The party arrives in Swiftwater, having traveled from the civilized lands to the north and west in search of adventure, riches, and power in these frontiers.
Swiftwater is constructed on wide terraces that run parallel to the river, each terraced being connected to the others via wide stairs, ramps and pulleys. The citadel occupies a middle position in the town. It is a three-story tower keep constructed of grey stone. The town is surrounded by a tall wall of grey stone set with many towers and a massive gate flanked by statues of giants carved from green malachite. The town’s buildings are mostly constructed of red brick with sloping roofs of beaten copper or slate. The town has no temples and no high priest, but rather a hundred or so competing shrines wherein all the gods of the region are represented by argumentative priests who put on displays of their power and wealth to herd the townsfolk into their shrines to make offerings. Swiftwater is a bustling center of commerce, its people making a living on the mercenary trade, timber, livestock and the drinking and smoking establishments that line the riverfront.
You come to town with these rumors:
Gregar is a mining village far south of here. Supposedly, the men of Gregar worship a dark divinity. (Hex 0125, connected to Swiftwater by road.)
Mushroom men are harmless if offered beer.
There is a sorcerer named Kelban who lives in the mountains to the southeast. He is wise beyond wisdom.
Being Play by post, there will undoubtedly be plenty of quirks and oddities that we will have to work through, and that’s fine. I’ll just lay out some of the information I know will come up here, so that hopefully we can cut down on delays and keep the game rolling.
First, please, please tell me exactly what your character does. It takes days to have a quick dialogue between player and GM, so I’m just going to take what you say and interpret it for time’s sake. For example, if you say, “I go in the door.” I’m going to assume you mean that you grab the handle, turn it, and push the door open. If there’s a trap in the handle, that sucks for you. If you actually wanted to stand to the side, turn the handle gingerly, while wearing gauntlets, you have to say so. We don’t have time to go back and redo stuff like that all the time. Don’t get the idea that I’m some sadistic killer, though, either. I want us all to have fun, I’m just trying to be efficient here.
Also in the spirit of speeding things along, you can contact me on G+ (Jacob DeCourcey) for quick questions and such. I’m generally available M-F, 9-4 EST plus other times as internet access permits. Hit me up if you want to quickly discuss something without the hassle of a conversation over the forums.
As for exploration, each hex is 6 miles across opposite sides. Movement rates are either 2 or 3 miles per hour (20’ or 30’ round movement, respectively). Therefore, either 3 or 4 hexes can be crossed in a day. However, more challenging terrain may decrease the rates unless there is a road or path to follow. It takes 1 whole day to thoroughly search a hex, guaranteeing that you find any non-hidden point of interest. Wandering monster checks will be rolled at a 1 in 8 chance every 4+-2 hours based on location and level of noise and caution. These rates include a reasonable level of care to ensure proper navigation. However, when exploring uncharted territory without a map, a guide, or at least a reasonable idea of where you are trying to go, chances to get lost will begin to arise.
I’ll post the map as you go, just for ease of use. Your starting location is the town of Swiftwater in the top left corner of the map, hex number 01.01. Here's the initial copy of the map.
Please ask lots of questions, either here or on G+. I really do want this to be a good game that we all enjoy.
The Pitch
I’d like to start an old-school style game of Pathfinder – A classic hex-crawl with wilderness travel, wandering monster checks, and non-CR-appropriate encounters. You characters are motivated by wealth, most likely, or perhaps fame, maybe a quest for an artifact, but they will very likely die, especially if you aren't cautious. As such, I’m not recruiting characters, but players. You can make new characters. Play only goes up to level 6, plus a little bit, so the whole game will be naturally low-powered. A crew of 5 level 1-2 mercenaries can lay waste to a cocky adventurer party. A CR 8 young green dragon is a gigantic big deal. If you want an idea of the game-style, try these articles:
P6 – We will be using the P6 Abridged Ruleset, which is derivative of E6, which comes from this article. Basically, levels cap at 6th because at that point the characters are essentially approaching superhuman status. Everything about the world is scaled appropriately, meaning that 90% of everyone is level 0-1, and a world-class achiever is level 4 or 5.
Experience - XP will be earned by spending gold equivalent to requisite XP cost to level up according to the slow advancement path. The gold will go towards training costs associated with your chosen field. This, naturally, will slow down XP gain substantially, in addition to emphasizing non-combat strategies.
Feats – I don’t have the time or desire to pare down the preposterous number of feats out there in the world, so please select feats according to these guidelines:
A feat should not permit a character to do something that any character can attempt. Instead, it should make a character better at a given action.
Covering the core rulebook, everyone can use, at any time, power attack, combat expertise, deadly aim, and use them as prerequisites for other feats. Furthermore, there are no feat chains. If you meet the BAB requirement, the feat is available. This will advantage fighters in combat, which is fine.
Skills – No special rules, but please bear in mind that a lack of skill proficiency does not prevent your character from trying something and skill points represent learned improvements, not natural ability. For example, obviously, anyone can jump. Having 3 ranks in jump represents spending time and money on training on how to jump beyond natural ability. Likewise, anyone can hide in a closet. Ranks in stealth gives you a trained ability to hide where other cannot.
Miscellaneous Fighters and Rogues only may move and make a full attack in the same round.
CharGen:
Homebrew hex crawl Pathfinder P6
Looking for 3-5 players.
Starting at level 1.
Roll 3d6 in order, switch any two, may reroll twice. Please roll live in the forums.
Roll for HP.
Roll for gold.
Races and classes from core preferred.
Backstory is fine, but your characters will very likely die, so don’t get too attached.
Forum Rules:
At least one post per day, except weekends.
Team initiative, if you don’t post, you miss your turn.
We will probably not use battle grids unless we really need them.
Greetings, players! I have high hopes for this game. I'll give you a bit of information about me and my GMing style. These will all be posted on the Campaign Information Tab as well.
First of all, I firmly believe that the number one goal of an RPG is for everyone to have fun. To support that primary goal, there are a few rules.
