Moving on up, to the G side...

What have I done?  Well, I moved.  Again.  It's like changing to a new edition, or system (even if we all have our favorites, am I right?).

Grand Forks Game Guild on G+

Brian's Home Brew Domhanuirlios @ Obsidian Portal

Here's a link to my home-brewed game. This is the one I've been slowly developing for 10 odd years. It's gone from scraps of paper, to binders, to Word docs, to Google Docs, and now to being hosted on Obsidian Portal.

The wiki is the best part of using OP. I've moved a bunch of my reference material into it, but there's still plenty of links to nonexistent pages.

Pathfinder Character Generators

More tools for players! Now With Reviews!

FREE - PFRPG Character Generator by Venture Captain
http://venturecaptain.com/
It's got potential for an early beta generator, but needs to be developed further.  The parts that are more complete are fairly well automated.
Here's three things:

1. Equipment and Spells tabs are merely placeholders in the current form.  There's really nothing there, yet.

2. Some useful information isn't present in the finished PDF.  An example is the inherent bonus column has no information, where you would see racial modifiers to the final ability scores, even though that information is clearly presented in the entry form.

3. Space is a premium, which not all character sheet authors take to heart.  In the finished PDF, here, the fields are relatively large and the black bordered titles take up an unnecessary amount of paper.

FREE - 3.75 Pathfinder Character Generator (BETA 0.9.6) by Treasure Trove
http://www.trovetokens.com/pathfinder.html

Pretty clean form, if you like things compacted into one screen.  Data entry utilizes a fluid interface, but provides less guidance, requiring more knowledge of the character creation rules.

Here's three things:

1. Unlike Venture Captain's generator, this one doesn't highlight or gray out items based on previous selections, such as bonus feats for a given class.

2.  No automated equipment or spell selections, but at least you can enter the information, unlike Venture Captain.

3. You can't see all of the effects of your selections, such as modified skills, until you generate the character sheet.

FREE DEMO - The highly praised Hero Lab by Lone Wolf
http://www.wolflair.com/index.php?context=hero_lab

This review only covers the demo, the limitations of which will not figure.  To begin, you have to install it, so no instant access advantage as with the above options.  It's integrated with a variety of game companies' output to the point that it wants you update it whenever applicable.  It's also relatively complex, a bit like comparing images created from Windows Paint and Adobe Photoshop; you get what you put into it.

Here's three things:

1. Well-automated and extensive selection processes, though I was unable to enter material not available in their database, such as an official Trait from one of the Adventure Paths.

2. A few minor errors, such as penalizing the attack roll of a gnome using the otherwise Exotic Gnome Hooked Hammer [see next thing for fixing].

3. The software permits editing of data that goes beyond simple user input, allowing for customized selections.  So, if you know and enjoy tinkering behind the scenes, this may be for you.

Updated Pathfinder Character Sheet

While creating a Gnome Sorcerer, I discovered an error using the PDF character sheet put out by James the Bard, one of several that were addressed and corrected in a September update.

Should you be interested in using the latest version, it can be downloaded here:

http://www.jamesthebard.net/blog/?p=278

I still like writing my character sheets out in pencil most often, but like to keep up on the technical advances.  If you're more digitally inclined, I highly recommend this PDF.

Addendum

Expanded sheets from Happy Camper at the Pathfinder Database (including APG classes)
A whole set of class-specific Pathfinder character sheets from Dyslexic Studeos (including APG classes)

Kingmaker Session Recap: December 18th

Summary via Will (edited by Brian):

We finished up with the kobolds.  Since Dunk was not present this evening, we put off the attempt to convert the tribe to the worship of a good-aligned god for the moment and just agreed to meet up with the kobolds again in a few weeks to discuss the matter further, over a feast.

We elected to explore the hex containing the kobold's lair more fully, but were unable to complete our explorations.  The Shrike River runs through the center of the hex.  It's quite large and deep, and we were unable to cross it.  So only the northern half of that hex has been explored.

