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Topics - brainpiercing

Pages: [1]
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The top part was adressing my first question in the thread, the new questions are further down.

After having deserted these boards for a while now, my obligations as a GM (and an opportune sick-leave) made me return: I'm trying to create a lvl 5 psion NPC with some staying power, hence, a recharge mechanic. Now this is E6, which makes things tricky. Luckily, Gestalt is there to save the day. He should be a shaper on one side and something on the other - for bonus feats I'm favouring two levels of Psychic Warrior and then I'm not sure. Incarnate, whatever. I only gave one bonus feat to everyone and no flaws! Race would be Elan.

As far as Psionic tricks go, there are some questions I have. First of all, those that interest me most don't seem to actually work - or do they?

The MOI recharge method

This trick revolves around reducing the cost of casting linked Bestow power by 3 points, hence granting a net gain of one. It uses Metapower and Midnight Augmentation. Except, and anyone with the patience to read the rules will find this immediately, it's Midnight  Augmentation, not metapsionics.

Here's what's in the handbook:

(click to show/hide)

Even with Midnight Augment working on metapsionics cost this trick only works once every other round, because you absolutely need TWO Foci: To trigger Midnight, and to apply Linked Power.  While you still have one full-round action after the first cycle, you can't refocus yourself and the crystal. Only with Psionic meditation can you use it every round.

Without Midnight Augment, there is now a 0 point net gain in PPs. We are now stuck NEEDING earth power, which costs two more feats, or a questionable magic item. In this case, it's not even available in E6. Also, the NPC is only level 5, so no infinite feats.

I'm currently thinking that this method doesn't work, so only Wilder is left for affordable recharge (feat-cost wise).  Or have I missed anything?

The MOI infinicasting (or recharge) method

This method relies on two thing: Azure Talent and Psicarnum infusion.

(click to show/hide)

Now even though I used to argue that this method actually works, well, it doesn't, at least not the way I used to say it does.

HOWEVER, I believe this has also not entirely been discussed. The key question here is what happens with BONUS power points, or rather, what happens when you lose them. I have been trying to look around at what happens to them when you incur ability damage, and I haven't managed to find anything conclusive. I have tried to find the same for spell slots, but apparently my search-fu also deserted me, there. I believe what happens with spell slots, for instance for prepared casters, is that you lose the bonus slots, which is why you should mark which slots were bonus. However, your base spell slots are not affected. This is actually critical: If you can't lose a base slot when you lose bonus slots, then the game would only check at every moment in time: How many bonus slots do I get? How many spell slots are there, currently? It would not make me lose regular spell slots after I have used up a number equal to my bonus slots.

So there is the kicker:

Azure Talent grants bonus PPs. Now even though unlike temporary points these are not used first by default, in analogy with the spell slot handling the game would nevertheless check only how many points you have when you lose them. So, let's say you activate Psicarnum Infusion, and gain 6 PPs as bonus PPs. Then you manifest for 6PPs. At the beginning of the next round, the game checks how many bonus points you get - which at that point is only ability bonus and no others. Then it would check how many PPs you have - which is now however many you had before. And then nothing changes. Only if you had not used up the PPs from Psycarnum infusion then you would lose points.

So, my question here is: What am I missing? Is there a mention anywhere of what happens with bonus PPs (or bonus spells) and ability score loss?

If this does not work, then the only other option I can think of is using the "temporary" powerpoints to manifest linked (augmented) Bestow power, so that the loss of PPs is circumvented by adding some again next round. This would likely as not leave you with very few PPs to use once your regular supply ran out, but it's better than nothing, I guess. And you could refill all your Cog crystals for higher level powers.

2
[D&D 3.5] FR - The Darkening / Maps
« on: February 21, 2012, 09:38:13 AM »
Alrighty:

I've spend a few hours trying to get a world map to work in excel, but I am presently stumped because there is no way to get the image of the map BEHIND the fricken grid but still to just stay one size independant of page size, zoom, and other options.

Background doesn't work, page header doesn't work, and if you just insert it into the page then it will be opaque and not display the grid lines anymore. Doh.

Does anyone know of a gaming maps server that actually hosts maps? I don't have a comp I could let openrpg or maptools run on all the time for you to log in and look at them.

3
[D&D 3.5] FR - The Darkening / Public Character Sheets
« on: January 27, 2012, 05:08:57 AM »
I'll be copy/pasting your public sheets here...

4
Game Design / Making a strategic roleplaying system - suggestions welcome
« on: January 16, 2012, 02:24:05 PM »
This one goes out as a sort of brainstorming request: I am currently in the process of thinking about a game system that seamlessly combines strategic play and classical roleplay. By strategy I don't mean a war game, I mean a game where the PCs can actually have self-motivation and change the game world in a significant way.

The sort of interactions I'm looking for are something like these:
- evident strategic considerations drive character actions in a decisive manner
- character actions, and specifically actions within a tactical or social mini-game, have defined influences and results on the strategic play, i.e. no GM fiat, of a mechanical type, i.e. numerical or game element wise. For instance, they gain a bonus for their side pertaining to resources, or whatever.

