Hi all,
I hope this is the right place to post this query (if not, could a moderator please move it).
I have been playing since 2e D&D, but skipped 3/3.5 picked up 4th ed (tried to make it work, but it didn't for our group), then switched to Pathfinder.
So recently I have been feeling the desire to exercise my 'player' side again. With kids etc. and living in Australia, and online game via VTT just wasn't going to work for me, but a friend (Actually one of my players and the guy who got me in to D&D way back when) has played a bunch of games via PBEM games and I thought I would look in to it.
- How does an online play by post game actually work? Is it possible for someone to give me a brief run-down of what I need to know, including how mechanics are handled (like dice rolls)?
- How do I find a game to get involved is? Is there an application process, or is there anything that is generally 'good form' or 'bad form' when looking for games to participate in?
- How often is it expected you post in games? Daily? Weekly?
- What books are usually permitted? Core only? Paizo only? 3rd party? Is this usually determined by the GM?
- Anything else? Is there anything else I should know before looking in to this further or committing to a game?
I am 38 years old, male, from Australia.
Player/play-style details
I am not as interested in making overly min/max characters, but I do enjoy characters with their own personality, even if flawed. I am not against optimised characters however, but that is secondary to me.
I am prepared to try new things, new classes etc. Generally I don't mind picking classes/skills/feats that will complement the rest of the party.
I usually like to RP quite a bit (see my previous character below). Is that expected or a problem at all?
(Obviously from a game targeted at adults, and yeah, my character was female....don't hold that against me :P)
'Skye'
I swear if we eat the same swill for dinner 1 more night I am going to kill someone. That’s what 5 years of lentil soup will do to a girl.
It wasn’t always like this though.
I remember when I was little, living in Waterdeep. My Father was a wizard of no small note and made a decent living providing spells and information on consignment to various customers, ranging from travelling merchants seeking protection or enchanted locks on chests carrying valuable items, wards for wealthy citizens homes, and even some work for the local guard on occasion, often varying wildly in nature. My mother supported my father at home and we were happy.
Then came the day the druids came to the shop. My father always placed great value on education and loved a good debate. So it was that he engaged the druids in a lengthy discourse on the nature of their faith. It turned out to be a great coup for the druids who had come seeking a wizard for work on the Moonshaes and left with a new convert to match. Father soon made plans to move our small family permanently to the Moonshaes, not just for his work, but to be closer to the druids and his new faith.
I was 14. I had to leave all my friends, my schooling and all that I had known. Leave it all for some commune of religious fanatics. Needless to say I was less than impressed.
5 years later and we were still here. Mother had embraced the druidic faith of Chauntea, just as father had. I was the last hope for my family, holding out on the religious conversion and it was starting to wear thin.
As I sat at the dinner table waiting for the ‘meal’ to arrive I was acutely aware all the history of the past 5 years. My father had pressured me to accept the new faith of the family, but I could not in good conscience do so. I just didn’t believe it. Then came the change in focus for my studies...moving away from general academia to nature based studies and theological learning. My Father wanted me to spend time will the local youth (mostly children of churchy parents and inheriting the faith of their parents). I swear he even had designs on me marrying one of the local boys. Not me!
Whenever I tried to talk to my dad about how I felt here he just told me to ‘relax’ and ‘chill out’. Gods he had become such a hippie. I think he may have even swapped his tobacco for the green weed on occasion.
Around my 15th birthday I realised my true power. It was if something that was always there just fell in to place. At first a few strange things started happening. Objects I was thinking of moved without me touching them, or I had a sudden flash of otherworldly insight in to a situation. I knew straight away it was magic, but this was different from the magic of my father. So I started getting out on my own a bit and experimenting with my power.
I met Mouse in my 17th year. I was wandering around outside Caer Callidyrr (not too far away from the town however as it was dangerous to go too far), when I felt a presence, like that of a close friend. I felt and urge to call out, but not with my voice and so I did just that…and waited. About 20 minutes later a large hawk landed not 5 metres from me, with a large mouse in its beak. It was strange, but I could feel the hawk and sense his emotions. He skipped over to me and laid the mouse at my feet, looking up at me expectantly. I somehow knew we would be very good friends, and so I gave him the name Mouse, in honour of his first gift to me. He would have to be kept secret for now though.
