Play@YSDC

Please post any out of character stuff in this thread.

Here are a few things to get started.

Please try to write regularly and frequently (let’s say at least twice a week to start with).
As Keeper, I will endeavour to respond similarly.
If you can’t write for a lengthy period of time (holidays, illness, real life stuff etc.) then please let me know and we’ll work something out.
If you want to drop out of the game, again please let me know.
Purely to help me develop as a Keeper, I welcome any feedback, positive or negative!

Please make sure you subscribe to each new thread, or regularly check for new forum posts, so that you don’t miss any updates.

I don’t insist on a particular writing style. You can use the past or present tense and write in the first or third person etc.

There’s also no set format, but I recommend highlighting your character’s speech in a different colour so it’s easier to work out what’s been said by whom.
Some people find it useful to highlight any PC and NPC names in bold, but that’s up to you.

Most importantly, I hope you enjoy my scenario!
If you don’t (maybe the plot is going nowhere and it’s getting a bit boring) then that’s my fault as the Keeper. Don’t feel afraid to give me a gentle nudge

When you’ve all posted up your characters in the Character Creation thread, we can begin!

For help on formatting posts (putting words in bold, italics etc.) see HERE.

Note we'll be using the spoiler button to hide behind-the-scenes stuff like dice rolls.

i.e.

Spot Hidden 50%,[dice]0[/dice]

To do this, press the 'spoiler-button' button and insert a descriptor followed by a comma.
After the comma, press the 'dice' button and enter what dice you are rolling (usually 1d100).

I'll also be using the spoiler button for private communications, for example if one character sees something the others don't after the spot hidden roll above.

i.e

Dr. Jones,You notice a strange ghostly figure behind the bookshelf...

Ok, we're all pretty much ready - thanks for making the effort folks!

You may notice that I've split up my initial post to bookend your introductions. I feel it flows better that way. I'll post more tomorrow: it'll be a rather large wall of text I'm afraid!

I imagine Tom as Corporal / SGT. Practical, non nonsense, follows army social etiquette grudgingly but to the letter, but comes from a commoner background. The kind of soldier who interprets an officers orders and actual get it done well. Very useful but probably annoying as he unintentionally shows how incompetent officers and noble classes often are. Not the smartest, most education or the best soldier but he gets stuff done.

His background I imagine an officer has relations to Eton, some how vouched him into the college, perphaps it was his orders who got the squad killed bar Tom, where the medical wing did experimental surgery on him, and he now works there as a driver, bouncer, handyman. Respected in his own way for getting stuff done. I haven't specced out his contact but I imagine not an employee but perhaps a rich leaver or almni with a lot of sway so he has some protection and sway. I tried to fill in the team role and give a different personality type to go with the rest of the group, but yet give him a strong reason to be there.


Etiquette wise do let me know if it's too wrong, not sure how the time period works

All looks good so far.

I'll crack on after the weekend, so plenty of time if there's anything else you want to add before you get to the library. I'm assuming Tom will be busy packing while the others do whatever research they want to do.

OOC:   I'll let this one slide, but please us the built-in dice roller (i.e. the dice button) for future rolls

oops, Sorry Jon. I'm still trying to master the etiquette of online play - will remember that in future.

Is it ok if I put Prof Garrett's speech in green?

No problem mate, it just keeps everything visible

Yep, feel free to use green. You can choose any colour, preferably one my knackered eyesight can make out!

Okay, with that last info dump, we're at a point where your PCs can start interacting with each other and making decisions without me prodding you in a certain direction.

It's also a good point to drop out of the game if you want to, as I can introduce newcomers rather seamlessly at this stage

Nice rolls folks!
The only downside is that I now have to collate some imformation to dump on you, which means consulting my notes. These are stored on my works PC, and I'm on leave this week.
Therefore feel free to roleplay your introductions until probably Tuesday (maybe Lewis loses track of time)

lol - so this is what you do at work!

You might think that; I couldn't possibly comment...

Nice House of Cards reference!

ha! the faceman gets the charm roll! Boom.

Hope that's ok, I string the rolls together and then go and edit my response based on how well they go so it's a mix of intentions and actions, You of course can take over the direction from there.

If he starts talking he may end up going to far and actually upsetting or scaring lewis. This is why he doesn't talk much about the way.

I’ve no problem with making a string of rolls, but I will temper any successful rolls with the number of failures, so be warned.....

I'm off to a festival today and will be away from the internet until Monday afternoon. Possibly Professor Garrett's train to Hereford is delayed and he arrives a bit later than the other investigators?

No problem - we can await your return

Ok, so a failed library use check but successful persuade and appraise checks from Whitehorse I think?
I’ll wait to see if Mr Handy decides to push his roll before working out what happens next.

Whitehorse, I've edited your post to tidy it up a bit
The only thing you did wrong was miss out the comma between the descriptor and the dice tag, so no biggie!

Unless anyone has any further business at Eton, shall we take the train to Hereford? I’ll start a new thread soon.

Yes, I'm ready to take the train.

I’ll give you a couple more days (real time) to converse before the train arrives at Hereford.

Greetings, all. Some of you I already know, others I will soon enough. I appreciate your opening an additional slot for me, jp. Thanks.