What I came up with so far:


Characters are "normal" characters with all the stuff to enable the tactical mini-game and the social mini-game.

Factions mimic character attributes but do not get the mini-games. They do get rolls based on their stats, and can take abstract actions.

Characters are members of/run their faction(s), and NPC factions can exist. Due to variances of scale and game balance, an inherent balance mechanism should be in place - for instance, if the big-bad-criminal-organisation tries to vanquish the good PCs with its overwhelming might (which might be realistic, but poor gameplay), then they should do so at a considerable risk - for instance to their reputation.

The game styles I want to fulfill with this game are:

Conquest/Criminal enterprises/Warring clans, both from equal footing and from a starting-small stage.
Exploration and Conquest
Invasion
Classic good vs evil scenarios with varying goals
Self-motivated "artifact hunt"/"Zone" style games

As a lesser goal I would consider a clandestine strategy game, essentially self-motivated covert operations vs larger factions.
I also still want to be able to run classic story scenarios - special occurances, special events, etc., and their influence on characters and factions.
I also want rudimentary tools for a mystery adventure, because aspects like assassination and espionage should belong in a game of factions with leaders.
Likewise, rudimentary tools for a survival game might be included, because being down and out might play a role, and it may be interesting to be a bunch of PCs without factions in a world populated with powerplayers.

And all the while I want this to be character driven, which means eventually I might need more character aspects. Maybe affiliation quirks, familiy quirks, special ties, character traits, etc. Either aspect should influence the other. The idea is to get real self-motivated action from the players without any/much prewritten scenario, but still to enable plot points like in a more conventional roleplaying game.

As far as gaming philosophy is concerned I would like to incorporate both simulationist and gamist aspects: Tactical play should be as simulationist as possible while also being as simple as possible. Social play should be as fun and effective as possible - yes I know that says nothing much. Strategic play I currently have down as simple simulationist, with broad abstractions. There might be ways to turn this into a more gamey mechanic - for instance, instead of holding territories and resources you might simply gain (or lose) cards.

So this is what I have so far, which is part of a concoction dubbed the Improved, meaning basically evolved, Roleplaying System.  Do understand I do not want to reinvent the wheel with this, which is why I am liberally adapting mechanics from elsewhere - taking care only to use what serves my purpose best. I will attempt to give everything enough of a personal touch.

The game should generally use a variable TN stat+skill with success threshold rolling mechanic. I'm leaving those initial parts out.

Protagonists

Scope
The IRS is designed to produce real strategic gameplay, where Characters form a self-interest, can set goals, can plan campaigns, etc. This is achieved by directly linking gameplay of Characters and Factions. Factions are larger bodies of (mostly) nameless people who share a common goal – usually mutual protection and prosperity, but also conquest, proliferation, etc. Characters make up the outstanding figures of a Faction. Of course they may also start small, and take part in the lowest echelons before working their way up. Factions and Characters are tied using common mechanics, and their interactions are also formalized and made accessible without large amounts of fiat. It is possible to play one group of Characters within the same faction, but also for each Character to have his own Faction, and every variation thereof. In addition, there may be Non-player Characters and Non-player Factions. (NPCs and NPFs)
In spite of enabling transparent Faction and Character play, the actual roleplaying will focus on Characters. Hence, Character actions take precedence when determining the scale of how an action is played. In effect, always zoom in as soon as players want to do something specific.
Each Character and Faction possesses a number of attributes, skills, resources, etc.

General attributes:
Characters Factions
Brawn:  a characters raw strength Power
Dexterity: everything from quickness to fine motor control Mobility
Toughness: generally explains itself Base
Logic: the analytical mind of a character Elite
Gut: a mixture of experience, wisdom and intuition   Mob Mind
Tenacity: a character’s willpower and ability to plod on in the face of setbacks   Breath
Connection: a characters social abilities as a mix of looks and charismaInfluence

Condition Monitors
Individuals have a monitor for their  Physical Condition, their state of Readiness, and their Face, representing their social standing. Factions have a monitor for their Numbers, their Readiness, and their (Face?). [Need a different word, there...]
The physical condition monitor of an individual has a number of boxes equal to 6 +  the individual’s Toughness score. A faction’s numbers are abstractly measured in 6 + the faction’s Base score.
A character’s Readiness is equal to 6+ his Tenacity, while a Faction’s Readiness is equal to 6 + its Breath. A character’s Face is equal to 6 + his Connection, whereas a Faction’s is equal to 6 + its Influence.

Damage

Generally, hostile interactions of varying types deal damage:
Physical attacks by characters on characters damage their Physical Condition. Non-lethal attacks by characters on characters damage their Readiness. Special social interactions deal damage to a character’s Face.
War between factions generally damages a faction’s Number’s monitor. Damage to installations owned by a faction generally damages a faction’s Readiness, and social campaigns can damage a faction’s Face.
Attacks by characters against factions can damage a factions Number’s, Readiness and Face. However, this damage is limited to one point per individual action. Attacks by factions against characters should generally be played out as individual tactical encounters, and hence do not by default deal a certain type of damage, with the exception of diffamatory campaigns – propaganda. An attack by a faction against characters which fails can also damage a faction – in Numbers, Readiness and Face.
Damage does not come without consequence:
Every three points of damage to either Physical, Numbers or Readiness imposes a +1  modifier to TN to all rolls except damage resistance. Every three points of damage to Face imposes a +1 modifier to  TNs of social interactions, but a +1 dice block modifier to all combat rolls against the offender, should there be one.

