Adventurers of Gladden Vale (Inactive)

Game Master Syrus Terrigan

3 - Rural hills (North Gladden)
4 - Ravenlock
5 - Rural mountains (South Gladden)
6 - Southferry
7 - Count's peasantry
8 - Last Rest
9 - Rural plains (North Gladden)
10 - Cutter's Wash
11 - Rural hills (South Gladden)
12 - Northferry
13 - Rural mountains (North Gladden)
14 - Bear's Den
15 - Rural hills (South Gladden)
16 - Three Waters
17 - Non-Valer
18 - GM's option

location: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 6) = 9

location: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 6) = 12

location: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 3) = 12

location: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 6) = 13

take care of yourself mate.

Health and family first

Please get well soon and rest

Okay. I'm going to be going at these as best I can from memory:

1) The halfling race *is* an available option -- they are less rare than elves and dwarves, and generally similar to the D&D 4E version: traveling family groups of traders with somewhat better reputations than the Gypsies had in Europe for a long time.

2) Half-orcs are not an option. That race of fearsome warriors hasn't been seen in the Vale (nor the Duchy of the Eastern Reaches) for a few hundred years, at least.

3) If you want your character to have a connection to the fae as part of his or her origin, I can allow that, but know this: I will exploit that part of your story for narrative purposes -- the fae never do anything for free in this world. If you've read any Jim Butcher Dresden Files stories, you'll know what I mean. And be mindful of this: you will know one such being, and I will want the beginnings of that being's identity -- but leave that NPC's agenda to me. If elves and dwarves are aliens, fae are from another dimension, in terms their motivations and goals. "Here there be monsters."

4) If you choose a nonhuman race, remember to apply their ability penalty to your stats now, but not the ability bonuses.

5) On the matter of spellcasting: baseline DCs for cantrips will likely be set at 11 or 12 for starters, but may be adjusted as experience is gained. Just so we have a touchpoint from which to operate.

6) My initial concept about metamagic is this: for each additional spell level use of a metamagic feat would cost, the baseline DC would be increased by 2. So if you wanted to add range to a ray of frost, for example, the DC would increase from 11 to 13, as that has a +1 spell level cost. One of the things I most like about Pathfinder 2 is that metamagic requires the use of an additional action, and most spells require two of the three available actions a character has each round. I know that action economy is unavailable in PF1, RAW, and wouldn't "plug in" easily here, but I am close to suggesting that some metamagics would be available for free, in the same style as many of the Elephant in the Room feat tax ideas. But we can hash through that more later.

7) This is important: I am keeping a close eye on the natural die roll results each character makes -- start watching out for natural 20s, especially.

I think that covers the most rudimentary elements we need for moving forward. . . . . Oh, yes!

Newcomers: before you begin posting in gameplay, make sure to put up a "final version" of your character funnel aliases in this thread, and wait for confirmation from me, please. We may have a few more oddments to process before we all have a green light.

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I know that this past week has been haphazard, at best, but know that I intend to see my doctor as soon as possible in order to sort out what's going on with me. I may expand our expected posting rate to three days for the foreseeable future if only to accommodate my sudden and unexpected frailty, but I will get us back on the 2-day track as soon as I can.

I am glad you're all here! I hope that you all have as much fun as I have been already! Let me know if you need anything!

Brought my rolls over.

Zero level #1
Str: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 3) = 6
Dex: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 2) = 11
Con: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 1) = 10
Int: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 5) = 11
Wis: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 1) = 8
Cha: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 6) = 11

Hp+con: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Location: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 3) = 11

Zero level #2
Str: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 2) = 9
Dex: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 2) = 7
Con: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 5) = 15
Int: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 4) = 9
Wis: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 6) = 15
Cha: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 6) = 10

Hp+con: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Location: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 5) = 15

Zero level #3
Str: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 4) = 12
Dex: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 6) = 15
Con: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 2) = 13
Int: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 2) = 8
Wis: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 5) = 14
Cha: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 6) = 15

Hp+con: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Location: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 5) = 14

Zero level #4
Str: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 3) = 8
Dex: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 1) = 9
Con: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 3) = 14
Int: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 3) = 9
Wis: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 3) = 9
Cha: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 6) = 14

Hp+con: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Location: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 5) = 11

Ok, so finalizing characters here...