Glad to have you with us

Stayed at the Green Dragon a couple of years ago with some friends. Receptionist told us about the upper floors being haunted. A scenario in there maybe?

Don't go giving me ideas now...

I think the Hereford Times might have done an article or two on it before now.

Wonder if anything interesting occurred when they were renovating the place recently?

Unless anyone else wants to try the spot hidden roll or has any other plans, I'll move us on in the next day or two.

Well this could be interesting. Please bear with me while I get to grips with the COC 7E chase rules

What sort of scale is this map drawn in?

Yes, good question.
Short answer, I don't know, but the building in the centre is a ruined church, if that helps.

I really like the map. Very authentic - looks like the plans I used to see in old Herefordshire deeds back when I was registering land in my previous job.

Thanks! In no way was it knocked up in a few minutes *cough*.

I'll give you folks a couple of real-time days to mingle at the party and/or react to Grigori before I post again.

Sorry for the delay guys; been distracted with job interviews and such. Will try to get something up tomorrow, or failing that, early next week.

It's fine. My wife just got news that her father is ill and needs to fly out of the country asap. I'll be rather distracted until she's in the air and on her way.

Sorry to hear that mate. I hope everything's ok!

Update on me, wife is flying out today. I intend to post this evening once I'm back from the airport.

No worries. I'll leave off updating until tomorrow (everyone can still post though if there's something they want to do).

A change of job means I might be distracted for a while, but I’ll keep the game running as best I can.

With the action moving to Wergynstone, it’s a convenient point for anyone who wants to drop out of the game to do so (not that I hope anyone does!)

we can wait for you good luck

For the record, Henry Joseph Lewis III's evening wear while extremely formal isn't such a large departure from his normal attire. Just saying.

Well I can’t knock anyone for style

I think we’ve all earned a break over the Christmas season, so my next update will be in January. Feel free to role play before then if you wish however.
If you have access to UK television, then you might like to know that there’s an adaptation of the MR James tale ‘St. Martin’s Close’ on BBC4 on Christmas Eve.
Have a pleasant one!

I'm going to be away over the festive period and not sure if I'll have internet access. Taking a break seems like an excellent idea. Thanks for the heads up on the MR James adaptation.

Merry Christmas one and all.

Hey all. Back from my holiday hiatus. Ready to roll and hopefully better integrate HJLIII into the group.

Great stuff! To summarise, after a number of unsettling experiences, you are now all together in the village church, talking to the vicar. It is approximately 10pm.

I'll be out all day today, but I hope to find time to make a new in game post tonight.

Unless you have anything else to ask the good Reverend, or indeed any other plans (not forgetting a CON roll), I will start the next scene back at the inn, where you may settle down to a blissful sleep.

I thought we were going to try to stop the stones from being stolen tonight, based what Grigori had been told. I'll leave it up to him if he wants us to do something more tonight.

Not a problem if that's the route you want to go down

Grigori had indeed got the impression of great urgency. But he's not very sure what to do, beyond stumbling around in the dark dead from tiredness...

So, by all means start a new scene next morning.

Ok. I’ll leave it a day or two in case anyone else has any plans.

My bad, all. I started to write a reply post a week ago, and then 3 family birthdays (including my wife's) and a Super Bowl party happened. I never got back to it. I started from scratch.

No worries mate (happy birthday to your family members and, um, go sports!)

All that remains is for you all to decide upon your next course of action.

Question for the Keeper. How many addresses are we talking about? Would there be too many to commit to memory? Too many to transcribe to a notebook?

The village isn’t a large one, so it wouldn’t take long to write them down.

I'm back. So sorry. Just slipped off my radar. no real excuses. Let me get caught up with 12 new pages.

Great stuff - welcome back!

@jp1885 What I don't quite understand is you had us all roll Sanity and Constitution while in that room. How would anyone be able to study in there??? The logical course would be to take the books and retire to a location better suited for such study. I the player as well as my character are not sure why this is being resisted. HJLIII doesn't simply want to keep watch, he wants to get away from this cottage entirely. He's leaving with or without the others.

Mate you’re roleplaying your character absolutely right, and for the record I wouldn’t have made you stay in the cottage if the roll had succeeded (which Whitehorse made in the off-chance that I’d allow it.)

No blame attached to Whitehorse however, as the roll was made in good faith.

Zero has decided to leave the game.

Just wanted to say thanks for all your effort running the game. Great scenario. Would love to have done it F2F.

I'm currently reading Ella Mary Leather's Folklore of Herefordshire. I think it might mention the stone of Wergyn at some point...

Yes, thank you, it was a lot of fun!

Thanks chaps, glad you enjoyed it (and put up with my novice keepering).

Not sure I managed to evoke the sense of creeping menace I was going for, and apologies for the abrupt ending (two point-blank shotgun blasts whilst unable to regenerate due to the amulet, followed by a fumble on the counterattack will do that!)

You're welcome. I'm pleased with the ending. It was good to be able to win decisively without any of us getting too badly hurt.

Mr Handy, you can pop this into the completed games section at your leisure.

Oh, and everyone please let me know if you're interested in trying out another ruleset I've a hankering to try - something superhero-ish...

I'll probably do that this weekend. And I'm very interested in a superhero game!