You guys are awesome. Who needs a GM!?
Search Posts
I'm good with it - in fact, I love it! Keep it up. Sorry, for today's lack of a post. Things got a little hectic at work. I'll be sure to get things updated tomorrow.
Certainly.
Satinder and Zwain, thanks for your perspectives. I think there might some confusion over some of the suggestions - they're aimed at facilitating storytelling in this unique format. Based on my glancing through the campaigns thread, most games die before the story can even get going, so as I see it, most of the ideas are centered around eliminating or overcoming some of the things that cause games to die (players not posting, combats getting drawn out too long, combat for the sake of having a combat, etc.). Just to clarify, I will not bot for your characters UNLESS we are in combat and you go for more than 24 hours without a post or a notification that you'll be away. For "dungeon crawls," the burden is on me to create interesting, story-relevant "rooms" for you to explore. Unless there's a story or purpose behind the room, it won't be mentioned or described. This might hurt "immersion," (where are all the lavatories?!), but it will hopefully focus the action and narrative to the stuff that counts - and help us weave together a beautiful, exciting and sustainable story. Make sense? Thanks again for all your input guys - it's nice to have players who care!
Satinder:
Ameiko looks up from the table of food in front of her and pushes the hair back from her eyes. "Ah, Kyras. I do remember him. You're his brother, eh?" she says, before being interrupted by a request for a plate. "Well welcome to Sandpoint. You picked the best time to come - unfortunately, I'm a little busy at the moment. If you're interested in helping with the goblins, I suggest you go talk to old Daverin Hosk over there. He can square you away." She points with a sausage-skewered fork towards a stall in the middle of the square, manned by an older, bald human. As you walk through Sandpoint, there are numerous games and activities vying for your attention and coin. Here are just a few. The Goblin Toss
The Devil Hunt
The Lighthouse Smash
Put Away the Pies!
And the award for the fastest post to stump the GM on how best to proceed goes to... I suppose, if you don't want players to bite on something (pun intended), don't bring it up.
The first thread is up - I'll post some games and activities later today, but go ahead and "introduce" yourself to the game however you like (apart from attempting to kill a major NPC or something).
It is early morning in the quaint, seaside community of Sandpoint, a small village on the western edge of Varisia. The sun has just risen; its warm glow marking the first day of autumn. A gentle breeze carries with it the smell of the ocean, a whirl of leaves just beginning to tinge vibrant fall colors, and despite the early hour, the sounds of rejoicing. It is finally the morning of the Swallowtail Festival. As you all know, this year's celebration is commemorating the loss of the cathedral to the goddess Desna in a fire that also tragically claimed the lives of Father Ezakien Tobyn and his adopted daughter, Nualia, five years ago, and its subsequent grand reconstruction. You find yourselves in the town square in front of the magnificent basilica where a stage and podium have been erected amidst countless vendors’ tents and tables piled high with delicious pastries and tarts. Sitting and conversing quietly amongst themselves near the rear of the stage is a troupe of local notables. An attractive woman with short auburn hair takes the podium. A hush falls on the crowd as she begins to speak. Mayor Kendra Deverin’s Speech:
"Greetings, friends! As most of you already know, my name is Kendra Deverin and I proudly serve as mayor of this great town. It is simply wonderful to see so many faces, both fresh and familiar, accompanying us on this fine day. To any first-time visitors in the audience this morning I wish to extend my personal welcome and hopes that you enjoy your stay here in Sandpoint. And to any of you that I see more regularly, thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to enjoy all of the attractions today's festival will have to offer. I think I even see Larz Rovanky has managed to tear himself away from his work at the tannery to join us. And to think that I often joked that I wondered what old Larz would be doing if he hadn't been spending all his time getting his hide tanned." Laughter erupts among the crowd and many eyes turn toward a serious looking man with a sour expression. Kendra pauses to wave at him with a warm smile before continuing. "Every citizen of this town has done their civic duty of keeping this community strong even in times of tragedy and for that you all have my thanks. I wish not to keep you any longer from the festivities. So without further ado, let me introduce someone who readily will. Belor, get up here. Sheriff Hemlock, everybody!" After a round of applause a rather dour looking Shoanti man wearing an armored coat takes center stage and clears his throat after shaking hands with the mayor. Sheriff Belor Hemlock’s Speech:
