To track characters we'll be using my spare campaign (link provided in chat) that also has character creation rules, along with a small, but ever growing homebrew list. At first we should try for everyone to post once a week, eventually building up to twice a week (Mon-Wed, Thr-Sun) and we can boost that up or down if we're all eager or holidays/vacations.
All text is assumed to be meta talk with things happening as you foresee it (and feel free to guess and make your rolls ahead of time to speed things up). If you are doing anything in character, put it in quotes so I know this is what your character is actively doing and saying. Example below:
You are all members of the local Adventuring Guild, chapter 78. You have finished your apprenticeships and were granted access into the Neverwinter feeder guild for those who show potential. Your guild headmaster, Thakgrad Leadbrow, has called you all in together to the guild house (which just happens to be located in the basement of his tavern The Waiting Ingot) for a new job. You tell the bar tender you're here for a meeting with Leadbrow and they open up a very conspicuous trap door next to their station and point you onward. Filing down the craggy steps you notice the noise from upstairs get abruptly muted, as if something about these walls are hiding themselves.
Once you reach the basement floor you can no longer hear the bustle of the bar above you - even as the early morning debauchery is reaching its peak from the over nighters and more seasoned guild members - leaving only the sounds of quiet stone and Leadbrow's scratching of a quill into his ledger. Looking about the room you can see there is little here in the basement, just the stone bricks to maintain the shape, different patches of newer stone brick in various areas, rough concrete on the floor so you're not walking on the dirt itself, and this lone dwarf behind a desk doing bookwork with exactly 4 mismatched chairs in front of him. The only decor in this basement that looks intentional is a golden candle stick on the desk with an ever-burning flame happily glowing, and a slate grey tapestry on the wall behind him embroidered with a gold "VII" and a maroon "I" in the middle, signifying club 7 8. Leadbrow welcomes each of you as you enter with a silent hand gesture and a look that he is not going to repeat himself twice, perfectly happily waiting until everyone is here before beginning.
Once you all arrive Leadbrow starts his speech without looking up from his book. "Your first real job with The Guild, I hope you're excited," he exclaims with all of the energy and enthusiasm of an overworked accountant on lithium. "Your patron, Gundren Rockseeker, has hired you to escort a wagon to Phandalin. Gundren will meet you at the gate out of Neverwinter, but he has informed me this is just a formality and he'll be traveling ahead with his human bodyguard Sildar Hallwinter to attend to business in town while you follow with the cart at a slower pace and catch up when you do arrive. You will each be paid 10gp after returning the supplies safely to Rockseeker at Barthen’s Provisions in Phandalin."
He continues scratching numbers and runes onto the parchment. "It should take you 3 days to get there with such a load. No use rushing since it's Rockseeker's cart and oxen, and he's not the kind for gratuity. Assume a day for rest and odd jobs that would put you at the tenth of Alturiak, giving you two tenday to get your monthly dues of 50gp to me to continue your group charter." There's a slight pause as he said the last part, and for the first time since arriving he closes his book and looks up, making deliberate eye contact with each of you individually, "And if you do not pay your monthly dues I will put you on probation, stopping you from seeing any new guild contracts and revoking your status until you make your back pay." He opens the book back up, continuing where he left off with the smallest smirk imaginable, which is still the biggest reaction you've seen from him, "Unless of course you're all dead, in which case we'll just write off the revenue and send a collection agency to salvage what we can of your starting gear."
He sits there quietly pouring over his book for a few more minutes before realizing you haven't taken the hint and shoos you out of his office to go meet Gundren Rockseeker and finally get underway.
As promised, the meeting with Rockseeker was short and curt. It was less an introduction and more of a handoff of the cart, with Sildar, a retired soldier turned bodyguard, passing the lead for the oxen to one of you and reminding you to watch for the fork in the road at the end of your second day of travel; suggesting you camp close to the High Road where the Lord Protector's men and men-at-arms often patrol. Sildar also gives you a map if you didn't already have one and offers to buy the first round if you all make it at a decent hour. And with that they spur their horses and head off to the
Now, tell me about yourselves. Character names, an interesting tidbit about you, how early or late to this meeting would you have arrived, what lead you to the adventuring lifestyle, know anyone else in this party more than a random acquaintance through your apprenticeship, have you been to the frontier town of Phandalin before?
