for those in my games before here are the combat summary blocks please fill them in. If you have a mount, animal companion, familiar, pet...please fill it in for them too.
female human phytokineticist (overwhelming soul) 2 | HP 16/17 | neg lvl 0 | AC 13; F 11; T 12 | F +5; R +5; W +0 | CMB +1; CMD 13 | Init +2 | Per +5 | dagger +! (1d4 19-20/x2) | wood blast +3 (1d6+1+4) | pbs/prec s
Thank you for the acceptance. I've been looking forward to a chance to play this character again. About the only thing I think I have left to do is tweak my equipment a bit (and maybe not even that).
Do you have an issue with allowing the Basic Phytokinesis ability to be able to use plant material to make clothes for her? It doesn't bother me either way really but does help with the aesthetic.
Eilyne AC:12 (FF:10/T:12)CMD:12 Saves-FO:+4 RE:+4 WL:+0 HP:10/10
(kineticist) {none/Diety=undecided} (female) (human (none}) Defenses-none at this time
Looking at the benefits of "Improved Unarmed Strike" the definition says "Benefit: You are considered to be armed even when unarmed—you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you attack foes while unarmed. Your unarmed strikes can deal lethal or nonlethal damage, at your choice."
But it's not the same as the Monk's definition of "Unarmed Strike: A monk’s attacks may be with fist, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may make unarmed strikes with his hands full."
If a character has the feat "Improved Unarmed strike" can they use another body part than the hand to attack. Ie can they 'threaten" 5 ft if they have a two handed reach weapon?
I Have Brunner armed with a Dwarven Boulder Helmet more for my own entertainment, but if he can't use it with 'improved unarmed strike' I probably won't bother with the helmet.
Thank you for the inclusion of this most splendid tale of redemption!
Well, that is my hope for poor misguided Arkhan. I blame his upbringing, peer pressure, and ignorance really.
He will be a bit rough at first; but my goal is to see him turn CG....eventually...lol.
Name Arkhan Silvinesti AC:16 (FF:13/T:12)CMD:13 Saves-FO:6 RE:4 WL:8 HP:16/16
Druid (Storm) Rull Male 1/2 Orc Defenses-none
@GMMichael did you prefer him to have been in town a while (weeks, months?); or is his recent arrival fine? For RPing purposes...
Bring on the Horde!
Feels a bit different saying that now...lol!
Male Human Cleric of Erastil (Stoic Caregiver) 6 l AC 18 T 12 FF 16 l HP 45/45 l F +7 R +5 W +9 l Init +2 l Perc +3 I CMB +4 I CMD 16 I Hero Points: 2/3 I Channel Positive Energy: 7/day, 3d6, DC16
Thanks for selecting me! I didn't know what my chances were with an 11th hour entry, but I have never played this AP before, and I was excited to give it a go.
Name: Ethan Sower AC: 16 (FF:14/T:12)CMD:12 Saves-FO:+3 RE:+2 WL:+5 HP:9/9
Cleric {Erastil} Male Human Defenses- None
welcome all. I hope to make this an extremely entertaining AP for us all.
first for those who have done stat blocks, for combat thank you...you can take the parenthesis off from around the class and such. that was to indicate thats what went there but not to be included ;)
Defenses are for things I need to know in combat...like save benefits. orc ferocity immunities etc..
I dont need gods unless the player is a cleric or in the divine caster type...
Eilyne- Yes sure your clothes can be of plants. You get a free outfit, so why not of leaves and twigs ;)
Brunner- Yes you can threaten with any body part. Hands, knees, elbows, and yes even the dwarfs head.
as for how long everyone has been there.
Ill leave that up to you to discuss.
I want you to discuss what each of you would know of each other.
I plan on starting the game play thread on Monday if I can see all the characters are done.
female human phytokineticist (overwhelming soul) 2 | HP 16/17 | neg lvl 0 | AC 13; F 11; T 12 | F +5; R +5; W +0 | CMB +1; CMD 13 | Init +2 | Per +5 | dagger +! (1d4 19-20/x2) | wood blast +3 (1d6+1+4) | pbs/prec s
Yay! The basic idea is she just calls nearby plant matter to her and forms it into clothing. As it is created by a spell-like ability it can be dispelled which would result in an...em-bare-assing situation all around. I have no problem with it if it ever does happen.
As far as Eilyne goes she has lived in the area for some time now but rarely stays in town. She always comes across as odd to say the least being garbed in living plants as she is. She does sometimes provide services as a guide and help woodcutters select the "correct" trees and plants replacements. Most of the time she just shows up to sell herbs every few weeks.
Male Human Cleric of Erastil (Stoic Caregiver) 6 l AC 18 T 12 FF 16 l HP 45/45 l F +7 R +5 W +9 l Init +2 l Perc +3 I CMB +4 I CMD 16 I Hero Points: 2/3 I Channel Positive Energy: 7/day, 3d6, DC16
Ethan has recently arrived in Phaender to do missionary work for the Church of Erastil, which amounts to healing, helping the needy, and midwifing any births that might happen while he is there. He offers these services free of charge or obligation, instead simply encouraging the people he helps to 'pay it forward' by helping others in need when the opportunity presents itself. Ethan's mentor taught him that living the tenets of one's faith openly and genuinely is the most effective way to win lasting, dedicated followers. Ethan has taken that to heart.
The other characters will probably have seen Ethan moving about the community, though his dress and manner might cause him to blend-in to anyone but the true locals.
Ethan may have purchased some herbs from Eilyne on a few occasions since he has been in town. If she has, on those occasions, been inclined to chat about the medicinal properties of herbs, Ethan would certainly have engaged on the topic. If she is more of a loner, however, he would have simply purchased the herbs and bit her good day.
Tarrow might know Ethan as being someone who bought alchemical tinctures from him from time to time. In fact, Ethan may have bought herbs from Eilyne, and then immediately sought out Tarrow to make it into medicine. Like with Eilyne, Ethan would engage Tarrow in the topics of medicine and healing with great enthusiasm, but will politely conclude business as quickly as possible if Tarrow shows no interest in conversation.
Brunner, being a paladin of Torag, would likely be someone Ethan became friendly with, since Erastil and Torag have a strong respect for one another, and tenets pertaining to community, hard work, and tradition are held in common. Brunner being a dwarf (and therefore older) and of a more militant mind, might see Ethan in the light of a younger brother, who could use some guidance and 'toughening up.'
Barhador's backstory of coming to Phaendar to find a wife and start a family would certainly be of interest to Ethan. In fact, Ethan might even go out of his way to help Barhador's courtship along, as a wing-man, co-conspirator. Both characters also speak Sylvan, which is uncommon enough that it might be a useful code language to discuss such matters in public.
Arkhan is a tough one. I am not sure of a good hook beyond Arkhan arriving in town, and Ethan greeting him.
For the Chaotic-aligned characters, Ethan isn't a rules-enforcing, My-Way-Or-The-Highway variety of Lawful character. He sincerely believes that people prosper when they work together for the betterment of all, and to do that, there have to be agreed upon rules that are followed by the members of the community. However, he prefers to demonstrate this through his own actions rather than lecture people about what they themselves are or aren't doing.
Barhador AC:15(FF:12/T:13)CMD:15 Saves-FO:+2 RE:+5 WL:+2 HP:9/9
1st Hunter {Feral/Green Faith} M Elf{Nestornor} Defenses-Immune to Sleep effects, Animal Focus, +1 Will Saves vs Vermin/Animals/Mag Beasts of higher level
Brunner AC:16(FF:10/T:16)CMD:14 Saves-FO:+6 RE:+0 WL:+4 HP:17/17
1st Paladin {Stonelord of Torag} M Dwarf Defenses:+4 dodge/giants
Eilyne AC:12(FF:10/T:12)CMD:12 Saves-FO:+4 RE:+4 WL:+0 HP:10/10
1st Kineticist {Plant} {Diety=undecided} F Human (Taldan) Defenses: 1xd heal 3pts
Ethan AC:16(FF:14/T:12)CMD:12 Saves-FO:+3 RE:+2 WL:+5 HP:9/9
Cleric {Erastil} Male Human Defenses-1xd heal 2pts
Tarrow AC:18(FF:13/T:16) CMD:13 Saves-FO:1 RE:7 WL:1 HP:10/10
1st Rogue {Chaldira Zuzaristan} M Halfling Defenses: Adaptable Luck:3xd, +2 to AC vs Goblinoids
What folks in Phaendar think of you:
Tarrow- Ironfang Survivor/Helpful/Reactionary: The townsfolk like the Halfling, and are sympathetic viewing him as we would view a vet with PTSD
Eilyne- Unbreakable Survivor/Child of Nature (you still have 1 coming): The town knows she suffered something horrible in her past and is sympathetic, and she is viewed as a little 'off' but they consider that its because of her past. shes viewed as a very free spirit.