Now at age 19 I was ready to begin making my own way in the world. Endless arguments with my parents about living here had done no good and there was only 1 thing for it. I made a decision to leave.
I spent a few days visiting the docks looking for passenger ships to take me back to Waterdeep and whilst there were no ships leaving straight away I chanced upon another opportunity. One beautiful spring morning I overheard the captain of a merchant vessel complaining that his weather insurance, in the form of a wizard, had taken ill and would not be able to make the return journey. Only 1 thing for it really. I approached the captain and proceeded to offer my services. He was sceptical at first, given my age, but I showed him a few tricks and he seemed satisfied. The best part was the weather was fine, so I should need to lift a finger for the voyage to Waterdeep, which was good considering I didn’t actually know any weather spells.
I stole away early the morning we were due to depart, leaving a brief note to my parents – I am not totally heartless. I also took some money from my father’s office to make sure I could survive at least a little while. A quick trip to the markets saw me outfitted in basic adventuring gear and supplies, and we left midmorning. The ship departed in a north easterly directions and all was going well until 2 things happened.
The first was that as soon as we were out sight of the islands the ship turned south. I wondered why this was, until I started taking my first good look at the crew. They did seem fairly seedy even for sailors. I politely asked the captain if there was a problem, and he informed me there was a change of plan and we were going to Amn. Great. Smugglers then. I glanced up and saw mouse drifting overhead. At least I had 1 friend nearby.
The second problem happened about ½ a day away from the Amn port of Athkatla. I swear the weather was fine the whole journey until out of nowhere came a fierce looking storm. The captain, or pirate, I wasn’t sure anymore, looked calm as he glanced to me and said ‘ShowTime’. My blood ran cold.
I had nothing, and as the storm rolled I felt a sickness that had nothing to do with the sea. So I did the only thing I could think of. I bluffed. I started gesturing and loudly speaking a string of gibberish that sounded vaguely like one of my father’s spells. I even mixed in some of the basic magical powers and effects I had taught myself for good measure, but the storm still hit us. Hard.
Needless to say it took some effort for the captain and the sailors to actually make the port and though no lives or cargo were lost, by the time we arrived my hands were bound in front of me and I was tied to the railing for good measure. The storm didn’t actually last that long either.
I was the last once to be unloaded from the ship when we made the port. The captain was waiting on the docks as I walked ashore, looking very smug. Well it couldn’t get any worse, so I straightened my back and squeezed my arms together to highlight my body, blinked a few times and looked up to him. ‘Surely we can work something out’ I said pushing all the charm I possessed, ‘you wouldn’t want to hurt a little girl for such a small mistake would you? Maybe you would.”I arched my back a little. He stopped and I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. Then he licked his lips and I knew I had him. Briefly.
It was at this precise moment I heard a voice coming from the shore.
‘Alessandro you pig, get away from that little girl! I swear every time I let you out of my sight you can’t help yourself. And this one is barely out of her nappy’
Gods, the bastard had a wife.
After he had told his wife my story, she looked upon me with malice and contempt. It was her idea what to do next.
‘Send her to Madam Rezuli’s, she should fetch a good price there’, she said.
A business woman then. If they hadn’t taken my gold maybe I could have bought my way free. On the positive side I got to keep my skin for a while longer.
Madam Rezuli was an old fat woman who looked after a whorehouse on the south side of town. I noted the twin guards on the door to her establishment as we entered. She looked me up and down and negotiated a price with the captain and left me there. The bottom floor was made up of a foyer and bar area, with a second level which I assumed would contain bedrooms, though I use the term loosely. I had been with a man before, but always by choice and had no intention of sleeping with strangers to pad someone else’s purse. I had to find a way out.
The madam took me upstairs to a large room where several women were getting dressed up and made up, both in garish fashion. I was told to sit and not move.
Several hours later Rezuli returned and had another good look at me.
“Yes, yes, you will do nicely my dear. I hope you are ready to earn me plenty of money and maybe a favour or 2. Tell me – are you a virgin?”
I shook my head.
“Pity” she said, “but regardless I have an important customer coming tonight and you are going to entertain him”.