PS: Please note I do not expect you to write this much ever. But that's what introductions are like.
A very small party member in a dark gray cloak walks confidently towards the oxen. A rock gnome from the Underdark- 3' tall, long white hair and beard, grayish skin and all-dark eyes, he has a gentle smile as he gazes up at one of the bulls. He reaches up his hand and touches the oxen's nose, then begins to stroke it while muttering some quiet words. The bull paces back and forth nervously at first, then relaxes. The rock gnome hauls himself up onto the beasts back and looks around at the other members of the party. "Dagomar wishes to not slow the party down with his smaller-than-yourser legs. They have often walked far, yet never fast." He squints against the morning sun and adjusts the hood of his cloak to provide some shade for his sensitive eyes while absent-mindedly thumbing a small stone necklace, his druidic focus.
Aquila being first to the meeting is now the last to exit The Waiting Ingot. She wears a pristine white hood and a quiver of arrows. Her talons dig unforgivingly into the dirt as she walks to the rear of the cart. As she plods to her perch, her quiver shifts and one can see a military insignia. Despite careful attention to the appearance of her hood, closer inspection would reveal stitch imprints where a previous rank had since been removed.
Aquila says nothing but takes roost on the back step of the cart ready to embark.
A small halfling warlock waddles towards the cart, paint spattered, tall staff in hand with an over large pot growing a shrub strapped to his back. Fosco Hornblower, follower of the celestial god Bob Ross and befriender of squirrels can’t wait to get better acquainted with his fellow travelers. After he gets himself and his tree companion situated he turns to Aquila and says “would you like a walnut?”
Sazira, a 6ft tallish half orc with skin that is a lavender color and plum hair that flies wildly around her face, walks out of the tavern and into the sunlight. She scowls a little, and reluctantly settles into position on the wagon. She eyes the white hood of Aquilla, focusing on the now gone insignia. As she looks away, she turns her attention to the wagon. Checking over her shoulder to see if anyone is looking, Sazira then peeks into the wagon. She nods and gives a knowing look. Sazira loudly says, "we ready then?"
Dagomar is handed the reigns of the cart perched atop the oxen while being given a quizzical look from the stable hand, "Uh, Sir, usually people drive the cart from the box, not the... uh... animals..." Dagomar returns the look with his own, even more perplexed by the wastefulness of using animals without fully using them. And as everyone finally loads up on the back and sides, the oxen start walking along without much encouragement and down the road as if they've done this their whole lives.
"Sildar, the oxen are wondering what we are carrying on this fine day- could you tell us? Mr. Rockseeker was light of word, though a pleasant fellow. Also, I have never been to Phandalin, is it nice? I know it was overrun by the orcs of Uruth Ukrypt in 951 and never fully recovered, though I have heard the local wildlife has positively flourished since the orcs took the human population down. People never consider the positive aspects of orc raids on the environment."
Gundren Rockseeker knowingly chuckles at Dagomar's question, "We are running late, but I will tell you that my brothers and I are onto something big. If we are right and you do a good job, we will happily extend your contract where those 10 Dragons would seem a pittance," as he turns his horse and starts down the road.
Sildar shrugs, knowing he has been spoken for, "The town is what you'd expect built up from the ruins of a raised city. Dirty, lawless, and ready for the Helm's hammer to forge into civilization. I wouldn't know about wildlife, but there are rumors of goblins attacking weak looking pioneers. And I have yet to meet a tribe of orcs that stay gone for long, just retreat and wait for the settlements to build themselves back up enough to be worth their time to plunder," he explains as he spins his horse around and spurs it to catch up to Gundren.
You move smoothly down the road and it doesn't take long for Fosco to get an itch to check the gear, or Sazira to actually lift the tarps without conscious only to find loads of pick axes, mining gear, and disappointment that there wasn't anything more interesting. For two days you follow the road and just as Sildar promised it is heavily trafficked with merchants and soldiers of various local bannerlords' colors. Sazira notices that some of those soldiers have extra insignia on them; some familiar, some new, but all following a distinctive pattern. No one seems particularly interested in you or your team, to them you're just another over protected wagon meaning nothing is for sale and you're just the muscle.
