fray's page

So, my party, Team Home Invasion, went to the castle. They split the party, half in the front gate, half to the back of the castle.
The slime really did a number on a couple of party members be Trogomor showed up. The party was about to retreat when he showed up and after turning one of them into stone they bolted. The other half of the party and got themselves whooped on by the horned devil and a trio of barbed devils. (This half of the party had only the gunslinger's sight on his rifle as a way of spotting invisible creatures.) They barely survived. They retreated too. [This is where the game session ended.]

Now, my thought is to have Trogomor and a group of devils go after the PCs the next morning. Basically giving Trogomor time to get back his spells and some muscle. Maybe even have another monster besides a devil join him.

[If they defeat him they can go back to the castle to deal with big bad devil.]

I just don't want them to feel comfortable having one battle and going to rest. There just wouldn't be time really. I'm using the rest period to get spells back for my bad guy and change some of them.

They already defeated the efreet.

Does this sound like a decent plan?
What would you do?

Here's my Jabberwocky that my friend painted.
It is SO cool!

WOOOOOOOOOOO!
EFFING WOOOOOOOO!

Thanks paizo!
I'm sure these are going to be a BIG hit with the people around here.

Why do some gaming pdf's not have covers and not come in/with a color version?

What prompts this question, I saw a book and loved the design and I wanted to pick up the pdf until I buy the hardcover. The pdf had no cover and the interior was black and white. It really killed the design aspect, the colors dead. It has made me not want the hardcover as much now. (Though I'll be getting it anyways... but still.)

I understand people want to print these out and save money ink and print a black and white version. Some of us don't. If they book is in color why not put the color pdf with the b&w pdf? It's an extra couple mouse-clicks worth of work.

And I know that some products make the book cover and the inside pages as separate files and maybe they just post the inside pages. It is not much work to put the cover in the pdf with the interior pages.

Maybe I'm spoiled by paizo and their pdf's.

I'm curious as how you handle game maps that are BIG? (see my Scarwall map thread for an example.)
Do you keep washing and erasing a battlemap? Print it out? What?
I'd like to know how this is handled by y'all.

Here's a pic of the map I made for my CotCT game.
That's my little girl helping me to show scale, she's 3'3" tall.
Map
I plan on making the other floors before the next game.
102" x 110"

DragonStrike

"In 1993, Dungeons & Dragons manufacturers TSR released the role-playing board game DragonStrike, which was designed to introduce D&D to a wider audience. DragonStrike came with this unintentionally hilarious instructional video. It's the best of the worst of video ephemera.

The 33-minute DragonStrike tutorial video featured extremely Nineties computer animation, hammy acting, and cornball fantasy dialogue. Furthermore, all of the characters refer to each other by their classes (i.e., "Refrain from disturbing his personal effects, Thief! At least before he is dead!"), which makes the story all the more leaden. Recommended in a group setting."
- - -
Enjoy.

Interview Here
This part made me post it here:
You've got such an amazing collection of wild genre films, and Season of the Witch seems to fit right in there. What was it about this movie that made you want to get involved?

Well, first and foremost it was a Nicolas Cage movie. I'm a total fanboy when it comes to his body of work. There isn't a more original and unique actor in the world right now, I think. He's not like anyone else. He brought this kind of wide-eyed magic to so many other roles over the course of time. I knew he was involved in the project before I read the script. Then when I started reading the script, and realized what they were asking me to do, which was be his best pal and comrade in arms. We make our way through this whole journey shoulder-to-shoulder and we have this wonderful rapport. We've both looked into the jaws of death a million times. There's a camaraderie and an unspoken bond that exists between us, which was really cool to wallow in for four and a half months of making this film.
- - - -
How cool is that? They made their character backgrounds! Too cool!

Woooooo!

Woo Hoo! You guys finally sold out!
Party time!
(Yeah, I was one of the guys that made this game.)
Great to see it still around.

Today I had one of the raddest things happen in a game ever!

