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Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Hi everyone. Please enter here and pick your colurs for speech, then introduce yourselves. I will get the IC thread going shortly.
Recruitment thread link: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...-3-5-adventure
IC thread link: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...re-of-Shade-IC
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
rax here, playing Sir Aubryn "Blackscale" Amcathra, a fairly stereotypical noble knight. He'll be speaking in fire brick.
For ease of reference, here's a picture and the description, personality and background fields from his character sheet:
Spoiler: Description
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Broad-shouldered, muscular, and handsome, Aubryn's hair and beard are coal black and fastidiously kept. He has Azoun IV's brown eyes and those who knew Azoun well can clearly see traces of the king in Aubryn's facial features. A light dusting of dark scales, clawed hands, and a fang-toothed smile are all telltale signs of Aubryn's draconic transformation. Although his face is unscarred, he bears the marks of many battles on the rest of his body, but these are usually hidden by his full plate harness.
Spoiler: Personality
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Dashing, courageous, and intensely loyal to his family, Aubryn also juggles a deep sense of duty to both Cormyr and Waterdeep. He is naturally mischievous and enjoys teasing those who take themselves too seriously. Laughter, he contends, is good for the soul, and even more so when times are dark.
Aubryn respects those who strive to better themselves and to make the world a kinder and more prosperous place, but also those who fight to protect hearth and kin, as long as they refrain from cruel and dishonourable deeds. Naturally, he himself strives to be an exemplar of chivalric conduct. In Aubryn's view, the end most certainly doesn't justify the means.
Aubryn's strong good looks, light-hearted manner, and prestigious family name have made him a favourite among the noble ladies of Waterdeep, Cormyr and points inbetween. For his part, Aubryn is not one to turn down an impassioned tryst or two, but he is always careful to conduct his affairs discreetly if there's the slightest chance of scandal.
Spoiler: Background
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Thirty-five years old, Sir Aubryn Amcathra is a veteran adventurer and campaigner. A bastard son of King Azoun IV of Cormyr and Lady Olenna Amcathra, he was afflicted with wanderlust from a young age, eschewing the political games of Waterdeep's noble families for a life of honourable service and glorious combat. His first taste of battle came as a young squire in the Dragonspear War, when Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate allied to defeat the devils of Dragonspear Castle in the Year of the Worm (1356 DR).
The Time of Troubles saw him away from Waterdeep in Tethyr, riding with Lady Bloodhawk and her Company of the Red Falcon as they battled an army of monsters that surged forth from the Forest of Tethir. As a result, he missed the attack of Myrkul's Legion and the battle that ultimately destroyed the Lord of Bones, something he rues to this day. Shaken by the danger to his family and city, Aubryn resolved to give up his wandering ways and accepted a commission as an officer of the City Guard.
As it turned out, Aubryn's career in the Guard was brief. Barely a year had passed when rumours reached Waterdeep of the Tuigan Horde ravaging Thay and Rashemen, and soon thereafter King Azoun IV of Cormyr put out his call for warriors of the western lands to join his crusade. Smitten by the king's appeal and the idea of fighting by his father's side in such a noble endeavour, Aubryn resigned his commission and hurried to Cormyr to join Azoun's growing army. During the battles that followed, he comported himself with valour and skill, and was personally knighted by King Azoun on the field of battle. Privately, Azoun recognized Aubryn as his son and introduced him to his half-sister, Princess Alusair.
After the end of the crusade, Aubryn remained in Cormyr for a few years, adventuring around the Sea of Fallen Stars. He came to love the Forest Kingdom as much as he did Waterdeep, and also grew very fond of the Dalelands. He took time to visit his cousin Mourngrym, Lord of Shadowdale, and lent his sword to the cause of Randal Morn in the latter's battles against the Zhentarim. Around this time he also began a mystical journey to "awaken the dragon within", a quest which was ultimately successful in the Year of the Wyvern (1363 DR). The accompanying physical transformation led a sharp-tongued romantic rival to dub him "Blackscale", but the newly empowered Aubryn ignored the intended insult and instead appropriated the epithet as a badge of honour.
Aubryn finally returned to Waterdeep in the Year of the Sword (1365 DR), after a particularly bittersweet affair with a lady of House Crownsilver. Trying to drown his sorrow, he spent the better part of a year drinking his way through the seedier festhalls of the city until Lord Arilos, patriarch of House Amcathra, managed to appeal to his sense of duty by asking him to keep a watchful eye on Regnet, his younger brother and heir, who had an unhealthy fascination with dungeon delving.
Aubryn accepted the job, but soon found that Regnet was well able to look after himself with the aid of his companions in the Deep Delvers adventuring company. He did as Arilos bid, however, and stuck close to Regnet, even accompanying him on forays into Undermountain every so often. This activity was enough to spark a renewed interest in Aubryn to serve his city, and he successfully petitioned to join the elite Gray Hands company. Apart from a steady string of life or death battles, this also brought him into daily contact with the Lords of Waterdeep, especially Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun and his consort Laeral Silverhand. He also began an affair with the fiery half-elf sorceress Carolyas Idogyr, a fellow Gray Hands member.
Aubryn's membership in the Gray Hands has put him at the forefront of all the major battles to have afflicted Waterdeep in recent years, from the attack by an army of sea creatures in Ches of the Year of the Gauntlet (1369 DR) to the events of Halaster's Higharvestide later the same year. It also prevented him from coming to Cormyr's aid in the Goblin War (1370-1371 DR), and he was greatly saddened when news reached Waterdeep that King Azoun IV had been slain in combat with the so-called Devil Dragon.
