Welcome aboard!
Please take this time to create your character profiles (if you haven't done so already) and fill in the crunchy bits that we have largely ignored up to this point.
1) I'd like to keep this campaign moving. I expect each of you to check the campaign at least once per day (as needed, excepting weekends). If you cannot post for more than 48 hours, please let me know in this thread so I can NPC your character or hold the story as necessary. On a related note, keep your sheets up to date at all times...especially immediately following a combat update. If I need to DMPC you for any reason, I want to make sure I have all available info.
2) Please stay in character. I know we have a variety of alignments in the mix. You don't have to play lawful stupid, but I do expect some confrontations. That's okay, but remember that your survival and success depends on each other and perhaps some compromise (however distasteful) may be in order.
3) Please Do not read spoilers directed at other people. They contain in-game knowledge that is specific to that person. If they choose to share that, it is up to them, but I'd rather not have to fire around 40 PMs every time someone notices something that the others have missed. I'll just let you RP out the info as you choose. Occasionally I may indeed PM you info that I do not want others to know unless your character specifically chooses to tell them.
4) I'll roll all initiatives and passive checks for you guys to keep things moving. We'll do combat in blocks with characters initiatives between mob waves going together. I'll merge everything together for combat update purposes, working things out on a case-by-case basis. If you need to wait on another character's actions before you post, please say so in this thread so no one is waiting for you and wondering what's going on.
1) Thou shalt not engage in PVP: The goal is for everyone to have a good time, and PvP only sours everyone’s experience.
2) Thou shalt not bully other players: Again, everyone is supoosed to be having a good time. Just because you CAN bully others in game doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Extreme forms of character harassment will not be tolerated. By their nature, Pathfinders take in characters with various backgrounds and alignments. You still have to cooperate with each other, regardless.
3) Thou shalt keep thy character sheet updated: All the time. Period. HP, conditions, AC, modifiers, gold, XP. If I need to DMPC your character for a fight because you haven’t posted and we need to move on, i need to know what your capabilities are. If your sheet says you have 3 hp left and you get nailed by a crossbow bolt, don’t come crying to me the next day that you really got healed to full before the combat. Keep it on your sheet. I'll keep loot on a Google doc so no one else has to keep track of what you've found.
4) Thou shalt post regularly: Taken from above, you should be posting (or at least checking to see if you need to post) at least once per day, minimum. I give leeway on weekends, since that is my family time, but still I don’t think that is too unreasonable. Short delays lead to longer delays which lead to dead threads. If you need to be gone for more than a day, let me know in advance so I can DMPC your character.
5) Thou shalt call potential rules issues to the GM’s attention. I do not know all the rules. Please send any rule issue to my attention immediately via PM, with a link if possible. I will try to fix the situation as fast as possible. I also reserve the right to ignore the rule as GM for sake of gameplay/story/interpretation, although I would only do that sparingly and correct it for the next time. Correcting the GM’s poor rules gives you a bonus to your XP growth rate, so if you find I’m making a mistake, sending me a PM is rewarded, not punished.
6) Thou shalt have fun: Isn't that the point?
Essentially, the adventure path suggests when characters should be at a specific level in the campaign. I’m going to rely on this, rather than XP, largely because it is easier to keep track of, and I feel that loot is a better indicator of how you are progressing.
If you’re doing the basics, you’ll be on track when it comes to loot. If you’re doing more than the basics, you’ll be ahead of the curve. If you’re being a tag-along, you’ll be behind the curve. It’s really that simple. Doing more than the basics involves the following: frequent posting, interesting posts with good roleplaying, combat that is also descriptive (rather than “I swing a sword [dice]” becomes “I jump on top of the table and from there leap down with a warcry, attempting to put my blade through his skull! [dice]”), and whatever else to make the game and story interesting for people to read. You are an active contributor to the game’s story, not just a player.