@Goblin --

Your rolls are good! Got any ideas for names, race(s), intended classes? Once you get a few more details to bring those numbers some personality, we should be ready for you to jump in!

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@Dfsearles --

Just a reminder: Hafnor's dwarven Charisma penalty will need to be applied from the beginning; the Constitution and Wisdom bonuses will come in later.

Also: Drailen's only true avenue for arcane training of any sort would be through Count Ferren's chief advisor. Which means that he is either a third son of a family of knights, or possibly a child of a prosperous merchant/industrialist.

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@everyone --

I traditionally communicate with smoke signals and chiseled stone tablets, so this computer thing is kinda new and unfamiliar. Do any of you know of a Chrome-compatible map-generation program? Or am I going to have to acquire another laptop?

@Dfsearles --

Just a reminder: Hafnor's dwarven Charisma penalty will need to be applied from the beginning; the Constitution and Wisdom bonuses will come in later.

Also: Drailen's only true avenue for arcane training of any sort would be through Count Ferren's chief advisor. Which means that he is either a third son of a family of knights, or possibly a child of a prosperous merchant/industrialist.

Already updated his CHA to 6 on my profile. As for Drailen, I'm looking at scrapping the wizard part. Just utilizing rouge tricks to gain a couple of limited use spells to help him gain advantage in fights, or when thieving. His Intelligence only being a 10, doesn't lead him much in the way of learning any spells, still putting his human +2 in INT though when he finally becomes a rouge.

How are my characters looking? Do you want me to make a background for a character that is dead?

The only thing I haven't yet decided on is whether or not I want Daniel to be a halfling or a human. Which would change basically nothing about them at this time.

Yep, you're set, Rorek!

If you *want* to incorporate a backstory for your character that died, just PM me some of those details, and we'll weave that into our story.

Anything else for me? Charter stats are listed in my profile.

You're good to go, as well, Dfsearles.

Winny: str 14, Dx 13, CN 8, Int 13, Wis 16, cha 9, hp 1, sp 3
Rural plains North Gladden
Heal 0 3 3 6
Profession healer 0 3 3 6

Winifred aka Winny
Winny grew up with her ma and pop on the farm but ended up being sickly all the time until she spent more time with the old apothecary in her gut then anyone else. Winny took to herbs and the ways of the old woman and also her religion (inquisitor or empyreal sorcerer). A bit smarter and strong of will she spent hours in study while being tended. She is still being tended now for her weak constitution having come down with a seasonal cold and trying to get better.

Old Clem is a great storyteller and player of several instruments that everybody in town liked, and Clem Jr was a good fur trapper who made a good living but Clem the younger was weak and clumsy and despite wanting to be like Old Clem could only do a bit of oratory even half way as good as Old Clem. Still they were far out in the middle of nowhere so what could they expect?

Northferry

str 3, dx 7, cn 12, int 10, wis 10, cha 11, hp 3, sp 4

Perform string 0 0 3
Perform oratory 0 0 3

Fitz "Wolf" str 16, dx 11, cn 15, int 11, wis 15, cha 4, hp 4, sp 4

Northferry

Climb 0 3 3 6
Profession logger 0 2 3 5

Fitz was born to a yeoman mother and a logger father. Everyone saw there was something off about him at birth. He was a very large baby and from a young age had the gait of a wolf and a lot of silver black hair. The kids called him wolfboy til he was 10. Then he beat three of those kids unconscious. The kids just called him Wolf from then on. Wolf went out with his dad early the next season to the trees and got himself lost in the deep woods. When he came back he was calmer and let go of small cares and problems with a wisdom past his years. What no one knew is while lost in those woods Wolf had met a fey who was a clown and took to teaching him the way of the woods at the same time always the fool and not caring of the world showed Wolf a new way to be. Wolf is taller and stronger then most with broad shoulders. He does not fear the high tree or climbing it with his trusty saws and wood axe. On his short days off he is always in the woods it is said learning woodlore from the ancient fey folk.

