GM Rennai's Reign of Winter (Inactive)

Game Master Rennaivx

Be welcome to our game! In the end I went for an all female group, even if it was a coincidence! I'll take a closer look in your crunch and fluff to see if everything is ok and then I'll give life to the gameplay thread with your introductions.

I hope to finish both of these steps as soon as possible, probably still today.

Frosty, thank you so much for selecting me! I am really, really, really excited to play in this particular AP, with this particular GM, and with an awesome-looking group of players :).

I want to take my time reading everyone's profiles, and I'll check in later with thoughts on how we can come together with roleplay.

@Frosty, would you like me to create a separate alias for wolf, or include his actions in Arvanya's posts?

Freja reporting in. I am happy to be selected and hope I do not disappoint. Freyja is quite team oriented so she will be, well not less of a challenge to role play properly, but different from the lone wolf types I often play.

I too want to read everyone's backgrounds but am going to wait until Freyja has a chance to discover those stories IC. Since she does not know the rest of you yet I will make myself wait. :)

@Arvanya: I really have no preference. Do whatever you are more comfortable with!

Reporting for duty.

Thanks for the selection...especially considering how many great choices were in that thread. Definitely looking forward to the game.

I'll try to read through the other profile stoo (probably avoid the secrets, though) and post more when I get off work.

Woohoo! :D Happy to be chosen!

Just reporting in for right now - I'll be back in a little later to catch up with folks. Thanks again for making Astrid a part of this!

Oh, sorry, Frosty, real quick - is it ok if I switch my Strength blessing for the War blessing? I'd meant to before, but hadn't gotten to it. I think it's going to be more flexible and useful for me; it doesn't change much of anything about the character.

Sure, Astrid, no problem at all!

Fixed a skill point error on my sheet. I thought I had underspent my skill points by one and spent it. But it turned out it was an anomaly from Perform skill not being a background skill for bards. So I had to un-spend it. :)

Looking over the characters, next level it looks like most of my skill points will need to go into knowledge skills. Without an int based caster I am your knowledge gal.

@Arvanya: It looks like Auryel has one more trick than he should (6+1, he has 8 if I'm not wrong -> attack[2], down, fetch, heel, hunt, seek, track). Also it looks like you are missing your favored class bonus! You also only bought your adventuring gear...

@Astrid: Please add your SQ to your sheet (animal-minded, aura, blessing (number), shape change). I think your greatsword damage should be (2d6+4/19-20). I think your Perception should be +6/+7 thanks to the seeker trait, right? You forgot your bonus to fortitude from your trait as well. Also, since you are from a Skald heritage, go ahead and add Skald as one of your languages. Also, if you wish since you took Ranger as a VMC and also a coldborn, I'll give you the Wild Empathy class feature for free.

@Blaze: It looks like you still have to finish your gear... let me know when you are done! Also, would not it be more thematic to Blaze be resistant to fire instead of cold? About her background, I imagine Blaze has no idea about where the witch lives but which village Pater/Blaze lived before he died?

@Evelina: You forgot to add the AC penalty of the buckler. Please take a look at your gear for I have found two problems: first, you spend 2gp, 9sp, 1cp more than you should (minor problem); secondly, your 'always on' gear weights 39lbs, putting you into medium load and prohibiting you from using a couple of class skills... taking in consideration your backpack, you reach heavy load. Also, I'd like to point you out to this sweet trait, Irrepressible... it is pretty useful for low Wis/high Cha PCs.

@Freyja: I could not find a single mistake, lol.

Also, there are a couple things I'd like to discuss with you before we start:

Healing: As you might have already noticed, 3 of the 5 PCs have access to healing magic so this should not be a problem... except that none of you took them! We could go two ways: one of you take the 'healing job' or pretty much the three of you work as half-healers. What are your thoughts?

Finally, are you all familiar with the Wound Threshold system that we'll be using?

