The usual place to talk!

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 1):

So, the basic setting/lore is from the older GW editions?

I'm familiar with them, but only played a tiny little bit, so I'd like some footing before I get too invested in a character you'll quickly kill off.

That game intro text was a placeholder, and I decided it was too verbose to start the game with, so I revised it.  But yes, the basic theme / premise is based on the older editions of Gamma World.  However, the party is starting off on an isolated island, which I'm working on the writeup for currently.

Should I hold off on character creation for the time being then?

No need.  I just posted The Lone Isle notice/thread.  Check it out, let me know if you have any questions... and then hit up the dice roller and roll your stats.  I'm still working on the "Character Creation" thread but it's just stuff from the book, really.

Ah, screw it. Time to try something a bit different (for me).

Stats rolled: 12, 15, 13, 11, 8, 11
Str: 15
Dex: 13
Con: 12
Int: 8
Will: 11
Cha: 11

Race: Mutant Human
This message was last edited by the player at 23:19, Sun 20 Sept 2020.

How unlike you!

I approve. :)

Edited - HAHA - I swapped the mental and physical mutations when I looked them up. This is much better.

Rolled 2 mental and 1 physical mutation:
20 - Control Weather
66 - Neural Telepathy
43 - Quickness

HP: 39
This message was last edited by the player at 23:42, Sun 20 Sept 2020.

Are you using the same book?

That doesn't match the tables I have in the revised edition.

Should be:

20 - Mental Mutation - Control Weather
66 - Mental Mutation - Neural Telepathy
43 - Physical Mutation - Quickness

Ah, I see, you're using the 1st Edition.  I recommend going to DrivethruRPG.com and getting the (no art) free version of the revised edition.  You'll have a much better character that way. :)  Direct link is in the Game Mechanics & Setting thread.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:34, Sun 20 Sept 2020.

No, I'm using the correct edition. I did, however, confuse the order (physical/mental) that I rolled and what I was rolling for. This is correct in that it reflects what's in the dice roller log.

As long as you're not cheating again. ;)

Your character sheet should be editable, BTW.

I am having a Bear of a day.  Just growling at everything.

Nice to meet you, Decker.  Mawr.

I only bearly know you, but welcome to the team!

Guys, going to make a few minor changes to the character sheet to clear out un-needed D&D artifacts.  Nothing major, no input data will be lost.

what do I put in the space next to "drop lowest"?

Just put the number "1" and that should drop the lowest dice for you automatically.

awesome, thanks!!!

how is starting equipment and such being handled? or did I miss that in the book?

All characters start with 3d8x10 gold pieces (gp). (page 10)

Shopping list is on page 16-17.

There are no horses on the island, unless a PC chooses to play a mutant horse. ;)

Gear is a mix of salvaged relics from the old ship, materials reforged from such, and homespun items from the village itself.

awesome, thanks! and if I missed that in the book, my apologies :)

Frank is a big ass mutant snapping turtle with a surly disposition. The color of a muddy river bank, the is known to waddle around, grumbling to himself, and chain smokes cigarettes' when he can get them.

Working on equipment now, but he has a compromised immune system, and can project a force field around himself.

He also has a d8+2 natural bite

Well, all that wallowing around in the mud and smoking can't possibly help... ;)

Welcome, Frank!

It looks like I’m the first human (mutant) in the group.

Nice to meet you all.
I’m a-building and negatiating with this awesome GM: the (and I think the term fits for him) ‘Mutant Lord’.

*snatches Frank's cigarettes and scampers off*

Not sure which is more dangerous,  smoking or stealing his smokes?

Oh def the smoking; Snapping Turtles have such a friendly, placid dispositions usually.

Actually, Decker was the first player in the game, and is a mutant human.  But he hasn't picked a portrait yet.

But you're definitely the second! ^_^

MAWR!

Mawr isn't a mutant human.  He's a bear. :)

He was just commenting in his own language.  What he said was, I look forward to playing with ya'll.

sounds like he speak fluent Gwar!

Bearly. ;)

Hi Everyone!

I'll be finishing up my character later today after work, I'm another of those icky mutant humans :)

For the love of Gamma, let's keep real-world current politics out of the game.  There will be some political events in the game, if you guys get to rebuilding or encounter other groups.  But keep it in game.

I've just had to ban a player for not doing so, along with other reasons.  I'll add this to the rules.

I had to leave a game once because the GM could not do the same.

I just asked that we focus on the fun stuff, but every third post was a complaint or a vent about the current news cycle.

Yeah.  It was very distasteful.  I'm old enough to remember the 80's (and Gamma World 1e!), but it's been a long time since I've been called a Commie.

Hear hear. I need a place to reliably escape from reality to.

---

Hello Everyone! I'm Nic, your friendly neighborhood invisible human. This here is my dog, Spot. All those eyes make it easier for him to find me.

I'm not completely terrible with a bow, so I prefer to be out hunting, but I can earn a pretty penny standing guard for things. I really don't like being in town, because I find people so pushy. They're constantly saying things like, "I'm feeling mildly thirsty," or "I have to stand while I'm working," and dammit if someone asks for my waterskin or my chair like that, then I just can't bring myself to say no! People are constantly taking advantage of me like that.

It doesn't help that my nose gets broken if someone just thinks about punching me.

This is why I need a big brother type! A PC who takes slightly less advantage of me than other people, and actually pays me my fair share of gigs, and protects me from mean people who want to take advantage of me more than you do! Why, how much better could an invisible wretch like me ask for, after the apocalypse?

---
Questions, For the Other Players:

Where do you all live? Are we all starting from nearby one settlement? Do we know each other in other ways? I'd really prefer to avoid the "we all meet in an inn" trope. Even starting with Town Festival Where Trouble Unexpectedly Breaks Loose is a better trope than that one, in my opinion.

Do you belong to a family, tribe, clan, etc? Are there more like you? (that may be a Mutant Lord question)

Do you (the players, IRL) know anything about dogs? Want to help me pick what breed my eye-dog is? I'm thinking either pit bull, terrier, beagle, or bulldog. I want something that makes sense for a wilderness setting on its own, but also that I could, if pressed, fit into a backpack so that I can carry it up climbs and things.

Mutant Lord, About the Far Lone Isle:

How big is it, roughly? Small enough that you could walk its perimeter in a week? A month? If there's a chunk of it we don't ever go to, are we really even sure it's an island?

What do the players know about the number & size of settlements on the island? (related to my other question)

Also, there seem to be at least 5 of us now with semi-complete characters. When do we start playing?

Nic, off. LOL

I come from the far north.  I was drinking... a lot... on the coastline and ended up waking up on a ship, in a cage.  I am not sure how they even lifted me, but they dropped me on this "island" and someone opened the cage and I found this inn.  I was thirsty.    I am new to this part of the land and just looking for employment.

Sorry, the inn trope is the only thing that fits my story.

Let's hang on with deep backstories until I have a chance to fill you all in on the background, and starting place, gang. :)

Those are great questions, and I'll be answering them ASAP.  I'm actually working on a (hand-drawn) rough map of the island.

Let me answer the questions here.  I'll also add this information to the Far Lone Isle thread for reference.

