Mythic Rebirth

Game Master Elioa

I am just going to put this out there, for there to be stakes and stuff in this game, at some point I am going to have to either house rule or just homebrew new monsters. Obviously for the sake of the game I can’t just straight up tell you:

Hey so this new monster it can do this, this and this.

That’s why the first “monster” I used here is Baba Yaga. She can canonically do anything, any item is within her reach and she can have any spell prepared.

But I think I proven I won’t go too far. The vial is like I said just a mythic version of a hexing doll. Letting arcane sight see Su isn’t a huge deal, it only seems like it here because you have a lot of Su abilities.

If I use some crazy homebrew or epic monster, I will give you very clear tells. Otherwise I won’t really bring it up

Also need sleep it’s like 2am will check back in later

I’m going to add my 2 cents:

High powered games are difficult. For NPCs to be a threat they may need custom rules at times. Or to break rules even. The GM gave us insane build rules so our opponents will likewise be insane. If an NPC breaks some rules…well…that may be needed to make a challenge given our stats.

Patrons can be a+%*~#*$s. Given that they gave our PCs life, and powers, threatening to take it away seems legit. Our characters aren’t people who earned any of these powers…it’s all gifted to us. They’re just being informed that there is a reason that gifts were given.

If using powers is conspicuous to some, then now we know. It’s good to know now in this learning environment, with the patrons/messengers of patrons. Better like this than with opponents.

Overall…let’s try to roll with this.

I agree. And the reason I went over to check out the 'job board' was to see if there was something that would be slightly beyond our group without mythic powers. That way we could try out our new powers before we had to face something close to equal to us. And, maybe we could all learn to cooperate with each other.

I think we should just go with the flow. It's tough enough to host mythic games, and at tier 10 this will be challenging as hell. As characters, maybe we can tone it down on our god complex and interpret it as the original proposal ("isekai" style) almost as if still learning and finding out what we're capable of.

Once the GM split the two or three groups, if I may recommend, it'd likely be a good idea to keep separate gameplay threads. We're too many here, so it's tough to fully grasp what's going on :)

Speaking just for myself, but I'm totally okay with the GM houseruling their monsters, NPCs, etc.; I GM'd way too much myself to know that at some points you'll just drop a piano in someone's head in the middle of the desert, and that will be okay. It's everyone's play, everyone's story, but the narrator has to have some room to build the scenes without all the rule challenging.

I just want to say I'm REALLY enjoying the campaign so far! The PC interactions are great, and will become even GREATER with time.
Everyone's doing so well with posting! Great job everybody and thank you Elioa!

Thanks for the understanding.

I will soon be rolling the dice to split you into groups. Alternatively if you have any preferences you can PM me. Though try to at least make it be someone you have talked to in character a few times

In the tavern:
Gazul
Oswald
Tavik
Yasmin
Laere
Kharl
Lysander
Catador
Evangelia
Andromeda
Anathiel

If you are in the Tavern but your name isn’t here please tell me asap

The people who have yet to arrive are:
Alyarah
Trawet
Davin

My two cents:

Even if Arcane sight wasn't always on or it couldn't see Su powers, we're talking legendary creatures here.

You wouldn't ask Elminster how he knows we're mythic. There isn't some random Simulacrum working as a receptionist in just any tavern - this part alone makes this tavern so unusual you cannot really ask for clear explanation for anything.

If DM needs a monster to do something, it will do that something - the rules are here for PCs, not for NPCs.

I say, bring the customization! Don't let those with good book access or good memory know instantly what will happen.

And on related note (this time specifically for Oswalds player) - do not assume you will survive such behavior. If I was DMing this encounter, you'd be a doll, a mouse for the house cat of straight up dead for annoying her. If this is based on an older game, don't forget that it is modern invention that players should be kept alive and that it is easy to survive. Older games were much deadlier.

Hopefully once we are split, this game will be suitable for those who can only post 1-2 times per day. Even for new game surge, this was a bit much.

Ok so i am going to let you all have a bit of a respite here to catch up and talk amongst yourselves. Before the girls return

Sorry Catador and Andromeda, because you weren't in the tavern for long you weren't part of the assessment so technically only 9 of you were assessed.

Maybe take this time to interact with everyone a little more. It would also give me some time to think about how to proceed

Also wanted to give the remaining 3 characters a chance to reach the tavern so they can be here when stuff happens. You can just join in with and alias to interact with the others first if you'd like.

