For continued out of character posts.
This message was last updated by the GM at 13:11, Thu 16 Sept 2021.

I can say IC, "Well Vendavel?" for you Dak but the player hasn't logged in for a number of days to answer as much as we've been barraging her with questions :)

There's always a balance of allowing players time to post and keeping the game rolling when someone's indisposed with real life.

Then there's the issue as the days tick by as to whether they've decided not to return and we just stare at the door waiting for them to come home.  They said they wouldn't be long, but that was almost a week ago.  How long does it take to pop out for a gallon of milk?

Anyway... If I were holding up the game, I'm sure I wouldn't mind if the DM NPC'd me for a bit to keep things moving forward.  I'm only one person and I wouldn't want to penalize the other players for my unexpected absence.

I say we eat the bird.  Send them a message.

She did log in but didnt post. Perhaps we can kill her and she can come back with a new character. Anyway it isnt tough since the attibute points are static.
But i cant kill her.

Ideally, boss npc her for a moment so we can move on. I feel funny talking to myself

I've sent rMail.  Hopefully, I wasn't too understated about the difficulty of the heel-face turn with the Castaways group.

So, time for a funny story.  I have a number of cats -- four of them were adopted from the same shelter, one of them showed up in front of my house when it was bitterly cold in February a few years ago, and then there's youngest son's cat (he pays for her vet bills and food/litter, so truly his cat).  My cats are:  Circe (long haired floofy cat, age 12), Autumn (calico, age 7.5), Domino (black and white, the only male in the group, age 7), TV (also black and white, tuxedo pattern, littermate of Domino, age 7), and Cosette (tortie, age 5).  So it is "vet the cat" season here--the first four, who came from the same shelter, are all due in January, and Cosette (the one who showed up when it was cold in front of my house) is due at the beginning of February.  Domino has some sort of vaccine reaction that produces a huge lump at the injection site unless we split his shots (and then he doesn't react to either the distemper/feline leukemia *or* the rabies).

So on the 20th, I took Autumn and Circe ... they are really difficult to get in the crates, and I have to have help (and was left bloodied by the battle).  Check ups were fine, they got their shots, and all was well.  Last Monday, it was Domino and TV's turn.  So I went down to the utility room to get the crates.  Autumn was on my desk, and Circe was on the back of the couch when I went to get the crates, and as soon as they saw me coming back in the room, they both jumped down (and these are favorite lounging spots for both), and ran and hid.  You could almost hear them saying "Nope!"

TV, on the other hand, is really easy.  You open the crate and she walks in.  Domino's relatively easy (by which I mean that it is possible for one person to get him into the crate).

Next Monday, Domino goes back for his second shot and I'm taking Cosy for hers.  Already trying to figure out how I'm going to outwit them.

wow cat farm!
did she post or was it ur post boss?

Doesn’t matter Storm.  Forward movement is the name of the game so we don’t become bogged down and where we are is a bad place to bog down.

When the Last Login date doesn't update but the date from the Last Post does, it means the DM posted for them.

Vendeval hasn't logged in since Wed, 22 Jan.

DM type person... Do you have soft-sided cat crates or the old style plasticy ones?

I just know from experience... having replaced my old plasticy thing with soft siders like... 4 years ago, that cats tolerate the soft ones way better, and you can just leave them out with the tops open as a 'safe space' for them.

Makes it far easier to sort everything, once you catch 'em.

(I have three cats myself.)

I can add my enthusiasm for the soft-sided crates as well... for the reasons Mr. Fawkes iterates.      We use them with our two cats, in the same manner, and it does make it easier.  Not fool proof, mind you, but it does improve the situation.

I feel sort of bad about Vendavel...  I think the barrage of questions + leaving the character tied up so long may have been off putting to the player.     However, they of course could have said something about it, and I guess chose to just leave instead.    Characters tend to come & go from this sort of game, and the show goes on, I guess.

Btw-  I like my sept name even better now, knowing it coincides with one of your cat's names!    You'll have to tell us the story with TV --  there's got to be a good story with that name.   (or is it just Tuxedo + ? )
This message was last edited by the player at 20:00, Fri 31 Jan 2020.

Would people be willing to put there character's race and class in their bio? it would be helpful to me. For those willing, thanks in advance.

Well, for the Castaways--I'm leaving character class out (you can guess from IC stuff, or if they want to say so, that's fair enough)

Humans
Storm (6'0")
Telemachus (5'10")
Dak (5'7")
Wick (5'4")

Half-Elves
Vendavel (5'9")
Lenelle (5'5")

Elves
Westin na'Belva (5'1")

Gnomes
Panatix (3'4")

Just to show how radically different the Explorers group composition is:

Humans
Aeryn (6'0")

Half-Elves
Jensen "John" Fawkes (5'11")

Elves
Zaryk na' Liluth (5'9")
Jex na'Kannon (5'6")
Annya an'Veila(4'10")

Gnomes
Garrick (4'0")
Odette (3'6")

---

On my cats -- I'm a little leery about the soft-sided crates (how durable are they?  I do not want to deal with my cats ripping a hole and escaping, especially if we're at the vet side of the trip, since the vet's office is on a major, very busy street).

TV's name is because she's black-and-white (TV) .. you may groan silently now.

Autumn, Domino, and TV were all rescued together, and were probably a dump job in the middle of nowhere.  When they were first found, TV & Domino were in transition with baby/adult teeth and so reliably placed at 4-5 months, while Autumn had all her adult teeth, and the theory is that she is mother of TV & Domino.  Of course, when a calico cat is found in September, the name Autumn seems almost inevitable.

Circe was 6.5 years old when I adopted her.  She'd been adopted once before and returned after a year, but now she is mine.  Weirdly enough, as much as I love cats, I'm kind of "meh" when it comes to kittens.

Cosette showed up in front of my house on a really cold night, and my son had come home from work around 10pm.  If you leave my house, there's a sidewalk that leads to the one that runs along the street, and there's a step down where the sidewalks meet.  She was all huddled up against that, and he came in and said "There's a cat in front of the house, and it's crying, and it's so cold I think it's illegal for animals to be outside".  Well, with four cats (at the time) I couldn't just bring her into the house, so we brought her into my garage.  I set some food and water down, and started to make a litterbox using a plastic dishpan (by the time I set it down, the food and water was gone).  Well, she then went in the box, and it was the most horrible peel-wallpaper-from-wall horrific smelling diarrhea ever.  So, the next morning I called up my vet ... $200 later, I had a on-the-way-to-healthy cat whose age was estimated at 10-12 months.  The kids were saying "We have enough cats, we can't keep this cat" ...  I said "I just spent $200 on this cat, I'm keeping this cat".  When she first showed up, you could see her ribs through her fur, she was missing a chunk of fur on her lower jaw, and if you know that chart for cat body type/weight, she was at the high end of "very thin and severely underweight" (category 1).  She was named Cosette because I knew that that thin little waif was going to turn into a lovely lady cat (why yes, I do like Les Misérables).

They are very durable.   And the cats will appreciate the extra viewing area.
It's heavy canvas for the corners and a tough plastic mesh for the actual sides.

I can vouch for the soft carriers. My corpulent tuxedo named Bella hated the plastic once, the enormous cardboard I made from scratch, well she hates the soft one too, but a little less! She yowls when she is in the carrier in the cat, but it has lots of screen on one side so she can see and is a little less stressed.

On Vendavel--not sure why the silence.  Intriguing character, but hasn't really had much impact, so probably will skedaddle at soonest opportunity if I don't get a response on rMail.

I've gone through almost everything, and it seems like one of the rule pieces that I thought was posted isn't.  So I'll mention it here, and then add it into the rules.

With respect to multi-classing, I really see it as more of a fusion rather than 2-classes-at-a-time (or 3, even).  So it's more like one bucket of XP, adding together, say for a mage-thief the 1250 for the thief + 2500 for the mage for a total of 3750 to become a 2nd level mage-thief.  HD type would be a d5 (which I know doesn't exist, but it doesn't break the die roller) and for those first levels (second through fourth) would be d2+3 + CON.

Actually... I've seen a d5 before.
someone sanded down and painted over a d10 but with doubles of 1-5
Then again, this is the same person that 'made' a needlessly complex D2 out of a D4.
Because coin flips are a thing.

So, for Zaryk, a Fighter/Mage, it will take 4,500 XP to become 2/2.
HD will be d7; and hit points to level 4 will be d3+4 + CON?

The only "problem" I see is that it will dramatically slow down levelling; but that may be the point! I have no issue with this.

Yeah I was the one who got our good GM to notice it had been accidentally left out of her creation notes.  It'll slow things down for anyone who has a blend of classes with high differential xp needs...rogue/mage the most as the rogue would normally advance far quicker.

There would be one different side of math too if one side gained the 10% but the other didn't.  In a traditional setup that 10% faster could make that one class advance even quicker, or the slower one closer to the faster one.  In a combined stricture it would simply devolve the 10% down to 5%.  Tri classes would push it even further down to 3.3 repeating %.

Too much math!  LOL  ...  Of course, with the system for character creation I'm using, it's not terribly likely that one would opt for the three-class variations (and I'd want a really good back-story for such a thing) without slotting a 16 (or better) in each of the prime requisites, so hopefully that particular wrinkle never comes up.

Of course, a fighter-thief comes out neatly as a d8 type, while cleric-thief and fighter-mage end up as a d7 type (which again, you cannot have an odd-sided 3D object, but the die roller does not care).  The rolls for 2nd-4th level would indeed be 1d3+4 + CON

The "training wheels" approach to added HP for the lower levels comes from one of my gaming experiences in which I was playing a fighter and upon achieving 2nd level, when rolling for HP, I rolled a 1.  The DM said "that's a crappy roll, try again".  So I did, and rolled a 1 again.  So, when running my games, I was looking at the "minimum hp for 1st level" in Unearthed Arcana and decided to translate that into dice.  My hope is that by 5th level, there's enough cushion that one lousy added HP roll won't be felt nearly as much as it is for a 2nd level fighter.  I may allow re-rolls of 1s for HP at 5th and above.

For the Explorers, continue on with breakfast, and signal readiness to move into action by someone asking about directions to the farms where the sheep have gone missing (Thom and Aleka were the ones talking the night before, they also mentioned an Adelina).

I generally played multi-class PCs BITD. The idea that they are fusion or 2 or 3 classes is my vision of them as well. The one part I do like about the traditional XP system is that it allows the multi-class character to enjoy the bumps in levels for the faster levelling classes (thief or fighter vs MU).

