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I mean, isn't that why we're Pathfinders?There's a very big difference between sending a group to investigate an unknown situation and withholding vital information.
Wait, Kalkamedes is your reason for disliking Sheila? (I didn't read your first post)
I am really surprised to this thread. Lady Heidmarch is my favourite venture captain. *sad face*
Sorry about that. I saw something I didn't understand, and decided to ask head on. If it helps, I'm neutral on the matter.
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Sorry about that. I saw something I didn't understand, and decided to ask head on. If it helps, I'm neutral on the matter.
Haha thank you!
Briefly, I like her elegant impression. She is a classy highborn, both welcoming host and keeping distance with players. Also she is ambitious about Varisia and trying to do something.Side note: I believe Race for Runecarved Key is poorly written.
Venture-Captain, Minnesota
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Well, AlgaeNymph, I tried to give you a spoiler-free answer. Okay, so that didn't work!
I appreciate the complexity that is Sheila Heidmarch. I've cosplayed her, and I've made her the VC for every module that I've done in Varisia. She's a fascinating character with many sides to her personality. She's so prevalent, we have numerous maps to her home, and have seen her in dozens of different moods.
Some Venture Captains are bland sources of briefings. Whether you love her, hate her or find her an intriguing mix, she doe not just blend into the background. She's memorable and an interesting character that we love to discuss with a rich history.
What I find most interesting is the contrast between the reception of Sheila and that of Calisro Benarry, another female VC who is hands-down my favorite PFS VC. Both are female. Both hand out some of the toughest and most dangerous missions in PFS. I think that Calisro is beloved in part because of the whole half-orc pirate thing that she's got going on, but also because she sends you out with gear and meaningful intel. With Calisro, you know you may go into hell, but darn it... You also feel like the VC did her best by you before sending you there.
Hmm
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Wait, Kalkamedes is your reason for disliking Sheila? (I didn't read your first post)
** spoiler omitted **
Mitch, as has been noted up further in this thread, GMs who have a different opinion of Sheila (sort of like GMT's love/hate dichotomy) will portray her based on their personal play experience and what *they* experienced.
I can easily see some information from Kalkamedes being 'missed' either by accident, time constraints, or on purpose from a less-than-helpful GM.
And that, in turn, feeds all those players an impression of a less-than-helpful Venture Captain, which then feeds in more and more.
I wonder if a lot of the negative opinion comes from how the character is portrayed -- or how I have a generally positive opinion of GMT *despite* him coming off 'kinda shady' in the first few scenarios my characters have encountered him in.
Overall, Sheila seems decent enough, based on my play experience, but she also seemed to be portrayed as a bit 'Yes, we have money for the things we don't want to do, but we don't talk about that.' type in some cases.
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What I find most interesting is the contrast between the reception of Sheila and that of Calisro Benarry, another female VC who is hands-down my favorite PFS VC. Both are female. Both hand out some of the toughest and most dangerous missions in PFS. I think that Calisro is beloved in part because of the whole half-orc pirate thing that she's got going on, but also because she sends you out with gear and meaningful intel. With Calisro, you know you may go into hell, but darn it... You also feel like the VC did her best by you before sending you there.
"Yeah, Calisro's a half-orc pirate, just like me. And she's really pretty. I keep volunteering for those Gloom Spires missions just to spend time with her on her ship. I even asked her to marry me... twice. The first time, she said she'd think about it. The second time... well... things got violent. I helped with her ship, though, so I think she likes me."
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What I find most interesting is the contrast between the reception of Sheila and that of Calisro Benarry, another female VC who is hands-down my favorite PFS VC. Both are female. Both hand out some of the toughest and most dangerous missions in PFS. I think that Calisro is beloved in part because of the whole half-orc pirate thing that she's got going on, but also because she sends you out with gear and meaningful intel. With Calisro, you know you may go into hell, but darn it... You also feel like the VC did her best by you before sending you there.
I rather liked Benarry, even if she ripped off my idea of a floating lodge. . .
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What I find most interesting is the contrast between the reception of Sheila and that of Calisro Benarry, another female VC who is hands-down my favorite PFS VC. Both are female. Both hand out some of the toughest and most dangerous missions in PFS. I think that Calisro is beloved in part because of the whole half-orc pirate thing that she's got going on, but also because she sends you out with gear and meaningful intel. With Calisro, you know you may go into hell, but darn it... You also feel like the VC did her best by you before sending you there.I rather liked Benarry, even if she ripped off my idea of a floating lodge. . .
Use a flying skiff and you should be golden!
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Venture-Lieutenant, Massachusetts—Boston Metro
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What I find most interesting is the contrast between the reception of Sheila and that of Calisro Benarry, another female VC who is hands-down my favorite PFS VC. Both are female. Both hand out some of the toughest and most dangerous missions in PFS. I think that Calisro is beloved in part because of the whole half-orc pirate thing that she's got going on, but also because she sends you out with gear and meaningful intel. With Calisro, you know you may go into hell, but darn it... You also feel like the VC did her best by you before sending you there.
Hmm
Benarry's missions compared to Heidmarch's are a cakewalk. Maybe her newest scenario but even then it doesn't have the "Im quitting Pathfinder Society. This is horrible and not fun. Never ever again. Don't play this." type of reviews that Shelia's got.
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I mean, isn't that why we're Pathfinders?There's a very big difference between sending a group to investigate an unknown situation and withholding vital information.Wait, Kalkamedes is your reason for disliking Sheila? (I didn't read your first post)
** spoiler omitted **
Its the disparity between what she knows and what she tells you. There's no reason to keep the details of the mission secret as long as she does (ie, when you can no longer get supplies) but she does it anyway.. for reasons.
Also there IS something in that scenario that can end with the scenario going very. very. VERY badly.
