OOC Thread

This thread is for discussing the game. Please try to keep OOC chatter out of the game threads as much as possible.

Also, when you arrive, I'd love for you all to introduce yourselves and talk about your gaming experience! As much or as little detail as you're comfortable with.

To begin, my name is Charles and I live in the Pacific Northwest region of the US. I've been playing D&D for about twenty years now, starting with 2e at the end of its lifespan and moving into 3e. I've explored all sorts of games since then, and while I've been leaning more towards rules-light systems (Free League is doing wonders at that), something about AD&D still has my heart. When I'm not gaming, I love backpacking and indoor climbing, and I'm a cartographer by trade (though modern semantics might come into play, since I don't create maps with the intent of aethetics).

I'd also like to know what sorts of stories you're interested in exploring? Classic hack-and-slash cutting through Orcs? Something with no Orcs (hereafter known as Norcs)? Quirky stories with interesting monsters?

Hi all! I'm Paul from SoCal but it seems weird to use my meat-name in game space so call me Dom if Dominion451 becomes too much to type out ;)

Started playing dnd in 90/91 with the Zanzer Tem box set for Basic but quickly bought the Greyhawk box set and moved over to 2e (mixing 1e elements as I collected books). Got way into Shadowrun around that same time as well as the Robotech RPG and a couple other Palladium games (and Magic cards... It was the 90s!) Been playing steadily ever since.

Nowadays I'm more into DCC than dnd but I still play in four or five 5e/Pathfinder games that have been long running. I'm way into the new Cyberpunk RED system ATM as it has vastly simplified the rule system and seems to be much more accessible than Shadowrun for most players. Don't know how I missed the old CP versions in the 90s, guess no one I knew was playing it though I was aware of it. Shadowrun just bridged the gap from fantasy so much better.

Just like Cowleyc I'm a freak about backpacking, it's my one true passion outside gaming. Guess it lets me gear up and go on adventures like I'm always playing at. I'm an ultralighter, my core gear weight is 4lbs but booze always kicks that up a few pounds (priorities). I'm hiking the Everest base camp trail in March, quite looking forward to it.

Storywise I'm easy, though I have killed a ridiculous number of orcs over the years so... there's that. I love the classic modules when it comes to BECMI and I've always enjoyed the more radical 2e sets (spelljammer, ravenloft, planescape, etc.) as well as having devoured everything Krynn related. I always love Greyhawk adventures involving the thieves guilds...

Hey, KCC here! Irish, living in Korea with my wife and two kids.

Got into RPGs about ten years ago, by way of Warhammer Wargames. I have been interested in Warhammer for about 17(?) or so years. One thing led to another and I ended up playing LOTR Strategy Battle Game with a guy in college who invited me to his DnD group.

We played a Homebrew Ravenloft game, which I loved. Then I moved to Korea and had a couple of groups. Having a second kid knocked that on its head; and so now I play here!

Not too fussy about the game style. I wonder about the tone! Whimsical? Brooding? Serious? Heroic?

Wouldn’t mind terribly if we had a go at Strahd someday, either! ;)

I suppose a hint at the tone would help character building. A plucky Halfling in WhimsyTown vs a somber dwarf stuck in a Demiplane of Despair!

To elaborate on this, I've read through the online copies of Dungeon. Skimmed through most of them, and read reviews. I've been pouring over all sorts of modules to run you through. I think it'll be most fun to start a little more whimsical, and then see what happens. I might try to make a game out of avoiding Orcs when I can. And if you end up in Ravenloft, so be it. Likewise, you might just stumble on a portal that leads you to a Spelljammer dock.

Hello,

I'm happy to be here. I got into 2e about 30(!) years ago, but it feels like I haven't been able to play it for at least that long. I like games in general, and have been playing whatever I can get going with other people. GP has been a real boon for me since having a consistent flesh-and-blood group has proven to be extremely difficult over the years. On here though I can play almost anything I advertise.

I'm fine with whatever for the game. It can be whatever the group is comfortable with.

Outside of gaming I like to read and learn. Creative writing, via telling stories or practicing calligraphy are both favorite pastimes as well. I like hiking and cycling when it fits my schedule. I won't be hiking Everest, but there are some nice trails near me.

I'm John, or WhtKnt, or White Knight; whatever you prefer. I started gaming in 1978 with the Holmes "blue book" edition and have played every edition of D&D/AD&D and many more games besides. You would be hard-pressed to name a game that I'm not at least passingly familiar with if I haven't actually played it.

