The Harbinger of Ferocity

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

@Lucius Cypher, Orchid from his previous adventure of dragon fighting, strikes me as the sort who would leap on the man and try to grapple him, given we said not to kill him and the efforts made to take him alive thus far. If that means Orchid would rather use the flat of his sword based on his reasoning, go with that.

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

This is not an advocacy of rushing anything, this is a matter of fact that even for a play by post tabletop, we are far behind the curve in story, mechanical progression and activity. I am understanding people have lives, that isn't my complaint, it is that with the way things have been, others have been forced to wait four, five, six or so days for one post, only to turn around and wait another four or so days for another and so on until their own turn.

That is beyond excuse. It does not take roughly two weeks to make any major plot advancement. No less, this synergizes poorly with the circumstances.

Yes, we are vastly outnumbered and lacking in preparation. It is a 1st level adventure and I would wager they wrote it that way on purpose to put us out of our league so we have a story arc. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is the fact we have virtually nothing to show for it that irritates me. We have, as I said before and will again, run into the Hollywood problem where we wedged a bunch of character elements and individual plot development into a small span of time.

Torus has been cleansed of his malady, Orchid fought a dragon, Kyra has saved her mentor and her temple, and Parum has confronted her optimism with realism. I leave myself out simply for the sake of saying that my opinion on it is biased and given my stand point, you can gather I view it as much too fast for him as well.

Some of this can be seen as revealing information and insight about them, whereas others are the sort you go and say, "That already happened for this character? At 1st level? What?" For some that might be fine, that isn't mine to judge, but that is a huge amount of ground covered all the same.

To change topics and points, I realize and state that I am aware there are different rates of posting. But again I say, is no one bothered we are still in Greenest doing the exact same thing we were doing a year ago? The biggest upset was the dragon, which I am thankful for in the meta because it shook things up. We needed something to change the story because it was, and is now back to, "Beat up bandits who give us nothing."

Is it fun? Of course. I enjoy writing combat. But I can say for myself that nothing has become dynamic about that. We are still out of spells, wandering through the woods and street, fighting enemies who have no plot relevance. People make fun of "mooks" in fantasy stories for that very reason, which I understand, but what changes is where they are and why they are. This scenario? This conflict?

It does not take a year to resolve. There is no explanation for it that would be or will be suitable. I will hear out those claims day and night, but I will not agree to them.

In rebuttal to character death, that is all fine and well that you see it that way, but some of us don't want their time wasted. I have been in this topic as with some of you for the entire year. Is it really unreasonable to say, "I have invested a lot of time and effort in this roleplay. If my character dies now at this point, I basically wasted a year of my life on a character in this topic."

Is everyone else affected? Maybe, maybe not. As you admitted they are all none too invested in each other. That comes with time, experience and progression. But it only solidifies the point of why that is such a problem and a danger. I will freely admit I would and will walk out on this game if I die, not because I "lost", but because I have only so many slots for topics on the Guild and only so much patience for my time to be spent. I know some enjoy writing for the sake of doing so, but I am here to tell a story; losing that and the stakes in it is losing everything I worked for.

I could care less about the argument of the "game stopping as a whole" because there have been plenty of times this thread has ground to a near halt. Fortunately, we have a Dungeon Master who doesn't just up and disappear, which I would say is a rare saving grace on the Guild. No less, that isn't my point or appeal, which I will state again is that if I invest time and effort into a character, spend a year of my time writing for them and advocating their angle, I am going to be pretty damn annoyed to have them die to luck of the draw because we aren't even close to the level to do anything about it.

No less, wedging in new characters feels akin to that; wedged and forced. I was so astonished and pleased to find someone actually staying when we added Torus that he became my favorite character because of it. Not that I think anyone else's character is bad, but because of the timing he appeared, followed by Kyra who managed well too. Introductions of new characters is so bad in most cases, or short lived, you see it as a Dungeons and Dragons meme on the internet.

To close, one might ask about my solution if I have so many problems, to which I will answer with this.

First, get rid of milestone and go direct to experience based. We level up when we get the points to do so. No waiting, no delaying, no hemming and hawing. It is done. If you don't update your character sheet by the next combat or check you need to make, then that is unfortunate for you; you are where you are if and when that happens.