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Venture-Lieutenant, Massachusetts—Boston Metro
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I mean, isn't that why we're Pathfinders?There's a very big difference between sending a group to investigate an unknown situation and withholding vital information.Wait, Kalkamedes is your reason for disliking Sheila? (I didn't read your first post)
** spoiler omitted **
Its the disparity between what she knows and what she tells you. There's no reason to keep the details of the mission secret as long as she does (ie, when you can no longer get supplies) but she does it anyway.. for reasons.
Also there IS something in that scenario that can end with the scenario going very. very. VERY badly.
Why the hell would she even know about the end of Kalkamedes? Like there is nothing I can think of that you would be able to prepare for that would let you anticipate that twist.
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Venture-Captain, California—San Francisco Bay Area North & East
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What I find most interesting is the contrast between the reception of Sheila and that of Calisro Benarry, another female VC who is hands-down my favorite PFS VC. Both are female. Both hand out some of the toughest and most dangerous missions in PFS. I think that Calisro is beloved in part because of the whole half-orc pirate thing that she's got going on, but also because she sends you out with gear and meaningful intel. With Calisro, you know you may go into hell, but darn it... You also feel like the VC did her best by you before sending you there.I rather liked Benarry, even if she ripped off my idea of a floating lodge. . .
The best venture captain, Retief VanSchuyver, beat you both to it back in 2-06, Heresy of Man part 1.
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I mean, isn't that why we're Pathfinders?There's a very big difference between sending a group to investigate an unknown situation and withholding vital information.Wait, Kalkamedes is your reason for disliking Sheila? (I didn't read your first post)
** spoiler omitted **
Its the disparity between what she knows and what she tells you. There's no reason to keep the details of the mission secret as long as she does (ie, when you can no longer get supplies) but she does it anyway.. for reasons.
Also there IS something in that scenario that can end with the scenario going very. very. VERY badly.
Except that Pathfinders are supposed to be prepared. Why should she tell you what to prepare for, when almost everything that she knows about is something every pathfinder team should be prepared for without having to be told what to prepare for.
Well, AlgaeNymph, I tried to give you a spoiler-free answer. Okay, so that didn't work!
Thanks for the sentiment, but I'm fortunately more interested in the lore than the experience. ^_^
I have gotten a reasonable consensus, as well as a different perspective (I read supplements rather than play them), so I feel my question's been answered. That doesn't mean I won't welcome more input, though. ;)
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RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 8
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I would like to think that a PFS legal character sheet and 300 word count personality description was on file for main characters and VCs in the PFS setting for writers to draw on...Not that she needs a PFS-legal character sheet, but the published information about Captain Heidmarch has been inconsistent. She's a mid-level monk without UMD, but apparently can trigger complicated magic items like the Rune-bound Key.
Then again, she broke it the first time she tried to use it.
According to Seeker of Secrets, Sheila Heidmarch is a LN sorcerer 6. Though that info is probably a bit out of date.
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According to Seeker of Secrets, Sheila Heidmarch is a LN sorcerer 6. Though that info is probably a bit out of date.I would like to think that a PFS legal character sheet and 300 word count personality description was on file for main characters and VCs in the PFS setting for writers to draw on...Not that she needs a PFS-legal character sheet, but the published information about Captain Heidmarch has been inconsistent. She's a mid-level monk without UMD, but apparently can trigger complicated magic items like the Rune-bound Key.
Then again, she broke it the first time she tried to use it.
One of several errors in Seekers of Secrets... resulted in an art order for a sorcerer when she's more of a martial type in all of her other descriptions. I think the mixup led to a staff-based fighter archetype specifically to make her art make sense? Something like that.
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If I recall correctly, the hate for Sheila that I'm aware of comes from 2012's special scenario ** spoiler omitted **
I'm not sure I'd say I hate her, but I do think she as an NPC and a VC was very terrible for the game. I've never run, read, or played Race for the Runecarved Key, so that honestly has nothing to do with my distaste for her. For me, it's largely based on the information I've seen from the DM side of the screen when running scenarios with her, her outright lack of useful/pertinent information from my experience playing in scenario's she introduced, and that I see her as a very toxic leader all in all.
According to Seeker of Secrets, Sheila Heidmarch is a LN sorcerer 6. Though that info is probably a bit out of date.
As I recall, she had two write-ups. In, and I could be wrong, but in Shattered Star, I believe she is presented as a level 5ish Monk/Wizard with a slightly intellectual bent, and in PFS she is a LN level 6 Sorcerer.
Tying into the above a bit, while I have very little experience with her from Shattered Star, the personality and level of talent I got from the AP version seemed much different that what I've seen from both sides of the screen in PFS, and I suspect that those that met her in the AP, or either not seen some of her worse sides in PFS scenarios in general might view the NPC in a very different light than others whose only real experience with her is her incompetence and what we can only assume is lack of concern if her teams fail, or even if the mission succeeds, just as long as the Varisia Lodge looks good afterwards.
That, if PFS, seems to be her one and only real motivation, and since, (I think) most folks play RPGs to get away from people like this they work with or for as escapism, (I know being in the military I certainly do!!!), having this sort of leader or NPC we are supposed to follow and not question was just not well received, and it didn't help at all that she was so present for so long and never got punished like VC Miregrold or Thrul, who where hunted down to one degree or another for being so callous with their Pathfinder Agent's lives and having their own personal agenda they essentially used the organization for. Or the whole ordeal with how Torch's character was handled.
All in all, I think it really depends a great deal on in what order players might have interacted with the NPC, but also a great deal on how prior DM's might have handled her that might have influenced an individuals view on the NPC from the start.
This is particularly important now that the old Faction Missions do not apply, where additional information might be shown.