[5e] Spell & Crossbones

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=8058]Queenie[/MENTION] hope your mom recovers well!
[MENTION=51930]fireinthedust[/MENTION] [MENTION=6777934]Maldavos[/MENTION] So, I'm new to PbP but I realized it has been about ten days since you last posted fireinthedust. I tend to be understanding of folks' schedules and especially forgiving during the holiday season, but ten days seems like an especially long delay. Hope everything is alright! It does present a bit of a dilemma for the rest of the party however. Maybe those with more experience at PbP can offer your suggestions about how such posting issues are usually handled?

Here are my thoughts: Since ten days have passed with no word from fireinthedust, would anyone be opposed if we transfer the arm wrestling contest over to another PC? My first thought was Hugo Van Haan, though of course if someone else is eager feel free to work it out amongst yourselves.

 

[Hannerdyn]

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION]. I dig it.

 

[Unsung]

Ten days is more than lenient. I think anyone would understand if the game moved ahead after three or four days without word. Life happens, but if it's been more than week you've probably got other things on your mind anyway. Which is reasonable.

Basically, unless it's a character-altering life decision, I think it's okay to NPC a character just enough to nudge them out of harm's way for the sake of keeping thing moving.

 

[Queenie]

Holidays can get a little iffy but 10 days is a lot of time, too much time, imho. That is, unless someone has stated OOG they would be on vacation or whatever. Usually in that case the character just gets kind of "ignored" if they are in the background, it is assumed they are there if necessary. Otherwise the GM kind of states the characters actions (but never anything character changing, of course). If you know you won't (or just might not) be around, obviously don't take on a central role at that point.

Most GM's make a rule - you have to post once a day / 3 times a week / whatever works for them. I think a lot of us are around, so I wouldn't do more than 3 days and even that is a lot. I think normal is like at least every 3 days during the week (more lenient on the weekend) but maybe some of the others want to chime in on that.

Waiting on people for long periods of time can really stall / kill a game. Plus, we have a good core group who seems to want to and are able to post often, I would try to stick with that as long as possible!

 

[Queenie]

This reminded me of Nia Steeleyes, just thought it was a cool picture

 

[Quickleaf]

So, I've done a bunch of NPC write ups for the game recently: Blackbeard, Baron de Pointis, the Van Schiedems, Sir D'Arcy, Governor Juan de Ribera (he's naaaasty), and more. Then I got to thinking about Smiling Jack...

I had a quick question for [MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION] about Smiling Jack. I know he's an aberration that can look like a man, is very charismatic possibly with powers of suggestion, and can cause an island to be washed away by a rogue wave. Anyhow, I'm brainstorming ideas for what Smiling Jack might be, and was curious if you had any further thoughts?

EDIT: Also, I PMed fireinthedust and he's just busy now, but wants to stay in the game, and is cool with us moving on with the arm wrestling scene.

 

[Unsung]

Are those writeups the kind of thing you want we players looking in on? Closely. I mean, your DM style seems like it's been fairly transparent thus far, but, y'know, verisimilitude and whatnot.

 

[Quickleaf]

Are those writeups the kind of thing you want we players looking in on? Closely. I mean, your DM style seems like it's been fairly transparent thus far, but, y'know, verisimilitude and whatnot.

I am totally fine with you guys looking over the monster/NPC writeups It's entirely up to you whether that would increase your enjoyment or ruin your fun, but I'm OK with it. I do have my "DM secrets" but they generally are either bigger picture story stuff, or things that I think up spur of the moment

And if you do decide to look them over, I am also open to critique, particularly when it comes to assessing CR. I trust myself to be in the right ballpark, but I'm new to DMing 5e so I may be off a little here and there. Oh, and word of caution: I may tweak things once I actually need to use a given monster/NPC.

 

[Unsung]

Well, in that case... Excuse me while I go in for a closer look.

[sblock=Spoilers]
Governor de Ribera feels like he could manage an easy transition to Ravenloft. This is intended as a compliment-- he's not the cackling madman most D&D liches end up being. Though don't get me wrong, a cackling madman would have his place. Still, his intentions are...reverent? I don't want to say noble. And the idea of ghouls who don't look like ghouls, there's something about that I like a lot.

Sir D'Arcy seems like a suitably cold fish-- I approve. I especially appreciate you working in 'Walking Disaster' as a trait.
[/sblock]

As a player, I find there's something oddly pleasing about knowing exactly how screwed I am. Could be just me. Heh.

 

[Quickleaf]

Well, in that case... Excuse me while I go in for a closer look.

[sblock=Spoilers]
Governor de Ribera feels like he could manage an easy transition to Ravenloft. This is intended as a compliment-- he's not the cackling madman most D&D liches end up being. Though don't get me wrong, a cackling madman would have his place. Still, his intentions are...reverent? I don't want to say noble. And the idea of ghouls who don't look like ghouls, there's something about that I like a lot.

Sir D'Arcy seems like a suitably cold fish-- I approve. I especially appreciate you working in 'Walking Disaster' as a trait.
[/sblock]

As a player, I find there's something oddly pleasing about knowing exactly how screwed I am. Could be just me. Heh.

Haha, yeah I think I shared my DM philosophy earlier, but I believe in scary tough opposition.

[SBLOCK]Funny you should mention Ravenloft! I actually referred to Van Richten's Guides to Liches in making up Governor de Ribera, particularly the section on cleric liches.

Sir D'Arcy was an enjoyable challenge to write up. I may give him lair actions if encountered with his full monster menagerie, still debating. Definitely will be encountered with lots of critters from Monster Manual Appendix A.[/SBLOCK]