In the Year of Wild Magic (1372 DR) he was part of the relief army led by Laeral Silverhand to raise the phaerimm siege of Evereska. In the aftermath of the siege and the breakdown of the alliance with the Shadovar of Shade, Laeral requested Aubryn to continue onwards to Cormyr as her and Khelben's personal representative to his half-sister Alusair, now the "Steel Regent" of Cormyr. Thus, Aubryn found himself on hand when a series of ominous events involving followers of Shar came to Alusair's notice in the Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)...
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Checking in, very much appreciate being selected.
Currently in a small work and life crunch, but will check in when I'm able. For now here is the sheet for Erynessë.
EDIT: Also, might want to check the link in the OP for the IC thread, it seems to lead to a thread-creating post...?
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Adama, ancestor of Ciraxis the Great ice dragon
Spoiler: Backstory
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Adama, Sire of Ciraxis the Great Ice Dragon, a human monk and Dragon Descendant, possesses a unique and complex backstory. Here's a short narrative based on the information provided:
Born into a lineage closely tied to the ancient white dragon, Ciraxis, Adama's life was steeped in power and privilege from the very beginning. Raised within the icy realms where his draconic progenitor ruled, Adama inherited a profound connection to his ancestry. As a child, he witnessed the awe-inspiring might of Ciraxis firsthand and was captivated by the might and wisdom of dragons.
Motivated by this heritage and driven by a profound sense of superiority, Adama set out on a path to become a monk, seeking to embody the strength and discipline of his dragon forebears. He reveled in the knowledge that he possessed the power and potential to surpass mere mortals. However, this knowledge tainted his character, fostering a cruel streak and an unwavering adherence to the laws he perceived as just.
Tragedy struck when Ciraxis, his powerful progenitor, met his demise. The event shook Adama to his core, leaving him with conflicting emotions. He mourned the loss of the great ice dragon while also harboring resentment toward the heroes who vanquished his mighty ancestor.
Embracing wanderlust and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, Adama now roams the realms, seeking to further connect with his ancestral lineage and unlock the hidden potential within himself.
As he journeys, Adama harbors a burning desire to confront the heroes responsible for Ciraxis' downfall, viewing it as a personal affront to his lineage. However, deep down, he struggles with the realization that his own actions and pride may have contributed to the fateful encounter.
Though a monk in principle, Adama's character is far from humble and meek. His conceit and belief in his superiority make him an enigmatic figure, simultaneously upholding the law while exhibiting a cruel streak when dealing with mortals who fall beneath his perceived station.
As Adama's journey unfolds, the secret he carries—the realization that his own actions were a catalyst in the death of his progenitor—weighs heavily on his conscience, influencing his every decision and fueling his internal conflicts.
Really excited for this group! I think I will grab Light Blue?
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Hey there,
Thrilled to be here for a quality PbP game, and so glad you liked my submission.
About myself, I primarily do build competitions around the forums, so even though my post count is light I'm no stranger to some heavy writing or crunch. I just rarely do it under my own name, so this will be a fun change of pace.
I'll be playing Professor Ixtalan Hlandrar, and speaking in star blue. From looking over the party composition, it looks like I'll be handling most of the obtuse magical duties, among a few other pillars.
Since I can't post the link just yet, I'll just say that my sheet certainly has a few surprises in store that you truly won't expect. Which might actually be a fun in-game reveal, so I'm up for keeping it quiet for a bit if Paradox is good with that. It's very in keeping with the character, and I know he'll keep me honest.
For now, consider me to have shown up to the head-canon table with a face-down character sheet. What could be more exciting than that?
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Question for the DM:
Have we all been drawn to Shadowdale by a specific call for aid, or have we all traveled here for our own reasons, and just happen to find ourselves here? Or is it more complex than that, e.g. various associates and holy orders have asked us to swing by, that sort of thing?
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Here is Doria Firehammer, a BattleRager from Citadel Adbar sent by the Silver Marches Confederacy to investigate the rumors of a new threat emerging in the Great Desert. She’s always up for a fight, or a round of drinks in a bar (fights optional, but with her singing, it’s common enough).
She’ll speak in orange
Spoiler: Background
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Born as one of many dwarven twins since the Thunder Blessing in the great northern fortress Citadel Adbar, Doria was a bit of a wild child in her youth. Not interested in mining or crafting and lacking the discipline for military service, she preferred to explore the wilderness and hunt for monsters and treasure with her friends.
All that changed when her father was killed while guarding a caravan on the dangerous Underdark road to Sundabar. His death led her to refocus her life and begin training to join the militia. However, she still struggled with organized combat, instead joining the legendary Battleragers, channeling her anger into becoming a fierce warrior. Later she trained to work alone in the Underdark as a DeepWarden, and then dedicated her axe to the church of the Luckmaiden.
To honor her father, she often patrols the trade routes from the Citadel, spending many days far from the confines of the fortress. Unlike some of Adbar's leaders, she supports the idea of the Silver Marches Confederation, believing that it would make the region safer for the caravans that supply her home. On one of these recent journeys, she heard some rumors from a group of out Silverymoon, telling stories of unusual events in the great desert.
After failing to convince the militia leadership, many of whom don't trust the tales of an "axe idiot", to be concerned about a possible new threat to the east, she decided to investigate on her own. Traveling south along the border of the desert, past Evereska to the abbey of Endar Aglandtor, she met with her twin sister Nalia, a priestess of Haela Brightaxe. Divinations by the order of Haela's Host suggest that more info would be gained in the Dalelands, so she has journeyed east seeking the source of the rumors, and happy to swing her axe against any monsters along the way.
Excited to have made the team, and almost ready for a new adventure. I do need to do some final work to update the last bit of equipment on my sheet, which might take some time as this is a busy week, but I can role play before that’s finished.
