GM Plastic Dragon's page

Everything and everyone is good, and I truly appreciate the comments.
It was an entirely too busy week, one of those wtf is going on? kinda things.

And yes, I did under-estimate the time involved in launching this, especially with the mash-up I'm planning. So there's that. I've run games before, tabletop, but it's much different for this.

I am slightly postponing the start of the game, but just to get my bearings, but not indefinitely. I'll take a day or so, and then give you guys a timeframe. At the moment, I'd say two weeks. I'll update if needed.

Thanks for being understanding.

I know, I know. * sheepish grin *
You were correct, and Real Life did indeed swallow me up over the last three days, Adam.

Sunday was my daughter's 16th birthday.

Sunday night into Monday we all got sick with headcolds. (Me too) Doctor appointment was necessary for my youngest.

Also yesterday we discovered my beagle had injured her paw on the bottom of our fence while chasing a squirrel, and tore a quarter-sized chuck out of the top.

A vet visit was required to the Animal Hospital today. (Only place we could get in)

Altogether, not fun.

My apologies. Life happens...this time, too quickly. lol

I'll have a post up tomorrow, guys to open the Game thread. I appreciate your patience.

The deadline has indeed passed. I'll be going over the characters and announcing the party members tomorrow. (Mon. 10/2) Today's my daughter's 16th birthday, and I'll be occuppied for most of it.

Here's my understanding of those still wanting to play:

The Applicants:
AdamWarnock: Ping Ibbleting Female Gnome Sorcerer

Djack Nymball: Kaliban the Mishappen Male Half-Orc Rogue

Phillip Gaston: Chestman Barrelhouse Male Dwarf Fighter

Critzible: Dagny Lyght Female Human Cleric of Sarenrae

Trawets71: Laurel Treekeeper Male Elf Fighter

Andostre: Lanliss Endarro Male Elf Cleric of Desna

Aldizog: Dandelion of EaglesHead Male Dwarf Bard

Black Dow: Torvaa Highmettle Female Dwarf Paladin

If I've gotten something wrong, please let me know and I'll adjust it.

Starting Premise:
The party will be traveling with a caravan of wagons that are delivering pots, pans, mead, ale, and pickled fish to taverns along the road, with the final stop being in a town called Belhaim.

You've been traveling for almost two weeks, having made three stops already, with two to go. One in Oakhurst, and another in Belahim. Each of you is making 50 gp each for this run, (10 gp per stop) and have recieved 30 gp already.

BIG NEWS EDIT:
Ok, after a cursory glance at the very cool characters, I'm going to try something. There are currently 8 of you. I planned to take 6 characters. I've decided to have everyone play along until the group gets to Belhaim. (Probably a few weeks of play in real time). At that point, if things are working well, everyone stays. If not, players will have the option of leaving the story, or if it's too much for me and necessary, I'll trim two characters. My goal will be to keep everyone.

Does that seem fair to you guys?

As for you, Jacob Trier, would you be interested in NPCing as the lead caravan wagon driver, and owner of transport service? He'd mostly stay with the wagons and all that, unless the wagons themselves come under attack. At the moment, he's a blank slate, non-adventurering NPC. Have fun with it. (If you're not interested, no worries. I'll cook something up.)

So, all of you are invited to DOT in on the Gameplay thread (once it's up tomorrow) and then delete it, to add your character to the Game. (You guys known the drill)

Feel free to keep offering opinions, but after seeing the current responses, I think I'm probably gonna pull up my big-boy pants and do the mash-up.

It'll be less word-for-word adventures and more customized storyline, tailored to the characters and whatever you guys bring to it.

Feel free to change character submissions if you want. (Not encouraging it, just allowing it. I like who you guys have submitted currently, but to be fair, this one DOES include a Dragon. Might change someone's mind...)

* Reads through the entire thread, blinks, feeling quite awkward, like when one watches grandparents from different sides of the family bicker over politics at Thanksgiving *

I think something is being missed here by Dejoker. I could be wrong, I suppose. But having a contest (I'm not bothering to do all the upsizing and bold letters...seems exhausting) for a game, so long as it's noted in the initial advertisement, is in no way disrespect. It's understood that potential players are offering ideas of what they'd like to play to see if it would mesh with the game the GM wants to run.

It's only if people are allowed to submit characters while expecting to be included, and then they are turned away, would I say disrespect is involved.

I'm not picking a fight with anyone. Just my two cents.

Ok. Conversation time.
Behind the scenes, something has changed and I wanted to discuss it with you guys. Nothing bad, and quite possibly, something good.

