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    Jack_Simth's Avatar

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    May 2006

    Default Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    A while back, a gaming company decided to turn Pathfinder into a VR MMORPG. It became quite popular, and you were one of the best of the best. You were max level, did all the events, and won many of them; including one that had a truly unique prize. But all things must end, and this was no exception: Subscriptions lagged, and eventually the game ceased to be profitable enough for the corporate bigwigs. You received the announcement via e-mail: The servers would be shutting down after this month's billing cycle.

    On the last day, determined to get as much as you could out of things, you were logged in when the servers shut down... and rather than the game simply closing, something happened. There was a gut-wrenching click, and you found yourself in a different area of the game. But things were different. The slight pixelation from your VR headset was gone: Everything looked as real as real can be. Moreover, you could actually feel the breeze on your face, the ground beneath your boots, and the pinching from that awkward (but cool-looking) armor. You could smell the horse droppings and the lack of common bathing. Pulling up the menus, you find that all of them still work, save one: Exit is grayed out. You can't leave. Checking, you also can't feel your headset anymore, and attempts to remove it manually prove fruitless: It's like it's not there anymore. Thinking about it, you can't even feel your real body. It's like you've become your character. Looking around and taking stock, you realize you're in one of the starting areas.... with all your max level gear.


    Specifically, you find yourself in a graveyard, overshadowed by what appears to be a very large, brand-new cathedral. There's a gate to the north, and several doors in the cathedral that would give access to the area. It's a rather expansive cemetery, overlooking a river. Stone vaults stand near the cemetery’s edges or at its center, while dozens of humble plots, each marked with a simple gravestone, sit amid trees and shrubberies. The boneyard is very well-maintained.

    It's morning, and the graveyard is empty, save for yourselves. You can hear a party going on nearby.


    Spoiler: Notes
    Show
    I'm starting you off in an empty graveyard, so that anyone who wishes to assume a disguise can, and I don't have to worry about folks immediately running from the monsters

    Spoiler: From recruitment thread
    Show

    Link to the original recruitment thread "main" post, for however log it lasts
    Link to refill recruitment thread

    Deadline for sheets: evening of March 13th

    Eh. Looks like I have a copy of Rise of the Runelords I've never cracked open.

    I suppose I'll try my hand....
    Spoiler: Current forum-recommended big 16 equivalent
    Show

    System: Pathfinder Play by Post, here.
    Player Count: Everyone who manages to complete an application (I expect drops).
    Style of Play: Mostly RP, as you'll be able to one-shot basically everything you encounter for QUITE some time.
    Allowed Content: 1st party Paizo only, and I must have free access to it - if it's in a book I don't have, I can't adjudicate it. Be careful with d20pfsrd.com, as they have a lot of 3rd party content on there.

    Character Creation:
    Your Character: 20th level, custom gestalt. One track is a class as normal.
    The other is a "racial" track. You can play a monster (Level=CR, ability mods are the -10 for evens, -11 for odds from 3.5), although hit dice and caster level are limited to the base creature's CR (so a CR 10 Monavic Diva would be treated as only having 10 hit dice, rather than 12). Any spare spots in that track are filled with the "racial fill" PRC. Full BAB, all good saves, d12 hd, 8 skill points/level (no class skills, though), and for features has the Armor Bonus, Str/Dex Bonus, Evolution Pool, and applicable Specials that a summoner's eidolon of that level would get; it also progresses any existing racial spellcasting or spell-like ability caster levels. To continue the example, that CR 10 Monavic Diva would grant you the armor bonus, Str/Dex bonus, evolution pool, and specials that a 10th level summoner's eidolon would have (+8 Natural Armor, +4 Str and Dex, Darkvision, Evasion, Devotion, Multiattack, two ability score increases, and 14 evolution points).
    Someone found the retraining rules, and pointed out a clause. Any feat you qualify for now is available, even if it wouldn't have been at the time you picked up the feat slot.

    • Backstory: Do have one. After all, dedicated folks often make stories for their characters. Also have a real life backstory. Might come up in conversation.
    • Experience: You're not going to advance.
    • Wealth: Wealth by level is out the window. You've been doing this for a super-long time, and the limitations were of the game interface, not money.
      Custom items (including merging existing items) are not permitted (computer games tend to be annoying that way).
      You can have any normal magic item you like (within the source list) per each equipment slot (including primary hand and off hand weapon slots; a shield fills the off hand slot).
      You can have a maximum of 20 slotless magical items (ioun stones, rods, portable holes, used tomes/manuals, and so on). It was a limitation of the inventory system.
      You can have a maximum of 10 types of single-use items (e.g., Potions of Cure Serious Wounds, Scrolls of Heal), and a maximum of 9 of each of them.
      Scrolls are limited to single spells.
      You can have a maximum of 10 wands or staves
      Currently non-equipped items (e.g., an alternate headband) can be stored in your slotless magical item slots, but they don't do anything while not properly worn.
      You can have a maximum of 9 of each of any nonmagical item.
      You have a free Handy Haversack that functions as a portable hole (it was the interface for all of the above).
      Additionally, you have 999 diamonds (valued at 1,000 gp each), 999 platinum coins, 999 gold coins, 999 silver coins, and 999 copper coins on hand (it was a limitation on the interface).
      No minions from wealth (so no crafted constructs or anything; class-bonded minions still work - so an animal companion, familiar, Eidolon, et cetera is OK).
      Gear for minions was not implemented in game.

      Event Reward:
      You get one custom event reward. This takes one of a few forms:
      1) A single, constant spell effect on you that can't be dispelled and is treated as nonmagical (it will continue to function just fine if you wander into a dead magic zone). Any Paizo spell you like, of up to 9th level - metamagic permitted. Shapechange? Enjoy being a protean. Empowered Spell Turning? Great! It never runs out; any targeted spell on you gets a return to sender. Empowered Maximized Fire Shield? Ah, you must be Johnny, as you're clearly the human torch. Downside: Can't be turned off.
      2) A "signature" spell-like (metamagic permitted) - again, a Paizo spell of 9th or lower, although it can't be of a sort that duplicates other spells (so no Wish, Miracle, Shades, or Shapechange for this one). If it's a 9th, it has a 1-minute cool down. If it's an 8th, a 1d4+1 round cool-down. If it's a 7th, it has a 1 round cool down (you can use it at most every other round). If it's 6th or lower, it's at-will. If the spell is on multiple lists at different levels, it's treated as the highest level it's found at for this purpose (which means Heal is 7th, because Druid). Minor adaptations to make the spell function are permitted (e.g., Mage’s Lucubration can restore spent spell slots even if you're a Sorcerer, Cleric, Oracle, or so on rather than a Wizard).
      3) One class feature (other than spellcasting) from a different class (at full level). So your Druid might also have an Eidolon, or your Wizard might have Sneak Attack, or your Rogue might have a familiar. Archetypes are permitted (so that eidolon might be wearable due to synthesist). Note that supporting class features don't come with (so that Eidolon does NOT have Life Link, and must be healed separately from you).
    • Ability Scores: 25 point buy. Yes, I know the rest of this is way, way over powered, but eh, it was the starting state. What can you do?
    • Hitpoints/Health: Max per level. Someone found the retraining rules, and told everyone else. Thereafter, everyone just paid the gold until they had max HP.
    • Alignment: Is a setting. Other than some things they put in that change it instantly, they didn't implement a morality system. It affects how you're treated by various game effects (which in turn can change how you're treated by various NPCs), but it doesn't change with your actions and has no effect on you (so your Chaotic Evil character is perfectly capable of founding a series of free hospitals while staying Chaotic Evil).


