The Journey of a Thousand Miles (Jade Regent AP)

Game Master Sensen

The River Monster got really unlucky with its stealth roll there... oh well.

@GM: Just wanted to ask if you were referring to the sickened condition when you said Hana was incapacitated? She can still take actions, right?

Yes, I realized that I'd been unclear, then forgot to edit it. You can take actions.

About HP tracking
Most people, we are very bad at tracking our HP. Specially when we sometimes post from phone and would not go and edit the stat line. Specially when the time of reading the GM post and writing the round post.

What GM's that want to keep numbers on its place do, is to keep a status line at the bottom of their posts.

JankInTheTank does this for example, but still makes the players participant on it by encouraging them to edit the tracking status he keeps on a slide of the maps, along with initiative and other rolling helpers to make his life easier (he requests us to update these helpers every level).

GM Euan also tracks hp and conditions but requests us to post at the bottom of our combat posts a templated status spoiler with all our buffs and remaining resources in addition to our HP.

I myself keep track of the HP, AC changes and buffs. At higher level play it helps me a lot, because there are always a lot of floating defenses to consider, and it helps me remember them when resolving round successes (although still sometime players still have to request a retcon because I forgot something). It helps me a lot to keep all in the same place, instead of having to look all around different places. Also about buffs, players cannot adjudicate how much time passes from scene to scene, so the GM tracking times for them helps a lot to know when something is about to expire and requires renewal.

I also find this helps immensely the labor of the healer, and I have done this myself on campaigns where I am the healer and the GM does not track hp. Because otherwise you never really know how damaged people is and when it is better to channel, use a spell or a wand.

Another benefit is when you read years later a passage of the campaign, you have a better feeling and understanding of what is going on and what the tension is. If the hp and effects are only tracked in status lines below the alias, the information is lost when you read past combats, as the hp on those aliases do not correspond any longer with what was happening.

Besides, if the terrain is difficult terrain, the sinspawn maybe did not got that far away, but just by the edge of the map? :D

I'll definitely consider the HP thing (though I'll probably end up tracking it in my notes).

The sinspwan has a speed of 40 ft, I'm afraid, which is still 20 ft in difficult terrain... plus it has soft cover, and a sneak skill, so it can hide - especially from humans, who can't see very well at the moment.

I forgot to say, I prefer to keep it in the Gameplay instead of in a external source, like JankInTheTank, because that way people does not need to open a external resource to understand how things are faring (specially important for the healer). For similar reasons, it makes it very easy for me to copy the last post and paste it on the edit box :)

Fair point, fair point. I suppose if I'm tracking it anyways... I just try to share the burden as much as possible. xD

EDIT: To be totally transparent, Teruko's bolt killed - or, well, sent it to dying - but I'd already posted about how you could follow the trail, so I had it wander off a little before collapsing.

I'm pretty good about keeping my status line updated, but I like Yuto's point about having it in the gameplay thread for posterity.

Would you believe that I wrote all of the Battered Shield's journey out so that I could make sure it was reasonably consistent? Because I did. There is actually a chronology of how they got to where they are now.

That is a great job :)

They are very well integrated in the adventure, I thought they were part of it.

I appreciate the extra effort. You've done a fantastic job of making me care about NPCs we've never even met :)

That is a great job :)

They are very well integrated in the adventure, I thought they were part of it.

Arika going off to join an adventuring group is a plot hook in the Sandpoint supplement, actually, but the others are my creations, yep.

I did have to do some modifications (some of which turned out to be surprisingly last-minute), but all in all, I'm glad you thought so. :)

I appreciate the extra effort. You've done a fantastic job of making me care about NPCs we've never even met :)

Aw, thanks. Honestly, I feel like I'm at my best when I'm making/using NPCs. I'm not as good at making plots happen, but I'm using an AP because of that!

I feel identified with that. I am pretty bad at coming up with long lasting plots, but I do like a lot taking bits of the story here and there and make them more relevant.

I was surprised about Arika and very moved by it. I am playing that NPC as a PC in GM Euan's recent Rise of the Runelords. Just she is insisting for everyone to call her Izomandakus instead.

I am curious to discover how Arika is faring in this alternate reality :D

I love the addition of the Battered Shields as well, adds extra urgency and emotional weight to the whole marsh incursion.