Question for the group, and the mystery build, do we have a plan for opening doors and finding traps, or am I going to have to smash everything and set them off the hard way? Didn’t really build for that, but I guess it’s an option. Doors I open tend not to close again, though.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by Goby
Question for the group, and the mystery build, do we have a plan for opening doors and finding traps
I have doors, locks, and traps handled as well, speaking of pillars of play.
Presumably (hopefully, Oghma willing) in a much less announcey manner, heh. Good looking out though, it:s much appreciated.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Palanan
Checking in, very much appreciate being selected.
Currently in a small work and life crunch, but will check in when I'm able. For now here is the sheet for
Erynessë.
EDIT: Also, might want to check the link in the OP for the IC thread, it seems to lead to a thread-creating post...?
I just checked in on the IC post you mentioned, and it seems to link to where it is supposed to go. I just haven't posted the first post IC yet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Palanan
Question for the DM:
Have we all been drawn to Shadowdale by a specific call for aid, or have we all traveled here for our own reasons, and just happen to find ourselves here? Or is it more complex than that, e.g. various associates and holy orders have asked us to swing by, that sort of thing?
You can have travelled there for your own purposes. You will be meeting Elminster, who will give you your mission. He has so many plots in progress that any of you could have been drawn to him for information or mission orders.
As for trap springing. I picked a basically balanced party, so you should have all bases covered to at least some extent.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Okay, thanks.
In that case, there’s a spell from Book of Exalted Deeds which Eryn would have cast. This is a sanctified spell called Valiant Steed, which allows her to summon a unicorn that willingly serves her for a year. Given the unicorn’s healing SLAs, this would be very helpful to her as she provides healing to those she meets on the road. Wanted to be sure that was okay, so she can arrive with the unicorn already present.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nines
I have doors, locks, and traps handled as well, speaking of pillars of play.
Glad to hear that. While Doria still plans to open some doors with her head (or even better, someone else’s) she prefers that the door doesn’t explode.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Palanan
Okay, thanks.
In that case, there’s a spell from Book of Exalted Deeds which Eryn would have cast. This is a sanctified spell called Valiant Steed, which allows her to summon a unicorn that willingly serves her for a year. Given the unicorn’s healing SLAs, this would be very helpful to her as she provides healing to those she meets on the road. Wanted to be sure that was okay, so she can arrive with the unicorn already present.
That is okay. But as it requires a sacrifice, I will say that you have to give up 1d3 points of strength for the entire duration of the summons. Using Restoration or similar on it will negate the sacrifice and therefore end the summons. I am not sure if that is the correct ruling on sacrifices, but that is how I am ruling it, as you get a lot back in return.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Hmm.
If she dismisses the unicorn, can she then use Lesser Restoration as normal to ameliorate the Strength drain?
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Yes, but you couldn't cast the spell again without re-taking the sacrifice and spending the hour casting the spell. And if it is abused by repeatedly dismissing the unicorn, for example to reduce the rolled damage to a minimum, then the celestials may just stop sending one to you.
Also, the short introductory post is up on the IC thread. Just put up some getting to know you posts, to develop an initial party dynamic. Once you have introduced yourselves I will bring the adventure into a start.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
I’m thinking that she’ll have the unicorn with her to start, the two of them having traveled together from Cormyr up to Tilverton and through the Shadow Gap, and thence on to Shadowdale town.
Once the action starts, she’ll likely dismiss the unicorn, both for its own protection and to regain the strength she’s lost, and she won’t re-summon the unicorn unless there’s a population in need of healing. The unicorn is something she’d want to help tend to those in need on the road, but she won’t lead it into danger.
I'll try to post in the IC thread tomorrow-ish. Like yourself, I've had several trying days dealing with an older relative, as well as a mini-work crunch and other RL issues, so very steamrolled now.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Two questions.
1, what year DR and time of year is it? I didn’t see the year in the overview I read, but I’m thinking it’s either 1374 or 75? Trying to make sure that any Realms references I make are accurate.
2, should our characters have any foreknowledge that we’ll be facing desert survival challenges? I’m finishing up some equipment, and don’t plan to be too prepared, but is it reasonable to have purchased any survival gear? Or is that something we should wait to do in game?
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
The ancestor thing was an error, can you correct your post Palanan please?
It's been a rough week.....
EDIT: nevermind, I figured out how to weave it in.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Goby
Two questions.
1, what year DR and time of year is it? I didn’t see the year in the overview I read, but I’m thinking it’s either 1374 or 75? Trying to make sure that any Realms references I make are accurate.
2, should our characters have any foreknowledge that we’ll be facing desert survival challenges? I’m finishing up some equipment, and don’t plan to be too prepared, but is it reasonable to have purchased any survival gear? Or is that something we should wait to do in game?
1. It was very difficult to discover the year of the adventure. I ended up going page by page through the Grand History of the Realms book. As best I can tell, the adventure is set in the month of Elient in the year 1374, which is in the Autumn.
2. You will be given an opportunity to prepare when the time comes, but you will be starting in Myth Drannor, so don't worry too much about that yet.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Well now I have to ask, seeing as a year was dropped, a certain book series has something happen to myth drannor in the same year, I assume we’re not messing with that? (The last mythal series)
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
That's one kind-of reveal down in the IC thread, and I really like how it turned out. There's definitely still more to come, though.
Edit: added an answer to Aubryn's question as part of the interlude and scene change. Apologies for missing it initially.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BelGareth
Well now I have to ask, seeing as a year was dropped, a certain book series has something happen to myth drannor in the same year, I assume we’re not messing with that? (The last mythal series)
I haven't read that series. Can I get you to DM me a brief summary of what you are talking about with this? The module doesn't really talk about what else is going on. I took the idea of what the date is from the Grand Tour of the Realms only because it mentioned a couple of items that appear in the module in that part of the book.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Hey, folks--really rough weekend, will try to post when I can.