    Other Notes:
    Two traits, no background skills.
    Leadership was never implemented.
    Some of these restrictions no longer apply, as it's no longer just a game. You're going to need to find out which in character, although I'm guessing most folks will consider it pretty obvious.
    I don't like pvp. If you do something hostile against another player, the other player decides how it plays out. If you have max ranks in Sleight of Hand and a dex of 30, and are pickpocketing a fellow PC who has no ranks in Perception and a Wis of 6, they can still catch you at it and stop you, even if it makes no sense. Or you might find that the pocket has a DC "nope" Sepia Snake Sigil, despite that making even less sense.
    I wouldn't worry about other folks' optimization levels. You're in an adventure path intended for 1st level folks. The difference between AC 40 and AC 80 is petty when the highest attack bonus that will be coming at you is +19 (needs a 20 no matter who he targets). The difference between dealing 150 damage a round and 300 damage a round is petty when the toughest opponent in the book has 102 hp (they go straight from full to dead regardless of which PC attacks). Differences may start to matter in the later books, but at least at first you're going to slaughter every combat encounter very, very handily.
    Spoiler: Various questions & Answers
    Show

    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    Could they have simply been playing long enough to have become what they are?
    As long as the specifics are reasonably plausible to have occurred at some point for a long-running, multinational game.
    Quote Originally Posted by Shaggy View Post
    Thanks for the speedy reply. So grateful.
    Tossing around a few different ideas I dont want to do the same thing as others. I am liking the Anemos, Apostate Devil, Wild Hunt Monarch, or Veranallia.
    If I used the three -1 Templates would that be possible to use Charnel God?
    I'm going to go with "no" on that one.
    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    Could be we knew each other in RL and played the game together? Made sort of opposite characters to take advantage of things within the game and now here we are stuck with our choices?

    EDIT: I don't know what PaO and Dispel Magic is. Figured it out. So he could have done that and made it into a great sword I am assuming is what you are saying.
    You can also just wield a one-handed weapon in two hands. Pathfinder explicitly allows for that. All you lose is the difference in base weapon damage. 1d8 vs. 2d6 is just 2.5 on average.

    Quote Originally Posted by QuantumFlash View Post
    We can use templates? And to repeat since it seems I edited at the same time you posted: are we using BAB and such from our classes or do we take it from monster progression if it’s better?
    Yes. The normal problem with them in Gestalt is that they quickly get overpowered. But that's hardly an issue here, you're supposed to steamroll everything.

    Saves, BAB, HD size, and skill points from monster hd if they are better. But do remember racial hd are capped to cr, so you don't end up with 22 hd or anything.

    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean. Any of the three options I listed could be interpreted as being part of the progression.
    Sorry, on mobile. Yes, you get the Grand Discovery and the two bonus discoveries.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    Gotcha, it's mostly a flavor thing anyway and not a numbers thing.

    Cheese question (I think). Since our alignment is more leaning towards what we are as players and not what we are as characters. How would taking the Damnation feats work out? I can easily see them as having been added as a mechanics only bonus (which is kind of exactly what I am looking to do) and the whole build up of evil thing kind of just withers away when it's not the character anymore but me as the player.
    They don't influence your behavior, but they do influence your in game alignment.

    You may also have some ... concerns ... about them when the reality of living in a world with a verifiable afterlife hits you.

    Quote Originally Posted by QuantumFlash View Post
    How are we going to be dealing with expensive material components?
    The game just deducted them from your cash if you weren't using Blood Money, False Focus, or similar. You'll need to stop and purchase or make them now (except for diamonds, of course; you have lots).

    Posting from mobile, please excuse the mess....


    Some starting thoughts for building backgrounds... just intended for inspiration:
    How did you get into the game?
    Are there any people / activities / possessions that you will miss from the real world?
    Are there any conditions, states, diseases, or situations that you are happy to escape?
    Did you make any build choices that were fine for a game you could leave at any time, but are undesirable as a permanent state?
    Is there something you always wanted in real life, but could never get, that is possible now?


    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    Shame about the lack of Spheres etc, but definitely interested all the same.

    If we choose to select a nonhumanoid for our monstrous track, do we get the full suite of magic item slots, or only the magic item slots that our form actually possesses? (For instance if we have no legs can we have foot slot items?)

    EDIT: Also, if we use the third event option and select something that grants multiple options over 20 levels (such as a rogue's rogue talents), do we get the number we would get as a 20th-level member of that class, or just one?
    Nonhuman slots were not implemented in game. So a Maralith player could wear boots, but couldn't weild six weapos. This changes in the transition, however, and monster slots start applying at game start.

    Quote Originally Posted by Armonia13 View Post
    Thanks for gming this Jack_Smith. I definitely have interest in the premise and style. I want to try making an Iron Caster. It looks like a fun Fighter build and seems totally in line with a player gaming the system.

    For the 'Race Track', do we get 20 lvls of the 'Racial Fill PRC' if we choose a standard player race? Or are monster races preferred so this isn't an issue?
    Yes, but if you don't have any pre-existing racial casting, the PrC doesn't advance it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    You take the monsters stats and subtract 10 from the even numbers and 11 from the odd numbers. The differences become your racial modifiers for the 25 point buy.
    Correct.
    Quote Originally Posted by Thunder999 View Post
    This looks like it could be some very ridiculous fun. I'm thinking Arcanist 20//Pleroma Aeon, my 'IRL' Player was a shameless minmaxer and that shall be reflected in personality and mechanics (though I doubt I'll have the strongest character here, player vs character skill disparity you know)

    How is buying more spells in your spellbook handled with these wealth rules?
    As long as you have carrage for them (see item limits, you only have so many slots for Blessed Books), go nuts.

    Quote Originally Posted by QuantumFlash View Post
    Ah so basically the scores -10 or -11 are the base scores you then build off. Cool.

    Also another question occurs: we have effectively unlimited WPL but what about artifact grade gear? I doubt it makes sense to give us unlimited access to that but considering the way the setting is, maybe we could each have an artifact or two?

    Edit: also, I am building an undead necromancy focused sorcerer.
    Artifacts are plot devices. They always vanished at the expiry of the quest (successful or not).

    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    Right, time to figure out what magic item slots a big ol' dragon has...

    Also just to repost the second question as I think it might have been missed:
    Sorry. Full progression.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    Regarding my angel build, can he be a medium creature instead of a large one?
    There are a rather lot of medium sized angels, angels with Change Shape, or angel-adjacent creatures. Which specific one are you looking at?

    Quote Originally Posted by Armonia13 View Post
    Alright, no problem with that. New question! Do we qualify for all evolutions or are we still restricted by base form? If the latter, are we all assumed to be Biped(because we're all technically human)even if we pick a non humanoid race?
    Be reasonable about it. A dragon qualifies as a quadruped, a merfolk qualifies as aquatic, most angels qualify as biped, and so on. Your summoner level is treated as the prc level for requirements (such as how many times you can take ability increase), but your full level for effects (such as Spell Resistance)


    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    The cheese comes in from him being an angel I guess. He doesn't have a soul. Which begs the question of can he actually even take the feats?
    Oh, yeah, missed that angle. No, you don't qualify to take them.

    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    Ah excellent, thanks.

