This thread will have any notices needing more or less immediate attention as the game progresses, and a "Read First" before we start, to be sure you folks are aware of certain game procedures that are not always possible.

Read it, please. Much of it has grown out of issues from previous games, and some of it strikes me as down right silly to have to mention, but here I am, mentioning it, simply because of how often some of it has come up.

This game is for Irish characters ONLY, of whatever race. The Druids doing the hiring are particular.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:33, Thu 19 Mar 2020.

OK, first, the pace:

Out of combat I do updates on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If you've given me something to work with (or even have just been posting in a discussion with each other regularly), fine. If not: I'll either give you another chance to post something or send in a random encounter you really won't want, depending on my mood, and how often it's come up.

If Monday is a Holiday in the U.S., DM updates will be Tuesday and Friday. Weekends are for family/personal time. That being said, I'll be checking in most times, even then, and will answer questions if any.

Combat, on the other hand, is a 24 hour turn around. It's also done Blind. I've had problems with metagaming. Either just way too much in the middle of combat, or folks waiting in hopes someone would change an action to suit them and never actually posting. And those are the minor issues. Face it, rounds are only 6 seconds these days and spell casters hate it when I say they can't use their spells because they spent too much time talking (usually much more than 6 seconds or the equivalent) and they have no opportunity for Verbal components.

So:
-Combat actions are sent to your private threads (which you will all have). Include all die rolls and never assume a miss, just in case.
-Include any Reactions you want to happen, like Shield, or Wrath of Storm or whatever. AoO are assumed for those without posted Reactions. If you've posted an actual Reaction choice, you might want to include AoO instructions, as well, as you only get one Reaction per round.
-If the situation changes, such as someone going before you in the Initiative order and casting Faerie Fire, I will roll Advantage/Disadvantage dice for you to save time. You will be able to see my roll in the die roller.
-If you want to call out instructions, ask for help, etc, do so in your private thread. I'll pass it along with the round results as part of your Action in the appropriate place in the wrap up.

I have only had one person tell me they were leaving one of my games because of this. I'm not sure why. Back in the days of the PBeM and Irony, I used to do 3 rounds at a time, and folks enjoyed  the fact that it sped things up. But now, with just one round a day (rather than a week, as everyone takes a day to post in their turns, as in some games) and it's a problem. I guess metagaming has become more of a thing these days. I can't think of any other reason for it to be an issue.

By the way, feel free to discuss, as a party, group tactics for future encounters. Just don't do it DURING the encounter.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:56, Tue 17 Mar 2020.

I DO check spells used by players in combat each and every time. However, sometimes I don't check them until I am processing the combat round.

If there is a problem and I notice early enough, I will tell you. However it is NOT my responsibility to inform you of the effects of your character's spell. It is yours. You need to look them up in the PHB yourself and be aware of their listed limits.

Also, I will list the size of any space you are in. Scroll back, it's up there somewhere unless you just entered and haven't had a chance to look around.

I have had complaints from players in the past because they did NOT look up the spell they were casting, and/or didn't pay attention to the size of the room, after I had given it. Then blamed me because I assumed they were doing the spell on purpose.

That doesn't work for me. Players are each responsible for ONE character. I need to track the whole party and any and all NPCs and opponents. Please do your part: Yes your character should know what their spells can do. They do and so do you. Take the time to check, or accept the result. Please don't blame me because you didn't crack a book, and I wouldn't crack mine for you.

That being said, and, again, if I notice in time, I may well mention something, but please don't count on it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:58, Tue 17 Mar 2020.

Different words mean different thing in different locales in this game world. Elves are sometimes gnomes. Trolls can be any of 3 or 4 species, again, including gnomes (the sheer number of things folks call Gnomes around the world is disheartening).

Some definitions specific to this particular game and sub setting:

Erie: Irish for Ireland. NOT to be confused with Erin, Ireland's Protector.

Shamrock: Simply a 4 leaf clover. Not any clover leaf, most of which are 3 lobed, but specifically a 4 lobed specimen. Said to have magic powers. Required for all known Luck enchantments. (Real world definitions may disagree with this, in part. This isn't the real world).

Leprechaun: The local forest gnomes. Highly magical, all craftsmen of one sort or another. Call one a Brownie. I DARE you.

Sylvan is a sort of Fey common language. Most fey or near-fey will pick this up if they are dealing with others. Most Gnomes and Elves for instance, as well as Druids, druids, Bards, and (ArchFey)Warlocks will likely pick it up. No One knows about Firbolg because...well, no one has ever really met one. Probably.

Mind you, this is by no means a requirement.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:25, Fri 07 Apr 2023.

OK, I don't generally bother with Trinkets if the players forget them (and they generally do), mostly because I never remember them.

