DM themed play-by-post D&D game : OOC thread

[beowuuf]

Westian can always yell at Hayuus or Falkor to stay put

[Ameena]

Aww, no-one answered Ameena's question IC about wtf it was that was coming toward them. I think I have to wait for the mummy to have its go before I go again, since I don't think it's been yet. Do we re-roll Initiative every round in this like in 4th edition? Oh, and what actions do we get? I think in 4th you get one move action, one standard action (attacking, using a Power, etc), and one minor action (swapping weapons, using a healing surge, etc...ohh I'm guessing we don't get Healing Surges in this version 'cause they've not been mentioned at all so far...they seem a bit weird anyway, how can someone with no magic suddenly heal themselves like that, hrmmmm). Oh, and unlimited free actions (speaking, etc). But what do we get in this version?

[beowuuf]

You shouldn't need to reroll initiative in fourth edition. In 3rd and 4th edition you keep the initiative roll you had at the start of an encounter right until the end, even if new creatures come int othe mix. The only way to change you initiative is to delay or ready an action.

And awwww, everyone is busy setting fire to things to answer Ameena. Maybe next round!

Yeah, you had to wait for the mummy to move. I'll post an update with a changed map to signal the start of a new round. So round 1 is resolved, round 2 will start when the map goes up.

3rd edition is almost like 4th, 4th simplified it a little but it's basically the same. You get a standard action, move action and you can take one 'swift' action (which is a minor action in 4th ed). You can drop a move action to change a standard action itn oa fullround action. You can drop a standard action to take a second move action.

And yeah, 4th editions biggest change was to make classes useful all throughout their life, and take the burden of healing off the cleric. In 3rd edition, you have way less hit points (one hit and you and Falkor are dead) and the only way to heal will be to rely on the potions and spells of Westian, and anything you find. Luckily, this DM conversion of D&D gives Westian more ability to cast potions and healing than normal D&D, so it shouldn't be too bad. Also, everyone is used to potions and healing wands being so abundant you can trip over the damn things!

It's best to think of hit points not as how much wounds you have taken, but your basic stamina. While you have high hit points, you are still fresh in the fight and can move in subtle ways to ensure you actuially don't get hit too badly. But of course that tires you out. So for 4th edition, you think of healing surges as your 'second wind'. Ie,if you get beaten up, you take a moment, pull yourself together, do the heroic thing of of having a stiff upper lip and leaping back into the battle envigorated. Similarly, clerical abilities and magic usually aren't healing your wounds alot of the time, they are either inspiring you to ignore fatigue, or energising you with extra energy.

So yeah, it's bets to keep that in mind for your 4th ed games, and actually in this game too. Especially as the stamina potion won't make sense if yu don't think of it as I have just described it.

Right, map time!

[Ameena]

Yeah, everyone seems to love fire, don't they, lol. What sadistic sod thought that putting a murafu in with such a bunch of firestarters would be a good idea .
Oh, and I see you've edited the sarcophagi on the map, presumably to show which are broken - I'm guessing those with a line through them and an arrow drawn on are the broken ones, so does the directon of the arrow have any significance? I notice it's pointing different ways on different sarcophagi.

[beowuuf]

Oops, forgot to say, yeah, that was my WIP for the damage, and I thought better to release the map and tidy it later after the next round.

Anything with a black strike through is damaged. Yellow arrow indicated whether the parts of the sarcophigus are inside (like it caved in) or outside (like it was smashed apart outwards). Anything without a black line/yellow arrows are merely open with the front pushed sideways. I will add that (just incase someone tries to peer inside) next update too.

Anyway, next update tomorrow evening if everyone can post! Ameena, cowering in terror at what the mummy might do to you is a free action, so you still ahve a move, standard and minor to go

[ian_scho]

How about Plan B from out of space?

Haynuus whips out his 50' rope. Ameena and / or Falkor grabs the other end and runs around the mommy wrapping it up a couple of times in rope. We then drag the thing between us ontop of the funeral pyre we just made and watch it cook like one of the DM's favorite battered mars bars... Mah, it'll never work

[beowuuf]

I say go for it! (Ameena as a furry on fire yo-yo would be funny)

What's plan C again?