    On the topic of blood money I guess I may as well ask now - since Pathfinder very helpfully doesn't define when in the spellcasting process components are expended, what's your ruling on that? Do they disappear as soon as you start casting a spell (in which case blood money works on basically everything) or only when you finish casting the spell (in which case it only works on spells you can finish casting the same round you cast blood money)?
    Start of casting. It's not like there aren't workarounds for longer times anyway.

    Quote Originally Posted by Thunder999 View Post
    Nice, another Aeon, we'll actually get to use Extension of All.

    On the topic of material components, how does Permanency work here? Is it taking up a slot like used tomes, coming out of starting money, free, or not implemented in the game?
    Effectively free at character creation, but you'll need to pony up the diamonds for replacements.

    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    For the purpose of the limit on how many slotless items we can have, do ioun stones set into wayfinders each take up their own space, or do they share the wayfinder's space?
    Nice find. Share the Wayfinder's space. Ditto for similar pairings, such as the harmonizing bowstring and a bow.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dakrsidder View Post
    Decided on an Anemos Oracle with the Spirit Guide archetype

    I have two questions first would be without considering the ability mods or feats the saves are slightly higher than a single class would have at that cr are those taken anyway or something else?

    Second I assume so but are the base feats from the original monsters a part of the gestalt?
    For the first, sounds like you need an example.

    Suppose someone's playing, oh, an Oracle//Great Wyrm Brass Dragon (CR 19).

    An oracle gets good Will, 3/4ths BAB, d8 hit die, 4 skill points per level.
    Dragon hit dice are all good saves, full BAB, d12 HD, 6 skill points per level.
    The normal great wyrm brass dragon has 26 hit dice. That's capped to CR, so 19.
    The Great Wyrm fills only 19 levels, so you also get one racial fill PrC level on that side (d12 HD, full BAB, all good saves, 8 skill points/level).
    For any given level, you get the best type of that level.

    So BAB: Full BAB, all the way. 20/15/10/5.
    Hit Die: d12, all the way. 20d12.
    Saves: All good saves, all the way. So base saves of +12/+12/+12.
    Skills: 19 levels of 6+Int, one level of 8+Int. 19*6+8+(20*Int) skill points.
    Ability scores: You have your point buy. Subtract 11 from the odds, 10 from the evens. So that Str 37, Dex 8, Con 27, Int 22, Wis 23, Cha 22 becomes 37-11=26, 10-8=-2, 27-11=16, 22-10=12, 23-11=12, 22-10=12.
    So +26 Str, -2 Dex, +16 Con, +12 Int, +12 Wis, +12 Cha. Those are your racial ability modifiers.

    You'd also be Gargantuan, have DR 20/Magic, Blindsense-60, Darkvision-120, and so on and so forth (all the various racial things), including Sorcerer-20 casting (19 on the dragon, +1 from the racial fill class).



    For the second: Bonus feats you get for free (they're marked with a b, and are quite rare). Others you need to actually take.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    Do intelligent items need to go the same way as artifacts?
    Yeah. The AI wasn't great anyway.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    WIP sheet https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2600808 still have to fill out his 4 paladin skills and so up a back story.

    Did I read the times thing correctly? We can have used all the times to bump stats?
    Yes, although using that route leaves those associated slotless item slots filled, and you may want something more useful than +5 to your least useful stat in some instances.

    Hmm. I should keep a list....
    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    Within the context in the game when it was still a video game, how strict was the alignment system when it came to casting aligned spells? (A Good character casting an [evil] spell, for instance.)
    It enforced the listed class restrictions - so a good-aligned Cleric, Druid, or Omdura couldn't cast Evil spells themselves, but a good-aligned Sorcerer, Wizard, or Oracle could. Doing so sometimes caused minor glitches with the NPC dialog, though (some portions were based on general alignment, some on recent activity flags, and the devs weren't all that consistent about which they used where).

    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    Good to know, thanks.

    Also, was using wishes to increase ability scores allowed in the game mechanics, or were tomes (and their permanent reduction to inventory size) the only way?
    Those worked just fine, yes. Same as permanent spells. Or scrolls, for that matter. The Tome/Manual thing was just a weird bug.
    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    I think keeping the game within the game in mind and looking at his stats I’ll probably forego the tomes route anyway. Already seems like his stats are a bit silly. He should be fine holding his own.
    The Biggest Bad in the first book is CR 8. You won't need much, if any, optimization to beat it into the ground solo. And you're not actually supposed to encounter that one officially (although the notes do say it can pop up to scare the 1-3rd level party whenever you think it's appropriate). The Big Bad of the book (which is what you're supposed to encounter to end things) is CR 7, with just 85 HP. I fully expect to be describing an immediate, gory splatter of the enemies every time you step into combat.

    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    I'm kinda tempted to say my character was someone who liked finding and exploiting bugs lol. Also a couple more questions I thought of, apologies:

    - If we use a monster on our 'racial' side, do (or can) we count as any particular race for the purpose of prerequisites?
    No, but there is a RAW way to do it for many (not all) builds. Costs two feats, though.
    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    - Are traits or background skills in use?
    Oh. Right. Sure. Two traits, but no background skills. What would you do with all that NPC stuff anyway?
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaouse View Post
    That's fair. I actually found a pretty cool monster and would like to combine him with my already made level 20 build.

    My Monster's stats are: Str 26, Dex 27, Con 28, Int 25, Wis 21, Cha 24

    Does that mean that my racial bonuses are: Str (+16), Dex (+16), Con (+18), Int (+14), Wis (+10), Cha (+14)
    These are the ones if those are the monster base stats, yes.
    Quote Originally Posted by Llyarden View Post
    That brings up another question - how long did the game exist for in real-world time? (And for that matter did in-game days/years/whatever go by faster than real-world ones?)
    Language barriers and differences in local laws on permitted content resulted in a staged roll-out of the game with geolocks (usually at a national level, sometimes more granular than that) as they set up appropriate interface filters; additionally, there were several iterations of the hardware. The game was "released" several dozen times, and nobody seems to quite be able to get a lock on when or where the first version was - and for reasons nobody can fathom, the company refuses to say (individual employees do, off the record, but their accounts don't agree with each other).
    Quote Originally Posted by redfeline View Post
    I just noticed the starting wealth only allows 9 normal ammo. Is it alright if we raise that to 99 or some similar number?
    The inventory item that you can have nine of is "Arrows, common (20)" or "Arrows/bolts, barbed (20)" or "Arrows, blunt (20)" and so on, with mods - "Masterwork", "Cold Iron", "Adamantine", et cetera. When you used the inventory item it ended up in your ammo slot, which would then let you use the listed number of them. Which means you can have 180 of each flavor in your inventory.
    Quote Originally Posted by redfeline View Post
    edit: just to make sure I understand. Does advancing racial spell casting only raise caster level or would a dragon raise their sorcerer spell slots and spells known to 20th level?
    Yep. The CR 19 Great Wyrm Brass Dragon (Sorcerer-19 casting), advanced by the racial fill, would end up with the caster level, spells known, and spell slots of a 20th level Sorcerer (minus the bloodline).
    Quote Originally Posted by redfeline View Post
    edit 2: As the event reward, if I take the class feature option, can I pick cleric domains? If I do do I get 2 domains and all the abilities in them or do I get just like the Luck domain or do I need to specifically take a single ability in the luck domain such as "good fortune"?
    You get the "domains" class feature. A bonus spell slot (domain spells only) of each level you can cast, the option of filling those slots from either domain, the domain powers, and so on.