Here's the set up:
Party, 12th level, on the back of a huge eagle, the party druid using wild shape, flying over a lake towards a castle in the middle of a crater. A group of gargoyles attacked from the castle. (Arial combat can be fun.) The fighting noise attracted a huge umbral dragon.
At one point the party had a couple of gargoyles behind them and the dragon behind the gargoyle. The rogue wanted get on the dragon. He jumped off the giant eagle, landed on a gargoyle and jumped again onto the dragon's head. He stuck the landing. The druid then circled around and the fighter also jumped on the dragon. (Mostly just stepping over on to it.)
The dragon didn't like having riders so proceeded to climb in the sky. Fighter fell onto the castle. Rogue held on. At the end of the climb the rogue pulled out 2 immovable rods. (I made him make Dex checks to get the rods and stay on his feet.) He then stabbed the dragon in the eye with an immovable rod and hit the button.
DRAGON CLOTHESLINE AT 200 FEET!

So awesome!

The dragon took 25d6. Then the dragon could not make the Str check to move the rod. However the rod had a weight limit of 8,000 lbs. So the dragon and the rogue slowly fell straight down. The dragon was never able to make the Str check and then the rogue used the 2nd rod to back of the dragon's head. I ruled they were descending at 40 feet. So the dragon took an extra 8d6.

Also since the dragon was pinned he was denied his Dex bonus. The rogue proceeded to stab the dragon and get his sneak attack during the descent.
The druid was helping out with some called lighting and ball lightning when he made his caster level checks. I had the rogue make a hold on check each roundon the way down. Rogue was hitting about half the time. Then he got hit with an enervation, he started hitting less. Once the dragon "landed" the rogue and druid finished it off.

I had to share. I love being surprised by my players like this.

(This was playing Pathfinder rules D&D in the Skeletons of Scarwall, book 4 of the Curse of the Crimson Throne adventure path.)

Made me cry... again.

Podcasts of actual city/character creation phases.

Actual People, Actual Play
Episode 32 - city creation
Episode 24 - a talk with Ryan Macklin

The Walking Eye Podcast
Dresden Files Actual Play Session 1 - city creation
Dresden Files Actual Play Session 2 - character creation

The Walking Eye Podcast
We Are All Mad Here 1 - city creation
We Are All Mad Here 2 - character creation

Thanks to all the podcasters for making these. They helped me. :)

My vote:
Jason as Damiel, the iconic alchemist.

All are awesome!

Awesome!

Where can we preorder it?

pic 1
pic 2
pic 3
pic 4
pic 5
pic 6
pic 7
pic 8
pic 9
pic 10
pic 11

I've been running my game there for 2 years and they're closing at the end of the month.
I have a lead on 2 other places and info on a third so I hope to find a new place by the next game.
Just sad to have yet another game store close.

Is this a RPG base on the mini game or is this a book for mini rules?

So, I went and ordered this already.
Linkie here
You get the pdfs now and the final pdf when the books ship in June.
There's going to be a short story by Jim Butcher in it too.

I've just browsed the pdfs so far. They look cool. Lots of markings/notes throughout from Harry, Billy and others talking about the game itself. It's a really nice touch.

Anyways... go get it. :)

I'm on Chapter 34...
Ok... Daaaaaaaaaaam is Harry is in a messed up position!
I was really hoping that

I kept thinking something was going to happen, like Father Fornel coming in and waking him at the last moment.
I'm really curious to see how he comes out of this. With all the stuff that has happened to him... wow.

My party, Team Home Invasion Local 29, went down into the Arkona Dungeons last weekend. The garden guardians gave them a good fight, poison saves were not made as much as the PC would have liked. ;)

I created an altar to Gozreh, but is really a facade, it's an altar to Calistria in reality, which would reincarnate (true reincarnate) someone if they put 5 hp worth of blood in the offering bowl and a body on the slab. The altar was created because I made a deadly trap. I was wanting to 'mix things' up with my party to keep them on their toes but I didn't want to kill them permanently. (Also I think I have players that have read the adventure so this was an added surprise.)

