[OOC] A Trip to Remember (OOC)

[CoffeeRogue]

@Mindsiege Is the DM inspiration a re-roll or a d12? I think I'd like to use it.

[secretID]

Originally Posted by Mindsiege

From the narration that the PCs provided, I figured that everybody would be avoiding collisions.

Not a big deal, but actually I did have Geghard just pushing through people, if possible. I wasn't perfectly clear.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

Not a big deal, but actually I did have Geghard just pushing through people, if possible. I wasn't perfectly clear.

Right, sorry that I missed it. In that case he would have observed a similar behaviour to when Earlamar had collided with Almavalesh, the citizens seemed to stay on their own trajectories even whenever they crossed paths with Geghard. There were no big carts or something like it in your group's way yet to test if they would have behaved the same. As far as commercial stalls go, you haven't quite made it to the market yet. But I'm sure there would have been a few interactables around like a wooden fence near one of Almavales's neighbouring estates or a cart that was parked at the roadside. If Geghard had interacted with them as well you can add it in your next post as a brief flashback and I can add proper narration of it in my next GM post.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by CoffeeRogue

@Mindsiege Is the DM inspiration a re-roll or a d12? I think I'd like to use it.

Inspiration in 5e is generally treated as giving yourself advantage on a roll before the roll, so not exactly a reroll. However, since this isn't (exactly) combat and we're not technically in high-tension (in game terms: initative), I would be allowing you to keep the better result on Earlamar's deception (tentatively through GM fiat because I think this is a great case for Earlamar to succeed because of having been inspired). Everybody should take note that in the future I might require each player to decide on using inspiration before making any rolls.

There is a big however, however. As I was making mention before, I do enjoy myself some narrative conflict, especially within the party. But still, since PvP is a sensitive matter, there is a bit of table etiquette that I enforce as the GM when it comes to social skill checks when they are player-on-player. For the sake of preserving player agency and everybody's fun, I maintain that any kind of social skill checks to influence another PC will not be enforced by me and I will leave whether they are respected entirely up to the PC's player's decision. So, whether Aurora ends up being influenced by Earlamar's deception is then a discussion that I will leave entirely up to you and BarrowB. This includes, whether Aurora could be deceived by Earlamar's words by either a check result of (9) or (20). If BarrowB concludes that Aurora can't be swayed by such means, I will let them maintain their player agency and I will return to you your inspiration for Earlamar to use at a later time. If BarrowB concludes that Aurora would fall for Earlamar with a (20), but not a (9), I will allow the two of you to resolve it as you had envisioned and then both I will then strike your inspiration as successfully used. decided upon. If BarrowB concludes that the inspiration wasn't necessary and that Aurora would have been swayed by Earlamar even on the (9) result, I will also allow you to retrieve your inspiration and use it in the future on something else.

I hope that takes care of both fairness and entertainment on all sides.

[secretID]

Originally Posted by Mindsiege

As far as commercial stalls go, you haven't quite made it to the market yet. But I'm sure there would have been a few interactables around like a wooden fence near one of Almavales's neighbouring estates or a cart that was parked at the roadside. If Geghard had interacted with them as well you can add it in your next post as a brief flashback and I can add proper narration of it in my next GM post.

Hm. Somewhat cross-posting, I had Geghard grab and use a handy cloth. Let me know if I need to change all that.

[Mindsiege]

As an addendum to my previous post, if there is worry on the player side that Aurora's actions will become increasingly detrimental to the party's success, then this is a topic we don't necessarily have to resolve IC.

In the WM we're all players that end up playing together mostly because of being available at the right timing. So in my opinion, it's to be expected that there will always be a bit of learning each other's playstyles and different opinions on how a PC group should function together. Personally, as a GM I like to allow my players a wide range of freedom, possibly at the cost of endangering their own success. However, if I spot problematic behaviour that will recklessly endanger the mission's success, I will usually make sure to have a quick OOC sitdown to get everybody's buy-in and we all would agree together on how to resolve the problematic situation. Players that have gamed under me before will know that I'm pretty liberal with sanctioning retcons as they fit the narrative that we as a group want to tell. Following from the above, Aurora's behaviour as of now has not been problematic for me to even consider having a discussion about it OOC. However, I also can't make any promises that it will be inconsequential. At this point I don't think there is a reason to retcon anything, however I think it's in everybody's interest that every player may ask another player respectfully to remain within the limits of having their PC act in the parties interest, either here in the OOC or possibly via a friendly PM.

To be clear, I'm raising the point because I would like to precede anybody being all too concerned. Right now I'm having good fun with how things have been proceeding in the narrative and I enjoy that PCs are interacting to bond/drift apart as they work on their goal with shared interests. So yes, while I maintain player agency and encourage OOC discussion when anybody is worried about the game, for now I feel the best is letting things play out IC. To be clear, I'm sometimes a bit of a worrywart and I'm only going out of my way to explain all of this unasked because I'm trying to catch all the angles. Please be patient with me, too!

@edit:
We're creating great RP here folks, and I love it!

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

Hm. Somewhat cross-posting, I had Geghard grab and use a handy cloth. Let me know if I need to change all that.

