Admin / OOC

Mar 10, 2023 3:42 pm

This thread will be the long-running line that we will use for Out of Character (OOC) talk and other Administrative tasks, news, announcements, commentary, discussions, socializing, comedy, trash-talk, etc.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 10, 2023 3:42 pm

Admin / OOC

During this Developmental Phase, I'll post some direction here as I build out the full game forum/thread structure.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 10, 2023 3:43 pm

Admin / OOC

Invitation: ROLL CHARACTERS!!!

(not here though, on the Roll Table)

cowleyc

Mar 10, 2023 7:15 pm

Admin / OOC

All right, I have made some rolls and landed on a Strong and Tough but physically paralyzed Barbarian. Of the barbarian origins, Jutlander speaks to me (especially since the other two options aren't allowed). However, I'm also interested in a custom Krysean barbarian, a celtic woad-warrior. How would you feel about that?

[ +- ] Quote from the Players Guide

Ambushing seems like a natural proficiency for a Krysean, should it be allowed. But I'm also happy to just roll with a Jutlander!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 10, 2023 8:02 pm

Admin / OOC

cowleyc says:

All right, I have made some rolls and landed on a Strong and Tough but physically paralyzed Barbarian. Of the barbarian origins, Jutlander speaks to me (especially since the other two options aren't allowed). However, I'm also interested in a custom Krysean barbarian, a celtic woad-warrior. How would you feel about that?

[ +- ] Quote from the Players Guide

Ambushing seems like a natural proficiency for a Krysean, should it be allowed. But I'm also happy to just roll with a Jutlander!

Bro, I think the Krysean is the jam! We will be starting the story line in the southern lands, near a border area between Tirenea, Nicea, and Krysea. So a Krysean Barbarian would fit like a glove, including those proficiencies making a lot of sense in the local scene.
Not bad also: you would get Ability Score increases for picking Origin Area Advantage Folk.

Yeah I like this guy for sure. This scene wouldn't be right without at least one Barbarian!

cowleyc

Mar 10, 2023 9:05 pm

Admin / OOC

I'm still looking for some good art, but I have created Culchas the Hunter, Krysean Barbarian.

[ +- ] Visual Inspiration

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 10, 2023 10:54 pm

Admin / OOC

cowleyc says:

I'm still looking for some good art, but I have created Culchas the Hunter, Krysean Barbarian.

[ +- ] Visual Inspiration

Bro, this guy is WILD!

Punks step up and get wrekt.

The art is top tier, on target. I can see this Krysean going into "warp spasm" in the spirit of Cu Chulainn. Based.

Hail Culchas!

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Mar 11, 2023 8:51 am

Admin / OOC

I had in mind a Tirenean cleric of Türas, sent to seek out and contest chaos and evil throughout the land. If this is ok, I'll write up the character sheet.

Some time with an AI got me this character art:

[ +- ] Visual Inspiration

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 11, 2023 10:38 pm

Admin / OOC

Robago says:

I had in mind a Tirenean cleric of Türas, sent to seek out and contest chaos and evil throughout the land. If this is ok, I'll write up the character sheet.

Some time with an AI got me this character art:

[ +- ] Visual Inspiration

Hell yeah, bro. That's great. Please proceed and let us hear about it.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 11, 2023 11:02 pm

Admin / OOC

Players' Club!
Hope you are all doing well where you are. Thanks for all the posts. These characters are dope.

I got a quick minute to get on the boards here, but I'm traveling and rocking good times for the weekend in The Real. I'll be limited on comms until Monday night or Tuesday morning, but I'll get back to work on my leisure online gaming as much as possible next week - putting in work to set up for our badass game.

Looking forward to reading and getting art inspiration about these PCs, so send any ideas or questions and I'll catch up. See you soon.

J-Blaze

Len

Mar 12, 2023 12:09 am

Admin / OOC

Xenophon Pyrrhosides, Nicean sellsword

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1003307399706312725/1084263172522917958/len_face_of_a_spartan_warrior_no_helmet_lean_build_beard_rain_1b78a727-fdde-471f-bc88-6e751f3a1cbf.png

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1003307399706312725/1084159134523478036/len_greek_hoplite_mercenary_muddy_terrain_rain_408336b2-674f-42f2-86eb-2e9d51063327.png

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1003307399706312725/1084159036750057633/len_greek_hoplite_mercenary_muddy_terrain_rain_79e48605-b686-4a61-b80c-07c148029a88.png

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Mar 12, 2023 8:54 am

Admin / OOC

I had a go at a basic character sheet design following the format of the ACKS official sheets. Nothing fancy but enough to get started with.

[ +- ] ACKS

Create character

Adventurer Conqueror King System

Character Statistics

Name:
Class:
Title:
Alignment:
Level:

Ability	Score
Strength
Intelligence
Wisdom
Dexterity
Constitution
Charisma
Hit Points
Armor Class

Weapons & Attacks

Weapon	Throw	Damage

Initiative

Modifier |

Proficiencies

Proficiency	Throw

Equipment

Item	Weight










Total Weight

Magic Items

Item	Weight





Total Weight

Languages

Saving Throws

Save	Throw
Pertrify / Paralyze
Poison / Death
Blast / Breath
Staff / Wand
Spell

Movement

Base:
Combat:
Charge/run:
Climb:
Stealth:
Daily:

Class & Race Abilities

Ability	Throw

Actions

Action	Throw
Open Door
Detect Secret Door
Hear Noise
Find Traps

Loot

Copper:
Silver:
Electrum:
Gold:
Platinum:

Other

Starting Wealth:

Experience

Needed:
Bonus:

Spells

Spell	Level	Memorised

Misc

Age:
Sex:
Height:
Wight:

Notes

[f=font-fell huge background-color:white centre][b]Adventurer Conqueror King System[/b][/f] [2column] [col] [abilities=Character Statistics] [b]Name:[/b] [_=] [b]Class:[/b] [_=] [b]Title:[/b] [_=] [b]Alignment:[/b] [_=] [b]Level: [/b] [_=] [table="ht"] [b]Ability[/b] | [b]Score[/b] [b]Strength[/b] | [_=] [b]Intelligence[/b] | [_=] [b]Wisdom[/b] | [_=] [b]Dexterity[/b] | [_=] [b]Constitution[/b] | [_=] [b]Charisma[/b] | [_=] [b]Hit Points[/b] | [_=] [b]Armor Class[/b] | [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Weapons & Attacks] [table="ht"] [b]Weapon[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] | [b]Damage[/b] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Initiative] [b]Modifier[/b] | [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Proficiencies] [table="ht"] [b]Proficiency[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Equipment] [table="ht"] [b]Item[/b] | [b]Weight[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [b]Total Weight || [_=][/b] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Magic Items] [table="ht"] [b]Item[/b] | [b]Weight[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [b]Total Weight || [_=][/b] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Languages] [table="ht"] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [/col] [col] [abilities=Saving Throws] [table="ht"] [b]Save[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] [b]Pertrify / Paralyze[/b] | [_=] [b]Poison / Death[/b] | [_=] [b]Blast / Breath[/b] | [_=] [b]Staff / Wand[/b] | [_=] [b]Spell[/b] | [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Movement] [b]Base:[/b] [_=] [b]Combat:[/b] [_=] [b]Charge/run:[/b] [_=] [b]Climb:[/b] [_=] [b]Stealth: [/b] [_=] [b]Daily: [/b] [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Class & Race Abilities] [table="ht"] [b]Ability[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Actions] [table="ht"] [b]Action[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] Open Door | [_=] Detect Secret Door | [_=] Hear Noise | [_=] Find Traps | [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Loot] [b]Copper:[/b] [_=] [b]Silver:[/b] [_=] [b]Electrum:[/b] [_=] [b]Gold:[/b] [_=] [b]Platinum: [/b] [_=] [table="ht"] [b]Other[/b] [_=] [_=] [_=] [/table] [b]Starting Wealth:[/b] [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Experience] [b]Needed:[/b] [_=] [b]Bonus:[/b] [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Spells] [table="ht"] [b]Spell[/b] | [b]Level[/b] | [b]Memorised[/b] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Misc] [b]Age:[/b] [_=] [b]Sex:[/b] [_=] [b]Height:[/b] [_=] [b]Wight:[/b] [_=] [table="ht"] [b]Notes[/b] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [/col] [/2column]

RageRed

Mar 13, 2023 3:38 am

Admin / OOC

Syrena Rachess Drakonis
Tirenean Scout
(Has ancestral Rornish blood)

Last edited March 15, 2023 9:46 pm

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 14, 2023 11:04 am

Admin / OOC

from "Roll Table"...

Constablebrew says:

J - Do the Tireneans have anything like gladiatorial combat? I am thinking that my character could have dabbled in the arena as a retiarius styled fighter - net and spear.

Net gives +2 to wrestle. With a spear, two weapon fighting gives a additional +1 atk. I could also use my class proficiency to take weapon finesse so those attacks are with DEX, giving an additional +1.

Similarly, could do this style with a range focus. Using bolas instead of a net and hurling javelins/spears. Taking the skirmisher proficiency lets him keep backing out of melee, tripping them up with the bolas, then pelting with spears when they are down. This works out pretty well with the spear then too, as he could fight with spear from second rank while the meatheads hold the frontline. (Would two weapon fighting work from second rank?)

I am also thinking that this character would have only dabbled in the arena, finding that they were of more use on the wings helping to treat the wounds of the combatants with Healing proficiency. What do you guys think? I might make that two ranks of healing to gain cure light wounds, supplementing our cleric.

Yes there are gladiator games in the lands of Tireneans, as the primary originators of the expansive Auran culture.

I'm not extensively read-up on the character build proficiency options or the finer details of every combat scenario, but a quick thought from the hip:
I don't think 2 weapon fighting techniques are meant to work with range weapons, or intermixed with a hit/throw combo. I might be swayed by a hard read on the rules, but I do want to avoid too much hair-splitting - would prefer that 2 weapon efforts and related bonuses be confined to melee scenarios.

One thought I'm having: I don't think optimization needs to be the top priority. But I invite you to not overthink it preparing for layered battlelines, massive detailed grid combat day-in/day-out. I know we got into some hardcore combat-tech ground-game in the DT days, but goal this time around in Ascendant is to be several degrees less intense. This will be more of an exploration, treasure seeker game - hopefully with some puzzling scenes and a dash of creepiness for story and discovery.

Overall, I want you and everyone to pick first and foremost a fun idea of a character that you want to play for the sake of it. If the gladiator idea is the gut feeling, I dig it.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 14, 2023 11:07 am

Admin / OOC

Len says:

Xenophon Pyrrhosides, Nicean sellsword

.....

Len, I like this a lot. Picture, name, concept - all works very well. Predict Xenophone will be a champion - has ancestry back to in-world equivalent of the Trojan War.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 14, 2023 11:19 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Syrena Rachess Drakonis
Tirenean Scout
(Has ancestral Rornish blood)

...

Syrena is off-the-charts, Red. That picture says a thousand words.

Great dose of realism with the Tirenean origin but the Rornish admixture. Makes sense as I read the background resources. The Rornish lands were under the Auran rule for centuries, blended to some degree with the Tirenean core of Auran's expansion, but still kept much of their own ways in the longer history. Would be plausible that Syrena's line held some story of that union of people in a previous generation. It reminds me a lot of some of the history I've read of what many propose as the origin of the King Arthur legend - a half Roman half Breton royalty of early 5th century Breton, who played a major roll in the transition of the island when the Romans departed and the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, etc. began to migrate in, often hostile. In the game world, the Jutlanders are playing the roll of the Germanic invaders into Rornish lands, while the Tireneans (Romans) have since shunted back to their original historic areas as the Empire gradually breaks apart.

Syrena is going to be a hit, I feel sure.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 14, 2023 11:29 am

Admin / OOC

Robago says:

I had a go at a basic character sheet design following the format of the ACKS official sheets. Nothing fancy but enough to get started with.

[ +- ] ACKS

Create character

Adventurer Conqueror King System

Character Statistics

Name:
Class:
Title:
Alignment:
Level:

Ability	Score
Strength
Intelligence
Wisdom
Dexterity
Constitution
Charisma
Hit Points
Armor Class

Weapons & Attacks

Weapon	Throw	Damage

Initiative

Modifier |

Proficiencies

Proficiency	Throw

Equipment

Item	Weight










Total Weight

Magic Items

Item	Weight





Total Weight

Languages

Saving Throws

Save	Throw
Pertrify / Paralyze
Poison / Death
Blast / Breath
Staff / Wand
Spell

Movement

Base:
Combat:
Charge/run:
Climb:
Stealth:
Daily:

Class & Race Abilities

Ability	Throw

Actions

Action	Throw
Open Door
Detect Secret Door
Hear Noise
Find Traps

Loot

Copper:
Silver:
Electrum:
Gold:
Platinum:

Other

Starting Wealth:

Experience

Needed:
Bonus:

Spells

Spell	Level	Memorised

Misc

Age:
Sex:
Height:
Wight:

Notes

[f=font-fell huge background-color:white centre][b]Adventurer Conqueror King System[/b][/f] [2column] [col] [abilities=Character Statistics] [b]Name:[/b] [_=] [b]Class:[/b] [_=] [b]Title:[/b] [_=] [b]Alignment:[/b] [_=] [b]Level: [/b] [_=] [table="ht"] [b]Ability[/b] | [b]Score[/b] [b]Strength[/b] | [_=] [b]Intelligence[/b] | [_=] [b]Wisdom[/b] | [_=] [b]Dexterity[/b] | [_=] [b]Constitution[/b] | [_=] [b]Charisma[/b] | [_=] [b]Hit Points[/b] | [_=] [b]Armor Class[/b] | [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Weapons & Attacks] [table="ht"] [b]Weapon[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] | [b]Damage[/b] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Initiative] [b]Modifier[/b] | [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Proficiencies] [table="ht"] [b]Proficiency[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Equipment] [table="ht"] [b]Item[/b] | [b]Weight[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [b]Total Weight || [_=][/b] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Magic Items] [table="ht"] [b]Item[/b] | [b]Weight[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [b]Total Weight || [_=][/b] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Languages] [table="ht"] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [/col] [col] [abilities=Saving Throws] [table="ht"] [b]Save[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] [b]Pertrify / Paralyze[/b] | [_=] [b]Poison / Death[/b] | [_=] [b]Blast / Breath[/b] | [_=] [b]Staff / Wand[/b] | [_=] [b]Spell[/b] | [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Movement] [b]Base:[/b] [_=] [b]Combat:[/b] [_=] [b]Charge/run:[/b] [_=] [b]Climb:[/b] [_=] [b]Stealth: [/b] [_=] [b]Daily: [/b] [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Class & Race Abilities] [table="ht"] [b]Ability[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Actions] [table="ht"] [b]Action[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] Open Door | [_=] Detect Secret Door | [_=] Hear Noise | [_=] Find Traps | [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Loot] [b]Copper:[/b] [_=] [b]Silver:[/b] [_=] [b]Electrum:[/b] [_=] [b]Gold:[/b] [_=] [b]Platinum: [/b] [_=] [table="ht"] [b]Other[/b] [_=] [_=] [_=] [/table] [b]Starting Wealth:[/b] [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Experience] [b]Needed:[/b] [_=] [b]Bonus:[/b] [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Spells] [table="ht"] [b]Spell[/b] | [b]Level[/b] | [b]Memorised[/b] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Misc] [b]Age:[/b] [_=] [b]Sex:[/b] [_=] [b]Height:[/b] [_=] [b]Wight:[/b] [_=] [table="ht"] [b]Notes[/b] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [/col] [/2column]

This seems solid to me. I'm so bad on the tech, have to ask some dumb questions...

Is this loadable into a sheet that everyone can use?
Are there any other actions to take to get the Custom Character sheet off the ground, standardized, circulated, etc.?

I'll hear your advice, Robago, and the same from anyone else.

I've seen a couple Characters come through, approved them, I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything I need to be doing to get the structure in place.

Thanks again! I appreciate the work on this.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 14, 2023 11:39 am

Admin / OOC

Y'all, I don't want to over-think or over-talk the OSR genre. I haven't done an extensive deep dive on the topic - I just figured we could build our own game without a whole lot of outside influence, BUT... I did listen to one video/audio talk and enjoyed it. I generally (though not completely) agree with on the broad concept.

I'll share it here in case anyone wants to listen for leisure...

5e to OSR conversion ideas

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 14, 2023 12:17 pm

Admin / OOC

Players' Club,

Thanks for all the entries.

I've probably written all I can for today, but wanted to take a quick moment to post out in the open my goals, intentions, limitations for the upcoming schedule.

My original intent for this project was...

1) Interest check early March
2) Prep and develop mid-March
3) Team and Character development late-March
4) Full launch gameplay: early April

On CB's recommendation, I framed up the CharGen and character workspace a bit early, and on the fly (ugh- some mistakes along the way). He was right too - the "down the line" rolling of Ability Scores drives a lot of Character idea lines, so that was good. I've totally enjoyed seeing the rolls and the Character Concepts - what a great cadre we have so far.

I do have to be open though: I'm limited on game time for this week and next week, with a lot of stuff going on at work, including some upcoming travel.

I'll just have to ask for your patience as I do the balancing act. I'll try to post in on either the morning or evening (North America, East Coast time zone) on most days. But it may be limited on depth. If I'm unresponsive for a time, it isn't for lack of interest.

I think I'll be on a good stride for more free time on or around next Thursday evening, 23 March.

Not 100% yet, but I feel like I can launch active game on the week after.

So, tentative game start: Monday, 27 March.

I definitely will be committed to the game. I'm looking forward to getting back at it after a hiatus last year. We've got a good crew here, so thanks for supporting. Let me know if you need anything, have any questions or comments - can post here in Admin or PM me if it's anything that you prefer one-on-one.

Thanks, y'all.

J-Comms

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 14, 2023 12:21 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Syrena Rachess Drakonis
Tirenean Scout
(Has ancestral Rornish blood)

...

Also, on this...I noticed that I had left the Rornish Folk off the list in the CharGen entry by mistake. I've since added it in. I'm glad you found it in the published resource, Red.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 14, 2023 12:24 pm

Admin / OOC

On watch, out on the edge...

Len

Mar 14, 2023 3:40 pm

Admin / OOC

I'm fine to wait. Just a heads up that on the 28th my family has some medical stuff to take care of, so I might be a little slow out the gates, depending on how things go.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 12:03 am

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

Ability Scores (WIP)

Ha! 6d6 tripped me up!

Welcome onboard, Leo.

Hey, bro - here's the RULINGS on the scores.

1) You're out of sequence on the distribution order of the scores. It's my fault. I set up the Ability Score order list inconsistent with the old school order that is on the character sheet. But to match everyone else, here's your resulting rolls matched to the proper order...

STR 13
DEX 15
CON 17
INT 15
WIS 12
CHA 13

2) Your Innate Genius result score (13) was LOWER than your 3d6 roll (17). That's improbable, but it happened.
I want to let you keep the higher score this time around. So your base scores are what is listed above. Move on from there to the next steps (optional swap, Folk, Class).

This Ruling in #2 above gives an opportunity to some people in the rest of the crowd, detailed in next post....

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 12:14 am

Admin / OOC

In a strange turn of events, the ruling above gives an opportunity to some other Players.

Leo was given 1 roll of 3d6 and 1 roll of 6d6 keep highest. From those 2 scores, he took the highest for his Innate Genius score.

So for the fun of it, just this time in first CharGen, everyone will get a chance for a similar 2 rolls.

CB, this is brutal, but you've already rolled twice, here and here. Unfortunately, can't let you roll a 3rd time. Your result of 13 over 12 has to stand as-is.