As players are known to do they surprised me. They put Bahor's body on the slab after the sacrifice was already offered up. After the flames of recreation died down Bahor was back in the world of the living. He was surprised at being alive and even more surprised being a Tain female.

Stat block attached.
Gloria Arkona

I bet you are asking yourself, "Why were they carrying a dead body around?"
I give you this answer.
Carrying a body around...

And of course it was an easy joke when "No" and Teo started calling her "Gloria" instead of Glorio. (The party doesn't know him by any other name.)
Note: I made my own reincarnate list. 2 PC's are now a tibbit and a suli. Much fun was had by me when they were rolled.)

- - - -

It's a great role playing opportunity for me and a great way to 'mix things up' for the party.

Enjoy and use at will.
If you do use please let me know. (Reply here.)

Later,
Matt

Come closer, so that you may hear my tales. Yes, that beer will do nicely.

First, let me introduce you to the TEAM:

Team Home Invasion Local 57
Teo - suli fighter. Kenjandi - pseudodragon dragon fire adept cohort
Mav - human rogue. Worjak - fengeode, custom creature, cohort
No - half-orc barbarian
William - tibbit barbarian sorcerer. Wizzle - gnome bard cohort
Katheen - half-elf druid. Sassybaskets - tiger companion
Sylas - elf sorcerer / dragon disciple. Soren - human monk cohort
Alonius - human ranger / wizard. ??? - human barbarian cohort. badger familiar.
Urison - human cleric
Meridith - tiefling rouge / monk
Gnom - half-elf ranger / monk

Here we see our TEAM at the Arkona Mansion and we also see a flurry of events unfolding with in...

A little background first. "No" isn't the smartest of bricks. During one of the games the party was in a building and it was on fire. Things being on fire was a common occurrence when it comes to Team Home Invasion Local 31. The party was trying to put it out like they usually are want to do. The significant item of note was that this time the druid had quench prepared. I know, I am surprised as you are.

The druid casts quench the same round No is slamming the body of a dead Red Mantis Assassin at the flames also trying to put out the fire. No didn't notice the spell being cast and thought that it was his efforts that put out the fire. Like I said, he isn't the shiniest of bricks.

This became a theme with No. He would, from then on, be seen with his trusty "fire extinguisher" wherever the party traveled. Sometimes he would lose his "fire extinguisher" or sometimes it would get eaten by an otyugh. These times were short however, since there seemed to be an overflowing supply of them for No's use.

Now we come upon the Mansion Arkona and those that live there. Here was another unique event for Team Home Invasion Local 37, they actually decided to scout the mansion before bashing in the front door. (Which they did do eventually but I will get to that.)

Meridith, Gnom, and Mav proceeded to be like the shadows and learn what they could about the Mansion Arkona. They were quiet as the wind and as were hidden as a sunbeam. Once they had seen everything to see around the mansion, they met in secret to plan their next move. Obviously, the decision was made to break in, which they did with the utmost of silence. Their interior mission was going well as they were well versed in the ways of not being seen by the servants. One of the things they were not so versed in was the ways of not being Arkona family members and avoiding the alarm spells.

At this point there was much noise from the elephantal alarm system and much getting the hell out of dodge by Meredith and Gnom. Mav, not to let a little thing as a elephant trusting alarm get in the way of finding mad loot, continued his search of the mansion. Mav proceeded to stay out of sight while also setting off every alarm along his path. He was much pleased with his progress until he went upstairs.

Upstairs, as we well know, was the sleeping quarters of Quido and Luido and Muido Arkona. With Fred Arkona not being in his quarters as it was his turn to patrol the gardens. Quido and Luido were in their quarters and decided to have a little dance with Mav. Soon, Mav grew tired of this dance and was wanting to say his goodbyes and be on his way but Fate had other plans. Mav soon found himself, well, he would have found himself had he not been unconscious and dying, trown into the toilet room. Also, had Mav been conscious, he would have noticed the fine marble toilet, that he so finely allowed his body to drape over, would fetch a nice bag of gold at the market.

