Paul Ackerman 70's page

Do these dice have sharp edges or the more round edges?

And the people who want religion and politics to be intertwined? They're the ones screaming loudest about 'churches being *forced* to marry gay couples,' which would never happen in a country that respects the seperation of church and state, the country that *they are trying to destroy.*

scientists discovered today that saliva causes stomach cancer - but only if swallowed in small amounts over a long period of time

We as a people cannot classify marriage as a religious union otherwise we could not divorce, as divorce is not permitted.

there are 5 stages to drowning....the first stage is surprise, there is no screaming or yelling and the victim is afraid...they are in a near vertical position...the 2nd stage is involuntary breath holding, they are now below the water and the body involuntary closes the epiglottis which closes the airways...next the person becomes unconscious, the body shuts down from lack of o2..the body sinks either rapidly or slowly depends on conditions, next is the stage of convulsions...there may be violent jerking or convulsions of the body, due to the fact of lack of oxygen, then they may go rigid...next is death.. the person actually goes into cardiac arrest, but being unconscious they don't feel the pain,,, so there is no signs of horror it all happens all so quickly after you go under the water...

I wonder what the etiquette for email is.

Hah. Yeah.

Also, you get out of prison and the train doesn't come. Oh.. and it isn't raining.

No, it isn't if they haven't checked. That I don't care. It's when they have checked.

I should just start sending emails in areas I can't see if they read it yet or not. That way I don't get irritated with them. Haha.

Nobody is immune to my tasty charms.

Well, they could just Yahoo IM you. ~grins~

It's akin if you're face to face with someone and say hello.. and they don't say anything back. Now, imagine if this is someone you know really really well. You'd be offended. I don't know why this doesn't carry over into the net.

Yeah, I don't understand that mode of thinking. It takes what.. thirty seconds to click reply and even if it's just a 'hey.. i'll get back to you'

Oy vey.

You know what is irritating? You send someone an email.. and they don't respond at all. I mean.. even a text message.. nothing back.

I even at least acknowledge the email. Even if I don't have anything to say. If you ask a question in an email at least they should answer it.

I dunno.. guess it's a pet peeve of mine.

(( Yeah, weekend and other RL stuff.. I'll prepare for a better post. Just letting everyone know I'm still around. ))

Yay. Well done!

Thanks.

Not sure what my perception modifier is, so I just rolled a d20:
1d20=8

Thanis:

( I'll use your first one. Just keep your second result in mind for next time. )

Thanis:

Gornak:

( Everyone give me a perception check. )

Very cool.

Edit: One of the first lines the trio says reminds me of "Locks only keep honest people honest."

Thanis:

Yeah, the pregnancy.. she almost died. The docs couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.. they tried taking out her apendix at one point. Nope. Spinal Taps. Nope. asshats.

This just sucks.

Thanks guys. I'm trying to stay positive. It's just my son is learning so much so fast.. it makes it even harder. Everytime I see him there is something new about him. Rar.

Under The Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates
By: David Cordingly

Great historic account of actual Pirates. Strips the myth from them and uses actual eye witness acounts for some of the stories. David Cordingly had a Pirate museum exhibit in London for about three years - the guy really knows his stuff.

It's a fast engaging read. It would be awesome to have a Pirate adventure based on facts such as these.

Check it out.

Gambling:
Gornak:
You win your 5sp back plus 5sp

Darkilion:
Come back with 5sp overall.

Calabron:

Jean-Paul:

Paul Ackerman 70 wrote:

This thread makes me want to buy a ticket... I just don't know that I'd be able to get away.

Go for it!

I probably wont.. I'll just go to GenCon :(

( I'll put some plot forward bits in later. The spoilers I put up are mainly just to keep it easier to read for you guys. Rather than me putting everything to everyone in one long post.. I simply put it in spoilers to make it easier to read. )

This thread makes me want to buy a ticket... I just don't know that I'd be able to get away.

I understand that. Even if I tried to change for her it wouldn't be actual change.

No, I want to change things about myself.

Oh well... b&&~*ing and moaning about it doesn't make it better.

I'm just tired is all

Calabron:

Sevengny:

Jean-Paul:

No, you were pretty complete. Is there something similar for Oblivion?

I do not understand. If she wants to eventually re-marry you, why file for divorce? Why not do a separation?

Thing is.. it's only happening because of my mistakes. Grr. Stupid upbringing. Not that I can blame it on that completely.. but it is a cause of what my attitude was.

Thankfully, I've already begun to change. It's just this marriage is finished.

She says she would like to eventually get re-married to me.

It's just right now... this sucks. And that's part of it. We both love each other very much.

Gah!

Not that the urge is there... just the want/need to be out of the situation more than anything.