For the groupings, i dont really want to open two threads Laere so instead i suggest you spoiler your posts.

Something like :

This way the thread looks neater and you can only read the posts that are directly relevant to you

Just throwing out...that what Gazul says is completely IC.

He is a duegar, and was a very low ranking one. This is just his mindset, and while it is valid to him, it does not need to be valid for anyone else. I want to make sure that everyone knows that OOC I'm not asking anyone to act in a certain way or to do anything.

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Also...for my 2 cents. While spoilers could work, it will likely get confusing. I'm in another campaign where there are several scenes going on at the same time, and while there should be spoilers, that doesn't always happen. And it has led to a situation where notifications pop up, and I don't know if it involves me until I come and check on the thread.

If the plan is for both groups to come back together? Then I can see why the spoilers would work out (the other campaign seems to be operating on that assumption). But if there are going to be very long stretches where the two groups are completely separate, then having 2 campaigns may just be cleaner.

Regardless, as the GM is is your call. I'll work within the parameters that you set up for this.

I anticipate your group will converge after most tasks, i might also swap groups around for balance and such so i would prefer to have one thread. If it gets too confusing we can figure out another solution then

I know I'm in the minority, but a big chaotic group of isekai protagonists sounds so fun! I hope Oswald isn't the last one picked, like on the playground. Lol.

I second the 'separate threads' idea, I'm in one with three groups, we gave each a moniker so we start each with large letters "Team Infiltration", "Team Caves", "Team Lake", but now two of them converged "Team Fusion" while the third seems to have lost two players.

We all know what happened with others, but cross-posting is constant problem and who knows what gets harder to separate because we also have sending stones.

But Inalso say, ot is your game, as you think best.

@Oswald, it is impractical for PbP to have more than 4 or 5, less is better, players that post at about same rate. in combat, it is hard to follow, encounters are not balanced for big groups and there are always some backtracking due effects and powers that interrupt and change stuff.

@DM, if I may, ask for expected reactions and their triggers and use them as best as you can (with plaeyrs benefit in mind) so you maximally avoid cahnges in the timeline. Players would need to accept that occasionally something they would use, won't be, and something they wouldn't, will be, but it speeds up the game.

Same for defensive casting, opportunity attacks, and similar instant, reactive and descriptive effects.

you could also considerngiving us basic attack stats, AC, and saves of the monsters in thr fight so we can roll opportunity attacks against ourselves, saves for the monsters...for purposes of cleaner descriptions.

i.e. Tavik casts defensively and fails, but luckily thr ogre club slams in the ground next to the lithe fey. Moments later, the beast wavers on its feet and collapses down. on the next breath it snores loudly.

I rolled: concentration, opportunity attack, and save and everyone gets full status without waiting for you to check in.

yes, it does offer a bit of optimization for the players (tatheting low saves or risking OA from low to hit or low damage monsters, but the play is much more fluent

I'm good with however we proceed. I've seen multiple threads for a game, and spoilered posts. Both work if you can get used to it. Have also seen a mix of posts here and Discord threads for quick running battles. That was challenging but it worked.

Big groups can cause issues because people have trouble keeping their posts in sequence, especially when they respond to something that is on the previous page because they aren't posting as fast as everyone else.

I can usually check/post a couple of times each day unless I have to go into the office (firewall blocks the site) or if I'm on the road. Then I'll likely only get one post per day.

I am good with either option.

The most obvious pro of separate threads is the con of a singular thread:

the time it takes each player to read all the gameplay (and discussion) posts since their last 'catch-up' gameplay post read, and with a high possibililty that (with the singlular thread option) several additional gameplay posts have been posted while a player is currently 'catch-up' reading.

That is why my lone gameplay post so far ended with Catador making his way to the front door, and not entering the tavern properly yet (to give me more time to catch up on all gameplay posts).

@Catador. None of us are dead (again) yet. ;-)

- I like monster customization too!

- I would also favour separate threads, but obviously up to the DM.

