Theocrat's page

Hi all -
I'm Theocrat Issak and PFSTheocrat for PFS and in PFO. I backed the Tech Demo at the $100 level and PFO at the $100 level as a first day backer with a total of $250 (for the print add-on and another $50 for character beenies). I'm based out of Las Vegas, NV, and was the founding PFS Venture-Captain for the Las Vegas Lodge (one of the first 12 VC's). I was very active in PFS until 2012 and only attend PFS conventions in LA with VC Robyn Nixon.
I'm a newbie for online games for the most part. I played City of Heroes for about two years on the (I think it was) the Libtery server where I was the co-founder and leader of the Healer Union SG. Under my leadership our ranks swelled, I owned and maintained our Web site, and our SG was very well known. I can't quite remember but I believe we were rated the #1 Guild for a while on the forums, for filling in for requests and players that were supportive of one another. As Healers was the primary role for our members, we accepted all roles, as Healers need protectors. After my time with the HU, I pretty much left MMO's and most games in general. I was too busy with 3.5 and later with the launch of Pathfinder.
So my experience in MMO gaming is limited, so I don't know what to ask and or offer in my request to join the guild. I played Star Trek Online for about 3-6 months but it wasn't my cup of tea. I don't actively play many video games - playing only Civ IV and V for the most part when I have some free time.

For PFO, I intend to play a Cleric of Abadar type character. I am not a PVP'er, it's just part of my core belief as a person. I don't like ruining other peoples hard work (I even have a hard time killing PC's in our home game, I will, but won't just do it to do it).
I'm unsure of what is needed to maintain membership or what you're looking for. I'm happy to discuss it with leadership here or in email for what is need to join.
My home gaming group has a member that lives in the UK and plays via Skype during our 2nd and 4th Saturday games at my house. But he is also a member of PFO and is also looking to join a guild. As are several other members of my gaming group, thus I could potentially bring an additional 3-6 players to the group.

Please feel to contact me at PFSTheocrat at Google's email. Or you can check out my FB page at /issak. Most of my posts are pretty generic except I post quite often pictures of our home game setup and what I do for my players.
Thanks,
Theocrat Issak
PFSTheocrat

As it currently reads, a GM needs to sign off on a Novel Chronicle or even a Special Holiday Boon. To be a GM according to the guide is to have a PFS number and a desire to be a GM. Thus according to the rules, anybody that decides to download a novel or holiday chronicle can sign their own sheet (of course they still need to officially own the novel [in at least one format]). With any event number (many GM's have a standing event number for general events that they run) they can list that event and sign their own chronicle. This seems to be a grey area but one that is not illegal as it reads. Maybe a clarification that a GM other than the GM/Player themselves needs to sign novel and holiday boons.

Dragnmon and I were bot running the same module at GenCon. Our prep 'bags' were vastly different. I have no clue as to what he brought - but I tell you I could never have run a good game with it.
But I like to have the maps, the map packs, minis, extra minis, and a bunch of stuff I don't really need.
When I run, I not only print out the module, but I also print out the monsters and any special rules they may utilize. One module had the Red Mantis PrC, as well as two archetypes from APG. So I printed those out as well and added them to the module. I usually prepare the highest tier possible, it's easier to limit and not utilize some of the feats, spells and tactics that the higher tiers use. I try to write down what potions, spells are done in round -3, -2, -1, 0 if they would have time to prepare and what round those would potentially wear off.
One thing that I don't see is the use of Item Cards. I pass them out for faction missions when Cheliax is given a book/fetish or whatever that goes along with their mission handout. This way if the player has the card and has to leave the item behind, they can actually hand it to me. I also have ones for the faction missions that need to find something. If they need to find a book, there's a book item card. But when I know more than 3 days before that I'm running a particular module, I usually do item cards for items that can be taken from the dead guys. I first do the potions and other items that will most likely be utilized. If more time persists, I do it for the mundane items (basic studded armor, short swords, etc.). I think it adds something to the game and also explains my need to collect those damnable cards.
Some of the Urban NPC's are also VC's or otherwise listed in the SoS/PFS Field Guide. So I use them. The most important thing about using the cards is that I don't actually write on them in the little area - I put them in clear sleeves and write on a little card the information regarding the item (usually the description provided, esp. with potions) with a note regarding Tier level and possible adjustments. I even go so far as to use multiples of the exact same card if there are muliples of that item. If there are three cure light wounds potions, I'll make sure I use three exact same cards. If at tier 1-2 they are CLW but at a higher tier they are Cure Moderate Wounds, I'll mark that on the little card. Sometimes a tier will have something that another tier will not, and I'll make sure they are not passed out.
But I'm a prep fiend and I suck at running right off the bat without much prep. I can do it - like with Throaty Mermaid that I did at GenCon - but I don't like it.
So a bag full of extra mini's of various classes, races and generic things is always a good idea.
Theocrat Issak

Hi all -
To be clear, there are two Pathfinder Societies. There is the Pathfinder Society based out of Absalom and there is the Pathfinder Society based out of Washington. The Society in Washington doesn't condone murder, theft or driving on the wrong side of the road.
The general idea of games/RPG's (D&D any edition, WoW, Modern Warfare) is to defeat the perceived bad guys. That usually entails injuring, maiming or killing them.
The Society to which our characters belong is not good. The mission statement is to go find relics and put them in a vault. In so doing, you may have to fight people, kill them and take their stuff. In year 2, the Shadow Lodge an internal faction of the Pathfinder Society. They are still members of the society, they believe in getting the stuff and instead of putting it in a vault, they feel the items should be used. The Apsis Consortium is not too much different than us - but in the end, they want to sell the stuff to the highest bidder.
In year 3 the Shadow Lodge's goals are a bit different. They still endorse the idea of going forth and getting the stuff the Society wants, but they feel that those that go forth and get that stuff should be better protected should they fail.
In general, the Pathfinders are going out and taking what belongs to someone else. There is a reason they aren't liked in Ustalav. They are not archeologists studying the past. They study the past and take what belonged to those dead guys.
In no way should the Society be defined as a good organization in general. Factions aside, the Society isn't good. Individuals within the Society may be, but the mission statement of the Society doesn't say that they are going forth to get these items to do good - if that was the case at the conclusion of a mission the item would be sent off to the crusades to defeat the World Wound. But then you also have to determine what is good and what is bad and who gets to make that choice.