Barholder- Foxclaw Scout/Reckless/Wild Stride Forest: The Town looks on with reverence almost at the Foxclaw Scout from The Nostonor. If he wasnt so reckless hed be one of the favorites. As it is theres a bit of fear in them too.
Brunner- Propitiation Category Religion/Militant Merchant/Kraggodan Castaway: He is highly respected in town, though seemed a bit narrow in his viewpoints
Arkhan- World Weary/Fates Favored/Reactionary: Much like Tarrow, Arkhan is viewed as having suffered greatly. He has the thousand yard stare in his eyes that says hes seen a lot. He seems to be jumpy , but things always seem to fall into place for him and people whisper hes lucky. Theres lots of similarities between Arkhan and Tarrow, the difference being Tarrow is always helping others and Arkhan..well he just doesnt.
Ethan- Unbreakable Survivor/Patient Optimist/Poverty Stricken: Ethan is viewed as one of them Period. His faith in Erastil unshakeble his humble patience makes the town extremely comfortable with him.
Darn, ninja'd by GMMichael, hopefully the town doesn't think Brunner is too narrow minded. Well I mean, he's a dwarf, so who knows. For a dwarf, he see's himself as very open minded almost liberal :)
Eilyne wrote:
Yes it has Robert. How've you been?
Very well, thank you. I think the last game we were in together was "Second Darkness" I had changed employment from a treatment facility to the bank, and needed to stop playing due to time constraints. Since then we've purchased a new home, and moved my mom in with us (due to dementia). So I take care of the house and keep an eye on her. Which means I have time to post again. Sorry for the overlong discourse.
How are you doing?
Back to Brunner :)
Ok, concerning Brunner. If it's possible I would like for him to have been in town for a couple of months working at the forge with Kining Blondebeard, helping her fill orders.
As for who he know, he's very outgoing and would tell anyone his lifes story. So feel free to read his background and let me know how much you want to have spoken to him. He does spend most of his time in the shop, so you may need to come talk to him there.
Ethan, your description of their relationship is great. Don't know how much 'Guidance' or 'toughening up' will be apparent, he's very relaxed. I'm basing part of his personality on an old friend of mine who started his career as a blacksmith shoeing horses and retired as a sculptor working in metal.
I see Brunner focusing on Torag's areas of concern: Forge, protection and strategy. His world view is very dwarf-centric. so he supports the idea of communal good. But he wouldn't try and force 'Dwarf views' on non-dwarfs. So he's very 'live and let live' as far as 'legalism' goes with non-dwarves. I just don't think characters sit around talking about the nine alignments the same way we do. But he will be encouraging everyone to find 'goodness' especially his fellow dwarves.
female human phytokineticist (overwhelming soul) 2 | HP 16/17 | neg lvl 0 | AC 13; F 11; T 12 | F +5; R +5; W +0 | CMB +1; CMD 13 | Init +2 | Per +5 | dagger +! (1d4 19-20/x2) | wood blast +3 (1d6+1+4) | pbs/prec s
Pretty good Robert. Changed jobs about 4 years ago and work in a call center now that monitors ankle bracelets and provides tech support for police officers using the equipment. Less stressful than the supported living homes, more hours, more agreeable schedule, and a really nice PFP bonus if you make it (which isn't that hard IMO).
Picked up a third trait (I forgot we got three). I went with friend of the fey since it makes a lot of sense for her.
Arkhan: Loud, rude, crude and seems far less concerned about living with nature than you expect of a Druid. Hasn't explicitly done anything, but there's an innate distrust. Is it his race? I don't think so . . ..
Brunner: The isolation aspect of his story tugs at Barhador's heart, though the reasons differ, he is also isolated until something else happens . . .. At least Barhador can work to make his triggering event happen. The dwarf clearly displays as much skill with the forge as the elf does with his fletching knife, and is due at least the respect of working at such a craft.
Eilyne: Why isn't she an elf? She gets it. You work with the natural world instead of forcing it to become something else. I'm positive the two have had opportunity and time to interact, probably even in the wilderness, and Barhador tries not to display how frustrating it is to find someone so suited to life with the Nestornor who is human.
Ethan: Almost a kindred spirit, he supports the imposition of man's desires to deeply alter the world instead of learning to work with more subtle alterations. His inherent support of community and common goals within the community are good starts, however.
Tarrow: Seems cheerful despite the dark background. I don't think Barhador wants to need Tarrow's services, but he might help gather ingredients from time to time. Pleasant enough company.
Phaender: Like most people, the villagers have been taught to break the land into something they recognize, that they know how to exploit. That's not their fault. Correction is almost impossible, though, as their education has taught them this is right, and you have to unteach that prejudice before they can begin to learn better. Past that issue, these are good people, working to survive and grow their families in as pleasant a place as they can make. Good people working together seems like a solid environment to find a young elf to take home. If I can connect to one properly, anyway. Connections can be so hard to make, though.
Do you want to run with my two proposed young elves, or arrange something different? I'm not married to those ideas, but there should be at least one either living here or visiting regularly enough to keep him from moving on.
Yes, I chose the adjective and verbs intentionally. How could I not?
Theres 3 Elves in town. All From Kyonin. Theres an Elven enclave Longhouse about 5 miles SW of Phaendar. about 10 Elves live there. The 3 that are here have ties there. One of them Is A Warrior (Male) A female Elven Commoner is married to a Human. they are elderly, though she is still middle aged for an elf. they have two children who are half Elves.
both 'hunters' (Warriors) Lirosa *female* and Taidel *male*. Finally theres n elven adept (female) in town.
the trick is who will survive....
(my thoughts were to introduce Lirosa as the love interest...and all the drama of a 'half elf' ...;)
Eilyne: She and Tarrow could be fast friends. They have a common history, and a shared love of nature and herbalism. If Eilyne is willing, Tarrow would very much like to explore with her the surrounding plains in search of herbs and alchemical ingredients, to trade stories of her youth in the Fangwood and his modest exploits on the prairie. He is enchanted by her accent and any tales of the fey.
Ethan: The charismatic cleric's relentlessly positive spirit and passion for helping to bring new life into the world has made a profound impression on the young halfling. Tarrow looks up to Ethan, and when his thoughts darken, as they frequently do, he takes solace knowing that there are truly good people so close to home. Tarrow greets Ethan enthusiastically whenever the cleric calls for medicinal herbs and formulas, and is happy to offer his modest offerings at a discount.
Brunner: Tarrow feels comfortable around dwarves, perhaps because he sees nearly eye-to-eye with them. Brunner's care free attitude and professionalism are easy attributes to admire. The halfling acquired his rapier from the local smith, and it could have been forged and finished by Brunner.
Barhador: The elf hunter seems almost supernatural to Tarrow, and despite the halfling's strong interest, he can never seem to relate as easily as he does with Eilyne. He feels awkward and self-conscious around the elf, but is always thankful when Barhador accompanies him to search for ingredients.
Arkhan: Though Tarrow does not freely speak of the terrors of his past (except for bits and pieces shared with Eilyne), he senses that he may have more in common with the young half-orc than anyone might possibly guess. For this reason, he has no fear of Arkhan, and would pluckily inquire about his tattoos, if the moment seemed right.
I see some folks peeked at Arkhan's previous posts...lol.
Yes, he is a bit prickly; but, he will soften as the party becomes more familiar due to the pending circumstances.
He doesn't really plan on staying around. He will most likely say that he will be continuing on his trek soon many times; although that, of course, will never manifest.
Arkhan keeps his past a bit secret. He is a bit paranoid that the Bleeding Storm will follow him....
I plan on rereading everyone's Backstory today; so to properly integrate Arkhan.
Eilyne I can see Arkhan actually looking down his nose at her at first. He doesn't actually care about anything other than The Sky. I feel that of everyone, Eilyne will be his true reason for softening; learning empathy and being more accepting of all nature's things!
Ethan Arkhan will definitely not like Ethan. He will most likely think of you as a rival at first. Their views will definitely clash: Arkhan will learn the true value of Community (and Good) from you!
Brunner Hmm....a dwarf? a Paladin? A dwarven Paladin, you say...lol. Well, I would think that Arkhan would feel similarly to Ethan. Probably a Good thing the two of you will be in the group then!
Barhador Although an Elf, Arkhan will most likely identify--and appreciate-- with his Feral side! Arkhan definitely appreciates strength through Nature! The 1/2 orc and the Elf may end up being besties...lol! If only the Elf wasn't such a Good guy!
Tarrow Agreed! Tarrow and Arkhan most likely will immediately bond due to similar past experiences. Arkhan will not divulge much, but he will feel a kinship with the Halfling.
Hope this helps a bit!
Looking forward to this adventure with this Table!