We then followed the river east looking for a crossing, and found one the next hex over.  Sort of.  It was a soggy rope in poor condition with a sign saying "Nettle's Crossing, 5 copper; ring bell for service."  There appeared to be a ruined house on the opposite shore.  We rang the bell, and a hideous slimy undead thingy rose from the crumbled ruins of a what may once have been a bridge slightly down stream, and said "You ... are not ... [my tormentors]."  We conversed with it a bit; it asked us to dump the Stag Lord's body in the river, which we could not do just then since he ain't dead yet.  However, the undead thingy (presumably Nettle in a previous existence) did not seem interested in anything at all other than exacting his vengeance on the Stag Lord.  We elected to leave him be for now.

Having determined that the party had sufficient rope to run a new line across the river, Grendel stripped off his armor and handily made it across to the south side.  We secured both ends of the new rope, and then Verdessa attempted to climb across.  A mere forty feet from shore, her grasp slipped and she was swept away by the current, fetching up painfully on a rock (right where the undead Nettle made his appearance).  She hollered at us to ring the bell in hopes that Nettle would save her; but when we rang it, he popped out again and said "You .... are not ... the Stag Lord" and then went away again.  Somewhat put out, Verdessa attempted to summon a (rather confused) dolphin to rescue her.  Sadly, by the time it positioned itself to help her, the spell ran out, leaving her stranded once again on the rock.  Telvin swam out with another rope and hauled her in.

At this point it was decided that maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all, so the party signaled Grendel to come back, which he did, leaving the new rope in place against future attempts.

The party explored another hex to the north, finding a dead lightning struck tree. Telvin, recalling the map he had found tucked in the boot of a dead brigand in the trap door spider's lair, suggested that they look around more carefully; and Dunk located an area of disturbed earth.  Raynor just happened to have a shovel in his equipment (!) and so the party dug down, unearthing a cache of goods wrapped in a leather cloak: a masterwork dagger, a couple of wands, and a damaged spellbook which none of us can use (not being wizards).  Grendel finished installing spikes on Dunk's light shield.

Then we hightailed it for Oleg's, where we:

1) Returned Svetlana's ring to her (Verdessa took it to Oleg and suggested he re-propose to her with it, which was a great success).  Oleg offered us a line of credit up to 1,000 gp as a reward.

2) Sent a note in announcing our successful establishment of an alliance with the Sootscale tribe.  Reward: 800 gp (expected to arrive in about a week, give or take).

3) Left Little John behind.  He announced that he was tired of bumping his head on the ceiling of tunnels that were too small.

4) Collected some previous orders, including a healer's kit (Raynor), [a climbing kit] (Verdessa), and a new combat-trained horse for Telvin, a lovely palomino mare with a little heart-shaped birthmark on her left foreleg. Name: Baloteague.

5) Put in some new orders: a silver holy symbol of Torag to present to Chief Sootscale as part of our attempts to persuade the tribe to convert, a military saddle and a set of masterwork armorsmithing tools for Telvin, and probably a couple other things that I have forgotten.

After a good night's rest, the party forged out again, and proceeded to explore seven or eight hexes.  In most of them there were no encounters; we rolled safely for once.  Raynor's horse got caught in a bear trap, but survived the encounter and was healed.  We found some blackberries, and spent a little time tip-toeing through a field of tulips.  Eventually we looped back around.  There was a rainstorm.  The following night, we were ambushed by a whiptail centipede (of the same sort that almost did for Dunk in the mite's lair).  It caught Verdessa with her pants down -- err, with her armor off, but she made her save against its initial attack and danced away.  Dunk and Telvin rushed to attack, Dunk forgetting his armor in his haste; but they backed off when Verdessa shouted that she was going to try to entangle it.  She cast the spell, and although it made its initial save, its rear half got thoroughly caught in it.  The party backed off a bit and shot it full of arrows, though it turned out to be close enough to take one nasty hit at Raynor (down to zero HP).  In fairly short order, however, it was dead, and Raynor healed himself back up.

The next day we explored a section of forest, and encountered a grig, such as the ones that tormented the party so earlier in the game.  The grig had not intended to reveal herself, but failed her stealth check miserably. The party diplomatically said "How kind of you to show yourself to us," and after a number of fulsome compliments, determined that Raynor was the only one of the party who had not yet established good relations with the Fey.  He handed over a potion of cure light wounds, and promised to bring some alcoholic beverages back as an offering later.  The grig was content with this, and became quite chatty, revealing the locations of several nearby things -- including the location of the temple of Eristil guarded by the angry bear that the cleric Jhod has been looking for.  The rest was stuff we already knew about, except for some kind of hot spring, which the grig said was currently inhabited by some friends of the fey who would probably be done with it in about a year, but who would like some flies if we could find any big enough (?).