- Regarding the groups, we have the start of a natural split! The Fools (the 5 chastised) vs The Compliant? (don't take the 2 names seriously! ;-))

I’m just completely confused. Are they, or aren’t they some sort of divinities? I’ve seen both in the thread. How could we possible have passed a test that was being judged on criteria other than what we were given? We’re just supposed to meekly submit to being told to do x and then told we failed because we didn’t do y and z? None of this is making sense. I hope this isn’t how the rest of the game will go. What’s the point of following our instructions and then being berated for not following instructions we weren’t given? There’s a reason the Iomedae scene in Wrath of the Righteous is pretty universally reviled. It doesn’t help when I get off work and come back to 40 new posts.

Another vote for separate threads. For me the issue is looking stuff up in the thread. Going through three times as many posts and not being able to skim them because of the spoilers. It's much easier to get lost.

The next test.... Pick a group by posting.

Just kidding!

I mean Lysander have you never played a warlock before? Like the GM said this is pretty standard Warlock patron behaviour. Like look at how wyll is treated by his patron in bg3.

I never really understood the hate around WOTR’s(the CRPG at least) Iomedea scene anyway. She is a Goddess, despite being a newer one compared to gods like Desna and Pharasma. Like of course she is going to be preachy and holier than thou. Plus it’s not like she murders you straight away if she doesn’t like your mythic path, you have to actually repeatedly insult her before she instantly game overs you.

As for the threads thing, I don’t mind either option. My other campaign uses spoilers to separate posts and it has worked thus far so I don’t mind it. Separate threads is also fine. It’s up to the GM

This is the first time I am running an online campaign on a forum like this so there will likely be a bit of trial and error. I will ask you try to spoiler tag suggestion for your group since I don’t see a particular reason why that wouldn’t work. I will similarly spoiler tags my responses to your group’s question so you can safely ignore the other group’s spoilers.

My reasoning is simple. Your groups will converge with one another as often as after every mission. So I still need a single common thread to handle those interactions. And since I am the only one who has to read through every post it

Lysander I am afraid I don’t understand your objection. I am already running them frankly as leniently as I can. You are all essentially level 1 warlocks to them. The fact I am allowing you to question them rather than forcing you to do as they say should be proof to that. If a level one warlock spoke this way to their patron, in d&d at least, you would already be dead.

Also maybe I used too many words or something but this “Test” was honestly literal child’s play. Treat the commoners with kindness, make some friends with the adventurers, stay away from the obviously powerful and evil witch. I don’t understand why you are making it seem like it’s some monumental task. Your instructions were to come to this tavern and meet with your peers. As soon as you arrived and you see commoners, other adventuring groups and Baba Yaga, it should be pretty clear what you odd to do.

The only reason they even had to intervene is because Baba Yaga got involved and learnt you were all high mythic ranks. A fact that wouldn’t be a factor if your group did the normal thing and left the ancient witch queen alone

Let me reiterate this: the information I left out: which was don’t bully commoners/ be respectful to other adventurers/ stay away from Baba Yaga; is common sense or common decency. I should not have to spell this out for you.

The group didn’t do that. In fact you mostly did the opposite

You ignored the commoners and Evangelia chose to use her Mythic power to instantly make them all friendly. For me, this counts as bullying commoners with your mythic power because the commoners have no chance of resisting. Thus task one is a failure

Be respectful the adventurers/patrons who are your equal: Kharl and Evangelia attempted this. Kharl’s attempt was fine. Evangelia only put on the charm when she couldnt instantly make them all friendly with her power. The rest of you again mostly ignored them. So generally, failed

Do I even have to explain why task 3 is a failure? Instead of doing the smart thing and staying away from Baba Yaga, Oswald talked to her, failed to do as she demanded and then tried to(as far as she is concerned) con her out of her desired payment. Then Gazul told both of them about the mission cause the two mages to learn of the depths of your mythic power. Again failure

I am bringing this up ooc because honestly most of you played it pretty decently in character so I didnt find anything wrong with your in character actions. But still it should be very obvious why they would think you failed this very simple task

Does anyone else have any misunderstandings or require any further clarification.

Anathiel i addressed your inconsistency point in gameplay

How could we possible have passed a test that was being judged on criteria other than what we were given? We’re just supposed to meekly submit to being told to do x and then told we failed because we didn’t do y and z? None of this is making sense. I hope this isn’t how the rest of the game will go. What’s the point of following our instructions and then being berated for not following instructions we weren’t given?