You set up camp both nights with no issues. The only sources of commotion was the lack of fresh food on the first night, and a raccoon raiding your overabundances from Aquila's second night of foraging that was so plentiful it replenished the drought from the night prior and gained each of you an extra ration.
Per Sildar's instructions you broke camp on the third morning and headed east on the dirt Triboar Trail towards Phandelver, following the crude sign that was staked into the ground. The road quickly turns bumpy and introduces a number of twists and turns as it tries to avoid molehills and the natural ebb and flow of the grassland. After a few hours the topography changes into forests and you round one last corner and see a pair of horses down on the road.
You hit one last curve and see two horses down on the ground at least 80 feet ahead, a trio of larger birds patiently circling overhead, and some rustling in the bushes further down the path with the glint of metal within them. Just as everyone but Sazira calls out "AMBUSH!" two arrows from the right side of road hit the ox Dagomar is riding and drop it immediately while the other beast starts bleating in fear. Dragomar sees this coming and prepares himself to land gracefully enough as Aquila points to the left side of the path and caws that there are two more in the brush.
Dagomar (falling off an ox, beat the DC and you're safe to continue as normal)
Sazira (Surprised)
Please roll both attack and damage in your post per the Rolling Dice instructional. I included the AC and HP of the NPCs in the list so you can take some of the narration into your own hands. If you don't like this, let me know in the chat and we can change how we play.
Similarly, I rolled a few minor things for you (initiative, passive perception, Dagomar's Acrobatics check that he passed). If you feel this is taking away from you and your characters, let me know and I can adjust this more into your hands at the cost of speed.
Lastly, if you'd like, you can explain your evening/morning downtime routines that you took while you were on the road for those two days as a preamble before the combat section. This will help everyone flush out their characters and inform the rest of the party what they feel is important about them.
For the past few days while riding Dagomar has occupied himself by picking up stray branches and leaves and weaving little braids and dream catchers and making twig men, then leaving them in the hollows of trees when camp is made. He also has stuck several twigs and leaves into slits in his cloak. When Sildar asked why he was slowly transforming himself into... 'some kind of ##@$#@$ bush' he responded "In the Underdark I am often mistaken for a small stone, especially when I would like to be. Once a Hook Horror sat next to me for almost an hour while eating one of my friends. She even leaned on me for a bit. A real beauty she was. There I am sometimes a rock. Here I will be perhaps a bush. A little camouflage can go a long way when there is a long way to go."
You cast the spell and can understand the goblins' obscenities being yelled at you as a part of their battle habits. One of them seems to be barking orders to the others, "Azzakak, Zuzluz, shoot the other cattle! More treasure for Klarg!"
Aquila takes aim at the brush to the left of the cart, loosing an arrow into the chest of one of the goblins. With a fine hit, she trills out a short victory as she reloads her bow and takes aim at the second goblin hiding in the brush.
One of the goblins gets hit square and immediately crumples over, loosing its nocked arrow helplessly into the air.
The other next to it shrieks in fear, hits the ox with its bow only wounding it 10 Damage: 3, then cries out in goblin "Fall back, too strong!" Where it runs deeper into the brush and you all lose track of it (Hide 15).
The living ox, scared and confused, starts running forward, dragging the cart and all on or attached to it with them. It is now 30 closer to the ambush site, or 50 feet from the remaining goblins and previous attack.
Dagomar had planned on running into the bushes to attack from the side, but seeing the plight of the oxen and not relishing the idea of getting into close-quarters combat he decides to try to regain control of the oxen and to turn the wagon around to get some range, cover and concealment.
