Opening Pandora's Box

Game Master wanderer82

Welcome one and all. This will be the space for us to discuss mechanics, characters, and out-of-game shenanigans as we embark on this journey.

Thank you for the invitation. I look forward to this game.

Boy do I hate the picture for this character but one of the few that looks like something from the 20th century.

Thank you for choosing my PC GM, cant wait,

Her little bookshop is waiting for the next visitors :)

I’ve been looking forward to this!

"Trevligt att träffas"

As Helena would say in Swedish

Thanks for choosing Billie wanderer82!

@John: It's not so bad. Sort of a Clark Gable look, but with a thinner face and bushier.

"Trevligt att träffas"

As Helena would say in Swedish

That reminds me, GM. I had an idea the other day: I’m thinking of going back to VMC, but rather than my original plan of Magus, I was thinking Oracle. Why, you ask? VMC Oracle gets a curse, and it both makes a ton of sense and is a great image for my very Catholic paladin to run into battle against Nazis/demons/undead (or undead Nazi demons) screaming the Vade Retro Satana or the Saint Michael Prayer, for example. Not sure yet which mystery I would actually take. Battle is the most obvious, but I could see Flame too (purging evil with holy fire etc). Is it a bit late to make that change now? (Also-I hope someone else in the party speaks Latin. lol)

I am very excited to bring Eva to life with his game! Need to clean up my profile a bit.

I will agree, despite the hundreds of avatar images, so many are obviously fantasy based that it's a little tough.

Hello and thank you! Looking forward to a great adventure!

Posted in game thread, a waiting post GM.

Just over 12 hours, and everyone has dotted in. We are off to a great start!

Before we dive into gameplay, I figure we could share a little bit about ourselves, our gaming experience, and outside interests. You are welcome to share as much or as little as you would like.

I am a 40-something man residing in Massachusetts (USA) with my wife of 12 years, 2 boys (both under 5), mother (in her role as ‘nonna’ to our boys), dog, and 4 cats. I am a restaurant manager, and have been working in hospitality for over 25 years. I also spent the better part of a decade working concurrently in education, but that is now well in the past.

As for gaming experience, my early days started with storytelling games with my brother involving lego knights. This progressed in 1991 into HeroQuest and the ‘Black Box’ edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Soon after we dove into years of AD&D 2nd edition, and then 3rd Edition. When the 4th Edition / Pathfinder schism occurred, my gaming group resoundingly went with Pathfinder, and have remained loyal ever since. Though initially the ‘younger brother’ in my gaming group, after a few years I was given a seat at the head of the table, and GMing became my role of choice.

Along the way, I also delved into the various White Wolf games, Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, GURPs, and many others. I spent several years involved with a LARP in Pennsylvania, where I was part of the “perma-cast”, did some writing, and event GMed a few events.

Outside of gaming, I love to cook, spent time outdoors, I'm a general handyman and can do a variety of trade skills, and I used to play the guitar (need to get back into it).

As for gaming itself, I view it as a cooperative storytelling experience, for all of us to enjoy. I want it to be fun and exciting, with moments of challenge and conflict, ultimately leading to success (or rarely failure, depending on decision making and the dice). I want it to be fun or all involved. Inter-character conflict is fine, and can help you build a strong, realistic game. But it should never devolve into inter-player conflict. If anyone has any limits or concerns, feel free to share them here or in a PM.

Game On!

Now that we have our full party assembled, if anyone wants to make adjustments to their character, that is fine.

Helena, could you delete your post from the gameplay thread? I will kick it off once we are all on the same page on this thread.

A high school friend introduced us to Dungeons & Dragons back in '83 (I was 15)? Yes, I'm 56. As I explored the rulebooks on the couch, watching Days of Our Lives... never really watched soaps, it was background noise.

But, as luck would have it, there was this great guy Roman Brady that was missing... and he became the inspiration for Romann Darkstorm, my first character... obviously, he was over the top powerful and crazy multi-classing.

Never really looked back since. Dungeons & Dragons until 3E, then d20 & Pathfinder 1E... with a smattering of other systems, none of which seem to stick.

It's the stories and possibilities that draw me. Most of my characters share a certain core fiber of NG (whatever form they may take). My characters just look for ways to help.

I had the pleasure of emailing Gary Gygax when he was working on Lejendary Adventures and thanking him for Dungeons & Dragons.

Career IT guy, my dad emigrated from Egypt (Dept of Antiquities, he studied as a classical archeologist) and came to NYC to be a dishwasher, before I was born. Bringing my mom and I here 3 years later, he's made a good go in the restaurant industry for all of my life.

I started playing AD&D 2nd Ed back in college around '90 '91. Played until I got married. Everyone seemed to leave town around then. A friend from work invited me to a Rogue Trader game he was starting around 2010 and I joined some of them from that game in a Pathfinder game. I've been playing pathfinder, mostly on here, since then. I have played played Traveller, Twilight 2000, an old Middle Earth (long before the movies) game, Paranoia and a few others. I've been trying to try out some new systems lately just to see what they are like.

