Iron Gods for PF2E by DM Doctor Evil

Game Master DM DoctorEvil

As the title indicates, I will be running a modified version of the classic Adventure Path, Iron Gods. This will be run using Pathfinder 2nd Edition rules including the Player Core updates. I will be seeking 4-6 players to join me for this adventure, which may take several years to complete. Please see several subheadings below for more information:

Setting The AP takes place in the usual Paizo setting of Golarion in a land called Numeria. The PCs will start either as residents or new guests in a small settlement called Torch (for reasons that may become obvious). The Iron Gods Players Guide outlines a bit more about Numeria, and the kinds of people who inhabit this difficult land. It's a free PDF, and a link can also be found on the Archives of Nethys site if you prefer. Additionally, it discusses classes, skills, abilities and other points that might lend hand to character creation. Please keep in mind, this is all 1st Edition Pathfinder writing, so it may or may not translate well into PF2. If you have questions let's discuss. A short primer about the opening setting, Torch, is also included, which allow you to familiarize yourself with a few people places and things, in order to assemble a reasonable background to begin. The chosen PCs are all assumed to already know each other when the curtain opens, but we will work through that together via applications.

Application Process - unlike many PBP threads, interested persons will not be required to initially submit a fully built character (though I suppose they may if they wish). Instead, there are several interview style questions to answer, which will help test your ability to fit well into the game I have in mind, and to also prove your longevity in the PBP forum, which admittedly, ends most games abruptly. The Interview Questions are listed below.

After questions are answered, the applicants will be asked to detail the kind of character they have in mind. Background, characterization, and the ability to role-play well are the key drivers here. Absolute abilities, feats, and other crunch details will not play a role. The GM will not select a party based on pre-conceived roles, but rather the best partners to tell a long-erm story with. If we end up with all dwarven bards, so be it....

Only after players are selected from the above (and perhaps other) criteria, will crunch and a stat block be asked for. Ultimately, any Paizo PF2e rulebook or Lost Omens supplement will be available to build from. Other APs, modules, 3PP, or errata not in existing rules sets will not be allowed. However, the GM is a strong believer in traditional characters, ancestries, classes, and systems, so extraordinary or esoteric builds are less like to be of interest in this game.

Proceed at your own discretion.

Ground Rules - there will be few house rules besides what is already published although the nature of this AP (technology and science fiction in a fantasy setting) may require some adjustments on the fly. Generally, any GM rulings will be discussed in advance, and reasons for choosing presented where possible. All GM rulings will be final.

Players are expected to post a minimum of once per day (once total for the weekends usually suffices). Slower posting may result in a warning, and eventually a withdrawal from the campaign. Of course, pre-approved absences are understandable. The GM reserves the right to run a player who is absent or fails to post in the allotted time frame.

During combat or other rounds-based action, more frequent posting is preferred. We will use block initiative to resolve combats with like numbers grouped together, but action will be resolved in actual initiative order, in most cases. It may occasionally result in a "retcon" of certain actions, but generally works out.

We will use Google Draw and other Google tools for mapping, images, and other visually important tools. Someone will be tasked with charting the party's gained loot on a form that will be shared later. If it's ot on the loot sheet, its not available.

About Me - I am long time DM/GM going back to AD&D 1st edition. I have many years running games on tabletop and via PBP. I live in the Mountain Time Zone (US) and typically post in the evenings between 9PM and midnight, but will occasionally pop in for other updates during key times. I travel a good deal on weekends, but will usually be able to keep up posting while on the road. I have a dry sense of humor, like a good laugh, love to tell a great story (especially collaboratively) and look forward eagerly to see what the players have left for me on a daily basis.

I realize that's a lot, and if you have made it this far, you must really be interested in talking about this game. Welcome, and thanks for your interest! I hope to have you join me in a great long-term story and see how the tools of science fiction play out in our beloved fantasy setting.

See below for the initial interview questions. (I am sure there are things I have forgotten, so please ask any questions)

Interview Questions - please provide some insightful honest answers that will help determine how compatible we are with each other as we embark on a long mission together. If you have limited to no PBP or TTRPG experience, that's fine, just say so it won't count against you.

1) What draws you to role-playing games in general? How long have you been playing RP type games?

2) Why do you want to join a long-term PBP game that may take several years to complete? Don't you have better things to do?

3) Who is your favorite fictional character? Why? (Doesn't have to be fantasy gaming related at all)

4) How many PBP games are you playing now? How many do you apply to in a year?

5) What is the best game you ever played? Why? (Can be any kind of game, not just TTRPG etc).

6) What are the characteristics you think make a good PBP partner, whether DM/GM or PC? What do you do to encourage these characteristics in others?

7) How can I make a good decision about PCs without seeing a crunch and full background? Do you think this is an effective method of finding story-telling partners?

8) What one question would you ask me, or other players to determine if they were a good fit with you?

Interview Questions will be up for one week (or less if interest wanes). There may be additional discussion and follow up questions for individual players. There may be initial cuts of applicants from this process, before we get into character development discussions in Phase 2.

Just dotting for now. Will get to answering asap

1) What draws you to role-playing games in general? How long have you been playing RP type games?

Hmm. Not sure. I think it is the mix of (obviously) story-telling and (obviously) the dice rolling. That dice/randomness are a "third force" alongside the DM and PCs that no-one controls. The interposing of fate. I like to see where the story goes.

2) Why do you want to join a long-term PBP game that may take several years to complete? Don't you have better things to do?

You gotta start somewhere? Umm, yep, plenty of "better" things to do in the sense that this is "leisure time". But I derive quite a bit of fulfillment from a good game.

3) Who is your favorite fictional character? Why? (Doesn't have to be fantasy gaming related at all)

Possibly Vanye, the loyal sidekick of the eponymous Morgaine in CJ Cherryh's Chronicles of Morgaine. He's bound by codes of a world he no longer lives in. He isn't a superhero, and he isn't the smartest character but he has a personal beliefs and mores that guide him harder than any star. His loyalty to Morgaine is tested and strained, but he finds a way to make sense of various worlds that are alien to him. Plus, he is kind to horses.

4) How many PBP games are you playing now? How many do you apply to in a year?

5? I think? I go through phases. At one time I was in 12. Now I try to keep it to a handful.

5) What is the best game you ever played? Why? (Can be any kind of game, not just TTRPG etc).

Football. Only in that I have played since I was a kid, and derived a lot of pleasure from playing in a team. My dad was a coach. I played alongside my brother when we were adults. I've played in a team with him and his son and daughter. And as Albert Camus said "Everything I know about morality and the obligations of men, I owe it to football (soccer)." Having said that, I absolutely *do not* consider RPGs to be a "team" game.