About gear, I guess it makes sense to purchase an explorer's outfit? The characters don't know they're about to fate winter weather, do they? I'll purchase an outfit and a hunter's kit later tonight.

About healing, I don't mind dropping "resist energy" in favor of CLW, though I've only got 2/day. I'd really like to keep gravity bow for first level if possible.

About Wound Threshold, I'm familiar.

About skills, I could drop FCB in hp and throw in K(dungeoneering)

I am glad my character checked out. The rule system of this game has gotten complex enough that its hard to be an expert and get it 100% right every time.

I am not familiar with the Wound Threshold system but will review it now. Freyja could also learn Cure Light instead of one of her two 1st level spells. She will eventually pick it up anyway.

I've added a map of Heldren to the header of the campaign as well as a spoiler-free gazetteer of Heldren to the Campaign page... feel free to take a look so we can find the best place for you to be in Heldren.

There is also a Loot sheet that calculates your current gold and load and will be where I'll put all the loot you'll eventually find!

Changes made! My stat block game's pretty weak - I've had to figure it out on my own, without Hero Lab or anything to make them for me, and I'm still a noob at it. I hardly even get what the SQ line is for... it seems redundant when there's a special abilities section at the bottom. Anyway - I digress, fixed now.

I'm definitely not going to say no to a bonus language and a free class feature - I may be a noob, but I'm not an idiot. ;) The bonus language and wild empathy are added where they need to be added. For some reason, on the class skill traits, I always remember that it makes the skill a class skill, but not that it gives the +1 atop that...probably mostly because I'm always focused on the class skill part, haha.

I'm way ahead of you on the healing front - Astrid gets spontaneous cures, so she can convert any prepared spells to healing spells, which is why I didn't prepare any outright. It's still probably not going to hurt to have others with them prepared/known, though; I only get two first level spells a day, and they only go so far. I foresee first level being interesting with all sixth-level casters with low amounts of spells per day. ;) At least at second level I get fervor to even things out a bit.

And two skill points per level still pains me a little inside...but at least those few, few, very few skill points fill a niche compared to everyone else. ;) Next level I can pick up a point at least of Knowledge (religion) if we find we're needing it - I just didn't have the space to spare on a 2-plus-no-Int skill point character, especially when Survival and Heal were way more up her alley character-wise. I am familiar (or at least familiar enough) with Wound Thresholds, so long as I remember to apply it.

@Evelina: You forgot to add the AC penalty of the buckler. Please take a look at your gear for I have found two problems: first, you spend 2gp, 9sp, 1cp more than you should (minor problem); secondly, your 'always on' gear weights 39lbs, putting you into medium load and prohibiting you from using a couple of class skills... taking in consideration your backpack, you reach heavy load. Also, I'd like to point you out to this sweet trait, Irrepressible... it is pretty useful for low Wis/high Cha PCs.

The armor check thing is habit from my home games, where we usually don't put shield penalties in our base scores and assume the shield isn't being used during those skill unless otherwise specified, since more often than not, it doesn't make sense to have a shield out while using them. I can add the penalty if its easier. However, alternatively could I just put (-1 if using buckler) next to those skills and apply the penalty as necessary?

Regarding the gear...whoops. I modified Evelina from PC for another game where she had 13 strength and I probably got kind of sloppy when I was moving around values for her fashionable trait. I'll probably just scrap my gear and start from scratch.

As for Irrepressible, that is really tempting, but I think I am far too excited about how much fun Extremely Fashionable seems. So, I think I'll just have to try and survive on my awful will save until I get Charmed Life next level.

Evelina: I imagine you took both perform just for fluff. As an alternative, you could pick Sleight of Hand (if you ever needed to steal a fruit when hungry) and Knowledge (nobility) (since even if you have no wealthy, you still look at them for their clothes) instead.