Required Action for Len, Cowleyc, Red, Robago: Roll 3d6 on Roll Table.
Compare to 3d6 result 6d6 Innate Genius result previously determined. The higher score will become the final score in that original position.

On the statistics, chances are that it won't make a difference. BUT there is a chance it does, so throw dice and let us see the results.

Again, next time around, we'll get this right on First-Time-GO - so this double roll thing is a Santa Claus gift exception for the kick-off.

Let's GO!

J - Audible

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 12:27 am

Admin / OOC

Len says:

I'm fine to wait. Just a heads up that on the 28th my family has some medical stuff to take care of, so I might be a little slow out the gates, depending on how things go.

Yeah, Len. We can work through it. I was aware of this, so thanks for the heads-up.
Most of all, best wishes to you and the family. Good luck, be well, or speedy recovery - whichever can apply!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 12:44 am

Admin / OOC

This would be a cool in-game move...

Len

Mar 15, 2023 3:04 am

Admin / OOC

Unlikely to beat a 17, but here goes... and I'll stick with the 17.

Thanks for you understanding re: health things. Might be fine to post at full speed, we'll see.

Last edited March 15, 2023 3:06 am

Rolls

0.46% chance... - (3d6)

(366) = 15

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 4:17 am

Admin / OOC

Quote:

CB, this is brutal, but you've already rolled twice, here and here. Unfortunately, can't let you roll a 3rd time. Your result of 13 over 12 has to stand as-is.

Pssh, as if I even wanted to change my beautiful golden nugget. I was hoping for extremes of highs and lows, got all basically slightly not mediocre. Turns out I love it and Bardy McBardFace is going to be amazing!

cowleyc

Mar 15, 2023 4:22 am

Admin / OOC

"CROM-ABO!!!"

Rolls

Freeroll - (3d6)

(211) = 4

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Mar 15, 2023 4:47 am

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Leo9sign says:

Ability Scores (WIP)

Ha! 6d6 tripped me up!

Welcome onboard, Leo.

Hey, bro - here's the RULINGS on the scores.

1) You're out of sequence on the distribution order of the scores. It's my fault. I set up the Ability Score order list inconsistent with the old school order that is on the character sheet. But to match everyone else, here's your resulting rolls matched to the proper order...

STR 13
DEX 15
CON 17
INT 15
WIS 12
CHA 13

2) Your Innate Genius result score (13) was LOWER than your 3d6 roll (17). That's improbable, but it happened.
I want to let you keep the higher score this time around. So your base scores are what is listed above. Move on from there to the next steps (optional swap, Folk, Class).

This Ruling in #2 above gives an opportunity to some people in the rest of the crowd, detailed in next post....

Thank you and hello everyone!

That feels very generous actually, so no complaints at all. I find it commendable that you want to keep everyone on a level playing field. I am still climbing the learning curve to become more proficient with Gamer's Plane, so any pointers and corrections to my methods are appreciated.
I like to play wizards / mages, and this seems like a good set of stats for a mage that isn't quite so fragile, so I may go with that if it is ok.

I would like to take advantage of the optional rule to swap two scores and make his INT a 17 and his CON a 15.
Step 3 (optional): If desired, swap a pair of rolls, exchanging positions between two Ability Scores of choice.

Last edited March 15, 2023 5:11 am

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 5:21 am

Admin / OOC

Introductions

I'm happy to be here with you all and thought I'd take a moment to introduce myself. We'll be spending a lot of time together through our characters and I find knowing a bit about the people behind the characters somehow makes the game even more engaging. Part of it is admiring the craft put into the posts. Part of it is the camaraderie of putting so much time and effort into something together. And there is also the part that each bit of story we compose draws on autobiographical sources in one way or another, so it is all very personal too.

I'm like 43 I think, starting to forget my actual age and have to calculate it every time now. I've got two school age kids that suffer daily from my dad jokes in between the half a dozen afterschool activities we schlep them to and from. My wife and I spent the evenings and weekends of the pandemic building a massive addition to our house ourselves. During the day I'm a software engineer working my nerdy dream job at a rocket factory.

I started gaming suuuuper young. One of my earliest memories, when I must have been like 3, was a christmas evening and my parents were playing some video game on the tv. I didn't know what it was then, but reflecting on it now they were playing Atari. Growing up I played many generations of video game consoles and the classic board games like Clue and Monopoly. Then one day, I was like in 5th grade, I found some random board game in the thrift store - Conquest of the Empire, a wargame somewhat like Risk. My friends and I puzzled our way through how to play it and got hooked. From then on there has been a trend where I find that the thicker the rule book, the more I love the game!

Then one day in my freshman or sophomore year of high school, my dad sent me a photocopy of a bunch of AD&D books. He discovered D&D while spending time incarcerated and thought I'd be interested. 100% correct! My friends and I started playing a ton of role playing games then. We immediately bought up a dozen different games and were playing a different game every week. AD&D, Rifts, Ninjas & Superspies, Paranoia, GURPS, Traveler, Shadowrun, and others I can't even remember now.

Now-a-days I don't play nearly so much. You read the part about kids and wife and building a house and having a job? As these things go, my close group of friends slowly grew apart and moved to different parts of the country and our weekly game fizzled out about a decade ago. I had a few short weekly/monthly games of Pathfinder with some random groups of people discovered through meetups. Then back in 2017 I discovered Gamers Plane. PBP works so well with my busy life! I got to spend the next few years with DMJ playing out the best game I had ever been a part of in my life up to this point. I loved that game so much that I've made backup copies of my character sheet (along with snippits of some of the best scenes of the game) so I can keep that memento with me for years into the future, whatever happens to GP. (Thanks DMJ!)

I love gritty realism, dark themes, and unforgiving challenges. DMJ delivers on all these fronts doesn't pull punches (usually), so everyone let's make sure we pull out those ten foot poles and think outside the box for everything!

Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 5:59 am

Admin / OOC

Going to clarify my question and ask a couple others. But these are diving into the weeds when we don't need to. Don't worry about actually answering.

DMJ says:

from "Roll Table"...

Constablebrew says:

...he could fight with spear from second rank while the meatheads hold the frontline. (Would two weapon fighting work from second rank?)

I don't think 2 weapon fighting techniques are meant to work with range weapons, or intermixed with a hit/throw combo. I might be swayed by a hard read on the rules, but I do want to avoid too much hair-splitting - would prefer that 2 weapon efforts and related bonuses be confined to melee scenarios.

Some noise on the comms there - we are in agreement that TWF would only work in melee. My question was does TWF work if fighting from the second rank in melee. For example, if Culchas and Xenophon are engaged in melee against a shapeshifting barbarian that has polymorphed into an aurochs. They are more or less attempting to maintain a formation, standing side by side. My character stands behind the two, attacking over their shoulders with spear. (This is what I assume ACKS means when it mentions "second rank")

In this scenario, would wielding a dagger in my offhand grant the +1 atk bonus from TWF while in the second rank?

Does fighting with a net and a spear grants the TWF +1 atk bonus too?

Does the bardic inspiration benefit the bard too?

Again, don't even worry about answering. We can leave this as open questions and answer it they ever come up in actual play. I definitely don't want to make this a tactical battle map game, so my apologies if these questions start making it feel like I am going down that route. Really, I'm hoping to spend the campaign sneaking into cultist strongholds by squeezing into a wine barrel, defeating gas traps by filling holes with wax, and murdering cultists with deadfalls while they investigate why their well crafted poison gas trap wasn't working.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 11:35 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

Introductions

I'm happy to be here with you all and thought I'd take a moment to introduce myself.
...

Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

And this is why it's fun to be gaming with your frens!

CB is a class-act and a true Renaissance Man too. He has such a long list of talents, capabilities, and hobbies that he would need a two-page character sheet to record them all. And as for gaming, he's a veteran at developing memorable out-of-the-ordinary characters, many of whom are quite unpredictable - hahahaha!

Thanks for accolades, Brew - very kind. And I'll follow your example getting a short intro of my own out -

also invite anyone else who wants to join the trend as well. Nothing required, but open mic for anything you want to share.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 11:40 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

My question was does TWF work if fighting from the second rank in melee. For example, if Culchas and Xenophon are engaged in melee against a shapeshifting barbarian that has polymorphed into an aurochs. They are more or less attempting to maintain a formation, standing side by side. My character stands behind the two, attacking over their shoulders with spear. (This is what I assume ACKS means when it mentions "second rank")

In this scenario, would wielding a dagger in my offhand grant the +1 atk bonus from TWF while in the second rank?

Does fighting with a net and a spear grants the TWF +1 atk bonus too?

Does the bardic inspiration benefit the bard too?

Again, don't even worry about answering. We can leave this as open questions and answer it they ever come up in actual play. I definitely don't want to make this a tactical battle map game, so my apologies if these questions start making it feel like I am going down that route. Really, I'm hoping to spend the campaign sneaking into cultist strongholds by squeezing into a wine barrel, defeating gas traps by filling holes with wax, and murdering cultists with deadfalls while they investigate why their well crafted poison gas trap wasn't working.

Yeah you're right - this is something worth thinking about. I'll hopefully have some time to read through the book with a closer eye to get a deeper understanding of the rules this weekend and intermittently next week.

On that cultist trap, I really dig this scene, and I'm taking notes. After the next blood sacrifice, the cultists will be working on an anti-wax defense measure on the gas chamber plumbing. Good call.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 12:29 pm

Admin / OOC

Introductions

I started gaming in secret in the mid-1980s. My gang and I could never reveal our nerdish pastime for fear of merciless ridicule and the prospect of never getting any dates from the local girls-next-door of our small town. (just kidding - kind of - not really). OR getting accused of DEVIL WORSHIP!!! "Satanic Panic" retro!!! Hahahah! Different times then.

Started in the D&D colored box sets, then added AD&D 1e. Then in high school shifted over full throttle to AD&D 2nd Edition, where we spent most of our time. I was always the DM - non-stop - no one else in town could ever give me a break haha!, but I enjoyed it too. Thus the DMJ handle emerged early. Only other side track outside of D7D was a few months in the first Cyberpunk some time in the early 1990s I think. Does anyone remember that one?

After gaming through college with the same small circle from my home town, we pretty much disbanded. I didn't game at all for I guess about 12-15 years. Later when my kids were growing up, I went back to 2e and started gaming with them, circa mid-2010s. Really fun. Some great times and shared stories. Over the years we shifted first into 3.5 Pathfinder, then converted to 5e. During that time I also revived some old games with friends which we did online connection by VTC. Pretty fun.

As CB said, I gave it a try PBP on GP in 2017. It was on a whim originally, but we got a long running game going to some good success in a game we called Dark Thrones. Multiple episodes. Lives and some dramatic deaths of multiple characters. Somewhere around 8k posts over the course of 2+ years (real world time). It was a real blast for me, and also hilarious on the sidebar comedy and hi-jinks from these guys (even though the game content was kind of gritty and grimy and even a bit stressful at times - haha).

A few other projects on GP - Len and I worked with our buddy Jabes on some lighter stuff and then on an alternative setting based on my reading interest of Vedic literature, mythology, religion. We had a medium-length run there that was quite fascinating to me, with Len showcasing some of the best writing and character development I've seen of late. And some mythic style clashes v. epic monster villains.

But I've taken some long intermittent breaks during the time span. Now glad to be back.

In The Real, I've got a hottie blonde wife and undisclosed number of kids. Kids mostly grown and launching out on their own or close to it. I'm in business consulting for employment. Free time and interests devoted mostly to developing a humble homestead. We raise birds (turkeys, chickens, guineas, and quail) and keep goats. We are starting to breed Australian Shepherds, and I'm working this year on a green house, composting bins, and expanding the gardening projects. Some success and some failure, but learning either way and having a lot of fun along the course of putting the systems in place. Aside from that - I read a good bit of non-fiction, listen to a fair amount of lectures and commentary, - enjoy studying folklore, mythology, religions and belief systems, philosophy, political theory, history.

So there it is. Background entry. Dispelling the mystery.

Let us GO.!

J-Origins

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 9:09 pm

Admin / OOC

New Step 7 on Languages is up on the CharGen System thread line.
Check it out and get the gainz.

RageRed

Mar 15, 2023 9:25 pm

Admin / OOC

Thanks, J!

Made the alterations to Syren's languages.

BTW, are we using the 381 IY campaign year as our start?

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 15, 2023 10:11 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Thanks, J!

Made the alterations to Syren's languages.

BTW, are we using the 381 IY campaign year as our start?

Yes. We'll start on the 381 IY. That way we can align with published material at its limit to be consistent with any resources.

I saw that you have Syrena's birth date marked out from backwards planning on the published timeline and using the in-game calendar. That's so very righteous.
Guys, I don't play favorites here - but I like what I like in Player involvement and you know, the little things.
I repeat: No Favoritism. Never.
Nice work, Red.

RageRed

Mar 15, 2023 10:39 pm

Admin / OOC

I am all about the little things. <3

I found it really neat when random rolling Syrena's birthdate using the calendar I found on the boards at Autarch, that she was born on the new moon and on the traditional day of the week denoted as for traveling or starting an adventure. Perfect for an Explorer.

@DMJ, You may have also noted I have changed my avatar and image on her sheet to fit her being left handed. The original image showed a right-handed carry of the bow.

Last edited March 15, 2023 10:39 pm

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 16, 2023 1:45 am

Admin / OOC

I uploaded all of the words from the "Classical Auran" vocabulary (Axioms issue 21). The translation is really thin, but you can get some stuff out of it: https://lingojam.com/ClassicalAuran

So a bard, barbarian, fighter, cleric, and explorer walk into a bar...

Quote:

Meh a meldëtus, dappakosus, arxus, azenus, et avellaquellus allir ni eldis vandelus dëmë

[ +- ] Spoiler

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 16, 2023 2:39 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

I am all about the little things. <3

I found it really neat when random rolling Syrena's birthdate using the calendar I found on the boards at Autarch, that she was born on the new moon and on the traditional day of the week denoted as for traveling or starting an adventure. Perfect for an Explorer.

@DMJ, You may have also noted I have changed my avatar and image on her sheet to fit her being left handed. The original image showed a right-handed carry of the bow.

That IS very neat indeed, Red. Syrena's destiny of adventure is written in the heavens. I've been wondering what to get her for her birthday this year anyway. I just want it to be something special.

And yes I did see that hand switch. She's SOOO cool. But, hey - it's not like I'm fascinated with Syrena or anything though. I mean come on - no favorites like I said...

---

Alright alright ... this is a serious game, y'all. And always very appropriate - on the straight and narrow. I need to get some business done around here.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 16, 2023 2:45 pm

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

I uploaded all of the words from the "Classical Auran" vocabulary (Axioms issue 21). The translation is really thin, but you can get some stuff out of it: https://lingojam.com/ClassicalAuran

So a bard, barbarian, fighter, cleric, and explorer walk into a bar...

Quote:

Meh a meldëtus, dappakosus, arxus, azenus, et avellaquellus allir ni eldis vandelus dëmë

[ +- ] Spoiler

Dang, bro. You know linguistic commentary is one of my weaknesses. Now you're going to keep tempting me to buy more Auran setting supplements. Death-by-a-thousand-$3.99-cuts.

Seriously though, that language chart at the back of the Auran Empire Primer is PREMIERE. Dig it.

We'll likely be sifting through language and language barrier issues from time to time as we go. I think language topics in a game brings realism, some stress/frustration at times, some excitement at times (knowing an offbeat language), and helps capture some of the ideas of strangeness, foreignness, etc. that are good for encounters.

And I do want Classical Auran to have some presence and meaning in this setting, for ideas of aristocracy, religion, historical culture.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 16, 2023 2:54 pm

Admin / OOC

Len says:

Languages: Auran and Nicean. Should be just barely literate with an INT of 9.

Looking forward to proficiencies, I'm thinking Xenophon's common proficiency will be Seafaring, which goes along nicely with a Nicean sellsword whose company sailed off to distant lands to fight for foreign gold. Might be helpful if the adventure takes us on the water. His fighter proficiency will probably be Fighting Style - Weapon and Shield.

That's solid. Yeah I too think of Niceans as having a high distribution of historic Seafaring skills among the Folk. Xenophon's mercenary background fits well with that as you say. Weapon Shield. Can it get any more classic? ( ... insert slow-motion spear/shield battle scenes from "300"...) Never gets old.
Looking forward to seeing final.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 16, 2023 3:00 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

In a strange turn of events, the ruling above gives an opportunity to some other Players.

Leo was given 1 roll of 3d6 and 1 roll of 6d6 keep highest. From those 2 scores, he took the highest for his Innate Genius score.

So for the fun of it, just this time in first CharGen, everyone will get a chance for a similar 2 rolls.

CB, this is brutal, but you've already rolled twice, here and here. Unfortunately, can't let you roll a 3rd time. Your result of 13 over 12 has to stand as-is.

Required Action for Len, Cowleyc, Red, Robago: Roll 3d6 on Roll Table.
Compare to 3d6 result 6d6 Innate Genius result previously determined. The higher score will become the final score in that original position.

On the statistics, chances are that it won't make a difference. BUT there is a chance it does, so throw dice and let us see the results.

Again, next time around, we'll get this right on First-Time-GO - so this double roll thing is a Santa Claus gift exception for the kick-off.

Let's GO!

J - Audible

I'll have to read back through to be sure, but I think Robago still has option to throw against the odds.

@Robago, if you haven't done so already somewhere, roll 3d6 on Roll Table.

If that score is higher than your original 6d6-keep.highest roll for Innate Genius, you can use it instead as the final.

(or anyone straighten me out if this has already happened somewhere and I missed it).

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 16, 2023 3:11 pm

Admin / OOC

Party Roster check.
I think this is the party Class/Folk I see (or predict) so far...

Krysean Barbarian (Cowleyc)
Tirenean Explorer (Red)
Tirenean Cleric (Robago)
Nicean Fighter (Len)
Nicean Mage (Leo)
_____ Bard? (CB)

This looks like a hard-hitting crew, Players' Club. LFG!

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Mar 16, 2023 3:34 pm

Admin / OOC

Introductions

I'm excited to be joining this community and meeting all of you! I've been playing tabletop RPGs for over 40 years, starting with BX/Moldvay Basic D&D, and it has been a lifelong passion of mine. Recently, I've been able to turn my love for GMing into a full-time online profession, which has been a dream come true for me. It's been a journey to build up my clientele, but it's been worth it to do what I love for people who appreciate it.

In my personal life, I'm happily married to the love of my life and we have a blended family with four children. Our youngest is still in high school, so we're almost empty-nesters!

I'm really looking forward to participating in this play by post game. While I've always been a little intimidated by the technical aspects and my own writing skills, I'm excited to push past those fears and dive into this format with all of you.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 16, 2023 4:05 pm

Admin / OOC

Welcome Leo!

Leo9sign says:

I've been able to turn my love for GMing into a full-time online profession, which has been a dream come true for me.

Oh man, I'm jealous over here! Congrats on making that happen. I'm sure there was a bit of apprehension making that leap!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 16, 2023 5:07 pm

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

Introductions

I'm excited to be joining this community and meeting all of you! I've been playing tabletop RPGs for over 40 years, starting with BX/Moldvay Basic D&D, and it has been a lifelong passion of mine. Recently, I've been able to turn my love for GMing into a full-time online profession, which has been a dream come true for me. It's been a journey to build up my clientele, but it's been worth it to do what I love for people who appreciate it.

In my personal life, I'm happily married to the love of my life and we have a blended family with four children. Our youngest is still in high school, so we're almost empty-nesters!

I'm really looking forward to participating in this play by post game. While I've always been a little intimidated by the technical aspects and my own writing skills, I'm excited to push past those fears and dive into this format with all of you.

