[OOC] Noble Hubris

[Mindsiege]

GM introduction Hey, I'm Mindsiege and your West Marches GM of the day. I'm happy to have you on board and I'm looking forward to telling this story together with you and your characters. Since we've all played together in the past, I think that shall suffice as my introduction. Below I have assembled a few notes about what you can expect while playing with me as your GM. If there are ever any questions, simply shoot them my way in this thread. Post requirements Please use at least minimal formatting in your posts for legibility. During combat, that includes a separate section (under a button or in a fieldset) stating movement, action, et cetera. Let me know if you need a template to copy, I also knew nothing about BBcode formatting before I came to RPGX. Please keep OOC-only posts in this thread. An OOC comment in one of the regular game posts (IC) is fine within its separate fieldset, though I prefer to use the OOC thread generally. Out of combat, I'll wait for some undefined reasonable time for you to post. In combat, I won't update until all players have posted. As an RPGX player, I usually propose to the group that, after X period of time after an in-combat GM post, any player can post for a PC who hasn't been posted for yet. I usually use 48 or 72 hours, but the specific time frame will be up to you players. I will leave it to the players to (politely) police posting speed issues yourselves. Also, please use the OOC thread to communicate any delays to your own posts as they arise, I am generally pretty understanding about those. Even if my own GM posts end up with lots of prose most of the time, please feel encouraged to tell your character's story in your own writing style. I place a lot more value on a player's engagement and commitment than the word count of their narrative. General Tips As part of the WM house rules expect that you'll only have two short rests and no long rests across the entirety of the adventure, regardless of whether, e.g., the PCs get a full night of rest. The in-game duration of the adventure will not affect how many rests you'll receive to beat it. Remember that this isn't a combat-only game. Look for opportunities to use skills and non-combat abilities. Generally, the right approach usually beats relying on brute force in terms of effectiveness, and the more ways you can resolve issues outside of combat, the more resources you can save up for the instances where combat is the only path to a resolution. I appreciate it if players choose to RP their attributes, but please don't feel bound by them to explore the vision of your character. Even with a bad charisma stat, you're allowed to play your character as active in social encounters as it would fit their personality. Outside of combat I don't require you to limit yourself to a single skill check per post on principle. But please limit yourself to progressing the narrative while leaving the other characters an opportunity to influence the narrative as well. You can always ask me OOC about the outcomes of your actions and I will let you know them without you having to wait for the GM update, but even then I would like to allow all players to contribute to the narrative at the same pace. When your character wants to do something to influence the scenario, don't feel limited by the options provided by the rules. If your described approach is something that could realistically succeed at achieving your intended result, I will find some rules to adjudicate your actions, though I will only tell you the obvious consequences of failure. Either way, the clearer you are at declaring your approach and intent when declaring actions, the easier it will be for me to adjudicate your character's actions. If I have to guess what is happening in the story I will usually seek clarification through the OOC thread, but if this would cause a great delay, I might be forced to resolve an imprecise approach unfavorably. So delivering precision is in your own interest. At any point, it's all right for you to leave rolling for the success of your actions to me as the GM. If you have a good guess of what rules I will be using to resolve your action I won't mind if you include the rolls as Rolling can happen inline, in your action section of the post or within the Lady Luck dice thread, with a link to that dice post in the IC post.part of your post, but I might end up choosing to resolve an action mechanically different from your expectation. If I think a course of action that your character undertakes requires a roll, I will roll it myself to speed up the game. But similar to the previous point, I will only resolve actions that are declared with a clear intent, so if you want something to happen it's probably a good idea to highlight those parts to me in your post. However, I will generally attempt to resolve all your character's actions, even if they come with consequences that you didn't want to happen. If you ever wonder what's possible, ask me in the OOC thread, then I'll let you know what your character would understand about the situation or make you roll the required checks to figure out anything that isn't immediately obvious to them. Rules for this game Generally I will stay within the rules as written (RAW), but as the GM I retain the right to rule differently if anything looks like it will threaten the verisimilitude of the game world. Most of the combat will happen under grid combat rules where I will provide a battlemap, but if