The new out-of-character discussion thread. The previous thread was moving close to the thousand post mark.

I'm trying the new version of RPOL that we are being forced to use in a couple of weeks. I hate it!

For me, the biggest adjustment has been navigating within a game itself. I didn’t realize how accustomed I had become to utilizing the in-game links at the top of the page. Now, they’re all in a pull down, but half the time I see the icon for it (a die), and I keep thinking “I don’t need the die roller, I need _________.”

I’m working at getting more comfortable with it.

It has shunted the top menu bar off to the side, shrinking actual game space. I don't know how that's a good idea.

I got lost in the threads, sorry to be THAT player... are we in 17? There seems to be two doors leading south on that hallway. Could Darth V be coming from the south westerly direction, and if not, might we escape that way and circle back to the exit? Sorry, I hate to admit I'm doing e of my own pet peeves.

Dryvyk, we're in Rooms 46/63 right now. As Barnabus has indicated, the only way out is through 45 and west toward Room 15.  And no worries about getting lost, we've all done that more than once!

I've been using the new format for months now, so I've already gotten used to it.  It works well enough, for a player at least.  Not sure for GMs.

To be a touch more accurate, it sounds as though the footfalls are coming from the northwest.


Just for clarification, I didn’t say that Varghoulis arrived by way of the shrine of Nergal. Because, well, he didn’t.

Ah, thanks. I didn't remember the new updated map thread. I was looking at the game map menu instead, outdated info.

So looks to me like our hope is to race Darth V to 15 and try to keep ahead of him. Else, test the potency of Nineve's potion and use the death knight against his master...

In reply to Labyrinth Lord (msg # 7):

Thank you. That is good to know. It wouldn't change our next move, though -- perhaps the one after that, yes.

I was vehemently against the new site because I had an old phone and the old site worked great on it. Then 400 cows and calves ran over that phone on a cold January day, and even though it had previously survived worse, alas it expired. New site works great for me on the new phone and I'm getting used to the desktop version. I like that images automatically resize now.

My impression of the new site was that it would probably work better for mobile, but I never play on my phone, so that wasn't an incentive.  Aside from that, it looked like a C grade revision done in a freebie web editing app.

But the auto resize for the images sounds cool, and I'm sure there must be a few other perks.  And it's inevitable anyway, so..

This possibility crossed my mind as well, N. But I think the punishment for betraying a lawful evil master would be absolute in this case.


He might have that spell or spell-like ability. However, he does seem to primarily to be a fighter or an anti-paladin.


I don't know that we can order it to attack V. We could order it to move just ahead of us. If we had the opportunity, we could order it to move in a way to divert V. from our path. But then he has already obeyed suicidal orders by turning his coat for us, so...

One advantage we have in this asymmetrical contest is our knowledge of adversary psychology. Why won't V. run to intercept us or reach the crypt knight? It would be beneath his dignity.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:34, Mon 04 Dec 2023.

One never knows for sure until the start of the new round.  Both in real life and D&D, lol.

I'm used to bad guys with aces up their sleeves, from way back.   My brother didn't play the stereotype keystone cop baddies, who'd forget to use magic items, or hobble themselves with gross overconfidence.

He had a thing for the githyanki, they were his main villains, and the way he played them verged on scary, sometimes.   Some of those scenarios still haunt my memory, and lead me to be very careful when I play rpg in the present.

The whole point of charming X or Y is to make them go against their nature. Long live internal contradictions :).

Or perhaps Varghoulis simply has no need to rush.

Malivoire: Can you take on torch duty? I think everyone else has two hands occupied with a weapon or weapon and shield.

A suggested update to the marching order to account for the loss of Andryr; might be important for this sprint to the exit! Please feel free to change as you see fit.

Single File        Double File
Dax             Dax      Dryvyk
Dryvyk          Safherd  Nineve
Nineve              Malivoire
Safherd         Ynes     Barnabus
Malivoire
Barnabus
Ynes

---

My major pet peeve with the new site is that he built in a way to change every possible colour on the site, but there is no way to change the font size!
This message was last edited by the player at 08:49, Tue 05 Dec 2023.

V. is an intelligent military commander with troops at his command. I'm going to hazard that he has the exit to the BM covered. He does not know that we have the means to teleport from #47 to his northern club house.

That is what I suggest we do to escape the BM. From the ruined temple, we might be ablet to take advantage of our surprise arrival to flee south.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:16, Tue 05 Dec 2023.

Just to put it out there, though I am absolutely not advocating for one approach over the other, there is another area in the southern region of the map where the adventurers would be safe from Varghoulis and his soldiers.

Yes, that would be the Briar Queen's sanctum.

B. would prefer his patron's means.

As a player, either is fine with me.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:07, Tue 05 Dec 2023.

I see challenges either way.  If we use the shrine and teleport to the temple in the north, we will land among enemies and presumably still have fights to win before escaping back to Helix.  A reminder that Malivoire has one spell left (Shower of Sparks) and a couple of magic missiles from the wand.  Otherwise he will be only good as a lantern bearer.  Not sure about Nineve's remaining spell resources.  If she is also low we're basically at the whim of the fighters' dice rolls.

If we go to the shrine of the Briar Queen we're safe but trapped, unless V gets bored of waiting for us to emerge.  We could rest and recharge, but still would be in for a fight when we leave, possibly against an entrenched enemy by that point.  Perhaps the Briar Queen could lend additional aid, but that's not a given.

Maybe we go with Barnabus' suggestion and bolt as fast as we can for the road back to Helix?

For reference:
So it's not like we're going to arrive on the outskirts of the ruined temple. But we will have the advantage of surprise and an absent V.

Like M., I also think that the BQ could offer more than refuge.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:36, Tue 05 Dec 2023.

There is a third option, which no one seems to have discussed:

March out there, lay waste to Varghoulis and his cronies, and send them back to the underworld abyss they came from.