Here are some examples that will slow down your loot progress: lack of posting without explanation or posts that are 1 sentence long that don’t really have an action or effective roleplaying component (posting for posting sake won’t cut it), extremely bad roleplaying, making it difficult to figure out what the heck you are doing in your post because it wasn’t descriptive enough, assuming extensive movements/actions of others (either PCs or NPCs) in your posts (you may assume basic actions like handshakes or other very brief things). You cannot simply “tag along” and be rewarded in my campaign. You must be an active contributor to the game and story.
I will also be tracking loot and who claims what on an excel file (see this example) The group will be forced to use my loot distribution system for the first few levels, then the group may vote to change the my methodology.
Generally speaking, should you find something you MIGHT use, you should claim it. It never hurts you to claim an item. Should more than one person wish to claim an item, it will go to either the one with the lowest total wealth estimate (maintained by the GM) OR whomever can clearly use the item more effectively (determined by the GM). Anyway, that's probably not going to happen. Furthermore, the group can have the "party" claim an item, but held by a specific PC (like a wand of healing).
Non-claimed items are eventually sold, and the coins distributed based upon average non-sale wealth estimates per player, less what is claimed. Yeah, it sounds complicated, but once you experience it in action you'll quickly understand how it tries to keep everyone roughly even in loot. People who claim items will never be worse off, since they may choose to sell it later. Thus, I recommend claiming items if you can use it. Coins are only to be distributed once this selling process is complete. This will happen periodically, but usually once per level. If at any time you believe your character's wealth generation is ~50% or less the recommended wealth by level, please send me a PM with your calculation/concern.
I think that covers most of the pre-game stuff. I will get an IC thread up soon so that we can do some Rping and get to know Trunau while everyone’s characters are finalized.
Please let me know how long you have been in Trunau (days, weeks, months, years). Use the player’s guide for maps of Trunau and some information about the town. I am happy to work with you to hash out any details.
Also, please let me know where you are likely to be in mid-afternoon. The walls? The inn? Working a trade? Trying to get the seamstress to close shop for the day? PLease take that into account for your first IC post.
Hi everyone! Excited to be on board with this AP. I run a few games as GM Spiderbeard and play in a bunch of others. I'm playing Storn, a belligerent warpriest of Gorum.
Storn has been in Trunau for the better part of a year, making his money by slaughtering whatever orcs he can find, plying his trade as a brutal but effective healer, and gathering donations from preaching the word of Gorum where he can.
Mid-afternoon Storn would usually be working - doing house calls or preaching, but since its a festival day I'll start him at the inn.
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"I CALL MYSELF FROM THE AETHER MALESTORM AND INTO THIS THREAD!" A disembodied voice demands compliance from the thread itself.
::Loud bang. Roiling chaos. Purple lightning. Smoke. ::
A young male elf exits the smoke cloud, coughing. He draws his hopeknife, a ritual dagger hanging from his neck, into his hand and cuts a silver cord from his his waist. Tossing the cord back to recoiling aethermist, he sheathes the dagger from whence it came.
He smiles, looking around the thread. He nods to the others.
"I am honored to be selected. Thank you for having me. Let the circuits tremble at our coming, may the servers strain under the weight of our RP, woe to unto the wi-fis that carry our deeds u'on the winds."
Quill Kaleseder, aka The Fletcher of Trunau, takes a deep breath in, smelling the air of the OOC thread.
Handed a scroll from a hand from the aether, Quill takes it in his hands and reads it, nodding. He pauses for a moment to collect his thoughts and answers the scroll.
"I have been in Trunau for as long as I can remember..." Quill's head bows. "Well, I think I was 8 or 9 when I was left at the gates. As I have passed the point of receiving my hopeknife, I think I have been in Trunau for about 15 years, give or take."
Quill continues to respond to the questions from the scroll.
"If it is mid-afteroon, then I am probably at work in the fletcher's shop. I usually bind feathers to shaft in the afternoon when the day's light is strongest. It is work that takes a light touch and good light helps," Quill mentions
Good evening, all. I present to you new Pathfinder, Mariana Trellis. Having recently completed her own Confirmation, she has been given an opportunity to come and study the town of Trunau, and perhaps the area around it. It has been quite some time since a Pathfinder took a delve into Belzken, and she not-so-secretly hopes to bring some great find back to the Grand Lodge someday.
