Belfor Vittanis

Cry Havoc!'s page

475 posts. Alias of Malvoisin.



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Greetings, fellow seeker of adventure!
I am Sheila Heidmarch, Venture Captain of
the newest Pathfinder Society lodge—and the only
such lodge in Varisia at this time. You have come
to my attention as someone who possesses a
certain amount of skills and interests that make
you an excellent addition to a highly specialized
team I’m putting together for a matter of grave
import, not only to the Society, but to Varisia
as a whole. Please report an hour before noon
to Heidmarch Manor—you will be compensated
for your visit, but that reward will pale in light
of the riches that await you should we come to
an agreement on my proposition to you. I look
forward to meeting you soon!
•—Sheila Heidmarch

With this written missive, each of you has been summoned on important Pathfinder Society business by Sheila Heidmarch herself, and what fledgling explorer could resist such an enticing offer? Heidmarch Manor is located in the Alabaster District of Magnimar, not far from the city’s easternmost gate. Each of you is relatively new to the city, but the manor is well known, and easy to find. The estate grounds are surrounded by a stone wall, but the front gate hangs open as it always does during the day; visitors are always welcome to the manor, which has recently come to double as the first Pathfinder Lodge in Varisia.

Upon arrival at the appointed time, a manservant apologetically asks each of you to wait in the foyer with the explanation that 'Venture Captain Heidmarch is finishing up a meeting with an unexpected visitor.' And so, you find yourselves with a few moments to get better acquainted until your hostess arrives.


Welcome players, let us now begin the discussion of character ideas! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

We'll be using a 20 point buy for ability scores.

Most Paizo published material is on the table for your use, although I dislike Summoners and would prefer not to GM one. I'm not crazy about the idea of Ninja or Samurai in this campaign, but if you really, really want to play one you might be able to talk me into it. If you are interested in a highly unusual race, please check with me first. Finally (at least until I remember something else), I'd prefer if all of the PCs were of a relatively good-ish alignment (or at least must be willing to play nicely with others).


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Hi folks, circumstances in my career and personal life have opened up (finally) to allow me the time to run a game on these forums once more!

I'd love to have a crack at GMing the newest AP...Shattered Star. It looks like something of a back-to-basics approach, and that appeals to me.

For now, I want only expressions of potential player interest. To be honest, I haven't even yet worked out how I'll select my players. I may go first come first served, may choose based on prior pbp experience, or may even do a random selection. In any case, I don't prefer any character concepts now, because I'd rather select players first, and then create characters collaboratively. So no great time commitment required yet, just throw your hat in the ring. I'll mull things over for the next 2-3 days, and we'll go from there. Downloading and having a glance at the player's guide would probably be helpful, though.

If you have questions, I'd love to hear them.


4 people marked this as FAQ candidate.

Do the RAW support this type of action? I have a pbp situation where a character wants to break the neck of a foe who has been magically put to sleep. Any thoughts?


Here we go!

Character creation rules:

-20 point buy
-Max hp for 1st level
-No equipment to start with
-Two extra skill points at 1st level
-Choose one trait (yes, that's a reversal from my previous statement)
-There will be an additional trait-like benefit associated with your crime...I'll post that soon.

Have at it!


Hi all, I have a player who wants to play as a werewolf PC in a new campaign I'm starting for 1st level evil characters. It's not a power grab, he has a great backstory and everything...but I'm struggling with ideas for how to customize the character's stats so he won't be overpowered. Anybody have ideas on how to accomplish this? Specifically, I'm wondering if anybody has done any 'Savage Species' style racial leveling for Pathfinder rules. Thanks!


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The Kingdom of Talingarde is the most noble, virtuous, peaceful nation in the known world. This is the story of how you burned this insipid paradise to the ground. It’s only fair. They burned you first.

They condemned you for your wicked deeds. They branded you. They shipped you to the worst prison in the kingdom. In three days, you die. In three days, the do-gooders pray they’ll be rid of you.

They’ve given you three days. The fools, that’s more than you need to break out. And then, it will be their turn to face the fire.

Hello all,

I've been away from play by post for a while, due to some real life concerns, but I feel that now is the time to get a game started again. To that end, I am proposing to run a game using the Way of the Wicked campaign path from Fire Mountain Games. Yep, that's right, it's an adventure path designed specifically for evil characters! If you've ever wanted to play a wicked PC, this game will be right up your alley.

I'm looking for 5 or 6 players who will be able to post once a day, on average. Characters will start at 1st level, and should be evil in alignment. Now, please note that LE or NE will be much more appropriate for this campaign, as the characters will still need to be able to work together toward a common goal, and the CE 'I'll do whatever I feel like'-type will likely break the campaign and ruin the fun. Please keep this in mind when submitting a concept.

Yes, I'll be wanting character concepts, not statted out character sheets. This is not a first-come first-served process. If you're interested, please review the following background information, then post with answers to the following questions:

Background:

Introduction

Guilty. You are a lawbreaker – the worst of the worst. Too dangerous to live amongst the good people of Talingarde, they dragged you in chains before a magistrate and condemned you. They sent you to the worst prison in the land and there they forever marked you. They held you down and branded you with a runic F. You are forsaken.

You won’t be at Branderscar Prison for long. Branderscar is only a holding pen. In three days – justice comes. In three days – everything ends. What a pity. If only there was a way out of this stinking rat-hole. If only there was a way to escape. If only…

No. No one has ever escaped from Branderscar Prison. This is where your story ends. Or is it?

What is Talingarde?

Talingarde is the most virtuous, peaceful, noble nation in the world today. This land is ruled by King Markadian V called the Brave of House Darius. He has only one heir – the beautiful princess Bellinda. This benevolent monarchy is heavily intertwined with the Church of Mitra, the Shining Lord. You are from Talingarde. This is your home. You have lived here your entire life. And if they gave you half a chance, you would have your revenge on all of them.

Who is Mitra?

Mitra, the so-called Shining Lord, is the god of the sun, bravery, honor, justice, charity and other such pusillanimous rubbish. The Church of Mitra is the preeminent religion of Talingarde these days. The Knights of the Alerion, the elite warriors of Talingarde, are a Mitran order. The monks of St. Macarius, who travel the land healing the sick and the helping the needy, are also a Mitran order. The House of Darius, the royal family of Talingarde, are devout followers of Mitra.

It wasn’t always this way. Before the Darians took over, Talingarde worshipped an entire pantheon of deities. Preeminent among those deities was Asmodeus, Prince of Hell, Lord of Ambition and Order. Now it is forbidden to worship Asmodeus. To do so is to be condemned. The Mitrans destroyed all the Asmodean temples and burned his books and priests. There are no followers of Asmodeus anymore in Talingarde – at least none who publicly acknowledge their devotion. Devout Mitrans will not say the name Asmodeus. He is simply “The Fallen” or “The Enemy”.