Second, a post timeframe needs to be enforced. If you cannot post in the limit, say so in the out-of-character section with what you want or would do. We go from there. If need be, ask the Dungeon Master to please assume your role and treat you as a non-player character until you return. Or even let someone else in the party take your turn or post for you; I am truly indifferent to either, all I care about is the results of not being delayed again. Stay out long enough and you get removed from the game for inactivity.

Third, if you aren't active in the out-of-character, you aren't active in the game either. Try to pre-plan, or at least plan or discuss actions. When all of us are waiting on one or two opinions over and over again, it gets old.

Frokane's Mildly Politcal Hangout Thread

Not to derail the current conversation, but something that just struck me as an interesting angle, and to understand the company here better, is to ask the question of, "How long have you been 'involved' in politics?" By which I mean more precisely, when did you invest your time and interest in it?

Not just that you knew it was a thing or watched the news on it, but when it became of enough impottance to engage in a forum like this? No less, this is an open question to anyone, not just @Dynamo Frokane or @mdk for example. No one is compelled to answer either.

For myself, the matter began some eight years ago, but only became of priority to me when I noted the rise of civil unrest in the United States, domestic and foreign terrorism, and then the political chaos of the 2016 runnings. I had worried about the debt previously and was always wary of the administration, but that quickly escalated as time went on. From there I started to research and formulate my opinions and begin to question everything; I always resented formal education, because it felt like indoctrination and most all I do know came from reading, so the matters of looking into this all were natural.

Beginner's DnD 5e Game - Group 2

Of course it would not be their adventure if they were not to find themselves into the side of the city where the lowest of pawns played their game; these people managed to be less than peasants, because at least peasants performed a role. Not a glorious one, admirable in its humbleness at best but still utterly deplorable. This area? It was the decay left behind when civility stretched its bounds too far, forcing its reach to exceed its grasp as Arthera had best heard it. The entire foray into this lair of urban, broken sprawl was distracting enough that she had almost forgot why they were here in the first place.

That was until the yelling began, but not just any kind of yelling, no, this was the sort that signaled fell news afoot. That it was too, for a woman came rushing on to their group, running seemingly for her life and followed by a band of thuggish men. All of the wanderer's body came on edge at this, but her intellect was enough to keep her calm rather than blatantly reactive. So much so that she proved overly scornful rather than immediately hostile.

"I do not care who is responsible or what for," Arthera's stare from beneath her hood flashed with a glare of levelheaded albeit near callous exasperation, "But if you are going to prove problem, be certain we will end it."

The biting words were just as leveled at the woman fleeing the scene as they were at the men in pursuit of her; there wasn't time to determine who was right or wrong, with the bitter truth being that Arthera did not care in either circumstance. This ordeal wasn't her squabble, not over this pit of dirt and detritus confined to the city - they could keep it. But it became overly apparent these men were intent on doing whatever it took to get after the woman, the same who pleaded with the tiefling for aid, even if it meant coming to blows.

And this was not something the towering robed woman took lightly.

"You made your choice."

Arthera's hand outstretched from her sleeve and with it, a faint skitter of blue static formed on the ground at a distance just beneath the feet of the rushing men and near centered on the street itself, radiating out from there all at once. Whatever it was, odd even for magic if it were, the warped stone and mud instantly shimmed with pure, steaming ice following the faint discharge of static; an audible pop. The gesture wasn't even needed, neither the sound nor the theatrics at that, all committed through act of will alone, but she was going to make good on her threat... and buy her companions some time to act.

She drew back her arm unhurriedly.

"I think it would be your turn, Ceria." She remarked, despite the tattooed man still in motion.

Effects

Arthera manifests Ice Sheet as an action, spending 2 psi points of her 14 to do so.

From the point which the goliath is standing on, a sheet of psionic ice snaps into existence under their feet. It radiates out 20 feet in all directions and lasts for the next 10 minutes. It is difficult terrain, with any creature moving 10 or more feet on it needing to beat a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. If the surface is sloped at all, they fall prone and slide to the bottom automatically.

All enemies are in its affected area.

Modern Military Epic

@TheMadAsshatter, any word on if you still intend to proceed with this?