That was an effect I was hoping to get, so that's good. I also just like using the incredibly detailed guide to Sandpoint, and including little tidbits from it - not that you'll be staying in the area long, but I felt obliged to include something.

Yuto: I can practically guarantee that this Arika's doing less well than yours. With no heroic class levels, she's really not suited to be out here. xD

Are the trails north, east and south? Or north, west and south?

If we are really talking about heading back over our steps to the west, I have to say, I fear we are going back to were we departed.

If it was a typo and we are talking about going east (towards the goblin village) then I join the east vote.

The tracks that you've been following have split into two ways - one going east, one going north. The west thing was a mistyping on my part, and has caused great confusion, apologies.

For the purposes of this combat (because you know there will be combat), the humans can see clearly within a 20 ft (4 squares) radius of Yuto. Between 20 and 40 ft (5-8 squares) they have a 20% miss chance.

For Seishin and Hana, they can see 40 ft. normally, and from 40 ft to 80 ft. (8-16 squares) they have a 20% miss chance.

Torra can see perfectly clearly up to 60 ft (12 squares), but can't see anything beyond that (as she lacks low-light vision, and the torchlight only extends 40 ft. for her).

There may be exceptions - a goblin wielding a torch will provide light, for instance, and certain fireworks shed light similarly.

To help clarify the status of the walls and raised areas - walls are demarcated by the darker grey lines - you can't see through them or act through them. The lighter grey lines represent where the raised walkways are, and require ascension via a ladder or, in Hana's case alone, a DC 26 Acrobatics check followed by a DC 20 Reflex save to grab ahold of the bridge. Then she'd need a DC 15 Climb check to pull herself up onto the bridge - this would all be a move action, but it would provoke from the goblin... except he has a ranged weapon out, and can't make AoOs.

Probably not worth the effort, though. Maybe y'all wanna find ladders. xD

EDIT: Also, Yuto, could you share with me how you managed to attach the yellow "glow" to your token? For, uh, future reference.

Sure! You select first the target element, then you click on the menu option "Format Options" (I guess it will show that, mine is in Spanish "Opciones de Formato", same for the other names, are translation guesses), then go to "Parallel Shadow" and tinker with the options there.

Another nice thing to do is to select the Crop button and choose a shape, for example a circle to make the image more similar to a token, adding then a border.

A very helpful trick when having the same type of enemies in the map is placing a border on them using different color for each. That way you can text "The goblin with a red ribbon throws a torch at Yuto" and everyone has a clearer idea of who that was, plus they can then say "Yuto attacks the goblin with a red ribbon in the head" or "Attacking the goblin in red rags" making action results easier to adjudicate ;)

Another trick that I use a lot when editing in desktop is using CTRL+keyboard arrows (up or down) to move the token or an area effect up or down in the Z plane. With CTRL+MAYS+DOWN you can send it directly to the bottom. For example a defeated enemy.

Ooh, lots of helpful advice there. I'm not sure I'll be able to remember it all, but I'll favorite it, and look back when I can.

Quick question about ammunition: how do you want us to track that? I've had GMs handwave ammo entirely, others that want you to track every shot, and still others that base how much ammo you're able to find, collect, and reuse on a percentage.

I use TokenTool to quickly make tokens from images and give them different coloured (and textured) borders.

Quick question about ammunition: how do you want us to track that? I've had GMs handwave ammo entirely, others that want you to track every shot, and still others that base how much ammo you're able to find, collect, and reuse on a percentage.

You know, I have no real idea at the moment. I don't think tracking every shot is fun... How about this? If you've been to a settlement in the past week IC, you need not worry about running out of ammunition. After that, I'll determine that you might be "low" when narratively appropriate, at which point we start tracking shots until you run out/are able to restock in a settlement.

I won't charge you for the restocking, either, because, well... nitty gritty coin tracking is meh. Does that sound good to everyone? I want to simulate the fact that they're limited resources and possibly have you guys run out if things go too badly, but I also don't want to waste everyone's time on tracking every solitary bolt/arrow.

Thrown weapons are an exception, because, well, you don't have seventy shuriken/javelins/etc. at a time.

Torra: Thanks! I'll look into it.

EDIT: I'll give Hana a couple more hours to change her action, otherwise I'll just take her acrobatics as an attempt to jump up, and move us on, so everyone else will be able to post again.

That works for me!

How do you apply cover at door frames? I do ask because I have seen some variation between tables and here it might mean the difference between Seishin being dropped half his life or not.