Here's the thing: I recently came into possession of the Pathfinder adventure "The Dragon's Demand" and I am really excited by the idea of running a single adventure from 1st to 7th level. And it's not an AP. It's one adventure.

That said, I advertised for "The Sunless Citadel", which I've run before (tabletop with friends), and all of you expressed interest to play it...with good reason. It's quite fun and even unique. Well worth playing.

Which leaves me with three choices:

1) I run Sunless Citadel as-is. Easy Peasy.
Whenever it ends (because I don't have the bandwith to run two games at the same time) I run Dragon's Demand, initiating a new recruitment. (Citadel ends around 3rd level, give or take. Demand is 1st to 7th and I'd rather not adjust it by 3 levels...not sure I'm up for it. lol ) It would mean that any characters in Sunless Citadel wouldn't be eligible for Dragon's Demand, and I'd hate to have anyone feel their time was wasted.

2) I run The Dragon's Demand instead. Also Easy Peasy.

3) I blend the two, starting with part of Sunless Citadel and mash it into the begining of Dragon's Demand, and build a mini campaign world out of it. I've already got ideas, and there are some surprising hooks in each that make this feasible.

So here's where I am, and I'd appreciate your feedback, guys.
I'm seriously not trying to do a bait and switch on you. I've been advised by several people (some of you, even), that pretty much ALL of you are worthwhile players and you bring a lot to any game you play in. I don't want to shortchange you in any way.

I'd like to know which way each of you prefer, and if it would change your mind about playing. (This also goes for ANYONE who's previously backed out.)

IF we change to either option 2 or 3, everyone would have the option of changing submissions if they like, if that makes a difference to anyone.

So that's it.
Not being wishy-washy. I'm honestly good with any of the three options. What do you think?

~ PD

Wow GM Plastic Dragon I seemed to have missed the invitation. I just happened to check this thread out and saw that Robert Henry had posted my name as having been invited.

When did the invites go out?

Also if you have, since its been while since you started, filled the spot I will understand otherwise I can get something put together fairly quickly, especially if you have a solid idea of what you might need to help the game the most. So let me know GM Plastic Dragon how things stands. I will read back through the posts to see what is what but wanted to put this out there just in case.

Yours, on Sun. SEPT 17th, check your messages, DeJ. I told you there you were welcome to play, but I understood your aversion to "contests", and that I would be choosing 6 characters out of the applications. You're still welcome to apply, since you mentioned interest then, along with your advice.

Cheers!

Oh, and deadline for submissions will be 9 pm EST on September 30th.

Unless we hear from everyone before that. Only missing one at the moment.

Just like with RH, it's a shame to see you go, but I completely understand.

-----

So, the following applicants are still interested, yes?

Finished charcters
AdamWarnock: Ping Ibbleting Female Gnome Sorcerer

Djack Nymball: Kaliban the Mishappen Male Half-Orc Rogue

Phillip Gaston: Chestman Barrelhouse Male Dwarf Fighter

Critzible: Dagny Lyght Female Human Cleric of Sarenrae

Andostre: Lanliss Endarro Male Elf Cleric of Desna

Jacob Trier: Balthazar the Blind Male Human Wizard (diviner)

Aldizog: Dandelion of EaglesHead Male Dwarf Bard

Black Dow: Torvaa Highmettle Female Dwarf Paladin

And, Trawets, are you still with us?

Just like with RH, it's a shame to see you go, but I completely understand.

Hey GM Plastic Dragon, you've got several great characters placed by several great gamers, I think you'll be really pleased with whoever you select. Let me make it a little easier on you, I've gotten in the three other games I was applying to, which puts me at fifteen games. I'm going to drop out of this recruitment and make room for one of the other worthy applicants.

I wish you all good luck and good gaming, I'll try to be reading along :)

Sincerely sorry to see you go, RH, but 15 games?? I TOTALLY understand.

Definitely liking what I'm seeing, folks. This is gonna be fun.
...except for having to whittle the numbers down a bit. :(

Keep up the good work, in any event.

Nah, I'll stick to my 20-pt Rogue.

Those rolls are a bit OP.

But fairly rolled. Those kinds of rolls are rare, and fun. I see no issue. Keep in mind, at this point, baddies' difficulty ratings are on a sliding scale as far as I'm concerned.

That said, handle it as you see fit and feel comfortable.

I'm cool with you guys buying kits.

I'd allow a couple of rerolls, so long as the average remains under 13. Keep in mind, you can always just go with a 20 pt build, if you have a specific idea you're aiming for. I'm reasonable. :D

Speaking of which, I tweaked my back yesterday bending over to pick up a pen that had rolled off my desk.

