Sort of like microwave/electric-plate foods vs a nice open flame stove. It's impossible to get a nice char with electric stoves IMO :x

Moira - I envisioned her as a dancer or something, not a cook. But the more the merrier (let's disregard the pesky "Too many cooks" saying)

Claire - Welcome. RPoL can be a bit moody until you get to know it. We hope we'll help you along and make this a great experience for you.

Thente - Well, a stark contrast is a bond as well. I can't wait for the clash of Doderic's formulas and recipes with Thente's intuition.

GM - Could you please unlock my character sheet?
And regarding the prologue, is each of us making our way to the Nightstone on our own, or are we already traveling together?

@Doderic: Done!

The prologue isn't a must, more of a "where were you the night before" type scenario. The party will come together at Nightstone when we start the campaign proper. Before that, you guys can be traveling together, separately, or even be in Nightstone itself (though the last would be a completely different scenario). I don't expect any posts there until everyone's concepts are firmed up. And even then, I might split the thread and scenario depending on how everyone's backstories turn out.

So no pressure to post immediately. Think of it as anchor of sorts for the kind of flavor I'm going for with this campaign. What would your character do? What sort of reactions would they have? Why are they even traveling to Nightstone in the first place? That sort of thing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:13, Tue 08 Jan 2019.

And that's our 5th party member! Everyone say hi to SheynaCeryna!

Quick Timeline
You guys work fast, so here's the rough timeline I'm shooting for getting the game started:

11/1 - Backstories done
13/1 - Character sheets finalized
14/1 - First Post for chapter 1

Prologues
With how things are going, I will make individual prologue threads for each of you guys sometime tonight. Do tell me if any of your characters might be traveling together and would like a different "starting" thread to do some RP a bit before we begin, get used to each other's styles...etc

Also, somethings I'd like everyone's opinion on:
1) As part of character creation, I'm thinking each of you guys can start with a Common Magic Item from Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Just something for you guys to add a bit more flavor to your characters. PM me if you need a copy of the list (courtesy of Moira!)

2) SKT will likely involve a good amount of traveling, which messes with the rest system of "x encounters per long-rest". I am considering adopting the Gritty Realism rest rules (1 short rest every 24 hours, 1 long rest every week), though I understand some players really do not like it. What are your opinions on this? I'm willing to experiment with variations on the usual rule as well (one long rest every 2 days, only rest at specific places...etc).
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:16, Wed 09 Jan 2019.

Hi Sheyna!

1) I'm down with a common item, not sure which I'd want, but wouldn't mind
2) Why don't we try the gritty realism rest to start and see how it plays out. If it doesn't work we can revert to the normal rules.

Hi all!  Apologies for  those who saw our DM‘s  initial post. My character went through a small name change. She is now Ceryna...a human Cleric of the Arcane, with loose connections to one of Waterdeep’s oldest noble Houses.  I will have a description and portrait up tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to writing/playing with all of you...

 As to the short rest, long rest options, my preference is for the standard version rather than the gritty realism version. But I am open to either.   I also have no problem with trying one for awhile, and switching to the other if it proves preferable.

Here's what I'm leaning towards:

Resting - characters still need to sleep every day, and short rest/long rest durations remain the same (1 hour min. for short rest, 8 hours min. for long rest). The following changes apply however:

1) Characters only gain the benefit of a Long Rest if they rest in a "safe zone". This is loosely defined as any civilized area 'sanctified' by a shrine. Other exceptions may present themselves - I will indicate as appropriate.

2) In all other scenarios, characters will only gain the benefit of a short rest. This does not restore HP, or recover Hit Die regardless of the number of hours spent. Characters can still spend HD to heal as with any other short rest.

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For most part, all towns and villages are 'safe zones'. Lodges, old temples, even certain groves may be 'safe zones' as well. A campfire isn't a safe zone, neither is the inside of a tiny hut or rope trick. But a well-hidden traveler's lodge dedicated to Mielikki might.

I figure that this fits with how prominent the Gods are on Faerun - this also rewards cases where adventurers might find an abandoned shrine to Lathandar or similar and clean/restore it, turning it into a 'safe zone'. Of course, shrines to deities that oppose the party (most evil deities, in the case of this group) may not confer the benefit.

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Speaking of Gods - for those not so familiar with the setting, one of the elements of Faerun afterlife is that if you die without worshiping a specific 'patron deity' your soul ends up in the Wall of the Faithless, which is literally a giant wall embedded with the screaming souls of faithless atheists that exist in agony for all eternity. Having a deity is generally recommended :P

Welcome Ceryna!

1) I don't mind getting a free item!

2) I think that's an interesting spin on the standard rest system, but I'm also open to experimenting, seeing how it goes and changing back if we find it doesn't work for us.

Welcome, Ceryna!

As for the questions/plans:

Magic item - sure thing, I'll have to take a look at them again (if you can post them in character creation, that'd be great)

Rest - this is an interesting twist. I have to say I kinda like it.