Durr str 8, dx 13, cn 12, int 7, wis 8, cha 8, hp 4, sp 3

Rural mountains North Gladden

Profession locksmith 0 -1 2
Craft toy 0 -2 1

Durr fell off the merchant wagon as a kid and lived on the streets of the big town for a while. Some folks said he was deaf, some said he was blind, but his hands had a magic to him and early on he was taken in by the locksmith to apprentice. That kid sure can make and open a lock that a key got stuck in or broke and the folk of town are happy he isn't begging no more and has a honest living. He likes to make little toys for the kids and leaves them out on the window stoops on occasion for a kid who is having a hard time. (Rogue)

how do you want us to go about posting in the gameplay? Just hop in or wait?

You all can go ahead and make the rolls for the ersatz "weaponsn training" at the Ranger post.

If you find anything in the story that came before that you find interesting in terms of exposition or narrative, feel free to initiate some dialogue.

Note: ths isn't meant to be punitive, but don't apply any retroactive rolls for the first or second days of the Trial if you weren't already "written in".

I'll go back through our new members' backstories tomorrow to try to weave them into our story a bit more effectively.

See you then!

Winny is at 0 hp right now so would need a bit of help to be participating, what do I do with her?

These 0 hp characters don't leave the village. In effect they've died (for session 0) in character generation. The DM may bring them in later.

Yes, if a character posts at 0 hp at 0th level, they are incapacitated/bedridden/out of commission until the story progression brings them out of it.

Which prompts the question: what happened to Winny to put her in such bad shape?

For example, my #3 got crushed by a wall of rolling logs when a chain broke while he was cutting timber with #2 (his brother).

Just a heads-up -- today's gameplay post will be a bit late, but I'll get it done. Just gotta see the orthopedist for what I hope is my last follow-up for my knee injury.

And my #1 (Wilbur) fell into the river while crossing on the ferry and nearly drowned.

My gong farmer is down with a mysterious fever

Is it bad I hope 1 out two of mine fall out? This is a lot to track! lol

The plan is that if the dice don't pare down on the total number of characters naturally by the end of our first adventure arc, each player will simply choose one character to focus on from that point forward. Any other surviving characters will become NPCs that could rotate in should the main character die later on.

And I know that the current plot point (Captain Kadmin putting his career on the line to equip our crowd of newbies) flies in the face of the purest sense of the "hardcore mode" I advertised originally, it still feels like an organic response to the events that are unfolding in the Vale.

Yesterday went a little awry. I'll get back at it today.

Winny was trying to help an injured soul and mixed the wrong poultice and passed out from a bad reaction! It as a particular mix while treating two brothers named Paul and Art and was a particular mix of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme...

I forgot to mention that it was on the way to the name day faire

Lol

Edelsmirge --

I've got to post a serious "Thank you!" for that. I got so wrapped up in crafting my story that I completely neglected to account for what would be a totally reasonable celebration of a rite of passage being completed. Three Waters would have some festivities lined up for the close of the Trial -- the Nameday Fair, indeed! I had kinda shoved that aspect of things aside because of how the ritual is "officially" completed -- when the new Valers return to their hometowns. But even within what I've drummed up, there's plenty of room for a few days' revelry in every community. It makes sense that the newly-minted citizens would be feted at every turn after their Names are entered into the Rolls.

So again: "Thank you!"

Excellent immersion.

That merited a post of its own.

Back to Gameplay: I'm gonna give Blizzard a chance to respond to Kadmin's one-sided dialogue, and then I'll move us forward to the next day's events in about 24 hours.

Folks, I know that I've done more with Blizzard's character than I have with any other, so far, but I want each of you to know: there's more where that came from. We've seen some seeds planted for character development as we've gone along on this strange process of ability checks and mundane events, and I do intend to dive deep into the survivors that, well, . . . survive! But in the meantime, even the "Least Likely to Succeed" in your character pool can contribute meaningfully to the lead-up to our main action.