And that's where we broke off for the evening.  After adding up all the XP for exploration, the whiptail centipede, and so on, the party reached level 2, hurrah!

The next meeting should be Saturday January 8th.  [Mark your calendars!]

Things, Part Two (brought to you by Penny Arcade)

I may have felt this way once, very early in my experiences as a GM, but you, my players, are safe, probably.

Kingmaker Session Dec. 4th

Kingmaker Session Summary via Will (with proper name corrections by Brian):

You may recall that last time we broke up in the middle of cleaning out a dungeon full of mites.  We picked up from there.

Most of the session was occupied with finishing with the mites – there were ten left, plus two more giant centipedes (thankfully not as dangerous as the really enormous one that we ran into last time).  The only really notable part of that battle came when Verdessa managed to roast Grendel's buttocks with a Flame Bolt while trying to target a centipede through his legs, at the very same moment that a mite jabbed poor Grendel in the groin. Oh, and Telvin managed to trip and fall twice in a row on the same mite.

We also discovered a hatchery for more centipedes, and destroyed the eggs, except three that Verdessa collected to make an omelette.  Once we scoured the place for treasure, we headed back to the surface.  Little John was exceptionally grateful to get out of the cramped mite caverns, and stretched until his lumbar vertebrae popped, which made him feel a lot better.

After resting (remaining days till Stag Lord fails to receive tribute from Kressle: 16), the party headed south to the encampment of the Sootscale Kobolds, led by Mikmek, the kobold we freed from the mites last time. Once there, Mikmek persuaded the guard -- Nikpak -- that the time had come to take out Tartük, the shaman who had led them in the worship of old Sharptooth, a nasty god thing who is evil and, um, you know, not very nice. Together they led us into the kobold lair, where the two of them persuaded

Chief Sootscale of the same -- the Chief, after a brief internal struggle, smashed the idol of Old Sharptooth that the party had found in the mite lair.  The chief, plus Mikmek, and two nameless kobolds, led the party to Tartük.  The area was quite cramped; Dunk, Little John, and Grendel waited outside while Verdessa, Raynor, and Telvin went in with the kobolds.

They found Tartük brewing some foul reddish concoction in a cauldron, his raven familiar perched on his shoulder.  Chief Sootscale had angry words with him, Tartük cast Shield on himself, and the fight was on.  Chief Sootscale and one of the nameless kobolds went toe to toe.  Raynor blessed everyone (except Tartük), and Verdessa summoned a mighty eagle which promptly killed Tartük's raven.  Telvin worked his way around Tartük and struck him a firm blow in the back (10 damage).  Tartük turned on him, raised a wand; Telvin was overcome with fear, and fled.  Chief Sootscale swung and missed, the nameless kobold gouged Tartük quite badly, and then Raynor stepped in with his rapier and coolly stabbed the shaman through the heart.  Telvin, who had in his terror fled the room and embraced Dunk, came to his senses to find Dunk slapping him.  "Let us never speak of this again," he suggested to Dunk.

Ecstatic at Tartük's demise, the kobolds all ran from the room and began celebrating out in the main chamber.  The party could hear some kind of song begin out there, seemingly involving the words "yub yub", as they efficiently stripped Tartük and pocketed some treasure which (cough cough) probably belonged to the kobolds.  Oh, and they found what appears to be Svetlana's wedding ring.

During the celebration, Dunk approached Chief Sootscale with the idea of converting him and his tribe to the worship of Torag.  This has not yet been resolved; the party has indeed made an alliance with the Sootscales, but the Diplomacy and Knowledge (Religion) checks to see if the party can convert them or not got put off till next session.  After all the XP got added up, we're getting reasonably close to level 2.

All in all, a most satisfying session.  Next meeting is the 18th; we'll probably finish up the conversion attempt and then return to Oleg's.  I figure Little John is going to get left there on guard duty […] though Little John is very handy in a fight, we're just going to park him till [his player] can rejoin us.