I'm all for allowing you to approach aid another from different directions - one player's Diplomacy aided by Intimidate or Bluff from another (good cop vs bad cop act, or one person's heartfelt pleas accompanied by selective truths or small lies from another) as long as the situation makes it seem reasonable.
One thing I might add to the discussion... should rolls that do not matter whether they succeed or not be rewarded and/or penalized? It makes sense for us to search for traps, since this is the "trap" themed challenge, but if there are none to be found should even a Nat 20 on the perception checks help us complete it any faster?
I'm trying to create a sense of urgency, like a photo finish race. In this way I want to make every roll matter for something, like everything is a kind of morale or initiative check. Is everyone 'on top of things'. You don't get through the door until you get 10 progress points.
You could think of the consequence number as more like an expression of luck. Luck is a result of tiny bits of chaos adding up.
Part of me feels like a round in the Conscequence Countdown might be 2 seconds long.
With your example: a natural 20 on a perception check where no traps existed helps everyone run to the door with more confidence.
But
I'm very sensible to what you're saying and I want to play with this dynamic more. I'd rather things be more practical but I also want everyone's actions to count.
Perhaps more practical rolls could net more PP.
I've seen similar countdown rules in 'Candela Obscura'. I gather they got the idea from games like 'Blades in the Dark' - of which I know next to nothing.
A bit more food for though:
- Should Aid Another rolls qualify for either PP or CP? If they do, a party of four like us could net 4 of either in a single round. Perhaps only a "real" skill check should give rewards and have consequences, and aid rolls merely be a way to enable one player's success?
- Increasing DCs do very much create a sense of urgency, but there is a danger of falling into a death loop - if we roll poorly on the first rounds, the chances of failure only keep going up while our check bonuses stay the same. So a group that's on a losing streak can spiral out of control if there aren't some checks against that. What sort of mechanism that could be, other than the GM just handing out a helping hand to a party in peril, though...
- If time is also a factor (not just the matter of rolls passed or failed - there's some definite deadline that means failure if we do not finish before it) perhaps the party could use more time to bring down the DC of a check, and/or repeated attempts at the same check for doing the same thing gets a bonus (we need to open a lock, rogue fails picking it, but gains some understanding of its inner workings, making the same character's roll to pick the same lock again easier)
- Should Aid Another rolls qualify for either PP or CP? If they do, a party of four like us could net 4 of either in a single round. Perhaps only a "real" skill check should give rewards and have consequences, and aid rolls merely be a way to enable one player's success?
Interesting. I don't mind the progress points and consequence points going faster. I hope it creates a sense of urgency. As long as there is a balance between receiving PP and CP.
- Increasing DCs do very much create a sense of urgency, but there is a danger of falling into a death loop - if we roll poorly on the first rounds, the chances of failure only keep going up while our check bonuses stay the same. So a group that's on a losing streak can spiral out of control if there aren't some checks against that. What sort of mechanism that could be, other than the GM just handing out a helping hand to a party in peril, though...
I think the other side of that would be managing the consequence. Is it TPK level or a set-back. It might encourage (for good or bad) people use their best skills later, though there's no discouragement for using the same skill again and again - except that it looks obvious.
I think one of the uses of the PP/CP countdown (or count-up as we've altered it) would be for a break-in. Consequence would be getting caught by security. A series of errors leading to being too conspicuous.
- If time is also a factor (not just the matter of rolls passed or failed - there's some definite deadline that means failure if we do not finish before it) perhaps the party could use more time to bring down the DC of a check, and/or repeated attempts at the same check for doing the same thing gets a bonus (we need to open a lock, rogue fails picking it, but gains some understanding of its inner workings, making the same character's roll to pick the same lock again easier)
Mmmm, that's very interesting.
Eventually, I'd like to make the process simpler as well.
You can run without making a Con check. You could use a different kind of check - Dex, or Acrobatics.
Or you could run and contribute to the progress point roll with something else. It could be a knowledge check. Be creative. Give me a reason to count it.
Most importantly. Don't be afraid you be the person who makes things fail. Failing can be more interesting than success.
Most importantly. Don't be afraid you be the person who makes things fail. Failing can be more interesting than success.
Thanks for that. Sometimes that does concern me since Zahra doesn't have the greatest modifiers unless it's a social interaction.
Perhaps try to inspire the others? That could make for an interesting post.
