Masdok's page

I found a GM who has played and run Rise of the Runelords before. He has run RotR and Strange Aeons to completion in PbP so I'm optimistic this will work out well.

He prefers to run APs on a private server so he can have full control over channel configuration (I do the same thing for my own run of Rise of the Runelords and Age of Ashes, it has a lot of benefits.

I'm sending all of you the Discord invite link.

Alright, let's give Discord a shot. I'll see what I can do about digging up a GM. Once I've found one I'll let you know what server you need to join.

Grulyn replied to my PM and is also interested.

I think you're forgetting whom joined whose table, haha.

Well that makes at least four of us. Should we make a post in the Flaxseed lodge?

Alternatively, would y'all be interested in moving the game to play by post on a discord server? There are several play by post lodges on discord servers, and I know several GMs on them that have run RotR before; maybe they'd be willing to run it again for us. I personally prefer play by post on discord; the syntax is more lightweight, you can get notifications, the games tend to run a little faster, you have more control over your art, etc

Yeah, I think so.

Just dropping in to say that if/when bluedove is able to return I believe I will also be ready to return.

No rush, though, bluedove. We'll be here whenever you feel up to it again.

After some consideration I have decided I need to take an indefinite hiatus from nearly all of my games. Please continue without me. If that means there is not a spot for me when I return, I will understand. You can bot me or just remove me from scenes as you see fit; whatever is best for the party. If my PC dies due to botting decisions I will not be too aggrieved.

My energy levels are just too low and my burnout and disinterest is just too high. I need to be able to focus on taking care of myself without pressure from myself to return to my games. Things will probably get better once I get into a habit of regular exercise, which could be as soon as a few weeks from now.

Don't worry about me, though. I am doing okay. I live with my wife and 3 kids and that helps keep me from being totally dejected. Taking care of them, spending time with them, etc. Continues to bring a lot of meaning and purpose to me life. I also talk to a therapist every two weeks and have some other friends I keep in touch with.

Merry Christmas, etc.!

I'm still really burnt out. I'm hoping it will pass, but this is still less important to me than getting some other things in my life sorted (hopefully those things will make play by post easier for me also).

Sorry for my extended, unexcused, unexplained absence. I have been feeling burnt out. But not specifically on my games; feeling burnt out on pretty much all of my normal routines. I'm taking steps to snap out of it over the next few days and I hope to resume posting soon.

So much talking Masdok thinks to himself. Arcallius's comment earns a grunt. "Not much to share " he mutters.

"I stab things." Masdok says simply.

"I'll come with you when you talk to him, if I can. " Masdok offers to Ameiko

---

Masdok eyes the newcomers uncertainly. He shrugs "Seems fine "

Masdok wrote:

Masdok scratches his chin in perplexity. "Doesn't change what I said. The man betrayed you just as much as he did Sandpoint. I don't see how the tri--er, town can hold that against you."

"Maybe they won't, but I will. I always thought I was a good judge of character, that I should be able to look someone in the eyes and know a monster when it's looking back at me. I guess I was wrong. Maybe we never really know what someone is capable of. Well, I'm tired of feeling helpless. I'm going to get some answers out of that bastard brother of mine if it's the last thing I do!" She gets out of bed, wobbling in disorientation and starts to ready herself to go to the jail.

"Ameiko!" Masdok stands up and puts his arms out to try to stop her; he puts a hand on each of her shoulders. "He'll be there tomorrow. You need to rest." he says, looking earnestly into her eyes.

In the back of his mind, he wonders what's gotten into himself.

Do we want to sell the longsword just yet? Maybe one of us should use it?

---

Most groups I am in don't count stuff you take from the loot pile against you when it comes to dividing the loot and I prefer that. It evens out in the end, and is usually better for the party for PCs to have the stuff that is useful for them. It is also simpler. The downside of not doing it the way you propose is that I have to weigh my personal wants against the needs of the party. It is probably better for the party for me to have +1 AC, but I was nowhere near even thinking about buying a ring of protection for myself; if I have to "spend" 2k of my share of the loot to keep the ring, I will probably pass on it to get a magic weapon sooner. That means Grulyn takes it (and delays being able to afford the gear he wants) or the party splits the profits (but the frontline is weaker).

The longsword presents a similar problem: someone in the party should have a magic weapon in case we need it in an encounter, but Masdok certainly won't give up 2330gp of his share for what is, to him, a niche backup weapon.

If we don't go the party wealth route I would prefer that any docking of my share is based on the sale value and not the purchase value. The sale value is what I'm depriving the others of, not the purchase value.