No need to change all that much, just change the cloth to conveniently moist laundry which he would have noticed as part of his successful Investigation (19). It would have been located in a nearby alleyway a few feet above his head, but Geghard has the athleticism to reach it without a check.

Hmm, when you're already going to edit it, please include the Investigation result in the IC post, just for the sake of bookkeeping.

@edit:
I like that Geghard would like to fulfill the role of the vanguard, but at the moment it's a bit of a difficult position to take. All the adventurers are currently clustered closely behind the quest giver couple, with the exceptions of Baka who trailed 10 ft behind that, and Rolen who is advanced a few dozen yards ahead of the rest of the party. At this point, with Oguun directly next to Mayuri and Geghard, Earlamar, Derek and Aurora vaguely next to each other, it's really up to Geghard's interpretation how he can assume the role of vanguard.

Feel free to edit any changes this leaves to his positioning as well, otherwise I'll assume him to be currently next to the extinguished peasant.

[CoffeeRogue]

@Mindsiege That sounds completely fair to me. I wouldn't want anything to influence BarrowB's character without his say so. I also want to clarify that I'm not worried about Aurora's chaotic urges, it's just how I thought Earlamar would react. I'm actually enjoying the brewing chaos and it's fun to see how things turn out.

The thought of attempting to deceive Aurora just came to me while writing the reply and I believe it would be a good element of rp; regardless of whether it succeeds or fails.

Just an FYI, with the exception of the NPSG, this is my first campaign/short campaign/one shot (can we call it a one shot?). So, I'm really new to this entire experience and willing to learn. I don't want to ruin anybody's fun or hinder storytelling. If there's anything I do that needs to be retconned or fixed, please let me know. I'm always willing to work with everybody so that we can all enjoy the story.

[secretID]

Originally Posted by Mindsiege

I like that Geghard would like to fulfill the role of the vanguard, but at the moment it's a bit of a difficult position to take.

I may have misunderstood your post about marching order. Without, say, moving well ahead of the couple, Geghard would habitually keep to the front of the group, closest to the action.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by CoffeeRogue

@Mindsiege That sounds completely fair to me. I wouldn't want anything to influence BarrowB's character without his say so. I also want to clarify that I'm not worried about Aurora's chaotic urges, it's just how I thought Earlamar would react. I'm actually enjoying the brewing chaos and it's fun to see how things turn out.

The thought of attempting to deceive Aurora just came to me while writing the reply and I believe it would be a good element of rp; regardless of whether it succeeds or fails.

Just an FYI, with the exception of the NPSG, this is my first campaign/short campaign/one shot (can we call it a one shot?). So, I'm really new to this entire experience and willing to learn. I don't want to ruin anybody's fun or hinder storytelling. If there's anything I do that needs to be retconned or fixed, please let me know. I'm always willing to work with everybody so that we can all enjoy the story.

You're absolutely good, I'm just trying to be thorough!

Hmm, I'd say each WM adventure on their own can be considered their own one-shot as they end up resolving in a contained manner. However, for those that have been paying attention, in the party planning thread I advertised this adventure as the pilot episode of a bit of an overarching series.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

I may have misunderstood your post about marching order. Without, say, moving well ahead of the couple, Geghard would habitually keep to the front of the group, closest to the action.

Duly noted, I will use this whenever I have nothing else in the narrative to inform me.

[BarrowB]

@CoffeeRogue
I don't like rolling for social stuff between characters (in most cases) but this time I'm perfectly fine with making Aurora believe Earlamar, as it went probably bad for him.

Take back that inspiration, you will need it later


PS.
Sorry if I'm overdoing the chaos.
It was never in my intention to do something, that would sabotage the quest.
So far, Aurora is just having 'fun' and experimenting.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by BarrowB

So far, Aurora is just having 'fun' and experimenting.

That's how I took it as well! To be fair, she's probably discovered the most about regularities and irregularities in the dreamscape so far, I'd call it pretty effective.

@edit:
Oh yeah, also no Perception check is necessary to spot when Grimly Pecker decides to draw his weapons. Since he and Aurora are right next to each other she can see him clearly, so probably you'd rather make an And if you do, any results are only something CoffeeRogue could tell you about. Insight check or if he's obvious about it go straight to rolling initiative. Just kidding, hopefully of course.

[BarrowB]

Originally Posted by Mindsiege

Oh yeah, also no Perception check is necessary to spot when Grimly Pecker decides to draw his weapons. Since he and Aurora are right next to each other she can see him clearly, so probably you'd rather make an And if you do, any results are only something CoffeeRogue could tell you about. Insight check or if he's obvious about it go straight to rolling initiative. Just kidding, hopefully of course.

I will do without the insight check for now, to see how it evolves.
For now, Aurora has no reason to object that it's all true.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by BarrowB

I will do without the insight check for now, to see how it evolves.
For now, Aurora has no reason to object that it's all true.

Oh yeah, I wasn't even considering insighting the lie, I meant insighting the intent to draw weapons. I figured that with her response she wasn't going to question the deception.