But what of the rest of Team Home Invasion Local 82? They were at the far end of the Arkona grounds outside the gate. Meredith and Gnom made their way to them with hands flailing and mouths screaming that Mav was still inside. Thus ACTION was born. Remember that I said I would get back to the bashing down of the door? Well this is where that happens.

Quido and Luido were on there romm-to-room search and encountered a part of Team Home Invasion Local 106 in the library. Much dancing and discussions ensued.

William, Alonius, Urison, and Wizzle found their way upstairs. William even barged into Golrio Arkona's den and interrupted his afternoon wine and crackers. Though, it was short lived as William quickly shut the door and fled, err, walked away.

Alonius had found Mav lounging in his own blood and laying over a fine marble toilet, which Alonius thought would fetch a nice bag of gold at the market. Alonius tended to Mav with a potion that would be of some help to him in his bleeding state. Mav, being 2 turns away from bleeding to death, was very thankful. After a spell from Urison and another potion Mav was ready to set off some more alarms.

The party upstairs had then decided to go downstairs and join the ball in the library. Quido and Luido were doing a fine bit of dancing and slashing and being graceful while doing it until they made a slight misstep and moved back a step, instead of moving forward, which allowed Team Home Invasion 453 to surround them and end the dance.

Did I forget to mention that the library was crowded? Indeed it was. Least we not forget Katheen, being a druid, had wild shaped into a stegosaurus. As you know, dinosaurs are not small beasts and the Arkona library was not a large room and it was crowded with participants dancing.

Let us look around the corner to the Smoking Den and a person of note looking in the fine glass cabinets. You may recognize this person as he pulls out a finely carved wooded box, would fetch a nice bag of gold at the market. It is our favorite person of alarm-setting-off-ness. Keeping his cool is the mayhem happening in the room next door, Mav tries to open the box.

Did you know that finely carved boxes and known to have been enchanted with magics that summon barghasts when it is not opened properly? Neither did Mav. After much ignoring of the barghasts and much fiddling with the finely carven box the smoking room was crowded with 5 pairs of barghasts ready and willing to dance. Several of which were dancing with Mav.

At this point I will need to take my leave and tarry on. I will be back soon, for there is much more to tell.

WOW!
Awesome!
/jealous

Ok, my party, Team Home Invasion Local 63, went through the place and confronted Bahor. My fighter decided to end the conversation and Initiative was rolled. I don't think I've ever seen so many 20's in one battle. SR was overcome all 3 times too.

So, anywho... the party wants to rest before going

I have some time to prep for the next game and would love some ideas.

kthxbai

I am want to add more outcomes to the list

Current list:
Bugbear
Dwarf
Elf
Gnoll
Gnome
Goblin
Half-elf
Half-orc
Halfling
Human
Kobold
Lizardfolk
Orc
Troglodyte
Other

Adds:
centaur, but would be a Medium sized
Skaven, rat men
fey, not sure what kind

Any ideas in what else I could add?

Thanks,
Matt

Gamers Helping Haiti
$20 donation gets you over $1000 in gaming stuff
There are some PFRPG products in there along with Kobold Quarterly and various other RPGs. A few I have had my eye on but never got around to buying... until now.

Head on over there and help out... and get some stuff on the way out.

Anyone know what the breakdown of NPC levels would be regarding the city's population?

Yes, this is a serious question.
I'm curious.

Hey gang,

I find myself needing to know some 4e stuff.
Is there a Primer or Cliff Notes or Quickstart version out there?

If not, what are the basics I should read up on? (I can borrow the core books easily. I need to know what sections to cover.)

T.I.A.

Are YOU ready for some football!!!

Paizo Pigskin
League ID#: 772279
password: pathfinder

Ok gang! Let's do this!
I got 9 openings ready to be filled in by some of you fellow football losers, er fans.
Live draft is set for Sept 4th at 8pm PST. (You can rank your players in advance if you cannot be at the live draft. (Which is what I will be doing.) Or you can leave the rankings as is and see what happens.)

