stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Ch. I [OOC]

[pathfinderq1]

I've been dithering (obviously a bit too much) over my choice of response/phrasing. I put up something fairly open-ended.

Are we going to soldier on with the current party, or is there likely to be another recruiting call?

 

[stonegod]

I've been dithering (obviously a bit too much) over my choice of response/phrasing. I put up something fairly open-ended.

Are we going to soldier on with the current party, or is there likely to be another recruiting call?

Haven't decided yet. I'm open to suggestions. GL had been around recently but didn't check in, so I'm going to officially declare Sir Khensu nonactive unless we find a replacement player or we decide to double up on characters (not ideal in my mind, but doable that's the vote).

Let me know your votes.

 

[James Heard]

I'd love to find replacement characters, but I can understand that we're in a weird timeline point right now. If there weren't the time pressure and it being Ravenloft I could happily see Janis supporting the group pulling out back to "civilization" for a month to gather fresh swords for the fodder - we've had really rough luck with folks from the caravan and from in town

On the other hand, I can't even imagine how doubling up characters would work. I mean, I've got Janis down pat now but most of other PCs I think I could have handled the dialogue for are corpses. Unless we're talking about making up doubles as new characters, which would be hard too (but in a different way).

Worse, if we doubled up then I'd feel compelled to "chat up" the other character I suppose. I already feel like sometimes I'm writing long establishing scenes out of nothing, and when I've had more than one character in PbP games that's sometimes developed into bizarre conversations between characters where I'm the only one talking. I think that's bothered people in the past, so it's something I try to watch out for.

...Well, I try to shut up, but obviously it's not easy for me...

 

[DEFCON 1]

It doesn't matter to me either way. As I've mentioned, I'm more than happy/capable of roleplaying Jarrith and Khensu together (as they are opposite sides of the same coin) if we want another tank in the party (which I think we definitely need).

But if we want a fifth player, then I'd recommend that whomever we get we have them pick up Khensu or Sir Urik, or the halforc caravan guard (whatever his name was again) just for ease-of-incorporation.

There are seveal players in the game I'm DMing that I'd be happy to have in our game if we just wanted to ask them straight out if they wanted to play one of our NPCs (like Autumn, jkason, Mista Collins). I know they roleplay well and are faily consistant and on time.

 

[Stormwind]

I'm fine either way ... I think having Khensu or Ladreth (the half-orc guard) in play would be an optimal solution and I'm not really concerned with who would play them. I was quite happy with DEFCON playing both Jarrith/Khensu, and would have no problems with that.

I think having Sir Urik as an NPC associated with the group (as it has been) is a better choice.

I'm a bit wary of a getting a new player given our record in that department, however if someone (i.e. DEFCON) know an established, reliable player that is interested, then that's fine by me too.

I definitely think that if we get a new player then they should play one of the established characters or NPC's (primarily Khensu, Ladreth, or Marot).

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Regarding plans for what to do next:

After further interrogating the prisoner, Ashlyn is going to go to bed. Depending a little on what, if anything, she learns, she will try to determine a course of action in the morning.

I suspect that going to the castle is the next logical step.

 

[James Heard]

I think we're probably still better off stopping whatever this crone person wants to do, then after we've taken her stuff and wear her skin like a hat we can tackle the castle.

As much as I realize going to the castle sounds like a good idea, I can't shake the notion that it's a little bit like skipping ahead to the last level of the dungeon. We're barely surviving (or not) our encounters already, I can't even imagine what we're going to manage to do except cut the adventure short with tombstones for the rest of us if we're actually facing the head honcho in their home territory right now. I mean, unless the plan is to undercut it with tunneling and set the whole castle on fire during the day or something long term like that.

 

[stonegod]

Depends on want you want to do in the Castle. A quick 'in-and-out' might benefit a few side quests (activating the Symbol [once retrieved], Ashlyn's PrC, maybe find the Tome). The other dangers of the Castle are still yet unknown---what is the claimant to the ir'Zarovich line doing, anyway?

---

I'm going to put the word out for a few replacements to a few people. I'll let you know what I get.

 

[stonegod]

New XP!

- Surprise in the Blood: 720 (Ashlyn), 630 (Thailost Six)
- The Chase/Questions Abound: 360 (Ashlyn and Tessa), 280 (Thailost Six)
- Under the Tower: 720 (Ashlyn and Tessa), 560 (Thailost Six)
- The Ecaterine Husk: 2160 (Ashlyn and Tessa), 1680 (Thailost Six)

New XP:
- Janis 26153
- Jarrith 26153
- Ashlyn 21645
- Tessa 18240

Everyone: Let me know if the numbers are right (I'm pretty sure they are).

Stormwind At this point, you have a choice. Don't level up Ashlyn and wait until she complete's the vigil to go in the Knight of the Raven PrC or level up as a paladin and wait until next level. Let me know.

 

[pathfinderq1]

New XP!

- Surprise in the Blood: 720 (Ashlyn), 630 (Thailost Six)
- The Chase/Questions Abound: 360 (Ashlyn and Tessa), 280 (Thailost Six)
- Under the Tower: 720 (Ashlyn and Tessa), 560 (Thailost Six)
- The Ecaterine Husk: 2160 (Ashlyn and Tessa), 1680 (Thailost Six)

New XP:
- Janis 26153
- Jarrith 26153
- Ashlyn 21645
- Tessa 18240

Everyone: Let me know if the numbers are right (I'm pretty sure they are).

Stormwind At this point, you have a choice. Don't level up Ashlyn and wait until she complete's the vigil to go in the Knight of the Raven PrC or level up as a paladin and wait until next level. Let me know.

Looks fine for Tessa- let's hope we last long enough to get another helping of XP...

 

[Stormwind]

Stormwind At this point, you have a choice. Don't level up Ashlyn and wait until she complete's the vigil to go in the Knight of the Raven PrC or level up as a paladin and wait until next level. Let me know.

Numbers look fine to me.

I'll have Ashlyn wait and do the vigil before she levels so that she can progress in the KotR PrC.