applicable we might switch to our theatre of the mind. Visibility and light rules are in effect whenever I don't forget them. You will do well to consider them too. Cover rules are in effect and since I won't provide 3D maps most of that will be resolved in our theatre of the mind. Usually I will point out terrain or conditions that will give cover without any particular interaction by the characters, but feel invited to inquire what is possible within your character's environment. Especially considering angles for ranged attacks, it's possible that some objects will result in cover only when you stand in a certain way relative to your target. We'll be playing with the optional rules for Hitting Cover, so consider that it's possible to hit your allies if I don't believe that they could reasonably coordinate with you for you to shoot past them (think shooting into bottlenecks vs. standing directly behind your ally and them letting you attack past them). In summary, if you're unsure about cover, ask me about it in the OOC thread. This game will not be using the optional rules for Flanking or Diagonal Movement. I'll explain to you how we do initiative as soon as we get into high-tension situations that require it. But you can assume that initiative will matter primarily during the first turn of combat after which I will average my rolls for a single NPC turn. Generally, I process all player turns in post-order. Any exceptions to that rule will be explained in my GM instructions within the game's IC thread. I'll be making use of passive scores for skills to resolve anything that I think should be passively resolved. I'll be using the optional rules for Overrun and Tumble. I don't believe that they will come up that often. I like to enable stealth as much as possible, but for it to work it usually requires an approach that keeps you out of the awareness of the senses of those that would be trying to detect you. Ask me OOC what is possible. Beware of surprise. You and your enemies will make use of those rules whenever it's applicable. I will resolve whether a character gets surprised individually, especially if no preparation for coordination happened between your party members apriori. I will allow your characters to make skill checks with an alternative attribute if you can reason me a corresponding approach, for example an Intimidation (STR) check for threatening an NPC physically. Further points of note Treasure will be presented to you as the narrative evolves. It's your character's responsibility to pick them up. For your character to be eligible for the adventure rewards I require your character to take a substantial part in resolving the adventure's primary quest. Loot allocation however remains the responsibility of the players at the end of the adventure. I don't fudge dice or provide a deus ex machina if things get hairy. Once the encounter starts, I won't save your PC from bad luck or bad decisions unless that was always planned for that encounter. As such, I recommend that you treat the consequences of your character's actions as seriously as I will treat them as the GM. As I provide a challenging adventure, I promise that my goal isn't to kill your PC, but that doesn't mean that it cannot happen. Death is a possible outcome in my games, just ask the poor NPCs, but please believe that I enjoy a story more where the player characters rise to become victorious in the end. And even if you were to fail your quest, that's not always the end of the story, though you should try not to let it come to that. Initiative table & resource table Initiative Character AC HP Hands Status Action Position Character AC HP PP PI Movement Conditions Resources Derek Draven 15/12 10/10 17 20 30' - Arcane Recovery 1/1; Spells I. 3/3; Healer Feat 1/1; Short rests 2/2; HD 2/2 Oguun 18/16 14/14 14 13 30' - Arcane Recovery 1/1; Spells I. 3/3; Healer Feat 1/1; Short rests 2/2; HD 2/2 Aurora Turpis 17 19/19 15 11 30' Inspiration Eerie Token 1/1; Hex Magic DS 1/1; Hex Magic Hex 1/1; Wild Shape 2/2; Spells I. 3/3; Healer Feat 1/1; Short rests 2/2; HD 2/2 Punxl Tawney 15 24/24 11 8 30' - Healing Light 4/4; Spells II. 2/2; Healer Feat 1/1; Short rests 2/2; HD 3/3 Baxan Arthic 18/16 27/27 12 10 30' - Breath Weapon 1/1; Lay on Hands 15/15; Divine Sense 4/4; Channel Divinity 1/1; Spells I. 3/3; Healer Feat 1/1; Short rests 2/2; HD 3/3 Namfoodle Glitterstone 15/12 17/17 12 15 25' - Arcane Recovery 1/1; Spells I. 3/3; Healer Feat 1/1; Short rests 2/2; HD 2/2 Nephala 12 1/1 13 6 10' / 50' (fly) - - TAFF 11 1/1 18/13 6 5' / 60' (fly) - - Peter 10 3/3 16/11 6 20' / 5' (burrow) - - Phillip 15 2/2 13 12 10' / 40' (fly) - - Now that we've gotten through all of that, again, please be welcome and feel free to introduce yourself to the group with your first post. As one final bookkeeping before we can start, please proofread for me whether I've made a mistake while composing your character's entry in my resource table. Every character has the Healer Feat noted because Punxl can apply it on each character once per SR. Also, please signify to the group if you agree to employ the 48-hour rule for this game. Finally, if you have one please make a conscious decision whether you are planning to RP your familiar yourself or if you want me to RP them for you. If you plan to have me RP them, I will allow you to decide on your familiar's personality, so please provide me with the most relevant personality traits which you will want me to employ. The rest I will make up myself. No refunds.

