In reply to Travis Sunday (msg # 911):

Why would an experienced gunfighter pee his pants? Would Travis Sunday have peed his pants if he lost a showdown?

This ain't Myles Keogh. This is Garrett Rasmin.

There was narrative indicating Rasmin had miscalculated.  (He thought he was calling Sunday's bluff; he was wrong; he realized he might have relied on his quick draw a mite too much).

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg # 912):

It's hardly cinematic for a competent villain to be gunned down with one shot, when he can quick draw and has significant grit, decent MDT. That's part of the game. The MDT rules are deadly. Rasmin could have died from that shot (a few more damage points by Sunday and he would have been making an MDT and possibly failing it). But Travis didn't do enough damaage. You knew the rules when Travis started this fight.

I understand that you aren't complainin', except that maybe you are.

Would you like to re-boot? I'm okay with that. The PC started this battle, not the Judge.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:47, Tue 17 Sept 2013.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 914):

I'm not complaining and I know the rules and I didn't ask for a reboot.  That's why I have four pistols and started the fight next to all of my friends.

I know I have to double tap to make MDT a possibility that's why I took it and am a single pistol guy.  I would almost encourage a showdown mechanic where standing and pulling pistols civil-like makes one defenseless during the first shot so initiative matters more and the likelihood of a bullet hitting someone is higher.  I'm hoping Rasmin is outfitted like a real bounty hunter and not a crunchy one and has a single hogleg.

Just thoughts.  It's an old problem: 20th level fighter surrounded by 8 orcs with crossbows.  Does he die in a loud and grotesque manner like Boromir or does he absorb the 2 or 3 hits at 1d4 and kill everyone in 3 rounds.

In a few levels if Travis makes it that high he'll purchase new masterwork weapons focusing on + to damage not to hit.    This will help him be more "cinematic."

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg # 916):

While getting cheetoes and my mountain dew and am away from the table  I'm being informed that I'm screwing up some other players high quality role play.  That bothers me and is never my intention.  The Judge has offered a reboot; with his permission Travis will sleep on it.

In reply to Travis Sunday (msg # 916):

If Travis had pulled his pistol and fired, he would have had a surprise round and this probably would have been different (might well have gone exactly as you described in 916). But he pulled the pistol and engaged in conversation. That gave Garrett Rasmin a chance to live.

The showdown rules worked just fine when Myles Keogh was gunned down. He was 2nd level, and Travis easily wasted him before he really even fired a shot. Rasmin is 8th level (pretty damn close to Sunday).

I object to the idea that maybe I've designed Rasmin in some unfair way. He is who he is and he was fully statted before Travis started this fight. I haven't fudged a roll, I haven't given Rasmin any unfair advantage. Playing by rules. Nothing more, nothing less. The Judge told the player that Rasmin was not defenseless, and why. In fact, Sunday is a superior hero; but Rasmin is no slouch.

Feel free to sleep on the re-boot. I'm in no hurry. I'll say it again--Sunday chose this fight.

Addendum to the re-boot question.

I will say that I'm enjoying this gunfight and wouldn't re-boot it unless the PCs wanted to do so. I would like to see a voice vote from other players. i would leave the decision to Sunday's player, but I since he raised the point that maybe other PCs feel this is impeding their RP fun (not sure that is true), I would like to hear everyone's opinion.

I don't feel that way. I like it when PCs act. As I have said numerous times, I put situations in front of PCs and wait to see how they react. The Judge didn't plan this gunfight; he just set the scenario and player free-will reigns.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 919):

Sorry, but I have more to say. I'm happy to share all of Rasmin's stats if you want me to, before the battle continues, or if the battle ends. The Judge has nothing up his sleeve.

For starters, I already told you he was 8th level. That is 4th Dedicated; 4th Bounty Hunter. He meets all the BH advanced class specs. His feats are well in line with a bounty hunter, as are his weapons, his skills, his grit, his initiative, well, you name it. As it happens, his favorite weapon isn't even on his person, right now.

His best skill is Listen, and he has been using it regularly since the moment he sat down at the Cattle Association, before the hearings began.

My mistake: I just reviewed his skills and Spot is slightly better. He has the Awareness feat which gives him +4 to both Spot and Listen to avoid surprise. Even so, I adjudicated Sunday's action to draw the pistol as gaining surprise; Rasmin was aware of Sunday, but didn't expect him to draw, so I ruled that Travis was able to draw and get the drop on him. I further ruled that Travis gave up that advantage by talking instead of shooting. Of course, he still had his gun drawn and Rasmin didn't, but he also no longer had the element of surprise.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 919):



I have no interest in re-booting from either my (OOC) or Jake's (IC) perspective, unless Travis wishes to do so.

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg # 922):

Randy's taking a nap. He'll have to reboot before long.

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 923):

I have no opinion about a re-boot... I can adapt either way!

BTW, in msg 303 of Ch13, you mention Cooper's Boarding house. I was looking on the map and didn't see it marked... is it the building across from the 1st Baptist Church (54) on 3rd St?
This message was last edited by the player at 19:13, Tue 17 Sept 2013.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 924):

Yes, it was mentioned in the game text because that's where Cole Trayne is staying.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 919):

I vote no on the reboot proposal.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 918):

So, thank you for your texts, PMs and other communications on the reboot issue.  It's good to be part of a campaign where we can laugh and enjoy stomping an NPC who missteps but care enough to spend a few extra minutes chatting it about it offline.  I haven't been offered a reboot in a long time.  It surprised me.  I had enough of people trampling on Travis' limited good will, I had a plan and believe I would have prevailed especially when everyone else joined in which was why I was taken aback when it was offered.