6) What are the characteristics you think make a good PBP partner, whether DM/GM or PC? What do you do to encourage these characteristics in others?

Engagement and being engaging. Read through Doomed Hero and Painlords' guides and understand the principles they are driving at. Make posts that drive the narrative, or engage with other characters in the party. Keep your post under three paragraphs unless you want it to be ignored. We aren't here to read novellas every five minutes. Sure, occasionally there is a need for greater exposition, but it is a rare thing.

I don't particularly "encourage" these characteristics tacitly. I find being engaging tends to draw people in/out. As far as the GM goes, I try to be alert and concentrate, but sometimes I completely fail to read things properly. I put that down to "fog or reality" for my character.

7) How can I make a good decision about PCs without seeing a crunch and full background? Do you think this is an effective method of finding story-telling partners?

I would say this is likely the second best option. The best option is just to reach out to players you know you gel with, and will gel with each other and make a game. Choosing by "PC" is not a good idea. Recruitments are pretty silly. I've seen so many multi page recruitments that go on for days and then only 3/4 show up and after a month half of *them* have left. I just don't think people get it. "Full backgrounds" are an anathema to me. A) No one (except maybe a GM) cares that you have one/about it unless you actively tell them about it , and B) I'd rather develop my character as I go.

8) What one question would you ask me, or other players to determine if they were a good fit with you?

For players: Will you be playing a halfling, gnome or dwarf? If so, can you be trusted not to play a halfling who is a bucolic annoying git who is super friendly, has a double-barreled rustic surname and likes food and playing jokes; a gnome who doesn't have a ridonkulous twenty syllable surname/name and who is "odd" and "perspicacious" or a dwarf who isn't a ale swilling, clan loving/outcasted Scottish brogue talking boofhead witha double-barreled surname with "ore/rock/clan" in it and wields an axe?

I just don't have time for those particular small-ancestry tropes.

For GMs: Where on the spectrum do you sit where Handwavium means "let's have fun, what are rules?" and 10 means "absolutely all rules as written or else".

1) What draws you to role-playing games in general? How long have you been playing RP type games?
First part, I live in a remote part of our country. Only RP is much easier to do of all my hobbies. Second, socialising, having fun and laughing and then remembering stories of our characters and sharing them between friends
I started playing 3e and 3.5 in 2002 and been playing all kinds of systems ever since

2) Why do you want to join a long-term PBP game that may take several years to complete? Don't you have better things to do?
Again, telling a story and having the character grow and evolve. Making memories and crafting a story of their own. Nope, work and then at home at night either play games or RP online

3) Who is your favourite fictional character? Why? (Doesn't have to be fantasy gaming related at all)
Commander Shepard from Mass Effect. Captivating story to follow across 3 games, friendships and enemies that grow from choices. Making connections with those she travels with

4) How many PBP games are you playing now? How many do you apply to in a year?
1 or 2. I have applied to others, but non have gotten back yet. I havnt been on the boards for several years. Only getting into PbP again now

5) What is the best game you ever played? Why? (Can be any kind of game, not just TTRPG etc.).
Same as 3. Mass Effect trilogy followed by Red Alert. Two different genres and two different reasons.

6) What are the characteristics you think make a good PBP partner, whether DM/GM or PC? What do you do to encourage these characteristics in others?
With PbP you can take your time to craft a story and involve your character with not only the other NPCs but also with those of the other players. Lasting bonds, be in friendship or rivaly, and in some cases enemies (hopefully only NPCs, PvP is not something I like to see in a game, unless both parties agree)

7) How can I make a good decision about PCs without seeing a crunch and full background? Do you think this is an effective method of finding story-telling partners?
The story and background of a character helps to determine and colour in the crunch. Much like the name suggests, you can see and look at a fruit or vegetable before you bite into it, seeing if it will taste good to you

8) What one question would you ask me, or other players to determine if they were a good fit with you?
This is a hard question for me, but I will have to say :
@GM : Do you plan to incorporate backstory and story hooks into the game to make them feel natural and not forced?
@Players : Will you be making characters that help tell the story and not work against it to further own personal agenda on how the story ‘should’ be told?

Ok, here are my answers.

1) I've been playing RPGs since the original D&D blue box. My first box set had chits instead of dice and had B1, the version of it that you had to stock yourself with the aid of random tables.

What draws me to RPGs? The combination of the social aspect, the storytelling, and the mechanics. The way they intersect is what I like the most.

2) I want to play. I took a long break, because of where I live, from TTRPGs. Two or three years ago there was a PF2/SF1 Humble Bundle. My second kid was curious about TTRPGs, so we grabbed it. I quickly fell in love with PF2s rules, and about the same time a small hobby shop opened nearly, so I ended up running PF2 there a couple of times a week. But, I also like to play, and living in the boonies, I don't really have a lot of other hobby options.

3) Currently, I would have to say Ember from Owlcat's WotR. Ember had horrible things happen to her, and has every right to be angry and bitter, and instead is cheery and hopeful, and optimistic, and just overall a joy. But, ask me in six months and I might have another answer!

4) I'm running Sky King's Tomb here on Paizo, and we're a couple of weeks away from our first-year anniversary. As far as playing, maybe one, but I think it died. I'd limit myself to playing in no more than 2 so that I can give any games I was in proper attention.

5) I'll give two answers here. From an overall perspective, PF2. I've played a lot of systems, and there is no overall system I like more. From the perspective of 'does the game mechanics play into the theme close to flawlessly', I'd say Earthdawn. Earthdawn wanted a cinematic feel, and the mechanics of the game allowed any class, even from level 1, to feel like an action movie hero.

6) Engagement. Both with the story and with the other players/characters. What I mean by this are things like: do you post on the schedule the DM sets? Do your non-combat posts give other players something to interact with? Do you participate in, and/or start, Discussion threads? I think that the more you engage with the other characters and the other players, the better and more fun the game is.

7) This is the hardest question for me, as in general, I don't like to even risk coming across as telling another GM how to choose players. But, that said, here is my answer. I want to start off by saying that I think however a GM looks for players can be effective. In SKT, I used a mix of who the character was, and because of the nature of book 1 of that AP, what skills the characters had. There are a lot of skill challenges in the AP, and I wanted to make sure that the bases were covered for my players.

I do think that the way you are handling the recruitment gives a significant insight into your thought process for the two games you plan to run. You are not recruiting characters, it seems to me, as much as you are recruiting players. I think that the approach is very interesting. I'm already curious to see how it works out in the end, and I may take notes on it for my own future games.

8) For the @GM part, I don't have a question. I've been in one of your games. I like how you GM, I feel your GM style meshes with what I like as a player.