Been married for 29 years this October and have 5 kids, 3 in the house, two of whom are special needs. I've done a little of everything work wise and now take care of my sons.

Helena, could you delete your post from the gameplay thread? I will kick it off once we are all on the same page on this thread.

I deeply apologize GM just logged back on, and seen this and the 1 hour limit has passes and its not letting me delete it :(

But WOW!! Khaled you have beem playing about as long as I have, Started with D&D Red Box in 1977 same year I saw star wars {And decided I want to do VFX} then Traveller Book1-3 I have played or play tested just about every game, As a group I know set out to play every RPG going in,
including some very odd, german, french, and chinese ones.

Meet Gary Gygax in the UK once at a con, I knew Greg stafford well, (RuneQuest and he GMed for me more than once) and am mates with Sandy Peterson (Call of Cthulhu, never let Sandy GM, there are only 2 outcomes, ALL mad or ALL Dead, sometimes both) good mates with the team at Chaosem, who publish Greg stafford stuff. (check it out its really good) I tend to do cons over home Table top as im away a lot working. I'm a VFX supervisor, on TV shows like Doctor who, as well as films like Alien vs. Predator. I have an IMDB page and a Emmy award for Contributions to Animation, for 'our work' {I was not the only one getting it} on The BBC walking with Dinos docos some 20 years ago. I have worked in over 30 TV shows and films and have as they say "Chops' when it comes to VFX.

I have a family but not pets, I am dyslexic and on the autistic band.
My hobbies are travel, writing, gardening and photography.

I love making PCs and writing about their lives, sorry again GM.
I am a Roll player over a Rules player as Sandy says.
I am running the DUNE game on here at the moment.

I’m in my late thirties, from Arkansas. Currently going back to school since the history degree I got years ago hasn’t led to much in the way of job prospects and I’m tired of getting paid like I’m 19. I got into gaming more through fiction and video games, originally more tabletop wargames like Battletech and Warhammer 40k, but I’ve been playing D&D, Pathfinder, and later Starfinder (and reading the associated fiction) for over a decade now. I have a live group that mostly meets Monday nights, that over the years has played everything from D&D 3.5 and 5, Pathfinder, and Starfinder to Mutants & Masterminds, Dungeon Crawl Classics, GURPS, Adventures in Middle Earth, and more things I’m forgetting I’m sure. We’re currently wrapping up Eve of Ruin (5E), and planning on doing Rise of the Runelords afterwards. No family or pets just yet, maybe one day. I’d get a dog if I wasn’t trying to save every spare cent for tuition right now, and girlfriends aren’t nearly that easy to find, lol. (Especially in a college town where I’m a decade+ older than most of the single women.)

It's looking like I'm the relative newbie around here. I played some RPGs in junior high and early high school, mostly Ad&D but we also tried out Top Secret, Star Frontiers a little. It would be generous to say there were any campaigns. Mostly we made characters, used them a couple of times, and then started with something else due to boredom or some other reason.

After that I forgot about RPGs and didn't play at all for years. Then, I happened across this article online. Reading it reminded me that RPGs existed, and I felt nostalgic. I had been fun, and it sounded like fun again.

I had no idea what might be out there after so long, but obviously D&D was still around. Where I lived at that time there was a game shop right down the street at the end of the block. I went down to the shop and it turned out there was a Pathfinder Society group that met there to play one evening a week. I started going to that and did society play for maybe a year. I enjoyed it, but eventually found the lack of stable parties and longer narrative arcs to be a frustration.

When I found out about PbP play here, I switched over and never turned back. I got into my first game here right at the end of 2015, so that's almost 10 years now.

As for myself, I live in Portland, Oregon and work for the state as a social worker/case manager. That's the easiest way to describe it without getting into jargon and ponderous, hair-splitting explanations. My son just graduated high school and is off to college next fall, so then it will be just my dog and cat hanging around the house with me.

I've always had indoor kid tendencies but I've come to enjoy bicycling and the occasional hike, especially if it's at the coast. However, if the weather is nice and it's the weekend I usually have to spent it at war with the stupid yard that came with the house. Stuff out there never stops growing like crazy, and there's a lot of stuff out there.

I'm an avid reader, mostly non-fiction, and probably watch more TV than I should. I'm selective about my series choices though, actually I'm probably a a snob about it. I also make excellent Manhattans, Negronis, Gin Gimlets, and Pimm's Cups if I do say so myself.

It's looking like I'm the relative newbie around here.

I just checked, and my first post in the site was in 2016. So I think you’ve got me beat, at least as far as “around here” goes.