She clapped her hands to summon 2 of the girls in the room over and gave instructions to them to ‘prepare me’.
Thankfully they did not paste their makeup all over my face, but the clothes they dressed me in left little to the imagination. I wore a black dancer’s leotard, and then they put a leather corset (also black) on me, with large black leather boots coming up to my thighs. Over this they made me wear a light pullover of sorts that covered my shoulders and tied around my waist. Well at least I had my mobility I thought, especially if I had to run. What I really needed was a distraction.
Unfortunately I had run out of time. I hadn’t noticed the sun going down as the women prepared me, and now the sounds of the common room filling up below me became apparent. Music and men’s voices filled the air.
Rezuli returned shortly after to take me downstairs. Before we left the women’s room however she gave me a stern talking to about what was expected. I stared to get a bit nervous at this point as my escape options were running out. Alessandro had not mentioned my magical talents, whether from the thought of getting a lower price for me, or perhaps thinking me to be a complete fraud, so I still had that ace in the hole.
We went downstairs and I was told to sit at the bar and drink nothing but water. The barkeep was advised to keep an eye on me. Nothing for it but waiting then…. again.
I could see the girls plying their trade around me, some more comfortable than others. Some had a faraway look their eyes. Drugged most likely. Disgusting.
Then the important customer arrived.
Rezuli approached him with a beaming smile. “Sir Gossum always a pleasure to see you, our most valued customer. We have a special treat for you tonight.”
And then he was brought to the bar, a drink handed to him and ‘introduced’ to me. For the second time today my blood ran cold. He passes his eyes over me appraising my every feature, and I could see the hunger in his eyes. Rezuli escorted us both upstairs (I guess to keep an eye on me more than anything), and showed us to a private room.
And that’s when it all went bad.
Gossum finished his drink and began to kiss me. I pushed him away from me, disgusted with his behaviour and he just smiled. ‘Good to have a little fight in you’, he smiled and approached me again. I retreated to the other side of the room’s large bed. It didn’t stop him as he jumped lightly on top of the bed and bounced over to stand next to me. I had a good view of the window from here and the bars keeping me in. he moved closer to me and I decided to be a bit more forceful this time, pushing him hard in to the wall. He hit his head, not hard, but hard enough to become enraged. He grabbed my arm and slapped me in the face, pushing me on the bed. Then he started to undo his pants. Anger and fire flashed in my eyes and I called up my power.
I guess it was the last thing Gossum expected as bright lights flashed between us. The room was dimly lit to begin with and the light hit him square in the eyes.
That’s when he lost it.
“You b~#%#, you have blinded me!”
He stumbled around the room for a while until he found the door and opened it. Madam Rezuli had obviously heard the noise as she was making her way up the stairs to our room. I sat calmly on the corner of the bed.
Rezuli and Gossum exchanged harsh words and I could tell Rezuli was trying to placate her valued customer. In the end an agreement must have been reached. They both entered the room with one of the guards from downstairs.
They bound my hands (sigh), and ordered the guard to watch me.
Gossum stood over me. “Tomorrow we will see how much you really DO like fighting miss.” He then turned to Rezuli and said he would be back for me in the morning.
Rezuli turned to get some women in to change my clothes and Gossum cut her off. “Leave them on her. Might get a bit more entertainment from her in that garb…the crowd should like it”. Then he left.
Well at least I didn’t have to sleep with anyone just yet.
The next morning Gossum came and picked me up from Rezuli’s (Rezuli continued to apologise and make as many concessions to him as she could). We walked through the streets for an hour or so before I saw the Colosseum. It was huge, and it was clear that’s where we were headed. I did not speak whilst we walked, but as we neared the Colosseum Gossum turned to me an explained the situation. “Here you will fight for your life witch. Survival depends on how well you fight. You had plenty of fight last night and I suggest you remember that attitude when you enter the arena”. His smile sent chills down my spine.
He took me to a large cage where several other people, slaves I guess, were sitting and standing around and shoved me in, then locked the door. There was at least 1 guard on the door and possibly more around elsewhere.
All in all not the best start to my adventures, but I hadn’t been killed or raped yet, so it could get better…or worse…
So, yeah - Thankyou for taking the time to read this and thankyou in advance for any advice you could give me as a newbie to PBP.