I also prefer the idea that the PC has to choose up-front what classes they will be, and cannot simply "dip" into a class for 1 or 2 levels to gain some special abilities, a la 3E, 4E, and 5E. In fact, in the 5E face-to-face game I am just starting to DM, I have banned multi-classing until I can figure out a better system!

But this will work. The multi-class PCs will raise in abrupt steps, while their cohorts will be more linear in their power increases.

Besides, we are looking way ahead of ourselves. I fully expect Zaryk to die the first time we meet a pack of giant rats!! :-)

In reply to DM (msg # 12):

Players' group:

Cat ownership

DM -                 5+1
John's player - 3
Me -                 2
Zaryk player -  1

Anybody raising a kitten only?   We'll slot you in as .5


I used to play a lot of multi class characters in our earliest games.     I also liked the "hybrid" approach better than the present "dipping" method.      Some classes, especially, such as mage, it's pretty absurd that someone just "picks up" a level without years of training and study.

But I've got only single classes here -   Annya is an "archer-priestess" only in the sense she's a priestess(specialty) who's handy with a bow.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:17, Mon 03 Feb 2020.

Well, a whole bunch of totally untrained people (0 level characters) managed to escape after being shipwrecked on an island, fighting off the armed-with-sword slaver with a bunch of rocks from the beach, evading most of the goblins and orcs and overcoming a lunatic who meant to kill them, so Zaryk has a reasonable chance of needing to worry about all that leveling up stuff.

If it were the 3e and beyond style of dabbling in a class for a level or two, I'd probably treat it more like a traditional dual-class (and maybe forbid going back to the original class).  But then, when 3e was still in development and I saw some of the official preview material I made a face and declared "no 3 for me".  Never even looked at 4, and I was invited to participate in a 5e game, but one of the characters already there was a race from the MM and I just couldn't get into it, so declined.

--On cats, actually I have 5+1

My cats:

Circe, Autumn, TV, Domino, and Cosette

Son's cat (lives with me but he vets the cat and pays all her expenses):

Mabel (she's a tabby cat)

I also have two "grandkittens" (although these are now cats, too, rather than kittens).  My son who bought the house across the street from me has two:

Rey and Felix

I too remember looking through the 3E PHB the first time, and thinking 'is all this really necessary just to play a game-?'   

I eventually caved and learned it, like eight or nine years after it came out, because at that point I was writing online, and so many stories made use of it.

Pathfinder is a pretty good streamlining of 3E -- I've played a fair bit of it by now. But the way pathfinder is played is sometimes weird;   like a cross between D&D and anime.    You get some very funny characters in pathfinder stories, sometimes.    Not necessarily in an enjoyable way.

Storm...here's a list of people with us currently
Storm
Dak
Lenelle
Panatix
Telemachus
Westin
Wick
Vendavel - Moving towards NPCdom
McGnolly - tied up, needs to be gagged

Storm if you look in the first OOC thread, someone put together a list in msg#396.

Since no one has awakened him, the gnoll is also sound asleep and tied up.

My cats... Coffee, Tea and Rosie.
All have... 'personality'

Starting to feel like I need to add a thread for pictures.

Doesn't mean we shouldn't also gag him so if he wakes before the others get close he doesn't yell to warn them or somesuch :)

Feel free to do so IC :)

Will do when I’m not on my phone :-)

- Circe, who believes she's the bestest present anyone could ever want

- Autumn

- Domino

- TV (yes, she is only about 2/3 the size of her brother)

- Cosette ("Yes, I am sitting in the sink.  Why do you ask?")

And for the sake of completeness:

- Autumn on my desk with Mabel (my son's cat)

Did I miss something, or is Aeryn still an unknown to the rest of the group?

Nice looking cat colony!!  If we are doing animal counts, I might win this one.  Only two cats (russian blue and siamese), but eight dogs (5 full sized rough coat collies, a sheltie, and two papillons),  three pet rats,  10 goats, and 70 plus chickens.

Aeryn would have been seen in the common room the prior night, but at this point is not actually known to the rest of the group.  (Unless any of the players involved want to put a bit of back story acquaintance in place.)

That is quite a collection of animals (I suppose that would be a whole farm).  If I ever went ahead and made a game based on the idea I've been kicking around, it'd sound like you'd have quite the knowledge base for a character.  (The idea is based on a novel series, although I'd want to set it in a different region to allow a story to develop without worrying about trying to re-create the plot of the novels.)  I don't know what I would do for system, though--it's more of a near-future thing and not at all AD&D.

Animal Farm RPG?     That is a beautiful pride of felines, in any case!

Hi guys! I’ve been volunteering in an elephant conservation centre in Laos for two weeks, with no WiFi and no time for rpol if there were. I thought I had mentioned it OOC but apparently I forgot. Really sorry about that. I’m flying back home tonight, so I’ll try and catch up (if Vendavel hasn’t been executed yet! I haven’t caught up with IC threads).

Sounds pretty interesting with elephants.

The book series is a "Changed World" starting with Lethal Seasons by Alice Sabo.  Basic premise now starts to sound a little close to "ripped from headlines" as there's a deadly virus that started off by killing 40% of the entire world population, and then keeps coming back year after year.  The book starts in "Year Ten" (ten years after "Year Zero" or the 40% mortality), though I'd probably want to start in Year Five (if I actually made the game).  Interesting things like biobots (humans who are "3d printed" but actually fully human, just "born" as adults and made to order), survival, scavenging, total societal breakdowns and then creating a community when people can just die off in large numbers.

Yeah, no not executed yet.

The good GM had been keeping you warm so we weren’t totally stalled.  Right now you’ve got the options of leave or Panatix told you that perhaps you could join us.

I think we have time to visit the farm and still get back to watch/participate in the sword contest.

I don't want to post IC until Aeryn is inthe common room...

That's fine--you know the trigger for moving IC into the farm investigation.

Castaways, I'm seeing a line up which, excluding Dak (who is already below stairs) as being in height order ... those in parentheses haven't confirmed the position.

Storm
(Telemachus)
(Vendavel)
(Lenelle)
(Wick)
Westin
Panatix

It's like pulling teeth to get people in line for a group picture!

I do like how they're lined up by height.  Everybody, scoot in!

I'd figured it would sort itself out by impatient people rushing in after you :P

So I take it when the gnoll breaks free of his bonds you're good defending yourself Panatix?  Westin? ;-)

Yep, Pan can hold the rear guard, he's quite a force, he heh!!

On the subject of spellcasters and spell components, I consider the material components to be part of the game, though perhaps a little more "flavor" in the casting, particularly at low levels .  For spell components which have a PHB price of under 100gp, these would be generally available (unless it's something quite exotic like monster body parts) and prudent spellcasters would make use of the downtime to replenish supplies, so not having components would have to be either an intentional player choice or result of something happening to separate the caster from the components.

I'm fairly strong for leaving the character agency in the hands of the players.  Using OOC to settle things like a march order or what course of action to take is fine, but unless it happens in the IC thread, it hasn't happened at all.

I'll probably add some more musings on the PC-stamp-on-forehead and other such things, but it's late and I still have to go to work tomorrow.

For the Explorers, you can settle up with the innkeeper, and subtract 4 asil plus one griel for each mug/glass of chosen beverages from prior night and current day morning, and proceed on your way.  Except for Fawkes, who gets all of that for the cost of his epic song.

In reply to DM (msg # 46):

*salute* ... The perks of the Bard. ;)

So was it the glaring or talking back that was dishonorable?

Storm must be great with kids.

Parents come home.  Storm sitting on the couch watching TV.  Kids tied up on the floor.

It's how you raise proper, little paladins! Eyes down, no talking. :-)

Well, I did kind of think that the Explorers would actually settle up accounts and start heading out for the road.

I suppose these are some deep "scars" from various past games, but in general, I do not like to move characters (and even less whole parties) without the characters starting some forward momentum.

One of the most egregious experience I had was with what I'm going to call RR-DM.

The RR-DM was really just plain bad, but the thing that stuck in my craw was the direct override of things I said my character did when she *wasn't* under some mind-controlling power.  My character was in a group (which was really too large for the mission, to be honest) that was from Kingdom A who were being sent on a mission to spy in Kingdom B.  So we're in the capital city of Kingdom B, and split up to do our scoping out, with a plan to meet at a particular tavern at sundown.  So, my character was alone, the rest of the group was in 2s and 3s (see what I mean--too many strangers to be doing covert ops), and as the appointed time drew near, my character headed to the designated tavern, only to see the other 9 in the group being arrested.  Well, I was playing a thief, and she didn't want to walk up and get arrested, so I had her skirting through alleys along the north side of the city (currently on the west side) to head to the temple on the east side that she had visited earlier in the day, intent on claiming sanctuary there while finding out whose palms needed greasing to spring her companions.  Logical, right?  So why, when I signed on again, did I find that my character had gone to the courtyard of the ruler's house in the middle of the city, half a mile south of my planned route, having climbed a tree so that she could overlook the courtyard and eavesdrop on the kangaroo court?  When I protested that that did not jibe with what I'd had my character doing, and asked if she had been placed under a spell compelling her to act that way (the answer to that was no), the reply was that it was "necessary for the plot" for her to be there and hear the goings-on.

Now, if the goal was to get the party into the sewer-dungeon, I can think of several ways of accomplishing that goal without destroying player agency.  So I'm a little reluctant to just up and move the group.

So, with that said, if someone in the Explorers group would like to get you out the door of the inn, let me know what you want to do outside and if you have a preferred individual to seek out (Thom or Aleka, met in the inn last night; Adelina, referred to by the first two).  Thom is the one whose theory is ghosts; Aleka, wolves or other natural predators; Adelina, ink-colored goblins--and that coloration is unusual vs what your characters know of goblins).

In reply to DM (msg # 50):

I'm all for moving along, but Jensen only had the barest outline of what was what... being on the 'Stage' and all with the Alcohol.   All that lovely alcohol. ;)

Managed to snag post #3000 :-)

Thanks to all for being part of this game.

Getting ready for a very special birthday celebration .. this one may be unique.

Friday the 28th, my twins are having their 19th birthday.  The next day, my father is having his 19th birthday.

Congratulations! Took me a moment to figure that one :)

Funny... mine was 2 days ago. lol.

Have fun at the mass of parties. :D

Btw, Explorer party people.   I'm holding a moment just to see if anyone else wants to post something in response to Fawkes, or anything else... along with Aeryn's comment, if he wants.   Before I start having 'John' knock like a proper civilized person.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:17, Sat 29 Feb 2020.

And mine is in 19 days!

If Aeryn goes along with John then the farmer should be at ease...but he will probably recognise the bard from the tavern, so it will probably be fine either way.

