Barn Burning Experience

As Scott pleaded mid-session, I checked everyone’s Orange Inn posts, and those in addition to the recent Assassination attempts, pushes you all up and over the line.

Congratulations everyone; you can all rise up to 8th level!

Fortu: 29,023xp (8th!) 

Banal: 28,398xp (8th!)

Liga Bur: 28,101xp (8th!)

Rifkin: 17,525xp (6th)

Triplets: 6,704xp (4th)

Modify your character sheets with new skills, HPs and class abilities etc. Also everyone enjoy that sweet bonus attribute point! Let me know where you stick it.

(David, this is your opportunity to check if Fortu’s magic +1 Strength medallion works in conjunction with his recently acquired +2 Gauntlets of Ogre power.  If not, take a point of strength and get him to 18 Strength as a base.)

Levels

1 : 0xp

2 : 1000xp

3 : 3000xp

4 : 6000xp

5 : 10,000xp

6 : 15,000xp

7 : 21,000xp

8 : 28,000xp

9 : 36,000xp

10: 45,000xp

Practice masks Defect

After listening to, and learning from, his friends, Fortu realises that he’s not the only member of their group to have learned a few new tricks during their last few months under the harsh and multiple Calcientan suns. Arowe’s phenomenal speed and accuracy with his magical longbow has somehow, amazingly, incomprehensibly, improved still further and little Liga Bur, even before his Druidic rebirth, had focused on improving his rudimentary, though supernatural, animal summoning abilities. 

Rifkin, Henshaw, Barbella and even Doberman have also noticeably improved their skills, through a combination of experience and surprisingly dedicated practice, during their dead-time travelling with him and his friends. Having watched, gold toothed, Barbella, sneakily sliding around the battlefields, always ‘going for the soft bits’ or  looking to ‘Stab ‘em where it ‘urts’, the ex-gladiator realises that they share a certain understanding of human anatomy and vulnerability.

While he watched them train though, Fortu also noticed that the nimble Barbella mostly just practiced rolling about and dodging with Rifkin. The only obvious difference between the two of them is that Barbella did it with a dagger clenched betwixt his teeth and Rifkin whilst cradling his precious mandolin, as if it were a baby.

Henshaw and Doberman’s mock battles though, have become longer lasting and much more entertaining of late, with Henshaw doubling down on his awkward looking ‘crab-like’ defensive stance. Despite its ridiculous appearance, it’s remarkably effective but at the expense of a shockingly poor, though slowly improving, offence. Doberman, at the other extreme, just batters at Henshaw’s shield with little skill or regard to his own safety but with an ever increasing, bulging-eyed ferocity. In Doberman’s chubby, stubby fingers, Fortu’s gifted, enchanted Bastard sword will always be just a two-handed axe.

…

Actually, Moon-faced Doberman appears to have learnt very little from the last few months. He has however, seemed to have grown even more resilient to food poisoning since his last few bouts of projectile diarrhoea.

Please make the following changes to your henchmen…

Henshaw: 

Gained a level in Fighter:

(4th level Fighter)

4th level attribute bonus: +1 Strength.

+8HPs, +1 to hit, +1 Fortitude.

New Feat: Weapon Specialisation 

(Long sword +2 damage).

Skills: +1 in Climb, Jump, Swim / +2 Ride.

Barbella : 

Gained a level in Rogue: 

(2nd level Fighter/2nd level Rogue)

4th level attribute bonus: +1 Dexterity.

+5HPs, +1 to hit, +1Reflex.

New Class Ability: Evasion.

Skills: +1 in Climb, Jump, Swim, Balance, Hide, Move Silently, Tumble, Escape artist, Sleight of Hand, Use Rope.

Doberman: 

Gained a level in Barbarian:

(4th level Barbarian)

4th level attribute bonus: +1 Constitution.

+12HPs, +1 to hit, +1 Fortitude. 

New Class Ability: Rage x 2 per day

Skills: +1 in Climb, Jump, Swim.

