We're carrying most of the valuables that were in the wagons, and between all of us it's not even a hard carry. As for the bodies, yeah they're kind of just sitting in the wagon. Just how that worked out, kinda dropped the ball on them huh?
Aidan is holding off sending a message until we get a full story from the hellknights, but I can actually prepare Animal Messenger now, so communication every so often won't be an issue.
Actually I think Alam is with the bodies of the girls in the wagon, ironically.
I'm in agreement with everything Aidan laid out. Will start working on a map for you now.
EDIT: Ok, should be in your inbox now. Just let me know if any of the other options I suggested are things you need.
As a head's up, I'll be away from Jan 31 to Feb 11. Feel free to DMPC me until my return.
Without wanting to get all nerdy, draugr may be the name given by a supplement writer to a specific form of undead under the rules, but like "ghost" or "ghoul" it's a generic word. (My less well educated Arabic style characters tend to refer to all outsiders as genie while I as a player know that this is wholly incorrect within the rules).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draugr
;-)
Just an FYI my computer is f'ed. If I update it'll be once maybe twice a day from my wifes computer.
Everyone ok? Nothing since Wednesday...
Yeah...guess that I am just waiting for something to shoot at.
Yeah, my thought was to at least make sure nothing is going to jump out behind us from the inn before we decide if we're going to see about the screams.
just waiting for something to happen.
Back from holiday -- will start reviewing and trying to catch up...
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Hey there... I should have seen this convo before now. Apologies. I hope by now I have earned enough currency with you all to believe that I am not going to be punitive with you taking a calculated risk. Foolhardy might hurt or kill you, but a calculated heroic risk is going to have me cheering for you. The story cannot advance without your actions. You are right to assume there is much on the line here. Please do not let the scene paralyze you. This is your story. You are the protagonists.
Sigil - I've got very very important business the next couple days. I'll try to visit but can't promise anything til Friday.
Please run me as NPC as you require.
Friends - I have been very impressed with the quality of game we have - the responses, the RPing and the dedication to the game. This last bit makes (where we have been hesitant to move) has me thinking that we need one last thing to really gel into a full group...I think we need a leader. I thinkn we are all being extremely good players and not willing to step on any toes...which is complimentary...but this large group really has no leader...and i think we need on.
I say this in response to the fact that none of us really responded to going after the noises down the street. I wondered why no one did. I wondered why I didn't. I came to the conclusion that it appeared that we were in teh mode of looking through the Inn and no one wanted to suggest otherwise. I think a leader at this point might have either A. made the decision to go elsewhere or B. allowed us to Roleplay asking the leader if we should go elsewhere. It's a dynamic, when properly played, can add a great deal to the game and group.
This note is NOT about causing issues...its just a question for discussion...I'm enjoying the hell out of the game and wouldn't want to foul things up.
I have slightly different feedback about this. And I really don't mean to be overly critical here because Sigil (and you when filling in) have both done a fantastic job with this game and I am very happy with this game and all of the players too.
PbP is inherently slower to develop than regular play and proceeds at a glacial pace to the real time that our characters experience. Things that take seconds to happen to our characters can take weeks to resolve in the game. I GM two PbP games myself and there can be a tendency (a good one actually) to move the game along as GM. You have to because things will stall out and if the GM doesn't keep it moving, you can wind up with a dead game on your hands. But, you can go too far.
Narnel's action was to approach to 40' of the inn. In a single post, we not only completed the 40', but approached all the way to the inn, heard a scream that we ignored, and looked inside the inn. I really think it would have been better to pause the action at the scream or to have us approach the inn and finish the cursory look, then have the scream and allow us to decide if we're going to ignore it or not. Instead what happened was that Narnel picked up the action as if the scream was merely a distant event, perhaps part of some ongoing background noise that had been ongoing throughout our investigation. Not an unreasonable interpretation given that we weren't given an opportunity to react before doing something that would require our characters several rounds to complete.
Bryndyn and Seneca both reacted to the scream. I think the instinct of both of us was whoa! Wait a second. But the action is already moving on and I don't want to break verisimilitude. I can tell you for sure in my case that the only way I could interpret this for Seneca was for their to have been a bang-bang action where Narnel opened the door at the same time as the scream. In that situation, Seneca would wait to make sure nothing jumped us from the inn and then would have requested we break off the investigation to see about the scream. That's definitely creative interpretation on my part (probably way too creative), but it was the only way I could reconcile things in my mind with how my character would handle the situation (although how I interpret Narnel's reaction is probably pretty reasonable too).