Looking back over the character, I see no rations or waterskins. No rations makes sense while at the settlement for a festival. But he should still have his waterskins, even if empty!
female human phytokineticist (overwhelming soul) 2 | HP 16/17 | neg lvl 0 | AC 13; F 11; T 12 | F +5; R +5; W +0 | CMB +1; CMD 13 | Init +2 | Per +5 | dagger +! (1d4 19-20/x2) | wood blast +3 (1d6+1+4) | pbs/prec s
Ethan Yeah, Eilyne would certainly be selling you herbs when she comes in to town ad I could certainly see them having discussions about the various herbs though little beyond that. I doubt they would chat about anything more than herbs but that topic is one that Eilyne enjoys so it does give them some common ground.
Barhador Yeah, given they both spend time a lot of times int he forest I could see them running into each other. Amusingly she would agree with you about the frustrations of spending time and forming connections with humans though for her it is because her mindset is very much that of a dryad and she is 100% positive that she is one despite evidence to the contrary.
Tarrow I could see them spending time together and her being more fond of him than most of the other villagers. She'd be happy to show him around the woods and discuss some things. She would be extremely reticent about talking about her past due to what happened when she ran away from her mother.
Arkhan Yeah, they likely have little interaction as Eilyne would probably just avoid you most of the time. Besides, she knows that, as a "dryad" she is closer to nature than you will ever be and, unlike you, she doesn't see the need to rub it in. I wouldn't call them adversarial per se but she certainly is not a fan of you starting out. Fortunately plants by their very nature are flexible, even if it takes them time to adjust, so things can certainly grow in a different direction.
Brunner I doubt that our characters have interacted too much since it sounds like you've not been in the town all that often and she only comes to town on rare occasions for a day or two and then leaves again. Given what you do she likely has had no real reason to interact with you much but would have heard of you so I figure the over all view of her that the town has our GM typed up earlier is likely about as much knowledge of her as you have. Maybe they talked once or twice if he was at the tavern when she was staying in town. Other than that I figure they are more or less blank slates to each other.
Male Human Cleric of Erastil (Stoic Caregiver) 6 l AC 18 T 12 FF 16 l HP 45/45 l F +7 R +5 W +9 l Init +2 l Perc +3 I CMB +4 I CMD 16 I Hero Points: 2/3 I Channel Positive Energy: 7/day, 3d6, DC16
Is it assumed that, since we are all relatively new to town, that we are staying at the Inn, or perhaps some of the locals have extra space in their homes to rent out? Maybe just setting our tents up on the Market Green?
Is it assumed that, since we are all relatively new to town...
Brunner sleeps in the shop near the forge, he's found a soft anvil to use as a pillow...
"Aw reit, Ah guess Ah shoods respond in kin'."More for my own amusement and getting to know Brunner's personality a little better, may I present in no particular alphabetical order...
Arkhan: Brunner remembers seeing Arkhan come in the forge when Brunner first started helping Kinning. He learned from Kining (who apparently really enjoys talking about the people around town, whether Brunner wants her to or not) that the half orc "seemed lucky," but keeps his past a bit secret. Brunner discounted the idea that he seemed a bit paranoid to Kinning, to a dwarf all half-orcs seemed paranoid. Brunner was interested in hearing where he came from and how he grew up. Brunner was convinced a lot of the differences between the races probably had a lot to do with upbringing.
Barhador: Having noticed the auburn haired elf working with the Foxclaw scouts. He learned from Kining (who apparently really enjoys talking about the people around town, whether Brunner wants her to or not) that the town holds him in high regard as a Foxclaw scout. But he discounted the idea of him seeming reckless. To dwarves, all elves seemed reckless. He is intrigued with the idea of the man wanting to find a wife. A very curious idea, one finding ones own wife instead of trusting parents or elders to select the right mate for you.
Eilyne: While working at the forge, Brunner has seen Eilyne walk past on her way into town. He learned from Kining (who apparently really enjoys talking about the people around town, whether Brunner wants her to or not) that she was a free spirited 'nature girl' who lived in the woods after something terrible happened to her family. That she helped the local lumberjacks and came to town to sell plants. He discounts that Kinning refered her to as 'a little off' becuase most dwarves find most humans 'a little off.' He finds the idea of a human who lives alone, fasinating and has determined that if she comes to the forge, or if he took an evening off instead of working to the late hours, he would speak with her.
Ethan: Brunner met Ethan when the young Erastilian needed some arrowheads made. They talked for hours. Well Ethan talked most of it, Brunner got a few words in, but that cleric, he was a chatter box. Brunner could remember the look on Kining's face when the stubble faced man told them he was a mid-wife. How their world views could be so similar yet so different was still a mystery to Brunner.
Tarrow: Brunner met Tarrow when he came in and picked up the rapier he had been working on. He learned from Kining (who apparently really enjoys talking about the people around town, whether Brunner wants her to or not) that Tarrow had a rough time of it when he was younger, but she didn't go into details. He discounted the fact that she warned him to 'Watch your purse.' Most dwarves think all halflings are pickpockets or burglars. But Brunner would like to learn about Tarrows story and would enjoy seeing the fellow duel with the rapier. Brunner himself leaning toward dwarven weapons he enjoys watching a good swordsman, whatever the style.
Male Human Cleric of Erastil (Stoic Caregiver) 6 l AC 18 T 12 FF 16 l HP 45/45 l F +7 R +5 W +9 l Init +2 l Perc +3 I CMB +4 I CMD 16 I Hero Points: 2/3 I Channel Positive Energy: 7/day, 3d6, DC16
Brunner Hammerfell wrote:
Ethan: Brunner met Ethan when the young Erastilian needed some arrowheads made. They talked for hours. Well Ethan talked most of it, Brunner got a few words in, but that cleric, he was a chatter box. Brunner could remember the look on Kining's face when the stubble faced man told them he was a mid-wife. How their world views could be so similar yet so different was still a mystery to Brunner.
I like the look of this scene, but I would suggest a tweak. Ethan is a bowyer-fletcher also, so he probably wouldn't have gone to Brunner looking for him to make arrowheads. However, if the topic of arrow-making came up in conversation, Ethan would have enthusiastically engaged.
Ethan: Brunner met Ethan when the young Erastilian needed some arrowheads made. They talked for hours. Well Ethan talked most of it, Brunner got a few words in, but that cleric, he was a chatter box. Brunner could remember the look on Kining's face when the stubble faced man told them he was a mid-wife. How their world views could be so similar yet so different was still a mystery to Brunner.
I like the look of this scene, but I would suggest a tweak. Ethan is a bowyer-fletcher also, so he probably wouldn't have gone to Brunner looking for him to make arrowheads. However, if the topic of arrow-making came up in conversation, Ethan would have enthusiastically engaged.
Curious, funny how we read the same thing and come to different conclusions. I had read Ethan was a bowyer/fletcher and thought that he would purchase steel arrowheads for the arrows he was making. But cool with however you want to do it. Out of curiosity what is he making the arrow heads out of?
Traditional European arrowheads came from a forge, independently of the type of arrowhead.
Broadheads, similar to what bow hunters use today, were intended for unarmored targets. There was a more specialized arrowhead made with a crumple zone (for lack of a better descriptive term), where the point was expected to dent thinner metal armors, and then the crumple zone would make for a "second impact" when the shaft reached the armor, and the arrow would punch through those lighter armors. The more generic field tip of the day (as much as there was ONE) was similar to a modern target tip, but instead of a gentle point, it narrowed quickly to a tiny "shaft" in front of the rest of the arrow, minimizing the impact surface area to maximize initial penetration. The little flange of metal wasn't long, but it was more than enough to pierce a thin layer of leather and flesh, both.
The player just isn't that good with a bare longbow, but I am familiar with the sport, and some of the Welsh history in particular. And there still are people who prefer to use only "bare", fire-hardened wood tips. Wasn't the European norm, though.
Male Human Cleric of Erastil (Stoic Caregiver) 6 l AC 18 T 12 FF 16 l HP 45/45 l F +7 R +5 W +9 l Init +2 l Perc +3 I CMB +4 I CMD 16 I Hero Points: 2/3 I Channel Positive Energy: 7/day, 3d6, DC16
Brunner Hammerfell wrote:
Ethan Sower wrote:
Brunner Hammerfell wrote:
Ethan: Brunner met Ethan when the young Erastilian needed some arrowheads made. They talked for hours. Well Ethan talked most of it, Brunner got a few words in, but that cleric, he was a chatter box. Brunner could remember the look on Kining's face when the stubble faced man told them he was a mid-wife. How their world views could be so similar yet so different was still a mystery to Brunner.
I like the look of this scene, but I would suggest a tweak. Ethan is a bowyer-fletcher also, so he probably wouldn't have gone to Brunner looking for him to make arrowheads. However, if the topic of arrow-making came up in conversation, Ethan would have enthusiastically engaged.