[Ameena]

I'm not sure running around it with a speed of four will do much . Well, actually, if Ameena's gonna run she'll be on all-fours since murafu can't move much faster than a quick walk when upright - they're a bit too front-heavy. but umm...no no, you keep chucking clubs and brandishing flaming bits of crap at it, and we'll just sit back and steal all the loo...errr, I mean, admire your brave undead-smiting skills .
Anyway, since the mummy isn't actually attacking yet (unless it's doing freaky invisible undead spellcasting in the shadows or something ) and I don't really want to go down there and provoke it, it seems like staying put is the best plan, at least for now. Ameena won't want to nose around the room while there's something nasty there - she's too busy paying attention to that. She's not sure she can hurt the thing if she attacks it - she's figured out it's gotta be undead but she's never actually encountered a mummy before, or any undead, since she's never been the type to go rooting through graveyards or tombs or whatever. She's been near a few, hence recognising the tomb smell, and she's probably heard plenty of horor stories about various types of undead (hence her ability to figure out as much as she has about this one), but that's about the extent of her knowledge of these matters.
Put her against something you might find wandering the wilds and she'll have more of a clue . Hehehe I wonder if she could gnaw a Screamer to bits . Well, she probably could, as long as the thing didn't actually scream - with her hearing she'd probably be deafened by it. Ooh, noisy mobs aren't going to be good for her...nor are really smelly ones, actually. She'd end up...well, no, she wouldn't end up retching everywhere because rats (and therefore murafu) can't vomit, but she'd be probably overwhelmed by it, at least .
Anyway, I'm veering off whatever track it was on (assuming I was actually on one). Hrmm...yes, well, basically I don't think there's much more I can do in combat for now...like I said, Ameena doesn't want to get close to the thing, she doesn't know exactly what it is or if she can even hurt it (should she decide to try, which she hasn't at the moment), and people are lighting fires all over the place so she's probably getting nervous about that.

[oh_brother]

Good idea about the rope. Although Westian does not know about it and is going to have a go at the mummy (because he thinks he's hard enough). But that should not affect any rope-based attacks, actually it will probably help by luring him closer to the flaming pyre.

[oh_brother]

Posted IC...I have just realised that maybe I won't be able to do that in one round. Westian wrapped the bandages last round, this round he lit them. If that is a full round action then let me know and I will change my IC post. If Westian still has a movement action he will move forward to D6 as the post says.

[beowuuf]

Hmm, well Westian did yell at Haynuus to also light the torch, and Haynuus only did at best a standard action in lighting the rags. I think it's fair to say Westian can have a lit club by the start of this round, so you won't need to delay Westian's actions in line with Haynuus's actions nor stop Haynuus from moving this go.

So yeah, Westian can move and Haynuus can do whatever he is going to do on Ian's turn!

Picking up a club is going to be a move action. So Westian can move up to 6 squares then pick up another club, but not much else. Where is Westian moving to?

Just to clarify since I mentioned a difference elsewhere, picking up a club from a square a character is on can be combined with a movement, just like unsheathing a weapon, but in general picking up a club takes a separate move action.

Ian, instead of giving me some contingencies for your turn, it will be easier (because of where you are in the turn order) to actually have you acting first in the next rounds. It's all the same, and would save you not being able to react properly to the mummy. It seems wrong to have the best fighter on the back foot due to play-by-post mechanics! As your previous post didn't include any actions, it's hopefully a smooth transition.

@Ameena: I'm sure if Ameena's companions need her, they can shout for actions. Certainly though, Ameena will notice the mummy being relatively slow when it moves in view, if that matters for exploration.

[beowuuf]

Anyway, once I have Falkor's actions this turn from money and Westian's position from OB, I can update.

[Ameena]

Yeah, if she ever gets a longer look at it, she'll notice that it appears to move slowly...but, you know, some snakes slither along very slowly until they're ready to strike...
Bear in mind Ameena doesn't really know anything about what they're fighting except that it's clearly undead. And now Westian's doing the whole "I shalt smite thee down, foul creature!" thing, which might bring back bad memories of how murafu are generally treated themselves by other races. But I won't post yet because I've already made one this round - I'll wait till the next GM update .

[oh_brother]

I had said he would move to D6, but I think I iwll change that to C4 and pick up the club there. No point being too brave!

[beowuuf]

Heh, kinda sucks for you and money that in a play by post game, a turn building up suspense turns into a day of thumb twiddling, when round the table it would only be a matter of minutes.

Oh well, let's see where OB puts Westian, no pressure, but it might be pretty important...