Finished leveling up to 3. I can't remember if the dodge bonus from dodge applies to CMD? I have always assumed that deflection bonuses do.

Since I use a shield, I think Masdok should get the ring +1 and he should get a potion of cure mod, the MW thieves' tools, if he does not have a set already.

This works for me. Look like the tools are claimed but that's fine; Masdok doesn't know how to use them.

He will also keep the Masterwork ranseur until he finds a better weapon.

Masdok is a Shoanti that abandoned his tribe to be a mercenary of sorts. He's been tangled up in organized crime for a while now. I don't think that fits with anyone else's backstory.

shakes her head sadly, "No, you don't understand. I helped him. I've been helping him since he came back to Sandpoint. He told me he'd met someone, I thought he needed money because he wanted to marry her and go somewhere they could be happy. I told him things about this town. About the Glassworks. He used me to hurt all those people. How can I ever face my neighbors again?"

Masdok scratches his chin in perplexity. "Doesn't change what I said. The man betrayed you just as much as he did Sandpoint. I don't see how the tri--er, town can hold that against you."

@talia: yeah, it happened here https://paizo.com/campaigns/v5748p75ivkdk/gameplay&page=7#329

@simflay: congratulations!

Most of my other PCs would be much wiser and have much better things to say here... Let's see what Masdok can come up with.

Masdok seems uncomfortable and uncertain in this situation. He had never dealt much with emotions, always stuffing his own down.

Finally he gets up and brings Ameiko a blanket. "I don't understand how any of this is your fault. Tsuto is his own man." he says quietly after gently draping the blanket over Ameiko, somehow willing himself to overcome his baser instincts and not add any pressure where his hands brush the woman, or make any other advances.

Masdok actually *could* do traps and stuff. It is just not a part of his background at all. He's more like a sneaky, woodsy fighter.

I could have him discover that he's a bit of a gear head and start giving him ranks in disable device if the party needs that. Can't remember if any of the other new PCs have it,

Masdok doesn't add much to Simflay's outburst. "Yeah, Nualia is the name."

Masdok asks about Ameiko and learns she is resting in her rooms at The Rusty Dragon with Bethana Corwin watching over her. His soft knock is answered with a call to enter. Ameiko is resting in bed and has clearly been healed again since you saw her last, but still bears a nasty black-eye and split lip among other cuts and bruises. But worse than that, her face is pale and wan with a bleak look in her eye and a hundred yard stare focused somewhere beyond this room.

The grandmotherly halfling woman was trying to coax her to take soup, but she puts the bowl down on the nightstand and rises to meet you. ”Thank you so much for going after her. I can’t bear to think what might have happened if I hadn’t gone to you when I did! We just can’t lose our Mis… I mean, the Lady Ameiko.”

Giving her title seems to stir something in Ameiko and in a rough voice, she says, ”Don’t call me that… just… don’t.” She spots Masdok and focuses on him. ”Oh, it’s you. Masdok, right? I’m sorry, I should have thanked you when you let me out of that awful room.” She rubs her hands over her arms as if she had a chill.

The sight of Ameiko's beaten face and deep sadness brings a scowl to Masdok's face, what kind of brother beats his own sister? he wonders angrily.

Bethana shakes him from his reverie. "Don't thank me." he says tersely, uncomfortable with the attention. Couldn't let this beauty stay kidnapped.

Finally, he nods to Ameiko as she says his name. "You don't have to thank me. Mind if I sit?"

He finds he doesn't have much to say. Emotions rage inside him as he is torn by admiration for the woman and rage at her captor and his compatriots. "Are you okay?" he finally asks after a silence

Arcallius: you had me at Ilsurian Archer, as the old line goes.

---

I'm in some kind of personal funk and having trouble engaging with my games right now. I apologise for the delay.

should have posted sooner but I wanted to have enough time to do a post justice

Masdok answers the father's questions. "We killed the goblins that were with Tsuto. I don't know about another attack though. Seems they got in through some smuggler's tunnels beneath the Glassworks. "

I don't think he read the journal by this point

out of time. I'll come back soon for his chat with Ameiko

It is important for explaining what has been going on in this book and for tying events in this book to the other books. Although I'm not sure if the players typically learn that when they play through it. But when I say skip I guess I mean "narratively skip." Maybe just do the boss fights and narrate the rest?

There are more encounters in Thistletop than the rest of this book combined. Maybe even twice as many.

I think I would almost rather skip Thistletop than play through it here *and* play through the next book there.