1) Intercharacter conflict is encouraged to the extent that it does not interfere with the overall flow of the game.
2) Interplayer conflict is to be mediated immediately and out of character.
3) The GM has final say in either of these situations.
Second, this game in particular is a collaborative roleplaying experience. I have only the skeleton of a plot and setting, with lots of room to fill in blanks. Feel free to make things up including geography, history, and even common knowledge. I'm completely open to discussing any and all rule interpretations, house rules, and other suggestions, with the caveat that the GM has final say.
Along the same lines, feel free to be creative during combat and such. I am a bit of an "old school" GM, meaning that I'm more inclined to make "rulings" instead of sticking religiously to the rules. For example, if you are fighting in a bedroom, it is safe to assume that there are sheets on the bed. Therefore, as a standard action, you could throw the sheet at an enemy. If the enemy fails to make a reflex save, he would become blinded for a round. Just an example, but hopefully you get the idea.
Alignment is dumb. Pick one for your character for mechanical purposes, but don't feel constrained by it. I'll be ignoring it for the most part. That means that "detect ***" spells will only show anything if the target is extremely *** or defined by it, as in a clerc or something. In my book, the only true alignment is loot. ;)
Play by Post is a unique medium. It allows for deeper thought and planning, but suffers from the pitfalls of a very slow pace. As such, please post at least once a day. If you do not post in 24 hours during combat, you will be botted. If you do not post in 72 hours, your character will be removed by whatever means are appropriate, up to and including death.
Similarly, initiative will be streamlined to reduce waiting. Initiative will be in group, and, generally, will not even be rolled, since it's usually obvious which side goes first. If not, initiative will be rolled by the GM for each player against a DC of the average enemy initiative+11. Any players who beat the DC will go before the enemy, then the enemy will go, and then all the players will go as a group.
Combat will take place with on a grid that I will upkeep. Please use this notation for combat posts (minus the spoiler):
Example:
Steve races toward the remaining goblin and swings his axe down in a powerful arc.
__________________
Charge 7 squares west Power Attack:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 Damage:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
You will be responsible for tracking your own resources including HP, spells per day, arrows, food, etc. I will try to keep up, but the more hands on deck the better.
You will be responsible for your own animal companions and mounts in combat, but they can and will be used at the GM's discretion outside of combat for plot and roleplaying purposes, but they will never be put into harm without your permission.
The conviction and Death Flag rules can be found on the Campaign Info page as well
Under the "Race" blank on your character profile, please include HP, AC, Saves, Init, Perception.
Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I've been researching Pathfinder E6 lately, and I'd like to start a game. Here are some links to give you an idea of what this game will look like:
As you can see, the E6 documentation only supports core classes so far, but I'm fine with using others. More material is supposed to be coming out soon, and will probably be released by the time it's pertinent to us.
Now, here's a brief shot of what the campaign will look like:
The town of Rush is under attack!
It was just a regular day in Rush, until the emergency horn sounded. After that, balls of fire began raining down. Amidst the chaos, the sounds of war rose over the wooden ramparts. The militia was called up, and civilians are quickly mustered to evacuate. You have decided to volunteer to stay and defend the town, some of you even watching your families leave you behind. The captain of the guard rallies the volunteers and delivers a quick speech.
An army of Hobgoblins is at our doorstep, and they've arrived in greater numbers than we've ever seen. They even have siege engines. There are bands of orc mercenaries, goblin suicide troopers, and even a troll. We've dealt with hobgoblins before, but never more than warbands and highway thugs. We've certainly never seen them join forces with the other monstrous creatures. We're completely under prepared, and it'll be days before reinforcements arrive. We're not going to win, but we can delay long enough for our families to get to safety. If we're lucky, some of us may even get away.
With that, the battle begins...
Character Crunch:
15 Point-Buy
Max HP at first level, then rolled
2 traits
Average starting wealth
Oleg’s trading post is surrounded by a wooden palisade that stands 10 feet high. At each corner of the palisade are 20-foot square watchtowers, each armed with a run-down catapult. There’s one entrance through the palisade—a 30-foot-wide wooden gate.
Upon arrival, each of your groups are welcomed with a hearty greeting from a woman who jovially introduces herself as Svetlana. She's prepared stew, bread, and even some wine. Oleg has been repairing a roof over his guesthouse for some time, and does not come down until dinner is nearly complete.
You may introduce yourselves over dinner, keeping in mind whom you've already travelled with. Kivan, of course, is already present, having arrived, injured, the day before. Oleg is not here yet, but Svetlana will try to answer any questions she can.
Style and Etiquette
The general mood of play will be serious, but not exclusively so. I would like to keep focus on the adventure and the task at hand. Excursions and tangents are certainly fine, but, if necessary, I will direct players to spoiler "sidebar" actions so that we can continue with the story. It is perfectly acceptable to have conflict between characters, as long as both players are comfortable with the direction of the interaction. However, conflict between players will be arbitrated as quickly as possible, with the GM having the final word.
Characters
Let it be known now, before we start, that your character may die. I will not fudge rolls. There are enemies out there that can wipe the floor with you. You are always allowed to run away. I will do my very best to have the enemies behave in a way that is accurate to their level of intelligence and tactics, keeping all circumstances in mind. As such, there should be no accusations of unfair play upon character death. Upon character death, you will be welcome to submit and incorporate a new character immediately. But, don't get the wrong idea in your mind. I'm not a calloused killer. You'll be able to tell if you're getting in over your head. I don't like killing characters for no reason, but I also don't like completely caution-free games.
Posting Frequency
Everyone is expected to post at least one time per day. If you will be unable to post, please give as much advance notice as possible, barring extreme circumstances. If a player is not heard from in 24 hours, their character will be eligible to be run by the GM until the player returns. If a player is not heard from 72 hours, their character will be removed from the game in any way appropriate including death. My personal email address is jakedecourcey@gmail.com. Feel free to contact me for any reason. Also, if you choose to do so, I will have an additional way to contact you in case the need arises.