DMs Run the Game they’d want to Play in

Congratulations! We finally (after a few false dawns) finished the ‘Givrad Void’ module! I hope you’ve all enjoyed playing this adventure as much as I did running it. 

Like the title says though, I think Dungeon Masters, Dungeon Master because they get frustrated as Players in other Dungeon Master’s games. Assif, I know is just there for the ‘kick-in-the-door’ combat. Scott enjoys devilishly circumventing or disrupting my carefully contrived plans and Cousin David’s probably just there out of love and loyalty. 

For me though, it’s all about the story. Everything has to make sense within the internal logic of the fantasy setting and common sense and reason must always be able to be applied. Villains will behave as smartly or as dumbly as their stats state and monsters will exploit their own environment and physical advantages to the full. Henchmen and associates will behave in a way depending on their own agendas and as a reflection of how well or poorly they’ve been treated. Actions will always (well usually at least) have consequences.

That said; everyone finally gets to Level-up to 7th level! (Even Rifkin and the lesser Henchies!)

Fortu: 24,763 xp (7th!) 

Arowe: 24,558 xp (7th!)

Liga Bur: 24,331 xp (7th!)

Rifkin: 15,009 xp (6th!)

Henshaw: 6,271 xp (4th!)

Barbella: 6,271 xp (4th!)

Doberman:  6,271 xp (4th!)

At this point, I’ll also give you all an opportunity to have a little tweak of your characters, if you want. No changing race or class (apart from the new 7th level cross-class level if desired), but if you want to replace a previously chosen Feat that never came into play or you want to rearrange your skill points a little; fine by me. 

This is all under the assumption that we all want to soldier on with this campaign? Even though we’re occasional players rather than weekly grinders, a long-form D&D game is still a time consuming commitment.

I’m going to try to take a break from compulsively thinking about it until the new year, aside from possibly/definitely posting up some videos and the last of my background stories. Despite the routinely depressing ‘No comments’ underneath each posting, I still hope that you read and enjoy them all.

They’re chock-full of clues and reminders of what’s happened, but hopefully entertaining too. If we are to continue, I’d urge you to spend some of your free down-time to read back through them and take a few notes to remind yourselves what’s been happening, why it’s been happening and who it’s been happening to?

After you’re latest decision, I’m already wondering what’s going to happen next? I wasn’t sure whether you were going to charge into the lower levels of Hell after Hetzabah and Sir Briefadel or return to Fissa to face the potential wrath of the (small ‘g’) goddess; Estrid and the hulking Druid; Thornberg? Now though, wIll the seven (and a dog) of you try to seek out and warn the eyepatch wearing, old Lord Urdurel that his errant son is coming to get him?

At the end of yesterday’s session (as Scott’s full-time back in England), I suggested that we perhaps just drop the online sessions and revert back to the quarterly ‘Cottage of Doom’ weekends?

David though suggested that we might instead do a combination of both? 

Either way; Fun, fun, fun!

Up to but not including Ambush Bug Desert Experience

As we've experienced a ‘slight’ intermission in the game, I thought I might as well post up another experience post.

Despite Rifkin's heroic rescue attempt, your escape from the city and a few more comments and posts, no-one's risen up any further.

My unsubtle plan of rewarding comments and posts with experience points is starting to cost quiet Scott a little though…

Fortu: 19,453 (6th)

Arowe: 19,328xp (6th)

Liga Bur: 19,101xp (6th)

Rifkin: 12,239xp (5th)

Henshaw: 3,131xp (3rd)

Barbella: 3,121xp (3rd)

Doberman: 3,121xp (3rd)

Experience of the Arena... So Far

Assif requested another experience posting and although, you've only had three combat encounters (One of them unsuccessful) since the Oasis zombie battle, I'm happy to comply.

Unsurprisingly though, none of the PCs have advanced to the heavenly 7th level. Rifkin (despite his behind the scenes, escape plan machinations) is still stuck at 5th level but the lowly, Scarborough guards (After their two isolated arena combats) have snuck up to 3rd level!