Garrick is being a slowpoke :)

You guys go ahead and do all that talking stuff while I grab a breath.

As a kid, I kind of thought being born on Feb 29th would be a cool thing -  so props to dad!    Though I do hope he gets to celebrate more than once every four years..

In the House group, how many folks are standing around and how many are following Storm following the gnoll and other fleeing figure?

I seem to have wiped myself out with the travel and festivities.  (My birthday is 3/3 and my daughter-in-law is on the 6th, so we have 5 people having birthdays in the span of one week.  So that was my parents, me, my younger brother and his wife, my four children and the spouse of one child (none of the others are married), so half of the related people, plus some of my daughter's college friends.

Unless someone says otherwise, I'm presuming that the rest of the Castaways will be traveling down the passageway.  I'll try to get a post up before work in the morning.

Pan is going with the big guy!

Before work was definitely a note of optimism on my part ... first day back after a vacation, and I overslept by a half hour (meaning that I woke up with my alarm, and thought "just a couple minutes" and .. oops, half an hour later, my cats are telling me in no uncertain terms that breakfast is late).

Cats are the best alarm clocks.

Well, the snooze alarm on the cat-as-alarm-clock seems to be broken.  By the time I've gotten myself out of bed and put all the food down, there's not much going back.

Well, someone stated a lifehack ... for remembering to do something at a specific time (like taking pills, etc) ... start feeding your cat(s) treats at that time.   They'll loudly remind you that a thing needs to be done.

Every...
Single...
Day...

I think things would speed up if someone actually said you all were going to wait for the fog to dissipate before continuing up the hall.

I'm not sure the DM interprets a lack of real time posts as time passing within the game.

If anyone is wondering what Dak has been doing up ahead, he's been gaining XP by posting every other day.

I'll make it clear:  non-posting doesn't equal any action or passage of time. There are seven people in a line in the tunnel, one person has spoken, but no one has taken any action.

For those in the Castaways thread, please make a post indicating whether you are continuing forward into the fog, waiting for the fog to dissipate, or deciding to turn around and leave.

Sorry for my relative quiet.  Been house hunting and it has been taking a lot more time than expected.

And for mine as well...have been house cleaning, and maintaining...

Will post up tonight.   Been busy as all getout... because work sent everyone home to work remote.

hehe...

I understand.  Things are pretty unsettled for a lot of people right now.

Figure that's a good question to ask of the Rancher... hehe

'pologies.

House hunting + mortgage paperwork + being asked by your boss to figure out how to work remotely when your job isn't made to do so and trying to avoid getting sick (with the CV or by something else) has made things difficult.  Regardless I'll likely be stuck at home being tasked with doing my best to work and actually have time to post again.

I'm not gone yet.

I went ahead and made rolls for those who hadn't yet--Telemachus, Vendavel, and Lenelle.  That group can start combat rolling.

Regardless, I would like everyone to post a check-in ... how are you doing with the current real-world circumstances?

Still upright and posting.

Still kickin'  Life is strange, I am one of several directors of a retirement community, so we have 500 seniors living on our campus, assisted living and full nursing home, so this is like our worst nightmare.  So far, our lockdown is holding but I can only pray it holds till this thing passes the peak.  We jumped on it way before the gov't did but still, it only takes one to get it started.

It's really nice being able to do remote support from home.   Been more of a hermit than normal, if only because with my luck, I'd get it... Then I'd give it to my mom... (I've been her caregiver for about 5 years or so, now)

Prefer to keep her around for a while longer, so I've been mask and gloving it when I go outside... although it's not the 95 masks...    However, I feel for ya, Pana.   We fix computers for a few retirement communities, and I've been hoping they hold out good because otherwise things are gonna go sideways quick.

If New York is any indication.

Yes, my daughter works as a CNA in a nursing home, so she's been dealing with things from that angle, and that's the thread that my concern goes along because I'm not so much worried about myself as for her.  (Yes, typical parent thing, but magnified.)

Bless the CNA's and other health care workers, they are truly heroes in what they do!

Gamewise request:  Can you get a detailed description of the room, size, what's in it, who's in it and where,  I'm a little confused and can't come up with any "next" strategy without a clearer picture in my mind.

My checkin:
-----------
I'm working full time from home. Previously worked full time in the office but it's been mandatory to work at home for 2 weeks now. I'm fortunate my work is mostly not effected and can get by with occasional video conferencing. Businesses here are either work from home or closed with expected exceptions like grocery stores, doctor's offices, etc. I'm worried about a friend in the medical field.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:07, Wed 01 Apr 2020.

Requested map is now the game map.

Sorry if my dex is 16 and my dex check is 6 did I pass?

Storm succeeded, but Telemachus' failure was pretty spectacular, and so Storm did end up on the floor from the sliding impact from Telemachus.

So are we in rounds now?  Waiting on everyone to complete an action this round?

Should we just start stabbing everyone?

Where are we at?

Yep, start stabbing .. or slicing, smashing, or whatever.  I was hoping to get a few more check-ins, even if it wasn't an IC post, just to know that folks are doing all right.

I've been keeping up with the Castaways, but I have must have missed something - is Dak charmed or did he turn coat on the party?

Hmmm ...

So am i able to attack now boss? Or still struggling?

With Storm out, if Dak is charmed, it's looking grim.  Tel hasn't checking in for about a month, any chance one of us can NPC him till he comes back or you find a new person,  I don't think we'll survive this without him, maybe not with him the way its going.

I would be open to someone posting actions on behalf of Lenelle and/or Telemachus.

Edited to add that Zaryk's player has offered to help out with Telemachus (Mac being the alt character).  I still hold out hope that the original players will be able to post when the virus issues ease up.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:30, Thu 16 Apr 2020.

I'd be happy to post for Lenelle till she returns if you wish.

That would be helpful ... I've made "Nell" (not a nickname ever used by Lenelle) for the time being.

So now I have 3hp am I awake and ready to fight?

Yes, Storm has regained consciousness.

Telemachus is out, Wick is wounded.

Well, that went well.

It's never a good sign when your last healer goes down in need of healing. Unless Storm remembers that he has an ability he can use (in lieu of attacking).

My first thought was to heal Storm, but given the circumstance I figured Telemachus would just get stabbed before he got the spell off...not the first time the RPOL dice roller has let me down!!

Anybody have a dispel magic, or think of another way to un-charm Dak?  We need him on our side, if nothing else, I guess if we concentrate all our attacks on the mage and kill him, it'll break the spell, I think.

Yeah, OOC I was hoping that if we knocked the wizard down Dak might come out of it. IC it makes sense to take out the leader.

If Telemachus is able, he will likely try returning the favour to Storm and cast CLW.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:05, Mon 20 Apr 2020.

When there's a moment, could we have a post in the Rules thread about HP death and Heal Checks?

Thanks.

Well, looks like I won't be bleeding to death, at least.  Thanks Mac!

In reply to Panatix (msg # 97):


I do have protection from evil memorized, but as I recall it doesn't help against a charm spell. And not that I'm conscious to cast, anyway.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:10, Thu 23 Apr 2020.

Well, if the Explorers are ready to continue (there's an interesting spot by the stream that has been located) ...

I've added the info on HP death and dying.  Will allow more time for the Castaways to decide if they're going to just exit stage-left with/without trying to get Dak to go with them (and whether that means opening up a third avenue of adventure).

I really want to have John point toward the ground, "Tracks down here..." ... because clearly Annya is looking off into the clouds atm. ;)

Then do so!

And lo... so it was said, and thus it was written.

Well, now, this is embarrassing...somehow when I first read the previous posts (admittedly a little hurried) I thought we'd crossed over to the same side Zaryk is on.    But, er, I see it's not so...    (takes another puff of the 'J')

Anyone levelled up as yet?

I need about another 650 -- but I came in after the first wave.

That’s fast! I need a lot more than that lol

I need more like another 1500!

I don't think Dak left us.  Two possibilities.  He's been charmed, and won't leave because he can't until he gets another save based on his INT.  Or, he is faking being charmed for some reason of his own, infiltration, information gathering, planning to rob them when they let down their guard.  I'm thinking the first, but ya' never know.

Telemachus is 580 XP away from levelling!

There is a third possibility, Dak sold the group out for easy coin! :-)

But, IC, Telemachus is convinced it is a charm!

Cool! I thought he left so DM just dumped him w the guy.

That traveller on the road, is he/she on foot, or on a wagon?

On foot.

Players - from what I read in the short Monteci thread, it looks like the village is safe and Lenelle has a connection to the church there. Unless something went awry in one of the other threads (quite possible, I know) it seems to me it would be the prudent action to go back to the village to recuperate.

Telemachus should have some logical thing to say at this point, but I don't have enough background to make that comment!!

I will do a quick scan of some of the older threads to pick up some clues, but I doubt I will have time to do a through review tonight.

So if the other PCs make a decision in the meantime, Telemachus will go along with the consensus.

Explorers:  Ready to roll forward.  New character joining the group--Arn, who was present at the inn the prior night.  So for now, based on recent log-ins, present are:  Arn, Annya, Jensen, and Zaryk with Thom.  So, let's see where that trail of non-tracks leads?

Yes, I've a connection at the church, as well as a room, and can rest up there.   I think if I prepare three cure lights for one day, and use them all on myself, I should be good to go again.   Well, excepting the d-roller handing me all one 1's, which is always possible.   But I'll just keep at it till fully healed.

As for the Explorers thread, yes, let's go!!
This message was last edited by the player at 19:14, Mon 04 May 2020.

Welcome on, Arn --  is it Arn Rand?  Are you into existentialism-?


You know, there actually is a "find animals" spell for we divine casters. Unfortunately, at level 1, it's got a fairly limited range and duration, so I didn't take it.   Could be useful on another day though, if we suspect we're getting close.

(political related matter removed)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:05, Tue 05 May 2020.

Thanks for the welcome. As for Arn, no, though I admit I don't understand the reference. Is that someone who is an existentialist?

Change the middle letter ...

Ayn (not Arn) Rand is an author who is kind of associated with it, to the best of my understanding. A rather controversial sort of author, in some camps.  Let me disclaim I'm not hugely familiar with her work, and neither a fan or a detractor.

In our old D&D group, my brother had a friend who was kind of into her, and talked about it a lot.   I was age 12/13 at the time, and more interested in our RPG than philosophy.

Feel free to ignore my attempts at humor -   I get amused pretty easily, which I understand isn't good.

I know the name and she authored a book Atlas Shrugged, and I've heard people talk about it.  But there ends my direct knowledge.  I am not sure the book will get into my to-be-read like this century.  (I jokingly tell my children that I intend to live to the age of 135 so that  I will have lived in three centuries.)