Right on, Leo. Very cool. Glad to have an old-head D7D veteran and an experienced creative force onboard! Ha!
We'll see if you agree after a while, but I think GP is a good place to practice and experiment with writing in a fun and casual way.

I'll be building up the workspace here on the game boards this weekend and next week. Thanks for patience as we get set up.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 17, 2023 6:09 am

Admin / OOC

I iterated a bit on Robago's character sheet. (Thanks Robago for the great start!) My goal is to make it closely match the layout of the character sheet in the book. (Even if that isn't optimal for display on the computer.)

So far I've just updated the top few sections. I'll be working my way through it over time.

[ +- ] ACKS

Create character

Adventurer Conqueror King System

NAME: Gennadius Azeni
CLASS: Bard
TITLE: Reciter
ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL: 1

ATTRIBUTES


11 STR	HP
13 INT
12 WIS
13 DEX	AC
13 CON
13 CHR

Weapons & Attacks

Weapon	Throw	Damage

Initiative

Modifier |

Proficiencies

Proficiency	Throw

Equipment

Item	Weight










Total Weight

Magic Items

Item	Weight





Total Weight

Languages

Movement • Saving Throws

Movement	Save	Throw
Base:	Pertrify / Paralyze	13 MOD
Combat:	Poison / Death	13 MOD
Charge/Run:	Blast / Breath	16 MOD
Climb:	Staff / Wand	14 MOD
Stealth:	Spell	15 MOD
Daily:

Class & Race Abilities

Ability	Throw

Actions

Action	Throw
Open Door
Detect Secret Door
Hear Noise
Find Traps

Loot

Copper:
Silver:
Electrum:
Gold:
Platinum:

Other

Starting Wealth:

Experience

Needed:
Bonus:

Spells

Spell	Level	Memorised

Misc

Age:
Sex:
Height:
Wight:

Notes

[f=font-fell huge background-color:white centre][b]Adventurer Conqueror King System[/b][/f] [f=font-fell large][b]NAME:[/b] [/f][color=";display:inline-block;min-width:350px;max-width:350px;border-bottom:#888 solid 1px;"][_=Gennadius Azeni][/color][f=huge] [/f] [f=font-fell large][b]CLASS:[/b] [/f][color=";display:inline-block;min-width:300px;max-width:300px;border-bottom:#888 solid 1px;"][_=Bard][/color][f=huge] [/f] [f=font-fell large][b]TITLE:[/b] [/f][color=";display:inline-block;min-width:300px;max-width:300px;border-bottom:#888 solid 1px;"][_=Reciter][/color][f=huge] [/f] [f=font-fell large][b]ALIGNMENT:[/b] [/f][color=";display:inline-block;min-width:200px;max-width:200px;border-bottom:#888 solid 1px;"][_=Neutral][/color] [f=font-fell large][b]LEVEL: [/b] [/f][f=huge][color=";border:solid 3px black;padding:10px 10px 4px 10px"][_=1][/color][/f] [2column] [col] [abilities=ATTRIBUTES] [table="compact ht"] | [f=large][_STR=11][/f][f=large font-fell] STR[/f] [_$=+d20bonus(STR)] | [color=";padding: 4px 4px 28px 4px; margin: -4px -4px -28px -4px;background: #fff8; width: 50px; display: flex; justify-content: center; clip-path: polygon(10% 0%, 90% 0%, 100% 100%, 0% 100%);pointer-events:none;"][f=large font-fell]HP[/f][/color] [f=large][_INT=13][/f][f=large font-fell] INT[/f] [_$=+d20bonus(INT)] | [color=";min-width: 50px; display: flex; justify-content: center;"][f=large][_=][/f][/color] [f=large][_WIS=12][/f][f=large font-fell] WIS[/f] [_$=+d20bonus(WIS)] | [f=large][_DEX=13][/f][f=large font-fell] DEX[/f] [_$=+d20bonus(DEX)] | [color=";padding: 4px 4px 38px 4px; margin: -4px -4px -38px -4px;background: #fff8; width: 50px; display: flex; justify-content: center; clip-path: polygon(0% 0%, 100% 0%, 90% 70%, 50% 100%, 10% 70%);pointer-events:none;"][f=large font-fell]AC[/f][/color] [f=large][_CON=13][/f][f=large font-fell] CON[/f] [_$=+d20bonus(CON)] | [color=";min-width: 50px; display: flex; justify-content: center;"][f=large][_=][/f][/color] [f=large][_CHR=13][/f][f=large font-fell] CHR[/f] [_$=+d20bonus(CHR)] | [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Weapons & Attacks] [table="ht"] [b]Weapon[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] | [b]Damage[/b] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Initiative] [b]Modifier[/b] | [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Proficiencies] [table="ht"] [b]Proficiency[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Equipment] [table="ht"] [b]Item[/b] | [b]Weight[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [b]Total Weight || [_=][/b] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Magic Items] [table="ht"] [b]Item[/b] | [b]Weight[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [b]Total Weight || [_=][/b] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Languages] [table="ht"] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [/col] [col] [abilities=Movement • Saving Throws] [table="ht"] Movement | Save | Throw [color=";min-width: 120px; max-width: 120px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;"][b]Base:[/b][_=][/color] | [b]Pertrify / Paralyze[/b] | [f=large][_=13][/f] [color=";position: relative;top:-6px;font-size:10px"][_=][/color][color=";width:0;max-width:0;pointer-events:none;font-size:8px;position:relative;left:-10px;top:5px;"]MOD[/color] [color=";min-width: 120px; max-width: 120px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;"][b]Combat:[/b][_=][/color] | [b]Poison / Death[/b] | [f=large][_=13][/f] [color=";position: relative;top:-6px;font-size:10px"][_=][/color][color=";width:0;max-width:0;pointer-events:none;font-size:8px;position:relative;left:-10px;top:5px;"]MOD[/color] [color=";min-width: 120px; max-width: 120px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;"][b]Charge/Run:[/b][_=][/color] | [b]Blast / Breath[/b] | [f=large][_=16][/f] [color=";position: relative;top:-6px;font-size:10px"][_=][/color][color=";width:0;max-width:0;pointer-events:none;font-size:8px;position:relative;left:-10px;top:5px;"]MOD[/color] [color=";min-width: 120px; max-width: 120px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;"][b]Climb:[/b][_=][/color] | [b]Staff / Wand[/b] | [f=large][_=14][/f] [color=";position: relative;top:-6px;font-size:10px"][_=][/color][color=";width:0;max-width:0;pointer-events:none;font-size:8px;position:relative;left:-10px;top:5px;"]MOD[/color] [color=";min-width: 120px; max-width: 120px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;"][b]Stealth: [/b][_=][/color] | [b]Spell[/b] | [f=large][_=15][/f] [color=";position: relative;top:-6px;font-size:10px"][_=][/color][color=";width:0;max-width:0;pointer-events:none;font-size:8px;position:relative;left:-10px;top:5px;"]MOD[/color] [color=";min-width: 120px; max-width: 120px; display: flex; justify-content: space-between;"][b]Daily: [/b][_=][/color] | [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Class & Race Abilities] [table="ht"] [b]Ability[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Actions] [table="ht"] [b]Action[/b] | [b]Throw[/b] Open Door | [_=] Detect Secret Door | [_=] Hear Noise | [_=] Find Traps | [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Loot] [b]Copper:[/b] [_=] [b]Silver:[/b] [_=] [b]Electrum:[/b] [_=] [b]Gold:[/b] [_=] [b]Platinum: [/b] [_=] [table="ht"] [b]Other[/b] [_=] [_=] [_=] [/table] [b]Starting Wealth:[/b] [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Experience] [b]Needed:[/b] [_=] [b]Bonus:[/b] [_=] [/abilities] [abilities=Spells] [table="ht"] [b]Spell[/b] | [b]Level[/b] | [b]Memorised[/b] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [_=]|[_=]|[_=] [/table] [/abilities] [abilities=Misc] [b]Age:[/b] [_=] [b]Sex:[/b] [_=] [b]Height:[/b] [_=] [b]Wight:[/b] [_=] [table="ht"] [b]Notes[/b] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [_=] [/table] [/abilities] [/col] [/2column]

Last edited March 17, 2023 6:10 am

RageRed

Mar 18, 2023 10:53 pm

Admin / OOC

@DMJ,

Hey J, Is there a map with better details showing actual names of cities and towns on it somewhere?

Len

Mar 19, 2023 12:06 am

Admin / OOC

Introductions

Hey folks, great to see familiar faces and also some new ones! Looking forward to playing with all of you.

As DMJ mentioned, I've played with him and Jabes in a few games. All great experiences, whether he was running the game or playing beside me. Good times!

My RPG history goes back to my friend's older brother's copy of the TMNT and Other Strangeness RPG. We made so many characters without ever knowing how to use them in a game. Later, his brother picked up Heroes Unlimited, also by Palladium Books, and we had a blast with that for a while using it to invent our own cool superhero universe. Instead of playing, we'd just imagine the stories they'd go on.

It wasn't until a young English teacher, Mr. Elliot, showed me how to actually play RPGs with Traveller that I fully grasped the concept. I started running Advaced Fighting Fantasy for my friends (they had copies of all the books at the public library), and once I got the Traveller books I refereed a long-running game even into University with a little AD&D 2e sprinkled throughout. We did so much gaming with just the core rules and some random tables. So fun!

As my gaming group started going their separate ways, I lost touch with the hobby. It wasn't until the tail end of D&D 4e when I started to get back in. I was running a high school gaming club (trying to pay it forward from Mr. Elliot) but we were mostly focused on Magic: the Gathering. Even though it was a ton of fun, I was uncomfortable with how addicting and commercial that game was/is. So, I started running D&D. I always saw those shiny D&D books in hobby stores, but couldn't afford them as a kid. Now I was an adult with a full time job, so I got to live out that childhood fantasy.

I started running a bit of 4th edition, but I found out about the 5e play test. So, we switched over to that and it was so much fun! My love of RPGs was rekindled! I had recently become a father, so I couldn't spend much time on gaming, but my imagination was SO FIRED UP! So I began playing on Gamers Plane to squeeze in some more gaming time in my otherwise complicated schedule. I'm now a moderator on these forums and the GP discord, and I hit the 10,000 posts milestone earlier this year.

I have run and played a lot of 5e here, but I've been transitioning into OSR systems for a while. 5e is great, and I've enjoyed some really fun games with that system. But, I am really interested in the lighter rules systems that are custom-made for telling particular kinds of stories. I listen to a lot of podcasts and read a lot of blogs on the OSR, and it seems so AWESOME. These remind me a lot of the old systems like Traveller and Advanced Fighting Fantasy that I loved so much.

Thanks for reading!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 19, 2023 10:41 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

@DMJ,

Hey J, Is there a map with better details showing actual names of cities and towns on it somewhere?

Ya, Red - I'm looking for the same thing. I haven't had time yet to scour all the resources online yet, but at cursory glance I don't think there is a whole lot that's readily available for the finer detail.

Pretty soon we'll use what we have, but then we'll start making our own way - turning away at some places from the published resources. It will be a blend. I've already started offline framing out locations, local regions, landmarks, etc. I'll start posting some framework over this next week.

Preview: The area we will start the story in is in the south, on the Tirenean border - somewhat of a corner between historic Auran Empire core lands and their early conquered expansion lands Krysea and Nicea.

We won't have too broad of a footprint, so if there are some town / city names elsewhere that you need for background or story references, I'm up for proposals to make them up. Send me any ideas if you need to, here or on PM if it's worth talking out development ideas offline.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 19, 2023 10:53 am

Admin / OOC

Len says:

Introductions

Hey folks, great to see familiar faces and also some new ones! Looking forward to playing with all of you.

...

Thanks, Len. Great stories. Dang! You have experience with a wide variety of games. Every time I read one of these intros I see that I'm surrounded by pro gamers, and I am reminded that my own tour over the broader RPG landscape has always been quite limited. haha! oh well.

I always enjoy your characters and most importantly your efforts building up the story, setting, and themes of whatever game you're playing. Expertise and conscientiousness.

For everyone: these Introductions are fun to read, but they are voluntary only. Don't feel obligated to report in to match the trend if you don't want to. Everyone has different preferences on levels of how "Anon" they want to remain while gaming, and online overall. I get it.
It's casual here, so whatever works is fine.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 19, 2023 11:07 am

Admin / OOC

Players' Club,

Thanks for patience during Development Phase.

Just wanted to let you know that the previously planned schedule will hold.

Game start date: Monday, 27 March

I'm making headway with preparation work. You'll start seeing gradual buildup of the board structure over the course of the next week.

Contact me here on Admin or on PM if you need anything or have any questions over the next week. And I really enjoy the conversation among the group along the way.

Get characters submitted on the Game page by next weekend if possible. A couple people have already - so thanks for that.

I'm really excited about this game. The PC party is ROCK STAR energy. Dig it.

Will be in touch on the edges of the days for the next few.

Read you soon.

J-Build

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 19, 2023 11:08 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

I iterated a bit on Robago's character sheet. (Thanks Robago for the great start!) My goal is to make it closely match the layout of the character sheet in the book. (Even if that isn't optimal for display on the computer.)

So far I've just updated the top few sections. I'll be working my way through it over time.
...

Thanks for this too, CB! Looks great.

Can you clarify something for me? (thanks for bearing with me - you know I'm low INT on the Programming/Coding skill stats)

Will this sheet be for on-board display by post only?
Or is this something that y'all are going to somehow make into an option for the Custom Character Sheets that are available for submission on the Game page?

Let me know if I should put a Forum or Thread available if it's the former of the two, and we need a space for storage and display for entries.

Thanks again.

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Mar 20, 2023 5:14 am

Admin / OOC

Introductions

My first exposure to RPGs came early, watching my much-older brother play. When he moved out, I inherited his rulebooks: AD&D 2e and Cyberpunk 2020 (yes DMJ, I also remember this one!) Leafing through those books instilled a lifelong fascination, and over the last twenty-plus years I've played on and off, all kinds of systems and games.

I found GamersPlane in 2016. I was DMing a group of friends through a long campaign using d&d 3.5e and wanted the chance to be a player, and to explore some different games. I soon found that play-by-post has a lot of advantages: it's often more immersive than face-to-face gaming, allows you to play with people in any time zone, has a wide variety of games available, plus a very convenient 'few minutes a day' time commitment. What's not to love?

Aside from roleplaying, my main hobby is playing bagpipes in a pipes and drums band.

RageRed

Mar 20, 2023 10:37 pm

Admin / OOC

Party Roster check.

OOC:

Lending a helping hand...

Culchas the Hunter - Krysean Barbarian (Cowleyc)
Syrena Rachess Drakonis - Tirenean Explorer (Red)
Gundus Tavius - Tirenean Cleric (Robago)
Xenophon Pyrrhosides - Nicean Fighter (Len)
? - Nicean Mage (Leo)
Gennadius Azeni - Tirenean Bard (CB)

Len

Mar 21, 2023 1:59 am

Admin / OOC

Submitted a work-in-progress character sheet, spent all but 9sp of my paltry starting gold. Still some math to do.

Thinking of going light on the backstory and discovering these things in play (if that's okay). So far, these details are set:

- Nicean sellsword, fights with a weapon and shield.
- Left his company; they didn't pay the wages they promised him.

Last edited March 21, 2023 2:00 am

RageRed

Mar 22, 2023 10:17 am

Admin / OOC

@DMJ,

Do you have a name for the city on the map below the AN in the NE top of the Auran Empire map? I am thinking it looks probable as where Syrena was born.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 22, 2023 10:34 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

@DMJ,

Do you have a name for the city on the map below the AN in the NE top of the Auran Empire map? I am thinking it looks probable as where Syrena was born.

I don’t.

Can you assign a name, Red?

For a prominent port like that, it would be a very old city. The name would need to be either related to Classical Auran vocabulary or to a Tirenean family name. (So no English-translated "low/common Auran" names like Hawkcrest or Deepharbour or similar).

Thank you.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 22, 2023 10:44 am

Admin / OOC

Robago says:

Introductions

My first exposure to RPGs came early, watching my much-older brother play…

…

Haha! Inherited the books when older bro moved out. Classic.
Glad to read that Cyberpunk 2020 head nod for confirmation . I was starting to wonder if it was all a dream.

Man, I’d love to check out that drum and bagpipe sound. Based. Send or post links if you have any audio tracks and are willing to share!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 22, 2023 10:45 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Party Roster check.

OOC:

Lending a helping hand...

Culchas the Hunter - Krysean Barbarian (Cowleyc)
Syrena Rachess Drakonis - Tirenean Explorer (Red)
Gundus Tavius - Tirenean Cleric (Robago)
Xenophon Pyrrhosides - Nicean Fighter (Len)
? - Nicean Mage (Leo)
Gennadius Azeni - Tirenean Bard (CB)

Look at that cohort!
Getting the team together.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 22, 2023 10:52 am

Admin / OOC

Len says:

…

Thinking of going light on the backstory and discovering these things in play (if that's okay). So far, these details are set:

- Nicean sellsword, fights with a weapon and shield.
- Left his company; they didn't pay the wages they promised him.

This is perfect, Len. It will fit well and you will be able to integrate influentially into the local scene.

In fact I’ll be contacting you soon about a proposed story hook work with Xenophon and others that will influence game story launch point. More to follow, hopefully tonight or tomorrow.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 22, 2023 7:56 pm

Admin / OOC

Len says:

I started running a bit of 4th edition, but I found out about the 5e play test. So, we switched over to that and it was so much fun!

This was exactly the same experience I had! My coworkers knew I was an old D&D fan, but hadn't played for years and years. They were just learning about D&D and wanted to start a game night. So we started easy with a few games of Ashardalon, which was basically 4e Light. Then Actual 4e for a few games. Then the 5e playtest came out and I quickly sold them all on it. 4e really was suited for board game tactical combat, not actual role play.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 22, 2023 8:07 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Will this sheet be for on-board display by post only?
Or is this something that y'all are going to somehow make into an option for the Custom Character Sheets that are available for submission on the Game page?

I'm not well versed yet in the mechanics of the charactersheets. But I do believe that anyone can create a new character from one of these (button on top-right when you expand the sheet) and that populates a generic custom charactersheet with the template. I still need to understand how to incorporate a sheet in the game/make edits or show it in posts without just going directly to the character editor.

A dedicated thread might be useful as a place to post WIP, edits, suggestions, etc. as well as a good place to pin a post with the official sheet, should we end up with one.

Along that vein, I'm going to abandon my effort to make the sheet look like the official ACKS sheet. I'm basically fighting the GP charactersheet mechanisms instead of going with the flow. Formatting on mobile is all borked and that's not going to be an easy fix down the path I've been going. I'm currently revising my sheet again, just some polish, nothing major this time. Will post later.

cowleyc

Mar 22, 2023 8:12 pm

Admin / OOC

I can share my sheet, but it has my saving throws plugged in. It's not too difficult to change them for your own class. Right now it's automated based on the Level field.

[ +- ] ACKS

Create character

Character Statistics

Alignment:	Neutral
Culture:	Krysean
Languages:	Auran, Krysean
Character Level:	1
Character Class:	Barbarian
Character Title:
Hit Points:	11 /
Armor Class:	4
Attack Score:
Damage Bonus:
Experience Points:	0 /

Ability	Score	Bonus
Strength vs DC	14
Dexterity vs DC	8
Constitution vs DC	18
Intelligence vs DC	9
Wisdom vs DC	9
Charisma vs DC	8

Combat

Initiative	1d6+1
Surprise	1d6+1

Weapon	Attack	Damage
Spear, 1H	1d20	1d6
Spear, 2H	1d20	1d8
Javelin	1d20	1d6
Unarmed	1d20	1d2

Armor	Rating
Chain and Shield
Chainmail
Unarmored

Saving Throws and Movement

Saving Throws	Mod	Roll	Movement
Petr & Paral		vs DC	Base	120
Poison & Death			Combat	40
Blast & Breath			Charge/Run	120
Staffs & Wands			Climb
Spells			Stealth
			Daily

Proficiencies

Ambushing
Notes

When the character attacks with surprise, he gets a +4 bonus on his attack throws and deals double damage on the attack. This proficiency does not stack with the ability of thieves (or related classes) to backstab.