You have my sympathies.

Okay, I will attempt a set of rolls.

Now, I could choose to reroll, but only once? So that if I get a worse set of rolls I am stuck with them? I think I will use point buy.

The average of 13 rule would still apply. You could roll again. I'm fine with you going with the 20 pt build, as well. Your choice.

* facepalm *

Yeah, PF1 Core. Obviously I should have gotten coffee before posting anything this morning. LOL

I like it!

Familiar's Eyes Feat Just something to consider, possibly for the future.
(Yes, I know it's for the Witch class, but I could probably make an exception for a cool story thing like this.)

Thank you for running this and for the invitation, GM Plastic Dragon.

Lets roll and see what happens:

4d6 = 14
4d6 = 14
4d6 = 12
4d6 = 17
4d6 = 4 (!!)
4d6 = 11

Okaaaay…overall very balanced stats, but that 4 really does make things tricky. With racial adjustments, it could be bumped up to a 6, which is still not great, especially since I’m not a fan of dump stats.

I’d be fine with dropping some of the other rolls a bit to raise the 4, but if I mess around too much, I might as well do the 20 point buy (which is fine).

GM, what do you think?

So, I'm sorry to say that this time I have to be the bearer of bad news. Not THAT bad, but...the rolls overall average a 12. You can reroll, keep em, or go 20pt build. Sorry, no other options for shifting stat scores beyond racial bonuses and whatnot.

Personally, I'd either use my racial bonus to make it a 6, and have a cool rp'ing disability, or go 20 pt buy. Though if you're a gambling man, you can reroll. Up to you.

No worries, Androste. Fair rolls, and I offered the reroll rule.

And there's always the chance of an all 18 stat character when there are dice involved. Right?

If you guys end up being too OP, I'll simply adjust your opponents. ;)

Tone: Heroic and Fun, guided by the characters submitted. Basically, not as silly as the latest D&D movie (which I enjoyed), but humor is encouraged. Adventurous and challenging, dark moments, and all throughout, memorable.

Character Backstories will all matter on some level, especially if we all have fun and continue past this adventure to...more.

Think of the best tabletop campaign you played with friends in-person. THAT'S the feel I'm shooting for. I may not succeed, but by God, I'm gonna try.

* Looks around at everyone who's got two submissions turned in and feels the awkward peer pressure that he resists, but yearns to surrender to. *
"You know you want to..."
"Everybody's doing it."
*Years later, he knows he'll be seated in a circle of fellow addicts.*
"Hi. My name is Plastc Dragon. And I have alt-itis."
Everyone there, "Hi, Dragonnn..."

Can't say Im I'm happy to see you go. Have fun.Cya around the boards, OSW.

"GM Plastic Dragon wrote:
I saw a rule that allows a reroll if your stats don't average 13. Seems fair. We'll go with that. Or you can do a straight 20 pt. Build."

:)

I hope you stay, but I'd definitely understand, RH.

Lets roll and see what I get first.

[Dice=stat]4d614
[Dice=stat]4d615
[Dice=stat]4d610
[Dice=stat]4d611
[Dice=stat]4d68
[Dice=Stat]4d612

Hmmm I think Ill go the 20 pt buy.

My idea is a cleric of Wee Jas. A noble born woman whose mother rold her to see the world. Especially before her arranged marriage.

If Wee Jas inst an option I have an idea for Serenrea

Wee Jas is acceptable so long as you remember, no Evil characters. :)

Thanks for the invite!

A mighty 5-point buy!

Hmm, too bad you're not allowing Kobolds or goblins. :P

A Gnome Sorcerer could work.

GM Plastic Dragon wrote:
I saw a rule that allows a reroll if your stats don't average 13. Seems fair. We'll go with that. Or you can do a straight 20 pt. Build.

Just making sure you saw this too, Adam.

Oh, and deadline for submissions will be 9 pm EST on September 30th.

Another question - I think Core does not allow for any FCB apart from either +1HP or +1skill point. Correct?

Correct.

Thanks for the invite! Happy gaming everyone!

[dice=]4d6 15
[dice=]4d6 13
[dice=]4d6 6
[dice=]4d6 7
[dice=]4d6 11
[dice=]4d6 8

Happier than me, I mean!

That might be a -1 Point Buy!

I saw a rule that allows a reroll if your stats don't average 13. Seems fair. We'll go with that. Or you can do a straight 20 pt. Build.

@GM Plastic Dragon: Any plans on using Background skills?

I knew I was forgetting something. Yes, we'll be using Background skills. I like how they give a feeling of depth to characters.