    Quote Originally Posted by Shaggy View Post
    Edit: if the race has spell casting, do we lose that?
    You keep the casting, but it's capped at the critter's CR (along with all caster levels and hit dice). So that CR 2 Faerie Dragon doesn't get Sorcerer-3 casting, it only gets Sorcerer-2 casting (unless you add a CR +1 template before adding racial fill). Racial fill pushes it back up (so that CR 2 Faerie Dragon drops down to Sorcerer-2 casting, but 18 levels of Racial Fill on top of that pushes it all the way up to Sorcerer-20 casting).

    Quote Originally Posted by Shaggy View Post
    Edit: So it seems I can take this but the Event reward would be the Final Revelation of the Enlightened Philo Oracle.
    Taking 20 on a knowledge roll is nice, Cha to saves is good and immunity to conditions is good.
    You'd get the Revelations class feature (which includes picking a mystery, but you only get the revelations when doing so), which includes the final revelation (similiar to Discoveries and Grand Discoveries of the alchemist, asked earlier).
    Quote Originally Posted by Armonia13 View Post
    Would it cost one of the one-use items to be a different alignment than what's typical for a race? Or can we be whatever alignment we choose, regardless of race. Asuras are typically LE, but I'd like Azula to be TN.
    Per Pathfinder RAW, "Always" alignment entries don't mean "Always" - it means almost all. PC's are special! You can be any alignment you like.

    Note, however, that alignment subtypes have their own rules. An Asura with the Lawful and Evil subtypes is still treated as Lawful and Evil by a Holy Anarchic weapon.
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaouse View Post
    My plan is to play an Irii (CR 19) with the Advanced Template (CR+1) on my monster side. I will be gestalting it with a Level 20 Barbarian build. My Event Reward will be the Martial Artist Monk's "Extreme Endurance" ability. Is that acceptable?
    This one? Sure.
    Spoiler: Collecting sheets
    Show

    Momonga, Grim Reaper Necromancer (QuantumFlash)
    Samael (Lioslaith)
    Azula Beta13 (Armonia13)
    Knosara (Da'Shain)
    Literion (real name Hank Sander) (human form) ("real" form) (Llyarden)
    Aethra (Dakrsidder)
    Tserriednich Drake (Kaouse)
    Name Pending (Redfeline)
    Wilhelmina (Player: Roger Morgenstern) (Thokk_Smash)
    Timothy "Timmy" Kitmoss (Thokk_Smash)
    Jaagan Fuji(Droobles)
    Boa (Shaggy)
    Evras (Thunder999)
    Quiet the Whisperer Witch (Wabbit)

    Re-recruitment:
    Player Character Race Class(es) Complete?
    greenpotato Aenea Eurypontidai (Gilbert) Young Elysian Titan young +1/Elysian Titan 19 // Oracle 20 Yes
    Armonia13 Azula Beta13 Upasunda Asura Upasunda Asura 9/Mutant 1/Advanced 1/Simple Fighter 2/Simple Ranger 2/Simple Rogue 2/Simple Paladin 3//Drunken Master of Many Styles Quiggong Monk 20 Yes!
    Frendle Lonnie Eida Unfettered Eidolon (Outsider, Extraplanar) Fighter 20 //Unfettered Eidolon 8/advance 12 Complete
    samduke Lilliana Hesporath Valkyrie Valkyrie 12 / fill 7 / Advanced Cr+1 // paladin 2/ fighter 14/ Unchained Rogue 4 Yes
    niw18 Lucifero & his fiendish servant Vreesar Eremite kyton Eremite kyton 20 //Tyrant (antipaladain) 20 100% complete
    Momentai Lady Shiva Asura, Asurendra (Young, Advanced) Young Advanced Asura, Asurendra 20 // Cleric 20 n/a
    Da'Shain Unagidon Veiled Master (Nightmare Lord) Mesmerist20 // Veiled Master CR 14 (Young/Nightmare Lord)/ Racial Fill 6 Complete
    Alphonse "Alph" Kirschenbaum-Homura (Aleph Null) Ashiva, Whose Wings Shelter Stars Giant Advanced Fey Phoenix Giant Advanced Fey Phoenix 20 // Druid 20 Yep!
    Cassus Harper24601 Young Repeatedly-Drained Euryale Young Repeatedly-Drained Euryale 20 // Arcanist 20 Yes
    5ColouredWalker 5ColouredWalker Basic: Augmented Robot Construct Detailed: Tromp L'eoli Commando Construct Robot Gladiator Barbarian 5/Pit Fighter 10/X 5//Construct 20 Complete
    Yas392 Slicky Young Advanced Red Jester CR 10/Filling 10|Bard 20 Yes
    TheAlmightyKue Pythia 'Pi' Delphi Young Advanced Euryale (Cyclopean Seer)Oracle 20//CR 20 n/a
    John Mason (Taelas) Feng Xiuhuo (凤庥火), the Son of Heaven Shadow Lord Fey Phoenix Phoenix Sorcerer 20//Phoenix 15/Shadow Creature 1/Shadow Lord 2/Fey Creature 2 Done
    Mike/Mikkel (Starmage21) Terrach, The Razor Spined Crystal Dragon, Great Wyrm Lich cr 20 // Arcanist 20 n/a
    Kaouse Tserriednich Drake, the Ioun Irii Advanced Irii Advanced (CR+1) Irii (CR 19)// Barbarian (Superstitious / Savage Technologist) 20 n/a
    HereBeMonsters (G14Classified) Mii Pit-Fiend (Young, Advanced, Repeatedly Drained, Foo/Imperial Foo) CR 20/Seducer Witch 20 Yes
    AvatarVecna Amorph Advanced Cave Blight CR 20 // Vigilante 20 Yes
    MalkavTheMaven Azrael Empyrean, Angel; (Templated) CR 20 // Gunslinger (Pistolero) 20 Yes





    Spoiler: Some good advice
    Show
    Quote Originally Posted by Strawberries View Post
    I found in a word document my old post on why play by post tend to die and how best to prevent it. I'll repost it, even if most of it it's in the guide, since sometimes it's useful for me to link people specifically to this bit:

    Strawberries' analysis on why pbps die (and how to prevent it)
    Spoiler
    Show

    Here's a list of the most common problem play by posts have, and some advice to how address them.

    ----Problem: Games tend to die because players drop out
    This is one of the most common problems, in my experience. A player stops posting for whatever reason, other people keep waiting for him/her, game dies.


    Possible solution: As a player, warn others if you are going to drop out. Noone will judge someone who says “Guys, I’ve got too much on my plate, I have to quit”. This gives the DM and the other players an heads-up, as they know they shouldn’t wait for you.
    As a GM, as addressed in other parts of the guide, it’s probably helpful to establish a “maximum inactivity time”, at least during combat, which is the maximum time a player is allowed to go without posting before the dm takes control of their character or the action skips to another player. Ideally, this time should be shorter during combat, longer outside combat (as then the other players have more chances to step in).
    Also, as a GM, remember that you have the option to start recruiting again to fill the empty spots.


    ----Problem: Game stall because people wait for other to post.
    This may in itself have various causes:

    a) people don’t post because they don’t know what to do.
    I’ve seen this happen quite a lot (and happened to myself, too). As a player, you think “Uhm, I’ve really no idea how to act in this situation, I’ll think about it for another while/ wait for someone else to take the lead”. Then people forgot, and the game dies.
    The solution: post OOC. Say that you’re stuck. For instance, say “Hey, guys, Sir McINT should know the answer to this riddle, but I’m stumped. Anyone has any ideas?” Brainstorm plans, courses of action, whatever you like. Chances are, the barbarian’s player knew the answer, and was waiting for you because he felt that it would be out of character for Mr Smashalot to say it.