Berserkergang
Notes

The character may enter a berserker rage. While enraged, he gains a +2 bonus to attack throws and becomes immune to fear. However, the character has a -2 penalty to AC and cannot retreat from combat. Once it has begun, a berserker rage cannot be ended until combat ends.

Survival
Notes

The character is an expert at hunting small game, gathering fruits and vegetables, and finding water and shelter. The character forages enough food to feed himself automatically, even when on the move, so long as he is in a fairly fertile area. If he is trying to supply more than one person, he must make a proficiency throw (as described in Wilderness Adventures), but gains a +4 bonus on the roll.

Equipment

Item	Stone
Spear	1/6
Javelin	1/6
Chainmail	4
Shield	1
Woolen Clothing	0
Silver Arm Bands (25gp)	0
Sack, Small	0
Rope, 50ft	1/6
Grappling Hook	1/6
Hammer, Small	1/6
Iron Spikes x12	1/6
Wineskin	1/6
Iron Rations, 2 weeks	2/6
Hunting Dogs, x2	0
Gold: 0	0
Silver: 0	0
Copper: 10	0

[style]{"logo":"https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/game_systems/229/assets/1043827/adventurer-conqueror-king-logo.png?1581123769"}[/style] [2column] [col][abilities=Character Statistics] [table=compact] [b]Alignment:[/b]|Neutral [b]Culture:[/b]|Krysean [b]Languages:[/b]|Auran, Krysean [b]Character Level: [/b]|[_lvl=1] [b]Character Class: [/b]|[_clas=Barbarian] [b]Character Title: [/b]|[_$=lookupBonus(lvl,1,1,'Hunter', 2,2,'Raider', 3,3,'Maurader', 4,4,'Plunderer', 5,5,'Reaver', 6,6,'Bloodletter', 7,7,'Menace', 8,8,'Scourge', 9,9,'Warchief', 10,10,'Warchief, 10th level', 11,11,'Warchief, 11th level', 12,12,'Warchief, 12th level', 13,20,'Great Chieftan')] [b]Hit Points:[/b]|[_=11] / [_$=8+(3*lvl)] [b]Armor Class:[/b]|[_=4] [b]Attack Score:[/b]|[_atk$=lookupBonus(lvl,1,1,10, 2,3,9, 4,4,8, 5,6,7, 7,7,6, 8,9,5, 10,10,4, 11,12,3, 13,13,2, 14,14,1)] [b]Damage Bonus:[/b]|[_dmb$=lookupBonus(lvl,1,2,1, 3,5,2, 6,8,3, 9,11,4, 12,14,5)] [b]Experience Points:[/b]|[_=0] / [_$=lookupBonus(lvl,1,1,2600, 2,2,5200, 3,3,10400, 4,4,20800, 5,5,41600, 6,6,85000, 7,7,170000, 8,8,290000, 9,9,410000, 10,10,530000, 11,11,650000, 12,12,770000, 13,20,890000)][/table][/abilities] [table="rolls d20"] [b]Ability[/b] | [b]Score[/b] | [b]Bonus[/b] [b]Strength[/b][color=";display:none;"] vs DC[/color] | [_strs=14] | [_str$=lookupBonus(strs,3,3,'-3', 4,5,'-2', 6,8,'-1', 9,12,'+0', 13,15,'+1', 16,17,'+2', 18,18,'+3')] [b]Dexterity[/b][color=";display:none;"] vs DC[/color] | [_dexs=8] | [_dex$=lookupBonus(dexs,3,3,'-3', 4,5,'-2', 6,8,'-1', 9,12,'+0', 13,15,'+1', 16,17,'+2', 18,18,'+3')] [b]Constitution[/b][color=";display:none;"] vs DC[/color] | [_cons=18] | [_con$=lookupBonus(cons,3,3,'-3', 4,5,'-2', 6,8,'-1', 9,12,'+0', 13,15,'+1', 16,17,'+2', 18,18,'+3')] [b]Intelligence[/b][color=";display:none;"] vs DC[/color] | [_ints=9] | [_int$=lookupBonus(ints,3,3,'-3', 4,5,'-2', 6,8,'-1', 9,12,'+0', 13,15,'+1', 16,17,'+2', 18,18,'+3')] [b]Wisdom[/b][color=";display:none;"] vs DC[/color] | [_wiss=9] | [_wis$=lookupBonus(wiss,3,3,'-3', 4,5,'-2', 6,8,'-1', 9,12,'+0', 13,15,'+1', 16,17,'+2', 18,18,'+3')] [b]Charisma[/b][color=";display:none;"] vs DC[/color] | [_chas=8] | [_cha$=lookupBonus(chas,3,3,'-3', 4,5,'-2', 6,8,'-1', 9,12,'+0', 13,15,'+1', 16,17,'+2', 18,18,'+3')] [/table] [abilities=Combat] [table]Initiative|1d6+1 Surprise|1d6+1 [/table] [table=rolls] [b]Weapon[/b]|[b]Attack[/b]|[b]Damage[/b] Spear, 1H|1d20[_$=+str]|1d6[_$=+str+dmb] Spear, 2H|1d20[_$=+str]|1d8[_$=+str+dmb] Javelin|1d20[_$=+dex]|1d6 Unarmed|1d20[_$=+str]|1d2[_$=+str+dmb] [/table] [table=ht] [b]Armor[/b]|[b]Rating[/b] Chain and Shield|[_$=4+1+dex] Chainmail|[_$=4+dex] Unarmored|[_$=0+dex][/table] [/abilities] [/col] [col] [abilities=Saving Throws and Movement] [table=ht rolls]Saving Throws | Mod | Roll | | Movement | Petr & Paral | [_petb=] | [color=";display:none;"] vs DC[_savep$=pets][/color][_$=lookupBonus(lvl,1,1,15, 2,3,14, 4,4,13, 5,6,12, 7,7,11, 8,9,10, 10,10,9, 11,12,8, 13,13,7, 14,14,6)] | | Base | [_=120] Poison & Death | [_poib=] | [_$=lookupBonus(lvl,1,1,14, 2,3,13, 4,4,12, 5,6,11, 7,7,10, 8,9,9, 10,10,8, 11,12,7, 13,13,6, 14,14,5)] | | Combat | [_=40] Blast & Breath | [_blab=] | [_$=lookupBonus(lvl,1,1,16, 2,3,15, 4,4,14, 5,6,13, 7,7,12, 8,9,11, 10,10,10, 11,12,9, 13,13,8, 14,14,7)] | | Charge/Run | [_=120] Staffs & Wands | [_stab=] | [_$=lookupBonus(lvl,1,1,16, 2,3,15, 4,4,14, 5,6,13, 7,7,12, 8,9,11, 10,10,10, 11,12,9, 13,13,8, 14,14,7)] | | Climb | [_=] Spells | [_speb=] |[_$=lookupBonus(lvl,1,1,17, 2,3,16, 4,4,15, 5,6,14, 7,7,13, 8,9,12, 10,10,11, 11,12,10, 13,13,9, 14,14,8)] | | Stealth | [_=] | | | | Daily | [_=][/table][/abilities] [abilities=Proficiencies] #Ambushing When the character attacks with surprise, he gets a +4 bonus on his attack throws and deals double damage on the attack. This proficiency does not stack with the ability of thieves (or related classes) to backstab. #Berserkergang The character may enter a berserker rage. While enraged, he gains a +2 bonus to attack throws and becomes immune to fear. However, the character has a -2 penalty to AC and cannot retreat from combat. Once it has begun, a berserker rage cannot be ended until combat ends. #Survival The character is an expert at hunting small game, gathering fruits and vegetables, and finding water and shelter. The character forages enough food to feed himself automatically, even when on the move, so long as he is in a fairly fertile area. If he is trying to supply more than one person, he must make a proficiency throw (as described in Wilderness Adventures), but gains a +4 bonus on the roll. [/abilities] [abilities=Equipment] [table=ht] Item|Stone Spear|1/6 Javelin|1/6 Chainmail|4 Shield|1 Woolen Clothing|0 Silver Arm Bands (25gp)|0 Sack, Small|0 Rope, 50ft|1/6 Grappling Hook|1/6 Hammer, Small|1/6 Iron Spikes x12|1/6 Wineskin|1/6 Iron Rations, 2 weeks|2/6 Hunting Dogs, x2|0 Gold: [_=0]|0 Silver: [_=0]|0 Copper: [_=10]|0 [/table] [/abilities] [/col][/2column]

RageRed

Mar 22, 2023 9:57 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Can you assign a name, Red?

How about Vellën

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 23, 2023 1:13 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

How about Vellën

Sounds good!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 23, 2023 1:16 pm

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

A dedicated thread might be useful as a place to post WIP, edits, suggestions, etc. as well as a good place to pin a post with the official sheet, should we end up with one.

Along that vein, I'm going to abandon my effort to make the sheet look like the official ACKS sheet. I'm basically fighting the GP charactersheet mechanisms instead of going with the flow. Formatting on mobile is all borked and that's not going to be an easy fix down the path I've been going. I'm currently revising my sheet again, just some polish, nothing major this time. Will post later.

I’ll try to get a workspace thread posted tonight.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 23, 2023 5:11 pm

Admin / OOC

Players' Club,

New game-play thread "Prologue" is operational and hot for in-character input!

A couple of Required Actions for Robago and Red right off the bat.

Update: now some Required Action (RA) for Len and CB. Other requests will come soon for everyone.

We'll use this space to sandbox the full game set-up efforts and maybe boil up some background entries while we tease out the full story start point.

Let's GO.

J-Live

cowleyc

Mar 23, 2023 7:37 pm

Admin / OOC

I don't know if there's any planned story for Culchas, but I see him as a very Conan-esque character. Sure, he has a background. But his story is in what he does now. (This is my way of saying I don't have a detailed backstory created for him).

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 23, 2023 8:43 pm

Admin / OOC

cowleyc says:

I don't know if there's any planned story for Culchas, but I see him as a very Conan-esque character. Sure, he has a background. But his story is in what he does now. (This is my way of saying I don't have a detailed backstory created for him).

Ya, bro. I hear that.
As a Krysean and a Barbarian, we can kind of predict where he is coming from.
I suspect he will be unleashed upon the south Tirenean civilization scene like a Cimmerian panther dropping into a pen of Aquilonian piglets. No backstory necessary.

Remember...

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 25, 2023 6:18 am

Admin / OOC

Shout out to J for putting in all the leg work with the world building references of dates, names, titles, vernacular, etc. with free bonus helpful formatting.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 25, 2023 3:25 pm

Admin / OOC

I am traveling this weekend, so comms will be somewhat limited

cowleyc

Mar 25, 2023 4:56 pm

Admin / OOC

Now that the weather is warming, I'll be out and about most weekends. I can usually still find time to post, though.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 25, 2023 8:04 pm

Admin / OOC

Alright, Players' Club!

I've got at least one bounce-pass entry in for each PC. I'm going to leave it there for now. I invite y'all to keep posting up entries as you want. I really enjoy the intro posts that I've seen from the crowd so far. Keep it coming as you see fit.

"Getting the Team together" retro trope is in full swing - Dig it!

You might guess what hackneyed scene is next... but I'll pause for now and get to that on MONDAY 27 MARCH: GAME START!

Send in anything you have - see you soon.

J-logue

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 26, 2023 7:00 am

Admin / OOC

Robago says:

I had in mind a Tirenean cleric of Türas, sent to seek out and contest chaos and evil throughout the land. If this is ok, I'll write up the character sheet.

Some time with an AI got me this character art:

[ +- ] Visual Inspiration

What generator did you use? I've been swinging and missing tonight trying to try various generators to come up with something that looks right. Of course, putting together a prompt for a gladiator bard adventurer is tough too...

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Mar 26, 2023 8:44 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

Robago says:

I had in mind a Tirenean cleric of Türas, sent to seek out and contest chaos and evil throughout the land. If this is ok, I'll write up the character sheet.

Some time with an AI got me this character art:

[ +- ] Visual Inspiration

What generator did you use? I've been swinging and missing tonight trying to try various generators to come up with something that looks right. Of course, putting together a prompt for a gladiator bard adventurer is tough too...

I used this one https://stabilityai-stable-diffusion.hf.space

Worth noting that results are highly variable, even between iterations with the same search terms. Something very basic like "historical gladiator" might give you a better result than "fantasy gladiator bard portrait", or it might not!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 27, 2023 12:50 pm

Admin / OOC

Players' Club,

Prologue is closed.

Scene 1 open.

Game start. Boards live!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 27, 2023 2:15 pm

Admin / OOC

By the way, excellent first post on PBP game by Leo.
I think he's a Natural.

All those Prologue set-up entries were great. I dig this Club and the PCs.

Len

Mar 27, 2023 3:29 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ, you seem to have locked the thread while I was typing up my response. I'll post it here and you can decide whether to unlock it.

Xenophon smirks as the messenger sudden fears for his safety. Legitimately, he wanted to know how much a courier makes, for once he owned his own company he'd need to factor these expenses into the margins. He lets the messenger keep his conclusions, though - a mercenary's reputation for ferocity and danger was a carefully cultivated assets, and he did not want to discourage this man from his beliefs.

He listened to the message and noted the odd features. What game was Eramus playing at? He always had his sights set high. These type of political entanglements were a complication he didn't usually like taking on, but, as the messenger said, opportunities were scarce at the moment. Although it was risky, he wondered at the intangible rewards beyond the silver. There was potential here.

Xenophon laughed at the end of the messenger's recitation. He thought to himself: "Blood and honour? He means my blood and his honour. But, that's the nature of the beast."

Alas, it seemed that blood and honor were two currencies on opposite ends of the spectrum. Blood was worth less than copper, spent so freely in this world as to make it seem worthless. Honor was worth many times that of gold, for only those with vast sums of gold could afford honor, and it was always purchased in blood when you got down to it. And yet blood was the only thing that mattered in the end, where as honor was just an idea.

In this game the powerful played, Xenophon knew he was at the bottom, at least for now. The powerful would invest in him silver, and he would shed his blood, and the powerful would gain more honor in dividends. This was the game. But Xenophon was not just a pawn, and those with enough skill and bravado could use the game as a ladder to ascend to a higher station.

He confirmed his commitment to Eramus's cause with the messenger and set out to raise the four men. He returned to the campfire. These Niceans were of reasonable quality, good enough not to embarrass him, and not good enough to demand a high wage. Still, he would like to have better. When climbing a tall ladder, you want to be able to trust the rungs.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 27, 2023 3:38 pm

Admin / OOC

Len says:

DMJ, you seem to have locked the thread while I was typing up my response. I'll post it here and you can decide whether to unlock it.

...

Yikes! My bad, bud. Worst timing.

I did some copy-paste magick and shifted your post over to Prologue, in proper sequence. Bang!

I hope you are ok with that?

Badass entry btw. Let's GOOOOO!

Len

Mar 27, 2023 8:42 pm

Admin / OOC

Looks great, thanks for the ninja edit!

RageRed

Mar 27, 2023 9:01 pm

Admin / OOC

Introductions

For the curious of heart:

My name is RageRed. People either call me Rage or Red: Not RR (I'm not a railroad). I prefer Red.

I often compare my RL to a cross between a Shakespearean tragedy and a horror movie. But, I digress.

I am an unabashed lesbian. Though I don't normally shout it from the rooftops or violently wave a rainbow flag around everywhere I go. Ancestrally, I am descended from Deutschland on my patriarchal side and English/Native American on my matriarchal side. I possess an IQ of 140+ (or so the tests say). I have multiple tattoos and piercings and sport a wicked red mohawk. I love cats.

I have been involved with RPing since I was 6, since my half-sister and her then boyfiend (now husband) sat me at their table and gave me some dice to roll. I eventually understood what it all meant and ran my first game at age 10. So, I have been playing/running roleplaying games now for approximate 25 years. For the last 10 this has been mostly online through PBP.

I only run private games through invitation only, but have been known to play in a few open and public offerings for fun and to scout out and meet new people. All of my private campaigns are for adults only and a hard R (if rated). I also am quite comfortable with intimate scenes with the right scene partner, but keep those games separate from even my usual ones.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 28, 2023 8:33 am

Admin / OOC

I'm still not satisfied, but here are a couple pics close to my vision of Gennadius:

[ +- ] Background

Gennadius was born to a family that were resident performers at a theater house in Aura. Spent his childhood on and around the stage, dabbling in an assortment of music and craft. He loved the epic dramas and tragedies the troupe acted out. Even as a child, he found himself cast as the narrator for most productions, regaling the audience with tales of love and hate and heroic odds overcome. His voice carried a natural authority and inspiration that drew audiences in. Over time he came to understand there was a thread of magic in his voice.

In the evenings he celebrated life and success with his family and troupe. Monies earned by the theater were never invested, but drank and ate in abundance. Many visiting traveling patrons were invited to the troupes nightly parties, and Gennadius would sit enthralled by the guests, listening to their own tales, poems of lands afar, and histories of the ancient past.

As he grew, Gennadius found himself drawn to the excitement and energy of the arena. Until one day he was goaded into volunteering as a gladiator himself. Having little money to afford equipment and no training for combat beyond the stage, Gennadius stepped into the arena as a lowely retarius - a simple spear, net, and bolas as his only equipment. He ran circles in retreat from his opponent, to the boos and condensation of the crowd. After several throws and misses, Gennadius managed to entangle the legs of his opponent, tripping him. Gennadius rushed in and clubbed the man with the butt of his spear, knocking him out and gaining the victory. That was it, the theater was abandoned and he was to be a gladiator!

Not every fight after that went so well, and injury became a constant. Days and weeks of down recovering from injury were a fact of life for all of those in the arena. Gennadius spent much time learning how to treat a wound, keep it sterile, and how best to recover. His healing craft became quite professional and skilled, and he began to treat others, offering healing services to any and all combatants. In fact, he ended up having fought only a handful times in the arena during the several years spent in its wings.

While treating others, he would speak to them, telling tales of heroes and gods picked up from his youth at the theater. He found that the same thread of magic he could weave when orating could also be driven to improve the healing of those he treated.

One gladiator he treated often was an enslaved Skysos warrior, Mulzan Woman-Taker. Through conversation with that heathen, Gennadius learned of the Auran faithful misunderstood the Chthonic gods. Mulzan venerated the Chthonic pantheon, and taught Gennadius of the real cycle of life and death, and that the Halls of Ammonar were not a real place, just a metaphor for the memories and stories of people.

This revelation sat heavily with Gennadius . While he couldn't agree with the dark customs of the Sunset Kingdom savages, he could understand the desire to make one's own life a great story that would be told and retold until the end of time - the only true immortality. Gennadius knew that he would not be memorialized for eternity as a healer in the wings of an arena. Not even as the greatest gladiator to grace the bloody sands of the arena. He wanted to make his name truly great. He resolved to become an adventurer. Then maybe one day, a king. And then, one day, children would tell stories of Gennadius the conqeror.

Last edited March 28, 2023 8:39 am

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 28, 2023 10:07 am

Admin / OOC

I'm on the grind in The Real, Players' Club. Can't get clear for morning game sesh writing, will have to wait until tonight.
Too bad - a lot of good material from y'all - but I'll catch up late on what's there already and anything added today.

See you soon.