Curious, funny how we read the same thing and come to different conclusions. I had read Ethan was a bowyer/fletcher and thought that he would purchase steel arrowheads for the arrows he was making. But cool with however you want to do it. Out of curiosity what is he making the arrow heads out of?
You are right. I completely misread the post. Ethan would need someone to make the steel arrowheads. My bad, that’s on me. Either I was distracted while reading it the first time, or my head was being particularly thick at that moment. Sorry about the confusion.
Cool info Barhador, I've minor experience with a bow, had a couple several years ago. But read a lot of weapons history. Strangle a book series that I like that talks a lot about 'archery' and the crafting of such was written by S.M, Stirling: "The Change" series. The basic premise is tech stopped working and magic started working again. Tons of folk die and basically people who are in the CSA took over the west coast. Which makes me laugh since I've got a friend who's in the CSA who does a little fletching.
The more generic field tip your describing, wasn't it called a Bodkin point? Used by the English to great effect against French knights in with the Battle of Crécy, Poitiers and Agincourt.
Bodkin are simple and cheap to make, almost as easy as nails.
The crush zone double impact type are far more complicated and specialized to make. Far more expensive and best suited against heavier armor.
The field tips with a narrow probe style point are a completely different thing again. Last dozen arrows I bought came with that sort of field tip, actually. More punishing that a standard target tip, but not really a war or hunting tip.
From a 'historical War weapon' perspective, Didn't the bodkins provide easy cheap penetration on early plate armor? Um, not that you'll ever see Brunner shooting a bow.
Yeah, I know, never say never. But I'm figuring he's swinging his Dorn- dergar and head butting people most of the time.
As plate armor became thicker and still had the deflection angles, bodkins arrows didn't penetrate so well anymore.
The rise of the crossbow, and then gunpowder, led to plate armor fading out faster than the more expensive, more specialized penetration arrowheads spread in use.
Meh.
Also, all modern Western film shows French-style archery NOT traditional Welsh longbow archery. Olympic style archery is based on the French style.
Still having trouble focusing on anything after that class. Only 2 more days to go! Zoom courses at the foundational level aren't supposed to be punishing, are they? 'Cause this one hurts.
Yeah, I know. Whine, whine, whine somewhere else. <grin>
GM Michael, I made a boneheaded oversight with respect to encumbrance. I beg forgiveness, but I have had to drop a few items from my original inventory - bedroll, blanket, rope, etc - to make weight. I swapped in a cloak for no other reason than to avoid a circumstance where Tarrow is freezing while he sleeps. If this is unacceptable I will live with my mistake.
and post there what character you play so I can assign them. You can also lookover the main map which I have up and the players tag on. After I assign all the characters Ill move to the Inn map
so as this is many of you's first combat with me. Peek at the Combat summary. You will see the enemy stats there.
Yes it does away with some of the mystery, but it also allows better descriptive text from you as you know if you hit and if your spell succeeded.
On your turn, describe what you do, then do your rolls (hit and damage etc. the biggest change is spell casters will roll enemy saves, and I will roll your saves. that way combat can move more rapidly without waiting to see if something succeeds or not.
Right now Brunner can go, then I will post a summary update, and move Jet and Jenni and the hobgoblins. then we move to the next group. Anyone included in the bold may post in any order, I will move throug things in order though. so if you want your action to occur after someone...post it in your action...ie
'Joe will wait for Tom to move then cast his spell.'
Much of the crunch is complete for Tarrow Harfoot (alias of Therenger). Will finish up spit and polish tomorrow.
Tarrow is a melee Rogue and I may develop him as a Trip specialist, which will inform weapon choices. Traits are the campaign trait plus Helpful and Reactionary.
Went with Craft (Alchemy), but stopped short of committing to Investigator. Feats will be Weapon Finesse and Combat Expertise as the freebie from GM.
Personality: Harrowed by his experience as an Ironfang Survivor, Tarrow is eager to build strong personal bonds and help those he trusts whenever they are in need. He exhibits bravery to the point of foolishness, determined never to cower in the face of evil.
on and question marks next to Human indicate that mild curiousity over sub ethnicity....Varisian, Kellid, Taldan, Shoanti, etc...
Ah. I believe most Humans of Nirmathas are of Cheliaxian and Varisian stock. As Hollin is Nirmathas born, I'd say a mix but if I had to pick one, let's go Varisian
Oh wow, this really exploded quickly. I was hoping to submit a cavalier idea I've been wanting to play in this campaign, but there's already such a large pool of characters and of martials specifically.
C. Psychic (discipline may vary depending on party composition)
D. Animal Whisperer
E. Blothiq is a traveling salesman, originally from Druma. Being from Druma, he grew up around the Prophecies of Kalistrade in his every day life. He got married, had a few kids, but felt itch of adventure. Though not a Kalistocrat himself, he took the mercantile practices to heart. Blothiq said goodbye to his wife, and left to go on an adventure. He recently was in Molthune and Tamran, working his way west to Korvosa, using his recently discovered psychic magic (perhaps from his Vudran ancestry) to guide him along. He's taking a week long break in Phaendar to sell some good, resupply, and enjoy the town.
E. Leland is in town selling his herbal poultices. After many years serving in the military keeping the wilds safe and patching up his allies, he's recently retired to enjoy a more quiet existence. Using the skills he picked up during his service, he now grows medicinal herbs and makes various ointments to sell the the townsfolk of Phaendar. Though retired, he continues to worship Our Lord in Iron and keeps his trusty bow near at hand in case Gorum requires his presence on the battlefield once more.
A Ranger focused on archery combat and killing fey. I've finished most of her mechanical stuff (though I'm still determining whether I should give her an archetype) and her fluff/backstory is not done yet.
If Seren needs to be put in a role, it would be archer with 6th level arcane casting, regardless of whether we go with eldritch archer or arrowsong minstrel. That's probably filed under 'support'?
Got most of the character finished, and I think encumbrance could be an issue in the beginning, unless that is being hand waved.
Working on equipment and Background.
Barhador is a skilled outdoorsman, but not a primary combatant. Once he gets Wild Shape at Level 4, his primary combat contribution style should change pretty significantly. Thus the lack of archery feats . . ..
I'll throw Eilyne into the running. I'll have to make sure she is de-leveled as she was built for an Ironfang game that died off a while back. I really enjoyed the character so figured it would be worth trying again.
Eilyne is a human (I'm a dryad!) who thinks she is a dryad phytokineticist with unbreakable survivor.
Marvas the Younger
Half-orc ranger (nirmathi irregular) 1 (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Magic)
NG Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +1 (+2 in forests.); Senses darkvision 90 ft.; Perception +6
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 13 (1d10+3)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +2
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +4 (1d4+3/19-20) or
. . glaive +5 (1d10+4/×3) or
. . spiked gauntlet +4 (1d4+3) or
. . warhammer +4 (1d8+3/×3)
Ranged shortbow +2 (1d6/×3)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with glaive)
Special Attacks favored enemy (goblinoids +2)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 15
Feats Deadly Aim, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (glaive)
Traits brute (apg), fangwood insurgent (nirmathas), ironfang survivor
Skills Climb +5, Handle Animal +4, Heal +6, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +6, Profession (soldier) +6, Profession (trapper) +6, Stealth +3, Survival +6; Racial Modifiers +2 Intimidate, forest ghost
Languages Common, Goblin, Orc
SQ orc blood, track +1
Other Gear chain shirt, arrows (20), dagger, glaive, shortbow, spiked gauntlet, warhammer, backpack, bear trap[APG], bedroll, belt pouch, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), mess kit[UE], pot, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 6 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Darkvision (90 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Deadly Aim -1/+2 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Favored Enemy (Goblinoids +2) (Ex) +2 to rolls vs. goblinoids foes.
Forest Ghost +0 (Ex) Gain +0 bonus on all Perception and Survival skill checks made while in forest terrain.
Orc Blood Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Track +1 Add the listed bonus to Survival checks made to track.
The background I'm thinking on is that Marvas is a survivor of the Ramsgate massacre, and escaped from captivity by the Ironfangs as a teenager, slipping back into Nirmathas and working alternatively as a trapper and soldier with the militias in the forest. I'll felsh that out more if selected, but like I said, work's crazy this week.
A. Linia Morgen
B. Tiefling (pitborn, Pass for Human trait)
C. Cavalier (Constable) 1
D. Ironfang Survivor
E. Linia is a local in Phaendar, a well-known and well-liked tavern wench. She may soon discover she has a talent for leadership and for staying cool in a crisis.
Backstory:
"By the way, sir... I want to thank you."
The man looked up at Linia with a puzzled expression, raising his mug to his lips. "If you're trying to preempt a tip, it won't work."
"Not that. The dagger on your hip; I'd recognize it anywhere. Thank you for taking it."