Prologues - I can see Doderic teaming up with any of the other characters while on the road. I'm also somewhat partial to characters knowing one another at the start of the adventure.

Equipment-wise, do we get to start with a (random) trinket?

I've PMd you the list.

At the moment, I believe Claire and Thente are starting out in Nightstone. I don't think anyone else has voiced any other preference yet.

Yes you may start out with a randomly rolled trinket if you wish. Use the games dice roller. Note that all trinkets come with a 10% chance of PLOT.

I'm torn on a common item and am soliciting advice:

Thente is a lone woodsman friendly with the wood elves of Ardeep, which of these things if most fun/makes most sense:

• Clothes of mending - very practical for a loner in the wilderness
• Moon touched sword - i'm not proficient, but leave it to the elves to give someone a magical gift they can only use for light!
• Orb of Direction - great for navigating and trekking
• Rope of Mending - super useful and practical. I think Thente's would only be 43' long, not 50 though... ;)

What do you guys think?

One or both of the cooks needs to have Hewards Handy Spice Pouch!

I totally already snagged a Heward's Handy Spice Pouch.  :3  For me, it was that or a Pole of Collapsing, as a 10-foot pole that can shrink down to fit in a pouch is unbelievably useful for any adventurer.  The Pole of Angling was a close third, because who doesn't enjoy fishing?

@Thente
You have the Outlander background, right?  You should be able to manage trekking in the wilderness already, so between that and a good Survival skill, you shouldn't really need an Orb of Direction.

For overall utility?  I'd say probably go with the Moon-touched Sword.  It's a never-ending heatless torch, a +1 weapon, and is still combat-viable even if you aren't proficient with it.  Just because you lack proficiency doesn't mean you can't use it - you just can't use it well.

@DM
Question about traveling: how viable will it be for us to invest in mounts and vehicles?
For example, I have juuuuuuust enough GP to buy myself a Mastiff and would absolutely love a riding dog, because dog!  :3  But it would also break my heart if I had an adorable companion critter only for him to be killed immediately because of incidental damage or circumstances.  So long as mounts aren't used in combat or intentionally used to confront danger, can they essentially be deemed as "safe" from harm?  Like, if danger suddenly appears they'll just sort of scamper off to safety or otherwise remain out of the line of fire because of basic survival instincts we silly adventurers ignore?
This message was last edited by the player at 17:30, Wed 09 Jan 2019.

The spice pouch seems so nice. As Moira went for it, I'll take the Staff of Flowers and grow fresh herbs when needed :)

Ceryna's going with the Cloak of Many Fashions.  While it has little practical use, it is very RP appropriate to her concept.

In reply to Moira Ruadh (msg # 31):

@Moira - you raise good points about Survival & Outlander, so there goes the Orb ;)

I can cast heatless light with a cantrip that is brighter and lasts an hour on my dagger (which with I AM proficient), though it doesn't count as magical for over coming resistances like a moon touched sword. The Common version doesn't give you a +1 sword, it's just magical so overcomes resistances, and sheds 15' of bright/15' dim light.

I guess if I can get it as a Moon-touched Dagger (GM?)

I like the idea of a partiall used Rope of Mending for my guy ;)

@Claire should get a moon-touched greatsword so she can whomp things that have Resitance: B/S/P from non-magical weapons!

Might we talk a little bit about group synergies?  I'm absolutely a Character/RP/Storyline First sort of player; I'm not one to maximize based on the least thematically-effective choice in order to wring every single millimeter of positive probability out of a situation.  But knowing just a little about each of our member's talents and weaknesses can definitely help us not to be duplicative (at the least).

Ceryna is an Arcana Cleric of Mystra.  Her build focuses on Wisdom (big surprise), but she'll be decent in Int and Cha as well, mostly for skill benefit purposes.  I  don't know if we have a natural "Face" in the group, but she may be able to be the fill-in there if not.

She will NOT be a front-line fighter by any stretch, but can provide some decent, ranged backup.  She'll be making frequent use of buffs and debuffs...

Sure!

Thente is a Storm Giant Soul Sorcerer raised in the woods with rare contact with other people or elves. So while he's Charisma heavy, his only skill in the area is Intimidation! Though he could grow and learn Diplomacy and Deception, right now he doesn't have much social skill outside his natural Charisma. He is also decent at Con and Wisdom stuff.

Thente actually doesn't have any ranged cantrips. He will be in melee probably too often for my liking. Though he does have a Crossbow for when ranged is required ;)

Moira is a high DEX/CHA Rogue, going into the Swashbuckler archetype at Level 3.  Dual-wielding shortswords (and possibly rapiers later, if I go for the matching Feat) for melee and a shortbow for ranged.  Her skill focuses are in DEX, WIS, and CHA skills, so she can serve as a Face for the group pretty well overall.