"Thank you, Mayor. Citizens! Even in the heat of celebration we would do well to remember the sad events that brought this day of merriment to us. And also let us not forget the poor souls that were lost but five years ago. I would like to invite you all to join me in a moment of silence to honor those lost on that fateful night. The sheriff lowers his head and most of the crowd joins him as he whispers prayers to Desna. There is an awkwardly long silence before he begins to speak once more. "In remembering, we don't allow mistakes to repeat themselves. I am of the understanding that there is a bonfire planned for this evening and I urge all of you, especially those with young children, to observe caution during this event. Please enjoy yourselves responsibly and know that my watch will never be more than a moment away." He pauses to briefly scan the crowd. "Cyrdak Drokkus, the proprietor of our local theatre would like a moment of your time before the celebrations get underway." He gives a curt nod as the following applause is somewhat more muted than what Kendra had received and, unfazed, returns to his seat at the back of the stage, passing an older, brightly dressed man with a well groomed goatee who seems to be thoroughly enjoying the morning. As he reaches the podium he loosens his collar and winks to the crowd. Cyrdak Drokkus’ Speech:
"Well, Sheriff, I think I speak for us all when I say thank you for that uplifting oratory. Now I know this town has been through some hard times, but just look at what we've accomplished." He flourishes toward the new cathedral. "And I'm telling you, as overseer of fundraising for the project, no expense was spared with this place. Solid stone and completely fireproof. Father Zantus' chamber pot? Solid gold! I kid you not. That is your taxes at work, ladies and gentlemen. Of course it was also financed by some very generous noble families. I think even the church actually chipped in a silver or two! Now that I have your attention I'd like to take the opportunity to invite everyone to come and see the Sandpoint Theatre Group's latest production: The Harpy's Curse, debuting in just two evenings. Our female lead, Avisera the harpy queen, will be played by none other than that famous Magnimarian diva just to my right, Allishanda. Isn't she a thing of beauty, gentlemen?" He raises an eyebrow at some whistles from the audience as he motions to a haughty looking Chelexian dressed in noble's garb who readily poses to be gawked at. "And now, for the moment I know you've all been waiting for, let me hear some applause for the highest of holiness himself, Father Zantus!" The crowd cheers as Cyrdak motions to a surprisingly young man wearing the ceremonial robes of a priest of Desna. He smiles as he steps forward, noticeably abashed at the reception set up for him. He smiles and motions for the people to calm down, eventually beginning to speak. Father Abstalar Zantus’ Speech:
"Thank you, Mr. Drokkus. Thank you, Sheriff. Mayor." He nods to each in turn. "Thank you, everyone, for taking me into your hearts and homes and letting me have the pleasure of becoming your new spiritual guide. I'll not bore you with another long speech, since you all appear to be eager to get to the celebrations. So, I officially declare the Swallowtail Festival underway! Please come see us here at noon for the climax of today's activities, the release of the swallowtail butterflies." He is drowned out by cheers before he even finishes the thought. Within minutes the crowd descends in all directions. Criers call out advertising activities of all sorts. All around you are carnival games waiting to be played, veritable mountains of free food and sweets begging to be eaten, shady folks gathering at Harrow tables piled high with coins, painted up pretty boys and girls of the Pixie's Kitten Brothel wandering about, drinking contests starting despite the early hour, and more.
I'd like to limit in-game player conflicts as much as possible, which includes stealing or combat. As for posting rate, I'd like to shoot for one post a day during the week, with weekends slowing up. More is fine - I'll do my best to keep up. And Zwain, please do share any pointers you have!
I love discussing! Thanks again for the selection - looking forward to getting started. Anything you need from us before we post in-game?
Yes, I prefer third-person, and using formatting to indicate speech, internal thoughts and .
Glad to see almost everyone's checked in. We will start next week - probably on Monday. So if you will please get your character sheets updated and let me know when you're ready for me to review your sheet, that would be great! Looking forward to getting started.