    Which brings me to

    b) people don’t post because they think their character wouldn’ t say/do anything
    Which is fine, really. If it’s out of character for someone to act or speak, they shouldn’t. Except the other players have no way of knowing why you aren’t posting. So they’ll still wait for you, leading to the game stalling and dying.
    The solution: that’s easy, but rarely applied. If your character does nothing, post saying you are doing nothing. I. e. “Julia Introverted waits by the window, uncomfortable in the presence of the large group of people and not sure of what to say to break the ice”. This way, your character still doesn’t move or speak, but people know you (the player) have read and reacted to their posts.
    Moreover, both as a player and a GM, poke people. A lot. Either by posting in the OOC thread or by PM. PMS work wonders in cases like these.

    ----PBPs are slow, therefore people lose interest.

    That’s not an astonishing piece of information. PBPs are slow because you have to wait for people from all around the world to post. There are timezone issues, as well as real life issue. Combat is going to take days.
    The solution. That’s not an easy one, as pbps are by nature much, much slower than real life games, but there are some things both GM and players can do.
    As a GM, beside the aforementioned time limit, you can, for instance, do some rolls yourself. For instance, rolling initiative for the players (as opposed to post “roll initiative” and wait for everyone) can save days, and free the first player to focus on the active part of combat. Same goes with spots/lsten checks. Please note than you should tell in advance to the players f you are using this system, and be sure everyone agrees.
    As a player, if you aren’t sure if/what to roll, roll all the same, and ask the DM to disregard if not relevant. This saves time as you don’t have back/forths like “Can I make a knowledge check?” “Sure” “Well, then [roll=knowledge]” “You have these info:…” This may seem a trivial exchange, but in a pbp can easily mean a day of real-time. Compare with “Can I make a knowledge check? [roll=knowledge]” ”Yes you can. You have these info:… / No, you can’t, it doesn’t apply”. Half the time, same result.

    General advice

    My general advice, not linked to any of the problems in particular, is to talk OOC whenever possible. Share opinions, talk about unrelated subject, whatever. Because it’s a good way to get to know your players and/or your gamemaster, and it’s always funnier to game with people you know and like than with total strangers. Moreover, there is a thing I consider of great importance: this is a forum. People can’t see your face, and can’t tell if you are enjoying yourself or you’d prefer to do something else (more combat/roleplaying/intrigue/humor. They don’t know if you’re arguing IC because your character is going to be fiercely opposed to a course of action, but you think it’s a great idea, or if it’s you as a player that think the idea is stupid. The only way you have to let them know if to post OOC. Feedback (both from players to the GM and vice-versa and between players) is a fundamental aid in having successful pbps.

    Spoiler: Tracking Certain things the books don't say
    Show

    Spoiler: Mayor Kendra Deverin
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    Human Female, blonde, reasonably attractive, late 20's. Her shoes and hairpin have faint magical auras.
    Last edited by Jack_Simth; 2022-09-10 at 04:22 PM.
    Of course, by the time I finish this post, it will already be obsolete. C'est la vie.

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    AssassinGuy

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Looking around rather bewildered at everything that was happening Lio holds up his hands in front of his face. Then goes about feeling the various parts of his body, the wings, the muscles, everything felt tactile and just plain weird. On a hunch he flexed his wings and they responded quickly. He remembered his character was large in his natural state and he thought about reducing his size and shape to that of an elf. Something he commonly adventured in that game as.

    Once changed he looked around the grave yard at the others then walked to the overlook and stood staring at the river. Trying to wrap his head around what was happening.
    I like the globe warm...

    If you live for people's acceptance you will die from their rejection.

    Remember, no matter how hot she is, someone, somewhere is tired of her crap.

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    The sudden change of events intrigues Aethra which causes them to pinch their arm. Bits of cloudy essence come off but nothing too unpleasant although more simply takes its place. Next, Aethra manifested a thunderbolt and tossed it at a gravestone just to make sure such things still worked. Aethra moved onto items and uses a single charge from a hollow rod to maximize a thunderstorm blast against a different gravestone. The last test was magic, so they used control weather as an SLA to try making it early spring. Satisfied with the results they began looking at their surroundings before realizing that other people were standing nearby.
    Last edited by Dakrsidder; 2022-02-28 at 08:53 PM.

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Momonga raises a skeletal hand in front of his face and inspects it, murmuring to himself, “What is this sensation, I got teleported, but.. I feel.. is this some sort of surprise update?” He starts to make the gesture to summon the menu, but is startled by the sudden burst of a spell nearby and abruptly realizes he is not in the graveyard alone. PvP reflexes kick in and he assumes a spellcasting stance while surveying the scene and taking in the other players, readying a Time Stop for if something should try to attack him. At the same time though, the situation is just so strange, and if this is a trap, it’s an odd one. He calls out, in the grating voice of the undead he realizes, “Hey, what’s going on, do any of you know? Aren’t the servers supposed to have gone down already?”

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ettin in the Playground
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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    "Loud..." Literion complained, as the echoes of the thunderstorm blast died away. What had happened to the sound dampener that protected your hearing from overwhelmingly loud noises?

    ...for that matter, what had happened to a great many other things?

    He reached down, tentatively, touching the top of a gravestone with one finger - he'd been in his human form when the servers had gone down (or at least when they were supposed to have gone down) - and recoiled when he actually felt it. "What..?"

    The grating voice of an undead creature speaking to him caught his attention. He turned to face the speaker - and shivered as the fear aura washed over him. That was more than just a little popup in the status bar of a cartoony shocked face.

    He took a few steps away until he was out of the aura.

    "I...I don't know." He brought up the game interface, scrolling through it for a few moments. "Maybe because they were turning the servers off permanently they didn't bother with the usual process to boot everyone? And since we're still on here, maybe it won't shut down gracefully, but enough of the shutdown process worked that the main connection APIs have been turned off, which would explain why we can't disconnect either." To an external observer, that explanation might have even made sense. "But..." He looked back at the gravestone he'd touched.

    He raised his hands, paused, and looked over to the Reaper again. "Uh, please don't try to kill me or anything. I'm not going to attack you. But I think this is going to suck..." He scrolled through his interface again, queuing up a couple of spells - and then let out a quiet gasp of pain as the magic of the spell cut into his hand, the blood flowing out and twining through the air like smoke before it became a shimmer of magical energy that spread out and coalesced into a small table laden with food. "Yeah, that sucked," he grimaced - although the wound closed just a few seconds later, taking the pain with it. "At least that still works."

    He reached out and picked up one of the small chicken drumstick-like morsels that had been created by the spell, twisting it between his fingers for a few moments. Then he held it to his nose and sniffed at it, eyes widening slightly. All the scents he could smell really were from the game. He hesitated a moment before taking a bite of the roasted chicken.

    "How...how is this possible?"

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Since people almost certainly have the Spellcraft etc to identify what he's doing - Blood Money'd Limited Wish to duplicate Bountiful Banquet .
    "Follow the moonwalking Nosepass!"
    "Can you put the lich in a box?"

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    AssassinGuy

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    As the other players started to speak and try to figure out what was happening Lio/Samael turned from his vantage point overlooking the river and walked back to the group. “‘I’m not really sure what is going on, it seems to me like this whole thing should be over by now. It’s past time for the game servers to be shut down.”