Other statistics

In addition, characters possess Funds, while Factions possess Resources. Characters gain Experience, and Factions gain Growth.  Characters need not pay upkeep, but Factions must take care to defend or even increase their territory, or they may not be able to maintain their status.
These statistics will be discussed in detail below.

XP and Growth
In order to advance, protagonists must spend another resource: XP or Growth. Characters gain XP by undertaking actions on the game world. Factions gain Growth by success in battle, by expending resources or by increasing their influence.
Advancement costs depend on the level of the ability obtained: Generally attributes cost 5 points of XP or Growth multiplied by the level of ability obtained. Skills and abilities cost 3 points of XP multiplied by the level obtained.
Characters gain XP directly, but depending on the setting they may also spend funds to improve themselves.
Factions can buy Growth 1:1 with Resources. They also gain Growth for increasing affiliation, for instance by success in battle, or by successfully subverting a territory.
Characters can convert XP into Growth by spending one point of XP per Character for one point of Growth. An individual can’t do this, only a group of Characters can. Ideally, this is the group of Player Characters, but groups of NPCs can do so, too (if the GM feels the need for so much paperwork).
[...]

Funds and Resources
Funds are a linear abstraction of available fluid money a character may possess. The setting determines the scale, within limits. In a street-level game, one point of resources may be made up of 1$, but in a game of warring kingdoms one point may be 10 pieces of gold. Generally, a few guidelines should be applied when setting the factor: A character should be able to buy full basic equipment for 20 funds, and specialized  equipment for 100 funds.
Resources are a linear abstraction of the value of mobile goods a faction may control – including money. Generally, one point of resources represents from 1000 to 100000 points of funds, depending on the scale of the setting. Characters can convert Resources into Funds and vice versa at the current going rate, however, they must pay attention to the Upkeep the Faction has to pay each Phase.

Interactions

The Game World – the strategic world
For a strategic game, create a hexagon map. Each hex represents a certain Terrain with certain resources, called Produce, necessary for Factions or individuals, as well as population.  Terrain creates modifiers for certain actions, while Produce presents strategic goals. The scale of the map is not fixed, and depends on the setting: For a game of warring city states, each hex might represent a few square kilometers of land, whereas for a game of organized crime syndicates contending over city districts, each hex might represent a city block.
Produce, too, is not fixed – for medieval fantasy there might be wheat, barley, ore and coal, and for organized crime they might be a brothel, a distillery, and a drug lab.
Produce is abstracted to certain numeric values identical to the Resources a faction uses.  The details are left to the imagination. Depending on the setting, some resources might be more or less valuable, which is again incorporated by assigning the value in Resources that a certain Produce has. Trade is neglected in this rule set to not detract too much from a PC centered game.  It is assumed to happen automatically. However, a more detailed setting might introduce a need for certain Produce necessary for advancement and development, or just for nourishing the population.
Factions use Resources to gain growth, pay upkeep, or undertake specific actions, such as wage war, rebuild damage, etc.
The world map is important to take note of control spheres of factions: Each hex has an affiliation rating to all the factions present on the map, and a control rating for the dominating faction. In a simple setting this might be simple all-or-nothing ratings, in a more detailed setting a town might have 40% affiliation with faction 1, 20% with factions 2 and 3, and 10% each with factions 5 and 6.  Affiliation measures how loyal the inhabitants of a hex are towards the Faction. When increasing affiliation by certain actions, that can be used to gain growth. Affiliation also gives modifiers to attacking or defending a territory.
Control determines the percentage of Resources a faction gets from a hex. For a simple setting, an all-or nothing approach is perfectly fine, but like Affiliation, it can be changed to percentages. In a setting where the populace doesn’t get much of a say, it is also possible to simply link both values entirely.
[...]

Upkeep
A Faction must pay a number of Resources in upkeep equal to the sum of its Attributes each phase. Phases are discussed below.  The surplus Resources it gains can be spent towards growth. If a faction loses territory it must pay the required Upkeep out of its savings. If it cannot pay the Upkeep it automatically gains negative Growth, and must sell one point of Attributes or Abilities for Resources. Selling Attributes grants 4x the current Value in Resources, selling Abilities grants 2x the current value in Resources.  This represents selling off assets in order to keep the Faction running.

The PC setting – the tactical world
Characters act as agents of a faction, or act independently.  Actions where characters are placed on the map zoom in to a specific hex of the world map. Here characters may move about on a detailed grid and perform actions, such as attacking enemies, talk to people, or explore.
As was stated earlier, the zoomed in tactical view takes precedence as soon as characters wish to undertake specific tasks on the map – whether they really need a tactical map or not. They may at any time do any actions in person rather than letting their Faction act.
Character may also form a Faction. The first step to do this is generally controlling a hex on the world map, and milking it for Resources. Details on creating Factions are discussed below.
[...]