For the @player part: I'd echo Seth. I think his question expresses what I would ask very well. I like it when the characters - as well as the players - work together to tell a good story.

That said, player meshing can take time, so I would also ask if someone was patient enough to let that happen.

1) What draws you to role-playing games in general? How long have you been playing RP type games?

Socialization and being able to build a narrative with other people.

Been playing TTRPGs since 2008.

2) Why do you want to join a long-term PBP game that may take several years to complete? Don't you have better things to do?

The group I do tabletop stuff IRL has been on a bit of a hiatus since everyone's busy with life and none of them want to do games online, so I'd like to do some PBP gaming to fill that hole.

3) Who is your favorite fictional character? Why? (Doesn't have to be fantasy gaming related at all)

A tough one. I'd say Roy Greenhilt from The Order of the Stick. It's fun watching him go from being the beleaguered straight man character who thinks he knows better than everyone else to the beleaguered straight man character who takes other peoples' ideas into consideration (even if they do annoy him).

4) How many PBP games are you playing now? How many do you apply to in a year?

Zero. If you pick me, this will be my first. And so far I've only applied to one other than this one.

5) What is the best game you ever played? Why? (Can be any kind of game, not just TTRPG etc).

Final Fantasy XIV. I'm a fan of how immersive it can be at times, since there's an in-universe explanation for why nearly every "video game-y" mechanic exists. Plus good music, fun gameplay and all that. I haven't put nearly 20,000 hours into it over the past seven years for nothing.

6) What are the characteristics you think make a good PBP partner, whether DM/GM or PC? What do you do to encourage these characteristics in others?

Someone who actively seeks to RP with the other players and aren't just throwing out open-ended things. As in, if there's a problem a certain other character might be able to overcome easily, having their character say "Hey, whats-your-face, you're good with this sort of thing, right?" over the more generic "Anyone got a way to deal with this?".

Also, investment in the story.

7) How can I make a good decision about PCs without seeing a crunch and full background? Do you think this is an effective method of finding story-telling partners?

If the concept of the character would flow well with the story and the other characters. You don't really want the entire party being a single character archetype, because that would get boring fast.

8) What one question would you ask me, or other players to determine if they were a good fit with you?

Are you okay with with characters "wasting turns" or otherwise performing unoptimally due to character backstory? As in, a low-level character spending their first turn in combat panicking because they're not used to fighting yet.

I have a few comments on my own after my answers. Please read them.

1) What draws you to role-playing games in general? How long have you been playing RP type games?

If you don't count breaks due to having a horrible GM souring my experience, been playing for about 2 years. I want to be back to TTRPGs after that bad experience, maybe that wound can finally heal over.

2) Why do you want to join a long-term PBP game that may take several years to complete? Don't you have better things to do?

Had a... less than stellar experience with a horrible GM, and it soured me on TTRPG's for a good few years. I heard about PBP a few months ago, and wanted to try it out.

3) Who is your favorite fictional character? Why? (Doesn't have to be fantasy gaming related at all)

Honestly, too many to list.Have trouble picking favourites a lot of the time. Someone else said this: different characters scratch different itches.

4) How many PBP games are you playing now? How many do you apply to in a year?

Zilch. Applied to two-- got rejected. Aim for applying to as many as I can to get to two or three games at once? But none of them have piqued interest until now.

5) What is the best game you ever played? Why? (Can be any kind of game, not just TTRPG etc).

Recently? The Owlcat crpgs. I've had too many favourite games, so I'd have to break it up by genre-- we'd be here all day if I did that :)

6) What are the characteristics you think make a good PBP partner, whether DM/GM or PC? What do you do to encourage these characteristics in others?

Haven't been able to make it into a campaign yet-- but collaboration and engagement seem key in bith players and the gm.

7) How can I make a good decision about PCs without seeing a crunch and full background? Do you think this is an effective method of finding story-telling partners?

Veniir's opinion seems roughly where I'm at. Haven't been in enough (or any) campaigns to gain the experience to know-- but probably you'll know once recruitment ends.

8) What one question would you ask me, or other players to determine if they were a good fit with you?

Similar to Oceanshieldwolf, but perchance coloured by bad DM in the past: "traditional" wouldn't include those small-folk ancestry stdreotypes, right? Aren't going to harass female xharacters for not being a homebody?

Other than not wanting a repeat of that campaign and its misgivings, I haven't had enough experience to ask you that many questions. :)

Questions directed at players? Everyone else seems to have gotten mine before I could write them up.

Interview Questions - please provide some insightful honest answers that will help determine how compatible we are with each other as we embark on a long mission together. If you have limited to no PBP or TTRPG experience, that's fine, just say so it won't count against you.

1) What draws you to role-playing games in general? How long have you been playing RP type games? I am by nature a creative imaginative individual, and this is an outlet for that creativity. I love imagining what my character is encountering and reacting in turn. I get bored quickly with board and card games and get frustrated with limited character choices in Video RPG's. || I've been playing since 1977 with a small break here and there, and probably have one of the largest RPG collections in North America.

2) Why do you want to join a long-term PBP game that may take several years to complete? Don't you have better things to do? As I draw closer to retirement, and my children are mostly off on their own. (1 18-year-old to go!) my time is more open. My work sometimes sucks all my time... like tomorrow, but I can frequently take a few moments from my mostly desk job to let my mind wander and game. I am in one campaign on these boards that has been ongoing since 2011... so longevity is a thing.

3) Who is your favorite fictional character? Why? (Doesn't have to be fantasy gaming related at all)I have a bunch but keep going back to Perrin in Wheel of time, and Jon Snow in Game of thrones. Both have their paths predetermined but find their own way to accomplish them.

4) How many PBP games are you playing now? How many do you apply to in a year? I am currently playing in (6) campaigns some more active than others and perhaps continuing to run one (Waves at Lia). | I usually apply to 4-5 a year, as PF2e games aren't proliferate here.

5) What is the best game you ever played? Why? (Can be any kind of game, not just TTRPG etc.). Another hard one to answer as I've been in quite a few, but the earlier mention of Earthdawn brought back fond memories of a long Earthdawn campaign I played in many years ago. I remember being so disappointed when the next game was cancelled for some reason. Also, many pleasant but sometimes short-lived experiences on the boards here.

6) What are the characteristics you think make a good PBP partner, whether DM/GM or PC? What do you do to encourage these characteristics in others? What makes RPG's appealing to me here influences this answer. I encourage and try to adhere to thinking outside the box, but within the rules. Paying attention to what the other players and GM are trying to accomplish, and how you as a player or GM can work together as a group are what make a good game to me. So... immersing yourself in the lore and reacting to character created hooks are what make good a good game... Again... Exercise the imagination.