I am quietly entering my late 30’s, and have been gaming since 10 years of age (give or take a year). HeroQuest was the gateway for my older brother and myself, and D&D 2nd edition followed shortly after. As the kid sister, I was often relegated to the token party healer, but I got to play so it worked for me. I found Vampire: the Masquerade, which led me to storytelling with theatre friends in high school, and transitions into D&D 3rd edition, and then Pathfinder. Ultimately people met through theatre/music have always provided me with a better gaming experience than the broader gaming community (I have met more than a few who oppose the presence of female gamers).

I relocated from New England to the Carolinas in 2015, which moved me away from my gaming groups. This spiked my interest in play-by-post and lead me to these boards. I have unfortunately only been active intermittently (as both a player and GM), as I have been plagued with classic troll behavior by several board members which has driven me away.

I also work in the hospitality industry, and keep strange hours, to say the least. I am single, though my sister and her two small children reside with me. Most of my time outside of work is spent on my auntly duties, and what hobbies I had before have been replaced by endless days of duplos, magnet tiles, and episodes of Bluey. We do go hunting for monsters in the woods, and I am getting the kids into many aspects of the fantasy genre. Here’s to developing the next generation of gamers!

Billie Shen wrote:

It's looking like I'm the relative newbie around here.

I just checked, and my first post in the site was in 2016. So I think you’ve got me beat, at least as far as “around here” goes.

Ah, I meant in terms of total years playing RPGs

9 years put you up there as an RPG old Vet now sorry Billie, hehe

I haven't had a chance to do more than scan through all the characters so far, but in terms of interpersonal stuff, a couple of things stand out immediately.

I can see Billie and John getting along famously. They have quite a few common interests, and could probably hang out together even if there was no party to create a common bond.

There could be friction between Billie and Dafydd. They're opposites in several big ways: religion, politics, class... She's going to see him as exactly the kind of inbred, blue-blooded, dour, reactionary rot that is at the core of so many problems. Juicy!

@Billie
I think Helena and Billie know each other, as she would ask
Billie to fix her little car, and help out with the detective agency :)

@Khaled
I think she would know Khaled as well as he is a ranger, I think she would know him from Alexandria and her time there. Like Billie he would know that Helena dose not seem to age like others do.

@Evangeline Haldane, "Eva"
I think Helena would know Eva from WW1 and working in the hospitals there. As a story she may have heard or in person by chance.
Unless you want to have visited the bookshop

@Dafydd ap Roger Cadwallon,
Davy she may know from visiting the his great house Library, ether to buy or sell a book. So their paths may have crossed. If not he may have just dropped in the book shop looking for old texts about his ancestor. Or she also may have meet in the great war.

@John Mosby
I like the idea she was for a short time one of his private tutors in
Oxfordshire. Teaching Latin, if he meets her again he may be shocked she seems to have not aged a day.

I like the idea that somehow you have all crossed paths with Helena.
She has the odd luck streak that dose things like this.

I haven't had a chance to do more than scan through all the characters so far, but in terms of interpersonal stuff, a couple of things stand out immediately.

I can see Billie and John getting along famously. They have quite a few common interests, and could probably hang out together even if there was no party to create a common bond.

There could be friction between Billie and Dafydd. They're opposites in several big ways: religion, politics, class... She's going to see him as exactly the kind of inbred, blue-blooded, dour, reactionary rot that is at the core of so many problems. Juicy!

Dafydd was originally going to have the Condescending drawback, though after PMs with the GM, I changed that. I should probably also update his fluff to reflect that he’s had some (but definitely not all) of that aristocratic outlook beaten out of him, not only by The War, but also by greater association with and appreciation for some particular exceptional commoners (like his Oxford professors).

@Khaled

I think she would know Khaled as well as he is a ranger, I think she would know him from Alexandria and her time there. Like Billie he would know that Helena dose not seem to age like others do.

Not sure what the DM has in mind, but... something like that is cool with me if allowed.

I haven't put an age on Khaled, but I'm thinking 25-29'ish.

Khaled is even keeled and down to earth (literally at times). Doesn't speak much about himself, just the job and those involved - whether he's working with, guiding, transporting, driving, flying or protecting them.

He's rather Caucasian as compared to the stereotypical Egyptian, though his slightly olive skin tone is visible if one looks.

Cairo, Alexandria, Giza, Saqqara (Sahara), Abu Simbel, Aswan... perhaps in adjoining countries. Never really left the "dust bowl" until now.

...he’s had some (but definitely not all) of that aristocratic outlook beaten out of him, not only by The War, but also by greater association with and appreciation for some particular exceptional commoners (like his Oxford professors).