As to where we are now, I really need some more information and I think our confusion shows that several of us need more info. Some of us think the sound is coming from between us and the barricade, some think its coming from one of the walls of the inn, and some think its coming from some other wall outside. Confusion like that can be good. It does simulate a real life situation where we're in a stressful situation and confused. But, I can tell you that Seneca has no interest getting trapped inside a burnt out inn by a horde of zombies. If they're between us and the barricade, he's going to urge us to go north or south (I think we've been moving east). If we find that is blocked too, he's going to urge us to go deeper into town. The only way he's going to barricade himself in the inn is if we're surrounded on all sides.
This is a significant scene. It is not unreasonable for us to take a couple days or even more time in real life for us to work this out even though our characters will be sorting through it in seconds. Let's gather all of the facts that Sigil is willing to share. Then we can make a quick (for our characters) decision about what we do and act.
While certainly not the leadership type, Narnel does tend to try and move things forward by simply acting. Your interpretation of Narnel's actions is pretty much spot on, Seneca. The only exception that I would make is that I really did not mentally register the scream, and I assumed that the only noises were coming from inside the Inn. That is why I proceeded. I also agree that we need some clarification regarding our current positioning and the relative proximity of the sounds, if not an actual location. We can then position ourselves and act accordingly based upon the threat. I have no qualms about a character taking more of a leadership role, but as I have indicated, it will not be Narnel. I also have no objection if the GM wishes to prod us towards activity during slower times. Sigil is certainly more than capable. I have seen the advancement of PbP's accelerated by both methods, and either is acceptable.
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Friends - I have been very impressed with the quality of game we have - the responses, the RPing and the dedication to the game. This last bit makes (where we have been hesitant to move) has me thinking that we need one last thing to really gel into a full group...I think we need a leader. ........
....... to Roleplay asking the leader if we should go elsewhere. It's a dynamic, when properly played, can add a great deal to the game and group.
This note is NOT about causing issues...its just a question for discussion...I'm enjoying the hell out of the game and wouldn't want to foul things up.
I tend to agree with this. Especially with a large group of players a leader is a good idea. Probably a joint effort of Elinor and/or Taedric seems the most likely in my opinion.
I would prefer some kind of map for the area. Even just a guide would help. I am finding the descriptions a little hrd to follow too. My original idea was that the scream came from far away, the marching/shambling was coming from behind the inn and we were heading inside the walls to guard the doors but now I am thoroughly confused! Not a problem when roleplaying a very low Int and Wis thankfully.
Cheers
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Harylnn has been withdrawn simply for the fact that one I lost my computer for about two weeks and need replacement and two, he is always going to be more of a loner, he has business he has to take care of being an aspiring hellknight and the trafficking with devils. It is the main reason he doesn't have an intelligence higher than it is. I believe I needed charisma to make the deals and wisdom to resist their charms.
I guess what I am saying while a leader might be need, it is not necessary, however do not expect an Infernal Binder to fall in line when it does not suite him.
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Thanks all for being willing to give frank feedback. The only reason this game can support so many players is because of the maturity of the players involved. It continues to be an pleasure to associate with you all.
Leader... Totally your choice. I will not even enter an opinion because I think it impacts players way more than it would me. (It does bring to mind the old school, "caller" and "mapper")
I also appreciate the your concerns with pacing. Seneca, I had never even considered that I might be going too fast. There is always a challenge with running a dynamic scene to make it play "right". In a scene like that, please feel free to talk ooc about pacing. For example, saying that before Narnel gets to the door, Seneca does thus and such. It is even easier to do this if I have not yet posted. I am also thing it might be easier if I work on some sort of a posting schedule though I am not sure I want to commit to something like this. Thoughts?
I was assuming the quiet was a timidity on the part of the group. I think instead, the GM got lost in prose and needs more concrete descriptions. Point taken. Mapping this out as I have in the past would be too daunting. I am just not equal to it. Without a scanner, hand drawn things will not work, though I might be able to get some help "PDF'ing" a hand drawn map. Can all read a PDF?
I am still thinking d20pro is the long term solution to many of our problems and hope to have that going sooner than later. On the subject, does anyone know the state of Paizo's virtual game table?
Oh and for the current scene I think Abbas has it more or less correct though the noise seems to be approaching from a side of the inn, from a smaller street.