One approach to increase tension would be to "award" the party with one CP at the end of every round - take too long without accomplishing anything that you could watch your doom creeping closer round by round.
I like that
And thank the spirits! Also, this has been about two months IRL, but in game time (since we spent so long in combat rounds)... half an hour or so?
About that - just looking over the posts since page 63 when this challenge was begun and doing an estimate.
We weren't all crushed! Hurray!!!
If you find errors on the scoreboard they are probably copy-paste errors. I should have ironed out the important ones
Oooh, we completed both secret tasks? I figured one was the illusion in the last room that we didn't crack. Was one the mirror/key? What was the other?
The belt thingy Dounia fished outta the sand pit? Did we check if it was magical, by the way?
The pouch and belt was one task - there seem tobe 'goodies' in each challenge
The silver key - you could have picked the lock to get through the first room but it would have meant no silver key
The belt thingy Dounia fished outta the sand pit? Did we check if it was magical, by the way?
Cairee could tell both were magical but not what kind of magic.
Right... well, perhaps we can find someone here who could help with that? At least the place will be full of people who *could* do it ;^) I guess you can't freely retry identification?
Priovacrios - what is the dwarf referring to? Is it the belt thingy we pulled out of the pit?
You think it's the belt - did you put that in the bag??? Ooops, I forgot. If so then please ignore that element of the post.
By the way... Corey, you listed a Potion of CLW as 300g regular, 1500g donation price... but doesn't the rulebook put a price of only 50g for 1st level spell potions? Is there another multiplier at work here?
Yes it does. I think 300gp is for cure moderate wounds
Isisgiri is an easy one. DC7. It's a bit like 'Have you every heard of the apostle John' in a land where Christianity is the main faith.
The main religion on Ærde is 'The Church of the Heavenly Kingdoms'. In the church there is Leila, the woman who lives in the sun, and the two moons, Badr (Bah-dra) and Ahmar. Badr and Leila had three children, the demi-gods. Suburse, the oldest and only daughter is the serious one who guards all things from the heavens. Isisgiri is the second child and is brash, foolish, and humourous. Siggud is the youngest and the selfless one.
Isisgiri is often depicted as the patron of the lost.
Yes it does. I think 300gp is for cure moderate wounds
Righto. So, a 1st level pot would go for 5*50g so 250g? Cairee might make use of a Potion of Mage Armor, for example, and drop her leather armor for a +4 from the pot, for 1 hour, that seems will be plenty for the challenges ahead.
Or as Cairee mentioned, a Delay Poison pot (list price 300g, so 1500g here) could be useful. Stop the poison for long enough to get out of a challenge and receive healing here.
Zahra - Give me an intelligence check. The higher you roll the lower the DC for Prem to guess what it was. This is for Zahra only. She was the only one who mentioned during the challenge that she was trying to remember the symbols for later.
Cairee did too! From Feb 16th:
Cairee had been trying to puzzle out the answer to the code, when Dounia reached in and pressed a tile at random. The doors slammed shut, almost trapping the thief's hand! "Are you okay?" Dounia didn't answer. She was staring at the words that appeared on the far wall. A phrase, though the cleric only understood half of it. She focused on each word, committing them to memory. It would be worth getting them translated in case the phrase showed up again in these 'games'.
I was going to have her write them down as soon as they were down and ask Yoy'ya for help getting them translated.
Ah - Cairee can also make a roll. Intelligence, to see how much she's remembered
"If you're going into the arena next, perhaps Ms Featherfriend should get some level of protection."
I thought Cairee was wearing her new garments over/with her leather armour?
Yes she is. Sorry, so much to track.
Stil, you all need an armour upgrade if you’re going to be facing some serious monsters.
What kind of an armor upgrade we can afford, with that 5x cost modifier? Pretty much all other AC-boosting spells either cost too much (3rd level spells) or last a couple of minutes (perhaps only one battle out of several on the battlefield).
Barskin pots might work, +2 nat AC that stacks well and lasts 30 mins at minimum caster level... The cost for one for all of us would be 6k. We could afford that, but nothing else.
I've been checking my 'Campaigns' page and it shows not new posts and then check the 'Gameplay' or 'discussion' folders to find a few new postings.
This has happened to me before and I can't remember how I solved it. Something about logging out and signing back in?
I found it was doing it to me too. Then I realized that it had logged me out for some reason and I had to sign back in. It’s been a few times now that I’ve realized the site logged me out on its own accord.
