[Gameday XII] - GM Hawthwile's Blessings of the Forest [Tier 1-2] (Inactive)

Game Master Hawthwile

First off, thank you all for being willing to come on an adventure with me! Now, to business.

Expectations

- I will post every day. I hope everyone can post every weekday and at least once over the weekend, but stuff happens - which leads me to:
- I will bot you if we haven't heard from you in 24 hours. Please include botting instructions in your character profile, or I will have to get creative in the most entertaining (for me) way possible. Please also let me know if you are expecting an extended period of absence so I can PM you and preemptively hash out major decision points to keep the story moving. On a related note:
- I will make "reactive" rolls to keep the story moving along. If you want to make a roll as part of an action/decision/etc, please do so. I might modify the skill used or add circumstantial bonuses/penalties based on circumstances. Which brings me to my final point:
- I will happily add circumstantial bonuses (or penalties) for roleplaying. I hope, for example, that you will accompany your diplomacy check with what your character is actually saying. It makes it so much easier for me to respond if you give me material, and we make such a more fulfilling and exciting story together.

If you're worried or concerned about any of these expectations, or about anything related to this game, post it here or PM me. We can figure something out so you have a good time.

In addition to making “reactive” rolls for characters, I'll also be rolling Recall Knowledge and other secret checks for players so we don't have to wait for a back-and-forth between player and GM. To that end, I tailor what a character might remember about a creature. (For example, a fighter will probably care more about a golem’s DR while a wizard would remember that it’s immune to spells and an alchemist is super excited that it blows up when it dies.) Let me know what your character is most concerned about with an opponent when you take the action to Recall Knowledge or Seek - otherwise, I'll use my best judgment. If this will be a problem for you, let me know (either here or via PM) and we’ll work something out.

We’ll be using block initiative during encounters. Actions will be resolved in the order that they were posted in. While this can do some weird things with a single character acting "twice" before another, it is easier for both players and GM to track the sequence of events this way. I highly encourage tactics such as:

McSwordFace waits until her friend Blessings Galore has a chance to cast a buff before she attacks the horrible people kicking puppies.

Sword of Justice: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 (+ buff if applicable)
Justice damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 (+ buff if applicable)

I will happily calculate the final result in these cases. This helps us work effectively as a team even if posting schedules don’t line up in a beneficial way.

If your post is entirely out of character (OOC), let’s put it here instead of in the Gameplay thread.

About Me: I’ve done a bit of PFS and PbP GMing, but I am certainly not perfect. If you have ideas for how I could do something better, a disagreement with a decision, or confusion over what I’m saying, please let me know via the Discussion thread or PM.

For your first post here, please use the Reply option on the following post, delete the [quote'] tags, and fill in the provided fields. Please fill in your information in the RPG Chronicles sign-up sheet at your earliest convenience. And be sure to pop over to the Gameplay thread and introduce your character!

Player Name:
Character Name:
Downtime (roll now): Please state task level, proficiency, and number of days with your roll.
Special Notes/Abilities: Please replace this text with anything unusual about your character here, such as "I've got Dubious Knowledge" or "I've got That's Odd". This will help both you as a player not have to type the same thing over and over again and me as the GM prepare so the game runs more smoothly.

Player Name: Kate Baker
Character Name: Filentsa
Downtime (roll now): Clockwork Lore, Trained: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21, Level 0 task, 8 days
Special Notes/Abilities: Filentsa has Recognize Spell. She also the aberration subtype, if that comes up.

Player Name: Jeff Chapman
Character Name:
Downtime (roll now): Mercantile Lore, Level 0, 8 days: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Special Notes/Abilities: Jaware has the Scholarly Recollection focus spell, which comes up for Perception checks to Seek or Recall Knowledge checks.

Player Name: Kirill Shtorm
Character Name: Valhalla
Downtime (roll now): Performance, Level 0, 8 days: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Special Notes/Abilities: Val is a rogue, but has some spells, may cover 3 exploration roles in a good way.

Player Name: amysrevenge_Mike
Character Name: Vans Pullman
Downtime (roll now): Warfare Lore, Trained, Level 0, 8 days: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4, which does NOT work out well haha
Special Notes/Abilities: Vans Pullman has Halfling Luck for an extra (partial) reroll, and Hillock Halfling to heal a bit extra from Treat Wounds or resting.

BTW this is my first forum game. I'm more accustomed to discord and foundry these days. Will do my best!

Thank you to everyone who has checked in and filled out the RPG Chronicles info! Because I know y'all love paperwork, I've got another thing to fill out - a Macro Sheet! Pick a tab, rename the tab with your character's name, fill in the page (check out the Example sheet or ask here if you have any questions/confusion), and you're done! It'll help me keep the game moving along quickly, so please do take the time to fill it out at your earliest convenience.

Done!

Also done!