The island is about 5.6 miles by 2.2 miles, roughly 9 square miles in area.  The coast is rocky and uneven and there are high hills followed by deep jungle-filled valleys in the interior.  If the coast had a paved road ringing it, you could walk the perimeter in about 6 hours.  But, it doesn't. The northwestern shore is Taboo, but has been seen at a distance by fishing canoes while out harvesting their catch.

There is only one major settlement on the Isle.  It's near the southeastern shore, not far from the rusted hulk of the old ship that legend says bore the survivors of the apocalypse to this lonely isle.  There are small fishing camps other places on the coast, and a few hunting lodges in the interior.  There are a few outcasts who may live in the wilds.  But there are no other major settlements. The population isn't precisely counted, but numbers roughly 400.

The player characters would all at least know OF each other, having grown up and around the same settlement. They may travel in different circles, of course, as not everyone is a fisherman or a farmer. Some mutations are generational, while others are new.  For example, there is a family of stormcallers on the Isle that can summon or modify the weather.

I'm hoping to kick the game off next week!

A snow storm would be nice. LOL

We are just into spring, but the weather is already getting hot.

In reply to Mawr (msg # 42):

Alright, alright, already! I'll brush out your fur for you. You don't have to be so aggressive about it.

---

This island is way smaller, both in terms of size and population, than I was expecting. Like, you could fit 400 people into a banquet hall. Oof.

The smallest island I ever lived on was 10x20 miles.  There was a ridge toward the east side and you could watch the storms build up on that ridge, then come pouring over.  I loved it, but that was for a different time in life.

The population is sparse. Each generation has been smaller than the last.

An island this size could easily fit 10,000 people... if it were fully civilized and had the people to fit in the first place.

Not judging. Just re-adjusting my assumptions.

Alright, I have something of a character description up.

Kaden is a perfectly normal looking human, except he moves incredibly fast. And most people know him in that he and his family can control the weather. So that's a bit strange...but useful. Oh, and also, with his big ears he can read your mind and control your actions and possibly wish you away to a cornfield communicate with people mentally if they aren't much more than a couple dozen feet away. So for god's sake, don't think bad thoughts about him. He cannot read your mind or do anything harmful with it, however.

Because of his useful ability, he's kept busy either protecting the isle or sent out with the fishing boats to keep them safe. He's considered to be a fairly simple person who is a hard worker, but a bit of a loner when he can get away with it.

They say that the average person is familiarly aquatinted with approx 100 people at any time.
Assuming that (even with a low child to adult ratio; if population is dwindling each generation) there must be about 300 adults.
And given the primative nature lifestyle, I reckon that 3/5 of us farm/fish.

So maybe I need to change my char concept from ‘travelling the land helping people with their learning, words and reading’ to ‘is a farmer’.

Certainly not critisizing the setting; but am surprised by where we start, and (as said above) re-adjusting my thinking.


Please Mutant Lord, why is the north of the island ‘taboo’?
And who enforced this?

So, does Kaden ever give Mawr a snowy hill to hang out in?

Stylus, the 100 person number is a popularly mis-advertised news article summary of an interesting study. The study actually suggests that, based on comparative masses of primate brains, humans can treat roughly 100 individual creatures or objects as part of their clan at any given moment. In other words, they are only capable of empathizing with 100 other discrete units at a time. Those units can be grouped objects, but in those cases, it's the *group identity* that is empathized with, not the individuals in that group.

This is one reason that large scale disasters are so difficult for the human mind to process.

Anyway, you've expressed my own first reaction better than I did. A population of 400 means you've got maybe 200 abled-bodied working adults, and primitive tech levels mean most would be farming & fishing.

Mutant powers affect those numbers, though. If the lands are fertile enough, we might be able to live off the land through only hunting and fishing without depleting our resources. 400 people could be easily fed with a few fishing boats using primitive materials and advanced techniques. Plus, understanding & implementing carefully held knowledge would help to free up workers for other things. So.... Maybe you go around teaching folks about crop rotation, and reading/translating ancient user manuals?

I would probably be into fishing, as it would be my normal food.  Of course, I don't know where I might find a koho. LOL

Dear Mutant Lord,
If there are 400 people on the island, are they All Mutant Humans?  or are their 'pures' among us?
And how many Mutant Animals do you perceive there to be?   Are all animal's mutant also?  Are all animals (mutant or mundane) sentient?

Tunic makes a good point:

Everyone on the island is a mutant, right?  So there is no stigmas about it?
Assuming even some have Mutations that help the community (and they use the altruistically),  societal sustainability would benefit.
If even one person has huge strength, or stone manipulation ... housing and structures could be easily built.
Animal control powers would make fishing/herding almost irrelevant (assuming there are plentiful mundane fauna to draw from).

And just to reiterate:

My understanding is that the sea provides the majority of our sustenance. There is some farming to balance out the diet, but the relatively small amount of land does limit that. Of course, thanks to your helpful local weather control agency we should be able to optimize that (more or less).

As far as snowy hills go, it doesn't sound like we can create super-mini-microclimates. Sorry. ;)

Maybe someone left the A/C Unit on in the skyscraper when the Apocalypse hit and one of the metal mountains is still icy to the touch?

Frank is a "career" fisherman (fisher turtle?) and owns his own canoe.

I would imagine that it could maybe fit three, at the most?

Sheldon makes a living scavenging and trading, and probably routinely wanders into the Taboo territory to find choice items.

Lots of good questions and comments.  Let me try to distill my answers!

The northwest-most corner of the island is considered Taboo as taught to the characters from a very early age, usually coming down from the village Shaman.  It's said that it is a great place of death, and even now strange 'color storms' sometimes occur at night in that region that can be seen from a distance, that defy any weather-controlling attempts by Deker's ancestors. Legends speak of terrible mutants that prowl the jungle and shores therein.

Parents teach their children as they themselves were taught, and so it is more of a social moray.  There have been cases of youth breaking Taboo and venturing into the forbidden land, but none have ever returned that you know of.

Likewise, legend tells of those - generations past - that left the Isle, intent on returning to the great land to the east.  Even now, on a clear day, the shadowed silhouettes of the bones of the Ancients can be seen on the shoreline some 50 kilometers away.  This is more certain than the Taboo lands - NONE have ever returned.  The last such party left in your grandparents' time.

Mutant powers do indeed affect the survivability of the village. The player characters are assumed to be among the most 'gifted' of the village - not all mutants are created equal in terms of gifts.  Instead of a third eye or a purple mane instead of hair (although you could have that too!), the PCs have more useful mutations than is average. Most of the human population are mutants.  Occasionally - rarely - a human child is born that lacks gifts.  This child is often pitied and patronized, but not hated or feared.  It's simply "Unlucky" - and is referred to as such.

All of the (sentient) animals of the village are mutants.  There ARE 'normal' animals - dogs, pigs, and plenty of birds of all types.  The Isle is also frequented by seals, which of course is part of why it's surrounded by sharks.

The village Shaman is said to be the keeper of the Old Lore - Ancient books and such, which must have come aboard the rusting hulk of a ship on the southeastern shore (if the legends are true). The village Elders consult with him on any important manners, and in his Seeing Place (the old abandoned lighthouse atop the highest peak) he reads portents and omens using the Ancient knowledge.