She arrived in Trunau only a few days ago, and really has spent the first couple of days simply getting acclimated to the town and getting to know a few people. She is pretty likable, in general, and being a spinner of tales, she has been able to endear herself to people, in general.
I suspect, if this is the afternoon of the Hope Knife festival, that Mariana would be right in the middle of it. If it is a normal afternoon, it depends on how many people she has gotten to know, thus far. She will want to meet the High Priestess, the Chief Defender, Master of Stores, spend time with Patrol Leaders (helping on the patrols, if she is allowed).
She definitely has been by the fletcher's, so if we should RP out that character meeting, I would LOVE to get in on that!
Mariana will likely be using a short bow for now, with a dagger or two, and perhaps a rapier, eventually.
Greetings and salutations, everyone! I will get my character sheet spic and span.
Question:
"1) Thou shalt not engage in PVP: The goal is for everyone to have a good time, and PvP only sours everyone’s experience."
Does this extend to mutual, nonlethal fisticuffs? You know, for resolving disagreements like civilized folk?
I'm a dwarf.
Hah! Yes, there may be occasions when fisticuffs are appropriate, and I would not dissuade a dwarf from offering such a solution. This is a holdover from a game about 8 years ago where I had a Paladin and a Rogue go at it, resulting in the rogue's death and the paladin leaving the game (and PbP, too as it happens).
Hmm. I created a new profile for the character I'm playing but it's not coming up in my "Post as" list. Going to see if posting this helps?
And, yes, that seems to have done the trick.
Vashta Denaria has been in town for several years, after arriving with a small caravan and staying.
She spends most of her time either at the Ramblehouse, where she lets a room, or the House of Wonders, where she shops. As it's a festival day, she'd likely be taking some time for herself.
I'm curious to see how this character goes. Honestly, she was based on one of the write-ups from a player who didn't get selected, but I decided she would be fun anyway. I'm just not 100 percent sure she'll work without the other character, but we'll see. (I went back and forth about doing another idea, but this one just kept sticking in my head.)
Also, I've rarely played full casters, so please feel free to chime in with suggestions for me.
Hey, all. ^^ Sorry for being late to report in; I had a minor domestic crisis that needed tending.
Anyhoo! Here is Molly Blackfoot.
Seeing as she but recently came to find her cousin, who is a town guard, I'd eyeball her arrival time as being day before yesterday-ish. Dear cousin Jenk does need to work, so I'm pretty sure Moll would spend the afternoons at the local inn. ^^
Okay, so I have this so far...
Molly - A few days. Is she staying with her cousin, or renting a room at the Ramblehouse?
Vashta - A few years, staying long term at the Ramblehouse.
Mariana - A few days, assumed to be staying at the Ramblehouse.
Yelena - Native. Assumed she has her own house in town?
Quill - Native. Still living with the Cavintons?
Storn - A year or so, staying at the Ramblehouse?
This will come into play later, I just want to make sure who is staying where as we move forward.
Renting at the Ramblehouse, using the proceeds from card games and similar huckstery. ^^ Jenk's just a town guard with a bum knee. I doubt he has a big place.
Molly - After review, most likely Jenk lives in the militia barracks, and so would not have a room anyway.
Okay, I should now say that the reason I hadn't planned to start until Sunday was that I am out of town for the next 2 days. I might have internet and posting opportunity, but I might not. Feel free to Rp and I'll get to it when I can.
We'll do the Ramblehouse - it's a simpler setup than having Storn live in some hut.
Yeah, I don't know if that's overstepping what would be allowed here. As noted, if so, she'd probably have just used daze.
Basically, you'd know that anything short of actual harm would be allowed. There was a memorable festival a few years back when an enchanter convinced half of the militia to tie themselves up with their own rope. Of course, the crowd often gets involved as well...