Eryn does have questions for Elminster, but I'm not together enough to post now, hopefully later today.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
paradox26
I haven't read that series. Can I get you to DM me a brief summary of what you are talking about with this? The module doesn't really talk about what else is going on. I took the idea of what the date is from the Grand Tour of the Realms only because it mentioned a couple of items that appear in the module in that part of the book.
Sent, but really, i would just hand wave it tbh, i don't think it has much to do with the rest of the world.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Posted, and Eryn's confusion matches my own regarding what the Windsong/Shadowsong tower-tree-thingy is.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Palanan, could you please choose a speech color per the OP, and edit your post to reflect usage of it. That would be much appreciated, thanks.
Edit: a word.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Hah, so this is an interesting role play situation, I truly hope people don’t get offended, it’s really easy to do when you have a character you enjoy.
@Nines: is your character supposed to be obnoxious? Because that is the way they are coming across, and why people are responding, if that’s your intention, then spot on, but I’m curious if it is or not?
Just so we’re clear, I am not trying to be rude, or anything really just curious and wish to smooth things out if needed.
Or maybe I’m misreading everything.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
@Bel
Hey there,
No I'm not sweating it. The Harpers can certainly be over the top in their parlances and intrigues, it's part and parcel of their propaganda and being just about the worst kept secret in the Realms. So yes a lot of it is intentional, and a certain amount of scoffery is to be expected, even among the populaces of Faerun.
I'll post the truncated backstory and some other info, to get a sense of the character's central tensions, and to give some meta-knowledge to help facilitate things a bit, spoilered for anyone that wants it. but I'll leave off a few things and not include the sheet just yet, as there's at least one more big reveal coming later on.
And I'll just add that it's difficult to play the 'in-the-know' guy without coming off slightly condescending to the table (bards also, to a large extent) if it isn't also mollified by a bumbling wizard archetype, which Ixtalan certainly isn't. I totally accept that, and the attendant baggage that comes with it. I do think some of those challenges are made worse over text, where delivery and context can be hard to infer off the page.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Awesome, well you are doing a bang up job then!!
Love it!
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
And I thought Doria was going to be the troublesome personality that no one likes…. Gruff dwarf with a CHR check penalty.
But yeah, I’m enjoying the tension in forming a new group. This is what happens when you get summoned by a powerful wizard, and have to decide if we can be an adventuring company.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BelGareth
Sent, but really, i would just hand wave it tbh, i don't think it has much to do with the rest of the world.
To answer the query, I appear to have gotten the date wrong, and it is 1375 instead, as the elves have definitely started to repopulate Myth Drannor. It won't come into play, but the Forgotten Realms wiki mentions this adventure's events specifically, mentioning the year.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nines
@Bel
Hey there,
No I'm not sweating it. The Harpers can certainly be over the top in their parlances and intrigues, it's part and parcel of their propaganda and being just about the worst kept secret in the Realms. So yes a lot of it is intentional, and a certain amount of scoffery is to be expected, even among the populaces of Faerun.
I'll post the truncated backstory and some other info, to get a sense of the character's central tensions, and to give some meta-knowledge to help facilitate things a bit, spoilered for anyone that wants it. but I'll leave off a few things and not include the sheet just yet, as there's at least one more big reveal coming later on.
And I'll just add that it's difficult to play the 'in-the-know' guy without coming off slightly condescending to the table (bards also, to a large extent) if it isn't also mollified by a bumbling wizard archetype, which Ixtalan certainly isn't. I totally accept that, and the attendant baggage that comes with it. I do think some of those challenges are made worse over text, where delivery and context can be hard to infer off the page.
I'll note that Aubryn specifically finds it hilarious to tease people he finds stuck up or self-important. He's a firm believer in the idea that it's healthy for everyone to be able to laugh at themselves. This currently makes Lune an immediate target for his mirth - Harper or not.
In a wider sense, though, it's also important to keep in mind that this group consists of highly experienced adventurers, who have likely handled a vast array of dangers in their day. For his part, Aubryn also literally rubs shoulders with some of the main movers and shakers west of the Sea of Fallen Stars. As a result, he's highly unlikely to be either shocked or impressed by any "secret knowledge" Lune may have, the people he knows, or whatever missions he's been on before. If Lune pushes the "I'm mysterious and know more than any of you"-schtick too far, Aubryn will likely conclude that Lune thinks he's better than the rest of the team, something which will not engender respect on his part.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Mechanically speaking:
he is a monk
he can channel ancestors that grant:
-bonus to hit/damage + immunity to fear
-bonus to hide/move.s + sneak attack (2d6)
-Eldritch blast (4d6 at 60ft)
-bonus to saves (+4) and DR 8\cold iron
He can only channel one, in two levels he can channel two at a time.
His last ancestor will be unlocked next level, and that one is spicy...can't wait.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rax
...snipped
Spoiler: Re @Rax
Show
Regarding Aubryn's opinions on Ixtalan's personality, I suppose we can agree to disagree a bit there. One man's cultured is another man's pretension, and I'm sure the characters would come to similar conclusions. I guess I would just be more concerned whether Rax the player holds those beliefs, rather than just Aubryn. If that's the case, and it's just being veiled through the lens of the character, then yes I would be more concerned of potential issues downstream. Hopefully not, though.