To Paizo and Kobold Quarterly/Open Design

Totally awesome!!!

Confirmed with 3+ people.

Hi.

Check this out.

I'm wondering if there is a template (or something) that allows you to combine two races of that gives a PC the shapechange ability, like the Changeling.
Do you know of one? or both?

T.I.A.

I do like the winning design, though it seems to me that they just grabbed the "&" and slapped it on the shoe. (I haven't really looked into it to see how it was done, this is just a guess.)

D&D shoes $99 + they don't have my size = FAIL

The 2nd place is ok... would have been better with Pathfinder goblins...

Can we get a Pathfinder shoe now?

I'm curious to see what people think about these books.

I'm curious to see what people think of these books.

Is this a preorder?
Like the Shadowrun book... since this is also slated for Aug 11th...

/adds to wishlist

Here's my answer:

We usually let the group do whatever but when things need to go a certain way we have a NPC who is named the Clue Master. He shows up in any game and he always looks the same. Wide brimmed hat, long duster cloak, white shirt and white gloves carrying a fine silver tray with two envelopes on it. The PC's pick one and then he leaves. Most of the time the PC's take the clue... most, not all. :]

I was running my own D&D game at a game shop that didn’t participate in Free RPG Day. (They are mostly a board / card game shop.) The closest game shop participating was over 1.5hr drive away. Bummed me out. But our session was really fun and I got 2 new players. :]

My questions for y'all:
-What was given away?
-What did you get?
-How did you like it?
-Is anyone else selling their product like paizo is doing? (If yes, got a link for that?)

was meeting everyone.

I walked into the con with little mental pics of everyone's avatars walking around with stick figure bodies. Now that I have a face and voice to the people I am hearing their voices in the posts while picturing their faces over their avatars.

"Hi" to everyone!

I don't see a level requirement for this event.
If we don't have a PFS char we can make one and bring it to the event? Or will they be provided?

I just got this and paged through it to see who it is and couldn't find her...
Help please. :]

What's the LA of a Vulpinal?

(Reposting from the KQ9 thread as that has become a bit full...)

Question for everyone:
Would you like to see some indication of what the edition breakdown of an issue is?
Like in the product description text:
Article Title/description - 3.5
Article Title/description - 4.0
Article Title/description - Pf

Or just a note in the description saying, "This issue contains 3.5, 4.0, Pf material."

Would you like some kind of description in the magazine itself, like an icon, telling you which edition the article supports?

Thanks,
-Kobold Graphics

Pf = Pathfinder

My party, "ACME Destroyers Local 242", went into the hospice. They actually used stealth and guile, one disguised as a queen's physician and the other as a blood veil victim. It worked well for several minutes. (The rest of the PC were outside waiting for "the signal".) They got a layout of the place and kept the act up for a while until the failed bluff check. Anyway they were able to take out the bad guys and capture the good Dr. They left with the Dr and the party Boy Scout (paladin) bound and gagged. The paladin had been charmed by the Dr. It was a great battle/role-play. The Dr hasn't given them any information. He doesn't see the PC's killing a helpless person.

Anyways... I'm trying to think what to do. They got the people out on the first floor but not the 15 upstairs.

My initial thought it that the bad guys just 'bug out' and torch the place.
But that would really kill a bunch of the story. My other thought is they reinforce their position. (Have the 15 turned into some kind of undead by Rolth.) I am wondering if the Nosferatu would even want to leave in the first place... or would he care...

I'm wondering what to do and would appreciate any ideas.
(I have 3 weeks before the next game to prepare.)

t.i.a.

What is the difference between this one and the one from Mongoose?

See the difference between the quotes?
and like my email addy...
it changes to this sometimes:
[at] gmail [dot] comdot-matrix printouts

Anyone else see this happening?

2 camels 1 car