Posting Conventions
Admittedly, I am lifting this wholesale from another GM. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Quote:
In character content including Dialogue and internal monologue.
_______________
Out of Character commentary pertinent to the action above. Dice Rolls:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Move action i.e., Move to E15 or move 3 spaces N, 2 spaces E.
Standard Action or anything else
Combat
Initiative will be done in group format, based on the character with the highest initiative and also using common sense. If you would like to change initiative-based qualities regarding your character at this time, feel free to do so. I would prefer to give as much agency to players as possible, but sometimes, when appropriate, I will make rolls for your character. I promise I won't do anything serious without you. Also, please track your own stats during combat. I will be doing the same, but there more hands on deck the better.
Other Bits and Pieces
I'm pretty flexible when it comes to gameplay. Not that I fudge rolls, but rather that I give you, the players, a lot of power. Here's a little example. Let's say we're fighting two guards in a bedroom. It's safe to say that there are sheets in the bedroom, even though I may not specifically mention it. So, your turn may look like this: Kevin grabs the top sheet and slings it in the nearest guard's face, following it up with an jab from his spear. Now, I, the GM, say that the guard gets a reflex save. He fails, so now he's blind and entangled. It's not in the rules anywhere, but it's cool and it makes sense. Hopefully that was a good example.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Clear as mud? If everyone is comfortable with these guidelines, we're good to go. The last thing you should know is that I'm a reasonable guy, and I'm extremely attached to what I consider the number one rule of table top RPGs: "My fun is your fun and your fun is my fun." So speak up. We're all in this to have fun, be creative, learn, and pass time together. If there are ever any problems, we all want to deal. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I want to.
Be it so known that the bearer of this charter has been charged by the Swordlords of Restov, acting upon the greater good and authority vested within them by the office of the Regent of the Dragonscale Throne, has granted the right of exploration and travel within the wilderness region known as the Greenbelt. Exploration should be limited to an area no further than thirty-six miles east and west and sixty miles south of Oleg’s Trading Post. The carrier of this charter should also strive against banditry and other unlawful behavior to be encountered. The punishment for unrepentant banditry remains, as always, execution by sword or rope. So witnessed on this 24th day of Calistril, under watchful eye of the Lordship of Restov and authority granted by Lord Noleski Surtova, current Regent of the Dragonscale Throne.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen! I'm recruiting 4-5 players for a hearty game of KingMaker!
I'll tell you little about myself as a GM and about the game:
For Players:
The first thing you should know is that I'm a bit of a modern "old-school" GM. I know that's a hard term to pin down, but the easiest way I can describe it is that I like for creativity in my games to expend beyond pre-defined role-playing sections of an adventure. For example: go ahead and flip the table to grant yourself cover. Think there might be a pit trap? Pour some water on the floor to see if it seeps through. No need for a skill check that way. So, be creative, think outside the box, and enjoy yourselves. If you want to try something crazy, go for it. We'll sort out the rules as necessary.
Next, I expect everyone to post at least once a day. I'll usually post twice a day or so, which means that every post doesn't have to be 6 paragraphs long since I'll be able to answer to it quickly. I'm hoping to achieve a quicker game with more interaction than the average.
Third, I would like everyone to thoroughly read the player's guide so that you know what's going on in this adventure. I know that KingMaker is a sandbox, but that doesn't mean you can be ignorant of at least a basic backstory.
Fourth, I intend to run this game with a somewhat higher level of, shall we say, realism than normal. As appropriate for an exploration themed adventure, you will sometimes run into things that can casually destroy you. Don't expect to win any fight. Running away is allowed and encouraged. Also, make good use of real-world tactics against powerful enemies. Every living thing has to eat, breathe, drink and "un-eat" in some form or another. Use whatever resources you have and make smart decisions.
Finally, I really want this to work. It's a commitment, and I will uphold my end of it. I'd love to get to know my players and keep this going to the end. So, don't apply if you don't mean business.
For Characters:
Point Buy: 15 Points
Hit Points: First level max, then 1/2+1
Classes: Any, see comment at the bottom.
Archetypes: Sure, why not?
Races: Any, see comment at the bottom.
Third Party: Maybe...on a case-by-case basis. Rite Publishing and Super Genius are pretty reliable.
Traits: Two, preferably a campaign trait, but it's ok if it really doesn't fit.
Gold: Average by class
Alignment: Good, maybe neutral...you at least have to get along and work towards the adventure's goals.
*Let it be known that I'm pretty open to creative character ideas, but I also will be extremely hesitant to pick more than one "unorthodox" character as to avoid the "travelling circus" look. That means that, if you opt to submit a Tengu or a Ninja or a gunslinger or something, you'll be competing for just one character slot instead of being eligible for the other 4.
A few more things...I think alignment is pretty dumb. Just make your character do what s/he would do in order to achieve the goals at hand. Unfortunately, too many game mechanics rely on the two-letter alignment, so go ahead and estimate one for your sheet.
I'll need to see a full character sheet, not just a stat block. Text-based, web-based, pdf, excel, whatever. I don't have herolab, though.
Finally, really finally, I'll need to see a backstory, even if it's simple, a blurb about who your character is and why s/he does what s/he does, along with at least one of each: Close friend, friend, acquaintance, rival, enemy.
Example Character Fluff:
Background:
Alan was born into the somewhat wealthy Taselson family in the Dockway of Magnimar. After it was discovered that he was incredibly gifted in mathematics, he became a bit spoiled, and drew the ire of his physically strong, but less talented brother, named Josh. On several occasions, his brother actually threatened his life, and it was later discovered that Josh was mentally unstable, and had developed elaborate and entirely untrue realities in which Alan lorded his greater intellect over Josh and scorned him with it.
When the boys came of age, Josh left to fend for himself in the wilderness, as he was tired of "civilized" life, and Alan was sent off to university to be classically schooled in engineering. After becoming proficient in several fields, including mechanical, siege, architectural, and civil engineering, in addition to tactics and strategy, Alan turned his eye towards the magical arts. Unfortunately, his parent were less interested in future schooling, since they desired for Alan to become a siege engineer like his grandfather, so Alan was forced to take out a hefty loan to pay for his continuing education. After a few years of magical training, he grew out of the simple classes offered at the university and set off to find better schooling.