It'll be better tomorrow. Yes?

So... wait. There isn't an actual editor? Just downloadable mods? Okay.. are the mods made only by the game makers?

Cosmo, thought I'd inform you I receieved the shipment you sent out for me yesterday.

Thanks

( I'll post results - sorry for the delay of IC posting. Just got a lot of distractions at the moment.

Gornak:
You lose 5sp

Jean-Paul:
You win your 5sp back plus 1sp
You lose 3sp
You win your 1gp back plus 5sp
You lose 2sp
You break even

Darkilion:
You lose 1sp )

Jean-Paul:

Sevengy:

Gornak:

Had a long self involved post. Letting out things I shouldn't in a public forum.

Wife is turning in our signed divorce papers tomorrow. This sucks.

Patrick Curtin wrote:

They'll just up the taxes on beer kits then, either that or make it illegal to make your own beer. Or impose a tax stamp you must buy to place on your homebrew ....The government is very inventive when it comes to collecting our money.

oh nah, you taxers are decent folks :P
ours are the death :P
they wuld tax the oxygen we breath if they could find a way to measure it...

It'd be a hard balance.

Please.. it's florida. What good beer are they contributing?

Should dress up like... politicians.. and hijack any truck that is shipping an alcoholic product and dump that in the sea. or on the ground.

It worked once.. maybe it could work again.

( I'll do an IC response later. But, I thought I'd touch base on the OOC questions right quick.

The CHA or Profession Gambler checks are to use the 'quick gambling' rules provided in the module. This is to make gambling easier due to the pbmb restrictions. I hope that answers the question about using bluff.

Games: Basic games. Poker, Blackjack, Craps etc... If your character suggests a game there will be people there to play it.
Ghoulette (basic roulette but the 'table' has a head in the middle of it that continuously spouts insults ((image up later))

You're allowed to bet 1sp on up. Roll your roll and I'll let you know if you won.)

have maybe a drop or two of Native American blood. Don't think that qualifies though. :)

( The scene
Yizmin, life always trumps gaming. It's cool. )

Gornak:

Sevegny:

Jean-Paul:

As the evening ramps up for the tournament the room begins to fill until what appears to be around a hundred willing and ready gamblers in attendance. Saul seems busy with basic management duties.

(Rules for gambling:
Gold Goblin Gambling Chips
Name Color Cost
Copper Heart Dull red 1 cp
Silver Tooth Dull gray 1 sp
Gold Eye Dull gold 1 gp

As for games you wish to gamble on - State what you are playing and roll a charisma check or if you have it Profession: Gambler)

So, the rules that we have as a gaming group.

New players must be approved by host of the house and the DM. Which is usually the same person but occasionaly not.

If you're going to drink.. hold your booze. No getting annoying or not paying attention to the game. No making messes because of it. This really goes for anything that you're doing.

If you smoke. You smoke outside.

Those are actually the only rules I can think of that have come into play. We don't have a 'these are the rules' that we've talked about. It's just common sense I suppose. When we bring in a new player.. things are only brought up as a as need basis. Such as... "Can I smoke in here?" "No, you have to go outside"

I have a new personal rule however. This comes from my recent DM stint.

If you complain to the point it halts the game, I'm leaving. I've told our DM this and have come close to leaving quite a few times. I don't want to sit and listen to you b*tch.

Think of the XP!!!!!

Then again... could rule that no matter what you still gain at least 1xp... how many black dragons are there?

Link

( You have arrived outside the Gold Goblin )

Just inside the main doors, two sultry beauties scantily clad and wearing faux bat wings, devil horns, and tails play the part of alluring succubi. Both are employees of the Gold Goblin, and they cheerfully register contestants for the tournament and process entry fees. Armed guards stand nearby to either side of an immense treasure chest into which each patron’s entry fee is added. The guards are on hand to not only protect the money, but to prevent any overzealous admirers from trying to dare the infamous touch of a succubus. Beyond the registration table is the hall’s game floor. Dozens of gamblers, waitresses dressed as succubi, and bouncers mill about the room, wandering amid tables offering various games while dealers shuffle cards, roll dice, and spin wheels. Moving through this throng are a dozen more of the barely clad, batwinged vixens serving drinks and batting coal-black eyelashes flirtatiously for tips. In the center of the chamber is a short podium atop which sits a massive gold chest affixed to the floor by similarly gaudy chains. On either side of it stands a barechested bouncer in the exotic garb of some foreign sultan’s
court. Each stands with muscled arms crossed over his chest and with a naked scimitar of prodigious size tucked through his waistband. High above them, from the hall’s cloth-draped ceiling, hangs a brass birdcage within which crouches a small, bat-winged, pointy-tailed devilish creature that sulks as it gazes over the room and occasionally rattles the bars threateningly.