    Stepping in close enough to speak to the others he can feel when he passes the threshold of the fear aura but it’s merely that. A thought in the back of his mind speaks quietly, Samael is immune to fear, and his own aura suppresses the effect for those within 30’ of him.
    I like the globe warm...

    If you live for people's acceptance you will die from their rejection.

    Remember, no matter how hot she is, someone, somewhere is tired of her crap.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Orc in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Momonga nods his head gravely, the red flames burning in his eye sockets dimming momentarily to give the impression of blinking. “Maybe not all the servers are shut down yet but this is far more realistic than any DMMO I’ve ever played before. Well, I won’t attack anyone here who doesn’t attack me first so how about we all agree to peace so we can figure this out?” His own first order of business, having noticed Literion’s reaction, is to attempt to figure out if he can suppress his fear aura.

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    Imp

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    "One last look," he says. "One last look, before it all shuts down."

    Minutes before the closing of the servers, Tserriednich Drake transforms into an incorporeal undead and takes flight. Unbound by gravity. Unrestrained by collision. Unseen by many.

    These were abilities he gained in his long line of hacking and playtesting for the game. Over his tenure, he had discovered many an exploit, and reported them to the game developers. One of them --codename: Haagenti-- was his best friend, and at his request, allowed him to keep some exploits in the game.

    At any rate, with these abilities in tow, Drake wills himself forward through each playable area the game world has to offer. At each juncture he reminisces about the fun times he's had.

    At the end of the levels, he sits and waits for the end of the world. "This is how it should be," he thinks. "With me, as another ghost in the shell." As the timer on the servers count down to zero, he closes his eyes, and waits to be ejected from the game's virtual reality.

    But when he opens his eyes, it is not his home that he sees. Instead, he finds himself in a graveyard near a giant cathedral. For a second he wonders if he died, before looking to the horizon and noticing - he's been here before. Indeed, he had flown through here just moments before. This was still the game world, and judging by locale, one of the earliest points.

    Still, he didn't remember there being a massive cathedral in this particular area...might as well check it out.

    Spoiler: Notes
    Show
    Diverse Obedience to Haagenti allows for a souped up Shapechange that can also assume forms covered by Undead Anatomy IV (among other things), which allows for incorporeal undead. Thanks to a Ring of Continuation, he generally keeps Shapechange going 24/7.

    Stealth = (1d20+40)[55]
    Last edited by Kaouse; 2022-03-01 at 10:36 AM.

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Aethra turns towards the voices and says, "Sorry about the noise. I was experimenting to determine the nature of the situation I'm in and now I can say with nigh certainty this is no longer a VR game." They then open the interface fully expecting the exit option to be dysfunctional.

    After taking another look around, Aethra realizes there's noise coming from a source away from the group. They say, "Based on the confusion I assume we're all facing the same predicament. For the time being I think there are others here, so I'll take a look around." They then dissipate into the wind flying towards the ongoing party.

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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    The third thing James does (the first two being briefly panic that he's turned into a fictional character and cheer at the fact he's turned into his super awesome wizard in his favourite game, because who hasn't had that daydream) is start casting spells, hands moving with a muscle memory he never had even as he perfectly recites words he's never spoken before. Actually feeling blood money is certainly a downside to this strange merge.
    He's still marveling at it when he hears the rumble of thunder, though when he looks to the sky he sees no sign of a storm, he does however notice that he's been floating the entire time.
    He flies in the direction the sound came from.

    Spoiler: Spells/OOC
    Show
    I forgot to ask how you want to handle familiars, so I'll just be leaving Frilzrys in his satchel for now.
    Extended Greater Shapechanger's Gift, set to human though he's currently remaining in his own form, he expects it to be necessary if he investigates the nearby party, but is unwilling to risk it until he knows more.
    Extended Mindblank (CL 22, 48 hour duration)
    Bloodstone Mirror (CL 22, 22 hour duration)
    Lesser restoration, either once or twice depending on the roll
    (1d4)[3]
    Heightened awareness. (CL 22, 7 hours 20 minutes duration)

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    MindFlayer

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    After the countdown ended, instead of the black screen or "server down" message he expected to be seeing, what greeted Knosara was instead an explosion of sensation, one that sent a spike of agony drilling into his brain for a nanosecond that seemed like an eternity before suddenly resolving itself into a world bursting with information to his suddenly expanded senses. Where before his interface had been cluttered with words and symbols, now it instead seemed there were simply new vivid colors, subsonic hums, identifying scents, and a whole host of unnameable signifiers his mind could suddenly keep track of without the game's crutches. Absently he reached out to pat Jommi's neck where the massive fey ram stood next to him, and marveled as instead of his hand simply adhering to his mount's skin, he felt Jommi's coarse fur under his fingertips, heard the soft grunt as the suddenly self-aware beast leaned lightly into the touch. Unbidden, unfamiliar laughter sprang from him, high and cold, mastered almost as soon as he noticed it happening.

    Turning to take in his environment, Knosara (and isn't my name Georg? he wondered, bemused at the sudden shift in mindset but seemingly incapable of alarm) noted that he was in a human graveyard, surrounded by creatures who had the hodgepodge look of other high level players bearing mismatched magic items along with varied and sundry racial features, likely gained through exploits or quest rewards. The spell effects in place on each of them were many and alluring, and he took a moment to simply bask in his newfound recognition of the flows and forms of magic. He could see the components come together in the Anemos' aura as it shaped its innate magic and was thus unsurprised when a simple thunderbolt was tossed.

    "How interesting," he breathed, a knife-like smile splitting his features. "Is this some sort of stealth update? It feels ... amazing.". Knosara continued to pat the fey creatures next to him, both his ram and the large black hound slavering at his side. Seemingly in no particular hurry, he vaulted on top of the snorting ram, and all three began ambling slowly in the direction of the party sounds. "Any of you recognize this starting area? But it seems so much more, now." he tosses back over his shoulder at the assorted players.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    He auto succeeds on a free action Ride check to mount.

    He's currently reveling because he possesses greensight, Blindsense, See in Darkness, greater arcane sight, and True seeing, so there's very little if anything he's not sensing right now.

  12. - Top - End - #12
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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Spoiler: Knosara
    Show
    You have an implication in your post that's problematic within PF rules. Roll kn(arcana) for details.

    Edit: Actually, you'd make it on a 1.

    You actually don't get as much info as you might expect. In Pathfinder, Mind Blank explicitly stops see invisibility. By extension, divination counters work on things that add extra options to sight - Arcane Sight, Aura Sight, Greensight, whatever - and some of the folks here actually have those. Anyone warded by such can't be seen if that's the only way you'd be able to see them (unless it's a non-divination version, such as that natural greensight and see in darkness of yours). But a Wizard with Invisibility, No Scent, and Mind Blank up? They could be standing right in front of you, and if their Stealth (with the invisibility bonus) beat your perception, you wouldn't know they were there. Only a couple of folks have that on their sheets, though, so you can tell who they are easily enough by them NOT having obvious magical auras fit to light up the countryside.

    Spoiler: On bonded companions
    Show
    You have them. You get to RP them. They remember the events of the game as though they were real events. However, if pressed to examine their memories, they will notice inconsistencies, such as doing the exact same quest several times. This may lead to problems, at your discretion. Try to keep their capabilitiesin mind when rping them.
    Last edited by Jack_Simth; 2022-03-02 at 07:56 PM.
    Of course, by the time I finish this post, it will already be obsolete. C'est la vie.