Straight out of school, Alan found a good job working for a builder named Kern in New Stetven. He made good money, and was able to begin paying off his debts. However, Alan was not content to coast along in his career, being so achievement oriented, and quickly developed an acute case of "the itch." He needed to move on and continue his achievement. Despite this, and because of it, Alan soon made a name for himself among the various construction firms as a capable architect. Just in the nick of time, he received a very lucrative promotion offer from a rival business. He quit his current job to take the offer, but Kern pointed out that he had signed a contract that included a non-compete clause. Furious, Alan began to argue heatedly with Kern, right out in the middle of the builder's guild. After his poor display, he was unofficially ostracized from the community. Now unemployed, Alan seeks to satisfy his itch by adventuring, cultivating, and conquering. At this point in his life, Alan is a talented engineer, but a novice magician. He would rather focus on building up his weakness, rather than relying on his strengths.
Rights, wrongs, motivations, and personality:
Alan is task focused, and prefers whatever accomplishes a task most efficiently. The most heinous act in Alan's eyes is foolish error. He has no patience for repeated mistakes, and will not hesitate to express such displeasure. Alan is forceful and has a strong personality, but has little regard for emotions or feelings. He is interested in facts and evidence, not opinion or hearsay. Alan's desire is to see order brought to chaos; to see the wilderness - natural, political, or otherwise - cultivated and brought to a useful, efficient state. He is not predisposed to good or evil, but prefers good when the opportunity presents itself. He would never kill an innocent person, but has little qualms defending himself, stealing, lying, cheating, or any other manner of lesser transgressions.
Relations:
Good friend: Annalise Schuler - Anna was a fellow employee of Kern's when Alan worked for him. She and Alan quickly became close friends, as they both shared a desire to build and understand how thing work. Anna is highly independent, but she carries a special fondness for Alan, possibly love, although he has never reciprocated her feelings, as he is so busy with his material pursuits. She stayed in close contact with Alan even after he lost his job, and is excited to see him pursue his dreams, but sad to see him leave. She would very much like to journey to the stolen lands to be with Alan eventually.
Friend: Grandpa Alan Taselson, Sr. - Despite Alan's divergence from his path, Grandpa Alan is still very proud of Alan, Jr., and would like to see him succeed at whatever he does. Grandpa is concerned for Alan's safety in adventures, and would like to keep written correspondence with Alan during the adventure.
Acquaintance: Alan made several friends during his school years, not the least of which was Professor Childress. Professor Childress taught general mathematics, and Alan later discovered that he was never once paid for his work. He simply worked out of love of knowledge and teaching. In retrospect, Alan realizes that, despite his close relationship with the professor, he has never been made privy to the man's first name.
Rival: Kern Locken - Kern is respected and successful businessman in the trade of building and construction. He is bitter towards Alan, as Alan was a large part of his success in recent years. He does not wish Alan any harm other than a powerful serving of humble pie.
Enemy: Josh Taselson - Josh is Alan's older brother. As very young boys, the brothers got along spectacularly, but as Alan began to pull away from Josh academically and drew the favor of their parents, Josh grew bitter. Josh is stricken with acute paranoia, and that mental illness caused him to create irrational fantasies to justify his hatred of Alan. In Josh's mind, Alan is a cruel and mocking overlord, who demeans Josh at every opportunity, and is dead set on making him as miserable and inferior as possible. Josh ran away from home to live in the wilderness, intent on proving his own worth to Alan and his parents.
Regardless of whether or not you live in Whiterush, you have received correspondence from Zolin Quinn regarding an "orc problem" that he has been having. He requested that you all meet outside the Custom House at 3pm.
The building is newly erected. Its fresh red paint, expensive lattice-work, and hanging white sign reading “Customs House” all mark it as out of place among its run-down neighbors.
Upon entering, you see that the interior of this large offi ce is dim and cluttered. A wide desk cuts the room in half. Beyond the desk, cubbyholes line the walls and from each cubby a sheaf of rolled parchment pokes out. A handsome man with emerald green eyes, a well groomed moustache and goatee, and dressed in a finely cut gentleman’s cape and rich royal blue tunic leans across the desk on clenched fi sts glittering with rings. One of the rings is made from a large ruby with a “Q” cut into it. The man is in the middle of berating an old, ink-stained halfling whose large crooked nose supports a wine-bottle thick pair of glass spectacles. Listen Leglow, sighs the richly dressed man, obviously exasperated, I don’t care what it used to be, now it’s— He breaks off as he spots you in the doorway. Oh. Hello there. Do come in! I hope you’re enjoying our little town by the river? I can’t thank you enough for coming so quickly. He gestures to the halfling without deigning to look at him: Leglow, we’ll finish this later, I have important guests…
Now, my esteemed guests, my name is Zolin Quinn. I'm sure you recognize me as the man who offered you a job. You see, we have a bit of a problem in town with orcs. They've been ransacking my caravans and, quite frankly, destroying the economy of this fine town. Now, I know I'm a little new here, but I consider myself part of Whiterush, especially sinc emy daughter is marrying the baron's son. Now, I am willing to pay each of you 500gp to help me take care of the orcs. I need you to accompany a dummy caravan out of town with my men, and when the orcs attack - and this is important - chase them back to wherever they're coming from and deal with the problem at the root. I thank you in advance.
I promise, it won't be this railroad-y the whole time. But, I've got to pull some strings to get this party started. Cheers.
Please take the next day or so to nail down exactly why you are in the caravan that arrived in Sandpoint and flesh out any pre-existing relationships if desired.
What we're doing
Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition
4-6 players
Very fast-paced
What I Need from You
Post at least once a day barring Sundays
Get along with the other players and characters
Play along - try to follow the adventure for the most part
Level: 1
Ability Scores: 15 point buy
Alignment: Good only
Races: Core
Classes: Core+Base+Archetypes
HP: Max first, then roll
Traits: 2 traits, one must be a campaign trait.