7) How can I make a good decision about PCs without seeing a crunch and full background? Do you think this is an effective method of finding story-telling partners? You've hit on the most critical and hardest to quantify problem with not only PbP, but real-life games as well. Having one player who decides that "Playing their character" with no regards to how it involves the other PC's can be the ruin of multiple other players. Leaving room for others to thrive is not only empathetic but helps create an interesting heroic group... not a group of heroes. It's important to have a interesting concept then figuring out what crunch helps you achieve this. Especially with PF2e there are many different ways to achieve your character goals, so crunch should follow concept. PF2e is a horizontally focused game instead of a vertically focused one.

8) What one question would you ask me, or other players to determine if they were a good fit with you? Is your involvement with the game to develop a character to star, or to be a part of a team interacting with not only themselves, but the setting and success of the group?

Interview Questions will be up for one week (or less if interest wanes). There may be additional discussion and follow up questions for individual players. There may be initial cuts of applicants from this process, before we get into character development discussions in Phase 2.

What draws you to role-playing games in general? How long have you been playing RP type games?

I really enjoy the emergent stories that comes with the genre – the best laid plans go awry, crazy lucky rolls can make even the most difficult situation possible, and you’re never sure just what is going to come around the corner. I have been playing and running RPG’s since about 1991, cutting my teeth with Shadowrun 3e and AD&D into D&D 3.0.

Why do you want to join a long-term PBP game that may take several years to complete? Don’t you have better things to do?

The stories and events that come along with the long-form games are the most exciting to me. World building and character building combined with the decisions of all the players at the “table” merge to create an experience that is wholly new. From the start, there simply is no way to predict the ending, let alone the specifics of the journey to get there. As for “better”, I’d ask you to define your terms. Reading and writing new fiction seems like a very valid use of time, and since the majority of my posting/reading occurs in otherwise “dead space time” its better than doom-scroll social media or tapping away at a mobile game.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Why? (Doesn’t have to be fantasy gaming related at all)

It’s a toss-up between Peter Parker Spider-Man and Ender Wiggin from the Ender’s Game saga by Orson Scott Card. I love Spider-Man because no matter what happens, he retains his good spirit and really commits himself to his decided role: he’s a hero and it’s his responsibility to help people, even if that screws up everything and anything in his life. The few times he’s lost control it really stands out and makes the fact that he chooses to do good and be honorable despite his abilities make that even more poignant and striking. As far as Ender, that probably stems from my history with bullying; he’s a person who refuses to back down, and when pushed to the edge he responds with absolute ruthlessness and decisiveness to make sure the threat is put down once and for all. He also learns from his mistakes and changes his behaviors as he grows and matures.

How many PBP games are you playing now? How many do you apply to in a year?

None right now. A few years back I was in a whole bunch and very active on the message boards / online community but due to some life changes I basically dropped off the online map. Now things have changed again and I am interested in getting back into PBP in a more limited scope.
What is the best game you ever played? Why? (Can be any kind of game, no just TTRPG etc.)

Probably my old, heavily modified run of the Savage Tide adventure path. By the end of the game, the PCs had an entire fleet of “merchant” vessels, a massive underground base in Sasserine, and a world-spanning business/organization of teleporting couriers/messengers. Many of the funniest and most bizarre events I’ve had in gaming came about from that AP, which ran about 4 years and showcased more than a dozen players over the whole span.

What are the characteristics you think make a good PBP partner, whether DM/GM or PC? What do you do to encourage these characteristics in others?

First and foremost, the have to want to engage with and advance the story. Similar to the improv rule of “Yes, and…” the best players will bite onto adventure hooks, engage with other PCs and NPCs with an intent to drive the plot and action, and work to create something worthwhile together. I believe I try to do all those things whenever I can, reading others backstories and trying to engage and retain the flow as much as possible.

How can I make a good decision about PCs without seeing a crunch and full background? Do you think this is an effective method of finding story-telling partners?

First of all, the PCs are a means by which the humans involved tell the story. They are as important (or not) as the tokens on a board or the pieces of a game. Much more important for an ongoing game is that the players are on the same page, and are willing and ready to work together. Having a bunch of disparate PCs with strangers, especially one as removed from real world communication standards as PbP, is almost a recipe for disaster unless one gets very lucky. It’s probably more effective than rolling the dice on a group making it, especially if the GM (and players) are going to invest quite a bit of time preparing and creating for the game.

What one question would you ask me, or other players to determine if they were a good fit for you?

What can we do together to make this play experience more enjoyable for you and I?

1) What draws you to role-playing games in general? How long have you been playing RP type games?

I've been obsessed with RPGs, both as a creative outlet via worldbuilding and blorbo creation, and as a way to meet and make friends. I've been playing since the transition between the 3rd and 3.5 editions of D&D, so I have at least 20 years of this being my primary hobby.

2) Why do you want to join a long-term PBP game that may take several years to complete? Don't you have better things to do?

Like I said, this is my primary hobby, and frankly play-by-posts are the only real opportunity to indulge in it with my relatively tight real-life schedule. To answer the second question with a question, that largely depends on what you mean by the word "better" here, doesn't it?

3) Who is your favorite fictional character? Why? (Doesn't have to be fantasy gaming related at all)

This is perhaps the hardest question of the whole interview, in a "I've got so many, how do I even CHOOSE?" kind of way, but I think the best answer would be Sir Gawain of Arthurian legend, specifically in his depiction in the classic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, trying to live up to the ideals of knighthood the world expects from him, and reconciling that with his very human desire to live. It also is kind of a small comfort that despite his failure in the Green Knight's game, the only one judging Gawain for it is himself, as he receives grace from Bercilak, King Arthur and the wider court. It's something that resonates very strongly with me, as I've continually felt like to juggle one's principles, the expectations the world has of you and your own health whether physical or mental is a struggle, especially being on the Autism spectrum and having recently been diagnosed with ADHD. And in a more granular sense I also identify with Dev Patel's depiction of him in the film The Green Knight, feeling like you're kind of a screw-up and your "quest," so to speak, has been one screw-up after another as you blunder through a world running on rules you don't quite understand, to the point where it's easy to imagine just running off and going through a whole "what if?" scenario based on one decision and coming back to the present and deciding to do the right thing.

4) How many PBP games are you playing now? How many do you apply to in a year?

At the moment, I'm in a total of 9 PBP games, all on these boards. As for applying, that's a bit of a difficult question: since most of my applying has been exclusively via the Paizo boards, there've kind of been gaps where I won't apply for anything at all, followed by a blitz of two or three in a given period. I've also been in a number of PBPs that ended up petering out for various reasons AND two that played through to completion (one being a 1e game of Iron Gods, as I've said in the interest thread, that ended two years ago)!