Most of the village is taught basic literacy.  Few have the time or inclination to take it further. Stylus is one such that has, I believe.

Hope that answers the questions so far.  If not, let me know, and ask any further questions here!

He might wander the fringes of the Taboo lands, but to date, he hasn't gone far in.

Can I go with 'Stylus is an apprentice, or clerk, to the Shaman ... and aids with the care and translations of the old texts' ??

Addendum:

It is said that the first settlers on the Isle after the Apocalypse were all "Unlucky", and had no gifts.  They struggled to survive, and many did not.  Their population was said to be many times that of what the Village has now. The next generation was rife with "Accursed" - those with horrible defects that made survival difficult and unpleasant, if not impossible.  Over time, the "People" came to be, along with the mutant, sentient animals that came from their original guardians - hence known as the "Guardians".

Every now and then, an "Accursed" is born even now - but it doesn't usually live long.  Fortunately.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:53, Fri 25 Sept 2020.

Yes!

I think Frank is all set with the exception of saving throws.

Anybody know which page those are on?

Page 50 of the revised (artless) book has the saving throw chart.

Page 50.

Perfect, thanks

I was going to suggest this too. Seems right up your alley. :)

I think I'm getting a feel for your characters' place on the Isle.  Working on some stuff, hoping to kick the game off early next week.

Also, added another player.  He'll be playing an outsider... a mutant plant that lives in the jungle valley and sometimes trades with the village on behalf of other plant folk. Some of the more far-ranging characters, like Tunic and Sheldon, may know him.

Is there anything I've missed that any of you need from me regarding the game or your characters?

Hi everyone, I'll be playing the plant guy

hi plant guy! :)

Hey there plant guy. I'm an invisible man. This is my dog, Spot.

Can't wait to have already known you!

Watch when the bear lifts he hind leg towards the plant... LOL

Hoping to kick off the game this coming week.  :)

*pouts theatrically* I don't wanna wait anymore!

Nic, I fart in your general direction.

Gwawh! Bear farts!

What are you eating? Mutant bean-folk?

Friday through Monday tend to be my busiest workdays.  So, while I can do updates on those days after work... I probably won't be doing big posts on those days as often.

Sorry, Nic, it was something my sister used to say, and do.  YUCK!  We were a lively bunch of kids.

In reply to Mawr (msg # 76):

Pretty sure it's a Monty Python/Holy Grail quote.

I'm not sure how you interpreted my responses as something you should apologize for :P

Nic, I was just having a bit of fun, I never know how my zany antics might be interpreted.  We probably watched it the first time it came on and adopted it.  I used to love Monty Pyton's Flying Circus.

It's all good.

Fun fact: the smiley face emoji was invented at my alma mater specifically to avoid these sorts of problems.  :)

My college buddies were all socially incompetent nerds who would rather quote Monty Python than try to have a conversation with strangers. As a result, I had memorized most of their movies without ever seeing them.

They had some good and some bad, but the Search for the Holy Grail is classic.  I think Belushi got a lot of his inspiration from them, just taking it to a different level.  Now, he was a mutant.

I can see I better get this started before you need just a little mint, sir.

is it too late to order the Spam and eggs without so much Spam?

Did you want the Spam, spam, spam, eggs and spam?

Just for that, you will face the Knights who say Nii!

roight then!

good thing I've got a shrubbery lol

Always nice to have a smile moment as you remember things like that.  Now, on to solving the riddle of the island.

sorry guys, on a borrowed comp at work, will do my intro post later this afternoon..

Sorry for the delay gang.  Air quality in California has me suffering.  Will kick us off ASAP.

The land of Shake and Bake.

Take care of yo lungs, King Mutant

Moved this from IC thread to OOC thread.

I'm generally not likely to read books based on RPG series, but I'll happily talk books!

Right now, I'm particularly excited by Glynn Stewart and Annette Marie. They're both "beach reading" authors, nothing deep or full of social commentary, but just darn enjoyable books.

Stewart writes trilogies in whatever genre his publishers tell him to, and they're all good reads (my least favorite series of his is the Castle Federation stuff, but that's because of personal biases) with the Starships Mage series being my favorite -- it's set in a world where eugenically-created mages overthrow the system and become the defacto aristocracy because teleportation spells are the only way to move faster than light.

Annette Marie writes several intertwined series set in a modern magical setting (think Kim Harrison or Jim Butcher). Each series follows a different Vancouver character during the same rough time period. They run into each other but are usually too wrapped up in their own head to notice that the other characters have their own stories going on. Really delightful stuff.

Tunic, it's not based on anything, it's a series of novels :)

Other than game stuff online, I only read one book, well, technically 66 books in one.  That I read every day.  History, law, romance, poetry, music, lifestyle advice, it has it all and so much more.

I do recommend that particular series to any avid reader, although true be told I have only read it in part and but once.

Still, I learned a lot.

In reply to Freddy Coopersmith (msg # 92):

The series of short stories edited by George RR Martin? They are absolutely based on the Wildcards RPG. Look:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Cards

Mawr, do you just read the Bible, or do you also read commentaries on it, critical analysis, theological essays, etc? I"m not Christian, myself, so I have a hard time distinguishing between reading habits like yours and things like when I was 14 and just read Hitchhikers over and over. I'd prefer to understand, if only intellectually, the appeal of reading the same story over and over again. Certainly, when I read my own theological texts, it doesn't scratch the same itch as reading different types of literature, at least, not for me.

I tend to alternate between reading it straight through (current path) and reading it with study notes, commentaries, etc.  I do my research on the notes to ensure I trust the authors.

Now, when I was younger (before 53) I read everything, from one book to the next.  I have read all 6 books in the Hitchhiker's trilogy, all of Xanth, Pern, Shanarra, Grisham, London, Zane Grey, you name it, I probably read it.  Then I got a job that involved reading all my work hours.  I just didn't want to read anymore.  I got tired of it.  So I went to just the Bible and I am happy there.

I did just read part of the Shadowrun rules online, but that was focused on the character I am playing, a technomancer.

In reply to Mawr (msg # 96):

Right. That's exactly what I'm saying -- reading a game rulebook is fun, but a different kind of fun from reading fiction, versus reading biographical fiction (eg: Devil In the White City), which is different from reading socially conscious fantasy (eg: Terry Pratchett).

I can see how reading for work would really kill your desire to read for fun. It's like any job.

Very true.  I still know most everything happening around the world, as I see news from everywhere.  That is what I used to read for work, the news.  I read it all so the CSUSAF and SecAF only had to read what was important to them.  As an analyst, I am able to piece together the whole, read as real, story from bits and pieces from both sides.  I am glad I don't live back home in the US of A right now.  We have our restrictions, but I am happy to say, the only mask I have ever worn as an adult is the one that keeps me breathing when I sleep.

I like that.   I don’t read that book, but I’ve never heard to spoken of in such an awesome fashion.
Kudos to you.

It is something important to me, and it should be to all, but I speak of what I know.  I know the truth of it and the power in it, and behind it.