Fortu: 18,873xp (6th)

Arowe: 18,818xp (6th)

Liga Bur: 18,681xp (6th)

Rifkin: 11,164xp (5th)

Henshaw: 3,016xp (3rd!)

Barbella: 3,006xp (3rd!)

Doberman: 3,006xp (3rd!)

(This includes in-game clever idea and all the Orange Inn 'Comments' and 'Posts' bonuses.)

As the three thug-guards have reached 3rd level and they seem to be sticking around, you can run them from now onwards. I divvied them out in a semi-deliberate fashion, giving the unevolved bullet; Doberman to Assif to be counterpoint to the elegant Arowe, the sneaky Barbella to Scott as he's best placed to exploit his... special set of skills and Henshaw to David as he fills a similar role to Fortu.

I sent you their stats on direct WhatsApp messages but I did it by 'scanning' my printouts by my phone and copy/paste them so there might be a few errors. Feel free to exchange them amongst yourselves if you want to swap them around.

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.

Experience of Water, Wood, Wolves and Women!

From the Nixie river crossing, the Lightning tree and Kane's wolf pack to the Dryad trap and the season Finale at the Pool of Temporary Immortality, you've certainly earned this level. 

Fortu: 15,967xp (Up to 6th!)

Arowe: 16,042xp (Up to 6th!)

Liga Bur: 15,875xp (Up to 6th!)

Rifkin: 10,191xp (Up to 5th!)

Level five was a bit flat but sixth is a great one! New Feats all round and, as you're all Fighter classes, an extra attack each round! 

Personally, I think that Sixth level is the beginning of being a mid-level character. Good bye Rats and City guards, hello truly terrifying monsters of the void!

Congratulations!

Where the Were-Goodies?

The definitely dead wolfman's body, hangs limp under Fortu's spiked palisade. Dark blood, still dripping from the near surgical slit across his throat, pools on the stony ground beneath him.

Despite the drawn out battle, only Liga Bur's magical, silver kukri had proved effective against the cursed creature and it was fitting that it also delivered the death stroke.  

Kane, is what he'd called himself. His repeated scratch-mark 'Ks', just a desperate attempt for some form of recognition and remembrance. A lonely man and with his wolf-pack all dead, the only legacy he'd really left behind were the two dark-metaled, magical short-swords and the creepy, mummified hand. A ring sits on its second finger but, so far, no-one's dared to even try to remove it. Although inert now, Fortu could have sworn that he saw the hand twitch independently when Kane was shouting up the hill at them.

Taking an interest in the swords, Arowe notices that the well forged metal of the blades is very similar to that of his magical rapier. The rapier he'd recently acquired from the cells behind the terrifying Beer monster, back in the hidden garden of animal attraction. The magical rapier that had thrummed a warning when facing the unseen creatures of the stream.

Rifkin eventually overcomes his reticence and examines the sparse collection of items. Gingerly picking up the shrivelled disembodied hand, a look of recognition spreads over his face...

"I think I know what this is!"

Treasure

Two Magical Cold-iron Short-swords +1 (No glow)

Hand of Glory (Enables the use of three magical rings simultaneously and can cast 'See invisibility' and 'Light' once per day)

Ring of Evasion (Rifkin thinks.)

He also possessed a small purse containing Seven assorted Gem stones. They all look valuable but Rifkin's unable to accurately assess their true worth.

No arrows I'm afraid.

Extra Info

Scott and Assif: Calculate how many arrows your characters have got left... 

I know Arowe's almost, if not totally out but Liga Bur gained twenty magical flaming arrows from the Three-Quarterling's den to supplement his original supply. As Scott had also forgotten that he'd given Liga Bur the 'Multi-shot' feat, he's been firing off arrows at approximately half the rate of Assif's elf and so I'm guessing that, despite using them on the War, the Lightning tree and the werewolf Kane, he still has a few of the flaming ones and the majority of his normal ones left. (Shame that they're too small to share with Arowe.)