The man chuckled. "Not a fan of the Ironfang, then?"
"Is that what they call themselves? They killed my beloved last time they were in the area. Would've killed me too, probably, but I managed to hide. They're savages."
"You'll be happy to know there's a few less of them in the world," the man said, looking Linia up and down. "My regiment has run into them several times. They lost. But they're getting bolder, and if you ask me, I think they're recruiting. Or breeding." He took a drink. "Or some of both."
Linia shuddered reflexively. More hobgoblins loyal to the Ironfang would be to the sorrow of everyone. "Well I certainly hope not, for all our sakes. But whatever you did to them, they deserve it. Thank you."
The man drained the last of his mug. "Got any beds in here? You could thank me proper."
Linia smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I'm on shift. And no, we don't." She turned to find other patrons and to take her leave of the conversation. A few others in the tavern looked impatient, and she flashed them a smile.
The man grabbed Linia's hand. "A back room, then? I'm sure it's not your first time serving a customer 'on shift.'"
Damned soldiers, Linia thought. Put a sword in a man's hand and he thinks he owns the world. The barkeep moved toward her to help, but she gestured to him she would handle it. "I'm sorry, sir, I can't. Please let me go, I have other customers."
"Ah, they can do without you for a time. I'll buy a round afterward, they'll forgive you." He stood up, his hand still holding hers. "Now, where can we go?"
Quick as lightning, Linia jabbed the knuckles of her other hand into the man's throat. As he gasped for breath, she wrenched herself free of his grip and smashed her elbow into his face. He lost his balance and collided with the table. She hopped back a step to gain a safe distance. "I'll tell you where you can go, you worm. The hell away from here."
The man slowly got to his feet, shot Linia a furious look, and staggered out the door muttering curses. "I hope you don't make a habit of punching outsiders," said the barkeep from behind Linia. "The festival's in a few days."
Linia turned to him and grinned. "Don't teach a lady self-defense, and then expect her not to use it."
Actually, while it would be a minor downgrade, I may go for psychic instead. If I did, I'd probably take the Abomination discipline, and the wildepath archetype.
Note, its the same character, I'm just wondering about the best way to portray the flavor. And, I've not played a psychic before, so that is perhaps tempting me a bit.
"Have a look at this, lad. Now see how it turns from murky brown to clear amber?" The elder halfling plucked the glass carafe from a perch above a small coal fire, then swirled it with his gloved hand.
Tarrow watched his uncle work, astute to the process and mindful of his place so as nt to disturb the many bottles and containers of alchemical ingredients crammed onto every shelf and table.
"What is it?" asked the younger halfling.
Uncle Gannor elevated the concoction to the sunlight filtering through a crack in the shutter. It gleamed and bubbled, still very hot. Satisfied, he poured the contents of the carafe into a copper mug and set it to cool. "Beer, my boy! This one we can drink, but not yet."
Gannor settled into a wooden chair covered by a threadbare blanket and folded his hands. "Now, have you gathered the ingredients I sent you to look for?"
Tarrow unslung the sack from across his shoulder and opened it. A fluff of milkweed burst into the room. "Mostly. Dry rot had got most of the grape leaves over spring, and then there were the locusts."
"Ill omens," replied his uncle. The old halfling looked wistfully around his laboratory. "We are the last true craftsmen of our clan, Tarrow. And one day soon we may be forced to leave these plains which have been our home now for twenty summers. When that happens, you will need to be prepared to carry on the tradition as Master of Potions."
"Why are you telling me this, uncle?"
Gannor smiled at his nephew and turned his gaze to the shard of light which pierced the room from the window, dust floating in space. "We've been lucky. Twenty years on the Nesmian Plains is a very long tenure indeed. Eventually our luck will run out." The old halfling reached for the copper mug and tipped the warm beer past his lips. "Hmm," he mused. "Here, you try it."
--------------
The attack came at night.
Autumn fields of dried corn stalks burned with the ferocity of wildfire caught in the wind. The small community of halflings could do little but grab themselves up and flee with the few precious belongings which could be scooped up on the way out of their thatched hovels. But the raiders were on them before they could get far, monstrous goblins swinging hideous black blades, killing every one in sight.
Tarrow had fallen asleep beneath the big table in his uncle's lab when the screams of his clan roused him to the horror. Gannor was already at work, but instead of gathering the most valuable treasures in the room, he was mixing ingredients in small cistern and stoking coals beneath it, moving with frenetic efficiency that belied his years.
He kicked his nephew. "Now run lad! Run from this night, and do not stop until the sun breaks above the eastern hills. Go!" Gannor kicked him again, with terrifying urgency.
Tarrow obeyed, and burst forth into the inferno. Pillars of flame seared the sky, goblins raced around with blood-soaked blades, and halflings - young and alike - were cut down and torn to pieces. He could hear them coming for him, and he turned to face his death. He watched as a trio of goblins crashed into his uncle's hovel and two more raced toward him, blades held high to strike.
But then the lab exploded! A fireball billowed out, consuming everything within twenty paces. Goblins nearest to the blast turned to cinders, while others were thrown from their feet. The force of it knocked Tarrow backward half as far as he could throw a stone. With the last of his wits he gathered himself and ran for the hills, and he did not stop running until the first rays of the sun warmed his face.
Tarrow collapsed and raised his eyes back toward his home. All that remained was a thick plume of smoke rising out of the distance. Everything he had ever known was gone.
Ok, I am throwing my hat in the ring for this one. Hope I am on time!
A. Tessai
B. Tiefling
C. Paladin
D. Probably World Weary
E. In spite of sticking out as a sore thumb with her gray skin, and whipping tail, Tessai never felt unwelcome in Phaendar. Why a demon spawn ever came to live among humans was a matter surprisingly never really much brought to light, at least to her face - to her adopted parents she was a daughter, to other inhabitants she was a hard working girl helping out at the smithy, and to the kids who decided they wanted to measure their strength against the lean, beautiful tiefling, she usually was a nasty surprise. Adolescence brought some troublesome questions, but the answer was even more surprising when Tessai joined the church, leaving her homeland and following the path to become a Paladin, regardless of her heritage. Like many youngsters, she learned you can go far from home to look for something, but sometimes it has been sitting right next to you all along. Tessai has come to understand what it is she truly treasures - family, friends and her hometown, and that is why she has returned to Phaendar.
To help me in my choice I'm going to ask acouple of unorthodox questions.
1. If you're relatively new to pbp, what drew you in? And what makes you think you can stay the course for 2-3 years or longer that it takes for an AP?
2. If you've been on the site playing for a year or so and ate in a handful of games but haven't been playing pbp for multiple years, why do you think games fail? And why do people leave?
3 if you're a long time player and you know what it takes fora successful game why do you quit an AP? What keeps you 'into it'?
4. Finally look over your inactive games if you've applied for a lot and end up quiting or it fails ...why? In other words if there's a huge amount of inactive games whether started by you or applied for by you and there's very little played or finished...why?
3. I've been playing Pathfinder for about a decade, PbP for six or seven years. In person I've played, and run, multiple Adventure Paths from start to finish; in PbP I mostly play Society games and don't have much experience with long-term campaigns. Of the few campaigns I've joined online, most of them stopped due to the GM leaving or ending the game prematurely. I'm currently in a Skull & Shackles game that hasn't been going long, but I love the AP (having run it myself in person) and I keep up with it avidly. What keeps me invested is lots of intra-party interaction, I like it when characters not only talk to NPC's but also each other.
4. The vast majority of my inactive games are Society games that finished. The others are mostly games that ended out from under me. The one time I quit a long-term game before it was over was a Shattered Star campaign; I left after about ten months (we had just finished book 1) because I didn't like my character. It taught me more about my own play style-- that character was meant to be light-hearted and a little zany, and I realized the shtick lost its appeal for me fairly quickly. It was the last time I've made that type of character for a campaign.
I have on these boards PbPing for quite some years. I started playing D&D at age 9. I am extremely experienced, familiarity with the rules, and willing/eager to role-play my characters. I really like to see how they will end up!
I, myself, have only quit 1 PbP game. It was WotR. It started out a mess (with folks RPing in Recruitment), which forced the GM to take on 2 Tables, which suffered for it. I lasted until 3rd level (I believe); when we lost our GM. They were going to look for another, but, unfortunately, I was already pass disenfranchised.
Luckily, I am fortunate to be in another WotR game!
What keeps me engaged is an active Table and a GM not afraid to push the players a bit; when the most opportune moment comes...lol!
#4:
The majority of inactive games are PFS completed scenarios. Some, unfortunately, are games that the GM disappeared, suddenly called it quits, or the 1 I actually left.
Also, you are more than welcome to peruse my games/characters/nonsensical shenanigans!