"Oh, get you! 'Some particular exceptional commoners' have met your standards for association! You are indeed bloody broad-minded and forward-thinking for conceding to the existence of some pearls amongst the swine! I'm almost convinced that after a hard swallow, you might even bring yourself to accept the right of a man with dirt under his nails to cast a ballot on equal terms with you! Or, <gasp>, be seated in the same lounge as you! How intoxicating." :p

"There are pearls among the swine, yes. Anyone who has met Oxford's Professor Tolkien would agree that he is a prince among men, nevermind that he was born to a bank manager in the colonies. Why shouldn't he be a Duke? He's done more for the Empire than most of them. Likewise his colleague Professor Lewis. I could list others by the dozen; Isembard Kingdom Brunel, Dickens, Austen, Watt, Adam Smith, Nightingale, all deserve to be lords or ladies, just as much as Lord Tennyson. From what I saw in the War, every Victoria Cross should come with a title. But just as there are pearls among swine, there are swine among the pearls, are there not? Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, this is what happens when you get a title merely because of who your father was. The feckless sons of old nobles, trading on reputations and spending fortunes accrued by energetic ancestors in centuries past are not at all noble, in the true sense of the word, are they? For them, I would quote the Bible: "Let his days be few; and let another take his office." Did Our Lord not say "but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant"? A noble is first and foremost a servant of the people; only by service can one earn the right to lead. And I must say, I've shared a muddy trench with men born in London gutters and Yorkshire fields, I can't say they were all worthy souls, one man I knew was shot for desertion, but most were men I'd gladly share a meal with were I to meet them again today, whether or not we vote the same way."

Billie makes it through about half her cigarette as Dafyyd drones on. She knows his type is given over to the belief that when four words are used when one would suffice, the argument is four times stronger. It's a hazard of engagement with his sort.

When he winds down, Billie summarizes.

"So to paraphrase your reply, it is merit or character that makes a person admirable, not a title. If that is so, I would hope your Professor Tolkien of Oxford University would decline a dukedom if offered one. After all, what would it matter to such 'a prince among men'?"

"Indeed, to progress your argument, titles should be done away with entirely. They only obfuscate the truly worthy from the unworthy, the mere nobleman from the noble man. If a person is noble, call them so and let that be the extent of their reward. This would leave the unworthy with nothing to hide behind. In fact, why not start yourself, here and now? Renounce... whatever it is you are exactly, and be done with facades. As you quoted from your bible a moment ago, 'whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant'. Act on your principles and call for the abolishment of the monarchy, the peerage, and the gentry, starting with yourself leading by example."

If we are having a wee bit of fun, I wanted to ZEE how her voice Zounds.

"I have been to ze Inklings pub night, Professor Lewis iz an aqatance and customer of mine. He likes ze religious texts. And if it was not for him, Professor Tolkien may never have published. All-zo Professor Lewis waz born in Ulster, Zon of a lawyer Zo he told me. This shows how Modernity is changing our vorld. Now I am off to ze International Surrealist Exhibition that ze New Burlington Galleries, Mayfair*, I am keen to meet a Salvador Dalí, they Zay he an interesting fellow, zo, do you two want to come? We can talk more Zhere"

Says a heavily accented voice from the back of the bookshop...

the 1st The International Surrealist Exhibition was held in 1936*

I can tell from this once we get started this is going to be a very fun game to play.

I am certainly up for having connections to other characters.

I noticed that, at Str 14, Eva is the "strongest" character in the group. I am pondering taking that further, would adjusting ability scores be acceptable at this point? No problem if not.

Where do we stand on wealth/money?

Billie makes it through about half her cigarette as Dafyyd drones on. She knows his type is given over to the belief that when four words are used when one would suffice, the argument is four times stronger. It's a hazard of engagement with his sort.

When he winds down, Billie summarizes.

"So to paraphrase your reply, it is merit or character that makes a person admirable, not a title. If that is so, I would hope your Professor Tolkien of Oxford University would decline a dukedom if offered one. After all, what would it matter to such 'a prince among men'?"

"Indeed, to progress your argument, titles should be done away with entirely. They only obfuscate the truly worthy from the unworthy, the mere nobleman from the noble man. If a person is noble, call them so and let that be the extent of their reward. This would leave the unworthy with nothing to hide behind. In fact, why not start yourself, here and now? Renounce... whatever it is you are exactly, and be done with facades. As you quoted from your bible a moment ago, 'whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant'. Act on your principles and call for the abolishment of the monarchy, the peerage, and the gentry, starting with yourself leading by example."

"I think it is doing away with titles that would obfuscate things. America has no titles, but I have read that President Roosevelt is related by blood or marriage to fully one third of his predecessors, not to mention the MP for Epping. Is that a society without class? The soviets abolished class, but do the party bosses live in the same apartments as factory workers? All societies have stratification, Britain is just honest about it. I would say that nobility gives men something to strive for. Many times in the service, I saw men seek to better themselves in order to gain the next promotion or commendation. Likewise, noble titles give people things to aspire towards. Not all men need that, of course, but some do. The peerage needs reform, no doubt, but it does not need revolution. We tried that once, Cromwell promptly passed the "protectorship" to his son, just like a king. So we brought Charles II back. Let's not try revolution again."

I am certainly up for having connections to other characters.