Creating Characters
Characters are created in several steps using an XP-buy system.  The costs for each Attribute or Skill are identical with the advancement cost:
5x new value for Attributes
3x new value for Skills
After assigning both, the player may buy special abilities and funds. In a setting with Magic, the player may now also buy spells. In a setting without formalized magic he may not need to do so. By default, Funds cost 1 XP per 2 points, but this may vary with the setting. Once funds have been bought, the player may buy equipment for his character, depending on the setting.
[...]

Creating Factions
The first step to creating a faction as the GM or as a group of Characters is assigning territory. The territory and the available Resources determine the starting points to distribute among the Faction’s attributes – one for one. This makes sure that a faction can pay its own Upkeep upon creation. The Faction then gains the same number of points again in order to buy Abilities. It is up to the creator of the Faction to leave over some points as available Resources – after all, undertaking actions as a Faction also costs resources.
The other means to create a faction is by letting Characters start as independent actors and having them create a Faction during play. The first step to doing this is gaining control of a territory, a hex on the strategic map, by throwing out the previous controllers, or by taking control of it if no other Faction is present. Once they do so, they officially form a Faction with 0s in all Attributes and Abilities. They now gain a Faction’s condition monitors and can accumulate Resources. Once they have accumulated 5 points of Resources, they can convert these to growth,  and spend that on one point of Base. This provides the faction with people who can now independently act towards the Faction’s benefit, and also undertake menial tasks, such as guard duty in controlled territory.  Of course the Characters can also undertake actions for their new Faction, and immediately gain growth, too, by converting their Experience into Growth. 
After thus having started their faction, they can improve it as they see fit – taking into account that others might be closely watching, waiting eagerly for a moment of weakness.

[...]

Now I haven't formalized rules for the social and tactical mini-games, although I have a good bit of bastardized social mini-game down. This is also one of the hardest parts: Without it, it's just a hack&slash wargame, because if you can't do diplomacy, or if it's too simplistic, then everything non-combat will severely suffer.

The idea is also to formalize more interactions:

What happens when characters attack an enemy hex? If they conquer it? How do they control it? What happens if the characters persuade an influential member of another faction or even a powerful non-faction affiliated individual, or belonging to an over-faction which cannot be contended with directly? How do I really deal with Faction on PC attacks, while maintaining inherent balance? What could be a good inherent balance scheme?My idea right now is to always punish the more powerful side, or at least inconveniencing it.

The other question is how to make the game world more interesting, and not like a game of Settlers with character sheets.

5
[D&D 3.5] FR - The Darkening / The Darkening
« on: January 16, 2012, 07:24:10 AM »
The Darkening

The Beginning of the End – Chapter One


Day One

Arglak looked down the row of silent warriors in front of him. Their faces were defiant, impassive, but he felt their uncertainty. Before them lay eight straw mats. Far too small they were. Far too small. Beneath the straw mats, only bulging them slightly, were eight small bodies. Far too young they had died.
Arglak was one to believe in strength, in survival of the fittest. Yet these… they troubled him more than he would ever admit. His own son, Gromak, whose future had been so bright, lay there with the lesser children. And Arglak was not one who ignored events that left him childless. Not he. Someone would pay. Someone.
Channelling his anger he raised his jagged war axe and roard, drawn out and guttural like a dire tiger. The honour guard joined in, gnashing their teeth and clashing shields and axes together. Arglak drew out the roar until it culminated in a hoarse cry of pain and anger.

Arglak lowered the axe, and the bearers came forth from between the other mourners: the women, the artisans, workers. In the back of the stockaded village eight human slaves knelt, tied to poles firmly set into the beaten earth, their faces ashen pale, their bodies covered in wounds, dried blood and filth. Their eyes were already dead, all hope was gone from them. Before them lay only more suffering until death released them from their misery. They had been whipped and tortured through the night, and had little better to hope for today. They had not the strength left even to whimper.

Arglak watched in silence as the bearers very gently picked up the bodies, stood for a moment before the honour guard, and then turned and carried them to the pyre, where they were arrayed side by side. Gromak’s body took the chieftain’s place at the centre of the pyre, his elevated resting place laid out with furs and ceremonial weapons, while the others had fewer funeral gifts.

Dressed in ceremonial furs and wielding a stout black staff Grathok the village shaman had been watching the proceedings, his rugged, goblinoid face grave and his eyes unblinking in the heat of the mid day. He scanned the honour guard, and finally Arglak’s eyes met his for a second, and he nodded. He closed his eyes and began humming, raising the staff and drawing pictograms in the air. His humming and waving drew into a crescendo, until he threw back his head, slammed the staff into the ground, and, opening his eyes wide into the mid-day sun, roared into the sky as Arglak had done before. His roar, however, did not end on a note of pain. It broke off suddenly, as Grathok swung the staff in a wide arc and thrust it towards the centre of pyre, where Gromak’s empty eyes stared into the treacherously blue sky.