As to the knowing Elminster bit, he's a seasoned, ranking Harper, of course he knows Elminster. That's basically canon as El used to lead the Harpers at one point (for anyone who doesn't know). I wasn't really going for cool factor there, I was 100% foreshadowing the reveal. But I can definitely see how it could come off that way though, to be fair. It sincerely wasn't my intent. I was simply leading up to the Harper reveal and using the tools supplied by the GM to do so. If I hadn't, the reveal really would just have been a 'gotcha' moment, which would have been in poor taste and unsatisfying for everyone.
As to the point about secrets, I think there's maybe a misunderstanding of the 'knowledge guy' archetype from a gameplay perspective. It isn't about impressing anyone RP-wise, but rather, that's I, Nines, simply playing the numbers on my sheet. With multiple rarefied, passive knowledge skills in the 30s that's just pure mechanics, expressed through the RP pillar of play. But I'm willing to chalk it up to the difficulty of reading intonation off the page. If I was able to voice act those scenes, I think they'd come off quite differently. When Ixtalan goes off on a knowledge binge, please read him in the Q from James Bond voice, and I think you'll get it. Not condescending, just informative, and decidedly British about it. I hope that helps with where I'm coming from on that.
Further to that point, the real power of the 'knowledge guy' mechanically is that it allows the other players to bring in their meta knowledge of the game and bring it to bear (I assume Aubryn doesn't have 30 arcana, but Rax probably knows plenty about Shades), by having a character who does have that knowledge in-game to relay it to their own character, because they spent the build points on it. That's the real gameplay advantage and value-add of the archetype as it empowers everyone else at the table to play 'better', but in a plausible way. It's no different than mechanically rolling identify checks for monsters, it's just expressed via the roleplay pillar, and often sans dice.
As for the mysterious bit, I really wouldn't worry about it. From a writer's perspective, the 'johnny mysterious ' angle has a built-in expiration date. The essence of mystery lies in the reveal, so you can't do it forever, and that sounds like what the concern is. It will pass. You can't play the leather-coat wearing guy ad infinitum, eventually you have to go somewhere with the character.
all the best,
Nines
Edit: Spoilered due to solved.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Nines, you can delete posts you make, edit the post and then above the text box is an option to delete
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Well, as you correctly point out, communication is difficult and I believe you may have misunderstood what I was getting at, so I'll give it another shot based off your reply and then hopefully we'll understand each other better IC and OOC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nines
Regarding Aubryn's opinions on Ixtalan's personality, I suppose we can agree to disagree a bit there. One man's cultured is another man's pretension, and I'm sure the characters would come to similar conclusions. I guess I would just be more concerned whether Rax the player holds those beliefs, rather than just Aubryn. If that's the case, and it's just being veiled through the lens of the character, then yes I would be more concerned of potential issues downstream. Hopefully not, though.
The pretension Aubryn is reacting to has nothing to do with how cultured Ixtalan may be or not. It's a reaction to how he carries himself and speaks to the group in this post. In the midst of a request for information from Elminster (i.e. the quest-giver) about the availability of a map, he pops in to kill off that line of inquiry and his explanation is that he will deal with entry and reconnaissance and he is used to operating behind enemy lines by himself or in small groups. Ixtalan doesn't come across as offering an opinion or advice, he is instructing people as if they are newbies at this sort of thing when everyone in the room is an experienced adventurer who's here by invitation.
Ixtalan next reveals himself to have deceived the group by pretending to be someone else when we arrived and commands everyone to address him by his codename. He offers an explanation as to why his deception is necessary, but the way he presents it, it comes across as: "I'm a really important secret operative - so important that the people we're going to be dealing with are actively on the lookout for me, unlike you people, who have probably been picked by Elminster because you're beneath their notice."
I don't know if this is how you wanted Ixtalan to be perceived, but it's how I the player read your post and therefore that formed the basis of Aubryn's reaction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nines
As to the point about secrets, I think there's maybe a misunderstanding of the 'knowledge guy' archetype from a gameplay perspective. It isn't about impressing anyone RP-wise, but rather, that's I, Nines, simply playing the numbers on my sheet. With multiple rarefied, passive knowledge skills in the 30s that's just pure mechanics, expressed through the RP pillar of play. But I'm willing to chalk it up to the difficulty of reading intonation off the page. If I was able to voice act those scenes, I think they'd come off quite differently. When Ixtalan goes off on a knowledge binge, please read him in the Q from James Bond voice, and I think you'll get it. Not condescending, just informative, and decidedly British about it. I hope that helps with where I'm coming from on that.
This, I think, is a clear misunderstanding. My point above about "secret knowledge" relates to the next sentence about Lune playing the "I'm mysterious and know more than any of you"-schtick. This is again about presentation, not the substance of what anyone knows through OOC or IC means. I.e. if Lune continues to play coy about his identity and capabilities, while hoarding his knowledge and only disseminating it when he sees fit, then Aubryn will conclude that Lune either doesn't trust the team he's on a life-and-death mission with, or he doesn't respect them enough to treat them as equals. Or to put it another way, the more Lune/Ixtalan comes across as "handling" Aubryn, the more friction there will be.
Re the 'knowledge guy' archetype in general, I have no problem with that IC or OOC. It's great to know that we've got someone along who can ace all the knowledge checks and Aubryn certainly respects learning as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nines
As for the mysterious bit, I really wouldn't worry about it. From a writer's perspective, the 'johnny mysterious ' angle has a built-in expiration date. The essence of mystery lies in the reveal, so you can't do it forever, and that sounds like what the concern is. It will pass. You can't play the leather-coat wearing guy ad infinitum, eventually you have to go somewhere with the character.
I'm happy to hear that you're planning on moving on from the "international man of mystery" angle. It can be interesting in literature, but I will freely admit to finding it an extremely boring role to have in a party of PCs, especially when said party is only going to be working together for a single adventure. With that said, Ixtalan is your character and obviously you must play him in a way that you find interesting and fun. If you can accept that this may lead to friction with other PCs, then we'll be fine, I think.