To be honest, I totally misunderstood the rules and though you had to take Perform, Craft or Profession. I'd gladly take Knowledge (Nobility), since I imagine Evelina not only likes watching their fashion trends, but also has read a lot of heroic stories about knights and whatnot. Not so sure about Sleight of Hand. While it certainly would be useful, I'm not sure if I see Evelina as an accomplished thief. She is too much of an idealist. Would Appraise be an acceptable trade in? She has an eye for valuable things and it seems to be a skill we are lacking as a party.

Healing: As you might have already noticed, 3 of the 5 PCs have access to healing magic so this should not be a problem... except that none of you took them! We could go two ways: one of you take the 'healing job' or pretty much the three of you work as half-healers. What are your thoughts?

As one of the no healing option party members, I'm not sure if I should get a vote. But my two cents would be that it is better to spread out the work. Its not a lot of fun being stuck as the healbot, especially if thats not what you had in mind for your character. Also, its much safer to have backup healers for when the main healer goes down.

Finally, are you all familiar with the Wound Threshold system that we'll be using?

I read them over before applying, but haven't played with them before. I am somewhat terrified, but also intrigued.

As one of the no healing option party members, I'm not sure if I should get a vote. But my two cents would be that it is better to spread out the work. Its not a lot of fun being stuck as the healbot, especially if thats not what you had in mind for your character. Also, its much safer to have backup healers for when the main healer goes down.

I definitely agree on the spreading-things-out matter - backups are always good. But I'd fully intended going in to be at least the designated backup healer, if not the main one. Warpriests aren't the best at it, but they can do well enough, and I'll have enough to do in combat that missing my spells for a little while won't be too big a deal.

Speaking of spells, Frosty, is it all right if I switch my bless for another divine favor? With a bard at hand group buffs should be pretty well covered, so I think divine favor's going to be better to have at hand (although both will likely end up getting converted to cure spells on the regular, haha).

@Evelina: Appraise is really interesting/important since I actually ask for rolls to properly know how much an item is worth... the thing is that it is not a class skill for you. When you finish your new gear, let me know and I'll add it to the sheet!

Astrid works as a trapper and guide in the nearby forest; I'd intended her to be in Heldren on a resupply trip or a visit to sell the fruits of some particularly fortuitous hunt, so I can see a few different places she'd want to visit while in town. If there's no true inn she'll probably sleep in her tent just outside of town - it's her usual sleeping arrangement anyway, and if it's a matter of being on the ground either way there's not much reason to intrude on the Garimoses (besides enjoying their excellent ale, of course).

The butcher's probably her first stop if Perkin buys wild game at all; if he doesn't, the general store would probably be her best bet. She'll visit the general store regardless to pick up those supplies that are harder to come by in the woods, then head to the barber to get her haircut leveled out since neat haircuts aren't exactly a dime a dozen in the Border Wood. The apothecary and Old Mother Theodora would be possible stops also, since she's got enough skill in healing to potentially recognize some useful herbs and the two could have given her instructions for particular plants they're seeking. After business is done, she'll spend the evening drinking in the tavern.

One conspicuous place she'll probably give a miss is the church - she's part of a faith that isn't necessarily represented there, and being a part of said faith's priesthood herself she doesn't really need the services of a priest who isn't well grounded in it. Her devotions will take place at her tent. She'll also probably miss the smithy - she already has a sword she carries, and with her paying homage to Gorum it doesn't go wanting for maintenance. ;)

By the way, here is a picture to give you guys an idea of her appearance for those who enjoy visual references.

Made some updates to equipment. Evelina is less prepared than ever!

@Blaze: It looks like you still have to finish your gear... let me know when you are done! Also, would not it be more thematic to Blaze be resistant to fire instead of cold? About her background, I imagine Blaze has no idea about where the witch lives but which village Pater/Blaze lived before he died?

Blaze: Not sure what your artistry will be... I know that being terrible in Perception hurts but you'll also never be really good. Perhaps this point could be better spent in Intimidate? Also what about changing you lore to Lore (witches)? I see it being more useful and also fitting to Blaze!