Also, Scott's computer was right about the damage of his Magical +3 Silver Kukri...

Silver weapons are apparently not as sharp/tough as steel ones and therefore do -1 damage. 

So Although its still a +3 magical weapon to hit, it only does +2 damage. 

Therefore, as a small Kukri, it only does 1d3+2 damage plus Liga Bur's (if he has any?) strength bonus.

Spoils of War

Experience!

Fortu: 12,202xp (Still 5th level)

Arowe: 12,267xp (Still 5th level)

Liga Bur: 12,130xp (Still 5th level)

Rifkin: 8,654xp (Still 4th level)

Points awarded for Combat participation, skill use, tactics/strategies and posts/comments rewards. 

Unsurprisingly after the first session of the second Module, no-one's going up a level. Still, you're all a bit closer.

End of the Road?

Hi Boys,

It's been over a year since we started this on-line adventure together and hopefully you've all had a good time.

Three really funtastic/fantastic heroes, hopefully interesting settings, encounters and scary opponents!

As for me, I've probably become a little over-invested. It's been a great distraction from all the worries and stresses in my life but I do pour a fair bit of time to it. Time I really should be investing in other more productive areas of my life.

That said, I do get a fantastic thrill out of it but mostly in making you boys laugh and giving us a fun reason to stay in touch. 

The difference I've noticed in this on-line campaign compared to the in-person' 'Cottage-of-Doom' ones is your freedom to choose different options. With the solid, every-three-months, weekend sessions, I could only prepare so many choices without derailing the story. With the monthly, three-hour sessions, I can follow your characters in whichever direction you choose to go.

More 'Sandbox', less 'Railroad'.

Assif has done a great job with keeping us tech-linked up and doubling up as 'Player' and 'Camera man' (I couldn't have done it). David has been more helpful than he realises with driving the combats. Poor Scott though, has had to set the schedule as he's the busiest of us.

Was a target of four to six weeks between sessions too ambitious?

So what do you say? Are you three are still invested in the story and want to see what happens next? Does everyone still have the time and energy as the lockdown eases?

As a group, do we want to further the story? Should I write the next 'Module'? 

I do have a title worked out...

:)

Wild Woods Experience

After calculating the experience from the last three combat encounters, I noticed that my level of concern was inverse to the experience gained. The most 'rewarding' encounter was the forest clearing one with Tsigane and the Centaurs, followed by the Three-Quarterling magical pool one and lastly and leastly, the Poison Beer cell encounter.

Still, as you already knew, you all gained enough experience to climb another level.

Arowe: 11,287xp (5th level!)

Fortu: 11,172xp (5th level!)

Liga Bur: 11,100xp (5th level!)

Rifkin: 8,264xp (4th level!)

(Edited to include Post and Comment bonuses)

Experience the 4th?

Including the recent mama bear encounter and the bonus experience points for posting and comments on the Orange Inn website.

Arrow: 6,417xp. 4th level!

Fortu: 6,302xp. 4th level!

Liga Burr: 6,250xp. 4th level!

Seems like you'll be advancing one level every four sessions...

Please email me your new character sheets in the next week or so.

Posting Bonus Experience Total

Bonus experience for posting and comments on the Orange Inn community website.

(No points for anything on WhatsApp.)

Arrow: 4,400xp. Still 3rd level.

Fortu: 4,395xp. Still 3rd level.

Liga Burr: 4,325xp. Still 3rd level.

Will you go up at the end of this second session?

...

Unlikely.

;P

Experience the First

Turns out, that first encounter in the robber's camp was apparently 'Overpowering'!

Current experience, including in and out of game bonuses:

Arowe:    

Experience: 4155    Level: 3

Fortu:        

Experience: 4175   Level: 3

Liga Bur:    

Experience: 4275    Level: 3

So no level ups yet but 50 bonus XP will be awarded to each character upon new background story post...