Given that she's bound to Light Armor and a d8 HD, Moira is not made to wade into melee.  Her role is to either snipe from afar, or bounce in, do a huge amount of Sneak Attack Damage to a single target, and then bounce out so she can reposition and do it again next turn.  Because she's a Swashbuckler she can avoid triggering Opportunity Attacks from people she hits.  Because she's a Lightfoot Halfling, she can move through other creatures' spaces if they're bigger than her, so she has a lot of capacity for being able to move around the battlefield for advantageous positioning.  If we're using "Flanking" rules, that's extra important for us to keep in mind.

So it sounds as though we're short on melee options given our current group composition.  Assuming Claire is a Paladin (or Cleric?  I can't quite tell) then it looks like she and I will be getting up close with baddies on priority.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:14, Thu 10 Jan 2019.

Not using flanking rules at the moment. The rest rules and initiative posting changes are the only ones I'm making for now.

@Moira
Modes of transportation will be important in this campaign, though not immediately. I usually prefer that Companions will not be randomly killed from damage during combat if they don't participate. Some narrative events may result in harm to them though, but I'll refrain from randomly killing favorite pets :x

Mounts, depending on the situation, may be targeted even out of combat. Bandits may attack horses to stall a cart for example.

@Thente I was thinking exactly of getting a moon-touched greatsword, since it's entirely plausible that Claire gets one from her veteran father.



Yup, Claire is mechanically a Paladin! Mechanically I figure she's more offensively than defensively built (with Great Weapon Master)? So I expect she can handle a good amount of the group's damage dealing. While she's not the squishiest (with 15 AC I think, and +1 CON modifier), she's also not as punishment-absorbing as a shield paladin. Buffs, debuffs and other support will be very nice! Not having a lot of melee holding power could be fun too, if it makes us more careful with where, when and how we choose our engagements.

Claire also has relatively high CHA, but in a kind of contrast to Thente, she only has Persuasion as a skill proficiency rather than Intimidation or Deception, since helping villagers with daily tasks generally involves being approachable and sociable, rather than being quick-witted, discerning or intimidating. With average WIS and no Insight proficiency either, I feel like Moira could be a more natural 'Face'. I notice we have a lot of characters with good CHA, but I think that's fine!

Other stronger stats include STR and DEX. Claire will be bringing some healing capacity to the party too, so perhaps between her and Ceryna and items, it sounds like we'll be quite fine.

The party selection is actually sort-of intentional! I fully intend to match encounters to the party strengths (and sometimes weaknesses). Or rather, if I design things correctly there should also be alternative routes beyond "toss the barbarian in and hope everything shoots them first". So don't worry too much about not having a tanky type.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:09, Thu 10 Jan 2019.

@Claire Perfect! I'm getting me some mending rope and keeping my light cantrip then ;)

For emergency healing/stabilization we'll also have Thente's Goodberry spell!

Thente has an AC 14 and shield as needed, but my giant blood gets me to 16 hit points, so I can take a hit or two.

I think we'll be ok in melee as long as we're fighting smaller creatures to start so we can survive to get better armor and higher hit points! ;)

Claire can lay the hurt, Thente can provide a second target and also lay some hurt, and Moira can bound in and out dropping some sneak attack hur. Ceryna can help with buff/debuff and healing. Doderic can help with ranged spell (cantrips, etc.) and buffs as an abjurer as well I think.

 I am really pleased to hear that we have so many Charisma-Heavy character types.   Honestly, my girl’s charisma is decent, but not awesome. So I’m pleased to hear that we have a couple of other strong options for group Face aside from her. In fact, I may even make a few minor tweaks to her build, now that I know that role is comfortably covered. Gracias!

I'm bopping along at 14 AC for the moment, as I couldn't quite afford Studded Leather at character creation.  It pains me to be such an easy target.  T_T

Fair warning when it comes to the Face role for the party: Moira is going to step up more often than not.  She's a Halfling and a Rogue - either one of those is a "take initiative when meeting new people" trait and both together means she's generally the one to put her best fuzzy foot forward but quick.  Her highest trained CHA skills are in Persuasion and Deception, and in nature she's a very honest and earnest sort of person.  She's not going to be lying to people and absolutely isn't going to be doing any thieving.

So with that in mind!  Please do not let me, the player, take center stage too much in those situations.  This is cooperative storytelling and a game for all of us, so everyone should get their turn at handling situations.  Nobody here should feel like they can't participate in a certain event just because another player usually takes the lead on it or may have a higher number.

Doderic is Abjurer Wizard, and currently his DEX is higher than INT (until lvl. 4). He's mostly lore oriented in skills. He'll stay in the back and provide support, but he should be able to keep himself alive, especially with his decent CON.

Doderic is certainly talkative as well, but his interests probably won't have much to do with advancing the adventure, so glad to have Moira take that over.

DM, any preferences for the content of Bio lines?