I started PbP in the mid-80's on local BBSes and never stopped. I also play in real-life, of course, with games on Wednesday (GURPS), Friday (Pathfinder), and every other Saturday (5e). I almost always GM, so I relish any chance to be a player.

My preferences? Just about anything short of physical comedy. I love both Ravenloft and Spelljammer, so I would not be disappointed with either of those. You'll be similarly pressed to find a classic module I haven't read or run, but I'm very good at separating player and character knowledge, so bring 'em on!

Offline, I enjoy all forms of fantasy and sci-fi, even being a member of a local Star Trek club. I also write poetry and am working on three novels. Finally, I am working on building a custom setting for Savage Worlds that I hope will one day see publication.

Well, these won't be classic modules per se, but rather fun modules I find around the place. Shorter stories, rather than a long run of Temple of Elemental Evil (as an example). I hope to surprise you with some of these!

I'm more than happy to clear up any misunderstanding! This is my first attempt at running on GP, so I don't know if I'm making any mistakes with the notes or rolls or whatnot.

Is there a "View as Player" option that I can use?

Hi.
Umm...

My name is Michel, and am from Belgium, specifically the Dutch-speaking part of it.
I have been playing TTRPGs for about 35 years. Started in high school with the Dutch translation of the German RPG Das Schwarze Auge/The Dark Eye (like pretty much everybody else around these parts at that time), and later on the Westend Games Star Wars D6 game.

I have played various forms of D&D over the years, but while I have absolutely loved a lot of the campaign settings (Dark Sun, Ravenloft, Dragonlance, early Forgotten Realms...) I have never been the biggest fan of the game engine. I'm currently really digging the PF 2E version of it though.

My preferences are very adaptable, but generally I prefer games that have a good story.

English is not my native language. And it's largely self-thought through osmosis from TV and movies, from reading fantasy and SF novels, and comics.
I have had issues in the past with coming across as too snarky or argumentative. If that happens, please tell me because it's not intentional.

Something about the way Maon talks makes me think he's more than what he seems...

Meanwhile, Odilo the Pauper Mage and his snuffly nose sounds like someone straight out of a fantasy novel. I get some Tolkien vibes from that one!

And as a reminder, posting is optional on weekends. I likely won't progress the plot then, as at least a few of us are probably busy. Today I'm heading out for a ferry ride to some remote Washington village. (Remote for the States. Not sure how remote Belgium can get.)

Odilo, fine fellow, trust Tom Bombadillo!

@Carabas, that is actually a weir, and not a dam. While they sometimes act as dams, they are often used more like gates to trap fish or to slow water and create pools, such as seen on the map. In this case, the weir is a known quantity, and not what is blocking the river.

There was another death in my live 2e game last night! The players learned why the DM (me) allows multiple attempts at Open Doors! Those four fire beetles were just waiting for the poor Thief to stumble in after the group had alerted everyone to their presence!

Also, feel free to let me know when you're done with this scene. Sounds like a handful of you are thinking of heading to the Cog's farm for some answers and officially signing on.

We're more or less getting the PCs together, so whenever it's convenient we can end the scene. I'll be ready.

Yup, just turn the page and we'll be ready.

Same here. There isn't really much for my character to do or react to anymore.

Cool beans. I'll wait for Mallard to meet the group, then move you along based on the latest plan.

Ready to go.

Yep, happy to jump forward, if needs be!

I do need to know which spells Odilo knows, and which one he has memorized. And which two Malard has memorized. I'm less concerned with equipment here.

In case anyone is concerned this first module is too whimsical, don't worry. It still has plenty of teeth. And the following stories will be a little more grounded.

Whimsical?...Meh, we just gettin' started boss!

Direction Sense would indeed help! Currently Pass Without Trace only lasts ten minutes, so it might not be the strongest option for following the goblins into who knows where, but it might be useful if you have to flee! That doesn't change the fact that several of you will be blind soon as the sun continues to set.

This might be a good time to discuss NWPs. You all selected some good ones, but nobody took Tracking. These proficiencies represent challenging tasks. Fire-building isn't lighting a wood stove in a cabin, it's lighting one in the rain (which I've seen one friend do, impressively). Tracking isn't following obvious tracks in the mud through a canyon, it's being able to find tracks when they aren't blindingly obvious. Hunting is the ability to surprise prey, not necessarily track them.