I apologize for any inconvience or irritation, but this is an INVITATION only game, based on an Interest Check I posted some time ago, and applications are only open to the players I contacted there.

A LONG TIME AGO IN A KINGDOM FAR, FAR AWAY
* Cue the Soundrack Music! *

Episode One:
The Sunless Citadel

It is a period of quiet unrest in between all too many civil wars.

Eldritch Knights, daring maidens, dashing scoundrels, heroic adventures, and righteous quests...These were once the legacies of old Taldor, a formerly-proud empire that has since fallen from its former glory.

Now rival nobles battle each other with bitter knights and proxy armies for personal power rather than honor. The Eldritch Legion that once fought for peace and justice is a lost and broken order. Taldor’s former region-states, now kingdoms of their very own, look down upon her with contempt. A fragile, smoldering truce with Qadira once again threatens to ignite the flames of war.

All this while worried rumors filter through the streets that dark cultists in Qadira, the Dark Jewel of the East, are creating a an airborne armada and a massive flying fortress with the firepower to destroy whole cities in its wake.

Meanwhile, far from the noble houses and stature of Oppara, the capital of Taldor, there are people living simple lives, far from the pain and fury of War. These common folk, going about their day to day lives, or who perhaps seek to remain out of sight of the local authorities, may soon find themselves thrust into the spotlight of history…

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

Evil Grows Beneath The Earth

Why should anyone travel the cracked cobblestones of the Old Road? The fortress that once cast its shadow across the road does so no longer. Some whisper that the earth swallowed the dwarven fortress whole in retribution for foul rituals performed there.. Four brave adventurers resolved to discover the truth and find their fortunes set off down the Old Road weeks ago, but they never returned…Their townsfolk are worried. Will you answer the call?

The Requirements Will be:
Build: 20 point buy system OR 4d6, drop the lowest, for six stats.

RulesCore rulebook ONLY. Nothing "Unchained". No Elephant in the Room.

TraitEach character will be allowed (1) Trait. AP Traits will be considered on a case to case basis, but NOT automatically allowed. No Flaws.

Hit Points: Max at 1st, Rolled thereafter, minimum ½ HD per level.

Funds: Average starting gold for class

Posting Rate Post Daily if possible, min.5 posts per/week. Communicate if there will be absences if necessary. Life Happens.

The Party: 6 characters based on background and fit. Any characters not chosen will be first in line should other characters leave, and possibly offered NPC roles as the game progresses.

Alignments No evil. It’s up the the Players to explain why characters are staying.

Dieties: I will allow either Greyhawk or Golarion dieties for this game.

………………………………

Well said. :D

My comments were not intended as anything other than a clarification of my thinking process on the matter of choosing characters for my game, based on a few heated conversations I have seen as of late, which I do not intend to rehash here.

Nothing was intended as a jab at anyone, and if I somehow ruffled any feathers, my apologies. I hope that is not the case.

Using Golarion, though likely in a rather remote area.

I've been doing some thinking, and I've decided that I'm going to close the recruitment, at least for now, going with the following people who've shown interest:

1. Albion, the Eye
2. Andostre
3. Phillip Gaston
4. Dorian 'Grey'
5. Jacob Trier
6. Trawets71
7. Oceanshieldwolf
8. Robert Henry
9. Aldizog
10. DeJoker
11. Djack Nymball
12. Critzible
13. Black Dow

The recruitment for my game will start as closed, save for the 13 people listed above. I'll give all of you first crack at joining this adventure before considering anyone else.

Now in a perfect world, 'd like to keep everyone who applies, but I know my own limits. The most players I ever dm'd, waaay back in my college days, was 9, and that was simply too many. Even more? I'd likely burnout. However, I do want to respect the work people put into applying to a game, and so I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do yet. I know this has been a hot topic around here as of late, and I figured I'd address it head on.

I may go with as many as 7 characters. Or, if I somehow stand on my toilet to hang a picture and then slip and fall and hit my head and go a little crazy...RATHER than invent a flux capacitor.... I might instead change up the adventure completely so that it (or whatever I run then) will require more than one group doing different things at the same time. (i.e. Keep on the Borderlands, but characters splitting up to deal with multiple problems simultaneously.)

That last option is rather unlikely, but I'm brainstorming here. That said, YOU guys are the only people I'm allowing to apply at this point. I'll be Messaging this very post to all of you so no one's left out, and posting the Build details in a day or two.

Feel free to Message me with concerns and whatnot.

~ PD

Welcome, one and all! Glad you could join us.
Real recruitment post coming soon.

I'll probably have the recruitment thread up by the end of the week.

