The guilds (Pathfinder mass metagame) interest check

Started by Tamhansen, November 24, 2016, 10:05:05 AM

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Tamhansen

Now this is an idea I had floating around recently after many discussions here about how PF/D&D and similar games tend to fizzle early do to players leaving, GM burnout, and other issues.

The reason it is placed here is because it is not yet a fully formed idea where I'm looking to GM a group, but rather a call for fellow GM's and developers as well as players who wish to input.

The basic concept is basically a metagame revolving around the city of Absalom. One of the biggest and most influential cities on Golarion.

  • Players would take the role of one or several adventures residing (or frequently visiting) the city who are looking for adventure/riches/knowledge.
  • GM's would be able to run adventures and pick characters from the pool. With established characters it would become easier to find players who prefer the same things
  • Adventures can be as short as a few encounters or as long as a whole campaign. Shorter adventures might mean GM's will burn out less easily
  • Characters can easily be used for multiple adventures, while using the city in downtime players can form a coherent constant life story for them[/i]
    Downtime in the city means that players can continue playing  their characters in the absence of GM's. Though their'd be no dungeon crawling or monster slaying, people could play out social interactions, romantic/sexual plot, politics, trade. Higher level characters could train lower level characters, there could be tournaments and other festivities
Ideally I'd be looking for a few Co-gm's who'd periodically (based on their own schedule) run adventures. Of course these GM's would be more than welcome to run their own characters as well. I'm also really interested in players who are willing to try their hand at Gm'ing but unsure, as we can work together on things.

As said, this is still a work in progress so expect regular updates and changes, but I really hope I can find some people who are interested and willing to help out.
ons and offs

They left their home of summer ease
Beneath the lowland's sheltering trees,
To seek, by ways unknown to all,
The promise of the waterfall.

Petrus02

i had a similar idea, although not with absalom at the center. Count me interested in playing and maybe GMing, although i am pretty new to moderating a Play by post game. I'd most likely moderate shorter adventures.

PhantomPistoleer

I like the idea.  I think that the game sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare, though.

I would be willing to be GM adventures.
Always seeking 5E games.
O/O

JoanieSappho


National Acrobat

Interesting idea, and I like it, but I do agree it might be a nightmare to coordinate, especially among potential gms that have different ideas on the types of material they allow in their games.

Still, pending discussion on that sort of thing, I am interested, and might be interested in gming a scenario or two, although I am not that familiar with Absalom as I am say, Varisia.

Anhedonista

I'm not really sure how this is supposed to work but I'm interested enough to follow developments. I love GMing but anxiety has sabotaged all my attempts over the last couple years. If there's a sort of setup where I won't completely let players down if I have to drop out, I think it'd be a good opportunity to test the waters again and maybe build up my confidence.
O/O

Tamhansen

#6
The reason I chose Absalom is because it is nice and central as well as huge. Adventures can take place anywhere on Golarion (preferably Avistan and Garund though) So if you want to tell a story in Varisia, no problem. Want a group to explore the Mwangi expanse, perfect.

As for which materials to allow, I'd like to resolve that in commitee with the GM's that help set it up. Simply as a group we decide which sources are valid, and post it in a special post. Then if new gm's join, or players want to start gm'ing in our game, they need to agree to that list. With every new source to be published it will be a commitee meeting again. Now remember that every GM has ultimate discretion over which characters to pick for their mission, though players can apply as a group. So if you really don't want a certain something in your adventure, please state that.

As for the bureaucratic/administrative nightmare, I have a few very good friends called Hero Lab and Realm works. Between the two of those i can easily keep track of dozens of characters, and the world state (well the situation in absalom really) so that's easily covered.

I'd like to start with a total of five GM's, so me and 4 others who do the city set up. Not all of them need to start an adventure straight away, maybe just two or three. Then I'd want to start going through all the materials. For simplicity's sake, I would personally prefer if, at least for character building, we'd stick to Paizo sources.

So if any one is interested in helping me set it up, I'd like to invite them to my worldbuilding thread.

@Anhedonista: That is kind of what my idea is here. Say that you start an adventure, but for what ever reason cannot complete it, we'll get your characters to a logical conclusion, and back into the city.
ons and offs

They left their home of summer ease
Beneath the lowland's sheltering trees,
To seek, by ways unknown to all,
The promise of the waterfall.