Another 1965er?

I read The Fountainheada very long time ago. From what I recall, I did not enjoy it.

Early '66 (March).

Now if the Explorers would just start posting IC as well as OOC ...  you're on the trail of adventure at last.

March 1965! The 18th!

You're fine. Can't take life too seriously. After all, we are playing a game in an imaginary world with imaginary characters living imaginary lives. :)

May be a bit spotty for the next few days.

At work, they'd had a meeting about furloughs last week.  Learned this week that it's not me, so I still have my job.  (Well, yeah, the furloughed people still have a job, so to speak, they'll just get unemployment for awhile but they still get the insurance from work.)  I could've seen that coming.  I have never seen the hospital census so low.  At one point, below 40% filled.  Still less than 60%.  At least starting on the 11th the state will let them start doing some "elective" surgery.  Like cardiac surgery and mastectomies are really the sort of thing that you can just put off without consequence.  Anyway, I'm relieved I'm still working, but I am taking the next two days off (PTO) to help my daughter move north (in with my parents).  She's going to go to the community college up there for her sophomore year and then on to the nursing school (junior and senior year college) that is in the town by my parents.

Finding myself getting a lot more emotional as she's packing up her room in earnest tonight.  Didn't really expect that, considering where she's moving to (only 200 miles away and with family).

Family or playing D&D with strangers over the Internet? Not a hard choice! Enjoy your time with your daughter.

Glad to hear you are still working, hard to believe a hospital is furloughing staff!

Getting ready to hit the road.

In one way, I am kind of envious of the opportunity she's getting.  She's going to get a *lot* of quality grandparent time.

Have a good trip Dm!
I’m having my mid term holidays coz we moved the holidays up.
Will be spending more time with my baby and civilization 6 while posting a few times a day
Hope everyone is doing good
In my country we call it circuit breaker not lockdown lol

I work on the periphery of the medical industry, as a recruiter.   There have definitely been changes in the landscape, so to speak, since C19.



You two are right on the divide between Boomerhood and Gen X.

A little similar for me -- but I'm on the divide between Gen X and Millennialism.   Technically I'm a millennial, but not by much.   I do not identify as one.   Gen X, all the way!!

I'm totally a member of the "baby bust" generation (Gen X).  My parents are boomers.  Mostly though, I think that the "generations" are too large and have weird "cut-offs".  I think I'm a "don't fence me in".

Aw, Panatix, that's so sweet!    I'd thank you for the kindness, but I'm too busy breathing raggedly and twitching a foot now and then.  ;)


If I can just wake up, pray for some CLWs, I'll be good as new, and good to go!

In reply to DM (msg # 133):

Yes, I agree. No need to limit oneself with arbitrary labels.   It's kind of like astrology for me -- I find it interesting enough to enjoy looking at it sometimes, and I know an awful lot of people that mostly fit their sign, but I don't truly take it seriously or set expectations with it.

I've always identified as Gen X - probably because I did not have the simplicity that Boomers had! :-P

I graduated university in 1989, during a recession, had a tough time finding work, thought I was lucky to get a government job a few years later, live in a city awash in dirty money making real estate a pipe dream.

And Douglas Copeland lives in Vancouver; so there's that!

Storm or Panatix can take my third CLW - talk about bad rolling!

Hopefully Lenelle will be able to get some CLWs too.

No spells for Lenelle at this point.  Also, Storm does have lay on hands available, and not far from town.

Give it to Storm, if we get in a scrap, Pan will be hiding behind him anyway :-)

Man.   So little time for being homebound still.  /sigh

DM: Have you heard from Aeryn? He hasn't logged in since mid-April.

No ..  I think I might hit a reset on the "check in" thread.

Sorry, I've been a bit under the weather today.  Hoping that a little rice will be acceptable to my system.

Hope you feel better soon!!  Rice is a good soothing food.  Oddly, for me, its cheese pizza.

Toast with peanut butter for me!

I don't want to jinx you, but be careful, the runs is one of the symptoms of COVID-19.

Rest up and feel better.  Games can wait.

Jerry Rice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHKIh3gh1fQ

Take care DM!

Hope you get well soon!

Well, I spent most of yesterday in bed after evacuating everything in the GI tract.  Had some rice in the evening, and again this morning and things have settled down.  Will probably post IC this evening after work because I've used up almost all my break time.

That's rough, sorry to hear --  it will continue to get better, I'm sure!

Telemachus has gnomish on his character sheet, but it is not available under the Language groups and I can't read Pantix's reply, assuming it was in gnomish.

Should be fixed ... I'm going to have to look again, make sure that all the groups are available to those who should have them.

"Banan and Bichan,"


Storm, you called Michan Bichan... as if it were pronounced Bitchin?

I like it!   Let's keep it that way!   ^_^

DM: For the Shillelagh spell, does the druid have to be proficient in cudgel or staff or does the spell automatically provide the proficiency?

Well, I feel accomplished.

It has been decided that the work from home thing is going to become permanent for my job.  I am, actually, quite cool with that.  Sometime this upcoming week, or no later than next week, we're all to (not all at once, gotta do that social distance thing) go to the office, pick up our personal stuff and our office equipment--computer, keyboard, mouse, *both* monitors, and a headset (usb connection that we'll be using when we have to make calls .. ugh on that).  So to get ready, I've picked up some cable (they're going to give us something like 6 or 8 feet, which is nowhere near long enough based on where things are/will be located), and I'll get my son to help me run the cable (need to go up and around a couple doorways).

So today--what makes me proud of my accomplishment is that I successfully built my new ready-to-assemble desk all by myself.  (Though middle son, who bought the house across the street from me, did help me turn it right-side-up when he came over to do laundry.  It wasn't so much heavy as just really awkward for one person.  Middle son does his laundry here and buys all the detergent and fabric softener for both of us.) Funny thing--it said that one should not use power tools.  I used my power screwdriver for the Phillips-head screws, no issues there (but I might still be working on it if I were trying to do all of those with a manual screwdriver).  I did use a manual flat head, but that was for only four cam-locking spots.

It is my honor to present you with the Ikea Medal of Construction.

As someone who has put together far too much IKEA furniture in one lifetime - congratulations!

And I am glad to hear that working from home is a good thing for you.

I have been doing the same since March (with laptop, two 22-inch monitors, and my faithful clunky work keyboard).

Certainly I have saved on commuting time (1 minute to my downstairs office vs 30 minutes to work and 45 minutes home. And my gas bill has dropped,  I'm still on my second tank of gas since March when I normally put in a tank a week.

And I will be getting a mobile phone from work so I don't have to use my personal phone.

But I do miss the social aspect of being in the office!

I'm looking at next spring as the earliest return, next summer as more likely, and possibly permanent at home if I decide I want to and I work on my boss!

I live in a well-situated, quite livable small city. A relative is in real estate. Big seller's market in part because those people who are now working from home have discovered they can work almost anywhere. Often, they live in place where home prices are higher than where I live—though home prices here have been going up and up. Result: Relative is part of the 20% or so who make 80% of the income as a realtor. But half or so of the gross goes to taxes and expenses.

The current work-at-home has been remoting into my work computer, which means that I really only am able to use one screen where the office set up is a dual screen, so getting both screens again is going to be great.  Also, since going remote, they've trimmed back the meetings a lot (seldom did we have a meeting in which the info could not just as easily have been sent out via an email, but you had so much wasted time and "I don't want to start an account now, because it might make me late to the meeting").  And that's just the work side of the equation.

On the more personal side ... well, I am one of the most extreme introverts in the world (seriously, on the MBTI my score on the extravert-introvert was max introvert), so I'm perfectly content not actually seeing people.  Then there's the personal bit about the person sitting at the desk next to me.  Our desks are on the window side of the building, and she insisted on having the shades completely down almost all day.  Managed a minor compromise--the office has two shades, a filtering and a blocking, so I'd put the filtering one down (I started a half hour before she did and worked an hour and a half longer, since I work 10 hr days and she does 8 hr days .. I only have to work 4 days a week as a result). A couple hours after she'd come in, she'd put the blocking shade down where it would remain until she left for the day.  I have a window in my new office space in the house, and the shade is going to be up and I'll get to see daylight.  Then there's another co-worker who would insist on popping over into my work space to ask a (work-related) question, except she'd take about 5 minutes to ask a question that could have been asked in 10 words ... and although she'll IM me occasionally since we went remote, I can ignore it until the question has been asked, answer the question, and ignore her 10 minutes afterwards of explaining why she needed to ask and how she just wanted to be certain that such-and-such was correct, and blather, blather on.  I guess she likes the sound of her own voice or something, but I'd have been listening to either one of my podcasts or my music and have to put that on pause.

I live in a fairly rural area .. I'm in town (the county seat), which is far and away the largest community in the county, but my work commute was fairly trivial (it took me almost as much time to go from my driveway to a parking spot as it did to get from my parking spot to my desk on the fifth floor).  This may be permanent as long as productivity stays up, though possibly in the future they'll want us in office part of the time so we can have meetings.

Meetings...bloody meetings! One of my favourite videos which all managers should be forced to watch monthly!

I still have too many meetings, all done by teleconference. But that was the same in-office too. While I live on the west coast, I work for HQ which is located in the east...so I have been dealing with teleconferences for a long time. But I just started a new position a couple of weeks ago and every Thursday morning is four, 1-hour meetings, back-to-back! Lots of other days there are scheduled weekly meetings, but at least there are usually breaks between them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWYnVt-umSA

Storm: look at message 471 in the IC thread, This Old House. I believe that was the last XP granted.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/...5507/in/photostream/

If I'm wrong, doubtless I'll be corrected.

Hell, no! That be fine roleplaying!

I'm looking forward to finding out some of Arn's less than illustrious background...I just have to figure out how a naive, novice adventurer like Zaryk would ever think to ask! :-)

Agreed --  and you'll need to do a lot worse, if your goal is to be offensive. ;)

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind :P

:) :)

BTW - no problem with me about returning to the village with the bones though the idea gives Arn some consternation. Happy to role play it though. I actually like stuff like this, ie Annya's strong feelings about returning the bones back to the town people, especially when it runs into different storylines of other characters, i.e. Arn's desire to avoid towns and especially the authorities due to his own backstory.

I am so looking forward to finding out about Arn's background!

You have done a great job to let us know as players that there is something shady; but as characters I think we are completely oblivious at this point; which makes the anticipation worse! Well done!

Yes, for sure -  I thrive on the RP stuff.  Especially with any religious sort of character, and how it predisposes them to look at life.   And death.