Starting Gold: Average
No third party
It would be really, really cool to have all the characters tied in together, be it by religion, faction, or even race, or class. I know it's a little unusual, but it could be really cool to have an all dwarf or all Iomedae party. I don't know if anything will come of it, but it is food for thought.
The three of you stand together on the stairs to the military station in the upper district. Gunla has just called the other to herself, but has not yet spoken.
First of all, I’d like to tell you a bit about myself and my style of play. I am a strange hybrid of old and new styles.
Old:
I love exploration and environmental obstacles.
I’m not afraid to give you more than you can handle. Running away works, too.
I value player skill, meaning that just because your character is INT 8 doesn’t require you personally to pretend to be an idiot. You can still do awesome smart stuff.
New:
I care much more about character-based adventures than site based adventures.
It drives me nuts when and orc, 2 elves, a human, and a half-dragon get together for no good reason but to adventure.
Random player death is not fun.
A few other things:
I will track weather, rations, sleeping arrangements, encumbrance, etc. Those elements make for difficult choices which add tension and excitement.
There is no “plot.” Only goals, adventures, and obstacles. Any story that comes about will be completely emergent, not planned.
Just because you will never die (unless you plan to), does not mean that there are not penalties for failure. Random death isn’t fun, but neither is a cake walk.
This game will be on a human-sized scale, not a superhero or dragon or god-sized one. It will be gritty, especially starting out. Simple, small, and dangerous.
I will roll initiative for everyone. Don’t hesitate to post actions early or post speculative actions. Anything that will keep up the pace is welcome.
Experience will be on the fast track with a lot of ad hoc bonuses. The whole team will level up together.
Make assumptions. If you want to pick up a lamp off the nightstand and chuck it at the guard, don’t wait for me to tell you that there’s a lamp. Just assume.
We are not using alignment for player characters. Enemies that are keyed to a specific alignment will still operate as such, and most NPCs will be locked into a certain alignment. I just don't like the constraints alignment puts on players.
Most important of all, I am on your team! My job is to make this fun for all of us. It’s not to beat you or to be a neutral referee. It’s to facilitate your adventures for you.
Here is a semi-massive bit of text background for the initial setting, and here is a map of it.
And, the character creation starter:
We will start with a character sketch. Try to work up a brief outline answering these questions:
What do you look like?
What is your character’s profession?
How did you end up doing that?
Who are your (or your profession’s) enemies?
What is worth fighting for?
What social class do you belong to?
Remember, these are brief answers to make an outline, not a full description. The goal is to get just enough out there so that we can work together to detail the characters. Here is an example of a character outline that I would use myself:
Cyne Lar is tall human of average build. He always wears the sharpest uniform available to his station, as he is highly invested in the betterment of himself.
He is a soldier in the army of Wygate in service to Irori. He aspires to the office of priest one day to reclaim the honor his family had before his father was caught accepting bribes and his family was disgraced. His enemies are those of the state: marauders, rebels, and the corrupt.
Cyne is a little naïve, but well-intentioned. He will go to great lengths to reclaim his honor, but has absolute integrity… so far.
I’m a GM starting a homebrew play-by-post game for 2-3 players.
Normally, at this point, I’d put down a published module or give a brief shot of my homebrew storyline and then you all would post up characters that would fit. I’m shaking things up instead. I’m asking for players to apply without characters.
Here’s the plan:
1. Players are chosen.
2. Players make characters together.
3. I make adventures for the characters.
So, this is your chance to get your character some personal action. I really, really, don’t have any idea for an adventure on purpose so that I can tailor your adventures to your goals. My job is to make this fun for you. You can give your characters whatever goals they want within reason.
Here are some guidelines for the players:
1. Post often. At least once a day, but more really is best.
2. Correct English spelling and grammar. Mistakes happen, but if I have to spend time figuring out what you wrote before I can respond, this isn’t the place.
3. Compromise. This is a collaborative experience. Sometimes you have to take the bait. Sometimes you have to care about another player’s goals. We’re all on the same team, me included.
4. Willing to have discussion. The discussion forum doesn’t just exist for tactical commentary. Talk about goals and motivation. Ask questions. Make this a fuller experience for all of us.
Here are some guidelines for the characters:
1. They have to be likeable. No sociopaths, kleptomaniacs, evils, chaotic maniacs, etc. I’m not limiting your alignment, but all the characters have to be in this thing together.
2. They have to be substantial. More instruction will follow for those chosen, but know now that some effort will be required beyond the stat card.
3. They have to agree on the major issues. We won’t get anywhere if one character is a bandit and the other is a paladin.
So, I’m sure you’re wondering, “What exactly do I post as an application?”
1. Introduce yourself briefly.
2. Tell us what kind of experience you have roleplaying.
3. Tell us what games you are currently in.
4. Tell us which you prefer and why in these categories: story/simulation, action/acting, chaos/balance. There are no right or wrong answers.
5. If you have a character that you love, put it here. If not, don’t.
That’s it. Just know that I will be basing my decision off of these few questions, so answer well. I’ll be interacting throughout the process and will be available for questions. I’ll give you my answers as an example, but don’t think that you have to match mine to fit in. Again, this game is about you, not me.
Sample:
1. My name is Jacob. I live in Virginia. I’m a junior in college and I work at Walgreens. I like hiking, reading, and games of all strokes.
2. I’ve been gaming for about 5 years and have played DnD 3.0, 3.5, 4e, and the playtest for 5e. Also Pathfinder, Risus, MicroLite20, and a few others. I love reading about games even if I don’t play, so I own many more systems than I have played. I’ve played on these boards before, but I decided to stop briefly because I was transitioning from live to online classes and taking on more hours at work.
3. Now that everything has settled down, I know that can still hold up my end of a game or two. I’m not currently in any games, live or online.