In reply to Mawr (msg # 100):

I've tried reading it, but I've only ever found reference copies. In Hinduism, you can get reference copies of any of our holy texts with the lines numbered, the various translations of each sentence, including the original text, in case you want to translate yourself.

With the Bible, I've only ever found numbered copies, and only of one version or another. They're hard to read that way, I'd prefer to read the text whole before treating it as a scholarly work.

It helps to know the Author.  I might suggest something other than what I read, King Jmaes Version.  I would start with the New International Version.  I prefer the older version because it is a better translation.  I have read the New Testament in the Greek, but I am not a scholar in that language.

In reply to Mawr (msg # 102):

That's certainly a belief of your faith. Hinduism approaches that concept a little differently. Are you familiar with the Ceramic/Organic/Dramatic Paradigms theory?

Thanks for the suggestion! It's been added to my reading list.

No, I haven't, but then, I probably have and don't know it as such.  Been around long enough to forget a lot of things. LOL

In reply to Mawr (msg # 104)

Oh, don't worry, I'm just as forgetful.

I just learned about this a couple of years ago. Some professor came up with it, you can Google the phrase for his name.

His theory is that you can group different religions into 3 different paradigms, or perspectives of the way divinity works.

Western religions are mostly Ceramic. They believe that the universe and everything in it was Made. In this model, certain questions make sense and others don't. For example, "is my Creator pleased with what He made?" "Am I doing what I was Made to do?"

The bulk of Eastern religions are Organic. They think of everything as having grown, of always teaching for nourishment. In this paradigm, "am I going a good job at my purpose" doesn't make any sense, but, "why am I so hungry for this? How did I become like this?" Those questions make sense.

In southeast asia, you get the Dramatic Paradigm, where religions tech that none of this is real, that we're all the fantasies of some divine being that is basically entertaining themself like a child in an empty room. Questions that make sense in this paradigm are about the roles we have chosen, in society, the world, whatever.

I have since found that a really useful set of handles to grab onto when wrestling with the differences in different theological works.

Interesting thought.  But, most of that relates to man's need to explain things to himself.  It is even harder to just say "it is what it is" and believe it.  It all revolves around one word, Faith.

Real life has intruded. Sorry I haven't posted. I should be able to catch up tomorrow evening.

We will run slow so you can more easily catch up. ;)

Well, sure. Most of the religious texts that I've read, from any faith, spend more time telling people either how to explain things to themselves, how to let go enough to accept the truth, or how to stop asking questions in a desperate effort by the mind to distract you from the truth. Though, I suppose, I will admit to a certain bias of my own towards topics like that. It is the thing that I find most fascinating about faith, man's ever-incessant need to explain it to themselves.

Dragging the topic back to gaming, there's a very real metaphor to be had between understanding Faith and understanding many things, including games. D&D, at its core, has a very simple mechanic. The rest of the rulebook is just telling the over-complicated mind how to apply that simple mechanic to all of the situations that the mind insists are different. That's actually what I look for in games -- how well, they keep to the basic mechanic in new perspectives, rather than treating each situation as actually different.

One of my friends, a rabbi, has started hosting RPG sessions for troubled youths as a way to connect to each other, their core issues, and (if they want it) their own faith. It's a really lovely idea, rooted in a lot of the latest psychological and theological theories about intergroup dynamics and reenactment therapy.

In reply to Tunic deSanguine (msg # 109):

That's awesome. I have a friend who's a social worker who uses RPGs as therapy for troubled youths.

Sort of like parables, putting complex principles into simple stories.

Working a full shift today, so won't be posting much, but had to share this:



Have a good day, Demon Dogs. ;)

https://www.facebook.com/photo...=gm.4485121538196214

Someone we know?

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 112):

Man, they just don't make cartoons anymore like they did in the 80s.

IKR?

One little note.

I do find colored dialogue to add to the game.  I use ORANGE for my neutral or friendly NPCs and RED for villains.

Ya'll are welcome to any colors, but do pick one and be consistent. :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:53, Mon 05 Oct 2020.

I use "Coral" for myself, but I know it is close to orange.  But, we always know when you speak.  It has your name on it. :)

Dark Green for Frank please

Periwinkle, please :)

I wanted to use Grey but found it difficult to read, so I opted to add a bold effect to it.

No worries!

I'm reading these posts on my phone about half the time, and my eyes aren't what they were, so I often have to zoom in far enough that I can't see the sidebar. I can distinguish between "Coral" and "Orange", though.

Let me know if anybody has trouble with my color choice.

I'm going to see how far I can get with describing pictures to everyone rather than speaking. As this is a game and communication is key, I might have to resort to OOC text occasionally for clarity of intent.

If I do end up using any dialog, I'll prefer Pink

In reply to Juffi-wup (msg # 122):

Could you please write your telepathic descriptions in pink, too, please?

So please, when we roll, are we hoping for High or Low results on the die?

It depends.

For attack rolls, and saving throws, you want high.

For ability checks, you want low.  There are modifiers, but to make a Strength check, you'd want to roll under your Strength, for example.

And yes, Mawr had some modifiers on his current check. ;)

Just a wee-itty-bit. :)

Sorry about the delay and slow posting this week gang.  Will endeavor to do better.

And, yet, this game is still moving faster that most I am in.  LOL

In reply to Mawr (msg # 128):

You ain't whistling Dixie. We're all still looking to introduce our characters, and none of us have done that thing where we write a 5000 word backstory for our first posts, so I'm not feeling overwhelmed by reading tasks.

Tell us, like, two other things going on at the village, and we'll be fine for an IRL month.

While a good backstory can be interesting, I think it more fun to find out about the party IC, through interaction and how we explain ourselves to the group.  It seems more natural than posting a novelette.

I try, guys.  In my experience, slow-posting games don't last that long on RPOL.

Hope you're enjoying the story.  I like it to be a group effort, so page-long blocks of text are probably not good... and while combat sometimes requires one-liners, I like more flavor if possible.

You guys are all doing awesome. :)

I sometimes have a Bear of a time writing lengthy posts, as it is hard to hit the right keys with these paws.

sorry for my oh so very slow posting, work has been weird, even tho we're only half open..

My 'Friday' today... should be updating the game tonight or tomorrow (more likely tomorrow... been fried after work this week). Next post should move the plot along, don't worry!

I've closed off the first thread and started the second, entitled "A Time of Choosing".

Guys, how's the pace?

I've heard from one player that it's too slow.  Should I speed things along?

Feedback always welcome...
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:00, Sat 24 Oct 2020.

I am, by no means, the person to determine the pace, as I have little else to do, most days, than respond to game messages.  Other than what happens overnight, I see most messages separately and remember what is happening when it is time for me to post.  I will say this, even though I would love to go faster, this game is going much faster than a few of the games I play.  Keep up the good work.

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 135):

I know you have been having connection issues, but yes, I would enjoy a faster pace, particularly over the next two-three weeks.

The pace is just fine for me.  Working from home, special-needs kid, etc.  I feel like I have time to keep up.  But please let me know if I'm lagging, though.  I don't want to bring down the group.