Being that Zaryk and I are both elves, Arn made find a more impartial, or maybe even sympathetic, set of ears to tell his tale to.   We are not (at least, Annya isn't) wrapped up in the laws and customs of human kind, and may have a different view on what Arn went through.

Unless...you're the guy stealing the sheep!  And this is all clever misdirection? Yes, that's it, I've sussed you out!

GM, I have a hard time planning without a visual map.  Any chance we could get a rough sketch of what we've seen of the house on our previous visit and where we are now.

And there you have it, the elven Miss Marple! :-)

Arn pulls off human mask, revealing a dark skinned goblin -  "And I would've gotten away with it too, if not for you elves!"    (whereupon Annya tosses Zaryk's cat a Scooby snack)



Had to google it... I hate to admit, but I've not ever read anything by Agatha Christie.

It's probably more of an age thing (I'm old). I don't think I have ever read an Agatha Christie novel either, but during the 70's and 80's TV was filled with various movies and series' based on her characters.

Today was not fun.  Woke up this morning, and my left eye was completely swollen shut, no opening it at all (like from the eyebrow down to the lower lid was swollen).  Don't want to mess around with my vision, of course. So do some checking on line, and cold compresses are a suggestion--that'll tide me over between wake up at 5:30 and dr office opening at 8.  Call at 8, they can get me in at 10:30  By that time, I'm able to open my eye about a third of the way.  So now I have some eye drops and supposed to do more cold compresses throughout the day (good thing I'm working from home, it's much more do-able here than at the office) and then twice a day take these gigantic horsepill of an antibiotic.

Of course, to get the antibiotic, I went over to the store where my pharmacy is, and yes, it's close, but I really wanted to pick it up while I was still on that side of town (about 2.5 miles from home).  But no.  Wait, and then "Oh, we just now got it, it'll be another half hour." ... Sorry, can't wait that much longer, I only put PTO in for 2 hours, I'll come back after work (grumble).  So I get there after work, and they have a gigantic line, where everyone seems to have an issue.  I mean, seriously, four people ahead of me took 30 minutes of waiting just to get to the head of the line.

A lot better now, but still visibly swollen.

Ah, sorry to hear - hope it's better soon!  You did the right thing going in to see someone about it right away.

In reply to DM (msg # 174):

Well that sounds horrendous! I hope the antibiotic clears it up.

Sounds very scary. Are things are better now?
This message was last edited by the player at 17:38, Sat 19 Sept 2020.

It's a lot better--still some visible swelling, but not so much that it interferes with me opening/closing the eye.  But then it's only been four days and there was a lot of swelling, so it's not going to go away terribly quick.  I do have a follow up next Wednesday.  It's possible that it's allergy eye(s), but I'd never experienced anything quite like that before.

You know, now I think on this, it may be what's referred to as a chalazion.  https://www.google.com/search?...-1-d&q=chalazion

My uncle had two of them when I was young; some people are prone apparently.   They're uncomfortable, but not serious.  The down side is sometime they can take many months to go away, if it hardens.   There is a procedure to drain it, if so -   I remember him saying it was no fun, but it did get rid of both of his.

Does anyone remember how far the house is from the town??

About 4 miles by road

Well, I have started the slide toward "crazy cat lady" I guess.  I have decided to take on the cats around my house (the outside cats) as a TNR project.

Next-door-neighbor and I both put out food for the outdoor cats, some of who live under his front porch, I think some have broken into my crawl space, and so forth.  For the most part, these are semi-feral cats (they're tolerant of the people who put food in dishes, not so willing to be touched).  It's been a rough year.

Back in June, I saw one of the gray females ('Socks') half under/half out from neighbor's porch nursing three kittens--two tabbies and a gray-and-white; around the same time another mostly gray (dilute calico, 'Callie') was under my forsythia with two kittens--a tabby with thick black stripes and an orange kitten.  Today, only the orange kitten (Leo) and one of Sock's tabby sons (Jemmyanydots, or just Jemmy) is still alive.  A couple months later, the other gray cat ('Lady Jane') produced a litter of four kittens, and every single one of those died.

Next door neighbor and the next one down are both on disability, so they can't help me with expenses, but I've decided that I am going to TNR the lot of them (and maybe even some of the adult toms that come around frequently).  I've got Jemmy and Leo scheduled for their neuters.  Still need to buy the cage (recovery room) and start saving up for the females' surgeries/shots (my vet won't do the surgery without also vaccinating for rabies and the FVRCP), especially since I can't predict if they'll be in heat or not.

And just so you see what I'm working with:


Jemmy and Leo are best buddies.  They're almost always together.


Leo with the last of Lady Jane's kittens, turned out that I got this picture the day before that gray kitten died.

Congrats on over 5,000 posts!  It's a great sign of an active and successful game.

And good on you for the TNR work -- my neighbors have done the same with a small, semi-feral cat colony, and they are thriving.    I get to play care taker when they travel.  One of the females, a gray & white bi-color named Sterling, had *eight* kittens -- which stands as the largest litter I've ever seen...

Eight is a really large litter.  I confess I still am not really a kitten person at all (I love cats--the kitten phase is to be endured to get to the cat stage) but I really can't deal with dead kittens on my driveway (three of Lady Jane's died there, and I don't know where the other four died).  I'd made a gofundme for the project, but haven't gotten much traction.  I've bought my humane trap and a carrier (Tru Catch)--the carrier marries up to the trap, so you can just take the carrier to the vet and not the whole trap which would barely fit in my car.

That's funny, I've always been that way too -  I mean kittens, baby animals in general, are adorable, but I always look forward to relating to the adult animal, when the personality is really developed.    And yeah, with more feral cats, the mortality can be sad and depressing.    Part of what makes the TNR a compassionate and commendable thing to do.

Will start getting IC posts out tomorrow.  My dad's in the hospital (not covid), and just a bit .. frazzled.

On the good side, I got Jemmy in for his neuter and shots today.  Leo goes in next week.  Jemmy has worms, fleas, and ear mites, and I'm sure Leo is in the same state (it's totally to be expected with recently outdoor-only kittens), so I'm holding Jemmy's meds until Leo comes back from his vet visit and then I'll just treat them both at the same time.  Right now, they're living in my bathroom, as I think they can be adoptable (well, right now, Leo pretty much is--Jemmy needs more work).

Take your time - hope your dad recovers - and wow, still time to deal with stray cats too.

You make me feel wholly inadequate! :-)

Best wishes for your father's recovery.

Super DM!!   Hope things are as well as possible with dad --  and am sure your diligent 'debugging' will soon result in upgrade to Feline 1.1, if not 2.0.

So Dad is out of the hospital.  They had to manipulate his medications (not easy when there are conditions with opposite requirements), but it's looking pretty good now.

On the feline project--here is Jemmy and Leo in the bathroom


Leo's neuter had to be put off because he had a fever on surgery day, so I've dosed them up with the wormer and antibiotics and the flea treatment.  Leo has been re-scheduled.  Leo's smaller than Jemmy, and about a pound lighter.

Great news!

Well, maybe not the postponed neutering, but I am sure Leo thinks it is great news!

Leo, desperately plotting his escape through the pipes, ere the fateful day arrives...

Well, Leo did not get his escape through the pipes, and was duly neutered on the 7th.

However, he seems to be saying that he thinks he made a good trade




Jemmy has finally started staying out from under the bed on occasion, and he agrees that indoors is the place to be, where the food comes regular and there's an electric blanket at night.

Ah, Leo, so many things in life are a trade off...   looks like happy cats, in any case! =^.^=

Hope everyone had a merry Christmas.

I'd been rather off-kilter all this past week, as when I put in my PTO request for the holidays, my supervisor came back with a 'no, you're supposed to work the alternate schedule of 8 hours Monday through Friday' ... I haven't worked a Monday in about 2.5 years, and it totally messed me up.  (This upcoming week, I just asked for the whole day of Monday off and got that as well as New Year's Day ... mainly because I did not want to have to reschedule my Monday appointments.)

OK, it's been a bit of a struggle, but I'm starting to get a solid handle on things now (as I start the 4th week) with some balancing all the balls of my life.  I've been on a diet, desperately needed, and part of this diet involves a lot more food prep and dishes than just getting a frozen dinner or ordering from some restaurant or another in town.  I have lost 11 pounds, though, which is a pretty decent start.

Glad am I, though not about rolling the 5.

In reply to DM (msg # 197):

Good for you! 11 pounds is a great start. I am back on my quasi-Atkins, low carb diet. I'm down about 35 pounds since last summer. If I stuck to it over Xmas I would probably be down another 10 or 15!

Just a bump to make people look.  It'll give the DM an indication that people are still checking in.

No need to post, reading this post is enough to update your last login date.

And yet, I have the urge to add, I hope everyone is doing well.

With COVID and the weather there has been a lot of for people to deal with in real life.

My best wishes to all to stay safe and to stay healthy.

I hope we can meet back in the game sooner than later.

Been struggling--it's been a rough winter (not health, just weather and suchlike).

Castaways and Explorers, let me know if there's something you're waiting on.  Post up with the Foghorns.

Diet is going well, at least.  I've finally hit past my first interim goal, having now lost a total of 18.8 pounds.  19 pounds to go to my next interim goal.

Explorers were definitely dawdling!

Castaways is focussed on the group in the house. Wick and Telemachus are sampling the smugglers' booze on the boat!

Back around --  late last week, really, but had a few more pressing things to get caught up on.   Posting...

So, I am now in foster-fail status with Jemmy and Leo.



They get along well with all the other cats, especially Domino (the only other male).



I successfully trapped Lady Jane (the mother of the four kittens that died last summer) and she has been spayed and released.  She was not impressed by her imprisonment, though (between the angle of her ear and the line of the cage bar, you can't really see the ear tip, but she did get that as part of her procedure).

Foster-fail = adopted?

Yes, foster-fail is what happens when a dog or cat who was only supposed to be a temporary foster winds up becoming part of the family.  Though really Leo is the only one who could potentially have been adopted by someone else--Jemmy remains rather shy around everyone but me (my sons would love to pet him, but he dives for cover at the sound of their voices), though he's come a long way from almost-untouchable, so I think he'll eventually come around.

This is another game, completely different setting, that I'm starting up.

link to another game

Hmmmm. Looks like it will be a different atmosphere than these games. If you still have room, I will drop an RTJ tonight.

Plenty of room--so far I have 2, and want 6 (I'd even go up to 8 to account for attrition).

I thought Pan was on the 1st level exploring the two rooms we hadn't entered, but its been awhile,can you confirm?

