<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">occ, please read</div><div class="spoiler_body">Actually Blinkin, that creates an excellent point for me to segue into what I wanted to post this morning, but didn’t have time. I don’t know if anyone else took a look at the skill challenges handbook, however I quite liked what I saw so I would like to incorporate it. <br/><br/>As opposed to presenting these as single skill checks, I'd like to try portraying them as skill challenges. The idea is to try and create some role playing opportunities while not locking anyone out of a particular skill check because they don't have a certain skill. <br/><br/>For example, while I have called for a Diplomacy check on Anevia, Lydia could try influencing Anevia in other ways, such as by searching for some other plant that could be used to ease her pain (Survival) or by calming the horse she is riding (Handle Animal). <br/><br/>Each challenge will have degrees of success and failure. You may not succeed at everything completely, but you should be able to to succeed enough to keep things moving. <br/><br/>For example, even if you don't get Horgus' attitude towards you to improvement you may shut him up for a couple of hour (I at least, would count that as a success ;) ).<br/><br/>Finally, you'll get opportunities to improve your success. I call these complication tasks. If the random dice god does not go your way, I'll give the opportunity to make another roll, although that opportunity would come at some sort of a cost that could complicate things down the road. I’ll give you a variety of actions that you can pick from, although you are always free to make up your own action or decide you’ve done well enough. Each time you make another roll, you gain a cumulative +2 bonus. Most of the time I will take the highest results, but sometimes it will be the most recent. I will let you know which it is whenever we have a challenge.<br/><br/>I know that was a giant wall of text and that this does add a bit of complexity to the game... but I also feel like it allows for more creative storytelling and a slightly more freeform/interactive experience, which I have found to be a huge positive in PbP games in the past. <br/><br/>What do you guys think? Did my ramblings make sense? Really, I want you to succeed and have fun (although I’m not making it easy). Can we run this diplomacy bit as a trial? </div></div><br/>Anevia smiles softly. "It is appreaciated Lydia, but I will not feel safe again until I am back with my wife. You four certainly show potential to be great warriors, and it is a sad thing that you should be tested by this trial in fire, but for some hurts, love is the only remedy."<br/><br/>Aravashnial turns his head roughly in Lydia's direction. "Unless you know of some magic herb that can regenerate lost body parts, I'm afraid not child. Hell, even if I had my spellbook, it would be of little comfort since I cannot read it. We must move quickly, I think, so that we can save what part of the city may be left. The good news is that we can certainly manage these tunnels, for it is a trivial thing for me to be down here on my own and yet, even injured there are seven of us! What have we to fear until the surface is once again at our feet?" With that, the elf stands dramatically and confidently tries to feel his way down the cave wall, away from the group.