All right, everyone. I've selected the party - it was a tough choice! I've chosen: Satinder - Aasimar Ranger
Thanks again to all who applied. I look forward to seeing you all around the boards. For those selected, please head over to the discussion thread to check in.
Hello everyone and welcome to the game! Go ahead and get your character sheets updated and let me know when you're ready for me to review them. Looking forward to getting started!
Just a friendly reminder that the party will be announced tomorrow. If you want to be considered, get your applications submitted sooner rather than later!
The interest continues - excellent! Just a reminder that I want to have the party selected by the 19th (Friday), so get those applications in. Just for reference, here's who's applied so far (as I can tell):
Let me know if I've missed anyone. @UnArcaneElection - The avatar is up to you. If it will make things easier to have a separate avatar for your Eidolon or familiar go for it. Again, I haven’t played with summoners, so I’m not sure how big of a role they play out of combat (which seems to be when you would need your own avatar). @Tanwen - I’m good with that trait. @Marlow - Fluff trumps crunch in my book. Even if it makes less sense, choose the trait that best matches your background.
GM Zimmer, here's my updated crunch. As is, if he's carrying all his gear, he's at medium encumberance, but much of it (such as the grooming and chronicler's kit) would be left behind in his private cabin (aboard his previous vessel), so under typical circumstances, he'll be operating with light encumbrance. Crunch: Simon Fix Human bard 1 N Medium humanoid (human) Init +4; Senses Perception +3 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +2 Dex) hp 11 (1d8+3) Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1 -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 20 ft. Melee dagger +0 (1d4/19-20) and . . shortsword +0 (1d6/19-20) Ranged shortbow +2 (1d6/×3) Special Attacks bardic performance 7 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate, inspire courage +1) Bard Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +4): . . 1st (2/day)—charm person (DC 14), sleep (DC 14) . . 0 (at will)—detect magic, light, prestidigitation, scrivener's chant -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 16 Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 12 Feats Point-blank Shot, Precise Shot Traits barroom talespinner, reactionary Skills Acrobatics +3, Bluff +7, Diplomacy +8, Escape Artist +3, Perception +3, Perform (dance) +7, Perform (oratory) +8, Use Magic Device +7 Languages Common, Elven SQ bardic knowledge +1 Other Gear leather armor, arrows (40), dagger, shortbow, shortsword, backpack, belt pouch, chronicler's kit, flask, flask, flask, grooming kit, perfume/cologne, shaving kit, 4 sp, 1 cp -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Bardic Knowledge +1 (Ex) Add +1 to all knowledge skill checks. Bardic Performance (standard action, 7 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects. Barroom Talespinner (1/week) Make DC 15 Knowledge (Local) or Int to gain +1 to influence Wormwood NPCs. Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet. Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into melee.
Hey everyone! Glad to see there's already some initial interest from some interesting characters. Here's the list I have so far:
If I don't have your race or class, please let me know what you have in mind. @BigBenClockTower - I don't have much feeling either way for summoners as I've never actually played with one. I'm fine with it, though. @Everyone - Thanks for the tips - there's some good stuff here. Is asking for one post a day too much to ask of people (allowing for extenuating circumstances, of course)?
Ah. Gear. I knew I'd forget something. Would you prefer that I procure my goods before recruitment is wrapped up, or is that something that can wait till after?
Hey there. Here's my initial application - let me know if you need anything else. NOTE: It's a little different than what I sent via PM. Simon Fix
Initial Backstory:
Simon lived a privileged life. The son of a noble's scribe, he never wanted for anything and was afforded numerous opportunities to follow in his father's footsteps. Unfortunately, while he had some writing talent, he had neither the interest nor the patience to transcribe the often-tedious delegations and trade agreements that were the mark of his father's trade. He was far more interested in recoding stories of the fantastical, frequently drug-induced type. This penchant for vice caused numerous embarrassments for his family, but one episode in particular (involving urination upon a visiting noblewoman's head) went too far. Seeing few other options, his father enlisted his son on an exploration mission his employer was partially financing. Simon would be responsible for recording the findings of a new colony and reporting back. The crew of the ship mutinied only two weeks after the expedition started, throwing Simon into the hold in the hopes of collecting a ransom for the "dandy." Unfortunately, his family was unable - and his family's employer unwilling - to pay the sum, so they dumped him in Port Peril with little more than the clothes on his back. That was two days ago, and Simon has managed to secure food and lodging with his quick tongue and penchant for weaving stories - but he's fairly certain his luck is about to run out.