My goal would be to post 3-4 times per week... roughly every other day.  I'll strive to reach that.  Desi, you're not holding anything up. ;)

I plan to post again today, just wanted to get a few posts out there.  Feel free to post yourselves, or if you've nothing to add until more is posted, that's okay too. :)

I keep expecting Freddy to play the air-guitar.

you never know, he just might take it up :)

"WYLD STALLIONS!!!"

I'll be starting a new thread in a couple days.  Working all day tomorrow so my responses will be thin that day.

I'll be ordering my air guitar on-line :)

If you order it tonight, it should arrive before we reach The Forbidden Zone!

sounds like a plan to me! :)

I realized that if I waited for you all up ahead, then I might end up waiting a few weeks IRL before getting to post, so I've create a reasonable excuse for him to meet up in the morning with all y'all.

Please feel free to needle him about it, make friendly yet inquiring comments, etc. :)
This message was last edited by the player at 00:29, Sat 07 Nov 2020.

Marching order?   to leave our village?

Personally, I am happy to narrate that we leave, and then when we come to 'dangerous terrain' allocate any forward scouts we feel necessary.
Other than that, unless we enter some corridor-ridden locale, the GM just has shit happen.

But thats just me.

Not to leave the village per se, but just the general order you all will travel in.  I mean, I can just move us along, but the idea was to save time when danger strikes and get the order down now.

I won't hold up the game though, fear not.

I'm scouting around the party as they travel. Sometimes up ahead, sometimes to the sides.

I'll be moving us along shortly.  I'm hoping it's not so, but I think we've lost Frank's player.  It happens on RPOL, so I wouldn't be shocked.

For anyone not familiar with Mawr's tune...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCLjdL8g-8s

My kids have these fake guitar toys that play the first 10 bars of this song; Over and over and over again. For some reason, the batteries on that toy "mysteriously" ran out...

Dang, I now have that in my head.  EEK!

Further update coming tonight guys.  Stay tuned!

In reply to Juffi-wup (msg # 152):

When I was an godfather of a pair of twin toddlers, I would often go into toy stores and ask the clerks to give me the loudest, most annoying toys they had in stock. The clerks would usually insist that none of their toys were annoying, at which point I would lean in and tell them, "It's okay. I'm a godfather. It's my sacred duties to gift my charges with migraine-inducing wonders."

People who work in toy stores have surprisingly little humor.

What's the range to the Mants?

I'm not sure that we are 'in a ring' nor that they are 'ambushers' ... as they are 'apparently as surprised as the party!'


In reply to Juffi-wup (msg # 156):
Indeed, please Mutant Lord:  when you say they emerge from the foliage on either side of the track, do you mean directly at our position ... or up ahead?

Regardless of the actual situation, Nic has never seen a potential conflict that he hasn't tried to run away from :)

Heh.   Fair enough.   Any conflict is probably going to trigger Stylus’  flight and flight mechanisms also.

In reply to Stylus (msg # 159):

Nic is not actually a coward, it's just that his skin condition gives is his biggest advantage :)

I'm all curious about Desi's powers now after her last post!

To clarify, they emerge on either side of the tracks around you, not up ahead.  They are about 30' away on either side.

I'll be updating ASAP, in the middle of a work crunch.

Also, PM to Nic:

Hey gang, for those of you in the US, I hope you have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

The bad news... I think we lost Frank's player about a month ago.

The good news... we've got a new player coming in.

Hang in there, and be safe!

Hope all ya'll had a good day yesterday. :)

Working today, will move the game along in a day or so.  Hope you're all still enjoying the game!

I am enjoying it.  Really good character set.  I hope everyone stays the course.

In reply to Mawr (msg # 164):

I will confess that I was looking forward to Frank, and am sad to see him fade.

I'm certainly enjoying the game. I would enjoy a more frequent posting rate by everybody, but that's just because I'm crawling up the walls with boredom these days.

I understand that.  As my 2nd favorite game on RPoL, I can only hope it moves a bit faster.  My favorite has a posting rate of 5 per person per week.  Only 5 people there, but they are all dedicated to the task, as 12th level characters.

When you are retired, you learn to deal with boredom, by playing lots of games.

Sorry for the delay gang, got injured at work.  Nothing life-threatening, but it's slowed me down.

Ah, paper cut. I had one of those once.  Thought about workers comp.

We all understand.  Things happen, but we are enjoying this too much to walk away.

Chihuahua bite.  Same thing.

Will update ASAP, hand is swollen, typing difficult.

fucking chihuahuas

Roll for mutations!

187: Salty Attitude.

Hm.  Not what I was hoping for... but at least it wasn't 199: Defect: Constant Trembling. :)

Does this new mutation stack with the previous 10 levels of Salty Attitude that you already had?

Chihuahuas: the joe pesci's of the dog world.

Hope you're okay! I had a root canal. Stupid teeth.

Antibiotics are a wonderful thing. ;)

Sorry about your root canal!  Hope you feel better!

Sorry I didn't post earlier, but the GM's Internet connection went out this weekend. ETA for repair was late tonight.

Sorry, internet went out at the house Saturday night and we couldn't get it fixed until late this afternoon.  Now I'm behind everywhere. :( I'll catch up ASAP. ;)

I'm going to assume the party is pressing onward unless someone posts otherwise... :)

I already mentioned that Mawr was pressing on.

Pressing on, then.

Roger that.  Finally got a day off, update coming soon as coffee kicks in. ;)

Some jerk gave me an xbox and a copy of Cyberpunk 2077, so my response times may be unusually slow. My apologies.

What a jerk!

He beat me at my own game, because I originally explained to him that I didn't want him to buy me the game because I try to keep the work computer free of any non-work software or browser tabs, and that my living room's entertainment computer was always my old work computer, and therefore too old to run such a new game on it.

So what's he do? "Oh, hey, I know you said your entertainment computer was ancient, so I got you this. By the way, it's got that game I wanted you to play on it."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:34, Thu 17 Dec 2020.

Tell him to fuck off ... you don't need this kind of negativity and adversity in your life.

... and as a reminder for all those OTHER people who don't remember how to do that?!?

That’s right, Mwar ... it’s a 1d6.
Just like I was about to say.

I just want you to know that I've been holding onto that pun for MONTHS.

We've been missing out for MONTHS, then.  :D

That was good.

Any questions about the encounter can be posted here, if you don't wanna clutter the game thread.  Otherwise, look forward to seeing how THIS pans out... :D

Distance between me and it?

The tree it appeared from behind is 60' away.

Stylus, Mawr is not considered a solid object. LOL

Heh.   Funnily enough, I seriously considered wording my posts as ‘... the nearest white, furry solid object’.
Dunno why I decided not to.

Well, in this case, it would have worked, as I am presenting myself as the preferred target.  I wanted a chance to test my powers, but hope I don't get killed to quickly. LOL

We appreciate your sacrifice.

At some point, could our Mutant Lord And Master please tidy up the "The Cast" page? Hard to check if everyone still active has posted at this point.

Huh. I had no idea that existed. Neat.

At this point, only Frank has ghosted, becoming pretty much an NPC.

LewisGenerating is still working on his character, and Freddy's player is having some RL internet issues taht are keeping him away at the moment.

Also, learning... in the future, following the rules, you'll state actions/movement, then we roll for inish. :D

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 200):

I'm assuming you mean in the same post?