Carly

I am very interested in this, Tamhansen, I know I am already in a group with you gming so I am not sure if your ok with me being in this one also.. if not i will bow out.

I don't mind gming as long as I can godmode combat from a ROLEPLAY sense and not rolls, I would use peoples character sheets to work out their strengths and weaknesses and resolve combat in one hit like how you read a book, primarily i will try and have it exciting but over quickly. I am not sure if other gms or you Tamhansen, would be happy with this approach, but if that is inappropriate I perhaps can gm areas that are non-combat like balls or fetes or the likes.

I would prefer to play, but if you need another gm with the style and approach I offer, i am open to that.

You do have a few offering to gm this so far, it is an excellent idea. It would work if there were many gms and if they could "tap out before burn out", while other gm's take over their thread.

BTW can we do adventures outside the city ? but the city is just a central hub that people return to ?

Muse

  Ooh, ooh!  May I play? 

  Carly, maybe if you're not comfortable as a GM running a combat that is both narative and random, you could contribute by GMing other scenarios?  I know that when I get a big group I enjoy having others help me with some of the NPCs. 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Carly

I wouldnt mind gming/role playing guild significants or significant npcs etc.... was that what you meant muse ?

I don't know pathfinder that well, I played it once or twice when I was a stoner girl so my memory isnt that good (and I dont have the books), so I am not sure how practical a gm I would be for super hard core serious gamers... I would have to use artistic licence in many aspects, which may annoy some who want standard monsters they know well etc.

btw would this be allowing anything sexually like exotic stuff in parts but done in separate threads ?

Would it be LGBTQ+ Friendly.. perhaps permitting hermaphrodites and futas or not ?

People are polarised with futas and mtf or ftm and hermaphrodites, it will change the flavor of the place if you permit more than the classic genders. Depending on what sort of sex stuff is permitted you will get different people interested.

Either way I am very interested though... this has the making of being its own subboard after you get a critical amount of gms.

Perhaps devise a way to reward people who do gm, like having them be able to start off with a character at mid level or something or be part of a group that is special, and they can role play that character in one thread while gming others, keeping them interested in the world, where it isnt just a chore.

Chulanowa

I'd be interested in running and playing, both. What i'm understanding is that this is sort of like a meta version of the in-game Pathfinder Society? Centered on Absalom (the grand Lodge), with heads of the society (GMs) recruiting members and hopefuls (the player characters) to go out on ADVENTURE?

Conceptually, at least, not so much as in this is actually playing ht Pathfinder Society and such.

PhantomPistoleer

Quote from: Chulanowa on November 26, 2016, 10:27:46 PM
I'd be interested in running and playing, both. What i'm understanding is that this is sort of like a meta version of the in-game Pathfinder Society? Centered on Absalom (the grand Lodge), with heads of the society (GMs) recruiting members and hopefuls (the player characters) to go out on ADVENTURE?

Conceptually, at least, not so much as in this is actually playing ht Pathfinder Society and such.

It is so very like Pathfinder Society, that when I run adventures, I will probably be using Pathfinder Society modules.
Always seeking 5E games.
O/O

Muse

Pathfinder is very much 3.75, Carly, complete with a very nice SRD! 

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Carly

I think I would prefer to be a player with everything said.

but I dont mind role playing additional characters on a per need basis, that are important to the functioning of the city (as long as I can play an adventurer also).

Tamhansen

Yes, the setup is kind of like Pathfinder society, in that people go outside the city to adventure, and the city is a hub where all the inbetween stuff happens.

Carly, of course I'll be happy for you to join once we open it up for players, same to you Muse. And yes, if people would like to play NPC's in the city that would be amazing.

At this point I'm trying to get a group of GM's together and decide playing rules by comittee, which is tougher than it sounds, but once that is mostly done, we'll open the floor to player applications.
ons and offs

They left their home of summer ease
Beneath the lowland's sheltering trees,
To seek, by ways unknown to all,
The promise of the waterfall.

National Acrobat

I think at this point I'll stick to being interested as a player. I think I am a little stricter on allowable material in my games, and it's just personal preference in my case.

Zaer Darkwail

And I voice interest also for this project, but also mention I have brewing idea for similar setup (multiple GM's working on short stories/adventures) in 3.5 format in Eberron.

Rummy Tum Tum

I'm interested in being a pawn player in this game :D