Yes, you're down to one unexplored downstairs room, and Panatix is in it (#56 for description).

Sorry, totally missed that post!

No problem .. there's quite a few posts after that.

About how far from the bridge to the goblins?

Also how big is the room, is completely shrouded in fog or are the PCs standing in the open?

You would estimate that it looks about twice as large as the room with the flea-ridden nests, about half of that is fog.  It's very wispy where the party is, but seems thickest about 30 feet away with the probable goblins with that thick part.

Have a wonderful day (if you don't celebrate Easter, then either a happy Passover or just a plain old good day).

Arn, good point about the goblins - I thought that perhaps the distance and the running water was enough to drown out the previous battle.

I'm hoping the light spell will confirm they are goblins and not a bunch of children from the village!

A little weary today.  More dr appointments, but things are tentatively positive (outpatient surgery in the future, not yet scheduled).  Will get posts up tomorrow.

Thanks, everyone, to having me aboard! I am slowly scanning the threads and getting a feel for what's going on but will roleplay it out.

DM: Congrats on the weight loss! I hope you're feeling better. I know I need to shed a few pounds!

Welcome to the game Barlo!

Indeed, welcome to the game Barlo.

It's not the fastest moving game on RPOL but the roleplay is above-par and the game has been fun since the beginning.

And I'm not just sucking up because we need someone with a sword that the dice roller does not hate!

Oh, the die roller hates me, just doesn't recognize my new character yet. Thanks so much for the warm welcome!

Quick ?: Karakul: it has its own language but there is not much in the notes. What peoples live there? Is it forbidden or something?
This message was last edited by the player at 04:27, Sat 24 Apr 2021.

Karakul is a mix of human and ablachi, primarily.  It's not forbidden, just distant.  There is slavery in active practice there.

Sounds like a fun place, thanks!

You've got more than 10 hit points?

And a big weapon?

Be blessed, be welcome!   (I am sucking up)

Will get an updated map up shortly ... right after the far more important Evening Feeding of the Cats :-)

Awww...give them a goblin shaped catnip toy, with love, from your D&D gang!

Looks like I'm your man. (bows)

Feeding cats at my house:
This message was last edited by the player at 00:19, Mon 26 Apr 2021.

DM - a question about XP (which came to mind from your other game!)

Zaryk is a multiclass Fighter/Mage - so based on my understanding of your house rule he will remain 1/1 until he earns 4,500 XP; at which point he goes to 2/2.

Zaryk qualifies for the 10% bonus for fighter, but not for mage. Does he get a 10% bonus, no bonus, or something else, like a 5% bonus?

I like the 5% option.

And aren't there house rules for hit points?   I thought I remember seeing that, but now can't find it.

I've been level 2 (this character) for awhile, now.  But haven't had the in-game downtime to move up.    But aren't we supposed to get the hps right away, if I remember?

Yes ... and the house rules are that you roll half plus half, so for a cleric 1d4+4 +CON

Player to other players:

I think it would be better if we rested, re-spelled, and face whatever may be down there as a team.  My character is convinced if there's something there, it's probably pretty awful, and we should face it at full strength.

But I don't want to interrupt anyone's adventure or fun.    If going back really sounds like a pain, or if Barlo really wants to scout (I can see the appeal for someone playing a ranger), well, I'm not calling the shots anymore than anyone else.

OOC, I fully agree. Seems like it was offered to something, makes one wonder what drow-goblins would worship with sheep.

A bigger goblin who likes lamb chops?

Big, toothy one, I'm guessing.

Or something far, far worse:

https://tinyurl.com/3tbt5une

All those chops they've been serving at the pub?   The night of reckoning is at hand...

Yikes!! Hope there is no equivalent diabolical cow out there! I have been known to put away a steak now and again.

I assume we will take all of the treasure. If we leave it in the chest, two people should be able to carry it at time (100# total), and we can take turns. And we are not in a rush. Perhaps when we get back to Tom's farm he can give a lift into town in his wagon.

silvery coins: 150/30 = 5#
asil 2000/100 = 20#
griel 15000/200 = 75#

How about the chalice and the silver lump that Barlo called an idol?

I believe Arn picked up the chalice to keep it from getting damaged, and the lump is still in the chest.

It's the medieval equivalent of a Picasso!   ;D

I'm kind of trying to wrap my head around things, but it was one of those calls that you know is not going to be good as soon as you see the name coming across caller id.

I had gone through menopause awhile back with a prior episode of post-menopausal bleeding just short of 2 years after the last normal period.  Had all kinds of work up then, up to a biopsy which had come back benign.  Well, recently had another episode, but a lot worse.  So went through the usual stuff with ultrasound and then Friday I had a hysteroscopy.  Original post-op visit was to be the 24th, but the dr's office called me today with the path results.  I'll be having my first appointment with the gyn-onc on the 25th.

I do not anticipate changing anything about running my games (this one as well as Trozan for those in both).  It's certainly a distraction from thinking about it.

I’m sorry to read that you are going through this.
Assuredly you will be in good hands and will come out of it stronger.

I'm so, so sorry to hear that -- I hope you get a good gyn-onc and it's someone you feel confident with.   That's important with a doctor, especially for something like this.

If the games are a positive thing, we'll be double happy to play.   But if the day comes you need to step away, please don't hesitate.

Take care of yourself, hope you feel better soon.

Absolutely make your health your priority, Jill!

If keeping the games going works to distract you, then I'm sure we are all happy to keep going, but if at anytime it becomes a chore and it taking up too much time or strength, dump us in an instant!

Wishing good thoughts.

I appreciate that.  Keeping the games going is definitely a distraction--otherwise, all I'd have to occupy my mind is work and the diagnosis.  My mom is going to come down and go with me to the specialist appointment (which is about 70 miles away from where I live).

Otherwise, if I forget something or you think I'm not taking some factor into account (combat), just remind me.  Obviously, on the 25th (appointment), I am unlikely to post, and I'll mention my surgery date when that gets set.

For the Reunited thread, additional distance to come by sea to Farnworth will add about an hour to travel time vs travel by horse.

Hope Panatix is staying with.  For the book, there is another unexamined room in the house (down cellar, the room where the skeletons have been penned), as well as the desk drawer (which just needs someone to unlock--the desk itself is a bit big/heavy to move).  And of course, no one was looking for that book in Farnworth on the prior visit.

Rather serendipitous, I follow a page on FB about old time radio, and someone just posted a link to an episode of Frontier Gentleman called The Cannibal. Listening to it now.

Feel better, hang in there, thoughts and prayers as you go through this.

For the Reunited thread--as it's been asked, and might be relevant to the horseback group's decision-making.

To walk from the old house to Monteci would take a little over an hour.

To go by horseback at a trot would take 20-30 minutes.

To go by boat will take about 30 minutes (which also does not involve re-tracing any steps, as it's more or less on-the-way).

Purchasing the nets will take about 15 minutes (includes the purchase and stowing for travel) with a 10x10 net at 10 asil.

In reply to DM (msg # 252):

Thank you, I had no clue. A sense of scale is very useful.

I'm guessing its very scary and wonder if you are feeling totally overwhelmed. Sounds like having the campaigns you created allows for a much needed break at times.

Just know there are people rooting for you and please don't give up.

Oh, I'm definitely not giving up.  Five years ago, my aunt had the same general type of cancer, and she's been clear at the 5 year mark.  We happen to have been diagnosed at the same office locally which pretty much always refers to this dr in the other city (the gyn-onc) and so I'll be seeing the same oncologist she did.

My goal is to get back to being "ridiculously healthy" -- the only thing that I've been taking is a calcium supplement (and I'm 55).

Now, if the groups are in agreement with Pathwyn's plan, we can move on with the Forhorns making their trip back to Farnworth by horse and the Castaways going by boat (with a stop at the desk to unlock it (?) and Monteci for nets).

I think we need to split into our separate threads for a while now so we can plot against one another.  It makes the surprise that much more real when you didn't read it coming...

That's fine.  When I finish work in a few hours, I'll post up a map of Farnworth.

In reply to DM (msg # 257):

Given that Pathwyn is showing her confidence in me, Hewney will opt to go wide around Cannibals house and up the far side, on the assumption that he might be at the Inn. Still, wide...

How about 4 weighted nets?

Barlo, I was kinda hoping they might give us one of those swords --  seeing as we're risking our necks, maybe souls now, for their village.    Annya is just asking in the polite, roundabout Elvish way, hoping they'll offer.   ;)

When Zaryk, me, and the others first got to Birnasi, there was a lot of hubbub about the competition.   I think the GM had it in mind some characters might participate, but no one has done so yet.

It's them I'm prompting, not you.  I think we've got bigger fish to fry, with whatever's down in that pit.

You can of course enter if you want to:

Back in post #443, Annya told you guys the following, which was based on info the GM gave me & Zaryk:

 "When Zaryk and I first arrived here, Birnasi was in the midst of preparing for a tournament.   It is one of the village's Elvish customs, in honor of Tuoro, the Elvish god of blades and battle. In such a contest, points are gained to touch,' and higher points are awarded for a disarm.  Winners are able to proceed to greater contests, where the prizes may be a finely crafted Barzilain iron sword, or even a minorly enchanted version of such a blade.  The local gossip had it that one Walena - an Elvish victor from about two centuries past - was coming to judge this tournament."

I saw that post but was unsure, so, in my backwoods 'Barlo' way, I kinda blurted it out there for public consumption. If the group hasn't yet discerned it, Barlo is not all that sophisticated, subtle or civilized.

I think the only reason Barlo cannot enter the contest is because it is over!

That would 'splain it.

Zaryk has basically no equipment! Beyond sword, dagger, bow, and arrows he has:

• Bedroll
• Scroll case
• Waterskin
• Small pouches
• Flint & steel
• Whetstone

Not sure if the rest of you are better equipped!

Arn doesn't have much either. It might be a good idea to get some spider rope, especially if no one has rope (Arn doesn't). We could also divide up the coins.

Once we get to the inn, we can divvy up the "normal coins" and then tomorrow after recovering spells we can determine if anything is magic.

If not, we can share out the old coins (or hold onto them) and consider our next move.

We could visit the spider farm to get a bid on the silver idol thing, and buy some rope and anything else we need and then head to the pit the following day, so we can have full spells again.

Sounds good, though the idol seems like we should figure out who or what it represents prior to selling or melting down.

Very good point about the idol. I just edited my last post to ask the villagers if they recognise it.

Sorry I was a bit out of things yesterday.  I do have a surgery date (June 17th) now, and then it seemed like I was in constant calls (where one would trigger call waiting while I was talking to another) between my mom, my aunt, and my daughter.