The first Flame Strike hit, and Gromak’s eyes wilted in the heat, becoming white and opaque before shrivelling with the rest of his small body. The second, quickened, Flame Strike hit the right end of pyre with the older children, before the third Flame Strike set the left end ablaze, with the infants. Somewhere in the village a short, hoarse wail rose and died before the strikes had finished.

None of the children had been older than six, their weak bodies not capable of withstanding the onset of the disease that had taken them. Throughout the village more children lay sick, fighting death this very minute. Even some adults were severely weakened, sitting huddled together in a tight group close to the main hut of the village. They were, of course, scared. Weakness was a liability.

Grathok drew his staff close to his body, threw his furs around himself and strode off. Arglak and the honour guard remained silently where they were, and watched the children burn.

Many others would burn, too, later. But these were the first.

Day Four

Gubrik awoke when the sun became hot and bright enough to shine through his eyelids. His throat felt like he had swallowed sand - and likely as not he had, and his head was hurting enough to burst. In his right hand he felt the deflated wineskin that had accompanied him through the night. As he tried to swallow he gagged, then coughed up a lump of very sandy mucus, which he spat out sideways, and then opened his eyes.

He lay sprawled on the side of a dune, the sun was already half-way up its ascent and beginning to burn his furry Bugbear hide. There was a lump in the sand a few yards off which was likely his armour, while his Falchion was upright in the dune within arms reach.

Groaning he got to his feet, and immediately grabbed the Falchion for support. He was, however, still a bugbear warrior, strong as an ox and at least as stubborn. It wasn't his first hangover, and it wouldn't be his last - although he hoped to get by without quite as much sand in the future. Grunting he drew the Falchion out of the sand and took a few tentative swings, to see whether his feet would carry him safely. He neither stumbled nor fell - which was good - so he trotted heavily towards the lump and bent over to dig his breastplate out of the sand. This sent a sharp spike of pain through his forehead that startled even him with its intensity.
He straightened out reflexively and his hand shot to his forehead. There it stopped, startled, and withdrew. Very slowly he lowered his fingers back onto his forehead, creeping over his rugged goblinoid features until they found it. In the centre of his forehead. There was a lump, a hard pointy lump. A horn. A single horn growing out of his head.

And it certainly hadn't been there last night.

Day 13

Under the cover of a Silent Image Gubrik lay on the ridge overlooking the gem-mine near Lundeth, in the south-western corner of Anauroch. Troops of Bugbear raiders were in position from both sides of the natural gorge that enclosed the mine entrance, the fort guarding it, and the road leading away from it. There was a watchtower at the head of the gorge overlooking both the advances on the sides as well as the fort.
The raiders had crept in under the cover of a sandstorm – partly natural, partly augmented by magic. They now lay concealed from the many eyes on the watchtower.

Gubrik peered over the ridge at the watchtower. The success of this raid would depend on whether the watchtower would go down without arousing attention. Gubrik’s raiders had recently captured a guard, who had, after due attention had been given him, told them all about the defences. The tower was equipped with mock beholder eyestalks that granted the guards inside all-around vision, including a permanent See Invisibility effect, as well as offensive eye-rays. Both the fort and the tower were well lit up at night, and both were equipped with zones of Anticipate Teleportation. In addition, the tower could counterspell a number of destructive spells. To make matters worse, both structures were patrolled by elemental guardians as well as housing a large guard force.

If they charged openly against the fort they would be caught between hammer and anvil. Now if the tower was gone, or depopulated… There was a mage among the raiders, but if they Teleported or Dimension-Doored close to or into the tower they would be redirected or delayed and land straight in a trap. Neither invisibility nor sneaking closer were viable options. There was nothing but bare rock all around it. Unfortunately the Bugbear raiders lacked the offensive magic to quickly destroy a fortified structure.
 
Gubrik’s single horn ached. The shaman had been unable to cure him of it. It had grown further very rapidly the past two days, until it was a nearly a foot long, curved protrusion –and it was still growing, although much more slowly. The armour smith had had to make a hole in Gubrik’s helmet for it. And even though Gubrik hadn’t talked about it, there had been side-effects. He was suffering from a skin decoloration over almost his entire body. His hands had seemingly grown larger, and his teeth and nails were harder and sharper. Strong Childs that let the wild into themselves experienced growth of claws and their jaws became like vices that could chew iron. But this was different. He had never let the wild in. But now his mind kept going in odd ways, and they were not ferocious. Rather cold and calculating, analytic. He kept coming to conclusions that had before eluded him. And he had the distinct feeling the other Bugbears kept staring at him suspiciously behind his back.

