DMBleedsGreen's page

To all,
I apologize for inadvertently ghosting everyone. You would think after several years of trying to start up PbP campaigns only to have them collapse due to my own inability to maintain, I would realize that GM-ing a PbP Campaign is simply not a skill set I posses. I don't know how all of you feel about this Campaign, but I imagine frustration is almost certainly part of it. Or perhaps you have already abandoned it yourself(s). If that is the case I certainly don't blame you.
I'm admitting defeat & calling this done.

Sorry all, tonight was parent-teacher conferences and they ran WAY late.
Will have a gameplay post tomorrow.

Sarada, remember you add your favored enemy bonus to sense motive checks against humans
Martella is a human.

Though she seems about to interject more than once during your conversation, Martella holds her tongue, curious to see where you four lead yourselves. Finally, she clears her throat once more. "We will all have means of communicating betwixt ourselves when the day arrives."
"As well, I would prefer you not directly approach those individuals I brought to your attention before the day of the events in question."
Tapping finger to her pursed lips, Martella adds, "teams is likely a good idea. I would recommend perhaps Venetia & Sarada, and Elyana & Mairwen. In both cases you should be able to 'cover' each other's 'weak points', as-it-were."

Well! I was concerned that you lot would be bored over the last few days what with me being completely drained from yearly inventory & instead I discover that you might be moving things along better than I ever would.
There will be a gameplay post later today, I promise.

Returning to old business, what I actually meant in my earlier post about breaking that last gameplay post into more, smaller, posts was that my post rate would likely still stay that same, I would just have would up taking a couple of days to get it all out rather than just the one.

Smiling a trifle smugly at Elyana's concise summation, Martella inclines her head. "Mostly."
"You each have at least some of the skills needed for these tasks, consider which you feel most comfortable pursuing."

I've made a discussion post which addresses the mechanical particulars (including skiils necessary) for each task. Go ahead & read it if you haven't already.

So of course what do I do immediately after acknowledging making a dense post, make another dense post.
As you all have no doubt noticed, I really am only managing to make at best one gameplay post a day here, which leads me to sometimes attempt to cram as much as I possibly can in to try & keep things moving and everyone engaged.

What are your feelings on that? Do you think it might have gone better if I had only presented one task at a time or was this alright?

Hokay...

In retrospect, my last gameplay post was a bit dense, which brings up a matter I will address next.

Bluntly, Martella has presented four 'jobs' she wants done over the day of the vote & exaltation. If the PC's are skilled/lucky enough, they can get all of them done and still have time to do other stuff.
The jobs are:

1) Discovery: Martella needs one of you to uncover the true dedication of two senators: Duke Centimus and Countess Abrielle Pace. It is unknown if either supports Eutropia’s bid to end primogeniture, and while their votes will be apparent after the senate convenes, she wants you to discover their positions in advance, as well as the reasons each noble holds that position.
Divining each noble’s motivations requires a Sense Motive or Perception check after at least one member of the party has put the noble at ease with one or more Influence checks.

2) Fraud: One of you must create a scandal surrounding one of the major opponents to the repeal of primogeniture.
Doing so requires first identifying an opponent, either with a Sense Motive check or by coordinating with another PC (such as one taking the Discovery mission), and then by spreading rumors with a Bluff check and manufacturing or coopting damning evidence on the fly with a Linguistics check to create a forgery.

3) Politicking: Martella would like one of you to make a strong impression on Baron Nicolaus Okerra and remind him of certain debts he owes her. While Baron Nicolaus Okerra isn’t a senator, his war record and general popularity make him an influential figure—one whose reputation helped sway a number of otherwise neutral votes.
The PC can accomplish this task by successfully influencing, or by two successful Intimidate checks to browbeat him.

4) Spy: One of you must stay close to High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus, watching for unusual behavior or listening for snippets of conversation, and warn Martella if he takes any unusual actions, all while remaining unobtrusive.
Spying requires a total of three Perception or Sense Motive checks, but to approach close enough to attempt one of these checks while remaining unnoticed requires the agent to first succeed with a Disguise or Stealth check.

The Social combat rules on pages 14 & 15 of the player's guide are going to be very prevalent really all through the Campaign, but particularly over the next few scenes, so please check them out if you haven't already. If you have any questions, ask me, please

If you can be patient for about a week or so, I might be able to assume the reigns. Hate to see a CC Campaign that has made it this far go under, particularly one I enjoyed playing on once upon a time.