How did they catch me?

That is up to you. You must pick a crime (see the list provided below) that you were condemned for. They are only two requirements – you got caught and you really did it. It’s not surprising that the Talireans (the people of Talingarde) caught you, though. Talingarde is a fiercely lawful and good society. Crime (especially heinous crime like yours) is not tolerated.

Player Questions:

1. Do you have previous pbp experience as player and/or DM? If so, on Paizo's boards, or elsewhere?

2. Where do you live (specifically, in what time zone)?

3. How often can you expect to post (barring illness, vacation, etc.)?

Character Questions:

1. Who are you? (Name, race, class)

2. What do you look like?

3. How would you describe your personality?

4. What crime have you committed to cause your incarceration in Branderscar Prison? (Note that your choice will convey a mechanical benefit, but I want the initial decision based on role-playing and background concerns, not the potential benefit. If you'd like more fluff about any of the following options, feel free to ask. Note also, the omission of crimes like rape, sexual assault, child abuse, and the like. The exclusion of acts of this nature is deliberate, and not open for negotiation.)

Suggested Crimes:

Arson
Attempted Murder
Blasphemy
Consorting with Dark Powers (Witchcraft)
Desecration
Desertion
Dueling Unto Death
Extortion
Forgery
Fraud
Grave Robbery
Heresy
High Theft
High Treason
Kidnapping
Murder
Piracy
Sedition
Slave-Taking
Slave Trading

Finally, some notes about character creation: Again, I'm not looking for a character sheet right now, but someone will invariably ask for planning purposes.

-Level one PCs
-20 point stat buy
-Monstrous races might seem to be a natural fit for this game, but actually not so much. There are a lot of elements of infiltration and skullduggery which will make monstrous PCs a hindrance. Otherwise, no racial restrictions.
-Classes: Paladins, obviously are out of the question. An anti-paladin could work, and does not have to be CE...they can be any evil alignment (House rule). If someone wants to work toward the Assassin PrC, that would be a great choice. Clerics or Inquisitors would be well served to worship Asmodeus. Barbarians and druids may be a bit tricky to make fit in the confines of the larger group. Rangers, consider Humans or Good Outsiders as favored enemies. Infernal bloodline sorcerers would do particularly well (though any bloodline should be fine). No gunslingers, ninjas, or samurai.
-You start with no equipment, and no money. You're in prison, after all.
-No traits (again, there will be a mechanical benefit based on your choice of crime)
-Take two extra skill points to start, as compensation for the lack of equipment.

Recruiting will remain open until Saturday March 10th. Please let me know if you have any questions.


It's early in the morning, the sun only just rising over the top of the thick jungle canopy...and it's already hot as blazes. The brave volunteers have assembled before the hut of Anassi, Chologadi's ancestral chieftan. Crowds gather around for the expedition's send-off, as it seems nearly the whole village has turned out to witness the grand departure. Before you is arrayed the makings of a sizeable expedition...it seems the desperate villagers have spared no available resource in this effort to end the looming menace of the black cloud. Waiting for your instructions are five burly porters, five guards outfitted with spears and shortbows, two mules with their drivers, a wagon drawn by two additional mules, and a jungle guide.

The guide steps forward to speak, "Hail, heroes of Chologandi! My name is Chongo. I offer my services to you willingly, for the sake of all the village. As do we all. I know much of the jungle and I can translate for you the ancient tongue of Madaro-Shanti. We know this mission may well be perilous, but also we know there is no choice. For if nothing is done, the village is sure to be ruined. We must discover the source of this darkness, and put it to a halt. We await only your signal to depart." The other members of the expedition nod in agreement, albeit nervously. Chief Anassi stands nearby, beaming with pride at this good showing from his people.

Okay, get your role-play on! You can choose to take as many or as few of the native expeditionary members with you as you like. Also, any of you who have been in Chologandi for at least a couple of days are likely to have heard some rumors. Make some Knowledge: Local or Diplomacy rolls and see what you've heard. Good gaming one and all!


Can any of you rules gurus out there give me some help with these questions from a player in a play by post game? Thanks so much!

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A large part of Jack's design calls for him to be making a lot of use [perhaps even abuse :-)] of the quickdraw feat so that he can seamlessly switch back and forth between ranged attacks using thrown weapons and melee combat. Part of that tactic will be that more often than not before a fight begins (and even sometimes during a fight) Jack will not have a weapon "ready". He will simply be waiting to see what tactical situation arises and using quickdraw to get whatever weapon he thinks will work best into action. With that sort of scenario in mind I have two questions for the GM.

a) So Jack is standing there with no "ready" weapon waiting to see what develops, and a bad guy runs past him. Can Jack make an attack of opportunity using quickdraw to get a melee weapon out and pound the bad guy with? Or does Jack need to have had the weapon "ready" beforehand? Regardless, once Jack does have the weapon out, he would have to wait until it was his turn to take a move action to sheath it again if that's what he wanted to do.

b) What about readied actions? Could Jack "ready" an "action" to quickdraw (free action) and then throw a chakram (standard action) at somebody? Or would he have to have the chakram out and "ready" in his hand before he could "ready" the standard action to throw it?


Here we go, discussion time! Welcome to the game officially and all that.

I'll have character creation rules up in a bit, meanwhile, please pop in and say hello.


Greeting intrepid adventurers! I am looking for six players to take part in a short pbp adventure, The Jungle Ruins of Madaro-Shanti, by Frog God Games. This is an adventure that combines a dangerous dungeon crawl with a bit of jungle exploration. As with most of the stuff from Necromacer/Frog God, the adventure is also rather challenging, and could prove deadly to those who charge into every situation heedlessly. At this time, I am seeking concepts only, for 6th level PCs. Please read the player background info below, then take some time to think through your answers to the questions that follow (with thanks to GMT, from whom I swiped the idea). This selection process will not be first-come, first-served. I will hold positions open for three days, then select the six players I like the most. I'll be looking particularly for interesting personalities, thematically-appropriate concepts, well-written ideas, and to a lesser extent, party balance. Material from the Pathfinder core rulebook, Advanced Player's Guide, and Ultimate Magic is available for character creation. Other sources may be approved also, please ask me first. The campaign world is a generic homebrew, not Golarion, so you may invent details as you see fit. Play by post experience is helpful, but not strictly required. Interested? Read on!