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

I noticed that, at Str 14, Eva is the "strongest" character in the group. I am pondering taking that further, would adjusting ability scores be acceptable at this point? No problem if not.

Where do we stand on wealth/money?

I'm good with that.

I am certainly up for having connections to other characters.

I noticed that, at Str 14, Eva is the "strongest" character in the group. I am pondering taking that further, would adjusting ability scores be acceptable at this point? No problem if not.

Where do we stand on wealth/money?

Strength, sure if it suits the character, go for it

Wealth, DM said equip yourself and don't worry about cost too much.

GM is all ok?

"So now you dissemble, pulling in non-sequiturs to explain why you simply cannot possibly. I will remind you we are standing in Britain discussing a specifically British injustice. What happens in America or Russia does not matter, nor are we able to tangibly affect what happens elsewhere. Those places are irrelevant to the subject of our conversation. While I will not allow you to drag the whole world in to parade around as you attempt to justify a British moral failure, I will say this in return: you describe Britain's stratification as 'honest'. I would use the word 'blatant', or perhaps 'shameless'. Robbing others as they look on does not make a thief honest."

"I have not mentioned a classless society, nor have I advocated for one. I have merely suggested the removal of the dead weight at the top would be a healthy change for Britain. I also have not argued no titles should exist. I myself have a title. I am Dr. Shen. I earned the title Doctor of Medicine AFTER years of hard work devoted to study in several difficult subjects. Now that I have this title, my reward is the ability to practice in a narrow field where others who have not earned the same title cannot."

"In this conversation I have specifically advocated for the abolition of aristocratic titles. Those are received, with occasional exceptions, by the feat of being born eldest, and preferably male, into a family holding a title. It's a reversal of the incentives system you claim to admire. One gets everything up front with no conditions attached, while the rest of the nation is left to hope the recipient will rouse themselves to do something, anything, to make it look worthwhile."

"Now I will address those occasional exceptions because I know you will latch on to that as your one rational for all the bloat. You continue to mention the Great War as this bubbling cauldron of ambition driven excellence leading to the deserving scaling the social ladder. I have always read the broadsheets you know. While I do not have specific numbers on hand to present, I did notice certain patterns. There were some knighthoods granted, almost all of them to high ranking officers, government ministers, and such. There is the Victoria Cross, in theory awarded solely on merit, but in practice suspiciously weighted toward officers, and oddly rare for commonwealth and colonial troops. Completely missing, and please correct me if I'm wrong, was anyone elevated to the aristocracy due to their wartime service."

"You began the Great War as whatever exactly you are didn't you? Those men you shared trenches with and who you would deign to share a meal with now? I'll wager to do so you'd have to go to the 'London gutters and Yorkshire fields' they came from to find them wouldn't you? That's what they went back to afterward, didn't they? Maybe with tokens like a medal or two as their thanks, assuming them they have not pawned them out of necessity by now. Forgive my skepticism if you try to tell me Britain's social ladder rewards merit in anything but a haphazard way unless you're satisfied that a step, or half-step upward for the same degree of merit is befitting according to one's born station. Privilege draws privilege to itself."

"I am certainly not advocating for revolution. I am quite optimistic about Britain's future without anything so drastic. Within my lifetime the House of Lords has been properly gelded in favor of the House of Commons, a properly representative government body. The suffragettes have won. Since I have been in the United Kingdom, women gained the right to vote, though if I were a citizen I would still have to wait another 5 years to exercise it. Except wait! More recently women have gained voting rights on par with men. Trade unions have never been more powerful than they are now. Society and politics are shifting in the right direction for further gains."

"The Great War may have destroyed only three of the four monarchies involved in it, but I think Britain's will be a casualty as well, a lingering death. You lot are already a relic of the past, you just haven't realized it yet. It's unsurprising. I've met quite a few more of your kind that you might think, mostly the Oxbridge lot. They arrive at university dull, ignorant, and convinced they steer the nation. They graduate still dull, ignorant, and convinced they steer the nation. What can one expect? They cannot really fail, so why bother actually succeeding? But the future is here and it's snapping at your heels."

"One thing is very amusing though. I fully agree with you about how very sensible it was to restore Charles II to the throne. I would prefer a lazy and fatuous aristocracy over a mob of religious fanatics any day. "

Billie stubs out a cigarette now overdue for it.

"Anyway, this was just a mental exercise. I expected your principles would extend right up and exactly to the line where they would infringe on your privileges. It looks be so. Besides, I miss debate sometimes. I'm Chinese though and these subjects are all academic to me. Really the only thing I want is for Britain to exit China immediately. Now, I'm absolutely parched and in dire need of another manhattan."

Added to Billie's background: City College London Debate Society, second and third years undergraduate.

GM is all ok?

Restaurant business and two small children, that man hardly had a weekend to speak of!

Does anyone have ideas as to fear? I'm not certain why, but I'm always at a loss in modern settings.

Guess, could just go archaic => analog.