Is Obsidian Portal and option?
Pluchak would actually make quite a good leader, but he is woefully inexperienced in such things. Right now he is more concerned with keeping his friends than he is at leading people into battle. Things may change for him in time though, and that wouldn't be a bad thing.
I can read a pdf and don't mind hand drawn maps at all. Also, as long as you don't mind retcons, I'll weigh in accordingly when I think its appropriate instead of trying to make it work with what's happened. There are a lot of days where I can only post once and wind up missing some action and I usually try to make actions work within that, but if I feel strongly, I will retcon action in the future and I will try to do it OOC so not to be too disruptive.
Regarding the Paizo VTT, I think they are still working through some issues. They have said that last year's Paizocon attendees will be their controlled group for early access and I was an attendee, but have not gotten an invite for it yet.
I'm in another game that is using Obsidian Portal right now and its been a great tool, but the GM is mapping with something else and just using OP to post.
EDIT: Here's Gary's latest post on the Paizo VTT. So, they're about a week behind schedule on that, but it sounds like they're close. I know the downloads problem over the last couple days probably cost them a couple days.
Elinor is possibly leadership material except that she wouldn't care too much if someone didn't do what she said (reverse of Harlynn). I would point at either Seneca or Aidan as smart, lawful types - although I quite like the current polity we have which I think gives the lie to the myth that groups can't function in a crisis without a single leader. (I'm a social worker, and we're often criticised for not being decisive enough, but I don't see that seeing both sides is the same as indecision...)
I think this has been a great discussion...and that was the primary focus of my statement. I'm very happy to continue as is or start an in game move to kinda following a leader. I'd follow anyone in the group...or moreph into a leader as required. I just think if we hadn't discussed this, we'd never move in that direction...if we wanted to. I think it should be ok to bounce meta game stuff over here to discussion once and awhile. I think its ok to say "I'd like the game/story to move in this direction" and for us to have that in the back of our minds as we write our posts. I see this as an interactive story and we can either completely surprise one another or we can kinda collaborate on a direction and then make that happen.
As far as leaders go in the party the only one that Harlynn would actually follow is probably Seneca, at least he believes in the proper structure the hells have laid out for us.
Hah, well said Harlynn and probably true!
Ah, the limitations of only being able to communicate one sentence at a time. I think that Abbas is intent on avoiding an immediate fight with a view to finding survivors - I don't think he charged into the mass of zombies.
Taedric will happily follow Abbas -- Order of the Shield and all.
He's been wary of speaking up due to the whole 'people ignoring him due to size' thing, despite his Charisma and tactical skill -- but saving people is what he's all about.
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Just a quick interruption here. Please check out the Realm Works Kickstarter. I am willing to dump some money into this if you think it will work for us. The maps on a cloud server are nice to see. I think I like the d20pro approach to exploration better, but this ones integration with HeroLab is really cool and I know some of us are already HeroLab users. (How many exactly?)
I use it only for initial creation, and then I level manually within the Paizo profile.
I'm a PCGenner. I find I prefer having the ability to fix the datafiles by hand when there are problems, and, for that matter, add stuff that I need for my own campaigns.
I just create my own using word
I'm a Hero Lab user and definitely plan to be a Realm Works user too.
Oh, and Seneca is following Abbas away from the zombies!
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Just to forewarn everyone, I am effectively on holiday from Sunday for ten days. This is because I run a mini-con for a growing group of friends from the area next weekend - all in a local pub on the seafront, with food and drink on tap.
Aside from finishing maps for my 7 hour scenario, there are numerous last minute emails and this time it looks like one of my fellow DMs may have some serious real life issues. So I could be finishing another 4 hour adventure tout de suite! Hence my Pathfinder time will be devoted to that rather than being on the boards.
Afterwards it generally takes me a few days to recover and get the play-by-post bug again so look for me coming from the east by 14th March (this only happens twice a year by the way). Please NPC my character when necessary, I doubt I’ll have time to help with that or so my ever-so-patient wife has told me.
Cheers
Have fun French Wolf...
Yeah, enjoy!
Sounds like fun!
Yeah, that sounds like a ton of fun. I hope things wind up being ok for your fellow DM.
Paying the piper, eh?
I'm working fifty hour weeks until the end of April, on top of the heart of the swarm release, so my posting will be sporadic at best. I'll try and check in once a day, but may only post once a week.