Player Background:
The port city of Chologadi lies in the tropical southern lands,
on the perilous coastline of a dark, jungle-shrouded continent.
It is a town of explorers, trappers, and traders, making tenuous
alliances with the civilized tribes of the region, but also forced
to battle off raids by savages and cannibals, who inhabit the
region in hordes. In recent weeks, a new threat has appeared
to endanger the town’s precarious existence on these dangerous
coasts. Within the jungle, trappers and hunters have encountered
a spreading pall of black clouds and roiling fog, a terrible
phenomenon that causes death and rot as it slowly expands. The
dark clouds are now only thirty miles from the town itself, and
advancing at a rate of perhaps two miles in a day. The town’s
livelihood has been brought to its knees; trading has virtually
stopped, and there are no living animals left to hunt, for all are
fleeing. The town leaders have offered great rewards to anyone
who can discover the source of this threat and end it, for it is
terribly clear what will happen to the town itself if the cloud
should reach its walls. Thus far, however, no one who has taken
up the challenge has returned from the tangled depths of the
jungle. In a final attempt to combat the threat at its source, the
town has outfitted everything that is needed for a full-scale
expedition – all that is needed is a brave party of adventurers
to lead it.

Player Questions:

1. Do you have previous pbp experience as player and/or DM? If so, on Paizo's boards, or elsewhere?

2. Where do you live (specifically, in what time zone)?

3. How often can you expect to post (barring illness, vacation, etc.)?

Character Questions:

1. Who are you, and why are you in Chologadi?

2. What do you look like?

3. How would you describe your personality?

4. Why will you join the expedition into the jungle, and what skills do you offer to help ensure its success?
----------------------------------
Thanks one and all for your time and interest! I'm looking forward to reading some great concepts!


The Gears of Revolution Start Turning

It is spring of the year 500 A.O.V. (After Our Victory). Seven years after the end of the Fourth Yerasol War, the shipyards in Flint have completed the first Risuri warship powered solely by steam engine, not sail. Your monarch, King Aodhan, has come to Flint to witness the official launch of this mighty vessel. Woodenhulled but with a heart and skin of iron, the Royal Naval Ship Coaltongue will act as a deterrent against future aggression from Risur’s enemy across the sea, the nation of Danor.

The Royal Homeland Constabulary has been called upon to provide security, and you have spent the past several weeks working to make sure this event goes off without a hitch—canvassing the docks, performing background checks on the guest list, coordinating with the local police to set up a perimeter around the royal docks, and following various directives of your superiors.

Now, as a warm breeze off the sea mingles the scents of elaborate floral decorations with the pervasive coal soot that always hovers over Flint, you’re at the first of two checkpoints, working with Flint police to let in a crowd of local citizens who just want to line the streets and cheer their king. There are thousands of residents now assembled in the Royal Square, hoping to witness the momentous arrival of their monarch. Police officers will soon count off exactly 700 citizens who will be allowed access to the bridge that connects Royal Square to the Royal Shipyards. From there, they will be allowed into Fleet Square on the shipyard island so they can cheer as the carriages of the king and other dignitaries arrive. With only a half hour to go before the check point is to be opened, you recall the simple instruction of your direct superior, Assistant Chief Inspector Stover Delft...no one dangerous gets through!

Area Map

Jerrold:
You are somewhat distracted today, due to vivid memories of a vision you had the night before. You clearly remember seeing a crowd, a purple ribbon, the Beran city of Seobriga, an empty bed, a broken tin whistle, and a girl with a lisp singing the Risuri royal anthem.

First things first, make some introductions (this is the first time the six of you have been assigned to work together) and compare notes to see what you may know about the kind of Flinters who would be undesirable to allow through the checkpoint. Suggested skill checks include Kn: History, Kn: Local, or Profession: Soldier.


Welcome players!

Please let me know how I can be of assistance as your character sheets take shape.


Hello all,

Well, as the thread title says, I'm curious if there are any potential players out there who may have had their interest piqued by EN Publishing's Zeitgeist adventure path? All that pulpy, steampunk-y goodness looks like fun to me, so I'd like to run the campaign as a pbp using the Pathfinder rules version. If you have little or no idea what this campaign's all about, there's a free player's guide you can download: HERE. It all seems very well done, if you're looking for a Pathfinder game that uses a setting other than Golarion.

For now, I'm just looking to see if there are 4-6 people out there who'd be interested in playing. If that seems like you, give a shout. Of course, I'll happily entertain questions as well.


Hi all,

I'm looking to get a Reaper mini painted to represent my new tabletop D&D character. Can anyone recommend a painting service that can do a single mini for me? Looking for a nice balance between quality and affordability. A relatively short turnaround time would also be a big plus. Any recommendations would be much appreciated. Thanks!


Welcome to the discussion, players!

As you work on your characters, please do create an alias and choose a suitable avatar to represent your PC. When characters are 100% done and ready for review, just let me know.

Also, please let me know if you have any questions at all. I'm here to help. Looking forward to getting started.


Welcome to the discussion thread players!

All righty, let's talk about character creation.

Let's roll with...

20 point buy
Average starting gold
Max hp (with fixed advancement upon subsequent level ups)
No evil alignments

Now, for Traits...everyone can take two. I'd like to recommend one of the two be a Campaign Trait from the Player's Guide, but that presupposes that everyone has access to said PG (which is not a free download, alas).

So I suppose that begs the quick poll question, who does/doesn't have the player's guide? Please reply. If need be, maybe I can at least share the campaign trait info.


Let the gaming commence...

The late afternoon sun has just begin to set, as it beats down upon a dreary camel caravan trudging steadily through the scrublands of northern Katapesh. It's been more than a week now since the caravan set out from Solku, the last sign of civilization seen in what feels like weeks...if not longer. In the distant haze to the west, the PCs can just make out the immense outline of Pale Mountain looming over the horizon like a tombstone.

Garavel, the no-nonsense major domo of the merchant princess Almah Roveshki, has assured the group that their rendezvous point draws near, but it's hard to get more than two or three words out of the man at any one time. He keeps to himself at the head of the group, leaving the others to spend their days and nights getting to know one another. It seems to be the only diversion from the endless miles of sere, packed earth and scraggly vegetation.

Picture of Garavel

Please go ahead and jump in with some role-playing. Please physically describe your character in your first post, and get to know one another a bit. Have fun!


I apologize in advance if this seems to be a rudimentary question, but it's a bit confusing to me.

If PCs are aware of an enemy coming, and wish to ready attack actions, can they use those actions as soon as the foes come within range, even if their initiative falls later than that of the enemies?

Technically, the PCs readied the actions before initiative was even rolled. Then, once the enemies realized the PCs were there, we rolled INIT. So neither side is surprised.

Since the PCs already readied actions, do they basically get a free action regardless of their initiative count?

Thanks for any help!


Wow, the spate of cool recent Blog posts has got me even more jazzed up about Kingmaker than I was already (which is saying something)!

I really want to play in a Kingmaker PBP. I think a 'sandbox' style campaign like this will lend itself very well to the format.

So, anybody have plans to DM such an animal? I know, it's way early and all, but I can't be the only one stoked about the new AP, right? Right?


Welcome players!

As I've alluded to elsewhere, I have selected each of you on the strength of your individual character submissions. What this means, however, is that the party is not necessarily optimized for balanced play.