"Consider this the next step in your...
political education." Martella intones, "as I said before, 'shepherding' a law from initial concept to ultimate passage is a looong complex, multi-faceted enterprise. So for now I'm going to ease you in. While there are multiple tasks I could set to you for this event, there are four which sit most pressingly atop the list." Pausing, she seems to count each of you in the room, "oh look, there are four of you, how convenient!"
Eyebrow raised sardonically at any untoward tittering, giggling, chuckling or snickering, she proceeds. "Maintaining the kind of influence in the Senate necessary to successfully see to it that your own goals are forwarded frequently requires...
shall we say an ever renewing flow of alliances. Occasionally, these alliances require reminding, or impressing. Baron Nicolaus Okerra manages to be both. He is an ally, so don't ruffle his feathers, but let him know he isn't forgotten, eh?"
"Now it is not uncommon in these endeavors with so many 'moving parts' as-it-were, for some of the 'parts' to be either less or more 'moving' than originally believed to be the case. Which is to say, certain Senate votes may be in more question than I had originally believed. How they intend to vote is important, yes, but knowing, preferably before the vote itself is the greatest importance.
Nodding once more, Martella continues. "Of course, it is also important to...
chastise...
those 'allies' who decide they would prefer things remain the same rather than grow & improve."
"Finally, while it can be said that, ultimately our greatest opponent in this endeavor is stagnation itself, in this particular instance, such stagnant revulsion to growth & renewal is best personified by our renowned High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus. That one requires watching, carefully."

Hey all, sorry I didn't make a gameplay post today. Yearly Inventory at work comes up next Friday, so I might not manage 'daily' between now & then.
Should have a more sizable one tomorrow however.

"There will be NO Assassinations!" Martella declaims quellingly. "Well, possibly some character assassination..." she muses, her eyes slipping from one to another of you.

"Oppara was not built in a day. Neither will the realization of our ambitions."

"You-" her eyes lock Elyana beneath her gaze, "hope to avenge you father. A virtuous goal, though possibly naive." Martella's expression grows pensive, withdrawn.
Shaking herself slightly, she peers now towards Mairwen, "You..."

"bemuse me."

"Your...
Cousin & I have discussed you at length." Martella quips almost flippantly, seemingly skipping Sarada as she directs her attention finally to Venetia. "You, on the other hand. Of all present this afternoon, none seem so...
purpose-crafted for what is to come as you."

"It is said," Martella contemplates as she allows her attention to wander from the four of you to some...
puckish thought, "those who enjoy sausage & have a respect for the law should witness neither being made."

I find it inordinately amusing that only one of the PC's names does not end in A...

Lips twitching at the chiding from the two seemingly best acquainted with her, Martella directs her attention to the priestess. "In one week's time, our Nation's annual Day of Exaltation* will take place. That same day, our illustrious Senate will vote upon one of the most important decisions of our storied history."
"You-" she continues, "are here to do your own, small part, to see to it that Taldor stride forth, gloriously, into the Future."

*the Day of Exaltation is a yearly event wherein one person of common birth is elevated to the peerage.

Elyana nodded and said, "I've noticed your definition of fun can be questionable at times Martella," she arched one eyebrow, "as I recall the last time you told me that I found myself having dinner with that trade factor only to be interrupted by his harridan wife who wanted to kill us both thinking we were his mistresses." though her words might have sounded sarcastic to most to Martella they were laced with wry amusement.

10 points to Slytherin!

If the kind ladies will direct themselves thusly your patience will be rewarded.

Edit: I hope your patience will be rewarded...

Martella Lotheed * stands before you in a private chamber in the cozy cafe the four of you have come to know quite well over the past few weeks. "Wonderful, you're all here, now the fun starts." An impish dimple 'next a crook'd smirk hints at more fun for some than others.

*: pg. 4 War for the Crown Player's Guide

Huzzah! Glad to hear your Dad made it through this point of the process Phaedra. Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. I hit a particularly down patch & have been doing not much more than work & living the last week or so. I think I am on my way back up & am going to do one last review of everyone's character's & then I should have Gameplay opened up before the weekend.

That said, Sarada, still need some kind of equipment list , even if it is nothing more than what she regularly wears.
Did you decide not to take 'Pass for Human'? Given the tail, I can understand if that is the case.