If you have a proficiency that you think might apply to a particular task, feel free to ask about it! I'm often fairly lenient, letting you get away with something with a penalty.

It's too bad Malard's donkey can't track the goblins. Lazy beast

How does the whole "knocking people out but not dead" work again in 2E?

I can't find the specifics in the rules but my recollection says "poorly".

Oh, it's absolutely super poorly done.However, you could also try an Overbear maneuver, where you all just pancake the goblin.

Something tells me we should have put a bit of effort in a session 0...

Oh, I'm loving the bickering! It feels genuine!

Yeah, but it seems like this can easily go beyond bickering because Jabrano's 'protect the innocent-ish' and Maon's 'kill agents of chaos' both seem like highly held core values, and that's not really the kind of game I like to play.

This goblin's far from innocent...

Petty theft
Identity fraud
Criminal trespass

Pretty sure that short sword is unlicensed... Definitely bumps the theft up to armed robbery.

Get your hand chopped off for a lot less in the medieval era.

Don't forget assault, as it pushes little girls into mud puddles.

I see what you're saying, though, and this module plays around with the idea of atypical monsters. Future goblins will likely be more shrewd and bloodthirsty. This sort of discussion is par for the course here. Taking it further into PvP territory is absolutely frowned upon.

Well, Trina won't come to blows to protect the goblin, but neither will she participate in its slaughter.

While I think the best course of action is to have the Goblin lead us to his tribe, I also have little interest in being held hostage by ‘my character wouldn’t do that’ notions which will be backed up with steel.

Tomorrow I'll work on setting up a sort of Session Zero page where we can discuss this sort of stuff. Hindsight is 20/15, cause you see it so much more clearly.

First of all, this is absolutely just a conflict between the characters. You're not Maon, I'm not Jabrano.

I don't think that even back in 1989 that description meant that absolutely every single last goblin is a murderous animal on a genetic level, no exceptions.

Plus, in 2E AD&D, the extremes of Alignment are a lot less extreme than in most editions, and Chaotic Evil is more "selfish prick" than "murderous lunatic", and not necessarily incompatible with "somewhat useful if unpleasant member of society".
Given how reductive the Alignment system already is, it's especially annoying how CN usually just means Fishmalk and CE just means Fishmalk Serial Killer, and that the Chaotic Alignments tends to be completely devoid of common sense.

Maon's reaction mostly surprised me because he's a Druid and True Neutral. Lawful Good and Chaotic Evil are supposed to be equally unwanted.
Jabrano of course is LG but was raised to be CE, and overcompensates, but she doesn't see "Being Good" and "Exterminating Evil" as related things.

Incidentally, reading that MM bit about Goblins, it occurs to me that, except for the bits about eating people, that pretty much applies to human civilisation too.

The official stance for this game is that goblins are evil, but evil comes in many shades. Stealing pies and generally harassing a community for no reason other than selfish pleasure is evil. But as adventurers, you've all heard about bands of rabid goblins in the woods that will steal the socks off your corpses. In general, you'll be dealing with with monsters that are evil for evil's sake. But the ones here do seem to be more civilized, minus the whole "stopping a river that a nearby society needs to survive" thing.

Alignment is a thing in this game, more so than in newer editions. You can be affected by it, and some creatures are defined by it. I'd agree that it is odd for a druid to wish ill on creatures that are causing some mischief, but it is their duty to step in when the monsters cross the line and threaten nature or balance. But so long as you stay within the general bounds of True Neutral, play your character the way you want. There are still penalties if you (or anyone, really) act outside your alignment to the point of changing alignment.

That last bit must be the weirdest thing about the whole Alignment deal: this is probably the only RPG that actively penalises characters mechanically for having character development.

I had a TT group that faced a very similar moral dilemma. The party wanted to kill the orc children, but the party paladin (!) resisted. He argued that evil is a product of its upbringing, not a moral code locked into someone by birth. In the end, he convinced the party of his viewpoint, but there was a LOT of discussion.

On another occasion, the party came across some displacer beasts, including two kits. The druid wanted to destroy the lot of them and make a cloak of displacement but the ranger lobbied in defense of the kittens. That argument almost came to real-life blows and I (as DM) had to step in and separate the two. It ended with the druid's player storming out, never to be seen again.

I don't want to see that happen here, so I suggest that we all just take a step back and try to remember that these are just fantasy characters in a game.

