Not another Eighties reference.

 As Fortu takes a moment after the fight with the dead or alive druid, he settles himself down just outside the tent. With half an ear on listening to Barbella and Henshaw he takes out his whet stone. With slow long sweeps along the blade on his sword he is concerned to notice pits/ burns across its length. He thought that after the fight with the big ice worm there had been some discolouration, now he was certain.

Spinning around he looks for someone to confirm the worst; discounts Doberman who for some reason was now trying to fill his ears with coins, ignores Barbella and Henshaw who are now sniggering together something about millionaires and spots Arowe. He knows Arowe specialises in archery but is sure with his elven heritage/ lore he may have some knowledge.

"Yo boss, ever since the fight with the ice beastie, my sword is looking like a target after you've loosed a quiver load into - knackered. Not sure if its gonna hold up much longer?"

Number One Fan

Inside the surprisingly luxurious tent, Rifkin and Liga Burr sit at and on the wooden desk respectively, examining the maps they'd found. Despite most of them being carefully annotated in the unreadable secret Druidic script, two of them prove to be useful. Slightly more worryingly though, a few seem to have been taken.

Of the remaining, one shows the visible constellations and the name of the world and its moons and nearest suns. The other, a geographical one, laying out the locations of the nearest surrounding wells in addition to three cities and an odd curiosity in the north captioned with just a question mark.

The distances are also strangely measured, not in traditional Fissian miles but rather in some confusing time metric called 'Camel-ride-days'.

According to the map, this desert world is called 'Calscienta' and the three nearest habitations called 'Valderez', 'Mendoza' and 'Creardo'. According to the map; 'Valderez' is the largest and the closest. Just four 'Camel-ride-days' away, with a rest-stop watering hole almost exactly half-way in between.

Rising from his chair, Rifkin moves to leave the airy comfort of the tent and absentmindedly picks up the delicate, magical paper fan before unconsciously cooling himself with it.

Catching himself mid-flap, the Half-Elven Bard glances back over his shoulder and calls out to the furrow browed Liga Burr in the Halfling's own language:

"Can I keep this?"

Unless anyone objects, Rifkin takes the magical paper fan as his half-share of treasure.

Consider not the Length but the Quality

The dark haired Barbella scratches at his stubbly chin as he, left-handedly, swings the magical short-sword through the air.

"I don't get why you asked for these? They're effectively no better than the long-swords we already 'av. In fact there's about a foot less blade for slotting bastards wiv!"

Henshaw grins in response, showing the 'lucky' gap between his two front teeth, as he right-handedly flourishes his 'new' short-sword in response.

"No better than the 'really-expensive-cold-iron-master-work' longswords we we given by Sergeant Philko?"

As Barbella nods blankly, Henshaw's already talking again.

"Think about it. Sir Briefadel had our long-swords forged specially by that Dwarven blacksmith, using a metal poisonous to Fey creatures. They're not only the best swords we've ever used but they cost loads! Hundreds!! More than a years wages!!! Now, these short-swords 'ave not only bin made with that same metal, but they've bin magically sharpened as well. How much do you imagine they're worth?!"

The swarthy Barbella finally returns Henshaw's grin with one of his own, revealing a golden tooth.

"By Nerull's unblinking eye sockets, you're right... Thousands! We're rich!"

Masterwork Cold Iron Long-sword: 

To hit: +1 Damage: 1d8 (Minimum damage: 1 Average damage: 4.5 Maximum damage: 8)

Magical +1 Cold Iron Short-sword: 

To hit: +1 Damage: 1d6+1 (Minimum damage: 2 Average damage: 4.5 Maximum damage: 7)

(Somewhat oddly, despite now having magic weapons, Henshaw and Barbella haven't improved their 'to hit' chance at all but have somehow simultaneously acquired a higher minimum AND lower maximum damage.)

:D

Treasures Past and Present

After the battle is done, the campfire lit and Henshaw's stoved-in ribs tended to, Rifkin moves to help Liga Burr rummage around the magically cooled tent of the now twice killed Druid.

Despite Sir Briefadel obviously beating them here with hours to spare and murdering Zepyr and his menagerie, he seems to have taken nothing more than, perhaps a map or two... And one of the ugly, oversized, hump-backed horses. Just as before, as in the underground home of the slaughtered Three-Quarterling, the dark knight is obviously searching for something far more precious than mere gold or magical trinkets.