Actually, her equipment is done. She only has 6gp and 1sp left to her name. A Kineticist comes into the world with very little: Starting Wealth: 1d6 × 10 gp (average 35 gp.) I almost asked you to roll for me, but was too afraid I might end up with only 10gp! XD

I like the Scaled skin resistance how it is though, she grew up somewhere cold and her Kyton parentage is actually immune to cold damage. In my mind, it's like she has an inner fire that keeps her warm but she is always in danger of being burned as well. Also pyrokinetics must "burn" themselves often to activate some of their abilities and that doesn't mesh well to being resistant to fire in my mind.

Yes, she will have no idea about where the witch lives but I imagined it was somewhere in Irrisen. And I guess I can make that change to lore, although she fears witches and would not want to risk falling captive to one again. Perhaps she studies them to make sure to stay out of their hands.

I'll try and pinpoint the village where she lived with Pater, left it vague so it would be easier to blend into a plotline later. She will face trouble if she goes back there. It would be somewhere warmer than Irrisen but where they still have heavy winter snows. Maybe somewhere in Varisia? Do you have any suggestions?

I took the Knowledge Nature both because it is a class skill for her and as I imagined her living wild mostly, it would benefit her to know enough about plant life to find what is safe to eat, healing herbs, etc. I suppose I could take some knowledge(planes) at later levels to support her trying to learn more about tieflings and how they are born, etc.

I can swap a rank to Intimidate. She should be quite good at it as it is a class skill and she gets a bonus to it via Shackleborn.

Finally, I think I confused myself earlier on the limits you placed on character creation, looking back you were OK with having one stat at 8 before racial adjustments? If it's ok, I would like to undercut strength to 8 so I can give Blaze back her 17 in Constitution. This stat is very important to a kineticist as it both their "casting stat" as well as their HP pool, which they sacrifice in order to do bigger better things with their blasts. Especially considering this wound threshold thing, which I looked over but have also never used in a game before.

Thanks so much for selecting me, very excited to get started! This sisterhood thing ought to be interesting for play, although it might make it less likely for poor Blaze to find a love interest. Was anyone planning to be a lesbian perchance? It wasn't really how I was picturing Blaze, but she's nothing if not flexible! LOL! ^_~

Ooh, 8 str does make it hard to even wear basic clothes and armor and not be encumbered. Could I instead make the Charisma an 8 before the racial adjustment drops it to 6? I recognize Blaze will not be looked on well anywhere we go, but we do have some good party face types. She should be very badly burned, as well as very obviously tiefling. Plus a serious lack of social graces despite her time with a human father. Let me know what you think!

Done with work, and I've made some updates:

1. I Exchanged favored class bonus from hp to +skill rank and added K(dungeoneering). I am a ranged combatant and so hopefully it won't be my undoing. Hp and skills updated.

2. I swapped out resist energy for CLW in spells known. I"m happy to do so, even if Astrid has a handle on heals. I think I will enjoy the damage/support role. I will plan to pick up resist energy next level. Spells updated.

3. Gear updates: purchased hunter's kit, purchased explorer's outfit, purchased 20 more arrows. Wealth and encumbrance now updated.

@Evelina: Not sure if I understood your changes... you are far more indebted than before (13.88 more than you should have)! What about this:

@Blaze: The way I see it, you already have an 8 in a stat prior to race adjustments... Str 10 (0pt), Dex 16 (10pts), Con 16 (5pts; +2 racial), Int 12 (2pts), Wis 8 (0pts; -2 racial), Cha 10 (-2pts; +2 racial). Your Charisma was already 8 from the beginning. Honestly, I think she is good the way she is... I think you is a bit confused about the shackleborn racial stats adjustments (+2 Con, +2 Cha, -2 Wis) since you do not get a penalty to Charisma.