I play PbP exclusively, and have been on the boards for a few years now. In my experience, nothing kills an AP faster than player or GM apathy. We've all been there. Sometimes RL knocks a key player out or sometimes players or the GM simply lose interest. Posts get shorter and less creative, and it can be either a long slog to campaign death or a quick disbanding.
I have been selective in the games I've applied to, because I know players who spread themselves too thin and I prefer to spend my time developing a few characters, as opposed to just rolling dice more often. I got into a Dead Suns campaign that spanned several years and at one point I was the only active player, but the GM and I both wanted to see it through.
I post frequently. I have the luxury of a work at home job that offers many periods throughout the day where I'm waiting for a database query to execute or a reply on a project request, where I post to the Paizo boards. I can promise I will be one of the more consistent posters to any game I'm involved with.
I have discussed this many times with others in the boards over the years GMMichael, mainly over PM - I am very happy to see you placing those questions.
I am answering from the 3. and 4. perspective, and I think there is a mix of reasons making PbP games fail. I count myself lucky for being in TWO games which actually reached their conclusion - one shorter module/mini campaign and an actual full AP - Carrion Crown (it is amazing by the way).
- The main reason I think is RL. Fact is, PbP is in the vast majority of cases much slower than your average tabletop, Friday night game. Also, you play it with strangers (apologies if the word is too harsh) instead of friends. In my case, my RPG tabletop group is the same I play card games with, boardgames, go out for drinks, celebrate our kid's birthdays, etc. So we are naturally close, as opposed to the players you meet only in the PbP medium. So for that reason, this amplified time it takes to complete a game in PbP grinds many games to a halt - it is just that: RL + this or that player's diminished availability to post (even worse if that is one of the players that drive the game 'forward' - there are always at least one or two if you are lucky);
- The effect above creates a sort of 'snowball effect'. This is a cooperative game. Players and GM sit together to tell, and play out/act a story all together. Once the driving forces begin dwindling, games start falling apart like decks of cards.
- I have also quit games, mainly because I felt the story was not being told by all. This is hard to put into words, and it has much to do with how my own ideas about being a GM and a player have evolved over many years as a GM/DM. But to summarize, I honestly feel there are many players out there (hope I do not get hate for this) who are simply going through the motions, going through the steps to complete a task. And the task is a game. To give you an idea where I am coming from - I was the GM for my group for many years, starting with D&D Basic Red Box, all the way to Pathfinder. And whenever we sat at the table to play, it was almost always sandbox - it did not matter if I was DMing modules from Forgotten Realms, brilliant adventures from Planescape, or delves like Night Below - we went where the game took us. We never OOC abandoned a task/quest that made sense to the characters because 'it was not part of the main plot' or because 'that is not the plan for the game'. Nope. We always followed wherever the game took us. And that makes for memorable games. Don't get me wrong, I love APs and self contained modules. But I also love flexibility. The game is the game - is it really relevant if you started o what you thought would be a pirate adventure, and yet finished embarking on a memorable adventure embroiled in the Blood War? For me, no. I joined the forums to play RPG, and that is my goal. I am already overextending on this one so I will just shut up - it is just close to home this one.
- Bottom line, and regarding successful games - I think what it takes is a group of like minded people, who understand the nature not only of PbP, but also of real life. If players A and B are usually the driving force of the game, yet they are going through a rough patch at work and cannot play that role, then player C steps up, then the GM, then player A is back to drive the game forward, then player Y, etc. I think a game where everyone understands this (and by 'this' I mean the commitment is from all parts), and also that a game NEEDS to move or it will die - will be a successful one. Couple that with players who (even if they do not have a lot of time to post) will acknowledge what other players and GM have posted, and react accordingly, and not only will you have a successful game, but you will have a GREAT one! Of course, RL can (and will) still happen, and some games will just fall apart because of an 'unfortunate series of events', but then everyone gave it a fair shot and you can just accept that such is life.
Eeeesh, damned wall of text. Sorry for just going on and on guys :P
EDIT: Tarrow nailed regarding apathy. I blame it on my difficulty in being succinct in some matters ;)
1. If you're relatively new to pbp, what drew you in? And what makes you think you can stay the course for 2-3 years or longer that it takes for an AP?
2. If you've been on the site playing for a year or so and ate in a handful of games but haven't been playing pbp for multiple years, why do you think games fail? And why do people leave?
3 if you're a long time player and you know what it takes fora successful game why do you quit an AP? What keeps you 'into it'?
4. Finally look over your inactive games if you've applied for a lot and end up quiting or it fails ...why? In other words if there's a huge amount of inactive games whether started by you or applied for by you and there's very little played or finished...why?
Answers:
1) Not New, been on the boards for about 10 years almost straight as I took a 5 month PBP break to recover from PBP burnout.
2) I've been in a number of games and I find some players and GMs over extend themselves (mainly the GM over extending), which can lead to PBP burnout for that GM or Player.
Also communication and interaction between players and GM needs to be good, as a player without good communication or interaction my start feeling left out and just drop. This may mean the GM poking the player in game with an NPC to help them feel included and becoming more active.
3) Most of the succussful games I've played in and run, are a blend of the right GM and the right players, with the right level of communication and intereaction from everyone. Reasons some fail is Burn out and the wrong mix of players (including among themselves) and the GM, wrong expectations, character isn't as useful as thought, wanning interest in the game, ... etc just to name a few reasons games fail.
4) When being a player, the game mostly failed when the GM disappeared/canned the game, that and once you get past level 10 things get broken fast and the problem increase exponentially with each new level. Also I find that some GMs and players do get slowly bored with the game and can't keep interest, which I believe is one of the big reasons APs fail, where modules don't. Since modules are smaller and can be wrapped in a year or two before interest wanes too much, where as an AP is a full commitment for nearly a full 20 levels and a long number of years depending on posting rate.
I know the reason for my inactive/failed games with me as GM is that I over extended myself earlier, and thanks to that, I now have a grasp of my PBP game limits, which is quite limited, but means I can be focused on the games I'm in or running since I know the limit and won't try to be in or run more games than the limit even if they are interesting ideas I'd want to try.
Yeah, Tarrow Harfoot and Albion, The Eye, nailed it as I was writing mine up.
It was also a reason I was hoping for a chance to vote on the Serpent's Skull AP, as you can wrap up the first book as it's own story, before interest wanes too much if signs of losing interest appear with the players or GM.
4) When being a player, the game mostly failed when the GM disappeared/canned the game, that and once you get past level 10 things get broken fast and the problem increase exponentially with each new level.
This is a great point. Some systems just do not scale well once characters get a few levels of experience. I'm thinking 5E Adventures in Middle Earth, but also Starfinder, for the opposite reason.
I think 1st level adventures are usually the most fun. It's like when you're on your own for the first time in real life; everything is a struggle, but you enjoy the little things more.
1. If you're relatively new to pbp, what drew you in? And what makes you think you can stay the course for 2-3 years or longer that it takes for an AP?
I have never played an AP all the way through (though I am in a Ruins or Azlant one that has just started the last book). I rarely pull out of games unless I am just not enjoying it enough and am doggedly persistent in sticking around.
2. If you've been on the site playing for a year or so and ate in a handful of games but haven't been playing pbp for multiple years, why do you think games fail? And why do people leave?
N/A
3 if you're a long time player and you know what it takes fora successful game why do you quit an AP? What keeps you 'into it'?
A successful game requires keeping a decent posting rate. This can very group to group and has been a lot slower the last year or so due to COVID in my experience. Generally one post per/day or every two days seems to be a pretty decent rate for most group and an every other is usually a more reasonable expectation in my experience (combat is the number one killer of momentum so cutting them down somewhat is a very good idea, especially at higher levels where they take even longer). It is also important to not go too fast for everyone. Ideally, unless a couple of players are involved in something on the side, it is best to try and give everyone a reasonable timeframe to post before posting again. Finally use the written story as guidelines and don't be too strict on the rules. RAW/WAI are important but Rule 0 is more important as long as it doesn't ruin the fun for the others.
As an example of the can be seen with Eilyne. Basic Phytokinesis is very weak and not really good for anything much mechanics wise. As part of it in the past Eilyne uses it to make leaves and other plants stick to her to form clothing with. It does very little mechanics wise, isn't that broken since it isn't making cold weather clothes, fits thematically, and gives the chance for entertainment if the effect is somehow disrupted.
Generally when I quit a game, which is very rare, it is because of poor writing. I might be slow to post at times but I try to make quality posts and I expect the same. When I end up in a game where the writers are very bad, i.e. poor grammar, their posts constant one liners, etc, I can get frustrated enough to pull out. Sometimes a game or a character just doesn't work for me, it doesn't have to be the players/GM, the story can just not be engaging enough to me, If it is the character I will often ask to change characters to something I will enjoy more, if it is the story/players/gm I will just pull out.