A player character may do whatever it is that they want, with the Washington based Society declaring that they cannot attack another player's character. Part of what I call the Trump Rule (do what's best for the Washington based Society). As such, if I wish to kill a guy and take off his head, you can attempt to stop me because you are a LG Paladin and you determine that to be evil. If that is the case, you're LG Paladin should be reminded to read the books describing the Pathfinders (Seekers of Secrets, Field Guide and the Chronicles). As such there is much murder and maiming going on. Maiming does seem to be on the evil side of the morality issue - however, morality is a deeply personal thing and what one believes is OK or good another might determine to be the most vile act ever.

In a module that was played a lot this weekend, there is a tribe that has an item that the Shadow Lodge (year 2) wanted. The PFS is sent to go get that item as well, so that the Shadow Lodge doesn't get it. Ignore the fact that the tribe has had that item for many hundreds of years and has done a most excellent job of keeping it safe from the rest of the world. So in either way, the Society will get that item. So fighting the tribe in any way and taking the item seems to be wrong. I cannot see how a Lawful person would see that as anything but theft. Let's say that the Shadow Lodge gets the item - and the players end up stopping the Shadow Lodge - the item should be returned. But your boss at HQ in Absalom did ask you to bring it back. What do you do? Who's laws of the land do you follow? What about going to Whitethrone? Monsters in Issrien are citizens while humans are not. Geb, humans and the like are chattell while undead are the masters. If a lawful character goes into those areas and kills a goblin or a troll or a zombie - he has committed murder in the eyes of the law. In the eyes of general society he has just killed a monster.
I love the grey morality that the Society offers. If a GM were to ever say that maiming a person (faction mission or not) and I was lawful and that I was going to turn evil and therefore I could lose my character, I would ask for an exact list of exactly every law of the land in which I was currently located and what the laws of the land from which I hail and those from where the society was located. If the GM could not produce all these - I would state that I am just following the laws. Maiming and murder is OK. If I were Chaotic or Neutral, the same could apply. If I were lawful good - I would state that for the good of the world, this person needs to be maimed so that they learn a lesson, are able to turn their life around and hopefully become a force in the world that does at least one good turn. Losing an arm seems better than losing ones life.
Maiming might seem evil to many of us (Washington Society), but much of it can be rationalized in a world where Magic, Undead and Trolls walk the streets. We cannot put our personal morality (real world or not) onto another characters morality.

Theocrat Issak

Hi all -
I actually really try to make sure I'm well read up on the modules before running them.
So I've read the entire module, reviewed the faction missions, and marked where in the mod they are to get their 'reward.'
So from that I write an intro for each faction for each module. They never give anything away - but when you're handed a book to deliver, a letter to deposit or whatever, I say that you get an envelope with another envelope, or a book is handed to you.
These are usually as your leaving the lodge and heading to the mission. Usually plenty of time to do this. So far I've only seen one faction mission that takes place while getting your mission from the faction sector leader (a newer module revolving the Grandmaster Torch).
Here's a random example:
Andoran - A military woman, calls out to you as you pick up supplies. Turning around you see an older woman, with the rank of corporal from Andorans military. She holds papers - she passes them to you and says "your newest orders, sir" - she then turns and walks away.
Sure, your players aren't in the military or in some other aspect of the Andoran forces, but it just gives a little something extra.

For Cheliax, I usually have a 'slip' (derogatory term for a Halfling slave) come up to the PC and say something like - my master offers to beat me for your pleasure if you'll permit me to wipe the dirt from your shoes. Without waiting for a reply he bends to clean your shoes and you notice a note (book or other) left behind.

For the Osirion faction - at last years NeonCon there was a player that played an Ulfen warrior. He was decked out in the narliest Cheliaxian gear, yet he was a member of the Osirion faction. So I've written how this huge Ulfen in Cheliaxian colors comes crashing through the market and 'bumps' into the Osirion player. Demanding an apology or some other thing, he offers a letter/bag of coins/whatever in exchange.

For the Taldor faction - well I sometimes use my PC as the deliverer. It's Goldfrapp the Naked Taldoran Trebuchet. Halfling 1st edition style Bard that rides his Lioness and likes to be naked (it helps that I have a full drawing of him in most of his 'glory') that delivers the note for the Glory of TALDOR!

I've run a bunch of modules and try to keep the delivery as fresh as possible. It really just takes a bunch of creativity to do it. Heck, I think sometimes I've spent longer on getting the faction missions up to snuff than reviewing and preparing the entire module.

Hope that gives you some ideas on presenting the faction missions. Personally, I think it's rather lame as it is now. The factions are a secret war, one the leaders of the Society don't really approve of. As such, how are you to get those missions, as it seems that it would be unlikely that the leader of the lodge would give them out. Then, if you don't want your faction known, it's hard to pass it off if the lodge commander passes them out. So I like the annomonyous aspect that I try to provide (except, I suppose when I have a naked Halfling describing the Taldan glory and passes out a mission).
So I'll be following this thread to see how others pass out faction missions.

Theocrat Issak
NeonCon 2010 Pathfinder Coordinator
November 4-7