At this time, I invite each of you to introduce yourself to your fellow players, and share the character concept that got you accepted into the game. Please discuss whether the current group's composition is acceptable to you, or whether someone may be interested in switching to a different class. If no one wishes to switch, that is fine with me, as any deficiencies may be remedied in future level advancement, via the use of magical items, or through other means. If someone does express interest in making a change, I reserve the right of veto power.

In any case, I believe we have a very strong group of players lined up, and I'm excited to see where this game will go. The details of character creation rules will go up later, after introductions have been made.

Unfortunately, the insidious specter known as 'real life' has me a bit pressed for time today, but I will pop in and out as I am able. I have a lot more free time tomorrow.

Have fun!


Good times, I've received my first character submission!

The applicant raised a good point in his e-mail, and I thought I'd reply publicly for the benefit of all.

I do realize that in running a pbp on these boards, it becomes difficult to find potential players who are completely unfamiliar with the adventures in question. Please be aware that I understand this, and simply expect players to work at keeping player knowledge separate from character knowledge. It's not a barrier to being accepted as a player. I trust that everyone knows the game is just more fun when people aren't taking active steps to spoil things.

Anyhow...one submission. Who's next? :)

Come on in, the water is fine!


Heya players,

So, my Council of Thieves PbP is off and running successfully, and I find that I have the time and interest to launch a second Adventure Path game. But I'm having a hard time choosing which of the other four completed paths I'd like to run. So, I thought I'd open a discussion and see if there's a strong concensus to play in one more than the others.

The contenders:

Rise of the Runelords
Curse of the Crimson Throne
Second Darkness
Legacy of Fire

Prospective players: Would you be interested in playing in a game based on one of these APs? Make your voice heard! If interested, you could rank them in order of preference, or vote only for one (or more than one). Consider this an informal survey of interest. (Or, if you'd be interested in playing in any of the above, feel free to say that too!)

In anticipation of likely questions, let me add that the game would be played using PFRPG rules, and that player selection would be based on submission of a character concept, not on a first-come first-served basis.

All right, let's hear from you.


Vizio's Tavern. It's easy enough to find, standing sadly on a corner of the eastern Rego Scripa. The tavern is commonplace in this part of Westcrown, the kind of place where merchant guards go to relax, gripe about their employers, and look for more work. Or at least, it was until several months ago, when the Vizio patriarch passed away, and the surviving family moved out of Westcrown to go live with kin in distant Corentyn. Today, Vizio's stands apparently empty, its windows grimy, or boarded up; its overhead sign in need of a fresh paint job. A wooden placard stands in one splintered window frame, the words 'Reopening Soon' scrawled upon it in dark paint. The afternoon sun in the sky above marks the time as nearly 4:00. The hour of Janiven's secret meeting is at hand.

Alright, gentlemen, here we go! Please portray the arrival of your PCs on the scene as you see fit, and we'll go from there. I'd also like each initial post to include a physical description of your character, in order to help set the scene. Please post away, and let's have fun!


And now that the player roster has been revealed, we should talk a bit more about character concepts.

As you all will notice, there is no rogue that has been submitted from the six players accepted. With that in mind, if any of you should wish to change concepts, I'd have no problem discussing that. I will point out that Celestial Half-Porc's tiefling could be converted to a rogue without altering the concept too much. But, that's just a suggestion, not a requirement.

Sniggevert, I'm hoping you'll go with your dwarf cleric of Abadar. far_wanderer, either of your martial concepts would be terrific.

So, that would give us a lineup that looks sort of like this...

MoFiddy - Paladin
Camris - Wizard
PsionicFox - Aasimar Sorcerer
Sniggevert - Cleric
far_wanderer - Fighter or Ranger
Celestial Half-Porc - Tiefling Fighter (DEX-based)...unless he switches to Rogue

So, a pretty good balance it appears to me.

Finally, I wanted to say that if PsionicFox and Celestial Half-Porc want to tie their histories together and do the twin/sibling Yin-Yang thing, I'd be all for that. But, it's totally up to you. I am curious about the physical description Celestial has in mind for his Tiefling.


Greetings all!

Some medical problems have kept me away from the pbp scene for a while, but now that I'm healthy again, I'd like to start a new play-by-post from scratch. I'd like to have a go at GMing the Council of Thieves AP, and I'll need 5-6 players to join me for the ride.

For right now, I just want to collect the names of interested parties for about 4 days. On Monday, we'll take a look at how many people have expressed interest, and then find some fair way to whittle the pool down to a manageable size, whether that be via random draw, a short character concept, or some other criteria to be named later. I will mention that ideally, I'd like to see a mix of veteran and new players (everybody needs a shot at starting out sometime, after all)!

Good candidates for the game will be those who are creative, flexible, able to play nicely with others, and participate regularly in moving the game forward.

So come on, throw your name out there! It'll be fun. And, I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have, as well. Hope to hear from some of you soon.


So...goblins, torbles, hellknight armigers. All well and good, but I'd like to throw some additional encounters at the heroes as they traipse through the sewers below the city.

Anybody got any good ideas they want to share? Thanks.


Does anyone know how much slaves buy and sell for in Katapesh? I haven't seen this information anywhere (granted I don't have the Katapesh Guide, so it may be in there...it's on my shopping list, though!) This question just came up in my LoF game.

Any help would be appreciated!


Player Introduction

Maybe you first heard the name in a tavern well after closing time, as two old adventurers, well past their prime, spoke of it in hushed tones. Maybe it was from your own mother, who swore she'd send you there when you misbehaved. Perhaps you read the name in an ancient tome of history and lore illuminated by flickering candlelight late at night as the wind howled outside. Wherever you first heard of the place, you have long heard tales of Dragon's Delve.

A vast underground dungeon of labyrinths and catacombs, built perhaps by dwarves or perhaps by wizards--or maybe even dragons--Dragon's Delve is infamous among treasure-hunters and monster-slayers. Filled with deadly danger and ancient treasures, the dungeon offers both risk and reward in equal amounts, each growing more intense the deeper one goes. How much peril is worth risking for how much return? It's all up to those brave enough to try.

The tales of Dragon's Delve teem with contradictions and unbelievable anecdotes of impossible encounters and bizarre monstrosities. And yet, some of it all must be true. Do demonic cultists really use Dragon's Delve as a secret base? Is there truly some kind of ambient magic seeping up through the place? Did wizards of old hoard away powerful artifacts in the dungeon's vaults? Do gateways to remote lands and even other planes of existence really lie somewhere in Dragon's Delve? Does the prince of all dragonkind really hold court in the deepest reaches of the subterranean stronghold? No one knows for certain, but those that could find the answers to even some of these questions, or learn even a few of the dungeon's other secrets, might earn for themselves notoriety and wealth beyond imagining.

If they survive.

