Hurrah!  Whatcher going to call it?  Dang.  I hate asking that question when I don't know whether the baby's a boy or girl.  Oh!  That's it.  Ahem:
What are you going to name the baby?

We haven't decided on names yet.  We're planning to find out whether the baby's a boy or a girl and we'll probably try and decide then.

Could someone give Atalakis a prod?  He hasn't posted in the last couple of rounds of posts.

And you need a bit more cohesion.  Evesa asked a question, which no-one has answered directly.  Zyphen suggested moving out of the way, which isn't a bad idea (the well is in the middle of the courtyard and would leave you horribly exposed).  Cuaglar suggested sheltering under the platform, which is to your left not your right and Corven's leaving it for someone else to decide.

Sorry for the hold-up.  I've had a crap week at work.  I'll update tomorrow, promise.

Again sorry for the delay.  Work and motivation issues.  I'll try to keep the pace up better.

Atalakis has informed me that RL has intervened and he will have to retire from this game.  I'm aware that Atalakis' back-story is important to the group so I'm going to NPC him until there's a good opportunity for him to step out.

On the other hand, if you find that things improve, Atalakis, you're always welcome to come back.

Guess who met face-to-face today, by pure accident?  Me and Zyphen!

Huh?  Not me, unless you didn't tell me who you were and yet were stalking me so that you know what I look like....

...  You were in our gallery, in Eureka Springs.  I thought you said you were Zyphen, and I said I was Cuaglar...  Unless you're playing a joke, which is not nice.  My train of thought not only has a bad navigator, but its conductor is blind and has Alzheimer's.

I am not joking.  I really have no idea what you are talking about.  Where is Eureka Springs?  I am in Washington, DC.  I don't frequent galleries... my wife is an artist I suppose but even she doesn't go to galleries... and  how would I even have known how to find your gallery?  Or how would I have known to tell a random person I was Zyphen?  I mean, I wouldn't walk around saying that to people, right?  And I don't know what you look like....

I wonder if some person really has the name Zyphen, and introduced themselves, and you intro'd yourself as Cuaglar!  I bet they thought, "What a weird name... but then again, I am named Zyphen, so I had better not call anyone out on having an odd name."

Huh...  Might have been another Zyphen.  She acted like she knew Cuaglar, but she might have been talking about her full username. What's the origin of your name?

Ah, see, I also don't have breasts.  That clinches it--wasn't me!

I made the name up.  I wanted it to sound like air, so I thought "Zephyr" then altered it.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:48, Mon 09 June 2008.

That's what I thought, the Zephyr thing...  I must have just misheard her.

Whelp, 4th Edition's out...  What do you think?

I like it.  Especially from a DM's perspective.  Much easier to make encounters now that you don't have to try and build every NPC according to PC rules, and makes for more fun encounters.  PC stuff has more options than base 3.5, more options early on than 3.5 with splat books.  I think it's good.

It does not simulate reality as well as 3.5, as Corven is fond of pointing out.  But the parts it does not simulate are the parts that as a DM I usually made up anyway.  I don't need rules to figure out an NPC's Craft score, etc.  It usually is a better simulation of reality for the DM to make the stuff up anyway, assuming the DM is good.  So I don't care about that part of the system.

I like it a lot, although I want to play it for a bit longer before firming up that opinion.  I know it's a pretty hefty overhaul in a lot of ways but it does seem to me that they've improved playability while keeping the character of the game.  And I like it that every class now has a bag of tricks, not just the spellcasters.

I think Atal had 20 HP at the start of the encounter.

And what were your opinions before playing?

Cuaglar, Corven, I believe you both have a PM from DM Reefy in the original ROA 1 thread.  I think he is working things out with DM Fletch regarding getting us un-orphaned at some point in the future.

Thanks Zyphen, that would be correct.  DM Reefy wants to run a game in the Savage Frontier and I'm sure he'd like you all back there.  Ultimately, I think that would be for the best as I'm going to be a first-time dad in October and may need to wind down my RPOL commitments.  It really comes down to a question of timing.

Indeed, I'd love to have you back.

Fletch - I think I'm fairly sorted on how to make things work, appreciate what you've done here, and am basically ready to take over the reins.

Thanks for working this out, and Fletch, thanks for DMing!  Good luck to you and your wife on the baby!

Okay.  Somewhat belatedly:
500XP for the orcs, 100XP for successfully breaking into the tower and 150XP for some long overdue monthly bonuses.

Total = 750XP each

The treasure is pretty much exclusively in the form of equipment.  The orc sergeant was carrying a masterwork falchion and wearing a masterwork chain shirt.

Thanks everyone, it's been fun playing.  DM Reefy, over to you.

[Private to DM Reefy: Quick note: Atalakis' player has pulled out and he was being NPC'ed.  Evesa may or may not want to continue (the player is my wife, Nicole)]

Thanks Fletch!

DM Reefy is seeking Cuaglar and Corven in the ROA1 adventures thread.