Torch => Flashlight (torch, funny enough)

Crossbow => Pistol?

Whip => Whip

I guess because it is modern, I'm thinking they wouldn't be carrying much.

Perhaps day-to-day vs go bag.

Connections:

@Khaled: John would have visited Egypt at some point probably post war and could have hired him as a guide.

@Eva: John could have run into you in Paris or it's environs before the war while with your mother.

@Dafydd: John could have run into you in Oxfordshire or during the war or both. John has friends everywhere.

@Helena: We can go with tutor. Most of his growing up would have been American but, it's entirely possible he needed extra help with Latin. It is also possible that his family purchased books from her.

@Khaled: John would have visited Egypt at some point probably post war and could have hired him as a guide.

Works! They vibe and could be considered kindred spirits (each NG).

Probably 1922-1935, just making sure Khaled is/was old enough. John is 5-6 years his senior.

Hysterical that your avatar looks a bit like one of my uncles and grandfather. I think it's the mustache.

Good evening all! My apologies, between wrapping up some legwork/adjustments to campaign rules and starting notes, a surprise visit from my director on Friday, and then two managers down with the flu, it has been a bit of a busy weekend.

On to details...

Wealth hey all, I am still working through the details of a functional wealth system. The more I look at and test out, the more I am frustrated with. I am almost pondering drifting over to a World of Darkness style abstract, but not sure how to transition that into d20. And then is the question of is it really necessary? Still to be TBD.

Equipment to Khaled's question about general gear, yes, you can write your equipment list in two forms: what you have on your person in general; and, what you have available to you when engaging in 'adventurous activities'.

Firearms I have made some adjustments to the damage of rifles. There was little reason to have one in comparison to a pistol other than range. Now rifles pack significantly more punch. ALSO, I am debating giving characters ½ Dex to damage to make guns just a bit more effective (because using Defense instead of Armor takes away one of their biggest boons). Or perhaps limiting it to those with the Amateur Gunslinger feat. Thoughts?

Automatic Bonus Progression and AC I realized that both Automatic Bonus Progression and the Defense bonus chart took into account the benefit normally gained from magic armor. As such, we will be ignoring the “armor attunement” bonus included in the ABP system. We will, however, be using the system at +1 level, so you get the benefits of a 5th level character. Also, please confirm your Defense bonus to AC from the campaign spreadsheet, I made some slight adjustments to the progression.

Connections I am greatly enjoying both the practice RP and all the potential connections between players. Once you are sure on any starting connections, please repost as just short, single sentence overviews.

AGES (& birth year)
Helena - 30’s (132; 1803)
Dafydd - 35 (1900)
Eva - 32 (1903)
John - 36 (1899)
Khaled - 29 (1906)
Billie - 25 (1910)

Trawets totally off-topic, but you mentioned it in your overview so I had to ask - i love the old Rogue Trader / Dark Heresy 40k games. Have you tried the new system from Cubicle 7, Imperium Maledictum? I have the rulebook but have not had a chance to play.

"So now you dissemble, pulling in non-sequiturs to explain why you simply cannot possibly. I will remind you we are standing in Britain discussing a specifically British injustice. What happens in America or Russia does not matter, nor are we able to tangibly affect what happens elsewhere. Those places are irrelevant to the subject of our conversation. While I will not allow you to drag the whole world in to parade around as you attempt to justify a British moral failure, I will say this in return: you describe Britain's stratification as 'honest'. I would use the word 'blatant', or perhaps 'shameless'. Robbing others as they look on does not make a thief honest."

"I have not mentioned a classless society, nor have I advocated for one. I have merely suggested the removal of the dead weight at the top would be a healthy change for Britain. I also have not argued no titles should exist. I myself have a title. I am Dr. Shen. I earned the title Doctor of Medicine AFTER years of hard work devoted to study in several difficult subjects. Now that I have this title, my reward is the ability to practice in a narrow field where others who have not earned the same title cannot."

"In this conversation I have specifically advocated for the abolition of aristocratic titles. Those are received, with occasional exceptions, by the feat of being born eldest, and preferably male, into a family holding a title. It's a reversal of the incentives system you claim to admire. One gets everything up front with no conditions attached, while the rest of the nation is left to hope the recipient will rouse themselves to do something, anything, to make it look worthwhile."

"Now I will address those occasional exceptions because I know you will latch on to that as your one rational for all the bloat. You continue to mention the Great War as this bubbling cauldron of ambition driven excellence leading to the deserving scaling the social ladder. I have always read the broadsheets you know. While I...

When you spoke of abolishing titles, I inferred you wanted a classless society, so I referenced some societies that have moved in that direction. Or, for the Yanks, never had a formal aristocracy to begin with, I suppose. Depending on precise definitions and occasional exceptions. If that inference was in error, I apologize. I tend to treat class and title as inextricably linked.