5) What is the best game you ever played? Why? (Can be any kind of game, not just TTRPG etc).

I think one of the best games I've played recently would be the Chronicles of Kassen campaign I am currently playing on these boards, because we the players and the GM have formed strong bonds both in-and-out-of-character, making the group feel more like a true group of friends, and each of us has had an opportunity for our character to shine and have an impact on the story and the wider world! Plus, the GM has taken time for interludes that are truly popcorn-worthy, and make me want to delve into the story they're implying, which we feel like we are having an impact on.

6) What are the characteristics you think make a good PBP partner, whether DM/GM or PC? What do you do to encourage these characteristics in others?

I think any good player will be open about what they're comfortable with and make the line between their character's mentality and actions and those they as the player feel outside the game as clear as possible. If I want my character to do something potentially risky or boundary-crossing for the sake of drama in the game, I first will ask out-of-character if the rest of the party is okay with this, and if they aren't ask what a good alternative would be. Consistency is also important, maintaining the posting rate so the game remains alive. I will even post in the out-of-character thread if I was the last person to post in the in-character thread to show I am paying attention.

7) How can I make a good decision about PCs without seeing a crunch and full background? Do you think this is an effective method of finding story-telling partners?

I think this will at least give you a good sense of the vibes and to a certain extent reliability of the various potential players, which is arguably more important than the actual character brought to the table.

8) What one question would you ask me, or other players to determine if they were a good fit with you?

How comfortable would you be with monkeying with homebrew out of the gate, specifically for the purpose of storytelling and not for mechanical advantages?

As I stated above, I have played through Iron Gods to completion in the past, but given the length of time that has passed since that campaign ended (March of 2022) I think it's safe to say I've forgotten the majority of the details beyond what the Player's Guide outlines and solemnly swear that if selected as part of this group, I will absolutely NOT read the Iron Gods books for the duration of the campaign, to see it with new eyes as much as possible.

Spoilered the Q&A to minimize space taken up on the page as it got kind of long. Big fan of this as a kind of session zero when forming a new group. I did something similar with a group I started about two years ago but had to drop once I went back to school (finished now, so that's not a concern).

Figured I would respond to some of the other player questions here as well.

It seems a few of you (11 by my count) have the perseverance to make it through the interview questions. I read and appreciate all the responses so far. Here are answers to a few of the questions you have asked me:

Where on the spectrum do you sit where Handwavium means "let's have fun, what are rules?" and 10 means "absolutely all rules as written or else".

I would say I fall more towards the RAW side of the spectrum but not so far to that end that I lose all sense of intent and perspective. This game still takes a "judge" who can apply the rules as needed, which is necessary to prevent chaos, but can also make determinations of their own in the spirit of the game. My rulings will typically be in the players' favor, and that can be helped by explaining well what you mean in a collegial way. TLDR: more like an 8.

How thick is your skin and if you are overly sensitive about real life matters.

This is likely a good question for all. I have very thick skin and appreciate constructive criticism and ways to make games more enjoyable for all. If you are talking about identity politics or some other cultural phenomenon, I'd like to think we can all understand we are playing a game here, but time will out.

Do you plan to incorporate backstory and story hooks into the game to make them feel natural and not forced?

That's the plan, but it takes two to tango, as they say. Creating some story hooks that allow a team to synthesize while individual characters still have their own motivations is possible, as long as the character is fleshed out enough to have hooks that mean something. You can say what you like about Critical Role or other podcast gaming shows, but they typically do a great job of character development so the slowly revealed plot hooks really are meaningful.

Are you okay with with characters "wasting turns" or otherwise performing unoptimally due to character backstory? As in, a low-level character spending their first turn in combat panicking because they're not used to fighting yet.

Story first, character second, mechanics third IMO. That means a character might be terrified even though the game mechanics don't call for it, or might act irrationally (is it rational to run into a burning building) for things that motivate them beyond hack and slash. So yes, very much so. Maybe not to the point of ridiculousness, but love the thought of it

How comfortable would you be with monkeying with homebrew out of the gate, specifically for the purpose of storytelling and not for mechanical advantages?

Kind of answered this above. I think having a ruleset we agree on is very important, but there are times when judgement in a situation over-rides. Typically this will not be for character creation per se, but its possible. Some level of homebrew is required to flesh out NPCs and other things less detailed in the text. But otherwise, I am going to play it pretty close to RAW.

How important is it to you for a character to not only have a good backstory but to also develop over the course of the campaign?

I would say this journey of the character arc as played out on the canvas of the story we tell together, is the most important thing in the game to me. It's not just about gaining levels and loot, I can find less interactive games than that. It's about realization of the fundamental arc for a hero, and what that means for them.

Bonus GM: At what point do you want the players to stop posting in-character and wait for you to respond?

This plays out pretty naturally in PBP. If its a combat situation, it's clear cut, if its a character discussion, I will let it go on until it plays out. usually its somewhere in between. One of the hardest things in PBP is party decision making, so I usually follow a rule of two -- if two players agree to go north, then the party goes north. Waiting for complete consensus is more difficult given the format and timing.

Just highlighting a few things mentioned by players that stood out to me that I will address briefly (or will try...)

1) I love that MothDad answered the other players questions. Part of this application process should be dialogue between players, asking questions, going off on a tangent etc. It's also great feed back to "like" a post and feels good to earn one from peers. How you interact here predicts how you might interact in a game situation.

2) Lia mentioned I am looking for Players over Characters. Could not have said that better. It's my humble experience that any good Player can make a compelling Character, but not every good Character has a compelling Player behind them. Let's try to make it the former. The actual mechanics of the character sheet are perhaps the least interesting things to me.

3) Several applicants reference interaction between players and between PCs and GM being unfortunate. I think there needs to be a form of social compact that says 'we are all in this together' as much between the players as the characters themselves. Without that, the game can become not very much fun. The same kind of social compact exists between the players and the GM. I am not out to "beat" you and you shouldn't be out to beat me. Telling the most interesting story we can, making it fun for everyone, and getting a sense of accomplishment when others succeed should be the goal. If you don't agree with those kind of social compacts, this is unlikely to be the right game for you.

4) There are several first time or novice PBPers among you so feel free to ask questions or get explanation if something is unclear to you. Also, if you are in a different geography or a strange schedule, that's okay. For the most part, timing doesn't matter as much as consistency.

Might as well answer the questions posed by other players.

@Twilight Hunter: I think so. In 1e, there were lots and lots of racial abilities, classes, archetypes and feats that were all about fighting a specific race. As far as I know, 2e got rid of everything. Can't say I agree with this choice since I'm not on the field of humanizing monsters (there are many discussions and blog posts about the importance of having monsters that are just that), but it is what it is and I don't want to derail this point during recruitment.