For the record, I never thought the judge fudged or was playing in bad faith, that's why I was sure I would win this encounter. I can't find any evidence I thought Rasmin was designed unfairly.  I just wanted to chat about game mechanics with the game designer.  I don't get to do that too often.  The showdown is a major part of western fiction which doesn't translate well to D20 modern.  That was the only complaint.  As I said, I knew that which is why I have four pistols and the  improved damage threshold feat.  I had hoped I could have just Indiana Jones him with a single shot but alas.

So anyway reviewing the chapter I find I made some role playing errors forgetting some things that had just occurred in game time but had been a while ago in real time.  Because of these errors I will graciously accept the Judge's offer and we can all kill Rasmin later together as the RPG gods intended.

I'll pick it up before I got the drop on him.

For those who scorn this decision, the first beer is on me.

I see no reason to reboot. Further, I'm a bit surprised that anyone would suggest that any in-game action is somehow negatively impacting game enjoyment. In my view, complete freedom of action is one of the very best parts of any role playing game. Seems to me, that is the very point of role playing games.

Travis' action took Cole completely by surprise. More importantly, the action took me totally by surprise. Any action in the game, accomplishing that feat, is fantastic, in my view.

In fact, on my drive into the office this morning, I found myself laughing at the shock of the previous evening.

For the record, I found the appearance of the bounty hunter entertaining, as well. However, not completely surprising, as I did write the narrative that made it possible. Still, I was caught off guard, so that was fun, as well.

In both cases, Cole simply has to adapt to circumstances, as they manifest. I'm good with that.

As I wrote earlier, I wanted to get feedback from all of the PCs in regard to a reboot; however, I said that it would be Sunday's decision. He has chosen to take the offer and so we will move forward with his most recent post.

I am glad that we were able to talk about this as adults--without name-calling, pettiness, or animosity, at least as far as I can tell-- and that everyone participated in some way. The offer a reboot to Travis was made because I don't consider this "my" game. It is our game, collectively. I think I have made it clear that PCs really drive they game (if they want to). As a Judge, I have lots of ideas about what could happen, or what might happen, but I rarely have a particular outcome in mind. I like to be surprised by the players and that's part of the reason the gunfight as it was happening was interesting to me. However, if players aren't enjoying the game, then I want to adapt to make it better. It seems from PC comments that most everyone feels this way--adapt to the game circumstances. In this case, it seemed to me that things had a chance to go sour based on a single PCs choice--especially that particular PC--and it is not my intention to make hay out of such a circumstance. Therefore, the offer. I would have been fine with Travis declining; I am fine with Travis accepting.

I titled the current chapter "Consequences" because there were a number of PC actions (recent and past) that I thought would engender consequences of some kind. I didn't have any plan for a chapter of that name, or content, until recently. It seemed to evolve from what had occurred up to that point. Various PCs made choices that would have some sort of consequence (not all of them have played out, yet). Exactly what those consequences will turn out to be, I don't know, because that still depends on what the PCs do next.

As far as Rasmin goes, that was an idea I had from the start of the Fort Griffin chapter. As Cole notes, it came from his own narration. But I held it in the back of my mind, waiting for an interesting time to introduce it. The hearing seemed a natural choice.

Off to my client site now--I will follow-up IC tonight.

So my boy and I are going to Riotfest (www.riotfest.org) this weekend...

I should have access and will try to post in the mornings.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 930):

That looks like a good time (riotfest). I would love to see Iggy and the Stooges live. I recently borrowed the Best of Iggy Pop from the library and was thinking about purchasing there 2013 release. I think I just convinced myself.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 930):

The Replacements have long since been a favored band of mine. "Androgynous" is a stand-out song.

I hope the festival was a riotous joy.

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 932):

It was a crazy good time, but two says of 12 hour festival wore me out! Very glad I took the day off today.

Have a few mosh pit knocks as trophies as well!

As it happens, I accepted the AP on my own behalf. I then made a bookkeeping error, which fortunately I caught as I am my own audit trail, but subsequently fouled the adjustment to the ledger when I reviewed my entry and it ended up being a total of 2 AP awarded. Normally, I refrain from such gratuity, but in this case, the tribunal of me, myself and I agreed that it would be unfair to penalize the employee for the employer's mistake.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 934):

Nepotism!

Travis and Jake need to post their intentions as the men reach the telegraph office.

JEB entered, with Caudell.
Cole stayed outside.
The Judge will assume that Travis and Jake remained outside with Cole unless they state otherwise.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 936):

Saw Gravity in 3d yesterday. We enjoyed it immensely. Anyone else seen it?

I am traveling for pleasure midweek. Hope to touch base with the professor.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 937):

I saw it on Imax 3D and enjoyed it very much.

I also watched Tony Romo throw for 500 yards and 5 touchdowns and imagined JEB's delight in crushing me in fantasy football.