All the best in return,
rax
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
@Rax
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Spoiler: Re On the post
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You're mostly spot on, Ixtalan isn't interested in debate, if he has a solution to offer he assumes it's the best one, and his word alone on that should be good enough, as he sees it. That's definitely IC intentional, as per my response to Bel.
The interpretations I'm a little concerned with are, for example, the assertion of him shutting down the line of Inquiry. From OOC table level perspective, I hope it's clear I'm not forcing anyone to desist. But IC, he doesnt need one, he'll take care of it, and that's that. You got it, It's intentional. I'm also unsure of your usage of the the word 'instruct' here, as he isn't telling anyone to *do* anything (which i agree would be an OOC problem). Quite the opposite, he considers the matter resolved IC by his *own* assumption of the entry/recon role.
On the command thing, IC, the character is effectively Harper brass (a field officer, as alluded to in the white text in the post) and isn't accustomed to debate or having to explain himself, or working with 'contractors' from his perspective, as it isn't typically done that way in Berdusk (it's the exception rather than the rule in the western Harpers, per the canon). So yes that IC presentation is intentional, and it's exemplified well there RP-wise. It's actually a peek into his mindset, when he drops the facade.
From an OOC perspective, I'm a veteran writing this and frankly that wouldn't even be considered impolite by military standards. I actually softened it a bit compared to the real thing, but I completely realize it's abrasive to civilian ears, and yes it's intentional, IC presentation-wise.
But overall you're mostly spot on, and if he engenders a strong emotional response in the reader (IC) I'm entirely okay with that, it's largely by design. What I don't want though, is player (OOC) upset if they feel at all that it's being done to them or their character, as that's definitely not my intent at all and I would want to address it immediately. Otherwise, as a writer I'm overjoyed that he's been so impactful and emotionally charged (yes even negatively).
I just wanted to be clear in case there was something OOC mainly that was going on, or some other interpersonal offense being committed perhaps unwittingly on my part.
Spoiler: Re On everything else
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I really appreciate the candor about personal likes and dislikes here, and the considerations given to player agency and being open to multiple IC outcomes, that really heartens me. I'm not really sure which way things will go, but I'm so glad to hear that you aren't expecting a complete change or a resolution out of whole cloth.
I'd really love to see how Aubryn and Ixtalan's relationship develops, especially after they get in a couple of scrapes together. I'm comfortable with the current tension, and would like to continue as is, and hopefully my explanations here helped a bit, even if nothing changes. I just really wanted to make sure there wasn't some other interpersonal thing going on at an OOC table level that was eluding me.
Lastly, On the I.E. section of Aubryn's thoughts, thank you. This is super helpful to understand the IC logic that you're working with on him, and I think it's reasonable given the characters and situation. I'm still due to post a truncated backstory for Ixtalan, but I've just been swamped the last few days. So hopefully once that's up, we can both have some more mutual understanding to work with and build it out. Looking forward to it.
So glad we had this talk, and if there's anything else, don't hesitate.
Edit: Spoilered for length.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Regarding my last post,
Just to be clear, Eryn neglected to mention the precise nature of her aerial abilities when given the chance by Doria, thus Lune is unaware of it, and hence his disregard for the suggestion. He would probably approve of the covert nature of her bird form, and be likely to incorporate it into a plan if she were to offer that information, but that's obviously up to them.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Very good to hear from the DM, I was getting a bit concerned.
That said, as a player I’m extremely confused about the situation in Myth Drannor. Maybe it’s just the week I’m coming off of, which was highly trying and mentally draining; but my understanding was that Myth Drannor had been taken over by evil forces, the city is swarming with deadly monstrosities, and we should proceed with extreme caution from the moment we arrive.
But now it sounds as if the elves are back, they’re putting up trellises with flowers and all we have to do is stroll in, order an elven latte and ask politely for the nearest portal. I may have been overassuming in terms of the swarming evil forces, but even so I’m still not clear if the city is being actively contested, if the elves have reclaimed all of it, or if there’s something else going on.
My impressions have probably been shaped by references in the FRCS, where Myth Drannor is described as “the richest and most dangerous adventuring site in all of Faerun.” I’ve been resisting the urge to look up a map of Myth Drannor, because I was hoping we could get that in-game, and I’m doing my best to avoid spoilers from other sources. But at this point I’m still very unclear about the situation on the ground.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Palanan makes some good points above. We should probably establish exactly what meta knowledge the group is likely to have on the current state of Myth Drannor, because I was also under similar assumptions as those.
If however, it is considered public knowledge that many beasts have been cleared from the areas of the city, then that would change things. Ixtalan would still be concerned about alerting the Shadovar to our arrival, but he has other ways of more direct entry as well, that could prove more expedient for all involved.
Edit: since things have progressed, but I don't want to double post.
@Palanan
It really wasn't my intent to be patronizing with that verbiage. Ixtalan is 54 and the turn of phrase was more about his own agedness than It was directed at Eryn. I can remove it if you like, or if it's triggering at all. I apologize if that was case, and we can both backtrack if necessary, and I'll avoid it in the future. Just let me know.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
This is what the Grand History of the Realms has to say about the state of Myth Drannor in 1374 DR:
Mirtul 13: Lady Sarya Dlardrageth, matron of House Dlardrageth, summons Malkizid, an exiled archdevil, to Myth Drannor.
Mirtul 24: Lord Seiveril Miritar of Elion, leader of the Crusade from Evermeet that rescued Evereska, convenes a Council of War in the ruins of Myth Glaurach. The commanders of the Crusade agree to travel by way of the portal network discovered by Araevin to Semberholme in hopes of defeating House Dlardrageth once and for all.