4. I prefer simulation because the realism adds tension. I like games with high stakes and high tension. I prefer action because I’m competitive and I like the numbers of combat. Finally, I prefer balance because that is how I am in real life. I am very lawful good and organized. That being said, I am not above skirting the law as long as my actions are justified by a higher cause.
5. I dig tactical leaders and ranged attacks. My favorite character to play is “the field marshal.” Smart, accurate, aware.
As a final remark, don’t be intimidated by the requirements, even if you are brand spanking new to roleplaying. Post with a good start, and I’ll help you grow. I really want this game to be about you, the player, so if there’s something I can do to help you enjoy this more, tell me. In fact, I'm a little partial to new players, so this is great chance to test the waters. If you decide you don't like it, I'm sure any of the other players that submitted would jump right in instead. I’ll be online from 9PM-11PM EST tonight if you have any questions, and then I’ll be around sometime at least every day.
There is no deadline, but I’m starting as soon as I accept the players. Don’t wait.
Hi there, Sanosuke! Congrats, and welcome. I'll get back with you later tonight after I get home from work. For now, if you could get your alias up with all of your info and character creation stuff, that would be most helpful.
Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I’m a GM starting a SOLO play by post game.
Here’s why I’m trying a solo game: I’ve GM’ed and played a few play by post games now, and I think that it has great strengths and weaknesses. It is very conducive to storytelling, it is easy to start since you don’t need to have rules memorized, and the time commitment is more spread out. However, it is easy to lose players, or even GMs to random disappearances. Also, if one player is much slower to post than the others, combat can be very slow. Finally, character and plot development in general can be painfully slow. I think a nice solo game would alleviate some of those issues. Now, on to recruitment.
This isn’t like a normal recruitment thread where I post up the adventure premise and rules and accept submissions. Here’s the plan:
1. You write up a character. The cooler the better.
2. The adventures will be crafted according to your friends, foes, and goals.
3. That’s actually about it. Everything else will be worked out from there.
So, this is your chance to get your character some personal action. I really, really, don’t have any idea for an adventure on purpose so that I can tailor your adventures to your goals. My job is to make this fun for you. You can give your character whatever goals he wants within the boundaries.
When submitting characters, here is what I am looking for:
Character Creation:
1. Class/profession
This is what you character does. His/her job, trade, livelihood, etc.
2. Rough outline/description
This is who your character is. His/her nature, soul, persona, etc. Here are a few criteria: No evil, no sociopaths, no perverts, no loners.
3. Rights and wrongs
These are the polarizing issues that you character cares about. What does he/she fight for? Against? Where does he/she draw the line on killing, lying, stealing, etc?
4. Backstory
We will be playing in Golarion. But, don't feel limited to just "regular" places. If you want to play underground, do it. If you want to play in the distant past, that could work, too. Keep in mind the rights, wrongs, friends, foes, and goals as you work on your character’s story. Try to give a decent rationale for most of them.
5. Friends and foes (and woes)
Two of each. Friends can be family, mentors, informants, patrons, etc. and foes can be family, rivals, authorities, traitors, etc.
BONUS! A woe – a problem afflicting the player serious to merit conflict with a foe – will make for a vastly more enjoyable roleplaying experience.
6. Goals
What does you character want to do? 3 Short goals, 1-2 medium, 1 long goal. Short goals are things that could potentially be completed in a standard session or two, medium goals would be more of an adventure scale, and long goals are crazy, over-the-top campaign scale goals.
7. Quirks and mannerisms
Easy. A one-sentence descriptor of temperament, a mannerism, and a role-playable (fluff) weakness.
8. Crunch
The character sheet. Level 1, 4d6k1 stats arranged as you wish, max HP first level, any core, base, or alternate class.
9. Starting equipment
You equipment will be extremely minimal to start. We’re talking a dirt cheap weapon and maybe some armor. No special gear or fancy weapons. Of course, items necessary to your class are available to you, although it could be interesting for a wizard to start without a spellbook… The idea is that your characters are talented, but un-established. The stats are high, the gear is low. That way, it’s exciting when you get your first good sword (or whatever).
Here’s an example character, that’s obviously lacking, but you get the idea:
Roscoe:
Roscoe
1. Ranger (forest guide for travelers)
2. Roscoe is a hard-working man with a sharp mind. He likes to help folks with his physical talents and his intellectual ones. He is at home in the woods, and enjoys teaching his skills to others so that they might come to appreciate it, too. He is always collecting information about almost every subject, and is more than willing to spout off any number of helpful facts about a given subject.
3. Roscoe values learning and teaching. He has a respect for nature as a tool, not to be misused or ignored. He is passionate for justice and fairness. People should get what they deserve, good or bad. However, everyone should have the freedom to live his life in the way he sees fit as long as it does not harm others. Therefore, Roscoe hates corruption and slavery.
4. Roscoe was born somewhere, and he did some stuff with his brother. Later he got into a scuffle with the local bully, but he was assisted by Jethro, the smelly kid. When he first began his job as a toll collector, he ran afoul of the Rude Crew when he refused to let them pass with slaves in tow. In the ensuing fight, the Rude Crew got away, capturing Jethro. Unfortunately, now Roscoe has a price on his head in slaver circles.
He heard through the grapevine that a band of slavers was passing through bearing the Rude Crew symbol, so he’s going to see if he can gather any information on Jethro.
5. Brother – family
Jethro – ally
Bully – rival
Rude Crew – feuder – bounty on head
6. Short goals:
Get a better bow than the cheap shortbow I have now
Take down some Rude Crew
Find out which way Roscoe was taken
Medium goals:
Save Jethro
Close slave route through Andoran
Long goals:
Abolish slavery
7. Charismatic, always snacking, diabetic (gets really weak if he doesn’t eat often)
8. You know – a character sheet.
9. Dumpy shortbow (-1 damage), fur armor, 25gp, 3 trail rations, snacks
I will be interacting with folks who post solid character concepts to help further define or clarify their characters.
So, basically, this is your chance to play that character you really want to develop, or that doesn’t fit with a party, or that has some sort of terrible weakness. Since there will only be one player, I can really focus on you and your goals and development. I expect you to post once a day at the very, very least. If we both post regularly, this game can really move.