J

Len

Mar 28, 2023 3:23 pm

Admin / OOC

Haha, I'm not sure how I mixed this up, but I thought Gundus was an NPC, not @Robago's character! Was milking DMJ for the bill, didn't mean to give you a hard time, but maybe we can roll with it. Robago, let me know if the scene is to your liking, I can always back it off, or retcon :)

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 28, 2023 7:13 pm

Admin / OOC

Len says:

Haha, I'm not sure how I mixed this up, but I thought Gundus was an NPC, not @Robago's character! Was milking DMJ for the bill, didn't mean to give you a hard time, but maybe we can roll with it. Robago, let me know if the scene is to your liking, I can always back it off, or retcon :)

Hilarious. We should definitely roll with this. It works great.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 28, 2023 7:38 pm

Admin / OOC

On the new tool bar: What's the difference between selecting "Note" and selecting "Private"?

DMJ sent a note to Constablebrew,RageRed

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 28, 2023 8:28 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Introductions

For the curious of heart:

My name is RageRed. People either call me Rage or Red: Not RR (I'm not a railroad). I prefer Red.

....

This was great because in the timing of it, Red says in her intro that she writes steamy hard R rated scenes with people who are into that, and at the same time Syrena is posing some sass, with her hip cocked to the side and her arms crossed under her huge rack. Love it? Ha!
No Game Rating yet on Ascendant. I'm leaving that variable and mysterious. (Len and CB are prolly like, "Oh ghaaad...don't get him started.")

Hey, Red. I never tell a girl my IQ on the first game, but if you play your cards right, I might post up my Bench / Dead Lift / Squat numbers by scene 3. Just as a teaser though: I don't have any low stats in any personal categories.

Did you notice too that I called you by your preferred name on the very first time I ever talked to you? What did you think about when you read that? Was it: "Who does this overconfident guy think he is, acting like he knows me?" or maybe "Ahh. This guy J seems really sweet."

Great to hear yet another example of DM experience and long range history with the game. This Club is STACKED1!!!

Len

Mar 28, 2023 8:34 pm

Admin / OOC

The difference between a Private block and Note block is that everyone can see a Note block was posted, but only the people tagged can read its contents. For Private blocks, if you weren't tagged, you don't see anything. If you were tagged, it just blends seamlessly into the post. GMs can see all Private and Note blocks regardless.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 28, 2023 8:34 pm

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

I'm still not satisfied, but here are a couple pics close to my vision of Gennadius:

This is good.

And too, I really dig that Beowulf overlay on the poem in the game.

Y'all, I've never ever seen anyone play a Bard in any way other than "I want to sing a song and give my bros a +1 on Attack" or whatever it is. So lame and unimaginative. I've always wanted to see someone rock a true skald or muse or other folkish story teller version of the archetype that are so available in historical examples. Maybe CB is going to show something BIG LEAGUE!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 28, 2023 8:35 pm

Admin / OOC

Len says:

The difference between a Private block and Note block is that everyone can see a Note block was posted, but only the people tagged can read its contents. For Private blocks, if you weren't tagged, you don't see anything. If you were tagged, it just blends seamlessly into the post. GMs can see all Private and Note blocks regardless.

Got it. Thanks. 'm bout to use that.

Len

Mar 28, 2023 8:49 pm

Admin / OOC

As for the R rating, I'm happy for people to post whatever scenes they want, but I personally don't want to role play sexual stuff in this game. Xenophon will lust for gold and violence on screen, but any sexy stuff that happens for him will happen off-screen. Maybe some mild flirting. I don't expect other people to adhere to this, though - I'm definitely not offended if you folks post sexual content.

cowleyc

Mar 28, 2023 8:59 pm

Admin / OOC

I'll ditto what Len said. I'm here for gold and glory, and fade-to-black whenever Culchas has any spare coin.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 28, 2023 9:09 pm

Admin / OOC

Hahaha! Escalation.

Guys, no intention of this being a sexual explicit game! Haha! I was just throwing in some banter and edgy comedy.

This is a retro game, clean cut, any R Rating will be by violence description writing.

Haha! Red and J causing controversy!! Admin blowing up though. That’s good! Any publicity is good publicity?

J

RageRed

Mar 28, 2023 9:09 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

No Game Rating yet on Ascendant. I'm leaving that variable and mysterious. (Len and CB are prolly like, "Oh ghaaad...don't get him started.")

I will keep it down to whatever everyone feels comfortable with. Though, I like to put it out there up front. I lose interest when a really cool game becomes too G for me.

Quote:

Hey, Red. I never tell a girl my IQ on the first game, but if you play your cards right, I might post up my Bench / Dead Lift / Squat numbers by scene 3.

Lol!

Quote:

Did you notice too that I called you by your preferred name on the very first time I ever talked to you? What did you think about when you read that? Was it: "Who does this overconfident guy think he is, acting like he knows me?" or maybe "Ahh. This guy J seems really sweet."

I had two thoughts on this. The first, was that we have roleplayed together in the past, with you using another moniker. Second, that you are quite intuitive.

Last edited March 28, 2023 9:10 pm

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 28, 2023 9:21 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Hey, Red. I never tell a girl my IQ on the first game, but if you play your cards right, I might post up my Bench / Dead Lift / Squat numbers by scene 3. Just as a teaser though: I don't have any low stats in any personal categories.

LOLOLOL I'm rolling over here!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 29, 2023 12:52 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

I lose interest when a really cool game becomes too G for me.

Yeah definitely, me too. G is for "gay". haha.

RageRed says:

I had two thoughts on this. The first, was that we have roleplayed together in the past, with you using another moniker. Second, that you are quite intuitive.

Right on. That's nice. Thanks, Red! I liked your post on Interest Check thread too, so that's why I sent you that response and wanted you to be here.

Let's go.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 29, 2023 1:16 am

Admin / OOC

Y'all, in paganism news:

today 28 March was Ragnar Lodbrok Day (Scandanavia) - commemorating the barbarian sack of Paris.

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Mar 29, 2023 6:27 am

Admin / OOC

Len says:

Haha, I'm not sure how I mixed this up, but I thought Gundus was an NPC, not @Robago's character! Was milking DMJ for the bill, didn't mean to give you a hard time, but maybe we can roll with it. Robago, let me know if the scene is to your liking, I can always back it off, or retcon :)

No worries at all, mate. I do enjoy a good in-character argument, and I liked your approach. Always feel free to press your character's point of view as heavily as you like to Gundus (this goes for everyone else, too).

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Mar 29, 2023 9:07 am

Admin / OOC

Looks like I got lucky for my first PBP game. This feels like a strong group. I look forward to learning from everyone and exploring the characters and setting.

As far as mature content goes, I can take it or leave it. If it makes sense for the characters, then I am not squeamish about it.

About a year ago, I ended my exploration of Conan Exiles ERP servers. It turned out to be a pretty good place to encounter talented if not raunchy role players and explore identity and gender. There are mods for the game that allow exploration of just about any kink imaginable.
It also taught me that there are terrible and immature role-players out there who are just looking for a quick hit of Dopamine. I wasn’t really surprised by this but grew wary/weary of it.

As far as Damanandros, not sure if he is interested in sex yet, he may prove to be asexual. Still working him out to see who he is. He is far more cerebral than carnal.

Consider my consent given for just about anything regarding content.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Mar 29, 2023 4:35 pm

Admin / OOC

Busy morning for me with a flat tire in the rain. I will have to make time to post later today instead of in the morning as I hoped.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 31, 2023 11:44 am

Admin / OOC

Morning on East Coast North America, Players' Club.

I'm off the game boards until this evening. I know Len has some busy days recently in The Real, so I think a slight downshift might give time for him or anyone else to craft what I think will be penultimate or final entries on this intro scene.

Going into the weekend, I'm planning to toss up a few casual entries - open ended and setting oriented more than queuing up Required Actions. As a general pattern, I'll strive to keep Saturdays and Sundays low stakes casual or sometimes a full strategic pause.

Keep it coming though for anything you've got. Great week for the Origin Scene of __________. (?)

J-Schedule

Len

Mar 31, 2023 5:39 pm

Admin / OOC

Thanks for your patience! Post is up.

Len

Mar 31, 2023 5:39 pm

Admin / OOC

I have been making some notes to get a handle on the names of NPCs and their stories. I thought I'd share them!

Angus Tapkin: Pireus (dock leader) in the Packer's Guild.

Calus Eramus: Hailed Andra, Castellan, 3rd Imperial Legion. Formerly (379 IY?) a centurion, commander of 80+ legionnaires, in the 7th Legion of the Imperial Army. Friend of Gundus, who was attached to Eramus's contubernium as kyrazenus. Xenophon fought alongside him and remembers Eramus's valor in the skirmishes against the Celdoreans in the Syrnasos.

Gundus knows Calus Eramus as a proud Auran of respected Tirenean stock, who maintains all the old Empyrean Rituals. Though hot-tempered and intimidating at times, Eramus is a bold warrior and a shrewd commander. Sluggard troops dreaded his discipline, but the high men on the line were increased by his strength.

Guildmaster Dameon Korith: Leader of the Packing Guild.

Dimitrius Strabo: Commander of the Sea Wolves mercenary company, Xeonphon's former employer. Now imprisoned.

Glais Danarovus (Danarov): The Ion of the Packer's Guild (boss, chief). Born to a lower noble house and trained his entire youth to join the ranks of the prestigious Palatinian Guard. He gained the post, but it was short lived as his father landed the family name into dishonor. After demotion, Glais served the remainder of his military obligation as a Centurion, deploying to the wars against Jutland and Celdora. Upon discharge from the 3rd Legion, he joined the Packers' Guild under the tutelage of Guildmaster Dameon Korith, a long time associate of his father. In less than a decade, Danarov has become one of the most feared men in the region. First renown as a master swordsman and assassin, now recognized as an expert strategist with a skill in operations, he is The Ion in Amanuctum. This makes him the second ranking leader in the Packers' Guild, answering only to Guildmaster Dameon Korith in Kourithos.

Haldoon, of Clan Biturges: AKA Doon Thunderer, Toirneach. A Krysean skald who follows the old ways.

Last edited March 31, 2023 5:41 pm

RageRed

Mar 31, 2023 7:03 pm

Admin / OOC

@Len,

Thanks for this Len. I am constantly going back through posts to find such details. Having them in one place is a real time saver.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 31, 2023 7:20 pm

Admin / OOC

True. Good call. I was meaning to start up a NPC tracker with links in Setting Details, but hadn't had time yet. Maybe this weekend.

Thanks for the organization.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Mar 31, 2023 8:46 pm

Admin / OOC

I've got to stop there for the night, Players' Club.

Intro Thread is open for a short while longer. I'll make one or two more entries tomorrow before closing it out. The end of the beginning.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 1, 2023 1:21 pm

Admin / OOC

Happy Weekend.

"Meet in a Tavern" is retired in the annals of history.

"Road to the Wilderness" now the ACTIVE GAME and open for posts.

J

Len

Apr 1, 2023 7:01 pm

Admin / OOC

Damn, I'm too slow. For the record, Xenophon's response to Tapkin's threat/joke (even though it was probably meant to be rhetorical):

Quote:

As Danarov and Syrena are talking, he pulls Xenophon closer. "You're on the boat now, mate," he says. "Where do you want to go?"

was, as drily as possible: "To the helm, of course."

Looking forward to checking out the new thread!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 1, 2023 8:03 pm

Admin / OOC

Len says:

Damn, I'm too slow. For the record, Xenophon's response to Tapkin's threat/joke (even though it was probably meant to be rhetorical):

was, as drily as possible: "To the helm, of course."

Looking forward to checking out the new thread!

Ha! Sorry, Len. I'm locking these mini endings down on a strong schedule to frame sections and keep moving. Don't mean to cut you out each time.
I lifted your quote for Xenophon and inserted in that post - hope you don't mind.

Len

Apr 1, 2023 8:07 pm

Admin / OOC

Yep, totally understand. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the odd one out for pacing and don't expect the game to wait for me. Thanks for going the extra mile to include my one liner.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 1, 2023 8:10 pm

Admin / OOC

Haha! I hear ya - no problem. Anything else can probably just fit in as "reflections on last night..." thought bubbles in the new thread.
Narrative strategy. Dig it.

RageRed

Apr 1, 2023 8:52 pm

Admin / OOC

Question: Did Xenophon collect his finder's free?

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 1, 2023 8:57 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Question: Did Xenophon collect his finder's free?

No. That was not available at Gulleyloft. It would be understood as to be awarded directly from Eramus, the employer, at the upcoming meeting with him.

RageRed

Apr 1, 2023 9:01 pm

Admin / OOC

Ahhh! I didn't catch that point. Cool.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 1, 2023 9:12 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Ahhh! I didn't catch that point. Cool.

You didn't miss it. Was never explicitly explained, until now.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 1, 2023 9:14 pm

Admin / OOC

I'm working on the new "NPC Tracker" Threads, new Sub-Forum construction project in "Campaign Setting Details" Forum.

No more time now to finish, but I'll keep adding to it gradually.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 2, 2023 5:44 am

Admin / OOC

Heads up - I'll be traveling with family on spring break this coming week. I can' t promise what time I can devote to posting, but at the very least I'll jump in and add a line or two from my mobile to keep things flowing.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 2, 2023 3:33 pm

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

...

OOC:

Digging into the lore eh? Hope its ok I ad-libbed a bit. He is such a nerd, its fun. : )

Lore building and ad-libbing is encouraged.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 3, 2023 10:00 am

Admin / OOC

I'm going to have to start the week posting this evening rather than this morning.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 3, 2023 10:26 am

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

I'm going to have to start the week posting this evening rather than this morning.

Correction: I framed up the camp setting. Will leave it there, hopefully time to post more tonight.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 4, 2023 12:02 pm

Admin / OOC

Players' Club,

Here's some topics I plan to be posting up about through this week and upcoming weekend, either here in Admin or on the Campaign Setting Details Forum and/or Sub-Forums:

*In-game language (Classical Auran) and select glossary, including terminology decision(s)
*Game view on danger and potential character death
*Expanded commentary on the relations between the Tirenean and Krysean Folk, especially in this south junction region
*Rules Forum, with select cuts of Rules as Written (RAW) for easy reference.
*XP Award Forum
*Player workspace Forum, for any RAW cuts or other references desired by the Players' Club

Reminding myself here as much as anything.

J-Org

cowleyc

Apr 5, 2023 2:05 pm

Admin / OOC

Holy smokes, I'm getting left in the dust here. Seems like every time I check there are a few new posts, and I absolutely can't keep up. I'm going to drop out of this game, and wish you all the best!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 5, 2023 3:06 pm

Admin / OOC

cowleyc says:

Holy smokes, I'm getting left in the dust here. Seems like every time I check there are a few new posts, and I absolutely can't keep up. I'm going to drop out of this game, and wish you all the best!

Yikes. Stinger.

Cowleyc, I hate to see you go. Thanks for trying it out, and I wish you the best.

I'll have to assume that if one good Player is feeling this way, others are as well. I'll take this as an indicator to adjust downward on rate and amount of content.

Will pause today in hopes that everyone will feel comfortable and have enough time to settle. I've also made some adjustments to most recent posts, resetting a lot of the less important details behind "Optional" spoiler pop-out banners. That content can be bypassed to avoid overwhelm.

I admit this first couple of weeks have been loaded with framing and setting content. Cowley's departure shows me it was likely too much in fact.

I hope everyone else would consider sticking with the game. This point in the story is a real waypoint, OUT OF buildup and background and INTO the Action Phase. I think you will see it streamline and change in tone - less information and more traditional game play.

Thanks for bearing with it.

J

Len

Apr 5, 2023 6:53 pm

Admin / OOC

Oh damn, I posted to Culchas before noticing you were vacating, cowleyc. This is the third game I've brushed shoulders with you. I hope to play in a game with you one day!

Update in my current situation, my mother in law's surgery went okay and recovery is proceeding slowly but surely. Last few days have been complicated by our kids get covid. Bad timing, causing more work and less play. Thanks for your patience!

RageRed

Apr 5, 2023 8:09 pm

Admin / OOC

In the wake of Cowleyc's departure, how are we to handle the matter of Culchas?

RageRed

Apr 5, 2023 10:32 pm

Admin / OOC

BTW, the magistrate was aptly named. Dude's having a bad hair day and is in dire need of a comb or pick.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 5, 2023 10:52 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

In the wake of Cowleyc's departure, how are we to handle the matter of Culchas?

I'll be writing Culchas out of the story in next entries (tomorrow).

RageRed says:

BTW, the magistrate was aptly named. Dude's having a bad hair day and is in dire need of a comb or pick.

Haha. Chia Pet style.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 5, 2023 11:50 pm

Admin / OOC

Len says:

...

Update in my current situation, my mother in law's surgery went okay and recovery is proceeding slowly but surely. Last few days have been complicated by our kids get covid. Bad timing, causing more work and less play. Thanks for your patience!

Len, glad to hear success on surgery, but sorry the same on household sickness. Tough setting. Stay at it, buddy. Good luck.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 6, 2023 2:51 am

Admin / OOC

No worries Len, take care! What a week

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 6, 2023 9:50 am

Admin / OOC

Players' Club,

PCs will delve "The Old Forest". New thread will begin today is up.

This will put us to high likelihood of Encounters and the related shift into the Time, Movement, Distance, etc. Rules. I don't think I'm giving anything away saying that Combat is a possibility.

With that in mind, take some time if you want to discuss and decide 1 or 2 marching orders: 1 for when the trail is thin and single file is the only option and 1 (optional) for areas where the trail is broader and you see advantage of stacking in an order side-by-side. If the 2nd option isn't desired, we can assume the single file version is always used, just spread out a bit more on the wider trail sections.

Also, NOT REQUIRED but for anyone interested: I'll hear any other things about characters that you think I should know - anything in Class, Ability, Proficiencies, etc. that might affect Encounters or Travel or Surprise or Ambush - things like that.

I'd especially like to hear any commentary you have about Initiative, how your PC's stats influence Initiative. We'll likely be doing a Group Initiative of some sort, for the sake of PBP timing/availability challenges. But before finalizing that, I'd value any input about the PCs.

Thanks and good luck!

J-Shift

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 6, 2023 10:10 am

Admin / OOC

p.s. I'm controlling Hunter Culchas as NPC for now. Feel free to tell me anywhere you want him in marching order.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 6, 2023 2:37 pm

Admin / OOC

Wow. Check out the new Ascendancy Forum.

RageRed

Apr 6, 2023 7:15 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

I'd especially like to hear any commentary you have about Initiative, how your PC's stats influence Initiative. We'll likely be doing a Group Initiative of some sort, for the sake of PBP timing/availability challenges. But before finalizing that, I'd value any input about the PCs.

Explorers gain a +1 to Initiative (and surprising opponents) as a Class ability (Animal Reflexes) and with Syrena's DEX bonus she has a +4 to Initiative.

Also she has:
Tracking at a base of 11+
Difficulty to Spot Outdoors 3+
Region Familiarity +4
Random Encounter Evasion +5
Avoiding Surprise/Ambush 19+

This is besides normal actions listed (open/detect/hear/find/etc.)

Len

Apr 6, 2023 10:31 pm

Admin / OOC

Nothing too much useful to know about Xenophon regarding initiative. His seafaring background won't have much bearing at the moment.

For marching order, Syrena at the front seems appropriate based on her role. For single file, I'll suggest:

1. Syrena (scout)
2. Xenophon (front meat shield)
3. Damanandros
4. Gundus (healer in the middle)
5. Gennadius
6. Culchas (rear meat shield)

If it's double file, I'd suggest

1. Syrena, Xenophon (tough front rank)
2. Damanandros, Gundus (mage, healer)
3. Gennadius, Culchas (tough back rank)

I'm not set on any of these, and I can't see anyone's character sheets so I have no idea on our actual strengths, so feel free change.