Sazira had a lot on her mind. Between the comments that Dagomar had made about Orcs, and the many varied military symbols bringing up memories of life on the battlefield (especially the friends and sacrifices made), she was simply lost in thought. It was much too late when she realized what was happening. People yelled, and it took too long for her to snap out of her reverie. Before she could actually process the yells of "Ambush!" weapons were flying. As Sazira did start becoming aware of the chaos that now surrounded her and this new group she was a member of, the wagon was suddenly turning around. She didn't have the time or wherewithal to do anything but continue to hang on for the ride. Cursing her momentary (and very unfortunate) lapse in focus, she decided she would figure out how to be of assistance as soon as the wagon stopped moving again. Her fingers twitched with the distinct desire to grab her blades and get to the fight. But for now, for now she would wait.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Point of order. The cart is not turned around and it went closer to the goblins. Everyone who was on the cart (which I believe was everyone except Dagomar) was moved with it.
The two goblins from their bad hiding places on the right of the path and now only 50 feet from you see their companion run deeper into the brush and try to hide. Cursing its name they continue their strategy of firing at the ox
Goblin 3 Attack: 10 Damage: 5
Goblin 2 Attack: 7 Damage: 0
and following suit of a strategic retreat where they try to hide (Skill check: 26 and10))
Goblin 3 - AC 15, 7 HP - hidden 23 (went)
Goblin 2 - AC 15, 7 HP - hidden 20 (went)
Fosco (UP NOW!)
Aquila
Goblin 1 - AC 15, 7 HP - hidden 15
Ox - AC 10, 2 HP
Dagomar (5 feet behind the ox, in line with the cart)
Sazira
EDIT: The numbers on the roller kept changing as I was trying to get the code to work. I have recorded my first results in the initiative tracker, use that and not the post.
Kelly brought up a point that I should clarify. If your Passive Perception beats the Goblin's hide score you can see them outright, otherwise you have to use your action to roll Perception and hope that beats it.
Currently only Aquila can see Goblin 1 who is 70 or so feet from her and the cart, forward and to the left. No one knows where the two goblins on the right are.
Lastly, let's try to use the dice roller integrated in the forum so we can all keep each other honest.
Goblin 3 - AC 15, 7 HP - hidden 23 (went)
Goblin 2 - AC 15, 7 HP - hidden 20 (went)
Fosco (went)
Aquila (UP NOW!)
Goblin 1 - AC 15, 7 HP - hidden 15
Ox - AC 10, 2 HP
Dagomar (5 feet behind the ox, in line with the cart)
Welcome to your new Play-by-Post home!
Before we jump into the game proper, please familiarize yourselves with with some of the forum's best practices on how to be a participant in PbP games here:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/play-by-post/2069-pbp-rules-and-faq-please-read-first
and here:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/play-by-post/2985-rolling-dice
To track characters we'll be using my spare campaign (link provided in chat) that also has character creation rules, along with a small, but ever growing homebrew list. At first we should try for everyone to post once a week, eventually building up to twice a week (Mon-Wed, Thr-Sun) and we can boost that up or down if we're all eager or holidays/vacations.
All text is assumed to be meta talk with things happening as you foresee it (and feel free to guess and make your rolls ahead of time to speed things up). If you are doing anything in character, put it in quotes so I know this is what your character is actively doing and saying. Example below:
Now, tell me about yourselves. Character names, an interesting tidbit about you, how early or late to this meeting would you have arrived, what lead you to the adventuring lifestyle, know anyone else in this party more than a random acquaintance through your apprenticeship, have you been to the frontier town of Phandalin before?
PS: Please note I do not expect you to write this much ever. But that's what introductions are like.
Attack: [roll]1d20+[AMOD][/ roll]
Damage: [roll]if([roll:-1:fumble],=1,0,if([roll:-1],<[TARGET],0,if([roll:-1:critical],=1,2{[DAMAGE]}.expand(),[DAMAGE])+[DMOD]))[/ roll]
A very small party member in a dark gray cloak walks confidently towards the oxen. A rock gnome from the Underdark- 3' tall, long white hair and beard, grayish skin and all-dark eyes, he has a gentle smile as he gazes up at one of the bulls. He reaches up his hand and touches the oxen's nose, then begins to stroke it while muttering some quiet words. The bull paces back and forth nervously at first, then relaxes. The rock gnome hauls himself up onto the beasts back and looks around at the other members of the party. "Dagomar wishes to not slow the party down with his smaller-than-yourser legs. They have often walked far, yet never fast." He squints against the morning sun and adjusts the hood of his cloak to provide some shade for his sensitive eyes while absent-mindedly thumbing a small stone necklace, his druidic focus.