Sometimes the test isn't what you think it is...imagine if this all is a setup - Baba Yaga was a figment just like everything else here and the test is actually who we react to this provocation :)

@Elioa, if we were face-to-face, this is what you might have indicated instantly, PbP means we don't get that instant feedback and intro posts without already having a patron present to explain stuff means we will (at least some of us) explore the surroundings.

While I don't agree with Oswald bothering two epic casters, I understand (I think) players perspective - they are here to be interacted with.

So, while we would all agree that not bothering people in the tavern is common decency, you indicated that it was expected we talk to them and/or try to make friends with them, but not with Baba Yaga and Jatembe.

Let's just chalk up all of this to some kind of weird test that we don't understand and move on.

Also, I wouldn't necessarily split the groups along the lines of compliant non-compliant, but with completeness in mind - so, skills, arms, arcane and divine magic in each group (although it would be fun to play all fighters, all bards, all wizards etc...groups :) )

No. Tell me precisely what do you not understand about this test. It’s literally just common sense. If you can’t even understand something this simple, I might as well scrape my further plans because they are even more complex.

The principle is literally as simple as it can get. The commoners one is literally don’t bully those weaker than you. Say you walk into a bar and see a bunch of unfit people drinking. The decent thing to do would be to not pick on them for their body. The nice thing to do is talk to them and befriend them despite their size

The respecting/befriending adventurers one is also simple. You should be nice to your peers, maybe you could eventually get them to help you in some way. This is you walking into a bar and seeing people like you, people who just got off work and are drinking at the bar. You just strike a conversation with them, maybe become drinking buddies that sort of thing.

Lastly, be cautious and stay away from beings stronger than you is purely survival instinct. If you see a group of gangsters openly carrying guns at the bar, if you are unarmed, you stay the hell away from them.

What’s so difficult to understand about this?

Asking the players not the characters. Characters could act rashly or recklessly for their own reasons but I need the players to be on the same page. It doesn’t matter to me if the characters think the test is unfair, but if the players think so I will happily explain it to you. Do the players have any further doubts

To confirm: after the OOC explanation, the 1st test is quite clear to me as a player.

You ignored the commoners and Evangelia chose to use her Mythic power to instantly make them all friendly. For me, this counts as bullying commoners with your mythic power because the commoners have no chance of resisting. Thus task one is a failure

Since this power is apparently a huge issue, may I retrain it?

Beyond that, I second the suggestion to fast-forward away from this messy start. If I may, I further suggest that the patron's reaction be: "You failed the first test, the second one will be harder" in mysterious taskmaster fashion, rather than harp on individual failings, which is bound to create pushback since its perception and motivations are alien to the PCs at this stage. (The patron killing people right in front of them will not help the relationship with Good PCs...) But of course this is all yours to decide. I look forward to the next test.

Evangelia: it’s not the ability itself that is the problem, it’s that you used any mythic ability at all on a room of functionally defenceless civilians who can’t resist it. Worse you then took the moral high ground and judged the two girls for similarly using their superior powers on others. If you had say used a suggestion spell or charm person on an ordinary civilian, they would have similarly marked it as a failure.

That’s why they thought you were a hypocrite.

One more thing, I haven’t explained this yet but to them and your patron, death(IE the soul leaving the body) is not an evil act. Since your soul is generally unharmed when making the transition. That’s why they don’t think unleashing baba Yaga on earth is that big of a deal. She can’t damage the earthlings soul in great enough numbers for her to cause actual harm. Plus they can simply undo any soul damage she does do. So for them this is a guiltless act

Your next test is already here actually. And this is a test for you specifically

I kept harping on feeling because the first test is about your character’s personality and behaviour. It’s literally impossible to give you criticism on personality without harping on about feelings

Would you guys prefer groups of 3-4 or 5-6?

Would you guys prefer groups of 3-4 or 5-6?

Less is more :) I'm not sure how many are active, if it is 9 then 4 and 5, if it's more then base 4 and see what you end up with for the last one ?

Tell me precisely what do you not understand about this test. It’s literally just common sense. If you can’t even understand something this simple, I might as well scrape my further plans because they are even more complex.

I understand and I'm not arguing that this is not common sense...in tabletop setting. As you could see, some of us remained dettached - I only included Tavik to try and defuse the situation. Plants were sitting in the corner, Gazul ignored it...mostly we were well behaved :)

I'm telling you very real fact that if you put PCs without clear directions, some will start poking at things to see what the adventure is about. Even if they wouldn't necessarily do it in face to face game.