No need to apologise at all. Deal with real life.

Yes, please take care of yourself --  I'm glad that your family is checking in on you.


Equipment/stuff --  in addition to the expected things, you can always count on me to pack some questionably useful stuff.   In this case:

mirror
small knife
silk rope
soap
4 fishhooks
ball of twine
3 small bells
roll of linen

Well, for the surgery, I have a "call time" of 5:30 am.  Fortunately, there is a hotel virtually next door which has a special rate for pt/family, so I'll only be about a block away from where I need to be, which will make it a whole lot less stressful (I live 80 miles away, and sleeping at home and having to leave at 3am ... ugh).  So my mom and aunt will be there when I have the surgery, my daughter will be coming here the day after to make sure that I've got things suitably organized.  She might still change her mind and come near for the surgery, there will be an open bed available (no one is sharing a bed .. two queen beds in each of two rooms).

I'll probably take 4 weeks off work afterwards.  Since I'm working from home, it's not like I have to get dressed and drive, and I'm getting the "minimally invasive" version of the surgery.

So, on the game--I know Castaways and Forhorns are headed toward re-joining forces.  Explorers--anything more with the mini-assembly before heading to Finian's for dinner and sleep before setting out for more adventures?

I think perhaps a visit to the spider farm and a check in at the blacksmith on the way would be useful,  perhaps have some silver arrowheads made? The silk rope sounds like a good idea and Barlo will probably pick up some fishing gear and snare equipment while he's in town.

DM: Assuming the way to Ulric's farm is on a road, we should be able to do it in a day (total of 16 miles):



Although, we might end up having to stop in Ilham.

I'll post IC when you have a moment to clarify.

Having served, there is no such thing as 'clear terrain'. There are only roads (aka kill zones) and rough, rougher, roughest and OMG terrain. Along a decent road, sure, 20, 25 miles is doable with minimal equipment. The Roman Legions were reputed to have moved 100 miles a day along their roads but I find this unlikely as, at a jog, roughly 4 mph, that's 25 hours. I once marched 26 miles in full gear and I'm here to tell you that even at 20 years old in top physical shape, that's a killer.

In reply to Barlo (msg # 276):

When I was in the Army, they had the Nijmegen march, that some members of my unit participated in. As I understand it, it was about 100 miles (160 km) in four days. At the end they got to fire weapons from all the NATO nations, which my buddies enjoyed, but their feet were destroyed for about a week.

Anything over eighteen or so miles in a day seems like a real stretch to me.

Genuine heartfelt wishes of good luck on the surgery.  Minimally invasive is just the sort of thing I'd like to hear in conjunction with surgery.

I think, to be honest, that 12-15 miles in a day is a much more realistic mark for walking. 24 miles might be possible if you're on a road that is level and are really pushing it.  Roads are really kind of an optimistic description -- these are generally unpaved, semi-trampled paths that don't necessarily (read almost certainly don't) run in straight lines.

So for the Explorers--assuming nothing happens along the way ...  It would be realistic to get to Ilham and see the blacksmith and up to the spider farm and back to Ilham in a day.  Then a half day back to Birnasi and another several hours back to the mine/caves.

Taking pack animals will boost that quite a bit but the downside is, what do you do with the beast after the trip? DM, sounds like a fine compromise.

The joke in the old Dragon Magazine was: if you want to know what your character goes through, get your mom's king-size sheet, sew it into a bag and fill it with 16 pound bowling balls and lug it around the back yard all day.

12 miles per day is fine with me...but I will add that 24 miles per day has been a D&D standard for a long time! But as long as we have a consistent figure to work with, I am good!

Castaways and Forhorns--you're now in combat, see "Reunited" thread and post there.  Forhorns--if I have your position incorrect, let me know, otherwise, you're near the front door of the church, just inside or outside.  All the numbered ones are armed men who came out of one of two buildings.  Only the Forhorns know that the speaker is Cannibal, though.

What is the scale of the squares on the map?

10' ... I just blew up the area for easier viewing

Arn: I assumed two of us were carrying the chest, one on each handle on the side.

Ok, though just to be clear, the chest weighs over 100 lbs so I'll let Barlo carry it with you.and Arn is a Strength of <insert low value> so you'll notice him huffing and puffing and sweating and insisting on taking breaks every 1 or 2 hundred yards. Sorry - had to get some in character whining in!


DM - is there a money changer in town? I would like to convert the griel to lor if possible though asil would be an improvement.

Well, Barlo was busy carrying the dead goblin, so carrying the chest would be shared duty between Annya, Arn, and Zaryk.

No official money changer in the village.  You wouldn't get it in lor (that's an almost never seen coin), but Finian might be willing to keep the coins (take a couple hundred or so with you to the next village on your way to see the merchant in spider goods).  He may be able to exchange some of the griel for asil (but not all).

That reminds me, need to wash my armor off. Goblin guts, you know.

I suggest someone speaks with Finian about leaving the griel with him.

You have plenty of time time do that.  I'll move the scene forward a bit tomorrow, and there's  plenty of time to RP talking to people in the village.

For the Farnworth battle, I'll wrap the round tomorrow, too. Anyone who hasn't posted actions will be jockeying for position.

FYI, will be offline for two or more days, getting cataract surgery in the morning.  Assuming all goes well, will do the second eye in a couple of weeks.  Thanks

Best of luck with the surgery. I understand it is totally routine these days, and you get 20/20 vision when all is done!

They say it’s pretty routine, and I may not need glasses afterwards, but no promises.  But if I need glasses, probably just readers, not the transverse bifocals I wear now.

Well, best wishes on the surgery ... it's the two weeks in the middle that are a bear.  I had my cataracts removed in Oct 2018, and went from being unable to see the "E" at the top of the chart without glasses (extreme nearsightedness) to being ever so slightly far-sighted (just need readers that I buy at the dollar store by the handfuls so that I have a pair in every room and in my purse).

Couple funny eye-doctor visit stories.  Before the surgery, every year they would start the exam by asking me to read the chart on the wall without any glasses.  Now, they had progressed to the point of having the chart projected on the wall, rather than the old-fashioned paper affixed to the wall.  So I would dutifully look in the indicated direction and inform them "There's a light on the wall".  Because yes, I did not see any letters, even when they went all the way to the "E" at the top.  I think my uncorrected vision was in the vicinity of 20/450.

Second--before the cataract surgery there was this glare test thing they did to determine need for cataract surgery.  For this, I would look into a machine which was a really bright light with a black band in the middle.  They asked me to read the letters on the black band.  "What letters?" says I.  Fast forward to post surgery, they run the same test, and I look into the machine.  "Holy &*#$!  There really *are* letters on there."  (I then read the letters.).

Is your battle map in feet or yards?   Looks like it's feet?

Need to know for spell ranges, which 2E always lists in yards.

The squares are 10'

All e best for ur surgery! I did mine in Dec 2017... a a relatively youn age of 40+... well i guess i dont dare to do e other eye as it seems my near vision is not good after the surgery. I can look at what I am typing w reading glasses.

I love that post Arn!

Unfortunately, Zaryk is totally naive when it comes to adventuring! And he is very trusting of the village - in his 2 days of staying there!

Thanks! I really chuckled when I was writing it. It's been quite a while since I've enjoyed writing a post as much as I enjoyed writing that one. Arn, being a thief and a con, obviously is far less trusting. In a different time and place, he might be one you would need to be concerned about!

I like to role play characters true to form, realistically or at least close to realistically. That can pose some challenges, though, when it comes to a thief and party interactions. Why would a thief and a bit of a scoundrel remain honorable and totally trustworthy around a fellow group of adventurers? Role playing a character whose interactions with the party is honorable and trustworthy is also important to me. How can I do both?

My solution in Arn's case is that he's on the run. He *needs* the party, a group he can be part of, laying low and effectively hiding with. He dare not do anything against them that might upset them and get him cast out of the group.

Just to be clear, I'm personally not upset about Zaryk giving the idol to Eddard. In fact, I actually really appreciate your post as it gave me a chance to be very creative and I enjoyed writing it as I said. We might have given the idol to the scholar anyway - he might have needed a few days to study it, etc... That might have been the "correct" thing to do. I'm personally fine giving it to Eddard for a time.

Arn, at least I suspect, is also exaggerating the power and worth of the item. I would be very surprised if it's worth or as powerful as Arn is imaging it is. However, it makes a better story for him to imagine it being more than what it likely is and he is a bit greedy.

Folks should double check whether we're waiting on them since the last DM post.

Alvador doesn't know the results of his Sleep spell.

I think Alvador slept 3 of the 4, and the other got killed.

I'd understood the spell to be going toward 11-15 (same as some of Pathwyn's arrows).  Living foes (or are they?) are the four coming with shouts of "murderer" pointing to Dak and Cannibal and #1-4.

Yes, I cast sleep toward 11-15.

Can we get a new tactical map for the next round?
This message was last updated by the player at 16:10, Mon 14 June 2021.

Thanks all, I'm back for another week and then the 2nd eye gets cataract surgery.

Everything went well enough, though they weren't kidding when they suggested that I "avoid sneezing"

We were just starting a combat, I'll see where things are at, but if someone wants to get me up to speed with a summary, that would be great.

Probably want to swap Dak and Hewney's position as Hewney has just missed in this round and Dak was trying to reach the group that hadn't been half dead or slept when he started for them.

Also, before anyone else jumps on the bandwagon, posting an updated map, in this case, does not indicate a new round for those who have already attacked this round.

In reply to Dak (msg # 307):

My bad, wishful thinking I guess.

Glad to hear it went okay, Wick --   I've heard others remark about the sneezing thing.



Or moved?  Oops.  It's what I do next round, then.

It's only fair that one day, we run into a magic user with multiple sleep spells that wishes us ill tidings.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto are on a ridge
And the lone ranger says: "Tonto! There's Indians to the North! And Indians to the West, Indians to the East and Indians to the South! What are we going to do?"

And Tonto goes: "What do you mean we, white man?"

Lone Ranger and Tonto are bedding down for the night, when a rattlesnake that had been hiding in the Lone Rangers bedroll bit him in a very intimate place.

"Tonto, run to town, get a doctor" cried the injured man, clearly in agony.

So Tonto took off, over the hills, across the river and thru the desert until he got to town and found a doctor.

"Sorry Tonto, but I have three women about to give babies and an old man needin' surgery, I can't leave town. But I can tell you what you need to do, you need to suck the poison out of the wound. But'cha better hurry!"

Tonto turns around and rushes back, thru the desert, chanting so he remembers the instruction "suck the poison out of the wound!"

Across river...

"suck the poison out of the wound!"