Rifkin hears the Human guardsman Henshaw outside, negotiating for his groups ongoing fee with Arowe, before he wanders in and offers to help parcel out the found coins and gems. The demi-elf's initially suspicious of the man's intentions, but after carefully scrutinising the tall, blond, jug-eared Human divide the treasure into seven neatly separated piles, he can't fault the man's maths or understanding of lowest common denominators. 

Henshaw is no fool and, more surprisingly... Apparently honest!

The three human soldiers all gladly accept their one-third gold shares but express no desire for any of the magical trinkets or scrolls found. Henshaw's interest is piqued though, when Rifkin empties his knapsack to repack and reveals the dead werewolf Kane's twin magical cold-iron short-swords.

"Instead of a share of the magical loot won 'ere today, can Barbella and I 'ave one of these matchin' swords each?"

No-one in the party objects and the two soldiers seem very pleased with their acquisitions.

Doberman however, happily sits, cross-legged by the fire, watching the dissected zombie parts crackle and burn, whilst simultaneously seeing how many coins he can stuff into his oversized, drooling mouth. Barbella counts them for him, after he spits them out, and the answer's apparently; sixty-one... But the brutish Doberman might have accidentally swallowed a couple.


Treasure:

Arrow:

Sling +1
Small wooden box containing 20 Lead bullets and two small leather ammo pouches.
Three small jars containing Magic stone oil.
7 Gems (Worth 50gp each)
82gp
28sp
19cp


Fortu:

Magical Ring of Climbing +5
6 Gems (Worth 50gp each)
132gp
28sp
19cp


Liga Burr:

Scroll of Animal Growth (Needs to be studied)
Scroll of Summon Nature's Ally 4 (Needs to be studied)
6 Gems (Worth 50gp each)
132gp
28sp
19cp


Rifkin:

Scroll of Summon Swarm
Scroll of Cure Moderate Wounds
3 Gems (Worth 50gp each)
68gp
15sp
10cp


Henshaw:

Cold-Iron Short sword +1 (No glow)
2 Gems (Worth 50gp each)
44gp
10sp
7cp


Barbella:

Cold-Iron Short sword +1 (No glow)
2 Gems (Worth 50gp each)
44gp
10sp
7cp


Doberman:

2 Gems (Worth 50gp each)
44gp
10sp
7cp


Items added to Rifkin's pack:

Silver Sickle +1 (Glows)
Delicate Paper Magical Wind fan

Everyone keep up to date with your magic and coinage... It 'might' be important later.

Game Date: 20/5/23

Scott just confirmed his free dates and, before it gets lost in the aether, I thought I'd cement it in all our minds.

May the 20th.

9am morning start time for the UKers (Which I'm assuming is still 6pm for Scott).

Precisely four weeks from this exact time today!

We finished at noon (12am) last session. Three hours online didn't allow us to get through more than an easy combat, a rushed search and a hurried half journey. If possible, can you boys avoid scheduling anything else until after 1pm (10pm)?

Not much planning for me to do, as I've already written the next four possible encounters. I might try to badly hand-draw and colour a few more minis but if I plan too far into the various possible futures, I'd probably be wasting my time planning encounters that won't happen.

As for you guys; have your character sheets ready, your cameras set up and the minis found.

Already looking forward to it!

:)

Maydays!

When we started this lock-down-on-line campaign, I'd hoped to schedule our on-line sessions about four to six weeks apart. With that in mind, how does everyone feel about these possible Saturdays or Sundays in May? 

9am morning starts for David, Assif and me. 6pm evenings for Scott. 

David, called halt at noon (UK time) last session but I'd have happily played until 1pm (10pm for Scott). If everyone else is willing to do so, we can squeeze out four hours of gameplay next time.

(I was slightly frustrated to only be able to get through one combat encounter, an oasis looksee and half a journey.)

Possible Game dates:

Saturday 13th of May?

Sunday 14th of May?

Saturday 20th of May?

Sunday 21st of May?

Saturday 27th of May?

Sunday 28st of May?

Not Merely Mir Hundur

After the confusion of Liga Burr's Riding dog's HPs and abilities, (Mir Hunder only having 20HPs definitely seemed wrong to me) I took the time to read up on 'Ranger animal companions'. Ultimately they're exactly the same as the Druid equivalent but at about half the power.

