequences for failure, it's not take 20-able.

So, we'll not worry about it for this one - but, the proposed system for handling this won't work in the future.

I should also add that the unholy symbol is damaged, but is likely sufficiently intact that you could get a bounty for it.

Well, Appraise IS on Merlan's skill list. (Along with survival and such he didn't bother with either) So I guess He'll be taking at least one point in it next level. Just to make sure we dont get bilked by dishonest traders, of course! ;P

Clarification/Summing Up stuff that might have gotten lost while Merlan plays with his... yeah, no, I won't finish that sentence.

So - from the corpses and tracking observations:

- It's clear than the 3 who left were a group of 4 that came into the clearing and efficiently cut down the 7 orcs that were here.

- The group of 7 might have been surprised, but they did all manage to fight back.. just not as well as the guys who came.

- In fact, the four seemed to fight in a precise, coopoerative fashion, rather than just racing forward for personal glory (as Gorum demands..)

- The attackers left the 7 where they fell - not even taking their coin -- although one of the surviving three went to each body and knelt beside it - including the one in the pit next to the acorn

- The attacking 4 lost one of their number in combat -- and they stripped him and may have cut off his hand, before putting him on a pyre -- using an oil rag below to ignite the wood and an oil-soaked blanket on top of the corpse -- and potentially used an alchemist's bomb to start the fire.

- Of the 7 'defenders', based on their gear, you're pretty sure that the one in the hole was a Scarred Witch Doctor, and the guy with the drum-shield was probably a War Drummer.

- Of the 4 'attackers', well, the dead guy had a bonded greatsword and an unholy symbol, and one of the others uses alchemical bombs.

Also, I'll add a bit of "gimmie" information from those who might know things...

Also, since I let you do it for the other objects, I should also mention the silver spigot you found on the witch is worth 250gp - and that the halfling, were he not quite so busy - would probably call out as a focus item to cast Lesser Cannibalize. Which, I believe, only leaves one thing you're not sure about.

Well, Appraise IS on Merlan's skill list. (Along with survival and such he didn't bother with either) So I guess He'll be taking at least one point in it next level. Just to make sure we dont get bilked by dishonest traders, of course! ;P

On the plus side, it's a background skill, so it's not painful to take -- also, and this is just a wild guess, but I'm imagining if he doesn't get crushed by an acorn or an orc, Merlan's going to have a few points available after an int bump at level 4 retroactively gives him an additional skill point for levels 1-3.

Ragadolf wrote:

Well, Appraise IS on Merlan's skill list. (Along with survival and such he didn't bother with either) So I guess He'll be taking at least one point in it next level. Just to make sure we dont get bilked by dishonest traders, of course! ;P

On the plus side, it's a background skill, so it's not painful to take -- also, and this is just a wild guess, but I'm imagining if he doesn't get crushed by an acorn or an orc, Merlan's going to have a few points available after an int bump at level 4 retroactively gives him an additional skill point for levels 1-3.

Heheh, Oh so true,... :)

Wait,... IF he doesn't,... ?!?! O_o

Tilnar wrote:

Ragadolf wrote:

Well, Appraise IS on Merlan's skill list. (Along with survival and such he didn't bother with either) So I guess He'll be taking at least one point in it next level. Just to make sure we dont get bilked by dishonest traders, of course! ;P

On the plus side, it's a background skill, so it's not painful to take -- also, and this is just a wild guess, but I'm imagining if he doesn't get crushed by an acorn or an orc, Merlan's going to have a few points available after an int bump at level 4 retroactively gives him an additional skill point for levels 1-3.

Heheh, Oh so true,... :)

Wait,... IF he doesn't,... ?!?! O_o

I'll just quote Panic: "If... If is good."

LOL! gotta luv Pain & Panic.

They have such a,... practical, way of looking at situations. :)

I have become Bones. >_<

LOL! ;P

Lucky, I happen to LIKE Bones! :)

EDIT- Oh wait, THAT was a Star Trek reference! :)
I thought you were referring to the TV show 'Bones'.

I'm good either way. I like both!

(And I originally responded before I read your In-game post, which made much more sense with the quote) ;P

I have become Bones. >_<

Does that make Merlan Spock or Jim?

Maybe Scotty? I think Fiona is Spock.

Chekhov? :P

Edit: Heeeeey, you ninja! Fiona has emotions!

Oooh, Chekhov - good one! Short, cheerful, etc.

And Spock has emotions, he just chooses not to use them.

Maybe Scotty? I think Fiona is Spock.

Look out, Rags. Treppa's putting you in a red shirt!

Sandy would also try mending on the nut, but since it's magical - it wouldn't work?

Treppa wrote:

Maybe Scotty? I think Fiona is Spock.

Look out, Rags. Treppa's putting you in a red shirt!

NO RED SHIRTS! Merlan will go SHIRTLESS before he wears one of THOSE!

(And you thought he had no fashion sense!) ;P

Here I thought this was a 'learn stuff' encounter. Now I've got to go and award experience. Yeesh.

:P

heheh,
New record, we 'derailed' the GM's plans in the FIRST ENCOUNTER!

WOOHOO!! ;)

We did something to earn experience? Other than arrive late (if we ever do arrive) in Rustknol?

LOL,

I think Til is hinting that we were 'just' supposed to learn about the nearness of the orcs, and the 'orc-hunter-orcs'. But we interacted with and tried to save the magical macguffin. (Results TBD) ;P

Sometimes, persistent (if possibly annoying, sorry bout that) RPing does pay off! :D

heheh,

New record, we 'derailed' the GM's plans in the FIRST ENCOUNTER!

WOOHOO!! ;)

Didn't I say I wanted to see how an annoy...er, clever, party reacted to the same plot? ;)

We did something to earn experience? Other than arrive late (if we ever do arrive) in Rustknol?

Well, potentially fixing the Heart of the Forest that was being periodically harvested by the Orcs seems to be worth at least as much as avoiding a pit trap, I'd think?

... of course, I'm already thinking of all the potential downstream effects of that -- should be fun.

I suppose the simplest of them is that, assuming it takes, there'll be a rather large amount of apples and pears around here (assuming anyone wants to climb up there to get them) in a few weeks (accelerated growth, after all).

Ah yes, purify food and drink. One of those spells nobody ever seems to take or think of. One of my favorites. Especially when I have silent spell, so I can cast it with my hands under the table.

Ah yes, purify food and drink. One of those spells nobody ever seems to take or think of. One of my favorites. Especially when I have silent spell, so I can cast it with my hands under the table.

It's actually far more useful than people give it credit for -- and not just because it lets you buy the day-old donuts. ;)

I always wondered if it would ruin blue cheese, or fermented foods, though.

Since you're rushing toward Rustknoll (probably carrying the halfling so he doesn't head toward the wall that may or may not have been where the orcs were headed).... I'll remind folks that they were going to need an hour of forced march or hustle to make it in a day due to the lack of road -- and that was before your your 2-hour picnic in the woods.

On the plus side, it's nearly summer so the days are long, and the mounts didn't do much while you let Merlan play in the dirt -- so you can still get there before sunset (you suspect) -- with maybe a wee bit of time to spare -- with just 2 hours of forced march (that's a total of 2, not 2 additional ones)... Of course, you can always hustle if you're looking for more of a margin to get there before twilight, maybe out of concern about needing to find it despite the map.

Anyhow - just want to know the plans so I know when you get ambushed on the --- er, how to handle the 30-second travel montage.