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

The men before Brannor and the throng of Greenest's defenders broke with the pace of any coward. They ran, they fled, they yelled, they shrunk; it would not be the first time and it would not be the last.

One hesitated, for one reason or another, and the hunter took his time to act on impulse and opportunity. Despite his size and the weight of his armor, he broke into a run, the surprise up and the chase on. Without a word, nothing but determination, he covering the distance with frightening speed, passing by Orchid and at an angle to help break off the man. Either he would need go past him or the half-orc, toward the other defenders, or off further toward the water. It was as basic a tact as any, the same animals as the wolf were legendary for; make their enemy flee where they want them.

In the same swift motion, his armor rushing and jingling now with wood cloak following in his wide steps, the large man drew his greatsword with one hand from its place of rest upon his back. From there, it met another glove and he menaced the raider well within the sword's reach, hoping Orchid would do the rest as he set up the posture to strike.

While it was an act, Brannor not going to cleave the man into two should he have the opportunity, the threat it was more important; he wanted the man to fear running, all so they could beat him unconscious. Any swipe he would in fact take, he would do so with the flat of his sword.

Effects

Brannor uses the Dash action to move into the hesitating man's threatened area, behind him if at all possible. Because he cannot use his action to attack or shove the man prone, he instead intends to use his reaction to make an opportunity attack. If he can attack, the blow is intended not to be lethal.

@Hekazu@Ryonara@Lucius Cypher@Gordian Nought@Norschtalen

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

Does it bother no one that we have been at this for a year in the meta for just one session, one the first chapter? Is that really so lacking in reason to be furious? This is not an issue of "grinding experience", but that our characters have evolved and developed far beyond where they were and in terms of ability. Level is a mechanical representative of this. Milestone is legitimately holding us back.

We fought into the town, snuck through the town, got into the keep, fought off enemies in said keep, fixed a door in the keep, survived a dragon attack and rescued the apparently last few villagers in a town. For a single night, that is a significant amount of experience we would reasonably gain, especially at the first level where gains are exceptionally fast. We are not "3rd" level in terms of mechanics no, but as I expressly said we are "3rd" in terms of development of those characters; if we are splitting hairs, we are probably 2nd level, close or at half to 3rd. This means we are so far behind we will continue to be under level and under equipment going forward.

For a game going on year, this is the slowest pace I have encountered with a tabletop. I have consulted outside the group even and they too are confused at this to the point of asking, "Why would anyone ever use milestone leveling?" If surviving the dragon wasn't a "milestone" I am uncertain as to what is. This is more grind intensive because we have no incentive to even be doing this. We are legitimately wandering around flailing at enemies who do not matter.

Yes, you can argue this is "plot important" because Kyra's character has a story arc, but I remind you that this started as a two-person attempt, to which I imagine all else joined in on just so the group would not wipe. Again, "Don't split the party." That is all fine and well but we know there is still some major event to come. If I had to guess, that dragon might make another appearance, or that person we were told about earlier might do something. In either case, it is clear we are far from the effective end of this chapter, months even.

Let me pose this to you, "What happens if one of us dies?"

Just start over? Make another character to play for a year and pray to whatever you find holy that you do not lose on the dice once more? Does that sound like a rewarding experience? Again this has been a single night. One. Look at the amount of character development we have wedged in to it in one night. Levels that you see in movies, that which need condense it down so much because the audience only has so much attention to give.

Transitioning some, this goes back to inactivity. I understand the issue of, "My character has nothing much to say." to which I can say, "Neither does mine, so I find stage business to do to keep posting and contributing something." Bring effectively inactive is worse than posting two paragraphs of basic information or action; it doesn't need to be fluff.

It is clear people want to continue, but the activity, pace and interaction needs to increase in and out of game.

D&D 5e - The Lost Lands

The knowledge of just how one could have done whatever was done was just as elusive as exactly what happened. Not because Haemar was uneducated in the matter, not at all, but because it did not make sense. That sort of magic was, for lack of better understanding, on a level of power to which they had nothing to compare it to. Something had managed to disassemble and demolish an entire realm as it seemed, then leave whatever was left behind into some void that did appear to end, despite the depth of which was more reasonably infinite. This made it magical, as if falling from the heavens like comets did not suggest that already, but unimaginable levels of magic.