Just so you know, I could have gone either way. I wanted to play Maon based on his common knowledge. I disagree with a lot of what was said about 2e in the past. I played 2e when it first came out and beyond. But I also feel that historically the idea of people, including goblinoid races, are a product of their environment is a very recent and modern idea. No one thought that till like the 1960s. It's still debatable since genetic research has made inroads in the area of personality.
I knew there would be some unexpected drama, but I also felt Maon has probably seen the damage caused by all races and is vehemently against such things, knowing that Goblins have a reputation very well earned. Humans are considered evil for being slavers in D&D, and yet historically all countries and cultures participated in slavery. It was common. That does leave a bad taste to admit, but it's true. Maon is not trying to balance good and evil, law and chaos. He is looking at something more significant to him. Human settlements will exist. Nature will take its toll. But some races like Goblins will despoil a place. Humans can too. Admittedly. If he had been from a large tanning factory, poisoning the river, Maon would just as likely want that person dead as well. A little extreme, yes, but where will he learn moderation? Perhaps from the group he is with? Will he understand that there are grades of evil? An act of mercy here and there? He spends most of his time alone and perhaps his independence shows? I think all of our characters have room to grow.

For my part, I didn't feel that there was much of a debate. I think it's fine to respect the lore of the game despite its age and contemporary turmoil surrounding the ethics of said lore.

I wasn't at all upset by Maon's suggestion to kill the goblin.

As far as alignment is concerned, evil is applied with a broad brush, but acts classified as "evil" are never really defined. I'd always felt that this was kind of an odd approach to the game's design. It's one of those things that have been a bit weird to me. Do the goblins see themselves as evil? Do the goblins conceive of evil the same way as other beings? This is a rabbit hole, but looking over this thread I feel like there are a lot of worthwhile insightful comments about this edition of D&D and the rules as written.

To that end, I do believe that changes of alignment are possible in 2e. If memory serves correctly these changes resulted from significant dramatic events, magic, or a succession of small events/choices over a protracted period of time. I could be mistaken as I'm not an expert on this (or any other!) edition of D&D's rules.

I'm not anywhere near being a pro on the matter, but in the Dungeon Master's guide, 1st edition (a valuable reference), Gygax discusses alignments and how they can be reflective of character development. He speaks of how difficult it would be to change one's nature, kind of like switching political parties, but it can and does happen.

I feel that most folks don't really look that deep into the aspect of alignment as a relevant mechanic in the game and tend to simplify this and pass over it. My perspective is to either use it or remove it. Every rule is an option. Every version of D&D is modular in its basic form.

I'm not one of those who reveres Gygax, but he was ahead of his time. Almost no one was doing what he and Arneson set out to do. No other role playing game has ever been more popular than D&D even at its inception and his writings in the DM’s Guide come from thousands of hours of experience in games created and games played along with tons of feedback. His genius is sometimes overlooked.

If you put a gun to my head and asked me what I put down for Odilo’s alignment, I couldn’t tell you. He might very well be LG, but am I playing him that way? Maybe in a 2022 sense.

Edit: He’s CG. The wiggle-room alignment. :D

So, I started writing a post, fell asleep halfway through, and now it's suddenly 2 am and I probably should be more awake before posting.

Been one of those days. Sorry. I'll post some stuff tomorrow.

I know the feeling...lol. Get some rest 🙂

Gang, I'm going to be out and about visiting family this weekend. I'll try to get up a post on Sunday, introducing some new goblins!

Always leave 'em wanting more ;)

Looks like the winter lull has hit GamersPlane. Don't stress too much about getting a post in, I expect this game to ramp right back up after the New Year. In the mean time, read some good fiction, drink some good teas (or wintery-themed ale), and don't forget your vitamin D.

Does this mean the game is on pause?

While this isn't a great answer, it is what it is. It's not a full pause, but rather a slowdown. I'll be around to respond and post, but I wouldn't expect much to happen until we kick it back into full gear.

OK. I'm here and ready, but I'll slow my own posting down.

Same. Always watching.

Yeah I have been traveling a lot lately and have slowed down both on games I run and games I play.

@umbraldragon, I'm dying of laughter over here. I have the whole writeup for this module and I know all the secrets and intended tone. Your post has me in tears.

You guys are killing it with the RP!

somehow I missed this...lol

But I….

panicked mumbling

Now entering sleep mode...

Is New Year's over where you live? It's only 2:00 p.m. New Year's Eve here!