On the other part: mysterious patron has unfathomable understanding of things - so we're fine. Let's just keep talking...

For multiple threads and common ground - on Enworld there were "Living worlds" maybe there still are...

It works so that there is a tavern thread and common rogues gallery - and PCs interact and find adventures in that one, but once the adventure is on the way, new thread is opened for each adventure - so after any completed adventure, PCs return to the Inn and look for the next one - changing groups was common.

Huh I suppose I can look into that but it seems like a lot of work. If the spoiler situation doesn’t work out we can try that

Maybe I am still too used to Dming face to face. It could be something about not being able to use things like tone and emphasis to highlight certain information. Also helps irl if you do something like what Oswald did my facial expression and a “Is that really what you want to do” would probably dissuade you.

I will keep that in mind. Maybe I might start bolding and adding italics for emphasis to mimic tone? I am not sure it will be as effective as the nuances we can put in normal speech but it’s worth a shot

Evangelia: it’s not the ability itself that is the problem, it’s that you used any mythic ability at all on a room of functionally defenceless civilians who can’t resist it. Worse you then took the moral high ground and judged the two girls for similarly using their superior powers on others. If you had say used a suggestion spell or charm person on an ordinary civilian, they would have similarly marked it as a failure.

I'm not sure you understand where I come from. Evangelia (and I by extension) used the ability and took the moral high ground because we didn't know the ability is bullying in your eyes. Since it's bullying in this game and Evangelia is not a bully, I'd like to retrain it. If you deny the request, no problem, but she can't use it anymore since it doesn't fit with her principles and Good alignment.

I haven’t explained this yet but to them and your patron, death(IE the soul leaving the body) is not an evil act.

Indeed a very good explanation to have, since killing is generally Evil in games (except killing Evil creatures). It would be good for the PCs to know this too.

Your next test is already here actually. And this is a test for you specifically

She can resurrect some / all of them (given time), but there's absolutely no context clue regarding what the patron wants. Is she supposed to do it to show kindness or abstain to show she respects the patron's actions? Is she supposed to resurrect only non-Evil ones? But she can't know their alignment. Did he kill only the ones she talked to, as a weird punishment? Anyway, she'll probably fail again but it's fine, she'll do her thing.

Oswald was praying over the body of the bartender, an important aspect of Caydenite worship. Followers of the Drunken God get their ale and spirits for the faithful and non-faithful alike.

I'm going to play Oswald, not overthink him.

Maybe I am still too used to Dming face to face. It could be something about not being able to use things like tone and emphasis to highlight certain information. Also helps irl if you do something like what Oswald did my facial expression and a “Is that really what you want to do” would probably dissuade you.
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If it is any consolation to you, I'd kill Oswald in the same situation, maybe not kill kill, but polymorph so she keeps to the letter of agreement with Jatembe :)

Yeah, PbP has its own quirks - one of the major ones is posting speed. Sometimes you need to let the scene play out and wait for multiple post and then you adjudicate order or consequences or effects - not always in the order of posting, but in order of intent (or just what is cool) :)

Iniative doesn't work in PbP - if I am third in order, but on that day I'm out on hiking, you all lose a day...so in fights - group people in fast, mid, slow groups (depending on init rolls obviously) and similarly do with enemies so we go something like.

Fast PCs in any order (maybe Gazul, Yasmin and Oswald) - you adjudicate based on post order, not initiative order
High speed enemies
Mid speed PCs or Mid speed enemies (based on average?) in any order
(maybe Evangelia, Kharl and Andromeda)
Slows (the rest of us)

Also, put limit on combat specifically, if you don't post in 48 or 72 hours - you'll get NPCd for a round or you do nothing

Oswald was praying over the body of the bartender, an important aspect of Caydenite worship. Followers of the Drunken God get their ale and spirits for the faithful and non-faithful alike.

I'm going to play Oswald, not overthink him.

Of course, your character, your rules. Sorry.

By fast mid and slow you mean the initiative modifier? Because I suppose that could work.

Think I will give you all about 1-2 days more before your next mission let you talk it out a bit more. So you can get to know your potential team mates a bit more

Evangelia: The main issue the twins had was you kept taking the moral high ground. Their last words to you boils down to them saying talk is cheap. Do what you feel is right. Also talk to your team mates I don’t recall you actually talking to anyone prior to your use of mythic power which kicked everything off

By fast mid and slow you mean the initiative modifier? Because I suppose that could work.

