This is the OOC, obviously.

I would not dream of adding twenty or so extra characters to the game just to heighten paranoia when one draws The Flames or The Rogue. It's for flavor!

THE REBELLION HAS BEGUN!
But first a word from our sponsor.
Hi there.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:49, Fri 18 Dec 2020.

How is everyone?

Doggy-paddling.  I'm a 2nd ed. AD&D old fart leaping into the 3.5 pool here.

I have read a bit of 1e and 2e D&D. But I never got to play them. I have played a fair bit of 3.5 but Día de Muertos is not my usual M.O. I usually prefer something from the Book of Nine Swords.

It is true HE is normally our damage monkey. But now I have the stupid big stick!

I have a thing to do, then I will bring in our first backup character tonight or tomorrow morning.

Characters brought in, updates slowly being made. Hopefully, things will pick up post-Christmas/post-New Year's Eve haze. You don't need to socialize to drink oneself into oblivion.

"Sir, put down the egg nog!"
"I'll tell you when I've had enough!"

For the record, if you are in this game, your character sheet is open for editing. I assume, as a rule, that you use your own - mostly the sheet is for mutual reference, so as long as I can read it too I'm cool with whatever you use.

Behold! Ten thousand years ago In The Future! I HAVE ARRIVED!........Hello.

And that is it for now. I will attempt to start the game up as soon as circumstances allow, as things have become rather crazy in the last week of 2020.

Everyone should try to come to a consensus about which quest they want to prioritize first. Good luck, let me know what you are going for, and what you need help with.

Derrick still has his stuff on his body, for the record.

Well mateys I be going to save that poor sod who banished h'mself or somethn' like that. Me pal Durque says he'll go if-n we need h'm, but our party might be full, which H's alright wit' too.

I'm trying to practice a slightly nautical accent, I apologies if this was hard to read.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:39, Fri 01 Jan 2021.

Of course we'll be helping that dumbass.  I wouldn't let him off that easy.  In the meantime, I'll store his items with my things, you never know what might come in handy.  And afterwards, we can be rewarded for our generosity.  Where should be keep the body?

With the exception of Olivia, who is in the carriage with the other three and Derrick, and now Dia who will again be starting the game bleeding out, your reserve characters will arrive after you via a separate stagecoach. You've been assured by Bob that Derrick will be put someplace where they will take care of him.

EDIT: I will describe your starting situation shortly. If you want to roleplay a bit in the carriage ride, I won't stop you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:29, Wed 06 Jan 2021.

Posting on my end may get sporadic soon. A bit of personal drama that needs to be resolved immediately is a very distracting thing. This is an understatement, but I hope to be back on track ASAP.

Or maybe there will be no change. We'll see.

I feel I should apologize for the disjointed post, my computer isn’t currently connected to the internet so I was less inclined to fix it any more through my phone.

Just so we are clear, I don't care about posting order too much. I'll make sense of it.

I will post tomorrow, on the 8th, one way or another.

I'm late. I will aim to post on the 24th.

Postage from me, or Bob, coming tomorrow night.

Olivia will of course accept healing and journey with everyone else into the town.  If this isn't the final destination, but just a layover, then Olivia will get a room for herself and Derrick's body.

Dia is going to loot the Kobold, put on the Chain Shirt and then head into town with the others

Jarn is going to go find Bob.

To Towns! Aside from that nothing is coming to mind.

Alright, so you are now in the Hamlet. You won't be there long, unless you have things you need to do first. One of you might, but you can take a moment to resupply. I'll make it clear the place is abandoned except for Bob shortly, if I have not already done that.

Knowledge of "The Hoodlums" would be a Religion check, if one cares to try. There are probably some other checks that might be relevant to others.

Bob isn't lying, though.

EDIT 03/17/2021 2148: The Occallium also allows a check. I was lampshading that you need to roll Knowledge to have knowledge. This is the thing that will let you find Derrick, among other things, because I am a benevolent DM.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:49, Thu 18 Mar 2021.

22:59, Today: Olivia Satterwhite rolled 12 using 1d20+4 ((8)).