As a final remark, don’t be intimidated by the requirements, even if you are brand spanking new to roleplaying. Post with a good start, and I’ll help you grow. I really want this game to be about you, the player, so if there’s something I can do to help you enjoy this more, tell me. In fact, I'm probably a little partial to new players, so this is great chance to test the waters. If you decide you don't like it, I'm sure any of the other players that submitted would jump right in instead. I’ll be online for a few hours this evening if you have any question, and then I’ll be around every day.
I will accept submissions until Wednesday night at 11PM EST or until I receive 10 submissions. And remember: when in doubt, make it awesome.
In the IC Tavern thread, get together a group of 2-4 characters who are interested in going on an expedition. Come over to the OoC thread (this one) and confirm the nuts and bolts of your choices. When you are ready to venture forth, post a list of characters in the party and I will put your party in the queue. When it is time to begin your adventure, I will direct you to the appropriate gameplay thread.
2. Adventuring
To begin an expedition, simply tell me where you are headed. The campaign map is hex based, so just say which direction you want to go and how many hexes you are moving. You may either pass through a hex, resulting in a small chance to see any given landmark, or you may explore a hex, guaranteeing that you will find whatever may or may not be in it.
Combat will be resolved quickly. I will average the party’s initiative modifiers and use that for the entire party. The whole party will act in whatever order the players post in. Once all the characters have gone, or 24 RL hours have passed, I will post all of the enemies’ actions consecutively.
Experience will be awarded RaW, according to the encounter level. Treasure will be left to be divided however the party sees fit.
All adventures will end after 4 weeks RL time. The characters will need to return to town as quickly as possible at that point. We will say that the 4 week limit represents stress fatigue. So, one really nasty combat could wipe out most of your time, just the same as several days of being lost.
3. Adventure Reports
Assuming any party members make it back, any living character may add or modify entries to the Obsidian Portal wiki. You may create pages about locations, items, rumors, monsters, or anything else you find. If you would like to edit or amend a previous entry, do not remove any text. Simply change that text to strikethrough and add the new text beneath it. The log is a paper book, after all. Also, feel free to post adventure logs when you return for the benefit and interest of your fellow adventurers.
Finally, as much as it is interesting, please do not follow any adventures that your character is not in. Much of the fun of this campaign will be from the sharing of information and friendly competition resulting from not knowing what your associates find.
Have you ever wanted to roll up a character, jump into an unknown world, and start exploring? Danger lurks around every corner. Your survival is not guaranteed. But, if you are able to return safely, your name will go down in history as a legendary adventurer. Of course, you may also be eaten by a bugbear on your first day out.
I’m currently running another PbP campaign here, but this one would be almost completely opposite of that. In the People’s campaign, the game is based around the players, what they want, and what their characters want. This is a game focused on the world, not the characters. It is in the style of Ben Robbin’s West Marches.
You take your roles as adventurers, seeking long-lost treasures and myth, arriving in the border town of Fallsvale. Fallsvale is the westernmost town in the civilized world, because no one dares venture beyond it. In ancient times, the Eternal Horizons, as these distant lands are called, were populated and civilized with all manner of man and beast. But, eons ago, a blight wiped out humanity. The land quickly became feral, teeming with dangers, and the treasure and lore of the Horizon was lost. Recently, however, adventurers (you!) have begun to venture forth to explore and unearth the secrets of the Eternal Horizon.
Here is a list of “fluffy” rules:
There is no fixed plot. The adventure is exploration.
There is no fixed party. The characters venture forth with whomever they choose.
There is no adventure in town or anywhere else but in the Eternal Horizons.
There is no guarantee of survival. If you wander into something for which you are not prepared, you will die.
I, the GM, am not on any faction’s team. I will make all rolls in the open, and the dice, combined with your decisions, will determine your fates.
Any information that is gained about the Horizon will be from characters who have returned alive.
Here is a “crunchy” translation of those rules plus some others:
There will be a pool of, say, 15 players, each with a character, and the players will determine if and when and with whom to make a foray into the wild.
There will be a maximum of 3 parties of at most 4 players at any given time.
Each expedition will last no longer than 4 weeks real life time, at which point the characters must immediately return to town.
The discussion an gameplay portions of this thread are dedicated to “The Tavern” where characters and player can make parties, chat about adventures, and do a little characterization.
This recruitment thread will stay open for the foreseeable future, since player may leave, take breaks, or disappear. I will “bump” this thread any time there is an opening.
Each player may have 1 active character at a time.
If a character dies, the player may introduce a new character back in town at ½ the dead character’s level. If a character retires, no gear may be transferred to a new character.
I will set up an obsidian portal wiki to allow players to contribute to the knowledge base. Of course, all knowledge may not be accurate, but I will keep a close watch for trolls spreading malicious lies.
I will never write or edit any game summaries or maps. That must be done by the characters.
The Characters
15 point build
Level 1
Paizo content only
No guns
No traits
Average gold
Max hp 1st level, roll for the rest
Fast experience progression (with mondo-huge bonuses for being the first to discover something)
In order to submit a character, get your alias game-ready. It’s that simple. If you want backstory, do it. If not, just a personality will be enough.
I am very certain that more things will come up soon. Feel free to post questions or comments in the thread, in addition to signing up.
Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I’m a GM looking to start a play by post game. I’m new to PbP, and relatively green at GMing in general, mostly due to a lack of interested friends. I’ve heard good things about this so-called “internet,” and I’d like to try a game on it.
This isn’t like a normal recruitment thread where I post up the adventure premise and rules and accept submissions. I legitimately have no idea what the adventure will be about, and the crunch(numerical) parts of characters are later steps. Here’s the plan:
1. The general setting is canon Andoran in Golarion.
2. The adventures will be crafted according to players’ friends, foes, and goals.
3. That’s actually about it. Everything else will be worked out from there.
So, this is your chance to get your character some personal action. I really, really, don’t have any idea for an adventure on purpose so that I can tailor the party’s adventures to the party’s goals. My job is to make this fun for you. The first party goal will be a pre-determined team goal that essentially serves as a jumping-off point and character prompt. You can give your character whatever goals he wants within the boundaries as long as you can give him a reason to want to complete the first goal.