Kinky. ;)
I see the problem. My post laying out the distances on teh rope and the character oder got eaten. Free reach spell on the color spray this time.
Yelena, FWIW, I'm not holding onto the rope. I'd contribute to the other team if I did so.
Oh, and, yes, didn't see the earlier rope/map breakdown obviously.
I'm not complaining, just curious: how did everyone figure out I was Hexing the other team? ^^; There's no incantation or gestures involved, like with a spell.
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For those who are confused (including myself)--
Quill - In town about 12 years. The Fletcher's Apprentice.
Vashta - "I've been here for a few years," -
Storn - "Years have now passed and Storn calls Trunau home" and " fearless, if crazed combatant and skilled healer."
Yelena - Unsure how long in town, but long enough to be training militia.
Molly - new in town.
Mariana - "She arrived in Trunau only a few days ago, and really has spent the first couple of days simply getting acclimated to the town and getting to know a few people."
Please correct anything I've gotten wrong. I found myself unsure who I might recognize or know vs. newcomers.
Vashta has spent most of her time trying to become an archmage. Much of it has been spent in the privacy of her room, doing ... well, if she told you that, she might as well have been doing it in public!
She's probably been seen at meal times at the Ramblehouse.
If you've spent any time at the House of Wonders, you also probably know her (I don't know if this works with canon, but I envision her as getting a part time job there, though she's far from the best employee in the world, being more interesting in her own business than, well, the store's business).
Thanks, that helps! Bigrin also posted up above on how long people have been here - so Yelena is native.
Storn would certainly know Quill (as we are establishing) and Yelena may have thrown him in jail before. He likely know Vashta as well since Storn has been at the Ramblehouse for a while and window shops at the House of Wonders. Molly and Mariana would be new to him.
Wait, Yelena's old enough to serve int eh militia, an has enough seniority to act as a trainer, but still has a curfew? Yikes!
She's old enough to be in the militia by HUMAN standards. By DWARVEN standards, she's barely old enough to be trusted to cross the street on her own. :p Am I right?
P.S.: the reason Molly flashes the other players cleavage is to put her Green Widow-ability to work and get a bonus to Bluff. ^^;
Well, I was going to turn a blind eye to the pre-teen age of the dwarf :)
Hey I'm computerless from this evening until Saturday so expect few if any updates after this afternoon.
Sorry for the silence. We had 8" of snow dumped on us, and NC isn't exactly prepared for that. No power for 36 hours.
@Quill - Is Molly your nickname for Marigold Pottersnoot? I'm just trying to clarify in my notes, and distinguish her from our Molly.
'Pottersnoot'? ^^; Wow...
Okay, that makes me confused again. I am referring to this post:
Quill celebrates until he is tired, returning home to the comfort of his cot in Cavinton's shop. He stays longer than he usually would, mostly in hopes of catching glimpse of Marigold Pottersmoot, his enamored.It's been a good day, it has.
I wonder where Molly was tonight. I didn't see her. I would have liked to have seen her.
Molly was playing cards and laughing it up in the Ramblehouse, and I guess I missed the fact that you didn't go there after the festivities with everyone else.
Laughing it up and trying to hustle people at cards. :p She's playing for the money, after all. *laughs*
Biggrin...Are you going to a con next weekend?
Heh. Second "Lord of the Flies" reference I encountered today. Went to the slightly shady grocery store near me (as opposed to the wonderful Wegmans a little farther away) and they had an entire pig's head there!
The funniest part was just as I noticed it, so did one of the guys working in the butcher section. He spent the next five minutes being freaked out!
I am not going to a con, though I wish I could.
Mostly it was just a run on french toast fixings - bread, milk, and eggs - and the schools were closed again. It was the power loss that kept the rioting down, I think. Hard to work up a good Lord of the Flies style hysteria when your xbox doesn't work.
There is a con in Durham next weekend, just saying. Not sure where you are, but judging by your snow fall, I'm guessing near the Triangle. Sounds like North of Raleigh.
Yeah, I'm in Durham. I didn't even know about the con. Must have my head stuck in the sand.