Does a 12 succeed?
Although I'm a little confused as to why Dia said "so close" when rolling a 20 for their religion check?  What am I missing apart from 3.5 experience?

Oh, he has to roll a natural 20 on an Intelligence or Intelligence-based check to get four points of his Intelligence score back because he drew the Idiot trying to become the Heir. Which means that until he rolls it, he will be the Idiot.

Anyhow, I will post tomorrow if no one else has anything to add.

Actually, that's an interesting question - does that Hut spell last long enough for you to get a good sleep in, if cast in an out of the way place?

Tiny Hut, Evocation [Force]
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 20 ft.
Effect: 20-ft.-radius sphere centered on your location
Duration: 2 hours/level (D)

You create an unmoving, opaque sphere of force of any color you desire around yourself. Half the sphere projects above the ground, and the lower hemisphere passes through the ground. As many as nine other Medium creatures can fit into the field with you; they can freely pass into and out of the hut without harming it. However, if you remove yourself from the hut, the spell ends.

The temperature inside the hut is 70° F if the exterior temperature is between 0° and 100° F. An exterior temperature below 0° or above 100° lowers or raises the interior temperature on a 1-degree-for-1 basis. The hut also provides protection against the elements, such as rain, dust, and sandstorms. The hut withstands any wind of less than hurricane force, but a hurricane (75+ mph wind speed) or greater force destroys it.

The interior of the hut is a hemisphere. You can illuminate it dimly upon command or extinguish the light as desired. Although the force field is opaque from the outside, it is transparent from within. Missiles, weapons, and most spell effects can pass through the hut without affecting it, although the occupants cannot be seen from outside the hut (they have total concealment).

Material Component
A small crystal bead that shatters when the spell duration expires or the hut is dispelled.

---

So a 12 hour shelter for I and my companions.  20' radius centered on my position when I cast it should be enough room for our party.  Should keep us safe.

So, as long as you can get to a good spot where no one will chance into you, you have a shelter until sunrise?

Tell you what - let's speed this up a notch.

Everyone give the roll you all dread the most - Sense Motive, Perception, and/or Stealth. Label them.

If you don't get a 20 or up on the Sense Motive, you don't have to worry. You failed that roll.
If you don't get a 15 or up on the Perception or Stealth, you don't have to worry. You failed that roll.

Enough successes between all of you means you have a safe place to rest until sunrise.
Failure, and I know this is possible, means you will be interrupted by some walking corpse who blunder into your camp and freak out, calling all of their buddies. Hilarity will ensue.
Partial success is possible.

Huh. I can't get a 20 on Sense Motive.

So I failed a sense motive roll, but why wouldn't we just choose a house that we can lock and I cast in there.  Beyond that, I understand the interpretation at a quick glance is that it's just for comfort.  However, If I thought that any random squirrel can hop on through and run up me knickers then why bother?  Olivia is aware that she's in a potentially dangerous environment, especially after being exploded by a kobold of all things.

I would think based on "As many as nine other Medium creatures can fit into the field with you; they can freely pass into and out of the hut without harming it" means that those inside the sphere can come and go but others are stopped by the "opaque sphere of force of any color you desire" (purple by the way, dark purple, #43165c).

My goal is to rearrange memorized spells a little bit safely.... And after reading the mixed emotions of similar questions on interwebs, I'll just need a straight up DM ruling:

For this game, does Leomund's Tiny Hut prevent those outside the spell from entering?  In short, can I get the time necessary to rest and relearn by casting the spell?

No. All that spell gives is concealment, not cover or any protection beyond protection from the elements. The way the spell is worded means that it will fit ten just fine, but if you try to fit eleven, even by stacking people on top of each other, the spell gets upset at you and doesn't cover them. Even if it would make total sense for it to do so.

So, if the dead come out of the crypts and decide they want to go house raiding, they will blunder into you on accident if you don't pick a good spot.

With that in mind, the concealment is total. Everyone in it is effectively invisible. So as long as they just the hell up everyone will be fine.