This game is different. I went through the list, eliminated all that didn't fit for obvious reasons (no dragons, goblins, or Arabic artificers around), then went through again for anything particularly suited, or just Fey enough to have local flavor.

Then I started assigning them to players. Some of the trinkets are minor plot hooks for the campaign, others are just particularly well suited to a character's background, and others just fit the setting when I couldn't come up with something more personal.

They probably won't be major aspects of the game, but they'll be of at least minor personal interest, and maybe a bit more in the fullness of time. Maybe not. I may have forgotten about them in 6 months.

I'll assign them when we are about to get rolling.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:27, Fri 07 Apr 2023.

I'm using language groups a bit more broadly than intended. I'm setting up information groups for common knowledge and auto success with certain (trained) skills.

The point here, for me, a least, is: instead of checking every sheet to find out who gets the info then cutting and pasting private lines or posts for each one, I can simply hit the appropriate group and post it once, and save a fair bit of work for myself.

Arcana, History, Religion, and Nature are the main candidates, but Nobles know things commoners don't, and there are information based class features, too, so there may be quite a few groups.

I'm making some I  think I'll want now, and will add more later, so, please, don't be upset if your favorite proficiency doesn't have a group in the drop down, yet. It just means I don't think there is a need. Yet.

And, please, don't use these yourself. Stick to languages. This isn't a private whisper chatroom for the Nobility or Historians. Just a tool for a lazy DM.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:28, Fri 07 Apr 2023.

Folks let keep this Role Play over Story Tell. Old  definitions: Acting vs Authoring.

Describe what you are doing and the like, but don't draw conclusions for others, and don't force your thoughts on them. They aren't telepaths...as far as you know, anyhow.

I realize this isn't what most folks are used to on RPoL, but it works for me, and you don't have to remember what you know and don't know. I really hate having another player force information on me then complain because I actually use it instead of ignoring it. If someone isn't supposed to know, don't tell them.

For some of you it'll take practice, but, really, it isn't that bad. I mean, how often around a tabletop do you start telling everyone what your character thinking (And in more detail than anyone really needs).
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:18, Tue 19 Dec 2023.

For combat: 6 second rounds without a lot of time for discussion and planning mid round, so when combat start, IC becomes Read Only, and you folks post initiative, combat intentions, anything you want to call out, etc there.

What to include:
-Initiative: I'll call for it, but if we are in combat and you haven't included an initiative, yet, you owe me one. Put it in.
-Reactions: Please put in any more or less standard Reactions at this time: If you have Shield, for instance, or some special Reaction and think you might want to use it, put it in intentions along with attack and damage rolls.
-Attack and Damage rolls: Unless I've told you you have Advantage or Disadvantage, just a single die. Please include damage even if you think you've missed. If you're Lucky or have a Bardic Inspiration die assigned, NOW it the time to use it...or not. Before I tell you the results.
-Speech: Go ahead and call out instructions, warnings, etc. People can  follow them or not next round.
-Anything I may have called for in the last round's wrap up, such as saves or the like.

What I will roll, merely to save time:
-Advantage or Disadvantage that you forgot when told about it, or that came up mid round (and you wouldn't have know about it). The result will be on the die roller for you to see.
-Any saves that just can't wait (which, generally, means that were required before you were reached in the Initiative order). Not something I like to do, but, again, it can save a lot of time when a player only checks n once a day (and we all have lives...hopefully).

Once I have this from everyone (or 24 hours have passed) I will go through, adjudicate the moves for PC and NPC in initiative order, and post a wrap up/synopsis of the round.

Again, rounds are only 6 seconds. This preserves initiative bonuses based on Dex, Feat, and/or Spell while making combat reasonably quick (I hate a round of combat that lasts a week)

Now, you may well interfere with each other. That happens, especially when no one plans a head of time and folks just charge in and hope the strangers with them can read their minds. Eventually you'll work out a routine...or not.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 15:53, Tue 31 Mar 2020.

First: Post all die rolls. I am not going to go wading through the die roller to work out the rolls that 6 or more of you make every combat round. You're responsible for post ALL relevant die rolls to you private thread in combat, or, on occasion, the public thread if a roll is requested out of combat.

I have configured the die roller to show all die rolls. When it comes to advantage and Disadvantage, roll 2 dice with whatever add is appropriate, and select either Drop Highest 1 (For Disadvantage) or Drop Lowest 1 (for Advantage).

If I get no rolls, I'll either roll myself or assume you aren't acting that round, depending on my current workload, If I see one roll for Disadvantage, I'll roll the second myself.


Help me out folks: I'm dealing with 6-8 of you on any given move (depending on who actually checked in and submitted moves) plus all your opponents.  You are each dealing with just the one character.

Thanks
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:24, Fri 03 July 2020.