Done! I realized I should mention one more funky thing: the rune witch focus cantrip discern secrets gives a +1 bonus, so I will always cast that to make a recall knowledge, seek, or sense motive roll (unless I've already cast it that combat and am currently immune or something). What's funky is that the target of the spell isn't necessarily myself, so I can cast it and have someone else make a recall knowledge roll on my action. I might do that if Jaware hasn't rolled his own knowledge check on his turn, for instance, but I know his knowledge of religion is much better than mine. It's doesn't otherwise mess with the normal rules of recall knowledge.

Sounds good!

Maps and Handouts are now ready! Please put your token on Slide #2 in the appropriate position for each marching order, and check out the artwork for the NPCs we just met! The choices for tasks are also available on Slide #4.

Also, @Val'halla, could you fill out the Macros sheet and RPG Chronicles page for me? Many thanks!

OK did it

I know it can be helpful to decide on how we want to tackle all the tasks ahead of time, so we don’t lose a day deciding on the next task. What about straight down the list in order?

Good idea. I'm good with that order.

How do you get all that info in your bio?

Do you mean the header at the top of each post? It's in the Race, Class/Level, and Gender sections of the profile. You can check out Filentsa's or Jaware's profiles to see how they've done it.

The trick is to update your profile, filling in the race, class/levels, and gender sections with the appropriate text.

If it helps, Jaware has the below text for each section.

Race: | HP 16/16 | 1/3 Hero Point | Perc’ +7 ; Speed 25 ft. | AC 14 | Fort' +3 ; Ref' +4 ; Will +9 |

Class/levels: Focus Pool: 1/1 | Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Osiriani (Modern and Ancient) | Default Exploration: Investigate (indoors) OR Search (outdoors) | Active conditions: none

Gender: Male Human Cleric 1

I did it! Thanks team.

I think I've done preps...

Perfect! Many thanks!

Oh, I totally forgot before we started: I have a few GM glyphs, which I believe means I get to give someone a hero point at start of game, right? I will give one to Vans.

Sorry, I've been out of the Org Play game for a little while and misremembered the rule! I have three glyphs, so Vans, Jaware, and Valhalla can each start with one extra!

You can try to persuade them to return and remind them of the values of the Society with one (1) skill check

Did you mean one check for the party or one each? I saw one check and thought we were done, but maybe I need to do something too?

Apologies - one check per character. I’ll remember to be more clear about that distinction in the future. XD

It's time to give someone a Hero Point! Who would you nominate to receive it? Criteria is whatever you want it to be. XD

And today I learned of a thing called "page 2". I was several posts behind haha

Don't forget to nominate someone for a hero point!

I nominate Filentsa, who started us off with an extra hero point to begin with!

I nominate Filentsa, who started us off with an extra hero point to begin with!

Agreed

Then so it is! @Filentsa gets a hero point! Let's keep nominations open for another though!

Val with the double success in the recent skill challenge comes to mind.

I have acid splash prepared, but it would splash anyone next to it. I could wait until melee folks have a chance to hit it and run away, if that sounds good. If you don’t have enough actions for that, I can just cast something else.

Val with the double success in the recent skill challenge comes to mind.

I'll second this.

@Vans, Flurry #1 was a hit before the hero point. I'm resolving now as if you didn't use it, but let me know if you want to reroll one of the other attacks with that result and we'll retcon.

I'll just take back the HP thanks.

You are absolutely correct on the acid splash persistent! My apologies, I’ve been running a bunch of NPC alchemists in another game who do get the persistent on their acid flasks, so I got accustomed to typing both splash and persistent.

Rogues not only with better stats but with AoO?
I must be missing something :((

These are IMO the most terrible NPC stat blocks for low-level opponents and I am grumpy every time they show up anywhere. XD Because yes, they have all the best parts of both fighters and rogues - but there’s no way a PC could emulate them for at least two more levels (fighter with rogue archetype). I guess that’s just how things go sometimes.

Holding tight sounds good. I can give someone Life Boost for 8 hp back, but without enough time to refocus, I’d rather save it for combat. I can share a minor healing potion with someone.

Do we have time to Treat Wounds? If not then I'd like convert my heal to be a 3-Action version. Otherwise I will make some Medicine checks

Are you sure? Haha I haven't tracked everyone else, but I was at 2/17, and you (would have) hit me with a 15hp heal

Jaware heals everyone for 7, and then Filentsa can spend one of her two focus points to cast Life Boost on Vans, healing him up to full after four rounds. Everyone is fully healed!

Thanks!

6/3/1/8 that's some good d20 rolling there hahahahahaha

Sometimes the dice roller is just not on your side, ha ha

I speak from experience when I say... sometimes???

I am really enjoying the running joke of how many nicknames Vans had at the monastery.

I try not to overdo it - it comes from a game my daughter and I play of "<blank> was my nickname in college". Usually something filthy or out of character; 12 year olds have very potty-minds and so do their dads.

Turning Tides: The Pathfinder forces have gained the advantage, and brave townsfolk are rushing to lend a hand. Once during Part 3 each PC can roll twice and take the better result on a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check. This is a fortune effect.

We've been called upon to move quickly onward, but I want to give folks a chance to finish up this scene before we do. I'll push us forward in 8 hours or so.