Regarding about her background locations, Irrisen is a pretty difficult spot for we to link your background simply because there are almost no trading nearby for Pater to have found her after the escaped the crates... If you are willing, there is an alternative: The witch's house was located in Ustalav instead (also a pretty dark place and cold in the winter) with the benefits that Hallit is more closely related to that region. From the woods of Ustalav, the witch sold her to one of the several cultists around there. Pater's village could be in the relatively safe kingdom of Tymon in the River Kingdoms (Saad or Solanas). From there, going to Taldor and consequentially to Heldren would be really easy!

Ok, my mistake, I was forgetting what the shackleborn bonuses were and talking about changes without double checking. Alright, will leave her stats as they are.

I was imagining she traveled a good ways in the cultist's crate, so River Kingdoms works, especially without the added difficulty of crossing the mountains with a wagon. I play in a Kingmaker campaign so I have some familiarity with that region too. I'll see if I can find a village that will work there.

Arvanya is a recent arrival in the area, and I expect that she will have a very basic familiarity with Heldren and some of its people, though nothing intimate. Astrid, there are some strong parallels between us, as we both earn a living as "trappers" and "guides." For another thing, we are both "outdoorswomen," prefering to sleep outside.

Frosty, would it be appropriate to be friends with Xanthippe? She seems fun! I would also be familiar with Vivialla Steranus, proprietor of the General Store, the Apothecary Tessaraea Willowbark, the folks at Silver Stoat (of course), and Old Mother Theodora.

May I stealth dot your thread to watch it, Frosty?

Hmm

Made the changes to skills and noted wealth on the sheet. Also input her specific discipline of artistry, which is pyrography: the art or technique of decorating wood or leather by burning a design on the surface with a heated metallic point. She also uses this technique on her own flesh.

Blaze is a nomad and also outdoorsy and sleeps in the rough. If she comes into town it would likely be to seek fresh materials like wood from the carpenter or mayber leather to try and make a new piece of artwork to try and sell while she is here since her gold is running low.

I notice we have no one with Disable Device... should that be rectified before we begin or will it be ok to worry about it later?

Hello, Hmm! *waves*

Hello, gorgeous! * waves back! *

Hmm

The outfit thing makes sense, I can swap that out. I thought the game began with the bad weather having already started. However the rest is adding up for me, so I am not sure we are on the same page.

Also, regarding the background skill, I see what you mean with Appraise, I guess it would only net me a +1, which isn't very impressive. The only other class skill I can think of that might fit is Escape Artist, since she does get herself into a fair amount of accidental trouble. But that might be a stretch. If so, I'll probably either stick with Perform (Oratory) or Appraise.

I fumbled a stealth roll and have to say hi and that I also am following along, second party choice that I am. Hi everyone.

@Hmm/Malian: Sure, not a problem at all!

@Evelina: What you are paying for is a simple flask (fragile and made of glass, holds 1 pint of liquid), not a hip flask (durable, holds 8 ounces). Note that these two are not 'enough' for a human in terms of 'nourishment', requiring a waterskin/canteen (holds 0.5 gallon). Just found what you meant with 'hide'... it a hide shirt, and the chalk is worth 1cp, not 1sp.

I'll probably make the first post tomorrow!

Ready to get started and to meet my new friends. :) An all female party will be a new thing for me. I can imagine that we might be underestimated a time or two.

@Hmm/Malian: Sure, not a problem at all!

@Evelina: What you are paying for is a simple flask (fragile and made of glass, holds 1 pint of liquid), not a hip flask (durable, holds 8 ounces). Note that these two are not 'enough' for a human in terms of 'nourishment', requiring a waterskin/canteen (holds 0.5 gallon). Just found what you meant with 'hide'... it a hide shirt, and the chalk is worth 1cp, not 1sp.

I'll probably make the first post tomorrow!

Made updates. Also added soap, because I feel like personal heigine would be worth the half pound to Evelina.

Ready to get started and to meet my new friends. :) An all female party will be a new thing for me. I can imagine that we might be underestimated a time or two.