Dragon's Delve lies in a remote corner of a long-forsaken wilderness that people once called the Duchy of Chordille. Yet a hundred years ago or more, the folk of the surrounding lands took up arms against Chordille. They razed the keep and slew the duke. It's hard now to find someone who knows the real reason why this happened. A few speak of evil intent on the part of the duke, who had plans for conquest. Others, however, say that the duke's actions were always benevolent, and that the conflict arose from misunderstanding, or perhaps deception on the part of some mysterious third party.

All that is known for certain is that folks call that remote realm the Fallen Duchy. It boasts no ruler and little population. Wilderness reclaimed Chordille, and it is now a land of dangers.

People in Brindenford, a small town just two miles to the north, claim that murderous humanoid creatures prowl those ruins. Goblins? Orcs? Worse? No one seems to know for sure, and eyewitness accounts are few, and always contradictory. They also claim that the place is both haunted and cursed.

So many questions. So many secrets.

If you dare to brave this ancient dungeon, go well equipped. Be ready for anything. Keep your eyes open, and search everywhere. Any passage or door you find could lead to wealth enough for you to retire. Or it could lead to certain doom.

But that's what being an adventurer is all about, right? This isn't an undertaking that you'll finish in one foray or even a dozen. This is the challenge of a lifetime. As someone thrilled at the prospect of exploring the unknown, incredible challenges, and the promise of gold and magic, Dragon's Delve is exactly where you've always wanted to go.
-----------------------------------------------------
And now, six intrepid young adventurers stand amidst the ruins of Chordile Keep. This ruin offers no intact structures--only vine-grasped piles of stones, overgrown outlines of foundations, and the furtive hint of walls and arches. The entrance to the Dragon's Delve itself is little more than a twenty-foot wide open pit with an exposed stone stair that descends into darkness. Various explorers and treasure seekers have left the entrance well-cleared. Likewise, the observant adventurer may notice the remnants of cooking fires and other signs that previous delvers have made camp near this pit.

Each of you thinks back to recent days, how you all met in the taproom of the Lost Shepherd Inn in Brindenford. For your own reasons, your own interests, you were drawn to this town due to its proximity to the renowned dungeon. Knowing that you stood a better chance of survival in a group, rather than on your own, you banded together with five others of like interest. Finally, with weapons sharpened, spells ready, equipment purchased, you set out to the ruins of the keep. The journey was uneventful, but the anticipation kept you moving at a brisk pace.

And now, the darkness yawns open before you, beckoning you below...


Welcome players!

Here are the rules for character creation:

-D&D 3.5 (For a couple of reasons...more options available, and the fact that Beta will be obsolete after a short while. Also, I won't have to worry about conversions.)

-Sources available...Core rules, plus most material from the 'Complete...' and 'Races of...' series, plus PHB2 and Spell Compendium. Anything else, please ask first. (I'll probably say yes, but I will also ask you to note the details on your character sheet).

-1st Level Characters

-25 point buy.

-Max starting hp

-Average starting gold.

If you have any questions, please ask!


So, in honor of Paizo becoming the newest sponsor of Monte Cook's awesome new project, dungeonaday.com, I'm going to go ahead and pull the trigger on something I've been mulling over for a little while. Let's try to run this thing as a PbP. This will be a little different than some games, though, so please read the following carefully before replying. I don't want to see anybody posting here saying "I'd like to play if you still have room..." because that will only tell me you didn't read the rest of this. Okay then...

First things first. This is essentially a giant dungeon crawl. Granted, it's Monte's dungeon crawl, which means its chock full of secrets, factions, history, and all sorts of coolness. But still...if you don't like spending a lot of time in the dungeon, this won't be your game.

Second thing...I'd like the focus of the game to be on exploration, not combat. Oh, there will be combat aplenty. But, that's where I foresee the problems. This game will bog down in this format, I fear, if it turns into one long fight after another. So, my intent is to turn it instead into one short fight after another. I'm still mulling ideas over in my head on exactly how to do this, but I'd like players who are willing to allow me to change things up on the fly with various house rules and experimentation. Some of the things I'm considering...combat without battle maps, allowing taking 10 on attack rolls in lieu of rolling, abolishing the 5' step, and maybe monkeying around with initiative. Other things will surely come up as well, and I'd welcome players who want to help me with this experiment. So, in some regards, this game will be kind of a big PbP combat playtest.

Simulationists need not apply. This is an old-school dungeon, and I mean that in the best possible way. If you worry a lot about where the monsters go to the bathroom, you're going to hate this. If you've been around the hobby awhile, and you have fond memories of places like the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth and White Plume Mountain (or you wish you did), you're the target audience.

I'm really going to want people in on this who can post regularly. This will work best if we can keep it moving.

By this point, people will want to know the ruleset. I could go with 3.5 or PF Beta, feel free to express your preference, if you have one.

Okay, assuming I haven't scared everyone away...this game is not first come first served. I'll say it again, this game is not first come first served. Recruitment stays open for 48 hours. If I get 4-6 people wanting to play, we're good to go. Less than that, and I guess it won't happen. But if there are more than 6 who are interested, I will pick six. What's the criteria? Glad you asked.

If you want to play, your price of admission is one character concept. Not a novella, just a paragraph or two. Give me race and class, a physical description, a personality, a very basic background. (Note that the game takes place in a generic campaign world, not Golarion...you can make up the details as you like.) I'll select up to six players based on this piece of writing, after the 48 hours have passed.

I hope we can get this thing off the ground! In return for your efforts, I'll do my best to give you a great game.

Now, who wants to go crawling in the dungeon?


You have been traveling together for more than a week on a dreary camel caravan from the town of Solku to an unknown location in the northern scrublands of Katapesh. The man who hired you is Garavel, the no-nonsense major domo of a merchant princess named Almah, who awaits you at your destination. The mysterious Pactmasters of Katapesh, masked rulers of this mercantile desert kingdom, desire to bring the abandoned battle market village of Kelmarane back into the economic fold. To this end, they recently assigned Almah the task of scouting out the village, clearing it of malign influence, and getting it working again. You are to serve as Almah’s agents in this affair.

In the distant haze to the west, you can just make out the immense outline of Pale Mountain looming over the mid-evening horizon like a tombstone. The scorching heat by day, the bitter chill by night...the smell of the camels, the sere environment, the sore hindquarters from constantly riding...all of it has combined to make you wonder if it is even worthwhile to have signed on for this undertaking. But just then, Garavel's curiously emotionless voice intrudes on your thoughts. "Ah, at last. Our destination nears." As soon as the craggy tree appears over the next hill, it becomes obvious why it is called the Sultan’s Claw. With five immense, mostly leafless branches, the growth looks more like a giant skeletal talon than a thing of living wood.

This is a good place to hold up for the introduction of the PCs. A physical description in your introductory post would not be amiss, nor would some insight as to the reasons your character has joined up with this excusion. Have fun!