As for my service in the war, I lied about my age, so I couldn't very well use my real name. Not that being Welsh country aristocracy would've gotten me far with the English anyway. I started as a private, finished the war as a corporal, so I do have some experience of service as a commoner. Which is appropriate, since I am a commoner, actually. My father is a baronet, but a baronet's son is just a commoner with a coat of arms.

Pretty sure I said in his background or something that he was knighted at some point, but I don't think that actually makes sense, he hasn't really done anything that would merit it. At least not a UK knighthood. Maybe that was through the Catholic military order he's a part of. Yeah, that's it. [waves hands] Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

At any rate, you already have what you want as regards the Lords, the Parliament Act 1911 has effectively removed their ability to vote down anything the Commons have passed. I don't honestly see much point in having two houses if they can't check each other, but c'est la vie, as the frogs say. We do love our traditions, even when they've become vestigial.

I do agree that knighthoods and medals are often awarded politically. That's something I'd love to reform. But I'm not the sort of man who gets elected to Parliament; too much an aristocrat for the Commons, not lordly enough for the Lords. Ultimately, I suppose we both think the system is broken. The difference is that I think it would be better to reform it, rather than simply throw it away. That's in no small part because I know of no society that has done away with aristocracy without a bloody revolution, and I do fear for Britain if any such thing ever reached our shores again. In the long run, though, you'll likely get your way. The class system has been withering for centuries as it stands, and sometimes for very good reason. I doubt anyone in England, including His Majesty, would want a return to the pre-Magna Carta days, for example."

This is really helping me get in the character's head, since of course as a 21st century American I'm not *actually* a proponent of a hereditary class system. Thanks for that. But I'm also happy to wrap it up if you are. Things to do, tea's getting cold, etc, etc. Cheerio! lol

Helena comes from the back of bookship, carrying a tea-tray Billie and Dafydd. In it is also a box of Huntley & Palmer's Ginger Nuts Biscuits.

Putting the tray down she says.

"Such a lovely couple, always discussing things"

Then she goes and looks out the window at the London rain.

"At, zhe gallery shows iz at 7, so we have lotz of time no, and if we are lucky it may have stopped rainzings by zhen"

Turning and smiling at them, she heads back of the books shop and her cataloging.

--------------------

@Billie
Billie is one of Helen's close friends here in london, {She saved Helens live once} and they often meet at her bookshop. Billie also fixes her little car, and helps out with the detective agency as a partner, that is when they have work :{

@Khaled
She meet him she in Alexandria they kept in touch becouse of interests in history

@Evangeline Haldane, "Eva"
Haldane helped Eva with her rehabilitation in WW1 when she was found by the british, they kept in touch after.

@Dafydd ap Roger Cadwallon,
She knows Dafydd because Billie knows him, and they often sit in her books shop talking politics and culture like the good Bohemians they are.

@John Mosby
@Helena: Was a tutor of his. Most of his growing up would have been American but, it's entirely possible he needed extra help with Latin. His family purchased books from her, and so they asked for help with Latin for Dafydd.

---------

Helena has money, old, old money, but she dose not waste it. She lives and simple and fugle life, has her books shop her small car, and her books. She does like to travel, but that is mostly to book fairs and sales.

She dose not own a rifle, she can use one, she leaned in ww1 but sees no need for one post war.

-----
Her AC is.
AD[16/20*]TA[14/18*]FF[12/16*] =
10+[+4Dex][+2 Armor/ Undergarment Bodice]
* +4 Mage Armor {4 hours}

@Khaled

She meet him she in Alexandria they kept in touch becouse of interests in history

Sounds good to me!

Firearms I have made some adjustments to the damage of rifles... Now rifles pack significantly more punch. ALSO, I am debating giving characters ½ Dex to damage... to those with the Amateur Gunslinger feat. Thoughts?

Limiting to Amateur Gunslinger seems very anti-EitR (Elephant in...). if adding damage is what you're after, I think folks could just use Deadly Aim. Those with higher Dex can afford to use it more often/deeply.

My personal nightmare is FF Armor Class... Oy! Even if you wear that could pass for normal clothing, it's horrendous. Basically, ambush (especially by sniper/rifle) means death... or at least a very hard hit.

Obviously, we have a sniper (and sniper capable folks) and can use that to our advantage.

ASs they wait Helena puts in the radio and the sound of the Jazz hour fills the book store

the Jazz hour

@Dafydd: We can let it rest for now. I'm sure this or similar topics will be revisited in gameplay in the future. I fully admit that Billie wasn't quite playing fair in the conversation/debate. She was really going for blood and definitely throwing oblique ad hominem attacks while also invoking "rules" of debate. She does have a bit of a chip on her shoulder about some things, and she can get very competitive.