Aquila being first to the meeting is now the last to exit The Waiting Ingot. She wears a pristine white hood and a quiver of arrows. Her talons dig unforgivingly into the dirt as she walks to the rear of the cart. As she plods to her perch, her quiver shifts and one can see a military insignia. Despite careful attention to the appearance of her hood, closer inspection would reveal stitch imprints where a previous rank had since been removed.
Aquila says nothing but takes roost on the back step of the cart ready to embark.
A small halfling warlock waddles towards the cart, paint spattered, tall staff in hand with an over large pot growing a shrub strapped to his back. Fosco Hornblower, follower of the celestial god Bob Ross and befriender of squirrels can’t wait to get better acquainted with his fellow travelers. After he gets himself and his tree companion situated he turns to Aquila and says “would you like a walnut?”
Sazira, a 6ft tallish half orc with skin that is a lavender color and plum hair that flies wildly around her face, walks out of the tavern and into the sunlight. She scowls a little, and reluctantly settles into position on the wagon. She eyes the white hood of Aquilla, focusing on the now gone insignia. As she looks away, she turns her attention to the wagon. Checking over her shoulder to see if anyone is looking, Sazira then peeks into the wagon. She nods and gives a knowing look. Sazira loudly says, "we ready then?"
"Sildar, the oxen are wondering what we are carrying on this fine day- could you tell us? Mr. Rockseeker was light of word, though a pleasant fellow. Also, I have never been to Phandalin, is it nice? I know it was overrun by the orcs of Uruth Ukrypt in 951 and never fully recovered, though I have heard the local wildlife has positively flourished since the orcs took the human population down. People never consider the positive aspects of orc raids on the environment."
Initiative order:
Please roll both attack and damage in your post per the Rolling Dice instructional. I included the AC and HP of the NPCs in the list so you can take some of the narration into your own hands. If you don't like this, let me know in the chat and we can change how we play.
Similarly, I rolled a few minor things for you (initiative, passive perception, Dagomar's Acrobatics check that he passed). If you feel this is taking away from you and your characters, let me know and I can adjust this more into your hands at the cost of speed.
Lastly, if you'd like, you can explain your evening/morning downtime routines that you took while you were on the road for those two days as a preamble before the combat section. This will help everyone flush out their characters and inform the rest of the party what they feel is important about them.
Attack: [roll]1d20+[AMOD][/ roll]
Damage: [roll]if([roll:-1:fumble],=1,0,if([roll:-1],<[TARGET],0,if([roll:-1:critical],=1,2{[DAMAGE]}.expand(),[DAMAGE])+[DMOD]))[/ roll]
For the past few days while riding Dagomar has occupied himself by picking up stray branches and leaves and weaving little braids and dream catchers and making twig men, then leaving them in the hollows of trees when camp is made. He also has stuck several twigs and leaves into slits in his cloak. When Sildar asked why he was slowly transforming himself into... 'some kind of ##@$#@$ bush' he responded "In the Underdark I am often mistaken for a small stone, especially when I would like to be. Once a Hook Horror sat next to me for almost an hour while eating one of my friends. She even leaned on me for a bit. A real beauty she was. There I am sometimes a rock. Here I will be perhaps a bush. A little camouflage can go a long way when there is a long way to go."
Fosco casts comprehend Languages to see if he can talk to whoever is in the bushes.
You cast the spell and can understand the goblins' obscenities being yelled at you as a part of their battle habits. One of them seems to be barking orders to the others, "Azzakak, Zuzluz, shoot the other cattle! More treasure for Klarg!"
Attack: [roll]1d20+[AMOD][/ roll]
Damage: [roll]if([roll:-1:fumble],=1,0,if([roll:-1],<[TARGET],0,if([roll:-1:critical],=1,2{[DAMAGE]}.expand(),[DAMAGE])+[DMOD]))[/ roll]
Attack: 17
Damage: 8
Aquila takes aim at the brush to the left of the cart, loosing an arrow into the chest of one of the goblins. With a fine hit, she trills out a short victory as she reloads her bow and takes aim at the second goblin hiding in the brush.