GM Plastic Dragon wrote:

Some of those are pretty powerful, so i won't blanket-approve all the AP Traits, but I'll consider them on a case by case basis.

Makes perfect sense, the one I'd want is Trap finder Again, so my switch hitting half elf ranger could also cover traps. If you think it's too powerful what if he gave up his animal companion or spells? Hmmmm worst case I guess he could multiclass.

I'm not sure I'll put the ranger forwards, but if we needed a trap expert, that would be my first choice. If not the ranger, I'm leaning towards Ivar My Favorite Barbarian who needs to finish his story. Or maybe (if the ranger didn't work out) a halfling rogue.

If your heart's set on a Ranger, I could meet you halfway with: Vagabond Child.

...though halfling rogues never get enough love. LOL Not nudging, just commenting.

4d6, then drop the lowest result.
OR
20 pt buy

Some of those are pretty powerful, so i won't blanket-approve all the AP Traits, but I'll consider them on a case by case basis.

Just for clarification and bookkeeping, I'll be changing my submission-under-construction to play a Rogue.

Should be done tomorrow.

So, any thoughts on archetypes, I know they're not core, but it can't hurt to ask, right?

Can't hurt, sure.

GM Plastic Dragon wrote:

So long as the classes are CORE compatible? Sure. Keep in mind, you can only have one class per character level. No half and half versions that I've seen homebrewed.

Half and half versions? I have absolutely no idea what you might mean by that, and took absolutely no part in any shenanigans to create such. Over a dozen threads, thousands of emails and a bunch of years. None whatsoever. Balderdash.

Core with a teensy widdle trait sounds at the Sunless Citadel sounds good. I’ll await official recruitment.

* Laughs *

Yeah, no shenanigans. Build is mechanically pretty straightforward. Just a traveled, relative knowledgeable guy who can swing a weapon, and barks ‘inspiring’ orders at others.

Core means no traits, right?

It does.

I won't be doing Elephant in the Room for Feats, however. It's better, yes, but nowhere near CORE-like.

So long as the classes are CORE compatible? Sure. Keep in mind, you can only have one class per character level. No half and half versions that I've seen homebrewed.

No worries, Mr. Henry. :) I'm a sucker for reunions.

Ok, so after doing some reading of both adventures, I think that when I start this, we'll begin with Sunless Citadel, THEN if there's still interest, into the Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands.

I have an idea to tie the Sunless/Shadowed locations together with an overarching story. There's some definite similarities that could make this work, methinks.

I would run Crypt, then see if I (and the group) wanted to keep going at that point, before committing to an even longer AP.

{snip} Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands is what I meant...

Understood. Likewise, I'd only be commiting to Sunless Citadel, not the entire series of modules. But I digress...

Hey GM PD welcome back! You know we're interested :)

Thanks, RH. Happy to be back. :D

Nominally interested.

@GM Plastic Dragon - how will you be handling maps/combat?

Probably with GoogleMaps...though to be honest I'll have to figure out how to set it up.

******

Ok, now a stray and less than random thought...

Using the same understanding that it's all CORE, would you guys rather play
Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands as described above
OR
a PF1 version of
The Sunless Citadel with the intention of running all the 3.0 D&D modules it's linked to as sort of an AP?

This is just an interest check, so I figured why not ask this too?

Interested!

@GM Plastic Dragon: Is it more of a Sandbox, or railroad~y game? Or perhaps a mix?

A mix, from what I can tell.

"A ruined monument to folly and ego, the Shadowed Keep stands atop an isolated bluff deep in a mist‐wreathed forest. Sacked by marauding goblins decades ago the place was thought abandoned, but shadows now creep among the forest's great boles and footprints have appeared on the single, overgrown track leading to the keep. Travellers have begun to disappear with alarming regularity from the nearby road and the local folk fear some slumbering evil has claimed the ruin as its own."

"Dare you brave the terrors of the Shadowed Keep to crush that which lurks within or will darkness shroud the surrounding lands?

What is it? Raging Swan Press's 1st Edition Pathfinder adventure for first level characters. An homage, but not reboot, to the classic Keep on the Borderlands.

What is this? This is me seeing if there's any interest in a classic-feel game for 4 - 6 characters built with the CORE rules. Core races, classes, and whatnot. Old school feel, I guess you could say. It's rookie adventurers doing what they do.

The setting Honestly not all that sure yet. Might be Golarion, might be Raging Swan Press's setting. Overall, it'll be set in some little mostly - unexplored region of wherever it is. Borderlands is literally in the title, right?

What this is NOT. An actual recruitment, because I'm simply not prepared...yet. But I will be. Just wanted to see if there's anyone likely to want to play.