Now if only your Fort save bonus would help against your real worry Sarada...

Hokay, unfortunately, real life has decided to tap me tenderly in the junk this week, so likely I won't be in a position to begin actual play until either late this week or beginning of next week.

Sure

Hokay!

Sorry it has been so long since I posted, this week was a reminder of how three day weekends aren't exactly as great as they are worked up to be, as they are inevitably followed by a four day week where you have to get five days of work done...

That said, Rysky/Sarada, would you make another go-over of your character page, most of your buttons either don't have anything behind them, or don't seem to have enough behind them.

Drogeny/Elyana, thank you for the ammo, I mean background! Back ground, yeah, that's it!

Everyone, segue over to the Discussion page where we will start figuring out what we are doing...

Hi there!

As I mentioned in one of the initial Recruitment posts that there would be some house rules used. Here is where we will discuss them, as well as questions/answers about comfort levels & such. I bring up comfort levels because, as a much more social oriented campaign, this one goes places you don't necessarily associate with D&D/Pathfinder, and I would like to know before hand what people are going to be, or not be comfortable.

Actually, I meant more by way of suspicious looks.

Why? Well, you have a ranger who has a decidedly odd relationship with fire who is likely to be suspected of being a Qadira sympathizer & a not-quite-necromancer who almost unquestionably had to do his/her advanced studies in GEB...

Oh, the things I can throw at you...

*Cackles gleefully off to bed*

EDIT:
Twilight Sage: While the twilight sages generally aren’t actively malicious, most are willing to perform human experimentation in pursuit of knowledge with little regard for the casualties.

considering trying for a twilight sage arcanist.

...

I have it. (The book in question)

Boy, you guys want all the side-eye, don't you...

Doable.

At the moment, our biggest 'need' would be for an arcane caster. Wizard, Arcanist, or Magus would be the ideal for reasons of the fact that academic casters get more respect in Taldor than Sorcerers do, but if you prefer Sorcerers, go for it.

Definitely a thought. I will see what Old Mammoth & Dragonserpent are up to these days. We didn't last long enough after the new guy started for me to get a feel for him...

Edit: So it looks as though Dragonserpent/Gared may have just stopped having anything to do with the site as of 2013 or so. Old Mammoth/Carmina seems to still be active & also seems to be down to only one active game, so they might be interested in a new one. I will send them a ping & see. If it ends up that both they & Rysky's friend pop in it isn't as if five will significantly up my workload.

Eek, hope you feel better soon!

In other news - and I hate to do this - I think I'm going to bow out now while it's easier for you guys to get a replacement. The recent downtimes as well as a busy work schedule have reinforced a hunch I've had for the past few weeks that I need to cut back on games a bit. I'm sorry to do this as suddenly as it probably appears because I was looking forward to playing with some new faces, but adding more games right now would be irresponsible of me in the long haul, I think.

:/

As Venetia stated, understandable. Thanks for being here when you were!

Side note, sorry i haven't posted lately. Almost every time I have personally been able to, the site has been down.

I'd offer some hugs to the web team. I'm sure they've gotten their fair share of angry comments/e-mails/etc.

No Doubt. Some of them likely from within the team itself...

Good
GOD
There were times over the last couple days, I wasn't sure the site would ever come back...

Wow. I don't believe I have ever seen the Paizo website down for that long...

Either Green Knight or Flame Warden should work quite adequately, you're gonna get side-eye either way. Green Knights, if recognized as such, are associated with Druids in Taldor & Taldor and Druids have an...
interesting relationship. Likewise most Flamewardens will be assumed to be Sarenrae worshipers & consequently suspected of Qadiran sympathy. Neither is intended as an argument against you playing either, just letting you know what you are getting yourself into.

The thing about Ganzi, actually any of the 'plane-touched' as they used to be called, is that they are less the descendants of relations with Outsiders & more the result of ancestors who found themselves exposed to the energies of the Outer Planes. This is not to say that your character can't tell herself that she is descended from Proteans (She's no more or less a Ganzi no matter how it came about.)

@Gillian; you've got Craft Potion automatically from Alchemist, but no ranks in Craft (Alchemy). Given that Tinkers are more clockwork oriented than Alchemy oriented, I would be willing to let you switch out Brew Potion for extra Bombs or something similar if you wanted.