Eleasias 17: The Crusade battles the legions of House Dlardrageth in the Vale of Lost Voices.
Eleasias 18: Malkizid is banished. House Dlardrageth retreats from the Vale of Lost Voices.
Eleasias 20: The Crusade surrounds Myth Drannor.
Eleasias 22: The Crusade overruns Myth Drannor, and House Dlardrageth falls. A handful of fey’ri escape. Seiveril Miritar is slain.
Eleasias 27: Fzoul Chembryl meets in secret with Jezz the Lame of House Jaelre and representatives of the Auzkovyn Clan. The three groups agree to work in concert to destroy the Fair Folk before they can truly reestablish Myth Drannor.
Eleasias 29: Fzoul Chembryl orders Scyllua Darkhope to seize control of the Moonsea Ride by establishing a series of fortifications along the road south from Hillsfar.
Eleint 3: Skirmishes erupt along the Moonsea Ride between the Zhentarim and Myth Drannor. Masked drow support the Black Network with targeted assassinations. This marks the beginning of the Cormanthor War, pitting the Army of Myth Drannor against the Army of Darkhope and the Masked Brigades (Vhaeraun-worshiping drow of House Jaelre and the Auzkovyn Clan). In the months that follow, a series of increasingly deadly raids and counter-raids are mounted by each side.
There's nothing specific about events in Myth Drannor during 1375 DR.
There's more details than this, but from the events described above, we can surmise that Myth Drannor (the city) is now under the control of the elves. However, the Zhentarim and drow contest this control so there's ongoing hit-and-run fighting around the city. There's no mention of the shadovar operating openly or in alliance with any of the factions in Myth Drannor.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by rax
There's more details than this, but from the events described above, we can surmise that Myth Drannor (the city) is now under the control of the elves. However, the Zhentarim and drow contest this control so there's ongoing hit-and-run fighting around the city. There's no mention of the shadovar operating openly or in alliance with any of the factions in Myth Drannor.
Thanks for this, and for the summary from 1374.
It sounds like messy urban warfare, which would certainly merit a travel advisory. Eryn probably wouldn’t know these details, but she does have a strong interest in as much advance planning as possible.
Also, if the Zhentarim are in play, we should probably hear about that from Elminster as well, unless the drow have already turned on them and fed them to giant spiders by this point. Either way, this is exactly the sort of detail that Eryn would like, given that Elminster himself has just told us that magic doesn’t always work where we’re going.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
It’s possible there’s warfare going on in the city but it could also be happening in the forest beyond. Since Elminster offered to teleport us directly to the city and our DM hasn’t mentioned ongoing warfare I think we can assume that’s not something the module will require us to deal with.
IC Aubryn is prepared to take the risk, but because he finds her questions fundamentally sound, he does feel it’s up to Elminster to allay Eryn’s concerns rather than having the rest of the party convince or override her.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Thanks, rax.
I'm waiting for the DM to respond, both IC and OOC, before posting any further.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
@Bel,
That light blue text is pretty hard to read. Not sure if anyone else has issues, but I have to zoom way in on a tablet, and even on a monitor it's tricky. Not sure if you'd care to change it, but just wanted to mention it.
Wouldn't want to miss the wise musings of a monk just because I failed to read what you said.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
I’ll change it, thanks for letting me know.
Test
Test
Test
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Sorry for my absence. I was finishing a sheet for Bel's game, then got busy with real life, as so often happens.
Nines found me an issue of Dragon magazine with a map of Myth Drannor, and I included the whole page because it includes a bit of info about the city as of the year 1375, bringing the info you have posted up to date. To summarise, yes the elves basically control the city, but other forces are still fighting over control of parts of it.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
I made sure to run it by the DM first, as I wasn't sure on spoiler content, just to be safe. But Rob Lazzaretti is pretty legendary as fantasy cartographers go, so it was a delight to find. I had been deep diving Eric L. Boyd's work in FR for another project I was working on here on the forums, so there was a bit of kismet involved as well.
It looks like the fey'ri of House Dlardrageth and their allies control a small eastern block of the city, even after the summoning and defeat of the arch-fiend Malkizid in 1374DR. The masked drow and the Zhentarim still wage war, but mostly through espionage and sabatoge inside the city itself. The monster population has melted away, as the elves have been purging the place of alhoons, phaerimms, and the like as the city was reclaimed. From the source, "...open combat in the city limits is rare, with most of the fighting taking place in the surrounding woodlands". But overall, the insurgency and the elves are in a stalemate situation for the moment, since the end of the last crusade, so it probably won't affect us too much.
Hopefully it helps, and also serves as a gesture of goodwill after the bit of IC map to-do. To illustrate that I, the player, am pretty flexible, even if Ixtalan/Lune can be a strong personality on things.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
@paradox26
The teleportation post doesn't really tell us much about where we've ended up. Is there anything noteworthy about the glade at all, or an indication as to which way we should be heading to get to Myth Drannor proper?
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
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I appreciate the map, but it sounds like most of Eryn’s other questions and concerns have been glossed over.
At the very least, we should have something from Elminster to show the Coronal to convince her we’re actually here on Elminster’s business. And I agree with rax that we don’t seem to have any clear way to find her from where we are. Unless someone has a spell called “Locate Coronal,” we’re still going in effectively blind, and without the benefit of any scouting or other advance knowledge.
We also haven’t done any tactical planning before we jumped into the LZ. At the very least, the group—since we’re not really a team yet—should have basic tactics in place for what to do if we’re attacked on arrival, and how exactly to proceed once we’re inside the city. And we should’ve spelled up before jumping to the glade, since for all we know we're one round away from hard contact.