But I understand if Grulyn and Simflay don't want to skip Thistletop.

Masdok goes to check on Ameiko and then joins Grulyn at the inn.

Yeah, I was thinking about the next chapter and you'd have to make some structural changes to it, I think, to do it quickly and also have it make sense. It easily could take just as long as all three of the first chapters put together.

We would be

Paladin
Slayer
Swashbuckler
Rogue
Oracle

that is a lot of martials!

However, I like the idea. Maybe we could recruit one more player to fill the arcane role?

Maybe we could expedite the last part (i.e. cut the "filler" encounters) so that we catch up to them sooner / they have less to replay?

Either way, it it works for me.

Masdok will nick himself with a knife if that's what's necessary to help the others destroy the pool. He doesn't care about it himself but he's happy to help.

Masdok shakes his head regarding holy water.

He has no idea to contribute regarding the destruction of the well, but he does help in any way he can

sense motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

I'm going to say that GM hint goes right over Masdok's head

Masdok slams the Quasit's body into the wall as he flings it off the end of the spear, "Serves you right " he says and curses her under his breath,

Masdok will want to be sure there are no goblins or other nasties coming to bother Sandpoint from this dungeon; whatever searching and activity that may entail. There are more tunnels to check?

I like both of those NPCs. Masdok has a thing for Ameiko, if you couldn't tell already.

Roleplaying them constantly could be a lot of work for you, though.

I am fine with either plan. I like having another PC or two. Even with Ameiko to fill the rogue/support role I would probably feel better having an arcane caster in this AP.

roll for hp: 2d8 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5 guess I'm sticking with the average!

Switching stats to
Str 18
Dex 15
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 10
Cha 8

Trying to decide on a feat. I'm leaning towards dodge+mobility, toughness, or fleet.

Excellent!

Is Acharn really and truly gone? Should we find a different 4th PC?

attack of opportunity, longspear, furious focus, studied target, magic weapon: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 26
cold iron, magic, piercing: 1d8 + 6 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 17

*does a dance*

bot

Acharn moves forward and then casts snowball at the quasit.

snowball, CL3 due to traits, touch attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 for cold dmg: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 3) = 10

argh! If this were PFS I would use my GM star reroll on that.

one of us should not Acharn, yes

Masdok moves closer and readies his longspear to strike the Quasit if she comes within reach.

longspear, furious focus, studied target, magic weapon: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 27
cold iron, magic, piercing: 1d8 + 6 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 15

Gonna wait and see if Simflay goes with the plan the GM proposed in discussion

For my part, my posting rate has had nothing to do with this combat, specifically.

My posting rate has been embarrassing lately. I apologize.

Unable to reach the quasit from his current position, Masdok growls in frustration, then turns his attention to the sinspawn and stabs at it.

longspear, furious focus, magic weapon, studied target: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 28
cold iron, magic, piercing: 1d8 + 6 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 16

confirm crit: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 23
cold iron, magic, piercing: 2d8 + 12 + 6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5, 8) + 12 + 6 + 2 + 2 = 35

Gonna' try to save the Guidance for a saving throw

Masdok re-enters the room; being mindful of what Acharn said he ignores the sinspawn and stabs at the quasit instead.

longspear, furious focus, magic weapon: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 1 = 18
cold iron, magic, piercing: 1d8 + 6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 3 + 1 = 14

Sorry for my long delay. I should normally have time to keep up with my games in the morning before work but I've been having trouble getting enough rest and getting out of bed

AoO, longspear, power attack, magic weapon: 1d20 + 6 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 6 - 1 + 1 = 15
cold iron, magic, piercing: 1d8 + 6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 3 + 1 = 12

Right, the BAB move one. It feels like a rule that exists to make lvl1 play even suckier than it already is. My two cents.

I will roll an AoO and reroll the will save as well... I'm debating whether or not to hold on to the reroll for a worse effect, though.

If the rest of the party has opinions, I'm all ears. Losing 2 rounds of actions to run away and then come back sucks, but may not impact the outcome that much.

Masdok runs from the room terrified

dang! I had 2e frightened in my head, which is just a debuff

Side note, that rule has always annoyed me. It only matters at level 1--if it were up to me I would just do away with it altogether.

I love the fractional rules. Great rule. I have no plans to multiclass this character but I'm happy to have the rule. Maybe I'll need it if Masdok dies.

---

This fight is legendarily hard. It has killed many PCs and entire parties.

"I couldn't leave Grulyn to die " Masdok says in answer to Acharn.

Masdok double moves to the back of the room.