The mage, Gorbog, was staring intently at the tower with this Horizon Goggles.
‘Found it, yet?’ Gubrik snarled quietly. Gorbog bared his fang-like incisors. ‘We’re too far away. I can’t see from here.’ Gubrik swallowed his retort into an angry snort. ‘We could just DIG’, he added scornfully. Gorbog shook his head. ‘Through this rock? Also, they’ll detect digging and probably collapse our tunnels. No, no digging. But there IS an option. We can glide. There is probably an earth elemental below the tower, we just have to be lucky to avoid it, or kill it quickly. The catch is: It’s you and me alone. I don’t have enough spells to take more people.’ Gubrik felt his gut contract involuntarily, but his face only showed a smirk. He was a Bugbear War Captain, he was condemned to courage. ‘Only a few guards in the tower. I am Gubrik, I can take them on.’ Gorbog knew Gubrik was strong. He had seen him kill an adult Sand Dragon almost by himself. However, Gorbog also knew that however strong Gubrik was, he was also so limited. Unfortunately Gorbog himself would never become a captain. In their clan, only the Strong Children became captains, or chiefs, for that matter. The Weak Children, who were not superior to common Bugbears, could do as well as they liked. Noone would ever listen to them.
So Gorbog could only attach himself to the strongest of the Strong Children he could find. And Gubrik was strong, and not stupid, either. So Gorbog only snarled an acknowledgement.
‘I will prepare’, he said, solemnly.
Gubrik gave a few orders to his group of raiders, then got back to his observation position on the ridge. Not more than a minute later he felt a hand on his shoulder, and heard Gorbog say a few words. The moment the words faded Gubrik felt the rock go soft beneath him. He swam on the surface, and his hands could easily push through the solid rock. For a moment he panicked and would have almost sunk into the rock, but Gorbog’s hand was still on his shoulder and held him back.
‘We won’t be able to see within the rock. Hold on to me and count. We should get there by the time you reach around 90.’
   
Gorbog took the lead, diving into the rock, and Gubrik could only hold on with his left hand and somehow match his movement. Gorbog didn’t waste time, either. He made a straight bee-line for the tower, at what Gubrik imagined was around a yard or so beneath the surface. But there was no way to tell, really. So he counted. And sure enough, just as he reached 85, Gorbog stopped in front of him. ‘It’s here…’, he snarled, barely audible through the rock.
Gubrik felt something hard swim into him from the side, and shuddered. Reflexively he let go of Gorbog and, grabbing his Falchion with both hands, slashed angrily and blindly at the presence. He felt the blade bite, and it bit deep. He swung a second time, but the blade met no resistance. Then he took a “leap” forward after the presence and followed up with a Mountain Hammer. Again the blade found resistance, and overcame it. The earth elemental crumbled and melded into the solid rock.
Gubrik relaxed, slightly, until he tried to remember which way they had been going. He had made about a half-turn to the left…. Shifting his position within the rock he tried to get back to the direction they had been moving, before, but it wasn’t easy at all. He instinctively knew Up, but if he went up, their plan would just fall apart.
Just then he heard a snarl in front of him, and Gorbog’s voice, calling ‘Captain, captain…’, drifting through the rock. ‘I’m here..’, he growled back, and swam forward. His extended left hand met Gorbog’s arm and he grabbed it.
Reassured, the two Bugbears moved forward again for only a few moments before Gorbog again stopped.
‘There’s a wall, here. It must be a tunnel that connects the tower with the fort’, he said.

Following the tunnel as it slanted upwards, they found the base of the foundation of the tower. It was made up of flat rectangular slabs put down in a bed of cement and gravel.
Gorbog tugged at Gubrik’s arm to position him just next to him, right below the still impenetrable worked stone. Reaching into his pouch he produced a flat piece of soft clay, which he moulded  slightly, to match the foundation slab, then pushed a hole into it with his finger. The same instant he touched the clay to the slab, and a hole opened in the slab, about five feet across. No light shone through, however. As predicted, there was yet another line of defence against earth gliders. Gorbog was prepared, however. As soon as the hole opened his arm reached upwards, against the metal plate. The plate almost immediately shattered, caving upwards away from his hand.
Gubrik didn’t need further instructions. He saw a person standing above him, even as shards of metal still flew through the air. The guard gaped in surprise at the destruction below his feet, but Gubrik didn’t leave him time to come to conclusions. He dove upwards, through the hole, and literally spattered his opponent into the base of the Pillar of Eyes that took up the centre of the tower. That certainly got their attention, but his Warning blade gave him speed. It was already raised for the next closest guard, when something welled up within in, something dark, cold and unyielding. A deadly certainty took hold, and instead of sending the next man flying he threw back his head and roared.

And the BLASPHEMY from within him shook the tower and every man in it to the core.
   

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[D&D 3.5] FR - The Darkening / Scene Thread
« on: November 16, 2011, 02:40:34 PM »
This is the place where current scenes are listed. It is also the place to call new scenes.

Current Scenes

Exploring the tunnel within the ruins
Who: Agnak (deceased), Mael, Daelric, Mag, Cat, Torgthen, Handromal, Holdamir, Drannoth
Where: The Desert, within the ruins at the ? Oasis
When: Non-specified time frame, during scouting mission to the desert
Transition: From the tracks in the desert
Status: Concluded

In the desert at the Oasis
Who: Devanar, Isul
Where: The Desert, at the ? Oasis
When: Non-specified time frame, during scouting mission to the desert
Transition: From the Oasis ruins scene, via ventilation shaft
Status: Concluded

Drannoth's interrogation
Who: Torgthen, Drannoth + Handromal, Holdamir[/b]
Where:Somewhere in the underdark, a defendable bit of cave
When: Approx one day before the time frame of the rest of PCs
Transition From Battle scene, on foot
Status: Concluded, next scene call pending.