For the questions...

Will you be playing a halfling, gnome or dwarf? If so, can you be trusted not to play a halfling who is a bucolic annoying git who is super friendly, has a double-barreled rustic surname and likes food and playing jokes; a gnome who doesn't have a ridonkulous twenty syllable surname/name and who is "odd" and "perspicacious" or a dwarf who isn't a ale swilling, clan loving/outcasted Scottish brogue talking boofhead witha double-barreled surname with "ore/rock/clan" in it and wields an axe?

The character I envision for this game is an elf, so unlikely this will matter. That being said, I don't care for stereotypes and tropes. If I do change my mind and do play a halfling, gnome or dwarf, I'll make choices based on what character I feel would be interesting to play. Perhaps they will have one of these characteristics, perhaps not.

To be completely fair, if you take a look on the description of each of these ancestries in the Player Core, you'll see most of these traits are described as the "norm" for them.

From Dwarves society you'll see: "Dwarves tend to value honor and closely follow the traditions of their clans and kingdoms. They have a strong sense of friendship and justice, though they are often very particular about who they consider a friend. They work hard and play harder—especially when strong ale is involved." For halflings they do mention them being friendly and liking to share food with friends. For gnomes they do mention they like long names, and so on. I don't want to argue personal preferences, or anything, but I can't honestly fault folks for following the world's guidance of a "common" member of these races.

Are you okay with with characters "wasting turns" or otherwise performing unoptimally due to character backstory? As in, a low-level character spending their first turn in combat panicking because they're not used to fighting yet.

You do you. Play your character as you wish. Character development is always great.

Can we trust all involved to stick with the game until its end?

Honestly, no one can be 100% sure of nothing. I do not intend to bail, but it is known that RL can become totally crazy at any given moment.

Is your involvement with the game to develop a character to star, or to be a part of a team interacting with not only themselves, but the setting and success of the group?

I'm solely here for the interaction with others and the setting, otherwise I'd focus on writing a book (which is cool and I aspire to do someday lol).

Do you approach a game with a character idea in mind no matter what, or do you tailor your character to the campaign premise?

All my characters are build specifically for a particular campaign. I might say "Oh, I want to play a bard" and then when looking for a campaign go on and try to create a bard that fits with the team for that particular campaign. I for sure don't have a file full of built characters that I then pick and apply to whatever campaign.

Do you approach a game with a character idea in mind no matter what, or do you tailor your character to the campaign premise?

Same as Sir Longears here. Aside from when a specific concept I've already had fits with a canpaign. Always start with the campaign.

Do you approach a game with a character idea in mind no matter what, or do you tailor your character to the campaign premise?

Actually, I'm somewhere inbetween. I enjoy suboptimal PCs. Especially if they are 'flavorful'. Putting unusual parts together is fun and interesting (I can talk offline about a couple of my PFS PCs -- one is a Poppet Summoner being carried around by her eidolon, and another is a sprite barbarian -- both of them loads of fun and unusual combinations.)

That said, there are things I'd like to try that I haven't already, but, in general, I also like to tailor the PC to the story, since that gets more involvement in the game.

I'm fully with Twilight Hunter in that 2e really forces the players to work together mechanically for success. I've been slowly drilling this into my main group that just because the decisions made within the system are different than 5e which most of them are used to doesn't mean it is inherently bad or worse than 5e. No system is perfect, but the MA works out really well in pf2e in my opinion.

Actually, I'm somewhere inbetween. I enjoy suboptimal PCs. Especially if they are 'flavorful'. Putting unusual parts together is fun and interesting (I can talk offline about a couple of my PFS PCs -- one is a Poppet Summoner being carried around by her eidolon, and another is a sprite barbarian -- both of them loads of fun and unusual combinations.)

That said, there are things I'd like to try that I haven't already, but, in general, I also like to tailor the PC to the story, since that gets more involvement in the game.

I think I sit here myself as well. Sometimes I will make an "optimal" character, but sometimes I want to experiment with the system. Either way, I build my characters for the game and don't try to force the game to fit my character. For example, my current wizard in my friends game started out one way, but as he developed the world more and finalized the lore and where the campaign started he changed. By the end of it toud think I made two separate wizards with the same name.

As a quick example of characters, in our 5e game my newest character is a Strength-based bard whose stats are not optimal in anyway but he is a very fun character to play because of that.

To other players: Will you control your disappointments with other players, and continue playing without rancor?

Absolutely. I won't speak for anyone else, but I am an adult (my inner child is trying to kill me right now) and can keep my disappointment to myself. Most of the time that disappointment is temporary anyway. If serious problems arise then it's important for everyone to try and talk things through like adults. I'm not perfect, and I am going to make mistakes. My character might even make stupid decisions that gets them killed, so I would never hold anything like that against another player.

Had an unexpected trip to the vet urgent care this evening, so I will miss posting responses to today's applicants. I will get them reviewed and responded to tomorrow evening. Sorry for the delay, and thanks for your patience.

Thanks for the heads up DM Doctor Evil. Please remove me from consideration, and thanks for the survey!

Hope everything goes well with the vet.

Replying with my answers to the other potential players' questions!

Will you be playing a halfling, gnome or dwarf?

Nope! I'm angling for Kellid human specifically, though depending on how things shake out I may shift to Android or maybe some sort of shenanigans with Adopted Ancestry (what I have in mind is a human with a nanite infection).

How thick is your skin and if you are overly sensitive about real life matters?

Decently thick, I'd say. I'll respect any boundaries other players or the GM might have, obviously.

Can we trust all involved to stick with the game until its end?

Hell yeah! I've done it before, and I can do it again!

Is your involvement with the game to develop a character to star, or to be a part of a team interacting with not only themselves, but the setting and success of the group?

I'm of the opinion that the way a lot of the APs are written, especially with the different backgrounds/traits in the various Players' Guides that no one player can be a "star." Each is meant to highlight and resonate with a different aspect of the storyline, and as far as I'm concerned that REQUIRES a multifaceted team, and moreover interacting with the setting is kind of the POINT with Iron Gods, as it's meant to serve as a deep-dive into Numeria's weirdness that leaves it forever changed!

Are you okay with with characters "wasting turns" or otherwise performing unoptimally due to character backstory? As in, a low-level character spending their first turn in combat panicking because they're not used to fighting yet.

'Tis cool in my book!

Will you be making characters that help tell the story and not work against it to further own personal agenda on how the story ‘should’ be told?

Absolutely! As I said, I'm going to try and "actively forget" my previous play experience of Iron Gods and take the story as it comes, especially since I don't know what new twists and turns the GM may throw our way!

Will you control your disappointments with other players, and continue playing without rancor?