It was as though they had fallen through the bounds of reality and off into a new one, as unlikely as that were. That did lend some insight to how and why they did not remember that time in between, but it was certainly a fanciful notion even with this information. After all, Haemar knew there were rumored to be other planes and bounds of existence, but nothing that could ever be proved. Those stories were as old as those of the Kingdom of Light, which up until now quite a few had begun to question the validity of. Myths no more maybe?

In the meantime of the wizard's ponderings and musings on magic, the other mage was busy at work with her illusion, of which was a beautiful, almost living sculpture that hung silently with near perfect accuracy. It was a map of sorts, albeit one that would not last or live long based on the spellcraft at hand, but a start to work with from there. In fact, that it was even incomplete at all just left to wonder how huge the land before the hawk was; Wick found herself soon out of room, despite drawing it from memory as best she could.

@Big Dread, @Gordian Nought

D&D 5e - The Lost Lands

As high on the wing as the airborne eyes could go, all they revealed was the unspoken vastness of this foreign land. So triumphant and grand was it in scale, that the very mountains they had viewed on foot now looked only larger as they cut far off into the clouds and beyond anything a mortal man could dare scale; even a god might find some of them, those further on and thick in glacier, a challenge that only they might be capable of summiting, if only because they might have well touched the sun. From these peaks on down, distant flurries of snow could be seen wafting, some of which descended on the lower, lesser slopes, but all quite confined to the rim of the apparent world around them as though they could not despoil the wilderness below with their white finery.

The valley itself was... vast, stretching over the horizon and beyond even the vision of the pristine hawk on a day so clear and crisp as this. What came from this revelation, high, high above however, was that the grassland followed the vale, becoming only pine wood as one wandered off and toward the almost endless mountains beyond. This informal and unending trail of brush and tanned-green, lively blades was the only reasonable avenue of exit, if there was to be one, but what laid beyond that was just as much a mystery as anything else in this unknown land.

Along the way of its continued search, as the white avian drifted on the warmer currents to remain aloft, it was clear as well that only outcroppings of grey granite jutted from the plain's floor in rare number; they had fallen and stacked themselves upon each other in a manner of tremendous upheaval by the works of the earth, the sort of strength that a giant would blush at in envy. Ice and snow clung to their stony shadows, while the few mouths of caves likely hid more odd wonders in their darkness.

And for all of this, not a sign of man or monster.

Animals certainly, both tremendous and healthy, but nothing of seeming danger or threat.

@Gordian Nought, @Zverda

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

I do understand the notion, I am simply at the point in meta of, "Why did we bother for so long with planning if we could have just cut a swathe through them and had about the same odds?" I have to hope there's something about this mill in the story that is of importance.

Another issue in the meta, that I would like to push to all present, is that we should use normal experience points rather than milestone leveling. This game has been going on for one year - an entire year - and we are still 1st level characters on our first adventure in our first module. This strikes me in such a way that I can only describe best as disappointing. I am fairly confident just based on the sheer number of encounters we have had, that we should be much further along in mechanical character progression for this level bracket, but we aren't. I understand tracking and calculating experience points might be slightly more difficult, but we are playing Dungeons and Dragons where basic arithmetic is to be expected and our numbers as a whole should not vary much.

This is not to say our characters haven't progressed since we started, but there's a startling amount of development there that is not reflected at all in their physical person within the system. I would say they're close to 3rd or so level in that regard, if I had to give it some arbitrary and ultimately meaningless number. There's quite a few dynamics and changes that have happened to and with them. Experience points are not just exclusively "enemies defeated by the chart" as they too reflect these stories.

But one might wonder what I mean by all this, to which I will say in explicit.

First, I advocate going to true experience points. Second, we need to cease beating around the bush with things, delaying posts, waiting, hesitating, and the ilk. Third, the group needs to commit to something, by which I mean being all in, even if we aren't in favor of it and communicating that; in essence, "Don't split the party". Fourth and lastly, we need to be more active overall in the out-of-character section. Everything is too dead silent here, even lacking in banter.