I meant we roll normally, even Tavik with his +16 can roll 20 and be at 36 when one those having epic initiative could roll 1 and have 35 :)

Then you do something like:

Fast group: Tavik, Kharl, Evangelia, GO!
Enemies: ghouls, rakshasa
Mid group: Gazul, Oswald
Enemies: ghast, zombie lord
Slow: Yasmin, Andromeda
Enemies: Zombies

I'll repeat my earlier suggestion to post basics of each monsters so we can do part of the narration for you and that next one posting knows if monster is down/disabled/dominated before doing their own post :)

Ah I see that makes sense.

I can give you the monster’s static values like AC and CMD but anything variable I will roll myself. rolling saves and stuff for monsters is the fun part for me so I will do that myself.

Do say something in gameplay Tavik so Evangelia can have some context

Evangelia: I forgot to respond earlier but the power itself isn’t bullying to me as the GM. It’s just bullying according to the twins if you use it on commoners . I don’t mind if you want to change it but it could be useful in certain other situations ;) I would suggest you keep it, it could be helpful down the line

In case it isn’t clear I have made personalities for the twins and your patron. They are not supposed to be a direct stand in for me. Like how Baba Yaga demanded Oswald’s blood for intruding on her, that how I thought a person like Baba Yaga would respond in that situation. If someone offered me free drinks irl I would not turn it down and get offended like her.

No. Tell me precisely what do you not understand about this test. It’s literally just common sense. If you can’t even understand something this simple, I might as well scrape my further plans because they are even more complex.

1) It was not clear that this even was a test. I certainly didn't get that from this.

2) "Peers" can be interpreted many ways. Originally it was used for "People at your own social station." The instructions you intended as "interact with everybody" could also have meant "Interact with your fellow resurrected to find common reasons."

3) It's a test that favored characters that are naturally social.

4) Their test was interrupted early. I missed that line in the flood of literally dozens of posts. Still, evaluating people who didn't have time to finish a test is inherently unfair.

5) The fact that you have multiple people telling you that this wasn't communicated effectively and you still seem convinced that this was perfectly clear implies that future communications issues may come up.

We've also already had communications issues over different interpretations of Evangelista's power.

We also had several people with experience in large games giving specific reasons why they think spoilers are a bad idea and you post "I don’t see a particular reason why that wouldn’t work." That implies that you either didn't read those objections or you rejected them so thoroughly that you didn't even feel the need to acknowledge the points that they brought up.

I'm very concerned about these communications issues. I agree that some of it is not getting the nuances that you get in person. Italics and emphasis don't really replace these. It's a different style of communication that's a bit more direct. Sometimes ooc clarifications can help. I don't think that they are insurmountable, but I think that they will only work when there is equal discussion back and forth about the communications issues.

Final thoughts:
One thing you probably learnt by now is i prefer to leave breadcrumbs and clues rather than tell you outright what i want. This is just my GMing style. I am fine with explaining my rulings and actions out of character after the fact but this is just how i run games. I will do my best to adapt this to the PbP-style but as much as possible i will keep this aspect of GMing. Especially in high power games like this one, i find an air of Mystery is important to prevent it from becoming boring. I understand you want power fantasy and you will get it, i find that part fun as well, but there will be moments where despite your power you will be lost or confused. So that it doesn't just become too boring without proper stakes

I do enjoy running victory lap campaigns but well i did not plan this one to be a victory lap campaign. Perhaps i can try running one of those on here in the future

Stupid question, Elioa. But are there any more patrons in Skysong Tavern?

Like right now? they are all asleep(or dead in the case of the adventurers and barkeep)

In total there are:
35 civilians
10 wait staff
15 adventurers(including the 4 dead)
5 guild staff
1 simulacrum(dispelled)
1 barkeep

These numbers were just what i came up with before the campaign(I don't frequent bars irl so honestly not really familiar with how many patrons to staff they have on average) and at this point they haven't changed

If you want specifics, like I said to Philio I have a few civilian with some sob stories, some missing limbs or with minor curses. A few of the waiters have money problems which some gp would easily solve. Stuff your group could easily help with. They were supposed to be your ticket to succeeding the first part

The adventurers are slightly more written up. One party of 4 needs tips on fighting a dragon, another lost a party mate to a disintegrate trap and the last has a dwarf who would have challenged you to a friendly drinking contest for a wager. Again more ways to succeed the second part of the test. Only they were weaker than the party you talked to so they were affected by Evangelia’s power so I didn’t mention them.