All-in-all everything is looking good. Soon as Rysky has a character & everyone has backgrounds for their characters, we should be ready to start shaking the foundations of heaven! Er, I mean paving the way from Eutropia to assume her rightful place as Heir, yeah, that's what i meant!

Rysky, are you REALLY committed to to Tanking?
Or more accurately, are you committed to Tanking because you feel we need a Tank, or because that is most fun for you?
Either answer is acceptable as long as it is honest.

Ganzis are kinda gonzo! Really cool race :)

Also realize that I should've linked the Tinkerer alchemist archetype earlier, in case our good DM doesn't own Inner Sea Intrigue. Provided it's kosher, it's what I'm going to go with as I think it'd be a nice variation of the sort of 'rising star' the campaign trait of the same name refers to - instead of a brilliant artist or whatnot, why not a crafter who can make clockwork novelties to amuse and amaze the nobility? :)

I also think I'll go with a changeling for race; while the concept would probably work just fine with a regular human character, it's not every day that you get the option to play a ganzi or a changeling or even a tiefling/aasimar so I'd kinda like to take advantage of the opportunity :3

The Tinkerer archetype is entirely ok, I do have Inner Sea Intrigue. Also, for anyone who is interested in playing a Changeling, I also have Blood of the Coven if you are interested in some of the Changelings born from Hags beside Annis, Green & Sea.

No worries. My new work schedule has me up at three in the morning, so I will likely not be posting again before tomorrow.

Hey!! Good to see you again!! Here I is. Haven't figured out anything yet, but I'm excited to see you. :o)

Good to 'see' you again too!

One thing that sometimes helps is looking at it as an extreme version of the 'US vs. THEM' viewpoint. Clearly you don't do your own people dirty, but everyone else is fair game, especially anyone who has acted against you or yours...

Now I am not bringing this up as an incitement to make up evil PC's, mainly as kind of a thought piece.

*waves*

Hello everyone :3

Sorry it took me so long so to respond DM, hadn’t been on this evening.

Considering It was an entire week between when I indicated I would post this to start & when I actually succeeded in doing so, I'm not going to complain that it took you a couple hours to post.

Does bring up a good point, however. I know I have an interesting relationship with inertia, which is to say, once I get going, I frequently tend to roll right along. Unfortunately, if i get stopped for some reason, it can take me a bit to get back in motion. I will be exerting effort to keep this under control, but things happen.
One of the ways i will be trying to keep it under control will be to try to post at least two to three times a week. My goal will be at least once a day, but as long as I maintain at least two or three times a week, I should be able to avoid dead stoppage so-to-speak.

As far as party composition is concerned... This AP is really social/intrigue heavy. I'm not suggesting it, by any measure, but an all-bard or some such concept can actually work in this one. One of the reasons I am allowing the VMC rules from Unchained.
Of course, the other reason I am allowing them is that I have considered it a crime against role-play that the Maestro Sorcerer Bloodline doesn't allow more Bard-like (Or Bard-lite) qualities ever since I first read it.

Hmm, well...if it's a more human-centric AP, I can try something different.

As it's the Taldor AP, and Taldor is pretty much the seat of human culture, it's pretty human-centric. And yes, there is one whole section that becomes...

Edit: hell, this is one of the few AP's where I might even lift my 'no Evil PC's' rule. I mean, I still am not going to lift my 'no a$#$%~&s' rule, but it's not the same thing...

Hallo!

Edit: I'm thinking of playing a dwarf fighter.

You made it! Yay!

I know i just said this was a very human-centric AP, but that doesn't mean a Dwarf won't fit in just fine. And there is always room for a fighter.

Addenda:

Occult Adventures is allowed for Classes, skills, feats, spells, and gear. Sorry, I missed that I did not include it initially.

Pathfinder Unchained:
Unless otherwise requested by the player(s), we will use the 'Chained' versions of Barbarian, Monk, and Summoner. We will use the unchained version of Rogue unless the player who wishes to play a Rogue prefers the chained version.
The Background Skills rules will be used.
If a player chooses, they may use the VMC rules, so long as they make that choice at character creation.