One of the goblins gets hit square and immediately crumples over, loosing its nocked arrow helplessly into the air.
The other next to it shrieks in fear, hits the ox with its bow only wounding it 10 Damage: 3, then cries out in goblin "Fall back, too strong!" Where it runs deeper into the brush and you all lose track of it (Hide 15).
The living ox, scared and confused, starts running forward, dragging the cart and all on or attached to it with them. It is now 30 closer to the ambush site, or 50 feet from the remaining goblins and previous attack.
Attack: [roll]1d20+[AMOD][/ roll]
Damage: [roll]if([roll:-1:fumble],=1,0,if([roll:-1],<[TARGET],0,if([roll:-1:critical],=1,2{[DAMAGE]}.expand(),[DAMAGE])+[DMOD]))[/ roll]
Dagomar had planned on running into the bushes to attack from the side, but seeing the plight of the oxen and not relishing the idea of getting into close-quarters combat he decides to try to regain control of the oxen and to turn the wagon around to get some range, cover and concealment.
10 + 2 animal handling = 12
Ox is no longer Frightened.
Attack: [roll]1d20+[AMOD][/ roll]
Damage: [roll]if([roll:-1:fumble],=1,0,if([roll:-1],<[TARGET],0,if([roll:-1:critical],=1,2{[DAMAGE]}.expand(),[DAMAGE])+[DMOD]))[/ roll]
Sazira had a lot on her mind. Between the comments that Dagomar had made about Orcs, and the many varied military symbols bringing up memories of life on the battlefield (especially the friends and sacrifices made), she was simply lost in thought. It was much too late when she realized what was happening. People yelled, and it took too long for her to snap out of her reverie. Before she could actually process the yells of "Ambush!" weapons were flying. As Sazira did start becoming aware of the chaos that now surrounded her and this new group she was a member of, the wagon was suddenly turning around. She didn't have the time or wherewithal to do anything but continue to hang on for the ride. Cursing her momentary (and very unfortunate) lapse in focus, she decided she would figure out how to be of assistance as soon as the wagon stopped moving again. Her fingers twitched with the distinct desire to grab her blades and get to the fight. But for now, for now she would wait.
Point of order. The cart is not turned around and it went closer to the goblins. Everyone who was on the cart (which I believe was everyone except Dagomar) was moved with it.
The two goblins from their bad hiding places on the right of the path and now only 50 feet from you see their companion run deeper into the brush and try to hide. Cursing its name they continue their strategy of firing at the ox
Goblin 3
Attack: 10
Damage: 5
Goblin 2
Attack: 7
Damage: 0
and following suit of a strategic retreat where they try to hide (Skill check: 26 and10))
EDIT: The numbers on the roller kept changing as I was trying to get the code to work. I have recorded my first results in the initiative tracker, use that and not the post.
Attack: [roll]1d20+[AMOD][/ roll]
Damage: [roll]if([roll:-1:fumble],=1,0,if([roll:-1],<[TARGET],0,if([roll:-1:critical],=1,2{[DAMAGE]}.expand(),[DAMAGE])+[DMOD]))[/ roll]
fosco tries to locate the goblins, bit fails (i rolled a 3 plus 2 for perception). he got distracted by what he thinks could be a squrriel.
Kelly brought up a point that I should clarify. If your Passive Perception beats the Goblin's hide score you can see them outright, otherwise you have to use your action to roll Perception and hope that beats it.
Currently only Aquila can see Goblin 1 who is 70 or so feet from her and the cart, forward and to the left. No one knows where the two goblins on the right are.
Lastly, let's try to use the dice roller integrated in the forum so we can all keep each other honest.
Attack: [roll]1d20+[AMOD][/ roll]
Damage: [roll]if([roll:-1:fumble],=1,0,if([roll:-1],<[TARGET],0,if([roll:-1:critical],=1,2{[DAMAGE]}.expand(),[DAMAGE])+[DMOD]))[/ roll]
Perception: 22