Me too! Oops, I've missed a lot of posts. I'm working today, will try to post tonight. But feel free to bot Cairee to move things forward.
Also @corey, does Cairee get anything for her spellcraft roll above Dounia's description of throwing the dagger?
Me too! Oops, I've missed a lot of posts. I'm working today, will try to post tonight. But feel free to bot Cairee to move things forward.
Also @corey, does Cairee get anything for her spellcraft roll above Dounia's description of throwing the dagger?
I thought i sent you an email ... or was it an ooc post? Sorry, found an unsent email. Forgot to press send
The Scoreboard is now in the top menu ;)
To be clear, the pouch radiates magic but the magic of the purse didn't effect the coin placed in it.
Not going to post today... dealing with a security incident at work
Not going to post today... dealing with a security incident at work
Eek! Sounds serious. Hope you're safe.
To be clear, the pouch radiates magic but the magic of the purse didn't effect the coin placed in it.
Oh my god, I've been trying to work out how to make coin swapping magic work in our favour. DOH!
Tymythy, I hope all is okay!
Two questions for Corey.
1) Are we allowed back in the arena to look at the doors more closely? Or will we be stopped?
2) the giant pearls in the trap room door that we gathered:
--Do we know if they'll disappear when the challenges are over like the money Yoy'ya has gathered?
--can we trade/spend them here to buy more supplies?
Tymythy, I hope all is okay!
Two questions for Corey.
1) Are we allowed back in the arena to look at the doors more closely? Or will we be stopped?
2) the giant pearls in the trap room door that we gathered:
--Do we know if they'll disappear when the challenges are over like the money Yoy'ya has gathered?
--can we trade/spend them here to buy more supplies?
1) Please look the doors over as much as you like. Tampering with a door won't be tolerated.
2) The pearls are regular sized. The three gold balls are the same size.
- The pearls are actual money and won't disappear. Good as gold. Don't forget Yoy'ya's cut.
- The 'money' people are donating isn't actually money. They will buy you things on your 'wish list'. If you don't ask for anything you won't get anything. If you don't use the item it will be reclaimed. (Hallwyn has to pay for this party somehow) Be sure, other parties are claiming and using their donations.
Think of it like 'Hunger Games' but the items come to you via Yoy'ya's wheeling and dealing instead of on a little parachute inside the game.
Yes, you can put the money towards a purchase for yourself.
Not going to post today... dealing with a security incident at work
Good luck. These attacks are the new reality. Everyone's information will be stolen.
My understanding is 'personal information' is out trading oil as the world's #1 commodity.
Thank you! If we spend our own money, is it still 3x the regular price?
So how much money do we have all together (virtual and pearl/gold)?
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Good luck. These attacks are the new reality. Everyone's information will be stolen.
My understanding is 'personal information' is out trading oil as the world's #1 commodity.
At least the issues that fall on my table are virtual rather than physical threats. Still, full autopsy takes time, and that is after all the more immediate steps to mitigate things have been taken. Welp, not that I had any plans for today at work...
Everyone has their stuff to deal with so we're going to keep the game open but expect slow progress going forward. Please everyone, take care of your real lives and I'll be very glad to see posts from you when you're able.
We are going to Australia on Sunday for 3.5 weeks. I'll be AFK certainly for at least 48 hours, and then spotty after that, as I'll be on mobile. I'll try to keep up, if a bit slow.
I'm wondering if Cairee and Zahra are still exploring some of the doors or is that finished and Zahra should move on to other things? I'm not in any hurry, just curious about whether she should be doing other things :)
Cairee is going to keep exploring doors while they have a chance. But she's happy to do it alone if Zahra wants to explore something else.
Gonna throw this here so I won't forget it... all yhis talk about remembering and witnessing made me think... is there a record of past challengers of these games, great victories and horrible failures? We are expecting to forget the details of the challenges when we leave the party, but perhaps something of the tales would remain? Names if nothing else. Tymythy would think it honorable to learn about their predecessors here if he can.
How would you, or the group of you, get this information? Where would it be kept? Would you be direct or sly about it?
These questions are all rhetorical
Once the dialogue with the prisoners dies down, asking around for that is Tymythy's next task. The organizers went to the trouble of hanging pictures of (presumed) past challenges on the wall of that gravity-flipping room, so someone here remembers them.