4. Finally look over your inactive games if you've applied for a lot and end up quitting or it fails ...why? In other words if there's a huge amount of inactive games whether started by you or applied for by you and there's very little played or finished...why?
While a few of my games have completed (and one is entering the home stretch) those that failed have largely been either from player drop out or a GM pulling a disappearing act. Sometimes the majority just have to call it because of IRL changes and, in one case we all agreed to stop and start a new campaign since none of us were enjoying the current one. Overall though it is GM poofing that is the biggest killer IMO, players can be replaced but replacing the GM is much, much harder.
4) When being a player, the game mostly failed when the GM disappeared/canned the game, that and once you get past level 10 things get broken fast and the problem increase exponentially with each new level.
This is a great point. Some systems just do not scale well once characters get a few levels of experience. I'm thinking 5E Adventures in Middle Earth, but also Starfinder, for the opposite reason.
I think 1st level adventures are usually the most fun. It's like when you're on your own for the first time in real life - everything is a struggle, but you enjoy the little things more.
Yeah, part of the problem with characters above level 10, is also the run-away HP problem which slows encounters to a crawl and makes them last much longer then they should.
To which I've been working towards a solution to fix the run-away HP issue and it is a simple one, that lets weapon attacks at least somewhat scale better with levels to keep combat rounds for an encounter in a more manageable count. While also keeping more of the weapon's feel as it did at lower levels
A. Jarzik
B. Ratfolk
C. Alchemist
D. Frontier Healer (if it will apply to my extracts but it's not technically a spell so it may not) otherwise Ironfang Survivor
E. Peddling my alchemical wares
Answers:
I have been on the boards for 7 years now and played a variety of games - PFS, AP's, and old school conversions. I think my longest game has been about 2 years. I'm currently in an AP that finished the first book which is the furthest I've made it through an AP. The only other time I've made it that far was a tpk in the final fight of the first book. I have never quit a game although at times my posting can be sporadic. I do try not to hold a game up though. If I commit to something, I try to see it through. I like to see my character grow and like to be able to check an adventure off my list of ones to play. Of the 5 games on my campaign tab, 2 are inactive and am waiting for them to fall off.
Most of the non-PFS games have died due to players or the GM dropping the game. Sometimes people over-commit to the number of games they are in and realize they can't keep up. I find that trying to replace a player can work sometimes but rarely will a new GM successfully take over a game.
3. I can't claim to know what makes a successful game, but I've been playing and running games on these forums for a few years now so I guess that puts me in this category. XD
I often find myself struggling in an adventure when I make a character that's nice and doesn't cause problems. I think I do this because I want to be a nice person to play with, and because I tend to be a quiet person in general. But this means that my characters don't want anything, or they only want it on paper rather than wanting it in practice. Herman is an excellent foil to these tendencies because he very much wants things and isn't afraid to let that be known. And when someone knows what you want, they can try to either help you get it or get in your way - and that's exciting and interesting and makes for fun gameplay. It was wonderful to play this character before and I hope he'll get to live again someday.
To be honest, the biggest factor behind why a number of APs I've participated in are no longer active is due to something coming up for the GM. Maybe life got busy, or maybe they're not having fun but don't know how to say it. I've not left an adventure that's still ongoing, so I don't have any experience there.
4. Like several others, the vast majority of my inactive campaigns are PFS scenarios that have been completed. There are two adventures where I was GMing that are no longer active - one was a module where my GM style and the players' expectations about dungeon exploration weren't a good fit and then one player had to withdraw due to IRL complications, and the other was the evil AP that I started as a favor for a friend but quickly discovered that I couldn't be the supportive GM I needed to be for evil characters and had to pass the campaign off to a friend. But very few of the campaigns listed as inactive died before coming to their intended conclusion.
3 if you're a long time player and you know what it takes fora successful game why do you quit an AP? What keeps you 'into it'?
4. Finally look over your inactive games if you've applied for a lot and end up quiting or it fails ...why? In other words if there's a huge amount of inactive games whether started by you or applied for by you and there's very little played or finished...why?
3. Over the years, I have only ever bowed out of 2 games. 1 was due to not being able to keep up with the pace of the game (the DM and one player were posting 5-10 times a day and it wasn't fun to feel like a supporting character in someone else's story) and another was due to the DM's posting style (poor formatting, spelling and grammar) that made it difficult to follow. All I'm looking for is a reasonable pace to keep me engaged (DM post every 1-2 days). DM guidance and direction also helps, as I find that PbPs tend to get bogged down when there is a lot of discussion on what to do next.
4. As a player, all but two (mentioned above) of the inactive games are due to the DM disappearing or quitting. As a DM, the games that I shuttered were due to players disappearing or losing interest, after a certain point it's easier to start something new than to just keep re-recruiting. My current longest running campaign is a Shattered Star campaign that started in 2013 and we're just about to start the final book. Same 4 PCs that started and they are about to hit level 16.
One and two no longer apply to me I guess. So.. for the other two questions?
3. I think the most successful games I've been lucky enough to be a part of were that because of a mix of balance and luck (Luck largely because Real Life happens). I've been fortunate to have some great GMs and co-players who know how to keep the action flowing by example with openings for everyone to chime in ICly or what not. Speaking for myself personally, I react well to a sense of achievement, not for just MY character, but for the group. A sense that the setting is BETTER for the characters having been there.
4. I've had some great game masters who got HAMMERED by Real life just as they were getting a game going. Medical problems with them or their family members, sudden moves, legal woes, job demands increased without warning. If it happens to the GM, or enough players, it can have an effect. APs can be really tricky for this reason. They take a long time, so the odds are greater for player or even GM loss. There's also a matter of fun not being had. I've seen some Game masters and player groups that had different expectations but didn't realize it until it was too late. It stopped being fun for the GM or players, and what should be a game became nothing but a chore. It has to be fun for the GM or what's the point? And I quite understand when a GM or player has to say "Sorry, this isn't working for me " and withdraws
Well said Ridge, I recall switching GM's twice (with both saying they were withdrawing at least instead of disappearing) within the opening of Kingmaker before we got a one that really clicked and got through Book 1 and into Book 2 before that game ended with the GM giving a withdrawal notice due to RL.
Oddly I re-read that Campaign just this past month.
1. If you're relatively new to pbp, what drew you in? And what makes you think you can stay the course for 2-3 years or longer that it takes for an AP?
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2. If you've been on the site playing for a year or so and ate in a handful of games but haven't been playing pbp for multiple years, why do you think games fail? And why do people leave?
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3 if you're a long time player and you know what it takes fora successful game why do you quit an AP? What keeps you 'into it'?
Along with several other systems, I've been playing PF for about... 10 years? Somewhere around there. Most of it has been PbP, with a smattering of face to face. I haven't used the Paizo forums much, but I'm active on a couple other PbP sites, and I've been in quite a few games. It's rare for me to quit an AP. I've had a couple where real-world medical issues just made posting regularly an issue, and a couple where the GM turned out to be an unpleasant person. No gaming is better than bad gaming, in those cases.
What keeps me into a game is the people I'm playing with. Most of the APs tell good stories, and that's a definite plus, but if all I wanted was a story I could read a novel. Even just quiet RP moments, or the ways personalities mesh (or don't!) is fun and motivating for me. PC-to-PC roleplay is the real meat and potatoes of a game, and if that side of things is compelling I'll happily play for ages.
4. Finally look over your inactive games if you've applied for a lot and end up quiting or it fails ...why? In other words if there's a huge amount of inactive games whether started by you or applied for by you and there's very little played or finished...why?
In my experience, PbP games die like flies, and die quickly.
For example, I've been in five PbP Curse of the Crimson Throne campaigns. The most successful made it all the way to fighting Gaedren Lamm, the boss of part one of book one. I would love to have an AP actually be the years-long commitment people say they are, because 90% of the ones I've played died in a month or two, if that. It's a special thing to actually get a long-term game, but they're often lightning in a bottle and the result of a lot of behind-the-screen work. I'm running one long-term game myself, a homebrew world 5e game, and you really get a sense for how fragile PbP is when you're the one running things.
Almost all my unfinished games ended because the GM vanished, or had some real-world issue come up. The latter is just life, but the former are disheartening. Player attrition is a pain, but there's always someone willing to step in. I've never had a game die because we lost too many players, just paused to re-recruit (and re-re-recruit, and...).
If there are any specific weak points for me, really big dungeon crawls, the room-by-room, clear out the fifth bunch of random orcs, "hurray, onto the fifth floor!" "What's up there?" "More orcs!" type, absolutely kill morale and motivation. I've never quit a game because of one, but boy have I wanted to. I think they're a poor fit with PbP pacing, where being in combat for months at a time is a distinct possibility, depending on posting speed. I love a neat build and cleverness in combat as much as anyone, but making the XP number get bigger isn't a reason to play on its own. The characters and their story are.