Character Creation/Race: This AP is even more human-centric than most, so it would be incredibly helpful if at least one (preferably a more sociable one) PC were either a human or one of the 'human-blooded' demi-human races (I.E. Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Aasimar, Changeling, Ganzi, or Tiefling)
That in mind, any PC of one of those races gets a specific bonus feat at first level: either Pass for Human (Advanced Player's Guide) if playing a Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Changeling, or Ganzi; Fiendish Facade (Human) [pg. 25 Blood of Fiends] if Tiefling; or Revered Guidance (Human) [Blood of Angels] if Aasimar
GM Fiat; yes, I realize Pass for human does not list either Changeling or Ganzi as allowable races, given that neither race had been published when the Advanced Player's Guide came out, I am making the change to allow them to take it.

In the interests of actually getting this out this time so we can get moving, I am going to keep this brief.

Character Creation:
20 pt buy.
1st level starting
average starting wealth (CRB pg. 140 or check the PRD)
Allowed races: CRB, Aasimar, Changeling, Ganzi (Planar Adventures pg. 234), Tiefling
Allowed Classes/Archetypes: CRB, Advanced Player's Guide, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, Advanced Class guide, Ultimate Intrigue, Ultimate Wilderness; Pathfinder Player Companion & Campaign Guide at my discretion (Which is to say, if I have a copy & have reviewed it. If you aren't sure, ask.)
PC's choose up to three Traits (one Campaign, required; one non-Campaign, gratis; one non-Campaign with selection of one Drawback from Ultimate Campaign)
If you don't already have the AP Player's Guide for War of the Crown, please download it from here.

Once all of you have posted to here, we will discuss How we want to proceed. I have several house-rules (OK, some house-rules) I wish to present.

Sorry to hear the Campaign has faltered. I will go ahead and deactivate it.

There characters were built using the 'standard' Character Creation rules. I.E. 20 pt buy, two traits, one of which must be a Campaign trait. GM Ellix, if you would like to know about any adjustments I have made, please PM me, although nothing I have done so far significantly impacts the AP 'as written'.

I want to thank all of you for your patience with me, even though it seems to have ultimately been for naught. I am acknowledging my lack & bowing out as GM.
If you do manage to find another, I wish you & they all the best. If not, I will close this Campaign in a week.

Though Lireia's eyes grow liquid at Vivian's words, no tears fall.
"Thank you for that." Her mother replies as Lireia obviously searches for words. "We will be there in the morn." Though neither her words nor her tone are unfriendly, her demeanor makes it plain that Mistress Dugas considers this visit over.
Nodding in acknowledgement, Kendra leads the rest of you back to the house.

The remainder of the afternoon & evening continues with little in the way of note.

If anyone has something they wish to do during the night, please let me know, otherwise I will move us along to the next more ning with my next post.
So still nothing is really resolved, but right now, playing online here is pretty much the only thing I have keeping me from yelling & tearing my hair out. If you guys can put up with me, I'm gonna be here.

Unfortunately, nothing much has been resolved over the weekend, so I still don't really know just how much I am (or am not) going to need to curtail my postings. I should know by this time tomorrow. Thanks for your patience.

My Mother called. She is going to need my help with things a lot more now. I apologize for this, I know it seems as if we never get any kind of momentum in the game without something derailing matters. I should know in a day or two if I am going to need to bow out permanently.

That's amazing you actually understand these languages.

I'm Belgian, so it's normal to be multi-lingual but it's really bizar to find an American that can understand more than basic English :)

Oh, don't I wish. What I meant was I don't actually understand them. I simply cheat & type the sentace I want to use into Google Translate & then copy/past the result into my post. Unfortunately, you are quite correct that it is pretty much unheard of to find an American (with a limited exception of minorities) who really knows more than Enlgish & mostly American English at that...

and that last one stumps me.

You're lucky I wasn't drinking when I read that...

Thank you all for your patience. I have finally finished my classes & hope to have more time/energy to devote to this. I hope to return to a more regular/daily posting schedule now.
Understand, with the exception of combat, that is going to mean if you don't post something between my gameplay posts, you may very well find your character pulled along in the wake of events. I'm hoping that once we have a positive momentum going we will all be back in a more active rhythm.

Ok. I was going to try posting while at my mother's house...
but the only thing available was her Windows 8 laptop...

I have never experienced this level of suck before, how the hell is Microsoft still in business?!

I will post tomorrow, from school.

Gibbs grunt of acknowledgement is notably less antagonistic than his greeting, though still coming from a back turned to you. Once the four of you have rejoined each other & made your way from the shack's vicinity you notice the day has continued notably past noon. While the sky is still bright, you can tell evening is approaching.