This is how he should be according to the Monster manual and the Player's handbook...

Mir Hundur.

Trained Riding Dog.

Size: Medium (Quadruped)

Str: 17 +3 Int: 2 -4 Wis: 12 +1 Dex: 17+3 Con: 16 +3 Cha: 6 -2

HPs: 38 4HD (4d8+12) 

AC: 19 (+3 Dex /+6 Natural armour)

Move: 40' (Assuming Liga Burr and all equipment weigh less than 129lbs)

Carrying capacity: Light: 129lbs or less / Medium: 259lbs or less / Heavy: 390lbs or less

(Medium load penalty = Skill check: -3 / Move: -10)

(Heavy load penalty= Skill check: -6 / Move: -10)

Saves: Fort: +7 / Reflex: +7 / Will: +2

Attack: Bite: +6 to Hit / Damage: 1d6+4 (+ Free Trip attack after successful bite)

Trip: 1d20+4 vs 1d20 +Str or Dex bonus or be knocked prone.

Special abilities: 1) Low light vision / 2) Scent / 3) Empathic Link / 4) Share spells / 5) Evasion

Feats: 1) Alertness / 2) Track / 3) Scott's choice (From the PH1 & MM1 only)

Skills: 1) Jump: +9 / 2) Listen: +5 / 3) Spot: +5 / 4) Swim: +4 / Survival: +1 (+2 points to spend)

Tricks: 8. All to be chosen (confirmed) by Scott.

(The debated 'Multi-attack' isn't available to Mir Hundur until Liga Burr reaches 18th level. In fact poor Mir Hundur won't improve again until Liga Burr reaches the giddy heights of 12th level.)

This is just my take on it without using any on-line resources, but as far as I'm concerned, all you have to do Scott, is choose 1 Feat, 2 Skill points and 8 Tricks (if you haven't done all of that already). After that you can relax for the next 5 levels.

:D

The Unfortunate Experience of Hooked Horrors, Gigantic Ice Bugs & Zombie Pythons!

As Assif pointed out, I've not awarded any experience since the 'Battle at the Eternal Pool'. 

I was assuming, since your characters just squeaked up to 6th level then, that it'd be a while before I had to consider that again. Still, it has been three sessions since then and the monsters have been a lot tougher.

As I started calculating though, I realised that you are now also 'burdened' with three additional NPCs. Henshaw, Barbella and Doberman are actually pretty handy, despite their low level but it sadly means more DMing for me and an extra division of experience.

Therefore, no-one's advanced to the giddy heights of 7th level yet, but to spare me calculating afresh next time, here are the scores on the doors:

Fortu: 17,733xp (6th)
Arowe: 17,758xp (6th)
Liga Bur: 17,541xp (6th)

Rifkin: 10,964xp (5th)

Henshaw: 2,299xp (2nd)

Barbella: 2,299xp (2nd)
Doberman: 2,299xp (2nd)

This also includes all the Orange Inn 'Comments' and 'Posts' bonuses.

Saturday!

 

Leomund’s Tiny Hint

 

Intellectual Pursuits

The penultimate Saturday's here! Over four months have passed since our last game but now only a week to go until our next session.

No new character stories posted up by you guys but I've not been twiddling my thumbs.

I've done much in-depth D&D R&D during this time.

I've not reread my notes, drawn any new NPCs or made ridiculous cardboard sets, oh no...

Instead I managed to watch four (One a month) Sword and Sorcery movies.

From the aptly named and not too terrible 'The Sword and the Sorcerer' starring Lee Horsley, to the truly awful 'Deathstalker' (1 & 2!), and finishing up with the Disney flop; 'The Black cauldron'.

All Eighties movies and, despite their reputations, all fun in their own unique ways.

The 'Sword and the Sorcerer' actually came out before Conan and was quite good in parts.

The 'Deathstalker' movies were so cheap and nasty, they came out camp and kitsch. No consistency in acting, wardrobe or even cast. They were so bad that normal arrows fired would explode on impact, overblown eighties action-movie style!

The animated 'Black Cauldron' was actually pretty good but based on Welsh mythology and far too dark for it's young 'PG' audience.

Still, lots of inspiring ideas...