Last edited April 6, 2023 10:32 pm

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Apr 6, 2023 11:13 pm

Admin / OOC

Len says:

Nothing too much useful to know about Xenophon regarding initiative. His seafaring background won't have much bearing at the moment.

For marching order, Syrena at the front seems appropriate based on her role. For single file, I'll suggest:

1. Syrena (scout)
2. Xenophon (front meat shield)
3. Damanandros
4. Gundus (healer in the middle)
5. Gennadius
6. Culchas (rear meat shield)

If it's double file, I'd suggest

1. Syrena, Xenophon (tough front rank)
2. Damanandros, Gundus (mage, healer)
3. Gennadius, Culchas (tough back rank)

I'm not set on any of these, and I can't see anyone's character sheets so I have no idea on our actual strengths, so feel free change.

This sounds right to me.
Being squishy, I appreciate the consideration of a middle spot.
Sleep Spell may come in handy in a pinch or if there are too many to effectively fend off.

RageRed

Apr 7, 2023 1:39 am

Admin / OOC

Unless the group's average is better, I vote option 2 for initiative. Which would be 1d10-2, unless someone has more than a:+4 personal Initiative.

Last edited April 7, 2023 7:26 am

Len

Apr 7, 2023 2:46 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Unless the group's average is better, I vote option 2 for initiative. Which would be 1d6-2, unless someone has more than a:+4 personal Initiative.

100% agree.

RageRed

Apr 8, 2023 2:17 am

Admin / OOC

OOC:

...I need to get better understanding of that "+5 bonus to proficiency throws to evade wilderness encounters" Explorer skill. Questions/Thoughts: +5 applied to what roll? At +5 and "proficiency", sounds like that would be applied to a d20 cast. But what is the result needed to "evade"? I do see the "Wandering Monsters in the Wilderness" rules, pg. 244. But these are determining if Wandering Monsters occur. That is on a roll of d6 every 6 miles, with Wandering Monster Encounter on a minority of high roll results based on terrain (5 or higher in Woods, as example). It is not convincing to me that the +5 Explorer Skill applies to this roll. Anyway, more research needed. I'll hear any thoughts in Admin - especially yours, Red

I can find no real explanation for this +5 anywhere in the Explorer Class details or in Chapter 6 (where it says further details are to found).

I am going to check the ACKS board and see if I can find any mention of this...

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 8, 2023 2:55 am

Admin / OOC

Woah, lots going on today! Still getting caught up, but I'm voting for option 2 also. House rules sound great too. :insert Borat "very nice".gif:

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Apr 8, 2023 3:10 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

OOC:

...I need to get better understanding of that "+5 bonus to proficiency throws to evade wilderness encounters" Explorer skill. Questions/Thoughts: +5 applied to what roll? At +5 and "proficiency", sounds like that would be applied to a d20 cast. But what is the result needed to "evade"? I do see the "Wandering Monsters in the Wilderness" rules, pg. 244. But these are determining if Wandering Monsters occur. That is on a roll of d6 every 6 miles, with Wandering Monster Encounter on a minority of high roll results based on terrain (5 or higher in Woods, as example). It is not convincing to me that the +5 Explorer Skill applies to this roll. Anyway, more research needed. I'll hear any thoughts in Admin - especially yours, Red

I can find no real explanation for this +5 anywhere in the Explorer Class details or in Chapter 6 (where it says further details are to found).

I am going to check the ACKS board and see if I can find any mention of this...

From the Explorer Class Description in Chapter 2 (I am copy-pasting from the SRD)

Parties guided by explorers gain significant advantages on wilderness adventures. Any time the explorer's party is in country familiar to the explorer, they get a +4 bonus on proficiency throws to avoid getting lost. In any terrain except clear and grassland terrain, the explorer's party receives a +5 bonus to proficiency throws to evade wilderness encounters.

A party guided by an explorer can evade wilderness encounters even when surprised on a proficiency throw of 19+. See the Wilderness Adventures and Evasion and Pursuit sections of Chapter 6 for more details on getting lost and evading encounters.

There are further details in Chapter 6 under Evasion and Pursuit:

Chases in the Wilderness

Encounters will generally occur at much longer ranges in the wilderness, and adventurers and monsters will have far more directions available to flee. When one side is surprised in a wilderness encounter, the other side can automatically flee successfully. Otherwise, in order for one party to escape from another, it must make a successful throw on the Wilderness Evasion table. The more pursuing group members there are relative to the fleeing party, the greater chances the fleeing party may escape. This is because larger groups cannot move as fast, or as quietly. Note that the fleeing side will have a minimum of a 5% probability of escaping.

There is a table and some examples also, which I have not copied here.

RageRed

Apr 8, 2023 7:31 am

Admin / OOC

I did see the table. Didn't click that it was pertaining to the +5 in question. I guess then that throw would be 1d20+5 against the terrain number listed and modified by comparative group numbers.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 8, 2023 11:20 am

Admin / OOC

Great notes above on the Encounter rules. I'll have to revisit that Evasion section. Thanks.

Casual pace for weekend, Player's Club (though Characters' Club is NOT feeling so casual I'm sure). Board is open for whatever you have on Round 1, but I may not be back on to gather updates and make entries until Sunday night.

Happy Easter to any Christians or other participants out theres. +

J

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 13, 2023 9:47 pm

Admin / OOC

Rest in Power (RIP), Culchas the Hunter.

Dang, I wish Cowley would have stuck with it. I would like to have seen the savagery of Culchas's Barbarism.

Thanks for sticking with it, Players' Club.

J

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 15, 2023 11:32 am

Admin / OOC

Whoa. This turns out to be a cliffhanger for the weekend.

Damanandros, Gennadius, and Xenophon seem to all have option for input, so we'll see how it goes.

Gundus and Syrena are sort of on ice for the moment while I'm writing this, but could get reactivated quickly with a wake-up call from their shelter roommates.

In The Real, I've got to get a lot of projects done this weekend and will have to stay away from the computer quite a bit. I'll still give it a shot to post late evenings if possible. Will definitely be back on by Sunday night.

Good luck, Players' Club.

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Apr 15, 2023 11:46 am

Admin / OOC

Have a great weekend all! I am working on a project myself and could use a couple of days. I am creating a setting for the new Shadowdark RPG and hope to generate traffic on my Patreon soon.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 15, 2023 12:02 pm

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

... I am creating a setting for the new Shadowdark RPG and hope to generate traffic on my Patreon soon.

Awesome! Post a link up here - I'd like to check out any of your promos.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 16, 2023 6:25 am

Admin / OOC

Looking forward to seeing it, Leo!

Len

Apr 16, 2023 6:40 am

Admin / OOC

Awesome, Leo! What's your Patreon link?

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 16, 2023 11:16 am

Admin / OOC

I was reading rules and thinking over this - on topic of Healing.

[ +- ] Optional rules nerd musings

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Apr 16, 2023 12:02 pm

Admin / OOC

My reading of the rules is that interpretation 1 is correct per a strict reading of RAW. I don't think interpretation 2 is gamebreaking or anything, though. I'd say it depends on which better facilitates the tone you want in the campaign.

From a selfish point of view, option 2 suits me as it spreads the 'healing load' and frees Gundus up a bit to do other things with his spell slots.

I had a quick look through the B/X (OSE), AD&D 1e (OSRIC) and 2e rulesets and 1 hp / full day of uninterrupted rest is common.
-B/X: 'complete' rest
-1e: just 'rest'
-2e: defines 'rest' as 'nothing more strenuous than riding a horse or traveling from one place to another', with 3 hp / day gained for complete bed rest.

For interest, in AD&D 2e the Healing proficiency allows for immediate 1d3 hp recovery if treatment is given within one round of the wound being inflicted (in addition to boosting hp recovery per day).

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Apr 16, 2023 2:44 pm

Admin / OOC

I have been posting my map around and it is getting a lot of attention. Fingers crossed that it will generate support for the project.

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=25752472

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 16, 2023 7:58 pm

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

...and his encounter with the Goddess has only intensified his desire to be a cunning linguist...

Damanandros using cunning linguist with the Goddess. heh.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 16, 2023 8:00 pm

Admin / OOC

Robago says:

My reading of the rules ...

I had a quick look through the B/X (OSE), AD&D 1e (OSRIC) and 2e rulesets and 1 hp / full day of uninterrupted rest is common.
-B/X: 'complete' rest
-1e: just 'rest'
-2e: defines 'rest' as 'nothing more strenuous than riding a horse or traveling from one place to another', with 3 hp / day gained for complete bed rest.
....

The entire input is great. Thanks a lot.

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Apr 17, 2023 12:24 am

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

The Goddess is indeed impressed by Damanandros's display of magic. It launches her on a series of questions for Damanandros, all of which he is glad to answer.

The conversation weaves this way and that. Some of the things she wishes to learn:

Why is he here? Where is he going? What is he looking for? What does he plan to do?

Who are his allies? What are their powers? Are there any warriors? Are any of them archers? Who is the leader?

How powerful is Damanadros? What spells does he know? Is he a shapeshifter? Has he made any hybrids? Does he seek to make hybrids?

Does Damanadros plan to cast any ritual magic spells soon? Who is his master? Who is the most powerful wizard in the region?

Who is a soldier called Eramus? Does Damanandros know of the Dreams of Sekki? Does Damanandros know Nur-Hunzu Isiratuu?

Some of the questions are quite confusing, but the Goddess does not elaborate if Damanandros asks for clarification. Soon she tells him to cease asking any questions at all, so he complies. He tries his best to be charming throughout, using his innate and learned skills at rhetoric and persuasion.

Throughout the conversation, The Goddess asks Damanandros to translate words and sentences from Zaharan to Auran. She mimics his words and listens to instruction, then increasingly makes use of Auran during the conversation. He confirms or corrects her in a give and take. Damanadros is impressed that she is an incredibly fast learner. He has never seen anything like it, though it comes as no surprise.

Damanandros does not know how long he is with The Goddess for this fascinating exchange. He loses track of time, completely immersed in the moment.

Now the Goddess is smiling and says, "Give me your spellbook."

He pulls the expensive tome out from his satchel. It is his prize possession. He gladly gives it over to her.

She begins to thumb through and read it.

Reaction Roll

Rape Rape!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 17, 2023 12:44 am

Admin / OOC

Lines are being crossed now.
This girl is bad news.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 17, 2023 1:02 am

Admin / OOC

Shelter Club...

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 17, 2023 5:20 am

Admin / OOC

Quote:

Rape Rape!

😂😂

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Apr 17, 2023 11:15 am

Admin / OOC

Was that my reaction roll to make?

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 17, 2023 12:01 pm

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

Was that my reaction roll to make?

I rolled it, but result is behind the DM screen...for now.

Reaction determined. Fate is in motion. We'll see what timing and impact rest of Players' Club will have on it.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 17, 2023 10:07 pm

Admin / OOC

Metagaming: what do the harpies want that the party can offer? I don't think combat is going to go well if we go down that route.

DMJ, this is a player club conversation, just look the other way and pretend you don't hear anything.

Last edited April 17, 2023 10:09 pm

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 17, 2023 10:33 pm

Admin / OOC

Sure, bro. Like you looked the other way during the harpy scenes when your PC hasn't even been there. No problem.

RageRed

Apr 17, 2023 11:10 pm

Admin / OOC

Worst timing ever.

Dealing with an emergency situation all day. Too tired to even think right now. The problem is resolved, but it will be tomorrow before I can compose anything that makes any sense.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 18, 2023 12:31 am

Admin / OOC

Rest up and recover, Red. Best wishes in battling whatever stress you're facing there - stay at it.

RageRed

Apr 18, 2023 10:58 am

Admin / OOC

Had to take a friend to the emergency room yesterday. She called just after I had settled in to bed. So, I got no sleep at all except a small nap before work. She face-planted into the pavement. Broke her glasses. Scraped up her face. They had to do tests and a CT scan. Everything check out, but she'll have bruising and abrasions until it heals.

Last edited April 18, 2023 10:58 am

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Apr 18, 2023 11:52 am

Admin / OOC

Hope she's OK, Red, and that you're able to get some rest. Head knocks are always scary!

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 18, 2023 3:47 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

OOC:

Queue score: "The Gael"

That's one of my absolute favorites! What an EPIC scene in that movie (Last of the Mohicans), all because of that song.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 18, 2023 4:25 pm

Admin / OOC

Yo, that skull harpy thing is terrifying. 0/10, would not pet.

RageRed

Apr 18, 2023 8:58 pm

Admin / OOC

Robago says:

Hope she's OK, Red, and that you're able to get some rest. Head knocks are always scary!

Robago says:

Hope she's OK, Red, and that you're able to get some rest. Head knocks are always scary!

Day two, her face looks like she got smacked by Apollo Creed, but she says most of the pain has subsided.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 19, 2023 2:26 am

Admin / OOC

J seeing Red roll 1 on Retro Initiative after all adjustments.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 19, 2023 2:35 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

...

OOC:

Thanks for the folk spell bonus, @DMJ! Please don't feel like every superstitious thing Gennadius does needs to have any effects. I totally intended that scene to be just fluff, but I'm loving the world building it creates.

...

Ya, bro. Every time Gennadius does something quirky with an accompanying jingle, I'm going to translate it into another spell of increasing power, off the charts, home brew unchained non-stop. I'm sure the rest of the Players' Club won't mind the favoritism.

Nahseriously - I hear you. This is a narrowly defined event and place, so nothing that will become standard. You know how it is: something unexpected, unscripted, unpredictable every now and again.

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Apr 19, 2023 3:26 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

DMJ says:

OOC:

Queue score: "The Gael"

That's one of my absolute favorites! What an EPIC scene in that movie (Last of the Mohicans), all because of that song.

I'm partial to this arrangement

Len

Apr 19, 2023 5:20 am

Admin / OOC

Sorry to hear that, Red! Good on you for being so supportive.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 19, 2023 7:40 am

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Gennadius (G1 defeated, attempt Cleaving Attack)

You can count on the number of missing fingers Damanandros has how many cleave attacks Gennadius will get next level.

Quote:

Monsters, fighters, and other characters that use the fighter attack throw progression may make a maximum number of cleave attacks per round equal to their Hit Dice. Clerics, thieves, and other characters that use the cleric/thief attack throw progression may make a maximum number of cleave attacks per round equal to half their Hit Dice (rounded down). Mages and characters that use the mage attack throw progression may not make cleave attacks.

Last edited April 19, 2023 7:43 am

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 19, 2023 9:19 am

Admin / OOC

Robago says:

...

I'm partial to this arrangement

dig it.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 19, 2023 9:21 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

...

Monsters, fighters, and other characters that use the fighter attack throw progression may make a maximum number of cleave attacks per round equal to their Hit Dice. Clerics, thieves, and other characters that use the cleric/thief attack throw progression may make a maximum number of cleave attacks per round equal to half their Hit Dice (rounded down). Mages and characters that use the mage attack throw progression may not make cleave attacks.

Oh ok. I missed that. I need to reread to understand what classes in party can Cleave or no.

Len

Apr 20, 2023 3:08 am

Admin / OOC

As I tangle with G6, this song won't get out of my head!

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 20, 2023 11:28 pm

Admin / OOC

Lol, G6 just soaked 8 hp and is still coming! This is going to be blooooody

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 21, 2023 12:55 pm

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

Lol, G6 just soaked 8 hp and is still coming! This is going to be blooooody

Yeah that guy is dead. At least he looked kind of cool...

...just before dyin', gettin' slizard.

[ +- ] a real G...

Yeah look at G6! He was doing Crossfit and HIIT workouts for years before getting his ticket punched during a what everyone thought was going to be routine kidnapping/murder.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 22, 2023 2:23 am

Admin / OOC

Players' Club,

I'm setting it to casual time pace for the Open-Action Pitfighter Free-for-All currently underway.

Post up anytime you want as optional. I should be in and out with decent availability over weekend, will check in for evenings at least.

If anyone is too busy, no worries - can wait until return to regular game business Monday.

J-Miracle

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Apr 22, 2023 1:24 pm

Admin / OOC

Awwww, can I keep him?
I know there are a ton of logistical reasons it is impractical, but it could be useful.
Then again, it may just murder us while we sleep.
Sigh

RageRed

Apr 22, 2023 9:56 pm

Admin / OOC

Did Damanandros get his spell book and where is Gennadius through this?

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 22, 2023 10:22 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Did Damanandros get his spell book and where is Gennadius through this?

Spellbook recovered. Thanks - I added that detail back into the entry in a short edit.

Last input from CB had Gennadius on the high ridge. He might have gotten hit by that crossbow, /not sure.

Assuming overall that he was up there until danger was mostly clear, then assisted as necessary in the movement to get Damanandros back up the steep climb.

CB, correct me on any of that if it's off-base.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 23, 2023 5:57 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

and where is Gennadius through this?

Gennadius has been missing out! Busy Friday/Saturday on the boards! Gennadius got pumped full of goblin shaft while looking down at the WWF pit

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Apr 23, 2023 6:29 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

RageRed says:

and where is Gennadius through this?

Gennadius has been missing out! Busy Friday/Saturday on the boards! Gennadius got pumped full of goblin shaft while looking down at the WWF pit

Some people pay good money for that kind of experience.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 23, 2023 9:13 am

Admin / OOC

Hahahahaha! Lol

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Apr 23, 2023 2:09 pm

Admin / OOC

Can we get this location marked on a map, if we make it out alive, I am sure Damanandros will want to revisit this place one day.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 23, 2023 8:09 pm

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

Can we get this location marked on a map, if we make it out alive, I am sure Damanandros will want to revisit this place one day.

Ya, bro. If only we had a DM who would lay down a high-def 6-mile hex grid map for this Area of Operation (AO).

I might need to call up the team at Dungeon Delvers Muldurdark - submit a Project Request Form (PRF).

Party will know where it is though. It's not really that far from the known reference point of the lumber yard shelter.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 24, 2023 10:15 am

Admin / OOC

[ +- ] Teen Bard. heh

RageRed

Apr 24, 2023 8:51 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

[ +- ] Teen Bard. heh

Wasn't his setup background as a gladiator? 16? Really?

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Apr 24, 2023 8:52 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Leo9sign says:

Can we get this location marked on a map, if we make it out alive, I am sure Damanandros will want to revisit this place one day.

Ya, bro. If only we had a DM who would lay down a high-def 6-mile hex grid map for this Area of Operation (AO).

I might need to call up the team at Dungeon Delvers Muldurdark - submit a Project Request Form (PRF).

Party will know where it is though. It's not really that far from the known reference point of the lumber yard shelter.

Haha, wasn't trying to be a dick, I guess I was just succeeding.
I only wanted to be sure that he could get back to this area if he needed to, character memory is good enough.

Didn't you get the memo? Just be sure to have those TPS reports on my desk by morning. That would be great...

Syrena Rachess Drakonis

RageRed

Apr 24, 2023 9:08 pm

Admin / OOC

Once the group gets situated, Syrena wants to push on to get away from this area. Since the presumed boss of the goblins here was only injured and not killed, the gang will likely make another attempt to attack us. Even if our intrepid PCs only make it to the remnants of Tower three it is probably better defensible cover than the tiny lumbering hut.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 25, 2023 9:31 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

DMJ says:

[ +- ] Teen Bard. heh

Wasn't his setup background as a gladiator? 16? Really?

His whole gladiator sthick was to continually withdraw until he could trip his opponent and then would rush and spear them (double damage on high success chance) - tactics that don't take much of a brute nor experience. He also had only a handful of actual combats in the arena.

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Apr 25, 2023 10:55 am

Admin / OOC

No OH&S regulations, no child labour laws and nobody that can stop 'the teen-rager' Gennadius laying the smack down on some candy asses.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 25, 2023 3:36 pm

Admin / OOC

Gennadius Azeni, 16, the 4th Century's Heartbreak Kid (HBK).