Team Goal: A small band of raiders is trying to sneak a shipment of slaves from Isger to Cheliax, and is known to have picked up some Andoren stragglers along the way. Your party has encountered the slavers on the road just south of Piren’s Bluff. You have to free the slaves!
When submitting characters, here is what I am looking for:
1. Class/profession
This is what you character does. His/her job, trade, livelihood, etc.
2. Rough outline/description
This is who your character is. His/her nature, soul, persona, etc. As a note, your character must be likeable. No dark, gruff loners, psychopathic munchkins, or kleptomaniacs. He/she has to be able to function as a member of a team. In crunch terms, this basically eliminates evil alignments and strongly suggests good ones only.
3. Rights and wrongs
These are the polarizing issues that you character cares about. What does he/she fight for? Against? Where does he/she draw the line on killing, lying, stealing, etc? Each character must have “slavery” as a wrong, just so that they all have a reason to work together.
4. Backstory
Keep in mind the rights, wrongs, friends, foes, and goals as you work on your character’s story. Try to give a decent rationale for most of them.
5. Friends and foes (and woes)
Two of each. Friends can be family, mentors, informants, patrons, etc. and foes can be family, rivals, authorities, traitors, etc.
BONUS! A woe – a problem afflicting the player serious to merit conflict with a foe – will make for a vastly more enjoyable roleplaying experience.
6. Goals
What does you character want to do? 3 Short goals, 1-2 medium, 1 long goal. Short goals are things that could potentially be completed in a standard session or two, medium goals would be more of an adventure scale, and long goals are crazy, over-the-top campaign scale goals.
7. Quirks and mannerisms
Easy. A one-word descriptor of temperament, a mannerism, and a role-playable (fluff) weakness.
8. Crunch
The character sheet. Level 1, 25 point buy, max HP first level, HUMANS ONLY, any class within reason, no archetypes, no traits.
Why only humans?:
Now, the reason I do humans only is this: when we roleplay an elf, for example, what is he? A smart, soft human who shoots bows and likes trees. Non-human races are whole new species, and I haven’t seen a convincing treatment of that in a roleplaying game yet. Basically, other races are just treated like humans wearing funny hats, when, in reality; an elf is no more human than a bear or an armadillo. Think about how an elf would legitimately view humans: slow-witted narcoleptic klutzes with poor impulse control, bad hygiene, and a biological inability to use an appropriate indoor voice. Other races should convey that. I will try hard to get that point across during play, but I’m not immune to the standard treatment. That said, if you really, really think you can handle it, play another race. Just be aware that I will need to be impressed.
9. Starting equipment
You equipment will be extremely minimal to start. We’re talking a dirt cheap weapon and maybe some armor. No special gear or fancy weapons. Of course, items necessary to your class are available to you, although it could be interesting for a wizard to start without a spellbook…The idea is that your characters are talented, but un-established. The stats are high, the gear is low. That way, it’s exciting when you get your first good sword.
Here’s an example character, abbreviated for abbreviation’s sake:
Roscoe:
Roscoe
1. Ranger (forest guide for travelers)
2. Roscoe is a hard-working man with a sharp mind. He likes to help folks with his physical talents and his intellectual ones. He is at home in the woods, and enjoys teaching his skills to others so that they might come to appreciate it, too. He is always collecting information about almost every subject, and is more than willing to spout off any number of helpful facts about a given subject.
3. Roscoe values learning and teaching. He has a respect for nature as a tool, not to be misused or ignored. He is passionate for justice and fairness. People should get what they deserve, good or bad. However, everyone should have the freedom to live his life in the way he sees fit as long as it does not harm others. Therefore, Roscoe hates corruption and slavery.
4. Roscoe was born somewhere, and he did some stuff with his brother. Later he got into a scuffle with the local bully, but he was assisted by Jethro, the smelly kid. When he first began his job as a toll collector, he ran afoul of the Rude Crew when he refused to let them pass with slaves in tow. In the ensuing fight, the Rude Crew got away, capturing Jethro. Unfortunately, now Roscoe has a price on his head in slaver circles.
He heard through the grapevine that a band of slavers was passing through bearing the Rude Crew symbol, so he’s going to see if he can gather any information on Jethro.
5. Brother – family
Jethro – ally
Bully – rival
Rude Crew – feuder – bounty on head
6. Short goals:
Get a better bow than the cheap shortbow I have now
Take down some Rude Crew
Find out which way Roscoe was taken
Medium goals:
Save Jethro
Close slave route through Andoran
Long goals:
Abolish slavery
7. Charismatic, always snacking, diabetic (gets really weak if he doesn’t eat often)
8. You know – a character sheet.
9. Dumpy shortbow (-1 damage), fur armor, 25gp, 3 trail rations, snacks
I will be interacting with folks who post solid character concepts to help further define or clarify their characters, and I will accept a character into the game as soon as he/she is ready and approved. This means that you can make your character more appealing by going for synergy with already selected characters. This also means that, as long as you are cooperative, I am operating on a first come, first serve basis.
I’m really pumped about this game, and I hope that I can garner some interest. I know that the character submission process seems like a bear, but realize that it’s for your own good. This way, I can know that my adventures will appeal to your characters instead of you hoping that your character fit with my adventure.
As a final remark, don’t be intimidated by the requirements, even if you are brand spanking new to roleplaying. Post with a good start, and I’ll help you grow it (first come, first serve). I really want this game to be about you, the player, so if there’s something I can do to help you enjoy this more, tell me. In fact, I'm probably a little partial to new players, so this is great chance to test the waters. If you decide you don't like it, I'm sure we can slip you out and integrate someone else. To the old veterans around here: please give it a few minutes before you post to let the new kids play.I’ll be online for a few hours this evening, and then more later tonight.
Thanks,
Jacob
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