Okay, we've got a playgroup formed! Welcome to...

Larcifer
Valkyrie Paine
Craig Shackleton
Scribbling Rambler
Count Buggula
Dryder

If you guys can just pop in and say hey to confirm that you still want your slot in the game, that would be helpful.

Right, so let's start talking characters. I'm hoping that you guys will engage in some dialogue and make this a cooperative process. This way, we'll have a well balanced party, and also hopefully some diverse and interesting backgrounds. And, if anybody wants to have a shared b/g of any kind, that's also fine.

So, we need first level PF Beta characters, 20 point ability score buy, max hp, average starting gold (not maximum!), and two traits (one campaign trait and one general trait). If you have any other 'nuts and bolts' type questions, just give a holler.

Last thing, if you guys can also let me know who does/doesn't have the LoF player's guide PDF, that would be helpful.

Let's roll. :)


Hi all!

I'm going to go ahead and pick up a second pbp campaign to DM on these boards, and I'm just too darn enthused about the Legacy of Fire AP to wait any longer. I know the first installment isn't even available yet, but the advance copy of the Player's Guide (not to mention that the first adventure's author is Erik Mona), has sold me. Let's go ahead and get a group together now, and hopefully we'll be ready to roll as soon as Howl of the Carrion King hits.

This will be PFRPG Beta rules, and I'm looking for 5 1st-level PCs (maybe 6 at most). 20 point buy for stats, no evil alignments, campaign trait selected from the LoF Player's Guide (if you don't have it, I can provide these...lack of PG should not be considered a barrier to playing).

I anticipate, since this is a brand new AP, that there could be a lot of interest. If that's the case, I invite everyone who is interested to throw your hat in the ring, and I'll draw names randomly after 2-3 days, with everyone else on the alt list. It seems like the fairest way to handle things. If, for some reason, I don't get at least four people within a day, I'll just take the firstcomers.

Let's do Katapesh right. Who's with me?


Marrala opened her eyes slowly as the first rays of dawn slanted through the window pane. Lying on the firm mattress in her small room in the East Shore inn known as Leftover's, she considered briefly rolling back over...but the smell of fresh baking bread called to her empty stomach. She rolled over, hungry and depressed, and considered the empty place beside her. Even after all this time, she still missed Calliope. She looked over at her odd curved blade, the falcata, and wondered how it would look decorated with the blood of Gaedren Lamm. If only she knew where the snake could be found. With a forlorn sigh, Marra resolved to move...to face another day. She reached down to pull on one of her boots...and stopped in surprise, noticing a small card lying on the wooden floor. It hadn't been there the night before, she was certain. She picked it up, examining the gilded edge and hand-painted front, depicting a burly man hard at work at a forge.

The Forge

Turning it over, she carefully read the words written on the back in a bold dark script.

Card Back

Her mind racing with grim determination, Marra dressed and gathered her weapons. Perhaps, if this could only be real, she would not be 'Lost' for much longer. In vengeance, she would find herself indeed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pavo Alazario woke in the bed of a stranger...again. He gazed over at the woman who slumbered next to him. She was comely enough, he supposed, but he could not even remember her name. He recalled drinking with her on the night before, and laughing as she led him by the hand to her North Point home. Her merchant husband was away on business, she had promised. Pavo thought for a moment about this lifestyle he had led since he left his home, his family. It was all a part of the plan, he told himself...to work the streets, to seek any word of this Gaedren Lamm, to find Alexandria. But it was all for naught thus far, he feared. As quietly as possible, Pavo reached for his trousers. As he pulled them on, a gilt-edged card fluttered down to land on the bedroom floor. Puzzled, Pavo picked up the card and frowned quizzically at the artwork thereon...a majestic unicorn. Flipping it over, the sorcerer read quickly the words written on the back.

The Unicorn
Card Back

Just then, a man's voice called from just outside the bedroom door. "Dearest, I've returned early, are you awake?" Pavo suppressed a curse under his breath. Hurriedly gathering his things, he slipped out the window, as the door began to open. With thoughts of Gaedren Lamm, Alexandria, and his father's welcoming approval racing through his head, Pavo disappeared, half-dressed, into the morning mist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorin sat on a barrel and looked out across the Shingles of Bridgepoint. He had taken to spending as much time up here now as he did on the streets below...if not moreso. Oh, to be sure, he had to descend from time to time to...'gather' necessary things. He patted his pocket where he still had a few 'borrowed' pears. But from up here, he knew he had a different perspective...out of the muck and mire...the places where Lamm and his cronies crawled on their bellies. Up on the rooftops, he was a giant among lesser men. But the giant had an empty stomach, so he felt in his pocket for one of those delicious pears...and found something else as well. He pulled forth a beautifully hand-painted card depicting a curiously regal rabbit.

The Rabbit Prince

On the back, a bold hand had written something.

Card Back

Sorin's heart rate quickened, and his fingertips absently brushed over his scars as he considered the card. How had it come to be in his pocket? He had no idea, but he thought long and hard about it as pear juice dribbled down over his chin. He wondered if revenge could be so juicy and sweet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dorran's muscles ached, and he longed to sleep. He had been drilling under Sergeant Magyar for three hours now, and his bastard sword felt like it weighed a ton. He thought his ears were deceiving him, when he heard the sergeant dismiss his company, but as the other recruits began to wearily trudge back toward the barracks, Dorran new it must be true. The long days of mental and physical training only served to make him stronger, he knew. Dorran looked up at the hippogriff tower, as he so often did when he needed to strengthen his resolve. One day, one of those magnificent beasts would be his. As he entered the barracks, too tired to share more than a cursory word with the others of his company, Dorran noticed something lying on the top of his bunk. Picking it up, the young ranger's eyes were drawn to the hand-painted image of a man bursting his bonds under the open sky. On the back, someone had written a message in dark ink.

The Big Sky
Card Back

The mere mention of Lamm's name brought a host of unwelcome memories flooding back into the former Shiver addict's brain...nights and days of pain, of degradation, of despair. With clenched teeth, Dorran's grip tightened once more upon the hilt of his sword. He marched forth from the barracks once more, all weariness forgotten.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Clandru sat at an old wooden desk in the Bank of Abadar, poring over sums. He knew that this was good work, honest work, and that it benefitted the citizens of Korvosa. He knew that he needed to do this, not only for his city, but for his mother. He recalled how much she had sacrificed just to give him the opportunity to be here, and he was grateful. But, the longing crept into his mind, as it always did. He wanted more...not just order and right, he wanted justice. Justice for his father's sake, and for poor Falosie. Balancing ledgers did precious little for that. Bleary-eyed, Clandru closed his ledger, and reached for another book, a heavy tome of liturgical law. As he lifted it, his eyes fell on a gilt-edged card lying on the desk beneath the book. Picking it up, his eyes studied the bizarre image of a great, rainbow-winged serpent, and he read the words written so deliberately on the card's back.