Personality:
Under certain circumstances, Simon is a boisterous, outgoing and cheerful lad - mostly those circumstances involve alcohol or other, stronger substances. The transition to a sailor's life will be a tough one. I imagine that at first he will be withdrawn, morose and hot-tempered. But never one to pick a fight, he will choose to express his displeasure with biting sarcasm and jokes or pranks at his fellow passengers' expense. (NOTE: I won't be too annoying with this aspect of his character - I will tread lightly with my sarcasm.) Crunch: Simon Fix Human bard 1 N Medium humanoid (human) Init +4; Senses Perception +3 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex) hp 11 (1d8+3) Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1 -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Special Attacks bardic performance 7 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate, inspire courage +1) Bard Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +4): . . 1st (2/day)—charm person (DC 14), sleep (DC 14) . . 0 (at will)—detect magic, light, prestidigitation, scrivener's chant -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 16 Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 12 Feats Point-blank Shot, Precise Shot Traits barroom talespinner, reactionary Skills Acrobatics +6, Bluff +7, Diplomacy +8, Escape Artist +6, Perception +3, Perform (dance) +7, Perform (oratory) +8, Use Magic Device +7 Languages Common, Elven SQ bardic knowledge +1 Other Gear 105 gp -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Bardic Knowledge +1 (Ex) Add +1 to all knowledge skill checks. Bardic Performance (standard action, 7 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects. Barroom Talespinner (1/week) Make DC 15 Knowledge (Local) or Int to gain +1 to influence Wormwood NPCs. Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet. Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into melee.
@Zedorland - In the posts, please.
Hello, everyone! I'm relatively new to the boards here, but I was intrigued by the large online campaigns community I stumbled across accidentally. I've been poking through some of the campaigns, and I'm itching to give Play-by-Post a shot. I know, based on my brief overview of the campaigns hosted here, that there are countless Rise games in progress, but as that's the AP I'm planning to run in real life, it seems like the best option. SO, with that useless intro, let us commence recruitment for yet another Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition play-by-post adventure! Character Creation
Let me know if I left out anything obvious. Applications
1. What will your character contribute to the party in combat?
I plan on keeping recruitment open until this weekend. I look forward to the applications - let me know if you have any questions!
Awesome. Thanks for the feedback. I kind of assumed it wasn't that bad, but wanted to make sure there weren't some compelling reasons to keep them unique.
Thanks for the tips everyone. I actually bought Hero Lab when it first came out for creating characters, but didn't realize all of the GM tools it had built in. That, in combination with your recommendations, should set me up nicely. Thanks again!
Hello! My group and I are about to start RotRL:AE (I'm the GM) and I had a quick question for the board. I have two players wanting to take the Monster Hunter feat. I don't love this, but I also don't know if it's worth raising a stink about. Is it bad for two players to have the same trait? It works thematically for both their players, so I don't think they're doing it for min-max/meta-gamey purposes (the trait isn't even really that great). What do folks think?
Hello, Paizo! I'm about to begin a new Pathfinder campaign as a GM with my group and I had a question for you smart, creative folks. We finished up a Pathfinder campaign last year about this time and switched to Edge of the Empire. There were numerous reasons for the system switch, but one of the big ones was the desire to roll fewer dice and calculate fewer results (math is hard). We’re itching to get back into Golarion, so we’re exploring running either Rise of the Runelords or Way of the Wicked. Obviously, these start at pretty low level, but as we look ahead (a year from now) to our more powerful player characters, I’m hoping to find a solution to the nasty dice question. Are there any good house rules for simplifying or reducing the calculations for higher-level characters? Is there a mechanic for combining dice, rounding up or down or using some other creative way to calculate results without making the PCs over- or under-powered? Thanks in advance! |