Yes. I try VERY hard to avoid crossing the boundaries or pushing the buttons of other players, and if I unwittingly do so, apologize and move on with no hard feelings. Most of my disappointments are about poor dice rolls anyway, which are no one's fault.

Do you approach a game with a character idea in mind no matter what, or do you tailor your character to the campaign premise?

Most of my PBP experience is in APs, so tailoring the character to the campaign premise is kind of a requirement for entry, I feel. I do have several different character ideas, and I am happy to adjust in the event that there's a niche in the party that would otherwise be unfulfilled.

Had an unexpected trip to the vet urgent care this evening, so I will miss posting responses to today's applicants. I will get them reviewed and responded to tomorrow evening. Sorry for the delay, and thanks for your patience.

Oh, no! Hopefully all is well. I've been in thatvsituation plenty in the last year and a half, so please take your time if you need to.

Decently thick, I'd say. I'll respect any boundaries other players or the GM might have, obviously.

And

Yes. I try VERY hard to avoid crossing the boundaries or pushing the buttons of other players, and if I unwittingly do so, apologize and move on with no hard feelings. Most of my disappointments are about poor dice rolls anyway, which are no one's fault.

I think This is the most important thing. If, for whatever reason, real-world topics come up its important to be respectful of other players and their beliefs. It's okay to disagree, but if something starts to become contentious then just taking a step back and saying "Let's just move on from this and avoid bringing it up again in the future." Is perfectly valid and probably for the best. We are all here to enjoy the game and to take a step away from reality, so let's not drag reality into our fantasy game.

If your character was so jarred by a fight that they panicked to the extent that you describe, why would they be ok just six seconds later? Also, what narrative tools would you suggest for other characters to help yours overcome that?

To that first question, largely I feel like it would depend on the moment, right? For example, maybe an important NPC is killed and one of the players takes a round to process before flying into a rage (mechanically or otherwise) to get revenge. Or maybe they are simply caught off guard by something and it takes a moment to process. With situations where there may be many-rounds of inaction, I think you are correct with your question focusing on "narrative tools." And maybe this is also character and situation dependent, but perhaps a classic "Snap out of it, we need you now and you can process this trauma later." Would suffice.

Thanks for the ongoing discussion. Welcome to Ira Kroll and Codanous who applied yesterday. Will get to your questions and a few other things. First, thanks for your patience yesterday. We have 13yo blind diabetic pup who now has cellulitis on his leg, so he's seen (no pun intended) some things. Looks like he will recover fine with some antibiotics and TLC.

I will be traveling for the holiday weekend (its Labor Day in the US). Will try to post and update at least once over the weekend, but likely back in the chair late Monday evening.

On a scale of zero to ten (where zero is no role-play at all (that is, just encounter after encounter wargaming our characters) and ten is no roll-play at all (that is, just our characters socially interacting with each other and NPCs), where do you feel you want this long-term game to go?

I think a good game is a fair mix of both, but the combats in PBP can drag on a long time, and melee heavy adventures, can be hard to maintain interest. I do like characterization, and have many a 3 hour gaming session that was just a trip to town. I would say I am more like a 6-7 on the side or RP vs pure mechanical combat.

I do think the best approach about boundaries and triggers is just to tell the group, or PM me if you prefer, that we are entering uncomfortable territory, and I will steer the discussion/combat/situation away from it. Communication is key in all things, and this is no different. I apologize now, in advance, if I accidentally hurt someone, that is clearly not the intent, and we will do all we can to avoid it, within reason. It's a good conversation to have up front.

With 11 first day applicants, 2 more today, and 1 departure, that leaves us at 12 for up to 6 spots. We will see how tomorrow goes, but likely, will close the Interview Questions if no real pick up in foot traffic, and move to Phase 2 of the selection process.

Just a heads up, Phase 2 will be discussion about the kind of character you want to play. Not the specific crunch, but general ideas. The thought here is to see how you can build from each other and make a workable party. Giving and taking is part of an effective Session Zero, or else there might never be a cleric....

Nothing is definite, and this is about builds, but mostly about meshing, and telling some form of cohesive backstory, as the AP assumes you are an adventuring party before the action opens.

One more question, if you please: Since I didn't keep count of who voted for what, are you more interested in Iron Gods or Strength of Thousands and why? If you have no real preference, I am fine with that reply also. Just thinking that there may be some NOT selected for this game who might be good fits for the other etc.

IG for the tech. But SoaT will also be a new thing for me. So I really don't mind either

One more question, if you please: Since I didn't keep count of who voted for what, are you more interested in Iron Gods or Strength of Thousands and why?

Iron Gods for me. Strength of Thousands sounds interesting, but the idea of magic schools doesn't get me excited like it does many players. That's fine for them, and I'm happy for those who enjoy it, it's just not for me that's all. My wizardly-types are all usually self-taught or an apprentice to a master like you see in some stories. The main draw for me to Iron Gods is also the combination of tech and magic within a fantasy setting. The shared universe My friends and I have has a heavy mix of technology and magic and its something we all enjoy.

Unrelated to the game, glad your pup seems like he will be okay! One of our dogs is epileptic, and while not the same as your situation in any capacity I do understand the stress that can come from sudden medical issues.

For me its definitely Iron Gods over Strength of Thousands. Though, I'm interested and have heard such good things about SoaT that I would like to give it a try.

Definitely seems like it could be fun. Conservatively though, I'd say I'm leaning towards Iron Gods because I am more familiar with that style of story telling.

With 11 first day applicants, 2 more today, and 1 departure, that leaves us at 12 for up to 6 spots. We will see how tomorrow goes, but likely, will close the Interview Questions if no real pick up in foot traffic, and move to Phase 2 of the selection process.

Just a heads up, Phase 2 will be discussion about the kind of character you want to play. Not the specific crunch, but general ideas. The thought here is to see how you can build from each other and make a workable party. Giving and taking is part of an effective Session Zero, or else there might never be a cleric....

Nothing is definite, and this is about builds, but mostly about meshing, and telling some form of cohesive backstory, as the AP assumes you are an adventuring party before the action opens.

One more question, if you please: Since I didn't keep count of who voted for what, are you more interested in Iron Gods or Strength of Thousands and why? If you have no real preference, I am fine with that reply also. Just thinking that there may be some NOT selected for this game who might be good fits for the other etc.

So super glad you asked DM-DrEvil, because I voted for SoT and wasn't sure when its recruitment would start; looking forward to it. That said, this is one of the absolute best threads I have ever lurked in and some of the best players on these boards have applied. I'm already lucky just to know you all better ...

I would say SoT is by far my preferred one. I love magic in games and the idea of the school seems very interesting.

More interested in Iron Gods here.

