OK, everyone. You're faced with a ghost. I'm going to have to let the cat out of the bag to justify my request; you will be encountering several ghosts here in Blingdenstone, and not all of them are friendly, or hostile. In order to prevent me announcing which are hostile and which are friendly by rolling initiative when you meet them, I'm going to ask you all to give me an action BEFORE I inform you all of the intent of the ghost. In the cases where the ghosts are hostile, I will roll initiative and the first round of combat will be filled with your declared action. So if you guess wrong and act all friendly when the ghost turns out hostile, it gets a free round to do whatever it will do. Or if you start off with violence, then you may lose out on the opportunity to discover something or gain the assistance of the ghost as it tries to defend itself.
I'm aware that readying an action is an easy way to counter this... But for these pre-emptive first rounds, I'm going to rule that readying an action LOOKS as hostile as taking the action itself. Unless you're a sorcerer with Subtle casting, or you ready an unarmed attack... or something you think of that doesn't look hostile.
So this starts when everyone has said what they will do now right after the ghost has materialized in front of you. THEN you will find out of it's a combat encounter or a social encounter.
Understood. Would a Dodge action or ready-action Move be OK for Rodolfo without necessarily telegraphing hostile action? He has very little experience with ghosts if any at all and doesn't really know what to make of this. He'll try to be brave, but this is very much out of his comfort zone and his personality is "save myself first".
I am assuming at least the first time will be talk.
Beegred will also ready a Dodge action, in case things go sour.
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Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
So if Narstin doesn't post in the next day or so, what would you all want him to do?
I'd say a Dodge action. Usually a reasonable default defensive choice.
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Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
We kind of got a mission go go place a thing into a place, but we ended up fairly randomly flailing around in the darkness. Really no direction, but plenty of danger so that we can't split up either. We also don't have a clear party leader who would just march on until we arrive at something. So we are in a situation where every direction is the same amount of interesting - which is to say none at all because we fear all the directions equally.
And also the world is pretty ****ed up and getting more so every passing day. New Covid records, lockdowns, US elections, etc. It's pretty hard to find the energy to post in a D&D game if most of your day is spent trying to notice anyone coughing nearby. I only post so often because I have a work where from time to time some stuff runs for 5-10 minutes and I don't have anything better to do with my time.
I agree with everything Winenose said, in-game and out.
In particular: "...we fear all the directions equally".
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Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Well, my question to you all is: Do you WANT to keep playing?
Can't speak for anyone else, but it was the last few days that were too stressful. I should be good for now and probably through US Thanksgiving.
(That stress included my computer slowly dying. My replacement laptop just got delivered, so I'm hoping for full functionality within another day or two.)
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Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
I'm fine moving on and going to explore eastward, but I want to be sure you've done what you wanted to do in this burrow?
The ghost hasn't been found, the skeleton is still on the floor and Narstin hasn't chipped in. Beegred had suggested providing the skeleton with some last rites.
I don't want to jump ahead if some of you still have things you want to do.
Three courses of action that are evident to me:
Or you can come up with something I would never think of.
I'll give it a day or two for others to respond. Otherwise your party moves towards the ghost.
That's fine we can go towards the g-g-g-g-g-ghost
Tabaxi with a penchant for shenans. He will....shenan again...
OK, everyone. You're faced with a ghost. I'm going to have to let the cat out of the bag to justify my request; you will be encountering several ghosts here in Blingdenstone, and not all of them are friendly, or hostile. In order to prevent me announcing which are hostile and which are friendly by rolling initiative when you meet them, I'm going to ask you all to give me an action BEFORE I inform you all of the intent of the ghost. In the cases where the ghosts are hostile, I will roll initiative and the first round of combat will be filled with your declared action. So if you guess wrong and act all friendly when the ghost turns out hostile, it gets a free round to do whatever it will do. Or if you start off with violence, then you may lose out on the opportunity to discover something or gain the assistance of the ghost as it tries to defend itself.
I'm aware that readying an action is an easy way to counter this... But for these pre-emptive first rounds, I'm going to rule that readying an action LOOKS as hostile as taking the action itself. Unless you're a sorcerer with Subtle casting, or you ready an unarmed attack... or something you think of that doesn't look hostile.
So this starts when everyone has said what they will do now right after the ghost has materialized in front of you. THEN you will find out of it's a combat encounter or a social encounter.
Understood. Would a Dodge action or ready-action Move be OK for Rodolfo without necessarily telegraphing hostile action? He has very little experience with ghosts if any at all and doesn't really know what to make of this. He'll try to be brave, but this is very much out of his comfort zone and his personality is "save myself first".
Sure, a dodge or a move doesn't involve weapons or magic. So definitely shouldn't be perceived as hostile.
Edit: Edit your post if you want to take a dodge or dash. Talking is a free action.
I am assuming at least the first time will be talk.
Beegred will also ready a Dodge action, in case things go sour.
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
So if Narstin doesn't post in the next day or so, what would you all want him to do?
I'd say a Dodge action. Usually a reasonable default defensive choice.
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Do the rest of you agree with Rodolfo and go after the ghost?
I'm starting to feel like I've lost your interest and you are just kind of half-heartedly participating. Or is this pace because of COVID?
Both I would guess.
We kind of got a mission go go place a thing into a place, but we ended up fairly randomly flailing around in the darkness. Really no direction, but plenty of danger so that we can't split up either. We also don't have a clear party leader who would just march on until we arrive at something. So we are in a situation where every direction is the same amount of interesting - which is to say none at all because we fear all the directions equally.
And also the world is pretty ****ed up and getting more so every passing day. New Covid records, lockdowns, US elections, etc. It's pretty hard to find the energy to post in a D&D game if most of your day is spent trying to notice anyone coughing nearby. I only post so often because I have a work where from time to time some stuff runs for 5-10 minutes and I don't have anything better to do with my time.
I agree with everything Winenose said, in-game and out.
In particular: "...we fear all the directions equally".
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Yeah lots of IRL stuff going on to deal these days
I'm in agreement with everyone else
Tabaxi with a penchant for shenans. He will....shenan again...
Well, my question to you all is: Do you WANT to keep playing?
Can't speak for anyone else, but it was the last few days that were too stressful. I should be good for now and probably through US Thanksgiving.
(That stress included my computer slowly dying. My replacement laptop just got delivered, so I'm hoping for full functionality within another day or two.)
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Yup.
Pick a direction. North or East.
East
I'm fine moving on and going to explore eastward, but I want to be sure you've done what you wanted to do in this burrow?
The ghost hasn't been found, the skeleton is still on the floor and Narstin hasn't chipped in. Beegred had suggested providing the skeleton with some last rites.
I don't want to jump ahead if some of you still have things you want to do.