Will we be rolling init each round then?

Those are the rules as written.

Waiting on responses from:

Freddy
Desi

I'm gonna post for Freddy and move us along.  Sorry for the delays guys.  Holidays and all.  Still here, still into the game! :)

Mawr should roll 3d6 for his first turn of Damage Turning.  This turn he gets another 1d6 to roll to add to that total.

https://youtu.be/t039p6xqutU

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 206):

Perfect!

Merry Christmas to you all.

I know Freddy's player is still struggling with limited online access.  Other than that, I believe I'm just waiting on:

Sheldon
Juffi-Wup
Stylus

I know it's the holidays and people's lives are often chaotic right now.  No pressure, just keeping track!

I'll put a post in for Abbi Enn while we wait. ;)

Stylus is simply hiding.   Please assume he is doing so, until I say otherwise, my friends.

At this point just waiting on Juffi-Wup.  I'll give it another day, as I just got back from a long road trip and am working tomorrow. ;)

Hoping to catch up soon.  Spend last week moving my daughter to a new city.

Oh lordy. How everything went well.

Drove 900 miles in two days on 4 hours of sleep per night, but we made it there and back and she's safe and happy.

I got my wind back just in time to go back to work, but I've been following the game and hope to get us moving again soon.  Thanks all for your patience!

No worries. Everybody understands what winter is like :)

Though I would enjoy it if you added Spot's action to the summary, ineffectual as it is.

Friends, were I not completely unconscious right now, I would suggest we run.

Done, and apologies for forgetting!

Real talk, trying to get a handle on what "genre" of game we're going for (and, because I've already been misinterpreted twice today, let me explicitly say that I'm not judging or mocking anybody when I ask this):

Why are our characters engaging in attacks they seem to know are ineffectual against a giant metal dog that can puree people from a distance? Like, Nic is passed out, and Spot is a dog that is barking at an intruder and discovering that sometimes when he thinks he's about to pee himself, he's actually firing laser beams from his eyes.

But why are the rest of you attacking? What are your character's motivations for their current actions? Are they attacking simply because we're in combat rounds?

It's been a hard week here in the States, and I think I'm struggling to understand motivations in a general sense, so I thought this conversation might be useful to other people too. Put another way, I'd like to have a deep conversation about our fictional characters and our fictional world.

In reply to Tunic deSanguine (msg # 216):

As dire as the immediate situation is, the dwindling resources is even worse for everyone. If the elders say completing this mission will prevent starvation on the island, then potentially dying is worth it.

And I'm with you a 110% on the motivation questioning IRL.

My only motivation in attacking is to protect the rest of you.  I have the most hope of surviving contact and trying to prevent in whatever way I can.  Think of it as "taking one for the team".

Just to point out: Your characters are free to do what they choose.  The encounter is put upon you, but how you handle it is up to you all (individually and collectively). :)

I hear you. But beyond being on the physical path we've chosen, more or less at random, to take towards the Forbidden Zone (or whatever we're calling it), how is this threat an obstacle to that goal?

It sounds like we could also use the time Mawr is trying to give us to grab Nic's body and run. Am I missing something?

It's got legs and seems aggressive. If we run it could easily follow and keep attacking.
If we grabbed the body and ran, leaving Mawr behind, what happens to him?
My character is doing what he's doing because the rest of the group is also fighting.
While I imagine many of us have encountered dangers in this world before, they probably aren't as dangerous as this is shaping up to be. We've probably been able to handle them in the past, especially in a group as large as this one. We're not accustom to playing Hobbit and running from anything we encounter.

Hello!

The fun of Gamma World, I mean Future is that death can be just under that plywood over there. It's a brutal system, so, if I was there, I'd just stay true to my character.

Had this moment where I was wondering what was keeping up this turn, and then I realized that I hadn't posted since last round. Sorry for the delay, folks!

You were comatose.  It is understandable. LOL

Ha! Very true. And my dog is doing terribly at hitting this thing.

I hit it, waiting for the results.

Sorry guys having some health issues, will catch up ASAP

We would rather you be firing on all cylinders than trying to get something out with something missing.

I would just rather you all prioritize your health over all other things. Period.

Edit: But I appreciate the update.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:42, Wed 13 Jan 2021.

Well, if y'all were hoping for deliverance, I'm fresh outta sermons.

Lol

Hello

One helluva week, but my COVID test came back negative, so there's that, at least...

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 231):

Great to hear! Such a relief, I'm sure. But it sounds like you still need plenty of rest. No need to rush on my behalf, at least.

Appreciate the patience you all.  Won't bore you with the details, but it's been unpleasant.

Am still very much dedicated to the game.  Will get a post off tonight or tomorrow!

The doctor calls me patient.

In reply to Sheldon (msg # 217):

Which "dead" companion were you looking at? I'm pretty sure Frank is toast, so that's who I thought Sheldon was examining.

That's what I was getting at.

Considering that we were hiding behind different trees, I don't think that Kaden would have seen Abby transform into the bat. The bat doesn't really look like Abby, right? Is this ability something commonly known in the village?

In short, does Kaden have any reason to think this isn't a hostile mutant bat swooping down to attack him?

Well, she DID say earlier that she could turn into a bat when everyone was sharing their abilities.

But, it's safe to say Dekar may never have seen this bat before.

Re: party healing supplies

I am in fact, quite injured, but I dunno if that will actually wake me up before the cooldown.

Anybody else injured?

Somebody really needs to take charge of this situation :)

It will at least heal your wounds.

But, as we're out of combat, the remaining 9 minutes can pass rather quickly... it's up to you guys and what you want to do.

Let me know if anyone's stuck or needs help.  I'm trying to give you guys freedom here and not lead you by the nose, but I don't want you to feel lost and/or floundering either.

I got my 2nd Covid vaccine shot, and verily, it hath kicked mine arse.

I'll catch up ASAP.

I was going to call you this afternoon to see if you were able to sign up under the new California guidelines that kick in tomorrow, but you're ahead of that. Congrats!

I know a lot of people who have been vaccinated, many of whom just got their second injection last week. The reaction can be brutal, but it's also pretty short lived. Hang in there, buddy!

The woman had to get the vaccine for her job, she works in a school clinic, had to take her to the ER for chest pains. They said that it might be the vaccine, since Dec 2019 she came in for the same symptoms, which is when I think I had if fyi, but they don't have a clue.

I don't care if you want the get the vaccine, none of my business, I just know I ain't getting it.

I'm glad you're feeling better.

Maybe if they came up with an actual vaccine. Two years at least.

I suggest, for the health of the game, that we drop discussion of the vaccine.

That would be a shot in the arm.

Doesn't matter to me. I won't think any different of someone who gets it or not. They know their body and, as adults, can make their own decisions.

What doesn't pick my pocket or break my bones is none of my business.

re: save vs poison (or anything else)

A very high or low Con (less than 6 or greater than 18) will modify it, but the base values are listed on page 50 and are based on character level.

Dekar if you keep being useful like this I'm gonna make you an assistant GM! ;)

Thank you. :)

I know I've been slow in posting of late so I'll give plenty of time for folks to make their rolls.  If not I'll make the roll for them.