We're in the same time zone, Dom. But as far as I'm concerned, it's all one holiday.

Lol, probably should have known that 🤣

Happy New Years!

Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, new year!

All, my father-in-law is in the ICU with heart trouble. Please forgive me if I miss a beat and if I am slowing things down too much, go ahead and bot me, please. I don’t know how long this will be, but I expect at least through the weekend.

That's terrible.
Good luck and a speedy recovery to your father, and strength to you both.

I think it goes without saying, WhtKnt, but family first. Hope everything goes well for you all!

Absolutely sorry to hear that. Take all the time you need. Mental and physical health come first.

If we wait there will 100% be a fight to be had. The only reason I can think of for sticking around is picking a fight.

Maybe better to deal with the fight we picked than to let it find the farmsteads?

My father-in-law passed away at 2:04 am this morning. I will be taking a few days to be with my wife during her time of grief and will return shortly. Thank you for understanding.

My condolences. I hope you all have a support network around you. Best to you during a difficult time

I won't have time to post tonight, but I'll get you all moving again in the morning! I have my live 2e game tonight, where I'm starting the Many Gates of the Gann.

Have fun! Roll a crit for us!

That looks intense. I hope its fun!

Evening folks! I'll see about getting this thing rolling tomorrow. Weekends have been super busy for me.

Just maybe talk to them first and then make a decision?

I'm going to bow out.

I haven't been enjoying the scenario at all for a while now. I figured if I toughed it out I may get more into it, but the opposite has happened.

Happy trails adventurer

For the record cowleyc I'm having a blast ;)

I'm still in. This particular scenario isn't immersive to me, but perhaps the next one will be. I'm willing to wait around to find out.

Sorry to hear that, but it brings up a topic I was going to discuss after the scenario. I've actually been feeling the same way. I think there was a difference in expectation between players, and I mistakenly selected a module that was difficult for PbP and very different from the vibe I assume everyone was expecting. Now, for several reasons I'm planning on ending the game- but not before we finish. We're in the home stretch now!

For what it's worth, I'm also trying to limit my time here a bit. I've been having a bit too cozy of a winter and need to get more active again, and I'll be focusing on the Northlands game I started.

I'd love to play an old school game where all players are evil. Never done it, frankly it seems like td be a huge challenge for me. I don't even kill the hookers in GTA lol!

I think it was merely a clash of personalities. Is the grass green or blue? No two adventurers can agree! To flee or fight? Both!

Glad to have given it a go! Thanks for running it all the same! :)

I'm here until the end, but when it's over, it's over.

Selfishly, I just wanted to play 2e, and I appreciate that I have the opportunity to do just that. PbP is notoriously tricky. I've had a lot of trouble getting games running, and then keeping them going. Often they fizzle out after only a few weeks. That isn't much in game-time. If we finish this adventure, I'd say that's a success, and I'm happy to see this through to the end.

A gentleman never tells is the answer I would expect ;)

Yeah this one has some interesting player tension that I must say made things more interesting. The more I play with the younger generations the more I see how differently they view the world. To an old scumbag like me the answer is simple: problems with goblins are solved with a sword. That does get tiresome after a thousand games though so I'm glad there was some fresh perspective in the group... Even if their politics outlasted their interest.

I had a great time and it was fun to build for 2e again. Thanks for running it! If you're thinking on starting another old school game anytime soon please save me a spot.

Thanks for letting me join! I kept thinking the story was going to keep going into the town, as if the PCs were going to be hunted by the goblins.

I enjoyed this a lot, and was happy to get my 2e stuff out their resting place.

Also, congratulations for being able to take this game all the way to it's conclusion. That doesn't always happen in PbP, so this is commendable.

Best to you all!

Indeed, I think that I will leave that open for interpretation. Sufficed to say that I am familiar with both Dragon and Dungeon (I have a complete collection of both). I will also echo dom's sentiment. It was a lot of fun and if you consider running another 2E game (or even trying a campaign) in the future, please reserve me a spot. Thank you for an enjoyable run!

We did it! I hope you’ll all consider playing with me again in the future! Odilo is just a character, after all!

Good work, everyone! Another one for the books. Much appreciated, DM!

You're one of my favorite players on this or any site KCC, if you're gaming you know I'm in.

Actually everyone in this particular game are among my favorite gamers on PbP. We all share the love of old school and I'm honored to have met you all... Or at least to have met your avatars ;)

I'd be honored to stand with any of you again!

Hear hear!