( To enter is 1gp - I'll assume everyone enters the tournament. The day is spent with normal Tavern activities.. drinking card playing etc... As the windows begin darkening with twilight, several gamehall employees enter, carrying torches shaped like pitchforks skewering burning heads made of straw and cloth to light several large braziers, giving the hall a more infernal hue. A hush falls over the gathered crowd as a short man climbs to the central podium, accompanied by two gorgeous “succubi,” and stands before the gold, chain-shrouded chest there with a demoness on either side. He wears a formal suit, and his thinning black hair is slicked back. His left arm ends in a stump just above the wrist, and affixed to it is a bronze cap from which protrudes an oddly shaped key. This is Saul Vancaskerkin, the owner of the Gold Goblin and host of the tournament. He bows before the crowd and clears his throat before speaking. )

“Welcome, one and all, to the Gold Goblin Gambling Hall and your chance to cheat the Devil and win back not only your soul but all of his gold as well.” He says this last as he pats the large chest before which he stands. “I hope you found your reception by the Devil’s lovely temptresses suitably entertaining.”
This is met by a general murmur of laughter and a few catcalls. “Let’s take this moment to thank Old Scratch himself for attending this event. Not only did he loan us these lovely, dark angels, but he also emptied the deepest vaults of Hell itself to provide the gold for this tournament.”

( With this, Saul directs the crowd’s attention up to the imp in the birdcage. At the sudden attention, Old Scratch flies into a flurry of rage, banging the cage bars, spitting, howling, and screaming vile epithets in Infernal at all assembled. His theatrics are received with guffaws and even a smattering of applause. As the crowd dies down, Vancaskerkin continues. )

“Of course, he plans on replacing what he loses in gold with the souls of those of you who don’t win. The tournament rules are quite simple—as you play, you’ll earn more chips. And with those chips, you’ll be able to bribe your way out of the current Hell you’re trapped in, working your way down deeper until you get to Old Scratch’s treasury. Currently, all of you are Old Scratch’s prisoners in the first of the Hells, Avernus. If you want to work your way down to the ninth circle, you need to win games. Each time you win, you’ll be awarded a golden eye. If you come in second, you’ll get a silver tooth.
And third place wins a copper heart. These bits of flesh and bone are what the devils use in Hell for currency, and they’re what you’ll need to pay in order to bribe your way into the next layer of hell. The first player to win a game after reaching Nessus not only keeps his winnings for that game, but also earns back his soul and the ten thousand silver coins that the Devil put up for this tournament. You can, of course, decide to cash out your winnings at any time you want, but if you do, or if you run out of money entirely… well, that means Old Scratch gets you.” Vancaskerkin grins evilly and the caged imp cuts loose with another profane tirade. “And that earns you the Devil’s Mark and an escort out of the game hall until the tournament is over. What, you ask, exactly is this Devil’s Mark? Well, it’s something too utterly
horrible to even contemplate. The forfeiture of your very soul, it is. But I suppose I can show you what it is—gods know I more than deserve
the Devil’s Mark. In fact, better make it two, girls!” With that, the two succubi accompanying him lean over and each firmly plants a kiss on Saul’s cheek with her ruby-red lips. When they pull away, their lip rouge has left clearly visible prints in the same shocking red on his cheeks. Saul beams as he cries out, “The Devil’s Mark, everyone!” which is greeted by a flurry of shouts, catcalls, and hoots. “Now, let’s cheat the Devil and take his gold!” which prompts one more rabid flurry from the imprisoned fiend above, and with that, the tournament begins.

(Images;

Old Scratch
Saul Vancaskerkin
Contract

I'll have a few more images to add later. Namely, the image of the statue, an image of the Goblin and a map. Photobucket isn't liking me right now. )

I'll toss my offer up there. I live in Indiana so GenCon is always a doable deal.

The one disclaimer I have for myself is I'll be finding out within a week or two if I'm leaving the country or not. If I find out I'm leaving I'll withdraw.

However, I'm not betting on it. It's hard to get ahold of these guys.

All things considered I doubt I'm going. As such I'll be going to GenCon and I'll be picking up a copy. If you want me to grab you one and have the guys autograph it, I'll be more than happy to.

Yeah, one of my gaming buddies got it. He played until level 20 then when he realized he wasn't getting any more experience he removed the level cap.

Although, I don't think you really need it. On the 360 with my pure evil character I beat the game at around level 12.. maybe 13. That was a straight main story character. Didn't do the side quests other than what was easily available. Such as blowing up Megaton.

My slower do it all Good character is about half-way thru and a higher level.