The Winged Serpent
CardBack

With authority, Clandru slammed the book back down on the desk and rose to his feet. If this card could be believed, by Abadar, the time for justice was now at hand.


Our second player is Xaaon of Xen'Drik as Marra, a human fighter.

Two down, three to go. :)


Hey all,

I'm looking for five players who want to get in on a Curse of the Crimson Throne AP play by post. I know there are already a lot of games running this AP, but I'm hoping there are still some folks out there who'd like to give this a spin.

I'm seeking a balanced party of first level PCs, with no evil alignments please. We'll use a 20 point ability score buy, with max hp and gold to get you started. It'll be a fun one, I promise. :)

Who's on board?


Hey all,

I was just wondering if anyone has firm plans to DM a Legacy of Fire AP play by post on these boards?

-Mal


Okay, PC generation rules....

1st level characters.
28 point buy for abilities.
Maximum hit points.
Average (not maximum) gold for equipment.
Core 3.5 preferred. Deviations from core possible approved, please ask.

That should be about it, I think.

Oh, and as for background? There's not much...the game will begin with the PCs aboard a ship, Fortune's Wind on journey from Seatil to Port Shaw. The reasons why are totally up to you.

Go for it, and have fun! :)


Hello all!

I'm interested in DMing a PbP using Sinister Adventures' Dark Vista campaign, The Razor Coast. Since that product has unfortunately not yet been released (we're waiting here, Mr. Logue!), I'd like to run a starter adventure using 'The Tale of the Seabear', a short adventure included in the 'Mysteries of the Razor Sea' Indulgence PDF. The game would serve to gather a group of players, and allow us to get a feel for the setting before starting the larger campaign.

Disclaimer: This adventure has some unique features and will not be everyone's cup of tea. First of all, the characters have a really strong likelihood of dying, so you shouldn't make long-term plans for leveling up. :) Second, the adventure assumes that some things will happen to the characters that will cause them to...change. I don't want to spoil anything, but prospective players should be willing to give up some autonomy over their characters for the sake of the larger story. Control freaks need not apply. My goal overall is to establish a player base with this short one-shot, and then have the players create new characters when the Dark Vista is released (I think starting char. level for that campaign is fourth). Characters for this adventure should essentially be considered as disposable.

So, if this sounds interesting, jump on in and offer up a character idea. Oh, and Pat o'the Ninth Power, I'll definitely hold a spot for you here if you want in, just as promised. For others, it won't necessarily be first-come first-served. If there's a large reponse, I'll probably draw names randomly.

We'll need four 1st level PCs, ruleset will be 3.5. I'd like to try to stick mostly to core rules for these characters, since I'm not expecting them to stick around for too long.

That's enough for now, feel free to jump in with any questions and ideas you may have. Thanks!


Andrea Greenholt lifts her head from praying in the shrine of Calistria. She has found herself here more and more frequently in the days following Jessena's murder. Frustrated by her inability to track down Gaedren Lamm, she has turned to the only thing that she has left...desperate hope in her gods. Blinking in the shrine's candlelight, the young half-elf notices something lying on the floor near her foot. It is a silver-gilt card, depicting a Unicorn with its single horn thrust through a green pear.

IMAGE: The Unicorn

Puzzled, Andrea flips the card over and reads the words written on the back side.

IMAGE: Card Back

Could this card be a sign from above in response to her faith? Or merely a cruel hoax? Only time would tell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tanrob of the Shriikirri Quah awakes in an alley along Korvosa's waterfront, and breathes in the heavy air ripe with the scents of fish, hemp, and tar. Cala raises her head next to him...the white wolf is his only faithful companion these days. He recalls the throes of his Shiver addiction, and realizes that while he may have no possessions...at least he has his life. Gathering himself to rise, Tanrob notices a card lying on the ground. Who could have left it there without waking Cala? The card is odd, depicting a great queen ant, wearing a gilded crown.

IMAGE: The Queen Mother

On the back are written words in a bold, dark hand.

IMAGE: Card Back

Pocketing the card, Tanrob realizes this may just be his chance to get revenge on the man who poisoned his body and soul. It was time for a cleansing, a reckoning with Gaedren Lamm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Acero sits in a tavern in the slums of Korvosa, thinking of Sara and the past he cannot recall. He scowls at the serving girl who comes to refill his mug, but he cannot help himself. Too many young girls remind him of his lost friend, and the man who took her away...Gaedren Lamm. Startled, Acero notices a card lying on the table near his arm. How did it get there? He picks it up and looks at the image of an angry mob.

IMAGE: The Uprising

The card was fitting, and reflected his temper. Turning the card over, Acero is suddenly grateful for the time he spent learning to read. There is a message written on the back of the card.

IMAGE: Card Back

Acero has no way to know whether the message is genuine or not...but there's only one way to find out. The time for an uprising is indeed at hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chavali Toroda sits on the edge of a barrel, cleaning her fingernails with a dagger point. She is enjoying her new freedoms from family obligation...and wondering if this day will bring her any closer to the man who robbed her of her father, Gaedren Lamm.

Suddenly, Chavali notices something shiny lying in the dirt by the barrel. Hopping down, she picks up something the is instantly familiar to her...a Harrow card. It's a nice one, with silver-gilt edge and hand-painted artwork depicting The Juggler.

IMAGE: The Juggler

She ponders the card's traditional meaning...'Fate is on your side'...as she flips the card over and spies the writing on the back.

IMAGE: Card Back

Chavali flips the card over in her hand with dexterity as she begins to walk down the street. Perhaps fate truly is with her after all.

OOC: Okay, please get the role-playing started by indicating your character's response to finding the card, and let me know what you're doing next. Excelsior!


Okay players, welcome to the Out of Character discussion thread for the game.

Let's start with character creation rules, so you can all get cracking on those character sheets.

1. First level PCs, generate ability scores using a 28 point buy.

2. Max hit points for first level. We'll use a fixed method of advancement for future level-ups.

3. AVERAGE (not maximum) gold by class to use for purchasing initial equipment. If you're not sure about the total, just ask and I'll let you know. Don't worry about clothing, it's assumed your character has some duds to wear.

4. Choose a trait from the CotCT player's guide, and please use it to tie the character's background to Gaedren Lamm. This is important, it's the inital hook by which the party will be formed.

5. Include a physical description and personality section in the character sheet. Also, please write up a background (it can be short) indicating why the character is in the city of Korvosa, and what the PC's relationship is to Gaedren Lamm.

6. Anything not from the core rules (online SRD) will need my approval.

Okay, that should be enough to get you going. If you have any questions, just feel free to ask.

Now, some guidelines for the game itself.

1. I'll handle all dice rolling. It just helps keep the game moving more quickly.

2. Please post in third person present tense. Example:

'Conan enters the inn,' would be correct. 'Conan entered the inn' or 'I enter the inn' would be incorrect.