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Quote Originally Posted by Dakrsidder View Post
    They then open the interface fully expecting the exit option to be dysfunctional.
    The menu does indeed open, and the exit option is even present - it's just grayed out. The other options seem to work as normal - you can change the skin on the interface, view your inventory, bring up your character sheet, set the trigger gestures and command words for your spells, and so on just like you always could. The background music options are also still there. Turning them on gives you a quiet tune that follows you around. It quickly becomes apparent from others' reactions that they can hear your background music when they're nearby, and that's new.
    Last edited by Jack_Simth; 2022-03-02 at 08:02 PM.
    Of course, by the time I finish this post, it will already be obsolete. C'est la vie.

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Momonga succeeds in turning off the fear aura, marveling at how it seems much more intuitive than he expected as if he now knows all his abilities perfectly, since it seems too much to leave it on and potentially make the other players think he's hostile. In addition, he makes use of one of his racial spell-like abilities to Polymorph into a smaller and less conspicuous form: he shrinks from a 15ft tall skeletal horror to a medium sized humanoid, still shrouded in his dark robe which casts his face into shadow. His hands too are concealed behind false flesh. The overall impression is probably still kinda creepy but more in the manner of some less than savory spellcaster rather than an incarnation of death. He knew that such a disguise wouldn't fool any decently prepared max level character, but it might be enough to not make anyone else in this odd new scenario treat him as a monster by default.

    He spares a glance at the others assembled there as they also take in this situation and gives his head a slight shake as the one who had cast that lightning immediately starts to fly away and addresses the others "Well, I suppose there isn't too much reason to sit around now that we have someone running off already. May as well make sure that one doesn't get into too much trouble." He starts to follow Aethra towards the noises, though on foot.

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Holding off on actually switching the "camera" to the festivities until after the deadline
    Of course, by the time I finish this post, it will already be obsolete. C'est la vie.

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    MindFlayer

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Quote Originally Posted by Jack_Simth View Post
    Spoiler: Knosara
    Show
    You have an implication in your post that's problematic within PF rules. Roll kn(arcana) for details.

    Edit: Actually, you'd make it on a 1.

    You actually don't get as much info as you might expect. In Pathfinder, Mind Blank explicitly stops see invisibility. By extension, divination counters work on things that add extra options to sight - Arcane Sight, Aura Sight, Greensight, whatever - and some of the folks here actually have those. Anyone warded by such can't be seen if that's the only way you'd be able to see them (unless it's a non-divination version, such as that natural greensight and see in darkness of yours). But a Wizard with Invisibility, No Scent, and Mind Blank up? They could be standing right in front of you, and if their Stealth (with the invisibility bonus) beat your perception, you wouldn't know they were there. Only a couple of folks have that on their sheets, though, so you can tell who they are easily enough by them NOT having obvious magical auras fit to light up the countryside.
    Oh, I'm sure there are things Knosara can't see (although in previous games I've played, Arcane Sight was ruled to gain information about spell effects and not the creature and thus circumvented Mind Blank for that specific purpose; however, your game your rules). He also has Mistsight and Blindsense 60, btw. I was merely RPing the massive flood of information he would suddenly be feeling, where before it was likely just in the form of overlays and floating numbers/symbols on his VR UI. My statement "very little if anything he's not sensing" was not meant to imply there was nothing capable of escaping his senses, even from the various max level characters in front of him; sorry if it seemed that way.

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    PirateCaptain

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Boa had not expected much to happen at the clock ticked down. She had gone through her inventory, surprised at all the stuff she had collected. It had been a fun trip with this character but she was excited for the next great adventure and a new game to explore. But she had poured countless obsessive hours into this game. So for it to be gone it would hurt, she would grieve. Boa to her was part of her and losing that was going to be like losing a loved one. So as the seconds ticked past she remembered all her fondest memories.

    Then nothing, and it left her confused. Had the server shut down timer been off? How does that happen if it was? She pulled up her interface and the clock was still right, it was a minute past the deadline. So how was she still connected? She felt a little funny but she associated it with her real life self being so upset. But as she scrolled to the log out and found it grayed out she became more panicked. But there was something about it, some cool dark weight that lingered on her that made her calm down. She had been at the height of going into panic when it quelled it. She looked through the interface and found everything the same. So how odd was it that she couldn't leave this game?

    After a few minutes she became aware of a gathering not far off and headed that way. She had been in her change shape form anyway, wanting to make it easier for her to walk through the towns as they thinned out. Monster form got people jumpy. As she neared she saw someone run off and she pipped up "Hey, so. Anyone else not able to do the thing?" she asked why did this form feel so vulnerable? "And whats with the party, was this some like really late april fools thing?"

    She would at first glance appear harmless, she was in her pre-monster form after all a small girl with black hair and big green eyes, no need for the goggles while not in her gazing state.

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    Imp

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    After collecting some reconnaissance on the group of others that had gathered around the area, Drake will reveal himself, bursting from the ground in the form of a whirlwind before coalescing his form into that of a more humanoid looking air elemental.

    "Greetings, friends. I gather that we are all of likewise condition - players trapped in their character avatars. None of us can leave, and it's only a matter of time before we die to starvation or random power surges. Still, isn't it awesome?" Drake says, grinning.

    Drake waltzes over to the window overlooking the closest city, turning his back on all present.

    "A whole new world to conqueror. A whole new world to break. This limited amount of time we have...I'm going to make the most of it. Feel free to join me, or to stop me, if you wish."

    If none speak up, Drake will transform once more into a whirlwind, fly high into the sky, and then fly inconspicuously towards the nearest city. Once there, he will shapechange into a humanoid creature native to the area and begin to gather intelligence, aiming primarily for understanding the current leaders as well as an estimate of the city's military and magical might. Once he knows who the city's leaders are, he will infiltrate the cabinet and cast Geas/Quest on the head honcho.
    Last edited by Kaouse; 2022-03-03 at 11:00 PM.

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaouse View Post
    After collecting some reconnaissance on the group of others that had gathered around the area, Drake will reveal himself, bursting from the ground in the form of a whirlwind before coalescing his form into that of a more humanoid looking air elemental.

    "Greetings, friends. I gather that we are all of likewise condition - players trapped in their character avatars. None of us can leave, and it's only a matter of time before we die to starvation or random power surges. Still, isn't it awesome?" Drake says, grinning.

    Drake waltzes over to the window overlooking the closest city, turning his back on all present.

    "A whole new world to conqueror. A whole new world to break. This limited amount of time we have...I'm going to make the most of it. Feel free to join me, or to stop me, if you wish."

    If none speak up, Drake will transform once more into a whirlwind, fly high into the sky, and then fly inconspicuously towards the nearest city. Once there, he will shapechange into a humanoid creature native to the area and begin to gather intelligence, aiming primarily for understanding the current leaders as well as an estimate of the city's military and magical might. Once he knows who the city's leaders are, he will infiltrate the cabinet and cast Geas/Quest on the head honcho.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dakrsidder View Post
    I had a bad feeling something like that might happen considering how easy it'd be for someone to do so I just hope it doesn't end up doing damage
    Well, Krause isn't going to find out by experience - the fantasy of being a dictator misses the actual impact - but dictators are actually very miserable folk (few admit to it, however - their pride gets in the way). Sure, they've got a lot of pleasures in their lives, but humans have a need to feel appreciated, and basically nobody appreciates a dictator. In making the most of things by taking the path of a conqueror, Drake would actually be crafting his own personal abyss (and unfortunately dragging a very large number of people along for the ride).