When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has cover if any line from any corner of your square to the target's square goes through a wall (including a low wall). When making a melee attack against a target that isn't adjacent to you (such as with a reach weapon), use the rules for determining cover from ranged attacks.

Some people ignore this completely when attacking diagonally through doors, some others apply full cover, other people apply partial cover.

Partial Cover: If a creature has cover, but more than half the creature is visible, its cover bonus is reduced to a +2 to AC and a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws. This partial cover is subject to the GM's discretion.

I am fine with whatever way, but it might affect my tactical positioning from time to time.

Besides, sorry for forgetting the sickened last round. The battle looks pretty impressive with all those fireworks lighting the night darkness :)

Huh... that's a good point - besides which he's still on the ladder, which should give him cover regardless. Okay, so, uh... I'm gonna say Seishin shouldn't be damaged now.

I hate retconning like this, but I can't really think of a way to adopt this "fairly" otherwise.

It's fascinating to see, but in both my games I have only one PC with darkvision. In my Hell's Rebels game, though, I have only one PC with low-light vision, as well, so the rest are in desperate need of light. By contrast, we have only two without some sort of enhanced vision in this game.

Just a neat thing to think about.

In my War for the Crown game only one player has darkvision and I just dropped them into a lightless dungeon. Similar situation in my Age of Ashes game. evil GM grin

That was certainly unexpected.

They can't all be winners.

Edit: Oh wow, I thought you meant getting a two on that charge. Didn't notice the collapse damage. Ouch.

Yeah, I do feel kind of bad about that, but I thought it too logical (goblins' ramshackle construction, etc) to not do it.

It is an awesome image, though, coming crashing through a wall.

Since it's been half a month since we started, I wanted to check in with everyone, see if you're all enjoying the game so far, and if you've got any constructive criticism/things you want to see more of. Am I moving too fast (outside of combat, I mean)?

I am very much enjoying the game, and I don't find the pace too fast.

One note with the combat maps, particularly the one we're on now, I find it difficult to see where doors are because the tokens often cover an entire square. Making the tokens smaller (or round) would help with that. And as Yuto mentioned, having different coloured borders or other distinguishing signs on enemies of the same kind helps when declaring targets and coordinating attacks.

Gotcha. I'll try to make things clearer, and definitely can make the tokens smaller than the squares.

I'd appreciate it if our rolls were better, but otherwise everything's going well. :)

Haha, same, I rolled so well on skill checks and so poorly on combat checks. :D

You are right Aganhei! I had forgotten I charge last round!

I edited Yuto's post accordingly.

Looks good to me! As for me, I'd forgotten about Resolve, which is pretty great.

Pace has been more than more good by my recollection. I'm always afraid of games getting caught up by exploration and simply getting to the actual story beats, but so far that's been masterfully avoided.

Beyond some of the early issues with the map (which weren't your fault) I've got no real issues as of yet.

I think the game is going really well. The pace has been great as far as I'm concerned.

GM: How tall are the walkways? I'm wondering if there's any chance Teruko could reach up and touch Yuto's foot for a CLW. (For reference Teruko's 5'5" and could probably stretch up somewhere between 7-7.5')

They're about 10' up, as I've been ruling them. So, uh... sorry, but no.

Didn't think so, but figured I'd ask just in case.

A prophetic question, as it turns out...

I guess now we know that Yuto should never travel to the Shackles. Pirates seem to be his bane.

I am actually going to start GMing Skull & Shackles this Spring, once we complete Rise of the Runelords, so you can count on me actually reading a lot about pirates and the like as of recent.

Yuto, you are now at 0 HP and Disabled.

Thanks for the healing Seishin, I wish Tsukiyo repays you well with good fortune, and a dead pirate goblin. I really hope you can deal with him, because Yuto and Hana are really in no good condition to help right now.

If Yuto attacks he will fall unconscious again, and we have no potions whatsoever at this level, so he will have to fall back at taking full defense actions for the time being.

Teruko's action is going to depend on whether or not Yuto goes down from the AOO, so I'd like to wait to post until that's resolved.

I have to say this - hang in there! You're pretty close to an important benchmark!

Thanks. If Yuto had gone down again Teruko would have started climbing the ladder to get to him. (I know Seishin still has a spell he could convert, but she doesn't.) As it is she used two move actions to reposition and reload.