I have absolute faith in the party.

I'll go with party opinion on this.  I'm fine casting the spell.  I'll be trying to rest and relearn in the allotted time.  If this village is truly abandoned, then we should try to find a house that we can block the doors an windows to reduce possible interruptions before casting the spell.

Dia doesn't care ether way. He is practically full on spells and could probably go on. What is limiting him is the lack of basic equipment and materials.  Like an Unholy symbol or a spell component pouch.

22:53, Yesterday: Robin rolled 30 using 1d20+14.  Stealth.

22:53, Yesterday: Robin rolled 22 using 1d20+7.  Awareness, I'll also walk around to look for trap doors, cellars ect.

22:51, Yesterday: Robin rolled 16 using 1d20.  sense motive straight wisdom.

Jarn's fine with whatever choice is made.

Me. Posting. Tomorrow. Procrastination is bad.

I suspect I'll be tired, but I'll have a post up tomorrow. Everyone will get access to their secondaries, and Olivia will soon have a place to safely drop off Derrick until they can get his soul back.

Alright, triple post, but this one is important.

As of this moment, most of you can use your secondary characters now. Some of you will actually be pursuing two goals, which means your secondary might be absolutely essential to you. Some of you might have incapacitated primaries, and might need to put them in the hospice or sanitarium.

No, the magic shop isn't open yet. Her cart isn't in town yet.

Well, I asked. Both characters are sure once more.

Quil'Fank was not, however, punished for his hubris. He drew The Gem, and just earned himself some quick cash. I'll detail it tomorrow.

I could have sworn there were people here...

uh-oh, are we waiting on me?  I thought that rat was buying everyone drinks.  Can I blame Quil'Fank?

Robin isn't going to interject for now so please don't wait for her.

I will post tomorrow. Brain is currently out on me, but I'll have a post up. Hopefully, it will actually be useful to those playing this game.

Ah, darn. Only one post?

That won't do at all.

Alright, quiz time for me, since I'm clearly thick in the head as a GM.

What event or data does the group require? I am clearly forgetting someone or something important, or failing to give information required to make an informed decision.

I'll make an attempt to sum up some thoughts of mine. My 2 coppers.

What's going on?
 * A group of extremely disperate adventurers are summoned to claim some title as the heir (GROUP 1) to (darkness? deck? something else?).  They have (with them/attending them) a best friend or back-up plan (GROUP 2) because the prime group(1) has no idea as to what they are getting into.  As part of the set-up, a member of GROUP 1 is declared as the heir (Dia) from a draw of the cards.  Another member(Derrick) is soul-banished(?) leaving their back-up to rescue them.  As part of the introduction, i.e GROUP 1's trip to town, Robin looses someone important to her? Redbreast. (Although Admittedly I'm confused as Durque appears to be Robin's GROUP 2 Counterpart, which makes Redbreast a GROUP X?)  Finally in town GROUP 1 rests in a warded area on a hill, then GROUP 2 arrives in town.

Goals?
 * BOB: "Anything in the old manor ruins is yours, if you can keep it...Thankfully, one only needs to clear the surface of the ruins. A few rooms in the building itself. You don't need to go deeper. And don't go deeper. Find the Occallium. It is unmistakable, and you will not confuse it for anything else. If you find it, the Heir can do all kinds of miracles with it"
 * GO TO OLD MANOR RUINS
 * FIND THE OCCALLIUM
 * -> Robin: Rescue Redbreast
 * -> Olivia: Rejoin Derrick's soul with his body, or at least rescue the soul

Player Character Impetus:
 * Derrick: Return to his body and draw again from the deck to become heir.  Very personal and selfish but he's a disembodied soul so who can tell.  Plus I don't have to do anything to flesh him out further at the moment.
 * Olivia: immediate => Get the Occallium so that the current heir can bring Derrick back to his body, this theoretically would require going to the manor ruins.  Also, avoid drawing from the deck for personal safety. longterm => Magical knowledge which Derrick would have promised her.

 * Robin: ?
 * Durque: ?