Also more interested in Iron Gods. Could see myself going for SoT only if not selected for IG. I don't know, but I have the impression that 1e aps were better well thought and written.

My prefs are a little more complex.

If Talindra applies to Sot, I'd prefer SoT as I would like to play in a game with her again. Otherwise, I'd prefer IG.

I'd be happy with either of the APs, though, in the end.

Soft preferred… but like others either is fine.

Game preferences are almost split evenly :P who would have thought

I've GMed both APs.

My regular players are very Alpha-strike, combat-preferring characters. So, SoT has my interest as a non-combat oriented adventure.

I would love to see IG updated for PF2e.

Thus, I'm a mugwump as far as this AP preference.

BTW, I will be unavailable September 3 & 4

Oh, good thing you mentioned that there wasn't going to be a separate recruitment for Strength of Thousands, I'd been holding off thinking there would be. :D So I'd better answer these questions...

1) What draws you to role-playing games in general? How long have you been playing RP type games?

There are a lot of reasons I enjoy RPG's. I enjoy trying to get into the head of someone different than me--the more alien in some ways, the better. I do also enjoy figuring out ways to express a character's capabilities in a ruleset. And I enjoy the game aspect in terms of tactics and strategy for both combat and exploration tasks. As for how long I've been playing... somewhere in the range of 22-24 years.

2) Why do you want to join a long-term PBP game that may take several years to complete? Don't you have better things to do?

I like slow-burn campaigns that give time to really explore a character's viewpoint and how they change due to their experiences. And the nice thing with a play-by-post game is the daily time commitment is usually low enough that I can still do those 'better' things, too.

3) Who is your favorite fictional character? Why? (Doesn't have to be fantasy gaming related at all)

That is a very tough question... hmmmm... I'm not sure I can pick a single favorite, but perhaps a few representatives? I like the cast of the Belgariad/Mallorean for how they play with fantasy cliches and make them fun in spite of playing them rather straight. I enjoy Rashard the gryfon from the Song of the Summer King books for putting a coming-of-age type of hero's journey into a completely non-humanoid character, and for portraying a character who learns to win without fighting whenever possible. I like Adele Mundy from the Lt. Leary series because I also often prefer having my interactions with other humans filtered through digital media.

4) How many PBP games are you playing now? How many do you apply to in a year?

I'm in six games right now. Six to eight is generally what I aim for these days, so I'll start seriously thinking about recruitments whenever the number drops to or below six, whatever that ends up being in a year.

5) What is the best game you ever played? Why? (Can be any kind of game, not just TTRPG etc).

This is another hard one. In terms of RPG campaigns... my favorite might be the Reign of Winter campaign I played with my family. I enjoyed the way the campaign travels to increasingly exotic locales, giving plenty of opportunities for characters to encounter things far outside their experiences and have to adapt to different cultures and challenges. I think my experience was actually improved by how we had to take a break in the middle of the campaign, giving me more time to think about how my kitsune 'dashing swordsfox' was reacting to his experiences and how that might have changed him.

Outside of TTRPG's... hmmm... I've really enjoyed Against the Storm recently, for how it takes some of the typical city-builder mechanics and mixes them up with roguelike elements to make a really engrossing roguelike speed-city-builder that keeps you constantly on your toes, trying to figure out how to use the resources you've found each run to keep your people happy and confront the challenges you find. Longer-term favorites are the Civilization series and Stellaris for scratching the grand strategy empire-building itch, and I'm quite fond of Factorio as well for engaging the optimization part of my brain.

6) What are the characteristics you think make a good PBP partner, whether DM/GM or PC? What do you do to encourage these characteristics in others?

Hmmm... posting consistently is definitely necessary, as it's too easy for PBP games to slip away if some of the players aren't responding, but at the same time real life interruptions are real and perfectly understandable. Reading everything thoroughly and making sure to include what everyone else is saying without overstepping bounds and speaking for anyone else is important. Striking that sweet spot between too much and too little in a post is important too. And of course leaving possible hooks for others to respond to. As for what I do to encourage these things? Probably not enough. Be consistent myself and try to write my character in a way that they talk with the other members of the group, I suppose.

7) How can I make a good decision about PCs without seeing a crunch and full background? Do you think this is an effective method of finding story-telling partners?

Well it'd be nice if it works, I'm getting pretty tired of writing big backgrounds and builds just to throw them away because I didn't get selected. Or worse, because I did get selected and then the campaign died in a month. I'd say these questions are necessary but not sufficient for the task, which makes sense since you've mentioned at least one more phase of recruitment. I don't really think a full character build is necessarily all that good for recruitment anyway, since it says little about how a player actually plays a PBP game. A background says somewhat more because it at least says something about how someone writes, but it's not really indicative of how they write collaboratively, which is what we're really getting at here.

8) What one question would you ask me, or other players to determine if they were a good fit with you?

Hmmmmm... if they're a good fit with me, or if I'm a good fit with them? :D I guess the question I'd ask is, since this is an AP, how can we encourage each other to interact not just with the plot but with each other's characters? I've seen with AP's in PBP that it's a bit easy to feel more like a bunch of individuals that all happen to be going through this adventure at the same time instead of a group that gets to know each other and works together.

Bonus: Strength of Thousands or Iron Gods?

I've run Iron Gods, and I want to play something set in Garund outside of Osirion, so Strength of Thousands for sure.

I'll have to go through and catch up with everyone else's questions later.

I voted for both Iron Gods and Strength of Thousands, so I'm good with either of them.

I did not explicitly say there would not be another recruitment thread for SoT, but was just seeing some of these people would also be applying there and if they had a preference. I do plan to still offer a recruitment thread for SoT when this finishes, Though it may not be the exact same methodology, it may be similar

One more question, if you please: Since I didn't keep count of who voted for what, are you more interested in Iron Gods or Strength of Thousands and why? If you have no real preference, I am fine with that reply also. Just thinking that there may be some NOT selected for this game who might be good fits for the other etc.

I do strongly lean more towards Strength of Thousands, but mostly because I've played through Iron Gods completely before, so I feel you'd most likely wish to prioritize players who haven't experienced it before (which is completely fair and cool, I would do the same myself were I GMing!).

Very cool of you GM.

I would prefer Strength of Thousands to Iron Gods, but am interested in either one.

I have plenty of ideas for PCs that could fit in either AP and am quite willing to tweak/modify to suit a groups needs.

I did not explicitly say there would not be another recruitment thread for SoT, but was just seeing some of these people would also be applying there and if they had a preference. I do plan to still offer a recruitment thread for SoT when this finishes, Though it may not be the exact same methodology, it may be similar

I am happy to complete these questions if that would be helpful in making an apples to apples comparison with the players who have already applied here :)