If there is anything that you think would be a good element for our story, even if it turns out that we don't fully flesh it out because the "driving character" bites the dust in the days ahead, mention it in here, and we'll work out a way to incorporate it with the narrative. This is part of my own homebrew setting (some fifteen years in development), but it is very much a shared world. Bring your creative energies to bear!

Schedule got a little jumbled. Gonna have to wait about 12 - 15 hrs before I get the next post up.

I loved the spoilered character actions! We can definitely keep that going. In fact, those smaller social interactions can also have some impact on useful advice, future contacts, and the like. If you want to try some out, post them -- they will get responses!

In a game like this where each post can get pretty long, ways to minimize what you’re looking at can really help.

Can you give me the full list of supplies that Fitz gets?

Also supplies that all recruits get from the Captain?

Lastly Durr gets a pot and metal spoon from the cook?

Edelsmirge --

1) I'm guessing you're referring to the vaguely-described bundle from the quartermaster? If so, then this is as specific as necessary: any and all additives and components for fashioning twenty torches in short order.

2) The supplies provided by Kadmin are clearly indicated in the Gameplay post.

3) Yes, Durr has been "rewarded" with a pot and ladle.

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I'm not going to be doing much in the way of bookkeeping, folks. In fact, it's safer to say that I won't be doing any of it at all for your characters. I'm going to trust each of you to be honest in your accountings; I suggest that maybe keeping a separate note-taking tab open (or pencil and paper nearby) while reading through Gameplay may be of help. Updating your characters' inventories will be much easier once we pare the list down to the active characters for each player -- we won't have the juggling as part of the norm for much longer. The kill count is about to start climbing.

@helaman what did you decide on for Allvin and Caraya's items of the choice between rations or one item worth 5 sp or less? I had decided on rations for Purity, and couldn't remember if I told you.

Posted April 13

1) Allvin and Caraya both receive one day's worth of rations.

2) Klin gets both a day's rations and also a small iron pot suitable for camping or travel.
3) Daenara and Adric did such good work that they are rewarded with a day's rations and Daenara gets 50 feet of rope, and Adric an old battered backpack (not in line with 2gp but maybe impose some restriction on it).

Wow. Work applied the boots to my posterior last night. I haven't slept that hard in weeks.

I'll try to get that gameplay post up before I have to prepare for work, but I can't guarantee it. Just wanted to give y'all a heads-up.

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RE: Adric's backpack -- What if we say that its compartments were poorly stitched, and so it functions more like a slightly more durable large sack, or something?

Sure

Thanks Helaman, I must have missed it.

Perhaps the lady had a false person travelling as her for the interior to be so safe and is still hidden within...

Or she werewolf'ed out

And again is hiding as to not give that away...

It'll be tomorrow before I can make the next gameplay post, folks. I'm behind the schedule I put forward, but I like the angles y'all are working!

See you then!

Sorry it took so long, with my posts typically being so long, I like to do it on a computer and I've been working so much I haven't had time to sit down. Hope you guys are enjoying your weekend though!

It seems like this weekend was a busy one for everyone. I'm going to wait till tomorrow to post another Gameplay segment.

If you don't plan to interact with this scene, please let me know so I don't hold our progress!

A few things going sideways atm... need another day or so

Roger that. I crashed *hard* yesterday, so I need the extra time, too!

@rorek --

If you aren't sure how much liberty you can/sgoukd take in Gameplay, pist your idea/question here! Use the tools available!

I may not post each day, but I do check in several times daily, just to see what's up. I am available!

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Also: do try to make sure that you make use of [ ooc ] chat font for in-Gameplay text that isn't directly tied to the story, folks! Thanks!

Alrighty! I have slept like the dead for most of the last two days. And now I'm ready to put up a post!

We'll bring the group to Last Rest and get that literal party started tomorrow!

And I just now proofread my post for rorek . . . .

All I can say is that I haven't left that many typos in *any* post on *any* forum in years. Maybe that sheds some light on just how rough the last few days have been for me!