So far:

Dekar
Piecemeal
Mawr
Abbi Enn
Tunic
Spot
Stylus
Sheldon

...have rolled.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:44, Wed 17 Mar 2021.

I was trying to give them extra time, but I'll roll for Desi.  I believe we've lost Juffi-Wup's player, hasn't logged in since January.

I would appreciate establishing a time limit on waiting for people to post, so that we might get the pace up a bit. I think that would ironically encourage people to stick with the game more.

Agreed. I usually give a full 24 hours after they last posted/logged in to post.

Dang, I was thinking an hour. LOL  Okay, not really.

Given pandemic-related depression issues, 24hrs would be hard for me to guarantee, though 48 sounds do-able to me. OTOH, maybe that kind of pressure is exactly what I was suggesting.

To be fair, I tend to work in clumps, so I waited a few days, then had a work crunch.  But yes, I agree the pace should pick up and I apologize.

No need to assign blame, oh great and powerful Mutant Lord. Just identifying things we might want to change and then moving forward :) Understanding how the free time of the regular players (and gm) applies to our availability is just part of that conversation.

Screw that, the Mutant Lord needs to pull his finger out of his proverbial and kick this thing in its guts.
A great hero like Stylus requires more from the world around him if he is to shine in his magnificence.

Hey y'all. Mutant Lord has given me permission to advertise my Gamma World game that uses Pathfinder 1e as the frame. If you're interested, see here link to another game

Daughter's visiting, so I've been a bit tied up.  Will update soon!

Hang in there gang. Hope all's well!

I wish to enter into the record, that my character is ready for breeding so anyone could be turned into fertilizer.

Just sayin'

Re: Stylus attempting (rolled high on a str check) to push past Dekar (rolled low on a str check).

I assume this system requires you to roll under your attribute?
If that is so, Stylus did not ... so I imagine that Dekar did, and that Dekar can, indeed, hold Stylus back.

In reply to Stylus (msg # 263):

LOL - I'll admit, I didn't even check the rules. I figured it was an opposed strength check (ala, 5e....which this definitely isn't).

I guess the Mutant Lord will have to let us know. ;)

Ability checks are covered on page 51 of the rulebook.  I'm composing a post now. ;)

I think it's time to call this game dead. What do you folks think?

I haven't even finished rolling up my character!

I'm gonna wait a little longer...

I had great hopes for it. *sigh*

I can't give a full or proper reply, but the GM has been going through a LOT in his personal life, and he's been out of town this week. I don't know his intentions, as our contact has been minimal lately, but I don't think his intention was to abandon this game. I'd give him a few more days to update us, either way.

It's certainly been a rough year for everyone on the planet, and I'm sympathetic to that. There's no judgement attached to the question, but for my own mental health, I need to have escapes from reality that I can count on, and it sounds like another way to phrase what Kaden just said was, "the GM is being unduly stressed by his commitments, including this game, and it would help his mental health to reduce his stress load." I know that I spend a lot of energy chastising myself when I haven't been able to update a game.

If a GM needs to put a game on pause, then I need them to say that, commit to a date when they will give us an update on the state of the game, and follow through on that commitment. That is a basic social standard that I maintain in all parts of my life. It is unfair to me and the other players to leave us dangling for a month on an empty promise of "post coming soon."

I'd rather hear that the game is being put on a 2 month hiatus while RL stressors get dealt with, then be checking this forum every day for the post that was promised weeks ago.

Just got back.

You're right.  My intention wasn't to halt the game, but unexpected event after calamity after disaster just kept coming, unannounced and unexpected.

Rather than continue to disappoint, since I can't seem to catch a break IRL, I'll end the game.

Thanks for participating, sorry to disappoint.

Probably more disappointed in the end of it than the delay.  Life might go on.

I can keep the game on life support, but I can't seem to catch a break nor predict when/where the next haymaker is coming IRL.  I don't want to frustrate people.

I can only speak for myself.  We aren't going to get another chance at a good GW campaign.  I say we wait for R/L to relax.

I just can't promise a predictable, stable schedule because right now my life is not predictable or stable.  I'm not trying to be dramatic, I just can't promise something I don't have.

I'm willing to wait, but it is your call. Sometimes not having that one extra thing to stress about is worth a lot, so if you want to end it, I will understand.

Unless you delete the game, it'll come back up on my games list any time you (or anyone) posts something here.
I've been on RPoL for near 20 years now ... and there are still some games on that 'standby' list that I can't get rid of, because the GM didn't properly end and delete the game, and a Player cannot log themselves out of.

But I like this GM (but I won't admit that openly), so I'll be waiting around to support any game he runs.

Real Life definitely comes first, always. I'm not trying to shame anyone for disasters and reality suddenly getting in the way. I just need to manage my own mental health during these crazy times and I have found that I work best when I can count on a certain amount on escapism regularly. If we're taking a break for 2,3,6 months, whatever. I just need to know so I can plan accordingly.

I'm fine with whatever you decide. Perhaps an official hold for a while might be best.

Wish I knew the game and system well enough to offer to be an assistant or something.

OK, let's try this:

I'll commit to posting every Wednesday morning, and once during the weekend.  Unless a comet hits my house (don't laugh, it could happen), I think I can keep up with that. That's not to say I may not chime in with dialog or answers or NPCs inbetween.

IF I know I'm going to miss a post I will let you know.

I have games where that would be considered warp speed.

That sounds good to me.

I'm down

I would be exceedingly happy with that arrangement :)

Even a weekly GM posting would be sufficient for me. Twice a week would be amazing.

My original goal for this, and my other game, was every other day (3-4 times per week).  But then life got complicated.

I think 2 GM posts/week is doable for me.  Having a schedule will help.

Edit: I'd like to add that you are a great bunch of players.  If I didn't enjoy playing with you guys this wouldn't have been much of a decision.  Thank you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:26, Fri 07 May 2021.

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 286):

Sounds good to me.

Given the current state of the world, I don't think 3 posts that advance the plot per week is sustainable for anybody. Combat rounds, maybe, but creative writing that incorporates the actions of 5+ people? Nah, mate. Maybe back in 2019, probably, even. Maybe if you had a huge chunk of park you could write it in, but even then I'd suggest there's better things we could all do for our mental health with that time.

That depends on the person.  I am retired.  I have nothing but time.

In reply to Tunic deSanguine (msg # 288):

I think there are people who can do it, I have just yet been able to find one on here. It really does take the people to post as well. In order to keep up the pace on the last game I ran, I would go three days, and anyone who didn't post didn't do anything. It seemed to work.

I am in at least one game that I have been for just over ten years now.  The GM makes one or two posts every month or so ...
It plods along.

I have another that I have been in for over 11 (at last check).  It's huge, with dozens of players and nigh on a dozen threads/stories running at a time ... all by one GM.   Each moves slow.

But we are all still there, and post when the time comes.

I am NOT retired;  I work full time, father full time, study part time ... and try to get enough sleep in between to make it all happen.
I can happily plod along in a slow game.

In reply to Stylus (msg # 291):

Mallador is on his way. Sadly an unlikable fellow, he has his uses, once he figures out what they are. Historically he has had occasional bouts of insanity, but he tries really, really hard to control it.