Over the hills...

"suck the poison out of the wound!"

Until he arrives at the Lone Ranger writhing in the camp, clutching his damaged member.

"Tonto, my loyal friend, where is the doctor? What did he say?"

Tonto looked down on his friend, and bleeding wound...

"He says you are gonna die..."

"Now class, what is the first rule of the sleep spell?" - teacher

"Don't cast it on elves." - class

Apologies, I'm just mentally not up to writing the combat post for the combined Castaways/Forhorns.  I've got surgery prep today, surgery tomorrow.  I'll get the round wrapped Friday.

Explorers, I'll get your post up Friday, also.  Go ahead and decide if you want to leave the silver lump/presumptive idol with Eddard when you go elsewhere, and make whatever preparations you want for the next day (game time).

Take your time.  We totally understand.

Good luck with the surgery!

I'm not pointing fingers, too much in the same boat with you DM.  I hope all goes well and we see you on the other side healthier and happier.

Best wishes DM.

All e best for ur surgery DM

Looking forward to having you back ready to rumble, post-op!

Thinking of you during surgery, let us know you're ok.

Now post surgery.   The Dr said it went well, and I am feeling mostly ok, just very tired and mildly uncomfortable.  Now it is waiting for pathology results to determine what is next.  Pain is mostly gone with the ibuprofen and Tylenol program (I am supposed to alternate), and I don't think I will need the hydrocodone.  I can sleep mostly through the night and a little discomfort when awake keeps me from trying to overdo things.

In reply to DM (msg # 321):

Good to hear you're on the mend.

Sounds like it all went pretty well, glad to hear it and positive thoughts for a quick recovery and good news on the pathology.

Glad to hear it went well and wish you a speedy recovery.

Hang in there! Be well.

Glad to hear the doctor was happy with the surgery.

Rest up and don't worry about us!

Just a reminder, my 2nd cataract surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, I expect to be offline for the next few days after today.

It will be like riding a bike now, Wick! :-)

Looking forward to hearing from you what it is like to have young eyes again!

Take it easy, and hopefully all goes smoothly again.

Congrats to GM and Wick for successful procedures --  here's for all continuing to go well!

I think there was auto-correct involved, but the village in question is named Monteci.  Edited its appearance in the IC thread.

For the loot...are talking about dividing the "normal" coins and then leaving the "old" coins in the chest at the church for safekeeping?

That's a good point;  it would probably make sense.  The more ancient coins aren't ones we'd spend, and may have some significance later.

So the post op visit was today.  Stage 1b, which means no spread.  All known cancer was removed, and there's under 5% chance of recurrence.  I will get to do my follow up visits with my local doctor (at least as long as they remain unconcerning), which is a huge benefit since the specialist is 80 miles away.

Super good news --  yay!!  Hope you & the family do something cool to celebrate!

Whoo whoo!  Congrats!
This message was last edited by the player at 04:39, Wed 30 June 2021.

Wonderful news!

Huzzah!

Great news, Jill! Very happy to hear your surgery did the job.

Really glad to hear the good news!

GM: saw your post in "More Good Stuff" thread, I am delighted to hear of your progress!

Hope everyone has had a good holiday weekend (unless you're not in the US, in which case just a "good weekend").

Sorry about the delay on the XP line--I missed it entirely in June and a bit late here.  If you don't see it by August 1st, don't be afraid to say "um, where's the XP line?"

All awards are flat xp, and if your character is entitled to the 10% bonus, go ahead and add that--remember standard math rounding (no decimal points left behind).

It's all good chief. Achingly close though, I might remind you next month.

No wonder Westin wouldn't tie up the bartender for Pathwyn.  He thinks she's the evil mastermind!  He should cast his mind back to the elvish divinity studies of his youth and remember what they had to say about Veja's moral stance.  (Of course Pathwyn could be a fake priestess of Veja.  Some sort of blood priestess, for example.)

Actually...  Maybe it's Pathwyn who needs to think back to her elvish divinity studies.  I honestly don't know what Veja's alignment is.  I've been playing the goddess as Chaotic or Neutral Good.

Elven deities are, by and large, CG.

In my own service of Veja, I've made reference to the goddess' philosophy at several points.

In general, I'm not a great fan of alignment, especially for deities, who are going to have some very different ways of looking at existence than mortals.   But of course it's a facet of AD&D you aren't going to escape.

Veja is a nature goddess, and such gods tend to be true neutral.   Things like predators, death, and disease are part of its cycles, after all.  I've sometimes emphasized with Veja that the why is significant:   for example, killing an animal to feed your hungry family (like a natural predator would) is blessed, while killing for sport is a transgression against the goddess and her domain.

Still, overall, I've thought of her as a generally good power.  CG is the default alignment of elves and their gods, and the GM says so, so that works.

In general, I don't hold very strictly to alignment, aside from those whose abilities derive from adherence to a given alignment (druids and paladins, to a lesser extent rangers who have one axis defined, but not the other).  For clerics, there may be separate groups (religious orders, in effect) whose spirituality is quite different except for their adherence to the same deity.  (Think, from the real world, Dominicans and Franciscans.)

On the topic of druids,  I am interested to know how they fit in with the Atuan sect.

I've played my Atuan cleric from the perspective that Atu's church is kind of quasi-Christian in its makeup, and more or less lawful-good in its prevailing alignment.

But Mac is a (presumably) true-neutral druid, and likewise serves Atu.   I've never been sure if I'm supposed to play that as "Oh, one of our druids" or "Wait - you serve Atu? And you're a pagan?"  ;)

Pathwyn thinks Mac is a priest.  For that matter, Pathwyn thinks Storm is a priest.

You guys have a lot of priests.

That is a reasonable question.  Telemachus is actually the first druid that I've had playing in my game world, so it's been a bit of a learning experience for me, also.

The Atuan faith does, in its practice, look quite a lot like medieval-era Catholicism, although not identical and an over-all prevailing LG alignment.  Although I created this game world, it's more with broad strokes that leave a lot of room for players to put their own stamps on things (Vallon, of the St Vallon fame, was once a PC in my first game as DM).  The only time I gave a hard nope was to a player who, while we were still negotiating his admission to the game (he originally presented me a character sheet that was supposed to have come from another game in which the character had scores that summed over 100, nothing under 15 and multiple 18s, and just constantly argued with me on every detail about the world and then told me, when I gave the description above, "if there's been no Martin Luther in your world, get ready for one now" at which point, I just went with the "I don't think you're a good fit for the game; I hope you find a suitable game soon" and didn't add him.  So, personal stamps on the faiths of the world are fine, but not "I'm going to completely up-end everything you've set up because I don't like it".

Telemachus (original) went from the understanding that Atu is beyond mortal comprehension, so Atu appeals to each mortal according to the understanding that they do have--whether the One God of the human faith or the pantheons of others (which may be simply facets of Atu or greater saints who are seen as deities in their own right by the adherents); and that reverence for Nature and Nature's powers is another way of understanding/reverencing Atu (with the understanding that there are some organized Atuan Church folk who would consider this rank heresy.

In general, though, there shouldn't be such intractable differences that the characters can't all get along with each other (though perhaps, in quieter times, they might have spirited debates, but only if everybody considers that to be good fun).

As far as Farnworth--I'll leave it up to the PCs to suggest potential punishments (considering that it is a medieval-esque world, there's certainly a lot of room for some pretty gruesome choices and not so much for just locking the guys up for "three hots and a cot" for a period of time.  Once the matter of Farnworth is resolved, the groups are probably parting for their separate adventures.

Our group is bigger -- at one point we had, I'm pretty sure, at least one of every class (in the PHB), except for a bard.    Which we did have for awhile in group 2.

The Forhorns are comprised of the four archetype classes.

Lenelle's player's ability to read my thoughts is starting to become a bit freaky!

Last night I was reading the posts and thinking about posting some wall of text of Telemachus being all fiery and brimstone about smugglers and criminals etc etc. For some reason I looked at the character sheet and out jumps at me is his alignment: NEUTRAL.

Of course, druids are neutral in AD&D, and of course I knew that, but because Telemachus was not my creation, it wasn't ever at the top of my mind. I have been playing him with a distinct leaning to lawful good - likely be cause he is a priest and I never, ever play clerics or druids so perhaps it is just my natural leaning?!

Anyway, I am not going to twist Telemachus' views dramatically but I am going to TRY to remember that he is technically neutral, perhaps with good tendencies, but there is no need for lawful tendencies.

I took over Telemachus assuming the original player would likely return in a few weeks! I have not even modified the character sheet into something that I like...perhaps it is time I take over full ownership.

I might have to have a chat with the DM about some of the original choices that I would never have made.

All this to say, I think Telemachus is going to fall in with the rest of the ship's crew and get on the ship and take off if our business here is done. We won the day, and as far as I can see are not even getting thanked for it!!

I think you will find Druids can be quite fun, I enjoy the class myself.

You're right Hewney. Telemachus has been quite interesting to play but the choices made by the original player seem odd to me. For example, his melee combat is poor, and his ranged combat is hopeless, yet the two weapon proficiencies chosen were scimitar and sling. If he had taken staff or club he would be carrying a weapon that would be usable with Shilleagh.

I don't want to sound like a power-gamer, although I admit, once I have come up with the parameters of a character, I do optimise within those parameters at first level...does that make me a incompetent min-maxer?

The true neutral is the most obvious change for me. In 40+ years of gaming I can count the number of non-good characters on one hand! But it will be fun to try as our group has some talented roleplayers in it.

Edit: corrected spell as noted by Hewney
This message was last edited by the player at 06:36, Sat 10 July 2021.

In reply to Mac (msg # 354):

Luckily it has never come up, but I always assume that if a druid lives in a world where good becomes dominant, in order to save the balance, he would support evil.

I think scimitar and sling are a pretty common combination though, given the short list of options available to them. To be honest even if I had a club, Shillelagh is not a spell I would see myself using much.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:46, Sat 10 July 2021.

Well, original Telemachus is considering a return, as life may be settling down finally.

In reply to DM (msg # 356):

Then I had better not mess with anything with his character!!

It's funny, I've played tons of clerics, and other priestess sorts of characters, but fairly few druids.     Few enough that I don't know the spell list nearly as well.

But in a 1E game I've now got a multi-classed druid, and am having to familiarize myself with it.  Druids are protectors of the natural word; which comes under threat from good far less often than it does from evil.   Though, some good types might be wrapped up in expanding civilization, and come in conflict that way.   But I think druids often end up working with the good guys by default.    All things equal, they make better neighbors and allies than do evils.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:56, Sun 11 July 2021.