I can tell you now because well the first task was a failure so…

Unfortunately tomorrow will be a sucky day as I have some preparation to make so my interactions will be a bit more sparse. Another reason I thought it would be a good chance for you guys to talk it out in character since you don’t need me for that

Laere I feel you lol. I will have Yasmin go up and try to comfort you, though be warned she is not very good with words. Besides she doesn’t really have anything else she would want to share with the group

No. Tell me precisely what do you not understand about this test. It’s literally just common sense. If you can’t even understand something this simple, I might as well scrape my further plans because they are even more complex.

The principle is literally as simple as it can get. The commoners one is literally don’t bully those weaker than you. Say you walk into a bar and see a bunch of unfit people drinking. The decent thing to do would be to not pick on them for their body. The nice thing to do is talk to them and befriend them despite their size

The respecting/befriending adventurers one is also simple. You should be nice to your peers, maybe you could eventually get them to help you in some way. This is you walking into a bar and seeing people like you, people who just got off work and are drinking at the bar. You just strike a conversation with them, maybe become drinking buddies that sort of thing.

Lastly, be cautious and stay away from beings stronger than you is purely survival instinct. If you see a group of gangsters openly carrying guns at the bar, if you are unarmed, you stay the hell away from them.

What’s so difficult to understand about this?

Asking the players not the characters. Characters could act rashly or recklessly for their own reasons but I need the players to be on the same page. It doesn’t matter to me if the characters think the test is unfair, but if the players think so I will happily explain it to you. Do the players have any further doubts

Walking past people without bothering them is respecting them. The last thing I want when I’m out with friends (or at a bar alone) is some stranger walking up and pestering me. My character walked in, saw the clearly unusual people (ie the ones likely to be like him, that he’s there to meet), and went to them without bothering anyone else. I don’t see how that would be a failure even if he’d known it was part of the test. He isn’t some politician who’s going around glad-handing for votes (which is the only time I can recall seeing anyone IRL making a point of talking to all the strangers in a restaurant), hell, he’s got a negative CHA modifier, asking him to go talk to strangers is more likely to end up pissing people off and ending up in a fight with adventurers than it is anything else. How does it make any sense to expect us to behave that way?

Tell me Lysander did the girls mention you at all before you spoke up? No they didn’t because you did nothing notable.

That was their point to you. You did nothing. In fact you barely even talked to anyone. You only talked to I believe 3 people in your group no one else

Also this is a group test. You didn’t fail because Lysander did nothing. You failed because Evangelia used her mythic power, Oswald thought it was a good idea to provoke Baba Yaga and Gazul gave away the mission.

That’s why the only comment they gave you is about how little you actually did. You only did as the paper explicitly said to do and you ignored everything else. You didn’t interact with the surroundings or anyone. You did the bare minimum and for a MR10 character that is not acceptable.

You also don’t speak for the group. There are 4 celestial characters who are NG or CG. They shouldn’t be acting so coldly.

I think that a few things can be true at once.

(1) A test can be fair in the eyes of an immortal patron.

(2) A test can be unfair in the eyes of the mortal test taker.

(3) Failing a test is fine, especially if done for IC reasons.

Example:

“I have given these mortals new life! They must prove themselves to me. I shall place crying babies before them, and they shall show their morals by caring for them.”

<Gazul walks in. Wonders why someone would leave their property lying about, uncared for and untended. Decides that it is not his problem and leaves the babies where they are.>

“Mortal! Your callous nature speaks ill of you! You have failed the test.”

<Gazul makes a surprised pikachu face>

All of that is fine. Not all tests need to be passed. It is better to act IC and see where that takes the story.

Yes my point exactly. I, the GM, don’t care if you fail the test IC

Lysander can speak out of turn all he wants, that’s fine that’s his character. If he speaks out of turn, your patron will simply punish him IC

I only explained myself to you Ouchitanian, because you, the player, seems to have a problem with the way I ran the encounter. That I care about.

But I have already explained myself clearly and made my points. It’s up to you the player to decide if you accept it and want to continue playing under my GMing.