Intro Post for the Ruins of Dorgand PbP campaign.

[Hexenritter Verlag]

Greetings, this is the intro post for the 'Ruins of Dorgand' PbP campaigns that I'll be running here at Ruins of Murkhill forums. This will be the first of hopefully several PbP campaigns that I'll run here and elsewhere over the next few years. You can find a basic write up on the Ruins of Dorgand regional setting here. As noted elsewhere I'll be using Delving Deeper v. 4 rules by Simon J. Bull & I'll also be using makofan 's PbP advice found here. Each Delve will be numbered based on adventure (e.g. entering and leaving the dungeon), there is no set time period to these delves which means you can be down there for over a week if you have the supplies and are able to survive. 

For magic users and clerics this can be tricky as they can only memorize one spell per day at first level and a limited number each level there after but only if they are well rested and have access to their spells. I am adding a house rule concerning spells in the house rules forum, so check that out from time to time. 

Though most of the campaign will be set in the dungeon below the Ruins of Dorgand, that is not the only place players can adventure in this campaign, but these options will be opened up as the campaign progresses. Eventually exploring the Vale of Dorgand and unlocking the mysteries hidden within the wilderness that makes up the region, will add more depth to the campaign. If players want to move beyond the Vale they can sell their map to the next group of explorers (aka players) willing to plum its depths. 

[raikenclw]

I'm assuming my paladin doesn't have to worry about spells for a while yet . . .

[Hexenritter Verlag]

Jul 27, 2018 0:43:55 GMT -5 raikenclw said:

I'm assuming my paladin doesn't have to worry about spells for a while yet . . .

Nope, they only get a few spell like abilities as stated in OD&D Greyhawk, TPD allowed Clerics to become Paladins & only those kind were allowed to cast spells. 

[raikenclw]

So I count eight characters around the inn table: my two, Chet's two and Darci's four.

At the restaurant where I just quit working, that would be counted as a mid-sized (rather than "small") group . . .

EDIT: Although it's neither here nor there, published Classic Traveller adventures usually had eight (8) pregenerated PCs provided.

[raikenclw]

I use quotation marks and purple text to mark off my PCs actual spoken words.

I use italics - without either quotes or font color - to show what my PCs are verbalizing internally to themselves. I prefaced the particular such thought I just posted to the action thread with "Sora thinks:", to be sure this was understood. But I normally just use italics alone. Such thoughts are posted so that other participants can - at their own discretion - have their characters realize that something like these thoughts have crossed my PCs mind, through the medium of various non-verbal clues (which PbP can not provide).

Deeper thoughts and feelings of my PCs are not "spoken" in such a manner and are therefore provided in support of metagame decisions, so that others can see the direction in which my own thoughts are trending.

[Hexenritter Verlag]

Aug 2, 2018 22:00:59 GMT -5 raikenclw said:

I use quotation marks and purple text to mark off my PCs actual spoken words.

I use italics - without either quotes or font color - to show what my PCs are verbalizing internally to themselves. I prefaced the particular such thought I just posted to the action thread with "Sora thinks:", to be sure this was understood. But I normally just use italics alone. Such thoughts are posted so that other participants can - at their own discretion - have their characters realize that something like these thoughts have crossed my PCs mind, through the medium of various non-verbal clues (which PbP can not provide).

Deeper thoughts and feelings of my PCs are not "spoken" in such a manner and are therefore provided in support of metagame decisions, so that others can see the direction in which my own thoughts are trending.

I'll assume the text I made bold was reference to my last post in the main PbP session thread? If so, would you prefer such post to be sent in PM in the future? I am just curious as this is my first PnP to run. I only aimed the post to you raikenclw as I had forgot to relay it in reply to your previous post in OCC thread and figure it'd be quicker to post in reply in thread so you all could be updated with info I forgot to make plain in the pregame discussions as you should've had the info prior to the game. As they were in open discussion instead of PMs I wasn't worrying about metagaming.

So for the future would raikenclw, mormonyoyoman & Mighty Darci prefer I send such info in private PMs if things are aimed at a specific PC? 

[mormonyoyoman]

As One of Those who usually read the forums in an ASCII board reader (no font colors, no tables, no tabs, no formatting) I suppose private messages would enable me to repeatedly ask "What are you saying?" Otherwise I have no real preference. You're making a lot of extra work for yourself with potentially dozens of private messages a day. But you enjoy burn-out, right? 😭

[raikenclw]

Aug 3, 2018 0:29:26 GMT -5 Hexenritter Verlag said:

Aug 2, 2018 22:00:59 GMT -5 raikenclw said:

Deeper thoughts and feelings of my PCs are not "spoken" in such a manner and are therefore provided in support of metagame decisions, so that others can see the direction in which my own thoughts are trending.

I'll assume the text I made bold was reference to my last post in the main PbP session thread? If so, would you prefer such post to be sent in PM in the future?

I was actually referring to my own posts. Whatever the GM chooses to do is fine with me. In the case referenced above, I assumed that you were simply providing everyone (including myself) with additional information which Sora and Josiah had learned and which they had likewise passed on to everyone off-screen, before the actual in-game, in-character exchanges. Sending me a PM with the same information and then having me post it in-character would have accomplished little beyond slowing down the action.