[ +- ] not your boy toy

[ +- ] Gennadius returns to the arena @ Level 9

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 25, 2023 4:18 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Gennadius Azeni, 16, the 4th Century's Heartbreak Kid (HBK).

[ +- ] not your boy toy

[ +- ] Gennadius returns to the arena @ Level 9

Lolololol 😂😂

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 27, 2023 4:23 pm

Admin / OOC

J, I got to say you have a talent for finding the best art

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Apr 28, 2023 7:45 am

Admin / OOC

I'll second that. The art in the recruitment thread really hooked me - great, evocative stuff. And as visual aids in the gaming threads, the images help bring the scenes to life (at least in my imagination).

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 28, 2023 10:21 am

Admin / OOC

Thanks, fellas. I get most of my best stuff from www.wwe.com.

But seriously - there is some incredible art out there these years. How do these artists do it? As someone with no artistic capability of my own, I'm fascinated with how they create such imaginative and expressive paintings and drawings.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 28, 2023 4:07 pm

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

OOC:

...bla bla blah wall of text blah blah blah... Any thoughts on this?

Right there with you. I find that I want to engage Damanandros in conversation, but triggering a two way back and forth could derail the game for the rest of the group for a week, easily. PBP is an interesting experience of time travel where a perceived ten seconds becomes two days real time.

I think we need to develop some techniques that aid in the bonding between characters while limiting back and forth that eats up days. Much of the back and forth comes from trying to avoid projecting other character's actions or intents. Another contributor is that we tend to reserve bits that we want to come out in the story or character actions/dialogue, bits that would be able to surface with normal in-person conversation, but which end up getting bypassed in PBP.

My suggestion is to write out part of your character's conversation, the initial prompt that sets the tone and topic. Then add internal thoughts or OCC exposition that give one or more details about where you want the conversation to go, what the character is trying to hide (or reveal), and other pertinent details laid out for all to see.

Then the other characters can respond with wall-of-text style responses that cover a lot of ground and hand waive the exact dialogue between the two with exposition that addresses the proffered path of the conversation.

Just a suggestion, and I don't really know how well that would work. Maybe it makes for great scenes. Maybe it takes the excitement out.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 28, 2023 5:53 pm

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

OOC:

... Any thoughts on this?

I think this is a great idea, and I hope to see the coming entries on it.

Leo has already shown a knack for this sort of writing, and I welcome more of the same. CB says some good techniques above, and others work well also. Maybe some trial and error on the method, but I'm sort of waiting with bated breath to hear how Damanandros is reacting to all this. Internally in "thought bubbles", exchanges with PCs/NPCs, and manifesting in his actions - I suspect it could all come together to paint an overall picture that develops the character and drives some of the broader scenes too.

I have very little concern that any of this sort of thing would "bog the game down."

We don't know yet how the fateful night in the storm changed Damanadros - but hopefully we'll see over time.

RageRed

Apr 28, 2023 8:16 pm

Admin / OOC

As the player, I was really hoping that the PCs could all gather around the campfire without being confronted with another plethora of legionnaires. Mostly, to do some character bonding and try to sort out Damanandros' ordeal without prying eyes and big ears around to interfere with it.

As the characer, Syrena is simply confused by the whole incident. Damanandros appears to have been lured into the woods from his position, on guard (and without alerting others) by a gang of goblins and a big vulture. But then, he utters something about skulls and SHE, when there's no evidence of a skull that we saw and certainly nothing remotely female in these woods except Syrena, as far as she's seen so far. Except...eeew...maybe the big beetle that ate Culchas.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 28, 2023 9:30 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

As the player, I was really hoping that the PCs could all gather around the campfire without being confronted with another plethora of legionnaires. Mostly, to do some character bonding and try to sort out Damanandros' ordeal without prying eyes and big ears around to interfere with it.

As the characer, Syrena is simply confused by the whole incident. Damanandros appears to have been lured into the woods from his position, on guard (and without alerting others) by a gang of goblins and a big vulture. But then, he utters something about skulls and SHE, when there's no evidence of a skull that we saw and certainly nothing remotely female in these woods except Syrena, as far as she's seen so far. Except...eeew...maybe the big beetle that ate Culchas.

I hear this, and will open it up.

It's already Flashback Friday, here and here. Plus we're also moving into Casual Weekend as I write this.

I'm hereby invoking a rarely used method only available to veteran DMs and veteran Players: Multiple Parallel Threads with Time Warp Allowance (MPT/TWA).

Features of this iteration of MPT/TWA:

1) Friday through Sunday night: "Old Forest" boards open for any entries related to any of 3 timeline moments...
a) the approximately 1.5 hour of time from early dusk to full nightfall, during which time the group is gathering around a small fire and bonding, before the arrival of the soldiers
b) the moment of interaction with the soldiers
c) the moment after the interaction of the soldiers, when the group takes a private moment of withdrawal to prepare a response to the offer

2) We see where we are Monday morning. MPT/TWA could likely get extended for a partial or full day Monday, because tradition holds that Saturday/Sundays are optional.

3) PCs reset and recover. Players take casual time for small talk or non-gamebreaker Action for PCs. Commentary, CharacterDev, and OOC entries are welcome. Players' Club invited to enjoy the Champagne Room and new entry in Ascendancy.

I'll put some connectivity and queue back on the game board to kick it off. I hope this will generate cool entries and allow for plenty of leeway to sandbox through this junction point in a way that everyone feels good about before we move on.

New section thread will be starting early next week - probably Tuesday - so let's close the f out of "Old Forest" with this MPT/TWA Weekend Extravaganza.

Thanks, Players' Club.

J-Manage

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 29, 2023 10:43 am

Admin / OOC

After consulting with Leo, I've edited some earlier posts that involved the Harpy and the Skull Vulture. Content previously exclusive to Leo behind the "Note" function is now public.

"Goddess" Q&A is here.

Conversion Goddess to Harpy here.

There are a few other open entries, then the new reveal content is....
here,
here,
here,
here,
here,
and here.

It will still be up to Leo of course about what Damanandros shares with PCs or keeps to himself, but Players can consume content about Harpy and Skull Vulture (a hard break-up between those two - yikes I mean wow just wow) and the young mage from Kourithos in the torture murder ditch.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 29, 2023 11:23 am

Admin / OOC

Also I was thinking back, and in my mind I was really thinking that Syrena was going to sprint ahead and shoot that Harpy - which would have changed the whole scene entirely. So then probably would have changed more of the story than just one scene.

I always enjoy reflecting on how a general vision of what I think might happen most often gets scrapped as the action occurs, and the scenes and thread lines turn into more and more of a surprise to me as the story unfolds. It's one of my very favorite parts about the game.

Even beyond that, for some reason I was picturing in my head that the PC who would have had to make the save on watch during Witching Hour was going to be Xenophon (sorry, Len - I don't know why, can't help sometimes when an image of a scene starts in the mind-spirit). But then Xeno all of the sudden was edited out of watch. Gennadius asked for middle watch or something. I randomized the rest. So Damanandros gets the song-bird. Saving Throw 3 of 20. One thing leads to another and Danamandros is in shambles after a torture session and make-out scene with some half-eagle sorceress?!? Wow - that escalated quickly.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 29, 2023 12:01 pm

Admin / OOC

Also, Players' Club, I was talking offline with Leo - he mentioned he was running a DragonLance Game on his professional table - which I thought was really retro rad. I haven't thought about DragonLance in a long time. I don't know what the consensus opinion about it now is, but back in the day, whether it's cringe or not, I was a fan-teen for DL.

It made me think back to some of the art of that era and setting. Check these out...

Leo mentioned Lord Soth, one of my favorite characters. So this was the art I remembered.

Which reminded me of another favorite character, Kitiara, and this image.

[ +- ] Was Kitiara really Joan Jett IRL?

Headband? Check.
External chainmail underwear? Check.
Shirt status? Acceptable.
Through the Hellscape portal? Let's fkn GO!

There was so much great art from that setting, but this likely is my favorite.
Gaudy? Tropey? mmm. Maybe... Does it work still? Hell YEAH!
(Look at her! Her heart is broken. She swears she's going to get somebody back for this.
And Stern Sturm... perfection in death. Held his post, alone, no matter the cost. Immaculate armor with decorative trim. Absolutely magnificent mustache. See you in Valhalla, King. )

RageRed

Apr 29, 2023 5:22 pm

Admin / OOC

Not a fan of Dragonlance. I'll leave it at that.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 29, 2023 7:07 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Not a fan of Dragonlance. I'll leave it at that.

Yeah - I figured it was in Cringe Department for most. Including myself now. I think it's pretty cheezball at this point, but Teen J was like, "Y'all. This is the Right Stuff. And watch out for Y2K coming up for a Mad Max FUTURE!"

As I understood from a point Leo made, if you are in the business - you sell what sells. So I get that, and it sounds like there is at least some market for it. I thought that stuff was lost to 20th Century history though tbh.

What's the stuff you like, Red?

RageRed

Apr 29, 2023 7:29 pm

Admin / OOC

I like darker stuff.

In general, I don't run pre-existing modules from any of the many settings and, if I do, I near completely gut the contents and tailor them to my tastes and make them relative to the players and their characters. I prefer unique treasures, as opposed to (You find a +1 sword) or random stuff no one wants.

As a player, I much prefer being in a game created by the person running it. Especially, if we are on the same page creatively.

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Apr 29, 2023 7:44 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

I like darker stuff.

In general, I don't run pre-existing modules from any of the many settings and, if I do, I near completely gut the contents and tailor them to my tastes and make them relative to the players and their characters. I prefer unique treasures, as opposed to (You find a +1 sword) or random stuff no one wants.

As a player, I much prefer being in a game created by the person running it. Especially, if we are on the same page creatively.

I am with you! I am a fan of cosmic horror, things that twist the mind, warp the body, and threaten the soul….and tentacles.

My own setting for Shadowdark is grimdark for sure. A subterranean dwarven realm ravaged by a "Last of us" like fungal infection that is turning the dwarves into mutated abominations.

Thanks to my patrons, I have another commissioned art piece in the pipes that illustrates the creature. I’ll share once I have acquired it. I still haven’t named it, but the illness is called Moldur.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 29, 2023 8:03 pm

Admin / OOC

J: ** takes notes** "... no +1 weapons .... threaten PCs' souls ..."

Right on. Yeah I hear that and concur.

Hey, CB, you think these two might have liked cruising with us back in the late 2010s in Dark Thrones? haha - sounds familiar.

Moldur Disease sounds pretty terrible. Got to Save vs. Poison on that.
That art is probably going to be Horror Show for sure.

RageRed

Apr 29, 2023 8:03 pm

Admin / OOC

Speaking of Damanandros of the Nine Fingers: I did half expect his little buddy, Gobblum, to follow along as his pet(?)

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Apr 29, 2023 8:07 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

Speaking of Damanandros of the Nine Fingers: I did half expect his little buddy, Gobblum, to follow along as his pet(?)

Xeno scared him off.
He had taken two semesters of Low Auran at Beastman Community College, trying to break into the out-of-forest market.

RageRed

Apr 29, 2023 8:10 pm

Admin / OOC

I hear that. Poor little treacherous bastard...

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Apr 30, 2023 12:46 am

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

J: ** takes notes** "... no +1 weapons .... threaten PCs' souls ..."

Right on. Yeah I hear that and concur.

Hey, CB, you think these two might have liked cruising with us back in the late 2010s in Dark Thrones? haha - sounds familiar.

Moldur Disease sounds pretty terrible. Got to Save vs. Poison on that.
That art is probably going to be Horror Show for sure.

Don't get me started on Dark Thrones, DMJ. The others will just feel awkward as we wax romantic and eye one another.

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Apr 30, 2023 5:35 am

Admin / OOC

Teenage me enjoyed the Dragonlance novels, though they weren't top shelf fantasy (strictly reserved for Tolkien and Howard). Never played in the campaign setting. I think both have been extremely influential in D&D & wider gaming since; the style and tone of a 'typical' 5e game feels much closer to Dragonlance than to pulp or sword-and-sorcery. Whether that's good or bad depends on your personal taste, I suppose!

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Apr 30, 2023 5:44 am

Admin / OOC

As far as getting PC thoughts or attitudes across in posts, I generally think that if there's something about your character that you want to communicate in a post, you should just do it.

I'm happy for anyone to take a bit of license and assume Gundus' side of a conversation for a prompt, if you really want to frame a post as spoken dialogue - so long as you keep the characterisation consistent.

I know there's a concern in PBP to keep the action moving so that engagement doesn't drop off, but imo those sorts of posts are the action as much as the external plot. When they are well done they can be really interesting and enrich the game.

I think CB and DMJ's methods are both pretty elegant solutions.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 1, 2023 12:01 am

Admin / OOC

Players' Club,

I've been busy today (Sun Day) - unable to game and probably won't be making any other entries tonight.

I'll be back at it tomorrow Monday (Moon Day). Between tonight and tomorrow if possible, post up some Character game entries to let me know what's happening in response to Centurion Omander's invitation (instruction?) to return to Tower 4 for the night.

My general goal is to close "The Old Forest" Thread tomorrow and start up a new section. So I'll see which way y'all are steering this hot rod to coin a broad title to the general trajectory.

Also I screwed up originally on XP math, so if you could go back and make sure you're recording the value of the new final numbers. Also I welcome anyone checking the math again and letting me know if you see any errors or anything missing. One thing I've gotten a vivid reminder about Old School game rules: it's slow to build up XP without big treasure scores. Loot is definitely the quickest route to advancement.

Looking forward to input. Read you tomorrow.

J

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 1, 2023 9:22 pm

Admin / OOC

Old thread closed.

New thread is the active game.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

May 2, 2023 6:24 am

Admin / OOC

Hey all, I've got a some heavy workload to complete over the next couple days. I'll have to keep my posts pretty light weight until Wednesday.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 6, 2023 1:09 pm

Admin / OOC

Y'all, I'll be posting segment series answers to Xenophon's open-ended question through the day today Saturday (Saturn Day).

The Krysean women have a broad spectrum of local information to divulge upon being question, and they are willing to talk to win new comrades on their campaign to loot the tower. It will take me a few entries and some time to get it all framed out.

Also, on IRL - last night I hosted a full moon cookout social with family and friends here at our place. The characters in the game are at the moment of the full moon during the cycle that passes through equivalents of late April to late May. The thought crossed my mind last night that it was a match to the game setting. Ha!

RageRed

May 6, 2023 9:28 pm

Admin / OOC

@DMJ,

I hope your event didn't get interrupted by a bunch of nimrods who claimed they owned the area and then started trouble at your expense.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

May 8, 2023 4:30 pm

Admin / OOC

I was AFK this weekend. Just getting caught up. I'll be posting sometime today, probably more towards the evening my time (about 12 hours from now).

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 8, 2023 6:17 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

@DMJ,

I hope your event didn't get interrupted by a bunch of nimrods who claimed they owned the area and then started trouble at your expense.

Yeah I controlled the situation completely, Red. Definitely no interlopers. I checked each car coming up the driveway, verified to see if the traveling party received a legitimate invitation (a message from me in the chatroom, which they had to show me on their phone).

Once they were cleared, I gave a sharp hand signal and said, "Proceed to the parking area. Exit the vehicle and walk to the wooden platform for socialization, food, and beverage."

I was wearing body armor and full tactical kit, pressed pant cuffs folded tightly and tucked into my high-laced boots.

Everyone responded well to the rightful authority. Order prevailed, and we completed the Traditional pagan ritual of the fully manifested Moon.

Blood and Honor.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 8, 2023 6:22 pm

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

I was AFK this weekend. Just getting caught up. I'll be posting sometime today, probably more towards the evening my time (about 12 hours from now).

Thanks, good buddy. I'm using the 12 hour lead-time warning to prepare for HBK's triumphant return to the active scene after whipping that poor young lady.
Wow, just wow. Bully much?

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 9, 2023 10:38 am

Admin / OOC

The spelling and pronunciation is changed, but yes: guilty as charged - this is an unabashed mapping to one of my favorite histories IRL. Fascinating story I say.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 10, 2023 7:24 pm

Admin / OOC

Retro tribute.

[ +- ] Juice this

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

May 11, 2023 5:09 am

Admin / OOC

So I just discovered that this is a thing.

Imagine, your character walks into a tavern...

Last edited May 11, 2023 5:10 am

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 11, 2023 12:09 pm

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

So I just discovered that this is a thing.

Imagine, your character walks into a tavern...

haha! yeah that stuff is pretty creative.

Someone showed me this one...

[ +- ] ...all ye bully-rooks...

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

May 11, 2023 7:21 pm

Admin / OOC

Big day at work today, going to be a long slog to do some troubleshooting. Gennadius wants to do two things:
1. He wants to go over the wall, to start making a name for himself.
2. He wants to have his player write up a badass motivational speech to encourage the gang before setting out
3. Opening the gate seems like a great way to start a fight, he wants to brainstorm on ambushing the guy patrolling around, and maybe simultaneously open the gate to let everyone in

RageRed

May 11, 2023 9:07 pm

Admin / OOC

Let's keep all the bulls out of the china shop until the gate is opened, please? :P

RageRed

May 13, 2023 6:48 pm

Admin / OOC

The real Slim Shady Saruman Fro

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 14, 2023 12:46 am

Admin / OOC

haha!
Saruman Afro

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 17, 2023 8:05 pm

Admin / OOC

Let's get this FORT INVASION show started, Players' Club!

Good luck!!!!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 17, 2023 9:16 pm

Admin / OOC

Igolio Ratlord be like...

[ +- ] "She's gone."

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

May 18, 2023 6:08 am

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

OOC:

Note: Gundus is indicated with a "Green T" for family name Tavius. "Green G" was already taken, indicating Gennadius.

Suckit Gundus. Gennadius is top G

Last edited May 18, 2023 6:34 am

Robago Inactive for 4 months

May 19, 2023 7:12 am

Admin / OOC

I think you'll find the 'T' is for 'Top', making Gundus top G!

orkneyinga Inactive for 3 months

May 20, 2023 5:02 pm

Admin / OOC

Hey guys, I'm a total rpg noob but I've been corresponding a bit with DMJ and he very graciously invited me here to lurk and check out the game. Hope to play with you folks in a future run!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 20, 2023 5:30 pm

Admin / OOC

Yeah, - Players' Club - I've been in an interesting and enjoyable exchange with my friend @orkneyinga lately. He's a guest here, so please make him feel welcome.
I told him we are right in the thick of the story moment these recent weeks, but I extended the option for him to hang out with us on the boards here - to socialize and tour the content. Don't know how things will turn out yet, but maybe he could join our project in the future.

But hey, bud - Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad to talk to you. I hope you find a game, whether it's here at Ascendant in the next phase or something else with that Sword and Sorcery / Sword and Sandals style. Tell us anything about yourself, any ideas you have, questions - open forum here in Admin.

Have a good casual weekend, everyone.

J-Network

RageRed

May 20, 2023 8:13 pm

Admin / OOC

@orkneyinga, Welcome to the Fray..or is it the Fro?!

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

May 21, 2023 12:23 am

Admin / OOC

My apologies for being afk these past couple days all - extra busy IRL.

Welcome @orkneyinga!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 22, 2023 10:25 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

My apologies for being afk these past couple days all - extra busy IRL.

Welcome @orkneyinga!

OOC:

Hey, bro. I'll stall until midday today Monday, but then I'll be moving forward with bad guy Actions for Round 2.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

May 22, 2023 3:54 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Constablebrew says:

My apologies for being afk these past couple days all - extra busy IRL.

Welcome @orkneyinga!