I understand that OOC everyone wants to dive into the action, but it’s hard to play Eryn as I’ve envisioned her without at least trying to address these issues beforehand.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Please feel free to begin doing so, I imagine it’s much like you keep asking and the rest of us roll our eyes and keep walking.
I personally would like to keep the momentum, which is crucial for pbp game longevity, those are all great things, but they seem to be IRL game things, it’s much harder to do in pbp. And typically on my experience, the players will do this in the ooc, assuming it’s down time conversation between the pc’s.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
What edition of Dragon mag is that? I have a friend with a collection, might try to get a copy of that issue.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
It's #359, the last one produced by Paizo.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
I'm with Bel on this.
PbP needs all the help in the momentum department that it can get, not only to hold player interest, but also the DM's who has a story to tell. It's very different than tabletop where the strategizing must take place beforehand. Its best done concurrently in the OOC thread for PbP.
I'm all for facilitating forward play, hence Ixtalan's recent IC actions, as I missed most of this discussion between posting here last and drafting his IC response.
Honestly, we've had two full weeks of RP, great introductions, established both rapport and tensions, it's far surpassed many starts I've had, regardless of format. Even as the resident diplomancer among us, I think everyone's had their fill for awhile, myself included. Switching pillars of play up is healthy overall for interest and longevity, especially with three melee who certainly came to roll some dice.
My recent IC actions are mostly me as a player being conscious of that, and having had plenty of spotlight time already. It's time to move on. Also, I already had the spell prepared, so not using at this point would kind of be metagaming, having seen the map OOC and knowing as a player that the tower isn't far.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Seriously, folks, hold up a moment.
Before we all go off and randomly do our own things—as it seems like we’re going to—can we take the bare minimum time before the teleport to cast a few spells? Because we really don't know what we're jumping into, and it just makes basic sense to be prepared before we leave.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
If the DM says 'you teleport', you don't get to time him out. Do it when we land, as I did.
If he interjects and we get jumped, it's fine. I'll adapt in a way that works, it isn't more than a round or two of actions.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Palanan
Seriously, folks, hold up a moment.
Before we all go off and randomly do our own things—as it seems like we’re going to—can we take the bare minimum time before the teleport to cast a few spells? Because we really don't know what we're jumping into, and it just makes basic sense to be prepared before we leave.
(just making sure, I am not coming across as rude or beligerent, i truly hope im not)
Go ahead and cast those spells, Adama doesn't have anything like that, but would be happy to wait 30 seconds to let casters buff, that is incredibly reasonable, and everyone is probably used to it.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rax
@paradox26
The teleportation post doesn't really tell us much about where we've ended up. Is there anything noteworthy about the glade at all, or an indication as to which way we should be heading to get to Myth Drannor proper?
The glade has a pathway leading east. You are currently to the west of the city. Sorry, I am winging it a bit here, as the module assumes you are coming straight off the last module. Elminster will have told you you were approaching the city from the west, as that is the safest area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Palanan
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I appreciate the map, but it sounds like most of Eryn’s other questions and concerns have been glossed over.
At the very least, we should have something from Elminster to show the Coronal to convince her we’re actually here on Elminster’s business. And I agree with rax that we don’t seem to have any clear way to find her from where we are. Unless someone has a spell called “Locate Coronal,” we’re still going in effectively blind, and without the benefit of any scouting or other advance knowledge.
We also haven’t done any tactical planning before we jumped into the LZ. At the very least, the group—since we’re not really a team yet—should have basic tactics in place for what to do if we’re attacked on arrival, and how exactly to proceed once we’re inside the city. And we should’ve spelled up before jumping to the glade, since for all we know we're one round away from hard contact.
I understand that OOC everyone wants to dive into the action, but it’s hard to play Eryn as I’ve envisioned her without at least trying to address these issues beforehand.
The Windsong Towerkin rings are rare, and will be considered as proof that you come to the city as friends of the elves. Your map will have the Coronal's Tower marked, so you can find her if you need to.
Incidentally, sorry I glossed over your queries IC. I honestly didn't read them in enough depth, as I was trying to catch up with a bunch of posts.
I will answer your queries IC as a flashback using a quote.
As for planning, go ahead. I jumped ahead because I thought everyone was done talking. By all means, spend some time, either in character or here in the OOC thread, talking about tactics and casting preparatory spells. I don't want to hurry anyone. As posts have already been made beyond the teleportation post, though, it might be worth either posting OOC, or else splitting the post into both before and after teleportation moments. Or you can just mention that your post is taking place before the teleportation, and I will take that into account too.
I have seen tension rising in the game, so I will just ask everyone to make sure to stay calm and considerate of each other, and respect each other's right to be here. I don't want to lose anyone from the game. Thanks.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Thanks, DM. It’s worth having spent a few minutes pre-teleport to work out who would like which spells active when we arrive.
It would also help if, OOC, we worked out some basic combat strategy for whenever we get ambushed, which would have been founded on a quick discussion back at Elminster’s before we jumped out.
For her part, Eryn is very definitely not frontline combat, so she'll be focused on keeping others upright.
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Re: Anauroch: Empire of Shade OOC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Palanan
Thanks, DM. It’s worth having spent a few minutes pre-teleport to work out who would like which spells active when we arrive.
It would also help if, OOC, we worked out some basic combat strategy for whenever we get ambushed, which would have been founded on a quick discussion back at Elminster’s before we jumped out.
For her part, Eryn is very definitely not frontline combat, so she'll be focused on keeping others upright.
Adama can try and protect the casters and be a back up for melee, we def have some heavy hitters, who will want to run into combat.