It helped me work out some things as well. Billie is a socialist, but she's not European, which gives her a different slant on things. She's from Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city, attended a Protestant British school in the foreign concessions, and grew up in the aftermath of the New Culture Movement and the May 4th Movement. She's anti-imperialist, but not as much a nationalist as a cosmopolitan. I ducked the Russia comment because I hadn't figured out where she would stand on vis-a-vis Stalin. She would certainly have some sort of stance regarding the Bolsheviks.

Billie certainly does not have any respect for Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang. She considers the Chinese right wing to be fascist (now that there's a handy word for that particular kind of politics) and gangsters (literally since the Green Gang in Shanghai is a major backer and ally of Chiang Kai-shek), and remembers very well the 1927 White Terror in Shanghai when the CCP was purged from the city and thousands of communists were murdered. Billie's father is in neck-deep with the Kuomintang and Green Gang. Chiang Kai-shek and the Green Gang's top boss Du Yuesheng are personal friends of her father's, so she knows about the corruption of the Kuomintang with certainty.

All this makes the CCP look very good by comparison. She's definitely a "fellow traveler", and Lenin or Trotsky are one thing, but she's heard both good and bad about Stalin. I'd say she's broadly a supporter, with perhaps some reservations, unless she finds out more to change her mind.

Obviously, we have a sniper (and sniper capable folks) and can use that to our advantage.

Billie will turn out to be a fine shot once somebody teaches her how to use a rifle. I added sniper for the improved range increments and sneak attack damage on ranged. She currently hasn't the faintest idea how to be a sniper. She's a doctor. :P

Firearms I have made some adjustments to the damage of rifles. There was little reason to have one in comparison to a pistol other than range. Now rifles pack significantly more punch. ALSO, I am debating giving characters ½ Dex to damage to make guns just a bit more effective (because using Defense instead of Armor takes away one of their biggest boons). Or perhaps limiting it to those with the Amateur Gunslinger feat. Thoughts?

I'm okay either way. I expect most everyone who doesn't have gunslinger as a class will be taking the amateur gunslinger feat at some point anyway.

Connections I am greatly enjoying both the practice RP and all the potential connections between players. Once you are sure on any starting connections, please repost as just short, single sentence overviews.

Can you tell us anything about our starting circumstances? Are we supposed to all know each other because we're just going to stumble into something as a group? Or, are we being recruited for something, which forms the group?

If the former is the way things happen, I'll think of something for everyone. If it's the latter, I'll probably limit Billie's prior acquaintances to one or maybe two. Billie has only been in Europe 7 years and she's been at university the entire time. London is a very big city so happening to know everyone by random chance kind of beggers the imagination if the party is recruited for something.

Trawets totally off-topic, but you mentioned it in your overview so I had to ask - i love the old Rogue Trader / Dark Heresy 40k games. Have you tried the new system from Cubicle 7, Imperium Maledictum? I have the rulebook but have not had a chance to play.

I am not familiar with Imperium Maledictum. I don't have much experience in anything other than Rogue Trader. That game lasted for 6-12 months. The Dark Heresy etc have been games on here that didn't last long on didn't get off the ground at all. I'd give it another go though.

Wealth hey all, I am still working through the details of a functional wealth system. The more I look at and test out, the more I am frustrated with. I am almost pondering drifting over to a World of Darkness style abstract, but not sure how to transition that into d20. And then is the question of is it really necessary? Still to be TBD.

Equipment to Khaled's question about general gear, yes, you can write your equipment list in two forms: what you have on your person in general; and, what you have available to you when engaging in 'adventurous activities'.

Firearms I have made some adjustments to the damage of rifles. There was little reason to have one in comparison to a pistol other than range. Now rifles pack significantly more punch. ALSO, I am debating giving characters ½ Dex to damage to make guns just a bit more effective (because using Defense instead of Armor takes away one of their biggest boons). Or perhaps limiting it to those with the Amateur Gunslinger feat. Thoughts?

Automatic Bonus Progression and AC I realized that both Automatic Bonus Progression and the Defense bonus chart took into account the benefit normally gained from magic armor. As such, we will be ignoring the “armor attunement” bonus included in the ABP system. We will, however, be using the system at +1 level, so you get the benefits of a 5th level character. Also, please confirm your Defense bonus to AC from the campaign spreadsheet, I made some slight adjustments to the progression.

Connections I am greatly enjoying both the practice RP and all the potential connections between players. Once you are sure on any starting connections, please repost as just short, single sentence overviews.

Wealth

Firearms
I wasn't aware that the defense bonus was going to effect Touch AC. I thought it was basically just an armor bonus and wouldn't be in effect when a firearm is used in touch ac range. In my opinion dex to damage wouldn't help with taking away touch AC as that increases the likelihood to hit not damage. Part of my character abilities allow me to fire up to 3 range increments at touch in certain circumstances and that would make a big difference.

Connections
Helena: Was a latin tutor and has had book dealings with his family

Khaled: Was a guide in Egypt in 1924.

ABP
AC has been looked at and updated.

Helena went to the cinema to what a new visual effects extravaganza film

The Shape of things to come