We're  not, what I would call,  a brave and competent band of adventurers, Mally  ... welcome along.


Also, if rolling under your Save is a fail ... it looks like Spot may have just taken out most of the party in one brilliant move.

Yep. You want to roll high.

Ironically, Spot may have saved half the party by blinding them so they can't advance into the slathering pit of doom.  Yet. :)

It's Wednesday, so as promised, updating as we speak.  Stay tuned!

Ah, we're going to do this slapstick style, I see!

Let's face it, it is more fun that way.

Clarification request: I saw nothing to indicate that the blindness has had any affect on our entrancement. Are we still lured forward?

Those who are entranced are lured forward, but are disoriented and can no longer see (for 1 round).

I thought Mawr made his saving throw for the scent after the filth in the snout deal?

Yeah. From what the GM wrote, it looks like Sheldon's totally disgusting ploy worked. ;)

Just need to clarify and get clarification before I can update.

Mawr was indeed freed of the influence of the plant.

What would he like to do with his action given that?

Okay, he will try to stop anyone who is still heading to it.

Kudos to Tunic for his last post. Good stuff.

Thanks! When in doubt, quote Heston.

In reply to Tunic deSanguine (msg # 305):

I once centered an entire post off of Dirty Harry's 'feeling lucky punk' speech. No one seemed to get it. Sigh...

I ran a DCC game once where the 0-level astrologer tried to decipher an ancient carving. He got an inconclusive roll so I recited "When the moon is in the 7th House and Jupiter aligns with Mars..."

The older players lost it and the younger players looked confused.

Love it! That song was actually on the radio the other day when I was out grocery shopping too...

One game I was in, we are becoming pirates, just got our ship and people are talking about what they want to go find.  I said I want to find Maryann and they were all, who? LOL

In reply to Mawr (msg # 309):

Love her, my first crush as a kid.

My biggest trump card in this kind of story swapping is that I gave a Best Man Speech as a wedding that began with, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to discuss this thing called Life. Electric word, life." Didn't even crack a smile the entire time AND managed to avoid expressing the rhythm of the song.

Just came here to post my appreciation ... everyone seems to have beat me to it.


And yes, Maryann was one of my first crushes, also: along with Mindy McConnell and Mrs Peel.


Well done, I say.  Well done.

Shouldn't it be Rocket Raccoon that finds that last living twig of Groot ... to plant for regrowth?

Rocket Raccoon checked into his room
Only to find Gideon's bible
But Rocket had come equipped with a gun
To shoot off the legs of his rival…

Close.

The Beatles song is 'Rocky Raccoon' ... but yes, that is the inspiration for Rocket's name, they admit.

In reply to Stylus (msg # 315):

Yes, I am well aware, I made the change myself to fit this context.

Cool.

Can I pick white as my dialogue color? hehehe...

You can pick most anything.


You can pick your friends,
you can pick your nose,
but you can't pick your friends nose.

In fact, so long as everybody consents ahead of time, you can do even that.

Maybe so, but it'snot good.

Still need d100 rolls for:

Desi
Piecemeal
Sheldon
Stylus
Tunic
and Spot

Before I can proceed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:34, Sun 30 May 2021.

Still need d100 rolls for:

Sheldon
Stylus
Tunic & Spot
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:56, Wed 02 June 2021.

Sorry, I put in into my last Post, and forgot to mention.

Thanks!

Just waiting on 'Nic and Spot.

Hey folks, I'm on vacation and will be less active online through June 20th.

11:24, Today: Tunic deSanguine rolled 97 using 1d100.  Spot.

11:24, Today: Tunic deSanguine rolled 18 using 1d100.  Nic.

Have a nice vacation, hope you get to do something fun.

Hope you have a good time!  Thanks for the roll.

Update tomorrow, I gotta rush to work.  But the good news is, nobody in the party is gonna try and murder Mallador! ^_^

Not yet, anyway.

Shhh!  I told you not to tell anyone.

Watch schedule:

First Watch
Mawr
Sheldon
Tunic

Mid Watch
Mallador
Stylus
Desi

Last Watch
Dekar
Piecemeal
Abbi
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:35, Thu 17 June 2021.

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 332):

I'll take mid

I'll give people til Wednesday to pick their watch, then assign any unclaimed.  Next update should be Wednesday!

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 334):

All of the watches have been picked.

Piecemeal will double up with the last shift. It never hurts to have 2 people on guard.

I assumed everyone was going to stand a watch.  If someone is NOT standing any watch and just sleeping all night, please say so.

I haven't slept all night in decades.

I guess I need help finding a color no one is using. Suggestions?

Nobody's posted since my last post, that I've seen... and Tunic's player hasn't logged in since June 6th...

People still interested?  I don't want to abandon players, but if I don't move things along, the game's basically dead...

I am still in; just swamped with work.
I’ll get a post in later.

Sorry, I had nothing to respond to and I have been busy.  Out of town for the week, but have internet part of the day.

Work's been a bear for me as well. 13 hour days in 90+ heat and high humidity has sucked all the energy out of me

In reply to Piecemeal (msg # 343):

90's would be a nice change around here, 118 yesterday according to my outdoor thermometer.

Hey, sorry about disappearing on all of you. There was a death in my family-of-choice while I was on vacation. I am back now and will be catching up shortly.

Family first.

What Mawr said.  Very sorry about your loss.  :(

I'm so sorry to hear.

Update coming tomorrow guys.  :)

Huzzah!

My goal is at least one GM update on Wednesday and another on a weekend day (Sat/Sun depending on my work schedule).  Anything more I can sneak in is gravy. :)

It's all good, more regular than most of my games.

Yamato?

Nope. ;)

You can see the resemblance, right? Did you ever watch Starblazers? Fire the wave motion gun!

"Did I see Starblazers" LOL.  Yes.  Yes I did. An area of study of mine is the Pacific War during WW II, especially the IJN, and that all started with "Wave motion gun, ready to fire!" :D

The similarity you're seeing is the red-painted bulbous bow, which was pioneered by Yamato, but used in modern ships since.

OOC, if you look at the ship carefully with a modern eye, you'd see the flattop, and that it's a carrier.  But, your characters wouldn't know that. :D

I thought so, but I wasn't sure. Still, an evocative and imposing image! Very nice.

Growing up in the 80's, I still remember fondly playing Gamma World tabletop.  The art of 1st and 2nd edition were captivating; and now, with the internet, the world is our oyster in that respect. :)

Normally I wouldn't claim this, but I have had this image prepared since the game began. :)

In reply to Mutant Lord (msg # 358):

I have a nice collection of images saved up, though DMing on line has so disappointed me, not sure I will every use them. I had a one-on-one game I had high hopes for, but the player and I simply couldn't get on the page. I used some really nice imagery I though, as I sent him on a spirit-walk to try and find his path.

This is a weird Gamma World for me, I always played the game on a shattered Earth, with the remnants of our modern day Earth visible here in there. I think my favorite game started with a person from out world who survived the apocalypse, waking up in the future, but the person was actually playing themselves.

I successfully avoided making a wave motion gun reference.