    Unfortunately, as the DM, I'm not a player, and so don't have a character in play that can laugh in his face at the moment. Oh well.

    Still, conquering the world takes quite some time, and Sandpoint is a small town, rather than a city, so I guess that Kraouse there is leaving the field of play. So long!

    Of course, by the time I finish this post, it will already be obsolete. C'est la vie.

  20. - Top - End - #20
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    AssassinGuy

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Spoiler: ooc
    Show
    Is Sandpoint the first town in the module? Or did he head off towards some other town?
    I like the globe warm...

    If you live for people's acceptance you will die from their rejection.

    Remember, no matter how hot she is, someone, somewhere is tired of her crap.

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Jack_Simth's Avatar

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Spoiler: ooc
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lioslaith View Post
    Is Sandpoint the first town in the module? Or did he head off towards some other town?
    Sandpoint is the listed starting town, who's graveyard you're in, right next to the brand-new Cathedral, the dedication of which is today (with the specific ceremony being this evening). But it's a "small town" per page 59 of the first book in the adventure path. Kaouse specified he's heading towards the nearest "city" which Sandpoint is not. Thus, Kaouse quite clearly specified that he's leaving the field of play.

    Online map of Sandpoint

    Everyone feel free to pretend Drake never existed.
    Last edited by Jack_Simth; 2022-03-04 at 08:21 AM.
    Of course, by the time I finish this post, it will already be obsolete. C'est la vie.

  22. - Top - End - #22
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    AssassinGuy

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Lio pulls up a little used sub menu (in fact possibly never used) and gives his summon steed button a poke. If he was going to attempt to blend in with the normal people in the game he might as well give this a shot.
    I like the globe warm...

    If you live for people's acceptance you will die from their rejection.

    Remember, no matter how hot she is, someone, somewhere is tired of her crap.

  23. - Top - End - #23
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Planetar

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Momonga stops and blinks at the abrupt departure then looks back at the other players. “Right, well, that seems maybe ill advised. Since we have no idea what we’re up against and how dangerous things could be here how about we all be careful, subtle, and stick together?”

  24. - Top - End - #24
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    AssassinGuy

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    As the warhorse manifests itself Lio moves to it and pets its head, "Welcome back girl, it has been a long time." He then turns to Momonga and nods, "I agree, if we indeed have somehow inhabited our characters bodies then the people here are also real and no longer NPC's and we need to treat them with respect."
    I like the globe warm...

    If you live for people's acceptance you will die from their rejection.

    Remember, no matter how hot she is, someone, somewhere is tired of her crap.

  25. - Top - End - #25
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    RedWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    James speaks up as he gets close "I can't exit either, no idea what's happened, but we can't leave and I don't think any form of software glitch in shutdown could manage this, I know for a fact my VR rig doesn't have the hardware to simulate half of what I'm experiencing, especially not this." With the final word he sends out the feeling of just how real it all is, from the feeling of magic as he cast the spell to the wind on his skin using his Envisaging.
    "I'd say this is the Sandpoint graveyard, I remember exploring this little town for hours when the game was new, I'd never really done VR before so it was the coolest thing ever. My first Pathfinder game IRL started here too which definitely added to it, couldn't have picked a better place to get turned into a fictional character." He turns to Momonga before continuing "I'd say that's an excellent idea, besides the game was always most fun with a party. You guys can call me Evras."

    When Lio brings up NPCs he'll let his familiar Frilzrys, an extra small (i.e. magically reduced to diminuitive) Faerie dragon.

    Spoiler: Short telepathic conversation with familiar
    Show
    Spoilered since noone else would here it and to spare the uninterested me basicallly talking to myself
    Evras:"Don't suppose you know what's going on here?"
    Frilzrys:"No more than you, you'd just put that Uvny the White beyond even the god's intervention with your Sphere and then suddenly we're here and I'm back in the Satchel."

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Is anyone playing a character others should recognise?
    Last edited by Thunder999; 2022-03-04 at 08:05 PM. Reason: Better colour?

  26. - Top - End - #26
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    PirateCaptain

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Boa ignores the person who ran off for now. "Ok right, guess since we are all in the same boat." She begins "We should probably introduce ourselves, maybe even Party up?" she was used to partying with her former guild but it was long disbanded now. "I'm Boa. Nice to meet you" she adds with a smile. She considers that about NPCs and thinks to herself that this is more like Log Horizon than Sword Art Online, oh help them if its sword art online who wants to die for perms in Pathfinder?
    Spoiler: OOC
    Show

    Boa might be known for her PVP career and as a Player Killer in the open world.
    Last edited by Shaggy; 2022-03-04 at 12:56 PM.

  27. - Top - End - #27
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    AssassinGuy

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    As he climbs onto his mount Lio addresses the others, "In game I never was much a guild/group person but that more due to my personal awkwardness and nothing to do with my playstyle. My characters name was and is Samael but depending on where we go that name could carry weight, good and bad. For now I'll just go by Lioslaith and Lio for all my new friends here. So... should we go see what all the rukus is about?" He nods in the direction of the supposed party or whatever it was.
    I like the globe warm...

    If you live for people's acceptance you will die from their rejection.

    Remember, no matter how hot she is, someone, somewhere is tired of her crap.

  28. - Top - End - #28
    Ettin in the Playground
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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    "Literion." He nodded to Lio. "Or...I guess if we really are stuck here, there's not much point me using my game name. Not like I have to worry about being doxxed now. My real name is Hank. Nice to meet you all, I guess."

    As Momonga spoke about the importance of being careful, he nodded and tapped an ornate ring he was wearing on his finger, bringing up an interface and scrolling through it until his elegant robes were suddenly replaced with more normal-looking attire.

    "I remember Sandpoint, too. At one point the Harrow tutor was based here, before they centralised all the tutor stuff in the big cities." He gave a small chuckle, pulling a Harrow deck out of his item box and turning it over idly. "I used to know what all these meant by heart..."

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Literion might be known to some of the players, but more because his player was kind of an unofficial historian of the game (both in terms of in-game story and player-driven events), and this is his main character. The character itself hasn't done anything too extraordinary.
    "Follow the moonwalking Nosepass!"
    "Can you put the lich in a box?"

  29. - Top - End - #29
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Although it's nitpicking and not really important, I just got to say that solely based on our char's predicament, there's no conclusive evidence for the NPCs to be real

    I also probably should've made it clear earlier but I'm in wind form to take a look at the party without being detected

    As for my character being known, they've done their share of pvp and creative content in short bursts and dabbled in theorycraft enough that someone might recognize them from it alone

  30. - Top - End - #30
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Planetar

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    Default Re: Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

    "Well, it sure looks like it could be Sandpoint, but I don't remember the temple. I agree we should check out whatever those voices are but maybe we should take a full inventory of our resources and abilities first, and maybe decide on a team structure. Who's to say that, strong as we are, we aren't essentially first level for this new world? Being more organized would help us with any threats that might surpass even us." Momonga moves back into the midst of the group, and throws open his arms in a sweeping gesture. "I am Momonga, and I am a necromancer sorcerer. I summon and control undead as well as use death magic besides more standard offensive magic."

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Some may know Momonga as part of a well known PvP, sometimes PK, guild either if they saw him before he disguised himself or use True Seeing, which he currently isn't blocking. If they knew the guild better, they'd know he particularly was more of an rp-er than a really hardcore player so his build might not be truly top tier.

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