In a similar vein, when it comes to combat scenes, I have no problem with everyone stating what they hope their characters can accomplish in a given round, then have the GM make a single post (after rolling all the appropriate dice himself) relating what actually happened during the round. Wash, rinse, repeat, until a final outcome occurs.

[Hexenritter Verlag]

Thanks for the clarification raikenclw, I really appreciate it. Noobie PbP Ref concerns is all. I'll be taking makofan's PbP advice as to how I'll run this game to ease the flow of the campaign. Also thanks for letting us know how your posts are to be read to better understand your intent.

[raikenclw]

Aug 3, 2018 6:24:26 GMT -5 mormonyoyoman said:

As One of Those who usually read the forums in an ASCII board reader (no font colors, no tables, no tabs, no formatting) . . .  😭

Then in your case Chet, please watch out for the presence or absence of quotation marks in my posts.

If something reads like dialogue AND it is also enclosed in quotes, then Sora (or rarely Josiah) actually said it out loud in game.

If something reads like dialogue but is NOT enclosed in quotes, then the relevant character only verbalized it internally but possibly betrayed the gist of the non-comment through non-verbal means. NOTE: I normally write internal verbalization as a separate line/paragraph in any case, but now that I know of your limitations I will try my best to do such EVERY time.

All other text written by me should be considered as provided for metagame purposes.

[mormonyoyoman]

My next character is going to definitely be Joseph Dunninger.

[raikenclw]

(googling Joseph Dunninger . . .)

Ah. Well, you would have to be better, actually. Since J. Dunninger likely never had to read minds over the internet.

[mormonyoyoman]

Aug 3, 2018 21:59:22 GMT -5 raikenclw said:

(googling Joseph Dunninger . . .)

Ah. Well, you would have to be better, actually. Since J. Dunninger likely never had to read minds over the internet.

Just over the radio.

I've done that - and over the internet.

[Mighty Darci]

Aug 3, 2018 0:29:26 GMT -5 Hexenritter Verlag said:

Aug 2, 2018 22:00:59 GMT -5 raikenclw said:

I use quotation marks and purple text to mark off my PCs actual spoken words.

I use italics - without either quotes or font color - to show what my PCs are verbalizing internally to themselves. I prefaced the particular such thought I just posted to the action thread with "Sora thinks:", to be sure this was understood. But I normally just use italics alone. Such thoughts are posted so that other participants can - at their own discretion - have their characters realize that something like these thoughts have crossed my PCs mind, through the medium of various non-verbal clues (which PbP can not provide).

Deeper thoughts and feelings of my PCs are not "spoken" in such a manner and are therefore provided in support of metagame decisions, so that others can see the direction in which my own thoughts are trending.

I'll assume the text I made bold was reference to my last post in the main PbP session thread? If so, would you prefer such post to be sent in PM in the future? I am just curious as this is my first PnP to run. I only aimed the post to you raikenclw  as I had forgot to relay it in reply to your previous post in OCC thread and figure it'd be quicker to post in reply in thread so you all could be updated with info I forgot to make plain in the pregame discussions as you should've had the info prior to the game. As they were in open discussion instead of PMs I wasn't worrying about metagaming.

So for the future would raikenclw , mormonyoyoman & Mighty Darci prefer I send such info in private PMs if things are aimed at a specific PC? 

I see no reason for private PMs with one exception. If a player wants to keep something strictly between the player and the DM or vice versa for a fun game reason then that would be good, but otherwise no.

[mormonyoyoman]

Serves a minor purpose of folded notes, the main purpose being to make players paranoid. PMs no good for that.

[raikenclw]

Aug 4, 2018 10:19:04 GMT -5 mormonyoyoman said:

Serves a minor purpose of folded notes, the main purpose being to make players paranoid. PMs no good for that.

Nonsense.

The GM just posts openly, "Further information sent by PM to the relevant players."

Then everyone who doesn't get a PM is forced to wonder what's going on . . .

In a horror game, a GM might very well make such an open post and then send NOBODY a PM, in order to amp up the paranoia.

[mormonyoyoman]

How do we simulate the sealed note of "This is a fake note. Look sneaky and occasionally chuckle."?

[raikenclw]

Aug 5, 2018 10:40:16 GMT -5 mormonyoyoman said:

How do we simulate the sealed note of "This is a fake note. Look sneaky and occasionally chuckle."?

Simple. Just replace "note" with "PM" and "chuckle" with " " or  " ." 

[Hexenritter Verlag]

You guys & gal are great LOL.

[mormonyoyoman]

I try to look subtly sneaky in pbm and pbp games, but no one seems to notice.

[raikenclw]

Aug 5, 2018 19:08:01 GMT -5 mormonyoyoman said:

I try to look subtly sneaky in pbm and pbp games, but no one seems to notice.

A good way to do this - at least if you're playing a human character - is to choose a character pic that's a reasonably famous media personality. This lets you scour the internet for images and gifs of the character reacting in various ways, stockpiling these for appropriate moments. I've played in a pbp with someone who did this very assiduously. The results were quite interesting and often amusing.