Grayn's page

In a way, Wrath of the Righteous IS the high-level mythic playtest. It's a shame that it's also the final product, I guess.

I can't say I'm thrilled to know I paid to playtest this product.

I'm still going to continue to play Pathfinder, but there is a pretty good chance my money (and some of my time) is going to 5e for the rest of the year.

I've wanted to find a system to introduce my kids to the hobby. Pathfinder is just too rules heavy to properly keep an eight year-old and his friends engaged even to get through character creation (I found this true for some new players over eight, as well!). I've looked at 13th Age and Savage World, but D&D still has some name recognition at that age and should be a good platform to lead into other rpgs.

I also haven't been impressed with Paizo's response to the 5e release. Iron Gods AP, Advanced Classes and a super-dungeon (coupled with an "we're not worried, there's plenty of players for everyone" attitude) hasn't sold me.

As Izotu explains the images for us, Vogma scratches her head.

Vogma, please don't make assumptions of my PC's actions unless I (or the GM) ask you to do so. I prefer you wait until I post what he is doing and respond accordingly.

After the initial shock of nearly losing Vogma passes and Izotu helps the big half-orc out of the pit, he pulls out the wand from Jinara's pack.

You look like you might need a little more patching up! Izotu says with a smile.

CLW wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

The bard then takes the cloth and examines it intently.

Cast Detect Magic for three rounds and then spellcraft to identify.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Izotu Hyr quietly finishes his song. He briefly watches the dancing half-orc through the flames of the campfire and chuckles softly as he rolls over on his bedroll.

Izotu Hyr will sing of Vogma's ferocity like she was the fearsome bullete of the Whistling Plains. He responds and bows deeply.

Ho! Ho! Well met, Vogma! Hopefully blood shed will not be necessary. But, if it is, Izotu Hyr believes you would be a very good friend to have on our side. The old man smiles as he talks to the new arrival. Izotu Hyr agrees with you that we should return to sing of our victory.

"Izotu Hyr would be delighted to sing a song for you, Aryn Seavon. This one is from Izotu Hyr's home near a great river. It is a song about how the river runs to the mountains."

The human straightens to his full height of over six feet and then purposefully slumps his shoulders. He looks straight ahead without emotions and begins to sing in a deep, foreign dialect.

"Huuuuuuum BHUuuuuurrrr Masmuuuuurrrrr Humtum High Borgsum Shall duuuum sure...."

Gezzo pulls out his crossbow as Lryhla follows the group out of the building. He takes aim at the skeletons on the roof as the wolf heads for the tower door.

Attacks Skele A if he can see it when it gets into range while Lryhla moves to J8. Once in position, he looks around, drops his crossbow and pulls out his morningstar.

Ride: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Attack with -4 due to moving during attack: 1d20 + 4 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 - 4 + 1 = 5
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Perception to look around tower: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35

Well...Gezzo cant hit a barn with his crossbow, but he can at least see very clearly how bad of a shot he is.

My wife gave birth to our beautiful baby girl yesterday. I have WiFi at the hospital and can post from my phone when its quiet. But, I may be sporadic with posting for the next few days. If I'm absent for too long please NPC Gezzo to move things along.

So, I'm trying to open up the NPCs backstories for my players. We made it through one session and they are camped out at Millron's cavern, after driving him off. Anevia and Aravashnial have been made Helpful, while Horgus was driven off Hostile due to a successful Intimidation check to help clean the temple (oh, those silly players ;P).

I'm still playing Anevia a bit closed mouth. Even though she is helpful and friendly, I don't feel she would be revealing everything to these strangers after only a few hours. She keeps things vague by saying things like "I am worried about my wife." or "I need to get home."; leaving out details like her wife's name or that she is a player with the Eagle Watch at this point.

The sticky part comes with Aravashnial's relationship with Avenia. His descript reads:

Aravashnial recognizes Anevia by sight only

Aravashnial and Anevia are pretty friendly with each other, since he doesn't know who she is (being blind and she's hasn't said who her wife is). Now that they are at a point to casually talk, I plan to open up more of the character's stories which is going to potentially send the two into unfriendly ground with each other.

Okay, this has been a long ramble and, as I write it, it seems I'm answering my own questions. I suspect even if the one of the two become "curt and terse", that could lead to more avenues for players to explore.

How, precisely, does one manage to not be "in-your-face?" What would you have done differently? You suggest making the character in question a lesbian as opposed to a transgendered individual. Fine, that appeals to the L and G of LBGT. But clearly Paizo is also making an effort to reach out to transgendered people. Are these somehow less safe than gay people? More icky? More in-your-face? Because that would be a problem with your perception, not on the presentation of the character.

For starters, the community can ease off the aggression. Not everyone that raises a question or has a difference of opinion is a bigot, homophobe or enemy; in some cases they may be trying to help.

And no, transgender people are not "icky". I don't know if you've read the module, but I'll leave it at the character covers a lot of ground...enough for two characters. That is the issue.

I want to know why it's only "remotely critical" or "in the best of interest" to act like having a canon transgender protagonist in a loving same-sex relationship in a published adventure is a problem or "forced." Further, nobody ever seriously argues that inclusion of characters belonging to the majority is "forced," so those arguments when applied to minority characters are, very likely, animus-based. Erasure hurts real people.

To be honest, Kittyburger, in my opinion, in this day and age, a same-sex relationship (or trans relationship) would do little more than raise an eyebrow in most people (and hopefully it will do even less then that in the future).

But, when you take a main character and try to apply every possible minority characteristic within that person for the purpose of attempting to teach a lesson to the reader, I call foul. I would prefer the storytelling drive the character's background, not the plan described by the staff.

Let the story (and its characters) stand on their own. Leave the social commentary for another time.

/sigh

From Websters, second definition:

2. an underlying often ideological plan or program

If you cant see Mr. Spicer (as well as other Paizo staff) is outlining a plan for present and future products, I don't know what to do. And this isn't necessarily bad.

Look, I'm not bashing or hating or anything of the sort. I just feel that this particular character seems stretched thin. And that seems to be because the agenda (as detailed in Mr. Spicer's description of Paizo's intentional plan) was put before the story.

The knee-jerk reaction to attack anyone that says anything even remotely critical of the LBGT community (even when in the best of interest) is as just as divisive as actual hate directed at the community.