[Noquarter19]

I'm inferring that PP and PI are passive perception and passive investigation?

Also HI everyone!

Also also, I only just now got the Punxsutawney Phil reference.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by Noquarter19

I'm inferring that PP and PI are passive perception and passive investigation?

Welcome to the thread. And yes, that would be correct.

[BarrowB]

Hi everyone!
Most of you already got to know me and Aurora through the previous game.

____________

My "Resources" are mostly fine but I also should have 1 Inspiration, because I got it in my Down Time post.

I have no problem with 48-hour rule.

I made the herbalist+int roll for the whickerwood... but got only 4, so it doesn't matter :P

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by BarrowB

I made the herbalist+int roll for the whickerwood... but got only 4, so it doesn't matter

Well, that would certainly depend on what is up with that plant, right? Studying the root vs. not studying the root could always make a difference. With a (4) you'll probably only receive trivial results, so the attempt could at least give a clue about something. I will usually tell your character different things between picking up something and studying it with the wealth of their past experiences behind them compared to merely looking across the thing from behind a table.

@edit:
As a general principle, doing something badly isn't the same thing as not doing it at all. There are certain activities where that might be the case, but it always depends, right?

[BarrowB]

I was kind of thinking about just using Druidcraft: You instantly make a flower blossom, a seed pod open, or a leaf bud bloom. on the plant...
But there is no way that this is the solution to the whole quest XD.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by BarrowB

I was kind of thinking about just using Druidcraft: You instantly make a flower blossom, a seed pod open, or a leaf bud bloom. on the plant...
But there is no way that this is the solution to the whole quest XD.

That's right. Druidcraft is a spell that interacts with living plants. This sample appears to be unsalvagable for the sake of producing offspring.

[secretID]

Hi everyone! Looking forward to another great Mindsiege adventure.

Originally Posted by Mindsiege

As an RPGX player, I usually propose to the group that, after X period of time after an in-combat GM post, any player can post for a PC who hasn't been posted for yet. I usually use 48 or 72 hours

I'm in, and I prefer 48 hours.

Originally Posted by Mindsiege

Finally, if you have one please make a conscious decision whether you are planning to RP your familiar yourself or if you want me to RP them for you.

As is obvious, I'll be RPing Phil.

Originally Posted by Mindsiege

you'll only have two short rests and no long rests across the entirety of the adventure

Just FYI for the other players, Mindsiege allows the PCs to take their official short rests separately from each other.

Originally Posted by Mindsiege

I like to enable stealth as much as possible, but for it to work it usually requires an approach that keeps you out of the awareness of the senses of those that would be trying to detect you.

Would you please elaborate a little? Are you just basically saying that there must be a conceivable way/place to Hide? When invisible, Phil is obviously out of (normal) sight but potentially within hearing, etc. I would think that he therefore can almost always attempt to Hide from, say, a normal human - yes?

[secretID]

Originally Posted by Noquarter19

Also also, I only just now got the Punxsutawney Phil reference.

You may be the first!

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

Just FYI for the other players, Mindsiege allows the PCs to take their official short rests separately from each other.

I like to do so, but for this adventure in particular I think the pacing will improve if the party only rests as a group. So that's what we'll be doing this time.

Originally Posted by secretID

Would you please elaborate a little? Are you just basically saying that there must be a conceivable way/place to Hide? When invisible, Phil is obviously out of (normal) sight but potentially within hearing, etc. I would think that he therefore can almost always attempt to Hide from, say, a normal human - yes?

Yes, for the sake of hiding, a conceivable method to hide is required. Invisibility is a great method to avoid visual detection, but it won't ward you against any other senses. I think what I can tell you generally is that your character can always attempt to avoid detection, but it will come down to my judgment and an eventual dice roll whether it succeeds. Based on your characters' awareness and understanding of their environment, you can ask me about possible ways to avoid detection and I will share with you what your characters can discern.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

You may be the first!

Certainly have beaten me to it, though I'd probably have never made the connection by myself.

[secretID]

Yeah...I wouldn't expect you to know anything about it over there. The movie, maybe? - something of a cult classic here, and a favorite of mine.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

Yeah...I wouldn't expect you to know anything about it over there. The movie, maybe? - something of a cult classic here, and a favorite of mine.

I've seen the movie, I think maybe twice or thrice? It's more of a childhood memory now, it's not something that I revisted after I stopped watching cable TV. I remember it being fun though, maybe in a few years the urge will strike me to watch it again. It might be interesting to see what difference it makes to see the movie in its original language.

[Togot]

hello everyone, i'll be playing derek the nice necromancer. if anyone can cast good berry my familiar is pretty good at delivering first aid to downed characters. really saved us in the last game

[LeDragon]

Hi everyone,

this is my first game as player with mindsiege as the DM. I'm really looking forward to play with you all!

btw: The AC of Namfoodle is 12 and +4 with mage armor. I prefer to play the familiar pet Peter on my own.

The 48 h rule for combat is OK with me.