OOC:

Hey, bro. I'll stall until midday today Monday, but then I'll be moving forward with bad guy Actions for Round 2.

ON IT!

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

May 23, 2023 3:31 pm

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Yeah, - Players' Club - I've been in an interesting and enjoyable exchange with my friend @orkneyinga lately. He's a guest here, so please make him feel welcome.
I told him we are right in the thick of the story moment these recent weeks, but I extended the option for him to hang out with us on the boards here - to socialize and tour the content. Don't know how things will turn out yet, but maybe he could join our project in the future.

But hey, bud - Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad to talk to you. I hope you find a game, whether it's here at Ascendant in the next phase or something else with that Sword and Sorcery / Sword and Sandals style. Tell us anything about yourself, any ideas you have, questions - open forum here in Admin.

Have a good casual weekend, everyone.

J-Network

Welcome!

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

May 24, 2023 3:52 pm

Admin / OOC

Rats and now plants?! The imagery is pretty awesome.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 25, 2023 12:56 am

Admin / OOC

Constablebrew says:

Rats and now plants?! The imagery is pretty awesome.

Yeah, bro. Damanadros killed it on that Homebrew spell.
Gallery be like, "OP! Ya that’s OP. Gamebreaker, ya!"

I’m hoping Our Man Len will send us some imagery of Xeno’s R3 Action. I hope that guy isn’t knocked out somewhere.
Len, fire off a flare if you’re in trouble, buddy! Good luck!

Robago Inactive for 4 months

May 25, 2023 1:24 am

Admin / OOC

DMJ says:

Constablebrew says:

Rats and now plants?! The imagery is pretty awesome.

Yeah, bro. Damanadros killed it on that Homebrew spell.
Gallery be like, "OP! Ya that’s OP. Gamebreaker, ya!"

Gallery ain't wrong mate. Sticks to Snakes is a 4th level spell. Rats-to-Birds-to-Plants should be like, 8th level or something.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 25, 2023 1:29 am

Admin / OOC

Correction: Rats-to-Sleep-to-CuteBirds-AND-Plants-and-plantgrowth.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 25, 2023 11:03 am

Admin / OOC

Here in the story, at the most recent survey of the compound...

I want to take a moment for a few quick Admin updates.

Almost to the day, we're at 2 months on the "Ascendant" game. My original intent had been to game for a month or two and see where it went from there. So I want to recognize out in the open that we're pretty much arrived at a checkpoint moment in the time frame.

I'd like to ask if we could stick together on the project for about one more week. This will, I think, allow for time to get your input on a full survey of the Tower 4 compound by the PCs. Most of that can be done probably in a day or two if everyone writes in, with exception of the Tower itself.

I don't think I'm giving away any secrets in previewing that the Tower may be a puzzle or even an event. I think it deserves at least a deliberate and maybe old-fashioned exploration and discovery narrative, with content from every PC's perspective. Predict that would drift into next week.

After that, it will be appropriate timing to make another XP award, and close this chapter section.

At that point, I think we should discuss as a group what we want to be next for the PCs and the game itself. We can get into it then, one thing at a time, but will be open discussion on what I guess would be the general list of options:
1) a short, limited-time continuation for a final chapter,
2) a strategic pause for short continuation later in the calendar, or
3) a full-stop wrap.

Just being transparent so everyone has at least some expectations on time, schedule, future options, etc.

So... is it possible? Can we continue for 1 more week and then reassess?

Thanks, Players' Club. I have really enjoyed the game, and look forward to seeing where y'all take it next.

J

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

May 25, 2023 5:42 pm

Admin / OOC

I have no intent to quit; I'm here for as long as y'all want to keep playing.

RageRed

May 25, 2023 7:58 pm

Admin / OOC

I'm here. Yes. Reassess in a week or so, if that's what you need, J.

Hoping we can continue...

Len

May 26, 2023 12:34 am

Admin / OOC

I will try to finish strong, but it will be a finish for me. The world isn't cooperating with participation in my hobbies these days, as I'm sure you've noticed.

RageRed

May 26, 2023 4:59 am

Admin / OOC

Okay. So, I've just got to put this out there.

Syrena sees the bags of coins as those having been kept from the legionnaires. She doesn't want anything to do with touching the cursed emerald dial and everything to do with touching Aduorix.

Seems very odd to Syrena that the only possible treasure found here from the mines and eluded to by Erasmus is a single cursed item.

Robago Inactive for 4 months

May 26, 2023 12:19 pm

Admin / OOC

I've been enjoying the game. Reassess in a week sounds fine to me.

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

May 26, 2023 1:44 pm

Admin / OOC

Summer plans are unknown at the moment.
I am trying to pick up a couple of additional games to increase and diversify revenue streams, so kicking these off will require more hours of prep.
I can likely keep making regular posts.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 27, 2023 10:13 am

Admin / OOC

Players’ Club,

Thanks for the posts. I’ve been reading when I can get connection. I was traveling yesterday and at a remote location for weekend with family and no internet available except intermittently on phone. I won’t be typing any entries until probably Sun Day night North America EST when I switch locations.

Good weekend!

J

RageRed

May 27, 2023 6:06 pm

Admin / OOC

I have added more to my last post IC.

Have a great weekend, J.

Last edited May 27, 2023 6:07 pm

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

May 29, 2023 11:51 am

Admin / OOC

DM back on staff, Players' Club. I enjoyed the weekend vacation - hope y'all had a good time each where you are.

Looking forward to this week on the boards.

Let us GO!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Jun 1, 2023 4:36 pm

Admin / OOC

Damanandros is like...

[ +- ] PTO

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Jun 2, 2023 11:51 am

Admin / OOC

Dang!

From this end of the MAIN ACTION, to this would-have-been fluff closeout.

The Dice giveth, and the Dice taketh away.

Let's do this then.

RageRed

Jun 3, 2023 4:58 pm

Admin / OOC

My loose ideas of what the ending should be like:

All the principle players should get in on the ending of Igolio and the chapter.

Maybe Gennadius starts us off by throwing a net over the zombie?
Then, Xenophon spears him or chops off his head?
The body continues to move. Gundus casts a blessing of Turas?
Damanandros and his little green buddy join in with something that combines with Gundus' efforts and the zombie's skin withers and becomes dry like paper?
Then, Syrena lights him up with the torch?

I imagine the death like that of George Benning from the 1982 The Thing

(watch @ 6:30)

Last edited June 3, 2023 10:01 pm

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Jun 3, 2023 5:45 pm

Admin / OOC

This sounds good to me. I think Damanandros has had his moment in the spotlight. Take us home!

The Thing is one of my all-time favorites, that scene is appropriately weird and horrifying.

RageRed says:

My loose ideas of what the ending should be like:

All the principle players should get in on the ending of Igolio and the chapter.

Maybe Gennadius starts us off by throwing a net over the zombie?
Then, Xenophon spears him or chops off his head?
The body continues to move. Gundus casts a blessing of Turas?
Damanandros and his little green buddy join in with something that combines with Gundus' efforts and the zombie's skin withers and becomes dry little paper?
Then, Syrena lights him up with the torch?

I imagine the death like that of George Benning from the 1982 The Thing

(watch @ 6:30)

Len

Jun 3, 2023 6:13 pm

Admin / OOC

Sounds good to me.

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Jun 3, 2023 11:13 pm

Admin / OOC

Apologies for being AFK most of the past week. Real life, busy, yadda yadda yadda...

Maybe it is just me, ok, I'm sure it is just me, but I like the idea of hightailing it out of there. Just knock the zombie down, grab the loot, and go. Gennadius does want to give *some* of the loot to the soldiers from the previous towers - mostly so he is looked upon as some sort of hero, but also a little as an honest sense of justices, and an decent portion of fear and wanting all the extra muscle he can get to help put down these monstrosities.

Net the zombie, knock it down, several thrusts of swords and spears, an attempt to burn it. Last scene of the group leaving the fort, heavily burdened by their treasure and statue, and a continually burning zombie clawing at the shut gate, causing it to start to go up in flames as well.

Last edited June 3, 2023 11:15 pm

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Jun 4, 2023 11:20 am

Admin / OOC

Congratulations, Players' Club!

Thanks for that series of entries - it built a PERFECTLY DRAMATIC final scene. I was smiling and enjoying the whole thing immensely as I read through it start to finish this morning. Bravo!

And that's a perfect bounce pass and slam dunk for the new entry in Ascendency. Check it out.

I haven't done all of the math down to the penny, but I think the series of entries through the episode should bring everybody to the big watermark. Intent is definitely to shift PCs to a WELL-EARNED 2nd Level.

If it happens to turn out that anyone comes up a little short on XPs to cross the finish line for the level increase, mention it to me here - we'll work something out.

The XP pace in this game is tough, y'all. Monster killing for XP does NOT provide the fast track. It's quite the opposite: on the risk-to-reward analysis, it's not the way to go. Haha! A good reminder to me that the game is centered around exploration and specifically TAKING THE LOOT. Treasure is King for sure. I guess that is the intent and spirit of the game within the old system and the throwbacks to it like ACKS.

In any case, a very cool chapter. A lot of variety, strategy, and interesting entries by all of you. Nothing like I had previously envisioned during concept development, but far superior in every way.

Congratulations again, and thanks sincerely for all your work and commitment to our game.

J

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Jun 4, 2023 3:28 pm

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

My loose ideas of what the ending should be like:

...

I imagine the death like that of George Benning from the 1982 The Thing

(watch @ 6:30)...

Wow! I've actually never watched "The Thing" but have heard so much about it. Listened to a one hour podcast about it a few months ago. It sounds like a legendary production. I've got to take time for a viewing sometime this summer.

Len

Jun 4, 2023 3:28 pm

Admin / OOC

With the close of the chapter, I'm going to take my leave for the reasons mentioned a week ago. Impressive writing by everyone! I wish you the best of luck on continuing this adventure.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Jun 4, 2023 3:35 pm

Admin / OOC

Len says:

With the close of the chapter, I'm going to take my leave for the reasons mentioned a week ago. Impressive writing by everyone! I wish you the best of luck on continuing this adventure.

I suspected this was coming. Len, thanks for sticking with it for the run. I hate to see you go. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Xenophon in action - pinnacle hoplite, spear/shield expert, trireme mercenary archetype achieved!

I hope there are no hard feelings or underlying issues. If so, please catch up with me by PM. Also hope that I might ally with you on another project in the future, even if it is of a different sort.

More importantly than gaming though, I hope you and the family stay well and have a great summer. You've got my comms info, and I hope you know you can contact me anytime if you need anything.

Stay at it, buddy.

For the rest of us, we'll circle during the week to do a pulse check on game future.

But first things first: immediate goals are to 1) get final entries to close the chapter, and 2) take any actions related to Character Level increase (roll HP on roll table, update Character Sheets, etc.).

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Jun 4, 2023 5:41 pm

Admin / OOC

Impressive ending to the chapter. The chaos kicked up by the magic item is exciting. I like the thought that magic items aren't just toys left scattered around to be found for someone else to play with. They are dangerous and unpredictable for the untrained. Maybe Damanandros will be up to the task.

I really like the idea of taking this in the direction of dungeon adventuring. It is a style I am very familiar with, though I am curious about how it will go in this format.

Sorry to see Len go. God speed and I wish you the best!

One of the reasons I signed up for this game was to get experience in PBP in an interest in running one myself. It seems like a lot of work for the GM. It is one thing for us to make a quick post or two on the daily, but you have much more of the load on your shoulders just with the player facing side of it. Not to mention the work that goes into planning, gathering props, and bringing it all together into a cohesive narrative.

Hats off to you DMJ! Respect from a fellow GM for sure.

I am not sure I have the chops to run a game like this. Is your style typical in the PBP format? I know some PBP GMs have multiple games running at once plus more traditional games. I can't imagine!

Unless I overlooked something, I came up 126 xp short of level 2.
Willing to entertain any idea of how to make it up. Borrowing from the next adventure is one way, but what you think best, is fine with me.

Syrena Rachess Drakonis

RageRed

Jun 4, 2023 8:02 pm

Admin / OOC

Awesome!

@Leo9Sign, DMJ's engaging styling and attention to detail are definitely far above the norm for GMs in PBP and I'm really glad to be a part of this game.

Rolled hit points (4) in the Roll Table.

I don't have time to put together an IC post right now. In the morning for sure.

Syrena would find the starcat medallion in the gore on the ground where Igolio's body was pinned by the head by Xenophon's spear and then his head cut off. She would pick it up with the tip of her blade and ask Damanandros if it shows any signs of magic. She will only accept any of the Auran silver coins after the legionnaires' back pay is transported to them. She feels that only her agreed fee for guiding the group to the Spur is rightfully hers (which I don't think was ever specified). If then there is coin left after, she would accepts her cut of it. She wants to resupply her arrows and join in returning the Dream to the vaults. Seeing the old Zaharan coins will give her hope that the original promise of joining in finding treasure (not cursed) may still exist. She is also still very concerned about Aduoix's condition.

Last edited June 5, 2023 6:16 am

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Jun 5, 2023 8:06 am

Admin / OOC

RageRed says:

DMJ's engaging styling and attention to detail are definitely far above the norm for GMs in PBP and I'm really glad to be a part of this game.

Absolutely this. I really enjoy how immersive PbP gaming can be (much more so than real-time games, which are fun in other ways), and DMs that 'go for it' like DMJ maximise that strength.

@Len It's been a pleasure gaming with you. I hope we can do it again someday. All the best, mate!

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Jun 5, 2023 5:51 pm

Admin / OOC

Leo9sign says:

...

Unless I overlooked something, I came up 126 xp short of level 2.
Willing to entertain any idea of how to make it up. Borrowing from the next adventure is one way, but what you think best, is fine with me.

Real quick housekeeping on this one: be sure to check to apply bonus XP percentages to all awards, if you have the Prime Requisite score. With Damanadros's high INT, I think he gets to add 10% to all XP. In the awards entries, 3 made so far, they do not include any bonus percentage at all.

But if after all that has been verified, just let me know what the number is (126 XP or anything else) - and in essence I'll just make another "loose change" XP award to everyone for that amount.

DMJ Inactive for 1 months

Jun 5, 2023 7:02 pm

Admin / OOC

Dear Players' Club,
Thanks for all the kind words above. You are very generous in your compliments. And the feeling is mutual. You are all great players - top tier category.

I've enjoyed this last 2 months immensely - the game content has been great - and this team is a real pleasure to work with.

That's why I've struggled to find a way to avoid this and continue gaming, but I just have to come forward to say that I need to pull the project to a close for now.

I truly love this stuff, but I do a terrible job at balancing my level of input and attention. I completely sperg out on developing a game and a setting and a story thread - go all in, all the time, and get really distracted from other things. It seems like it should be a quick fix like: "OK. J, just don't do that." Ha! Sounds right enough, but somehow I just can't seem to pull it off on the half-pedal stance.

So this recent 2.5 months' run is all I can give. I need to get back to focus effectively on work primarily - as a lot of projects are ongoing and upcoming for me there - but also on family, fitness, farming, and study. I've fallen behind in every category lately - my own fault.

I hope that I might be able to see the rest of this story someday though. A big confrontation against the adversary group would be a lot of fun, plus mixed in with the exploration and discovery of the Vault, Sanctum, Dungeon. Dig it.

I'll be up front for credibility and full honesty: I can't make a promise that I'll be back on GP. Nothing against the site or anyone on it, it's just that I'm not sure I will be gaming at all. But if I could come back, it would be around November of this year. I won't presume anyone would want to take the game up again. I know I might be torpedoing it for all time right now. But unless anyone leaves record here saying otherwise, I'll reach back out to everyone then by PM if I get the account revived - and check to see if there is any interest.

If we are all a go - What a reunion! If there turns out being no interest - no hard feelings at all, and I'll just remember this first part of the story as a badass short term game with great friends - file it away to the archives.

I'll just close it out by saying most of all: Thank you. Thanks for trying out the game concept and the obscure rules system. Thanks for sticking with it whenever it was difficult to find time, or when the moment was a bit boring. Thanks for bearing with me prodding it on (I know I am a slave-driver sometime on pace and direction). Thanks for your understanding if I made a mistake or made a call you didn't agree with. I know it's tough to maintain a devoted game with a group - so I don't take it for granted when 5 people are willing to stay at it almost every day for 10 weeks or so straight.

And aside from that, I'll say again that I really loved both the characters and having the friendship with y'all. Captivating story. Memorable scenes. Each Character's personality and style rose up to weave a separate thread, yet they all came together for an exciting whole story - like an actual book or a movie. And I know it's all of your own personal style, writing, storytelling, and interesting personas that made it happen.

So I'm on the exit soon. I go hard on everything - work, play, and even signing off - so I'll be off the platform entirely by tomorrow at the latest. If you have anything you need from me, send it here on Admin, or you are welcome to PM me anytime.

Good luck with all projects. Happy gaming. Have a good summer (for all you north of the equator continentals that is - Robago, you know we all discriminate by hemisphere, but we still send love to all our mates down there with the strange reverse seasons and time warps). Best wishes to you and your families.

I hope to catch up with you again someday.

Over and Out,

J

Leo9sign Inactive forever!

Jun 6, 2023 1:49 am

Admin / OOC

It’s been my honor to have my first PBP game with all of you. Thanks for enduring my writing and other challenges I have faced, but I come out if this far better than I went in. It’s hs been a blast! Feel free to message me any time!

Constablebrew Inactive for 1 months

Jun 6, 2023 3:05 am

Admin / OOC

Obsession is rarely healthy, but it also can lead to some of the most amazing and appreciated art the world has to offer.

Thank you so much @DMJ for the hours and hours of research and writing for what amounts to just a creative engagement between a small group of friends spread out across the globe.

I know well how a creative fever can detract from the rest of life in unhealthy ways. Please do take time to catch up and rebalance. Hopefully we can all get back to it again in the future, with a little more workPbP/life balance - always improving!

I think next time I might opt for a weekly post rate rather than daily. I've seen games fizzle out due to lack of engagement, so that pace might not be the best. It's a tough hobby to pace correctly!

Thank you @Leo9sign, @Robago, @RageRed, @Len! Without fail, every week each of you brought your character's to life. Real personalities and detailed world building. I am in awe, and totally jealous.

Robago Inactive for 4 months

Jun 6, 2023 5:11 am

Admin / OOC

@DMJ Thanks so much for running this game. It's been instructive and enjoyable. Terrific effort, mate. Please do reach out if life ever brings you back to GP.

Thank you @RageRed @Leo9sign and @Constablebrew you've been a great group to game with. Hope to see you around the boards.

Wishing everyone the very best in life and gaming!

RageRed

Jun 6, 2023 8:26 am

Admin / OOC

I'm very sad that our story must end here or be put on pause indefinitely, but I can understand the why. Best of future games and life to each of you.

@DMJ, @Len, @Robago, @Constablebrew, @Leo9Sign,
Thanks guys for an unforgettable journey.

Mark as unread

Preview

Post Preview

Character Statistics

Weapons & Attacks

Initiative

Proficiencies

Equipment

Magic Items

Languages

Saving Throws

Movement

Class & Race Abilities

Actions

Loot

Experience

Spells

Misc

Character Statistics

Weapons & Attacks

Initiative

Proficiencies

Equipment

Magic Items

Languages

Saving Throws

Movement

Class & Race Abilities

Actions

Loot

Experience

Spells

Misc

Rolls

Rolls

ATTRIBUTES

Weapons & Attacks

Initiative

Proficiencies

Equipment

Magic Items

Languages

Movement • Saving Throws

Class & Race Abilities

Actions

Loot

Experience

Spells

Misc

Character Statistics

Combat

Saving Throws and Movement

Proficiencies

Equipment

You do not have permission to post in this thread.