OOC Discussion

[sulldawga]

Questions I have about the Town Phase:

The second thing to do once in town, according to the rules, is "determine the watch". What does that mean? I read the entry on guilds from the Town Phase chapter and I still have no idea. Does it mean the GM needs to determine which guild is in charge of the watch when the characters enter?

Was Agrom part of the group when they went to visit Baron Jack?

Is there any sort of presence for the Pilgrim in town? I know his faith is essentially dead but does he have an old shrine or anything else like it?

[Keehnelf]

Yeah, the guild watch thing is primarily oriented toward larger towns and can affect how town events play out based on the needs and actions of the PCs. In Estwatch, the watch is ALWAYS the Gor mercenaries from the north.

Agrom was with the party at baron jack's, yes.

The temple in town is dedicated to the pantheon of the greater powers of light, and thus the pilgrim has no representation. There is a temple about twenty miles north of Estwatch, where Agrom's mother used to take him as a child, that includes some elements dedicated to him: but no one's been up the steep mountain pass that leads there since the orcs came--it may no longer be safe either to get there or to enter the temple itself...

[Simon]

It looks like I don't have an alignment noted on my forum sheet, which seems all of the sudden to be very relevant. I'm pretty sure Harlan's unaffiliated though. He doesn't strike me as being all too moved by the arguments for Chaos or Law as paradigms of conduct.

[Keehnelf]

That makes perfect sense to me, and totally appropriate for a halfling in general I'd say.

[Simon]

Agreed. That being said I'm pretty thrilled at the direction our RP is going at the moment. This kind of thing totally solidifies my love of PbP. Its difficult to imagine getting this level of intensity and detail out of a tabletop game. I know it happens, but, especially playing with close friends, my players tend to gloss over these kinds of dispute, or to settle them out of character. Bravo lads.

[Keehnelf]

Agreed. Honestly, even the adventuring component for this kind of game feels more solid because I have the opportunity to add as much detail and color as necessary without feeling like I'm bogging down the game.

[Q.Q Elf]

Just don't call me crazy!!!!!

(The central message of Buddhism is "every woman for herself"!)

[Starbeard]

Can't respond until tomorrow, but I just want to say that I love how the multiple points of view of the same events are playing out between the characters. Awesome stuff.

[Simon]

Okay, so Im curious to hear what other folks have to say about the dangers of failing your resources test as you leave town. Failing the test opens us up to the legendarily cruel whim of our benevolent GM. But the alternative is just not taking care of those conditions anyways and being left with nothing. This really drives home the necessity of bring home a little more than 2D worth of loot from an expedition. Anyways. How are you guys thinking of the situation?

[sulldawga]

I'll be honest. The more I play this game, the more I wonder why anyone would be an adventurer unless you consistently came back with a shitload of loot. The game puts so many obstacles in front of you and delivers no rewards.

I don't know about you guys but I'd sell everything I owned before I went back out in the wilderness being Sick and/or Injured.

Right now, I'd say our next mission should be to go back to the Temple and see what loot we can scavenge that doesn't involve fighting enormous alligators.

[Keehnelf]

Yeah, what sends people out to live this life is the hope of actually bringing in a huge haul that will finally bring them flush.

There is definitely more stuff to be had in Damring, if you want to go that way--you hauled away maybe half of the total available without having to brave any reptiles, and of course in the Bale's lair proper there's supposed to be ungodly sums to be found. There is also lots of loot in the various other directions you've been pointed, whether to Nidraith's tower or to the Wizard King's Barrow.

[Simon]

I have no doubt that we'll wind up paid. This is just a game that is absolutely punishing in the early portion. We'll get there.

But, I'm with you, Sulldawga: we should head back to Damring and haul out some more stuff. We could try to drag the icon back out, which was worth a fair bit of coin. And there's all the gold in the serpents lair. Though that's a little trickier.

[sulldawga]

We'll see if having a Healer on-board makes things easier...

[Q.Q Elf]

You love Lavender! Admit it!

[sulldawga]

Keehnelf, is my character sheet accurate? Does Agrom still have two Preserved Rations? If so, are those still good for the next adventure?

Agrom is thinking about replacing his rope and getting a helmet. He will have to forego the helmet if he needs food though.

Keehnelf, can I get fresh food from my parents before we leave? Is that a Circles test or a Resources test? You'd think I could convince my parents to wrap up a chicken for me...

[Keehnelf]

You get the bonus to Resources while in your hometown to represent just such a thing. That's a free die toward picking up more rations.

I still haven't had the chance to go through the sheets in detail to make sure they are all fully updated--it requires more dedicated time than I've had in a couple of days, but i might be able to manage it at lunch today.

[sulldawga]

No rush.

What's the Ob for "picking up free rations"?

[Keehnelf]

Buying Fresh Rations is Ob1, Ob2 for Preserved. You get 1D for your improved Resources, plus 1D for being in your hometown. That's almost as good as free for buying Fresh Rations.

[sulldawga]

Buying Fresh Rations is Ob1, Ob2 for Preserved. You get 1D for your improved Resources, plus 1D for being in your hometown. That's almost as good as free for buying Fresh Rations.

So I could conceivably get those 2d you mention and not actually have to spend any gold? The Resources of 1 is "like gold"?

[Keehnelf]

The other way around--Cash dice provide a temporary boost to Resource tests, even when you have 0 Resources.

but yes, the same result.