All female party is a first for me too. My real life group is half and half and rarely gender swaps. Should be interesting. Evelina is a bit of a girlie girl too, which is a change from the more tomboyish characters I usually play.

Definitely excited to start RPing. Character interactions are the best part about PbP.

First post is up! If you are going to dot instead of already posting, please 'dot and delete'.

Also, since this is an all female group, I'd like to know how do you feel about sexism. I think it could enrich this game experience if used sparsely but I'll let this decision to you, since I do not want to step in anyone's toes. Obviously in real life it is a terrible thing but in more adult fantasy movies/series/books of the medieval time, it is quite present.

Let me know your thoughts. If possible, also tell me your RL gender (I'm male by the way).

I am male as well and have a 24 year old daughter.

As a player of first edition AD&D, where female characters had lesser stats than male (I think max strength was like a 16) I think the game has come a long way to eliminate sexism and am for that. That said, it irks me when gaming books choose the female pronouns instead of being gender neutral. It feels like the industry is trying to pay reparations.

IC I am fine running into sexism and would be happy to help dash some misconceptions. :) And like I noted before, being underestimated could work in our favor.

Slight aside: I know in Paizo's case the pronoun thing is intentional - the gender they use in a class's description matches the gender of the iconic character of that class. So in that case, I think it's actually kind of neat, although I agree that feat descriptions and such should probably be gender neutral. Further off aside: I was so excited when I found out "they" was finally officially recognized as an acceptable single-person gender indeterminate pronoun in general published use...because I'm a giant freaking nerd. :)

I'm an actual woman on the Internet (gasp!), and I don't have a problem with sexism being dealt with in the game - as you said, an all-lady group is kind of a unique opportunity for it. And it's not something I'm likely to see anywhere else anytime soon - in both my non-PbP groups it's entirely men playing, with little inclination to genderswap and even less inclination to dig into social issues. (Although my husband did have a lady cleric for the first two books of our RotRL game, which has a fairly important romantic subplot that said cleric was the likeliest candidate for. She was the hottest. Watching two very, very straight men trying to flirt IC is hilarious, and my husband actually seemed to learn a few things about how uncomfortable aggressive advances can be.) If it were to seep into OOC interactions I'd start to get upset very quickly, but I highly doubt that'll happen, considering anyone here who isn't a woman themselves is ok enough with them to make a female character. ;)

Of course, Astrid herself could easily be (and has been) mistaken for a man at a glance - being well over six feet tall and built like an NFL linebacker has that effect, and her heritage has left her having to deal with a little more facial hair than most women too, even when she's not transformed. That might make for an interesting route to explore as well - how people react when someone doesn't meet their expectations of "female-ness", whatever that means. (She does identify as female, by the way; she's not genderqueer or anything. It's just something lycanthropic blood will do to a person.)

I am also a member of the illusive females on the Internet species.

I have no particular problem with potentially sexist NPCs as long as it is intentional and stays in character. I sort of already implied mild sexism in my background, since no one would hire her as an adventurer and most implied she would probably just hurt herself. Although, given Evelina's personality, that might be less sexism and more just a valid observation...

@Astrid: How mad would you be at Evelina if she tries to give Astrid a makeover?

Interesting. Freyja has the same strength as Astrid (at least in Astrid's human form) and I envision her as quite feminine. She too is quite tall.

IRL I work out 3 times a week and see all sorts of builds and strengths of people. One of the more attractive (at least to me) females that work out has a very feminine build but is still quite muscular and squats more weight than I do even though she could not possibly weight more than 150 lbs.

Anyway, another factor that might come into play here is that Freyja, while quite attractive, has never had a serious relationship with a man. She is interested in men but is busy living her life and the right man has not come along.