Jaynay27.
A moderator will probably move it, but no worries, it will work out.
So the anwers to just about all your questions is the same: it depends, or it varies.
No really there's a lot of varation from game to game. They all tend to have a lot in common but specifics will vary from GM to GM or even from game to game as people try something different.
Still let me try to add a little detail myself
•How does an online play by post game actually work? Is it possible for someone to give me a brief run-down of what I need to know, including how mechanics are handled (like dice rolls)?
For dice rolls there's an easy dice roller built into the message board hit the the "show" button next to "How to format your text" line. I think just about everybody uses it.
•How do I find a game to get involved is? Is there an application process, or is there anything that is generally 'good form' or 'bad form' when looking for games to participate in?
Read this recruitment thread, most game masters will spell out what their looking for in the initial post.
•How often is it expected you post in games? Daily? Weekly?
•What books are usually permitted? Core only? Paizo only? 3rd party? Is this usually determined by the GM?
See the above answer, no really, these things vary from game to game, altough in general most game masters are looking for people who can post a least once a day, and the more "Core" a book or source is the more likely it will be permitted.
As to you're last questions ... well lots but it's all stuff you can learn as you go, there's a thread around here with all kinds of good information in it.
Good luck, and Good Gaming
Oh the more popular games often get a lot of applicants, don't get discouraged if you aren't picked at first. There is a lot a players and not so many GM's.
Pathfinder Society games tend to feel up really fast in part because Pathfinder Society play is design so that in theory a party of any composition can complete any mission. If you have a Pathfinder Society legal charater ready just being one of the first six players to sign up can get you a slot when one of those games is posted here in the recruitment.
Well I'm leaving work and heading home to sleep, so good luck.
Thankyou for your response Ghost!
Yes, I have been looking through the other threads and I see what you mean...lots of variety and they set the guidelines quite well.
Appreciate knowing the selection process stuff and that I may not get picked. Helps to know this to set the (my) right expectations.
Aah - I see the dice roller. Very clever :)
I suggest this thread to get more information:
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2nr91?DHs-Guide-to-Play-By-Post-gaming
Excellent and helpful link. Thankyou TheCelticCircle :)
The more I read about this stuff the more I am interested.
I am even thinking about DM'ing/setting up a RP heavy game myself (our real life 'in person' game is pretty combat heavy, though we do mix it up from time to time).
Just 1 more question though - Is it considered 'bad form' to start a non-Pathfinder game on these boards?
I was thinking about World of Darkness. I love Pathfinder, but I want to try something new and the new WOD stuff makes me salivate.
*Edit* I now see this is the wrong forum for this thread. Is it possible for a mod to move it to the correct location please?
It is not really 'bad form' to do a non-PF game on these threads. I've seen a few. There were some Dark Heresy adventures a while back. I'm just not sure how much response you will get.
You might check if those games have their own forum someplace that might get more response. But it can't hurt to give it a try.
There is another advice thread to look at.
Painlord's guide
I would suggest you try to play in one before you try to GM one.
I would also second the suggestion to try a PFS game if you can get in one. They are short so it is an excellent learning tool even if you later decide you don't like it.
If you'd prefer PBEM to PBP, I'm running a Rise of the Runelords PBEM that has a slot open. If you're interested, you can look here. (Though the characters are currently lvl.3, not 2. Have to update that.)
Sorry but I have a question: What exactly is PBEM?
Thanks. I can help with PbP but not PBEM...
Just 1 more question though - Is it considered 'bad form' to start a non-Pathfinder game on these boards?
I was thinking about World of Darkness. I love Pathfinder, but I want to try something new and the new WOD stuff makes me salivate.
I'm running 2 non-pathfinder games here. As Kydeem de'Morcaine said it's slow to get the players but if you make a good sales pitch they'll come. On the flip side the pathfinder games have a tendency to get about 20 submissions and only take the best 5 or 6, which can be dehumanising and disheartening if you've put a lot of work into your character.
If you are running a Wrath the Oblivion game I'd be interested, but I won't get my hands on the book until the new year. I know it's not the most popular WoD game but I like the concept...