3. For combat, just post what your character wants to do, and I will synthesize the actions into intiative order. If you can, offer conditional actions as well, in case your first stated action is invalidated or becomes too risky. (For example: 'Conan swings his broadsword at the nearest orc, unless he falls below 5 hit points. If that happens, he will instead take a 5' step to stand by the cleric.' That sort of thing.

4. Everybody play nice together, and let's have fun. It is assumed that the PCs are all of good or neutral alignment, and will not engage in sociopathic behaviors. Treasure and experience distribution will always be fair.

Everything sound good? Okay, get cracking, and just give a shout if any questions arise. Thanks!


A little while back, I ran a PbP on these boards using the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path. The game got off to a great start, and I had some terrific players. Unfortunately, some personal problems forced me to drop the game, but thankfully, those problems have now been resolved. I'm ready to DM again, but I think it best to start something new rather than try to reclaim my old game...which, I think, has continued without me as someone else jumped in to DM in my absence...I truly appreciate that, as it shows the quality and commitment of the people involved. :)

Anyhow, I'm looking for interested players, and also suggestions as to what people would like me to run. I'm considering Curse of the Crimson Throne, although there are already several games using that AP. I also think Tower of the Last Baron, with its infiltration emphasis, might make for a really killer PbP. Having mentioned those two, I have all of the Pathfinder APs, as well as all of the GM/PF modules. So, I'm open to suggestions.

I also would be willing to negotiate whether to run the game using 3.5 or Pathfinder Alpha rules. So, if interested persons have a preference, please speak up.

I probably also wouldn't want to take players on a strictly first-come first-served basis. Any of my previous players would likely get priority consideration. Beyond that, good character concepts might win out...or, I might just throw the names in a hat and draw. We'll see how many speak up.

That's enough from me for now, I look forward to hearing replies from interested people!


The whole town of Sandpoint has been abuzz for weeks in anticipation of the first day of autumn. Eager to put the tragedies of the Late Unpleasantness behind them, it seemed that one couldn't go anywhere in town without somebody talking about the Swallowtail Festival and the long-awaited consecration of the new cathedral. As the excitement built to a fever pitch, it seems almost impossible to believe that the day has finally arrived!

The Swallowtail Festival begins promptly, as scheduled, on the first day of autumn with weather that is cool and clear. The square before the church quickly becomes crowded as locals and travelers arrive, and several merchant tents featuring food, clothes, local crafts, and souvenirs are there to meet them.

The turnout for the opening speeches is quite respectable, and the four keynote speakers each deliver short but well-received welcomes to the festival. Mayor Deverin’s friendly attitude and excitement prove contagious as she welcomes visitors to town and jokes about how even Larz Rovanky, the local tanner (and notorious workaholic) managed to tear himself away from the tannery to attend, much to everyone’s but Larz’s amusement. Sheriff Hemlock brings the crowd down a bit with his dour mood, his reminder to be safe around the evening’s bonfire, and his request for a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives in the fire that claimed the town’s previous church five years ago. Fortunately, Cyrdak Drokkus is more than up to the challenge of bringing the crowd’s mood back up with his rousing anecdotes as he delivers a not-completely-irreverent recap of the long process the town went through to finance and construct the new cathedral. He throws in a bit of self-promotion at the end, as is his wont, inviting everyone to stop by the Sandpoint Theater the following evening to check out his new production of “The Harpy’s Curse,” revealing that the lead role of Avisera the harpy queen will be played by none other than the famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda! Finally, Father Zantus steps up give a short speech thanking everyone for coming before declaring the Swallowtail Festival underway.

Okay, players, this is the Swallowtail Festival, and your character is there! Please do a little role-playing, and make this an establishing shot. You should definitely touch on the reasons why your character is in Sandpoint at the chapel's consecration, especially if not a native of Sandpoint. You could also role-play reactions to the speeches, reveal your plans for the festival, or, if you want to meet one another and strike up conversations with fellow PCs, that's fine too!


Players, here is the place to discuss character ideas, game rules, and any other OOC topics your little hearts desire! :)


Hello All,

I'd love to give a go at running a Rise of the Runelords campaign. I realize there are already quite a few such games running here, but I'm hoping there are five dedicated people who would be interested in playing nonetheless. Characters would be created using a 28 point buy, maximum gold for first level. I'd prefer core rules only, just to keep things simpler. Also, I would grant each character one bonus feat from the RotRL Player's Guide for a good background. I should be able to post updates on a daly basis, so the game should move fairly quickly.

Thanks, I hope to see some good players take interest!


My party's barbarian wants to lug the corpse of the rhagodessa from The Blue Nixie to the Taxidermist's Guildhall and have it stuffed as a trophy. Great idea, as he wants to join Zelkarune's Horns, and this would surely be a good way to get his foot in the door. But, here's where I'm stuck.

Anybody have thoughts on how much it would cost him to get this beast stuffed and mounted? And, how long would the commission take, you think?

I appreciate any ideas. Thanks!


So, I'm DM-ing a game in a play-by-post forum, and the party is in Jzadirune facing off against the pair of ragamoffyns. This a tense battle so far, and it could go either way. I want to make sure I'm handling it right. Thus, I have some questions for the rules gurus.

1. If a Ragamoffyn hits with a slam attack, can it grapple then on the same turn as a free action? Does it have to make a touch attack? Does it have to make an opposed grapple check to hold the opponent? Does it deal any additional damage with a grapple (above and beyond the initial slam damage?

2. Assuming it does grapple successfully, it can then Wrap its victim on the next round right? Is this move automatically successful? Is an opposed grapple check required? Assuming it is successful, can the victim do anything on his turn to escape being wrapped? (with an opposed grapple check or an Escape Artist check for example?)

3. If a victim gets dominated by the ragamoffyn, is there only one will save allowed, or can the character keep trying on successive turns? Can another PC try to pull the victim free from the ragamoffyn?

4. How does the asphyxiation ability fit into all this? When is this damage taken? Is it mandatory for the ragamoffyn to deal this damage (after all, its main goal is to capture a host, right? Not kill its victim...)

I'd appreciate any help and advice, this is all threatening to make my head 'splode. Thanks!


Does the city of Sasserine have an established location in the world of Greyhawk? Somewhere in the holdings of the Sea Princes perhaps? If anyone has any information to share, I'd appreciate it.


Well, I'm gearing up to run the Savage Tide, and let me tell you, finding interested players has not been a problem! That's a good thing and all, but...

It looks like I might wind up with as many as 7 players. Will a group of this size find the adventure(s) too easy? Will I have to do a lot of work to scale the encounters up? I'm assuming the AP is written for the D&D 3.x standard 4 PCs, although I could be wrong about that.

Any advice from James or any of you other people in the know? Thanks!