Hey there! Great, thought-provoking questions. I think many of the others summarized much of what I'd say, so I won't create a wall-o-text to muddy the waters further.
I've been in 4 APs which all failed for mostly the GM losing interest, and one from the players losing focus - I'll admit I didn't help as I was playing a character who had a lot of catching up to do, and chose poorly in character creation for the world the GM had built. I haven't quit on an AP, and I like to check the boards frequently during my work day, so I don't have problems getting involved in the game. But a good character, even just in mind, even if it doesn't fully materialize on paper is pretty important. Stats matter much less to me in PbP than the concept of the character, since that's what you are playing really.
I really think it is a social contract at work here. The GM wants to tell a story, and the players want to experience that story and add to it with their own characters; and I think that investment is the best part of pbp. I don't really have time in my life for IRL games anymore, and with my work schedule its been impossible (also thanks COVID). So the unstated social interaction and communal storytelling is the most important part of the durability of PbP games, and creating a 'can do' setting between players and GM.
1. If you're relatively new to pbp, what drew you in? And what makes you think you can stay the course for 2-3 years or longer that it takes for an AP?
A. I am relatively new to it and honestly it intrigues me how the pacing of a game goes like this but i can say it would take some effort to just keep at it for a whole AP
2. If you've been on the site playing for a year or so and ate in a handful of games but haven't been playing pbp for multiple years, why do you think games fail? And why do people leave?
A. Honestly i would say is because PBP requires a certain kind of person that has the patience and can engage with it, this means people unable to engage with it eventually grow bored or dissatisfied with the game and choose to leave.
3 if you're a long time player and you know what it takes fora successful game why do you quit an AP? What keeps you 'into it'?
A. It would honestly come to a combination of both Players and DM, even if the DM does an impressive job telling an engaging story and making the AP his own, if the rest of the group make the experience bad it can't be helped, the same is true for a DM that does a poor job and treats the game as a Videogame in which the NPC's don't feel like people and more like bad programmed AI that don't bother to interact with the players or if the DM actively tries to punish Player Agency to benefit the story both parties have to work together and if the dissonace is too great between individual players or between the players as a whole and the DM it eventually leads to the game failling
4. Finally look over your inactive games if you've applied for a lot and end up quiting or it fails ...why? In other words if there's a huge amount of inactive games whether started by you or applied for by you and there's very little played or finished...why?
A. I am really new to PBP, but i have mainly played through Discord and VTT and most of my games that haven't involved friends have collapsed horribly or i have quit due to DM's having commitment and/or scheduling issues, people constantly ghosting the group, DM being kind of tyrannical and punishing players that interacted with NPC's for clues or plainly some players being completely horrible and taking the enjoyment out of the game for me
2. From what I see, games fail because the GM calls it. Looking at my history, there are currently 8 active campaigns. One of those (Rappan Athuk) is dying because we haven't heard from the GM in weeks. I think you can almost always recruit new players if someone drop (4 of the campaigns I'm in, I joined this way - RoW, SS, LoF, Rise...).
Looking at my inactive list, 12 games. 2 were me screwing around to see if I could get the system to set up a single game with multiple discussion and gameplay threads. Two more were thread switches (Lost Kingdom of the Linnorm > Yggsdreth's Fearsome Five and Against the Giants table two > ADQ Table 2), for board structure reasons. The other 6 were the GM saying they couldn't /Wouldn't continue... or simply dissappearing.
3. The one game I quit was Ruins of Empire. The campaign stopped because I called it, as the last player. We were not successful in recruiting more players... I am not a fan of GM and 1 player. Without at least 1 more player to bounce off of, it becomes... sterile.
It varies. I have bowed out of a few games over my time here. For many different reasons, ranging from RL responsibilities taking up more time (and me being inexperienced at time management at the time), to just not being able to get into the story/feel of the game, to "burnout". A lot of my inactive games are merely ones where the GM disappeared, or that were concluded. Some are ones I had to leave due to life years ago, (I've been a member of the boards since about 2013, I think) I struggled with depression for a time several years back, during which I was away from the boards for a rather extended period of time and so left a few games. I've also left one game on the boards whose posting rate I just could not keep up with. So yes, I have left games, for one reason or another, though the majority of my inactives are due to other circumstances. I have also left one game some time ago because I didn't post in it for a period of time, and felt self-conscious about coming back to it after that. Thats perhaps silly I know, but it happened. As far as what keeps me interested? well, you can tell if a GM is putting in effort, and that certainly helps. I enjoy good characters and a decent flow of the story/narrative. I like some direction, flow, and narrative. I also see combat as a way to potentially further define characters and tell story. I enjoy the mechanic/combat side of the game as well as the RP/story side, though normally only when furthering the story. I also think pacing is important. I've always noticed higher activity in games after large "treasure" rooms, completing an "arc", and/or after leveling up. Perhaps it is merely the type of games I played when I was younger, but I enjoy progress I enjoy feeling like we are progressing the story/narrative and that our choices can have an effect on said narrative. I also have a drive to know, I haven't actually finished many APs, so I always have a drive to stick around and see the story. Which is perhaps why I could lose some steam if it feels like nothing is "getting done" so to speak. Though that is rarely an issue.
1. flow, the games that get bogged down, either in combat, or due to some other thing have a rough time keeping players from my experience.
2. Direction. Sandbox/openworld is all well and good, especially in an in person game, but I've noticed that PbP games where the GM has a more "hands off" touch, seem to struggle at times. Especially when you spend 1-2 weeks trying to hash out what you are going to do, not to mention actually starting and doing it. A small bit of rail-roading is healthy in PbP IMO to move things along or help direct a group.
3. Disjointed. I've left one or two games, largely because the entire feel of it was off. Either because the narrative was too choppy, seeming to skip, or just felt forced/contrived.
1. If you're relatively new to pbp, what drew you in? And what makes you think you can stay the course for 2-3 years or longer that it takes for an AP?
I am not new to pbp.
2. If you've been on the site playing for a year or so and are in a handful of games but haven't been playing pbp for multiple years, why do you think games fail? And why do people leave?
I'm in category three but I still think I know the answer to this: real life gets in the way.
3 if you're a long time player and you know what it takes for a successful game why do you quit an AP? What keeps you 'into it'?
I think the key things is both players (including the GM) and characters that work together.
The last AP I left was a Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign. The players were great but the other characters were evil/selfish types. I don't like playing that kind of game and had invested a lot into creating my PC. She achieved her aim (rescuing her adopted son) and then left the adventure. I turned her and her son into PFS characters because I wanted to keep on playing them.
In my longest running game (that reached book 5 of Kingmaker) we all enjoyed discussing and goofing in the comments together (by the end, we were making throwback comments to events from years earlier) and had found a way to gel our various characters. It probably helped that we had common goals and a common vision for what we wanted our kingdom to become. We also had a neat mix of very straight characters (our paladin and cleric) and characters who could goof at times (our ranger, mostly).
4. Finally look over your inactive games if you've applied for a lot and end up quiting or it fails ...why? In other words if there's a huge amount of inactive games whether started by you or applied for by you and there's very little played or finished...why?
I'm not in this category either but I have thoughts.
I have a long list of inactive games because I have played a lot of PFS scenarios to their conclusion.
Looking at homebrew, I have played some great little campaigns that reached a conclusion but sometimes that conclusion was inspired by the GM's need to reduce/end their time GMing PbP.
With APs, I have played in a few where the GM has just run out of time/energy/whatever and decided to call it quits.
I tried to take over one where the GM and a key player both left but that fizzled out.
I GMed the first book of Council of Thieves but then I got a new job and was really, really busy and had to stop. I couldn't justify the time.
I actually took a break from the boards for a couple of years at that point.
My overwhelming experience is that the GM does the most work, has the most pressure and is the hardest to replace. I have GMed modules on the boards and that is much harder work than being a player.
When PbP games fail, it tends to be because the GM has IRL reaons why they cannot commit the necessary time to the game. Players can leave and be replaced, usually for the same IRL reasons, but the GM is the key.
I've only been on the boards for a little under two years now, but mostly started with playing the PACG (the card game) on here.
Like a lot of people have mentioned, I've noticed a lot of burnout. When COVID hit, all my gaming has moved online which is probably what most people did as well. When this happened, I think a lot of people overcommit or didn't realize the load they could handle. They don't respond for a few days, then the time between posts grows till its weeks between posts. It slowly spirals down, losing momentum, until the game finally collapses
Despite this, I'm optimistic and committed to a game once I start. I love telling stories, especially with other people. I have yet to complete an AP (furthest I've done is an IRL RotRL game where we completed two books). Currently in a WotR campaign on here and we're halfway through book 2. Though we've had some hiccups along the way, we're all committed till the end.
