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(( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 5:02 am
by shad0wfax
This thread serves as an OOC organizational tool to put together the dungeon crawlers.

I'd like to limit this to 5 or 6 players, level doesn't matter all that much. We're looking at Fridays starting at about 4-5 PM Pacific time ending whenever we need to, meeting weekly. Depending on group activity, there may or may not be time to do individually focused (short) sessions during the week. (obviously if the group is in the UD, there wouldn't be any individual work to do)

So far I have the following characters tentatively slotted:

Argos Klax (confirmed)
Aglaril Shaelara (confirmed)
Aliyah (confirmed)(with time adjustments in the future)
Caine Kross (interested? time acceptable?)
Zova Earthbreaker (confirmed)

Let me know if the times and interest work out.

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 12:57 pm
by kiyoti
Go ahead and count me out. While it sounds fun I dont wont my PC stuck in a crawl all week.

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 1:28 pm
by jmecha
If I maybe so bold to ask...

Do you intend for this to last for multiple sessons?

Do you intend for Characters to live in the UD between sessions?

Are you open to Characters having acess to the surface via comic book time hand waving between sessions?

I as a player am willing to move my Character to the UD so he may pursue his goals, and I am willing to deal with what woes may come of being Trapped in the UD, such as logging into play and being removed from the rest of ALFA.
I have asked though because I think it is a fair that everyone know what particpating in this might require of them in regards to effecting normal ALFA play.

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 1:51 pm
by jmecha
My search fu is weak...

Could you provide a link to any DM Shadowfax posts that lay out your preffered methods of DMing. Knowing things like how the DM preffers to handles non-combat skill checks, what non-NWN2 options they allow verse wish to avoid can help get players geared up mentally for smoother sessions in my opinion.

Examples...do you preffer to roll our skill checks or do we roll but only when you ask for such? Do you want rolls done privately or publicly?

Thoughts on things like climb/jump skills....

Grappeling?

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:26 pm
by Ithildur
My question as far as DMing style: how would you prefer to handle resting and long distance travel?


If I understand/remember correctly from chatting briefly with SF, comic book time will be used if there are multiple sessions in the UD? I'm open to 'real time' options as well, i.e. being stuck down below.

For what it's worth my preference actually is being stuck below (if it's IC), as in my experience that lends much more of a sense of dread/can't wait til we get out of here and see the surface/what a horrible, scary place etc. which I found much more immersive and memorable whenever I participated in such plots... but I'm happy to go with whatever the DM and/or players call for.

There could also be magical means to make it out by the end of the session, or DM 'fast forwards' the time of travel back to the surface, and even potential for more adventure as teleport spells get messed up by the faerezz and whatnot, sending us to other locations the DM's diabolical mind dreams up (maybe Xan's MS dungeon of doom... lol)! Lots of ways to skin this cat. :)

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:58 am
by shad0wfax
Depending on group activity, there may or may not be time to do individually focused (short) sessions during the week.

The point behind that statement was not to suggest that the entire party would be stuck in the UD, but rather that there may be opportunities for individually focused or small group focused sessions (short ones) during the week, but if the group is in the middle of a group activity, then obviously there would be no side adventures run by me as a DM.

I try to follow SRD as best I can, and I try to be the one adjudicating the setting, rather than dictating a course of action. I allow for all sorts of non-combat shenanigans, and am very open to creative solutions implemented by players. One example of this is as follows:
Spoiler:
Players found an abandoned inn near the Sharpteeth that was full of shadows, allips, and other incorporeal undead. Players looted what they could and rather than trying to hallow the area or ensure that every last undead was defeated, they torched the inn. I rewarded XP for defeating all of the remaining undead, as not all were found, and rewarded bonus xp for preventing any more undead creation there. I then updated the module by removing the interior from the module and placing a smoking ruin in place of the building as the exterior.
I think that should answer any questions about my DM style: your characters are not limited by the engine in all situations and your character's actions have a direct and persistent effect on the BG server. I am a paper and pencil style persistent world philosophy DM. The server is a sandbox. I will have the NPCs respond to player actions and try to avoid linearity in player options.

This will definitely last for multiple sessions. Travel will be slow and not hand waved without the proper spells or alternative meanings of travel to walking. Resting will be camp site style, where non-combat skills will matter. Watches should probably be posted, and random encounters may occur.

If the PCs have access to alternative travel methods, they may use them at their own risk. If you wish to roll a skill check, simply roll it, tell me what the roll was for, and I will adjudicate it. I will not feed you forced skill checks on a plate, unless the situation calls for a skill check. An example would be, "I want to identify the creatures." I would then say what knowledge to roll; I will not just automatically roll the party's knowledges. But I may force a passive roll on a player if the character does something that automatically grants a check to to or forces the check on the PC, whether beneficial or not. (Listen and balance checks respectively are good examples.) I do like to use some automatic group roll checks, using the notice feature. This simplifies things like group spot/listen and shows nothing to you on a failure, but does output a success message with a description of the success. Players seem to like that very much and I find that to be more immersive for the group.

Regarding time between sessions:

If the player group is willing to stay in the UD (when appropriate) voluntarily, there could be increased reward tiers for such, but I won't force that on all, as it sounds like it could be a deal-breaker for some. I'll let you decide, but the increased rewards would require full group dedication, or using the non-dedicated character as an auxiliary with reduced rewards. I'm open to either, or a blend of both, if we have a solid core.

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:16 am
by Ithildur
Very important question: how much xp will be granted for PKing Foam's PC should we encounter him/her? :twisted: :mrgreen:

I kid, I kid (or do I?)

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:18 am
by FoamBats4All
Ithildur wrote:Very important question: how much xp will be granted for PKing Foam's PC should we encounter him/her? :twisted: :mrgreen:
Related: How much XP will be granted for PKing Ith's Bladesinger with my 4hp drow wizard?

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:11 am
by Mikayla
I (Layla) should be available if the play time is in the evening. My schedule "rolls" - I have this Friday off, and next Friday off, but then I go three weeks without a Friday off, then I have three Fridays off in a row.

On my work days, I am usually home by 5 PMish.

All of this is subject to change at the end of the February/beginning of March when our schedules change.

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:04 am
by shad0wfax
The plan right now is around 4-5pm pacific time for a start time. I believe that's midnight to 1am GMT for those who like conversions.

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:58 pm
by jmecha
Which Friday would you like to start?

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 3:48 am
by shad0wfax
If we have at least 3, preferably 4 players, I'm very willing to start on this Friday: 2015-01-16 at 16:00 PST (00:00 GMT). We could start at 17:00 PST / 01:00 GMT if that's better for folks. I know that one person mentioned being slightly late.

EDIT: From the list, it seems that we have 4.

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 4:00 am
by CloudDancing
I can do fridays, if not every other. just need notice so I don't overbook.

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2015 4:11 am
by shad0wfax
Yay. Looks like this Friday is a go.

Re: (( Underdark Dungeon Crawl Roll Call ))

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 8:08 pm
by jmecha
Any place you would like to have the Characters gathered together at Go time?