 * Dia de Muertos (The Current Heir): ?
 * Bang Ironson: ?

 * Jarnbrautarlest: ?
 * Quil'Frank: ?

So then what are the short-term and long-term reasons for the group(s) to stay together?  A Character's desire for the deck (GROUP 1) seems to be their driving force.  Become Heir and whatever powers/accolades/troubles come with that.  Group 2 is here to stand beside their counterpart.  Although it appears group 2 members can also draw from the deck so perhaps the notion is that ANYBODY can become heir.

FOR OLIVIA:
1. Get a drink from Bourbon, get any info he might have about the ruins, go to the ruins, scrounge around, learn more about occallium, etc.
2. There's not enough immediately in town to make me think that these people have the answers.  I think answers will be found at the ruins.  After hitting the ruins, then maybe it will spark connections to people in town or it won't.

Robin drew the Knight during her attempt at being darkest heir, that is where Redbreast came from, she had literally just met her on
the road. So Free NPC companion.

Robin kinda sees it as I didn't become heir, but I may as well help out.

Durque thinks this will be funny to watch. And he gets to smash heads to help people, so the place you are is better than the place you're not.

Dia has a Stupid Side Quest which he has to do before he can do what he actually wants.

Bang Ironson is basically here for the money.

I'd like to see the outcome of Dia's aside before posting.  Afterwards get a reasonably priced drink and see what others are getting into.

I am brain dead or something. I'll try to have something up tomorrow - Sunday, for me.

Robin and Durqe will wait on the edge of town in the direction they (the party) need to go.

I'm guessing Dia will need to do the sidequest.  If there is a place to meet with the paladin order, then Olivia would accompany Dia to that end.

After Quil'Fank finds residence, Jarn will leave to meet up with the others, who ever we go to save first doesn't matter to him.

Looks like Dia does need to go on the Side Quest to get the Paladins into town.
So He will go to the Paladins and He will probably need Olivia's help.
While Bang Ironson will go to the Manor with the party into the manor.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:23, Mon 27 Sept 2021.

I have been way too distracted lately. Everyone has answered.

I'll have something up as soon as I can.

So, Dia and Olivia are going on a Paladin meeting quest. That's a surprise, and I was planning on offscreening this, but I'll try to cook something up by tomorrow evening. Quil'Fank is likely to go to his room, or just shotcall a room and say it is his.

Robin and Durque are doubling up to shore up Olivia's absence, Ironson and Jarn are going into the manor as well.

Is this accurate?

My part yeah.

Yup

Yeah. That is accurate.

I have to actually make these two threads, but I intend to do them tomorrow. I've got a good idea of how to start, but I need to do the wordsmithing first.

I'd like to post but I wanna see what the results of Jarn's head butt were.

So admittedly, I missed the detail where all three halls had been opened up, and that I was expected to describe them.

Team Ruins: Let me know all of the means you have of piercing darkness beyond "Ironson has a glowing weapon and darkvision." Durque and Robin have lowlight vision, and the troll also has darkvision, but Jarn has no means of piercing the darkness - that one is still technically human, in spite of their considerable augmentations.

So if I've missed anything, let me know. And no, the Flamer does not count.

Team Diplomacy: Olivia, I need to know what you are planning on putting Dia in. Whether you want to be absurd with this or or straight laced is up to you. If Dia says, "There's no way I'm walking out in public with that" or something akin to that, they are totally going to be wearing it.

So, Dia should hope you are feeling nice, and that you aren't inclined to dress them up as a member of the Lollipop Guild before encouraging them to talk to the Order of Quarter.

Good enough, everyone. I shall post tomorrow.

EDIT: I am surprised at how busy I was today. I shall try again, hopefully before noon tomorrow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:53, Fri 19 Nov 2021.

Hey-o, sad days on my end. I've got quite a bit on my plate dividing my attention these days, and I'm running into a lot of mental snags trying to balance PBP with life.

So, I'm going to have to kill the game at the end of this year.

Thanks for the investment, though. Salvage whatever you wish, and then I'm throwing the game into the Abyss.