Oh, and I'll always be playing the monster's character, not playing the tactics of the situation against you lot. Hence, anything IC you do usually has an effect on the game, even if mechanically it wouldn't. And hence why the mummy thinks he can skulk in the shadows and intimidate you lot with yells and laughter when both the fighters can basically see him clear as day and take pot shots.

[oh_brother]

I think we posted at the same time, just in case you missed it. Going to C4. I thought I should move around with my new light source just to make things more fun for you!

[beowuuf]

Yeah, I totally missed it, sorry! Weird, I usually double check for double posts!

I think I have a better system for mapping light sources (delete the old ones and do it all from scratch). Though since you are a new source, and everyone else has stayed still, it might not be too bad...

And heh, wow, C4 you say? You know what they say about he who dares?

Edit: Nevermind, you haven't put yourself quite in harm's way, you aren't as close as I thought. I think the mummy will still alter the target of his actions to you and Falkor however...


Game on people! Let me adjust the map and update for the mummy, then it's Haynuus's move combined with the rest of you moving again.

[Ameena]

I wonder how a mummy can yell when, being undead, he/she/it probably has no vocal cords. Woo, spooky undead powers of speech :O.

[beowuuf]

Heh, in the DM story I think I had a powerful one sound like he spoke by contracting and expanding his who body to produce the air. I think for the rest of it, assume they've gotten some organs back by spooky chaos powers.

That said, I'm practising talking without a tongue right now


Aaaaaaaaaanyway, a note to myself to NEVER gloat until the turn is actually done and I've rolled for the creature's move. Sucky rolls....really, really terrible rolls. Like really, terrible rolls. Another personal remind to only put trip hazards in the side with the party next time, and to add a couple of feet of movement to the villains when you lot aren't looking. Still, no point in ignoring laws of physics unless the story really warrants it. And right now, I think you guys have earned your respite. After all, you've used the build up to prepare, instead of charging in

Umm, I don't want to go against an update schedule of once a day, but if you guys all post actions I might sneak in another update tonight/first thing tomorrow.


Certainly, there there will be an update tomorrow evening as normal!

[oh_brother]

Westian throws the club and gets a 7 + 1 = 8. So it must have missed.

He has now moved back to D3, ready for a mummy charge.

[beowuuf]

I tweaked the map that will go up next with some better representations of the tombs' states for y'all. Just waiting for Haynuus's move from Ian and then I can update for those actions, and resolve Falkor's and Ameena's findings.

Funny, it's turning into a chess match just now, isn't it? Not saying that's a bad thing you lot have not leapt into harm's way. I wonder who will crack first ...

[ian_scho]

Darn it, should have checked the forum last night. Just posted now.

[beowuuf]

Ok, so I'll let you and Ameena converse, see if Ameena will change her actions. I assume your actions are based on her movements. Let me know where Haynuus ends up!

[Ameena]

So if Haynuus's move was ending the last round, it should take place before Ameena started nosing around in that sarcophagus, right? Does that mean my roll doesn't count, or can she still achieve some results from there and then react to haaving a rope chucked at her?
Just to let you know, I'm goign out in just under half an hour and then I won't be back on till late (like, after 11pm). Hopefully the forum'll be fixed by then, too.

[beowuuf]

You would either have to ignore his rope and sniff around, or ignore the role and take the rope I'm afraid

[ian_scho]

Feel free to ignore the rope!

[beowuuf]

If she does, what is Haynuus doing instead, or will he be waiting for a turn?

[ian_scho]

As he's ferreting around in his rucksack and pulled the rope out (then threw it to the feet of Ameena), I assumed that it was an action.
Ermmm. If I could throw the club as well, fine!
He'll use the torch as a primary weapon on the mummy dude anyways.

[beowuuf]

Sorry, should have clarified for you, retirieving an item from your pack is a move action, and I think tossing an end to a willing catcher is a minor action at worst. It's only a standard action if you were trying to lasso her with it

So you still have a standard action. You could use it to move if Ameena is going to take the rope this round, or you can spend it throwing the club.

You may as well roll for throwing a club then, and 1d6 damage

[beowuuf]

Actually, realising the practicalities of your situation (a flaming torch and club to handle) I think it#'s stretching the move action a little, but I'll still let you have a standard action. Just be sure to make your manovering with it all suitably hilarious