Recruiting allies
Who: Torgthen, Drannoth + Handromal, band of free lance drow
Where: Specified cavern on map
When: Approx one day before the time frame of the rest of PCs
Transition: From defendable nook, on foot
Status: Concluded


Holdamir’s return
Who: Torgthen, Drannoth + Handromal, Holdamir, (+possible drow)
Where: Specified meeting place
When: Approx one day before the time frame of the rest of PCs
Transition: From freelance drow, on foot
Status: Concluded

Gateway to an Ancient Trove
Who: Torgthen, Drannoth, Handromal, Holdamir
Where: Portal room
When: Approx a couple hours before the time frame of the rest of PCs
Transition: From meeting place, on foot
Status: concluded

Attack at the Lion's Eye Oasis
Who: Devanar, Isul, Torgthen, Drannoth, Handromal, Mael, Daelric, Cat, Doyle, MARC
Where: The Desert, at the Lion's Eye Oasis
When: Non-specified time frame, during scouting mission to the desert
Transition: From the "Exploring the tunnel within the ruins" scene, via lift; After resting.
Status: Ongoing Concluded

Approaching the Demon camp
Who: Devanar, Isul, Torgthen, Drannoth, Mael, Daelric, Cat
Where: The Desert
When: Non-specified time frame, during scouting mission to the desert
Transition: From the "Battle at the Lion's Eye Oasis" scene, on foot.
Status: Ongoing


On a desert trail
Who: Thor
Where: Somewhere in the southern part of Anauroch
When: Non-specified time frame, roughly parallel with the other scene
Transition: From the Fight with demons, on foot/horseback;
Status: Ongoing

Meeting in the desert
Who: Aria, Felgryn
Where: The Desert, at some unspecified place
When: Non-specified time frame, roughly parallel with the Lion's Eye scen
Transition: none
Status: Ongoing

This post will (should) be continuously appended by me.

Make your scene calls below. If you wish for a private scene we can also make private scene calls via PM, and I will post them without any info.


7
My info from original thread:
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On the Campaign:

I will be using a scenario based system instead of a completely written campaign. I will do my very best not to railroad anything. As such, there will be story flow presented as flavour text paragraphs, which the PCs are not expected to know about, while the PCs will have to drive their own story forward. There will of course be hooks, but no force. You are free to divert your PC at any time. There will be no pre-defined outcome of the campaign - except a probable PC victory IF they so desire. There will be no fixed sides. Of course there will be villains and people fighting them. The PCs can choose a side, BECOME a side, or just wiggle through the middle, if they so desire. (And yes, become means become. If you're evil and want to supplant the previous main BBEG, you will probably be able to do so - if you can.)

This is a HIGH ROLEPLAYING campaign, not a dungeon crawl. Fights will happen because they SHOULD happen. When they happen they might be tough. You won't find many random critters attacking you (simply because this detracts from the story and takes up a LOT of time in PbP). XP-awards will be given for fights, but also out of fights.
Story posts and player posts should be written in descriptive style in past tense, as writing an actual story. Elements like "he said", etc. should be used when appropriate. Only using colour coding is not always sufficient, especially when writing about several people. Rolls should be included in bracketed form.

Example combat posts:
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Since this is PbP there will be some quirky house-rules, which I will announce as I find the time over the next few days. Some of these are a bit experimental. These will be categorized for easier reference.

Allowed Books
: All WotC, no mags. Certain erratas will be ignored and re-ruled. (Like Fauxlymorph.) All sources must be stated. Campaign setting specific material is subject to approval if it's from a non-faerun setting. [Edit] I don't own the Rules compendium. As such, previous representations of the rules will have to suffice. I also am not entirely familiar with every splat-book game mechanic available. I expect players to explain their characters upon request and direct me to relevant sections of those books.[/edit]

I would like to employ a Responsible Use system: Most things will be allowed, but I expect you to find IC reasons why your character cannot use them to rule the world (or do whatever). As such, there is no gentlemen's agreement, there is only wrath of the gods if you take it too far.

There will be coexisting creatures and individuals of all levels at all times. Since your characters are free to do what they want, they MIGHT run into places where they should not be at their level. For that reason there will be a new system to make it possible for a character or creature to gauge a situation:

AURA: Every creature will have an aura that corresponds to its power. A character has an Aura equal to his ECL. A creature has an aura equal to its CR. A PC can at any time gauge his aura relative to another's. To do so he makes an opposing Aura-check, rolling a D6 plus his Aura-value vs. the opponents D6 plus Aura-value. If he loses, he should feel reason to flee or submit (and likewise). Gauging an aura is a free action.

Concerning PCs
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NPCs
(click to show/hide)

The Game World
(click to show/hide)

Game Mechanics
(click to show/hide)

More later.

