OOC

[Bluehorse]

Did we ever come up with an official name for our group?

[Marullus]

Sounds great!

I expect backgrounds to evolve and unfold in play; it is always my favorite approach as well. I left wide berth for Twaddle's young and adventurous past and his aged, esoteric knowledge to both flesh-out as needed. I am happy to jump in to IC roleplay as soon as you're ready - I think we're just taking out our excitement on the Backstory as an interrim measure.

I do have two concerns I would like to address before we begin, because they impact the capabilities I can bring to bear and how I approach the scenarios.

• Twaddle is explicitly a user of magic. I want to make sure I have clear bounds for the scope and frequency that this comes into play. Specifically, this applies both to Occult practice and Mythos spells. Many things (particularly wards and the like) are drawable from real-world Folklore and can be accomplished with an Occult check (so he's good at it). (This is realtively loosely defined in the rulebooks, but operates similarly to the Psychic abilities of other PCs with the GM providing a Magic Point cost and if necessary a Sanity Point one. I am okay with these unfolding in play.) The actual reality-bending powers stemming from the Cthulu Mythos are codified as spells in the Keeper's Guide, and attempted with Mythos skill (which he has at only 10%, but which is considered high). The guide says 'success' is usually the result, the roll determines the cost to his sanity and body (as it rips through his hit points). These are obviously for more extreme situations. I need to know what spells he has knowledge of or access to (response to PM on this subject is fine) before we begin the game as it strongly flavors his roleplay and his options.
• Precise decisions about what dead languages he knows aren't really necessary and can unfold in play. What I do think we need before we begin is a ruling on how languages fit under knowledge skills (Occult, History, or Education attribute) versus requiring their own skill points (as additional languages). I may need to reapportion skill points to cover languages (or not needing to cover languages) and that will affect play pretty quickly.

I appreciate the multiple characters approach, especially if we're beginning each "job" from a central hub of the bookshop. However, since the shop is the central hub, I'll just stick with Twaddle for now. If there's a job that doesn't suit him, I don't have a problem making a replacement character at that time.

...I don't think our group is named. It may be they don't even consider themselves a "group." They're the Patrons of the Shop, where strange things happen to spur adventures. You can ask IC why the shop is named as it is, but I don't think it's really a "group name." I like the idea of PCs (particularly the pithier ones) choosing a group moniker IC during play.

[Rex]

I am good with this. I have a long weekend starting tomorrow, so my hope/plan is to work on my character over the weekend.

[DexterWard]

I do have two concerns I would like to address before we begin, because they impact the capabilities I can bring to bear and how I approach the scenarios.

I'm already working on your two concerns, and have a few ideas...I'll shoot you a PM in the next 24 hrs to discuss

[Bluehorse]

Not sure how to tell, I am not great with computers. It looks like Brett converted the PDF to a JPG somehow, if I could figure out how to do that I could post it most likely.

I bring it up in the PDF viewer on my laptop and then use the Snipping Tool to save it as a Jpeg.

[Rex]

Thanks Brett, I figured it out about 5 minutes before you posted. Sheet is up to look at.

[DexterWard]

I updated the info for Ptolemy's Scriptorium in the Campaign Info thread. Take a look and let me know if you have any questions or additions/revisions.

[Marullus]

Fun things others might know that Twaddle wouldn't - the Nahant area is a part of the city of Lynn at this point in history. Lynn is utterly infamous invits reputation:

A reputation for crime and vice gave rise to a taunting rhyme about Lynn[42][43] which became popular throughout Eastern Massachusetts: "Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin, you'll never come out the way you went in, what looks like gold is really tin, the girls say 'no' but they'll give in, Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin." Another variation was "Lynn, Lynn the city of sin: if you ain't bad, you can't get in!"

Lynn is tripling it's size at this point in history with Russian and polish immigrants, is site of one of the original two Edison power plants, and is the country's leading manufacturer of shoes.

Nahant is a summer beach destination where Longfellow is known to summer.

Marshmallow Fluff was invented and manufactured in Lynn beginning 10 years ago, with the fluffernutter sandwich becoming a staple across New England within a year.

[Marullus]

...you guys are cracking me up with the 1920s lingo.

[Rex]

Sorry everyone, I was trying to wrap up his background and got swamped at work. Will try and get it wrapped up this coming weekend.

[Bluehorse]

...you guys are cracking me up with the 1920s lingo.

dcGKf1A.gif (956.37 KiB) Viewed 856 times

[DexterWard]

Sorry everyone, I was trying to wrap up his background and got swamped at work. Will try and get it wrapped up this coming weekend.

No worries Rex. I think other folks are still working on backgrounds too. I expect everyone's background to be a work in progress anyway. You can go ahead and jump in the Ptolemy's Scriptorium thread and start posting. You don't really need your character completely flushed out to start. Jump in when you can.

[Bluehorse]

I agree. Sometimes you jump in and figure them out.

[Bluehorse]

Speaking of... this just occurred to me... this must have been what I was subconsciously imitating when I wrote Wayne's entrance. Don't know why I am just realizing this now!

https://youtu.be/1nxK_hGLTN4

[Urson]

Personally, I'm never completely done with fleshing out characters. It's part of how I do things: I leave a lot of blank spots that can be filled in with appropriate RP.

[Grognardsw]

Sorry I noticed late that the Ptolemy Scriptorium thread was going. I've posted.

[DexterWard]

No worries Grognardsw..I am a little behind myself with campaign preparations, not too much though. Working through character profiles now, and have one more plot/scenario post to make later today.

[DexterWard]

Personally, I'm never completely done with fleshing out characters. It's part of how I do things: I leave a lot of blank spots that can be filled in with appropriate RP.

That's the approach I've taken with my D&D 0e campaigns over the years. In 0e, at least how I have run things, game play is how you flush out your character. You start with a basic background (simple), and then develop it as things play out. But I also see benefit in flushing things out more up front. I think this campaign warrants something in the middle.

[Urson]

I read a book about D&D where the author suggested "plan wide, not deep." He was talking about planning campaigns, not characters, but the idea is the same.

[DexterWard]

That sounds about right Urson. I agree. Especially since in 0e the Player's skills are just as important as the character's skills.