@Evelina: I'd find it hilarious...Astrid would find it more than irritating, and a little insulting (she's a bit insecure about her appearance, though not so much as when she was younger). She grew up in the Taldane court, and it left a bad taste in her mouth that extends to most of what she dismisses as "preening". Maybe when she knows you better. ;)

@Freyja: Build seems as much a matter of Constitution as Strength to me, and Astrid's got higher Constitution. Plus, her stocky build and wider frame is a manifestation of her werebear blood, part of her heritage. As Freyja's more wiry figure might be a manifestation of some sort of strange lineage. ;) As you said, there's all builds of people even with similar strength - Astrid just drew what many (including the nobleladies she grew up with) would consider the short end of the stick on the matter. (If you've ever read Game of Thrones, think Brienne of Tarth for her appearance.)

I am male (32yo), but I enjoy playing both male and female characters. In fact, I try to strike an even balance between the two. With this game, I am playing in four games with two of each gender (a male wizard and paladin, a female sorceress and hunter). I have been very fortunate in live games--the players have always been mature and respectful--but I have heard some cringe-worthy stories about sexism in RPG.

I (player) would not be offended with sexism in the game, and Freyja is right. I would expect to find it! Paizo usually does a great job of being politically correct, and I find when they do write in controversial topics, they usually do so in a very deliberate way and with an eye toward enjoyment.

BTW I love the Brienne reference.

Female on the internet and in real life! Turning 50 in a couple weeks.

Hmm

Male, playing a male who gets mistaken for female a bit too often and he is very self-conscious about it. Turning 19 October.

@Freyja: Build seems as much a matter of Constitution as Strength to me, and Astrid's got higher Constitution.

Ha! And here I have the highest Con of us all and see Blaze as almost waif-like given her past and high dex. Different strokes!

I am a genuine female gamer here as well and have been video gaming since I was very small and got into 2nd ed AD&D when I was a teenager. Oddly enough, I came very close to an all female PC kingmaker campaign, but I was the only RL female in the group! Then we took on a replacement male PC, but his player is female. XD

I have a 15yo son and a 7yo daughter and they are both raised not make generalizations about anyone based on any facet of their person, be it sex, skin color, culture, religion, sexual orientation or what have ye. But as I spent a few years as a single mother, I have seen many varieties of sexism aimed in my direction. Pathfinder seems a good deal less sexist than other systems I have been exposed to. Why the ladies even tend to wear clothes! Erastil protect us!

That said, Golarion is populated with many individuals and some of them are bound to be racist, sexist, faithist and even hygienically challenged. Blaze was built to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, AND to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them. I'm in, hit me with your best shot!

(Do I get extra points for quoting both Hamlet and Pat Benatar in the same paragraph? X3)

*claps* I remember when I had to say that entire quote from hamlet in my advanced writing class.

Trying to wait for Blaze to post before I post more. Hard to wait... :)

I am writing! Got interrupted by a visitor, but I am on it now. You guys seem to have gotten started just a few hours after I went to sleep, so I'm trying to catch up. I will be on a better schedule once my kiddoes start back to school, but I'm an incorrigible night owl in the summers. >_<

@Evelina: I'd find it hilarious...Astrid would find it more than irritating, and a little insulting (she's a bit insecure about her appearance, though not so much as when she was younger). She grew up in the Taldane court, and it left a bad taste in her mouth that extends to most of what she dismisses as "preening". Maybe when she knows you better. ;)

Astrid and Evelina already seem like they might be foils for one another. One raised in the Taldane Court and hated how shallow it was. The other raised in total poverty, but desperate to live like the Taldan nobles live...

Also, not sure if I should have Evelina roll perception against that Frippery remark... ;p

Trying to wait for Blaze to post before I post more. Hard to wait... :)

I had sneak another post in there. There was already too much for Evelina to react to. Hopefully she distracts everyone long enough for Blaze to make her dramatic entrance. :D

I was noticing that, too, Evelina - it's interesting how diametrically opposite they are. That means that according to the laws of storytelling they're guaranteed to become the best of friends, right? ;)