Revisions
2) Added stuff. Edited stuff. Mostly editing should be bracketed with [edit][/edit].
3) Added stuff in the PCs and NPCs sections, added the game mechanics section.
4) Added stuff in game mechanics section (crafting, etc.)
5) Edited some details. Rearranged some aspects into different categories. Added stuff on party play and character management. Added example combat post.
6) Minor corrections. Added paragraph on epic levels and warfare.
7) Added the Game world section. Lots of new stuff there.
8) Added the Monsters as PCs section in the PCs section. Made some changes here and there. Defined starting wealth.
9) Added Inoffcial Errata section. More to come, there.
10) Edited Errata section. Added HP rule to Game mechanics.
11) Started Polymorph errata.
12) Some edits in PCs section about races and templates; A bit more Polymorph errata.
13) MORE Polymorph errata, and moved the errata section to subsequent post. This post has gotten LONG.
14) Death from massive damage house-ruled.
15) Sundering rules in Game Mechanics section changed.
16) Added Empty Level clause
17) Added pounce nerf in conjunction with damage multipliers
18) Added Negative Energy/Positive Energy stuff and blurb about intelligent undead
19) Copied stuff about Reach weapons and Initiative from OOC Discussion

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[D&D 3.5] FR - The Darkening / Anauroch - The Great Desert
« on: November 12, 2011, 04:05:16 PM »
[ooc]This is a continuation of this thread:
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6588.0
The final few posts are copied here.


Quote from: Isul
"Can you attempt a Banishing, Devanar? If it is extraplanar in origin, perhaps it can be forcibly separated," Isul asks as the faint blue glow in his eyes intensifies and he casts a minor cantrip and peers at the tentacled mass.

(click to show/hide)
Quote from: BP
(click to show/hide)

[Isul:]
(click to show/hide)

Devanar shook his head.
'I cannot cast Banishment, and I have not prepared Dismissal', he said. 'It may seem like a major oversight when going to fight demons, but if you remember we were attacked while I was preparing my spells this morning.'



Quote from: Isul
"I'm not certain either would help, actually. It looks like some sort of shape altering effect, and a moderately powerful one at that. More than that I cannot unravel, though I don't know if the effect is ongoing or permanent. There may be something I can try tomorrow, but it would require a good deal of meditation for guidance on my part first. I am sorry, Drannoth." After another moment's thought, Isul adds, "For what I am thinking of, we would also need a Dispel. Something I am unable of casting," he looks around at the others gathered.

Quote from: BP
[ooc@Isul]
(click to show/hide)

9
[ooc]
This is a continuation of this thread:
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=12781.0
The final few posts will follow for reference.

Quote
Aria had missed the bird landing as she was digging through her saddle bags. When she was done, her feathery wing had returned to violet petals. "I'm ready when you are!" she said as she flew back to her new companions. She then spotted the small bird on the ground, "Oh! You found a new friend."

(click to show/hide)

Quote
The bird cocked his head and lifted its wings in a pose that was obviously as show of dominance it then turned its head, its neck twisting an unnatural amount to accomidate its contortions, and looked over twords a dune. After a moment a man on horseback emerged from over it going at what looked like a break neck pace. Within a minute the man had reached them and pulled to a halt 20 ft away. " Who goes there and be they friend or foe.  Be warned I shall not tolerate Darkfriends in my presence". The man bore no visible weapons but it was obvious from the confidence that he projected that he felt he would have no troubles were he confronted without one.
(click to show/hide)

Quote
As the strange rider approached, Felgryn tightened his fists, in the process making a creaking grinding sound. The air was tense and heavy. 

"Who goes there? You've a lot of nerve galloping in to our oasis and demanding to see our traveling papers.  We might ask ye the same thing..."

The man who was speaking was...well not a man, or at least not a living one. The old weather-beaten barbarian, with his horned helm and rich furs was pale and translucent, the very image of a ghost, although his face bore none of the menace such tormented creatures were known for.  Perched upon his shoulder was a mighty gilded greataxe, equally transparent.  Next to him, gazing with a fierce intensity at Thor was an onyx man, marbled with ribbons and veins of gold, and the metal obs that bore into him seemed to barely contain a righteous fury, ready to pounce at the slightest sign of violence.  When he spoke, teeth of gold were made visible and his voice was like the deep rumbling of the earth.

"You had better keep your voice down...unless you want the small army of demons on the other side of those dunes to hear you..."

10
[D&D 3.5] FR - The Darkening / OOC-discussion - three strikes you're IN!
« on: November 10, 2011, 08:23:23 AM »
So this is the third version of this thread. The old ones - for reference - are here:

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11446.0

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=811.0

I need some time to port some threads and stuff, so I'm going to have to ask for a modicum of patience.

11
Play By Post / BP's head count for FR: The Darkening
« on: November 07, 2011, 07:32:08 AM »
YES, we're not going under in spite of the transition!

I'll try to email everyone, but if you're around already, you might reply here as well.

12
Introduce Yourself / Since this seems to be par for the course...
« on: November 07, 2011, 06:52:14 AM »
I'm BP.

I pretty much only ran one PBP on the old forum. And I would like to continue doing so. If any of my old players read this, please respond. I was trying to eventually get the record for the longest running game on the BGs (It started in mid 2008, IIRC). Well... now the dates will all be reset.

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