Ok to start off with, I think I am a pretty good storyteller, not the best not the worst, yes I have room for improvement, but I think I have the basics down pat. I think I have gotten pretty good a reading a room, However. this game unlike the last one was done online and is pathfinder not World of Darkness. And I was told that some of my posts for the previous game were to long winded so short and to the point.
First, the group stated that they had a good time, which is the first step in Dungeon mastering, not getting rules just right or making sure there were not plot holes. No, the first step is to read the room and make sure that everyone, within reason, is having a good time. I.e. you are the Bard. This was a bit difficult it being online, so I had to ask and listen to what and how people were talking and how they were reacting. Because not all of my players showed up, I found this a little easier with most of them, as I had previous interactions with them. The one person that was hard to read was not because of anything she did, it was simply because she was a new read for me, but that got easier as the day went on. I at least think she had a good time.
Second some things that I need to keep in mind in the future that are different for doing a game online as opposed to in person. One the visuals, even if you are great at setting the scene and not nervous as hell about messing up for new people, you still need to try and prep as much as possible for the smaller details of your story. Be prepared, in other words, I left some stuff out, yeah I know I should have spent more time prepping, but I just plain forgot about things I was a bit nervous about the new players and it being a new rule set for me (Pathfinder) and doing it on Roll20. I did take a big bite, and in hindsight maybe I should have tried something a little smaller first, but who am I kidding I tend to jump in the deep end anyway so here we are. And for those of you in the group reading this I really did have a frigate made up, I don’t know where it went to and the only other ship I had was a YT-1300 (Yes from Star Wars) which would not have fit.
Thirdly, yes, I have been playing Tabletop RPG’s for almost 25 years and I have not really played D&D. I know shocking, I have played a lot of other things but not much actual D&D. The one thing that I like off the bat is the ACL and the CR system, it was very helpful in determining what was difficult enough for the party without being overly difficult and causing a TPK on the first fight. Something that I was thankful for the game being online was that many of the charts and “Beasts” were online at this website “d20pdsrd.com” very helpful. At this website I could quickly look them up and keep the game rolling and not have the players twiddling their thumbs much.
Ok The Story Part.
So, we first meet our band of intrepid adventurers in the city of Leuthilspar. A paladin in meditation and prayer in the temple. A rogue and wizard in a bar being merry. A sorcerer in the Park enjoying the summer breeze and the warm afternoon. When they are all summoned to the Moonstone Palace. Where in the chambers of the Royal Council that is in charge on the island of Evermeet, the High Priestess of Magic tells the group that they and two other groups are being sent on a mission to retrieve ancient tombs of magic that have been lost to the elves of Evermeet when the retreat happened. And that somewhere in the world an incarnation of Mystra has been born. At this point the group is given a necklace or bracelet, their choice that is place upon their body that when they say the High Priestess’s chief assistant’s name Aurealya, she will answer and assist them how she can. At this point the Priestess gave the group three options of where to go Anchorome, Faerun, and Moonshae Islands. The group then asks how they are getting to the three locations. The Priestess informs them that the neckless will also get them in contact with a ship captain named Erka Fail. The ship is in the Harbor at this time according to the Priestess. Now at this point the group began acting a bit silly and the Royal council began whispering and looking down their noses at them. So the Sorcerer and the Rogue decided to take the group to the park and discuss further what they needed to do. Along the way they ran into a heated discussion in the middle of the street between the window installers and the plumbers about which group was better at their jobs in the city. And while they were watching the group the Skyhilt, the rogue quietly moved off back to the tavern that she began our story in to gather further information. Meanwhile, a group of road pavers had joined the argument and had begun stating that they in fact, were better than the plumbers and the window installers. At which point Garrik, the paladin, intervened and gave such a grand speech that all were cheering his name and went off to the bars to praise bartenders and the glory that they bring to the city. The group followed and Fraxinus or Frax to his friends, the wizard, gathered up a basket for lunch and lead the group on to the park. Here the group ate lunch and discussed where they should go and what they should do. It was decided that they should look for a cook or squires and that they should go to Anchorome first, so that they could go to the more civilized areas on the later treks. After lunch Garrik went off in search of two squires/cooks. Lux, the sorcerer, went in search of maps. Frax went in search of previsions and picked up some silverware and china on the way (yeah, I do not know why either). We also find out that Skyhilt, has been gathering information about things that have happened in Anchorome over the years and how Balduran led an expedition there and about a Fort Flame.
The next morning the group came together over breakfast at the inn where they all stayed the night before. They ate a 4-star meal cooked by the two persons that Garrik found to assist them in their adventures. Two half-elves one from house Alenuath, and one from House Eroth. Both are rangers in training and are going off in search of adventure and to bring glory to their houses. Upon further questioning from Garrik and the group they have surmised that basically the two have been bullied and they are trying to prove their worth. At this point the group gathers up and moves down to the docks and meets with the captain who is a nice sort a la Geena Davis in Cutthroat Island. Well while the group is choosing up rooms Skyhilt manages to hide Garriks stuff from him, but he is not able to determine that it is her so he lets that go. And as the ship gets under way. Now I would like to paint this picture. Lux is in the bunk room she is sharing with Skyhilt, and the female squire from Eroth. And she lays the map she has acquired on the bed, while still looking at the map the ship gets underway, without looking up she manages to un cork a bottle of wine, grab a glass, and pour a glass of wine, on a moving ship, while still lost in the map. And then Skyhilt comes in and says “well we are underway” to which Lux replys “Oh, oh really, well I guess we are aren’t we” or something like that I may have gotten the wording wrong.
The group does the usual interacting with the crew and some go up on deck and notice that there is an elf assisting the ship move away from the island. At this point Skyhilt and Lux both notice the large creatures in the water, and the storms that are a sort of barrier around the island that they are headed towards. When they get closer to the barrier, they notice that an elven woman, is casting a spell to allow the boat to go through the storms and make its way out into the open water. Once the boat is out into the open water a different person takes over and helps the ship move in the general direction of Anchorome. At which point Lux takes up a conversation with the elven woman. Lux finds out that Jean as the elven woman calls herself has taken to this life of adventure with the captain and is rather fond of it. She has taken on the name Jean as it is much easier for the crew to pronounce and remember. After a bit a group of Skum board the ship and a fight ensues where two of the crew and the adventurers get into combat, swashbuckling occurs and one of the crew almost dies, but Garrik bravely performs lay on hands and they survive and the 4 Skum are defeated in hand.
And thus ends our adventure for the day.